Supercar Driver Magazine Issue 40 by Supercar Driver

ISSUE4 0

EXPERIENCE A NEW LEVEL OF SERVICING FOR MCLAREN & FERRARI There is no substitute for experience when it comes to supercar servicing. We have unrivalled experience across the entire McLaren range – from heritage models like the P1 and 12C to the latest Ultimate Series cars like the Senna and 765 LT – and all Ferraris no longer on their 7-year service plan, from the 348 to the 458, and halo models like the F40 and Enzo. We are based at a brand new state of the art facility between Reading and Newbury, and can collect and deliver your car anywhere in the UK.

Contact us now to discover how we can transform your supercar servicing experience. 01635 867705 service@v-engineering.co.uk v-engineering.co.uk

THE TEAM Adam Thorby Copyright ® 2021 Supercar Driver Limited, Unit 1 Meadowhall Riverside, Meadowhall Road, Sheffield, S9 1BW. 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. Prices and information will be correct at time of printing.

Managing Director

adam@supercar-driver.com

Matt Parker Editor

editor@supercar-driver.com

Luke Earnshaw Creative Manager

luke@supercar-driver.com

Jake Smithard Membership Manager

jake@supercar-driver.com

Saiqa Akram Partnerships Manager

saiqa@supercar-driver.com

Riad Ariane Media Manager

riad@supercar-driver.com

Dan Barnett

Video Production Manager

dan@supercar-driver.com

Debbie Winstanley Accounts Manager

debbie@supercar-driver.com

Jonty Wydell Tour Manager

jonty@supercar-driver.com

Miles Lacey

Development Driver

miles@supercar-driver.com

Join us in the pages ahead to celebrate 10 years and 40 issues of the SCD Magazine! We rejoice the long-awaited return of events, including two of the most historic venues in British motorsport, as well as our return to Scotland for the Tartan Florio tour. ‘Member’s Garage’ is more ‘Member’s House’ this time, with an entirely automotive-themed home, and we feature no less than seven SCD members and their seriously special machines from the likes of Ferrari Tailor Made, Mclaren Special Operations and even Koenigsegg. So, grab a cuppa and let this 40th issue get you in the mood for an exciting summer ahead.

IN THIS EDITION Darren Selig JBR Capital

Darren.selig@jbrcapital.com

A reason to drive A reason to explore A reason to socialise A reason to visit

Matt Cowley Suspension Secrets

info@suspensionsecrets.co.uk

Tom Jaconelli

Director at Romans International

Tom@romansinternational.com

Angus Frazer

Reporter for JBR Capital

CONTROL. EXHILARATION. PERFORMANCE. MICHELIN PILOT SPORT RANGE Visit the Michelin Supercar Paddock Goodwood Festival Of Speed

michelin.co.uk

Discover more about us online

Starting out as a club back in 2010, over the last decade we’ve been refining the concept and has become much more than a club, it is a way of life. Being part of the community opens the door to a new lifestyle providing reasons for owners to drive, explore and enjoy their supercar within our tight knit community.

A series of driving events open to all iconic cars from 1995 and earlier. From Cosworths and Minis to Ferraris and Porsches, enjoy the drive and take in the scenery at a slower pace of life. Follow us

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Supercar Driver Podcast Did you know we have a podcast? as well as chatting Talking all things to other interesting people within the supercar industry. Search for: Supercar Driver Podcast

Ignition GP is the result of an exciting collaboration and ex F1 test driver and Le Mans between driver, Jonathan Kennard. Together we aim to bring together the very finest Grand Prix cars from what we believe is the most exciting era of Grand Prix racing, 1989 through to 1997.

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I N S I D E FEATURES:

18 21 34 53 86 88 103

The Great Shortage - Romans International

116 126 137 142

Setting up a Trust - Janine Edwards

A Different Class - Praga Cars UK

Discover More on YouTube

Focus on: Road Race Rally

Oldest New Kid in Town - The Glenturret

The Merry Month of May - JBR Capital Customise Your Emotion - Image Design Custom

Focus on: Ferrari Sevenoaks Uplifting - RPM Technik

Rear-Wheel Steering - Suspension Secrets

MEMBERS’ CARS: 26

39 44 57

Lamborghini Huracán Performante Spyder, Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Roadster Ferrari F355 GTS

Porsche 991 GT3

Who Lives in a House Like This

108 119 128 145

McLaren MSO HS

Tailor Made Ferrati 488 Pista

Koenigsegg Agera R

Porsche 991 GT3, Ferrari 488 Pista

103

108

128

ON THE COVER:

EVENTS: 09 79 91 151

Goodwood Season Opener Thrill on the Hill Tartan Florio Past Events

OVER 200 CARS HIT GOODWOOD FOR SCD’S VERY FIRST EVENT AT THE HISTORIC CIRCUIT 09 7

This year’s season opener marked our first ever event at the historic Goodwood Motor Circuit, where the rain couldn’t stop 200 SCD members making the pilgrimage. Written by: Angus Frazer for JBR Capital

“Give me Goodwood on a summer’s day, and you can keep the rest”, the great, late British racing driver, Roy Salvadori, famously said. Well, after a year of on-off-on lockdowns and very little driving, Goodwood on a spring day, when the sky is the colour of burnt toast, when the thunder is rolling across the Sussex Downs and when then next downpour is set to arrive any second, will do just fine too. These were the conditions that 200 drivers of a truly dazzling array of supercars braved to descend on the West Sussex motor circuit on Sunday 16th May. For SCD, it was a case of history in the making, as director Adam explained. “We started Supercar Driver ten years ago with a very simple ethos. It’s all about getting people out in their cars and enjoying them. We’ve had events all over the UK and in Europe, but we’ve never been to Goodwood before”. It was a historic moment for Goodwood too. The motor circuit, which the current Duke of Richmond’s grandfather, Freddie March, opened after the war in 1948, had surely never seen an ensemble like this before. In the first of two hour-long parades, 100 supercars sat five abreast in a line that seemed to stretch back forever.

It was an epic sight that caused even the very elements to hold their breath. For a moment, the stormy weather abated, and the sun shone briefly down. And when the drivers began to rev the engines of their charges, and the cry of at least 100,000 horsepower howled around Goodwood’s historic pits, the hairs on the back of the neck of everyone stood on edge.

At the wheel of a Porsche 997 GT3 RS 4.0, Lincoln Reeves gave an insight into what it was like to be right at the heart of the action. “I looked over and there was McLaren P1 next to me, I had a Pagani Zonda F in front of me and a Koenigsegg behind me. It was quite surreal to take it all in. OK, we were behind a pace car, but you could still get up into third gear and have a little play at times”.

McLaren Senna, Porsche 959, Mercedes SLR McLaren 722, Porsche Carrera GT, Koenigsegg Agera R, Ferrari 330 LMB, LaFerrari, F50, Dino GTS, Aston Martin GT12, the line-up went on and on, the machinery ever more mesmerising and ever more disparate. Yet, there was a common bond; the joy on the drivers’ faces and the sheer pleasure at being in the company of fellow enthusiasts again was universal.

A grinning Jodie Kidd flashed the V for Victory sign from the cockpit of a hyper-rare Koenigsegg CCXR Edition. Capable of mustering up over 1,000bhp from its 4.8-litre twin-supercharged flexfuel V8, it is one of only four examples ever built. The only problem, from Jodie’s point of view, was that it was still rolling on the exact same rubber it had left the factory in Ängelholm, Sweden, on 13 years ago.

“It’s got an awful lot of torque for such very old shoes”, reported Jodie, “OK, so we weren’t going that fast today behind the pace car, but it was the first time I had driven it, and when the rain came down, it made for a lot of fun on those ’08 tyres. It really is a proper driver’s car, though. It’s just so analogue, with no electronic assistance systems to help you out”. The grin on Kidd’s face and her infectious laugh showed not just how much she had enjoyed driving around the Goodwood Motor Circuit but also the day SCD had put together. “It’s just magic to be driving a car like this and to be out and about seeing people again”.

After the parade laps, some guests indulged in full, helmetson, hammer-down, flat-out laps of the circuit, the layout of which has remained unchanged since it opened in September 1948. Many others were happy to chew the fat on their bacon sandwiches from the Goodwood NAAFI wagon, catch up with friends, make new ones and enjoy the sunshine, which finally turned up.

“This is my first outing with Supercar Driver. I only joined two months ago”, Larry Annan told us, “It seems to be full of really good people, and the cars they’ve brought along are just amazing”. Glancing at the rain streaks and track dirt on his Ferrari 458 Speciale, Larry smiled ruefully, “I love my car. It’s like a piece of art, It’s like a sculpture to me, but like all these guys here, I like to use it. It will take me the whole day to get it clean again tomorrow, but I don’t mind. That’s the price you pay for driving it, not keeping it in the garage just because it’s raining”. @jbrcapital

Want to see more? Watch our video:

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Becoming very hard to get hold of high spec examples.

The Great Shortage We’ve all noticed strengthening prices in the car market of late. Tom from Romans International discusses why. Written by: Tom Jaconelli

It wasn't that long ago that we were all complaining of a saturated supercar market, too many cars, too many models and tumbling values. How times can change! What we are witnessing right now is the complete opposite, a mass shortage of cars, very few new models actually coming through and values are on the rise. One of the main reasons for this is a global shortage of microchips which has completely stifled new car production. Microchips are essential components of the modern car,

found in the latest digital infotainment displays, in electric seats, or even in the mode switch on that carbon steering wheel. If we rewind to a year ago when the pandemic first struck, not only did car factories partially close down but so did the semiconductor factories which produce these microchips. With home technology experiencing an unprecedented global boom led by the release of the new PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, the demand for microchips went through the roof and it has created a supply shock.

The used Porsche market has been absolutely flying with prices increasing over the last 3-4 months.

Resurgence of interest in these models with prices firming up. As new car orders pick up again, the semiconductor factories (not helped by a huge fire at one of the main factories) are unable to keep up with the demand causing a huge backlog, and from what I'm hearing, there are thousands of cars built which cannot be completed due to not having the necessary microchips.

With people looking for a feel-good factor this summer and holidays still off the menu, combined with lots of savings and disposable income around, it’s no surprise that upgrading the SUV or buying a supercar is the top of many people’s wish list.

The problem is that, if you're looking to order brand new, then you are likely going to be faced with painfully long waiting times regardless of whether you are ordering the new G-Wagon, a 992 Turbo S or even a new Toyota Yaris GR. This is an industry-wide shortage and it's forcing people to buy pre-owned or consider a different model altogether.

This is a huge factor contributing to what has become a very buoyant market for second-hand performance cars. Most dealers I've spoken to are experiencing unbelievably high demand and are really struggling to find enough stock to keep their forecourts and showrooms filled. The competition for stock has driven prices upwards, and with the lack of good examples on the market, there is probably no better time to sell your car. It’s safe to say it's a seller's market right now, but on the other hand, the shortage does mean it’s now more difficult than ever to find a particular car in the spec you want. We’ve honestly never experienced so many sourcing enquiries. More often than not at the moment, we're putting cars up for sale and they are sold within a matter of days or sometimes even hours, and often with multiple interested parties. This is down to a complete lack of choice currently available with people having to pay premiums over the list price even for some of the more

run-of-the-mill models. If anything, it's the ultra-high-end hypercars which are probably the least affected. By their very nature, they pretty much always remain in short supply and new car production doesn't tend to have much bearing on values. The question for many is whether this is just a brief purple patch in the market or can it continue? From what I'm hearing, the microchip shortage is going to continue impacting the manufacturers for the rest of 2021 and perhaps even longer. Whilst I expect the hospitality and travel industries to take a slice out of people's wages later this year as normality returns, personally I can see this strong supercar market continuing well into next year and beyond. @romansinternational

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CLASS A

Midway through the 2021 Britcar Endurance Championship, UK MD Mark Harrison and our own Praga R1 Britcar pilot Miles Lacey explore the present and future of our close and dynamic relationship. Photographs by: Dom Fraser - Praga Cars | SCD Written by: Praga Cars UK

At Oulton Park in mid-June, a record entry of nine Praga R1s locked out the first nine places on the Britcar Endurance grid. The car would go on to take first, second and third in both Round 3 races, with Praga Supercar Race Academy driver Jay Morton climbing to the top of the podium on each occasion. It was a historic day for the novice driver in only his

ninth and tenth races, and for Praga in the UK — a perfect example of how the company is providing a unique opportunity to access, and excel in the world of elite motorsport. Since the start of the 2021 Britcar season, the R1 has been competing in a dedicated class, with ten cars expected to be competing in the

second half of the season. For the following year, ambitions are that a 20-car grid will enable Praga to form an official single-make series running under MSA regulations. Things are happening fast for the small but highly-admired Czech firm, but as Praga’s Mark Harrison explains to SCD, it is merely meeting demand.

“Praga’s racing business works on the assumption that everybody who gets in an R1 has a dream, or had one, of racing at Le Mans, whether they’re 16 or 60. From our earliest conversations with SCD members, we’ve seen a common narrative from people who’ve always wanted to race but found the process too complex or timeconsuming”.

As part of a two-pronged strategy to simplify and speed up that process, Praga has recently opened a UK headquarters in Antrobus, Cheshire, usefully situated between Oulton Park and Manchester Airport, that will also serve as a brand centre. Factory cars will be maintained at the site, which will have what Harrison describes as ‘an open-door policy’, inviting friends and interested parties to pop in for a look around and a lap or two on Praga’s own full-motion sim units. Praga’s karts and racing cars will be on

display and access to a full race training simulator is also available. Harrison hopes that a Top Gearstyle leaderboard will eventually take shape too, with visitors as well as pro and guest drivers all posting times. The second element to Praga’s rapidly expanding business model is the Supercar Race Academy programme, designed to operate as a one-stop shop for anyone interested in experiencing prototype racing. The Academy is being launched through SCD in

order to reach out more effectively to like-minded members with the desire and skillset to go racing, but for whom the opportunity has remained elusive. Harrison envisages a field for 2022 that can be populated by several drivers who have never raced up until now, but who’ve driven supercars and hypercars, know how to handle them and want to go to the next level. The current grid in Britcar has paired a number of more experienced drivers with total

novices as a template for the Academy, and with hugely encouraging results. “We’ve proven the concept works through Jay Morton”, Harrison says. “He’s only started ten races in his life, the first six just to get his National A race licence, and the last two he actually won. That’s what the Academy can offer. It’s a complete package; you don’t need to think about anything, from getting your licence to being physically and mentally prepared, we’ll find a team for you and look after you throughout the season”.

One of the pro drivers currently competing for Praga who will be part of the Academy programme in 2022 is Miles Lacey. He has been sharing a factory-entered R1 with James Walker, better known as Mr JWW, who had one season in the Caterham Challenge under his belt before joining Lacey in Praga’s fully-fledged prototype racer. “James and I have had a challenging start to the season but are jumping at it, doing all the testing and simulator work we can and working closely with our engineers”, Lacey says, “It’s a learning curve for everyone, but we all help each other out”.

This is a fundamental part of Praga’s philosophy of openness and accessibility, offering a comprehensive racing package in an environment that is designed to be highly professional while remaining supportive and enjoyable at all times.

“If an SCD member was coming into the Academy”, Lacey continues, “they would be testing with an experienced driver currently racing the R1 and getting coached by them to ensure they get the most from the car because its limits are so high that the onus is on you, the driver, to bring yourself

Written by: Miles Lacey

up to a level where you can extract the most from it. It’s a big challenge, but who doesn’t love a challenge? It just needs the correct amount of time and attention”. The next step for interested SCD members is to test the R1, with opportunities being made in conjunction with SCD on 20th July at Anglesey. There are also official test days planned for August and September and the possibility of further test runs at SCD’s secret meet.

“Everything is in place to make it an easy and happy journey”, Lacey says, “To take away the intimidation and anxiety. While we don’t forget that this is a professional level motorsport, you’re there to have fun. We all do this because we love driving cars and driving on track, and racing an R1 is just another avenue for that, but stepped up a notch!”. @praga_cars

Racing is a tough old game, isn’t it? It’s not until you live through a season of racing that you appreciate why racing drivers and the teams bounce around in ecstasy following a successful race. The highs and lows of motorsport are real, and there’s no denying there are more lows than highs. But, and it’s a big but, I’ll be the first to say that, when it all clicks, there’s nothing in this world like it. I’m sure the birth of your first child is a beautiful moment without question, but imagine taking your well-deserved step on the podium to hold a 10-pound trophy (monetary value, not weight) above your head after a wild race where you gave it everything. Can you even put a price on that? I jest. The truth is James and I have been on a steep learning curve from the outset and we’re thriving at the challenge. We’ve both experienced a club paddock before now and racing the Praga is a step up to a new level of competition in motorsport. An aero car like the Praga takes time to learn as it goes against every grain in your body to trust it is capable of doing the speeds we’re told it can. Add to this the challenge of threading it through a fully packed grid at pace, and you’ve got a real job on your hands. Thankfully, we’re both determined enough to keep working to extract the most out of the car, and it has a hell of a lot of potential. I’ll be honest in saying we’ve had mixed success this season but we’ve proven more than once that, when things don’t necessarily work in our favour, we can still produce results. Namely at Snetterton for Round 2, where due to an unfortunate incident in qualifying, we had to start from the very back; I believe Noah and his Ark actually qualified in P1! By keeping ourselves out of trouble and executing a series of precise overtakes, we dragged our R1 through to P4. For us, it was as good as a win considering the start to the weekend we’d had. There was no fakery on camera post-race, we were on top of the world.

We’re guilty of sounding like a broken record when we say it’s extremely hard to covey what driving the Praga R1 is like. It’s easily the fastest car I’ve raced, and when you’re hunting down GT3 cars at 150mph, it becomes very clear you’re in control of something rather special. At the halfway point in the season, we reflect on our experience so far. Let’s hope that in the second half, we can place ourselves further up the order and maybe, just maybe even bring home a pot for the mantelpiece. @mileslacey

MEMBER’S CARS: LAMBORGHINI HURACÁN PERFORMANTE SPYDER, AVENTADOR SVJ ROADSTER

We head out for a top-down, sunset drive with SCD member Mir to talk about two surprisingly different Lamborghinis.

How did you get into cars?

Ever since I was born, me and my family have always been passionate about cars. We would always go to car shows at the NEC in Birmingham and supercar showrooms on a Saturday after lunch to window shop. My family would always buy me models of cars ranging from McLaren SLRs to those matchbox miniatures, although after a week of having them in my room, the wing mirrors would be broken! To all have the same passion for something is great! Generally we all like the same things — watching football, playing golf and driving cars!

What are your favourite memories with SCD?

Our first event was a breakfast meet at Graypaul Ferrari in Nottingham. It was February 2016 and we took our first brand new supercar, the firstgen Lamborghini Aventador LP700. I believe we had been members for a couple months prior.

Breakfast meets are always great, especially when meeting at a nearby location and convoying to the showroom! My favourite event to date, though, was the 2017 secret meet. It was our first secret meet, the weather was perfect and it was perfectly run. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to attend the Donington one yet, but I am signed up for this year and I’ve heard great things about it! Not only does SCD put you in a great network of likeminded people, they also provide opportunities that wouldn’t be possible otherwise, like showcasing our Aventador in London at the Gumball 3000 rally in 2016, filming with YouTubers to create content for brands and creating a ‘Nightrun’ video in our home city of Leicester — that was a great one!

How did you get so into Lamborghini?

I think most will agree there is a lot of theatre about their cars, and it’s a historic brand with a great reputation. The aesthetic is the main attraction though as all the cars have a great design.

Our first Lamborghini and also our first brand new supercar was the original Aventador LP700. It was one of the first to leave the showroom at Lamborghini Leicester when we collected it in April 2014. We specced it a year prior in factory painted matte white with orange calipers and orange Alcantara interior. Since then, we’ve purchased the Aventador SV in Rosso Bia, Huracán Performante Spyder in Viola Parsifae and Aventador SVJ Roadster in Grigio Telesto, all from Lamborghini Leicester. We like to stick to local dealers like Lamborghini and Bentley Leicester as well as Graypaul Ferrari Nottingham. We have built a great relationship and it’s always handy for servicing or even having a coffee and catching up with the team.

When did the Performante Spyder come along?

Initially, we first saw the Spyder at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2018, and our first thoughts were that it was amazing. The forged carbon looked so good and we had heard great things about the car from friends who had owned the coupes. We placed the order the following week after the show and quickly finalised the spec.

I’ve always liked the idea of Lamborghinis being in bright colours. We had seen a lot of greens, oranges and yellows on the cars but I had rarely seen a purple, and if I had, it was slightly darker than the Parsifae that we ended up choosing. I had only seen the colour on a car in the US, but never in the flesh. We collected the car on Christmas Eve 2018 and I immediately loved it — the colour was so bright and deep. I even took it for a blast on Christmas Day!

The colour is Voila Parsifae with 20” Narvi Forged wheels in bronze. We had the calipers painted in Voila Parsifae to match the colour of the car and the lettering on the calipers is bronze to match the accents. The badge at the back is in bronze instead of chrome, as is the badge on the side. The interior is black Alcantara with bronze stitching. Everything ties in perfectly and there’s not much else I’d like to have done.

What is it like to drive?

10/10! To me, it has the perfect sound. It’s hard to describe but I haven’t heard a car anything like it. It flames occasionally and the exhaust pipes glow orange, so whoever has the pleasure driving behind me at night will see the glowing pipes. It doesn’t need to be any quicker for the road and I have no criticism for the gearbox. Gearshifts are instant and the downshifts in Corsa mode are brutally loud. The four-wheel drive makes this car feel unbelievably safe, it hasn’t lost traction or stepped out on me once. Because of the size, it can go around and fit in any multi-storey car park, parallel parking is super easy and going around tight corners with kerbs is straightforward too, although I think the reversing camera and suspension lift is a must tick option for these cars nowadays.

Why did you add the SVJ?

We have two coupe Aventador models, the original I mentioned that we collected in 2014 and then the SV we added in June 2016, so the SVJ seemed like the right choice. There are a limited number of cars, but we have a good relationship with Lamborghini Leicester and we were offered the SVJ Roadster in July 2019. It was the final piece to our Aventador puzzle and we took delivery in January 2020. I’ve always liked Grigio Telesto and we always like to spec cars differently to others on the road. I’ve only seen it a couple times and, at that point, we had never owned a grey sports or supercar. Naturally, the Aventador models are very aggressive, and picking Grigio Telesto solidified that persona, especially with the satin PPF on top.

It has the race wheels with red centre caps to match the SVJ Sticker and the carbon bucket seats with grey accents inside. When getting the PPF done, I thought it would be a good idea to add some pinstriping without going too far. We had satin PPF applied with red pinstriping along the skirts, rear diffuser and wing mirrors, and also had the headlights smoked to make it even more aggressive. Customisation can be endless, but we didn’t want to go over the top with it.

What is it like to drive?

Well, it’s the loudest car we own by a distance, but being in the cabin doesn’t do the noise any justice. It’s when you’re following the car or when it drives past you, then you get to understand how loud the car actually is! Along with the noise, the power is neck-breaking, and the gearshifts are just brutal in Corsa — you really get to feel the single-clutch transmission! The Ego mode is great. It’s a function where you get to select the drivetrain, steering and suspension of the car independently — mine is set to sport drivetrain, soft steering and soft suspension.

It isn’t as usable as the Perf. There are no storage compartments and there’s nowhere to put your phone or your keys. Being a roadster, you have to remove the roof and put it in the boot which you get used to, just make sure it’s not raining as it could take you a while to put back on! The fourwheel steering really does make this long, wide car easy to drive around any city streets though, and definitely helps when trying to park.

Comparing it against the first-gen Aventador, the comfort seats in that car really make a difference. They’re a lot more pleasant but don’t give it that racy feeling, hence why we picked the carbon bucket seats in the SV and SVJ, so there’s a noticeable difference when getting in the car. Immediately, it’s a different feeling, especially when looking through the rear-view mirror and seeing the different shape of that rear wing — Lamborghini have done well making each version subtly different. Comparing to SV, the exhaust is the big one because, for me, the SV sounds better. It is relatively quiet in Strada, but in Sport or Corsa, the valves open up and the tone it produces is unreal. You can hear the idle from a distance and it’s such an iconic sound.

How do you choose which to take?

It depends on where I’m going. With the Performante, I don’t need to worry about anything. It can fit into all spaces and go into a multi-storey if needs be, whereas the SVJ is effectively street parking only, and even then you have to be careful as it’s really wide and long. For long distance, the Performante is more comfortable and practical but the cabin space is restricted — I’m 6ft and my head is an inch away from hitting the roof. We took it on a road trip through Europe though and it was perfect. I am tempted to take the SVJ, but with the mechanical roof, no storage compartments inside and carbon seats, I’m not sure! It would be a tough one to choose over the Performante for a longdistance road trip, but for sheer audacity and turning heads, you cannot beat the SVJ. If I had to keep just one, it would be the Performante because it does everything so well. It looks great, sounds great and is really practical. The valved exhaust keeps my neighbours happy and when driving at night through a residential area it’s unnoticeable.

Will they both be staying in the garage?

Yes, they’ll be with us for a while because the Performante is my favourite and the SVJ is part of the trio of Aventadors within the garage. There’s nothing on the list to join them right now either. We’ll continue to keep our heads down, working hard so we can enjoy the things we love and maybe in the future we can progress onto even more desirable cars. For now, I haven’t taken either car on track but I would love to, so I’ll have to sign up for an SCD track day soon!

D I S C O V E R

M O R E

O N

SERIES ONE

We love the naturally-aspirated engine. Instant throttle response, a linear power band and uncorrupted induction noise, mean the original recipe for power still takes some beating. From a sublime V8 unit in the M3 to a symphonic Lamborghini V12, this series is a celebration of the best naturally aspirated-engines available.

EPISODE 1

EPISODE 2

EPISODE 3

BMW E92 M3 COMPETITION

FERR ARI 4 5 8 SPECIALE

L AMBORGHINI HUR ACÁN E VO RWD

SERIES T WO

EPISODE 4

EPISODE 5

EPISODE 6

PORSCHE 9 97.1 G T 3 RS

MERCEDES-BENZ SL S AMG

L AMBORGHINI MURCIÉL AGO LP670 -4 SV

ASTON MARTIN DBX VS MERCEDES-AMG G63

Matt jumps behind the wheel of two super-SUVs which share both their engines and drivetrain. With all the similarities, is one better than the other?

YEP, WE BOUGHT A GR YARIS!

Jonty ‘jumps’ in the newest addition to the SCD fleet, a Toyota Yaris GR! Having been a Lotus Exige advocate for years, can the new GR sway his opinion?

MCL AREN 765LT VS L AMBORGHINI AVENTADOR SVJ In this video, we decided to put McLaren’s brand-new flagship LT model up against Lamborghini’s halo V12 supercar.

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There’s Life in the

Old Girl Yet

MEMBER’S CAR: FERRARI F355 GTS

Rob catches up with fellow SCD member Piers to chat about what inspires his diverse garage of cars, and the F355 he has become so taken by.

Written by: Rob Ward

A quick swipe down Piers’ Instagram profile will alert you to what can only be described as an eclectic mix of classic and modern cars. From a pre-war Ford Model A to a fully restored Jaguar XK150 and a recently sold Huracán Perfomante amongst others. It is refreshing to see such variety, but I was desperate to know the origins of such choices. A self-confessed impulse buyer of all things automotive, Piers has what is, in my view, an enviable and endearing collection of cars, the older of which come with many a story, and everything has a name.

For example, ‘Rosina’ the Rolls Royce Silver Spirit was previously owned by Piers’ grandfather. Having been sold out of the family, it was later tracked down by Piers and bought back after a five-year search. A rainy trip to check out the condition of the then very poorly Rolls resulted in its inevitable purchase. A full restoration later, the car now has pride of place in the garage next to the F355! The Model A, described by Piers as being 1% safer than a motorcycle on the road really appeals to me as such a rare experience and something for those sunny Sundays. There’s a photo you can see on Instagram of ‘Winifred’ at the side of the road during a drive out last year. The caption at the bottom reads, “What a perfect day for it – I’ve not broken down, I had to stop to get my hat back!”.

These little snippets into Piers’ life with cars answered many of my questions in only a few minutes of research. There isn’t anything specific about what meets the criteria for each purchase, it isn’t even nostalgia in most cases that prompts Piers to make another crazy purchase, it’s the love of anything with an engine and the want to try something he’s never tried before.

From our hour-long chat, it is evident that many of the cars that have entered the collection have been bought on what can only really be described as a whim. The F355 was bought during a visit to a dealer with a friend to service another car altogether; there were no plans to purchase anything that day. Piers didn’t even know this 355 existed that morning, however, he came away with it after some negotiation and it remains one of his firm favourites, shared fifty fifty with a close friend.

‘Bluebell’ has been in the collection since September 2017. There have been a couple of very subtle changes since; a small suspension drop, some interior tidying for that well-known sticky dash syndrome they all seem to suffer from, and more excitingly, a Capristo exhaust, which just seems to lift the tone and give a better sense of occasion as the revs climb.

“The 355 is the one car I own that will make me take the long way home. Then, when I get home, I’ve not had enough, so I will go back out again for more”, Piers explains, “Last year’s Caffeine and Machine meet (forgetting the pheasant incident) meant that there was a drive for a purpose, as well as the huge appreciation the car received at the end of the drive there. It’s one of those cars that just suits how I drive. I like a car that’s easy to drive. If it’s easy to drive, I’ll drive it more. The 355 is there when I want a modern classic to have a bit of a hoon!”.

The loose plans behind the collection are that there’s a car for every occasion, be that a track day, casual Sunday jaunt or hot laps in aid of the Children’s Trust at Goodwood. Each car serves a purpose and fulfils a need in Piers’ life, and I think that’s the ultimate goal. We’ve all listed our ideal five-car garage, haven’t we?

...you do feel like you’re an integral part of it when you drive.

“What I love about the 355 particularly is that you have all the feel of an older Ferrari, you feel everything. You need to be on it mentally otherwise it will try and kill you but you do feel like you’re an integral part of it when you drive. That being said, it isn’t so needy that you can’t dial the pace back a bit and still have a chat as you drive, or drive it long distance without getting out feeling 20 years older. That’s what is special about that car”. Although the car is a GTS, Piers isn’t one to take the roof off and keeps it in Berlinetta mode. I can’t help but think there’s some fun to be had with that Capristo exhaust with the roof panels removed but I can’t talk, I’m only saying that as I’d doubtfully get into it without the roof removed.

The 355 seems to get a lot of respect wherever it’s driven. Piers seemed to have a very unjustified fear of arriving at an event in it, being surrounded by the more modern cars we all see and love and the 355 not really fitting the bill, but it’s nice to hear that every time it gets an airing, it seems to draw a crowd. The Caffeine and Machine event last year was a typical example. It was appreciated by so many, and getting the joy from the drive as well as seeing others enjoy its presence is a damn good reason why it will be a long while before it goes. “I really like having a garage of cars that don’t have monthly payments, and I don’t need to worry about putting miles on them so I can enjoy them if I want to, or if they don’t turn a wheel for a month, it doesn’t matter as it hasn’t cost me anything”. For me, this was nice to hear. I think, as a member at perhaps the entry-level of budget for qualifying cars, there’s an element of pressure

to push yourself to go bigger and better, to keep up so to speak. Cheap rate finance has made cars so much more obtainable these days but, as Piers eluded to, if you’re spending four figures every month on finance, you can easily be torn between wanting to use the car to get the most out of the money you’re spending and then not wanting the pile the miles on a car if it is sensitive to that for the eventual value at the end of the term. To be able to break that mould completely and have a collection of cars, all of which are of a lower value, well maintained and completely fulfil every automotive need is certainly food for thought.

What did make me smile is that, just like me, Piers will see a car and instantly turn to Auto Trader to look at values and start to justify why this could be the next purchase. “I am rash when it comes to buying cars. I will buy a car that’s the

wrong colour for me, just because I want that car. Then I will see one in the colour I want and wish I’d got that. It’s costly. The hardest thing with a frankly irrational want to try anything and everything is reining it in and asking myself when would I actually use this and what does this give me that my current cars don’t”.

This all being said. It was clear from Piers when we spoke that it wouldn’t be long before a replacement for the departed Performante arrived, and the F355 has since been joined by a McLaren 675LT to fulfil the modern supercar ’need’! Want to see more? Watch our video:

10,000

SCD member Jack tells us about three flawless years of GT3 ownership, all the way from speccing the car at the dealership through to using it as intended in the Alps. MEMBER’S CAR: PORSCHE 991 GT3

What are your earliest memories with cars?

Cars have always been a passion of mine ever since I can remember. I would say it definitely started with my dad’s love for 911s and experiencing fast cars from a younger age. My dad is a handy driver and never held back when taking me to my Sunday league football matches or driving down the lanes to a friend’s house. The feeling of adrenaline and excitement when he put his foot down in his 997 Turbo will always be a fond memory. As the years went on, we went to many car events, F1 races and would regularly go karting around the country.

Why the GT3?

Prior to the GT3, I owned a 981 GT4 for two years which was a phenomenal car, and to be honest, one I do miss. When I was fortunate enough to secure an allocation for the GT4, I decided to keep the spec quite simple which resulted in me getting out of the car after 12,000 miles for the same price I paid for the car. Three years later, those cars seem to be still trading around list money which says a lot about Porsche GT products.

There is just something about the GT3 which puts the car into its own category. You can take the car to work in the morning and in the afternoon head to the track — the car is relentless and so reliable. I would love an RS at some point but that car is a little wider and stiffer on the roads; for what I need out of a car, the GT3 does it all. I have a very good relationship with Porsche Wilmslow who managed to secure me an allocation for my GT3 back in 2018. I am still working on a 992 GT3 allocation, but then again who isn’t?!

9,000 rpm

miles miles

Tell us about the spec.

I did manage to spec the car from new, and in fact I can remember having the option to select Touring. Looking back financially, that would have probably been a wiser choice, but for me, a 911 GT3 needs a wing. As much as I love the Touring, it does look a little on the tame side.

Finalising the specification on a GT3 is quite a daunting task when it is your dream car. After many emails back and forth, we locked the spec and the car came relatively quickly. Fortunately, the car turned out better than I planned, and even to this day, I look back at the car every single time I get out of it. My office is close to Porsche Wilmslow, so around the time the car was due, I would stick my head in most days to see if it had arrived!

When speccing the car, I was quite certain of how I wanted it to look. For me, there had to be a theme and I wanted any Porsche anorak like me to notice the thought that had gone into the final look of the car. On the exterior, I went for Agate Grey Metallic with the carbon mirrors and carbon triangles in front of the windows. On the interior, we have the Clubsport package, black leather interior with racing yellow belts and yellow decorative stitching. The car also has the 918 fixed carbon buckets with the full carbon interior package.

I went with the PDK ‘box over the manual as I am a keen track-goer and wanted to produce the fastest lap times I could. I have driven the manual variant and did love the engagement, but for my first GT3, it had to be PDK. In terms of stopping power, I decided to go with the PCCB ceramic brakes as I intended to use

the car on track and wanted to carry through the grey and yellow theme with the calipers. I decided not to factory tint any of the windows as I wanted the roll cage to be on full display. If I could have my time again, I would most likely have gone for the Bose surround sound system, but with the symphony of the 4.0 flat-six, I am really not that fussed. Thus far, I haven’t actually carried out any modifications on the car, but I am currently debating installing a JCR exhaust system as I think they sound tremendous.

What is it like to drive?

Jumping in the car, I always feel that it is quite narrow compared to other cars I have driven such as the 488 or Huracán. It has a perfect driving position with so much feel through the wheel, and to be honest, every time I jump in, I feel like a racing driver, and there is something to be said for that feeling — it’s addictive! The naturally-aspirated 4.0, for me, is probably one of the best engines there has ever been. The engine puts out around 500bhp and revs so freely up to 9,000rpm. What I like about the engine is that there is more torque low down than previous GT3s, so it’s enjoyable all the time, even when you’re not thrashing it. That said, on track is where I feel the engine really comes into its own at the peak of the rev range.

For me, the car is a complete event and so composed whether you are on track or blasting it around some local country lanes, and the agility from the four-wheel steeling is highly effective — the accuracy of the handling is sublime.

What is it like to live with?

Currently, the car is approaching 10,000 miles of which I did 3,000 in one trip across Europe. In terms of reliability, it has been completely flawless and has never skipped a beat. For me, a huge selling point with any Porsche product is in fact the reliability. Perhaps less can be said for its British competitors.

I think one of the best things about Porsche as a brand is the relatively low ongoing costs and no big surprises. The car had its first service and oil change at the usual cost of £1,000, and I have also had a new set of four Michelin Pilot Cup Sport 2s at a cost of £300 a corner. I am also about to purchase the extended warranty for the car which is around £2,000 for two years. The only thing I’d say is that, as I went for the Clubsport pack, I do have a large piece of scaffolding in the rear, so space is limited!

What is your favourite memory with the car?

Last summer, my girlfriend and I took the GT3 across Europe for nearly three weeks. When Covid restrictions relaxed and travel opened up, we embarked to Paris via the Eurotunnel. After a couple of days in hectic Paris, we drove to Morzine in the Alps where I really got to open the car up. From Morzine, we headed down to Portofino, which for me was a bit of a fantasy and a dream come true. To drive my own car around that beautiful port was quite something. From Portofino we headed to Antibes via Monaco, ending up in Saint-Tropez. It was a trip I would recommend everyone to do, but maybe in a car with comfort seats rather than carbon fixed buckets!

What would eight-year-old Jack say if he saw you driving the GT3?

I would like to think an eight-year-old Jack looking at me driving the GT3 would think that it’s a car he aspires to have one day, and probably be as shell-shocked as I once was when a car like the GT3 flew past me as a child in my mums’ car! I would also hope that the engine was up at 9,000rpm when I flew past eight-year-old Jack so he could hear it for all it’s worth!

How do you feel about the future of the combustion engine?

I think there is certainly a place for turbo engines, but for me, nothing yet compares to the way a naturally-aspirated engine makes you feel. I think electric-powered vehicles will certainly take over the mass market with the amount of new models being launched and the investment we are seeing into the infrastructure. I believe the petrolheads amongst us will hold onto our beloved combustion-engined cars for as long as we possibly can. The feeling of an electric car will never replace that of a screaming naturally-aspirated flat-six, V10 or V12.

Three years in, any plans to replace it?

After having a GT Porsche for five years now in one shape or another, it would be nice to perhaps change things up at some point. I have looked at the McLaren 600LT as they are incredibly fast and seem good value, but there is just something that keeps me going back to Porsche. There is something I love about just being able to pop to the shops in the GT3 without really having to worry about anything going wrong. The dream for me is a Ferrari 812 GTS, but I need to work a little harder first!

For now, I have no intentions of selling my car as I love it so much, but I guess everything has a price. The GT market looks strong at the minute, so if I can keep enjoying relatively low-cost miles, then long may it continue.

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An electrifying drive. With Porsche Centre Leicester. Breathtaking design, innovative engineering and a virtually limitless number of options to choose from. Contact us about the Porsche range, including the new electric Taycan, and our Porsche Approved Pre-Owned cars. Prepare to be inspired.

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Road, Race, Rally We meet Joe, founder of Road Race Rally, an artist creating automotive portraits for petrolheads and supercar owners. Written by: Road Race Rally

Road Race Rally was built off the back of merging my passion for cars with years of working and studying in the design world. Creating bespoke automotive art for petrolheads out there was the aim, to create a portrait of a car to keep for a lifetime, because it’s not just the car, it’s about the memories. To create a piece where the owner can look back, years after selling the car and relive those memories, is something special. I like to make each part of the piece bespoke, almost like speccing a new car. The options are pretty much limitless, including bespoke backgrounds, stripes and text. Detail is key which is why we spend days going through each detail to ensure it is perfect for you.

SCD MEMBERS’ CARS I have had the pleasure of completing some SCD members’ cars already: everything from 718 GT4s and 458 Speciales and all the way up to a Bugatti Divo and Koenigsegg Agera R. The passion for cars in this group is like nothing else and we are so happy to be a partner with SCD.

What more can I say apart from fantastic! An essential companion to all my car purchases. Faultless service from RRR, highly recommended. James

Fantastic service from RRR from start to finish, the best artwork I’ve had done. Pete

I have been delighted to discover Joe’s work and I’m busy commissioning my current fleet along with the greatest hits from my back catalogue! The great detail and the chance to make them bespoke to my exact specs is what I love about the portraits. Adam

THE PROCESS Each bespoke piece starts with a detailed conversation with the owner, listing and talking through all the spec options and special details. Then, I get to work researching the car and collecting reference images to help ensure the portrait dimensions and parts are perfect. This includes paint codes and looking at multiple angles of the model to see how light reflects over the body panels and gives the car its curves. Next, we get to work building the main body shell and all the main body panels, making sure the right reflections are applied to give it that realistic touch. Then the details start, such as carbon bumpers, wing mirrors, headlights, glass, and last but not least, the wheels.

Once completed, the print goes through checks to make sure each detail is correct, from seat stitching to bespoke options such as Ferrari Tailor Made and McLaren MSO options. These can all be added, even stripes. Of course, these cannot be seen side-on, so they can be added behind the car on the print to make it match your spec exactly. Bespoke text can include make and model, chassis number, a personalised quote, number plate or anything you can dream of. Each bespoke car takes around two or three days to create, and sometimes longer for some classic cars or full exposed carbon fibre bodies. The options are limitless. I have a wide range of finishing and printing options, from our 265gsm satin silk paper framed in a beautiful handmade British wooden frame, all the way to floating aluminium and glass sheets which can be suspended or wall-mounted. If you have a space, we can make something to fit it.

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Who Lives in a House Like This MEMBER’S GARAGE

SCD member Jamie takes us on a tour of his incredible and unique motorsport-themed home. Written by: Matt Parker

We've seen our fair share of spectacular garages and car collections in issues gone by, but what about an entire house designed and built around cars? SCD member and Ferrari Challenge racing driver Jamie did just that, and given the opportunity, we couldn't pass up a visit. Before we get into the build itself, we want to know where Jamie's madness for cars started. "My dad was a racing driver. He drove for Chevron and was three-time British Hillclimb champion, so I've been around cars, and racing cars in particular, since being born", he tells us, "It was like one big family back then; David Piper and his family, Richard Atwood and his family, and even Stirling and Susie Moss. We used to follow all the F1 teams around Europe doing support races for them, and the kids kind of had run of the paddock — it was a magic time really! "That's where my passion for cars came from, but it's only just been truly realised over the last six or seven years, because obviously, it's an expensive hobby and it takes a while to get to a financial position where you can actually spend money on the passion!

"It was an aim of mine to buy a Ferrari since I was little, I'm talking four or five. I finally bought my first Ferrari on the day I got divorced about five or six years ago, and there's been no looking back since, on both fronts!", he laughs. Moving onto the amazing home you see on these pages. It really is like what you would dream of as a child, so how did the idea enter Jamie's head to actually go ahead and do it? "I've renovated a couple of houses but I've always wanted to build something where I could really put my stamp on it, and being single and able to do whatever I want, it has always been in the back of my mind", Jamie tells us, "The whole thing with the cars in the house came about when I was young. My dad always used to say he'd love a Formula 2 car on the wall, and I can remember thinking no, I want one I can actually get in! So all my life, I've been aiming for a house where I can have these cars laying around". So the idea was there, but where do you start? "It was really a matter of finding the right place with the right views, because, to my mind, there's no point having a nice house if you don't have nice views. Look at some of the footballers' houses and they're massive, but they're in a row with other houses and have no real outlook. Everything has to come together, not just the internals, but the externals and everything beyond that as well. "It was all designed by myself and obviously the architects had to put it on paper, but it basically follows a similar outline to the farmhouse that was there before and the outbuildings. The garage is where the garage was, but the big main living room was the stables as it was an equestrian centre.

"I thought planning would give me more leeway if I kept a similar footprint, but it's on protected greenbelt so planning was a real pain. I wanted to go underground as well and have a third floor underneath, but they wouldn't let me. In the end, it took a good two-and-a-half years to build, and the concept before that was in the works for around a year".

For our tour, let’s start where we usually focus, the garage, where a Ferrari 488 Pista Spider and Pista Piloti sit side by side. The Piloti is an edition of the Pista Ferrari offered for racing drivers only; Jamie has been racing in the Ferrari Challenge for two years now and won the Coppa Shell Championship last year. Next up, the main living space has a high ceiling following the pitch of the roof, so much light from the huge amount of glass looking out onto those views Jamie held in such importance, it's crammed with memorabilia and, oh yes, a McLaren 12C! There's a lot to talk about in here,

so we ask Jamie for the rundown. "I followed the same shape as the stables that were there and I wanted the views with the floor-to-ceiling glass, but it was always going to have at least one car in there, so it had to be a decent size space. "It was designed so you can just drive the cars straight in and out, so I change the cars around all the time, and for the photos I put the 12C in — you don't want anything too high as it would block the view. That 12C is one of the first 25 12Cs that were actually built by the McLaren F1 team, which I didn't even know about until it was being serviced at McLaren and they told me.

They asked me if I wanted to sell it, so I asked the opinion of Nick, who is in charge at McLaren Leeds, and he said that they had been told to snap them up if they could find any, so advised me to hold onto it!".

One of the most obvious features in here for me is the cabinet of model cars which reminds me of the massive collection I had as a kid, albeit presented in a rather more posh way than mine which were thrown into a plastic storage box when I'd done racing them around the carpet! "I've always had model cars in my house, or in my bedroom when I was little, and to me they're

like artwork. The ones in my office are all cars I own or my racing cars, the ones on top in the living room are the Ferraris I have had, currently have or have on order, and then all the cars in the big display case are all my favourite cars in the world.

What about all the F1 tyres underneath the TV? "To actually get every single tyre from I think either the 2017 or 2018 season with all the different wheels has been an absolute nightmare for one of the staff at work whose job it was!", Jamie laughs, "Certainly the orange tyres, there are hardly any in existence, but I originally had

a couple of the others and thought they looked cool, so went on the hunt for the rest until I had them all, and I think they look mega".

Another thing that looks mega is sitting right in front of those tyres, and it has quite a story (and probably the reminder of a big bill!) to go with it. "The coffee table is the engine out of my original 599 GTB that blew up! I had to buy a new engine so I thought, you know what, I'll make the old one into a table for the new house". Walking back past the McLaren, a walkway is filled with a 1991 Footwork Formula 1 car Jamie

bought and a glass wall filled with helmets, the back of which you can see from the office. "I've always wanted a proper collection of helmets in a nice display case, so I started collecting five or six years ago", Jamie tells us, "They're all either worn, spare helmets or sponsor helmets from the race weekends, so they're all proper things from proper collections. The more you meet people, the more you open doors to things like that, and it's nice when you're the first person someone calls to offer you something they have that you might fancy".

Stepping up into the dining area, a gleaming red Ducati dresses the window, because blinds are a bit old hat, so is Jamie a biker too? "Do you know what, I'm not. I'm a car guy, but you can't deny how beautiful Ducati motorbikes are, and the last of the Panigale V-Twins and the first of the Panigale Speciale V4s are great pieces of art to fill a space with". The walls in here are filled too thanks to massive murals done by Jamie's company, one of which is particularly meaningful to him as it was his first win at Croft. After peering through the glass wall, we move on into the office which is a stark contrast to the bright, airy spaces we've just covered. It's a dark, masculine room which I love, with an interesting source of inspiration. "The idea for the office came about when I was in Marbella. I went to a restaurant and the entrance was quite dark, but it had this glass wall. It wasn't full of helmets, but

it was full of wine bottles and it looked mega. When I was building the house, I thought I want that look, and I'm really happy with how it has come out", Jamie explains.

Amongst more model cars Jamie told us about earlier, there are plenty of trophies in here. What's the story with them? "The trophies are all mine bar the big one in the middle which Dean Forward won at the Silverstone Classic in 2019 in the McLaren M8F. That was one of the biggest worries for me and was probably why I did so much racing in my first two years, because I needed enough trophies to fill my cabinet!", he laughs. We end our tour in the cinema room where there are yet more interesting bits and pieces to chat about, including another car, of course! "A friend of mine sent me a photo of an old Ferrari-styled

Fiat 500 and I was like yeah, I want one of them! So, I went out, bought a white Fiat 500 and we rebuilt it into that. If I lived in London, I wouldn't drive a Bugatti or anything, I'd drive that around!

"The artwork in here is all original 1960s sports car memorabilia which I think looks super. In one of the display cabinets are the Franklin scale models aeroplanes, and in the other is a piece of a Focke-Wulf World War II plane that was shot down. It wasn't in at the time of the photos but there's a replica of the Le Mans start/finish line clock in there now too".

Jamie even has a racing mural like those in the dining room in his bedroom, but we'll allow the man some privacy, call the tour there and chat more about what must have been quite the project. With that in mind, what were the biggest challenges of the build? "Other than planning,

just getting everything done when you want it doing is just part of life, especially when you're dealing with tradesmen, it just gets worse. The weather didn't help either. If you want views, you have to accept you're going to get bad weather and wind sometimes, so that became a pain, and then Covid as well when the whole world shut down!". From an outsider's point of view, the whole thing is pretty mind-blowing to me, but having lived in the space for a while, is there anything Jamie would change? "A few bits and bats but nothing major, just a few plug sockets and things like that. We tried to put as many in as possible, but it doesn't matter how much planning you put into a project, you always overlook something and think why didn't I do that in hindsight, but nothing major".

This must be a dream place to have guests over, so we ask how they tend to react to such a unique place. "We've had a few people over including a couple of architects, bespoke kitchen people, the guy who owns the decorating company, even Riad when he came to the photos, and they all said they had been in some amazing houses, but this was their favourite, and that's just mega for me", Jamie smiles, "To have an idea is one thing, but to actually do it and for people to say we've got it right is just great. Lots of people say it's like a museum in here and that's what I want".

There's so much to see, so many features, so much attention to detail, but what is Jamie's favourite thing about the build? "I like the duality between the fairly plain facade at the front followed by the wow factor when you walk inside with the views and everything to look at. My whole idea was that I wanted the front to look smart but nothing over the top. It needed to be different. It doesn't matter how much money you've got, it's easy to be vulgar, but it's a lot harder to be classy. A lot of houses try to dazzle from the outside, but I wanted it to be something you walk up to and say, 'Yeah, that's alright', then walk inside and go, 'F***ing hell!'". And what about the memorabilia inside? Personally, I love the model cars, the bits made from car parts and the vintage sports car wall art, but what about Jamie? "To me, what I've got

in there is all art. Sure, I could fill it with proper artwork and everybody would think it was beautiful, but to me, that's my kind of art, just a different kind. My favourite piece by a long way is the Boeing 737 engine cowling that was made into a mirror in the entrance hall. That was actually made by a friend of mine who sadly died two years ago. Other than that, the 599 engine table we spoke about earlier is fantastic!".

To round things up, let's get back to cars. Jamie mentioned he likes rotating the cars on display frequently, so is anything new going to be coming any time soon? "Last week we bought an Austin Seven Ulster Special which will look good in the atrium area, although it's that small you could put it anywhere! There's a 1989 Leyton House Formula 1 car which should be coming on Monday, I've got an Alfa Romeo Giulia GTAm coming in July, I think the first Ferrari SF90 Spider in the country later in the year and then the only other thing is the 812 Competizione, but I think that will be the end of 2022". I think you'll all agree that was a special one. There are some beautiful garages out there but this is something so unique. It's something you might not expect to work, but it doesn't feel like a man cave with random automotive bits and bobs thrown about, it feels like a beautiful living space thoughtfully blended with a high-end museum, and we'd like to give a massive thanks to Jamie for showing us around.

Quality, reborn. Porsche Approved Pre-Owned Cars.

911 GT3 RS

Taycan Turbo

Carrara White, Black leatherette interior - Clubsport, 5,230 miles. £189,890

Dolomite Silver Metallic, Black/Chalk Beige two-tone leather interior, 6,840 miles. £126,490

911 Targa 4S Guards Red, Black / Bordeaux Red two-tone leather interior, 6,848 miles. £99,890

Porsche Centre Sheffield 911 Carrera Agate Grey Metallic, Bordeaux Red leather interior, 16,003 miles. £73,990

Porsche Approved Pre-Owned

Sheffield Road, Meadowhill Sheffield, S9 2FZ 0114 256 4455 info@porschesheffield.co.uk www.porschesheffield.co.uk

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 488 Challenge Year: 2019: Miles: 180 External colour: Rosso Corsa Internal colour: Nero £269,000

Ferrari Portofino Year: 2019: Miles: 5,353 External colour: Nero Daytona Internal colour: Cuoio £169,000

Ferrari 488 GTB Year: 2017: Miles: 8,337 External colour: Bianco Avus Internal colour: Nero £175,000

Ferrari California T Year: 2016: Miles: 13,517 External colour: Rosso Corsa Internal colour: Crema £115,000

Ferrari Portofino Year: 2019: Miles: 1,404 External colour: Blu Tour De France Internal colour: Tortora £179,000

Ferrari GTC4Lusso T Year: 2018: Miles: 11,100 External colour: Grigio Silverstone Internal colour: Nero £162,000

Ferrari 488 GTB Year: 2016: Miles: 16,795 External colour: Rosso Corsa Internal colour: Crema £164,000

Ferrari 458 Italia Year: 2013: Miles: 19,618 External colour: Grigio Titanio Internal colour: Nero £139,000

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

+44 1580 714597

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Verralls Garage, Cranbrook Common, TN17 2AF

LAMBORGHINI MURCIELAGO LP670-4 SV 2009 - 5,000 miles

AVENTADOR LP700-4 2013 - 15,000 miles

£184,990

GALLARDO SPYDER 2007 - 16,000 miles

£85,990

£399,990

All viewings by appointment only

AVENTADOR LP740-4 S ROADSTER 2018 - 3,500 miles

MURCIELAGO LP640 2008 - 14,000 miles

£169,990

PORSCHE 911 T 991 CARRERA GTS 2017 - 12,000 miles

£85,990

£247,990

FERRARI F355 SPIDER 1999 - 33,000 miles

£94,990

ARIEL ATOM 3 SUPERCHARGED 2010 - 4,000 miles

£37,990

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

Porsche 911 GT3 RS PDK

Aston Martin Vanquish Volante

Aston martin DB9 Volante

2015 | 7,000 miles | £149,850

2015 | 14,400 miles | £114,850

2015 | 25,000 miles | £79,850

Ferrari 348 Spider

Aston Martin 4.7 Vantage

Aston martin 4.3 V8

1994 | 28,559 miles | £64,850

2010 | 8,700 miles | £54,850

2006 | 32,700 miles | £39,850

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

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

TVR T440R (1 of 1 Worldwide) £204,990

25,200

2003 (53)

Aston Martin Vanquish S £147,990

6,700

2017 (17)

Corniche Drophead Coupe £62,990

75,500

1973

Noble M12 GTO £41,990

35,400

2002 (02)

01224 905 111

Ferrari 430 Scuderia £169,990

14,832

2008 (08)

Nissan GT-R Nismo £124,990

24,250

2019 (19)

Ferrari 360 Modena F1 £52,990

32,600

2000 (W)

’65 Ford Mustang 289 Coupe £39,990

80,000

1965

Aston Martin Vantage GT8 £154,990

12,500

2016 (66)

Porsche 991.2 Carrera GTS £102,990

10,400

2018 (67)

BMW 1M Coupé £51,990

36,500

2011 (11)

AC Gardner Douglas Cobra £35,990

13,100

info@theautolounge.co.uk

PORSCHE 964 3.3 TURBO

1991, 4 Owners, Rubystone Red, non-sunroof, grey leather, amazing service history, 4 owners. Just undergone a full concourse program with new suspension, brake discs & pads, tyres, heat exchangers etc. Stunning example. 12,300 miles.

£184,995

Ferrari F430 Spider F1 – 2006, 2 owners, FFSH, Rosso Scuderia, Crema leather with red piping, carbon ceramic brakes, 4,125 miles £124,995

Range Rover Sufﬁx D V8 - 1975, 1 owner from new, matching numbers, unrestored interior, dealer ﬁtted wing mirrors and tow bar, 56,000 genuine miles £149,995

Jaguar XK120; 1949, Classic lightweight aluminium bodied example, 3.4ltr straight six engine, disc brakes all round, metallic silver with grey leather, £174,995

Ducati 998s Final Edition; 2004, 1 Owner, one of only 57 ofﬁcial UK bikes, special order only, totally original and timewarp throughout, 2 miles. £27,950

Porsche 993 Turbo Factory X50 – 1997, 3.6l Turbo, Full ‘Turbo S’ options, carbon interior, 32 main dealer stamps + recent £7k turbo refresh, 28,500 miles £179,995

Jaguar E-type Series 1 – 1962, 3.8l engine, matching numbers, Opalescent Dark Blue, grey leather, 82,000 genuine miles, original UK RHD car £189,995

FOR MORE ABOUT THESE ICONIC CARS CONTACT DANIEL: +44 (0)7891 010719 STEPHEN: +44(0)7834 620589

WWW.CARICONICS.COM ENQUIRIES@CARICONICS.COM

Lamborghini

£179,900

Porsche

£124,980

Murcielago 6.5 LP640 Roadster Mileage: 15,842 mi Year: 2007 (07)

Taycan Turbo Saloon Mileage: 6,786 mi

Nissan

GTR 3.8 V6 Recaro Coupe Mileage: 2,370 mi

Jaguar

F-Type 5.0 V8 SVR Coupe Mileage: 12,150 mi

Year: 2020 (70)

£84,900 Year: 2021 (21)

£69,900 Year: 2017 (17)

Tel: 01332 345987 /BaytreePerformance

@baytreecars

Bentley

£159,900

Continental 6.0 W12 GT Coupe Mileage: 8,468 mi Year: 2019 (19)

Audi

£96,900

RS6 4.0 TFSI V8 ‘Carbon Black’ Avant Mileage: 5,740 mi Year: 2020 (70)

Porsche

Boxster 3.8 981 Spyder Mileage: 15,500 mi

Ford

£81,900 Year: 2016 (16)

Mustang 5.0 V8 Bullitt Fastback Mileage: 00 mi

£54,960 Year: 20

Email: info@baytreecars.com @BaytreeCarsLtd

Lamborghini

£149,890

Aventador 6.5 LP 700-4 V12 Coupe Mileage: 26,500 mi Year: 2011 (61)

McLaren

570GT V8 Coupe SSG Mileage: 16,500 mi

£94,900 Year: 2017 (17)

Lamborghini

£79,900

Toyota

£39,900

Gallardo 5.0 V10 Coupe E-Gear Mileage: 10,770 mi Year: 2005 (05)

Yaris 1.6T GR Circuit Hatchback Mileage: 37 mi Year: 2021 (21)

www.baytreecars.com

Baytree Cars Ltd, 31 Chequers Lane, Derby, DE21 6AW

G O L F & S PA R E S O R T

Where 20 mins from Glasgow feels a million miles away Whether it’s a spa break, golfing holiday or just a much needed escape, set yourself free from the humdrum. It’s easy when we’re only 20 mins from the centre of Glasgow.

Escape to Gleddoch G LEDD O CH .COM 0147 5 5 40 7 11

SCD members return to the historic Shelsley Walsh for a day of slippery hillclimb action. Written by: Angus Frazer for JBR Capital Photographs by: Will Aron

No one wants to step up and take the opening penalty when it's three-all against Germany after extra time. No one wants to lift the karaoke microphone to get the night going when everyone in the pub is still stone-cold sober, and this morning, no one wants to be the first up the greasy, glistening hill at Shelsley Walsh in the rain.

There’s plenty of aggressive engine revving going on as the supercar pack shuffles around, a bit like penguins trying to push each other off an iceberg in case a leopard seal is lurking beneath the waves. And then one breaks away; a blue Porsche 911 GT3 RS, complete with carbon bonnet, carbon roof and Weissach Pack, pulls up to the marshal by the starting lights. Despite the lack of grip on the surface, the Porsche powers off the line and attacks the 1,000-yard hill, which has a 1:7 rise at its steepest part, with gusto and confidence. “I guess that was a bit like being first on the dancefloor, but someone had to do it”, laughs Molly Taylor as she climbs out of the GT3 RS she shares with her husband, Robert, after her run. "We do have the advantage of being members here at Shelsley, so we know our way around, but we are a bit envious this morning of those whose cars have got four-wheel drive!”.

Cathal Loughnane is another Supercar Driver member relishing the slippery conditions despite the lack of four-wheel drive. Splattered with mud, his Mercedes-AMG GTR looks like it might have been opposite-locked through a rally stage. "This car doesn't really like the rain. With all the power to the rear wheels, it's a bit snaky. Fun though!”, explains Cathal, “When you stick it in Comfort mode, it's a proper GT car that can soak up London to Paris very easily. But then you put it in Race mode, and it's a completely different machine — a proper weapon”.

There are all sorts of weapons on display today. The latest version of Ford's GT sits parked beside an even rarer Mosler MT 900S, while a Ferrari GTC4 Lusso queues for the start line behind an Ariel Nomad R, further emphasising the extreme diversity of cars present. All morning, the pace gets hotter as the finest machines to come out of venues such as Modena, Sant'Agata Bolognese, Woking, Zuffenhausen, Gaydon, Hethel, Affalterbachh and Ingolstadt in recent years power up Shelsley Walsh.

But it's not just seeing the supercars in action that makes the day so unique, it's the venue too. Nestled in the majestic Worcestershire countryside, Shelsley Walsh is the oldest motorsport venue in the world still to run proper competition events on its original course. Having held its first event in 1905, it predates venues like Indianapolis, Le Mans and Monza. The place is steeped in a rich history that you can see, hear and feel, especially when you bump your head against one of the beams of the car shelters that were built at a time when people weren't so tall, or sit on the simple wooden spectator benches that line the right-hand-side of the course. Yet Shelsley Walsh’s history is a living one, always progressing, constantly evolving, and today, another chapter is being written, as beautifully illustrated by a blood-red Lamborghini Huracán Performante perfectly clipping the red and white kerbing set against a backdrop of vivid greenery.

But now, time appears to be reeling backwards a couple of decades. Is that the opening synthesiser beat from Jan Hammer’s Miami Vice theme tune? Maybe not, but you can definitely hear the howl of a blood-curdling Ferrari flat-12 engine in the wind. The old-school SCD crew has rocked up in one of the wildest convoys to ride out in many a long day.

That wailing flat-12 engine note comes courtesy of not one but two Ferrari Testarossas — a yellow first-generation model and a later red 512 TR. With their pop-up headlights, long flanks slashed by side strakes and wide hips, they are the very essence of a 1980s supercar dream. Other weapons of decades gone by warming up for an assault on the hill include a Lotus Carton, Porsche 993 and 964 RS and an Alfa Romeo 2000 GTA. SCD’s Creative Manager, Luke Earnshaw, explains the rationale behind this ensemble extraordinaire. “A lot of our members have older cars they sometimes like to bring out instead of the more modern machinery, so we created a separate group for them called Pre-95 as a great way for them to get together with cars from an earlier era”.

James Beaumont grins when the talk turns to the outraged tabloid headlines that greeted the 177mph Lotus Carlton's launch in 1990. “I call mine The Deathship because every time I take it out, it tries to kill me. It has no driver aids, it’s absolutely lethal, but it’s such good fun”. Happily, James and the magic Carlton make it up the hill and back down again in one piece, and all too soon, another epic SCD day is over, and it is time to head for home.

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Oldest New Kid in Town During this year’s Tartan Florio tour, we stopped off at The Glenturret, Scotland’s Oldest Working Distillery, to find out what makes their whisky special. What is The Glenturret?

The Glenturret is a hidden gem of the Single malt world, being Scotland’s oldest working distillery since 1763. Our ambition is to tell the world about the amazing history of this iconic beautiful distillery, and build awareness of The Glenturret as a crafted, elegant, and luxurious single malt respected for its exceptional quality and immersive experience.

The Glenturret is for those who seek out and enjoy single malts of the highest quality. They will most likely lead busy, demanding lives so moments of enjoyment are well-earned and cherished. The single malt will be carefully selected, so it must not only deliver in taste and experience, but it must intrigue and reward.

What does the crest on the label mean?

The Glenturret crest, a unique icon that features on the packaging, is inspired by the original Murray family coat of arms. The Murray family were the founders of The Glenturret distillery, the first record of which can be found in a rental document dating back to 1763, and the family have played a key role in the journey of The Glenturret over the past 250 years.

What makes The Glenturret special?

This is what we refer to as The Trinity — the three touchstones which combine the distillery’s extraordinary Provenance with our traditional Prowess in handcrafted whisky distilling and an enduring Passion to enrich the world of whisky making.

Our extraordinary Provenance is the long history of the place and the distillery — Scotland’s oldest working distillery since 1763. The endeavours of past generations, and the unique character of the new provide a spirit that still defines The Glenturret today. Our traditional Prowess is built upon the skills and expertise of handcrafted distilling, an unusually slow distillation and a resolute commitment to maintaining the small batch production of our spirit.

Our enduring Passion reflects a continuing fascination with the traditions of distilling, an unwavering delight in every step of the whisky making journey, and our desire to bring whisky lovers moments to treasure.

The Glenturret’s immense experience in whisky making and our spirit, crafted entirely by hand, is distilled in distinctly small batches. Unlike many other single malts, computers are not used in the production process, it is all done simply by hand and heart with a very limited stock and distillery production. The range has been crafted by Bob Dalgarno, who previously spent 30 years at Macallan. Bob is respected throughout the industry and regarded by whisky lovers as one of the finest whisky makers. He was recently awarded the prestigious award Icons of Whisky, Global Master Distiller 2021 by Whisky Magazine which is highly coveted in the world of whisky. The distillery was also recently acquired by Lalique Group, the luxury French crystal maker. Special releases and limited-edition Glenturret single malts housed in Lalique crystal decanters make it one to watch for enthusiasts and collectors.

How many casks do you hold in the warehouse at The Glenturret?

We have around 5,500 casks. In the Scotch whisky world, that is incredibly small and speaks to the rarity of our product.

Where does the wood come from?

We acquire the best casks from Europe and America using a few different suppliers to ensure we have a good stock.

What about the water?

The water used is sourced from Loch Turret which sits only three and a half miles from the distillery. It is very soft which means it’s very kind on the distillery equipment. It is also very consistent, which is great for processing.

And the barley?

All the barley is Scottish. We have sourced barley and malt from all over Scotland, including barley grown on our own doorstep. It’s risky to source all your barley from one area as it’s a seasonal crop and not all areas will have the same quality results, due mainly to different weather conditions.

Tell us about the range.

The entry point is Triple Wood. As the name suggests, Triple Wood is matured in three cask types — Bourbon, American and European sherry casks. It has a wonderful combination of aromas and flavours — sweet fruits, ginger cake and soft vanilla. Next is Peat Smoked, a 10 Years Old single malt perfect for those who enjoy a more approachable peat profile. The flavours and aromas are softly touched by smoke from the peat fire, while fresh citrus fruits and vanilla emerge with light spice, hints of sea salt and smouldering heather.

The 12 Years Old is next. Matured in sherry oak casks, the aromas and flavours are of a classic sherry-cask-matured Glenturret. Fruit cake, citrus fruits and ginger are all beautifully balanced. The 15 Years Old is the next age. With only 3,000 bottles filled, this is a truly scarce release. It carries hints of lemon zest at first tasting, followed by sweet flavours of toffee and a touch of spice.

The range takes a sharp rise in age with the final two expressions. Firstly, 25 Years Old is a very precious expression with just 204 bottles filled, with flavours of fruit sponge, lemon and caramelised apple with syrup, apple and hints of vanilla, soft oak and ginger. The 30 Years Old is next with 750 bottles. It has flavours of tropical fruit and vanilla with hints of green apple, pear and oak.

We have also launched The Glenturret Trinity Decanter Series, a limited-edition whisky collection in collaboration with Lalique, the crown jewel of the French crystal industry. The first in the series is Provenance, a limited release of 320 decanters, each presented in the finest French crystal designed by Marc Larminaux, Head of Creative at Lalique. (Pictured above). Fully crafted by hand and heart, this exclusive series celebrates The Glenturret Trinity.

The three touchstones of Provenance, Prowess and Passion that underpin the distillery’s philosophy to preserve and enrich the world of whisky making for future generations.

Where can I find The Glenturret in the UK?

In the finest whisky retailers, bars, hotels and restaurants.

Bottles are available to purchase online at cocktail-connoisseurs.com and exclusively for SCD Members you’ll receive a special gift with purchases using password code: SCDMEM. For cask sales, contact: ian@axiom-brands.com | 02037746845 @theglenturretwhisky

The Merr y Month of May

With performance car sales on the up, Darren Selig, Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of JBR Capital, gives us the rundown of the top ten cars financed by JBR in May. Written by: Darren Selig

“You’re here for a good time, not a long time”, Colin McRae famously said. We all know that during 2020 and the early part of 2021, there wasn't a great deal to celebrate. Happily, now that things at long last seem to be heading back to normal, people are seizing life by the horns, going out there and buying that supercar, sports car, elite SUV or luxury vehicle they have always promised themselves.

Over the last year, UK households have accumulated a total of £200 billion, with savings coming from reduced commuting costs and restrictions on leisure activities. For automotive enthusiasts, now is the time to access some of that capital and invest in their dream car ready for the summer months. The rollercoaster rush to acquire some premium metal gains momentum with every passing month. Here at JBR Capital, we’ve been busy

helping customers get behind the wheel of the car they have always wanted, experiencing alltime company records in March and April for the number of vehicles we arranged finance for, then May came along and eclipsed those months. Looking further ahead to the height of summer, we are confident that this trend will accelerate even faster.

It’s always fascinating to look at what people are buying and see how the models change from month to month. Here, we celebrate the top ten most in-demand cars we have helped finance in May. If you are still trying to decide what you would like to drive this summer, perhaps you will find something here to inspire you, and if you are still prevaricating about making your move, remember Colin's McRae's other mantra, the one that made him the champion of the world — ”If in doubt, flat-out”.

MCL AREN 570S

Woking's 'entry-level' supercar has all the right ingredients for our customers with its organic flowing lines, carbon fibre construction and potent twin-turbo V8 engine that sings superbly all the way to 8,500rpm. It accounted for more than 80 per cent of the McLaren models we financed in May, followed by the 720S and 650S. We were also very excited to finance the purchase of a Senna — even in this business, that doesn't happen every day! MERCEDES-AMG GT

Our clients love AMG’s models, from the urbane C-Class Saloon and Estate to the rugged G-Class SUV, but in May, it was the two-seater Porsche 911-rivalling GT supercar that was making all the play. With its achingly beautiful looks, ability to cross continents with consummate ease and potential to entertain on any tracks you stop at on your grand tour, an AMG GT enhances any collection. A S T O N M A R T I N VA N TA G E

Stealing the lead over the V12-powered Vanquish, which has been our clients’ most popular Aston Martin up until now, the V8 Vantage has been a huge hit. With its predatorlike styling, exceptionally agile, responsive and engaging handling, plus its explosive 503bhp 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine capable of catapulting the car to 62mph in 3.6 seconds, it certainly isn’t difficult to see the Vantage’s appeal.

F E R R A R I 4 5 8 I TA L I A

PORSCHE 911 (991)

L AMBORGHINI HUR ACÁN

R ANGE ROVER SPORT

Taking over the top spot from the Aventador, the Huracán comprised more than 50 per cent of all Lamborghinis financed. With its ferocioussounding V10 engine, the Huracán remains gloriously and defiantly old-school in a world of electric and hybrid supercars. Mind you, the vehicle that accounted for a third of Lamborghini proposals, the Urus luxury SUV, shows how even the raging bull is changing with the times.

Like the Porsche 911, the award-winning, allaluminium Range Rover Sport is another model that continually hits the sweet spot with our customers. Buyers clearly appreciate the SUV’s combination of sleek styling, family-friendly cabin-space, luxury features and all-round, allseason, all-terrain ability. We have seen demand split evenly across all models, from the V6 diesel to the potent, supercharged V8 SVR.

L AND ROVER DEFENDER

RO LL S - ROYC E CU LLI N A N

Last month it was the 488 GTB, but now the hottest Ferrari on the market is that car’s predecessor, the jaw-droppingly handsome 458 Italia. With its classic mid-engined V8 Berlinetta layout, the lineage of the 458 Italia can be traced back to the 1973 Dino 308 GT4. It made up half of all the Maranello models we financed in May, including the legendary Testarossa and 250 SWB models.

Our customers absolutely adore the Porsche 911, and in May, it was the 991 generation that flew out of dealerships. The sixth generation of Porsche’s core model was designed by Michael Mauer and rolled out of Stuttgart from 2011 to 2019, with a mid-term facelift in 2016. Last month at JBR Capital, we arranged proposals on everything from Carrera 2s and 4s to Turbos and GT3s.

B E N T L E Y C O N T I N E N TA L G T

Fast, luxurious and relaxing, the Continental continues to be our clients’ top Bentley, but whereas the 4.0-litre V8 was the first choice a few months ago, the W12 is now proving equally popular. Built in Crewe with a combination of the very latest robotic technologies and elite handcrafting skills handed down from generation to generation, the Continental range represents a high watermark of modern luxury performance.

Many people thought Land Rover simply couldn't replace a model as iconic as the Defender, but judging by the immense popularity of the new Defender, the changing of the guard has proved highly successful. Drivers love the newcomer’s combination of contemporary yet rugged styling, advanced technology and unmatched off-road capability, and while it’s the P300 that’s proving most popular, the Overfinch version isn’t far behind.

The Cullinan might be one of the most controversial models ever made by the Goodwood-based luxury brand, however, like the Lamborghini Urus, high-performance luxury SUVs are proving an extremely hot ticket right now. While purists might pale at the very thought of a mud-splattered Rolls Royce, there are plenty of people who love the Spirit of Ecstasy’s new elevated perch on the bonnet of the peerless Cullinan. @jbrcapital

SCAN TO SHOP

L U X U RY C A R C A R E 90

www.topazdetailing.com

Ta r ta n F l orio 2021 After a year off, the Tartan Florio is back with a bang. SCD member Dean relives his week of Scotland’s finest driving. Written by: Dean M

A quick glance through most social diaries of 2020 will, for obvious reasons, reveal little more than an awful lot of blank pages. Therefore, as we finally begin to get back to some semblance of normal life, this first tour of 2021 was keenly anticipated by every one of the SCD members present. The Sunday evening was spent at The Gleddoch where we all met up with our travelling companions for the following week, making new acquaintances and renewing those with whom we had met before at previous events.

M O N D AY

On the Monday morning, Jonty’s opening driver briefing ended with a solemn request for everyone to drive calmly and sensibly in the rain as we headed further north to clear the busier roads. Everyone present nodded whilst murmuring their agreement, and such responsible calmness prevailed for at least a quarter of a mile until the cars reached the first dual carriageway, after which about four million quid’s worth of supercars began to inexorably stretch their legs whenever the opportunity allowed, as our weeklong adventure began.

The first day was spent progressing further northwards towards Inverness, dodging in and out of Scottish rain showers, but the more miles we covered, as promised, the clearer the roads became. At the end of a full day spent driving, we were all happy to discover that our base for the next three nights is as beautiful and charming as anyone could have hoped for. We had exclusive access to The Achnagairn Estate, and it really does offer everything we could have wanted for over the following three nights, particularly so for the whisky lovers in the group who were treated to a tasting session courtesy of tour sponsors, The Glenturret.

T U E S D AY

After a good night’s sleep and a hearty breakfast, we were all eager to get back behind the wheel, and what a varied selection of unique roads lay in store for us. Some classic A and B roads, some fast sweeping sections but also a lot of single-track roads.

The scenery never failed to inspire as it changed from classic Scottish lochs to moorlands to the glens. So inspirational in fact, that whilst at the lunch stop at Sango Sands Oasis, the SCD boys curiously decided that the overcast and windy 12-degree weather was actually the perfect backdrop with which to recreate the beach section of the opening title sequence to The Monkees! Also, I think my ego has just about recovered after the rollercoaster ride back from the Sango Sands Oasis. After getting camper-van’d away from Jonty’s group, Dominic (675LT) and I proceeded to recover the lost ground with such aplomb that I remember thinking that only Sebastien Loeb would have the skill and speed required to catch us. That is, until I looked in my rear view mirror and realised that only Sebastien Loeb and, of course, Riad and Jake casually driving a yellow hatchback would have the skill and speed necessary to catch us!

The return drive to Achnagairn was across similar roads to those driven that morning, albeit there appeared to be even more camper vans who obstinately refused to pull to one side and allow the growing traffic jam behind them to move on, however, any stress built up from these mobile chicanes was alleviated by a whisky masterclass curated once again by The Glenturret. Tuesday evening was a particularly special one as we were treated to a gala dinner (accompanied with yet more whisky pairings) in the impressive ballroom, but any thoughts of well-meaning abstinence were soon put to one side shortly after the traditional Celtic folk music trio began to play.

W E D N E S D AY

A later start to the day and we headed off to Dunrobin Castle, driving in some glorious sunshine. After a coffee break at the castle, we headed onwards on the wide, sweeping roads to Kylesku and everyone enjoyed what must be some of the most wonderful driving roads in the British Isles. With little traffic, good visibility and fantastic scenery, these roads in the Highlands are perfect to really experience the true thrill of driving, and for many of us, this was the absolute driving highlight of the week. We could have driven these very same roads all day, every day and I seriously doubt whether anyone amongst us would have complained.

When we were all together at the destination, it was soon time for Riad to choreograph the signature photo with all the cars lined up on the Kylesku Bridge. This didn’t take too long, and we were all eager to get back on the road once again and drive yet more similarly wonderful roads back to Achnagairn. The longer evening light allowed us to enjoy a cosy and relaxed barbecue in the picturesque grounds with a drink or two whilst sharing a hearty serving of comfort food amongst friends.

T H U R S D AY

After three wonderful evenings, it was sadly time for us to leave Achnagairn and continue to our final overnight stop at Pitlochry. Jonty once more led us onto another selection of wonderful open mountain roads, high up in the Cairngorms. These roads were again relatively clear and flowed wonderfully through the mountains, allowing us to safely enjoy the performance and sound of the supercars.

The lunch stop today was somewhere altogether more regal than previous venues. Driving through the pine forests of Balmoral, our destination was none other than the Queen’s favourite summer holiday retreat. The SCD guys marshalled us for another photo opportunity outside the castle, and the fleet of cars looked simply fantastic in the sunshine. After lunch, we finally got to drive another much-anticipated stretch of tarmac — the Old Military Road from Balmoral Castle to Pitlochry. Once more, the roads lived up to our expectations and we streamed down the mountainside with the engines making as much glorious noise as possible on our way to the magnificent Fonab Castle Hotel at Pitlochry. Here we enjoyed a final night together and took the opportunity to tell each other stories from the tour.

F R I D AY

The two groups of supercars left for one last time and drove through the countryside and villages to the north of Perth in more glorious morning sunshine. A little detour certainly didn’t detract from the pleasure as we made the most of this last driving opportunity together to our final destination at The Glenturret distillery, tucked away in a picturesque valley which the Barvick Burn runs through. Whilst there, many took advantage of the distillery guided tour whilst some said their goodbyes and instead began the journey back to normality and home. If anything, my love for the Aston has only grown after listening to the chorus of McLaren and Lambo owners complaining of bottoming out and catching their splitters, whilst the Vantage was seemingly designed to properly exploit and entertain on those roads.

My first Tartan Florio tour was an unforgettable week of driving the most amazing roads whilst also meeting some great new friends. Combining both of these two elements together is what made the shared journey so special, and no one knows better than the SCD team how to create the perfect week.

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LAMBORGHINI LEICESTER Authorised Dealer

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

IS MY LEGACY PROTECTED? Accessible professional financial advice enables families, business owners, trusts and charities to reach their goals and aspirations whilst being in a trusted safe pair of hands.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OUR SERVICES, PLEASE CONTACT JANINE EDWARDS ON:

01676 530606 07785 295341 janine.edwards@sjpp.co.uk www.janineedwards.co.uk

Janine Edwards Wealth Management Ltd is an Appointed Representative of and represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/products. The ‘St. James’s Place Partnership’ and the titles ‘Partner’ and ‘Partner Practice’ are marketing terms used to describe St. James’s Place representatives.

O M T I S S U YOUR

If you’re going racing, you need a helmet, and Miles Lacey wanted to do it properly, with his very own designed from the ground up by the painting virtuosos at Image Design Custom. Written by: Miles Lacey

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There comes a time in your life when you’ve witnessed a million and one different trends, fads and phases, some you might have even partaken in yourself. Be honest, we’ve all had a haircut we’re not proud of at some stage, but by now you’ve likely got a pretty good idea of what floats your boat.

As you’ll most likely know, we’re competing in the Britcar Championship this year with James Walker and I piloting the new Praga R1 to what we hope to be moderate success. The striking livery on our car was designed by the one and only Frank Stephenson which meant only one thing, we were going to need some equally striking safety equipment, and so the crew at Image Design Custom stepped in to help us out. So who is this band of talented virtuosos? Having worked together at Altamura Concepts to great success, Thomas Fuller and Stephen Roke joined forces in 2007 to form IDC, and chances are you’ve seen their work in more places than one. Whether you’re a Moto GP rider, Red Bull athlete, Monster Energy addict or world-class cyclist, IDC have had a hand in the artwork they so proudly wear. It seemed appropriate we experience the IDC powerhouse for ourselves, so after a brief call,

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they were more than happy to come on board and join us on our racing journey this year. I’ve worn helmets for years (call it an occupational hazard), some better than others, but never have I been in the fortunate position to have a completely bespoke design on a brand new skid lid. To have their expertise on this project from the very start was a journey I could never have expected.

From the very first conversation with Elliot whom actually penned the distinctive design you see in the images, it was abundantly clear how passionate the team are about their art and creation process. I had a few ideas I wanted to implement in this helmet which were largely born out of my obsession with the BMW art cars from the mid-‘70s. Before now, I’d managed vague attempts at creating a homage to the spectacular work by Alexander Calder from nearly 50 years ago, but sadly, with the best will in the world, it was a fairly uninspiring end result! We bounced ideas off one another and before I knew it, Elliot confidently told me he had some ideas and went away to put pen to paper, figuratively speaking, of course — their design process is a tad more 21st century than a Bic on a Benson & Hedges packet.

A couple of days went by and I laid in waiting, doing my absolute best not to message Elliot first, sort of like trying to play it cool with a girl you’ve been waiting to hear from after you met on a night out. Remember those? Not girls, nights out, this thing we used to do back in the day before Zoom quizzes were all the rage, but I digress! Then, it comes, as promised, a message from IDC with the simple subject line ‘Miles Mock Up’. My heartbeat raised, dare I open the attachment? Too late, my eyeballs were graced with everything we imagined and more. It’s a peculiar feeling seeing something you’ve pictured in your mind’s eye for years yet you’re never quite ready to see it fully manifested by someone who has not only interpreted your ideas but created something so resplendent in the process.

Needless to say, we were blown away by it, and this was just the drawing! We then went through one or two revisions which resulted in what you see now. Fellow SCD member and IDC director Iain Campbell hand-delivered the finished article to us at Snetterton ahead of our first race in the Praga. Christmas had well and truly come early, nothing could have prepared us for how remarkable it looked in real life. It was everything we envisioned, and some!

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As the helmet is the latest and greatest in FIA standards, the shell is carbon fibre which is now the minimum requirement for the likes of F1, Prototypes and GT racing around the world, so why hide it? Every element in black from the design was changed to expose the carbon weave underneath, an inspired idea their design team championed that seriously separates this from the rest. They also implemented a similar feature on James’ helmet.

We were both very clear on what we wanted to achieve with our helmets. We wanted something that was instantly recognisable with a stamp of individuality. Too often you see designs that are so intricate and ornate that are of course impressive works of art, but no one sees it when you’re flying past at 150mph!

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The guys and girls at IDC are the first to say they operate in a sector that is full of passionate people. Whether it be motorsport, extreme sports or something they have an emotional attachment to, there’s an ingrained sense of passion that is shared and reciprocated by IDC and its customers. I spoke with a selection of the in-house designers and painters, and one thing was clear, they are extraordinarily dedicated and impassioned about their art and creation process.

Their expertise isn’t limited to helmets either. More often than not, they told me, people entrust them with their pride and joy such as a motorcycle that’s been in the family for decades. Their résumé includes some frankly breathtaking custom Harley Davidsons which wouldn’t look

out of place in an art gallery. Go check out the ‘Flatliner’ on their website and you’ll see what I mean.

Their meticulous attention to detail and quality throughout every single step of the way is second to none as you’ll see in the imagery here. They enjoy the process as much as the end result, and we did too. Boldly stating you are ‘facilitators of lifestyles’ would be an empty mantra for anyone less than the creative crew in Camberley, yet these guys not only coined such a phrase, they deliver on it in droves. @imagedesigncustom

SPEEDMASTER SPECIALIST IN HISTORIC AUTOMOBILES Tel: +44 (0)1937 220 360 or +44 (0)7768 800 773 info@speedmastercars.com www.speedmastercars.com

JORDAN 191 - FORD HB

Michael Schumacher’s first Grand Prix car – used by Michael at Spa Francorchamps in 1991. The 191 was the first Jordan F1 car, for the team that has now become the Aston Martin F1 Team. This car was driven by Andrea de Cesaris, Michael Schumacher and Alex Zanardi, in De Cesaris’s hands it came tantalisingly close to winning a GP. A project which was indirectly funded by pop music’s biggest star setting his hair on fire, lost a driver to incarceration and gave the debut to one of F1’s all-time greats, the 191 could have its own feature film. We are pleased to offer this unique piece of F1 history for sale.

1996 WILLIAMS - RENAULT FW18-3

One of the most successful F1 cars of all time the FW18 won 12 of 16 races and the World Championship in 1996, designed by Adrian Newey the car dominated the opposition. This car was driven to 2 pole positions, 3 Race Wins and 2 Second places by Jaques Villeneuve and only decided the World Championship at the last race of the season. Offered complete in running condition and with a complete set of running equipment including pre heaters, jacks and 2 sets new wheels.This car remains eligible for the Williams Racing Heritage program and has most recently been run by Williams. A rare opportunity to acquire a multiple GP Winning car in running condition. Please call for more information.

Use QR code to download the TargetCarsApp™ and scan the Williams-Renault image for exclusive content on this car, dealership and more...

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DREAM COME T R UE MEMBER’S CAR: McLAREN MSO HS

We catch up with longtime SCD member and McLaren fanatic Ash to find out what it’s like to own and drive the rarest McLaren of the modern era.

... t he MSO HS is like an LT on steroids, and this car is fully loaded...

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What was your poster car growing up?

Lamborghini Countach.

What was your first car?

Ford Capri 1.6.

When did you join SCD?

I can’t remember exactly when I joined, but I was a very early member. One of my favourite events was at Bruntingthorpe, the very first secret meet where I took my Volcano Red McLaren 12C, my very first proper supercar. I met Adam and we discussed me becoming a member, I did, the rest is history.

Why did you get into McLaren Automotive so early with the 12C?

I have always been a fan of British engineering and always tried to buy British. I’ve had two Nobles — M12 GTO 3R and an M400 — and a Lotus Elise 135R, so when I saw that McLaren were going to start manufacturing, I thought this is it, I want a McLaren, but I remember sitting at my desk at work on the McLaren configurator and rapidly realising I couldn’t afford one!

I had read all the magazines and reviews, and it wasn’t received well by the press, but as soon as I drove it I thought to myself, “They don’t get it”. McLaren went off-piste when they designed the car with its high-tech suspension; it needed to be driven differently, it could be pushed hard, the rear brake steer in place of a limited-slip diff was outstanding.

I bought one and yes, it had its niggles, went back to McLaren quite a few times for several issues, however I put it down to a young company just starting out with their first ‘mass-produced’ supercar, designed and manufactured in Britain — I like to call it character! It certainly got attention, constantly being followed whilst being photographed and filmed.

What came next?

Ah, the one car I was desperate for, the 675LT. I had purchased the MP4-12C from Alastair Bols, and little did I know that I was his very first client! We got on so well together and later it would pay dividends. I called every dealer in the UK to get the LT, they were all sold out, not a chance I was told, but I didn’t give up.

I heard on the grapevine that one dealer was getting a cancellation, it was McLaren London. I heard this on the week of Goodwood and we had been asked by SEAT if we would drive our racing car up the hill in the shootout. I knew McLaren would be there so I took the 12C. I didn’t have an invitation but I banked that having a McLaren key would get me into hospitality, and it did. I went to the reception person on the door and explained what I wanted, an LT. She laughed and said the obvious, not a chance. I asked her if she would call me when the dealer principal for London arrived, she did whilst we were running up the hill — not good timing!

As soon as we finished, I ran to the hospitality area and found Andy. We started talking, he asked my history, I mentioned I had the 12C and all the trips I had done in her — Le Mans, European trips etc — and then asked the question, “Can I have a 675LT?”, he laughed, you know the rest, however he said he may get a cancellation — I didn’t tell him I knew that would happen. My response was that surely they had a waiting list, he said it was as long as his arm. That was it, I had failed. On Monday morning, I got an email from Andy saying he had a cancellation, would I like it? It had to be configured in a week, deposit paid, it was mine. I asked why, he said because I am passionate about the brand and he thought I would use it. I did. The first trip was a 3,000mile drive on the Mille Miglia with fellow SCD member Chris Cooper. Adam of SCD introduced us, a huge thanks to him. As a result, the Mille Miglia people changed the rules, no more McLarens were allowed on the event.

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Did the MSO HS come about any easier?

I had the 675LT and said I would never sell, however, I heard about an MSO HS for sale, copied the link and sent it to Alastair — it was the green one. I had no idea that they existed, read up on it and thought this is the ultimate LT. I asked Alastair how much he thought it would cost to respray as it wasn’t my colour. He sent a photo to me with it buried into the back of a truck, and said that’s not the one you want. We discussed the MSO HS as a whole, he gave me the full history, and I knew then that if I ever got the chance, it would be the only car I would swap the LT for, but with only 25 ever made and only seven right-hand drive, I knew I would never be in a position to get one. I was racing at Silverstone and got a WhatsApp message from Alastair Bols, I didn’t read the whole message as it was between races, I just scanned and thought it said I have a special car for you, ring me when you have time. I did not call. Monday morning came and he called me, I had no idea what it was as I had scanned rather than read the message, but it turns out he was calling with the car I never thought I’d find.

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I wasn’t looking for anything else as the 675LT was my keeper for life, what could possibly be better than that? But the MSO HS is like an LT on steroids, and this car is fully loaded, so I had to take the opportunity.

Tell us about the spec.

It’s one of only three in full visual carbon fibre, and of those, it’s the only right-hand drive in the world. The visual carbon body alone was a £143,000 option for the original owner, amongst loads of other carbon options. If it isn’t carbon fibre, it’s material that covers carbon, this includes the floor mats. The lacquer has a red tint which was £46,500 on top of the visual carbon body! The logbook says it’s black, my so-called friends say its brown, others call it Candy Apple Red and McLaren call it Red Hot on the spec sheet. The bonnet is carbon with two very thin red stripes, all edges have been finished with a red stripe, the roof is bare carbon as is the scoop. It looks fairly conservative until the sun shines on it, then you can see the vibrant red. There are slashes of black carbon all over the car, and it needs to be seen to fully appreciate the workmanship.

It has the full track pack with three cameras, one at the front, one at the rear and one on the driver. One of the best features is the 24-karat gold shielding in the engine bay like the original F1 which is very cool and another £16,000 on the original invoice. The seats are black Alcantara with red diamond stitching which I am pretty sure they only did on the MSO series. The vents are carbon, steering wheel, floor mats, everything. The switches are gloss black and there are gearchange lights on the dash which are pretty rare. They weren’t available on the early 675LTs, they became an option quite a bit later.

Each MSO HS is individual to the person who specced it. The car was built by McLaren Special Operations which meant anything was possible, and this one has everything. The spec sheet makes an interesting read with even the carbon floor mats costing in excess of £2,500. The original owner added £250,000 on options, taking the total build to within a few hundred quid of £600,000.

How is it different to the 675LT it’s based on?

The 675LT was built on the P1 production line and you can tell. Quality issues are rarely found on the 675LT production line. To drive, the 675LT is a raw beast. It rattles and shakes whilst stood at traffic lights and roundabouts, and you can feel it is built for the track. There are no airs and graces, it just wants to go.

Sport mode is where the character of the car is, between 5,000 and 6,000rpm on upshifts the gunshots are amazing, and the kick in the back makes the passenger feel like the car is an animal. In track mode, all that disappears, gear changes are completely seamless, all the gunshots are gone, it’s all about moving the car forward as fast as possible. Braking hard, the front actually goes light, you can feel the understeer as the rear wing raises as an airbrake. Overall, I thought nothing could come near it for feel, drivability and performance. The MSO HS, wow, it’s another level. The car was built by McLaren Special Operations and that shows in both build quality and performance. Starting her up, she sounds like

the 675LT, just a bit raunchier, a bit louder. Once the engine warms up to idle, you realise you have something special. The engine hunts like a race car engine with a lightened flywheel, but there are no rattles like the LT. The whole thing feels tight, composed, a coiled spring.

make. It adds so much drama, you can hear the car breathing, gulping in gallons of air. The more gas, the louder it gets.

There’s more focus on downforce, so it has a huge active rear wing which gives two advantages. One, more downforce of course, and two, I can actually see what’s behind me now whether the wing is up or down — a huge bonus. The front wings have dive planes to counterbalance the additional downforce of the rear wing. There are MSO and HS logos, the HS is on the wing endplates and the MSO on the rear.

Flick to track mode and all hell breaks loose. The LT has nothing on the MSO HS, it’s unbelievable. I could chuck the LT around, any gear, any mode, but I am still getting used to the HS! Braking hard from speed, unlike the LT, there’s no understeer, the front doesn’t go light. I suspect this is a result of the dive planes holding the front down. Grip is also on another level, I haven’t had understeer yet, and again I think as a result of the additional downforce. It corners on rails, even in the wet. The car is on Trofeo Rs, which I love, wet or dry.

It has a smidge more power at 688 PS which I think equates to 679bhp, and the 516lb ft kicks in earlier than the LT, staying all the way from 3,000 to 7,000rpm. The engine is slightly different, blueprinted and optimised with the heads hand ported and shaved by Cosworth to give higher compression.

All MSO HS have the roof scoop which was a very rare and expensive option on the 675LT. My LT didn’t have it, and wow what a difference they

Driving in normal mode is uneventful apart from the noise from the scoop gulping in air when the throttle is pressed, but really, it feels similar to the LT. In sport mode, the car’s personality completely changes. Upshift gunshot sounds now come in over 6,000rpm and acceleration feels similar to the track mode of the LT. Once full gas is applied, it pulls and pulls and pulls, never running out of power. It just doesn’t tail off, I never felt it did in the LT until I drove this!

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Does it feel overly precious given the rarity?

This is a difficult one. I am a driver and have always put miles on all my cars, however this is genuinely a one of one. I have already had three people chasing me to buy it, offering more than I paid, one of whom in particular owns many many supercars and can afford whatever he wants.

I need to be aware of how special this piece of art is and treat her appropriately. Does this mean I won’t be driving her? No. Is she a garage queen? Absolutely not. She will be driven, just not huge trips to Europe, Le Mans etc like I did in the LT. If I do, she will be trailered out and back.

When will we see it at an event?

See you at the secret meet, shhh!

I won’t be doing track days because I race, and when I get on track, no matter what car I am in, I can’t help trying to find the limit. I said ‘trying’, and that can lead to spins, gravel traps and Armco! I will be doing more driving tours but I have a Ferrari F12 for that with full IPE exhaust. I love that car with its naturally-aspirated V12 and old Formula 1 soundtrack!

Is it a keeper?

Yes, it’s my dream come true. I often open the garage just to go and have a look and I pinch myself because I can’t believe I have her. A huge thanks to Alastair Bols because he had five people on his list to call but I was number one because I was his first client and we got on so well, he remembered our conversation and knew I would want to own something so special.

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Leighton Vans 1 Dodds Close Bradmarsh Industrial Estate Rotherham S60 1BX 0114 2838484 www.leightonvans.co.uk

MEMBER’S CAR: TAILOR MADE FERRARI 488 PISTA

SCD member Amir talks us through his incredible Tailor Made Ferrari 488 Pista, from the dealership in London, speccing at the factory in Maranello and finally taking delivery two years later. Photographs by: Freddie Atkins

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Tell us about the buying process.

I did not actually specifically ask for a Tailor Made allocation at the beginning. I knew Tailor Made meant I had to wait longer for the car to arrive and I wasn’t sure if my inner child was strong enough to wait any longer as it’s even a long wait for a non-Tailor-Made car. However, when I was exploring the configurator at the dealership, we tried so many different colour combinations over a few sessions of speccing and I had so many special options and requests in my mind that we eventually decided to use the Tailor Made programme. From the point of putting down the deposit to taking delivery, it took almost two years. I also had to wait seven months for the Tailor Made appointment at the factory but it was worth the wait. When I went to Maranello’s Tailor Made suite at the factory to spec the car, I asked my mother to come and assist me as she has very good taste and she is very good with colours. After speccing the car, we had lunch with Flavio Manzoni (Ferrari’s Design Director) at Ristorante Montana which is an extremely cool place for any Ferrari fan as it is the place where all the Ferrari F1 drivers eat when they are at Maranello. It was Michael Schumacher’s favourite place!

Although it was a bit intense during the three or four hours we had to spec the car and choose all the colours and details, the whole experience was extraordinary. It was like a childhood dream come true. It was great to chat with Mr Manzoni during lunch, ask him about his opinion on the spec and if he would sign the Tailor Made dedication plate in my car which was a success. He was a very down-to-earth and friendly man and it was amazing to meet him in person. We also had a tour of the factory after lunch which was very cool to see the production line and understand how these cars are made.

What was your inspiration for the spec?

Where does your passion for cars come from?

My passion for cars started when I was a kid and my parents were fed up with me as I was always talking about cars! I remember I used to buy a weekly issue of a car magazine with a page which you could cut and use as a poster, and I used to take these posters to school and stick them to the classroom wall. I remember one of the most liked posters by my classmates was the Mercedes SLR McLaren when it came out back in 2003.

What was your first supercar?

I don’t know if this counts as a supercar, but the first sports car that I had which used to make me excited and bring a smile to my face while driving was a Maserati GranCabrio in a very unique colour combination. When I first saw that car in the showroom, I knew it was the one I wanted.

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I bought it in 2014 and I was extremely excited to be driving home with the roof off and hearing that V8 engine. I owned that car for five years and 10,000 miles, and I have loads of memories with it, from the unfortunate, having to wait on the side of the motorway at 3 am for hours waiting for a recovery truck because I had a puncture through to much better ones like seeing my sister in the car with her wedding dress on her wedding day.

Why the 488 Pista?

The first time I heard about the 488 Pista was before it was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 2018. I had a 488 GTB at the time and I heard the successor to the 458 Speciale was coming out with the name Pista, which means ‘track’ in Italian. That’s all I needed to consider buying one, however, when the car was unveiled and I saw how it looked, ‘considering’ one changed to ‘desperately wanting’ one!

Ferrari’s Tailor Made programme is divided into three different segments: Classica, Inedita and Scuderia. The ‘Scuderia’ collection is informed by Ferrari’s sporting history, offering a choice of racing-derived materials, finishes and accents. The ‘Classica’ collection, on the other hand, provides a modern twist on the styling cues and features of Maranello’s iconic GTs. ‘Inedita’ introduces innovative fabrics and experimental approaches to interior car design, while still respecting the core values of the brand.

My main inspiration was to go for a futuristic and innovative experimental design which is the ‘Inedita’ segment, with a hint of Ferrari’s sporting history which is the ‘Scuderia’ segment, as this car is supposed to be a track car so it should have a connection with Ferrari’s racing history, hence I chose the squared pattern seats with the Scuderia Ferrari shields as a homage to Ferrari’s racing history. There were so many different specs that crossed my mind during the seven months I had to wait for my Tailor Made appointment. Basically I was changing my mind every week. The initial spec of this car was supposed to be very different and much crazier than this, but I am happy it did not materialise as it would have been too much.

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Tell us about the speccing process before you went to the factory.

Before I went to the factory to spec the car, the first thing I wanted was a Ferrari with a very rich and strong blue Alcantara interior, but the problem was I didn’t know every single available colour that I could use until I went to the factory, and believe me, I was a very confused man when I was there as the only limit was my imagination! Moving on to the exterior, I always had a soft spot for Blu Elettrico so the best way to match the interior was to have a Blu Elettrico stripe on the exterior. I had to find another colour for the stripe and I thought the best way to compliment the blue is to have a yellow central stripe and yellow outlines on the outer blue stripes. My favourite colours are yellow and blue so I could have been biased. I also wanted a carbon fibre rear spoiler but my dealer enquired and it was not possible as it was exclusive to the Pista Piloti, but I was still hoping that, maybe at the factory, we could make it happen.

The last thing I chose was to have a flat grey exterior paint as I already had two popping colours on the stripe, so I had to find a neutral colour that I not only like, but that also compliments the blue and yellow. I initially knew two Ferrari flat greys which I was considering, Grigio Scuro and Grigio Medio, but I was not keen on any of them as Grigio Scuro is really dark and Medio is really bright, so I was hoping I could find what I was looking for when I was at the factory.

Tell us about finalising the spec at the factory.

When I was at the factory, I told them I wanted a flat grey colour but don’t like either Grigio Scuro or Grigio Medio for the mentioned reasons. They told me there are no other similar colours and advised me not to use the blue on either Medio or Scuro as these two colours have green pigments deep in the colour and blue would not look nice with them. Basically, I had to change my whole spec and I wasn’t happy until someone went to the back room for a couple of minutes while I was deciding what to do, and came out with a tiny colour sample called Grigio Nardo. I instantly said it was the exact colour I had always imagined the car in, and everything was sorted. I chose Blu Elettrico and Giallo Modena for the stripe which I already had in mind. I always thought Blu Elettrico would look amazing against a flat grey because of the contrast between the depth of the two colours. It is actually a custom stripe with a yellow outline on the outer blue stripe and a much thinner yellow central stripe compared to the basic stripe. The central stripe’s width was reduced to match the width of the Ferrari logo on the front so there is more continuity along the length of the car. The engine bay is full carbon fibre and the pinstripe on the engine is Giallo Modena instead of Rosso Corsa to match the whole theme of the car. I asked again for the carbon fibre rear spoiler which was still not possible, so we went for the closest colour match to carbon fibre, which is

Canna Di Fucile, for the rear spoiler and chose Canna Di Fucile Opaco for the wheels, which is the matte finish to match with the rear spoiler.

The interior is full of matte carbon fibre as I prefer it to gloss on this specific car. The interior colour is Blu Super Elettrico Alcantara with Giallo Modena leather on the edges, a great match for the stripe on the exterior. The upper dash is Charcoal Alcantara, and the back wall is also Charcoal Alcantara mixed with a special fabric called Grey Superfabric Trilobato which is also used on the floor mats and the floor area — a surprisingly pricey option. I also went for the four-point safety harness instead of the normal belts for obvious reasons, it’s a track car! Another interesting feature on the interior is the Tailor Made dedication plate signed by Flavio Manzoni.

Are you happy with the result?

I saw a photo of the car first before actually seeing it and I was a bit disappointed and stressed about how it would look in person, but when I saw it for the first time I was extremely excited and couldn’t stop looking at it.

Everyone seems to like it and the car gets a lot of attention at car shows and events and I am really glad this is the case. The only thing I might add is the front camera as I had it on my 488 GTB and it was quite useful, but it looks a bit odd from the outside.

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What is it like to drive and live with?

It is incredible to drive especially on track or on twisty country roads. It is extremely fast and you can’t really get enough until the ‘Low Fuel’ warning stops you. That said, it is amazing how comfortable these new generations of supercars are. You can drive them every day if you want to, they’re so easy to live with.

The engine power and acceleration are remarkable. I always felt the engine sound was not enough but recently after doing more miles, I feel the exhaust is opening up because it sounds much louder and is more than enough now. The gearbox is a masterpiece as it is in all modern Ferraris, it’s so instant. The handling and braking give me so much confidence in the car while driving fast. I have owned other supercars, but in terms of pure driving experience, nothing comes close for me, especially driving fast on track. Overall it just makes me feel so excited and motivated to wake up every morning so I can drive it. Unfortunately, the weather in the UK doesn’t always agree with me, but hopefully this summer will be a good one.

What have you done with the car so far?

I have done 1,000 miles so far with hopefully many more to come. I have been to a few events already including SCD’s season opener at Goodwood which was fun. I have also been to Supercar Fest where I did the runway with 21 other 488 Pistas which was a great experience.

Any plans going forward?

I’ll be going to the SCD secret meet, Grantley Hall garden party and Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court. I’ll also be doing the SCD secret meet road tour and hopefully many more if the Covid situation gets better around Europe.

Is it a keeper?

Definitely! I am considering a classic Ferrari or Alfa Romeo at the moment to add to the collection, I am very emotionally attached to this car so I don’t know if I can ever sell it.

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FERRARI SEVENOAKS

With all that’s been going on over the last year, you’d be forgiven for not knowing about our stunning new Ferrari Approved Showroom and Official Ferrari Service Centre located in Sevenoaks, Kent. It certainly wasn’t our plan to open in the midst of a global pandemic (we officially launched in June 2020), but now we’re excited to welcome Ferrari owners and enthusiasts to our cutting-edge site.

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Part of the Jardine Motors Group luxury brand portfolio, Jardine Ferrari has been operating for over 40 years and our Sevenoaks team embodies this same level of experience, expertise and passion. Ferrari Sevenoaks is the sister site to Ferrari Colchester, which is home to an award-winning sales team, and we worked closely with Ferrari to ensure the Sevenoaks site would perfectly complement the excellent offering in Colchester.

We carry the best, highest quality Ferrari Approved used car stock with each model having successfully passed a comprehensive series of inspections for ultimate peace of mind that every car meets Ferrari’s strict performance, reliability and safety standards. Our expert team also source cars should you have a particular model you’ve been hankering after, and we’re always looking to purchase Ferrari models so we offer quick, free valuations, nationwide collection using our branded transporters and same-day payment with a one-to-one, bespoke service throughout. That exceptional customer service and personalised experience for every client is something we pride ourselves on, and our motto is that anything short of perfection isn’t an option. AWA R D -W I N N I N G & PA S S I O N AT E As an Official Ferrari Service Centre, preserving excellence is our passion, and our expert team were awarded as the best Ferrari Aftersales team globally in 2019 thanks to their hard work and commitment to providing the best service. With the very latest, state-of-the-art diagnostic and repair equipment, our Ferrari-trained technicians provide each vehicle that comes into our workshop with the highest standard of care, whether it be servicing, repairs, MOTs or our comprehensive free vehicle health checks.

Our team also find great pleasure in helping make your Ferrari your own, with official accessories and equipment to personalise your car’s styling, usability and technical features to your taste. Ferrari Genuine accessories meet the highest quality standards in keeping with the spirit that has always distinguished the Prancing Horse, and our technicians are expertly trained in fitting all official parts. Our fleet of transporters are on-hand to provide collection and delivery for any servicing, MOT and repair appointments and we’re even happy to help with the moving of your car for any occasion, including track days. FERRARI GALLERIA EVENT Throughout June, we hosted our Ferrari Galleria event at the Sevenoaks site, where we showcased some of the rarest and most exclusive Ferraris ever made including the F40, F50, Enzo and Monza. Celebrating Ferrari models of past and present, the Galleria event was the perfect way to immerse yourself in the brand’s colourful heritage.

We created this experience to welcome you back to the site and get to know you better, but don’t worry if you missed it, you’re welcome any time to come and get a coffee, have a chat and take a look at the stunning line-up of Ferraris in the showroom. Whether there’s already a Ferrari in your garage, you’re considering taking the plunge or you’re simply a lover of the brand, our Ferrari Sevenoaks team would love to see you. @ferrarisevenoaks

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MEMBER’S CAR: KOENIGSEGG AGERA R

For one of the most exclusive member’s cars we’ve ever featured, we catch up with Kyri and his son Christian about what it’s like to be part of the Koenigsegg family. Written by: Christian A

I have been watching how the Koenigsegg family have evolved over the last 10 years, and year on year, the technology and engineering have improved and improved which fascinates me. If you ever meet Christian von Koenigsegg, you can feel his passion and desire for each and every car he creates and even each piece of the puzzle that makes up the beautiful beasts that

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live today. Only then you will understand the true philosophy behind the brand.

I have always wanted to own a Koenigsegg after meeting Tommy, Tarik and the team at SuperVettura. As soon as I made the call to the team, they organised a trip to the factory. The first time I met Christian, his family and his

team, I realised then I had to be a part of their fabulous and humble family.

When I was given the guided tour around the factory on how they build their cars behind the scenes, I was immediately hooked. I was then given the opportunity to drive some of their models on the road and also on their runway,

and only then did I realise how good these cars really are and acknowledge that they are a true testament to speed. I bought my car in 2015 brand new from the factory through SuperVettura based in the UK. I honestly can’t say enough about Tommy, the team and their organisation; they are always

there to help whenever I need anything, and they are the definition of an honest and trustworthy team who never let you down. The support that you are given when you own a vehicle like this is second-to-none — it’s like having a road-legal F1 support team right outside your door! In terms of the specification, I’ve had the car for

over six years now and, honestly, there is nothing I would change about the look of the car. I love the British Racing Green with the bare carbon all over the car and the painted red accents which really set the car off. In addition, my particular car has the new aerodynamic wing mirrors and carbon wheels with specific measurements painted in red on the rim.

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The Interior has contrasting red and black leather with diamond-quilted stitching which can also be seen on the removable tinted glass roof. The centre console has a one-of-one feature in that it is the only Koenigsegg to have Christian von Koenigsegg’s signature right on the top of the carbon dashboard. The Agera R also has a beautifully-designed digital dash which tells you everything you need to know about the car. The car is crazy when it comes to stats. The engine is Koenigsegg’s own 5.0-litre twin-

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turbocharged V8 with titanium connecting rods and negative crank pressure functionality. It has a carbon fibre intake manifold with optimised intake tracts, and a TIG-welded, ceramic-coated Inconel exhaust system. The engine weighs just 197kg in total, and the transmission only 81kg. It puts out 1,140bhp and over 1,000Nm torque from 2,700 to 7,300rpm. 0-100km/h takes 2.8 seconds, but it’s as the speed builds that the figures become even more impressive, with 0-200km/h in 7.8 seconds, and the now famous 0-300-0km/h in 21.19.

In terms of the maintenance, it is hard to believe but it’s pretty reasonable for this type and value of car. It has been a very reliable car with only a few small niggles, but the factory and SuperVettura always sort everything straight away. Also, my car underwent some major upgrades that were done from the factory which have made the driving experience even more appealing, improving every aspect of the car from the handling to the responsiveness of the engine and gearbox.

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The feedback you get when driving a Koenigsegg is like driving a racing car. The engine is bolted to the monocoque, hence why you feel and hear so much. That’s something I love and it’s hard to compare with other brands. The whole driving experience is very raw and is always an occasion. To give you an idea of the power, when some of the other high-performance hypercars can start to run out of steam at the top end, around 180mph and above, the Agera really comes into its own and comes alive. The acceleration is just ferocious; the power you can send to the rear wheels with your right foot is just immense and a real adrenaline rush, but at the same time the braking gives you so much confidence.

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I try to drive the car as much as I can. Most of the time it’s on memorable events and road trips, and I love taking it to SCD events which Adam and the team do an amazing job on, and I look forward to doing one of their road trips very soon.

When I first collected my car from the factory, we timed it along with my first Koenigsegg event in Sweden. Honestly, what an experience it was to be united with my car and join the family, with Christian signing the dashboard — I will never forget it! People ask me if would I sell the car, and honestly I’m not sure if it’s replaceable. With the Regera and the upcoming Jesko, there are 80 and 125 of those being built respectively,

whereas there are only 18 Agera Rs in the world, of which only three are right-hand drive, so I feel it is very desirable for the future, and if you want a raw, analogue car, it is something that would be very hard to replace.

As for other cars coming to join the Agera, I’m really looking forward to receiving my Paint to Sample 992 GT3. As a young kid, I always had a massive love for Porsche and have always been a Porsche man since — my very first Porsche 911 Carrera will never be forgotten. I also can’t wait to receive my AMG GT R Black Series, and we have some more hypercars on the way which we can’t wait to show and drive at SCD events around the world.

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Uplifting

RPM Technik discuss taming and maintaining the wild animal that is the Porsche Carrera GT. Written by: RPM Technik

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Over the last two decades working on Porsche models of all shapes and sizes, we have always provided the best engineering solutions for our clients. These solutions are irrespective of the age or model of Porsche they own. It is also tailored to each client’s personal requirements as we always make a point of understanding why they are looking to upgrade or modify a car so we can make sure we give them the most appropriate solution. As the years have ticked by, our fascination with the Carrera GT (980, to give it its Porsche internal model codename) has evolved into a commercial part of the business. The first few 980s we had into the workshops were for simple tasks like MOTs, tyres, consumables and batteries. We also undertook several conversions to allow imported CGTs to pass UK legislation for road registration. This allowed us to build our knowledge base of how they were put together, their idiosyncrasies and, most interestingly, start to build a picture of the varying quality of cars in the UK marketplace.

Undertaking a full pre-sale (or sometimes postsale) inspection is no mean feat. Just getting them onto a ramp and secure requires specialist equipment due to their carbon structures. In 2019, we sold one of the original 49 UK examples, and even now maintain one of five very special Carrera GTs coach-built by Zagato, so, when we were approached to carry out a full inspection for a client who had plans to use his 980 as much as possible in 2021, as ever we were thrilled. We were even more intrigued when we learnt of his desire to make it more useable, and in particular provide the best solution to manage their exceptionally low ride height.

Once his purchase was complete, we supplied him with a made-to-order KW HLS4 suspension kit, so-called as it allows all four axles to be lifted. This is made possible by a hydraulic pump that controls a piston attached to the dampers via a discreetly hidden button in the cabin. The hydraulic cylinder unit is located on the coilover body between the spring perch and spring. This allows for a mechanical advantage as there is no compression of the extended cylinder unit, resulting in no unwanted additional suspension movement whilst driving. The pump lifts the car within a matter of seconds and allows the car to travel at up to 50mph before automatically dropping the car back down to its correct ride height. When activated, the front is lifted by 40mm and the rear by 10mm. The fitment of this system actually provides CGT owners with a second benefit too, and it is a notable improvement in chassis dynamics and control. The CGTs were notorious back in 2004 for being a handful on the limit. This was largely down to the car’s low weight and high power being too much for the tyre technology of the era along with a ‘relaxed’ traction control system setup from Porsche.

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Seventeen years later, whilst 604bhp is still quite a significant power statistic, many cars now offer this, and as such, tyre manufacturers have vastly improved their offerings, our preference being the Michelin Cup 2 which has happily tamed the CGT’s handling massively. That improvement with tyre performance now asks more of the original fitment Sachs suspension system too. By fitting the KW kit, you benefit from more current suspension technology and we can finely tune the handling to suit the driver, allowing them to enjoy the car even further. The original equipment can be retained and kept with the car to ensure future resale values are preserved. A further benefit of running the lift kit is it protects the very expensive carbon fibre undertrays and even the oil sump. The decision on whether to take the car out or not can be influenced by the risk of damaging an undertray on driveway ramps and speed bumps. With a cool £62,000 + VAT required if all three undertrays need replacing, it is worth keeping these safe and in good order!

As a natural evolution of our love affair with the Carrera GT, we will now be able to offer owners the full suite of servicing to be carried out in-house at our Hertfordshire base. We will be able to cover everything from diagnosis and suspension setup all the way through to the full engine-out service that is due every four years. We have worked hard to make this happen by appointing a new technician who has completed over 100 major CGT engine-out services for Porsche — arguably one of the most experienced Carrera GT technicians in the world. Needless to say, whilst our love affair continues, the excitement of caring for them and ensuring the cars are kept in the best condition continues to flourish! @rpmtechnik

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LEEDS

B E A U T I F U L W O N ’ T B E TA M E D

astonmartin.com Aston Martin Leeds, Ring Road, Lower Wortley, Leeds LS12 6AA | 0113 389 0777 | leeds.astonmartindealers.com Official government fuel consumption figures in litres/100km (mpg) for the Aston Martin Vantage Roadster: WLTP Low 18.5 (15.3); WLTP Medium 11.4 (24.8); WLTP High 9.8 (28.8); WLTP Extra High 10.6 (26.6); WLTP Combined 11.6 (24.3). WLTP CO2 Emissions 263 g/km (NEDC Combined CO2 - for information only 244 g/km). Urban RDE trip NOx 85.8 mg/km, PN 9e11; Complete RDE trip NOx 85.8 mg/km, PN 9e11. PEMS ID: 09-SCF-0017-0; TA Number: e9*715/2007*2018/1832AP*1793*00.

Rear-Wheel Steering How Does It Work?

Matt from Suspension Secrets delves deep into active rear-wheel steering systems. Are they a blast from the past or a refined piece of technology here to stay? Written by: Matt Cowley

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Rear-wheel steering systems can now be found on some of the elite handling machines of today such as the Mercedes AMG GT R, Porsche 991 RS models and Ferrari F12 TDF to name a few. In this feature, we are going to take a look at some of the technical aspects of the systems and find how active rear-wheel steering (which we will refer to as ARS for the remainder of the article) makes such a big difference to the handling and cornering potential of the car. The idea of rear-wheel steering is not a new concept. Looking back to the late ’80s and ’90s, Japanese engineers were breaking new ground for the road market by designing a system that allowed the rear wheels to be steered when the steering wheel was turned. The first car to feature this, a very unlikely suspect, was the

Honda Prelude. Fast forward to the ‘90s and Nissan saw the appeal of using this system on their Godzilla range, so tested the idea out on the R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R.

The system worked well; it allowed the car to generate more rear-end grip and also help such a big car (at the time) rotate and enter corners in a more smooth fashion and help to reduce the understeer. However, ARS slipped back out of sight due to the clunky and heavy mechanical systems required to make the idea work. Furthermore, the maintenance costs of the systems were climbing as their reliability over time came into question and moving parts began to wear, generating quite a sloppy feeling at the rear end.

Almost two decades after the R34 GT-R was launched, rear-wheel steering came back into the headlines on the likes of the Mercedes AMG GT R and then again on the handling supremacy of the Porsche 991 GT3 RS. As you would imagine, the systems are now much more refined, with the mechanical steering racks removed entirely, replaced by much more capable electronic actuators mounted in the same place the rear toe arm would usually sit.

So, why has it now made a re-appearance? The main reason is quite simply that technology has finally caught up with the idea, and the components and electronics required to implement the system are now cost-effective for the manufacturers and much more reliable, not to mention that the high-powered actuators also have much faster reaction times which is key to making this system work flawlessly. The ARS works by altering the toe angle of the back wheels when the car changes direction. By altering the toe angle, the ARS makes the rear wheels turn in a similar way to the front wheels, however, they only turn by a very small amount unlike the front wheels. This tiny amount of steering at the back helps the car to take corners much faster and in a more stable manner than without the system.

Sensors mounted all over the vehicle from roll sensors through to multiple engine sensors provide information to the suspension ECU allowing it to accurately compute how much toe change to make at the rear wheels and in which direction within milliseconds, constantly updating and recalculating as long as the car is moving. The ECU then sends a certain voltage to the actuators, making them move by a specified amount and in a certain direction to alter the handling characteristics of the car.

The Lancia Delta Integrale WRC car comes to mind where its short wheelbase for the time allowed the car to be much more nimble and turn more sharply on the rally course, helping it to victory. A long wheelbase, on the other hand, generates stability, allowing the car to travel at very high speed while staying safe and calm through long, fast corners. Although the wheelbase of a car is a very fixed physical feature, we can use toe geometry settings to alter the behaviour of the car in the same way that making a wheelbase change would do.

If the rear wheels are set to toe in, creating a longer virtual wheelbase, this creates a more stable chassis at high speed and makes the car more planted and faster through high-speed corners. However, this holds the car back and can cause understeer through slower, tighter corners. If we toe the rear wheels out, creating a shorter virtual wheelbase, we generate the opposite effect. The car will be much more nimble and darty though slow, tight corners but would feel a little unsettled and twitchy through long, high-speed corners, forcing the driver to back off a little. This is where the ARS system comes into its own. Having the ability to know when the car is cornering at low speed or high speed allows the system to create the ideal virtual wheelbase

of the car for any given corner. The amount of toe in or toe out can also be varied for all of the different speeds and scenarios in between the ideal long fast corner and short tight twisty section. The ever-changing rear toe setting produces a car that can feel very stable and allow you to stay committed to the throttle through fast sections, and then when you enter the tighter sections, will completely alter the dynamics and allow the car to turn in and rotate towards the apex as if the wheelbase was much shorter than it is. This ability to constantly change the dynamics has created the ultimate, reduced-compromise all-rounder out on track.

If you’re sat wondering if your handling will be forever compromised because your car doesn’t have ARS, there is still something you can do. Although your chosen toe settings will be fixed, our setups have the ability to fine-tune the fixed settings to create a neutral chassis by installing our own bespoke settings to the geometry. As standard, most supercars come out the factory with a relatively long wheelbase and toe settings that make the car feel even longer, therefore, we can tune the camber and toe settings on any supercar to generate a more nimble and dynamic chassis. @suspensionsecrets

So, how does this technology actually make the car handle better and go around a circuit faster? The ARS allows the car to generate a 'virtual wheelbase’. The wheelbase of a car is the distance between the centre of the front and rear wheels. This can vary from something like a Lotus Exige S3 with a 2.4-metre wheelbase through to a BMW F82 M4 with a 2.8-metre wheelbase. Using the benefits of short and longwheelbase cars has forever been a tuning factor for manufacturers.

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Be The Storm

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Fuel economy and CO2 results for the Maserati Trofeo range in mpg (l/100km) combined: 17.7 (16.0) to 23.2 (12.2). CO2 emissions: 363 - 276 g/km. Figures shown are for comparability purposes; only compare fuel consumption and CO2 figures with other cars tested to the same technical procedures. These figures may not reflect real life driving results, which will depend upon a number of factors including the accessories fitted (post-registration), variations in weather, driving styles and vehicle load.

MEMBER’S CARS: PORSCHE 991 GT3, FERRARI 488 PISTA

After a string of Porsche GT cars, a Ferrari is the last thing we expected to see in SCD member Richard’s garage. We catch up with him to find out why he made the change, and why he’s since found himself back in another Porsche.

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Tell us about your car history

My passion for cars came from my dad and grandad who both liked nice cars. My dad had a bad motorbike accident when he was a kid and back when I was 16, everybody was getting motorbikes, so my dad bribed me. He said, “If you don’t get a motorbike, I’ll help you buy a nice car when you’re 17”, and he gave me the difference between secondhand and brand new so I could buy a new one. The car I bought was a Mk3 escort 1.1 which I tried to make look like an XR3, that ended up in the body shop several times! After owning many derivatives of Mercs from a 190E through to a CLS, I bought my first Porsche from Tom Hartley back in 2006 — a delivery mileage 997 Carrera 4S.

Every time I’ve tried a different brand, I’ve always jumped back into a Porsche and thought the build quality was so much better, and I’ve since owned three 997s and six 991s including three GT3s and two GT3 RS. I also had a 993 Carrera which I had made into an RS replica by the boys at Strasse, and that’s the car I have the most seller’s remorse about.

Why the change to Ferrari?

What made me change at first was the silly allocation drama at my Porsche Centre! Ferrari offered me one of the first allocations for an F8 so I gave my deposit and went for it, but on the day I went to look at the newly arrived F8 demo to see if I’d ticked the right boxes, a Pista reversed into the showroom. It turned out that car was on sale or return, a deal was done and I owned my first Ferrari.

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It’s Rosso Corsa with the blue and silver stripe, black wheels, red calipers and it’s dripping in carbon with most of the essential boxes ticked. Another SCD member’s Pista was actually next to it in the showroom and it was almost identical in spec, but the guys laughed at me when I said, “I like him but I’m not sure I’d want to buy one of his cars!”.

What is it like?

It’s so different to a Porsche in so many ways. At the moment, it still scares me a little because it’s just so fast and sometimes feels like it wants to kill me, but it’s great fun. The power is just phenomenal, it’s ballistic and in some ways it has too much power to be able to enjoy on a normal road. You’re doing crazy speeds before you even know about it without even meaning to. A GT3 is still a really quick car, but slightly less licence-troubling! The response of the gearbox is brilliant and I prefer the static paddles compared to the Porsche ones which move with the steering wheel. I think the steering is a little bit too pointy if anything. If you’re going down a bumpy road, any small movement of the wheel does pull you about more than you’d like.

I find it to be a bit quirky in its controls, and the infotainment feels a bit prehistoric to navigate compared to modern touchscreen systems, but It just feels so special. When you’re a petrolhead, being in a special Ferrari is amazing, and when you squeeze the loud pedal, wow! Even when I open the garage door, it’s like a piece of art dripping in carbon fibre.

Why did you buy another GT3?

The reason I bought another GT3 is that I feel I can use it a little more most of the time. The Pista is so fast that I never feel like I’m really pushing it, but I do in the GT3. I also thought it may push me over the finishing line for an allocation for the 992 GT3, but still no chance!

What is it like?

I just think the GT3 is perfect as a car you can jump in and have some fun. After a white 991.1 GT3 RS, I bought a yellow 991.2 GT3 and I did the full day Wales drive with SCD. After that drive, I came home and genuinely thought that it was better than the 991.1 RS on the road. The engine is amazing and the motorsport noise really adds so much to the driving experience, and something you might not think about is the fact it’s a small car. The new one is going to be a big car, but this has the narrower body so you don’t have to breathe in when you pass another car on a B road, something you really feel you have to do in the Ferrari so you don’t get your mirror taken off or something.

A bit of a silly thing, but I’m a nerd when it comes to cleaning cars, and if you take the Pista out for a blast and it rains, you know it’s going to take you two hours to clean it with all the little details and the carbon engine bay, but the GT3 is more like a normal car and it’s back in the garage after half an hour.

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Any plans going forward with either of the cars?

I try to get to as many drives and meets as possible but I do have to miss a lot due to being busy in the summer months farming. I can’t wait for the time my summers are free and I can commit to European drives and lots more events and track days, which I hope is sooner rather than later. Me and my wife are doing the Grantley Hall event which will be nice as something different to just enjoy socialising with everybody, and otherwise I’ll just try to jump on as many drives as I can as they come up between now and the harvest.

If you could only keep one, which would it be?

Flipping heck, I don’t know! They’re two different cars, but I guess if I had to pick, it might be the GT3 because it’s half the price and doesn’t feel like it wants to kill me so much, I hope.

What’s next?

I’m playing it as it comes really, but at the moment, I’ve got an inkling the Pista might be a keeper. Looking at Ferraris going forward, the SF90 is nearly a half-million-pound car and I don’t know what they’re going to do with the F8, if that will have a special version. We’ll have to see, but the Pista is just such a good-looking car.

I don’t know what the 992 is going to be like, but it will have to be something special to beat the 991.2. If I do find that the new GT3 is mega, I’ll probably end up chopping mine in against one of those. I could also be tempted to go backwards to be fair. A 997.2 GT3 would be nice with the manual gearbox, or even an RS with the blue and silver livery if I could budget for one, I just think they look amazing, but the money they’re worth right now doesn’t quite make sense to me. The only other brand I like is McLaren. I love Luke’s 765LT that was in the previous magazine. That is an awesome car and I’m watching him very carefully because, so far, he’s said it’s better built than previous models. I couldn’t live with my pride and joy being up and down the motorway all the time in a covered wagon to the dealer, so fingers crossed it could be the start of reliable McLarens, because if they get the reliability there, I think I’d have one.

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Supercar Driver Magazine Issue 40

Articles inside

Porsche 991 GT3, Ferrari 488 Pista

Rear-Wheel Steering - Suspension Secrets

Koenigsegg Agera R

Focus on: Ferrari Sevenoaks

Tailor Made Ferrati 488 Pista

The Merry Month of May - JBR Capital

Setting up a Trust - Janine Edwards

Customise Your Emotion - Image Design Custom

Oldest New Kid in Town - The Glenturret

Tartan Florio

Thrill on the Hill

Who Lives in a House Like This

Lamborghini Huracán Performante Spyder Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Roadster

Focus on: Road Race Rally

Goodwood Season Opener

A Different Class - Praga Cars UK

Ferrari F355 GTS

Porsche 991 GT3

The Great Shortage - Romans International

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