Wondered if it might make an interesting read to learn how the cars we've previously had have influenced us into Vee ownership. I've owned a small number of vehicles of interest, one at a time, over the last 20 years. It's felt like a progression in qualities with each one better than the last in some way, that has ultimately led to buying a Vee. I think each was better than the last as I learnt what I enjoyed in a car. Of course they all have compromises but for what it's worth here's my story of how buying a Vee is so completely the right decision:
During the 1990's I owned 2 older classic cars. I don't have photos of these first 2 on my computer, so I'll load two identical photos. Firstly there was a lovely red 1972 Fiat Dino 2400 coupe that i owned for nearly 10 years. Handsome rather than beautiful. Lovely sound both inside and out. Rarity is a common theme with me. It was nicely appointed in the cabin to. Aristocratic in character. Bertone was good at this sort of thing. I bought it because of the lovely noise, Ferrari attachment, and I was taken by the styling from some angles. The rear three quarter view was attractive. The kids fitted in the back. But I hankered for something a little more special that handled better. The technology was GT late 60's, so while it was advanced in it's day, any more modern expectations weren't met, and that wasn't its fault. I just grew to want something different and so I moved on.
Next came a yellow 1975 Lamborghini Uracco P300. It looked like a lot of bananas had been killed to paint it. The club was quite active over here and I had a great time socially with this car. Friends are a healthy part of owning any special car and this influenced me to keep the Lambo for a few years. Pretty rather than beautiful. Raw rather than refined. It was perfectly reliable and never let me down in 3 years. It felt like a prototype inside in comparison with the might of Fiats development in the Dino though. The development money of a larger manufacturer often shows through and this was lacking in the Lambo. It was a car praised for it's handling in all the period mags but mine wasn't much chop in that department. It bump steered, understeered and then switched to a desire for spinning before there was time to think about it. It was enough to make the Vee seem placid in the wet. A lot has been written about the development work of Bob Wallace on these cars, I suspect he just missed test driving mine.
Early in the Norties my French affair began with a 1969 Alpine A110 1300G. I had bought it in reasonable condition, but it was treated to a full restoration. What can I say, but this was a jewel of a car. Beautiful everywhere, gorgeous to drive. As flimsy as they come and hardly a tower of reliability but desperately desirable. I sold it to fund a business venture and i'd love another one in a blink. It was easy to take a cup of tea into the garage and bask in the lovely features of it's detail. It was so light yet beautifully balanced and planted to drive. No rocketship, but it didn't need to be. Deeply satisfying.
Next came a 2003 TVR T350 T. I moved into more modern territory to satisfy my automotive itches. I believe the TVR T350T was one of only two in this country, so it created quite a storm of interest where ever I went. You will recall that EVO compared the TVR and Vee in favour of the Renault and before owning both I wasn't sure their assessment was right. I had tried to buy the first Vee imported to Australia just before buying the TVR. A mutually acceptable price had proven elusive and I bought the TVR instead. In my humble opinion the TVR is both visually and aurally more arresting than the standard Vee. It rumbled and roared beautifully where ever it went. And the simple petite panel curves and proportions are both beautiful and aggressive at the same time, which is a difficult thing to achieve and rarely done as well. But there are always many facets of owning any car and the shortcomings can get to you if they are too far removed from your own personal criteria of what is acceptable. With the TVR I belong to the camp that confirms they are seriously underdeveloped. With TVR you not only get a great car, you get a development opportunity as a bonus. You'd think I'd have learnt this lesson years before. The suspension is just a bit too hard for Australia, the gearing has gaps, bits fall off and ownership is plagued by the threatened psychological and financial distress of an engine blow up any time soon. The steering is a bit dead and it's too fast for pleasurable handling exploration on the road. It was a privilege to own and a relief to sell.
I live in Sydney Australia which has made finding a Vee something of a challenge. It's a job for the patient. But a very good one turned up late last year and I took the plunge. It's an illiad blue 255 number 078. I'm the 8th owner in 8 years! One of 5 over here, it's always admired wherever I go and i love so many things about it. Not necessarily in this order I love the refined quality and level of the noise. It has a civilised ride. I love the mad styling. Although I still believe the TVR and Alpine have an advantage here. The driving experience is involving and again very satisfying. It's rare. It's built quite well and seems properly developed. They just feel very special in an unpretentious way don't they. People come up and express their approval, rather than feeling intimidated not to say hi. They're friendly. It feels complete, balanced in it's combination of aesthetic qualities without promising to be difficult or extreme in any way. These things make it both easy to be friends with and special in a way that's hard to emulate with any other marque. They're definitely cool and certainly a classic. An interior more special would have been nice, but hey... no car is perfect. Depending on your criteria it's most likely the best road car to come out of France in the norties.
Friends have joked that in recent years I'll buy anything that's blue. A happy coincidence since i like blue. But the joke isn't true. I'm actually very thoughtful about what cars I buy. I like smallish, agile, rare, beautiful, comfortable, well developed, cars that are cultured in their noise and entertaining to drive. A bit of oversteer balance and communicative steering goes a long way down the fulfilment road. Others amongst us may have a different list of personal automotive criteria, but my list has both brought me through these few special cars and settled me into a vee. And ownership of this little French speciality feels very comfortable indeed.
So this has been my automotive walk. I'd look forward to hearing anyone elses car ownership story or comments that have led them to a Vee.
During the 1990's I owned 2 older classic cars. I don't have photos of these first 2 on my computer, so I'll load two identical photos. Firstly there was a lovely red 1972 Fiat Dino 2400 coupe that i owned for nearly 10 years. Handsome rather than beautiful. Lovely sound both inside and out. Rarity is a common theme with me. It was nicely appointed in the cabin to. Aristocratic in character. Bertone was good at this sort of thing. I bought it because of the lovely noise, Ferrari attachment, and I was taken by the styling from some angles. The rear three quarter view was attractive. The kids fitted in the back. But I hankered for something a little more special that handled better. The technology was GT late 60's, so while it was advanced in it's day, any more modern expectations weren't met, and that wasn't its fault. I just grew to want something different and so I moved on.
Next came a yellow 1975 Lamborghini Uracco P300. It looked like a lot of bananas had been killed to paint it. The club was quite active over here and I had a great time socially with this car. Friends are a healthy part of owning any special car and this influenced me to keep the Lambo for a few years. Pretty rather than beautiful. Raw rather than refined. It was perfectly reliable and never let me down in 3 years. It felt like a prototype inside in comparison with the might of Fiats development in the Dino though. The development money of a larger manufacturer often shows through and this was lacking in the Lambo. It was a car praised for it's handling in all the period mags but mine wasn't much chop in that department. It bump steered, understeered and then switched to a desire for spinning before there was time to think about it. It was enough to make the Vee seem placid in the wet. A lot has been written about the development work of Bob Wallace on these cars, I suspect he just missed test driving mine.
Early in the Norties my French affair began with a 1969 Alpine A110 1300G. I had bought it in reasonable condition, but it was treated to a full restoration. What can I say, but this was a jewel of a car. Beautiful everywhere, gorgeous to drive. As flimsy as they come and hardly a tower of reliability but desperately desirable. I sold it to fund a business venture and i'd love another one in a blink. It was easy to take a cup of tea into the garage and bask in the lovely features of it's detail. It was so light yet beautifully balanced and planted to drive. No rocketship, but it didn't need to be. Deeply satisfying.
Next came a 2003 TVR T350 T. I moved into more modern territory to satisfy my automotive itches. I believe the TVR T350T was one of only two in this country, so it created quite a storm of interest where ever I went. You will recall that EVO compared the TVR and Vee in favour of the Renault and before owning both I wasn't sure their assessment was right. I had tried to buy the first Vee imported to Australia just before buying the TVR. A mutually acceptable price had proven elusive and I bought the TVR instead. In my humble opinion the TVR is both visually and aurally more arresting than the standard Vee. It rumbled and roared beautifully where ever it went. And the simple petite panel curves and proportions are both beautiful and aggressive at the same time, which is a difficult thing to achieve and rarely done as well. But there are always many facets of owning any car and the shortcomings can get to you if they are too far removed from your own personal criteria of what is acceptable. With the TVR I belong to the camp that confirms they are seriously underdeveloped. With TVR you not only get a great car, you get a development opportunity as a bonus. You'd think I'd have learnt this lesson years before. The suspension is just a bit too hard for Australia, the gearing has gaps, bits fall off and ownership is plagued by the threatened psychological and financial distress of an engine blow up any time soon. The steering is a bit dead and it's too fast for pleasurable handling exploration on the road. It was a privilege to own and a relief to sell.
I live in Sydney Australia which has made finding a Vee something of a challenge. It's a job for the patient. But a very good one turned up late last year and I took the plunge. It's an illiad blue 255 number 078. I'm the 8th owner in 8 years! One of 5 over here, it's always admired wherever I go and i love so many things about it. Not necessarily in this order I love the refined quality and level of the noise. It has a civilised ride. I love the mad styling. Although I still believe the TVR and Alpine have an advantage here. The driving experience is involving and again very satisfying. It's rare. It's built quite well and seems properly developed. They just feel very special in an unpretentious way don't they. People come up and express their approval, rather than feeling intimidated not to say hi. They're friendly. It feels complete, balanced in it's combination of aesthetic qualities without promising to be difficult or extreme in any way. These things make it both easy to be friends with and special in a way that's hard to emulate with any other marque. They're definitely cool and certainly a classic. An interior more special would have been nice, but hey... no car is perfect. Depending on your criteria it's most likely the best road car to come out of France in the norties.
Friends have joked that in recent years I'll buy anything that's blue. A happy coincidence since i like blue. But the joke isn't true. I'm actually very thoughtful about what cars I buy. I like smallish, agile, rare, beautiful, comfortable, well developed, cars that are cultured in their noise and entertaining to drive. A bit of oversteer balance and communicative steering goes a long way down the fulfilment road. Others amongst us may have a different list of personal automotive criteria, but my list has both brought me through these few special cars and settled me into a vee. And ownership of this little French speciality feels very comfortable indeed.
So this has been my automotive walk. I'd look forward to hearing anyone elses car ownership story or comments that have led them to a Vee.
