Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

I don’t want a fast one - I want comfortable and gadget-laden.

Well, if the stars align you can take mine for a whirl

BMW 3/520i turbo and a 310bhp remap.

I suspect a man of BRM’s powerful build will require the five series.

Cadillac Escalade then.

Over 400bhp but a top speed of 105mph so fulfils the not fast bit too.

E28 Touring anyone?

I thought Mercedes-Benz were the kings of diesel(?). Why would it be a bad idea?

Interesting I noticed they do a hybrid diesel - I wonder how that works with the ULEZ?

The french have the best diesels. XUD?

Caddy 300c

Fancied one ages back before they got £££, seemed to avoid rot better than the later e30/3 series and drove modern enough. Was super close to having a mint gold coloured 525I with basically one owner from new, then donated to a local garage who wanted to use it as a courtesy car until I tried to rescue it, but someone else swooped in and got it as I was at the bank. Annoying. Was only a saloon though which are much more common

I had an E34 525 and that was brilliant. Loads of clunks from the drive train and suspension bushes at all 3 mots.

Great engine and brilliant car for oversteer.

The Mercedes Diesels are legendary for their long lifespans. The rest of the car, not so much.
W124 you're good. W212 ditto, everything in between, have a very good poke around for rot and broken bits.
Demand to see every service bill to see just how much of the car has been replaced.

Surely what you want is a Phaeton

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-Phaeton-6-0-W12-444-HP/173004216537

ha! classic lfgss car thread suggestion...

if I bought a w212 estate, is it going to suddenly cost me £££ to tax it and will I be banned from driving it in London, etc? I have no idea of the regs and how they are likely to go. I then need to weigh up the environmental issues.

I just can't get over how Passat-like the phaeton is. They put so much effort into that car and it's still just an oversized Passat. It might have a w12, it might be super comfy and quiet, but it's still a Passat.

Its a VAG D1, so Bentley big saloon flying spur/continental GT based thing. Think the A8 is sort of related but its closer to the Bentleys mechanically and in metal work.

Arguably better in some departments than an A8, except heavier.

If I had a job that needed some serious miles commuting I'd probably have one, v10 the dream (its two of the old i5's that is in my current 90s volvo smashed together) but 3.0 v6 the sensible choice.

That’s the appeal to the [mainly German] people that buy it - it’s understated.

there was a 3.0 V6 one on eBay last week for something like £3k

Pics?

has anyone got any personal experience driving a toyota prius long distances?
I feel like hybrids are only made for zipping about the city rather than driving to scotland or france, thats not true, right?

Doesn't the fuel consumption reach normal levels on longer drives? Think I read somewhere that it's best for suburb-to-city commute, ie a bit of motorway to charge batteries, then a bit of start and stop on just electric

Well there's understated and there's Passat. But sure, I see your point

dunno, that sounds likely though.
i guess realistically of the 10k miles my car does a year, only 4k are drives of over 100 miles.

^you are right about fuel economy on hybrids (at its best around town), but don't know about the 'experience' of driving on motorway.

My mum in law regularly drives to Sheffield and back in a Prius. No complaints. She drives slowly.