b500-3

ISSUE 3

MONOCHROMATIC

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CONTENTS

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4 8 16 29 32 36 48 50 54 59 62 68 70

THE DESIGN / Amalgam Collection THE DESIGN / Etienne Salomé THE ART / INK THE OWNER / Porsche 924 Martini Rossi FOR SALE / 1993 Porsche 964 Turbo S Leichtbau THE PHOTOGRAPHER / Benedict Redgrove FOR SALE / Ferrari 458 Speciale Aperta THE AUCTION / 1968 Ford GT40 THE ARTIST / Fabian Oefner FOR SALE / 1957 Porsche 356A FOR SALE / 1955 Mercedes 300SL Gullwing THE DEALER / O’Kane Lavers PREVIOUSLY SOLD / McLaren F1

A B500 Ltd Publication.

The rights of B500 Ltd to be identified as author(s), publisher(s) of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with the copyright, designs & patents act 1988.

All rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any other information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

The articles as published do not necessarily represent the views of the author or publisher.

Information provided is deemed to be accurate at the time of going to press.

The Publisher takes no responsibility for any inaccuracies which may appear within the publication either in original or updated format.

Updated and renewed edition. First published in June 2020.

Copyright: B500 Ltd 2025.

Website: www.b500.co

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01 • THE DESIGN Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse / All White

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or our all White Issue we have been delighted to work alongside Amalgam Collection, who have been exceptionally generous in giving us full access to this one-off 1:8 scale model.

We are very excited to offer this exceptional and very exclusive Bugatti model, developed as a unique edition for Bugatti Designer and Artist Etienne Salomé. The Bugatti Veyron 16.4

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Grand Sport Vitesse, finished in white, has been configured and approved by Etienne himself.

The model comes with a signed plaque, certificate and an original Etienne Salomé hand sketch of the Grand Sport Vitesse’s profile, more of which you can read about in our exclusive Q&A we had recently with Etienne for this issue.

The Grand Sport Vitesse was developed as a roadster version of the Veyron Super

Sport and, after recording 254.04mph (408.84 km/h), made it at the time the fastest open-top production car in the world. Unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 2012, the Vitesse reworked the Grand Sports’ eight-litre W16 engine to get 1,184bhp, hitting 100km/h in 2.6 seconds.

Bugatti reworked the front and rear of the car to optimise the aerodynamics and, unlike the Grand Sport, the exterior is completely made of carbon fibre.

A new roof spoiler was developed to

reduce wind noise and two air scoops were elegantly integrated to provide more air intake for the engine.

Dr. Wolfgang Schreiber, President of Bugatti, later revealed that the engineers had established that the top possible speed for open-top driving to be 375 km/h. They could not let go of the idea of breaching the 400km/h barrier with the Vitesse and later successfully achieved their mission.

This fine scale model has been handcrafted and finished in the Amalgam workshops with the co-operation and assistance of Bugatti regarding original finishes, materials, archive imagery and drawings. The use of original CAD and supremely accurate digital scanning of the original car has allowed Amalgam to perfectly recreate every detail at scale.

Furthermore, the prototype model has undergone detailed scrutiny by Bugatti’s engineering and design teams to ensure complete accuracy of representation.

This is a one-off opportunity to own what is essentially the only all white model of its’ kind in existence.

Please contact us here at b500 at del@b500.co or contact Amalgam Collection directly to discuss.

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Ferrari Dino 246 GT 1972 Matching Numbers / Red Book Classiche POA

01743 462999

info@theashtreecollection

n.co.uk

Instagram @theashtreecollection

02 • THE DESIGN Etienne Salomé

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tienne Salomé was born in Paris in 1980, where he also grew up. Since completing his Master’s Degree at the Royal College of Art in London in 2005, he has received international acclaim for his designs and art works, and is without question one of the most exciting French Designers and Artists of his generation.

While working as Deputy Design Director at Bugatti Automobiles, he contributed to Bugatti Design for more than 12 years.

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In 2007 Salomé was project manager for the collaboration of Bugatti and Hermès that gave birth to the limited edition Bugatti Veyron FBG. Moving on, Salomé designed an exterior and interior concept of the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, as well as the interior of the Bugatti 16C Galibier showcar and its numerous accessories, thus defining a true Bugatti experience for future customers and celebrating the 100 years anniversary of the Brand.

In the past decade the French designer

not only contributed as a stylist, but also as an artist with his art works featured on the door panels of the Bugatti Vitesse Constantini as well as original hand sketched paintings on the leather applications of the Bugatti Vitesse Black-Bess. Elevating those cars to true rolling canvases, the sketches and images of which can be seen within this article.

Salomé’s work includes the interior of the Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo and Bugatti Chiron, presented at the 2015 Frankfurt and 2016 Geneva motor shows respectively.

Etienne has worked on some amazing Bugatti projects, but his favourite has to be the ultimate tribute to Bugatti aesthetic, a true piece of automotive haute couture : “La Voiture Noire”. He was responsible for the exterior design of the famous one-of-one which sold to an undisclosed customer for around $19million.

I was recently delighted to speak in length on the telephone with Etienne and presented him with some questions which he has very kindly answered within this article I would like to take this opportunity to thank Etienne for his time, and as a brief note that there

will be a follow up in Issue 4 about exactly what he is doing now that he has left the wings of the mighty Bugatti Automobiles… b500: What is your current job?

Etienne: After 12 years designing French supercars, I have left the company Bugatti Automobiles at the end of August 2019 to follow my own dream. I am now the CEO of my own company “Salomé Yachts and Design”.

I launched my latest yacht, the 12 meter sport tender concept named”Atlantic” during the Monaco Yacht Show 2019.

b500: What is your proudest achievement with Bugatti?

Etienne: Designing a Bugatti is similar to bringing a baby to the world, each of them are unique experiences, each create unforgettable experiences for life.

The design of the one-of-one Bugatti “La Voiture Noire”, based on the Chiron, is one of my favourite creations.

It was introduced to the public during the Geneva Motor Show 2018, and as a result of its incredible powertrain, with a W16 quad turbo, incredible performances, unrivalled quality and its’

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uniqueness, It is the most expensive new car ever built. b500: What projects were you most involved with at Bugatti?

Etienne: When I started to work for Bugatti, the French supercar brand only had the Veyron, so I got to work on the Veyron Grand Sport, and then I designed the exterior of the Veyron Supersport which ended up breaking the world speed record. In 2009, to celebrate the Centenaire, I designed the interior from the Galibier 16C. I was then promoted to Head of Interior Design. The next chapter of Bugatti started in 2015 with the Vision Granturismo where I was responsible for the interior, it was a preview of my interior from the Bugatti Chiron publicly launched in 2016. Many concepts were later on realised to shape the future of the brand, and one of them resurfaced recently, the Atlantic concept and I was responsible for the interior of this very special automobile.

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When the Director of Design departed for a sabbatical I took over his position.

During those years I was not only responsible for the automotive design but also for the design of the licensed products, and as a result I designed the 22 meters Yacht “Niniette 66” for Palmer and Johnson, Numerous Parmigiani watches, a complete furniture collection with Luxury Living, Lego technique models of our car, and even a full carbon bicycle. b500: Tell us about the Bugatti models that carry your artwork inside?

Etienne: In 2014, in order to support the sales of our open top car the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse, we created a limited edition “Les Legendes de Bugatti”. It was not only the fastest roadster in the world with its’ 1200PS but also extremely limited with a production of just 3 units. Inside the “Black Bess” edition, dedicated to Roland Garros, (the French pioneering aviator: Ed), I hand

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painted the leather with racing scenes of Roland Garros driving his Bugatti type 18, and at the factory they used it to trim the door panels and the centre console box, turning this car into a true rolling canvas. b500: Your canon of work encompasses your own art as well as automotive and marine design. Is there a discipline in which you either feel most comfortable or from which you derive the greatest satisfaction?

Etienne: Bugatti broke the world speed record in 2019, with 490 km/h, I always wonder where the customer could potentially use their cars… and this is what drove me to the yachting world. The idea of freedom, limitless speed, but in these days of pandemic and lock down, I feel very comfortable creating art, staying safe at home with my family.

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b500: Do you believe the two merge or are design and art two separate things?

Etienne: With design you have to make products which can attract a lot of customers. Art you only do for yourself, regardless of whether anyone likes it or not, when you stand in front of the canvas or sit with an open sketch book you have the opportunity to express yourself and your innermost motivations. One can learn a lot from art, it opens your mind. b500: What are you most proud of today in your own art?

Etienne: In 2019, with my gallery in Dusseldorf, the “Galerie Brecker”, I created a limited edition of 70 prints of a Porsche artwork which was fantastically received and Porsche loved it so much they created an article in their magazine “Christophorus”, in addition of giving me the honour of the front cover.

b500: Is there a particular motor manufacturer or individual project with which you would have liked to have been associated?

Etienne: I love the company Porsche for their performance, and clear design DNA. There is something amazing about these sports cars that fascinate me and one day I would love to design a new Porsche model, raw, inspired by competition, made to last… one my granddaughter would love to find in an old barn in 50 years. b500: Tell us about your involvement in the Amalgam Collection ‘all white’ Bugatti.

Etienne: I am actually the lucky owner of quite a few Amalgam models, I am fascinated by the 1/8 models for their level of details and realism. The quality is insane, it has also improved with

the years to such an extreme standard of craftsmanship. Those are more than simple models, they are the exact replica of the real car, made in relationship with the manufacturer. Painting the model all matt white was allowing me to see every single detail, being able to read the shapes of each of them. As if the car was made of porcelain... Bugatti was created 110 years ago, by a family of artists, distinguishing it from the others. Today we say Bugatti stands for Art Forme Technique, and the “all white” became a perfect representation of the Art side of the brand.

through technology in order to achieve best performance, comfort and safety at speed.

b500: What working on?

Etienne: Yes, I am currently extending the brand Salome Yachts, opening a new department : “Salome Yachts Atelier”. We will start with a new single hull 70 feet available with 2000 PS and top speed over 50 Kn. This will be a full customisation program giving customers the chance to create their own

are

you

currently

Etienne: I am focussing on the development of the sport tender “Atlantic”, limited to 60 knots, a revolution for the yachting industry as we are using a revolutionary flow

b500: What brings you the most happiness in life?

Etienne: I like being in control of my own time and schedule, or the speed at full power in my car… but I forget everything when my 7 years old daughter whispers in my ear she loves me. b500: Finally, can you give b500 ‘an exclusive’?

personal yacht, make it unique, make it their own! I am also currently working on several floating luxury hotels projects, this would become perfect retreat wellness resorts. I believe there is a growing market for relaxation and disconnection in an ideal setting. b500: Thank you Etienne for your time and here at b500 we wish you continuing success and good health and I look forward to showing much more of your design work in the next issue of b500 magazine.

You can follow Etienne on Instagram @etienne_gallery www.etienne-salome.com

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03 • THE ART INK - Plain Bodies

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first noticed INK on Instagram when they posted one of their simple and uncluttered stripped back, plain CGI images. This we reposted to our own feed and an idea was born for our own minimalist stripped back issue, which you are currently reading.

The idea was simple enough. Gather some great creative content and produce a white car and plain content issue, with our own style of design, which essentially means a simple, uncluttered page look.

INK were first to back our plain issue idea and it all then started to take shape until here we are today.

I therefore have to thank INK as not only did they give me our own plain design issue idea, they firmly backed it with their support and interest in what exactly we were going to end up producing.

Retouching. Their approach is clean and uncomplicated and they combine the technical and the beautiful to launch big ideas across film, print and interactive platforms.

So who are INK?

When more than a decade had passed since Porsche last raced Le Mans INK set sights on celebrating their long-awaited return. From this idea a poster series was born, paying homage

INK are an award-winning creative studio based in London specialising in CGI, Animation, Design and

Where did their idea of the stripped back plain car series, known as ‘Plain Bodies’ come from?

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to the car that gave Porsche its first win at the French endurance race – the iconic 917.

The 917 images led to the various others featuring Ferrari, Ford, Jaguar and other famous Porsche racers. These are entirely CG images which frame a plain body against an ethereal white backdrop to not overcomplicate the effortlessly simple design, with each of the historic race cars free from its’ period livery.

Stripping these sports cars of their paint and decals helps to exposes every sweeping curve and better shows the subtle designs that have since become so iconic.

Over the past few years the company has tackled Porsche’s 917, 911 and 959, Jaguar’s D-Type, Ford’s GT40 and, most recently, Ferrari’s 330 P4 - and now b500 has an exclusive on their latest creation, the Porsche 917 16 cylinder prototype, as seen on the last page of this photoeditorial.

The 911 Rally was designed and built for a single purpose: to compete at the 1984 Paris-Dakar. In its’ first and only attempt the car was driven to a stunning victory by René Metge and Dominique Lemoyne. The model had a limited life span but its performance at the infamous rally and its nostalgic charm is timeless.

A car with an iconic character, the 911 Rally is full of quirky details.

The model driven by Jacky Ickx has handwritten notes over the dials and is said to contain a secret switch connected to the tail lights so competitors would be unable to track his trail at night. Small traces of a former way of thinking in automotive engineering lie encased within its metal shell symbolising nostalgia for a bygone era of racing; before a wave of technological advancement affected individuality in capability and design.

The CGI artwork created in-house is part of a series which combines a passion for design, iconic race cars

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and uncomplicated art direction. INK’s rendition presents the Porsche 911 Rally in the distinctive ‘Plain Bodies’ aesthetic, stripped back and emphasising its singular sextuplet headlights.

Of the Ferrari P4 in their Plain Bodies series, David Macey, Executive creative Director at INK told us: “We called the P4 the beautiful loser because, during that era, the GT40 dominated most races. We started thinking about the angles and how to portray the car because we want the world to see this car that didn’t get the recognition it deserved. When you think about that era of cars, the GT40, the 917, that’s what most people remember — but this one fell between the cracks.

Learning its story made us want to champion it.”

This passion project even attracted a fortuitous fan. “We actually met Benedict Redgrove through the Plain Bodies project,” recalls Macey. “He saw the GT40 and he was like, ‘That looks like one of my shots!’”

To catch a mere glimpse of this vehicle is a privilege that few will experience; only 3 examples were ever constructed, painstakingly hand-beaten and engineered to perfection, these curvaceous powerhouses were built for a single purpose, to beat Ford and their rival GT40.

In the P4 Ferrari had built a winning car, famously taking the historic 1,2,3 spots at Daytona in 1967, though with racing folklore being what it is, the P4 will perhaps always be known as the car that crucially lost to the Ford GT40 at Le Mans that same year; the beautiful loser. Stripped of its’ traditional red coachwork paint, these CGI images celebrate functional form and uncomplicated art direction.

“We present the P4 as an object of beauty, its curves forever victorious”.

INK

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The Porsche 917 16-Cylinder Prototype

INK’s latest addition to their Plain Bodies series.

Only one 16-cylinder prototype remains and it’s currently retained by the Porsche Museum.

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01280 840491 | sales@autops.co.uk Units 3, 5 & 8, Barrington Court, Buckingham Road Industrial Estate, Brackley, NN13 7LE SME Northamptonshire Business Awards Finalist

04 • THE OWNER Porsche 924 Martini Rossi

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first made contact with Fabian in Dubai after seeing several of his images on his Instagram page. He purchased this Porsche 924 Martini (pictured) sight unseen from the USA for the princely sum of $800.

He then had it shipped to the UAE where he has lived and worked for many years, although he was originally from Germany.

Fabian knew it was a bargain, but just like many people who take on such large renovation projects, he was in for a shock.

The story started a couple of years ago with Fabian scouring the web for a project – as these stories usually do – but at no point was he actually looking to get knee deep in the murky waters of classic car restoration. Then he noticed a limited edition Porsche 924 that looked as if it had had a hard life and was in need of bringing back to life.

to Fabian’s surprise, he won the car for just 800 dollars, then began the process of shipping and importing the car to the UAE. The seller clearly had some remorse about how little the car sold for as he tried to circumvent the deal by claiming he already agreed a price with a buyer in the UK, but Fabian stuck to his guns and got the car to Dubai.

After a quick text message to regional Porsche fanatics Scott from Outlaw Garage and Graham from Dubai Drives, the bid was in for an unseen Porsche currently sitting in the USA. With a maximum bid of 1000 USD and much

Bringing an unseen, untested car to the UAE is a somewhat difficult move at the best of times, but when its’ a Porsche there could be no end to the cost of getting the car back on the road. And, as is often the case with such a purchase,

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the car landed after 60 days in transit and the engine would not start. Luckily, Airwerks were on hand and with a replacement fuel pump and new spark plugs – along with a full service – the car fired into life.

So what is so special about a 924 Martini Rossi that Fabian would be willing to go through all the pain of restoring one?

Well, there were only 3000 made and

even in rough shape they are currently valued at well over double Fabian’s original 800 dollar purchase price. Of course, by the time he was done he’d probably quadrupled that cost if not more but still, the initial purchase was a bargain. Fabian’s model is even rarer, fitted with the factory option sunroof, making it all the more worthwhile a restoration.

With the car now running, Fabian ran into the same issue every person trying to build any car in the UAE faces – parts. The availability of parts for any

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car older than 10 years in the UAE is tricky, even more so if you don’t want to take used parts. Luckily for Fabian, he found a donor, non-runner 924 locally – which actually cost him more than the Martini Rossi – and stripped everything he needed to do a complete restoration of the car. Unfortunately, sometimes you just can’t avoid paying a premium for the part you want and in this case, the unique Martini stripes on the sides of the

car cost 300 dollars to buy again new.

That’s a lot of money for any stickers, but at almost half the cost of the whole car its’ a commitment that Fabian had to reluctantly make in pursuit of perfection.

One of the most special aspects of the Martini Rossi is the interior and Fabian has done a fantastic job of reviving the signature red carpeting and Martini seat stitching as well as the original

commemorative letter supplied with the car from Porsche back in 1977. One thing was notably missing though – the plaque that cements this car as a special edition. After chasing down the seller he found that he had kept it, perhaps hoping Fabian wouldn’t notice. A few weeks later and the original plaque, complete with the scarring of over 40 years was in his possession and fitted back onto the centre console.

The outside of the car was transformed completely to Euro spec by removing the chunky, US government mandated bumpers and smoothing of the side lights to give the car a cleaner, more aerodynamic and more original look. The stock wheels were fully restored and there are coilovers on the way to reduce the old school ride height just a little and modernise the look of this classic.

It’s always refreshing to see such dedication to the restoration of a car, particularly when it is driven by passion and not the potential of future profit.

Fabian should be proud of such a great restoration and now this 924 Martini Rossi is gracing the roads of the UAE and driven as intended.

Photo Credits: Fabian & CarCulture.ae Text / b500 & Car Culture.

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05 • FOR SALE 1993 Porsche 964 Turbo S Leichtbau

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nown more as being the UK Official Koenigsegg dealership, (which we will doubtless be covering in a future issue of b500), Supervettura also carry some equally amazing used cars for sale.

Fully entering into the spirit of our stripped back white design edition

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- Supervetura have supplied us information on two highly different white vehicles they are currently offering for sale.

Firstly, we would like to present this stunning 1993 Porsche 964 Turbo S Leichtbau. In 1992 the Special Wishes Department at Porsche announced the very exclusive 964 Turbo S Leichtbau.

The first ever lightweight Turbo to be produced by Porsche.

In order to reduce the overall weight of the car, sound proofing and undercoating were limited to minor amounts, power windows and power steering were removed, rear seats were removed. Fibreglass reinforced carbon composite panels were used for the doors, bonnet and rear wing. Thinner glass, RS bucket seats and RS door cards completed the weight saving.

The Turbo S Leichtbau is 396 pounds lighter than a standard 964 Turbo.

In addition to the weight saving.

Porsche also enhanced the engine giving the Turbo S Leichtbau an additional 61 horsepower over the standard 964 Turbo. This was achieved with more aggressive camshafts, new injection valves and more boost pressure.

The Turbo S Leichtbau has various handling and performance enhancements from the standard 964 Turbo. The car was lowered by 40mm, has upgraded brakes, 3 piece alloy wheels, an aluminium shock tower brace and a reinforced unibody. The fender vents were inspired by the infamous Porsche 959. Front bumper intakes were added to feed air to the oil cooler and front brakes. The Leichtbau also features a unique rear spoiler.

The specification of this specific and quite unique car is as follows.

- 381BHP - Single Turbo 3.3-Litre Six Cylinder - UK Supplied Right Hand Drive - 1 of 86 cars worldwide - this is chassis number 86.

- 1 of 11 UK Delivered Vehicles - Delivery Mileage (61 Miles) - Finished in Grand Prix White - Exclusive Full Flamenco Red Leather Interior - Purple Wheel Centres - Gold Brake Callipers £1,700,000 Contact Supervettura + 44 (0) 1344 620072

b500 thanks James at Supervettura for his kind assistance in supplying us with the above sales information for this car.

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Lamborghini Marzal - Bertone Design Studios.

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06 • THE PHOTOGRAPHER Benedict Redgrove

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n conversation with photographer Benedict Redgrove, who gives b500 a wonderful insight to his work as featured in our photo-editorial, including his account of his time shooting at Bertone Design in Italy.

“I was commissioned by James Reid, then picture editor at Wallpaper*, to shoot the Bertone Design studios in Italy. I arrived and during the first morning I walked around with my assistant making notes on which cars we wanted to shoot, and where we would like them moved around the site.

The company HQ comprised a number of buildings ranging in design from the time the company started in 1912 to the time this was shot, each with its own unique character and very period specific. Bertone’s designs were always made in either white, green or orange. I moved cars into their period locations, some on viewing turntables used to present the cars to clients, and some outside.

Lamborghini Marzal Bertone Design Studios.

When I saw the Stratos Zero concept I gasped and told the museum manager that I had a model of this when I was growing up in the ‘70s as well as one of the Carabo. He looked at me and

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Lamborghini Marzal Bertone Design Studios.

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smiled and said in a lovely Italian voice, “eees-a beautiuful no?”. I nodded with wide eyes and admiration. During the day Mrs Bertone came down to see how we were getting on and proclaimed that as it was going so well we should all stop and have lunch. We piled into various Fiats and Alfa Romeos and drove up into the hills to their favourite local restaurant. The wine flowed as did the courses, and after many glasses of wine later we returned. Despite the sobering coffees, I spent the afternoon struggling to focus.

The next morning we returned to finish the job. The camera started to struggle and the gear on my Mamiya RZ67ii back started to slip, so it was slow progress. At 1pm, as the day before, Mrs Bertone came down and announced lunch should be taken. My assistant and I looked at her and shook our heads, and asked if she would mind if we skipped the mammoth lunch and just carried on shooting. She thought we were mad but liked our dedication.

On their return we were ushered outside where the museum manager had placed

Lamborghini Brava Bertone Design Studios.

the Stratos Zero in the location I’d asked. I shot it for about an hour then asked to move inside to finish shooting the Marzal and Bravo. The mechanic asked if I would give him a hand to move the car, I said yes were would he like me to push. He smiled and said “Benedict, please, can you drive it?”.

I nearly exploded with joy, this was my dream car when I was a kid. He didn’t need to ask twice.

To get into a Zero you must first lift the front of the car open. It’s hinged at the

front and it lifts towards you. You step inside standing up, lower yourself in the low, low seat, pull the steering wheel up and towards you between your legs. The canopy lowers onto you, you lay flat in what feels like a golden glass house. The glass is gold plated with two small windows with viewing mirrors to help you see. I started the concept cars borrowed Lancia Fulvia V4 engine in the back. It spluttered into life and I drove the car from the front of the design studio to the back of the museum building. At that point in time

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McLaren MC12-P4 McLaren Technical Centre

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I was the happiest man on earth. Glorious and delightful, both the designs and the people who worked there. The company closed its doors in 2014, its designs will be sorely missed”.

cutting edge. He has created an aesthetic of photography that is clean, pure and devoid of any miscellaneous information, winning him acclaim and numerous awards.

Benedict has a lifelong fascination with innovation and industry, and is a dedicated proponent of good design, utilitarianism and modernism. This combined with his love of science, engineering and space exploration has intuitively led him to capturing projects and objects at their most

Born near Reading in Berkshire, he first attended Berkshire College of Art and Design before taking up roles at various design studios honing his creative talent in graphics and design until he discovered that photography was the ultimate media for him to showcase his vision.

Mercedes Benz McLaren SLR Stirling Moss Edition

Now and over the past few years he has amassed a following and client base from some of the most advanced companies in the world, granting him access to secret and often hidden divisions at organisations such as Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence, the Royal Air Force, European Space Agency, British Aerospace and NASA. Whether capturing the U-2 reconnaissance pilots and stealth planes, telescopes looking back through time, the Navy Bomb Disposal Division or spending

time documenting the Royal Marines, Benedict strives to capture the scope and scale of advancements and what they mean to us as human beings.

Running alongside his successful career Benedict has several personal projects, including a nine-year veneration to NASA which has been launched as a book and International exhibition.

Here we explore a little of the details behind his NASA Book project ‘NASA / Past and present dreams of the future’.

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The cover image shows the simple, clean and minimalist blind deboss cover which follows in the projects overall design principles, allowing the viewer to see the object in its singularity and purest form, free from distraction or influence.

Benedict says: “This photograph of the EMU SUIT (Extravehicular Mobility Unit) was the one that was in my head before I even started the project. I have photographed four different EMU suits from test articles at ILC Dover, to demo articles at Johnson but no actual ‘flown’ articles. This one however, was marked to be going up with the next crew to ISS. That knowledge made my team and I have even more respect for it”.

“This was going to be someone’s life support 250 miles (400 kilometres) above the Earth, travelling at 17500 mph. The reverance towards this suit was what started this whole project. The suit is far greater than just the life support system it is designed to be. It is a complex system with a single task. But when you put an astronaut inside it, then it becomes a symbol for all that is great in humanity. The combination of human and suit symbolises the thirst for knowledge and understanding of who we are, why we are here, where we are and are we alone. The explorer, the hero heading off into the unknown, to an inhospitable space for the greater good of mankind. At least that is how I see it”.

NASA: Past and Present Dreams of the Future is an art project comprising an experiential exhibition and book

by British photographer Benedict Redgrove. With unprecedented access to NASA’s spacecraft, labs and facilities, Redgrove has created a body of work that looks at the power of those objects and the effect they have on us emotionally and spiritually.

Nine years in the making, the collection of ultra-high definition, original images are shown in this elegantly designed book with 250 images on 384 pages encased in a stylish, minimalist white embossed cover, showcasing space exploration’s most iconic objects. An impressive volume, weighing 5kg (11lb) and large format 298mm x 380mm x 42mm (11.6inches x 14.7inches).

Benedict says: “From the very inception of the NASA project, I wanted to make extremely large scale prints. The first image I could picture was the current EMU spacesuit representing the Continues on page 46.

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The Lunar Rover.

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The Lunar Rover is the ultimate buggy.

Foldable so it could fit inside the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM), it was used on Apollo missions 15, 16 and 17.

Astronauts Dave Scott, Jim Irwin, John Young, Charlie Duke, Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt all trained on the Lunar Rover trainer.

The sight of these vehicles brings the idea of being on another astral body closer. They normalise the idea of moving around in a vehicle on another planet. You could almost drive the Lunar Rover just like a car — it just happens that the astronaut’s journey is 250,000 miles away on the moon.

Virtually everything else designed by NASA looks like it was made for space but the LVR has wheels and seats and it drove and bounced its way over the surface of the moon, kicking up dust, as if in slow-motion on a Californian beach.

In 1972 this was as far away as humans could get from planet Earth so everything you had with you on your mission had better work. Apart from fenders broken off by the astronauts (covering the astronauts and buggies in dust which caused overheating with the batteries) the Rovers were extremely reliable and carried out their tasks perfectly.

Distances, times and costs are as follows: Apollo 15 LRV-001 travelled 17.25 miles (27.76 km) over 3 h 02 min Apollo 16 LRV-002 travelled 16.50 miles (26.55 km) over 3 h 26 min Apollo 17 LRV-003 travelled 22.30 miles (35.89 km) over 4 h 26 min Commander Eugene Cernan holds the unofficial lunar land-speed record of 11.2 mph - 18.0 km/h.

The Lunar Rover was developed in just 17 months with the projects’ final costs matching the original estimate of $38M, making it effectively the most expensive ‘car’ ever produced.

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EMU Helmet - Current EMU suit helmet with camera and light attachments.

astronaut. The astronauts EVA suit will be nearly 7ft (213cm) in size on a 9ft foot (274cm) print. The idea being that the suits represent this iconic status and by printing them over life size and mounting them off the ground, you are forced to look up in reverence at them. Their powerful presence having an overwhelming effect on the viewer.

The objects simply become greater in every way..

When you think of an astronaut you think of spacesuit and the man in it. The space suit is the perfect example of technicity in that it takes a human for it to function and the human cannot function without it in the environment it is designed for.

They become symbiotic and this to me is the most exciting object that I have shot.

The two things are one and the same and yet entirely different at the same time.

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They are the space man, they are the astronaut, yet they are human and they are a technological suit”.

For Redgrove, it is about showing the emotional and spiritual impact of these objects. “I wanted to explore and invoke a reaction to these machines and objects when we see them in fine detail, thus revealing what they mean to us as human beings.”

Redgrove’s encounter with Atlantis, the last shuttle to fly, left him feeling the full power of these objects. “My very first memory is watching the moon landings on television in black and white. I also loved space exploration in all forms be that science fiction films of the 70s and onwards or watching the launch of the first shuttle mission in 1981 - I developed an obsession with space and a reverence to NASA. The sensations I felt when I first saw Space Shuttle Atlantis in person were so powerful I can only compare it to what I feel others describe as a religious experience...”

“All of the experiences during production of this project, combined with the power of each of the objects and finally the way in which they will eventually be exhibited, has enlightened me with an understanding of my own work and my views on religion, science and technology. It is the understanding and acceptance of these elements that finally come together and form the projects raison d’être.”

“Science, engineering and design are as close to a religion as I can possibly put my belief in. They are manifest.

They offer tangible results, are open to challenge and change. They are progressive, always seeking to improve their understanding and adapt.”

“The image of the astronaut, or spaceman has been with me ever since my childhood, as a sort of talisman to all that is great and good. They symbolise the explorer, the hero and leader. The spacesuit takes on that character, the suit and the human become one entity,

Lunar Test Article 8 (LTA) showing Gold Mylar and Plaque reading “Here Men from the planet Earth first set on the Moon, July 1969 AD. We came in peace for all mankind” more powerful than either on their own. It’s now a symbol in its own right, greater than the sum of its parts. It has reached an omnipotent stature that few can match. These genuinely iconic objects have come to signify the greatest of human achievements.”

Redgrove spent five years negotiating and building trust with NASA followed by four years of photography and production. He gained access to some of NASA’s most restricted areas and facilities allowing him to photograph objects rarely seen by the outside world.

He went inside the Lunar Samples Lab to photograph the priceless moon rocks collected on the Apollo missions, from the mission control room, he watched the sun set behind the International

Space Station and entered the assembly rooms where the next generation of spacecraft are being built.

larger edition photographic prints are available with consultation via email.

Contact: studio@benedictredgrove.com

The result is a collection of epic, finelydetailed images allowing the objects to tell their own story. Photographed using technical cameras with digital backs, some pictures are made up from over 60 exposures to capture the incredible detail. They are then meticulously worked on to create a final image that allows us to view them without influence or distraction.

The book of the project. Please go to www.the-nasa-project.com. * Our thanks to Benedict for working closely with us to reproduce his images and words for this issue of b500 magazine.

In August 2019 the book element of the project was successfully crowd funded.

The reviews have been incredible with the book receiving 5 star ratings and coverage from the likes of WIRED UK, The Times, The Telegraph, Creative Review, Designboom, Esquire, Dezeen, Hypebeast and many more.

Limited edition lithographic prints from the project are available from the web site www.the-nasa-project.com and www.Instagram.com/benedictredgrove 47

07 • FOR SALE Ferrari 458 Speciale Aperta

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he fastest naturally aspirated V8 supercar ever produced by Ferrari the 458 Speciale really needs no introduction, the already spectacular 458 platform benefits from a huge host of benefits including increased power which equates to the most driver focussed Ferrari V8 ever produced.

The increased power means the 458’s Motor holds a World Record for naturally aspirated output. The 458 Speciale’s 597HP equates to 133hp/ litre, an astonishing output. Perhaps not surprisingly, the 458 Speciale won the prestigious “2013 Supercar of the Year” award from Top Gear Magazine and 2014 Evo Magazine “Car of the Year”. The engine alone has won Best Performance

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Engine of the year 2011,2012 and 2014 as noted by the plaque between the seats.

could hardly be more aptly named or purposefully constructed.”

Autocar Magazine formed the following conclusion on testing the awe inspiring Speciale: “The mid-engined Ferrari supercar has reached a turning point, it strikes us - and there may never be a better one for purist thrill-seekers than the one you see here. Next year comes a ‘458M’, for want of the official name: a mid-life refresh that’ll bring with it a new turbocharged engine. We’ve recorded what turbos have done to BMW M cars, AMG Mercs, Porsche 911’s and more in this modern performance car era - and seldom do we universally approve. Which is why right now may be a definitive moment in the development of the mid-engined Ferrari concept: a zenith in some ways, perhaps. The car to mark it

Cut from the same cloth as the legendary Challenge Stradale and Scuderia, the Speciale is the last naturally aspirated instalment in this hugely collectible line of naturally aspirated V8 thrilling V8 supercars. The 458 Speciale A is a spider variant for the 458 Speciale. The ‘A’ stands for ‘Aperta’, which is Italian for ‘open’ - and it was limited to only 499 examples and sold out immediately to the VIP clients of Ferrari only. Just like the closed-top Speciale, the Aperta has a 4.5 litre naturally aspirated V8 which produces 597 horsepower and 398 pound feet of torque. 0-60 mph takes only 3.0 seconds and it is capable of a top speed of 202 mph. It is the most powerful, streetlegal, naturally aspirated V8 Ferrari has ever launched in a spider variant.

This stunning two owner Speciale Aperta was supplied new to its first owner in Belgium through Monza Ferrari, St Martens in February 2015. Finished in the stunning Bianco Avus with Livery in Blu Nart, this colour combination was made famous by the launch 599 GTO. The car received its first service at Scuderia Gran Tourismo of Munich at just 300 miles. In 2018, this car was imported into the UK where it was purchased by the current owner, via DK, having covered just 330 miles at that time. Available for sale today from its second owner, this example has been used sparingly as part of a large collection and as such has today covered just 1,490 miles from new. The car was most recently serviced by H.R. Owen Ferrari in March 2020.

The interior is superbly appointed in Blu Sterling with contrasting Bianco stitching. The rev counter, also in Bianco, complements the Bianco seat inserts and creates a fantastic inversion of the outside livery. The car features a number of desirable options, including front axle vehicle lifting system, satellite navigation, parking camera, front and rear parking sensors and an upgraded, remote-valved Titanium Exhaust. The car was optioned with a number of Carbon Fibre options including the steering wheel and dashboard inserts, and rarely for a spider, the engine bay covers.

A thoroughly cohesive specification, the car is in perfect harmony inside and out with a number of thoughtful details including front wing vents and side fins in Blu Nart as per the livery. Available to view immediately at DK Engineering just outside London, this Speciale Aperta presents superbly with just 1,490 miles from new.

EU Supplied (LHD) - 1,490 Miles £474,995 Contact DK Engineering + 44 (0) 1923 287687 b500 thanks James at DK Engineering for his kind assistance in supplying us with the above sales information for this car.

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08 • THE AUCTION Silverstone Auctions / 1968 Ford GT40

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uilt by the late Terry Drury who, whilst working at Ford was involved with the development of the GT40 from the start. As a privateer, Terry owned and raced two original

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GT40s (#1005/#1073) during 1967/1968.

This meticulous build during 2017/2018 utilised a huge number of original GT40 parts that he had acquired over the years. Fitted with a periodcorrect ‘Works’ 302 cubic inch, four-bolt main bearing, Gurney-Weslake

Ford V8 and a ZF Le Mans gearbox.

When original parts weren’t available from Terry Drury Racing’s (TDR) stock or couldn’t be sourced worldwide, they were fastidiously remanufactured to the original specification.

Correctly finished, trimmed and assembled with tremendous attention to period accuracy, this is a superb homage to TDR’s two happy seasons with #1005 & #1073 just over 50 years ago.

Following their success at Le Mans in 1966, Ford was not short of privateer teams wanting to purchase a GT40 and amongst those customers was Terry Drury, a former Ford engineer and well-respected figure in the world of international GT and saloon car racing.

During 1967, he entered his Ermine White Ford GT40 #1005 for the Monza 1000 Kilometres in April sharing with Jackie Oliver, however, head gasket failure ended their race after just three laps.

The next outing was the ‘BOAC International 500’, a six-hour race at Brands Hatch in which Terry shared #1005, now resplendent in Purple, with Keith Holland, qualifying 28th and finishing a respectable 14th in a field that today reads like a ‘Who’s Who’ of international racing drivers. In August 1968, Terry once again entered the BOAC International 500 sharing with Keith Holland but this time in his new car, #1073, however, falling oil pressure resulted in a premature exit. With the car repaired, it was off to the Nurburgring 1000 Kilometres in May this time sharing with Terry Sangar and finishing 35th (6th in Class). A week later the two Terrys headed for the Spa 1000 Kilometres with #1073, qualifying an excellent 11th before a broken clutch sadly ended the day.

Fast forward some fifty years and after a lifetime in motorsport, it was decided that Terry Drury Racing would set about assembling their GT40 as an homage to #1005 and #1073, utilising many original parts, and the period Gurney-Weslake and ZF-1 gearbox. As the project started, Silverstone Auctions were invited to the TDR premises to view the etchprimed bare monocoque, still tight as a drum, and discuss with Terry the build specification and the plethora of original

works parts that would be incorporated in the build.

The original ‘Works’ 302 cubic inch, 4-bolt main bearing Gurney Weslake Ford V8 is complete with its’ original steel crank, ‘Indy’ rods, and works peaktop pistons with the bore size remaining at 4-inches. The rocker assembly was acquired with other miscellaneous parts from Dan Gurney’s private collection and original Italian Weber 48 IDA carburettors are fitted. The build of the engine was sadly interrupted by Terry’s passing but was completed by his sons, Jack and Steven and time-served TDR mechanics.

This 1968 GT40 is unique, in the proper sense of the word consisting of, not only this extraordinarily faithfullyconstructed monocoque but so many original parts from Terry Drury’s personal collection. It has been acknowledged by one of the most respected GT40 specialists as the most accurate monocoque Ford GT40 that he has ever seen. It offers great potential as either a high-performance road car or indeed, subject to conforming with the relevant regulations, as an historic competition car eligible for a number of events and welcome everywhere, however, we feel that it’s more important than that. This remarkable car shares the DNA and the essence of Terry’s memorable GT40s from their heyday, of #1005 at the BOAC in 1967 thundering down to Paddock Bend surrounded by the works Ferrari P4s and 250LMs, the Chapparal and the innumerable factory Porsche 910s, and of #1073, rattled and battered for nearly seven hours around the Green Hell of the Nordschleife in 1968 finishing a creditable 6th in class.

This GT40 is part of sixties motorsport history that just happens to have arrived a little later.

From the recent Silverstone online auction. Lot No. 146 - 1968 Ford GT40 Created as an homage to #1005 and #1073. Sold for: £308,000

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HWM

01932 240 611

www.hwmastonmartin.co.uk

Aston Martin Vanquish S – 2017/17 – 11,580 miles - £124,690

New Zealand Avenue, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, KT12 1AT Reg. Office: New Zealand Avenue, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, KT12 1AT Reg. Company Number. 336727 | VAT Reg. No. 211541514

09 • THE ARTIST Fabian Oefner

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hen I started to think about who to approach for this issue I immediately thought of Fabian Oefner and specifically his ‘Hatch’ series. It seems to sum up for me exactly the design aesthetic I was looking for with his bright red Ferrari’s just waiting to hatch from their white shells.

With the Hatch series, Fabian Oefner presents his interpretation of how cars might be ‘born’. The images show a Ferrari 250 GTO (1962) breaking out of

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its white shell. Different images show one car in the process of hatching among several others yet to hatch, and with one image where it is seemingly exploding from its shell.

Fabian started by making a latex mould from the model car, which was then filled with a thin layer of gypsum to create the shell. Several dozens of these shells were made in order to complete the next step: smashing the shell onto the car to create the illusion of the vehicle breaking out.

This step had to be repeated a great many times until the desired results were achieved.

To capture the very moment where the shell hit the model, Fabian connected a microphone to his camera, a Hasselblad H4D, and flashes, so that every time the shell hit the surface of the car, the impulse was picked up by the microphone which then triggered the flashes and the camera shutter.

“It took two months to create an image that looks as if it was captured in a fraction of a second.”

Someone who doesn’t know and doesn’t care about how these images have been made assume it is by computer software exclusively.

The way it really works is much more complex, flabbergasting and interesting!

Fabian Oefner`s work explores the boundaries between time, space and reality. He creates fictional moments and spaces, that look and feel absolutely real, yet aren’t. Through this, Oefner dissects the different components of reality and gives us a clearer understanding of how we perceive and define it.

For Fabian’s disintegrating series, (which we will show more exclusively in a future issue), he first sketches on paper where the individual pieces would go, before taking apart the model cars piece by piece, from the body shell right down to the minuscule screws. Each car contains hundreds of components.

Then, according to his initial sketch, he places each piece individually with the aid of fine needles and pieces of string.

After meticulously working out the angle of each shot and establishing the right lighting, he photographs the component, and takes thousands of photographs to create each image of the series.

All these individual photos were then blended together in post-production to create one single image. With the wheels acting as a reference point, each part was masked in Photoshop, cut and then pasted into the final image.

“These are possibly the ‘slowest high-speed’ images ever captured,” says Fabian. “It took almost two months to create an image that looks as if it was captured in a fraction of a second. The whole disassembly in itself took more than a day for each car due to the complexity of the models. But that’s a bit of a boy thing. There’s an enjoyment in the analysis, discovering

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something by taking it apart, like peeling an onion.”

However, he adds: “The hardest part was actually setting up the camera, lens and light, because the biggest frustration is when you can’t get any beautiful image out of it!”

Inspired by science, Oefner`s approach to art is highly methodical and at the same time playful for unexpected moments to happen. He creates carefully orchestrated works, that are planned down to the last detail as well as pieces that use a loose framework for art to happen.

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In his aforementioned and highly acclaimed ‘Disintegrating’ series, Fabian portrays performance cars that seem to blow apart. He creates these artificial moments in time by photographing every piece of the dismantled car individually and arranges them digitally into one photograph.

Spending hundreds of hours on each piece, the photographs become a hyperrealistic rendition of a moment that never existed.

creating layered illusions of reality.

Each work depicts a portrait photograph or painting being torn apart by a gunshot or an explosion. What seems to be a genuine image of an ephemeral moment is in fact just an illusion: The artist creates these works by capturing thousands of fragments of the original print and paintings and diligently arranges them into a new piece. Oefner`s meticulous precision ultimately results into a hyperrealistic illusion, that shows a real, yet non-existent moment in time.

In a different series, ‘Exploding Collages’, Fabian seemingly shoots through photographs and paintings,

Swiss artist Fabian Oefner has carved out his reputation by fusing the fields of art and science, creating images

appealing to heart and mind. He first intended to become a car designer but in the end, photography made a bigger impression on him.

In 2008, at 24 years-old, he got a degree in product design at FHNW in Switzerland before becoming a product photographer at Leica Geosystems.

So I asked Fabian, before leaving Leica Geosystems to set up his own studio, where did it all begin?

“When I was 14, I saw the image of Harold Edgerton with the bullet piercing an apple that fascinated me. It was taken

with a camera equipment worth half a million dollars! (Edgerton invented the high speed flash at M.I.T.)” “Then I got my first camera, I was 15, and started investigating on how could I get such an impactful and visual effect on a low, barely existing budget.”

What is your motivation in doing what you do?

“An artist!

Scientists interpret phenomenon rationally whereas artists interpret them with emotions. I feel much more connected to art than science.”

What is the satisfaction you get at the completion of an image?

“The best thing I could hear is: “Your images inspire me in looking at things with a different eye.”

“Finding out about what surrounds us and trying to raise people’s curiosity.”

You are often compared to a scientist or an artist: which one do you prefer the most?

Source: Fabian Oefner & M.A.D Gallery.

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10 • FOR SALE 1957 Porsche 356A Carrera GS

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ot strictly white, but I think ‘Porsche Ivory’ still qualifies and especially with such a beautiful example as this one currently available at Henderson-Fellowes.

Manufactured in June 1957 to United States specification. Chassis Number 100830 was painted Ivory with Brown Leatherette interior which is how the car is presented today. The original 1500 GS 547/1 Carrera four-cam engine is still present and was completely rebuilt using original Porsche parts by Prill Porsche Classics.

The current owner acquired the car from Maxted-Page Ltd in 2011 and agreed to a comprehensive list of work to bring the 356 up to his required high standards.

At this time the owner decided to fit the extremely rare and desirable Rudge knock-on wheels which were sourced from Willhoit of Longbeach, USA at great expense. The original type 547/1 four-cam engine was completely rebuilt with twin Solex carburettors, many parts were sourced from 356 guru Christoph Tanner in Switzerland.

The history file contains a huge number of invoices which documents the work carried out to by Maxted-Page, Tanner and Prill Porsche Classics – some of the most well-respected in the Porsche 356 world. The owner had a very keen eye for detail and there are numerous pieces of correspondence charting his decision-making process during these works. The most recent service work to the car was undertaken

by Tanner in Switzerland with

particular attention paid to the brakes and clutch assembly.

Upon arrival at Henderson Fellowes and following a test drive, they are pleased to confirm that the car drives extremely well and is in fine order throughout, a fine testament to the owner’s hard work.

Along with a nicely documented history file, UK registration Certificate (V5C) and Porsche Letter of Origin, this 356 is accompanied by the much sought-after booklet; ‘Porsche Carrera Guide for Engines Type 1500GS, 1600GS, 2000GS’, spare Rudge wheel, complete 356A Carrera tool kit and a miscellaneous spares kit.

Further information is available by contacting Henderson-Fellowes.

Photo Credit: Riiko-Andre Nuud, Riiko Photo

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info@okanelavers.com

Instagram @okanelavers

2012 Alfa Romeo 8C Spider Limited Edition Coachwork by Touring Superleggera

POA

+44 (0) 7725 464009

11 • FOR SALE 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing

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he stunning Gullwing was a definitive statement that Mercedes-Benz was going to build the finest, fastest sportscar in the world. And in the W198, it delivered on that promise. First shown at the New York Auto Show in 1954 – rather than the traditional unveiling destinations of Frankfurt or Geneva – the magnificent SL was an immediate success, with the vast majority destined for American shores.

Noted owners include Juan Manuel Fangio,

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Pablo Picasso, and Hollywood automotive royalty, Paul Newman.

The racing-inspired tubular chassis saved precious kilograms with key components made from aluminium along with 29 SL’s which would be completely alloy-bodied – and very valuable today.

The now-iconic gullwing doors were a brilliant engineering compromise when the extremely rigid frame necessitated super-wide sills, much higher than a regular automobile of the time.

Under the hood, the 300SL was equally impressive. Its water-cooled three-litre overhead cam straight-six ditched the carburettor – a technology that would prevail well into the 2000’s – for Bosch mechanical direct fuel injection, making it the first sportscar in the world to do so. That meant a world-beating output of 240bhp – a figure that the V8-powered Corvette wouldn’t hit until 1956.

It also meant that the 300SL was the fastest car in the world in 1955, with a blistering

speed of 263kph (163mph) – impressive figures even today. If you were lucky enough to own a fully aluminium-bodied car, you would have also received the “Sonderteile” version of the six, equipped with higher compression and a competition grade camshaft, liberating an extra 15bhp, proving noticeably faster than standard Gullwings.

Chassis 5500168 is perhaps one of the most well-documented examples in existence of this deeply impressive vehicle, having covered just 3000 miles since an extensive 1988 restoration.

Bought new by Mr Frank Grew of Valencia, California, this example is fully numbersmatching, and originally delivered in metallic silver: by far the most popular colour, with more than 39% of the 1,400 SL’s made painted in this hue.

In 1988, Mr Grew subjected the car to an extensive restoration, during which time the colour was changed to its current shade of white – the second most popular colour amongst SL owners. At the time, the car bore a mileage of just 34,672 miles.

After Mr Grew’s long stewardship, the 300SL left the sunny shores of California for Baltimore, where new owner Howard Leslie Byron continued to enjoy the car through the 1990’s. His handwritten notes and obsessive eye for detail – down to a copy of every original Maryland registration card – tell a tale of an owner with a keen competitive edge, with this 300SL certainly no stranger to victory on the Concours podium.

By 2002, the car was sold to Paul Holland of Connecticut, who continued to fastidiously document the SL’s service history. The car saw attention with noted 300SL specialists LYCO Engineering of Plymouth Michigan, which supplied a number of illustrated maintenance manuals on the intricacies of 300SL engineering, all of which still accompany the vehicle.

300SL experts Paul Russell and Company of Connecticut also contributed many hours of service to the labour of love that is keeping this finely tuned machine in perfect

condition. Finally, the car was sold in 2015 to Rex Henderson, also of Connecticut.

And indeed now In the Gulf, the SL has continued its winning ways, storming to Best of Show in the 2019 Edition of the Gulf Concours D’Elegance. Today, this 300SL represents an opportunity to enjoy an example with an almost unparalleled level of documentation.

Virtually every service manual, accessory, registration card, toolkit and brochure are present and accounted for, with many handwritten details in the margins, permanently etching the love and care of its limited custodians over the years.

And with a mileage of just 37,000 miles on its impeccably-finished odometer, this superb, achingly gorgeous sportscar will

continue to delight owners and onlookers alike for decades to come. Many have tried, but none seem likely to unseat the glorious Mercedes 300SL as the most stunning classic of all time.

Our thanks to Miguel Llorente at Tomini Classics in Dubai for allowing us to reproduce the above article and sales information.

Details: 1955, coupe, 2,996cc, cream exterior, red interior, 37,000 miles, manual.

Located at Tomini Classics Dubai Priced at US$1,250.000 Please contact: Miguel Llorente Head of Tomini Classics ml@tominiclassics.com

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Instagram Capture. Porsche GT3 RS by David Rutter @iamdavidrutter

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2015 LAND ROVER DEFENDER 6X4 FUJI WHITE 11,700 MILES / 2.2L DIESEL / 6X4 CONVERSION £ 89,950

+ 44 (0) 1344 620072

SALES@SUPERVETTU

URA.COM

INSTAGRAM @SUPERVETTURA

12 • THE DEALER O’Kane Lavers

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ames O’Kane has been around automobiles for most of his life and so it was a natural progression that he pursued a career dealing in both classic and modern cars of the highest quality.

The business of ‘O’Kane Lavers’ started in July 2019 but has already notched

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up several important sales and very quickly become a hub for motor car collectors from around the world.

James and his associates handle the sale and acquisition of the finest and most important motor cars from every era and within their ever expanding global network they take pride in providing a personal experience which is appreciated by their returning clientele.

James understands the importance of discretion and the significance of a trustworthy relationship between parties especially having first-hand experience of being in the position as both a buyer and a seller. James says: “The future is exciting and to be part of the next generation of automobile dealers is an honour. Here at O’Kane Lavers we are seizing the opportunities and challenges

it presents and participating in helping fashion and influence the inevitable trends, whilst maintaining the principle that an original classic is always the best”.

“Having been surrounded by motorcars all my life I was keen to open my advisory firm to best showcase what I love, motor cars! Please take a look at our website which provides an overview of our services, and how we might be able to help you.” James O’Kane.

The Alfa Romeo 8C Spider Limited Edition by Touring Superleggera This Alfa Romeo 8C Spider was delivered new in 2012 to a German collector. The client is an existing O’Kane Lavers client and bought the 8C in 2015. In 2016 chassis number 50050 was sent to Touring Superleggera where they fitted a number of features from the Alfa Romeo Disco Volante including air vents painted in Rosso Stratosfero, black anodised upper half dashboard, centre console and door sills.

Additionally, leather door handles on the door sill and a “One-of-One by Touring Superleggera” badge, as well as yellow brake callipers were fitted, all of which took several weeks to complete.

Offered today it is easily the most desirable Alfa Romeo 8C Spider in existence with the exclusive work Touring carried out and a true “One-ofOne”.

2012 Alfa Romeo 8C Spider Limited Edition / Coachwork by Touring Superleggera Colour: Bianco Madreperla / Trim: Red leather and red soft top.

Please see www.okanelavers.com for more information and other cars currently available.

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13 • PREVIOUSLY SOLD McLaren F1 / DK Engineering

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hassis 031 is one of just two McLaren F1’s to leave the factory in white and the sole example in Marlboro White. Supplied new to Japanese collector Yoshikuni Okamoto, the car formed part of a significant collection and as such was only used sparingly. DK Engineering acquired the

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car for the current owner in 2018. At the time of purchase, the car had covered just 1,100 miles from new. 031 now resides with ourselves, stored and cared for as part of a significant collection of important cars.

The McLaren F1 is more than just a car, it is legendary, it is mythical. It stunned the automotive world when its concept burst on the scene in 1992 and

was unlike anything that came before it.

Everything about it was hyperbole, and its credentials seemed almost too good to be true. It sat three, with the driver in the middle, its engine compartment was lined with gold for better heat dissipation, and with its BMW-built V12, it could top 230 miles per hour.

McLaren was no startup or flashin-the-pan manufacturer. Since the

1960’s, it had been one of the premier racing manufacturers in the world, with success in Formula 1, Can-Am, and at the Indianapolis 500. By the late 1980’s, the company was riding especially high.

Thanks to an engine partnership with Honda, its white and red Marlborosponsored cars dominated Formula 1 throughout the decade, and its MP 4/4 cars owned the 1988 season, taking 15 of 16 races.

Company founder Bruce McLaren had wanted to build a road-going car using racing technology in the late ‘60s, but plans were scuttled after his death testing a race car in 1970. As a result of the 20 years of success since, McLaren technical director Gordon Murray believed that the company had the know-how to create the ultimate road car, but he wanted to do it in a way that had never been done before.

Gordon Murray had begun to think of possibilities outside the track.

For the F1, Murray wanted to combine the handling and ease of Honda’s NSX with the extreme power that could still blow the doors off supercars like the Ferrari F40, Lamborghini Diablo, and Jaguar XJ220. Murray was quoted as having said, “To my thinking, the ideal car is one in which I could get in the driver’s seat and be out

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for a drive in downtown London, and then want to continue straight on to the South of France. A car that you can trust, with functional air conditioning, and retains daily drivability. No offset pedals allowed. No high dashboards restricting your view either. Having a low roof hitting your head every time you go over a bump in the name of aerodynamics and styling is out of the question. It is essential that a supercar be a pleasure to drive, and anything detracting from that must be excised.”

Even today no car can turn heads like an F1, neither can any car claim to be as driver focused as the F1 - The F1 is a ground breaker, claims made today that the F1 represents the best car ever built are perfectly justifiable.

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Turbocharging and supercharging were both dismissed by Murray outright as being too needlessly complex and heavy, as were airbags, anti-lock brakes, and power steering. But for all the F1 didn’t have, it made up for it with cutting-edge technology: It was the first production car to use a monocoque carbon fibre chassis, making it incredibly strong and stable at high speeds - and incredibly lightweight. Murray put together the ultimate team, the member of which came from many different backgrounds; they were obsessed with the ultimate design in every respect.

The F1 was a sensation when it debuted, and easily took the “fastest production car” title away from the XJ220 (in 1998, a prototype set a world record with a top speed of 248 miles per

hour). But despite the car’s capabilities, and McLaren’s pedigree on the track, Murray had no desire to take the F1 racing. After pressure from owners and racing teams, the company relented and released the competition-ready F1 GTR in 1995. Lightened and lowered (despite having to be detuned to compete in the BPR Global GT Series), the F1 GTRs were an unprecedented success.

At that year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, the cars joined the pantheon of racing legends, finishing first, third, fourth, fifth, and thirteenth overall.

A legend had already been born but mythical status had now been achieved as a result of this lightly modified road car attending and winning the fabled 24 hour race at La Sarthe first time out of the box.

Production started in late 1994 and by 1998, production ended on the F1 after merely 106 had been built. For its first attempt at a road car, McLaren set out to build the best, and astonishingly, it did.

Since its debut, the F1’s legend looms as large as ever before, and has become the standard by which all supercars are judged. There have been prettier, more advanced, more expensive, and even faster exotics in the decades since, but none have had an impact that comes anywhere close to the F1 putting the F1 on a level peg with the Ferrari 250 GTO. Of the 106 cars built only 64 were built and supplied as road cars, the last “new” car remaining in McLaren’s Park Lane showroom until late 2003. The road cars are very much more sought after as a result of their iconic three seat setup (unlike the GTR with space for just two), air conditioning and operational side windows.

Our thanks to James at DK Engineering for the information and images.

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A UNIQUE ‘ONE-OFF’ FROM AMALGAM’S BRISTOL WORKSHOP

THE WHITE VEYRON GRAND SPORT VITESSE An original design model, configured and approved by Bugatti designer and artist Etienne Salome. With signed plaque, certificate and original design sketch.

ONE-OFFS BESPOKE LIMITED EDITIONS AT LARGE SCALES 1:18 1:8 1:5 1:4 CARS YACHTS PLANES CLASSIC HISTORIC MODERN 74

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