What makes the perfect Winter car

[sgregory124]

Quite simple - Range Rover or Discovery.

Buying either of those will definitely get you on first name terms with all the mechanics at your local LR dealership anyway

 

[SpikyMikey]

That looks like it’s Southern spec. It would need some fairly serious modifications to prepare it for use in the grim North. As it is, there’s no way that would even get to the local Coop in any month other than July

It looked pretty rufty-tufty to me. I've obviously been 'Dahn Sarf' for too long.

 

[Loverobot]

We have a Volvo XC40 T5 petrol with Pirelli Scorpion winter tyres on the winter wheels
It is perfect tbh - paddleshift, reasonably quick, will go literally anywhere (mud/snow) and when we remove the seatcovers and rubber floormats its a genuinely nice cabin as well
Has (so far) been bombproof reliable also

 

[markjay]

I am currently in a ski resort in the Swiss Alps (not skiing myself... the place just happens to be a ski resort).

My daily drive is a Suzuki AWD mini-SUV with proper winter tyres.

I noticed that while all cars have winter tyres on (obviously), the majority are not AWD - my guess is that only between a quarter and a third of cars are AWD.

There are EV charging points everywhere, mostly unused. Not many EVs here in general, but most of the few EVs that you see around are Tesla's.

EVs are heavy cars.... I am guessing that most will be the dual-motor AWD variant.

The taxis here are all Diesel, typically E-Class or Vito.

 

[SpikyMikey]

I am currently in a ski resort in the Swiss Alps (not skiing myself... the place just happens to be a ski resort).

My daily drive is a Suzuki AWD mini-SUV with proper winter tyres.

I noticed that while all cars have winter tyres on (obviously), the majority are not AWD - my guess is that between quarter and a third of cars are AWD.

There are EV charging points everywhere, mostly unused. Not many EVs here in general, but most of the few EVs that you see around are Tesla's.

I am guessing that most will be the dual-motor AWD variant.

The taxis here are all Diesel, typically E-Class or Vito.

Do tell; where abouts?
Switzerland seems to be having a fairly decent proper Winter so far this year .

 

[markjay]

Do tell; where abouts?

Crans-Montana.

Switzerland seems to be having a fairly decent proper Winter so far this year .

Indeed, just took a couple of photos for you :

Great weather.

 

[SpikyMikey]

Crans-Montana.



Indeed, just took a couple of photos for you :

Great weather.

Beautiful
Thanks Markjay
The bit of Switzerland that I know best looks pretty decent today too.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Fiat Panda 4x4 would take some beating. Like a mountain goat but better at climbing steep, snowy, Rocky Mountains.

Which is why you'll see them all over Europe, up in the snow covered mountains, being driven by t'local folk.

Wearing winter tyres admittedly

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[MikeInWimbledon]

It looked pretty rufty-tufty to me. I've obviously been 'Dahn Sarf' for too long.
View attachment 152157

Except in Newcastle on a Saturday night,

where the girls are still in miniskirts and crop tops.

 

[philnewmerc]

This week I was listening to a podcast from The Intercooler which is a few months old now, and Andrew Frankel and Dan Prosser were debating what makes a great Winter car, and it got me thinking…

…What would you look for in the perfect winter car?

For me, whilst it might be well suited to winter driving it would still need to be the sort of car I’d really want to drive, so something a little left-field, and not a common sight on the road.

It would also need to have something about it which makes it feel a little special, and for me the engine is an important part of that, something with character and ample performance potential.

It would need to be practical though and so black seats and carpets are a must, with big doors and generous boot so that my passengers can get in and out quickly and easily on poor conditions.

Four wheel drive, premium Winter tyres, and high ground clearance are a must for me to make sure that I can keep moving in deep snow and deep floodwater, as that is a too-common occurrence for us

All of that is my perfect winter car, however fitting a set of premium Winter tyres on any car transforms it’s ability in cold, wet and dirty roads - never mind ice and snow - so they’re a must.

What would you look for in the perfect winter car?

Given 2 facts: the UK puts salt on the roads and Mercedes rust like no other post 1979 car... Not a Mercedes.

Probably a small Japanese 4wd, maybe Jimny? Or of course a Range Rover at the other end of the spectrum...

 

[Smart320]

Our Rav 3 door 4x 4 auto ( 2L Petrol ) is really good in ice and snow , just about to treat it to a set of all weather tyres then it will be perfect

 

[JoolsB]

Given 2 facts: the UK puts salt on the roads and Mercedes rust like no other post 1979 car... Not a Mercedes.

Probably a small Japanese 4wd, maybe Jimny? Or of course a Range Rover at the other end of the spectrum...

Yeah, Jimny a good shout, very underrated, maybe a little too compact for some of us.

 

[JoolsB]

If it gets bad then I’ll get the Landy out. To be fair, it’s one of the only times you can actually use the worlds hottest and most uncontrollable thing - Land Rover call it the heater.

 

[SpikyMikey]

For me it’d be an ML63 preferably in Silver. Perfect winter all rounder. I’ve got my eye on a particular one on AT but the price is heavily inflated. It’s as if the seller wants to keep hold of it.

Wouldn't touch that one with a bargepole Ant; the seller sounds a right dodgy geezer

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Wouldn't touch that one with a bargepole Ant; the seller sounds a right dodgy geezer

Police have issued this artists impression:

 

[Dryce]

I have a previous generation Touareg with Michelin Cross Climates.

Something smaller and lighter like a Panda 4x4 might be better solution in some situations. But TBH the Touareg has a reasonable balance between road clearance, permanent four wheel drive, and is easy to drive smoothly in poor conditions - and it's comfortable. And the Cross Climates are IMO a very decent solution to the UK's weather patterns in winter.

 

[chic0821]

Here is mine Terrific car, taken on a typical winters day in Scotland (or perhaps not)

 

[SpikyMikey]

Police have issued this artists impression:

View attachment 152173

Definitely dodgy........although he does look strangely familiar

 

[markjay]

Yeah, Jimny a good shout, very underrated, maybe a little too compact for some of us.

And perhaps a tad too utilitarian as well... not every journey in winter involves ploughing through deep snow

 

[Dippo]

No-one's mentioned the basic requirements - heated seats, heated steering wheel, heated windscreen, and climate control. you're going to be stuck behind all the other numpties who can't drive on snow, so you may as well be comfortable and warm.