Greatest GT car

[C7 JFW]

neenoy said:

I expect that any big-engined barge would manage the technical challenge but most cars with more than two side doors fail when you get to the destination and step out. The coupe or cabriolet say that you have the car because you want it. The saloon says you need the space but would rather have the coupe, e.g. Mercedes CLS, Porsche Panamera, etc.

The newish AMG GT is a rather tasty item that does both GT and sports car pretty well as long as you keep to grown-up colours and again avoid black wheels and trim.

There's a very fine line between exceptional ride and poor body control - not a lot of vehicles seem to manage it.

+1 for the AMG GT. Plausible, the right badge, powerful but none of this old man feel the Jaguars have.

As for those Bentley interiors - they might have been luxurious in the 80s, but they're not anymore.

[antspants]

Atmospheric said:

4.2 or 5.0 litre version?

5.0 litre.

I've just spent a couple of weeks working in Sydney and have returned with a serious hankering for a v8.

I thought I wanted a c63 coupe but my 10 year old son pointed out that it looked boring compared to my car. Whereas he was very impressed when I showed him the Jag, exclaiming "it looks like an Aston Martin!" - which can't be a bad thing imo.

I do really like my Boxster (not a GT suggestion I might add), it's not perfect but on a sunny day on a country road it makes me smile a lot.

Not sure whether I'll be happy with my choice after the novelty wears off, because it's a very different car. But it's an itch that needs scratching and you only live once so may as well try something a bit different.

[patmahe]

I adore these, every time I see one in the flesh I think, 'God they are gorgeous', even the wife likes them and she hates most cars I like
For some reason they don't photograph as well as the reality but I honestly think I'd have one above an Aston etc.... they are very special cars.

Atmospheric said:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

[neenoy]

patmahe said:

For some reason they don't photograph as well as the reality ...

In the flesh, they are more muscular than they appear in photos. A used one must be a very strong candidate for "the GT for ordinary people". Swap the wood panels for metal and these don't feel like an old man's car at all.

There are plenty of even better cars in the world, but not many at the level these are now selling for.

[andybu]

Quite. Although I should first declare an interest here as I'm an earlier poster on this thread & have run a Porsche 928 S4 back in the day and now have a Jaguar XK Coupe.

So, to some minor details direct from pedants' corner. First, a classic GT is a coupe, not the convertible. Nobody drives down the autostrada at 130mph with the top down. It'll ruin madame's hair do long before you glide to a halt outside the 5 star emporium where you'll be having cocktails/dinner tonight. Thus, the coupe is the one you want, not the convertible. Also, Sir William Lyons, back in the day, always said the E-TYpe Coupe was more elegant than the convertible one and as he was a complete genius at car design that's the masters' voice spoken on the subject, which is now closed.

XK 4.2 litre or 5.0? [From a quite recent post]. Tried both before I purchased, 5.0 is noticeably better at offering effortless torque - a five-star GT requirement. Also, it comes in the facelift 2009 & onwards XK version which also gives a much-improved interior quality compared to the earlier 2006-2009 cars.

I can't speak to long-term XK values, but I've had two calls on mine lately from the Jaguar dealer chain, making it clear they'd be very keen to talk if I want out of it. A quick look on PH seems to indicates that values are suprisingly close to my 2012 purchase price. Which is an unexpected bonus.

I did look at a DB9 but it would've been a much older car for the budget. And it looked older on the interior as well. And the boot was smaller.

The OP to this thread defined the GT requirement tightly and correctly. Audi RS6 and all the rest of them are just a fast car. That's only one part of the GT definition.

[SPMX5]

The correct answer is of course a V8 S

[andybu]

Yes, if you read the earlier thread contributions a few of us put the Conti V8S into the mix.. Current prices are against it (for ordinary folks anyway). Give depreciation some more time to work its magic.

Incidentally, if you are an Autocar reader you'll be following Steve Cropley now as he currently has a used Bentley Continental V8S on a six-month trial. I think it's a two year old example and Bentley are obviously plugging their very extensive used (sorry, that'll be "pre-owned") preparation & warranty services.

So far Mr Cropley likes it very much indeed..

[Dr Gitlin]

Tuvra said:

On that note, one of these isn't a bad shout:-

That's the US press fleet FF! I thoroughly enjoyed my time with that one, although at 6mpg (US) it fails the long-range bit. Had to fill it up twice in under 250 miles!

[MarshPhantom]

MB W126 560 SEC

[F40LM]

thecook101 said:

RobDown said:

there's a reason why people post interior pics of the 612 not exterior, one of the ugliest Ferraris made for decades

I'll take a Rapide S thanks

OK - each to their own but I couldn't let that just sit there. And with the weather today it's a good excuse to fire her up. The perfect GT, IMHO.

I'm guessing you have not driven a 612 or Rapide judging from your comments?

[r129sl]

SPMX5 said:

The correct answer is of course a V8 S

Perhaps. But surely not one like that?

[vournikas]

Atmospheric said:

Goodness.

Goodness indeed

For as long as I can remember, I've always thought the GTC/4 was a better looker than the Daytona

On a related note, I've also hankered after one of these for a while, so elegant:



Whilst a certain Mr. Moss reckoned this was his favourite "continent crusher":

[Atmospheric]

I like that 412 in the above picture.

As classic Ferraris go, they don't seem astronomical :-

This 1985 one is red





http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

Edited by Atmospheric on Thursday 12th May 21:51

[Phil Dicky]

300bhp/ton said:

Atmospheric said:

Thanks, what was the significance of the T and the R. Which is better?

More info here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentley_Continental_...


The T was essentially the go faster version, rarer and a lot more money.

It looked more aggressive, think it had a shorter wheelbase, more sporting interior, sharper handling and more power. Latter ones had 650ft lb of torque, and no it wasn't a diesel!!







A friend had a Continental R and another a Continental RT (essentially the T engine in the Turbo 4 saloon body).

Fabulous cars. Sadly I've never had the opportunity to go in a T though.

If your considering a Continental..surely the Azure would be the better option ..all the benefits and roof down fun too. My Dad has a Final Series that I've driven numerous times. Lovely old school Bentley just avoid the twisters

[PHAB]

Surprised this hasn't been mentioned yet......have done the Alps, lakes, Cote dAzur trip in convoy with one twice and have to say its hard to beat! Absolutely beautiful inside and out, sounds lovely, Italian, fast and very comfortable....whats not to like!?

Maserati Quattroporte S 4.7

[neenoy]

I get the feeling that the consensus is for cars with 2-doors only and with a fixed metal roof.

Driving around Europe in any decently powered and smooth riding car is fun as long as you do the route planning well.

[matsoc]

vournikas said:

Goodness indeed

For as long as I can remember, I've always thought the GTC/4 was a better looker than the Daytona

On a related note, I've also hankered after one of these for a while, so elegant:



Whilst a certain Mr. Moss reckoned this was his favourite "continent crusher":

Oh the 412, always loved it. A close friend of my dad bought one new and kept it until his death, I sill remember the first time I climbed on one as a kid. To be fair not the most comfortable car of the period but absolutely stylish and fascinating, also the interior.

[300bhp/ton]

Atmospheric said:

I like that 412 in the above picture.

As classic Ferraris go, they don't seem astronomical :-

This 1985 one is red





http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

Edited by Atmospheric on Thursday 12th May 21:51

Values have sky rocketed on these over the years. I recall there was a time when a 400 was only worth £12-15k, as I tried convincing my parents it would be good idea to swap my Defender Tdi for one. But then again I was only 17 at the time...

[Dave Hedgehog]

if i had to pick a car to blat around the European mountains it would be this, i would of course don a tactical turtle neck

[Atmospheric]

Wouldn't the AA be as much of a requirement as fuel for those?