www.skodapuzzle.com sends you to a YouTube page, where (aside from the C5 idents on the right hand corner) there’s a list of eleven videos. The first isn’t much at all, but the second offers the viewer a clue to solve – the first of ten.

Now, I have no idea what these lead up to, but if you’ve got the naus to figure out the first one you’d be hard pressed not to figure out that the big prize is a shiny new Skoda Fabia. I’m hoping it’s a vRS, because they’re brilliant.

If solving the main puzzle isn’t for you (and for some it may not be) then being the Skoda Puzzle’s fan on Facebook and following them on Twitter is quite a good idea too – because it appears they’re giving away a whole host of crime show related goodies.

I think it’s a great idea to raise awareness of the brand and rather engaging. I just need to figure out what I need to do to find a Skoda of my own. Tune in on the 2nd of May to find out what the next clue is. I will be.
That said, I’m rubbish at anagrams at the best of times.

Now, to combat this, my fellow podisodists (Jon Quirk and Cameraman Phil) and I are working to get rid of them, because they’re vile. So we set about compiling the little video below. It’s short at the moment, but we want to add to it – so if you can think of any clichés we missed tweet us on @Podisode.

And apologies for the lack of updates – life is getting on top of me somewhat. Though do keep an eye out for podisode.com. It’ll be with us shortly…

The fact I’d never driven one meant, for a while, that I subscribed to the stereotypical notion that it was for hairdressers, gay men and girls. But that was in my youth, which was a while ago and since then I realised a few things. Most importantly – I was wrong.

‘My’ car was a 2.0-litre Sport Tech with just the right amount of power and a bright red paint job. It certainly got me noticed. Especially because it’s November and I drove everywhere with the roof down. Everywhere. Unless it was raining. Living in London means driving at 70mph to dodge the wet stuff isn’t really an option and I didn’t fancy turning the MX-5 into a £20k bath.

I’m not going to go on about prices and exact power here – because that’s not what this is about.

I’ve never had the opportunity to steer a ‘classic’ British roadster, but I’ve heard them, seen them, listed after them and been a passenger in them. The open top nature, noise and feeling left an impression – something which helped my career choice, naturally.

When a motoring journalist extended a challenge to manufacturers in his column: make a British Roadster, Mazda took him up on it. They designed it, hired him for development and Mazda Experiment 5 was born. Its ‘cute’ looks, easy driveability and low price tag meant that lots of girls bought it. And, apparently, hairdressers.

So, the MX-5 has thus far been unfairly tarred with the ‘camp’ brush – despite glowing press reviews. The images stuck though. Friends commented that I was changing jobs to do people’s hair.

Then I offered them a lift. That shut them up.

The MX-5 steers brilliantly. Unlike pretty much everything on the road (sub £25k, of course). Point it where you want to go, press the go pedal and you’re away. Simple. There’s all of no understeer and despite what many said on Twitter – no oversteer (I’ll be scribbling something on that soon).

The engine gives just the right amount of grunt. You can’t get yourself into too much trouble with it – which is a good thing, because it’s quite revvy and makes a decent noise. Something which I like to hear.

Inside is nice an organised, if a little small. There are cubby holes in all the right places and just enough room to fit in phones, CDs, wallets and other such sundries. It’s a little origami-ish, actually. I rather like it. The only real issue I had was folding myself in and out of the blasted thing. I’m not overly bendy.

Taking the roof down was a doddle, too. Unclip from the front, lift outside and fold into the cubby hole. Nice and easy. The fact that it’s manual rather than electric means two things – less weight and less to go horribly (and expensively) wrong.

But here’s the rub, I like mucking about in cars as much as the next guy and the dinky Mazda was more fun than it should have been. Seemingly another level of accessible automotive awesome I’d missed out on. My only problem (aside from motorway noise – seriously, it’s horrid)? The usual… Money. Blast.

In all seriousness – if you’ve not driven one, do. You’ll realise that hairdressers are very, very lucky people.

Jon Quirk and I recorded a Gas Station Podisode Drives on it. Have a listen.

It’s a car that’s currently making purists weep because it’s going all FWD. That and being overtly designed for fashionistas. I digress…

First, have a gander at the video:

Evoque footage

The press release (in full after the jump) does tell us a fair few things about the Evoque. It’ll be powered by a a brace of turbocharged units. The diesels on offer come in either 150 or 190PS flavours. The stats quoted show that the FWD 150PS mill will achieve 58mpg and only squirt out 130g/km CO2. The four-wheel-drive model, however delivers 50mpg and around 145g/km CO₂. That’s quite a difference…

The Evoque will  also get an all new 240PS 2.0-petrol engine, which promises to his 62mph in 7.1 seconds. That’s my kinda fashionmobile.

For purists claiming that Land Rover has sullied the brand’s image by creating a ’soft-roader’ there is a version of the brilliant Terrain Response System being thrown in, too.

As far as toys go no footballer’s wife will be disappointed. The stereo is an 825W, 17-speaker Meridian system – loud enough to hear the pitch perfect auto-tuning on your debut single ‘Wags on Tour’. Up front the Evoque comes with Land Rover’s clever dual-view tech. So while Coleen’s following the sat nav Wayne can watch GILF Island 4 without being outed by a Sunday paper.

Being a posh Land Rover (is there any other kind?) you can expect it to come with all the toys in the world… You can have (breathe in): Advanced Park Assist for automated parallel parking, Blind Spot Monitoring system, Surround Camera System with five digital cameras (including a reversing system), full dual-zone automatic climate control (featuring a Park Heater timer facility), Hard drive navigation system with off-road navigation capability, DAB/FM/AM/Cirrus tuners (with hard drive virtual 10xCD multiplayer), digital and satellite TV, DVD playback, rear seat entertainment package (with 8-inch video screens, digital wireless headphones and touch screen remote control), keyless entry system, powered tailgate, adaptive headlamps with auto headlamp dipping, heated windscreen, front seats and steering wheel. Expect that to come at a price though.

The Evoque is expected to hit show rooms in Summer next year with prices starting at £30k.

FULL RELEASE

THE ALL-NEW RANGE ROVER EVOQUE – THE SMALLEST, LIGHTEST, MOST FUEL-EFFICIENT RANGE ROVER EVER PRODUCED

• Luxurious cross-coupé design with a compact footprint
• Attracts new customers to the Range Rover brand
• Bold exterior evolves Range Rover design language
• Class-leading sustainability: sub 130g/km* CO2 with 58mpg* combined fuel economy
• Four-wheel-drive and front-wheel-drive versions available
• Premium cabin offers full-sized glass panoramic roof that floods the interior with natural light
• Dynamic and agile handling across all terrains, aided by Adaptive Dynamics featuring MagneRide™
• Class-leading all-surface capability with Land Rover Terrain Response™
• Innovative Range Rover technologies, including dual-view display for 8-inch touch-screen and Surround Camera System
• Sold in 160 countries worldwide, with deliveries from summer 2011
• Indicative pricing starting from about £30,000

Land Rover, Gaydon, Warwickshire, 22 September 2010 – The all-new Range Rover Evoque will make its global public debut at the 2010 Paris Motor Show on the 30^th September 2010.

The Range Rover Evoque brings the acclaimed Land Rover’s LRX concept car into production reality, faithfully capturing the original design of this landmark cross-coupé concept.

In keeping with the ethos of Range Rover, the Evoque delivers premium levels of craftsmanship, luxury, performance and renowned Land Rover all-terrain capability into a shrink-wrapped more compact package.

“These are exciting times for our business,” said CEO Dr Ralf Speth. “Not only will the Range Rover Evoque increase our worldwide market share, it helps to define a new segment for premium compact SUVs that are more sporting and stylish.”

Sustainability

Offering CO2 emissions sub 130g/km* and fuel economy of 58mpg* combined, the Evoque is the lightest, most fuel-efficient Range Rover ever. It is a strong demonstration of the marque’s commitment to environmental sustainability.

“This is a highly relevant and contemporary vehicle that will suit the modern needs of our customers,” said Land Rover’s Managing Director Phil Popham. “The Range Rover Evoque will appeal to a new group of customers who may not have considered a Range Rover before.”

Lightweight construction techniques and the addition of a front-wheel drive variant ensure optimum efficiency is achieved. A new range of state-of-the-art petrol and diesel engines comes with direct injection and stop-start. The Range Rover Evoque also adopts low CO2 systems such as Electric Power-Assisted Steering (EPAS) and is built to maximise end of life recyclability.

Design

The Range Rover Evoque’s dramatic exterior is based directly on the LRX concept car, which drew worldwide acclaim for its fresh interpretation of classic Range Rover design cues.

Smart design and meticulous engineering has allowed the LRX concept to be turned into reality without compromising the core Range Rover values of luxury, refined performance and all-terrain capability.

“The Evoque marks a bold evolution of Range Rover design. With its dramatic rising beltline, a muscular shoulder running the length of the car, and a distinctive taper to the floating roofline, the Range Rover Evoque adopts a very dynamic profile with a powerful and athletic stance.” said Land Rover Design Director, Gerry McGovern.

Interior quality

The Range Rover Evoque’s cabin is lavishly appointed with premium quality materials and an elegance befitting of a Range Rover interior.

Customers can specify soft, premium leather and beautifully tailored, twin-needle stitching providing a luxurious finish to almost every surface of the instrument panel, doors and seats.

A lower driving position offers a more sporting feel but retains the important Command Driving Position. Headroom is generous compared with traditional sporting saloons, despite the low-profile coupé roofline.

Dynamics

On the open road, the Range Rover Evoque offers a polished driving experience that combines dynamic and sporty handling with responsive, effortless performance and refinement.

Murray Dietsch, director of Land Rover programmes, said: “We’ve tuned the Range Rover Evoque’s chassis and Electric Power-Assisted Steering (EPAS) to deliver precise and responsive steering at lower speeds, making the car nimble and fun to drive.”

This sporting character has not been achieved at the expense of comfort and refinement.  Adaptive Dynamics uses advanced MagneRide™ dampers to provide a supple, controlled ride. The suspension delivers even tighter body control, with flatter handling and sharper responses.

Capable off-road

Drivers who take their Range Rover Evoque off-road will be reassured to know that, in addition to extremely generous ground clearance, the car has significantly better breakover, approach and departure angles than other compact SUVs.

The Evoque will be the first Range Rover to offer customers a choice between a full-time four-wheel-drive system, which delivers outstanding performance and traction on all surfaces, and a low carbon, front-wheel-drive option for further enhanced fuel economy.

The Range Rover Evoque’s formidable all-terrain potential is enhanced by the latest version of the company’s signature Terrain Response^TM system.

Powertrains

The Range Rover Evoque’s turbocharged powertrain line-up offers smooth and responsive performance, blending four-cylinder efficiency with six-cylinder refinement and power.

Customers can choose between two comprehensively updated 2.2-litre turbodiesel derivatives, with 190PS or 150PS.

The front-wheel drive Range Rover Evoque with the 150PS 2.2-litre engine achieves 58mpg* and sub 130g/km* CO2. The four-wheel-drive 2.2-litre 150PS delivers 50mpg* and sub 145g/km* CO₂.

A new 240PS, 2.0-litre Si4 petrol engine combines direct fuel injection, turbocharging and twin variable valve timing for exceptional driveability and fuel efficiency with a 0-60mph time of 7.1 seconds.

Murray Dietsch, director of Land Rover programmes, said: “These impressive figures have been achieved by the product development team’s commitment to delivering a compact and weight-efficient product, with no compromise on durability and robustness.”

Innovation

The Evoque benefits from the same high-end innovative technologies as the larger Range Rovers. An intuitive control system and touch-screen display combines a stylish, uncluttered layout, state-of-the-art functionality with class-leading ease of use.

The display is available with dual-view technology, so that driver and passenger can view independent content.

Connectivity options include Bluetooth hands-free mobile phone and audio streaming, plus a range of USB and auxiliary inputs for iPods and other portable devices.

The Evoque is the first Range Rover to offer breathtaking new sound systems developed in partnership with the high-end audio specialist Meridian. The premium Meridian offering is an 825W, 17-speaker system that delivers the ultimate in surround-sound performance.

Other features available to Range Rover Evoque customers include:

• Advanced Park Assist for automated parallel parking
• Blind Spot Monitoring system
• Surround Camera System with five digital cameras, including a reversing system
• Full dual-zone automatic climate control, featuring a Park Heater timer facility
• Hard drive navigation system with off-road navigation capability
• DAB/FM/AM/Cirrus tuners, with hard drive virtual 10xCD multiplayer
• Digital and Satellite TV, and DVD playback
• Rear seat entertainment package, with 8-inch video screens, digital wireless
  headphones and touch screen remote control
• Keyless entry system and powered tailgate
• Adaptive headlamps with auto headlamp dipping
• Heated windscreen, front seats and steering wheel

Three design themes

The Range Rover Evoque offers customers more choice with three main vehicle design themes, each with its own distinctive character, exterior treatment and carefully co-ordinated interior package.

‘Pure’ combines the stunning concept-car exterior with a stylish, clean interior in neutral colours. Soft-touch wrapped materials on the major surfaces contrast with the metal brushed aluminium trim.

‘Prestige’ is the ultimate in Range Rover luxury, combining a bespoke exterior that includes unique, 19-inch wheels and sparkling metallic details with an interior that is almost entirely leather-wrapped.

‘Dynamic’ brings a bolder exterior with 20-inch wheels and unique bumpers, sills, grille and tailpipes for a more assertive, confident stance. Contrasting roof and spoiler colours are available, while the premium sports interior offers sports seats with splashes of bright contrast colour.

The Range Rover Evoque will be manufactured at Land Rover’s multi award-winning Halewood plant in Merseyside, UK. The car will go on sale in more than 160 markets worldwide from summer 2011. Prices will start from £30,000 in the UK.

To make up for this  I’ll give you not one, but three!

First up is Gas Station Podisode 13. We’d been doing them for six months and we’re rather proud of them.

Then The Gas Station Drives: The Ford Galaxy. Jon had a Ford Galaxy as he was moving house. He took Phil and I for a ride…

Finally we have the Gas Station Drives: The MINI Countryman Cooper S. The Podisode was invited to see and drive the all new MINI. As Phil and Jon were absent we asked James Baggott and Richard Aucock of Car Dealer Magazine to join in. They seems to enjoy it. Even is James didn’t like the car too much…

To find them you can either GO HERE or head to iTunes and search for The Gas Station Podisode.

We had a chat about the latest news and events from the motoring world – and a few odd topics too. But that was all my fault. One thing we forgot to talk about (but will be in the next one) is Car Dealer Magazine’s latest efforts to get hold of a Porsche 911 in time for 2011 (by buying and up-selling cars) for the BEN charity. Read their story here, and if you’re feeling charitable do bid on the latest motor. It’s ace.

If you’re of an iTunes persuasion, the Podisode should be making its way to your feeds soon. However, if you’re a listen-at-work-type then go to the Gas Station Podisode Homepage and listen from there. Easy!

As usual if you have any comments, questions of the like do get in touch either here or on Twitter (I’m @A1GOY).

T’il next time!

Quite a few… I’ll keep it more updated in future…

However, if that’s still your bag I’d suggest looking here: Podisode homepage

All of the newest podisodes will live there, including number 11. So go forth and have a listen.

This week sees the usual grouping of Jon Quirk, CameramanPhil and myself chatting all things cars. From Ferraris toSmart ForTwos, pretty much everything from the last fortnight is there. Which is nice. Also… we have a chat about the big Cars V Bikes debate going on in the next podisode. Enjoy.

N.B. iTunes is still approving the current podisode, so if you can’t find it there just yet don’t worry.

As well as our thoughts there’s a chance to win some postcards featuring art from Ian Cook (or @popbangcolour on t’twitter)

Here it is: The Gas Station Podisode: Goodwood Edition

Agree with us? Think we’re wrong and should be shot? Tell us!

Also, enjoy a few choice images from the day…

“Hi Pistonheads!”

Phil looking mightily sun burnt. Oh dear.

We chatted about dangerous roads, some horrid concepts, what we’d crush and some awesome drives. Do have a listen and see what you think. There’s even an audience participation bit – we look forward to your feedback.

Enjoy: The Gas Station Podisode 10

The car in the pic above is Damien Hirst’s charity A1. It’s… very pink.