Classic Cars November 2018

November 2018 Issue 544 Welcome A game of word association connects performance saloons to a Deep Purple concert. In Phil’s mind… Let’s play word association. When I say saloon, what pops into your head? ‘Family’, ‘practical’, or maybe ‘sensible’? How about ‘power’, ‘menace’ or even ‘outrage’? You could apply almost any of those words to the five supersaloons in our big test this month. Yes, even ‘sensible’ if you chose to drive them gently. But apart from when you really do have the family on board, why would you? From the Jaguar Mk2 with its race-winning 3.8-litre twin-cam to the quad-cam, V8-propelled Audi S8, these performance heavyweights come laden with an intent that’s criminally appealing. In 2018 nearly every new large saloon can be bought with a deliciously…

Let’s play word association. When I say saloon, what pops into your head? ‘Family’, ‘practical’, or maybe ‘sensible’? How about ‘power’, ‘menace’ or even ‘outrage’? You could apply almost any of those words to the five supersaloons in our big test this month. Yes, even ‘sensible’ if you chose to drive them gently. But apart from when you really do have the family on board, why would you? From the Jaguar Mk2 with its race-winning 3.8-litre twin-cam to the quad-cam, V8-propelled Audi S8, these performance heavyweights come laden with an intent that’s criminally appealing. In 2018 nearly every new large saloon can be bought with a deliciously absurd surfeit of power and wheel size, but our five decades of classic bruisers represent times when the concept was more of a…

[ The List ] Your dream drive made real ‘That scream is so addictive, you spank it once more just to hear it’ Jason Gibson owned an Alfa Spider before converting to Porscheism. Will a blast in a Ferrari F355 Spider rekindle his love of roofless Italians? Words ROSS ALKUREISHI Photography SAM CHICK He’s over there,’ says Daniel Till, pointing across the Slade’s Garage showroom. My eyes follow, rolling slowly over a smattering of modern fare including a Mercedes-Benz SLS in a matt grey wrap and a white McLaren 570S, before a head and torso pop up from the interior of the Sepia Brown 1972 Porsche 911 2.4S tucked in just behind. ‘There are some toys in here,’ says Classic Cars reader and today’s lucky dream…

He’s over there,’ says Daniel Till, pointing across the Slade’s Garage showroom. My eyes follow, rolling slowly over a smattering of modern fare including a Mercedes-Benz SLS in a matt grey wrap and a white McLaren 570S, before a head and torso pop up from the interior of the Sepia Brown 1972 Porsche 911 2.4S tucked in just behind. ‘There are some toys in here,’ says Classic Cars reader and today’s lucky dream drive candidate, Jason Gibson. I’ve known Jason in two incarnations, firstly when we both owned Fiat 124 Spiders (him a ’73 CS, me a CSA of the same vintage) and secondly in his later life when he crossed to the dark side and became chairman (now retired) of The Independent Porsche Enthusiasts’ Club. None of his fellow Spideristi…

Ferrari 288GTO ‘My money-no-object, dream car. To be driven!’ Fiat 124 CS Spider ‘My old car, nothing else I’ve driven makes me smile quite as much.’ Corvette C1 ‘Plenty to choose from Late-Fifties America, but this is Rock ’n’ Roll.’ Porsche 928S/S2 My head was well and truly turned by the 928’s perfect backside.’ Ferrari F355 ‘Until a few years ago when prices went into a different universe this was on my (one day) shopping list’ Morris Minor Traveller ‘I have fond memories of being bundled into the back of my friend’s dad’s Traveller on day trips out’ Lancia 037 ‘Absolute beast – still enjoy watching Walter Rohrl giving it plenty back in the Eighties.’ Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing ‘A thing of beauty, with performance to match.’ Mini Cooper ‘The original has never gone out of style and you can chuck it around.’ Porsche 911 ‘My pick? The simple clean…

JASON’S DREAM DRIVE LIST Ferrari 288GTO ‘My money-no-object, dream car. To be driven!’ Fiat 124 CS Spider ‘My old car, nothing else I’ve driven makes me smile quite as much.’ Corvette C1 ‘Plenty to choose from Late-Fifties America, but this is Rock ’n’ Roll.’ Porsche 928S/S2 My head was well and truly turned by the 928’s perfect backside.’ Ferrari F355 ‘Until a few years ago when prices went into a different universe this was on my (one day) shopping list’ Morris Minor Traveller ‘I have fond memories of being bundled into the back of my friend’s dad’s Traveller on day trips out’ Lancia 037 ‘Absolute beast – still enjoy watching Walter Rohrl giving it plenty back in the Eighties.’ Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing ‘A thing of beauty, with performance to match.’…