VW Scirocco Bimotor

0-60 in 4.1 seconds. Anyone would think it had two engines.

The latest Porsche Turbo pulls up alongside you at the lights.

You are driving what to all outward appearances is a normal Scirocco.

The lights change. The Porsche accelerates hard.

And there he is, in your rear mirror. If you could see his face it would harbour an expression of utter disbelief.

All this is an interesting piece of fiction which could become fact, should this Scirocco, now a fascinating experiment, come into limited production.

Because, yes, it does have two engines. And if VW should ever decide to rally it? Well...

Four-Wheel drive powerhouse.

But at present this twin-engined Scirocco is just an example of Volkswagen's obsession with power allied to four-wheel drive.

And it proves the point yet again that the more power you produce, the greater your responsibility to all concerned to provide the road-holding capability to match.

In both areas, the twin-engined Scirocco excels.

Ah, but there has to be a snag.

An engine in the boot.

With four cylinders in the expected place, up front, and another four in the unexpected place, the rear hatch, there's not a lot of carrying space.

Although it is probably fair to say that the owner of the Porsche 911 turbo will not be congratulating himself that he has given you a thrashing on boot space.

When perhaps he would prefer an engine in the boot.

He'll be far more interested in finding out how you came to be driving a Scirocco which takes you from 0-60mph in 4.1 very invigorating seconds and from a standing to 106mph in a mere 11.9 seconds.

At present.

Because VW engineers are confident that 210bhp or 220bhp from both engines will be no problem.

It's a paradox

Outside it's a normal Scirocco. Inside it's a power house.

For each unit has a bore of 81.25, a stroke of 86.4mm and a capacity of 1791cc.

Together the volume is 3,582cc.

Add a compression ratio of 10.9 to 1, Pierberg racing fuel injection and Bosch transistorised ignition systems and you can extract 180bhp at 7,200rpm from both engines.

The driver has at his command a combined output of 360bhp and a maximum torque of 296lb.ft (2x148lb.ft) at 5,800rpm.

Engine speeds and throttle value settings of both fuel injection systems are electronically synchronised.

And the power distribution to the axles is controlled by the driver, giving him different options.

For instance on long uphill sections of loose gravel he can slip into 4-wheel drive, unleashing 360bhp to drag him away.

And at hairpin bends he can close down the front engine to gain a pronounced rear-end bias.

Can it be stopped?

Obviously no ordinary braking system was designed to cope with such extraordinary power.

So VW have beefed it up to the tune of 10in. ventilated disc brakes on all four wheels, with two pairs of servo-operated pistons in light alloy calipers.

The braking ratio between front and rear is adjustable and the handbrake is also hydraulically operated.

If the twin-engined Scirocco ever goes into production it should create an interesting dilemma.

For the fortunate few who will have to make the choice between a boot in the back.

Or a kick in the back.

Toyota Corolla AE86 flying to BTCC victory

The Corolla GT Coupe driven by Chris Hodgetts, racing to victory in the Dunlop RAC British Touring Car Championship.
Taken from a 1988 Toyota brochure.

Toyota Model-F Space Cruiser

Look at the angle of lean! I'd love to know what happened in the seconds after that picture was taken, and what the passenger was thinking.

Citroen BX, CX and Visa Styling Accessories

Scanned from a 1980s brochure. I don't think I've ever seen a BX with those stripes, and I'm almost certain that I've never seen a Visa with that black trim on the tailgate either!

Twice the drive of any other sports car

The revolutionary Audi Quattro. The fastest four wheel drive production sports car in the world.

Powered by a 200bhp, turbo-charged, 2.2 litre, five cylinder engine, it reaches 60mph in a sharp 6.7 seconds with a top speed of 137mph.

Inside, you will find all the creature comforts more normally associated with a luxury saloon. Heated front seats, electric windows, power steering and central locking all come as standard.

And there's seating for five full-size adults – a rarity in a high performance sports car.

Maybe that's why What Car? Has voted the Audi Quattro “Best Sporting Car of the Year”.

Or it could be the 1981 victories in the San Remo, Swedish and RAC Lombard rallies.

Whatever the reason, you can make up your own mind by booking a test drive at any one of the eight approved Quattro dealers listed below.

Just ask for the fastest drive on four wheels.

The Talbot Horizon Pullman

The Horizon Pullman has been developed from the highly successful GL 1.5. It is an ideal car for the discerning motorist who wants exterior style and distinction and the luxury of travelling in 'Pullman' comfort.

Power steering forms an important part of the Pullman's specification - the first time this feature has been offered on a petrol engined Horizon. The powertrain consists of the well-proven powerful 1442cc 82 DIN bhp engine matched to a new 5-speed gearbox.

There is a choice of two duo-tone metallic colour schemes: Jamaica Brown and Sable with Mink trim or Ming Blue and Cascade Blue with Grey trim. Both colour schemes have matching pin-stripe body side tapes.

To enhance this model even further we have added 5J x 13 'Amil 2' alloy road wheels fitted with 175x70 tyres, a front air dam and a bright Pullman badge.

The interior is equally distinctive. The reclining front seats and head restraints are fully trimmed in luxurious velour and the door trim pads have velour inserts. A polished wood veneer capping runs the full width on the lower facia rail and this is complemented by a polished wooden knob on the gear lever.

A digital rev. counter is one of five instruments which are all very readable through the steering wheel. For added convenience there is central door locking, an analogue clock, a map reading lamp, and a load area lamp. And to make your 'Pullman' travel even more enjoyable we have included a push button radio/stereo cassette with a four speaker system and front/rear balance control.

The tailgate lifts automatically and provides access to 11 cu. ft. of luggage space, fold the rear seat down and there's 42 cu. ft. available with full estate car versatility.

To cap it all, the Pullman gives a remarkable 47.1 mpg at a constant 56 mph - which goes to show that a car combining performance, luxury and distinction need not be expensive to run.

Ascona 400 : There's (399) more where that came from!

This is one of a very small batch of very special Opel Asconas. We called it Ascona 400, because that's how many there will be. And while the majority will win themselves a place in connoisseurs' collections, some of them are destined to win international fame.

The standard Opel Ascona is renowned for its superb dynamic qualities and outstanding reliability. The Ascona 400 exploits that sporting potential to the full.

In addition to its sophisticated 16-valve engine, performance was boosted still further by intensive wind tunnel testing, resulting in a lower drag coefficient and increased stability (front end lift was cut by 50%, while that at the rear was reduced by almost 100%!). And although the Ascona 400 makes a spectacular yet practical road car, its design features make it easy to prepare for effective competition use.

Look what it offers:- 2.4 litre, 16-valve engine with crossflow head and chain-driven, twin overhead camshafts * 144bhp(DIN) at 5200rpm, 155lb/ft torque at 3800rpm * 5-bearing crankshaft with 8 balance weights * Electronic fuel injection * 5-speed gearbox, with optional heavy-duty close-ratio version also available * 9" single dry-plate clutch * Choice of 3.18:1 or 3.45:1 rear axle ratios * 80% locking differential * Gas-filled shock absorbers * Specially uprated front and rear suspension with 5-link back axle * Light alloy 6Jx15 wheels with ultra-low profile 205/50 VR 15 steel-braced tyres * Front and rear spoilers, plus side spoilers linking wheel arch extensions.

Performance: 0-62mph in 7.6 secs. Top speed (depending on rear axle ratio) 125+ mph.

Capri 2.8 Turbo by Tickford

Ford's Capri 2.8 Injection combines the styling and performance of a supercar with the space, comfort and convenience of a family-sized hatchback. It is also exceptionally good value for money.

But some people want even more power and comfort. That's why the 2.8 Injection, a great car in its own right, has been turned into something really special by Aston Martin Tickford.

The sensational transformation has been achieved without altering the Capri's basic bodywork. However, it has panels of tough, glass reinforced plastic which are neatly bolted to the Capri's nose, flanks and tail. These reduce the drag factor to 0.37 while lift at the front and rear is reduced by more than 40 per cent.

Under the bonnet is the Ford 2.8 Injection engine, married to a very compact IHI turbocharger with a Garrett intercooler, AFT digital computerised ignition plus Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection.

The engine delivers a massive 205bhp and 260 lb/ft of torque. As the figures clearly indicate there is plenty of muscle where it's really appreciated - between 2000 and 4000rpm to provide vivid acceleration.

At the rear, Tickford fit a limited-slip differential and an 'A' frame to provide additional location for the axle. The rear drum and brakes are replaced by 10.43" discs to cope with the extra performance.

Inside there is a leather-trimmed walnut fascia with a full set of instruments. Door panels are trimmed in carpet, velour and leather with leather trim for the rear quarter panels and three-spoke steering wheel. Tickford retain the Recaro seats.

Options at extra cost range from a stainless-steel exhaust system and Pirelli P7 tyres to a complete retrim in Connolly hide and Wilton carpet for the interior boot.

Great expectations become reality when the turbocharged Capri takes to the road. Tickford claim a 0-60mph time of just over six seconds and Autocar recorded 5.3 seconds for the 50-70mph sprint in fourth gear, while dropping to third spanned the same gap in only 3.8 seconds.

In short, Aston Martin Tickford have transformed the Capri's fine pedigree into a world beater with performance, handling, looks and refinement to challenge virtually any car regardless of the price.

The Paul Emery Imp : How low can you get?

Take a look at the pic. And you'll find our Imp's a little lower than the ordinary. We call it the Paul Emery Low-Line look. It gives you a 10% increase in aerodynamic efficiency. Which means your top speed goes up. And your fuel consumption goes down. All by 10%. Ex-Works, the complete conversion will put you back around £115.

Red Oktober

For the past few years I've seen photographs appear online after the annual Red Oktober event at Crich Tramway Village in Derbyshire and I always promise myself that I'll make it the following year. This year I finally managed it.

The event is a meeting of Eastern Bloc vehicles built before the fall of the Berlin Wall in a picturesque vintage British setting amongst cobbled streets and beautiful old Trams. Many of the participants dress in period-correct military clothing to go with their vehicles which made for some interesting sights appearing out of the early morning fog!

The full set of photos is here, and there are some highlights below.

Fast, faster and good morning officer

It's possible some people have only a blurred idea of what the new Morris Marinas look like. The following may explain why.

The 1.3 litre saloon, the gentlest powered model in the range, does 0-50mph in a mere 11.8 seconds. The 1.8 Coupe does it in 8.5. And the 1.8TC in an incredible 8.3 seconds, (that's quicker even than the exotic Lancia Flavia). Top speed goes up to 100mph.

The first engine is British Leyland's 'A' series - three times winner at Monte Carlo and regular class winner at Le Mans and Sebring.

The second engine is the famous 'B' series. And the third, the hottest and most highly tuned, is currently powering the MGB GT.

All have literally millions of miles of tests, trials and triumphs behind them. (Remember the 24th November when the 1.3 Coupe roared home first in its class in the 1971 RAC Rally?)

How they go is typical of the British Leyland engineering that went into the new Marina.

The suspension. Torsion bar - as on the E-Type - gives a very high degree of roadholding on fast bends.

The finish. A long, multi-stage paint job which makes the Marina almost a garage on wheels. So you can forget about garaging problems in winter.

The underside. 64 sq. ft of underbody protection. Something you usually find only on far more expensive cars.

The space. With 4 people in, the Marina is more like a lounge than a car. Which means there's easily room for 5. And all the luggage that goes with them.

The economy. You're not going to believe it - up to 43mph at 40mph on the 1.3, (There aren't many saloons of that size which can equal that.)

The only problem. Yours, not ours. You're faced with three very difficult choices. 1.3, 1.8 or 1.8TC engine, sporty 2-door Coupe or roomy 4-door saloon, and trims - de luxe or super de luxe. The TC has a trim all of its own. Only a showroom visit and a test drive can solve it.

And it all starts from £917 inc p.t.

Autumn Race Meeting - Oulton Park

Another lovely sunny autumnal day at Oulton Park, organised by the Classic Sports Car Club.

The championships featured:

• CSCC Deutsche Marque
• CSCC Magnificent Sevens
• CSCC Tin Tops
• Jaguar Classic Parts Jaguar Saloon / JEC Jaguar XJS/XK8 Championship
• CSCC Swinging Sixties
• CSCC Future Classics
• Sports Car v Saloon Car Challenge with JEC Powered by Jaguar Series

Highlights for me included the gorgeous Triumph TR4 SLR, some lovely Series 1 Jaguar XJs and a fabulous Aston Martin DBS parked up in the sunshine.

Click for the full set of nearly 400 pics, some of my favourites below: