Supra. The first time I heard that iconic name, I immediately thought of the word ‘Super’. I was an unapologetic comic book fan from a young age (still am) so superheroes were already seared into my consciousness, and the connotations were obvious. A little later in life, I was lucky enough to buy my own Supra, and even more lucky to find one in fairly standard, 6-speed manual twin-turbo guise, just as Isao Tsuzuki – the designer and brains behind the car – intended it. And I discovered that it was indeed Super. Comparatively light of foot next to some…
Author: Gary Reilly
If you’re a motoring enthusiast, live somewhere in Europe and are old enough to recall how sardonic KITT was, then you’ll probably have been lucky enough to have experienced – or owned – some of the greatest hot hatches ever made. From the original Golf GTi to the iconic Peugeot 205 GTi and its 306-based descendants; from the Renault 5 Turbo up to the Clio Williams and its subsequent Renaultsport successors; and even from imported fare like the Japanese market Civic SiR up to the hardcore Mugen Civic Type R examples, there has been something out there to satisfy everyone.…
Car modification. It’s not a new thing. Although it had a boom in the 90s and early 00s, with 2001’s ‘The Fast and The Furious’ in particular responsible for a number of garish, neon-lit and bodykitted abominations, car enthusiasts have been tinkering with their vehicles as far back as the 50s and 60s. A new set of chrome spoked rims here; a carb tune there; some go-faster stripes here; an ECU remap there. As with any large group of hobbyists/enthusiasts, car fans worldwide are a hugely diverse bunch united by the belief that a car is not JUST for getting…
The Z3M Coupe. Lauded by many and derided by others, it remains a marmite car – an undoubtedly raw, exciting and capable alternative to the more common BMW M models, but one whose styling and image doesn’t appeal to all. It’s no secret that the Z3 M Coupe may never have existed at all if not for the protestations of lead engineer Burkhard Goschel. Dissatisfied with the chassis flex of the standard Z3 roadster and arguing that a true //M car needed to be much stiffer, he successfully convinced BMW to let him and his team – albeit, on a…
To say the Nissan GTR brand is something of a Japanese motoring institution would be quite a massive understatement. Affectionately nicknamed ‘Godzilla’ by owners and enthusiasts over the years, the brand – and that badge – are now instantly recognisable the world over. But we have to look back over 40 years to see where the seeds of the GTR’s long legacy were first sown. Originally introduced in 1969 as a 160bhp two-litre straight-six version of the four door Skyline sedan and intended to showcase the Skyline’s racing heritage, it was released in coupe form 2 years later. Both versions…
Now into it’s 32nd year, the Classic Car Show held at the NEC in Birmingham remains a staple of the UK’s annual motoring events calendar. Spread over 5 halls within the NEC and featuring over 2,000 stunning classic cars, the 3-day show regularly attracts in excess of 70,000 car enthusiasts and trade visitors alike. With numerous trade stands, club stands, appearances from motoring celebrities like the Wheeler Dealers guys, a live restoration theatre, a dream rides section, a live auction and a separate motorbike area, there really is something for everyone. Having visited the show a few times before, I…
Bentley finally release information on their long awaited SUV; seismologists running for cover already
As hot hatches grow more powerful by the day, we take a look at how modern technology has transformed them and brought us to the age of the Superhatch
With DCT gearboxes appearing in everything from Ferraris to toasters, is the death knell sounding for the manual gearbox – and does this signal the end of an era for performance cars? Gaz ponders the demise of our trusted comrade…..
Just as Honda are about to launch an all new Civic Type R – now uncharacteristically turbocharged – we take a look back at what many believe is the pinnacle of Honda’s B-series cars, and one of the greatest handling FWD cars ever.
With large naturally aspirated engines dying a slow death thanks to increasingly strict emissions regulations, we take a peep back through time at BMW’s mammoth and unapologetic V12 super-coupe
Held at the NEC in Birmingham since 1991, the annual Autosport show has come to be known as one of the UK’s biggest motorsport events on the calendar. Making my first trip over (although some of my co