Blogs Posts

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?

When compared to earlier and later 911s making use of forced induction, the 996 Turbo represents one of the Porsche's scenes best buys... TECH: BUYING GUIDE PORSCHE 996 TURBO SMore than twenty-five years have passed since the 996 debuted, yet talk of the model’s radical departure from previous 911 architecture fails to quell.

Bought new by a Ministry of Defence official, this Fintail has spent the decades since in single family ownership criss-crossing Europe. Words RICHARD MASON Photography IAN SKELTON Trans-Europe Express – the well-travelled story of a ‘Fintail’ Mercedes July 1967 – Desmond Thain collects in Stuttgart ‘My dad, Desmond Thain, always had nice cars, Zephyrs and Jaguars,’ says Desmond’s son Philip. ‘But he’d never had a Mercedes before.

This perfect introduction to classic car ownership is still affordable – just – so act fast Words RICHARD DREDGE Photography JON COLLEY Seven steps to buying a Triumph SpitfireBargains at one end, investments at the other – so buy a Spitfire now! Buying Guide With early Triumph Spitfires making big money, now’s the time to buy What to pay You can still find a scruffy 1500 for as little as £3400, but it’ll probably need bodywork attention.

The 997 Targa. Chances are you forgot about that one, and indeed the 996 before it. Porsche took a bit of a diversion with the Targa version of the 993, 996 and 997, with these models not coming with the immediate Targa signifier of a rollover bar and expansive wraparound rear glass. The 991 would return to that format, with some added opening and closing automated theatrics, all of which leaves those interim Targa models somewhat overlooked.

Porsche has used twin turbochargers on its 911 since the 1990s, but how do these devices manage to generate such significant power gains? Turbo charging has been utilised by Porsche since 1973, where it was put to devastating effect in the 1974 Carrera RSR 2.1. Quick to make use of the technology in production cars, the 3.0-litre engined Turbo (930) was launched in 1974.

It’s one of the first questions we ask when interested in any vehicle, but more so a 911: “How many owners has it had?” We asked our experts, what significance does that number carry when looking at a used 911? “In older cars, the number of owners is largely irrelevant,” says Jonathan Ostroff of Hexagon Classics. He points out that condition is the key factor, not how many people have registered the vehicle in their name.

The road and rally legend created a storm when it was launched in 1992 and 31 years on, its status has only grown — as have the values. Here’s what you need to know if you’re in the market for one. Words Christian Tilbury Photos Magic Car Pics BUYING GUIDE: Escort Cosworth - What to check when buying Ford’s performance icon.

Due to such luminaries as the XK120, E-Type and XJ6 as well as the five Le Mans victories, it’s understandable why many consider the 1950s and 1960s to be Jaguar’s golden era. Yet in my view the company’s best decade is a completely different time for several reasons: the 1980s.