Blog posts
Sports Saloon F30 335i M Sport Saloon Practical, fast, tuneable, and great to drive. This generation of BMW’s 335i is arguably the best – and it is affordable too... Six-cylinder petrol 3 Series have always held a bit of a soft spot in our hearts and the F30 in 335i guise is undoubtedly one of BMW’s finest. And in an era when diesel 3 Series started to predominate the 335i found itself a more exclusive choice, bought more by private buyers than fleet managers.
Market Watch Diminutive, but definitive, BMW’s seminal 2002tii Coupé is an appealingly affordable classic. Words: Guy Baker Photography: Various 2002tii Coupé Few classic cars are more recognizable than BMW’s ground-breaking 2002, and the 1971-1975 2002 tii Coupé is the best of the breed. Simple to look after and great fun to drive, the rear-wheel drive tii offers greater reliability than a 2002 Turbo – and far better value. With good examples guaranteed to appreciate.
The unmistakable boxy silhouette of the Saab 900 has arguably become one of the most iconic shapes to come out of Scandinavia’s automotive industry, perhaps along with the Volvo 850 estate. Brought in to replace the Saab 99, the 900’s primary guise was as a four-door family saloon. However, not wanting their customers to miss out on the brisk Nordic weather – or perhaps more likely to appeal to warmer, overseas markets – the 900 also spawned convertible variants, such as this one.
How Ford’s personally augured vehicle prospered in the Mustang’s shadow. Words: David Osborne. THE STORY OF FORD’S EVERYMAN COUPE Facts, figures and history on the car which brought the Mustang magic to Europe. FORD CAPRI (1969-1986) THE MARKETPLACE / THE CARS / THE BEGINNING To understand the significance of the Capri one must first appreciate the impact of the Mustang and the precedent it set within Ford.
Coventry’s game changer holds steady in the sub £20k market, having bounced back from a lockdown plateau. MARKET TRENDS JAGUAR XJ6 SI-SIII (1968-1987)The XJ6 galvanised Jaguar’s strategy for more than five decades – and while the full name plate may have died with the X350 series, it left a legacy of affordable three-box luxury for enthusiasts to enjoy.
Mid-engine supercar with Italian connection cops a cruel execution DRIVEN TO EXTINCTIONIf you want a supercar that straddles the lines between exotic, sophisticated, and pragmatic, the main option you once had in Australia is on the way out. If you can still find an Audi R8 in a showroom by the time you read this, it’ll be one of the last. But it’s not for a lack of success. The R8 wasn’t a sales giant here, but nor was it by any means a failure.
We investigate the function of modern vehicle cooling systems and their role in ensuring reliability and operating efficiency. Techtalk Feature: Vehicle cooling systems Keeping it coolIn internal combustion engines, the conversion of the chemical energy of fuel into kinetic energy creates heat as a waste product. This heat, along with the heat created by the friction of various moving components, needs to be reliably controlled and dissipated to protect the engine and its components.
This issue, we are digging out trivia on the car which really put momentum behind Saab’s push upmarket – the 99 that they built from 1968 to 1987. Report: Simon Goldsworthy. Top Ten Trivia This issue we look at the gamechanging 99 (and 900) from Saab To really understand what a major role the Saab 99 played in the Swedish company’s development, we will have to take a few moments to whizz over their history.
The Porsche 959 A 200mph car that was easy to drive? Porsche invented the 21st century supercar in 1985 The Porsche 959 was the first modern supercar. It was the fastest production road car of its day and the first to approach 200mph in top speed (the claimed 197mph was independently verified). But that’s not why we’re celebrating it. Rather, it was a fast car that was easy to drive. Before its launch in 1985, powerful sports cars required skill, strength and occasionally heroics.
James Walshe takes an in-depth look at a British family favourite. Herald/Vitesse Guide Expert wisdom on how to assess and buy one of these little beauties. Hark the Herald!BUYER’S BRIEF Enjoy a Triumph not a disaster Why you want oneWas there ever a more uniquely styled Brit? The Herald represented a bold and beautiful new world away from the worthy, but traditional predecessors. That exotic design, by young Italian, Giovanni Michelotti, was a showstopper.
Hunting down a Lamborghini Miura ripe for restoration was about finding the best candidate, not the biggest wreck. That still left plenty for Iain Tyrrell’s team to do Words Nigel Boothman. Photos Jonathan Fleetwood. ‘It was bought as a project – and it hid plenty Filler-clad Miura rescued Epic RestorationIf you’ve bought a Ferrari Daytona from someone, and you can stay friends with them afterwards, that’s not a bad start to a working relationship.
It doesn’t get much better than the E30 M3, and this stunning project has been perfectly enhanced, making it a truly exceptional example of this performance icon. Words: Elizabeth de Latour Photos: Patrick Lauder. UTTERLY EPIC 2.5 E30 M3 GREAT WHITEDazzling 2.5 S14-powered E30 M3 Cars truly don’t get much more legendary or iconic than the E30 M3.
Even under German ownership, Škoda always felt like Volkswagen’s slightly eccentric Czech cousin. The range included dull but worthy vehicles – the kind of things driven by non-car people – but there was always an oddball or two. The likes of the Felicia Fun, Fabia vRS diesel and Yeti must have been conceived over a liquid lunch of Pilsner and debauchery. In 2006, Škoda unveiled the Joyster concept, which always sounded like something you’d find in an Ann Summers catalogue. Allegedly.
It has often been said that in the event of nuclear war, the only things that will survive are cockroaches and Mercedes-Benz W123s. Hopefully this theory will never be put to the test, but one thing is certain: few companies have been as consistent as Mercedes-Benz when it comes to developing thoroughly engineered cars. But W123s aren’t as bomb-proof as you might think.