Drive 17

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SPRING 2017 VOLUME #17

T H E

M A G A Z I N E

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O W E N

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WELCOME

C

an it really be a year since we were last at the Geneva Show? If you’ve got this far, it means you’ve probably already seen our special extra supplement all about the show.

Thanks to help from partners Roger Dubuis, we’ve been able to report directly

from Switzerland, looking not just at the news from ‘our’ cars, but also casting an eye over what some of the manufacturers are doing.

One of the highlights of this year was the unveiling of the Ferrari 812 Superfast, and we take a look at the car in this issue. And we’ve also got some news of two of the stars of last year’s Geneva which are now starting to appear in showrooms – the Bugatti Chiron and the Ferrari GTC4Lusso.

There’s plenty more new metal in this issue. Steve Sutcliffe has had the chance to drive the Lamborghini Aventador S and he got to talk to new boss Stefano Domenicali about the company’s future.

Chris Knapman looks at the Aston Martin Valkyrie while respected F1 journalist Joe Saward profiles one of the men behind the car, Red Bull’s Adrian Newey.

Another veteran F1 writer, David Tremayne, meanwhile, recalls being part of the team behind Richard Noble as he broke the world land speed record in ‘I Was There.’

We pay a visit to the Bicester Heritage Park, once an RAF airfield controlled by Bomber Command and now a centre of excellence for classic cars, and we dip a toe in grass roots motor sport at Prescott Hill.

And, as usual, there’s much more in DRIVE. We talk shotguns, discover what makes Jacky Ickx tick, propose a road trip to Ireland, North and South, and find out why British rock icons have started designing cars.

If you have any comments on this issue, don’t hesitate to drop me an e-mail at the address below.

CONTACTS & ACKNOWLEDGMENTS DRIVE Magazine is published on behalf of H.R. Owen PLC by RWMG Bespoke.

For all publishing and advertising enquiries please contact: RWMG Bespoke 6th Floor, One Canada Square Canary Wharf London, E14 5AX T: +44 (0)20 7987 4320 E: info@rwmg.co.uk www.rwmg.co.uk DRIVE EDITORIAL TEAM Tom King: Marketing Director Matthew Carter: Managing Editor H.R. Owen Plc Melton Court Old Brompton Road London SW7 3TD T: +44 (0)20 7245 1122 F: +44 (0)20 7245 1123 E: enquiries@hrowen.co.uk www.hrowen.co.uk RWMG Bespoke Alan Cooke: Managing Director Joe Ross: Creative Director Adam Garwood: Project Manager PUBLSIHING ENQUIRIES Call Alan Cooke on +44 (0)20 7987 4320 or email a.cooke@rwmgbespoke.co.uk ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Call Rachel Eden on +44 (0)7793 380 012 or email r.eden@hrowenmagazine.co.uk

MATTHEW CARTER Editor drive@hrowen.co.uk

CONTRIBUTORS Words: Chris Hall, Ben Collins, Steve Sutcliffe, Alex Doak, Fred Harcourt, Joann Khatib, David Tremayne, Hannah Lemon, Chris Knapman, Joe Saward Images: Drew Gibson, Charlie Magee, Nigel Eddleston, Rob Cadman

RUNWILD MEDIA GROUP

www.rwmg.co.uk H.R.Owen, official dealer for:

RWMG is a member of the Periodical Publishers Association

©Copyright 2016 H.R.Owen PLC 2016 Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the data in this publication is accurate, neither the publisher nor H.R. Owen PLC nor any of its subsidiary or affiliated companies can accept, and hereby disclaim to the maximum extent permitted by law, any liability for any loss or damage that may be caused by any errors or omissions this publication may contain. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form – electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise – without prior written permission of the publisher. Information correct at time of going to press. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher or H.R. Owen PLC. Every effort has been made to trace the copyright holders of material used in this publication. If any copyright holder has been overlooked, we should be pleased to make any necessary arrangements.

10

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volume #17

CONTENTS

62

COVER STORY FERRARI POWER PLAY They might look the same, but they are completely different cars depending on what’s under the bonnet. Ferrari’s Nicola Boari explains the logic of producing V8 and V12 versions of the GTC4Lusso. Plus a first look at the 812 Superfast.

17 FRONT SEAT NEWS, REVIEWS, CULTURE Upfront this issue we bring you the latest industry news and learn how to detail a car; Ben ‘The Stig’ Collins explains how to handbrake turn a supercar while we hero worship Jacky Ickx and get beneath London’s Crossrail project

MID ENGINE Regulars 34

40

12

IRST DRIVE: LAMBORGHINI F AVENTADOR S

58

NDER LOCK & KEY: BACK TO U THE FUTURE

79

RT + CRAFT: A GIVING IT BOTH BARRELS

Steve Sutcliffe is one of the first to

It was once an RAF training airfield and

Shooting clays or taking to the hills on

get behind the wheel of the stunning

then it fell into disrepair. But a group of

the Glorious 12th, you really need your

Aventador S. To say he was impressed is

enthusiasts have brought it back to life

own weapon. Alex Doak discovers what

an understatement.

as a centre of excellence for classic cars.

goes in to making a bespoke shotgun

Whether you go north or south, Ireland

ROAD TRIP: IRELAND

70

The new boss at Lamborghini is the

INTERVIEW: STEFANO DOMENICALI

94

T YOUR SERVICE: A H.R. OWEN’S DRIVETRIBE

has some wonderful scenery, fantastic

former boss of the Ferrari F1 team.

They are the men to whom you entrust

hospitality and some superb roads. The only

Stefano Domenicali talks to Steve

your pride and joy when it comes in

decision left to make is whether to go in the

Sutcliffe about life with a Raging Bull

for service. We talk to H.R. Owen’s the

Maserati Levante or the Bentley Bentayga

rather than a Prancing Horse

specialist drivers

c o n t e n ts

49

feature ASTON MARTIN VALKYRIE Finally, the hyper car from Aston Martin and Red Bull has a name. Chris Knapman looks at the Valkyrie while Joe Saward profiles Red Bull’s tame genius Adrian Newey

Features 49

99

BUGATTI BUILD Ever wondered why it takes Bugatti so long to build a Chiron. Our look behind the scenes at Molsheim will explain everything

72

84

EHIND THE WHEEL: B SOCIAL CLIMBING

REAR VIEW

Too old to be the next Max

92

Verstappen but still want to cut your

ODERN CLASSIC: M BENTLEY ARNAGE T

96 CHEQUERED FLAG

competition teeth? Fred Harcourt

The first Arnage was powered

customers and colleagues alike

This season at H.R. Owen

suggests that the best way might be

On the cover:

by a BMW engine… but for the T,

have celebrated our seasonal

to head to Prescott Hill, the home of

FERRARI GTC4LUSSO

Bentley reverted to an old friend, the

do’s while Mono was given the

the Bugatti Owners Club

Photography: FERRARI

familiar 6.75-litre V8. With 500hp on

introduction it deserved Rolls-Royce

offer it was no slouch

made their way up the Alps

BESPOKE: LOST IN MUSIC

S U M M E R

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SPRING 2017 VOLUME #17

Once upon a time rock stars simply

94

FUTURE FORECOURT

101 I WAS THERE…

thrashed and crashed cars. Now they

A unique all-electric Rolls-Royce,

After too many years in the hands of

are turning their hands to designing

the newest and most exclusive from

the Americans, Richard Noble finally

them. We look at the innovative

VIP Services and a Red Bull Aston

wrested the world land speed record

Inspired by Music programme

Martin that comes in at a little less

back for Britain. David Tremayne was

than £3 million

there the day Thrust2 hit 633 mph

instigated by Rolls-Royce

T H E

M A G A Z I N E

F R O M

H . R .

O W E N

P L C

13

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f ro n t s e at

“Like its predecessor, it is bound to reset the standards of “Best Car in the World” in spectacular fashion.”

Chapter 01

FRONT SEAT 17

F R O NT SEAT

WIRED IN

PLUGGING INTO THE FUTURE The road ahead isn’t necessarily allelectric, Bentley’s CEO has confirmed – instead, it’ll be the best of both worlds

Range anxiety? Wolfgang Dürheimer says

recharging breaks, this will come as welcome

relax. Addressing the annual Automotive

news to Bentley drivers. But what’s especially

News World Congress during January’s

interesting is that PHEV will sweep the board

Detroit motor show, the Chairman and CEO

at Bentley, beyond the previously announced

of Bentley Motors outlined his vision for the

Bentayga hybrid, which is expected in 2018.

future of luxury mobility, and all-electric,

The next-generation Continental GT will

it most certainly won’t be for the carmaker

be the next model to plug in, Dürheimer

from Crewe. Instead, plug-in hybrid electric

told Automotive News after his speech. And

vehicle technology (PHEV) is likely to be

what’s more, despite combining a V6 engine

introduced across the entire range, he

from Bentley’s Volkswagen mothership with

revealed to Automotive News immediately

an electric motor, the engine’s power output

after speech, confirming what many have

is expected to match that of the V8 (500bhp

suspected since the Mulsanne hybrid

in the current model). Similar technology will

concept that debuted in Beijing almost three

then find its way into the Flying Spur sedan

years ago.

and Mulsanne flagship.

“PHEV is sometimes mentioned as

“The next 10 years will be transformational

a transitional technology,” he told the

for luxury car makers,” Dürheimer said. “We

crowd,“[that] it will be out of our way pretty

will see customer demographics broaden…

soon. From my point of view, plug-in hybrid

They will have an entirely different attitude

technology provides the best of two worlds.”

towards vehicle ownership; and live in an

With many congested city centres

increasingly urbanised world... At Bentley, we

considering a ban on emitting vehicles,

are embracing this change and we are taking

but with all-electric vehicles still presenting considerable range limitations without drawn-out

18

a leading role in defining the future of luxury mobility.” hrowen.co.uk/bentley

F R O NT SEAT

OPULENCE EPITOMISED

END OF AN ERA

450

The Rolls-Royce Phantom VII has left the

renaissance, under the stewardship of BMW.

stage, as the all-new “VIII” waits patiently

The art of marquetry – so beautifully used

in the wings. Gliding off the line at Rolls-

throughout the Phantom’s 90 glorious

Royce’s state-of-the-art Goodwood factory in

years – depicts a stylised 1930s ocean liner,

pieces of leather, from up

January, the very last example of the Phantom

reflecting this particular patron’s fascination

to 18 hides, used on the

as we currently know it was a particularly

with the design and iconography of this

interior of a Phantom

apt configuration: a beautifully appointed

grand era. The nautical theme continues with

extended-wheelbase limousine, created for a

the application of tone-on-tone embroidery

renowned Rolls-Royce collector to celebrate

evoking the movement of the sea, applied to

the golden age of travel that the “New

the Powder Blue leather inside, and a twin

Phantom” of 1927 came to define.

coachline with ocean liner motif – all offset

This very last example of Phantom’s seventh generation perfectly illustrates the extraordinary attention-to-detail and deftness

The number of individual

beautifully by pinstripe tyres and a solid-

by an all-new aluminium architecture.

silver Spirit of Ecstasy.

Like its predecessor, it is bound to reset

The completion of this car after 13 years of

the standards of “Best Car in the World” in

of touch that has come to define, in its own

Phantom VII sets the stage for the introduction

spectacular fashion.

way, the first chapter of Rolls-Royce’s modern

of Phantom VIII, which will be underpinned

hrowen.co.uk/rolls-royce

new sighting

RELEASED INTO THE WILD Rolls-Royce’s extraordinary “Project

desert conditions. All of this will ensure that

Cullinan” programme entered a crucial

the end product, in Rolls-Royce’s words,

phase at the start of the year, with all

will be “Effortless … Everywhere”.

eyes finally on the marque’s “all-terrain,

“This is an incredibly exciting moment

high-sided vehicle” engineering mule.

in the development of Project Cullinan

Dressed in the industry’s ubiquitous

both for Rolls-Royce and for the patrons

anti-spy-shot “flimmies” camouflage,this

of luxury that follow us around the world,”

full development car is now testing a new

commented CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös.

all-wheel-drive suspension system in public

“Bringing together the new four-wheel

all over the world. Just after Christmas, for

drive system and the new ‘architecture of

example, Project Cullinan entered the Arctic

luxury’ for the first time sets us on the road

Circle to undergo cold-weather durability

to creating a truly authentic Rolls-Royce

and traction testing. Later in 2017, it will

which, like its forebears, will reset the

travel to the Middle East to endure the

standard by which all other luxury goods

highest of temperatures and challenging

are judged.”

19

F R O NT SEAT

KNOWLEDGE = POWER

CROSSRAIL The biggest construction project in Europe currently, and one of the largest single infrastructure investments ever undertaken

200 million

£42 BILLION

1.5 MILLION

Estimated number of passengers

The estimated value added to

The number people brought

per year to use Crossrail

the UK economy by Crossrail

within 45 minutes of central

in the UK is now over 75% complete.

London by the Elizabeth Line.

Passing through 40 stations from Reading and Heathrow in the west, to Shenfield

Th d si is s in g co nifi tat gt 18 mp can ion on co 53. leti t tr is u ca ver A 9 on an nde no ed 0- of sfo rg py by m the rm oi e ei a n gh a dr tre orig tio g th t m am cle in n s e m et ati ar o al b inc os re c ui e t t s pe s l ab tee nin din he ov l a g g i wi n e n th d g ll e b gr las e ou s nd .

Crossrail simply cannot be overstated. And

En ND – tra ST r e St d nce REET Sq ree san s a an ua t, p dst re b se d e re – ale one ord ns xte b Po e lu r an re e of rior rri tlan d b d b n op sp g d ro y en ac th sto nz col on ne es e l n e i ss cr ne e fo for na an ea s o r H Da des v t d ci ing f int ano ies vic a er ve g pr re ior r es at en ce .

and Abbey Wood in the east, the scale of whether or not you stand to benefit from TfL’s £14 billion Elizabeth Line come 2018, you can’t fail to be impressed by the sheer magnificence of the project’s engineering to Crossrail’s freshly excavated twin-bore tunnels, snaking beneath central London and threaded precisely between existing Tube tunnels and sewers; in some cases

BO

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and architecture. Most of which come down

tC ro s nd sra lev il el

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passing them by a matter of feet. The facts

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Hammersmith District & Circle Central lines & City line line

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Northern Central line line

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Railway

LI

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Centre Point

Northern line

Central line

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CO EN TT TO

ST D N BO Jubilee Victoria line line

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Royal Oak Portal

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to READING and HEATHROW

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42

beggar belief more than others…

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here: crossrail.co.uk) but some of them

Railway

Service Tunnels

Hamme and Dist

s

F R O NT SEAT

1,000 tonnes

72 METRES

14 KILOMETRES

The weight of each of the eight

The distance progressed on

The combined length of station,

tunnel boring machines (TBMs)

the fastest day of tunneling

platform and passenger tunnels.

ARCHITECTURE

An a lo aw ry de ng t es Wh m sig imb ome ar su arit ned er 31 f a rro ime to latt 0-m Tr stri und he refl ice et pi ans king ing rita ect roo rean llow luc ro do ge the f c e o o d s ou al nt a f-to ks f th p she e t o low ir g fi ft l he dire lled ard ter en s bu ct . v ild ie in ws g. in

SHEER BEDLAM A major new exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands is currently showcasing

n

a less-expected upshot of Crossrail and

Ca

what’s become one of the most extensive archaeological programmes ever in the UK, with over 10,000 artefacts shining a light on almost every important historical period of

fit g

in

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an

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beneath, including the foundations of Broad

Walbrook river, and – most significantly – the

no

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there are 2,000 years of history buried

marsh, a Roman road, London’s “lost”

ilt

10

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At the Square Mile’s Liverpool Street alone,

Street railway station, the former Moorfields

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fb

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the Capital’s history.

Limehouse Link

H IC

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Victoria Dock

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CU

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Victoria Dock Portal

LW

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Sewer

Canary Wharf

London City Airport

DLR

River Thames

to ABBEY WOOD

W

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H W

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West India North Dock

W Hammersmith & City and District lines

SE

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Bedlam burial ground.

Connaught Tunnels refurbishment

DLR

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f ro n t s e at

HOW TO

HANDBRAKE-TURN A SUPERCAR In the first of an exclusive new column, James Bond stunt driver and Top Gear’s former ‘tame racing driver’, Ben Collins reveals how to toss and turn a Lambo’ WORDS: BEN COLLINS (THE STIG)

H

ow to handbrake turn in a supercar

2.

Next, you’ll need to fly an Italian

This kind of struggle looks pony on camera

fitted with an e-brake? You can’t…

engineer in from the factory in Sant’Agata

and will result in your being fired as an

unless you cheat. Last year I had to

Bolognese so that he can speak to the car

amateur stunt driver.

crash a £155,000 Lamborghini Huracán

with a laptop, and stroke it gently whilst

into a telegraph pole for the movie Dr

removing every shred of safety from its

4.

Strange. The good Doctor was texting

features. ‘Airbags’, ‘stability control’, ‘ABS’,

cappuccino and he kindly re-opens his

behind the wheel, naughty, and ended up

‘lane change alert’, ‘tell me when dinner’s

laptop to miraculously disengage the front

having a life-changing accident. And this is

ready’ – OFF, OFF, OFF!

axle. Then you head to the workshop to ask

You buy your Italian friend more

your spot welding buddies to jam some

how we did it…

Now that your car resembles more of

steel tubes into the driver’s side so that

1. To begin with, you need to rip open

an unguided missile, you want to turn it

your body won’t be diced by the telegraph

Ben Collins’ latest

the fancy carpet in the footwell to get at

from a four-wheel to a rear-wheel driven

pole when it hits you amidships. You buy

book, “How To Drive:

the brake lines. Then you install a 12-

one. Being automatic, the Huracan doesn’t

them beer and biscuits.

the ultimate guide to

inch metal bar attached to a hydraulic

have a clutch, which means that even if you

pump so you can send pressure to the

yank it sideways by pulling the handbrake

Now you’re ready…

Above: Ben collins in

rear brakes only. Hey presto, you’ve got

and skidding the back end around, the four

5. The Director yells action and you drop

action on the set of Dr

a handbrake.

wheel drive will try to pull you straight.

the hammer. The tyres spin just as nature

Strange

3.

22

performance driving”

f ro n t s e at

THREE OF THE BEST

DRIVER’S APPS

So-called “infotainment” systems in modern cars are becoming mightily impressive, but with lead times on model development bordering on glacial, it pays to keep half on eye on the fast-moving world of mobile apps when it comes to technologically enhancing your driving experience. There’s a host of cool and genuinely useful options beyond Waze or Google Maps (whose traffic setting runs off Waze anyway). These are our current favourites

HARRY’S LAPTIMER Developed by drivers, for drivers, this is all you need for keeping track of your track days – not least for its preloaded complement of 908 certified circuits. On top of what you would expect from a lap timer, it seamlessly integrates Full HD video and data from a massive set of sensor criteria. It comes with powerful data analysis tools as well as a complete vehicle, track and lap

The sound of carbon shattering, glass breaking, metal bending and shearing across the asphalt fills the cabin

repository showing your progress in one spot.

“Petrolhead” version£19.99;iOS and Android

CARCORDER

intended and the raucous V10 engine

We’re all guilty of watching those shocking

howls freely as you accelerate to 65mph.

compilations of Russian dashcam footage

The telegraph pole looms up ahead on

–well, chances are the app running in the

the right. You tighten your belts. You line

background of every clip is Carcorder, Russia’s

up precisely, to the inch, on the mark

bestselling “black-box” app. Integrating

where you aim to haul on the handbrake.

video recording, GPS, routing, over-speed

And… pull.

6.

The engine tone dies as the rear

wheels stop turning and the Lambo’ slews sideways. A dab of steering and brake trims your departure angle. Things are still for a couple of beats, until contact. The sound of carbon shattering, glass breaking, metal

warning and augmented reality into a powerful package, with embedded telemetry such as speed and location, it’s proving invaluable for wrong-done drivers combatting incidents such as non-fault accidents where the third party files a claim saying you’re to blame. £1.99; iOS and Android

bending and shearing across the asphalt fills the cabin as the pole chews the Italian

DRIVING CURVE

stallion and spits out confetti.

How’s your driving? Well, let this app be the judge of that.In the name of eco-efficiency and

Your Italian friend stands nervously

self-improvement, Driving Curve measures your

by the spare, immaculate Lamborghini in

behaviour at the wheel and provides informative

case the Director wants to destroy another

analysis of your skill (or lack thereof)– in a fun

car for a second take. He doesn’t, so you go

rather than preachy way, mind. A bit like Nike+

home early and have some ibuprofen.

for petrolheads, you could say. What’s more,

7.

as you feel the grace of your every turn and

Ben Collins’ latest book, “How To Drive:

the smoothness of each brake into a corner,

the ultimate guide to performance driving”

your Curve score will be ranked in a world

will teach you even more besides, much

championship, motivating you to impress your

of it actually road-legal. Published by

fellow drivers. No pressure!

Macmillan, £20.

Free to install; Android only

23

h e ro

Hero: Jacky Ickx

He was always known as the Rain Master, but that still didn’t prepare us for his audacious overtake of Niki Lauda in 1974’s non-championship Race of Champions at Brands Hatch.

In the streaming rain, in the difficult Lotus 76, Ickx simply drove around the outside of Lauda’s Ferrari going into the fearsome Paddock Hill Bend to take the win. words: matthew carter

I

t was just one victory in a remarkable

Le Mans today is a very different

career that included eight Grand Prix

proposition. “Today, Le Mans is like a Grand

victories, the CanAm crown, a European

Prix, flat out all the way. In my day, we had

F2 title, victory in the Paris-Dakar rally...

time to smoke a cigar while driving down

oh yes, and no fewer than six Le Mans 24 Immaculately turned out in blazer and

though, and he refuses. “I can say that I drove

tie, his sun-tanned film star looks belying

for some special people… Mr Ferrari, Ken

his 72 years, Ickx looks back on those days

Tyrrell, John Wyer and the Porsche team.

with a philosophical eye. He plays down his

But if you really push me about my favourite

success saying: “To win, you need the best

car, I would probably say it begins with a ‘9’…

car and good people around you to make

maybe 936, 956, 962 or perhaps 959.”

Ickx, who says he would have been a

it happen.

“Driving a single-seater is a very selfish

gardener or game-keeper if motor racing

occupation. Once you are in the car on the

hadn’t come into his life, maintains the

track there is no temptation to gift anything

philosophical theme when talking about

to anyone. It is not a team game.

success. “Do something you are good at, very

something you like. Take the chance when

different. Here you must not be selfish. You

it’s offered but, ultimately, you control your

must share information with your co-driver

own destiny.”

“Sportscar

24

the Mulsanne Straight…”

Ask him to choose his favourite car,

Hour victories. The man is a hero.

racing,

though,

is

as you both have a common interest in

So, what does he regard as his greatest

winning the race. I was very fortunate in my

achievement? Ickx turns serious. “Surviving.

day to have some great co-drivers like Derek

We lost many people in those days and

Bell, Brian Redman and Jackie Oliver.”

survival was only a matter of luck.”

LR_RunWildMedia_UK_235x333.indd 2

À

L A

R E C H E R C H E

D E

L ’ Œ U V R E

À

L A

R E C H E R C H E

D E

L ’ Œ U V R E

P l e a s e

d r i n k

r e s P o n s i b l y

P l e a s e

d r i n k

r e s P o n s i b l y

29/01/2015 14:38

F R O NT SEAT

Left: The fuel tank, now sofa, of an LTV A-7 Corsair II which first flew in 1965 and was predominantly used by the USAF during the Vietnam War

PERTOLHEAD EPHEMER A

NEW HEIGHTS

1955

bESPOKE, HIGH END AND FUELLED BY A SHARED PASSION FOR aviation’s most sublime creations, HANGAR 54 is salvaging past glories

with more than 250 lives

The year the first Mk3 ejector seat was used,

Hangar 54 takes upcyling up in the literal

aeronautical salvage, these unique and

sense, repurposing scrap aircraft parts as

stunning pieces of aviation furniture and

luxurious statement furniture.

artwork are carefully crafted in Kent by

A curved reception desk made from a vast

Hangar 54 to show respect to their former

engine cowling chopped in half; New York,

life, and draw attention to oft-overlooked

London and Paris wall clocks displayed

aspects of aviation engineering. The parts

through three portholes of a Boeing 737

are sourced from scrap heaps all over the

fuselage; even bar stools fashioned from

world by joinery maestro Shane Armstrong

the ejector seat of a Tornado jet with added

and his brother Brett, who founded their firm

Steampunk attitude. It’s all for real, and

in 2011. Having been rescued, they’re then

executed with all the finesse of fine cabinetry.

brought back to a whole new life through

Saved and reborn from aeroplane and

painstaking craftsmanship.

26

saved to date

F R O NT SEAT

WATCH WATCH

quiz

TICKING OVER This ain’t no wind-up: a brace of new automotive timepieces that goes miles further than your typical badge-engineered brand tie-in

SPOILER ALERT

Are you down with your downforce?

Name these iconic rear wings for maximum petrolhead kudos

BREITLING FOR BENTLEY SUPERSPORTS B55

1

When Breiting paid tribute to Bentley’s gamechanging Continental GT coupé in 2003 by unveiling the watch world’s longest-running automotive partnership (a dash clock as well as a watch, no less), most of us were still struggling with a Blackberry and that silly scroll wheel on the side., making this year’s new “connected” masterpiece all the

2

more indicative of the two brands’ enduring compatibility. Developed in tribute to the new Continental Supersports – at 209mph, the fastest Continental ever built – the entirely autonomously developed Bentley Supersports B55 has been designed as a fully fledged professional chronograph, with the smartphone connection used to enhance functionality and

3

to store or transmit data; admittedly more handy for pilots than joyriding petrolheads, but then again, how much of an actual Bentley are any of us able to drive to its limits? £6,725, breitling.com

HUBLOT BIG BANG FERRARI

4

Ferrari has, in the past, always struggled to find a good fit when it came to a watchmaking partnership.

No, we’re not talking about the £150 gifts in the Regent Street window, rather the timepieces that truly echo the extreme performance, virtuoso styling and fine craftsmanship of the GT cars themselves. But after faltering starts with Longines, Girard-Perregaux and Panerai, Hublot really does seem the perfect

5

fit. What’s more, the latest watch bearing the Prancing Horse has “Maranello” written through it like a stick of rock, having been designed ground-up in close collaboration with Ferrari’s designer Flavio Manazoni. Just to give you an idea, that stripe down the side of the case is linked to the racing stripe found down the centre of the 458 Speciale. The recesses for the H-screws on the bezel bear more than a striking F12 TDF. They’re subtle details, but highly effective in watch form. And those pedal-like chronograph pushers feel as silky as a high-rev upshift in a California T.

1. Ferr ari F40 (1987), 2. Ferr ari F50 (1995), 3. Aston Martin Vulcan (2015), 4. Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Gr and Sport Vitesse (2011), 5. Lamborghini Murcielago LP 670 -4 SV (2009)

similarity to the rear diffuser found on a LaFerrari or

£32,000, hublot.com

27

f ro n t s e at

FRAMING THE FUTURE Carbon has become as standard in road bikes as in supercars, with appropriately dynamic design – one of the reasons (Italian dash being another) that Maserati sponsors the Rouleur Classic every year. Here are a few of the best two-wheelers from November’s event, whatever the four-wheeler you’re used to driving

bugatti

104 YEARS IN THE MAKING

a vision to create a bicycle that aligned itself with the iconic cars – essentially a ‘Bugatti on 2 wheels.’ Made with components created exclusively by the world’s

Bugatti’s first-ever urban bicycle was unveiled in January,

leading producers in and around Stuttgart, the image

created in collaboration with German bike specialists, PF

you see here is a “blank canvas” – your own bike is made

(formerly Pimp Garage). The fully-custom “PG Bugatti

according to your exacting requirements; even to match

Bike” is set to be the lightest of its kind at under 5kg and

your Chiron or Veyron.

– as you’d expect from Bugatti – breaks boundaries in

The starting / guide price for each bike is £35,000 and

terms of both design and performance.

there will be a very limited run of just 667 models

The design is actually based on a forward-thinking

worldwide, with each bike taking 900 hours to produce.

sketch from 1913 by Ettore Bugatti himself, who had

pg.de

Yorkshire’s two UNESCO World Heritage

Taking place on the third and final day of

Sites at Fountains Abbey and Saltaire. In its

the Tour de Yorkshire (Sunday 30th April),

short history, this UCI-approved event, run

the Maserati Tour de Yorkshire Ride is your

Ey up! The third edition of the beautifully

by the Tour de France’s same organisers,

chance to ride many of the same roads as

scenic, if rather hilly Tour de Yorkshire is

has become one of the biggest cycle races

the pros before they do, including the pro

rearing into view

in the UK, with some of the top international

finish line, complete with support from the

Taking place between 28th and 30th April

teams taking part. However, if you’re a keen

waiting crowds. Maybe see you there at

and covering 304 miles, this charming

cyclist yourself, you can get in on the action,

Sheffield’s Fox Valley!

offshoot of Le Tour encompasses all

thanks to a certain three-pronged Bolognese

letour.yorkshire.com/maserati-tour-

four corners of the county and takes in

car maker.

de-yorkshire-ride

yorkshire

SADDLE UP, LAD

28

f ro n t s e at

If you drive a Ferrari 488 GTB…

COLNAGO CONCEPT ART DÉCOR

Developed to be as fast as possible, this enjoys direct lineage from the firstever carbon-fibre frame, developed by Ernesto Colnago in collaboration with Enzo Ferrari in 1986. Every detail has been studied to up the aerodynamic performance; even the front forks are monocoque carbon fibre, adorned with a “rake” for precision handling. £3,499.95, colnago.com

If you drive a Lamborghini Huracán…

PASSONI FIDIA

Inspired by the carbo-titanium chassis technology first pioneered by Pagani, carbon and titanium filament are woven together to create a light and agile fabric structure with the more comfortable elasticity of titanium. What’s more, in keeping with the Mileneseregion where Passoni is based, and where da Vinci spent time in the 15th century, Fidia’s biomechanics are inspired by the Vitruvian Man. £22,000, passoni.it

If you drive a Bugatti Veyron Supersports…

DASSI INTERCEPTOR

While no cars use it yet, Graphene is almost certainly the Next Big Thing in carbon, based on the laminar structure of graphite and first synthesised in 2004 at the University of Manchester (winning a Nobel Prize in the process). Resin-infused into this revolutionary new bike frame, the whole thing is just 500g unpainted. Quite simply, the ultimate.

Frame only, £5,995; complete bike as pictured £12,000;dassi.com

If you drive an Aston Martin DB11

LOOK 30TH ANNIVERSARY 795

Look by name, and look by nature; just LOOK at it! That pop-art décor, the top tube flowing directly into the bars to give a bullish stance…It celebrates the 30th anniversary of Greg LeMond winning the first Tour de France on a carbon bike, at a time when steel was ubiquitous. Limited to just 200 bikes, all the bells and whistles are as standard, including the integrated carbon Aerostem. £9,999.99, lookcycle.com

29

Rolls-Royce perfect the Art of Arrival with Preferred Hotels & Resorts and Smythson London is one of the most enchanting, varied and exciting cities in the world. Whilst we all love to drive, it’s perhaps the one place where it’s better to sit back and take in the sights while someone else plots a course through the traffic.

Now you can explore the UK’s capital from the unruffled calm of a Rolls-Royce rear compartment whilst staying at one of Preferred Hotels & Resorts’ flagship London hotels for two nights and upon arrival you will be presented with an iconic Smythson currency case which can be personalised for you at a Smythson boutique.

Step out of the hotel and straight into your chauffeured Rolls-Royce Ghost for a night in the West End or a day exploring London’s top boutiques.

You have the choice of three exceptional London locations; the glorious Art Deco of The Beaumont Hotel in Mayfair, or ME London, the Foster & Partners boutique hotel in the heart of theatreland or The Franklin in Knightsbridge.

For reservations, please call Preferred Hotels & Resorts on 00800 7123 1030 or visit www.preferredhotels.com/rollsroyce. *Terms & Conditions Validity: until 31 March 2017 • Available for Suite bookings only, with two people sharing including breakfast, minimum of two-night stay • Three consecutive hours’ use of chauffeur driven Rolls-Royce Ghost within M25 radius. Additional hours, if required, need to be booked in advance and will be charged at an additional hourly rate • One Smythson Currency Case will be offered per suite with the option to add complimentary personalisation of up to three initials at any Smythson boutique. Terms & conditions apply • Reservations to be made at least 48 hours in advance • Offer cannot be combined with other promotions and is non-refundable • Promotion is subject to availability, blackout dates may apply.

xy xy xy xy xy xy x

INSIDE T H E OWNE R S ’ CLU B

GET THE BUG’ The auction values of vintage Bugattis may be soaring, but that’s doing nothing to quell the racing spirit of Bugatti Owners’ Club members at Prescott WORDS: Alex doak

O

ur birth occurred on December 18th

cars, although we have a few EB110s and a

of them rounds of the British Hillclimb

1929, when three total strangers met

growing interest from Veyron owners”

Championship, the VSCC meeting and three

55.58s

to discuss over a meal and a glass of

“Our database is very inclusive though, not

Club events. There’s also a Hillclimb School

beer, the possibilities of starting a Club

all ‘AB’ groups, and a really interesting mix.

(see page 75) where you can hone your skills

time in his five litre

in order to bring together the particular

We’re the biggest Bugatti club in the world

against the clock.

‘Bachelier’ Bugatti in

enthusiasts who own Bugatti cars.”

for owners, so we attract a lot of overseas

This was written in the very first issue

members too.”

Ian Craig set the fastest

“Over the last decade,” Webster says, “we’ve

the first informal sprints

really got our head around the idea of historic

up the hill at Prescott in Spring 1938

of Bugantics, June 1931, by then-editor, D.B.

The Club is nestled in the Cotswold Hills,

racing festivals, more than most – the paying

Madeley. One of the so-called strangers was

and for good reason. It had been running

public prefers it over the modern. So, we have

Madeley himself, who got the ball rolling

hillclimbs on various dusty, loose-surfaced

a French and Italian marques weekend in

by writing to the motoring press, nurturing

courses in the south since 1931, with the

May (the La vie en bleu incorporating the La

the idea that those owning Bugattis, having

objections of local residents becoming

vita rossa) and an American-themed Autumn

something very much in common, should

more and more vociferous. It seemed that

Classic in early October, all with a conscious

be able to gather at various times to discuss

the ‘unique sound’ of unsilenced Bugattis

effort to bring in entertainment. And always

their pet theories and (dare we say) troubles.

on a summer’s afternoon was not welcome.

with Bugatti at the core – Bugatti cars are

La Vie en Bleu

By the end of 1930 there were about 40

Deciding the Club really needed to have a

always present at these events.”

H.R. Owen Bugatti will

members; by the end of 1931 this number had

permanent hillclimb course, the magnificent

doubled. Today, it’s 2,000.

Prescott House and Estate was acquired in

combination with those beautiful old cars

en Bleu event 27-28th May

1937, where it’s been ever since.

on an English summer’s day – what could

2017 with the new

be better?

Bugatti Chiron.

prescott-hillclimb.com

www.hrowen.co.uk/bugatti

“Only about ten percent are actually owners though,” says general manager Stuart

Every year there are seven weekends of

Webster, “and it’s almost exclusively vintage

competitive events held at Prescott, two

The

beautiful

Prescott

setting,

in

be attending the La Vie

31

Drive 14 Bentley_Infinite Ad P21.indd 21

12/06/2016 15:17

mid engine

“Choosing a chiron is not something to be rushed...”

Chapter 02

MID ENGINE 33

15:17

xy xy xy xy xy xy x

new age bull 34

The Aventador is six and a bit years old now, but this S version breathes new life into Lamborghini’s iconic range topper WORDS: Steve Sutcliffe

xy xy xy xy xy xy x

AVENTADOR S Price:

£225,955 + Vat

Engine:

6.5-litre V12, petrol

Transmission:

7-speed auto, FWD

Power/torque: 730bhp/690Nm 0-60mph:

2.9sec

Top speed: 217mph Economy:

16.7mpg (combined)

kerb weight:

1575kg (dry)

CO2: 394g/km

W

hen Lamborghini first unveiled

drive system with which to deploy its

wheel-steering

the Aventador back in 2011, the

prodigious power. And it sold in numbers

updated

world of fast cars gasped for a

as a consequence that even Lamborghini

legendary 6.5-litre V12 has also been

moment in near-disbelief, then

itself failed to predict.

tickled to produce a thundering 730bhp

plus

electronic

comprehensively suspension.

That

leant back and tittered to itself in quiet

But since then the atmosphere among

at 8400rpm and 690Nm of twist action

satisfaction. Because at the time the

the upper echelons of fast cars has

peaking at 5500rpm, with a lot more torque

Aventador, with its cartoonish mid-

thickened somewhat, and dynamically

available towards the top end this time.

engined good looks, its rip-snorting V12

the Aventador has struggled to keep up

Aerodynamic efficiency is up by an

engine and 210mph plus top speed, was

with its best competitors from McLaren,

impressive 50 per cent overall, too, with

like no other supercar on this earth.

Porsche and Ferrari. Which is why

130 per cent more downforce than before

It was also technically right up near

Lamborghini has come up with this car,

and a lot less drag, says Lamborghini.

the cutting edge back then, featuring a

a dramatically more advanced Aventador

And as you can see for yourselves, the

carbon monocoque chassis with pushrod

known simply as “The S.”

Aventador S also looks quite different

suspension and a Haldex four-wheel-

It costs £225,955 + Vat and boasts four

from its predecessor, with dramatic new >

35

av e n ta d or s

8.8 The no. of seconds it will take the Aventador S to reach 200kph

styling treatments front and rear plus

steering,

suspension

binnacle, the lights, electric seats and

an unashamed design nod towards the

separately from one another, which is a

so on, but the engine, gearbox, steering,

Countach around its rear wheel arches.

minor Eureka moment for the Aventador.

ESP and 4WS – everything to do with the

The technical progress of the S doesn’t

No longer do you have to put up with the

fundamental dynamics of the car – are all

stop there, however. There’s also a

thump-in-the-back upshifts that occur in

controlled by one single electronic unit.

bespoke new tyre that’s been developed

Corsa mode just because you want max

How

in conjunction with Pirelli because the

response from the steering and dampers.

advantages

dynamics of a car with rear steering

Take your S to Nurburgring, for example,

says Lamborghini’s technical overlord

alter completely the demands placed

and Ego will enable you to select the

Maurizio Reggiani, this has enabled

on the rubber. And the dynamic drive

softest suspension settings (desirable at

his engineers to develop a harmony of

programme, which previously featured

the ‘Ring’) but with the engine, steering

response that you simply can’t achieve

three modes – Strada, Sport and Corsa

and gearbox set to full attack, and so on.

when separate ECUs control separate

powertrain

and

come, of

and doing

what this?

are

the

Because,

The other key technical change is the

dynamic functions. By having one big

fitment of one single ECU to control all

brain to control the whole shebang, the

Forget the narcissistic connotations

the car’s dynamic functions. There are

S, says Reggiani, has a consistency of

of the name for a moment because, in

many other smaller ECUs within the

reaction to a driver’s inputs “that we have

practice, the Ego setting finally allows

car to deal with features such as the air

never been able to achieve before, and you

a driver to alter the parameters of the

con, the redesigned new TFT instrument

can feel this as soon as you start driving

– has also been re-written to include a fourth setting called Ego.

36

first drive

the car, at any speed so not just when you

car has subsequently gone, and you end

(a massive step in the right direction for

are going fast.”

up feeling much more connected to the

the Aventador), and then at high speed

road as a result.

it feels pretty much glued at both ends.

And for once there is no hyperbole

single

And because the car is so much better

On the move the S really does have a new-

biggest difference you become aware of

balanced under power across all speeds,

found harmony to the way it responds to

is the four-wheel steering. So how does

this has allowed the engineers to send

your inputs – be that on the throttle, via

this work and what does it do for the

much more torque to the rear axle at any

the steering wheel, on the brake pedal,

Aventador’s dynamic repertoire?

given time, which has the effect of making

present here, Dr Reggiani is dead right.

And

without

question

the

and most of all beneath your backside

To begin with it turns the rear wheels

the S feel like a rear wheel-drive car most

– and this alone means it represents a

(electronically) in the opposite direction

of the time, rather than four-wheel-drive.

huge step forwards dynamically over the

to the fronts up to a maximum of 3.0

I did lots of laps in the S at the Valencia

old car.

degrees at low speeds, above which it

Moto GP circuit, and the more time I

The first thing you notice is how much

turns them in the same direction as the

spent in it, the more it blew me away. And

less steering input is required, and how

fronts, up to 1.5 degrees. The switching

it wasn’t just the new handling set up that

direct this makes the front end feel.

“window” is between approximately 78-

impressed. The engine is also a gem that

Then you notice how much cleaner and

84mph depending on how much yaw is

shines brighter than ever in this instance,

more consistent the throttle response is.

detected at the time, but in practice the

partly because the enhanced chassis

You instantly feel much more in control

transition is seamless.

allows you to get much more out of it in

of the car as a result. You drive it rather

All you pick up on from behind the

the first place, but also because the engine

than the other way round. Any sense of

wheel is a much sharper front end bite

itself has been uprated from an already

clumsiness that was present in the old

with maybe a hint of neutral oversteer

high level. >

the engine sounds utterly magnificent in this installation, too, with nondigitised crackles on the overrun and a hair-raising howl over the last 2000rpm

37

Av e n ta d or s

singular direction The engine, gearbox, steering, ESP and 4WS all things controlled by a singular dynamic ECU

In the S, it pulls even harder in

auto mode.

Reggiani’s claim is that the collective

the mid range and revs for another

Likewise the carbon ceramic brakes

effects of the 4WS system, the new

150rpm before the limiter intrudes at a

have been fettled not so much in size but

suspension software, the aerodynamic

screaming 8500rpm. And it sounds utterly

in their fine tuning, and now deliver a lot

improvements, the single ECU and the

magnificent in this installation, too, with

more feel through the pedal, which gives

bespoke Pirelli rubber have shortened the

non-digitised crackles on the overrun and

you a huge amount more confidence to

wheelbase of the car – subjectively – by

a hair-raising howl over the last 2000rpm.

really lean on them. As a result, the S stops

half a metre.

Thank the new, 30 per cent lighter exhaust

just about as good as it goes.

system for that.

Now that might sound ridiculous, but

But the chassis, which has been the

he’s not wrong. I climbed out of the S

The gearbox remains fundamentally as

Aventador’s weak link since day one, is

thinking that it felt like a Huracan with a

before, which means it works OK, but not

truly something else. And it’s the harmony

V12 engine. Except if anything it feels even

brilliantly compared with the best of the

of response that Reggiani talks about

sharper and even nimbler than a Huracan,

best. The auto mode has been softened to

that lies at the core of the car’s appeal.

with less understeer and better balance

make it smoother in operation, which is

Everything in the Aventador S works ‘as

mid-corner. Quite some supercar, in other

a good thing, but at max attack on a race

one’ now, and it feels lighter on its feet,

words; one that will keep the Aventador

circuit you don’t really bother much with

more agile and just better sorted, period.

competitive for many years to come.

38

roa d t r i p

In Association with

A small country with a big reputation, Europe’s most westerly point is a corner less travelled by Drive, and frankly we’ve no idea why. Having toured the bounding countryside roads, ancient landscapes and lively cities, we can’t think of a better place to stretch the legs of Maserati and Bentley’s superb SUV offerings. So Pack your bags and get on a ferry because the pipes, the pipes are calling… >

ROAD TRIP

Road Trip: The Emerald Isle Special

1

2

Nor t h e r n Ir e l a n d

r e p u b l i c o f i r e l a n d

B e l f a s t , H o u s e , Mo u n t a i n s ,

N e w f or g e Mo u r n e Co l e r a i n e ,

ro s s l a r e w e x f or d , r i n g

o f

h a rbo u r ,

t ho m a s ro w n , k e rr y ,

c ork ,

B l a c kh e a d

w a t e r f or d

M1 > b2 > a2 > a28 > A6 > a37 > a2

n25 > n76 > A35 > n70 > n22 > n30

39

f ro n t s e at

due north The northern region of the country houses more than 30 per cent of the island’s population and lays claim to much of the Emerald Isle’s most iconic and stunning scenery and its increasingly vibrant and cosmopolitan capital city of Belfast.

WORDS: Adam garwood

O

nce one of the industrial centres of the

bisected by some superb and winding

world, Belfast is now a thriving hub

tarmac. The drive up to the north coast

for the arts and higher education, and

will take a couple of hours on the A29 but

serves as your gateway to the country

we’d suggest diverting off onto a few more

and fantastic B-roads that lay in store.

of the sublime B roads, particularly around

Ferries from Liverpool run both morning

the Dungiven area before coming into

and overnight, taking around eight hours

Coleraine for a well deserved lunch at the

with day ferry arriving at 6:30pm. Roll off

Wee Cottage. A cliffside tea room with an

the ramp once into Belfast, down the M1

open fire, sofas and terrific sandwiches, it

men’s

past Lisburn and you’ll be seated for dinner

will provide some well needed respite from

and a nightcap at Newforge House before

the drive and up is only a few miles from

7:30pm. The hotel is a superbly maintained

the iconic interlocking basalt columns of

Patagonia Cloud Ridge Jacket

Georgian country house, nestled in the

The Giant’s Causeway.

North Atlantic headwinds a cert, make sure you’re appropriately garbed up on the Causeway.

£225

countryside with stunning views and a mix

Stunning though it is, you’ll likely

of antique and contemporary comforts. Get

return rather windswept and in need

granite carved Morne Mountains, the Cloud

a good night’s sleep for the drive tomorrow

of warming from the Atlantic gusts.

Ridge jacket has an incorporated microfleece

and don’t miss the infamous ‘Ulster Fry’ for

Fortunately for you and your passengers,

and an adjustable hood within its three layer

breakfast; a locally sourced and indulgent

just five minutes south down the Causeway

fabric to keep you warm before retiring to the

breakfast voted the best in Ireland.

Road is Ireland’s oldest whiskey distillery,

micro climes of the Bentley

As capable in the foothills of the Andes as the

Pleasantly filled, the real fun begins

Bushmills. With plenty of space in the

with an opportunity down the road to

Bentayga to fill, we suggest stocking up

warm up the tyres and put the Bentayga’s

on their 400th Anniversary 1608 blend

Women’s

racing heritage and surprising athleticism

and enjoying the last of the day’s light as

to the test. Bishopscourt Racing Circuit is

you roar through Ballycastle and along

a favourite among fans, drivers and testers

the Coast Road to your final destination.

Apex Flex GTX Jacket

alike and you’ll have good reason to use the

Secluded, unique and jaw-droppingly set,

sport mode.

£200

the Blackhead Lighthouse is a night’s stay

Designed for predictably

Even the A-roads are good in Ireland,

you won’t forget any time soon and is the

unpredictable conditions, the Apex

but the B-roads are something to be truly

perfect place to end your tour of Northern

Flex is an impossibly dry rain shell

admired. No better example is the B27

Ireland, nightcap in hand.

that’ll keep you warm and dry

running inland from Kilkeel to Hilltown

www.bushmills.com

from even the most stray of waves

through the Mourne Mountains, a dramatic

www.discovernorthernireland.com

along the Blackhead cliff tops

and brooding collection of igneous hills

www.bishopscourt.org

40

roa d t r i p HORSEY

OLD BUSHMILLS DISTILLERY

50.1333° N

A37

A2

N

COLERAINE 5.7000° W

A6

A2

BLACKHEAD LIGHTHOUSE B162

CAPE CORNWALL

BELFAST

A29

M1

NEWFORGE HOUSE B2

ARMAGH A25

BEST STRETCH

A28

124 STRANGFORD RD A2

B8

Best Stretch B27 Kilkeel Road, Mourne Mountains The inspiration for C.S. Lewis in penning The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the Mountains of Mourne are truly spectacular and the scything B27 into Kilkeel is no less dramatic. The even track runs over the undulating granite formations, tipped off by an outstanding chicane just as you leave Hilltown, County Down.

WHICH CAR? Bentley Bentayga The game changer in an ever expanding world of luxury SUVs, and the car Bentley consider to be one of their most important ever, Crewe’s Bentayga certainly takes things up a notch. With either the 6.0 litre W12 or 4.0 litre V8 diesel under the bonnet, the respective models produce 0-60 times of just 4.1 and 4.8 seconds. Practical too with a 500 litre boot, four different driving modes as standard, buckets of leg room and accomplished four wheel drive settings mean the Bentayga is truly a master of the roads, off the beaten track and if needed, the school run too.

41

f ro n t s e at

go south

Mountains, cliffs, waterfalls, lakes and a whole heap of greenery is what you’ll meet roadtripping THROUGH the REPUBLIC of ireland, what’s not to love?

WORDS: jOANN kHATIB

S

tereotypically, people tend to think of

road and find your way onto R700. Follow

National Park, where we promise heavenly

Ireland as fields of clover, loud locals

this for the next half an hour or so until

views that words cannot quite describe.

and Guinness, and while, yes, you

you reach Kilkenny and your hotel for the

Discover the enchanting historic towns,

can most certainly visit the Guinness

night, Mount Juliet. Not only is the estate

with monuments like the 15th-century Ross

factory while in Dublin and several other

ultra-luxurious and seamlessly stylish, but

Castle. From Killarney, follow the twisting

breweries and distilleries throughout the

the Michelin Star and 3 AA Rosette award-

course of the N71, your road trip partner

country, Ireland is filled with postcard-

winning restaurant attached helps. Lady

will no doubt have the camera clicking away

worthy stretches of road and sights that

Helen is the perfect place to grab breakfast

at the striking panoramas. For an especially

fairytales are made of. So skip the Shamrock-

before you head out on your first stretch

beautiful spot, stop at Ladies’ View.

filled souvenir shops, hop into your Maserati

of driving, and after an exceptional night

Levante and prepare for greenery like you’ve

sleep, of course.

Once you’ve had your fill of waterfalls and lush greenery, drive into Kenmare –

Hit the road bright and early, following

reported to be Ireland’s first planned town –

From London, head straight onto the A4,

the L4206 and R713 to the N10 and enjoy the

the quaint little town is filled with boutiques,

towards the M4. Follow the M4 to the A48 in

drive beneath the endless trees and amongst

bars and houses of all colours. Stop here for

Hendy. From there, drive onto the A40 to

the wildlife, you’ll even be able to admire

some lunch and try some of the best seafood

Main Street in Fishguard and get yourself to

the mountains in the distance. Your journey

Ireland has to offer at Packie’s restaurant (the

the Ferry port. Once you’re on to the ferry,

to the first stop of the day will look a little

lobster is especially delicious).

make yourself comfortable – you’ve got a

something like this: follow the N76, N24, M8

Next up is Waterville, a town settled

good five hours before you reach Ireland.

and N73 until you reach the N72 and your

between Ballinskelligs Bay and Lough

destination, the Ring of Kerry.

Currane. Silent screen-star Charlie Chaplin,

never seen before.

No doubt after your long day of travel and on-the-road type snacks, you’ll want some

Renowned for being one of the best drives

visited this area regularly and you’ll find

proper food. Get your Maserati out onto the

and most scenic circuits in the whole of

his statue watching over the waters. As you

N25 and follow it through to the R730. Drive

Ireland, this 120-mile route takes in the N70,

continue on the N70, northwest, you’ll be

past the Wexford Golf Club and find yourself

N71 and R562 roads, where you’ll see some

met with awe-inspiring sites at almost every

a parking spot at the Thomas Moore Tavern.

of Ireland’s most remarkable landscapes.

corner up to Valentia Island. Look at the

One of Wexford’s oldest bars, this beautifully

Verdant vistas filled with rugged coast,

often stormy seas and the Dingle Peninsula

restored restaurant uses the very best of local

glacial lakes, mammoth mountains and

before arriving on the banks of the River

and seasonal ingredients. Here you’ll get

emerald green fields that stretch on for

Luane, Killorglin, another charming town

your first look at an Irish sunset and listen to

miles. Insider tip? Travel clockwise to avoid

renowned for its lively street festivals. Follow

your first portion of traditional Irish music.

congestion with the infinite tour buses.

the roads until you’re back at Killarney

Once sated, get back on to the road and

Here you will spend the most of your day.

and stop by MacGillycuddy’s Reeks, where

take the R769 to the N25, continue along this

Explore the undeniably beautiful Killarney

you can take in one last incredible view of

42

xy xy xy xy xy xy x R700

MOUNT JULIET ESTATE

MONART SPA N30

N76

N11

N25

THOMAS MOORE TAVERN N73

N25

MICHELSTOWN

ROSSLARE HARBOUR

BEST STRETCH

N72

N25

N8

N70 N22

Best Stretch

CORK

RING OF KERRY

n22 ring of kerry towards killarney national park With incredibly green, mountain views at almost every corner of the meandering road to the Killarney National Park, this stretch of road is truly beautiful.

With such winding roads, you may choose not to travel at the 60mph speed limit, but zooming past the sights in your Maserati Levante surely sounds like a lot of fun.

Ireland’s highest mountain peak.

Get your Maserati, which has no doubt

Even in the Republic’s often temperate climes, glorious spring weather is never a constant.

been your protector over the past few hours driving the rocky roads of the Ring of Kerry, and follow the N22 all the way to Cork.

Depending on the time of day, either head straight to dinner at award-winning Jacob’s

men’s

on the Mall, one of Cork’s most popular

Arc’teryx Atom SL Hoody Jacket

restaurants for international cuisine. Or alternatively, you could stop by the Jameson distillery for a guided tour and a sample of the irresistible amber liquid.

WHICH CAR?

£170 Fog might roll in, clouds might obscure

Maserati Levante

the sun and although you’ll seldom require

N8 to the N25, where you’ll follow the road

The Levante was engineered to master

bulky insulation, a little protection from

to the R700 in New Ross and then the N30 to

any situation effortlessly, a lot like the

April showers won’t go amiss. Lightweight

Monart Spa, your bed for the night. After an

Mediterranean wind it was named

and durable but breathable, the Atom also

absolutely adventure-packed day, there is no

after. Mastering new heights of luxury,

rolls down to the size of a grapefruit.

harm in taking advantage of the state-of-the-

the Levante allows for the highest level

art spa for a relaxing massage. Sit by the fire

of comfort while never comprising on

with a late night aperitif and enjoy the cosy

an outstanding performance, even

Women’s

and yet again, stunning surroundings.

in the most extreme conditions. The

Arc’teryx Contenta Dress

For the last leg of your journey, take the

Next day, wake up to a five-star, high-

Levante comes with an eight-speed

quality breakfast before getting yourself back

gearbox, sophisticated Q4 AWD and a

on the road and back to Rosslare. Take the

torque vectoring system. Beautifully

L6124, N30 and L2045 to the N11 and follow

sleek and sporty, with three iconic

Ideal for hopping in and out of the car

until you hit the N25, back to the harbour.

air vents on the front wings, it’s ready

while exploring the postcard scenes of the

Hop aboard your ferry and make your way

for whatever lies ahead and ideal for

south, the Contenta dress has a relaxed fit

back to the city lights of London.

driving through the uneven mountain

with convenient pockets and a lightweight

thomasmooretavern.com

roads of Ireland, granting peace of

polyester textile that’ll effortlessly wick

mountjuliet.ie

mind, no matter what the terrain

away any beads of moisture..

jacobsonthemall.com

may be.

£200

monart.ie

43

mid engine

Horse power For the ultimate Alpine experience, travel by private jet and the new Maserati Levante to witness snow polo in St. Moritz WORDS: hannah lemon

C

harging around on a mare while trying

minutes to St. Moritz on arrival? A Maserati

to hit a ball with a mallet against

Levante, of course. The bold but beautiful

another team is impressive enough, but

vehicle built with an intelligent Q4 all-

change the grass field for an iced over

wheel-drive and torque vectoring system

lake and you have a serious spectacle. The

ensures easy handling on snow and ice

Maserati Polo Tour 2017 offered just that

– the ultimate SUV for any extreme Swiss

with its glamorous competition set against

weather conditions.

the captivating snow-capped mountains of

This was proven only too well when the

St. Moritz; one destination of the annual

Levante performed a record number of

event that also reaches Dubai, Spain, China

test drives during the polo weekend. Those

and England.

lucky enough to attend also got the chance

However, the fun really starts before you

to discover the new Quattroporte MY17

arrive. Aboard a NetJets Challenger 350,

and Ghibli MY17 with the new equipment

it’s surprising how quickly one can get to

packages and advanced driving assistance

Switzerland. The private jet charter company

systems. Not only that, they also enjoyed

flies directly from London to Samedan

a Maserati snow golf tournament and an

Airport, one of the highest in Europe, with

exclusive gala dinner.

specially trained pilots to navigate the challenging windswept Alpine conditions.

Equipped with in-flight entertainment courtesy of on-board iPads, a Blu-ray

Naturally though, the polo was the main attraction and the four teams that competed put on quite the show for more than 15,000 spectators.

player, HD monitors, and satellite based

In the end, whatever your sense of

Wi-Fi, up to ten passengers can feel free

horsepower, the Maserati Polo Tour is an

to relax for the short journey. Or those

unparalleled experience.

partial to a nap can enjoy the berthable

Next event: 26–28 JANUARY 2018

three-place divan.

snowpolo-stmoritz.com;

And the car of choice to drive the ten

44

maseratipolo.com

whatever your sense of horsepower,the Maserati Polo Tour is an unparalleled experience

N AT I O N W I D E S P R I N G S U M M E R C O L L E C T I O N N O W AVA I L A B L E I N - S T O R E A N D O N L I N E SNOWANDROCK.COM

pre-driven

PRE-DRIVEN The approved-used side of H.R. Owen’s business is growing fast, with as broad a cross-section of luxury cars as you could imagine – all in “as-new” condition. What’s more, it isn’t just a one-way street: H.R. Owen are always looking for high specification cars to buy, and as a reader of DRIVE magazine it’s likely your car may be just what we are looking for.

So get in touch if you’re selling, and we may well be buying from you instead. www.hrowen.co.uk/approved-used

|

www.hrowen.co.uk/sell-my-car/

2014 MCLAREN 650S SPIDER White with leather interior 3,564 miles

2017 LOTUS 3-ELEVEN Black & gold with matching interior 50 miles

2010 BUGATTI VEYRON GRAND SPORT Blue with leather interior 18,988 miles

2016 BENTLEY BENTAYGA W12 Hallmark with linen interior 5,128 miles

£167,950

£97,950

£1,510,000

£154,750

2016 ROLLS-ROYCE DAWN AUTO Black with seashell interior 5,600 miles

2014 ASTON MARTIN V12 VANTAGE S COUPE AM racing green with obsidian interior 13,480 miles

2014 LAMBORGHINI HURACAN LP 610-4 Rosso mars with black interior 3,970 miles

2014 ROLLS-ROYCE GHOST AUTO Silver with seashell interior 5,133 miles

£259,950

£94,950

£168,950,

£159,950

2016 LAMBORGHINI AVENTADOR LP750-4 SUPERVELOCE ROADSTER Giallo orion with black SV interior 3,000 miles

2016 FERRARI CALIFORNIA T Grigio silverstone with bordeaux interior 1,496 miles

2016 MASERATI GHIBLI DIESEL Grigio with sabbia interior 2,950 miles

2016 ASTON MARTIN VANQUISH COUPE TOUCHTRONIC Ceramic grey with ivory leather interior 2,600 miles

£469,950

£179,950

£41,950

£169,950

2017 MASERATI GRANTURISMO SPORT MC AUTO Nero carbonio with nero interior 500 miles

1982 FERRARI 512BBI Rosso corsa with crema Interior 15,106 miles

2013 Bentley Continental GT V8 Onyx with beluga interior 22,579 miles

2015 FERRARI F12 BERLINETTA Rosso corsa with crema interior 2,535 miles

£87,950

£294,950

£82,500

£259,950

46

Naim

naimaudio.com

Be summoned by the sound

AirPlay is a trademark of Apple Inc.

Controlled by a powerful audio brain developed for the Naim for Bentley in-car audio system, Mu-so Qb is alive with custom features that can deliver music seamlessly to every corner of the home in a compact 21cm3 enclosure. Simple to control and easy to connect, Mu-so Qb delivers a staggering 300 watts of power to unmask your music with a sound that defies size.

Naim_Mu-so_WHATHIFI_SP_FEB_2016_LIVETEXT.indd 2

Go Deeper Experience at John Lewis, selected Apple stores and our network of specialist audio retailers.

09/06/2016 14:40:03

Welcome to Hilton London Syon Park Situated in one of the most culturally rich areas of the UK, the Hilton in Syon Park overlooks some truly breathtaking greenery. experience the relaxing environment of the Kallima Club, where you can engage all your senses and rejuvenate.

sushi. shisha. cigars.

Indulge in the culinary inventions of Japan along with an iconic Middle Eastern twist www.SyonLounge.com

molsheim

The best things in life should be savoured over time, and that’s certainly the case with the Bugatti Chiron. now, almost a year after its unveiling at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, are the first customer cars about to leave the factory > WORDS: MARK WHEELER

49

b u g at t i b u i l d

T

here are currently a dozen examples

your mind – that’s built into the schedule

coat sanded down and polished before

of the world’s most exclusive super

to ensure the specification chosen is

work can start on the next coat.

sports car nearing completion in the

absolutely as you want the car. Only when

Bugatti Atelier in Molsheim, the first

the configuration is signed off does the

building, has a floor space of more than

of around 70 examples that will be created

production planning start, and the six

1,000 square metres and is oval shaped…

this year.

month build process starts.

rather like the marque’s badge.

The

Atelier,

Bugatti’s

production

But that’s to be expected. It takes around

Why so long? Several reasons, but it’s

It’s where Veryons were built, but for

six months to hand-build each car and

mainly down to the attention to detail and

Chiron it has undergone several changes.

there’s usually a further three months on

obsessive desire for quality.

Today, sub-assemblies are now made up

top of that from when a customer first

Each Chiron is hand-built by 20

in the site’s technology centre and brought

enters the showroom to coming up with

employees

from

in when needed, while the floor is made

the final configuration for his or her car.

more than 1,800 individual parts. Bugatti

from epoxy so that electrostatic charges

describes the process as ‘Haute Couture de

are dissipated before they can cause

l’Automobile.’ No translation necessary.

any damage.

Choosing

the

perfect

Chiron

is

something not to be rushed. There’s a vast

assembling

the

car

array of colour and carbon options on offer

Once a production slot has been

There’s a new rolling dynamometer,

– 23 of the former, eight of the latter – not

assigned to the customer’s car, the parts

too, specially developed to cope with the

to mention 31 different shades of leather,

are ordered from suppliers across Europe.

prodigious output of the new engine.

eight of Alcantara, 30 stitching colour

One month before the start of production,

That awesome 8-litre, 1,500 hp W16

options, 18 different carpet shades and 11

the bodyshell is assembled with the

unit is supplied pre-assembled from the

different seat belt colours.

monocoque and chassis substructure to

engine plant in Salzgitter and occupies

make sure everything fits together.

the first of the factory’s 12 stations – there

You can, in fact, have it in any colour

31.3m

you want – to match a favourite coat, for

Then it’s time for the body to head to

are no conveyor belts, nor robots, here.

example. You can customise the car with

the paint shop, where it will stay for three

The power unit is prepared for assembly

1,995kg mass can be

initials embroidered into the headrests or

weeks. Up to eight layers of paint are

and then tested for eight hours. At the

hauled from 62mph to

placed on the bottom of the spoiler.

required for the top coat alone, with each

same time, the new seven-speed dual-

rest - the highway code

layer applied by hand and each individual

clutch transmission is also prepared >

recommends 55 metres...

And there’s time for you to change

50

The distance the Chiron’s

molsheim

the floor is made from epoxy so that electrostatic charges are dissipated before they can cause any damage

by hand BELOW: The car is assembled by a mere 20 employees from more than 1,800 parts

51

b u g at t i b u i l d

The Chiron is then driven 300 kms through the Vosges to Colmar airport, where it is run up to speeds of 250 km/h to make sure all is well

for installation into the chassis.

three days to complete. And once fully

This happens at the second station,

clothed the Chiron is then exposed to

where three employees spend almost a

monsoon rain for 30 minutes to ensure

week assembling the chassis. The front end,

everything is water tight.

meanwhile, is married to the monocoque

Only after it has passed that test will

and the wiring harness is installed as are

the interior be completed, a job that takes

the pipes connecting the engine at the rear

another three days.

to the radiators at the front.

Every Chiron then undergoes a real-

One of the highlights of any factory tour is

world test and final inspection. To ensure

‘the marriage’, when chassis and rear-end are

the body remains unmarked, the entire

joined together. For the Chiron, 14 titanium

car is covered with a strong transparent

bolts are used for the job, titanium chosen

plastic foil: it takes a full day to put it on

preparation takes two days and then the car

for its light weight, durability and strength.

and another full day to take it off again, but

is removed to a light tunnel for a six-hour

Finally, this bundle of parts is starting

it does ensure the paintwork doesn’t suffer

inspection. Here any remaining blemishes

to look like a car, especially once wheels

stone chips.

are noted and then it’s back to the paint

are fitted.

Similarly, the car’s original wheels

booth for remedy if needed.

Now capable of movement, it is rolled to

are not used for the test and a different

Once the production team is happy

the filling stations where vital bodily fluids

underbody is used, again to ensure the car

with the car, it is presented to the Heads

are added and then on to the dynamometer

remains as new. The Chiron is then driven

of Sales, Quality Assurance and Customer

for testing. The tests take about three hours,

300 kms through the Vosges to Colmar

Service before it is finally signed off.

during which time the Chiron is ‘driven’ at

airport, where it is run up to speeds of 250

The customer, meanwhile, will have

speeds of up to 200 km/h covering 60 kms,

km/h to make sure all is well. The return

been kept fully up to speed with the car’s

all without leaving the building.

trip to the factory is conducted at a more

progress and will probably have been

leisurely pace to allow everything to cool

out to Molsheim to see it on several

down properly.

occasions. Some customers even spend

It’s not just the engine performance that’s checked here, but all the electronic functions, the ESC, ABS and so on.

Once back at the factory, the car heads

Once it has passed the tests, it’s time for

back to the paint shop for the foil to

the exterior panels to be fitted, a delicate

be removed and for the paintwork to

and intricate procedure that takes up to

be cleaned and polished. The cosmetic

a day working on their car, the ultimate in personalisation.

Nine months might seem a long time to wait for a car. But if you want perfection…

3 days The time it takes to install just the Chiron’s exterior panels which are then sealed water tight

52

Harr

xy xy xy xy xy xy x

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53

19/05/2016 14:00

VAL K Y R IE

chosen by the gods With Formula One technology at its heart and a name derived from Norse mythology, the Aston Martin Valkyrie writes its own rules WORDS: CHRIS KNAPMAN

W

hen not so very long ago Ferrari,

unlike any other, drafting in Formula One

in Adrian Newey, Red Bull’s 58-year-old

Porsche and McLaren went into

expertise and setting itself a benchmark

Chief Technical Officer, to assist with

battle

for

that even allowing time for it to sink in, still

developing the mid-engined V12 hypercar.

you’d

have

sounds unfathomable.

In doing so, Newey, who is regarded by

hypercar been

supremacy

forgiven

for

Specifically, the target Aston Martin has

many as the most talented designer in F1,

set itself is to build a road car that can lap

will realise a childhood dream of creating

Aston Martin didn’t see it that way,

the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit faster

his own supercar.

however, and set to work on a road-legal car

than a F1 racing car. To do this it has drafted

thinking we’d finally reached the pinnacle of fast road car development.

54

The partnership between Newey and

ASTO N MA RTIN

sold

Aston was announced just over a year ago as

firm MultiMatic) never before seen on a

road car lapping the home of the British

a broad concept to combine F1 technology

road car. Same goes for the seven-speed

Grand Prix in anything under 2 minutes

with Aston Martin’s signature design. A

sequential gearbox developed by Ricardo,

would be regarded as eye-opening. Put

tantalising prospect, and one that took

and Newey’s F1-inspired suspension design.

Lewis Hamilton in last year’s Mercedes

isn’t due to start until

a leap six months later when a full-scale

Power meanwhile will come from a

W07 Hybrid, though, and he’ll do it about

2018, the entire run of

model of the car, codenamed AM-RB 001,

bespoke 6.5-litre V12 engine designed and

30 seconds quicker (his pole time for 2016’s

150 road and 25 track-only

was revealed. Anybody familiar with Andy

built by Cosworth. Aston has promised a

British Grand Prix was 1:29.287). To build

cars is sold out!

Palmer, Aston’s CEO, will know he’s not

1:1 power-to-weight ratio (that is, one brake

a car that can be driven on the road and,

one for procrastinating, but the speed at

horsepower for every kilogram of kerb

presumably, boast some semblance of

which his firm’s hypercar has taken shape

weight), indicating a likely output of about

day-to-day reliability, yet also be capable

demonstrates an agility and an appetite

900bhp from the high-revving unit, boosted

of keeping up with Hamilton on a hot lap

from the British manufacturer one cannot

by an F1-style energy recovery hybrid system

would seem to defy belief.

help but admire.

supplied by Rimac.

Even though production

We’ll start to find out how close Aston

The car’s entirely carbon-fibre form

Such a dramatic machine requires an

can get when the first Valkyrie prototypes

is the work of Aston’s design director,

equally dramatic name and in ‘Valkyrie’

take to the track at the beginning of 2018, a

Marek Reichman, and represents a radical

Aston Martin has duly obliged. For those

year before the 150 production cars begin to

departure from the more classical styling

needing to brush up on their Norse

reach customers. These will be followed by

seen on the likes of his recent DB11 sports

Mythology, the Valkyrie are female figures

25 track-only versions for those who won’t

car. For function, however, you need to

responsible for choosing who lives and who

require their Valkyrie to be capable of also

get under the skin, which is where Newey

dies in battle before taking the fallen to the

doing the school run.

weaves his magic.

hall of the slain, Valhalla.

Production will take place under the

As the man whose cars have won more

“The connotations of power and honour,

watchful eye of David King, Aston’s Chief

than 150 Grands Prix, and include the Red

of being chosen by the Gods are so evocative,”

Special Operations Officer, at the same

Bulls that took Sebastian Vettel to four

notes Reichman of the name. A neat aside is

facility in Gaydon that built the limited-

consecutive driver’s titles between 2010 and

that it allows Aston to continue a ‘V’ naming

edition One-77 between 2009 and 2012, as

2013, Newey knows a thing or two about

convention that began with the first use of

well as the recent Vulcan track car.

aerodynamics and packaging. Look at the

Vantage in 1951 and has also taken in Volante,

detailing of Aston’s hypercar and you can

Virage, Vanquish and Vulcan.

Aston is yet to confirm exact prices, simply saying the Valkyrie will cost between

see how radical its structure is, promising

Can the Valkyrie really be as quick as an

£2m and £3m. Considering the resources

the kind of aerodynamic efficiency from its

F1 car, though? To put Aston’s ambition into

being poured into this extraordinary project,

carbon-fibre MonoCell (built by Canadian

perspective a talented driver in a very fast

it’s not difficult to see why. >

55

VAL K Y R IE

A PURE DESIGNER Joe Saward looks at the extracurricular activities of Red Bull’s Adrian Newey

B

ack in 1984, Adrian Newey won a

designs

Design Council Award for his March

Williams, then McLaren and ultimately

had talked about it as long ago as 1983,

83C Indycar, which had claimed

Red Bull. His success as a designer made

when the America’s Cup took place

the

Indianapolis

him an extraordinarily wealthy man and

in Newport, Rhode Island. He was

500. Newey was proud as punch that day

his work has been rewarded with an OBE.

enthralled. Thus, when former McLaren

because he was being recognised not by his

He has all the toys a rich man could

MD Martin Whitmarsh became CEO

want and from time to time competes

of Sir Ben Ainslie’s America’s Cup team

“What I love and what gets me up in

in cars from his own collection. He

in 2015, Newey and Red Bull Advanced

the morning is design,” he said at the

has raced (and crashed) an E-type at

Technologies were asked to help out.

time. “It is a mixture of technology and

the Goodwood Revival and even raced

previous

year’s

peers in racing, but rather as a designer.

that

Newey

produced

for

First

there

was

yachting.

Newey

“If you go outside racing – in the

sport and you get immediate results.

That’s exciting.”

Newey moved to F1 permanently in 1987, with March Engineering. He

Newey has not changed much. His desire, still, is to be a designer and he hates the management side of F1

designed the distinctive aquamarine blue Leyton House March 881, an elegant car

in the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2007. Today,

broadest umbrella, so including rallying

that rival designers recognised as being

he keeps a close eye on the career of his

and motorcycling – there are very few

a bit special. Rising star Ivan Capelli

son Harrison, who wants to become a

sports where you have the same mixture

scored two podium finishes, but the

racing star.

of

technology and sport,” he said.

“Yachting is one of them.”

cars that followed in 1989 and 1990 were

Newey has not changed much. His

not as successful and in the second year

desire, still, is to be a designer and he

And it has led, directly, to the Aston

Newey was fired. Williams grabbed him.

hates the management side of F1. In the

Martin Valkyrie. Newey has played about

He designed the Williams-Renault

summer of 2014 he signed a new contract

with car design, before – after a fashion.

FW14, which won seven Grands Prix but

with Red Bull, which gave him the chance

Back in 2010, Sony PlayStation asked

of Constructors’

lost out in the World Championship

to focus on ‘other projects’ within a Red

him to design concept cars for the Gran

Championships Newey

to McLaren in 1991, but the FW14B

Bull Advanced Technology operation, but

Turismo 5 game. The Red Bull X2010 and

has won, altogether

in 1992 was the first of 10 World

was retained as a consultant in F1. It also

X2011 were virtual, but dramatic. Valkyrie

comprised of more than

kept him away from Red Bull’s rivals…

is equally dramatic… but very real.

150 Grand Prix wins

C h a m p i o n s h i p -w i n n i n g

56

TEN The combined number

xy xy xy xy xy xy x

BACK TO THE FUTURE

In bringing an old airfield back to life, Bicester Heritage is helping to ensure the classic car movement has a future WORDS: Matthew Carter Images: Drew Gibson

I

t looks for all the world like a film set.

Watery winter sun plays over the trees, their naked branches still waiting for spring to start budding.

A 1930s Riley MPH and an Alvis 12/50

from the 1920s are parked beside a neat red brick building, while the air is split by the sound of a pre-war Bentley 3-litre – tattylooking but clearly mechanically fit – as it rushes past.

A rare Bristol-engined AC Aceca from the late 1950s rasps along a side road, pursued by an energetic black cocker spaniel. But with no cameras, no lights, no miles of cabling, no crews, no clapper boards and no people with clipboards milling around, this is clearly not a movie set.

In fact, this is a typical day in a very atypical place. We are at Bicester Aerodrome, a 348-acre site once home to a Second World War Operational Training Unit controlled by RAF Bomber Command.

Today it’s the home of Bicester Heritage, a fledgling centre of excellence for the classic car world.

After its wartime role training pilots to fly Blenheims and, later under Fighter

two miles of perimeter road is due

Command, Spitfires and Mosquitos, RAF

to be renovated to track

Bicester and its grass runways became a

standard and augment

gliding centre. But the RAF stopped using

the existing private

it as a military base in 1976 and slowly >

testing and tuning road

58

xy xy xy xy xy xy x

Geoghegan’s plan was to create a ‘silicon valley’ for the old car world, a place where dealers and specialists could operate side-by-side, enjoying the synergies of being close to like minded companies...

Inside the old Engine Fitting Shop, where Kingsbury Racing lovingly bring vintage Bentleys back to life

59

“It was fun and they were great people to

from the MOD, the place was in a terrible

deal with, but it was hard work. I thought

condition. The buildings were dilapidated,

there had to be a better way.

roofs were falling in and trees growing through the tiles.

As far as Dan Geoghegan was concerned, it was just perfect.

GEOGHEGAN (ABOVE LEFT) IS MOST PROUD OF BICESTER HERITAGE’S APPRENTICESHIP SCHEME, WHICH WILL ENSURE THE CONTINUATION OF SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER

60

the lifestyle offered by events like the Goodwood Revival and they wanted to join in by buying a car. But they had a number

a classic car enthusiast by inclination,

of problems: they didn’t have much

Geoghegan was living in London and using

money, they found the industry was very

a 1927 Alvis as a daily driver. A stalwart

fragmented and they needed somewhere

member of the VSCC (Vintage Sports Car

to keep their cars, knowing that when they

Club) , he competed in the car at weekends.

wanted to drive it, they didn’t want to find a

“I was determined to live the privateer’s

car with a flat battery or flat tyre.”

life. Imagine in the 1920s, you could go to

“But the specialists were also in trouble.

a showroom, buy your Bentley or Lagonda.

Often, they were one-man bands with no

You drive it in the week and then head off

succession plans. There was no enterprise

to Brooklands at the weekend to take part

value. It seemed obvious that the best thing

in a sprint or handicap race.”

to do was to create a technology park… the

Alvis, taking part in 45 meetings. I drove to each event, competed and drove home.”

LONDON

“At the same time, many of my friends were starting to enjoy the nostalgia and

A corporate financier by trade and

“I did 30,000 miles in three years in my

BICESTER

tyres from Doncaster…”

when Bicester Heritage bought the site

only difference is that this would be an historic technology park.”

Geoghegan’s plan was to create a ‘silicon

Before he could do that, however, the

valley’ for the old car world, a place where

Alvis needed restoring. “I found it in Africa

dealers and specialists could operate

and had it sent home and then set about

side-by-side, enjoying the synergies of

having it rebuilt using some of the ‘best of

being close to like-minded companies

breed’ specialists to do the work.”

and benefiting from customer referrals.

“The trouble was they were all over the country. I effectively became the project

A storage operation could be established with the emphasis on customer service.

manager as the upholstery was done in

Find the right venue and it would

Yorkshire, the engine in Fife in Scotland,

become a destination for historic motoring.

the exhaust system in Nottingham, the

“This idea would be that the customer

radiator came from Northampton, the

would find everything in one place. You

1950s Ferrari single-seater under restoration; vintage Bentleys can be found everywhere; Geoghegan perches on a Sunbeam Tiger, Carter stands in front of an Alfa Giulietta SS

nature started to take over. Four years ago,

Clockwise from top left: Ferrari build; Bentley engines better than new; A hive of industry in the race prep workshop with a bright yellow Osella-Abarth to the fore, pre-war Alvis, Alfa SVZ, E-type and Capri racers and

u N d E R LO C K & K EY

xy xy xy xy xy xy x

FILM STAR

could buy your car here, have it restored,

example, is housed in the old Parachute

covers and hooked up to trickle chargers so

serviced, maintained and improved and

Store. We wander into the former Engine

they are ready to go any time their owners

Bicester Heritage has

have it stored here, too. You would just turn

Room and, fittingly, discover pre-war

fancy a drive. Owners can even stay over in

been used as a film

up and drive,” he said.

Bentley engines being rebuilt. If it wasn’t

one of the restored crew rooms, now self-

And Geoghegan knew exactly what that

for the modern pop music piped through

catering apartments.

the backdrop for The

destination would be. “We were looking

the building giving the game away, we

There’s still much rebuilding work to

Imitation Game with

for an ex-RAF station, simply because

could have time travelled back to the 1930s.

be completed – when finished the site

Benedict Cumberbatch

they were well designed and well built. We

In other buildings there is a company

will house 50 units in 40 buildings – while

and Kiera Knightley

were also interested in somewhere with an

rebuilding magnetos; another specialising

future plans also include restoring the two-

overlap between motoring and aviation.

in pre-war Rileys; another selling vintage

mile perimeter road to track standard, to

“We also wanted somewhere central,

Bentleys and Bugattis. There are others

augment the one mile of private road used

somewhere no more than 90 minutes from

concentrating on vintage radiators, on

for testing, tuning or simply enjoying old

London or Birmingham.”

classic oils, on recreating vintage exhaust

cars. There’s even a microbrewery waiting

and manifolds and another on upholstery.

to move into one of the buildings, which

set, providing the

Bicester virtually chose itself. It’s in the

promises to have its own tap room.

right place and although mothballed for

Classic racing cars are prepared in

almost 40 years, the intrinsic quality of

various buildings while specialist dealers

Gliding continues at the site and four

the buildings has allowed restoration to be

house all manner of classic cars for all eras.

times a year the gates are thrown open to

most

the classic car community to come and see

of the site gives the place a family feel while

proud of a rather more non-descript

what’s happening. Pre-booking is essential

the time-warp atmosphere is eerily fitting.

building because it is home to a classic

to join one of the three Sunday Scrambles

vehicle restoration apprentice operation

held each year. January’s event has gone but

thereafter),

run by Banbury and Bicester College.

spaces are still available for 23 April (Drive-

Geoghegan believes Bicester was built at

“This apprentice scheme will ensure the

It Day) and 1 October, while a ‘wings and

just the right time. “It was far enough away

continuation of skills and knowledge

wheels’ historic flying and driving action

from war that they had time to think it

transfer. It is absolutely vital if our hobby is

weekend is planned for 24 and 25 June

through, to design and build it properly, to

to continue into the future,” he said.

(www.flywheelfestival.com).

comparatively straightforward. The layout

Because it was built in 1926 and modified in

1936

(and

untouched

plant the trees and create a community of buildings and people.”

But

Geoghegan

is

arguably

As befits an old airfield there are

“It is simply a great place to be and

four large hangers, one of which houses

to work. There’s activity here everyday,

Many of the original buildings – 19 of

Historit, Bicester’s storage company. In

gliders, old cars… we are thrilled to have

which are listed – are named after their

here there are upwards of 300 cars of all

been able to bring this survivor back to

original purpose: the Estate Office, for

shapes, ages and sizes, all wearing tailored

life,” said Geoghegan.

61

xy xy xy xy xy xy x

62

insight

FERRARI POWER PLAY

BY MIXING AND MATCHING ITS POWERTRAINS, FERRARI HAS BEEN ABLE TO EXPAND ITS MODEL RANGE TO ENSURE THERE’S SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE WORDS: matthew carter

W

heels and tailpipes aside they are outwardly virtually identical. It’s the same story inside where the Dual Cockpit architecture, the luxurious aniline leather covering the four

deeply contoured wraparound seats and the Prancing Horse motif on the steering wheel let you know exactly where you are.

But the Ferrari GTC4Lusso and the GTC4Lusso T are two very different machines. Aimed at different audiences and offering quite different driving dynamics, the pair demonstrate a new thinking at Ferrari.

With the first V12 Lusso models arriving in UK showrooms now and the first of the V8-powered Lusso T versions due in a few months – not to mention the jaw-dropping 812 Superfast just revealed at the Geneva Motor Show – the entire shape of the Ferrari range is changing.

Not only is the current Ferrari range as diverse as it’s ever been, it’s the youngest it’s ever been, too. The California T, for instance, is now the longest serving member of the seven-model range. It’s barely threeyears-old.

The speed of new model introductions and the >

63

f e rr a r i p ow e rt r a i n s

divergence between V12 and V8 models

Ferrari to be powered by a turbocharged

culminating in the Lusso twins show

V8. The twin-turbo 3.9-litre unit develops

how Ferrari is reacting to an increasingly

610 PS, enough for a top speed a smidgen

competitive marketplace.

under 200 mph, with 0-62 mph taking

Where Ferrari was once the pre-

just 3.5 seconds.

eminent performance brand, today there

The Lusso’s 6.2-litre V12, in contrast,

is opposition – make that convincing

develops 690 PS for a top speed of 208 mph

opposition – from the likes of Aston

and takes 3.4 seconds to sprint to 62 mph

Martin, Lamborghini, Audi, Bentley, AMG-

from rest.

Merc, Porsche, McLaren and others. These

Looked

at

dispassionately,

those

days, you can’t expect to stay on top simply

performance figures aren’t too different…

because of your heritage: you have to work

what’s 0.1 seconds between friends, after

to maintain that position.

all? But the manner in which those

Which leads us to the GTC4Lusso and Lusso T. Ferrari says it’s the first time it has

performance figures are delivered is the key.

produced a car powered by a choice of V8

“They might look the same, but these

and V12 engines and has done so for two

two are very different cars,” says Nicola

distinctly different reasons.

Boari, Ferrari’s head of marketing. “The

The first is pragmatic. In a world where

V12 is a luxury sports cars combining

fuel efficiency and emissions are taking on

Ferrari performance with elegance and

increasing significance, a smaller engine

comfort. It has four-wheel drive and state-

model was not the main driver behind the

makes sense: the Far East and China, in

of-the-art four-wheel steering but the ‘4’ in

Lusso V8 project.

particular, have started to impose heavier

its name – as in the Lusso T – refers to its

taxes on cars with larger displacements.

four seats.

In fact, it’s a situation that’s not entirely new to Ferrari. Back in the mid-1970s,

“It is aimed at a younger clientele, people who will want to use it as their

“It is a car that our customers drive: it is

everyday car, to use it even more than the owner of a V12 will. These are perhaps

the most used GT we have ever built.” car’s

new Ferrari clients who are likely to drive

by a 3.0-litre V8 that developed 255 hp.

performance, obviously, but they also

harder. They will find the Lusso T behaves

But to satisfy demands at home in Italy,

love the versatility of the car and its sheer

differently to the V12: it has more torque, a

where cars above 2.0-litres attracted much

ability: is there a better way to drive to a

harder sound and it loves to rev. It’s a car

higher tax, the company also developed a

ski chalet?

that comes alive on winding roads, while

the company produced the 308, powered

1,990cc version of the V8. Initially normally aspirated, the 208 produced just 155 hp (not

Those

customers

love

the

But, Ferrari believes the V12 won’t appeal to everyone.

the V12 is more for the sybarite.”

It’s not just the power delivery that’s

four times a winner

to mention negative Press comment for

“The Lusso T is a new concept for us. It

different, of course. The V8 engine is

its somewhat pedestrian performance). A

has been designed not just to answer needs

lighter than the V12, while with no extra

turbo version with 220 hp went someway to

in markets where smaller displacement

weight from elements of its sibling’s four-

Ferrari’s turbo V8 took

redress the balance.

models are needed but also to provide a

wheel drive system over the front wheels,

four trophies and the

Poor performance is not an accusation

different driving experience,” says Boari.

the weight distribution shifts to the rear.

overall title in the 2016

that can be levelled at the GTC4Lusso

Although less expensive than the V12 to the

As a result, the Lusso T feels lighter and

International Engine of

T, however, the first four-seater from

tune of about £30k, producing a cheaper

more nimble while the chassis, obviously,

the Year competition

64

insight

responds quite differently to throttle and

of turbocharging technology for Ferrari’s

steering inputs.

V8 units was greater efficiency both

“It’s all about offering a wider choice of performance without destroying the DNA of the brand,” says Boari.

in terms of better fuel economy and lower emissions.

For the 488, also with a pair of twin-

Choice is, indeed, the key factor in the

scroll turbos bolstered by two air-to-air

current Ferrari line-up. The mainstays of

intercoolers, displacement of the unit rises

the range are the 488 GTB and Spyder with

to 3,902cc (giving 488cc per cylinder and

the California T offering a different take on

the car a name) and power rises to 670 PS,

open-air Ferrari motoring.

while the new Lusso T reverts to the 3,855cc

The latter was the first to re-introduce

displacement but has an output of 610 PS.

turbocharging to the Ferrari range – the

Although slightly different, all three

Prancing Horse last used a turbo in the

come from the same F154 engine family,

mighty F40, which was in production from

a unit acclaimed as the 2016 International

1987-1992.

Engine of the Year. It was the first time

The California’s 3,855 cc V8 uses two

in eight years that an engine with more

twin-scroll turbochargers to develop 560

than four cylinders had won the Award’s

PS, a healthy 70 PS more than the previous

top accolade.

naturally aspirated 4.3-litre V8. Not that

In the review of the year’s competition,

more power was the primary reason for

the judges wrote: “Technically another

adopting the turbo alternative (though it

‘downsized’ winner, in that the Ferrari

obviously wasn’t to be sneezed at).

3.9-litre replaces the multiple award-

No, the real reason for the re-emergence

winning 4.5-litre V8 in yesteryear’s >

65

f e rr a r i p ow e rt r a i n s

new customers.”

458, the all-new eight cylinder moves

as well as Porsche’s new straight-six turbo

things forward hugely for performance

in the 911, to take top honours. Bravo

Does that mean a rise in sales will be

powertrain development, proving that if

Ferrari, this is a fitting victory for a

to the detriment of exclusivity? It’s true

done right, a screaming turbo design can

remarkable engine.”

that Ferrari will sell more cars in 2017

For Boari, the GTC4Lusso T is an

than it did in 2016: Ferrari CEO Sergio

exciting addition to the range. “We are in a

Marchionne told journalists at the Geneva

heart-thumping

position where we can use our powertrains

Show that the 8,014 sales achieved last year

performance on both road and track,

to create new models. We will always have

would rise but global sales would still be

with a glorious V8 Maranello rumble, was

V12 engine, as you can see not just with

less than 8,500.

enough to get the 488 engine to the final

the GTC4Lusso but also with the new 812

“Exclusivity is still very much a key

round of the International Engine of the

Superfast, but the V8 T allows us to offer a

element to the Ferrari mystique. We very

Year Awards.

wider choice of performance options.

carefully manage our offer and that usually

not only replace a naturally aspirated unit, it can better it too.

“This

blend

of

“The 812 Superfast has 800 horsepower

“But it was the powertrain’s sophisticated

means customers must wait a little bit for

design – loaded with advanced technologies

of

will

their car. But with a wider range or models

– that saw off a serious challenge from last

appeal to Ferrari clients of many years

we will be able to increase sales without

year’s winners, BMW’s i8 PHEV creation,

standing, but the V8 T will introduce us to

damaging that exclusivity,” says Boari.

pure

driving

emotion

and

What he means is that, when trying to satisfy a global market, even 8,500 cars will be spread quite thinly. In Ferrari’s 70th anniversary year, things have never been stronger.

output exceeded Ferrari sales will increase in 2017 but demand is still like to outstrip supply

66

insight

Introducing the 812 Superfast

S

uperfast by name and super fast by

aspirated 6.5-litre V12 engine which develops

only boosts performance but also lowers

nature, the star of the Geneva Show

a scarcely believable 800 horsepower at

emissions by reducing the number of

is the most powerful production

8,500rpm (800 plus V12 equals 812, hence

particulates emitted while the catalytic

Ferrari ever made. The 812 Superfast

the name). The target from the outset was

converter is warming up. Fuel efficiency is

revives a name first seen in 1964, gracing

to develop the most powerful engine for

also improved, assuming you are worried

the 500 Superfast, the final iteration of the

a series production car in the marque’s

about such things, and there’s a Stop-Start

Superamerica series. They are both V12-

history, a unit which develops an incredible

On the Move system which kills and restarts

powered and both are front engined, rear-

123 PS per litre.

the engine while the car is running.

It is 234cc larger than the V12 of the

The transmission is Ferrari’s latest seven-

But there the similarities must end.

outgoing F12 and its output is better even

speed F1 dual-clutch system with shorter

After all there have been more than five

than the hard-core F12 TdF which ’made do’

ratios and a 30 per cent faster shifting speed

decades of technological advancement in

with a mere 780 PS.

to exploit that performance. Speaking of

wheel drive GT cars.

the meantime.

At the heart of the 812 is its new, naturally

It bristles with new technology including a 350 bar direct injection system which not

which… 2.9 seconds to 62 mph, 211 mph vmax. This is a quick car. >

67

f e rr a r i p ow e rt r a i n s

Using that performance to the full is

to reduce drag.

a mix of sporting prowess and luxury with

distinct

zones

for

driver

and

down to a raft of electronic aids, including

The rear spoiler, 30mm higher than on

for the first time on a Ferrari, electric

the F12, also generates downforce while

passenger. Premium materials are used

power steering. The chassis has four-wheel

there’s a gap at the bottom of the rear screen

throughout

steering and extra aids include Ferrari

ahead of the spoiler which separates the

craftsmanship throughout.

Peak Performance (FPP) which warns when

airflow. This creates longitudinal vortices

So 800 PS and a naturally aspirated V12.

the cornering limit is being reached by

which boost compression on the surface

It can’t get any better than that, can it? The

making the steering feel lighter (a bit like

of the screen, thereby reducing the drag

good news from Marchionne at Geneva was

that sensation when terminal understeer

associated with the downforce generated by

that the V12 will always feature in Ferrari’s

sets in, in a conventional car) and Ferrari

the spoiler.

future just as it has in its past, and it will

with

evidence

of

superb

always be naturally aspirated – turbos are

Power Oversteer (FPO) which, as the name

Designed in house by Ferrari Design,

suggests, will allow an owner to extract the

the Superfast has elements of F12 but

maximum on track.

incorporates new features such as the vent

The 812 Superfast will stay in production

for the V8s. But things do move on.

range envy

Great attention has also been paid to

behind the front wheel which sucks high

in its current form for four years or so,

the car’s aerodynamics which benefit from

pressure air from the wheel-arches which is

but the next step for the ultimate Ferrari

active aero lessons learned on the F12 TdF.

then channelled along the heavily sculpted

Grand Tourer will involve hybrid electric

diverse as it’s ever been

Increased front end downforce is down to

doors. At the rear, four simple circular lights

and petrol power. According to Marchionne

with convertibles, four-

a pair of diffusers ahead of the front wheels

provide a hint of Ferrari tradition.

that’s only two years away. See you at Geneva

seaters mid-engine and

in 2019, then.

front engined GTs

which at higher speeds move out of the way

Inside, the cabin is much as you’d expect:

The Ferrari range is as

Classic Ferrari V12, mounted in the front of the GTC4Lusso. The

The 2016 International Engine of the Year is the 3.9-litre twin

The pinnacle of Ferrari road car development: the 6.5-litre V12 in the

6.2-litre unit develops 690 PS to give the car a top speed of 208 mph

turbo V8 fitted admidships in the 488 where it develops 670 PS

new 812 Superfast develops an exceptional 800 PS, or 123 PS per litre

68

mid engine

WORDS:

Steve Sutcliffe

Images:

cHARLIE mAGEE

stefano domenicali

TRADING PLACES

Stefano Domenicali was once the boss of the Ferrari F1 team. Now he’s in charge at Lamborghini at a time when the company is set to double its sales globally.

Is he the right man for the job?

S

tefano Domenicali has been in charge at

thoughts, he laughs and then apologises,

Lamborghini for almost exactly one year

claiming that his English is not as good

now. And he is quite clearly having a ball.

as it might be. Which is of course

He loves his cars and specifically his

ridiculous. His English is better than that of

Lamborghinis but he adores his motorbikes

70

many Englishmen.

too. He was the race director at the Mugello

Given his rabid enthusiasm for all things

Moto GP circuit for two years before

car (or bike) related, however, is Stefano

assuming his more famed roles at Ferrari,

Domenicali the right person to be leading

culminating with him becoming Team

Lamborghini into a brave new era? One in

Principal of the F1 team in 2008.

which it will, once the Urus SUV appears

He fizzes with energy when he speaks,

later this year, see overall sales and staff

and when he talks he smiles for much of

numbers more than double? Or is he just a

the time, looking you straight in the eye.

car-guy at heart who just so happens to have

He is engaging, charming, eloquent and

been given one of the best jobs in the world?

deadly serious, all at the same time. On the

“In the position that I am now, I know I

rare occasions on which he struggles to find

have to transform,” Domenicali admits. “I

the right words in English to express his

have to transform the car-guy that is in my >

xy xy xy xy xy xy x

Yes. The noise, the music of the engine, the vibration, the emotion, this is unique to our cars. And our future

71

mid engine

now that I’m here I am totally focused on Lamborghini, and I think the brand will become even stronger, and above all outside of Italy

heart into a businessman-guy. And for sure

“I was watching all the races at Imola. I

this is hard work for me because when you

was at school during the week and then

reach this position you need to consider a

at the track at the weekends, and I knew

wider picture. “

all the racing people because I was in the

“You have to see what is the benefit of

paddock of Formula One helping to park

something in terms of cost versus income,

all the trucks. I remember the smell of

in terms of strategy, application and

the race fuel. In fact, I still have that in my

timing. It’s all about the balance and it’s

nose today.”

not easy. But for me this is actually a nice challenge, to get the balance just right.”

I ask him whether his passion for, and career at, Lamborghini’s arch rival in

“Because we are not just talking about a

Modena had any bearing on his desire to

car industry here – Lamborghini is more

take the job at Sant’Agata, having also done

than that – and I think that I always have to

a stint as boss of Audi Italia between 2014-

put in parallel what I’m thinking in terms

2016. Was there ever any doubt in his mind

of enthusiasm and as a businessman.

about going to work for The Enemy?

That’s the key in my view. That way we keep

“To be honest I said to myself ‘I am a

Lamborghini very special, because it has to

very lucky guy here’ because I am an Italian

be,” says Domenicali.

who was able to be the leader of the Ferrari

Born in Imola in 1965 as the son of an eminent

Italian

banker,

F1 team and for that to be part of my history

Domenicali’s

– because I was there for 23 years. And now

passion for racing is still very strong today

I have the chance to become responsible

– at one point during our chat his mobile

for Lamborghini? I am very, very lucky,” he

rings and he apologises and says: “Sorry I

says. “And that was my first reaction.”

think I better take this.” It turned out to be

“And now that I’m here I am totally

Ross Brawn who, three days later, would be

focused on Lamborghini, and I think the

announced as the new boss of Formula

brand will become even stronger, and

One. It’s a passion that started when he was young.

“When I was 14,” he says,

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above all, stronger outside of Italy.”

Is he concerned that while Lamborghini has become bigger and more successful as

i n t e rv i e w

kind of technology is very large, but one of the things that as a strategy we need to do for the future of Lamborghini is to think in two separate ways,” he says.

“One, to be moderate in terms of our approach to the future when it comes to areas like chassis and powertrain development. And two, at the same time to be as flexible as possible because, for sure, the world of electrification will heat up the world of the super-sports car.”

Right now, however, the key word on everyone’s lips at Sant’Agata is Urus, and it goes on sale later this year. By 2019, Domenicali predicts that his company will be selling 3500 new SUVs each year, thereby more than doubling the brand’s overall output, with the UK as the third biggest potential market.

The price of the car will be roughly in line with the Huracan, so £180k + at today’s money. It will be powered by a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8. It will feature four wheel-drive and four wheel-steering, much like the new Aventador S. And to drive it will be ‘a super-sports car inside an SUV,’ according

23 The number of years

to Domenicali. a company over the last 10 years, it has also

noise, the music of the engine, the

Even so, Domenicali remains realistic

become a bit ‘bling’ at the same time?

vibration, the emotion, this is unique to

about the car’s longer term potential,

our cars. And our future.”

despite the fact that the order books are

“No, not today,” he says, meaning it.

So is the atmospheric V12 engine safe

already swelling. “We need to be humble,”

for a while yet? “Our goal is to keep the V12

he says. “We need to start step by step

“Looking at our customers I believe we

alive as long as possible,” he says. “And this

because it’s a new world for us.”

are giving them exactly what they want. The

is one task that we have to be totally clear

average age of a Lamborghini owner today

on in our minds.”

Domenicali spent

“Maybe when the Murcielago was around

at Ferrari before

perhaps, but not now.

moving up the road to Lamborghini

For the first two years, he admits, demand for the Urus might be ‘a little

is 30-35, so they are young people. Bright

Will the V12 outlast the V10? “Absolutely,

bit crazy’. But it’s what happens after this

colours have always been in the DNA of

yes. Our mission is to keep the V12 going

honeymoon period that matters most,

Lamborghini, and the lines of our cars need

for as long as we can because this is what

which is when the businessman-guy and

to be recognised, too, but this is absolutely

our customers want. Of course we know

not the car-guy in Stefano Domenicali will

how the trend of the world is going.”

the world is changing but we’re talking

take over. Because he knows full well that

Which means? “Look, I’m 52 this

about a niche market, a small market, and

once the music stops and the launch fever

year,” he says. “So maybe I’m not like this

that’s why we’ll have the V12 with these

is over, the real hard work sustaining the

personally. But you see lots of people

numbers for many years yet.”

interest in – and sales of – a £200,000 SUV

taking selfies of themselves every second of

Will the V12 stick around long enough

every day – because they want to show other

to get some hybrid assistance in the future?

Something tells me that he’ll breeze it,

people what they are doing, what they are

“For sure, the next step would be with

though, because the word failure doesn’t

driving. And when you are someone who

hybrid power, and for sure hybridisation

wants to buy a Lamborghini, you want to

will

be seen.”

powertrains in the future. The

And heard. “Yes!” he exclaims. “The

be

part

of

Lamborghini’s

investment required for this

truly begins.

appear to exist within the vocabulary of a man like Stefano Domenicali, no matter how good his English might be.

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T H E B E A U T Y I S I N E V E RY D E TA I L

This is The Ritz 150 Piccadilly, London W1J 9BR +44 (0) 20 7493 8181 | enquire@theritzlondon.com | www.theritzlondon.com

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M A G A Z I N E

Le Mans

A Legend Reborn

HOMAGE | PREMIERE | RACING | FEATURE | SAGA | PARTNERS | ELEGANCE | HISTORIC AUTO | princesses P02

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EDITORIAL

I am an unconditional car and motorsport enthusiast. As far back as I can remember, as a child, everything about race-cars and mechanics fascinated me. It therefore comes as no surprise that as a collector of exceptional cars in my spare time, this passion serves as a constant source of inspiration for our watches. For me, it has been crystal clear since the beginning of Richard Mille that each part of a timepiece must fulfil its role with the very same efficiency, concepts and materials as a Formula 1 racing car. There are no standard parts or solutions: every element of a Richard Mille requires extensive, thoughtful development. To accompany us in this endeavour, we have surrounded ourselves with passionate and exceptional personalities who are driven to succeed, such as drivers Felipe Massa, Sébastien Loeb, Romain Grosjean and FIA president Jean Todt, a legend in motor-racing. We have also formed partnerships with racing teams such as McLaren F1, Haas F1 and e.Dams Renault. In parallel, we have invested a great deal of time and resources in racing and historic automobile events, such as Chantilly Arts & Élégance, the Rallye des Princesses and Le Mans Classic. This parallel between cars and watches is at the heart of the brand’s identity, where it is both evident and vital.

—Richard Mille—

MASTHEAD

MANAGING EDITOR TIM MALACHARD

FEATURES

ÉDITIONS CERCLE D’ART EDITOR AYMERIC MANTOUX COORDINATOR OLIVIER BONAMY COPY EDITORS RACHEL ZERNER AND CAROLINE DESRIVAS

EDITORIAL OFFICE

ART ART DIRECTOR PHOTO EDITOR

SYLVAIN VITRAT DIMITRI MILLE

SPECIAL THANKS TO : CHRISTIAN EGLI, DEBBIE GOURDON, MICKAËL LE COR, ALEXANDRE MILLE, GUILLAUME MILLE, GIOVANNA QUINTILLI

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HOMAGE

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TIME SHARED A TOKEN OF FRIENDSHIP Richard Mille presents a collection dedicated to Jean Todt for his 50-year career anniversary

I

n honor of his friend, Richard Mille has dedicated three models to Jean Todt, each bearing the FIA president’s name and favourite colours: the RM 11-03, RM 050 and the RM 056 Jean Todt 50th Anniversary.

on shared passions: watchmaking, extreme technicity and all things automotive. “I love the watches designed

by Richard. I love their lightness, their technicity and their exclusivity,” affirms Todt.

At Chantilly Art & Élégance 2016, the brand celebrated alongside the man responsible for some of the greatest pages in motorsport history with a Jubilee. Jean Todt and Richard Mille have forged a strong friendship based

The RM 11-03 Jean Todt 50th Anniversary is a resolutely sporty watch, wholly inspired by automobiles. Driven by an automatic calibre in grade 5 titanium, the movement is protected by a new blue and white Quartz TPT™ case,

comprising 600 layers of silica that are impregnated with an exclusive Richard Mille blue resin.

Blue Quartz TPT™ also appears on the RM 050 Jean Todt 50th Anniversary, a split-seconds chronograph regulated by a tourbillon that features extreme skeletonisation and sophisticated materials for a movement of only 9.5 grams offering startling performance. This exceptional mechanism also animates the RM 056, housed in a sapphire case requiring no less than 1,000 hours of machining.

The RM 11-03, RM 050 and RM 056 are presented as limited editions of 150, 5 and 3 pieces, respectively.

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PREMIERE

THE RM 50-03 PROVING LESS IS MORE Richard Mille’s partnership with Mclaren finds expression already in this 75-piece limited edition

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reated in collaboration with the famed Formula 1 constructor, the new Richard Mille calibre is a technical masterpiece with off-thecharts mechanical performance. The RM 50-03 Tourbillon Split Seconds Chronograph Ultralight McLaren F1 weighs under 40 grams—including its

strap—the lightest mechanical chronograph ever produced. This landmark design not only incorporates titanium and Carbon TPT™, but also introduces an entirely new material to the world of watchmaking: graphene, in the form of Graph TPT™. The 7-gram movement uses grade 5 titanium and

Carbon TPT™ for the baseplate and bridges, with an extreme skeletonisation of its components. Inspired by the wishbone suspension structure seen in the McLaren-Honda Formula 1 car, a transverse cage in Carbon TPT™ is affixed to the caseband and supports the entire RM 50-03 calibre.

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RACING

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NEW CARS IN TOWN FORMULA-E

T

A new era of motorsport was ushered in three years ago: electric Formula 1. Embodying the spirit of our times with zer0emission cars, the sport has generated incredible enthusiasm from Shanghai to Miami by way of Paris.

he world of motorsport is constantly evolving. Not only are new materials incorporated, but new technologies.

And sometimes, a whole new discipline is born! While the Formula 1 Championship has finally opened the door to hybrid technology, another category is taking a more radical turn: all-electric cars.

Formula E, as it’s officially called, is in its 3rd season, and continues to pick up speed.

BY LIONEL FROISSART

BY LUC MANAGO

2015. Standing in triumph on the cockpit of his single-seater from the Driot-Prost stable, Sébastien Buemi savours his success. Victory in Monaco is always sweet, whatever the formula.

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From the get-go, it was agreed that Formula E’s racetracks would be in metropolitan centres and conform to a specific format. Each event takes place over a single day, so as not to overly disrupt traffic.

Test laps and qualifiers are held in the morning. On Saturday afternoon, there’s a drivers parade and an autograph signing session, then it’s straight to the starting grid. Races consist of two rounds, twenty minutes each. The change of cars made necessary by limited autonomy only adds to the suspense and action. In addition to being an urban phenomenon, Formula-E prides itself on total interactivity via the myriad possibilities of social media.

Before an ePrix, the public votes online to bestow a power charge the winner can use to overtake a competitor during the race.

This “fan boost” transforms spectators and TV viewers into participants.

The mastermind behind these features, who spotted the potential in electric racing was former Spanish politician and businessman Alejandro Agag. In search of

RACING

support for his idea, he turned to Jean Todt, president of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA). With Todt’s seal of approval and the added bonus of an FIA-stamped world championship, Agag and his associates launched the project, and within a few months, over 40 singleseaters were built, comprising an Italian body (Dallara), a small English engine (McLaren), French technology for their complex electronics (Renault Sport technologies) and an imposing British battery (Williams Engineering), assembled in

© LUC MANAGO

Nicolas Prost (left) and Sébastien Buemi (right) are a driving force in making the Formula-E racing World Championship exciting.

France at Spark, a company created by Frédéric Vasseur.

When it came time to pick venues, the Chinese government was among the first to express interest in the new championship, soon joined by the mayors of a dozen major cities worldwide. The first and second iterations were comprised of 10 races, with a finale at Battersea Park in London. The 2017 season, which began in Hong Kong on 9 October 2016, is set to wrap in Montreal, Canada, with a total of 12 races slated.

Richard Mille, whose passion for all things automotive is a defining feature, stands on the front lines of the fledgling discipline as a supporter of e.Dams Renault as well as its drivers, Nicolas Prost and Sébastien Buemi. Owned by Alain Prost and Jean-Paul Driot, the team dominated the first seasons—and is the winner of the 2016 Formula E championship. Ma intaining this position will be a challenge, however, as Formula E is notable for the quality of the champions facing off, and each year manufacturers invest more in improving the vehicles. Great things are on the way.

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FEATURE

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JEAN TODT

The President of the FIA and United Nations Special Envoy for Road Safety took time out of his hectic schedule to sit down and tell us what makes him tick.

BY PIERRE-OLIVIER MARIE PHOTOGRAPHER JÉRÔME BONNET

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f there is one thing strikingly clear in the character of the fiercely determined president of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, it’s that he is all about moving things forward, as fast as possible. While he won’t take action at the expense of carefully calculating the goals, the stakes, or the time needed to realise his sweeping vision for how motorsport can promote safer, more competent driving, he is acutely aware that every minute counts, as behoves a Richard Mille partner.

—Your career has made you one of the best-known Frenchmen in the world. You are the incarnation of French success. Would you say that France is a country that underestimates itself?

France is clearly going through a difficult period, but it doesn’t underestimate itself. The situation is complex, at times tense, and comes just as things are moving more quickly in other countries.

Just ask Richard Mille where its sales are, and you’ll get an idea of which zones represent the biggest engines for growth. China, for example, or Singapore—places where things are happening.

More traditional countries like France are going through a more complicated phase, even though certain companies based there have men and women who apply their talent in extremely difficult sectors. But I’m not one to shoot the piano player. It’s so easy to pick something apart, to criticise without highlighting the positive things that are happening. You have to be rational. Governing a country is a huge task. Huge. And there are no miracles in the real world.

FEATURE

— And doing more is the only way to get tangible results?

I’ve always had the ambition to move things forward and to get results. I found that gratifying, but at some point I decided I needed to do something for others, to pay it forward, so to speak, which led me to contribute to founding the Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Épinière (Brain and Spine Institute), and the Suu Foundation, which is headed by my wife, Michelle Yeoh, also a Richard Mille partner. Likewise, I decided to run for president of the FIA for the opportunity it offered to participate in the development of motorsport, which has been my whole life, and to take an interest in the security of road users around the world. My actions are rooted in both charity and passion. Of course, I have other passions, such as cars, watches, modern art and architecture. Sometimes I lose patience because I’m a perfectionist and have so many commitments, and this perfectionist side can make me intolerant.

— And watches in all this?

I love watches. Especially Richard Mille watches, which I discovered thanks to my son, Nicolas. Richard has become a friend, he’s part of the family. He’s a creative genius who has succeeded in doing something with technology that no one had mastered until now. Take the Nadal: you have a tourbillon weighing 18.83 grams. It’s absolutely incredible! He’s also a marketing superstar. He makes his watches come alive. You have Nadal playing in his watches, Massa driving an F1 with his watch, Yohan Blake running with his watch, Bubba Watson playing golf with his watch. I like this passionate, extremist side

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FEATURE

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JEAN EXPRESS to Richard Mille, who in some ways is even more passionate about cars. His success in watchmaking allows him to indulge his passion for cars.

— Do you collect cars?

To say I collect would be pretentious overstatement on my part. But I’m passionate about motorsports. Over the years my position has afforded me the privilege of being able to buy myself the cars I dreamt about when I was a boy and could only own in miniature …

— Could you name a few of them?

No... They’re my little secret.

02/25 1946 - Born in Pierrefort, in the Cantal department of France — 1966 - Begins his career as a rally co-driver — 1975 1981 - Represents rally drivers at the French Federation of Motor Sport — 1981 - Becomes the Director of Peugeot Talbot Sport (rally: two World Manufacturers’ Championships, two “driver” titles; four Paris-Dakar wins; endurance: 1992 World Championship win, two consecutive wins at Le Mans, wins at Pikes Peak...)

— 1993 - joins Ferrari as Sporting Director (8 World Manufacturers’ Championship titles between 1993 and 2008, six driver titles between 2000 and 2007) — 2009 - Becomes FIA President (re-elected in 2013)

— Can you imagine what cars will be like in 50 years? Will they still have a driver?

That’s a good question, and one that is very difficult to answer. In poorer countries, people often have cars that are 40 years old, which is catastrophic when it comes to safety. But they have no choice, especially since public transportation doesn’t exist. Tackling this, promoting safe, sustainable transport systems for all, is one of the FIA’s guiding missions. In developed countries, it’s difficult to imagine how things will be 30 years from now. I would like to see a lot of electric cars in cities, of course. That’s why as FIA president I wanted to set up an electric car championship with racetracks within cities. As a matter of fact, Richard Mille is a partner of a team that’s done quite well [the e.Dams team]. But do I believe in 100% self-propelled cars? Not any time soon. Cars with augmented features that drive for you in traffic jams, yes, that is going to develop further and become more accessible.

— Is Formula E the future of Formula 1?

No, they have nothing to do with each other. That would be a bit like saying the Swatch is the future of watches. Formula E is an innovative, creative discipline with races that take place in cities. But Formula 1 remains one of the leading lights of motor racing, along with the World Endurance Championship, which includes legendary circuits like Le Mans, the World Rally

Championship or the World Touring Car Championship. We are currently in the process of rebuilding the racing ladder from Karting through the junior single-seater series, Formula 4 and Formula 3, to the pinnacle, Formula 1.

What we want is to popularise motorsport by making it accessible. We want people on every continent to be able to participate in motor racing, and karting in particular. The goal is for eight-year old race drivers to become conscientious, reliable, law-abiding drivers on the road.

— Talk to us about the Brain and Spine Institute.

It all started from a discussion with one of my closest friends, Prof Gérard Saillant, an orthopaedic surgeon at the La PitiéSalpétrière Hospital in Paris and President of the FIA medical commission. I’ve known him for over 30 years. One day, I asked him what he thought about creating an orthopaedic institute, because I saw that he and his teams were often faced with difficult conditions. Seeking to speak in words I would understand, he explained that orthopaedics is the body of the car; basically, we know how it works. What we don’t know is how the electronics work, which is the brain. He introduced me to two of his friends, specialists in neuroscience: Professor Olivier Lyon-Caen and Professor Yves Agid, who told me what we could do. We needed a good financial backer and I found one of my friends, Serge Weinberg. We needed someone who was going to donate money right away, believe in the project and be its ambassador, so I spoke to Michael Schumacher about it. We needed a good lawyer, so I asked Jean-Pierre Martel.

We needed someone to make a film, so I asked Luc Besson.

We needed someone to help us with the marketing, so I asked Maurice Lévy. That is how, by involving people considered to be leaders in their fields, we created the ICM.

— What would you have done without automobiles?

I had decided I would wrap up my career as a co-driver between 30 and 35 years old. I saw that phase as a way to study

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FEATURE

I sometimes lose patience because I’m a perfectionist automobiles, with the goal of running a team. I had set 35 as my limit. I was determined that at 36 I would no longer be a co-driver.

And it just so happens that I got the chance to take the reins at Peugeot. Without this opening, frankly, I don’t know what I would have done. I was fortunate that Peugeot accepted my proposition and hired me. When I arrived at Ferrari in 1993, I was quite anxious. I was told I wouldn’t last two years. I remember Alain Prost saying to me, “You’ve succeeded in a lot of fields, but you won’t make it at Ferrari because the politics are so intense that you’ll be in an ejector seat the whole time.” For several years, before I got the results I’d hoped for, I would go home some nights telling myself “This week it is all going to be over.” That’s where Michael [Schumacher] played a really important role. He raised his voice unequivocally to protect me. He would say: “If Todt goes, I go too.” It turned out I was mentioned in his contract: if I left, he could leave. And that is probably how I was able to make it through difficult periods and decide 16 years later that

my time was up and I needed to move on.

Each photo represents a stage in my career. The first is of Jim Clark [World F1 champion in 1963 and 1965].

He represents my childhood passion. I wanted to follow in his footsteps. The second and third are of rallying. The dented Mercedes is from the most demanding trial I ever went through. A circuit in South America, over 18,000 miles in 30 days, in 1978. I was with a Finnish driver, a hero, a rallying legend named Timo Mäkinen.

We had just flipped over at 110 miles per hour and, despite that, did 1,800 miles in the Amazon, with the car half destroyed. The next photo is with Talbot in 1981, the year the manufacturer was world rally champion. Photos 4 through 6 are of when I was running the Peugeot rally team, with the success of the 205, the rally raids and then the World Sportscar Championship, including Le Mans with the 905 (wins in 1992 and 1993). Then Ferrari in Formula 1, and the FIA.

— Do you feel like you’re being heard in developing countries?

What I want is to be heard.

When we set objectives, they need to be realistic. If I say that in Vietnam or Africa all roads have to meet certain standards, that’s impossible. On the other hand, if I tell you that we need to educate people about wearing a seatbelt or helmet, and to make it possible for children—and humans in general—to cross the street safely, that’s a message that can save a huge amount of money and countless lives. Then there is enforcing the law. We need to make progress on these points in a lot of countries that are way behind, and there are decades of catching up to do. It’s one of the most exhilarating fights you can engage in.

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SAGA

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2007 RM 011 TITANIUM

AN ICON IS REBORN 10

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SAGA

2016 RM 11-03 AUTOMATIC FLYBACK CHRONOGRAPH

The new RM 11-03 represents the first major change to what has been one of the brand’s most revered and popular timepieces for over a decade.

BY THEODORE DIEHL

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SAGA

“T

o make space for the winding system and its variablegeometry rotor, we enlarged the case of the RM 004 and RM 008 significantly in creating this chronograph, an automatic version of its predecessors. These new dimensions prompted me to take the radical architectural concept and 3D mechanical aspect—both characteristic of the brand—to their logical limits.

It was the skeletonised, pared-down structure of the mechanism that enabled us to foreground this aesthetic. The ergonomics have been enhanced with grooved, non-slip pushers. The concave striations of the crown also helped me accentuate the tension in the use of space defined by the watchcase. Each component constitutes an aesthetic expression of its functionality.” So wrote Richard Mille of the RM 011 more than ten years ago. Since then, this complex model, famed for its adoption by renowned sportsmen, such as Formula 1 driver Felipe Massa, has become a flagship of the collection.

In terms of design, of materials used, as well as in its details, its movement and its extraordinary adaptability, this piece embodies everything the brand stands for. The RM 011’s case is typical of Richard Mille: a tonneau shape with a curved bezel, sides and caseback. Its RMAC1 calibre is an automatic chronograph equipped with a variable-geometry rotor. The flyback chronograph function can be

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reset without stopping, and offers a countdown function. It also features an annual calendar with oversize date. The RM 011 crystallises the foundational inspiration of the Richard Mille brand: race cars. Light, thanks to its titanium movement affixed to an extra-stiff case on silent blocks, the watch has aerodynamic pushers incised with non-slip ribbing. The crown resembles a smooth tyre encircling a spoked wheel rim. Lastly, Richard Mille is all about the intrepid technical exploration of materials.

The RM 011 is available in titanium, gold and the brand’s proprietary materials: Carbon TPT™, silicon nitride and Quartz TPT™ Red, which have

lent their properties to a long line of limited-edition timepieces created with the likes of Philippe Starck, Le Mans Classic, the Lotus F1 Team and the driver that inspired the RM 011, Felipe Massa.

But every icon needs to evolve if it is to retain its power. After nine years, the RM 011 has been reinvented, however, it continues to embody the essence of Richard Mille. The name of this new avatar is the RM 11-03. In the automotive world, it’s known as restyling—reworking the lines, details and style of a model in order to improve its technical performance in specific areas without departing from its underlying nature, thus

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SAGA

“CONNOISSEURS AND NEOPHYTES ALIKE WILL APPRECIATE THE NEW RM 11-03, ONE OF OUR SPORTIEST WATCHES TO DATE” keeping it recognisable for aficionados of previous iterations. “I’ve adopted this strategy for timepieces in the collection’s ongoing series,” explains Richard Mille, “always aiming to subtly differentiate between lifestyle and sports models by accentuating the structural features of each timepiece’s ‘genre’.

Every aesthetic modification, be it the smallest recalibration of a line or profile, is always motivated by a tangible improvement in functionality, and this is certainly true of the new RM 11-03 Automatic Flyback Chronograph.” One of the first visual clues to leap out is the sporty redesign of the tonneau-shaped case, with its “stepped” columns situated around the caseband and bezels, initially used in the RM 27-01. This dynamic restyling, which is not unlike Porsche’s adoption of specific cues from their racing car designs in the Porsche 911, immediately pro-

jects the RM 11-03 into the domain of active living. “This watch represents the first major change to one of the brand’s most legendary and popular timepieces since its introduction a decade ago,” adds Richard Mille.

“Every icon needs to evolve if it is to retain its power. The RM 011 is being reinvented, however, it continues to embody the essential nature of the brand.” But the extra material that surrounds the screws of the bezels and caseband is more than a visual alteration. It increases the stiffness of the entire case unit for greater durability.

The new and highly complex crown design, with grooves and minuscule, detailed racing cues machined along its entire circumference, is directly inspired by competition wheel rims and tyres. We have also provided additional racing accents by creating two ALCRYN® rings in yellow, with details complementing those

of the grade 5 titanium crown. In the movement view, a multitude of features have been reassessed, with new skeletonisation clearly visible from both front and back, as well as changes to the markings and colours of the three subdials, an “arrow” outline surrounding the month, situated between 4 and 5 o’clock together with a redesigned date window, new pointed indexes in colours matching the crown. These and other details make the watch’s running information easier to access at a glance.

“We have also invested a lot of time and energy into changing every single detail seen in the back of the movement,” concludes Richard Mille, “with a totally new rotor design and an extreme baseplate and bridge skeletonisation that involved lightening all bridges and movement parts. In doing this, we wanted to reveal even more of the RM 11-03’s technical core in this novel iteration of a timepiece from the collection that makes the hearts of so many of our clients beat faster. One of my favourite ‘bad boys’ has now been toughened up to take on the years to come.”

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PARTNERS

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A MARRIAGE OF TECHNOLOGY AND STYLE DESTINED TO STAND THE TEST OF TIME

T

he McLaren brand has long represented the very pinnacle of Formula 1 racing. In 2016, the team celebrated its 50th anniversary. The carmaker’s reputation for continual technical innovation, painstaking attention to detail and race-winning success perfectly matches the philosophy of Richard Mille: the two brands share a

Richard Mille is engaged in a 10-year partnership with one of the most successful and enduring names in Grand Prix racing: McLaren-Honda Formula 1

BY MICKAËL LE COR

passion for modern technology, cuttingedge design and precision engineering.

“For me, the association with McLaren is totally fitting, because I still vividly remember, back in 1981, when McLaren was the first constructor to introduce an all-carbon fibre monocoque to Formula 1.

That technology was to revolutionise the sport—and still does to this day,” shared Richard Mille. “Years later, I was able to adopt the same technical solution—a carbon

fibre structure—for the baseplates of our watch movements and cases.” The brand had been evaluating Formula 1 on a restricted basis for several years, but the opportunity to connect with McLaren enabled Richard Mille to engage in a deeper, more meaningful way, directing real attention and effort at a major team.

This collaboration with the McLaren F1 team is geared toward developing a unique

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M

thun opul skys But goo doo radi “rea sort gran acco sion gear sma The

PARTNERS

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and exclusive series of exceptional calibres inspired by the tremendous heritage of the McLaren brand. The joint effort has already borne fruit: the RM 50-03 Tourbillon Split-Seconds Chronograph Ultralight McLaren F1, presented in January. This new calibre is a technical masterpiece, offering off-the-charts mechanical performance, and incorporating a new material that is making its premiere in the world of watchmaking: Graph TPT™, which contains the substance known as graphene. This stunning timepiece perfectly combines the two brands’ philosophies.

For the 2017 season, the new car will be known as the MCL32. It has also been given a new color: orange, which is the color Mclaren Formula 1 cars were 30 years ago. With a new name and a new color, the team has entered a new era.

Among other highlights, the 2016 rookie, Stoffel Vandoorne, has joined world champion driver Fernando Alonso as a confirmed driver. For 2017, we anticipate stunning performances from both, each with a Richard Mille timepiece in Carbon TPT™ on his wrist.

Distinctive branding adorned the MP4-31 © LAT Photographic/Andrew Hone – McLaren

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PARTNERS

“At the very pinnacle

“At the veryofpinnacle Formula 1 Formulaof 1 racing racing years” forfor 5050 years now”

Driver Fernando Alonso in his bucket seat © McLaren-Honda 2016

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ELEGANCE

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CRÈME DE LA CRÈME The magnificent Château de Chantilly hosts Arts & Élégance, an annual event that, despite being a relative newcomer, rivals more established shows

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ELEGANCE

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ELEGANCE

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A chic couple seated at the horse show before the Concours d’Élégance.

I

n the three short years since its inauguration in 2014, the pageantry of Arts & Élégance, a lavish auto show set at the Château de Chantilly, has captured the hearts of automobile enthusiasts and lovers of beauty more generally. For one weekend at the end of summer each year, beautiful cars of all shapes and sizes gather on the manicured lawns designed by legendary landscape architect Le Nôtre in a celebration of the French art de vivre.

The first edition of the Concours took place in 2014, after more than two years of preparations on the part of Patrick Peter (Peter Auto) and Richard Mille to bring the project to fruition and persuade the authorities of the Chantilly domain to allow the château’s esplanade, alleys and garden vistas to be filled by incredibly valuable Bugattis, Ferraris, Maseratis, Bentleys, Porsches, Delahayes, and De Dion-Boutons, some over a century old.

Each year, it takes Patrick Peter’s team a tremendous amount of energy, commitment and self-sacrifice to assemble these exceptional automobiles, and the forty or more prestigious jury members. Many other prestigious purveyors of beautiful objects also participate as partners.

While the gracious refinement of the Concours d’Élégance, pairing designer gowns with concept cars, is a central attraction, what makes the show so vibrant are the over 400 cars brought along by manufacturers’ clubs, by guests, and by interested folk popping in at the

The Château is a perfect backdrop for the many splendid motorcars lined up diagonally in front of it

wheel of their vintage or prestige cars.

Arts & Élégance was devised as a truly spectacular event celebrating French luxury.

The 2016 edition, which drew a crowd of 13,500 was particularly special for its Jubilee in honour of Richard Mille’s friend and brand partner Jean Todt, President of the FIA, who celebrated his 50-year career anniversary.

There is also plenty on offer for less car-crazy visitors of all ages. Past years have included a major exhibition of Botticelli and Fra Angelico, a Chopin recital by Russian pianist Irina Lankova, on a Pleyel concept piano by the Peugeot design lab, and a polo exhibition match with the world’s number 1 player, Pablo Mac Donough, a Richard Mille partner.

Arts & Élégance is now the largest automobile Concours d’Élégance in the world, prompting one American journalist to write: “Next to Chantilly, Pebble Beach is a rank picnic.” With this magnificent event, Chantilly is revived as a centre of French art de vivre at its most contemporary. We look forward to the next edition with great anticipation.

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Parade of concept cars during the Concours d’Élégance © Alexis Goure/DPPI

An interactive competition: the public votes on the best-dressed visitor and the best hat

The Richard Mille area for guests invited by the brand.

Model dressed by Alexandre Vauthier with the Zagato Aston Martin Shooting Brake in 2014 © William Dupuy

The Château de Chantilly was rebuilt in the 19th century for Henri of Orléans, Duke of Aumale, to house his paintings, drawings and rare books

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Arts & Élégance 2016: Richard Mille with John Malkovich and Sylvain Mariat (Designer, Airbus Corporate Jets) © Alexis Goure/DPPI

Parade area around the fountain

BRM H16 - Richard Mille 1st place in Formula 1 cars from 1966 through 1972 (Prix Alain Figaret, 2015)

Polo exhibition match at the Chantilly Polo Club, in the presence of Richard Mille partner Pablo Mac Donough

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ELEGANCE

Formula 1 cars from 1966 through 1972 at the Concours d’État, 2015

Winner of the 2015 Concours d’Élégance BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage R Balmain

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HISTORIC AUTO

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LE MANS CLASSIC The 2016 edition of the biannual Le Mans Classic witnessed a return of the legendary Group C, whose spectacular appearance and breathtaking performance made such an impression between 1982 and 1992.

BY PIERRE-OLIVIER MARIE

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HISTORIC AUTO

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HISTORIC AUTO

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Philippe Alliot of the Team Peugeot 905 in 1991 © Agence Dppi

I

n the modern era, the Le Mans 24 Hours race experienced its first golden age in the mid ’60s, culminating in 1967 with the unforgettable Ford-Ferrari duel—won with panache by the Americans. Fifteen years later came another peak, the Group C cars which reigned supreme from 1982 to 1993.

In motor sports, everything boils down to one simple rule: the more engineers have free rein, the more they are able to create machines that deliver stupefying performance. Back in the early 1980s, this liberty gave rise to the Group C category. Although bound by strict constraints in terms of fuel consumption, these cars enjoyed such freedom in other respects that they turned in performances little short of those posted by today’s LMP1 category. And they did it in style, too! With their bubble windscreens, monumental spoilers and— especially the atmospheric engine cars—a blockbuster mechanical soundtrack, these machines defined their era.

“Everyone was pushing the limits,” says Alain Bienvenu, who co-authors an annual publication dedicated to Le Mans.

“But the huge resources deployed by the manufacturers combined with the participation of Formula 1 drivers and the close relationship that

existed with the public back then made the 1980s a true golden age. I remember that in 1982-83, for example, the Porsche motor home was surrounded by nothing but a rope, which you could hop over for a chat with Jacky Ickx, if he was willing to talk to you…” Different times indeed!

Porsche clearly set the standard at the time, with six consecutive victories between 1981 and 1987 (and trebles between

1982 and 1986, with the 936, 956 and 962 C). But their stranglehold was challenged by others, such as Jaguar, Mercedes (with Sauber), Toyota, Nissan and Mazda, who won in 1991 with a 787 B whose rotary engine is considered by many to have produced the most beautiful sound ever to roar across the Hunaudières.

A bout of genuine “Le Mans 24 Hours mania” struck Japan in the late ’80s, with the three carmakers cited above stepping up to the plate. Many of the drivers they employed were Japanese, and the race was broadcast live throughout the archipelago. The Japanese masterstrokes at the time included Nissan’s pole position in 1990 with a R90 CK (whose 3.5l V8 could deliver 1,000 hp once the turbos

"...you could hop over for a chat with Jacky Ickx, if he was willing to talk to you..."

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HISTORIC AUTO

1992 Le Mans 24 Hours winner Peugeot 905, roars around a curve © Getty images

1984 Le Mans 24 Hours winner Porsche 956, driven by Pescarolo/Ludwig © Agence Dppi

1982 Le Mans 24 Hours winner Porsche 956, driven by Ickx/Bell © Agence Dppi

Henri Pescarolo, driver of the Porsche 956 that won the 1984 Le Mans 24 Hours, © Agence Dppi

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HISTORIC AUTO

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And they're off! Starting grid of the 1986 Le Mans 24 Hours © Agence Dppi

The Nissan R90CP at the 1990 Le Mans 24 Hours. Driven by Hasemi/Hoshino/Suzuki © Agence Dppi

The Mazda 787B, winner of the 1991 Le Mans 24 Hours streaks through the twilight © Agence Dppi

Jaguar's XJR driven by Brundle/Nielsen/Hahne at the 1987 Le Mans 24 Hours © Agence Dppi

1988 Le Mans 24 Hours winner Porsche 962 ​C AG, driven by Stuck/Ludwig/Bell/ Photo: Agence Dppi

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Drive were adjusted to the “right” pressure), which had been specially prepared for the race and was wheeled out of the truck during trials, only to be returned directly afterwards. “Everyone knew what they were up to, but that’s just how it was,” comments one specialist, with a smile.

But Le Mans is also (and perhaps especially) the story of Britain’s Jaguar (winners in 1988 and 1990 with the XJR 9LM and XJR 12 powered by V12 6.0 atmospheric engines) and Aston Martin, not to mention the Spice team, who picked up a slew of category victories in the 1980s. “Group C marked the return of the British at Le Mans. There were almost 50,000 of them there! The Concorde chartered by Jaguar landed at the airport just 500 metres from the circuit, and the stand on the home straight was packed almost exclusively with Brits. From 1985 onwards, it was an incredible spectacle. The public adored Jaguar and Le Mans. The manu-

HISTORIC AUTO

facturer might enter up to five cars, and developed complex racing strategies, with a hare setting an extreme pace in an attempt to push competitors to their breaking point. These were, in fact, 24-hour Grand Prix races, with the huge advantage offered by particularly fine weather each year. All the ingredients were in place,” neatly summarises Alain Bienvenu.

Even French manufacturers, like the Courage teams (Cougar, third place in 1987 behind two Porsches) and Rondeau turned out in force. As Bienvenu points out, “Jean Rondeau was a poster boy for the plucky little Frenchman who, on home turf in Le Mans, could fend off the German Armada. Supported by Ford, he fielded small but well-built cars capable of challenging the supremacy of Porsche,” (earning a victory in 1980, followed by second and third places in 1981). Of course, Group C also included Peugeot,

which raced the 905 in 1991 to assess its performance levels. “We’ve come to run in 6 Hours of Le Mans,” announced Jean Todt that year. They went on to win in 1992 though, with drivers Derek Warwick, Yannick Dalmas and Mark Blundell.

“The Peugeots are beautiful and fast winners. And their V10 3.5 litre engines make a magnificent sound that’s easily recognisable. You could say they put the spark back into Group C.” Around 40 of the wondercars described here returned to the Sarthe in early July to raise the curtain on the 2016 edition of Le Mans Classic: qualifiers were held on Friday, July 8th at noon and 8.05 pm (2x45’), while the 45-minute race kicked off on Saturday at 11.45 am. Frenchman Julien Piguet, driving a Spice SE89C from 1989, headed up the final classification, followed by Eric De Doncker of Belgium, also driving a Spice, the SE90C. It was certainly a show to remember!

The record-breaking WM P88 powerhouse at the 1988 Le Mans 24 Hours Photo: Agence Dppi

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PRINCESSES

For the third year in a row, Richard Mille is the main partner for the Rallye des Princesses, a women-only automobile racing event

Drive

The 80 teams will drive 1,600 km, focussing on regularity tests, between 28 May and 1 June 2017

The itinerary for the Rallye des Princesses Richard Mille traverses France’s roadways in 5 stages

The event combines elegance, conviviality and sporting competition. The ladies are motivated by a genuine passion, just like Richard Mille

RALLYE DES PRINCESSES An RM 07-01 Ladies’ Automatic worn by one of the 2016 edition participants

Competitors take on this challenge with passion in prestigious collector cars dating from 1950 to 1991

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xy xy xy xy xy xy x

M A G A Z I N E

M A G A Z I N E Richard Mille Magazine is available to clients around the globe, as well as select readers across a wide range of private events. To find out more about how your business can benefit from advertising in Richard Mille Magazine, please call or email.

RICHARD MILLE BOUTIQUES LONDON 90 MOUNT STREET, MAYFAIR 0207 1234 155 HARRODS 87-135 BROMPTON RD, KNIGHTSBRIDGE 0203 036 6264 www.richardmille.com

02

p R ESC OTT H ILLCLIM B

Social climbing SPEED HILLCLIMBING IS AN INEXPENSIVE WAY INTO MOTOR SPORT. TO GET A TASTER, USe YOUR OWN CAR AND GO ‘BACK TO SCHOOL’ AT PRESCOTT TO LEARN FROM THE EXPERTS WORDS: FRED HARCOURT Images: Nigel eddleston

t

he trouble with wanting to be a

car to its (and your own) limits – in full-

racing driver is that by the time the

on MSA-sanctioned competition. You will

opportunity arises, you’re probably

do it without the danger and expense of

aware that you should have started

joining someone else’s accident; any ‘event’

a decade or three earlier. Unlike Lewis

will be strictly of your own making. And

Hamilton or Michael Schumacher, you

in contrast to track day types who thump

probably didn’t spend every available hour

their cars around for 70 laps to ‘get value’,

with a race-mad parent at the local kart

you will not have to drive home on shot

track from the age of five – as those world

brakes and flat-spotted tyres, either.

champions and many like them did in pursuit of a professional career.

What you need is a local speed hillclimb or sprint track. There are many dozens

YOU WILL DO IT WITHOUT THE DANGER AND EXPENSE OF JOINING SOMEONE ELSE’S ACCIDENT; ANY ‘EVENT’ WILL BE STRICTLY OF YOUR OWN MAKING

SCHOOL DAYS

Instead, you probably elected to spend

around the country, and most hold driving

your time building a career and a business

school days, often in two levels: refreshers

so that by when you had time for cars,

for those who have competed before and

ambitions of turning race driving into a

beginners’ days for those who are new to

job were gone.

the sport. Speaking as someone who has

days left in 2017, but

If this is you, there is no case for getting

done at least a dozen of these over the years,

you’ll need to book soon

depressed. The dream is not over. There is

I can state with confidence that there is

before all the places

a place where you can drive your special

simply no better route to serious driving >

have been taken

Prescott has four school

75

B E H IND T H E W H EEL

Students pay a £30 booking fee then

fun, while learning from experts.

One of the country’s finest hillclimbs

part with the balance (£175, or £155 for BOC

you usually drive for quick departures from its oddly-shaped corners.

and

members) eight weeks before the event.

Then it’s time for a convoy run or two,

professionally run driving school – is at

Everyone competes in the car they bring

everyone following Day and trying to

Prescott Hill, a magnificent venue owned

to the hillclimb; some just to have a happy

remember what they were told. No need to

by the Bugatti Owners’ Club since 1937.

day giving their car a spirited run up the

be concerned, you’re about to be forcibly

Starting as a shorter gravel track, it has

hill, others to see if the sport grabs them

reminded. Back in the paddock you form

operated on the current

enough to take it seriously. Many of today’s

your cars up in number order, and then

champions began this way.

you start to drive the hill, doing four or five

–

with

an

especially

enjoyable

‘long course’,

an all-action ‘technical’ track that snakes upward for half a mile, since 1960.

As chief instructor Steve Day insists,

practice runs on the morning.

You’ll find it near the northern Cotswolds

the emphasis is on having fun while you

What’s this thing that most encourages

village of Gotherington, just north of

build your skills. You sign on at 8.30am

you to do your best? It’s the knowledge that

Cheltenham on the road to Evesham. It is

(don’t forget your driver’s licence) and tuck

your runs will be filmed from three or four

picturesque and secluded, with panoramic

into a bacon sarnie and a cuppa. There’s a

different parts of the circuit – instructors

seating allowing drivers to promise those

10-minute preamble about safety, and how

know where the challenges are – and

who may choose to accompany them

the day will go, and then you’re off to walk

that your efforts will be cut together and

an enjoyable day’s spectating. This year,

the hill. That’s vital if you’re going to do

screened at lunch for everyone’s benefit

Prescott will run four beginners’ dates – 10

well. There are usually about 30 of you, in

(and probable amusement).

May, 5 July, 16 August and 20 September

clumps of 10, each clump walking with an

During the morning somebody who

– and as in every other year these will be

instructor who talks cornering lines and

really knows Prescott – Day himself, if

course and discover the

very well attended. As I write, the May and

driving hints. ‘Apex late’ is an instruction

you’re lucky – will drive the hill with you

correct lines is to get out

August dates are fully booked.

you’ll hear a lot at Prescott: on this track

as a passenger. You won’t be very impressed

of the car and walk

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WALKing THE WALK The best way to learn the

P R ESC OTT H ILLCLIM B

YOU ‘RUN WHAT YOU BRUNG’ AT THE HILLCLIMB SCHOOL. IT REALLY DOESN’T MATTER WHETHER IT’S A CLASSIC, A MODERN SUPERCAR OR EVEN A HUMBLE HATCHBACK

1127

in the afternoon, and one of the certainties of Prescott is that you’ll improve. The

The length of the

techniques will come to you: you’ll

‘long’ course in yards.

suddenly see how crucial it is to ‘carry

Introduced in 1960, it

speed’ in corners, and to ‘apex late’ so you

is used for most events

can leave them quickly.

today, but the original

Going fast is not so much about courage,

880 yard course is still

you’ll see, but about driving smoothly,

used by the VSCC

and using the lines you’ve been taught.

By the time you gather with the others in Prescott’s commodious clubhouse at around 4.30pm for a debrief and awards ceremony (everyone gets a certificate at the end, assessing their performance) you’ll know for sure you’ve improved.

More important, you’ll know you could improve further.

That’s when it starts. Soon you’re

by his choice of car, probably an old-shape

braking before, and cornering truly on the

shopping for a helmet, a driving suit

Fiesta Zetec. You’ll probably have done two

limit. In two minutes, you’ll have learned

and sending off for your MSA ‘speed’

or three runs of your own by now but you’ll

an enormous amount.

licence. You’re talking cars and dates and

be amazed how quick a properly driven

At lunch you’ll be ravenous — but it’s

techniques and tyre pressures. Maybe

car, even as unpromising as this one, can

odds-on you won’t be pleased when they

you’ll line up a ‘refresher’. The bug will

go. There are huge amounts of time to be

screen your early wrong lines and missed

have bitten. Perhaps you won’t even

saved by staying on the power until what

apexes, with accompanying commentary

mind not having been born Lewis

seems too late, then diving deeply into

that’s helpful but unflattering. But then,

Hamilton, because in a funny way, this is

corners before braking as you’ve never seen

after lunch you’ll get four or five more runs

just as good.

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ALT1-C CLASSIC

TH E BR EMONT ALT 1- C WILL L AST YOU A LIFETIME. POSSIBLY LONGER .

The Bremont ALT1-C is a mechanical aviation chronometer that’s 99.998% accurate. It’s painstakingly built by hand at our workshops in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England. But if the inside of the ALT1-C is delicate, the outside is anything but. The case is made from steel that’s seven times harder than you’ll find in ordinary watches. (We bombard it with electrons to toughen it up.) The crystal is sapphire and scratch-resistant. (We know, we’ve tried.) And the whole thing is water resistant to 100 metres. We hope you enjoy the ALT1-C. After all, you’ll be together a long time.

s hotg u n s

GIVING IT BOTH BARRELS The basic function of a shotgun may remain pretty crude, but the painstaking hand-craftsmanship and esteemed pedigree is akin to a Swiss watch, says Alex Doak

A

sk

anyone

who

regularly

heads

northwards come August’s “Glorious” 12th, and they’ll say the same thing: it is the dream of every keen shot to have

their very own made-to-measure shotgun or rifle. Like a finely tailored tweed hunting jacket, a bespoke gun’s fit will feel nothing short of perfect, and will almost guarantee a fuller bag by the end of the day.

But do tailors – even Savile Row tailors – regularly work to tolerances of 1/16th of an inch? Certainly not with all that chalk and huge pairs of scissors. No, a bespoke shotgun is crafted with centuries-old techniques, each taking years to master, many totally unique to their own atelier.

A situation not a million miles from Switzerland’s fine watchmaking maisons (more like 500 miles in fact).

Somewhere like Purdey’s west London factory, tucked away down a Hammersmith >

Step forward the noble Turkish walnut. Every decent shotgun’s stock is handcrafted from a single block costing over $1,000 each

79

a rt & c r a f t

the next 100 working hours are spent painstakingly and expertly carving an intricate grid of over 900 grooves at every touchpoint

mews, will boast about 30 craftsmen

longer barrels are preferred for shooting

two barrels are then married together using

and a handful of apprentices. Working

higher flying birds in the West Country,

tin as the “glue”. Tin can run extremely hot,

conditions vary between a particularly

as the longer barrels give the gun more

warping the barrels, so the barrelmaker

tidy greasemonkey’s workshop and a fine

momentum.

will judiciously crumble pine resin into the

jeweller’s sterile workbench, but everyone

preferred for shooting grouse in Scotland.

here is a master of their craft, with at least

As for side-by-side barrels versus over-

five years’ apprenticeship under their belt

and-under? That’s a debate that’ll rage on,

comparisons become even more visceral

(William & Son’s resident gunsmith, Paul

with stuffy traditionalists balking at “Essex

with the ‘action’ of the gun – the complex,

West has worked in the trade for 45 years!).

drainpipes” and the like – but all it takes

levered mechanism mounted on the wooden

After a “fitting” with an expert (in

is a quick check of what type modern-day

stock, which connects the trigger to the

Purdey and Holland & Holland’s respective

Olympic clay shooters use (it’s universally

firing pins. Surprisingly intricate for such

cases, at their own shooting grounds, in

over-and-under if you’re wondering…).

a simple function, its 90-odd parts centre

Shorter

barrels

may

be

mix, lowering the melting point.

Meanwhile,

the

watchmaking

£100,000

London’s western green belt), the length

The barrels themselves are milled-out

around two flat metal plates, or ‘blades’.

of your stock is of course important, but

by CNC lathes (much like the screws in a

This two-pronged device pivots about a bob

carved and milled, your

so too is the barrel length. It’s dictated

Swiss automatic movement) then polished

weight, which adds sudden momentum to

purchase will, at the very

by your height and build, and the style

and perfected to perfect straightness and

the pins as you pull the trigger.

least, set you back a six

in which you shoot. Generally speaking,

smoothness by expert metallurgists. The

80

The action is built to last countless

When all is etched,

figure sum

s hotg u n s

activations, which requires every part to fit

Every decent shotgun’s stock is handcrafted

probably over a year on from the customer’s

perfectly without undue friction. This sort

from a single block costing over $1,000

original fitting) but it’s still in bits. With

of precision comes down to a tolerance

each. Once hand-carved to the customer’s

assembly, the true mastery of every craft

of 2 microns – just a fraction of a human

precise

move

faces its ultimate test, as everything must

hair’s width – and these days demands the

meaning curtains, of course, as you can’t

“click” perfectly. Most important, of course,

services of an electric discharge machine.

simply weld an extra bit of wood back

is where the chamber at the end of the

The rough metal component sits in a

on), the walnut is preserved with varnish.

barrels hinges and closes onto the action.

dielectric liquid, whose super-efficient

Varnish dries to a slippery texture of

Without an absolutely tight seal, explosive

electric conductivity means an electro

course, so how to reintroduce an element

gases will escape suddenly and randomly,

erosion wire cuts through the metal like

of grip?

causing untold damage to the action and,

butter, at temperatures of 1,200ºC.

ergonomics

(one

false

This is where the stocker’s craft truly

more to the point, your face.

and

comes to life, as the next 100 working

To make sure it really is a tight seal,

hardworking metal, the wooden stock

hours are spent painstakingly and expertly

somewhat archaically an oil lamp is used to

upon which everything is mounted is

carving an intricate grid of over 900

deposit a thin layer of soot onto the figure-

critical – it must be hard but comfortable

grooves at every touchpoint. Rather like a

of-eight barrel ends. If it all rubs off to a

to the touch; it can’t expand or contract

“guilloche” engraving on a watch dial or

shine when the barrels are closed, it’s bang-

easily, or split for that matter; but it also

Fabergé egg.

on (pun intended).

Given

all

this

precision

has to look the part.

Step forward the noble Turkish walnut.

So far, the gun has undergone about 500

But we’re not even close to loading

man-hours of specialist labour (and we’re

up the Bentayga and dispatching the >

81

a rt & c r a f t

detailing

ENGRAVED CONCERNS

When it comes to adding that final, very personal embellishment to their shotgun, bespoke clients can be quite particular about the individual engraver they want Purdey, Holland & Holland, William & Son or whomever their gunmaker to use, so these esteemed houses will often share the same artisans as

For 400 years, this historic guild has tested every gun built in Britain, and currently fields about 20,000 guns a year

well as have their own in-house engravers.

But either way, every engraver has their own particular style, and like all artists create their own techniques for the job. It follows that

ghillies. Before a gun can be sent for final finishing, it needs the official stamp

in-house style (see panel).

Then,

with

weeks,

each tool in his palette is unique. Engraving

occasionally

steel is no simple matter; being hard, it is

of approval – so it heads east to the

months, of engraving finally complete,

infinitely more time-consuming than working

Worshipful Company of Gunmakers, in

the metal must be hardened and sent

with softer metals such as silver or gold.

the heart of the Kray twins’ own shooting

to the finishing shop. Here, the client

Light and dark are the media an engraver

grounds, Whitechapel. For 400 years,

can specify the weights of the trigger

manipulates to create his masterpiece;

this historic guild has tested every gun

pulls, whether they prefer auto or non-

V-shapes, peaks, troughs, dimples and

built in Britain, and currently fields

auto safety. The sprung cartridge ejector

parallel lines all reflect light by different

about 20,000 guns a year. The resident

mechanisms, forend ejector and chokes

amounts at different angles. Every

proofmaster loads the gun’s barrels with

are all regulated and the barrels are

carefully placed groove comes together

special cartridges packed with a charge

blacked. Finally, the action, along with all

to create an overall effect that causes the

that’s 25% stronger than usual. If the

internal components are polished, before

image to leap out of the contours with almost

mechanism or barrel can’t cope with the

final reassembly and oiling of the stock to

photographic sharpness.

stress, it’ll be failed, after all that work.

a mirror shine.

Assuming all is OK, however, it’s

It’s certainly easy to see where your

time for this already-impressive piece

£100,000-plus investment has gone. But

of craftsmanship to be turned into a

sadly no amount of money can improve

unique work of art, by engraving the

1675

Average gun engraving takes between 150 and 250 hours, but special commissions can run to more than 1,000 hours, and can

The year the Worshipful

more than double the price of a gun. From

your innate ability to hit a moving

Company of Gunmakers

the Karma Sutra to 1920s motor cars, family

metal flanks with all manner of scrolling,

target. But at the very least, you’ll have

first located to their

pets and family members – all have been

rose patterns, dioramas even – all to the

something hanging over your fireplace

residence at Proof House,

reproduced to incredible effect, with no

customer’s preference and the maker’s

that’s tantamount to fine art.

Commercial Road

questions asked…

82

Drive

Drive 14 Parmigiani Ad P63.indd 63

13/06/2016 19:34

besPOKE

LOST IN MUSIC

What do you get when you let a rock god loose inside a Rolls-Royce design department?

WORDS: matthew carter

I wish I was a millionaire, I’d play rock music and grow long hair, Tell you boys, I’d buy a new Rolls-Royce Shawn Colvin: Satin Sheets I drive a Rolls-Royce ‘Cos it’s good for my voice Marc Bolan: Children of the Revolution

M

usic and cars have gone together, hand

in

Musicians

hand, sell

for

decades.

records,

make

money and buy a fancy car. Quite

often a Rolls-Royce (maybe because it really is good for their voice).

Marc Bolan, ironically, never learned to drive and is usually linked to the purple Mini 1275GT in which he died. But he also owned a Rolls-Royce, and is just one of many musicians to enjoy driving (or being driven) behind the Spirit of Ecstasy.

At the height of Beatlemania John

Lennon had not one but two Phantom Vs. There was a black one that he had painted to resemble a gypsy caravan on acid and a black-over-green one that he wanted in white. That’s white outside and inside… white seats, white carpets, white steering wheel.

Rod Stewart might be known for his love

1969

And if you are a rapper, a modern Rolls-

With a budget of

exactly £2,000,

Royce is virtually de rigueur – Ice-T, Jay-Z,

Wakeman went to see a private car dealer

The year in which The

50 Cent, Ludacris, Ne-Yo and T.I. are all

and discovered a treasure trove of old

Who’s iconic ‘Tommy’

owners. And, no, I haven’t made up any of

Rolls-Royces. The dealer opened the door

album was released, to

those names.

of a Cloud 1 and ushered Wakeman inside,

And then there’s Rick Wakeman. In his

but alas the car wouldn’t start, had a dodgy

for the charms of a Rolls-Royce, as has AC/

memoir, Further Adventures of a Grumpy

exhaust and small rust bubbles covered the

DC front man Brian Johnson. Keith Moon

Old Rock Star, he recalled reading a copy

rear bodywork.

even managed to park one in an empty

of Exchange & Mart in the early 1970s –

But the dealer was intrigued by the

swimming pool: it is said he forgot to put

“Petrol-head pornography” – when he saw

scruffy-looking prog-rock keyboard player.

the handbrake on after leaving the car on a

a small advert which offered ‘Rolls-Royces

“What do you do for a living?” he asked.

slight slope.

from £2,000.’

of Lamborghinis, but he, too, has fallen

critical acclaim

“I’m a rock ’n’ roll musician.”

Younger stars, too, like to be seen in

“Now my Dad had always said to me,

“Oh right”, said the dealer. “Any of the

Royces. Gwen Stefani and Justin Bieber

‘Son, the car to aspire to is a Rolls-Royce.

other guys in your band got a Rolls-Royce?”

both own them as did Lady Gaga. She had a

Best car in the world.’ So, with my Dad’s

“No, but when everyone sees this I think

bright red Corniche which she gave away to

words ringing in my ears, I dialled the

that might change. I reckon it could start a

charity a couple of years ago.

number in the advertisement.”

bit of a trend.”

84

R O LLS - R OYCE

“Really. Would you point them in my “Yeah, sure,” came the answer. And the dealer

immediately

Both of Daltrey’s Wraiths highlight iconic features from The Who’s back

direction if they like yours?” steered Wakeman

catalogue. The first incorporates the band’s

‘bullseye’ logo

as

well

as

a

into a much better Royce which suddenly

depiction of Daltrey’s microphone swing

dropped in price to £2,000 if Wakeman did

which has been laser-etched into the car’s

indeed put business the dealer’s way.

door-flights.

Wakeman

The second will appeal to fans of The

was himself selling cars to fellow rock

Who’s rock opera, Tommy. For this, Daltrey

musicians, including one Roger Daltrey.

turned to artist Mike McInnerney who

Today, The Who’s front man doesn’t just

created the artwork for the original album

drive cars, he designs them too.

– a blue and white web of clouds with

And

within

two

years

Daltrey is one of the biggest names in rock music to become involved in a

hands reaching out of the darkness to find the light.

project established by Rolls-Royce. Called

McInnerney worked closely with experts

Inspired by Music, the programme will see

in the Rolls-Royce’s surface finish centre to

concerned, the link between Rolls-Royce

nine Wraith cars created featuring design

create a facsimile of the sleeve design. The

and the music industry is as strong as it has

touches by icons of the British music

album cover artwork has been transferred

ever been. “It says much about our marque’s

scene. Each car will be a one-of-a-kind

to the bonnet of the Wraith while the

enduring allure that so many of music’s

one singles produced

collectors’ piece.

birds that also form an integral part of the

greatest icons have held Rolls-Royce as the

by George Martin, all

In fact, Daltrey was so inspired by the

artwork have migrated to the flanks of the

ultimate symbol of their success.

of whose covers will

project that he elected to commission not

car, handpainted beneath a blue coachline.

“We are delighted to collaborate with

one but two of the cars, one of which will

The Who is not the only British band

some of Britain’s most celebrated rock and

be sold by H.R. Owen’s Rolls-Royce Motor

nor Daltrey the only musician involved

vocal musicians on a project that promises

Cars London. A proportion of the sale will

in the project. Those signed up include

to add to this legacy, by creating truly

be donated to The Teenage Cancer Trust,

rock royalty from the 1960s onwards with

collectable masterpieces whilst supporting

a charity inextricably linked to Daltrey –

Ronnie Wood from the Stones, joining Ray

worthy charities.

indeed, a chunk of money from the sale

Davies from the Kinks, Shirley Bassey and

“Our patrons work in concert with our

of each of the nine cars will be given to

Status Quo’s Francis Rossi in the stellar

Bespoke designers and craftspeople to

various charities.

line up.

express deeply-held personal passions.

These

unique

motor

cars

There’s also a tribute to producer

Goodwood with the Rolls-Royce Bespoke

George Martin planned, curated by his son

express the intimate relationship between

team. But his cars have not been created

Giles. The Martin car will feature images

artist, patron and artisan that defines

by merely ticking option boxes but instead

depicting all his number one hits… a big

Rolls-Royce as the most celebrated luxury

have several unique elements which help

canvas is needed for that.

house in the world.”

As far as CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös is

The total of number

be featured on ‘The Martin’ car

perfectly

To design his cars, Daltrey spent time at

turn them into genuine one-offs.

thirty

Daltrey, meanwhile, said: “I am >

85

besPOKE

enormously excited at the prospect of

will have helped create the ultimate bond

raising vital funds and awareness of the

between our marque and their remarkable

Teenage Cancer Trust in collaboration with

musical legacies.”

Another feature of the Wraith Inspired

Rolls-Royce, a true British icon.

“The themes so perfectly expressed by

by Music collection is, fittingly, its sound

the Rolls-Royce designers in both cars are

system.

as relevant today as they were when we

the Wraith range and standard in the

first performed them. I worked hard with

Music cars is a Bespoke Audio system

the designers to capture the spirit of our

which, claims Rolls-Royce, is the most

songs and what their lyrics mean to fans of

exhaustively designed sound system in

all generations. I’m certain both cars will

automotive history.

serve as the ultimate collectors’ pieces for

Optionally

available

across

The result of a two-year development process, the Bespoke team worked closely

any Who aficionado.”

All the artists involved in the project

with the Rolls-Royce interior designers to

have worked closely with Rolls-Royce

ensure the system was perfectly tuned to

Bespoke

the interior of the cabin.

Designer

Matthew

Danton

under the leadership of Design Director

Sound and dynamic range is delivered via a 1300W, 18-channel system with two

Giles Taylor.

nine Rolls-Royce will produce

powerful bass speakers, seven tweeters

nine of the specially

fascinating synergy between Rolls-Royce

and

commissioned vehicles,

and those artists who create music that

‘exciter’ speakers, hand-fitted in the car’s

with portions of all

not only defines their genre but, equally,

headlining, bring the sound to the listener

proceeds going to charity

transcends time and age.

at ear level ensuring the output perfectly

Said Taylor: “There has always been this

“The Wraith ‘Inspired by British Music’ cars express unique design collaborations with rock icons such as Roger Daltrey and

seven

mid-range

speakers.

Two

imitates the way music is experienced in a live setting.

Microphones

constantly

monitor

celebrate music’s love affair with some of

ambient and exterior noises and will adjust

our finest cars.

volume and tone settings automatically to

“In joining our Bespoke design team and

envisioning

authentic,

perfectly

executed tributes to their art, these stars

ensure no unwanted sounds interfere with the listener’s pleasure.

It is the ultimate sound investment.

86

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HROWEN_insurance_advertv2.indd 1

12/09/2016 16:06:11

at yo u r s e rv i c e

MEET OUR OWN DRIVETRIBE Have they got the best job in the world? The professional drivers and chauffeurs responsible for moving H.R. Owen’s new and used stock around certainly think so WORDS: matthew carter images: rob cadman

Lamborghini When Paul Simon was first offered the

looked back.

internet in an instant.”

job of driver at the South Kensington

“My first job was moving a Murcielago

Lamborghinis are made for driving but,

Lamborghini operation, he was in two

from the workshop to a store in Fulham

remarkably, not every owner does. “I look

minds whether to take it. “Up until then,

and that was daunting. Not because of the

after one customer car, by taking if for

I’d worked as a driver for a BMW dealership

power of the car, but because of all the

servicing and moving it about for him: I’ve

and, well, I was worried about the huge

attention it causes. Everyone has smart

done more miles in that car than he has.

jump in responsibility that moving to

phones these days and they all stop to take

Even he calls it ‘my’ car,” says Simon.

Lamborghini would mean.

a picture as you are out driving.

Surprisingly, perhaps, his own car is

“From driving everyday cars to highly

“For that reason, I make sure I sure I

something far more mundane. “I drive a

valuable Lamborghinis worried me at

never do anything silly when moving a car,

Smart. It’s all I need. After all, if I want a

first… but in the end, I took the plunge.”

whether it’s one of ours or a customer’s car.

bit of fun behind the wheel I just come

That was in 2005 and Paul, 46, hasn’t

Make one wrong move and it’s all over the

to work.”

88

drivetribe

Maserati Hubert Greenaway is a familiar face at H.R.

his time at H.R. Owen with affection. “I have

doing a job when I was offered the chance of

Owen’s Maserati operation. Officially he’s

had some great times with this company and

a flight in a two-seat Spitfire. We went out

been with the company since 2000 but

they have looked after me very well,” he says.

over the sea at Chichester and I was given

These days he is responsible for moving

the controls. On the way back to Goodwood

stock and new cars about the operation

we even did some rolls: it was a oncee in a-

These days he drives across all the

as well as looking after the needs of VIP

lifetime memory.”

company’s brands, though tends to do most

customers, including chef Gordon Ramsey

Away from the day job, Hubie drives a

of his miles with Maserati. Universally known

and actor Hugh Grant. “I did enjoy driving

BMW 530D Touring – a car that came into

as Hubie, he started as a chauffeur for the Jack

Mr Ramsey’s LaFerrari,” he says with a

the company as a part exchange that Hubie

Barclay directors, with plenty of time spent

twinkle in his eye.

was able to buy. But given the chance he

effectively it’s much longer than that as he joined Jack Barclay in 1981.

driving to Cheltenham or Royal Ascot. Now

Hubie’s most treasured memory, though,

nearing his 64th birthday, he looks back on

has little to do with cars. “I was at Goodwood

would love a Quattroporte. “Perfect for the family man, that car!”

Rolls-Royce around

good driver. “We had to learn how to clean

Berkeley Square. He joined Jack Barclay in

the cars really properly. And by that, I

1988 when the company sold both Rolls-

mean we had to clean the exhaust and if

Royce and Bentley motor cars. When the

they found any dust under the bonnet, well

two brands split, one going the way of VW

you wouldn’t pass.”

John Wyatt knows his way

and the other to BMW, John also had to

He learned where to look – or rather,

make a choice. “Actually, I didn’t find it too

where not too look – when a lady in a short

difficult,” he says, as he sits in the plush

skirt gets into the back seat and was even

surrounding of the Rolls-Royce Motor

taught how to close a car door properly.

Cars London.

The job has brought him in close

John, 59, started as a valet with Jack

contact with VIPs and royalty. When he

Barclay but quickly decided he would prefer

talks about ‘the boys’, he’s referring to

to drive the cars rather than just clean them.

Princes William and Harry and recently

“I persuaded my bosses to send me on the

spent a week chauffeuring the King and

Rolls-Royce and Bentley chauffeur course

Queen of Malaysia around London. “We

and, thankfully I passed that.”

had outriders for that – watching how

As John discovered, there’s much more to being a chauffeur than merely being a

they operate from within the team was very impressive.”

89

at yo u r s e rv i c e

Ferrari Charlie Young has had more than one career in his working life. A former professional footballer with Aston Villa and Gillingham, he joined the Metropolitan Police when he was forced out of the sport by injury.

But for the past almost nine years, he has been one of the team of three drivers based at H.R. Owen Ferrari in Old Brompton Road. “I’ve moved around a lot in my career.

I was in the Met for 25 years and did several different jobs there. I usually get itchy feet, but this job at Ferrari will be the last job I do… and the longest.”

He landed the job by luck, he says. “I did some driving in the police and have always

bentley

having done time at BMW Holland Park, then

enjoyed it, so when I left the Met I decided

owned by H.R. Owen. Today he supervises

to apply to as many dealerships as possible

a team of drivers responsible for managing

to see if there was a driving job going. My

Sam Mensah has a little trick that’s

new and used stock at the showroom and the

application landed on Ferrari’s desk at the

guaranteed to command respect from

nearby NCP car park where the company has

right time.”

his team. It’s the motoring equivalent of a

taken over a complete floor.

camel passing through the eye of a needle:

There’s no set pattern to the job, which

As well as looking after logistics, Sam acts

encompasses anything from a mundane trip

squeezing a Bentayga through the narrow

as a chauffeur for the firm, citing the Flying

from showroom to service centre (if driving

glass doors of the Jack Barclay showroom on

Spur as his favourite Bentley. He regularly

a Ferrari can ever be classed as mundane)

Berkeley Square.

gets involved in company events which means

to becoming involved in a magazine photo

he can find himself heading a long way

shoot. “One of the first jobs I had to do was

even a Mulsanne through, but you need a

from home at the end of the day. “One event

to take a California down to the wonderful art

little more care with Bentayga. I need to fold

finished quite late so there was no other way

deco De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill, which

the doors mirrors as flat as possible and get

for Rio Ferdinand to get home other than by

was used as a backdrop. Great drive and a

two people to hold open the doors as far as

me driving him. He lives in Manchester.”

fascinating day.”

“It’s quite easy to get a Continental GT or

they can go. But it can be done and if anyone says it can’t I show them.”

Sam, 58, joined Jack Barclay in 2009

Lots of football chat on the way up?

Ironically Charlie doesn’t own a car at the

“No, he soon fell asleep in the back. It’s so

moment – “We sold our Abarth 500 a few

comfortable back there, you know.”

weeks ago as we simply weren’t using it” – but if the chance came up, I would jump at a

Aston Martin Unlike his largely London-based colleagues, Steve Ivins spends most

a Speciale version, well that would be very

about new products. It’s only right that

special indeed.”

when a customer asks a question, I should know the answer.”

Steve, 51, has been with Aston Martin

of his time driving customer cars. He

Cheltenham for about three years,

works out of Aston Martin Cheltenham,

but first started as an Aston driver

which has a service department and

nine years ago at another dealership.

valeting bay on site so there’s less need

Over the years, he has driven many

to move showroom stock around.

thousands of miles behind the wheel of

He’s not complaining. “Our customers come from all over. We have

all manner of Astons.

“I’ve driven all the current range as

clients in London and Manchester,

well as the GT12 and various Zagato

Plymouth, Essex, Southampton… even

models,” he said. But there’s one Aston

Land’s End. When a car needs a service,

he needs to drive to complete the set.

we pick it up from wherever it’s based

“We sold a couple of One-77s from here

and then drive it back again afterwards.”

so they are about, but they just haven’t

As a customer-facing member of the

90

488. “That’s a lovely car. And if they ever do spend a few hours every so often learning

made it back to the dealership yet.”

team, Steve makes certain he knows all

If you’re an owner, why not do the

there is to know about Aston Martin. “I

decent thing and book it in for service?

love these cars and it’s no hardship to

Steve would be delighted to see you.

rear view

“It was never about the glory for him; the purity of the challenge was everything�

David tremayne on richard noble

Chapter 03

REAR VIEW 91

xy xy xy xy xy xy x

Bentley Arnage T Bentley’s Arnage T marked the brand’s resurgence under VW’s ownership and now, 15 years on, it still exudes class like few others can Words by chris hall

T

he origin story of the Arnage is a

Red Label, the Arnage R and introduced

changeful one. Vickers, owner of

the sportier Arnage T. The Vickers V8 was

both Bentley and Rolls-Royce in the

overhauled with more than 50 per cent new

‘90s, was working on a successor to

the Brooklands, and had decided it would

No.1

configuration, giving better shove across the rev range, and VW fitted a stiffer chassis

On its release the

and a smarter ESP system. A few years later

parts and, in the T, created 493bhp and

Arnage T was the

it chucked out that old gearbox for a new

645lb/ft of torque.

fastest four door

six-speed ZF, bringing 0-60 times down to

saloon in the world and

5.2 seconds. As much as any other car, the

equip its new saloon with outsourced

The Arnage T was also the first Bentley

engines for the first time, eventually

designed entirely on a computer; not

covered the quarter

Arnage T opened our minds to the idea that

plumping for BMW-made V8s for the

that it picked up too much of a dot-com

mile in just

this was in some way normal for a 2.5 tonne

Arnage. Development played out against

image. VW was at pains to maintain the

14.1 seconds

barge. As such, it was everything a Bentley

the backdrop of the tussle between BMW

St-James-Club-on-wheels levels of gravitas

and VW for control of the marque, however,

and luxury, and while some reviewers

and when the dust had settled, VW had the

pointed out that it didn’t have to retain

reins and was less than keen on a BMW

quite so many old English eccentricities

engine powering its new flagship.

into the bargain (like the upright seating

Buyers were spooked by the idea, and

position, or entirely unreliable navigation),

the old Vickers 6.8L V8 (in production in

it was generally agreed that it was a Proper

some form or other since 1959!) was hastily

Bentley, a car that bestowed a lordly

pressed back into service once more, with

arrival on any owner. No wonder Michael

some work in VW’s lab to meet incoming

Gambon’s refined mobster drove one in

emissions regulations “ahem”. The Red

2004’s Layer Cake.

Label model, as it was known, pleased

Indeed, there was a hitherto unseen

the faithful more than the BMW-powered

level of aggression from the Arnage T

Green Label, of which only seven were

(remember this pre-dates the Continental

made, but the engine was showing its age,

GT, and the idea of hooning about in

as well as being restricted by a creaking

something that shared a lot of its DNA with

four-speed automatic gearbox.

the Queen’s state limo was almost unheard

It wasn’t long before VW shook things

of ). The big single turbocharger of the old

up again, and in 2002 it relabelled the

Arnage had been ditched for a twin-turbo

92

should be – a true gentleman rogue.

xy xyAxy R NAGE xy xy xy T x

BENTLEY PRODUCED ENGINE MAX POWER TOP SPEED NUMBER PRODUCED RAREST VERSION

Arnage T 2002 - 2009 6.75L V8 493bhp 180mph 2,100 In 2004 Bentley produced the T-24, a carbon fibretrimmed limited edition to commemorate its sixth success at Le Mans. 24 for the US and 16 for Europe

Heritage Named for the

EXOTICA FACTOR

7/10

famous racing corner at Le Mans, Bentley’s own wellspring of fame

93

f u t u r e f o r e c o u rt

The affordable Red Bull Aston Martin In time for the 2017 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, Aston has unveiled its latest addition to the Vantage range The Valkyrie – Aston Martin’s hypercar

Mariana Blue paint with race inspired

developed in conjunction with Red Bull Racing

carbon fibre splitter, diffuser, grille and side

– is not going to be cheap. No prices have

strakes as standard. The grille will have red

been officially announced but don’t expect

infills while the calipers are yellow.

much change from £3 million.

But there’s now a more cost effective of

Inside, the headrests feature Red Bull Racing embroidery, carbon fibre trim

getting into a Red Bull Aston. With the

inlays and a 12 o’clock accent stripe on

Grand Prix season underway, the Aston link

the steering wheel. The final piece of

to F1 grid has been boosted by the arrival of a

authenticity comes in the form of sill and

pair of special edition versions of the V8 and

final inspection plates signed by either Max

V12 Vantage.

Verstappen or Daniel Ricciardo.

Called the Vantage S Red Bull Racing Editions, the cars will be finished in a deep

Deliveries are due to start in the second quarter of 2017.

Rolls-Royce reveals its first electric vehicle for customers It is one of the most exclusive Rolls-Royce models ever built, a genuine one-off quite unlike anything to have emerged from Goodwood before.

Arrive in style

vip services

It’s an open-top single seater that, in keeping with the advanced technology expected of a modern Rolls-Royce, is fully electric. Power comes from a 24-volt gel battery

H.R. Owen’s VIP Services continues to offer

to give a top speed of 10 mph.

the newest, most exclusive cars for self-drive

No, that’s not a misprint. This, after all, is a Rolls-

hire or a chauffeur drive experience. Beating

Royce scaled down to fit its users, young children

new car waiting lists by months, among the

awaiting surgery at the Paediatric Day Surgery Unit of

newest cars on the fleet are the Rolls-Royce

luxurious and hugely accomplished… just the

Dawn, Maserati Levante and the Aston Martin

thing for a family day out at the races.

Vanquish Volante.

H.R.Owen’s other marques are also

Chichester’s St Richard’s Hospital.

It was created by members of the Rolls-Royce Bespoke team in their own time and features many

represented, of course. From Bentley, there’s

genuine Rolls-Royce touches. The two-tone paint scheme

evenings just arrived, the Dawn is proving to

a Flying Spur, Mulsanne, Bentayga and a

of Andalusian White and Salamanca Blue is straight from

be exceptionally popular. The VIP Services

stunning GTC Speed Black Edition. There are

the Rolls-Royce colour palette, and is set off by a hand

Dawn is finished in a stunning Salamanca

three Lamborghini Huracans on offer – two are

applied St James Red coachline.

Blue with contrasting silver bonnet and hood.

Spyders – as well as other brands not sold by

With spring already here and lighter

For those needing a little more room, VIP Services also has a Ghost EWB and a Phantom EWB. The Vanquish Volante offers a genuine supercar experience while the Levante is sporting,

94

the Group such as Mercedes and Range Rover.

So if you fancy a chauffeur driven evening at the opera, a supercar day out, a weekend away

The whole project took 400 man hours from start to finishand and the car will reside at the hospital, driven by children on their way to the operating theatre.

Said Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös:”We

or a week at the wheel of something a little

hope that the Rolls-Royce SRH will serve to make the

different, call 0333 240 1591 or head to

experience for young people during treatment a little

www.hrowen.co.uk/vipservices

less stressful.”

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chequered flag

H . R . O W E N G R O U P

N E W S

C h e q uered F lag We’re a social bunch at H.R. Owen – it’s been wall-to-wall party time since Christmas and New Year. We partied at Lamborghini and Maserati, while for St Valentine’s Day we invited you to fall in love with Bentley. Winter sports fans met Rolls-Royce at Courchevel and we introduced journalists to our latest marque, Mono. Along with Aston Martin we got behind Mono’s test driver and tame racing driver, Olly Webb. Want to be at our next gathering? Talk to your local H.R. Owen business and join us this summer.

MASE R ATI

LO N D O N C H R I S T M A S PA RT Y // c hr i s t m a s 2017

v i p s e rv i c e s

syon park photoshoot // JANUA RY 2017

96

chequered flag

A s to n m a rt i n

olly webb social media activation // f e br ua ry 2017

l a m bor g h i n i

JOINT CHRISTMAS PA RT Y // DECEM B E R 2016

bac

M E LTO N C O U RT PRESS MORNING // FE B R UA RY 2017

bentley

fall in love with bentley // f e br ua ry 2017

ROLLS ROYCE

COURCHEVEL pop - up // FEBRUARY 2017

97

i wa s t h e r e . . .

I was there... … WHEN RICHARD NOBLE RECLAIMED THE WORLD LAND SPEED RECORD FOR GREAT BRITAIN

Formula 1 journalist David Tremayne remembers the day Thrust2 averaged 633.468mph over the measured mile on what the team knew was their last roll of the dice

Words: david tremayne

wheels on the salt had created handling

Curiously, there was no tension over

problems he was just beginning overcome by

breakfast in Bruno’s Country Club, just an

using the reheat to stabilise the car, when the

air of expectant excitement. The weather

weather closed in. He set a new British car

was perfect; the car was ready…

and driver record of 418.118mph, but it was a

By 2:45pm we were all in position on

long way short of American Gary Gabelich’s

the desert. Then, of all things, a banger fuse

world record of 622.407mph. One sponsor

in the ignition system blew. And now the

told him he had delivered bronze when he

tension was there, until controller Eddie

had promised gold.

Elsom intoned over the radio: “Speedy One

Noble regrouped, but a crash through

Noble hit 624.241 mph through the mile.

compromised the 1982 campaign. By the

Close, but not quite enough. But the rolling

time the repaired car got to Bonneville the

drag was always bad at the northern end of

weather gods had done their worst; the track

the course.

was under water. A dramatic relocation to

W

hen I rose, I just knew that 4 October 1983 was going to be The Day when

is rolling.”

driver error at Greenham Common in June

Coming back, within the allotted hour,

Asked why he’d done it, he replied: “I suppose for Britain, and for the hell of it.

Richard Noble realised his long-held Black Rock ensued, but now the team was

the harder southern end and a longer run-

dogged by the inevitable teething problems

up proved crucial. He covered the mile at

I’d watched Project Thrust gathering pace

associated with running a pioneering

642.971 mph, peaking at 650.88.

since 1977, when he had been the first person

project in unknown territory a long way

I’d interviewed as a professional journalist.

from home. But the speeds kept increasing –

“There comes a time with these things when

463mph, 575mph, 590mph – until the weather

you have to ask yourself, ‘Am I going to do

intervened again.

dream to recapture the world land

speed record for Britain.

He had won back the record for Britain, with an average speed of 633.468 mph.

As champagne corks popped he was carried aloft in triumph by team members

We knew 1983 was the last roll of the dice,

elated with success. Later, as the sun set

and I felt honoured to be running the public

upon the yellow-brown mud and Thrust2

1000mph

something about it, or am I going to let it And he had done something. He’d

relations programme. It was the culmination

ticked as hot metal cooled, he stood with

Noble’s newest and

created a 27-foot long jetcar called Thrust2,

of something I had wanted to be involved

his long-suffering wife Sally and children

most daring project,

powered by an afterburning Rolls-Royce

with since I was a kid.

Miranda and Genevieve, holding the Union

Bloodhound SSC,

Avon turbojet. And here we were, in a tiny

Now, as modifications to Thrust2 had

aims to breach the

hamlet called Gerlach 120 miles north of

honed it to peak condition and Rolls-

1000mph mark.

Reno on the edge of the alkali playa known

Royce had finally tweaked its engine, the

BELOW: Thrust SSC

as the Black Rock Desert.

go?’” he had said back then.

Asked why he’d done it, he replied: “I suppose for Britain, and for the hell of it.”

sponsors, known as the ‘Magnificent Seven’,

He had to be dragged to the phone

Behind lay two years of failure. At

had agreed to a final week of funding.

for interviews afterwards, as the team

Bonneville in 1981, running with metal

This was it. Noble, designer John Ackroyd

celebrated in the back room of Bruno’s. It

and their little team led by Donald Campbell’s famed designer Ken Norris, knew they had a one-day window with the weather.

98

Jack aloft in a rare display of emotion.

was never about the glory for him; the purity of the challenge was everything.

Richard Noble always was a reluctant hero.

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