Latest news with #IsaacRoberts
Auto Express
25-06-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Express
Help! I need a £18k sporty convertible car that's fun to drive
Dear Auto Express, I'm after a sporty convertible car that's fun to drive. What does £18k buy? - Isaac Roberts, E-mail Despite the inclement climate we have here in the UK, sporty convertible cars have long been popular with car buyers, as they are great at providing top-down thrills when the sun is shining, are engaging to drive, and have low running costs which won't break the bank. Advertisement - Article continues below The Mazda MX-5 has long been the default choice for a purpose-made, affordable convertible sports car, and the fourth 'ND' generation is arguably one of the best. The four-cylinder motor is willing, the manual gearbox snappy and the rear-wheel-drive chassis makes it fun to drive. Fiat's 124 Spider shares its platform with the MX-5. The retro styling cues won't be to all tastes, but the 124 adds turbocharging to the mix, with its 1.4-litre MultiAir engine. This could give the Spider a punchier feel on the road. For a different proposition, there's the MINI Cooper S Convertible. Its front-driven chassis and hatchback silhouette may not be as exotic as its dedicated sports car rivals', but MINIs have a habit of extracting fun from humble underpinnings, and this model is no exception. With 189bhp, it's actually the most powerful of this trio, but is it the best used buy? Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Here's our expert pick of the three best sporty convertible cars available for a budget of £18,000, together with links to buy them through our Find a Car service… For: Sprightly engine, engaging chassis, pleasant cabin Sprightly engine, engaging chassis, pleasant cabin Against: Small boot, tight interior proportions The fourth generation Mazda MX-5 maintains a compact footprint and is lighter than its NC predecessor. It looks attractive without drawing attention, but out on the road, the MX-5 will leave an impression. Advertisement - Article continues below Rifling through the tactile manual gearbox musters enough performance from the revvy engine, and the compliant suspension means an MX-5 isn't tense or fidgety over bumps; only the worst imperfections send a jolt through the cabin. The controls are well weighted, precise and let you easily enjoy the playful chassis. For just under £18,000, you can grab a 2018 Mazda MX-5 with the 2.0-litre engine and 19,000-mile on the clock. Practicality isn't the strong suit of many two-seat convertibles, but the MX-5 is still usable. Just. Larger adults won't find the interior particularly accommodating, but it's roomy enough. What may be more of a concern is the small 130-litre boot; the MINI is a more versatile option. Nevertheless, the Mazda's cabin is well made and easy on the eye, with a stylish dash architecture and flashes of body colour on the door tops. The driving position is suitably sporty, too, with low-slung seating and a thin-rimmed steering wheel. The stubby gear lever provides a positive, mechanical shift action. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Used Mazda MX-5 deals For: Fun to drive, torquey engine, rare sight on the road Fun to drive, torquey engine, rare sight on the road Against: Divisive looks, pricier to buy than the MX-5 While the Fiat 124 Spider shares many of its mechanicals with the MX-5, it draws heavily from the original 124 Spider with its cab-rear proportions, flat bonnet and wide-set headlights. Advertisement - Article continues below The Spider delivers much of what we love about the MX-5, but with a turbo twist. It's lithe and precise, but the 124 prefers a slightly more laid-back driving style. Extra torque from the 1.4-litre engine means you don't need to work the gears to go quickly, but doing so remains a joy. The ride is slightly more composed, too. A 22,000-mile 2018 car is well within the £18,000 budget. Disappointingly, Fiat didn't lavish much attention on the 124 Spider's interior. It's well built and stylish, but there's almost nothing to differentiate it from the MX-5's, save for a new steering wheel hub, altered door panels and fresh trims. The logical layout, high-quality switchgear and solid feel are at least carried over, and sat-nav is also available through the dash-mounted touchscreen on higher-spec cars. The cabin is cosy, but there's enough space for two adults and a few useful storage cubbies. The longer rear overhang gives 10 litres of extra boot capacity over the MX-5, and the roof doesn't eat into that space when stowed. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Used Fiat 124 Spider deals For: Punchy performance, nimble handling, practicality Punchy performance, nimble handling, practicality Against: Firm ride, not as special as rivals The MINI Cooper S Convertible might seem compromised next to purpose-built roadsters, but it packs a bigger punch than the Mazda or Fiat. While it's not as eye-catching, the Cooper S gets beefier bumpers, twin-exit exhausts and a bonnet scoop to mark it out from other MINIs. Advertisement - Article continues below Its gutsy 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, quick steering and firmer chassis make the Cooper S especially entertaining on a B-road. The trade-off is a busy ride on uneven roads, and its two-seat rivals here are more playful at the limit. You can buy a 42,000-mile, 19-plate Cooper S Convertible within budget. Being derived from a hatchback, the MINI Cooper S Convertible claws back ground in terms of practicality compared with rivals in this test. It's the only car of this trio that can seat four passengers, although the rear bench is pretty tight for anyone who actually tries to use it. It serves as a useful storage area, though, and the 215-litre boot is easily the biggest in this company. The interior quality is stand-out, too; the materials used throughout are plush and there's a smattering of quirky details, such as toggle switches and an illuminating ring in the middle of the dashboard. The infotainment system is derived from parent company BMW's iDrive software, and is one of the slickest of its kind on the market. Used MINI Cooper S convertible deals Did you know you can sell your car with Auto Express? Get the highest bid from our network of over 5,500 dealers and we'll do the rest. Click here to try Auto Express Sell My Car now ... Find a car with the experts BYD and Octopus Energy team up for 'all-inclusive' EV deal BYD and Octopus Energy team up for 'all-inclusive' EV deal Octopus' 'Power Pack Bundle' includes a leased BYD, a wallbox charger and charging all for less than £300 per month New Skoda Epiq baby SUV could be a Tardis on wheels New Skoda Epiq baby SUV could be a Tardis on wheels The new Skoda Epic will sit below the Elroq and Enyaq in the brand's ever-expanding SUV range and is set to offer plenty of space despite its compact … Car Deal of the Day: Fully loaded Vauxhall Mokka can be yours for just £175 per month Car Deal of the Day: Fully loaded Vauxhall Mokka can be yours for just £175 per month Our Deal of the Day for 21 June is this top-of-the-range version of Vauxhall's recently updated, style-focused small SUV
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Yahoo
Son critically injures mother in west Fort Worth machete attack, police say
A 41-year-old woman was critically injured in a domestic violence incident in west Fort Worth on Friday, May 9, police said. Officers were called to the 3000 block of Elsinor Drive about 11:10 a.m. An adult son had attacked his mother with a machete and ran to a nearby house, according to police. The homeowner at the second house was afraid for his life, police said. He fired one shot at the suspect, which missed him. Officers arrested the 21-year-old suspect; he was booked into the Fort Worth City Jail. The injured woman was taken to a hospital in critical but stable condition, according to police. The suspect is identified in jail records as Isaac Roberts. Roberts is being held in the Tarrant County Jail on a $100,000 bond. He faces charges of aggravated assault with a weapon against a family member and burglary of a habitation, court records state. It's not clear whether Roberts has an attorney representing him. 🚨 More top stories from our newsroom: → Texas warns Fort Worth ISD of potential takeover → Second teen arrested in man's beating death → Tarrant County Meals On Wheels funding restored [Get our breaking news alerts.]
