Best road trip car

[chappardababbar]

What is the best GT / long distance machine do we think?

Best means, stylish, can carry four plus luggage ( although cars that look good with roof racks also count) , is a bit rare, subtly exotic etc. A car that makes you happy to be in the car and makes you relish the journey in the days leading up to the trip. A car that you keep in the garage with a bag packed just in case you need to be in Rome the next day....maybe one of those tartan car blankets with a leather holding strap as well.

So go one, what are your dream getaway vehicles and what is the scenario? Is fuel economy a factor for you...or don't you care as long as a long range fuel tank is fitted? Is 4wd drive important? What about reliability?

Let's hear it!

[ModernAndy]

Volvo S60 T5 with all the trimmings. No further discussion required. Somebody will probably suggest something daft and boring like an Aston Martin Rapide or Maserati Quattroporte...

[hdrflow]

chappardababbar said:

What is the best GT / long distance machine do we think?

Best means, stylish, can carry four plus luggage ( although cars that look good with roof racks also count) , is a bit rare, subtly exotic etc. A car that makes you happy to be in the car and makes you relish the journey in the days leading up to the trip. A car that you keep in the garage with a bag packed just in case you need to be in Rome the next day....maybe one of those tartan car blankets with a leather holding strap as well.

So go one, what are your dream getaway vehicles and what is the scenario? Is fuel economy a factor for you...or don't you care as long as a long range fuel tank is fitted? Is 4wd drive important? What about reliability?

Let's hear it!

http://www.gizmag.com/1100-bhp-koenigsegg-agera-r/...

It looks good with a roof rack, and meets all the other criteria afaics

[Wild Swordfish]

I would take an RS6.
Comfort, speed, economical, spacious, and a fun car to drive.

[chappardababbar]

ModernAndy said:

Volvo S60 T5 with all the trimmings. No further discussion required. Somebody will probably suggest something daft and boring like an Aston Martin Rapide or Maserati Quattroporte...

Why the S60? Surely this is the Volvo of choice?

http://www.danielcurnock.co.uk/forsale/view_pd.php...

[Reks]

Maybe not the best for 4 people but still my favourite GT car

Edited by Reks on Monday 18th February 22:19

[billzeebub]

The best road trip car for me would be some form of Convertible, preferably rear wheel drive, 6 cylinder minimum and a decent amount of luggage storage.

BMW M3 Vert
Jaguar XKR Vert
Porsche 911C4 Vert (all season car)
TVR Chimaera/Griffith/Tuscan
Maserati GranCabrio

Edited by billzeebub on Tuesday 19th February 22:46

[Willy Nilly]

Me and a mate drove from eastern Florida to San Francisco and then on to NW Kansas in a 1984 Pontiac Parisienne



7500 miles in 16 days

[JREwing]

Willy Nilly said:

Me and a mate drove from eastern Florida to San Francisco and then on to NW Kansas in a 1984 Pontiac Parisienne



7500 miles in 16 days

I really like the sound of that. Do you have any pictures?

[chappardababbar]

Wild Swordfish said:

I would take an RS6.
Comfort, speed, economical, spacious, and a fun car to drive.

Which RS6 and why? If anyone has driven both I would love to know how they compare. Imagine parking up in a German car park, you've just been out for dinner with the wife and you're walking back towards the car. I would venture to say that at this point you'd be happier with the twin turbo variant than the V10...it would seem way more special amongst the usual German metal, plus a lot more comfortable I am led to believe?

[AnotherClarkey]

Renault Avantime.

[Willy Nilly]

JREwing said:

Willy Nilly said:

Me and a mate drove from eastern Florida to San Francisco and then on to NW Kansas in a 1984 Pontiac Parisienne



7500 miles in 16 days

I really like the sound of that. Do you have any pictures?

I have loads, but it was all in the days before digital cameras. Some of them have been scanned, I really need to do the rest.

I was working there at the time, it was a great time in my life and a we had a fantastic 2 weeks. Exactly the right car for the job, big, wafty, thirsty, gutless (comically so at times), comfy. We paid $0.89/ gallon in Louisiana, fuel just wasn't an issue, drive 300 miles and spend more on a cheap hotel than fuel

[ModernAndy]

chappardababbar said:

ModernAndy said:

Volvo S60 T5 with all the trimmings. No further discussion required. Somebody will probably suggest something daft and boring like an Aston Martin Rapide or Maserati Quattroporte...

Why the S60? Surely this is the Volvo of choice?

http://www.danielcurnock.co.uk/forsale/view_pd.php...

Quite simply because the S60 has the 'pop out of the dash' sat nav and a much better stereo.

[sparks_E39]

My E39 528i was excellent from the UK to Modena, but money no object a new Supercharged Jaguar XJR would do the trick.

[JREwing]

Willy Nilly said:

I have loads, but it was all in the days before digital cameras. Some of them have been scanned, I really need to do the rest.

I was working there at the time, it was a great time in my life and a we had a fantastic 2 weeks. Exactly the right car for the job, big, wafty, thirsty, gutless (comically so at times), comfy. We paid $0.89/ gallon in Louisiana, fuel just wasn't an issue, drive 300 miles and spend more on a cheap hotel than fuel

Well, if you ever get any photos online please let me know! It sounds like a brilliantly interesting experience.

[sparks_E39]

My E39 528i was excellent from the UK to Modena, but money no object a new Supercharged Jaguar XJR would do the trick.

[tdog7]

Three friends and I drove 4500 miles to the North of Russia in a £600 1995 Jaguar XJ!!

It was comfortable, powerful, and didn't miss a beat, apart from a broken fuel pump relay, which was easily replaced. Was an absolutely fantastic car! Felt like I was cruising around in a luxury yacht.

However, it was a little thirsty.....think we got about 23mpg!

[graeme4130]

chappardababbar said:

Wild Swordfish said:

I would take an RS6.
Comfort, speed, economical, spacious, and a fun car to drive.

Which RS6 and why? If anyone has driven both I would love to know how they compare. Imagine parking up in a German car park, you've just been out for dinner with the wife and you're walking back towards the car. I would venture to say that at this point you'd be happier with the twin turbo variant than the V10...it would seem way more special amongst the usual German metal, plus a lot more comfortable I am led to believe?

Of course V10 is Biturbo too.
In terms of difference, then the later V10 feels a lot smoother, more powerful and generally more 'modern'
It also does a better job of disguising speed, which can lead to trouble as I'm sure you can imagine
I would've bought a V10 RS6, but it was just a little bit too big to move from my RS4, so I've hung onto that until I order a B8 RS4 later this year
In terms of the OP's question, then there's really very few cars that could carry 4 and luggage across Europe like and an RS6 though, and the new one I hear is set to be even better

[Willy Nilly]

JREwing said:

Well, if you ever get any photos online please let me know! It sounds like a brilliantly interesting experience.

I have a thread on the whole time I worked in the USA on another channel, I have just had a look and there are some pictures of the road trip on the last page, but not many. I don;t think you need to register to look at it.

Here is a link to the last page http://www.farming-forum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=155...

By all means have a look at the rest of the photos, but they are only of interest if you like farm machinery

[The Badger]

New Aston Rapide or Porsche Pandabadozy thing.