Land's End to John O'Groats In One Day In Three Epic Cars

I had been driving for three days non-stop and had covered 1500 miles. On that third day I had left the northern coast of Scotland at 9.30am. I only crossed back in to England at Gretna at 5.30pm. I was completely worn out but still had three hours driving that day, and four more hours the next day...

Scotland is huge. Far larger than you imagine. I've visited it many times and you can get really lost in the place. You do see other people but not very often. Unlike most of England northern Scotland is not flat. In fact it undulates quite a lot.

The result of this is that the roads are half empty and twist and turn with the scenery. And because Scotland is an exposed, windswept place and wasn't part of the UK when the Inclosure Acts were in place farmers weren't forced to create small fields with high hedges around the outside.

And this means you can see where you're going. Which means that driving round Scotland for fun is a really enjoyable experience. If that's your kind of thing.

I don't need much of an excuse to head to Scotland for a drive. And neither does Hannah, a friend who would visit regularly in her Porsche, and then decided she would actually move there earlier this year. So she sold her house in the Home Counties and bought a converted church in Moray.

We had both previously driven from John O'Groats to Land's End in one day and thought it would be a good idea to do the trip again, but the 'proper' way round and in the summer. And this time we would do it in convoy.

So we set a date - the last weekend in June - and asked if anyone else would like to do the trip with us. One person answered the call. A chap called Pete, from Hull.

Hannah organised the accommodation and I organised the route (it wasn't hard, there really only is one way to do it) and we drove down to Cornwall. We met Pete and headed to the excellent Old Success Inn in Sennen Cove for dinner and a pint. We all gelled and discussed the day ahead.

I suggested we start at exactly sunrise - 5.16am - and attempt to get to John O'Groats before sunset at 10.24pm. We all agreed. With an early start ahead of us we headed for an early night.

Land's End

Through thick fog the three of us met at the Land's End visitor centre. We took a photo at the famous sign post and drove the cars around to the front of the centre, under the big sign, for photos and the start.

All three of us are petrolheads and our cars reflected this. Hannah drives a Porsche Cayman GT4, Pete a BMW M2 and me a Golf GTI. My GTI is a 2013 model with 230hp and a limited slip differential. The other two have a lot more power and are rear wheel drive!

I've owned the Golf since March and have really grown to like it. The LSD makes a huge difference and the power feels plenty for a front wheel drive car. The dealer who sold it me fitted it with brand new tyres which is great but they are a cheap Chinese brand which are not great. They're fine in the dry but in the wet are about as effective as Diane Abbot in a maths exam.

At 5.16am precisely we started. We were all absolutely buzzing. Despite the fog visibility was reasonable and we enjoyed careening round the Cornish lanes. Within a couple of hundred yards you are on the A30 but at this point it is a single lane and very twisty. I led and drove as fast as felt safe.

After the rush of the lanes we arrived in Penzance. At this early time the roads were almost deserted and we made good progress. I was in the lead and was taking the racing line where possible - white line to white line, cross the middle line where visibility allowed - to keep efficiency up.

We passed urban areas of Cambourne and Redruth where the A30 is more dual carriageway than motorway with roundabout after roundabout. 

That this trip was a convoy meant I had others to keep an eye on but it was apparent after a very short amount of time that Pete and Hannah were expert drivers. We were flowing well. We all indicated when necessary, kept appropriate distance without lagging too far behind and had good lane discipline. 

I had created a 22 hour, 291 song playlist and as we hit the open countryside - hardly visible in the fog - Gimme Shelter by the Rolling Stones was playing at max volume. My eyes were on stalks, checking for any hazard. 

Hannah was running in the middle of the pack and her GT4 looked epic in the mirror.

We had been messaging each other before the trip on WhatsApp and I thought I'd see if we could use the app to make a three way call. It worked and we chatted away about the roads, how happy we were to be finally underway after talking about the trip for months and about when we'd need to stop. 

None of us had set off with a full tank of fuel. From full my Golf will has a range of 400 miles on a good run but the Porsche and BMW would only manage 300 miles, and probably less at a decent pace.

As we passed through Cornwall and into Devon the fog lifted and we were greeted by fantastic views and open roads. We decided to by pass Exeter services, which are bloody awful and very expensive, and stop at the next.

Which turned out to be Cullompton. We fuelled up, bought food and drinks and left again at 7.20am.

I have never in my life travelled the length of the M5 and M6 without being stuck in traffic at least once but the next few hours were a dream. We saw other cars but the roads weren't busy. Amazingly the other driver's lane discipline wasn't too bad either.

We continued driving in tight formation, taking it in turns to lead, to be in the middle and to hang at the rear. Both the M2 and GT4 looked great in my mirrors and through the windscreen.

I was still on a high. Energy levels right up there. The road beneath my wheels was rendered smooth by the Golf's chassis. Music pumping. Big smile. Moving high and moving fast. Machines clean, so sweet and mean.

The sun was out and parts of Europe were enjoying the hottest day on record. England was warm but not scorching. I sat low in the seat, enjoying the buzz. Sunglasses. In the zone. Keep us on the road.

We chatted some more. Hannah and I knew each other only through social media before the trip. We'd spoken and messaged but only met once, at the Sunday Scramble at Bicester. Neither of us had met Pete in real life before the trip.

So we talked and talked. About our jobs and cars and life. Pleasant and enjoyable. Good company and good cars.

Charnock Richard

It was 11.15am and we had travelled 371 miles. The cars needed fuelling and we all needed a stretch and a refresh. We parked up and rolled out of our cars - Pete and I almost literally. Hannah, who's car was the most extreme of the three with bucket seats and harness seat belts was much more limber.

We swapped stories of what we'd seen and how we were doing and how we were all amazed at how little traffic we'd encountered.

It was good to walk around awhile. I bought a sandwich and we were robbed blind at the petrol station (£1.49 a litre!)

And then after just a short stop we were off again.

And after a few minutes we stopped. There was a crash on the M6. Arse. Hannah and I were using a satnav app called Waze which didn't suggest any alternative but to sit in the traffic but Pete was using his BMW's satnav and it reckoned we could save twenty minutes by turning off, so we did.

We followed a few local roads and then were stuck in urban dual carriageway hell. It took fifteen minutes to get out of a particularly busy junction, along with half the M6.

But then we found a quieter route and trundled through a place called Bamber Bridge which had some fairly interesting shop names. We all giggled at the Exotic Sunbed Lounge, guffawed at the Pump and Truncheon pub and laughed at the Blonde on Top - a hairdressers.

After a queue to get back on the M6 we were finally back on our route and up to speed.

Lancashire turned to Cumbria turned to the beautiful Lake District. And then we were in Scotland. The scenery didn't change dramatically. The motorway is a thin ribbon of tarmac cutting through massive, open, rolling scenery. Green from plenty of rain and just enough sunshine.

Happily the sun was out for us. The weather had been kind. After the fog burned off in the early morning we had only seen sunshine. But as we stopped again in Hamilton there were warnings of rain ahead.

It was 2.30pm and again the cars needed fuel and the drivers needed a break. We had covered 551 miles and were all beginning to feel a little weary.

We had continued to talk during the trip and all of us felt like it was the evening, even though it was early afternoon. It was almost a surprise that it wasn't. It was a kind of jet lag caused by a very early morning and nine hours on the road.

We got going again. Almost 300 miles to go but miles covered on Scottish roads. Our blistering pace would be slowed a great deal. Our sat navs said we would be at John O'Groats by 8.10pm - almost six hours away.

It is around Stirling that the motorway finally ends. It peters out from three to two lanes and the blue signs stop and the green ones start.

And then you are on the A9 and in average speed camera hell. The scenery is great and the road quite lovely but the average cameras castrate what could be a good drive. Drivers on the A9 don't think. They just comply. Cruise control set to 60 or 70 depending on whether it's single or dual carriageway and drone on and on and on.

Finally after two hours of this rubbish we were free. We passed through Inverness and our pace picked up.

Our energy levels picked up too. I had listened to an audiobook through the speed cameras but that was turned off and huge slabs of Metallica pumped through my speakers as Pete took the lead and I gamely followed, Hannah's Cayman in my mirrors.

The weariness and aching bones were gone and we developed a second wind, invigorated by the scenery, the roads and the Scottish air. We passed through a town and saw several people wearing kilts and tam o'shanters. Hannah and I argued on the phone whether a chap we had seen was a full ginger or a strawberry blonde.

The M2 and Cayman GT4 sounded awesome. I could hear both of them under acceleration. Throaty, growling roars. They also handled better than my Golf. They cornered flat and true whilst I had to be creative with the width of the road and aware of my grip levels.

The road became more winding and challenging. These were the drivers roads we had been seeking, We stopped for a break and photo op on the Dornoch Firth Bridge and that would be the last time we would stop. It was 6.30pm and we still had almost two hours to go.

The rain which had been threatening decided to set in. Sometimes drizzle, sometimes heavy. It affected our visibility and our grip levels. Hannah's rear slid a little and my front end slid a lot as I powered out of a corner and the tyres lost grip.

Teeth were gritted and eyes were on stalks. The drive was good and the cars looked, felt and sounded amazing. I don't think we could have picked three better cars for the job.

As the miles counted down so did the anticipation. We drove fast and we drove well. Everyone within their comfort zones. Everyone enjoying themselves.

John O'Groats

After a particularly intense final half hour we were finally there. John O'Groats. We parked up right next to the sign and hugged and high fived and jumped around. We took photos and savoured the moment.

And then it was over. We had driven 842 miles and we had arrived at 8.08pm, more than two hours before sunset.

We three had essentially been strangers before we started but we had bonded during our trip and after we dumped our stuff and met in the local pub for pints (and wine) and dinner we felt a mutual sense of satisfaction. That we had done something adventurous and extraordinary.

The next day we set off to our various homes. We met for coffee in Perth, hugged again and went our separate ways.

I decided to add an hour or so to my journey and avoided the dreadful A9 and took the incredible Old Military Road through Braemar where my car received a damn good thrashing and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I drove the entire day and arrived at my brother's house in Cheshire at 8pm.

As I said at the start Scotland is huge.

When I finally arrived home on the Monday I had covered 1655 miles, been in the driving seat for 30 hours 17 minutes and averaged 34mpg. And made two good friends.

By Matt Hubbard

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30 Years In the Past - The Porsche 924S Experience

Go to find the keys in the key drawer. Fingers scrabble around and find the BMW key - big, chunky, buttons, no actual key. Nope. Volvo key - sleek, chunky, buttons, no actual key. Nope. There's only one left. Round, slim plastic bow out of which sticks an actual steel shank with teeth cut out. Yep.

Walk out of the house and see the lines of the 924S. Slim, low, lithe, aerodynamic, rubber spoiler, no headlights, small wheels, big tyres, huge glazed hatchback, copper colour in need of a good clean. Dirt straked behind the rear wheels. No excessive size or weight.

Use the real key to unlock the passenger door. The driver's door lock is irritable and won't open from the outside, only in. Open the impossibly thin and light door. A modern door has heft and weight and noise and certainty. The old Porsche's door has daintiness and narrowness, hope and a light mechanical noise when opened or closed.

Lean in and across and survey the overwhelming brown-ness of the interior. The seats saved only by white pinstripes. Pull the clasp on the driver's door and push it open.

Close the passenger door and walk around to the driver's side and slide in. A modern car is built for everyone. A Porsche 924S is built for the median. Too tall and you won't have headroom. Too fat and your legs won't fit between the unadjustable steering wheel and mildly adjustable seat. Too short and you won't reach the pedals.

Fit it and you sit in the best driving position in the world of motoring.

Take in your surroundings. Three dials in front. Speed, revs, engine temperature, fuel and just three warning lights - low fuel, low oil, low battery.

In the centre are three more dials. Time (analogue), oil pressure, alternator output. Nothing digital, nothing unnecessary, nothing that makes a noise. Except the engine and indicators.

Put the real key in the real ignition barrel and turn it. The engine makes half a turn and barks into life. Strong and real it isn't enhanced by electronic sorcery and flaps, instead it transmits what it is - exploding fuel and metal parts rubbing together, helped by oil. You hear the tappety sounding engine and the waffle of the exhaust note over anything else.

Modern cars alienate you to sensations other than those prescribed by their makers. The 924S fails to mask noise, smell and sights. The glazed area is huge. The mirrors are tiny but you just need to turn your head to check the blind spots. You see the white smoke of the cold engine exhaust billowing up and around the hatch window. You smell the exhaust. You hear everything going on outside.

The gear stick is firm and its action precise and mechanical. It vibrates in tune with the engine. Release the handbrake - its position down between the door and the seat. Select first gear and ease the clutch up and the throttle out and pull away.

Easy does it whilst the engine is cold. It feels bulletproof but it is 30 years old after all. It's never been rebuilt, subject only to regular servicing. You hear the engine from the front and the exhaust from the rear. A strange sensation to those used to modern machines.

The ride is relatively soft - the big tyres ironing out pot holes and speed bumps - but it doesn't roll in corners. The balance of the car is fabulous. A product of lack of weight and clever distribution of that weight.

Engine is warmed up, check dials and see everything is well and carry on.

The throttle pedal has a false limit. Once you feel you've reached the end of its travel push a little harder and access another inch.

In second gear when you press the accelerator hard the car will lurch forward. It's not fast but it feels swift and will spin the rear wheels in first or second. It has no traction control and no ABS but it doesn't really need it. Lightness has many advantages one of which is a lack of inertia compared to heavier modern cars.

Push on and enjoy the mechanical symphony of driving the machine, pushing it to its easy to find limits. There's a real sense that you control the car - which is often missing in modern cars.

At speed and the noise increases. The exhaust noise overwhelms the engine noise. In short doses it's a good, boomy, large bore, 4-cylinder racket. On enthusiastic drives you use it instead of a rev counter to precisely place engine revs. On longer journeys you turn up the tinny stereo to mask its roar.

In corners the car pivots around a point just rear of the front wheels. You respect the power and the balance and use your controls to adjust everything accordingly. To do so well is both easy (because of the car's inherent abilities) and satisfying.

It's at its best on smoothly twisting back roads but is fun on faster A-roads. Overtaking needs to be anticipated and brings another level of satisfaction when accomplished. See the gap, drop down a gear, hear the engine scream as the revs rise, mash the accelerator, make the move.

Open a window and exhaust fumes make their way into the cabin. They all do that - something to do with the shape of the rear end. Open the sunroof as well and the fumes come in and then out again so you breath sweet fresh air instead of carbon monoxide and nitrogen.

Barreling along in the 1986 Porsche 924S is a fabulous, fun experience. It brings the elements to you. It gives you experiences modern cars hide from you. There's nothing false or fake about the car - only raw reality.

By Matt Hubbard

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Porsche 924S - An Old Friend Returns

Would you like to buy back one of your favourite cars? Do you regret selling any of your old favourites? I sold my 1986 Porsche 924S three years ago. Today I bought it back.

The chap selling it had bought it from the bloke I'd sold it to as a project car but due to work pressures he felt he wasn't spending enough time with it to justify keeping it. It'd been off road for several months. After he placed the ad on eBay someone pointed it out to me via twitter. I got in touch and we agreed a deal.

When I sold in early 2014 it it was my daily driver. Basically it was in good condition but there were many small things that weren't working or were malfunctioning. I sold it in order to buy something modern, something reliable (although the 924S had never broken down) and something I could open the driver's door on.

Of all the inconveniences on the 924S the driver's door handle mechanism was the biggest pain. The clasp broke the day after I bought it and a replacement Porsche handle and mechanism was around £200. I couldn't afford that so bought a Mk2 Golf handle for a fiver which was almost, but not quite, the same.

When I went to pick the car up this morning the handle was still knackered. The seller had tried his best to fix it but you still have to leave the window open to open the door - or lean in from the passenger side.

Aside from that it felt great. The journey home was 110 miles. I'd forgotten how loud it is on the motorway. At 80mph in fifth gear it's ticking over at nearly 4,000rpm and the stainless steel exhaust booms constantly. You have to raise your voice to talk over it.

At that speed the car used to feel quite floaty, as if its aerodynamics were working against it and pushing the front up, but this seems not to have been the case. The seller has had the tracking fixed and now it feels planted at any speed.

When I sold it the car the sunroof leaked but the seller has replaced the seals, and all the seals around the windows. As well as that he's replaced the seats with lovely body hugging ones - in spectacularly brown pinstriped velour. In fact he's replaced or updated an absolute ton of stuff. The full list is below.

As I drove the Porsche 924S home the one thing that reminded me of why I loved it was the gear change. Porsche always makes a great gearbox and in the 924S the feel of the gear change communicates the brute nature of the car's mechanicals into the cabin. If you place your hand on the lever whilst at speed you can feel the rotational force of the engine buzzing away in your hand.

The 924S will now be my second car rather than my only car. I'll be able to spend time on it doing such things as fixing the dent it has acquired whilst out of my hands as well as trying to finally get the driver's door to open properly.

I'll report back on progress every now and again.

By Matt Hubbard

Full list of work completed by the chap who sold the Porsche 924S back to me (I have no idea what FPR means!):

Renew gear lever inner sealing gaitor
Service kit + 10w40
2x engine mounts (Meyle)
Fixed horn not working (corroded earth)
Minor oil leak (damp, no drips) on diff (output shaft seal)
Fixed headlight washers (just clogged)
Fixed power steering (new radiator)
Paint work + rust removal
New radio (bluetooth + handsfree kit)
Adjust handbrake
Fix rocker cover oil leak
Renew gear shift lever + bushing
Renew wipers
Clean all along clutch linkage (gear change is nice now)
Change transaxle oil with GL4 + renew plug
New PS fluid
Flush and renew coolant
Fit 2x transaxle output seals
Fit better steering wheel (old one worn around rim)
New pins for rear hatch
New distributor and rotor
Renew P/S wing mirror gasket
Fix heater control (new HCV needed)
Re-seal tail lights
Fix short / bad earth with interior lights + restore hbrake light
Fix power windows (new switches)
Fit new injector seals / filters
Renew dashboard lights with LEDs
Fit sound deadening (bonnet and boot)
New battery
New Distributor cap and rotor arm
New door handles
2x new tyres (front). All tyres have loads of tread and are Goodyear EfficientGrip
Tracking / 4-w alignment, fit 2x tyres
MOT
New seats
FPR
New ICV
New windscreen (old one was milky around edges)
New aerial
Porsche parts (misc - manif. gaskets + pipes)
New bonnet insulation

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Take The Trip, Buy The Car, Ride The Bike

Someone recently said to me on Twitter that he'd love to take his Alfa Romeo on a trip to Italy. I said he should and he said it would need to be more mechanically sound than it currently is and that he'd probably never do it.

This reminded me of how I once was when turning dreams into reality. I didn't because I was too scared.

Another conversation, this time with the lady who looks after my dog when I'm away. I bumped into her recently and she said something that sounded funny. She said that when she knows she has to go on a long trip she worries about it beforehand but that when she actually goes on the trip it turns out fine. I thought back to the me of a few years ago and realised that I used to do exactly the same.

I used to travel a lot for work - sometimes 800 miles a week - and before those long journeys I'd fret for days. Then, when I hit the motorway it was absolutely fine. When it came to non-necessary trips, i.e. trips to places I might want to go, this worrying prevented me from going. However if someone else organised and led the trip I did go.

I don't know why. I don't even mind travelling alone. In fact I prefer it. I like my own company and driving time is thinking time which, in my mind, is a good thing. I suppose I just had a fear of the unknown and of taking risks.

What I do know is that I was putting barriers in the way of things I wanted to do.

And I did have dreams and desires. I had trips I wanted to do and I had vehicles I wanted to buy. Scratch that - needed to buy.

I had always wanted to go to Le Mans to watch the 24 hour race, to the Isle of Man for the TT and ride the circuit, to the Nurburgring to drive round the track, to America to drive from coast to coast and to drive from the top to the bottom of the UK. The car I always wanted was a Porsche 911. The bike I always wanted was a Yamaha R1.

Dream bike. My 2000 Yamaha R1 before I crashed it

That was then and this is now. Now I have lost my fear of exploration and of the unknown. I've done all but one of the above trips and I've owned a 911 and an R1. But it has cost me.

The 911 cost the most. Good lord it cost. It was a £10k 1998 Carrera 2. It was the worst spec - tiptronic, convertible - but it was dirt cheap and it had a reconditioned engine fitted. The seller was private but he was selling via Brookspeed Porsche, one of the most respected independent Porsche garages in the south.

I thought I had a bargain and I'd scratched my 911 itch. I'd desperately wanted one for at least 25 years but had never been able to justify one practically or afford one financially.

After I bought it I spent another £600 fitting a decent stereo unit and another £150 fixing the recalcitrant alternator. I took it on a good few trips and told everyone how brilliant it was but in reality it gave me cramp in my right leg and the interior creaked like buggery. It didn't handle any better or go any faster than my current car - a BMW 330i M Sport.

But it was a 911 and it was mine and that was what I always wanted. I was happy.

Then I wasn't happy. At 70mph a chunk of cylinder bore lining came adrift and the engine smashed itself to smithereens. After 6 weeks of ownership I sold it for £5k.

Then there was the Yamaha R1. I didn't just want an R1 - I needed one. I had to have one like I have to breathe air. In my late 30s I finally bought one and it was an absolute beauty. It was a 2000 model in red, white and black. It produced 150bhp and weighed 150kg. It went like a rocket and had no traction control or ABS. I went faster on that R1 than I've ever been on or in any other vehicle - and it still had more to give.

But it didn't half give me leg ache, wrist ache and neck ache. And it was far too much bike for me. I'm a skilled rider in city traffic and cutting a line on country roads but the R1's untamed 1,000bhp per tonne was just too much. Nonetheless I stuck with it.

Then after only three months of ownership I killed it in the most embarrassing way possible. I had taken it to my son's primary school's autumn fayre. After the fayre I turned right out of the school, gave it slightly too much throttle and fishtailed twenty yards before high siding. The bike and I slid 50 yards down the road, absolutely destroying the R1's right hand side and my ego.

I actually got two things out of that. The full value from the insurers and the knowledge that I'd owned the best, most fantastic bike I could imagine.

Dream car. My 1998 Porsche 911 Carrera before the engine exploded

After the experiences with the 911 and the R1 I'm now comfortable with every purchase I make. I don't have to buy something for the sake of it because I've already done that.

As for the trips, well they came about in different ways. The first was the trip to the TT in 2009. The only reason I went was that it was organised by someone else and a big group was going. Someone else did the organisation and booking and I just rode along. It was a fabulous week and made me realise it is possible to take long trips and just enjoy them for the sake of it rather than racing to a destination as fast as possible - something I am wont to do.

Then, in 2010, I decided on impulse to go to the Nurburgring to scratch that itch. I'd always wanted to go but the distance, fact it was in a foreign land and total lack of understanding I had of the place had stopped me. Buoyed by the fact my mate Scottie would be coming with me we booked a ferry and set off after work on a Friday and drove through the night.

We arrived at Nurburg at 5am and slept for two hours in the car then found the entrance to the track and had an unbelievably brilliant time. It was a huge eye opener for me. I could do the things I wanted to do. I didn't need to worry. The video below is of us getting stuck behind a BMW on the Karussell.



So Scottie and I went to Le Mans in 2012 and when I got home I created Speedmonkey. In 2013 my brother organised a trip to Scotland on motorcycles. We did 1,400 miles in 4 days. Earlier this year I drove from Miami to San Fransisco with my son in a convertible Mustang. They were the best two weeks of my life.

I often take road trips now and never fret about them beforehand. I do things I would never have done beforehand because my mindset is much more JFDI than 'can't'.

Next summer I'll be taking a huge tour of Europe and in just a few days time I'll undertake the last of my bucket list of trips to take and cars to buy. I'll be driving from John O'Groats to Lands End in one day.

If I can do it so can you. Go on, take that trip, buy that car, ride that bike. You only live once.

By Matt Hubbard

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Porsche Cayman GT4

Porsche has just revealed the Cayman GT4

Porsche Cayman GT4

I drove the Porsche Cayman GTS last year. It was one of those cars which stands out from the crowd. The GTS has 336bhp, does 0-62 in 4.7 seconds, has a top speed of 177mph and costs £55k but that's only half the story, it's that rare creature that has a touch of je ne said quoi that elevates it even from the rest of the Cayman range.

Now Porsche has announced the GT4 which produces 385bhp from its 3.8 litre flat-6. It does 0-62 in 4.4 seconds, has a top speed of 183mph and costs £64,451.

The Porsche Cayman GT4 comes equipped with a 6-speed manual gearbox (with dynamic gearbox mounts) and comes equipped with a chassis that shares technical components and tuning with the 911 GT3.

It's packed with standard equipment including Porsche Active Stability Management (PASM), bi-xenon lights, sports exhaust, Sport Chrono pack, Porsche Torque Vectoring with limited slip diff rear axle and a leather and Alcantara interior.

The Porsche Cayman GT4 will almost certainly be a better driver's car than the GTS, which means it'll be one of the performance car highlights of 2015. It will be premiered at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

Porsche Cayman GT4

By Matt Hubbard

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Power Is Not Always The Answer - Why A Light Car Is A Good Car

Fast cars are brilliant, powerful cars are enormous fun. But you can experience just as much of a thrill in something with not much power.

Speed is generally equated with outright pace in a straight line. Take one car, give it fat tyres, fit a huge lump with oodles of power under the bonnet and hey ho let's go! That's the recipe for a good time, isn't it?

Yes it is. But only some of the time. In fact only a small amount of the time.  Humungous power is great at the drag strip or on a wide, open track but on a normal road, in normal (British) weather you can't use most of the power at your disposal.

A Porsche 911 Turbo has 520bhp, four wheel drive and four wheel steering. Driving it makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, but on the road you'll only ever drive it at 50% and even then you'll be flouting the law.

Step down a few rungs and the 336bhp, rear wheel drive Cayman GTS provides more useable thrills on the road. But it's still overpowered for day to day driving.

The Cayman GTS, 911 Turbo, Jaguar F-Type V8, Audi R8, Mercedes C63 AMG and other cars with a decent amount of feel at the wheel and truck loads of power at the wheels are frankly over endowed for everyday driving on normal roads.

The reason for this is the disconnect that comes from too much power, too much weight and too much  size for roads with speed limits, hedges, SUV-run mums, kerbs, pot holes, hopeless taxi drivers, pensioners in Skodas, mud in the road and all the other crap that's thrown at us whilst we're minding our own business whilst pushing our car to the limit.

And that's just the point. The limit of all the above cars is way higher than normal road conditions allow.

Instead you need something smaller, lighter and less powerful.

You need enough power to overtake a Jazz but not so much power you can't slam your foot down immediately post the apex of a corner without end up 100 yards into a field.  You need enough feeling at the wheel that you know the leaves your front wheels are riding over are oak and not sycamore. You need to know if your rear tyres have slid 10mm, 6 inches or 3 feet.

Even if your V8 powered supercar has four wheel drive you can still overdo it quite easily, four wheel drifts into a jagged kerb are relatively straightforward when enough power is applied at the wrong point in the rain. Or between October and March.

I want to be able to make a complete hash of it and know that if the car cuts loose it does so slowly enough and with enough warning I can correct the slide before I end up embedded into the 44 tonner coming the other way.

What are these mythical cars we can drive to the limit without fear of damage or injury to ourselves or the car itself?

You won't be surprised to hear that you can drive pretty much any hot hatch as hard as you like and still have enough control to throw it with enthusiasm around the lanes, down an A-road and down that gravel track that leads to the local woods that you're not meant to go down but sometimes you do.

The Golf R is the apex predator of the hot hatch world but for sheer chuckability any of the recent Renaultsport Meganes, an Astra VXR or Fiesta ST have the perfect blend of power, grip, balance and poise to make that grimace turn into a grin.

But you don't even have to splash out £25k on a hot hatch to experience the thrill of flinging a motor vehicle around the Queen's highway in such a fashion as you enjoy the experience and don't end up eating hospital food at the end of the journey.

All you need are enough brake horses to pull the skin off a rice pudding, less weight than two race horses and a steering system that transmits the specification of tarmac the council ordered up your finger tips and through your bum to your brain. Oh, and suspension that means the car won't fall over when you turn a corner.

What you want is to be able to lose the front, lose the back, catch the skid, and gain enough experience of your car on the road that you have enough data in your grey matter that you know that next time you can get within 99% of the car's limit.

And you can do that in a lot of differing, and quite cheap, cars. Mazda MX5, any old Porsche (the front engined ones have perfect 50/50 balance), Golf GTi Mk2, Mini Cooper S, Clio 182 - all will give you all you need.

Lotus have known this all along which is why the venerable Elise is still bought by enthusiasts who know their onions but aren't bothered about having somewhere to put their weekend bag. Toyota cottoned on to the idea too which is why the GT86 is so good. Caterham haven't ever stopped making cars that are perfect for people who like to drive with a degree of finesse.

Fast, loud, powerful cars are brilliant but small, light, not quite so powerful cars can be just as entertaining on the real roads we drive on every day.

By Matt Hubbard

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Memorable Moments And Amazing Cars From 2014

Speedmonkey is all about cars. I've been running the site since 2012 and don't do it for money, but for the experiences it brings. 2014 has presented me with some amazing experiences.

The year started well when Morgan Motors got in touch. The email said, "We would like to invite you to visit our factory in Malvern to get to know Morgan, the new 3 Wheeler and the other cars in our range."

Oh wow, yes was my first thought. My second was that my son would love it. He'd enjoyed a trip to Lotus Cars in Hethel in 2013 so I asked if the visit could be arranged for half term.  Of course it could replied Morgan.

So son and I travelled up to Malvern. The factory tour was an eye opener. The land it stands on, in Pickersleigh Road, was bought by HFS Morgan in December 1913 and Morgan Motors has expanded and built new buildings to become the factory that churns out Morgan cars today. Actually, 'churns out' is a rather unkind phrase - the cars are hand-built.

The term hand-built is rather stretched by some car companies but not so Morgan. I loved the fact the louvres on the Plus 8's bonnet are not only hand pressed but their placement is done by eye.

The cars we drove were fantastically bonkers, especially the 3-Wheeler which is as impractical as an ashtray on a motorcycle. The engine vibrates, the cockpit is open and cold and there is no storage space but it is a wonderful experience and quite unlike any other car available. The Plus 8 was monstrously powerful and fast - It houses a 4.8 litre V8 yet weighs only 1,100kg. Son thoroughly enjoyed his day, and especially the drive in the 3-Wheeler.

The passion for the brand was evident in the emails from legendary motoring journalist (and 3-Wheeler owner) Peter Dron who ticked me off for not conducting my own 0-60 times and from a chap who has bought the Plus 8 press car and has written his own review of it for Speedmonkey.

The year was bookended with an invitation from Rolls Royce Motor Cars to attend a factory tour and drives in some of their cars. Rolls Royce was incorporated in 1904, just one year before Morgan, and still hand builds its cars today, at the Goodwood factory, which was opened on 1 January 2003.

The Rolls Royce factory is worlds apart from Pickersleigh Road. Being only 11 years old helps but it has the atmosphere of a forensics lab, with men and women beavering away crafting, refining and ultimately creating the finest cars in the world.

Which, when you drive them, you realise they are. What struck me about the Wraith and the Ghost II (both of which I took for a 90 minute spin) is not that are simply fast, enormous, luxurious, quiet, smooth and refined but that they both have another, almost ethereal, quality about them which transcends the usual driving experience. Close the door and pull away and you are separated from the mundanities of the world in a manner that no other car is able to do.

Back to reality and a November appointment with Porsche at Silverstone to try out their 2014 range of cars at the newly extended track at their Experience Centre.

I love driving road cars on track. You are able to really go for it and test the limits of braking, acceleration and cornering without worrying about the myriad hazards on our roads. It's also bloody good fun, especially in a Porsche.

A track test allows you to find and critique the nuances of a car by pounding round the same circuit, the same corners time after time. It was after 20 or so laps of focussed driving I came to the conclusion that the Porsche Cayman GTS is perhaps the best driver's car on the road today.

I took a Porsche Macan Turbo for a spin on track then a Macan S Diesel for a drive on the roads around Silverstone. Experiencing both conditions highlighted how focussed and agile the Macan's chassis is on track but how pliant and able to soak up bumps it is on the road.

One of my favourite days of 2014 was spent in the company of Volvo and Polestar. I attended the UK launch of the Volvo V60 Polestar. We spent the morning driving through the home counties, lunched at a lovely pub near where I live then headed for Dunsfold Aerodrome, home to the Top Gear Test Track.

I was given some expert tuition by a Swedish touring car ace then let loose on my own in the V60 Polestar for several laps of the track. The car proved to be wonderful and the thrill of driving it at the Top Gear Test Track is my fondest memory of the year.

In between the factory tours and track tests I drove a variety of machinery in 2014.

Back in May I attended a Mercedes-Benz media day at its base in Brooklands. I drove the GLA, G-Class and S.  The GLA turned out to be far better than expected (I don't really like the A-Class on which it's based), the G-Class far worse (it's not a great deal better than a slightly posh Defender) and the S-Class was wonderful.

I drove two Range Rovers this year. In January I had a Range Rover Vogue SDV8 for a week. It turned out to be the best all rounder I'd ever driven, although at £85k it's not cheap. Later in the year I had a Range Rover Sport SDV6 for a few days and used it to drive to Cologne and back with four of us on board.  There could hardly have been a better car for the trip. It's spacious and utterly superb on a long journey. Does 135mph on the autobahn too.

Staying in the JLR family I got a few days with a Jaguar F-Type V8 S. Damn that thing is unhinged.  No other car flies so close to the spirit of a TVR than the V8 F.  Just tickle the throttle and the tail pops out like a an excitable Jack Russell.

The Citroen C4 Cactus was interesting in different ways. With its air bumps, shape, innovative materials, 965kg kerb weight and low price it's a brilliant car, although it is too slow for my liking. I liked the Cactus from the moment I first saw photos of it and over the course of a week it shone in a way that a similarly priced Fiesta or Corsa wouldn't.

Taking of the Corsa I attended the UK launch. The 2014 version is shockingly good compared to its predecessors.  The new 1.0 engine is a peach but the 2014 Vauxhall Corsa SRi is the one to have.

The Subaru WRX STi was relaunched in 2014 and I was there to test it for Speedmonkey. The chassis is great but the engine and huge turbo-lag are far too old school when compared to the competition.

For a similar price you could buy a Volkswagen Golf R which redefines the hot hatch class and for £25k you can buy an Audi S1 which is like the Golf R, but smaller.

In amongst the SUVs, hot hatches, mega-expensive saloons and super-pricey sports cars I spent a week with a Toyota GT86.  Now 2 years old the GT86 is still unique in its offering and still delivers razor sharp handling and an outrageously waggy tail for a reasonable price.

My last test drive of the year was in a Maserati Ghibli. Sitting in the reception area of Ferrari North Europe was quite a thrill. The car itself was rather fine but didn't have an aura of 'special' that I expected from a Maserati.

2014 was a great year although at times I did feel a slave to the constant review writing (on top of a full time day-job). In 2015 I am going to turn down at least some of the invites that come my way and   will be more selective when choosing press cars. Something like the Mitsubishi Outlander might generate hits to Speedmonkey but the week spent with it and hours spent writing about it were not much fun.

The first car I will take delivery of in 2015 for a week long test is a Jaguar XFR-S. This will set the tone.

By Matt Hubbard

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Porsche Macan Review

Matt Hubbard reviews the new Porsche Macan, the Cayenne's smaller,  sportier sibling

Porsche Macan S Diesel

Back in 2002 the Cayenne took all the 'why the hell is Porsche making an SUV?' flak, and then doubled Porsche's worldwide sales.

The deed was done, Porsche was no longer purely a sports car company, it was a manufacturer of sports cars but also of off-roaders and luxury saloons. The Cayenne introduced the concept of a large SUV to Porsche's customers, and made the company a pot of money. So much so it made sense for a smaller SUV to accompany it in the model line-up, alongside the Panamera, 911, Cayman and Boxster.

The Porsche Macan was launched earlier this year. It is sportier but less able off-road than the Cayenne. But it still looks like an SUV with five doors, the engine at the front and an elevated profile that still has that slightly odd front end that tries to look like a 911 and doesn't quite succeed. We've kind of got used to the concept with the Cayenne but it succeeds more so in the Macan.

Elsewhere the look is purposeful and muscular with a steeply sloped rear window atop which sits a small roof spoiler and huge air-gulping gills in the front quarters.

Interior space is quite reasonable and no worse than in an Evoque. The overall shape and feel of the interior is similar to the more expensive Cayenne but somehow feels better, more luxurious. The devil in the details and the details abound in the stitching, quality of materials and look and feel of the switches and dials. It says class, it feels quality.

Porsche Macan S Diesel

It comes at a price though. The Macan S Diesel which I drove on the road (I took the Turbo for a spin on track) costs £43,300 but the leather interior costs £1,052, electric sports seats cost £1,214 and heating elements for those seats costs £219. Even cruise control is a £348 option.

The driver is cocooned in figure-hugging seats, with a tall centre console festooned with chassis and exhaust buttons. You sit relatively low for an SUV - the steering wheel sits in your lap and the pedal box is deep.

It's meant to feel like you're sitting in a sports car - and it does.

The touchscreen and controls are pretty much the same as they are in all Porsches, which is to say efficient, ergonomically constructed and with an expensive feel.  The steering wheel is trimmed in a lovely, soft leather and has the usual buttons and dials, although cruise control is dealt with via a lever below the indicator and is not as intuitive as in many other cars.

I tested the Macan S Diesel and the Turbo. The Turbo costs £59,648 and produces 400hp and 400lb ft from a 3.6 litre V6 petrol.  It is seriously, properly fast.

The S Diesel gets a 3-litre V6 with 258hp and a mighty 428b ft of torque.  It is also no slouch.

Porsche Macan S Diesel

Both engines are more than up to the task of propelling the Macan in a straight line very quickly.  The  7-speed PDK gearbox is honed for road use but also works fantastically well on track. You hardly need to use the paddles.

The Turbo sounds great and the S Diesel is, thankfully, dead quiet and smooth - on the road you wouldn't know it is an oil-burner, aside from the masses of torque.

Power is delivered to the road by four wheel drive. The rear axle is in constant use and power can be sent to the front wheels if required - the opposite of many four wheel drive systems. A display in the instrument binnacle shows the proportion of torque going to each axle. Under hard acceleration or cornering it normally sits at 66 rear 34 front.

The Macan drives in a manner that belies its shape and bulk - the diesel weighs 1,880kg.  Fair enough the engines provide lots of power but it feels sprightly.

Turn into a corner and the transition from 5-seat SUV to sports car is startling. The Macan really does handle. The steering set-up provides for great grip and neutral turn-in whilst the wider rear track and rear-biased power delivery helps give it a push rather than pull in the corners.

The ride is good too, although not quite as good as in an Evoque.  Its off-road ability is also not quite so good - the handling and general abilities are more suited for on-road work, where it beats the Evoque hands down.

Porsche Macan S Diesel

The Porsche Macan is one of the best all-round cars on the market. It's spacious, practical, fast, fun to drive, good value (unless or until you start speccing it with expensive options) and, in diesel form, economical.

The only real problem with the Macan is that you can't get your hands on a UK model until the end of 2015. Porsche GB has already used up it's allocation for 2014 and 2015 right through 'til the autumn. For those lucky enough to have ordered one and taken delivery there's not much to beat it.

Stats:

Car - Porsche Macan S Diesel

Price - £43,300
Engine - 3-litre, V6, turbo-diesel
Tranbsmission - 7-speed PDK automatic
0-62mph - 6.3 seconds
Top speed - 142mph
Power - 258bhp
Torque - 428lb ft / 580Nm
Economy - 46.3mpg
CO2 - 159g/km
Kerb weight - 1,880kg

Car - Porsche Macan Turbo

Price - £59,648
Engine - 3.6 litre, V6, turbo
Tranbsmission - 7-speed PDK automatic
0-62mph - 4.8 seconds
Top speed - 165mph
Power - 400bhp
Torque - 406lb ft / 550Nm
Economy - 30.7mpg
CO2 - 216g/km
Kerb weight - 2,000kg

Porsche Macan S Diesel

Porsche Macan S Diesel

By Matt Hubbard

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I May End Up Owning Three Old Porsches After A Drunk eBay Session

I had a great night on Saturday, had a couple of beers round a friend's house. I may also have had some vodka.  Staggered home through the fog, had another couple of beers and thought, "I know, I'll see what's on eBay."

At the time it seemed like a great idea. Porsche 924s and 944s are going up in price and this is the ideal time of year to buy a sportscar, especially one with dodgy seals around the sunroof, so prices will be low.

I can't remember exactly but I must have taken a look at the 924s and 944s in need of restoration and with no bidders and no reserve price set and placed a few bid.

Now, in the cold light of Sunday with a cup of tea in hand I venture into eBay to find I'm the top bidder on not one, not two but three front engined, water cooled Porsches.

Oops.

The first is a 1986 944S listed as spares or repair and I've bid £850. To be honest the price is really low and the car seems in great condition.

The second is a 1982 924 which, again, seems to be in reasonable condition and is spares or repair as it's been laid up a while. If I get it for my £249 bid it'll be a massive bargain.

The third is a 1983 924 which has a tatty interior and won't run. I've bid £300 but, again, it will be something of a bargain if I do win it.

Look at it this way, I'll either win between one and three old Porsches for a bargain basement price or not. If I do win all three my winter will be spent fettling in the garage, which is a pretty good pastime.

So pissed bidding on eBay might not be such a bad thing to do.

Let me know what you've bought on eBay after a few drinks, I'm sure there are a few stories out there.

By Matt Hubbard

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2014 Porsche Cayman GTS Review

Matt Hubbard drives the Porsche Cayman GTS on track at the Porsche Experience Centre at Silverstone

Porsche Cayman GTS

Since I was young I've almost idolised the Porsche 911. To me it was the definitive sports car in terms of looks, performance and balance between road and track use. Last year I drove a 911 Turbo and was blown away by it.

Recently I drove a 911 Carrera 2S and was again blown away by its handling, poise and agility but also its ability to be the best sports car on road and track.

But then I drove the Cayman GTS at the same track on the same day. For all my love for the 911 the Cayman GTS proved to be the better car on the day. Oh dear. Dreams not exactly shattered but certainly slightly disturbed.

I'd previously driven the standard Cayman. It was fast and handled magnificently, the chassis and seats were firm and the manual gearbox's ratios were a bit long for the road but ultimately I said it was, "...balanced, focussed, confidence inspiring, practical and fun."

The Cayman costs £40k, the Cayman S costs £49k and the Cayman GTS costs £55,397. You may think that hike is a bit steep but, to put things into perspective, the 911 C2S costs £83k and the Jaguar F-Type V6 S costs £60k.  Even a VW Golf R with a few options can cost as much as the base model Cayman.  In that context it's a bit of a bargain.

The GTS is essentially a fully optioned S. It is powered by a 3.4 litre boxer engine and produces 336bhp (15bhp more than in the S). The gearbox in the test car was a 6-speed manual.

Other goodies include 20 inch alloys, PASM as standard, Sport Chrono with adaptive engine mounts, sports seats, a sports exhaust and bi-xenon lights. Oh, and a new spoiler and steering wheel.

Porsche Cayman GTS

Fire up the engine and it barks into life. Porsche engines sound über Germanic (if that is yet a thing) and the GTS's exhaust note, aided by the active exhaust, makes a lovely, crisp noise.

The driving position is perfect for most heights and shapes. The seats are body hugging, legs are outstretched and the steering wheel is in the driver's lap.

The gearstick sits in just the right place, atop a busy centre console with buttons for the various driving modes aft and the climate controls fore - see my Cayman review for a more thorough explanation of the infoscreen and driving modes.

What we're interested in here is the driving experience.

It starts with a heavy clutch. Not too heavy it'd be a pain in traffic but heavy enough you know the Cayman GTS means business.  A sturdy clutch for track abuse - good oh!

The gearbox is slick and accurate, and has a bolt-action feel. Porsche makes the best manual gearboxes in the business, and the GTS's is no exception.

The steering is light but can be firmed up by selecting Sport mode. It's electrically assisted but feel and feedback has been tuned in by some of the best engineers in the world, and it shows.

Pull away and the engine feels lively. Low speed manoeuvring is a piece of cake.  Mash the throttle and acceleration is very quick. If such a thing exists the engine has character - some engines feel lifeless whilst some feel fast but a bit too binary, the 3.4 flat-6 in the GTS provides meaty, analogue power in a big woosh of noise and torque.

Porsche Cayman GTS

0-60 takes around 4.7 seconds which is fast but not brutal. The engine note rises like a heavy metal solo to a peak at 7,500rpm, change up and start again.

Find a corner and the Cayman turns in like a dream. The steering is the sharpest and most direct there is. The engine in the Cayman sits behind the passengers and ahead of the rear axle. This makes for the poise of a ballet dancer as the rear faithfully follows the front round an apex with a hint of lean on the rear tyres.

It is a flattering car in the same way a Lotus is, but whereas you'd be sweating buckets after 20 laps in an Exige S you're ready for 20 more in the GTS.

Of course you should drive it properly to extract the most from the Cayman GTS but cack it up and the PSM (Porsche Stability Management) takes over and sorts things out.

You can drive lap after lap, improving your lines, leaving the braking later and acceleration earlier and the GTS remains neutral. It never throws a spanner in the works, staying faithfully accurate at every turn.

I normally stay dead silent when at the wheel on a race track but I was chattering away to my bewildered passenger - such is the measure of the car, it's confidence inspiring and allows you to use more brainpower to drive it than worry about what it might do next.

The 911 is a similarly finely-tuned track weapon but the Cayman GTS is marginally more tolerant and easier to drive due to its superior balance (the engine not being in the boot) and as such rewards the driver more.

The Porsche Cayman GTS is one of those rare beasts - a car that is more than the sum of its parts. A Cayman S with all the options the GTS has as standard costs £55k but the GTS is a much better car.

It is the best new sports car in 2014.

Stats:

Price - £55,397
Engine - 3.4 litre, flat-6, petrol
Transmission - 6-speed manual
0-62mph - 4.9 seconds
Top speed - 177mph
Power - 336bhp
Torque - 280lb ft
Economy - 31.4mpg
CO2 - 211g/km
Kerb weight - 1,345kg

Porsche Cayman GTS

Porsche Cayman GTS

By Matt Hubbard

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2014 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

A new Porsche with the letters GTS after its name is something special, a new Porsche 911 Carrera GTS is really, rather special

2014 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

The 911 Carrera GTS is cheaper than a Turbo or RS yet offers improved power, performance, exclusivity and looks over a standard Carrera. It's the everyday 911 that offers perhaps the best blend of real-world performance and usability.

The 991 Carrera GTS comes in four forms, coupe or convertible, rear or four wheel drive. It takes the 3.8 litre flat-6 from the Carrera and adds 30hp, to produce 430hp. Sport Chrono is included which adds dynamic engine mounts and Porsche Active Suspension Management which also lowers the suspension by 10mm.

0-62mph in the Carrera GTS Coupe with PDK gearbox takes 4.0 seconds and the top speed is 198mph.

As well as GTS logos the car gets a wider body and track at the rear, dynamic lights, 18 inch wheels and a sports exhaust.

The Porsche 911 Carrera GTS starts at £91,098 for the RWD Coupe and £104,385 for the 4WD Cabriolet. It's available to order now and deliveries will start in November 2014.

Looks damn good too.

2014 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

2014 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

2014 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

2014 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

2014 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

2014 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

2014 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

By Matt Hubbard

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For Cars Companies As For Rock Bands

I often write articles in my head during long journeys. Not many of these end up getting written and published as they're often rubbish or I forget what the crux of it was.  This time, however, the idea stayed with me and, in hindsight, it doesn't seem too mad.

The car industry is long established. The market is made up of a few majors players who have survived world wars, recessions, mergers, poor product and mega-recalls to exist in 2014.  Similarly music has a handful of stars who have defied the odds just by carrying on.  This column looks at the similarity between car manufacturers and their musical counterparts.

Let's start with an easy one.  Iggy Pop first came to prominence in the 60s. He was innovative and influential, his work appealed to a niche audience but everyone had heard of him.  His sound was spiky and raw but other musicians were influenced by his style, and even ripped off his songs, which helped grow the Iggy brand.  He would have faded away a long time ago had not several collaborations and outside influencers revived him at various points in his career.  For Iggy read Lotus cars. Both of them are still around today, everyone has heard of them and admires them but few buy the actual product.

Moving on to a bigger name - Porsche.  Again, hard edged but with more of a commercially accessible nature than Lotus.  Porsche has evolved glacially, growing steadily, until mega-success saw them become one of the biggest players in the worldwide car market - despite their core product, sports cars, being very much a niche.  Metallica has a similar career path to Porsche. They've been around a long time but have stuck at the same formula, with little derivation, yet they've grown to become one of the biggest bands in the world - witness their recent headline slot at Glastonbury for evidence of that.

Back to a smaller player - Subaru. Once a worldwide name they made a few disastrous choices and, despite the fact the cars are good, slipped into relative obscurity, just as Prince has done.  Both Subaru and Prince are still plugging away with new stuff but neither seems to be able to make their way back to the top.

The next pair have both seen huge success and have both been wildly hyped, for good reason as they were both great.  They were loved by journalists and the public alike and are still remembered fondly.  But that greatness has faded into a shadow of what it once was as the components of what made them brilliant have disappeared so that today only a fraction of the substance still exists. Guns N'Roses and Alfa Romeo - we all want you to be as good as you once were but sadly you are not.

How about Jaguar and Iron Maiden, surely I can't find a link between those two?  Oh, I can.  Both have several distinct phases to their careers.  Both had a period when they were considered the best in the world at what they did. Their stars shone bright and what they produced back then is still considered classic and brilliant.  Then due to infighting, lack of new ideas and trading on the same old same old for too long they fell into a period not so much of obscurity but certainly of inferior product and fallen sales.  But they both pulled through spectacularly to achieve a third phase with the best cars and music they've ever made, eclipsing their earlier work and making them more money than they ever had before.  It doesn't hurt that Maiden's drummer is a huge Jaguar fan and had a bespoke XKR-S built for him by Jaguar's SVO.

Volkswagen has been around for donkey's years. Aside from in the beginning they've never been particularly innovative but have always been there and have sold cars by the bucketload by sticking to a tried and tested formula to become one of the world's biggest brands, just like the Rolling Stones.

Another band who've been around for a long time and have ploughed the same old furrow is Motorhead.  Everyone's heard of them, but by not making mainstream product hardly anyone bought their records.  Perseverence and sheer will, with a large dose of belligerence, has meant they've never been signed by a major label and are still resolutely independent. Their core audience, though, adores them and keeps coming back for more despite the fact the formula is largely unchanged.  That's pretty much the formula that has kept Morgan in business for decades.

I could do a lot more of these but it is probably time to end. Despite what I said at the start of the article it probably was a mad idea. Hope you enjoyed it.

A detail from Nicko McBrain's Jaguar XKR-S

By Matt Hubbard

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Audi Vs Porsche - Left Or Right?

A simple question but a tough one. Out of the selection of cars on show which is your preference, right or left?

Bonus points for those who can spot which car sports badges from both sides.

Join the debate on Facebook.

Post by speedmonkey.co.uk.

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The Ten Best Performance Cars For Under £100k (At £10k Intervals)

Speedmonkey has driven and written about an absolute ton of sports and performance cars. I thought it was high time I sorted out the best sports and performance cars to buy for a given budget.

From £100k to £10k in £10k intervals I've listed the best performance car you can buy in each price band.

£100k - Porsche 911 GT3

The Porsche 911 range starts at £70,000 for the Carrera and goes all the way up to £150,000 for the Turbo S cabriolet.  It would be easy to fill every price band in this article from £70k upwards with a 911 but that'd be boring so I've opted for the sweet spot in the 911 range, which is handily priced at £100,000 - the GT3.  Yes it's an automatic (well, double clutch PDK) and has electric power steering but now the spontaneous combustion issue is sorted the 911 GT3 is simply the best sports car you can buy for a hundred grand.

£90k - Maserati GranTurismo Sport

At nearly 1,900kg the Maserati isn't exactly nimble but it is fast and it's powered by a naturally aspirated Ferrari-built 4.8 litre V8.  Oh, and it looks sensational and seats four in comfort and with lots of legroom.  Speedbumps have to be taken gingerly and the doors are so long you can't park in a normal space and expect to get out of it but who cares. It's a fabulous car.

£80k - Jaguar F-Type V8 S

For £80,000 you get the convertible F-Type V8 S. If you want the coupe you'll need to spend an extra £5k on the V8 R.  Either way you're getting the most beautiful sports car on the planet, with a superb chassis, an interior bedecked in leather and Alcantara and 500bhp (550bhp in the coupe) of V8 that sounds downright awesome and could pull the roof off a rice pudding factory.

£70k - Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG

The E63 AMG is here so we can squeeze a fast saloon into the list. The C63 AMG is arguably the better performance car but Mercedes hasn't added the C63 to the new C-Class line-up yet.  The E63 AMG is powered by AMG's phenomenal 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 and does 0-62mph in 4.2 seconds.  That'll do.

£60k - Lotus Evora S

This is tough territory for Lotus. At this price you could buy a well specced F-Type or Cayman but the Evora S offers something different. It's super quick and has the best steering, handling and chassis of any sports car but some parts of it feel a little bolt on (because Lotus doesn't have the resources to make its own satnav, stereo, air vents, engines etc). Having said that nothing else comes close in terms of rawness of driving experience combined with a superbly appointed interior.

£50k - Porsche Boxster/Cayman S

For this price you could have either a hard or soft top 3.4-litre, flat-6, mid-engined Porsche sports car.  Which way you go is down to personal preference but I'd opt for the Boxster S which takes little away from the driving experience but adds plenty on a summer's day.  Perhaps the definitive performance car(s) at the price and which threatens its £30,000 more expensive big brother, the 911, in terms of everything except a set of rear seats and image.

£40k - BMW 435i M Sport

An M4 costs £57,000 and has 431bhp. The 435i M Sport costs a shade over £40,000 and has 306bhp. The 435i looks great, has the sweet 6-cylinder engine is practical and spacious inside and drives as a performance BMW should.  It's a cracking car.

£30k - Audi S1

This was the hardest price band in which to choose a car.  £30k buys a lot of different cars - the Golf GTi, Toyota GT86 and Seat Leon Cupra are all outstanding but the Audi S1 wins by virtue of its sheer fizz.  The S1 has the VW/Audi turbocharged 2-litre engine stuffed into its tiny engine bay and with 230bhp, a sweet 6-speed manual gearbox, four wheel drive and an actual handbrake it's far and away the most fun hot hatch on the market. The interior is great too.

£20k - Ford Fiesta ST2

The interior design might be a bit plain and the looks aren't exactly sexy but the Fiesta ST is the best sub-£20k hot hatch on the market.  Ford has concentrated on making the ride and handling of its cars the best in class for some time.  Add in a sweet 4-pot engine, great gearbox and torque vectoring and the ST has the beating of the Clio 200 and Peugeot 208 GTi by a long margin.

£10k - Fiat Panda TwinAir

This was the hardest category simply because I've only tested two cars that cost less than £10,000 and they were hardly performance cars. The Dacia Sandero is simple, spacious, super cheap and very slow. The MG3 understeered worse than a supermarket trolley.  Speedmonkey's Colin Hubbard drove a Fiat Panda TwinAir on holiday and loved it, which is why it's our top recommendation for under 10 grand.

By Matt Hubbard

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