Tempus Magazine | Issue 62 | June - July 2019

TIMELESS INSPIRATION

SHIFTING GEARS How leading brands are drawing on the past to future-proof the present

ISSUE

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ELECTRIC REVOLUTION | SUPERYACHT TRENDS | MOTORING MUST-HAVES SPEED EDITION

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CONTRIBUTORS

Mark Riccioni Automotive photographer has worked with brands such as Porsche GB and Top Gear Magazine. For this issue, he lends his camera to our cover story. Discover his work on page 36 – and on the cover.

Gareth Herincx Motoring journalist Gareth hits the road with Bugatti as the brand celebrates its 110th anniversary. Turn to page 30 to read his interview with company president Stephan Winkelmann.

Dominique Afacan Editor-in-chief of Superyacht Life Dominique dives into the world of yachting to unveil the leading trends revolutionising the industry in 2019. Visit page 66.

Cheryl Markosky Our property expert delves into the latest luxury listings to uncover the finest properties for motoring enthusiasts – and the garages to store their prize vehicles. Discover her findings on page 78.

Responsibly printed Tempus magazine is printed on FSC-certified paper that’s been sourced in an environmentally-friendly, socially responsible and economically viable way. All paper stock can be traced back to the original tree.

Shortlisted for: Editor of the Year – Independent, 2018 Art Director of the Year – Independent, 2018

EDITORIAL TEAM Editor-in-Chief Rachel Ingram rachel@tempusmagazine.co.uk Creative Director Ross Forbes ross@tempusmagazine.co.uk Digital Editor Michelle Johnson michelle@tempusmagazine.co.uk Sub-Editor Dominique Dinse

FROM THE EDITOR

COMMERCIAL TEAM

T

his year is a monumental year for motoring. Not only is 2019 the 100-year anniversary of Bentley Motors and 110 years of Bugatti but, on the other end of the scale, it has also seen the premiere of the world’s first fully-electric hypercar.

Bringing heritage and innovation together, Bentley Motors is using its centenary year to celebrate its past while speeding ahead with ambitious plans for the future – design director Stefan Sielaff gives us an exclusive preview of the soon-to-be revolutionary Bentley Centenary Concept Car on page 36.

Brand partner Breitling, whose Jet Squad flew in to the historic IWM Duxford for our iconic cover shoot, is following a similar direction – on page 48, CEO Georges Kern talks about the watchmaker’s timeless connection with aviation, while Breitling Jet Squad pilot Jacques 'Speedy' Bothelin opens up about life in the skies.

Whether you’re interested in combustion engines or electric engineering, we've got something for you in this edition. Hit the road with Bugatti on page 30 or learn how to convert your classic car to a fully-fledged electric vehicle on page 26.

But it’s not all about cars. On page 66, we unveil the trends and innovations making waves in the superyachting world – submersibles, we’re looking at you. We’ve also got the latest on revolutionary accessories to keep you stylish, and your vehicles safe.

And, as we’re entering the British summer, we’ve got the lowdown on the must-book events and how to dress for them. From the polo to air and car shows, it’s set to be an exciting couple of months.

Read on to discover all of this – and more from the worlds of style, design, travel and culture – in our annual Speed Edition.

Chairman Floyd Woodrow Managing Director Peter Malmstrom Operations Director Colin Clark colin@tempusmagazine.co.uk Events and Partnerships Director Georgia Peck georgia@tempusmagazine.co.uk REACH OUT Address Tempus Magazine Vantage Media Group 22 South Audley St London W1K 2NY Contact +44 (0) 203 519 1005 info@tempusmagazine.co.uk www.tempusmagazine.co.uk

Enjoy the issue.

Rachel Ingram tempusmagazine.co.uk @tempusmagazine @tempusmagazine

COVER IMAGE Tempus magazine is published by Vantage Media Group. www.vantagemediagroup.co.uk

© 2019 Vantage Media Limited Articles and other contributions published in this journal may be reproduced only with special permission from the Publishers. The Publishers, Vantage Media Limited, accept no responsibility for any views or statements made in the articles and other contributions reproduced from any other source. No responsibility is accepted for the claims in advertisements appearing in this journal and the Publishers reserve the right to accept or refuse advertisements at their discretion.

Photographer: Mark Riccioni Shoot director: Georgia Peck Art direction: Ross Forbes Cars: Bentley Motors Jets: Breitling Jets Location: Duxford Imperial War Museum Article on page: 36

CONTENTS

8 The luxe list This season’s top 10 must-haves 12 Need for speed Powerboating champion Miles Jennings on the once elitist sport that’s making a new splash 14 Accelerated thinking Fast-paced business meets the world of motorsports as F1 gets on track with MIT 18 Lighting up the grid Actress Naomie Harris on her passion for sustainability at the racing circuit of the future 22 Driving ambition Discovering Automobili Pininfarina’s superstar electric hypercar 26 Electric dreams How Lunaz Design is plugging into future tech to keep the world’s favourite classic cars on the road 30 Driving force Bugatti president Stephan Winkelmann tells us about taking the exclusive marque into the 21st century 36 Ageing gracefully Celebrating 100 years of prestige on wheels with Bentley Motors 46 100 years of pace and elegance Test driving the Bentley Continental GTC 48 Taking flight How Breitling’s historic partnership with British motoring has the luxury brand flying high 52 Star gazing Introducing the most exclusive supercar accessory in the galaxy 56 Country living Jodie Kidd on British craftsmanship and why the thrill of competition still gets her engines revving 60 Hot to trot Our experts present your ultimate guide to dressing for the polo this season 66 The new wave Whatever floats your boat, you’ll love the latest luxe trends in superyachting 72 Float therapy How Seabourn is reinventing the cruising industry 78 Park life Make your car the star in these ultimate houses for collectors of classic and modern marques 84 Standing sentinel Unlock the innovative technology safeguarding your high-value vehicles 86 Driven by design A fascinating glimpse inside the factory supplying luxe leather to Britain’s top motoring brands 90 Royal spirit Discover the technology that’s set to transform car security 92 Best of British Check into St James’s Hotel and Club and you can also check out the countryside in classic style 94 Concours of excellence Your chance to see the world’s rarest cars in right royal surroundings 96 Flight of fancy Why the Duxford Battle of Britain Air Show remains a must-see spectacle 98 Save the date The finest events of the season

ISSUE 62

Ageing gracefully 36

The LUXE LIST Our essential guide to the most exciting new launches and finest seasonal must-haves

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Orlebar Brown James Bond Collection With summer here, it’s time to update the holiday wardrobe. British menswear brand Orlebar Brown has turned to vintage James Bond for inspiration for its latest capsule collection. The limited-edition 007 range is made up of swimwear, shirts, jackets and shoes inspired by stylish moments from the series – a recreation of the polo shirt Sean Connery wore in Thunderball, for instance (right, £295). The choice is bound to leave you stirred. orlebarbrown.com

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Range Rover Astronaut Edition

The Range Rover Astronaut Edition is exclusively available to purchase to those signed up to board Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic. As if visiting space wasn’t special enough, each comes with a number of unique features, including a piece of the front landing skid from Virgin Spaceship Unity’s first space flight, refashioned as a cup holder and inscribed with a quote from Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson: “See you up there” – to be replaced with a piece from your own spaceflight following your mission, inscribed with the date.

That’s one giant leap in motoring style. landrover.com

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Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Chronograph

The first ever Grande Seconde Chronograph from Jaquet Droz signals a major step in the Swiss brand’s evolution. One of the few complications yet to join the Grande Seconde collection, the chronograph – one of watchmaking’s trickier complications to master – is available in a limited-edition series of 88 pieces, plus three permanent variations. Time to get your hands on one… jaquet-droz.com

4 Bespoke motorbike by Auto Fabrica Bespoke isn’t just associated with fashion; it can apply to your vehicle, too. Set up by brothers Bujar and Gazmend Muharremi, Auto Fabrica specialises in making over motorcycles. The duo – known for their expert craftsmanship, attention to detail and distinctive style – take apart and reconstruct motorcycles from myriad brands in their Essex workshop. Limitless options are available on colour, material and finish, the team developing and perfecting the finish to suit your style.

Now that’s what we call fast fashion. autofabrica.com

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Bob Bob Cité So cool that it’s named twice, Bob Bob Cité is the long-awaited sister restaurant to Soho’s plush Bob Bob Ricard. A lengthy five years since it was first announced, the restaurant finally opened in May to a glorious reception. With a grand, opulent setting and a decadent menu of French country cooking by chef Eric Chavot, it lives up to expectations as the most exciting opening in The City this season. And yes, the ‘Press for Champagne’ buttons are back. Meet you there.

Go to page 60 to read our experts’ guide to dressing for the polo

Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club Membership Berkshire’s famous polo club – often frequented by the royals – has launched a social membership for the first time. Offering members an exclusive country retreat, the club features a new pitch-side clubhouse with fine hospitality on tournament days and exclusive events year-round, private dinners in the Royal Pavilion, and special rates for companion facilities such as the polo academy and fitness club.

No need to rein in your social life this season, then…

bobbobcite.com

rcbpc.com

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Franciacorta Sparkling Wine Franciacorta is superb-quality sparkling wine from a small wine-producing area in Lombardy, northern Italy, which is said to be closer to champagne in production than Prosecco, the country’s more famous effervescent export. If you attended the 1000 Miglia in May, Franciatoria is what you would have been drinking – it was the official sparkling wine of the classic car race. Talk about a bubbly personality… franciacorta.net

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Paul Smith Hummingbird Bike Possibly the most fashionable pair of wheels you’ll ever own, this colourful model from the makers of the world’s lightest folding bike is just made to turn heads. A cool fusion of Hummingbird’s innovative technology and livery designed and signed by Paul Smith, this single-speed model, which retails at £3,995, is limited to just 50 pieces, each one hand painted and made to order. hummingbirdbike.com

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For more underwater toys, visit page 68

Project Neptune Not content with breaking records on land, Aston Martin is now intent on conquering deep new horizons. In collaboration with Triton Submarines, the British car manufacturer has developed Project Neptune, its first submersible vehicle. Launching – or, rather, diving – later this year, the futuristic craft will be able to descend to depths of 500 metres, travel in excess of 5 knots, and carry two passengers alongside a pilot. We can’t wait to dip a toe in the water and try it. astonmartin.com

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SeaDream Innovation

Sailing into harbour in 2021 is what just may be the cruise market’s most environmentally friendly ship to date. SeaDream Innovation, which is being developed with help from the Norwegian government, will be a low-emission hybrid ship, powered partly by a giant 4MWh battery pack and equipped with heat conversion and catalytic reduction systems. While we still have two years to wait until it launches, it’s a sign that, when it comes to eco-friendly voyages, the cruise industry is at last getting itself shipshape. seadream.com

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NEED FOR SPEED Four-time powerboating world champion Miles Jennings explains why this most thrilling of sports is no longer just for the elite few

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ith speeds surpassing 160mph, furious competition from the world’s best racers and the sea as your racetrack, it’s no surprise that offshore powerboat racing is heralded as the Formula 1 of boating. And in fact, for four-time world champion Miles Jennings, powerboating more than equals any Grand Prix for excitement and adrenaline, eccentric characters and sheer sex appeal.

“In the 1960s, some very bright, colourful characters used to compete – including notorious fugitive Lord Lucan. We’ve had film stars, as well as British royalty and lots of lords and ladies,” he says. “To be a powerboater you need a passion for water, an understanding of the sea and a need for speed. Powerboating is akin to rallying, as the surface of the water is constantly moving so although we have a racetrack of sorts, it’s constantly changing, never the same twice. One day it can be flat and calm and the next there could be 6ft waves.”

The drama of the sport is one of its main points of appeal for Jennings, who has been likened to Formula 1 legend James Hunt for his thrill-seeking sportsmanship as much as his long blonde hair, despite the risks that it can entail.

“Powerboating is considered the most dangerous sport on the planet, for the number of fatalities against the number of competitors,” he explains. “I’ve lost a number of friends over the years in the sport – even Stefano Casiraghi was tragically killed when his boat flipped at high speed.”

Casiraghi was the husband of Princess Caroline of Monaco (now Princess of Hanover), the eldest child of Prince Ranier III of Monaco and Hollywood star-turnedprincess Grace Kelly. He was known as a titan of business and speedboat racing – he set a world speed record as the world champion of offshore powerboating – and his death on 3 October 1990 at the age of 30 sent shockwaves through the international press. His death inspired new,

more stringent safety laws in both boat design and judging the waves.

“The sport is much safer now” Jennings explains. “The introduction of Kevlar safety cells has been a gamechanger for 100mph-plus racing – this is the cockpit the driver sits in, which has to pass impact testing, much the same as with Formula 1 cars. In the early days you’d race without a cell, so if the boat turned over at high speed that could easily lead to disaster, as the water is like concrete when you’re racing fast. Now you’ve got 1in thick Lexon glass from a F16 fighter jet, a six-point harness and bottled air so, in the event of a rollover or a flip, the chances of survival are dramatically improved.”

But despite the extreme nature of powerboat racing, Jennings is pleased the sport is becoming more accessible to fans. “We’re an island nation, therefore powerboating is in our blood; it’s in our DNA,” he says. “And it’s not an ageist sport. You can start at 16 and still keep running in your 60s, as long as you’re fit – although you may not take the knocks and bruises. It can be quite brutal.

“Powerboating was perceived as an elitist ‘playboy’ sport, and in fact our most famous offshore race is still the Cowes-Torquay-Cowes Race, run by Sir Max Aitken.”

Canadian-British aristocrat Aitken was an ace fighter pilot during World War II, later known as a Conservative politician and media baron after entering the family newspaper business and becoming a director of the Express Group (including the Daily Express).

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“Sir Max started this as a fun race for his wealthy friends in 1961, with the race stretching from his home in Cowes to his holiday home in Teignmouth. From the 1960s to early ’80s, powerboating became known as an exclusive sport for the wealthiest,” he says. “But the advent of smaller-class boats powered by outboard motors meant that husband-and-wife teams, as well as the slightly less affluent, were able to compete as the sport became more affordable encouraging people to be weekend warriors.”

Just as motorsport’s Formula 1 and Formula 3 are a world apart in terms of driving skills and technical car spec, there is a marked difference between these teams and the world championship contenders.

“An absolute beginner could join the ranks in a Class Three boat, using small single-engine 20ft boats running 70mph with around 200 hp, and which could easily be bought for less than £20,000 with running costs of £10,000 per year,” he explains. “To put this into perspective, the 160mph Class One boat that I race has 2200 horsepower, and would cost upwards of £500,000, with £150,000-200,000 running cost per season.”

Jennings says that a major appeal of powerboat racing is its inclusive nature. “If you’re after an action-packed sport where you can go away for a weekend, choose powerboating. British seaside resorts where offshore races take part are great for a weekend away – the whole family can really enjoy it,” he says, citing highlights of the season as the British UKOPRA Powerboat Series meets in Bournemouth (7-9 June) or Guernsey Gold Cup (5-7 July) or Cowes Torquay (23-25 August). “Powerboat racing is a great way to test yourself – man against the elements – and with both speed and navigation it’s a phenomenal challenge.”

For more on the sport, contact the British Powerboat Racing Club via britishpowerboatracing club.co.uk

LEADER

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ACCELERATED THINKING A new five-star Formula 1 experience, combining business principles and trackside hospitality, has launched. We head to Austin, Texas to join the action

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y rights, Austin shouldn’t exist.

The city – indisputably one of the coolest places in America – sits in the heart of Texas. A state better known for big steaks, bigger hats and a traditional take on life. Austin, then, is an outlier. And what an outlier. The city’s motto is ‘Keep Austin Weird’, thanks to the hipster-cum-boho tribe that now calls it home. From its hot music scene – dozens of bars offer live music nightly, and it’s home to the annual SXSW music festival – to a vibrant dining culture and a vast university student population, it’s little wonder that it’s become a mecca for those in search of something different. Business is booming too, with tech start-ups flocking to sign up that post-graduation brainpower and Apple announcing the build of a campus in North Austin – a $1b development that will make it the city’s biggest employer.

Sadly, this concentration of scientific knowledge hasn’t yet been able to figure out how to control the weather because it’s chucking it down when I arrive. Not a problem for a visitor from grey England, but it is a challenge if you’re throwing a car around a race track at 200 mph.

I’m in town for the Formula 1 race weekend, held at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas track. It’s a beast of a track for drivers, with tough uphill straights reminiscent of Belgium’s Spa track, 20 corners and it’s driven anti-clockwise.

But with the unseasonal rain looking like being around for a couple of days, all the talk in the lobby of my hotel is how it will affect the drivers. I’m staying at the beautiful Fairmont Austin property, a soaring 37-storey symphony of glass and steel that, from my well-appointed Gold room on the 30th floor, offers a panoramic view of the city and several miles beyond.

It’s great for people-watching too, if you’re an F1 fan. Drivers sit and chat with their team in the lobby, lanyard-covered engineers prop up the hotel’s fabulous Fulton bar and the likes of Bruno Mars and Britney Spears are around, in town to perform at the F1 event. Former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell even jumps the queue ahead of me one morning, while I’m waiting to use the toaster in the hotel’s lovely Gold lounge. Her breakfast preference is a toasted bagel with honey, if you’re wondering. »

Right: The Circuit of the Americas track is the surprising location for highoctane business lessons

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SOME OF THE GREATEST PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN CREATED BECAUSE THE INVENTOR WANTS A SOLUTION TO A CHALLENGE THAT THEY PERSONALLY ARE FACING - Steve Wozniak The hotel offers a seventh-floor heated outdoor pool, a spa and – in the form of Garrison – a fine dining restaurant specialising in Texan-style steak dishes. And all this comes with a side order of that famous southern hospitality. Nothing is too much trouble for the friendly and attentive staff and the phrase, “Y’all have a great day now” becomes a catchphrase of the trip, whether we’re sampling the local whisky out in hill country at the Garrison Brothers distillery or eating rib-sticking barbecue food at the famous Salt Lick restaurant.

And while we’re here for the race – watched from the AAAstands of the Circuit of the Americas club house – there’s something rather interesting going on the day before. It’s called the F1 Extreme Innovation Series, the result of a team-up between Formula 1 and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management.

Ostensibly, it’s a C-suite executive education seminar. But it’s conducted in the unique setting of the Formula 1 track at Austin.

Where the speakers’ points are sometimes punctuated by the roar of a neon orange McLaren 720S supercar doing a hot lap around the circuit. Where attendees can take a rolling tour of the track, guided by a driver. And where the audience will get, in the words of a senior F1 team leader, “inner sanctum insights” into how both motorsport and business enable success.

TECHNOLOGY MEETS SCIENCE The concept is simple. Combine the smartest thinkers from MIT with some of the leading lights from F1 – such as managing director Ross Brawn and chief technical officer Pat Symonds – and let them share knowledge that has real-world applications for a business audience. And this all takes place in the top tier space that is the Paddock Club, situated above the pit lane at the heart of the high-octane action.

This is the second of the four annual events in the series and the theme is Building a Winning Platform. In other words, how to create the right environment and conditions – people, teams and technology – that enables extreme innovation to thrive.

C-suite leaders have flown in from all over the globe to be here, ready to learn from some of the world’s finest business thinkers – as well as F1 experts. These include Rob Smedley, head of vehicle performance at Williams Racing and Nelson Repenning, MIT’s associate dean of leadership and special projects. Together, through presentations and guided learning sessions, we explore business challenges and, crucially, get a behind-the-scenes pit side look at the teams and drivers as they set up for the race weekend.

Keynote speaker Steve Wozniak raises the energy levels by several notches – when you’re in the same room as the man who helped create the world’s most successful company, even top captains of industry turn into unashamed fanboys and fangirls.

The Apple Computer Company founder’s speech is as illuminating and entertaining as you’d expect, leaping from topic to topic with great agility. But all delivered in an accessible style – and punctuated by throwaway comments such as, “And then, of course, I invented Breakout” (the legendary Atari video game

regarded by game designers as a landmark creation). He shares insights around product ideation, using Elon Musk and the late Steve Jobs as examples of visionaries who don’t lose sight of practical application.

“Some of the greatest products have been created because the inventor wants a solution to a challenge that they personally are facing,” says Wozniak. “Steve Jobs wanted a computer that could be used by normal people, because he was a normal person. He didn’t understand computers, but he did understand people.

Elon Musk wanted an electric car that could transport himself and his family so he built the first six Tesla charging points between his home and his factory – and now he has a five-year lead on the rest of the market.”

F1 technical consultant Rob Smedley adds some real-life examples from the world of motorsport to the mix, explaining how building diverse groups and properly harnessing conflict have been key to his team’s success.

“We work with a tightly controlled rulebook and have to innovate within that rulebook,” says Smedley, “The result is that we are challenging ideas all day. For example, there was a time when we might put, say, three tyre experts in a room – all of whom had read the same whitepapers about tyres – and ask them to solve a problem. But we found that when we started to introduce other specialists, such as an aerodynamicist, to the mix then we’d get new perspectives on issues.”

Part of the problem, says Nelson Repenning, is that our brains are pattern-matching machines. We are hardwired to look for the fastest, most efficient answer to a problem, jumping from situation to solution.

“This reinforces the status quo,” he says. “It’s the enemy of innovation as we default to automatic, coming up with an answer that is the same or similar to something we’ve done before. In short, innovation is hard.”

With this in mind, each table then spends 30 minutes in a breakout session identifying business challenges they have faced and how they could apply MIT’s innovation framework to those issues. Being out of the workplace, surrounded by smart, enthusiastic peers, makes this a highly constructive exercise.

When else would you get a global CEO, an innovation director and a US Air Force colonel sitting around a table with you, helping to fix a business headache?

A unique learning experience like this, in an iconic setting, was always going to be special. Add to that the fact that the post-event networking drinks allows participants the opportunity to mix with business professionals from a staggeringly wide range of sectors, and you have a memorable day.

And the key takeaways? Spend time figuring out what the problem is, rather than rushing to a solution. Encourage friction but ensure you manage it properly. Ensure your team is as diverse as possible – and listen to everyone’s opinions.

Aptly, MIT and F1 are proving to be the perfect team – the Extreme Innovations Series is going from strength to strength.

Find out how you can attend the next F1 Extreme Innovation Series event, held at Silverstone, UK on 11 July at formula1.com 16

THE NEED FOR SPEED

F1 managing director Ross Brawn on the similarities between Formula 1 and the fast-paced world of business The business success of F1 is there for everyone to see, every fortnight, played out in front of millions of people worldwide. It’s like watching a company board meeting in action 21 times a year, where all the staff – from data scientists to the canteen chefs – have a stake in the organisation’s fortune.

F1 MD Ross Brawn has been at the top table of the sport for decades, so who better to share insights on the parallels between F1 and the wider world of business? After all, a highpressure, high-performance, ‘always in beta’ culture is what many innovative companies strive for.

Tempus: F1 has given many innovations to the real world – what are seen as the most impactful?

Ross Brawn: On the technology side, there are obviously disc brakes. These were first seen on F1 cars before hitting the mainstream. The use of carbon fibre also started with F1, thanks to designer John Bannard in the 1980s, who created the first carbon fibre chassis. When it launched everyone assumed that when a carbon fibre chassis hit a wall it would vaporise into grey powder – but that clearly wasn’t the case.

It was a much more resilient structure than they had at the time and became the basis of the survival cell that now operates in F1 and has saved many lives.

Telemetry systems, too. We’ve been using them for decades but now other sectors, such as a train company working with McLaren Applied Technologies, are using them to increase efficiencies and safety.

What are the management features of a modern F1 team that create the conditions for consistent extreme innovation?

Our performance is measured constantly – car, driver and team.

After every race we know where we are. It’s a constant feedback loop. And unless you have the optimum set-up, then you may well keep progressing but others will pull away from you. You go a half-second ahead, they go one second ahead.

The teamwork inherent in F1 must also serve as a good example to other businesses?

Yes, and communication and feedback is vital. We always have a post-race debrief looking at where we are, what we need to do and what is each person’s role in making that happen. You might have 300-400 people in an engineering team, all of whom have to pull together in the right sequence and towards the same cause.

You need to share the overall objectives with everyone on the project. Otherwise they might get siloed and think, for example: “I’ll make the best gearbox possible’. Which sounds fine, until you realise that a gearbox that’s 1% better might make the aerodynamics worse.

What makes the F1 Extreme Innovation Series unique?

I actually think F1 teams will also benefit from our partnership with MIT. It’ll give them a wider understanding of the world of technology, engineering and management. We can be a bit insular, just comparing ourselves to other F1 teams. This is an opportunity to learn things that will make the teams stronger.

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LIGHTING UP THE GRID As the FIA Formula E speeds into Monaco, Bond actress Naomie Harris reveals what the movie industry could learn from electric racing Words: Rachel Ingram

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hile movie stars often talk about sustainability, many overlook the fact that film production is actually one of the most “non-environmentally friendly” industries of modern times. Naomie Harris is not one such actress.

The passionate environmentalist, who shot to fame following starring roles in the last two James Bond films as well as Oscar-winning Moonlight, is using her position to call for action and change.

Over the last few years, Harris has gone from strength to strength. Following breakout roles in Pirates of the Caribbean, 28 Days Later and Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, Harris cemented her place in the Hollywood hall of fame as Eve Moneypenny in James Bond films Skyfall and Spectre. Set to play her once more in the forthcoming Bond 25, she’s credited with bringing this secondary character into the limelight, although this is something she has humbly declined to take credit for.

As well as Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Academy Award nominations for her starring turn in critically acclaimed 2016 film Moonlight, the Islington-born actress was in 2017 awarded an OBE for her services to drama. But despite her mighty rise, she keeps her feet on the ground, often speaking out about her passion for the environment and women’s rights.

As the ABB FIA Formula E Championship returned to Monaco in May, the British actress showed her support for the electric revolution, by using her time at the race to speak up about important issues facing the film world – in short, how it could learn a thing or two from those pioneering the electric car industry.

Here, the actress speaks to Tempus about her passion for environmentalism, being a female role model – and dining with Albert II, Prince of Monaco. » 18

CULTURE

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CULTURE

Tempus: You’re known for your sustainability efforts and you recently had dinner with fellow environmentalist Albert II, Prince of Monaco.

What did you talk about?

IT TAKES PEOPLE SPEAKING UP AND MAKING A REAL EFFORT TO CHANGE THAT ENVIRONMENT, BUT IT’S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT

Naomie Harris: I was really quite surprised because I didn’t realise that he’s been a big fan of sustainability and has been really pushing forward with electric cars since 1994. He introduced an initiative whereby he subsidised the buying of electric cars. He has also introduced more than 600 free charging points for electric cars. There’s also free parking for electric cars in Monaco. It is really incredible, what he’s doing. He is the perfect figurehead for Formula E. Why is this cause so important to you?

Because we only have one planet. We have to do as much as we possibly can to save it because it’s really in a precarious position at the moment. It’s at the forefront of everyone’s mind because we’re in a really critical point in history and it’s incredibly important that everyone does their part.

Speaking of sustainability, how is the film industry adapting to the global call for more effort to be responsible?

Do you think writers such as Phoebe Waller-Bridge, from TV’s Killing Eve, are helping change the female perspective?

Yes, I’m really excited to have Phoebe on board. I have no idea what she’s going to bring because I haven’t seen a script yet, but I know it’s going to be something fantastic and I know that she’s going to be strengthening the female voice. I think that’s what people want.

Regarding the future of Bond, it’s rumoured that Daniel Craig is stepping back from the role. Do you know any more about this?

Well, the thing is that everyone is assuming that this is his last film.

Daniel, actually, has not said that. So, we don’t know. So, it’s still open.

Who knows what’s going to happen? I think genuinely, he doesn’t know [what he’s going to do]. I really don’t think he does. It depends on what happens with this film. It’s released on 20 February next year – if people turn out and they’re like, we want Daniel, and I think they will, then he may well be back for another one.

Is there anyone that you’d love to see playing the next Bond?

I’m going to be incredibly honest because, actually, film environments are one of the most non-environmentally friendly. They’re not very environmentally friendly at all. It takes people speaking up and making a real effort to change that situation, but it’s incredibly important. There are so many films being made. We have a huge impact and the film industry can definitely do more. There’s huge room for improvement.

I don’t know, because I started with Daniel. So all I’ve ever known is Daniel. He’s amazing to work with. I love working opposite him. So I want him. I can’t really think of anyone else. It’s like dating someone and then thinking about dating someone else.

Have you ever gone into production asking for any changes on the set?

I think it’s really fantastic. You know what I’m really excited about, as well? How different the cars look from Formula One now. Formula E is really a brand of its own – it’s not trying to be compared, as it initially was, to Formula One. I love the fact that it provides this competitive environment among the different car brands, to push their technology as far as they can. Because that’s what we need. It starts here and then it gets fed down into our lives, and into the electric cars that we drive on the street. The fact that the battery power and the battery longevity has been improved within the context of Formula E racing, it means that that’s going to happen with us eventually. And that’s really exciting.

It’s just a tiny thing, but I’m always asking to not have plastic bottles.

Say you have 200 people involved in a film set and everybody throughout the day is drinking five or six plastic bottles of water – that’s a huge amount of waste that is totally unnecessary. I always say, can we please have refillable bottles? Can we all have stainless steel bottles with our names on them and refill them from one container? That’s something I always ask for, but it’s not always practical because we move so much as a film unit. So, it’s not necessarily followed through, unfortunately.

As well as the environment, you’re also a spokesperson for gender equality. While working on the Bond series, how have you changed your character, Miss Moneypenny, from a secondary to a primary character?

I don’t feel like I’m responsible for that – I really wish that I was. It’s really down to having a wonderful woman [Barbara Broccoli] at the helm of the project. It’s also down to great writing, and having a director, initially, like Sam Mendes, because, he was all for Moneypenny’s role being strength, and her being brought to the fore of filming. I am incredibly grateful to him and to the franchise as a whole because they’re constantly wanting to move with the times, and that’s what we need.

What do you think of the electric technology you’ve seen at the Formula E championship?

How do you think Formula E has changed from an event perspective since you first watched it in season two?

Well, it’s completely different because it’s in Monaco and it’s so glamorous here, but I feel like it’s gone to a whole other level in terms of the interest and excitement around it. The glamour surrounding it and the investment has grown, as well. Big brands are now really getting behind formula E, and that is so exciting because, ultimately, it is the future. We are heading towards a time when we’re all going to be driving electric cars, so it’s really important that as many brands as possible get behind it.

The 2018/2019 Formula E championship concludes with two final races, Bern (22 June) and New York (13-14 July) fiaformulae.com 21

DRIVING AMBITION As Automobili Pininfarina introduces its ground breaking electric hypercar, design director Luca Borgogno tells Tempus how the brand is gearing up to make history Words: Michelle Johnson

Left: Automobili Pininfarina design director Luca Borgogno Below: Battista is the world’s most powerful electric hypercar

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y definition, the best hypercars must be both powerful and beautiful, at the peak of automotive performance and usually featuring an eye-watering price tag. But even the top luxury brands may be left in the dust now that Italian newcomer Automobili Pininfarina is making history with its flagship car – the all-electric Battista.

The fully electric-powered 1,900bhp machine is said to be the most powerful road-legal car ever made in Italy, with technical innovations including four separate 120kWh batteries and motors – one for each wheel – that promise to take this extraordinary vehicle from 0-60mph in less than two seconds, and with a predicted top speed of 217mph.

Announced at the Geneva Motor Show in March, the $2.6m (£2m) Battista is generating serious hype, despite the fact the first model will not hit the road until 2020. “The Battista is the realisation of a dream, a hypercar that’s already breaking the rules of our segment,” says Automobili Pininfarina design director Luca Borgogno. “For a designer who looks to the future, there’s nothing better than this – and I can tell you that, for me, it’s a very emotional thing to drive.”

With a limited-edition run of just 150, the Battista is designed to marry “beauty, purity and rarity” in both form and function, and is the first step towards the brand’s aim of creating purely zero-emission vehicles.

“The Battista is the core of our brand, but it’s really just the beginning,” he says. “It’s a huge step toward our journey to achieve a car that really has zero emissions.

We’re not at zero just yet, but we’re much better than everybody else in the industry.

“The good thing is that people are really embracing the power of electric vehicles in the luxury market.

When EVs were first introduced, people struggled to accept the idea. But now we’re pushing the boundaries of the kind of performance you can achieve, the look of EVs, this kind of thing,” he adds. “With the Battista, and with Automobili Pininfarina as a whole, we want people to fall in love with electric cars. It’s so important to us – just liking the concept isn’t good enough. We want our clients to enjoy the cars just as much as they enjoyed petrol cars, as well as knowing they are having a positive impact on the environment.”

On the surface, the Battista’s body is electrifyingly modern even while referencing the 90-year heritage of the brand’s sister company and supplier – legendary design studio Pininfarina SpA. “The design is very Italian, with sensual curves that echo Pininfarina’s car designs of the past,” explains Borgogno. “Although we are a young company, we wanted to relate to Pininfarina’s tradition of making

cars that stand the test of time. We’ve always been about staying very balanced between innovation and tradition – the beauty is in its simplicity and elegance. We want the Battista to still be as beautiful in 40 to 50 years as it is today – just as Pininfarina’s 1947 Cisitalia 202 is still very much a beautiful car today.”

The Battista’s aerodynamically sculpted body features a stunning defined wing effect that climbs over the rear wheel, connecting the rear of the car to the front visually while at the same time maintaining the functional purpose of creating downforce and acting as an airbrake. Dramatic butterfly-wing doors makes it easy to get in and out of the car, while the cabin combines style and comfort – a classic teardrop shape allows for fairly generous legroom, while Italian leather upholstery sets off the seats handsomely.

And although the three-screen display may be more confusing than futuristic to some, the brand’s daring design risks more than pay off.

“The Battista takes EVs to another level,” says Borgogno. “Even if you just take the change from a single heavy engine to the four motors serving each wheel. The driving dynamics and performance – how each wheel connects to the computer and the sheer level of control you have over your driving – no one could ever expect that for a car like this.”

While the car is, in itself, tantalisingly rare, the brand further ensures that opportunities for custom personalisation mean no two Battistas will be alike.

“Bespoke is something that’s very important to us,” he explains. “We’ve designed the car in a way that each customer will be able to choose elements to reflect their taste, such as the colour, and make it even more likely to be driven every day. We want to create a relationship with our customers that goes far beyond the sale – we want them to be part of our journey and share in our dream. Now we’ve released the Battista hypercar, we’re getting ready to start sharing three more products that we have in the pipeline.”

It’s a strong first outing from a new brand balancing expertly between start-up status and a 90-year design heritage, whose dedication to electric cars might just provide the shake-up we’ve been waiting for.

“We’ll never create mass-produced cars, as we are dedicated to our craftsmanship and beautiful driving experience, alongside the purity of the Pininfarina style,” Borgogno concludes. “But we do believe our focus on creating a truly zero-emission car will see us become pioneers in this sector and, we hope, help people really embrace and become active in the electric power trend.” automobili-pininfarina.com

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INNOVATION

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ELECTRIC dreams Lunaz Design is sparking bright new interest in the longevity of classic cars by plugging in to futuristic tech Words: Michelle Johnson

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A

Opener: Lunaz Design is on a mission to convert classic cars to fully electric This page: Classic cars being converted include the iconic Rolls-Royce Phantom V (above left and right) and the Jaguar XK120 (above right)

I SPENT 17 YEARS BUILDING FORMULA 1 ENGINES – YOU CAN’T FIND ANYBODY WHO’S

MORE OF A PETROLHEAD THAN ME

s the car industry becomes ever more conscious of its impact on the environment, the question of how future generations can enjoy the unique driving experiences of classic cars is more important than ever before for collectors. It’s this that inspired David Lorenz in his mission to convert some of the world’s most iconic classics to fully electric with his company, Lunaz Design.

But unlike others in the same business, Lunaz Design is steering clear of converting classics to electric by using used Tesla parts. Instead, its team of engineers, technicians and battery specialists, located at Lunaz’s 10,000 sq ft workshop at Silverstone Technology Park, have designed a powertrain solution to pioneer the movement.

“Lunaz Design is capturing a moment in what will be the future of classic cars,” Lorenz says. “I grew up loving cars and began collecting classics thanks to my now-wife Gia, who picked me up on a date in her Mercedes-Benz 190SL. We now have a one-year-old daughter, Luna, and I don’t want her missing out on classic cars. Whether you like it or not, within her lifetime combustion engines will be completely replaced as we begin to go fully electric.”

Lorenz founded Lunaz and took on Jon Hilton, a pioneering mechanical engineer who previously worked with Rolls-Royce aircraft engines before becoming chief engineer for Cosworth’s Formula 1 programme and later Renault F1’s technical director, winning both drivers’ and constructors’ Formula 1 World Championships in 2005 and 2006. In 2007, he started his own mechanical hybrid company, Flybrid, which built the first ever hybrid car to race at Le Mans. He ran the company for eight years before selling up, but it was meeting Lorenz that inspired him to return to the workplace.

“I own classic cars and was doing a bit of classic car restoration myself while not working – and then I met David,” says Hilton. “It’s my view that we’re going to swap over to electric cars really quickly and that by the mid-2020s sales of electric car will be passing 50%. That’s really not very far away, so we’re taking this very seriously, building a company where we expect to scale up quickly.”

Lunaz Design offers conversions for any make and model of classic car, beginning with two very different cars – the 1961 Rolls-Royce Phantom V and the 1953 Jaguar XK120.

“For me, this old eight-seater limousine is the ultimate Phantom. It’s an enormous, six-metre vehicle and weighs nearly three tonnes. We’re pushing the limits to give it a range to match a Tesla and the highest performance, and I know that if we can get this one right, every other car is going to be so easy,” says Lorenz. “Then we’re going for ultimate performance with the XK120, so it’s got completely different challenges, but we’re being incredibly respectful of the original car. You won’t know it’s been converted until you switch on the motor. It will be able to compete with 28

modern sports cars, yet you’re driving a 1953 Jaguar with the look and styling.”

Hilton says of these challenges: “The production process when these cars were first built was very different to today’s, and the Phantom is quite a feat of hand-building. Some of our biggest challenges are undoing bodge-jobs from the past. We take our classic cars to bits and restore them to the highest possible standard before adding our upgrades.

We improve the safety, performance and handling.”

This balance between loyal restoration and modern performance lies in the quality of Lunaz Design.

“The change from petrol to electric isn’t straightforward, but all of our components are new. We’ve designed everything in-house to make sure it all fits properly,” says Hilton. “Most conversions use batteries from older or damaged Teslas as standard, but we’re not comfortable not knowing the history of our parts. We fit new motors, controllers, batteries; new everything.”

Both Hilton and Lorenz admit that, as self-confessed petrolheads, part of the appeal of certain classic car has always been the roar and power of the engine. But both are convinced that even the most sceptical of classic car owner would not be disappointed with these conversions.

“I spent 17 years of my life building Formula 1 engines – you can’t find anybody who’s more of a petrolhead than me,” says Hilton. “But these cars are brilliant. While we’ve had to take away some features, like the noise and smell, we’re giving them extra performance, traction and cruise control, electric power steering, and other features that makes the cars not just nicer to drive but more usable. The real shame of some of these beautiful old classic cars is that you can’t actually drive them – but now they can have another life.”

“To strip these cars back and give them another 60 years of life – that’s what we’re doing,” agrees Lorenz. “Our batteries will do 250,000 miles before they need to be changed, therefore we’re upgrading just about everything on the vehicle to coincide with this, including restoring the body and paintwork, of course “Classic cars are an obsession. We don’t want to take the absolute joy of owning these vehicles away from the owner, we want to make sure they can continue to be enjoyed. The conversion also opens up classic cars to a new market of individuals who love the look of a classic but don’t want the headache that goes alongside owning one. Imagine your 1961 Rolls-Royce Phantom could be as reliable as a 2019 model? It’s the absolute dream,” he says. “The world is moving into a more environmentally conscious state, and we have to act on it and reduce our emissions, especially in the cities. I’m so glad that our business is in line with that, and we can keep the beauty of owning classic cars.” lunaz.design

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Lunaz has converted the iconic Rolls-Royce Phanton V (this picture) and Jaguar XK120 (top left)

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DRIVING FORCE As Bugatti celebrates its 110th anniversary, company president Stephan Winkelmann tells Tempus how the marque stands the test of time Words: Gareth Herincx

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hen Ettore Bugatti created his first car in 1909, he could never have imagined that his company would evolve into one of world’s most desirable luxury brands. Bugatti has had its challenges, but since its most recent rebirth in 1998, it has never looked back.

Stephan Winkelmann, Bugatti’s president, is convinced he knows why the French car manufacturer has stood the test of time. “All those ups and downs, the glorious times as well as challenging ones, have made us who we are today,” he explains.

“Our long, colourful and proud history is a privilege, but even more I see it as a responsibility. The legacy of Bugatti has to be remembered, yes. However, this is not enough – we have to keep building it, for the generations to come. So that they may see Bugatti with the same awe and pride that we feel today.”

Winkelmann refuses to compare the manufacturer to the world’s other legendary automotive names such as Ferrari, Rolls-Royce and Bentley. “We live by one of Ettore Bugatti’s key credos: ‘If comparable, it is no longer Bugatti’. Bugatti has always, but maybe today in its modern era more than ever, been at the pinnacle of the industry. We, and even more importantly our customers, don’t see Bugatti as the rival of anybody,” he says.

“The question isn’t whether to buy a Bugatti or the car of some other manufacturer. It is whether or not to crown the collection with a Bugatti. Our customers all have at least 30 cars in their private collection, of all different brands. Their Veyron, Chiron, and as of next year Divo, are most often one of their most esteemed cars.”

When Bugatti was resurrected by the Volkswagen Group and production restarted within the grounds of Italian-born Ettore’s family home in Molsheim, France, the launch car was an instant hit. The Veyron was the ultimate supercar and went on to claim the prestigious title of the world’s fastest production car with a speed of 257.87mph (415km/h) achieved in 2010.

Fast-forward to 2019 and the Veyron’s successor, the Chiron (retailing at around $3m or £2.6m), is the company’s new superstar supercar, while its limited-edition track-focused sibling, the $5m (£4.4m) Divo, sold out on its first day of availability. »

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Above: Ettore Bugatti in his first car, the Type 10. Right: A modern Bugatti Type 57

GLITTERING PAST

MOVING WITH THE TIMES

Of course, today’s Bugatti cars are a far cry from the company’s golden age, coinciding with the career of the phenomenal Type 35 which dominated the racing scene from 1927 to 1931. It was also the car that introduced the famous horseshoe-shaped grille that has been a signature of every Bugatti since, and one of the essential elements of the brand.

“We see the modern Bugatti cars as a synthesis of the qualities of historical cars such as the Type 35, to this day the most successful race car in history; the Type 41 Royale, a limousine developed for kings and queens; or the Type 57 SC Atlantic, one of the most iconic car design of all times,” Winkelmann says proudly.

“Ultra-high performance, yet easiness to drive; comfort and luxury; elegance and design – this is what Bugatti has stood for in the past and should always stand for.”

However, the company president is in no doubt that the Bugatti Atlantic, also known as Type 57 SC, is the most desirable Bugatti of all. Styled by Ettore Bugatti’s son Jean, one example of this model was sold at auction in 2016 for more than $10m (£8.8m).

“An iconic design as well as its extraordinary history with only four models made and one mysteriously disappearing during World War II, makes this car maybe the most coveted in automotive history,” he says.

And Winkelmann’s favourite model? “My job is to look ahead, to work on the future of the company. My personal favourite is, therefore, always the next car that will come some day in the future,” he says.

Bugatti’s mighty 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16 engine has featured in the Veyron, Chiron and Divo, but there’s a question mark over whether it can survive in our eco-friendly times.

“The W16 engine is a unique piece of technology, unrivalled in the automotive world,” Winkelmann says. “We will celebrate its existence as long as possible but, looking at the regulations that car companies have to respect for the future, electrification is without any doubt the future of the whole industry.

“However, it is starting with volume manufacturers offering mobility. Right now, there is no car that can translate the technology for a hyper sports car, but I’m sure this will come in the future.”

When it comes to the future, Winklemann keeps his cards close to his chest. But he doesn’t dismiss the prospect of a luxury saloon, limousine – or even an SUV. “We have great ideas for a Bugatti with a different body type. Such a decision has to be well planned out, though, because of all the implementations that it would have for our organisation,” he says.

“The production facilities alone would have to grow considerably, and this is an important decision and investment.

Nothing has been decided yet, but I feel that the whole team and the brand are ready for it, we are ready for more.”

CRUISE CONTROL However, he is adamant, despite the continued media speculation, that there may never be an attempt to reclaim the fastest car record with the Chiron. »

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ALL THOSE UPS AND DOWNS, THE

GLORIOUS TIMES AS

WELL AS CHALLENGING ONES, HAVE MADE US

WHO WE ARE TODAY

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“As I’ve been saying from the day I started at Bugatti: a world record is not our priority,” says Winklemann. “The Chiron is an incredibly fast car, as was the Veyron. It is a shame that through the amazing performance on a straight line the other outstanding qualities of these hyper sports cars are often pushed into the background in the public perception or even by the media.

They offer so much more than just top speed, and performance means so much more than just top speed and acceleration.

Therefore, for the Divo we shifted the focus more on lateral than longitudinal acceleration.”

Bugatti is now in rude health with a global sales balance, so while the US is its single biggest market, Europe is the largest region with the UK, Germany and Switzerland leading the way.

There’s also a strong presence in in the Middle East, plus SouthEast Asia and Japan.

“These are just statistics,” adds Winklemann. “What matters most are our customers who can be found all over the world.

They are a very diverse group of ultra-high-net-worth individuals.

Whereas in the public eye the actors, musicians or sportsmen are most known, the majority of our customers are entrepreneurs in different business sectors.”

“When you buy a Bugatti, you become part of the Bugatti family. We have a very close and personal relationship with all of our customers, and they all are very important and dear to us.”

Appropriately, Bugatti celebrated its 110th anniversary with the unveiling of the ‘110 ans Bugatti’ Chiron Sport – billed as a “tribute to France”. Limited to just 20 examples, the vehicle is finished in stunning matt steel blue and its active spoiler sports the French tricolour.

There’s no performance boost for the 1,479bhp hyper car, but then, with a sub-2.4 second 0-62mph time and a top speed of more than 260mph, it’s not really necessary. bugatti.com 34

SPEED The Chiron Sport ‘110 ans Bugatti’ is a celebration of the brand’s 110-year anniversary

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Need for speed: A classic and modern Bentley meet the Breiling Jets at IWM Duxford

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AGEING GRACEFULLY Ahead of Bentley Motors’ 100-year anniversary on 10 July, Tempus looks at the history and future of Britain’s most important motoring brand Words: Rachel Ingram | Photography: Mark Riccioni | Shoot director: Georgia Peck

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Above: Original interiors of the Blower. Right: 1929 Bentley 4½ Litre Birkin ‘Blower’ and Bentley Continental GTC

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n 10 July, Britain’s most iconic motoring brand, Bentley Motors, celebrates its centenary. Not only is this a chance to look at the manufacturer’s incredible service to motoring, it’s a chance to assess the evolution that continues to make it the country’s most powerful, and luxurious, producer of high-performance grand tourers.

Over the 100 years since Bentley was founded by WO Bentley in 1919, the company has been a pioneer of automotive innovation, while setting a precedent for motor racing – the brand received a staggering five victories at Le Mans in the 1920s, plus a sixth in 2003. It has also set new standards for luxury in motoring, thanks to its dedication to premium performance, fine craftsmanship and high-quality materials.

“As you can imagine, to celebrate the centenary of a luxury brand like Bentley is a big challenge,” says Stefan Sielaff, director of design and director of Mulliner, Bentley Motors. “Bentley’s very much related to heritage, but the anniversary also gives us the chance to look into the future. How do we continue with our brand? What is the future of luxury? How does society change?

How do trends change? What are the key indicators for our brand and our product in the future?”

The answer to these questions comes in the form of the Centenary Concept Car, which will be unveiled at Bentley’s

anniversary event on 10 July. Giving us the inside scoop on the soon-to-be-revolutionary vehicle, Sielaff reveals that the launch will act as a statement of intent from the brand that combines the team’s aspirations in regards to technology, design, sustainability and social responsibility.

The concept car is just one of the eagerly awaited innovations designed to celebrate the anniversary – other highlights include the limited-edition vehicle Mulsanne WO Edition by Mulliner, which pays tribute to Bentley’s founder and even contains part of his very own car, and the Breitling Premier Bentley Centenary Limited Edition timepiece, developed in collaboration with the motoring brand’s long-standing watch partner.

In this special feature, we celebrate the first 100 years of Bentley by showcasing a classic 1929 Bentley 4½ Litre Birkin ‘Blower’ (developed by Sir Henry “Tim” Birkin and driven in the historic Le Mans 24-hour race in 1930) and the new Bentley Continental GT Convertible in the grounds of the Imperial War Museum Duxford – an airfield as historic as the cars themselves.

We also speak exclusively with Sielaff about how his team manages to preserve Bentley’s heritage in the modern age, the careful balance between design and technology, the power of British craftsmanship… and what Bentley enthusiasts can look forward to in the next 100 years. » 38

BENTLEY’S VERY MUCH RELATED TO HERITAGE, BUT THE ANNIVERSARY ALSO GIVES US THE CHANCE TO LOOK INTO THE

FUTURE

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History meets modernity: The Bentley Blower and Bentley Continental GT at IWM Duxford

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Left: Bentley Continental GTC. Above: Stefan Sielaff and the Continental interior Tempus: 100 years on, how does Bentley Motors ensure that it’s always ahead of the curve?

Stefan Sielaff: As you can imagine, it’s design. We are in contact with a lot of colleagues outside of car industry. The car industry is normally very slow – it takes us five years to develop a new car – so we talk to fashion designers, architects, product designers, furniture designers, and so on, from industries that are more fast-paced. We talk to them about how they observe the development of society and the movement towards sustainability and social responsibility.

It’s become more and more clear that this is something we have to face and integrate in our cars in the future, not only with the power frame and the technology, but also with the design language and the materials. It’s a holistic project.

How are you adapting to these goals through your design work?

We have developed the Centenary Concept Car, which we will unveil on Bentley’s birthday on 10 July. It’s a manifestation of all of these goals I’ve been speaking about.

What can you tell us about the concept car?

I can’t say too much because otherwise it would spoil the product, but it will deal with a new propulsion technology.

It will tackle the concepts of driving and being driven. It will deal with sustainability, with social responsibilities and with new and alternative materials. With this launch, we will not only create the technology statement for the future, we will also give a design statement or, perhaps we could say a sociological or a society statement from our point of view on what is the future of luxury.

Does technology lead the design or vice versa?

I’d say its half-half – designers are in constant discussion with the engineers. For example, next week we have an engineering workshop where E-designers are participating to evaluate the future of Bentley and the next steps we must take. Therefore, I think we influence technological innovations, while engineers develop the creative technology that we should incorporate into the cars.

If you take the very simple example, the first time they build a full-electric Bentley, it has to be obvious that it 43

is still a Bentley. Every little kid and every old grandpa should be able to say, “Wow, this is a Bentley,” but it will look dramatically different to our Bentleys of today, and the Bentleys of the past, because of the technology.

How will you ensure that, through design, these electric cars will still look ‘like a Bentley’?

The first question always tends to be, “Is it a Bentley?” And we have to say “Yes.” The second question is, “Do we want to differentiate the electric Bentley from combustion Bentley?”

So, our job is the ensure that, whatever we do, it is always a Bentley – all new products must contain the design DNA, the design language, and criteria of Bentley. And then, we have to create the technology necessities that are different with electric cars to a combustion engine car.

It’s like being a three-Michelin-star chef. They have to reinvent themselves all the time, otherwise they would cook the same thing customers were eating 100 years ago, while the demands of the guests are different. So we have new ingredients, we have new spices, and all of a sudden, with the help of an extremely innovative designer, we have an innovative new product.

How has Bentley been adapting to meet demand for more sustainable products?

We’ve been working on alternatives that are suitable for a more sustainable or vegan lifestyle and a more ecological and responsible lifestyle. When you drive a luxury product like the Bentley, it’s a social statement, a statement that says we are not destroying the world with our carbon footprint and with the materials and the ingredients we are using.

Do you find it difficult having to factor this in while maintaining the quality craftsmanship and materials that Bentley is known for?

No, I think that it is somehow working together. When we are creating a new product, we need to enrich the product with alternative materials, especially in the interior. But we have the craftsman ability to do so within our factory. Our materials are not delivered by suppliers – we do a lot of stuff on our own; the stitching, the embroidery, the treatment of the materials. We believe that, in a digital world, human heart, blood and craftsmanship brings something to a »

Above: A Breitling Jet Squad pilot drives the Bentley Blower. Right: Breitling Premier Bentley Centenary Limited Edition brand that technology can’t. But it will be a necessity for the customer to experience the yin and the yang of the physical and digital. We will have the digital ingredients in our products because it is expected, but we also will have the craftsmanship. Not a lot of companies are able to do this – we are literally one of the last which is able to do everything completely in-house.

Do you think this dedication to British craftsmanship will continue to propel the brand’s popularity around the world?

Absolutely. Our young Chinese customers tell us, “We only buy the Bentley because it is such a British product. If you would produce a Bentley in China, we never would buy. We would not appreciate the brand.”

This ties into what’s happening with the European Union and Brexit. While I was working in Germany, I noticed we’ve lost a lot of our local heritage and our local culture.

Everything is the same in the end. In every city you go, you will only find Hermès and Gucci and Louis Vuitton. When I was a student in Italy 40 years ago, I bought the special olive oil you couldn’t buy back home to Munich. Or I’d buy a Stilton cheese in London. These days, we’ve lost a lot of local specialities.

In the luxury industry, it’s about local products and local produce, such as creating a piece of fabric on a 150- or 200-year-old loom. Craftsmanship technology has been almost forgotten, but those that remain contain the feeling of luxury, they contain the human heart that robots are not able to deliver. This is the product of the future.

Talk us through Bentley’s evolution over the last 100 years – what’s changed and what will never change?

WO Bentley’s most famous phrase was, “A good car, a fast car, the best in its class.” Obviously, what he wanted to say was that he wanted to make a luxury product, something

extraordinary, something beyond average. And I think that statement has continued to ring true for the last 100 years. Nevertheless, today we are not dealing with creating the fastest cars anymore, but we are definitely still dealing with something that is very, very special and this is what WO Bentley wanted to show, and what the Bentley Boys wanted to create.

It has also always been a fusion of the best in both luxury and performance. This fusion will continue because Bentley will always be a vehicle that is used very individually by the owner – it’s an almost romantic sensation. Even in the future, driving a Bentley will be about the experience. When you pack your suitcase and head off on a grand tour for two days or two weeks, you are completely free. The best of two worlds is something that is contained in this performance and luxury, which is a bit different to other brands like RollsRoyce – Rolls-Royce is pure luxury, but not performance.

Even when the world becomes autonomous and cars are driving autonomously, I believe we’ll still give our customers the opportunity to drive these vehicles on their own. Maybe not at 100% control, maybe at 50-50 or 70-30. You won’t be an object sitting in a tin box that’s delivering you from A to B. You’re still a personality who is able to make your own decisions when you’re a Bentley owner.

Speaking of the future, what’s in Bentley’s plans for the next 100 years?

I’ll be honest, nobody can foresee the next 100 years, but our technology road maps reach as far as the next 30. This is something we will embed and incorporate in our centenary concept car. It will be an example of what we want to do with the brand and with our product in the next 30 years.

Technology is, of course, influencing design. I always say that only with a technological innovation can you do a big jump to a big innovation in design. bentleymotors.com 44

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Watch a behind-the-scenes video of our exclusive photoshoot at tempusmagazine.co.uk

THE MEETING OF MINDS Behind Bentley’s historic partnership with Breitling Throughout its history, Bentley has collaborated with likeminded quality British brands and individuals, both as a means to stay relevant and to offer its customers something extra special.

Savile Row tailors Gieves and Hawkes, fashion label Temperley London and Britpop artist Sir Peter Blake are just a few of the brand’s modern partnerships. But its long-standing partnership with watchmaker Breitling is arguably it’s most successful – in fact, it would be fair to say this the most successful partnership between a watch company and a car manufacturer in history.

Their collaboration is in its 16th year – made official following a two-year sponsorship of Team Bentley’s Le Mans 24 Hours campaign from 2001 to 2003. This culminated in a personal touch, when Breitling created the onboard clock and instrumental designs for the ground-breaking 2002 Bentley Continental GT. Since then, Breitling for Bentley has produced artfully designed and impeccably engineered timepieces inspired by the car manufacturer – from the limited series 2003 Bentley Le Mans to the Premier B01 Chronograph 42 in Bentley British racing green.

“The highly successful and long-standing collaboration between Bentley and Breitling is an impressive example of how brands with shared values work together in an authentic way to enhance the performance of both,” says Adrian Hallmark, chairman and chief executive of Bentley Motors. “With our extraordinary motoring heritage of 100 years to build on, we are now firmly focused on a future characterised by our passion for innovation. Both Bentley and Breitling are defined by their unwavering technological progress, world-leading craftsmanship and a modern and pioneering spirit.”

At the Geneva International Motor Show in March, the brand unveiled the Breitling Premier Bentley Centenary Limited Edition. A trio of celebrations, the timepiece brings together elements of Bentley’s history with the expert craftsmanship and collaboration valued by both brands.

Produced in 18-carat red gold (200 pieces) and stainless-steel (1,000 pieces), the watch features an elegant wooden brown burl elm dial with black subdials. The movement is visible through a unique transparent caseback featuring a Bentley logo. On the left side of the 42mm steel case is a plate with an engraved “Bentley” inscription, which owes its inspiration to the dashboard of the historic supercharged 1929 “Blower” Bentley (pictured). The timepieces are presented on a brown leather strap whose pattern and stitching were inspired by the seats in a Bentley.

Breitling CEO Georges Kern says: “With our Premier Bentley Centenary Limited Edition, we celebrated not only Bentley’s 100th anniversary but also its intimate connection to Breitling.

Bentley is a modern brand with a strong historical DNA which aligns perfectly with our brand identity. Breitling and Bentley are known for quality, performance, and design excellence, and both companies are built on powerful legacies. We share a lot of fundamental values with Bentley as well as a rich history and heritage – in fact, Willy Breitling was a Bentley driver and was often seen at the wheel of one of their fine cars.”

Discover the Breitling Premier Bentley Centenary Limited Edition timepiece at breitling.com 45

100 YEARS OF PACE AND ELEGANCE We experience ultimate luxury – and champagne – with the brand new centenary anniversary First Edition Bentley Continental GT Convertible Words: Peter Malmstrom

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and torque and horses combine to deliver truly breathtaking power and performance.

In sport mode this beast assumes an even more angry persona – low-frequency grumbles and roars combine with a wonderful turbo ‘whinny’ like a testosterone-fuelled stallion. Coupled with the luxury and elegance created by Bentley’s design team, this is another masterful fusion of quality and power.

The run down to the Eurostar is pockmarked with traffic delays, roadworks and the inevitable variable speed cameras, which gives only a glimpse of the car’s true performance until the open roads of France allow more exploration of its full capabilities. I am immediately struck by the myriad of safety features Bentley has built in, which make it one of the safest cars on the road.

At first, the flash from the blind spot detectors on the mirrors is startling and the Bentley Safeguard Plus system takes a little getting used to as its big red warning triangles appear in the dash display with such forceful presence they invoke a brief moment of panic. In extreme cases, the system’s anti-collision system also applies the brakes.

But it also informs you if the tyre pressure is set too low for maximum speed, and displays the speed limit on every road in the heads-up display, even adjusting the limit for rainy conditions.

Ultimately, the car proves itself to be highly intelligent and the navigation system buried in the massive revolving centre touchscreen display, combined with the heads-up display on the windscreen, is a joy to use once you get your head around the complexity of the systems and sheer number of settings. Although confusing at first, once you’ve got used to them, the sensory and assisting features make for an amazing experience and the drive back proves to be much more relaxed as I learn to work with them.

When crossing the channel, the system automatically changes the clock and resets the head lights for driving on the right, an incredibly handy feature of this car which, after all, was designed for luxury continental motoring.

On arrival at Chateau d’Etoges, the Bentley seems entirely in its element against the elegant 18th-century backdrop (right). The styling changes and rakish masculine lines are even more accentuated with the roof down and draw much attention, prompting fellow hotel guests to enquire about the car, which is not yet on general release.

Finding fault with this fine motor car was difficult. Apart from the eight-speed gearbox, which was seemingly confused and overly busy at really low speeds (a problem I suspect easily resolved with more time and settings under the “custom set up” modes available), the only issue was the compromised boot space, which limited the amount of champagne we were able to onboard for the trip home. But if you travel light, and have your Louis Luggage sent on, you will have the most enjoyable experience in this new and wonderfully remastered classic that positions Bentley for another 100 years of excellence.

entley Motors has just achieved its 100th year of building some of the world’s finest and most desirable motor cars.

To celebrate this magnificent milestone, the manufacturer launched the First Edition Continental GT Convertible, heralding the beginning of a second century for a brand recognised the world over for quality, pace and elegance.

From the 4.5-litre supercharged Bentley Blowers of the 1930s, to the modern-day classics, Bentley’s cars have been the sporting gentleman’s car of choice, so we were delighted to be invited to test drive this brandnew centenary vehicle. And what better place to take it for a spin than the long, winding roads of France’s stunning Champagne region?

In search of the perfect location to test drive one of the world’s finest trans-continental grand tourers, we visit the vineyards of Hatt et Söner, a small-scale but exceptionally high-quality champagne producer.

From the first moment I see it I realise this car is special – you’d expect as much, given it features more than £51,000 of extras on top of the Continental GT Convertibles list price of £175,000. It is stunning in every respect. Finished in extreme silver with a blue hood, two-tone imperial blue and Portland hide interior, with diamond-in-diamond embroidery, plus embroidered Bentley logos and contrast stitching, it is one of the loveliest interiors I’ve ever seen.

Familiar Bentley touches, like the high-quality metal switches and controls still wonderfully cold to the touch, feel reassuring and reach back to a time when quality was remembered long after the price was forgotten – I suspect this will be the case with this modern masterpiece of automotive engineering. Meanwhile, unique design elements identify this as a First Edition – First Edition Union Jacks are positioned on the liquid-amber veneer and front wings, and a 19192019 emblem lights up the tread plate.

The more aggressive and masculine styling of the new convertible is noticeable, and the car is instantly the subject of much attention as it is delivered to the Tempus office in Mayfair. The colour, spec and new styling really makes it stand out in a crowd. When the styling genius at Bentley specced this car, to use a colloquial term, they nailed it.

Having driven many Continentals in the past, I thought I knew what to expect, but driving this car reveals a leap forward in Bentley’s evolution. Of significant note is the eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox that manages the power of the 6-litre, W12 configured, twin turbo, TSI engine, which delivers 630bhp, hurling the car effortlessly to 60mph in 3.7 seconds, and 100mph in 8.1. And with a top speed of 210 mph, this car can stand up against many high-performance sports cars, with four times the luxury.

The torque is another major selling point. When you look at a graph of bhp verses torque on a normal car, you see a gradual progression.

Not so with Bentley, whose torque graph looks like a breeze block with near-vertical torque progression between 1,000 and 1,300 rpm, topping out at a flat 900Nm of torque to 4,500 rpm, delivering huge power at these low revs for effortless acceleration with virtually no noise. On further application of the right foot, the revs start to pick up

bentleymotors.com, hatt-soner.com, chateau-etoges.com 46

LOW FREQUENCY GRUMBLES AND ROARS COMBINE WITH A

WONDERFUL TURBO “WHINNY”

LIKE A TESTOSTERONEFUELLED STALLION 47

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TAKING FLIGHT Tempus learns how Breitling CEO Georges Kern is keeping his eyes on the skies as he looks back at the brand’s unmatched legacy of aviation timepieces Words: Michelle Johnson

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here are few Swiss watch brands so closely tied to the skies as Breitling. The high-end watch brand was founded by Léon Breitling in 1884, focusing on the creation of simplified chronographs that outstripped his rivals.

But it wasn’t until the turn of the 20th century that the founder’s grandson, Willy Breitling, saw the brand’s time to fly – and make its mark as a pioneer of aviation.

“Breitling has long emphasised its aviation roots, but much of our heritage is unknown to modern buyers,” says today’s CEO Georges Kern. “For instance, Breitling played a key role in the development of the modern wrist-chronograph and was responsible for many of its defining innovations for over a century.

We created a separate push-button for the chronograph’s start/ stop/reset functions in 1915, and in 1923, separated the start/ stop function from the reset function.”

Willy took over the company at just 19 years old, leading the brand to develop the world’s first two-pusher chronograph, patented in 1934. Just two years later, Breitling had introduced its first Aviator’s Chronograph with black dial and luminescent hands – a watershed moment for aviation watches.

With these innovations on the clock, Breitling’s Huit Aviation Department was soon developing lightweight, luminous and reliable aviation clocks that could be installed in the dashboards of aircrafts – and with the second world war approaching, these were in immediate demand. Willy Breitling’s fledging department secured a contract with the British Royal Air Force to fit its fighter planes, putting them through a battery of tests to prove these timekeepers were as unshakeable as their pilots.

With such remarkable RAF performance, it’s no wonder the brand’s reputation for aviator’s watches continued to grow, and in 1952 this was further solidified with the first Breitling Navitimer. Just 10 years later, Breitling ascended even further with a special-edition Navitimer, featuring a 24-hour dial, which was designed by Mercury-Atlas 7 astronaut Scott Carpenter.

Carpenter put the brand’s expertise to the ultimate test by wearing the Navitimer throughout his mission on the Aurora 7 spacecraft in May of that year.

“Breitling has played an important role in various scientific fields and one of our watches, on Scott Carpenter’s wrist, was the first wristchronograph worn in space,” says Kern. “In fact, our watches have found themselves on some very prominent wrists over the years, including those of jazz great Miles Davis, French musician Serge Gainsbourg, and Formula 1 driver Graham Hill.”

Since then, Breitling has continued innovating within aeronautics as well as submersible timepieces, and served as timekeeper for various sporting events. “In addition to our strong links to aviation, we have also served as the official timekeeper at cycling races and motor sport events. We introduced some outstanding designs and models such as the Premier in the 1940s and the SuperOcean in the 1950s, which were linked to our Land and Sea World collections respectively,” he said.

As well as its technical innovations, Breitling has continued to champion collaborations with charities, brands and intuitions, including the Breitling Jet Squad – the world’s only civilian aerobatic jet team – Ocean Conservancy, and British national

BREITLING HAS LONG EMPHASISED ITS AVIATION ROOTS, BUT MUCH OF OUR

HERITAGE IS UNKNOWN TO MODERN BUYERS

The 2019 Navitimer Re-Edition (left) with the 1959 Navitimer 806

treasures including Bentley Motors, Norton Motorcycles and, of course, James Bond.

One of Kern’s favourite anecdotes is that of the unique Top Time wristwatch that Breitling produced for 1965 Bond film Thunderball, starring Sean Connery. The heavily modified watch, provided to British spy 007 by Q (portrayed by Desmond Llewelyn), worked as a Geiger Counter for the purposes of the film. The Breitling watch disappeared after filming, resurfacing at a car boot sale in 2012 where it was purchased for a mere £25.

It later sold at a Christie’s auction for a cool £100,000.

“Breitling is a brand with an incredible heritage and amazing stories,” says Kern. “To tell these stories rooted in the history of Breitling in a modern, emotional and engaging way, we use our collaborations with other brands and charities as well as our new #SquadOnAMission campaign.”

“One of our most recent highlights was the launch of the SuperOcean Heritage Ocean Conservancy Limited Edition in Bali. This limited-edition model celebrates our partnership with Ocean Conservancy and it also commemorates the commitment that we and our partners have to maintaining healthy oceans and clean beaches.”

These initiatives have been supported by the brand’s ‘squads’ of ambassadors. Pilots Jacques ‘Speedy’ Bothelin (see our interview, right), Paco Wallert and Christophe Deukeletare make up the Jet Squad; the Surfer Squad includes surfing champions Kelly Slater, Stephanie Gilmore and Sally Fitzgibbons; the Explorer Squad boasts Bertrand Picard, Inge Solheim, David de Rothschild; and the Cinema Squad consists of actors Brad Pitt, Adam Driver, Charlize Theron and Daniel Wu. “At Breitling, we believe in the power of a team, and the strength of a group. Our squad members are united by the passion, profession, and commitment they share and as a result, the squad concept perfectly expresses our focus on action, purpose, and style and underscores our identity as an informal and inclusive brand,” Kern says of the teams.

Whether by air, land, sea or silver screen, Breitling remains at the forefront of horological changes – whether that’s precise chronographs, cases that offer extreme protection, experimenting with smart technology, or simply the finesse and delicacy to make ever more detailed embellishments.

“Early this year, we introduced the first of our Re-Editions, which pay tribute to a carefully-chosen selection of iconic timepieces that represent our legacy. Each Re-Edition will be created with utmost attention to detail, giving new Breitling fans, as well as vintage collectors, a chance to own and enjoy their own exclusive piece of our legendary past,” says Kern, adding that throughout these new projects, Breitling’s eyes are firmly on the horizon. “We are focused on our future, but we never forget who we are and where we came from.” breitling.com 50

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BUILT FOR SPEED Breitling Jet Team founder Jacques ‘Speedy’ Bothelin shares why timing is everything when it comes to leading the world’s only civilian jet aerobatics team.

Tempus: How did you first come to establish the Breitling Jet Team?

Bothelin: I’ve wanted to be a pilot since I was a kid. I applied to be a fighter pilot in the French Air Force, but my eyesight was slightly on the low side. Instead, I started to fly in competitions and air shows. Very quickly I became successful. That was 38 years ago. When Breitling asked me to set up the team, I was delighted. It was a great challenge. Today, we have flown around the world performing. We toured Asia in 2012 and 2013, and the US and Canada in 2015 and 2016. It’s quite the experience.

Tell us about some of your highlights?

During the Asia tour, Breitling asked us to fly over Fukushima, just one year after the earthquake. We have a fantastic relationship with the Japanese people, and I think they really appreciated that we came to entertain them. It’s very rewarding to meet people and share our passion, regardless of our differences.

Other highlights were flying in iconic places in the US, like the Grand Canyon and Mount Rushmore. One of our final displays was at San Francisco Bay, flying at nearly zero altitude over crystal clear water between Alcatraz and the Golden Gate. It’s a dream for a European pilot.

What does it mean to be the world’s only civilian aerobatics team?

We are lucky to be considered the equivalent of a national military team. We’ve flown many displays here in the UK – we have even flown in place of the Red Arrows if their activities have taken them abroad, including later this year when they go to the US, which is a true honour. I admire them very much, and it’s especially flattering that our civilian team is seen as on that level.

I have always compared our display to a symphony orchestra, where every musician is part of a bigger picture. We train to fly smoothly and accurately, with precision and safety, but we never stop improving. Timing of our manoeuvres and the music we use is everything – all seven of us use the Breitling Navitimer.

Which jets do you fly?

The Breitling Jet Team in flight

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We use the Albatros L-39. It is a nice-looking aircraft with great performance, reliability and operating costs – although we must thank Breitling for giving us the possibility to properly train, maintain the jets and travel the world over the last 17 years.

We don’t know what the future holds, but it would have been impossible without their sponsorship.

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STAR GAZING With revolutionary nanotechnology and otherworldly materials, the Senturion Key could be the most unique supercar accessory in the universe Words: Rachel Ingram

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Left: The seven billion-yearold meteorite from which the S177 Senturion is crafted Right: The S177 Senturion

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n a modern era where we can pay for bills with our phones and unlock devices with our faces, the physical act of carrying car keys seems an unnecessary obligation. Car keys are one of the last mechanical accessories to be replaced with a digital alternative, and while some lower-end vehicles can be unlocked remotely – in March, Hyundai unveiled a digital lock that’s accessible through an app – supercars have retained a traditional key-in-lock system. Until now.

Senturion is an innovative British brand that has produced a revolutionary nanotechnology system enabling supercar owners to unlock their vehicles with a wrist-worn key, or bracelet. A Senturion is not just your standard piece of wearable technology – the famously unfashionable Apple watch didn’t exactly do wonders for the world of digital watches – it’s a work of art, both visually and technologically.

The practice of wearing keys dates back to Roman times. History tells us that affluent Romans would wear keys like rings or necklaces so their peers would know that they were rich and important enough to own things that needed protection. This notion returns for the modern consumer through Senturion’s unique key bracelets.

And while, there’s still a bit of Romanesque status-exhibition when one wears a Senturion key – models range from £16,000 to more than £200,000 – they’re also incredibly practical.

Senturion keys are embedded with world-leading RFID transmission technology that synchronises with all car brands, including Bentley, Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini, Bugatti, McLaren, Porsche, Pagani and Aston Martin.

It takes over 70 hours to hand-assemble each Senturion, using more than 1,000 unique components. Each is crafted from the finest materials – from titanium to rose gold; diamonds to, yes, meteorites – and each metal frame is hand-cast and polished by expert craftsmen, with flawless stones set by master jewellers.

What’s more, each collection is limited to no more than seven pieces, guaranteeing that, with the world population at seven billion, each owner will be one in a billion.

If one in a billion is not precious enough, the true luxury connoisseur can commission a one-of-a-kind one-off. These totally bespoke pieces can be customised to the owner’s tastes, or designed to match their car’s appearance, right down to the colour scheme, leather and stitching.

Stars who have commissioned such statement pieces include Olympic runner Usain Bolt, the proud owner of a bespoke Meteorite Senturion, and footballer David Luiz, who wears a bespoke black diamond model – the Chelsea defender also commissioned a special collection of 30 Senturions for each player in his team to celebrate its Premier League win in 2017.

The latest model, the Full Meteorite S177 Senturion, is the most exclusive to date. While previous models have contained elements of meteorite – a four billion-year-old asteroid found in Africa – the S177 is the first crafted entirely from the ancient precious material.

“This is a unique opportunity to strap a shooting star to your wrist and have it open and start your supercar,” says a Senturion spokesperson. “This is our most exclusive Senturion range to go on general release and the first fashioned entirely from meteorite.

The pattern seen on the meteorite is a result of the fusion of nickel and iron which is created as a star dies and then leaves the metal to cool for billions of years in space. This truly is a unique item and something that will give many years of pride in ownership.”

The S177 retails at a cool £211,550. Entry level shoppers can try out Senturion’s more accessible range, with pieces encased in titanium and starting at £16,000.

To view the range in its stunning entirety, you can’t just walk into a boutique. Instead, you’re invited to request an appointment at the company’s showroom in Mayfair.

With this ultra-exclusive brand setting a trend for wearable keys, starting your supercar the traditional way could soon be a thing of the past.

Senturion keys can be viewed by appointment only at the Senturion showroom in Mayfair, London. senturionkey.com 54

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COUNTRY LIVING The new partner of family-run luxury goods brand Englana, Jodie Kidd tells Tempus why she’s championing British made – while giving her competitive side a workout…

Words: Michelle Johnson

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odie Kidd makes no secret of her competitive nature. Her relentless drive and ambition have fuelled her career from early show jumping success to her domination of British fashion in the 1990s, as well as seen her take on rally races with Maserati, hike Peru’s Inca Trail for charity and transform a village local into a sustainability-driven, AA star-rated gastropub at the heart of her West Sussex community.

“Mine is a very competitive family,” says the businesswoman and mum of one. “We’ve all been brought up as sportsmen and sportswomen and in sport, to be successful, you have to win. It’s been ingrained from an early age to be winners in life.”

It’s this inner drive that compelled Kidd to reach out to the founders of Englana, a family-run luxury goods company, to champion its ‘Made in England’ ethos as a brand ambassador.

Established by entrepreneurial couple Helen and Philip Gutteridge, Englana’s accessories, such as leather boot and blanket bags, are designed with the countryside in mind, fitting perfectly in the family Range Rover or horsebox. They aim to marry this rural practicality with traditional English craftsmanship by using only British-sourced materials, textiles and artisans.

“I think it’s so important to support British businesses and local manufacturers, especially in these quite unstable times,” says Kidd, 40, adding that this commitment is inspired by her country upbringing – her father Johnny was a British show jumping champion, while brother Jack is a star of the polo scene.

Discovered aged 16 by legendary fashion photographer Terry O’Neill, Kidd’s 6ft height and distinctive look propelled her to supermodel status, with her sister Jemma (now Countess of Mornington) following in her footsteps. And whether she’s supporting sustainable fashion labels – her favourite is Vin + Omi – or designing her own collection for Englana, it’s clear that Kidd’s latest mission is all about ‘brand Britain’… »

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Tempus: Jodie, you’ve had a varied career as a model, driver, entrepreneur and more. How do you define success?

Jodie Kidd: I think it’s just being competitive. It’s been ingrained from an early age to be winners in life, whether that’s on the school sports field or on the back of a horse. My family has always wanted to succeed – there’s nothing like jumping off against the clock in show jumping or playing the last dying seconds in a polo match. It brings you the most incredible kind of feeling, and I suppose that love for challenging myself is something that carries over into the rest of my life. I think it’s in the genes; it’s hereditary.

What inspired you to approach Englana and become its ambassador?

I loved what Helen [Gutteridge] was doing with Englana – the quality of the products and how she’s supporting local English producers and suppliers. When I discovered the boot bag I thought, ‘Oh my God, this is genius’. Helen saw what was missing from the market and established such a core, countryside collection – now it’s evolving and becoming very chic to match those city trips, too.

I felt that we’re very like-minded. Englana has an unapologetically pro-British approach, supporting these small leather craftsmen and tanners, and legacy businesses that were once a quintessential part of their communities.

It’s also a gorgeous family-run company; they’re a lovely family who are very supportive of UK talent.

You’re working on your own Englana collection. How are you finding the process?

It’s really exciting. We’re looking at all the different colourways and I’ll be designing some travel pieces and extra items for the summer. It’s a relationship that’s going to grow and grow. What’s nice is that, although I’ve designed various items in the past – such as clothes for sports brands or my own trainers – with Englana I’m very much coming with my knowledge as a consumer and saying, This is what I love and use’ or, ‘This is what I can see my friends requesting.’ As a 40-year-old woman, who is both a mum and an entrepreneur, I need what works for my lifestyle.

It’s so much fun to be creative like this, particularly having been in the fashion world for so many years, albeit on the other side of the spectrum. It’s lovely that I can use my own creative juices and not just model someone else’s designs.

It sounds like a great creative challenge, but you’re very much a sportswoman as well. Are you taking on any physical challenges right now?

I’m always trying to take myself out of my comfort zone and push the envelope a little bit – that’s just my kind of mentality. I’ve always liked to push myself forward and live life to the max; and I love adrenaline. I don’t know why, but if someone says, ‘Right, come on, let’s climb a mountain’, I’ll be like, ‘Yeah, why not?’ I love doing challenges like that for charity – if I can help raise money for great causes then it’s even better – so I’m sure I’ll be doing a few of those in the near future.

But although I like to scare myself, the older I get the more I feel that I have to be a little calmer. As soon as I had [my son] Indio [in 2011], I stopped doing really dangerous things. I stopped racing cars and playing polo, because it’s all about my little boy now. I want him to grow up with a

mum, so I have to try not to scare myself quite as much as I used to.

You were a rally driver for Maserati for many years – how did you get into cars?

Oh, I’m a petrolhead through and through, but it came later.

I didn’t actually get my driving licence until I was 21, and then years later a friend of mine said to come and drive the Gumball Rally. After that I was presenting at the GQ Man of the Year Awards and sat next to [then-Top Gear presenter] Jeremy Clarkson, and we got chatting about the cars. He said it would be nice to get a woman, a model, to come and do the show, and I ended up breaking the speed record for their ‘Star in a Reasonably Priced Car’ segment. From that moment I knew I was hooked. I loved cars. I ended up having a long career racing for Maserati. It was a lot of fun.

Do you have any favourite cars?

I like cars that suit the mood of the day and where I am, but it’s so conflicting and difficult to choose. I love a good old classic. If I want to waft around the countryside, I will go for a lovely classic Mercedes Pagoda – it’s got lovely lines and good engine. For a modern car, it’s all about performance.

I want something practical, a hybrid, that sort of thing. I mean, if I had an open chequebook, I would get a Ferrari 250 California, short-wheel base.

The countryside is huge part of your life, particularly where you live in the Sussex Downs. Tell us about becoming a local landlady with the Half Moon?

When you live rurally, it’s so important for the community to have a place where everyone can come together. Half Moon is like the heart of the village – you can have your husband’s birthday or WI meeting or just come and have a natter after work. Developers keep buying off our little village pubs, and I’ve seen people become a lot more insular as a result. It’s so important to people’s mental health, to lifestyle, so when my local went up for sale I said, ‘Right, I’m not going to let this happen. A couple of friends and I bought the Half Moon – and then we said, ‘Okay, does anyone know how to run a pub?’ [laughs] The last two years have been a massive learning curve, but I think we’re really getting there. We’ve got lovely rewards for our customers and we’ve had great reviews. We are very focused on local produce – we only use organic produce from a 25-mile radius. Sometimes we’ve gone in the wrong direction, and then had to reverse. I’m really proud of everyone involved in the pub.

What was it like to step back on to the catwalk at this year’s London Fashion Week as a model for sustainable brand Vin + Omi? It was kind of like, ‘Here we go again…’ – there were lots of memories. But what Vin + Omi are doing is so incredible, so the bigger picture of walking for them was very special.

Everything they do is made out of recyclable plastics – my whole dress was made out of plastic bottles – but the fabric is amazing, you’d never know. It really showed that you can wear beautiful fabrics that can be created through recycling. We have to look after our planet now, it’s all about conservation, so to be involved was really rewarding. englana.com

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WITH ENGLANA, I’M VERY MUCH COMING WITH MY KNOWLEDGE AS A CONSUMER AND SAYING,

THIS IS WHAT I LOVE AND USE

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HOT TO TROT When dressing for the polo, don’t chukka on just anything. Here, stylist Sarah Kate Byrne and menswear consultant Chris Modoo give us their essential guide to fashion in the field Words: Rachel Ingram

The Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club’s International Day is the event of the season Credit: Sam Churchill Photography

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t might surprise you to learn that, when it comes to style, polo is one of the more welcoming equestrian sports. There is no official dress code, no rules and no strict regulations.

Unlike at the Royal Enclosure at Ascot, spectators are not required to wear a hat or certain hemline length. So if you’re planning to tread in the divots, you can be as dressed up or as dressed down as you wish – to an extent.

Whether in corporate hospitality or picnicking on the field, comfort is as key as style. So be mindful of the forecast and dress appropriately for the day – you won’t find short skirts flapping and hats flying off heads here, as you do so often at Cheltenham, Aintree and Ascot.

Here, two of London’s leading fashion experts give Tempus their top tips for dressing for the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club’s International Day on 27 July – one of the most exciting and elegant events of the season – come rain or shine. »

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Gentlemen’s rules

by Chris Modoo

BLAZER SQUAD When you’re dressing for corporate hospitality, the key is the blazer. It’s such an easy thing for a man to wear. After a few years of having a bad reputation, the gold- or -brass-button blazer is having a moment and will see you through virtually all your corporate summer occasions. You can do any colour of trousers with this because it’s such a neutral. I think a white jean or a white cotton drill is very “polo” because it echoes the polo jean of the players.

LEGGING IT The most casual look for spectators is a polo shirt and chinos – avoid branded shirts with the polo logo on because that’s just too obvious. The best way to wear chinos, especially on a hot day, is to roll them and have them a bit shorter, with no socks. It’s just a little bit more interesting than the slightly too-long chino that puddles around a man’s shoes. Then, I’d wear a simple driving loafer, which brings a bit of colour to the outfit.

AND BREATHE… On a hot day linen is the most comfortable cloth because it breathes and is very cool on the skin. A lot of men are scared of this fabric because they don’t like creasing. As head-to-toe linen is difficult, I always advise to have an element of it in your outfit – an easy way would be to stick a beautiful linen shirt under your blazer.

If you’re new to linen, put it with a cotton shirt and trousers, or a light pair of wool trousers. If you’re nervous about creasing, a textured linen like herringbone is a bit more sympathetic. It will always crumple gently rather than leave those horrible, sharp creases.

In the hottest weather, the most comfortable material is seersucker. This is a traditional cloth which comes from the days of the Raj. It’s usually cotton, or sometimes cotton blended, and has a shrunken warp and shrunken weft which has a raised surface, so it doesn’t actually touch the skin. It’s so, so comfortable and quite sophisticated –but I don’t like seersucker suits because I think it’s a bit “Andy Pandy”, so just wear a little bit as part of an outfit.

Fairfax & Favor

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STYLE

ACCESSORIES ALL AREAS Polo is glamorous so it’s all about good accessories, such as an expensive watch and a pocket square. A good pocket square really lifts a jacket –it looks a bit more dressed up, a bit more considered, without much effort.

I’d always say that if you don’t have to have a tie, I wouldn’t wear a tie. Instead, you can wear a double-cuff shirt with really cool cufflinks and an open neck – I think that looks really good. If you do wear a tie, I’d be inclined to wear something quite simple.

A spot or club-stripe tie always looks very smart.

When it comes to hats, opt for a simple, classic panama. As for shoes, I’d go for a chukka boot, which takes its name from the sport. A good sort of reverse-calf Chelsea boot or a lace-up boot is also a really easy way of dressing for the polo.

WHERE TO SHOP For mainstream stores, you could try Moss Bros or, for something in the middle market but still on the high street, look at British brand Hackett or Spanish Massimo Dutti.

You could also visit Kit Blake, which is up and coming. Oliver Brown is a really good English brand. It’s not just straight, classic menswear, it has always been quite innovative so it does interesting things with basics. The boutique in Lower Sloane Street always has a queue around the block during Ascot week. » moss.co.uk hackett.com massimodutti.com kitblake.com oliverbrown.org.uk

Main and top left: Oliver Brown. Credit: Harry Soames

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For the ladies

by Sarah Kate Byrne

PRINTS CHARMING The beauty of polo is that you’re not buying something you’re only going to wear once. You can buy something that you could wear to the office or dress up for an evening. Summer garden prints are in style this year – it’s a real Chelsea Flower Show look that you can wear again and again, even in winter.

I’m a big a monochrome fan, so another look I love is black and white. It always looks so stylish and effortless, and it’s so easy to do. Try pairing a crop top with some palazzo culottes and some cream, or even red, espadrilles, a really cute look.

WALK THIS WAY For anything to do with horses, try and wear sensible shoes as you’re on your feet all day and navigating different surfaces.

I appreciate a block heel, certainly if you’re going to stamp in the divots. Cheltenham-designed Keith Scarrott does a lot of colours and combinations. Espadrilles are also a sensible choice. Have a look at Penelope Chilvers. Fairfax & Favor is also well known for beautiful loafers and boots – their knee-high boots work for polo, while their loafers are great with a skirt or chinos.

HATS OFF Hairbands are having a massive moment. Everyone’s wearing them. There are claims the Duchess of Cambridge started the trend. She did not. I did. Have a look at Penelope Henderson on Instagram – she makes beautiful hair accessories.

If it’s sunny, you could wear a straw hat in a gentleman’s panama style – try Hicks & Brown. Sunglasses are a no-go – if you want to watch the polo and if you’re talking to people, you shouldn’t be hiding behind your sunglasses.

IT’S A WRAP If it’s cooler, add extra layers under your dress. If you’re wearing a decent, heavy cotton, you can get away with thermals underneath.

Get a low necked thermal – Uniqlo has some good options.

If you must wear a jacket, go for a neutral. If you opt for a coat or a mac, roll up the sleeves – it will just make your outfit a little bit neater and tidier. Belt it at the waist to give you a silhouette.

You could also use a patterned silk scarf instead of a belt to add a pop of colour – always a stylish choice for the polo. eponinelondon.com keithscarrott.co.uk penelopechilvers.com fairfaxandfavor.com uniqlo.com 64

STYLE

Dresses: The English Garden collection by Eponine London. Inset: Shoes by Keith Scarrott

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THE NEW WAVE Superyacht owners are travelling further, playing harder and even developing an eco-conscience.

Tempus explores the trends making waves in the luxury yachting industry Words: Dominique Afacan

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uperyachts were once pretty predictable toys; built for extreme luxury, high-profile lounging and James Bond-style jaunts between glamorous ports. Today, there is change on the horizon. The next generation of yacht owner wants to travel to places that none of their friends have been before – and they also want to give back to the far-flung communities that they visit. They want to see their destinations from the sky and from the ocean floor – and they have all the gadgets to enable them to do just that. »

New ‘explorer yachts’ are enabling travellers to reach destiantions as far-flung as Antarctica © Justin Hofman

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Antarctica Legend is one of the many vessels piloting the explorer trend © JustinHofman

GUESTS MIGHT HAVE PENGUINS OR

HUMPBACK WHALES

FOR COMPANY, BUT IT’S UNLIKELY THAT THEY’LL SPOT ANOTHER HUMAN FOR THE DURATION OF THE TRIP

GOING THE EXTRA MILE A few years ago, taking your yacht out to the Med for the summer and then zipping to the Caribbean for winter was pretty much the done thing for the superyacht crowd. But while bragging rights may once have come from securing the best berth in the likes of Monaco or St Barths, or bagging the top table at Nikki Beach, today’s owners and charter guests are heading further afield.

Much further afield. Specially adapated ‘explorer yachts’ are enabling travel to destinations as far away as Antarctica, where colossal icebergs loom in every direction, and gin and tonics even come served with ice plucked straight from the water. Guests might have penguins or humpback whales for company, but it’s unlikely they’ll spot another human for the duration of the trip.

Ben Lyons, CEO of Eyos Expeditions, a company which accompanies yachts on these journeys, believes this thirst for adventure is a reflection of a bigger movement. “There is an overall trend towards experiential travel now,” he says. “People want a more immersive, interactive experience than simply sitting on a yacht in the Med. There is an awareness that you can use your yacht as a platform for experiences now – that yachts are able to take people to areas that they couldn’t go otherwise.”

Beyond Antarctica and the Arctic, destinations including Papua New Guinea and the islands of Raja Ampat are also garnering attention, the main draws being incomparable diving opportunities, pristine beaches and stunning seclusion.

It’s all a far cry from the old, crowded haunts – although show up in Monaco at the height of summer and it’s pretty clear that it’s still business as usual. Yacht owners today are simply enjoying the best of both worlds. And why not? eyos-expeditions.com 68

FORECAST

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The Galapagos is one of the many places where locals have benefited from the support of yacht owners

MAKING WAVES Superyacht owners have become increasingly proactive about helping the destinations and natural environments they are passionate about. Some are inviting scientists on board to carry out ocean-based research as they travel; others are helping move aid or providing disaster relief to coastal communities. The latter is often carried out with the help of organisations such as YachtAid Global, which recently completed Operation Beagle in the Galapagos Islands – its title a nod to Charles Darwin’s time in the archipelago aboard the ship of the same name .

“We teamed up with superyachts DragonFly, Nomadess and ArcticP to bring clean water access, reusable metal water bottles, and school supplies to local schools,” says Zoran Selakovic, YachtAid Global’s director of operations

and strategy. Their efforts resulted in 8,000 children getting access to clean water.

There are many more examples – Tara Expeditions organising scientific research voyages on board Tara, a sailing yacht owned by fashion designer Agnès B; REV, a mammoth superyacht currently in build which will incorporate laboratories, a conference centre and an auditorium into its 183 metres; and Dunia Baru building a learning centre in Raja Ampat.

For the owners, these efforts are solutions to conserve the places they love to travel to. “By building this learning centre, which hopefully will be the first of many, we are investing in the future of the region. It’s exciting,” says Mark Robba, owner of Dunia Baru. yachtaidglobal.org 70

FORECAST

Forget Jacuzzis, personal submarines are the new must-have accessory

SEA CHANGE Once upon a time, if your superyacht had a Jacuzzi on board and a couple of jetskis in the garage, you were doing well. Today, standards have taken a leap. Instead of a Jacuzzi, there’s likely an infinity pool with builtin waterfall and swim-up bar. On Okto, the aft deck pool can even change colour – thanks to underwater lighting that swaps between blue, red and green on demand. Meanwhile, instead of jetskis, there are electric surfboards, Seabobs and Chanel paddleboards (yes, really). Some owners are even bringing along an extra boat – a ‘support yacht’ – to cope with all the extra kit.

Yachts have been getting bigger, too, which means there’s often scope for helipads and bigger toy garages.

Helicopters are on the up, in every sense, as are personal 71

submarines. “Instead of using yachts solely as vehicles for entertainment and transportation, many owners are now using them as exploration platforms; and submarines provide unique access for these ocean adventures,” explains Karen Hawkes, co-founder of Deep Flight submarines (above), who build some of the most advanced personal subs in the business.

Back on the surface, you can expect gargantuan inflatable slides, climbing walls and even yacht golf, where the eco-friendly balls are made from fish food.

And no superyacht worth its (sea)salt comes without a fully equipped gym. On Enigma, it’s glass-sided and located on the main deck, so you needn’t forfeit those epic views for your morning workout. No excuses! deepflight.com

FLOAT THERAPY Classic glamour and silver service with the personal touch plus adventure aplenty – Tempus discovers how the luxury Seabourn Odyssey is rebooting the traditional cruise…

Words: Rachel Ingram

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uxury cruiseline Seabourn doesn’t like the word ‘boat’ for a reason. Preferring the term ‘floating hotel’, each ship sleeps up to 400 guests who enjoy Michelin-star dining, luxury spa treatments and free-flowing premium champagne as they traverse the globe. Designed for those who want all the amenities and services of a five-star resort while visiting multiple locations without having to pack and unpack, Seabourn offers travellers a stress-free, convenient alternative to hotel-hopping in some of the world’s best locations – its six-strong fleet docks everywhere from tropical islands to Arctic landscapes and colourful cities, all in pursuit of luxury, culture and adventure.

When I was invited to join Seabourn Odyssey for a Caribbean expedition I was unsure of what to expect, filled with expectations of windowless cabins and lukewarm buffets. But on checking into my Veranda Suite, I’m met with my first surprise. My sizeable cabin is comparable to a mid-sized hotel suite, with walk-in wardrobe, bedroom, living and dining area, bathroom with both bath and shower, and balcony. In fact, all rooms have outside space or, at the very least, large windows, so there’s no fear of getting cabin fever.

I’m greeted with a note from the captain, a fresh fruit platter (refreshed daily) and a bottle of champagne.

Champagne, it turns out, would become as constant as water, as bubbles flow at all times of the day and night. Hangovers are eased by the sight of a different panoramic view every morning – the rush of, ‘What am I going to see today?’ when you whip back your curtains is something that land-based hotels simply can’t offer – and soon become the most treasured part of my day. »

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Above: Inside a Penthouse Suite Right, clockwise: Interiors of Seabourn Odyssey, The Grill by Thomas Keller

Odyssey was designed by Petter Yran and Bjorn Storbraaten, the same architectural duo who designed the original Seabourn ships. As such, it’s got a distinctive feel of classic cruise glamour, while still being contemporary.

If it wasn’t for the subtlest swaying as you weave your way down the hallway on a choppy evening, you could easily think you’re in a five-star hotel. Odyssey is home to four restaurants – one of which is run by a Michelin star chef – three bars, an outdoor pool, a spa, a gym and a theatre where the entertainment team puts on daily events, from comedy nights and eye-opening talks with experts, to fullscale productions and musicals.

Touches of 1910s cruise life – including Titanticstyle black-tie Captain’s dinners – cater to older guests, while modern gatherings encourage those of all ages to mingle. Solo travellers are invited to a ‘singles’ night on the first evening, with the opportunity to meet other lone travellers. Likewise, the ship hosts an LGBT event where likeminded guests can meet.

After my first wake-up call – with vistas over the island of St Kitts – it’s time for the first shore excursion, or ‘shorex’, of our trip, a ‘beach party’. Picture a steel band on the sand, free-flowing cocktails and a Seabourn-style barbecue – cue white tablecloths and silver cutlery.

The highlight of the day is Seabourn’s signature ‘caviar in the surf ’ experience, where caviar is paraded out on a surfboard in the ocean break. They get through a staggering 1.5kg of the luxe hors d’oeuvre during this

activity, which sees the crew preparing caviar-laden blinis and handing them out to paddlers while, naturally, topping up their champagne. I’m pleased to see cruise director Chelsea Coyce approaching my paddleboard, usually dressed to the nines in an evening dress or power suit but on this occasion in uniform, waist-high in the water with the rest of the crew.

Back on land, I ask Coyce why guests select Seabourn over other cruiselines. “I think people choose Seabourn for the experience and hospitality,” she says. “The name recognition, the attention to detail, the human experience… yes, the amenities are important, but it’s about the service. The guests feel very special here.”

I soon witness this firsthand. While relaxing and sipping on fresh coconuts, we watch two members of the crew carefully and patiently helping an elderly lady out of her wheelchair and into the waves, holding her as she paddles in the sea, grinning from ear to ear. The woman, we later find out, is 84-year-old Toby from New York who is on what she describes as a “last hurrah”. Her daughter Betty reveals that this is Toby’s first time in the sea in 20 years due to her diminishing physical health, which makes the moment all the more special.

The pair are staying in the Owner’s Suite and we are lucky enough to be invited inside for a sneak peek. This giant space includes a wraparound balcony, two walkin closets and a sizeable living area and entertaining spaces where staff put on a spread of champagne and 74

canapés – this service is available, free of charge, to any guest wishing to host newfound friends, of which there are many.

As the Seabourn ship is smaller than your usual liner (with 400 guests supported by over 350 crew), you get to know many people on board, whether at dinner, while relaxing by the pool or joining the many on- and offboard activities. Each day’s activities and excursions are presented in The Herald, a daily newsletter placed in everyone’s suites alongside special treats and restaurant menus for the following day.

With four restaurants to choose from, deciding where to dine is perhaps the most difficult decision to make. Put all ideas of bland buffets out of your head – dining on Seabourn Odyssey is something else. After all, the company is a member of prestigious gastronomic society Chaîne des Rôtisseurs. And it shows.

The pinnacle of the restaurant offering is The Grill

by Thomas Keller, a classic American steakhouse by the Michelin-star chef behind The French Laundry in California. Designed like a train carriage from the 1950s or 60s, this establishment revives the old-school glamour feel of train travel. With an intimate ambiance and an interactive menu – start with a caesar salad that’s mixed at your table, before indulging in Keller’s signature lobster thermidor or your choice of steak with all the trimmings – it’s a must-do for all guests. Guests can enjoy one dinner every week at The Grill at no »

ESCAPE

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GUESTS CAN WORK OFF THE OVER

INDULGENCE AND STRETCH THEIR SEA LEGS WITH A PROGRAMME OF SHORE

EXCURSIONS

extra cost. In fact, everything onboard is included in your room cost, so there are no tacky wristbands or receipts to sign – except in the spa and shop, which sells a variety of tax-free clothing and accessories.

For a more formal affair, visit The Restaurant, where guests are invited to dine with senior members of the crew. If, after three-course meals thrice a day, you find yourself craving something lighter or more casual, visit the open-air Earth & Ocean on the poolside patio, where chefs serve fresh, internationally inspired dishes under the stars. This is, along with The Grill, my favourite spot to spend an evening, followed by a cocktail in the Observation Bar overlooking the bow of the ship.

Guests can work off the overindulgence and stretch their sea legs by selecting from a generous programme of shore excursions. These range from mountain biking through the jungle in St Lucia – where we end up having a close encounter with a boa constrictor; and rum and chocolate tasting on the colourful island of Guadeloupe; to a catamaran sailing adventure to the billionaire’s playground of Mustique – the latter a particularly special experience considering this retreat rarely welcomes visitors.

On the last evening, we sit around talking about our favourite Seabourn moments. While some, like Toby’s paddle in the sea, are grand, mine are smaller but just as impactful – swimming with turtles in Mustique, being brought coffee in bed by my butler and, of course, those morning views.

With such incredible experiences and service on offer, it’s no surprise that around 70% of guests are repeat customers. While most are from the US, Britain and Europe and in the 40-65 baby-boomer age bracket, there are also few honeymooners, single and group travellers. With Seabourn’s fleet increasing in the coming years – new purposebuilt expedition ship Seabourn Venture sets sail to remote locations such as Svalbard and Iceland in 2021 – it seems a shore thing that they’re going to continue widening their client base and attract a younger and more adventurous clientele. seabourn.com

Clockwise from right: Gustavia, St Barths; Bridgetown, Barbados; Watersports on Seabourn Odyssey 76

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PARK LIFE

Above: Parked cars become artworks at this high-octane Hampstead property in north London

Whether you collect classic or supercars, where you keep your vehicles should make as much of a statement as your home Words: Cheryl Markosky

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s befits the former head of the McLaren Formula One team, Ron Dennis is building something definitively 21st-century beneath his Wentworth Estate mansion – an extensive subterranean garage with a revolving turntable.

Like other well-heeled homeowners, Ron wants a safe place to house his collection of expensive vehicles.

However, F1 tycoons aren’t the only automobile aficionados desirous of the finest facilities for their collections – it’s now a worldwide trend. Inger Stringfellow of Sotheby’s International Realty in New Canaan, Connecticut says more people are driven to possess multiple garages with lifts for their sports cars.

“Garages holding a minimum four cars are regarded as standard and Tesla plug-ins are becoming increasingly common,” Stringfellow says. In an affluent suburb where Maseratis and Mercedes abound, she adds, some owners are even constructing garages with equipment to wash and service cars.

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When you purchase a top-end property – particularly in Palma where parking in the old cobbled lanes is at a premium – there are creative solutions to avoid beautiful cars getting a lot of scratches, declares Paul Smith from Fine & Country Mallorca. One noteworthy home he’s selling features an unobtrusive underground garage – “it’s very ‘batcave’, with its secret drive and hydraulic lifts,” says Smith – where the current owner stores his vintage race cars, some of which will remain as part of the sale.

A car showroom space for eight artistically lit cars, a turntable and racetrack footage on a loop is the highlight of a north London house marketed by Arlington Residential’s Marc Schneiderman. “Somebody of a similar ilk to the car enthusiast owner will view this as a sophisticated feature that goes several stages beyond the typical garage,” he says. Read on as we round up some of the greatest garages on the market. »

LONDON | HAMPSTEAD It’s one thing to love this seven-bedroom Winnington Road home for the cinema room, gym, wine cellar and Lutron lighting system. But when you see the equally optimally lit eight-car garage and car showroom, you – and your petrol-head guests – will be wowed on viewing it through the glass walls of the entertainment room (below right). £15.75m arlingtonresidential.com

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PROPERTY

MALLORCA | PORTALS NOUS Once owned by Norwegian oil baron Ola Peter Tollefsen – whose hobby is restoring American vintage cars to their former glory – this six-bedroom Andalusian-style mansion comes with grand entrance gates, walled gardens and the largest residential saltwater pool on Mallorca. It also has a garage that housed the Tollefsen collection. The lucky purchaser will get a Ford Thunderbird coupe (bottom right) and Sprint race car thrown in with the deal. » €5.25m (£4.52m) fineandcountry.com

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THIS FUTURISTIC SPACE MIGHT JUST BE THE

AMERICAN DREAM FOR ANY CAR COLLECTOR

USA | NEW CANAAN This historic Philip Johnson two-bedroom house on more than two acres in Connecticut is stunning as it is. But plans are in place for a purchaser to add a Mies Van der Roheinspired companion structure with three bedrooms and sky-lit underground garage (above). This futuristic space might just be the American Dream for any car collector… $7.7m (£5.9m) sothebysrealty.com 82

PROPERTY USA | POTOMAC What to do when two three-car garages aren’t enough?

In this six-bedroom Maryland home you can rest assured that there’s also an underground garage for up to 12 cars below the main house (a hidden “batcave” featuring full mechanicals, air, exhaust systems and tool room). All this and you get the ultimate party room with grilling lanai, heated pool/spa and waterfalls. Start your engines… $7.95m (£6.11m) christiesrealestate.com

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STANDING SENTINEL Security specialist Valkyrie shares its discreet solution to guarding your classic and high-value vehicles

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or any classic car purist, the idea of splicing into wires to clumsily fit modern electronics into vintage and highvalue cars is jarring to the conscience. But for those of us worried about the safety and security of our beloved motors, as well as the ungainly installation of ‘approved’ tracking devices, alternatives can be tricky to find. This was the inspiration behind the Valkyrie Sentinel Covert Tracker.

Created by those who own and love their cars, and have the technical expertise to build and install such an innovative solution, the tracker brings peace of mind and visibility to single or multiple asset ownership.

Most classic and high-value vehicles are not used every day and are stored away for special occasions, often with flat batteries and in underground car parks – which means that if a car is stolen or moved, an owner might not even be alerted for days or weeks after the fact.

Created by security solutions specialists Valkyrie, the Sentinel Covert Tracker is designed to meet these unique challenges and can be run as a standalone system for a single vehicle or to protect a whole fleet of cars, boats or even a plane.

What’s more, the system’s self-contained power supply means that you can receive reports about your assets – an address, map and, at the press of a button, even a satellite image of the exact location – once or twice a day for up to three years, thanks to the system’s self-contained battery supply.

Another issue Valkyrie was keen to take on was the monthly charges for a conventional tracker. With high-value cars, insurance companies might insist on a Cat 5 or Cat 6 tracker, which after purchase and installations expenses you then get hit for monthly charges. The Valkyrie Sentinel Covert Tracker is available to purchase with a one-time payment, which covers up to three years of reporting on any of your chosen

assets – trackers can be quickly and easily moved between assets or ‘embedded’ into vehicles to make the trackers almost impossible to detect. It is also possible to add Sentinel Trackers to cars with existing factory-fitted or high-end aftermarket trackers already installed, providing additional cover to vehicles where traditional trackers might be defeated by a simple flat battery.

Professional thieves are only too well aware that most modern high-value vehicles are protected by factory-fitted or quality aftermarket trackers, and will jam a vehicle while removing it to render the traditional tracker inoperative.

However, if they don’t know the Sentinel Tracker is there, it will continue to report in and significantly aid in the vehicle’s recovery, even if other trackers are disabled. Specialist Police crime units have heralded this innovation as a tool to significantly increase detection and recovery rates in the battle against high-value and classic car thefts in and around the London area where the tracker was launched.

Whether protecting your car, motorbike, boat, yacht or plane, the Sentinel Covert Tracker is a discreet and reliable tool to let you know where your vehicles are at all times – and, should anything go amiss, Valkyrie’s team of security experts are specialists at helping recover your cherished assets.

The tracker comes as a small black box, which can be branded or completely anonymous and is packed with highlyguarded technology. It uses a combination of WiFi GSM and GPRS to triangulate and report its position. An inbuilt WiFi transmitter can assist in ‘final mile’ location to enable Police or Valkyrie teams to recover missing assets.

For more information, contact Valkyrie at sentinel@valkyrie.co.uk or phone +44 (0) 203 5194 528

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THE

VALKYRIE SENTINEL COVERT TRACKER

IS A DISCREET AND RELIABLE TOOL TO LET YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR ASSETS ARE AT ALL TIMES

TECHNOLOGY

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AT BRIDGE OF WEIR

PEOPLE AND TECH

COME TOGETHER IN A UNIQUE BLEND OF CRAFT AND ADVANCED TECHNIQUE

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DRIVEN BY DESIGN Meet the Scottish firm producing the world’s finest automotive leather Words: James Bannister

Above: Parked cars become artworks at this high-octane Hampstead property in north London

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hen seeking craftsmanship in the automotive world, we tend to look to the past. The weathered hands of third- and fourthgeneration artisans tell the stories of a continuing legacy which is so rarely found in contemporary businesses. With preservation and progression often diametrically opposed, finding a quality product made in such timehonoured fashion is rare, remarkable and in high demand.

For Bridge of Weir – producer of the finest automotive leather since 1905 and today the UK’s only leather manufacturer for the automotive industry – a unique blend of artisan and automated has made it the only choice for some of the most discerning car manufacturers.

The leather produced by this relatively modest establishment on the outskirts of Glasgow has adorned milestone moments from the innovative Citroën DS to the reigning king of the supercar, the McLaren F1.

It is found in cars that cannot be described in any way but iconic. The Ford Model T, the Lincoln Continental, James Bond’s Aston Martins… Even the Eames Chair was upholstered in Bridge of Weir leather.

It continues to be found in the best vehicles.

Strapped into the rocketship McLaren 720S, you can choose to be ensconced in Bridge of Weir leather. The Ford GT, Jaguar’s F-Type

SVR, Range Rover’s Autobiography, the likes of Aston Martin, Singer Vehicle Design and the concept cars that light up car shows from Shanghai to Geneva… all are united in their use of fine leather by Bridge of Weir.

And whether the destination vehicle is a widely produced British heavyweight or a bespoke Porsche restoration, the process remains the same. From raw hide to finished sumptuous leather, it’s handled entirely in house. This not only ensures absolute quality control but also allows Bridge of Weir to offer its clients true flexibility.»

Looking at the company’s back catalogue, it’s clear the human connection has been absolutely integral to its success. Alongside every technological advancement that improves efficiency and ensures consistency, you’ll find a skilled worker with years of knowledge playing a crucial part.

When one client was looking for a truly special finish, archive samples from Concorde – just one of several notable projects Bridge of Weir and its sister companies have handled in its rich history – were referenced. Such personal input and human expertise have remained paramount throughout the company’s lifetime; there is simply no replacement for the human eye.

The passion housed inside these factory walls is infectious. A tour sees smiling introductions and firm handshakes from

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staff who have been with Bridge of Weir for decades, photographs proudly shown of family members who worked here in the 1900s and the wide-eyed faces of the thriving apprenticeship programme ensuring the skills gleaned through generations are not lost.

Considering the luxurious, opulent leather that emerges from this factory, it is almost beyond belief that it is created from a product destined for landfill. But sustainability is very much a core value of this firm, which is revolutionising what can be a spectacularly wasteful business. As little as 10% of a hide is of high enough quality to be used in the finest applications, but Bridge of Weir’s commitment to sustainability has resulted in parent company Scottish Leather Group – which operates one of the largest tanneries in Europe – designing, building and self-funding a £6-million thermal energy plant and a £1.3m ultra-filtration plant, allowing a substantial amount of the factory’s energy to be generated by waste materials.

“At Bridge of Weir, people and technology come together in a unique blend of craftsmanship and advanced manufacturing techniques, while our continued commitment to sustainability means we have arguably the lowest carbon footprint of any leather maker in

the world,” sums up Bridge of Weir managing director Karen Marshall.

Hides, sourced from the best heritage breeds, can be traced from field to car, another important point as consumers in the luxury sector seek real connection to their products.

The whole process takes four to six weeks, each stage immensely satisfying to view.

Myriad intricate stages from tanning, dying, drying and coating all play their part in the final finish, from ultra-smooth nappa leather to natural finishes with a captivating grain which are indescribably special to the touch. I challenge anyone to not reach out and feel the other-worldly qualities of such quality leather.

At Bridge of Weir this is key to everything they do – human touch is a continuous thread throughout this product that no amount of technology can replace.

Perhaps most telling of all is the humble manner in which this company continues to deliver its superlative goods to a global list of demanding clients in a personable and passionate manner. And as Bridge of Weir continues to pass down the skills learned by its loyal family of craftspeople, the impact of this Scottish firm shows no signs of slowing. bowleather.com 88

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Royal spirit Cellar master Baptiste Loiseau lifts the lid on 100-year-old barrels of Louis XIII Cognac

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ouis XIII isn’t just one of the world’s most historic cognacs, its regal roots are intertwined with the very creation of the industry. This prestigious spirit was created in 1874 by Paul Emile Rémy Martin and named after the French King who, history has it, was the first to recognise Cognac in its own right – he’s credited for protecting the now-revered region during his reign.

Louis XIII is made with grapes from the Grande Champagne vineyards in the Cognac region of France, just north of Bordeaux. A symbol of French sophistication and refined craftsmanship, it has become one of the world’s most renowned cognacs, for decades quaffed by royalty and world leaders. Records of its consumption date back to travellers on the Orient-Express in 1929, the SS Normandie in 1935 and later the Concorde in 1984. It has also famously been used to toast key moments in history – Charles de Gaulle toasted with Louis XIII to celebrate victory at the end of the second world war and it was also a favourite tipple of Winston Churchill’s while writing his memoirs.

The person charged with the honour of preserving Louis XIII’s prestige, quality and consistency is the cellar master – a responsibiltiy that currently falls to Frenchman Baptiste Loiseau. Here, Baptiste Loiseau takes us on a sensory journey through the history and development of this unique and special cognac.

Tempus: What are the responsibilities of a Louis XIII cellar master?

This is the beauty of the art of blending: recreating Louis XIII every year with a different palate of eaux-de-vie.

Baptiste Loiseau: The cellar master’s responsibility is to continue to set aside the highest aging potential eaux-de-vie and oversee the blend of Louis XIII over the years, thanks to the knowledge they have inherited from their predecessor.

They, in turn, will transmit their savoir faire to the next generation of cellar masters.

When my predecessor, Pierrette Trichet, first initiated me into the tasting, I could sense the patience that went into crafting its complex blend and feel the honour of being able to pursue the work of past generations. As cellar masters, we dedicate our lives to creating a masterpiece that we will never experience.

What are the misconceptions some consumers have about premium cognac?

How has process changed since the brand was founded in 1874?

Cognac is a very versatile spirit. For instance, a Rémy Martin VSOP or XO can be enjoyed neat or on ice. This presents a clear advantage – the water will help reveal the aromas within the cognac and its smoothness on the palate. In addition, cognac can be enjoyed in cocktails or long drinks.

My favourite cocktail is the Side Car – Rémy Martin 1738, Cointreau and lemon juice.

Louis XIII must be enjoyed neat. You should take the time to enjoy and appreciate the complexity of the liquid and the emotions it brings. It took a long time for Louis XIII to be ready to enjoy, so I always ensure I take the time to taste each drop. Each time I taste it I feel a different sensation – the first aromas I detect can differ depending on the time of the day, the location, the people I am with and the temperature of the room.

The savoir faire transmitted by generations of cellar masters remains the same. We use grapes only grown in Grande Champagne and we use the same type of still pots, the same double distillation technique and the same aging process within the 100-year-old tierçons – or barrels.

That being said, each cellar master has contributed to the progress of the house. Georges Clot, who was the Louis XIII cellar master two generations before me, created a specific laboratory based on the direction of our current owner’s father, Mr Heriard Dubreuil. Georges’ aim was to better understand and detect any imperfections that could hinder the quality of Louis XIII. Pierrette Trichet, my direct predecessor, created an advanced system to manage the cellars of our Domaine de Merpins in order to better preserve the eaux de vie.

However, all of my predecessors and myself agree that the cellar master’s nose and the tasting process will always be the most important factor of the selection and blending of the eaux de vie. Modernity and progress has been rhythmed through the years by the Louis XIII cellar masters, without ever compromising the valued traditions of the house.

Is there anything that has stayed the same?

The taste of Louis XIII will always remain unwavering. You will always be overcome by the same emotion and aromatic profile since its creation in 1874. However, to achieve this result, the composition of the final blend itself can differ year-on-year, based on the decisions of the cellar master.

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A cognac can be considered a brandy, but a brandy can never be a cognac. To be called a cognac, the grapes must come exclusively from the Cognac region of France – the use of the name is protected under French law. The cognac must be also made of specific grape varieties, such as Ugni Blanc, grown in the region. It must be twice distilled in copper pot stills, and it must be aged in oak barrels.

How versatile a spirit is cognac?

What are the most important notes or tastes you look for in a premium blend?

I wouldn’t call it a premium blend, but a final blend. I achieve this when I’ve succeeded to obtain the perfect balance, and reproduce the same aromatic profile as my predecessors did before me after years of ageing. The floral notes are key, and these are perfectly complemented with more spicy and fruity notes; Louis XIII features exceptional aromas evoking myrrh, honey, dried roses, plum, honeysuckle, cigar box, leather, figs and passion fruit. All these aromas reveal themselves slowly, over time. I can identify them gradually through the tasting process. It’s an infinite discovery. It takes time before I can say: ‘Louis XIII is ready’. louisxiii-cognac.com

Louis XIII has been the cognac of choice for royals and world leaders for decades

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BEST OF British Check in to one of London’s most iconic hotels and you can also check out a taste of the countryside, sampling superlative motoring and dining Words: Georgia Peck

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Segrave famously raced the Napier-Railton, which still holds the all-time lap record at the famous circuit. It’s particularly special for me because it’s also where my grandfather raced back in the 1930s. Growing up, I spent many a Sunday watching his old Pathé cinefilms, gazing at him in his trusty racing cap and goggles, roaring around the track in those cool motors.

I thought of him as I arrived at Brooklands, and the waiting fleet of classic cars from which I was invited to choose. Like picking your favourite from a good box of chocolates, this was a deliciously hard decision – after much deliberation, I opted for a British racing green Mk II Jaguar – most in keeping for such a day.

Whittaker provided a custom rally book, showing a detailed route across the countryside, down winding roads and through the blissful open air. Once my navigator was strapped into her wellsprung 1960s ‘armchair’, and with the turn of a well-caredfor key, we were off.

After a couple of glorious hours with the wind in our hair (no aircon calls for open windows), and a sensory overload of all things British – the smell of the leather, the petrol, the green fields, the winding lanes and quaint Surrey villages, we made it to lunch at the charming Dabbling Duck cafe in the picturesque village of Shere. After a delicious lunch of wholesome and homemade delights, we jumped back on the road to Brooklands, then taking an even more scenic route back to London. Back at our hotel, the experience wasn’t over yet – the day rounded off with a tasting menu and wine pairing course created by star chef Drabble.

Fuelling Passion does just that – it’s an excellent opportunity to experience the very best of British for all the senses, from city to countryside, from dining to motoring.

or those who regularly frequent the historic neighbourhood of London’s Mayfair, the red brick refinement of W1 can sometimes seem a little, dare we say, inside the box. Thus we were delighted to discover St James’s Hotel and Club’s latest elegant adventure outside the city limits.

Slip behind the wheel of a rather splendid classic car, head out to the open roads of the countryside and discover another world – just 45 minutes from central London.

Available to any driving enthusiast staying in the hotel, the experience invites guests to enjoy adventure in the green, rolling hills that can be found by venturing beyond the capital. Named Fuelling Passion, the classic car rallyinspired driving experience has been tailor-made for guests in partnership with professional rally driver and self-confessed petrolhead, Zoe Whittaker ( far right).

The five-star St James’s Hotel and Club, richly decorated in terms of both history and interior, occupies a traditional Victorian townhouse tucked away in one of the most prestigious cul-de-sacs in the postcode.

The hotel and club began its journey as a exclusive gentleman’s club in 1857, before opening its doors for all to stay overnight and enjoy the privilege of waking up in an environment once only accessible to a privileged few.

The hotel accommodates the finest in all things, including Michelin-starred restaurant Seven Park Place, led by head chef William Drabble, one of the most talented chefs of his generation.

Drabble marries the best seasonal flavours our abundant isles have to offer – as guests will discover during their experience, meticulous curation has been undertaken to create something truly representative of the best of Britain.

An unforgettable day starts with a short chauffeur-driven jaunt to Brooklands, the birthplace of Great British racing. Brooklands was one of the first racetracks ever built, dating back to 1907, and was once famed as the ‘Ascot of Motorsport’. It’s here that Henry

Fuelling Passion is available from 1 June to 31 October, priced from £990.50 based on two sharing. stjameshotelandclub.com

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ESCAPE

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The Bugatti Type 35 sparkles in the sunshine at Hampton Court – just one of the stars of this prestige show

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EVENTS

Concours of Elegance Discover the world’s rarest automotive masterpieces in the exclusive surrounds of Hampton Court Palace

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he most astonishing cars ever produced, a line-up of world-famous luxury brands, and one of the UK’s most beautiful historic settings. That’s the recipe for the world-famous Concours of Elegance, taking place from 6-8 September 2019 at Hampton Court Palace.

The annual event launched at Windsor Castle in 2012 as the only motoring event to be granted access to the secretive Quadrangle. Since then, it has blossomed, always hosted at prestigious locations – St James’s Palace in 2013, the Palace of Holyroodhouse in 2015 then back to Windsor in 2016. Hampton Court Palace first hosted it in 2014 and the event found a semi-permanent home there in 2017. It returns this year, in association with luxury watchmakers A Lange & Söhne.

As the Concours of Elegance has evolved over the years – always with a stunning collection of cars at its heart – so it has morphed into a celebration of luxury goods, fine food and drink, wonderful music and superb displays of art.

Each car in the Concours must be invited to attend – and in order to get an invitation, your car must be extremely special. The Concours of Elegance steering committee, made up of motoring aficionados, pick one-offs, rarities and models with incredible backstories to join the special display.

This year’s line-up is a veritable feast of the world’s most famous brands – Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, Bugatti and Lamborghini all feature. A highlight is an impeccably preserved original Ballot 3/8 LC, hidden away for many years in England and only recently rediscovered. A stunning piece of motorsport history, this Ballot was the exact car that won the very first Italian Grand Prix in 1921.

The automotive showcase drives into the more modern era with a collection of fine Italian supercars from Pagani. In celebration of 20 years since it burst on to the performance car scene with the Zonda, six examples from the brand will be displayed, 95

spanning the company’s near-20-year production run. With an advanced carbon fibre body, fine Italian craftsmanship and up to 800hp, the Zonda is perhaps the ultimate expression of a supercar.

Over this fast-paced weekend nearly 1,000 cars will gather in the palace grounds, some vying for esteemed prizes. A selection of vintage Jaguars will compete for the Jaguar Trophy, while modern and classic Bentleys will fight it out for the Bentley Trophy. The Royal Automobile Club Trophy will see a gathering of the UK’s finest car clubs, from Rolls-Royce and Ferrari to Aston Martin, all entering their finest vehicles for an opportunity to win a much-vaunted place among the Main Concours collection of cars in 2020.

A special feature this year will gather together a number of Ferrari 166 models – the only car to ever have won the Le Mans 24 Hours, the Mille Miglia, the Targa Florio and the Spa 24 Hours races. In the year that legendary design house Zagato celebrates its Centenary, visitors to the event will also be able to browse some of its finest automotive masterpieces, from Aston Martin, Bentley, Lancia and more.

All of these cars provide a unique atmosphere for a whole host of luxury experiences at Concours of Elegance, including three-course luxury picnics and an on-site fine-dining restaurant. Visitors also have a range of other hospitality choices, including a three-course silver service lunch, afternoon tea and a champagne reception.

There’s also the opportunity for a spot of luxury shopping, with pop-up boutiques from fine horologists A Lange & Söhne, with their intricately crafted German timepieces, fashion brands such as Mason and Sons, and art houses including Collier Dobson.

Your entry ticket grants you access to Hampton Court Palace itself, including the sumptuous State Rooms and the Maze – the perfect backdrop to an automotive line-up fit for royalty. concoursofelegance.co.uk

FLIGHT OF fancy Why the Duxford Battle of Britain Air Show remains the must-see spectacle of the season

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he Battle of Britain, in the summer of 1940, marked one of the finest moments in aviation history. British fighter aircraft defeated Luftwaffe with incredible feats of aerial daring and, almost 80 years later, we’re celebrating not only those brave airmen’s epic victory, but also the pioneering British aviation engineering that heralded it.

Taking to the skies over Cambridgeshire on 21 and 22 September 2019, the Duxford Battle of Britain Air Show is a fantastic display of aviation history and culture marking and commemmorating this magnificent milestone.

The action is based at IWM Duxford Airfield – a historic base that played a key role through both world wars before being handed into the care of the Imperial War Museum.

Step into Duxford’s remarkable past as the museum, hangars, airfield and showground are all transformed for the weekend.

As well as the hugely popular air show, guests are invited to enjoy reenactments, 1940s music and interactive activities.

The museum displays a huge array of aircraft, tanks and military and navy vehicles, plus aviation enthusiasts won’t want to miss the fighter and historic aircraft collections.

There’ll also be a rare chance to see many planes up close in the static display before turning your attention to the skies to witness amazing air displays and aerobatic performances, wartime aircraft flypasts and thrilling formation flying.

Be transported back to 1940 as the distinctive roar of Merlin engines – which powered wartime aircraft including the Spitfire and Lancaster – fill the air and history is brought to life in the famous mass Spitfire flypast that makes Duxford a don’t-miss.

Tickets (standard adult tickets cost £30 per day; under16s go free) include entry to the display and museum plus all public buildings and exhibitions open during the event.

Impress guests or clients with upgraded Spitfire Lounge entrance – the IWM team can organise personalised access and hospitality packages to suit, so you really can let your imagination take flight at this stunning show.

To buy tickets to the Duxford Battle of Britain Air Show and enquire about access to the Spitfire Lounge, visit iwm.org.uk

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EVENTS Spitfires are just one of the iconic planes that bring history to life at Duxford

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SAVE the DATE Your luxury events calendar for June and July 2019

Sport

Music

From tennis to rowing, there’s plenty to keep you on the go this summer. Enjoy a quintessentially British experience and catch some expert rowers in action at the Henley Royal Regatta (3-7 July) or head into London for The Championships, Wimbledon (1-14 July), where the world’s best players will compete for the highly prized cup. In golf, don’t miss the 148th edition of The Open (14-12 July) at Royal Portrush, Ireland, and the US Open Championship (10-16 June) at Pebble Beach, California. And, if you’re a cricket enthusiast, you’ve still got time to catch the 2019 Cricket World Cup (until 14 July), hosted at stadiums across England and Wales.

This summer the hills are alive with the sound of… operar. In East Sussex, the Glyndebourne Festival (until 25 August) presents a colourful programme – enjoy countryside picnics and black-tie parties along with the sublime performances. In London, Opera Holland Park (4 June-9 August) showcases a series of critically acclaimed operas in a beautiful al fresco setting, while the BBC Proms (19 July-14 September) returns to the Royal Albert Hall and other leading venues across the capital. Further afield, the annual Munich Opera Festival (27 June-31 July) is well worth the air miles, with this year’s programme spanning favourites Verdi, Puccini, and Mozart.

Motoring A highlight – and a firm favourite – of the FIA Formula One Championship season, the British Grand Prix speeds into the UK on 14 July. Watch the race in style from Silverstone Circuit’s hospitality area and cheer on the action as the drivers challenge local hero Lewis Hamilton (left) for pole position. If your passion is for driving rather than spectating, don’t miss the Goodwood Festival of Speed (4-7 July). Set in the historic grounds of Goodwood House, this is one of the UK’s biggest celebrations of car culture. In this motoring mecca, guests can take in supercars, classic cars and first-class hospitality along with the first-class racing.

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Art and culture An annual celebration of art and creativity, the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition (10 June-12 August) showcases works by established and rising stars of the art world. Continue your artistic exploration at the unmissable Masterpiece London Art Fair (27 June-3 July). The world’s leading fair brings together some of the finest works, as well as design pieces, furniture, jewellery and antiques, so there’s something for all tastes. And if you missed the Chelsea Flower Show in May, the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show (2-7 July) is another opportunity to experience the best of nature. Taking place in the superb setting of one of Britain’s most historic royal palaces, the annual event is a riot of colour – a showcase of groundbreaking gardening and landscaping.

Equestrian Arguably the most glamorous event of the season, Royal Ascot (18-22 June) returns to Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire for five days of people watching and superlative hospitality. And the racing… as Britain’s most valuable meeting, the six daily races attract the world’s finest horses and jockeys, guaranteeing thrilling action. Summer is also polo season. From The International 2019 (27 July), at the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club, to the Cartier Queen’s Cup (until 16 June), at Guard’s Polo Club, there’s plenty on offer. Turn to page 60 for tips on dressing the part.

Fashion This summer, the fashion world’s eyes turn to menswear. London Fashion Week Men’s (8-10 June) will welcome British and international designers to the capital. The London edition is joined by men’s fashion week shows in New York City (3-5 June), Milan (14-17 June) and Paris (18-23 June).

Extend your stay in Paris and marvel at the stunning, one-of-a-kind pieces at Paris Haute Couture (30 June-4 July).

Tempus Supper Club Led by Jack Blumenthal and Scott Perkins Blumenthal and Perkins met in 2014 while both studying for a degree in hospitality, and both having previous experience in some of the country’s best restaurants. They now bring you a fully consumer-led experience focusing on memories, sensation and flavour. With six- to 12-course tasting menus available, hosted twice a month in exclusive Mayfair locations, this really is your table.

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Experience Britain’s Finest Hour Step back into summer 1940 for an unforgettable weekend. Epic flying, historic aircraft, vintage fashion and movie magic will culminate with a mass Spitfire formation taking to the sky.

Event tickets must be booked in advance. iwm.org.uk/airshows

The Breitling Surfer Squad Sally Fitzgibbons Kelly Slater Stephanie Gilmore

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