What's the most expensive modern you've driven?

[j-j]

Last week, I got to take an Audi Q7 out for a drive - just to see what was what with them things. Well, I think I was driving it - it's hard to tell if I was the one making the decisions...

I was very consious that I was piloting a £50K motor. I was also happy in the irony that I was in shorts and T shirt and have long hippy hair inthis gas guzzling beest.

 

However, as expensive and high end as it may be, i found it thoroughly displeasing to drive. For such an expensive car, it had a number of design faults and negatives.

 

The Sat Nav screen is between the speedo and rev counter but is so large that the speedometer and rev counter are too far apart for comfortable viewing - add to that if you turn the steering wheel even less than 10Ëš, it totally obscures the speedo or rev counter. The chrome trim around each also shaped like sad eyes.

 

For such an 'advanced' bit of kit it certainly had noticeable turbo lag. The auto box too seemed a bit sleepy (tho I enjoyed switching to the flappy paddles for the first time). And the air suspension left me wondering if it was actually working properly it was so bad a ride.

 

I also found the lack of visibility to the rear quite alarming! I guess it doesn't matter what chaos happens behind you in one of these things.

 

Center arm rest always felt 'in the way' and the foot operated parking brake although it reminded me of old cars took some getting used to - could never reach the release easily with seat belt on.

 

It did make quite a good noise on acceleration though. Especially considering it was a TD.

 

HiFi was very impressive. But for over £50K, I'd want HAL to sing to me too.

 

The driving height did nothing to impress - it just felt unstable - though I'm sure it was very planted as all huge tyred behemoths are.

 

I can see why the suits and golf brigade love these things so much but it was something I would never have the bad taste to buy - ever - even if I could afford it. It was just so horrible! I was glad to hand back the keys.

 

So have any shiters had the (dis)pleasure of piloting a modern expensive?

 

If so, what did you think? worth every penny? big fat greedy waste of ?

 

What is the shiters' angle?

[andrew e]

I think the most expensive *new* thing was a brand new supercharged Jag about 10 years ago - it was my uncles and we were terrorising Fiesta Si's on a Friday night in Bas Vegas Most expensive toss up would be the 996 turbo or a NSX - both valuable, but not new. the NSX being particulary sweet.

[brammy777]

well, i cant drive yet, but i have been for rides ina) a Ferrari 550M, from Basingstoke to Southamptonb) a Jaguar XJ220. The interior is so disappointing c)a Ferrari 308d) a Bowler Wildcatand during work experience i was given the privilege of being allowed to rev a Ferrari 275Best noise ever

[ashmicro]

Mate of mine has a Vanquish S which I drive, I suppose, every month or so. I found it difficult to see out of, until I spent an ice age setting up the seat. Other than that, thoroughly pleasant. One of the local Nova/Saxo crew asked me "Is that a Corvette, mate?"The same pal had a Countach some years ago, and that was feckin horrible - very difficult to drive, inasmuch as the sheer physical effort required was ridiculous.

[VWPowered]

most expensive vehicle i ever brought was our €700 passat

[j-j]

most expensive vehicle i ever brought was our €700 passat

Ah! it's not what you've bought/owned as such - just some insanely pricey thing you've had an opportunity to have a go in - just want hear the opinion of the seasoned shite fanatic.

[garycox]

It's OK, he just brought it somewhere, there was no mention of buying it...

[AXrescuer]

Last year I drove my wife's cousin's Lamborghini Murciélago to his wedding. I'm a big bloke so it was more like wearing a waistcoat than driving a luxury sports car! :cry:Totally underwhelmed to be honest.

[UglyAmerican]

As part of work I was doing, I had a Bentley Continental GT Speed for a week last year. It was awful. Just truly terrible.Sticker price is $210,000 USD.

[Heep]

I worked at a GM dealer back in 2004, and so got to take out new Corvettes on occasion, Z06 included. Although nothing stood out about them that was particularly impressive or amazing, they were actually quite good machines to drive, despite the cart springs. Most moderns aren't.

[shite_meister]

Well as I wouldn't/couldn't drive the classic Ferrari 250 GT SWB that was worth approx £3.5 MILLION then I'd have to say it was the Mercedes SL55 AMG, 5.5 Supercharged V8 and nothing short of scarey to drive, a quick blip of the throttle had the arse of the car trying to break free along with the contents of my arse. Just awesome, don't think I'd have spent £100k on one new though.

[VWPowered]

It's OK, he just brought it somewhere, there was no mention of buying it...

bought, bought, bought, bought, bought, bought, bought, bought,

 

 

as a fast fitter in the uk for 14 years i got to drive some intresting stuff indeedy, not modern but the Bristol 401 certainly ticked all the boxes for me

[gtd2000]

I believe the most expensive car I've driven to date would be a 2007 Mercedes 600SL.To be fair it was a nice enough car but I really didn't feel that it was worth the asking price.The car belonged to a friend of mine in the US who had more money than sense, until that chap Madoff was exposed and a large portion of his funds disappeared over night I've recently heard he now drives an Acura which would be more to my taste really.

[nigel bickle]

L29 Delphin count?Swops on my Yak 52

[michiel]

Err, probably the Golf V tdi I learned to drive in... I loved driving off with just the clutch, no throttle, but found out later in an old Transit that not every car can do that :roll:I just don't know anyone with expensive cars!

[seth]

I'm struggling to come up with anything "decent" too. Most valuable and modern is probably my in-laws Vectra estate with the indicator stalk from hell.

 

I had a short go in a late '80s 911 and was actually impressed by it. I liked the driving position (pedals offset but used to that from the Herald) and for what I class as something relatively new it did actually feel like it had some soul and there was a good driving experience to be had. Bear in mind this was on city streets,at night, in the rain.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

2006 Mercedes CL500, the big S Clarse based Coupe. Absolutely staggeringly lovely. Such an elegant car, very well put together, fast enough and just lovely to waft in.I also drove a new 645Ci last year. A very nice car that does everything very well except give the driver a sense of occasion. A big, very capable Ford Probe and as many have said, lacks the WOW factor the 8 Series used to have.Merc CL =Yes Please.

[pompei]

Most expensive I have driven - a borrowed Lexus 220 auto. Plush with gadgets and gizmos galore, but left with a feeling of being somewhat uninvolved with the drive. Terrible visibility, like most cars today I s'pose. I wondered why some cars have rear cameras on the sat-nav screen until I drove this.Most expensive I have been a passenger in - Lamborghini Miura. Since I was a nipper this was my dream car. There was a charity passenger ride thing going on at the NEC a few years ago so I had a go. Amazingly crude, noisy, hot and uncomfortable and just wonderful! Don't think I'd want to own one though.

[Station]

I drove the head of the company's new Audi S4 thing in 2000, and a number of BMW 330Ci's - I worked in a mail room (bottom of the rung stuff) and used to take the cars to hand car washes. Did feel a bit scared, I didn't nail them, although I think I did smoke in one of the beemers. I think I was concentrating on all the buttons than driving tbh.

[FredTransit]

A Mercedes sport, used as Princess Diana's personal car. Was a V6 and well, an engine on wheels, under the bonnet was a complete mystery to me. When it locked out the gearbox on set it was a mystery to both Mercedes and the AA. I hated it, and couldn't wait to give it back.

[MrRegieRitmo]

So far nothing exciting unfortunately, for work purposes, a brand new 2002 Vectra, brand new 2006 Galaxy, brand new 2007 Hilux etcBefore I could drive I took my dad's 97 Chrysler Voyager around a car park when it was new.Gonna see if I can be included on the insurance for dad's A5 when he takes delivery of it in September.Was in the presence of my ex having 3 laps of Thruxton piloting a Ferrari F430, didn't get near it myself though Most expensive car personally bought was the Fiesta Si for £1995 Err that's about as good as it gets I'm afraid

[Torsten2001]

I'm a bit spoilt but I guess it would be any new Lambo, Ferrari, Rolls Phantom, Maybach etc, not a Veyron yet though!

[Volksy]

I've driven all sorts, Ferrari 355, Rolls Royce's, Bentleys, most top line Mercs, Maseratis....One favorite was a '75 Aston Martin V8, owned by an elderly couple, who used it as their daily. It was an absolute wreck, lived outside, never washed, scrapes and dents all over, the interior was covered in ash. It generally ran on 7, occasionally 8, sometimes 6. The brakes were rubbish, god only knows how the old dears were able to stop the damn thing.. ah yes, that'll explain the dents... I want to aspire to a vehicle like this in my senior years. hmmm Maybe I'll get a DB9, narrow gate posts, and a sycamore tree to dump sticky orange goop on it.. My absolute favorite was a 1970's Bristol 411, it was like driving a georgian manor house, but this one had a somewhat eccentric owner (I guess most Bristols have) who had a Mopar tuned 6.5 built in the states and fitted to it. Epic is an understatment!!!It kind of reminded me of a quaint old Granny, who could punch like Tyson, and run like Christie... Not so good on corners though

[Rocket88]

Porshe Cayenne. 2 1/2 tons of over complicated electronics ridden shite. Too fast for it's own good, and made you feel dangerously invincible, if you had an accident you felt you wouldn't be hurt. Needless to say I caned the nads off it...........styling looks like a 911 reversed into a badly made wardrobe, and the instruction book for the stereo was incomprehensible, and slightly thicker than the Yellow Pages.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I cant think of any swish motors that i've driven! Got an S-class hire car in 2005, was pretty nice. Also driven one of those big CAT 938 loader things with the massive bucket on the front and a hinge in the middle, that was cool. Otherwise its been 100% solid shite as far as I can remember.

[Guest]

You had a go in my Galant, that was pretty swish man.

[Spottedlaurel]

I can't think of anything truly swish either. A Rover 827 when I was 18, and it would have been under a year old? Pretty shite now maybe, but quite a contrast to the Cherry 1.2 I had at the time...A Lotus Elise track experience when I was 30 left me realising that quick cars/driving aren't really my thing. Relaxed but brisk, yes, but not track-type stuff.Whenever I do drive newer cars, especially if they're ones generally regarded as A Good Thing, my inverted snobbery comes to the fore and I find huge amounts to criticise, rising in proportion to how expensive they are. The opposite is true too, so I find myself more pleased by just how good a car for next-to-nothing can be.Probably the most notable thing I've been passengered in would be a mid-70s Lagonda (DBS-type, not wedge) which had a 7-litre conversion and was manual IIRC. Thanks to Goosegog off R-R/OJC for that one!

[Spottedlaurel]

You had a go in my Galant, that was pretty swish man.

That's pretty much a given, we've all had a go in that Galant...

[Volksy]

we've all had a go in that Galant...

Is the Galant a Harlot?

[michiel]

Err, probably the Golf V tdi I learned to drive in... I loved driving off with just the clutch, no throttle

Just tried it in the Starlet, and it works with that as well, though not as good as with a tdi... light cars ftw.