Drive Essentials Issue 1 Jul/Aug 15

DR i VE ISSUE 1 • JULY/AUGUST 2015

essentials

Nice Merc...

if you can get it! But is it worth £100K?

Great rides Thank Evans

Thrilling country drives

Top Gear’s new driver

INFINITI CENTRE NEWCASTLE The distance between your dreams and reality is called action... take a test drive today!

Brand New Infiniti Q50 2.2 CDi SE Exec

£279

• Heated Front Seats • Rear View Camera • 19” Alloy Wheels with Run Flat Tyres • Bluetooth© Audio Streaming • USB / iPod Connectivity • Dual Touch Screen (LCD VGA 8” and LCD VGA 7”) • Voice Recognition System • Start Stop System • Twin Exhaust Chrome Tailpipes • Push Button Ignition • Infinity InTouch • Scratch Shield Paint • Cruise Control Ultrasonic Alarm System • i-Key Smart Access and Enhanced Memory

Per month

Representative Example: Infiniti Q50 2.2 CDi SE Exec 48 x Monthly Payments £279

Cash Price £31,230

Manufacturer Contribution £8,235*

Customer deposit £2,552.46

Balance to Finance £20,442.54

GMFV / Optional Final Payment^ £10,574

Total Amount Payable £30,282.77

Rate of Interest (Fixed) 5.51%

APR Representative 5.92%

Mileage per annum 8,000 ***

Brand New Infiniti Q70 2.2 D Auto Premium

• Heated Front Seats • Rear View Camera • 20” Alloy • Bose® Premium Sound System with 11 Speakers • USB / iPod Connectivity • Heated, Electrically Adjustable and Folding Exteriors Mirrors • Bluetooth© Technology for Mobile Connectivity and Voice Activation • Twin Exhaust Chrome Tailpipes • High Resolution Touch Screen Central Display with Infiniti Controller • Scratch Shield Paint • Analogue Infiniti Clock • RearView Camera with Parking Sensors • Cruise Control • i-Key with Smart Access and Enhanced Memory

Low Finance Available

48 x Monthly Payments £399

Cash Price £33,400

Customer Deposit £2,500

Manufacturer Contribution £6,405*

Balance to Finance £24,495

GMFV / Optional Final Payment^ £10,124

Total Amount Payable £31,925

Rate of Interest (Fixed) 6.67%

APR 7.11%

Mileage per annum 8,000 ***

Brand New Infiniti QX70 3.0 D GT 5dr Automatic

• 20” Alloy Wheels • Full Screen HD Satellite Navigation • Electric Memory Leather • BOSE Hi Fi with HD & USB • Voice Activation • 7spd Paddleshift Switchable Auto • Privacy Glass • Bluetooth Streaming & Telephone • Electric Tailgate • Reverse Camera • Intelligent AWD • Rain & light Sensors • USB connection & auxiliary input socket • Electric glass sunroof • Dual zone electronic climate control • Sequential interior light system • Multimedia pack • Tyre pressure monitoring system • Heated & ventilated front seats

£8,365

Manufacturer Contribution 36 x Monthly Payments £499

Cash price £42,375

Manufacturer Contribution £8,365*

Customer deposit £4,999.28

Balance to Finance £29,005.72

GMFV / Optional Final Payment^ £16,102.50

Total amount payable £47,430.50

Rate of Interest (Fixed) 7.02%

APR 7.46%

Mileage per annum 8,000†

Infiniti Centre Newcastle Middle Engine Lane, Silverlink Business Park, Newcastle, Tyne and Wear NE28 9NZ Phone: 0191 295 8686 www.infinitinewcastle.com

INSPIRED PERFORMANCE

Official fuel economy figures for the Infiniti range in mpg (l/100 km): urban 25.2 to 15.0 (11.2 to 18.9), extra urban 36.2 to 28.8 (7.8 to 9.8), combined 31.4 to 21.6 (9.0 to 13.1).

CO2 emission: 307 to 238 g/km.

Visit your local dealer for full details. Infiniti Centre Newcastle is a subsidiary of Bristol Street Fourth Investments who is a credit broker authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. Finance subject to status. Models shown for illustration purposes only. Further charges may be payable if vehicle is returned. Indemnities may be required. Subject to status. Available to over 18s in the UK only. Terms and conditions apply. Retail sales only. Subject to availability.

Offers may be varied or withdrawn at any time. Certain vehicles excluded. We can introduce you to a limited number of lenders to assist with your purchase, who may pay us for introducing you to them. *Manufacturer deposit contribution paid for by Infiniti. *^Fees include £149 payable with the first monthly instalment & £149 option to purchase fee including with the final instalment / Guaranteed minimum future value ***Excess mileage charged at 0.08p per mile. †Excess mileage charged at 0.12p per mile.

Welcome

The Essentials

ISSUE 1 • JULY/AUGUST 2015

04 Wild Rover

24

It’s no, nay, never, no more as Land Rover’s journey ends

07 Teenage kicks Boyhood dreams recalled in the racy Cayman GT4

14 Nice Merc A classy Mercedes provides a trip down memory lane

16 Vroom to improve How remapping your car could drastically enhance performance

18 Going my way?

There’s a sound eco-message behind Peter Kay’s comic genius

Get your motor running Luxe loves the sensation of speed. A glossy bonnet, a speedo you want to take to the max and that heady scent of a brand new leather seat to slide into. In our first edition of Drive we point you in the direction of the most spectacular journeys in the North East. We take to the wheel of some amazing motors and talk to real petrolheads about their passions. At the muddy end of things we pay homage to Land Rover and for the ultimate bespoke drive we meet Afzal Kahn who specialises in helping to make prestige cars unique. Family crest in your car’s upholstery? He’s your man.

Bob Arora, editor

24 Great rides Stunning drives on some of the region’s most breathtaking roads

28 Thank Evans Top Gear’s new man promises “evolution not revolution”

30 Hidden gem

Contributors

An Aladdin’s Cave of classic cars on a former sheep farmer’s land

Peter Jackson • Bob Arora

Photography Kevin Gibson www.kgphotography.co.uk

If you wish to advertise with us please contact our sales team: Lisa Anderson: lisa@remembermedia.co.uk / 07734 560565 or Debi Coldwell: debi@remembermedia.co.uk / 07910 918366

Remember Media Limited, e-volve Business Centre, Cygnet Way, Rainton Bridge South Business Park, DH4 5QY remembermedia.co.uk All contents copyright ©2015 RememberMedia Ltd. All rights reserved. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, no responsibility can be accepted for inaccuracies, howsoever caused. No liability can be accepted for illustrations, photographs, artwork or advertising materials while in transmission or with the publisher or their agents. All information is correct at time of going to print, July 2015. Drive Essentials is published annually by Remember Media Ltd.

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Feature

No never, no more the wild Rover It looks like the end of an era for Land Rover. As the iconic workhouse concludes its journey, we talk to a true enthusiast

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Feature

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Feature

It is the all-time great off-roader, beloved workhorse and countryperson’s friend but the Land Rover Defender is now being retired after more than half a century.

Introduced in 1948 and rebranded as the Defender in 1991, it has been announced that production will cease in December this year. In 67 years some two million have been built and sold all over the world, working on hill farms, in the African veldt, for emergency services and for various armed forces.

It has been said that some three quarters of all the Land Rovers ever built are still on the road, although it is suspected that the government’s car scrappage scheme of 2008 led to many thousands of perfectly road-worthy vehicles making their last trip while there was still plenty of life left in them.

The Land Rover is a car that inspires great affection and deep loyalty. One such enthusiast is Paul Walton from Darlington, secretary of Nero, the North East Rover Owners’ club.

Paul’s love affair with Land Rover has been life-long. Indeed, his father Terry joined Nero in 1975, four years after its foundation

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and when Paul was still a toddler.

“Land Rover and Nero is something I’ve grown up with,’’ says Paul. “With a Land Rover, you can do so many things with it, from dropping the kids off at school to pulling a caravan to competitions, to driving off-road.’’

At the moment he and his family – for wife Zena, daughters Caitlan, 17, and Philippa, 13, are also fans – own a 1952 Series 1 80; a 1958 Series 1 109, which is being restored; their family car, a

It also holds a social club night once a month, with camping and caravanning at most events and does charity events. It has also provided Land Rovers for wedding cars for enthusiasts who are tying the knot.

On which subject: Paul and Zena have known each other since they were 15-year-olds.

“We used to go to trails and watch them with my dad,’’ he says. “I won’t say she’s a massive fan, but she likes Land Rovers.’’

There are a number of active Nero members who are women, including company secretary and treasurer Yvonne Mallam and competition secretary Heather Carroll, who is a successful trials driver.

Members include a retired surgeon, a judge, a solicitor, farmers, truck drivers, sales reps, factory workers, a washing machine repair man and Paul, who sells JCBs. There are about 60 of them, down from the days when they had about 140 on the books. But this decline is not down to any falling off in interest.

Paul explains: “The internet has changed a lot of clubs. In the past people who got a lot of information and interaction from being in a club can now go online and get an immediate response from forums. Forums have reduced club membership across the board.’’

Of course, not everybody is a Land Rover lover.

It attracts criticism as a gas guzzler and global warming contributor. But Paul argues that the environmental impact has to be looked at in the

LAND ROVER IS NO LONGER A UTILITY MANUFACTURER, IT’S A LUXURY CAR MAKER 12-year-old Defender 110 long wheel base station wagon, and their competition car.

The competition car, which is used for trials, is built to the dimensions of a 1955 88 Series 1 from a mid-1990s Discovery chassis under the Association of Land Rover Clubs’ rules which specify that a competition car has to represent the dimensions of a Land Rover model and be built from Land Rover parts.

It is used for trialling, which pits Land Rovers against each other, driving a prescribed course over rough terrain incurring as few penalty points as possible. They are also used for competitive safaris, which is like rallying but over rough terrain and shorter distances.

Nero, which covers the whole North East, organises these competitions about twice a month and regularly uses four sites: at Helmsley in North Yorkshire; Rothbury in Northumberland; near Sunderland and near Penrith in Cumbria.

“We also do a thing called green laneing, which is driving legal rights of way in the countryside,’’ Paul says.

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round and taking into account the incredible longevity of Land Rovers.

“You have to put it in context,’’ he says. “Our 1952 Land Rover is now 63 years old. The most environmentally damaging part of any vehicle is the manufacture.’’

He is quick to defend the Defender but, asked about the decision to stop manufacture, he is surprisingly unsentimental.

“The Defender is a great car and it does so many things. I’ve got one, had a few,’’ he says. “But there are a lot of people who aren’t fans who would always cite the fact that it’s cramped and draughty and some still leak water through the seals. When you look at how they are built, they are still a 1940s design and manufacture process – you can’t expect a modern company to keep building things efficiently like that.

“Land Rover is no longer a utility manufacturer – it hasn’t been for some time. It’s a luxury car maker. Is the Defender’s replacement going to be a lifestyle car rather than a utility vehicle?

The jury’s out but I don’t think that’ll happen.’’

Let’s hope he’s wrong.

Review

Teenage kicks Sports car enthusiast Bob Arora relives his boyhood dream in a Cayman GT4 Growing up as a teenager I avidly recall having posters of cars on my bedroom walls. If I remember rightly the walls were adorned by three manufacturers and their poster cars at the time were Lamborghini Countach, Ferrari F40 and the Porsche 959. All three cars were amazing for their own reasons. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to buy either the Ferrari or the Lamborghini yet, but I have had a few Porsches.

I remember buying my first Boxster; it was a used car that looked absolutely mint. Starting the engine literally sent a shiver down my spine; with the engine being pretty much behind your head it just sounded amazing. You would find yourself driving through tunnels just so you could hear the symphony of rasps and pops from the exhaust. I have been lucky enough to drive the vast majority of the range and the 911 GT3 is the most amazing piece of kit around.

The car is so track focused it really gives you an insight of what it must be like for a Formula 1 driver going around the world’s best race tracks.

This brings me neatly onto the car I have driven this month. The Cayman has been on the scene for quite a few years now. Porsche recently launched the Cayman GTS which was fantastic, but the car I have recently driven feels like it’s on a banned substance. The Cayman GT4 was

pretty much sold out with letters of intent alone. So, when it was officially launched on the Porsche website, the poor dealers literally couldn’t keep up with demand. Despite costing £64,451 the car is totally sold out. The only way to get one will be to pay a decent premium over the list price.

The engine from the 911 Carrera S has been spun through 180 degrees and it sits in the middle of the car. Porsche have also fitted a 6-speed manual gearbox and it has a lighter flywheel which saves over 1.4kg alone. The gear-lever has been chopped down by 20mm and this helps make the gear changes feel really punchy and you can’t help but jab the gear lever around the gate. If you put the GT4 against a normal Cayman you will notice the GT4 is 34mm longer because the engine needs more cooling. Re-profiling the front end has allowed the GT4 to be the first Cayman to generate genuine downforce to the front and rear. The front suspension comes from the 911 GT3 – it sits 30mm lower than a standard Cayman and it has a 13mm wide track. Adorned to this GT4 is the most stunning alloy wheels ever – the car can only be described as being the best looking Cayman! Weight has been reduced by using Alcantara throughout the car and it tips the

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scales at lightweight 1340kg. When you think of the power from the engine and the lightweight body this car really is a flying machine.

Purchasers can opt for the club sport pack at £2,670 which adds roll hoops, six-point harnesses and a fire extinguisher. But beware – choose this and you also have to pay £1,907 for the seats that first appeared in the 918 Spyder. The car’s top speed is 180mph and the car gets to 62mph in 4.4 seconds. For anyone interested the car should average 27mpg, although while I had the car it managed to return just over 20mpg.

Even on the softer of the two adaptive damper settings the bodywork is impeccably controlled.

The steering, gearbox, brake and throttle response are so precise and predictable. The boffins at Porsche say the GT4 is a total track focused car indeed. Drive it around a circuit and within a few minutes you realise this car was made to be driven around race tracks. After driving it on the track it really is one of the best driver’s cars in the world. If you were expecting the GT4 to drive like a mid-engine GT3 then you will be disappointed; the GT3 feels much sharper in its engine avid chassis response. The GT4 could have been made to feel like a GT3 but I am sure it would have cost much more than the asking price. And, of course, if that had been the case, how many people would have opted not to buy the much more expensive GT3? My verdict? It’s a traditional feeling sports car and it has to be the best Cayman ever…

Car supplied by Porsche Newcastle.

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Promotional feature

AUDI RS3 SPORTBACK: LONG LIVE THE KING OF THE HOT HATCH Some things were just not meant to be contained. Whether it be a ferocious lion or a tenacious three-year-old, some things are hard to hold back.

This has certainly been the case with the new Audi RS3 Sportback which, if Audi’s marketing campaign is anything to go by, has been champing at the bit and ready to break free from its shackles ever since it was previewed last year.

Well the wait is over. The Audi RS3 Sportback is here and it has taken the hot hatchback to the next level. Put simply, this is the most powerful hatchback you can buy.

Call it a superhatch.

Figures for this, the second generation RS3 Sportback, are, in a word, astounding. Its 2.5 litre five cylinder turbocharged engine provides 362 brake horsepower, resulting in a 0-62mph time of 4.3 seconds and a top speed of 174mph,

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which for a hatchback is simply mind blowing.

However, it’s the car’s handling that stands out most. While you can practically hear the RS3 purr as you start the engine, this soon builds to a thunderous roar as you go through the gears. However, it soon becomes clear that Audi has managed to tame the beast, with highlights such as a 19-inch high performance brake system providing an overwhelming sense of control on the road.

This is complemented by Audi’s iconic quattro permanent all-wheel drive technology, which gives you reliable all weather grip, while opting for ‘magnetic ride’ adds intuitive magnetic dampers that cleverly adjust to ever-changing road surfaces. Yes, bumpy potholes are now a thing of the past.

Die-hard Audi fans will also be pleased to hear that the RS3 Sportback has retained its place among the best looking Audis on the road

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and will no doubt give rise to the kind of highspeed double takes that require an emergency neck brace. The car is wider, without compromising spatial awareness, and is peppered with the kind of luxurious finishing touches that will ensure its position as king of the hot hatches for some time to come. Among them are extended side sills, an eye-catching honeycomb grille, aluminium-look door mirrors and gleaming 19-inch silver alloy wheels.

It truly is a thing of beauty and it’s finally here.

But don’t just take my word for it. Judge for yourself at the NE1 Newcastle Motor Show, with the RS3 Sportback accompanied by the Audi Le Mans and the hybrid powered Audi A3 Sportback e-tron.

You can view the whole Audi range at North East Audi, with dealerships in Newcastle, Wearside, Tyneside and Teesside or visit www.drivebenfield.com/audi

The all-new Audi RS 3 Sportback.

Born restless.

When a car’s this restless, it’s hard to hold it back. It’s thanks to an ultra-responsive 2.5-litre engine. quattro® all-wheel-drive that keeps you moving when terrain gets tough.

And optional magnetic ride that adapts to ever-changing roads.

See it unleashed at audi.co.uk/rs3 or call your local Audi Centre to book a test drive.*

Newcastle Audi Scotswood Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 7LA 0191 226 1144 www.newcastle.audi.co.uk Teesside Audi Brooklime Avenue, Preston Farm , Stockton on Tees TS18 3UR 01642 603 444 www.teesside.audi.co.uk Tyneside Audi Silverlink Park, Wallsend, Newcastle upon Tyne NE28 9NT 0191 289 6200 www.tyneside.audi.co.uk Wearside Audi Stadium Way (Opposite Stadium of Light), Sunderland SR5 1AT 0191 564 5600 www.wearside.audi.co.uk Official fuel consumption figures for the all-new Audi RS 3 Sportback in mpg (l/100km) from: Urban 24.8 (11.4) – 25.2 (11.2), Extra Urban 43.5 (6.5) – 44.8 (6.3), Combined 34.0 (8.3) – 34.9 (8.1). CO2 emissions: 194 – 189g/km. Standard EU Test figures for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results. Image used for illustrative purposes only, includes optional extras. Optional wheels may affect emissions and fuel consumption figures. *Test drive terms and conditions apply.

Please speak to your local Audi Centre to find out more.

Feature

Anything they do, I Kahn do better

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Feature

Paying to have cars personalised is a way for people to express their individuality. We spotlight one of the leading proponents It’s no longer enough to own an expensive, premium car – not if other people can buy the same thing.

Now a few hundred wealthy people each year will commission a customised vehicle that is unique.

In other words, a personalised vehicle.

There’s nothing new under the sun and the practice of automotive coachbuilding stretches back to the early 1900s when discerning customers would employ the services of expert craftsmen to create a customised vehicle body on a pre-manufactured chassis.

Today, this is a demand which prestige car makers such as Aston Martin, with its new bespoke Q division, are now working to meet and even Jaguar is getting into the business of building ‘modern collectables’.

But there are independent operators and perhaps foremost among these is Afzal Kahn, a legendary designer and self-confessed petrol head who abandoned a career in architecture to pursue

his interest in the car business.

He is now the proud founder and owner of the Kahn group of companies: Kahn Design, the Chelsea Truck Company and Project Kahn.

He started Project Kahn in 2004 and concentrated mostly on customising Range Rovers.

In the past couple of years, Project Kahn has expanded into modifying and re-engineering Jeep Wranglers and Land Rover Defenders. Kahn estimates that he will sell well north of 500 vehicles this year, including 100 reworked Wranglers – a large proportion of UK Wrangler sales – and about 200 Defenders.

In 2012, he set up the Chelsea Truck Company and opened a London showroom on Chelsea’s King’s Road in response to the growing trend for the Defender to be used as daily transport in the capital’s fashionable central districts. The group’s HQ is in Bradford and there is also a flagship outlet in Leeds.

Personalisation could involve the installation of >>

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Feature

extra seats, sound-proofing, new engines and gear boxes but that’s only part of it.

Group spokesman Mo Bhana explains: “At the request of one customer we designed the whole interior of his vehicle in Harris Tweed fabric, the first ever of its kind. Another customer wanted artico sports seats. One lady wanted a totally white interior.

She said: “Even though the kids play rugby, I want it white. It doesn’t matter.” So we gave her a white interior.

“A customer wanted the family crest sewn into the front and the back and a football club chairman wanted the club crest sewn into the interior.

“As long as the requests are tasteful, we are happy to oblige.’’

Another venture is Ant-Kahn, in collaboration with Ant Anstead, who runs Evanta, a specialist maker that builds bespoke sports cars ‘inspired’ by 1950s sports cars, particularly period Aston Martins.

As part of the project, Kahn has invested in a coach building firm in the West Midlands where

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plans range from coach built special editions to series manufacturing.

In his latest move, Kahn has announced the launch of a new coach-built car codenamed the Vengeance.

Built on a new Aston Martin DB9 chassis, the Vengeance is a wide body two-door coupe, with a muscular, aggressive design.

Inspired by the Aston Martin designs of the 1980s and 1990s, the Vengeance is the culmination of Kahn’s lifelong pursuit to create the car he has always wanted to drive.

In a departure from contemporary design conventions, Kahn has favoured volume and flowing curves over angular surfaces for the Vengeance. The result, he believes, is a fusion of modern engineering and classic streamlined design.

The car has widened rear wings, emphasised by lines projected from the signature bonnet bulge, sweeping

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Feature

AS LONG AS THE REQUESTS ARE TASTEFUL, WE ARE HAPPY TO OBLIGE rearwards from the unmistakable grille centrepiece through the roof and along the length of the car.

The polished stainless steel roof halo and window trim curve to meet at the diminished rear windows to enhance the coupe style of the Vengeance.

The car sits on staggered wheels, with a 16 spoke 20” wheel at the front on 225 tyres and an 18 spoke 21” wheel on 335 tyres to the rear. The multi-spoke design and inner rim was inspired by the classic roulette wheel, with a two-tone finish juxtaposing the central section in body colour with the diamond cut outer section.

Production of a limited series of vehicles (about 25) – aimed at discerning collectors and investors – began this year in the Midlands. Each vehicle will be hand built by Kahn’s team of craftsmen and will carry an engraved plaque in the boot bearing the names of every member of the British team who worked on the car. The cost will be “towards the £300,000 mark’’.

Vengeance owners will be given unique previews of future coach-built projects, as well as advance invitations to purchase new vehicles.

Kahn says: “Launching the

Vengeance is the realisation of a dream I’ve had since childhood, to design and produce my own car. I’ve worked in the industry my whole career, and I want to leave a legacy which I can be proud of. The design has gone through several iterations over the years and I’ve taken my time in selecting the right partners to prototype and manufacture the car, ensuring it represents the pinnacle of quality and perfection.”

“I’ve kept every aspect of the underlying car from the crash structures to airbags. Mechanically it’s unaltered – why change perfection? This is coachbuilding in its traditional sense – taking a tried and tested product and working solely on the aesthetic.

“The Vengeance underlines Kahn Design’s expertise in design and coachbuilding. With a team of over 25 designers in house we’re involved in all aspects of product design from automotive to timepieces, interiors, retail space, clothing and accessories.”

“Aston Martin has always been an inspiration, in particular the early Vanquish and the V600 Vantage wide bodies, and I’m grateful for their agreement, and for wishing us success on this project. The Vengeance pays homage to those classic designs while using modern engineering to create something unique and original which reflects my own style.”

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Review

Nice Merc if you can get it

The racy Mercedes AMG GT puts Bob Arora in a nostalgic frame of mind

I remember watching Dallas every week (now I’m guessing any street cred I had has just totally gone). However, in my defence, apart from wanting to know who shot JR, there was one other reason I loved this programme – JR’s fabulous cars. Actually, come to think of it, I also loved watching Hart to Hart. And I didn’t watch it because of the dog called Freeway if I remember rightly, or because of Max who had the gruffest voice in the world. It was for the stunning Mercedes SL, if you

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hadn’t already guessed. This car just oozed sex appeal and I had a real soft spot for this beauty.

With that classic in mind, my next review was the new AMG GT. If you look quickly you’d be forgiven for thinking it was just an SLS. At first glance the car does look the same but it is actually smaller than the SLS and doesn’t have the gull wing doors.

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When the SLS came out it was a firm favourite of football players; we had a few guys who lived near our restaurant and when they drove down the bank they would slam the brakes on and the air brake would rise to help slow the car down.

I am sure they didn’t need this additional braking but it looked great in action. The SLS’s other claim to fame was being the safety car in Formula One. The other difference between both cars is

Review

the GT is about £60,000 cheaper and this puts the car firmly in 911 territory.

The 911 is always the benchmark in this category and it would take something special to take its crown. Taking a look at the GT, it seems like the rear haunches have been lifted straight from a 911. The front of the car is very low, lean and very Mercedes indeed. The rear looks a little bit strange if I am being honest and I think it is very colour dependent. The car’s bonnet is massive and its side profile looks a little bit strange.

Mercedes has clear lineage to previous sporting Mercs in history and it’s easy to see this in the GT. Customers can choose from a range of carbon, chrome or black exterior detailing packages. Stepping inside the car the interior is really beautiful – the buttons and dials just ooze quality. The steering wheel is half trimmed with Alcantara and the car’s gear lever looks fantastic. An iPad-type tablet is in the middle of the dash and this controls all of the navigation and radio etc. The car’s interior is a cross between an S Class and the new C Class

Mercedes. For a sports car it’s a very chilled out place to be sat. The car’s command control wheel and touch wheel are located where you would expect the gear lever to be. There are two models available; the GT has a 4.0 litre twin turbo engine which drives the rear wheels via a 7-speed gearbox. The engine pumps out 456bhp and it gets to 62mph in just four seconds. The GTS pumps out 503bhp and it has a top speed of 193mph and it gets to 62mph in 3.8 seconds. The AMG still has the famous one engine one man policy – all engines are built to the highest quality standards; each engineer’s signature and name is inscribed on each engine.

Starting the car and hearing the noise from the exhaust, it’s possible to imagine what it must be like to be behind the wheel of a Formula One vehicle. The only real shame is that this amazing sound isn’t really heard inside the car. There is a nice blip on the downshift accompanied by pops and bangs from the exhaust. This car was really made for German Autobahns as it feels at home

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on well-maintained fast roads. The car’s steering feels very fast – indeed, it is super responsive.

It has a brilliant sense of directional stability and has very little body roll at all. But on choppy roads it’s a totally different story as the car fidgets quite badly. Put it in comfort mode, however, and it drives decently enough for you to feel at ease.

Its wide tyres generate a bit of road noise, especially at speed. Chunky ‘A pillars’ make moving off from junctions quite tricky. With the high bonnet, it’s quite hard to see over the top. The car’s boot has a maximum of 350 litres of space or, for keen golfers, enough room for two golf bags as long as they are stored lengthways.

This car will be a very rare sight on the roads and the 911 has a real competitor on its hands.

For anyone looking to buy a great two-seater sports car for £100k, this has to be on your must-have list.

Car supplied by Mercedes Newcastle.

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Technology

Vroom to improve Unhappy with your car’s performance, or its fuel consumption? Consider having it remapped

Improving your car’s performance is no longer a question of oily mechanics going under the bonnet to tune the carburettor, distributor and points.

In cars today, the Engine Control Unit (ECU) manages the engine. The ECU is a small computer, which runs the engine and controls ignition timing, air/fuel mixture and imposes limits on speed and revs.

These variables are displayed as ‘maps’ – the VW Golf for example has 20 maps for fuel alone – and can usually be modified via On Board Diagnostics (OBD) programming without needing to remove the ECU from a vehicle. This process is known as remapping.

Remapping can increase power and torque by up to 30% and also improve acceleration as well as bringing savings on fuel consumption. Some remappers claim they can get a further six miles to the gallon on a car’s fuel saving. Unsurprisingly, there was a marked increase in interest in remapping when petrol prices were reaching record highs.

Remapping can mean safer overtaking with power when it is needed, improved torque for towing capability and enhanced throttle response, ironing out torque curve dips and bringing a smoother power curve with less gear changes.

Mapping expert John McGovern of North East Remaps, Cornsay Colliery, County Durham, explains:

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“There are many benefits to getting an engine remapping done on a car, including higher performance at a more affordable rate than buying a brand new car.

“ECU remapping is an option that is growing in popularity for many car owners. They have a car they love, but they wish that it went faster or was more economical.’’

Why then, you might ask, don’t manufacturers do all this as standard in the original map?

Well, some do offer a performance upgrade package.

But generally, when the manufacturers build their cars, they have to set up the ECU to deal with varying fuel qualities and different operating environments across the world.

They also have to meet the

various requirements on vehicle emissions. However, when you get your car remapped in the UK, the technicians who remap it can optimise the ECU’s programming for the UK environment to give the best power or efficiency or even both.

Remapping can also modify a car’s performance to suit a particular driver’s style and requirements, providing a greater flat out speed or giving more power for initial acceleration.

Remapping can take from 1 ½ hours to a day and it is not always high performance cars that take the longest.

So, what’s the downside?

Some manufacturers say they don’t recommend any

16

power enhancements because the vehicle warranty could be compromised or revoked on any parts failure related to those enhancements.

On the other hand, remapping companies say they work on many vehicles under manufacturers’ warranties with few disputes and they will often offer a back-up warranty to make up for any problems over the manufacturer’s cover.

Furthermore, professional remappers will tell you that remapping is often not detected by service centre technicians, making warranty problems less likely.

Manufacturers also claim remapping will shorten the life of a car by removing performance limitations.

However, remappers argue that when manufacturers develop an engine, they design it with the capacity for more performance and remappers simply access this without threatening the car’s longevity.

“A car is never tuned beyond what an engine can take,’’ says John McGovern.

He does, however, point out one possible disadvantage in remapping. An owner must tell their insurer about any change to a car and premiums will probably rise as a result. However, remapping shops will usually advise customers on which insurance companies will look more favourably on their modifications.

Promotional feature

INFINITI CENTRE NEWCASTLE GOES FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH Less than 12 months since opening and Infiniti Centre Newcastle has cemented its position in the region’s motoring sector. With a substantial number of cars sold and a growing team of professionals the dealership has plenty to celebrate.

The dealership, located at Silverlink Retail Park in Newcastle, covers the areas of Tyne and Wear, County Durham and Teesside. It has the style, look and feel of the brand, which prides itself in operating in a similar fashion to a five star hotel.

Each Infiniti Centre is unique, with bespoke furnishing, creating a luxurious environment and Infiniti Centre Newcastle is no different.

The Infiniti name is synonymous with luxury, performance, and entertainment. Whether it’s a sleek coupe, muscular crossover, or sporty saloon, at Infiniti Centre Newcastle customers get a vehicle that offers something a little different to the rest.

Amongst other models, the Centre can offer the Q50, a premium sports saloon packed with leading-edge technologies alongside a full hybrid version designed with both performance and efficiency in mind, and the QX70 dynamic SUV. These models are immediately available and before the end of 2015 the dealership will acquire the brand-new Q30 hatchback, which is being built at Nissan’s Sunderland factory and will be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

Customers and prospective customers have been flocking to the dealership to view the vehicles

AMONGST OTHER MODELS, THE CENTRE CAN OFFER THE Q50, A PREMIUM SPORTS SALOON PACKED WITH LEADING-EDGE TECHNOLOGIES ALONGSIDE A FULL HYBRID VERSION DESIGNED WITH BOTH PERFORMANCE AND EFFICIENCY IN MIND

but for those who have not yet had the opportunity the Infiniti brand ambassadors have been out and about meeting customers and proudly displaying the prestigious models.

After a hugely successful appearance at the inaugural Newcastle Motor Show where Infiniti models had a prime location next to the iconic Grey’s Monument and displays in Eldon Square and the Metrocentre, plans are underway for a visit to the Whitley

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Bay Classic Car Show in September.

With both Infiniti Centre Newcastle and the Infiniti brand going from strength to strength and a new range of products on the way, Infiniti models are sure to become a familiar sight on the roads of the North East. www.infinitinewcastle.com/find-a-dealer/infinitinewcastle/ Tel: 0191 295 8686

DRIVE JULY/AUGUST 15

Feature

Going my way?

Comic Peter Kay might have had us laughing at his recent Car Share show but there’s a serious side to it Anne Marie Bostyn had a dilemma five years ago when she was left a Fiat Doblo as an inheritance.

She has to travel through the North East frequently, as she works in Edinburgh in the field of work-based training and her family live in Yorkshire, so a car came in handy.

There were, however, other considerations, as she explains.

“I didn’t think it was a good idea to be rattling up and down the country in a large car on my own. It was expensive and didn’t seem environmentally friendly at all. I wanted to keep the car because somebody had left it to me in their will so, to justify using it, I decided to see whether other people wanted to share the journeys.’’

She started a car share scheme through the

DRIVE JULY/AUGUST 15

BlaBlaCar website. Whenever she plans a journey south, she simply posts the details on the website to see if anyone with the same – or similar – travel needs wants to share the journey and the cost.

“More often than not somebody gets in touch to say they would like to share,’’ she says. “I give lifts to a young chap who works at an outward bound centre in the middle of nowhere who wanted to make regular journeys south and was struggling to do it by local transport. We met on BlaBlaCar – I was driving near the centre where he was working so I gave him a lift and we became friends. Now, whenever I’m going down I contact him to see whether he needs a lift and we’ve done several journeys together.’’

Anne Marie, who is 55, has noticed that, in the five years she has been car sharing, the average

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age of people she has been giving lifts to has increased. Originally many were students, particularly from the Continent where car sharing is more established, but now the age profile has gone up.

“A couple of weeks ago for the first time I gave a lift to somebody who was older than me and it was a lady in her mid-70s who didn’t drive.’’

BlaBlaCar is the world’s largest car sharing community. It has 20 million members across 19 countries. It claims that its drivers save an estimated £216m every year and 700,000 tons of CO2.

Members register via the BlaBlaCar app, through their Facebook account or with their email address. They can also register from the BlaBlaCar website.

Drivers offer their spare seats on the website,

Feature

indicating their time and location of departure/ destination and the number of seats available for sharing.

The price per seat is a fixed price which depends on the distance and associated costs. BlaBlaCar recommends a price per passenger when drivers

choice of drivers, they also have access to their public profile with details such as photo, gender, type of vehicle, previous ratings, experience as a ride sharer, and whether a smoker.

Why BlaBla? Members also specify their preferred level of in-car chattiness on the scale “Bla”, “BlaBla” and “BlaBlaBla”.

Clearly for female members security has to be an issue.

Alice Ackermann of BlaBlaCars says: “Protecting our members and community is the most important thing to us. We have a ladies only feature so a woman driver can choose to have only female passengers and likewise a passenger looking for a ride can click for rides only driven by ladies.’’

Car sharing is not only for one-off journeys but also – as in Peter Kay’s Car Share – for regular commuting.

Zander Wilson, 26, now a post-graduate student at Newcastle University, used liftshare.com – which has more than 550,000 UK members – for about eight months to get to work when he was commuting from Newcastle to Morpeth.

He says: “I found someone who dropped their kids off at school round the corner from where I lived and then drove to work in Morpeth. I lived in Heaton and that meant I didn’t have to get a bus into town and then another bus to Morpeth. It saved me a lot of money and got me to work a lot quicker. I was really impressed by it.’’

It seems that the appeal of car sharing lies not just in the cost saving and the benefit to the environment but also in what has always traditionally been one of the most important aspects of travel – getting to know other people.

“Once they’ve done it once, we find people absolutely love it because it’s interesting and really social,’’ says Ackermann.

This is echoed by Cecilia Bromley-Martin, head of community engagement at Liftshare.com.

She says: “What really strikes me is the feedback I get from people about the wonderful people they’ve shared with and the friendships they’ve made and the fun they’ve had. I could count on one hand the number of people who’ve not liked the person they’ve shared with.

“I’ve shared a lot and at Christmas I gave a lift to a guy who is a druid. How else would I meet a

I GAVE A LIFT TO A DRUID. HOW ELSE WOULD I MEET A DRUID? offer their rides but drivers can vary this subject to a cap.

Passengers enter the desired departure and destination and book their seat from a list of available drivers who are making the same journey. Not only do passengers have a large

druid? I didn’t even know they really existed. He wasn’t dressed like Getafix, he was just a really delightful, fascinating young man and I never would have met him otherwise.’’

Peter Kay’s fiction, it would seem, is not far removed from fact.

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Top Tips To Keep Your Car Running In Good Condition

• Checking tyre pressures weekly and visually check tyre treads • Checking lights • Checking fluid levels within the engine compartment • Cleaning and clearing the windscreen prior to using wipers to ensure maximum efficiency on the wiper blades • Have a 1 litre top up of oil in the boot – due to changes in modern engine oils, our vehicles’ engines are designed to use this oil, and the warning light will more often than not come on at the least convenient time or place.

• Use the air con daily, both in summer and winter. In summer to help keep the cabin cool and comfortable, and in winter this will also help demist the cabin quicker and keep the whole air con system working which stops bacteria growing and any unwanted bad smells, and have the system serviced in line with the brand’s requirements to keep it working to its optimum performance ensuring gas and oil levels are correct in line with brand specifications.

• Adhere to the manufacturer’s schedules for service and maintenance as this will keep your vehicle up to the latest software updates and also ensure the correct oils, filters and additional work is done at the correct intervals, therefore saving unnecessary spend.

Paul Whincup, service manager at Lloyd BMW, Newcastle, (pictured above) adds: “At BMW, the best advice would be to let us carry out a free visual health check, where trained technicians can do the above, whilst customers can enjoy refreshments in our café. Complimentary vehicle wash and vacuum is included.

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Accessories

All new top gear Cutting-edge equipment and accessories to let you travel in style

Make it a MINI adventure. This cycle holder is strong enough to carry a load of up to 30.0kg, is lightweight and allows you to take up to two bikes on the back of your MINI. Rear Cycle Holder price from ÂŁ425.

Stockist is Lloyd MINI Newcastle 0191 269 0000

DRIVE JULY/AUGUST 15

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Xxxxxxxx Right: BMW’s range of child seats uses patented airpad technology to provide outstanding safety and everyday comfort. They’re compatible with the ISOFIX system and feature additional head and shoulder protection. From £300.

Below: BMW make bicycles to suit everybody, from the keen road cyclist to the mountain bike challenger and even a collection for the children. Prestige pedalling for all the family from £1,150.

Stockist is Lloyd BMW Newcastle 0191 2617366

Left: This luggage collection boasts being lightweight with a robust shell. It’s the perfect travel companion for anyone – whether abroad, enjoying long weekends away or on business. From £144 Below: A MINI for your mini, made from non-toxic plastic with an advanced electric motor. Top speed 5km/h. Perfect for children aged 3-5.

Price is £172 Stockist is Lloyd MINI Newcastle 0191 269 0000

Right: Spacious 440-litre capacity lockable roof luggage box, from £471.

Below: A convenient way to transport your bike with quick release and secure locking mechanism. The clever design means you can still access the rear tail gate when it’s attached. From £474.

Stockist is Lloyd Jaguar 01228 888000

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DRIVE JULY/AUGUST 15

Review

Roaring back into the limelight Despite its price tag – a snip at £237,500 – the Bentley Continental GT3-R is worth every penny, says Bob Arora When you mention the name Bentley, the first thing most people think of is the company’s illustrious racing history. The company’s founders W.O & H.M Bentley were keen racers and believed to win a car had to be fitted with the biggest engine possible. W.O was never a fan of superchargers, unlike other manufacturers.

Again unlike the competition, it was his W.O’s cars and drivers that went on to take Le Mans by storm.

The first time I drove a Bentley was when they introduced the Continental to the world. The stunning car had all the qualities you would expect from a brand as historic as Bentley. A beautiful dash along with the most luxurious materials matched upon opening the car’s doors.

You were greeted with the most sumptuous leather and wood, whilst the buttons and switches just oozed quality.

Bentley managed to bring down the average age of its buyers as footballers and their WAGs marched down to the nearest showrooms to order their cars. As you might expect, Bentley allows its customers to customise their cars to any specification their heart desires. Paris Hilton and Katie Price, for example, decided to order pink cars which I am sure wouldn’t be everyone’s first choice of colour!

This car actually saved Bentley’s future, transforming its fortunes. It went from selling just a handful of cars a year to over 10,000 at its peak. This brings me neatly onto the car I drove this month, the Bentley Continental GT3-R. This stunning road legal completion car is a tribute to Bentley’s maiden season back in international motorsport after a hiatus of more

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than a decade. Despite the break, this car has firmly thrust Bentley back onto the racing stage.

Only 300 of these amazing machines are being made and I am sure they will sell as quickly as they roll off the manufacturing line.

Believe me when I tell you this car is the most performance focused road car out there and its display of engineering is nothing short of breathtaking. Fitted with a responsive 4.0lt V8, which I must admit wouldn’t have been my first choice, the GT3-R features the addition of new turbos, a titanium exhaust and recalibrated ECU resulting in an impressive 572 bhp. The first Bentley to hit 62mph in under 4 seconds, the GT3-R is 100kg lighter than the speed but still tips the scales at around 2.2 tonnes making its performance all the more amazing. One thing that did surprise me was the car’s top speed is only 170mph. I personally thought Bentley would have cranked it above 200mph.

Starting the car literally gets the hairs on the back of your neck standing up. The exhausts’ growls are just unreal. Add to this some orchestral pops and crackles and you have a symphony to wake your neighbours! The car’s standard air suspension is still here but has been tinkered with and adapted. The car now feels more planted to the road but beware, it’s 21” alloy wheels do thump over some of the finest roads Britain has to offer. In sport mode the car really comes to life. Holding its gears as long as is mechanically possible, the GT3-R produces a sound which can only be described as legendary.

In stark contrast, driving the car in D mode allows you to drive around with much more subdued noise. This makes it much more

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discreet around town or in traffic.

Flooring the cars throttle and you can’t help but notice the fantastically smooth delivery of performance. The steering gives the driver massive amounts of feedback – I was always impressed with the Continental’s handling, but the GT3-R takes it to the next level. Twinned with the blessing of higher grip levels and much better body control, partly thanks to the 40:60 front to rear torque bias, the latest Bentley certainly lives up to its racing pedigree. Bentley has, for the first time, introduced rear axle brake delivered torque vectoring. In a nutshell, despite its size, it feels like a hot hatch around country roads. When you see the GT3-R for the first time you can’t but help notice the rear wing which wouldn’t look out of place on a boy racer’s runaround. The door feels unbelievably heavy and it’s a workout just opening and closing it.

Bentley has ditched the wood for sporty-looking lacquered carbon fibre trim which is continued around the dash.

The rear seats have been replaced by a beautifully upholstered storage bay with the remainder of the interior screaming Bentley, with yards of hide and the most stunning diamond quilted Alcantara. It really is a work of art and it’s obvious to see where all the man hours go in making this thug of a car as refined as a gentleman. The car costs £237,500 which I know is not cheap but as mad as it may seem, I honestly think it’s worth every penny. If the famous Bentley boys were around now this car would really have done them proud!

Car supplied by Bentley Newcastle.

BMW i

The Ultimate Driving Machine

SOME LEAD OTHERS FOLLOW.

INTRODUCING THE BMW i RANGE AT LLOYD NEWCASTLE.

BMW leads the charge when it comes to innovation, but our latest range is more than just innovative; it’s a new dawn in automotive history. The new BMW i3 is the world’s first premium car to be truly born electric from the ground up, while the stunning new BMW i8 is a progressive sports plug-in hybrid. All we need now is pioneers; those driven enough and bold enough to experience the thrill of a new kind of driving pleasure. The world is becoming electric. Don’t wait. It’s time to lead.

For more information or to arrange a test drive*, call us on 0191 261 7366 or visit www.lloydnewcastlebmw.co.uk

0191 261 7366

Lloyd Newcastle

Fenham Barracks, Newcastle Upon Tyne Tyne & Wear NE2 4LE

Official fuel economy figures for the BMW i3: mpg N/A, CO2 emissions 0 g/km, nominal power output (electric motor) 75/102 kW/hp at 4,800 rpm; peak power output (electric motor) 125/170 kW/hp, total average energy consumption per 62 miles/100 km (combined cycle) 12.9 kWh, customer orientated range 80–100 miles, total range (combined cycle) 118 miles. Official fuel economy figures for the BMW i3 with Range Extender: mpg 470.8, CO2 emissions 13 g/km, total average energy consumption per 62 miles/100 km (weighted combined cycle) 11.5 kWh, customer orientated range without use of Range Extender 75-93 miles, weighted combined cycle total range 211 miles, weighted combined cycle range without use of Range Extender 106 miles. Official fuel economy figures for the BMW i8: mpg 113, CO2 emissions 59 g/km, power output (engine) 170/231 kW/hp, power output (electric motor) 96/131 kW/hp, total average energy consumption per 62 miles/100 km (weighted combined cycle) TBC, customer orientated range TBC, total range (combined cycle) >310 miles. Maximum electric range value 22 miles, common average electric range value (e-Drive only) 16-22 miles. The BMW i8 is a plug in hybrid electric vehicle that requires mains electricity for charging. Data subject to confirmation. *Test drive subject to applicant status and availability.

Great drives

A road less travelled With its wide open spaces, great scenery and relatively low population, the North East boasts some of the greatest drives in the UK. Here’s a few to keep you happy this summer.

Pack the picnic basket

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Great drives

Our drive takes us through the Border Forests and along Hadrian’s Wall. It’s largely in the North East but also takes in a bit of Cumbria and a slice of Scotland. It crosses the Border on its least used road and takes in some stunning scenery in the forgotten area in the heart of Reiver Country. The whole route is 90 miles and, to do it justice, you should take a full day over it. It is, incidentally, an ideal trip to introduce visitors to the region Start at Chollerford and take the B6320 to Bellingham, a pleasant country lane winding easily between high hedges and following the North Tyne, through Wark and the 13th century St Mungo’s church at Simonburn.

From Wark to Bellingham the country opens up but the road surface deteriorates. Bellingham is worth a visit, if only for St Cuthbert’s and the saint’s well.

From Bellingham, take the Kielder road, still following the North Tyne and into the Northumberland National Park. This section is truly spectacular, particularly when Kielder Water itself comes into sight. A great sea of conifers blankets the slopes of the Cheviot Hills with the varied greens of larch, spruce, Scots pine and lodgepole pine making the drive feel more reminiscent of North America than England.

From Kielder Village continue North West through the Border Forest for three miles to cross the Border. Stay alert for cyclists and on-coming traffic and make use of the plentiful passing places. Turn left onto the B6357 and continue to the B6399 to turn right and make a four-mile detour to Hermitage Castle. It is well worth the diversion to this gaunt and menacing edifice – at one time owned by Mary Queen of Scots’ lover Bothwell. With its four great towers and grim, forbidding walls, it squats amid Liddesdale’s desolate moorland, brooding over what has been called “the bloodiest valley in Britain’’.

Return to the B6357 and head south west to

Kielder Newcastleton

Border Forest Park

Kielder Reservoir

Kielder Forest

Kershope Forest

Northumberland National Park

Bellingham

Wark

Bewcastle

Birdoswald

Hadrian’s Wall

Chollerford

Greenhead

Newcastleton, a pretty place with a number of awards to its name. From here the route becomes tricky. Just before the end of the village, turn left off the B6357, then immediately right, following the sign to Brampton. Three miles later, cross the ruggedly beautiful Kershope Burn to re-enter England to climb a winding forest road to a house that was once the Dog and Gun Inn and which must have been about three miles from its nearest customers.

Close attention is needed here, with winding lanes and a bewildering profusion of crossroads and turnings, but follow signs for Bewcastle Church and Birdoswald and you can’t go far

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wrong. At Banks reach Hadrian’s Wall, which needs no explanation or description, but it is worth pointing out that here in Cumbria it is generally clearer and better preserved than in Northumberland.

From Banks, take the road for Birdoswald and its impressive Roman Fort and from there to Gilsland to pick up the B6318 Military Road.

This road, which hugs the Wall, goes up and down like a roller coaster but hardly veers laterally, going as straight as an arrow back into Northumberland and on to Chollerford, taking in Twice Brewed Inn, Housesteads and Chesters forts and Carrawborough Roman temple.

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Great drives

St Johns’ Chapel

High Force

Stanhope Wolsingham

Hamsterley Forest Middleton in Teesdale

Romaldkirk

Raby Castle

Cotherstone Barnard Castle Bowes Museum

Deep in the wooded foothills of the eastern Pennines are some beautiful rivers and spectacular waterfalls, picturesque villages and shimmering reservoirs in two great dales explored by this drive Start at historic Barnard Castle, with its 12th Century Castle, medieval bridge and fascinating Bowes Museum of Art. From Barnard Castle, take the A688 to

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Staindrop and Raby Castle. The Castle stands in a 270-acre deer park and is well worth a day out in itself. From there turn off the A688 onto a minor road for Cockfield, then follow signs for Butterknowle, Copley and finally Hamsterley.

Drive through Hamsterley Forest – looking out for walkers and mountain bikers – before turning left for Wolsingham and descend into Weardale. From here, take the A689 up the dale through Frosterley, Stanhope, Eastgate and Westgate to St John’s Chapel.

From St John’s Chapel take a minor road, signposted Middleton-in-Teesdale to climb the 2,000ft high moor of Langdale Common. This is a fantastic stretch, particularly on a fine day when the views are spectacular, but keep an eye out for wandering sheep.

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Drop down into Teesdale and turn left for the Langdon Beck Hotel. From here you can make a short diversion to the picnic area at Cow Green and take a walk to Cauldron Snout – technically a tiered cascade rather than a waterfall (and not a lot of people know that), but impressive all the same.

Continue down the B6277 to High Force – also worth a quick walk – and then to Middleton-inTeesdale. Continue along the B6277 through lovely Romaldkirk and the renowned Rose & Crown inn and back to Barnard Castle.

The whole drive is 58 miles and takes in the best of County Durham’s countryside in two magnificent dales, spectacular high moorland, historic market towns and charming villages.

What’s not to like?

Great drives

Northumberland is justly famous for its coast and no list of great North East drives would be complete without a view of the sea

Belford

Start the drive at Alnwick, an attractive and historic market town, renowned for the castle made world-famous by the Harry Potter films.

For bibliophiles, it’s also well worth a visit to Barter Books at the old railway station, one of the largest second-hand book shops in the country.

Leave Alnwick by following the signs for Morpeth, then Bamburgh on the B1340, pass through Denwick, take the minor road to Longhoughton and turn left onto the B1339 and then turn right to Howick to follow the coast north to Craster, famous for its kippers and cliff scenery. There’s the possibility of a diversion (on foot) to Dunstanburgh Castle.

Carry on to Embleton and pick up the B1339 and then the B1340 up to the fishing village of Beadnell. From Beadnell, you’re hugging the coast on a much easier road to magnificent Bamburgh and its huge Norman Castle which is a sight to impress.

From here, take the road west to Belford, and then, via a series of minor roads to Chatton and, from there to Chillingham, home to a fascinating and eccentric collection of historic curiosities and to the Chillingham wild cattle.

A short detour takes you to Ros Castle, which, at just over 1,000ft gives panoramic views of the coast, the Farne Islands, west to the Cheviots and also takes in the outlines of Bamburgh and Dunstanburgh castles.

Next stop is Eglingham and then Whittingham, before reaching another castle, Callaly. Continue south to Rothbury, a good spot for refreshments and on to 12th Century Brinkburn Priory, which is beautifully set in a loop of the River Coquet.

From here, it’s back to the coast at Amble and then north to Warkworth – and, yes, another castle – before heading on to Alnmouth and then the return to Alnwick.

The drive is 84 miles and you’re hardly likely ever to be able to put your foot down, but it’s a great tour with a lot of variety and, with its good mixture of castles and beaches, could suit the kids and their grandparents.

Bamburgh Seahouses Beadnell

Chillingham Eglingham

Whittingham

Alnwick

Craster

Alnmouth

Warkworth Amble Rothbury

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DRIVE JULY/AUGUST 15

Feature

Thank Evans for that!

Man of motors, Chris Evans presses the Top Gear pedal After weeks of anxious waiting Top Gear fans were put out of their misery with the announcement of Jeremy Clarkson’s heir.

The BBC revealed that Chris Evans has signed a three-year deal to lead an all-new Top Gear line-up and the 49-year-old is due to begin filming the new series of the motoring show in the next few weeks.

It was an obvious choice. Evans is notorious for his interest in cars. He has a passion for Ferraris and in 2010 he paid £12m for a 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO to go with his large collection of vintage motors.

Among the cars he has owned are the original Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and James Hunt’s winning Formula 1 Hesketh 308.

Last year he set up CarFest – a family-friendly festival featuring cars, food and music to help raise money for the BBC’s Children in Need

DRIVE JULY/AUGUST 15

campaign. Evans, however, had previously ruled himself out of taking over Top Gear, saying he wanted the programme to carry on with Richard Hammond and James May and did not want to “contaminate the situation” by throwing his hat into the ring. That changed when Hammond and May confirmed they would not continue on the programme in Clarkson’s absence.

Evans says: “I’m thrilled – Top Gear is my favourite programme of all time. Created by a host of brilliant minds who love cars and understand how to make the massively complicated come across as fun, devil-may-care and effortless. When in fact, of course, it’s anything but and that’s the genius of Top Gear’s global success.

“I promise I will do everything I possibly can to respect what has gone on before and take the show forward.”

Kim Shillinglaw, controller, BBC Two and BBC Four, says: “I am so delighted that Chris will be presenting the next series of Top Gear. His knowledge of and passion for cars is well-known and combined with his sheer inventiveness and cheeky unpredictability he is the perfect choice to take our much-loved show into the future. Chris is a huge fan of Top Gear and has great respect for the craft and work ethic of one of the

28

best production teams in the world. He knows the phenomenal attention to detail it takes to make a single sequence of Top Gear, let alone a whole series. He is already full of brilliant ideas and I can’t wait for him to get started.”

Evans built his reputation at the BBC’s London radio station GLR, where he ended up as a star DJ. He then became host of Channel 4’s The Big Breakfast, which became a huge hit and made him a household name.

He then moved to BBC Radio 1 to revamp the station’s breakfast show where his cheekychappie persona worked its magic and ratings

Feature

I PROMISE I WILL DO EVERYTHING I POSSIBLY CAN TO RESPECT WHAT HAS GONE ON BEFORE AND TAKE THE SHOW FORWARD soared. In 1996, he returned again to Channel 4 screens with TFI Friday – a classic Evans cocktail of music, celebrity chat, bizarre stunts and in-jokes.

However, hubris set in, he increasingly indulged in self-indulgent rants, and once famously said he hated Anthea Turner’s new TV show so much he wanted to “kick her in the mouth”.

After lots of highly publicised public drinking, he resigned live on air in 1997.

Later, at Virgin, Evans failed to turn up for a week of breakfast shows, claiming he had been ill, but photographs emerged of him out

drinking with his new girlfriend Billie Piper and Virgin sacked him.

He has subsequently admitted that he was “stupid’’ and an “idiot’’ at that time and he has since rebuilt his image and his career as the host of the Brit Awards and replacing national treasure Sir Terry Wogan on his Radio 2 breakfast show which he has made the UK’s most popular morning show, with 9.5 million listeners tuning in every week.

Evans and Clarkson are friends and share a blokey and irreverent style. Evans will be seen as the continuity candidate to host Top Gear and

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has said that his ideas for the show involve “evolution’’ not “revolution’’.

However, whereas Evans has built himself back up from his naughty boy phase, Clarkson almost seemed to be courting controversy with a series of uncompromising and politically incorrect statements, jokes or gaffes and finally by punching a colleague.

Will he now attempt to rehabilitate himself, perhaps with another broadcaster and with Hammond and May? Would this mean going head-to-head with Top Gear – and with his old friend and successor Chris Evans?

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Feature

Morgan you would bargain for...

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Feature

Hidden away in a corner of County Durham, off a quiet country lane and in a fold in the ground, is a motor enthusiast’s Mecca

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Feature In Beamish, a 26,000sq ft complex of modern buildings house an Aladdin’s Cave of autos, a cornucopia of classic cars. This is the home of two sister companies: Beamish Morgan and The Aston Workshop, both owned by Bob Fountain.

A visitor entering the main building is met by rank upon rank of some 50 motoring legends, thoroughbreds with gleaming paintwork and chrome. There are Aston Martins of all ages – DB4s, 5s and 6s – Lagondas, a Bristol 2 litre, a 1960s Fiat Abarth Evocazione, a

perfectly restored early model Land Rover, a pristine 1930s Austin 10 and Morgans.

The Aston Workshop was founded here in 1988 by Bob Fountain.

Originally a sheep farmer, his sheep shed stood on part of the land now taken by the showroom.

He began restoring Aston Martins as a hobby and, over the following quarter of a century, turned that hobby into a global business.

Managing director Clive Dickinson says: “The business has grown organically from that first restoration and as prices kept going up so the cars became worth more and more.’’

He estimates that about 90% of the

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business is now to overseas buyers.

The Aston Workshop buys cars speculatively to restore and re-sell, stores and re-sells cars on behalf of customers and provides full service and maintenance, including left-hand drive conversions for overseas customers and enhancements such as powersteering and air conditioning.

The sister company Beamish Morgan was formed, nearly four years ago when MacDonald Racing, which had been based at Maiden Law near Lanchester, was also taken over by Bob Fountain and

warranty work, paint work and crash repairs and full restorations – anything to do with a Morgan or pre-war car or British sports car, we will do. We do a lot of work on pre-war Lagondas.’’

And, of course, it sells used Morgans – usually around six in a year. Customers come from all over Europe.

Davidson says: “We have customers in Norway. We’ve just done a crash repair job for a French customer. Unfortunately it was over here on holiday when it was in an accident.’’

WE ARE A HIDDEN GEM – THAT’S WHAT PEOPLE SAY was moved to Beamish.

It had originally been founded by John MacDonald in 1964, who was then a 20-year-old working in engineering and racing a Morgan Plus Four. In 1966 he was appointed Morgan agent for the North East.

The business no longer sells new Morgans but it does just about everything else that’s Morgan related.

Works manager Peter Davidson explains: “We do full service and

Prices of Morgans vary. A late 1940s model could be around £20,000 but age is not the only factor; the car’s history can be important, particularly if it has a racing past, and any accessories – bonnet straps, luggage racks, badge bards – can affect the price.

Who is a typical Morgan owner?

“Middle aged is the younger side of the customer base,’’ says Davidson diplomatically. “A lot of the customers are getting to retirement age where the families

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have grown up and now they have a bit of spare cash and they’ve always wanted a Morgan.’’

He says they tend to sell the cars when they can no longer physically manage to get into and out of them. The majority are men but there are female Morgan buyers.

“For 95% of our customers it’s a second car but we did have a lady customer in Scotland and for her it was the only car,’’ says Davidson.

The showroom is just one of a number of buildings in the site, which also includes a state-of-theart machine shop, engine assembly

room and body shop, parts store, restoration shop. Here are about another 20 cars in various stages of repair and loving restoration.

Among them is an Aston Martin Vignale. This is the only model ever made, ordered in the 1950s for the King of Belgium. Its value is well into seven figures.

Make no mistake, this is a big operation. The two businesses employ more than 30 people and it is something of a specialist tourist attraction in its own right, attracting coach parties of visitors.

As Davidson proudly says: “We are definitely a hidden gem. That’s what a lot of people who come here for the first time say.’’

Review

Menacing and macho this car has loads of space for storage dotted around the cabin.

The car’s standard suspension is very good on our terrible roads. After driving a car with air suspension I would be tempted to opt for that as it makes the ride quality even better, especially when the largest alloys are fitted to the car.

Anyone using the car off road can also increase its ride height by 40mm which may help if the car is struggling. Back to the car’s interior and the stunning use of leather and metal make this place a real joy to be. Driving for hours in this environment is just so relaxing and it just oozes class. The dashboard only has eight buttons and everything is controlled by what looks like a tablet. The home screen controls everything from the navigation to the excellent sound system. The XC90 is a big old beast and the driving position is excellent; you sit very high in the car and you have a commanding view of the road ahead.

Forget what some say about reliable but dull Volvos – the XC90 has the X Factor My first car was a Volvo 340; it wasn’t the most obvious choice for a young lad who had just passed his test. A few things stick in my mind about that car – it was built like a tank and the seats were very comfortable. Because it was as aerodynamic as a breeze block, I remember it being noisy at speed. The other thing that sticks in my mind is the fact that all Volvos and Saabs used to have daytime running lights. This is the norm now with all manufacturers giving cars quite funky LED lights.

When the Volvo XC90 was launched over 10 years ago it became a real sales success. It totally surpassed Volvo’s sales expectations and waiting lists quickly formed. Owners were able to buy the car and either sell it for a profit or keep it for a year and not lose a penny. This car just pressed all the right buttons for owners – it was nice enough to look at and it was very family-focused indeed. As this car is so well loved by current owners, this latest Volvo XC90 had a lot to live up to. Imagine the pressure the designers and engineers were under to get the new car right.

Up until about six years ago, Volvo was owned

by Ford. In their wisdom, they decided to sell off Land Rover, Jaguar and Volvo. A Chinese company called Geely bought Volvo, and after considerable investment they will soon see some rewards.

The new XC90 now looks very menacing from the front although the rear looks very similar to the current model. Step inside and it’s a different matter indeed. The interior just oozes quality; none of the car’s competitors can get anywhere close to it at all. The XC90 is the first car to use a new platform called SPAR (I believe there is no connection to the convenience stores!)

Volvo has fitted the car with new and much more efficient engines – a hybrid version is also available. This promises amazing economy but there is a £10,000 premium to pay, which may outweigh the potential savings to be made. The Diesel engines promise 50mpg plus economy and the hybrid promises over 112mpg.

All cars feature 4-wheel drive and they all have 8-speed gearboxes as standard. In the UK we get seven seats but in some markets the car is only available with five seats. The rear two seats are ideal for anyone under 5ft 8” – unlike most competitors who can only accommodate children. Just to prove how family friendly this car is, the second row seats can be supplied with a child seat. With the third row seats up there is still enough room for some bags or a buggy.

With the seats folded this car has estate car rivalling space. There is also a handy divider that can be flipped up to stop smaller items from sliding around the boot. Being so family-friendly

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Volvo is not famed for making sporty cars but in its R Design trim the car looks amazing. It is also available in Momentum, which gives the car leather upholstery, climate control, Bluetooth, Sat Nav, 10 speakers and an MP3 player.

Inception, the other design, gives the car larger alloys, memory seats and plusher interior. The R Design adds a sportier look inside and out. Being a Volvo, the car’s trump card is safety – there are air bags all over, anti-whiplash headrests, lane departure warning and blind spot monitoring.

Another of Volvo’s unique selling points has to be its city safe system. The system applies the brakes if it senses someone or something stepping out in front of you. According to the company, it’s the most safety-focused Volvo ever!

If you are looking for something other than an X5 or a Q7, this car really should be on your shopping list. From its macho new looks to its stunning interior, it has the X Factor in abundance.

Car supplied by Mill Volvo.

DRIVE JULY/AUGUST 15

Promotional feature

NISSAN NISMO: FROM THE TRACK TO THE STREET

While in some quarters Nissan may be known as a trailblazer in the field of electric vehicles, its heritage in motorsports is just as important to the brand.

The Japanese manufacturer first entered the world of motorsports in the 1960s with the SPL 210 Roadster before focussing its attention on the American domestic market with the Nissan Bluebird.

DRIVE JULY/AUGUST 15

It wasn’t long before its head was again turned by the glamour of the race track, with the Datsun 2000 Roadster, also known as the Datsun Fairlady, taking an unsuspecting motoring world by storm; with the 1600 Roadster and 2000 Roadster becoming regular winners on the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) circuit.

The dawn of the 1970s saw Nissan press ahead with its sporty

ambitions with the introduction of the Z line and what would become one of the best-selling cars of the decade, the 240Z, a car that helped bring the sports car to the masses and re-engineered key components such as aerodynamics, ventilation, and, by 1973, ahead-of-their-time emissions reducing carburettors.

The Z concept lives on in the Nissan 370Z Nismo, which, just like the original 240Z of the 70s, is once again bringing the highoctane world of motorsport to the motorways and gravel driveways of the UK. Nissan also invites you to “Meet the Beast” with the new highperformance GT-R Nismo, with its 3.8 litre V6 engine resulting in a phenomenal 600 brake horsepower and 652Nm of torque.

Proof of the GT-R Nismo’s credentials was recently observed at Germany’s infamous Nürburgring, with the car currently sitting in fifth place behind the Lamborghini Aventador SV in the table of fastest lap times

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recorded by production, street legal vehicles, with an eye popping time of 7:08.69 - just nine seconds behind the Lamborghini!

Nissan is also committed to bringing the spirit of its racing heritage to the everyday driver, which is precisely what makes the Nissan Juke Nismo RS such a compelling prospect.

Sporting a 1.6 litre turbo charged engine, a plethora of state of the art technology such as electric powered assisted steering or optional Xtronic paddle shift transmission, stiffer springs and aluminium alloy wheels; the Juke just got a whole lot sexier.

A Nissan GT-R and the Juke Nismo will be showcased at the NE1 Newcastle Motor Show.

Visit the only Nismo Performance Centre in the North East at Benfield Nissan, Portland Road, Newcastle and test drive the Nissan GT-R, 370z and Juke Nismo. Visit www.drivebenfield.com for the full Benfield range.

Motorsport perforMance. a-road accessibility.

Have it all

visit the North east’s only NiSMO Performance Centre, and meet our specialists to find out more about our racetrack inspired performance cars.

Benfield (newcastle) Portland Road, Newcastle NE2 1AR 0191 232 4955 | benfield-nissan.co.uk Opening hours 9am-7pm Monday to Friday, 9am-5:30pm Saturday and 11am-5pm Sunday

370Z 3.7 Coupe Range: URBAN 18.4-18.5mpg (15.4-15.3L/100km), EXTRA URBAN 36.2mpg (7.8L/100km), COMBINED 26.6-26.9mpg (10.6 -10.5L/100km), CO2 emissions 248-245g/km. NEW JUKE RANGE URBAN 29.7-64.2 mpg (9.5-4.4L/100km); EXTRA URBAN 46.3-74.3 mpg (6.1-3.8L/100km); COMBINED 38.2-70.6mpg (7.3-4.0L/100km) C02 emissions: 172-104g/km. 2015 NISSAN GTR FUEL FIGURES: URBAN 16.6mpg/ (17L/100km), EXTRA URBAN 32.1mpg (8.8L/100km), COMBINED 23.9mpg (11.8L/100km), C02 emissions: 275g/km.

Models shown are GTR Nismo, Juke Nismo and 370Z. MPG figures are obtained from laboratory testing, in accordance with 2004/3/EC and intended for comparisons between vehicles and may not reflect real driving results. (Optional equipment, maintenance, driving behaviour, road and weather conditions may affect the official results.) Information correct at time of going to print. Model shots shown are for illustration purposes only. Nissan Motor (GB) Ltd, The Rivers Office Park, Denham Way, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire WD3 9YS.