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Thread: A Grand Day Out

  1. #16
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    Today was a nice day. It was nice because, after a dull time at college, I decided to visit Vaigra (or Asif, to some of you…) and go see some prospective automobiles. He had let me know about a Koenigsegg that was hanging about, not too far from him. I couldn’t really give a toss about some Swedish upstart, so I said no, but then he showed me some of the other stock- one thing that caught my eye in particular was the new Superformance Le Mans Coupé. It’s been updated for the 21st century, so you’re looking at classic looks coupled with modern underpinnings. I like that in a car. I also wanted to have a look because, some day, I wouldn’t mind one of these to either complement or replace a car.

    So, I drove down to Brunel (made it quite quickly!) and met the great man outside his halls. Lazy git. We went upstairs, chatted for a while, met a corridor-mate of his, then proceeded to bundle down to the unique dealership.

    We got there, and were told by a nice woman to go round the back, as the owners were presumably out for lunch. Crikey. Alone, by ourselves, in a showroom full of exotica? We didn’t know the half of it. Walking in the back, we spotted a Mercedes CLK having its bumper resprayed, then some nicer vehicles- a Mercedes 450SL, the hard-top, an Aston Martin DB7 Volante having its batteries recharged, an ancient Bentley, and a Mercedes 280SL with the pagoda roof. Then we stopped dead, because there was some big, weird, orangey-type-thing in our way- a Gillet Vertigo. Christalmighty above, it’s insane! I dismissed it for being left hand drive, though. Baha, Asif’s corridor buddy, kind of fell in love with it, and wanted to climb in- though shenanigans were stopped, for now.

    Proceeding through, the Koenigsegg was only just visible, peeking out from underneath a dust cover. The silhouette’s quite nice. Then around the showroom… a Porsche 911 Targa from the ‘80s. The ultimate yuppy car, finished in black with that insane whale-tail spoiler… then next to that, an LHD 360M finished in a stunning blue. Behind that, a 996 Turbo, then an S320CDi LWB, then an MGBGT, then the real piece de resistance- an Aston Martin DB4 Superleggera. Just wow. Seeing a legend in the flesh was quite something! Parked next to it was the Superformance Le Mans Coupé- I’ve fallen in love. What an awesome car! Although it has no outer door handles (fob-operated), it’s just stunning. Amazing haunches, sleek lines, and purposeful to boot.

    Next to the Daytona was a Land Rover that had apparently taken part in the Paris-Dakar- dirt and all. You’d think they’d have given it a quick wash and a valet. Next to that was… a BMW 7 Series. Whoop. Never seen one of those before. Behind that, the Bentley Mulsanne S- a real old steamer!- and then a manual Jaguar XJS convertible. Real rarity. Behind that sat 2 nice Hawaii 5-0 throwbacks- a 308 GTB, x2. Behind those, there was a nice 360 Spider in silver, with one funky interior, and then in front of that 360S there was a beautiful dark metallic blue F355 Spider- manual, with grey leather.

    More to follow… give me a couple of hours…

  2. #17
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    Thank you Vaigra

    Sam wearing glasses while not driving... that's an event!

    Oh and I definitely want to see those when I come to the UK
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  3. #18
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    No problem.
    Just let me know when you come over and I'll take you down there. We made some friends I think
    Audi humbles Porsche. A new dawn starts today.

    Being nice since 2007.

  4. #19
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    MMMMMMMM-MMMM! 911 Targa 3.3 SuperSport, IMO, the ultimate Porshce! I'd like to see the doors in action on the Shelby, it sounds really odd. Seeing a Koennigsegg would've been, for me, the peice-du-resistance. Lucky mo-fo's...
    V0R5PRU7NG DUR6CH T3CHN1K

    Motion & Emotion

  5. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by IWantAnAudiRS6 View Post
    . Behind that sat 2 nice Hawaii 5-0 throwbacks- a 308 GTB, x2. Behind those, there was a nice 360 Spider in silver, with one funky interior, and then in front of that 360S there was a beautiful dark metallic blue F355 Spider- manual, with grey leather.
    I believe the TV show you're referring to is Miami Vice.
    I'm dropping out to create a company that starts with motorcycles, then cars, and forty years later signs a legendary Brazilian driver who has a public and expensive feud with his French teammate.

  6. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by kingofthering View Post
    I believe the TV show you're referring to is Miami Vice.
    Miami Vice had a 365 GTS/4 replica based on a Corvette. On the other hand Magnum PI had a 308 GTS and happened in Hawaii. I guess that's what Sam was referring to.
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  7. #22
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    Magnum PI was a legend program, damned shame FreeView got rid of the channel it was aired on. Bastards...
    V0R5PRU7NG DUR6CH T3CHN1K

    Motion & Emotion

  8. #23
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    1 word- YouTube.
    I'm dropping out to create a company that starts with motorcycles, then cars, and forty years later signs a legendary Brazilian driver who has a public and expensive feud with his French teammate.

  9. #24
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    If these cars are for sale you'd think they would take better care of them. I mean look at the break dust built up on the CCR's brakes.
    2011 Honda Civic Si

    ATHEIST and damn proud of it.

  10. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vindesh17 View Post
    If these cars are for sale you'd think they would take better care of them. I mean look at the break dust built up on the CCR's brakes.
    rust
    At least it proves the car has actually been out in the real world.
    Not one of those "only out on dry days" rubbish
    "A woman without curves is like a road without bends, you might get to your destination quicker but the ride is boring as hell'

  11. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine View Post
    rust
    that's what I meant
    2011 Honda Civic Si

    ATHEIST and damn proud of it.

  12. #27
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    Aug 2004
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    ... but anyway, onwards

    The cars we chose to look at up close were picked carefully. We didn't actually want to touch the cars at first, as there was no one around and we didn't know if they were alarmed. However, the sight of the F355's gated gearlever was a little too much! So, after confirming that the blinking red light was the immobiliser, I carefully opened the door. Discussion about the red light on it ensued, then I plopped down in the low-slung, well-supported seat. Amazing clutch! The gearchange is lovely, too- but I found the gears too closely spaced, and can easily imagine going from 2nd to 5th quite easily. Then again, it wouldn't really matter.

    Emboldened by our foray into the Fezza, we proceeded to try out the other cars. The engine was stared at in the 355 first- and then we ran amuck! Of notable interest was the Superformance- we didn't know about the fob at the time! So we spent ages cramming our hands into vents, louvres, under the car, under the mirrors... then Baha leaned in through the open window and opened the door.

    Excellent gearchange on the Superformance- very precise. The clutch was an absolute 'mare to get the hang of, though. The Superleggera also fell prey to our sweaty clutches- that thing has perhaps the weirdest gearbox, ever. It's like shifting in butter with a twig. The 911 was also on the list- a wicked car aesthetically. The pedals are placed very well, and the gearchange was excellent. I can see myself buying an old Porsche soon- even if I don't like them very much, their interior design and engineering impresses me.

    So from there, we started peeking under the dust cover of the Koenigsegg. Check out the pics. We started with a corner, then a little more, and then some more, then put it back down, then went round the back... etc...

    From there, just sitting in the cars randomly. Baha executed a nice Dukes of Hazzard movement to sit in the Gillet thing. I was more preoccupied with the pagoda Merc- the smell in that car was magical, old leather and petrol and musk. Truly enchanting. If I had one of those, I don't think I'd be able to flog it around. It would be sacrilege- like farting in a church (just as amusing, but plain wrong).

    The '80s Ferraris were kinda cool. The one Baha and I sat in (the first picture with the bonnet mostly viewable I want to caption "I thought this CD had Magnum PI's theme tune on it?". Pretty comfy. The Jaguar was niiiiice. Sitting in it briefly revealed an excellent build quality- and it's manual! You barely ever see manual Jags, apart from these upstart X-Types.

    Then, whilst we were busy ooing and aahing over the Superleggera and Superformance (right in the front window), we noticed two scruffy blokes in a Suzuki Vitara watching us. Obviously the owners.

    Shit.

    So, exiting the cars at light speed, we formed an orderly line instead of legging it, and explained ourselves. The gentlemen were very friendly from then on- the younger, rude-bwoi one engaged in conversation with Asif and Baha over the Koenigsegg, whilst I quizzed the older bloke about the Superformance, with a nice bluff story about a record label and some not-so-hard-earned cash. Watch this space- if a deal does work out with a couple of contacts, expect an Egg Nog of that Superformance sometime soon.

    It was, all in all, a true grand day out. Thanks to Asif for giving me the modest opporunity, and Baha for the photos.

  13. #28
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    Sam, you keep on giving me reasons to come here...

    Oh and the Aston isn't a Superleggera, Superleggera is the method of construction of the body, by Carrozeria Touring of Milan. The car is just a regular DB4.
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  14. #29
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    Well, a regular DB4 is better than no DB4...

    Think of it this way, Albert- whilst you were in class, I was being buttered up by a dude begging to sell me the Superformance. I was tempted to lay down a deposit with Monopoly money.

  15. #30
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    PAH! VITARA!? Why drive a poofwagon when you've got a 964 Targa 3.3 SuperSport to play with!?
    V0R5PRU7NG DUR6CH T3CHN1K

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