CAR Magazine has been around for over half a century, and in every issue we’ve compiled the latest and greatest automotive content, all for you, our readers. After all that time, our collection has grown, but as is the case with most of us, the time hasn’t been too kind to these aging paperbacks.
The CAR team began thinking about sending out an APB asking any willing subscribers to donate any issues that we were missing or needed replacing in our own archives. Before we actioned our plan, some knights in shining armour sent us an email…
Mr. and Mrs. Hanekom got in touch with CAR Magazine to let us know that they had a large collection of CAR magazines that they were looking to give away. The timing was perfect! According to Mr. Hanekom, he has enjoyed every mag since he bought his first issue in 1978.
After a brief back and forth, the details were ironed out and it was now up to us to make it worth their while. The promise was to bring something “sexy” to say thank you for graciously offering up such an extensive and very nearly complete collection of cherished magazines. What would be the perfect car to bring for someone that has stuck with CAR magazine for over four decades? Four seats, brutal yet classy looks and of course, a stonking great twin-turbocharged V8 – there’s no better steed for this job than the inimitable Mercedes-AMG E63 S.
The sky was clear, the temperatures were perfect for spirited driving, and we managed to take the seats out of our Opel Zafira long-termer that had become our designated cargo vehicle. Thirty-something kilometers later and we were on the Hanekom’s driveway. Mr. Hanekom opened his front door and greeted the CAR team with a cheerful smile. “ You guys drive nice cars” was the first thing he said to us after seeing the burly E-class sitting squat on his driveway.
Mr. Hanekom proclaimed that he was a BMW guy through and through. He said that Mercedes-Benz had always seemed like an old man’s car, which seemed like an open invitation to prove just how youthful this “old man’s car” was. For those who are unaware, the visually unassuming E63 S is powered by a 4,0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 that produces a face-warping 460 kW. If that wasn’t enough to shake the “old man’s car” image, the mighty V8 produces 850 N.m of torque that is sent to all four wheels and managed by the firm’s 4Matic+ AWD system.
Sure enough, after running through first, second, third, and fourth gears in quick succession Mr. Hanekom let out a youthful laugh. For the entirety of the ride in the E63 S, he had a massive smile on his face that stretched from ear to ear. We left Mr. Hanekom with a smile on his face and the May 2022 edition in his hands.
To Mr and Mrs Hanekom, from all of us at CAR, thank you.
