Every so often the lottery gets to a Frankly Rather Stupid Point – a point at which I cannot resist buying a ticket. This is one of those weeks.
When I buy a ticket the sensible part of my brain knows that I’m not going to win anything, so I have to try to get my money’s worth of DREAMS. During the last couple of days I have been thinking about which GT car I would buy if I had more money than I could sensibly cope with.
The line-up so far is:
- The Aston Martin DB9 – to hell with what a certain opinionated editor thinks, this car is gorgeous. Sure, Aston Martin can only build one successful shape these days, but I could say exactly the same bloody thing about Porsche, and we love them to death too.
The downside is that under all that beautiful coachwork is a monocoque that looks like it was designed in a shed.
- The Maserati GranTurismo S – not as pretty as the Aston (it looks a bit tubby from some angles), but that Ferrari engine sounds like a host of angels being rubbed down with sensuous oils and then set on fire. My God, it’s a beautiful noise.
Of course, being made by Italians it will probably fall apart or catch on fire within the first year, so there’s that. But what a year it would be.
- The Porsche Panamera S – just as awkward to look at in the flesh as it appears in pictures, but it does grow on you (…somewhat) over time. Certainly you have to admire Porsche’s bravery, but every time they try to make something that isn’t a 911 something goes a bit wrong. The interior is so nice (I’ve driven one – writeup here) that I could possibly overlook the exterior, and they’re now available in Australia with a manual transmission thanks to Lachlan Murdoch.
The downside to the Porsche, besides the awkward shape, is the least inspiring engine note of the lot.
Which Grand Tourer would you choose? Let me know in the comments, especially if you have a favourite that I haven’t mentioned.
Edit: the Panamera isn’t really a GT either, but until Porsche bring out the rumoured 2+2 version of the Panamera (which looks MUCH better on paper), it’s the closest thing they have.
Of those 3? DB9, by a million miles.
I refuse to let you buy that ugly piece of bottom Porsche.
DB9 also for me, the missus would be all over a Caterham as well.
PS. we just got two bottles of single *cask* whisky, we have to catch up sometime so you can try them
Caterham make a GT car?
Whiskey – NOM. Let us talk at length on this.
The Maserati GranTurismo S cause I think it’s the prettier one, even if you don’t agree.
DB9 all day every day, all night, every night, wouldn’t even CONSIDER the Maser. But if the Rapide were on offer…(which it isn’t) that might come into the reckoning.
The Maserati is gorgeous and Italian and Ferrari V8-ed but it’s not as gorgeous as a DB9 and is ruined by some little bit of bling.
The Pana is a fat-arsed disaster. Looks wrong, is wrong even if drives well.
Can I vote for the Nissan GT-R?
Call me a philistine (I know you want to!) but I prefer the look of it to the ones you’ve got there
Despite the name the GT-R is not a GT… in fact driving a GT-R all day long would be pretty hellish. A Jaguar XKR would be a GT, or a Ferrari 612…
Leave the GT-R until I get to the ‘which balls-to-the-wall sports car would you have’ post!
Can I say Caterham then?
*sigh*