Latest news with #Gallic
NZ Herald
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
National pride and prejudice: The French film celebrating Jane Austen … and Love, Actually
This year's French film festival delivers a movie bringing a Gallic sensibility to that most English of novelists, Jane Austen. Aptly, the film Jane Austen Wrecked My Life – or as it was originally titled, Jane Austen a gâché ma vie – starts in a bookshop. It also ends in
Irish Examiner
17-05-2025
- Automotive
- Irish Examiner
Opel Grandland EV review: electric SUV offers good range and undercuts hybrids on price
in GS trim there is a lot going on here. Very impressive IT IS not often in these columns that you will see us plump for the electric variant in a model line-up which includes a variety of internal combustion engine options as well. Then again, there's a first time for everything. The car in question is the new Opel Grandland, which was reviewed in petrol hybrid form in these columns in the not-so-distant past and which only secured a three-star rating, being panned generally for having poor driving dynamics — even if it is comfortable, well-specified, and competitively priced. Good looking too, this new Grandland. Having previously been something of a staid, boring family SUV, a refreshed look has given it a much-needed visual boost and an appeal that didn't previously exist. In many ways, the new generation of cars should be well placed to take advantage of renewed appeal and sell in larger numbers than ever before. However, we found that the mild hybrid petrol engine lacked the puff to carry this big-ish car around the place with any alacrity, although — – as we know — such a characteristic is not necessarily top of the list for many punters. Even so, we felt a touch disappointed by the new car — certainly in that format — despite the fact that Opel's stock has risen inexorably since it came under the wing of the PSA Group (Peugeot, Citroen etc) having been sold by its previous owners, General Motors. With the French giant having subsequently merged into the Stellantis conglomerate, Opel still has stronger ties with the Gallic end of the business — probably more than any of the other elements of the group: Fiat, Chrysler and so on. In the case of the Grandland, which is very closely related to Peugeot's new 3008, that has been pretty beneficial. We particularly saw that in this week's tester, the EV version of the car. We've not yet tried the electric 3008, but having driven the Grandland EV, doing so would not be the chore it might once have appeared to be. The reason: This is one damned fine car, ergo, if that's the case then the Peugeot should be too. Opel Grandland spacious interior In any event, it is the Opel we are focussed on and — aside altogether from its abilities as an EV (more of which later) — the German company has pulled off something of a coup here because the electric version is cheaper than its hybrid siblings. The outrageous cost of EVs has long been a bugbear in these columns and, for some time now, we have refused to accept the industry's excuse that research and development costs for these vehicles have put their baseline cost into the stratosphere. We don't buy it. The development of an electric motor is something which should cost a fraction of that related to the design and build of a new internal combustion engine — or series of engines. Sure there will be ancillary developmental costs, but nothing to suggest that the end product will come to the market at a price significantly greater than that of an internal combustion engine equivalent. No, but a lot of companies — as is their wont — have been of the opinion that if the green market out there wants electrics as badly as research would suggest, then they'll gladly pay for it. The recent collapse in EV sales would tend to suggest otherwise. Read More Essential electric vehicle tips for Irish road trips and motorway driving In any event, Opel has struck something of a rich vein of potential sales by pitching the new Grandland EV to the market at a price less than that of its internal combustion engine siblings. And, when tied in with such as SEAI grant aid, this makes the car's appeal all the greater. Opel are definitely on to something here, and that's only one of the good reasons to look carefully at this car. In terms of performance, it is powered by a 210bhp electric motor and a 73-kWh battery and, while the nine-second 0-100 km/h time might suggest it's a tad slovenly, remember this thing weighs some 2.1 tonnes — making it something of a Billy Bunter on wheels. The top speed of 180 km/h is pretty impressive, but better again is the claimed range of over 520km — realistically somewhere in the region of 460-470km — is something of an eye-opener for a family SUV and makes it considerably more appealing than most in this segment. That it will recharge from 20% to 80% in just 26 minutes also makes it a lot more tolerable than a lot of its competitors. A coffee break when you're covering a substantial distance will see you well in most circumstances. For such a relatively big car, the handling is very tidy and, while the ride can be a little rough on B-roads, in general, the car is a pleasing companion most of the time. You would have thought too that manoeuvring it around urban areas might be tricky because of its bulk, but an array of driver-aids makes parking it in tight spots an absolute doddle. The new Opel Grandland EV The interior is spacious and comfortable, and the infotainment system is easily navigable. The actual physical controls for the climate system make life easier too. In the GS trim, we tested — expected to be the big seller — the car comes with the 3D 'Vizor' front end look with an illuminated Opel 'Blitz' emblem and Intelli-Lux LED lights (which actually put on a little show every time you unlock the doors), all of which make the car that little bit more appealing. So, getting back to where we started, the EV Grandland impressed us more than the hybrid version; it was good to drive and the practicalities (or impracticalities, in the case of most EVs) of having a workable range and decent charging times were impressive. By and large, it drives well, is comfortable, well specced, roomy, and practical while also having an attractive demeanour. All that, in our view, makes it a much more compelling choice than the hybrid version. While there was always a workmanlike aspect to Opel's products, this adds a touch of exterior glamour, a well-finished interior decor, and some personal touches that should appeal to most potential owners. In short, this is perhaps the best option in the Grandland range and when you consider it is that most rare of things — an EV that's cheaper than the alternative options within the range — it becomes something a lot more plausible than most of its competitors. We have not said that about to many EVs in this era of a vastly changing automotive landscape. Read More MG HS PHEV review: budget SUV with big value but flawed performance
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
French women swear by these little-known, ultra-effective anti-aging products
In the mid-2000s, when I was a magazine editor, most every publication I worked for wrote stories on the "French girl" look. Our readers couldn't get enough about how Gallic girls put themselves together — everything from scarf tying to eyeliner techniques. But the most popular topic was French skin care and the "secret" finds that make French faces look youthful and chic. In America, women often focus on covering their flaws with makeup, but French women have a skin-first philosophy. They wear less makeup and focus on their skin, spending on quality serums and creams from trusted pharmacy the years, I've become familiar with many of these stellar French pharmacy products. I have Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentre and Avène Recovery Cream in heavy rotation (and you should too!). But I was curious about the French pharmacy skin care I had yet to discover — lesser-known finds my 52-year-old skin could certainly use. I spent a week scrolling Reddit threads, noting recommendations from French women and studying reviews. Et voila: Here are some affordable, face-saving French skin-care products that you can pick up stateside. If you have Amazon Prime, you'll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.) The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
French women swear by these little-known, ultra-effective anti-aging products
In the mid-2000s, when I was a magazine editor, most every publication I worked for wrote stories on the "French girl" look. Our readers couldn't get enough about how Gallic girls put themselves together — everything from scarf tying to eyeliner techniques. But the most popular topic was French skin care and the "secret" finds that make French faces look youthful and chic. In America, women often focus on covering their flaws with makeup, but French women have a skin-first philosophy. They wear less makeup and focus on their skin, spending on quality serums and creams from trusted pharmacy the years, I've become familiar with many of these stellar French pharmacy products. I have Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentre and Avène Recovery Cream in heavy rotation (and you should too!). But I was curious about the French pharmacy skin care I had yet to discover — lesser-known finds my 52-year-old skin could certainly use. I spent a week scrolling Reddit threads, noting recommendations from French women and studying reviews. Et voila: Here are some affordable, face-saving French skin-care products that you can pick up stateside. If you have Amazon Prime, you'll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.) The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
France 24
15-05-2025
- Business
- France 24
Germany's Commerzbank staff protest UniCredit takeover threat
About 200 staff staged the demonstration outside the annual shareholders' meeting of Commerzbank in the German city of Wiesbaden, as the lender fights back against advances from its Italian peer. UniCredit has built up a hefty stake in Commerzbank since last year, sparking speculation it could seek to swallow up Germany's second-biggest lender, in a move that shocked Berlin's corporate and political elite. "We want to stay independent because we think it's better for us," said Christine Pfeiffenberger, 52, a bank employee who held a banner with the slogan "my heart beats in yellow" written in Italian. Another demonstrator, Denis Krutikov, 50, said shareholders "need to ask themselves if it is a good idea to merge with UniCredit whilst workers are against the idea". One protester, inspired by the Asterix comic series, was dressed as a Gallic warrior and held a sign showing someone being flattened by a menhir, the giant sculpted rocks that Asterix's companion Obelix carries around. Commerzbank has fought back fiercely against UniCredit's moves, and chief executive Bettina Orlopp told shareholders at Thursday's meeting that the group aimed to become a "key" European bank. Job cuts, share buybacks The bank last week reported its best quarterly profit since 2011 and has also announced thousands of job cuts and share buybacks in a bid to make itself more attractive to shareholders. The saga began in September when Italy's second-biggest lender revealed its had built up a stake in its German rival, triggering talk that CEO Andrea Orcel wanted to push for an ambitious pan-European banking merger. UniCredit has since boosted its holding via shares and derivatives to around 28 percent. It has also received the green light from regulators to buy up to 29.99 percent of Commerzbank, just below the level at which it would be required by law to make an offer for all of the bank. Financial news agency Bloomberg reported Wednesday that Orcel had written to new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in a bid to start talks. But Merz has previously spoken out against UniCredit's moves. And Orcel has played down the prospect of mounting a takeover bid for Commerzbank soon, saying in March that he could wait until 2027 to determine whether it made sense. Commerzbank's shares have risen 60 percent since the start of the year, making any takeover more expensive, and might soon exceed the price the German government paid for its stake in 2008 during the financial crisis.
