Blog posts
It’s the cheapest way into a Lotus right now – here’s how to avoid the pitfalls. Words Richard Dredge. Photography Tom Wood. Seven steps to buying a Lotus Elan M100 Buying the £6k Elan Buying Guide How to hurdle common tripwires and bag an epic Lotus Elan M100 Every generation has its ‘least-loved Lotus’, that oddball that leaves a pocket-moneysized way into the marque.
We all think we’re a little bit obsessed with this Germanic pastime we call Veedubbing, however, Christian Wolf has taken this hobby to a whole new level… this is the result! Words: Tony Saggu. Photos: Max Bauer. GOOD FELLA The world’s best Mk3 Cabby VR6 debut after mammoth 17 year build and it’s still not finished To be fair, in hindsight the situation could have been handled a little better...
Back in the day the Jetta was deemed the ugly duckling of the VW family but, as this issue of the magazine has proven, that couldn’t be further from the truth these days. Words: Bryan McCarthy. Photos: Rick Di Corpo. 1981 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Coupe Mk1 gets a stunning facelift MAXIME ATTACK It’s a tough ask for someone to predict the future 20 years on, especially when it comes to the modified VW scene. Try to think back double decades - would you have guessed you’d be where you are today?
Built by a duo of siblings on their driveway, this Jetta Coupe is a car that’s become a uniting force for friends both old and new. Words & photos: Jimbo Wallace. Ages! That’s how long we’ve been in pursuit of Puneet and Ameet Sagoo’s Mk1 Jetta Coupe. It’s been doing the rounds on the UK show scene for a number of years now, but due to the totally laid back and seriously humble attitude of the Brothers Sagoo, this stunning looking two door coupe has proved somewhat elusive.
Over the years there have been countless extremely appealing fast Mercedes models that have been unleashed upon the world from both Stuttgart and Affalterbach. While not all of would have been attainable to many of us, deprecation has done its job and you can now pick up some seriously rapid German machinery for not a lot of money at all.
Our second £5k pick is the R170 SLK320. There will always be some debate about whether the 230 is the one to go for, with its smaller, lighter engine, impressive torque, potentially better fuel economy and smaller running costs, but while a supercharged four-pot is fine, a lusty V6 is just so much more desirable, let’s be honest. The idea of a large engine in a small car is always one that will put a smile on the face of any motoring enthusiast.
Doubling our virtual budget puts a lot more exciting machinery within our grasp and so the first thing we’re naturally going to jump on is a V8 – because why wouldn’t you? – and we’ve opted for the C209 CLK55. We’re not going to beat about the bush because the reason we’re here right now is the M113 under the bonnet, here in its pure NA form, and in the CLK55 it makes an impressive 367hp and a hefty 376lb ft of torque.
It’s time to throw caution to the wind and live a little and while a C215 CL600 will never, ever be even remotely sensible in any way, at this price point you’ll be able to find one that isn’t a complete basket case and we have, of course, opted for the full fat biturbo version. C215 CL600 / ULTIMATE PERFORMANCE MERCEDES BUYING GUIDE WHY YOU WANT ONEWe’re going to be honest, you have to be very, very brave to commit to a CL600 – if you are then there are a lot of reasons to want one.
There had to be an M113K-powered four-door in this guide and it came down to either the W211 E55 or the CLS55 and, as you can see, the CLS was our choice. WHY YOU WANT ONEThere are several reasons – first of all, while it may be a larger and heavier car, the CLS is also 30% stiffer than the E-Class, it’s lower and it has quicker steering for a more responsive helm, and while the W211 did eventually receive the quicker steering, all CLSs had it from the off.
We take a quick look back at the history and development of the torsion bar suspension system Despite the many complex technological advances, features and systems used over the lifespan of the 911, one vital element of the car relied on a simple, mechanical system for over 40 years – the use of torsion bar suspension.
The setting is the Steering Wheel Club in Mayfair and the date is October 1970. The occasion is the presentation of an award to that year’s Le Mans winners, Richard Attwood and Hans Herrmann. Behind them is Porsche competitions manager Rico Steinemann and presenting the prize, Stirling Moss, now well established in his second career, motor racing PR.
We’re back with another SLK but with our rather more substantial budget we’ve been able to treat ourselves to the full-fat SLK55 and if you’re looking for full-on driving thrills, this is the machine for you. While rivals BMW and Porsche were happy putting their hottest straight-sixes into their range-topping roadsters, AMG’s engineers decided to stick a V8 into the diminutive R171 SLK and the result was completely and utterly unhinged, and that’s exactly why it’s on our list.
As if you need a reason to want a monstrously fast V8-powered super-saloon? The W212 received a couple of different engines in its lifetime, starting with the 6.2-litre M156 V8 before then being fitted with the M157 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 in 2011 and then receiving what was surely be the most dramatic facelift of just about any car ever made in 2013. Whichever engine you go for, and whether you opt for the more angular pre- or smoother post-facelift model, the W212 E63 is an awesome machine.
Even 18 years on from its launch, the R230 SL remains arguably one of the best-looking models Mercedes has ever produced. The styling is just so right, sleek, elegant, perfectly proportioned, beautifully balanced and there’s not one bad angle anywhere on this car. It looks as good today as it did when it was launched, and perhaps even better because each subsequent angular generation has only served to highlight how good the R230 truly is.
The W205 C63 had a very hard act to follow because its predecessor, the W204 C63, was so awesome and so popular, and while this was a very different car, slightly less raw and wild perhaps, it was no less impressive. Buying Guide W205 C63 AMG OVER £20K WHY YOU WANT ONEIt’s a spectacular performance saloon and there’s a lot about this machine that makes it a very tempting proposition. Let’s begin under the bonnet with the M177; yes, the 4.