Name: Mark Burton
Previously owned: Rover 45 1.4, Ford Puma x2, Toyota MR2 ZZW30, Mitsubishi Shogun Pinin, Jaguar X-Type 2.5 auto, Ford Fiesta ST500
Currently owned: Jaguar XK8
On the shortlist: Something very fast, something big and comfy, something old and stylish and something to learn to do motorsport in. I'd also have liked a proper lightweight, like an Elise or Seven, and maybe a TVR, but £100k only buys so much...
The one still on sale - Nissan GTR
Cost: £32,000
Remaining balance: £68,000
Why I chose it: "There were a couple of things I knew I wanted straight out the gate: something Japanese and tuneable, and something really, really chuffing fast. Of course, I also needed something still being made, so this seemed like an obvious choice, as well as a chance to run an absolute automotive legend.
"I didn't have that much choice as I needed to leave money for other stuff, but this car looks in good shape. Mileage is on the low side, and maybe the price is a bit good to be true, but I'm happy to give the seller the benefit of the doubt."
The Brave Pill - Ferrari 308 GTS
Cost: £49,950
Remaining balance: £18,050
Why I chose it: "There are lots of options for appealingly whimsical transport to a local country pub that are less potentially ruinous to look after, but so far as I'm concerned none of them are this pretty. For me the 308 is simply one of the most beautiful cars ever created. I expect it also has a 70s minimalism and analogue-ness (it can be a word if I want it to be) that would be a nice counterpoint to the GTR's relative technical geekery.
"I picked this car by sorting 308s from the cheapest and picking the first red GTS I saw. Partly because I needed to fit the budget, partly because I'd want something I could rattle down a lane in without constantly worrying about losing £10,000 from an errant stone chip..."
The Shed - Ford Ka
Cost: £1,390
Remaining balance: £16,660
Why I chose it: "This would be my entry into the exciting world of grass-roots motorsport! Yes, it's slow, but it slots nicely into the lowest class at my local hill climb, would be quite happy to arrive and drive at autocross or whatever else, and I also vaguely remember reading about some endurance series they can go in. Not sure where, though...
"This was the only one at shed money, and it will do nicely."
Daimler Double Six
Cost: £12,995
Remaining: £3,665
Why I chose it: "I knew I needed a Jaguar XJ from the X308 era or earlier. I can barely walk past one without thinking "my God, that's nice"; there's just something about them. I also knew it had to be a long-wheelbase, for maximum barge points. The question was then which engine: I weighed up the pros and cons of the old straight-sixes and the newer V8s before concluding to myself that, really, there's only one right answer here, however shonky the electronics. This is a dream garage, after all...
"I couldn't see any Jaguar cars with the v12 (though maybe I wasn't looking hard enough), but there were a few Double Sixes. This one seems in good shape, though the lack of number plate is a worry, and for me the interior/exterior colour combo is just about perfect.
"The remaining money would go in the piggy bank to eventually be put towards GTR bits from one of those Japanese tuning companies we all remember from the Gran Turismo games."
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