Favorite Car Reviews

[DFB]

I started a thread with the same topic and title on another forum, it's always interesting to read about how certain car can influence us.

When I was a teen, there was no such thing as Youtube. Anyone who wanted to see cars on TV needed a cable subscription and to tune in at a set time of the week. I LIVED for Top Gear and 5th Gear night. Of course, these days car content is literally never ending, and a lot of those episodes that I devoured are now on Youtube for endless viewing.

At one point, I tended to favor 5th Gear over Top Gear, mainly because they were more informative rather than entertainment biased. That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy Clarkson and Co at their peak.

The first video I want to share is this 2004 review of the then all-new Aston Martin DB9. This is the review that made me fall in love with the DB9, and Aston Martin in general.



The styling, one of the most beautiful and perfectly proportioned pieces of automotive styling in the history of the car. That long bonnet, the organic shaped headlights the perfect sweep of the roof into the deck. The styling still holds its own nearly 20 years later, and the interior has aged better than expected.

But it's the engine that sold me on Aston Martin. It may have started life as a Duratec V6, but it's one of my favorite car noises ever. I especially love that slurred upshift sound from the 6-speed ZF automatic. Later cars got louder exhausts, but it's the induction note I crave. The part where the reviewer, Tom Ford, repeatedly goes up and down the gearbox, I would have listened to 1000 time now.

[DFB]

The next video is this review of the BMW E60 M5 by Tiff Needel.



What a legend Tiff Needel is, someone who was once called the "Sultan of Slide". I think we would all love to have his crazy talented car control ability. I devoured his reviews, most of them of him on a track, going sideways in a cloud of tyre smoke and a howling engine.

This review of the then new 2006 BMW M5 is one of my favorites of all his reviews. The concept of driving a quiet, comfortable four door sedan across two countries, then taking it straight to the track and driving the wheels off the thing would be a dream for most car enthusiasts.

The drawcard for the E60 M5, like all BMW M-cars of this period, was the engine, a never-ending surge of revs, accompanied by the wail of 10 cylinders and the rorty induction note. At one point, he was sliding that car for like 3 separate corners at full opposite lock.

I of course would love to have a E60 M5. I was one of those who actually liked the styling of the E60...............but then I liked the AU Falcon too! But, like many I suspect, owning one would be terrifying. Time has not been kind to that era of BMW's, and the V10 cars are known to be money pits. But videos like this allow me to live my fantasy without having to endure the BMW reliability headache.

[DFB]

Another BMW, and another Tiff Needel review. Or shoot-out.............



The E46 M3 is arguably the best M-car ever, the CSL is probably the best BMW ever!

Again, another video that made me fall in love, this time that stunning 3.2 Inline 6. The standard version sounds bloody fantastic, but the CSL with the carbon airbox was and still is, orgasmic! This would have to be the best inline 6 ever made. Sure, there have been more powerful inline 6's, but I would challenge anyone that didn't go weak at the knees for one of these. Skip to 1.55 and 2.26 and listen to that thing sucking air on the down shift, spine tingling!

I want one, I want one, I want one. Of course, the CSL was sold in limited numbers, in fact you had to have CAMS license or sign a wavier to buy one due to the Cup tyres. A standard M3 would do me, and I would likely fit it with carbon airbox like many others have done. And I would endure any BMW-ness for this car, that engine!

Sadly, these cars are still too expensive, even examples with the SMG gearbox and high km's. This engine also appeared in the Z4M, which I love for the styling as well, but those are still commanding big money.

[Big Dave]

Three great reviews there, I would have either car, but I'd probably have an M5 over the Aston. The M5 is one of my dream cars, so understated, almost a sleeper, based on looks, my favourite is the E39, the one that came with the 5.0 V8.

After watching the first video there was something I noticed, something we're losing with modern cars, the beautiful centre console. Everything new now has all these massive screens, which the average user is going to have covered in finger prints most of the time. There's just no style to them. Also, instrument clusters, I understand that the new digital screens are very versatile, but why aren't they hooded any more, I like a hooded instrument cluster.

I didn't mean to go on a little rant, but sometimes you just have to go where you go.

Edited to say I love the M3s as well.

Sent from my motorola edge 20 fusion using Tapatalk

[DFB]

Three great reviews there, I would have either car, but I'd probably have an M5 over the Aston. The M5 is one of my dream cars, so understated, almost a sleeper, based on looks, my favourite is the E39, the one that came with the 5.0 V8.

After watching the first video there was something I noticed, something we're losing with modern cars, the beautiful centre console. Everything new now has all these massive screens, which the average user is going to have covered in finger prints most of the time. There's just no style to them. Also, instrument clusters, I understand that the new digital screens are very versatile, but why aren't they hooded any more, I like a hooded instrument cluster.

I didn't mean to go on a little rant, but sometimes you just have to go where you go.

Edited to say I love the M3s as well.

Sent from my motorola edge 20 fusion using Tapatalk

Yeah, I hate simulated gauges as well, sadly this is where the industry has gone. I always make the analogy of a high-end watch, to the purist, a digital time piece will never be a replacement, even if it's probably better functionally.

Having said that, some do it better than others. I like how S550 Mustang kept the hooded cluster design with the screen integrated within that shape. Very clean, more character.







Compare that to the new one, it's just a bloody screen glued to the dashboard.





But, you just can't beat a lovely set of dials...........................

[Desertnate]

I loved watching both Top Gear and 5th Gear. As time went on, the production value Top Gear was able to produce was stunning visually. These days, I find most YouTube content leaves me cold since the production quality might not be very good and the quality of the presenters is hit miss.

As for the virtual gauges, I don't get the lack of hood either. Mercedes is really bad with this and most of their screens are glossy/shiny too which makes them impossible to see in some lighting conditions. BMW is headed down that road too in some of their SUV's and when you combine the lack of hooding with BMW's horrible instrumentation lay out, its just a hot mess. Overall I don't mind the virtualization if they make the information easy to read with a quick glance. My BRZ is particularly good at this with track mode being really easy to read fast.

[DFB]

I found these videos waaay back in early 2008 while waiting for my XR6 to be built and delivered. At the time, the whole new car thing would be a new experience for me.

Have been a Chris Harris fan ever since!

[DFB]

I loved watching both Top Gear and 5th Gear. As time went on, the production value Top Gear was able to produce was stunning visually. These days, I find most YouTube content leaves me cold since the production quality might not be very good and the quality of the presenters is hit miss.

There is certainly a lot of crappy content on Youtube, typically from content creators that then have the cheek to ask "like and subscribe" for their mediocrity. But, there is some excellent stuff to be had, both in the content itself and the production values.

Although not always a "review", if I want to listen to an engine do its thing, I head straight to AutoTopNL. While they also do reviews, they spin off videos that focus solely on the acceleration and engine sound. No music, no rambling, just pure noise.
AutoTopNL - YouTube

The Smoking Tire has come a long way from where it started, he's certainly grown up and mellowed, and the production value is great.
TheSmokingTire - YouTube

I also like the quality from the likes of Henry Catchpole/Carfection, Hagerty, Jason Camisa, Harry's Garage...................

Carfection - YouTube
JasonCammisa - YouTube
Hagerty - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@harrysgarage

Speaking of Jason Camissa, this Icon's video on the Mustang is absolutely brilliant. Actually, the whole Icon's series is brilliant.