Dan SD Furr

This soft-windowed 911 S Targa has been sympathetically rebuilt and boasts history as colourful as its zesty paint job… Words Dan Furr. Photography Dan Sherwood.

‘Unprecedented’ is a strong word banded about with startling regularity. It’s commonly used by journalists to elicit extreme reactions from their audiences when, in truth, the series of events being referenced can usually draw parallels with another. The current global public health crisis caused by the outbreak of COVID-19, however, really is unprecedented, affecting each and every one of us in a number of different ways, no matter who we are, where we live or what we do for a living. My hope is that you, our loyal readers, remain free from harm and that, before long, we’ll be exchanging stories at rescheduled Porsche meets about our experiences of self-isolation or town-wide lockdown.

Coupé E31 840Ci Sport (1996-1999) BMW’s sharp-nosed 1990s super coupé is now an appreciating classic and, if you can find a well-maintained 4.4-litre 1996-on 840Ci, then you could be on to a winner. More reliable than the gas-guzzling 850 V12, the ‘entry-level’ V8 looks just as cool – with its pillarless side profile and classic pop-up headlights – and performs damn-near as well. But you must avoid the early 4.0-litre M60-engined version (1992-1996) which suffered from Nikasil bore-wear issues.

Clash of the titans. The legendary Lotus Carlton and the iconic VXR8 GTS-R are the undisputed heavyweight superstars of the Vauxhall scene …Words Dan Furr. Photos Dan Sherwood.

Richard Moore’s love of the W210 has culminated in the preservation of this spotless E55 AMG. Words Dan Furr. Photography Dan Sherwood.

Throwing caution to the wind, Tim Dunne splashed out on an 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG R230 after years spent driving down-to-earth diesels… Words Dan Furr. Photography Dan Sherwood.

John Roberts’ love for Mercedes cars can be traced back to the 1990s, when he first worked on his late father’s W110 200. Words Dan Furr. Photography Dan Sherwood.