June 2015
32
digital monthly magazine
Rolls-Royce
WRAITH
VIPER ACR
VENUCIA VOW
CONTENTS
32
June 2015
28
4
36
4 14
FRONT PAGE Rolls Royce Wraith
AUTONEWS June news
14
28
MISS OF THE MONTH
36
FOCUS
Venucia Vow Concept
2016 Dodge Viper ACR
digital monthly magazine
74
50 56 60 50
GLOBAL NEWS
60
CLASSIC
Ordinay-Extra-Ordinary 451!
74
SPECIAL The Ultimate Luxury Car Show
Verona Legend Cars
CGM
FRONT PAGE
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Unveils “Wraith – Inspired by Fashion”
Wraith Wraith Wraith
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and the world of Haute Couture have long been bound by a common philosophy – to take the very finest materials and craft them into the most exquisite and desirable luxury goods, appointed to the customer’s exact specifications. In this spirit, RollsRoyce Motor Cars unveils “Wraith – Inspired by Fashion”
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Fittingly
, the marque’s first showroom in Conduit Street, Mayfair was founded a short step from London’s famous centre of tailoring excellence, Savile Row. Here, Sir Henry Royce and his partner The Honourable Charles Rolls echoed the offerings of their illustrious neighbours by providing London’s most stylish denizens with the automotive equivalent of the finest cloths; a perfectly engineered Rolls-Royce chassis and running gear. The customer would then call upon their preferred coachbuilder, who would furnish the car with personal touches and accoutrements specified perfectly to their requirements. A century later, a bold new generation of customers continue to share the same appetite for commissioning expressions of their taste and lifestyle. ‘Wraith – Inspired by Fashion’ provides a modern take on this grand tradition. Akin to commissioning a fine suit or elegant piece of couture, the journey of creating a highly Bespoke Rolls-Royce motor car begins at the marque’s equivalent of the tailor’s atelier, the Bespoke Design Studio at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England. Here, the Designers honed the aesthetic theme of the car, drawing inspiration from colour palettes, materials and techniques used in the world of high fashion. The result is an extraordinary interpretation of Wraith’s characteristic blend of power, style and drama.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
The remarkable success of Wraith in attracting a new generation of successful entrepreneurs to the marque has been underpinned by a surge in demand for Bespoke personalisation – a remarkable 95% of all Wraith motor cars left the Home of Rolls-Royce with an element of Bespoke design last year, giving bold expression to the notion that Bespoke is Rolls-Royce.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Giles Taylor, Director of Design for RollsRoyce Motor Cars, commented, “This iteration of Wraith provides a canvas for materials and finishes most commonly associated with the world of fashion. Inspiration was sourced from international catwalks and Bespoke Tailors, resulting in an aesthetically stunning and sartorially on-point motor car.” ‘Wraith – Inspired by Fashion’ two-tone exterior colour scheme of Andalucian White and Arctic White offers a neutral setting for a choice of accent colours, namely Jasmine, Tailored Purple or Mugello Red. Wraith’s signature shoulder-line is accentuated deftly with the addition of a handapplied feature-line in the chosen highlight colour, alluding to the divergent interior of the motor car. Like the finest Bespoke garments, beauty is found in the subtlest details. On opening Wraith’s coach-doors you will find a contemporary impression of the car’s classic Arctic White and Black interior colour scheme. Beyond the traditional placement of embroidered headrests, seat stitching and piping, the accent colour has found an elegant new application via a striking two-tone composition steering wheel. A seamless stitch, a highly complex craft technique from the world of fine tailoring, was mastered and applied to the wheel by the craftspeople in the Leather Shop at the Home of Rolls-Royce. The very finest garments are crafted exclusively from the most luxurious ma-
terials – with tactility, comfort and quality as important an attribute as the aesthetic of the piece itself. The Bespoke design team took inspiration from this approach in appointing the car’s front and rear door pockets with fine silks, adorned with an abstract representation of the Spirit of Ecstasy with each emblem set precisely at fifty-five degrees to complement the lines of the door. The remarkable craftsmanship and attention-to-detail employed in the creation of any Rolls-Royce is evident in the exquisite application of wood to the dashboard, with the lacquering process for ‘Wraith – Inspired by Fashion’ alone taking nine days to painstakingly complete. This is completed elegantly with the integration of a Bespoke Clock, set as a piece of jewellery, styled exclusively to emit a pearl effect, reminiscent of silk fabrics. The contemporary fashion theme is completed with the integration of welting, a specialist technique most commonly associated with Bespoke tailoring. Presented as a colourful silk strip, the welting stylishly frames Wraith’s signature leather door-panel. To mark the occasion of the creation of this timeless Wraith, the motor car took part in a landmark shoot on the production line at the Home of Rolls-Royce in the South of England. The luxurious materials and distinctive features presented in the motor car were accentuated by fashion models, set against a backdrop of the hand-made motor cars.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
CGM
AUTONEWS
e n u J
Audi TT clubsport
This
year’s WÜrthersee Tour festival played host to an Audi TT clubsport turbo concept delivering 600PS and 650Nm with the help of an innovative electrically driven biturbo compressor that is close to being production ready. It has a power-boosted 2.5 TFSI engine with very impressive performance data. From 2,480 cc of displacement, the five-cylinder engine produces 600PS of power and 650Nm (479.4 lb-ft) of torque, the latter from 3,000 to 7,000 rpm. This means that it produces 240PS and 260Nm (191.8 lb-ft) per litre of displacement. Power is transferred via a manual six-speed transmission. The car completes the standard sprint from 0 to 62 mph in 3.6 seconds, with a top speed of 192 mph. A dedicated 48-volt electrical sub-system supplies electrical energy to the turbocharger. A compact lithium-ion battery in the luggage compartment stores the energy that is generated by recuperation when coasting. A DC/DC converter provides the connection to the 12-volt electrical system.
Autonews JUNE
BMW
3.0 CSL Hommage & 435i ZHP Coupe Edition
BMW
presented the new BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage at Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. “CSL” stands for “Coupé Sport Leichtbau” (coupé, sport, lightweight). This model is the BMW Design Team’s tribute to the 3.0 CSL, a timeless classic and iconic BMW Coupé from the 1970s. The elonga-
ted body is set off by distinctive air deflectors, powerful wheel arches and prominent spoilers to the roof and tail. Despite its size, the aerodynamic elements are key in enabling air to flow optimally along the sides of the vehicle. The black 21″ alloy wheels in matt and high-gloss bi-colour versions offer an additional unique highlight.
The
new BMW 435i ZHP Coupe Edition is not just a vehicle with improved optics and aerodynamics, it is also notably quicker with more precise handling. The BMW 435i ZHP Edition incorporates the M Sport Package comprised of the front and rear Aerodynamic kit, Aluminum Hexagon Trim with a Black high-gloss accent and an M Sport steering wheel. Designed to increase the dynamic capabilities the Track Handling Package adds 18� Orbit Grey V-Spoke Wheels and M Sport Brakes with 4 piston fixed front and 2 piston fixed rear calipers adding to the vehicles thirst and drivers demand for speed and acceleration. Horsepower is increased to 335hp (35hp gain), torque is increased to 332 lbft (automatic transmission, 32 ft/lb gain) and 317 lb-ft (manual transmission, 17 ft/ lb gain) and improved acceleration that drivers can feel immediately when compared to a standard 435i: 2 seconds faster than the standard 435i model from 0 mph to 60 mph and 5 seconds faster than the standard 435i model from 50 mph to 75 mph.
Autonews JUNE
Dodge Viper ACR
The
2016 Dodge Viper ACR with the available Extreme Aero package produces the highest aerodynamic downforce of any production car. During on-track testing, development engineers have experienced nearly 1 ton of downforce at top speed of 177 mph. The Extreme Aero Package includes a huge (1,876-mm wide) adjustable dual-element rear wing, rear carbon fiber diffuser, unique SRT hood with removable louvers,
see our US FOC article
detachable extension for the front splitter and four dive planes. The car is fitted with Kumho Ecsta V720 high-performance tires designed specifically for the car with unique tread pattern and compounds for front and rear. At the heart of the 2016 Viper ACR is the handcrafted, all-aluminum 8.4-liter V-10 overhead-valve engine, rated at 645 horsepower and 600 lb.-ft. of torque – the most torque of any naturally aspirated sports-car engine in the world.
Fiat Aegea
Fiat
presents its new Compact Sedan, designed in Italy at the FCA Style Centre, developed in Turkey together with Tofaş R&D and manufactured in the Bursa plant to be sold in over 40 countries of the EMEA area. Fiat Ægea pays tribute to Turkey which has always played a strategic role for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and represents a symbolic bridge between East and West. Fiat Ægea brings together great
NBoUwL ISToA r to Sh
M
load capacity and compact dimensions of a sedan 4 and half metres long, 178 centimetres wide and 148 cm high with a wheelbase of 264 cm that heightens its excellent interior space. The new Fiat car offers a wide range of power units: two Multijet II turbodiesel engines and two petrol ones, with manual or automatic transmission, with power ratings of between 95 and 120 HP.
Autonews JUNE
Jaguar
F-TYPE R AWD Bloodhound SSC RRV
The
F-TYPE R AWD Bloodhound SSC RRV is one of the cars that will support the Bloodhound world land speed record attempt. The Bloodhound F-TYPE R is the latest project of Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations and is wrapped in a bespoke livery created by Jaguar Design incorporating the Bloodhound SSC colours. As Technical Partner of Bloodhound SSC, Jaguar is supplying engines, engineering expertise and a number of support vehicles for the attempt to break the world land speed record.
Mitsuoka Roadster
In
mid June 2015, Mitsuoka Motor’s “classic” Mitsuoka Roadster will be making its European debut as it launches in the UK under the exclusive distribution of T W White & Sons. The 2.0 litre Coupe is available with either a 6 speed manual transmission gearbox or a 6 speed automatic Powershift gearbox - which can be driven effortlessly in the auto mode selection or by
using the easy paddle shift controls. Rear wheel drive, the Roadster is fully equipped with the latest technology, advanced safety features and modern conveniences. It sports the World’s fastest power-retractable hard top - opening and closing in 12 seconds with just the flick of a switch. The Mitsuoka Roadster is available at the standard price of £53,800 on the road.
Autonews JUNE
Porsche 911 Black Edition
Porsche
has created a special series of the 911 Carrera and Boxster: the Black Edition. The combination of black paintwork and black interior emphasises the elegance of the sports car. The standard equipment on the 911 Carrera and Boxster Edition models includes Porsche Communication Management with navigation module, automatically dimming rear-view mirrors, rain sensor, cruise control and Sport Design steering wheel.
The 911 Carrera Black Edition is based on the basic model with a 3.4 litre flat engine developing 350 hp (257 kW). It is offered as coupĂŠ and convertible versions with rear-wheel or all-wheel drive. The special edition runs on 20-inch 911 Turbo wheels and the LED headlights including the Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus are part of the standard equipment. The Boxster Black Edition is powered by the 2.7 litre flat engine with 265 hp (195 kW).
Renault Kwid
The
Renault Kwid overturns established A-segment design cues thanks to a robust, stylish exterior plus a modern, welcoming interior equipped with features normally associated with models from the next segment up. It makes it a unique offering in India’s compact city car segment. The brand new ‘Outback Bronze’ colour adds a warm, energetic touch. Its short front and rear overhangs and high ground clearance (180mm) exude an impression of strength and reliability. At 3.68 meters long and 1.58 meters wide, Kwid is definitely a compact car. The slightly sculpted sides provide a fluid, dynamic touch, with the rectangular forms of the black wheel arches providing another pointer to the Kwid’s SUV breeding, as well as additional protection.
Autonews JUNE
SEAT Ibiza
a BarceSlhoon w
Motor
Seat
is launching the New Ibiza with a package of innovative technologies. The exterior design of the five-door Ibiza, the threedoor Ibiza SC Sport CoupĂŠ and the Ibiza ST Sport Tourer estate variant is still well received by customers and potential customers alike. Modifications are therefore limited to new headlamps with LED daytime running lights, new wheel designs in 16 and 17 inches and the new paint colours Moonstone Grey and Chilli Red.
ŠKODA Superb Estate
Just
months after the debut of the hatchback, comes the new ŠKODA Superb Estate. It has the largest interior space and luggage compartment in its class. The total boot volume is nearly 2,000 litres. At the same time, the new and expressive ŠKODA design transforms the new-generation model into a stylish estate with dynamic elegance. Thanks to the new EU6 engines, the latest edition is more powerful and at the same time up to 30 per cent more efficient than its predecessor. Connectivity reaches a new level of quality: the latest generation of infotainment systems automatically connects to all standard smartphones via SmartLink.
Autonews JUNE
Volkswagen Golf GTE Sport & Tiguan
The
Golf GTE Sport transfers the Volkswagen GT tradition into tomorrow’s world. A total of three motors – combined in a 295 kW / 400 PS plugin hybrid drive system – power the high-tech Golf, which is largely made of carbon. With a power output of 195 kW / 265 PS and top performance temporarily increased by around a further 10 per cent thanks to a boost function, the Golf GTI Clubsport is set to take off at the start of 2016 as the most powerful production ‘GTI’ yet. The anniversary model is being launched not only with an extremely powerful engine, but also with an individualised interior and exclusive bodywork details.
Volkswagen
has updated some key equipment specifications of the Tiguan for the new model year. The popular all-rounder is undertaking the modernization of its engine range: as of now, the 2-litre diesel engines will have more power. The output of the 103 kW engine was increased to 110 kW, while the 130 kW engine now delivers 135 kW. At the same time, CO2 emissions have been cut by up to 17 g/km, and all engines comply with the EU6 emissions standard. Based on the latest generation of the modular infotainment matrix, the entertainment systems available in the Tiguan have also been significantly upgraded. CGM
MISS OF THE MONTH
Venucia Vow Concept
the 2015
VENUS Venucia, a Chinese brand by Dongfeng Nissan Passenger Vehicle Company, the passenger vehicle business unit of Nissan’s joint venture in China, unveiled the VOW Concept at the April Auto Shanghai 2015.
Venucia Vow Concept
Vow
Concept, a brand new trendy sport crossover concept, was developed for the young generations. VOW is the abbreviation of “Venucia Over Wonder,” meaning a complete breakthrough in excellence. The forward thinking and bold design, paired with a bright blue body inspired by Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni, a high plateau near the crest of the Andes Mountains with captive fresh and saltwater lakes and the world’s largest salt flat.
Venucia Vow Concept
VOW Concept conjures up a new balance of dynamic excellence and elegance. “With the VOW Concept, Venucia is going directly to the young generations and listening to what they have to say about their futures, their hopes and what inspires them. We are determined to bring forward a young and fresh brand that continues to challenge the status quo,” said Zhou Xianpeng, DFL-PV deputy managing director. “We believe Venucia will lead future trends as an influencer, and enhance its place in the automotive market in China.”
Venucia Vow Concept Dongfeng Nissan Passenger Vehicle Company is a Nissan’s joint venture with Dongfeng Motor Group Co. DFL-PV is engaged in research and development operations, manufacturing and distribution of passenger vehicles. The brand name VENUCIA is derived from the ancient Roman “Venus”. The five stars of the brand logo represent the company’s
five brand promises –
respect customers, create value, do the best, achieve world-class quality and seek the dream.
CGM
FOCUS
THE FASTEST New 2016 Dodge Viper ACR
REPTILE
The next chapter in the history of Dodge and SRT’s ultimate American hand-built, street-legal race car begins with the return of the new 2016 Dodge Viper American Club Racer (ACR). Production of the hand-built 2016 Dodge Viper ACR begins in Detroit in the third quarter of 2015
Dodge Viper ACR
The
new chapter in the history of the ultimate street-legal, track-focused, handbuilt American supercar begins with the return of the new 2016 Dodge Viper ACR. Certified for public roads and engineered to wring every last hundredth of a second out of road course lap times, the 2016 Dodge Viper ACR combines the latest in aerodynamic, braking and tire technology – a recipe designed to carry on the ACR’s lap-time busting reputation that has made it a legend on race tracks around the world. “The Viper has always been more of a street-legal race car than a track-capable streetcar, and the new 2016 Dodge Viper ACR is the fastest street-legal Viper track car ever,” said Tim Kuniskis, President and Chief Executive Officer – Dodge and SRT Brands N.America. “Our goal is to arm our enthusiasts with the ultimate Viper track car to dominate road courses around the world.”
Dodge Viper ACR
The original Dodge Viper ACR was produced for the 1999 model year and was based off of the second generation coupe. This model had suspension and engine enhancements focused on maximizing performance in road racing and autocross environments. Horsepower was bumped from 450 to 460 hp via a unique air filter and smooth air intake hoses. Curb weight was reduced by more than 50 pounds by stripping the audio system and removing other nonessential items such as the fog lamps. The new stiffer, adjustable suspension removed another 14 pounds. This model also had an “ACR” badge and 20-spoke BBS wheels.
The SRT engineering team that developed the 2016 Dodge Viper ACR is wellstocked with members who race their own cars, as well as learning from the factorybased racing Viper GTS-R that competed in the American Le Mans Series and IMSA United SportsCar Championship from 2012-2014, capturing the GTLM class driver and team championships in 2014. For the new Viper ACR, the team focused its efforts on three areas: aerodynamics, chassis and tires to maximize grip, producing never-seen-before handling capabilities and unprecedented lap times. ULTIMATE AERODYNAMIC PERFORMANCE The 2016 Dodge Viper ACR with the available Extreme Aero package produces an high aerodynamic downforce: during on-track testing, development engineers have experienced nearly 1 ton of downforce at top speed of 177 mph. The Extreme Aero Package includes a huge (1,876-mm wide) adjustable dualelement rear wing, rear carbon fibre diffuser, unique SRT hood with removable louvers, detachable extension for the front splitter and four dive planes. The Extreme Aero rear wing, specifically designed for air flow around the Viper’s body, stands taller, sits further rearward and features unique end-plates and gurney lip to produce maximum downforce while minimizing straight line drag. The Extreme Aero package delivers more than three times the downforce of the Viper TA (Time Attack) 2.0 package. The rear carbon fibre diffuser extends forward of the rear axle. It includes six removable strake extensions, designed to rub against the track surface for increa-
Dodge Viper ACR
With the purification of the brand and consolidation with SRT, Dodge is getting back to its performance roots with every single model it offers. The Dodge and SRT brands offer a complete lineup of performance vehicles that stand out within their own segments. Dodge is the “mainstream performance” brand and SRT is positioned as the “ultimate performance” halo of the Dodge brand, together creating a complete and balanced performance brand with one vision and one voice.
Dodge Viper ACR
sed straight-line stability and optimized downforce. Removable hood louvers over the front tires reduce air pressure in front wheel wells to provide additional downforce. The detachable front splitter extension and dive planes work with the rear aero treatment to provide outstanding grip and balanced performance on the track. ULTIMATE BRAKE PERFORMANCE Track duty can punish the brakes. The 2016 Dodge Viper ACR features new Brembo Carbon Ceramic Matrix brakes for optimum braking performance with unprecedented brake fade resistance, and greater handling capability through reduced un-sprung weight. The system uses 390-millimeter (15.4-inch) two-piece front rotors and 360-millimeter (14.2-inch) two-piece rear rotors. Front brakes use six-piston Brembo calipers while the rear brakes use four-piston calipers. The brakes work in conjunction with ABS and ESC specifically tuned for ACR to take into account the extra grip provided by the additional aero and specifically designed Kumho tires. Detachable front brake ducts provide additional cooling to the brake calipers for optimum track performance. TIRE, CHASSIS COMBO KEEPS VIPER ACR GLUED TO THE ROAD The 2016 Dodge Viper ACR is fitted with Kumho Ecsta V720 high-performance tires designed specifically for the car with unique tread pattern and compounds for front and rear. In testing, the new tires produce laps times that are 1.5 seconds faster than off-road only race tires.
Low-profile front tires measure 295/25/19 and are mounted on wider 11-inch wide wheels and when combined with the 355/30/19 rear tires provide the largest combined tire patch available on any production car. The Viper ACR’s ABS and fivemode Electronic Stability Control system (Full-on, Sport, Track, Rain, Full-off modes) are specifically tuned for the car to take into account the extra grip offered by the extreme aerodynamic and tire package. Aluminum bodied, double-adjustable coil-over Bilstein race shocks are designed specifically for the Viper ACR and work in conjunction with ride height adjustment for optimal control of weight transfer and handling performance. Each shock provides independent 10-way rebound and compression adjustability. The suspension package also provides more than 3 inches of ride height adjustment. Front springs are rated at 600 lbs./in. and rear springs at 1,300 lbs./in., more than double the suspension stiffness of the Viper TA model. With unique race alignment and 1.4 degrees more negative camber than the entry SRT model, the 2016 Dodge Viper ACR is capable of sustaining more than 1.5 g on high-speed turns due to the combined chassis and aerodynamic improvements. AWE-INSPIRING V-10 POWERTRAIN At the heart of the 2016 Viper ACR is the handcrafted, all-aluminum 8.4-liter V-10 overhead-valve engine, rated at 645 horsepower and 600 lb.-ft. of torque – the most torque of any naturally aspirated sports-car engine in the world. Unique exhaust tips have been added to the side
Dodge Viper ACR
mounted exhaust pipes to provide reduced exhaust pressure. All Vipers are engineered to withstand severe track duty in ambient temperatures of 100 degrees Fahrenheit with a professional driver. Power reaches the pavement through the standard Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual transmission. ACR-EXCLUSIVE INTERIOR APPOINTMENTS The instrument panel cluster hood, lower instrument panel and door armrest panels of the race-inspired interior are wrapped in unique Alcantara suede. A new, ACRexclusive Alcantara wrapped high-grip steering wheel with color racing stripe and unique badging sets the ACR apart from other production models. New highgrip seats also carry the Alcantara inserts, while the unique dash plaque is finished in carbon fibre. Customers can choose between silver or Header Red accent stitching throughout the interior. Hand-built in Detroit at the Conner Avenue Assembly Plant; the 2016 Dodge Viper ACR goes on sale in third quarter 2015.
Dodge Viper ACR
Applying Viper’s exclusive ‘1 of 1’ customization program to Viper ACR allows customers to have more than 25 million build combinations to create their one-of-a-kind Snake from the ground up. With 8,000 exterior color options, 24,000 custom stripe colors, 11 wheel options, 16 interior trims and seven aero packages, three brake packages and four suspension options there are more than 25 million ways for buyers to customize their one-of-a-kind Dodge Viper.
CGM
GLOBAL NEWS
ORDINARY-EXT
The fastest estate car at the Nürburgring
TRA-ORDINARY
With a ground-breaking best time of 7:58.12 minutes the SEAT Leon ST Cupra is the fastest estate car around the Nürburgring Nordschleife. The powerful estate car made its world debut at this year’s Wörthersee Treffen in Austria
Seat Leon ST Cupra
On
13th May 280 hp rolled through the small town of Reifnitz on Wörthersee, where the SEAT Leon ST Cupra celebrated its debut at the legendary meeting. The front-wheel drive car has proven its sporty performance with its groundbreaking record time of 7:58.12 minutes around the Nürburgring Nordschleife, achieved for the first time by the Spanish racing driver and SEAT brand ambassador Jordi Gené. “It was an indescribable feeling to get the best out of this car and to be the first to achieve this record,” said Jordi Gené. The sports tourer benefits significantly from the Limited Front Slip Differential (VAQ) of the SEAT Leon Cupra and the 6-speed manual gearbox – systems that enable it to ensure a secure grip on the road, even under difficult conditions. “The Leon ST Cupra reinforces that an estate car doesn’t have to be a compromise. This record time is not only another symbol of our claim ‘Technology to Enjoy’, but also sets new standards. The SEAT Leon ST Cupra is a sports car for the whole family,” said Dr. Matthias Rabe, SEAT Vice President for Research and Development.
Seat Leon ST Cupra
At this year’s Austrian cult event, the front-wheel drive car has been also presented with the “Black” Performance Pack. Painted in Dynamic Grey, it is sure to cut a dynamic figure with its 19inch alloy wheels, its BREMBO 4-pistons high-performance brake system and body-colour side flares. Through its sublime blend of power and comfort, the SEAT Leon ST Cupra achieves a perfect balance which appeals to both the heart and the head not only is there space for the whole family, the powerful 280 hp engine also delivers thrilling performance. CGM
GLOBAL NEWS
451 Ram Trucks Makes History April 18 Setting New GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ Title for Largest Parade of Pickup Trucks
451Ram truck owners from seven U.S. states and Canada help set new world record, Saturday, April 18, 2015. Ram Truck ‘Round-up’ held in conjunction with 50th Academy of Country Music Awards weekend in Arlington, Texas, April 17-19
Guinness World Records Adjudicator, Michael Empric, left, presents Dave Sowers, head of Ram Truck brand marketing, with certificates confirming a new world record for the largest parade of 451 pickup trucks set in Arlington, Tx., Saturday, April 18, 2015. The ‘Ram Truck Roundup’ was held in conjunction with the 50th Academy of Country Music Awards weekend.
451
Guinness World Records (GWR) is the universally recognized global authority on recordbreaking achievement. First published in 1955, more than 132 million copies, and 3 million e-books, have been sold in 20 languages, in more than 100 countries. Since then, the internationally renowned brand also is available across a number of platforms; Guinness World Records global television shows are watched by more than 750 million viewers annually, more than half a million subscribe to the GWR YouTube channel, the global website receives 14 million viewers annually and has more than 8 million fans on Facebook.
Ram
truck owners from seven U.S states and Canada helped the Ram Truck brand set a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the largest parade of pickup trucks, Saturday, April 18, in Arlington, Texas. 451 Ram trucks participated in the “Ram Truck Round-up,” breaking the previous world record of 438 trucks. Ram, the “Official Truck” of the Academy of Country Music Awards, invited its customers to help break the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS in honor the 50th anniversary of the ACM Awards. “Our hard-working Ram truck owners are passionate and loyal, and today they proved once again that everything is always bigger in Texas,” said Robert Hegbloom, President and Chief Executive Officer,
Ram Truck Brand, FCA – North America. “Ram is the fastest growing truck brand in Texas, where trucks are king, and it was great to see 451Ram owners travel far and wide for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be a part of a special record-breaking rally and pickup parade.” The Ram Truck Round-up parade route started on the east side of AT&T Stadium in Arlington and traveled approximately 3.2 miles around the stadium and neighboring Globe Life Park grounds. Participants in the Ram Truck Round-up parade were treated to a special morning of activities including car-crushing appearances by the Raminator monster truck, music performances by the Austin, Texas-based Midnight Social, appearances by country music artists Kix Brooks, Thomas Rhett and Easton Corbin, and giveaways from Ram brand partners. CGM
CLASSIC
S
Success a Great
Verona Legend Cars
Verona Legend Cars
Public
and connoisseurs applauded the new Italian Show organized in Verona during the second May week. Quality content, a strong international presence and 30 percent of sales place Verona as one of the most important European events from the first edition. 2000 cars on display and over 20 thousand visitors. Over 20 thousand visitors in the three days of fair represent an achievement that, added to the 300 exhibitors, 2 thousand cars and five occupied halls, lays a solid basis to the further development of the event. Many well-chosen ingredients in the design of the new exhibition, starting with the new formula, has drawn an ideal bridge between heritage and contemporary, between historical models and modern cutting-edge cars. Of great cultural and historical value were the unique jewels of Cité Automobile Moulhouse, the stand of the Nicolis
Museum of Verona, the stands of Aston Martin, Porsche, Infiniti, Volvo, Tesla and Scuderia Jaguar. As mentioned over 2000 cars were for sale - 30 percent of which found a buyer. Models for every taste, age and inclination were exhibited: from the 90s Range Rover to the 1955 Isetta BMW, to the Beetle VW, Porsche, Ferrari Mondial (the latest Ferrari, in chronological order, beginning the rise in the Heritage) Ferrari Testarossa, 208, 328, 248 and so on. “Verona Legend Cars has managed to blend the heart and mind of cars” said the promoter Carlo Baccaglini “We brought together unique models that make you dream with your eyes open and we were able to meet the quality of Italian heritage with the collectors beyond the Alps. Verona turned out, as we knew, as an international modern crossroad and an enthusiast city who welcomed us with open arms and that we thank very warmly.”
THE PORSCHE 904 CARRERA GTS IS ANOTHER
EXCELLENT SPORT MODEL THAT RELIED ON ALL
T Y PES OF TERRAIN FROM COMPETITION, ENSURING
OVER 300 RACE VICTORIES BY SUBMISSION IN 1963 UNTIL THE MID 70 ‘S.
BORN IN 1961 AFTER
4 Y EARS OF DESIGN, THE VOLVO P1800
WAS A SPORTS CAR
WITH ITALIAN LINES. IT ’S PERHAPS
THE BEST-KNOWN MODEL OF THE
SWEDISH HOUSE
Verona Legend Cars
BUGATTI SURPRISE
Some of the more interesting Bugatti cars have been displayed in the heart of the exhibition, in thanks to collaboration with CitÊ de l’Automobile de Mulhouse, a temple of European motors. Between them the only existing prototype of Bugatti Type 252, a sports car built between 1957 and 1962 and the racing Bugatti Type 45 of 1929 and the Bugatti Type 49 (from Nicolis Museum) presented at Paris Salon in 1930.
Verona Legend Cars
ASTON MARTIN OVERVIEW
The English brand presented nearly ninety years of history. 5 models are to be presented, from the 1930s to the contemporaries. In the MK II 1935, Ulster, the car that will participate this year Japan’s Mille Miglia, the DB2/4 roadster 1957, the DB4 1961, already belonged to the House of Savoy.
Verona Legend Cars
THE FIRST “JAGUAR”
AT VERONA LEGEND CARS
The Jaguar Historical Scuderia presented a rich collection of 10 models. It starts from the Jaguar SS 100 2.5 1936: produced from 1936 to 1939. Then follows the XK 120 OTS 3.4 of 1954, the model which conquered Hollywood stars such as Humphrey Bogart, Clark Gable, Elizabeth Taylor, Dick Powell and Robert Montgomery. On display also the Jaguar XK 120 FHC 3.4 of 1951, XK 120 OTS Alloy 1949, XK 140 DHC SE Testata C of 1955, XK 140 FHC 3.4 of 1955, XK 150 OTS 3.4 of 1958, Jaguar E Type OTS 8, E Type V12 5.3 of 1973 and Jaguar Palmer JPL of 2003.
Verona Legend Cars
THE FIAT REGISTER
AND 60 Y EARS OF THE 600
Over 200 square meters are dedicated to the Italian Fiat Register celebrating 60 years of Fiat 600 with six vehicles, specialized personnel to accommodate foreign visitors and an inquiry office for the needs of its more than 6,000 members. Among the models announced in preview there is a selection of interpretations on the platform 600 created by Italian car designers: Fiat 600 Jolly Ghia, Fiat Abarth 750 Zagato and Fiat 600 CherĂŹe Gran Luce Vignale.
Verona Legend Cars
AN ITALIAN
CLASSIC EVENT
CAN’T FORGET
THE GLORIOUS
ALFA ROMEO HISTORY
CGM
SPECIAL
Luxur
The Ultimate ry Car Show
The 12th edition of the Montecarlo show was inaugurated by Prince Albert II of Monaco who unveiled seven world launches
2015 Top Marques
An
unprecedented number of sales were made at this year’s Top Marques Monaco supercar show which was attended by a record-breaking 42,000 visitors. Among the exhibitors – which included Mazzanti, Zenvo and Hamann as well as brands such as Tesla, Aston Martin and Lexus – approximately 80 per cent are understood to have secured deals during the four April days show held at the Grimaldi Forum. Confirmed purchases include a number of top of the range luxury vehicles, nine ‘super vans’ and more than ten motorbikes. The combined total value of sales made during Top Marques is expected to be in excess of €200 million.
Steven Saltzman, director of Top Marques Monaco, said: “Top Marques 2015 has topped all our expectations, and the expectations of our exhibitors. We would like to thank everyone who came to visit the show – and who helped to make it the most successful Top Marques to date. We would also like to thank all our sponsors including our title partner the Edmond de Rothschild group for their immeasurable support of Top Marques.”
The Ultimate Luxury Car Show
Hamann Porsche Macan TOP Marques 2015 was viewed by an estimated 25 million more in France alone after being televised by all the major TV networks including TF1, France 2, France 3, M6 and BTM TV.
2015 Top Marques
Zenvo GT
Toroidion 1MW Concept
The Ultimate Luxury Car Show Sales in the Watch Pavilion and Luxury Lane included several considerable pieces of jewellery as well as a significant number of watches. Two Franck Muller Tourbillion were sold on the very same afternoon. It is impossible to give exact figures but at least eight out of ten exhibitors said they had made sales with even more adding they were leaving the show with a number of leads which they expected to convert into sales in the coming weeks.
The Radical RXC Turbo 500 during a test drive
2015 Top Marques
Aeromobil 3.0 The 12th edition of the world’s only live supercar show, where potential clients were taken out for a record-breaking 1,300 test drives, drew to a close on Sunday April 19 evening. Without doubt one of the highlights of the show was the AeroMobil 3.0, the world’s most advanced prototype of a flying car which transformed from a two-seater roadster to a plane every 20 minutes from inside the Espace Ravel. The Slovakian invention which could be on the market in under two years was the
subject of a media frenzy, being broadcast from the show floor by more than 30 TV crews from across the world including America, Canada, Germany, Finland, Russia and Brazil. Stefan Vadosc, spokesman for the company, said: “We were very happy with our participation at the Top Marques Monaco show and we are grateful for the support from the organizers and Monaco. We have gathered a lot of positive feedback for our invention from the diverse groups of visitors during the show. This feedback will
The Ultimate Luxury Car Show
The creator of La Riviera, Noel Edmonds said: “The car epitomises the style of the 1930s and it is an exact recreation of the original even down to the design and weight of the nuts and bolts. It is not to be confused with the SS100 copies and kit cars, each one is completely hand-made and will take five months to build by craftsmen in England.”
2015 Top Marques
Montecarlo Automobile Carlo Chiti Tribute help us shape the future development of AeroMobil which you might hopefully see in the streets of Monaco one day.” Another highlight was the Toroidion 1 MW, one of six world launches to be unveiled at the show by Prince Albert II of Monaco. The 1MW concept car is set to be the most powerful electric car ever made. Chief designer Pasi Pennanen said: “We
are overwhelmed by the response by the public to the Toroidion. Top Marques has been very interesting for us. We have met lots of people on the same level as us. We have also got some very important publicity by choosing to launch not just our product but also our company at Top Marques.” Next year’s Top Marques Monaco will take place from April 14th to 17th 2016.
The Ultimate Luxury Car Show
ATS GT
Mazzanti Evantra
CGM
PIC OF THE MONTH
Mercedes-Benz Launches Campaign to Support Jurassic World
globalmag
RACEGM
2015
# 16 June 2015
PIC OF THE MONTH
The incredible landscape of the street circuit of Pau (France) during the May F.3 European Championship round
CONTENTS FRONT PAGE Fury Road
ENDURANCE
N端rburgring 24 Hours
VIDEO
SPECIAL
The swap
CLASSIC RACES
The 2015 Mille Miglia Flying Scotsman Rally
VIDEO
PADDOCK MIX OFF ROAD
The Spirit of Defender
RACE GLOBALMAG is an extra issue of digital monthly magazine CARS GLOBALMAG. Chief Editor: Vittorio Gargiulo All rights reserved. All materials present in this magazine including, but not limited to texts, photographs, illustrations, video clips and other materials are protected by copyrights and/or other intellectual property. The material and content provided in this application is for your personal, noncommercial use only, and you agree not to distribute, copy, extract or commercially exploit such material. You further agree not to reproduce, distribute, perform, display, modify, adapt, translate, prepare derivative works from this magazine.
FRONT PAGE
Lotus F1 Team prepares for an alternative Formula 1 inspired by Mad Max
Lotus F1 Team, in co-operation with Warner Bros. Pictures, has prepared a radical-looking proposal for an alternative Formula 1 future
Photos Lotus F1 Team
FURY ROAD
The vehicle - designated the Lotus F1 Team Mad Max Hybrid – is a fusion of Formula 1 technology reimagined for a post-apocalyptic future to coincide with the 15 May 2015 launch of the epic action adventure Mad Max: Fury Road, from Warner Bros.
More than a decade in the making, Mad Max: Fury Road is filmmaking mastermind George Miller’s keenly anticipated return to the postapocalyptic world he created more than 30 years ago with the seminal Mad Max trilogy. Fitted with special accessories and heavy modifications for a world gone mad, the Lotus F1 Team Mad Max Hybrid was unveiled at the Barcelona International Motor Show at the Montjuïc Exhibition Centre - at the same location for four Spanish Grand Prix between 1969-1975
- in Barcelona, Spain, on Friday, 8 May, along with two custom, drivable vehicles designed and created for the film: Nux’s car and the iconic Mad Max Interceptor. Accompanying the vehicles was Lotus F1 Team’s Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado, both of whom have then driven a Mad Max: Fury Road-branded cars competing in the Spanish Grand Prix, held at the Circuit de BarcelonaCatalunya on 9-10 May 2015. Matthew Carter, Lotus F1 Team, CEO: “Lotus F1 Team is always viewed as a challenger team, so this was a fantastic opportunity to work with Warner Bros. Pictures on the concept of producing a Formula 1 car for the ultimate challenge of the nightmare scenario of an apocalyptic society seemingly headed for oblivion. This car acknowledges the tenacious nature of Lotus F1 Team; no matter what the rules in Formula 1’s future, we are here to stay and compete.” Con Gornell, executive vice president of European marketing, Warner Bros Pictures added: “Powerful cars and high speeds are in the DNA of Mad Max, and the Lotus F1 Team Mad Max Hybrid is emblematic of that spirit. We’re delighted to work with Lotus F1 Team bring a little of the Wasteland to the Spanish Grand Prix.”
FURY ROAD
FURY ROAD
RGM
ENDURANCE
The Audi R8 LMS managed a brilliant Nürburgring 24-hours racing debut in a tough battle that lasted up to the last hour of the race. In the end, Audi Sport Team WRT with Christopher Mies/Nico Müller, Edward Sandström and Laurens Vanthoor was 40 seconds faster than the BMW Team Marc VDS.
Š Copyright Bentley Motors
THIRD NURBURGRING
The battle for victory in the Eifel endurance race has not been as thrilling as this in a long time. During the 24 hours the lead changed 35 times – a record in the event that has been held since 1970. After the race’s midpoint several cars were running in front, depending on the pit stop sequence. In the end, the Belgian Audi team prevailed with a concentrated performance of its drivers and solid teamwork. Vincent Vosse’s squad and each of
the four race drivers celebrated their first victory in this classic event. “This was probably not to be expected” said Heinz Hollerweger, managing director of quattro GmbH “Especially when you hit the track with such a new car. Of course we intensively worked toward this race and every one of us was hoping to win. But it wasn’t something we should have expected”.
THIRD NURBURGRING
Impressive for a lot of people was the fact that the new R8 LMS was running without any technical issues whatsoever – that’s something that can’t be taken for granted with a new car, especially not on the Nordschleife. “You’re right, that’s definitely not to be taken for granted. Of course we intensively prepared and did a lot of testing. We also made a few improvements in recent weeks. But with a new car there’s always a certain amount of uncertainty left. So, as far as that’s concerned, we’re happy that the cars ran as reliably as they did. Obviously, we’re now going to take them apart and look at what else we may be able to improve for the next races and particularly before delivering them to our customer teams”. The victory in the 24-hour race happened right in time for the start of the advance sale of the new production R8. “You couldn’t wish for a car to have a better start” added mr. Hollerweger “The advance sale began a week ago – and now this victory. That a new race car and
Audi R8 LMS (Audi Sport Team WRT), Christer Jöns (GER), Pierre Kaffer (GER), Nicki Thiim (DEN), Laurens Vanthoor (BEL)
Aston Martin Vantage GT, Mücke (GER), Turner (GBR), Lamy (POR) Stanaway (NZL)
THIRD NURBURGRING
the production model are being presented at the same time has never happened before in Audi’s history”. What has been the response by the customer teams to the new R8 LMS? “It’s been very positive even before this weekend” But of course we’re now under pressure to build and sell even more cars due to this victory. But you couldn’t wish for a better type of pressure than this”. This victory should also be a sweet reward for the squad that worked hard in the past weeks and months. “Yes, absolutely. We really have to thank everyone who helped achieve this. Not only the people who were part of the trackside crew this weekend but also those who ran the preparations and tests behind the scenes and fed the final preparations into the process, especially the teams of Ernst Moser, Phoenix, and Vincent Vosse, WRT. Both of them with their squads gave everything to make this victory possible”.
RACE RESULTS 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10) 11) 12)
Mies/Müller/Sandström/Vanthoor (Audi R8 LMS) Luhr/Martin/Palttala/Westbrook (BMW) Dumbreck/Henzler/Imperatori/Ragginger (Porsche) Adorf/Catsburg/Farfus/Müller (BMW) Buurman/Al Faisal/Haupt/van Lagen (Mercedes) Cerruti/Edwards/Keilwitz/Laser (BMW) Jöns/Kaffer/Thiim/Vanthoor (Audi R8 LMS) Brück/Primat/Schmid/Seefried (Bentley) Buncombe/Hoshino/Krumm/Ordonez (Nissan) Heyer/Huff/Frommenwiler/Krognes (Mercedes) Busch/Busch/Frankenhout (Audi R8 LMS ultra) Cheng/Lee/Thong/Yoong (Audi R8 LMS ultra)
156 laps + 40.729s – 1 lap – 1 lap – 1 lap – 3 laps – 3 laps – 5 laps – 5 laps – 5 laps – 7 laps – 8 laps
THIRD NURBURGRING
PIT STOP BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS finished second at the Nürburgring 24 Hours (DE). After 156 laps, the number 25 BMW Z4 GT3 crossed the line at the 43rd running of the endurance classic just 40.729 seconds behind the winning car. It was the closest finish in the history of the event since 1970. Maxime Martin (BE), Lucas Luhr (DE), Markus Palttala (FI) and Richard Westbrook (GB) shared the driving duties over the course of the 24 hours and, like the team, produced impressive performances. In the end, however, they just came up short of what would have been a 20th overall victory for BMW. Maxime Martin: “It was a really close race. The winning Audi produced a great race – and the same goes for us. We were close to winning, but it was not meant to be. That is racing for you sometimes. We will be back for another shot.”
BMW Z4 GT3 (Team Marc VDS), Maxime Martin (BE), Lucas Luhr (DE), Richard Westbrook (GB), Markus Palttala (FI)
THIRD NURBURGRING
PIT STOP This is the third time that Subaru has claimed a class win at the Nürburgring 24-Hour race, following its victories in the 2011 and 2012 races. The WRX STI NBR 24H Challenge car, prepared by Subaru Technica International specifically for the gruelling endurance race, completed 143 laps (approximately 3,629 km) in 24 hours, 12 laps ahead of the second placed car in its class. The WRX STI NBR was entered once more in the SP3T class, for turbocharged engines up to 2,000cc.. The Subaru WRX STI NBR was driven around the infamous ‘Green Hell’ by Tim Schrick from Germany, Hideki Yamauchi from Japan, Dutchman Carlo van Dam and Germany’s Marcel Lasée.
Bentley Continental GT3, Primat (SUI), Br端ck (GER), Schmid (AUT ), Seefried (AUT)
THIRD NURBURGRING
PIT STOP Falken Motorsports celebrated their greatest success until now with a Porsche 911 GT3 R in the Eifel. After scoring fourth last year, Porsche works driver Wolf Henzler (Germany), Martin Ragginger (Austria), Peter Dumbreck (Great Britain) and Alexandre Imperatori (Switzerland) achieved a podium result for the first time. On the 25.378 kilometre track combination, they turned a total of 156 laps in front of 200,000 spectators to cross the finish line in third place around five-and-ahalf minutes behind. “Everyone in the team is overjoyed,” said Wolf Henzler. “Last year we finished fourth and now we’ve finally made it to the podium. Our 911 GT3 R ran like clockwork and under all conditions – rain, dry, sunshine and chilly night temperatures – its handling was excellent. We only had a slight encounter with another competitor during the night, but some tape to the front left side did the trick.”
Porsche 911 GT3 R (Falken Motorsports), Wolf Henzler (Germany), Martin Ragginger (Austria), Peter Dumbreck (Great Britain) and Alexandre Imperatori (Switzerland)
THIRD NURBURGRING
PIT STOP Vincent Vosse was delighted about another success of his young team: “We’ve already won the Spa 24 Hours with Audi and now we achieved success on the Nürburgring as well. My thanks for this go to a motivated squad, four talented drivers and to Audi Sport customer racing for their solid support. We’re very happy that we can thank Audi by taking the first 24-hour victory of the new race car.”
The winning Audi R8 LMS (Audi Sport Team WRT), Christopher Mies (GER), Nico Müller(SUI), Edward Sandström (SWE), Laurens VanthooR (BEL)
RGM
SPECIAL
the
Two champions swap cockpits: Martin Tomczyk drives the MINI ALL4 Racing, Nasser Al-Attiyah the BMW M4 DTM
SWAP
THE SWAP
From asphalt to sand and back again: BMW DTM driver Martin Tomczyk (DE) and MINI ALL4 Racing ace Nasser Al-Attiyah (QA) both entered unfamiliar territory and during the first May weekend took each other’s cars for a test drive. As part of a video shoot for BMW Motorsport Premium Partner Red Bull in Dubai, Tomczyk, a proven master of his trade on asphalt as the 2011 DTM Champion, took the wheel of the MINI ALL4 Racing, with which X-raid has won the famous Rally Dakar the last four years. During DTM testing in Oschersleben, Al-Attiyah was given the opportunity to drive Tomczyk’s BMW M Performance Parts M4 DTM. Two wins at the Rally Dakar are just some of the successes the rally driver from Qatar has had to date. He followed up his first victory in 2011 by winning in the MINI ALL4 Racing in January 2015.
THE SWAP
“Driving the MINI ALL4 Racing through the sand and over the dunes in Dubai was a fascinating experience and was so much fun,” said Tomczyk. “The car has an incredible amount of torwue – and the test in the dunes was an amazing adrenalin rush even for an experienced race driver such as myself. It’s totally different to driving on a circuit. You can only appreciate what Nasser and the other MINI drivers really achieve at the Rally Dakar when
you have tried it yourself.” Al-Attiyah on his first encounter with the BMW M4 DTM added: “I have contested a few races on asphalt throughout my career, but it has always been my dream to drive a DTM car. The BMW M4 DTM is fantastic. The aerodynamics are really noticeable in the turns in particular. There’s an incredible amount of grip. I was also impressed by the brakes of the DTM car.”
THE SWAP
Tomczyk and Al-Attiyah swapped cars for a second time on Friday at the DTM season opener at Hockenheim. The rally driver did several laps in the BMW M Performance Parts M4 DTM on the Hockenheimring, while Tomczyk in the MINI ALL4 Racing raced around the off-road track on which the FIA World Rallycross Championship hosts a championship event as part of the supporting programme for the DTM weekend. RGM
RACE CLASSIC
The red arrow history is a long story, at first made of boldness and technological progress that became an unmatched “ travelling museum�: what happened from 14 to 17 of May has been the thirty-third revival, eighty years after the first of the twenty-four speed editions raced from 1927 to 1957.
EXTRAORDINARY BEAUTY
extraordinary beauty
Happiness is the end goal of the Mille Miglia in the finish line in Viale Venezia in Brescia, after more than 1600 km of roads through city of art and natural beauty of the Italian landscape: a satisfied smile on the blackened face, by dust and sun, of the crew of 438 classic cars that took part in the thirty-third edition reminiscent of the Freccia Rossa, was more eloquent than any comment. Many of them, after arrival, said they believed the 2015 edition to be one of the best in recent years. Once again, the Mille Miglia has outdone itself, with record numbers; Andrea Dalledonne, Managing Director of 1000 Miles Srl, explains: “There are over 2,000 people involved in the organization of the race, with 1,600 accredited media representatives from around the world, nearly 4,000 hotel rooms booked for the race days and more than 230 municipalities crossed”. The 438 cars at the start – with an historical value, as much as an economic value that is difficult to quantify - belonged to 61 different brands: the major role was played by Mercedes-Benz and Alfa Romeo with 38 cars each: Jaguar followed with 36, FIAT with 34, Porsche and Lancia with 30 and 22 cars. The race, started from Brescia, took place in four legs: the first, Thursday, May 14, arriving at Rimini and the second up to Rome. Saturday 16, from the capital, the race reached Parma and then, on Sunday morning, returned to Brescia through the “Autodromo di Monza”.
PIT STOP Special guests Cesare Fiorio (former Lancia, Ferrari and Prost F.1 team manager) and actress Kasia Smutniak drove a 1951 “Aurelia B20 GT” and a beautiful 1939 first series “Ardea” respectively. The Lancia Aurelia B20 GT was designed as a classic Gran Turismo, to satisfy the needs of the most exacting Lancia clientele and repeat the success of the Aprilia. Lancia Ardea was commissioned by Vincenzo Lancia’s widow Adele Miglietti, who wanted to develop her husband’s idea of reproducing the glorious Aprilia, which had already gathered much admiration from motorists and experts, on a 9:10 scale. The result was a small, easy-to-handle car with a modern, aerodynamic design.
Cobaldi / Costa (ITA), Gilco Fiat 1100 Siluro Mariani, 1948 (ITA)
extraordinary beauty
Ambrosi / Di Amato (ITA), Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 GS, 1931 (ITA)
extraordinary beauty
“The good weather, almost constant, helped the massive presence of the public, with peaks in Macerata, Teramo, Pisa, Lucca and Bergamo, as well as in the cities point of arrival of the legs, such as Parma who welcomed the Mille Miglia in a wonderful evening characterized by ‘hospitality and gastronomy of Romagna” explained the President 1000 Miles Srl, Valerio Marinelli. The rankings were determined by 84 time trials, 76 of which traditional and 8 with a determined average speed; like two years ago, the winners were the Argentines Juan
Tonconogy and Guillermo Berisso, on Bugatti T 40 of 1927: “We are incredulous” - stated on the stage of the Grand Theatre, where the awards were held – “We never imagined for a second statement in Italy, in the most important event for classic cars in the world”. The South American duo beat for few points the well-known Brescia couple made by Andrea Vesco and Andrea Guerini, on FIAT 514 MM of 1930, disappointed not to be able to overturn the result to some inaccuracies in the latest tests in the Monza Circuit. In third place Ezio Martino Salviato and Caterina Moglia on Bugatti T 40, 1928.
Gandolfi / Savoldi (ITA), Siata Daina Grand Sport, 1952 (ITA)
PIT STOP The trend in the enrolment at the Mille Miglia 2015 edition, has confirmed the past years’ trend, and was higher than expected: despite the continuing economic crisis, which has naturally affected the number, the total is almost an identical to the one of previous years. The only difference is the increase of six countries represented, that climbed to 44: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, Japan, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Isle of man, Israel, Italy, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Republic of China, Republic of San Marino, Romania , Russia, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, United States, South Africa, Sweden Switzerland, Thailand.
extraordinary beauty
Villa (ITA) / Abello (USA), Ford A Roadster, 1931 (USA)
extraordinary beauty
PIT STOP Nine of Jaguar’s most decorated and iconic heritage cars competed in the 2015 Mille Miglia as the brand celebrates its 80th anniversary. Fans lining the 1,000-mile loop in Italy enjoyed three C-types, three D-types, an XK120, an XK140 and a MK VII saloon, which will compete as part of the Jaguar Heritage team.
Salviati (ITA), Bugatti T40, 1928 (FRA)
Marco Makaus, Managing Director 1000 Miles Srl, said: “The most exciting moment of the Mille Miglia 2015 was to see Stirling Moss retrace Viale Venezia on the MercedesBenz 300 SLR, with which he holds the record average of more than 157 km/h, obtained in the victorious year of 1955”. To celebrate the victory in the Mille Miglia of 1955, Mercedes-Benz has launched an operation with “romantic traits”, leading to Brescia three “silver arrows”, the 300 SLR that disputed the race that year. On board the car number 722, a number that indicates the time of departure, there was of course
the winner of that edition, Stirling Moss, unfortunately not in the company of Denis Jenkinson, who died some years ago. On the 704, just as in 1955, there was Hans Herrmann, while behind the steering wheel of the 658, instead of the late Juan Manuel Fangio, sat Ralf Schumacher, Michael’s brother. The three Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR did not take part in the race, also because the physical conditions of the two young men in 1955, Moss and Hermann, did not allow it. In each stage, the three cars have preceded those of the Mille Miglia, doing catwalk for the public.
extraordinary beauty
Rossetti / Kummer (SUI), Maserati A6 GCS/53 Fantuzzi, 1954 (ITA)
extraordinary beauty
In order to make a contribution to an extraordinary event which is Expo Milano 2015, while avoiding to create blocks on the roads with their caravan of more than a thousand cars, the crews of the Freccia Rossa have made tribute by performing a control switch at Villa Reale in Monza that is a representative office of Expo 2015. After Villa Reale, the cars of the Mille Miglia went to the “Autodromo di Monza” to undertake the last test of the day. The passage in the circuit was achieved thanks to an agreement between the owners of these two icons of motor racing, the Automobile
Club of Brescia and Milano. In the “Autodromo di Monza”, competitors drove some time trials, competing even on the “High Speed” track, recently restored: the winners, Ezio Martino Salviato and Caterina Moglia on Bugatti T 40 1928, were awarded with the Trophy of the Automobile Club of Milan, dedicate to the great Alberto Ascari, that died in Monza in May 1955, exactly sixty years ago. The second place went to Giovanni Moceri and Lucia Galliani on Chrysler 72 of 1927 and the third to Daniel Andre Erejomovich and Gustavo Llanos on Aston Martin Le Mans, 1933.
PIT STOP After the hectic work of selecting, applying strict criteria of merit, the Selection Committee has approved a list of accepted cars with a qualitative value, a collection value and a sport value that are very high. Of these, fewer than 68 are cars have participated in at least an edition of the Mille Miglia, in 1927-1957. In order to broaden the historical value of a fleet of vehicles that no event for classic cars can boast, the selectors have decided to accept, in addition to 430 cars selected, other 8 cars recorded by the Armed Forces, in the special “military� category for a total of 438 cars, a record figure.
extraordinary beauty
Weber / Thiemer (GER), Mercedes Benz 710 SSK, 1928 (GER)
extraordinary beauty
2
1 At the Teatro Grande in Brescia the trophy was handed to the winners by the President of the Automobile Club di Milano, Ivan Capelli, former Formula 1 driver. The organizers, in addition to congratulations of the participants, received also those from the President of the Automobile Club of Brescia, owner since 1927 of the Mille Miglia. The lawyer Piergiorgio Vittorini said: “For me it was the first Mille Miglia followed along the entire route. Landscapes and places of extraordinary beauty, such as the village of Radicofani, where many fans crowded the
steps of the magnificent Romanesque church. Beauty of art and architecture combined to the beauty of the participating cars. I was surprised and I appreciated the effectiveness of an organization as complex, made up of thousands of people, that has moved along the running for a trip along one thousand miles.�
The complete results are published on www.1000miglia.it
1. Gnutti / Gnutti (ITA), Jaguar XK 120 OTS Roadster, 1952 (GBR) 2. Warren Kennedy (GBR), Healey-Duncan 1947 (GBR) 3. Giacoppo / Tecioiu (ITA), Fiat 508S Mille Miglia Balilla Sport, 1933 (ITA) 4. Mozzi / Biacca (ITA), OM 665 Sport Superba 2000, 1927 (ITA)
3
4
extraordinary beauty
Lotman / Grozer (USA), Lincoln Capri Sport CoupĂŠ, 1954 (USA)
extraordinary beauty
PIT STOP A little over 60 years ago, on 1st May 1955, Stirling Moss and Denis Jenkinson won the Mille Miglia in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR – number 722. They drove flat out for 10 hours, 7 minutes and 48 seconds and averaged 98 miles per hour – all on public roads. It was recognised as one of the greatest feats of driving ever – their record still stands today. In 1955, the W 196 R racers were between the most advanced cars in the world – they won every race they finished and used cutting edge materials. At a time when road cars would struggle to hit 70 mph, the W 196 R could exceed 180 mph. Today only eight examples still exist, but now and again they’re let loose… Sixty years on, Sir Stirling Moss has been reunited with the 300 SLR number 722, on the very same roads on which he won.
Veen / Veen (NED), Mercedes Benz 300 SLW 194, 1952 (GER)
RGM
RACE CLASSIC
Flying Scotsman Rally 2015
A Tough Weekend
The sun shone down on this year’s Flying Scotsman Rally as the 110-strong field of pre-war cars battled it out over 750 miles from Leeds to Scotland’s Gleneagles in three April days. It was William Medcalf, last year’s winner, with navigator Tony Brooks in the 1925 Bentley Super Sports that raised the winner’s cup at the finish line of what has been called the toughest short pre-war rally in the world. William said: “This is a really tough event where you have to push the car to the limits to manage your position. It’s full on for the navigators and there is stiff competition, as the event’s reputation for being expertly organised has resulted in serious rally entrants from all over the world.”
A TOUGH WEEKEND
and Trina Harley in the 1926 Bentley 3-4½ in fourth with the class win. The Netherlands’ Olaf Pothoven and Piet van Leusden, also in a Bentley Derby 3½, finishing just one second behind in fifth with a class win. There were also class wins for Brad Mottier and William Hoff in the Riley Bigley Special, Jonathan Turner and Jonathan Proctor in the Triumph Dolomite, and Martin and Lesley Neal in the MG TA Sports.
Second place went to Bill Cleyndert and Dan Harrison in the 1928 Ford Model A, who almost found himself out of the rally on the final day when the rear axle broke until the rally leader came back to help him fix it. Bill kept urging William to return to the rally, to which William replied: “I want to beat you on the road, not by the side of it, now grab a hammer!” David Thomson and Alan Smith in the 1936 Talbot 105 Alpine took third place with Sue Shoosmith
Both team awards went to Bentley crews while the Spirit of The Rally award went to George Melville and Steve Gipson in the Ford Model A Sports Coupe. The Concours D’Elegance award went to Robin and Helen Rainsley in the Ford Model A. The Flying Scotsman, established in 2008 by the Endurance Rally Association (ERA), is the only long distance rally to be aimed solely at vintage car enthusiasts incorporating several timed stages and offthe-road time trials. The next ERA event sees the team move stateside as 45 crews take part in the second TransAmerica Rally from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to San Francisco, California, in June. RGM
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PADDOCK MIX
Desafio Ruta 40: an extreme edition
The Desafio Ruta 40 (Argentina), the first event in the Dakar Series 2015, finished on Saturday May 23 at Villa Union after five testing stages over 2,825 kilometres, of which 1,540 km were special stages. The general opinion is that the route was tough, with 56 of the 88 entrants making it to the finish after negotiating dry river beds, mountain paths and enormous dunes of soft sand at Fiambala... Navigation skills also played a major role, with experience and concentration making all the difference. Paulo Gonçalves (Honda CRF 450) won his first Desafío Ruta 40 in the bikes category; Orlando Terranova (Mini All4 Racing) repeated his 2013 performance and earned a second victory; in 4x2 quads, Lucas Bonetto (Honda TRX) won his fourth crown, while Daniel Mazzucco (Can Am Renegade) earned his fifth title in the quads fourwheel drive category. In the cars category, the Mini All 4Racing of the X-Raid Team occupied the first two steps on the podium. The pairs formed by Orlando Terranova / Bernard Graue and Lucio Alvarez / Sebastian Halpern were the quickest along the route. Orlando Terranova won his second victory in this Dakar Series, 27 minutes ahead of his team-mate Lucio Alvarez. The Czech driver Peter Jerie (Toyota Hilux) finished third. Next stop: the Desafío Guaraní, the 2nd Dakar Series 2015 event from July 20th-26th 2015 in Paraguay.
PADDOCK MIX
MOLLY MAKES HISTORY IN THE ARC
Molly Taylor made history over the May 17 weekend when she became the first woman to win a round of the Australian Rally Championship, the second oldest national rally championship in the world. After surprising herself with a Heat victory at the last Round in Western Australia, Molly co-driven by Bill Hayes - exceeded her wildest dreams by claiming outright victory at the National Capital Rally in Canberra. “I have to admit my first outright win does feel pretty good!” said Molly. “It’s always good to win, obviously, but I don’t think of myself as being the first woman to win a round. I’m out
there to be the first driver home, irrespective of my gender.” Adding to Molly’s comments, Michèle Mouton, President of the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission, said: “The first outright victory is important for confidence and Molly has done a great job, despite having some problems on the rally. It is another step in her development and this will undoubtedly give her yet more motivation to push even harder rally by rally.” Victory in Canberra puts Molly at the head of the Championship points table after two of the five events in the 2015 calendar.
CANADIAN NISSAN MICRA CUP
NISSAN MICRA CUP 2015 SEASON May 22-24 Mont-Tremblant June 5, 6, 7 Montreal (F.1 Grand Prix) July 25-26 Mont-Tremblant July 31-August 2 Trois-Rivières August 15 St-Eustache September 25-27 Mont-Tremblant Canada’s most affordable racing series, the Nissan Micra Cup, commenced on Friday, May 22, at the legendary Circuit MontTremblant, as part of the annual Spring Classic, and heralding in a new era of onemake racing.
What was still but a dream six months ago became a reality for promoter JD Promotion & Competition and Nissan Canada. This series, considered the most affordable in Canadian motorsport, is already an apparent success with more than twenty-five drivers entered.
ONSLOW-COLE WINS RX TALENT SEARCH Former British Touring Car driver Tom Onslow-Cole has won the inaugural RX Talent Search which was held in association with the Motor Sports Association (MSA) and FirstCorner, the company behind RX Lites. Winner Onslow-Cole has been awarded with a fully paid entry to the RX Lites round at World RX of Turkey later this year.
Ogier at Kitzbuhel Does Sébastien Ogier have a new co-driver? No, the Frenchman merely participated in the Kitzbühel Alps Rally together with his wife Andrea Kaiser. The couple lined up in a 136 hp Salzburg Beetle on Friday May 29, to drive through the Alpine landscape in the glorious sunshine. In total, the 28th edition of the rally featured 188 historic cars from seven decades. The other entrants included Volkswagen representative Hans-Joachim ‘Strietzel’ Stuck, actor Max von Thun and Austrian singer Christina Stürmer.
A total of 12 drivers competed in a one-day evaluation test which was held at Lydden Hill today – home to this weekend’s FIA World Rallycross Championship event. The shootout involved a mix of interviews and testing the 310bhp, mid-engined RX Lites car which is designed by Olsbergs MSE in co-operation with Avitas Motorsport.
PADDOCK MIX FIA World Rally Championship “JML” triumphs in Portugal
Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/ FIN) won the Rally Portugal, finishing ahead of their team-mates Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F) and Andreas Mikkelsen/Ola Fløene (N/N). This is the third time Volkswagen has claimed all three podium positions since it joined the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). The win was also the first for the ‘Flying Finn’ since October 2014 (Rally France). Volkswagen also finished first, second and third on the Power Stage to become the
first manufacturer in the history of the World Rally Championship to score 122 points at one event. Ogier picked up three bonus points, Latvala two and Mikkelsen one. Kris Meeke (GB/Citroën), Ott Tänak (EST/Ford) and Dani Sordo (E/Hyundai) completed the top six. In the overall standings, Ogier moved to 105 points to extend his lead over Mikkelsen, who climbed into second place on 63 points. Latvala now travels to the Rally Italy (11-14 June) in Sardinia in fifth place overall with 46 points to his name.
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS DRIVERS 1. Sébastien Ogier 2. Andreas Mikkelsen 3. Mads Østberg 4. Kris Meeke 5. Jari-Matti Latvala 6. Elfyn Evans 7. Dani Sordo 8. Thierry Neuville 9. Martin Prokop 10. Ott Tanak
105 points 63 points 57 points 47 points 46 points 41 points 38 points 35 points 27 points 23 points
MANUFACTURERS 1. Volkswagen Motorsport 146 points 2. Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team 103 points 3. Hyundai Motorsport 94 points 4. M-Sport World Rally Team 81 points 5. Jipocar Czech National Team 34 points
PADDOCK MIX Montoya earns second Indy 500 victory
Juan Pablo Montoya won the 99th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race and held off reigning Verizon IndyCar Series champion and teammate Will Power by 0.1046 of a second - the fourth-closest finish in race history - in a thrilling final 15 laps of the historic race. The victory was Montoya’s second Indianapolis 500 win, as the Colombian won “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” in his first start at the 2.5-mile oval in 2000. Five of the race’s 37 lead changes occurred in the last 15 laps following a restart, when Montoya overtook Dixon in Turn 1 for second place, and then Power in Turn 4 to capture the lead on
Lap 197. He held the lead for the remainder of the 200-lap event. “It was awesome,” Montoya said. “This is what racing in INDYCAR is all about, racing down to the wire. These guys, Team Penske, did an amazing job. I had the feeling that I had a really good car, but that fight at the end was really, really hard. All the way down to the wire. This is pretty awesome.” The victory extended team owner Roger Penske’s record of Indy 500 victories to 16. The 15year gap between Indy 500 wins for Montoya is the longest stretch for a driver.
Photo INDYCAR / Eric Anderson / Mike Harding / Brett Kelley
PADDOCK MIX
GT ASIA Series The opening round of the 2015 GT Asia Series provided what perhaps may have been seen as a surprise result considering the depth of talent and current-specification cars that have joined for the new season, although for the historians, the result was very much a case of deja-vu. 12-months ago BBT Ferrari drivers Anthony Liu and Davide Rizzo stormed through to take back-to-back victories on debut, a pattern they continued into the opening round of the new season, despite many teams all but writing them off after qualifying at the tail of the top ten. Much of the pre-race hype was focused on reigning champions Clearwater Racing and star recruit James Calado, and Craft-Bam-
boo Racing’s Richard Lyons, and whilst both teams battled over the lead with Italian star Andrea Caldarelli in the early stages of race one, Liu and Rizzo focused on their pre-race strategy and worked their way through to their third consecutive Korean victory. Typical of the opening round of any new season, there were a number of high-profile casualties, one of which was Craft-Bamboo Racing duo Darryl O’Young and Jonathan Venter who were forced into retirement on the opening lap, however they had the perfect opportunity to recover from the lost opportunity by qualifying on pole for race two and cuising their Aston Martin to a brilliant victory. In the
2015 GT ASIA SERIES GT3 CHAMPIONSHIP STANDING
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 5. 7. 8. 8. 10. 10. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16.
end though the big story of round two was the pace of the second Craft-Bamboo Racing Aston Martin. O’Young and Venter were untouchable, ultimately dominating the race with O’Young continuing to press on at qualifying pace over the final laps to deliver a strong message to the team’s rivals for the remaining rounds of the season. Davide Rizzo crossed the line just nine seconds back from O’Young, the team’s additional 12-second pit-stop parity penalty all but negating any challenge they would make on a fourth consecutive win, but the result stamped their domination on the South Korean circuit, the BBT team leaving the opening event with a strong points lead in the championship.
Anthony Liu/Davide Rizzo Adderly Fong/Keita Sawa Richard Lyons/Frank Yu Darryl O’Young/Jonathan Venter Mok Weng Sun/James Calado Jeffrey Lee/Jean-Karl Vernay Sean Fu/Andrea Caldarelli Jiang Xin/Max Wiser Piti Bhirom Bhakdi/Naoki Yokomizo Richard Wee/Craig Baird Jacky Yeung/Duncan Tappy Hiroshi Hamaguchi/Vitantonio Liuzzi Zen Low/Fairuz Fauzy Jerry Wang Keiichi Mori/Hisashi Kunie Shota Hanaoka/Kimihiro Yashiro
34 points 20 points 19 points 18 points 16 points 16 points 11 points 10 points 10 points 9 points 9 points 8 points 6 points 5 points 4 points 2 points
Whilst the outright GT3 cars turned in another great performance, in GTM the battle between Jerry Wang in the Absolute Racing Audi R8 and Keiichi Mori and Hisashi Kunie in the Gulf Racing JP Porsche carried on all the way to the chequered flag, with all three drivers setting personal best lap times as they continued to gain valuable experience on their GT Asia Series debuts. Ultimately the victory went to Wang, the two Japanese Porsche drivers though promising to turn the tables when the series returns to Japan for rounds two and three. With the opening round now concluded, the focus turns to the second event on the 2015 calendar at the Okayama Circuit in Japan on 26-28 June.
PADDOCK MIX
WELL DONE NASSER! The Qatari champion Nasser Al Attiyah and Matthieu Baumel (Ford Fiesta) won a dramatic Shiraz International Rally 2015, valid as third round of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship. Bin Eidan won the Group N.
Photo Š Red Bull Media House
MIDDLE-EAST RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP CALENDAR 05-07/02 Qatar 12-14/03 Kuwait 06-08/05 Iran 04-06/09 Lebanon 25-27/09 Cyprus 15-17/10 Jordan 05-07/11 Oman 27-29/11 Dubai
RGM
OFF ROAD
rse u o c x e l mp o c d me n a a n s s t n i o i o t t ndi up o c e v i g l n i e r g llen Endu a h C r e end f e D e e s
THE SPIRIT OF
DEFENDER In unseasonable and unexpected snow storms, the second round of the 2015 Defender Challenge by Bowler took place at the Sweet Lamb complex in North Wales during the first May week. Despite the near freezing temperatures, spirits remained high amongst the 10 teams competing, taking the sleet, snow and rain in their stride and even remarking how well the adverse conditions suited the Defender 90s they were racing.
THE SPIRIT OF DEFENDER All round the camaraderie was exemplary throughout the twoday endurance event, demonstrated by the need for major overnight repairs to one of the cars damaged in practice. The Bowler team worked into the small hours to restore the car to race-fit standard and setting a benchmark ‘can do’ approach to the weekend. After a late night of preparations, all 10 rally-modified Defenders took to the purpose built former quarry in which the WRC Sweet Lamb stage sits. There was a mixed level of experience amongst the teams competing from a seasoned Dakar Navigator, a Land Rover Experience Instructor, a number of returning Defender Challenge competitors and some were experiencing a Hill Rally for the very first time. Over two days the competitors completed seven stages over 149.86 kilometres with a maximum of five hours and 26 minutes in which to complete them which, as the first hill rally of the series, boded for a daunting round for those competitors new to the Defender Challenge. Comprising two couples, husband and wife duo Lisa and Adrian Silvers in service and Dave Harlow and Sara Smith, driver and navigator respectively, ‘The Defenderists’ are an experienced and skilled combination, for them the ambition was very clear, “We really want to achieve a top
three position” commented Dave Harlow at the end of the third service. “Our aim is to keep a consistently quick time across the stages and preserve the car throughout.” At the end of the first of two intense days Edd Cobley and John Tomley held the number one spot despite encountering issues with loss of power-steering achieving a combined time of one hour 25 minutes and 16 seconds across the 4 stages, with Gareth Crruthers and Wallace McKay running in second place. Edd Cobley commented, “After stages one and two we were one minute 46 seconds in front of the closest Defender, really demonstrating the guts, authenticity and supremacy of the car. Half way through stage three we had a power-steering failure which didn’t impede us too much, the Bowler crew changed the pump when we came back into service and we are ready for tomorrow.” Day two opened with a wet start but competitors were enthusiastic and keen to get going on stages five, six and seven. Having compared notes and exchanged tips the drivers assembled for a seeded start. Results of the fifth stage yielded a surprising turn of events with three teams finishing in 16 minutes 49 seconds tying drivers Taft, Hayward and Palmer in seventh place for the stage.
PIT STOP The Defender Challenge is a ‘class’ within existing rally events where total entries of all classes will be between 80 and 130 cars (including the Defender Challenge cars). These events vary in distance and duration, all give the driver, navigator and service crew an introductory experience of UK national level motorsport. Completion of the series will gain the driver their National A rally license and attendance at some of Bowler’s overseas races will allow this to be converted into the International license required for events such as the Dakar Rally.
THE SPIRIT OF DEFENDER
PIT STOP All competitors in the Defender Challenge drive Bowlerprepared Land Rover Defender 90 vehicles that have been modified for safety and performance. Modifications include a full MSA / FIA certified roll cage, fire extinguisher system, racing seats and harnesses, lightweight Bowler wheels, a full Bowler racing suspension system with bespoke springs and heavy duty racing dampers and an engine tuned to 175hp that delivers 450Nm of torque.
At the top of the table, close competition ensued for first and second position with Cobley finishing second to Carruthers. With sections of the course shrouded in dense fog, stage six posed extreme conditions and at final service three cars failed to return to base. Soon reports that cars 20 and 22 were overturned made their way back to the bivouac but fears began to rise for car 19 which was unaccounted for. With seven teams back on the final stage car 19 driven by David Johnston and Navigated by Joe Monaghan pulled into service towing car 22 and followed closely by car 20. Having seen the rival teams in trouble, car 22 towed both Defenders onto their wheels and back to safety. David Johnston said “The spirit of Defender Challenge is that we stick together. Ultimately we all want to see the others finish.” After a truly challenging weekend, Edd Cobley secured the top spot navigated by John Tomley in car 12 which leads the competition overall. Edd Cobley commented, “It’s been a great weekend racing, we had a new car, new sponsors and new terrain to work with. The car lived up to everything we expected and needed and we got some really quick times. Parts of the course allowed us to push on to 99mph. This afternoon threw-up some slippery surfaces and the fog
was disconcerting on stage six. We kept it smooth and consistent and achieved the result we were hoping for.” Gareth Curruthers came in second navigated by Wallace McKay in car 18 and Christian Femont and Leon Vanhaesebrouck in car 25 achieved the third place after a tight battle with The Defenderists Dave Harlow and Sara Smith. Jon Chester, Brand Director, Bowler Motorsport commented on the weekend, “The Welsh Hill Rally has tested the drivers, cars and teams in a way that only a hill rally can. The harsh weather combined with long stages has made this event a very realistic introduction to endurance rallying for many of the Defender Challenge teams. We’ve been delighted with the performance of the teams and the cars and have tested new Cooper tyres and revised suspension settings to great effect, so the Defender is becoming even more competitive - as demonstrated by the the strong results across the field and a brilliant 6th and 7th overall. This is an amazing result for a production based road registered Defender competing against bespoke off road racers. We’re exceptionally proud of David Johnston to have claimed the ‘Spirit of the Rally’ award - this sums up the Defender Challenge perfectly.”
THE SPIRIT OF DEFENDER
2015 DEFENDER CHALLENGE by Bowler standing after Round 2
TEAM
DRIVER
CO DRIVER
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 5. 7. 8. 9.
Media Car Sturgess Palmer Northern Ireland Racing Defenderists Femont Lookers Taft Hayward
Dan Trent Edd Cobley Brian Palmer Dave Johnston Dave Harlow Christian Femont Garreth Cuuruther Damien Taft Richard Hayward
Quinn Evans John Tomley Anne McCandlish Wallace McKay Sara Smith Leon Vanhaesebrouck Joseph Monaghan Simon Taft Matt Lister
ROUND 1
16 0 10 11 7 6 0 8 5
ROUND 2
8 21 9 7 10 11 16 1 1
TOTAL
24 21 19 18 17 17 16 9 6
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& RACEGM
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