I just want a car that goes. I have read reviews of cars and am always perplexed by comments such as “not much fun to drive”. What can that mean? It just needs an engine, gears, brake, clutch and accelerator.
3 Likes
I’ll take you for a spin in the Morgan and convert you 
It’s fun to drive, very quick and it’s a cheerful, happy little car.
It is nice rabbit after all! 
1 Like
Some cars are just enjoyable in the way they drive, while others are hard work without any reward or just deadly dull. Having a car that feels great is so much nicer than something dull and miserable.
One of the few French cars that I’ve enjoyed driving was an elderly Clio voiture de courtoisie from our local garage - very basic, but still fun to drive on our twisty narrow local lanes - it reminded me of the old ‘proper’ Minis
1 Like
I really enjoyed my first CX (a GTi) not because of any performance claims, but it welcomed you into its tender embrace and just felt marvellous to glide along in. The 2CVs were kind of fun in a slightly desperate way too, and reminded constantly of how mechanical they were.
I rented a Morris Marina from Godfrey Davis once in the seventies. It was such a basic model it had only one sunvisor. A Morris Minor in sheep’s clothing 
We took it for a spin on the Bagshot Tank Testing Track, where we used to test the Stratos. It didn’t perform well 
I remember reading at the time that when a customer complained about the braking of his new Marina the garage discovered it had one drum and one disk brake on the front I’ve always wondered what happened to the other car that would have had the same, but the sides swapped.
I’m going to admit I’m in the “just as long as it goes properly” club, though you’d never guess it from my car-buying history: Volvo 340, Volvo 440, Toyota Avensis … 
1 Like
I had a Daf (read Volvo) 66 Marathon for a year or so in my youf. It had a rubber band transmission. Toyota still use the system, but with steel bands I believe.
I think the 340 was really a Daf.
1 Like
Yes I think you’re right.
I’d never driven a rwd car before (didn’t pass my test until 25) and it was interesting coming out of roundabouts in wet weather.
Think the West Indian models had those too…
2 Likes
Constant Velocity Transmission? A terrible concept, implemented poorly. Only eclipsed recent by wet timing belts.
1 Like
In theory a good idea. ICEs have an optimum rev range for power and efficiency. When the 66 (and its siblings before it) came out few cars had more than four gears, so engines were operating most of the time outside their optimal rev range. By having an infinite range of gears the CVT could allow the engine to sit within its happy rev band.
It was fun to floor it and the engine would zoom up to its maximum revs (I guess there must have been some limiter or other in the configuration) and stay there as you accelerated away up to top speed. Which wasn’t very fast The revs never changed and CVT just adjusted the ratios.
If I remember correctly, the fuel consumption was horrendous But that might have been because mine was a Marathon, the “sporty” version.
Here she is in 1978. I roped a couple of colleagues into helping me write a computer based rally results system which we field tested on the Donegal Rally. I worked for Nixdorf in those days.
Reviewing the results..
My old pals from the Flag were there as well.
2 Likes
I’ve had mostly VWs - Beetles and Golfs. And a Sierra that lasted for ages and a Honda Accord estate. Sums me up I suppose. However, however, we did once own an MG Midget. For the life of me I can’t understand why we bought it - a family of four! It was fun, I suppose, but it kept breaking down and I couldn’t fix it so it went.
My car is like a good and faithful friend from whom I’d only expect reliability. I don’t expect anything more from my Clio than getting from A to B - and I don’t need to be entertained on the way. Physical comfort to be included, yes, but nothing much more.
1 Like
We had a Spitfire for a while. Fabulous fun, even though a 1.3 ford escort was quicker. It needed attention from time to time, but not surprising for a 20 year old car made in that era.