Choosing between very different cars

[Northernboy]

My SL63 was driven away by its new owner this morning, so if I fancy replacing it I’ve a spare parking space and some spare money, but I’m left completely stumped by what I should get, if anything.

I don’t need another car. I’ve a Range Rover Sport and a McLaren 650s. My wife has a Smart ForFour for round town, and I’ve a BMW R1200GS and a Honda X-ADV for when I prefer a bike, but there’s an absolute gulf between my main cars, and little reason not to get something that’s just a bit of fun, a car that makes me smile when I walk past it, and when I get in and drive it.

Where I run into a problem is that as shown by this morning’s test drive in a GR Yaris, it’s very difficult to get much of an idea of a car’s capabilities, the satisfaction to be had from ownership, and how it is to live with from a half hour drive on congested roads around London. I also suspect that every review of the candidate cars will be reviewing it “in its class”, so there’s just no way without buying one to get any idea of how the Yaris will compare to a Giulia Quadrifoglio, an Exige, a Nomad or a Urus, for example.

What I want is (probably) a car that does function as a “normal” car if I want to use it to take one of the children to nursery, or at a stretch to drive up to Newcastle from London sometimes, but mainly that is just fun.

I might decide that nothing fits the bill as in the McLaren would nearly always still get the nod, but here are some thoughts of what I might fancy;

Ariel Nomad
Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio
Lotus Elise or Exige
GR Yaris
McLaren 570s butchered to have long-travel suspension and off-road rubber
Caterham
Road legal rally car
Racing Clio
One of the good Meganes
Boxster Spider
Yamaha YXZ1000R Dakar buggy
Nissan GT-R


Or…
KTM 690 Enduro
Ducati 1260 Multistrada
Vespa GTS 300

If anyone has any thoughts I’d love to hear them.

[LargeRed]

Push Bike is the way the government want you to go.

[NDNDNDND]

Classic or muscle car, perhaps?

Fun, usable, and different experience from your McLaren or Ranger.

Not sure if a classic would be safe or reliable enough though, or if a modern muscle car is your image!

[Sporky]

Northernboy said:

McLaren 570s butchered to have long-travel suspension and off-road rubber

This, because I'd love to see it.

Add portal axles.

[Northernboy]

Sporky said:

This, because I'd love to see it.

Add portal axles.

Here’s an artist’s impression which I found earlier.

[Sporky]

I honestly don't understand why if that's an option, you're considering anything else.

I am not convinced that there is a single car which wouldn't look better/downright awesome with a lift and big knobbly tyres.

[CG2020UK]

Honda Civic Type-R

[ZX10R NIN]

Northernboy said:

My SL63 was driven away by its new owner this morning, so if I fancy replacing it I’ve a spare parking space and some spare money, but I’m left completely stumped by what I should get, if anything.

I don’t need another car. I’ve a Range Rover Sport and a McLaren 650s. My wife has a Smart ForFour for round town, and I’ve a BMW R1200GS and a Honda X-ADV for when I prefer a bike, but there’s an absolute gulf between my main cars, and little reason not to get something that’s just a bit of fun, a car that makes me smile when I walk past it, and when I get in and drive it.

Where I run into a problem is that as shown by this morning’s test drive in a GR Yaris, it’s very difficult to get much of an idea of a car’s capabilities, the satisfaction to be had from ownership, and how it is to live with from a half hour drive on congested roads around London. I also suspect that every review of the candidate cars will be reviewing it “in its class”, so there’s just no way without buying one to get any idea of how the Yaris will compare to a Giulia Quadrifoglio, an Exige, a Nomad or a Urus, for example.

What I want is (probably) a car that does function as a “normal” car if I want to use it to take one of the children to nursery, or at a stretch to drive up to Newcastle from London sometimes, but mainly that is just fun.

I might decide that nothing fits the bill as in the McLaren would nearly always still get the nod, but here are some thoughts of what I might fancy;

Ariel Nomad
Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio
Lotus Elise or Exige
GR Yaris
McLaren 570s butchered to have long-travel suspension and off-road rubber
Caterham
Road legal rally car
Racing Clio
One of the good Meganes
Boxster Spider
Yamaha YXZ1000R Dakar buggy
Nissan GT-R


Or…
KTM 690 Enduro
Ducati 1260 Multistrada
Vespa GTS 300

If anyone has any thoughts I’d love to hear them.

Get the KTM 690 it's a ball of a bike & a fillet to the GS, then I'd go for a Hot Hatch as it'll be something nicely different to the rest of the garage so you'll have a fun practical steer.


308 GTI

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107074...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109026...

Megane RS 300 Trophy

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108055...

I'd probably go for something else in the form of a Mustang GT Shadow Edition

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107155...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202105182...

Or the much overlooked Supra:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107245...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107205...

[spikeyhead]

Northernboy said:

Ariel Nomad
Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio
Lotus Elise or Exige
GR Yaris
McLaren 570s butchered to have long-travel suspension and off-road rubber
Caterham
Road legal rally car
Racing Clio
One of the good Meganes
Boxster Spider
Yamaha YXZ1000R Dakar buggy
Nissan GT-R

I've owned an Atom, a Caterham and a Boxster.

The Boxster is very competent, fairly reliable, expensive when things go wrong and comes with a Porsche tax, though I do remember only paying a few pounds for a replacement brake light switch.

The Caterham was a hoot to drive, the weight sits over the front wheels so it's very easy to power drift it for a long long way. Do not do this when being followed by a police traffic sergeant, but there was always something on it that needed fixing or servicing.

The Atom isn't cheap, but once you've bought one then depreciation is negligible, servicing is about £500 a time if you take it to the factory or half that from a Honda dealer and then an hour checking the non Honda bits yourself. I've no reason to doubt the Nomad is much different. If I had anywhere off road to play then I'd buy one.

[Freshprince]

McLaren 570gt

[flying-banana]

Northernboy said:

Ariel Nomad
Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio
Lotus Elise or Exige
GR Yaris
McLaren 570s butchered to have long-travel suspension and off-road rubber
Caterham
Road legal rally car
Racing Clio
One of the good Meganes
Boxster Spider
Yamaha YXZ1000R Dakar buggy
Nissan GT-R

There aren't many in your list that I'd want to drive from London to Newcastle... I suppose I would consider the Alfa, the Yaris, the Boxster & the GT-R, and throw in a Lotus Evora...

Have you ever driven a racing Clio? I did a few years ago & thought it was awful, I'd much rather have an Elise or Caterham...

[Northernboy]

Freshprince said:

McLaren 570gt

Is that going to be different enough to my 650s though?

[Northernboy]

flying-banana said:

There aren't many in your list that I'd want to drive from London to Newcastle... I suppose I would consider the Alfa, the Yaris, the Boxster & the GT-R, and throw in a Lotus Evora...

Have you ever driven a racing Clio? I did a few years ago & thought it was awful, I'd much rather have an Elise or Caterham...

I have, a few times, and I’ve never been as amazed by any other car.

I drive it off the track the first time I had tuition in one as my brain refused to believe that I could turn the wheel that much and not fall over.

I’ve an Emira coming already, so don’t fancy an Evora.

[Northernboy]

While working out what to get I bought a Husqvarna 701 Supermoto.

I can have some fun on that and take a bit more time on the car.