OF ALL THE ROADS IN ALL THE WORLD, THE Route Napoléon is the one that holds the very best memories for me. From 997 GT2 RS and Ferrari 458 Italia to Ford GT and Lamborghini Murciélago, the N85 has been the stage for some of the most unforgettable drives imaginable.
The finale to 2005's eCoty, held on this magical stretch in the south of France, was something of a classic and I can relive various experiences from it in my mind's eye any old time. The best moment? Watching the Gallardo SE's flame-spitting exhausts lighting up the rock faces as it sniped at the rear of an F430 should be right up there.
And it is. But I was in the wrong BMW. For whilst I greatly enjoyed the M6's outrageous V10 engine and sequential 'box in grenade mode, the killer BMW of '05 was the M3 CS. Even as the SE's squared-off tail was being licked by blue and yellow flames and its howling V10 drowned out the M6's, I was still thinking about a simple dash to pick up lunch in the CS a few hours earlier...
It was just one of those perfect drives. The road, sparse traffic and a car that seemed so poised and well balanced, so sharp and yet so smoothly controlled and with perhaps the optimal balance between power and grip. The big hitters - notably the Ford GT - had already overwhelmed the CS in some respects and I knew it couldn't win, but at that moment BMW's newest M3 seemed just about faultless. Except the brakes. Always the crappy brakes with the M division cars of this era.
So, it's with some trepidation that I approach James Mills's lovely M3 from 2003. Even noting the connoisseur's choice of 18-inch wheels, it seems hard to imagine that a standard M3 could hope to match up to my dappled sunshine-covered recollections. I've driven CSLs since that day in '05 several times, a few CSs, too.
Denne historien er fra June 2024-utgaven av Evo UK.
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Denne historien er fra June 2024-utgaven av Evo UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Cupra Formentor Abt
It's farewell to the original Cupra Formentor with an Abt-tuned run-out package. It's a quietly excellent car; just a shame about the price...
Renault Sport Clio 200 Turbo
This misguided departure from the French brand's hot hatch heritage saw the Clio fall from grace
REBIRTH OF AN ICON
The Kalmar 9X9 is a modernday reinterpretation of Porsche's game-changing 959 supercar, with a carbon body and up to 917bhp. And evo is helping to develop it
Volkswagen Golf GTI
The underachieving Mk8 GTI gets a shot at redemption with the new, revised Mk8.5 version. Is it the leap forward it needs to be?
BEST BUYS
FAST FORDS FROM THE CORTINA TO THE ESCORT AND THE FIESTA, Ford is responsible for some of the most popular cars in British history. But alongside these everyday machines it has also produced a stream of desirable driver's cars.
HY AND DRY
The switch to electric power means an early exit for Hyundai N's brilliant ICE hot hatch duo. We go for a farewell drive in the 120 N
SEXY BEAST
The Vanquish name is back for Aston Martin's latest seriesproduction flagship, with a stunning new look and simply brutal performance from an 824bhp twin-turbo V12
THE JOY OF DRIVING
From mastering the everyday commute to unlocking the full potential of your performance car, our new series will help you become safer, more confident and ultimately more skilled behind the wheel
TINY DANCER
You haven't seen a Mini dance like this before, but then you haven't seen a Mini with a 4-litre M Power V8 under the bonnet and rear-wheel drive. Introducing Vini...
LAMBORGHINI GALLARDO
Grandaddy to the Temerario and the car that transformed Lamborghini was the brilliant, V10-engined Gallardo. We get reacquainted with a Lambo legend