BUYING JOURNEY
evo reader Tony C or lett shares his varied and ever-changing car ownership history
TONY DOESN’T HANG ON TO CARS FOR VERY LONG – IN FACT THE LIST
here shows merely the highlights. This same attitude has rubbed off on his son too, who after just four years of motoring has already gone through five cars himself.
Of the many models Tony has owned, several have been big, executive saloons and estates, but he also has a real appetite for trackdays and trips to the Nürburgring, so the calibre of drivers’ cars is high.
In between the practical German and Swedish metal lie some real Japanese treats. From a Prodrive-modified Impreza to a Nissan 350Z and GT-R, there’s been a varied selection of different body styles and drivetrains, but Tony has been consistently impressed with the Hondas he’s owned. He describes the VTEC engine and dashmounted gearlever in his EP3 Civic Type R as ‘motoring heaven’.
Lotus Esprit Turbo
‘ Previous promotions at work had put me into some really boring cars, including that Mk2 Vauxhall Cavalier, but when I became group sales director for the company I was at, I was given an Esprit Turbo. Rather typically, it was sent back five times in just nine months for fixes. A three- year- old Porsche 911 Carrera replaced it.’
Honda Accord Type R
‘ I bought the Accord purely to have fun on trackdays. It might not be as good as the GT- R – the most awesome car I have owned – but I loved it so much I ended up using it for daily transport. The engine was incredible, especially after I had it modified to ensure it stayed in its VTEC range when on track. One of my best memories in it was when I took it to the Isle of Man in 2015; I had a ball.’
Honda NSX
‘ When Jenson Button exchanged his second company NSX for an NSX- R in 2006, I bought the former off Honda UK. I loved it and it got me hooked on Honda’s VTEC engines, but my wife hated it and just saw it as a deposit on a buy- to- let house whenever she opened the garage door. The CLK55 replaced the NSX, but it was horrible and I only kept it for eight weeks and suffered heavy depreciation.’