I just traded in my 1991 Renault Clio (1.4 litre petrol engine) for a 1997 Volkswagen Vento ("Jetta" in the US) which is a more throaty 1.9 litre turbo deisel.
This vehicle fulfils several ambitions :
1. This model (not my actual car!) was used as a police car (in the Netherlands in 1991-96).
2. There's a turbo unit. Ever since playing Steve Jackson's game "Car Wars" in the 80s I've wanted to own a turbo charger.
Here's the picture from the Wiki page of this type of car serving with the Dutch police :
So what we have is an economical, practical, turbocharged family pursuit vehicle.
Since passing my test I've driven 3 cars - including this one. I lack the technical vocab to describe the handling and suspension so here's my interpretation of taking a corner in each of the vehicles :
1. Renault Clio (1.4) - you are sitting on a metal tray being pulled by a rope along the road. Suddenly, you're pulled left and have to grip onto the edges of the tray. The tray screeches and sparks as you try and hold your arse onto the tray.
2. Peugeot 307 (1.6 - Mrs Dadaist's car) - someone has fitted a miniature railway track on the same left-hand turn. You simply sit on a small train as it smoothly goes round the corner. You are shielded from any engine noise and simply hear a remote "chuff chuff" noise from far away.
3. VW Vento (1.9) - Shouting "wheee!!", you bounce round the corner in a 1970s space hopper. Close by, someone revs a tank engine.
It has only 119,000 miles on it and even came with a blue smiley-faced air freshener. I've since added an alien aquapet on the dash.
Vroom.
