As a long-standing fan of a Yank tank, it's been a pleasure to watch the American sports car enjoy its renaissance over the past decade or so. Cars like the Mustang GT500, Corvette ZR1, Cadillac ATS-V and Camaro ZL1 would have been unimaginable in the 2000s: fierce American muscle cars able to mix it with the best that Europe has to offer across the board. But by doing things the American way, i.e. with an irrepressible (and very likeable) silly streak.
While the Hellcat Dodges aren't quite in that calibre of Americana, I'm still extremely fond of them. They're big, they look great, sound even better and go very fast - sometimes, you don't need much more than that. And I know a bright red, left-hand drive Charger would go down in the UK about as well as a hoedown at Ascot, but I love the Hellcat all the same.
This one has been for sale for a while, and came to my attention again with news that the Charger Hellcat is now more powerful than ever. And hardly any more expensive. This one does without the extra power or the widebody, but is still a 700hp four-door that makes an E63 look as exciting as a minicab. Red with tan wouldn't be my first colour choice (whose would it be?!) but people would look in black with matching leather. And that's just fine by me - form an orderly queue... MB
It was all too easy for us to compare America's Jeep Wagoneer with Britain's Range Rover. But in truth, they're very different, a fact reaffirmed by the latest concept, which adhere's to the original car's squared-off look. Land Rover's flagship has become less overtly tough; its presence is half underlying confidence, half total class. And nowhere are those facets clearer to me than in the 1994 Vogue LSE.
Finished in green with body coloured bumpers and silver alloys, it's arguably the best looking of all Range Rover classics, and this car has certainly lived a royal life. The seller says the one former owner immaculately cared for the 115,500-mile car and was often seen driving sedately around the village or sauntering to a holiday home. That helps to explain why despite the six-figure mileage, this LSE is claimed to be in such mechanically sound condition that it only needed a full service and electronic ignition to be brought back to tip top standard.
I'm a fan of the seller's new addition, a set of tweed mats sourced from Scotland, and fully believe that new headlining is all that was done before the pictures for the ad were taken. An owner who ensures the leather of their car's seats remains healthy over 26 years of life is, I reckon, the sort of person who would ensure a 4.3-litre V8 is properly serviced too. That's backed by the paperwork included in the sale. Not surprisingly, the car's up for £50k, which is probably not far off what the new Grand Wagoneer will cost from in America. But if you hadn't already guessed, I'm totally sold. SS
Of course we've been talking about the prospect of an M3 wagon again this week. There's a very real possibility that we won't talk about anything else for 18 months. If it was BMW's intention to generate a tidal wave of opinion by denying us the model for umpteen generations, then game well played Munich. People have been daydreaming about an M3 estate for so long that's there's a very real chance they might overlook the megladon grille just to be the first on the wait list.
Personally, I'm torn. Matt Bird thinks the new front end looks alright, which is almost certainly the death knell for the entire generation. But the simple fact is you don't have to look at it when you're sat inside enjoying what is likely to be an exceptional car. With an exceptionally big boot. And I need no convincing about the fundamental rightness of a 3 Series Touring - which is why I might have spent some alone time casually perusing used F30 335d xDrive prices.
Now, I'm aware of the molten hot love poured on the model by some, and I don't count myself among the people who seem to think it the quickest car this side of Orion's Belt. Nevertheless I am among the people who think it a real-world, Swiss Army-adaptable, distant-shrinking monster. I distinctly remember driving one when it was new a very long way in very bad weather in the kind of sustained, soft focus bliss that can seldom be attributed to a diesel of any stripe. It was unstoppably good. And now you can have one for less than £20k. Which is hard not to think about every time I see that grille... NC
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