"Can I Have One Mum?" Tow cars.

[Johnb]

Kerbweight	2440 kg
85% KW	2074 kg
Towball Limit	100 kg
Maximum Towing Limit	2500 kg
Power	326 bhp
Torque	465 lb ft
Offical MPG	247 mpg
Towing MPG	104 mpg

Son: "Can we have one mum?"
Mum: "Yep sunshine. Need to save up a bit first. Remember it's £70,000 and you'll only get a bit over 100miles towing 1430kg before recharging! You must promise that you'll stay to guard the van when I drive round to look for an empty charging place."
Son: "Oh. I don't want to do that! Does it mean we have to stop and find a charge place, unhitch the caravan, then wait to charge about 15 times when we drive to the Mediterranean and back? And what if there are no charging places free? And what if the charging places don't offer the 150kW that the car likes for quick charge up to 80%? And I suppose even if we find somewhere 80% isn't 100% so we'll need to stop even more often!"
Mum: "Practical Caravan does point out the issues"
Son: "But why bother writing an article on a car hardly anyone will buy if they tow a caravan?"
Mum: "They have to fill the space with something!"
Son: "But why not fill it with stuff nearly everyone could manage and want to buy?"

Mum: "Errrrrr!"

On a serious note it makes an interesting read but speaking personally re-enforces my belief that my diesel tug will not be replaced by an electric car for some time yet!
(BMW iX xDrive40 Sport - £69,905) This is the ENTRY LEVEL version. (Adding a tow bar costs an extra £995.

 

[JezzerB]

i disagree entirely JohnB; Tobe's Polestar already does 120miles towing that sort of weight you quote-the BMW has probably greater range. Could I afford it; no, do I want one, possibly although the Tesla X probably looks better and would be my choice to pull our Buccaeer (were it not being sold!)NB 120-130 miles is enough for me in one go though I have no desire to go to Europe at the mo!

 

[Tobes]

i disagree entirely JohnB; Tobe's Polestar already does 120miles towing that sort of weight you quote-the BMW has probably greater range. Could I afford it; no, do I want one, possibly although the Tesla X probably looks better and would be my choice to pull our Buccaeer (were it not being sold!)NB 120-130 miles is enough for me in one go though I have no desire to go to Europe at the mo!

I suspect the range would be about the same - maybe less as the battery size is very similar. But, to be fair to JohnB, I would not want wan either. I mean - have you looked at it? IMHO it has a face only a mother could love. But its probably a bit of a marmite thing... Give me an EV6 or the Polestar 3 (or I will just keep the 2.).

 

[JezzerB]

I agree the looks are vile hence my Tesla comment

 

[Johnb]

Twas posted with tongue in cheek of course. Nice to have a smile at times especially hearing the plight of some forum members.

I suppose it just goes to show how we all have differing needs - life's like that.

I regularly cover between 2,000 and 3,000 miles in Europe every year and frankly could NEVER manage the sort of holidays my wife and I enjoy with the constant concern over charging the car. 120 miles could be 1/3rd to 1/4 the distance we might travel if we felt that necessary.

We also enjoy heading out across country where I really can't see many French villages boasting a 150kW charging point. You're lucky sometimes to see anyone alive and even garages are, shall we say, scarce.

Our choice of van is simply to suit our touring style and again, that's ok. We could never even consider a twin axle monster that may be wonderful for sitting in on a serviced pitch alongside loads of others but impractical for European use other than large developed holiday sites..

Like many other forum members who prefer CLs and have no desire for anything other than a tap and a chemical thingy we prefer the "simple" life.



Take your pick!

 

[Tobes]

Twas posted with tongue in cheek of course. Nice to have a smile at times especially hearing the plight of some forum members.

I suppose it just goes to show how we all have differing needs - life's like that.

I regularly cover between 2,000 and 3,000 miles in Europe every year and frankly could NEVER manage the sort of holidays my wife and I enjoy with the constant concern over charging the car. 120 miles could be 1/3rd to 1/4 the distance we might travel if we felt that necessary.

We also enjoy heading out across country where I really can't see many French villages boasting a 150kW charging point. You're lucky sometimes to see anyone alive and even garages are, shall we say, scarce.

Our choice of van is simply to suit our touring style and again, that's ok. We could never even consider a twin axle monster that may be wonderful for sitting in on a serviced pitch alongside loads of others but impractical for European use other than large developed holiday sites..

Like many other forum members who prefer CLs and have no desire for anything other than a tap and a chemical thingy we prefer the "simple" life.

View attachment 3514

Take your pick!

I think the humour was spot on. I mean 70k for a tow car is nuts. Down at Goodwood this weekend they had RangeRovers on show at over £200,000!!!! And they weren’t even electric!!!!
The CL thing is far more preferable for us too, so the small village charging is definitely what we would do too. Whilst rapid chargers are definitely rare in villages, France is liberally sprinkled with destination chargers. Often in walking distance of camp sites too.

 

[JezzerB]

I agree, though the humour was lost in me probably due to what's going on at home; my apologies! I still look at it and wonder how on earth BMW could produce such a thing after producing so many elegant cars; the new grille is nuts.

 

[otherclive]

View attachment 3515

I agree, though the humour was lost in me probably due to what's going on at home; my apologies! I still look at it and wonder how on earth BMW could produce such a thing after producing so many elegant cars; the new grille is nuts.

My grandson has a new 3 series Touring PHEV and quite frankly the grille is far to big for the dimensions of the front of the car. Now this one was beautiful.

 

[Bluetonic]

View attachment 3515
My grandson has a new 3 series Touring PHEV and quite frankly the grille is far to big for the dimensions of the front of the car. Now this one was beautiful.

That Saab looks lovely

 

[otherclive]

That Saab looks lovely

That was my wife’s runabout! A 9000 CSE 2.3 turbo which towed beautifully and had acres of load space. Unfortunately it came to a premature end when another car came around a bend on the wrong side of the road. My wife was driving but the strength of the car saved her serious injury and it was only two days before our daughters wedding. That’s both of us have had Swedish cars written off around us and had no serious injuries. Mine was a 740 estate rear ended.

 

[Beachball]

View attachment 3515
My grandson has a new 3 series Touring PHEV and quite frankly the grille is far to big for the dimensions of the front of the car. Now this one was beautiful.

View attachment 3516

The BMW looks lovely

 

[Tobes]

For a car that is easy on the eye; I had to pop into Volvo for a minor issue on the Polestar. I ended up parked next to it's great great great great grand daddy. Volvo 1800s. Absolute mint condition. Beautiful.

eautiful

 

[Bluetonic]

That was my wife’s runabout! A 9000 CSE 2.3 turbo which towed beautifully and had acres of load space. Unfortunately it came to a premature end when another car came around a bend on the wrong side of the road. My wife was driving but the strength of the car saved her serious injury and it was only two days before our daughters wedding. That’s both of us have had Swedish cars written off around us and had no serious injuries. Mine was a 740 estate rear ended.

The directors of a company I used to work for both had Saab 9000 aero's. Fabulous cars, and I can confirm that the speed was limited to 155 mph which was tested on a European business trip whilst on the German autobahn. I was young and stupid then, no way I would do it again.
A few years ago I had a 9-5 aero estate. Lovely car but it had had a ECU remap and only managed about 19mpg solo. Wasn't a great tow car either, never felt stable possibly due to the long overhang at the rear.
I'd love a 9-3 cabrio at some point. It's a real shame that Saab are no longer with us, great innovative cars

 

[RogerL]

The directors of a company I used to work for both had Saab 9000 aero's. Fabulous cars, and I can confirm that the speed was limited to 155 mph which was tested on a European business trip whilst on the German autobahn. I was young and stupid then, no way I would do it again.
A few years ago I had a 9-5 aero estate. Lovely car but it had had a ECU remap and only managed about 19mpg solo. Wasn't a great tow car either, never felt stable possibly due to the long overhang at the rear.
I'd love a 9-3 cabrio at some point. It's a real shame that Saab are no longer with us, great innovative cars

General Motors has an unenviable record for destroying brands - Holden, Saab, Daewoo, Saturn, Geo, Pontiac, Oldsmobile - and ran Opel/Vauxhall down before selling them on to PSA/Stellantis

 

[Johnb]

The directors of a company I used to work for both had Saab 9000 aero's. Fabulous cars, and I can confirm that the speed was limited to 155 mph which was tested on a European business trip whilst on the German autobahn. I was young and stupid then, no way I would do it again.
A few years ago I had a 9-5 aero estate. Lovely car but it had had a ECU remap and only managed about 19mpg solo. Wasn't a great tow car either, never felt stable possibly due to the long overhang at the rear.
I'd love a 9-3 cabrio at some point. It's a real shame that Saab are no longer with us, great innovative cars

I had around 12 years of different Saabs. Loved them but they cost me the earth to maintain. Silly really - just sort of became a fan of the marque.
Towed with the full on turbos which was superb. Stiff suspension etc made for a safe and speedy tow.
Last one I owned was a 9.5LPT. Totally different. Softer suspension, long boot overhang and, predictably, less power.
Happy days.
As for mpg the average solo was mid twenties I remember. I don't talk about towing consumption although the caravans back then were lighter - at least mine were.

 

[xtrailman]

I think the Mazda CX60 Phev would be a better choice of towcar.
Over 300bhp, 500nm, and a towing limit of 2500kg.
Available for mid forties money.

 

[Beachball]

Just had a look at the Madza CX60 Phev it all depends if i am still towing we are taking caravanning day by day the present car should see me through until i ready to change

 

[Dustydog]

For a car that is easy on the eye; I had to pop into Volvo for a minor issue on the Polestar. I ended up parked next to it's great great great great grand daddy. Volvo 1800s. Absolute mint condition. Beautiful.

View attachment 3522View attachment 3523eautifulView attachment 3525View attachment 3526

Was Roger Moore there🤪🤪

 

[Buckman]

For a car that is easy on the eye; I had to pop into Volvo for a minor issue on the Polestar. I ended up parked next to it's great great great great grand daddy. Volvo 1800s. Absolute mint condition. Beautiful.

View attachment 3526

My work colleague in Rhodesia had one in the early seventies and it was pink in colour not exactly fitting for a macho image. It was in immaculate condition with low mileage. However it those days it was just another car!
When I moved to South Africa in 1975 I bought myself second hand the Volvo Amazon or 221. A very comfortable car with genuine leather seats.


In 1995 I bought the Volvo 340 which for a small car was a very comfortabel and reliable car. In 2002 I bought the Volvo S80 which i traded in for a brand new 2004 S80 and that S80 was the last Volvo I ever bought. It was very comfortable, but there were issues with gearbox and then the rear suspension. I think at that point it was under Ford ownership? All under warranty, but traded it for a 1995 Toyota HiLux Surf which was ultra reliable.