Your final internal combustion engined car

[Jobbo]

My wife, who is not a car person, said to me last night that she was sad at the thought she'd be forced to have an electric car if she wants a new one. I'd already thought it would be nice to spec something brand new that I really want before internal combustion cars go out of production completely.

That made me wonder what it would be. For my wife, I suspect it would be a Porsche Macan and now that's been given an extra year before being replaced by an all-EV model, I'm thinking about ordering one. They take a while to arrive and there's a fair bit of demand for them still, so if we changed our minds or didn't have the funds when it was ready for delivery it wouldn't be the end of the world.

Not sure what I fancy for myself though. Boringly a 530d xDrive Touring in an individual colour with extended leather interior and alcantara headlining appeals, though I think I'd probably enjoy a Merc E400d Estate more. Sadly the Merc is now only available in Night Edition trim with very few options selectable. And who really lusts after a dad estate car? Hence this thread, in the hope that it inspires something. The Emira and M3 Touring both look appealing for instance.

What realistic last IC cars do you lot fancy?

[Ascender]

That's kind of my thinking behind the boring estate car and why I'm still considering changing the colour and some options (M3 Performance Alloys in Frozen Gold?) as I think it might be the last new ICE car I buy and something I'll want to hold on to for a long time.

If I wasn't looking for a one-car solution, something like an Emira or 911 I think.

[Simon]

I'd always fancied a Merc E53 estate. Not the full crazy E63 specs (nor cost), but practical, fast, 'clever' (tech wise) and discrete enough. I do so little mileage nowadays the petrol/diesel debate is irrelevant for me, but I think the Merc gets the right balance of design flair vs glitz and touchscreens. Not too looking forward to the designs that electric cars offer. The only one that looks cohesive and clever to me is the Jag iPace. Everything else looks a bit OTT.

[ZedLeg]

Probably special order and import a short bed, 2 door, base spec pick up with a V8 from America. Not sure what I'd get, F-150 has the most modern engine and ok looks, Silverado has an LS so would probably be the easiest to mess around with but is hideous and the Ram is the best looking but the Hemi is expensive to run and mod.

[Mito Man]

Weird was just having a chat about this an hour ago. General consensus seemed to be to wait until 2029 though. Annoyingly I do lots of towing now so it would have to be a 4x4 capable of 3.5 tonnes as I can't imagine a future where I'd have to stop to recharge every 60 miles.

[dinny_g]

I'd always fancied a Merc E53 estate. Not the full crazy E63 specs (nor cost), but practical, fast, 'clever' (tech wise) and discrete enough.

That would probably be my choice too…

On a similar’ish vein, mini Dinny’s going to be starting driving in 12 months - would you bother teaching him to drive a manual??

[KevH18]

Weird was just having a chat about this an hour ago. General consensus seemed to be to wait until 2029 though. Annoyingly I do lots of towing now so it would have to be a 4x4 capable of 3.5 tonnes as I can't imagine a future where I'd have to stop to recharge every 60 miles.

There's no way they're going to be developing normal every day cars up to 2029 though. If Jaguar are already committing to having a full EV range in three years time (although how many cars will be being made by then is doubtful!), then almost all of the other manufacturers are going to be going the same way I would have thought.

I already have an EV and as an every day car, compared to a fairly mundane petrol or diesel car at least, it's a far better proposition I think. Easily accessible power, quiet and refined, smooth with no gears to think about.

I'd love something more sporting for my own use but for a family/every day car, I won't be considering going back to ICE.

[Wilspeed]

M3 Touring most likely.

[Jobbo]

Weird was just having a chat about this an hour ago. General consensus seemed to be to wait until 2029 though. Annoyingly I do lots of towing now so it would have to be a 4x4 capable of 3.5 tonnes as I can't imagine a future where I'd have to stop to recharge every 60 miles.

There's no way they're going to be developing normal every day cars up to 2029 though.

This - it might only be the end of 2022 but there are going to be few new worthwhile IC cars launched in the rest of the decade. Even big sellers like the new Merc C-class (launched a year or so ago) are based on the previous version. There's also the risk that your IC car launched now is going to be hybrid in some form, so heavier and with a smaller IC engine than you'd like (new Merc C63 AMG for instance).

However, the 2029 deadline gives us all time to save up, so there's a positive

[V8Granite]

There is nothing affordable right now bar an Emira that is new that really excites me so it would be an older car anyway.

The only thing I’d have at the minute without question is a Nomad.

Dave!

[Holley]

Probably was my M240 that I sold in January.

Missus has had her i3 for 4 years now and still loves it.

Had the model 3 for 11 months and as a road car, it pretty much is spot on. Fast, cheap(ish) to run, comfortable, quiet, loads of toys.

Still think about a fun car regularly (and they're all pretty much ICE), but don't like having a second car. Plus any fun car isn't normally good at achieving the above.

Pains me to say it but unlikely I'll have another ICE car

[Holley]

There is nothing affordable right now bar an Emira that is new that really excites me so it would be an older car anyway.

The only thing I’d have at the minute without question is a Nomad.

Dave!

Next door neighbour has a nomad and looks awesome (we did a day trip in it a few years ago which was a lot of fun). Think I've only seen it out of his garage half a dozen times in the last 5 years. I can kinda see why, once the initial excitement has worn off, it is pretty useless (unless you're the adventurer type).

[V8Granite]

That’s the thing, it’s ridiculous, bad weather etc would be perfect for it.

I’d find any excuse to drive that I think. It’s why I did more miles in my early old defender than anything else as it’s so much more enjoyable doing mundane stuff.

Dave!

[scotta]

Are we talking realistic purchase or dreamboats?

[Jobbo]

Are we talking realistic purchase or dreamboats?

I think realism is required, though with the possibility of saving for a couple of year since the deadline to stop selling IC cars isn't quite here yet.

ETA: I keep wondering about a current shape MX5, or whatever the last IC model is before they cease production.

[scotta]

I keep thinking i need to tick the Porsche box. Ideally id like a GT4 but realistically getting there budget wise is a bit of a leap. Doable but id need to sacrifice racing things. New Emira is also on the list and possibly more realistic.

[Holley]

That’s the thing, it’s ridiculous, bad weather etc would be perfect for it.

I’d find any excuse to drive that I think. It’s why I did more miles in my early old defender than anything else as it’s so much more enjoyable doing mundane stuff.

Dave!

I'd forgotten you're basically Jason Fox. In which case a Nomad probably is too comfy and not extreme enough!

[Rich B]

That's why I bought an M2, despite an EV clearly suiting my daily journey. Who knows if it'll be my last (I don't think it will tbh)

[DaveE]

Ideally it would be an M5 CS

But I'm about £110k short of being able to afford one

[16vCento]

I'm definitely having a 4.2 supercharged V8 before i go electric, no sure what in yet, XJR or XKR, probably the XJR as it makes more sense practicality wise.

A C6 would be nice, but I don't have time to be faffing about with cars endlessly right now, and it would constantly need fiddling with, which is why the Activa went, a great idea, but not practical to fit into my life.

If I ever came across a reasonably priced V8 M3 Saloon I could be tempted by one, as I think they look superb, and have aged very well, much better than the coupe somehow.

I don't fancy anything brand new tbh, not seen a car come out that I've been excited by for a good 10 years.