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

eww

The ultimate Chelsea tractor.

I suppose it's basically a Touareg Vanden Plas*

• to The Audi's Riley Touareg, and Porsche's MG Touareg
  

Autoexpress (linky above) have a video walk through on their page.

Agree with the above, very much not interested. Hope to god that neither Boss nor Purdey are involved in a special like the Holland & Holland FFRR (although that is good).

LOL at "Bentley will also plunder the rest of the VW Group’s technology in the search for weight-saving innovations."

How about not making a big fucking 4X4 filled with cows and trees?

Or make it, but shut the fuck up about saving weight.

It looks very much like the Chinese designed Rolls Royce copy.

Man I don't even know what a 1JZ is!

(quite curious though...)

2.5 twin turbo inline 6 Toyota engine as fitted to such delights as the Supra and Soarer.

The 2JZ was the 3.0 version (overkill for a Prius...)

I see that now you mention it. Was initially hoping it was a prototype that would be 'toned down' for production.

It will sell in huge numbers unfortunately.

That 'Bentley' is a fucking disgrace.

2.5 twin turbo inline 6 Toyota engine as fitted to such delights as the Supra and Soarer.

The 2JZ was the 3.0 version (overkill for a Prius...)

Aha! I'd like to put one of those in a 240z then. Nothing too loopy.

Whoever thought that Bentley was a good idea needs to be skinned alive and buggered.

The people at VW really are smoking their socks.

Aha! I'd like to put one of those in a 240z then. Nothing too loopy.

Don't be silly.

Don't mix and match Jap manufacturers.

240Z commands an RB25 DETT

Nissan's Twin Turbo 2.5 inline 6

Like this:

FITNESS!

I must have one.

Shame about the monstrosity parked next to it.

Yup, that is very strange. Quite like the flared arches on the one behind as well.

I really fancy the idea of selling the M3 and pouring all the money into a hydraulics kit for a late-seventies RR Silver Shadow.

Alternatively I could keep the M3 and then buy an RS2 - which is still the plan.

I love this.

Paul.

I read an interesting article a few weeks ago which interviewed a prominent car auctioneer in London. All the usual 'you get to enjoy your asset while it grows' rubbish trying to create more liquidity in the market but he did have some interesting points many of which I'm inclined to agree with (obvs my knowledge and experience is negligible in comparison but I read with a level of trepidation in that knowledge of his intentions).

He discussed the E30 M3 at one point and talked about the fact that the current high prices came about because of a sudden realisation by a large number of people that these cars were extremely cheap for what they were (I'm guessing this was late nineties) regards power and handling. He went on to mention that once a car's (specifically classic) perceived value goes up it will almost never come back down. All well and good and as I read I thought of all the E30 M3's which are being used and the inherent reduction in their numbers (the very reason they boomed in price) and obviously I thought of you.

The gent went on to say that he didn't see the 'standard' E30 M3 as much of an investment these days as the only ones which still seem to be appreciating are the specials further to that marque (like the Cecotto).

I've noticed this with the LSE. I was buying the equivelent of an M3 E30 in the sense that it has a significant advantage over the standard and was built in limited numbers. However as an avid 2nd hand market watcher of cars I've come to realise that the potential appreciation in mine (which it has done so far) will be constantly negated by the cost of ownership.

When I was looking for mine I saw a Litchfield LSE version which, much like the Overfinch, had an American chevvy V8 transplant and had a few extra bits and bobs. This one I saw 2 years ago was on the market for £15K. I was unable to get insurance for it. The very same one came back on the market a few weeks ago (and sold) for £35K. Very few other places will give you that sort of return.

Further more there is a special edition CSK (of which there are more on the road today than LSE's) listed at the infamous Graeme Hunt for £75K (http://graemehunt.com/motorcar/130/1992-range-rover-csk-just-finished-complete-restoration).

Anyway I've lost my point.

I didn't buy mine to make money out of it. I bought it because it came up for sale and I'd always wanted one.

I knew that because so few had been produced there would be a slow accumulation in value as long as I maintained it properly and only used people in the know. The increase of prices over the past few years has only really happened as a direct result of "run what you brung" track days and the subsequent right-offs that occured.

I genuinely own my dream car. Other than a gullwing Merc (original - not that recent cack re-interpretation), I own the only car I've ever really wanted.

Most probably a repost, but I find the Merc 190 E 2.5-16 Evo II attractive in a brutal way.

can anyone recommend a classic car (well 70s-80s) that has excellent fuel economy? like, better than a modern car?

It's funny your choice in cars mate. 6/7 years ago you could have picked up a 300SL for relatively reasonable money. If I remember correctly 70/80K would have picked up a decent example. Then (think it was) AutoCar did a piece (not that this was the trigger) on them and virtually overnight the prices went sky-rocketting and last year they were selling anywhere up to £650K. I'd take the roadster version over the gull-wing every day of the week though. Far more beautiful lines in my opinion.

That Stevie Wonder rip-off merchant Jason Kay owns three cars I'd like.

Grosser, 300SL and a 2002ti.

can anyone recommend a classic car (well 70s-80s) that has excellent fuel economy? like, better than a modern car?

2cv,
Mini,

Anything small and light, really.

That Stevie Wonder rip-off merchant Jason Kay owns three cars I'd like.

Grosser, 300SL and a 2002ti.

He's not blind is he? ;)

I have to admit the Grosser was first brought to my attention on TG and I instantly fell in love with the look and the idea of it.

I'm very glad that I'm not the only one who needs to own many cars...

As I travel around and see beautiful houses in the countryside I'd like to live in I find more and more after that initial feeling of desire my first instinct is to consider the land with the property and the feasibility of building a large 'car house' (I think they're called) therein. It's an overriding must that there would be space for a collection.