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Classic & Sportscar choose their greatest 2+2 coupe
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2018 8:02 am
by Chris_R
https://www.classicandsportscar.com/gal ... %202018%20(22.09.2018" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)
At the helm of the greatest 2+2 machines
Can’t choose between that fast two-seater coupé and the practical workhorse saloon? There’s no need to.
See, long ago, car manufacturers hit upon the idea of combining sports car performance with four-seater practicality – and so the mighty 2+2 GT was born.
OK, so the back beats were very often cramped and spacious enough only for luggage or small children, but the 2+2 represented a compromise without much, well, compromise.
What’s more, the breed delivered some true greats – from plucky V6 performers to cruising V12 brutes. We drove 14 of the best to try to pick a favourite.
This is their list of candidates (their pricing):
Maserati Indy - upwards of £50k
Lamborghini Espada - up to £180k plus
Ferrari 365GT4 2+2 - £50-80k
Jaguar E-Type Series 3 - £60k plus
Monteverdi 375L - up to £235k
Maserati Mexico - £135k plus
Triumph Stag - £8k - £20k
Jaguar XJ-S 5.3 HE - £5k plus
Ferrari 330GT 2+2 - £175k plus
Porsche 928 - from £10k
Aston Martin DB6 - upwards of £160k
Fiat 130 Coupe - from £10k
Mercedes 450SLC - from £7k
BMW 3.0 CSi - from £12-15k
I can't quite work out what might be missing from the list.... any suggestions?
Re: Classic & Sportscar choose their greatest 2+2 coupe
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2018 8:05 am
by Martin R
Re: Classic & Sportscar choose their greatest 2+2 coupe
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2018 8:29 am
by Pymmie
Really !
Jensen knew what they were doing fitting a 383/440 in the Interceptor.
I can only imagine how troublesome alot of those other cars would be blasting across Europe.
Hard to see how many of those listed would be above a Jensen..
John P
Re: Classic & Sportscar choose their greatest 2+2 coupe
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2018 8:40 am
by JamesE
Good lord that magazine has gone downhill recently.
Re: Classic & Sportscar choose their greatest 2+2 coupe
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2018 9:45 am
by Chris_R
Oh, and the winner was.... wait for it......
The XJ-S.
Re: Classic & Sportscar choose their greatest 2+2 coupe
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2018 11:40 am
by felixkk
Much, much better than a Iso Rivolta, a Bristol, a Gordon Keeble or a Jensen
Re: Classic & Sportscar choose their greatest 2+2 coupe
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2018 11:51 am
by John Staddon
An Interceptor, or a C-V8, isn't really a 2 + 2, I think of a 2 + 2 as a car where, when you look at the rear seats you think, how is someone supposed to get in there? A Jensen by contrast has two comfy seats in the rear and unless the front seat occupants push their seats right back there is adequate leg room in the rear as well.
John
Re: Classic & Sportscar choose their greatest 2+2 coupe
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2018 1:07 pm
by Chris_R
Well on that criteria John, the Stag is not a 2+2, you can easily get 2 x 1.8m tall adults in the back seats with either the soft top up or with the hardtop fitted (I once had 2 adults and 4 children in my Stag!) and if you follow the link and look at the Maserati Mexico rear seats, there is just as much space (if not more) as in a Jensen Interceptor or C-V8. Since the main criteria of the whole item was 2+2 it is a bit deficient in the article that of the 14 chosen cars only the Maserati and Porsche rear seating area is pictured. As James said, the magazine has gone downhill recently!
Re: Classic & Sportscar choose their greatest 2+2 coupe
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2018 1:26 pm
by Manwithaplan
I don't see my DATSUN 260Z 2+2 in there
Re: Classic & Sportscar choose their greatest 2+2 coupe
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2018 3:53 pm
by RockyUSA
Luckily, I have one of those!
Whoo-Hoo!
(And an Interceptor Mk 111 too!)
Re: Classic & Sportscar choose their greatest 2+2 coupe
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2018 4:54 pm
by Arcnewal
Chris_R wrote:Oh, and the winner was.... wait for it......
The XJ-S.
And what’s wrong with that exactly?
Re: Classic & Sportscar choose their greatest 2+2 coupe
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2018 5:51 pm
by Steve Payne
The XJS is an impressive car especially with the V12 up front.
I owned one for 9 months and apart from the rust issues I must say I did like it. At 90mph on the motorway all you could hear was the tyres. The HE were even quite good on fuel for such a big car, mine would do over 20mpg while cruising.
Steve
Re: Classic & Sportscar choose their greatest 2+2 coupe
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2018 7:52 pm
by johnw
Steve Payne wrote:The XJS is an impressive car especially with the V12 up front.
I owned one for 9 months and apart from the rust issues I must say I did like it. At 90mph on the motorway all you could hear was the tyres. The HE were even quite good on fuel for such a big car, mine would do over 20mpg while cruising.
Steve
Up to 27mpg on some HE's, and more with the 3.6 manual. It is the cheapest car on the list too by far, probably the only one most of the readership can afford! It is also British, like the magasine. Looks wise, if they had a Jensen in there they would have had to choose it, but in practical terms, there aren't the number of Jensens to keep the readership up. A great car all for the price of a pristine set of Rostyle wheels and some bumpers!
Re: Classic & Sportscar choose their greatest 2+2 coupe
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2018 10:06 pm
by Barrie
The Mercedes 450 SLC seem terrific value at £7+
When they were new they were the height of chic and a 'car to be seen in'.
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The velour seats were a bit like sitting on Velcro with consequent testicular problems.
Leather's the one to go for.
