Another clanger in Octane Magazine...

Albrecht

Well-Known Forum User
Octane Magazine have surpassed themselves again. Hot on the heels of 'Aesthete' Stephen Bayley's mistake-ridden Halberstam-lite article 'Zen and the art of the Z' in the December 2015 issue, Tony Dron has come up with an absolute classic.

Dron - like Bayley - has a monthly column in Octane called 'Passed it!' (wait for it...). In the February 2016 issue - already on the shelves - he dedicates his column to a story regarding an experience he had with a 240Z in November 1971. Not any old 240Z, this one. It was apparently none other that "the UK's first road test 240Z"...

Mr Dron goes on to mention that the 240Z's external dimensions, wheelbase and front track "followed" those of the Porsche 911. Fair enough you might think, but he follows this up with a bit of a clanger; "That was a deliberate part of the 240Z's 2+2 design...".

I don't know about anyone else, but I've never noticed any more than two seats in a 240Z. If there are more, could somebody tell me where...?

It's not just a typo. Dron then goes into Len Deighton mode, recounting a story (I won't spoil it for you) of being flagged down in Kensington High Street by what appeared to be two KGB agents, and forced to take them to a cinema in London's West End. He had one in the front, and one "in the back"...

The one in the back in a suitcase, perhaps?

'Passed It!'? You might well think that, but I couldn't possibly comment.
 

richiep

Club Member
Clearly I chose my career poorly and should've been a motoring journalist. They get paid for writing even more bollox than normal journos do!
 

datsfun

Club Member
Clearly I chose my career poorly and should've been a motoring journalist. They get paid for writing even more bollox than normal journos do!

That's harsh. C'mon these guys spend endless hours researching and unearthing vital information that has been lost or overlooked. I mean it could be that the s30 was "penciled" as as family car right from the word go.









If you look at the 2 seater it does look odd and truncated from certain angles whereas the lines on the 2+2 simply flow naturally. I reckon he is on to something here guys.

Off to Smith's to get my copy of this issue which will be "collectors edition" amongst the wider Z community! :lol::p
 

SeanDezart

Well-Known Forum User
That's harsh. C'mon these guys spend endless hours researching and unearthing vital information that has been lost or overlooked. I mean it could be that the s30 was "penciled" as as family car right from the word go.

http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/23132/lot/31/

The 280z was offered in the surprisingly attractive 2+2 configuration that added a good deal of practicality without spoiling the pure shape of the original.

This 280Z represents one of the most usable and reliable of the Z cars but is also one that maintains the classic styling of the original.

Bonham's said so and they're also experts !

I think that Mr Dron is now confused with a bad trip on some dodgy drugs taken back in the early '70s - after all it WAS a long time ago.....and who could ever believe sitting others in the rear of an S30 2-seater.....
 

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Matt Long

Well-Known Forum User
Albrecht, I hope will you be writing to Mr Dron to enlighten him on the error of his ways, he is a ****
 
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