RE: Shed of the Week: Volvo V70

Friday 29th January
Shed of the Week: Volvo V70
A powerful five-cylinder turbo, some remedial work already done and it comes pre-dented too!

No news is good news, they say. But that doesn't mean that all news is bad news.

We're talking about the 'news' that sometimes comes up on car info screens. Sensors are meant to tell you about malfunctioning parts elsewhere in the car, but like the miserable snivelling snitchers that they are, they never own up when they're malfunctioning themselves. As a result, more than a few of the messages that ping up on ye olde screenes turn out to be porky pies.

Now this looks jolly comfy

Perhaps we need sensors for the sensors. Shed's preference is for no electronic sensors at all. He prefers to rely on the ones supplied to him as original equipment: his ears, hands and backside.

Be that as it may, if you're prepared to treat its diagnostic bleatings with the disbelieving contempt they deserve, this week's Volvo V70 Shed has much to commend it.

It's not a T5, but don't let that worry you: with 200 horsepower from its 2.4-litre turbo five-pot and a strong all-wheel drive system, a 2.4T AWD S is never going to short change you on performance or ability.

We'd go further and vouchsafe that, if the luck is with you, this could be another early candidate for 2016 Shed of the Year. Look at what you get. Four-wheel traction, supremely comfortable leather seating, a brilliant sound system and enough room to shift the entire Liberal Democrat Parliamentary party (with three lying down in the back). This is a torquey, characterful drive that should serve you well for a long time to come. And all without the gawky looks of the Cross Country.

The Shed is a one-owner car with plenty of headroom in its mileage. 112,000 is very low for an '02 V70. Admittedly it looks like the owner has, well, owned it, but he's up front about the bumps and scrapes in the advert. Rather than scorning it for its battle scars, think of it as pre-dented for your motoring convenience. They did it so you don't have to, that sort of thing. Or if you do, it won't really matter.

"Some scrapes from Devon and Cornwall lanes"

Corrosion is neither mentioned nor evident in the pics. The back brakes have been recently done, which probably accounts for at least half the £700 asking price. Anything else you should be looking out for?

Yes. The Geartronic transmission. Once again your good old sensor might pop his little head up and suggest something like 'Transmission Service Required'. You might notice late upshifts, delayed power take ups from a trailing throttle, revs that seem a bit high and traffic creep that seems a mite insistent.

The slow take up issue could be a function of the trans going into neutral when the car is slowing to a halt, a Volvo feature designed to cut fuel use and general wear and tear. That function can be disabled, a good idea if you have ever coasted into a roundabout in a V70 and watched in horror as an artic bears down on you while you await the restoration of forward progress.

Excessive lag and shunt on the move could be an indicator of something rather worse though. Error codes may suggest a mechanical fault in the 'box. It could just as easily be software-related, but Geartonic transmission valve bodies are known for failing at six-figure mileages and you can be looking at a four-figure fix cost there.

What more do you need for £700?

Sometimes, Geartronic ailments can be remedied at relatively low cost either through the application of software, having the correct amount of gearbox fluid on board or the replacement of a few solenoids. If you're unlucky, however, Volvo will quote you three grand or so for a new 'box.

If this is all starting to sound like a financial accident waiting to happen, there is some good news. The throttle control module (or Electronic Throttle Module, to give it its proper name) is another known problem. Even Volvo admitted they wouldn't last beyond 100,000 miles. The symptom of failure is limited throttle movement which triggers the ECU into limp-home mode. Cleaning the clag out of the ETM might buy you a bit more time, but there's nowt to worry about here as this item has already been replaced - again, a major saving for the next owner.

If that person happens to be you, all you'll need is a bucket and sponge, a square of gaffer tape on the info screen and a gurt big hairy beast to sit in the back. If you don't have your own Mrs Shed, a labradoodle will do.

Here is the.

Only 112,000 miles, well maintained, generally good condition with some corner scrapes (from Cornwall & Devon lanes!), small dent in rear passenger door. Warning system shows 'emission system service required', diagnosed by garage as faulty sensor, emissions well within the mot limits. Also sometimes shows 'engine system service required', which again is faulty sensor, the throttle control module was replaced last year, and it's shown this sporadically ever since.. Rear brake discs & calipers replaced last year. Great stereo, CD multi changer, full leather, cruise control etc. Rear seats removable, great load carrier 12 months MOT

RE: Shed of the Week: Toyota Camry 3.0 V6

Friday 19th February
Shed of the Week: Toyota Camry 3.0 V6
Is the smooth V6 and condition enough to overcome the 50 shades of beige image?

In contrast to last week's non-existent Shed, this week's is probably one of the most existent there is.

And yet, you see, it isn't. Not in this country anyway.

Looks like it should be common; actually quite rare!

Go the States, as our Matt has just done, and you'll be tripping over Toyota Camrys left and right. They'll be swarming all over your deck chair, nibbling on your breakfast toast, and asking to connect with you on LinkedIn. This Camry 3.0 will be as rare a sight in the US as a Focus is here.

In Britain, however, Camrys are about as common as Hudsonian Whimbrels. Faced by the twin travails of unfavourable currency exchange rates and top-drawer competition from the established British and German marques, Toyota didn't think it was worth bringing many into the UK in 2001, when our Shed, the second version of the so-called 'wide-body' Camry, was sold new.

That rarity makes it a nice left-field barge alternative to the normal Euro fare, and something that might get you noticed, even if not necessarily in the right way. Most onlookers (not to mention PH posters) will doubtless sneer and tell you that the Americans refer to Camrys as 'vanilla sedans'. Only half-disparagingly, though. Despite, or perhaps because of, the fact that It's been on sale as an independent model since 1982, with 10 metronomically reliable iterations over those 34 years, US Camry sales over there show no sign of tailing off. They were up by five per cent in 2014, with nearly 430,000 sold in that year alone. 430,000. That's more than a sixth of the total number of cars sold in the UK in that same year.

OK, so it ain't brimming with sex appeal...

Our Shed is from the end of the seventh XV20 dynasty, a line in production for five years until 2001 when a major Camry revamp was carried out. Conspiratorially, that revamp was done at the same time as Mercedes was rolling its own metal a little thinner, with serious image-denting consequences. The XV30 Camry followed the same 'let's keep the costs down lads' philosophy, so if you were the owner of this XV20, you could try rebuffing the naysayers by telling them that your car was the last of the proper Camrys.

So what would you get for your £999? A roomy and well-built five-seat saloon with a 3.0-litre V6, a goodly selection of toys, a leather interior, glassy cabin, Toyota reliability, no apparent flaws and a full MoT.

With a belt-driven cam the V6 shlurmed out a relaxed 190hp or so. Remarkably, Toyota's TRD factory tuning arm offered a supercharger kit for it, boosting power to 247hp. You'd like to think there was a chassis-tightening kit to go with that. Handling will be on the sleepy side of uninspiring, with over-assisted steering, but the ride will feel pleasantly soft to a driver of a modern car, and the shell is strong enough for practical family use even today.

Sadly there are no cabin pics with the ad but Shed has found a shot on tintanet which he is fairly sure is of the 2001 model. If it is, then it's not bad. Plain and plasticky, obviously, but plasticity is as time-appropriate for this car as the shepherd's crook gearstick it also proudly sports. Remember too that our Shed has the moo rather than the heat-generating 'cloth' Japanese cars were saddled with back then.

..but for reliable waftability it has attractions

What can go wrong? You're 'avin a laugh aintcher? Some owners did report an ECU glitch that roughened up the changes of the four-speed auto and eventually broke the 'box, and there was also a head gasket issue that could produce rusty bores (the country and western sensation), but other than that and maybe a trace of oil weeping from the valve cover gaskets, your problems will be few.

If this isn't a carefully maintained old man's car then Shed is a happily married man. The alloys look like they would benefit from a dod of elbow grease but the paint seems unblemished and rust-free. All you need is a flat 'at and a pipe and you're off. Gently, of course. Wouldn't want to disturb the little lady alongside.

Top trivia time: 'Camry' is an Anglicised version of the Japanese word kanmuri, which means 'crown'. Toyota has a longstanding fascination with royal accoutrements. Corona means 'crown', Corolla means 'small crown', and the rebadged Camry for the domestic Japanese market was the Scepter (which goes with a crown). Hell, there was even a Toyota Tiara.

Blue, HPI GOLD REPORT, 3 OWNERS FROM NEW, SMOOTH DRIVE, EXCELLENT CONDITION FOR AGE, LEATHER INTERIOR, CRUISE CONTROL, SUNROOF, LONG MOT, 3 owners, Next MOT due 16/02/2017, 5 seats, CHAMPAGNE TASTE/BEER MONEY TOYOTA CAMRY 3.0 V6 SALOON, METALLIC PAINT, 3 OWNERS FROM NEW, GENUINE 123625 MILES WITH A VOSA MILEAGE VERIFICATION REPORT, REMOTE CENTRAL LOCKING, PAS WITH SRS SAFETY AIRBAGS, RADIO/CD, DIGITAL CLIMATE CONTROL WITH AIR CONDITIONING, FULL LEATHER INTERIOR WITH HEAD/ARM RESTRAINTS, ELECTRIC WINDOWS/ELECTRIC MIRRORS, AUTO GEARBOX, ON BOARD COMPUTER, COLOUR CODED EXTERIOR, ALLOY WHEELS WITH GOOD TYRES, FRONT FOGS, SUNROOF, MUD GUARDS, MOT FEBRUARY 2017, INDOOR VIEWING, HPI CLEAR, A CLEAN EXAMPLE OF THIS WELL MAINTAINED TOYOTA CAMRY V6 WITH A LONG MOT AND ONLY 3 OWNERS FROM NEW. REDBROOK MOTOR COMPANY, HUME ST, ROCHDALE, OL16 5RP, PROVIDING COMPETITIVELY PRICED USED VEHICLES MATCHED WITH A QUALITY AND PERSONAL SERVICE, ALL VEHICLES ARE MAIN DEALER PART EX CARS SOURCED PERSONALLY AND BOUGHT WITH THE UTMOST CARE AND ATTENTION. VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO VIEW THE RANGE OF CARS ON OFFER ON WWW.REDBROOKMOTORS.CO.UK OR CALL ON 07411 422330, HAND PICKED, MAIN DEALER PART EX CARS TO BUY FROM THE LEADING CAR SUPPLIER IN ROCHDALE, LANCASHIRE, £999
3.0 V6 4dr

RE: Shed of the Week: Volvo V70

Friday 29th January
Shed of the Week: Volvo V70
A powerful five-cylinder turbo, some remedial work already done and it comes pre-dented too!

No news is good news, they say. But that doesn't mean that all news is bad news.

We're talking about the 'news' that sometimes comes up on car info screens. Sensors are meant to tell you about malfunctioning parts elsewhere in the car, but like the miserable snivelling snitchers that they are, they never own up when they're malfunctioning themselves. As a result, more than a few of the messages that ping up on ye olde screenes turn out to be porky pies.

Now this looks jolly comfy

Perhaps we need sensors for the sensors. Shed's preference is for no electronic sensors at all. He prefers to rely on the ones supplied to him as original equipment: his ears, hands and backside.

Be that as it may, if you're prepared to treat its diagnostic bleatings with the disbelieving contempt they deserve, this week's Volvo V70 Shed has much to commend it.

It's not a T5, but don't let that worry you: with 200 horsepower from its 2.4-litre turbo five-pot and a strong all-wheel drive system, a 2.4T AWD S is never going to short change you on performance or ability.

We'd go further and vouchsafe that, if the luck is with you, this could be another early candidate for 2016 Shed of the Year. Look at what you get. Four-wheel traction, supremely comfortable leather seating, a brilliant sound system and enough room to shift the entire Liberal Democrat Parliamentary party (with three lying down in the back). This is a torquey, characterful drive that should serve you well for a long time to come. And all without the gawky looks of the Cross Country.

The Shed is a one-owner car with plenty of headroom in its mileage. 112,000 is very low for an '02 V70. Admittedly it looks like the owner has, well, owned it, but he's up front about the bumps and scrapes in the advert. Rather than scorning it for its battle scars, think of it as pre-dented for your motoring convenience. They did it so you don't have to, that sort of thing. Or if you do, it won't really matter.

"Some scrapes from Devon and Cornwall lanes"

Corrosion is neither mentioned nor evident in the pics. The back brakes have been recently done, which probably accounts for at least half the £700 asking price. Anything else you should be looking out for?

Yes. The Geartronic transmission. Once again your good old sensor might pop his little head up and suggest something like 'Transmission Service Required'. You might notice late upshifts, delayed power take ups from a trailing throttle, revs that seem a bit high and traffic creep that seems a mite insistent.

The slow take up issue could be a function of the trans going into neutral when the car is slowing to a halt, a Volvo feature designed to cut fuel use and general wear and tear. That function can be disabled, a good idea if you have ever coasted into a roundabout in a V70 and watched in horror as an artic bears down on you while you await the restoration of forward progress.

Excessive lag and shunt on the move could be an indicator of something rather worse though. Error codes may suggest a mechanical fault in the 'box. It could just as easily be software-related, but Geartonic transmission valve bodies are known for failing at six-figure mileages and you can be looking at a four-figure fix cost there.

What more do you need for £700?

Sometimes, Geartronic ailments can be remedied at relatively low cost either through the application of software, having the correct amount of gearbox fluid on board or the replacement of a few solenoids. If you're unlucky, however, Volvo will quote you three grand or so for a new 'box.

If this is all starting to sound like a financial accident waiting to happen, there is some good news. The throttle control module (or Electronic Throttle Module, to give it its proper name) is another known problem. Even Volvo admitted they wouldn't last beyond 100,000 miles. The symptom of failure is limited throttle movement which triggers the ECU into limp-home mode. Cleaning the clag out of the ETM might buy you a bit more time, but there's nowt to worry about here as this item has already been replaced - again, a major saving for the next owner.

If that person happens to be you, all you'll need is a bucket and sponge, a square of gaffer tape on the info screen and a gurt big hairy beast to sit in the back. If you don't have your own Mrs Shed, a labradoodle will do.

Here is the.

Only 112,000 miles, well maintained, generally good condition with some corner scrapes (from Cornwall & Devon lanes!), small dent in rear passenger door. Warning system shows 'emission system service required', diagnosed by garage as faulty sensor, emissions well within the mot limits. Also sometimes shows 'engine system service required', which again is faulty sensor, the throttle control module was replaced last year, and it's shown this sporadically ever since.. Rear brake discs & calipers replaced last year. Great stereo, CD multi changer, full leather, cruise control etc. Rear seats removable, great load carrier 12 months MOT

RE: Shed of the Week: MG ZS 180

Friday 15th January
Shed of the Week: MG ZS 180
Just £795 for the underrated gem in the MG Z-car range, with plenty of scope for making it even better too
With the price of oil about to fall to 18p a barrel by sometime next week, we could well be approaching a glorious new pre-extinction era of who-gives-a-dang motoring.

On top of a massive growth in the numbers of petrol-swilling V8s we can expect to see rampaging o'er hill and dale, we can also look forward to a growth in manufacturer personalisation.

Hatch rather than saloon but there's still potential

That's not new: the elite brands have been offering diamond-encrusted gearknobs and whale-foreskinned upholstery for many a year.

What is new though is the adoption of exclusive en-glitzing by more mainstream marques like Volvo. Its £68K XC90 First Edition recently sold out within 48 hours.

Now, the rich and glamorous world of 'bespoke' has moved even further downwind to the murky badlands of Shedalonia, as evinced here in the Capt Mainwaring shape of an MG ZS 180.

Currently the property of Fast Eddy's Performance Car Services, an establishment that surely deserves strong PH patronage for its name alone, this unassuming little number can be yours either as it stands or after Eddy's magic wand has been waved over it, with a view to getting you onto the racing circuits of Merry Olde Englande.

Sweet V6 a real gem

Don't underestimate this MG's potential to provide thrills a-plenty. Underneath that pipe and slippers persona there's a frustrated teenager itching to get out.

As Mr Eddy correctly points out, there's a small but significant swell of interest in these V6-engined Clark Kent-mobiles, and when you weigh up the package it's not that hard to see why. Even as standard you get a nimble chassis and a very sweet engine, both of which will respond nicely to judicious tuning.

On the engine side, breathing mods are easy to do and generous in what they return. Derestricting the airflow should be your first port of call. Whether your choice is to race or ramble, you'll get a flying start on this car thanks to the already present induction kit and open pipe.

Rover 400 origins plain to see inside...

Remapping would be the next box to tick. Sadly, the standard Rover chip can't be tweaked, so you'll need an upgrade or an aftermarket ECU followed by a decent clutch.

You might even consider swapping the motor for an early 2.0 Tomcat turbo or a supercharged 1.8 VVC, but then you'd lose the frolicsome fruitiliciousness of the normally aspirated six, and surely only an arrant fool with the fine sensibilities of a safari park monkey would want to do that.

Chassis-wise it's the usual recipe of polybushes and a set of adjustable coilovers. Do that lot and suddenly you've got yourself a very wieldy and enjoyable track tool.

At this price, what could go wrong?

Well, timing belts are a bit of a faff to replace, thermostats leak, rear brake calipers seize, inlet manifolds break and the standard clutch hydraulics aren't the best, being made of plastic rather than your actual metal. The power and balance valves and the actuating motors in the VIS (Variable Intake System) are all known to fail but they're not that expensive to replace at around £150 the pair. The VIS butterfly linkages will wear if you don't keep the oil clean.

The good news though is that the V6 isn't anywhere near as susceptible to head gasket failure as the K Series four-cylinder, and the general build quality on the ZS is remarkably good.

Set aside your anti-Rover prejudice for a minute and examine the proposition rationally. Shed is very much into this idea of low-cost track revitalisation, and the ZS 180 is a smart left-field choice. He is thinking of taking Fast Eddy up on his offer and presenting the result to Mrs Shed for her birthday. She's never raced before, so to help her on her first track day Shed would stick a map of the circuit onto the steering wheel along with some suggested (if surprisingly high) corner speeds.

We have a MGZS 180 which are getting quite sought after now.
These were the base for the touring car having the Honda independent rear suspension layout making them one of the best handling front drive cars ever. That and the lovely 2.5 V6 engine with ample power and torque makes them a very credible performance road or track car.
This one has low mileage, great bodywork for year and runs nicely. Usual wear on drivers seat bolster
It has the addition of a Pipercross induction kit and a free flowing backbox so sounds and goes better than a standard one.
Mot till July
We can supply this as it is or specced up as a track car with uprated brakes, tyres, harnesses etc. Please enquire re this and we can quote for an agreed spec

RE: Rally style: Pic Of The Week

Friday 1st April
Rally style: Pic Of The Week
We've seen how M-Sport builds its cars; a chance to appreciate how its drivers use them
Nostalgia would have us believe rallying was always better in the good old days, be they those of Paddy Hopkirk and the Monte Minis, Roger Clark (and many others) in their sideways Escorts, the madness of the Group B era or memories of much missed heroes like McRae and Burns.

Nostalgia would have us believe rallying was always better in the good old days, be they those of Paddy Hopkirk and the Monte Minis, Roger Clark (and many others) in their sideways Escorts, the madness of the Group B era or memories of much missed heroes like McRae and Burns. But as we found out onin Cumbria, rallying is very much still alive and kicking and with a beating heart here in the UK.

The trip round M-Sport's factory was fascinating and inspired a search for a suitable shot of one of its WRC Fiestas in action. This one of Norwegian M-Sport team driver Mads Ostberg from Rally Sweden earlier this year stood out. That Ostberg has one of THE great rally driver names and put his Fiesta on the podium beside the factory teams of VW and Hyundai just underlines the fighting spirit M-Sport nurtures up there in the Lake District. All power to 'em!

Photo:

RE: Shed of the Week: Fiat Coupe

Sunday 10th January
Shed of the Week: Fiat Coupe
Bangle's baby under the Shed spotlight to kick off 2016
When was your last fight?

As you might expect from the all-encompassing cornucopia of PH forums, there's already andiscussing this very subject. Unfortunately, none of the contributors to that thread have owned up to having exchanged blows across the bonnet of a Fiat Coupe.

To think this shape was first seen in 1993!

Which is a shame, because it would have been interesting to get the back story on the bonnet ripple that is the only apparent flaw of this week's Shed.

The current custodian of this two-owner specimen sounds like the sort of chap who would use words like custodian. In his gently written ad he refers to a 'scuffle' (rather than a barney) between the two 'youths' (as opposed to scrotes) who used the Fiat's bonnet as some sort of WWE canvas.

On one level you can understand them choosing a Fiat Coupe as a scrapping venue. Those Chris Bangle-designed Pininfarina curves look purpose-made for a punch up. The recipient of a right-hander to the chops would surely slide gracefully off them, levering himself up off the ground for more punishment by using the handy four-spoke alloys as hand grips.

The lucky purchaser of this green Coupe will no doubt uncover the truth behind the battle royale. Meantime, in the absence of any hard info, how about a new thread: 'best car bonnets to have a fight on'? On grounds of height, razor-edged coachbuilt style and general radiator ornament spikiness you wouldn't expect to see a Rolls Shadow mentioned on there, but a Fiat 500 might be good.

The jury was out on the Fiat Coupe's styling when it appeared in 1993. For many observers it stayed out over the entire seven-year production run. Look at it now though. In an era of monstrosities like the Nissan Joke and the Mini Matricide, its pouncing stance and chiselled panel work add a little more evidence to the growing dossier suggesting that Bangle was a genius ahead of his time.

Two owners, 82K, service history - sounds good

Get beyond the challenging scallops, swage lines and slashes and you'll start to appreciate the detailing, some of it over the top ('racing' filler cap, headlamp lenses modelled on a lady's bum), much of it glorious (body colour dash, round rear lights). Then consider the everyday usability of the 2.0-litre unassisted four-cylindered Coupe with its easy (relative to a Turbo anyway) maintenance demands and all-round good reputation for not destroying its own crankshaft or expensively snapping its cambelt (relative to a Turbo).

Every Coupe thread on PH has at least one ex-owner who wishes he wasn't. With a boxful of history attesting to its 82,000 miles and no apparent rust, this car is surely a no-brainer buy for anyone with half a brain, thus leaving them with a full half brain?

You could stick out for a Turbo, of course. The five-pot motor in that will reduce your 0-60 time from something beginning with a nine to something beginning with a six and ramp up your top speed from 129mph to 155mph. And there'son PH's classifieds right now. The only trouble is, you'll need an extra £2,700 on top of the price of our Shed to buy it and a fair-sized war chest to cover worst-case running costs.

Best like green

Is it worth it? Only you can decide. Lightly punch yourself in the face until a moment of enlightenment arrives - and then buy this 16-valver.

The Coupe Turbo that came seventh in our 2013 Shed of the Year roundup will almost certainly turn out to be the last of its ilk ever to appear in SOTW. That should tell you something about the potential worth of this 16V car.

We're only at the beginning of January, but the next fifty Sheds we feature this year are going to have to go some to beat it on value, investment or otherwise.

For sale is my wife's Fiat Coupe. We have owned this car for ten years having bought it from the original owner. We have all bills, including the original bill of sale, service history and mot's which support the genuine mileage of just under 82000.It has been a pleasure to own and drives perfectly but since my wife has retired it's no longer needed. It's in remarkably good condition having been well cared for by us and the previous owner. The only negative worth noting is a small dent/ripple in the bonnet caused by two youths falling on it during a scuffle. However, due to it's small size it doesn't show up clearly in the photos. It's not possible to list all works carried out, suffice to say there is an A4 box file full of paperwork which confirms all works carried out as necessary

For any further information please feel free to ask.

RE: Jaguar F-Type SVR tunnel run: Pic Of The Week

Friday 25th March
Jaguar F-Type SVR tunnel run: Pic Of The Week
Stunning shot from JLR's pre-New York show F-Type SVR tunnel run to decorate your desktop
The standard Jaguar F-Type R already has one of the fruitiest exhaust notes out there.

already has one of the fruitiest exhaust notes out there. That the newversion is apparently even louder boggles the mind a little but, yes, as part of the upgrade Jaguar has ditched the standard silencer running across the back of the car and routed the exhaust directly through two separate backboxes. Lighter and louder, plus it frees up space for a diffuser as part of the SVR's aero package.

All very well and, it goes without saying, any owner will be honour and duty bound to find the first tunnel possible to explore the new noise. Can't guarantee it'll be shut down for the purpose with NYPD officers either end, noise-reactive lighting turning from white to red as the car passes along it and clearance to give it everything, but it'll still sound good. And though this was perhaps the world's shortest first drive - 500m and but a few seconds at most - it was certainly exciting. The Park Lane tunnel is narrow, bumpy and the speed, noise, lighting and buzz of doing something a bit naughty - officially sanctioned or not - made for a memorable experience. And a superb, atmospheric Pic Of The Week. If you missed the official vid, that's below too - turn it up loud.

Enjoy!

Watch the video.

RE: Ferrari 512BB: Pic Of The Week

Friday 11th March
Ferrari 512BB: Pic Of The Week
A mid-engined supercar icon strutting its stuff ahead of going to auction
The spring and summer months can't be far off when the auction seasons kicks off again.

The spring and summer months can't be far off when the auction seasons kicks off again. So as well as the concours event at Amelia Island later this month (with the latest from Singer Vehicle Design , don't forget), there's also an RM Auctions sale taking place.

Now RM Auctions doesn't really do average and ordinary cars, and this sale is no different. The lot list includes a Toyota 2000GT, a Ford RS200 Evolution, a Bugatti Type 57 and a Mercedes 300SL Roadster amongst many others. See for yourself.

Finished drooling? Tothen. For whatever reason it doesn't seem as revered as some other mid-engined, 12-cylinder Ferraris, as reflected in this car's $275-$325,000 estimate. But would you just look at it?! It works from every angle, but full supercar peacock seemed the most appropriate pose for a new wallpaper.

This BB has been in the US for all of its 36 years, now residing with its fifth owner and with less than 45,000km recorded. It may not be the most exotic car in a frankly astonishing line up, but it's more than good enough for us. Enjoy!

[Photo: Greg Keysar for]

RE: Bugatti Chiron: Pic Of The Week

Friday 4th March
Bugatti Chiron: Pic Of The Week
Away from the show lights and at speed in the wild here's a Chiron for your desktop!

You've got to pity anyone trying to launch a 'normal' car at a show like Geneva. Because when there's an all-new Bugatti how exactly are you supposed to compete for column inches or clicks?

Our Pic of The Week does not, of course, focus on Toyota's C-segment crossover concept, the Megane Sport Tourer or the Audi Q2 that also made their debuts in Switzerland. Nope. It had to be the Chiron, 1,500hp's worth of shameless excess. Impressive as it was stationary on the show stand we've gone for a picture of it doing what it was built for - going very fast. By Bugatti standards this black and chrome one is quite reserved looking too and the cooler for it.

Back in the day you'd have something like this Blu-Tacked to your bedroom wall. Now you can download it and have it in pride of place on the electronic device of your choosing! Enjoy...

RE: Ford Fiesta M-Sport Edition: Pic Of The Week

Friday 26th February
Ford Fiesta M-Sport Edition: Pic Of The Week
Small car, big landscape - M-Sport's spiced up Fiesta ST gets its rally on in the Lake District
We love the Fiesta ST here.

We love the Fiesta ST here. Turns out we love it even more withfrom Malcolm Wilson's rally outfit M-Sport! Given their speciality is unleashing the rally monster within the Fiesta they're in a good position to translate that into a few subtle but important mods to unleash even further potential in one of the best hot hatches of recent times.

We drove the car on the roads around M-Sport's Lake District headquarters, the tight, twisty and lumpy tarmac the ideal proving ground for a car drawing on years of rallying expertise. And not bad for a suitably epic picture to decorate your desktop!

Photo: Sim Mainey

RE: Caterham 620S: Pic Of The Week

Friday 12th February
Caterham 620S: Pic Of The Week
A rare moment of reflection for the manic Caterham 620S on our drive around that London
From camo-wrapped Lamborghinis to chromed G-Wagens, it takes quite a machine to stand out among London's motoring glitterati.

From camo-wrapped Lamborghinis to chromed G-Wagens, it takes quite a machine to stand out among London's motoring glitterati. Amusing then that a Caterham Seven - something synonymous with lightweight, no-nonsense thrills - should create such a fuss when driven along the capital's streets. But then this isof them all, the 314hp supercharged firebrand of the range. So you'd hope for a decent reception.

For all the lunacy of driving around London in January with no roof the warmth of the reception made it viable. Well, that and the positively decadent heated seats. Pictured here in a rare moment of calm here's the 620S in all its menacing glory.

[Image: Dafydd Wood]

RE: Land Rover Defender: Pic Of The Week

Friday 29th January
Land Rover Defender: Pic Of The Week
A sad day in the history of the Defender; part one of the PH tribute here!

So today marks the end of Land Rover Defender production, 68 years after the first Series I was produced. There are emotional outpourings from all corners of motoring as fans bid farewell to a British motoring icon.

More news will follow from the production line soon but, to mark the occasion, it seemed appropriate to dedicate our weekly wallpaper slot to the legendary Land Rover.

There were a myriad of pictures to choose from but this image of acar was chosen for two reasons. The first being that it's our favourite of the recent Celebration Series cars, but also because the beach location provides a nice link back to the car's origins and Maurice Wilks' original sketch at Red Wharf Bay. Cheerio then Defender!

RE: Mercedes SLC450 5.0: Pic Of The Week

Friday 18th December 2015
Mercedes SLC450 5.0: Pic Of The Week
SLK renamed SLC; time to show some appreciation for the first car to bear the name
So Mercedes has renamed the SLK as the SLC.

as the SLC. A pity for a number of reasons - the SLK was an important car for Mercedes when it launched and the badge has become famous in its own right. OK, not as sporty as the contemporary Boxster or as cool as the TT. But in its own way a badge worthy of preservation.

SLC, meanwhile, has a heritage of its own and an association with the hefty coupe derivative of the R107 SL. It never quite captured the imagination like its drop top relative and in an attempt to give it a little motorsport credibility Mercedes famously turned it into a rally car. A hefty old tank, it found its calling in the safari rallies of the late 70s where its toughness, V8-powered performance and stability made it unstoppable on the wide-open plains of East Africa at the hands of Hannu Mikkola, Bjorn Waldegaard and others.

Aluminium V8 saved 40kg over steel engine

The road car that inspired this - the 450 SLC 5.0 - is an interesting footnote in Mercedes' history too. Of the 62,888 SLC production run it accounted for just 2,769 examples and pioneered the firm's first all-aluminium V8, which weighed 40kg less than the iron-blocked 4.5-litre one it was developed from. As a whole the car was 80kg lighter than the 450SLC it was sold alongside, thanks to aluminium body panels and other weight saving measures. Having proven itself in the SLC the M117 V8 became a mainstay of Mercedes range in the 80s, powering S-Classes, SECs and more. A nascent AMG even developed a four-valve head for it in one of its early customer tuning packages, the engine powering widebody SECs and the iconic W124-based Hammer.

Always in the shadow of its SL relative, it's a shame the SLC name and lineage has been amalgamated into an unrelated product range. So let's celebrate the original doing what it did best, sideways in the red African dust on the 3,522-mile 1979 Africa Bandama rally in which SLCs scored a 1-2-3-4 victory. Pictured and prepared for your desktop is the winning #6 car of Hannu Mikkola and Arne Hertz.

Photo: Daimler AG

RE: Lamborghini Huracan Spyder: POTW

Friday 5th February
Lamborghini Huracan Spyder: POTW
It's a new Lamborghini shot in Miami, of course there was going to be a Pic Of The Week from it!

A baby blue roadster wouldn't seem the like the car of choice for The Joker, Hannibal Lecter or the Terminator. However, despite its finish paint, theappears to sit rather well in the company of villains.

With its menacing looks, a brash stance and that monstrous V10, it's easy to imagine a Huracan Spyder as the film anti-hero, on an endless a path of destruction without a care in the world. Much like those characters overlooking it here in fact. Of course we know it to be a much more benign car than that, but a Lamborghini has to look at least slightly scary, doesn't it?

This image may not entirely be the Miami lifestyle Lambo wanted to capture with the drop-top Huracan, but it does make for a great wallpaper. Download it via the links below.

(Ryan Hirons)

RE: R8 vs. 570S vs. 911 Turbo S: POTW

Friday 8th January
R8 vs.

R8 vs. 570S vs. 911 Turbo S: POTW

The full triple test will follow very soon; here's the desktop teaser!

The McLaren 570S proved to be brilliant on first experience at Portimao last year. The newproved to be brilliant on first experience at Portimao last year. And thehas previously shown on these pages that it's pretty damn good at the everyday, all-weather super sports car thing.

Between them are the makings of a very interesting test, so when the opportunity presented itself to drive all three was no hesitation from us. Even when Wales was much wetter and much windier than usual. Could the McLaren deliver away from the carefully managed launch event? Is the R8 really such a step on from the first generation? And would the 911 be able to compete with its replacement just a few weeks away? A lot of questions to answer in not much time!

Still, it was a revealing comparison and one that can hopefully provoke some debate on these pages. Here's a new wallpaper to whet the appetite; keep an eye on the homepage over the weekend for the full thing!

Photo: Luc Lacey

RE: Porsche 911 (991.II) Turbo S: POTW

Friday 22nd January
Porsche 911 (991.II) Turbo S: POTW
The latest generation of that iconic poster car, preened and prepped for your desktop wallpaper
Hands up who had a 911 Turbo on their bedroom wall?

on their bedroom wall? Yes it's never been the most exotic supercar, but its combination of tremendous speed, slight fear factor and (usually) big rear spoiler have made it great poster fodder.

This week we've driven the latest generation, which is of course yet faster still. Furthermore, beyond the cosmetic and mechanical updates already discussed, new colours have been introduced to the 911 Turbo colour palette: Lava Orange, as featured in the drive story and borrowed from the GT3 RS, plus Miami Blue seen here.

It's a stunning colour, reminiscent of Riviera Blue and a real visual treat either gleaming in the sunshine or a little grimy in the rain. Where it was on a special order options list previously, it can now be specced (at extra cost) as part of the normal ordering process. There is no price yet, but it could well be worth the premium...

So it seemed the perfect colour for a Pic of the Week subject. A gloomy sky at Kyalami seems less of a problem with this around!

RE: Lamborghini Huracan LP580-2: Pic Of The Week

Friday 11th December 2015
Lamborghini Huracan LP580-2: Pic Of The Week
Well it's a two-wheel drive Lamborghini, obviously we had to have an oversteer shot!

Call us juvenile if you will, but the main appeal to PH of ais doing big skids. They're not big and they're not clever, but they are jolly good fun. Now our powersliding talents aren't quite good enough for this sort of image, but fortunately Lamborghini has thought ahead and provided a few for us mere mortals to admire.

We've got a full house as far as drift picture bingo goes here; smoke, plenty of steering angle and a moody Italian in sunglasses at the wheel. And the car is bright bloomin red.

As mentioned in the story, the rear-wheel drive Huracan is a very welcome addition to the range. Now all we need is a Huracan with an edge, a rear-wheel drive SV with a little more power and less weight to really prove Lamborghini can take on the best. Until then a dramatic new wallpaper will have to suffice!

RE: PistonHeads - hypocrisy matters: PH Blog

Thursday 7th April
PistonHeads - hypocrisy matters: PH Blog
Is it possible to criticise the Golf R but love the mechanically identical Audi S3?

I am now totally conflicted. And about to open myself up to accusations of being a complete hypocrite. Seemingly alone I haveagainst the accepted wisdom theis the best hot hatch - scratch that, best car - ever made.

Dan is a fan of the S3...

I've driven them on road. I've driven them on track. I've driven aand that almost won me over. But so far I just haven't got the fuss about the R, the fact everyone just keeps banging on about what an amazing car it is strengthening my natural rebellious streak. That a hard-driven R couldn't drop theI was driving not so long agojust sealed the deal as far as I was concerned - if it's a hot Golf you want then less weight, less power and just two driven wheels are much better.

And then I accidentally (long story) ended up with. Which is, to all intents and purposes, an identical car to the R in all but badge, interior and exterior panels. Dammit, I really liked it too. Seemingly I'm not. My memories of the R are of stubbornly inert handling, binary power delivery and a sense that everything from noise to control weighting was overly synthesised and artificial. I guess I'll have to have to revisit the Golf to see if this S3 has proved me wrong about some of this. Certainly the power delivery felt determinedly - and entertainingly - boosty. Maybe Audi uses a different calibration but I don't remember any other EA888-engined MQB cars feeling so obviously turbocharged; perhaps the brand's long association with forced induction engines gives the engineers more confidence to celebrate this power delivery rather than hide it. It is anat heart, after all.

And I know everyone bangs on about how cool the Golf's combination of stealth looks and huge pace make it something of a Q-car hero. But it's all relative isn't it. Compared with other Golfs on the road an R still stands out. Yet among the gazillions of S Line vajazzled Audis you see day in, day out the S3 seems all but invisible and stealthy in the best tradition of fast Audis.

... but still not taken by the Golf R. Huh?

Sure, with an S Tronic dual-clutch this Sportback was hardly demanding to drive. But I guess it shows the importance of calibration and tuning that the control responses all seemed clearer, more natural and nicer to interact with. It'd have to be down to that because the hardware is all the same.

Maybe for all the protests to the contrary I'm just as big a brand snob as anyone and got suckered by the four-ring badge and - ready the bingo card - that nice interior. Dunno. Whatever the reasons it's a nice, if undemanding, way to make rapid progress. And another car I'd choose ahead of the R!

Dan

[Sources:]

RE: Are Brits the worst drivers in Europe? PH Blog

Sunday 13th March
Are Brits the worst drivers in Europe?

Are Brits the worst drivers in Europe? PH Blog

Dan's driven across Europe and isn't happy to be back on British roads

There's probably a witty, topical point to be made about those clamouring to leave Europe and the driving standards of the country that, to many, represents the heart of the problem. I'll work on that. And return to Belgian road manners in a bit.

How would an Autobahn work in the UK?

Anyway, over coming months there will, no doubt, be a great deal of tub-thumping about why it's great to be British and reasons to be proud of our little island. There are. But driving standards ain't one of them.

Accepting most of my international driving is in countries with reasonable common sense my heart always sinks a little upon returning home. We're a deservedly proud nation but I don't think there's anywhere you'll encounter such a concentration of short-fused, self-righteous road hogs. Everyone will have a story but just yesterday a colleague witnessed a man get out of his car and attempt to pull a woman from hers for driving too close to him. From the evidence presented neither party came across particularly well. But how on earth is that acceptable behaviour?

I hate it in myself too. The battle between self-righteous cyclists and short-fused motorists is one guaranteed to ignite the forums. I'm ashamed to say I've found myself playing both roles on occasion and hate myself for it. But it's never less than shocking when you're the passive observer to one of these encounters and witness the sheer violence - usually 'just' verbal - otherwise reasonable people seem happy to unleash on a whim.

Awaiting the carnage...

On my dashlast week, I enjoyed driving across France, the stress of battling for every last inch of road significantly reduced by folk able to grasp the concept of lane discipline. The Germans can get a little bolshy about sticking rigidly to the rules but there is an inherent respect for those seeking to press on and a base level of politeness. Belgium is another matter but, generally speaking, you get the impression they're just a bit inept and cursed with some awful road design rather than inherently psychotic. Even the Americans are less territorial than Brits, those out in the sticks often content to pull over if you're making progress while in New York gridlock a toot of the horn at the lights is simply accepted as an expression of general exasperation. Rather than a specific rebuke or provocation to get out and square up.

Back home I'm just continually staggered at the sheer belligerence, selfishness and naked aggression you see day in, day out. It's deeply depressing and displayed in many and varied forms across all types of drivers. Lazy stereotypes include the sanctimonious lane hoggers, the hyper aggressive tail gaters or those who consider straddling dividing lines on parking bays entirely acceptable behaviour.

Maybe all this looming Big Brother control ofand CCTV-driven enforcement is as much as we deserve.

Leave Europe? I can't wait to get back!

[Highways England,]

RE: New York 2016 - PH Liveblog

Sunday 27th March
New York 2016 - PH blog
Catch up on Dan's adventures at the New York International Auto Show here!

By the standards of the genre the New York International Motor Show isn't usually one of the biggest on a circuit dominated by the likes of Geneva, Paris, Frankfurt and Detroit. For 2016 though we've got an unusual amount of activity from brands selling vehicles back in Europe, not to mention the added attraction of getting up close and personal with domestic product we don't usually get to see. Did we mention there's a newjust announced?

Dan's out at the show and, in addition to standalone stories, will be firing over regular updates to the liveblog below. You can also catch up with him on our Facebook page, on Twitter viaandand on Instagram atusing the hashtag #PHNYC2016 .

Thursday, 1715h - Ford
You always want what you can't have, right? Well, I can't have a Shelby GT350 Mustang. But I really, really want one. This one isn't even the 50-odd kilos lighter R version with its carbon wheels, ball-jointed suspension, Cup tyres and reduced exhaust baffling for the 526hp 5.2-litre flat-plane V8. Nope, this is 'just' the basic version. With its 8,250rpm redline, 7,500rpm peak power and 4,720rpm peak torque figures it sounds like exactly the kind of normally aspirated, big capacity V8 European carmakers have long abandoned. And it has a manual gearbox. I like the fact - stripes aside - it seems focused on getting the job done. The Camaro ZL1 looks amusing but almost caricatured in comparison - the GT350 just looks proper.

Dan

Thursday, 1415h - Jaguar Land Rover
More interviews, this time with SVO boss John Edwards and director Mark Stanton and then a chance to chat with Jaguar design boss Ian Callum. The SVO guys were good value, obviously keen to get us in the F-Type SVR and eager to talk about how the reception for its Range Rover equivalent has strengthened their arm and given them the confidence in the SVR concept. Callum meanwhile is fired up by the reception to F-Pace too. Will they do a coupe like the Mercedes GLC Coupe launched at the show? Callum doubts it, saying the F-Pace already ticks the boxes. Random titbit - you can option your F-Type SVR without the deployable wing if you want but you'll be restricted to 185mph rather than the full 200. Aesthetics versus speed - which way are you going to call it?

Dan

Thursday, 1200h - Mercedes
A round-table with AMG boss (and chainsaw collector, so I'm told!) Tobias Moers found him on ebullient form and eager to talk about the new '43 range and how - in certain markets - he reckons AMG can be bigger than Porsche. Blimey. I asked him, with the entire range parked outside his office and one to drive home in, which he'd pick. "GT S," he said, without hesitation. "But soon the GT R," with a big grin. You get the impression he's rather keen to share that one with us. Count us in on that!

Dan

Thursday, 0900h - Nissan
Interesting chat with Nissan design boss Shiro Nakamura about GT-R design; he was there from the start of the R35 project from concept to production car. Perhaps unsurprisingly he says the MY17 car on show is his favourite but he reckons the biggest influences on the car are the original Hakasuka and the R34. And the signature GT-R feature? It's the angle and thickness of the C-pillar. Photographic evidence presented from Hakasuka, R34 and R35 for your consideration!

Dan

Wednesday, 1715h - Honda
Wow! Hidden away on the Acura stand is this beauty - a GT3-spec NSX due for homologation this year and hopefully ready to race in GT3 for 2017. It's based on the road car but loses the electric motors, four-wheel drive and batteries and instead relies on an uprated version of the road car's twin-turbo V6, driving just the rear wheels. Full story to follow but, please Honda, give us a road going NSX Type R based on this! Please!

Dan

Wednesday, 1600h - Mazda
Another one ticked off the list - 'proper' pics of the MX-5 RF and a chance to consider it in the metal. I have to be frank, I love the idea and understand the desire to make the folding hardtop a distinct model from the regular roadster. But there's just something fractionally off about the proportions I can't quite resolve. Maybe the buttresses are just a few millimetres too tall. It could just be something as simple as dropping the ride height a tad to hunker it down a little - lord knows the standard car benefits from this too. It's like the oldMazda tried out a while back. Lovely idea. Just didn't quite seem to work in the metal.

Still, the car is getting a lot of love and I look forward to seeing it out on the road. I get the impression it's winning over a lot of those previously left cold by the MX-5, and as a fanboy I can't argue with that!

Dan

[Source:]

Wednesday, 1500h - Nissan
I'll let the pictures do the talking. But having unveiled the 'new' MY17 GT-R (full story) and made out it's basically now as wafty and comfortable as an S-Class Coupe, Nissan has also laid on a display of old GT-Rs that proudly boast of a tradition based on speed. Not comfort. I mean, who are they trying to kid? They've made the MY17 look more aggressive, with a little Lexus-ing of the front end, more vents, more skirt, more 'grr' in general. And then put a leather dash on it and called it a wafty GT. Don't believe a word of it.

The display of original GT-Rs is amazing too. It includes a 1969 PGC10, 1973 KPGC110, 1989 R32, 1995 R33 (that slashed 21 seconds off the R32's 'ring lap!) and a 1999 R34 GT-R M-Spec Nur. The R32, R33 and R34 are all from Nissan's own fleet, the two older cars privately owned. I'd happily drive any of them away. Or all of them.

I should focus though. I'm meant to be looking at new cars. Not starstruck by old ones. To Mazda!

Dan

Wednesday, 1315h - Hotel, Manhattan
Morning in Manhattan and a quick update before heading to the show. With apologies for my slightly gonzo video from last night here's a better official one from Jaguar, accompanied by some stunning photos by their official photographer Nick Dimbleby. Sure, it was 'just' a stunt but quite a brave one and resulting in some superb imagery so job done there.

A quick catch-up on the reaction to some of the stories posted up on embargo over breakfast has been interesting. Thehas polarised opinion and I'll look forward to taking up some of those discussion points with JLR Classic boss Tim Hannig. The car isn't here but he is! Feel free to post any specific questions you have for him below and I'll pose them to him and John Edwards.

Looks like thehas made a - mainly - positive first impression too. I have to confess I'm a little uncertain from the photos but have made it my first priority for the show so will report back with some 'real' pictures.

Dan

Tuesday night, - Park Lane, Manhattan
Pre-show night and Jaguar Land Rover held a bit of a press conference outlining the tech on the newand announcing the continuation XKSS - read all about that. So far so normal. But JLR doesn't pass up opportunity for a stunt at these things so we were taken round the corner to the specially closed off Park Lane Tunnel to get a personal demonstration of just how impressive sounding the F-Type SVR's titanium/Inconel exhaust system really is. Personal as in we'd be driving. I'm not sure how fast we went but the sighting run by the pro driver felt brutal, the tunnel narrow and surprisingly bumpy. Just shy of 500m long it was over before it began but a bit more exciting than looking at cars on a show stand!

Dan

Tuesday , 2100h - Park Avenue, Manhattan
So much for the quiet life - last time I came to the New York show it was a pretty chilled out affair browsing and/or talking Corvettes, Vipers and Mustangs and generally enjoying time in one of the cooler cities in America. But the flight over has been spent busily typing up stories on a number of embargoed cars due to be unveiled tomorrow from Mercedes, Jaguar, Nissan, Mazda and more. More on these in due course; first my hosts Jaguar Land Rover are summoning us to one of their characteristic pre-motor show stunts, this one involving the Park Avenue tunnel and a Jaguar F-Type SVR. More when I have it.

You'll have spotted the lead image to this update doesn't seem to have much to do with New York either. That's because it relates to a rather pleasant journey to the airport in my Eunos across a misty Saddleworth Moor. I could have just taken the M62 and had a bit longer in bed. But I suspected this would be worth an early alarm call and so it proved. Early bird and all that! Now, about that body clock...

Dan

RE: SEAT Leon Cupra V6: PH Blog

Monday 7th March
SEAT Leon Cupra V6: PH Blog
Never heard about the four-wheel drive, V6 Leon Cupra?

Never heard about the four-wheel drive, V6 Leon Cupra? Read on...

0gdsfdsIt's a misprint. It has to be a misprint. How could there be chance to drive a Leon Cupra V6 when there's never been one? In the UK all Cupras and Cupra Rs were four-cylinder, definitely. They were very popular, and early ones make good Sheds now. But a V6? No. Even if it was LHD-only, someone must have heard about it...We were wrong; there was a Leon Cupra V6. Built in small numbers and only in LHD between 2000 and 2002, it was the first SEAT to be made with more than 200hp. It was also built by SEAT rather than SEAT Sport, explaining its more subdued appearance. The Cupra bumpers and wheels are fairly discreet, for example, with just a badge on its pretty little rump and a few adornments inside marking it out. Much like the Golf V6 4Motion with which this car shares so much, the Leon is a very discreet fast hatch.

The biggest surprise inside is the light. Sounds daft, but we've become so used to cars with huge pillars and tiny glasshouses that to sit in a regular hatch from 15 years ago is a revelation. You can see! Moreover the steering wheel is a sensible size, as is the gearstick. The Leon shows very well how needlessly OTT so many interior features are now.

Start it using a key (!) and the 2.8-litre VR6 settles to a muted idle after the merest hint of a growl. The drive is taking place on the Terramar circuit so, as well as being not that detailed, it won't be for very long either. And it's been recently restored by SEAT. Off we go then...

Having driven the newjust a few minutes beforehand, immediately you can sense the drag of the four-wheel drive in the older car. There's more inertia in the powertrain, and the clear impression of car hauling around a fair bit of mass. Indeed the spec sheet reveals a 1,483kg kerbweight, the V6 not a light hot hatch by any stretch.

Now the Golf V6 4Motion never enjoyed the best reputation as the most enjoyable hot hatch, and the SEAT certainly did nothing to overturn that on this brief drive. What it did do however was act as a reminder of how nice large capacity naturally aspirated engines really are. It revs freely, sounds great and responds to the throttle nicely, completely at odds with the overly sharp Cupra setting on the new car. Yes, it's not that fast and, yes, it probably uses loads of fuel, but it goes to prove that turbo engines still cannot match the pleasure of using an atmospheric one.

Even this recently restored example felt a little slack in its damping and clearly wouldn't keep up with a new Cupra on any road, but as a curio the V6 Cupra was really rather pleasant. It seems unlikely that engines other than four-cylinder turbos will be seen in hot hatches from now on, so a bit of diversity is certainly welcomed round these parts. Though if we're deciding between V6 hot hatches of the early 2000s, mine will have an Alfa badge on it...

RE: Geneva to Rotterdam, via the M4: PH Blog

Thursday 3rd March
Geneva to Rotterdam, via the M4: PH Blog
It takes nine hours to drive from Geneva to the ferry home; Dan had eight 
I was ready on the BMW stand at Geneva in good time, late mission accepted to drive a new M4 Competition Pack back from the show to the UK.

back from the show to the UK. I had a cash float for fuel and tolls. All I was missing was my car. A couple of hours passed. I looked nervously at the interesting route I'd planned via German Autobahn, the 2100h ferry departure from Rotterdam and the narrowing time contingency should I hit traffic.

Yes, they're not the correct wheels...

No criticism of the colleagues I was taking the car over from; Geneva traffic can be a nightmare but finally the call came, an improvised handover outside the airport was arranged and I was off through the accessories hall to meet the car. Though we'd timed the rendezvous to perfection the Swiss police were already on the scene and it was a case of hurried exchange of pleasantries and a rolling start while still removing coat and plugging in essentials like phone, nav and - oh yes - seatbelt.

Direct route arrival time? 1952h. Ferry loading time? Not specified but probably about the same. This was going to be close.

Dreams of a chilled drive evaporating I simply pointed the car north into the Jura up what looked like a promisingly squiggly piece of road. In the rushed handover I'd clocked the car didn't have the trademark Competition Pack 20s, instead wearing some plain five-spokes and winter tyres. In white it looked more like a 420d but, given the fussy styling of the new wheels, perhaps the better for it. They better suited the conditions too, the comedy value of getting tyre squeal on standing water and (mainly) comedy low-speed under-into-oversteer around the hairpins an entertaining get-to-know-you with the car. Saying that with 12,000 miles init wasn't taking long.

... but winter tyres help in weather like this!

Emerging in Poligny - home of Comte, cheese fans! - I was on familiar ground again, hitting the peage towards Dijon. Having scaled back my Autobahn ambitions my main goal was to avoid Brussels. So I planned in a diversion via Luxembourg and the quiet squirt north that bypasses Prum (where, from the other direction, I turn off for the 'ring), crosses the Belgian border and then skirts Spa. Before that I was able to finally stretch the BMW's legs a little, the novelty of legally cruising at 120mph-plus only offset by the plunging fuel needle and worries about whether I'd have time for a splash and dash. Sod it. Having noted the 149mph speed restriction for the winter tyres I conducted a scientific test and established the 155mph limiter on the Competition Pack car is ... relaxed. A teasing taste of what I'd missed out on with my long-termer back in the UK. That being a prison sentence, mainly.

After snow in France and sunshine in Germany the predictable happened as soon as I hit Belgium, weather and driving standards taking a dramatic turn for the worse. At least it's dependable, the woeful lack of drainage on Belgian motorways making line markings invisible and the spray reducing visibility to about five metres. Or at least double the distance your average Belgian driver leaves. Before making an erratic lane change for no apparent reason. And then indicating his intentions afterwards.

More on just what a Competition Pack is like soon

Three tanks of fuel, a past-its-sell-by tuna baton and a huge bag of cheesy bugle crisps later, I arrived at Rotterdam's Europort bang on the predicted time after passing the astounding Blade Runner-esque landscape on the final approach. "You hit some traffic or something?" smirked the Dutch customs official, tempted out of his hut long after he thought he'd checked his last passport for the Hull crossing that evening. A Stella on a ferry never tasted so good...

And the car? More on this shortly. But for all the stress a 1,000km, to-the-wire dash across Europe in a fast car most definitely still has the capacity to thrill. Next time I'll definitely avoid Belgium though.

Dan

Follow the route.

RE: Ford Mustang: Pic Of The Week

Friday 8th April
Ford Mustang: Pic Of The Week
A drag strip, a Mustang and line lock - what the hell else was going to happen?

Burnouts are fun. Really, really good fun. Not big and certainly not mature, but as activities to do in a stationary car go, it must be the most entertaining. Yes, really.

So when presented with a Mustang, a drag strip and a feature specifically designed to roast rear tyres, the conclusion was predictable enough. Turns out line lock is reasonably simple to operate once you know the right combination of button holding and brake stamping. Not easy enough to have you accidentally lighting it up at every set of lights, but certainly fathomable if lots of people are watching on expectedly and it's your first time in the car...

As you can see, the results are spectacular. Line lock allows of 15 seconds of tyre melting anarchy outside and all manner of excited giggling from inside. Of course it's not practical, or especially relevant in the UK, but in the right situation line lock is absolutely hilarious. Makes good pictures too! So bravo Ford for keeping a drag racing feature in RHD Mustangs. And apologies to Santa Pod for doing this in the wrong place. Perhaps we'll have to return for another attempt...

Photo: Chris Teagles

RE: Burt Reynolds and the new Trans Am: Time For Tea

Monday 4th April
Burt Reynolds and the new Trans Am: Time for Tea?

There's a new Trans Am now out there, but an old favourite tasked with selling it

Some might say that Burt Reynolds has made some odd life choices. He turned down an offer to take over from Sean Connery as James Bond because he reckoned (quite rightly) that an American should never play 007. He also knocked back a part in a sci-fi flick nobody had heard of. That film was Star Wars, and the part was Han Solo.

But let's look at some of the stuff Burt did take on. He posed nude for a Cosmopolitan centre spread. He tackled the artistically challenging role of Boss Hogg in the 2005 big-screen version of The Dukes Of Hazzard. Most gloriously of all, he totally nailed the title role of The Bandit in Smokey And The Bandit.

Nearly forty years after SATB invested Pontiac's Trans Am with legendary status, a limited edition Camaro-based Bandit Trans Am has been created by the Tallahassee tuning shop Trans Am Depot - and Burt has signed up to it. Quite literally: his signature appears on all 77 of these Trans Am SE Bandit Editions, and he's joined in on the video of it to boot.

Burt starts the vid with a rueful chuckle and a strong contender for one of the understatements of the century. Details on the actual car are as thin as Burt's real hair but there's a claim of 840hp in there, and Burt doesn't say it isn't, so that's good enough for us. Certainly, with a supercharged 7.4-litre LSX under that screaming chicken on the shaker scoop, it's believable. Prices start at $115,000.

BR is 80 now, and looking a little frail. After a life well lived, his bayou-jumping days are over. But looking at all the evidence objectively, any right thinking person must surely come to the conclusion that Burt Reynolds is one of the greatest human beings ever to walk the planet.

See the video here .

RE: New Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 announced

Sunday 20th March
New Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 announced
Of course it's not for the UK, but it does have 640hp and a six-speed manual...
"The Camaro ZL1 is designed to excel at everything".

"The Camaro ZL1 is designed to excel at everything". That's the opinion of Mark Reuss, Chevrolet's executive vice pres of Global Product Development. Just in case there was any doubt American confidence was back...

New grille lets more air in. Possibly more wildlife too

This latest ZL1 is based on thePH drove (and rather liked) last year. Marking it out from the standard V8 and theare a new grille that lets more air in, a bit of carbon on the bonnet, a "wing-style rear spoiler" and wider front wings; all of this was devised through over 100 hours of wind tunnel testing and track development. Predictably enough it's not shy, the front in particular brooding with intent. Look at that grille!

Behind that grille and under the carbon is the supercharged LT4 6.2-litre V8, making 640hp and 640lb ft. Should be sufficient, the numbers representing useful gains of 60hp and 80lb ft up on the already-pretty-potent. Plus the new car is 90kg lighter...

As standard there's a six speed manual, but Chevrolet will also introduce a 10-speed (!) automatic as an option on the ZL1. It's the first application of this gearbox ahead of eight new models receiving it by the end of 2018. Chevrolet promises "lightning-quick responses" both up and down the 'box.

Getting all that power to the road (remember when the Lamborghini Murcielago had power upped to 640hp?) are four Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar tyres, 285/30 ZR20 at the front and 305/30 ZR20 behind. The front Brembo brakes are 390mm diameter with six-piston calipers.

Manual for the purists; 10-speed auto also offered

Like many other modern performance Chevrolets, the Camaro ZL1 comes with the Driver Mode Selector, tweaking parameters such as the throttle response, traction control, steering, the limited-slip diff and the magnetic ride. On the latter, Chevrolet has updated the damping once more, that man Reuss saying the car has "perfect damping and isolation for optimal performance and driver confidence in virtually any situation".

Given how well received the standard Camaro has been, plus Chevrolet's recent success with cars like the Corvette Z06, we'd bank on the ZL1 being pretty damn good. It would surely make for a breathtaking track test with a Mustang GT350 as well, at least until the next Z/28 comes along. Oh to be an American track day enthusiast (!). Until that happens, you'll just have to hope a few ZL1s are.

RE: PH joins the Fire Dept: PH Blog

Wednesday 30th March
PH joins the Fire Dept: PH Blog
Does the childhood fascination with fire engines ever wear off?

Does the childhood fascination with fire engines ever wear off? Ask a big kid...

I realise tyre kicking some fire engines is a little off piste for a PH blog. But I'll work on the basis - call it a hope - you also maintain the sense of awe and excitement a big red truck with sirens and flashing lights on it can inspire. Indeed, one of the joys of parenthood is I can still point and shout 'ooh look, fire engine!', though it pays to make sure the Maxi Cosi is actually occupied before doing this to avoid embarrassment in front of more grown-up passengers.Anyway, long and the short of it is our JLR drivers for the New York show last week were all local fire fighters, which was good because, Range Rover or not, you need a certain steeliness to survive driving around Manhattan. The chaps all had good banter too, making light work of even the most tedious traffic jam en route to the show. And having confessed admiration for American fire engines a plan was hatched to drop by the firehouse of Al, my designated driver for the trip back to JFK airport. This then escalated a tad.

First things first, here or in New York the men and women doing the job are all heroes and I'm not about to claim any nation's firefighters are better than another's. A big red truck with flashing blue lights - even one called Dennis - is an exciting thing. It just happens that the ones in New York happen to be bigger, redder and have even more flashing lights.

The romanticised illusion of everything in America being somehow bigger, flasher and more exciting than the stuff back home is one reality will often shatter. But in the case of theit survives intact. And on the pretext of wanting some photos for the kids I readily accepted the invitation to call by Al's firehouse, home toand based on East 29th St between 2nd and 3rd Avenue and not far from the Empire State Building. Ritual humiliation was served when it was suggested I try all the gear on, the way it hung off me suggesting I'm perhaps not as powerfully built as the average New York firefighter. Thankfully they spared me the 15-minute fitness test that would have proved this conclusively.

Thewere as big, bold and exotic looking as I'd hoped. Inside they felt more like military vehicles, breathing apparatus incorporated into seat backs to strap into en route to a call, accommodation cramped among kit and controls and all of it built tough. The guys I met were unfailingly polite, passionate about their work and happy to show me around, even though I was probably rather less appealing company than the limo loads of bachelorettes that are an occupational hazard in central Manhattan.

For all the fun the reminder of the dangers of the work all firefighters face was never far away though, a roll call of those killed in the line of duty taking the form of plaques on the wall by the door. Centre stage was the duty board from that day back in September 2001 - six men crewing Ladder 7 from this firehouse alone were killed among 343 in total from FDNY. Odd that it takes a localised example like that to get a sense of an event so huge but it really brought it home to me quite how large it looms in the city's recent history. Respect due and all that.

Dan

RE: 50th Annual Easter Jeep Safari concepts

Friday 11th March
50th Annual Easter Jeep Safari concepts
700hp, manual and very green Jeep Wrangler?

700hp, manual and very green Jeep Wrangler? Happy Easter!

This year's Jeep Easter Safari is particularly significant; not only is it the 50th running of the event, but 2016 is also Jeep's 75th anniversary. Therefore, the concepts for this safari are even more bonkers than before.

Now this looks a giggle

"We're delighted to share seven of the most capable and eye-catching concept Jeep vehicles we've ever created at this year's historic event" said Mike Manley (yes, that is his name), Head of Jeep Brand. Eye-catching is certainly one word!

Our favourite is the Trailcat, and not just because of the green paint and 39-inch tyres. They contribute, of course, but the appeal is also in the 707hp Hellcat V8, six-speed manual and seats from a Viper. Jeep claims the Trailcat "leaves everything else in a cloud of dust." The wheelbase is 12 inches longer than a standard Wrangler and the windscreen chopped by two inches. Apparently, the design cues are "subtle" on the green paint, including Hellcat and Trailcat decals.

For those after a more traditional Wrangler experience, the little red Shortcut should be just the thing. It apparently "invokes the spirit of 1950s Americana with a shortened body and functional simplicity". Power is from a V6 and the off-road tyres are only 35-inch here, but the 12-inch reduction in length should keep it agile off-road. And isn't it cute?!

'MURICA

Something a little more serious is available with the Crew Chief 715 concept, built "as a salute to legendary Jeep military service vehicles". So it looks pretty mean, the tyres are military spec and 40-inch in diameter, there's a compass inside and there are two winches. Which are presumably there for someone with a V8 to pull you out when the Pentastar V6 isn't up to the job...

There are a couple of Renegade based concepts too, but they're arguably less exciting than the others on show. Having said that, the Commanche (the pick-up style one) is painted "Beige Against the Machine", and good wordplay will always go down well here. Don't fill up that five-foot bed too much though, as the Commanche is only powered by a diesel...

The second Renegade is the Commander, designed for "the ultimate off-road adventure". The catalogue of Jeep and Mopar performance parts has been raised, with a two-inch lift kit, 29.5-inch off-road tyres, off-road rock rails, a new exhaust, skid plates and auxiliary lights. Oh yes, and Mopar floor mats.

And for the retro fans

Finally, and perhaps most interestingly, is the Jeep FC 150. Originally built in 1960, this car has its original body panels but has been overhauled underneath. It now uses a modified Wrangler chassis with new wheels, axles and tyres. Power is now from a 4.0-litre straight-six and three-speed auto.

So it would seems an appropriately OTT celebration for Jeep's anniversary. If any US PHers are out on the Safari, we would love to see some pictures!

RE: Chevrolet Camaro 1LE announced

Monday 22nd February
Chevrolet Camaro 1LE announced
Track focused Camaros aren't for the UK, but they are very cool
Any press release that includes the phrase "automatic transmission not available" is always going to get our attention.

Any press release that includes the phrase "automatic transmission not available" is always going to get our attention. Yes, the Camaro 1LE models aren't coming to the UK and, yes, it's not as extreme as a, but there's more than enough here to be excited by.

If green is a little too overt...

There is a V6 Camaro 1LE, but we'll focus on the V8. Power is unchanged from the standard car at 455hp but a raft of changes underneath is enough for the 1LE to lap Willow Springs three seconds quicker than the standard car, says Chevrolet. The magnetic dampers have a new 'FE4' recalibration and there's an electronically controlled active diff too. The 20-inch wheels are forged and use Goodyear Eagle F1 tyres, said to be capable of more than 1G. Good job the Recaro seats have "aggressive bolsters" then!

The brakes are bigger too, the front discs using 370mm rotors and six-piston calipers. The cooling for important stuff like the differential and transmission is uprated. The steering wheel has suede on it. The gearbox has a shorter throw. There's even data recording, for those rare track days where you can actually time. All the equipment you would want from a track special is here on this Camaro.

... then how about a more sinister black?

And look at it! Both V6 and V8 1LE Camaros come with the satin black bonnet, mirrors and rear spoiler, with graphite for the front splitter and rear diffuser. In the bright green seen here it looks absolutely brilliant. What's the next Z/28 going to be like?

Those fortunate US track day enthusiasts wanting to get hold of the 1LE Camaros will be able to order it from late this year. Prices and performance will follow soon, presumably including how much faster it is than a comparable Mustang or Challenger. America!

RE: Chevrolet Corvette (C4): PH Ad Break

Thursday 11th February
Chevrolet Corvette (C4): PH Ad Break
Thought the 80s were fairly modern?

Thought the 80s were fairly modern? Think again!

Now we're used to car commercials being fairly punchy about their claims for new models; it's kind of the point, after all. But this 1984 advert for the Corvette really takes corporate confidence to a new extreme.

Where to start? "It began as genius and grew to be legend. And has become, at long last, the most advanced production car on the planet." That should do it. The soundtrack and vocals - oh yes, there is singing - are pure 80s cheese, their campness at stark and very amusing contrast to the very aggressive narrator.

It gets better too. America-is-best perspective? Oh yes. "14 separate instrument readouts. English or metric." Huge excitement at quite ordinary tech? You wait for the "out of this world" four-speaker stereo.

It's a very entertaining 90 seconds, this Corvette ad, another one that proves just how far we've come in terms of marketing. The car has got a little better too...

Watch the ad.

RE: Shed of the Week: Chevrolet Blazer

Friday 12th February
Shed of the Week: Chevrolet Blazer
Literally a lot of metal for not much money ... well it might have been but for one important detail
Can you name the truck with four-wheel drive, smells like a steak and seats 35?

As any Simpsons fan will know, that was of course the Canyonero. But it could just as easily have been this week's Shed, the marvellously horrible Chevrolet Blazer. Only one word can describe this rolling slab of political incorrectness: promulant. And that's not even a real word. Actually, that's not strictly true. Another word describes it - sold.

A true Yank tank

Before you commence to ranting about non-existent Sheds ('commencing to' being what they do in Blazer country), Shed's lawyers have reassured him the car qualifies as a Shed on account of it having been in the PH classifieds. If you want to pursue the question of how long it was in the PH classifieds, perhaps Breadvan72 or someone from the quantum physics thread will be prepared to take it on. The lesson here being that you should have kept your eyes closely glued to the listings for Yank tanks.

In all honesty though, would you have slapped your wad down for this fine specimen of American excess, as the unknown speedy buyer did? What would you have been getting into?

"Twelve yards long, two lanes wide, sixty-five tons of American pride."

Make that 1.75 tons. It was a lot back in 1999, but a specced-up Mini Countryman weighs about the same these days doesn't it?

"It goes real slow with the hammer down, it's the country-fried truck endorsed by a clown."

The smell of freedom

Bashed together from an unusual mixture of wide-grain plastic, pig iron, pewter and buffalo scrotums, the Blazer easily met your performance expectations, as long as they were nice and low. The spec sheet says 112mph and a 0-60 of 10.1 seconds, but it would be a brave man indeed who would attempt to grind that sort of progress out of the 4.3-litre vee-six. Much better to amble around at 38mph or so, your brace of prizewinning shire horses in tow, comfortable in the knowledge that the chap behind you was breathing in a heady cocktail of 330 grams of CO2 every single kilometre. That's about one Imperial pound of noxiousness every mile. Wow! And, indeed, cough!

This Blazer came out of the blacksmiths, sorry, factory, in Onyx Black. If the first buyer had wanted to do his bit for the environment he could have had it in Meadow Green.

Either way, if you'd bought it 17 years on, the chances of this bluff old lump turning into a faithful (if farty) Shed would have been every bit as slim as you might expect. Looking at US owners' reviews, the word that seems to sum up the Blazer for most is 'junk'. Our selection of choice quotes includes "always serviced it, tranny went out anyway at 114,000 miles", "absolutely the worst vehicle I have ever owned in my life", "money pit", and that simple old classic "run away". AC compressors, radiators, transfer cases, fuses, door hinges, power locks, window motors, ball joints, fuel pumps, flywheels, differentials, ECUs, CV joints, ball joints (again), gaskets ... basically, anything in the vehicle or within twenty metres of it will break. If it hasn't already, it will soon.

But wouldn't owning it have been great? Even if only for a week.

Needless to say, as per the Canyonero ad, unexplained fires are a matter for the courts. Or would have been, if you'd been quick enough to buy it. For old times' sake if nothing else, here's the ad, complete with 'happy days' sign-off.

£995 Black, HEATED FRONTS SEATS..ELECTRIC FRONT SEATS..LUMBAR SUPORT..2 KEYS..PERFECT TOW VEHICLE / STABLES CAR..MOT UNTIL MAY 2016..Date of reg:26/01/1999, 4 owners, Next MOT due 06/05/2016, Black Full leather interior, Four wheel-drive, Air-Conditioning, Alloy Wheels (17in), Electric Windows (Front/Rear), In Car Entertainment (Radio/Cassette/CD), Seats Electric (Driver/Passenger), Electric mirrors, Heated seats, 2 Keys, one touch drivers window, tow bar. 5 seats, Vehicle comes with an AA History Check and 12 Months AA Breakdown Cover. Happy Days.

RE: Chevrolet Camaro ZL1: Spotted

Tuesday 9th February
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1: Spotted
A healthy chunk of V8 muscle with a manual gearbox; are you tough enough?

It won't have escaped your attention recently that Ford is making quite a big deal about right-hand drive Mustangs with the 'Unlearn' campaign. Not surprising really, given it's taken more than 50 years. Let's hope it's worth the wait.

Do you even shift bro?

Anyway, what Ford's move has done is bring muscle cars back into the minds of the British fast car enthusiast. We're talking about line locks, V8s, manuals and 0-60 times even more. So hopefully you will excuse a little muscle car indulgence, given they're somewhat in vogue right now.

We're unlikely to see right-hand drive versions of the new, which is a shame given how good it sounded from. So yes, any Camaro you have in the UK - including- will be left-hand drive. Best deal with that first. Is it an issue? Certainly people have made do with E30 M3s and Delta Integrales in the UK, but this is of course a bigger car. Much bigger. When Dan drove ain 2012, he observed: "You feel the size on a B-road, sure, but dynamically it's not out of its depth." Like a lot of car compromises, if you want to make it work that much then you will surely find a way.

Moreover, it's not like a Camaro ZL1 will leave you stranded if you do venture out for an overtake. The 6.2-litre supercharged V8 may be a little down on the Corvette ZR1's 640hp, but 588hp should be enough. Official figures put it at four seconds to 60mph, 11.96 seconds through the quarter-mile and 184mph flat out. Quick car. The handling isn't bad by all accounts either; watch the Harris vid againstfor a reminder. It's worth pointing out though that this is a different car to, that bonkers track renegade with 305-section Pirelli Trofeo Rs at each corner. This is more your classic muscle car, but probably better than you expect.

Big, brash, badass

And like all the best muscle cars, this Camaro looks absolutely superb. If the original Dodge Charger introduced an air of evil intent to muscle cars, this shows that's still alive and well in the 21st century. The bluff front end, incredibly narrow glasshouse and sharp edges make the ZL1 a very intimidating car, especially in Ashen Grey. Interestingly though the seller says he gets a really positive response to his Camaro, so perhaps a bit of unfamiliarity (and the Transformers link) endears people to it.

If you're a fan of muscle, of huge power allied to a manual gearbox, there's a lot to like about this ZL1. It will surely be a very rare sight in Britain too. This car is for sale at £43K, having been brought back over by a Brit after purchase in Texas. Would you have a new Mustang instead? Not really a fair comparison. But with a previous-genthat's £45,000? Far more relevant. Where do your loyalties lie?

CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1
Engine: 6,162cc supercharged V8
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 587@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 556@4,200rpm
MPG: 19 (US gallons, EPA highway rating. Approx 22 in UK)
CO2: Next
First registered: 2012
Recorded mileage: 11,500
Price new: $55,505 (new price 2016, approx £38,500)
Yours for: £42,950

See the original advert.

RE: Chevrolet Camaro ZL1: Spotted

Tuesday 9th February
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1: Spotted
A healthy chunk of V8 muscle with a manual gearbox; are you tough enough?

It won't have escaped your attention recently that Ford is making quite a big deal about right-hand drive Mustangs with the 'Unlearn' campaign. Not surprising really, given it's taken more than 50 years. Let's hope it's worth the wait.

Do you even shift bro?

Anyway, what Ford's move has done is bring muscle cars back into the minds of the British fast car enthusiast. We're talking about line locks, V8s, manuals and 0-60 times even more. So hopefully you will excuse a little muscle car indulgence, given they're somewhat in vogue right now.

We're unlikely to see right-hand drive versions of the new, which is a shame given how good it sounded from. So yes, any Camaro you have in the UK - including- will be left-hand drive. Best deal with that first. Is it an issue? Certainly people have made do with E30 M3s and Delta Integrales in the UK, but this is of course a bigger car. Much bigger. When Dan drove ain 2012, he observed: "You feel the size on a B-road, sure, but dynamically it's not out of its depth." Like a lot of car compromises, if you want to make it work that much then you will surely find a way.

Moreover, it's not like a Camaro ZL1 will leave you stranded if you do venture out for an overtake. The 6.2-litre supercharged V8 may be a little down on the Corvette ZR1's 640hp, but 588hp should be enough. Official figures put it at four seconds to 60mph, 11.96 seconds through the quarter-mile and 184mph flat out. Quick car. The handling isn't bad by all accounts either; watch the Harris vid againstfor a reminder. It's worth pointing out though that this is a different car to, that bonkers track renegade with 305-section Pirelli Trofeo Rs at each corner. This is more your classic muscle car, but probably better than you expect.

Big, brash, badass

And like all the best muscle cars, this Camaro looks absolutely superb. If the original Dodge Charger introduced an air of evil intent to muscle cars, this shows that's still alive and well in the 21st century. The bluff front end, incredibly narrow glasshouse and sharp edges make the ZL1 a very intimidating car, especially in Ashen Grey. Interestingly though the seller says he gets a really positive response to his Camaro, so perhaps a bit of unfamiliarity (and the Transformers link) endears people to it.

If you're a fan of muscle, of huge power allied to a manual gearbox, there's a lot to like about this ZL1. It will surely be a very rare sight in Britain too. This car is for sale at £43K, having been brought back over by a Brit after purchase in Texas. Would you have a new Mustang instead? Not really a fair comparison. But with a previous-genthat's £45,000? Far more relevant. Where do your loyalties lie?

CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1
Engine: 6,162cc supercharged V8
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 587@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 556@4,200rpm
MPG: 19 (US gallons, EPA highway rating. Approx 22 in UK)
CO2: Next
First registered: 2012
Recorded mileage: 11,500
Price new: $55,505 (new price 2016, approx £38,500)
Yours for: £42,950

See the original advert.

RE: Sponsored - Tales from the call centre, part II

Thursday 25th February
Sponsored - Tales from the call centre, part II
Chances are you may have modded a car in your time; here are the most common - and unusual - upgrades Flux customers have declared

As you will probably be aware PistonHeads has signed up with Adrian Flux as an official insurance partner, with deals for PHers on policies specially tailored to the kind of cars we drive.

as an official insurance partner, with deals for PHers on policies specially tailored to the kind of cars we drive. In a new series of sponsored articles called 'Tales from the call centre' we'll be looking at some of the insights, stories and trends Flux's team pick up in their daily business of preparing quotes and policies. Is there a sudden upswing in certain cars indicating popularity in the classifieds? What are the most common mods PHers are listing for their cars? What are the craziest cars being insured? All of this and more over the coming weeks and months. Our first story covered the; our second examines the most popular - and unusual - declared modifications Flux customers have carried out on their cars.

Whether it's an expression of personality or a quest for improved performance, many enthusiasts have been tempted to modify their cars.

While some go for the whole spoilers, body kits or paint jobs look, others are more interested in boosting performance by re-mapping engines, or fitting aftermarket air filters or sports exhausts.

But like Christian Minister Reverend, who fell foul of her insurer's rules governing modifications when she covered her Vauxhall Zafira with religious slogans, many people are unsure what is and isn't a modification and what they need to declare.

The Rev Parry's stickers came to light when she sent photographs of her car to her insurance provider, Age UK, following a claim - and was promptly told her policy could be void because insurer Ageas did not cover modified vehicles.

We had a look through our records to find the top 10 modifications declared in a typical month - plus some of the least common - and added some simple advice about what you need to tell your insurer.

We've been providing cover for modified vehicles for more than 40 years, developing a range of special policies that can cater for everything from minor alterations to home-built one-offs like this three-wheeled.

The 10 most common vehicle modifications, out of more than 20,000, declared in a typical month:
1.     Alloy wheels (4,366)
2.     Exhaust system changes (1,804)
3.     Uprated, lowered or stiffened suspension springs (1,597)
4.     Tinted windows (1,535)
5.     Changes to suspension dampers (1,390)
6.     Upgraded air filter (839)
7.     Conversion to run on LPG (829)
8.     Body kit (724)
9.     Uprated brakes (555)
10.  Changes to the interior (496)

And some of less common modifications:
1.     Cruise control (2)
2.     Removal of seats (3)
3.     Badges indicating increased performance (4)
4.     High level brake light (7)
5.     Roll bars (9)
6.     Additional windows (10)
7.     Flared wings (13)
8.     Spotlights (17)
9.     Supercharging (27)
10.  Non-standard paintwork (30)

Importantly, only some of these modifications will result in an additional premium - generally the ones that increase performance or may make the vehicle more of a target for thieves or make it more likely to be vandalised.

But, irrespective of whether or not insurers will charge extra, you must declare anything that differs from the manufacturer's standard specification or run the risk of having your policy cancelled should non-disclosure come to light. Some insurers may void your policy even if your non-disclosure was entirely innocent, purely because they may not provide any cover for modified vehicles of any description.

So the simple message is: if in doubt, declare it.

Images: Max Earey (M4), Ben Lowden (Fiesta)

RE: Polaris Slingshot: Driven

Saturday 6th February
Polaris Slingshot: Driven
One wheel short of the full four-square, the Slingshot is a properly mental bit of kit...
Whoa!

Whoa! What the hell am I feeling here? Is it abject terror? Ah yes, here it is: the feeling of riding The Smiler at Alton Towers. Less than a mile into my test, I've already experienced the rear tyre lighting up (several times), questioned whether the brakes were working and had the strange sensation the rear end was about to start overtaking me.

This is no ordinary test drive. This is no ordinary vehicle. I have never used the nonsensical phrase 'very unique' in my life, but theis exerting such a gravitational field of oddness that it's scrambling my grammar. It IS very unique.

Polaris is probably a brand you've never heard of, unless you happen to be a farmer, polar explorer or in the SAS. It offers the weirdest catalogue of vehicles in the world: snowmobiles, cruiser bikes, electric city cars, ATVs, armoured vehicles...

But the Slingshot has to be the weirdest of them all. Let's face it, thanks to Mr Benz motoring may have started on three wheels but here in the 21st century most of us have settled on a minimum of four.

Huge 255-section rear tyre still has traction issues

White-knuckle etch-a-sketch
The obvious first question - why three wheels? I asked Polaris and was told because it's different. Excellent answer. Three-wheelers are for purists and mentalists. Pure, because three is the fewest number of wheels needed to stop a vehicle falling over. And mental, because trikes eventually deliver the sort of 'moment' that, er, really reminds you that you're alive.

That moment comes for me in the Slingshot when I'm carrying a fair amount of speed into a corner, which then suddenly tightens. I back off the gas, attempt to pile on extra lock and hope. Everything lightens - front grip, steering feel, back end - and for a moment I have no idea what's going to happen next. Then suddenly I'm through.

Which at least shows that the Slingshot has the balance to keep you confident. Not always the case with three-wheelers. And it also reminds me that the phrase 'slow in, fast out' has never been more relevant.

Once you accept this tenet, the Slingshot transforms into a surprisingly agile machine. It laps up being hurled into bends at speed, the ultra-stiff front end keeping the whole thing very flat and roll-free. Massive 225/45R18 tyres provide incisive front-end grip, while in contrast the back end feels like it might break traction at any moment.

Three wheels yes, but it's still a big old thing

Familiarity breeds content
To avoid that feeling of terror and start really enjoying what the Slingshot has to offer, you have to learn its ways. First: what happens is very surface-dependent, and very speed-dependent. At high speeds, there's masses of grip. But at lower speeds, use your right foot with care. Time and time again putting the gas down on exiting a village, the back end slithers around like a boa. The merest hint of dust on the tarmac will see it dancing about (note, only 34 per cent of the weight is over the rear). You also need to brake and downshift with care; twitches from the back end await.

Don't get me wrong here, it's all fantastic fun. Fact is, the traction control and ESC work pretty darned well and with impressive subtlety to haul you back from any feeling of impending catastrophe. Even so, take-offs from a standstill are hilarious. Even mild acceleration squeals the 255/35 ZR20 rear tyre, and giving it the full beans smokes it up like a shotgun. And that's with the traction control on; if you switch it off you're in a world of outrageously lurid tail-wagging action. All very well on a dry Spanish road - what the hell is it going to be like in the wet?

Hold on tight Chris!

The intensity and fun has to be offset against some surprisingly agricultural controls. The steering, for instance, is taken directly off a Polaris off-road vehicle, and is pretty wooden in feel, especially near the dead-ahead. Even though Polaris describes 3.2 turns lock-to-lock as 'fast', it isn't especially. But then, a quick steering rack on this thing would probably put you in a hedge faster than a McDonalds bag jettisoned from a teenager's Vauxhall Corsa. The non-servo brakes need a good hoofing too, and are prone to fading with over-enthusiastic use.

And then there's the engine - GM's 2.4-litre Ecotec four-cylinder lump from the Pontiac Solstice is hardly a thing of engineering grace or aural splendour. Even the front-exit exhaust - which should really sound amazing - emits rather a dull drone.

Still, 175hp in a machine weighing 786kg (or 223hp per tonne) is a recipe for a lot of fun. It's quick, if not Caterham-quick. Polaris doesn't quote a 0-60mph time but I reckon it's probably around the six-second mark, while the top speed is about 130mph.

The Aisin five-speed manual gearbox has a short, fast action. The 'box is pretty quiet, but drowned out by the mechanical whine from the rear end - power is transmitted to the back wheel via a carbon-reinforced belt. The Slingshot's construction is a semi-exposed steel spaceframe, cast aluminium rear swing arm, aluminium double wishbones and an anti-roll bar up front.

Well if you want unique...

Acid frenzy
What were the Slingshot design team on when they drew it though? It looks like a Hollywood sci-fi movie designer dropped some LSD and mashed up a KTM X-Bow with a Morgan. The sheer pile-up of contrasting shapes is frenetic: leaping front wings, projecting spoilers, protruding transparent LED tail lights, angular aluminium roll-over hoops - even a centre rear fin. The Slingshot does look utterly amazing on the road, and you soon get used to the whoops and hollers of onlookers as you cruise by.

The look and feel of the injection-moulded panelling makes you feel you're riding a dodgem in Blade Runner - only compounded by the glittery sparkle coming from the candy red paint (the only option in the UK).

Step inside and the Tron-like waterproof seats feel rubbery to the hand, and not terribly comfortable or supportive. Although you sit exposed (there are no doors, no roof and only a tiddly Perspex screen to deflect the wind), it's actually quite civilised to drive. If you're tall, you might be buffeted too much to ride without a helmet, but at 5ft 8in I felt pretty comfortable bare-headed.

Being a North American creation, it comes with luxuries like USB ports, Bluetooth, an audio system and even a reversing camera. You also get usefully sized lockable luggage pods behind the seats, which are ideal for helmets.

£23K and Bluetooth? Bargain

Who will buy?
What is the market for the Slingshot? In the USA, where it's been on sale for 18 months, Polaris says one third of buyers are "seasoned" (read: old). Another section are bikers wanting to switch to a more social side-by-side seating position. And one in five buyers is the hardcore performance-orientated enthusiast of the PistonHeads variety.

Hardly surprising. It's not only bonkers to look at, it drives like nothing else out there. And it's actually fantastic value at £22,999. Shame it's left-hand drive only for now - Polaris hints that a right-hooker could be on sale in sometime in 2017.

In all the time I spent with the Slingshot though, one thing was bugging me. Why is it so BIG? For a bare-boned two-seater, 3.8 metres long and almost two metres wide is enormous. Why not make it 25 per cent smaller all round?

The chaps at Polaris tell me this is very much the future direction of the company's new Roadster division. So that sounds like a micro-Slingshot may well be on the cards. Could I please request a high-revving screamer of an engine and a sequential gearbox? Just don't turn down the level of bonkers - that's just fine as it is.

POLARIS SLINGSHOT SL
Engine: 2,384cc 4-cyl
Transmission: 5-speed manual, rear-wheel drive by belt
Power (hp): 175@6,400rpm
Torque (lb ft): 167@4,700rpm
0-62mph: 6.0sec (est.)
Top speed: 130mph
Weight: 786kg
Price: £22,999

Find out more at the Polaris.