Albert Hammond knew how I'm feeling. In 1972 he had a chart hit when he sang 'Seems it never rains in Southern California' only to be rudely disillusioned further into the song. 'But, girl, don't they warn ya: it pours, man, it pours.' Which is exactly what is happening when I land in Los Angeles. The rain is tipping down, and it's colder than it was in London. Just whose bright idea was this? Never mind, there's a long road trip in prospect. Surely we'll find some sun in Arizona? That's where we're headed: an EV museum in the small town of Kingman, on the historic Route 66. What will we find in an EV museum, especially one so far from the bright lights, big city? And how will the EV we're travelling in cope with the big expanse of sparsely populated desert we'll have to cross to get there?
Our ride is not some 1950s Caddie land yacht but the latest Kia EV6 GT, a new halo model that takes over from the late lamented but fossil-fuelled Stinger. South Korean manufacturer Kia first gained a foothold in Europe with a humble licence-built Mazda (see Octane 222) but now finds itself in the vanguard of the EV revolution, taking the fight to Tesla's Model 3 and others.
It entered the mainstream with the Cee'd back in 2006, developed for Europe with Ford Focus-style driving appeal and Toyota-like reliability, revolutionising the market with a seven-year warranty and budget-conscious pricing. Worthy stuff, but Octane types took more notice when the rear-wheel-drive Stinger arrived in 2017, with a twin-turbo V6 to go baiting BMW's 340i Gran Coupé and the Audi S5 Sportback. The Kia was the exclusive choice, as Octane figured in issue 218.
Denne historien er fra August 2023-utgaven av Octane.
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Denne historien er fra August 2023-utgaven av Octane.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Will China Change Everything? - China is tearing up modern motor manufacture but is yet to make more than a ripple in the classic car world. That could be about to change dramatically
China now dominates the automotive world in a way even Detroit in its heyday would have struggled to comprehend.Helped by Government incentives, the new car world is dominated by China's industries: whether full cars that undercut Western models by huge amounts, ownership of storied European brands such as Lotus and Volvo, or ownership and access to the vast majority of raw materials that go into EV cars, its influence is far-reaching and deep. However, this automotive enlightenment hasn't manifested itself in the classic world in any meaningful way - until now.
Jem Marsh
The hard-bitten Marcos boss was driven like few others and never knew when he was beaten. Thankfully
Vandamm House
A Mid-Century Modernist masterpiece that was immortalised on celluloid - despite never actually existing
Making light
Alfa Romeo's post-war renaissance began with the 1900 saloon - and matured with Zagato's featherweight coupé version, as Jay Harvey discovers
FULL OF EASTERN PROMISE
Is burgeoning classic car interest in the Middle East good for the global classic market? Nathan Chadwick investigates
Before the beginning
This rare Amazon Green pre-production Range Rover is Velar chassis number 4. James Elliott charts its historically revealing factory restoration
Ben Cussons
As the outgoing chairman of the Royal Automobile Club hands on to his successor, Robert Coucher quizzes him about the evolution of this great British institution
BULLDOG & THE PUPPIES
We gather five motoring masterpieces by avant-garde designer William Towns - and drive all of them
Below the tip of the Audrain iceberg
As the Audrain organisation grows, we take a look behind the scenes at the huge car collection that feeds it
Flying the Scottish flag
Young Ecurie Ecosse driver Chloe Grant gets to grips with the Ecurie Ecosse Jaguar C-type at Goodwood. Matthew Hayward is Octane's witness
