1. The Sensible - £97,940
(By Nic C, who is middle-aged and therefore obsessed with going to the dump)
2017 Audi RS6 Performance (£41,450)
Any good £100k garage hinges on the actual use case of the person assembling it, and to me that means covering off three things: everyday; fun; mud. A good daily can be sliced many ways too, but I’d argue that speed, comfort, practicality and build quality are to the fore - meaning I’d find it very hard to look past the bandwidth offered by an upmarket fast wagon. There are several that spring to mind, but I’m inclined to think the previous generation RS6 the most appropriate based on its all-weather invincibility and swollen arch presence at the kerb. Granted, they’re a bit old hat inside now - although with every passing day that seems more like a strength; ditto the 600hp 4.0-litre V8, which, courtesy of its sound and soft-edged fury, would likely push down on your pleasure centres like no hybridised modern-day alternative ever could. Still looks the business in Nardo Grey, too.
2017 Caterham Seven 420R (£39,995)
What exactly goes here changes from week to week, not least because circa £40k buys you quite a lot of fun. For most people (or most PHers at any rate) that means choosing a rear-drive sports car and I'm certainly no different; typically I find myself weighing up the pros and cons of buying either a well-used Porsche or a delivery-mile Toyota GR86. But on the basis that my daily 'n' dirty choices cover off any requirement for back seats or a usable boot, I've plumped for the third way: a Caterham Seven. For one thing, I know what I'm getting myself into (having once run a Supersport as a long-termer) and for another, I know the Mrs hates them, so it would mean plenty of me time. Plus, of course, it is among the few modern(ish) cars available to buy that consistently reminds you what the unfiltered joy of driving is all about. This week, the budget buys a very nice-looking 420R. It would do the job nicely.
2015 Land Rover Discovery 4 (£16,495)
Finally, mud. Both driving through and looking good when caked in the stuff. Partly this stems from a) not liking the sight of brown streaks all over a carpeted footwell and b) liking the act of cleaning a car’s footwells even less. Also, I like the idea of owning a rough ’n’ tumble 4x4 that I profess to not care about much, but secretly love driving. The Disco 4 ticks all these boxes, as well as being van-like in the back. Sure, the crank is not bulletproof and it probably wouldn’t be hassle-free even if it was - but the car looks timelessly great in a way that its successor does not, and is a lovely way to get about for not a lot of money. That’s no secret, of course, and its enduring popularity you’ll pay up to £30k for a really good one. But half as much will get you something that looks right at home in a National Trust car park. Or at the tip. NC
2. The Brave - £95,960
(By Matt B, who isn't afraid of TVR ownership or cars that won’t accept a child seat)
2004 TVR T350C (£34,995)
Predictable though it will probably sound, the appeal of something like a TVR continues to soar when the working week is spent with new cars. Faced with a barrage of interfering tech that feels a lot more hassle than it’s worth, it’s all too easy to clamour for a simpler but supremely exciting past. The T350 remains my personal favourite of the bunch - I love the look, and prefer a straight-six sound to V8. The colour, comprehensive history and spec of this one really drew it to me, which includes an even rowdier exhaust and refurbished Gaz dampers. Your eyes aren’t deceiving you, either, as this really is on diddy wheels as well. The seller is offering the standard 18s or these 16s, which are said to be comfier. Bet it’s even more fun to drive on the little 'uns, too. The one to remind me, like NC's Caterham, what driving is all about.
2015 Lexus RC F (£26,975)
A few boxes ticked by the Lexus: the quirky Japanese car, the V8 car, and the modified car. Our recent twin test between an RC F and Mustang highlighted just what a lovely car the Lexus remains; not the sharpest car to drive any longer (and it wasn’t class-leading a decade ago), but just such a joy to use and interact with. Plus it felt unimpeachably solid, which bodes very well for a used example. And because Lexus changed so little over 10 years on sale, that quality should mean that an old F shouldn’t feel tremendously different from a new one - for one thing, that 5.0-litre V8 was actually a few horsepower stronger to begin with, in its pre-filter days. This one has had two owners, some recent work at Lexus, and has covered just 40k since 2015. Perhaps gold Volk TE37s and red leather aren’t very Lexus, but I’m a huge fan of both. Surely a fabulous thing to romp around in everyday, for not much more than a quarter of the budget.
1981 BMW 323i (£21,995)
The best set of seats I’ve ever seen, with a BMW thrown in for free. Honestly, I can’t stop looking at the re-trimmed Recaros in this 3 Series; it would almost be a shame to sit in them, really. In my mind E21s are still 30 years old, whereas actually this reasonably late one is nearly 45, so it can definitely serve as the classic car for summer shows and sunny Sundays. But hopefully it isn’t one to mollycoddle too much, at least no further than an old 3 Series needs to be, because it’s been running in modified form for a while with a larger 2.5-litre engine, LSD and Gaz coilovers among other things. So it’s not an unmolested original specimen that must be preserved at all costs. It’s an old 3 Series that looks great and hopefully goes even better, so it’d be used as much as possible. Just maybe not in the rain, if the E21s rep is anything to go by…
2009 Renault Clio 200 Cup (£11,995)
Every dream garage should have a hot hatch of some description, and narrowing this down was a tough job. Part of me wanted a Mini, because I miss my Cooper S more than expected; part of me wanted a silly Honda Civic, because I miss my VTI sometimes; part me wanted a 306, because... you get the idea. But I’ve chosen a hot hatch hero that I haven’t owned yet: a Clio 200. It’s almost an exact match for Renault’s old press car that so comprehensively won me over back in the day: Alien Green, Recaros, Cup chassis. Like all the best driver’s cars, my abiding memory of the 200 was just how in sync everything felt: it didn’t want for any more power, grip, traction or braking. It was harmonious, hilarious hot hatch fun, one of those cars you could never spend too much time in. This one has some useful upgrades as well, including Bilstein suspension and a few K-Tec goodies, so presumably a hoot on road or track. Again not exactly collector spec, so all the more reason to enjoy - I bet it’d feel like £12k very well spent. MB
3. The Nonconformist - £99,940
(By Cam T, who likes JDM cars very much and doesn't mind who knows it)
2018 Alpina B3 S Touring (£52,500)
To be honest, I could have quite easily blown most of the budget on the latest and great Alpina and called it a day - but where would be the fun in that? So I’ve gone for this F31 B3 S Touring, finished in a superb colour combo of Alpina Blue, deco pack and a cream leather interior, all wrapped up in what I believe to be the best-looking 3 Series this side of the millennium (before you pick those pitchforks up, the E46 landed in the late '90s). Every good garage needs a dependable workhorse, and there is no better jack of all trades. It’ll keep pace with an F80 M3 without your passengers realising, and you can bring a dog along for the ride too. And because it’s an Alpina, it’ll rack up moon miles and still feel tight as a drum. As all-rounders go, it doesn’t get much better than this.
2004 Subaru Impreza WRX STI WR1 (£19,995)
Rallying was my gateway into motorsport as a wee lad. And with the weather being as dreadful as it is in this country, an all-season rally special is a must. Richard Burns and Petter Solberg were my idols growing up, and to mark the latter’s driver’s championship in 2003, Subaru and Prodrive built this WRX STI WR1 special edition. These produced a bit more power than standard at 320hp and, crucially, came fitted with Scooby’s torque-splitting Driver’s Control Centre Differential (or DCCD), which had previously only been available on JDM cars. The Ice Blue Metallic paint was bespoke, and while it’s very much a product of its time, I’m sure it’ll come back in vogue, just as many things from the early '00s are at the moment. These don’t get the sort of attention the 22B or Japanese-only cars get, so I’d say ‘sod it’ to resale values (and the weather) and use it as intended: at maximum attack, all of the time.
2006 Mini JCW GP (£17,995)
Like MB, I'm inclined to think there had to be space for a hot hatch somewhere in the garage. They are the most fun you can have on four wheels, and that’s a hill I’m willing to die on. A Renaultsport Megane may be the logical choice, but the best hot hatches are a little bit silly, aren’t they? And it doesn’t get much sillier than the original Mini GP. Two seats and supercharged four-banger churning out 220hp make for a mighty fine formula, as does a 50kg weight saving (though this car’s air con unit chucks some kilos back in) and a standard limited-slip diff. Then there’s the aero kit, which strikes the balance between smart and sporty superbly, while the Thunder Grey paint looks properly mean without going over the top. A stellar hot hatch that still seems to fly under the radar for many. Grab one while you can.
1997 Daihatsu Charade De Tomaso (£9,450)
Perhaps two hot hatches are a bit much, but my final spot in the garage is one I imagine will see the most rotation. This is the Japanese curio spot, reserved exclusively for the JDM specials that never officially came to our shores. And if the Daihatsu Charade De Tomaso isn’t the perfect candidate for the space, I’m not sure what is. And yes, that’s the De Tomaso of Mangusta and Pantera fame. A brief collaboration between the two companies led to this special edition supermini, with this final iteration developing a decent 122hp from a 1.6-litre naturally-aspirated four-pot. Admittedly, there was an export version called the GTI, only it didn’t make as much power, did without the bonkers body kit and, crucially, didn’t feature the De Tomaso name. So the nod goes to the JDM Charade for now, though it might get replaced the moment a Cuore TR-XX Avanzato comes up for sale. CT
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