BECAUSE I'M MILDLY OBSESSIVE ABOUT THE way I get my caffeine, there are a few things that will immediately give me a good feeling when I walk into a coffee shop or approach a repurposed H Van. I couldn't give a fig about the decor or the music; Farrow & Ball with a hint of remixed Dua Lipa might be enough to tempt most, but they're not what's really important if you're the sort of weirdo who gets a kick out of some nice tigering on your crema. Equally, a scruffy set of stools and some Silverchair distorting from a single Bluetooth speaker is nothing to set your stall by.
No, what my eyes flick to and what plants the seed of hope in my espresso-craving soul is a good machine (La Marzocco, Eagle, Faema) on the counter, an even better grinder next to it, and packets of beans proudly on display. If you spot a WDT tool (it stands for Weiss Distribution Technique) being used in the workflow or see a V60 offered on the menu, then you can be pretty sure not certain, but odds on that you've hit the speciality jackpot.
If you ever get the chance to sit in a DC2 Integra Type R then you'll instantly get a similar sense of reassurance and excitement. You won't care about the obviously fake, big-weave carbonfibre that waterfalls down the centre console to the gearlever. The acres of shiny, brittle-looking black plastic will matter not a jot. Instead you'll first be focused on the feel of the Recaro SR2 seat as it applies gentle pressure in all the right places. The red bucket may have strangely little headrest above the harness slots and there might be a bit of flaccid fabric after years of entries and exits, but the way the seat's shape holds your hips and hugs your torso immediately gives you an encouraging sense of connection to the car. The bolsters bode well.
Denne historien er fra July 2023-utgaven av Evo UK.
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Denne historien er fra July 2023-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