The Car Thread.

[Gray]

The only real pleasure I've ever got from cars is when mine have passed their MOTs.

But I had to take this picture of an unusual-looking one parked outside my house.

I could have stepped outside for a closer look, but instead sent the photo to a car dealer mate - who told me it was a Porsche.
So now I know.

 

[JDL]

I wish...

I wish...

Yeah, a 4 litre V12 that revs up to 13,000 is quite something ain't it. I bet that HOWLS.
But I can't say I think it's one of the best looking Super Cars, even though it's obviously a very special car.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Yeah, a 4 litre V12 that revs up to 13,000 is quite something ain't it. I bet that HOWLS.
But I can't say I think it's one of the best looking Super Cars, even though it's obviously a very special car.

Had a quick gander at YouTube - it sounds a bit thin*, though must make allowances for the fact that my laptop's speakers are pretty poor. I have the feeling that I'd prefer the old F1's soundtrack.

*Though there are shades of '90s F1 car about it.

 

[JDL]

The only real pleasure I've ever got from cars is when mine have passed their MOTs.

But I had to take this picture of an unusual-looking one parked outside my house.

I could have stepped outside for a closer look, but instead sent the photo to a car dealer mate - who told me it was a Porsche.
So now I know.
View attachment 6907

The only real pleasure I've ever got from cars is when mine have passed their MOTs.

But I had to take this picture of an unusual-looking one parked outside my house.

I could have stepped outside for a closer look, but instead sent the photo to a car dealer mate - who told me it was a Porsche.
So now I know.
View attachment 6907

I get the same sensations as you Gray, when it comes to MOT time....."Will it, won't it..." and then if does, I feel like I've scored a goal at an important Football match or something along those lines..... "Yes!!!!!!" (or "oh.....Hell!...how much will it cost to fix, ha ha)
Porsche, the clue is always in the headlamps and tail lights....ha ha ha.

 

[plastic penguin]

It's bonkers why companies are still making 4 litre engine.

Clearly these cars will only appeal to the tiny minority.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

It's bonkers why companies are still making 4 litre engine.

Clearly these cars will only appeal to the tiny minority.

If you are referring to the GMA, I suspect it's sales will be limited rather more by other factors - such as price!

EDIT: If wiki is to be believed, price is £2.36m plus taxes, and all 100 cars were sold within 48hrs of being made available.

 

[DougK1]

It's bonkers why companies are still making 4 litre engine.

Clearly these cars will only appeal to the tiny minority.

12th's V8 appeals massively to me

 

[Friesiansam]

It's bonkers why companies are still making 4 litre engine.

Clearly these cars will only appeal to the tiny minority.

You know what, although I can't afford to buy or run one, I would quite like one of the later C63 AMGs with the naturally aspirated 6.2L V8...

 

[plastic penguin]

12th's V8 appeals massively to me

Absolutely. I'm not anti 4 l engines, but given the environmental issues, everyday costs doesn't chime with modern day problems.

The Busso V6 in the Alfas is seen as one of the best V6s produced, or one of the most respected. I've owned one and loved it. However, smaller modern engines are so good.

My bro has a Focus 1.0 EcoBoost which is fast enough and very economical.

 

[My2Cents]

It's bonkers why companies are still making 4 litre engine.

Clearly these cars will only appeal to the tiny minority.

Pretty common over here to have a 7.3 litre V8 in a truck or a 6.7 V8 diesel (up to 1,200 ft lbs of torque) for when you want to tow 40,000lbs.

 

[plastic penguin]

You know what, although I can't afford to buy or run one, I would quite like one of the later C63 AMGs with the naturally aspirated 6.2L V8...

The Giulia Cloverleaf has a 2.9 l engine and quicker than the C63

 

[DougK1]

Absolutely. I'm not anti 4 l engines, but given the environmental issues, everyday costs doesn't chime with modern day problems.

The Busso V6 in the Alfas is seen as one of the best V6s produced, or one of the most respected. I've owned one and loved it. However, smaller modern engines are so good.

My bro has a Focus 1.0 EcoBoost which is fast enough and very economical.

Knew where you were coming from PP I just love the sound of V8, but their days are indeed numbered

Oh, your brother has the 1.0 EcoBoom! Not one of Ford's greatest moments, internal cambelt running in oil! Most other manufacturers have them now too, no thanks!

I do bang-on about my little 600cc bike but what amazes me every time I fill her up it never does less than 50mpg and that is with regular visits to 14,000rpm redline. What I didn't like yesterday was burning my calf on the exhaust pipe cos my jeans had stuck to my leg and exposed fresh pork for roasting

 

[Friesiansam]

The Giulia Cloverleaf has a 2.9 l engine and quicker than the C63

Academic really, never likely to be buying either... but, choosing between big V8 or an Alfa, would not be easy.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

The Giulia Cloverleaf has a 2.9 l engine and quicker than the C63

It wouldn't be without twin turbochargers though! A guy I know in the village has one, and it's a lovely thing. Doesn't sound as good as V6 Alfas of old alas, in the same way that the M3/4 doesn't sound as good as it used to. And I am not referring to motorways...

 

[plastic penguin]

It wouldn't be without twin turbochargers though! A guy I know in the village has one, and it's a lovely thing. Doesn't sound as good as V6 Alfas of old alas, in the same way that the M3/4 doesn't sound as good as it used to. And I am not referring to motorways...

It wouldn't sound as good as the old Busso 3.2 as the Cloverleaf is a 90° V6 based on a Ferrari V8, rather than being a traditional V6. And the old Busso is normally aspirated.

I don't like those high performance Mercs they look too chintzy and the exhaust way too shouty

 

[Friesiansam]

I don't like those high performance Mercs they look too chintzy and the exhaust way too shouty

More recent Merc dashboards are as chintzy as 1970s American cars. The 6.2L V8 C63 was gone before the interiors got so bad. As for recent Mercs,

I reminded of something I read in Car Magazine, long before it went online, about a 70s Caddy, "As flash as a rat with a gold tooth." Applies to Mercs interiors too, in recent years.

As for shoutyness, I can't imagine not liking a bellowing, big capacity, naturally aspirated V8. Likely to be wearing on long journeys but, great fun for a blast on Exmoor. I would only buy such a car as a second car.

Not going to happen...

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

And the old Busso is normally aspirated.

I think this is why modern cars don't generally sound as good as their equivalents from the previous generation (or two). Turbos muffle, and they have lower compression ratios, which I think makes for a less characterful sound.

I recall years ago seeing a then-current McLaren F1 car lapping Donington in company with an Indycar from the same era. The latter was turbocharged, and sounded tame beyond words in comparison.

 

[plastic penguin]

More recent Merc dashboards are as chintzy as 1970s American cars. The 6.2L V8 C63 was gone before the interiors got so bad. As for recent Mercs,

I reminded of something I read in Car Magazine, long before it went online, about a 70s Caddy, "As flash as a rat with a gold tooth." Applies to Mercs interiors too, in recent years.

As for shoutyness, I can't imagine not liking a bellowing, big capacity, naturally aspirated V8. Likely to be wearing on long journeys but, great fun for a blast on Exmoor. I would only buy such a car as a second car.

Not going to happen...

Don't like American cars full stop.

If it's a daily use car a shouty exhaust would drive me mad.

The Wizard aftermarket exhaust used by some Alfa owners I can't stand. Not only are they too noisy but sap power - and they're not cheap.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

If it's a daily use car a shouty exhaust would drive me mad.

Mine's pretty loud at high revs, but more subdued at lower ones/smaller throttle openings. IT also has a button-operated vale as standard, which dampens sound. Brother saw one of these parked near his house yesterday:

McLaren Artura - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Friesiansam]

If it's a daily use car a shouty exhaust would drive me mad.

Me too.

 

[plastic penguin]

Mine's pretty loud at high revs, but more subdued at lower ones/smaller throttle openings. IT also has a button-operated vale as standard, which dampens sound. Brother saw one of these parked near his house yesterday:

McLaren Artura - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

This is my fav exhaust sound. It's akin to an old F1 racing car.

View: https://youtu.be/OgZLIZOX3mM?si=XRL5tn_Yf3D_hw9W

 

[DougK1]

This is my fav exhaust sound. It's akin to an old F1 racing car.

View: https://youtu.be/OgZLIZOX3mM?si=XRL5tn_Yf3D_hw9W

A guy somewhere on my housing estate has one of these as a weekend car, sounds gorgeous. Couple of Mustangs around too, but they don't sound anywhere near as nice.

 

[Friesiansam]

A guy somewhere on my housing estate has one of these as a weekend car, sounds gorgeous. Couple of Mustangs around too, but they don't sound anywhere near as nice.

What you are not told in the video is, that's as far as you can go without it breaking down...

 

[DougK1]

What you are not told in the video is, that's as far as you can go without it breaking down...

 

[plastic penguin]

A guy somewhere on my housing estate has one of these as a weekend car, sounds gorgeous. Couple of Mustangs around too, but they don't sound anywhere near as nice.

All Trevors sound great. Wouldn't own one, too unreliable and too expensive to fix. But for an instant adrenalin rush few cars better a Trevor.