News and views with James Tute - every Friday in the EchoThe Life on Mars cars
First published February 1, 2008
LIFE on Mars, as I'm sure you know, is now no longer just one of the best David Bowie songs, but also a hugely successful Seventies-style cop show.
With a Ford Cortina, John Simm and lots of moustaches and political incorrectness, it was a big hit.
Now, Ashes to Ashes (one of the worst Bowie songs, by the way) is set to take the same route - from song to TV.
It's set in the Eighties and is apparently going to do for the Audi Quattro what Life on Mars did for the Cortina.
Nostalgia is a wonderful, not to mention profitable, thing, especially if you already happen to own a classic car.
Sadly, I don't, but perhaps it's time to start thinking about the possibility of another series.
OK, so the creators are going to have an uphill struggle to find any decent David Bowie song from his Nineties electronica period to name it after ('Hallo Spaceboy?' Goodbye ratings, I would have thought).
But rather than worrying about all that, cunning car fans should, I think, start pondering the big-selling cars of the era as a long-term investment.
My top tip is a first generation Ford Mondeo.
Snap one up now, keep it in good condition, then when Philip Glenister screeches on to our screens in 2009's retro Nineties cop drama, you'll be quids in.
Speaking of quids in, you'll have heard by now about Essex County Council selling the
numberplate F1 for £375,000.
Now it graces Afzal Kahn's £300,000 Mercedes McLaren.
Which is a great way for our council to send out a "we're careful with your cash" message and great publicity for the buyer's firm, which customises already-spectacular cars.
But just one thing, he's flagrantly breached the golden rule of personalised numberplates, which I wrote about back in July: "You're not allowed to spend more on the numberplate than the car".
8:53am Friday 1st February 2008
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