Sunday 30 June 2013

Porsche 911 GT3


 

One more model for our collection of Porsche 911, the 2007 GT3. 3.6 flat-six engine with 415bhp, 0-62 in just 4.3 seconds and a top speed of 193mph (311km/h), the GT3 is a super-sport version of the 911, which comes just before the GT2 in the 911 range. The GT3 is easily recognisable as it is the only 911 to have a central twin exhaust! 

Saturday 29 June 2013

Mercedes 190SL


 

A true classic today, the 1960 Mercedes Benz 190SL. A real beauty of a car, the 190SL has a 1.9 straight four engine with 105bhp. The top speed of the car is 106mph or 171km/h.
This SL was snapped in the Tatton Classic Show a few weeks ago. It looks fantastic in red!

Friday 28 June 2013

Aston Martin DB9 Volante


 

An Aston Martin DB9 Volante in the Manchester rain, parked opposite the Hilton off Deansgate!
Wish it was mine!

Thursday 27 June 2013

Mclaren MP4-12C


 

Spotted on the way down to France parked at a services around Birmingham, a McLaren MP4-12C. You had the Insider pics a few months ago, now here it is, parked in "real life"!!!
The MP4 is a great sports car developed fully by McLaren (Unlike the SLR for which McLaren teamed up with Mercedes). It has a 3.8 twin-turbo V8 with 592bhp. 0-62 takes the MP4 only 3.2 seconds and the top speed is 207mph or 333km/h.

Wednesday 26 June 2013

Sebring TMX


 
A bit of an unusual make today, a Sebring TMX. I thought it was an old Austin Healey when I took the picture but was surprised to see that the car was actually produced in 2009. Sebring is a car company which was set up in Cambridgeshire in 1994 and which produce a range of "classically styled sports cars." So I guess the Austin Healey might have be the inspiration for this TMX. Under the bonnet, there is a 3.9 V8 Rover.

http://www.sebringinternational.co.uk/index.html

Tuesday 25 June 2013

BMW Z4M


 
 
3.6 straight-six engine with 343bhp, 0-62 in 5 seconds and top speed limited to 155mph (250km/h), let me introduce the BMW Z4M to you! A sporty looking little roadster with which I bet you can have a lot of fun!

Monday 24 June 2013

Volkswagen Golf R32


 
 
 

As mentioned a few weeks ago, while writing a post about the most recent Golf R32, I have the previous R32 model today. Beefed up looking Golf, this VW has a 3.2 V6 engine with 241bhp. 0-62 takes 6.6 seconds and the top speed is 153mph (246km/h)
Really nice hot hatch!

Sunday 23 June 2013

Lotus Evora


 

After the Lotus Exige a few days ago, this is the latest production from Lotus, the Evora. This model has the standard 3.5 V6 engine with 276bhp and not the 345bhp turbocharged V6, but it has the cosmetic upgrade with the Sports Racer pack (black roof, mirrors, splitters and wheels). 0-62 takes 5.0 seconds and the top speed is 163mph (262km/h). Nice performance for a very pleasing looking car!

Saturday 22 June 2013

Jaguar XKR Paramount Performance


 

Today a special edition of the popular Jaguar XKR, the Paramount Performance edition seen in Tatton Park. The 4.0 V8 engine is upgraded from 370bhp to 450bhp. The standard XK also had a new body kit, exhaust system, set of wheels... Performance-wise I will have to investigate further to tell you what difference all these changes make to the XKR.
It is a stunning looking car though and one you don't see many of!

Friday 21 June 2013

Audi RS4



 
Today a very tempting Audi RS4. The RS4 is a sporty looking saloon fitted with a 4.2 V8 engine with 420bhp. 0-62 takes only 4.8 seconds and as usual top speed is limited to 155mph or 250km/h. You can only just notice the bucket seats on the first picture and this blue is in my opinion the colour which suits the RS4 best!
Audi tends to have a normal range of car (A4), a sporty version of the same range (S4) and an ultimate/ultra sporty version (RS4)

Thursday 20 June 2013

Audi Quattro


 

This car was put on the road on the exact same day my brother was born, the 3rd February 1986! For those of you who wouldn't have recognised it, it is an Audi Quattro, the first one to have permanent four-wheel drive and the first car to combine four-wheel drive and turbocharger! This original Quattro has a 2.1l 5-cylinder engine with 200bhp. 0-62 takes the car 7.1 seconds with a top speed of 137mph or 220km/h.
The Quattro was brought back from its ashes a few years ago with the British series Ashes-to-Ashes and the famous catch phrase from DCI Gene Hunt: "Fire up the Quattro!"

Wednesday 19 June 2013

Jaguar E-Type


 

Today, a true classic, one of the most popular British icons, the Jaguar E-Type. Spotted outside Tatton Park, this is a 1967 4.2l 2+2 E-Type in British Racing Green. Under the bonnet, this particular model has a 4.2l 6-cylinder engine which produces 265bhp and allows the car to reach 62mph in 7.5 seconds as well as a top speed of 153mph or 246km/h.
After all these year, the E-Type is still a very appealing car and I think it will remains this way for many more years!

Tuesday 18 June 2013

Lotus Exige


 

Still on the car park of the Tatton car show a few weeks ago, one of the first Lotus Exige to be produced, in yellow (not my favourite!)
The car has a 1.8l Rover K series 4-cylinder turbocharged engine which produces 177bhp (0-62 in 4.9 seconds and top speed of 136mph (236km/h))
These cars must drive like go-karts, a lot of fun I suppose!

Monday 17 June 2013

Aston Martin DB7


Back after 3 days off. Tonight, just a quick post with a picture of a DB7 on Deansgate Manchester.
Back to normality tomorrow!

Thursday 13 June 2013

The coming four days...

Good evening all. I am off to France tomorrow for four days, so probably no new posts until Tuesday... I hope you'll all survive and I will try to find nice pics on Tuesday!
Bon weekend!
 
E.

Insider 10 - Ferrari F430


Today we are inside a Ferrari F430. Sorry about the poor quality but with the sunlight coming right from outside the windscreen, you can't get great results (yep, you are right, it doesn't excuse the poor framing!!!)

Wednesday 12 June 2013

Range Rover Overfinch 2013


 


Spotted at the top of a Manchester multi-storey car park, a brand new Range Rover prepared by Overfinch. This one is the 4.4l V8 Autobiography with 339bhp (0-62 in 6.5 seconds and 135mph or 217km/h top speed) Once again, the Range Rover had a full cosmetic make over by the 'tuning' company Overfinch.
I still do think that unless you are a premiership football player (or a WAG obviously) you shouldn't be driving one!!!

Tuesday 11 June 2013

Bentley Continental GT Mat Black

 
And another example of a mat black paint, here on a 2004 Bentley Continental GT (W12, 6.0l and 550bhp) spotted in a Manchester car park on Saturday morning. Enjoy!

Monday 10 June 2013

De Tomaso Pantera GTS


 


 
Today, we have the second De Tomaso of the blog, this a more familiar one (even if we don't really see any of them), the Pantera GT5. Under the bonnet, you find a Ford 5.7l V8 engine with 330bhp. 0-62 takes under 6 seconds and the top speed is 159mph (256km/h)
This isn't the sportier looking Pantera, but I still love the shape of it, and look at the size of these rear tires, I reckon we are looking at least 285/50R15 !!!

Sunday 9 June 2013

Alpina Roadster V8 (BMW Z8)

 
Quite a rare car to see around, the Alpina prepared Z8 from 2003. Last Z8 to be produced, only 555 rolled out of the German production line, and just 8 were sold on the British market, most of the others being shipped off to the USA. So yes, it is a rare sighting!!!
The Alpina version of the BMW Z8 had a 4.8l V8 engine with 381 bhp. 0-62 takes 5.3 seconds and the top speed was electronically limited not to 155mph (250km/h) as usual but 161mph (260km/h)
After the Aston Martin DBS and the DB5, this is the 3rd Bond car to make it on DreamCarSpotter! (I know, the Bond one wasn't the Alpina version but the regular BMW Z8!)

Saturday 8 June 2013

Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster



 

Seen off Deansgate in Manchester, a Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster. After the white roadster posted a few weeks ago, and Patrice Evra's mat black coupe, the SLS in back on Dream Car Spotter in silver this time! Like with the Majestic White posted on the 29th March, the Roadster has a 6.3l AMG V8 with 571bhp. 0-62mph only takes 3.8 seconds and the top speed (electronically limited) is 197mph!!! (317km/h)
 

Friday 7 June 2013

Ferrari 355 F1 Berlinetta


 
In the original Ferrari colour, yellow, we have a 355 F1 Berlinetta. The 355 has a 3.5l V8 engine with 380bhp. Performance-wise 0-62 takes 4.7 seconds and the top speed is 183mph (295km/h)
It is still a nice looking car even if it is nearly 20 years old, I would however still prefer it in blue!

Thursday 6 June 2013

Aston Martin DB5


 
 
 
 

From the Tatton show again, a real gem... This is a stunning example of a true classic and a highly desirable car, the Aston Martin DB5. Made even more popular by a famous British spy, the DB5 has a 4.0l 6 cylinder engine which produces 282bhp giving the car a top speed of 143mph (230km/h) and a time of about 8 seconds to reach 62mph.
The owner of this particular car bought it 45 years ago -to replace his Jaguar E-type- as the car was 4 years old and used it for the following 4 years before leaving it unused for 25 year. He told me that only when he retired did he renew his interest for his Aston. Apart from the paint (the car used to be gold originally) most parts are original, carpets and leather included. It was a great pleasure to talk to the owner about his DB5 and to be able to look inside and under the bonnet (that original leather does still smell fantastic!!!)
Only about 1,000 DB5 were ever hand-crafted in the Newport Pagnell factory and they would undoubtedly be at the top of a Dream Car list (well worth the £450,000!!!)

Oh, and by the way, yes it is a silver Aston Martin DB6 behind the DB5 on the first picture. Don't worry, it will also have its own post soon!

Wednesday 5 June 2013

Lamborghini Espada

 

 
Next in line from the Classic car show, this Lamborghini Espada from 1975. The Espada was produced between 1968 and 1978. The car was first introduced with a 4.0l V12 developing 325bhp and was upgraded to 350bhp in 1970. So this particular one should have the 350bhp V12 engine. The Espada is a 4-seater grand tourer and was the most popular Lamborghini at the time. As far as its performance is concerned, the Espada was capable of 152mph (245km/h) reaching 62 from 0 in 5.9 seconds.
 

Tuesday 4 June 2013

AC Cobra


 

Today we have an AC cobra, spotted on the car park of the Tatton classic car show. This one is not a replica but a genuine 1994 AC Cobra MkIV with its Ford 5.0 engine. It has 250bhp, takes 5.2 seconds to do 0 to 62 and can reach a top speed of 134mph (215km/h). The Cobra is a true classic icon, and when you look at it and its history, you understand why!