On the snow with class. Saving money.
25 October 2019 5 min read 7 images
Some invitations can cause problems: a wealthy friend is having a party at his mountain chalet. Snow is almost certain. You need a 4x4 to go there. Surely, a great opportunity to be different from everybody else, definitely more chic, and also to make yourself a gift given the passion for classic cars.
Here are six options to arrive safely and with style without breaking the bank.
Maximum budget: €10,000.
1.Fiat Panda 4x4
If the famous Gianni Agnelli, who could have had any car, owned one, you can be certain it won't embarrass you at a gala party. Lapo Elkann has electrified one in an act of eccentricity (who knows, maybe Greta Thunberg lurks around…), and do you know what he's called it? Icon-e. With a name like that you know it's an icon of the Italian Style.
Your friend could have well told you a few days in advance! Finding this one isn't easy. It features the smallest engine among the competition, just a 360cc air-cooled engine with 25hp, but it has the style of a real jeep and is also the oldest of the group, having been made from 1970 to 1973. But, with its knobby tyres, it can compete against ibexes in speed climbing. If you want to be more comfortable, choose a model manufactured after 1971: with its water cooling, it reaches 32hp!
341 cm long, this minivan has seven seats, offering a good opportunity to give a lift to those who got stranded halfway. Don't worry: there's still room for a couple of Möet & Chandon boxes. In the end, ‘sharing is caring'…
It might not have the 1500hp of the Chiron, but it's still French and features a four-wheel-drive system. And it has four doors to boot… Manufactured with the most powerful 75hp, 1360cc engine, it was on the market for only three years. With a rare first series (which weighs less and has more torque) and the proper route, you can easily beat even the most renowned sports cars.
If it endured the Paris-Dakar (with 81 different teams!), a bit of snow surely won't stop it. It is said that the first units had charcoal heating. Let's believe that. What we can be sure of is that it used to have a hand crank start system, which was only abandoned in the '90s, and of its legendary robustness. With a car like this, you won't have problems with wading (up to 50 cm) or with inclinations (up to 45°) and you can be certain you'll arrive at your destination.
You're on a tight budget, but your tanker buddy? Here's the car for you! It was powered exclusively by 6 and 8 cylinder gasoline engines (not by chance it was also produced in Iran!) and had nothing to avoid global warming but with 335hp and 400Nm torque, you will be able to drag your friend's cabin lower down. Or, with the wood on the sides and a length of almost 4.5 meters, the cabin will be you.
CLASSIC CAR MATCHER