mynickers

The shops have been insistently playing grating Christmas songs for some months already, every shop window is covered in fake snow, and the fruit bar in the council estate next to my house, has a giant flashing Santa on his balcony surrounded by more lights than fireworks display. Yesterday I had my first glass of mulled wine, a mince pie, and I even got a Christmas card, all signs that we’re fast approaching the end of the year!

I don’t know about you guys, but I think it’s been a fabby year for car design, especially drivers cars, there seems to be a bit of a BHP (or should I say PS) battle going on now, and production cars are getting crazier and crazier (god bless em’, keep it coming). There is also some god darn sexy machinery out there, apart from anything else I find it very hard to decide what cars I like any more. Jermy clarkeson love’s this years motors so much that he has even produced a DVD, and all the car mags are compiling there lists and making their verdicts. But who cares what the motoring hacks have to say, we have our own opinions right?

Scoobtnet best cars of 2003 (discussion)

I don’t even know where to begin, there has been so many cars that I have liked this year, some that I have loved, and some that have given me thoughts I would rather not share in public he he . And so many concepts coming soon that look even better, I am such a petrol-head I love nearly all of them, apart from most Vauxhal’s (with the exception of the VX220&turbo)!

I might as well just list down the Evo list, because - well they’ve covered pretty much everyone that I like, and I am sure you’ll agree, and the nominations are he he:

Reasonably priced drivers cars

*please note, my comments are off the cuff, don’t take them too seriously, I am sure that this will be a huge thread, so I don’t want to make the first post too long*

• BMW Z4 3.0 (beautiful, and sexy, but how long before it gets labelled a hair dressers car and gets the same anti-cult status of the TT?)
• Caterham R400 SV (aren’t all Caterhams amazing?)
• Mazda RX8 (top marks from Mazda, and such a good price, take heed all manufacturers, Mazda got it well right here).
• Mini Cooper ‘S’ Works (Fantastic, but I am paying for a mini, not paying for the factory).
• Mitsubishi Evo VIII FQ-300 (do they have to call them such fricking long names, I feel like a car geek just reading it. Awesome motor – but by a spec ‘c’ )
• Nissan 350z (beefy, muscley, but I’d still get an RX8 and save on petrol)
• Renaultsport Clio V6 (YUMMY, but where to put the weekly shop he he )
• Scooby Spec ‘C’ Ltd (Santa can I have one of these for Christmas, I promise I have been good all year, and ‘ahem’ I will stick to the speed limit).
• TVR T350C (Love it, but I dunno I just don’t trust them to not fall apart, Jap’s make fast cars that don’t break as much!??)
• Vauxhall VX220 Turbo (if you had told me a year ago I would like Vauxhall sports car I would of laughed in your face, but hey there is a first time for everything)
• VW Golf R32 (where have you been for the past decade? Great all-arounder, and that V6 sounds awesome)

The cars that adorn teenage boys bedroom walls everywhere

• Bentley Continetal GT (you’d get a lot of sex if you drove one of these, a very pretty beast – Clarkeson didn’t like it, but he just likes to be controversial – the media (attention) *****)!
• BMW M3 CSL (Why? Get a spec ‘c’ and spend the change on the Clio V6, plus for a track day car it has drilled break discs, aren’t they prown to warp when they get REALLY hot – erm like hammer and tong on a track day – sorry but for this money you don’t’ expect to have to change stuff – get a spec ‘c’ !)
• Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale (still one of the best looking Ferrari’s around, Ferrari always seem to be able to improve on perfection – expensive – buy a spec ‘c’ ha ha)
• Lambo Gallardo (Sorry Clarkeson, you’re so wrong, this is one of the best GT cars I have ever seen, and it’s practically practical as GT Lambo’s go. It’s a thing of beauty, not quite as nice as it’s bigger brother, but it’s right up there on my lotto win list, although I wouldn’t like parking it anywhere).
• Noble M12 GTO-3R (awesome).
• Porsche GT3 (Ditto)
• Porker Cayenne Turbo (as a life long Porker fan, I was frankly shocked, and almost appalled when I saw the spy shots – what where they thinking of it looked like a spitting image puppet of what a Porsche 4x4 might look like! And then they started selling it – had they gone mad? But well Porsche aint’ silly, the styling has almost warmed on me, but the thought of having a near 911 turbo that can comfortably sit 4, with boot space, high up, and also go off road, does sound very appealing now – a Porsche for the family man - wicked).
• Renaultsport Clio V6 225 (I just love these, so much performance for so little money – pocket super car – and so exclusive)
• Scooby Spec ‘C’ Ltd (I liked the review; I was completely sold seeing it thrashed around Silverstone by Ian Litchfield – only shame is it’s lost some of that Scooby throb we all know and love – sure there is some fiddling you can do – to sort that out though eh!?).
• Vauxhall VX220 Turbo (few grand more buys you a clio, or a spec ‘c’ – neat little car though, and sounds great)

One that none of the UK press are gonna mention is the new Integra Type R (DC5), as Honda in their wisdom decided that releasing it here would eat into their Civic sales – and? Anyway thanks to the great British car enthusiasts new found appreciation of grey imports, the demand has been pretty high, and now their have been many rumours by the hacks that it’s might be on it’s way next year. I think it’s a fantastic car, Evo along with others say it’s lost some of the fizz and raw driver appeal of the DC2, but god darn it’s sexy, and its got a fantastic interior. Imports for as little as £16k for a nearly new one, thing it’s well worth a mention. More power better breaks, literally no under steer, I’d have it over a Civic any day.

Have I missed any?

Discuss

M3 Evo

CSL! But then again i'm biased!

Affordable choices - VX220T or Spec C

Dream cars - 360CS or Gallardo

As for the clio, i'd seriously rather have a cup than the V6!

To be honest you could make cases for any of the affordable cars making the dream cars pointless - ie is a 360CS really better than a VXT?? Etc etc. Still wouldnt stop me if i could afford the bigger guns though....

ps please dont say which car wins the evo test! Thankfully BMW supplied the CSL on "normal" tyres rather than the cups!

M3 Evo

Oops! Forgot about the Noble mmmmmmmmmmmm!

mynickers

Yeah I didn't say who one the Evo test on purpose!

I agree, all fab cars, don't get me wrong, I love beemers, M3 is fantastic without a doubt, but it's mission statement is something like automotive jewlery or enginnering jewlery! It's the status symbol and price tag that puts me off. Living in London there are more Beemer 3 series per square foot than any other status symbol, well that and boxsters

V6 clio in different league to cup surely? Plus cups are renowned for having bits fall off. v6 looks out of this world, midship, adn rear wheel drive, sounds / drives like a porsche for £27k. Just npt very pratical in any sense. Cup still stormer for £13k.

M3 Evo

Each to their own i suppose but i just dont like the look of the V6 at all, never have. I can however understand its appeal to those who have one, its just IMHO of course

I also think there are better cars out there for the same money, but thats neither here nor there as there are better cars than my CSL for similar money (eg Noble). All i can say about the CSL is its feels like this car was built for me! Plus if you ever saw me on the road i'd let you out of a junction, and from time to time i might even use those yellow flashing thingymebobs