Pretty Porsches

A few years ago now a very good friend and co-author of this blog proclaimed his adoration for the Porsche 911 GT3RS. At the time I had to concede, it was pretty tasty but I still wasn't endeared to the 911. Now I do like a pioneer, a reaching for more and in the turbo and particularly the GT2, the 911 always had some leverage with me, but the base models, I felt, were never particularly special. I have to say my view is changing, I liked the 998, and the 991 is reinforcing that view. A well known motoring show (with the exception of its shorter presenter) claim the Porsche 911 to be an unevolving incarnation of a prehistoric concept. Now I'm a firm believer in sticking to your guns and being proven wrong rather than meekly accepting defeat, but I do think Porsche may be right on this one. I would argue the 911 is the epitome of evolution, Porsche have taken a concept (rear engine rear drive) with blatant flaws (erm understeer much) and run with it. Now I haven't had the luxury of driving a 911 but must reviews seem to agree the handling is sublime and the sales figures do little to counter that argument. So what Porsche have done is evolve a technology over years to a state of refinement. Then they have offered variants of this model to appeal to many tastes, from the kid who pours over car magazines to the people lucky enough to be rich enough to own one. I'm a convert now but even if you do not like the 911, you have to respect the ethos of its development.

Four door struggle....

So, the time has come again, and one of the toughest decisions to make is about to be made. It's time to upgrade the car...

Let me divert your attention to the beginning. My first. An 18th birthday present, a lump of concrete and pig iron was delivered to the driveway, with the keys describing it as a Volvo 440 "Sport" (Of which it most certainly was not!)
The perfect family car for a teenager without a family......hmmm.
This was the start of a very backwards string of car purchasing, for second up was another hefty Swede - the "Sleek and Stylish" - (Taken from the handbook), Volvo S70. Another 4 door family saloon. This was followed swiftly by an even heavier Scandinavian powerhouse with an outrageously eccentric engine, the S60 T5. Yet another family car (See where this is going...)
Since being weened gradually from the Volvo affixation, I matured into a fine steed with a penchant for coupe's and GT's. A car that would comfortably carry two, but if the need arose, a perfectly decent, sizeable pair were ready and waiting in the rear. Two Audi A5 Coupe's fitted the bill suitably and sufficed for the last four years without much of a grumble for my partner and I.
Now however, it all needs to change. The game has moved on, and I have a decision to make, for we will be starting a family soon, and the sheer thought of fitting a car seat into the back of a 2 door coupe sends shockwaves searing through my 6ft 3 frame.
In my GQ-Magazine-reading eyes, I had already penned my next car in. I'd already visualised it on the driveway, and imagined myself using it as my daily driver. The Audi R8 V8 was ideal! 2 comfy seats, and I'd be fulfilling a promise I made to Mr. James Hughes about my next car....about 3 cars ago.
Alas, this was no longer the case, for I would now require 4 doors and this meant a hearty return to the family sector, albeit with style!

Now I have had my fill of family cars, and thought I knew the market pretty well. Volvo S60, Audi A6, BMW 5 Series and other standard generic German & Swedish characterless A-B transporters.
This was until I did some proper research, attended a Garden Party in Wilton, and laid eyes on a golden egg. The most beautiful 4 door saloon I'd ever seen. And it sounded epic!
The Maserati Ghibli had just wafted in, being driven by a suave gentleman in a navy peak lapelled suit, it screamed elegance and sophistication. Perfect!
The hum of a low range V8 petrol engine spread out over the meticulously manicured lawn of Wilton House, and I just had to go and see this majestic beast for up close and personal.
As I got closer, I noticed that the hearty V8 soundtrack was not coming from the engine bay. No, it was coming from the quad pipes at the rear. Maserati call it 'dynamic sound'. I say genius! For what everyone in attendance thought to be a petrol V8, was in fact a 3.0 Litre diesel V6! Mind-blowing!
This of course meant I had to have one. I mean, a Maserati, with the prestige and elegance of an Italian Supercar manufacturer, but with trick exhausts and a 40mpg diesel. No brainer!

The Maserati Ghibli (Left) vs the Audi A5

The very next day, the deposit was laid. Maserati Ghibli with the optional sports pack in 'Corsa Blu' and more importantly my new family car.
This was great for a few weeks, until Audi, knowing my new requirements, phoned me and invited me in to look at a few cars they had prepared for me. I accepted the invite, turned up at the showroom, and it seemed they'd had the very same idea as Maserati except, they'd done it first.
Their 3.0 V6 Bi-Turbo TDI pumped out more power, had more V8 soundtrack and looked far more aggressive than any diesel I'd ever seen! - And it had been around for a couple of years! There was the choice of the A7, Q5, or A6 all with this amazing new engine. I was suddenly that person who got the cold sweats when they'd done something they had regretted, but could still back out. The Audi was cheaper, better engineered, faster, sounded better, was more modern, wouldn't break down every day, and above all it was available now and not in a few months. Crisis!

The current choice Audi A5

Since this emotional roller coaster of events, I have still yet to decide on which machine will become my daily driver. The deposit has been returned on the Maserati, and I have narrowed it down to an Audi R8 V8 or a Range Rover - and anything in between. There lies the issue. Every car that now takes my fancy, could in some way be tailored to meet the modern way of living. R8's are a daily drive Gentlemans supercar, and the new Range Rovers are supremely quick.

For now, I'm sticking with the A5 and hoping that I don't have any children in the next 9 months!

Celebration

I'm a football fan and watching a game the other day made me think about what I'd do as a goal celebration. Now I'm not saying this is exactly what would happen, but it's what I'd like to think. I think a celebration is a chance to revel in a moment and share it with others, so if I scored the cup-winning goal I'd like to think it would involve some form of tribute to the team and the supporters.

Now that's all well and good but this is a car blog and so far this post has had absolutely nothing to do with cars...

I was fortunate enough to go to the Cholmondley pageant of power a few weekends back and had a fantastic day. Having essentially grown up at Silverstone, I've spent a lot of time at motorsport events, but nothing quite like Cholmondley. The atmosphere is a bit more relaxed, I think because unlike race events there isn't really a timetable, you just appreciate things at your own pace, as many times as you like. That's the beauty of events like Cholmondley, access to the cars which you only get to see on posters or in magazines and then if you're lucky, on the track too. Below are two pictures of a Veyron sport vitesse which I took while we were there and it also stretched it's legs a coupe of times. I didn't get a chance to speak to the driver, or shake his hand for that matter. That car costs nearly 2 million pounds but the driver chose to celebrate his time in the Veyron not by gently pulling away from the start line but by planting his foot, to the delight of everyone there, and launching off with smoke coming off all four wheels. Now that's a celebration i'm on board with.

Power, Soul, Beauty......just a myth?

So I was driving through Northampton town centre last week, and in the rear view mirror, I clocked the all to familiar sight of an Aston Martin.
Even at one glance, it just breathes their strapline, Power - Soul - Beauty. That curvaceous grill oozing class.
Naturally, when this happens, you slow down and allow the Big Brit powerhouse to pass, purely so you can ogle at the sheer splendour and beauty of such an incredible machine.
Well I did just this; Brushed my right foot off the gas, and allowed the Aston to creep closer.
This is where all my hopes and dreams came crashing down around me like hellfire from an Air to Surface missile! - For in fact the 'Aston Martin' that had been approaching, was in fact, a £15k Ford Fiesta!
To say I was taken aback would be the understatement of the century! I was Gobsmacked!
Those blokes at Ford spend a couple of years in bed with Aston Martin, and they produce Satin! It is blasphemy! I was outraged!
I still can't believe the lack of creative thought that has gone into producing this Fiesta, and won't accept that this car is on the road, and certainly not for a measly fifteen thousand pounds!
It takes away everything that is special about buying a £150k Supercar. What is a Vanquish or DBS now? Just a beefed up Ford Mondeo, or C-Max. That's exactly what it is, and why it's so upsetting to see that Aston needed Ford's money to survive, but in surviving, they have sold their soul to the Devil.

Aston Martin, Power - **(RIP)** - Beauty

2013 The year of Ultracar??

Ill start by clarifying what I mean when I say Ultracar. For cars are categorised by their performance, to begin we have cars, then supercars and the most ridiculous category so far has been hypercars (really fast supercars) such as the Bugatti Veyron, Pagani Huyara or Koenigsegg Agera. An ultracar would therefore be then next stage of lunacy (though I admit it doesnt sound quite as exciting as it should given the cars it describes). In terms of power and acceleration, the gains to be had are reducing, particularly thanks to the yardstick set by the Veyron and also the increasing importance placed on efficiency. So it is likely that performance in straight lines is nearing, if not already at, its peak for conventionally powered cars. One area where developments continue to be made thanks to innovation and technology is the handling of cars and this is where strides will be most noticeably made in the future. So what can we look forward to? 2013 will see the launch of two very special machines indeed that as far as I'm concerned, could well redefine the order of performance for cars.

http://www.mclarenautomotive.com/uk/default.aspx

The exterior of the McLaren P1 was unveiled in Paris last year and the car has been in development since then. It is rumoured to be fully released at this years Geneva Motor show. Knowing McLaren, this car will handle like nothing we've seen before, performance rumours suggest downforce generated up to 600kg and a power-to-weight ratio of 600bhp/tonne, greater than the mighty Veyron, which means it will be ridiculously fast.

http://images.cdn.autocar.co.uk/sites/autocar.co.uk/files/imagecache/article_image_480/ferarri-enzo-2.jpg

Then of course there is the decadal limited release from Ferrari, this one codenamed the F150. Not too much is known about the F150, Ferrari are keeping tight lipped as you would expect. Power is likely to come from a variant of their beautiful V12 supplemented by a hybrid KERS system, all told resulting in around 850bhp. That really is fantasy levels of power and with 10 years of development and innovation since the Enzo, it will be right at home when things get twisty.

Was it fate that these two incredible machines were launched in the same year or pure coincidence? Who knows, I for one cannot wait to see just what they bring.

Beauty really is on the inside...

The Aston Martin Vanquish

I'm not how you would describe as 'Vain'. I do however, fully appreciate aesthetics of my surroundings.
This has led me to have a large interest in Photography, and to travel the world looking for great sources of inspiration for that perfect shot, whether it be Stately Homes in The Peak District, The Burj Al Arab in Dubai, or an Aston Martin parked at a 3/4 angle on a rainy day in a Northamptonshire Country Park.
Many of my friends and colleagues I know are almost quivering with anticipation every time a new Photo pops up on twitter (@tr_howard) or joins an album on Facebook. - That's aimed at you James!

For I am not vain. I am a perfectionist!
Many tourists, or photographers take their 8GB memory cards, and their £500 SLR camera's and they take a whole memory cards worth of pictures during one shoot, to then single out the 'perfect' shots when they get to a computer.
I can't do that. I have to have a memory card full of perfect pictures. This generally results in me smashing the battery life as I constantly check backwards and forwards through the pictures as I take them. Do I see this as a problem?
Not at all! Bring a spare battery! - Problem Solved!

My point to all this, is that your surroundings are what you live your life around. Some people are lucky enough to have Million pound houses, whilst others are lucky enough to have access to a large garden, and the beautiful open sky. Their surroundings are opulent, and a mesmerising place to spend time.
This is how cars should be. You don't sit on the outside of a car whilst you drive it. Sure, I, like most, stare wide eyed and open mouthed when an impressive supercar rocks up to the traffic lights, but what's the point in having a nice car, when the interior looks like it was fashioned by a blind tramp with leprosy!



I am referring to cars such as the Ascari KZ1, and the Mercedes SL65 AMG-Black.
Both of these machines hold themselves as supermodels from the outside. The Ascari, with flowing curves and angular eyes, and the SL Black with cartoonly flared arches and a menacing gunmetal paint spec.




It isn't however, until you step inside, that you realise how mundane and boring these cars are. The Ascari is more basic than a push bike, and sure, the 6Litre Twin-Turbo V12 of the Merc is an epic engine, and would fire you to 100mph in no time, but all the while you'd be looking at the same interior as its far cheaper sister, the SL350.
The trim sheet must read -Black/Black/Black.

This is no place to be sat whilst you're lapping up the enjoyment of the £100k + car you've just purchased. There is no trouser tenting in sight!
It's the Italians that have got it right, and by the Italians, I mean the Real  Italians.
The likes of Pagani, and Ferrari. Lamborghini and Bugatti have got amazing cars, please don't get me wrong, but they've borrowed the switchgear from their boring German parents - The VW Group. For me Lambo's are nearly there, because if I'm honest, I've a bit of a soft spot for Audi. They are the more interesting of the Big German three (Merc, BMW), but when compared to the likes of the Pagani Zonda, they are just on a different planet! The minute you step into one, you're filled with the kind of lust you had for that beautiful girl in the Bus Park you had a crush on in High School. You're 1st love. Now imagine that feeling every day when you step into a car you know can do 200mph, but can do it in pure style.

It's ok to be a perfectionist, but the risk I'd run in being a car designer, it it would be perfect. Too perfect - like the Mercedes SL-Black. So perfect in it's spec that it's become exactly that. A spec. Nothing more than some numbers on a piece of paper, and some perfect panel gaps in between the central console. So perfect, it has no soul. Sometimes, the heart just needs to rule the head, much in the same way those nutters at Pagani design cars......with pure Italian Heart.

The State of the States

OK. Diesel or Petrol?
Whichever, but shouldn’t we be using less?

Let’s get this out of the way: I am guilty as charged - For my belief is 'Bigger is Better'.
For my entire driving history, I have always gone for cars with heroically large engine capacities and ridiculously low combined mpg, however, on my recent trip to the States, I have become obsessed with pointing out cars with ludicrously overpowered engines, and insanely pointless Horsepower figures.
I have finally grown up!

I remember my 1st car. Given to me for my 18th birthday, a shiny-ish 1994 1.8 Volvo 440si.
For an 18 year old, a 1.8 was a dangerously large engine capacity to be in charge of! It wasn't especially powerful, but compared to the standard 'boy racer' 1.2's it was a Bugatti Veyron.
And so here begins the issue....

The car was cast out of solid pig iron and cement. It must have weighed twice that of the Earth's moons, and as a consequence a 1.2 just wouldn't have sufficed. Volvo being Volvo, had safety proofed the car so much so, that it required a big engine. They joint-developed a unit with Renault, and inserted an equally heavy 1.8 into the car. Now we're talking Sumo Weight!
Now I clearly remember looking at the (at the time cutting edge) trip computer, and reading a reported 22mpg, which I recall being 'above average'.
As I'm sure you'll agree, for a 1.8, that's pretty poor.




Volvo 440 1.8Si

From the cement laden 440, my car choices kept on getting heavier, and consequently more powerful, strumming throughout the Volvo product line up, until I finally broke the habit and have opted for the new 'lightweight' aluminium framed 2.0TDI Audi to be delivered next week. A great decision, for my wallet, and my conscience, knowing that I am doing my bit to support the planet in some fashion.This however, cannot be said of our friends just an 8 hour flight away...


They don't believe in the words 'Frugal' and 'Low Emissions' over the Atlantic.
Every car I saw, and i mean EVERY car I saw, was a Petrol....sorry, Gas powered behemoth.
Not once did I spot a supermini, or an eco-car, let alone a diesel!
To start with, it was a case of playing the 'Eyewitness guide to Supercars'. 9/10 cars was V8 or V12 powered. Astons, Ferraris, Lambo's, and then the classic American muscle's, Vipers, Chargers and Mustangs.....Breathtaking viewing.
But these cars were all doing 2-3mph maximum through the insanely crowded streets of NYC. Idling for 5 minuted at a time, with no gas stations in central Manhattan. It became apparent, that it was a pointless purchase. What's the point in having 600bhp on tap, when you can use a maximum 10bhp during your trip. Madness!?!

This was summed up by a big burly American man, exiting Bvlgari on 5th Avenue, squeezing himself into an SLS, and firing up the engine. After several revs to the red line, traffic all around, he floored the car, and found himself hurtling towards a fire truck. Plumes of tyre smoke, a spine-chilling sound of crumpled metal, and the wing mirror of a $250k German Supercar pinging down West 56th Street. I think the single word that left my mouth was "Tool."
That kind of car is just not feasible in anything other than the open, where you can enjoy it!

This too is the problem with all American cars. Too big for anywhere other than America. Too powerful for cities inside of America, and if I'm being honest, plain ugly anywhere!
Large overhangs front and rear, bench seats at the back, beefy V8's with no consideration for the planet, and idiots that buy them!
Every YellowCab has a V8, every other car is an SUV. There was a time where I wanted the biggest, and therefore best car. I now realise how much of a plank I must have looked buying a 2.5T 300bhp car in a recession. Like everyone I've seen driving their big tanks in New York.
I can see why Euro spec cars are so popular over the Atlantic, but my belief is that until they sort their act out, start designing some decent cars of their own, that handle around corners, not just in a straight line, work out an equivalent of EfficientDynamics to give something back to Mother Nature, and ban them from inner city Manhattan, then they should, by law, be forbidden to grace the streets of America.