Archive for the ‘General’ Category

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We’ve come across some well cared-for cars in our time but we’ve just taken photos of a 911 Carrera 2S that wins the cigar for presentation. This 911 has been owned from new by one car-loving businessman who has driven a very careful 12,000 miles since he purchased the car new from the Porsche Centre in Hatfield in 2005. This 911 is barely run-in! 997’s are looking incredibly good value for money these days and an early one with low mileage like this is very difficult to find. The 997 has some nice design updates over the previous 996 and hints at the earlier 993 in more than one or two areas such as the headlamps which have a more upright look to them. These are cracking cars to drive and are by far and away the least compromising of all ‘supercars’ to own. This is one of the reasons you don’t see many of them with such low mileage as this example – many 911’s are indeed purchased for everyday use such is the ease of ownership of these cars. Reluctantly the current owner is putting his mint Atlas Grey pride-and-joy up for sale and full details of the car can be found by clicking here.

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It’s impossible to dislike the M3. In fact, we would go as far to say that it is probably the best car ever made. Well, if you don’t need a carry-all for the kids or a 4×4 to climb mountains (or Chelsea pavements) then this ‘wunderauto’ is an act that is hard to beat. From its intial inception as the E30 the M3 has raised the bar consistently when it comes to road-going high-performance cars that Joe Public can use without the need for special tuition on a track. The E30 is a rare old bird now and collectors will pay silly money for a nice original example (if they can find one!). The E36 came along next in 1992 with a nice sharp suit and performance figures that truly embarassed the likes of Ferrari and Porsche. The straight six-cylinder on steroids eventually pumped out 320 BHP and saw the introduction of the revolutionary SMG gearbox.  This car really did put the cat in the birdcage. It could even be said the ‘horsepower wars’ started when this car came along. Suddenly the M3 was the benchmark that had to be beaten and 300-plus BHP was soon to be de-rigeur for any sports car to be taken seriously. It wasn’t all about the horses though. The M3 was a great driver’s car – in other words, it handled superbly. At the turn of the new millennium the E46 M3 was born. More space, more comfort, more power and even easier to drive with the optional second-generation SMG gearbox.  The E46 is a real looker, too. Even though the E90 has now replaced this version we have a feeling that the E46 will have its own fan club of admirers for many years to come. It looks muscular yet restrained and there isn’t a bad angle on the car to be caught on camera. What great value these E46’s are these days too! We have just put a gorgeous Carbon Black example of an SMG convertible on our books for a customer and this one comes with all of the toys too – for less than £20k!! Click here for a full details or click here for a Pistonheads review of the E46 M3.

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Remember the Maestro? Not a car that conjours up many positive memories and to be frank we’ve even forgotten what it looked like. Unlikely that you’ll find find an owners club for them either. However, it is notable that such a forgettable milestone in the timeline of the British motor industry can take credit for having a hand in two of the most successful 4×4’s ever made – The Discovery and the Freelander. That’s right – at a time when Rover were cash-strapped (as usual) the only way to develop a new model was to search the parts bin, pull out the blender and hope that the resulting mish-mash could pass-off as a ‘new model’. At least in the case of the Disco and the Freelander it was a resounding success based on a Maestro-flavoured sauce. Just like those inventive chaps who made a glider out of matchsticks to escape Colditz, the boys behind that particular recipe should have got medals from the Queen. By 2002 the Freelander had become the biggest-selling 4×4 in Europe and paved the way for the myriad of compact SUV’s that followed from every manufacturer worth their salt. It is also interesting how the car hasn’t suffered looks-wise over the years and even an early 1996 model still looks quite fresh on the streets today. If you are looking for a Freelander and want a facelift model then we have been asked by the owner to sell his 2005 diesel ES Automatic in Cairns Blue. These diesels offer great fuel economy and this one comes with a Full Land Rover service history carried out by Harwoods in Croydon. Click here for more details.

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Do 911’s get much better than this? We have just been asked by the owner to find a buyer for his totally stunning – yes totally stunning 997 Carrera 4S. Finished in Guards Red – how rare is that! – with gorgeous magnolia hide with red stitching. The detailing on this car is impressive when your eye follows the red stitching over the seats, dashboard and door panels. Nicely placed bits of aluminium pepper the cockpit and there isn’t a mark to be seen for a car that has done only 17,500 miles. The list of extras is none too shabby either with its PSM, PCM and BOSE. The Porsche-crested 19″ Carrera alloys look fabulous and with the factory-fitted Aero bodykit the car is a real show-stopper. We are told that the original purchase price of this car was over £95k – ouch! So what a bargain it looks today. Take a closer look by clicking here or give us a call on 0845 643 2047. Is there a better-looking 911? We doubt it.

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Funny how TV shows have a hand in reviving certain cars from the past and the last series of ‘Life on Mars’ has gone a long way in reminding us how good a car the original Audi quattro was and still is. There was a time back in the late eighties when the only car anybody seemed to be talking about was the ‘quattro’ (always with a small ‘q’ according to Audi) with its permanent four-wheel-drive system and rally-winning pedigree. The car’s shape didn’t really change at all during the eleven years of production apart from minor cosmetic adjustments but the engine did. There were basically three versions. The WR, MB and RR released in that order. Of course the most interesting of the three was the last variant the RR which saw a switch from 10 to 20 valves in 1989 boosting the power output to 220 bhp. Performance figures are highly respectable for a car born two decades ago and a quattro would still embarrass many of today’s high flyers. Click here for a Pistonheads review of the car. For anybody looking to buy a motoring icon we have just been asked to help the owner dispose of his very rare 1990 20 valve pearlescent white example which he has owned for the last 11 years. Click here for more details.