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

Saw a lovely Roller Corniche in central last Friday

2 Attachments

Proper car unlike the battery operated nonsense on offer currently

No plastic in sight

And with all that lovely coachwork, a 6.7 litre V8, enough hardwood to build a tree house, the leather of many cows and carpets so thick your feet almost disappear, it still weights about as much as a Porsche Taycan turbo. Modern electrics are such fat fucks.

Haha, I'd never heard of it, but when looking it up and discovering that was an 8th generation one, my first thought was I bet @Aroogah or his family have owned one of these.

My spots of the week have been much more svelte, this is achingly cool, so much want, perfect for transporting my Italian bikes.


Also saw this minty VW, I'm guessing it has some trick air suspension rather than being that slammed all the time, don't know tho.


And is giving cars a floral hairpiece a thing now? Front visibility looks a tad compromised!

Type 3 on cookie cutters takes me back. It'll have a heavily narrowed front beam to sit like that.

BMW heads (paging @Fixedwheelnut as usual, lol). Are the aluminium m57 engines still decent? I know the legendary m57s capable of mega power are the cast iron ones, but they’re becoming impossible to find, and I’m keen to upgrade the e46 to something a bit more modern. Get better mpg, few more creature comforts etc.

I’ve seen this and feel pretty tempted. For motorway commuting and family missions. No ULEZ here but I won’t drive it on short journeys/into the city anyway.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202304106135960

would that little Fiat even be big enough for your bikes dude? Nice spots though

M57 Engine it's self is pretty reliable, it is ancillarie stuff like swirl flaps in the inlet manifold that can let them down but ok if you keep up on preventitive maintenance.

This page lists the common stuff quite well.

https://lifeonfour.co/buyers-guides/bmw-m57-engine-problems/

The Gardinere are really big inside quite deceptive. As a suicide doored 500 there is very little on the inside.

Have you seen the 500 taxis, they can take 5 adults and luggage with out issue.

Dat Type 3.....

Good spots!

5 people in a Giardinetta? I’ve ridden in the backseat of one we converted a while back and my knees were rubbing my nose and I was sitting sideways for more room. Only 6’1 here. Really cool car but scary as hell because of the minute size.

First long drive down to Weymouth, no air con hurts

1 Attachment

You have windows and a sun roof 👌

I once drove from Interlaken back to London in one baking hot August day in my Accord Type-R with no aircon or sunroof. Dread to think how much sweat soaked into the alcantara seats :(

Such a beautiful modern classic!

Yep, fiat 500 was designed to carry four adults.
The 500 gardinera and 600 multipla were longer to carry more people. Thought they were used as taxis.

I know they were used at Goodwood revival as taxis and the vehicles looked period.

Or is it false memories from films and media.

That's really lovely.

Boring Skoda update, still wonderfully boring but incredibly accomplished.

Finally used the seasucker I bought off Amey and felt like I was back in 2008.

1 Attachment

I still haven't got bored of spacious and fast it is but it doesn't stop me dreaming of silly things like this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/134513106701?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=Z01RRAPUSnW&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=mBre66JTTs6&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

1 Attachment

Closest I can find to that here- surprising price actually, given it’s COE’d until ‘29

https://m.sgcarmart.com/used_cars/info.php?ID=977087&utm_content=SLeligible

£6k road tax. Holy shit.

Yeah, cars here are astonishingly expensive.

A new Suzuki Jimny is $170,000 or so.

(I doubt I’ll ever own a car here).

Is that USD?!

If so, how is that sustainable? What are wages like in comparison?