Hi Alan Tew @cabriolet

I think your view is quite credible – after all the early pre-Jaguar XJ-S Soft Top bodyshop conversions were to create full Convertibles rather than a Targa Topped Cabriolet.

I’ve both Convertibles and Cabriolets and they are very different experiences, and there might have been merit in having both models if they’d been designed from the ground up at the same time. Then the Sales folk could have directed purchasers towards the most suitable Soft Top for their needs and location – with our UK weather the Cabriolet does work well 🙂 and the full Convertible works well in the southern US.

I do like driving my V12 Automatic Convertible, but do wonder what a V12 Manual would be like – especially in the Cabriolet. That for me (until proven otherwise by actually driving one) would be the best combination.

Anyway, just thoughts and opinions shared.

Laurence

Hi John Bleasdale @bleasie

This is a photo of Elias Evans @ewirelessnet car

[photo 1125]

Brugge was very nice, as was Gent which we visited yesterday and walked around the Christmas Markets.

Unfortunately the wind picked up and the New Year fireworks in Brugge were cancelled 🙁 

Last year we couldn’t see them as the Fog came down at 23:45 and lifted at 00:15 – think we’ll have to come back next year (third time lucky).

Journey home was smooth with fairly clear roads – though we had a lot of heavy rain driving between London and Birmingham.

Completed just over 2,100 KM / 1,200 Miles on the round trip.

Laurence

Hi Jody Kerton @carsnplanes ‍

[photo 1163]

You look rather pleased with it !

Laurence

Hi John May @rujamajoco ‍

Your Cabriolet is a lovely green [photo 1147]

If I do keep and restore the V12 Cabriolet I acquired last year then I think I’ll respray it that shade of green rather than the lighter green it currently is

Try and keep 22nd April free, as we have a Club meet up planned in Gerrards Cross – which hopefully isn’t too far for you to make.

Laurence

• Our final visit of the day was The Funicular Lift of Strepy-Thieu.

[photo 1158]

this is one of the largest boat lifts in the world. Similar sized water filled cradles to those used in the Sloping lock are lowered or raised over 240feet / 73 metres.  Building was completed in 2002 at which time it was the tallest in the world.

Day 1

[photo 1154] we visited the Waterloo Battlefield Memorial 1815. The wind was a bit too strong to take a hike up the monument.

[photo 1155]