Former R27 & Mk1 V6 owner
I went yesterday, It was well good 
Lots of nice cars, I took many, many pics but the lighting was really weird - either mega too bright and white, or not enough, and not really anything in between. And then there were the crowds of people getting in the way and of course, as I was in a wheelchair cos I wouldn't have been able to walk round all day - I'd get far too tired too quickly when walkin, meds wiping me out unfortunately - they just had no problem standing in front of me, and also not being able to see or hear me, which was nice. And of course, I couldn't shoot from the chair without getting railings and stuff in the way
I really liked the Megane R26.R and it was one of the few things I got some decent photos of - mad! Blue titanium exahust, carbon bonnet, full cage, Toyo Cup tyres - all the options were there, it was striking in white as well. And the Megane concept with the Lambo doors and huuuge chrome wheels, with little aero attachments on the spokes was nice as well, clearly mental and nothing like the Megane would actually be, but pretty sweet none the less
It also was apparent, Nissan GB don't want anyone with a wheelchair not only not buying a GT-R, but also, not getting anywhere near one as the gate in the metal railings surrounding the (very dirty and finger printed) GT-R was way too small to get a wheel chair through. The staff then sent me over to the Nissan lounge area, as there was one in there, and told me they'd let me in there. However, the sluts in lycra on the door disagreed, and said people with a voucher were the only ones allowed in - and what we'd been told was wrong. So we went back to the other, and told the guy mum would just queue for me, then I'd walk in, as she had no interest in what she referred to as "a big Micra" - but I could walk in easy, just would struggle to stand in the queue for a long time. The guy also had a problem with this though, despite us explaining we were just planning to swap places, and she wasn't holding 2 spaces. We're not sure exactly what his objection was to be honest, and after another member of staff said it was ok, and also, we'd told him we were doing it anyway as
the next people in the queue didn't care of course, he soon folded over and said something like "Ok just this once then"... Tosser.
Still, sat in the GT-R, and remained in awe of its performance but I must say, I was, to be honest, quite underwhelmed by the look of it in the flesh and very disappointed with it inside. I thought it'd be like, a cross between a Ferrari an a race car - but it was just kinda bland really. Sure it was all very solid, very well laid out, and the seats were leather and super comfy - but it just lacked style and flair for me, to be in that sector. Also, it was a black one, so a lot of the detail in the styling was quite obscured, but the white one in the lounge looked quite a bit better (I know, I looked through the door without a voucher, damn me...).
My favourite car of the show was the Alfa 8C Competitzione Spyder - it was welllll nice, in white with anthracite alloys, absolutely stunning. There was also the new Mito, my brother thought it was foul, and from some angles, he was right heh - but the sporty one was much better to look at - although it was a bit of an obvious attempt to cash in on the New Mini and Fiat 500 retro look bandwagon. The front end was grim, but from the sides and the back, the sporty, GT version I think it was, looked ok.
Focus RS was ok, but I need to see it in another colour, that green wasn't really doing it for me. The Veyron/Zondas/Spykers etc were all stunning of course, and I really had a soft spot for the big white Vauxhall VXR8 - looked stunning. Also inside, it was a lot nicer than I expected, really comfy and actually quite nice. I mean, it wasn't like a Mercedes for quality and toys etc - but it was all very well screwed together and nicely laid out, with some nice touches. The Corsa VXR Arctic would've been nice, but I thought the really high gloss wheels looked tacky - I liked the panaoramic glass roof though. The VXRs were the few things I got decent photos of heh.
I sat in and had a good look over a Mazda 3 MPS, as I thought it looked like, on paper, a good, fast hot hatch that was also quite comfortable and practical. I was hoping for really soft seats and stuff - then to be honest I'd have considered one in a few months. But really, it wasn't very nice - sure it has 260bhp, 0-100 in 14 seconds and 60 in 6 or less, but the interior was just so awesomely bland - felt quite solid but it was just acres of black and grey nothingness. Wasn't even close to as nice to be in as my 197s, also it's 'MPS' seats weren't a patch on the tweaked Recaro CS Sportsters that are standard in the 197 F1. Very disappointing, as they're cheap second hand for the age/mileage/performance etc. Never mind Also the woman displayed some nice stereotyping as she came over and asked if I liked it I said yea, it's nice, probably faster in a straight line than mine as well and she said "Ah it's a shame you can't have one, they're not available on Motability" - so I pointed back down to the Renault stand and explained I had one of those Clio Sports that were respresented by a very nice white 197 Cup with black Speedlines - which I'd bought with my own money. But she couldn't get it into her head, and just said "Ah, you can get the Mazda 3 Sport on motability!" and I just said "Ah I'll think about it, thanks".
I do think I might try and hunt out a really nice normal spec 197, with the RenaultSport seats - as they're very soft and supportive. Had I known my back was going to go this way I'd maybe have not gone for the Recaros in the first place - but hey, the world is full of "if I knew's". I think if someone offered a nice 197, in Nimbus maybe, with rear tints an the upgrade stereo, similar age and mileage to mine (slightly less ok, as mine'd be worth slightly more than a none-F1, so that or cash) as a swap I'd be hard pressed to say no... I love the drive of the car so much, but I'm starting to struggle with how deep the Recaros are and how hard the sides are etc a little bit.
Anyhoo - my pictures are here, including the ones I've posted in here, available in big size -
http://www.danbayes.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=27
As I say, the conditions were well hard going on a rank amateur like myself, so some are slightly blurred, but most are ok, and at the very least, you get the idea hehe Also a lot are from poor angles because I was of course sat down most of the time, so they're through glass and various other things that ruin them. I'm disappointed and frankly embarassed of some of the ones in there once I've looked through again - some of them are just dismal.
I was fully knackered by the end of the day, because although most of the time I was cruising it in a wheelchair, I did keep getting up and walking as far as I could before I had to sit again, it was the furthest I've walked for months heh, and the insane heat in there didn't help.
Lots of nice cars, I took many, many pics but the lighting was really weird - either mega too bright and white, or not enough, and not really anything in between. And then there were the crowds of people getting in the way and of course, as I was in a wheelchair cos I wouldn't have been able to walk round all day - I'd get far too tired too quickly when walkin, meds wiping me out unfortunately - they just had no problem standing in front of me, and also not being able to see or hear me, which was nice. And of course, I couldn't shoot from the chair without getting railings and stuff in the way
I really liked the Megane R26.R and it was one of the few things I got some decent photos of - mad! Blue titanium exahust, carbon bonnet, full cage, Toyo Cup tyres - all the options were there, it was striking in white as well. And the Megane concept with the Lambo doors and huuuge chrome wheels, with little aero attachments on the spokes was nice as well, clearly mental and nothing like the Megane would actually be, but pretty sweet none the less
It also was apparent, Nissan GB don't want anyone with a wheelchair not only not buying a GT-R, but also, not getting anywhere near one as the gate in the metal railings surrounding the (very dirty and finger printed) GT-R was way too small to get a wheel chair through. The staff then sent me over to the Nissan lounge area, as there was one in there, and told me they'd let me in there. However, the sluts in lycra on the door disagreed, and said people with a voucher were the only ones allowed in - and what we'd been told was wrong. So we went back to the other, and told the guy mum would just queue for me, then I'd walk in, as she had no interest in what she referred to as "a big Micra" - but I could walk in easy, just would struggle to stand in the queue for a long time. The guy also had a problem with this though, despite us explaining we were just planning to swap places, and she wasn't holding 2 spaces. We're not sure exactly what his objection was to be honest, and after another member of staff said it was ok, and also, we'd told him we were doing it anyway as
the next people in the queue didn't care of course, he soon folded over and said something like "Ok just this once then"... Tosser.
Still, sat in the GT-R, and remained in awe of its performance but I must say, I was, to be honest, quite underwhelmed by the look of it in the flesh and very disappointed with it inside. I thought it'd be like, a cross between a Ferrari an a race car - but it was just kinda bland really. Sure it was all very solid, very well laid out, and the seats were leather and super comfy - but it just lacked style and flair for me, to be in that sector. Also, it was a black one, so a lot of the detail in the styling was quite obscured, but the white one in the lounge looked quite a bit better (I know, I looked through the door without a voucher, damn me...).
My favourite car of the show was the Alfa 8C Competitzione Spyder - it was welllll nice, in white with anthracite alloys, absolutely stunning. There was also the new Mito, my brother thought it was foul, and from some angles, he was right heh - but the sporty one was much better to look at - although it was a bit of an obvious attempt to cash in on the New Mini and Fiat 500 retro look bandwagon. The front end was grim, but from the sides and the back, the sporty, GT version I think it was, looked ok.
Focus RS was ok, but I need to see it in another colour, that green wasn't really doing it for me. The Veyron/Zondas/Spykers etc were all stunning of course, and I really had a soft spot for the big white Vauxhall VXR8 - looked stunning. Also inside, it was a lot nicer than I expected, really comfy and actually quite nice. I mean, it wasn't like a Mercedes for quality and toys etc - but it was all very well screwed together and nicely laid out, with some nice touches. The Corsa VXR Arctic would've been nice, but I thought the really high gloss wheels looked tacky - I liked the panaoramic glass roof though. The VXRs were the few things I got decent photos of heh.
I sat in and had a good look over a Mazda 3 MPS, as I thought it looked like, on paper, a good, fast hot hatch that was also quite comfortable and practical. I was hoping for really soft seats and stuff - then to be honest I'd have considered one in a few months. But really, it wasn't very nice - sure it has 260bhp, 0-100 in 14 seconds and 60 in 6 or less, but the interior was just so awesomely bland - felt quite solid but it was just acres of black and grey nothingness. Wasn't even close to as nice to be in as my 197s, also it's 'MPS' seats weren't a patch on the tweaked Recaro CS Sportsters that are standard in the 197 F1. Very disappointing, as they're cheap second hand for the age/mileage/performance etc. Never mind
Also the woman displayed some nice stereotyping as she came over and asked if I liked it I said yea, it's nice, probably faster in a straight line than mine as well and she said "Ah it's a shame you can't have one, they're not available on Motability" - so I pointed back down to the Renault stand and explained I had one of those Clio Sports that were respresented by a very nice white 197 Cup with black Speedlines - which I'd bought with my own money. But she couldn't get it into her head, and just said "Ah, you can get the Mazda 3 Sport on motability!" and I just said "Ah I'll think about it, thanks".
I do think I might try and hunt out a really nice normal spec 197, with the RenaultSport seats - as they're very soft and supportive. Had I known my back was going to go this way I'd maybe have not gone for the Recaros in the first place - but hey, the world is full of "if I knew's". I think if someone offered a nice 197, in Nimbus maybe, with rear tints an the upgrade stereo, similar age and mileage to mine (slightly less ok, as mine'd be worth slightly more than a none-F1, so that or cash
) as a swap I'd be hard pressed to say no... I love the drive of the car so much, but I'm starting to struggle with how deep the Recaros are and how hard the sides are etc a little bit.Anyhoo - my pictures are here, including the ones I've posted in here, available in big size -
http://www.danbayes.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=27
As I say, the conditions were well hard going on a rank amateur like myself, so some are slightly blurred, but most are ok, and at the very least, you get the idea hehe
Also a lot are from poor angles because I was of course sat down most of the time, so they're through glass and various other things that ruin them. I'm disappointed and frankly embarassed of some of the ones in there once I've looked through again - some of them are just dismal.I was fully knackered by the end of the day, because although most of the time I was cruising it in a wheelchair, I did keep getting up and walking as far as I could before I had to sit again, it was the furthest I've walked for months heh, and the insane heat in there didn't help.
