Medlem Tony Wawryk

With regard to the attendance, figures released by the organisers showed that this year’s show had an almost identical number of visitors over the weekend as last year’s – 26,912 compared with 26,872, no mean feat when the average ticket price was £30/EUR 35. At a time when many events are struggling with the cost of living crisis here, the show…[Læs mere]

Some very interesting items this weekend! Gandini is surely only equalled by Giugiaro in terms of successful as well as influential designs. Hard to pick a favourite – maybe the Khamsin, today at least.
Love the Lancia – proof that some of the best things can come in small packages.
I’m not sure what to make of the 190SL estate – the execution…[Læs mere]

One more.

Interesting. I am one of those who doesn’t particularly like replicas/continuation models – replicas because they rarely seem to advertise that they are not the genuine article and are designed to fool the casual observer, continuations because they are purely money-making exercises.
Sometimes however even I feel there is more to it. Now the…[Læs mere]

I like the Alfa, one of Zagato’s more successful designs to my eyes. The interior is mostly lovely, but there’s just a little too much blue e.g. the steering wheel, the gear lever knob – for me, they would be better finished in polished wood, or in the case of the gear lever knob, maybe chrome/stainless steel, just to break up the sea of blue a bit.

Well, I can answer one of the questions you mention immediately – a Montreal looks MUCH better in orange than brown. No further discussion required ;-)

Classic car rental/sharing – not a bad idea, I would happily share/rent out my 280CE, though I’m less sure I would do the same with the 911. Normal rental is also good – I did it with an E-type (https://viaretro.com/2018/09/an-e-type-kind-of-weekend/) – it was a lot of fun. Virtual classic car “driving”? Pointless.

@jewer and @ce – thank you both! And yes, it does look lovely in that colour!

Some super – and sometimes very creative! – photos, Claus! I particularly like the two yellow (though very different shades) Mercedes. I’m struggling to identify the mint green roadster – could you tell me what it is, please? The event itself, however, sounds like one to miss if it’s so overcrowded…

I’ve had two 996’s, and I can say that the second (the first was written off in my only serious accident) was not so reliable – it dropped all it’s oil one day and it needed a replacement engine, thankfully paid for by the insurance. Within a couple of years, that engine started to smoke a lot and I sold it before I got another big bill. In…[Læs mere]

Interesting – I know people who buy only Ford, or Vauxhall, or VW, in some cases, because their fathers (always fathers, never mothers) bought them, as if it was a betrayal to buy any other brand. The Volvo v SAAB competition in the UK has sometimes been characterised by profession, as SAAB’s were bought by architects, Volvo’s – particularly…[Læs mere]

I’ve only seen one in the UK – this smart red example, at Brooklands back in January 2020. It’s OK, but it wouldn’t find a place in my dream garage even if I limited myself to Japanese cars. The revised version, I don’t like at all – sorry Claus!

An excellent piece about a fabulous car, Claus. I’m very envious that you drove an RS – at least I can enjoy some of the RS’s DNA in my “cooking” 911T.

@ce – I think you already answered the question, Claus. Take your example of the SD1 – no less durable than almost any Alfa or Lancia from the 1970s and ’80s, yet many of them are considered desirable classic cars even so. Indeed, if durability or reliability were a requirement, we would be excluding a whole host of cars we all consider classics…[Læs mere]

I have always loved the 928, it’s just that I love the 911 more…as for the Maserati, if the BMW E30, particularly the M3, didn’t already exist, I might have been more impressed by the Shamal/Ghibli, but for me they just don’t look exotic enough to carry the Maserati name. The trident is obviously a more exclusive badge than the roundel, but…[Læs mere]

A nice bit build up there, Claus, with a fun punchline! And who knows, maybe one day the Ghibli you really want will be in your garage. Merry Christmas to you and all VR Klub members and readers!

The Dino name is on some of the most gorgeous cars ever built – including the FIAT Dino coupe, which I believe is very under-rated, and very good examples are available for less than c.25% of a 206/246. Of course, if I had the money, I’d go for the 246.

Looks like it was a very nice trip in an exceptionally cool car, although I’m not sure about the train…sounds like it could use some investment. And what a great club to be a member of! My own major road trip for 2024 is already in the calender for June – a re-run (with route variations) of my “Back to my Roots” trips previously done in my BMW…[Læs mere]

I have to say that the 308GT4 has grown on me considerably over the years – I think it looks particularly good in profile – to the point where I think I would take one above a 308GTB, not least for it being a little more exclusive. It would have to be in Giallo Fly, though…