OV9

Quite interesting, but…. I can’t help wondering “why” with that Giulia. I get pushing something to the max, but having a car of that size that only seats two seems….well… Pretty stoopid.

Like make the exact same car without the rear cage, add two lightweight rear seats and wind-up back windows, and you’ve brought back almost all of the practicality and I bet 99.9% of drivers couldn’t tell the difference on a back-to-back drive.

mik wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 10:26 pm Quite interesting, but…. I can’t help wondering “why” with that Giulia. I get pushing something to the max, but having a car of that size that only seats two seems….well… Pretty stoopid.

I don't mind the removal of the rear seats so much, but still including the rear doors is the bit that's stupid to me!

mik wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 10:26 pm Like make the exact same car without the rear cage, add two lightweight rear seats and wind-up back windows, and you’ve brought back almost all of the practicality and I bet 99.9% of drivers couldn’t tell the difference on a back-to-back drive.

That's what the "GTA" has, and you'll save yourself £4k in the process!

Matty wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 11:00 pm

mik wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 10:26 pm Like make the exact same car without the rear cage, add two lightweight rear seats and wind-up back windows, and you’ve brought back almost all of the practicality and I bet 99.9% of drivers couldn’t tell the difference on a back-to-back drive.

That's what the "GTA" has, and you'll save yourself £4k in the process!

Ah OK. That’s the one I’ll have then. M for mental.

Eh, I'm so at one with my cars that I can even guess the fuel level in the car to within a few litres by just swerving the car a few times (and glancing at the dash)

I have to say, having seen the GTAm on HG and TG, it does absolutely nothing for me - and I'm a big fan of the normal Quadrofoglio.

Rich B wrote: ↑Mon Nov 15, 2021 7:55 pm I have to say, having seen the GTAm on HG and TG, it does absolutely nothing for me - and I'm a big fan of the normal Quadrofoglio.

I'd rather have an M3 touring Comp x-drive if you please

McSwede wrote: ↑Mon Nov 15, 2021 8:25 pm

Rich B wrote: ↑Mon Nov 15, 2021 7:55 pm I have to say, having seen the GTAm on HG and TG, it does absolutely nothing for me - and I'm a big fan of the normal Quadrofoglio.

I'd rather have an M3 touring Comp x-drive if you please

if I wanted a 2 seater track car, I'd buy a car that was designed to be a track car - not one that was designed to be a family saloon with the rear seats removed.

Yeah, I don't get the Alfa, either. I'm glad that cars like it exist, but I've no desire to own one.

But I actively dislike that Jag. To me it looks like a teenager has ended up with his dad's rep-mobile and gone all Max Power on it.

Rich B wrote: ↑Mon Nov 15, 2021 8:33 pm

McSwede wrote: ↑Mon Nov 15, 2021 8:25 pm

Rich B wrote: ↑Mon Nov 15, 2021 7:55 pm I have to say, having seen the GTAm on HG and TG, it does absolutely nothing for me - and I'm a big fan of the normal Quadrofoglio.

I'd rather have an M3 touring Comp x-drive if you please

if I wanted a 2 seater track car, I'd buy a car that was designed to be a track car - not one that was designed to be a family saloon with the rear seats removed.

Yep, Only an idiot would do that *cough* CLK

JonMad wrote: ↑Thu Nov 18, 2021 10:59 pm

Rich B wrote: ↑Mon Nov 15, 2021 8:33 pm

McSwede wrote: ↑Mon Nov 15, 2021 8:25 pm

I'd rather have an M3 touring Comp x-drive if you please

if I wanted a 2 seater track car, I'd buy a car that was designed to be a track car - not one that was designed to be a family saloon with the rear seats removed.

Yep, Only an idiot would do that *cough* CLK

at least a CLK has the right number of doors!

I'd just get a standard quadrifroglio, a boosted mx5, a tow car and a trailer. The rest of the money I saved I would spend on ladies of questionable virtue and haribo.

Rich B wrote: ↑Mon Nov 15, 2021 7:55 pm I have to say, having seen the GTAm on HG and TG, it does absolutely nothing for me - and I'm a big fan of the normal Quadrofoglio.

I haven't yet had time to watch Harry's Garage but having finally caught up with Top Gear I didn't realise it had no rear seats. Particularly after Paddy mentioned it having 4 doors, that seems like a really stupid thing to do. Yes it's lovely but not more so than a standard GTA which is actually usable as well. I'd still go for the M3 xDrive Touring though.

Harry's Project 8 has rear seats so is a bit more useful but is LHD (I guess the GTAm is only LHD too? Will have to watch Harry's video to find out) so still not properly usable every day in the UK. I shall ignore the number of people on here (our Harry) over the years who have dailied an Integrale or E30 M3... Anyway, wasn't the Project 8 also available without rear seats? Again I really need to watch Harry's video.

Trying to think of any other 4dr cars which had rear seats deleted: mk7 Golf GTI Clubsport S, anything else?

It would have been great to do a proper 3 door conversion like an Impreza - but I understand why that wouldn't be possible. But the random black (carbon presumably) stick on rear arches are just plain lazy (and weird looking). At least Jaguar committed to making and painting some proper wide arches.

I sort of like those carbon rear arches. It's Italian, it's stylish where the same thing on a Japanese car would look rice.

I really like the project 8 after seeing one in person and hearing about all the changes needed to make it work. It’s also got a monster of an engine which really appeals.

LHD really isn’t an issue, unless you go through tolls you can’t automate multiple times a day it’s no bother at all.

Dave!

V8Granite wrote: ↑Fri Nov 19, 2021 9:39 am LHD really isn’t an issue, unless you go through tolls you can’t automate multiple times a day it’s no bother at all.

I use the M6 Toll often enough that it would be a pain but not often enough to get a tag, which is basically aimed at people commuting along there twice and a day since they're the only ones who see a saving.

It's never really an issue until it is

Should you wish to stay suitably belted.



Or carry a passenger or trained animal.

Dave!

You can spend your life making do with workarounds, or you can do it right in the first place

This reminds me of the only place in the UK that I can think of where you want a LHD car. The idiotic management in Chelsea Harbour have put up electronic bollards on the road that enters the residential carpark and the hotel. This screen shot is from before it was fully installed but you can make out the ticket readers and where the bollards go.

The stupid bit is where they've placed the ticket reader/intercom. On the footpaths on the left. The wrong side.
Every time I walk past I see annoyed people having to get out and walk round to it