You're a self-confessed petrolhead — tell us how it started…
I have three older brothers and a sister, and I grew up around them getting their first cars and tinkering about with them.
One of my brothers bought a Triumph GT6 and that was it, I was smitten.
Your first car was a 1953 Austin A40 Somerset. What was that like?
My A40 was bought for five pounds! I got it when I was 15 and drove it around some garden allotments on private roads.
By the time I took my driving test at 17, I only needed three lessons and passed first time.
You've since owned over 30 cars. Which ones stand out and why?
My first proper car was a Mini with a 1.3-litre engine dropped in, so back then it was quite the performer and stuck to corners like nothing I've ever driven since. Much later I got my first muscle car, a 1998 Ford Mustang convertible in bright yellow with a full Saleen body kit. Cruising along Jumeirah Beach Road and Al Diyafah street became a regular weekend thing.
That was followed by a 2010 Camaro SS, again in yellow, and an absolute head turner.
What is your dream car?
My next car! A Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, which should be coming here in December — I hope. I can hardly wait. I also hope the Corvette Stingray concept car makes it to production. It looks truly awesome.
Tell us about your Silverado…
The Silverado is a whole lot of car for the money, boasting a 315bhp 5.3-litre V8 mated to a six-speed automatic. It has all the extras for towing, two or four-wheel drive, power sockets, cubby holes... And being an extended cab, it can comfortably carry six people while the rear suicide doors make it easy for back seat passengers to get in and out. And the truck bed just swallows everything you can put in there, which was the main reason for buying it as in my work I occasionally have to transport very heavy oil-field equipment.
I recently bought 50 20kg bags of decorative stones for my garden. The look on the salesman's face when he realised the truck could easily take that load was priceless.
It's about as big as a house. What's it like to drive?
Surprisingly, it's very easy to drive, with a commanding driving position and big presence on the road. It's a quiet car when you're driving around town but floor the accelerator and that V8 bellows and growls, launching you forward with plenty of enthusiasm and genuine acceleration. The brakes are very progressive but they are trying to stop over two tonnes of vehicle, so a hard emergency stop will cause the ABS to chatter.
I bought the car from Al Ghandi, the Chevy dealer in Dubai, in May 2011 for Dh116,000, which is a great price considering it comes loaded except for leather seats. I paid extra for 30 per cent window tints, heavy duty side-steps, a bed liner and a hard tonneau cover, all in black of course, which adds to its presence.
But, it wasn't the only thing you were considering...
I'd previously looked at the Ford F-150 but there was no stock available. I also looked at the Dodge Ram 1500 but I felt the Silverado was better finished.
The Toyota Tundra was also on my list but as it's still a grey import I couldn't really consider it.
Do you take it off-road?
Yes, it goes off-road quite regularly as many of my work-sites are drilling rigs in the desert. As it has switchable four-wheel drive (both high and low ratios) it feels very much at home on both soft and hard sand.
Are there any places where you just won't take it due to its size?
Some of the tighter underground car parks and the parking bays are too small, but apart from that it'll go just about anywhere.
Do you plan to modify it?
No plans per se; this is going to be a work-horse for some years to come, but I may get the wheels painted translucent dark grey at a later date.
My friends and colleagues love it, though the suggestion of having a gun rack and roof-mounted spotlights might be taking it a bit too far...
You had to sell your Camaro SS to make way for it right?
Yes, I also have a Volvo XC90 and just didn't have the room for three cars.
In hindsight, has it proved to be a good decision? Or do you miss the Camaro?
I miss it more than I thought I would, though I really enjoy driving the Silverado. But it is a hugely different experience to driving the Camaro.
That was — and is — a great car with striking looks, brilliant in the corners and a complete blast in straight-line acceleration. I think the new ZL1 with more horsepower and the Cadillac CTS-V-sourced magnetic suspension will prove to be an incredibly good sportscar.
So, roll on December and I will make room for it.
Bio
- Name Phil Grange
- Job QHSE manager in the oil and gas industry
- From UK
- Wheels 2011 Chevrolet Silverado
- In the UAE Eight years. 21 years in Middle-East
