Car O'Clock

Stuff

My Neighbour’s Top 10

Julian’s selection

Julian, my next door neighbour, as luck would have it, is something of a petrolhead. So you can imagine that after we’ve discussed all the more important things in life, our conversations inevitably turn to cars, beginning with a comparative discussion about our respective Ford Mustangs GT’s (mine’s a 2016 model, his a 2018 version).

Therefore, after writing a feature about the Top 10 cars I’d own if money was of no object (fat chance), I recently asked Julian to nominate his personal Top 10. His choices certainly gave me some food for thought and a couple of his finalists nearly made it to one of my earlier lists.

I’d love to own any of ‘his’ cars, although most of them are so fast I’d have to move to another country to be able to find somewhere suitable to drive them. And, while Julian tells me he’s not really into classic cars nowadays, I see there are two very desirable ‘Continuation’ classics in his Top 10, or three if you count a Singer Porsche as a new ‘old’ classic. He did, however, include one genuine classic in the form of the imposing and elegant Bentley Continental S3 ‘Chinese eye’ drophead.

All in all, I think Julian’s Top 10 list has been very carefully curated and made me wonder if one of the newly announced Continuation Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato’s should make it to my Top 10 too. The trouble is, what should it replace? If only all my problems were this unimportant…

Julian explains all

My first two choices are Porsche 911s. I have always been a fan of them and owned three, a 1981 SC which was a bit of a dud and always felt an old, a 1988 Carrera Sport which was a greatly improved car which I really enjoyed and finally a 1996 993 Carrera, the one I wish I’d held on to.

First up is a Singer Vehicle Design Porsche 911. It captures the purity of early 911s with the benefits of modern technology and amazing craftsmanship and build quality. The average cost is US$600k, definitely a car I would want to own forever.

In addition, I’ll have a brand new Porsche 992 Carrera S Coupe which will be a fantastic everyday car, with a manual gearbox, please.

Next on my list is an Eagle Jaguar Low Drag Coupe. What an amazing thing to own, I suspect I’d spend many hours in the garage just gazing at it and unlike an original E-Type, it will fire up when asked and offer me the benefits of modern technology and reliability.

Choice number 4 is a new Bentley Continental GT. I can’t think of a better way to dash across a continent and I think they’ve really got the design right on the current model.

My next two are a lot more practical.

Number 5 is going to be a Range Rover Sport. I will need to work out whether to go petrol (heart) or diesel (head). I think I’d probably go diesel for day to day range, economy, and practicality.

Next, I need something to just jump into when going to the shops, into city underground car parks, leaving parked on the street sometimes and I will take a VW Golf R. I think there are still a few new manual ones out there, but I might consider the DSG gearbox for ease of use. I have owned four Golf GTIs, a Mk 1 in Lhasa Green which was my first new car way back in 1983, a couple of MK2 16V, the second one in Oak Green which was very cool and currently a Mk 6, 3-door with a manual gearbox. They’ve all been fantastic everyday cars.

For number 7, I have chosen the new Alpine A110. I have only seen one on the road and it looked terrific. A relatively simple car, a good size and will be great for having fun. In blue, please.

An Aston Martin DB5 continuation is next up. I was a child in the 1960s so have been watching early James Bond films all my life. Like many boys of my age, I had the original Corgi model which got repeatedly driven into the skirting boards and wrecked, so bought one of the re-releases Corgi recently did. Now time for the real thing and as money is clearly no barrier, I’ll have one of the continuation models being built by Aston Martin.

For my last two choices, I have chosen two very different convertible cars. I have owned three convertibles, a 1964 MGB, a 450SL Mercedes and a BMW 325 but never really enjoyed driving them that much. However, I think these two will be good additions to my Top 10 garage.

So, coming in at number 9 is a new Ferrari 488 Spider. With the metal roof in position, it looks just as good as the coupe, but when the need comes there’s the chance to enjoy the weather and hear that engine doing its bit behind you.

My last car is going to be my only old one, a Bentley S3 Continental Mulliner-Park Ward Drophead “Chinese Eye”. Pure class I reckon and a beautiful car with amazing craftsmanship that only the British can do. In dark blue with a blue soft top and tan interior will be just fine.

It’s taken a bit of time, but I’m happy with my final lot although I’d better sign off now before I change my mind again!!

Ian