Ekona

True though. Even in the SLS (a car I love) the whole package was massively disappointing. I need a go in the new GT to see what that's like, as it's supposed to be far more dynamic.

Sold

I4 = GB I6/B6 = German V6 = Italian V8 = US V10 = I can't call this one: The V10 in the CGT, the V10 in the LFA and the V10 in the Viper are all special! Let's call it a draw. V12 = Italian

I dunno, I can almost see his point on that one: A Euro V8 just doesn't have the same magic as a Yank one. The only exception is when you go into the Italian V8s that rev to high heaven, as they really are something special but completely different. But yeah, for me a V8 is a V8. I guess it'd be like saying the V6 in the Zed isn't a proper one as a V6 should be Italian...

Mercs are cruisers, not race cars. The autos suit them much better, but I wish they had proper paddles that gave feedback rather than buttons that just click lightly. Porsche and Ferrari have shown that paddles can still be involving, but Merc have a long way to go yet before they catch up. So Hugh, are you buying then mate?

Just a few points to mention: 1. If you have an utter chav mobile, a horrendously loud exhaust, or drive like a hooligan, then the police are very likely to take any opportunity to pick you up on anything. Since everyone HAS to have a numberplate, I see little point in trying to make them look cool in anyway, as they're never going to. Far better to just have something that is 100% compliant in every way with zero personalisation (including dodgy spacing and fonts), at least that way you have far less chance of getting hassle. 2. On the flip side, if your car is fairly sedate and you don't hoon, then you're much more likely to get away with not having the BS number at the bottom, with perhaps some other text. Much like speeding, if you're in a silver Mondeo you're less likely to get pulled than if you're in a red Ferrari. 3. Running without a plate is a lesser punishment than if you intentionally run a dodgy one. Obviously you can only use the "Oh, I didn't realise it'd fallen off officer!" once, but hey, worth a punt the once. I may have run the VXR220 for over a year without a front plate...

Surely the wheels were balanced when the tyres were fitted? Get an alignment while you're there, zero point putting new tyres on and then having them ruined because the car is dragging them one way.

Gen1 and gen2 Cayman fronts aren't compatible. You'll need the lights and looms from a gen2.

Why are you going there then? Surely picking up a phone is quicker? Anyways, decent geo is about £100, then a couple of hours labour for the arms so I reckon that £200 wouldn't be miles off.

You did, yes. Apologies, I just expected you to rush blindly into something again

GET A QUOTE FIRST Why would someone not do that? FFS you're just asking for trouble!

Then (and god forgive me for suggesting a FWD car) you might want to think about a Focus ST, or a Seat Leon, or a Golf GTi. Anything with a slightly tuned turbo engine is going to give you that punch you're after, nothing NA will: Comparing my trackpig turbo MR2 to a 458, the punch is greater in the Toyota. Obviously it's not as quick as the 458, but the sensation is greater due to the turbo. Have you tried insurance on an Impreza? Shouldn't be much more than a Zed, really. Or even a VXT would be a good shout, if you can live with driving around in something not finished.

You really should, it was part of the attraction of the car just to say I'd owned one

Buy the one you can afford. You sound like you already know the differences, so work out what's more important to you. Ignore the smaller torque figure on the revup though, you simply cannot feel it. You can feel the extra 500rpm though...

If you're after a genuine, real-world 0-60 of sub 5.5s then no chance. The only way to get close to that is to destroy the drivetrain on a launch. I've only ever tried 0-60 on one car, my old VXR220, which was tuned to 260bhp and 280ft/lbs and weighed 850kg. Not slow by any figure of the imagination, and the book time was just 4.2s. Even being as brutal as I dared with minimum wheel slip, I never saw below 5s. Unless you're in a car with launch control, it's just a bad idea to assume that 0-60 is a good way of measuring performance. That said, and this comes from someone who once had a 350Z and now owns a 645Ci, I'm telling you that a 350 is already quicker to 60mph than the BMW. Get past 80mph and the 645 is quicker, but for launches the Nissan is definitely faster. In-gear acceleration is better with the V8 than the V6, but the 350 can actually take corners so swings and roundabouts. What I think you actually want is just to improve launches and in-gear acceleration. For that, the biggest difference is going to be a set of decent tyres (like 888s) and a lightweight flywheel. After that, you want to reduce unsprung mass too so lightweight wheels and brakes (as in two-piece discs) will help improve forward momentum. Then, as has been said above, just reducing the weight in general will help. Once you've done all that, you should then start thinking about power increases. All IMHO, YMMV etc.

They did, yes.

*tyres Don't get either. You really want the Michelin Pilot Super Sports, or you want something like the Falken FK453 if you really must save the money (although the MPSS will last 2x as long as the Falkens). Seriously, just go for one of those two.

Temporary CCTV aimed at the entry points could work then, at least it would let you know how they're getting in and where to concentrate spending the money. Ultimately though if people do just drive off without checking to see if the gate is shut, then there's nothing you can do about that. Just a shame you have to suffer as the result of someone else's stupidity.

They're right, though. Tbh even if you had CCTV, unless it's 1080p and gives perfectly clear close ups of the their uncovered faces, you're never going to get any prosecution from that. All they need to do is wear a hoody and the CCTV becomes useless. With all respect to Will's company, of course! Ultimately the best thing to do is to stop them getting in there in the first place. How is the main entry way accessed? Are there any other doors? Can you secure your garages (or whatever you keep your bits in) better?

Hell yeah, why would you not?

I'd take anything, I really would. I wouldn't care how simple, or how complex, or how plain, or how evil: I'd be happy just to be involved.

+1 I'd love to do it, I really would.

Bloody hell, that's an incredibly misleading article.

Do it. Last of the great engines.

Have you read it?