Now, away from the bright lights and press briefings of Europe’s biggest new car event, we’re keen to find out what ordinary members of the public actually think of SEAT’s newest arrival.
Hop in and first impressions are favourable – there’s certainly no sign of any wear. In fact, it really does look as good as new, and there’s loads of room, too. Unfortunately, hybrid Outlanders are five-seat only (the diesel versions have seven seats), but at least all five have plenty of space to lounge around in. The driving position is tall, upright – commanding even – and although the placing of some of the switchgear seems a little haphazard, and the infotainment system is a little clunky to use, the instruments are clear and easily readable.
As for the Indy piece of the Triple Crown, Alonso famously raced there this year and was running competitively when his Honda engine failed in the closing stages of the race. So expect to see him there again as well.
"The weakest function in American business is human relations," Gilmour said in a 1999 interview with Automotive News. "The good companies make personnel a strategy. That was an Ed Lundy/Arjay Miller legacy. They were thinking about that long before most companies were."
The new generation design language employed on the QX50 means up front a large grille with an oversized badge is flanked by narrow headlights with LED lighting signatures. A muscular looking front bumper with large air intakes appears to sit underneath it.
The two M Sport models both sit on 19in alloy wheels and include unique bumpers and paintwork, as well as heated front seats. The M Sport and M Sport X are inspired by circuit racing and rallying respectively. Both trims receive stiffer M Sport suspension and have a lowered ride height.
Check and clean your lights regularly. The salt and dirt can quickly build-up, reducing the effectiveness of the lights and reducing your visibility to other road users. It's best to keep your lights on in all sorts of weather, as it helps you to be seen. Carry extra bulbs in case of a failure, but do try and learn how to replace the bulbs when it's convenient, because you can guarantee that when one blows it'll be in the dark, in freezing cold and possibly wet weather, which isn't an ideal time to learn about your car.
Alan Gilmour, retired vice chairman and CFO at Ford, who was mentored by the Whiz Kids early in his career, credits Miller as well as fellow Whiz Kid Ed Lundy for placing a priority on personnel management at the company.
It’s stomping the major routes that our Vauxhall still shines. On a fast-moving motorway, the Cavalier is surprisingly subdued, with minimal wind or road noise, demonstrating that all those hours in the wind tunnel were fruitful. And this 2.5-litre V6 engine has even more grunt than the 2.0-litre in our test, delivering effortless roll-on performance, despite being paired to a rather sluggish four-speed automatic gearbox. It’s easy to see why 'the Cav' was the repmobile of choice.
If all this bonus content wasn’t enough, new subscribers will also receive a premium gift in celebration of our 1,500th issue.
Miller had no interest when the group considered the Illinois Central Railroad, but when the search shifted to Ford, he abandoned plans to return to banking and a pursue a Ph.D. in San Francisco.
The engine is not a bad one, but when compared to similar small engines found in both the Fiesta and Ibiza you realise its shortcomings. Both spin up quicker, are peppier and are better balanced. The latter is important because the Micra also suffers from harsh vibrations transmitted through the steering wheel and clutch pedal.
With the £5,995 Huntsman Accessory Pack added on, the D-Max Utah Double Cab manual comes in at £36,115 while the automatic version will cost £37,315.