Supercar Driver Magazine Issue 34 by Supercar Driver

ISSUE34

SPRING2020

THE SUPERCAR OWNERS MAGAZINE

UPGRADE YOUR LAP PERFORMANCE.

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THE TEAM Matt Parker

Editor & Membership Manager matt@supercar-driver.com

Riad Ariane Photographer

riad@supercar-driver.com

Luke Earnshaw Creative Manager

luke@supercar-driver.com

Debbie Winstanley

2020 marks the end of a significant decade in my life. Never did I think 10 years ago that SCD would be what it is today. I am immensely proud to be part of the evolution of the club that in turn makes so many people happy! For this edition, we have made a conscious effort to reduce the number of articles to make more of both the stunning imagery from Riad and fascinating stories from fellow SCD members.

We also got our mitts on some special cars to drive including a 66,000 mile Carrera GT and illusive Viper ACR, and our American member Cole recalls his time on our Tour des Alps from Geneva to Monaco. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to another memorable decade!

Accounts Manager

debbie@supercar-driver.com

Adam Thorby Jonty Wydell Tour Manager & Writer

Director & Co-Founder

adam@supercar-driver.com

jonty@supercar-driver.com

Paul Owen Writer

paul@supercar-driver.com

Supercar Driver Ltd, Unit 1 Meadowhall Riverside, Meadowhall Road, Sheffield, S9 1BW

Tim Hanlon Writer

tim@supercar-driver.com

Rob Ward Writer

rob@supercar-driver.com

Jonathan Hildred Writer

jon@supercar-driver.com

Find out more about us online Chris Lee Writer

Our new website has more information about the club and the events we organise for our members, as well as how to subscribe to this magazine or how to become a member.

Miles Lacey Writer

ON THE COVER • 74

FEATURES 26 50 52 94 98 126 146

MEMBERS’ RIDES

2020 Vision - Chris Lee

Pick a Colour, Any Colour - Topaz Skin

Navigate Your Way Through Entrepreneur’s Relief - Janine Edwards

New Digs

87 117 128

McLaren 675LT Spider

Ferrari 488 Pista Spider Lotus Exige S1

Focus on - Henry’s Car Barn

30 Years Too Late? - Miles Lacey Final Thought

Aston Martin DB3S & Norwood P4

Aston Martin Vanquish S

103

BMW E30 M3

109

DRIVEN 42

Porsche Cayman GT4

Morgan Plus Six

McLaren 570GT v Porsche 991.1 Turbo S

EVENTS 06 57

Koenigsegg CCXR Edition

Porsche Carrera GT Dodge Viper ACR

TheSupercarDriver

New Year Meets

Tour des Alps 2019

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Copyright ÂŽ 2020 Supercar Driver Limited. All photographs, advertisements and editorial content has been used with permission of the owners and may not be copied, duplicated or reused without written permission. Magazine created and edited for and on behalf of Supercar Driver Limited. Content including words and photographs remains copyright of the original author/photographer and used with permission.

After a couple of weeks in the house over Christmas, we don’t even want to think about another leftover turkey sandwich or more sickly chocolate, we’ve exhausted tv reruns and, most importantly, we’re keen for any excuse to get out in our cars. That’s always evident as year in, year out, our New Year meets attract some of the biggest turnouts of the whole year. For our tenth year, the 2020 New Year meets were no different. Starting at Donington Park for the north meet, it was incredible to see 150 cars including some seriously special examples on such a chilly January Day. We then headed down to London for the south meet the following day, where Joe Macari opened up especially for a slightly smaller but equally epic array of cars, culminating with donuts by an SCD member in his F40! I’ll let you enjoy Riad’s photos across the following pages now, but it’s safe to say we’ve started the year as we mean to go on.

Watch the video on youtube.com

We spend an afternoon in the Yorkshire Dales with SCD member James and the brightest Cayman GT4 in the land. Have you always been a Porsche guy?

I’ve always been a fan of cars ever since I was little. My first sports car was a Lotus Elise S1 in grey when I was 18, which I managed to get insured on a trader’s policy back in the day. I had an Aston Martin DB9 which I didn’t really like, but I’ve always dreamed of owning Porsches, and before the GT4, I had a 997 and a regular Cayman. What I love about Porsches is the brand’s prestige history, but also the feel when you get in the cars. The dashboard, the steering wheel, the feedback you get from the drive itself. They really suit my driving style, I always feel safe and I know how to push the limits with a Porsche, so it’s the ultimate driver’s car for me.

Tell us about the search for your GT4.

I’ve been following forums on PistonHeads all the time for a car just under the £100k category. I’d made a lot of purchases in the past with cars that lost money, so I wanted something special and unique this time. Something I’d really enjoy on the weekends and stood out too with a bit of a wow factor.

So I got searching on PistonHeads and Auto Trader and found a Paint to Sample blue GT4 at Porsche Bolton. I went to see that car, but then the green one was sat at the front of the showroom and wow, it was everything I wanted!

The way it feels, the feedback through the steering wheel, the way the engine revs going through the gears...

Tell us about the spec.

The colour is Paint to Sample Birch Green. In pictures, the colour doesn’t look as good, but when you see the car in the flesh, it just stands out. I’ve never had so many compliments about a car! There are four GT4s in this colour in the UK, and worldwide, I’m sure there are less than 20. You never really see any on Instagram, so it’s definitely one of the rarer colours. The colour and interior specification were more important, it also has the fixed-back carbon bucket seats with red seat belts and red stitching, which was a must for me.

I would sometimes like ceramics for track days, but the colour and interior specification were more important, and for the amount of use they get, the steels are ok within their limits.

Do you remember your first proper drive in the GT4? What was it like?

I’d say my first proper drive was the SCD track day at Croft. It was amazing as I’d previously taken my 997 911 there which obviously isn’t really geared for a track, whereas the GT4 is and it just gave me so much confidence.

The way it feels, the feedback through the steering wheel, the way the engine revs going through the gears, and the mid-engined weight distribution means it’s pretty much the perfect track car. Even in the wet, it felt really good which I was surprised about. Performance-wise, the GT4 is exactly what I want at the moment. Something like a GT3 carries crazy speeds, whereas a GT4 is right in my performance comfort zone.

The manual box is a big thing for me too, especially being one of the last of the naturallyaspirated engines with the six-speed box. The PDK might shift quicker, but it takes away a bit of the feel of the drive, and so many modern cars are having their authenticity removed, that’s why I wanted the rawness of a manual box. The sound is absolutely unbelievable, even after the V12 DB9, I’d say the GT4 sounds better once you put the exhaust button on.

Have you driven it much since?

I think I’ve done about two and a half thousand, so not that many miles yet. The drive in the North Yorkshire Dales for this photoshoot was absolutely fantastic, and it’s really opened my eyes that I need to do more SCD events to take advantage of the group you guys have, but also the car itself to really enjoy it. I did the Tom Hartley BBQ last summer which was unbelievable. Hopefully that’s going to take place again next year. Just the cars, the experience, it was absolutely superb!

Does it get much attention being so bright?

It does get loads of attention, but in a positive way. The DB9 got compliments to be fair, but 911s and other cars, people can get a bit jealous and call you names, but I’ve not had one negative comment about the car. Everyone is like wow, what a lovely car, what a lovely colour, so very positive.

Any plans with the car in 2020?

I want to get to more SCD events in general to really enjoy the car, and I definitely want to do the SCD Porsche GT drive.

Is it a keeper?

At the moment yes. The previous owners of this car really want to buy it back which I’ve politely declined. I have considered the new 718 GT4 as I have a good relationship with a local Porsche dealer. If I could get straight on the list and could get one straight away, maybe — I’m fifty fifty. I don’t like the exhausts separated at the back, it obviously doesn’t sound as good, and

looks-wise, it might look a little newer, but the differences are very minimal.

I love my car and colour, so I probably wouldn’t swap it for the new GT4, and there’s not a lot else on the market that would tempt me. I still want to tick off the box of having a Lamborghini, but I just know I’ll miss the Porsche. Every time I’ve got rid of a Porsche and had something else, I’ve wanted another Porsche back! I might add a 992 911 to the garage as more of an everyday car alongside the Range Rover as I think they look really sexy, then the next step after the GT4 would potentially be something like a Ferrari 488 or Lamborghini Huracan,

but I still love the GT4 that much that I’m not interested in getting rid of it at the moment, which is a good thing I suppose!

Especially if you get a PTS colour, they really hold their value, and I honestly don’t think you can get a better car for the money.

Watch the video on youtube.com

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No expense spared

SCD member Jon tells us about his journey from having the classic McLaren F1 poster on the wall to owning one of the highest spec 675LT Spiders youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re ever likely to see.

Have you always been a McLaren fan?

I’ve had a passion for cars from an early age, and my father, who worked in the industry, used to take me to the British Motor Show and the Birmingham Super Prix every year. Along with the Jaguar XJ220, the McLaren F1 was one of my first pin-up cars — both genuine game-changers in their day. Since then, I started my sports car experience with a Mercedes SL — heavy and not actually very sporty, but a great engine and very refined. It wasn’t long before I wanted more noise, more adrenaline and more fun, so I got a Jaguar XKR. While I had the XKR, almost 20 years after I idolised the F1, it was with great interest I followed McLaren’s return to road cars with the launch of the MP4-12C. A McLaren for both the Sunday morning paper run and a day at the track. The reviews were all pretty consistent — technically outstanding, but as for theatre and flair, well, leave that to the Italians.

The fact that they were as comfortable as most GTs or saloons over distance was the interesting difference though, especially as I do more road trips than track days, so perhaps it was time to review what the Best of British motoring really looked like.

As a country boy, I like to split my garage between speed and off-road ability, so I have a Bowler Defender 110 and a Range Rover for when I need some extra ground clearance, plus a Massey Ferguson tractor and a Polaris General, the most rapid utility vehicle you’re likely to come across!

When did you buy your first McLaren?

My first McLaren was a 650S Spider which I bought from McLaren Manchester. Storm Grey with McLaren Orange brake calipers was about as crazy as I was prepared to go for my first proper supercar. I felt McLaren had properly dealt with any concerns about the 12C feeling too clinical, plus I loved the front-end styling based on the P1 and the option to take the roof off. The 650S was a beautifully composed car. I managed to convince the wife that a two-week French road trip was a good idea for a summer holiday, and the only thing that was more surprising than her agreeing to it was that, in the end, there were no complaints about ride, noise or even space. Despite the comfort, on a track, the 650S could hold its own against almost anything, with some blistering performance stats to back it up.

I did have some teething problems with my local dealer support in the early days, but in the last couple of years, I’ve noticed a real concerted effort to put the customer first to exceed expectations. The cabins are well built and beautifully simple, really great places to be. The 650S had plenty of creature comforts; heated electric seats, sound system upgrade, comfort entry and so on providing a real breadth of usability.

How did you end up buying the 675LT Spider?

I wasn’t actively looking to buy a 675 at the time, I was perfectly happy with my 650S, but speaking to fellow McLaren owners and looking at reviews of both the Coupe and Spider, you can’t escape that it is widely regarded as not only McLaren’s best car of recent years, but one of the fastest cars you can get your hands on around a track. As a result, I was keeping half an eye out for what was available and what the key ‘musthave’ options were. That left me some dubious man maths away from taking the plunge if a great example came up, and when I saw this one at McLaren Manchester, it was clear that it was a now or never moment. It is the second McLaren I have bought from them, and the first from their new facility in Wilmslow. They are not my local dealer, but seem to get the best stock and are always keen to make the deal work — no BS.

I love the fact they are British too, and that when you park up anywhere, there are always kids and their dads who want to ask about them. No preconceptions, no assumptions, just a genuine interest in what they are, and whether it’s faster than a Lambo!

Did you trade the 650 against the 675?

As the 650 was my first proper supercar, I was reluctant to sell as there was too much sentimental value! The trade offered against the 675 wasn’t compelling either, so I ended up with both in the garage for a few months. Having both a comfortable and raw version of the same car, I was happy. The wife, less so, which is why I offered (was forced) to try and sell the 650. I chose the place where I least thought I could sell it, by advertising on Facebook Marketplace. I didn’t think for a minute I would actually sell it on there, but that’s what happened. A local chap came to see it, McLaren Birmingham offered all of the McLaren Approved checks and the car had 18 months warranty remaining, so he got a deal, I beat the McLaren trade-in value and my marriage was saved. I know many members have several garages harbouring all manner of exotica, but I have to say, for me, having two McLarens in the garage felt pretty special.

Tell us about the spec.

The expression ‘every option ticked’ is overused, usually incorrectly, and indeed it isn’t the case here either. The original owner, who now has a stunning full carbon Senna, is well known in McLaren circles for sparing no expense when speccing his cars, but unfortunately this car is missing the track telemetry camera set, but that is literally it.

The colour is Papaya Spark, the McLaren Special Operations (MSO) version of McLaren Orange. It really sparkles in the sunlight and I always liked the colour of the brake calipers on my 650S! The wheels are the super-lightweight 20 spoke alloys which were only available on the Spider. Love them or hate them (and many people do), they are certainly different, and for me, they make the car really stand out. From a carbon perspective, all bases are covered. Externally, from the visual contrast of the air brake, roof and tonneau, bumpers, splitters, side intakes and louvred wings to the details of the mirror arms, washer system and

engine cover. Internally, the carbon continues with the steering wheel, instrument cluster, door panels, seats and even the vent bezels for the air con.

The one option that really is rare is the 24-carat gold heat shield around the titanium exhaust system in the engine bay, reminiscent of that in the original F1. I also quite like that they’ve added soft close doors over the 650!

What is it like to drive?

This is a different beast to the 650S. Apart from being wider, slightly more powerful and over 100kg lighter (the windscreen is thinner, air-con controls have moved from the doors and exhaust manifold is titanium), there are lots of other subtle differences that add up to a rawer, harder experience. The removal of the creature comforts and focus on increased performance delivers a very different driving experience. It is far more visceral, giving feedback constantly that it is game for more. It really feels as close to a race car with number plates as I can imagine with its combination of noise, feedback, power and handling. The power it delivers at all ranges, combined with its accuracy into corners and braking truly scares me.

What is it like to live with?

Despite being more of a track-focused car than other McLarens including my previous 650, I’m always keen to show people the class-leading storage — I can get a weekly shop in the frunk! Clearance can be an issue, and I definitely tested the under-splitter protection on the drive to Colwyn Bay for the Welsh rally! The turning circle is terrible too, as are the headlights, and the lack of a glove box frustrates from time to time. I’ve not had any issues with the car though, just as I didn’t with the 650. I know McLarens have had some teething issues, but in my experience from servicing, the dealers are really working to raise their game. I do drive the car most weeks, if only to go and get a paper — it’s worth getting the covers off just to hear the engine and gear changes!

Have you done anything interesting with your McLarens so far?

Getting to more events is definitely on my priority list for 2020. Having a 9-5 job doesn’t help get me to all the events, but I made it to the secret meet this year along with several others. The instructors at Donington for the secret meet were great in trying to close the gap between my ability and the car’s capability. I will definitely be trying to go to more events like that. I spent the day at the ultra-secretive Millbrook Proving Ground in the 650 with Ivan from Total Car Control. With your phone secured in a camera-blocking security bag on arrival, you get to see some brand-new machines being tested before they’ve hit the public domain. In my case, the new Aston Martin DBS. We initially hit the handling circuit before the hill route, the straight mile, the high-speed circuit and the steering pad, where you learn to powerslide and control over and understeer. Testing the launch control on the straight, followed by hitting 180mph was a first, as was driving at 120mph on the high-speed circuit and being told to look at the horizon and steer using your peripheral vision, rather than looking at what’s directly in front of you. What impressed above all though was the braking and stability of the car. Stopping and avoiding obstacles at almost zero notice, I was blown away by what the 650 could do. Then, Ivan told me to get in the passenger seat an showed my what the car could really do. I could barely watch as he hit the track, braking at points where I had been pretty much coming off them — it’s an unbelievable bit of kit.

Coventry MotoFest was a highlight for me in 2019. That is an event that has understood that in return for getting the owners to turn up and display their cars, the reward should be a decent stretch of track time to show what our cars can do in front of the crowds, on closed roads at that! I also went to Salon Prive with both the 650 and 675. It’s an incredible show at the beautiful Blenheim Palace, and no, I didn’t nick the gold toilet — it wouldn’t fit in the frunk! There is so much amazing and rare kit on display including the quite ridiculous Bentley EXP 100 GT, a flying car and the latest from Brabham, Porsche, Lamborghini, Pininfarina, McLaren, Dallara and Rimac to name a few. The world record for the number of Bentleys in one place was broken at 1,321. 80 or so McLarens were there, and my 675 was selected along with a Senna by McLaren and the chairman of the McLaren Owners Club to represent the brand in the Lockton Trophy, the final judging from each brand in attendance. It was the second year running a 675 had picked up silverware. I haven’t got myself booked in for anything in 2020 yet, but drives, track sessions and displays are all on the to-do list once I’ve got the diary sorted.

Is it a keeper?

I do have a one-year-old son at home, and the bucket seats in the LT are certainly not ISOFIX compatible, so I am watching any debate on the 2+2 arena closely. I am keen to add something to the garage next spring that will take a baby seat in the back and keep me out of the doghouse for absconding on a weekend day. Portofino? 911? How much compromise will I need to make? As for the 675 though, I have no intention of selling any time soon as I see this car as unique, both in terms of its spec and its limited numbers.

Watch the video on youtube.com

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The quality and depth of the Total Control Masterclass is outstanding. From start to finish the focus was on improving my driving techniques and the attention to detail is amazing. I can think of no way that this course could be improved. I. Simms

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2020 VISION

Chris Lee takes a look at what we have to look forward to as petrolheads in 2020. Written by: Chris Lee

I don’t have the greatest of track records when it comes to forecasting the year ahead, especially in motorsport. In this very magazine, I predicted that Verstappen would win the F1 World Championship, McLaren would have a very poor F1 season and Alonso would win the Indianapolis 500. As it turned out, Fernando didn’t even qualify beyond ‘Bump Day’, in what proved to be an embarrassing return for McLaren in arguably the biggest US race of the year. Max performed well, but didn’t ever look close to challenging Lewis for the title. And while McLaren didn’t set the world on fire in F1, they certainly made a meaningful step in the right direction. I’m looking forward to seeing if that can continue into 2020 and we start to see some podiums from the Woking outfit. My crystal ball turned out to be slightly more accurate when it came to road cars. I predicted that we’d be overwhelmed with new car launches. Then, right on cue, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bugatti and McLaren were all kind enough to launch more cars in the last 12 months than in the previous five years combined. I also thought that the Aston Martin Valkyrie would turn out to be the real deal. Recent test coverage certainly shows that it looks the part.

Time will tell whether Aston Martin have the financial firepower left to see the car into full production and into the hands of clients. From what I understand of the situation at Gaydon, it’s uncertain times, but we live in hope.

On the personal front, I started the year in Maranello with a trip to the Tailor Made facility to spec a 488 Pista Spider. However, 12 months later and with no update from the factory, I end the year having cancelled the order. I couldn’t come to terms with the fact that by the time my car arrived, it would have been superseded by at least three new V8 models in the F8 Tributo, SF90 and Roma. Admittedly, all offer slightly different packages and use cases, but they certainly take the shine off the chance to take delivery of the latest and greatest Ferrari have to offer — something the chiefs in Maranello need to resolve. Either launch fewer cars or deliver the cars quicker; 18-month lead times combined with five new cars a year is a square peg in a round hole. It’s also an increasingly common sight to see below-list Ferraris available with zero miles via independent brokers, even before the production run of that model has ended. Who would have imagined that could ever be the case, based on the brand hysteria from only a few years ago? More positive news arrived in the form of the Dallara Stradale. As anticipated, I fell in love with the chassis. What an epic piece of kit. I was lucky enough (thanks to Joe Macari and Andrew Gill) to spend several days with the car in Switzerland (see my previous write up in Issue 33). With any luck, my order will arrive in time for the SCD season-opening events in 2020. So, am I brave or foolish enough to attempt to predetermine what 2020 will offer? In a word, no. What I’ll do instead is highlight some of the

cars I’m most looking forward to in 2020. I’ll also point to the manufacturers and individuals that I believe are set to ignite our passion and imagination for all things automotive.

First stop is Maserati. Yes, I said Maserati. In all honesty, I’m as surprised as you are. However, May 2020 will see something special land in Modena. Whether it’s a production-ready version of the Alfieri, or something altogether different, time will tell. The spy shots already look promising and we all know that when Maserati get it right (see the MC12 for evidence), they really do get it right.

The EV revolution will continue at pace. I'm eager to see the electric Mini and Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo — both destined to move the game forward and attract an ever-increasing audience to a more sustainable future. I’m also itching to order the VW ID. Buzz. Having only recently sold my 2017 VW Camper T2 Last Edition, I’m excited for its replacement. We’ll also start to see how the production versions of both the Tesla Roadster and Lotus Evija live up to scrutiny and match up to their quoted statistics. Finally, I’m hoping for a big year for both Gordon Murray and Les Edgar — two pioneers spearheading an exciting future, with the T50 and TVR Griffith respectively. I was lucky enough to spend time with both gentlemen during the last year or so. Their enthusiasm, vision and unbridled passion was intoxicating in person and will no doubt live out in their cars. As we move towards an era where small volume, handcrafted, homegrown and grass-roots automotive design and engineering becomes harder and harder to make a reality, we should spend as much time as possible in 2020 celebrating these disruptors (and buying their cars).

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Designed by the Son, Driven by the Father. Would you trust your son to spec your Ferrari? We catch up with SCD member Dermot who did just that with his new Pista Spider.

Tell us about your supercar ownership to date.

I bought an Aston Martin DB9 in 2010 after selling my first company. I had two of them in the end, followed by a DBS. In 2011 though, it all changed when a good friend of mine lent me his Ferrari 599. This was my introduction to the brand and I never looked back. My first Ferrari was a 599 of my own, bought in 2011 to replace the DBS.

Since then, I have had a 430 Spider, 458 Spider and 488 Spider followed by three F12s before the last one was replaced with my 812 Superfast which I still have. Now the Pista Spider has arrived and there’s no experience like it!

Having owned all of these models, does the specification process get any easier?

Charles Hurst Ferrari Belfast makes the whole process so easy and each car’s specification is discussed in depth before it is undertaken at the factory.

My 16-year-old son Lorcan’s passion for Ferrari is costly for me though. He has suggested and designed the last three cars — F12, 812 and now Pista Spider. He also accompanied me to Italy to spec the SF90 and 812 GTS in December. We usually spend hours together deciding

on the best combination and then he usually convinces me that his ideas will work best. So far, he hasn’t let me down.

Tell us about how your son specced your Pista Spider.

Lorcan is my fleet manager. He has a great eye for detail and always suggests some incredible options and colour ideas. He has even been to Porsche to spec the GT4 and again, I’ve been blown away with his ideas.

On the Pista Spider, the additional contrasting yellow details on the three buttons on the carbon bridge, the continuous yellow stripe across the dash and the yellow details on the bottom of the steering wheel and the edge of the shift paddles are all such nice touches that he has championed. The exterior is then the opposite, Giallo Modena with black contrast. It works very well.

What an experience for Lorcan to have been able to do this. Whose idea was the plaque?

Charles Hurst Ferrari Belfast came up with the idea and surprised me with it on the 812 actually. Lorcan had spent so much time talking and messaging sales manager Rory Mackin there that they have become good friends. From there the same idea progressed onto the Pista Spider.

So, tell us about your first drive. I guess after owning mid-engined Ferraris before, it must be exciting to see how technology has progressed?

Charles Hurst Ferrari organised a collection on the day of a drive with fellow owners and friends up the Antrim Coast and then onto a BBQ. It really has taken me time to get used to the rawness and overall noise — you can hear every stone you roll over. The 812 is pure luxury in comparison. I do miss the sound of the naturally-aspirated 458, but driving the Pista Spider is like no other experience. The sheer grip! It really is like a race car for the road, obviously driven within the speed limits!

I drive my cars and take them on various tours throughout the year, and all the Ferraris just sound and drive fantastically. They’re absolutely superb cars, but the Pista simply doesn’t compare to the previous models I’ve had. The noise of the naturally-aspirated engines in the 430 and 458 were definitely something special, but with the Pista, Ferrari haven’t done badly for sound. The 488 GTB was so comfortable and smooth compared to the animal the Pista is. They are night and day and this combination works perfectly to give such an incredible driving experience.

It really has taken me time to get used to the rawness and overall noise â&#x20AC;&#x201D; you can hear every stone you roll over.

How effective is that retracting rear window at bringing some of the noise back into the cabin?

In all honesty, the noise without the window open is loud enough!

How do you choose whether to drive the 812 or Pista Spider?

The 812 is an everyday and any driving conditions car. The Pista Spider is definitely a dry day car as it is so ridiculously fast! There is simply too much power and no weight. The 812 is easy to drive in any conditions, but I used to compete in tarmac rallies in a Subaru so I am used to handling a car in less than ideal conditions.

Would you consider taking the Pista on track?

Yes, both Lorcan and I are taking it to Portimao in February for a private track day that I have organised for us both. Lorcan is currently in the final four shootouts with Porsche GB and is definitely a better driver than me!

With such personal touches throughout this car, I guess it is here to stay. What are your future garage plans?

I have no plans to sell any of my cars as they are all keepers in my mind.

This year, I sold all my V8s with the exception of the Pista Spider which I love, but my real passion is for the noise and roar of the V12s, hence why I will never sell the 812 and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m so looking forward to getting the 812 GTS. On order are the Ferrari SF90, 812 GTS, F8 Spider, Porsche GT4 and I have been extremely lucky to secure a Ford GT which I am very excited about.

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A NEW KIND OF OLD Resident Morgan fanatic Jon gets his hands on the British brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest release, the Plus Six. With an automatic gearbox and turbocharged engine borrowed from BMW, does it retain the character youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d expect from a Morgan? Written by: Jon Hildred

I am unashamedly well known for banging on about Morgans. Riad challenged me when on the Aston Martin DBS shoot last year, “Why does every conversation with you about cars end up about Morgans?”. I’ll tell you why they have they had such a profound impact on me. I drove one and I bloody loved it! For me, Morgans look and feel like the motoring expression of who I am — handsome, eccentric, noisy, individual, simple, wooden… you get the gist. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to experience or enjoy other cars, it’s just that I am in my happiest place when driving one of my Morgans. If you don’t get that warm fuzzy feeling about your car, keep searching as you’ve clearly not found ‘the one’. To seamlessly segue into today’s subject, if you enjoy a back-to-basics, visceral yet elegant driving experience, ‘the one’ may be the Morgan Plus Six. At the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, Morgan introduced the all new Plus Six. “But it looks like all the others!”, I hear you cry. Whilst the classically styled silhouette is typical of the Morgan brand, it is distinct from the rest of the Morgan four-wheeled range as it has an aluminium platform as opposed to a steel one. To reiterate a point I made in a previous edition of these hallowed pages, no Morgan ever has possessed a wooden chassis. All Morgans feature an ash frame which supports the aluminium bodywork over a steel or aluminium platform.

Those who have seen the skeletal construction of a Morgan as they move down the entirely man-powered production line in Malvern will no doubt agree that the marriage of these mostly hand-crafted materials is rather elegant. This labour-intensive melding of ingredients by artisans in itself is where a large part of my appreciation for this wonderful British brand originates.

The Plus Six sits on the newly developed CXGeneration bonded aluminium platform and boasts twice the rigidity of the construction it supersedes. In the absence of an Aero replacement, for now, the Plus Six is the jewel in the crown of the Morgan line-up. It directly replaces the Plus 8 which was adorned with the lazy, but ever so charismatic BMW N62 4.8-litre V8. In its place is the zingy BMW B58 3-litre turbo jobby you find in the new Supra and Z4. “Pathetic!”, you crow. Well let me tell you, 335 spikey bhp in a car that weighs 1,075kg dry, with ABS and electric power steering as the only driver aids, makes for one rude car. In fact, the little bastard tried to show me up as soon as I pulled out the gates of the factory, forcing me to grab an armful of oppo to prevent a meeting with an oncoming bus. From that

point on, I understood that this car does not suffer fools gladly, and on damp roads with 245-section rears, pedal discipline is required unless you enjoy making a g-string out of your boxers from involuntary clenching.

Where in the V8, you make swift progress by riding the torque and long gearing, in the Plus Six, you try to keep out of the powerband by short shifting the slick 8-speed ZF auto until you’re brave enough for a scrap. This lack of electronic intervention is unheard of in modern motoring and yet another reason why, for me, Morgans are utterly beguiling. Every input you make has a direct output, and if you run out of talent, the electrical nannies are not there to save you. The car is only as good as the driver you are, which for some is the essence of motoring.

“But we are a supercar club and this thing only has 335bhp”, you say. Well, the quoted time of 4.2 seconds to 60 is on par with a 997 GT3 RS and a C63 Black Series. Would you call those animals slow? It’s not just its traffic light bragging rights that impressed me though. The lack of mass, flat torque curve from the turbo and short gear ratios mean this thing just seems to keep on accelerating with little change in the sense of momentum well into triple figures. Still not convinced? Consider these stats; the Plus Six has a torque-to-weight ratio of approximately 343lb ft per tonne. A 991 generation Turbo S has 345lb ft per tonne. If the Plus Six doesn’t qualify for SCD membership, neither should any of the aforementioned vehicles. Of course, this is no VMax specialist and tops out at about 166mph, but I am pretty

confident if you jumped in the Plus Six having never driven a Morgan before, you’d pleasantly surprised at how it can lift up its skirt and leg it faster than Prince Andrew from his Royal duties after an interview with the BBC. You just don’t expect a car that looks like it’s off of an episode of Peaky Blinders to go like shit off a shiny shovel, but be warned, like Thomas Shelby, it will slit your throat if you don’t show it respect.

All my ‘fun’ cars are normally aspirated, and I have to admit it was a sad day when Morgan announced it was losing the V8 for a turbo straight six. Turbos just tend to sound, well, pants, and whilst the power delivery is effective, it’s one-dimensional. Then why couldn’t I resist sticking the engine into Sport Plus mode and continually taking my foot on and off the throttle? Because not only did it genuinely chuck

you into the back of your seat, but it also made the most addictive sucking and blowing sounds as the exhaust gas pressure spooled up the turbo then released all that pent-up aggression in a ghostly ‘wooooo’. Any unburnt fuel is then ceremoniously ejected in a barrage of ‘bom bom bom’ out the exhaust — childishly brilliant.

Having recently experienced the same engine in other BMW products, I can honestly say that Morgan have given it a proper singing voice without the need for fakery. More manufactures need to stop messing about with crackle maps and trying to make small capacity engines sound like a V8, and just let the turbo do its job like an ‘80s rally car!

The Plus Six is not just quick either, its rather capable when being hustled. Elevate the hand-crafted gullwing bonnets and you can see the engine is way behind the front axle, giving the car a delicious weight distribution. The driver’s seat is positioned almost on top of the rear axle, which is helpful in a car with a loose tail as every slight movement of the rear is swiftly communicated so you can correct it in a timely manner. And when it does start to break away, because the mass is very low and evenly distributed, it is easily countered with steering inputs. I would prefer a slightly faster rack as I did find that getting it back in shape when being over exuberant needs quite a bit of lock.

When positioning the car however, you have a gorgeous view down the long, louvered bonnet. You also get a clear perspective of the front wheel arch haunches, and with little by way of overhang, you know exactly where the front wheels are so you can place them perfectly into each bend.

The new CX-Generation platform has enabled Morgan to offer a more compliant and capable ride too. Whilst I wouldn’t describe my last generation Morgan Aero GT as uncomfortable, the Plus Six was dreamy. It just skips over bumps and cambers without deviating like some sports cars with wider section tyres tend to. Despite the mostly biblical rain I faced whilst in the company of the Plus Six, I could confidently push into bends without it ever feeling like I was approaching a limit. The seats for me were the only bone of contention in my week with the Plus Six. They have almost no lateral support, and if you like chucking your car about on B-road blasts or track days, they should swiftly be exchanged for something more hugging.

So what is it like as a place to sit? I am completely turned off by modern car interiors with their digital dashboards, buttons everywhere, trackpads, head-up displays etc. In the daily hack, a bit of tech is alright, but in a car that’s main purpose is to deliver an engaging driving experience, why do we need all that crap? It adds weight, complication and distraction. In the Plus Six, you have five analogue dials providing speed, revs, water temperature, fuel and time. A modest multi-function digital display provides various additional information such as trip data etc, but I only really used it for indicating what gear I was in as it’s easy to get lost in the eight ratios. Beyond a few controls to regulate the airconditioning and buttons for hazard lights and starting the engine, that’s it! Some have balked at the space-aged gear lever lifted straight out of BMW’s last generation of cars, but with time I think it sort of works. The steering wheel is chunky and nicely sized with paddles on the rear allowing you to flick between ratios at will. Like most British marques, the seating position is long legs, short arms — perfect for my simian proportions. With rake and reach adjustability (a novelty in this Morgan range) you can get the wheel nice and close whilst keeping a slight bend in the knee. In essence, very comfortable for short or long journeys. The pièce de résistance is the utterly stunning materials used to line all interior surfaces of the Plus Six. Morgan interiors are hand-crafted at the factory in Malvern and watching these artists at work is just wonderful. The dash and centre console is beautifully bookmatched in walnut veneer. Box-weave carpet contrasts the supple and waxy waterproofed leather, and it all physically and visually oozes quality. Morgan

really are the masters of simple elegance.

The real appeal is that everything you see is infinitely configurable. Want pink leather with purple stitching? They got you fam. A huge joy of buying and owning a Morgan is the personalisation. You don’t see many on the roads at all, and it is very easy to truly make it one of one for those who demand exclusivity.

And what price does all this come at? £80k will afford you a handcrafted, bespoke, British creation that reflects your personality and sets you apart from the crowd. That is small beans by today’s standards when £80k will just about get you in a ‘boggo’ 911. The other beauty of Morgan ownership is they just don’t seem to be affected by depreciation. They don’t tend to inflate in value either, but you know your money is safe in a Morgan. You can say that about very few cars today. Hopefully by now I have your attention and you’re starting to appreciate that Morgans aren’t just for old men? I get that the looks are not to the taste of what I would call ‘our generation’, but it’s a friendly car that won’t get you the marmite reaction I have no doubt most of you receive in your mass-produced super sports car. It’s an antidote to modern motoring and if you’re in the market for another car to add to your collection, I implore you to try one. Better still, book a dirty weekend away around the Cotswolds with your nearest and dearest and this is where it will shine. You’ll feel stylish, involved and rewarded by the event. I have had my most memorable driving experiences in my Morgans and I hope some of you who genuinely enjoy the love of motoring will look beyond brand snobbery and consider this British icon.

Reach captivating new heights.

The new Continental GT. Now with a V8 engine*. Discover more at www.bentleyleicester.co.uk or call 0116 319 39 69

*The Continental GT V8 is available to order in all markets except EU28, Switzerland, Norway, Ukraine and Turkey. It will be available to order in these markets in Q4, 2019. The name ‘Bentley’ and the ‘B’ in wings device are registered trademarks. © 2019 Bentley Motors Limited. Model shown: Continental GT V8.

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It’s a buyer’s market out there, so Matt headed to John Holland to see just how much supercar you can get for £100k. Written by: Matt Parker

If you’re reading this, I’m willing to bet you often spend half your days browsing the classifieds while you’re supposed to be working. You set an imaginary budget and off you go, searching for the best car you can find within it. Well, we’re no different, except with the John Holland showroom right next to the SCD office, it’s easy to indulge in some four-dimensional theoretical shopping. So, with our imaginary budget set at £100,000, we headed over to John Holland to see what we could find.

The first car to catch my eye is a bright yellow Aventador SV Roadster, but even in today’s buyer’s market with recently softened prices, we might be pushing it a bit there! Next to that though, is a 2017 Audi R8 Spyder which looks like new with 2,900 miles on the clock. With a 5.2-litre V10 shared with the Lamborghini Huracan and proper supercar looks, it’s unbelievable value at £92,900 — that’s £35,000 depreciation in less than 3,000 miles, even before you consider the options fitted!

The R8 is a stunning buy, but let’s carry on looking and see if we can push the upper limits of our budget a little more — that’s what we petrolheads do after all! Further down the line, we come to a stealthy Porsche 991 Turbo S. It’s a 2015 Gen 1 car with 27,000 miles and a mega spec, up for £99,900, so there’s plenty spare for a tank of fuel and a full English. It would have been over £150,000 new with options, plus it has some nice aftermarket carbon fibre parts on the interior and exterior as well as orange calipers, which really set it off against the black paintwork and centre-lock wheels. Being one of the quickest cars you can buy in the real world at any money, up for less than a hundred grand, this has to be a contender. Not done yet though, we carry on down the line, and if you think the R8 has suffered crazy depreciation, wait until you see this McLaren 570GT in special order Cobalt Violet. Even without options, this would have been nudging £160,000 when new. Now, having covered less than 4,000 miles, it’s up for the same as the Porsche, £99,900 — ouch! It might be a bit of a brave pill when it comes to running costs and reliability, but the prospect of a purpose-built, carbon-tubbed British supercar for less than £100k simply can’t be ignored.

So with the Porsche and McLaren up for exactly the same money, let’s get them out on the road to see how they stack up, starting with the sensible option, the one where you pretty much know what you’re going to get — the 911 Turbo S. It should hold its money, it shouldn’t go wrong and running it shouldn’t break the bank either, but of course supercars aren’t about being sensible. With that in mind, we’re out on the twisties of the Peak District to find out how the do-it-all supercar fairs when you just want a thrill. The first thing the Turbo S hurls at the table is power. We’ve got 552bhp from a twinturbocharged 3.8-litre flat six, but what really tells the story of the way this thing pulls is 750Nm torque from just over 2,000rpm. There’s a slight delay to prepare your guts for the impending punch and then it just fires itself relentlessly towards the horizon with mega four-wheel-drive traction. It doesn’t scream like a GT3’s atmospheric masterpiece, and your mates might call it the Dyson, but I quite like the sound of pure turbocharged power as the boost builds until all you hear is whooooosh with the windows down.

It’s no lightweight by Porsche standards at just under 1,600kg, but the rear-wheel steering makes it feel seriously agile. It hugs hairpins like its life depends on it and you can get on the power so early on the way out, and through the higher speed sweepers, stability is like almost no other road car I’ve driven. Braking, shock horror, inspires massive confidence too with the standard-fit ceramics, and really that sums up the whole car — confidence. It isn’t as raucous or immersive as a GT3, and I do prefer that car’s more basic nature, but for outright pace without breaking sweat, it’s hard to fault the Turbo S, and there is some thrill there with the sheer quantity and accessibility of performance. Would you bore of its lack of noise and challenge to you as a driver? I think I might eventually, but as I keep saying, I like to spend an abnormal amount of time sideways screaming off the limiter, and the Turbo S was never intended to fulfil the lunatic brief!

So that’s the safe bet, now let’s move on to the 570GT. Definitely the braver option, but is it also the more special option? The McLaren is much less of a mass-produced product than the 911, and it does feel like more of an event just to be in with its sculpted shapes of leather and satin carbon fibre. You sit low and look out through a more steeply raked screen and low scuttle, giving a fantastic panoramic view forward, rather than peering through a Lamborghini letterbox. On the road, outright performance is the Porsche’s party trick, but this isn’t short of pace either. We have a twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre engine again, but in here it’s a V8 with a smidge more power at 562bhp. It’s not as rich in that gut-punching torque though, at 600Nm rather than 750, and you have to reach higher in the rev range to find it up at 5,000rpm. It is 100kg lighter than the 911 though, so ultimately there isn’t much between them at the top end. It sounds bizarre to say, but after the Turbo, the 570 almost feels a little lazy at 4,000rpm once you’ve got used to the Turbo’s everything everywhere powerband, but get the revs high to keep the turbos awake and shoot for redline, then it’s a very quick car. It feels more on its toes than the 911 too, for better or for worse depending on if you want excitement or confidence. It makes you think more about weight balance and when to get on the power, being rear-wheel drive, so the tradeoff in confidence does bring more of a rewarding learning curve. Despite only having two driven wheels and all that power, traction is fantastic, although the ESC does seem overly keen to hold back the boost until it’s really sure you’re man enough, so much like in the new McLaren GT, I found it to be a far more responsive drive with the nannies dismissed.

The steering is hydraulically assisted with a nice natural ratio, although I’d personally prefer some more weight to it. Turn in is fantastic though and the lightweight McLaren DNA and mid-engined balance make it a very agile and lively thing to hustle around a country road, even if you’d have to be a pretty serious driver to cling on to the fat rear end of the Turbo S.

When Adam was driving the McLaren, it really did sound great from the outside, but that noise is sadly lacking a bit in the cabin, so in the end it doesn’t give your ears any more pleasure than the 911 from the driver’s seat, but the way it moves around and asks more of you as a driver does make for more of a thrill when you get to your favourite road.

Ultimately, these two both make you wonder if it’s really worth buying a new model when such massive amounts of money disappear in depreciation as soon as you get it home from the dealership. In this case, the first owner’s loss is your chance to grab a proper supercar bargain. Sure, neither has a spine-tingling, high-revving soundtrack, but they’re blisteringly fast and truly usable every day.

It’s tough to choose between them because they go about their business so differently. I’m a Porsche man at heart and love the way the Turbo S decimates any stretch of tarmac in its path. Take it on a Euro tour and not much will get near it over a mountain road, you just know it won’t miss a beat and it feels by far the more solid machine.

But if you want something a bit less obvious, with more of a sense of occasion, then you might just want the McLaren. When you’re looking at less than £100,000 for an out-and-out supercar sitting on a carbon tub with less than 4,000 miles on the clock, scary initial depreciation really has made the 570GT a bit of a bargain, so I wouldn’t blame you for taking the brave pill and bagging yourself what is a serious bit of kit for the money. More than trying to choose a winner though, this is more a showcase of just how much car you can get for less than £100,000 at the moment, whether you’re wandering around John Holland’s showroom or scrolling through the classifieds at the office. It’s a buyer’s market people, so go grab yourself a bargain!

Watch the video on youtube.com

WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING TO BUY NEW STOCK WITH THE BEST PRICES BEING PAID

Range Rover 4.4 SD V8 2018 -

18,627 miles -

Panamera 2.9 V6 E-Hybrid

Auto

£74,990

Auto

£49,990

Audi R8 5.2 FSI V10 2012 -

35,541 miles -

35,227 miles -

15,470 miles -

Bentley Flying Spur 4.0 V8

Auto

£71,900

Audi RS6 4.0 TFSI V8 Avant

Porsche 911 3.8 997 Carrera 4S 2010 -

2017 -

Auto

BUYING

£44,990

2014 -

31,892 miles -

Auto

£45,290

E Class 5.5 E63 AMG S MCT 2016 -

23,373 miles -

Auto

SELLING

£38,900

2014 -

42,750 miles -

Auto

£52,750

Porsche 911 3.8 997 Carrera 4S 2007 -

29,355 miles -

Manual £44,900

F-TYPE 3.0 V6 Supercharged 2016 -

9,887 miles -

Auto

£34,900

SERVICING & MOT

JOHN HOLLAND, MEADOWHALL RIVERSIDE, MEADOWHALL ROAD, SHEFFIELD S9 1BW

0114 256 5040 | sales@jhsales.co.uk

PICK A

COLOUR ,

ANY COLOUR

We speak with co-founder of Topaz Detailing, Nabil, about the product that is changing the way we customise our cars. Written by: Matt Parker

Back in the day, if you wanted to change the colour of your car, a respray was the only way to go, but especially when your starting point is a valuable car, most people wouldn’t want to irreversibly remove its originality and make it impossible to sell when the time comes. Then came vinyl wrapping, finally a solution that enabled you to pick any colour that suits, and when you come to sell or change your mind, just peel it off and you’re back to stock, but the finish just doesn’t have the same depth and clarity of gloss paint.

That’s where TopazSkin has burst onto the scene and revolutionised the way we customise our pride and joys by giving the finish of the best paint jobs while being totally reversible. We met up with Nabil, Co-Founder of Topaz Detailing, to find out what it is and how it works. “The best way to describe it is that TopazSkin is a peelable paint”, Nabil explains, “It consists of a base coat, ‘Stage 1’, which allows it to be peelable, and then you can put any paint on top of it. We use all the best quality paint schemes to achieve the perfect manufacturer colour. On top of that is

the clear coat which is where the magic happens. That’s what gives you the clarity and the depth of colour of the best paint jobs, and it has swirl resistance”. So how is TopazSkin better than a traditional vinyl wrap? “We get asked that question a lot”, Nabil replies, “It’s a totally different thing to vinyl wrapping. Vinyl wrapping serves its purpose at a different price point; TopazSkin is an actual respray but you can peel it off. Because it’s paint, you can sand it down, refine it and get limited ripples in the paint (orange peel). It has reflections just like paint, because it is paint.

“You can also match any exact colour you want. If you want Ferrari Rosso Corsa or triple-layer yellow, if you want Porsche Jet Green Metallic, you can choose whatever colour you can imagine and we can make it happen. Not only that, but you can actually create your own custom colours too”. So what’s the difference in process for someone who wants a basic colour change versus something more wild? “We offer two levels”,

Nabil says, “Colour change and atelier. Colour change means you can choose any manufacturer colour you want, so if you come to us with an R8 for example, you’ve got a really good deal on the car, but it’s white, you really don’t like it in white, and you want it to be, I don’t know, BMW Yas Marina Blue, that’s your standard colour change. Just like a traditional respray, we take all the parts off the car and spray them as if they were being sprayed permanently, the only difference is we are using different products, and it is a more time-intensive process. “Atelier is where you get into the really funky stuff, the really cool, unique projects. Your only limitation is your imagination! Anything from stripes to bespoke colours, gold dust, diamond dust, you can do whatever you want. You can even bring in anything you really like the colour of, whether it’s a piece of a kitchen cabinet or nail polish and we would match that. We have something called a spectrophotometer which scans whatever object you bring, and usually gives us about a 99% match when the colour is mixed”.

Obviously we’re all different. Some of us know exactly what we want our car to look like down to the tiniest detail, but some might not know where to start, so I ask Nabil how it works when a customer comes to them. “The customer usually has some idea of what it is they want. They’ll say, ‘I’ve got my SVJ, I want to do something with it, I don’t know exactly what, but I like the Pirelli Edition of the normal Aventador’, or ‘I like this kind of dark red’. What we will do is then find out exactly what it is that they like about that concept and understand their inspiration — that is very important for us. “Once we understand that, we have software that has been built which we can use to visually show the customer what each idea would look like with a 3D image. We sit in our design studio with the customer and start to put all the different colours on their exact car on the screen, so it’s a very cool way of showing them what the car will look like. You can change the wheel colour, caliper colour, even the writing on the calipers, whatever you want.

“Once that’s done, we give the customer a spray out of the colour so they can see it in real life, give them a render and then they sign it off. The car then comes to us to have the work done which takes a couple of weeks. Once the customer has collected the car, we’ll give them a call a couple of weeks later to see how they’re getting on with the results, how they are compared to where they imagined and so on”.

Sounds great! If I fancy a change down the line or want to put the car back to standard, is it just as easy to remove as a vinyl wrap? “On flat panels it’s very similar and comes off very easily in one piece”, Nabil explains, “When we get to things like door hinges, you need specialist tools and equipment to be able to remove to product efficiently and safely, so if you ever do want to remove a TopazSkin, make sure it is removed with us here at Topaz. The important point is, don’t try to remove it yourself”.

...he actually has a few green cars, so he wanted it with a twist. He was like, ‘Can you put gold in it?’, and we said, ‘What do you mean gold?’, and he said, ‘Real gold!’.

Now we know what it is and how it works, we’ve seen plenty of examples of some pretty interesting projects on Instagram, so I’m keen to find out how many cars they have done so far, and which ones Nabil is particularly proud of. “I’d say we’ve done around 25 cars so far”, Nabil responds, “The Bugatti EB110 was a very cool project. The customer didn’t like the standard colour, but he saw that it was original in that it had stone chips and cracks, like you’d expect of an old car. He wanted to keep that originality, but at the same time, he wanted it to look really modern, so he decided to put TopazSkin on it”, he tells us. “The cool thing is that, at the first stage, we filled in all the cracks and stone chips with the peelable layer, then we sprayed over with Lamborghini Viola SE30 and the topcoat on top of that, and it looked perfect. No scratches, no stone chips or anything, but the cool thing is, if he ever comes to sell the car and wants to show the originality, when we peel off the TopazSkin, all the original defects remain underneath.

“The LFA was a cool story too. The guy always wanted it green, and he actually has a few green cars, so he wanted it with a twist. He was like, ‘Can you put gold in it?’, and we said, ‘What do you mean gold?’, and he said, ‘Real gold!’. So then we started researching the best way of doing it, whether it’s flakes or dust, 18ct gold or 24ct gold etc. We went through many different ways of doing it and then we finally got to the stage where we knew what we were doing with it to get the finish he wanted, and he named the colour after his girlfriend.

“JayKay’s Lusso was also a real favourite of mine. We turned it a Rolls Royce shade of purple and put gold wheels on for him as well, which is very very Jamiroquai!”, Nabil laughs. For such a time-intensive service, there must be a bit of a waiting list? “Yes, the waiting list is about three months. We have a limited production capability with this product, because we don’t want to have thousands of sites across the country, it’s more about a boutique offering. We have reduced it down to around two cars

per month at the moment, because we want to really focus on the quality and exclusivity of it”.

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TOUR DES ALPS 2019 Used to the mundane roads of Michigan, SCD member Cole gives his account of spending a week in driving heaven on the SCD Tour des Alps. Written by: Cole Matthews

2019 TOUR DES ALPS

I live in America. Not California, home to the Angeles Crest Highway made famous by so many YouTubers, nor Tennessee, home to the Tail of The Dragon. I live in Michigan. Michigan is one of the most beautiful states in the US, with over 2,000 miles of freshwater shoreline and 105 National and State Parks, but what it does not have is driving roads. Practically every road in Michigan is laid out in a dreary grid pattern. If you do happen to miraculously stumble across a decent road, without a doubt it will have a surface more similar to the face of a 14-year-old than a proper road, not to mention the police hiding around nearly every blind turn to catch you speeding. So, imagine my delight when I was told I would be able to go on an SCD tour through the Alps — Five days of pure driving nirvana.

DAY 0 1

We set off early on Monday afternoon from the breathtaking 338-year-old Abbaye de Talloires along the shores of Lake Annecy, one of the largest lakes in France. Still recovering from jet lag, my dad and copilot for the week opted to drive the first leg in our rented Porsche 991.1 GT3. My stepmom was riding with Adam in the SCD 997 GT3 up front. We started out slow on our way out of the city and gradually picked up the pace as everyone got comfortable. After a relatively tame start out of the city, the roads almost immediately turned into something of legend. Hairpin after hairpin, and they just kept coming. To say the least, I’m uncomfortable not being in control of a car on roads like this, but thankfully my dad didn’t sail us off the side of a mountain and we safely came to our lunch stop in the small village of Beaufort. After filling up on a delicious lunch of fondue, it was finally time for me to get behind the wheel. We have a 991.2 GT3 RS at home, so it didn’t take long to get into a groove with our rental. Shortly into the second leg, the scenery evolved into what I’ve only ever seen in movies — gorgeous green, goat-filled plains flanked by towering mountains. After a good hour of driving, we pulled into the village of Bourg-Saint-Maurice for a quick fill-up. Once refuelled, being chased down the Col du Petit Saint-Bernard by a V12 Vantage S while hearing the flat-six of our GT3 wail at 9,000 rpm was something most people only get to experience in video games, and I was living it. I started to ween off my adrenaline rush as we arrived at our stop for the night, the 5-star Montana Lodge in La Thuile, Italy.

2019 TOUR DES ALPS

DAY 2

We left La Thuile around 8:30 am for our longest driving day of the tour. The sound of the roaring engines and the cold mountain air was all the caffeine I needed. Out of each hairpin, we nailed the throttle getting a tinge of oversteer on the way out. At this altitude, our GT3 was gasping for air, down about 85 horsepower thanks to the thin air and struggling to keep up with some of the more powerful cars out of the uphill corners — a pair of turbos would have been a welcome addition!

After such an intense drive, we all needed a bit of a break by the time we reached our first stop at the top of a mountain. The views from the café were breathtaking with jagged mountains encapsulating us. After a breather for ourselves and a cooldown for the cars, we started down the mountain towards our next spot and our GT3 turned into a hybrid — a GT3 with gravity assist. The roads turned from hairpins to long sweepers and we gained momentum. We were lucky to have almost no traffic to hold us up on this leg until we arrived at our lunch stop at the base of a dam. Thirsty, hungry, and a little bit sore from the carbon buckets, I was ready for lunch. For the afternoon leg of the drive, my dad was in the driver’s seat, and we continued along some slightly more pedestrian passes until we arrived at the base of the Col d’Izoard. The Col d’Izoard is one of the highest paved passes in Europe and a frequent stage of the Tour de France. Being in the passenger seat, I was able to take in the beautiful scenery. Lined by weathered mountains and next to no plant life, we had entered a seemingly Martian landscape. We rushed down the backside of the mountain, nearing our overnight stop at Hôtel Alta Peyra in St Veran, the highest village in France. As soon as we arrived, the team from iValet UK, who drove all the way from the UK for us might I add, were there to detail every car on the tour. After a long day of intense driving, I was ready to relax — it was a vacation after all.

2019 TOUR DES ALPS

DAY 3

Our third day was an optional drive. We were staying at Hôtel Alta Peyra for two nights, so around half the group opted to stay back at the hotel for some pool time and relaxation, but we took off from the hotel led by Jonty and went back up to the top of the Col d’Izoard for a morning coffee stop. James, who was driving the 360 CS, led us up to the top of the Col de Agnel, while Jonty went back to the hotel to pick up a few more people. We crossed over into Italy on our way down, stopping in a tiny village for some authentic Italian pasta. While most of the French seemed to despise our cars, every single one of the Italians absolutely gushed over them. On our way back up, we stopped to look at the breathtaking views of the top of the clouds and made it back to the hotel in time for dinner and to get prepared for the next day’s drive.

DAY 4

The absolute driving pinnacle of the tour — so many fantastic roads packed into six hours of driving. Early in the morning we checked out of Hôtel Alta Peyra and headed to Col de la Bonette, the highest paved road in Europe. Aside from the angry Frenchman pretending to throw rocks at our cars, the drive to the top was astounding. Driving to almost 9,000 feet feels understandably unnatural, and this becomes even more surreal when you drive through the clouds, a view you usually only ever get through the window of a jet. The group pulled off at the top to look into the abyss. Looking over the edge, all you see is the tops of the clouds rolling over the mountain. Throw a stone over the edge and it seems to never hit the ground. We took off down the mountain, a little slower than our normal pace — with thousand-foot drops on the side, one wrong move here would permanently seal your fate!

Once down the mountain, we had a bit of a transit leg on more pedestrian roads before we got to the apex drive of the trip. To reach our lunch spot, we had to traverse an extremely tight one-and-a-half-lane wide, two-way road. Lucky for us, we were in a relatively narrow 911. For the

2019 TOUR DES ALPS

Lamborghinis and Ferraris, it was tight. Since Jonty had recced the road before, we combined groups and went up as a massive pack of supercars — quite the sight for the locals I imagine.

We arrived at our lunch stop, starving from the effort of attention that was required on the last road. Thankfully, it was a fantastic Italian restaurant. After eating delicate French food for most of the last week, carbs in the form of pasta and pizza were extremely welcome. Once we were done with lunch, it started pouring, but lucky for us, this was the first rain of the trip and only lasted the time it took for us to run to our cars.

We headed out onto the next section, Red Rock Road. This was by far the most challenging and intensive road of the trip. This road could easily claim your car and your pride. Stop paying attention for one second and it’s into the guardrail you go. This area looks just like the American west, yet instead of having police every four miles and traffic backed up with motorhomes, it’s almost empty. This road would make for a fantastic rally stage. It alternates between ultra-tight corners and short tunnels carved through the mountain. Nearly every corner is blind, you just have to hope whoever is in front of you is also on their game. After an exhilarating drive, it was time to split up and take the quicker route to Monaco with a few of the other cars. In hindsight, we should have taken the longer route. Getting into Monaco was hectic. Between seemingly a million scooters rushing by an inch from our mirrors and the tourists walking backwards in casino square to get a selfie, the valet at the Fairmont was a welcome sight. After a solid nap, we headed out with the SCD crew up to Le Tip Top to consume my weight in pizza and Long Island iced teas. We then made our way to Café de Paris to attempt to eat every dessert they had, and we were almost successful. Our next stop was Buddha Bar, and granted one of my highlights of the trip, getting my dad, a 53-year-old doctor, to smoke shisha with me. Remembering I was supposed to be driving again in six hours, I headed back to the Fairmont!

2019 TOUR DES ALPS

DAY 5

On the morning of day five, we had lost about half of our group due to the curse of the hangover. With my dad running on two hours of sleep, I opted to drive. Everyone still tired and some a bit hungover, we took it slower than normal. The GPS led us up a convoluted route out of the city and up into the hills. We climbed up on switchbacks, only impeded by one rather angry local who refused to let us pass.

Stopping halfway to our lunch spot for photos was a great reminder of how epic the trip had been. Knowing I was about to have AWS (Alps Withdrawal Syndrome), I took a minute to admire the cars and think back on how much we’d done in the last five days. Our lunch stop after the next leg was at a rather Italian feeling country house. The food was excellent, but it couldn’t compensate for our lack of sleep, so we elected to head back to Monaco on our own.

Pulling back into the Fairmont was bittersweet. It marked the end of the trip. It’d be the last time I’d drive the GT3 before it was loaded on a transporter headed back to Germany. Despite being a rental with grained tyres, nearly worn brakes, and almost 40,000 miles, it was a fantastic car for the trip. The perfect balance of comfort and power for a trip like this. Would a 488 have been nice? Sure, but there’s something about a car with a more modest amount of power that’s just great. The car lets you go flat out of every corner without too much drama, and on some of these roads, that’s needed. We officially wrapped up the tour with our last group dinner. The SCD team gave out awards, one of which went to my stepmom for the best navigator, Dan presented the beautiful video that he’d been tirelessly shooting and editing in real-time over the trip and Riad’s amazing photos were playing on loop as we ate. And with that, it was over. Time to head back to the US and back to our uneventful roads. This trip was the trip of a lifetime, but hopefully it can become a tradition.

2019 TOUR DES ALPS

We’re now deep into the days of allocation this and over-list that. I’m probably writing this to the wrong group of people, as if you’re reading this, you’re most likely an SCD member and keen to make the most of your cars, but I think in general, many need to take a step back and remember what the purpose of a supercar is. It wasn’t made to sit in a hermetically sealed garage and be wiped down once on the hour. They were built to attack an alpine road, be pushed to their tyre-squealing and tail-sliding limits, but most importantly, to create lifelong memories. There’s something about drives like this that most people will never understand. For us, it’s not about point A to B, it’s not about going to get the groceries, it’s not about commuting to work. For us, for the few of us who truly get it, it’s about the visceral rush of power, the symphony of exhaust notes and the flutter in your stomach when your car goes light over a crest. With each gear change, each stab of the brakes, and each squeal of the tyres, we remember the reason for our love of driving.

If you’re wavering about bringing your car on one of these trips, do it. You may gain a few stone chips and lose a few thousand in depreciation, but you’ll create a memory you’ll never forget. Special thanks to the SCD team for making this trip one for the record books.

Watch the video on youtube.com

2019 TOUR DES ALPS

Seldom Seen Having bullied good friend Alan into both supercar ownership and subsequent SCD membership, Rob takes a rare opportunity to discuss a little diamond within Alanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s humble yet eclectic car collection. Written by: Rob Ward

Although there is something grand about a car collection being meticulously lined up in that typical, photogenic oak-framed garage with memorabilia on the walls and plush floor coverings, there is something very endearing and exciting about opening the doors to an old, unassuming farm barn surrounded by grain stores and stables to reveal the effects of nostalgia and self-confessed car hoarding.

Alan throws open the doors, allowing light into a swept, dry and airy space. A mint condition, Avus Blue E36 M3 catches the eye quietly fulfilling Alan’s super saloon obsession. Its looks ageing perfectly and with every conceivable factory option included, Alan actually used this car as a daily driver a couple of summers back. Next to this, an unmodified and very wellpreserved Escort Cosworth of a similar era; the car that we all longed for after cutting our teeth on the cheaper hot hatches of the 90s. This one was used as the family runabout for a short spell last year. Having both owned 205 GTIs and both regretting ever selling them, we both have a soft spot for this one.

A more recent purchase and the newest addition to the collection is Alan’s Volcano Orange McLaren 675LT; something we are both as excited as each other about, having been involved in the deep pre-purchase deliberations, as well as this being the brand that Alan can thank for his SCD membership! Lastly, under a perfectly fitted cover, the 2001 Lotus Exige S1.

I must admit, I learnt a great deal about the Lotus from this meetup with Alan. Being good friends, our chats tend to be on a much more personal level or about more modern cars like the aforementioned bright orange addition, so this was a real treat and a good excuse to delve a little deeper.

I learn immediately that this car was already limited in numbers with just over 600 built over two years, but their numbers then dwindled hugely due to the use of them within the Lotus Cup series, as well as losses due to overenthusiastic drivers. Further to this, many of them have been heavily modified, with engines being swapped from the standard 1,800cc Rover K-Series to the high revving Honda VTEC, giving more horsepower and better reliability. So many either aren’t around anymore or have been modified that Modern Classics magazine have suggested that this is one of only two standard Exige S1s for sale in the UK! We pin the barn doors back using rocks and Alan jumps in to reverse the car out. On tickover, the cams are really lumpy until around 2,000rpm and it’s nice to hear something so raw and a little less tightened by emission rules as it warms up. The distinct smell of unburnt fuel and oil adds to the rawness. One of the reasons the engines are often swapped for the Honda unit is to smooth this

lumpiness as well as power gains of almost 50bhp in its naturally-aspirated form. Like Alan though, I think I prefer this original concept as opposed to the Japanese equivalent that needs 8,000rpm before it wakes up. An Emerald ECU addition and a fast road map have actually improved tick over slightly as well as ironing out flat spots in the rev range but engine internals, throttle body and exhaust system are standard, albeit minus the cats, which means very regular flames from the centre-exit twin pipes on overrun.

We let the car warm up while we take the first few photos. Alan runs a very diverse and very well-kept farm in Kent, producing fruit and cereals as well as owning and managing commercial and residential properties throughout the estate, which made photograph opportunities quite appealing without venturing out and having to avoid the public on the wet surrounding roads. “The story of the Exige is a little cliché to be honest”, Alan opens with, “Before coming back to the farm to take over from my father, I was a National Hunt jockey based in Brighton. I was out riding one day when an all-black Exige S1 drove past me, and the shape and sound have really stuck with me since”. I guess we all have that time in our lives as car enthusiasts where a car sticks in our minds and sparks off a bit of a ‘thing’.

“When I moved back home and had Maidstone Sports Cars literally on my doorstep renting out one of our units, finding an investment opportunity in a standard, untouched and unspoilt S1 started to become less of an impossible task”.

MSC are Lotus specialists, regularly servicing and maintaining customers’ cars from one of Alan’s commercial units. Their contacts and knowledge of the brand made finding the car so much easier, and the car was eventually sourced and bought from Robert Barrie Historic Car Sales. This was a 25,000-mile, unspoilt example from 2001 at what now seems like a fantastic price, to the point where Robert now admits he wishes he’d never sold it, especially since, in the six years Alan has owned it, putting only an additional 5,000 miles on the clock, it has appreciated by at least £1 per mile.

We complete our photo session and head onto the nearby roads, and at 6 foot 5, my first problem need not be explained in too much detail — just imagine a daddy long-legs climbing inside a matchbox. The drive for me was much like my experience of a Caterham but with doors, a roof and a heater. The gearbox is wonderfully close-ratio, the gearshift itself is super short and very positive and there are shift lights over the binnacle which are essential as this car does need to be revved.

As a driver, you find yourself forever desperate for a clear road; the low rev lumpiness means slower driving gets frustrating. The S1’s need for at least half throttle before it is happy adds to the driver engagement and the requirement of focus once you are free of traffic. It is less forgiving than most sports cars and you need to really drive it, find the sweet spot of power and stay there. I was surprised to find the brake and throttle pedal a little too far apart to be able to heel and toe, and from experience with similarly light and nimble cars, you really do need that to keep downshifts smooth and prevent the rear wheels locking up, especially on track — it’s not as much of an issue for us on public roads.

The brakes need to be warmed up slightly before they become fully effective. They’re tiny too, and a reminder of how light this car is — at only 785kg, they are all you need. The car is very well poised even in the wet and never gave me any indication of its obvious ability to swap ends. I was never going fast enough to risk this anyway. The drive was spirited and intense fun, but I was never going to push it that far, let’s be honest. “Maintenance costs have been kept to a minimum thanks to the relationship with MSC and they are not the complex machines of today. That’s the point”, Alan explains.

Alan wanted something track-focused when he started the search with MSC, and some of the alternatives were appealing too. “Their immediate brief was to find me the S1, but I was still open-minded to other options”, he tells us, “Early GT Porsches were regularly in and out of the workshop, and although they did tweak my interest, they just didn’t seem to cut the mustard in terms of excitement at the time. I must say though, I do now get the Porsche thing and there is now a need harbouring for the future now”, Alan admits. And so, the Exige is now for sale. With the track car itch well and truly scratched, it is time to find some room in the garage for other toys. “The sale of this will likely make way for a more family-orientated super saloon that ticks a very different box”, Alan explains, “Likely candidates are the 6.2 C63 AMG or an Alpina estate as I need something I can use to take to the occasional NFU meeting and not cause a scene when I arrive. I need to be able to use the phone occasionally during long drives and my wife has full use of the Discovery 4 so I can’t rely on that being available”.

There will be a lot of thought going into whatever Alan ends up with next as depreciation needs to be considered after such success with the Exige, as well as the Cosworth and M3. “The McLaren isn’t forever either. I have a short attention span and although that helped me choose the LT, it also means I will likely want a change before long”. Alan suggested the McLaren might end up being sold to make way for a 911 GT3 at some point, and I look forward to seeing where the next year or so takes the collection. Thanks Alan for a great chat and for letting me loose in the Exige!

Le Mans

Heroes We spend the day with SCD member Roland to learn about his two vintage Le Mans cars, the stories of their history and the thousands of road miles he has covered in them both. Written by: Matt Parker

“Since being a teenager, I’ve always thought that Le Mans is perhaps one of the most important, romantic and dramatic races in the world”, SCD member Roland tells us as we wonder how on earth one comes to own vintage Le Mans racing cars. “From being 16 years old, I used to make a pilgrimage to the ‘proper’ Le Mans back in the day. It was there I first saw a Ferrari P4 running and it remained perhaps the most iconic and wonderful car ever in my mind”, he remembers, “My father’s best friend had what is probably the only completely original P4 in the world, a car that still exists, and I was lucky enough as a young man to have sat in the passenger seat of it and been driven in it.

DB3s

“That, together with seeing the car compete at Le Mans drove the desire to have a Ferrari P4 probably more than anything else. The current owner has a six-mile racetrack in his garden in order to run it, so needless to say he’s fairly wealthy and it is not for sale. “As time went on, I became friendly with a very interesting guy in my thirties who was incredibly keen on cars. Many years ago, he had some amazing cars including an original D-Type Jag and not one DB3S Aston, but two. He had a habit of inviting me down every month or so, and we’d take one of the cars out and share the driving. I actually got to put serious miles on an original D-Type and an original DB3S, so I was able to judge which of those cars I thought was the best.

“Stirling Moss famously said that the DB3S was the best sports racing car of the 50s, saying that it felt smoother and safer to drive than the D-Type. I agreed and came to believe a DB3S was what I really wanted”.

About 15 years ago, Roland finally found a DB3S he wanted to buy. “I bought this car from a wonderful enthusiast who ran a jewellers on Bond Street in London. When I went to see him, the car had been parked in his garage for something like 12 years. We went for lunch, and by the end of that lunch, he had sold me the car. He said he had been waiting for someone who he liked and thought would use the car, and he’d sell it to them for virtually any price they named. He said he had a wonderful time with the car, it owed him absolutely nothing and he was so pleased I was going to have it. We shook hands, and that was the DB3S bought.

“Aston Martin didn’t have the budget of to do what Jaguar did with the D-Type at Le Mans, and didn’t do anything like as well, but it did well in other races, I absolutely love Astons, and the DB3S is a much more forgiving car than a D-Type for an amateur like me who just enjoys driving these things”, Roland explains, “A D-Type has that bit more grip and you can get through the corners very quickly, but if you lose it, God help you. The DB3S slides very nicely in the way you always see Vintage racing cars doing”.

Even the sight of the DB3S is special, so what is it like to actually be behind the wheel of on the public road? “I think it’s true to say that the ‘50s sports and racing cars are some of the most iconic and wonderful things that you can drive”, Roland tells us, “I know a lot of fellow SCD members are very much into modern supercars, and they are of course far more effective for getting from a to b, but these cars have no driver aids, no ABS, nothing. “The DB3S was one of the first cars to have disc brakes. That and the D-Type both beat Ferrari to it which gave them a great advantage going racing and makes them a great road car. The brakes are one of the best things about it, just don’t push them too hard in the wet! It also

accelerates into gaps in a way you just wouldn’t believe for a car built in 1956, it’s so torquey that if you put your foot down at 100mph in top gear, it just goes”.

So, you own a classic Le Mans car, what do you actually do with it? Some might just gaze at them in the garage, some might take them to concours events or race them at the Revival. What about Roland? “I do get a lot of pleasure from knowing they’re in the garage, but for me, the whole point of having these cars is to drive them. As for this DB3S, it’s done the Colorado Grand in America which is probably the greatest long-distance endurance rally in the world. It was set up as a charity to raise money for the families of police

officers who had lost their lives on the job. In return, the Colorado police force provides an escort for us throughout the rally — imagine cruising at 110mph with a police bike in front of you, lights flashing, and then the guy comes and has dinner with you at night!

“It has also done the Going to the Sun rally in Montana, the Arizona Copperstate, it’s been out to South America for the Patagonia 1,000 Millas, and finally it has driven 1,800 miles through the Oregon mountains from Seattle to Pebble Beach, visiting amazing car collections on the road. Back home, it has won many of the Aston Martin Owners Club competitions over the years, and it’s a regular competitor at Chateau Impney.”

It’s amazing to see such an iconic car being used so much, but we have to ask if the values of such cars makes Roland a little nervous about using them quite so much. “They are very well insured, and with these cars, you can rebuild almost anything for a price, so as long as the insurance covers that amount, you’re ok. An obvious concern is if a car was stolen and not recovered, and the biggest worry is fire, but I don’t worry about actually using them, and if they’re used regularly, there’s actually a lot less costly work needed on them. Compared to a Bugatti Veyron, they’re cheap to maintain!

“I’m not particularly pleased that the value of these cars has gone up as much as it has. As far as I’m concerned, if they hadn’t gone up so much, I might have even more of them! There are one or two cars like the Ferrari GTO that, whilst I had one many years ago for a mere six weeks or so, I know I’ll never have one of those again”. And that brings us to the second car we’re focussing on, the P4 Roland lusted after as a child. “Like a GTO, I think I accepted that a P4 was something I would never ever buy. Knowing that the only original one was very much not for sale, I had sort of given up on the idea. Interestingly though, when I was at the Amelia Island Concours, which is fantastic, I was walking around the stands and I came across a model of the P4. It was the most magnificent model you’ve ever seen. It was absolutely perfect, and it was expensive. You could have bought a small brand new car for the price of this thing!”, Roland laughs.

“Anyway, I got chatting to the man who owned the stall. I laughed and told him it was an amazing model, but the only person who would pay that is the person who actually has the real thing. I said I thought it should be half price, to which he responded, ‘You can have it for half price, as long as you promise me you will buy a real one’, to which I replied, ’It might be a tough promise, but If I do my best to buy one, do we have a deal?’. We shook hands and I brought it home with me”.

And so, true to his word, Roland began the search for the real thing. “We looked around the world and couldn’t find anything that was anywhere near good enough, until my son James spotted just what we wanted, at Tomini Classics in Dubai of all places. So, nothing ventured, we made a trip out to Dubai, and the car was magnificent. It was absolutely indistinguishable from the car I’d grown up knowing as a kid. So, I bought the car and we air freighted it straight from Dubai to Arizona where it went to a shop that specialises in these cars to have a few things done to it for a month”. We know it’s a thing of beauty, but what’s the story behind Roland’s P4? “Three or four of these cars were built by Norwood in Texas using original bits and some new parts.

I guess that’s as near as I can get to the original!”, he laughs, “It came to be over 30 years ago with a medical doctor who raced a proper £10 million competition Ferrari SWB. Despite being fiftysomething, he decided that wasn’t fast enough and he really wanted a P4. So, he knew this guy Bob Norwood, who is now famous for his work on Ferraris and holds the record for the fastest Ferrari in the world with a highly-modified 288 GTO rebody which clocked 275mph, and he told him what he wanted. “Norwood said it would be one of the most difficult things he had ever been asked to do. A number of replicas had been built with something like Ferrari 412 road car engines in, but he said if they were going to do it, and

they were going to go racing, they had to do it properly, and to do it properly, they would have to make the P4’s quad-cam V12 from scratch — you can imagine the costs of making that alone on a one-off basis!

“The other condition was that Norwood could share the racing of the car, and thinking the way I would think, the doctor said “absolutely!”. He said if Norwood would build the car for him at cost plus 10% and share the racing, they had a deal. They finished the car about 30 years ago, they went out racing it with the Ferrari Owners Club across the States, and they won”.

So it’s quite a machine with quite a story, and Roland didn’t hesitate to make full use of it. “After I bought the car and the work was complete, I flew out to Arizona to test it for the first time and spent a few days driving it, then we arranged to take it on the Going to the Sun rally which we had done in the DB3S. The rally is about 1,800 road miles over four days across Montana, a magnificent state known for its mountains, wide open roads and lakes.

“We arranged to have the car transported from Arizona to Montana around 200 miles away from the start of the rally, then drove the car to the start before doing all 1,800 miles of the rally. The car is embarrassingly noisy, and whilst quite a lot of people were pleased and gave me thumbs

up, there were at least two women who told me what they thought of me for making such a dreadful noise!

“After that, the car remained in America while it was still cold and miserable in England, so I put together a private rally for a dozen of us with similar cars. We did 2,000 miles across the high desert in Arizona over six days. When we had done all that, I finally brought the car back home ready for spring here in England”. Roland tells us that the P4 is absolutely magnificent to drive, but you have to choose the right place to do so. “I did take my son to his school prom which involved driving in some traffic in Nottingham, and it was bloody

hard work. It’s very high geared in first, and the clutch is sort of either in or out. It’s actually extraordinarily comfortable though. You wouldn’t think it, but I’ve done 600 miles in a day in that car and felt as good at the end of the day as I did at the beginning. That’s why I love Le Mans cars. They were always made for doing long stints over long distances, so you can just drive them and drive them. “The car is a little more powerful than the original P4 with something like 480bhp at the rear wheels on the rolling road, and of course the car isn’t very heavy either, so it’s quite an amusing thing to drive!”

When you look at the P4, it’s hard to believe you can actually drive it on the road, and the American licence plate ‘330 P4’ has us asking how it all works. “The 330 P4 is not really road legal here in England, and I wasn’t about to try and go through all those hoops, so the car is in fact registered in Montana with the genuine licence plate 330 P4 and it is insured for use around the world, which leaves me free to use it in England a reasonable amount. It is only here on a temporary import at the moment, then it will go back to America to do some more of those great rallies, but who knows, it might well be back”. Roland has done plenty of miles in these cars, but are they really usable on the road? “The

DB3S is a wonderful car to drive”, Roland smiles, “It was a successful racing car, and yet it’s something you could jump in right now and go anywhere for a few hours, and if you had to go through traffic, it wouldn’t matter. The P4 is much more of a challenge and indeed I couldn’t use it at all if I wanted to have it permanently in England. It’s nothing like as usable, but it’s a hell of a lot faster. The beauty of them is how they actually can be driven on the road when you want. I would love to drive one of the modern Le Mans cars at Le Mans, but there’s no way you could use them on the road!”.

A comparison of two cars wouldn’t be complete without the most difficult question, so we ask Roland which he would keep if he had to choose.

“I’m a child really and I find it hard to let go of things”, he laughs, “Of the two, I think the Aston is the absolute keeper because it’s so usable. You can go to the shops in it as easily as you can do a thousand miles in it. The P4 is not a thing I can drive as often as some other cars, but on the other hand of course, it was the car I grew up wanting so much as a teenager, so I guess they’re both keepers!”.

Watch the video on youtube.com

14 McLAREN P1 VAT QUALIFYING Supernova Silver With Carbon Black Alcantara 5,600m £1,100,000

14 PORSCHE 918 SPYDER WEISSACH PACKAGE Colour To Sample Pearlescent White With Garnet Red Leather 6,000m £1,095,000

1969 ASTON MARTIN DB6 VOLANTE Amethyst With Black Leather 3,000m £649,950

05 PORSCHE CARRERA GT 5.7 GT Silver With Ascot Brown Leather 599m £749,950

15 FERRARI 458 SPECIALE APERTA Giallo Triplo Strato With Nero & Giallo Alcantara 1,500m £569,950

11 FERRARI 599 GTO LHD Grigio Silverstone With Rosso Tessuto 3,500m £409,950

66 NOBLE M600 COUPE Dark Red Metallic With Quilted Dark Grey Alcantara 4,900m £179,950

68 FERRARI PORTOFINO 3.9 Grigio Titanio With Cuoio Hide 1,100m £164,950

17 McLAREN 720S COUPÉ LUXURY Saros Elite Paint With Carbon Black Leather 4,000m £155,950

15 FERRARI 458 SPECIALE Bianco Avus With Nero & Giallo Alcantara 3,900m £299,950

53 FERRARI 360 CHALLENGE STRADALE F1 Bianco Avus With Blue Alcantara 12,000m £159,950

62 MERCEDES-BENZ C63 AMG BLACK SERIES Obsidian Black With Black Leather 21,000m £79,950

IT’S A NUMBERS GAME

Carl Hartley hits the wintry Peak District in a one of four, 1,018bhp, £1.25 million Koenigsegg CCXR Edition — brave or stupid?!

Written by: Matt Parker

From day one, Koenigsegg have been famed for their ground-breaking performance. With the CCXR Edition, the aim wasn’t just to go faster in a straight line than any Koenigsegg before it, but to excel on track and along your favourite road, all without sacrificing style and comfort. Just four examples were produced, and just one of those was right-hand drive. It has a fullyexposed carbon fibre body, 11-spoke forged wheels, a lowered chassis with stiffer springs and anti-roll bars, and a unique rear wing and side winglets to keep that colossal power under control.

That power comes from Koenigsegg’s own 4.8-litre aluminium V8 with twin Rotrex centrifugal superchargers making 1,018bhp and 1,080Nm torque. It’ll do 0-62mph in 2.9 seconds, 0-124 in 8.75, and its party piece, 0-186mph and back to 0 again in 25.5 seconds. Plus, it’ll break the 400kph barrier with a top speed of over 250mph without the rear wing. This is one of those cars you just don’t see out on the road, so when we saw that our friend Carl Hartley had one in stock, we couldn’t help but ask if he’d bring it out to the Peak District for a shoot. It’s worth in excess of a million pounds, has in excess of a thousand horsepower going through the rear wheels, and it was November, so Carl being Carl, said, “Why not?”. So, over to Carl behind the wheel in the Peak District, roof off, woollie hat on, to tell us what

it’s all about. “This particular car is a CCXR Edition”, he tells us, “The Edition means is there were four made in total, this being the only right-hand drive version, delivered to the royal family in Malaysia. It has a full exposed carbon body, red leather, and this one has only done 1,000 miles”. Is he mad driving such a valuable and lairy machine on the freezing, narrow roads of the Peaks? “I’m scared s**tless of these cars if I’m totally honest with you. They kick out at any minute.

It’s a bit like an F40 with the turbo boost, you just don’t know when it’s going to kick in. This car doesn’t weigh very much. It’s nearly a one to one power-to-weight ratio. Obviously you know Koenigsegg made the One:1 which actually is one to one, but this isn’t far off. We’ve got 1,018bhp and 1,230kg. It’s manual, rear-wheel drive, which is, err, not one bit scary. You wouldn’t believe that would you? Totally safe!

“The thing about these cars, everyone takes the piss out of me for being short, but I’m the only person out of all my friends who can fit in these cars. It’s actually a really nice thing to drive too. The stats scare people, and I might have more fun in this car if I thought it was around 650bhp, but the fact that you know there’s over 1,000bhp, you’re always thinking to yourself, “Wow, I need to watch myself here!”, plus the windscreen is just about big enough to post a letter through it”.

We have to wonder, can you ever really put that much power to the floor through the rear wheels? “I made a famous comment a few years ago when we did an interview, saying that you can’t safely put over 1,000bhp through two rear wheels, and my opinion hasn’t changed! I haven’t been driving this car fast at all, and I still think I need to change my underpants afterwards”.

So if you don’t fancy risking a change of underwear, what is there to like about the CCXR at any speed? “The great thing about all Koenigseggs is that they’re convertible. It’s not a mechanically folding job, more a panel that takes six strong scientists to take on and off, but when it’s off, it’s great. On a day like today, although it is so cold, it would just be a waste to drive it with the roof on.

“As much as everyone knows my heart lies in a Bugatti, I think you have to appreciate what a Koenigsegg is, what it does, and how far the company has come in a short space of time, similar to Pagani. I’m a big fan of Pagani, but they outsource a lot of the components. Koenigsegg make absolutely everything. “I would feel a lot safer in a Pagani or Bugatti than I did on those roads, but that’s the point, there are people who want these proper raw cars. Maybe I’m not that person. I love driver aids, luxury and auto, because I’m lazy!”, Carl laughs.

“It’s a very special car though. You need massive, open roads. Loads of room, no other cars and then you can have a lot of fun in this car. It’s great fun on winding roads in second and third gear, but you’re going to need an autobahn to get your foot down in one of these! You just want to feel the boost, you can hear the superchargers whine, and when they kick in it’s like dear god, please stay in a straight line!”

As the car is currently for sale with Tom Hartley, we have to ask the (more than) million-dollar question, and what the CCXR compares to on the market. “This car is currently up for sale with us for £1,250,000, which is a lot of money, but for what any Koenigsegg is, it’s good value for the numbers made and what else is in comparison

with it. If you’ve got somewhere between one and one-and-a-half million to spend on a car, you’re looking at the Porsche 918, McLaren P1, Paganis have gone way above that level now, or you can look at this. I think every type of car has better qualities than the other.

“This has such a rarity factor. When do you see a Koenigsegg? When you do, whatever else you’re in is completely disregarded. It’s like, “Mate, do me a favour, move your 918, I want a picture of the Koenigsegg”. This has an intense road presence, it’s cool the way the doors open, and you just get that rawness you don’t get in a 918. You do get it in a P1, but the car almost drives itself.

“It’s a stunning looking car, especially when the sunlight hits the bare carbon, and I think something like this is a good investment for somebody at the moment. I was in Geneva three weeks ago and watched a One:1 sell for the thick end of £5 million. You’re not going to find a standard Agera for less than £2 million either, so there’s over a million pounds difference between that and this, which is absurd, and surely the gap has to close. “Really, somebody who buys this type of car, it’s not their second, third or fourth car in their garage, it’s more like the tenth, or in some people’s scenarios, even the fiftieth”, Carl explains, and I think we can all agree it would be one of the most special cars in any collection.

Watch the video on youtube.com

NEW DIGS.

A new office isn’t normally anything to get excited about, but this one’s a little different. Say hello to the new SCD HQ. Written by: Matt Parker

As SCD approaches its milestone 10th anniversary, we’re looking forward to some very special events to celebrate a decade of bringing people and their supercars together. A lot has changed in that time. When I first got involved with events after my dad joined as a member, Adam was basically a one-man band, then when I officially came on board three years ago, we were a small team in an even smaller office, but we’ve always wanted a space where we could be proud to welcome our members and bring you into our world.

After 10 years of hard work from the team and support from our members, we’ve finally taken that leap, and we’d like you to say hello to the new SCD HQ. Transformed from the tatty, oldfashioned office it was just a few months ago, it now has a totally refreshed feel. There’s loads of space for the growing team to keep improving your membership experience and of course use the racing sim to keep our minds fresh, but even more to your interest, there’s room for cars, because every room is better with cars, right?!

It’s not a selfish endeavour though, not just a nice space for us to sit and gaze at whatever exotica is sat on the other side of the glass, but somewhere we’d like to welcome as many of you as possible. In fact, so many of you have already been for our opening party which was a real pleasure, and we hope to see many more of you too with private events and new model previews in the pipeline — watch this space! We wouldn’t have had such a journey and wouldn’t be where we are today without you, so whether you’ve been around for years or you’re just getting involved, a big thank you from the whole SCD team, and if you’re in Sheffield, you’re always welcome to pop in for a go on the sim and a nice Yorkshire cuppa!

Watch the video on youtube.com

LAMBORGHINI LEICESTER Authorised Dealer

Lamborghini Leicester Watermead Business Park, Leicester, LE7 1PF Phone 0116 319 39 69 leicester.lamborghini

We catch up with Henry of his namesake Henry’s Car Barn in Warwickshire to talk about his passion for cars, his eclectic collection and how the business evolved into what it is today.

Where did your love of cars come from?

When I was growing up, my late father had a wonderful car collection. Mostly Astons but also some Ferraris including a Dino. He used to test the Jaguar Le Mans cars in the 60s for the Jag works team, so racing has always been in my blood. I’m racing a 1961 Lightweight E-Type this year in a few different series, hopefully including Le Mans Classic and Spa 6 Hours. The car that really got me interested was our Land Rover Series 1 which we still have at home. I remember driving this across the fields at 5 years old!

When did you first get involved with SCD?

When Adam first really started 10 years ago, he came and did a magazine piece on me and I took him over some of the estate in my Bowler EXR-S at 140 mph. Poor Adam! Ever since then I’ve been coming to breakfast meets and also attending your Secret Meets with some cool cars.

How did Henryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Car Barn come about?

It all started as CCS Classic Car Storage in the 70s by my father who had lots of overseas mates with some cool cars, so he offered one of the barns at home to them, and overnight, CCS was born. In the last five years, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been slowly growing it and rebranded it. HCB was born and continues to grow every day into something I love and can put some quality time into. We have just opened another store which continues to fill up, and our third store, a purpose-built store, should be ready in March.

What services do you offer?

We offer dehumidified storage, nondehumidified storage, valeting, transport, servicing and body shop services.

What Makes HCB different?

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been trading and looking after clients for over 50 years. We still have clients who have been here longer than me. Every new client gets my personal mobile so communication is, I hope, as good as it gets. Every customer is unique and wants something completely different to the next, and we can arrange whatever that may be.

How was it having SCD members over for your breakfast meet?

It was great to open the doors to all your grateful members. We were overflowing with an amazing turnout of cars, had a Vulcan to show off in the barn and it all went very well. I can’t wait to arrange another in spring!

Tell us about your own collection.

It’s an ever-changing and growing collection, but current cars are Mercedes SLS, Aston Martin GT8, DB5 and DB6, Lancia Delta Integrale, 1966 Jaguar E-Type 4.2, 1961 Lightweight E-Type, three Land Rover Series 1 including the one I mentioned from my childhood, McLaren 600 LT Spider and a few others.

What are your plans going forward?

Just continue doing what we do best — provide a five-star car hotel and service for our clients.

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W H E R E LUXU RY S TA RTS , N EC E SS IT Y S TO P S

STORAGE

EST. 1984

SECURITY

henryscarbarn.co.uk

DETAILING

07771 888 175

LOGISTICS

henryscarbarn.co.uk

LEEDS

BEAUTIFUL IS RELENTLESS

astonmartin.com

Aston Martin Leeds, Ring Road, Lower Wortley, Leeds LS12 6AA | 0113 389 0777 | leeds.astonmartindealers.com Indicative fuel consumption figures in litres/100km (mpg) for the 2020 MY Aston Martin DBX: urban 12.2 (23.1); extra urban 13.5 (20.8); combined 14.3 (19.7). CO2 emissions 269g/ km. The mpg/fuel economy figures quoted are sourced from regulated test results obtained through laboratory testing. These figures are strictly indicative and preliminary and are for early comparability purposes only and may not reflect your real driving experience, which may vary depending on factors including road conditions, weather, vehicle load and driving style. These early prototype figures are intended for indicative comparability purposes. This vehicle is not yet for sale and this information is based on a prototype. The fuel consumption you may achieve under real life driving conditions and CO2 produced will depend upon a number of factors including the accessories fitted after registration, variations in driving styles, weather conditions and vehicle load. The official figures for this vehicle will be released prior to and accompanying this vehicle being made for sale to the public. This information will be updated as testing continues.

After owning five Astons in four years, SCD member Kevin thinks the Vanquish S might finally be the one to hang onto. We get to know more about his passion for the British marque and what makes his latest purchase special. Written by: Kevin Oxley

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From the age of about eight, anything with an engine was of interest to me, particularly cars and planes. As I grew older, my interest in cars grew. I have always been a keen motorsport fan, particularly the Le Mans and FIA World Endurance races, and I went to my first live race with my brother-in-law around seven years ago. It was the noise that really got me into high-end sports cars; all of those V8s, the Astons and the Corvettes on the track, they sounded incredible.

I was doing okay by this time in the world of work and I had a diesel Jaguar for the day-today and a BMW Z4 for the weekend, but after watching those races, I decided that I needed a V8 in my life. I was initially looking at a Corvette, but with the steering wheel on the wrong side, questionable build quality and minimal dealers in the UK, it seemed like a potentially troublesome ownership proposition. I was connected to Jaguar already with my existing car and so decided to buy an XKR-S (the 4.2 version). I loved the noise

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it made, and when it came time to trade up, I considered the V8 F-Type, but the list price made it comparable to the Aston Martin Vantage. The choice between the two was a no-brainer, and this is where my Aston journey began.

I owned two V8 Vantages and by this time I had joined SCD after my insurance broker recommended the club, of which I’ve been a member now for three years. He was on a holiday trip and pulled up next to a loch for some sightseeing when a group of supercars turned up. He went over to talk to the owners who said they were on an SCD tour. When he finished his holiday, he called me and said I really should join! I’ve enjoyed my membership so far and find it’s a great reason to get the car out and go for a drive, and I’ve made lots of new friends through the club too, but soon enough after seeing and experiencing all the fantastic cars that members owned, I felt I needed more power to keep up with some of the more exotic machines.

The Vantage is a brilliant and beautiful thing, so I opted for a V12 Vantage S. It came with the flappy paddle automated gearbox which I loved, but it was challenging If you didn’t get the changes precisely right — it could be quite jerky. My wife wouldn’t drive it and so it was sold after just a year. I was still hooked on Astons though, so I swapped the V12 for a Vanquish with the standard automatic gearbox. Whilst not as rewarding to drive, in the real world it was quicker than my previous cars. I took this on the Tartan Florio trip last year and the roads were fantastic, but pretty brutal on the paintwork. It needed a front-end respray, and whilst it was in the dealers, I asked if they could find me an S model for the following year. To my surprise, they found my current car really quickly.

I bought the car from Oliver Ball at Aston Martin Nottingham. It is the fourth Aston I have bought

from him and we get on really well. It was originally sold to its first owner, who lived in Inverness, by Aston Martin Edinburgh. It was a bit of a garage queen, and by the time it had its first annual service, it had only done 21 miles!

I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t initially sure of the Ming Blue exterior, and I definitely wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sure about the ivory interior, but I spoke to a number of people and showed them the pictures, and the consensus was that it looked nice and the colours went well together. It has certainly grown on me and I think it looks great. The S model has 30bhp over the standard Vanquish, a different front splitter and rear diffuser and quad exhaust pipes. You can never have enough exhaust pipes and they make a lot of noise! Compared to other Astons, this one has a deeper, more aggressive tone. Being the runout model of the Vanquish, I thought it may hold its value a little better too.

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The Vanquish gets positive reactions from everyone. I often get the thumbs up when driving around. The brand is a British icon and people really like Astons in this country, as do I! Recently went to Wales Rally GB at Colwyn Bay with SCD. I took the Vanquish and lots of people said my car was their favourite of the day. Reliability-wise, I’ve had no issues with any of my Astons. I had a little rattle behind the dashboard on the first one but that is all, no mechanical issues at all.

I enjoy taking the car out on early morning runs. I’m a bit protective of the car and always wary of where to park it so it isn’t used daily, but for SCD drives, events and tours, I try to do as many as I can. I don’t do track days in the car. I have a BMW M2 Competition as well, and if I was to do track driving, the M2 would be more suitable for that purpose. The Aston is a GT car, a great cruiser to take around Europe. When we went on the Tartan Florio trip, I noticed that owners of McLarens and Lamborghinis could only accommodate a few shopping bags, whereas in the Aston we took a full suitcase!

This is easily the best handling Aston Martin that I’ve ever had. There is very little understeer even though its heavy at the front. It feels very balanced and whilst it doesn’t drive like my M2, it can still really hustle it along. The power delivery feels old school, it’s always available and as the speed builds, the power just keeps going and going. I have driven a new turbocharged Aston DBS, but that feels almost too powerful. It smothers you with power and you have to constantly come off the accelerator to ensure you aren’t fishtailing. The Vanquish is much easier to drive, my wife loves this and will drive it as well. When compared to the Vantage, the Vanquish soaks up the roads better, it’s a nice hybrid of GT and fast sports car.

The gearbox is great and since I’ve owned this car, for the majority of the time I have just left it in auto. The technology is excellent and seems to select the right gear at the right time, every time. As for the future, I tend to change my cars quite quickly (five Astons in four years!), but I plan to keep the Vanquish S for longer. I am a full-on Aston Martin fan and there isn’t much else I prefer. I like the Britishness of the brand and the James Bond connection certainly helps its appeal. This model in particular feels like one of their best, perhaps the pinnacle of the V12 naturally aspirated era. There won’t be another quite like this.

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Porsche Centre Sheffield Sheffield Road Meadowhall Sheffield S9 2FZ 0114 256 4455 info@porschesheffield.co.uk www.porschesheffield.co.uk

We catch up with one of SCDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s longest-standing members to talk about SCDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s evolution over the last 10 years, and the treasured car he has owned for all that time.

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April 2014

When did you join SCD?

Early 2010.

What was your first event?

A meet at the Ladybower Inn followed by a drive in the Peak District.

Tell us about how SCD has evolved from your point of view as a member.

I remember when we used to meet in the Berkeley Precinct car park on ‘Eccy Road’ in Sheffield. “Eyup, them were t’days lad”. A dozen cars grew to 15, then 20 and so on. I remember the locals used to line up to watch us screech out of the car park, so I used to make sure I got a bit sideways on the way out. To start with, most of the runs were out into Derbyshire, ending with a drink and a snack. This grew into meeting at a designated dealership after a run — Graypaul Ferrari or Tom Hartley for example, who seem to have been part of the club since the early days. I think the first ‘secret meet’ was a drive (in small timed groups) from Donington over to Graypaul — that was fun. Despite SCD’s best efforts to keep everyone together, we inevitably ended up in way more groups than we had set off in. Turns were missed and traffic lights split us up, much to everyone’s amusement. Predictably, due to Adam and the growing SCD team’s enthusiasm and vision for the club, combined with more online exposure, SCD grew and grew, to such an extent that we were starting to outgrow venues. Graypaul became Bruntingthorpe and so on.

Nowadays, the Secret Meet is one of the most anticipated events on many peoples’ calendars, and the number of companies, supercar manufacturers and high-end dealerships (Joe Macari, DK Engineering etc.) who have come on board and hosted events has been fantastic. I have met people who have become friends for life. More than that though, all those I have met at any SCD event are just really lovely people. The special thing, the ‘je ne sais quoi’ of SCD that has been there since day one is just that, the camaraderie. With all the other inevitable

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changes, that has been a constant, and it’s the reason I am a member. It’s the only club I have ever been a member of, incidentally. All the way over the years, everyone has been treated the same, egos aside, which for me is so lovely. Whether one arrives in a blinkin’ helicopter, a Koenigsegg, a Porsche or an old Beemer, it matters not a jot.

Tell us about your favourite events and experiences.

Honestly, there are too many amazing events, and lots of special ones that will stick with me forever. We had an amazing event at Lamborghini Edinburgh where I drove a Superleggera, Aventador and my first Ferrari, a 458 Spider — what a day!

Helping Sporting Bears out driving young people from a local hospice around a track was both heart-wrenching and amazing at the same time. Then there’s visiting the McLaren Technology Centre; seeing them busy rebuilding Senna’s car for the movie was like a childhood dream.

Visiting Italia Autosport in Holmfirth was another special one for me. Check this out, I was driven on the streets of the UK in an F40 by an ex Ferrari works driver, driving it like it should be driven — totally bonkers and completely unforgettable! I vividly remember visiting Virgin Racing as there were many firsts for me on that day, and I was also reunited with a few of my ex-students — I used to teach John Booth’s two daughters Victoria and Laura, and used to go to most of their race meetings with all the VIP trimmings when they were known as Manor Motorsport, before the F1 days. During the visit, I sat in an F2 car and realised the drivers must have spatial awareness on another level to be able to judge other cars and apexes, as you have no peripheral vision and can’t even see the nose of the car. They were also rebuilding Lewis Hamilton's old Formula Renault car at the time as he was quite famous by then. Also, another SCD member, Andy, took me out in his 300bhp Ariel Atom. Oh my god! It’s the most bonkers thing I have ever been in — the hairs on my arms were stood up for days afterwards. Coming a bit more up to date, Carfest North was a great experience (both times). Visiting DK Engineering, again, bonkers. Guys were turning

up in every supercar and hypercar imaginable, one arrived in a helicopter for goodness sake, then I rock up in my old Beemer and no one bats an eyelid! Coventry MotoFest was bonkers, driving flat out on the closed roads of the city centre, then there was Tom Hartley Jnr the next day. To see a 250 GTO in the flesh, being that close to one of the most revered and valuable cars in the entire world (and one of my favourites too) was too much.

What is the furthest you’ve driven for an event?

From Sheffield to London for DK Engineering was a long way, but Edinburgh is the furthest for the Lamborghini test drive event.

You’ve been involved with many of our events for Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice. How does it feel to be involved with them?

What an amazing organisation! Each time I go there, the young people never cease to amaze me. So happy, so cheerful. The staff are totally dedicated to making sure the last days of those young people's lives are as happy and carefree as possible. I would be no good whatsoever, I would just be blubbering all the time! It is such a privilege to spend time with them, and even more amazing is that they do not feel sorry for themselves, they just get on with stuff — so humbling.

Speaking of Bluebell Wood, having the M3 on display in a line-up of supercars at the Meadowhall Supercar Experience in aid of the hospice must have been nice?

That was a great day, and what was nice for me was seeing the various iterations of M cars, especially the M5s (the V8 E39 was the high watermark in my opinion). Again, a big crowd stood around the E30 asking lots of questions, including lots of young people, which was a lovely surprise. People sent me some really great photos afterwards, and I think the M3 has definitely stood the test of time well and stands out in its own way in a row of modern supercars.

April 2010

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It’s great to see someone with the same car for all those years. Have you ever been tempted by any of the modern cars you see at events, especially with the E30’s value rising so much?

Err… No! I guess if you want to think about it in that way, when one orders a Ferrari or a McLaren and designs it to their own spec, it may take a few months or a year to arrive. I’ve just taken a bit longer that’s all — err, 14 years longer, and I’m still not quite there. I’m still building my dream

E30 M3. The final phase should be this winter. “If Carlsberg built an E30 M3”.

Does the M3 get plenty of attention from other members?

This is a constant source of amusement to me and any passenger, especially my brother-in-law. He thinks it’s hysterical that in a row of supercars, all the eyes are on my car. At any event, there is always a crowd around the E30 M3. I have lost count of the number of conversations I have had with SCD members and the public about my car. A good one recently was after a

meet at The Classic Car Hub in a very posh part of the country (where Clarkson lives). After the event, we ended up in a convoy of German cars (quite by accident) including a beautiful ‘72 911 RS and myself. We went through one of many very posh villages, and outside a pub was none other than Kevin McCloud (Grand Designs bloke) with some of his mates. They completely ignored all the Porkers, Kevin looked at the M3, put his thumb up to me and said, “Wow, that’s gorgeous!”. That made me chuckle. Moreover, it really does surprise many SCD members how quick the car is and how well it can handle on drives.

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Tell us about what you’ve done to build your perfect M3.

Where do I start? Everything done on the car is optimised for fast road use. My dream is to have an E30 M3 the same power as the factory cars I used to watch racing when I was a kid — 300bhp. The car is currently at 276bhp and the next round of works should get me there. The car started out at the standard 195bhp. I have taken everything off that was not necessary using the old Colin Chapman quote ’add lightness’, so the air conditioning went, the headlamp wash wipe went and I have magnesium wheels and Alcon brakes (soon to be AP Racing).

Other mods so far include uprated diff, new driveshafts, uprated gearbox, refurbished suspension and bushes, rebuilt engine with forged pistons which had to be made in the USA, new cams, lightweight shims, VarioRam engine

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mounts, M5 gearbox mounts, Porsche 997 injectors, new throttle bodies,some head work and a carbon airbox which makes for a great induction noise.

The next, and hopefully final round of upgrades will include a new suspension setup with flexibility for road and track use, new steering rack and short shifter both from a Z3, gearbox upgrade and engine work as necessary to achieve 300bhp, all by RallyPrep. It will also get a new ‘Group A’ manifold and full exhaust system made by Simpson racing, new Sport Evo extended spoiler and splitter from Germany, new AP Racing brakes and an interior refurb by Bespoke Leathering.

Will we be seeing plenty more of the E30 next year for SCD’s 10th anniversary?

Err… Yeah! At every possible opportunity.

Until then, I’d like to say a massive thank you to Adam and all you guys for having me in the club. I have had the most amazing time and so many unforgettable experiences. Team SCD are such lovely grounded people; I love the stuff you are all doing and I love the way the club has developed over the years, never forgetting its core principles. Long may it continue.

I used to use the old Groucho Marx quote, ‘I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member’, but I made an exception with SCD, and I’m so glad I did.

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TA M I N G T H E

BEAST SCD member Charles gets behind the wheel of The Octane Collectionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 66,000-mile Carrera GT on the slippery roads of the Peak District, to see if it really deserves of its notorious reputation. Written by: Charles Craven

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When I was first asked to drive a Carrera GT for a feature, I felt a mixture of excitement and nerves. Excitement because I enjoy driving anything with an engine and wheels, especially if it’s powerful, and nerves because the Carrera GT has a bit of a reputation. A reputation for being awkward, recalcitrant, fragile, and bloody dangerous. The only previous drive I've had in a Carrera GT was years ago. The owner was clearly very on edge at letting me drive his car, and his pre-drive briefing about how to caress the clutch and massage the gear change went on for longer than my actual drive. It reminded me of sitting through drivers briefings at race meetings in France — a one-hour briefing for a 30-minute race! I spent that drive convinced that something in the drivetrain would fail, that it would be blamed on me, and that it would cost me 15 grand to fix, so I wasn’t exactly relaxed, and apart from a squirt through the gears (all

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of them!) on a dual carriageway, I didn’t enjoy that drive at all, and was glad to get back in my Boxster S for the drive home, which immediately felt more fun than the CGT! Since then, we have all heard how Paul Walker met his demise in a CGT, read about the lawsuit filed against Porsche for building such a dangerous car, and if you search Google you’ll find that one in five CGTs have been written off, perhaps along with the person driving!

As the day of the drive got nearer, the venue changed from France — wide smooth roads, warmish — to North Wales — bumpy narrow roads, definitely not warm — and then with two days to go, the location was changed to the Peak District — even bumpier and narrower roads, usually covered in mud and cowpat — not ideal. My nerves were now overpowering my excitement. Then we had two days of sub-zero

temperatures. Surely my fate was sealed. I'd be expected to perform for the camera in a car that was likely to kill me, if it didn’t break down first. I ensured that my 'To Be Opened in the Event of my Death' envelope was prominent on my desk at work and set off for Derbyshire, with the statistic one in five foremost in my mind.

On the day of the drive, I set off at 7:30 am to meet the team for a breakfast planning meeting. I was in my 991.1 C2 GTS, and the dash showed minus 3 degrees outside. I only had to drive 2 miles, but in that short distance, I saw a rather nasty crash when a car had slid on some ice in a dip in the road and impacted a stone wall — great. That turned my nerves up to a good seven or eight. By 8:30 am, we were ready to go. The CGT had been outside all night and was frozen solid. It was encased in ice and looked like an

igloo. Lucas from The Octane Collection, the very generous owner, insisted the roof came off, because it would look better in the video. Great, thanks. Lucas spent the day in a BMW saloon with heated seats. So, I put on a woolly beanie hat, a woolly jumper, a fleece jacket, then another fleece jacket. I could barely move. Lucas gave me instructions on how to use the clutch and filled me with scare stories about how much of a propensity the CGT has to slide. He said it wouldn’t give me any notice and it would snap so quickly that I'd be backwards in a drystone wall before I’d even registered the wheelspin — jeeeeez.

15 minutes later, the team were taking static photos on a very narrow single-track road. After multiple three-point turns and positioning manoeuvres, I'd got the knack of the clutch and gearbox and had learned where the car’s

extremities were. With those shots in the bag, we set about getting the first video clips of the car in motion. This simply required me to drive away up a straight road, turn around and come back. Just on that first 300-metre straight-line pull away, the car lit up its wheels and shook its ass in each of the first three gears — bloody hell — and I was only using quarter throttle!

Rather than just turn around in the road, I found a little block to drive around. Turn right, then left, then left again. It took a while for the boys to get the shots they wanted, which meant I got to do my little two-minute drive many times, and after several runs, it dawned on me that I was no longer treating it with kid gloves. I was spinning the wheels up for fun and letting it move about in the corners, but this was all first and second gear stuff — not too challenging. One of the aspects of filming that I like is that

we get to run up and down stretches of road several times to get the right shot. This means that, for me, as the driver of an unfamiliar car on an unfamiliar road, I get the chance to learn not only that section of road, but also how the car reacts to that section of road and how best to work the car along it. On this particular day, on each section of road we used, I was enjoying the challenge of working out how to carry the most speed in that car in those icy conditions. I was learning not only the basics of which way the road goes but also where I could accelerate and where I needed to brake, which gear was best for each piece of road to best maximise traction and acceleration. I was noticing which bump or change in surface would momentarily break traction and cause a yelp of revs and a flare of wheelspin. I got to feel the car through corners again and again, from both directions.

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This was exactly like a free practice session at a strange racetrack. A few laps to learn the track layout, then put together a gear plan, then braking points, then test out the traction in the acceleration zones with gradually increasing throttle openings, until eventually you’ve devised a good lap. At some point early in the afternoon, I became aware that I was no longer scared of the CGT, nor of the bumpy, twisty road, nor of the icy conditions. From that point on, I was able to relax enjoy my time in the car and focus on the sensations it was giving me, rather than the sensations I was expecting it to give me due to all the horror stories. So here’s my opinion of what a CGT is like to drive, in Derbyshire, in

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December, when it was so cold even the cow shit on the roads was frozen. I like that the CGT doesn’t have any modes. There isn't even a sport button. It’s like a breath of fresh air. I didn’t have to remember to turn the dampers back to soft in the villages, or to shut the exhaust flaps to quieten it down, and on the open roads, I didn’t think, “Damn, I should’ve been in Corsa for that corner”. In fact, there are no distractions at all. There’s nothing to fiddle with. Whilst you’re setting your steering weight, I'm already three miles up the road. The CGT doesn’t feel like a big car to drive, at least not in the way the car responds to inputs, but it felt wide on those roads, not helped by

being left-hand drive. On the rare occasions when I had oncoming traffic, I had to pull as far left as the road would allow, so often I found my side of the car either in a gutter or brushing a hedge, which wasn’t particularly comfortable. And when I could move out a foot or so, the righthand wheels would be slap slap slapping over the cat’s eyes, which also wasn’t comfortable. So, I'd move another foot to the right to put the right-hand wheels across the centre line, into the oncoming lane. That was far more comfortable and settled, but then of course I had to be ready to jink left if a car was coming, or if I couldn't see up the road, like on the approach to a crest. On roads like these, size matters, and the CGT has slightly too much width.

Visibility out of the car is excellent, as it is in all Porsche sports cars, and this helps massively with driver confidence. Try going for a spirited cross-country drive on little roads in any modern Lambo, and the poor visibility out will soon slow you down. The driving position was spot on for me. I'm 6ft 2 and lanky, and there are some sports cars that I have to drive with my head cocked to one side just to fit in. The steering wheel is straight ahead, as are the pedals, and the gear lever is exactly where your right hand falls. Why can Porsche nail these basics with their cars, yet other manufacturers routinely put the driver in a sort of stress position usually reserved for aggressive interrogation?

The control weights, steering, brake pedal, throttle pedal and gear change are all natural. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even notice them, which means that there is nothing to complain about, nothing bad about any of them. Everything I did to interact with the car just felt right, making the car an extension of myself. Not once did I notice anything such as gloopy steering or over-servoed brakes or a stiction in the throttle pedal. It was all so intuitive that the actions of driving did not distract from actions of driving. You may have to read that sentence twice, think about it. The response of the engine to the throttle pedal is a rare treat. A good naturally-aspirated engine will always be sharper than a good turbo engine.

In 2019, there are some very very responsive turbo engines, with the Ferrari 488 being perhaps the best in that regard, but this CGT engine, despite being a 20-year-old design, is in a different league. It is gloriously free-revving and hyper-reactive to every half millimetre of throttle pressure. You can tell an engine is special by the way it switches off. Turn the key anti-clockwise in a CGT and the engine just STOPS, seemingly on a single revolution of that massive V10. That is a sign of an engine with light internals and minimal inertia. It's the sign of an expensive engine.

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I found myself reading the road for lumps and bumps and patches of ice and lumps of frozen cow shit and then using the precision of the throttle and engine response to meter out the exact amount of power that I wanted, depending on whether I was looking to maintain traction or allow, or even encourage, a little slip and slide. Of course, many top-end sports cars can be driven like that, but not as accurately or precisely. The response of that engine is probably the biggest draw of the CGT for me. Whether feeding in the throttle in an acceleration zone, or modulating the throttle over crests and bumps, or heel-and-toe blipping in braking zones, the connection of my foot to the speed of the engine was absolutely more instant than I have experienced in a road car before. By late afternoon, I was driving the CGT as though it were a Boxster — one of the proper

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ones with six cylinders. That’s very high praise indeed because Boxsters are fantastically capable sports cars. I never did imagine that a CGT could be thrown down a moorland road like a 600 horsepower Boxster, but it can. It’s that well set up. Thinking about it now, I don’t know why I was ever nervous. Porsche know how to build excellent sports cars, well, except for the four-cylinder 718s. If I'd thought about it rationally, I should have realized that the CGT would be solid and strong, and not in the least bit fragile, because it’s a Porsche.

I drove that CGT very hard over harsh roads and not once did the nose scrape or the chassis seem to run out of answers. I jumped it over crests, slammed it into compressions and hammered it across bumps, and the CGT took it all in its stride. Not many people who own Porsche sports cars will ever realise how good they are, and that's

really sad. Most 911s, including the GT cars, do not get driven to their capability, it's such a waste. They're so often bought so the owner can brag that they have one. I now know that the CGT falls into the same camp. All this talk about “be careful of the clutch” and “be gentle” and “it’ll bite you”, it’s all a load of nonsense. The CGT is a wonderful driver’s car that demands to be driven precisely, but with confidence and very hard. Only then does it make sense.

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L ATE?

Accustomed to working on the development of today’s tech-heavy performance cars, Miles Lacey daydreams of a time gone by, where skunkworks development teams had free rein to push the boundaries of performance and no driver aids other than their own right foot. Written by: Miles Lacey

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There’s a reason I don a watch that requires me to wind it by hand each morning, not because I enjoy engaging in perceptibly unnecessary pursuits, but because of what it represents. It is functionally limited by the smartwatch standard of today and occupies itself only with telling the time — how mundane.

The experience it furnishes for me, however, far surpasses any desire to ask it to read my messages or tell me how many steps I’ve done today — almost zero, as I’m sat here writing this, appearing to be deep in thought to passers-by. The attention to detail alongside the visceral, metronomic ticking of its internals I can faintly hear is mesmerising. It’s then no surprise my penchant for simple yet beautifully emotive products of engineering extends to cars too. I thank my lucky stars I escaped the hot iron branding of the demonstrative Generation Z with only a light graze. Growing up with other millennials, deciding whether to buy “Who Let the Dogs Out?” on cassette so I could play it in the car, or CD to play at home for the higher sound quality, is a dilemma the Z’s will never understand.

As a development driver and engineer working in the modern car industry, I can’t help but wonder what life would have been like had I existed in the bonkers 80s. If I were to play a game of Top Trumps holding a fist full of cars from the last

10 years, across from my opponent armed with icons from the last 30, I’d be unquestionably victorious and posting said victory to my Insta’ Story with some appropriated hashtags within seconds.

This really isn’t the point, however. Modern cars, whilst technically brilliant and capable of far more than you could ever wish to exploit on the road, have all sort of blurred into one. In the last eight years, there isn’t a lot I’ve worked on with less than 600hp and a face-bending 0-60 time, not forgetting the ability to breeze past the 200mph mark without breaking a sweat. That’s all very exciting, yet something’s missing for me. Not one of them possessed the driver-engaging attributes from cars gone by; a manual gearbox, no traction control, low grip levels, absurdly unpredictable handling characteristics or a snarling naturally-aspirated engine that mightily increases blood flow to one’s nether regions. Don’t get me wrong, there are still cars born of late that are wildly engaging; the Porsche 991.2 GT3 (yes, he’s talking about Porsches again) and the Ferrari 812 spring to mind. Cars like this are a riot to develop, but imagine walking in on a Monday in the mid ‘80s to the smoky haze of a manufacturer’s skunkworks office, to be told you are going to develop the next BMW M5 or Mercedes AMG — what a time to be alive!

Many of the cars from this era have taken iconic status and rightly so. Affalterbach was churning out things like the AMG Hammer in 1986. I could only dream how utterly captivating it was to be casually discussing how to make a 365bhp 6.0-litre V8 work in a small 300E body. I’ve only once been asked to VMax a car for the sole reason they didn’t know how fast it would go, yet there are enough measures in place these days to contain the risk. I suspect the same couldn’t be said for what was back then a small tuning house in Germany. Turning up to work each day knowing you were going to be driving an overpowered, rear-wheel-drive car that could bite your head off at any moment is, for me at least, quite compelling. The ‘80s and ‘90s were a pivotal pair of decades which not only saw the conception of fast exec saloons in meek-mannered bodies and excitable hot hatches in abundance, but created a template that everyone wanted a piece of. The wolf in sheep’s clothing motion was well established and gifted us the BMW E30 M3 and E39 M5, the Audi RS2 Avant and Lotus Carlton. The art of tuning the characteristics of these cars would have been a gift from the big man himself. Anyone to have been involved in these projects must get a little misty-eyed whenever they cast their mind back. I often wonder if they were blissfully unaware of the impact their handy work would have on the car industry all these

years later. Four-door saloon cars that made many of the supercar manufactures from that era stand up and adjust their tie were, and still are, a very desirous prospect. Development drivers were of a different breed back then, stepping into territory relatively untrodden and pushing the boundaries to produce an analogue driving experience we simply aren’t graced with anymore. The effort and skill demanded of these individuals was mighty; we mustn’t forget that even the most polished and predicable performance cars started life as a fraught and unruly prototype. The Nissan R31 Skyline was the first car with active rear-wheel steer, albeit a crude system. It had computer-controlled hydraulic pistons that compressed the rear subframe bushes, adding toe to the rear axle independently to improve its high-speed stability. Imagine being the unlucky sod tasked with testing that for the first time. Christ! Laying eyes on a test car for the first time as it rolls out of the workshop is something to behold, but the true desire is to see how it drives and understand the scale of the challenge that lies ahead. Each project you’re tasked with has an ethos or directive you must work within the guidelines of, yet when a halo project lands in your lap, you’re given somewhat free rein. I’m certain I wouldn’t have been able to contain myself if I was sat in the room when Enzo Ferrari asked his engineers to “build a car to be the best

in the world”. He was of course describing the Ferrari F40. Talk about a golden ticket! I’d have gladly worked eight days a week, fuelled only by Modenese espresso to deliver such a task, and bend a knee to the immensely talented and passionate team that developed it. Driving the mid-engined supercar, which is infamously known for its savage power deliver and distinct lack of driver aids (including ABS) at the limit and beyond is an experience only few can describe. We just won’t see a car like that again.

The call for this category of cars diminishes year on year sadly, but there’s some respite knowing they existed at all. The development drivers knew exactly what to deliver as a driving experience, and god did they deliver. To all you engineers of yesteryear, I salute you and the many a tyre that had to die throughout the process. My tonic for all this crippling nostalgia however is my old snotter of an E39 BMW M5. There’s very little in the way of alternatives which tick the boxes this car does for me. Each time I jump off the plane after a test trip, I find myself walking faster and faster to the multi-storey where it’s been spritzed with aviation fuel for a week. Enamoured by its stance and apologetic styling with a pair of 275 section tyres poking out the rear arches, I can’t wait to fire it up and fight with its 400hp and 500Nm of torque on wet roads all the way home as my epitaph to a time gone by.

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Thanks to XL Leasing, we spent a few weeks with the uncompromising Viper ACR. Made for wide open racetracks, we wanted to find out how it copes out of its comfort zone on challenging British B roads. Written by: Matt Parker

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Close your eyes and think of the ideal car for a tight, bumpy and twisty B road in the heart of the Peak District. Porsche Cayman? Lotus Exige? BMW M2? Whatever you pictured, it was probably nothing like a Dodge Viper ACR.

Built as a track-focused version of the already nutty Viper SRT-10, the ACR is one of the wildest looking cars I’ve ever seen on the road. Our friends at XL Leasing recently picked up this one from Tom Hartley, and generously allowed us to live with it for a few weeks. Power is the same as the standard Viper, but everything else is turned up to 11. It’s the first Viper to be fitted with carbon ceramic brakes, it has adjustable Bilstein suspension and seriously sticky tyres made specifically for the ACR with massive 295 sections up front and 355s at the rear!

The Extreme Aero Package gives you a crazy front splitter, carbon canards, racecar-style diffuser and one of the biggest wings you’ll ever see on a production car, all of which add up to provide just under 800kg of downforce at top speed — the most of any production car at the time, with the McLaren Senna just pipping it since. The package is pretty aptly named as the aero is so extreme that the ACR’s top speed falls by 14mph (down to 177mph) thanks to all that drag. Despite said drag holding it back down the long straights though, the ACR still managed to post an impressive 7 minute 1 second lap time at the Nurburgring.

So it’s clear, the ACR is very much intended for track, and having taken SCD members out in it around Blyton Park during our time with it, I can confirm it is absolutely incredible, giving the sort of mind-scrambling grip and confidence that eggs you on to go faster and faster every lap. But that comes as no surprise, it’s what it was built for after all. What we want to find out is how the Viper behaves where you wouldn’t expect to see it, because if you had just spent the £160,000 this car was up for and had it sat in the garage, how could you resist jumping in early on a Sunday morning to attack your favourite country road? And so off we went in the very American Viper ACR to the not very American roads of the Peak District. I have to be honest before we start, this is one of the only cars I’ve ever been a little nervous about driving on the road. Something with a Million-pound pricetag? No problem. How about 1,000 horsepower? Bring it on! But there’s something sinister about the Viper, I mean, just look at it! Add to that the fact that it’s left-hand drive, the mirrors are useless, I have no idea where the right-hand side of the car is, and that giant bonnet, and yeah, it’s a pretty intimidating beast.

Once you’ve settled into it though, how does this monster of a machine cope way out of its comfort zone on some bumpy, twisty English roads? Well, you’d think it’s huge, and it certainly looks it at the side of the SCD 997 GT3, but it’s actually three and a half inches narrower and a whole foot shorter than an Aventador, but the long bonnet and curvy wings mean it does feel big from inside the surprisingly tight cabin.

Why is the bonnet so big? Simple, it houses the biggest engine put in any production car for a long, long time. It’s actually funny seeing people’s faces of disbelief when they come up at the petrol station to ask what size the engine it has, and you say 8.4 litres. It’s a V10 with 645bhp

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and a whopping 812Nm torque, but while I expected it to be brutal at any revs, that torque is made up at 5,000rpm. Don’t get me wrong, it does pull from anywhere, but you actually have to work to get the full beans from it, as redline is only a little higher than that max torque figure at just over 6,000rpm. The gears are super long too, so long you can do a 0-62 sprint in first gear! Keep your foot in, wind those gears out and it really does pin you back. It’s even worth kissing the limiter a little as it makes a fantastic bwapapap sound from the side exit exhausts before you grab another gear. It isn’t a screaming Italian V10, more of a deep warble, but it does sound great at the top end once you get past the drone at 4,000rpm.

When you get to a corner and have to scrub off all that speed, the brakes are very keen at the top of the pedal, and stopping power is nearly enough to peel your face off when you really punch them on track, then turn in is unbelievable given the colossal motor sat up front. In fact, the whole car doesn’t weigh much given the size of its engine either at just over 1,500kg. It takes some getting used to, because if you turn in like you would in most other cars, you find yourself going in too tight. Mid corner it just grips, grips, and grips some more, then traction on the way out from those massive semi slicks is amazing, in the dry at least!

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...it takes a bit of time, skill and frankly balls to get the best from it...

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The suspension is brutal, which is fine on track and super smooth roads, but it does mean the ACR has a small operating window and really doesn’t work outside of that window, so you’re a little limited given the state of typical UK tarmac. I like that about it though. It doesn’t even try to be a usable daily driver like most modern supercars. Sure, it’s nice to be able to use a car more of the time, but there’s no denying it detracts from the sense of occasion, from that sense of having to ask yourself if you feel lucky, punk, before you grab the keys and go for a drive. That uncompromising nature means hustling the Viper is a properly exhilarating experience so far removed from most modern cars. The steering is wonderfully weighted, the gearchange requires some muscle, you have to heel and toe yourself and just being subjected to its g-forces makes for a bit of a workout when you really want to get up and go across a road — It was 8 degrees out and I was sweating behind the wheel! Then, when you park it up again to catch your breath and top up all the fluids you just lost from

your armpits, it looks incredible and I’ve hardly known a car get so much positive attention because it appears so wonderfully out of place just about anywhere you take on this side of the pond, and it’s apparently one of just three in the UK.

What makes the Viper ACR such a breath of fresh air in this era of cars being Jacks of all trades which can be driven by your nan, is how it is so unashamedly uncompromising. It’s a brutal machine built for a purpose and it makes no attempt to satisfy anything else. I love how it takes a bit of time, skill and frankly balls to get the best from it, and there aren’t many cars you can say that about these days.

On the wrong road, it’s pretty unpleasant to the point where you might need your chiropractor on speed dial thanks to the solid suspension and a good set of earplugs for the ear-piercing drone at 4,000rpm. Usable daily cruiser it most certainly is not.

On the right road though, or better still on track, there’s nothing quite like it. It intimidates, challenges and excites like the best analogue brutes, but handles with the precision of a modern supercar. It’s seriously fast on smooth tarmac, but what makes this unlike almost any other modern car is the way it involves the driver. You have to be awake, you have to put in the work, and the reward is one of the most exhilarating driving experiences you can get in something with body panels.

A massive thank you to XL Leasing for letting us experience the ACR everywhere from its comfort zone on track, out of it on narrow country roads, and even for a trip to the supermarket. We’ll be sad to see this one go!

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PASSIONATE ABOUT PERFORMANCE

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2011/11 ASTON MARTIN ONE-77 Bergwerk Black with Black Leather 11,285 MILES

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2012/12 FERRARI 599 SA APERTA Rosso Formula 1 2007 with Beige Leather 4,295 MILES £1,095,000

2017/17 FERRARI F12TDF Giallo Triplo Strato with Alcantara Nera 347 MILES £795,000

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2015/65 FERRARI F12 BERLINETTA Verde Scuro with Sabbia / Cioccolato Leather 895 MILES £249,950

2019/19 MCLAREN 600LT Chicane Effect with Carbon Black Alcantara 267 MILES £169,950

2019/19 PORSCHE 911 (992) CARRERA S Crayon with Black Leather 896 MILES £117,950

2014/14 PORSCHE 911 (991) 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION Black with Black Leather & Houndstooth Cloth 10,230 MILES £99,950

2018/18 AUDI RS6 AVANT PERFORMANCE Daytona Grey with Black Valcona Leather 1,630 MILES £72,950

2010/10 FORD GT Mark IV Red with Black Leather 954 MILES

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19/19 MCLAREN 600LT SPIDER MSO Heritage Paint - Napier Green with Carbon Black Alcantara with Bespoke MSO Stitching in Napier Green. 600 Miles - £184,950

PORSCHE 911 (992) CARRERA S CABRIOLET 3.0 PDK Agate Grey Metallic with Black and Mojave Beige Full Leather. 2019(19) Year Mileage Transmission

4,500 miles Semi Auto £103,950

BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT V8S MULLINER Hallmark with Linen and Beluga Hide. Year Mileage Transmission

2015(65) 12,090 miles Auto £82,950

19/19 ASTON MARTIN DBS SUPERLEGGERA Contemporary Onyx Black Metallic with Obsidian Black Contemporary Leather with Aurora Blue Stitching and Piping. 1,400 miles ............................................. £194,950 12/62 ASTON MARTIN VANQUISH COUPE Q Special Order Magma Red Centari with Obsidian Black Hide withQuiltedAccentsandRedStitching.16,800miles……………………………………………………………………£87,950 16/16 ASTON MARTIN V12 VANTAGE S SPORTSHIFT III Meteorite Silver Metallic with Obsidian Black and Chancellor Red Dual Tone Caithness Leather. 6,400 miles...............................................................£88,950 07/57 ASTON MARTIN DB9 COUPE – MANUAL Onyx Black Metallic with Cream Truffle Hide. 18,500 miles...................................................................................................................................................................................£54,950 19/69 BMW ALPINA B4 S BI-TURBO EDITION 99 BMW Individual Grigio Medio with Alpina Black Leather and Alcantara with Grey Stitching. 475 miles...............................................................................................£69,950 07/07 FERRARI F430 SPIDER F1 Rosso Corsa with Nero Leather. FFSH. 4,100 Miles............ £106,950 17/67 LAMBORGHINI AVENTADOR ‘S’ LP740-4 Grigio Estoque (metallic grey) with Black Sportivo Alcantara with Metallic Gold Stitching. 1,500 miles ................................................................................................ £249,950 19/19 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY 5 3.0 SDV6 HSE Namib Premium Metallic Paint with Ebony Perforated Windsor Leather with Light Oyster Piping and Stitch. 4,750 miles ...........................................£56,950 15/65 LAND ROVER DEFENDER 90 ‘HERITAGE EDITION’ HARD TOP - 1 OF 400 Grasmere Green Metallic/White with Almond Cloth Seats. Delivery Mileage ...................................................................................£54,950 16/16 LAND ROVER DEFENDER 90 ‘ADVENTURE EDITION’ - 1 OF 600 Corris Grey Metallic with Ebony and Pimento Red Windsor Perforated Leather and Contrast Stitched. 1,190 miles .................£54,950 17/17 MCLAREN 675LT SPIDER Napier Green Metallic with Black Alcantara Interior and Napier Green Stitching. 4,600 miles .............................................................................................................................................................. £239,950 16/16 PORSCHE 911 (991) GT3 RS 4.0 PDK Lava Orange with Full Black Leather and Alcantara with Lava Orange Stitching. 3,600 miles.................................................................................................................................. £159,950

PORSCHE CAYMAN 3.8 GT4 CLUBSPORT Jet Black Metallic with Full Black Leather and Alcantara with Guards Red Stitching. Year Mileage Transmission

2016(65) 5,800 miles Manual

PORSCHE 911 (991.2) CARRERA GTS COUPE 3.0 PDK Agate Grey Metallic with Black Leather and Alcantara. Year Mileage Transmission

£79,950

2017(17) 7,800 miles PDK £77,950

17/67 PORSCHE PANAMERA TURBO S E-HYBRID ‘EXECUTIVE’ PDK Sapphire Blue Metallic with Black Smooth Finish Leather. 12,993 miles................................................................................................................ £109,950 19/19 PORSCHE CAYENNE TURBO COUPE 4.0 V8 - NEW MODEL Black with Black Smooth Finish Leather. 5,000 miles................................................................................................................................................................. £106,950 18/18 PORSCHE 911 (991.2) CARRERA 4 GTS CABRIOLET 3.0 PDK Special Order Crayon with Black Leather and Alcantara GTS Interior Package in Rhodium Silver. 4,700 miles ..................................£97,950 18/18 PORSCHE CAYENNE 4.0 V8 TURBO Jet Black Metallic with Black Smooth Finish Leather. 6,000 Miles......................................................................................................................................................................................................£89,950 18/18 PORSCHE MACAN TURBO WITH PERFORMANCE PACK Sapphire Blue Metallic with Black Leather. 6,200 Miles.....................................................................................................................................................................£67,950 20/69 PORSCHE 718 CAYMAN GT4 GT Silver Metallic with Full Black Leather and Alcantara with Silver Stitching. Delivery Miles.....................................................................................................................................................................£POA 18/18 RANGE ROVER 4.4 SDV8 AUTOBIOGRAPHY Santorini Black Metallic with Ivory Semi-Aniline Perforated Leather and Ebony Contrast Stitching. 10,000 miles........................................................................£78,950 19/68 RANGE ROVER SPORT 3.0 SDV6 AUTOBIOGRAPHY DYNAMIC Indus Silver Metallic with Ebony and Pimento Semi-Aniline Perforated Leather. 1,100 miles ..................................................................£73,950 17/17 RANGE ROVER 4.4 SDV8 AUTOBIOGRAPHY BLACK PACK Carpathian Grey Metallic with Cirrus Semi-Aniline Perforated Leather and Ebony Contrast Stitching. 17,500 miles.............................£62,950 17/17 RANGE ROVER 4.4 SDV8 AUTOBIOGRAPHY Santorini Black Metallic with Ivory Semi-Aniline Perforated Leather and Ebony Contrast Stitching. 27,000 miles........................................................................£54,950 16/66 RANGE ROVER 4.4 SDV8 AUTOBIOGRAPHY Silicon Silver Premium Metallic with Ebony SemiAniline Leather and Cirrus Contrast Stitching. 27,900 Miles ..................................................................................£54,950

If you have a similar car to sell, please call us! www.top555.co.uk | TOP555 Limited, Burley Road, Oakham, Rutland LE15 7AA

tel: 01572 774 830 sales@top555.co.uk

+44 1580 714597

www.vvsuk.co.uk

Verralls Garage, Cranbrook Common, TN17 2AF

LAMBORGHINI AVENTADOR LP 770-4 SVJ 2019 - 2,000 miles

AVENTADOR LP 750-4 SV 2016 - 250 miles

£369,990

MERCEDES-BENZ SLR MCLAREN 2005 - 18,000 miles

£209,990

All viewings by appointment only

LAMBORGHINI AVENTADOR LP 770-4 SVJ

£399,890

2019 - 30 miles

AVENTADOR LP 740-4 S 2017 - 3,000 miles

£234,990

FERRARI 488 GTB 2017 - 5,000 miles

£184,990

£379,990

MURCIELAGO LP640 2009 - 5,000 miles

£219,990

FERRARI F12 BERLINETTA 2014 - 6,000 miles

£169,990

VVS have been locating and providing the finest high performance vehicles for the most discerning international customers for over 15 years with a particular specialisation with the Lamborghini marque

Aston Martin DB7 Zagato

Ford GT Heritage Edition

Aston Martin Vantage GT8

2004 | 9,200 miles | £279,850

2006 | 11,000 miles | £275,850

2017 | 1,989 miles | £164,850

Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster

Aston Martin Vanquish Volante

Aston Martin V8 Vantage N430

2013 | 7,000 miles | £104,850

2014 | 10,500 miles | £99,850

2014 | 11,600 miles | £59,850

We want to buy your car - go to mcgurk.com/sell-your-car to find out more.

Experts in Aston Martin Servicing Your car is in the best possible hands with our factory trained technicians. We only use Genuine Parts supplied from Aston Martin complete with a 12 month warranty. We are located next to the Aston Martin factory at Gaydon

J.P McGurk Ltd 6 Brook Business Park, Brookhampton Lane, Kineton, CV35 0JA

Tel: 01926 691 000 Email: sales@mcgurk.com

Cars wanted! Contact us now for your quick quotation! 1992 Jaguar XJ220, 1942 miles, £POA

2011 Porsche GT3 RS 4.0, 7342 miles, £270,000

1989 Porsche 930 Turbo G50, 49000 miles, £115,000

AMG GT C Roadster, 2400 miles, £89,500

2006 Porsche 997 Turbo, 37000 miles, £56,500

1972 Porsche 911 2.4S, fully restored, £150,000

+44 (0) 1743 873 094 www.lakesideclassics.uk.com

@lakesideclassicsuk info@lakesideclassics.uk.com

The Ashtree Collection, a prestigious car company based in the West Midlands specialising in the sourcing, sale, transportation and storage of high-end vehicles for discerning car enthusiasts and private collectors.

www.theashtreecollection.co.uk

01743 462999

info@theashtreecollection.co.uk

Ferrari FF V12 2016

Ferrari 458 Speciale Aperta 2015

Huracan LP610-4 Spyder 2016

£139,995

£524,995

£147,995

Huracan Evo 640 AWD 2019

Porsche 911 (991.2) Carrera GTS 2018

Porsche 718 Spyder 2019

£204,995

£89,995

£104,495

Porsche 911 GT3 2014

Porsche 911 (991.1) GT3 RS 2016

Aston Martin DB6 Vantage 1967

£106,995

£149,995

£359,000

Ferrari Dino 246 GT 1972

Ferrari Testarossa LHD 1989

Jaguar XK120 Roadster 1949

£POA

Countach LP400 Periscopio 1977

Lamborghini Miura Jota “S” 1969

Mercedes 300 SL Roadster 1957

£949,000

£1,100,000

£999,995

QUALITY PRESTIGE & PERFORMANCE LAMBORGHINI SV ROADSTER £338,950 / 2016 / 891 miles

FERRARI 458 SPECIALE £289,950 / 2015 / 6,700 miles

FERRARI 430 SCUDERIA LHD £132,950 / 2009 / 17,468 miles

AUDI R8 V10 PLUS £81,950 / 2016 / 18,500 miles

AUDI TT RS £42,450 / 2018 / 14,250 miles

P10 TWISTED DEFENDER £36,950 / 2010 / 32,000 miles

SELLING YOUR CAR? For prompt decision and payment

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A pre-owned Ferrari: when Approved, it stands out.

MORE THAN 190 POINT-CHECK

WARRANTY EXTENDED UP TO 2 YEARS

ORIGINAL CERTIFICATION PROGRAMME ISSUED AND APPROVED BY FERRARI

Ferrari F12berlinetta Year: 2014: Miles: 6,478 External colour: Rosso Corsa Internal colour: Beige £175,000

Ferrari GTC4Lusso T Year: 2018: Miles: 3,220 External colour: Bianco Avus Internal colour: Cuoio £155,000

Ferrari California T Year: 2015: Miles: 8,011 External colour: Argento Nurburgring Internal colour: Rosso £105,000

Ferrari 458 Spider Year: 2013: Miles: 17,328 External colour: Nero Daytona Internal colour: Nero £139,000

Ferrari Portofino Year: 2018: Miles: 1,500 External colour: Argento Nurburgring Internal colour: Blu Sterling £167,000

Ferrari 488 GTB Year: 2016: Miles: 7,210 External colour: Blu Tour De France Internal colour: Nero £154,000

Ferrari California T Year: 2014: Miles: 13,837 External colour: Argento Nurburgring Internal colour: Nero £103,500

Ferrari California Year: 2013: Miles: 10,702 External colour: Blu Tour De France Internal colour: Crema £92,000

All listings accurate at time of publication.

OFFICIAL FERRARI DEALER

Graypaul Nottingham

Graypaul Nottingham Lenton Lane Nottingham, NG7 2NR Telephone: 0115 837 7508 nottingham.ferraridealers.com

ferrariapproved.com

Monthly Leasing

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6 month van leasing Normally 12 months.

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Lamborghini Manchester

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This time, Tim has a gripe with modern car technologies, one of which resulted in the untimely demise of his Chinese takeaway. Written by: Tim Hanlon

I love techy stuff and can’t wait for new stuff to buy. I adopted an ‘Alexa’ on day one, I have Wi-Fi controlled lights, a robot vacuum and robolawnmower called Moe (yes, lazy I hear you say) and I love many automotive advancements introduced over the last decades. Who would be without a heated screen at this time of year? I use adaptive cruise all the time, xenons that curve around bends. Riad and I both love ABS and use it regularly — more on that another day! Most of that is great, but, and it’s a big but, some of the tech being introduced is horrid in reality. Manufacturers’ answers to questions we never asked them! I detest electric handbrakes. What a stupid invention and it means we can no longer do childish stuff as we could with a good old pull

146

up jobbie that did what it was supposed to do perfectly well. And while we’re on electric stuff, EPS (electronic power steering), argh! It’s not as good as good old hydraulic steering, and fitted to an R8 V10 Plus and called ‘Dynamic Steering’, it virtually ruins what is a fantastic car. Just stop it please!

“Why do manufacturers fit this stuff?”, you ask. Emissions. You see, EPS is fitted because it does not put load on the engine as a belt-driven system does and hence reduces the CO2 figures, like that matters on a 600bhp-plus car, and worse is yet to come. Stop-start… What on earth is that all about? Yes, you guessed, CO2! Manufacturers publish MPG figures that are simply impossible to match unless your name is Greta or you are freewheeling downhill. Why? Well, a number of reasons. No self-respectable supercar driver would drive at a constant 56mph in a 70mph zone, weigh nine stone, tape up their grill and door gaps, remove their wipers and only have five litres in the tank (well, maybe the last one). Stop-start not only kills your battery’s lifespan, it wasn’t even invented to save fuel, more to massage (cheat) emissions tests.

I hate stop-start with nearly the same passion as Jonty hates Ferrari classic parts prices! You come to a junction, it cuts, then as you’re about to set off into fast-flowing traffic, it has that that tiny delay like a sneeze that frustratingly doesn’t arrive, and you’ve lost your momentum. Last

week, I went to Tesco in the Golf R. I got out, went shopping and came back to the dash lights and radio both on. Hmm, odd! Because the stopstart had done its thing and the engine had cut off when I came to a halt in the parking bay, I had carelessly not hit the off button. And that brings me onto another thing, keyless cars. It’s not really that hard to use a key, is it? And of course, it’s keyless cars that are being stolen, not the ones with good old-fashioned keys. Listening VW, BMW, Ford et al? From Tesco to the takeaway on the way back, ‘bong-bong-bong’, FFS, what now?! The bag of satay beef, salt and pepper ribs, crispy duck, Szechuan chicken and prawn crackers had set off the passenger seat belt sensor. Surely if there was a child in the seat, it would weigh more than 1kg! I want it to get back hot, so down some green lanes on the way back, I go for a typical Golf R overtake, and boom, the dash lights red with the image of a car and something nasty occurring, and the car starts to apply the brakes hard killing my overtake. The Golf’s over-sensitive crash detection system thinks I am going to have a big one and has jumped in and decided it’s taking over instead of allowing my overtake. My Satay hits the glove box lid and my duck is in the footwell. If only I had strapped my duck in!

Happy New Year SCD readers, from ‘Techno Tim’.

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