Volante 6a Special Anniversary Edition

VOLANTE

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JANUARY 2016

TERRE A LA

A JOURNAL FOR THE GENTLEMAN DRIVER

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OUR FAVOURITE "FIRST DRIVES" OF 2015

PLUS

YEAR IN REVIEW

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1993 Land Rover NAS Defender 110 convertible #148, one of the only original 534 NAS 110s imported to the U.S. Fully updated with 6 speed manual, LR diesel engine, ECR convertible top, NAS external roll cage, roof rack & ladder, galvanised chassis, on-board air compressor, only 2,000 miles since 2014 restoration.

1962 Mercedes Benz 300SL disc brake roadster, DB353 Silver-Blue metallic with red, blue convertible top, 3.0 litre in-line 6 iron block engine, 4 speed box, factory disc brakes, factory hard top, fitted luggage, correct in all respects with original matching numbers engine, show quality restoration, exceptional throughout.

1989 Ferrari 328 GTB, Prugna with crema, 3.2 litre V8 engine, 5 speed gear box, USA example. Original invoice, ownerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s manuals and pouch, tool roll and jack. Only one owner, and believed to be the only 1989 328 GTB ever produced in Prugna.

1989 Mercedes Benz 560SL roadster, 147 Arctic White with blue interior, blue convertible top, 5.6 litre V8 engine, automatic, Becker radio, factory removable hard top, all original manuals, fully serviced, collector quality with only 9,250 miles from new.

1988 Porsche 911 turbo coupe, Guards Red with black leather, 3.3 litre flat-6 turbo, 4 speed box, disc brakes, Fuchs alloys, sunroof, original ownerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s manuals, Porsche CoA, just completed major servicing. Unmodified and impeccable condition throughout.

1988 Porsche 959 Komfort, Grey with two-tone grey leather, 2.85 litre twin turbo flat-6, 6 speed manual, 21,600km from new, PSK AWD, adjustable suspension, original documents, suspension overhaul and extensive major servicing by noted 959 specialist.

Copley Motorcars 37 Chestnut Street Needham, Massachusetts 02492 USA Tel. +1 781.444.4646 | e-mail copleycars@gmail.com | www.copleymotorcars.com

1951 Ferrari 212 Export Vignale cabriolet, Serial Number 0106 E, Engine Number 0106 E, 2.5 litre Colombo V12 engine, 5 speed gear box, one of just two even serial numbered short-chassis Exports with stunning Vignale coachwork, delivered new to Italian Count Sanseverino, owned for over 40 years by UK Ferrari dealer David Clarke of iconic Graypaul Motors, featured in Cavallino Magazine No. 59, fresh bare metal repainting and detailing by Carl Brownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CB Restorations, elegant new interior by Johann Merkhoferâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Coachtrim, original body chassis and engine, fully documented by Ferrari and Vignale historian Marcel Massini, just three noted owners the past 55 years and adorned throughout with all the Vignale trimmings and then some.

1949 Ferrari 166 Inter Vignale coupe, S/N 039 S, Engine Number 039 S, Rosso Barchetta with brown, 2.0 litre Colombo V12 engine with single Weber carburetor, 5 speed gear box, delivered new via Milan Ferrari dealer Franco Cornacchia, several Italian owners throughout the 1950s and just two USA owners from 1990 until today, beautifully re-bodied in 1953 by Carrozzeria Vignale, fresh out of bare metal repainting, complete interior re-trimming and, extensive mechanical overhaul including engine rebuild. The Vignale coupe retains its original engine, chassis and beautiful period re-body, and is fully documented by noted Ferrari and Vignale historian, Marcel Massini.

Copley Motorcars 37 Chestnut Street Needham, Massachusetts 02492 USA Tel. +1 781.444.4646 | e-mail copleycars@gmail.com | www.copleymotorcars.com

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Start Your Engine

volante

f sur to

biA - A s rA

pleme n up

JAnuAry 2016

terre A lA

A JournAl for the GentlemAn Driver

special anniversary editiOn

volante • special anniversary edition • january 2016

DRIVEN TO DISTRACTION

OuR FAVOuRITE "FIRST DRIVES" OF 2015

PLUS

YEAR IN REVIEW

WE LOOk BACk AT THE BIGGEST L AUNCHES OF THE L AST 12 MONTHS FIND THE RIGHT GEAR: all the best kit we've cOvered in 2015

QR40

WATCH YOUR SPEED: Our pick Of the best speed-themed timepieces

Volante #6a Cover.indd 1

Cover image: 2016 Ferrari 488 GTB

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AED40

BHD4

KWD3

OMR4

THE LONG WAY ROUND: the wOrld's greatest rOad race: the mille miglia

1/18/16 16:39

W

ow! I can’t believe that, here at the 2016 Qatar Motor Show, we are already celebrating our first birthday!

This inaugural year has disappeared faster than Volkswagen’s stock value. That being said, while 2015 quickly recedes in the rearview mirror, I realise that we have crammed a whole lot of epic into the first six issues of Volante.

We’ve covered supercars – both new and old – boats, bikes and even lorries. Our editorial team and contributors have racked up the air miles to bring you the best motoring content, from Iceland and Norway, to Melbourne Australia and everywhere in between.

As such, a few acknowledgments are in order: firstly, thank you to the Qatar Motor Show and its organisers, who supported our launch this time last year, and again have provided space for us to distribute this special issue. Without such a fantastic platform, we wouldn’t have enjoyed the rolling start that we did.

Secondly, thank you to all of our fabulous contributors – they are all named over the page – without whom we would not be able to deliver the world-class motoring content upon which we pride ourselves.

Then there is all the on-site staff; Helen’s sumptuous designs, Ron’s keen eye in the preproduction process and the sales team, whose hard work wooing the advertisers that give us the gravitas of an international automotive title, have all been critical to our success.

Finally, there’s you, the readers, who have been so complimentary about Volante. You’ve offered constructive criticism, followed us on Instagram, interacted with us and have made all our hard work worthwhile.

So, from here on in, this special edition is basically a collection of our “greatest hits” from 2015. We have a selection of our favourite “first drives,” which appear in chronological order; our pick of the best gadgets, gear and “automobilia” from our first five issues and a round up of the most significant launches that have occurred over the last twelve months.

We’ve also dropped in some new stuff, too.

There’s a round up of what we believe to be the best speed-themed timepieces the world of horology has to offer, and a storied history of the world’s greatest road race, the gruelling Mille Miglia.

And that’s all just an aperitif to whet your appetite for what’s to come. Our first year may be over, but we are already planning to top it in 2016, with news from all the major international motor shows, more exclusive first drives and a wealth of lifestyle content that will continue to establish Volante, as THE regional journal for the gentleman driver.

Vol ante Spe cia l a nniv er sa r y ed it io n | Ja n ua r y 2016 |

| I gn i t i o n | C o n t e n t s |

26 We revisit the most significant announcments, concepts and launches of the year.

ignition 18 | Contributors. Meet the men that have created so much of Volante's world-class content over the course of the year.

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The best bits of kit and "automobilia" that made us reach for our wallet in 2015.

first gear 22 | From Detroit to Dubai, the automotive world was left abuzz by many exciting concepts and launches.

We have picked a handful of some of the most significant news stories we published in 2015.

30 | We've rifled through the first five issues of Volante and selected the best bits of kit and "automobilia" that have filled us with avarice over the course of the year.

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16

So many great cars, so little space... see our favourite drives from 2015.

The Garage cont.

37 | Noble M600 40 | Eagle Low Drag GT 44 | Pur Sang Bugatti T35 47 | Ferrari 488 GTB 50 | Pagani Huayra Telemetry 54 | We look at the storied history of the Mille Miglia, the record-breaking 1955 event and the classic car jamboree it has become.

Grand Tourismo 60 | Rev Counter. These speedthemed watches will give you the same heady thrill as getting behind the wheel of your favourite sports car.

The Garage 35 | We've driven a lot of cool vehicles in 2015, but, we managed to narrow it down to these few highlights: Vol ante Spe cia l a nniv er sa r y ed it io n | Ja n ua r y 2016 |

1931 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Open Tourer by Barker

1959 Bentley S1 Continental Six Light Flying Spur by H.J.Mulliner

1960 Bentley S2 Continental Six Light Flying Spur by H.J.Mulliner

1962 Bentley S2 Continental Coupe by H.J.Mulliner

We offer the finest facilities for the sale and service of Rolls-Royce & Bentley Motor cars For further information and complete stocklist please telephone or email us at the addresses below S A L E S

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S E R V I C E

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1921 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost London to Edinburgh Style Tourer

T R I M M I N G

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R E S T O R A T I O N

125 Harlequin Avenue, Great West Road, London TW8 9EW, UK Tel: 020 8847 5447 Fax: 020 8560 5748 www.frankdale.com Email: info@frankdale.com French office: Christian Teissier, 8 Avenue J.Bordeneuve, 47300 Villeneuve-Sur-Lot, Bordeaux France Tel: 0033 55 340 3470 Fax: 0033 55 340 3481 christeissier@yahoo.fr Japanese Office: Mr Kiyoharu Wakui, Kuruma Doraku 2-10-11, Yayoi Bunkyo Ku, Tokyo, Japan Tel: 0081 33 81 16 170 Fax: 0081 33 81 66 175 kuruma.doraku@nifty.com

| E x h a u s t No t e s | C o n t r ibu t o rs |

contributors “They had holes to fill on every page and jammed in any vaguely newsworthy string of words provided it did not include expletives, which they were apparently saving for their own use around the office.”

- Tom Rachman, The Imperfectionists

We want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of our contributors, whose fine prose, knowledgable insight and witty asides have filled these pages over the last twelve months. It is thanks to them that we have been able to deliver the high-quality content that has helped Volante become the “Journal For The Gentleman Driver” we envisioned when we launched a year ago.

Ian Crammond Ian is a London-based career advertising professional, a copywriter who runs a creative consultancy serving the drinks industry.

In his spare time, however, he is a fully paid-up petrol head, organising the Three Castles Welsh Classic Trial. He is also a competitor, taking on some of the UK’s classic road rallies in a car that’s far too expensive to be punished in such a fashion. He is driven by his passion for old Mercedes, from his faithful 250CE to his current 280SL. Being 6’4” tall, he notes, there aren't that many other older cars he can get into. Fortunately the Merc has a detachable roof.

Carlin Gerbich Coming from a long line of New Zealand Carrot Farmers, Carlin cut his automotive writing teeth on RallySport magazine in the UK. That led to a string of senior roles on titles that included Cars and Car Conversions, Classics Monthly, Carbuyer, Great Cars and Car and Driver Middle East. He has also contributed to Racecar Engineering, Auto Express, Esquire Middle East and edited Men’s Fitness. In a career of numerous high points, nothing really comes close to winning “Best Carrot Car” at his primary school flower show. He is currently seeking help for his addiction to balsamic vinegar.

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Kevin Hackett Kevin has been described as “the Ray Winstone of motoring journalism,” though whether this is due to his take-no-prisoners approach to reviewing cars or his sunny disposition remains unclear. He has been obsessing over anything with four wheels since he was eight years old, when his father bought a Triumph TR6 to use as the family car. Like father, like son, he has just done exactly the same thing. A former motoring editor of The National in the UAE, he has also written for, among others, FHM (UK), The Times newspaper in London and Sur la Terre Arabia.

Dejan Jovanovic While Dejan’s Serbian/ South African demeanour can often come across blunter than a rubberheaded lump hammer, his rapier fast wit and surprising eloquence more than makes up for it. He has been turning his love of fast cars into golden prose and stunning imagery for the past 12 years, contributing both words and pictures to the likes of

Crank & Piston, Jalopnik, GT Porsche and Top Gear Middle East . He once owned one of Piero Ferrari’s cars, and thus considers him to be a personal friend, even though Mr Ferrari might not necessarily agree.

Vol ante Spe cia l a nniv er sa r y ed it io n | Ja n ua r y 2016 |

Fraser Martin Since his Mum fell off the pavement, having been told by her 20-month old son that the car passing the bus stop was a Citroen, Fraser has been acknowledged amongst his peers as encyclopedic and something of a sage.

He is also a self-diagnosed early-onset curmudgeon. He has been in and around the motor industry for the better part of 45 years, and is Clerk for the national motor racing scene in Dubai. He has only ever written about car related subjects because it is really the only thing he knows anything about, apart from making a really good tomato chutney.

Liam Nelson Liam Nelson lives his life one meager letter away from a successful career in the movies and dreams of owning a husky Irish accent to keep kidnappers at bay. Despite his lack of screen credits and humble California intonation, at some point, an optimistic PR let him drive on the track and he’s been hooked ever since. Liam’s work has appeared regionally in Wheels, The National and Top Gear Middle East. In the US, his motoring musings often appear in the likes of Overland Traveler, among others. Liam currently resides in California where he spends his time trying to avoid being hit by a Google self-driving car. 

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| E x h a u s t No t e s | C o n t r ibu t o rs |

James Nicholls James is a writer, lecturer and broadcaster based in Sydney, Australia. He specialises in writing about and photographing classic cars, boats and any of the other finer things in life.

As well as running the Motorclassica Auction on behalf of Theodore Bruce Auctioneers & Valuers (Australia’s oldest auction house) he was head of the car department for Bonhams & Goodman and Sotheby’s Australia. A regular contributor to high-profile magazines around the world, including Invictus, Rewind, Jetgala, Ocean, ArteNavale, he’s now added Volante to his list of literary conquests.

Ben Oliver

Ben writes for CAR magazine, for the Telegraph and Mail on Sunday newspapers in the UK, as well as for major magazines and newspapers around the world. He has won multiple “Journalist of the Year” and “Feature Writer of the Year” awards for his work. A former chief test driver for Autocar magazine, in the name of journalism, he has driven a 1957 Ferrari Testa Rossa on Italian public roads just hours before it became the most expensive car ever sold at auction and taken a Mini to the highest place a car can go: the 5,600m Khardung La pass in the Himalayas.

Steven Paugh Steven has almost a decade of experience producing movie quality facial hair and photoshopped images of Freddie Mercury riding fiery unicorns. He is also the former Senior Editor of luxury lifestyle magazine, Sur la Terre Arabia. His work has been published in such venerable organs as Dana Jewels and The National, as well as on numerous comic-book websites and blogs. He is currently based in the icy Canadian city of

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Montreal, where he spends much of his time indoctrinating his newborn daughter into the DC Comics universe.

Damien Reid Damien began writing motorsport columns and assisting with car tests for major motoring magazines and newspapers even before he left school at the age of 15. He was the youngest fulltime motoring editor and F1 correspondent of a national broadsheet newspaper - News Corp’s, The Australian - at age 18. He helped launch the Middle East editions of Autocar and F1 Racing and is currently a contributor to radio, TV, print media and various websites across the Middle East, Asia, Australia, the US and Europe. He also does a passable impersonation of Australian cricketing legend, the late Richie Benaud.

Phill Tromans Phill has written about cars professionally for the past decade, firstly in the UK and then over a six-year period in the Middle East. Formerly part of the editorial teams at Car Middle East, Evo Middle East and Crank & Piston, he now freelances on automotive and luxury topics for magazines and newspapers around the world. He’s interviewed three different Bond girls and fought in a re-enactment of the English Civil War. When he’s not writing, Phill enjoys lusting over fine watches that he can’t afford, building model cars from Lego Technic, and rollerblading. Because he can.

Raj Warrior An avid biker, photographer and self-confessed gadget freak, Raj has run various car publications over the past two decades. He currently heads Automan, Oman's only car magazine. Raj brings his engineering background to his reviews, building the technological base for the

Vol ante Spe cia l a nniv er sa r y ed it io n | Ja n ua r y 2016 |

emotional connection with the test vehicle.

This has resulted in a series of vehicles he has positively reviewed populating his personal garage, with his current favourites being a Triumph Bonneville and a Yamaha MT-09. Despite being under marital orders to reduce his collection, he still promises that someday an MX-5 will join them.

Richard Whitehead Richard is an accomplished writer and hedonist, with a penchant for waxing lyrical about cars, cigars and whiskey. He has driven most things on four wheels, a lot of things with two wheels and some that don’t even have wheels. He cut his editorial teeth at News International in London, where some of his finest work was published in The Sun under the nomme de plume “Dexter Letchalot” in his regular column, “Diedre’s Photo Casebook.” He currently resides in Malaysia and, when he is not watching cricket or modelling safari suits, he plies his trade as a freelancer for numerous international magazine titles and is a regular contributor to The National.

Lee Winter Lee is an engineer by trade, but when he isn’t involved in building the region’s iconic structures, he likes to dip his toe into more literary waters. He regularly writes articles and features pertaining to his expertise in the construction sector for regional business titles such as TheEdge and Qatar Construction News. However, this affable Welshman and avid sports fan also has a love of luxury cars and has often been called into service to attend international and regional press launches for the likes of Porsche, Bentley and Maserati on behalf of our sister title, Sur la Terre Arabia. He will now be regaling Volante’s readers with his quick-witted and poetic prose.

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ry, in the automotiv e indust 2015 was a stella r yea r leaving us wondering: have we ever had it so good?

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T

aston martin

Lagonda Taraf Unveiled in Dubai the start of the year witnessed the resurrection of a legendary

automotive brand when aston martin ceo, dr. andy palmer, unveiled a new lagonda “super saloon” in dubai.

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he Lagonda, which is being built in a strictly limited numbers, and only for customers in the Middle East, will be known as the Lagonda Taraf, which broadly translates from the Arabic as “opulent.”

The new saloon will have a 6.0-litre V12 under the bonnet, draws its inspiration from the highly sought-after 1976 William Townsdesigned Lagonda which ceased production in 1990, and will be hand-made in a dedicated building at Aston’s Warwickshire factory the same one in which the bonkers One-77 hypercar was created.

Sales will be by invitation only, with precise pricing details remaining confidential.

However, we have it on good authority that the base cost of the new luxo-barge will be around $780,000 and will rise from there, depending on the bespoke accoutrements that will be specified by the customer. For instance, the 24-carat white gold Lagonda badge for the front of the car will empty the wallet to the tune of $55,000. With unprecedented levels of customisation available, Aston Martin expects its “Q” bespoke team to be very busy.

While the Lagonda will only be available to Middle Eastern customers, they will not be limited to just this region, the lucky enough few who get invited to buy one can purchase it for their pad in Mayfair, too, should they so wish.

FORD GT

New Ford GT Wows Detroit Show

F

ord unveiled an all-new ultra-high-performance GT, which it says is one of more than 12 new performance vehicles coming by 2020.

Slated to begin production in 2016, the GT hits the road in select global markets to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Ford GT race cars’ 1-2-3 podium finish at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The all-new GT supercar features rear-wheel drive, a mid-mounted engine and a sleek, aerodynamic, two-door coupe body shell that can be accessed by two upswinging doors. It is propelled by what Ford claims is the most powerful EcoBoost production engine ever – a next-generation 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged V6 capable of producing more than 600 horsepower.

The GT makes extensive use of lightweight materials, including carbon-fibre and aluminium, which Ford claims will not only help to deliver outstanding acceleration and handling, but will provide a proving ground for technologies and materials that will trickle down to all cars in the Ford line-up. 

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Vol ante Spe cia l a nniv er sa r y ed it io n | Ja n ua r y 2016 |

Top: 1929 Packard 640 Roadster Bottom (L to R): 1948 Delahaye 135M Cabriolet, 1922 Marmon Model 34 Speedster, 1953 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible.

| Fir s t G e ar | N ew s | 20 1 5 B igge s t L a u n c h e s |

tur ned of the automotiv e wor ld in ear ly ma rch the eyes to Geneva as its 85th International Motor Show, arguably the world’s most important motor ing industry event, got under way.

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I

bentley vs. Aston martin

First Shots Fired In Battle Of The Next Gen GTs

t started when Bentley unveiled the EXP10 Speed 6, essentially slapping Aston Martin’s face with a Poltrona Frau leather glove and demanding “satisfaction at dawn.”

Taking its cues from the racing success of the company’s early years the EXP 10 Speed 6 is, according to chief executive, Wolfgang Dürheimer, “one vision for Bentley’s future” and could one day be an actual model, sitting alongside the Continental GT. The concept employs a petrolelectric hybrid powertrain, though the chances are, should the car

24

make it into production, it will utilise some version of Bentley’s epic 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. It would certainly be at home at the heart of the car’s muscular, lithe form factor, with its bulging rear wheel arches, long drooping bonnet and low, reworked grille.

Underneath that rakish British Racing Green skin, the interior is nothing short of spectacular, too.

All quilted leather and fine wood, mingling with the latest technology, in beautifully laid-out cabin.

However, with morning mist still settling on the first press day at

Geneva, the Gaydon boys retaliated, with a stern “have at you, cad,” as it pulled the parachute silk off its all-new DBX concept. With a more high-riding coupé look, but no less sleek, the DBX is the physical embodiment of the company’s “second century” ideology.

According to CEO, Dr. Andy Palmer, it was design for a world when luxury GT travel is “not only stylish and luxurious, but also more practical, more family-friendly and more environmentally responsible.”

That’s why there’s no continentcrushing V12 under the hood. In

Vol ante Spe cia l a nniv er sa r y ed it io n | Ja n ua r y 2016 |

fact, there's no internal combustion of any kind. The DBX Concept uses electric, inboard-of-wheel, motors powered by lithium sulphur cells. That’s coupled with a KERStype braking system as well as a lot of other clever tech like Drive-bywire electric steering, auto-dimming “smart glass” and bespoke driver and passenger head-up displays. The likelihood of the DBX becoming a production car in its current form is slim, but whatever does arrive in its place will doubtless incorporate some of this plethora of newfangled gizmos. 

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4

Rolls Royce

Rolls-Royce Declares Its LUV lux urious utilit y entered the all-terra in, e rqu ma sed -ba ood dw The Goo vehicle segment with an open letter from the top brass.

S

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urprising absolutely no-one, Rolls-Royce supremo, Torsten MuellerOetvoes, in an open letter, finally announced the company will mount its Spirit of Ecstasy on the prow of a car that could loosely be described as an SUV. It is unlikely to be very sporty in demeanour though, sitting just below the Phantom II in the company’s existing line-up.

While details are sparse, we understand from the open letter, signed by both Mueller-Oetvoes and company Chairman, Peter Schwarzenbauer,

tasked with creating the new Rolls-Royce with the remit that the car has to “be able to cross any terrain comfortably and reliably, reflecting the brand’s ethos of effortless luxury.”

Describing the vehicle as “effortless everywhere,” the Goodwoodbased firm is playing on the rich history of the Marque to traverse all terrains, evoking Lawrence of Arabia’s endeavours across desert flats, big-game hunting in the jungle with the Maharajahs to the victorious

that it will be a “high-bodied car” with an “all-new aluminium architecture.” It will also be pretty powerful, too, with the vehicle expected to be driven by Rolls-Royce’s V12 engine.

According to Rolls-Royce’s regional PR, the car is considered within the top echelons of the company to be “the single most significant development” of the Marque’s 111-year history, and is very much in response to customer demand for such a product. The company categorically stated that finally putting the rumours to bed and creating a luxury utility vehicle (LUV?) is not a response to Bentley’s new Bentayga.

Quoting Sir Henry Royce, who famously said, “if it does not exist, design it,” the letter states that Director of Design, Giles Taylor, has been

Alpine Trialists which won the brand its “best car in the world” title in the early 1900s.

We are told that the new LUV is expected to appear sometime in 2018 and will be produced at Goodwood. In terms of volume, the LUV will undoubtedly become the most prevalent of the company’s line-up of models, certainly with the expected demand from both this part of the world and China, though Rolls-Royce are keen to stress that the car will remain “elusive.” Whatever that means.

Obviously, the company won’t talk actual figures, but just as it used to describe a Roller’s performance statistics, you can be sure that volume - and price - will be “adequate.” 

Vol ante Spe cia l a nniv er sa r y ed it io n | Ja n ua r y 2016 |

| Fir s t G e ar | N ew s | 20 1 5 B igge s t L a u n c h e s |

5

Bentley goes royal

Bentley’s Bentayga Breaks Cover

of the luxury, 187mph SUVs queen eliza beth II is said to be getting the first

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entley finally pulled the covers off the long-awaited Bentayga to a divided reception. While most people accept the fact that established luxury brands like Bentley, Lamborghini and Jaguar have to diversify in line with market trends to ensure that their core, sportier, products can continue to thrill, some of the internet’s automotive blogs and forums were less than complimentary.

However, that will matter very little to Bentley, as the people whose opinions really matter are those that have already put their considerable deposits down and will be looking forward to driving their new Bentaygas down the thoroughfares of Mayfair, Shanghai and, of course, the GCC, early this year.

The car already has the Royal seal of approval, as reports suggest that Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, will be the first to take delivery of the super-luxe off-roader and will apparently be using it for hunting excursions on her Balmoral estate in Scotland.

The pumped-up 6.0-litre, twin-turbo W12 engine puts out 600bhp and 900Nm of torque to propel the two-and-a-half tonne Bentayga to 60mph from a standing start in just four seconds and to a top speed of 187mph. Bentley says that it has implemented improvements to fuel economy and efficiency, but the miles-per-gallon figures are a telling 20mpg on the motorway and 14 around town. Not that it really matters to its prospective owners. However, for the cost- and environmentallyconscious bazillionaire, there will be a “high performance, clean technology” diesel and a plug-in hybrid option joining the launch model when deliveries start in 2016.

As one would expect, every possible life-enhancing technology is available, from headup displays and night vision cameras that spot obstacles in the dark, to passenger tablets and trunkloaded, Mullinerbuilt, custom hamper sets, replete with fine china crockery, crystal glassware and a Champagne fridge.

The interior is a cosseting womb of fine woods, precision-cut metal and luxuriant leather but, perhaps the best option of them all is the Mulliner Tourbillon clock by Breitling.

Machined from either white or rose gold with eight diamond indexes on the face, the Mulliner Tourbillon clock features a mechanical movement that is actually wound by the car. We’ve no idea how much that optional extra costs, but as they say, time is money, and money is something that Bentley is practically printing with the launch of the Bentayga – regardless of what the critics think.

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| Fi r s t G e a r | Ge a r |

the best bits of kit for car and driver

red w e h av e scou of the year , se ur co e th Ov er ga dgets an d g for the coolest the world look in gear that we believe can enhance the life the of the Ge ntlema n Dr iv er some of ou . Here, we pick r favou r it es, w ith ea its cool fa c h on e sele ctor , its f cted for u n p o t en t ia l or j ust good ol’ pr actic a lit y a n d usef u ln ess .

Pilot Goggles

By Bentley

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ased on a design first used by pilots in the 1940's, these flying goggles feature a leather face mask, adjustable nose bridge, polished chrome frame and 3mm clear laminated glass lenses. Ideal for a spin in your Morgan Three-Wheeler, your Bentley Blower or for just watching The Battle of Britain on TV. www.bentleymotors.com

Pavoni Safari Drivers Bag

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or those spontaneous weekend adventures, you can be sure to get all your necessities into this fantastic holdall from Italian leather maven, Pavoni. Heavy duty fabric, cotton-lined and reinforced with beautiful “Crocodile stamped” calf leather, this stylish bag will give you years of travelling pleasure. www.pavoni.com editor's pick 2015

Chester Jefferies Driving Gloves

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eing attired correctly when driving is imperative, especially if you’re at the helm of a classic. That’s why you should turn to Chester Jeffries for the perfect pair of driving gloves. All gloves are made to order, in a myriad colour options and have names like “The Thruxton,” “The Morgan,” and “The Triumph.” Pictured here is “The Chauffeur,” the top of the company’s range, hand-made from the finest materials over a period of up to 12-weeks and entirely customisable, even down to having “touchscreen-friendly” fingertips.

With the searing summer temperatures here in the GCC turning every surface of your car into a burn hazard, they’ll come in quite handy for operating scalding hot steering wheels. www.chesterjefferies.co.uk

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Gauge Pilot Pro

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hile classic cars may look fantastic, they often suffer from very analogue problems, such as unreliable gauges. This little device, which is built to order and fitted in conjunction with an array of sensors, allows drivers to accurately monitor critical engine outputs at a glance. As well as logging trip data and delivering service reminders, it can also act as a rally computer, making it an essential bit of classic car kit. www.gaugepilot.uk

editor's pick 2015

Cobra JumPack

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hile you probably have a set of jumper cables in the boot of your car, what happens when your battery goes flat and there's no other car in sight? That’s where the JumPack from Cobra comes in. Despite its diminutive size, it still packs enough juice to jump most cars, as well as motorcycles – even boats – multiple times on a single charge. In addition, the palmsized gadget features a built in LED flashlight with strobe and S.O.S. functions along with a powerful USB charger for mobile devices. A must for every glove compartment. www.cobra.com

Ninebot One SelfBalancing Scooter

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t might be a little daunting to look at, especially if you’re not a proficient unicyclist. However, fear not, much like the Segway, this the Ninebot One self-balancing scooter is pretty simple to get to grips with and is ideal for situations where a bike is impractical and a traditional car even more so. A fine option for urban transportation, the Ninebot One’s electric motor offers a top speed of roughly 13 mph and, thanks to a sizeable battery, it has a range of up to 18 miles. It has a number of optional shell colours and designs for you to personalise your ride and its trip computer can sync with your phone. Its pedals fold up for storage and, with a built-in handle and a weight of around 13kgs, it's easy to carry once you've reached your destination. Your wallet will be even easier to carry though, with it being $999 lighter. www.ninebot.com

GazeBox Garage

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eeping your treasured ride safe from the harsh elements of the region has always been a problem, especially if you don’t have covered parking. Heat and dust can take their toll on cars and bikes, especially older or classic vehicles. That’s where this innovative armadilloshaped product from Italian company GazeBox comes in handy. Employing a revolutionary foldable cover system, special anti-UV polycarbonate panels offer protection from the searing Middle Eastern sun, as well as from high winds and dust storms. Most importantly, the panels do not retain heat, meaning that your car doesn’t feel like an oven every time you climb in, either. There are varying packages you can buy – in a range of sizes – with a raft of add-ons to enhance the GazeBox, from aerators and air-con units to theft alarms and solar panels. www.gazebox.net 

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| Fi r s t G e a r | Ge a r |

Rich Audio

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hile it comes highly regarded by audiophiles and industrial design critics, this is definitely a music system for the upscale man-pad. In fact, the D’Agostino Momentum brings a whole new meaning to “rich audio” as it costs the same amount as a 2.2-litre diesel Range Rover Evoque. Or three VW Golf GTIs, if you buy the black version. Using ultra-efficient copper heat sinks with venturi cooling, one percent metal-film resistors, 69MHz output transistors, the Momentum consumes less than one watt of power at standby. Which is good if you are struggling to pay your electricity bill after buying one. It’s distinctive power metre, with a separate indicator needle for each channel, makes the device resemble a steampunk clock., or a metallic Minion.

Each one is hand-built and individually tested in D’Agostino’s Arizona facility, and for $43,000, you can expect it to still be delivering spectacular aural pleasure decades after the Evoque has been towed to the scrapyard. www.dagostinoinc.com

Timeless Prose

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ininfarina is one of the most famous names in car design. The Italian styling house has created the silhouette of some of the world’s most timeless and beautiful cars and is synonymous with gorgeous, luxury aesthetics. However, it may come as a surprise to some that the company occasionally turns its hand to applying that ethos to other, more mundane, everyday things. Like pens. This revolutionary writing instrument, for instance. Handmade in Italy, it takes its inspiration from the Cambiano concept car – elegant and essential lines have been crafted from aluminium and wood to create something unmistakably Pininfarina. However, the most unique aspect of Cambiano Forever Pen, is the ethergraph tip, which allows it to write forever, without the need to ever refill ink. It offers the precision of writing with a sharp pencil, with editor's effortless strokes, while also pick leaving a permanent mark like 2015 your former favourite pen. www.pininfarina.com

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Garage Rock For The Alfa Male

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$6,000 Alfa should, more often than not, be steered well clear of.

However, this beauty from legendary luthier Guy Harrison is one that we here at Volante covet to an almost indecent degree. Harrision, who has been making hand-crafted one-off instruments for decades can boast The Stone Roses’ John Squire and Fleetwood Mac founding member, Peter Green, among his satisfied clientele. Combining select tonewoods (poplar, maple, korina and ebony), high grade aluminium, hand built Stratocaster-voiced pick ups and carbon composite, this Alfa Romeo guitar is designed to look like the iconic front grille of the eponymous marque’s cars and is finished in Alfa Giulietta red. Each one is numbered and authenticated, as only eleven will be made to mark each decade of Alfa's history. We'll bet that the giant Alfa Romeo badge volume control also goes up to 11... www.harrisonguitars.com

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Small Block V8

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e wrote about Danish toy company Lego a couple of times in the past year, but its Lego Creator Kits were by far our favourite. Featuring incredibly detailed and accurate representations of classic cars. The legendary Ferrari F40 “expert”-level kit, priced at $89.99, is still the most affordable prancing horse on the market. It consists of just 1,158 pieces, measures 10 x 5 x 3 inches and is fully licensed by Ferrari. The Maranello-based maker even had input into the design of the kit. It does loads of cool stuff that the real one does, too.

The doors open, the headlights pop up, the clamshell hood opens to reveal a tiny luggage compartment and the hinged rear hatch gives unfettered access to a ridiculously accurate brick-based twin-turbo V8 engine – which can be lifted out completely or left on permanent display by holding the hatch open with the included prop rod. If you’ve always coveted a genuine Ferrarilicensed F40 then, given the rarity of the real, man-sized motor, this kit is probably your best chance of owning one. www.lego.com

editor's pick 2015

Alfred The Great

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eeing an opportunity with the birth of the horseless carriage, Alfred Dunhill made his name creating and selling accoutrements for the motoring gentleman. As the motorcar has evolved so has the offering of this quintessentially British brand. Despite a far more fashion-forward approach, Dunhill continues to deliver beautifully crafted, functional accessories. Such as these elegant Wireframe Mother of Pearl cufflinks, which hint at Alfred’s automotive history and are captivating in their simplicity. Crafted from rhodium plated brass and featuring the company’s vintage logo, you can pair these with your business suit or more formal evening attire and feel comfortable that you are looking every inch the urbane chap you think you are.

Couple them with one of Dunhill’s reassuringly pricey lighters, and you can be sure that your date will notice your attention to sartorial detail when you show a little cuff whilst leaning in to light her cigarette. www.dunhill.com

Table The Motion

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Lamborghini V12 engine is a thing of beauty and the very thought of one will get most petrolheads hot under the collar. It is the pure mechanical expression of raw, unbridled power and machismo. And, while they often look far better nestled in the engine bay of a howling Countach or roaring Miura, Alain Gervasoni, founder of Gervadino Design, has created a more living room-friendly way to enjoy your favourite automotive powertrains, by dropping them into the middle of these stylish coffee tables. Gervasoni offers a choice of marques, including the Lamborghini V12 (pictured), a Porsche flat 6, a Ferrari V8 (or a Dino V6), a Maserati V6 and the block from a Fiat 500 Abarth. All of his creations are made to order, and will certainly be a conversation starter for guests visiting the man cave, office, showroom or – if you have a very understanding partner – your living room. However, like the cars that these engines once powered, one of these tables will undoubtedly be a significant financial investment.

Prices are available upon application, but you know the old saying: if you have to ask... www.gervadino.com

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Top: 1925 Bugatti Type 35B by Pur Sang Bottom (L to R): 1988 Lamborghini Jalpa, 1958 Mercedes-Benz 190SL Convertible, 1988 Ferrari Testarossa.

the garage

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Top Drives

over the course of our first year we have straddled harley-

davidsons and triumphs; fulfilled our childhood fantasies in the cabins of huge lorries; crossed icelandic fjords in a land rover; pushed the boundries of speed in lamborghinis and bugattis and burnt out the tyres of the most mental american muscle cars from chevy and dodge. we have stepped into history, taking the helm of some beautiful classics, such as the jensen c-v8 and paul mccartney’s very own aston martin db6 and we have crested waves in thunderboats and superyachts. however, in the limited space available here we have had to distill our favourites down to what we consider to be volante’s very

– performance, style and the truly unique. following in the chronological order in which they were published, these cars represent the exclusive content that you won’t find anywhere else in qatar and, in some cases, the region. essence

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| T he G ara ge | B e s t R ide s | N o bl e M 60 0 |

best rides 2015

The Noble

Art Of Speed

Volante gets behind the wheel of Britain’s boutique supercar, The Noble M600.

Words: Richard Whitehead

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Pictures: Noble Automotive

he explosion mattered little to the villagers of Enderby, its deafening crash washing down the tunnel of hedgerows and white-painted cottages at the side of the lane.

The hunched old man in an overcoat just tugged his flat cap down tighter to save it from the jet wash; his dog didn’t even break its scamper.

Further along, the teenage girl with a pram was also oblivious: first to the unholy scream of cylinders as we approached, then to the dissipating boom amid the maroon blur that passed her, her mind no doubt focused on the fish supper she would order from the chippy around the corner.

Just like the residents of far-off war zones, where each bang and boom provides the terrifying soundtrack to their days, the the villagers of Enderby in England’s east Midlands are inured to the deafening cry of the Noble M600, though its vibrations jar the foundations of their homes with regularity.

It is seen, felt and heard almost daily in the hands of the test drivers and potential buyers who power it through Enderby’s picturesque and leafy lanes.

By contrast, inside what is quite possibly Britain’s fastest production car, it is impossible to temper the sheer exhilaration it provides. Even Peter Boutwood, Noble’s managing director and the man who knows this savage supercar best, cannot hide a glint of joy from his eyes as we slam an epic fifth-tothird gear change to bring our speed back down to double figures — miles per hour, that is — the one concession we make for this tiny settlement not far from Noble’s home, a small industrial unit on the outskirts of Leicester.

Made almost entirely from carbon-fibre and weighing in at 1,250 kg, the Noble’s ridiculously light power-to-weight ratio of 541bhp per tonne helps take it to 60mph in three seconds flat, and 200mph in just under 30 seconds. Its performance and top speed, estimated at around 223mph, stack up 

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| T he G a ra ge | B e s t R ide s | N o bl e M 60 0 |

impressively against the Lamborghini Aventador, while blowing the Ferrari 458 Italia off the black top.

“What makes this car so special, so different from the others is the way the driver can control every element of it,” explains Boutwood. “It’s analogue.

While other cars might have all the bells and whistles of technology to, some might say, get in the way of the driving, the M600 gives you complete control.

We don’t want it to do the driving for you.”

At that moment, as if by illustration, the rear end shimmies momentarily and satisfyingly through a tight left corner as the lane rounds a copse, before a tap on the gas snaps it out with stunning precision. In the spirit of analogue, Noble refuses to offer ABS, arguing that such a system would rob the brakes of feel; and with near perfect balance on all four wheels, and extraordinary manners there is little need for any electronic interruption.

Many owners will flip the little red switch on the centre console — a firing button taken from an RAF Tornado fighter jet — to turn off the traction control for added lolz.

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The M600 isn't made in great volume. Only 12 models are built each year by a staff of 15, though the company hopes to ramp up its annual production to 20 cars in the future.

Noble began life in 1999 as the manufacturer of mid-engined rear-wheel drive sports cars. By 2006 its founder, Lee Noble, a British automotive designer who had left Ascari to develop his sports car philosophy under his own name, had departed the company and Boutwood began work on the M600 as a successor to the highly lauded M400 after its production run of just 75 units.

The M600 isn’t made in much greater volume, with only 12 models built each year by a staff of 15. Boutwood hopes to see annual production increase to a massive 20 cars in the near future.

Because of this tiny volume, the company has to run extremely lean.

The car is hand built and uses a 4.4-litre Yamaha-derived Volvo V8 engine with twin

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Garrett turbochargers equipped with variable boost. This setup will produce anything between 450 and 650bhp depending on how you feel and the position of a big red switch on the dash.

As with previous Nobles, the M600 uses a mid-engined space-frame steel chassis, which Boutwood says is as strong and rigid as those of his rivals, with double wishbones at each corner and coil-over dampers for its primary suspension. The engine and entire transaxle sit massively forwards on the chassis. Its steel brakes come with six-pot callipers at the front and four at the rear, and have been designed by British braking specialist Alcon.

While there is hot and cold running leather throughout the unexpectedly capacitive cabin, the gauges and switchgear are housed in a shimmering grey sea of carbon-fibre — something viewed as basic in most cars or as an expensive extra in a Bentley. There is no GPS, and the stereo is the type you could pick up on eBay. What the company has done is concentrate on performance and driving pleasure while adding just enough in the way of trim and features to maintain

Noble M600 At A Glance Engine: 4439cc 60-degree Volvo B8444S V8 w/ twin variable boost turbochargers Power: Driver selectable, 450bhp 650bhp @ 7000rpm Transmission: 6-speed manual Weight: 1,250kg Performance: Top speed 225mph; 0-60 in 3.0 sec Price: $312,000

the interest of its well-heeled clientele. Noble has innovated through operational efficiency, not gadgets and gizmos, because it cannot call on supremely wealthy backers like Volkswagen Group or McLaren Racing to provide funds for the next great reveal.

Whether by design or by chance, Noble has chosen to boost the strengths of existing components by using its network of suppliers and tuners to turn tried and tested technology into a wholly contemporary sum of its parts. Behind the wheel of the M600, you find you don’t miss things like flappy paddles and ABS, you don’t hanker for launch control or race settings; you just feel like you’re driving how driving was meant to be — doing it for the sheer joy of it, inside one hell of an entertainer.

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| T he G a ra g e | B e s t R ide s | Ea gl e -Low-D ra g GT E-Type |

Eagle Has Landed Volante dusts off its binoculars and dog-eared ornithology books and heads to the UK on the trail of a very rare breed of Eagle.

Words: Ben Oliver

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Pictures: James Lipman / Mark Bramley

best rides 2015

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There must

be something in the water in this part – my part – of sleepy, rural East Sussex. Petrol, probably. On a farm nearby you’ll find Eagle, whose work on E-types is astonishing. The exact location isn’t made public, given the value of what you’ll find here, but if you seem like a serious prospect you’ll be sent directions, which include helicopter landing coordinates. I drove there.

Eagle was founded in 1982 by Henry Pearman. Henry knows a fair bit about Jaguar E-types. He will sell you a standard car, but only if it is one of the very best. Don't expect to find much on his stock list under $155,400, and standard road-going Es with an interesting history can nudge $466,100 now. He will restore your E-Type, but only if you commit to having every last nut done: “we’re not interested in half-doing things.” Or he will build you an Eagle E-Type, which is a standard-looking car with a bunch of “enhancements” refined over 20 years and including AP Racing brakes, Ohlins suspension, power steering, air-conditioning and

electricals that actually work, unlike most cars that came out of the United Kingdom in the sixties. Prices for these Eagle E-Types start at $614,000, plus options. Each takes around 4,000 hours to make.

And then there’s this. The Low Drag GT. Now, we’re talking truly Leno-esque levels of automotive indulgence. “Just a few” will be made. You’ll need at least $1.1 million to buy one. And I’ve driven the first.

Eagle’s Low Drag GT uses a donor car, still carries its VIN plate, and reuses as many of its components as possible without compromising the end result, which at this price needs to be perfection. The bodywork is hand-formed from aluminium and features lower sills (with a lower seating position) and a wider track, which sort out the only two criticisms you ever hear of aerodynamicist Malcolm Sayer's original shape. The upper body is a direct recreation of his original, one-off Low Drag Coupe, which he built in advance of the E-Type’s launch as a prototype race version, but which regulation changes and Sir William Lyons’ loss 

“We're talking truly Leno-esque levels of automotive indulgence. Just a few will be made.

You'll need at least $1.1 million to buy one.”

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Eagle Low-Drag GT E-Type At A Glance Engine: 4.7-litre in-line 6, 12v, dohc, fuel injection Power/torque: 345bhp @ 4,800rpm / 360lb-ft @ 3,600rpm Transmission: Five-speed manual Weight: 1,038kg Performance: Top Speed 170mph (est); 0-60 mph 5.0 seconds (est).

Price: from $1.1m

of interest in racing meant was never pursued. That one car - CUT7 - still races, and really does rival those Ferraris for value.

Into this body goes everything Eagle has developed for the E-type, chiefly its bored-out 4.7-litre development of the XK straight-six, here using fuel injection like the later Lightweight E-Type racers, and with an aluminium engine block (made by the neighbours) to cut mass. There’s a five-speed gearbox (again like the Lightweights, but here with an ally casing) and the E’s Power Lock diff, again in a new ally housing. The brakes are four-pot AP Racing items, 315mm at the front. There are eye-wateringly expensive Ohlins adjustable shocks and lightweight magnesium wheels. With a mass of just 1,038kgs and around 345bhp and 488Nm from that engine, the Low Drag has an age-appropriate amount of power, but a better power-to-weight ratio than a modern Jaguar F-Type V8 S. Subtle tweaks below the beltline are carried over from the Eagle Speedster and married to a superstructure that is faithful to Sayer’s beautiful, attenuated, slippery original. Together it makes for the kind of automotive grace that you can’t quite take in all at once, and risk blowing a mental fuse and fainting if you try to. It really is that good, and I’m no E-Type fan-boy. It is so good that Jaguar was prompted to make its own run of Lightweights using six unused chassis numbers. But they have all been sold, whereas Eagle has the flexibility to build a Low Drag for the right client, and to that client’s exact specification.

Using the original E-type’s architecture, subtly integrating the new switches and dials, and trimmed in blue leather, I think it’s the most beautiful cockpit I've ever sat in, and I’ve sat in a few. It is a crushing reminder that I'm just not rich enough.

But does the Low Drag still drive like an E-type? Yes and no: it certainly drives like the two Speedsters I have been lucky enough to drive too. With that power-to-weight ratio, Eagle’s claimed sub-5-second 0-60 time feels like an underestimation, the Low Drag generating chest-tightening thrust when you sink the throttle, accompanied by a deeper, louder, richer remix of the XK’s hallmark trombone exhaust note. The ’box changes with a similar weight and throw to the later E-Type’s synchromesh four-speeders, but is quicker and sweeter, though the emphasis on torque means you can often dispatch slower-moving moderns without changing down. The ride isn’t as fluid as a standard E’s but you trade it for a greater connectedness with the road through backside and fingertips. And anyway, you can have it set up any way you want. There’s more grip, yet not too

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much. With 225-section front tyres and 235s at the back it’s not over-tyred like a modern of the same power, and retains the drifty throttle-adjustability that ought to mark a sixties sports car.

Like a Lamborghini Miura, the joy of driving it comes as much from the knowledge that you’re piloting that extraordinary shape through the scenery; you feel like you’re performing a public service. You’re more inclined to stretch the Speedster knowing that you have functioning brakes when you need to restrain it.

With the Low Drag GT the main brake on your progress along these wet, narrow Sussex lanes is that 7,000 man-hour figure. You wouldn’t want to be remembered as the man who fell through the Mona Lisa.

But what about this whole better-than-new movement? Should Eagle be “enhancing” one of the great cars? Pearman is unapologetic. He sees no conflict in improving on cars he loves, yet cheerfully admits were often badly made. “You wouldn’t live in a beautiful Georgian house and still chuck your sewage out of the window,” he says. “Having a classic car with brakes that work and that won’t overheat and that will take you to the south of France and not disappoint you is a good thing. We know E-types. We stay true to the spirit and heart of the car. We just make them work.”

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| T he G a ra g e | B e s t R ide s | Pu r Sa n g B u ga t t i T 3 5 |

Something Old,

...Something borrowed, something blue: Kevin Hackett Words: Kevin Hackett

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Pictures: WSF Creative

he glorious motorcar you are looking at on these pages is a Bugatti. A 1926, Type 35 Bugatti. Hewn from components formed from raw materials produced in one factory foundry by master craftsmen dedicated to the pursuit of engineering excellence the likes of which can be found nowhere else. It is, quite frankly, a racing legend, a true automotive icon, a masterpiece. But is it?

Ok, cards on the table. This Bugatti was not actually built in 1926. It was delivered new to its fortunate owner just a few weeks ago and, for Faisal

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BinLaden, it represents the very pinnacle of motoring â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the highest possible praise from someone with such an enviable collection of iconic cars at his disposal. It is, he is adamant, the greatest car he has ever driven.

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think for even a split second that this is some half-baked replica or kit car â&#x20AC;&#x201C; nothing could be further from the truth and, apart from that year of manufacture, the words in that opening paragraph are entirely accurate. This is a hand built sports car in the truest sense. It is crafted with such accuracy and attention to detail that Bugatti itself has given it its seal of approval,

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Something New... g e t s u n d e r t h e h o o d o f a P u r S a n g 1 9 2 6 B u g at t i T y p e 3 5 .

even granting a continuation of chassis number that follows the original factory production run.

It is not made in Molsheim, rather in Argentina by a company called Pur Sang (basically it translates from Latin as “pure blood”). And the company’s formation really began 31 years ago when Jorge Anadon, an expert Bugatti enthusiast and restorer who desperately wanted to buy one of his own, copied a Type 35 when he had it in for restoration at his Argentine workshops. He basically built the first Pur Sang Type 35 in his living room and a business was born.

Those who do own originals are usually too frightened to use them, so Pur Sang’s business case makes plenty of sense. Why, though, is the Type 35 so revered in the first place? Quite simply because it represents a major turning point in the history of the automobile. It brought about a sea change in engineering expertise and perfectly captured mankind’s search for greater speed and endurance. It’s also devastatingly beautiful to look at.

Pur Sang’s approach to building these cars is no different to that of Bugatti. Everything it does – everything – is exactly as it was in the 1920s 

best rides 2015

“It’s frankly insane when you stop to consider just how advanced this Bugatti was – the car as we know it had only been around for two decades.”

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| T he | TG hea ra Gg a rage e | B |e sBte R n tide l eys C|oPu n t in r Sa e nnt a gl BGT u ga Vt8t iST |3 5 |

and 30s. And it all takes place under one roof. “They even make the tyres,” quips BinLaden. “It’s impossible to import anything for these machines into Argentina so they make every nut, bolt, washer. Their foundry [Pur Sang even makes its own sand boxes for the castings] is used for the engine and gearbox casing, they turn their own aluminium dashboards and they hand beat the body panels into shape. It’s extraordinary and absolutely unique, what they achieve.”

Its engine put out 137 horsepower (a significant number for its time) and it could reach speeds of between 130- and 140mph – incredible numbers for the 1920s when the Ford Model T was the car to own for the masses, who never got to experience much more than 25mph in them. It’s frankly insane when you stop to consider just how advanced this Bugatti was – the car as we know it had only been around for two decades.

This is all well and good, but what about the inescapable fact that what Pur Sang does is simply copy what someone else had already created. “There is a certain stigma attached to replica cars,” admits Pur Sang commercial director, John Bothwell, “and for good reason. Most you see – Cobras and Porsches – are hideous. They have plastic bodies and bad engines. And up close any car guy is going to be appalled. Our cars, though, are much more organic in that they share the same imperfections the originals have – the tooling marks, the scraping marks on the engine blocks – everything the originals had is in these cars.”

“...in every single respect, it’s exactly the same as one that would have been built 90 years ago.”

Pur Sang 1926 Bugatti Type 35 AT A GLANCE Engine: 2.3-litre, 24-valve supercharged inline-8 Power: 170 - 180hp* Transmission: 4-speed manual Weight: 816kg Performance: Top Speed 160mph* Price: $250,000 *estimated - figures can differ based on variation and specification

As with the originals, the Pur Sang’s engine is as straight eight-cylinder, 24-valve, 2.3-litre unit with a supercharger, with the torque being handled by a four-speed straight-cut transmission. As BinLaden points out, though, there have been one or two modifications for modern use.

“There is an electric starter motor, a [Ford] distributor and a modern fuel pump, housed within the tank itself,” he says. “But everything is hidden from view – it looks, even to experts, the same as the real thing.”

But the one major difference between a Pur Sang Type 35 and a Bugatti original is the price tag. Quite unbelievably, you can have one of these made for about $250,000. “That’s a tenth of the price of a real one,” quips BinLaden, “and that means I can use mine for anything I want, without worrying too much and fretting over damaging it or losing some of its value.”

Bothwell happened to be in Europe when BinLaden’s Type 35 arrived in Riyadh, so he took the opportunity to head east to make sure it was in perfect working order. “The ambient temperatures, the density of the fuel we have in the pumps – these are things that can impact the performance of any car,” says its new owner.

Naturally, the first thing he wanted to do was “drive the hell out of it” and that’s exactly what he did. “I drove it for seven hours straight,” he says.

“That was my learning experience. Nothing is easy with it – you need to use your muscles to steer it, when you turn in it slides and it’s incredibly noisy.

There is no insulation, no protection. The gear shifter is outside the body of the car and the only way you can tell whether or not it’s getting a bit hot is if there’s steam escaping from it or water is making its way into the foot well.”

Just like the originals, then.

“I spoke with the owner of a real one,” BinLaden tells me. “And he said that seeing these Pur Sangs being used by us enthusiasts almost turns people like him into heroes. He’s too scared to use his, I’m not.” And, with that, he’s off in a trail of noise, dust, fumes, oil and boiling hot water. He wouldn’t have it any other way.

For Faisal BinLaden, it represents the very pinnacle of motoring – the highest possible praise from someone with such an enviable collection of iconic cars at his disposal.”

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Fast Among Equos When I was a lad,

Managing Editor, James McCarthy, returns to Italy to drive the Ferrari 488 GTB, the turbo-charged successor to the mighty 458 Italia.

Words: James McCarthy

|

Pictures: Ferrari

best rides 2015

growing up in the rain-soaked Welsh coastal town of Swansea, I used to escape my perpetually moist reality by switching on the TV on Saturday night to watch the adventures of a Hawaiian shirt-wearing, moustachioed private eye called Magnum P.I. Set on the sun-drenched Island State of Hawaii, Tom Selleck brought life to the macho character, who would woo gorgeous women en-route to solving wonderfully convoluted mysteries, sometimes in nothing but a pair of Speedos.

However, the thing that really grabbed my attention was his car. It was the achingly pretty 1979 Ferrari 308 GTS, the convertible version of the company’s iconic 308 GTB, in which he sped around the tropical island. I wanted one. Badly.

Now, 30 years on, I find myself in sunny Italy, about to take the wheel of the all-new Ferrari 488 GTB, the successor to its critically-acclaimed 458 Italia and the company’s first rear-mid-engined V8 Grand Touring Berlinetta since Thomas Magnum’s heyday.

Like 2014’s California T, the 488 GTB continues the company’s push towards forced induction engines, yet delivers 100 horsepower more than the 458 it replaces in the company line-up, capping off at 660hp. While this 

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“I’m completely amazed at the agility of the 488 GTB; approaching a corner with pace, before sitting hard on the brakes, I simply point the car where I want it to go, and with no fuss whatsoever, it stays true to its line.”

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has reduced displacement of the engine from 4.5-litres to just 3.9-litres over its predecessor, the boffins at Maranello, who one would assume are (probably) terrible entertainment at parties, have somehow increased just about every statistic the 458 had to offer, and with them, the entertainment value of the 488 exponentially. The 90-degree V8 delivers 100hp more than the Italia at 8,000rpm with maximum torque of 760Nm. Revs are restricted in the lower three gears to 7,500rpm, but the torque curve resembles a sketch of Cape Town’s Table Mountain from just 3,000rpm, meaning that there is instantaneous full power available, pretty much all the time. It’s enough to catapult the 488 GTB to a top speed of 205mph, or to go from a standing start to 62mph in three seconds. And here’s a bit of pub quiz trivia, it’s faster than the Enzo, considered by many as the archetypal Ferrari supercar, by nearly two seconds a lap around Fiorano.

As well as sheer, crushing power, a lot of work has been put into the dynamic performance of the car. The size and weight of the new engine has enabled a lower centre of gravity, allowing Ferrari to develop greater response time from the steering and a new version of its Side Slip Control system, the cunningly monikered SSC2.

While Ferrari claims this improves acceleration out of corners by 12 percent, in real terms, it means that the more exuberant driver, regardless of ability, can feel like Michael Schumacher when hurling the 488 around mountain roads or a race track.

Helping to keep the wheels on the ground, aerodynamics have heavily influenced the design of the 488, from the flat underbody, with its curved “vortex generating” blades to direct airflow, to the dynamic rear diffuser and the “blown” rear spoiler, vertical load has been increased exponentially. Given the wind tunnel diagrams the in-house centro-stile had to work with, the artists still managed to deliver a gorgeous car that pays a visual homage to the original Fezza rear-midengined V8 – the 40-year-old 308 GTB – while continuing the evolution from the 458-series cars.

So, after meeting outside Enzo’s little white house in the middle of the Fiorano test facility, it was time to hit the roads of the well-prepared route which would take us into the mountains and through some scenic sections of the famous Mille Miglia course.

In Sport mode, I find the 488 rock solid both at speed and in tight handling situations, even on the pocked-marked surfaces of some of the appallingly maintained roads. I’m completely amazed at its agility; approaching a bend with pace, before sitting hard on the brakes, I simply

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| T he G a ra ge | B e s t R ide s | Fe r ra r i 4 88 GT B |

2015 Ferrari 488 GTB AT A GLANCE Engine: 3.9-litre 90° twin-turbo Power: 660bhp @ 8,000rpm / 760Nm @ 3,000 rpm Transmission: 7-speed F1 dual-clutch Weight: 1,475kg Performance: Top speed 205mph; 0-62mph in 3.0 sec Price: $242,740

point the car where I want it to go, and with no fuss whatsoever, it stays true to its line. If I do find myself in a bit of bother, the surgically precise steering helps pull the car back into shape, while the grip from the 20-inch Michelins is Herculean.

In Race mode, the 488 becomes a little more playful, allowing me to break traction just enough to get the back end to slide, but when it does, it feels utterly controllable.

Even bumbling along behind one of the many big 18-wheeled trucks that are legion on these tiny roads, the 488 cruises comfortably. I grab the moment to overtake when it presents itself and the throttle is like a hair trigger for the epic and immediate power delivery. Thanks to the full power only being available at the top of the gears, there’s still more to give when, in mid-manoeuvre, I realise that nestled in front of the 18-wheeler is a tiny, previously unnoticed Fiat Panda, emblazoned with the word “Carabinieri.”

It’s a split-second decision as the corner is rapidly incoming, so I bury my foot and put the hammer down. Fortunately, Italy is the one place where screaming past the local police in a Ferrari at full chat gets you a free pass – even a thumbs up!

I fully exploit the roads between Lioano and Pianoro with much of the same vim and vigour, and I cannot promise that all speed restrictions were adhered to, as the 488 begs to be played with

every time the road opens up. To the backdrop of an apocalyptic soundtrack, miles of tarmac are devoured in surprising comfort on the return to Maranello and I find myself thanking my lucky stars that I am a man of moderate means.

If I was in the unenviable position of having a spare $243,000 laying around to invest in an Italian supercar, I would go insane trying to decide

between this and the Lamborghini Hurucán. I’ve driven both at the ragged edge, and they are both monumentally good cars.

Fortunately, my pecuniary shortcomings mean that, once I hand the key fob back to the Ferrari PR, the toughest decision I’ll have to make regarding hot Italian metal is what foil container to select on the flight home: chicken or beef.

“I bury my foot and put the hammer down.

Fortunately, Italy is the one place where you can go screaming past the local police in a Ferrari at full chat and get a free pass.”

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| T he G a ra ge | B e s t R ide s | Pa ga n i H u ayra |

Elemental

Force

Barely a month after news broke that the last one had been sold, Damien Reid joined the ranks of the elite few motoring journalists who have taken the wheel of the ultra-exclusive $1.4m Pagani Huayra hypercar.

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Words: Damien Reid

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best rides 2015

Pictures: Pagani Automobili

Sometimes life throws

you amazing opportunities, unscripted and without plan,

it’s just being there at the right time and place.

In this case, it was about a 30 second window where for a brief moment I felt like one of the daredevil test pilots from the 1920s or 1950s, an Alberto Ascari or one of the fabled Bentley Boys.

I’d just completed a few very fast laps behind the wheel of the $1.4 million, 225mph, Pagani Huayra supercar at the Yas Marina Circuit, dumbfounded by its poise, acceleration and overall track manners.

Breathless and nearly speechless from a combination of exhaustion after a few blisteringly quick, heart-racing laps and genuine admiration, I walked toward the garage removing my helmet and straight to the diminutive, smiling, grey-haired man standing, watching on.

“Congratulations Mr Pagani, you have built an outstanding car.”

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Do you know how long I have wanted to do that? To hand the keys to one of the world’s fastest supercars, after giving it a proper spanking, back to the man who’s name is on the badge?

For that brief moment and after some honest appraisal I had given at his request and while the adrenalin was still coursing, I knew how someone like Ascari felt when he climbed from his post-war Ferrari Tipo 375 Grand Prix car to report back to Enzo Ferrari, or the Sir Henry Birkin when he spoke to W.O. Bentley after scaling down off the high-speed banked turns of Brooklands.

Sure, there’s a hint of romanticism in my writing, but our generation of motoring journalists and test pilots are the first who never got to meet the pioneers of supercars like Mr Ferrari, Ferrucio Lamborghini or Dr. Ferry Porsche after driving one of their creations.

To grasp the carbon-fibre steering wheel of the Huayra; to sink into the leather race seat and gaze your eyes over the ridiculously ornate polished metal dash and trim is something you need to do slowly; 

Pagani Huayra AT A GLANCE Engine: 6-litre V12 twinturbo Power / Torque: 730bhp @ 5,800rpm / 1,000Nm @ 2,250rpm Transmission: Seven-speed sequential Weight: 1,350kg Performance: Top speed 225mph / 0-60mph in 3.0 sec Base price: $1.4m

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| T he G a rage | B e s t R ide s | Pa ga n i H u ayra |

“I expected it to bark into life like a ferocious animal before settling to an angry idle but it was completely the opposite. Almost like a jet engine spooling up, it was a smooth whir of starter motor followed by a gentle burble.”

to savour; to drink in. There’s no start button, I twisted an old-school key that looked like a model of the Huayra carved from a solid billet of steel.

I expected it to bark into life like a ferocious animal before settling to an angry idle but it was completely the opposite. Almost like a jet engine spooling up, it was a smooth whir of starter motor followed by a gentle burble.

After selecting first it was eerily quiet idling down pit lane which only added to the tension as I reached pit exit. Knowing that it’s rear wheel drive only, I cautiously eased on the gas feeding in even less than my usual throttle percentage, but with this car, that was still akin to firing me like a canon straight over the blind crest to the first chicane. Brakes, brakes!

That tends to get your attention.

On track, the Huayra is simply breathtaking and is one of the fastest cars I’ve ever driven at Yas Marina Circuit in any form, road or race.

Touching 170mph on the main straight was almost too easy Horacio which was probably aided by the fact that it’s so quiet. There’s Pagani no ear-shattering snarl from the 6-litre, V12 behind your head, just masses of whirs, fizzes and pops from the two turbochargers.

To save about 70kg in weight, Horacio decided to pass on the industry standard double clutch boxes and go with a single clutch Xtrac unit which gives a meaty smack to the back of the head on the up changes and throws you forward with each down click. Apparently, it’s also what his clients like.

The giant waste gates in the turbochargers sound like multiple cat sneezes each time you jam the throttle and lift off suddenly, as your right foot orchestrates a 12-cylinder wind instrument behind your head. But then there’s the brakes.

They take some time to get used to as the giant carbon ceramic discs need a lot of pressure and you have to push hard to get them to bite. They feel grainy through the ball of your foot which is reassuring, as I liked the connection, but for a moment, getting the thing to pull up seemed like a task too far. Then, without warning, they bite. The car stops on a needle and turns in bang on the apex.

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It’s not the most reassuring feeling I’ve had in this situation but it got the job done, corner after corner, lap after lap, so you can’t argue with that.

The AMG engine pumps out 750bhp, but maybe it’s because of its lithe 1,350kg weight that it felt more like a 1000+ of the Veyron Supersport or LaFerrari. However, its power and traction out of tight bends seemed superior to either of those hypercars, which is amazing considering this doesn’t benefit from all-wheel drive like the Bugatti or the top shelf Lamborghinis.

The tight hairpin leading on to the back straight at Yas can snap the tail off just about any car, yet planting the right foot on the apex exit ensured the rear of the Pagani simply squatted as it put its power to the road through the rear wheels and off it went. No catching slides, it just did the job.

The active aero takes much of the credit for this, as it has two small rear wings which operate independently depending on pitch angle, brake position, etc., as well as two front wings mounted ahead which do the same thing.

Looking over the snout as you jump on the stoppers, two air brakes appear in front of you. Watching them flick from left to right as the car changes direction and throttle position is like watching a frill neck lizard preparing for attack.

In every sense this car is alive with each corner, reacting in split seconds with every command of your feet, fingers and brain, it’s a car I connected with and felt that I was a part of its performance success, instead of simply being the controller behind the wheel.

When I pulled in to the garage, switched off the engine and gave the steering wheel a gentle pat on its Pagani badge in thanks.

I handed the key back to the man who breathed life into this astounding creation and his smile, in reaction to my sweaty, adrenalin-pumped, exuberant face was everything that sets Pagani – the man and the machine – apart from rest of the pack.

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telemetry

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| Te l e m e t r y | M il l e M igl ia |

Long The

The Mille Miglia was arguably the world’s greatest and most challenging road race. In its 30-year existence, it claimed 56 lives, but it also captured public imagination and made legends of both men and machines.

Way Round

1940's Mille Miglia Poster.

Words: James McCarthy Pictures: Getty / Corbis / Newspress

W

Left; A Victorious Moss after winning the 1955 Mille Miglia.

ay back in the sepia-toned days of the “roaring” 1920s, when the motor car, as we know it now, was little over 15-years old, the racing of those newfangled horseless carriages was the preserve of young, wealthy libertines.

Braying chaps in plus-fours and tweeds would challenge each other, and themselves, at now-historical locales such as Brooklands near London, Reims-Gueux in France and Bresica in Italy – risking life and limb in rickety automobiles by day and fraternising with eligible debutants by night, regaling them with tales of competitive derring-do – all in the name of bragging rights and the glory of the formative Grands Prix.

This was the environment into which one of the world’s most gruelling endurance races was born. The legendary Mille Miglia.

When, in 1927, the Italian Grand Prix was moved from Brescia to Monza, a young Count, Aymo Maggi, took umbrage with the decision of the organisers to abandon his hometown and, along with his friend Franco Mazzotti and a group of affluent associates, decided to run their own race, a 1,000-mile figure of eight, from Brescia to Rome and back.  Vol ante Spe c ia l a nniv er sa r y ed it io n | Ja n ua r y 2016 |

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That first grid was made up of 77 privateers, in a varied array of contemporary machines, and entry was restricted to unmodified production cars, and cost one lira. In just under 21 hours and five minutes, winner Giuseppe Morandi crossed the finish line in his two-litre Officine Meccaniche car after averaging a speed of 48mph around the course. Twenty-six others were not quite so fortunate; of the 77 starters, only 51 managed to complete that first historic race.

Back then, of course, Maggi and his compatriots could barely comprehend the impact that their 1,000-mile jaunt around Italy would have, not only on Italian motor racing, but on the European automobile industry as a whole.

The Mille Miglia was run competitively 24 times between 1927 and 1957 (with a five-year hiatus as World War II raged through Europe) and

Rudolf Caracciola and his MercedesBenz after winning in 1930.

Above; The Mille Miglia in 1932.

Right; Huschke von Hanstein's winning BMW 328 Berlinetta crosses the line in 1940.

the speeds

“To be doing we had to, in cars with not very good brakes, and so on, it was pretty scary stuff.” — Sir Sterling Moss 56

was a race against the clock with cars released at one minute intervals to take on the arduous course.

It made household names of the likes of Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Porsche. For these esteemed brands, and many others, the Mille Miglia became a benchmark against which the capability of a manufacturer’s cars were measured.

Italian drivers and cars dominated proceedings, their ascendancy interrupted just three times in the race’s 30-year competitive history. A MercedesBenz SSK, piloted by German Grand Prix driver Rudolf Caracciola, won in 1930, while Huschke von Hanstein’s BMW 328 Berlinetta took the title in 1940.

The third and final foreign win came in 1955, at possibly the most memorable running of the race. Sir Sterling Moss’ record-breaking drive at the helm of his 300 SLR secured not only a second victory for Mercedes-Benz, but the Mille Miglia’s place in motorsport folklore.

A total of 661 cars, across 12 classes, were entered that year, with Ferrari, Maserati and Aston Martin all determined to win. However, it was Daimler-Benz who were favourites, with Il Maestro Juan Manuel Fangio, Hans Herrmann, Karl Kling and Moss all piloting its fleet of 300 SLRs. Moss, with the aid of his navigator, motoring journalist Denis “Jenks” Jenkinson, did three reconnaissance runs of the now 992-mile course, with Jenkinson making hand-written pace notes detailing speed, hazards, course characteristics and waypoint markers like churches, bridges and buildings. The long roll of paper, which Moss dubbed “the toilet roll,” was then mounted in a box on two scrolls – a system that is still used today in races like the Dakar Rally. The information was

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A Bentley Blower hairing through the tunnels of northern Italy in 2013.

“The first ever grid was made up of 77 privateers, in a varied

array of contemporary unmodified production cars. Of the 77 starters, only 51 managed to complete that first historic race.”

A Porsche 550 Spyder competing in the 1955 Mille Miglia.

Battling the enthusiastic crowds was one of the challenges of the Mille Miglia.

relayed to Moss by Jenkinson via a system of 15 hand signals, as the noise of the car’s engine was too loud for verbal communication.

Moss and Jenkinson, in car number 722 (the number denoted the time the car would be released from the start line, in this case 7:22am), didn’t have it all their own way, though.

Italian driver Eugenio Castellotti, in his privatelyentered Ferrari 121LM, streaked away from the start and opened up a two minute lead over the duo.

However, as the cars neared Pescara on the coast, Castellotti, who had been pushing the 4.4-litre Ferrari too hard, broke down and was forced to retire.

“Once the flag fell, I went flat out,” Moss remembers. “Every time I would pass a car that we had caught up with I felt really great about it, but we had no idea of the enormity of what it meant.”

Moss surged into the lead as the fastest Ferrari expired and by the time he arrived at L’Aquila, Moss and Jenkinson were leading by 35 seconds, followed by Herrmann, Ferrari Scuderia driver Piero Taruffi, Fangio and Kling, meaning all of the 300 SLRs entered were occupying 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th position.

Thanks to Jenkinson’s innovative map-rolling device, Moss was able to hurtle over blind brows at speeds of 170mph with a confidence that suited his innate driving ability, even lifting off and flying for hundreds of feet through the air before crashing back to earth.

A plucky Iso Isetta on the course in 1954.

“When you hit a bridge at 160mph where you take off, there’s nothing you can do; you land where the thing lets you land.

“To be in that sort of position, and doing the speeds we had to, in cars with not very good brakes, and so on, it was pretty scary stuff,” Moss recalls. “The thing you have to worry about more than anything is the people lining the circuit. I mean, they really get right on the edge and you didn’t necessarily see them until the last minute.”

Between Siena and Bologna, Fangio’s car developed problems, leaving him running on just seven cylinders, and Moss’ nearest rival, his other teammate Herrmann, had crashed out near Modena. By the time Moss and Jenkinson had reached Cremona, they had extended 

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their lead over Fangio to 30 minutes and wound the Mercedes up for a flying finish.

After 10 hours, seven minutes and 48 seconds driving, Moss and Jenkinson crossed the finish line in Brescia. Fangio’s Mercedes – the only other three-pointed star to finish – limped over the line in second place 32 minutes later. Umberto Maglioli, in his Ferrari 118LM Scaglietti took third place, just 13 minutes after that.

“It was absolutely my greatest win,” Moss later said of his victory. “It’s quite a thing to have on your CV that you won the Mille Miglia and I can’t think of another car that would have given me the opportunity to reach the speeds we did.”

Yves Debraine's famous colour shot of Moss and Jenkinson at the Futa Pass in 1955.

T

wo years after that famous triumph, the Mille Miglia, as a competitive race came to a tragic end when a Ferrari ploughed into a group of spectators killing its Spanish driver Alfonso de Portago, his co-driver/navigator Edmund Nelson and nine bystanders, five of which were Former F1 driver Martin Brundle pilots a Jaguar D-Type with assistance from future F1 star Bruno Senna.

The "toilet roll" navigation system used

by Denis Jenkinson.

A 1926 Bugatti T35a Leaving Brescia during the 2014 event.

Sir Sterling Moss returned to the 2015 Mille Miglia in car 722.

AC/DC Frontman, Brian Johnson drove for Jaguar at the 2014 event.

TV star and petrolhead Jay Leno and Jaguar design chief Ian Callum feel the wind in their hair.

Fashionistas and speed freaks, Jodie Kidd and David Gandy in 2014.

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children. As such, Moss and Jenkinson’s record still stands to this day, 61 years on, and the epic race in which it was set remains firmly etched in motorsport legend.

After the tragic events of 1957, in 1958, the event resumed for a brief period, but this time in a rally format and at legal speeds. Despite a few special stages driven at full speed, it failed to win the hearts and minds of the motorsportloving public – and attract the big name drivers – in quite the same way the original format had.

By 1961 it was finally discontinued altogether.

It wasn’t until 1977 that the Mille Miglia moniker was revived, this time as the Mille Miglia Storica, essentially a parade of pre-1957 cars that, over the course of several days, drive the famous figure of eight from Brescia to Rome and back again.

Since then, it has been held annually and has become a celebration of classic vehicles, with period dress, a festival atmosphere and healthy dose of friendly competition on the side. It attracts not only some of the finest classic automobiles, but a host of celebrity drivers, too.

AC/DC’s screechy frontman, Brian Johnson, attended in 2014 as did supermodel and racer, Jodie Kidd. American TV presenter, Jay Leno, has lent his driving skills to the event, as have a few retired, and future, F1 stars.

There is also a much greater variety in the “winners.” In the last six years alone we’ve seen a 1939 BMW 328 MM Coupé, a 1933 Aston Martin Le Mans, a 1933 Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 Gran Sport, a 1928 Lancia Lambda Tipo 221 Spidera and a 1927 Bugatti T40 (twice) all take the honours.

And, although the danger and the crucible of sporting rivalry is long gone from, arguably, the world’s greatest road race, it’s wonderful that the privateer spirit – that of jolly good japes and the thrill of piloting beautiful cars through the Italian countryside – in which the Mille Miglia was originally founded, continues to thrive in the modern age.

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grand tourismo

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temppis fugit

A love

of beautiful cars and fine watches, so often, go handin-hand. You are unlikely to see someone piloting a Bugatti Veyron whilst sporting a $50 casio digital watch.

Nope, their wrist game will be on point, with either a simple but elegant sports watch, or a flashy, but mechanically superior complication. Well, here we have a mixture of both.

Rather than look back at the timepieces weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve covered in 2015, we thought it best to pick a selection of some standout examples of timepieces that pay homage to, are inspired by or have contributed to the measurement of speed.

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| G ran d To u r i s m o | Rev C o u n t e r |

Chopard Mille Miglia 2015 Race Edition

I Hublot LaFerrari MP-05 All Black

E

ver since Bernie Ecclestone was violently mugged for his Hublot watch, the brand has become synonymous with Formula One. The unfortunate Mr Ecclestone even lent the image of his battered face to one of the company’s advertising campaigns. Since then, however, Hublot has made it easier for people to get their hands on a watch with some racing pedigree than via the battery of an 85-year-old man. Well, sort of. You still need a minimum of $250k in your pocket. Certainly if you want this stunning LaFerrari MP-05 All Black timepiece. Available in Qatar through Al Majed Jewellery, this unique watch employs Hublot’s HUB9005 manual-winding suspended vertical tourbillon 11 series movement with a 50-day power reserve. All of this, along with the skeleton dial, are enclosed in anti-reflective sapphire crystal and a microblasted black PVD titanium case. It’s certainly not a subtle timepiece, but then, the LaFerrari isn’t really a subtle car. www.almajedgroup.me www.hublot.com

n 1988, Chopard became the official timekeeper of the famed Mille Miglia race, issuing the very first Mille Miglia Race Edition, an annual special edition watch reserved exclusively for the race’s participants. Twentyseven years on, the 2015 edition keeps the tradition alive in stunning fashion and is available to all. A stainless steel case houses the mechanical self-winding Chopard Calibre 01.08-C chronometer-certified movement, which also features a stop-seconds function for precise adjustments – a necessity when negotiating the precarious roads from Brescia to Rome at speed. The timepiece features a Rossa Corsa dial with a date aperture integrated into the Mille Miglia logo at three o’clock and a power reserve indicator at nine o’clock. A retro calfskin leather racing strap replaces the rubber “tyre-tread” strap of previous models. While manufacture was limited to just 1,000 pieces, it may still be possible to get your hands on one. Inquire at your local Al Fardan Jewellery & Watches boutique, or better still, hang on for the 2016 edition. www.alfardanjewellery.com www.chopard.com 

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| G ra n d To u r i s m o | Rev C o u n t e r |

Richard Mille RM 50-01

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ith his deep love of cars and motor racing, it was hardly a leap of great imagination to see Richard Mille join forces with an F1 team eventually. Surprisingly, it was Lotus, rather than one of the big boys, but then, Mr Mille has actively avoided the expected since he started making some of the world’s most complex and coveted tourbillon watches. The fruit of the partnership with the British-based F1 team was his just-shy-of-a-million dollars ultra-limited edition superwatch dedicated to Lotus helmsman Romain Grosjean.

Only 30 of these watches were made and each featured a bezel and caseback hewn from carbon-fibre and a G-Force Metre designed to visually display the number of “G’s” endured by the watch’s wearer during rapid deceleration. The watch also shipped with a hand-assembled 1/5th scale model of the 2014 Lotus F1 car. There’s a slim chance that, given the $985k price tag, that

a few may still be available – inquire at any Ali Bin Ali watch boutique in Qatar, and they’ll be able to attend to all your Richard Mille needs. www.alibinali.com www.richardmille.com

Tudor Fastrider Black Shield

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olex sub-brand, Tudor, is currently enjoying a resurgence in popularity amongst sports watch aficionados as well as motorsport enthusiasts with a penchant for racing of the two-wheeled variety. The watch they covet is this, the 2015 Fastrider Black Shield. Originally launched in 2011 to celebrate the partnership between Tudor and Ducati, the Fastrider line is dedicated to the world of performance motorbikes. In 2013, with the Fastrider Black Shield chronograph and its matt black monobloc ceramic middle case, Tudor presented the result of a cross-disciplinary approach to design, connecting the world of sports motorbikes to that of watchmaking – a collaboration that also extended to the customisation of a Ducati Diavel motorcycle and the launch of the watch you see here, which is inspired, itself, by the Ducati XDiavel. Available from 51 East in Qatar, this 42mm fixed bezel watch is finished in matt black ceramic with an engraved tachymetric scale. Using Tudor’s self-winding mechanical chronograph movement, calibre 7753, the Black Shield delivers a 46-hour power reserve and is waterproof to 150m. www.51east.com.qa www.tudorwatch.com

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Omega Speedmaster

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t’s a well known fact that the Apollo astronauts that undertook the lunar landings all drove Corvettes. It’s also a well documented fact that their watch of choice was the Omega Speedmaster. When it comes to measuring time and speed, there can surely be no greater brand ambassador than someone who’s company ride was a Saturn V rocket! Buzz Aldrin still wears his, and he was the second man to ever step foot on the moon. The watch hasn’t changed in its design and manufacture since that fateful July day in 1969. Its movement is still the hand-wound calibre 1861 and the watch features a black dial covered by hesalite crystal and includes a small seconds sub-dial, a 30-minute recorder and a 12-hour recorder along with a central chronograph hand. The black bezel, with its tachymetric scale, is mounted on a 42mm stainless steel case. There are more expensive, exclusive and complicated watches available, but none of them can lay claim to the stellar achievements of the humble Speedmaster.

Check one out at any Rivoli boutique. www.rivoligroup.com www.omegawatches.com

A Journal for the Gentleman Driver

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A Journal for the Gentleman Driver

Director of Publications Mohamed Jaidah m.jaidah@firefly-me.com General Manager Joe Marritt j.marritt@firefly-me.com Regional Managing Editor James McCarthy j.mccarthy@firefly-me.com Creative Director Helen Louise Carter Finaliser Srimani Welagedara International Sales Director Julia Toon, j.toon@firefly-me.com Regional Sales Area Manager, Qatar Chirine Halabi, c.halabi@firefly-me.com Area Manager, UAE Nesreen Shalaby, n.shalaby@urjuan-me.com Deputy Sales Manager Masha Ivanova, m.ivanova@firefly-me.com Printing & Distribution Distribution Manager Azqa Haroon Logistics Manager Joseph Isaac Printer Ali Bin Ali Printing Press, Doha, Qatar Publisher: Firefly Communications, PO Box 11596, Doha, Qatar.

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Š2015 Volante is published as a bi-monthly supplement to Sur la Terre Arabia by Firefly Communications in Qatar and Urjuan Media in the UAE. All material is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. Reproduction in whole, or in part, without the prior written permission of Firefly Communications or Urjuan Media, is prohibited. All content is believed to be factual at the time of going to print, and contributorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; views are their own derived opinions and not necessarily that of Firefly Communications, Urjuan Media or Volante. No responsibility or liability is accepted by the publishers or editorial staff for any loss occasioned to any individual or company, legally, financially or physically, as a result of any statement, fact, figure or expression of opinion or belief appearing in Volante. The publisher does not officially endorse any advertising or advertorial content for third party products. Photography and image credits, where not otherwise stated, are those of Getty Images and/or Shutterstock and/or Firefly Communications / Urjuan Media, each of which retains their individual copyrights.

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