Friday 25th April 2014

Save The Best For Last: PH Blog

The tenuous link between The Worst Song In Pop and some of our favourite ever cars

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References to the god-awful ballad of the same name by Vanessa Williams extend only to a reluctant tip of the hat for what is, without doubt, the worst rhyming couplet ever deployed in popular music. Snow in June/sun round the moon? Get out of my head!

Moving swiftly on ... we'll take this over a power ballad

Let's move swiftly on and instead look at a phenomenon that's fostered some column inches on PH in recent months; that of the press fleet retirement special. And how these cars have got under the skins of us here at PistonHeads and their custodians on the corresponding press fleets. We love these cars too. As everyone else in the hack community squabbles over getting the first go in the newest latest we've profited from taking a more retrospective and sentimental stance. Nearly as sentimental as that ruddy song.

First there was 911 GB, the Riviera Blue second-gen 997 GT3 that was on Porsche's press fleet through from 2009 until just earlier this year. We made sure we had the last go with it, sending it out in hopefully fitting style before it migrated into the dealer network and ended up as the PH classifieds over Christmas. Given recent events with its successor the lucky purchaser has even more reason to feel pleased with themselves, likewise anyone else with a 997 GT3 in the garage.

End of an M era; PH and BMW in mourning

Ask any hack in the UK motoring media of the last few years and it's likely the same Riviera Blue 911 will appear on an iPhone in seconds flat. That car won a lot of hearts. It was the first 911 young Matt ever drove FFS! Doesn't know he was born sometimes that lad...

Likewise the E92 M3 we had from BMW recently for similar farewell. Our man at BMW sounded wistful when he made the booking for us, though thankfully (and unlike his colleagues at Porsche) he seemed confident he'd be able to keep hold of it for posterity. YE13 JXY - we'll be back. Once someone's put some fresh tyres on.

Then there's 'my' C63 Edition 507 long-termer. I. Love. This. Car. And it seems the PR team at Mercedes shares my affection, making it even more incredible they've let me have it for an extended loan. Not that I'm complaining. They were visiting PH towers the other day and a good few minutes of the chat over coffees was spent wistfully sharing anecdotes about KY63 ZRK. Comms boss Rob has even switched back from a bells and whistles SL63 for a final blast with a C63 company car before its turbocharged replacement arrives and is loving every minute. Anyone wanting an in-person eulogy to the car need only catch my arm at this weekend's Sunday Service, where the car will be on display in Mercedes-Benz World's AMG lounge before I (in all likelihood) make a total prat of myself on the skid circle out front. Feel free to point and laugh.

We're getting a proper farewell tour with this one

Anyway. The last Mezger engined GT3. The final normally aspirated M-car. And the swansong for the properly mental over-engined AMG C-Class. Sure, their successors will all be quantifiably 'better' (once propensity to catch fire is sorted in one case) and we're hugely excited about them. But these are three cars we are going to sorely miss and it seems the chaps that hold the keys to them agree.

More on this theme next week too as I travel to Affalterbach to drive the Final Edition SLS. Well, someone had to.

Oh, and I'm no Patrick Moore but Vanessa had it wrong about the sun going round the moon too.

Dan

 

[David87]

I agree - cars at the end of their lives are at their very best and can often be better than their replacements! I've had more than my fair share of run-out specials and each one has been excellent.

[mrclav]

Regardless whether the song mentioned in the article is good or bad (I'm not familiar with it), as far as Vanessa Williams is concerned I. So. Would.

That SLS Final Edition sounds pretty tasty too...

[smilo996]

Perhaps wind of change by the scorpions is appropriate as we hope PH illogical love of all things German fades, replaced by a love of cars that stimulate true emotion than snoblove.

[Escort Si-130]

What was wrong with that song, I thought it was ok. I wouldn't mind giving Vanessa Williams a good workout.

Far more worst songs than that. One that comes to mind was that Barbie girl song in the 90's

[leedsutd1]

Think its funny piston heads slagging off this song when most of the staff seem to have radio 3 or 4 on in there cars , double standards or what !

[stephen300o]

Are radio 3 and 4 bad radio stations?

[leedsutd1]

stephen300o said:

Are radio 3 and 4 bad radio stations?

I don't know I don't listen to them but its the double standards of ph staff I am reffering to.

[dandarez]

leedsutd1 said:

Think its funny piston heads slagging off this song when most of the staff seem to have radio 3 or 4 on in there cars , double standards or what !

I agree.

Bet none of 'em realise she was once (prior to her 'music' and 'other' careers) Miss America (first African American).

Just a bit of useless info to add.

[Spice_Weasel]

Whilst the 'sun goes round the moon' line is both highly improbable and, coupled with the 'snow in June' wording, indeed makes a risible rhyming couplet, surely the worst such occurrence in songwriting must be this from Des'ree:

"I don't want to see a ghost
It's the sight that I fear most
I'd rather have a piece of toast"

[cerb4.5lee]

dandarez said:

leedsutd1 said:

Think its funny piston heads slagging off this song when most of the staff seem to have radio 3 or 4 on in there cars , double standards or what !

I agree.

Bet none of 'em realise she was once (prior to her 'music' and 'other' careers) Miss America (first African American).

Just a bit of useless info to add.

I have her album with that song on it! but trust me regards the E9x M3 they didn't save the best for last as every generation before it has been more enjoyable to drive.

[Censorious]

Uhhm Vanessa Williams

[DJRC]

The great thing about pH is that no matter bad the drivel the editorial team come out, the forums soon make up for it An article slagging off Vanessa Williams and praising some cars turns into the cars either being A. Ignored or B. The editorial opinions being trashed and Vanissa being admired.

Please don't hire anyone competent Haymarket, you will take away half the fun of the place

[patmahe]

Spice_Weasel said:

Whilst the 'sun goes round the moon' line is both highly improbable and, coupled with the 'snow in June' wording, indeed makes a risible rhyming couplet, surely the worst such occurrence in songwriting must be this from Des'ree:

"I don't want to see a ghost
It's the sight that I fear most
I'd rather have a piece of toast"

What about:
'I'm serious as cancer, when I say rhythm is a dancer.

[Lotusgone]

Patmahe beat me to that one, so how about from Empire State of Mind, rhyming Brooklyn Bridge with empty fridge.

[renaultgeek]

Spice_Weasel said:

Whilst the 'sun goes round the moon' line is both highly improbable and, coupled with the 'snow in June' wording, indeed makes a risible rhyming couplet, surely the worst such occurrence in songwriting must be this from Des'ree:

"I don't want to see a ghost
It's the sight that I fear most
I'd rather have a piece of toast"

that is a tune.

[Turbobanana]

Shakira: "Lucky that my breast are small and humble, so you don't confuse them with mountains" (I know it's not a rhyme but just wanted to get the word "breasts" onto PH. Damn - now I've done it twice).

And, as said above, there is a distinctly Teutonic feel to PH these days.

Pistonheads: the German economy matters.