How to pick the perfect car for a road trip (and not wreck your bank balance)

Choosing a car for a European road trip is framed as much a budget decision as a driving one. The article argues that you shouldn’t wait until you’re abroad to investigate warning lights, and emphasizes that a true grand tourer should deliver long-distance comfort and refinement rather than outright performance. For the kind of trip described, the writer prefers petrol, an engine with character, an exhaust worth listening to, and ideally a convertible for good weather. While new luxury grand tourers could cost £120,000+, the piece cautions that depreciation and running costs make them expensive to put roughly 3,000 miles on quickly. A £10,000–£25,000 budget is suggested for interesting options.