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Post by MartinT on Jul 13, 2014 20:18:56 GMT
The engine is gorgeous - straight six, twin sequential turbos and has something of the wail of the petrol sixes but adds a grunty note to the proceedings, too.
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Post by Dave on Jul 13, 2014 20:38:38 GMT
Nice looking motor Martin What do you think of BMW's 4 series? Kinda like it myself, the styling is quite muscular in a lithe way. One of the best styled Beemers I've seen in a long time
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Post by ChrisB on Jul 13, 2014 21:30:14 GMT
My mode of transport is a hoola hoop and a stick.
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Post by MartinT on Jul 13, 2014 22:28:18 GMT
Nice looking motor Martin What do you think of BMW's 4 series? Kinda like it myself, the styling is quite muscular in a lithe way. One of the best styled Beemers I've seen in a long time I like the 4-Series very much. It's good that BMW have finally got Chris Bangle out of their system (designer of the previous 6-Series, 5-series and 3-series saloons) and now have far better, more homogeneous and less edgy designs. Even the new 2-Series looks good.
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Post by Dave on Jul 13, 2014 22:35:51 GMT
I'm fond of the 2 series, I wonder if there will be an M2? I do hope so...
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roy
Rank: Trio
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Post by roy on Jul 13, 2014 23:18:44 GMT
Bob
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Post by julesd68 on Jul 14, 2014 0:39:05 GMT
Honda Civic 1.5 VTEC 5 door hatchback - it's a proper beast ...
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Post by pre65 on Jul 14, 2014 8:58:36 GMT
I've got over my lust for speed and thrills on the public highway, if I need that these days I race my classic scrambles bikes in organised events.
In my younger days I had a Mini cooper rally car, a Sunbeam Tiger (260cu 4261cc Ford V-8), an Audi Quattro (the full monte one), a TVR Griffiths (original one 289cu 4789cc Ford V-8) a Rover P-4 100 with a 3528cc Rover V-8 conversion and a Rover P-6B V-8 converted into a rally car with an all synchro + overdrive Jaguar gearbox and an IRS Jaguar rear suspension with Limited slip diff.
These days im happy with a Volvo S60 D5 turbo auto, a Renault Master 2.5D van , a Triumph Sprint 955i motorbike and a KTM 450exc enduro bike.
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Post by danielquinn on Jul 14, 2014 9:06:21 GMT
Always good to have an alternative , true perspective . Accordingly , I blame the fascination with cars on what be can termed a "clarkson culture" in which the narrative and iconography of driving is one premised on the thrill of driving, speed and exaggerated pride of ownership as oppossed to what it really is a convenient somewhat laborious potentially dangerous method of getting from A to B.
Driving should be seem as analogous to ironing , necessary but boring , potentially dangerous, more so if you do it quickly or dont concentrate and best done by someone else .
However in media world were a women cant eat an ice cream without having an orgasm there isn't much chance of that .
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Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2014 9:18:04 GMT
Everything we do is potentially dangerous, but I would rather drive myself than let a stranger do it on my behalf. If I drive, I can control my speed to what I deem a suitable speed for the road conditions. I will stop when I am tired. I will not drink heavily the night before. I like speed, but this is reserved for track days, where speed can be safely used.
As such, I disagree with the majority of your post. I enjoy driving, as long as the traffic is not too bad. If the traffic is bad, then it really is a pain in the arse. Driving to work is a tad tedious, but convenient. Driving home is usually more fun.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2014 9:25:14 GMT
As one who now drives a boring German motor instead of a proper flaky Italian one, I regret I would have to agree
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Post by danielquinn on Jul 14, 2014 9:32:13 GMT
Everything we do is potentially dangerous, but I would rather drive myself than let a stranger do it on my behalf. If I drive, I can control my speed to what I deem a suitable speed for the road conditions. I will stop when I am tired. I will not drink heavily the night before. I like speed, but this is reserved for track days, where speed can be safely used. As such, I disagree with the majority of your post. I enjoy driving, as long as the traffic is not too bad. If the traffic is bad, then it really is a pain in the arse. Driving to work is a tad tedious, but convenient. Driving home is usually more fun. So unless you are on track , or you can emulate being on a track on an empty road , driving is tedious .
And you said you disagree with me
I rest my case .
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Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2014 9:57:33 GMT
I live in France. There are plenty of empty roads.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2014 10:03:48 GMT
I live in France. There are plenty of empty roads. The French are also terrific at keeping the verges clear and ensuring the visibility is as good as possible. Its possible to see the few cars there are and what they are doing with ease from a mi.....kilometre off.
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Post by MartinT on Jul 14, 2014 10:08:25 GMT
I enjoy driving, as long as the traffic is not too bad. If the traffic is bad, then it really is a pain in the arse. Agreed. These days, when I'm going somewhere different, I set the sat-nav for direct, avoiding motorways, and enjoy the experience of driving small country roads.
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Post by danielquinn on Jul 14, 2014 10:09:27 GMT
There were nearly 4000 road deaths in France last year, with the Bouches du Rhône taking the uneviable title of the most dangerous department in the country.
This is still 1700 more deaths a year than occurs in the UK, There is a substantial variation in the number of deaths per department, ranging from 150 deaths in the Bouches du Rhône to under 10 in Cantal and Lozère.
However, if the comparison is made by number of deaths per habitant then a rather different picture emerges. The level of road safety in the department of Charente-Maritime then shows a more worrying picture.
Indeed, rural areas of the country accounted for 72% of all deaths on the road, a proportion that has remained unchanged for a decade.
- taken from a French govt website .
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Post by Dave on Jul 14, 2014 10:29:25 GMT
Always good to have an alternative , true perspective . Accordingly , I blame the fascination with cars on what be can termed a "clarkson culture" in which the narrative and iconography of driving is one premised on the thrill of driving, speed and exaggerated pride of ownership as oppossed to what it really is a convenient somewhat laborious potentially dangerous method of getting from A to B. Driving should be seem as analogous to ironing , necessary but boring , potentially dangerous, more so if you do it quickly or dont concentrate and best done by someone else . However in media world were a women cant eat an ice cream without having an orgasm there isn't much chance of that . I can't say I've ever really enjoyed driving an iron around an ironing board if I'm being honest. Putting aside that they sound as if they have an angry Rattlesnake stuck up their bum, they don't handle all that well and if you drive more than a couple of feet you fall off a cliff
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Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2014 10:34:51 GMT
It's the car swallowing ditches, proximity of trees to the side of the road, and the fact that in Rural France it's near impossible to get a taxi home from a nightclub for a reasonable cost. As such some youngsters stupidly drive after a few drinks. This accounts for the majority of accidents I have seen recently.
However, I quite enjoy making progress on some of the twisty back roads during the day when you can clearly see ahead of you. I don't need to speed to do this. Speeding itself is not dangerous. The use of speed unsuitable for the road conditions is. On the back roads, you need to be aware that round the next corner could be a horse, a tractor or a large group of cyclists. You should always be able to stop in the distance that you can see.
I would assume that from your responses that you don't enjoy driving, and therefore there is no point in explaining the pleasures it can bring about to you. Stick to your trains, buses and Taxis. Some of the most appalling driving I have seen in the UK is from supposedly professional drivers.
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Post by Eduardo Wobblechops on Jul 14, 2014 11:28:34 GMT
As one who now drives a boring German motor instead of a proper flaky Italian one, I regret I would have to agree I can honestly say that the two Alfas I have are the most reliable cars I've owned. I owned a Twinnie 166 several years ago, in which I did 220,000 miles in five years. All it needed was the usual service items, it even still had it's original exhaust.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 14, 2014 11:35:16 GMT
As one who now drives a boring German motor instead of a proper flaky Italian one, I regret I would have to agree I can honestly say that the two Alfas I have are the most reliable cars I've owned. I owned a Twinnie 166 several years ago, in which I did 220,000 miles in five years. All it needed was the usual service items, it even still had it's original exhaust. Yeah I know. My Alfas were always rock solid.....almost true, the Sud did fall apart from its Russian steel in the end. Its a left over from the days when I was laughed at by the Beemer owners for driving Itlaian cars and as I was then merely an egg, I thought it was smart to answer back by knocking their boring, soulless and rather ugly machines. Old habits die hard. I have reached the age where I actually appreciate that solid, reliable, slightly boring engineering. This comment relates entirely to my own experience of German cars of course and is not intended to be in any a criticism of those who find such stuff exiting. (Love to have a go of Martin's though )
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