[Rob P]

Thanks Frank, I am very envious as I would love an EV, but for my limited mileage the savings would make only a tiny dent in the large capital cost.

The V8R cost just £5,000, and even its 22mpg doesn't elevate its total costs above an EV. If only Sandra would consider reverting to a tin-top.

Rob P

[eltonioni]

it is more useless than a Boxster/911. The latter 2 having a vastly better range.

.. and two boots to boot.

Always liked the look of the BMW i3 probably because it's got that "by nerds for nerds" thing going on that the original Merc A-class (had one) and Audi A2 (missed out) had as well. That little Merc was a masterclass in design at a time when everything had gone flabby, even Porsche. Mrs E is due a new town runaround vehicle when the Cinquecento expires and the upcoming E 500 looks like a nice little thing that should cure my electric car range anxiety.

I still can't get a handle on the benefits of a lease beyond the lower monthly outgoings. Bear in mind I haven't leased a car for almost 20 years and buy outright so mechanical longevity is something that interests us (I mean me because obviously Mrs E just wants to look good ) as much as all the usual stuff.

[Colonel Panic]

@Flyin'Dutch' - is it correct that you have to undo front seat seat belts to let folk get in the back too? Not very school-run friendly if so.

[Rob P]

That little Merc was a masterclass in design

I suppose that's one way of putting it

https://mercedesblog.com/20-years-since ... t-scandal/

Mrs E just wants to look good ) as much as all the usual stuff.

I suspect that is a lot of the motivation behind Sandra's TT Quattro Roadster (28mpg on a good day... when she doesn't put her foot down... hardly ever). Try as I might none of the current EVs seem to appeal to her

Rob P

[eltonioni]

@Rob P if Merc do an electric SLK I won't get a say in it. That said, I've not bought a 911 since the 997 because they have gone all flabby recently so I'm hoping that the inevitable all electric 911 will slim down again. Meantime it's a solid diet of trim little city cars so there's going to be an electric one on the drive eventually - that TT is a very nice little thing though. Would a doberman fit inside?

[Rob P]

Would a doberman fit inside?

Absolutely. Can it drive?

if Merc do an electric SLK I won't get a say in it.

Yup, same here.

Rob P

[eltonioni]

Would a doberman fit inside?

Absolutely. Can it drive?

No, but. I once had a very polite letter from plod to inform me that I should call them for friendly security advice because the CTT had been parked with the sunroof wide open, I was in the coffee shop over the road, but not a problem, nice of them to care. I replied with an equally friendly note and a photograph of my Dobe that was inside a the time.

[johnm]

There is an electric Porsche apparently

[eltonioni]

There is an electric Porsche apparently

By all accounts it is very very good indeed, better than everything else, just as you would expect. It's not a 911 though.

[stevelup]

...and stuff that's standard on a 20K Kia is optional... Even the base model is the best part of 100K once you've added a few bits and pieces to it...

[Rob P]

As has been mentioned above, somewhat on the flabby side.

An electric 911 will just be a sort of tribute act for the real thing. Flat six, naturally aspirated, rear-wheel drive, manual or it simply isn't the real 911 experience.

Rob P

[stevelup]

Would be a neat project electrifying an old 911. I know there's not much room, but if they can do it in an old Mini, should be possible.

[johnm]

Up to now I've always bought cars around 3 years old after driving their predecessors into the ground essentially. I'm certainly not going to lease or buy a new electric vehicle and I wonder what people think the used car market will look like. I'm in no hurry, the Subaru has only done 165,000 miles thus far and the SLK a third of that.

I've seen that the Subaru actually has a better MPG than my neighbour's Hybrid Lexus so I'm not really convinced by the hybrid scenario and all electric will still have range issues, because I'd be seeing todays technology 3 to 4 years out and presumably older batteries will make that worse?

[eltonioni]

Would be a neat project electrifying an old 911. I know there's not much room, but if they can do it in an old Mini, should be possible.

There are a few examples out there and by all accounts, as you'd expect, they are very very good. @Rob P described such things perfectly though - tribute act to the real thing.

...and stuff that's standard on a 20K Kia is optional... Even the base model is the best part of 100K once you've added a few bits and pieces to it...

That's definitely not a Porsche. Unlike a Kia, you only need the bare minimum, everything else is flab and while it doesn't make it drive any better, it can make the best daily drive even nicer (if that makes sense).

Having a flat 6 911 is like watching James Brown play live - no matter how good, everything else that follows is a tribute act to the real thing. Happily both are in the life book.

These dinky electric city cars look like the future though.

[JonathanB]

These dinky electric city cars look like the future though.

What about the new Citroën Ami...