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18 Businessupdate Isle of Man Examiner, March 2006 MOTORING The 6MPS has been described as ‘taking Mazda Zoom- Zoom to a new level for spirited dynamic performance’, reports Matt Joy Six-shooter CONFERENCE FACILITIES King William’s College offers conference facilities and corporate hospitality to all sectors of the business community. WALKER LIBRARY Seats up to 30 people and is perfect for Boardroom style meetings All too often manufacturers are forced to give a performance makeover to a car because it lacks a spark to ignite the enthusiasm of the average motorist. Even a resolutely dull box can be improved by the addition of a little extra power, some chassis tweaks and a set of gaudy stripes. Sometimes the bog standard version is blessed with vim above its station, however, which makes the hot version all the more mouthwatering. Mazda is firmly in the second category with its 6, which has been universally praised for its keen handling and general brio but please, don’t use the zoom word. Now the 6 range has a full-on flagship in the form of the 6MPS. The Mazda Performance Series is a new moniker to the UK, but it roughly translates as Mazda’s high performance brand, and the 6MPS is described as taking Mazda Zoom- Zoom to a new level for spirited dynamic performance. The hardware is certainly in place. Starting with the 2.3-litre four cylinder petrol engine, Mazda has added direct injection and an intercooled turbocharger to increase its output by 93bhp to a healthy 257bhp. The direct injection aids low down torque in order to avoid the problem of turbo lag at low engine speeds. The power is channelled to all four wheels via an active torque split system, which can send up to 50 per cent of the engine’s output to the rear wheels depending on the conditions. Mazda has also fitted larger brakes and stiffer suspension and increased the stiffness of the body shell by 50 per cent. That gives it some pretty serious hardware to take on the competition. The outside also benefits from some new adjustments, although these are on the subtle side. Eighteen inch alloy wheels is standard, as is the rear spoiler and smart rear bumper with a pronounced central spar. The bonnet has been raised to give airflow to the intercooler rather than a pronounced scoop, but this actually improves its appearance, giving it a chunky look. On paper then the 6MPS, while not chasing the rally-rep Subaru Impreza STI or Mitsubishi Evo, easily squares up to the Ford Mondeo ST220 and Vauxhall Vectra VXR, with the advantage of four-wheel drive. On the road, however, the sums don't quite add up. The 6MPS is quick, without doubt. 0-62mph in 6.6 seconds is rapid, and consistently so with full traction take-offs. At higher speeds the MPS accelerates surprisingly smoothly, and the turbo unit is flexible and easy to rev. The noise is a little uninspiring, lagging behind its sixcylinder rivals, but however you use it the petrol unit delivers. More of a surprise is the MPS’s reactions through the bends. On tight, twisty roads it is secure and well planted, but it doesn’t feel very enthusiastic. Even applying large doses of throttle on the exit of bends creates little drama. On faster, sweeping bends it feels much more impressive, scything along with ease, but again the impression you get is that the 6MPS would be just as happy bowling along the motorway at 70mph as it would darting along a B-road. The same can’t be said of its MX-5 and RX-8 stablemates. In fairness, the 6MPS successfully straddles a range of roles. A longdistance user-chooser could cover thousands of miles in one with virtually no more effort than in a regular 6, but a slippery mountain road would pose it no problems. A Vectra or Mondeo would be more of a handful in these conditions, but you could argue that the driver will be having more fun. As an overall package though, the 6MPS is very strong. With just one model on offer in fairly limited numbers, standard equipment is generous. Leather seats with electric adjustment for the driver, climate control, cruise control, a BOSE stereo and Xenon headlamps are all standard, while a comprehensive safety package is aided by the fourwheel drive system. There’s very little to criticise the 6MPS for, but with such a strong technical specification and equally strong competition, it may be undone by its all-round competence. BRAGG LECTURE THEATRE Seats up to 80 delegates and has tiered seating. It is equipped with OHP, computer projector and screen. BIG SCHOOL Seats up to 250 people with several layouts available and incorporates new lighting and sound systems, making it perfect for corporate presentations. Conference catering is also available. Contact details – Tel 820400. Fax 820402 website www.kwc.sch.im. e mail hire@kwc.sch.im bumper to bumper FACTS AT A GLANCE Model: Mazda 6MPS. £23,950. Engine: 2.3-litre four cylinder turbocharged petrol unit delivering 257bhp. Transmission: 6-speed manual gearbox as standard. Performance: Top speed 150mph, 0- 62mph 6.6 seconds. Fuel economy: 27.7mpg (combined cycle). CO2 emissions: 245g/km.
Isle of Man Examiner, March 2006 Businessupdate 19 BOOKS Review by Hannah Stephenson I’m an entrepreneur, not an apprentice Loudmouthed Saira Khan, the volatile firecracker who came runner-up in BBC2’s The Apprentice last year, has not looked back since her determined performance made her the star of the show. Few will forget how this supersonic saleswoman with the big voice wound up her colleagues with her pushy tactics. Although she received regular verbal lashings from businessman Sir Alan Sugar, it seemed he had a soft spot for the 5ft 2in dynamo. When you meet her you can understand why. She seems tiny and prettier than she appeared on the show, and her enthusiasm is infectious rather than irritating. Although Saira, 35, lost out on the £100,000 dream job to winner Tim Campbell, she did work for Sir Alan for six months before moving on. ‘The role he gave me was another sales role. I was effectively selling computers. I thought I was worth more than that. Sir Alan was, shall we say, disappointed.’ Still, she says she has earned the equivalent of Tim’s salary in the past year through a number of media jobs, including a column in The Mirror, corporate speaking appearances and her own online business with her husband, internet consultant Steve Hide. She’s currently appearing on You’re Fired, the new Apprentice spin-off show on BBC3, and this month she begins filming her new daytime show on anger management, Temper Your Temper, which is due out in autumn. As ever, she is in saleswoman mode today as she eagerly fills me in on her new self-help book, P.U.S.H. For Success. ‘In this country people see me as being pushy. I don’t think pushy’s a negative thing. As a young woman you have to really push yourself to succeed. It gives you an edge over the competition.’ She keeps in touch with Apprentice winner Tim Campbell, who is still working for Sir Alan. ‘We have a lot in common. He’s pretty laid-back and chilled out, whereas I’m pushy and feisty, but it works. He calls me his sister.’ As for Sir Alan, she says: ‘I have an enormous amount of respect for him. I really like him because he reminds me a bit of my dad. He’s very hard on the outside but on the inside he is a very responsible man who cares deeply about his family.’ Saira’s parents emigrated to England from war-torn Kashmir in 1965, hoping to build a better life and earn money they could send back to the family. Saira, the eldest of four children, was born in 1970 and grew up in a predominantly white area in Long Eaton, between Nottingham and Derby. Her father, Jan Mohammed, was forced to work in lace factories because his qualifications as a doctor in Kashmir were not recognised. He was extremely strict. She was forced to wear school uniform to a non-uniform school and as soon as she came home she’d change into the traditional salwar kameez — a long tunic and baggy trousers designed not to draw attention to a woman’s physical shape. ‘My childhood was quite painful at times. I really just wanted to be a part of British society. At home I ate different food to the meals my English friends ate and watched Bollywood films while my friends were going to the cinema. ‘I would have loved to have had sausages and baked beans at home, or get my dad to go to the pub and drink cider, but that was never going to be.’ If Saira or her siblings stepped out of line, her father would beat them with belts, shoes, a cane or even a wire coat hanger. He also lashed out at his wife, once giving her a black eye. ‘His frustrations with his life and the injustices he had to deal with at work translated into anger and violence, and most of that was taken out on the family.’ At home they spoke only Urdu and Bhari and her mother didn’t speak a word of English for a long time. Life didn’t get any easier as she grew up. ‘My parents were from an arranged marriage and wanted the same for me. My mother would invite young men to the house and get me to serve them tea on a tray. I didn’t fancy any of them. It was just like East Is East.’ To her father, education was everything. Saira went to Brighton Polytechnic when she was 18 and later gained a Masters at Nottingham University. ‘I had boyfriends at university but my parents never knew about them. I was sensitive towards my religion and culture.’ Her father worked longer hours in the factory to help pay her university fees and she now realises that she was driven by the yearning for his approval. That focus disappeared when he died suddenly in 1998 of a heart attack, while visiting family in Kashmir. ‘I was absolutely devastated. For the first time I felt really alone.’ To deal with the grief, she flung herself into work and set out to achieve more. She met her husband, Steve, in 2002 when they both worked for United Biscuits. ‘I knew instantly that Steve was the one,’ says Saira. ‘I had a mental tick list of what I wanted in a person. It was never about the looks. He was career-minded and I never wanted to be hanging around with a lazy slob. Keeping fit was a big part of his life, and mine, and he liked a hot curry. He ticked all my boxes.’ The first time Steve, a Christian, met Saira's mother was to ask for Saira’s hand in marriage. ‘I never introduced Steve as a boyfriend. She was furious at first but she’s come round. I was the first girl in my family to marry outside the culture.’ They live in west London and she would love to have a big family. At 35 she is well aware that the biological clock is ticking, but talks in terms of when they have children rather than if. And at the end of a rather exhausting conversationfilled hour, Saira doesn’t pause for breath as she launches into her plans for the future — to be a successful businesswoman launching new products, influencing government on a variety of issues and making a difference. She even suggests that one day she may be prime minister. ‘I don’t want to work for anybody else,’ she asserts. ‘I’m an entrepreneur, not an apprentice.’ As this year’s candidates continue to battle it out for Sir Alan Sugar's dream job in the second series of BBC2’s The Apprentice, P.U.S.H. For Success, by Saira Khan, is published by Ebury, priced at £9.99. Out now last year's runner-up Saira Khan has a new book out, appropriately named P.U.S.H. For Success. She reflects on her fortunes since the show. The Glen Helen :- A four bedroom, cottage style home with three bathrooms, two lounges and a spacious kitchen. This design, with its narrow design is perfect for a smaller town plot. This house offers a spacious interior with 4 bedrooms, 1 en-suite with walk-in closet plus a large lounge that opens onto the patio and swimming pool. As with all our designs, the interiors can be altered to fit your specific requirements
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