What to drive in Wellington?

The other well known aesthete is relocating north to Wellington and has requested a special issue of the blog that will address his particular needs. What is so different about Wellington, you ask? It is hilly, windy and full of culture snobs so we must choose carefully if we are to maintain the Aesthete's goal of a tasteful, reliable and modestly priced older vehicle suitable for wheeling around in the nation's capital. 

I forgot to mention  that a reader completed the Aesthete's ABC challenge and I have copied it down the bottom of this page. It is a hoot and I would only change ZIL to a ZAZ Zaporozhets, the cute little NSU clone with an aircooled V4 in the boot.

1967 Austin Vanden Plas 1100. The WKA (see above) has made many requests for one of these over the years so here is his chance. Much loved by retired harbour board chairmen, these swish little variations on the familiar BMC theme were trimmed at the Vanden Plas works and fitted with extra soundproofing to damp the transmission howls common to the lesser versions. Of course it has picnic tables.

For: Keep a nice bottle of Beaujolais in the door pocket. For passengers of course.
Against: Even a slightly tweaked 1100 struggles with the extra weight on the hills.
Investment potential: 3/10. Still maintains a peculiar cachet.

1991 Lancia Theme 16v Turbo. The WKA may not agree but this is what I would be driving. Lancia's executive cruiser was the thinking person's choice in the 1990s. The quality of build and materials was far superior to the Saab 9000 that shared the same platform and they are impressively smooth,  quick and stable. This is the final 16 valve version so the performance is quite vivid.

For: Everything else from the era looks quite tired today. Not this, however.
Against: Keep up with the basic maintenance. It is not a Toyota.
Investment potential: 5/10. This is an affordable car of real merit.

1987 Citroen CX 2.2 TRS Pallas. I have featured a number of these bolides on past lists so all previous caveats apply here. This one has had all the expensive work done including a retrim, engine rebuild and paint. I would not advise buying one that has had a lengthy time off the road. This is the less exotic injected engine and not the more demanding turbo so your progress will be stately rather than meteoric.

For: An art historian's sort of car, I feel.
Against: Stay on close terms with your mechanic and watch for stains on the garage floor.
Investment potential: 3/10. Someone has already dropped a bundle but it was not you.

1967 Ford Thunderbird. I know I have featured this car before but I am continually drawn back to the unique feature of its reverse hinged rear doors that I find irresistibly sexy. They were something of a flop at the time that endears the design to me even more but yet it is not an 'uglybird' either. The man about town in Wellington needs something enigmatic for his night time pursuits and this is it.

For: Playboy club on wheels.
Against: You are not a pimp, I hear you say.
Investment potential. 1/10. It is not selling so that may tell you something.

1973 Rover 3500 Coupe. The WKA could probably aid his promotion opportunities by whisking senior management around in the back of this Rover so that they could live out their Thatcherite fantasies. His own features would quickly set into a similar expression of supreme competence as he arrives in the carpark to low whistles of appreciation.

For: You will be asked to join the boards of important things.
Against: You will need to wear a tie at all times.
Investment potential: 4/10. You could pay more and get a lot less.

The one that is not on Trademe

1966 Renault Caravelle. My own taste for small French weirdos with their engines in the wrong place could perhaps be sated by a really good Renault Caravelle. Performance is up slightly on the earlier Floride and this one has four wheel discs although you would still wonder what for.  Small, light and handy with sweet Italian looks and simple mechanicals. A sort of Truman Capote car if you get my drift.

For: Something for someone with nothing to prove.
Against: Who would say anything against it?
Investment potential: 3/10. A dwindling number of usable cars will keep the prices steady.


And the song?

A neglected classic from the back catalogue of the Shangri Las with a very wrong video... Listen to the scat vocal trumpet solo in the middle. Magic.





The Aesthete's ABC
Posted by 'Anonymous' last week.

Autobianchi
Borgward
Cisitlalia
Deutsch Bonnet
Ermini
Facel Vega
Goggomobil
Hudson
Isotta Fraschini
Jowett
Kieft
Lagonda
Messerschmidt
NSU
Olympia
Pierce Arrow
Qvale
Rochdale
Spyker
TVR
Unipower
Venturi
Wartburg
Xenia
Yugo
Zil