09 Mar 2016

The DeLorean: Is Now the Time to Buy?

Cars No Comments

When it comes to classic cars, there are few that are as recognisable as the DeLorean, or the DeLorean DMC-12 to give it the full name, and there are several good reasons for that.

  • Firstly there is the fact that the DMC-12 starred alongside Marty McFly and the Doc Brown as a time machine that helps Mcfly to… Well, we won’t spoil it!
  • Those gullwing doors! Oh my goodness, surely it’s not just us that love a gull-wing door?
  • The huge disappointment of a heavy car with a Citroën engine and a paltry 130 horsepower to play with.
  • John DeLorean’s memorable arrest and the ensuing failure of his company.
  • That frankly gorgeous polished metal body that looked much faster than it actually was.

Reading the above points you may well think that the DMC-12 was an out and out failure, and other than looking pretty cool in a film, it should be consigned to the annals of history as a disappointing blip.

There are those though that would argue that the DMC-12 was one of the best cars ever made and indeed, it has a real cult following with collectors paying up to £40,000 for a clean example… that isn’t a typo!

A recent article has revealed that the reformed DeLorean Motor Company (based in Texas) thinks that 300 people will be willing to pay even more than that to get their hands on a replica DMC-12. In fact they are convinced that people will pay $100,000 (over £70,000) for one of these ‘new’ cars.

This obviously seems a little optimistic, seeing as the updates are only minor and merely to comply with modern emissions regulations. But maybe you are one of the 300 and cannot live another day without having one of these throwbacks in your life? Don’t worry; here at Smartway we’re here to help add a little perspective so here is a list of things that aren’t a DeLorean that you could buy with that £70,000.

Cars for £70,000

The list of cars available for under £70,000 is huge but one of the picks of the bunch is the BMW M4 which you can get instead of the DeLorean and you’ll have £17,000 in change to spend on petrol. If this isn’t quite fast enough for you then worry not, as you can get a slightly used Nissan GTR, one of the fastest cars on the road for around £70,000 with less than 5,000 miles on the clock.

Boats for Under £70,000

If you don’t really fancy staying on land then worry not as you can bag yourself a Regal Superhawk 48 for a little under £70,000, oh and the lack of power won’t be an issue any more as the Regal has 1,260 horsepower on tap!

Property for Under £70,000

If you haven’t even got a driving license yet, or are perfectly happy with your current car, then worry not as an apartment in Valencia will set you back around £69,000 with the change paying for your flight.

So what we are getting at is an answer to the title question: ‘Is it time to buy a DeLorean?’ The only logical conclusion that we can some to is, no! A very emphatic no at that; yes the DeLorean is a cool car but unless you see £70,000 as pocket change then the best bet is to spend twenty quid on a poster and a Hot Wheels model.

We hope that you’ve enjoyed reading and if you won’t be dissuaded from your gullwinged dream then don’t forget to bring it to us for a good old valet (and probably a few selfies with it too!)

25 Feb 2016

Fastest Hot Hatches You Can Buy Right Now!

Cars No Comments

The definition of a hot hatch is ‘a high performance variant of a standard hatchback model’ it’s a pretty boring description to most people but to us petrol heads it marks a very special type of car. Hot hatches are most petrol heads’ first access to real performance and have cemented many young motorists’ love affair with cars and driving.

The progenitor of the hot hatch was, of course, the mark one Volkswagen Golf GTI . With 108 horsepower on tap, the Golf sprinted to 62mph in only 8.9 seconds and straight into the history books. In 2016 though, hot hatches can offer you performance that you might not believe.

In order to sort the wheat from the chaff and see which hatch stands atop the pyramid we have ranked the five fastest below, enjoy!

Volkswagen Golf R (£31,000)

A Golf with 300bhp? Surely that’s a typo right? Well, actually it’s true; couple this with a sophisticated all wheel drive system and dual clutch gearbox and the Golf is startlingly fast. How fast you ask?

How does 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds sound? Oh and you’ll keep accelerating all the way up to a limited 155mph top speed.

BMW M135i (£31,000)

322 horsepower… all going to the rear wheels! BMW does rear drive fun like no one else and this car is the modern incarnation of classics such as the 2002 and 1 series M coupe. As you’d expect, all that power is going to make this hatchback pretty brisk and of course you’d be correct.

BMW claims a 0-62mph time of 4.9 seconds but reviewers have seen figures a few tenths lower from this wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Ford Focus RS (£30,000)

Despite VW starting hot hatches, Ford have a solid claim on creating the greatest ever hot hatches. Names such as ‘Escort Cosworth’  and ‘Fiesta XR2i’ are some of the greatest hot hatches ever created and blend power and affordability in a market defining way.

This latest iteration of the hot Focus is a real gem! 354bhp going to all four wheels, manual gearbox, 0-62mph in 4.7 seconds, and a ‘drift mode’… a drift mode in a hatchback?! If you can’t have fun in this car, you probably can’t have fun at all.

Audi RS3 (£40,000)

£40,000 is a lot of money for a hatchback, but then again, this is no ordinary hatch, is it? 362bhp to all four corners via a dual clutch gearbox means that this car is likely to bounce your eyeballs off the back of your skull, should you be liberal with the loud pedal.

0-62mph is dispatched in 4.3 seconds and if you spec the performance pack the top speed is 176mph!

Mercedes A45 AMG (£40,000)

Another £40,000 hot hatch entrant has some seriously large numbers attached to it. 376bhp, just let that settle in… that’s 100 horsepower more powerful than a BMW M1, which is considered the birthplace of useable supercars.

Still not impressed? Well, mash your foot into the Merc’s carpet and you certainly will be, you’ll hit 62mph in 4.2 seconds and on to a top speed of 167mph. To put the A45 in perspective, it has the exact same 0-62 time as a 2002 Ferrari 575, a car that was one of the fastest cars in the world at the time of release.

So if you’re  heading to the forecourt this weekend, we hope our little rundown helps you to choose the perfect hot hatch for your garage. Oh and if you already own a hot hatch that has been in the wars a little bit recently then worry not as we offer mobile car body repairs that are sure to get it back to showroom condition in no time.

Thanks for reading!

05 Feb 2016

Most Expensive Cars Ever Sold at an Auction

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The market for classic cars doesn’t seem to be stagnating; on the contrary, the demand for incredibly rare cars suffered a boost in recent years, as proven by the recent auction of a 1957 Ferrari 335 – it sold for such a high price that it made this top three list!

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27 Jan 2016

Top Causes of Driving Accidents: Part 2

car body repairs, General No Comments

Following our earlier post, we feel it’s important to raise an awareness of what exactly is causing automobile accidents to happen and how to prevent them. Whether it’s because of a fault with the car or due to careless driving, it’s vital to stay safe on the roads, especially if you can prevent the accident from happening!

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28 Dec 2015

Top Driving Resolutions for the New Year

Tips No Comments

At Smartway London our team continually offer only the finest levels of service. Whether that’s through our up-to-date, informative, industry-insider blog or providing our mobile car body repairs in London, we only ever strive for the best. Well, one way that we like to be able to help keep you guys safe is through getting you to think about your own driving, and what better way than through contemplating New Year resolutions? Read more