Peugeot Life Magazine April 2011 by Jane du Preez

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elcome to the latest edition of Peugeot Life! Since 1810 Peugeot has associated its name, and later its Lion badge, with saws, tools, coffee and pepper grinders, sewing machines, bicycles, motorcycles and scooters – and, of course, some of the most beautiful cars in the world. To each of these worlds Peugeot has brought modernity, innovation and style, while laying emphasis on its industrial origins, based on the working of steel. With strong family values and ownership, Peugeot remains constantly customer-focused and always open to change, with the clear ambition to climb three places in the world ranking of car manufactures by 2015. True to its heritage it will always be committed to producing products that connect with our emotions – hence the brand-new signature line: MOTION & EMOTION. Late last year we were proud to see the expansion of our model range with our first 4WD SUV, the 4007, followed by the launch of the new 3008 Crossover and lastly the exquisite two-door sports coupé, the RCZ, recently awarded international TopGear magazine’s Coupé of the Year. This year promises to be one of our most exciting years ever, as we continue to grow the brand with the arrival in June of the current 407 replacement, the luxury new Peugeot 508 sedan and SW range. In this issue of Peugeot Life we proudly feature a competitive motoring review by 40-year veteran motoring writer Alistair Sloane on this award-winning new model range following his recent trip to its debut in Alicante, Spain. We also take a look at the new facelift 308 hatch, SW and CC model range that will launch towards the end of the year. Beyond 2011, Peugeot’s pioneering work with diesel-electric hybrid 4WD technology, fully electric vehicles and a host of other environmentally compatible mobility solutions will soon evolve in the form of desirable production vehicles for everyday use. We really hope you enjoy reading this edition of Peugeot Life. We have attempted to include something for everyone and have collected stories on everything from luxury travel to the Rugby World Cup and an exclusive interview with well-known and loved NZ celebrity John Hawkesby. We would also like to congratulate our 2010 “Tales of the Lion” competition winner, Mr John Pearce, who submitted his inspirational tale about the family’s “love affair with Peugeot”, which started in 1974 and still continues today – 11 Peugeots later! You can view the full published story at www.peugeot.co.nz. As the executive management team for the New Zealand importer for Peugeot we sincerely thank you for taking the time to learn a little more about our plans for Peugeot in 2011 and we now invite you to visit one of our dealerships where you can expect a personal, memorable and relaxed experience. Yours sincerely,

Grant Smith General Manager

Simon Rose Divisional Manager

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contents

Peugeot Life magazine is published by Hope Publishing Ltd for Sime Darby Automobiles NZ Ltd, PO Box 74-366, Greenlane,

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Auckland 1543, New Zealand. Advertising enquiries to: Don Hope +64 9-358 4080, Jo Harvey +64 21-498 434 Editor – Tom Hyde

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Subeditor – Patrick Smith Creative Director – Mark Llewellyn Printing – GEON Opinions expressed in this magazine are not

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necessarily those of Sime Darby Automobiles NZ Ltd or its agents. All material in Peugeot Life is copyright and cannot be reproduced in any way without the written consent of the Publisher. While every effort has been made to ensure

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the accuracy of the content, the Publisher and Sime Darby Automobiles NZ Ltd accept no liability for any errors. Please confirm with your local Peugeot Centre.

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To change your address details or subscribe please phone 09-526 7010 or email peugeot@peugeot.co.nz

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contents

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508

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very tasty!

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t was 4˚C in Paris and the eatery off the Champs-Élysées offered up the usual French winter fare. One meal seemed out of place: chitterlings. “Guys, what do you know about chitterlings?,” said Simon Rose, Peugeot New Zealand’s divisional manager. The “guys” were New Zealand motoring writers including the author, Dave Moore (The Press), Peter Louisson (Autocar) and Colin Smith (Bay of Plenty Times). We figured chitterlings must be like “chit’lins”, a fried mix of mostly pig’s innards found in the southern states of America: soul food. The French waiter sort of confirmed it. Chitterlings is a French sausage made from offal, he said. The recipe is hundreds of years old, he said. Very nice too, he said. I resisted asking, knowing the distain the average Frenchman has for British food, if chitterlings in any way resembled haggis, Scotland’s national dish, or a Yorkshire black pudding. Dave, Colin and I skipped the chitterlings and went for steak and chips. This is a ritual of sorts, mostly in honour of the Café du Paris in Geneva, which has served nothing but steak and chips since it opened in 1933. Go to Switzerland and the Geneva motor show and the first port of call is the Café du Paris. Simon and Peter decided on chicken. The waiter took our orders but quickly returned. There was only one chicken dinner left. Simon and Peter spun the

cuisine roulette wheel. The numbers came up chicken for Peter and something else for Simon. Our host gambled on chitterlings. “Hope it’s all right,” he said. “I had a dodgy stomach last week and the last thing I want is a repeat of that.” We had stopped over in Paris for the night on our way to the south of Spain to test-drive the new Peugeot 508 sedan and station wagon. Simon again pondered the unknown over a pre-dinner drink. “Wonder if I should have ordered something else?” The eatery was in a back-street not far from the glitzy Fiat-Alfa Romeo showroom that opened last year. Up the road, closer to the Arc de Triomphe, is Peugeot’s showroom. The Peugeot family owns a big chunk of real estate on the Champs-Élysées. Chitterlings, say the history books, is a medieval English word for animal innards,

fried or steamed. Chitterlings can be found in various forms where pig intestines are used as casings for sausages. The word first appeared in an English cookbook in 1743 in a recipe for calf ’s innards. The Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC, honours chit’lins in an exhibit about African-American celebrations. It is called the The Chit’lin Market and centres on the slave trade. The story goes that when Southern plantation owners butchered pigs going into Christmas they kept the best cuts of meat for themselves and fed their slaves the remains, such as fatback, snouts, ears, neck bones, feet, and intestines. Small intestines are found in traditional dishes in the Caribbean, Latin America and south America. In Chile, chitterlings are called “chunchule”, meaning intestines. Food hygiene guides say care must be taken

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when preparing chitterlings. The innards must be cleaned properly to avoid the risk of disease. Cleaning includes soaking and rinsing in several cycles of cool water. The chitterlings are turned inside out, cleaned and boiled, sometimes in baking soda, and the water is discarded. Then they are cooked, often battered and fried and served with hot sauce. In the southwest of France, in the celebrated wine region of Gironde, chitterlings is considered an expensive delicacy. It is made from pig’s intestines, boiled in bouillon then grilled on a ﬁre of grapevine cane. On the other side of the Pyrenees, in the old streets of Logrono, the capital of Spain’s Rioja wine region, sheep’s innards are served as tapas, or snacks. The dish is called embuchados. I have also eaten pig’s ears in the tapas bars of Logrono. There is a pocket of meat in the ear that is sweet. The rest is

hard to swallow. Wine helps. Further south, in Madrid, a dish called gallinejas often appears at festivals. It consists of a sheep’s small intestine, spleen, and pancreas, fried in their own grease in such a manner that they form small spirals. The dish is served hot. It is sometimes best to swallow it before you can taste it. Again, a heavy red wine, lots of garlic bread and marinated chilies help. There wasn’t such a wine on the table in Paris when Simon’s chitterlings arrived. It was indeed a sausage, or saucisse – boiled, pale, bloated, much bigger than the Kiwi barbecue variety and accompanied by a mix of vegetables and mash. The vegetables oﬀered the only hint of colour on the plate. Simon looked at the chitterlings warily and asked if I wanted to try some. He sliced oﬀ a piece. Me and horses have always been mates. My grandfather Joe was the 1922 New Zealand

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equestrian champion. It’s in Hansard records in the Parliament House library. I had my ﬁrst horse at 6, up north on the farm. I settled on its name before it arrived: Sinbad. But it turned out to be a chestnut ﬁlly. So I called it Cindy. It was three years old and the feistiest female on the planet. I thought the battles I had had with Cindy would prepare me for challenges like chitterlings. The sight of the saucisse was unnerving. It sort of wobbled on the plate, pockets of fatty liquid pressing here and there against its skin as it moved. There was a moment when I wondered if there perhaps was a piece of Cindy in Simon’s saucisse. Cindy died 35 years ago. The saucisse, or what was in it, said the waiter, had turned up its toes more recently. Simon wasn’t happy. He tried it but couldn’t eat it. It was a gallant performance. People were looking. He poked and prodded, sliced

and diced, all the time moving pieces around. I nudged the slice he had given me clockwise around the veranda of my plate. It started out at 11 o’clock. I moved it towards 2 o’clock, hiding it among the chips and telling Simon I was making my way through it. It went through 5 o’clock, 8 o’clock. It was still intact at 10 o’clock, nestled under rag-ends of potato and steak, when we left the eatery. Simon said sorry to the waiter. Gee, the chitterlings looked appetising, he said, but, you know, these things happen. Long plane ﬂight and so on… bad stomach last week… The waiter frowned a lot. We headed for an underground train station, the anonymity of a rush-hour crowd, and a plane trip to Alicante, Spain. The cuisine of Alicante has been inﬂuenced by surrounding areas, like Valencia. Many dishes are Alicante’s version of another region’s dish. For example, paella alicantina is paella

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prepared with chicken and rabbit, not seafood. Just like variations of chitterlings: pig’s innards in one country, cow’s innards in another. The only dish in Alicante that could remotely be linked to chitterlings, or black pudding for that matter, is cocido de pelotas, if only because pig’s blood is used to bind balls made of egg, pork, breadcrumbs and parsley. These are served with chicken or turkey, lean pork and bacon fat, garbanzo beans and spices. We settled on tapas for the first meal in Spain, a snack in a village high in hills about 130km from Alicante. It was the ﬁrst stop on the drive in the Peugeot 508. On the menu was pimientos de Pardon, small green capsicum peppers fried in olive oil and served with coarse salt. I pretty much lived on them once when walking for five weeks across Spain. Most are mild and sweet; some are ﬁery hot and spicy. The Peugeots were parked in the village courtyard, below the level of the tapas bar. Two things catch the eye about the 508: it is more conservative and aerodynamically cleaner than recent Peugeot offerings; and the interior is the best Peugeot has done for years.

There is a slick centre console and dashboard assembly. The switchgear has moved up a class, too – it obviously benefits from the carmaker’s new emphasis on an efficient cabin layout. A head-up display is part of the kit. Peugeot’s new 508 sedan and station wagon arrives in New Zealand in June to replace both the previous 407 models and the bigger 607. Very few cars have been tasked with such a role, straddling the ground previously occupied by mid-range offerings and a premium sedan. Peugeot says the 508 offers interior space to match the 607, but doesn’t take up as much room on the road. The 508 is 10cm longer than the 407, but 25kg lighter than the 407 four-door and 45kg lighter than the 407 fivedoor SW. Lightweight components like the composite boot lid/tailgate help save weight. The 508 range will launch in New Zealand with two engine choices: Euro5-rated 2.0-litre or 2.2l turbo-diesels, mated to six-speed automatic Aisin gearboxes with a conventional torque converter. There is no dual-clutch setup; the torque converter is better, anyway, for low-speed progress than a duel-clutch. There

is also no petrol option, although I hear there is an entry-level model on the cards for the future. But there is a GT badge on the rear of the 2.2l model. “We haven’t had a GT badge on a sedan for a very long time,” said Simon. Simon says he wants to try to keep pricing in line with the outgoing 407 range, starting at around $54,990 for the 2l HDi sedan through to perhaps $65,990 for the 2.2l GT four-door and $68,990 for the SW. The 2.0l diesel delivers 120kW at 3750rpm and 340Nm between 2,000–3,000rpm. The 2.2l unit dishes out 150kW at 3,500rpm and a whopping 450Nm between 2,000– 2,750rpm. Both engines are quiet and oﬀer brisk performance. Peak torque comes in slightly higher in the rev range than in some diesel rivals, a deliberate engineering move by Peugeot to aid fuel consumption. It claims town-and-around fuel use for both cars of 5.7l/100km, or 50mpg, from the 75-litre fuel tank. Exhaust

emissions are rated at around 150g/km. In a nutshell, the 508 brings back to life the ride/handling blend that characterised Peugeots for years, especially the 405 sedan of around 20 years ago. It’s a bigger car and isn’t as edgy as the 405, but it nosed its way through mountain bends north of Alicante with fine body control, all the while remaining predictable, adjustable and with better balance than most front-drive rivals. The six-speed auto was at its best on motorway sections, where the marriage between engine and gearbox remained free from squabbles. The 508 cabin is impressively quiet, no doubt helped by an acoustic windscreen as standard and dampers on the front axle to reduce engine vibration. One of the highlights is the whopping panoramic glass roof in the station wagon. It oﬀered Simon Rose a view of a world far removed from a plate of chitterlings.

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WHAT’S NEW

2011

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ALL-NEW 508 The brand-new 508 sedan and wagon, which will replace the highly regarded 407 series from mid-year in Australia and New Zealand, takes Peugeot in a whole new direction. The range stays true to the Peugeot tenets of performance, efficiency and practicality, but also takes the brand further upmarket than ever before in terms of style, cabin quality and equipment levels. If any one car embodies the new philosophy of Peugeot, this is it. The look has been inspired by the breathtaking SR1 concept car

from 2010, while the driving experience and sheer quality will give real cause for concern among the makers of much more expensive luxury cars. At the front is a single-shape grille rendered in Peugeot’s new “ﬂoating” style, and piercing headlamps give the car a particularly marked visual expression, with LED tubes visible

by both day and night. At the rear, three red “claws” mask three rows of LEDs on the sedan. The estate version has a more composite feel, with a red band that lights up when the rear lights are activated. The 508 is aimed at customers who are active, committed, experienced and in search of modernity and status without ostentation. They hold fast to certain values and are aware of their responsibilities. Such buyers are drawn increasingly to spacious, timeless and eﬃcient cars.

At launch, the star performers will be the HDi turbo-diesel models. Especially the flagship GT, which will feature a 2.2-litre HDi with over 150kW. Premium features include sports suspension, a unique seat design with sumptuous leather upholstery, directional gas-discharge headlights and an aircraft-style head-up display. Also available will be a 2.0-litre HDi with 120kW, but with no less emphasis on a quality driving and occupant experience. Features on the 508 include a panoramic glass roof and four-zone climatecontrol air conditioning. This will truly be a car to enjoy. It’s early days for the allnew 508, so especially signiﬁcant that it is already picking up automotive awards. Readers of fortnightly German car magazine Auto Zeitung voted the new Peugeot top in its segment, over 18 rival models.

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For the 2010 prize winners, the participating readers chose from 400 models present or due for imminent launch on the German market, split into several categories. Even before it went on sale, 18 per cent of votes cast the new Peugeot 508 as number one in its segment. Jean-Marc Gales, a member of the PSA Peugeot Citroën managing board and executive vice-president of brands, accepted the prize at the awards evening, saying: “The 508 marks the return of Peugeot to the large touring car segment. Its style and appeal, combined with its sheer quality and new-generation technologies, illustrate Peugeot’s ambitions in this category of the market.” This is just the start of the 508 success story. Already in Europe it has been chosen for a number of new eﬃciency technologies, such as e-HDi with stop-start. In 2012, you can even expect to see a 508 with the full HYbrid4 diesel-electric powertrain, a nextgeneration technology package perfected and recently launched on the 3008 (see page 22). THE NEW 308 The hugely successful 308 also benefits from Peugeot’s new corporate identity, with a revitalised range arriving late this year. The hatchback, station wagon and Coupé Cabriolet (CC) have been subtly restyled at the front with elegant and sophisticated results: intricate chrome detailing gives the 308 a more luxurious appearance, the new Peugeot Lion is front and centre and the new model gets a major boost in active safety, with the addition of LED-powered daytime running lights – a feature more commonly associated with high-priced prestige cars. The new look is a fitting celebration of a car that has sold a staggering 900,000 units in more than 100 countries. Technical advancements include the new EURO 5-compliant 2.0-litre HDi engine (just introduced on the current 308), improved aerodynamics thanks to the restyled front end and weight loss across the range due to careful re-engineering – around 25kg depending on model. The new 308 hatchback and estate versions will be the ﬁrst to arrive in Australasia, followed by the CC models.

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MEAN

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isappointment and more than its share of bad luck at Le Mans last year has brought even more determination from Peugeot Sport for the 2011 season. Its all-new racer, with a 3.7-litre V8 HDi engine, retains the 908 name of its predecessor and will contest the full Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC) campaign. Peugeot’s previous 908 was widely regarded as the fastest car on the track at the Le Mans 24 Hours race in 2010, but its three contenders were ultimately sidelined by mechanical problems and could not finish. Such bad luck at one of the world’s glamour motor-racing events attracted plenty of publicity, although the 908 went on to win the ILMC title for 2010. The all-new car, built to the revised technical regulations introduced for 2011, was originally given the code name 90X. However, with the 908 HDi FAP’s string of successes – the title in the 2007 Le Mans Series, a one-two finish at Le Mans in 2009 and the inaugural ILMC crown in 2010 – it was decided to keep the same name for the new car. “We have chosen 908 as the name of the new car in order to build on the wave of success with which it is associated,” says Peugeot’s director of marketing and communications, Xavier Peugeot. “At the same time, the new car fits perfectly with the brand’s new modern image. It mirrors the modernity that is clearly visible in the new 508 and the recently announced new 308. At Peugeot, we have always sought to associate our commitment to motor sport with the real

world and with our model range. The name 908 stood out as the obvious choice.” Following in the wake of the legendary Peugeot 905 and the 908 HDi FAP, the 908 is the third car to have been developed by Peugeot Sport for endurance racing. Like the previous cars, its mission will be to extend Peugeot’s winning record at Le Mans that already stands at three wins: in 1992, 1993 and 2009. It is a closed-cockpit car, with the same size front and rear wheels, and is powered by a new 3.7l V8 HDi FAP 410kW diesel engine. It means Peugeot Sport will be competing in endurance racing for the ﬁfth year running with a diesel engine equipped with a particulate ﬁlter (FAP). The 908 shares the same technology used in all Peugeot’s HDi diesel road cars. There is a very close collaboration between the group’s engineers and specialists and their counterparts at Peugeot Sport, to ensure that exper tise in areas such as fuel consumption, respect for the environment and performance is shared between road cars and motor sport. The Intercontinental Le Mans Cup has expanded from three rounds in 2010 to a seven-round championship in 2011, including two races in the USA (Sebring and Petit Le Mans Road Atlanta), three in Europe (Spa-Francorchamps, Imola and Silverstone) and one in China, plus the Le Mans 24 Hours. Peugeot has created a truly new racing machine to tackle the series. Just how new? The only component carried over from the previous car is the windscreen wiper!

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INTO THE

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he Peugeot 3008 HYbrid4 is a production model now on sale to the public in Europe, expanding not only the marque’s environmentally friendly family car offerings, but also laying a foundation of high technology that will underpin generations of models to come. As maker of some of the most advanced diesel engines in the world, Peugeot is convinced HDi technology is the right choice for a hybrid powertrain over the less fuel-efficient petrol engines employed by rival makers. The 3008 HYbrid4’s 2.0-litre HDi powerplant and electric motor achieve combined cycle fuel economy of 3.79 litres per 100km and break the magic 100g/km CO emissions barrier (99g/km) – a 30 per cent improvement over a conventional diesel car, yet with the performance and safety benefits of all-wheel drive. The 3008 HYbrid4 benefits from the combined power of the HDi engine and electric motor during acceleration: 121kW from the former and 28kW from the latter. Maximum torque of 500Nm is available, split 300Nm from the diesel engine at the front and 200Nm from the electric motor at the rear.

How do you manage all this technology and performance? Well, the car does it for you. There’s a control selector on the centre console that allows the driver to choose between four different modes: automatic, zero-emissions, four-wheel drive and sport. Each tailors the behaviour and interaction of the diesel-electric systems to suit. Peugeot’s expertise in diesel technology is well known. But it also has considerable experience in battery-powered vehicles: its 106 Electric, marketed in Europe from 1995–2003, remains the world’s top-selling zero-emissions vehicle. Also just launched in Europe is a latest-generation electric car, the Peugeot iOn. In the 3008 HYbrid4, the combination of diesel and electric power ensures optimum operating characteristics regardless of the driving conditions. An HDi engine is still the most eﬃcient propulsion method for open-road journeys, while the electric motor takes over during times of low power demand, such as urban commuting and deceleration. The automated six-speed manual gearbox is electronically controlled and features a second-generation stopstart system for the ultimate in urban fuel eﬃciency.

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Incredibly, there are no mechanical links between the front and rear powertrains – it’s all controlled “by wire”, which offers many advantages. There are no structural constraints, meaning that the same technology can be applied to many different vehicles. Different-capacity engines could easily be used up front with no compatibility problems, and four-wheel drive can be offered with minimal weight penalty because there are no heavy shafts and differentials connecting front and rear. Ease-of-use has been a defining factor in the design of the 3008 HYbrid4, however there’s no doubt that the cabin provides a uniquely high-tech ambience. Many of the instruments and controls have been inspired by the world of aviation – especially the stylised gear lever and special two-tone leather finish. A seveninch display provides real-time information on the flow of power around the car. HYbrid4 technology has been integrated into the 3008 with minimum disruption to the car’s impressive practicality. The boot offers 420 litres of loadspace, with an additional 66 litres beneath the cargo floor. The innovative split tailgate remains, with switches just inside the open door to fold the rear seats back with a single touch. Thus configured, the 3008 HYbrid4 boasts 1,501 litres of load space. So the future really is here, now. The 3008 HYbrid4 has even won a major new-car award: German monthly Autobild Allrad, the leading European magazine on all-wheel drives, has given its “All Wheel Drive Innovation of the Year” prize to the new Peugeot. Having proved HYbrid4’s performance and reliability by developing a production 3008 diesel-hybrid, Peugeot is now taking a slightly different version of this technology onto the racetrack. Following the launch of the latest 908 Le Mans racer in February, Peugeot Sport unveiled a prototype HYbrid4 version of the competition car at March’s Geneva Motor Show. The system employed by the Peugeot 908 HYbrid4 recovers and stores the kinetic energy generated under braking, feeding it back into the driveline during acceleration. The system provides a short power boost of 60kW for a few seconds when it is activated. Recovered energy is stored in lithiumion batteries before being automatically released to power the rear wheels under acceleration. It will also be possible to run in electriconly mode along the pit-lane. Peugeot Sport has now turned its attention to meeting a very specific target for the new car: to run the 908 HYbrid4 at the official pre-Le Mans 24 Hours test day at the French circuit on 24 April this year.

Coupé of the year

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xpert, intelligent, irreverent, sometimes outrageous: British television show and motoring magazine TopGear is never afraid to tell it like it is. And here’s how it is for the new Peugeot RCZ: the sleek two-door was named Coupé of the Year in the 2010 TopGear Awards. So enthusiastic was the publication about Peugeot’s new coupé, that it took the RCZ on a true adventure – all the way to China’s Great Wall – as part of its award celebrations. In the midst of this great driving adventure, TopGear’s journalists praised everything from the RCZ’s cutting-edge exterior design to its sports-car handling. In particular, the magazine noted how the car seemed to get more attractive with every viewing and every diﬀerent setting: “The RCZ looks better than ever, sculpted arches and sleek rear deck. It’s a grower, this car... the RCZ is starting to look like a design icon.” TopGear also discovered that the Peugeot delivered a dynamic driving experience on the most demanding roads imaginable: “The RCZ is a beautifully balanced car, easy to drive quickly. Low and wide, it always feels completely on your side, gripping hard, resorting to understeer only at the limit.” The RCZ represents a watershed moment in the

development of the Peugeot portfolio: the marque’s firstever bespoke sports coupé and the first product to benefit from the brand’s new corporate identity. Its name also symbolises its singular position – the first specialist car not to utilise the numbering system with a central or double zero. The RCZ is built at a production centre specialising in exclusive vehicles at the Magna Steyr plant in Graz, Austria. With its reduced weight, finely honed aerodynamics and modern engine technologies, the RCZ offers an innovative balance of performance and environmental friendliness. To provide a new driving experience, the RCZ has distilled all of Peugeot’s expertise in terms of handling and roadholding. It features a low centre of gravity, with wide front and rear tracks and reinforced suspension and wheels. The sensuality of the car’s double-bubble roof and rear windscreen combine with its two aluminium arches to produce its most distinctive features. Other international accolades awarded to the RCZ include The Most Beautiful Car of the Year 2009 by more than 100,000 online voters from 62 countries at the 25th International Automobile Festival, Auto Express magazine’s Best Coupé and Diesel Car magazine’s Best Sports Car of the Year 2010.

“The RCZ is a beautifully balanced car, easy to drive quickly. Low and wide, it always feels completely on your side.”

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he Peugeot EX1 is not merely a stunning show car – although it certainly is that, having been one of the star attractions at last year’s Paris Motor Show as part of the marque’s 200th anniversary celebrations. But away from show stands, the EX1 is a fully working electric-roadster prototype and the holder of a host of real-world records for standing-start acceleration. Late last year – driven by famous French explorer and ﬁlm-maker Nicolas Vanier – the EX1 set new world records for vehicles weighing under 1 tonne, for the standing ⅛ mile, ¼ mile, 500 metres, ½ mile, 1 kilometre and mile. It rocketed through the 0–96km/h (0–60mph) sprint in a supercar-like 3.55 seconds. More recently, in China, the EX1 broke every one of those records again and managed 0–96km/h in 3.49 seconds. Who said electric cars had to be dull? The EX1 is testament to the sheer performance potential of plug-in power, achieving the ultimate in driving dynamics through light weight, highly advanced aerodynamics (the shape is inspired by a droplet of water) and all-wheel drive thanks to a 250kW brace of electric motors – one for each axle. Based on the experience gained from creating the 1996 Asphalte concept car and the two 20Cup models from 2005, the architecture of the EX1 has enabled the size of the passenger compartment to be reduced and ensures that there is no extra weight in the overhangs. The EX1 is dramatically low and wide: under a metre tall, yet 1,770mm wide.

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Driver and passenger climb into the passenger compartment through a reverse-opening door and sit virtually at road level. The vehicle is controlled with two joystick-style handles, providing an experience similar to that of an aircraft pilot or video game. This is a high-speed roadster, but the occupants are protected by the height of the passenger cell, which has sufficient overhead clearance to include a roll-over protection bar. The integrated wind deflector allows the car to be driven on a daily basis without a helmet. The suspension employs a number of technical solutions that ensure road-holding of a very high level. The front consists of a drop-link double wishbone arrangement. At the rear is a single swing arm linked to a centrally mounted shock absorber. The body structure is manufactured from a carbon/honeycomb composite to optimise weight and rigidity. It also incorporates all of the mounting points for the car’s mechanical components. Underneath the EX1, the two electric motors (powered by lithium-ion batteries) produce identical 125kW outputs and an immediately available peak torque figure of 240Nm front and rear. This architecture allows not only ideal weight distribution, but also all-wheel drive: a further example of the positional benefits of HYbrid4 technology already seen on the diesel-electric 3008, which has its conventional engine at the front and battery power at the rear. The EX1 is an undeniably exciting vehicle, but also one with special resonance for Peugeot. The marque’s first-ever production electric car, the iOn, has just gone on sale in Europe.

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TRIAL

WITHOUT TRIBULATION

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n September 1953 Australians were gripped by newspaper and radio reports of daring driving, bush-bashing, high-speed crashes, hardship and amazing ingenuity as 187 cars tried to conquer the Australian outback. Aussies around the country were following day-by-day reports of a gruelling long-distance reliability trial stretching over 14 days. A 50,000-strong crowd jammed Driver Avenue outside the Sydney Showground on August 30th to see the cars off. A further 150,000 people lined the streets through Sydney’s northern suburbs to watch them whistle by. Competitors were driving standard cars. Holden and Ford were locked in a fierce rivalry that continues today. Chrysler and Plymouth were entered, along with Jaguar and Humber. The feeling then, as now, was that a big car was needed to conquer a big country; yet there were a good number of small cars, too – Austins and Morrises, MGs and one Porsche. But the number-one choice among small-car fans was the Peugeot 203, the eventual winner. The 1953 Redex Trial ran on sealed roads for the first two days, then, after leaving Townsville on the third day, into real Aussie bush. They struck corrugations, culverts, cattle grids, wash-aways, dry creek beds and other obstacles that the vast, hot, harsh continent threw at them. The phrase “horror stretch” entered the Australian vocabulary when reporters began sending back details of the ongoing automotive battle with the “roads” and the elements. Engines were thrashed beyond endurance, cooling systems

boiled, suspensions collapsed, tyres blew, wheels were split, hubs stripped, chassis cracked. Mechanical mayhem ruled in the Australian bush. That first Redex Trial has gone down in the annals of Australian automotive history as one of the harshest longdistance motoring events ever run. And although Peugeots had been sold in Australia since the early 1900s, winning that Redex Trial showed what the car was really made of. Not only did Ken Tubman and John Marshall come home ahead of far bigger and more powerful cars but, astoundingly, their Peugeot 203 was in near-mint condition at the ﬁnish! A tribute to that epic event was run in 2003 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the trial. In 2010 Peugeot Australia did it all over again with the launch of the 3008 SUV and to coincide with Peugeot’s 200th anniversary. The first Redex Trial was run over 6,500 miles (10,460km), from Sydney to Townsville, across to Darwin, down to Port Augusta and back to Sydney via Adelaide and Melbourne. It took two weeks. The Peugeot 3008 Redex Tribute was run over 10,200km in 15 days, beginning on Friday, July 16. The last leg of that adventure was captured live on television by Mark Beretta and Seven Network’s Sunrise crew. Both 3008s returned an average combined-cycle fuel consumption of approximately 5.3 litres per 100km. The best fuel consumption records returned were 5.1l/100km on the leg from Brisbane to Rockhampton in Queensland and 5.0l/100km from Hamilton to Nagambie, in Victoria.

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n early-morning balloon flight over the Yarra Valley; a glass of Riesling in an old Clare Valley cottage; a winematched lunch overlooking McLaren Vale; a golden twilight stroll in the Adelaide Hills… The sprawling, sun-drenched wine regions of Australia are a rich source of romantic memories – to say nothing of the fine wine and food for which they are famous. Wine flows out to the world from Australia’s 60-odd wine regions. I’ve been fascinated to see where the famous labels were born – names like Penfolds, Yalumba, Saltram, Jacob’s Creek, Tyrrell, Wolf Blass, Seppelt, Wynns, Hardys, McWilliams – as well as discovering the smaller regional heroes. Australia’s first vines were planted in 1788 and the first commercial vineyard and winery was established in the early 1800s. Today, the country has around 2,300 wine companies, some occupying historic, picturesque wineries run by fifth- or six-generation winemakers. South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania and even Queensland all produce wine to a greater or lesser degree. South Australia being the country’s largest wine producer by far, it’s a good place to begin. I hope you’ll forgive us if we don’t include every region…

South Australia Barossa Valley: An hour’s drive north of Adelaide, the Barossa is known as the heart of Australian winemaking. Apart from being home to some of the biggest names in Australian wine, the region is full of character, with pretty towns and villages built by German settlers in the 1840s. The valley boasts a great range of accommodation options, excellent restaurants and fine local produce (don’t miss Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop at Nuriootpa). Shiraz is the undisputed star of the Barossa. The other main styles are Chardonnay, Riesling, Semillon, Grenache, Mourvedre and Cabernet Sauvignon. There are large, modern visitor centres at Jacob’s Creek, at Rowland Flat and Wolf Blass (Nuriootpa) and classic cellardoor experiences at venerable institutions such as Peter Lehmann and Yalumba, Australia’s oldest family-owned winery. You can try your hand at wine blending at Penfolds, at Nuriootpa, and if you call 24 hours ahead you can book – at a price – a private tasting of Grange and other premium wines. Clare Valley: An hour further on, in the northern Mt Lofty Ranges, Clare is arguably Australia’s most scenic wine region. We loved it. Higher and cooler than the Barossa, it produces some of the country’s ﬁnest Rieslings. The other main Clare Valley specialties are Shiraz, a distinctive

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Cabernet Sauvignon and a fruity Semillon. The region is home to about 50 wineries, including Annie’s Lane (which has an interesting museum and art gallery), Jim Barry, Leasingham, Mount Horrocks (in a revamped railway station), Pikes Polish River, the Jesuit winery of Sevenhills, and Taylors. Bike or walk – as we did – the Riesling Trail to make your own surprising discoveries. The annual Clare Valley Gourmet Weekend is held at participating wineries in May (this year May 14-15; see www.clarevalleygourmet. com.au). Adelaide Hills: The closest wine region to Adelaide is a 20-minute drive east of the city. It’s a pretty area, especially in autumn, with golden vines rising and falling through the hills. Its cooler climate suits the region’s main wine styles like Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Noir. With some 90 often widely separated wineries in the region, it’s worth taking a “country drive” to enjoy the great scenery and characterful towns and villages. Petaluma’s atmospheric Bridgewater Mill is a good lunch stop on the way up from Adelaide. Other ﬁne wineries with cellar doors include Chain of Ponds, Bird in Hand (great olive oil, too), Hahndorf Hill, Shaw and Smith, Nepenthe and The Lane, which also does an excellent lunch. McLaren Vale: South of the Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale is tucked between the Mount Lofty Ranges and the white, sandy beaches of the Gulf of St Vincent. A cooler maritime climate, I was told, lends the wines here a softer, smoother character. Certainly, we tasted delicious examples of Shiraz, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. This old-established wine region boasts around 110 wineries and many attractive cellar doors, including d’Arenberg, Coriole, Fox Creek (try their sparkling Shiraz!), Hardys Reynella, High Hamilton and Wirra Wirra. For great food, try d’Arry’s Verandah Restaurant or the Salopian Inn. You can sample wine-matched seafood delights at the Bank SA McLaren Vale Sea a n d Vi n e s Fe s t i va l ( Ju n e 1 1 - 1 2 ; www.mclarenvale.info/seaandvines). Coonawarra: Some of Australia’s best red wine comes from this region between the

Victorian border and the Limestone Coast, including its signature drop, Cabernet Sauvignon. Coonawarra’s secret ingredients are a maritime climate and its famous “terra rossa” soil – well-drained red loam over limestone. Cabernet grown in this stuff has “vibrancy, elegance and finesse”, as one wine writer puts it. Besides the powerful and elegant reds, Chardonnay and Riesling do well here, too. Notable cellar doors include Wynns Coonawarra Estate, Hollick, Jamiesons Run, Katnook, Leconfield and Balnaves. New South Wales Hunter Valley: New South Wales has 14 distinct wine regions, but the most famous by far lies less than two hours’ drive north of Sydney. Wineries tend to cluster around the town of Cessnock in the south and Denman in the north. Wine buffs wax lyrical about t h e Hu n t e r’s g re a t Se m i l l o n s , w i t h Chardonnay, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon the region’s other stars. This is Australia’s oldest producing wine region, planted back in the 1820s and a place that still exudes history and tradition. Scott McWilliam, senior winemaker at McWilliams’ Mount Pleasant winery, for example, is the sixth generation in the family to fill the role. McWillams is one of around 130 wineries in the Hunter. Standout cellar doors include McGuigan, Tyrrell and Drayton and, among the boutique offerings, Allandale, Tintilla and Emma’s Cottage Wines. Accommodation ranges from country pubs to five-star resorts such as the new Chateau Élan at the Vintage. Golf, balloon flights and spa treatments are among the Hunter Valley’s non-wine attractions. June is Hunter Valley Wine & Food month. Check out www.hunterwineandfood.com.au Victoria Yarra Valley: Like the Hunter, the Yarra Valley – under an hour from Melbourne – serves as a sophisticated weekend getaway for city dwellers, with all attendant pleasures and attractions. The Yarra is known for its cool-climate wines, in particular premium Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. You’ll find some fine sparkling wines, too, along with Cabernet

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Tasmania This picturesque island state is gaining an international reputation for its premium wines: intensely flavoured Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling and awardwinning bubbly. Though Tasmania is regarded as one wine region, around 76 wineries and vineyards stretch from the Pipers River and Tamar Valley areas in the north to the Coal River and Derwent Valley districts in the south. Stunning scenery and fresh gourmet produce – think prime cheeses, premium beef, honey, mushrooms and some of Australia’s top boutique beers – add extra appeal to Tasmanian wine trailing. Some cellars worth checking out: Domaine & Stoney Vineyard (top drop: Domain A Cabernet Sauvignon), Apsley Gorge (Pinot Noir), Jansz (“Methode Tasmanoise”), Stefano Lubiano (Estate Pinot Noir) and Stoney Rise (Holyman Chardonnay).

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Sauvignon, Shiraz and other styles, at its 80odd wineries. If you enjoy top-class bubbles, make for Chandon at Coldstream, an Aussie outreach of Moet & Chandon (it also has a very good brasserie). Other notable cellar doors include De Bortoli, Dominique Portet, Giant Steps, Ten Men Wines, the historic Yering Station at Yarra Glen and the striking TarraWarra Estate. Mornington Peninsula: An hour south of Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula is home to some 50 wineries. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the region’s flagships, but a spicy Shiraz, an aromatic Pinot Gris and Viognier are other drawcards. Wineries are mostly small but produce some distinctive wines in the diverse microclimates around the hinterland villages of Red Hill, Main Ridge and Moorooduc, and Merricks, Balnarring and Dromana on the coast. Cellar doors include Box Stallion, Hickinbotham of Dromana, Morning Sun and the quirkily named Ten Minutes By Tractor. And when you tire of wine, make for the beach,

Western Australia

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Margaret River: Once better known for its classic surf breaks, this region 3½ hours’ drive south of Perth has become an important contributor to the Aussie wine scene. And while it represents less that one per cent of the nation’s output, it makes more than 15 per cent of its premium wine. It’s a compact region, lying between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin and bounded by the Indian Ocean, with a cluster of characterful towns in between. Highly rated for its powerful but stylish Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River also has a reputation for Shiraz, Chardonnay and Semillon Sauvignon blends. Great wine and food, smart boutique accommodation, charming towns – and, of course, sea and surf – make Margaret River a buzzy wine destination. Not all of the 115 wineries are open to casual visitors, but you’ll find plenty of welcoming cellar doors, including arty Leeuwin Estate, Voyager, Flying Fish Cove and Knee Deep – the winery that put Margaret River Chardonnay on the map. Great Southern: Along with Margaret River, Great Southern leads the way among this huge state’s nine wine regions. Unlike Margaret River, though, this is a vast region that includes the ﬁve subregions of Albany, Denmark, Frankland River, Mount Barker and the Porongorups, creating great diversity in wine styles and making wine-trailing here an exciting exercise. Altogether, Great Southern is home to 40-odd wineries. The region makes some outstanding varietal styles of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with excellent Pinot Noir in selected areas. Riesling, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are the main white varieties. Cellar doors? Depends where you are, but a few suggestions: Alkoomi at Frankland River, Oranje Tractor at Albany, 3Drops at Mount Barker and Ironwood at Porongurup... For more information on Australia’s wine regions, check out www.apluswines.com

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Island of Wine W

ine writer John Hawkesby, a 10-year resident of Waiheke Island, and our guide for the day, tells this story: “Once there was a time when a Waiheke Island pub held a weekly raﬄe where the prize was a choice between a piece of waterfront property or a chicken. The winner chose the chicken because no one there had enough money to pay for the rates on the land. Today, that same piece of property is worth more than $3 million!” That’s just one measure of the impact of vineyards on the island. Grapes were grown in the 1950s but they were for eating, not drinking. Wine production began in the 1970s when Kim Goldwater planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. But even then, his wine was initially intended for family and friends only. Goldwater Estate became a commercial label more by accident than design. Making world-beating wines on Waiheke Island began in earnest in the mid-1980s, when Stephen White founded Stonyridge Vineyard with the intention of producing high-quality Bordeaux blends. With a degree in horticulture and three years’ viticulture experience in France, Stephen was not merely passing the time of day. He was the first to recognise similarities in climate and soil between Bordeaux and the north-facing slopes of the island. And before long he had produced his

1987 Larose, at the time a wine regarded by critics as the best red wine ever made in New Zealand. Larose remains among the top New Zealand reds. The success of Stonyridge opened the proverbial ﬂood gates: there are 24 wineries on Waiheke Island today. Wine tours and tastings with gourmet lunches and dinners at vineyard wine bars and restaurants have become de rigueur for locals and tourists alike. The island’s microclimates, where daily mean temperatures and soil types can vary considerably from one bay to the next, have resulted in a veritable menu of grape varieties and styles of wine that altogether make a visit to Waiheke Island one of the most enjoyable ways of spending time in New Zealand. Where Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and the primary Bordeaux blends (Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot) were the original varietals, today plantings include the more esoteric Viognier, Pinot Gris, and Montepulciano. As we got about in the Peugeot 3008, we learned that the latest trend is towards Syrah, a response no doubt to the likes of Kennedy Point and Hay Paddock, among others vineyards, winning major international awards for their vintages. Our tour began on the mainland, at the Half Moon Bay Marina, southeast of Auckland, where we met the Sealink

Waiheke is the “Island of wine tourism” attracting up to 800,000 visitors a year to its 24 wineries.

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car ferry. What is there not to like about the 3008? It’s innovative (e.g. the Head-up Display), safer (e.g. the Distance Alert system) and it only takes a short test drive to feel the craftsmanship that has created an interior at once ergonomic and stylish. Four adults, including our designated driver, experienced a comfortable ride with plenty of leg room, front and back. Our ﬁrst stop on the island was at Te Whau Vineyard, a winery and café that has been recognised seven times by the authoritative Wine Spectator magazine for its overall excellence in food and wine. Sitting atop Te Whau Point with a direct view back down the Hauraki Gulf to the Auckland skyline, Te Whau grows all its grapes onsite – no Marlborough imports here. Two hectares of steep, north-facing slopes are covered in Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec vines.

The vineyard’s topography ensures shelter from the prevailing cool southerlies while its orientation gathers heat from the sun. Te Whau is the ﬁrst New Zealand vineyard to be established from the outset according to sustainable viticulture practices. The winemaking approach involves strict fruit selection, the gentle hand-picking at harvest and minimal intervention by the winemaker. In a sense the wine then makes itself, resting inside barrels of French oak over 12 to 18 months in an underground cellar at a constant, year-round temperature. Tony and Moira Forsythe set up Te Whau in 1993. Since then they have received critical acclaim many times for The Point, their Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Their award-winning restaurant, considered by many to be the best vineyard restaurant on the island, has received standing ovations

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from the likes of Fodor’s, Wine International Magazine and The New York Times. After our brief inspection of the wine cellar, Tony told us: “Given our total focus on the quality of our wines, Te Whau is at an exciting stage. With 15 years of non-irrigated vine age, our plants are through adolescence; the roots have penetrated the subsoil and we will see a further lift in concentration, balance and purity of fruit, which has been our hallmark since our ﬁrst vintage in 1999.” We drove back down Te Whau Drive and onto the main road to Stonyridge Vineyard, ﬁve minutes away. As noted, Stonyridge is the original commercial vineyard on the island, yet after more than 20 years little seems to have changed. It’s still producing worldbeating Bordeaux reds of the kind revered British wine writer Hugh Johnson once declared were among “the 1001 wines you

must try before you die”. Wine connoisseur Billy Gibbons, of the rock band ZZ Top, may have spoken for the entire host of celebs who have passed this way when he declared: “Visiting Stonyridge has been the highlight of my time in New Zealand.” We arrived to ﬁnd people enjoying lunch in the café. We weren’t there long, however, before running into the founder, Stephen White, who told us the aim of the vineyard was “same as it’s always been: to produce the highest-quality Bordeaux blend from organically grown grapes and to enrich people’s lives; maybe even inspire them to do something they otherwise might not have done”. We drove to the eastern side of the island, to Man O’ War vineyard, where they had started to harvest their 2011 vintage. Harvest is always the busiest time of the year, yet vineyard manager Matt Allen took time to

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open up the modest tasting room by the beach. With a name like Man O’ War, it follows that labels are in black and white and the names of vintages borrowed from the names of battleships. Man O’ War’s Ironclad Waiheke Island Bordeaux 2008, for example, was named by one critic as The Best New World Red Wine for that year. The Dreadnought Syrah 2008, named for the warship slogan “Fear God and dread nought”, won a rare Double Gold medal at the 2010 Decanter Wine Awards and the International Wine Challenge, a competition involving more than 40 countries and 11,000 entries. As Matt noted, Waiheke winemakers can only make a real go of it if they export. Man O’ War recently struck up a partnership with O’Brien’s, the largest family-owned drinks retailer in Ireland and last year they launched into the Asian market at an event attended by

the godfather of wine critics, American Robert Parker, who subsequently gave Man O’ War wines high marks in the industry bible, The Wine Advocate. Waiheke Island vineyards are surrounded by water, so the ocean acts as both a cooling element and an insulator. Temperatures are as important as soil types for growing grapes that make fine wine and the maritime inﬂuence is critical in creating award-winning wines at Cable Bay Vineyards, on the western side of the island. In 2004, Cable Bay replanted part of its Waiheke vineyard with Pinot Gris, Viognier and Syrah, alongside Chardonnay and the Bordeaux blends. Sauvignon Blanc grapes are sourced from Marlborough and Pinot Noir from Central Otago. All wine is made here, however and altogether the varieties provide Cable Bay with a stunning wine list for its chic wine bar, where chef William Thorpe has

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created a new Small Plates menu – a selection of cured meats, French cheeses, seafood delights and freshly baked bread and dips. Meanwhile, the restaurant continues to attract accolades from locals and overseas visitors alike. Sculpture and a panoramic view of the Hauraki Gulf enhance the wine and fine food experience and make Cable Bay one of the most popular stops on the Waiheke Wine Trail. Our final destination was just around the corner from Cable Bay, at Mudbrick Vineyard, where the first thing a visitor notes on arrival is the sculptured French-style garden. Here the owners Nick and Robyn Jones grow herbs, edible flowers and cleansing teas, amongst other plants that have become essential ingredients of the sumptuous delights they serve in their wine bar and restaurant. We were told Mudbrick was the most popular wedding venue in New Zealand and when you stand on the steps and look back over the Hauraki Gulf to the Auckland skyline, it’s not hard to see why. Add prized food and wine to the view and you’ve got the makings of a perfect romance. Mudbrick’s Shepherd’s Point Syrah 2009 won a Gold Medal at this year’s Royal Easter Show and its Reserve Syrah was voted the

best at a tri-nations competition in Australia last year, where 352 wines were judged from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. For our part, we celebrated our day on the road with one of the few remaining bottles of Mudbrick’s Velvet 2008 ($189), so-called because it tastes – well – like velvet. This extremely smooth blend is a secret recipe. Only 1,450 bottles were produced. “I think of Mudbrick these days as a maturing oak,” Robyn Jones told us. “It continues to grow, with new branches, like the wine bar. We are also fortunate to have just received yet another gold medal at the recent Air New Zealand awards, too.” The testimonials on its website speak for themselves. Mudbrick embodies all that is best of Waiheke Island wineries, from its formal garden to its spectacular outlook and, most of all, its world-class food and wine. After a final salute to a great day out, our designated driver drove the 3008 back to Kennedy Point to meet the car ferry. Stops at other vineyards, like Obsidian, Passage Rock and Te Motu, would have to wait till next time – and we had no doubt there would be a next time. For a full guide to Waiheke Island wines, check out www.waihekewine.co.nz

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Wine on Waiheke

Taste of Waiheke

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Hawaii –

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een there, done that, so I had not felt the need to return – there are other places in the world to visit besides Hawaii, even if the tropical heat makes for the perfect escape from a New Zealand winter. But then something happened to change my mind… The seed was sown one New Year’s Eve in New York City. The love of my life and I had escaped from the big freeze at the corner of Broadway and Central Park West into the warmth and elegance of Jean Georges, a place many critics claim is one of the best French restaurants in the world and is certainly the best in the city that never sleeps. That night we had one of our most memorable meals ever (or I wouldn’t be writing about it now) and wound up remaining there to see the New Year in with champagne and disco. Altogether it ranks as the best US$500 I have ever spent on dinner out. We haven’t been back to New York since, so when I read that Jean-Georges Vongerichten had opened a restaurant in Hawaii, of all places, my ﬁrst thought was: how soon can we get there? “There” would be Kaua’i, Hawaii’s “Garden Island”

(pronounced ka-wai-ee). It would mean tropical heat cooled by sea breezes, a golf course, spa and a gentle pool overlooking Hanalei Bay. It would not be midtown Manhattan in winter, but we could handle that. And in all climates, if there’s one hotel brand that most recalls the glory of New York, it’s the St. Regis. The original St. Regis, founded by John Jacob Astor IV in 1904, is a New York landmark. The St. Regis Princeville Resort on the north coast of Kaua’i is the site of Jean-Georges’ latest incarnation, the Kaua’i Grill. The resort is a 50-minute drive from the airport at Lihue. For readers travelling to Hawaii, I’d suggest taking Air New Zealand, which has a direct flight of about eight hours. It arrives in Honolulu around 9pm (the day before!), which is too late to enjoy a connecting Hawaiian Airlines flight to any of the other islands. Plan a night or two in Honolulu, take in Waikiki Beach (and perhaps see an episode being shot of the latest TV hit – a remake of Hawaii Five-O – along the way). Then catch a quick 20-minute flight to Kaua’i. After landing at Lihue, hire a car: the distance from the airport to the resort

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makes car rental less expensive than taking a taxi and you get the freedom to use the hotel as a base for exploring the island. Did we fly to Hawaii just to dine at the Kaua’i Grill? Not entirely, but that was our inspiration. Other attractions – the tropical temperature, the ocean views, golf, spa, Hanalei Town – added ﬂavour (pun intended), but we purposely saved the Kaua’i Grill for a ceremonial and celebratory last night before heading home. No disco this time, but a talented singer performing at the bar in the lobby. The St. Regis made its Hawaiian debut at Princeville after a multi-million-dollar makeover of the previous resort, turning it into one of Starwood Hotels’ Luxury Collection – a group of upmarket properties that includes The Romanos (Greece), The Astor (China) and The Andaman (Malaysia). Prior to the comprehensive facelift, this was simply The Princeville Resort and while the location has always been popular with guests looking to escape the bustle of Oahu (for Kaua’i is not called “the “Garden Island” for nothing), the coming of St. Regis has brought the grandeur of New York to an island that is itself culturally rich. Redesigned in collaboration with the design ﬁrm WATG and Hawaiian-based architects Group 70, the resort has 252 plush guestrooms, 51 of them with stunning ocean views. Add the Makai Golf Club, the Halele’a Spa, the Nalu Kai Restaurant and The Kaua’i Grill and it’s easy to spend a few days doing nothing else but leaving the rest of the

world behind. The Makai golf course is a Robert Trent Jones Jr design that rolls beautifully across gentle hills, around lakes and, most spectacularly, along a coastal clifftop where the signature hole is the par-three 7th, 213 yards (194 metres) long from the back tee playing across a steep, bush-clad cliff face where only fools look for lost balls. Makai is managed by Troon Golf and may have the highest tee elevation in the entire Pacific: the par-three 3rd hole drops 200m from tee to green across a small lake. Nice. Meanwhile, the first visit to the spa begins with a wellness consultant who customised your spa programme. At the Kaua’i Grill – with its floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing Hanalei Bay – the food is not strictly French so much as international, created in Hawaii with a French twist. The fresh ingredients and the definitive Jean-Georges attention to detail are fundamental to his culinary concepts that here on this lovely island so different from the rest of Hawaii, he applies to meat and seafood. For us, that meant an unbelievably tender, tasty grilled black pepper octopus with onions and lime and nut and mustard seed-crusted moi, a popular local fish. As the chef said at the restaurant’s opening, “Working with local fishermen and organic farmers, Kaua’i Grill offers a world-class dining experience that highlights the best of what Hawaii has to offer.” www.starwoodhotels.com/stregis

Why Kaua’i?

Hiring a car on the island allows you to explore other parts of Kaua’i, starting with Hanalei Town, five minutes up the road from Princeville. Here you’ll find a charming collection of shops and galleries and Bubba Burgers – the best burgers in Hawaii. The Na Pali Coast, on the western side of the island, is inaccessible by road, but a catamaran tour is a great way to spend a day at sea, (food and drink included) and to view 1,200m-high cliffs and an other-worldly landscape you might recognise from a host of films, such as Jurassic Park, that were shot there. The drive around and up to the rim of Waimea Canyon is worth the effort, for this incredible chasm inspired writer Mark Twain to label it “the Grand Canyon of the Pacific”. Not far from Lihue, along Ma’alo Road, is the 25m-high Wailua Falls, and if your golf game is on song (and you feel like taking a break from the Makai course at Princeville), try the Wailua Golf Club, the best public course in Hawaii, located about midway between Lihue and Princeville on the main road. The Puakea Golf Club, in Lihue, is also good value; the setting is beautiful and, we note, it was designed by Hawaii’s most accomplished designer, Robin Nelson. To learn more about Hawaii’s “Garden Island” of Kaua’i, visit www.kauaidiscovery.com

The Samoan Way

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amoa is wired to the internet like the rest of the world, but here it takes just one night and half a day on a beach for visitors to altogether forget there was ever such a thing as cyberspace. It’s a mystery, but somehow life seems to become simple all over again. Call it Fa’a Samoa – “The Samoan Way” – call it what you will, but a day on Lalomanu Beach or an evening sunset, viewed, drink in hand, from a terrace at Aggie Grey’s Lagoon, Beach Resort & Spa, and suddenly the world is free of worry. The food’s not bad either! Once, the critical word on South Paciﬁc cuisine was that it was best eaten somewhere other than the Paciﬁc Islands. Staples such as seafood, root crops and fruit, as cooked in the islands, it was agreed, lacked a certain style and sophistication. Okay, so somewhere on Upolu or Savai’i someone is boiling up a pot of taro just as they’ve been doing forever. But at new hotels and resorts, traditional foods, fresh and locally grown, are being combined

with the skill and imagination of talented Samoan and European chefs. One of the leaders of this culinary revolution is Aggie Grey’s Hotel & Bungalows in Apia and its sister establishment, Aggie Grey’s Lagoon, Beach Resort & Spa. Ever since the late Aggie Grey began serving hot dogs and hamburgers to US Marines on R & R from the war in the Pacific, the menu at the legendary hotel has always been a reason to stay. Today, the cuisine has moved from hot dogs to South Pacific buffets that for many guests are the highlight of their stay. Samoan food is not spicy and the main ingredients tend to be fresh fish, chicken, pork, bananas and coconut – often cooked using hot stones and the traditional Samoan umu or earth oven. Away from full-service resorts, meanwhile, there is a host of family-run restaurants where menus express the diversity of modern cuisine in Samoa. In Apia, Paddles specialises in Italian food. The menu at Roko’s is more broadly European. The Sydneyside Café serves what many believe is the best coffee in

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town. These are just three places that visitors have raved about on their return to the “real world”. Samoa is also known as the South Pacific escape of famed Scottish-born writer, Robert Louis Stevenson, the author of Treasure Island and other classic titles, who is buried on top of Mt Vaea, near Apia. His grave is a regular stop for visitors paying their respects. Stevenson’s restored colonial homestead in the village of Vailima features and informative onehour guided tour. Long-zippering walls, rippable A-frame peaks, draining barrels – this is the language of surfing that describes the variety of waves found between the islands of Upolu and Savai’i. Samoa has only recently become known as a surfing paradise. Some of the best surfers in the world, caught in their eternal search for the perfect wave, have found breaks here unlike any they’ve experienced before and have given them names like Dragon’s Breath and Pudding Rock. Surfing aside, Samoa is simply an aquatic wonderland, with some of the best snorkelling and diving in the South Pacific. But after a day in or on the water, exploring the island, or just hanging out on a beach, one of the best ways of separating day from night is a spa treatment. Samoa is blessed with a host of therapeutic plants that have inspired traditional healing techniques, developed over the years to treat all manner of ailments. The mamala tree, found in Samoa’s last remaining rainforest, on Savai’i, is a traditional treatment for fever that is now being studied as a possible cure for AIDS. Banana and papaya, organic honey, coconut oil and local herbs are just a few of the basic ingredients used by Samoan spas in their quest to rejuvenate and relax folk from less laid-back climes.

In a land where unspoiled customs, culture and courtesies still exist, we invite you to share our piece of coastal paradise for your next tropical escape. Aggie Grey’s Lagoon Beach Resort & Spa… a whole new holiday experience in Samoa.

www.aggiegreys.com

LAGOON, B EAC H RES ORT & S PA

A legend in the South Paciﬁc for over 70 years. Centrally located in the harbour town of Apia and set amongst colourful tropical gardens, Aggie Grey’s Hotel & Bungalows offers a unique blend of warm, friendly Polynesian hospitality and ﬁrst class service. The perfect base to discover Samoa.

www.aggiegreys.com

HOTEL & BUNGALOWS

Oceania RAISES THE BAR

eaders who have joined the growing number of “cruise-oholics” may know of the five-star reputation of Oceania Cr uises from their experience aboard one of their three R-class ships: Regatta, Nautica and Insignia. These were the only mid-sized, luxury ships in the Oceania Cruises fleet until this year, when the company launched its fourth in the series, Marina, which will sail between European ports starting this Northern Hemisphere summer. Marina is the first of two sister ships that will raise the bar on elegance and sophistication. The other, Riviera, will be launched next year and will no doubt attract as much worldwide attention as Marina. Marina truly sets a new standard of comfort, service and, most importantly, culinary excellence. Designed to carry up to 1,250 passengers (in doubleoccupancy cabins), the ship has 800 staff, making its staff-to-guest ratio one of the highest on the high seas. So whenever a guest takes a seat at one of the many fine restaurants, cool cafés and bars, they can expect nothing less than five-star service. This is not Marina’s only point of difference from

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other cruise liners. Among the ship’s standout features is the Bon Appétit Culinary Centre, the ﬁrst hands-on cooking school at sea, and Marina is the ﬁrst and only ship with a restaurant by master chef Jacques Pépin. The ship’s Owner’s Suites are furnished by Ralph Lauren Home; there’s a wine appreciation programme in association with Wine Spectator magazine and a spa that’s managed by Canyon Ranch R. Speaking at the launch, Frank Del Rio, founder of Oceania Cruises and chairman and CEO of parent company Prestige Cruise Holdings, said, “Marina is unlike any ship built in the past 50 years. It is destined to be a game-changer in the industry. The superb gourmet restaurants and exquisite residential interiors reflect the best of what makes Oceania Cruises such an unrivalled experience.” Six of the 10 dining venues are no-charge gourmet restaurants. Tuxedo-clad waiters serve a six-course menu in the classic setting of the Grand Dining Room. Illuminated etched-glass panels provide a dramatic backdrop for traditional Italian family recipes served in Toscana restaurant. The Polo Grill, with its leather upholstery and mahogany panels,

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evokes the glamour of a vintage Hollywood steakhouse. There’s Jacque Pepin’s French bistro and Red Ginger, a restaurant specialising in gourmet Asian cuisine. Marina is designed to carry guests in elegance and style to the world’s most alluring ports and cities. Comfortably mid-sized, it is larger than its three sisters – Regatta, Insignia and Nautica each carry 684 passengers – yet it delivers the same warmth and charm, with a country club ambience and a similar level of service. The ship’s inaugural European season begins this northern spring with cruises to northern Europe and the Mediterranean. www.oceaniacruises.com

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Going

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Flow

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riving is fun and travel by train is quick, but for readers searching for an alternative way of seeing France, why not kick back and just go with the flow – literally so – down one of the rivers or canals that run through the heart of Burgundy, Provence and the Rhône Valley? The Orient-Express Collection of Unique Experiences includes Afloat in France, five luxury barges that each carry from four and 12 people. These exceptional péniche-hotels, or barge hotels, cruise between major cities and remote landscapes of forest, fields and hidden villages with a surprising variety of options along the way, from wine tasting to golf. The Canal de Bourgogne, for example, extends 150 kilometres through the vineyards, towns and villages of this most famous wine-making region and the waterways linked to it include the Saone river, which runs south to the Mediterranean, and the Yvonne, which flows north to join the Seine. Escommes, Dijon, and St. Leger are among the

stopping-off points in Burgundy for three of the five barges – the Fleur de Lys, Amaryllis and Hirondelle. Orient-Express uses Fleur de Lys, which sleeps six, and Amaryllis, with room for eight, on its hugely popular Grand Cru wine cruise – a cruise that includes an introduction to more than 30 Burgundy Grand Crus. These trips commonly begin in Dijon and float south to Lyon. Hirondelle, meanwhile, can take up to eight people in four cabins as it drifts north through Burgundy to Rogny, taking in the most scenic aspects of FrancheComté – a region of unspoilt wide-open spaces famous for its high-quality cheeses and deli products. Franche-Comté has long been a melting pot for cultural and architectural influences, ranging from the Roman Empire to Louis XVI to the Hapsburgs. For this reason, the regional capital, Besançon, is nothing less than one of France’s finest provincial towns. Of course, the wines of Burgundy have their honoured place in the cellars and on the tables of wine lovers the world over. Today, Burgundy contains some 23,000 hectares of vineyards,

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spreading over regions that include Chablis, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, Côte Chalonnaise and Mâconnais. Afloat in France takes you to all of these regions with stops at historic sites, village markets and seductive country towns along the way. A fourth barge, Alouette, sleeps four people and follows the Canal du Midi, which flows between Toulouse and the Mediterranean port of Sète with 90 locks in between. A hub of cultural activity, including the art galleries and bistros that have transformed former lock-keepers’ cottages, Canal du Midi allows guests of Alouette to experience the best of the Languedoc-Roussillon region. Alouette bargees can visit the famed wine and bullfighting town of Béziers and the medieval fortified city of Carcassonne. Carcassonne is a UNESCO World Heritage site, with evidence of human settlement since 3,500BC. It was fortified by the Romans around 100BC. The fifth barge is the Napoleon, which plies the River Rhône through Provence, from Chalon to Arles and Avignon and the wine region of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It sleeps up to 12 people in six cabins and in that way offers the best option for guests who do not wish to book an entire barge. Here they share the boat’s three decks and restaurant with other guests. Like Burgundy, the Côtes du Rhône is one of the world’s great wine-producing regions. From Lyon, the barge stops at Vienne to allow guests to visit one of the largest theatres of Roman Gaul and a temple specialising in orgiastic celebrations of the goddess Cybele. As you might guess, the five Orient-Express barges are five-star quality, with the best of French cuisine and wines along the way. They operate in the Northern Hemisphere summer and some, like Alouette, have an onboard chef if required. For more details on the barges, their routes and special offers for 2011, visit www.afloatinfrance.com

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“R

emember, gentlemen, it’s not just France we are fighting for, it’s Champagne.” – Winston Churchill. Throughout the decades, countless quotes have been uttered about this celebrated alcoholic drink. With its regal associations and magical lustre, champagne evokes images of style, pleasure, elegance, romance and celebration. According to tradition, the ingenious idea of mixing various grape varieties from the Champagne region of northeastern France and sealing the lot with a cork held in place with a wire collar to withstand the fermentation pressure, came from Dom Pérignon (1638-1715), cellarmaster at the Benedictine Abbey of Hautvillers. Champagne is the ﬁnest example of a sparkling wine and traditionally is made using a blend of three varieties of grape: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Once the juice is extracted, champagne undergoes two fermentation processes; ﬁrst in casks and second after the wine has been bottled and had sugar and yeast added. This allows the carbon dioxide to become trapped in the wine, giving rise to those famous and distinctive bubbles. Non-sparkling wines are fermented only once, in casks. An excellent way to learn more about the champagne-making process is to explore the signposted roads that make up the Route Touristique du Champagne (Champagne Tourist Route) – 600km long and divided into various circuits that meander through the region’s principal wine-growing areas, including Montagne de Reims (between the

two champagne centres of Reims and Épernay), Côte des Blancs (south of Épernay) and, further south, the Côte des Bar, specialising in smaller producteurs (champagne producers) that welcome thirsty travellers. Land of liquid gold It’s the last week in September and harvest time in the Côte des Bar. Driving along the Route Touristique du Champagne through grape country is pure pleasure; beautiful vistas abound, with each view better than the last. In between picturesque villages, neatly tended vines cover the hillsides and colourful grape pickers dot the slopes. A heady, sweet aroma ﬁlls the air and every second vehicle seems to be a tractor pulling a trailer-load of the precious fruit. In the village of Urville we visit Champagne Drappier, a family of sparkling-wine producers who’ve been cultivating their vineyards for more than two centuries. Michel Drappier, the current and passionate “House Director”, controls the winemaking process, while his father Andre, with a lifetime of harvests behind him, keeps a watchful eye on proceedings. Drappier produces around 1.5 million bottles a year, distributed worldwide to some 90 countries, and over the years its superb champagnes have seduced a number of prestigious personalities, including Charles de Gaulle and Luciano Pavarotti. “The House of Drappier has a range of bottle sizes in its portfolio, including the giant Melchizedek that

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is unique in the champagne world,“ says Michel Drappier, as we chat in the salon, with its beautiful fireplace and superb wood detailing. With a record content of 30 litres (equivalent to 40 standard bottles), weighing 58kg and costing around €3,800 (about $7,300), this is a rare bottle indeed and only a few are sold every year. Made in the traditional way, each bottle of Melchizedek has its own fermentation and is turned, riddled and disgorged by hand. “It’s the perfect size for New Year’s Eve, anniversaries or weddings and last year we sold a pair to launch a luxury cruise ship in Florida called Silver Seas. Much more affordable is the better-known magnum, which is two standard bottles, and just right for a romantic interlude for two, or as we say in France, a tête-à-tête,” says Michel with a knowing smile. Once occupied by Cistercian monks from Clairvaux Abbey, the seat of the Drappier House includes some magnificent 12th-century vaulted cellars (or caves). Here, gently ageing in racks, are the cuvées speciales, as well as the company’s big guns, with names like Balthazar (12 litres), Nabuchodonsor (15 litres), Salomon (18 litres), and Melchizedek, the granddaddy of them all. “Come and see us again sometime. We’ve been here for 850 years, so won’t be moving in a hurry,” says Michel, as we say our goodbyes and drive towards historic Troyes, noted for its fine collection of medieval and Renaissance half-timbered houses and finally, our bed for the night, Château d’Etoges, in the small village of the same name, surrounded by vineyards.

Royal accommodation Staying at or visiting one of the region’s 150 historic châteaux, manor houses and stately homes beautifully complements a visit to Champagne and goes handin-hand with the champagne lifestyle. Built at the beginning of the 17th century, the Château d’Etoges was once a privileged place where the Kings of France enjoyed staying on their way to the east. Louis XIV, it’s said, greatly admired the beauty of the château’s garden, fountains and ponds. Overlooking a quintessential moat, this beautifully renovated château has 20 individually appointed bedrooms furnished with genuine antiques and tapestries. Downstairs, an imposing ﬁreplace bears witness to banquets, meetings and celebrations from a medieval past. Classy French cuisine (with a good selection of wines and, of course, champagnes) is served in the adjoining L’Orangerie dining room. A short drive north from Château d’Etoges is the provincial town of Épernay and the best place for champagne tasting. Underneath the streets of the “capital of bubbly”, in some 100km of subterranean cellars, millions of dusty bottles of sparkling wine are maturing side-by-side, awaiting the day they’re popped open in celebration. Épernay is home to some of the world’s most famous champagne houses, such as Moët & Chandon, De Castellane and Mercier, the most popular brand in France. Many of them are situated on or near the Avenue de Champagne and offer entertaining, informative tours followed by tastings and a visit to the factory-outlet bubbly shop. In nearby Rue Gambetta, at the cool, sophisticated bar and cellar combo of C. Commes Champagne, we sink into a couple of red leather armchairs to sample some champagne by the glass. “We represent 50 small independent winemakers from 50 villages in the main regions, and each week we feature a selection of six diﬀerent champagnes in 10cl glasses

for €27.50 [$53],” says Aurelie Hermant, one of the friendly bar staff, who speaks excellent English. The great thing about C. Commes Champagne is that if you like a certain champagne, you simply walk down into the cellar below the bar and buy one. Every house is clearly labelled and prices are very affordable, with few bottles costing more than €20. From Épernay, it’s only a 6km drive north to Hautvillers, where Dom Pérignon first created champagne three centuries ago. Hautvillers translates as “high place” and it’s one of those picture-perfect French villages with a bar, church and a few pretty houses. In the square you’ll find the Tourist Office, where for a few euros you get a gentle walking tour with an explanation of Pérignon’s life and the effect he had on perfecting champagne. Treetop champagne Situated in the wooded hills around Verzy, northeast of Hautvillers, is a totally new concept in the enjoyment of champagne. A 10-minute walk through the forest creates a sense of anticipation for arrival at Le Perching Bar – the world’s first champagne bar in the trees. The brainchild of codesigners Germain Morisseau and Oliver Couteau, the bar sits on a wooden platform supported on 6m-high stilts and accessed by a number of boardwalks suspended between the trees. Cool sounds emanate from the speakers; several local champagnes are on offer and the views are exceptional. “Everything runs on solar power and we have future plans to create some sleeping pods in open-fronted geometric designs in the trees called ‘Perching Pads’, so romantic couples can stay the night,” Oliver tells us. From Verzy, it’s just a flute or two of bubbly to Reims, which, together with Épernay, is the most important centre of champagne production. Reims is home to some prestigious producers such as

Mumm, Tattinger, Pommery and Louis Roederer. Founded in 1776, Louis Roederer is one of the last major independent, family-run champagne houses. In 1876, upon the request of Tsar Alexander II, Louis Roederer Cristal was created in bottles made of transparent crystal glass with a flat bottom, making them easily identifiable. For more than a century, the appearance of the patented Cristal bottle has remained unique, unchanged… and much imitated. Characterized by its great finesse and elegance (a high proportion of Chardonnay), its delicate bouquet and its perfect balance, Cristal is highly prized by connoisseurs. We spend our last night at Château de Montaubois, a beautiful 18th-century building set in 4 hectares of parkland in Signy l’Abbaye (northeast of Reims). The owners, Jean-François Monteil and his wife Elizabeth, have spent nearly three decades renovating the château to its former glory, with original features and period furniture. They now offer B&B accommodation, with five sumptuous guest rooms. After being shown to our beautiful rooms we watch a fascinating PowerPoint presentation on the history of the château and the renovation process. In the evening, we share a delicious home-cooked meal with our hosts and then the eccentric Jean-Francois, a prolific inventor, shows us his new interactive card game called Champagne Discovery. Sipping on my flute of chilled champagne, I ponder one of the questions: “How many litres of champagne in the Salmanasar bottle size?” It’s a fitting finale to our visit to France’s Champagne region. www.aube-champagne.com

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arlier this year, in RBS Six Nations rugby, France lost to Italy for the very ﬁrst time. Italy, invariably the weakest team in the competition, had never beaten “Les Bleus” so it was a shocking upset – to the point where French coach Marc Lievremont, a former ﬂanker with 29 caps, afterwards called his team “cowards”. The following week, however, France closed out its 2011 RBS Six Nations season with a decisive 28-9 win over Wales. This time the coach described the play of his team as a “manly reaction” to the embarrassing loss to Italy the week before, even if the win over Wales left France, the champions in 2010, as a humble runners-up to England this year. Cowards one week, men of action the next;

champions one year, chokers the next. So it goes with French rugby and a team that is arguably the most mercurial of the 16 taking part in this year’s Rugby World Cup, which kicks off on September 9 in Auckland. Hosts New Zealand play Tonga. France plays its first match, against Japan and also in Auckland, the following day. The Rugby World Cup has been played every four years since 1987. France has never won. In that inaugural year they reached the final but lost to New Zealand. In 1999, they reached the final again, only to lose to Australia. Despite those two critical defeats, neither New Zealand nor Australia has been the worst thorn in the France’s side. If France has a World Cup nemesis it is England, a team that, in the

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last two Cups anyway, has sent Les Bleus packing in the semi-final. This time around, Australia perhaps will loom largest in the eyes of the French after the Wallabies thrashed them by a whopping 59-16 last November. Luckily, Australia will turn up this year playing in a different pool (see box), which means coach Lievremont and company can put Australia out of mind until – and if – they should meet in a postpool round. Until then, France will be using their first match against Japan and their second against Canada as a build-up, more or less, for their ultimate battle in Auckland on September 24 against the All Blacks. France will have to be at their best because it’s highly likely the All Blacks will once again be favourites to win the Webb Ellis Cup, as the game’s greatest trophy is called. Yet, who can figure out the All Blacks at times like these? Favoured to win past World Cups, three of their most memorable matches were against France. The first was the 1987 final, played in Auckland, when the All Blacks defeated France 29-9. The other two matches are painful to remember, for they were two of the most emotional defeats the ABs have ever suffered and both came at the hands (and legs) of France. In 1999, at Twickenham, New Zealand blew a 24-10 second half lead. Behind the

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2011

Rugby World Cup Pools Pool A France, New Zealand Japan, Tonga, Canada Pool B Argentina, England Georgia, Romania, Scotland Pool C Australia, Ireland, Italy Russia, USA Pool D Fiji, Namibia, Samoa South Africa, Wales

heart-stopping play of Christophe Lamaison and Christophe Dominici, France scored an extraordinary 33 straight points to win 43-31. That stunning reversal of fortune sent Les Bleus to the ﬁnal, where they lost to Australia 35-12. In 2007, at Cardiff, France struck again. With New Zealand once again the World Cup favourites, France beat the All Blacks 20-18 in the quarter-ﬁnal. The quarter-final! The result was – and still is – controversial for a forward pass (no question) that set up the game-winning try. Australia, England and South Africa will no doubt be teams to watch as the World Cup unfolds. But few will argue that of the matches to watch, France versus the All Blacks tops the list. Should they by chance meet a second time in post-pool play, the ghosts of World Cups past are sure to make that match one of the most anticipated of the entire tournament.

Previous French RWC results 1987 lost final to New Zealand 29-9 1991 lost quarter-final to England 19-10 1995 lost semi-final to South Africa 19-15 1999 lost final to Australia 35-12 2003 lost semi-final to England 24-7 2007 lost semi-final to England 14-9

French Fixtures Date Versus 10 Sept Japan 18 Sept Canada 24 Sept New Zealand 1 Oct Tonga

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Live Breathe Drive Europe

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fter sailing for two weeks with friends from Istanbul down the west coast of Turkey into the Greek Islands, and a glorious week basking on Santorini, we knew that stage three of our honeymoon would be yet another memorable, but completely different, experience. On the flight from Santorini to Rome, we agreed that the plan would be to pick up our brand-new Peugeot from the EuroLease depot at Rome Airport and head straight for Tuscany. In Rome we collected our luggage and then called EuroLease. A driver arrived soon after and we were taken to collect our car. We signed the pre-prepared paperwork, accepted the keys and quickly familiarised ourselves with the sleek Peugeot 308 HDi 1.6L diesel manual that was to be our touring companion for the next two weeks. And with Bill confidently at the wheel we were soon on the road. With two weeks to get from Rome to Prague and with no specific route planned out – just a handful of “must-see’s” along the way – our adventure began. I had toured through this area some 20 years before, so I had a good idea of the general direction we wanted to head in, and when I saw the sign saying “Siena”, I knew that was a place worth seeing. It was now late afternoon and once in Siena we decided to look for a hotel. Armed with a portable GPS device (which turned out to be an absolute Godsend) we keyed in “accommodation” and were directed a few hundred metres to a 3.5-star hotel. It looked quite nice, although not quite what I had in mind – and anyway they were full. I explained to the receptionist that we were, in fact, hoping to get on the road to the Tuscany wine region and stay in some local “villas”. He replied that if we turned right out of their gates and headed

towards Chianti, we would ﬁnd exactly what we were looking for within a few minutes’ drive. Sure enough, 10 minutes later we were in heaven: Hotel La Loggia, a beautiful local villa in the small town of Quercegrossa. We checked in and drew a breath at our surroundings. This was exactly the Italy I had wanted Bill to experience, as he had never been here before. An amazing dinner that night at a familyowned restaurant was the start of a marvellous culinary journey – fresh caprese salads, homemade spaghetti Bolognese and true Italian thin-crust pizzas, all washed down with local Chianti. The next morning we studied the map over a delicious alfresco breakfast on the balcony overlooking the vineyard, and agreed that we would hit the backroads in the general direction of Florence. The scenery through the Tuscany/Chianti wine region was spectacular and we were most impressed with our Peugeot diesel. Bill, a particularly harsh car critic, quickly gave it top marks as an ideal vehicle for the touring we were doing. In Florence we found a very nice and central five-star boutique hotel called Michelangelo and set oﬀ to explore Florence on foot. With the mandatory shopping spree out of the way, we settled in at one of the many restaurants in the town square, and enjoyed another superb Italian meal. My only son was christened Lorenzo, so we decided to head into the mountains via a small, very quaint town called Borgo San Lorenzo and then across to the Adriatic Coast. We drove relatively short distances each day up this coast, stopping wherever we liked the look of the town. Despite the commercial style of the beach resorts themselves, we were pleasantly surprised that we could enjoy a high-quality casual dinner of, say, Risotto a la marinara and Pizza Margherita, washed down with a very nice

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suddenly we had left the European summer behind and were into autumn, with temperatures some 25˚C less than we had become accustomed to. Despite this, however, Prague itself is a beautiful city. After arriving at our friends’ house and enjoying a long-overdue reunion, we ventured into Prague the next day, with Maria – who is Czech – as our most wonderful tour guide. We had three great days in Prague, then we were ready to pack the Peugeot up again and head for our final destination of Frankfurt, via Nürnberg. By now we were quite attached to our Peugeot and we realised that over the approximately 2,300km we had travelled in two weeks we’d only used three tanks of diesel! But, alas, our journey was almost at an end. We decided to drop the car off to the designated Holiday Inn depot the day before we flew out as we didn’t want to be rushing at busy Frankfurt Airport the morning of our flight home. We parked the car in the carpark, took photos of it (to prove that it was still in mint condition!) and then dropped the key with the agent. He duly destroyed the leaseto-buy agreement we had signed as part of our contract, and we said goodbye to our silver Peugeot 308 HDi, now destined to be sold as a second-hand car, as is standard practice. We certainly felt Peugeot EuroLease was an excellent option, as opposed to a standard rental, given the flexibility of unlimited kilometres, comprehensive insurance (with no excess) and, most importantly, the ease with which you can pick a car up in one European country and drop off it in another for a relatively small cost. A final word of advice: make sure you book a car with in-built GPS, or take your own portable GPS – it avoided the usual husbandwife navigation arguments and certainly ensured that our honeymoon was the start of a long and happy journey!

Peugeot Around New Zealand

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eugeot owners Tony and Christine Peek, of Coatesville, were the centre of attention on the last Garden Ramble, a day of garden visits organised by the Rotary Club of Albany. Five superior gardens in the region opened their gates for this bi-annual event to raise funds for the Albany Rotary Charitable Trust. The authoritative Royal NZ Institute of Horticulture has rated the Peeks’ Woodbridge Gardens, on Glenmore Road, a garden of National Signiﬁcance – which is to say it’s one of the most extraordinary gardens in the country, especially considering that Tony and Christine have developed it from bare farmland since in 1991. The Peeks, proud owners of a Peugeot 407, have created nothing less than a masterpiece on their gently rolling property of three hectares complete with bucolic country vistas, natural streams and a

rose-covered country cottage. Their property is not one garden but a collection of plantings that include rare and unusual perennials, a much-praised bluebell wood, a dry garden, a potager and a croquet lawn. The Coatesville Garden Ramble is sponsored by Peugeot NZ. It includes stops at five properties. Most of the gardens taking part have been recognised by the Royal Institute of Horticulture as having national signiﬁcance. Woodbridge Gardens is open to the public by appointment. Tony and Christine Peek (pictured above) are experienced hosts, having entertained guests from all over the world. Coatesville is a 25-minute drive from downtown Auckland. Primroses, camellias, jonquils, rhododendrons, Dutch irises and daﬀodils will be among the stars of the show at Woodbridge Gardens over the coming months. Learn more at www.woodbridgegardens. co.nz and phone (09) 415 7525 to book a visit.

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That Gary Harris is back in London as you read this will come as no surprise to anyone closely connected to the Royal New Zealand Ballet. His departure was announced late last year. But since not all readers keep tabs on RNZB news it must be said that the accomplished Mr Harris did not leave under a cloud. He left in good health, to return to the city of his birth, where his career began. “I just feel it’s time for me personally to move on,” he told us before his ﬁnal nod – a performance of the preChristmas hit The Nutcracker. “It was just time for a change, really. Nothing made me think, ‘that’s it, I’ve had enough’. The truth is, I’ve enjoyed the work very much and wanted to leave while the company was on a high. I wanted to leave in a positive way and that’s what I’m doing.” Gary is back in London now and if he’s not directing or designing or choreographing or notating – such is the breadth of his talent – that’s okay. He suggested that, with the coming of spring in London, nothing would suit him more than spending more time in his garden. “I don’t know what I’ll be doing, really,” he said. “All I know is I’m going

back to London because I have a house there where I can take time out. My entire career until now has felt full-on so I’ve never taken the opportunity to just sit back and take a breath. That’s what I’m aiming to do now.” Gary said that after taking over from the company’s previous artistic director, Matz Skoog, in 2001, “I wanted to establish a stable of choreographers working here more often, so we brought in Christopher Hampson, Javier De Frutos and Adrian Burnett to work with the company; and that was hugely successful. “And for me, personally, I grew to love the honesty and openness – the sense of ‘get on with it’ – this country has. I was also lucky because I arrived here at a time when people were travelling more. New Zealand was no longer thought of as a place so far away. The best dancers are now willing to come here.” Today, some of the best dancers need not travel at all. The majority of the 32 dancers of the Royal NZ Ballet, 16 women and the same number of men, are recruited from the NZ School of Dance in Wellington. Under Gary Harris, the company settled on three seasons a year, not

four. And split tours of the North Island and South Island, playing one night only in provincial hubs, proved successful. “People think there is something about ballet they cannot understand, so they are scared to try. They feel a need to know what’s going on, what it all means – when really it means nothing. It’s just a silent art form with movement set to lovely music and you’re watching the most highly trained athletic bodies do the most amazing things, usually in pairs, with little clothing on. And here you can take your drink in with you! “I’m pleased where the company is,” Gary said. “It’s in a good place financially and the Ministry for Culture & Heritage, Meridian, Tower, the Lion Foundation and Peugeot remain its main supporters. Meanwhile, ballet worldwide is in a healthy state despite the fact it can get really hoity-toity and leave people behind. People want to go to the theatre to be entertained, to cry and to laugh – and ballet can do that. And so many kids want to do ballet! I once read that more kids in New Zealand do ballet than play rugby!” For a complete preview of what’s on in 2011, visit www.nzballet.org.nz.

Peugeot Around New Zealand

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I remember when a day-trip to the beach was a spontaneous affair; something my wife Dee and I enjoyed doing pretty much at the drop of a hat when the summer scorch got too much to bear. That, of course, was preparenthood. Despite living within acceptable driving range from the coast, in the last 12 months, since little Oscar joined the squad, sand beneath the toes has seemed a million miles away. Even now, as we’ve practically become experts, just heading off into the blue yonder whenever the desire takes us is a thing of the past. The balmy weather has all but gone for the year but we’re determined not to let the ocean pass us by any longer; today is our first attempt at a beach getaway with bubs and it requires the planning of a military operation. Inventory check: sun block, the all-terrain buggy (for “off-road” stuff), sun tent, more sun block, matching havaianas for dad and lad, towels, rash vest, nappies, wipes, assorted creams including emergency sun block and, importantly,

ice cream money. Thankfully, we’ve found our 3008 to be an island of sanity in the day-today chaos of a busy young family. It has a split-level cargo area that we love, so accommodating all the essentials is easy and we can keep wet and sandy gear separate from the buggy, etc., on our return. Oscar’s pretty happy with it too. We have an ISOFIX child seat that clips into the 3008’s safety structure without fussing around with seatbelts and the rear windows have retractable sunblinds. Brilliant. He clearly senses we’re doing something a bit different, watching intently from his stroller and giggling excitedly as the deluge of baby accoutrements are pulled from the car and hung around any spare limb Dee and I have. The sea is calm, but as sun catches the forever-lapping tide, the most intense golden reflections flicker like the arc of a welder. Gulls strut around unfazed by the baking sand and from the water comes the sounds of other parents and children splashing playfully, swimming and otherwise

seeking respite from the heat of such a beautiful day. We’ve missed this and while we’re aware we probably overprepared, (the sun tent is now listing awkwardly) this to us represents a relaxation long overdue. Like his old man, Oscar is a real water baby, greasy with a lather of sun screen, he momentarily plops his head under the surface and emerges with a laugh that makes us relish the day even more. The familiar noise of Mr Whippy’s rendition of Greensleeves tolls the end of the day. Worn out, but completely satisfied and with little creamy rivers melting through our fingers, we reload the day’s essentials into the car, made easy by the 3008’s flip-down tailgate and we’re back on the road. It might not be the spur-of-themoment exercise it once was, but our first family trip to the beach augurs well for the years we’ll enjoy together in the future. Now comfortable we have everything to make the journey fun and easy, we’ll be doing it a lot more frequently next summer. Words: Steve Vermeulen

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For the ﬁrst time in New Zealand, Peugeot is bringing a kids’ driving school to children aged 3 to 6 years old. “Safety is something that you are never too young to learn,” explains Peugeot general manager for New Zealand, Grant Smith. “We have seen a similar concept overseas and wanted to bring the safety message home.” With two trials under their safety belts, the team at Peugeot are preparing for their next big event, before the nationwide dealer-based roadshow that begins in May, with a media launch just days before Easter. “The road toll just seems to climb

during this time of year, so we have enlisted the help of some ver y important people from the New Zealand Police and Automobile Association to help us spread the safety message,” continues Grant. Up to 18 children can participate at any one time in the one-hour driving school. Children receive a special “driver’s licence” and handbook when they arrive at the Peugeot showrooms, where they learn about signs on the road, as well as different types of traﬃc. “Awesome” Peugeot pedal cars are the main feature of the training and the kids have the chance to bring the safety signs and message to life

while driving on the track. The track has a pedestrian crossing, a Give Way sign, traﬃc light, Stop sign and even several animals the children must watch out for. After the kids have a go on the track, they receive a certificate for their efforts as a reminder that they have driven safely and participated in the Peugeot Kids Driving School. If you are interested in enrolling your children, grandchildren or sharing this information with your neighbours, please visit the website to learn when the Peugeot Kids Driving School will be at a Peugeot dealer near you. www.peugeot.co.nz

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Peugeot Around New Zealand

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Peugeot has cemented its position as purveyor of some of New Zealand’s most environmentally friendly family cars with the addition of Euro 5 diesel engines to its 308 range. What is Euro 5? It refers to exhaust emissions standards, set by the European Union but embraced by many countries elsewhere in the world, which give maximum limits for emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), total hydroCarbon (THC), nonmethane hydroCarbons (NMHC), carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM). These strict regulations ensure the cleanest possible operation of both petrol and diesel engines – an area in which Peugeot has always led the way. The Euro 5-compliant 2.0-litre HDi engine is now fitted to the 308 hatchback, SW and CC models, as

well as the new 3008 Crossover. This ensures Peugeot owners will remain on the cutting edge of clean-engine technology for years to come: the next step of emissions rules, Euro 6, does not come into force until 2014. The adoption of Euro 5 and an astonishingly broad range of family models means peace of mind and nocompromise choice for New Zealand buyers. The 308 hatchback and CC provide sporty small-to-medium motoring; the 3008 Crossover has established a whole new genre with its rugged styling and increased ride height; and the 308 SW (pictured) remains the surprise-and-delight oﬀering, with distinctive looks and the option of seven seats. Peugeot, of course, is famous for its stylish and practical wagons and the latest 308 SW is no exception. The

SW offers stunning cabin ambience, thanks to its stylish dashboard architecture and full-length panoramic glass roof. There are three individual seats in the rear, which can be folded away or removed completely. The third-row seating option is similarly configured: each of the rear chairs can be lifted out by one person and easily stowed. Sporty hatch, family wagon, people carrier or even a super-stylish cargo carrier – with the 308 SW you can have it all. As with every other 308/3008 variant, the Euro 5 2.0l HDi offers a level of power and torque you’d normally associate with a six-cylinder petrol engine – 120kW/340Nm – yet it still sips fuel at the rate of just 7.1litres per 100km. The HDi engine is perfectly matched to a smooth sixspeed automatic transmission.

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