captain

Spent a weekend at Yas Viceroy, Abu Dhabi. Great room with hairpin and Yas Marina views. This was parked outside so I thought i'd nip down and snap it. Couple of 3-4 second exposures layered in Photoshop (one flash/one without) to get the car and hotel looking OK. The blue lights pulse across the roof so a short exposure just wouldn't work.

Yep it certainly did. Very quick but then you've got the progressive thrills of pressing "sport" then "sports plus" then the"loud" button for extra exhaust noise. In Sports plus 0-60 is around 4.5 seconds.

Based on what my colleagues have done, it's either buy a new one on finance or the same 2nd hand. The rates are low for borrowing so why not. Cash goes on beer at £7 a pint and rent at £17k a year.......

Seriously considering it. Would be a weekend car as hire a Focus for work. With petrol at £15 a tank running costs are a bit lower than uk though car tax in the form of tolls is about £700 a year!!

I live in Dubai so not applicable.

It has a/c. Drove it today and it is Gulf spec so nice and chilly. It's 39 degrees today so needed it. Looking on autotrader, in UK this car would surely be pushing 40k with that spec, mileage, FSH and warranty. The car is absolutely pristine and even after running my fingers under the front spoiler, couldn't fine a scrape anywhere. One stone chip on the passenger side wing mirror but that's it.

This looks silly cheap. £33500 http://dubai.dubizzle.com/motors/used-cars/porsche/cayman/2013/9/2/2012-cayman-r-under-porsche-warranty--2/?back=ZHViYWkuZHViaXp6bGUuY29tL21vdG9ycy91c2VkLWNhcnMvP3NpdGU9MiZzPU1UJnJjPTE0MCZjMT0tLSZwcmljZV9fZ3RlPTE1MDAwMCZwcmljZV9fbHRlPSZ5ZWFyX19ndGU9JnllYXJfX2x0ZT0yMDE0JmtpbG9tZXRlcnNfX2d0ZT0ma2lsb21ldGVyc19fbHRlPSZrZXl3b3Jkcz1DYXltYW4maXNfYmFzaWNfc2VhcmNoX3dpZGdldD0wJmlzX3NlYXJjaD0xJnBsYWNlc19faWRfX2luPVN0YXJ0K3R5cGluZytoZXJlJnBsYWNlc19faWRfX2luPSZhZGRlZF9fZ3RlPSZzZWxsZXJfdHlwZT0mY29tcGFueV9pdGVtX2lkPSZhdXRvX2FnZW50PQ%3D%3D&pos=1 PDK, sports chrono, sports exhaust, sports seats, nav and more. Anybody got experience who can advise if price is good. Oh yeah, finance is 2.49% so £6700 down and drive it away.

Best heavyweight punch up since Tyson Holyfield Black v Boulton. I'm calling a draw. Loved the uppercut from Black "what's your name" countered by the right hook from Boulton "it's a job to read your book"

Zero moisture! Ha ha. Humidity here is off the scale. Summer is like a sauna. I have only just been able to drive with the windows open in the last week - and that's after 7 in the evening. Currently I think average temperatures in the day are about 35 + with 65% humidity. In summer add 10 degrees to temperature and 20% to humidity.

Not as much as the people who wash the cars! Most people get their cars "washed" pretty much every few days but basically this involves a little Indian fellow running a hose over the car for a few seconds and then wiping it down with a dirty rag. Swirls come free. I've got a rental but if i bought, they wouldn't be allowed near it.

Told you. If anybody fancies rescuing it (it's an XK8) you can find it at: Underground Car Park "R" Cluster Jumeirah Lake Towers Dubai

Warrington Wolves: Paul Wood has testicle removed Warrington Wolves prop Paul Wood has had a testicle removed after rupturing it in Saturday's Grand Final defeat by Leeds Rhinos. Wood suffered the injury at the start of the second half but played on before going to hospital after the match. He tweeted: "Ruptured my right testicle, got a knee 1 minute into the second half, had to have it removed." The 30-year-old added: "Just coming out the hospital to go home... Seriously feel like I've left something?"

Naples Paris

Police update. Enhanced CCTV has provided the following clue for the identity of the thief.......

Nope - quite a lot more. http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/nissan/370 ... 370z-nismo Full text: Jealousy is a terrible thing, but having just driven Nissan’s NISMO 370Z we’re feeling pangs of it here. The NISMO is an American-only model for now, it turning the already brilliant 370Z into an altogether more entertaining machine. In typical NISMO style the numbers associated with the 370Z NISMO aren’t huge - the 3.7-litre V6 engine gets a rather small 18bhp increase in power while torque rises by a single figure. Which makes the more overt looks seem a bit over the top at first, the NISMO’s bigger rear wing, longer lower nose with a neater air intake, and deeper side skirts suggesting more than the modest increases the NISMO tweaking brings. With its far more muscular looks the NISMO looks like a proper Porsche fighter, its lower stance coming thanks to revised suspension settings and the huge lightweight 19-inch RAYS alloy wheels. The engine might now rev a bit higher and harder, but the NISMO’s driving experience is dominated by the changes to the springs and dampers. It’s firm, overly so on harsher surfaces, but it still retains its non-NISMO sibling’s ability to flow with surprising composure down tricky roads. Everything underneath is stiffer - the rear dampers by 140% - which means you’ll have to be prepared to put up with some compromises on the comfort front. They’re worth it though for the additional sharpness on offer from the NISMO, the steering in particular delivering excellent turn-in and nice feel, the grip from the front wheels hugely impressive. As ever the rear wheels can be involved in steering the Z, the NISMO as playful at the rear as the regular car. It’s all very controllable too, the Z not exhibiting no nasty vices in its handling. Inside you’re held in tighter thanks to NISMO branded sports seats and there’s a NISMO rev-counter dominating the instrument binnacle. Its needle sweeps with greater vigour and although Nissan USA doesn’t reveal any official performance figures for the NISMO it feels quicker than the standard 370Z’s 5.3 second 0-62mph time. It sounds quicker too, its twin exhausts allowing the engine to breathe easier and reveal more of its aural character. That makes shifting the mechanical-feeling manual six-speeder even more fun, whether you’re letting the clever SynchroRev Match system blip the throttle or doing it yourself. That it’s only offered with the manual transmission underlines its focus as a car for enthusiasts, of the sort we’ve plenty of here in the UK. Which begs the question why Nissan UK isn’t offering the NISMO to 370Z customers here? Rival: Porsche Cayman S The Cayman S might be a more delicate, flowing driver but it’s not quite as focussed in its intent as the NISMO 370Z. Hardcore drivers might find the Cayman a bit dull after the wilder NISMO, but the Porsche would make a more comfortable daily driver - assuming you can afford the premium it would cost over the brawny Nissan.

Anybody know is this price is good? 160,000 AED is about 27K sterling Thanks http://dubai.dubizzle.com/classified/au ... R5cGU9Mzgw

Rota Torque Drift in 18s

I don't disagree that the bays are tight, but with a bit of courtesy you can get in and out of them fine. coupes and other 3 door cars find it harder as the door is longer and this makes getting out harder. Perhaps that's where i've been going wrong. i've had 3 door cars pretty exclusively since about 1982 (first one a 1975 Escort Mark 1 in yellow) and didn't realise the doors were longer. You learn something new every day.

Whatevs.... I agree with those who say they would "double-park" but not if it was busy. Perhaps i should have put that in my post. But I still maintain that bays are too narrow in the UK and that where I live now (and the States and other countries I've been to) they have "proper" parking spaces. i.e. a car can be parked and four people can get out and open their doors wide without even thinking about the car in the bay next to you. When I get a chance I'll post some piccies of the parking arrangements here. Some of you are going to need a stiff drink and a lie down though so be warned. A few days ago a big S Class was parked across 3 bays in a mall with his boot sticking out about 4 feet on a blind corner. I did think that one was particularly daring and wished i'd had a "Best in Class" rosette to stick on his windscreen.

Disagree on double parking 100%. I always parked my Z as in photo above at supermarkets, DIY stores etc. (i.e. anywhere not paying where there was a high chance of being damaged) part in protest and part to stop it being damaged. Why would you use only one space? Don't understand that at all. The parking spaces in the UK are ludicrous. They are simply not big enough for cars. Haven't you noticed? Quite a big design fault that is accepted for some unfathomable reason. Why would you squeeze your car in to a space designed for a go kart when there is a good chance of it either being damaged or you have to get back in to the driver's seat by performing acrobatics whilst your passenger stands in the cold, windy, pissing rain whilst you reverse out because they couldn't get back in at all. I posted the photo in tribute of excellent Z parking, not for any other reason.

Classic parking. Love the jaunty angle as well. Spotted by my UK mole - aka my girlfriend - and sent to me in Dubai to admire.

Cool. There's a track near by so we can get "re-acquainted". My Hyundai Accent is having some flames put down the side so all ready to roll........... http://www.yasmarinacircuit.com/en/content.aspx?gid=20

Your wish is my command. Overlooking Montgomerie golf course with private pool. 1.2 million to you Chris. When can you view it??

I noticed that too.