Time for some day-dreaming!
It’s always good to dream. So we’ve recently come up with a fun challenge. Imagine you’ve suddenly been given £148,500 that you have to spend on cars and watches. But there’s a catch. You have to get four of each and there are strict limits as to how much you can spend on each one:
Cars
Up to £5K
Up to £10K
Up to £20K
Up to £100K
Watches
Up to £500
Up to £1K
Up to £2K
Up to £10K
What do you go for, in this ultimate ‘nice problem to have’ scenario? To start off, we asked professional racing driver Scott McKenna, who will be racing in the Porsche Carrera Cup this year wearing WatchGecko colours. Spoiler alert: there’s not a single Porsche on the list. But if you get to drive one every other weekend on a race track, that’s probably not high on your list of priorities…
Watch up to £500: Geckota Scott McKenna Racing Watch.
The Geckota C-03 Scott McKenna Watch - Image Credit: WatchGecko Online Magazine
This is undoubtedly my watch of choice, no matter what the price point. I designed it myself so there’s nothing I don’t like about it. Personally, I like this on a mesh strap but this is a watch that will always look good on the wrist, no matter what strap accompanies it. I have put this watch to the absolute test, wearing it throughout the 2019 race season and never taking it off for a single race. Not only a racing watch in principle, this is a tried-and-tested watch to actually wear while racing! How often do you get to say that?
Watch 2: up to £1K Seiko Prospex SPB105J1 ‘Dark Green Sunset’
Seiko Prospex SPB105J1 ‘Dark Green Sunset - Image Credit: Seiko Watches
This is a watch that caught my eye a few months back, and you can see why, can’t you? It’s classy but with an edge. It’s billed as a dive watch but this is a watch that could be worn for most occasions, including racing. I love watches like this that somehow never manage to look out of place, and the colour is stunning.
Watch up to £2K: TAG Heuer Monaco.
The original Monaco worn by Steve McQueen in Le Mans - Image Credit: Tag Heuer
At this price, it’s going to have to be previously owned, but I would hunt hard to find one as it’s just the classic motorsport watch that every fan boy wants, to channel their inner Steve McQueen! It’s a completely iconic shape and style that I would never tire of seeing on my wrist. If you’re into watches and cars, this one is sort of compulsory.
Watch 4: up to £10K Rolex Submariner Date.
The Rolex Submariner - Image Credit: WatchGecko Online Magazine
From as far back as I can remember, this is the watch I’ve always wanted – and I’m sure I’m not the only one. I’d actually say that this is the watch that first got me interested in watches. Incredibly elegant and classy, mixed with a bit of utilitarian rough and ready. It’s slick but not too slick, if you know what I mean? This watch will always turn heads no matter what the setting or situation and I would love to own one at some point in future.
Car up to £5K: 2012 Ford Fiesta 1.25 Zetec.
Ford Fiesta 1.25 Zetec - Image Credit: Ford
Until you drive one, you’ll never understand. Having been my first road car, I’ve done thousands upon thousands of miles behind the wheel and know this car inside and out. The chassis balance, cornering and braking capabilities, plus an enthusiastic and rev-hungry little engine, makes for the perfect modern day low-powered hot hatchback. A lot of people would disagree with me when I say this car is a hot hatchback but when you compare it to the classic Ford Fiesta MK1 XR2, which had 82bhp, then this modern day Fiesta with 84bhp definitely ticks that box. A lot of people assume that a hot hatchback of today’s world has to have no fewer than 150bhp but I disagree. A car like this isn’t about straight line speed. It’s everything else that makes it so good.
Car 2 up to £10K: 2013 Vauxhall Astra VXR 2.0.
2013 Vauxhall Astra VXR 2.0 - Image Credit: Vauxhall
Having first driven the much more basic version of this car with renowned F1 driver coach Rob Wilson, the much quicker VXR variant is another step forward! Vauxhall might not be the most fashionable brand, but the VXR had a chassis that was developed by an ex-racing driver, so this Astra is quite breath-taking when it comes to on-track performance. Quite simply, it’s just a very fast front-wheel drive driver’s car, with an underlying and generally unknown racing DNA. It’s great value, and perhaps one of the best-kept secrets on the road.
Car up to £20K: 1985 BMW Alpina E30 2.5.
1985 BMW Alpina E30 2.5 - Image Credit: BMW
This is the sort of car that you’d have as a poster on your bedroom wall: just gorgeous. I’ve always loved everything about this car but only recently come to know more about its performance – and now I like it even more! It’s got rear-wheel drive, an H-pattern gearbox, skinny tyres and no traction or stability control: pretty much the dream driver’s car.
Car up to £100K :2020 BMW M5 Competition 4.4.
2020 BMW M5 Competition 4.4 - Image Credit: BMW
Having spent a full day doing passenger rides in one of these cars around my version of heaven, Silverstone, I know this BMW really well. And I think the M5 Competition is potentially one of the most overlooked cars of today’s world: a real stealth monster. With the right driver behind the wheel, this car would give most supercars a good run for their money. With 616bhp and over 500Nm of torque, it’s absolutely and utterly sensational to drive. And the best part about it is the fact that you can go from driving to the shops in eco mode – just using it as a normal family car – to lapping any race track around the world as fast as any supercar.
