imotor – a FREE new on-line motoring magazine!

Posted: July 20, 2008 by The Car Spy in General
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Check out this novel approach to giving us car-hungry saddos our regular fix of breaking news. iMotor is a new on-line magazine that is free to subscribe to and then pops up in your mailbox every time a new issue is launched (every fortnight). We’re not normally big fans of on-line publications because they can be a little tedious to read if you have to keep scrolling around trying to focus on the copy. However, iMotor is a breeze to use and its simple, intuitive layout makes for easy browsing through the content. Image quality is very good too and there are plenty of videos that help bring the digital mag alive. There’s even a wacky ‘Car Tube’ page which adds a touch of humour. Don’t expect in-depth 1000 word reviews because that would be missing the point of iMotor. This is a quick heads-up and overview of ‘what’s new’ in the car world. This is ‘issue’ number one and we can see there is lots of potential to expand this three-dimensional approach to news publications. The editiorial team seem a friendly bunch and their style is very personable. Looks like they have filled the gap between tv’s Top Gear and the paper magazines. Good luck guys! Click on the image to go straight to the subscription page. You will get immediate access to the magazine.

TVR – no more teasing please!

Posted: July 12, 2008 by The Car Spy in General, TVR
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We love TVR’s. We have sold many of them over the years and they still tug at the heartstrings. The noise, the looks – they are an event and a happening. So when it all went a bit pear-shaped recently we, like all other TVR lovers, had consigned ourselves to the possibility that yet another idiosyncratic car manufacturer from this island was to be confined to the history books. But then the rumours started. Had the company been sold to a couple of entrepreneurs with grand ideas? What was the ‘TVR’ logo doing on the side of a cow-shed in Lancashire? Was it the new UK HQ for the company? Now if we were talking about a company like McLaren the notion of the assembly line being re-born in a chicken barn would have been laughable. Oddly, in TVR’s case it is a credible notion. Even more odd is that it turns out to be true. But it gets even better. According to the TVR Car Club (TVRCC) they are planning a return to production and a preview of the Sagaris II was shown by the ‘new’ management team at this remote rural location. Details are a little sketchy right now but official announcements are apparently due to be made next month. Now the TVRCC are a trustworthy source of knowledge for all things TVR so we’re looking forward to a return of this much-missed marque in the very near future. The Sagaris prototype on show was ‘ready for production’ and certainly the images suggest that the company has lost none of its attitude to bold styling. Love those wheels! Check out the TVRCC article in full by clicking here. Watch this space!

2006 Porsche Cayenne 3.2 Tiptronic S

Posted: July 12, 2008 by The Car Spy in General, Porsche
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There was a time when the name ‘Porsche’ meant one thing – the 911. Not any more. Times have certainly changed and the power of brand marketing has forced many traditional car manufacturers to explore genres and market segments that previously might have been considered out-of-bounds. Porsche is a powerful brand. If they made toilet paper it would be a top-seller in spite of its high price. To find Porsche, however, making its name in the crowded 4×4 market has taken a little time for us to feel comfortable with. It’s a bit like Land Rover suddenly making a car to take on Ferrari. Nobody can deny the popularity of the Cayenne though and the usual Porsche traits of high quality, reliability and dependability shine through in every model. Drive a Cayenne and you know you are sitting in a Porsche. They feel solid and ready to take on the world. So congratulations to the team at Stuttgart and in a world where numbers mean everything the sales figures for the Cayenne prove it was no costly mistake. Good, low-mileage examples are becoming available at excellent value for money these days. We have just placed one on our books for the owner with a very nice spec and only 16k miles on the clock. Finished in Titanium (one of the best colours) this 3.2 V6 Cayenne comes with Tiptronic gearbox, PCM (a must on these cars), PSM, Multifunction Steering Wheel and stunning Charcoal Leather interior. Take a close look at this lovely example by clicking here.

2006 Mini Cooper MK 2

Posted: July 4, 2008 by The Car Spy in General, MINI
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Did you know that the so-called MINI ‘Mk 2’ that BMW launched in 2006 is a completely different car in almost every respect from the first version launched in 2001? In order to meet more stringent safety standards and new EU regulations the MINI had to be re-vamped from the ground up. If you’re a MINI anorak you probably know the differences all off by heart but to the vast majority of car purchasers the car looks virtually unchanged. Not so! Firstly, it’s bigger. They’ve added about 2 inches to the length. Every panel has been changed. The ‘C’ pillars are no longer made of glass. The front indicators are contained inside the headlamp unit. The rear lights are slightly larger. The bonnet is higher. The front grille has been re-designed (looks much better now). The 1.6 litre lump has been replaced with another 1.6 litre lump but the new version ekes out another 8 mile per gallon. There’s lot of aluminium used in the bits you can’t see to make it lighter. The boot is bigger. It’s faster and NCAP have given it a five star rating. Phew! And there’s even more to tell about the differences but we’d rather tell you now about a nice black MK 2 that the owner has asked us to market on their behalf. With a full leather interior, digital climate control, chili pack and a panoramic roof the spec is mightily comprehensive. Only 16,000 miles, MINI warranty and the very useful TLC free servicing pack this ‘new-shape’ MINI is looking for a nice friendly new owner. Click here for more details. 

1999 Ferrari 355 GTS F1

Posted: July 2, 2008 by The Car Spy in Ferrari, General
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We’ve decided a Ferrari doesn’t have to be red. We have just added a gorgeous 355 to our portfolio and it is a complete stunner. In our humble opinion the 355 in any other colour than red almost looks like a different car. Maybe a metallic hue shows off the subtle detailing of the curvy shape rather more than a solid colour. This particular 355 is finished in Tour de France Blue. Take a look at the images by clicking here. The car looks classy and very slightly understated. It still makes a great noise though! The tan interior contrasts perfectly with the blue exterior and the overall condition of this 355 is highly original and unmolested. As with any Ferrari the service history is vitally important and this one comes with a comprehensive mix of main agent and specialist provenance. The last service was done by Verdi very recently and the car has also had a new clutch fitted. The cambelts were checked for wear by Verdi and they were given the thumbs-up too. If you have ever thought about buying a 355 don’t leave it too long. These are getting more sought-after than early 360’s and the way they are holding their values suggest that there won’t be any bargain-prices in the future. Click here for more details of this lovely blue example. Here’s an interesting independent review of the F355 featured on Pistonheads.

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