Big cats’ Royal date
Jaguar fans will head for Windsor Castle in May for the Royal Windsor Jaguar Festival.
On May 6, one of the largest single gatherings of Jaguar will take place to raise money for The Prince Philip Trust Fund in association with The Jaguar Enthusiasts’Club, Jaguar Classic and The Rotary Club.
Nearly 250 Jaguars will parade through Windsor town centre and through the Castle Quadrangle in the presence of a member of the Royal Family.
Up to 1,000 Jaguars will be parked on the Long Walk of Windsor Castle and an evening Festival at Windsor Racecourse.
There will be Jaguars, Daimlers and SS cars and the event is expected to be one of the highlights of the British classic car calendar.
Already confirmed are the unique Jaguar XJ13, an original C Type and D Type, making this a rare chance to see some amazing one-off cars all in one place. Fiat was absent for a long period from the UK’s family hatchback market before returning last year with the Tipo.
It may not be as exciting to look at as many other vehicles in its sector but the Tipo does offer affordable and practical motoring at very competitive prices.
The current range starts at £12,995 - well below most of its rivals and even the flagship model I sampled comes in at a fiver below £18,000.
Older readers will be familiar with the Tipo name as it was on sale here late last century and this new model is available with a choice of three petrol and two diesel engines.
The test car had the 1.6-litre MultiJet diesel under the bonnet and it is good for 120bhp. It was linked to a sixspeed manual transmission but is also available with a DCT automatic box.
It sounded a bit gruff at times but proved to have bags of torque. The gear change also felt a bit lumpy on occasion but with a top speed of 124mph and a sprint to 62mph time of 9.8 seconds it certainly felt lively enough.
This car also offers low emissions of 98g/km and a claimed combined mpg of 76.3mpg. Expect around 60mpg in real world driving conditions.
The Tipo might not provide a sporty drive but it is comfortable and predicable with nicely weighted steering. It soaks up bumps quite well and deals with most surfaces without becoming unsettled.
There is enough room inside for five adults to travel in comfort and the boot boasts a 440 litre capacity and that can be increased considerably by collapsing the split folding rear seats.
Even the entry-level models come with all the essentials including DAB radios, Bluetooth, air conditioning and the usual power sockets. The next model up adds a small touchscreen, rear electric windows, parking sensors, alloy wheels and cruise control.
The Lounge flagship adds auto lights, wipers and climate control as well as satnav and a reversing camera.
The instruments and controls are easy to read and use but the touchscreen is way too small and a bit fiddly to operate. On the other hand the materials feel as if they are made to last and everything seems well screwed together.
It may not be the flashiest hatchback around but the Tipo does look good in it no-cost optional ambient white paint.
The Tipo has all the latest safety equipment and if you want even more you can add optional safety packs. A £750 Comfort Plus Pack is available if you want leather and heated front seats.
Sturdy and practical the Tipo may not stand out from the crowd but it is well priced and will provide you with no nonsense family motoring. Price: Mechanical: Max speed: 0 -62mph: Combined mpg: Insurance group:
BiK rating: Warranty: miles