| Archive for The Motor Forum talking cars since 2006 |
| Turbonutter |
New Performance CarRS Special Issue - some lovely photos of the new RS Focus and other RS FordsRS2 and RS6 911 RS retrospective Clio 172/182 Fiat Grande Punto and 500 Abarth |
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| Pkh72 |
They hadn't got this in last evening in my local Jet station where i normally pick it up so i'll pop in on my way home tonight.
I'm looking forward to the feature on the older RS Fords, have a soft spot for them. |
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| Star69 |
Picked it up in Tesco this evening, so will have a good look at it when I get a chance tomorrow. Looks a good one this month. | ||||
| Pkh72 |
I got my issue last night, it is another good issue. | ||||
| Dr. Hfuhruhurr |
Just had a very nice email from the guy who runs the website, offering me a complimentary copy each month, as a long-term contributor. | ||||
| Pkh72 |
Nice, and i trust you will be taking them up on their offer? |
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| simonp |
I'm really starting to like this mag now and have a feeling we might see PC featuring evo in a couple of years! 
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| Turbonutter |
.....and me. I've even taken one in and given it a home..... 
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| Pkh72 |
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| TimR |
I read the Punto Abarth feature and thought something was wrong but couldn't work it out.
Then finally it struck me. The conclusion at the end of 100% of these type of articles in the past is a recommendation that the German 'alternative' is better and should be sought out but PC haven't done that. Weird because I reckon most mags would've said that even though the Mini Cooper is the same price (before options), has 40BHP less it would be their choice, presumably based on the fact that on the 2 trips a year where you really cane your car down a backroad (as opposed to driving quickly) it would be the more enjoyable choice. This kind of free thinking could upset the motoring world as we know it 
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| Dr. Hfuhruhurr |
Did you read Clarkson's Mito test in the Sunday Times yesterday?
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/...eremy_clarkson/article5944203.ece |
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| Nice Guy Eddie |
Yes a good article for Alfa as lets be honest Clarkson is one of the only journos that rightly or wrongly Joe public listen too. I feel a bit guilty however going on about Autocars bias of Ford when Jeremys obvious bias towards Alfa is even stronger. He does seem to be one of only a few journos who understand that cars are not all about handling but about what a car is like as a day to day ownership prospect. I guess an Alfa will still feel special after 3 years whilst a I'd be bored of a Fiesta after 6 months. | ||||
| TimR |
Indeed. Remember when Rover released the 75 Autocar said it wasn't meant to be a sports saloon so they wouldn't test it as one and then criticised it for not being a sports saloon 
The MINI may be a fantastic handler but how often do you ever see one driven in anger? I think the answer is never. The car sells so well because of how it looks and a certain image. Same applies to the Fiat 500. It appears to be a roaring success but how many potential owners would also consider the Panda on which it's based? |
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| Gurney |
I am still trying to get my head round the noise of Brian Blessedbeing raped. 
Had a glorious drive to and from Anglesey on Saturday in the GTA. Went back via Betws Y Coed, boy was the GTA good. |
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| Pkh72 |
I'm mountain biking in that neck of the woods at the weekend, we're staying in Llan Ffestiniog. Hopefully i'll get a nice couple of runs in the car on the way there/back. |
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| Stuntman |
Plas y Brenin is nearby too - that's the National centre for mountain activities. I spent quite a few weeks there in my teens, with the British Junior Orienteering Squad.
Ace place! |
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| Gurney |
I love the place, had some of my greatest drives round 'Betsy'. Not done any biking round there yet but that could change.
This should arrive tomorrow. http://www.wiggle.co.uk/images/bi...ls/kiron-scandium-detail-zoom.jpg Sadly not for me, Steph is cycling from Paris to Geneva in September and so needs a 'proper' bike. God knows what I will need to keep up. Probably Kraft's Blackbird! |
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| Stuntman |
Is Steph getting faster and more bionic with age?
I think I'm impressed, I'm certainly in awe of her appetite for challenge and hard work! |
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| PR |
So, Clarkson's conclusion is that the MINI is a better car on most counts but people will be more impressed at dinner parties if you tell them you drive an Alfa. Hmm.
I was driving a MINI in anger at the weekend and it's fucking brilliant. I wouldn't even bother looking at a Mito. |
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| Gurney |
I am waiting for her knees to fall to bits but no signs yet. She gets back from running round Lake Balaton tomorrow - 220 miles, though she didn't do all of it. The cycling has come at the right time, she was going to run across Martinique with two nutters from the Gym but one has been shot (that's Manchester for you!) so she was at a loose end for something painful, 500 miles in 4 days on a Bike should fit the bill nicely. Piers I agree with your Mito view, Alfa themselves wanted to use the Mini as a base but had to settle for the GP. Still the GTA might prove to be somewhat better. They are about to launch a MiTo Veloce as well - same spec as the GP EssEss - 180bhp. It seems BMW are desperate to get their hands on MultiAir for the next Mini so the collaboration deal is still on it seems. |
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| Sav |
In terms of looks, I must have missed the attraction of the Mito. Its a right munter in real life, it looks Japanese if you showed that to me I would not think it was Italian. Same with the Maserati Granturismo actually.
I had a sit in one at my local dealer, and the interior is so so. Everything felt solid enough and the leather seats were comfortable, but it wasn't exactly stylish or special inside. The 147 was lovely looking, an example how an Alfa should look. |
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| Nice Guy Eddie |
Sav, I very disapointed in you, however you are right about the 147. The Granturismo was only ruined by the need for 4 usable seats and a Golf club boot. I still think its a fine looker though. | ||||
| Sav |
It looked slightly better in the original press shots with the massive wheels, but now I'm being nice. Most Alfa's look lovely, but not the Mito.
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| Dr. Hfuhruhurr |
Shame, that would have been some car. Though you can understand why BMW might not have been keen on the idea. PR, I totally get what you're saying about the brilliance of the MINI, but for all that I know it's a good car, it doesn't pull my strings, somehow. Apart from the Clubman, that is - wierd, huh? Whereas the Mito, for me, has a strong enough "want one" factor to override its deficiencies. But then, whoever said car buying was rational? |
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| TimR |
Are you talking about the original (perfect in every way) or the 'hawk-eyed' facelift (only good when it's on a Ti or something with big wheels). |
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| Dr. Hfuhruhurr |
The 147 was always my least favourite Alfa of that generation (GTV, 156, GT). As a pre-facelift 3-door it was OK, but neither the 5-door nor the facelift did it for me at all. The GTA version did look nice though. |
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| TimR |
One of my mates has a Ti 5 door which looks awful on the 16 inch wheels he uses in winter but a lot better on the 18s (?) it should be on. I saw a pearlescent white GTA on a sunny day once and I'd have to admit it introduced an amount of moisture to my pants 
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| Gurney |
On Friday I came back to my usual space in the stacker and to my left was a 147 'Collezione' and on my right a Brera 2.2SV.
The GTA looked meaner than either of em, no contest. I thought the 156 facelift was fine but disliked the 147, did it no favours at all. I had the choice of 3 147 GTA's - all Black, when I bought the 156. I just prefer the 156. Had there been an SW I would have plumped for that. |
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| Nice Guy Eddie |
I keep looking at used 147 GTA's on Autotrader. They actually hold there value very well compared to the 156 GTA which is a little odd. The cheapest sensible mileage 147's tend to be about 8k. | ||||
| Dr. Hfuhruhurr |
The Brera is incredibly wheel- and ride-height-sensitive, probably because of its relatively short wheelbase. The one I drove last year had 17s, which really looked too small; you need the lowered springs and 19s of the Prodrive S really. |
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| Gurney |
The new Alfa dealer in Manchester now has a red Prodrive S perched on the sort of ramp you would normally see a Discovery perched on, it looks stunning. Wheels look exquisite has to be said. Quite fancy having mine 'smoke' finished at some point.
Saves cleaning off the brake dust. |
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| "him" |
Exactly... my decision to paint mine in anthracite was taken for similar reasons! |
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| Dr. Hfuhruhurr |
Back to PC, I read the RS2 vs RS6 feature just after the big RS6 argument thread here; their conclusion caused a chuckle or two ... | ||||
| Racing |
I've never noticed Clarkson have an unfair Alfa bias? Ok, he obviously likes them but equally obviously he's not adverse to also criticising them. After all, he absolutely savages the Brera S! Saw a red Italian-reg'd MiTo in Monaco at the w/end - was the full-fat version (whatever that currently is) with bodykit, big teledial alloys, chrome pipes etc. Looked unexpectedly good from every angle except the front, which still makes me think "surprised reef-fish" and which I'd not be able to live with. |
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| Dr. Hfuhruhurr |
New issue out:
Countach vs. Testarossa Golf GTI: Mk 1 vs. Mk 6 R34 buying guide Best FWD car - Racing Puma, Clio Trophy, Integra Type-R, R26R Gallardo Spyder Z4, E Class, XF diesel S first drives One for Racing - DMS tuned 135i with 370 bhp and 410 torques |
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| Stuntman |
That'd probably eat an M3 in the real world most of the time  
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| Martin |
That's 2 x MINI driven in anger then, Tim needs so get 'down south'
At least I went to look at a MiTo, didn't bother driving one though! Having said that, gawky front aside, it's the nicest car Alfa make from a static / showroom point of view. I love the 159 from the outside, I followed a black 2.4 Ti this evening and it looked great, but I couldn't live with the inside. |
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| Dr. Hfuhruhurr |
Really? I reckon it has the nicest interior in its class by quite a margin. That centre console is real metal too! |
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| Martin |
The metal finish is nice, but I particularly don't like the way the passenger side curves in, too many little buttons, the sunken dials in the centre console, the finish of the dash, lack of space (relative to what I'm used to) etc. The seats were nice, but it just isn't to my taste I'm afraid. It feels old fashioned, in contrast to the exterior which has curves in the right places and a reasonable stance (particularly on 19" wheels and Ti suspension).
You may think I'm mental, but I'd have another Passat over a 159 (expecially a CC)...... |
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| Dr. Hfuhruhurr |
No no, each to their own, and all that!
Though I fear a portion of humble pie may be heading my way: I saw a black CC yesterday and from the front and side it really didn't look bad. Still not keen on the rear though, and while the interior is nicely designed and made, some of the material and colour combinations are frankly dodgy. |
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| Martin |
The slightly droopy/melted rear end isn't perfect, but the rest of it looks great in dark colours (as does the Passat Sport!!). Dodgy interior colour combos can be and should be avoided. | ||||
| Dr. Hfuhruhurr |
So how long before the current Passat bids a fond farewell? | ||||
| Martin |
11 months based on age, maybe less if they decide not to run it over 120k miles as I'm almost on 100k and do 30k+ a year. As cost saving is a priority, it will be 11 months!! Good job it isn't now as due to recent redundancies, we have circa 80 cars either back or due back, so understandably we aren't leasing any new ones for a while. They can make you drop back a grade as well in this situation and although you do get a little cash compensation, it wouldn't be enough! My boss is OK, because there isn't anything available one grade down, which is why he gets an XF on short term lease (3 months) next week. I wouldn't be quite so lucky!! |
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| Dr. Hfuhruhurr |
Surely if it's only eleven months, it's time to start the "choose my next car" thread? | ||||
| TimR |
Surely that's pointless as Martin needs either a van or a Passat for the space?
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| Martin |
Maybe you're right........
6 months should be fine!
I've got a little van now and that gets enough in for a weekend away for 4 and will be even better when we don't need a pushchair. Maybe it's time for that Boxster S?
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