The world’s most famous car journalist is all over it. According to Jeremy Clarkson, because of the stifling regulations from Brussels, there is no longer a single new car worth buying. For those who want one last treat before we all drive soulless Chinese vehicles, he has specific but urgent advice.
When Jeremy Clarkson speaks, the automotive world listens. In his latest column for The Times, the British presenter leaves no stone unturned about the current state of the auto industry. His conclusion is as harsh as it is clear: he would not buy any new cars at the moment. The reason is not that the engines are bad or the design disappointing, but the government’s meddling.
Since the summer of 2022, all new cars in the European Union (and the United Kingdom is following suit) have been required to be equipped with a range of active safety systems, better known as ADAS.
According to Clarkson, these systems have expertly killed the joy of driving. Whether you get into a Ferrari, an Aston Martin or a Maserati, the experience is constantly disrupted by beeps, warnings and interventions at the wheel. The car has changed from a machine you operate to a digital nanny constantly tapping your fingers.
The love for the Giulia
To improve his mood, Clarkson decided to return to an old love: the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio. When it was introduced in 2016, he waxed lyrical about this Italian sports sedan.
At the time, he called it a car that was better than the BMW M3, a rare compliment from the mouth of someone who is usually critical of build quality from Italy. Its 510-hp V6, perfect balance and comfortable suspension made it a masterpiece.
But the reunion with a brand-new 2024 ended in disappointment. The Giulia, too, had to bow to modern demands. The drive became a string of irritations due to the electronic watchdogs.
Worse, Clarkson noted that the new version’s suspension has changed dramatically. Where the original was known for its velvet damping that swallowed up bumps, the new version felt bone hard. He described the experience on the A40 near Oxford as less comfortable than falling down a flight of stairs.
The last resort
Yet the conclusion of his account is not purely negative. Rather, it is a call to action for the true car enthusiast. Clarkson argues that we are at a crossroads. The future seems to consist of what he describes as Chinese boxes: interchangeable, electric means of transportation with no soul that get you from A to B without any emotion.
According to him, those who want to resist the extinguishing of the light have one option left. Don’t buy a new Giulia, but look for one used before 2022. Those cars still have the magic, the agility and, above all, the lack of patronizing software.
It’s a chance to enjoy one more time of a brilliant, rear-wheel-drive sedan with a Ferrari engine in the front, before regulations and electrification consign this kind of car to the history books for good. It’s advice that probably won’t do prices in the used car market any good, but for the enthusiast, it’s worth its weight in gold.
Image source: PRO SHOTS / PA Images
