Avantime falls into that odd category of drivers cars that the Citroen SM or a Rolls-Royce do. They don't really suit being hooned, but they're engaging simply for the feeling you get from them, the materials around you, the style, the smooth, considered driving style they demand.

Agree with this. I even mentioned it in reply to the original article, albeit as one of the UK's token six cars.

I'm not sure how true the Fukushima/financial/unintended acceleration thing is. The Auris we get in Europe is ostensibly the same thing as the Corolla you get over there (even the interior is similar, judging by your pics in the review) but doesn't seem quite as shoddy. In fact, the last one I drove felt like you'd…

It's about time someone took a Leaf and converted it for the British Touring Car Championship. I know it can be done, and BTCC races are short enough that even one with a modest battery wouldn't run out of juice.

Hmm. The UK only gets six cars, and only one can be British Racing Green. Chances are it'll also be gasoline, and a manual. Make mine a Morgan 3-wheeler, thanks. The world definitely needs one of those in its 100 cars, even if it doesn't offset all those white Corollas.

Agree. Flown with Emirates several time. They tend to have an entire staff for themselves at each airport - even baggage handlers, I'm told - so you get their service rather than the airport's service right the way through. And their Marhaba service is a godsend - once took me less than fifteen minutes from getting…

Fun fact: I've driven that silver Beetle. It's on VW UK's heritage fleet.

A hipster wouldn't be caught dead driving a Golf in Europe. Far too many of them about.

Most hipster car in the world: Anything not as common as yours.

"My husband and I would like to see [the commercial where a lady strips to her undergarments] taken off the air"

I've always quite liked the Del Sol. Was one of those cars that Gran Turismo got me into. Drove a Japanese-market 1.5 once too, with around 130 bhp, IIRC. Good fun, revvy, nimble, snicky gearshift.

I can't speak for anyone else, but when I'm in a big, comfy, spacious car, I'm far more likely to drive in a relaxed, unhurried manner.

You're forgetting the "price" element.

You may be right on equipment alone, but realistically none of the European automakers had anything to worry about with the Neon.

Don't forget their "new Ferrari Dino". Also known as a Cayman with various bits of other Ferraris glued to it:

I've spotted Google cars several times when out and about, but never have the foresight to remember where I was when I saw them. And I'm not sure want to scan every road in the UK on street view just to see if I'm on it somewhere.

A friend owned one of those. Fantastic car, but surprisingly not as noisy or harsh as I imagined.

Obligatory MX-5. Well, Eunos Roadster technically - the V-Spec. British Racing Green paintwork, lots of tan leather, and a wood-rimmed Nardi wheel.

Comparing used cars with new ones. "Oh, that new car is terrible value because you can get [insert something eight years out of warranty and with six previous abusers] for the same price".

1. Depends which generation you're referring to. But of the first-gen, I'd say post-91, since they fixed a crank issue that can cause problems with a very small percentage of cars. But really, even the earliest Miata will still be more reliable than most other cars.