With a four-star crash-test rating and a full complement of airbags, the C-Max is a well built vehicle and can be picked up for reasonable prices.Please write to Car Choice, Features, Independent House, 191 Marsh Wall, London E14 9RS, or e-mail James Ruppert at carchoice independent.co.uk, giving your age, address and contact number, and details of the type of vehicle in which you are interested.. Sir Stirling Moss is relaxing after breakfast in the Palazzo Arzaga, near Brescia, on a significant Friday morning. He's in typically expansive form, and still slightly surprised at the reason he's here. It is this: exactly 50 years ago, he drove single-handedly over 1,000 miles of closed public roads in Italy to win the Mille Miglia road race in record time. A thousand miles, navigated by Motor Sport journalist Denis Jenkinson and a 16ft roll of paper full of navigational notes all sealed in an aluminium box with a window and two rollers. It was an Italian benefit, local knowledge always trumping supernatural skill But Moss, supernaturally skilled, did it. And Jenks' notes and the sign language they developed deputised for that knowledge base.Imagine.
A 98mph average speed, no barriers, no seatbelts ("Because of the fire risk," says Moss) and non-stop apart from rapid-fire feeding and watering of car and occupants. Around town the Micra is certainly nippy, and both the petrol and diesel plants return between 50 and 60mpg. The Micra is at its happiest at moderate speeds and has lots of grip and light steering, while inside its refinement levels are impressive. It is also surprisingly quiet on the motorway.Inside the driver has lots of space and an excellent driving position - all-round visibility is great and the controls fall easily to hand. Up front there is plenty of room, although in the back the Micra's lack of headroom can be a problem for taller passengers. The rear seat slides forward, which obviously boosts boot space but cuts down on available knee room.At the car supermarket Motorpoint I found a one-year-old, well-equipped 1.4SVE that had done 11,000 miles for just £7,499.A car for the heartIf Shelley wants a car that has an even lower environmental impact then she should consider the Toyota Prius hybrid, whose two engines (one petrol, one electric) produce just 104g of CO2 per kilometre.Unfortunately the Prius is pricey when new, and there are not a lot in circulation.
Older models do have a hatchback, and also have the benefit of doing nearly 60 miles to the gallon. It scores four stars in the Euro NCAP crash-tests, although the basic 1.0E does not have any side airbags.Shelly's best choice would probably by the 1.2 or 1.4 petrol engine, or the low-emission diesel. There is no reason why she should not consider a miniature hatchback like a Nissan Micra, and wait a few years to buy something bigger as the children grow.A car for the headI think Shelley should think small if she wants to save the planet, and that means going for the Micra. She would be right to consider vehicles that are at least one year old, which will save her a significant amount on the cost of a new vehicle.
