Blogs Posts

With its combination of electric and petrol V8 traction, the 887hp 918 hypercar was the most powerful Porsche yet. It also had the longest introduction of any Porsche, because the company was determined to get this complex car right first time. A measure of this concern is visible in the photograph.

First introduced on the Porsche 911 997 Carrera S in 2005, Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) was created to give the best of both worlds at the press of a button, to the driver’s choosing: maximum comfort, or maximum dynamics. Technology explained PASM To understand the technology, we must step back and look at how suspension works. At its core, a suspension’s job is to keep the tyres on the road.

Buyers who can nail down their dream 911 and spec have an easy ride when purchasing. They search, wait and hopefully find. However, not everyone can pinpoint their next 911 so readily. With this in mind, we asked our trade experts what sort of budget gives you the greatest choice of 911 models, as a used purchase? After only the briefest of pauses, Jonathan Ostroff, sales manager at Hexagon Classics, is straight on a figure to work with: “£65,000” he says.

Anything but basic, the entry-level 981 Cayman delivers a huge number of smiles to the mile without breaking the bank, making it one of the Porsche scene's best buys... Words Robert Smith Photography Thomas Fawdry BUYING 981 CAYMAN 2.7Fast fun in budget-beating coupe.

This fully restored rust-free US-import 356 is completely perfect. But, as Richard Gunn asks, is it too good to use? A lot of money for something not that far removed from a Beetle? This, though, is real early Porsche purity. And it’s in beautiful order, cosmetically and mechanically – all it seems to need is the rear badge fixing more securely and the vibrating brakes attending to.

Sensational on its introduction in 1955 and still extraordinary today, the Citroën DS in any of its forms is a comfortable and fantastically stylish classic. The futuristic looks and the sound if unconventional engineering give it a unique appeal that hasn’t dampened almost 70 years on. The station wagon variant – known variously as Safari (UK and Australia), Break (France) and Wagon (USA) – was added to the range in 1958.

It can be a cheap way into a Cosworth. But tread carefully – parts can be scarce. Words RICHARD DREDGE Photography JOHN COLLEY Buying Guide Snap up the last unhyped Eighties Ford – the Granada MkIII Seven steps to buying Ford Granada MkIII / Scorpio Mk1Eighties Fords have never seemed more expensive. Not an auction seems to go by without another record being broken by the likes of the Capri 2.8i and Sierra Cosworth. Once-commonplace and cheap cars now seem out of the grasp of many.

Building on the reputation of the Audi 100 in the 1970s and the 200 the decade thereafter, the brand’s 500-badged models were introduced into SA throughout the 1990s. This Ingolstadt-based brand stubbornly avoided the temptation to follow its compatriot brands, BMW and Mercedes-Benz down the route of six-cylinder engines powering the rear wheels.

We know it’s exclusive to the 911 Turbo, but what is the overboost function – and does it work? Extra performance is something we all may crave occasionally for our 911. Since 2004, Neunelfer Turbos have had this exact capability in the overboost feature. But what is it? To understand overboost, we need to consider the engine, because overboost is only possible on a turbocharged motor. The turbocharger supplies additional clean air, under pressure, into the engine to generate more power.

Looking at the lineage of GT3 production, one model stands out: the 991.1 variant. Of all the iterations, the 991.1 is the only one that wasn’t available with a manual gearbox. Does that make a difference to how the market views it, compared to its peers? Philip Raby of Philip Raby Specialist Cars suggests that it doesn’t. “Most people are happy with the idea of PDK now, and accept it. There’s a good market for PDK GT3s, but if you really wanted a manual, you’d probably just buy a Gen2 version.

V12 thirst aside, the last of the traditional XJs can be a surprisingly practical classic but don’t expect an easy ride. WORDS PAUL WAGER LIVING WITH THE SERIES 3 JAGUAR XJAn up-together Series 3 XJ can be a delightful prospect, but a down-at-heel example can quickly drain you of funds and enthusiasm. Here’s how to stay on the right side.

Find out what to look for when buying a DB2 or the later DB2/4 and how much repairs and maintenance should cost. BUYING GUIDE DB2 & DB2/4 WORDS ROB HAWKINS Everything you need to know to buy one of these classic Aston Martins When the dated 2.0-Litre Sports was due for replacement towards the end of the Forties, the DB2 was the ideal candidate and arguably kept Aston Martin in the limelight during the Fifties, paving the way for a new design of sports car.

The 964 has seen huge growth in popularity in recent years, and yet the 964 Cabriolet remains one of the most affordable entry points to ownership of an air-cooled Porsche... Words Dan Furr Photography Dan Sherwood BUYING GUIDEBag yourself a tidy Porsche 911 Cabriolet 964. Launched in November 1988, the 964 marked a sea-change in the 911’s development.

I’m sure we’ve all got stories about the one that got away. The car we sold, the car we were offered or could have bought for what now seems like a knock-down bargain price. Of course, if I’d known that BMW E52 Z8s were going to go mad in recent years I’d have bought the one I was offered at around £40k by a main dealer not long after it was launched.

Peugeot 106 - Missed out on a 205GTi? This is just as good, so buy now before the market wakes up. Words JAMES WALSHE Photography MATT HOWELL Six steps to buying a Peugeot’s 106 No car’s passing has been quite so lamented as that of the Peugeot 205GTi. Its supposedly unrepeatable combination of sharp handling, and light weight with such a feisty engine has yet to be repeated in its 206/7/8 predecessors. But perhaps this misses the point?