Llangollen Ramblers looking for new faces

A few of Llangollen Ramblers enjoying the sunshine on Oswestry Racecourse last week.  

The ramblers say they would love to see new faces, so if you're interested, call Judy on 07905 330788 or email smithdinbren@gmail.com 

Much more to this Volvo hybrid than its comfy seats

Volvo XC60 drive by Steve Rogers

A car company director asked 30 motoring journalists would they buy an electric car tomorrow? Only four put their hands up. Mind stayed down.

The problem is not the cars, the majority of which are innovative and good to drive. The biggest barrier as we move rapidly towards electrification is range anxiety, the fear of not being able to keep the batteries topped up on a long journey.

And the fear is real so much so that the car industry is lobbying the Government to more than double its target of 350,000 charging points by E day in 2030.

Ironically now might be the best time to run an electric car because there are still not that many queues at charging points.

But for the time being my choice is hybrid, part engine, part electric motor, or you can take a step further with a plug-in hybrid which provides more miles on electric only power, just like this XC60 Recharge.

XC60 has a two-litre engine and an electric motor that can be charged in a couple of hours to give up to 48 miles on electric only driving. For some that is more miles than they cover in an average day. The big drawback with a plug-in is the extra cost and if we take XC60 as an example the gap between petrol and plug-in hybrid is all but £8,000.

Volvo is now well established as a premium brand so you are paying big bucks, in the case of XC60, its best seller, anything from £48,000 to £68,000 but it is an impressive car.

My wife is a good sounding board with test cars, she is very picky and rarely impressed but the Volvo charmed her. There were a few things. The glass gear change selector immediately caught her eye, the dashboard layout with its stylish mix of quality coverings and metal surrounds and inserts, but the highest praise was reserved for the seats.

I am with here all the way on this and have been saying for years that Volvo seats are the best shaped and most comfortable of any car I have driven.

So this is looking good, then I select reverse and notice the rear camera definition isn’t up to scratch, all a bit foggy. Very un-Volvo like, yet switch to the 360 degree surround setting and it is pin sharp. Strange.

No worries, we are off and are then surprised at the overly noisy heating fan even on the lowest setting. Hope this is as far down hill as we are going.

The next bit is not meant to be negative but every time I drive a Volvo I dread using the  touchscreen, the car’s brain centre. Volvo has upgraded the technology to a system powered by Android with Google mapping and access to Google apps. All the car’s functions are stored in a series of swipe files and in many ways the system is brilliant and can be mastered, it just takes a lot of patience. How can a grown man be intimidated by some highfalutin car tech?

Fortunately a super efficient voice control system will deal with everyday functions like selecting a radio station, heating settings, finding a navigation destination or searching the web. Software updates come in over the air. Cool, or what?

Everything in the cabin might be high tech but the classy Scandinavian design finishes are easy on the eye and create a relaxed atmosphere. Volvo is good at doing that.

With the help of the electric motor XC60 is quick, a good deal quicker than the Audi Q5 reviewed here a few weeks ago, with a huge surge of power when overtaking, but nowhere near as fun to drive as its German rival.

The suspension set up is fairly neutral, airing on the side of comfort, but even though it does not possess German handling credentials it will not let you down when pushed through twists and turns.

Official economy figures seem far fetched but are based on many miles of electric driving. Once the batteries are drained you should be able to achieve high thirties to 40mpg on petrol only power, a reasonable return given XC60s size and performance.

As you would expect from the safety conscious Swedes the car is equipped with every driving aid known to man, the latest addition is the excellent cross traffic braking which can avoid a collision when reversing.

The Volvo and the Audi came close together and although I loved the tearaway nature of the Q5 I am going with the more economical, yet very swift XC60.

Fast facts

XC60 Recharge T6 AWD Plus

£60,550 (range starts £47,460)

2-litre petrol+electric motor; 350bhp

0-62mph 5.7secs; 112mph

256mpg combined

30g/km. 1st tax £10

Boot: 468 litres

Insurance group 40

Eisteddfod puts out call for stewarding volunteers

Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod has put out the call for volunteers.

In a post on its Facebook page it says it is looking for people to join its stewarding team  who enjoy working in the "wonderful atmosphere of music, dance and colour."

The jobs of stewards is to man the pavilion entrances throughout the day during Eisteddfod week, check tickets, be on duty inside the pavilion during concerts and competitions and help visitors with any questions or enquiries.

For those interested there's an email address and a phone number for applicants to get in touch for further details.

It is known that like many organisations the Eisteddfod has suffered from the affects of the pandemic on volunteering. 

Police witness appeal follows fatal road collision in Cefn Mawr

North Wales Police have put out an appeal for witnesses to a fatal road traffic collision which took place in Cefn Mawr earlier today (Sunday).

They say: "We are currently investigating a road traffic collision in Cefn Mawr in which a man has died.

"The incident involved a silver Ford Mondeo and a 60-year-old male pedestrian, and occurred shortly before 1am on Sunday, 23 April on the High Street close to the King’s Lane junction.

"Officers and an ambulance crew attended the location where, sadly, the male pedestrian was pronounced deceased.

"The man’s next of kin have been informed and the coroner has been notified.

"A 51-year-old man has been arrested for causing death by careless driving and remains in police custody.

"Our enquiries into this incident remain ongoing and we are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the incident, or who may have CCTV or dashcam footage, to contact us on 101 or via the North Wales Police website.

"Please quote reference A058968 in all correspondence relating to this incident.

"Please note - This is a live investigation. Any footage or photos in relation to this incident should only be shared with police for investigation purposes and not on social media."

Sailors press-gang audience into evening of salty fun

* The Old Time Sailors embark on an unforgettable evening at St Collen's.

St Collen's Church resounded to a tidal wave of wild shanties and jigs when a motley crew of musicians known as The Old Time Sailors tied up for a gig to help kick off this year's Llangollen Fringe Festival in style last night (Saturday).  

Theirs is a unique flashmob-style musical show designed to press-gang the willing audience on an unforgettable trip back to the 19th century.

What ensues is a couple of hours and more of foot-tapping fun when people can't resist singing and dancing along to the fiddly-diddly rhythms of numbers from the far-off days when sails had to be hauled at sea or jack tars sang of the old Emerald Isle as their ships were bound for America or Australia.    

Members of the audience receive a copy of the Sunday Sailor, the group's own newspaper-shaped programme which includes the lyrics to all their songs so they can join in.

Beards, bowlers and period clothing abound as the 20-odd-strong band of matelots and matelettes, who look liked they've stepped right out of a novel by Herman Melville, make sure you have a whale of a time with numbers ranging from The Mermaid and Haul Away Joe to McAlpines Fusiliers and Galway Girl.

By the time the Sailors set sail on their final set of the night the whole thing takes on an air of controlled mayhem as the audience are swept out to sea by songs like Wild Rover, Whiskey in the Jar and the timeless Black Velvet Band.   

Those who have seen the Sailors and joined in with their amazing act will never forget the experience.

Live show about death at Town Hall next week

 

A live show about death is coming to Llangollen Town Hall next Friday. 

Outside the Box is presented by Liz Rothschild, a performer, celebrant and award-winning burial ground owner.

The 55-minute theatre show includes stories with props, music and post-show talk.

 

Themes touched on are how our society handles death and dying, talking or not talking about death, funerals and the full range of options available, involvement of children, preparing for end of life, funeral poverty and comparisons with practise in other countries.

 

The show’s pre-publicity says: “Her unique insights and experiences have created a highly original and beautifully cathartic show, combining mercurial tales and miraculous truths, collected over the years from life’s finishing line.

“Funny, wise and taboo busting, Outside The Box confronts the ‘Elephant in the room’ with grace and humour, asking its audience to embrace mortality and look on the bright side of life, with a weave of untold and surprising stories, a hint of history and some pithy commentary on the funeral industry from one who knows.

 

“The overall message of these pieces is that engaging with our mortality, rather being depressing, brings relief, connection and inspiration.”

 

Outside the Box, is coming to Llangollen Town Hall on Friday April 28, at 7pm, as part of a national tour. Tickets: £10 and: £8.00 concession.

* Liz's website: https://www.fullcircleproductions.org.uk/

* Booking: https://www.skiddle.com/whats-on/Llangollen/Llangollen-Town-Hall/Outside-the-Box-A-Live-Show-about-Death/36317344/

Suzuki's upgraded Swace sways the buyers

Suzuki Swace launch by Steve Rogers

Customers' opinions matter and in the case of Suzuki they are praising it to the heights.

The Japanese company might be a minnow in the UK but it has been voted top automotive brand for the sixth time running in the Institute of Customer Services satisfaction league table which is useful for the CV when battling for sales against very big players.

The timing could not have been better with Suzuki launching the upgraded Swace estate. This was a car that flew in under the radar because we were all in a state of suspended animation during the Covid pandemic.

It was also confusing for those not interested in car company politics because Swace seemed to be a doppelganger for the Toyota Corolla Touring. The answer is simple, this is a Derby built Corolla estate with a Suzuki badge on the bonnet, oh, and a slightly different front bumper design.

Suzuki has buddied up with its Japanese rival in a quid pro quo partnership where it gets two models in return for helping Toyota get a bigger foothold in India where Suzuki is big, no, make that huge, with 50 per cent of the car market.

The other model is the Across, a Toyota Rav4, but it is Swace that has brought the most new customers to the brand and is all the better for a significant number of upgrades.

The most important fix is engine power. Suzuki has to make do with the 1.8 litre hybrid rather than the 2-litre powering Corolla, but a decent increase in horse power, up from 122 to 140bhp, along with a more powerful 70kW electric motor has taken all but two seconds off the sprint to sixty time with hardly any effect on economy.

Economy is a big part of the Swace story because this is a car easily capable of averaging well over 60mpg. Having not spared the horses on the launch drive neither I nor my driving partner dropped below 57mpg.

The extra power is particularly noticeable in the mid range, taking any stress out of overtaking, the only slight irritation is the build up of engine din, a side effect of the CVT gearbox which hangs on to the revs when a conventional automatic will change up. Steering wheel paddle shifters would settle matters.

Another valuable strength is space. Swace is a mid sized family estate and is well off for legroom front and back with boot space bettering the likes of Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf.

Quite a lot has happened up front with a redesigned, changeable digital driver’s binnacle, and a new 8in multi media touchscreen with sharper definition. Swace does not get the option of built in navigation but that is not such an issue these days with smartphone navigation apps that can be paired to the central screen.

Two models are offered, Motion (£28,999) and Ultra £30,799) with the standard equipment level pretty generous so both get dual zone automatic air conditioning, heated front seats and heated steering wheel, auto dipping headlights and the up to date type C USB port. Ultra gets front and rear parking sensors, Bi-LED projector headlights and wireless charger on top.

There is an upgraded package of safety features although it is surprising that a blind spot monitor, rear cross traffic alert and safe exit, which warn of approaching traffic or a cyclist if a door is opened, are only available on Ultra. You can’t put a price on safety so they should be standard.

The big question is why buy a Swace when the Corolla has a bigger engine, more specification options and a longer warranty? Well, the Suzuki is around £800 cheaper, does not struggle for power any more, and if you are a fan of the brand provides an economic, low running costs car in one of the biggest selling sectors, so why not?

Fast facts

Swace Ultra CVT Auto

£30,799

1.8 litre hybrid; 140bhp

0-62mph 9.4secs; 112mph

62.7mpg combined

102g/km. 1st tax £20

Boot: 596-1,232 litres

Insurance group 18