In this week's automotive adventures, Steve explores buying an EV car online, appraises a (virtual) Austin Montego facelift and exhorts you to take a snap of your car - one: it's a nice keepsake; and, two: you never know when you'll want to look back on it.
Monday
This might just be the right moment to buy your electric car online. Three weeks ago, there were none available: I walked into a Kia dealership in Swindon to ask about an Kia e-Niro and the bloke behind the desk (who didn’t bother standing up) told me he could probably swing six months’ delivery as a favour to a stranger. In dealer speak, that means nine months. However, as I write now, there are five e-Niros available on Auto Trader, at mileages from zero to 10,000, without premiums.
There are also dozens of R135 (latest) Renault Zoes for immediate delivery. Until recently, it was impossible to get a Hyundai Kona Electric: take your choice now. And before you go to Auto Trader for a Tesla Model 3, there are 31 available from stock: 17 Standard, 11 Long Range and three Performance.
My choice? A Zoe for the household or a Model 3 Long Range, with its four-wheel drive, 350-mile range and 0-60mph in 4.4sec. Can’t see myself paying Elon an extra £9000 to shave another 1.2sec off that already-blistering time. Bigger question: would I feel right ignoring all the pristine Porsche 911 Carrera S (997 generation) that are available for £10,000 less?
Tuesday
My journalist friend Peter Robinson (he was my mentor and later Autocar’s European editor) wrote today from Sydney with memories of Stirling Moss, his boyhood hero who he eventually got to know pretty well. Here’s an unparalleled Robbo extract:
“In 1976, I spent the weekend covering his return to racing at Bathurst in a Holden Torana shared with Jack Brabham. Their car was hit from behind on the grid but was eventually repaired. Stirling went out for a few laps before the engine dropped a valve. After it was over, he told me, eyes sparkling in the euphoria of the moment: ‘I had a ball, boy. We all stop too early. I made a mistake. I should never have retired.’”
Wednesday
Lockdown is breeding such creativity. I’ve been watching various Twitter types busily redesigning unpromising cars – best of which is a recent online refresh of the Austin Montego by a clever Cotswolds designer and illustrator, Russell Wallis. Without binning the okay bits, he has turned a celebrated British Leyland nail into a decent-looking car. In fact, he produced two options, but the one you see here is my favourite.
Wallis also does a lovely line in classic car collections on posters, T-shirts and other things (see it all at his online store, rjwcreativedesign. co.uk). His Citroën stuff is particularly beautiful. He has two completely different illustration styles and takes commissions. Take a look.
Thursday
Don’t forget our My First Car writing competition, launched last week. There are three rules: write a sparkling 300 words (precisely), send a couple of pictures with them and you can only enter once. The competition closes on 28 April at 2359. You could join (what others are calling) a masterclass at Autocar HQ in a few months’ time. Everyone knows hacking is easy; here’s your chance to prove it.
Friday
Suddenly the sun is out. What are we to do with it? One option is to stamp about the house complaining about might-have-beens, but my suggestion would be to start photographing your car or cars. And spend some time digging out images of models you’ve enjoyed (or not) and sold. Last night, I counted up the cars I’ve owned (in the sense of actually having my name on the documents), and it’s a grand tally of 44. Also 33 motorbikes and two aeroplanes.
Of those 79 vehicles, I can now find images of fewer than a dozen, which I suddenly see as a major disappointment. Pictures feed memories that get better with time, so sort some photos of your wheels today and put them in a safe place.
And another thing...
More reading? Try Peter Birtwhistle’s terrific, Veloce-published book, An English Car Designer Abroad, which describes his work on Vauxhall’s Chevette HS, the original Audi Quattro, various Porsche 911s and the Mazda MX-5. You’ll love it; I did.
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Standing?
Seriously Steve - did you just write that "He didn't bother standing up" when you entered? The 1870's just called - they want their forelocks back for tugging.....
I agree with Jeremy
I can't think of a worse time to buy an EV and I certainly wouldn't buy anything online at the moment. No way is that going to be the best method to obtain a bargain.
Dealers are closed and my local BMW dealer has gone as far as to cleared it's entire stock of cars. It's just an empty showroom and forecourt, so once lock down is over they are going to be desperate to sell cars that have been sitting in a compound somewhere for months. The question is who will have the money to buy them?
Oil has collapsed and petrol and diesel have never been as cheap.
Filling up.
I haven't put Petrol in either of my cars since the lockdown began!, but, hopefully, and depending on how the Virus going, lockdown will be eased a bit at a time, life will be different because of the Virus pollution has dropped and people have coped with it.
Sorry Steve, but...
In the current climate with such an uncertain future I for one will not be ordering any new car, never mind one that doesn't suit my requirements (an EV). I need a large estate/MPV type car with comfortable room for 5 to go on long journeys. The only EV that might have come close is a Tesla Model X, but just look at the price?! A ICE equivalent can be had for at least 1/3 of the price of a Model X.