Car pics

[The Cardinal]

Following a few weeks of gradual polishing and waxing, I've managed to get a few pics. Between a busy job and a baby being on the way, it's not been easy - so "arty" shots are a little down the priority list!

I've now had my 2.0T"Q" for over a month and I'm deeply impressed. It's a very smooth drive and much more relaxing to pilot than some of my past cars (a few pics below too). Although it's almost 3 years old, it only has 10k on the clock and heaps of extras like xenons and Bose. I'm totally converted to the luxury car thing, having previously valued the driving experience above all else!

I can definitely see this one being a keeper. I've been keeping more of an eye out for older Audis recently and it seems that they age very well. Perhaps I'll get an S3 Sportback or S4 Avant next time - but, for now, I'll start looking into a re-map!

 

[Ash B]

Ben car looks wkd! Nice location to....I do like Garnet Red really nice colour. How does it compare to your Clio 197? What company you thinking about letting remap your pride and joy? Congratz on the little one know if its a boy or girl?

 

[Tommy]

197 to sportback, can tell the baby's come! Congrats anyway, different colour on the a3, i like it

 

[The Cardinal]

The 197 was an amazing hot hatch and really grew on me. It's easily the best handling road car I've been in and you need to be in one to see how amazing the grip and poise are. Renaultsport engines free-up over time and mine was a quick one - although I'm no boy racer, I kept up with some interesting cars including an S3 (off the mark; no, I couldn't believe it either). The new-gen Clios are very well-built too, but clearly not a patch on Audi interior-wise. If you have an A3 first and like it for its strong points, you probably won't be attracted to a car like a 197 though; but it's easy enough to justify going the other way.

By comparison, my A3 is very very smooth. It's nowhere near as communicative and ultimately a bit slower at full chat, but it's much easier to pilot at quick-enough speeds and it's a lot more comfortable. I doubt I'd go back now, unless I could have more than one car.

The A3 2.0T seemed like a thinking man's Golf GTi, so it got the nod as a carrier for the daughter we're expecting soon.

I'm thinking of a Bluefin at the moment - mainly because it's a to-the-door service and I'm a busy man!

 

[N8]

197 is poor to be fair, my cousin has one, and I had a 172 before it. Better build quality, but no where as nimple/quick. Anyway, love your the colour of your car. Very rare, xenons look cool too

 

[The Cardinal]

P.S. Location is St Andrew's Major, near to my parents house in the Vale of Glamorgan.

 

[The Cardinal]

197 is poor to be fair, my cousin has one, and I had a 172 before it. Better build quality, but no where as nimple/quick. Anyway, love your the colour of your car. Very rare, xenons look cool too

Not sure I'd agree with that, having owned all the hot Clios since the 16V! Nor would the motoring press - but like I say, it's very different from a Germanic turbo car.

 

[The Cardinal]

Shot with xenons on:

 

[Ash B]

P.S. Location is St Andrew's Major, near to my parents house in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Ahh i know where that is! Not too far from me about 20minute drive! I think when the car back on road i'll be going there aswell
Thanks for that...

Shot with xenons on:

Wish i had xenons! There was a Garnet Red for sale in one of the local garages went to look at it few months back but some one put a deposit on it! Looks the business and seems to be quite rare!

 

[N8]

Not sure I'd agree with that, having owned all the hot Clios since the 16V! Nor would the motoring press - but like I say, it's very different from a Germanic turbo car.

Where do you live Ben? My cousin's from Bristol with the clio. Black one, lowered! I can only speak from my experience...

 

[The Cardinal]

Where do you live Ben? My cousin's from Bristol with the clio. Black one, lowered! I can only speak from my experience...

I'm near to Ashton Gate stadium.

I wouldn't recommend lowering a 197, having done it myself and then gone back! A major part of its ability lies in the long suspension travel, which doesn't affect the grip or handling. Remove it and you just get a harsh ride IMO!

 

[lukebuckley]

never mind any of that... Youve had a timeless classic, wow nice Williams!! I swapped my skyline for a williams for a month and it was hard giving it back to be honest. What a fun fast little car it was. But no... no comparision for an audi!! I always thought I might be rich enough one day to run 2 cars and the 2nd would b a williams clio. For the boyracer in me. NICE

 

[The Cardinal]

Yes, my Willy was excellent fun.

I bought No.123 of the original 500 with very low mileage and ran it in 2003-4. Finding a Willy in good nick was a serious effort even back then, but well worth it. No.123 was immaculate apart from the wheels, which I had refurbished properly.

It was easily the most attention-grabbing car I've had and people often slow down on the motorway to have a look or give me the thumbs-up. My then girlfriend (now wife!) thought that the blue and gold colour combination was a bit sad though - she never liked it!

The Willy was real parts bin special and quite different mechanically even from the 16V, which was itself considerably different from the cooking Mk1 Clio. Both 16V and Willy have different body panels apart from roof and the suspension, brakes etc are much uprated. The Willy got a bored-out 16V engine with lots of engine and drivetrain mechanicals pinched from the 1.9d and suspension front end from the 19 16V.

Like the 197, 172 etc. the 2.0 engine was also legendary for free-ing up over time. I saw many Willys pumping-out 145+bhp at the wheels, when they were only rated at 150bhp at the flywheel! I also saw loads of standard Willys doing the quarter mile in the low 14's. Very fast - not to mention the legendary handling.

In terms of the development effort and different parts that go into any Renaultsport Clio, they're more like RS or one-off edition Audis - although they're clearly less exotic.

 

[JoeD]

Those locations look firmilar, did you take those in Lisvane and llanishen by any chance Ben?