Looking for an Italian supercar with an added dose of practicality? Then the Ferrari Mondial could be just the thing for you… PRACTICAL PERFORMANCE TECH BUYING THE FERRARI MONDIAL The affordable Prancing Horse BY CHRIS RANDALL CONTRIBUTOR Replacing the 308 GT4, the Pininfarina-styled Mondial delivered supercar looks with four-seater practicality and could be had in coupe and, from 1983, Cabriolet forms.
At the risk of this becoming a list of firsts, let’s start with the fact that this i4 M50 is the first BMW car I have ever owned – although I’m on my second MINI and previously had an S1000 RR superbike if that helps. The i4 M50 also happens to be the first fully-electric BMW car (not SUV) with xDrive and the first BMW EV to be awarded full M-status. Every journey has to start somewhere, but my BMW journey started somewhere else entirely. The first BMW I ever drove was in itself a first, too.
As happened with several Peugeots, the style house of Pininfarina designed the 505. First came the SR and the STI. In 1983, the STI was upgraded to include central locking, electric windows all round, and a new console. As is so often the case, the twodoor coup. was by far the most attractive version, but this one was not officially imported to South Africa. Gallic comfort PACKAGING Deep-pile cloth seat upholstery and well-padded cushions just added to the 505’s luxury feel.
Ford’s final, limited-edition 280 became a collectible classic as soon as it was announced. 37 years on, here’s what you need to know if you’re thinking of buying one. Words Christian Tilbury Photos Magic Car Pics BUYERS GUIDE: Ford Capri 280 What you need to know when buying the final Mk3 Capri.
It bore a great weight of history on its broad shoulders – the Continental name and a decent shout to be the Blower Bentley for the 1990s. With prices spread across such a vast range, what should we look for?
Characterful yet cool, quick yet suave - and as French as they come THE MARKET / Buying GuideHow does the Lamborghini designer get to Lamborghini? It was a question asked and answered by Citroens clever ad department in the late 1980s, making a feature of the fact that the man responsible for styling the Countach, Marcello Gandini, chose a BX 16 Valve as his daily driver. In a class filled with conservative family cars, the BX was a real breath of fresh air.
The Porsche 911 Turbo S is a high-performance sports car that has been in production since 1989. Here's a brief history of the Porsche 911 Turbo S. 930 Turbo S 1989 The original Turbo was produced as an S model in its final 1989 production year via Porsche’s Sonderwunsch programme. Exact build numbers are near impossible to ascertain, with 21 thought to have been built.
We’ve all heard the terms ‘Diff’ and ‘LSD’, or may even recognise the option code 220 for a limited slip diff, but what is a differential and how does one work? We start by understanding why drivetrains use them. Drive a 911 around a radius, and the outer wheels will travel further than the inner wheels. A diff is a geared device in an axle – front, rear but sometimes between axles, too – that permits the opposing output shafts to rotate at different speeds relative to each other.
Porsche 911 993 → Sales debate - is inflation making customers think twice about a Porsche purchase?
Sales debate - is inflation making customers think twice about a Porsche purchase? With the past year seeing consumer price inflation rising to well over 10 per cent, we might wonder if such record numbers affect the used Porsche market. So do they? “No,” says Paragon’s Jason Shepherd. “I don’t really see a link between inflation and values. They’ve levelled off, but there doesn’t seem to be anything to create too much downward pressure.
Taking on the Germans and British with a straight-six and a stately grille After the Second World War, most survivors had to pick up the pieces, rebuild and slowly pull themselves out of poverty. This meant transport had to be highly affordable, leading to smaller cars with smaller, four-cylinder engines. After some years, the straight-sixes began to reappear as luxurious alternatives to small inline-fours.
Looking and sounding far more exotic than the product of a double garage in Auckland, the Mini de Joux was the brainchild of one of New Zealand’s best automotive designers. Words and photography by Patrick Harlow PLAYING THE LONG GAMEKits and Pieces Ferris de Joux’s greatest hitIn 1973 Stephen, the owner of this featured Mini de Joux, went to a gravel hill-climb held at Hoopers Inlet on the Otago Peninsula.
There’s something ineffably cool about comparatively unloved Ferraris. Whether it’s a 365 GTC4, most notable for not being a Daytona, the scallop-fuse-laged 612 Scaglietti or the behemoth FF, these are Maranello’s chorus line cars, rarely enjoying much of a moment in the spotlight. DRIVEN TO EXTINCTIONMuch the same can be said of the Portofino. It only seems like yesterday that it was being introduced to replace the bulky California T, but we have word that the factory will build no more.
Not long before this issue of 911 & Porsche World went to press, the motorsport world was shocked by the news of Ken Block’s passing. The rally driver, gymkhana star and ‘Head Hoonigan in Charge’ died near his ranch in Woodland, Utah, in a snowmobile accident. He was fifty-five. Block co-founded skateboarding and snowboarding footwear and apparel brand, DC Shoes, in 1994 and used his fortune to realise a long-held ambition to compete in international rallying.
Porsche 911 991 → Technology explained - PDLS+ DrivesToday explains how Porsche Dynamic Lighting System Plus works on modern Neunelfers
While the dynamic performance of the 911 moved on at pace over the decades, one element that didn’t evolve to the same degree was the car’s lighting. Thankfully, the yellowing, dim halogen bulbs are a thing of the past. Today we have Porsche Dynamic Lighting System Plus (PDLS+). PDLS+ is an add-on to the lower-spec PDLS. That system works by constantly adjusting the range of the dipped beam of light depending on the car’s speed.
Adverts that mention Cat C or Cat D are referring to Category Markers, issued after a vehicle has an insurance claim. When a car is damaged, the insurer decides if it’s worth repairing or not. If it isn’t repaired, the owner is paid out, the car is written off and the insurer applies a Category marker to it. Previously, they were Cat C and Cat D, but these were replaced in 2017 with S and N.