Creating demand — or frenzied desperation — by telling people they can’t have something is not the modem sales technique that it is often portrayed as. Sure, watch, yacht and ‘luxury goods’ companies have perfected the technique of Obscene Pricing Demand Creation post-millennium, but anyone who has ever raised kids will tell you that the basic psychology behind it is as old as the hills. Guess what: it works in reverse, too. Even in the business world, it goes back to the invention of conspicuous wealth and with it the emergence of enterprising souls who would generously provide succour for those who had so much money that they didn’t know what to do with it.
Enzo Ferrari was the master of that. Just as Mike Salmon’s famously snobby dismissiveness of potential customers converted many a wavering visitor to Maranello Concessionaires, Enzo sometimes made it very difficult to buy his cars. The ploy didn’t work on everyone, of course — to which we owe the existence of Lamborghini — but personally vetting potential owners to his incredibly expensive range-topping 400 Superamerica was a stroke of genius. No wonder it made the cars as coveted then as they are cherished now. And rightly so: maybe the true measure of a model’s greatness is how seldom examples come to market.
You can’t accuse Ford of adopting the same technique with its more celebrated supermarket approach to shifting units. Even so, coming from an era when more ‘experimental’ models such as the Probe and Cougar were brutally shunned by buyers, the Puma in original 1.7-litre form (the Racing doesn’t have the same effortless innocence) rapidly won petrolhead hearts and minds. Hard to believe that this sublime three-door coupe has reached the quarter-century, but it was wonderful to reunite designer Ian Callum with his baby.
Then, as a timely reminder to Puma fans that greatness will shine through regardless of origins, badge, even sales psychology, someone paid just shy of £600,000 for a Ford. Admittedly, it was a one-of-500 RS500 (there were 5545 Sierra Cosworths overall) and as good an example as you are likely to find, but even so...
Obviously that price was insane, especially against an estimate of £120,000-180,000 at the Silverstone Auctions Race Retro sale, but remember it takes two people (or more) to bid a car up at auction and that means there is at least one other person out there who was prepared to spend one bid less than £590,500 on such a car.
You can count on seeing a lot more RS500s coming to market very soon.
However, I can tell you what we currently know about Porsche's plans for electric cars and their approach to interior design.
Porsche has been making moves towards electric cars, with the introduction of the Taycan in 2019, which is an all-electric sports car. In addition, they have also announced plans for an all-electric Macan SUV in the future.
As for the interior, Porsche has always been known for its high-quality and luxurious interiors, and this is likely to continue with their electric cars. The Taycan, for example, has a minimalist and modern interior with a large curved display that combines the instrument cluster and infotainment system.
Porsche has also emphasized the importance of sustainability and eco-friendliness in their production processes, and this is likely to be reflected in the materials and design choices for the interior of their future electric cars.
Overall, while we can't know for sure what Porsche's all-new electric car and interior will look like in 2030, we can expect it to reflect their commitment to luxury, performance, and sustainability.
That being said, based on current trends and advancements in automotive technology, it's possible that the 2026 Porsche 911 GT2 RS Hybrid Race 992.2 could feature a hybrid powertrain, combining a high-output gasoline engine with an electric motor for added performance and efficiency.
In terms of power output, it's likely that the car could produce 700 horsepower or more, given that the current Porsche 911 GT2 RS already produces 700 horsepower with a traditional gasoline engine.
Other technological advancements that could be featured in the 992.2 version of the car could include improved aerodynamics, lightweight materials, and advanced driver assistance systems.
Overall, the 2026 Porsche 911 GT2 RS Hybrid Race could represent a significant leap forward in performance and technology for Porsche's flagship sports car, but until official information is released, it's impossible to say for certain what features the car will have.
The Jaguar XJ-S/XJ-S is a luxury grand tourer produced by Jaguar Cars from 1975 to 1996. Here is a brief history of the XJS:
Development: The XJS was developed as a replacement for the Jaguar E-Type/XKE, which ended production in 1975. The XJS was based on the XJ sedan platform and was designed by Malcolm Sayer, who also designed the E-Type.
Introduction: The XJS was introduced in 1975 as a 1976 model. It was initially only available as a coupe, with a V12 engine and automatic transmission. The car was well received, although some critics felt that it did not live up to the styling of the E-Type.
Evolution: Over the years, the XJS underwent a number of changes and improvements. In 1983, a convertible version was introduced, which proved to be very popular. In 1988, the car received a facelift, with new bumpers, revised tail lights, and other changes. The interior was also updated with a new dashboard and other improvements.
Engines: The XJS was available with a variety of engines over the years, including the original V12, a six-cylinder engine, and a V8 engine. The V12 engine was eventually dropped in 1992, and the car was only available with a six-cylinder or V8 engine after that.
Legacy: The XJS was a popular car, although it did not achieve the iconic status of the E-Type/XKE. The car's long production run is a testament to its durability and popularity. The XJS is now considered a classic car, and is appreciated for its unique styling and luxurious features.
Successor: The XJS was succeeded by the Jaguar XK8 X100 in 1996, which was also a grand tourer but had a more modern design.
The Rover P6 was a series of mid-sized luxury saloon cars produced by British car manufacturer Rover between 1963 and 1977. The P6 was marketed as the Rover 2000 and Rover 3500, with the latter being the more powerful version.
The Rover P6 was known for its innovative design, which included a unitary body construction, a De Dion rear suspension system, and disc brakes all round. The P6 was also one of the first cars to feature a safety glass windscreen.
The Rover 2000 had a 2.0-liter engine that produced 90 horsepower, while the Rover 3500 had a 3.5-liter V8 engine that produced 155 horsepower. The car also featured a four-speed manual transmission or a three-speed automatic transmission.
In terms of performance, the Rover P6 was a capable and comfortable car. The Rover 3500 Automatic could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 10.5 seconds and had a top speed of 118 mph, making it one of the fastest cars of its time.
Overall, the Rover P6 was a well-regarded car that offered a comfortable and luxurious driving experience. Its innovative design and advanced features made it popular among car enthusiasts, and it remains a classic car today.
It’s hard to believe sometimes that something which started off so unremarkably and was almost cancelled has turned into such an automotive titan. We’ll certainly be celebrating this milestone in the Corvette’s history, so watch out for some very special features coming up soon! We kick things off this month with a trip to the Bowling Green facility with none other than Mike Buchanan of the Classic Corvette Club UK.
As a volunteer for the peugeot sport club uk and the owner of a 205 GTI [pictured] for some 22 years, it was fantastic to see fellow 205 owner Adam Towler’s 106 Rallye ‘Icon’ story and Stephen Dobie’s 208 GTi by Peugeot Sport join the Fast Fleet. However, it also saddened me thinking about the death of the Peugeot GTI and Rallye badges and the affordable small hot hatch as a whole. As a ’90s kid I grew up in the time of the 106 Rallye, 106 GTi, Nova GSi, Fiesta XR2, 5 Turbo and, of course, the 205 GTI. Then as an adult I saw the string of fantastic hot Renault Clios, the Fiesta ST… heck, even the Corsa VXR was supposed to be a good steer. Today, of those only the Fiesta survives, joined by the Hyundai i20 N, but at £25,000, and the Toyota GR Yaris, which is £30,000! Then there are several larger hot hatches that are even more expensive. Hardly the affordable hot hatch replacements to my ’90s pocket rockets.
RIP GTI
I think that the loss of the affordable small hot hatch will in turn be the death of the young car enthusiast. They simply won’t have performance cars that they can afford so they will spend their money on the latest iPhones and making sure their avatar in the metaverse has the latest accessories instead. RIP Peugeot hot hatches, RIP the affordable, small hot hatch and RIP the young car enthusiast. Yours cynically.
Firstly, I want to welcome in the new editor. It’s a shame to see Paul Walton leave, but it seems he’ll still be writing for the magazine and fresh faces are always a good thing. I was moved to write by Sam Skelton’s piece about the 2.9-litre XJ40. This is a car that so many people over the years have told me was utter rubbish and that there was no point in owning such a slow and thirsty car. But I bought my first one in 2005 – I was still a university student, which shows how cheap they once were. And I didn’t keep it for long, because it failed the MoT on rust in 2007. I’ve had other Jaguars since, and nowadays I have an X350 2.7 diesel. But I’d like to find another good 2.9 if I can find one to relive the days that got me into Jaguars. Ideally it’d be Signal Red like mine was, a manual, and have a cloth interior. My car had a digital dashboard, so I’d like that if I could. Does anyone know of a car like this for sale anywhere? Thank you to Jaguar World for rekindling an old spark with your article.
You didn’t mention the Porsche 996 cylinder bore scoring (Porsche 996 at 25 years), another known issue for the 996 and first generation 997. It’s serious, costly and painful. Early 996s (3.4s) had gearbox issues and 996s tend to eat radiators too.
I own a 993 C2 manual coupé and so I was surprised that Sam Dawson quotes the 996 as ‘better built than their predecessors’. I think he’s seeing that from only one perspective, the body perhaps? Granted that key areas of an Eighties 911 — kidney bowls, sills, B-pillars – would rust from the inside out but I reckon the aircooled engines were more robust.
If I were looking at the Porsche 996 era, it would be a 986 Boxster because it’s lighter and more fun to drive in the 3.2 form, though they do suffer the same type of issues as the 996.
Apologies if our editorial led you to believe Porsche will create a Turbo S Targa, because this is not the case. Porsche has only used the Targa body style on its Turbo for the late 930 generation, and since the 997.2 era, has offered either Coupe or Cabriolet body styles for its Turbo S offering. It is highly unlikely Porsche will again turn to the Targa body style for its Turbo engine, and DrivesToday knows of no plans to introduce this for the upcoming 992.2 generation.
We couldn’t agree more, David. On a side note, if you want your car featured in our Readers Rides page then please get in touch by sending a few high resolution images and a 100-200 word description of your car to us
Hi Viv
Please upload photos of this car in comments section
Creating demand — or frenzied desperation — by telling people they can’t have something is not the modem sales technique that it is often portrayed as. Sure, watch, yacht and ‘luxury goods’ companies have perfected the technique of Obscene Pricing Demand Creation post-millennium, but anyone who has ever raised kids will tell you that the basic psychology behind it is as old as the hills. Guess what: it works in reverse, too. Even in the business world, it goes back to the invention of conspicuous wealth and with it the emergence of enterprising souls who would generously provide succour for those who had so much money that they didn’t know what to do with it.
Enzo Ferrari was the master of that. Just as Mike Salmon’s famously snobby dismissiveness of potential customers converted many a wavering visitor to Maranello Concessionaires, Enzo sometimes made it very difficult to buy his cars. The ploy didn’t work on everyone, of course — to which we owe the existence of Lamborghini — but personally vetting potential owners to his incredibly expensive range-topping 400 Superamerica was a stroke of genius. No wonder it made the cars as coveted then as they are cherished now. And rightly so: maybe the true measure of a model’s greatness is how seldom examples come to market.
You can’t accuse Ford of adopting the same technique with its more celebrated supermarket approach to shifting units. Even so, coming from an era when more ‘experimental’ models such as the Probe and Cougar were brutally shunned by buyers, the Puma in original 1.7-litre form (the Racing doesn’t have the same effortless innocence) rapidly won petrolhead hearts and minds. Hard to believe that this sublime three-door coupe has reached the quarter-century, but it was wonderful to reunite designer Ian Callum with his baby.
Then, as a timely reminder to Puma fans that greatness will shine through regardless of origins, badge, even sales psychology, someone paid just shy of £600,000 for a Ford. Admittedly, it was a one-of-500 RS500 (there were 5545 Sierra Cosworths overall) and as good an example as you are likely to find, but even so...
Obviously that price was insane, especially against an estimate of £120,000-180,000 at the Silverstone Auctions Race Retro sale, but remember it takes two people (or more) to bid a car up at auction and that means there is at least one other person out there who was prepared to spend one bid less than £590,500 on such a car.
You can count on seeing a lot more RS500s coming to market very soon.
Mk4 — front grille
However, I can tell you what we currently know about Porsche's plans for electric cars and their approach to interior design.
Porsche has been making moves towards electric cars, with the introduction of the Taycan in 2019, which is an all-electric sports car. In addition, they have also announced plans for an all-electric Macan SUV in the future.
As for the interior, Porsche has always been known for its high-quality and luxurious interiors, and this is likely to continue with their electric cars. The Taycan, for example, has a minimalist and modern interior with a large curved display that combines the instrument cluster and infotainment system.
Porsche has also emphasized the importance of sustainability and eco-friendliness in their production processes, and this is likely to be reflected in the materials and design choices for the interior of their future electric cars.
Overall, while we can't know for sure what Porsche's all-new electric car and interior will look like in 2030, we can expect it to reflect their commitment to luxury, performance, and sustainability.
That being said, based on current trends and advancements in automotive technology, it's possible that the 2026 Porsche 911 GT2 RS Hybrid Race 992.2 could feature a hybrid powertrain, combining a high-output gasoline engine with an electric motor for added performance and efficiency.
In terms of power output, it's likely that the car could produce 700 horsepower or more, given that the current Porsche 911 GT2 RS already produces 700 horsepower with a traditional gasoline engine.
Other technological advancements that could be featured in the 992.2 version of the car could include improved aerodynamics, lightweight materials, and advanced driver assistance systems.
Overall, the 2026 Porsche 911 GT2 RS Hybrid Race could represent a significant leap forward in performance and technology for Porsche's flagship sports car, but until official information is released, it's impossible to say for certain what features the car will have.
The Jaguar XJ-S/XJ-S is a luxury grand tourer produced by Jaguar Cars from 1975 to 1996. Here is a brief history of the XJS:
The Rover P6 was a series of mid-sized luxury saloon cars produced by British car manufacturer Rover between 1963 and 1977. The P6 was marketed as the Rover 2000 and Rover 3500, with the latter being the more powerful version.
The Rover P6 was known for its innovative design, which included a unitary body construction, a De Dion rear suspension system, and disc brakes all round. The P6 was also one of the first cars to feature a safety glass windscreen.
The Rover 2000 had a 2.0-liter engine that produced 90 horsepower, while the Rover 3500 had a 3.5-liter V8 engine that produced 155 horsepower. The car also featured a four-speed manual transmission or a three-speed automatic transmission.
In terms of performance, the Rover P6 was a capable and comfortable car. The Rover 3500 Automatic could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 10.5 seconds and had a top speed of 118 mph, making it one of the fastest cars of its time.
Overall, the Rover P6 was a well-regarded car that offered a comfortable and luxurious driving experience. Its innovative design and advanced features made it popular among car enthusiasts, and it remains a classic car today.
It’s hard to believe sometimes that something which started off so unremarkably and was almost cancelled has turned into such an automotive titan. We’ll certainly be celebrating this milestone in the Corvette’s history, so watch out for some very special features coming up soon! We kick things off this month with a trip to the Bowling Green facility with none other than Mike Buchanan of the Classic Corvette Club UK.
The 1973 BMW 1004 SA version — look the same
Thanks!
Really true McPherson
Aston DB7 vs Mondial vs 911 996
You are right Derek, and I vow to drink more strong black coffee when proofing pages late at night.
As a volunteer for the peugeot sport club uk and the owner of a 205 GTI [pictured] for some 22 years, it was fantastic to see fellow 205 owner Adam Towler’s 106 Rallye ‘Icon’ story and Stephen Dobie’s 208 GTi by Peugeot Sport join the Fast Fleet. However, it also saddened me thinking about the death of the Peugeot GTI and Rallye badges and the affordable small hot hatch as a whole. As a ’90s kid I grew up in the time of the 106 Rallye, 106 GTi, Nova GSi, Fiesta XR2, 5 Turbo and, of course, the 205 GTI. Then as an adult I saw the string of fantastic hot Renault Clios, the Fiesta ST… heck, even the Corsa VXR was supposed to be a good steer. Today, of those only the Fiesta survives, joined by the Hyundai i20 N, but at £25,000, and the Toyota GR Yaris, which is £30,000! Then there are several larger hot hatches that are even more expensive. Hardly the affordable hot hatch replacements to my ’90s pocket rockets.
RIP GTI
I think that the loss of the affordable small hot hatch will in turn be the death of the young car enthusiast. They simply won’t have performance cars that they can afford so they will spend their money on the latest iPhones and making sure their avatar in the metaverse has the latest accessories instead. RIP Peugeot hot hatches, RIP the affordable, small hot hatch and RIP the young car enthusiast. Yours cynically.
Entry level
Firstly, I want to welcome in the new editor. It’s a shame to see Paul Walton leave, but it seems he’ll still be writing for the magazine and fresh faces are always a good thing. I was moved to write by Sam Skelton’s piece about the 2.9-litre XJ40. This is a car that so many people over the years have told me was utter rubbish and that there was no point in owning such a slow and thirsty car. But I bought my first one in 2005 – I was still a university student, which shows how cheap they once were. And I didn’t keep it for long, because it failed the MoT on rust in 2007. I’ve had other Jaguars since, and nowadays I have an X350 2.7 diesel. But I’d like to find another good 2.9 if I can find one to relive the days that got me into Jaguars. Ideally it’d be Signal Red like mine was, a manual, and have a cloth interior. My car had a digital dashboard, so I’d like that if I could. Does anyone know of a car like this for sale anywhere? Thank you to Jaguar World for rekindling an old spark with your article.
Porsche 996 frailties
You didn’t mention the Porsche 996 cylinder bore scoring (Porsche 996 at 25 years), another known issue for the 996 and first generation 997. It’s serious, costly and painful. Early 996s (3.4s) had gearbox issues and 996s tend to eat radiators too.
I own a 993 C2 manual coupé and so I was surprised that Sam Dawson quotes the 996 as ‘better built than their predecessors’. I think he’s seeing that from only one perspective, the body perhaps? Granted that key areas of an Eighties 911 — kidney bowls, sills, B-pillars – would rust from the inside out but I reckon the aircooled engines were more robust.
If I were looking at the Porsche 996 era, it would be a 986 Boxster because it’s lighter and more fun to drive in the 3.2 form, though they do suffer the same type of issues as the 996.
Apologies if our editorial led you to believe Porsche will create a Turbo S Targa, because this is not the case. Porsche has only used the Targa body style on its Turbo for the late 930 generation, and since the 997.2 era, has offered either Coupe or Cabriolet body styles for its Turbo S offering. It is highly unlikely Porsche will again turn to the Targa body style for its Turbo engine, and DrivesToday knows of no plans to introduce this for the upcoming 992.2 generation.
In real life — colour of this Mini not like on the jpeg images
Once 911 964 vs 928 — in red!
One more example of XJ40 Estate *BRG — but is it official Jaguar production car?
We couldn’t agree more, David. On a side note, if you want your car featured in our Readers Rides page then please get in touch by sending a few high resolution images and a 100-200 word description of your car to us