Rum Ration
the Navy Network

Renault 5 Gordini...... greased lightning, and a concealed zip in the back of the front seats that you could get your df's into without MOD Plod finding them! marvellous!

Mate of mine bought a Sierra Cosworth when we worked in the Big Smoke in the 90s: what a flying machine that was - SE London to Guzz in 3 1/2 hours, door to door, including a stop at Easton-in-Gordano services, where the Hells Angels were prepared to swop a ride on a Harley Davidson for a spin in the motor. (He sold it eventually and bought a Harley).

A personal favourite of mine would be the Saab 9000 turbo, 2.3 16v, the later Aero was a better car but the 90-92 was pure Bertone. Big hatch for all the bags, comfy seats, T25 turbo or TD04 later, 200hp plus isnt a lot by todays standards but enough to make this do 145+ thanks to 237lb ft. Aeros were 225hp (then 230hp/250hp). Not a fan of the autos. You can kip on the back seat, pull it forwards makes it wider, (had quite a cuddle with the mrs on the backseat on the way home from Raleigh) or fold the seat and kip full length in the boot. Not quite as quick as the Cossie 4x4 but not the thief magnet they were or insurance target. The 850 T5R/850R were quick cars, but too few to buy and too much money. A lot of autos.
The later 9-5 and wagon aren't the same, despite the continuing platform and engines. The 900/9-3 doesn't quite have the passenger legroom, and only the Viggen got the engine, but the front wheels don't handle it well without some Abbot racing mods.

Triumph Dolomite - Yellow of course - never owned one, but a mate used to take me on the razzle in one. Went like a rocket .....

Or the eponymous Ford Capri 3.0 Auto in Daytona Yellow (again !!) and a black vinyl roof - no problems with having to change gear then !!

But these were cars that were recognisable, not like the 'all-out-of-the-mould' shape you get these days

Had a Singer Sunbeam 1.8 in the 70s, fitted with a Weber carb - left a Jag standing on the way up the M1 to Forest Moor ...

Five of us would go to the Plume of Feathers at Princetown most Sunday lunchtimes, in a VW Beetle.
It was lousy as a weekend car, slow with dodgy handling, but, after a few pints it seemed ok to us. It got us back from the pub in one bit, which is all that could be said for it (We lived in Mutley Plain).
The thing was so unreliable we called it Hitlers revenge.
It finally died, of smoke inhalation, on the A38 near the Paignton turn off.

somebody else's on a duty trip

Honda Pan European or a Triumph Sprint ST.

Both have enough space for a decent amount of kit and you reduce the nause of traffic. Can't get away from it completely as filtering is still slower, but at least you're making some progress.

Decent fabric riding gear and the weather isn't so much of a problem either.