Most memorable car, hum tough one.
I think its between 2
Alfa GTV 2L TS
Maserati 3200 GT
Alfa GTV
Whatever you think of the GTV they are truely a brilliant machine of their time. I think that this was Alfas best car since being taken over by FIAT. Now for me, I had a Renault thing going on and got a bit brand loyal as you do. After having a string of used ones, 2x14's, 2x11's, 2xMeganes I worked out that a Renault, no matter if new or old would always break so I looked for a new marque. As a lad growing up in the 80's the Alfa 33 always caught my eye and upon passing my test in 87 I was just not brave enough to commit.
It would be nearly 15 years till I took my first step. In 2001, after my final straw with Renaults Megane convertible, I got in contact with Simon Jordon in Bristol who at the time was running Specialist Cars Direct....importing Alfas direct from Italy and knocking about £5k off the dealer price.
I agreed £20k for a brand new Vela blue with black leather 2l TS with 6 stack CD and upgraded 17" teledials.
What I could not beleive was. How much better the GTV was finished than what I had been used to. I still remember clearly to this day driving off and hitting a set of light where I just sat and stared around the cockpit and just marvelled at how **** beautiful the thing was.
Quick, God yes. It had what I could only explain to be a power band at 4k rpm that was addictive to hit time and time again.
As an added bonus the reliability was bomb proof. I am trying to think of anything that went wrong and I can't. I had a 3.2 afterwards which was bonkers but the "Twinny" was like a first love
Maserati 3200 GT
Again, a most memorable drive home!
This was my first foray into the Maserati marque and one I think was instrumental to where I am today.
I was still in the 3.2 GTV and had no complaints but Alfa were at the start of ballsing up their product line. I did look quite seriously at a GT but after the GTV it was not the performance bump I was after. SportsAlfa.com or GTVV6.com as it was known saw a lot of talk about 3200 and after seeing one in a pub in Guildford I was sold. I knew little of the marque at the time. I did know what a Bora and a Merak was but all the Bi Turbo stuff I had just glossed over.
So after some searching I located a Nutello blue with tan leather 3200 Manual from a dealer in Newcastle. I had to fly up to view it but I knew I was going to buy it so only booked a one way ticket.
After some tyre kicking we did the deal and I set off on the long trip home.
As with any used car dealer car, it had no fuel in it so I pulled over at the first garage I saw and literaly had people circle the car....I felt so proud. The usual question was "What do you do" which basically translated into "how did you earn so much money, I want to do the same" but as we know this is a myth and you don't need to be a footballer to afford these things.
So I made my way home, engine light on of course, and this was to prove to be a roller coaster of a ride of stunning looks, insane power and an empty wallet
....and the rest they say is history!