sdistc

Good decision, I think. Apart from the "premium" cost of servicing and parts, the BMWs are obviously designed with the driver in mind - comfortable yet supportive seats, pleasant interiors, good standard equipment. Not fun to change a fuel filter though

So, what did you end up getting? I would have suggested a Ford (Mondeo with all the fruit, or Focus) or a VAG (VW Mk6 Golf or B7/B8 Audi A4).

Excellent work, as usual, Christian! And a well-deserved thank you for JB.

Sorry for the late arrival (and possibly unwanted suggestion) but I remember reading an article on Speedhunters about a 240Z specialist in Kent, Fourways Engineering. It certainly seemed like the gentleman in charge there knew the model inside, outside and backwards - not to mention the impressive parts collection.

Don't fabricate the truth.. what *really* happened was some more "clutch issues" [video=youtube;-Lmm2swivqE]

This is a much better link for restoring 93-96 interior panels (97+ don't have the rubberised coating): http://www.supraforums.com/forum/showthread.php?479872-93.5-96-Dash-Panel-Restoration

To clarify, Lee & Ryan, is this compatible with VVTi autoboxes as well?

Nice work, big man!

This has been precisely my point all along: it seems to my elementary logic that the Boxer motor *isn't* that great if it's not the first choice of high performance car manufacturers (for whatever reason, be it cost, packaging, ease of turbocharging etc).

Sorry, I was unclear. I was basically suggesting that if the boxer is the "best" motor type for sports cars, why don't Toyota produce them - especially now that they have seen inside the Subaru's? Again, this would seem to me to be a very good pragmatic reason for a company like Toyota that is quite aware of cost to benefit ratio.. but startup costs aside, if the boxer has so many advantages, surely it is a good investment?

So do you think, that with Toyota's insider knowledge of the Subaru boxer, that we might see an entirely new boxer motor appearing in Toyota's lineup? Or, given the pragmatic considerations, we would only ever see a new Subaru motor (but potentially with Toyota fingerprints on it, like the new direct injection system)?

Oh I understand the importance of centre of gravity being low, but I was just questioning the use of Boxer motors in general. Porsches are very common in racing, yes, but I was more referring to the general trend in the various forms of motorsport (F1, Touring Cars, NASCAR, WRC etc) in which I don't recall the Boxer motor being the preference. Yes Subaru did well in rallying, yes Porsche does well in racing generally.. but why do no other manufacturers use them if they have such high positives?

Thanks, mate.. I hadn't realised that it was as significant. But, as there are only a few manufacturers that produce boxer motors, and they don't seem the preferred engine configuration in motor racing, was it really the best engine (hypothetically) to get the most out of the chassis? Or am I thinking like a Supra driver, and that the platform needs another 100+ hp to be relevant as "fast".

Nice.. though looks like you're going to get through some tyres with that response!

I, for one, am not too impressed with all the "co-operation" going around with Toyota, because it seems to result in compromising the performance that I look for in their vehicles (a 2 litre Boxer motor for the GT86? Even a VTEC motor would have been better, in my opinion, and I despise the VTEC Honda fans). Nevertheless, Toyota has always been more concerned with "selling" cars rather than making amazing machinery (and yes, I am aware that the GT2000, JZA80 and LFA were statement cars) so it makes economic sense for them to share development costs during this time of financial turmoil (especially given that new buyers seem more interested in how "green" a car is than how well it performs for a given C02 production band). Of course, after watching the Koenigsegg video on camless engines, and their focus on high power without environmental compromise, in the coming years we might very well see a proper sports GT with 500-600hp and still being relatively green.