Seize the day!

GIVEN THAT THE COMBUSTION ENGINE AND MOTORING as we know it are seemingly on borrowed time, can I suggest we all stop moaning about the prevalence of downsized turbo lumps and instead live in the moment and revel in the experience of simply hearing revs rise and fall, shifting gears ourselves and actually controlling the many facets of the cars we drive?

If the thought of a new four-pot Boxster turns you off, buy a secondhand six-cylinder version instead [pictured], plus a tasty French hot hatch from yesteryear – all for the same outlay.

The point being, we still have many options available to us. We can buy V8 nutters, six-cylinder growlers or four-pot howlers, all for less than a new Focus. No one is stopping us. The day will eventually come when we’ll only be able to experience their aural delights on the likes of Youtube, so until then, fill your boots.

Paul Haynes The letter of the Month wins an Aviator watch

The writer of this month’s star letter receives an Aviator Airacobra Chrono. Inspired by the pilots’ watches of the 1940s, it has a 45mm case, a Swiss-made quartz movement, and Superluminova indexes for outstanding legibility.