Johann Dr Venter

Time to put the new Esprit into context - and context doesn't get any scarier than this lot The Carrera 4 is the best 911 ever, this factory-tuned Aston is the ultimate DB7 and the F355. well, it's a Ferrari. Story by Jason Barlow. Photography by Anton Watts.

Trouble Double. Why settle for an ordinary M when you can have RGM dial it up to 11? We sample its M3 and M6. Words: Johann Venter Photography: Mahomed Abdulla.

In the late 1980s you had a couple of choices if you didn’t want an M5 – Alpina’s B10 and AC Schnitzer’s S5. We pit these ’80s icons against each other to see how they fare today Words: Johann Venter Photography: Mahomed Abdulla  Alpina vs. Schnitzer E34 grudge match – B10 3.5 takes on S5  Heavy Weight Contenders E34s from AC Schnitzer and Alpina do battle.

Six Shifter M5s go head-to-head Manual vs. SMG. Six Shooter. We pitch an E60 M5 SMG up against an example that’s been converted to a six-speed manual. The E60 M5 manual was exclusive to the American market but a South African would not be deprived, so created his own. Words: Johann Venter Photography: Mahomed Abdulla.

Unique fully-restored E30 M3 racer Phoenix Rising. A detailed history of a recently restored South African E30 M3 racer that started life in the BTCC. After a 20-year hiatus the only E30 M3 Touring Car to have been campaigned in South Africa has been restored to its former glory Words: Johann Venter. Photography: Oliver Hirtenfelder/RacePics.

What’s in your Garage? A fantastic collection of E9 CS Coupés this month, all the way from South Africa.  We meet up with Frank Puncec, a true custodian of the E9 Coupé. He owns four of them including the only factory-original Batmobile in South Africa and an E3 Saloon with M535i underpinnings, for good measure… Words: Johann Venter. Photography: Oliver Hirtenfelder.