The best Ferrari is a Maserati

On October 8, 2019October 9, 2019 By ChristofferIn News, The Thrill of Owning6 Comments

Always dreamt of a youngtimer Ferrari but didn’t get to it before prices sky-rocketed? You’re not the only one, which is why this week I bring you an idea that gets you very close to the real thing without ruining you, even giving you the option of bringing your children along – provided they are small with very thin legs. I am, quite obviously, talking about the Maserati 3200/Coupé.

The Maserati 3200 GT was launched in 1998 and became famous for its ultra-cool, boomerang-shaped rear lights. It was produced until 2002 with an 8-cylinder, twin-turbo Maserati engine developing 370 hp. It was replaced in the same year by the Maserati Coupé, looking basically the same but for the rear lights – you see, the Coupé would mark Maserati’s return to the US market after an 11-year absence, and apparently, someone had come to the conclusion that the US didn’t like boomerang lights. Judge by yourself…

The biggest change between the 3200 and the Coupé was under the bonnet, where the previous engine was replaced by a naturally aspirated, 4.2 litre Ferrari unit, developing 390 hp and 450 nm of torque. You may ask how this happened, but Ferrari had taken over the helm at Maserati within the Fiat group already in the late 90’s, so it was therefore not a question if, but rather when Ferrari engines would move into Maseratis.

Next to the regular Coupé version there was a Spyder and a Gransport, a sportier version of the Coupé available both as a manual and with the semi-automatic Cambiocorsa gearbox. Whatever you do, do not buy a Cambiocorsa car. Ever. That box was bad even by the standards 20 years ago and it certainly isn’t any better today.

The 3200 and subsequently the Coupé were both well received by the market notably for their styling, handling and luxurious inerior, with the Coupé also being voted best GT in the US in 2002, the same year it was introduced. Handling-wise the car is more of a GT than a true sports car, although the Gransport muddles that line a bit. The naturally aspirated Ferrari V8 doesn’t muddle any lines at all though, it’s a brilliant engine with a brilliant sound, slightly muted with the standard exhaust but with plenty of sport exhausts and aftermarket options to choose from! It’s also generally considered more reliable then the previous Maserati unit from the 3200 GT.

A Maserati is not an Audi, but that’s precisely its charm. Buttons are not always where you expect to find them, every seam will not be perfect and seats may not have heating. Either you like it or you don’t, and if you don’t, then this is not for you anyway. But if you have some Italianità in you, how on earth could you resist an interior such as the one below?

Early 3200 GT’s with high mileage today start at around EUR 15.000 whilst a good Gransport can be had for around EUR 25.000. Don’t go for the cheapest, and do spend money on a good inspection before you buy – this will never be a cheap car to run, but there are degrees in hell… If you’re speculating on rising values, an early 3200 with the boomerang lights and low mileage is the one to get. If you’re in it for the drive, go for a good Coupé Gransport. You will then be driving a good-looking, Ferrari-powered and well-behaved Maserati for a quarter of what a not-so-nice-looking-or-handling Testarossa will cost you today! But whatever you do, don’t forget it’s a 6-gear manual you want!

Driving the E63 – putting things back in order

On September 22, 2019 By ChristofferIn News, Test drivesLeave a comment

In a post from a couple of weeks ago, I was quite critical of the latest MB E-class. As mentioned then, I had the opportunity to drive a couple of E-classes lately, including the latest E63 – and luckily, driving it pretty much lets you forget any worries you may have about its looks, materials or luggage space!

Having owned the previous E63 estate for the last three years (non S-version meaning around 560 hp), it’s of course even more interesting to compare it to the new version. And although the new one I drove was the new S-version with 612 hp, the difference in power is barely noticeable, at least on normal roads. There is a difference in sound though, and that’s not to the new car’s advantage. The deep V8 bass has lost some of that depth in the new, 1.5 litre smaller engine, and where the old car made sure no one failed to notice what you were driving at the turn of the key, the new one in comfort mode (and, I should add, without the optional the sports exhaust) is actually quite discreet.

*The optional bucket seats – not fitted in the car I tried, and not advisable as an option according to the sales guy, at least not for daily use.*

In terms of driving experience, lets just say that what was always a very good package difficult to fault for its precision, has become even better and more precise. This goes for everything. There is surprisingly even less body roll than in the old car, in view of the cars size and weight. The steering is even more precise than before, and the biggest difference is perhaps the gear changes. I never fully understood the complaints around the old speedshift box – sure, it was slower than many double-clutch boxes, but in my view never so that it was disturbing. The new box however reclaims the lost ground, being on another level. The options in terms of individualizing the set-up are plentiful but the pre-programmed modes leave little to be wished for, at least in normal use. The air suspension is impressive in its capability to cope with everything that comes in its way. Most importantly though, the car still feels playful, ready to shake its behind if you’re up – and prepared – for it.

So trying to combine the general impressions of the E-class with the very complete package in terms of driving the E63 offers, where does this leave us? To my mind, there is still nothing that rivals the E63 Estate in the combination of supercar and family estate (the RS6 may come close, but it offers far less boot space for those of us who depend on it, and it’s also not as playful as the Merc). In its estate version, the E63 still offers all the advantages of what is still the best family estate on the market, which at a movement of your right foot will leave most other cars, including a fair amount of super cars, behind. On the road that is – and basically assuming you live in Germany and have family members enjoying speed as much as you do. For obvious reasons, the E63 will never be a very good track car.

In this resides the E63s ultimate conflict, as I’ve come to realize during three years of ownership, but more on that in a later post. In the meantime, if you’re in the market for a fast family estate, then to my mind nothing beats the E63, but I would await the face lift next year, that will notably bring the new MBUX infotainment system.

How Mercedes ruined the E-class

On September 3, 2019September 2, 2019 By ChristofferIn News, Opinion1 Comment

Ok, time for some serious Mercedes-bashing. Long-time readers of this blog know that I’m a Mercedes driver for family purposes since many years, currently so in the form of a 2013 E 63 AMG Estate, so as a loyal customer I feel I’m entitled to some bashing, especially after some quite serious disappointments on various drives with the new E-class (well, it’s been around since 2017, but that’s still new in my book). The conclusion is quite simply that in a few crucial aspects, Mercedes have built a worse car than its predecessor. Here’s my take on why:

Looks: I guess this one’s debatable but I still haven’t found anyone who finds the new E-class particularly beautiful. The design is kind of uninspired, lacking distinctive features, angles and curves. Now you may claim it’s not the only one (A6 anybody?), but that doesn’t make it any better. The higher in the model range you go, the more obvious it becomes. The new E 63 quite simply doesn’t look the part.

*Thankfully there are still four pipes, because otherwise it would be really hard telling the difference to an E220….*

Interior quality: the new dashboard has a nice, floating look, with much more choice of materials and looks than the old one (not to mention the dozens of available interior light colours…). The problem is that most of these materials look kind of – cheap. The first person to say so in this family was actually not me but my 19-year old daughter. The quality-feel is also so-so, and not on par with the very solid interior in my 2013 car. Finally some plastic parts that I guess Mercedes doesn’t think you’ll pay attention to, for example the lower parts of the doors and the rear part of the centre armrest, are more reminiscent of the plastic in an old Hyundai than a Merc.

New E-class
Old E-class – solid on another level

Luggage space: if like us you have two children and a dog cage, there’s basically no other estate that does the trick – the sloping roof line of an A6 or a 5-series make it hopeless to load bulky items like a cage, and still have enough luggage space. Now that the E-class also has a sloping roof line, the cage still fits, but you lose some space vs the old model. It’s still bigger than a 5-series, but in absolute terms it’s a step backwards. And let’s be honest: for many of us, luggage space was a critical factor in opting for an E-class rather than a 5-series.

Back seat: incredible but yes, in the car we’ve all ridden as a taxi, they’ve actually managed to mess up the back seat. It took me three dealers to get confirmation of something that was very obvious as soon as you sat down, but the new E-class has a shorter rear seat bank, meaning you sit with your legs in a steeper angle and lack thigh support. On an 8-hour vacation drive through Europe, that will make quite a difference.

Infotainment: saving the best for last, it’s no secret that for some reason I fail to understand, Mercedes until recently have been far behind competitors in infotainment solutions. Earlier this year the supposedly market-leading MBUX system was launched and is now featured in various models from the A-class to the new GLE and GLS. The problem is, with the E-class having been launched in 2017, you still have the older system (as you do, by the way, if you spend EUR 200.000 on the new G63 which only preceded MBUX by a few months), and will do so until the first face lift sometime next year. This means the screens lack touch functionality. Instead, Mercedes offers you the option to operate them in three ways: over small pads on the steering wheel, on a pad on the centre console, or on a small wheel below that same pad. Having driven a couple of cars a few hours each, I can only say that this remains quite confusing and very counter-intuitive. I felt myself constantly reaching for the screen, then remembering, then going to the control on the steering wheel, then not finding the right menu, then going back to the centre console etc. I guess you figure it out with time, but it’s simply not good. On a brand level, it’s also quite incomprehensible that you get the latest system in an entry A-class but not in top of the line cars until three years later!

The E-class is still a great car – but it’s not as great a car as it used to be. Most people probably won’t care and just order a new one when the lease runs out, but given you’re nerdy enough to read this blog, chances are that like me, you do care. You don’t need to agree with me though, and if you don’t, feel free to say so!

The Piëch dynasty – is Toni Ferdinand’s true successor?

On August 29, 2019 By ChristofferIn NewsLeave a comment

As you may have heard Ferdinand Piëch, the legendary (and feared) boss of Audi and Volkswagen and the grandson of Porsche founder Ferdinand (Ferry), passed away this week at an age of 82 years. Piëch was reputed for many things, one of which was his dictatorial way of running first Audi and then VW. There is however no doubt that he was also a brilliant operator, winning numerous fights against both competitors and politicians (VW is still partly state-owned) through the years.

Less known is perhaps the fact that Piëch is the father of no less than 12 children from three different mothers. In the coming years one of these, Toni Piëch, will potentially revolutionize the car industry to an even greater extent than his father did.

Four years ago, Toni founded the car company Piëch together with his business partner Rea Stark Rajcic. Ever since, the partners have developed a battery-powered sports coupé called the Piëch Mark Zero, based on a new architectural concept said to be able to combine different bodyworks and different engine types. Piëch’s long term objective is to build three cars using the same platform, all through contracted, external constructors. As can be seen below, they’ve done a pretty good work with the first of those bodyworks, and the Mark Zero is a truly beautiful coupé, bearing some resemblance to the DB9 and even more the Alfa 8C, but still with its own look.

The Mark Zero has been seen at the Geneva Motor Show since 2016, and when I was there this spring, it was in a booth that was among the largest of the whole show – just one sign of the advantages (and financial power) the Piëch name brings with it. On my visit to the show I was invited to the booth and had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with Toni, standing next to the Mark Zero. The man I met had very few of the traits his father was reputed for. Soft-spoken and more looking the part of an engineer than a car boss, he was delighted to tell me about his new baby, its electrical engine with very much similar KwH numbers and range than other current electrical cars (i.e. 80 to 100 KwH, I’m afraid I can’t remember). And then, just in passing, he also mentioned a battery charging capability of around 80% in 5 minutes. Yep, that’s 5 – five – minutes.

At first I was convinced I didn’t hear right, but the same numbers were confirmed a second time, now with the additional information that they work with a revolutionizing battery technology developed in China. This was however as much as Toni was willing to give away.

Piëch recently opened a showroom in Zurich where the company’s headquarters are located, where the Mark Zero is exhibited (actually the same car as in Geneva with production still being a few steps away). The guy in the showroom didn’t tell me much Toni had not already told me in Geneva, but he did confirm that the car will be compatible with the charging stations rolled out for example by Ionity through Europe – that would mean that the revolutionising concept is indeed in the battery technology itself, not in the charging.

This obviously raises a number of questions; why would the developer of this disrupting technology limit himself to working with an unknown, small car brand, rather than make a splash with far larger brands? I actually asked Toni this, and his somewhat evasive answer was that they wanted to preserve their independence and creativity, which doesn’t sound very convincing to my ears. But then again, turning all this around, when Toni set up his car company and developed the Mark Zero, Ferdinand was still very much alive, and knowing what we know about him, it would seem highly improbable that he would let his family name be dragged through the mud with an initiative such as this one, if there wasn’t solid substance behind it. But turning that around again, why would he then not have made sure the VW group could use the technology? Lots of questions with few answers for the time being and if you have thoughts of your own, please feel free to share them below.

Future will certainly tell. Maybe the Mark Zero like so many other initiatives – albeit not carrying the Piëch name – will never reach the market. Then again, the real interesting part is obviously not the car itself but the battery technology it hides under its chassis. If everything said about it is true, this could be the first true disruptor that revolutionises the electric car universe!

Lewis fends of challenge to his crown – for now

On August 4, 2019 By ChristofferIn NewsLeave a comment

Today’s Hungarian GP presented the toughest challenge yet to Lewis Hamilton’s current status as the undisputed Nr 1 F1 driver. Max Verstappen beat him to the pole (as did Bottas, Lewis only starting 3rd) and also took the lead in the race, and further fended off several attacks from Lewis at various points. With 20 laps to go, Mercedes then took the big gamble of calling in Lewis for a change to soft tires, at a point when he was on Verstappen’s heals. The tire change gave Max the benefit of a 20 second lead, but a combination of Lewis’s fantastic driving skills, the faster soft tires and Verstappen’s deteriorating medium tires meant Lewis caught up with him and took the lead almost unchallenged with two laps to go. A brilliant combination of team tactics and top driving!

*A very well-deserved, 7th Hungarian GP win for Lewis Hamilton*

The weekend was another disappointment for Valtteri Bottas who won second place on the grid only to fall back following an unfortunate accident with Leclerc early in the race, and finished in 8th place. My bet is that he won’t be driving for Mercedes next year, meaning Verstappen could perhaps take his seat, if Mercedes dares having two of the sport’s biggest egos in the same team?

Speaking of changing seats, Daniel Ricciardo’s move to Renault this season with the aim of winning races again will probably go down as one of the worst moves in F1 history. Renault is nowhere near the podium and in Hungary, not even near to claiming any points. I wouldn’t be surprised if Renault pulls the sponsoring for next year, leaving us with one team less and Ricciardo (and Huldenberg) without a seat.

The E-tron – impressive or not?

On May 13, 2019May 13, 2019 By ChristofferIn News, OpinionLeave a comment

The E-tron is becoming an increasingly frequent sight on the streets of Zurich and elsewhere. I had the opportunity to study the car in detail at the recent Geneva Salon (check out my video here) and found it a bit difficult to get my mind around: sure, impressive in build quality and good-looking, but that has nothing to do with it being electric and everything to do with it being an Audi. But for the rest?

If you’re a bit cynical, but only a bit, you could say it’s taken Germany’s leading car manufacturers (Mercedes will join the electric SUV party in the coming months with the EQC, a car very similar to the E-tron) seven years since Tesla’s first Model S, and four years since the Model X, to bring out alternatives in the form of cars with less range, less room and, especially critical, far less charging points at present.

Starting with the range, Audi claim an optimal value (also called WLTP range) of 417 km, but are honest with the fact that it’s a distance you’ll only achieve with the AC turned off and ideally neither passengers, nor speed. A more realistic range – in optimal conditions, meaning neither too hot, nor too cold – is, according to multiple tests, somewhere around 300-350 km, and in winter, you can deduct around 30%, bringing you down to as little as 200-250 km per charge. This still supposes driving very legally. The Model X in its latest configuration has an unrealistic WLTP range of 505 km, probably meaning around 400 km in reality, and thus 300 km in winter. Not great, but around 1/3 better.

In spite of the inspiring picture, not ideal conditions for e-cars – not to mention the fact that the falcon doors prevent using a normal roof rack.

A short range means you will be charging quite often. Audi will tell you that the E-tron has the mechanical ability to charge up to 350 Kwh, which is more than twice as fast as a Tesla Supercharger (150 Kwh). That’s however in the future, as such chargers are not around yet. Audi is a member of Ionity, a collaboration of leading European car manufacturers currently building charging stations with charging power of up to 150 Kwh across Europe, power-wise on par with Tesla’s supercharger. But in all of Europe, there’s currently not more than 20 such stations. That leaves you with the other 90.000 or so charging stations which are part of the European electric car “roaming” network and that E-tron owners can use (against payment by an E-tron credit card), but the vast majority of those have a charging power of 22 Kwh at most, in many cases even less. Charging an E-tron to 80% at a rate of 22 Kwh means three hours charging time. Taking as example a 600 km holiday drive from Zurich to the French Riviera, there are seven Tesla supercharging stations along the way. With an E-tron, it would mean at least one three-hour stop, and thus more than 2 hours longer travel time – for a six-hour drive.

In terms of interior space, the advantage of Tesla’s swollen egg form is that it offers lots of room, and that its luggage compartments back and front are both roomier, as is the passenger space. An Audi Q7 is much roomier than an E-tron, which more resembles a Q5 space-wise.

So where does this leave us? If space, range and charging times are all irrelevant, then the E-tron is probably the better car – as it should be, given Audi is an established, leading manufacturer and not a Californian startup. But all else is not equal, meaning it’s taken Germany’s leading car brands more than five years to bring out a car that is only almost on par with Tesla, but with a charging network that is comparable to what Tesla offered more than five years ago. That is not very impressive, to say the least.

Keep your hands on the wheel!

On April 12, 2019April 12, 2019 By ChristofferIn NewsLeave a comment

The below video made the rounds on Twitter yesterday, so you may already have seen it. If not, it’s quite scary. Five attempts at the same piece of road, but the Tesla autopilot gets it wrong every time, illustrating not only a lack of reliability, but also a lack of self-learning…

Now before you tell me that Tesla recommends drivers only to use the autopilot on motorways, the problem is obviously that you CAN use it on other roads, and as long as you can, someone will – hopefully with better results than this.

There is however – unfortunately – more to the story. The below video was filmed by my co-blogger Magnus, this time on a motorway, a few months ago. The driver talks to Magnus about how long you can hold your hands off the wheel before the car reacts, and after that, what happens speaks for itself. So whatever Elon says, please keep your hands on the wheel!

Three new picks for the Dream Garage

On April 6, 2019 By ChristofferIn News, The Dream GarageLeave a comment

Two super cars and one super classic to the market this week! Do contact me in case of interest in any of the cars, all for which offers are more than welcome.

1958 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mark III

This beautiful Aston has a FIVA identity card and is registered and currently located in Zurich. Its current 5th owner purchased the car from the Aston workshop in the UK in 2015 where the engine had been reviewed and the car stripped and repainted. The car has only added another 2500 km since. It is left hand drive and was imported to Europe from the US in 1989. The requested price is CHF 390.000

2019 Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Coupe

This car is the first of the 900 produced! Outside Giallo Tenerife combined with Nero Cosmos interior and various other options. A European car, the requested price of which is EUR 550.000

2007 Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren

My personal pick if… would be this 2007 SLR with only 15.000 km on the clock. This European car is in mint condition with a requested price of EUR 600.000

F1‘s new star is here!

On March 31, 2019 By ChristofferIn F1, NewsLeave a comment

Charles Leclerc, the 21-year old Monegasque who moved this season from Sauber to Ferrari, is no doubt the new star of F1. Having secured pole position in yesterday’s qualifying, the second youngest driver ever to do so (Seb Vettel being the youngest), he missed the start but only needed a few laps to overtake Vettel and actually making him look quite old. He then drove a perfect race until ten laps from the end when a partial engine breakdown made him lose speed and ending third, much thanks to the safety car in the last two laps. It really doesn’t matter though – Leclerc’s first win will come sooner rather than later.

Elsewhere we’re starting to see first signs of what could be an interesting season. Red Bull (Verstappen finishing 4th today and out of the podium for the first time in seven races) is the only team posing a challenge to Mercedes and Ferrari. Sauber successor Alfa Romeo Racing has good speed with Kimi Räikkönen finishing in the points this time as well. On the other hand Racing Point, ex-Force India, seem to have major issues, as does Renault, continuing the trend of engine failures from last year, this time hitting both cars in the same lap! it’s not fully clear what was behind Ricciardo’s move to Renault, but it doesn’t look like a very lucky one, at least not yet.

How near the brink is Tesla?

On March 20, 2019March 20, 2019 By ChristofferIn News, Opinion1 Comment

Elon Musk was full of praise for Tesla at the launch event of the Model Y last week, starting off with a (not very new) perspective of where Tesla and electric cars stood 10-11 years ago when Tesla built their first car, as compared to today. At the time the world was obviously in the midst of the financial crisis, when some rather large car makers in the US went bankrupt and had to be rescued. Given Tesla’s Q4 -18 and 2018 full year numbers are known, I believe it’s justified to have a closer look at to what extent Tesla in 2019 is comparable to some of those companies in 2008. Unfortunately, this is not that far-fetched if you listen less to Elon and look more at hard numbers.

The Model Y, completing the slightly imperfect S-3(E)-X-Y range

Tesla had current assets of USD 8.3bn at the end of 2018, of which USD 3.8bn in cash. With liabilities at 10bn, the working capital ratio is a negative -1.7bn. The current ratio, i.e. assets over liabilities, comes out at 0.84, and the so called quick ratio, i.e. cash over liabilities, at 0.46. However in Q1 -19, Tesla made a 0.9bn bond payment, thereby bringing the two above ratios to 0.74 and 0.39 respectively. This is where it gets interesting to look at a company like General Motors during the financial crisis, when at the time of bankruptcy the two ratios stood at 0.6 and 0.3. As a further comparison, today the average for the car industry is at 1.36 and 1.2. An established company such as BMW comes in at 1.18 and 0.96, a “new” car brand such as Chinese Geely, at 1.09 and 0.94. There are thus many billions between the car industry at large and Tesla’s current numbers.

It’s also important to remember that a part of Tesla’s cash position is for cars not yet delivered (down payments etc.), and thus not cash in the proper sense. Finally, car sales are still the only meaningful income for the company, with energy sales making up only around 0.3bn per quarter.

Tesla is currently cutting costs by closing its re-sellers and moving to online sales, but savings achieved there will mainly go to reduce prices in the US, where state subsidies to electric cars are about to end. So when Elon announces the launch of the Model Y (and if you want to move directly to the actual showing of the model Y, you can skip a lot of bla-bla to around 27.30 minutes in to the video), completing the slightly imperfect S-E(3)-X-Y range, one can’t help but wonder where the development money will come from. Or will Tesla’s model range effectively end with the slightly less subtle S-E(3)-X?

Preview of the 2019 F1 season

On March 15, 2019 By ChristofferIn F1, NewsLeave a comment

The 2019 F1 season starts this Sunday, as usual down under in Melbourne. The saddest piece of news is clearly that it will do so without one of the leading names in the F1 circus over the last decades, F1 race director Charlie Whiting, who passed away yesterday at the age of 66. RIP!

The very popular Charlie had been part of the F1 circus since the 70’s

Looking at teams, during my visit to the auto salon in Geneva earlier this month, I had the opportunity to chat to the technical team of the Mercedes AMG F1 team, who agreed on the top teams Mercedes-Ferrari-Red Bull probably dominating this season as well, but also saying that it’s very difficult to make out trends among the mid-sized teams. As per one of the technical heads, it is usually pretty easy to get some quite reliable indicators in pre-season testing, but this has not been the case this year, leaving even the top teams relatively clueless as to the capabilities of the mid-sized teams, hopefully setting the stage for an interesting season.

Alfa Romeo has retained Marcus Ericsson as third/reserve driver

In the team line-up, Force India has changed its name to Racing Point, thereby cutting ties with the team’s previous Indian owner Vijay Mallya. Sauber has officially been rebranded Alfa Romeo Racing, putting an end to the name Sauber that has been part of F1 since 1993.

Among the drivers, the following transfers and changes are the most noteworthy:

Charles Leclerc has joined Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari. the Monegasque youngster (21 years) drove for Sauber last year and is seen as perhaps the most promising young talent in the field. Kimi Räikkönen has thereby in fact switched seats with Leclerc, joining Alfa Romeo Racing alongside the Italian rookie Antonio Giovanazzi. This is obviously a (quite expected) move in the wrong direction for Kimi, who struggled to keep up with Vettel during most of last season.
Daniel Ricciardo has left Red Bull Racing and joined Nico Hulkenberg at Renault. It was no secret that Red Bull increasingly looked to Max Verstappen as the team’s first driver, but Ricciardo certainly had higher hopes than to join the struggling Renault team. Frenchman Pierre Gasly will join Verstappen at Red Bull, leaving no doubt as to who is the team’s first driver.
The Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll has taken his money from Williams to Racing Point, thereby ensuring a seat for his son Lance (and making Williams’ life even more difficult). The may be a bit harsh since Lance did actually achieve some interesting results last year, but he can’t get away from being the most obvious pay driver in the field.
Having first fought for his life, then to keep his right hand, and then to race again, Robert Kubica puts an end to a 7-year struggle by making a remarkable return to the scene this season, driving for Williams. At 34 years Kubica is a veteran who will no doubt struggle, together with the 19-year old English rookie George Russell, to get Williams into the points, as the team on paper is among the weakest in this year’s line-up

Few would have thought Kubica would ever return!

Finally there is a new Netflix documentary on the F1 circus based on the 2018 season that I recommend. It’s called Drive to Survive and you can check it out here. Tune in for a hopefully exciting race on Sunday morning!

A very special Bentley Continental for the dream garage!

On March 13, 2019March 13, 2019 By ChristofferIn News, The Dream GarageLeave a comment

We’re happy to offer a very special Bentley Continental R Le Mans Coupé from 2001 for this latest dream garage post.

This version was only manufactured in a series of 50 cars and this is the last one delivered to Europe. It has 148.000 kms on the clock since new, with two previous owners and a full Bentley service history. It has lived in Switzerland and the Netherlands and is currently on Swiss papers.

Asking price for the car is EUR 110.000 but as always, offers are welcome. For those interested in more history on the R Le Mans Coupé, please see further below and contact me in case of interest.

Bentley returned to Le Mans in 2001 after having been absent from the
famous race since the 30s. To celebrate the new campaign, the classic
brand introduced limited edition ‘Le Mans’ versions of the existing
Continental R and T models.

The Continental R was styled with assistance from Automotive Design, with computer aids and extensive wind tunnel testing to create its ultra streamlined shape. The result still looked every bit a Bentley, albeit one restated for the 90s. The gearbox was a new, 4-speed automatic with an overdrive function, but the main interest was of course in the engine and performance. For the exclusive ‘Le Mans’ variants, the 420bhp engine of the Continental T was adopted together with a plethora of special features. The latter included flared wheel arches; green badges to the radiator, wheels and boot; 18″ five-spoke alloy wheels; sports bumper package; four-pipe exhaust outlets; and ‘Le Mans’ wing badges.

Interior upgrades consisted of drilled control pedals; pushbutton starter; sports seats with ‘Bentley’ headrest logos; stacked central instrumentation cluster with chrome bezels and green dials; dark walnut veneer with embossed Bentley badges; ‘Le Mans Series’ logo to the centre console; and a racing-style gear knob finished in chrome and leather.

The Geneva Autosalon 2019!

On March 7, 2019March 7, 2019 By ChristofferIn News1 Comment

We hope you enjoy this short summary of what’s going on this and next week in Geneva!

Update on the infotainment confusion

On March 5, 2019March 2, 2019 By ChristofferIn NewsLeave a comment

You may have read my post early February on a certain confusion in the roll-out of new infotainment systems in Ingolstadt (Audi) and Stuttgart (MB) that you can otherwise find here.

Having recently spoken to Mercedes, they were able to shed at least a bit of light as to the roll-out of the Mercedes’ MBUX system;

The new A- and B-class, as well as the updated GLC and as previously mentioned the new GLE all have the new MBUX, enabling voice- and touch-control.
Neither the C- and E-class, nor the brand new G-class have it at this point (although the screens look the same).
For the E-class, the official timeline is that it will not get it until the spring of 2020 in connection with a first facelift.

Designer Freedom?

On March 3, 2019February 27, 2019 By magnusnilssenIn NewsLeave a comment

As regulation continues to dictate how cars look mainly for “safety” reasons, this leaves less room for designers to design their dream car. Also, as automotive designers move around, either within the holding companies or change firms, one can clearly see the design language represented in various cars, as they change company. One such example is Marc Lichte, who currently heads up the design at Audi. His long straight lines can clearly be seen in VW, where he was responsible for the exterior, into the current Audi line up.

One can also see his mark in the new Audi A6, where his hard, long lines are evident making the car more masculine, longer and defined.

Clearly one can see the inspiration of Audi motorsport, which the haunched wheel arches – a throwback to the Audi Ur Quattro, which dominated the rally scene in the 1980’s.

On the interior, his passion for Porsche can also be seen. The double lines of the Porsches of old, can clearly be seen in the interior as well. Even the steering wheel is similar.

But are cues from the past the way forward? Should car companies follow history and previous design cues of the past, or like Jaguar, throw away history and focus on the future?

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.

Introducing The Dream Garage

On February 28, 2019February 27, 2019 By ChristofferIn NewsLeave a comment

We are happy to introduce our new heading The Dream Garage, under which with the help of some specialists in our network, we will regularly be posting a selection of very special cars for sale. Very special in this sense means highly exclusive, highly sporty, highly interesting from their background, or in the best cases, a combination of these.

Cars typically have in common the owner’s wish for anonymity, and you will therefore usually not find them advertised anywhere else on the web. For the same reason, pictures will in some cases be general ones rather than of the specific car, if so wished by the owner. All cars posted under The Dream Garage heading are however for sale, with most of them based in the EU or Switzerland, and further information can be obtained by contacting me.

Whether you Dream Garage remains a dream or transforms into reality, we hope you enjoy the reading. Look out for the first cars that will be posted later this week!

The German Autobahn – mythical, or a myth?

On February 24, 2019February 24, 2019 By ChristofferIn Fun stuff, NewsLeave a comment

A driver’s dream – but an increasingly rare sight.

You thought the Nazis came up with the idea for the German Autobahn system, and that it’s still today a paradise of free speed? Sorry, but the first of those claims is a myth, and the second is partly true at best.

Construction of the first German motorways was actually initiated in the 20’s under the Weimar Republic, but it progressed slowly, meaning that the first stretch between Cologne and Bonn was not inaugurated until 1932. When the Nazis came to power the year after, they swiftly re-classified this first stretch to a Landstrasse (country road), such as to be able to argue that they built the first Autobahn.

As for the free speed, this is little news to those who regularly travel to Europe, but I recently found some interesting official stats. According to these around 30% of German motorways have a permanent speed limit, especially around large cities and in the Ruhr area. Adding temporary limits and above all roadworks, of which there are a lot at any time of year, this number rises to around 50%. If you then add all the regular congestion, traffic jams and sheer number of cars in this heavily motorized country of 80 million, you find yourself at a much higher percentage.

The unlimited German Autobahns are thus not a myth, but if you really want to enjoy them, you’d better do so late at night or early in the morning on an empty stretch somewhere deep in Bavaria. And preferably do so in the coming two years, since it has been decided to introduce a German motorway fee for foreign cars from 2021!

Petrol- or Mobility- Head

On February 18, 2019February 18, 2019 By magnusnilssenIn News, Opinion1 Comment

The other day I saw the new BMW 850M on the street, which I thought was interesting at best. The lines, creases and folds make it a good looking and aggressive car but, sadly, I must admit it did not get me that excited. Adrian van Hooydonk, head of design at BWM said “The 8 opens a new chapter in BMW’s design language.” But what about the heritage? I remember back when the (old) 8 series came out in the early 1990s…. From a design point of view, it was an evolution of the 635CSI and the pillar-less windows still make it extremely cool looking, even by today’s standards. It seems the new car is just an aggressive wrapping of metal around current (and future) legislation? Change the badge and it can be anything…. Kia? Toyota? Cherry Automotive?

Enough about design, what about the engineering aspect? Ah yes, a hand-me-down 4.4L twin turbo V8 that is used in most of the sporty BMW models…. The original 850 had a naturally aspirated V12 …. Did you read that correctly? A VEE TWELVE! An engine bespoke to the flagship model. The 4.4L TT V8 is powerful and I am sure the new BMW will be quick. And I am also sure that it will be filled with tech such as autonomous driving aids, connectivity, and interior lighting that can reflect your current mood.…. But I do not care about that. That sounds more like an IT geek’s wet dream than that of a petrol head.

I am not having a go specifically at BMW, as most major car makers today think efficiency, economies of scale and profits, but it struck me for the first time: is a modern petrol head a mobility head? Do they care more about the mobility and tech than the engineering? Is it only horsepower and 0-100 times and aggressive lines that make a car cool? As amazing as the new BMW 8 series is, I cannot help feeling that this will be the dream of the IT department rather than someone who is really into cars, engineering and driving. Am I wrong? Old? Outdated?

I would much rather have an 850 CSI with a V12 up front, manual transmission and rear wheel drive!

Introducing our new contributing writer Magnus!

On February 6, 2019February 4, 2019 By ChristofferIn News1 Comment

Please meet Magnus Nilssen, our new contributing writer, a real petrol head and a fellow Zurich resident. Going forward, Magnus will be contributing articles on various driving-related topics. Knowing he had until recently owned a 911 (996) 4S that he chose to sell for family reasons was a serious initial reason for suspicion, but when he sent me the below pic I concluded there’s still hope. Sven and I warmly welcome him on the blog! In his own words:

I spent my youth following my father around Europe living in Sweden, Czechoslovakia, Norway, the Soviet Union, Germany and the UK before settling in Switzerland in 2012.

My father was passionate about racing. Holidays (and birthdays) were spent watching races, visiting racing teams or looking at race tracks. He even built his own race car with some friends in the 1990s. This had not gone unaffected on a young boy and I carry on his interest!

When your regular SUV isn’t enough

On January 6, 2019January 6, 2019 By ChristofferIn Fun stuff, News1 Comment

The production of the Land Rover Defender ceased in 2016 after more than 2 million units produced since 1948. Late last year, the Mercedes G-Wagon was replaced by a completely new car, that however to 98% looks exactly like its predecessor. What these two cars have in common, next to not being produced anymore, is that in spite of their looks and capabilities, 9 out of 10 of them never saw a tougher terrain than the shopping mile in cities like Zurich, Milan or Munich.

There are however those who made heavier use of their G-Wagon, or simply felt a need to float even higher above the common mortals. It was for those that Mercedes developed the G500 4×4, that became the crowning of the G-Wagon career. Powered by the same AMG V8 biturbo as the G63, it was arguably more stable at high speed than the original G, the road behaviour of which was somewhat similar to a cruise ship, with a comparable turning circle. The credibility of the 4×4 is however somewhat compromised by the many carbon parts, basically all the black parts in the pictures, that no sensible person would like to damage or even scratch. So perhaps the best place for the 4×4 is the same as for the regular G or the Defender: on a shopping mile in a European city.

We didn’t post this under The Thrill of Owning heading, but this is a car that could be yours for around EUR 200.000, and that should arguably hold its value quite well, as all G-Wagons do, especially with the new model now out…

The Thrill of Driving

Category: News