If the battery was flat, I was clueless. If odd dashboard lights went on, I ignored them. If my tyre was flat, I panicked, and while I was once taught how to check my oil, I never actually did.

Enter William Madeiros, managing director of Bermuda Motors, and Nicholas Fletcher, the most patient car mechanic in Bermuda. When I asked for some basic car maintenance tips for an article I was writing, they replied by telling me to don my proverbial overalls. Mr Fletcher was going to make me do them myself!

Here is what I learnt, and if I can do it, anyone can:

Tyre Change 101: My biggest fear about changing a tyre was that I wouldn’t be strong enough to loosen the lug nuts. I was!

To begin, put the handbrake on and the car in park. With a manual or stick-shift, put it into first gear and “choke off” the front wheels: put something, like a large piece of wood, in front of them to stop the car moving forward. Make sure the car is on flat ground.

Loosen the nuts using the lug nut wrench – my car-related vocabulary has also improved – while the wheel is on the ground. Turn left to loosen. If doing this by hand, arrange the wrench so you are pulling back, not pushing down, and do it on one knee for better control. If that doesn’t work, rearrange the wrench, balance yourself against the car and use your foot to push down.

Then, raise the car. Use the scissor jack until the wheel is about an inch off the ground. Remove the nuts and ease the wheel off.

When replacing the wheel, sit down with your legs open. Not elegant, but it works! Tyres are heavy and legs are strong. Use your legs to balance the tyre and your knees to align the holes.

Put the nuts back on by hand before using the wrench to tighten. When tightening, do it in a “star”. Start at the top, do the bottom next, then the one next to the first one and so on. This keeps the tyre straight. Lower the car slowly.

Tyre pressure: This can be checked at any gas station. On the driver’s side, when the door is open, you can usually find the psi or bar your tyres should be. Check that number, then get the tyre pressure gauge.

Take the cap off the tyre, push in the plug, and check the reading. If too low, press the lever to let in more air. Press in the plug to release air.

Oil: This, along with the filter, should be changed at least every 6,000km. Some car brands recommend more often. When checking if you have enough oil, keep a rag handy to clean the dipstick. If the oil is light brown and clear, it’s in good condition.

Charging a Flat Battery: Invest in jump leads and know your positive from negative. Often, there will be a + and –. Positive is usually a different colour and protected.

Fix the positive jump lead to the positive side of the battery, and the negative to the negative of both cars. Make sure to untangle them first and never let the metal clips touch once one end is hooked up. Sparks will fly!

Turn on the working car and wait before turning on the flat one. A hybrid vehicle cannot charge a non-hybrid one.

Any finally: Often, hidden behind the glove compartment, is the cabin filter. When it fills up with dust and debris, the car will not cool. You can shake out the debris, but it will also need changing when too dirty.

Oh, and if you notice anything unusual happening on your dashboard. Don’t ignore it. Go to the garage!

The post How to change a tyre, and other skills appeared first on RG Magazines.

With 100 motorcycles, eight vintage cars, horse and carriages, pedal bikes, boats and train memorabilia, tools, helmets, engines and even a visible restoration shop, the Dockyard attraction truly had something for everyone.

Sadly, after falling on hard times during the Covid-19 pandemic, the museum closed and its stock is currently in storage.

RG Mags talked with Mr Martins about his passion for vintage vehicles and the possible next steps for his venture.

Can you talk us through why you decided to open the Bermuda Transport Museum?

There isn’t anywhere on the island that preserves and displays a collection as large as mine. My collection covers railway, horse carriages, boats, bikes and cars.

My hope with the museum was preserving and passing on the knowledge and history that comes with all of it. At my last count I had over 250 bikes and 26 cars.

Besides the guys that remember, and a few of the younger guys, nobody knows what Bermuda used to be like. Getting our bikes at 16 was a big deal. Everyone (even the girls) could change a spark plug and learn how to fix the smaller problems. Slowly over the years we are losing the hands-on experience getting a bike used to give to our kids.

How did you become interested in vintage vehicles in the first place?

From a young age, I was interested in the way engines worked. When I was 13, I did some work for a co- worker of my dad and as payment he offered me his old 50cc 1972 Mobylette. I used to throw ropes over the branches of a tree and learned how to pull it apart and put it together again.

When I turned 16, that was the bike I licensed and put on the road for myself. I put a lot of miles on that bike over the years. That Mobylette is still in my collection today.

How did you go about acquiring your collection of bikes and cars?

My collection started with a scrambler Mobylette when I was 9. Once I was 16 I was able to keep adding to the collection.

Some are models that I like and others are ones that belonged to people I admired over the years. I have several bikes that I watched the owners customise over the years and when they were selling them I jumped at the chance to preserve the bikes just as they had them.

Some fell into my lap by chance and some I had to chase for years before I could add them to my collection. This was the case for some of the rarer ones such as my 1951 Bown as only 36 were imported into Bermuda.

Do you have any favourite models?

I don’t have one particular favourite. They are all very unique in their own way. But one thing I can say is you cannot mistake the sound of a vintage car or motorcycle coming down the road. That is unique.

How was the Museum received?

We had a lot of locals and tourists that loved it and were excited to see some of their bikes still around and in running order. We had quite a few repeat visitors. Sons brought their fathers and sometimes they would spend over an hour in the museum telling stories and talking about what they had or friends had.

We had a lot of guys who loved anything with a motor and fathers brought in their sons. It was nice to see whole families come in and spend time sharing the history and stories with the younger generations.

That is what the museum is about.

How would you describe your experience running the Museum?

I didn’t get to spend as much time at the museum as I would have liked, running my garage and horse farm. My wife, oldest daughter, and son used to run it most of the time.

I loved meeting people and sharing the stories that came with the items on display. Most of them had just as many stories to share with us, too.

We have had tourists that used to come in on the boats every year and they would bring us licence plates from where they are from.

Once a tourist came in and saw my son struggling to figure out the problem on a bike. The guy actually worked on similar bikes and started helping him. When he left, he said he would try to find a manual for us. The following year the gentleman came back with a book for the exact bike they had tried to fix the year before!

Do many Bermudians have an interest in vintage vehicles?

Most Bermudians who grew up with them, or who remember their parents talking about them or owning them, love vintage vehicles.

For many the museum was a walk-through memory lane of their younger years and the older people would share not just memories they made with the vehicles, but the history of what it was like back many years ago.

Why did it close? What happened to all your wonderful vintage items?

Unfortunately, we ended up having to close because of Covid-19. The foot traffic coming through the doors wasn’t the same. It got better each year as Covid subsided, but unfortunately the museum just could not sustain itself during those times.

Since closing in January, everything has gone back into storage until we are able to find another location. Having a central location for the museum would be advantageous but, in the meantime, they rent their vehicles for photo/video shoots or events, so think about them the next time you want an interactive, unique experience!

Reach out to the good folks from the Bermuda Transport Museum on [email protected].

The post Transport Museum gave families a wonderful walk down memory lane appeared first on RG Magazines.

While founder and owner Mr Williams Sr remains in overall charge of the auto repair and service business on North Street in Hamilton, his sons Kyle and Yannis are heavily involved in its operations and ensuring it stays abreast of changing – and ever more complex – automotive technology.

Kyle, born the same year the business was launched, did an automotive course at Bermuda College after school and now runs E&B’s parts department, overseeing a vast inventory of thousands of parts.

“I always did have an interest,” he said of the family business. “Starting from middle school to high school I looked at it a little differently, as something I wanted to do.”

Older brother Yannis, a former insurance underwriter for XL in New York, joined in 2010 and heads the service department, as well as helping with marketing and the business side of E&B.

“I think we work pretty well, considering,” laughed Yannis, when asked about the family dynamic at work.

“I think by having the different roles it definitely helped because we are not constantly all day long [together].”

The business has evolved since Eric began offering auto electrical repairs and selling parts at his first premises on Market Lane in Pembroke.

Back then, he fixed electrical faults only, such as alternators, starters, horns and power windows.

Now E&B also does mechanical repairs and stocks what it describes as the “largest selection of alternators, starters and components on the island”.

Kyle said the company brings in parts from all over the world, including many from Japan, Korea, Europe, and the UK.

It can be challenging to get items quickly, particularly with ongoing post-pandemic supply chain issues, but E&B uses many different suppliers.

“We source anywhere where we can get them,” said Yannis.

Kyle said: “We carry a very, very wide range of things in different categories. It’s hard to put a number on it.”

Customers often come to E&B once warranties run out, for “aftermarket” parts, which can be much more cost-effective than going to a dealer for a part made by a specific vehicle maker.

And when a part simply can’t be obtained, the company’s highly trained technicians can often modify or fabricate as a temporary solution.

E&B Trading now has 18 staff, including three technicians doing auto electrical repairs, three technicians doing mechanical fixes and an apprentice.

Beverly semi-retired last year but still comes into the office to help out.

Yannis said customers, who usually come to E&B through word of mouth, appreciate the firm’s focus on value for money and fast turnaround.

“We can help you extend the life of your car,” he said. “We actually can typically rebuild alternators and starters, so people don’t have to buy a new one, sometimes for half the cost.

“That’s something that people will look for, especially if they have a ten-year-old car and don’t want to buy a new one.”

He said a crucial part of the job is staying on top of industry technology, meaning E&B now does A/C repairs and can scan cars to diagnose errors.

This spring, the family business will expand again, with the reopening of CYK Automotive body shop on the site of the old Woodlands Garage in Hamilton.

E&B stands for Eric and Beverly and, in keeping with tradition, the new venture is named after Yannis, Kyle and their elder brother Crenstant, an educator.

The post Fixing vehicles over the generations appeared first on RG Magazines.

“It’s the ocean and the experience that you can have while out on a boat,” said the business development manager at PW Marine.

“That could be a multitude of different activities, whether it be water sports, fishing, cruising, parties, a family barbecue. It opens up this whole other world that exists within Bermuda.”

There are about 7,000 licensed private boats here, according to the Department of Marine & Ports Services, and Mr Cox says the number will increase this summer.

“The boating industry had worldwide the most growth it has had for ten years, over Covid,” he said.

“Boating was a way to get outside and actually experience normal life in a lot of cases.

“We haven’t seen 100 per cent of the same trend in Bermuda; however, we see factors of the same trend.

“We’ve seen a heavy growth in the amount of people wanting to get into the boating community, but also people trying to jump into that new boat market place.”

In terms of new boat sales, the real growth area in the past few years has been 30 to 65 foot vessels. Mr Cox said PW Marine’s “sweet spot” was 23 to 33 foot boats.

“That’s where we play, it’s where we see the most amount of success. Within those same ranges, you have a boat for everybody.

“While this is where we see the most success, we still have a number of Bermuda boaters going larger and we have the ability to offer that.”

Two of the most popular brands sold at PW Marine are Boston Whaler and Pursuit.

Mr Cox said: “They are kind of a hybrid of everything, in the sense that you can fish them, they have the cruising creature comfort amenities, and they are both fantastically well-built boats.

“They have always maintained a place in Bermuda’s market as being a quality, high-end, hybrid boating style.”

He added that the 25-foot Boston Whaler Dauntless is trending this year – PW Marine has already seen demand – with its centre console and ability to handle rough seas. It will arrive on island next month.

The dual console Pursuit 245 and 266 are also attracting much interest.

Customers looking for an entry-level boat have the option of a Sea Ray which, according to Mr Cox, has “lots of seating and entertaining space but comes at a lower price”.

At the top end of the market, the store sells Tiara and Valhalla, the former being very much for cruising and the latter fitted out with a “lot more fishing amenities”.

The cost of a pleasure boat can vary widely as they are almost always custom-built but would-be mariners can expect to spend anything from $50,000 to $500,000+, depending on the features they require, on a new vessel.

Mr Cox said: “When you buy new you get increased reliability, you are getting less errors. It’s a hassle-free experience versus what second-hand could be.”

Technology in the boating industry has come a long way in recent years and Mr Cox said customers are taking advantage of new features such as the Seakeeper gyroscope, which eliminates boat roll.

Those wanting to join the boating community need to plan ahead. Mr Cox advised that the best time to start deciding on the right vessel for you is at the summer’s end, to allow plenty of time for it to be ready for the start of the next season.

Choosing a boat – be it new or second-hand – is a decision you’re unlikely to regret.

“Bermuda is Bermuda and it’s about 23 miles long,” he explained. “As soon as you get a boat, that instantly triples in size.”

The post Make the most of our beautiful ocean appeared first on RG Magazines.

The annual event, organised by the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation in partnership with Bermuda Yacht Services and the Corporation of St George, celebrates our links to the ocean and keeps families entertained with a series of demonstrations, displays and races.

More than 2,000 people enjoyed the thrills and spills at the last Expo, in 2022, with 70 businesses and organisations taking part – providing a welcome boost to East End businesses into the bargain.

Dennis Carter, micro, small and medium enterprise officer at the BEDC, said: “The Expo encourages activity in the Town of St George by targeting boating and marine enthusiasts from across the island.

“Bermuda’s history leading back to the ‘New World’ has put Bermuda and St George’s specifically on the map as a transatlantic destination for generations. There is really no better place to host a marine event in Bermuda!”

The Olde Towne’s marine history goes right back to the island’s first settlement in 1609, when British sailors, attempting to travel to Jamestown, Virginia, aboard the Sea Venture, were hit by a storm and became shipwrecked on the island.

Crew members decided to stay in Bermuda, and Jamestown was later abandoned – meaning St George’s is the oldest continuously occupied British settlement in the New World.

And while St George’s has become a tourist destination thanks to its historic sites, forts and picturesque streets, that marine heritage plays a crucial part in the East End story.

It’s not just about history though. Since those early days, Bermuda’s marine culture has evolved in tandem with the industry, so that charter boats, sailing, diving, snorkelling, fishing, jet skis and watersport events all have a role to play in today’s island experience.

The Marine Expo gives dealers the chance to show off their latest products, as well as enabling people to sign up for sailing sessions, visit demonstrations on handling lionfish or simply enjoy the entertainment, kids zones and food stands.

Mr Carter said: “The benefits of the Expo have been highlighting Bermuda’s ocean history and while doing this increasing the foot traffic significantly for the restaurants and brick and mortar stores who participate in the day.”

The next St George’s Marine Expo is planned for spring 2024.

Bermuda marine facts

• Bermuda has more than 300 shipwrecks dating back to the 1600s
• The Sea Venture shipwreck of 1609 is believed to have inspired William Shakespeare to write The Tempest
• Bermuda’s location between Europe and North America has made it a vital location for the British Royal Navy and other military activity. British troops were deployed from Bermuda to take on Washington, DC and Baltimore during the War of 1812 between the US and the UK. Warship repairs and refurbishments took place in Bermuda during the first and second world wars
• Rum was smuggled to the US from Bermuda during Prohibition
• Bermuda’s coral reefs help create a diverse marine life including humpback whales, dolphins, sea turtles and porpoises
• When you’re in Bermuda, you are never more than one mile away from the ocean
• In 2017, Bermuda hosted the 35^th America’s Cup, the prestigious yachting event which is the oldest international competition in still operating in any sport

The post Marine Expo celebrates Bermuda’s ocean history appeared first on RG Magazines.

Professional mechanic and motorcycle maintenance expert, Al-Shea Lowe, of 5 Star Performance and Scooter Mart, provided some excellent tips to help us maintain our modern motorcycles.

“Follow the recommended maintenance schedule,” Mr Lowe said.

“Today, motorcycle owners can find a wealth of information, especially in forums and blogs online. Regularly check tyre pressure and fluids.

“Go easy on a cold engine. Watch out for noises. Drive with care.”

Educating yourself is always recommended. In the past, we taught ourselves how to modify our Bikes, how to repair, and spruce up our cycles for optimal performance. These days, maintenance is more common sense than practical.

Mr Lowe continued: “Maintaining your motorcycle’s engine is very important for your safety, and to keep it in its best running condition.

“Performing regular and proper maintenance on the engine will also ensure that you will enjoy your ride for a long time.

“It would help you a lot in the future if you keep a record of the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance instructions. Change your motorcycle’s engine oil at the recommended number of miles, or monthly intervals. Use the fuel grade that is recommended.

“Inspect your motorcycle’s chain and continuously variable transmission twice a month, or every 500 to 700 miles. Replace your motorcycle’s spark plugs immediately if you see they are badly corroded or dirty in appearance.”

Once you’re confident that your engine is good, you very definitely should consider your motorcycle’s tyres.

Mr Lowe expounded on the simple things you can do to maintain optimal tyre performance, because the last thing you want to do is deck out because your tyres are … tired.

“Taking care of your bike’s tires is not a huge task,” he said.

“Dedicating some time every week and being aware should be enough to avoid tyre-related issues.”

Mr Lowe’s four top tips will help you avoid tyre-related accidents while riding your bike:

1. Optimal tyre pressure. Refer to the bike’s user manual and maintain optimal tyre pressure all the time. Do not postpone filling the air in the tyres. Riding with low tyre pressure is risky.
2. Wash regularly. Do not leave this task for when you plan to service the bike. If not washed properly, the tyres can skid on the road due to the accumulated dirt.
3. Prompt repairing. Bikers often encounter that there’s a nail in the tyre. If you find yourself in such a situation, avoid further riding and address the issue immediately. If the garage is far away, consider towing the bike to avoid damage. Do not ride with a pillion.

4. Don’t persist – replace. No matter how much you want the bike’s tyres to keep serving you for eternity, they are bound to undergo wear and tear. If you sense that they are not gripping the road properly, maybe it is time to get the tyre replaced. A tyre without a strong grip can lead to accidents, especially if the road is wet.

The post Maintaining the modern motorcycle appeared first on RG Magazines.

The Silence S01-Plus is a beast of a motorcycle. OK, it’s not exactly a superbike, and most would describe it as a mild-mannered scooter, but believe you me, this bike can fly!

Two-wheeled vehicle enthusiast, master salesman and proprietor of Scooter Mart, Nick Thompson, described the Silence S01-Plus as “a weapon” – making a special note that I can quote him on that!

Of course, if you know anything about motorcycle culture in Bermuda, you already know what “a weapon” means. If you’re not quite sure what Mr Thompson meant by that, keep reading.

There’s very little on earth that can compete with a breezy ride down a scenic Bermuda road. I was fortunate enough to enjoy one of those very rides when I went to test ride the Silence S01- Plus on an unexpectedly nice day about a week before the official start of spring.

Mr Thompson gushed over the bike from the first moment I met him until the last moment I was in his presence; and rightfully so! This is no lightweight motorcycle. It’s an amazingly smooth, stunningly understated marvel of electronic innovation and general awesomeness.

The ride itself was spectacular. Nick allowed me to ride his own Silence, which he is clearly very happy with. When a salesman uses a particular product available in his catalogue, take note!

My first moment of awe came when I got on the bike and Mr Thompson said to be careful with the throttle because the bike was already on. He had turned it on with the App on his phone, and I duly accused him of showing off!

The awe wasn’t because he turned the bike on with his phone though – it was how quiet the bike was. There was NO noise coming from this bike, and when I gently turned the throttle and it pulled forward, I just looked at Nick and laughed. This bike was already one of the coolest things

I have ever operated in Bermuda. I eased the bike out of the lot, and made my way out of Lover’s Lane in Paget, up Rural Hill and over Stowe Hill. Once I got on Harbour Road, it was on! At the risk of getting a call from the

BPS, I got up over 70kph on Harbour Road and never felt any pushback from the bike. Yes, the Silence S01-Plus is, indeed, a weapon.

Soon I was thinking that the bike should be called Whistling Wind, because that is all I heard as I matriculated west on Harbour Road. The bike made absolutely no noise. It was like riding a miniaturised stealth bomber!

I’m sure at some point I felt like Batman. The ride absolutely makes you feel like a superhero.

That’s probably why Mr Thompson rides one himself. We all want to feel like a superhero. Maybe it was the striking matte black paint that made me think of Batman. Whatever the case, riding the Silence definitely gave me the sensation that, when I arrive at my destination, I should fight some crime!

The Silence is an electric bike, so I threw my head back and laughed every time I passed a gas station, which was probably a dangerous thing for me to do. Mr Thompson had removed the battery and wheeled it away like carry-on luggage to demonstrate how easy it is to charge the battery. That just made me shake my head.

GPS tracking, App control, enough under-seat space to transport a small child – but don’t use it for that! – the Silence S01-Plus is an absolute monster of a motorcycle.

If you have any interest in going green, and you’d like to own a ridiculously cool, virtually theft- proof, gas-free, rolling stealth bomber – the Silence S01-Plus needs to be your next bike!

The post The Sound of Silence is stunning appeared first on RG Magazines.

“If you don’t like the Proton X50, there’s something wrong with you” – said by an anonymous source
when reflecting on the quality and features of the vehicle.
“Whoa! OK then!” – said by me as I felt the power of the X50 when out for a test drive and just touched
the gas pedal while it was in Sport Mode.

The tagline for Proton is “Inspiring Connections.” Indeed, this sexy, functional, feature-full vehicle is
ideal for almost every driver on Bermuda’s roads.
For its price point and features, if you need a family vehicle to keep up with everyone’s schedule and
activities, something to cart around your pets or business items, fit a couple of suitcases for the travel
jet, or enough swag to have the golf clubs in there on a regular basis using the 60/40 seats, you should
give the X50 your first consideration.

Rayclan offers two models of this vehicle, the Executive and the Premium. The Premium has all the bells
and whistles at $44,500, with the Executive lower at $41,500. The Premium has larger tyres, more
speakers, a better camera system and a few other differences, so consider your wants and needs
accordingly.
With thoughtful details like a D-wheel (so you know when your wheels are straight when reversing) and a trunk release tab from the inside of the vehicle, this road-loving automobile has features that would make any driver giddy.

“Hey, Proton! Roll up front right window. Hey, Proton! Turn on air conditioning.” That’s right, you can
speak to your very own Proton X50, and it does what you ask, Bermudian accent or not. What? A
powerful piece of tech that does what I tell it to? I’m in. I must control myself.

Honestly, this sweet ride is like driving in a limo, with practical and fun features. There’s nothing to
dislike here. The chairs hug you just as well as the vehicle hugs the road – it’s a smooth ride. And with
three driving modes to choose from (Regular, Eco, and Sport) there’s a mode for whatever hill or
driveway that Bermuda can throw at you.
One of the best features? The 360-degree camera on the Proton X50 Premium edition. Yes, you get a
complete aerial view of everything around you (children, flying trash that goes by in high winds,
chickens, etc) by utilising a combined image from the four cameras. You want to ensure safety first with
this engine! Do you need to see just one side of the car? Use the 10.5-inch display screen to select your camera and move accordingly.

As a Class H vehicle, the X50 has a generous turning radius and easy-to-use features such as an electric
parking brake (just push a button), an external remote to start the engine and roll down the windows,
and separate environmental controls for the driver and passenger. It’s quiet, too, considering its size.

If there’s anything I’d change about this vehicle, it’s that it can’t properly integrate otherwise pretty
standard apps. Rather, it forces you to use its own navigation and music system and other features.
Also, the cameras provide a sufficient, but somewhat blurry picture for its service. But that’s just me.

Other reviews have rated it well for its ride, handling, comfort, safety, space and value. It ticks a LOT of
boxes. Can someone purchase one for me?
In short, I found the Proton X50 had universal appeal as it’s inviting, fun, and safe. You get comfort,
space, your money’s worth and a whole lot of feature. Give Rayclan a call. It’s worth a drive!

The post Roll into the future! appeared first on RG Magazines.

I had the pleasure of doing a test drive with a Mini Cooper SE from Bermuda Motors.

Being a fairly tall fellow, I must admit I had doubts beforehand whether I would fit comfortably into what is essentially a small vehicle.

My fears evaporated immediately as I stepped into the car. Not only did I get in easily, I discovered that it had the most comfortable driver’s seat I have ever experienced. So comfortable in fact I found myself wishing to go for a long ride on an open road – but this is Bermuda, so I settled for a spin up the North Shore.

The Mini Cooper SE is a fully electric vehicle and rides ever so smoothly.

It clearly is a sit back, relax and enjoy this “theatre on wheels”. It has a sophisticated entertainment system with volume controls on the steering wheel, but also a large centre screen (touch screen) for radio, Bluetooth and many more features. And with a state-of-the-art speaker system (Harmon-Kardon) your favourite music will be heard across the island.

I was particularly keen to know about the charging system of the car: very easy indeed. Just plug it into your household system and the charging function kicks in.

A full charge would take you about 143 miles, but then you would be empty, so not a great idea. I think better to plug it in most evenings at home. A full recharge takes several hours, so if you let the battery run all the way down and then need the car the next morning, an overnight charge may not have been enough. But the point is that you don’t use a full charge every day.

The battery indicator is on the front screen and can be seen all the time. It takes power out of the battery when you are driving normally but puts power back in each time you brake or decelerate (a nifty feature).

Another feature I enjoyed was the zippiness.

I had this notion that an EV would be slow when a brief dash was needed – not so with this beauty! I approached the foot of Barker’s Hill and intentionally slowed down to a walking pace, then booted it to get up the hill. We were at the top before I could say “nice one”. Great acceleration.

It’s classified as a three-door car, which means two at the front and the hatchback for the boot. I mentioned that the driving seat was uber-comfortable but, because I had the seat pushed as far back as needed, the room in the back seat area was cramped. In other words, this is not the ideal car for four adults on a regular basis. Putting the kids in the back seat would be easy at first, but as they grow it would be less comfortable. So maybe just a car for two adults and a pampered pooch or two.

On Bermuda roads these days we seem to have an abundance of large cars, hence trying to park alongside them can be difficult.

But the sleek Mini Cooper SE is very easy to park and takes much of the guesswork out of negotiating whether you can safely get into that single space available at the grocery store.

All in all, this is the perfect EV for Bermuda.

So, if you are into electric vehicles and can afford a quality automobile, then this is the car for you.

It truly is a beautiful vehicle. You will unforgettably be admired buzzing along Reid Street with the roof open.

I call it the “Electric Head-Turner”.

The post The perfect EV for Bermuda’s roads appeared first on RG Magazines.

The first thing you anticipate when you step into the new Renault Kiger, is this car is going to be a lot of fun.

With a sporty, amped-up look to its body design, you already get the sense it will be an entertaining car to drive before you even hit the gas pedal.

The Kiger, with its 1.0lt turbo engine, has a very zippy feel on your initial acceleration and keeps up with that burst of energy as you take to the streets – with the option to choose Eco, Normal or Sport mode for your journey. While a Sport mode may seem contradictory for Bermuda’s narrow roads and lower speed limit, the mode is beneficial when navigating out of and moving efficiently into main roads from the island’s smaller, tighter drives and roadways.

Its stance reads SUV with a higher ground clearance, but the Kiger sits nicely in the E class and still feels roomy without being oversized.

The space has been thoroughly maximised, both within the stylish interior as well as throughout the two-toned exterior. It features both a rear camera and sensors and power-folding electric mirrors, to provide plenty of security when getting in and out of Bermuda’s notorious tight spots, plus it’s stylish with a two-tone body, body-coloured bumpers, chrome front grille, sporty rear spoiler, shark fin antenna and functional roof bars, which add to the sporty aesthetic of this hatchback.

Features that inherently make a safer and more comfortable drive for me include an elevated driving position and a wide rear window, and the Kiger ticks both boxes. Plus, it’s just a really great car to drive and doesn’t feel heavy through the steering or under foot and is appreciably responsive.

The style, safety and technology is carried on throughout the interior of the Kiger, with features like keyless entry and push-button start, integrated smartphone technology and climate-controlled air-conditioning, including rear air conditioning, which is apparently a major plus factor for my children.

These features can be controlled via a smart 8-inch floating touchscreen including hands-free smartphone access, ambient lighting, multi-sense driving mode system and a premium audio sound system featuring 3D sound with USB and Bluetooth, so your ride can be customised for your enjoyment.

While the sporty Kiger is an appealing ride and perfect for any dynamic driver looking for comfort and style in their vehicle, it also would suit an active family. It boasts roomy footwells and the rear seats are spacious and feature a rear centre armrest. There is also a surprisingly large boot space at 405L that opens up to 879L with the folding rear seats in a 60/40 split.

Starting at $31,950, it’s also an attractive price with many features often reserved for vehicles with a heftier price tag.

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