Oldtimerfarm Adventures: A Farm You'd Love To Live In

My fellow readers, lets be honest for a second: farms aren't exactly the most enjoyable, let alone the most fragrant places in the world. They're either quite industrial, especially those ones filled with chickens in every millimeter of the buildings, or traditional and low key. However, if you ever visit Belgium and want to check out a farm to make your jaw drop or even spend a few thousand bucks on some toys, "Oldtimerfarm" is the place for you. Why's that? Oh, nothing much except that the animals are replaced with around 350 CLASSIC cars. This is the car guy equivalent of Garfield going to munch in the food court and deciding to stay there forever and ever, trying out every single car in the lot and feel like Jay Leno for a little bit.

Macho Renault

  "Oldtimerfarm" is located around 70 km away from Brussels. But if you're staying in the more southern part of the country, don't fret because Belgium is more or less the size of a toy car mat. So, in probably three hours tops, you're there from the furthest part of the country. The compounds of this antiques megastore is separated in three enormous, interconnected warehouses with a workshop hiding somewhere inside. As we entered the parking lot, there was already a quite uncommon vehicle in sight: a Renault R2087, also known as "The French Unimog", that was used by the French Army. When compared to the civilian equivalent, this baby came with four-wheel-drive, as well as superior ground clearance. It's even equipped with an axe in case you have to cut trees or decapitate someone in the battlefield, zombie-killa style. Probably one of the most robust and capable Renaults ever built.

Room n.1 (a)

  When you set foot inside the warehouse though, the atmosphere is a little different. In the entrance, you'll notice a few old Landies, as well as a Belgian rip-off of the same rig, from the company "Minerva". However, if you walk straight ahead, you'll enter a gigantic room, containing around 80-100 cars. Right by the door, there's a Maserati-powered Citroen SM, with a Citroen DS "Chapron" cabriolet sitting next to it. Probably the best thing about a DS cabrio is the ride. I was trying to imagine how it would feel, floating over any imperfection on the road, while resting on probably the most comfortable-looking seats in any automobile...with the wind in your hair. The rest of the room is separated in three main parts. On your right, you'll notice a few Alfas (Guilias, GTVs and a couple Montreals), Mercs (mostly SLs) and Porsches (mostly 993s). In the center double row, they have various English cars, such as Jags (XK120/150), Austin Healeys (3000, 2000 and a Healy based kit car, the "Jamaican"). Finally, on your left, you see quite a few 60's/70's 911s and a few 356s. There's even a Delorean.

Look at how small it is!

  One car that really caught my eye was on the left corner of this large room. Next to a vintage sports bike, I think, was an Abarth 1000 Zagato, a very rare jem. It’s a little lower than the motorbike, a testament to how small the car is. The roof has a couple of bubbles for more headroom. The “trunk” *(where the engine is located) also has a gaping bulge. To finish off, in classic Italian style, the 1000 has magnificently flowing and unbroken lines for 50s-60s aerodynamic purposes. This beauty could be yours for only 75k… bargain! A couple of other honorable mentions of awesome cars in the first part are a 600hp, gutted and aggressive  Ford Sierra RS Cosworth with a reduced asking price of only 20k (which I think is an awesome price). The second is a 70’s 911 with 935 bodykit and 610hp, turbo flat-six with the tallest functional spoiler/air intake I’ve ever seen on a road car, as well as its incredibly fat rear tires. Moving on!

  

Art Deco Rides

  The second part of this heavenly dungeon included lots of Art Deco American cars, muscle cars, people’s cars (such as a 2CV, a Fiat 500, a VW T1 Bus,..) and European ones preparing for sale. The old US rides were awe inspiring. There were a few woodies, making you reflect upon its probably troublesome maintenance. The dashes and the grilles were always filled with plenty of chrome, in different shapes, sizes and shades. Every single part of these Chevys, Pachards, De Sotos, etc was either metal or glass, but rarely plastic. People sure liked pretty cars in the old times and they got them! From the Euro side, you had a few Fiat 500 wagons, at white/blue VW T1 and even a turbo Merc 190E Cossie. A further away, you’ll see a Martini Delta Integrale, a 911 police car (most expensive cop car ever), a 911 GT2, you get the picture… crazy cars!

  

The exclusive cars room and Vadim

 To finish our little tour of this house of awesomeness, we went to the third and final part of the warehouse. It was the “exclusive” (expensive) car corner of Oldtimerfarm. It stored Ferraris (575, 612, Testarossa,..) in quite a large variety of colours. With the Fezzas next to one another, you have a jaw dropping “palette” of quality paint jobs. Of course, there were a few Lambos (Diablo, Countach, …) and few more supercars that I can recall. Among ALL of these pieces of machinery of extraordinary beauty, right in the center of the room, is a 2CV. However, it’s not any 2CV. It’s a Safari version, which means that, Citroen being Citroen, put TWO engines in it. Instead of a trunk, you have an engine and a fan. It’s super quirky BUT it costs 115k… for a 2CV. How about an Integrale with low miles and a rare shade of blue? Only 110k, sir. How about an E30 M3 Evo? Pfff, forget it!

   In conclusion, I have to say that Oldtimerfarm is THE place to go if you visit Belgium. I got to see buttloads of classic cars, take my time to observe them and even check out rare rides for the first time in the flesh. It was an extremely refreshing experience and I highly recommend it!

  

 *A few ways to call the engine compartment when found at the rear of a car. A word similar to "frunk" (front-trunk). Here's a very probable phrase in which this word will be used:

"Hey man! Why don't you pop the...":

 "trood" (trunk-hood)

                                                             

 "hunk" (hood-trunk)

                                                             

 "hack" (hood-back)

                                                              

"hoock" (hood-back)

                                                              

"bonnack" (bonnet-back)

                                                             

 "babon" (back-bonnet)

                                                              

"mobabox" (motor-back-box)

                                                             

 "baboxine" (back-box-engine)

                                                              

"trunkbon" (trunk-bonnet)

                                                              

"kolaraki" (just a word I invented) ;)

Room n.1 (b)

Survival Tools

Simple and rugged

Gotta love the SM

The Jetsons' ride, if they were french

Super clean Mini

Cool side mirror assembly

Air Grabber!

I love the Delorean's stainless steel shine

The "Jamaican", the 3000 and the MGB

Sexy Austin-Healy

Jaaaaag XK150 

Psycho RS

The perfect lunchtable

Sweet 911

Whale Tale

Dat Dish, Tho

The ridiculousness of this wing make it uber cool

Meyers Manx SR

"Everybody's gone surfin, surfin USA"

Imagine driving your kids around in this instead of an XC90

What a magnificent dash!

Real Woodie

Amazing grille

The steroids did their work!

I really, really want one

'Vette Duo

Double Kombi

The craziest 2CV ever

Rear engine fan

Or do I want this one?

How the E30 was turned to the M3

"The Driver" Review: It's Not About The Money, Bruh

"I have to escape the cops" look

 
Once again, my fellow readers, I welcome you to another theturborocket movie review. Today, we're going to discover  "The Driver" from 1978: a film that has a cathartic effect on our car chase fetish. If you're reading this, you know what I'm talking about. You can't be a petrolhead and not LOVE car chases... and a good'un almost always has to involve the coppers. Like "Two Lane Blacktop" (check out our review on that), the main character is called, you guessed it, "The Driver" (Ryan O'Neal) and he doesn't talk a lot. However, since "The Detective" (Bruce Dern), who talks a lot, is trying to frame our man, he has to outsmart him in some way. Our main character's job of a getaway driver for first-rate criminals gives him ample money to live comfortably. He doesn't do that, though. He lives in a miserable, little apartment, his only personal belongings being his clothes, a portable radio and his gun. This means, of course, that he does his job only for the kicks. Wouldn't you? I think you probably would. All he does is make a deal, steal a car, get the baddies and escape the cops with sick driving skills.

  This is more or less the beginning of the film, where "The Driver" gets away from the cops in a 1974 Ford Galaxie 500, with which the cops'll manage to get a lead on him. "The Player" (Isabelle Adjani) has seen our hero's his face while helping out the crooks. As she's being questioned by the popos, she doesn't snitch on him and indirectly becomes his sidekick... for a price. "The Driver" manages to clear out this time. The cop, on the other hand, really wants to catch our guy who's addicted to driving like a lunatic. If you actually watch the film, you'll notice how he uses the baddies as an "excuse" to go on a driving streak, while making fuckloads of unused bucks on the side. Anyhow, the cop decides to hire a few second-rate burglars who he caught stealing a supermarket 'cause of their shitty driving. He wants them to burgle a bank, recruit "The Driver" and bring him with the money to a set drop point. Or else, they'll go to jail.

  One night, the crew meets up with our man in an orange 1970 Mercedes 280S at an enclosed parking lot. They ask him to show them his skills and he certainly delivers. Without uttering one single word and the baddies begging him to stop, "The Driver" brings the Merc to the brim of destruction. My guess is that he wanted to prove a point: even if the car's totally fucked, we're still getting away. Then, him having worked with many crooks, turns down their offer for recruitment, knowing of the risk awaiting him if he had accepted. After a short "talk" with one of the criminals, "The Driver" takes the job for double of his usual share. They do the job, the arrogant cop waiting for them to arrive at the drop point. But, this being the underworld, no one shows up. "The Driver" along with one of the baddies, "Glasses" (quite the 70's character naming inventiveness) escape in a '77 Pontiac Firebird and got to another drop point. The amateur crook tries to kill "The Driver" and leave with the money but his plan backlashes. Our hero has the moneyz and leaves in a red Chevy C10 with SIDEPIPES!! (YEAH! ROCK N' ROLL, BITCHEZZ!)

Hard driving + land yacht= amusing

  Nevertheless, let's cut to the chase (no pun intended, but it happens). "The Driver" puts the money in a locker at the train station. The cops want to snatch up the briefcase so they can finish-off their framing. "The Player" is a poor-ass, young, cute chick who wants money 'cause her job is "Doing Nothing". The last crook to be alive wants the money as well. And "The Driver" just wants to drive like a lunatic again. The last car chase is epic. It's between "The Driver" and the chick in the C10 against the last baddie and his friend in a '74 Pontiac Trans Am with a paint job best described as "puketastic". I love how the car chases, of which all take place at night, are so hypnotising without any dialog. Even better when they add a little bit of jazz in the most suspense filled scene. If you pay attention to the driving techniques he uses throughout the film, it pays off in the end. "The Driver" is confronted with the baddies in a warehouse with quite a few pleasurably stealable cars (an old Merc, a light blue Mustang), if I was in his situation. They "play" chicken, "The Driver" being flawless at this game. The baddies go on a crazy barrel roll and our hero gets the key to the briefcase which the crook had stolen earlier. Nevertheless, I'll spare you the end because it made laugh my ears off!

The Merc being sacrificed to the stuntman gods 

 In conclusion, I just noticed that the two movies that we've discovered so far both have main characters that are called "The Driver", don't talk a lot, live very cheap and around driving like madmen, don't have a girlfriend and star in excellent car movies. I haven't ever seen a film filled with so many excellent car chases/ car stunts. Sure, it's not overflowing with dialog. But, in the laconic way that "The Driver" expresses himself, he adds more depth to the message he wants to pass on. To be honest, if I wasn't living in our "blip-bloop-bleep" car era that is the 21st century and instead in the 60's/70's (pretty sure I'd fit right in), I would've become a getaway driver. No doubt about it. Your whole life revolves around being the best at escaping the coppers, while having your adrenaline pumping at surreal levels. I'm super positive that if you have Chris Harris like driving skills, you're ready. It's probably the petrolhead equivalent of a heroin addiction.  It's self destructive and makes you feel amazing. "The Driver" is an underrated movie. Even the plot is quite intriguing and surely had me at the edge of my seat quite a few times. Compared to a more mainstream car movie, "The Fast And The Furious", I find "The Driver" as a superior car movie 'cause it really lets you savour the action. There aren't any ridiculous gazillion gearchanges, NOS, neon lights, shouting and hip hop music. Simply a demonstration of jaw dropping driving skills and natural sounds effects. It's a beautifully pure and straightforward movie. Watch it! 

The New Chapter: A Drive In A Beautiful Guilia

Italian Curves

  As of today, the number of cars that I've driven so far have been three. Yes, you read that right! The guy who's writing about cars for your pleasure, in this blog, has yet to get his FULL driver's licence. Anyways, the three cars I've driven are: a Peugeot 2008 rental car (Americans should probably prepare their search engines), a 2007 Mazda Tribute (one of the earlier "crossovers") and... a 1971 Alfa Romeo Guilia 1300 Super. So, without further ado, I present to you, my fellow readers, theturborocket's first, genuine car review. Lets get crackin'!

  Today, our relative, Dimitri, came with his wife and little girl at my grandparent's place in Greece. The weather is perfect, with clear skies, warm temperatures, combined with the smell of pine and flowers. Dimitri's kind of an uncle and a fellow car enthusiast, owning a few more Alfa's, Porsche's, Merc's and a Greek-made Citroen Mehari ( known as the Pony). I was listening to the cars approaching my house. I was thinking "That's a new one" when one was about to pass. Suddenly, I hear a more distinctive, mechanical noise in the distance. As it was arriving at the house, the brakes squeaked and I said to myself "The Alfa is here". The chrome grille and the bordeau paint job gave a sudden rush of excitement. We greet our guests and almost instantaneously,  Dimitri and I start talking cars. Five minutes after our guests' arrival, I'm putting my bag in the back of the Guilia for a drive with Dimitri. We fired it up and off we went.   

Twin-Cam Alfa Sweetness!

  I'm serious when I'm saying this: from the first 200 metres, as a passenger in the Guilia, I could feel the nimbleness of the chassis and linearity of  the power delivery. It makes a melodic, carbed 4-pot sound. This particular Guilia was a one owner car, with a refurbished light brown interior, a wooden Personal steering wheel and a larger, 1,6 lt, twin cam motor. At 115hp, the car is obviously not face-melting fast. Nevertheless, speed is not everything. First of all, you can't be driving at warp speed on public roads, kickin' the ass out on every corner. Secondly, the thing that really matters the most, in my amateur opinion, is the way the car delivers the power. The featherweight Alfa, with it's short gearing and smooth engine, felt peppy and brisk. So, driving along at 60-80 kph with a car so small, you certainly feel more connected to it. It's a fun experience!

Blends Right In!

Beautifully simple interior is all you need

   Dimitri and I drove along the craptastic Greek backroads, discussing a few Alfa facts. The cabin is like a green house. 80% of the cabin is surrounded by glass. It's also amazing how small this car is. You put it anywhere on the road because of it's size. At some point, Dimitri does a U-Turn and we start our way back to the house. I let Dimitri know that I've had a taste of what driving's on the road... in Belgium. That I've driven my mom and my little sister and even our three-month old cat, Miles while being in surreal concentration mode. Dimitri's answer to all of that was "Man, get your real licence and then we'll talk about it". I was a little disappointed for a second. You see, my fellow bloggies, I was determined and ready to drive the Alfa. It was an excellent candidate for a first, classic car experience. It's predictable, not powerful, light and small. If it was, let's say, 454 Chevelle, I wouldn't have proposed driving it. I know I don't have experience in saving it when the ass'll kick out. And then I'll crash and it'll be embarrassing as fuck! So, I really wanted to drive to it. I asked a few more times, Dimitri telling me that nobody has driven it except him. We arrive at an opening and he decides to hand me the wheel to the Guilia. Great Success!

 Aerodynamic Booty!

  There are four things to keep in mind if you ever drive an old Alfa. One: The handbrake doesn't hold very well. Two: Second gear has always had faulty syncros, so you have to grandma-shift the car into neutral and then to second. Third: You have to baby the gears; don't force'em or they'll grind. And Fourth: The oil pan is quite low, so if you don't have a skid plate (which is the case with this Guilia) and you take a bump a little quicker, the car bottoms out and you're Facked! With these small guidelines in my mind, I was in control of the Guilia.

Driven, Not Babied

  Before I started, I ran through the gears to get a feel for them. The throw is long and pleasantly knotchy. Then, as the key is turned, the 1,600 twin cam sparks into life and settles in a sweet, carbed hum. The clutch is light and very easy to engage if I, as a novice can take off. for the first time, without stalling. The little Alfa starts to move without hesitation and then I successfully granny shifted into second. Dimitri told me I can now drive Alfas since I can pass this small hurdle. Calling the Guilia direct would be an insult: it is telepathically direct. In the beginning, being used to a freakin' 2 ton Mazda jeep, I was flabbergasted in the way the Alfa reacted to the slightest steering input. For comparison's sake, it felt bicycle-steering direct. As I mentioned earlier, the power delivery is silky smooth. And when you do manage to baby the Guilia into gear, slowly and patiently, you get a small satisfaction. When I watched videos of Chris Harris driving older cars, he often said that you have to take your time with the long throws of the gear lever. You have to savour the car the engaging, followed by the slightly faster propulsion  that the higher gear offers. That's the pleasure of driving old cars, especially ones with quirky gearboxes. You drive for the sake of the serotonin filled experience. I barely went over 70 kph, but there's no need to rush in the little Guilia.

Steelies And A Figure Eating Snake!

  After barely five minutes of driving, I stopped on the side of the road to pass the wheel back to Dimitri. We had arrived on the tight, bumpy part of the road so it was safer for the chief to go back in charge. I was amazed by how predictable and easy this 50 year old car was to drive. I finally understood, after almost 20 years of being obsessed  with cars and countless hours watching Top Gear and other car shows, why we love cars. The freakin' Mazda and Peugeot, have no soul, look like the car equivalent of a dishwasher and are absolutely numb in driving ( especially the newer Peugeot). Another thing to keep  in mind is that both cars aren't meant to last. After some time, they'll start breaking down and then sent for scrap or to Africa in the Mazda's case. They're A to B automobiles. But, the Guilia, will live on forever. It's simple, easy to repair and the polar opposite of the previous cars mentioned. It's oozing with character and has a calming effect on your soul. You stop thinking and enjoy the ride. Jeremy Clarkson once said that you're not a real car guy if haven't ever driven an Alfa. Well, I hope I've made you proud Jeremy!

The Guilia philosophising about the future of gasoline

A million thanks to Dimitri for letting me drive this magnificent Alfa and for starting my career as a car journalist. You've let me experience what I've dreamed of trying for as long as I can remember. These five minutes of driving were one of my top two dreams: to drive proper enthusiast car. And not any enthusiast car, but an Alfa! You have launched what I'll want to do for the rest of my life basically: drive cars and get to know the stories behind them. This honestly was 

one of the most ultimate best days of my life, a milestone that I'll never ever forget. Thanks again for the ride!        

Gotta love the swooping roof!

Italian Quirks

Hop In, Sir

Tip Top Black Top: THE Petrolhead Movie?

Nice poster from '72

  One of the most watched car movies of all time is "The Fast And The Furious" from 2001. People OBSESS over that movie... because it's amazing. Especially the part where Dom and Brian get to a stoplight, with the modded Supra, and challenge a bald dude in his black Ferrari 355 drop top. However, plenty of the cars in that movie are mostly for show. I mean, who drives around in Civics and other Japanese cars with obnoxious and surreal decals and nitrous? Not that many ... I hope so. Anyways, the movie we're talking about today is from 1972. One year before the oil crisis, the muscle car was taking it's last breath, with Chrysler being the last company to offer a decently powered V8. Large engines were still ample and cheap to fill up, compared to today. A time of zero knowledge of dying penguins and polar bears, its place being taken by excess turned up to 11.

   "Two Lane Blacktop" is a movie about a couple vagabond drag racers, The Driver (James Taylor) and The Mechanic (Dennis Wilson: drummer of "The Beach Boys") going from West to East, making money by challenging other racers on their way. Their chariot in this story is a '55 Chevy, primer grey with an enormous hood scoop. Under the hood, it has a 454 (7.5lt) big block Chevy V8 with a 4-speed  and a Posi (LSD). They don't talk a lot in the movie and mostly fiddle with the car, like checking the timing, the valve guides, swapping the tires for slicks, etc. However, the duo goes to car meets with zero non-American cars, only Hemi 'Cudas, 1st and 2nd gen Camaros, Superbirds, Chargers, and other funky, awesome sounding hot rods. The film lets you enjoy the sound of herculean V8s rumbling and roaring, the click-click of the gears, the whine from the differential. That's all you need in a car movie. Later, the Driver and The Mechanic pick-up The Girl (Laurie Bird) at a diner. Further down the story, the trio meets up with a guy called "G.T.O." (Warren Oates), a narcissistic dude who picks up hitchhikers and fucks with them by telling them random stories that reveal his awesomeness... or so he thinks. He's travelling down the same roads as the gang in the '55 Chevy, so they decide to race for pink slips all the way to Washington D.C..

The factory car against the homebuilt one

  One of the things I love about this movie is how it takes you back in time, in the America of the early 70's. As the characters are travelling from West to East, you get to see all the old american cars, especially the muscle cars in the drag races. But not only that. You take a peek at the bars, the diners, the gas stations, playing sweet rock music. The dialog is quite laconic in the movie, but the lack of it adds to the experience. It submerges you into the story, taking you on a road trip around the U.S. the right way, at the right time.  This is simplicity at its best, which make Two Lane Blacktop an incredible film. If you watch it, you won't regret it.

Mean as hell '55 with a 454 

Sweet Driving Songs Ep.5: Parliament's "Children Of Production"

Gotta love that afro

Let me ask you guys a question: How are you feeling today? If you're happy, we can make you even happier. Those of you who don't feel Spongebob-like euphoria right now, don't worry! I have the solution: a lil' bit of groove to get yo body movin' from Parliament. The band, that is. Not the room filled with old and loony dudes. This Parliament's goal is to funkatize your life! They want to get your hips dancing. Well, probably not your hips, if you're driving... more like your upper body. Anyways, the song talks about the "Children of Production", Dr. Funkestein's clones, created by him to funk the Earth up. In other words, to control the world with funky sounds like this. I've just come to realize, that Dr. Funkestein's idea is pretty sweet! Just imagine a world where everybody wears sunglasses with stars on them, colourful, eye-popping outfits, dancing around to this music. All hail to the funk! Take me away Dr. Funkestein!

Bimmer Guy Milestone: A Ride In The Best Sounding M3

A few weeks ago, I arrived in my native city, Thessaloniki, which is located in Greece. We're all aware that this is a car blog, not a travel agency, but Greece is easily one of the best, if not the best country for vacation in the whole wide world. Would you like a trip to the beach, to swim in turquoise waters and eat freshly caught  fish everyday? How about a roadtrip to the mountains, where you can simply enjoy the peace and quiet, go hiking to pick oregano and drink water straight from the mountain? Greece has it all.

Anyways, on the first day of my arrival, I started to walk to the bus stop for a nice afternoon walk in the center of town. In the first 100 meters of my journey, I looked towards our neighbour's house to see if his 6,7 lt Dodge Ram Cummins was in the driveway. However, instead of the truck was an BMW E46 M3, lowered, with Hartge looking three piece rims, a midnight blue paint job and a fat-ass exhaust! I said "Hi" to the owner, Makis, expressed my admiration for that beauty and took a few pics. In return, Makis offered me a ride in his Bimmer, the M3. I couldn't believe it!

One grueling week of waiting later, on a late Monday afternoon, Makis stopped by to pick me up for a spin. Right from the get-go, the '46 was loud. In low speeds, like most BMs with loud exhausts, it was a bit drony, but that wasn't a problem. In the first '90 degree turn, Makis just eased into the gas, and the car was already sideways.  Greek roads are so old and shitty, that almost any car has a hard time gripping the road. Keep that in mind as you read this short story; it'll facilitate your understanding.

The first thing I asked Makis was how much he paid for his exhaust. We're talking about a fast 3-series here, not a Lambo. Any price you guess will not scratch the surface of the number I'm about to splurt out. For a "Loud as fuck, boyyyy!" exhaust system like the one on this M3, you need 11,000 Euros. Yes, with three zeros. What, you may ask, makes this exhaust setup so expensive? Titatium, the rare, super light but fragile metal from the headers all the way to the back, topped off with a Supersprint muffler. Makis wanted to put the headers on display in his living room. They're that beautiful... and they make the car sound as if one million bees are buzzing behind it. Makis bought this car new, when he was living in the US, because of his love for BMWs. Like any right minded Bimmer-guy, Makis bought, in 2002, a Carbonschwarz Metallic E46 M3, with a black cloth-leather interior, old carbon as aftermarket trim and an SMG gearbox. Before the SMG loathers start to moan, Makis bought it for an understandable reason: he liked the kick that you get after every gear change. After we exited the small town that is between our houses and the twisties, we lowered the windows and got ready for the action.

Right on the start of the road, a dumb-ass Toyota Corolla was blocking our path. So Makis did what any guy with a 360 hp M3 and cold tires would do: floored it and passed the Corolla while sideways.  Then came the real fun. The uphill was empty, and I left Makis concentrate on his driving while I subdued myself to the M3's screaming. Makis drifted around every single corner, spinning the tires down the straights. This baby will leave you stupefied when you'll hear it nearing its stratospherical, for any car, redline.  I thought to myself that an E46 M3 is the answer to all my problems. I would never, ever be sad when I'd drive it. You simply giggle your ass of. The M3, with its HR coilovers, Brembo 4 piston brakes front and rear, and drilled discs, cornered as flat as a pancake. Combine that
with wide Japanese, three-piece Radenergie rims and you have a perfectly balanced sports car.


As we cruised back home, we stopped to take a few pictures in front of the house, check out the S54 and rev it up enough times to start a new dawn of the dead. Finally, Makis left with a nicely executed burnout for the 100 meters he had  to drive to his house. I was so happy, I hopped and giggled like Pipi Longstocking on my way to my house. The first person I called was, of course, my buddy, Vadim, who, hearing my uncontrollable laughter, asked: "You went for a drive in the M3, didn't you?".


 The E46 M3 is worth all the hype it has received over the years. Even though I adore the E30 M3, it's design is unmistakably 80's. Yet, the E46's curves are timeless and they define it, in my eyes, as the most beautiful M3 ever built. BMW didn't stop there and slammed a 3,2lt 6-cylinder that revs to 8,200 rpm... in a 3-series, lets not forget.  Even after 15 years of ownership, Makis wants to keep the M3 indefinitely. When he has an unpleasant day, he hops in the M3, fires it up and goes redlining around the mountains to calm himself. "Refreshment is 100% guaranteed" is a slogan BMW should've used in one its ads back in the early noughties. Whatever revs to the sky, sounds like a racecar and makes you happy, is worth keeping forever.

Thank you Makis, for taking me for drive in one of my favorite cars of all time, the E46 M3, which happened to be my first ever ride in an M3. So, like most first-times, it will stay an unforgettable experience.

Does she really need explaining?