The legendary McLaren F1 test mules from back in 1992 were built at Woking in England, inside premises on Albert Drive, to commemorate that special event, McLaren Beverly Hills commissioned a rather special McLaren Speedtail from MSO, McLaren Special Operations to be inspired by those first F1 testing prototype vehicles … meet the bespoke ‘Albert’ Speedtail.
McLaren Special Operations (MSO) recently unveiled the ‘Albert’ Speedtail, as mentioned above a very special, bespoke commission by McLaren Beverly Hills, the North American McLaren retailer, this car is one of the final vehicles in the 106-car Speedtail production run, and apart from taking inspiration from the 1992 F1 test mules, this specific car is also an homage to the very first Speedtail attribute testing vehicle made back in 2018.
The original McLaren MVY02 Speedtail prototype vehicle was in fact christened ‘Albert’ as a tribute to its three-seat predecessor, the legendary McLaren F1, it is noteworthy that the ‘Albert’ prototype vehicle was the first Speedtail to see actual road use, at that time with front panels from a 720S as a disguise, but already with the three-seat, central driving position fitted so McLaren could test the driver ergonomics, general visibility, and figure out the optimum rear-view camera positions.
This new ‘Albert’ Speedtail homage ordered by McLaren Beverly Hills took inspiration from the camouflage wrap used on the road-going prototype that had a simple two-meter vinyl body wrap with design lines printed to represent the optimized airflow over the car, taking this into real paint by MSO took 12 weeks to complete.
The ‘aero lines’ became one of the most complex paint themes ever completed by MSO, using Magnesium Silver, the exact color used on the F1 road car when she was shown at the 1992 Monaco Grand Prix, in a combination with Ueno Grey, taken from the F1 GTR that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1995, taking both shades into a design based on the 2018 vinyl ‘cameo’ wrap.
‘”As one of the very last Speedtails to be built at the McLaren Production Centre, it was very important to us at McLaren Beverly Hills that ‘Albert’ honors the brand’s rich heritage, particularly paying tribute to the icon that is the McLaren F1. We worked alongside MSO through every stage, including concept ideation, to produce a truly bespoke and beautifully detailed car that celebrates the innovation and design excellence behind the fastest McLaren road car to date. We are fortunate to have been able to procure ‘Albert’ for one of our top clients and are absolutely thrilled with the finished result.”’ Parris Mullins, McLaren Beverly Hills
The new ‘Albert’ was built in the McLaren Production Centre (MPC) with a 1K gloss visual carbon fiber body. Due to the incredibly complex and detailed nature of the paintwork design, the MSO team completed test panels first to understand process feasibility and worked alongside the visualizer team to refine renders. In total, ‘Albert’ would require a 12-week post-build modification at MSO’s facility to reach completion; this included two week’s masking, six week’s painting, and the remaining time to dry and reassemble the vehicle after spraying.
In the end, they printed their initial renders in full scale before masking it all out on the actual car, after the car was built, including the wheels, this was the only way they could be sure it all aligned well over the entire car, during the two-week masking process the MSO specialist paint technicians used almost two kilometers of fine line-out tape to complete the airflow design layout.
“The name ‘Albert’ has a special resonance with MSO, as we are the custodians of the McLaren F1 and are based at the Albert Drive premises that McLaren Cars occupied in the 1990s. The Speedtail experience has been an exciting journey for our customers, from visualising their imaginations to realising these inspirations and sharing their delight when unveiling the finished product. ‘Albert’ brings this project to a conclusion and we are thrilled to finish on a high note.” Ansar Ali, Managing Director, McLaren Special Operations
The McLaren Speedtail is the fastest road car from Woking to date, it’s the third model in the McLaren Ultimate Series, a three-seat hypercar with 1,070 hp from a hybrid powertrain that’s capable of reaching a 402 km/h (250 mph) top speed, this amazing looking ‘Albert’ Speedtail will be shown at Sunset GT, a luxury cars and coffee event hosted by O’Gara Beverly Hills on Sunday 8th August 2021 in Sunset Plaza, Los Angeles, USA.
August 5, 2021 / Comments Off on The MSO ‘Albert’ Speedtail
Built for a world where size does matter, the Mulsanne Grand Limousine by Mulliner was a special commission built for customers in the United Arab Emirates, and while these cars were handbuilt back in 2015, today they are still considered ‘new’ and none of the five that are available for purchase now have ever been registered, these are five-year-old, brand new cars that have just been put on the market for those that are seeking the ultimate in luxury limousines.
The first Mulsanne Grand Limousine by Mulliner was a bespoke build, a private commission so to speak, taking Bentley’s famous Mulsanne from the production line in Crewe and taking it to the Mulliner atelier for a 1,000 mm stretch (39.47 in) to create a lot more space for the occupants behind the driver, or in this case, the private chauffeur. To make the passengers in the rear even more comfortable, Mulliner also raised the roof on the Mulsanne by 79 mm in the rear (3.11 in).
After this car was built and delivered to her happy customer, Bentley Mulliner was allowed to have this Mulsanne Grand Limousine by Mulliner as a limited production model in the books, and some were ordered by high-net-worth individuals that didn’t want to be driven around in yet another Rolls Royce Phantom (which was also available as a ‘stretch’) but preferred a similar experience of utter luxury inside a more sporty designed Bentley like the Mulsanne.
Today it seems you can’t order the Mulsanne Grand Limousine by Mulliner anymore, but fear not, if you still want to add one of these amazing handbuilt limousines from the UK to your garage, the opportunity has come up to obtain one of five of these 2015 cars that are still brand new, these five were ordered by Bentley Emirates for the rich and famous in that region, but in the end, none of these were ever registered, and they still come with delivery miles only.
The only downside to these is the fact they are ready-built, so no bespoke specs can be ordered, but the upside is that these are available right now, no delivery time, nothing, and Bentley Emirates can deliver these Mulsanne Grand Limousine by Mulliner anywhere in the world within days, making this a unique opportunity for clients to obtain an icon of modern Bentley history.
As we would expect from a Mulliner built Bentley limousine, each of these five 2015 cars has her individual identity as customers that shop in this kind of market do not want to encounter the same car when they drive up to the restaurant or the latest party in their friend’s mansion, an overview of the five different Mulsanne Grand Limousine by Mulliner now available:
Silver Frost over Moroccan Blue exterior paint, paired with an Imperial Blue and Linen interior completed by Burr Walnut veneer
Damson over Black Crystal paintwork, complemented by Damson and Twine leathers and Dark Stained Burr Walnut veneer
Onyx over Candy Red exterior, with a Hotspur and Camel interior, finished with Olive Ash veneer
Rubino Red over Light Gazelle bodywork, with an interior in Fireglow and Twine leather paired with Burr Walnut veneer
A single tone Black Sapphire exterior, with an Imperial Blue and Camel interior contrasted by Dark Stained Burr Walnut veneer
The car depicted in these photos is the nr 1, Silver Frost on Moroccan Blue, a very nice color combination, although I would prefer my Mulsanne Grand Limousine by Mulliner to be all black … a dark and sinister-looking 6,575 mm (258.9 in) long beauty with space for four passengers in the rear in a ‘face-to-face’ configuration.
The clients that are in the market for a car of this caliber usually own a superyacht with a helicopter and a private jet, and that’s where the inspiration for the rear ‘cabin’ on the Mulsanne Grand Limousine by Mulliner came from, having a setup that would allow four people to be seated two side by side, in front of each other so a conversation could be maintained with ease while being driven around in the best possible luxury available.
Inside such a car you’ll find a bottle cooler with bespoke flutes between the rear seats, facing forward, a special cabinet for ‘other’ beverages was fitted between the seats facing backward, complete with Mulliner bespoke crystal tumblers, just in case you needed to get some work done before arriving at your venue in style, there are foldable veneer picnic tables for the occupants, complete with iPad docking station and USB chargers.
The rear passengers even have a view of three custom dials, one displaying the local time, a second one showing UK time, while the third one shows the outside temperature. A custom heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system was designed and built by Bentley Mulliner, specifically for the Mulsanne Grand Limousine to offer two separate zones for the rear cabin, each of the four rear passengers can control their own micro-climate, independently from their fellow companions.
These Mulsanne Grand Limousine also used a ‘smart glass’ divider for the first time on a Bentley, not only does it separate the driver from the passengers in the rear, but at the touch of a button the glass turns opaque, for convenience inside this private bubble there is an intercom system installed to talk to the driver.
Each of the Mulsanne Grand Limousine is powered by Bentley’s famous 6¾-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, delivering 505 hp and a very impressive 1,020 Nm of torque while riding on one-of-a-kind 21-inch wheels that match the car’s paint, if you look really close at the ‘Flying B’ above the majestic grille, you’ll notice the engraved ‘Coachbuilt by Mulliner’ script to set these limousines even further apart from their lesser Bentley Mulsanne siblings.
Bentley Mulliner has become a testament to what can be done if a company like Bentley goes above and beyond for their more discerning clients, Mulliner goes back almost five centuries in history when it comes to coachbuilding, they have recently celebrated the 1,000th bespoke commission, a special Bentley Bentayga since the Mulliner Design Team was put together by Bentley in 2014, and just as a reference, these Mulsanne Grand Limousine are still the longest manufacturer-built limousines in the world, other limousines are ‘stretched’ by third-party companies to greater lengths, but the Mulsanne Grand Limousine is different, it’s ‘Rare by Design’ as stated by Bentley Mulliner.
August 3, 2021 / Comments Off on The Mulsanne Grand Limousine by Mulliner
A Bugatti customer just doesn’t walk onto a dealer lot and gets one of the cars from the showroom floor, or from the stock hiding away in some dark warehouse, each Bugatti is a unique car, bespoke-built for that client with the exact options he or she selected from a vast list of possibilities, someone in the market for a new million-dollar hypercar built in Molsheim, France wants to taste a special experience, usually taking days, weeks, or usually even longer to configure the car just the way the future owners wants it.
So a Bugatti dealer isn’t a massive showroom filled with demo cars and tens if not hundreds of salespeople running around trying to make that sale so they get their commission, each of the 34 officially approved Bugatti dealerships around the world have their specific brand manager, a full-time job whose sole purpose is to bring the unique Molsheim Experience into the world and deliver the ultimate in luxury, design, and technology to both existing and potential customers.
Back when the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 was unveiled in 2005 as the revival of the famous French make, it wasn’t easy to bring this new super sports car to the public, Bugatti didn’t have any dealers yet, buying a 1,000 PS car with 16 cylinders that could do over 400 km/h from a make that was dormant for decades after the EB110 production was halted might not have been too enticing for those that could actually afford this amazing car, it took them six years to put together some kind of network.
If you were in the market for a new Bugatti Veyron in 2011, you could turn to official dealers in North America, the Middle East, and Asia, but neither of them actually had a demo car for you to experience, in those days Bugatti would fly out a driver with a Veyron to your location to test drive, a very costly situation, each Bugatti was sold straight from the factory. The same would happen if you already owned a Bugatti Veyron and something went wrong, you would get a “Flying Doctor” to come to you to resolve the issue, after which they would take the airplane and fly to the next customer … this way of working could no longer be sustained.
Markus Vögele Head of Dealer Network and Business Development for Bugatti
In 2012 Bugatti attracted Markus Vögele, having a decade of experience at the Porsche Group, working in CRM, dealership/product marketing, and consulting, he became Head of Dealer Network and Business Development, developing a unique dealer network strategy for Bugatti over the next years that would include a global Salesforce CRM cloud solution that would emerge any potential client in the Molsheim Experience, no matter in what part of the world they walk into the Bugatti showroom.
The new Bugatti showroom would become an emotive concept, reflecting the core values and century-old history of this French make, each showroom will have a similar feeling for the customer as they would walk into the lounge at the Molsheim headquarters, with samples of paintwork/carbon and leather patterns, as well as decorative elements to be found inside a new Bugatti Chiron, the lounge will allow clients to contemplate over their options for their future hypercar in all serenity.
There is even a massive display screen in the showroom that will show a 3D render of the Bugatti Chiron you are configuring in real-time, the display is so large it can show the actual car in full size for that complete experience, the customer is virtually immersed into their new car. “The showroom is our flagship to the outside world, customers and fans alike. It is the place where they can meet with Bugatti ‘family members,’” says Vögele.
August 2, 2021 / Comments Off on Bugatti’s global dealer network
There are not too many professional drivers in the world that can show two Formula One Grand Prix wins, a victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and four triumphs in the 24 Hours of Daytona, 50 years ago … Pedro Rodriguez is probably the most successful driver Mexico ever had, sadly he lost his life at the Norisring street circuit in Nuremberg, Germany on 11 July 1971 after he managed to secure the championship win for Porsche in 1970 and 1971 in the World Championship of Makes, called the World Endurance Championship (WEC) today, Pedro held 11 titles in this series.
To commemorate this amazing Mexican driver, Porsche Latin America together with Porsche Mexico commissioned a bespoke build from Zuffenhausen … a tribute version of the Porsche 911 Turbo S, with the help of Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur, this one of a kind 911 was put together, the Porsche 911 Turbo S ‘One of a Kind’ Pedro Rodríguez to be unveiled at a Sportscar Together Day at the Centro de Alto Rendimiento Pegaso, in Toluca, Mexico.
A total of 8 of those 11 victories in the World Championship of Makes were behind the wheel of the famous Porsche 917 KH racecar, in the very distinctive, but immensely famous, Gulf Oil livery, the combination of Gulf blue and bright orange that adorned numerous racecars over the years, with the Porsche 917 KH being among the most famous cars from Germany ever, so this tribute 911 just had to wear this dress again, 50 years later.
This one-of-a-kind Porsche 911 Turbo S tribute will remain a unique car forever, Porsche actually locked this specific configuration in their configurator, nobody else in the entire world will be able to order a Porsche 911 Turbo S exactly like this, with these specific options. “This car has unique elements that no other car in the world can have,” says Camilo San Martin, Director of Porsche Mexico.
This specific Porsche 911 Turbo S comes with custom-designed wheels in a glossy black finish and aluminum center-locking bolts, but the light blue body also features a racing cartouche, populated with the number 2 in this case. Another amazing detail is the custom plaque fitted onto the B-pillar of this car, showing the silhouette of the famous Porsche 917 KH for this occasion in the colors of the Mexican flag accompanied by Pedro Rodriguez’s name and signature.
As yet another tribute to a unique, irreplaceable driver, an idol of the past and a legend of today, the names of the eight races he won with the 917 KH are engraved under the rear spoiler, while more attention to detail can be found on the door sills, when you open the door the carbon fiber trim on these sills contains an illuminated version of the plaque from the B-pillar … simply amazing.
The interior of this unique Porsche 911 Turbo S Pedro Rodgriguez tribute is just astonishing with a graphite blue upholstery in soft leather with contrasting stitching in bright orange to match the outside livery, and while these might just be small details, you’ll find the 917 profile as embroidery on both headrests again, in orange naturally, and Rodriguez’s signature embossed into the armrest between the seats, and additionally on the carbon fiber dashboard trim.
And that’s not even all of the bespoke elements for this special car, even the key for this Porsche 911 Turbo S was color-coded to the Gulf blue exterior … and shows the signature of the two-time world endurance champion as well. To complete the extensive options list of this one-off, there is a bespoke luggage set that comes with the car, finished in Graphite Blue leather with orange stitching and details, so it matches the interior upholstery perfectly.
Interested in adding this car to your collection, despite the fact you will not be able to order a second, similar one from Porsche directly? Fear not, this Porsche 911 Turbo S “One of a Kind” Pedro Rodríguez will be auctioned off later this year with all proceeds going to various charitable causes.
July 28, 2021 / Comments Off on A one-of-a-kind Porsche 911 to honour Mexico’s greatest racer
The McLaren 765LT is an impressive car on her own, continuing the Long Tail legacy we know from McLaren since the 675LT, 675LT Spider, 600LT, and 600LT Spider, but the Long Tail name was born back in 1997 when a McLaren F1 GTR Longtail took the victory in the GT1 class during the world’s most famous endurance race, the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans in France.
When you are reading this article, the McLaren 765LT Coupe is already sold out, every single one of the 765 units has found a customer, so for McLaren, this is the perfect opportunity to make some more money from this chassis and release the Spider version, a convertible based on the 765 PS strong model, making this the most powerful open-top McLaren supercar to date … and once again, production for the McLaren 765LT Spider is limited to 765 units, what would you expect?
Now, I hear you thinking … most powerful-ever convertible supercar from McLaren? What about the McLaren Elva with her 804 hp then? Simple, apart from the ‘Windscreen edition Elva‘ for certain markets or for those clients that prefer having some protection in front of them, there is no roof on the Elva, so technically it’s not a convertible … you can’t ‘convert’ it into a closed model as this 765LT Spider can, so with 765 PS the latter takes that crown.
Turning the McLaren 765LT into the Spider only adds 49 kg to the overall weight of 1,388 kg, compared to the McLaren 720S Spider that’s still 80 kg lighter, and the press release states her closest rivals are all at least 100 kg heavier, part of that lightweight comes from an innovative roof design McLaren calls the RHT, or Retractable Hard Top, a single-piece carbon fiber top that can be stowed away in just 11 seconds while driving at up to 50 km/h, very impressive.
Despite being launched after all the units of the McLaren 765LT Coupe were sold, the MonoCage II-S structure (with the S for Spider) was developed at the same time as the coupe monocoque, many of the structural components are shared among the two, such as the windshield surround for instance. An amazing feat is the fact the Spider monocoque didn’t need any additional bracing for rigidity due to not having a roof structure, the rollover protection is fully bonded into the chassis by the way.
Despite being a hardtop convertible, the windshield does not need to be extended above the occupants as seen on many open-top cars with a rigid roof, using a single piece carbon fiber roof also increases headroom thanks to no seam needed above your head, and when closed the entire structure is stronger than ever thanks to it being all carbon fiber from front to back … for the Spider version McLaren did have to reprogram the active rear wing to counteract the difference in airflow with the roof in place compared to when driving topless.
The engine from the 765LT is used for the Spider, what else, this 4-Liter V8 engine with twin-turbocharging gives the 765LT Spider an amazing power to weight ratio of 598PS-per-tonne, with 800 Nm of torque the acceleration figures are equally as impressive, 0 to 100 km/h takes 2.8 seconds, the 0 to 60 mph time is just 2.7 seconds. 200 km/h (124 mph) comes up after only 7.2 seconds with a top speed of 330 km/h (205 mph). This new Longtail Spider achieved the fastest lap times ever posted by a convertible LT model while the famous quarter-mile from standstill is completed in 10 seconds flat!
You might want to head over to your local McLaren dealer as this 765LT Spider is available to order right now, pricing in the UK is set at £310,500 and it seems the entire production capacity for the remainder of 2021 is already sold out, with only 765 units in total, you might want to hurry up and get that order signed so you don’t miss out on this latest and most engaging addition to the McLaren Longtail lineage, this is a new classic collector’s car in the making for sure.
Enjoy some more photos of this amazing looking McLaren 765LT Spider in our image gallery below:
July 27, 2021 / Comments Off on The McLaren 765LT Spider
Personally, I still think the BRABUS B63S 6×6 is the most impressive ‘car’ this German tuner ever made, agreed, it’s ‘only’ 700 hp, but just look at this one for a second … it’s a six-wheeled, extremely tall Mercedes based beast with portal axles, what more could you ask for? Perhaps a little smaller and possibly less expensive? In that case, a BRABUS 800 based on the Mercedes G-Wagon might be an option, 800 hp in somewhat the same body style (not a pickup mind you), but lower than the 6×6, with regular axles, so less intimidating.
If you want to most extreme SUV possible you’ll be set with the BRABUS 900 ROCKET EDITION, their latest conversion based on the G63 model, limited to only 25 units worldwide at nearly $700,000, this is the one if you really want to have the comfort of a massive off-road vehicle, but still want to reach 100 km/h from a standstill in 3.7 seconds and have a car that doesn’t run out of breath until she reaches 280 km/h … in a car that’s styled like a brick house!
But for argument’s sake, let’s say you’re not a fan of the box-style found on the Mercedes G-Class vehicles … in that case, BRABUS now has an alternative for you, based on the Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 SMatic+ Coupé (try fitting that on the rear fascia in chrome lettering), called the BRABUS 800 SUV Coupe, and you’ve guessed it, this coupe-styled SUV comes with 800 hp from the big V8 engine at the front.
This one comes with a much rounder, more contemporary design compared to the big G-Wagon, and because it’s called an SUV Coupe, there is a sloping rear window, much like on a two-door car, now keep in mind that could mean a little less headroom for the rear seat occupants, but it does look cool nonetheless, something we’ve also seen on the BMW X6 model for instance, but back to the BRABUS 800 SUV Coupe now, which on these presentation photos is finished in black, the trademark color from BRABUS.
When you receive your Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 SMatic+ Coupé from the factory, there will be a 4-Liter V8 twin-turbo engine fitted with 612 hp and 450 kW of torque under your right foot pedal, which isn’t bad already … but it’s nothing compared to what BRABUS will give you after a visit to their workshop in Bottrop, Germany. A power increase to 800 hp (588 kW) and no less than 1,000 Nm of torque … and while this isn’t the 900 hp from the ROCKET G-Wagon version, this SUV Coupe takes only 3.4 seconds to go from 0 to 100 km/h (3 seconds less than the 900 ROCKET) and has it’s top speed electronically limited at 280 km/h (174 mph), so this black beauty will outrun the G-Class ROCKET by 10 km/h.
A lot of this power increase is thanks to the modifications to the base engine, BRABUS has over four decades of experience in this field, adding 188 hp or 138 kW to a modern engine might be more difficult than you imagine, and let’s not forget the base GLE 63 S comes with an integrated mild-hybrid starter generator, so any engine tuning has to take that into consideration too.
To get to a power output of 588 kW (800 hp) at 5,900 rpm and reach a peak torque of 1,000 Nm (737 lb-ft) at a low 3,500 rpm, custom turbos with larger compressor unit, modified core assembly, and reinforced axial bearings are required, these new units can produce a maximum boost pressure of 1.6 bar, add the BRABUS PowerXtra auxiliary control unit and the engine is remapped in terms of injection, boost pressure, and ignition. More importantly, BRABUS engine tuning comes with a 3-year/100,000 km (62,000 miles) warranty.
If you are not ready to go for the full BRABUS 800 package on your Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 SUV, there is also the BRABUS PowerXtra B40 option, this plug-and-play control unit will add 88 hp (64.7 kW) to the base engine effectively creating a BRABUS 700 model in that case, which is still not bad, but that 800 does sound a lot more impressive in the end.
BRABUS engine tuning can be requested on its own, but you really should add their stainless-steel high-performance exhaust system to your order too, if you do something, do it right from the start, with actively controlled flaps in the pipes, and a quartet of massive 90mm (3.5 in) titanium/carbon fiber exhaust tips, I’m sure you’ll have the ‘Sport’ mode set all the time … except when you have to leave early in the morning or arrive late at night … and you are still on speaking terms with your neighbors… in that case, the ‘Comfort’ mode might be a good idea so you don’t wake them up.
Now you have the power and the sound to match … so what’s next? The looks of course, and we wouldn’t be talking about this BRABUS 800 SUV Coupe if they didn’t have a nice aerodynamic package available too, available in either glossy or satin-finished, clear carbon fiber. For the front, you can get a lower spoiler that fits onto the factory original bumper, the BRABUS spoiler comes with vertical stabilizers on either side for that aggressive look, add the custom BRABUS front grille, with their touch of red on two spokes, and you’ve completely transformed the looks of your GLE as seen by your fellow drivers in their rearview mirror.
Air intakes for the front bumper made from carbon fiber are another option from BRABUS, as are the integrated intakes in the grille, on the driver’s side there is even a crosspiece with the famous BRABUS logo, complete with lights that are activated by pulling a door handle or when you approach the super SUV with the key card in its vicinity.
If you did opt for the BRABUS exhaust system, you might want to consider the custom rear diffuser too, made from visible carbon fiber, it is integrated perfectly into the factory original rear bumper, but more importantly, it comes with the perfect openings to fit those 90 mm exhaust tips from the BRABUS sport exhaust system. Beautiful carbon fiber side air vents for the rear bumper are another must-have, especially if you also fit the BRABUS exposed carbon fiber wheel arch extensions and the rear spoiler, which is a three-piece unit for this GLE 63 based BRABUS conversion.
A BRABUS car wouldn’t be complete without a new set of shoes either, so you can choose between Monoblock alloys in different designs and sizes that go from 22 up to 24 inches, the show car on these photos rolls on a set of BRABUS Monoblock Y “BLACK PLATINUM” hi-tech forged wheels, 10×23 inch at the front and an even wider 12×23 on the rear axle, shed with 295/35 R 23 and 335/30 R 23 respectively so those wheel arches are nicely filled, especially with the BRABUS control module for the standard AIRMATIC air suspension that results in a 25 mm (1 in) lowered ride height.
The BRABUS 800 SUV Coupe can be bought as a complete BRABUS vehicle but you can also ship your GLE 62 S to them for conversion, both options are available, as is a complete interior overhaul with the finest leathers and custom stitching patterns, prefer Alcantara, no problem. Aluminum pedals, carbon fiber interior parts, tv screens for the rear … BRABUS can accomplish just about any request a client might have … and if you bring in your existing Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S you can ask to convert it in stages, so you can save up for the invoice inbetween.
July 25, 2021 / Comments Off on The new BRABUS 800 GLE Coupé
Shortly after Stephan Winkelmann became President of Bugatti, he had the idea of reviving a successful Bugatti tradition. “I read a lot about it, took a look at the iconic bodyworks produced in the 1920s and 1930s, and began to wonder whether we could transpose this excellent asset to the company’s modern era,” Winkelmann recalls. After some interesting conversations with both existing customers and some of the official dealerships, going this route of an even more bespoke car would be a perfect concept.
The Bugatti Divo was ready to be shown in the spring of 2018, but not to the public yet, instead, they contacted existing Bugatti Chiron owners and showed a production prototype of the Divo, to be limited to only 40 units, so a lot more exclusive than a normal Chiron, and with a price tag of €5,000,000 (about US $5,400,000 at that time) you might think they would have a hard sale to find customers … think again.
Bugatti states that all 40 units of their Divo were sold out in a matter of weeks since the first customer appointment, people loved both the design and the coachbuilding tradition this car stood for, a 110-year old legacy created by Ettore Bugatti when he started building these excentric automobiles back in the early 1920s, with the Type 57 in various coachbuilding versions like the Galibier, the Atalante, and the SC Atlantic, Bugatti created iconic designs that would become automotive works of art ever since.
Today the last of the 40 Bugatti Divo was finished in Molsheim, a car that was ordered by a client in Europe, and one with impeccable taste, not only in cars but also in the history of these masterpieces, the main shade of Bugatti EB 110 LM Blue is a reminder of Bugatti’s last official Le Mans factory race car, while the contrast is made in Blue Carbon to bring the exclusivity and modern age to this future classic. For the inside, this customer opted for French Racing Blue with Deep Blue touches, combined with matte gray carbon elements, again a bridge between the past, the legacy, and the future.
The ‘Divo’ name is inspired by the French race car driver Albert Divo, who during his 20-year racing career obtained multiple victories for Bugatti, including six Grand Prix races and two wins in the famous Targa Florio. To honor both this legendary race driver and the fact the Bugatti headquarters is located in Molsheim, a French flag is integrated into both left and right front fenders on the Divo.
Even with 40 units, none of these Bugatti Divo are the same, customers went out of their way to select very specific shades to be used just on their Divo, even going as far as asking for different materials or extreme paint schemes like the famous red ‘Lady Bug‘ in the United States, some clients even came up with their own design ideas … every single one of these 40 Bugatti Divo is a bespoke vehicle … upholding the coachbuilding tradition for Bugatti.
July 22, 2021 / Comments Off on The last of only 40 Divo left the Atelier in Molsheim
Last year five classic Bugattis broke records at the auction houses Bonham’s and Gooding & Company. Never before have the five most expensive cars sold at auction been produced by one single manufacturer, but with cars in this price range, authenticity is extremely important for collectors that are willing to spend millions, and that’s why Bugatti launched their ‘La Maison Pur Sang’ program back in 2020 at Rétromobile in Paris, a car show that has become so much more than just a display of classic cars.
Photo credit Alex Howe for CAR magazine
When you have a Bugatti that passed the rigorous process in Molsheim, as La Maison Pur Sang will only go through cars at the company headquarters, you will get a certificate of authenticity from the company that actually built that car, not some expert somewhere in the world, no matter how knowledgable … La Maison Pur Sang will certify that your Bugatti is a ‘pure blood’ one, a Pur Sang.
Photo credit Alex Howe for CAR magazine
La Maison Pur Sang will be able to verify of your historic Bugatti is still correct to its origins, keeping in mind the 110-year history of Bugatti, that might not always be as easy as it sounds, but with the very limited production of classic Bugatti models, chances are there is still some kind of documentation or history of that specific car to be found, but La Maison Pur Sang will also certify the more contemporary models, and the very first Bugatti to complete this official factory certification is a 2008 Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport.
Photo credit Alex Howe for CAR magazine
But the La Maison Pur Sang program hasn’t been started just to deliver certification to Bugatti’s models of all ages, they also offer clients and collectors the option of having their car restored to Ettore Bugatti’s original standards, to the highest possible technical, performance, and aesthetic level, to reach a harmony of speed, elegance, safety, and comfort that we’ve come to expect from a Bugatti throughout the decades, there is even the option to have your Bugatti ‘reconfigured’ on the factory ground.
“Due to our extensive research, archive material and the close contacts we enjoy with Bugatti clubs, historians and collectors all around the world, we can trace the history and determine the authenticity of any Bugatti model, regardless of age,” explains Luigi Galli, who heads the ‘La Maison Pur Sang’ program at Molsheim.
The first car to receive a certificate of authenticity isn’t just any Bugatti, it’s a 2008 Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport, and while convertible quad-turbo are a rare sight already, this one is even more special, it is the actual Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport prototype that was used for the unveiling of the Grand Sport version at the 2008 Pebble Beach event, this silver metallic over Cognac interior was called the Grand Sport 2.1 and was used to showcase the open-top Veyron in North America, Europe, and the Middle East … this car was never even registered during that time.
When this unique Bugatti came back to Molsheim in 2020, it would become the first car to get the ‘La Maison Pur Sang’ treatment, which in this case involved a complete strip-down so they could verify not only the chassis plate, which could easily be copied I guess, but they also check several identification numbers that were stamped on multiple components that are usually hidden from sight, and ofter overlooked in case of someone trying to pass a car as another one.
Over the next four months, this special Veyron Grand Sport was brought back to her 2008 launch specifications, a complete respray was executed while the interior received new Cognac hides and aluminum panels, they even had to fit a new central console to match the original 1.0 configuration … after the word got out La Maison Pur Sang confirmed the importance of this Grand Sport prototype it didn’t take long for an avid collector to add it to his, or her collection.
Owning a Bugatti is a goal on its own for many fortunate clients, but having an exclusive Bugatti with the official certification from La Maison Pur Sang will confirm its validity and offer reassurance for the owner or collector, and additionally, it will significantly enhance the value of the said automobile.
July 21, 2021 / Comments Off on La Maison Pur Sang certification by Bugatti
An official video from the Koenigsegg channel where Christian von Koenigsegg does a full walkthrough of the bright orange Jesko that was just finished, being a pre-production validation car, this one is very close to the actual production cars that they will start building, this Tang Orange Pearl with silver and carbon-fiber accents finished beauty reminds us of the Koenigsegg CCR color, did you know that back in the early 2000s about 50% of all Koenigsegg cars left the factory in Sweden in this orange shade?
Let’s just take a look at 15 minutes of automotive art … made in Sweden, by the way, this track focussed version no longer goes by the name Jesko, but they now call it the Jesko Attack, while the top speed version is still called the Jesko Absolut.
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July 20, 2021 / Comments Off on Christian von Koenigsegg walks us through the Jesko Attack
The Ferrari SF90 Stradale was actually a special model to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Scuderia Ferrari, and while the main power comes from a twin-turbo V8 engine, the SF90 also comes with three additional electric motors for a total power output of 968 hp (735 kW) with a torque figure of 800 Nm … surely impressive numbers straight from the factory in Maranello, Italy.
But we wouldn’t be writing about NOVITEC if they didn’t manage to upgrade the already potent Ferrari SF90 Stradale, the NOVITEC exhaust system with metal catalysts boosts the overall power to 1,033 hp (760 kW) with 858 Nm of torque, acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes only 2.5 seconds after a visit at NOVITEC with a top speed in excess of 350 km/h.
To achieve this increase in power, the NOVITEC exhaust system is created with 100-cell metal catalysts and twin stainless tailpipes that come with a diameter of 112 millimeters, complete with beautiful carbon exhaust tips, this system optimizes exhaust flow and because of the fully thermally insulated pipes the temperature in the engine bay is reduced … if you prefer even more heat control you can always opt for the NOVITEC 999 gold-plating.
The NOVITEC exhaust system is available with, or without electronic sound management, you know, the active control flaps in the exhaust pipes to set the sound to ‘LOUD’ or ‘INSANELY LOUD’, if you want to get the lightest possible exhaust system for your Ferrari SF90 you should get the NOVITEC system in INCONEL, a lightweight material used on Formula One exhaust systems.
While the sound is extremely important, especially on a hybrid car, looks shouldn’t be forgotten other, and to that extend NOVITEC usually teams up with VOSSEN for their forged alloy wheels, and this black Ferrari isn’t any different, a set of high-tech forged wheels made in the USA are fitted, in this case, finished in ‘Bronzino’, but NOVITEC offers 72 different colors to their clients.
These NOVITEC NF10 wheels look like a ten-spoke design, but if you look closely it’s, in fact, a ‘double’ five-spoke design, and thanks to some amazing machining tech, VOSSEN managed to create a set of wheels that perfectly fill out the wheel arches on this Ferrari SF90 Stradale, 9.5×20 inch wheels at the front with 255/35 ZR 20 tires and bigger and wider wheels in 12×21 inch for the rear, this time with massive 325/35 R 21 tires fitted, the staggered dimensions emphasize the wedge shape of this Ferrari.
With custom wheels come the need for lowering a car in my humble opinion, and it seems NOVITEC feels the same way, they offer a set of lowering springs to bring the SF90 30mm lower to the street at the front and 25mm lower at the rear, just enough to make a visual impact, and by lowering the center of gravity, this also improves on handling.
NOVITEC also offers customization for the interior, offering the client the option to color match the leather or Alcantara upholstery to the color they selected on the wheels, but as usual, the demo car doesn’t show any custom interior treatment … I guess now it’s time to wait for NOVITEC to release an aero kit for the SF90, or perhaps even an N-LARGO limited edition.
July 19, 2021 / Comments Off on The Ferrari SF90 Stradale by NOVITEC
Global sales for Lamborghini reached a record-setting 4,852 units during the first six months of 2021, and it seems they aren’t slowing down any time soon, with the order book already filled for the next ten months or so, until April 2022, so if you’ve been thinking about buying a brand new Lamborghini, now might be the time because you’ll be looking at a long wait before taking delivery of your Raging Bull.
When compared to sales in 2020, this year shows a 37% increase in numbers, and even when we take a look at the 2019 figures, they are still 6.6% ahead of that too, making 2021 yet another record-setting year, Automobili Lamborghini SpA seems to be making a habit of breaking their own sales records just about every year, and if they keep this momentum going, Lamborghini is set to reach about 10,000 units by December, which would really be impressive, to say the least.
Let’s take a look at earlier years, about 25 years ago, in 1996, production was a total of 211 units of the Lamborghini Diablo, and that number didn’t really grow too much over the next years, by 2002 there were still only 424 cars leaving the factory gates at Sant’Agata, keep in mind at that time Audi AG already acquired Automobili Lamborghini SpA. A big leap in numbers came for 2003, with a total of 1,305 units of the brand new Murciélago at that time, and that trend kept going for a while with 2,430 units in 2008, but 2009 would become a disaster year for Lamborghini, sales dropped considerably and only 1,515 units were built, 2010 was even worse with another drop, this time to 1,302 … at that time the model line-up was Murciélago, Gallardo, and the Reventón limited edition model.
With the introduction of the Lamborghini Aventador in 2011 things got turned around, it would become obvious the Aventador became an extremely important model to keep Lamborghini going, and sales started to pick up again, rising year on year from 1,602 units in 2011 to 2,530 in 2014, when another milestone car was introduced, the Lamborghini Huracán that boosted sales in 2015 to 3,245, a number that would more than double to 8,205 units by 2019, with all the trouble we had in 2020 sales dropped 9,45%, but it seems 2021 will more than make up for that temporary lapse in growth, and with Lamborghini introducing a fourth model in the line-up after 2025, I’m confident we’ll be seeing well over 10,000 cars per year being built within a few years.
President and CEO Stephan Winkelmann commented: “This exceptional result is a double confirmation for us. It is proof of the solidity and strength of this brand, which is enjoying growing appeal despite a period of continuous challenges and uncertainty. It also endorses the positive reception to our new industrial plan for future electrification of our product range, in which we will invest over 1.5 billion euros by 2024. Lamborghini’s course is set for a period of great transformation, where technological innovation and sustainability will go hand in hand with a focus on maximum product performance and loyalty to the brand’s DNA.”
While you might expect the entire rise in sales is thanks to the Lamborghini Urus, it’s not, in fact, all three models have seen increased sales figures, naturally, the Urus Super SUV makes the largest contribution to these figures with 2,796 units, an increase of 35% over last year, but the Lamborghini Huracán is still selling very well, especially since the updated EVO and EVO RWD model, from January to June 2021 we’ve seen 1,532 V10 Lamborghini being delivered, a 46% increase, and with the Huracán STO starting to be delivered right now I guess we’ll see close to 3,000 Huracán if not more by the end of this year.
With a worldwide network of 168 official dealers in 51 markets, the sales are about equally spread over America, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific, with the United States being the leader in terms of numbers with 1,502 cars, China, Hong Kong, and Macau together accounted for 602 Lamborghinis in total while Germany received 391 cars, the UK 318, Japan 258, a total of 226 Lamborghinis were shipped to the Middle East and their local market in Italy was still selling 197 car during this six month period.
Even the flagship model, usually a rather slow-selling model, managed to increase sales by 21% to a total of 524 units during the first half of 2021, and while they are still building the final examples of the Aventador SVJ and Sián, production of the Sian Roadster will start soon, and then we’ll be seeing the latest model, the Aventador Ultimae, on the assembly line later this year, being a limited edition model with 350 Coupe and 250 Roadster, that only represents a little over six months of production at Sant’Agata … which makes me wonder … what’s next?
There is a rumor we’ll be seeing another limited edition model being unveiled in August, during Monterey Car Week, and if the whispers are right, this will be an homage to the Countach that’s celebrating her 50th anniversary this year, priced at $3,000,000 each with a production run of 112 units to represent the LP112 internal code for the Countach back in the Seventies, power will likely come from the Sián setup, so the NA V12 combined with electric motors for a combined power output of 819 hp, or more … but nothing is official yet, we’ll have to wait a few more weeks to see the latest and greatest from Sant’Agata to be unveiled.
July 19, 2021 / Comments Off on Lamborghini ready to deliver 10,000 cars this year
The Koenigsegg Jesko was unveiled at the last Geneva Motor Show to date, the 2019 edition, and this new hypercar drew a lot of attention in Switzerland when the covers came off, this was a brutal looking car in true Koenigsegg tradition, with a claimed top speed of 300 mph from what they claim is their lightest and most powerful 5.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine yet.
Koenigsegg Jesko at Geneva in 2019 – photo copyright Mark Smeyers
Numbers like 1,600 hp on E85 biofuel and 1,280 on regular gasoline were mentioned, a maximum torque of 1,106 lb-ft required a special 9-speed multi-clutch gearbox built in-house by Koenigsegg at 170 mp the aerodynamic design of this Jesko with that massive rear wing creates 2,200 pounds of downforce … at top speed, this number increases to more than 3,000 pounds!
Koenigsegg Jesko at Geneva in 2019 – photo copyright Mark Smeyers
About a year later Koenigsegg unveiled something even more impressive … the Jesko Absolut, built for all-out top speed records, while the ‘regular’ Jesko is more track-focused with her massive front spoiler lip and imposing rear wing with double struts, the Jesko Absolut has been made as smooth as possible, with the least possible drag … a drag coefficient value of only 0.278 Cd has been achieved for a top speed in excess of 330 mph, that is 532 km/h, which would shatter any top speed record to date.
Koenigsegg limited the production for the Jesko to 125 units, priced at US$3,000,000 each with initial deliveries by the spring of 2022, customers will have the option to choose between either the Jesko or the Jesko Absolut trim, if there will be a price difference isn’t mentioned in the official documentation, but I guess if you’re ready to part with $3,000,000 for such an amazing car, a few $100,000 more or less don’t really matter anyway.
The Koenigsegg CCR was also shown at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show – Photo copyright Mark Smeyers
Today we have passed the design and prototype stage for the Koenigsegg Jesko as their first pre-series production car comes off the assembly line … and she is stunning, to say the least, finished in Tang Orange Pearl with silver and carbon-fiber accents, this specific pre-production Jesko is an homage to original Koenigsegg CCR color … a testament to how Christian von Koenigsegg brings the past into the future of his company.
If you look at the amazing cars made by Koenigsegg it might be hard to imagine this hypercar company was founded only 27 years ago, Christian von Koenigsegg started Koenigsegg Automotive AB in 1994 and quickly became a world leader in engineering and manufacturing of extreme performance hypercars, based in Ängelholm in the south of Sweden, Koenigsegg now holds about 400 employees, and they are still expanding as we speak.
CEO and Founder Christian von Koenigsegg states: “We are very excited to showcase this pre-series Jesko in conjunction with the start of production of the 125 Jesko and Jesko Absolut customer cars. As part of our gradual expansion, the Jesko’s pre-assembly begins at an extended 10,000 square meter facility”
To be honest, I wasn’t really blown away by the white Koenigsegg Jesko at the 2019 GIMS in Switzerland, I was fortunate enough to be there at the press conference when Christian von Koenigsegg unveiled the car, and while the aero is extremely wild, the white and green just didn’t work for me, but seeing this Jesko in bright orange changes everything, especially with the orange interior now looking so much better than the plain-looking black upholstery inside the Geneva show car.
Koenigsegg is getting ready to start production of the 125 Jesko and Jesko Absolut customer cars, after almost three years of prototype, testing, redesigning, and preparing for production, and judging from the photos of this bright orange production prototype, there isn’t too much different in terms of overall look compared to the 2019 Geneva show car, and I absolutely love the fact you can still take the top off and drive the Jesko as a convertible … I’m sorry, I like open-top cars, even if they can go over 300 mph.
During final shakedown testing, which Koenigsegg does at very high speeds mind you, it became clear this hypercar handles like no other, thanks to an active triplex damper added to the front suspension, active aerodynamics (that massive rear wing moves!), Michelin tires that have been developed specifically for the Jesko, and the Koenigsegg bespoke Electronic Stability system.
An evolution in DCT, Dual Clutch transmissions, that is yet unseen since its development is the new LST, or Koenigsegg own patented Light Speed Transmission that offers seamless gear shifts, both upshifting and downshifting, a gear change is as fast as the speed of light according to Christian von Koenigsegg, this ‘world’s fastest transmission’ consists of nine forward gears and seven wet, multidisc clutches in a compact, ultra-light package.
Jesko prototype driver Markus Lundh: “The Jesko feels very natural to drive. Because of its seamless shifting, whether up or down, everything just happens much faster. There are no delays, it is very responsive and behaves exactly the way you want it to. For a car of its size and power, it is very agile in the way it reacts to steering and does not spin out even with sudden movements at full throttle”
The Koenigsegg Jesko will come with ‘Autoskin’, first seen on their Regera, at the touch of a button on the remote control, miniaturized hydraulics initially designed to operate aerodynamic systems will engage to open the car’s doors and hoods, for a true touchless entry, but more importantly, it looks amazing at a car event too.
A redesign of Koenigsegg’s very special, signature dihedral synchro-helix door hinge now allows opening slightly outwards and upwards compared to the Regera, unveiling a truly mesmerizing interior in leather, Alcantara, carbon fiber, aluminum, and even glass. The SmartCluster display behind the steering wheel actually rotates when the driver takes a turn, while two SmartWheel touchscreens embedded into the actual steering wheel make several features accessible with just a touch or a swipe.
Controls for seat position and heating are available via the SmartCenter touchscreen. Drivers can find the perfect driving position by matching their carbon fiber seat position with the fully adjustable steering column and pedal box, and whit that amazing von Koenigsegg shield adorned key that can be fitted onto its very own indent on the dashboard, the interior just looks so luxurious and sporty at the same time … this isn’t some Sparton, uncomfortable supercar, but more of an ultra-fast Grand Touring version of a hypercar.
As already mentioned, the first of these $3,000,000 hypercars ‘Made in Sweden’ will be delivered to their fortunate customers by the spring of 2022, I’m really curious as to what special color combination we’ll be seeing on the Koenigsegg Jesko, and just how the split between Jesko and Jesko Absolut will be … will more customers opt for the brutal race-track, LeMans style of the Jesko, or will the Jesko Absolut with her sleeker lines and higher top speed be more popular?
And what about this … will the Koenigsegg Jesko beat the 282.9 mph top speed record of the SSC TUATARA? On paper the Jesko Absolut should be capable of going well over 300 mph, Koenigsegg even mentioned 330 mph for the Jesko Absolut, but what will be the top speed in a real-life environment, on the road, going in two opposite directions … what will the average top speed of the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut be in that case … only time will tell …
July 16, 2021 / Comments Off on First pre-series production Jesko ready
The Aston Martin Valhalla concept was introduced at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, intended to become Aston Martin’s hybrid supercar with an in-house developed V6 engine coupled to multiple electric motors, and while the production of the 150 units has been postponed a few times, as late as 2023, another blow came when rumors surfaced Aston Martin wouldn’t be able to continue the development of their bespoke V6 engine, but instead would turn to a Mercedes AMG sourced V8 for their $3,000,000 Valhalla supercar.
Just about every car manufacturer out there is talking about electrification or at least hybridization, and that’s what Aston Martin’s Project Horizon is all about, the transition from internal combustion engines to hybrid, which will lead to full electrification later on, and not only will the Valhalla be a high-power hybrid, but it will also be Aston Martin’s first mid-engined supercar, a move away from ultra-luxury GT cars they are famous for globally today.
The Aston Martin Valhalla is a showcase of technology, with Lawrence Stroll as Executive Chairman and the return of Aston Martin in Formula One racing, it shouldn’t come as a surprise the Valhalla’s chassis, aerodynamics, and electronics are taken from Formula One experiences, add a mid-mounted V8 engine into the mix with the aid of electric motors, the torque is instant, the Valhalla will offer an amazing driving experience for the 150 fortunate owners that can enjoy this first for Aston Martin.
The total power output on the Aston Martin Valhalla is 950 hp, with 750 hp from the turbocharged V8 engine and the remaining 200 hp from the electric powertrain, and while 4-Liter V8 twin-turbo engine might have been sourced from Mercedes AMG, it is a bespoke unit for the Aston Martin Valhalla, at 7,200 rpm the maximum power of 750 hp goes to the rear wheels only, while a 150kW/400V battery hybrid system uses an E-Motor on the front axle, and a second E-Motor on the rear axle to add 200 hp more.
If the driver opts to use EV mode only, there will be power to the front axle exclusively, in all other driving modes, the electric motors are engaged on both axles, in a varying split front to rear, when conditions are right the full-electric power will be sent to the rear axle only, making sure the combined output from the V8 engine and the rear E-Motor offer exhilarating performance and acceleration to the driver.
Aston Martin’s CEO, Tobias Moers commented: “Preserving the essence of an exceptional concept car is vital when meeting the challenge of bringing it into production. With Valhalla not only have we stayed true to our commitment to building a world-beating supercar, but we have exceeded our original aims. The result is a pure driving machine – one which exists right at the cutting edge of performance and technology yet allows the driver to feel the emotion and thrill of complete connection and control.”
Being a hybrid, the transmission had to be completely redesigned for the Valhalla, the 8-Speed DCT unit is also bespoke for the Aston Martin Valhalla, there is no real reverse gear, to move backward the electric motors are used, still this transmission comes with an Electronic Limited Slip Differential at the rear for top-of-the-line traction and handling, thanks to the fact the V8 and E-Motors can be in a different gear inside the DCT, the maximum torque of 1,000 Nm is possible.
A totally silent drive is possible in full EV-mode while a top speed of 80 Mph (130 km/h) can be achieved this way over a range of 15 km, but when that big twin-turbo V8 engine comes to join the top speed goes to 217 mph (330 km/h) with an acceleration of 0 to 60 mph in just 2.5 seconds, as this is a street-legal race car, Aston Martin is hoping to set a record time of 6:30 on the famous Nürburgring Nordschleife.
Ralph Illenberger, Head of Powertrain Engineering said: “Valhalla is our first opportunity to really show what we are capable of in a true production sense. We have created our own bespoke air-to-air charge-cooled, flat-plane crank V8 engine and have combined it with a powerful hybrid system. And, of course, we also have our own bespoke Dual Clutch Transmission – a first for Aston Martin and an essential component both for Valhalla and future Aston Martin models. The result is a truly world-class powertrain for an efficient, ultra-performing supercar.”
The base for the Aston Martin Valhalla is a lightweight carbon fiber tub with F1 inspired pushrod front suspension while the rear suspension is a multilink design, with Multimatic Variable Spring rate and Adaptive Spool Valve (ASV) Damper units, when in ‘Track mode’ the dampers aren’t only stiffer, but the ride height is considerably lowered for maximum downforce, but for more practicality, the front axle comes with a lift system to get onto driveways.
Stopping power comes from large carbon-ceramic disc brakes together with bespoke Michelin tires in a staggered 20-inch and 21-inch, as usual, the tires have been specifically designed for this car which comes in at an overall weight of 1,550 kg, thanks to the experience gained from the Valkyrie hypercar, the aerodynamics on the Valhalla have been optimized to create an impressive downforce of 600 kg at 150 mph giving this car amazing stability at speed and offers high-speed cornering with ease.
When opening the forward-hinged dihedral doors that have cut-outs in the roof for easier entry or exit of the Aston Martin Valhalla, you can be greeted by either an RHD or an LHD configuration as Aston Martin intends to offer both options to their clients, and in case you are too tall to fit into the Valkyrie, you’re in luck as interior space in the Valhalla is larger, and features a touchscreen HMI on the central console with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The two seats inside the Valhalla are fixed onto the carbon-fiber tub, instead, both the pedals and the steering wheel can be adjusted to fit the driver, with a raised footwell you’ll get that Formula One feeling behind the wheel of the Valhalla.
For Aston Martin’s Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman, Valhalla is an opportunity for the Aston Martin design team to express extreme performance with fresh form and proportion, and to capture the brand’s bold future-forward approach: “When we created the Valhalla concept we were keen to emphasize the design legacy of the Aston Martin Valkyrie and that intent remains unchanged, but the execution has evolved considerably in order to reach production of this all-new car. Though the legacy of Valkyrie is clear, Valhalla is now a more mature, fully resolved piece of design. One which combines the pure aerodynamic function you would expect from a marque competing in Formula One® together with the beautiful form, striking proportions, and exemplary detailing for which Aston Martin is renowned.”
There is no mention in the latest press release about delivery dates for the first customer cars from Aston Martin, but while this amazing looking, classic British Racing Green finished ‘production prototype’ for the Valhalla is production-ready according to Aston Martin, there is still a long way of development to go before the first of the 150 units can be shipped out, I’m sure we’ll be seeing Sebastian Vettel, Lance Stroll, and Nico Hulkenburg behind the wheel of several Valhalla test mules to fine-tune the dynamic properties over the next year or so, and that 2023 date for initial deliveries sounds plausible.
July 15, 2021 / Comments Off on Aston Martin Valhalla, ready for production
I can’t help myself, but when I look at these photos of the new Marc Philipp Gemballa Marsien, I’m thinking about the legendary Paris Dakar rally where Porsche entered a few of their rare 959 models, complete with a raised suspension to be able to cope with the desert racing … and then I read in the official press release the Project Sandbox as this concept was initially called, took inspiration from that rally, so my feeling was correct.
This is Gemballa’s first production-ready car, do note Marc Philipp Gemballa is a separate company from Gemballa GmbH, this bespoke off-road capable supercar is a combination of a comfortable contemporary supercar and an off-road sand eating monster, a development with partners like Akrapovič, KW Automotive, and RUF Automobile.
We published the early renders on this car a while ago in our ‘The return of Gemballa‘ article, but today Project Sandbox is ready for production, albeit very limited and all bespoke builds, and more importantly the car is now named Marsien, at the 27, this young entrepreneur and son of late Uwe Gemballa launched his very first production-ready supercar, starting a new era in 2021, Marc Philipp quickly realized if he wanted to build a successful company for the future and not just toss the next imitator product onto the market, he needed to come up with something very special for his clients.
After two years of design and perfecting the initial renders to put into production, a new concept is now introduced, in fact, we’re looking at a completely new supercar segment, a modern supercar with the comfort we’ve come to expect in this day and age, with daily driver practicality that can go off-road, at high speed, and bringing the latest technology into the mix … something only an SUV like the Lamborghini Urus or Bentley Bentayga could offer, but every customer is tempted by an SUV, they want an off-road supercar … like this Marsien.
At this early stage, Marc Philipp Gemballa’s new company is not ready for a new car built entirely in-house, unlike Rimac who designed, developed, and is building their Nevera from scratch with every single piece being built in their own factory, Marc Philipp is taken a well-proven, respected supercar from Porsche and turns it into his Marsien, and the all-wheel-drive Porsche 992 Turbo S is just what he needed with its state-of-the-art technology on a cutting-edge platform.
Only 40 units of the Marc Philipp Gemballa Marsien will be built, and while you are reading this, over 20 have already been sold, so if you want to add this ‘made in Germany’ off-road supercar to your collection you might want to act quick, the car will be available globally and has been thoroughly tested on the sand dunes of the Arabian desert as can clearly be seen in the official launch video at the end of this article.
From the press release: During the intense test phase in the beautiful Al Faya desert, the development team was amazed by the stunning red desert sand in combination with the sharp fossil rocks and mountain backdrops shaping the landscape of the desert making it very special and unlike any other. “We felt like as if we were in an entirely different universe,” says Marc Philipp Gemballa. The Al Faya desert located in the emirate of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates has been famous ever since for its unique and extremely red desert sand and Mars-like environment visually. “Since it looked and felt like we were on Mars paired with the futuristic design and the vehicle’s off-road capabilities, we couldn’t think of a more fitting name for our first project.” The name ‘MARSIEN’ was born – derived from the French word ‘Martian’ or ‘from Mars’.
As we would expect, the body for this Marsien is made entirely from lightweight but strong carbon fiber and comes from the same German company that produces carbon fiber parts as an OEM to leading supercar manufacturers, but also to Formula One teams, for the sleek design Marc Philipp turned to Porsche aficionado Alan Derosier, known for his beautiful Porsche 908 design study while the bespoke LED taillights have been developed together with GERG Lighthouse.
The German-based technical service provider FAKT is currently working on road homologation for the Marc Philipp Gemballa Marsien, together with Gemballa’s technical team they are working on getting the Marsien street-legal in Europe, including the more stringent Switzerland, but also for the Middle-East, probably one of their biggest market. The Marsien will also be imported into the United States of America … and if possible into any other market in the world later on.
The car in these photos is the first completed car from Marc Philipp Gemballa, it’s the official launch vehicle, and it’s finished in a stunning, triple-layer pearl metallic white with bespoke metallic flakes, as this is an off-road supercar, they also applied a though ceramic coat for added protection to this expensive paint job, on customer cars the color palette is vast, a state-of-the-art certified paint shop will be able to create the exact shade and finish the future owner requests, or you can opt for an exposed carbon fiber body … now that would be my choice, to be honest.
The Marsien comes with a special engine upgrade POWERED BY RUF, and while the six-cylinder boxer engine is still compliant with EOR 6 emissions, power output is raised to more than 750 hp … but it gets even better, RUF offers a Stage II power upgrade with modified VTG turbochargers and different EVU mapping that bumps power to 830 hp, in this case, you’ll also need some revised PDK transmission settings to cope with that much power.
To ensure the Marsien was as capable on the road as off the road, Marc Philipp together with KW Automotive developed a new double-wishbone front suspension with solid piston damper technology with intelligent active dampers and adjustable ride height, there is an electronically controlled hydraulic lift system that can raise the Marsien from normal road level up to a ground clearance of 250 mm!
The driver of the Marsien has several driving modes at his, or her disposal through the knob on the steering wheel, in addition to the standard Porsche modes, this Gemballa comes with bespoke off-road modes like gravel, mud, sand, and even snow … also note the entire underbody of the Marsien is protected from debris by a solid aluminum guard plate.
The MARSIEN is delivered with two different, bespoke forged aluminum wheel sets, both with track-inspired center locking bolts, the first set comes with Michelin Ultra High Performance (UHP) tires for road use, while the second set is shod with All-Terrain tires for off-road use. If you really want to go crazy on the sand, there is the option of a Reiger Suspension rally-spec off-road dampers further enhancing the suspension travel and increasing the ground clearance to a fixed off-road ride height.
The interior is another fine balance between form and function, fitted with either a leather or an Alcantara upholstery, the overall look and feel is inspired by the magnificent Porsche Carrera GT, with a ‘flying’ carbon fiber central console and custom ‘ribbons’ to pull the door shut. There are handstitched Gemballa logos on the headrests, and the logo is also embedded on the armrest.
Also note there is a special plaque fitted to the interior with the serial number of that specific car, one of only 40, with the 10 ‘Launch Edition’ models being sold out long ago, only a handful of the 40 units are still available while production of the Marsien will start in late 2021, each with a starting price of €495,000 before taxes (about US$586,000), and you’ll have to add duties, shipping, custom requests or options … and your base, that Porsche 992 Turbo S … yes, that price tag of almost $600,000 is just for the conversion alone … exclusivity doesn’t come cheap.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Base vehicle: Porsche 911 Turbo S (992 Series) Engine: RUF upgraded twin-turbocharged flat-six engine Power (hp): 750 up to 830 hp (Series: 650 hp) Power (kW): 552 kW (Series: 478 kW) Max. torque: 930 Nm torque (Series: 800 Nm torque) Vmax: 330 km/h (with on-road tire set only) 0-100 km/h: 2.6 seconds (with on-road tIre set only)
Exhaust: Bespoke Akrapovič titanium exhaust system Suspension: Double wishbone front suspension Multi-link rear suspension KW Automotive solid piston dampers with two electronic valves and semi-active Dynamic Damper and Chassis Control (KW DDCC) and adjustable ride height via Hydraulic Lift System (HLS)
Ground clearance: 250 mm in off-road mode / 120 mm in on-road mode Dimensions: L 4714 / W 2030 / H 1450 (in off-road mode)
Wheels & Tyres: On-road wheels Bespoke 20″/21″ forged aluminum wheels with center lock system in with Michelin Ultra High-Performance tires Off-road wheels Bespoke 19″/20″ MPG forged aluminum wheels with center lock system in with All-Terrain tires (Vmax 210 km/h)
Exterior: Full carbon fiber body Interior: Fully bespoke full leather / Alcantara interior with carbon fibeR accents
The official launch video:
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July 14, 2021 / Comments Off on The Marc Philipp Gemballa Marsien
Originally intended to commemorate the storming of the Bastille, July 14 is France’s most important national holiday, each year honoring the Grande Nation and its values. “As a French brand with a large proportion of French employees, we regard ourselves as part of the French identity,” says Bugatti President Stephan Winkelmann. “Molsheim stands for technical perfection and an exceptional sense for quality but also for French savoir vivre – a lifestyle that attracted and shaped Ettore Bugatti and which is reflected in our vehicles up to this day. This is what our products stand for and this will remain in the future.”
In 1909, Ettore Bugatti deliberately chose Molsheim in Alsace as the home of his company. The first car to be produced in Molsheim was the Bugatti Type 13. The brand entered into the world of motorsport and launched further light sports cars, such as the legendary Type 35. Between 1920 and 1935, Bugatti celebrated countless victories at international races with both standard models and their variants. Simultaneously, Bugatti developed touring cars such as the Type 30, Type 38, Type 44, and Type 49 – exceptional due to their design as well as their eight-cylinder engines. In 1926, Bugatti created a truly regal limousine: with a wheelbase of 4.3 meters and a total length of 6.4 meters, the Type 41 Royale became the longest and most luxurious vehicle in the world. Their versatility, ease of handling, suitability for many different driving situations, and elegant, often customized bodywork turned the vehicles from Alsace into some of Europe’s trendiest models.
Throughout his whole life, Ettore was more than just a car manufacturer; he was a multi-talented developer and a Frenchman at heart. He learned French and travelled regularly to Paris in search for inspiration. He kept company with Émile-Maurice Hermès and René Lalique. His first showroom was in the then-already-famous Avenue Montaigne in the heart of Paris. He was fascinated by the elegance, eccentricity, and excess to be found throughout France’s capital at that time. And so, Bugatti also designed all kinds of engines, trains, boats, airplanes, and sterile surgical tools in addition to his vehicles. Ettore Bugatti died on August 21, 1947 in Paris – in the heart of France. The company’s operations came to a halt with the cessation of the business in the early 1960s.
The biggest automotive exhibition in the vicinity of Molsheim
In the 1960s, brothers Hans and Fritz Schlumpf seem to have already sensed what the Bugatti brand would one day come to signify for the Alsace region once again. With their collection in Mulhouse, they not only set up the world’s largest car collection – but also the biggest Bugatti collection, thereby preserving the models, the brand, and its legendary status. Following the brothers’ insolvency, the French state took over the collection and opened the Musée National de l’Automobile in 1982. Across 25,000 square meters, the “Cité de L’Automobile” – as it is officially called today – exhibits 400 of the world’s rarest and most valuable automobiles – including around 100 Bugatti models and two of the six Type 41 Royale ever to be built.
In the late 1980s, Romano Artioli brought the company back to life – albeit only until 1995 – with the development of the EB 110. A few years later, Bugatti settled once more in Molsheim, renovating the Château St. Jean, two remises and the Orangery, and builds an ultra-modern factory, known as the Atelier, in the oval shape of the famous Bugatti Macaron. This is where the Veyron 16.4, the first hyper sports car of the modern era, was produced in 2005. Since then, the precious legacy of Ettore Bugatti has continued here with highly motivated and qualified employees who are passionate about producing the world’s best hyper sports cars. 450 Veyrons were hand-manufactured here until 2015. And since 2016, the employees in the Atelier were assembling the Chiron and its highly sought-after derivatives, the Chiron Pur Sport and Chiron Super Sport, as well as the coach-built Divo, Centodieci, and La Voiture Noire models based on a tradition Bugatti successfully brought back to life in 2018.
“I quickly grew very fond of Bugatti. The history, the products, the team, the whole region,” says Winkelmann. “We are proud of being a French brand and can well understand why Ettore Bugatti was originally attracted to the Alsace region. The national day on July 14 is something truly special to our French employees and to me personally. This is why we want to commemorate it this year with an exceptional tricolore.”
Three Chiron Sport in blue, white, red, symbolizing the French origins and Bugatti’s haute couture of the automotive industry.
July 13, 2021 / Comments Off on Bugatti Celebrates France’s National Day
Rimac Automobili just posted a video of their amazing Nevera at the 2021 edition of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, they had the dark grey car on display at the Michelin Supercar Paddock, and that car would also be taken onto the hill climb circuit, both with clients and journalists in the passenger seat, this car first arrived in the UK for some private VIP events together with H.R.Owen in London.
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A second, white Rimac Nevera with blue accents was shown on the ‘Electric Avenue’, a part of the Goodwood show exclusively dedicated to all-electric cars, and the Nevera hypercar drew a lot of attention at both parts, this two-minute video shows some of the highlights from Rimac during the four-day Goodwood event, as the doors have closed now, the Rimac Nevera continues her global voyage, next stop will be Spain.
July 12, 2021 / Comments Off on Rimac Nevera at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2021
The famous Goodwood Festival of Speed closed its doors on Sunday, but not without an amazing victory for the McLaren 720S GT3X, taking the win at the top of the leaderboard of the Timed Shootout Final with a time of 45.01 seconds, over a second faster than the runner up from the competition. The impressive McLaren 720S GT3X has been developed by the motorsport division at McLaren, the McLaren Customer Racing department was able to create a special race car that didn’t need to adhere to regular racing regulations like the 720S GT3 that has to comply with FIA GT3 rules.
For the 1,210 kg GT3X, the hand-built, 4.0-Liter V8 twin-turbo engine delivers 720 PS, but has 30 more PS available at the push of a button, without having to deal with regulations, the 720S GT3X is a true performance-optimized evolution of the bespoke GT3 racecar. The aerodynamically optimized body has been developed using ‘Computational Fluid Dynamics’ (CFD) combined with F1 wind tunnel testing, which allowed McLaren Factory Driver Rob Bell to put down this amazing time at Goodwood.
Do keep in mind this amazing McLaren 720S GT3X can’t be ordered at a regular McLaren dealership, you will have to turn to one of only 11 official McLaren Motorsport Retailers worldwide, as part of the purchase and ownership package, McLaren Automotive can provide dedicated technical track support for each owner. This program is carried out by the customer support engineers from the in-house McLaren Customer Racing division – the team that has designed and developed the model alongside the 720S GT3 global customer race program.
But McLaren came along with several more cars aside from their black 720S GT3X, for instance, McLaren Chief Test Driver, Kenny Bräck took the wheel of a stunning gold painted McLaren Elva for several stints on the hill climb circuit at Goodwood, something the thousands of visitors convenience as the highlight of their visit, seeing the cars on display in the Supercar paddock is nice, but seeing those priceless exotics and hypercars being driven at speed during the hill climb is why Goodwood became the largest event of its kind.
And McLaren had yet another highlight at Goodwood, the brand new McLaren Artura made her dynamic debut at this year’s Festival of Speed, the bright blue Artura was also driven hard during the hill climb, but also drew a lot of attention at the McLaren stand in the paddock, joined by a GT, a 765LT and a 620R, the latter two being piloted by Bruno Senna.
“Winning the Timed Shootout Final was the perfect end to an excellent 2021 Festival of Speed for McLaren. Rob Bell drove magnificently, showcasing the outstanding capabilities of the 720S GT3X to great effect in mastering the challenging Goodwood Hill. And with so many of our cars on display and in action – including the all-new Artura making its public dynamic debut and the remarkable Elva – this was a wonderful opportunity to meet customers and fans face-to-face once again and celebrate all things McLaren.” Mike Flewitt, CEO, McLaren Automotive
July 12, 2021 / Comments Off on Victory for the McLaren 720S GT3X in the Timed Shootout Final.
Some people just walk into a car dealership and buy a car from the showroom floor, or from the inventory the dealer has in stock, while others go through the factory brochure and scrutinize the options list to put together the exact car they want to own, put in an order, and wait for ‘their’ car to arrive, which might take some time depending on the make and model.
However, once you get into the luxury car market, where makes like Mercedes, Audi, and BMW are present with their flagship models, those options lists get a lot more complicated, but it’s still a lot of fun to go through them and put together the car of your dreams … but there is still a select group of high-net-worth individuals that take it a step beyond that segment … they are shopping from a car from Rolls Royce or Bentley, and while the saying goes ‘you get driven in a Rolls Royce, but you drive a Bentley’, both makes are in the upper segment of the luxury car market.
With most makes, you have the choice of a multitude of colors for the body and interior but mostly limited to what they offer the customer, once you walk into the Bentley showroom things change considerably, the list of body colors is almost limitless, as it the list of options for the interior hides, stitching, and veneers … but that’s not even good enough for the most discerning clients … for those special customers Bentley inaugurated their Mulliner Design team in 2014.
And it seems customers were eagerly awaiting something like this, a way to create ‘their’ own Bentley, not just putting down a long list of ‘standard’ options on an order form, but a more personal way of actively designing their new car, Bentley expected an increase in the demand for bespoke and highly personalized cars, and over a period of 7 years the Mulliner Design team completed 1,000 very special cars.
The first Bentley to be created by the Mulliner Design team was the Flying Spur Serenity, a limited production series of 15 units that came with different seats and headrests compared to the regular Flying Spur, this was the model that introduced the unique diamond quilting and specifically textured leather we now see in the new Continental GT Mulliner.
The Bentley Mulliner Design team can take on just about any request a customer might come up with, with a bespoke door sill plate, over custom stitching, right up to a complete bespoke coachbuilding project, and while many of their 1,000 projects are one-off cars created for a specific customer, some are limited edition models, like the Bentley Continental GT’s that were inspired by the famous Breitling Jets aerial display team, a series of seven cars were color-matched to the aircraft that inspired them, all finished in black, silver and yellow.
If you take a look at the numbers again, it comes down to about 3 commissions per week for the Mulliner Design team, making clear just how popular a bespoke build has become of the last years, they are involved in all areas of the Mulliner department, from Classic to Coachbuilt, to Collections, this team sits on the cutting design edge of what Mulliner can deliver.
Personally, I really like the bright green Bentley Continental GT Pikes Peak edition that was created in 2019 to celebrate Bentley’s Production Car record at the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb, complete with a custom inlay on the dashboard showing the Pikes Peak run, and the record-setting time of 10:18.488, an amazing detail set on a clear carbon fiber background in front of the passenger.
And that’s another thing the Bentley Mulliner Design team can accomplish for you, don’t like wood veneer on the interior of your new Bentley? No problem, how about carbon fiber for that sporty look, or lacquered to match, or contrast with the interior? Not a problem at all … but what about real stone inlays inside your Bentley? No worries, the Mulliner Design team has you covered, first, they will make a stunning 3D render on how it will all look together with the upholstery and stitching pattern you selected, then they will source the stone of your liking and create the less than 1 mm thick inlays, just for you.
Not a real fan of smooth leather? Again, no problem at all for the artisans at the Mulliner Design team, you prefer Alcantara, they can do that easily, come to think about it, they can even use your very own, custom tweed design on the door panels, parts of the seats, even on the dashboard … in fact, there are only two limiting factors when it comes to creating bespoke builds through this team: your imagination … and the law, the car has to remain street-legal to drive in the end, so a glass steering wheel might not be possible.
Paul Williams, Director of Mulliner and Motorsport, comments: “Since 2014, our Mulliner Design team has averaged three customer commissions a week, showing just how popular bespoke Bentleys are becoming. The team, led by Design Manager Phill Dean, has worked on everything from Continental GT3 liveries all the way up to the specifications and details of the 12 cars of the Blower Continuation Series. The only thing all of those designs have in common is that they are for individual customers – apart from that, each one is as unique as the rest. The scope of what’s achievable with a standard production Bentley has now been brought to life by the team through the use of the dedicated Mulliner visualiser, which allows our customers to choose the colour and trim specifications of their cars with real-time photorealistic visualisation of the result. The co-creation process with Mulliner designers is now available to everyone.”
Just so you know, the Mulliner Design team not only works on bespoke commissions on cars, but they were also instrumental in the creation of the exquisite optional picnic hampers for the Bentayga, complete with refrigerator, bespoke fine china cutlery, crockery, and crystal glass, and storage area for dry goods. For comfort in the great outdoors, the hampers themselves could be removed and used as seats.
July 11, 2021 / Comments Off on Bentley Mulliner builds 1,000th bespoke commission
We already knew Maserati would be bringing their new supercar, the MC20 to Goodwood for the Festival of Speed, but seeing the bright blue finished, production-ready MC20 taking on the famous hill climb circuit at Goodwood is still an amazing sight for the thousands of car fans that gathered at the largest event of its kind in the UK.
The 27th Goodwood Festival of Speed is the chosen venue for several supercar builders to have their new car celebrating its dynamic debut, yesterday we already published the article on the Lotus Emira, today Maserati joins the list of dynamic launches with their blue finished MC20 that joined the Supercar Run for the 1.16-mile course.
Over the four days of the Goodwood event in West Sussex, the UK, the Maserati MC20 will be seen in action multiple times during the aforementioned Supercar Run, but also as a static display at the Supercar paddock, the MC20 was unveiled in 2020, hence the MC20 name, but it took Maserati nearly two years to finetune their first mid-engine supercar for the road.
The Maserati MC20 is made around a carbon-fiber monocoque that keeps the overall weight at only 1,500 kg, the Formula One derived V6 engine created in-house has been named the Maserati Nettuno, and she’s proudly on display next to the car at the Michelin Supercar Paddock for visitors to admire.
Maserati also brought their performance saloon to Goodwood, the impressive Ghibli Trofeo, finished in Nero Ribelle, and they also took it onto the hill climb circuit, roaring its 580 hp V8 engine that propels the four-seater to 62 mph from a standstill in as little as 4.3 seconds, and while this Ghibli and the Quattroporte are built at Grugliasco (Turin) at the Avvocato Giovanni Agnelli Plant (AGAP), the stunning Maserati MC20 is produced in Modena, at the historic Viale Ciro Menotti plant.
Both the Maserati Ghibli Trofeo and the Maserati MC20 will be in action during the four days of the Goodwood Festival of Speed during the Supercar Run hill climb, after which both cars will be driven back to the Michelin Supercar Paddock to be admired by the countless visitors.
July 10, 2021 / Comments Off on Maserati MC20 at speed in Goodwood
The Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance has, for 65 years, been the premier place to see exotic, rare, and beautiful cars in absolutely pristine condition. Over the years, the event has grown from a few cars to over 200 treasured and collectible cars, dressed to the nines for the Concours.
For 2021, with the event taking place from July 16 to 18, the Concours will host a chronological evolution display of Ford performance cars, from the very first sports version of a Ford car to the latest and greatest Ford supercar. The special display brings together many rare cars, some of them one of only a few ever made or remaining, with the owners of the cars collaborating with Hillsborough to make the centerpiece display happen.
The oldest car in the display will be the very first Ford sports car, the 1915 Ford Model T Speedster. It is, in fact, the first Ford performance production car to carry the Ford badge, but not actually be fully manufactured by Ford, much like how companies like Saleen, Roush, and RTR work with Mustangs today.
Powered by the legendary inline-four, 2.9L Model T engine, the Speedster on display was built racing in mind, and features one of the first racing applications of a water jacket thermosyphon. This cooling system used natural convection with a large amount of water around the engine to push heat out the top of the bonnet, hence the flaps on it to allow that head to be carried away by the air passing over them.
The centerpiece of the display, however, is a 1967 Ford GT40 MkIV, which is famously known as the G7A J-9 chassis. This specific car was made as a test chassis, fully built up to race spec, but using the newly designed 7L, 3 valves per cylinder V8 for Can-Am racing. This engine was one of the first full cast aluminum V8’s and produced over 500 HP, moving a fully aluminum honeycomb body on a lightweight aluminum chassis. In other words, it was fast, but it never actually raced, having only completed test runs around several tracks in the hands of an Italian-American known as Mario Andretti.
The display also celebrates the involvement of Carroll Shelby in guiding the Ford performance program through the 1960s, with no less than 7 Shelby cars on display. The ultra-rare 1964 Shelby USRRC 289 Cobra is one of the display cars, but its much better known big brother, the 1965 Shebly 427 Competition Cobra, was the result of that partnership with Ford.
Also on display are an original 1965 Shelby GT350 and GT350R, a 1968 Shelby GT500 KR (the first of the “King of the Road” Shelby models), and one of the first Shelby GT500’s to roll off the production line in 2014.
If you would like to attend the event, information on how to get to Hillsborough, as well as tickets and information, are available at the Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance website.
July 9, 2021 / Comments Off on Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance 2021 Will Have Ford Performance Cars Display
