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There are 2* 4.8s Panemeras on Autotrader, both less than £40k.
And both of them look like a bulldog licking piss of a nettle.
A tiresome * emerges.
The kind of tiresome * who deals with the end product of 'making progress'. Because it's not only middle class nice folk like us who attempt to crack on, the whole Top Gear schtick also encourages the lower classes to try it too, which results in some people being dead.
I too am not a fan of auto cars and tend to avoid them like the plague wherever possible. However the hire car company, not having the manual 3 series I'd requested last year gave me an automatic 330d Touring xDrive instead for my 2 week work trip.
My daily drive is an RS4 and I love to press on wherever possible but must say I was really impressed with the 330d, lovely sounding 6cyl engine, never dropped below 40mpg despite some very hard driving and a huge amount of mid range and overtaking grunt. And the auto box in this was way better than anything I've driven before, much more responsive, didn't hunt around for gears and seemed to know what I wanted from it without using the paddles.
Heard you can chip these to silly numbers, or there's also the 335d which should be very rapid indeed. As a petrolhead I'll still hold out for manual for as long as possible but I was still tempted by an automatic diesel - go figure???
crikeyThe kind of tiresome **** who deals with the end product of 'making progress'. Because it's not only middle class nice folk like us who attempt to crack on, the whole Top Gear schtick also encourages the lower classes to try it too, which results in some people being dead.
Oh those tiresome lower classes. Were it not for their genetic predisposition towards over indulgence we could enjoy all the heroin, rent boys and powerful cars our hearts desired.
Indeed.
Take care.
Macan S is a great car but not available in manual, also over budget
Panamera are great lomg distance mile eaters but imo no sports car and also have a tiny boot.
I will, thank you.
crikey - Member
...and yet another thread which demonstrates why road safety really, really needs the human bit to be removed from any control issues with regard to road safety.Boys with toys don't belong on roads.
"The ethical dwarf, posturing on the moral high ground, presents a ludicrous spectacle"
Also;
"Let he who is without sin throw the first stone"
Sanctimonious twaddle like yours gets real old, real quick.
Save your lectures for those who might give a shit.
Off the top of my head:
BMW E91 335i could be had as a manual I think. Not 4WD though...
Audi B8 S4 as well could be manual. 4WD too.
...and yet another thread which demonstrates why road safety really, really needs the human bit to be removed from any control issues with regard to road safety.Boys with toys don't belong on roads.
I know, in my defence I've had a string of performance cars over the last 25 years with no issues and when I choose to 'press on' I would only do that on a track day. Driving on a road in a performance car does not necessarily mean you are a Top Gear Warrior.
I have an '09 E91 Manual 325i Touring with Towbar fitted. 81k miles. FSH. Absolutely love it and was planning to get the Mosselman 272Bhp upgrade in the spring. However for the right price everything's for sale!
Make me an offer!
While I'm an auto-only person and have been for years I did run a couple of manuals in the past, mainly an Mi16 and before that a 309GTI - both, in their day, quick well handling cars.
But I guess as someone who rode motorcycles for 30 years cars have always been slow, at least anything this side of a supercar is slow compared to a sports bike so consequentially I've usually seen cars as a mode of transport rather than something to 'make progress'.
Looking at these types of threads I think some people yearn for 205 GTI, E36 M3 and similar cars which were light and fast and really felt light and fast.
No modern car will feel like that ever again, some weigh 1000kg more and are almost twice as big. Or least they feel like it.
^I think you're probably right mmannerr. I suppose it's the same problem with modern, capable modern MTBs requiring that you go much, much faster to get the same thrill you did on your fully rigid bike all those years ago.
Unfortunately, I don't think the car you're describing exists.. and you're going to have to compromise on something..
I've only skimmed the full thread so apologies if I've missed this, but if you want something biggish, powerful but still dynamic the only thing I can think of is the new M3 (saloon) in a manual. Obviously you are compromising on the extra space of an estate (BMW really should make one of these to compete with the Audis!) and I'm almost certain there is no option for a towbar with the quad pipes, so bikes would be on the roof.
BMW seem to be hanging onto manual boxes on powerful engines longer than other manufacturers so maybe a good place to start? I specced the ZF 8HP on my M135 and TBH I really like it.. I'm sure the DCT's on the M3 (or equivalent Audi offerings) will be superb. One thing I like about mine is being able to skip gears in manual mode - hit the kick down, pull the left paddle and it will drop you straight into the lowest available gear!
think some people yearn for 205 GTi
309GTi for me
wife's recent Abarth 500 was very reminiscent actually - just about the same weight and power, quick go-cart steering and great great fun at legal speeds... Only fell short of the 205 / 309 "smiles per mile" on steering feel
Vauxhall Insignia VXR estate in 6 speed manual. Not sure if you can fit a tow bar though. Not that I would spend that much on a Vauxhall.
Only fell short of the 205 / 309 "smiles per mile" on steering feel
We're not going to get that back unless electric steering ****s off 🙁