1 Minute Read

Driving home for Christmas? Here are ten cool cars to get you there

Posted by - Tim Earnshaw on 21 December 2021
Categories: Advice

Here at Windrush classic car storage, we’re all dreaming of a white Christmas. But if the white stuff does fall, what car should you load the family into to make the most celebrated trip of the year? From Rambo Lambos to plucky Pandas, our luxury car storage team chooses ten of the best.

Fiat Panda 4×4

Fiat Panda 4x4

The original Panda 4×4 is almost unstoppable off-road and oozes coolness from every angle. Rising in value fast, the Panda is a ‘buy now if you can’ car, with certified classic status and go-anywhere ability. You may not get anywhere fast, but you’ll be smiling all the way.

Lamborghini LM002

Lamborghini LM002

The Rambo Lambo makes no apologies, with its huge road presence and equally huge 5.2 V12 (from the Countach no less) under the bonnet. No traffic jam will stop you, and nobody will get in your way – just make sure ‘home’ is close, as this car is in gallons per mile territory.

Audi RS2

Audi RS2

The humble Audi 80 was never a car to set the pulses racing, but when Audi sent an 80 Avant to Porsche it created the RS2. 4WD, 2.2 5-cylinder turbo engine (311 bhp) and a smattering of Porsche parts made it special and today it’s the one of the most coveted fast estates – complete with the Quattro drivetrain that means snow won’t stop you.

BMW E30 325ix

BMW E30 325ix

The E30 BMW 3-Series is already a car that enthusiasts will know and love. Small, agile, desirable and rear-wheel-drive it was the ultimate driving machine. The 325i had BMW’s glorious 6-cylinder engine and the ‘x’ moniker added four-wheel-drive capability. Rare, but oh so desirable.

Audi UR Quattro

Audi UR Quattro

Developed for World Rally Championships the Quattro was born to perform in tough terrain. If Stig Blomqvist can win gruelling rally stages in it, there is a good chance it’ll get you to Aunt Maude’s house should the snow fall. Best of all, the warbling 5-cylinder soundtrack will let relatives know you’ve arrived.

Saab 900 Turbo

Saab 900 Turbo

Made for Swedish winters, the 900 is at home in minus temperatures. Fit a set of winter tyres, warm up the turbocharger and fill the vast boot with gifts and food. The Saab 900 may not be 4WD, but the Swedes know how to build a car for snowy conditions, and pioneered road car turbocharging.

Range Rover

Range Rover

Choose any variant you like; they’ll all suit you well. But for this we’ll choose the original ‘Classic’. Arguably, arriving in an original 3.9 V8 Vogue, leather clad, packed with the whole family (and dog) cuts more of a dash than any of the latest 4WD offerings, particularly in the snow. A true British icon.

Austin Mini Cooper

Austin Mini Cooper

Light, fast, with room for four and honed on the rally stages of Monte Carlo. The Mini is unstoppable in the snow, makes every mile an adventure and the small boot means less expense on Christmas gifts. Go for the Cooper and you’ll not regret it, but any original Mini will do. Chances are, you’ll end up watching The Italian Job over Christmas anyway…

Porsche 911 (964) Carrera 4

Air-cooled, diminutive and with a rear-mounted flat-6, the 964 4-wheel-drive will provide a great way to travel across snow covered B-roads. The earlier 911s offer a more analogue feel than modern cars, mind you, so you’ll still need your wits about you. Small kids can just about fit in the back, but perhaps this is best left for the adults to enjoy alone?

Ariel Nomad

Ariel Nomad

You’ll be cold and wet when you arrive, and that fine wrapping paper may look a bit worse for wear too, but for pure snow thrills the Nomad is a superstar. Fast, loud and raucous, it’s like arriving at home in the Tamiya remote control car your parents bought you all those years ago. Dad will be proud, though you’ll need to wrap up warm for the experience.

Driving home or staying put, Windrush is luxury car storage built around you

Driving home or staying put, Windrush is luxury car storage built around you

Christmas plans have a habit of changing, and at Windrush classic car storage, we’re always ready to roll with the punches. If you’re staying put, we’ll give your car the ultimate home for winter, starting out with our famous twelve-step induction and looking after our long term car storage clients with tailored maintenance covering everything from fuelling to tyre pressure.

On the flipside, when a family gathering is suddenly on the cards halfway across the country, our prestige car storage team will get you on the road faster than our rivals. We keep all our cars in a constant ‘ready’ state, so however tight your itinerary, we’re always able to hand you the keys.

All year round, Windrush classic car storage is the only choice. Get in touch with the team on info@windrushcarstorage.co.uk   

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e10-fuel-is-here-should-you-be-concerned-main-original-scaled.jpg?w=1024&h=683&scale
1 Minute Read

E10 fuel is here – should you…

Read Article
E10 fuel is now standard on UK forecourts and for many, life continues as normal. Of course, Windrush…
Read Article
E10 fuel is now standard on UK forecourts and for many, life continues as normal. Of course, Windrush is committed to eco friendly car storage and we appreciate the need for a more environmentally friendly fuel. However, if you own a car built before 2002, you need to be aware of what E10 fuel can do to an older engine. Here’s the expert advice of our long term car storage team. Out with the old? Experts suggest the introduction of E10 is the most significant threat to older cars since the switch from leaded to unleaded fuel. From 1st September 2021 petrol sold in the UK, now labelled as E10, has up to 10% bioethanol in the blend and it is claimed CO2 emissions could be reduced by 750,000 tonnes per year by its introduction. That’s the equivalent of taking 350,000 cars off the road.    The issue with ethanol Although many cars run E5 without significant problems, doubling the amount of ethanol in the fuel can cause a variety of issues in older cars. Ethanol is hygroscopic, which means that it absorbs water from the atmosphere. And that water, in turn, finds its way into your car. This can lead to condensation in fuel tanks, fuel lines and carburetters and cause corrosion in brass, copper, lead, tin, and zinc components.  As ethanol is also a solvent it can eat through rubber, plastic, and fibreglass, so hoses and seals are likely to perish more quickly because of the higher concentration of ethanol in E10. Department for Transport tests have identified problems including degradation to fuel hoses and seals, blocked fuel filters, damaged fuel pumps, corroded carbs, blocked injectors, and corrosion in fuel tanks. Rubber is particularly affected.   In addition, ethanol isn’t as energy dense as petrol which means that the fuel-air mix could be leaner and may increase fuel consumption (in comparison to E5).    Forethought for the forecourt The RAC suggests some 600,000 car owners could be affected by the new blend and says cars built before 2002 should stick to E5 (which will gradually be phased out on forecourts over the next five years). Owners of older cars will have to pay a premium to use super unleaded.   The best advice is to use E5 while it is available, using the next few years to upgrade and replace engine parts to be compatible with E10 before E5 is phased out. Cars fitted with a carburetter should have all rubber parts replaced by specialist providers, and fuel hoses should also be upgraded to the latest type.     Long term car storage in the E10 age When storing a car, the ethanol content of E10 is even more problematic, as fuel left in the tank will take on moisture causing corrosive and clogging issues after periods of rest. To avoid this, it is recommended that a full tank of E5 is onboard prior to storage, or you may choose to use a fuel additive, a number of which have been launched since the introduction of E10.   As an extra preventative measure, Windrush now offers the option of using Storage Plus fuel for complete peace of mind. Designed by the Anglo-American Oil Company to be stable for at least three years, this special storage fuel does not contain ethanol and will not absorb water. It also burns extremely cleanly and has a distillation curve that is similar to the premium, undiluted fuels offered in the 1970s. Specifically formulated to be kinder on gaskets, O-rings and other fuel system components compared to regular unleaded petrol, Storage Plus fuel contains detergent additives for engine cleanliness and antioxidants and corrosion inhibitors to extend storage life. As an added benefit, its 99 RON and 92MON provides excellent protection from detonation.  Adapt to E10 with Windrush eco friendly car storage At Windrush, we’re committed to providing eco friendly car storage that keeps your pride and joy in the form of its life – and always ready to help our customers adapt their cherished vehicles to the arrival of E10.   For advice on E10, details of our long term car storage or more information on using Storage Plus, get in touch with the Windrush team on info@windrushcarstorage.co.uk
inside-londons-batcave-for-supercars-main-original-1
1 Minute Read

Inside London's Batcave for Supercars

Read Article
You won’t believe what lies beneath the surface in one quiet corner of London
Read Article
You won’t believe what lies beneath the surface in one quiet corner of London
the-top-10-movie-car-chases-main-original-1641568714.jpeg?w=1024&h=667&scale
1 Minute Read

The Top 10 Movie Car Chases

Read Article
Here at Windrush classic car storage, you’re more likely to find us fine-tuning tyre pressures than burning rubber.…
Read Article
Here at Windrush classic car storage, you’re more likely to find us fine-tuning tyre pressures than burning rubber. But when we’re not perfecting the sector’s most stringent luxury car storage service, the team likes nothing better than to switch off with the very best in automotive-based cinema. From the classic Sixties cop flicks to the CGI-stuffed set pieces of the modern age, these are the ten unmissable chase scenes from the movies, chosen by Windrush’s prestige car storage experts. Bullitt (1968) CGI wasn’t even a notion in 1968, but director Peter Yates’ extended chase through the streets of San Fran arguably felt even more realistic without it, thanks to remote cameras mounted inside each car that made us feel like we were riding shotgun in Steve McQueen’s Mustang. As the star told stunt driver Pat Hustis: “I want the audience to know what it’s like to do this.” Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991) LA’s network of flood-control channels provided an unforgettable backdrop to the sci-fi hit’s best chase scene, as John Connor’s dirt bike loses ground to a murderous liquid-metal cyborg in an eighteen-wheeler juggernaut, while Arnie twirls his shotgun above. Cinema had never looked like this before. Fast Five (2011) Stick a pin in the Fast & Furious franchise and you’ll find a standout chase scene, but for sheer invention, it has to be the audacious moment when the gang drag an actual bank vault through the streets of Rio with two Dodge Chargers, smashing everything in their path. Consider the bar raised. Ronin (1998) The film wasn’t from De Niro’s top drawer, but the Paris chase scene made you grip your cinema armrests, with director John Frankenheimer refusing SFX and hiring stunt drivers Jean-Pierre Jarier, Jean-Claude Lagniez and Michel Neugarten to drive the cast at speeds of up to 100mph. Terrifyingly intense. Baby Driver (2017) At first glance, Ansel Elgort’s cherub-faced getaway driver seems in over his head. But then it’s go-time, and in an opening sequence made even more exciting by the soundtrack – Bellbottoms by Jon Spencer Blues Explosion – the kid is suddenly at one with his Subaru WRX, speeding, skidding and shifting with a grace almost worthy of ballet. The Blues Brothers (1980) Only seven films in history have destroyed more cars than John Landis’s cult musical comedy, with Jake and Elwood’s Dodge Monaco responsible for 104 write-offs (including 60 police cars). For the 2000 reboot, producers pointedly destroyed one more car – but that’s all the remake has to recommend it. Ant Man & The Wasp (2018) With their size-shifting superpowers, Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man and Evangeline Lilly’s Wasp made this skedaddle through San Francisco a hoot. Where else will you see bad-guy bikers taken out by a giant Hello Kitty Pez dispenser? “That was my favourite gag,” recalls director Peyton Reed. “Just the idea of taking something so innocent and turning it into a weapon that could take out a couple of guys on motorcycles…” The Matrix Reloaded (2003) Fronted by Keanu Reeves, this dud sci-fi sequel was somewhat redeemed by the audacious freeway chase – filmed at a decommissioned naval station in California – whose camera angles captured the vicarious thrills of weaving a motorbike through a forest of juggernauts at insane speeds. The Fate Of The Furious (2017) The set piece filmed in the Russian Arctic was already ridiculously exciting, with Cipher’s mob pursuing Dom Toretto’s gang over (and sometimes under) the ice. But the ante is upped when the villain’s submarine breaks the surface like a megalodon, scattering jeeps like ants on a picnic rug. The French Connection (1971) When a mob hitman evades him on a subway train, Gene Hackman’s hard-bitten detective gives chase in his Pontiac. What makes the greatest chase scene of the ’70s more remarkable still is that it was almost real: the film crew didn’t have permission from city authorities, and while off-duty NYPD officers cleared five blocks for filming, the action routinely spilled beyond that into areas with everyday motorists. And when it’s time to slow down – choose Windrush classic car storage You can’t wheelspin all the time – and when your pride and joy needs a well-deserved break, trust the experts at Windrush long term car storage to give it the best possible temporary home. From our renowned twelve-step induction process to ongoing checks and maintenance programmes that keep your vehicle shipshape for the length of your stay, no other luxury car storage solution offers such attention to detail. The prestige car storage teams at our London and Cotwolds facilities are ready to hear from you. Drop us a line on info@windrushcarstorage.co.uk
  • e10-fuel-is-here-should-you-be-concerned-main-original-scaled.jpg?w=1024&h=683&scale
    1 Minute Read

    E10 fuel is here – should you be concerned?

    Read Article
    E10 fuel is now standard on UK forecourts and for many, life continues as normal. Of course, Windrush is committed to eco friendly car storage and we appreciate the need for a more environmentally friendly fuel. However, if you own a car built before 2002, you need to be aware of what E10 fuel can do to an older engine. Here’s the expert advice of our long term car storage team. Out with the old? Experts suggest the introduction of E10 is the most significant threat to older cars since the switch from leaded to unleaded fuel. From 1st September 2021 petrol sold in the UK, now labelled as E10, has up to 10% bioethanol in the blend and it is claimed CO2 emissions could be reduced by 750,000 tonnes per year by its introduction. That’s the equivalent of taking 350,000 cars off the road.    The issue with ethanol Although many cars run E5 without significant problems, doubling the amount of ethanol in the fuel can cause a variety of issues in older cars. Ethanol is hygroscopic, which means that it absorbs water from the atmosphere. And that water, in turn, finds its way into your car. This can lead to condensation in fuel tanks, fuel lines and carburetters and cause corrosion in brass, copper, lead, tin, and zinc components.  As ethanol is also a solvent it can eat through rubber, plastic, and fibreglass, so hoses and seals are likely to perish more quickly because of the higher concentration of ethanol in E10. Department for Transport tests have identified problems including degradation to fuel hoses and seals, blocked fuel filters, damaged fuel pumps, corroded carbs, blocked injectors, and corrosion in fuel tanks. Rubber is particularly affected.   In addition, ethanol isn’t as energy dense as petrol which means that the fuel-air mix could be leaner and may increase fuel consumption (in comparison to E5).    Forethought for the forecourt The RAC suggests some 600,000 car owners could be affected by the new blend and says cars built before 2002 should stick to E5 (which will gradually be phased out on forecourts over the next five years). Owners of older cars will have to pay a premium to use super unleaded.   The best advice is to use E5 while it is available, using the next few years to upgrade and replace engine parts to be compatible with E10 before E5 is phased out. Cars fitted with a carburetter should have all rubber parts replaced by specialist providers, and fuel hoses should also be upgraded to the latest type.     Long term car storage in the E10 age When storing a car, the ethanol content of E10 is even more problematic, as fuel left in the tank will take on moisture causing corrosive and clogging issues after periods of rest. To avoid this, it is recommended that a full tank of E5 is onboard prior to storage, or you may choose to use a fuel additive, a number of which have been launched since the introduction of E10.   As an extra preventative measure, Windrush now offers the option of using Storage Plus fuel for complete peace of mind. Designed by the Anglo-American Oil Company to be stable for at least three years, this special storage fuel does not contain ethanol and will not absorb water. It also burns extremely cleanly and has a distillation curve that is similar to the premium, undiluted fuels offered in the 1970s. Specifically formulated to be kinder on gaskets, O-rings and other fuel system components compared to regular unleaded petrol, Storage Plus fuel contains detergent additives for engine cleanliness and antioxidants and corrosion inhibitors to extend storage life. As an added benefit, its 99 RON and 92MON provides excellent protection from detonation.  Adapt to E10 with Windrush eco friendly car storage At Windrush, we’re committed to providing eco friendly car storage that keeps your pride and joy in the form of its life – and always ready to help our customers adapt their cherished vehicles to the arrival of E10.   For advice on E10, details of our long term car storage or more information on using Storage Plus, get in touch with the Windrush team on info@windrushcarstorage.co.uk
  • inside-londons-batcave-for-supercars-main-original-1
    1 Minute Read

    Inside London's Batcave for Supercars

    Read Article
  • the-top-10-movie-car-chases-main-original-1641568714.jpeg?w=1024&h=667&scale
    1 Minute Read

    The Top 10 Movie Car Chases

    Read Article
    Here at Windrush classic car storage, you’re more likely to find us fine-tuning tyre pressures than burning rubber. But when we’re not perfecting the sector’s most stringent luxury car storage service, the team likes nothing better than to switch off with the very best in automotive-based cinema. From the classic Sixties cop flicks to the CGI-stuffed set pieces of the modern age, these are the ten unmissable chase scenes from the movies, chosen by Windrush’s prestige car storage experts. Bullitt (1968) CGI wasn’t even a notion in 1968, but director Peter Yates’ extended chase through the streets of San Fran arguably felt even more realistic without it, thanks to remote cameras mounted inside each car that made us feel like we were riding shotgun in Steve McQueen’s Mustang. As the star told stunt driver Pat Hustis: “I want the audience to know what it’s like to do this.” Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991) LA’s network of flood-control channels provided an unforgettable backdrop to the sci-fi hit’s best chase scene, as John Connor’s dirt bike loses ground to a murderous liquid-metal cyborg in an eighteen-wheeler juggernaut, while Arnie twirls his shotgun above. Cinema had never looked like this before. Fast Five (2011) Stick a pin in the Fast & Furious franchise and you’ll find a standout chase scene, but for sheer invention, it has to be the audacious moment when the gang drag an actual bank vault through the streets of Rio with two Dodge Chargers, smashing everything in their path. Consider the bar raised. Ronin (1998) The film wasn’t from De Niro’s top drawer, but the Paris chase scene made you grip your cinema armrests, with director John Frankenheimer refusing SFX and hiring stunt drivers Jean-Pierre Jarier, Jean-Claude Lagniez and Michel Neugarten to drive the cast at speeds of up to 100mph. Terrifyingly intense. Baby Driver (2017) At first glance, Ansel Elgort’s cherub-faced getaway driver seems in over his head. But then it’s go-time, and in an opening sequence made even more exciting by the soundtrack – Bellbottoms by Jon Spencer Blues Explosion – the kid is suddenly at one with his Subaru WRX, speeding, skidding and shifting with a grace almost worthy of ballet. The Blues Brothers (1980) Only seven films in history have destroyed more cars than John Landis’s cult musical comedy, with Jake and Elwood’s Dodge Monaco responsible for 104 write-offs (including 60 police cars). For the 2000 reboot, producers pointedly destroyed one more car – but that’s all the remake has to recommend it. Ant Man & The Wasp (2018) With their size-shifting superpowers, Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man and Evangeline Lilly’s Wasp made this skedaddle through San Francisco a hoot. Where else will you see bad-guy bikers taken out by a giant Hello Kitty Pez dispenser? “That was my favourite gag,” recalls director Peyton Reed. “Just the idea of taking something so innocent and turning it into a weapon that could take out a couple of guys on motorcycles…” The Matrix Reloaded (2003) Fronted by Keanu Reeves, this dud sci-fi sequel was somewhat redeemed by the audacious freeway chase – filmed at a decommissioned naval station in California – whose camera angles captured the vicarious thrills of weaving a motorbike through a forest of juggernauts at insane speeds. The Fate Of The Furious (2017) The set piece filmed in the Russian Arctic was already ridiculously exciting, with Cipher’s mob pursuing Dom Toretto’s gang over (and sometimes under) the ice. But the ante is upped when the villain’s submarine breaks the surface like a megalodon, scattering jeeps like ants on a picnic rug. The French Connection (1971) When a mob hitman evades him on a subway train, Gene Hackman’s hard-bitten detective gives chase in his Pontiac. What makes the greatest chase scene of the ’70s more remarkable still is that it was almost real: the film crew didn’t have permission from city authorities, and while off-duty NYPD officers cleared five blocks for filming, the action routinely spilled beyond that into areas with everyday motorists. And when it’s time to slow down – choose Windrush classic car storage You can’t wheelspin all the time – and when your pride and joy needs a well-deserved break, trust the experts at Windrush long term car storage to give it the best possible temporary home. From our renowned twelve-step induction process to ongoing checks and maintenance programmes that keep your vehicle shipshape for the length of your stay, no other luxury car storage solution offers such attention to detail. The prestige car storage teams at our London and Cotwolds facilities are ready to hear from you. Drop us a line on info@windrushcarstorage.co.uk
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