TO SPEED europe luxury car hire magazine
Issue 1: Dec/Jan. 2012/13
ZURICH TO MILAN the perfect trip Ferrari FF Panoramic roof update Jaguar F-type 2013 new two-seater Range Rover Vogue 4th generation SUV
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INTRO Dear Reader Welcome to the very first edition of our online magazine UP TO SPEED – and thank you for choosing Europe Luxury Car Hire as your preferred luxury private transport provider.
F-type, Range Rover L405 and the updated Ferrari FF, most of which will be incorporated into our fleet and available for hire before any other rental company.
We are extremely excited to have come this far in such a short space of time, and to be able to share all of our exciting news, ideas, services and offers with you. This issue will introduce you to the people behind the name; explaining who we are, how we came about and what we can do for you, such as arranging luxury and high performance cars, chauffeurs, 6-star hotels, VIP concierge service and of the personal attention of your own reservation manager.
The magazine will include interesting nuggets of information ranging from interviews the F1 team, celebrity clients and luxury car reviews. We also introduce the Europe Luxury Car Hire loyalty card (see page 19) which gives you access to deals on some of the world’s most luxurious hotels and services.
Each edition will feature the “Perfect Drive” – taking an armchair trip through one of the world’s most scenic routes in a specifically selection luxury car. This issue covers the spectacular drive from Zurich to Milan via the St. Gotthard Pass in a Ferrari Spider, arguably the world’s most recognizable luxury car. We will also bring you news of new products and introduce the very latest luxury cars including the Jaguar
Finally no magazine would be complete without a writeup of the major motor shows that we have attended and forthcoming events. We hope you enjoy the read and welcome your comments. Sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. Yours faithfully, Phil Tobin
INDEX
03 05 06 08 10 12-19 20 Formula 1
Events
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Jaguar F-type
Ferrari FF
Range Rover Vogue
Zurich To Milan
Private Club
Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel managed to pull off a hat trick – taking his third F1 world title. It was a race of two halves, in the earlier races he seemed to struggle to get to grips with the new car, before pulling out all the stops to take the title. Although Fernando Alonso has had a great season, Vettel managed to beat him by three points, thanks to four wins and two recoveries in Abu Dhabi and Brazil.
Q1: Australia, Malaysia, China, Bahrain and Spain
Jenson Button beat Sebastian Vettel to an Australian Grand Prix victory by just three seconds, with Lewis Hamilton, who started in pole position, finishing third. McLaren seemed to suffer in the heat and Hamilton was knocked out after a poor pit-stop, while Alonso kept pace despite a slow Ferrari.
Round 5 standings
1 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) - 61pts 2 Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) - 61 3 Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) - 53 4 Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus) - 49 5 Romain Grosjean (Lotus) - 48
Q2 : Monaco, Canada, Europe, Britain and Germany
Mark Webber (Red Bull) managed to win in Monaco despite questions about his car’s design. In Montreal, when Lewis Hamilton took first place it became the first time that Formula 1 has seen a different winner in each of the first seven races. Fernando Alonso took the European Grand Prix in Valencia. Hamilton collided with Maldonado with only two laps to go and Vettel retired with a 19-second lead. In the British Grand Prix qualifier Mark Webb edged ahead to win, Alonso took second, leaving Vettel in third place. In the German Grand Prix, Vettel had to settle for fifth place and stewards penalised the Red Bull team for passing Button off the track. Alonso powered on into first place.
Round 10 standings
1 Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) - 154pts 2 Mark Webber (Red Bull) - 120 3 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) - 110 4 Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus) - 98 5 Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) - 92
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FORMULA 1
Up to speed with F1
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FORMULA 1
Q3: Hungary, Belgium, Italy, Singapore and Japan
In Budapest, Lewis Hamilton enjoyed his second win of the season. Jenson Button managed a win at Spa, taking advantage of a pile-up caused by Romain Grosjean (later banned from the race), whose car nearly clipped Alonso’s helmet. The McLaren team managed their third successive win at Monza. Lewis Hamilton continued his strong form by taking his first Italian Grand Prix victory but reliability problems dashed his hopes in Singapore. Sebastian Vettel closed the gap on Fernando Alonso to just 29 points.
Round 15 standings
1 Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) - 194pts 2 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) - 190 3 Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus) - 157 4 Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) - 152 5 Mark Webber (Red Bull) - 134
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Q4 : Korea, India, Abu Dhabi, USA and Brazil As the season ended, Sebastian Vettel went on to win in Korea retaking the championship. Jenson Button’s collision with Kamui Kobayashi allowed Vettel to increase the 13 points as he claimed his fourth straight victory in India. Yet Vettel’s best performance was yet to come. In Abu Dhabi he overcame his position at the back of the grid, a broken wing and several safety issues to come in third. Kimi Raikkonen won his first Grand Prix since returning to the track. In Brazil, the slippery surface made for a dramatic final day, which saw Vettel collide with Bruno Senna but he managed to complete the race in sixth place, still 3 points ahead of Alonso who finished second. Making Vettel the youngest ever threetime world champion.
Round 20 standings
1 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) - 281pts 2 Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) - 278 3 Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus) - 207 4 Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) - 190 5 Jenson Button (McLaren) - 188
Geneva Motor Show 2013 Rumour has it that Lamborghini is due to release a brand new model. Car Magazine, a popular British publication has reported that new four-seater Lamborghini Ventador GT will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, which will run between 7th and 17th March in 20 Aventador 13. Watch this space!
Gumball Rally 2013 It’s confirmed – next year’s 15th anniversary rally will begin on the 18th of May 2013. Setting off in the wonderful city of Copenhagen, drivers will navigate their way through most of Scandinavia en route to the glitz and glamour of Monaco - taking in Stockholm, Turku, Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Tallinn, Riga, Warsaw and Vienna, before reaching the final destination of the Monaco Grand Prix. Befitting this special celebration, the route is the best yet, promising many surprises along the way. A collection of Europe’s most elite cars, mixed with irrepressible larger than personalities, lavish hospitality and wild nights – a cocktail of high energy and high octane.
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EVENTS
EVENTS
Event dates for the diary
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NEW RELEASE www.europeluxurycarhire.com
The 2013 F-type Jaguar is a great
Manufacturer:
Acceleration:
Jaguar Cars
0 to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds (entry
Year of production:
level)
2013
Acceleration:
Class a run for their money. This
Built at:
0 to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds (mid-
model has been launched with a
Castle Bromwich, UK
range)
soft top featuring a bone fide glass
Type:
Top speed:
Sports Car / 2-door roadster
161 mph (entry level)
Engines:
171 mph (mid-range)
looking 2-seater with a lot of class, based on the XK convertible it’s designed to give roadsters like the Porsche Boxer and Mercedes SLK-
window which can be deployed in 12 seconds – even at 30mph. All models are equipped with superb 8-speed automatic transmission
3.0 L V6 S/C petrol 340 PS (250 kW)
with steering paddles on the centre
3.0 L V6 S/C petrol 380 PS (279 kW)
console in place of the more usual
5.0 L V8 S/C petrol 495 PS (364 kW)
Jaguar capstan gearshift. A hybrid
Transmission:
electric version and a coupe are already in the pipeline for 2014.
8-speed automatic transmission
F-Type (entry level) V6 supercharged petrol engine (3.0 litres) Power: 340 PS (250 kW; 340 bhp) Torque: 450 Nm (330 lbfoot) F-Type S (mid-range) V6 supercharged petrol engine (3.0 litres) Power: 380 PS (280 kW; 370 bhp) Torque: 460 Nm (340 lb foot) F-Type (top of the range) V8S supercharged petrol engine (5.0-litres) Power: 495 PS (364 kW; 488 bhp) Torque: 625 Nm (461 lb foot)
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NEW RELEASE
Jaguar F-type
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NEW RELEASE The Ferrari Four (FF) Grand Tourer; a 4-wheel drive with 4 seats has
Ferrari gets a better view www.europeluxurycarhire.com
been updated – it is now available with a full-length panoramic roof – made of one single sheet of glass.
Acceleration:
This is the first foray into this type
Manufacturer:
of design, as Ferraris don’t usually
Ferrari
0-62 mph in 3.7 seconds
have a large enough roof area.
Year of production:
Top speed:
Ferrari stated that the new window
2011
208 mph
is designed to provide occupants
Built at:
with an open-air feeling, whilst
Maranello, Italy
Ferrari FF
providing acoustic and thermal
Type:
insulation. On the down side, the
Grand Tourer
roof doesn´t actually open – so it
Style:
may be a matter of winding down
3-door shooting brake
the window for a bit of fresh air. The
Engine:
price and weight implications of this
6.3 L V12
addition have yet to be announced,
Transmission:
but who cares when you think about
7-speed dual-clutch automated
the added bonus of the views.
semi-automatic
V12 naturally aspirated direct injection (6.3 litres) Power: 660 PS (485 kW; 651 bhp) at 8,000 rpm Torque: 683 Nm (504 lb foot) @ 6000 rpm
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NEW RELEASE
Ferrari FF
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NEW RELEASE
Range Rov
supercharged and the V6 turbo diesel (hybrid), V8 turbo diesel and V8 petrol. It is powered by one petrol engine and two diesel engines. Traction and stability is enhanced by intelligent 4-wheel drive with a fifty-fifty torque split, plus high and low range options provided by the two-speed transfer
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At last, the model we have all been
box. All models feature 8-speed
waiting for – the fourth generation
automatic transmission, providing
Range Rover SUV. The L405 Range
fast and smooth transmissions and
Rover is the first SUV vehicle built
great fuel economy. The driver can
using
external
select gears from the drive select
support monocoque system and
rotary shifter (in the centre console)
features a new version of Terrain
or manually using the steering
Response. Engine types include
wheel paddle shift controls.
an
aluminium
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Manufacturer
Acceleration:
Land Rover
0-60 in 6.5 seconds
Year of production
Top speed:
2013
130mph
Built in:
Solihull, UK
169g/kg (V6 turbo diesel hybrid)
Type: Luxury off-road 4x4 (large) Style:
CO2 emissions:
SUV 5-doors Engine type: Front / four-wheel drive Engines: 5.0 L V8 Petrol / 3.0 L V6 Diesel / 4.4 L V8 Diesel [1]
NEW RELEASE
ver Vogue
V6 Turbo Diesel engine (3.0L) Power: 260 PS (191 kW; 256 bhp) Torque: 600 Nm (443 lb foot) V8 Turbo Diesel engine (4.4L) Power: 344 PS (253 kW; 339 bhp) Torque: 700 Nm (516 lb foot) V8 Petrol engine unit (5.0L) 2 versions: Power: 380 PS (279 kW; 375 bhp) - naturally aspirated engine Torque: 510 Nm (376 lb foot) Power: 510 PS (375 kW; 503 bhp) - supercharged engine Torque: 625 Nm (461 lb foot)
Transmission: Automatic / ZF 8-speed www.europeluxurycarhire.com
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PERFECT TRIP
THE PERFECT TRIP
ZURICH TO MILAN Route: Through the Swiss Alps
Estimate time: 3hours, 15 minutes Distance: 390km Recommended car: Ferrari 458 Spider
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PERFECT TRIP www.europeluxurycarhire.com
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PERFECT TRIP www.europeluxurycarhire.com
a beautiful place to start
Where better to begin an awe inspiring trip through the Alps, than in Zürich, Switzerland’s largest city, financial powerhouse, creative and cultural centre. It’s also one of the few cities to boast a lakeside location, a relatively unspoiled environment and a wide choice of leisure activities, making it a popular tourist destination.
The Dolder Hotel Ranked: Number 1 Best Swiss City Hotel To meet even the most demanding accommodation requirements, we recommend “The Dolder Hotel”; one of the world’s most exclusive, multi-award winning 6-star hotels and member of the Swiss Deluxe Hotels, the Leading Hotels of the World and also the Leading Spas of the World. The hotel was renovated in 2008 by UK architects Foster & Partners. Breathing new life into the city’s much loved landmark by combining the historic part of the building (dating back to 1899) with innovative modern architecture. It has 173 deluxe rooms and suites, two restaurants, business and banqueting facilities, plus a stunning new 4,000m² Spa, a golf wing and tennis courts. The hotel’s elevated position between the city and surrounding woodland only add to the grandeur.
Winner of the World Spa Awards (UK) - March 12 Designed by American Spa designer Sylvia Sepielli 19 treatment rooms, Pool with panoramic views, His and hers Spas, Workouts, mind-body, studios Gastronomy Awarded “Most improved chef of the year” (Heiko Nieder) – Gault Millau (Oct 2012) The fine dining restaurant, lunch time and evenings – awarded 18 Gault Millau points, 2 Michelin stars The garden restaurant is open all day, offering European style dishes. Three banqueting rooms including a great ballroom featuring an impressive cupola Bars in the restaurants and lobby are open to residents and the general public Green credentials Geothermic heat systems have reduced The Dolder Hotel’s energy consumption by 50% Earth probes sunk 150m into the earth transfer heat to and from the earth, to either cool or heat the building, depending on the ambient temperature.
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PERFECT TRIP
Zürich
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Drive of your life
PERFECT TRIP
With the first glimpse of the Ferrari 458 Spider you know that you are in for a rollercoaster of emotions. The promise of sportiness, power and the exhilaration of knowing that you’ve chosen the perfect car for your journey through the breathtaking scenery of the Swiss Alps, via the Gotthard Pass. The 458 effortlessly marries technology, beauty and design, it’s also the first car to feature a retractable folding hard top with a mid-rear engine. The handling and sheer raw power are a match made in heaven, for what must be considered one of the world’s most dramatic mountain roads. Sweeping through a series of heart-stopping hairpin bends, followed by explosive stretches of straight road, providing the perfect opportunity to really let rip and experience the thrill of driving a 570 horse powered racing car. Which is enhanced by the distinctive “rumble” of the Ferrari engine echoing throughout the valleys; a sound made even sweeter by the stunning Alpine surroundings.
Facts about the St. Gotthard Pass
A legend in its own right, the St. Gotthard Pass or Passo del San Gottardo in Italian or Sankt Gotthard Pass in German is situated about 60km from the centre of Switzerland, connecting the Italian and the German speaking sectors of the country, running to the south of the country along the Lepontine Alps providing a direct route from Zurich to Lugano. It can be traced back to the Romans, but it was impassable due to rivers and steep gorges until the “Devil’s Bridge” was built in the 13th Century. It wasn’t for another hundred or so years that it took the name of the 11th Century bishop – St. Gotthard. The road opened in 1830, followed by the railway in 1882, which runs through the Wassen and Gotthard Rail Tunnels. Today you can choose whether to go through the mountains or take the more direct route through the St. Gotthard Motorway Tunnel, at 16.3km it is currently the world’s third longest road tunnel. The best place to stop and take in the views is the Pian di Secco Belvedere, where you can appreciate the full majesty of the pass - Switzerland’s longest historical monument.
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PERFECT TRIP www.europeluxurycarhire.com
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PERFECT TRIP www.europeluxurycarhire.com
finish with a flourish
Surpassing the style and comfort of Zurich’s Dolder Hotel and the exhilaration of the drive through the St. Gotthard Pass was always going to be tricky. However, we’re confident that we have a fitting finish for this trip of a life time - the “Seven Stars Galleria Milano Hotel” is the epitome of Milanese elegance and luxury.
Galleria Milano Hotel We couldn’t set the bar any higher – the Seven Stars Galleria designed by architect Ettore Mocchetti, is the only hotel in the world to achieve the coveted 7-star certification. Described as “seventh heaven” by National Geographic Traveller, it is a study in elegance and style; it’s also the only hotel to be situated within a national monument. Construction on the original gallery started in 1865, Mocchetti, has achieved a superb balance between the past and present, creating a truly magnificent hotel and a landmark in its own right. Renovations were undertaken under the guidance of the Italian Institute of Arts, each room subtly pays homage to famous operatic artists, furnished with antiques and opulent decoration. Contemporary styled suites offer the ultimate in luxury, featuring state of the art technology. SGS - 7 stars certification Awarded in 2008 by SGS (inspection services, certification, testing and control). The only hotel in the world to achieve 7-stars certification Category: extra luxury service Gastronomy La Sinfonia”, the Seven Stars Galleria Restaurant is dedicated to providing excellence in refined surroundings, offering a multi-faceted culinary experience. Your personal tastes will be communicated to the chef who will then provide your meal accordingly. The dining room, which is also available for private functions, enjoys stunning views across the cupola of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and on the “Octagon” - the perfect setting for an aperitif, dinner or a night cap. Room service is available 24 hours a day. Services As a 7-star hotel, the Galleria offers an unprecedented standard of service with a multi-lingual staff on-hand to anticipate your every need. All personal preferences are attended to, from the bed linen to the type of cuisine you enjoy. Services include: 24-hour room service, valet parking and a concierge service. It’s not just a hotel, it’s an entire way of living. Dinner, theatre, concerts, beauty salons and fitness centre reservations – no problem. Whatever you require, the Galleria’s team of perfectly presented butlers will take care of it. www.europeluxurycarhire.com
PERFECT TRIP
Milan
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COMPANY BACKGROUND
The drive to provide a 5-star service Europe Luxury Car Hire: Company Background Phil Tobin, founder and managing director Europe Luxury Car Hire, hails originally from the UK where he enjoyed a successful career in real estate, before deciding to sell the business and set off his travels, working his way through India and Moscow before landing in Spain. From Russia with intent Surprisingly, the first thought about starting a luxury car hire business occurred whilst working in Russia as the International Sales Director for Penny Lane (Moscow’s most famous real estate company). In celebration of his arrival, Phil and his son Tom were offered a trip to Monte Carlo, where upon arrival they found two F430 Ferrari Spiders waiting for them at the airport – from that moment on he was sold and it was only a matter of time before the idea would become reality. A luxury car hire business is born In 2008, Marbella Luxury Car Hire was founded. Operating on a shoe-string from the Tobin villa, the office was equipped with one mobile phone, a laptop and a very comfortable chair – with nothing more exotic than a Fiat Panda. Capitalising on his sales and marketing know-how, it wasn’t long before the business became the number one luxury car hire company in southern Spain. Making them the largest luxury car hire car company in Europe. With an eye on the big picture, Phil set about expanding beyond Marbella and the Costa del Sol, creating “Europe Luxury Car Hire” which today operates via a network of 32 delivery centres throughout Europe. Best fleet in the business As the premiere prestige car rental company in Europe, with the largest fleet of luxury and sports cars in the region, clients www.europeluxurycarhire.com
can expect the newest most up-to-date fleet of super and luxury car within the industry, available throughout all major European cities. 5-star personal reservation management Europe Luxury Car Hire recognises that all clients have different needs, which is why every customer is assigned a personal reservation manager, who will make it their mission to ensure a 5-star service from the first contact and beyond. For instance our Personal Reservation manager can arrange delivery of a brand new Range Rover Vogue for a client’s family get away in Cannes France - the following month the same client may arrange a business trip by private plane to Milan, where he will be greeted on arrival with an Aston Martin DBS. To make life easier, Europe Luxury Car Hire provides a central booking service run by highly motivated multi-lingual staff, trained to provide a 5-star service. Upon first contact a personal reservation manager will be appointed who will continue to manage all bookings including special requests. Highly recommended Europe Luxury Car Hire is honoured to provide luxury private transport to the international business community, VIPs, royalty and celebrities throughout Europe. Corporate contracts Europe Luxury Car Hire is currently the preferred provider for: Barclays Bank, American Express Centurion, De Vere Group, Facebook, Google, Gazprom, Iceland, Marussia Virgin Racing, RBS, UBS, Virgin, Disney, SeaSpin, Morgan Stanley and Top Gear.
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PRIVATE CLUB CAR
Welcome to
Europe Luxury Car Hire
VIP Club Card…
Choosing to hire a luxury or super car is about more than just driving – it’s like joining an exclusive club. We have launched the Europe Luxury Car Hire’s VIP Club Card – a pre-loaded credit card which is available to all clients, and designed to provide a wealth of “member” benefits and privileges throughout Europe. Enjoy the benefits… • When travelling abroad you can transfer currency on to the card at preferential exchange rates. • Get priority booking on brand new and special edition model cars and discounts on long-term rentals. • Gain access to the best venues and events Your key to Europe´s lifestyle throughout Europe. • Take advantage of special deals on superior 6-star 45 32 00 00 standard accommodation in Europe. 45 32 59 3456month/year 43 4359 GOOD 06/15 • One to one service from your Europe Luxury Car THRU Hire personal representative. ANDY SMITH • Accepted by businesses throughout Europe For further details about the VIP Club Card email: reservations@EuropeLuxuryCarHire.com
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44 Offices and Delivery centres across Europe including:
United Kingdom: +44 203 399 9438 London Manchester
Switzerland: +41 225 017 013 Geneva Zurich
Germany: +49 893 803 8872 Munich Frankfurt Dusseldorf Hamburg Cologne Stuttgart Berlin
Italy: +39 058 3180 9801 Rome Naples Florence Milan Venice Bologna Portofino
Portugal: +34 951 047 265 Lisbon Faro Porto
Austria: +34 951 047 265 Vienna Innsbruck Salzburg
France: +33 182 884 238 Paris Nice Lyon Saint Tropez Bordeaux Cannes Marseille
Monte Carlo: +33 182 884 238 Monaco
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United Arab Emirates: +34 951 047 265 Dubai Abu Dhabi Spain: +34 951 047 265 Barcelona Madrid Marbella Malaga Mallorca Seville Alicante Ibiza Turkey: +34 951 047 265 Istanbul