2017 Porsche 911 GT3 RS Gets Bigger 4.2L Flat Six, May Get A Manual Too

The headline news about the updated RS will be the use of a larger displacement, 4.2-liter naturally-aspirated flat six, which will add around 25hp over the current model’s 500PS (493hp) 4.0L boxer for a total of 525PS (518hp).

After seeing Porsche testing the 991/2 GT3last month, we knew it was only a matter of time before its wilder 911 GT3 RS sibling would come out to play with the brand’s developers.



As with the plain GT3, there’s a very strong likelihood of Porsche adding a manual gearbox optionin the facelift model, after discarding it on the 991 GT3 RS that comes exclusively with a dual clutch transmission.

Some fine tuning of the chassis is also to be expected.

What you’re looking at these pictures, though, isn’t the final product, as evidenced by the pre-facelift 911door handles and tail lamps, but the tester is fitted with a cleaner looking front bumper featuring enlarged air ducts and slimmer LED indicators, and a prototype rear bumper on which the exhaust tips have been relocated from the center to the corners.

Either way, when it comes out next year, like the 991.2 GT3, the RS will have subtly refreshed front and rear ends, together with some minor revisions inside, including a new steering wheel and updated infotainment system with improved connectivity and a touchscreen display.

Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoops


Photo Gallery

Bespoke Ferrari California T Pays Tribute To Famous 250 SWB

Ferrari presented a unique California T created by their Tailor Made service at this year’s Techno Classica show.

Inspired by the famous ex-Clapton 250 SWB, this California T is painted in the same livery -Grigio Scuro with Rosso Corsa racing stripes- which was created with the use of a paint sample from the original car in order to achieve almost the exact shade.

Like the original and rather jaw-dropping 250 SWB, the cabin is now dressed in what Ferrari calls ‘Heritage Bourdoux’ leather upholstery, giving the interior a very vintage-y feel and look.

The car also had the latest Handling Speciale option fitted, which includes a series of powertrain upgrades like a stiffer suspension, a new exhaust system and a upgraded software for the double-clutch gearbox in order to change cogs even more swiftly.

The entry-level Ferrari is often overshadowed by its bigger brothers but let’s not forget that this is still a twin-turbo 560PS V8 open-top GTwith an Italian soul.


PHOTO GALLERY

Cheeky Chinese Driver Found A Crafty Way To Change His License Plate Numbers

Unless you're still living in the Wild West and getting on about your day with the help of motorized vehicles isn't for you, then you're probably aware of how important license plates are.

Not only that, but most vehicles are required to display both front and rear license plates at all times, which kind of tells you that the police isn't playing around.

Of course, if for some unknown reason (feel free to speculate) you don't want your vehicle to be identified, it seems there are quite a few ways to go about doing that - one of which is simple, clever and apparently being used in China.

The video shows Chinese traffic officers demonstrating how the felonyis committed, and yes, it is a felony. These people are sticking thin sheets of metal that can contain various other numbers to their white-on-blue plates, and you can't even tell that there's something fishygoing on.

We're not sure what system they use (possibly some sort of a magnet) but it looks efficient, quick and most of all very hard to identify.


VIDEO

Ultimate Porsche Cayman GT4 is manual only - for maximum involvement

5

Volvo's XC90 T8 Takes Advantage Of Other Cars In New Highway Robbery Spot

In Volvo's new 'Highway Robbery' campaign, the XC90 T8 hybrid SUV is out to prove that as the company's most powerful ever model, it's not afraid to get its charge on wherever and however it can.

This 407 HP PHEV can run on gas, electricity and even other cars (so to speak), as demonstrated by the video you're about to watch. The idea behind this campaign is not letting energy go to waste and from an efficiency standpoint, it's pretty darn clever.

By using only hydraulic power, Volvo's "highway jacking system" managed to use the energy wasted by other vehicles and turn it into electric powerfor the XC90's own benefits.

The technology isn't as complicated as you'd imagine, and the architect of the project explains how it all works very well, though it's the extra touch at the end that makes this whole thing seem a bit cheeky.

We'll let you find out on your own what we mean by that. Until then, keep in mind that the XC90 T8's 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint time of 5.6 seconds and 26 miles pure electric range make it a genuine threat for every single other premium hybrid SUV.


PHOTO GALLERY


VIDEO

Porsche To Bring Back 911 GT3 With A Facelift And Possibly, A Manual Gearbox

version of Porsche 911 GT3 will soon join the 991 II codenamed generation of the series, as we spied the brand’s engineers evaluating an early test mule on the Nürburgring.

The prototype is based on the current 991.1 model, with the only difference being the slightly modified front bumper with larger intakes, but the production model will incorporate most of the styling revisions and tech updates of the regular 991.2, which is Porsche-speak for the facelifted 991.

As such, expect a series of subtle exterior styling upgradesincluding reshaped front bumper with slimmer daytime running lights, tweaked headlamps and taillights with different lenses, a reprofiled rear bumper, new door handles with a more integrated appearance and possibly, a new set of wheels.

Similarly inside, the GT3 should get a newly designed steering wheel and the updated Porsche Communication Management infotainment system with a touchscreen.

Porsche may have welcomed a new generation of turbo engines in its base 991.2 models, but for the GT3, it will stick with the outgoing model’s high-revving, naturally aspirated 3.8-liter flat-six with some improvements to push output from 475PS (468hp) to around 500 horses.

However, the biggest news might be the return of a manual gearbox option, as sources suggest that Porsche officials listened to buyers who were not pleased with the brand’s previous decision to offer the 991 GT3 exclusively with a PDK dual-clutch transmission, despite being faster and even though it sold out.

Look for the facelifted 911 GT3 at a major motor show within the next year.

Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoops


Photo Gallery

RE: Retro? No go! PH Blog

Sunday 28th February
Retro?

Retro? No go! PH Blog

There's a lot to like about the new Alpine Vision, so why make it look like an old one?

First of all, let me say I am genuinely excited by the return of Alpine and's foretaste of what's in store for the production car due at the end of the year. What we have here is 80 per cent of the way to the real thing, we're told.

Evocation or imitation?

I'm also inspired by another mainstream manufacturer embracing weight saving, simplicity and realistic performance. Plus the fact Alpine has gone to the bother of developing an entirely new mid-engined, rear-driven platform to achieve it. All of this is good stuff.

Why the need to burden it with retro styling though?

The fixation with retro is, to me, the mock Tudoring of car design. Or the Hollywood craze for re-making old films, like the forthcoming rehash of Point Break. The originals in all these cases were products of their time and we love them for that. Let them be. By all means draw from them as inspiration. Fill your new projects with respectful and knowing references of their influence. But have we really run out of ideas on how to design houses, come up with exciting film scripts or make cars look cool? I seriously hope not!

Before I get too worked up let's hear the case for the defence. Newly appointed worldwide marketing boss for Alpine, Michael van der Sande, says the Vision concept isn't retro. While launching it to the world surrounded by 80-odd A110s on the Monaco quayside. "It's not a slave to the A110, it picks up the best," he told me. "Is the Porsche 911 retro? I don't think so - it picks up the cues from cars from the past, but it is not retro."

Influence of A610 noticeable by its absence

Ebullient designer Antony Villain agrees. "We had to pick up the story as if it had never stopped," he said at the event. "It was not a demonstration of styling or doing something trendy, we hope within 20 years people will say this is a classic Alpine."

Fair points both. But they're not picking up the story as if it had never stopped - if Villain had we'd have a modern interpretation of, officially the last Alpine before the brand's rebirth. The A110 is the iconic Alpine. But the 70s A310 and 80s GTA, if not as successful, were equally distinctive. And very, very French. Villain seems a talented and enthusiastic chap and is clearly doing what he's told. I'd love to see what he'd have come up with had his design influence been allowed to stretch further than the Berlinette.

Generally speaking this inability to break with the past seems a quirk of Western hemisphere corporate thinking too. Mazda's fourth-gen MX-5 is a brave reinvention of the original's values, executed with freshness and modernity. Thebased on the same underpinnings? A lazy pastiche of former glories in comparison. Look at the Nissan GT-R too; it's clearly faithful to the design heritage of its predecessors. But not chained to them and willing to mix in modern influences like anime and gaming to forge its own legend.

And what on earth will happen with this?

Meanwhile we get new Mustangs that look like old Mustangs,that look like classic ones (OK, they're stretching that one to the absolute limit) and a continuing craze for butchering nice old 911s to make them look a bit like newer ones. Credit to former Lamborghini boss Stephan Winkelmann for holding out against demand for the Miura rehash - will new man Domenicali be able to resist?

The key one for me in this will be what Land Rover decides to do with its eventual. If it's truly honest to the original it won't necessarily look like it. It'll be strictly functional, its style dictated by the materials and construction methods used to build it as the first one was back in the day. If it sticks true to this yet looks nothing like the old Defender it'll be more true to Land Rover values than any retro rehash. Can they resist the temptation though?

I hope they can.

Dan

RE: What's your favourite concept car? PH Blog

Thursday 3rd March
What's your favourite concept car?

What's your favourite concept car? PH Blog

Ollie's raided the archives for his favourite far fetched concepts - what are yours?

Concepts have been a fixture of motoring since the very beginning, where designers have always been looking ahead and trying to improve. And, well, some have been better than others, right? Here we'll have a look at a few of our favourites.

Not just the old concepts that were mad!

Concepts really took off after World War II, as the technology around plastics, alloys and fibreglass aided the evolution of design and allowed more adventurous designs to become a reality. The great design houses like Bertone, Pininfarina and Zagato became ever more adventurous, working with manufacturers to produce wild and exciting concepts. Some even made it to production; think Lamborghini Miura.

It wasn't just style that took a turn for the mad back then, with concept engines becoming every sillier too: see the nuclear. Who wouldn't fancy a go in a six-wheeled nuclear Ford?

And don't think the daft concepts have stopped in the 21st century. Just today Toyota revealed its gloriously odd Setsuna, a car made primarily of wood to "capture the developing relationship between people and their cars in the way it changes in appearance over the years." Anyone else sort of drawn to it? Just me?

What's fascinating to think is how fairly recent concepts will influence our production reality in years to come; think of cars like the Mercedes BIOME, said to be "designed as a vehicle which is fully integrated into the ecosystem". There's the stunning BMW GINA too, featuring an outer skin comprising of a flexible, stretchable water resistant translucent man-made fabric. Might make Sunday morning cleaning a little different...

A look into the future?

Anyway, I think concepts are very interesting; sometimes ridiculous, sometimes quite relevant, they're always a talking point. In the office there's a lot of love for the Mercedes C111, the BMW CSL Hommage, Lamborghini Cala, Peugeot Onyx, Renault Dezir, Ford GT90, Ferrari 512S Speciale and Mazda Furai amongst others.

My favourite concept is one firmly from the old school though: the Bertone Stratos Zero. A stunning concept to begin with, it eventually became one of the great road and rally Lancias too. A true legend.

So they're our picks from the decades of concepts; no doubt there are plenty more we could have mentioned! What would you pick as your favourite? We'd love to hear them.

Ollie

RE: The only way is (north) up! PH Blog

Sunday 14th February
The only way is (north) up!

The only way is (north) up! PH Blog

Battle lines need to be drawn between the direction of travel wanderers and true north fundamentalists!

How do you have your navigation screen set in your car?

Think carefully before answering.

Direction of travel? North!

I like to think of myself as a generally tolerant chap. And in all other respects my relationship with PHTV co-host James is a good one. But I find one element of his personality a perpetual disappointment.

He's a direction of travel man.

I find this odd. Because he's generally a sound, no-nonsense kind of bloke. And I bet if I gave him a proper map he'd do what real men do, hold it upright and use spatial awareness and a sense of direction to understand north is up and everything else relative to that. Not stand on a street corner turning the map round and round, scratching his head looking like some sort of confused tourist.

And yet every time we swap cars there it is - nav set to direction of travel or, worse, 3D direction of travel. He claims this is because he's 'a modern gentleman' in touch with technology. I say he's directionally confused. Or, as a Surrey boy, just scared of the north and a bit jittery beyond his current home in the midlands.

Boo, hiss, etc...

Practical evidence of the evils of direction of travel navigation was revealed to me the other week travelling from Silverstone to near Telford. In my head I knew roughly I needed to head north-west across country to the M40, north, west a bit on the M42, pick up northbound M5/M6 and then west along the M54. I could picture it in my mind clear as day but had the nav on to get me to my final destination. My downfall was trusting the machine to sort the route out and get me there. But the JLR nav in the Range Rover locks to direction of travel when a route is programmed. And by the time it had me in a circle of despair somewhere around Bridgnorth it was too late to do anything about it.

I'll accept I might, possibly, be displaying some stereotypical northern belligerence here. So let's have it out - north up for the win or move with the times and the direction of travel?

Dan

RE: Drag Rocket: You Know You Want To

Friday 8th April
Drag Rocket: You Know You Want To
Get your rocket build off the ground with this!

As you might expect from a website like PistonHeads, the forums are full of car tuning suggestions.

Whatever those suggestions may be, it's safe to say that none of them will come close to the performance boost made possible (if not especially practical) by the contents of this small wooden box, currently starting at £5000 on a well known auction site near you.

Obviously, before you enter the auction you might like to consider a few points. First, you'll need a few more bits to turn your Reliant Robin into a Veyron-humbling mega-machine.

Then there are the seriously life-endangering characteristics of rocket power, not just for anyone standing behind but also for the mug behind the wheel.

American 'Slammin' Sammy Miller was an addict of extreme acceleration. He traded the relatively pedestrian pace of nitromethane-powered Funny Cars (one of which put him in hospital for six months) for the eerily silent but utterly outlandish pace of rocket-powered drag vehicles.

Just how quick were they? Well, in 2012 Spencer Massey's bellowing Top Fueler set a new NHRA world record ET by covering the quarter mile in 3.729 seconds at a terminal speed of just under 330mph. Nearly 32 years ago, in July 1984, Sammy put his Oxygen rocket car into stage at Santa Pod. 3.58 seconds later he silently coasted through the top end lights at 386mph. This remains the quickest quarter mile pass recorded on any dragstrip anywhere.

With Sammy admitting that he routinely blacked out during his 10G runs, the NHRA sanctioning body felt obliged to make rocket cars illegal. So as not to waste the car, Miller strapped some skis to Oxygen and drove it at 247mph on New York's frozen Lake George. Well, you would wouldn't you.

Tragically, Sammy was killed in a Texas oilfield accident in 2002. Here he is bursting most of Santa Pod's control tower windows in his. And here we see him (or thanks to the edit, don't see him) having a bit of a moment at the. Cool refuelling guys in silver raincoats and Vader helmets weren't just part of the spectacle: rocket fuel is pretty nasty stuff.

Legal rocket action is now available once more in the UK in the loopy bike-riding shape of Frenchman Eric Teboul, due to appear at the Pod a couple of times this year. Why not win the auction and turn up in your rocket Robin? After all, there are no moving parts to wear out, apart from your eyeballs.

DRAG CAR ROCKET
Price : Bidding opened at £5,000
Why you should : Everyone dreams of running a rocket dragster
Why you shouldn't : The rocket has been sitting in a shed for a number of years

See the original advert.

For your chance to win a passenger ride in a dragster click.

[Eric Teboul photo:]

RE: Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG DR520: Spotted

Thursday 7th April
Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG DR520: Spotted
Rare groove, Brooklands built special offers biggest bang for your normally aspirated AMG C-Class buck
You may recall we ran a C63 wagon on the PH Fleet a little while back and rather fell for it.

on the PH Fleet a little while back and rather fell for it. Rather as in 'completely', the combination of a socking great 6.2-litre V8 with uprated SLS internals and family estate car body ticking all the lifestyle boxes you could ever wish for. What could be better than the matt grey Edition 507 we ran? How about a matt blackinstead?

In case there was any doubt...

The various permutations of the mighty M156 V8 in the C63 were covered when we drove thebut began with 457hp in the 'entry' version; from there you could have a revvier Performance Pack with 487hp and aforementioned lightweight SLS pistons, crank and con-rods, both packing 442lb ft. As a run-out the Performance Pack based Edition 507 upped power a tad more to - yup - 507hp and torque to 457lb ft. And then there was the Black Series with 517hp (and the same 457lb ft).

Black Series included then this is the most powerful W204 C63 ever sold by Mercedes, the cars built by the Specialist Products division at M-B World and, seemingly with a little help from a, packing 520hp and 479lb ft of torque. Quite an upgrade in itself. Sold in matt black or matt white wrap and garnished with dark finished grille and wheels, an Alcantara interior with contrast stitching and DR520 branding they were quite the machines, commanding a £9,995 premium over the regular C63 saloons and estates. Just 20 were sold, of which five were apparently estates, one bought at the time by Jenson Button. Yet another reason he probably rues McLaren and Mercedes going their separate ways...

Big capacity, big power, big noise

So, basically, it's like our old 507 Edition wagon. But more so. And super rare. For lovers of over-engined German mega estates this has to be one of the most desirable cars in the PH classifieds right now, the vendor's slightly vague description perhaps explaining why it hasn't attracted more attention. That and the £59,999 asking price. £10K less than that will score you this possibly dubious/secretly rather appealing titanium-exhausted 'Black Series' wagon conversion, £45K being enough to get you aandavailable from as little as £25K. A chunky premium for a few more horsepower and bragging rights from owning a super-rare car, but it's got the power upgrade to back it up. Pays your money and all that.

And just in case you need a reminder of why we're such fans of the C63 wagon in all its forms, here's a valedictory lap around Brands GP in our Edition 507 on the very day Mercedes came to take it back from us. Best of days and worst of days, all in one.

MERCEDES-BENZ C63 AMG DR520
Engine : 6,208cc V8
Transmission : 7-speed auto, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp) : 520@6,800rpm
Torque (lb ft) : 479@5,000rpm
MPG : 23.5 (standard car)
CO2 : 285g/km (standard car)
First registered : 2010
Recorded mileage : 25,000
Price new : £63,680
Yours for : £59,999

See the original ad

[Source:]

RE: Audi RS4 (B7) Avant: Spotted

Sunday 3rd April
Audi RS4 (B7) Avant: Spotted
A decade since the RS4 revolutionised fast Audis, is now the time to try one?

Yes, it really has been 10 years since the B7 Audi RS4 went on sale in the UK. It had been five years since the B5 RS4 and, let's be honest, expectations were not that high. Fast Audis were, well, fast and looked pretty cool but dynamically weren't all that. The RS4 changed that quite dramatically.

Before those wheels were on every S Line diesel

R8 aside, nothing has done as much for the dynamic reputation for Audis as the first V8 RS4. It was precise and engaging, it rode properly (!) and finally gave the M3 a proper rival from Audi. It's hard to underestimate the impact the RS4 had; nothing since, again with the exception of the R8, has really made enthusiasts take notice of Audi.

And there was that engine. That engine. It revved to 8,500rpm, produced 420hp and made a glorious V8 noise. The next RS4 will most likely be turbocharged, and who would bet against it being DSG -- only as well? The engine is a real selling point for this RS4.

Now this is a subjective thing, but for many the RS4 did - and still does - look brilliant as well. Swollen arches, big exhausts and just enough aggression without being OTT, the RS4 continued that tradition of great looking fast Audis.

For this story we've chosen a Mugello Blue RS4 Avant, because they're easily the coolest RS4. It's from the first year of production, its 89,000 miles have been covered by two owners and it has been "meticulously maintained" according to the ad. Tempting...

A big selling point in a world of turbos

Now the PH Buying Guide points to a few key areas to check on any RS4, most notably the DRC dampers (fitted here) and a lumpy idle from carbon deposits, but not a great deal else. If the owners spoken to for that feature are anything to go by, RS4 drivers are a happy bunch!

While the RS4's tenth birthday may make you feel a little old, it does at least mean that they're getting more affordable. This car, with just under 90,000 miles recorded, is £18,990. There isn't a great deal else to consider when looking at RS4 Avants, mainly because the C63 is newer and more expensive and there was never an M3 estate. All other suggestions welcome, of course...

So that's the case for an RS4. It's not an especially difficult one, funnily enough! Fast estates don't always seem that popular with the rise of SUVs, but this one is very easy to love. When's the next one coming Audi?

AUDI RS4 (B7) AVANT
Engine : 4,163cc, V8
Transmission : 6-speed manual, four-wheel drive
Power (hp) : 420@7,800rpm
Torque (lb ft) : 317@5,500rpm
MPG : 20
CO2 : 324g/km
First registered : 2006
Recorded mileage : 89,000
Price new : N/A
Price now : £18,990

See the original advert.

RE: Ford Fiesta ST MR200: Spotted

Tuesday 29th March
Ford Fiesta ST MR200: Spotted
The car the old Fiesta ST was meant to be, now available for just £6K
The Mountune MP215 kit for the Fiesta ST is an upgrade that's been widely discussed on PistonHeads since its introduction, and with good reason.

The Mountune MP215 kit for the Fiesta ST is an upgrade that's been widely discussed on PistonHeads since its introduction, and with good reason. Not only does it make a fun car even more entertaining, it can be fitted for less than the price of metallic paint. A real no-brainer, in other words.

Looks a whole lot better with lower springs

But what people are less clued up on are the Mountune parts for the old Fiesta ST. By all accounts they really were the making of that car, as it wasn't as good as it should have been out of the box. Like its packages for the Focus RS, the Mountune upgrades for Fiestas were split into 'Performance' and 'Racing'; this Fiesta is one of the latter, and therefore a very exciting little car.

The Mini Cooper S and the Audi S1 are the only small hot hatches with 2.0-litre engines still in them, and they are of course both turbocharged. Just a few years ago cars like this Fiesta and the Renaultsport Clio thrived on capacity and revs for power rather than forced induction. With the onslaught of turbo engines, this Fiesta's tuned atmospheric engine becomes all the more interesting. To get the 2.0-litre Duratec from 150hp to 200hp, Mountune's tweaks included (but weren't limited to) new cams and valve springs, an uprated exhaust manifold, cast inlet plenum, larger throttle body and a recalibrated ECU. Don't forget the badge as well; that's at least 5hp. The result was 200hp at 7,000rpm - the heady heights of 7,000rpm - with torque rated at 158lb ft. Behind a new Fiesta ST of course, but there's something to be said in revving a car and going a bit slower, isn't there?

The reviews of the ST185 version of this car were very positive, declaring it "faultlessly engineered and finely executed" as well as "a bit of a giant killer". Funnily enough they came back clamouring for Mountune extras sooner in the life of the next Fiesta ST...

200hp at 7,000rpm - sounds good to us!

This particular car has Eibach Pro springs fitted as well, aiding the stance and hopefully sharpening the dynamics too. It's had two new tyres 500 miles ago, an MOT until June (but has only covered 900 miles since the last one) as well as low mileage for a 2005 car, at just 50,000. All the receipts are there for the Mountune work - the 200 pack was only added 4,000 miles ago - as well as a full service history.

So what would stop you buying this Fiesta MR200? Well some will persist with their fast Ford prejudice, but the bigger issue is that Renaultsport Clio mentioned earlier. For £6K a very nicecould be yours, and theis almost within reach too. Both would provide very tempting alternatives. But as a pleasant reminder of old school hot hatches, as something a little different and pretty rare, the Fiesta MR200 could be just the ticket.

FORD FIESTA ST MR200
Engine : 1,999cc, inline-4
Transmission : 5-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp) : 200@7,000rpm
Torque (lb ft) : 159@5,750rpm
MPG : 38.2 (standard car)
CO2 : 177g/km (standard car)
First registered : 2005
Recorded mileage : 49,000
Price new : £13,795 (standard car)
Price now :£6,000

See the original advert.

RE: Mazda MX-5 Le Mans: Spotted

Thursday 24th March
Mazda MX-5 Le Mans: Spotted
Well as we're celebrating the MX-5 this week...
Forget the GT-R .

. Leave the. And who really cares about an? No, the big news for PH at New York - going off the comments and views - is the Mazda MX-5 Retractable Fastback . Perhaps it shouldn't be surprising given the MX-5 love on PH, but the attention is still pretty remarkable.

No hiding from anyone in this MX-5

So why not ride the crest of the MX-5 wave for a little longer? Now ideally this feature would use the old MX-5 Roadster Coupe, preferably with a little BBR tweaking to make it more interesting. There are plenty of standard cars around, but nothing any faster.

While on the hunt for BBR cars though, this little gem emerged. Yes, it's, the car that celebrated Mazda's incredible victory at La Sarthe. This year marks 25 years since that triumph in fact, so how better to commemorate that fantastic race?

Those with especially good memories will recognise this MX-5, as it's the car we featured as aback in 2011. All of the Le Mans cars are very rare, with only 22 believed to have been built and at least five of those not even in the iconic paint scheme. Back when the Hero feature was written just 19 survived; could that be even less now?

It's easy to forget beyond the wild colours and the Le Mans success that these cars were significantly improved over a base MX-5. The BBR turbo boosted power from 114hp to 150hp, plus there were Tokico springs and OZ wheels. Don't forget the authenticity certificate signed by Johnny Herbert too (and yes, this car still has it).

Looking immaculate under here as well

The Le Mans is a very special car in the history of the MX-5, and should remain jolly good fun as well. Yes, this car has 90,000 miles on it and "a number of enthusiasts" have owned it, but that's kind of the point. It will have been cherished throughout those miles as those who owned it will have (hopefully) recognised the Le Mans as something special. The fact that an Owners' Club member has owned it is encouraging, as is the fact it looks flawless in the photos.

So what on earth will it cost? Frustratingly this Le Mans is listed at POA, so we'll have to compare standard MX-5s for some idea. Amazingly the most expensive of those is for sale, albeit with just 14,000 miles. Given the rarity and the status of the Le Mans, it wouldn't be a surprise to find the asking price beyond even that. What do you reckon? How much can an MX-5 really be worth? The floor is yours...

MAZDA MX-5 LE MANS
Engine : 1,600cc, turbocharged inline-4
Transmission : 5-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp) : 154@6,500rpm
Torque (lb ft) : 154@5,500rpm
MPG : N/A
CO2 : N/A
First registered : 1991
Recorded mileage : 90,000
Price new : £20,499
Price now : POA

See the original advert.

[Specs:]

RE: MG TF: You Know You Want To

Tuesday 15th March
MG TF: You Know You Want To
TF not really of interest?

TF not really of interest? It should be with a supercharged VTEC in it!

Both when new and used, the MG TF appears to have been rather overlooked. Take a look at used values for evidence of that. Of course the MX-5 has been largely responsible for this, plus the Toyota MR2 to some extent, but has it been overlooked unfairly?

The TF gets a stance!

Now they are only being considered as a used purchase, perhaps some of the TF's flaws can be overlooked. As a weekend car the everyday concerns are less, well, concerning. Looking back over the Autocar road test of the relaunched MG TF, it's heaped with praise for the dynamics. It was described as having "an excellent mid-engined chassis and decent steering", concluding with "if only more cars handled as sweetly as this". See, not so bad after all.

Of course engine reliability was a concern with the TF, but this car avoids that with a whole new engine altogether. A Japanese engine. A supercharged VTEC in fact...

Yes, for those who aren't nerdy enough to have picked up on the numberplate cue, this MG TF has the same K20 engine as a Civic Type R. With the supercharger, power is claimed at 355hp and torque at 241lb ft. Top speed is said to be 165mph, and we'd hazard a guess at 0-62mph in less than six seconds.

Moreover, this car has all sorts of high quality brake, suspension and tyre upgrades to make the most of the huge increase in power too. There's an Exedy clutch for the six-speed manual, a limited-slip diff, big AP Racing brakes, custom Nitron dampers and springs as well as uprated cooling, a different exhaust and seam welded subframes. Tyres are said to be Yokohama AO48 in the ad but are Avon ZZRs in the pics; either way they should help you keep on top of the power reasonably well.

See the video for the flames...

With a decent base, all that power and some useful dynamic tweaks, this TF would surely be brilliant fun on a track, or indeed the road. It still looks relatively standard, making the shock of 300hp per tonne or all the more dramatic.

So what's the catch? It's the price. This TF is, er, £25,000. Even allowing for the considerable work and the parts that have gone into it, that looks rather on the steep side. It would no doubt be tremendous fun, but you don't need us to tell you how much fun is available elsewhere for £25,000. After all, if you want British and mid-engined and Honda powered, you could get...

Ignoring the price for just a second - easier said than done, granted - this TF does look a right giggle. More than that it's rare, which will always have its own appeal. Caterhams will be 10 a penny compared to this at a track day! If an ardent fan has the funds (or negotiating power) to make this purchase feasible, then all the best to them. And just keep a look out for 'K20 TF' the next time you're on track, it's faster than it looks!

MG TF
Price : £24,995
Why you should: 350hp per tonne, useful other upgrades, not likely to see another!
Why you shouldn't: See the price...

See the original advert.

Watch the dyno run (with flames!).

[Source:]

RE: Mercedes SLS AMG: You Know You Want To

Thursday 17th March
Mercedes SLS AMG: You Know You Want To
20,000 miles a year in an SLS?

20,000 miles a year in an SLS? Someone already has, now's your chance to continue it!

It's easy to get lost in the current Mercedes AMG line up, what with the latest range of '43' models recently added too. So here's an SLS AMG, a model that was and remains far simpler to understand: it was launched with a big V8, then came, then there was theand, finally, the.

Spotless outside...

The SLS seems to have slipped off the radar with the's arrival, and it's easy to forget that this was AMG's first ground-up car. Anticipation was running very high prior to launch and, by and large, it delivered on expectation.

This one looks rather nice, doesn't it? Black is quite a rare colour for the SLS as most are silver or white, and it contrasts nicely with the cream leather. The wheels are unkerbed and the interior looks very clean, albeit a little old compared with the latest Mercedes cabins.

Amazingly though, the car you see here as covered more than 100,000 miles. 108,254 according to the trip computer. Really. Even if this car is six years old already - it was first registered in 2010 - then that's an average of 18,000 miles a year. In an SLS!

But it would be hard to tell, as alluded to above; there's nothing in the images to suggest it has done more miles in six years than most of these cars will do in a lifetime. This implies not just a high level of care from the owner, but hopefully a return to really solid Mercedes build quality too.

... and looking good in here too. Who would know?

Interestingly the price is an almost identical number to the mileage, this SLS for sale at £109,850. The days of thehave disappeared, values clearly having strengthened over recent years. Have they become rarer? More desirable perhaps? All insight welcome!

While it may look more than you were expecting, that's £30,000 less than thein the value ranks, with 50,000 recorded miles. Is that enough of a saving? Now we're into a debate...

The engine is of course used elsewhere in the Mercedes AMG range, but even amongst those it's hard to find one with a six-figure mileage. There aren't many known issues with the engine (check the) or the seven-speed dual-clutch, so the area probably of most concern is the electrics. Check everything works, as there's a lot in there. It's probably worth budgeting for the replacement of some consumable too if they haven't been done recently. Or they could be used as a negotiating tool...

Here's the proof

Surely any potential buyer of this SLS would have to continue using it extensively, set some kind of record and have a lot of fun in the process. You never know, Mercedes might buy it back one day for the museum, like Otto the G-Wagen . At the current rate a quarter of a million miles is only a few years away. Fuel costs? Well, we all have our vices. Next question!

It's a fascinating car, the PH office divided between taking a punt on what must be a one-of-a-kind SLS, or striving to find the additional cash for a car with fewer miles. What would you do? We'd love to know!

MERCEDES-BENZ SLS AMG
Price : £109,850
Why you should : Well it's a talking point, isn't it?
Why you shouldn't : Still a six-figure sum for a car with a six-figure mileage

See the original advert.

RE: Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34): Spotted

Tuesday 8th March
Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34): Spotted
Not standard and not Bayside Blue, but it is a UK car and really rather lovely
In Japanese fast car folklore, UK market R34 Skyline GT-Rs rank very highly indeed.

rank very highly indeed. Combine stunning ability in the real world with fame in the virtual one and extreme rarity too - just 80 were converted for the UK - and you have a legend in the making.

A view familiar to so many!

is one of those UK cars, converted in 2000 by Middlehurst Nissan in St Helens. All 80 were worked on there, with changes such as removing the speed limiter, adding oil and gearbox coolers plus fitting the Multi Function Display. If you were lucky enough to get hold of one, a UK GT-R would have cost £54,000.

As cars like the GT-R, Supra and RX-7 head towards classic status, so demand increases for standard and unmodified examples. The problem being that these cars responded so well to tuning, making the quest for untouched examples becomes even more challenging.

This GT-R is modified, but this is not some million horsepower special. Power is up to around 400hp and the rev limit a conservative 7,750rpm. The clutch is uprated to deal with the additional power and the HKS exhaust there to make the most of it.

Lightly fettled, but 400hp or so sounds fun

The wheels are Rota Grids, well suited to seemingly any Japanese performance car. Interestingly this Skyline is on Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s as well, so it would be fascinating to know how such a car behaves with some of the best modern performance rubber on it. With the added benefit of adjustable Bilstein coilovers too...

Where this car is perhaps a little more controversial is the bodykit. Yes, it's a NISMO kit and therefore more in keeping with a Nissan than some others, but it's easy to see how some may prefer the mechanical upgrades in a standard body. It does at least look very well fitted and rather suits the GT-R's aggressive aesthetic.

The decent pictures here are backed up with a very detailed ad, which is always nice to see. Moreover, this GT-R has had five owners and 80,000 miles, meaning it's been used enough that the next owner could continue driving it and not feel the need to mollycoddle it. Unlike thewe featured back in 2013, here's a GT-R that could be enjoyed still.

Those wheels and Cup 2s? Give it!

It goes to show the growing allure of the classic GT-Rs that this car isn't much cheaper. That £50,000 Skyline was a standard car with 600 miles; this modified car with 80,000 miles is for sale at £36,450. Now there are R34s also, various modified and imported cars, but this is the only UK car for sale. And you could get an R35 too, but is that a fair comparison?

For some this Skyline will appear over the top, too loud and a bit outdated. For others it's an icon, representing arguably the best era of Japanese performance cars and a car they would give anything to own - count us among the latter group. What a thing!

NISSAN SKYLINE GT-R R34 V-SPEC
Engine : 2,568cc, inline-6 twin-turbo
Transmission : 6-speed manual, all-wheel drive
Power (hp) : 280@6,800rpm
Torque (lb ft) : 293@4,400rpm
MPG : N/A
CO2 : N/A
First registered : 2001
Recorded mileage : 82,000
Price new : £54,000
Price now : £36,450

See the original advert.

[Figures for standard car]

RE: BMW M3 (E30) BTCC car: You Know You Want To

Thursday 10th March
BMW M3 (E30) BTCC car: You Know You Want To
New racing cars are good but old ones are better, right?

Even with the introduction of a, it's probably fair to say the BTCC isn't quite the draw it once was for motorsport fans. Now wait and watch as 2016 is an unforgettable season...

Now this is a race livery. And a stance

It's the Super Touring era of the 90s that is so fondly remembered by many, bringing together iconic cars, circuits and drivers for a decade of fantastic touring cars. There was huge manufacturer support with packed grids of cars from Audi, BMW, Renault, Toyota, Vauxhall, Peugeot and many more. Having Murray Walker doing the TV commentary must have helped too.

Now while the BMW E30 M3 was probably known better for the Group A era of BTCC, it did feature early on in Super Touring before the E36 3 Series arrived. Like its Ford Sierra contemporary, the M3 is still revered a quarter of a century later as a touring car legend.

And here's one for sale! This is a car used by Tim Harvey in the 1991 season, one of five built that year for Harvey and Will Hoy, the latter of course 1991 champion. This car won at Silverstone and took two podiums on the way to Harvey taking eighth in the championship. We're trying to find that Silverstone race on YouTube, but until thenfrom the dealer has some great period footage included.

Wow

Watching old BTCC clips - purely for research, you understand - it isn't hard to realise why the series was so popular. High-revving engines, manual gearboxes and drivers not afraid to get stuck in are part of it, but also the fact that there's so many different cars that are all relatable to those you would have seen on the road. Ostensibly touring cars isn't that much different today, but there's something about the 90s stuff that appeals more. Then again, that was probably said about the then-new touring cars 25 years ago, and how much better things were in the 70s...

This particular M3 has always been in the Labatt's livery with its excellent 'Don't Drink & Drive' decal, which there seems no need to change. It has most recently been competing in the HSCC Super Touring Car Challenge and is apparently ready to race, so it would be rude not to carry on really. Best polish up your heel-and-toe skills.

The Labatt's M3 is listed at POA in this advert; all guesses on what it might actually cost welcome! For some point of reference thefeatured recently cost £250K, so is more than £100,000 realistic for this? Have M3 racing cars risen like M3 road cars? If there is a very healthy track car budget lying around, this looks like a very entertaining place to invest it. And if not,has hours of 90s BTCC footage - enjoy!

BMW M3 (E30)
Price: POA (probably a lot)
Why you should: Iconic touring car with BTCC provenance
Why you shouldn't: Could probably have a 500hp Sierra for the same money

See the original advert.

RE: TVR Cerbera: Spotted

Friday 26th February
TVR Cerbera: Spotted
20 years young and still has unhinged as ever, this Cerbera looks a steal at £17K
Now though it may look like we've picked just the first TVR in a bold colour that cropped up in the classifieds, this Cerbera has been selected for a reason.

has been selected for a reason. It's feature worthy because it's one of the first Cerberas produced after the 1995 British motor show debut and is therefore 20 years old.

How must this have looked in the mid-1990s?

20 years old! Of course a lot has changed for TVR in those two decades but the Cerbera will always remain a significant point in its history for the debut of the AJP8 V8 engine. There could be a whole story on that engine but suffice it to say the car is undoubtedly important. As the basis for the Speed 12 also, the Cerbera always appeared quite exotic.

On top of that, it was and remains a big car on PistonHeads. Doing a bit of reading for this story reveals a large(including queries such as 'What is the breeze I'm getting in the back of my neck?'), a 2001 road test of theand a very enthusiasticstory from 2008. For PH the Cerbera will always be held in special regard.

But enough of the past. In 2016, what makes the Cerbera - indeed, any TVR - so enticing is the rawness compared to anything else that could be purchased brand new. Of course that was always the case with TVR, but the point will be even starker as modern cars become ever more sensible. It will surely be a keen aim of the new TVR project, and quite some achievement if they can do it. There will be some fear factor with over 300hp and no driving aids, but isn't that part of the appeal?

When exhaust pipes were properly sized

This Cerbera is one of three from 1996 in the PH classifieds and particularly appeals in this colour with the Spider wheels and a full service history too. Though there's a lot to be said for a Cerberaas well...

Normally at this point in a Spotted or something similar we would suggest a rival at similar money. But if you want a TVR, nothing else is really going to do the job. Of course you could spend more on a TVR, right up to anow...

TVRs have always been a brave purchase, but now more than ever there's a wealth of advice to make sure you buy the best one possible. We aren't experts on buying them - you'll find those in the forum - but this Cerbera looks jolly nice for not a lot of money. And it proffers an excuse to share thattoo.

TVR CERBERA
Engine : 4,280cc, V8
Transmission : 5-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp) : 365@6,500rpm
Torque (lb ft) : 320@4,500rpm
MPG : N/A
CO2 : N/A
First registered : 1996
Recorded mileage : 25,000
Price new : £41,100
Price now : £16,995

See the original advert.

RE: Honda CR-X: Spotted

Wednesday 24th February
Honda CR-X: Spotted
Well the CR-X wasn't going to stay cheap forever...
Enough of the new cars coming at Geneva for a second; it's time to trawl through the classifieds!

Enough of the new cars coming at Geneva for a second; it's time to trawl through the classifieds! And it would appear we've struck gold today with a stunning. Two, in fact, but we'll discuss the second shortly.

When cars were just about the right size

The CR-X was last featured on PH when Harris wrote about a tuned Japanese import. This car is a little different, as you may have noticed, as a completely standard UK CR-X. Right down to some rather tired looking Firestone tyres, this car looks like it hasn't long driven out of 1990. OK, the red paint may once have been more lustrous, but there can't be many CR-Xs around in better condition than this.

More to the point, the CR-X remains a really cool little car. This second-gen car was always more desirable than the Del Sol that replaced it, now arguably even more than ever. And the CR-Z was never really a fitting successor. This CR-X looked superb and didn't weigh very much either, meaning it went very well with just 130hp and handled nicely too. There was a modicum of practicality too with those odd rear seats and it presented an intriguing alternative to the usual French hot hatch suspects.

Need a more usable, less perfect CR-X? Voila!

Back then it was more expensive than its European rivals, but that's changed today. This CR-X with very low mileage, an exhaustive service history and apparently excellent condition is £6,295. Athat's a few years older with twice the mileage is just a couple of hundred pounds less. An importedfrom the same year as the Honda is £10,995, still with more miles. Suddenly what was a fairly expensive little car looks a lot better value. Of course it's not as iconic as those cars, but that's still some saving.

Moreover, there's another CR-X in the classifieds. If the red car is perhaps a little too nice for regular use,would be the perfect substitute. It has another 40,000 miles and, despite a decade in storage, has been recently restored with a host of fresh components. Imagine the looks of admiration at a Jap car show in that!

What we're saying is, grab a CR-X while they're actually for sale and before they rust away. Yes, there are faster fast Hondas to be had for the money and more iconic 90s hot hatches too, but the CR-X is rare, different and jolly good fun. Go on!

HONDA CR-X
Engine : 1,590cc, inline-4
Transmission : 5-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp) : 130@6,800rpm
Torque (lb ft) : 106@5,700rpm
MPG : N/A
CO2 : N/A
First registered : 1990
Recorded mileage : 51,000
Price new : N/A
Price now : £6,295

See the original advert.

[Specs:]

RE: Morgan Sunday Service 17/4/2016

Monday 11th April
Factory tours and more at this weekend's very special Sunday Service
Spring has seemingly sprung at last!

Spring has seemingly sprung at last! So what better place for our next Sunday Service than a car maker renowned for its thrilling open-top sports cars?

For the third year running Morgan has kindly agreed to open its doors to PistonHeads, offering up to 250 PHers (reduced due to parking restrictions) the privilege of a rare glimpse behind the scenes with a factory tour. Operating from the same factory that built the first Morgan back in 1910, the cars are still predominantly assembled by hand and many of the original processes involved in manufacturing a Morgan car remain in place today.

Attendees will also also have the chance to experience 15-minute passenger rides in a Morgan through the Malvern Hills in exchange for a charitable donation of just £10. These will be held on a first come, first served basis.There will also be the usual opportunity to purchase refreshments and merchandise throughout the morning.

Add your name to the calendar.

Morgan Motor Company
Pickersleigh Road
Malvern Link
Worcestershire
WR14 2LL

Make sure you put your name down quickly for this one as we are limited to 300 spaces.

We look forward to seeing you in Malvern!

Ollie

RE: V8s for the win: PH Blog

Saturday 2nd April
V8s for the win: PH Blog
Mustang lands in the UK and we're nicking it to bring to Santa Pod
My visit to the New York show last week was a nice way to get in the mood for yesterday's first go with the new Ford Mustang.

My visit to the New York show last week was a nice way to get in the mood for yesterday's first go with the new Ford Mustang. Plenty of others have driven it already but this was my first chance to try it, and on UK roads too.

Wouldn't be a new car launch without some old cars

The day started well with a dawn chorus of spluttering V8s outside my bedroom window at the hotel Ford u for the event. The new one sounds proper, the two carb-fed 289s brought along to complete the display out front even angrier in the cold morning air. If PH did alarm clocks and all that...

A full review to follow in due course but it's hugely heartening to see cars like the Mustang hitting the market. From hot hatches to supercars it feels like the industry is waking up to the fact enthusiasts have been left a little cold by the latest generation of tech-heavy performance cars. Sure, Porsche has seemingly responded in its own way but the Mustang does so rather more dramatically. Even if it seems a close run thing as to which is harder to secure at your local dealer.

See you at the strip!

That aside in this day and age it seems a little rebellious to be sitting behind a 5.0-litreand slotting a stubby little manual shifter into gear. But that's exactly the kind of currency the Mustang has always traded on, seemingly brilliantly rebooted for the modern age. After my drive I did some price swotting to see how it compares with the competition too. The car you see here - as specced - costs £37,375. Its £34,995 asking price would, from the German rivals, score you a BMW 420i xDrive with a four-cylinder turbo, a Mercedes C220d Coupe with a four-cylinder diesel or an Audi A5 with the choice of 2.0-litre petrol or diesel power. The most powerful of that lot packs 230hp against the Mustang's 421hp. The V8 equivalents from these ranges - the C63 Coupe and RS5 - would cost you nearly double the price of the Mustang 5.0 GT. Yee, and indeed, haw.

I had to leave for home before getting to try thethat gives you 15 seconds of wheel spinnin', rubber burnin' fun in the name of getting your rear tyres sticky for the quarter mile. If only we were holding a Sunday Service at a drag strip this weekend and were to bring this bright yellow Mustang along ... oh, hang on, we are! Yes, the car you see here will bethis weekend so if you fancy your chances against it make sure you're signed up to ourand we'll see you on the strip! We've already got a date with a PHer with a manual BMW M4. Anyone else up for it?

Dan

RE: Morgan Sunday Service 17/4/2016

Monday 11th April
Factory tours and more at this weekend's very special Sunday Service
Spring has seemingly sprung at last!

Spring has seemingly sprung at last! So what better place for our next Sunday Service than a car maker renowned for its thrilling open-top sports cars?

For the third year running Morgan has kindly agreed to open its doors to PistonHeads, offering up to 250 PHers (reduced due to parking restrictions) the privilege of a rare glimpse behind the scenes with a factory tour. Operating from the same factory that built the first Morgan back in 1910, the cars are still predominantly assembled by hand and many of the original processes involved in manufacturing a Morgan car remain in place today.

Attendees will also also have the chance to experience 15-minute passenger rides in a Morgan through the Malvern Hills in exchange for a charitable donation of just £10. These will be held on a first come, first served basis.There will also be the usual opportunity to purchase refreshments and merchandise throughout the morning.

Add your name to the calendar.

Morgan Motor Company
Pickersleigh Road
Malvern Link
Worcestershire
WR14 2LL

Make sure you put your name down quickly for this one as we are limited to 300 spaces.

We look forward to seeing you in Malvern!

Ollie

RE: BMW to be star car brand of Goodwood FoS

Monday 11th April
BMW to be star car brand of Goodwood FoS
Pride of place on Lord March's lawn for BMW
BMW motorsport fans should start stocking up on Voltarol ready for the Goodwood Festival of Speed this June: BMW has been announced as 2016's featured marque and three classic motorsport BMWs are to feature on the Gerry Judah-created central sculpture feature.

Part of Goodwood FoS 2016's slight mouthful of a theme - 'Full Throttle - The Endless Pursuit of Power' - the central feature will carry a gorgeous BMW 328 Mille Miglia Roadster, plus the beautiful, 1983 title-winning Brabham-BMW BT52 and the BMW V12 LMR that won Le Mans in 1999 (still BMW's only victory at la Sarthe).

That's not all BMW's sending across from the Munich heritage museum, either. Running up the Goodwood hill will be a 1957 BMW 507, another BMW 328 Touring Coupe (from 1940) and an early BMW touring car, the 1965 BMW 1800 Ti/SA homologation special that was such a star of the Spa 24 Hours in the mid-60s.

Bringing us up to date with BMW Motorsport GmbH will be the M4 GTS, starring at Goodwood for the first time in both static and live display. It'll be joined by umpteen brethren in the BMW M Avenue, lining up 40 years of M products including the delicious new M2. Continuing the theme, there'll be a BMW Pavilion with non-M products, including the first special edition BMW i8, the Protonic Red Edition.

Expect not just BMW-branded vehicles to feature heavily either: because it's BMW Group, MINI and Rolls-Royce are also going to star. Indeed, rumour has it that one or both brands could reveal their own edition of BMW Group 100th anniversary special at Goodwood, following on from the BMW Vision Next 100 concept revealed last month. Meanwhile, PH2ers will get to see machinery include a 1966 BMW R50 S Kaczor, 1976 BMW R90 S 76 and 1929 BMW WR 750 Kompressor in action up the hill.

It's certainly pleased Lord March, who's overseen a long BMW-Goodwood relationship over the years. "BMW has been one of the Festival's most loyal and enthusiastic partners for 19 years. I am thrilled to be celebrating their centenary, and our long-standing relationship, with a BMW Central Feature."

The Goodwood Festival of Speed this year runs from 23-26 June; the first day, Thursday, is Moving Motor Show and press preview day, with FoS 2016 opening in full on Friday 24 June. Tickets? Yes, they're still available: the Moving Motor Show is £32 for adults, with FoS Friday costing £55, Saturday and Sunday costing £65 per day. If you have serious BMW fever, a weekend pass is £147 with children under 12 going in free.

RE: Jaguar F-Pace: Review

Sunday 10th April
Jaguar F-Pace: Review
The most important new car Jaguar has ever made?

The most important new car Jaguar has ever made? Discuss...

Whatever your views on SUVs, crossovers and the like the mainstream appetite for such vehicles appears insatiable. Indeed, by Jaguar's own estimates the market is due to grow by another 50 per cent over the next four years. Anybody still clinging on to a romantic notion of Jaguar simply as the British brand for sports saloons and coupes - or indeed for actually resurrecting the past -has to accept that an off-roader will soon be Jaguar's biggest seller.

The importance of theto Jaguar explains how it looks too. For markets familiar with theand, its styling is clearly related. But where they are niche vehicles, the F-Pace will be the mainstream and established Jaguar design; XFs will look like F-Paces to them and not the other way around. Hence a front end that resembles an XF and the strong F-Type influence at the rear.

There's time allotted on the launch event for Ian Callum to talk us around the F-Pace, and he has some interesting points to make. See how far forward the front wheels sit, how far back the cabin is relative to those and how the window line tapers away and narrows towards the rear. It's appears a very well proportioned and beautifully detailed car, arguably more stylish than the first rivals that come to mind. Even if the First Edition Caesium Blue paint and 22-inch wheels do flatter the car somewhat.

Familiar styling cues sit well. Sunshine helps

Roll hoops
Ah yes, those 22-inch wheels. There are a variety of designs available on the options list, and the 'Double Helix' rims are standard on the First Edition. And do you know what? The F-Pace really works on them, still riding with the fluency and composure you would expect of a Jaguar. Naturally the ride is improved by opting for the smaller wheels, but not by as much as you might expect. They even look quite difficult to kerb, what with a reasonable 40-profile tyre. Keep an eye out on your local high street for inconsolable owners if it does happen though...

Our first miles on these wheels are in the petrol-powered First Edition that won't be sold in the UK; if you want this signature spec it's diesel only with the 380hp petrol V6 available as a regular S model. Either way, as you would hope from a £65K Jaguar SUV with nearly 400hp, it feels really rather lovely on smooth - and quite featureless - Montenegrin roads; terrifically fast, fabulously luxurious and supremely refined. But not especially relevant. And it's a brave owner who will ever drink a coffee in a car with leather this white.

Far more applicable to the UK is the 300hp V6 diesel, available to test in Portfolio spec. Got it? Whatever the trim combination, the 300hp diesel feels like the pick of the F-Pace range immediately.

V6 petrol predictably pleasant on the road

Pressing on
In the petrol V6 there's a nagging sense it should be driven as the engine wants - namely, quite quickly indeed. It makes a great noise and likes to rev, egging the driver on to push just a little bit more. And, well, when the roads become really testing and indeed interesting, the F-Pace can get a little ruffled. It takes a while to settle through direction changes or after a mid-corner bump, with the brakes too not feeling especially reassuring after a few downhill stops. Granted, these were driving scenarios that will rarely be encountered in the UK, or indeed by typical F-Pace owners, but that doesn't prevent the suspicion that a - whisper it -may have dealt with the road more confidently. And that's 600 words before the Porsche is mentioned.

Anyway, the F-Pace's generally more relaxed gait better suits the torquey and effortless diesel. As the roads open out so the Jaguar shines, steering spot on for an electric system, gearbox shifting smoothly and the ride very well judged. Frustrating though it is for a cynical journalist to agree with the PR spiel, the F-Pace does drive in a manner entirely familiar from other Jaguar models. Funnily enough it's much like the XF 3.0d in fact, which is certainly a good thing. Just a bit higher up.

There's a key area where the SUV improves on the saloon though: infotainment. Yes, Jaguar finally has a system to take on the best, the new InControl Touch Pro system significantly improved on the touchscreens in theand XF. It responds more swiftly, looks more attractive and functions more intelligently. Some may bemoan the lack of buttons but, such is the intuitiveness of the touchscreen, they will surely soon be convinced. It isn't quite perfect - the navigation occasionally getting its waypoints confused - but it's a big step in the right direction. The materials inside feel expensive too, the overriding impression of quality from the build and that new screen enough to distract from some rather ordinary switchgear lower down the dash.

Can do this, and more off-roading too if required

The you in SUV
While we're on the less interesting everyday stuff, it's worth noting that the F-Pace is a genuinely practical SUV too. Largely this is down to the size, sitting as it does in terms of length between cars like the Macan and Q5 but beneath the X5. The boot is large and flat, six-footers can sit behind each other and there's plentiful headroom. Heck, even the Activity Key works easily if you're one of those people cool enough to do actual lifestyle stuff at the weekend. It is a wide car however, measuring 38mm broader than the Audi; on narrow roads it feels every one of those 1,936mm.

Interestingly the drive of the four-cylinder diesel F-Pace takes place after those with 300hp or more. A foolish move? No, actually. Reception appears to have been mixed on the new Ingenium engine in the XE and Discovery Sport, too much diesel clatter being the main issue. But rather like the infotainment system, it feels like this engine has been further refined for use in the F-Pace.

Certainly those familiar with the Ingenium diesel from previous experience noticed a reduction in noise and vibration. It's a perfectly acceptable diesel, working at its best from just before 2,000rpm to around 3,500rpm and delivering decent performance when allied to the eight-speed auto. Of course it's not quite the event the six-cylinder engines are, but the 180hp diesel comfortably fulfils all realistic expectations both on and off road - it doesn't feel like the lesser derivative the spec sheet may lead you to believe.

It's good alright - expect plenty on the roads soon!

Kick in the but
However. You knew this was coming, right? The F-Pace's report card cannot be blemish-free, unfortunately. Closer inspection of that spec sheet will reveal a few numbers that don't show off the Jaguar too well. Firstly, the much hyped 129g/km diesel model is only possible with two driven wheels and a manual gearbox. Having experienced how capable it actually is off road with AWD and how well integrated the automatic gearbox is, it seems unlikely any F-Paces will be specified without them. An automatic, AWD four-cylinder diesel actually emits 139g/km. Not a huge gain, but it will make a difference on company car tax. As will the fact adding an auto and AWD adds £3,690 to the price... A Mercedes GLC 220d, for example, can offer the same performance and efficiency figures with standard all-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox.

The F-Pace is not a cheap car either, most probably as a result of its slightly awkward positioning. As an example, the V6 diesel that proved so likeable is £51,450 in S spec. An Audi SQ5 is more powerful, faster and £5,975 cheaper. A Macan diesel is £45,942. A four-cylinder diesel F-Pace is £42,800 in range-topping Portfolio spec without any options. But if you've tried the V6 diesel, that's the engine you'll want.

Jaguar would counteract all this number crunching with a stat of its own though: on pre-orders this is the most popular Jaguar Land Rover product ever, with more F-Paces ordered up until a month before the launch date than even the Range Rover Sport back in 2013. It would appear the current desirability of the Jaguar brand, the styling and indeed the price were enough to tempt a great many customers to the F-Pace before it had been driven. On this experience it's easy to see how plenty more will now be drawn to Jaguar's first SUV as well - it's fantastic.

JAGUAR F-PACE 2.0D
Engine: 1,999cc, four-cyl diesel
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive (all-wheel drive optional)
Power (hp): 180@4,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 317@1,750rpm
0-62mph: 8.9 seconds (8.7 for both AWD and AWD auto)
Top speed: 130mph (130mph for AWD, 129mph for AWD auto)
Weight: from 1,665kg (1,767kg for AWD, 1,775kg for AWD auto)
MPG: 57.6 (NEDC combined, 54.3 for AWD and 53.3 for AWD auto)
CO2: 129g/km (134g/km for AWD, 139g/km for AWD auto)
Price: £34,170 (for Prestige, add £2,500 for R-Sport or £5,000 for Portfolio)

JAGUAR F-PACE 3.0D AWD S
Engine: 2,993cc, V6 diesel
Transmission: 8-speed ZF automatic, all-wheel drive
Power (hp): 300@4,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 516@2,000rpm
0-62mph: 6.2sec
Top speed: 150mph
Weight: from 1,884kg
MPG: 47.1 (NEDC combined)
CO2: 159g/km
Price: £51,450

JAGUAR F-PACE 3.0 V6 S
Engine: 2,995cc, supercharged V6
Transmission: 8-speed ZF automatic, all-wheel drive
Power (hp): 380@6,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 332@4,500rpm
0-62mph: 5.5sec
Top speed: 155mph
Weight: from 1,861kg
MPG: 31.7 (NEDC combined)
CO2: 209g/km
Price: £51,450

Watch the promo video

RE: Porsche restores 911 S/T for Techno Classica

Monday 11th April
Porsche restores 911 S/T for Techno Classica
Yes, it's another old Porsche restoration, but would you just look at it?!

In the long and often bewildering history of properly special Porsche 911s, a few stand out above the rest. The 911 S/T is most certainly one of those, as significant (if not more so) in the family lineage as RSRs and GT2s. A motorsport package offered in the early 70s for the 911 S, it cost 49,680 marks and was eligible for Group 3 and 4 racing. Moreover, just 24 were built by Porsche; various backdates have recreated the look, but genuine S/Ts really are that rare.

Must have been two years very hard work...

This 911 is a bona fide S/T, a Le Mans class winner no less, purchased at the end of 1971 by Michael Keyser and raced extensively during the 1972 season. In fact, consider this for a racing year: the light yellow (paint code 117) S/T competed at the Sebring 12-Hour, the Daytona Six-Hour, the Targa Florio and the 1000Km Nurburgring enduro as well as taking that Le Mans win.

But this 911 suffered a far less glorious fate after that, apparently being left abandoned for many years until being picked up by a US collector a few years back. Look at the state of it then! Not only had it been crashed and badly repaired, the rust was extensive and, according to the Porsche Classic experts, the roof damage was commensurate with children using it as a "welcome playmate for a considerable length of time."

The repair work included hand building parts of the flared wings, a new roof, a new tank bottom and a cathodic dip painting coat to prevent any further rust. The restoration has taken two years, and the Techno Classica show is the first time it has been seen outside of Porsche. Still, enough details - feast your eyes on the pics!

RE: Liam Doran: PH Meets

Sunday 10th April
Liam Doran: PH Meets
You can drive his car virtually in DiRT Rally but we fancied a chat with the man himself too!

Clad in Monster Energy apparel, and with a ragged ponytail hanging from beneath his baseball cap, first impressions of Liam Doran seemingly conform to the sometimes controversial image attributed to him. Juxtaposed against this the soft Home Counties accent, professional pride and modesty suggests greater depth than he's often credited with. Our chance to talk to him came at the launch for- which now includes Rallycross - to discuss his sport, his career thus far and the pending arrival of Sebastien Loeb into his realm.

Obviously your father was heavily involved in Rallycross - was that the main motivation for you to get into the sport?
"Rallycross became my passion because, I think like every son, I wanted to be like my dad. Me perhaps more than most because with my dad being a professional racing driver, he was my hero. So it seemed natural for me to do that."

Having proven yourself in the British Rallycross Championship you had the opportunity to work with Kenneth Hanson in 2010; what did you learn from him and what impact do you think he had on your career?
"Most of the stuff I know today to be honest. Getting the opportunity to work with Kenneth was like being a footballer and going to live with Arsene Wenger. He's won more than anybody's won or come close to winning in Rallycross, so it was the best thing I did really because I learnt so much. It was a great opportunity that he gave me and I'm very lucky and thankful for the opportunity that I got. He's become even more successful now in recent years, not as a driver but as a team owner, so he's doing great."

So would you say that his example was a contributing factor behind you wanting to manage your own team as well as driving?
"Yeah, you could say that. The difference between then and now though is that the sport's grown so much. At the time when I decided to start my own team, the sport wasn't massive, the budgets weren't huge, and there weren't a huge range of options out there for drivers. So rather than me wanting to be a team owner, it was more that I needed to be because I didn't want to go and drive for the couple of teams that were available. Whereas now it makes much more sense to go and drive for one of the factory teams. There are so many teams building cars, it's almost a waste of my time trying to compete with them because they do that solely, day in day out. Going forward, it's more likely that I'll be driving for a team rather than running my own because it just makes more sense nowadays. Being a driver's hard enough without having to run a team as well."

What do you think the main differences are between a rally driver and a Rallycross driver?
"Being a Rallycross driver you have to put every single thing you have on the line to win. If you're not pushing past the safety limit then you're not going to win a race because the other guys are going so fast nowadays that you have to go that far. And the reason why is that in Rallycross there's a safety barrier, there's a comfort zone - you can go off, you can go wide, you can touch each other and you're not going to crash. You have to take that risk. In rally you'd be in trouble, because there's no room for error at all. Rally driving is very much about discipline and calculation, not pushing yourself past the limit. One mistake can take you out of the whole event, whereas in Rallycross there's always a way to get back."

Would you ever want to try your hand at rallying then?
"I would be very bad at rallying because I would crash straight away - I'm a true Rallycross driver. You could say rally drivers are more skilled because they can push to the limit and not go over it. But then, on the other side, when you bring a rally driver [into Rallycross], such as Petter Solberg in his first year, or Marcus Gronholm when he raced, they're top top rally drivers who struggled to find the pace to compete, because they're used to going right to the limit and not past it. Maybe rally drivers are more skilled but Rallycross drivers are more committed."

Do you think that's why you were able to beat Marcus Gronholm in 2011 to win your X-Games Gold medal?
"Yes, because he was still very new to Rallycross and I'd always done it. I definitely wasn't the better or more skilled driver, I would say I was just willing to take more risks at that time. You might say that's crazy, watching in car footage of a rally stage in Finland and then saying there's not commitment in rally driving. I don't mean there's no commitment in rally driving. Rallycross is nowhere near as scary or dangerous, I would never have the balls to go through those stages as close to the trees as they do, it just takes a different kind of mentality.

"And I think Sebastien Loeb might be exactly the same. He's coming in this year and it's really fast and there are no bad drivers. He's an amazing driver, probably the world's best driver, but I think it might take him a couple of races to get the hang of it before he starts winning, and then he'll probably start winning..." [laughs]

How do you think Rallycross is perceived in general against WRC?
"Well, you have circuit racing and you have rally and they're the two types of motorsport that have been done since the first cars were built. It's really good for Rallycross to even be associated with rally on such a high level. Is Rallycross level with WRC though? No, I don't think it is.

"I mean, it's a huge deal to win the World Rallycross Championship, but it's a bigger deal to win WRC. The next question would be, will Rallycross take over from rally and I think it will. I think in modern times, Rallycross is more suitable to people's lifestyles and is more viewable than rally is, so I think World Rallycross will become bigger than World Rally."

What has working with Petter Solberg been like?
"Working with Petter has been very different than working with someone like Kenneth Hanson. Again, Petter's got vast amounts of experience and is a massively successful driver and talent and team owner and so on. He's a massive help, knows a lot and is brilliant. He has a different mentality than most towards racing though, but it works obviously. He's three times World Champion, two times World Rallycross Champion and now going for his third title this year. What can I say? He's done a lot more than I have. He's different to work with than others, but it works for him so fair play."

Do you think the newer format has made it easier for more rally drivers to make the switch to Rallycross?
"I think the good guys who've switched such as Sebastien Loeb, Petter Solberg, Mattias Ekstrom, Tanner Foust and so on, all of whom have come from different disciplines within motorsport, have all had to learn a lot before they've become good at Rallycross. But yes, it's closer now because now it requires that extra discipline and consistency which it didn't before, it just needed you to go as fast as you possibly could. So yeah, it's become more suitable for those guys but it's still not directly suited to them, they have a lot to learn.

"I'm not saying I know everything though. Sebastien Loeb is probably the best driver in the world, maybe of all time, but I'm sure if you asked him the same question he'd say the same thing. It's just great for the sport that people are thinking of switching across. When I think I've been around the sport for so many years, how small it was when I started to now having the stature of drivers that are in it this year, it's crazy."

[Photos:

RE: Land Rover Series I reborn

Sunday 10th April
Land Rover Series I reborn
JLR plunders barns and hedgerows to find 25 Series I Landies to restore and sell 'as new'
It was just the other week we had confirmation the Heritage operations of Jaguar and Land Rover were being rebranded into a new Classic department .

. Shortly after we had news of its first project, anfollowing on from a similar series of newly constructed. Now we have a Land Rover spin on the theme, the Solihull wing of the Classic business confirming it will rebuild 25 Series I Land Rovers to factory condition and sell them as fully restored vehicles as close to 'new' as is possible.

If Land Rover did 10 Years Younger...

The idea is to showcase what can be done using Land Rover Classic's combination of original parts support and in-house restoration expertise, picking 25 Series I chassis from around the world, restoring them to 1948 specification using original parts and then selling them on. Customers will be able to "select their preferred base vehicle" with the help of the department's experts, choose one of five original colours and then follow the restoration on the old Defender line at Solihull.

As the press release has it, "Reborn offers 25 prospective customers the unique opportunity to purchase an original and highly collectable Land Rover Series I directly from Land Rover Classic."

It's gonna be pricey!

How much for a 'new' Series I then? Land Rover Classic isn't saying but a quick hunt around online reveals prices start from anything in the few thousands to as much as £45K for something like this immaculate looking, two-owner Series I with a John Brown 4x4 in North Yorkshire. A quick chat with the chaps there suggests this is nudging the top end of the market for such cars, begging the question how far Land Rover can push the price with the cachet of limited availability and factory restoration. The Lightweight E-Types were reportedly £1m-plus - place your bets on Land Rover pushing for six figures by the time your Series I rolls off the Solihull line for the second time in its life.

But now the really thorny question. In the pictures supplied with the release Land Rover Classic has supplied a taste of 'before and after', the latter polished, burnished and, yes, as new. Would it not look more interesting and authentic restored to running order but left looking the way it is? Over to you...

[Source:]

RE: Porsche 718 Boxster S: Review

Saturday 9th April
Porsche 718 Boxster S: Review
Crunch time - does what we've lost make up for what we've gained?

Porsche can offset the loss of two cylinders and nearly a third of the engine capacity any way it likes with. It can devote all its engineering expertise into giving the new turbo four mid-range punch to leave the outgoing flat-six reeling, all the while delivering favourable figures on every line of the spec sheet, be it hp or g/km. It can make it faster. It can draw links back to iconic flat-four powered Porsches of the past. Indeed, it's done all of this.But for all the undoubted engineering skill the ultimate judgment about whether or not the 718 Boxster comes down to the way it sounds and the way it feels. The moment you first turn the key, those first few hundred yards of the- that'll be the decider.

And one where the 718 initially stumbles. The start-up blare could - almost - still be the full six-pack. But the idle that follows definitely isn't. Vibration that wasn't present before trembles through the bulkhead; the engine gnashes away, mechanical sounds not entirely drowned out by the optional Sports Exhaust. There's a thud-thud-thud pattern to the detonations that immediately brings to mind another famous flat-four engined car. Yes, there's more than a hint of Subaru about it. But, could it just be ... perhaps ... yes, a bit of VW Beetle? Our man on thedidn't agree. But, tellingly, the engineer he spoke to admitted the first version of the engine they built sang to a beat familiar from further back in Dr Porsche's back catalogue.

Family fortunes
And isn't that what makes thein its various forms just that little bit special? For all those who've looked down their noses it's always had the cylinder count to qualify as a 'proper Porsche'. Remove that from the equation and you're playing to the tiresome 911 uber alles snobbery that says the real thing can only have a flat six behind the rear axle.

We've done the hand-wringing already though. We've got a weekend with one of just two 718 Boxsters in the country and some driving to do.

Just a quick catch-up on what else has changed first. The looks are evolutionary but nearly every panel has changed, sharp crease lines atop front and rear wings tightening up the appearance and new lights front and back giving it a clearer signature. Then there's that 'fixed' rear wing (it actually isn't) and the Porsche script across the controversial 'accent strip'.

Inside there's a smarter, clearer infotainment interface, a Carrera-style mode switch on the smaller steering wheel and a 10 per cent quicker rack connecting it to the front wheels via 911 Turbo steering gear. Spring and damper rates are increased by undisclosed amounts, the dampers themselves getting bigger bore pistons. Brakes are bigger and there's an additional crossmember in the rear subframe.

Our test car has the optional Porsche Torque Vectoring (a mechanical limited-slip diff with electronic garnish), the 15mm smaller GT Sport steering wheel, the mid-level PASM adaptive suspension that sits between the standard passive and 20mm lower PASM Sport, Sport Chrono and optional 19-inch wheels. And a few other things that boost the price from £50,695 stock to ... £62,794 as tested. At least the six-speed manual is 'free'.

Bored to tears
In fairness it's not your average four-cylinder engine and a good deal more exotic than those transplanted from regular Fiats, Toyotas, BMWs and Mercs and inserted into 4Cs, Lotuses, Z4s and SLCs. Bored out, but sharing the same stroke as both the 2.0-litre 718 and the six-cylinder Carrera 3.0, it's seriously oversquare, offering the first sense of its character.

Whereashas kept its full complement of cylinders and a healthy amount of displacement there's no hiding the flat-four's heavier reliance on the turbo. The trick variable vane item in the 2.5-litre S boosts less heavily than the one in the 2.0 but the 718 feels very forced induction. Nicely so in fact.

Even in the standard mode the rev counter zips round at the slightest brush of the throttle, boost not far behind and the familiar sense a big hand has scooped you up and flung you down the road very noticeable. Even exiting a 30 zone in fifth it'll pick up without a grumble, pulling hard where the normally-aspirated engine would be shuddering like a minicabber trying to haul his Avensis off the line in fourth.

This means no real incentive to stir the shifter around for any reason other than changing the tone. Which is a pity because the action is short, positive and the pedals perfectly placed and weighted. The crispness of the throttle response makes heel'n'toe blips hugely satisfying too. Or it would if you didn't have to totally switch off the stability control to turn off the auto blipping in anything other than Comfort mode. Given the Boxster's natural balance that's hardly going to give you GT2 RS style greasy palms. But given it's a menu selection or button away from manual switchability is infuriating.

Four equals more
As the revs and speeds build the vibrations and reminders you're down two cylinders fade. The sheer pace of the thing rather dominates too - the S is rapid with a capital 'f' in any which gear you happen to be in. And it revs. And revs. By the 7,500rpm redline you'll be travelling extremely quickly in any gear but it never tails off, never gets breathless and has enormous reach from mid-range to redline.

Roll off the accelerator and the fuel is cut to the injectors but the throttle stays open, 'pre-conditioning' the turbo as Porsche has it and maintaining the flow of boost so when you get back on it the engine picks up immediately. Detail touches but this and the willingness to rev mark this out as a turbo engine of real depth and character. Not to mention punch. Say what you like about 'ring laps but the S's 7min 42sec is 16 seconds faster than the old S and only a couple of seconds off that of aor a Carrera S with all the active anti-roll and four-wheel steer goodies.

Boxsters have always been supremely balanced, confidence inspiring and agile but with the faster steering and firmer chassis settings the 718 S makes a 911 feel a bit slow-witted. And this with the 'mid' suspension. At road speeds there's not even a hint of understeer, the electric steering brilliantly weighted if not especially communicative. In compensation the consistency of control weight and response lets you construct a complete picture of what's going on, making it feel effortless without forgetting to be involving too.

Basically if the 718 Boxster had been launched on a world that had never experienced a six-cylinder predecessor the unconditional plaudits would be flooding in. But for those with memories of the previous cars it's hard to ignore how richer the sensory delights would be in these upper reaches of the performance range. That searing cam shift at 4,000rpm in the flat-six, the induction howl beyond it and the turbine-like smoothness of the old engine is - inescapably - something we'll miss, especially at the speeds and revs at which the four is simply a (very effective) tool for going fast.

Indeed, at times it's almost too responsive - maintaining a steady 70-and-a-bit cruise on a camera regulated motorway requires constant attention, given this is just where it's spooling up and wanting to let rip. 10 per cent plus two can very easily become 10 per cent plus rather too much; if you want to enjoy that impressive motorway refinement best cough up the additional £219 for cruise control.

Targetted praise
Does anyone outside of our world care though? The market demands a new Boxster be faster and more frugal than the one it replaces. Fewer cylinders and turbocharging are the only way that's going to happen. To many people the more impressive numbers on the spec sheet, the boosty rush of low-rev acceleration and ease with which the 718 both mooches and maxes out will matter more than the noise it makes. Especially in an area of the rev range few will ever linger in.

What it loses in charisma it gains in complexity and technical intrigue. And sheer pace. This is a rapid, rapid motor vehicle that can thrill as much as the more raw alternatives while offering all the luxury and toys you could wish for. Or, rather, pay extra for - see below.

Which brings us full circle. Does mourning what's been lost make you less receptive to what's been gained? Or are you willing to embrace the new world (firing) order and trade imperfect but engaging character for more ability? Speed still matters. How you wish to achieve it will determine your view of this new turbocharged Boxster.

PORSCHE 718 BOXSTER S
Engine : 2,497cc 4-cyl turbo
Transmission : 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp) : 350@6,700rpm
Torque (lb ft) : 310@1,900-4,500rpm
0-62mph : 4.6sec
Top speed : 177mph
Weight : 1,430kg (including 75kg driver/luggage)
MPG : 34.9
CO2 : 184g/km
Price : £50,695 (£62,794 as tested comprising of £558 for Rhodium silver metallic paint, £1,680 for Bordeaux red leather interior, £1,344 for LED main headlights including Porsche Dynamic light system plus, £348 for rear ParkAssist, £344 for roll-over bar with Aluminium look paint finish, £971 for Porsche Active Suspension Management, £890 for Porsche Torque Vectoring including mechanically locking rear differential, £1,125 for Sport Chrono package including mode switch, £332 for Automatically dimming mirrors with integrated rain sensor, £186 for GT sport steering wheel, £312 for Sports seats Plus, £284 for Seat heating, £122 for ISOFIX child seat mounting points, £138 for Porsche crests embossed on headrests, £1,052 for Navigation module for Porsche Communication Management, £284 for Digital radio, £801 for Connect plus and £1,328 for Sports exhaust)

Watch the video

RE: Happy birthday Skoda Octavia

Sunday 10th April
Happy birthday Skoda Octavia
Skoda celebrates 20 years of the no nonsense Octavia - we'll raise our brew to that!

If you're one of those insecure brand snob types - especially one hiding behind a VW or Audi badge - best turn the other way now. Because, yes, we're going to help Skoda celebrate 20 years of its Octavia, the Czech brand's quietly rebellious 'answer to everything' car we can't help having a bit of a soft spot for.The self congratulatory press-release (we'll give them that) Skoda has issued today reveals it has sold 5m Octavias over three generations, development for the first seemingly starting just a year after VW acquired the brand in 1991. Production then started April 3 1996. The pattern of building unpretentious, no-nonsense cars on VW group platforms and benefitting from the shared development in powertrain tech that comes from being part of a bigger entity has worked well for Skoda too. Sure, the badge doesn't have the prestige and those who haven't left the Jasper Carrott era of TV comedy may still snigger at the image. But from minicabbers on up there are many fans, the ability to drive a car with the same engine, gearbox and infotainment gadgets as much posher brands from within the group at a fraction of the price never losing its appeal.

With thePHers have long had something to get excited about too, the combination of cheap entry cost, easy tuneability and huge luggage capacity endearing the Octavia to many. Scouts meanwhile make for useful all-weather rural runabouts popular with the outdoors set and the steady improvements in quality, technology and all-round refinement mean you no longer need make excuses for driving a Skoda. Little touches like the ice scraper hidden under the fuel filler flap underline Skoda's fit for purpose image, a 'does what it says on the tin' honesty very much in keeping with the PH mindset. With thethere's now a properly spicy one in the range too, combining Golf GTI tech and pace with wardrobe swallowing space.

Which is one of the reasons we're taking delivery of our own for the PH fleet later this week. More on that in due course. For now happy birthday Octavia!

From Shed money to brand new vRS models browse all the Octavias in the PH Classifieds!

RE: BMW M3 (E46): PH Carpool

Saturday 9th April
BMW M3 (E46): PH Carpool
Effort reaps reward for one PHer in the shape of a lovely E46 M3
Name : Robert Richmond
Car : BMW M3 (E46)
Owned since : 1035am (BST), Saturday September 26th 2015.

Previously owned : 2x Ford Fiesta Mk3, Vauxhall Cavalier 1.7 TD, Rover 400 TD, Alfa Romeo 145 Cloverleaf, 3x VW Golf GTI (Mk2 eight-valve), Toyota Hilux Surf, Subaru Impreza Turbo 2000, Subaru Legacy GTB, Toyota Hilux Double Cab D4-D (current with the M3), BMW 540i Touring (E39). Why I bought it :
"I realised I could afford it. If anyone had ever asked me, 'would you like an M3?', I would of course have replied 'yes, please'. I had a couple of fast estates recently to fulfil the entertaining car role, but realised I no longer needed the space for bikes thanks to the Hilux and could get something more fun. I started looking, thinking of a Mk5 Golf GTI or Clio 197/200. Then I realised that E46 M3s were at the bottom of their market, and I could afford one if I saved hard. Research began while I fell further in love with the concept (in particular the high specific output naturally aspirated engine), and after viewing three others, I found my car in autumn. I was nervous on my first test drive, not quite believing I was awake when voluntarily handed the key to a BMW M Division car." What I wish I'd known :
"That they had been so cheap for a year or two already! My research was thorough (thanks in part to the, the M3 cutters forum and shared knowledge from Redish Motorsport's), so I knew how to inspect potential cars for subframe cracks when parked on the street; in fact I spotted two broken ones that way. I had narrowed down my dream spec to something fairly specific (manual, no sunroof, heated red seats and the stereo upgrade), while remaining flexible on colour and mileage. I was aiming at the low- to mid-range of the market so not expecting a low miler, though that has the bonus of meaning I wouldn't be afraid to add plenty of miles and as it happened my car was already just over 100K. The wealth of information has made working on the car very easy, so I can do the servicing and age related maintenance/tidying up with confidence. So far I checked the valve clearances, bled brakes, changed gearbox oil and various other little things. It does seem to be very good for an 11-year old car: there are no rattles, and the ride is good - so much better than some of the rattly older cars I've had - which was a pleasant surprise. It has delivered on everything I'd hoped, meeting expectations on speed (by being jolly fast) and perhaps exceeding the levels of grip and stability I imagined in the bends, especially on tighter roads. It drives superbly, tight, and there are plenty of service and restoration type jobs to keep me as busy as I want." Things I love :
"I love driving it, I love looking at it, I love working on it. It's hard to get photos of a black car that look great, so sitting looking at it is best, although it is now my desktop background at work too. The owner's manual has a recommendation to use the brakes hard on occasion, and when driving the car quickly you feel it's happy doing it. The engine is keen to spin right up and make that wonderful noise that causes me to giggle, grin, and pat the dashboard every time I'm out enjoying it. The S54 engine is rightly credited as a beaut. I've had endorphin, and rarer adrenaline hits, when driving before but it's been more frequent and more intense in this car. I'm happy to say I've not driven it irresponsibly especially around other road users, and yet it is bags of fun.

"I had a spine tingling feeling of excitement as I reeled in a Cayman the other day on a fun local road, followed by a few miles of brisk and enjoyable driving that ended in pulling up and chatting with the Porsche owner when we caught up on regular traffic. I love how planted and capable it feels even when the windscreen wipers are going non stop, I never imagined a rear-driven performance car would be so good in the wet. I keep it away from salty roads, but was pleased to find it's worth going out in the rain."

Things I hate :
"I can't leave it outside my flat for worrying about it. There are a couple of other cars (a new Polestar V60 and a new modified Focus ST) both vastly more expensive than my M3, and they never seem to suffer vandalism or parking bumps, so despite the central location to the town it would probably be fine. But I can't do it, it stays in the garage across town. That's not a major problem as it's a weekend toy and can sit under a dust cover on charge where I can work on it. That's the best I can do for a hate. I could say I hate traffic lights, speed bumps and anyone else being on the road, but those are general personality traits of mine rather than being in any way related to the car. It was also irritating that the density of cars for sale were far far away from where I live in South Scotland, but that's paid back in all the quiet places to drive and enjoy it. I have a niggle in that the big BMW throttle pedal has it's pivot at the bottom, making it impossible to heel and toe the same way I do in the Hilux (necessitated for smooth changes on a cold 170K+ mile gearbox in the Toyota). So I need to spend some time learning the foot position to get the bonus 'I am a driving god' points."

Costs :
"It was the first time my insurance was less than the annual road fund licence (turning 30 helped), it was surprisingly cheap to insure. On my rural runs with a few brisk miles and more gentle ones there are over 25 miles covered per gallon (easily over 30 on a steadier long journey). So a little more that the 540 and at greater speeds. I've done the spannering so far, so no labour costs but I do seem to easily get rid of my disposable income by refreshing parts and getting it tip top. Nothing has 'needed' done so far besides a broken exhaust rubber at £20, I'll hope that lasts. Valve clearance check and inspection 2 level service was needed when I got it, as the garage just did the oil, but at £45 for plugs and £7 for the two shims needed didn't break the bank. The fluids cost what fluids cost. There can be big bills, brake discs, pads and tires will be vastly more than for any of my previous cars, but it still seems good value for money and like my older cars before it there should be no depreciation on its value."

Where I've been :
"Kirkstone Pass in the Lakes was great, despite being in November. There are some ideal roads near me that form the basis of its usual outings, favourites being parts of the A702 from Dalry to Abington, and the A712 from Crocketford to Newton Stewart. I have a plan for North Coast 500 run in April which I'm very much looking forward to."

What next?
I'd like to fully restore the underside, i.e. repaint all the metal bits that have surface corrosion. So maybe I can make a start on that over winter 2016. This M3 seems to be a stupendous balance of power, performance, eminence, lineage and affordability meaning I have no current ideas on what could replace it. I've kept a car for around five years before, this is hopefully making a good case to be kept for a while. I'd like to try at some point a cheaper Clio (172/182) and a two-seater, Elise or MX-5 perhaps, but these would need to be part timers or the girlfriend's car. I'd also like to try out a 911 (996 or 997) some time, but really I am very content with my M3 just now."

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