FullBore Issue 33 — Autumn/Winter 2023

FULLBORE

AUTUMN / WINTER 2023

NICHOLAS MEE & CO’S WORLD OF ASTON MARTIN

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ISSUE 33

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Front cover image: Peter Tomalin puts a 2007 Vanquish S through it’s paces for our Vanquish model guide.

Photo by Jordan Butters.

Nicholas Mee & Co Ltd Essendonbury Farm Hatfield Park Estate Hatfield

Contacts

Hertfordshire

T: +44 (0)208 741 8822

AL9 6AF

info@nicholasmee.co.uk

United Kingdom

http://www.nicholasmee.co.uk

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SPEAK 04 MEE As an introduction to this, our bumper 30th anniversary edition of FullBore, Nick explains why the world of events is so important to our hobby and why safeguarding the future of classic cars is essential through apprenticeships and the work of the HCVA. NICHOLAS MEE | A LEGACY IN ASTON MARTIN 06 VIDEO: Twenty twenty-three marks three decades since Nick went it alone. This engaging film from awardwinning videographer Simon Friedberg follows him and the team throughout this significant year.

08 VANQUISH! The first-generation Vanquish has so much going for it: a 200mph capability, modern looks, ‘Bond car’ cred and surprising practicality. Evo and Vantage magazine writer Peter Tomalin gives a comprehensive overview on the final model built at Newport Pagnell.

TALKING HEADS 2023 28 VIDEO: This year we return to our regular panel discussion format, with Nick and Neal joined by author, publisher, event organiser and classic car champion David Lillywhite, and Dan Cogger, a key member of US insurance giant Hagerty’s UK team. Steve Wakefield is in the chair.

A NEW LIFE FOR AN ASTON V8 | REFURBISHING A 1986 EFI 38 VIDEO: Not every car needs a body off restoration. Aston Martin V8s from the ’70s and ’80s are great classics and can be improved by ‘refurbishment’. Peter Rugman, Workshop Controller at NM&Co, explains just how.

IN STOCK 40 WHAT’S As you can read elsewhere in FullBore, there are so many things to do with your Aston in 2024. If you are thinking of a change, or joining the ‘club’ for the first time, we have a beautifully prepared Aston Martin for everyone.

OUT AND DRIVE 50 GET Our 2023 events review and must-do recommendations for enjoying your Aston in 2024.

GIFTS 64 CHRISTMAS Go on, treat yourself or your loved one. What can be a better Christmas present than one with the famous winged badge on it?

THE APPRENTICE 72 VIDEO: A warming video about our new apprentice, Neil Gordon, in which he describes his passion for the marque and how honoured he is to be working on these wonderful cars.

HISTORIC AND CLASSIC VEHICLES ALLIANCE (HCVA) – WHY IT’S SO IMPORTANT 74 THE A couple of months ago, Nick attended the HCVA’s first Heritage Matters Day. He explains what was discussed at Hagerty’s UK Clubhouse at Bicester Heritage and why it matters to all of us.

© Nicholas Mee & Co Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the copyright owner.

Creative Director: Adrian Morley, www.theseen.design 3

ME E S PEA K Welcome to the latest FullBore, our Big Issue.

After a challenging and busy year, we are delighted to bring you the latest issue of FullBore. Once again it’s packed with comment about our world of Aston Martin and the classic car scene in general, and we also have some fascinating films we know you will like.

In this year’s market roundup video we are in conversation with guests David Lillywhite, editor of Magneto magazine and co-organiser of the annual Saville Row concours, and senior Private Client manager at Hagerty Classic Car Insurance Dan Cogger, a passionate devotee of classic cars – and Aston Martin owner. Both are industry professionals and highly active in the classic car world. Their views make interesting listening, along with a little input from us, the show ably steered as always by Steve Wakefield, our very own Michael Parkinson.

Elsewhere, Peter Tomalin, motoring journalist and former editor of Vantage magazine, drives, comments on and offers a comprehensive buyer’s guide for the first-generation Vanquish. His considered views come from a position of great experience and authority and arrive just at the right time as the model transitions from used car to classic car status.

Existing classic V8 owners will be interested in our case study, the refurbishment of a 1986 V8 Efi. Now 35 years or more old, many V8s can

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need varying levels of renovation and recommissioning rather than a costly full-blown restoration. A fine line exists between the two. Our video presentation goes into the detail of a typically ‘lightly dilapidated’ AM V8 our team of technicians recently rescued and preserved for the future.

We’re also delighted to bring you a film of life on the Farm, beautifully shot by videographer (and neighbour) Simon Friedberg who recorded it in his own time and on his own terms. Simon has captured the working life of our team quite beautifully, and you’ll get a lot of insight on why we love these cars so much. Sit back and enjoy it, and do let us know what you think.

With classic and exotic car events rising in popularity, planning has never been more challenging. Premier shows such as the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace, the Goodwoods, the Silverstone Classic and Aston Martin-related events have never been more popular. Please see the guide to our favoured events in 2024 at which we will either be exhibiting or attending.

The Historic & Classic Vehicles Alliance, known in shorthand as the HCVA, is on a roll and now gaining traction at government level. The HCVA is a trade body that represents the UK’s classic car industry, a sector that provides over 110,000 jobs in the UK, turning over £15 billion+ last year whilst delivering over £3 billion to HMRC. Lobbying on our (and your) behalf, the HCVA looks at all important matters of the

moment: liquid fuels, sustainability, apprenticeships, the DVLA and more.

In a rapidly changing world, it’s an organisation we are delighted to support. And you can too, see hcva.co.uk Talking of apprenticeships, we’re delighted bring a cheering video about our current apprenticed rising star. An award winner at this year NEC Classic Car Show, his off-the-cuff, revealing and encouraging comments speak for themselves.

Meanwhile, do please take a look at our changing stock of cars for sale, and if there is anything there which would look better in your garage than ours, let us know and we’ll do all we can to make it happen.

Lastly and by no means least, we would like to draw your attention to our AstonStore.co.uk Christmas gift selection, a vast assortment of leather goods, key pouches and key rings, umbrellas and other stocking fillers that are available to purchase online in good time for Xmas.

For the moment, on behalf of the entire team at NM&Co, I would like to wish every one of our readers, customers, friends and followers a great end to the year, a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Best wishes,

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Regular FullBore readers, friends and clients will know Nicholas Mee & Company is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

Twenty twenty-three marks three decades since Nick went it alone after 15 years selling cars at the London HQ of Aston Martin Lagonda. At the start it was from small premises in a Kensington mews, and then to a larger location, Brackenbury Garage in Hammersmith, West London.

Showrooms in nearby Goldhawk Road were added in 2012 before the company moved in its entirety to a current two-acre location in Hertfordshire in 2018.

Simon Friedberg, we hatched a plan to celebrate this important milestone in the company’s history. Why not give Simon unlimited access to the business over the last 12 months so he could record not just any year, but our 30th, in the form of a video? He had no specific brief; just to film what he thought was interesting and give outsiders a snapshot of working life at Essendonbury Farm from sales and service to restorations and recommissioning.

The 20,000sq ft buildings at Essendonbury Farm feature state-of-the-art workshops situated in artfully repurposed historic buildings. Although in a beautiful rural setting, the site is minutes away from the motorway network and fast mainline trains to central London.

This is the result. We think it is a lovely testament to all the hard-working staff here, what they do and why they do it, something that truly celebrates our 30th, very special year in business and the cars so dear to all our hearts.

When we learned we had a neighbour in award-winning director and videographer

We hope you do, too. As always, feedback is welcome – pour yourself a drink and enjoy Simon’s beautiful film.

PLAY VIDEO

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WORDS BY PETER TOMALIN

VANQUISH! A landmark car in the Aston Martin story, but also a truly great driver’s car – that’s the mk1 Vanquish. Peter Tomalin explores what makes it so special, drives paddleshift and manual examples back to back, and finds out everything you need to know if you’re tempted by this modern classic.

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IN 2023, LEADING PERFORMANCE CAR MAGAZINE EVO CELEBRATED ITS 25TH BIRTHDAY BY NAMING THE 25 MOST SIGNIFICANT PERFORMANCE CARS OF THE LAST 25 YEARS. CLOSE TO THE TOP OF THE LIST WAS THE V12 VANQUISH. THIS WAS EVO’S CITATION…

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wenty-five years ago, Aston Martin was building tiny handfuls of glorious but positively Jurassic V-car behemoths at Newport Pagnell. Sure, the Jaguar-based DB7, being produced in rather larger numbers down the road in Bloxham, had provided the company with a financial lifeline. But something bold, entirely new and entirely Aston was needed to prove that the winged badge had a future.

It was at the 1998 Detroit Auto Show that Jac Nasser, head of parent company Ford, revealed a startlingly handsome, front-engined super-GT concept called Project Vantage. It had been styled by Ian Callum, it featured Aston Martin’s first V12 engine, and it was received with something approaching rapture. Now all they had to do was put it into production.

The birth was somewhat protracted, partly because

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it coincided with the arrival of new CEO Ulrich Bez, who had his own ideas about some of the details! Evo got its first look at the production car, now renamed Vanquish, in the late summer of 2000 but it would be almost another year before we and others drove the finished article. In the meantime, the DB7 Vantage with a version of the Vanquish’s V12 had been launched, which kind of stole a little of the new model’s thunder.

Still, in the September 2001 issue of evo, Dickie Meaden drove the new Aston flagship – and loved it. ‘A front-engined supercar that redefines the breed,’ was his conclusion.

With a radical (partly Lotus-developed) platform that combined extruded, bonded aluminium with carbonfibre, a six-speed paddleshift transmission (Aston’s first) and a more vocal, 460bhp version of

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the DB7’s V12, all wrapped in super-plastic-formed aluminium panels, the £160,000, 190mph Vanquish was a giant leap forward for Aston Martin and the car to take the fight to Ferrari’s 550 Maranello.

inspiration from the immortal DB4 GT Zagato. You can see the ghost of that car in the Vanquish’s broad, aggressively sculpted grille, the flow of the front wings and the exaggerated rear haunches.

It wasn’t perfect. The automated manual transmission was a little clunky and ponderous, especially in the earliest examples. That would be improved over time, markedly so when the 520bhp ‘S’ version was launched in 2004, also heralding tighter suspension damping, more powerful brakes, and a pleasingly updated facia.

Its charisma remains undimmed today. Just like certain people, some cars have presence. Something about the way they hold themselves draws your attention and won’t let go. The Vanquish is like that.

But right from the start the fundamentals were there.

The construction was genuinely mould-breaking and would lead directly to the VH platform that would underpin an entire generation of Astons, starting with 2004’s DB9. Crucially, it gave a stiff and relatively lightweight platform for the suspension to work from, that suspension in turn providing GT levels of comfort with real composure.

The transmission, despite its initial teething problems, was another step into the modern age for Aston, and the 5.9-litre V12 engine was simply glorious. Yes, it had its origins at Ford, but it was and would remain unique to Aston Martin. Indeed it would serve for an entire era of both road and race cars, but it has seldom sounded better than in the Vanquish.

That soundtrack was undoubtedly one of things that made – and still makes – driving a Vanquish such a very rich and rewarding experience. When the full orchestral effect hit at around 5000rpm, even contemporary Ferraris struggled to match it. And the chassis’ blend of suppleness with control – along with with bags of feedback to build the driver’s confidence – would always be something to savour.

Had the Vanquish not been such a game-changer, had it not been so warmly received, both by Aston enthusiasts and crucially by Ford management when Project Vantage was revealed back in 1998, then it’s questionable whether the investment in Gaydon and the raft of new ‘VH’ models that followed would have happened at all. Had it been another dinosaur, it could have been game over.

Vanquish was very far from a dinosaur. It heralded a confident new design language; it ushered in new materials and construction methods; it put Aston Martin back at the forefront of high-performance cars – somewhere it hadn’t really been for decades – and it showed that Aston could lead and innovate.

If the DB4 of 1958 signalled the start of Aston’s original golden era, the Vanquish kick-started a new golden age that would see Gaydon-built cars, led by DB9 and Vantage, achieve unprecedented sales. Quite simply, it sparked the most successful period in Aston history, and for that Aston fans – and really anyone who enjoys the rich tapestry of performance cars – should be forever grateful.

ON THE ROAD But you only had to look at it to be seduced. Ian Callum seemed to have an instinctive feel for reinterpreting classic Aston styling cues for the modern age. He’d pulled off a minor miracle in reworking a stillborn Jaguar coupe as the DB7, but the Vanquish was in a different league again. This time he’d taken his

Early Autumn, and I’m heading over to Nicholas Mee & Co to sample not one but two mk1 Vanquishes – a 2007 Vanquish S with the standard-fit paddleshift gearbox, and a 2005 car with the Aston Martin Works manual conversion. Transmissions aside, they’re perfectly

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matched, which should make for a fascinating comparison.

What’s more, I’m driving across in my own 2006 V8 Vantage, which will provide another intriguing perspective – Vantage and Vanquish, Astons of a similar age but with different pedigrees and quite distinct characters. It’s a tough job, etc…

First it’s into the paddleshift car – or Auto Shift Manual/ Select Shift Manual to give it its official title (ASM/ SSM for short). It’s a welcoming interior and a richer, more sumptuous experience than that offered by the contemporary Vantage and DB9. They do share some of their minor switchgear, but the Vanquish has unique architecture and a number of unique details too, such as the polished aluminium door spars with their AM script. Overall it feels a touch more bespoke than the Vantage and DB9 – reminders that it was the last model to be built at Newport Pagnell (excluding the recent Continuation models) and largely assembled by hand.

Fire up that 5.9-litre V12 and if the roar of 12 cylinders doesn’t put a smile on your face, then you’re probably ready for your first EV. The Vanquish sounds particularly good, even by Aston standards – something to do with its unique intake and exhaust manifolding – with a rich, breathy quality to it.

You can put the gearbox in Auto mode and leave it almost entirely to its own devices, but past experience tells me it works slightly better – and is considerably more enjoyable – in Manual. So pull back on both paddles to select neutral, then it’s a tug on the righthand paddle to select first and move up through the gears; left paddle to come back down.

Almost as soon as the wheels are turning you can sense the tightness of the structure and the underlying suppleness of the suspension, aided by a little extra pliancy from a slightly taller tyre sidewall than you tend to find in more recent high-performance cars. At first it feels as though you’re sitting a touch high, especially in relation to the low-set instrument binnacle, but the

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feeling dissipates the further you drive, helped by the fact that you feel so connected to the car, both through the steering and through your backside.

Turn in to a corner at speed and there’s quite a bit of initial give in the suspension as you load it up – considerably more than in a contemporary Vantage and probably a DB9 too. So it doesn’t have quite the same sharpness of response. But this calmness in the ride and the steering is true to its super-GT nature, and in fact when you push on you uncover a real depth of composure. It also feels entirely natural as it shimmies its hips at the exit of a corner – everything relayed back to the driver in a rich stream of feedback from both ends of the car.

Outright performance naturally can’t match today’s hypercars. But it’s strong and urgent enough to be engaging, the power swells pleasingly, and that soundtrack is very special indeed. Sustain an open throttle past 5000rpm and you rouse the full string and brass sections of the V12 orchestra. No V8 can touch that.

Understandably, the gearshifts can’t match a modern dual-clutch transmission for speed or smoothness, but they’re all the better for a slight and well-timed lift of the throttle. There’s satisfaction to be derived from finessing the shifts, both up and down the ’box – approaching T-junctions and roundabouts it’s much slicker if you paddle through the downchanges yourself.

But there is another option on the transmission front. Back in the mid-2000s, Aston Martin Works at Newport Pagnell developed a conversion from ASM to a traditional manual gearbox with a stick shift and three pedals. By a stroke of luck, Nicholas Mee & Co have another pristine, low-miles Vanquish S in stock, this one a 2005 car that was subsequently converted to manual by Works.

The gearbox is physically the same Tremac unit but with all the electronics and hydraulics stripped away

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and some internal changes too. Oh, and some surgery to the Vanquish’s central carbonfibre tunnel to allow a lever to emerge through it, while a clutch pedal takes its place in the footwell.

Around 100 cars have had the conversion, at a cost of around £20,000. Which is a substantial sum, but it’s all very well executed and beautifully finished – as you’d expect for what is, in effect, a factory conversion, developed by some of the engineers who built the car originally.

PETER TOMALIN HAS BEEN WRITING ABOUT HIGH PERFORMANCE CARS FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS. AT VARIOUS TIMES DEPUTY EDITOR OF PERFORMANCE CAR, EDITOR OF EVO AND MANAGING EDITOR OF VANTAGE MAGAZINE, HE’S HAD A LIFELONG LOVE OF ASTON MARTINS AND CURRENTLY OWNS A 2006 V8 VANTAGE.

Both the clutch pedal and the shift action have a similarly weighty feel to the V8 Vantage’s, but once everything’s warmed through and you’ve tuned in to the Vanquish, you can palm the gearstick around the six-speed gate with pleasing ease.

What’s more, you immediately feel more connected, more in control, more involved. It subtly changes your perception of the Vanquish. For a fleeting second, you can almost kid yourself you’re driving a sports car – the pedals are well-positioned to pivot your braking foot and give the throttle a squeeze on down-changes.

Get too carried away and the Vanquish’s weight and slightly cushioned responses are there to remind you that, while it is many things, a sports car it ain’t. The Vanquish does things its own way – and it’s all the better for it. The manual adds another layer of driving enjoyment to what is already an immensely enjoyable car. There’s just enough of the hand-crafted about it to connect with its Newport Pagnell roots. But at the same time it’s tangibly a giant stride on from the DB7 and the old Virage-based monsters that came before it.

It’s also the consummate GT. Driving down the Hertfordshire back-roads near Mee & Co’s base, you’re constantly thinking about the big road trips you’d want to do in it. Le Mans, perhaps, or even further afield.

And whatever your destination, you’d always take one last lingering look back.

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VIEW FROM THE SHOWROOM The team at Nicholas Mee & Co have no doubt about the Vanquish’s significance in the long story of Aston Martin.

it invisible – ‘the Vanish’, as it was dubbed by Q. Its starring role immediately boosted Vanquish sales, with Tungsten Silver, the colour of 007’s car, becoming the most popular paint choice.

‘The Vanquish is, to us, one of the most important cars in Aston Martin’s 110-year history, a real landmark car,’ says commercial director Neal Garrard. ‘Had it not been well received, Ford may not have had the confidence to back the company, build a new factory at Gaydon, and commit to the DB9 and everything that followed.

‘It marked a repositioning for Aston Martin. Like the DB4 in the late 1950s, it was an announcement to the world that this was what the company was going to be about in the future. It also had real global appeal and attracted a new kind of buyer who probably wouldn’t have considered the old coach-built cars.

‘And they absolutely nailed the design. It’s muscular but it doesn’t try too hard. One of the beauties of the design is its simplicity: more than 20 years on, the silhouette still looks as good as the day it launched.

When you see a Vanquish out in the wild, on the road, you really do look twice.

And of course, shortly after production began sit appeared in the Bond film Die Another Day. As product placement goes, it really doesn’t get any better!

That 2002 film was Pearce Brosnan’s last outing as 007 and saw him issued with a brand new company car – the V12 Vanquish – by Q division. It was equipped with front-firing rockets, machine guns, even a passenger ejector seat in homage to the original Bond Aston, but most famously a cloaking device that rendered

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So just how many Vanquishes were sold, and how do the numbers break down? Around 1500 examples were built before the S version came on stream in summer 2004. Around 1000 Vanquish Ss were subsequently produced, including a final short run of 50 ‘Ultimate’ editions. A few additional special builds brought the total to 2578. It’s a sizeable number compared with previous Newport Pagnell-built cars – but not compared with around 16,000 DB9s and even more ‘VH’ Vantages, which is why the Vanquish remains such a rare sight.

The S, which ran until production ended in July 2007, was a significant improvement over the original in a number of ways, with power boosted to 520bhp, improved gear-shifting, uprated suspension and quicker steering, bigger Brembo brakes, a revised aero package and a leather-wrapped centre console. And that difference has always been reflected in values.

When they reached the bottom of their depreciation curves, non-S Vanquishes dropped to around £50k at one point; whereas Vanquish Ss seldom dropped any lower than £80-85k. Then in the mid-2010s values began to climb quite steeply – at their height, a really good S was fetching around £130,000, and an end-ofline Ultimate limited edition £175,000-plus.

Those values have cooled a little since then. Today, that same Ultimate would be £150,000-plus, while £100,000 gets you a really nice, low-mileage, collector-condition

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Vanquish S. ‘For a non-S Vanquish, best budget for £75,000,’ says Neal. ‘You do see them for less, but they generally have quite patchy service histories.’

2500, and as the Vanquish is appreciated more as a classic car in years to come, the manual might well be viewed as more desirable.’

In between there’s the ‘SDP’ for Sport Dynamic Pack, an upgrade option on the regular Vanquish that provided the chassis upgrades that would soon be standard on the S but kept the regular Vanquish’s 460bhp engine.

Just 94 were thus equipped, making it quite a rarity.

‘For around £85,000-£90,000 it’s quite a compelling proposition,’ says Neal.

So what of the future prospects for Vanquish values?

‘I’d be surprised if they become much more affordable than they currently are,’ says Neal. ‘And when the world settles down again, I can see them outperforming most Gaydon-built cars over the medium to long term.

And what about paddleshift versus trad manual? The Works manual gearbox conversion generally adds a 10-15 per cent premium, but there are two distinct schools of thought as to which is the most desirable.

‘For the customer who likes a car to be just as it left the factory, the paddleshift is the car to have,’ says Neal. ‘And speaking personally, I would very happily have a Vanquish S with the paddleshift – because the Vanquish isn’t a car I would be driving so hard to the point where the gearbox couldn’t keep up. If I wanted a sports car, there are other Aston Martins I could choose…

‘And I’d say the gearbox really suits the nature of the car. No, it isn’t as quick as gearboxes we’ve become used to 20 years on, but it’s very appropriate for a GT car that’s doing those big distances.

‘That said, I believe that the manual will continue to command a premium. It’s very well executed – almost to the point where you’d never know the car was never offered with a manual when new. Only about a hundred cars have had the conversion out of about

‘They have a soul and a charisma that arguably the Gaydon cars can’t quite match. The hand-built nature and the relatively small volume of cars available only adds to that specialness.

‘We’re lucky enough to drive all these cars on a daily basis, and whenever I get in a Vanquish it does feel more of an occasion than, say, driving a DB9 or a DBS. You have to think about the process of driving a little bit more – but isn’t that exactly what you want from a high days and holidays car?

‘And you have to treat it with respect – in the case of the Vanquish S there’s 520 brake horsepower under your right foot. But it’s a lot easier to make quick progress than in, say, a V550 Vantage, which really does command the utmost respect. And it’s a great GT car. It has true ride quality. You can do 200-300 miles and get out the other end not feeling fatigued.

‘For someone in their 40s or a little older, looking for a modern classic that’s perfect for driving to Caffeine & Machine or on a road trip to Le Mans, a car that will always gain you kudos with those in the know, the Vanquish ticks an awful lot of boxes.’

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VIEW FROM THE WORKSHOP

‘There’s a perception that Vanquishes are onerous to maintain. It absolutely doesn’t have to be the case.’ The words of Chris Green, service and aftercare manager at Nicholas Mee & Co. ‘Buying a good one in the first place is key,’ Chris continues, ‘and that means a car that’s been regularly and properly maintained.’ The worry here is that when Vanquish prices reached the bottom of their depreciation curves, some cars weren’t looked after as they should be.

But buyers shouldn’t necessarily expect them to have been serviced to the factory schedule, adds Chris. ‘The official servicing schedule is six months or every 7500 miles, and you’re not going to find a Vanquish that’s been serviced every six months. Every 12 months would be nice, but every 18 months is fine, given the typical mileage these cars do.

‘What is critical is that the servicing has been done by a service agent who really knows the cars and has the specialist tools. For example, to configure the gearbox and set all the parameters for the gearchanges you need to plug in a piece of equipment known as The Spider, which is an expensive bit of kit.’

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On the subject of gearboxes, it’s possible to have the automation of an early Vanquish modified to the later, improved electro-magnetic system to make the gearchanges smoother and more positive. Software improvements to later cars can also be retro-installed, as can the uprated clutch from the S. ‘Most of the cars we now see have had the necessary upgrades,’ says Chris. ‘Again, the important thing then is making sure it’s set up properly and well maintained.’

Having the correct equipment to access the onboard diagnostics for the powertrain and other systems – as the service department at Nicholas Mee & Co does – is critical. Among other things, this will allow checks for any engine misfires. The V12 is essentially a very robust unit if properly maintained but can suffer from misfires – never easy to detect from the driver’s seat – which can point to failing coil packs. If required, the parts and labour to change all 12 coil packs, costs just under £3,000 although it is possible to change the coil packs on an individual cylinder or one bank of cylinders, to reduce costs.

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‘For all these reasons, we’d strongly recommend a pre-purchase inspection,’ says Chris. ‘To inspect the underside of the car, you need to remove the aerodynamic flat floor. And it’s particularly important with the Vanquish because it’s the only way to inspect the front subframe.

than Gaydon-built cars? Yes, to a degree. ‘They are going to be more expensive than, say, a DBS or secondgeneration Vanquish,’ says Chris, ‘primarily because parts are more expensive – and that’s because a lot of them were made only for the Vanquish rather than being shared across a range of models.

‘This is made of steel, it wasn’t well protected against corrosion at the factory, and it is prone to rust. If it’s not regularly cleaned off and rust-treated, it will eventually perforate. A new replacement front subframe, supplied and fitted costs £9,900 inc VAT, although, Chris adds that it is unusual to see one that has degraded to the point where a replacement is the only option, repairs can be done for much less, circa £4000 inc VAT and there are methods we use to prevent corrosion of the front subframe in the first place.

‘We think a realistic budget to maintain a Vanquish, averaged over a three to five-year period, is £2500 a year where a Gaydon DBS might be £1500 a year.

‘We have a well-tested way of treating them which will preserve them very successfully, and to be honest you don’t see many bad ones these days, but it is still important to check.’

So, are mk1 Vanquishes more expensive to maintain

‘Importantly, though, there isn’t anything especially exotic in the servicing schedule – unlike Ferraris of a previous generation that required their engines to come out every three years! The most expensive service – and all the prices are available through our Fixed Price Servicing menu at nicholasmee.co.uk – is £1985, which is when it’s recommended to change the spark plugs along with other items.

‘So yes, expect it to cost more to service and maintain than a DB9, but then this was Aston Martin’s flagship, 200mph, super-GT. Buy the best you can afford, get it inspected, have it serviced regularly by a specialist who knows the cars, and it should be a joy to own.’

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NICHOLAS MEE & CO VIDEO FEATURE:

TALKING HEADS!

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n 2022 we closed the year with a special one-toone interview with Nick, who reflected on a lifetime immersed in all things Aston Martin and looked forward to 2023, the year in which his own company, Nicholas Mee & Co, celebrated its 30th anniversary.

It still makes fascinating viewing, and you can watch it here.

This year has been another action-packed one for all of us, so we’re returning to our regular Talking Heads format discussing the world of classic cars, Astons in particular, with Nick and Neal joined by two knowledgeable and well-known members of the classic car community: author and publisher of Magneto magazine, event organiser and classic car champion David Lillywhite, together with coming man

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Dan Cogger. Dan is a key member of US insurance giant Hagerty’s UK team and is fresh from receiving the ‘Rising Star’ award from an international panel of judges at last month’s 2023 Historic Motoring Awards.

Steve Wakefield, Aston Martin enthusiast and market commentator, was once again in the chair.

It proved to be a lively discussion that covered classic car events – our favourites, ones we missed, others to do in 2024 – through to the current state of the classic car market (Astons in particular), our ‘dream garages’, F1 and other matters of the moment.

The conversation flowed at Essendonbury Farm and subjects discussed included...

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NICHOLAS MEE & CO AT 30 – THE YEAR SO FAR • Reflecting on current trading during a period of higher interest rates.

• Which models attract the most attention right now?

• Auction results can be misleading. Is there now a two-tier market?

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AND FOR DAVID AND DAN? • What’s happening at David’s company Hothouse Media, where has he travelled this year and talking about his latest book, The Concours Year.

• Dan’s been getting out and about with Hagerty, the USA’s largest classic car insurer in the UK and Eurozone. He tells us what he’s been up to in a non-stop 12 months.

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ASTON MARTIN AND F1 • How do we feel about Aston Martin in F1?

• Has the Netflix series Drive to Survive changed the mainstream audience’s attitude to Grand Prix racing?

• How about Fernando in a ’90s V600?

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THE GAYDON FACTORY • The panel’s opinion on the current range from Gaydon including the Valour, and the company 2024 return to the big league at Le Mans with the Valkyrie.

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THE VALUE BUY? 2001-2007 VANQUISH • A dive into the first-generation Vanquish. What’s the future for these low-volume Bond cars?

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HCVA. THE HISTORIC & CLASSIC VEHICLE ALLIANCE • The HCVA represents our community in the highest circles. Nick has the inside line on what it does and how all car lovers need to hear about it and support its activities.

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EVENTS, EVENTS – WHO’S BEEN WHERE THIS YEAR, WHAT’S NEW FOR 2024 AND MUCH MORE… • Between them, the panel have been to most of the best events.

• As this scene has really taken off in recent times, which ones are the must-dos?

• From Savile Row to St Moritz, Monterey to Monaco for the Historics, here are our tips.

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TWO-CAR DREAM GARAGE • It’s a game we all like to play: ‘fantasy two-car garage’.

• There are one or two surprises here, and some old favourites, iconic Astons from times past.

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VIDEO:

A NEW LIFE FOR AN ASTON V8 REFURBISHING A 1986 EFI

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aving sold these cars new, the 1970s and ’80s V8 Saloon has a special place in Nick’s heart. In a good year, the factory might have found buyers for 250 – a tiny figure today, but it was an incredibly expensive, handbuilt gentleman’s express.

As fine-driving, usable classic Aston Martins they make a lot of sense and we have sold many of them over the years. The later cars are over 35 years old now, so even though the model rarely needs a body-off, engine-out total restoration, some can do with a degree of recommissioning or what we prefer to call ‘refurbishment’ to freshen them up for the future.

One is the subject of this video, an automatic 1986 V8 Efi Saloon – the first one built. On inspection by the team led by Peter Rugman, Workshop Supervisor at NM&Co, it was found

to be a good car, in basically good mechanical condition but let down by poor bodywork.

Peter explains on camera how the workshop team went about to correct this and what was needed to bring this lovely Royal Cherry V8 Efi, up to scratch. After a glass-out respray and all undersides stripped and repainted in period-correct black underbody guard, it looks fantastic. The original BBS wheels were sent away to a specialist for refinishing, and, with a new set of Avon tyres, the car was finished.

The V8 Saloon was a classic ’poster car’ from the 1980s. It’s still a beautiful one today and, by repainting and refurbishing this one, the first-ever Efi now has a new life 37 years after it was first delivered. Now that’s what we call sustainability.

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WHAT’S IN STOCK In this section we showcase a selection of the best examples of Aston Martin motor cars from the 1950s to the present day, all available for sale at our new, purpose-built ‘destination’ premises on the historic Hatfield Park Estate in Hertfordshire.

Prior to delivery, all cars are supplied serviced according to schedule, with a pre-delivery Inspection Report, 12 months MOT and 12 months warranty.

Finance for any vehicle is available with our dealer partner, Classic & Sports Finance.

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1983 ASTO N MAR T I N V 8 V O LANT E £P O A

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OVERVIEW In original ‘time-warp’ condition. Only two owners and just 11,961 miles from new. Presented in as-delivered special-order Ferrari Blu Ribot with Magnolia hide piped Dark Blue and Navy Blue power-operated roof.

Recorded as one of only 134 Weber carburettor-equipped V8 PLAY VIDEO

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Volantes delivered in right-hand drive between 1979 and 1985.

Offered for a short period of time before a scheduled programme of light recommissioning commences. Can be purchased prior to these works or afterwards, inclusive of the cost of refurbishment.

Interested parties are therefore invited to respond promptly.

MORE INFO

Call (0)20 8741 8822

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2017 AS TON M A RTI N V12 VAN TA G E S M ANUAL £126,950

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1 988 AST O N MAR T IN V 8 V AN T AG E V O L AN T E ‘ X - P AC K ’ £350,0 00

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Call (0)20 8741 8822

2017 AS TON M ARTI N DB9 GT VOL ANTE £92,950

2018 AST O N MAR T IN V 12 V AN T AG E AMR R O ADST E R £ 199,9 50

PLAY VIDEO

MORE INFO

Call (0)20 8741 8822

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1 9 5 8 ASTON MAR T I N DB MK I I I DR O P HE AD CO U P É £P O A

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OVERVIEW One of just 84 DB Mk III Drophead Coupés built. Restored to the highest concours standards between 2011 and 2013.

Surely one of the finest examples of the model in existence, ready to be enjoyed.

Finished in its original colours of Elusive Blue over White Gold hide.

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Call (0)20 8741 8822

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1965 AS TON M ARTI N DB5 £P OA

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2010 AST O N MAR T IN DB S £86,9 50

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Call (0)20 8741 8822

Call (0)20 8741 8822

1 9 60 AS T O N M A RTI N DB 4 SERI ES II £425,000

2 004 AST O N MAR T IN DB 7 Z AG AT O £ 265,0 00

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Call (0)20 8741 8822

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Call (0)20 8741 8822

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1965 ASTON MAR T I N D B 5 CO NV E R T I B LE £P O A

OVERVIEW One of just 81 RHD DB5 Convertibles built.

Just 1,000 miles completed since restoration. In exceptional condition throughout.

Total restoration by Aston Martin Works, completed in 2011 including factory upgrade to Vantage specification.

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MORE INFO

Call (0)20 8741 8822

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1998 AS TO N M ARTI N V8 C OUP E £99,950

1 961 AST O N MAR T IN DB 4G T £P O A

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2 005 AS TO N M ARTI N VANQUI SH S – MAN UA L C ONVERSI ON £115,000

2018 AST O N MAR T IN V AN Q U ISH Z AG AT O V O L AN T E £ 435,0 00

PLAY VIDEO

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2017 ASTON MAR T I N V ANQ UI SH Z AG AT O £395, 000

OVERVIEW No. 39 of just 99 built (32 to the UK in right-hand drive).

Just 2,119 miles from new. In ‘as new’ condition throughout and fully covered with Paint Protection Film (PPF).

Finished in Escaping White over Pure Black/Pearl White hides.

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MORE INFO

Call (0)20 8741 8822

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2 007 AS TO N M ARTI N VANQUI SH S £99,950

PLAY VIDEO

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2 013 AST O N MAR T IN V 12 Z AG AT O £460,0 00 + V AT

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Call (0)20 8741 8822

Call (0)20 8741 8822

A ST O N MAR TI N DBR2 ‘ REC REA TI ON ’ £P OA

2011 AST O N MAR T IN V 12 V AN T AG E £ 76,9 50

PLAY VIDEO

MORE INFO

Call (0)20 8741 8822

MORE INFO Call (0)20 8741 8822

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GET OUT AND DRIVE Our 2023 events review and must-do recommendations for enjoying your aston in 2024

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his year we were once again spoiled for choice when it came to enjoying our Astons with fellow marque aficionados and anyone who just loved getting together and talking cars.

From simple ‘Cars and Coffee’ meetings and classic car gatherings on the local village green, to the soldout main Le Mans 24 Hours, the packed LM Classic, glorious Goodwood(s), the Concours of Elegance and Monterey Week, it’s been another vintage year.

All these terrific events help our hobby and industry continue to thrive.

Here at Essendonbury Farm we enjoyed hosting three Ten-Two Club gatherings that included the inaugural ‘Midsummer Classic’ BBQ, which everyone said was a definite hit. Away from HQ, the team had a stand at the wonderful Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace where we enjoyed meeting friends new and old. And, of course, there were all three meetings at Goodwood, brilliantly executed as ever. Back on track with matters of the marque, the Aston Martin Heritage Trust organised another superb summer Festival, this time in the grounds of the British Motor Museum, just down the road from Aston Martin’s global headquarters at Gaydon.

So, looking ahead to 2024, what’s coming up?

Following is a selection...

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BROOKLANDS MUSEUM NEW YEAR’S DAY CLASSIC GATHERING BROOKLANDS, SURREY | 1 JANUARY 2024 Get your motoring year off to a flying start!

The home of pre-War motoring, and the scene of many a triumph for Aston Martin in the ’20s and ’30s, hosts what it describes as “probably the largest New Year’s Day Classic vehicle gathering in the UK”.

Over 1,000 classics are expected, and visitors can expect live music, a winter BBQ and other food outlets offering breakfast and lunch.

All cars registered before 31 July 1994 are invited to form a static display against the backdrop of the historic site and its collection.

Modern sports and supercars are welcome too, with a dedicated parking area.

Book your place here: brooklandsmuseum.com/whats-on/new-yearsday-classic-gathering-2024.

So book your place here

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THE I.C.E. ST MORITZ, SWITZERLAND | 23-24 FEBRUARY 2024 It’s the ultimate event to celebrate on social media and everyone who goes loves it. Just visit Instagram and search for #theicestmoritz – you’ll soon be booking Eurotunnel and researching winter tyres.

‘The I.C.E.’ actually stands for ‘The International Concours of Elegance’ but it’s a neat name for an event held in the billionaires’ winter playground of St Moritz on the frozen waters of the lake.

It’s a visually stunning event like no other. One day we fancy escaping the British weather and joining the fun.

See: theicestmoritz.ch

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SIMPLY ASTON BEAULIEU, HAMPSHIRE | 7 APRIL 2024 One of the best things about this one is the drive down through the beautiful New Forest. Once at Beaulieu you park up with other Aston owners and fans of the marque for a day celebrating the cars with the famous winged badge.

The event welcomes all ages and models of Aston Martin, so there’s a great opportunity to connect with fellow enthusiasts while admiring some of Aston’s finest.

There’s also a fun concours where all participants have the opportunity to win the People’s Choice Award, a prize selected by public vote.

So book tickets here

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VELOCITY INVITATIONAL SONOMA RACEWAY, CALIFORNIA, USA | 4-6 OCTOBER 2024 It’s a relatively new event broadly along the lines of the August Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion but held at the Sonoma Raceway, only 30 minutes north of San Francisco’s Golden Gate bridge, right in the heart of wine country.

Modern F1 plays a big part in proceedings, though this year the list of races included the ever-popular 1966-1973 Trans-Am cars and 19661978 IMSA GTs. Experienced classic car commentator David Lillywhite enthused about it during our recent Talking Heads discussion forum.

Unlike Monterey Week, it’s a standalone occasion so it should be easier to make travel arrangements. Half the fun is travelling there and finding lovely places to stay in a beautiful part of the world.

See: velocityinvitational.com

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TEN-TWO CLUB ESSENDONBURY FARM, HERTFORDSHIRE | 4 MAY, 29 JUNE, 28 SEPTEMBER 2024 Our three spring-to-autumn meetings at NM&Co HQ under the TenTwo banner have rapidly established themselves as ticket-only, top events for those interested in all exciting classic and modern cars, with a focus on Aston Martins.

The latter are our passion and by going along to a Ten-Two Club event you’ll have the opportunity of meeting Nick, Neal and the rest of the team. And the specialists will be on hand to answer questions on getting the best out of your treasured car.

It’s also an opportunity to enjoy barista coffee and other refreshments while talking cars and touring the showroom and workshop.

Tickets for each event will be released nearer the time.

Click here for more details

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CAFFEINE&MACHINE THE HILL, NEAR STRATFORD-UPON-AVON, WARKS AND THE BOWL, NEAR AMPTHILL, BEDS | SEE WEBSITE FOR 2024 DATES Now run at two locations, the owners of the Caffeine&Machine brand describe its activities as catering for “everyone with a love for things that move. From first cars to hypercars, spotless classics to superbikes, microcars to trucks, there’s a place for it at C&M”. We like the sound of that and are first in the queue to “worship at the altar of the Cult of Machine”.

The new Ampthill venue is close to the famous Millbrook test track and only a 45-minute swift drive from here at Essendonbury Farm. The meetings have a fresh vibe embracing all ages and tastes; you might see a vintage Hot Rod, an immaculate 1980s Golf GTi, a DB5 or even a road-registered Porsche 962.

So book tickets here

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ASTON MARTIN OWNERS CLUB SPRING CONCOURS SANDRINGHAM, NORFOLK | 2024 DATE TO BE CONFIRMED Last year the Owners Club held a wonderful event in the grounds of the famous former WW2 RAF fighter base at Duxford, Cambridgeshire.

For 2024 they have moved the location of the Spring Concours further north to Sandringham in Norfolk, a village synonymous with the Royal Family – who, over the years, have liked their Aston Martins.

It’s a lovely part of the world and a drive up there to make it a weekend away is a great idea anyway. Adding the chance to so many of the best-presented Aston Martins in the world is a plus.

See: amoc.org/concours

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CONCOURS OF ELEGANCE GERMANY LAKE TEGERNSEE, GERMANY | 22-27 JULY 2024 The team behind the world-renowned Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace and the London Concours has added a new European event to its portfolio: the Concours of Elegance Germany.

The majestic estate of Gut Kaltenbrunn on the shores of Lake Tegernsee will play host to a 200-car concours next summer. The location is just a 40-minute dive from Munich.

Coming from the UK, the best plan would be stop over at the historic town of Reims (champagne, the famous road circuit) and then perhaps visit the car museums in Stuttgart en route to Munich. It’s a perfect three- or four-day trip to the heart of Germany’s car-building belt, somewhere you can really exercise your Aston.

There’s no dedicated website yet, so we suggest you keep an eye on concoursofelegance.co.uk for details on this exciting new event.

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BICESTER HERITAGE SCRAMBLE EVENTS BICESTER, OXON | 7 JANUARY 2024 AND MORE TO BE CONFIRMED For a decade now, the 444-acre former Royal Air Force site has seen many 1000s of classic car enthusiasts – 10,000 came to just one meeting – flock to its sold-out ‘Scramble’ events.

As the years have gone by, steady redevelopment of the site has repurposed many WW2-era buildings into offices or workshops for those in the classic car industry. Insurance giant Hagerty has its UK HQ there. Highly rated car magazine The Road Rat, co-founded by Cold Play bass player Guy Berryman, has offices at Bicester Heritage The mix of cars that turn up at the pre-booked-only event defines ‘eclectic’. Think McLaren F1 GTR, 1960s drag racer, Austin Seven and WW2 Jeep. With knowledgeable and friendly car owners, high quality catering and easy access to the M40 motorway, it’s a rewarding but low-key way of spending a Sunday morning. Advanced booking is essential.

See: bicesterheritage.co.uk/events

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GOODWOOD MOTORSPORT GOODWOOD, WEST SUSSEX | MEMBERS’ MEETING 1314 APRIL 2024, FESTIVAL OF SPEED 11-14 JULY 2024, GOODWOOD REVIVAL 6-8 SEPTEMBER 2024 The events at Goodwood are widely considered to be the best in the world. Years of constantly refining the formulae of all three has kept them ahead. Each year there’s something new and exciting to talk about.

The downside is that, as victims of their own popularity, they sell out quickly. It’s worth splashing out on some good hospitality and grandstand tickets for any of them – you will not regret it.

And don’t forget the drive through the South Downs, one of the great motoring routes that passes through chocolate box villages in West Sussex and finishes at the Goodwood Estate.

See goodwood.com/motorsport

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CONCOURS OF ELEGANCE HAMPTON COURT PALACE, LONDON BOROUGH OF RICHMOND UPON THAMES | 30 AUGUST1 SEPTEMBER 2024 For many people ‘Britain’s Pebble Beach’ is a highlight of the calendar, and the NM&Co team loves spending a few days there admiring the fabulous classics on display, chatting to visitors and showing them some of our latest cars for sale.

The quality of the display is out of this world. This year the organisers put on a special class for cars that had competed at the Le Mans 24 Hours. In the 1920s and 1930s category, the 1929 Bentley Speed Six ‘Old Number One’ Le Mans winner took victory again and the 1950s and 1960s award went to a 1964 Ferrari 250 LM, a type of car that won outright in 1965. Aston Martins won the Future Classics Trophy (2023 Valkyrie) and Classic & Sports Car Trophy Saturday (1967 DB6 Vantage Volante – as restored by Nicholas Mee & Co in 2023!).

The weekend is given over to clubs such as the AMOC. With generally pleasant late-summer weather it’s a great day out for all the family with handy nearby parking in the park.

See concoursofelegance.co.uk

Please note: Dates correct as of December 2023. Do check with the organisers before booking or setting off.

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CHRIS GIF

As Christmas fast approaches many of you will b loved ones. Here at Aston Store we have a rang present for any Aston Martin or From Aston Martin leather keyrings to luxury, handmade holdalls, our online store have available a range of gifts that will cover all price ranges and be sure to please anyone who is lucky enough to find them under the tree on Christmas day.

View our entire selection of Merchandise HERE To help you in the tricky decision of choosing gifts for your loved ones, we have put together a list of potential gift ideas, at different price

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STMAS FTS

be thinking about gifts for your family, friends and ge of merchandise that will make for the perfect motoring enthusiast in your life. ranges – from stocking fillers to luxury items – to complete your Christmas shopping.

All orders will be dispatched with prompt delivery to your door, making sure you receive your items well before Christmas. To guarantee delivery before the big day, our last day for ordering is Monday 18th December.

Please do not hesitate to contact a member of our dedicated team for any advice or assistance on 0208 741 8822.

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Aston Martin Leather Key Ring BUY NOW

Airfix Aston Martin

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Aston Martin Racing Hackett Navy Half Zip Jumper BUY NOW

Aston Martin Racing

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Aston Martin Car Covers BUY NOW

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DB5 Vantage 1:8 Scale Model Limited Edition BUY NOW

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VIDEO: THE APPRENTICE

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ost of you will know we are firm believers in apprenticeships. Before we introduce you to a short video about Neil Gordon, our latest trainee, a few words on why we are so passionate about involving younger people in our business.

We hardly needed convincing of the merits of taking on fresh-from-college apprentice staff, but after attending a seminar run by the Historic & Classic Vehicles Alliance (HCVA) at the Hagerty Clubhouse in Bicester recently, it’s worth repeating some of the statistics collected by the HCVA: There are 1.54 million classic and historic vehicles in the UK; the average age of the driver of a historic car is 62; the average age of a mechanic in the industry is 57.

That’s a lot of positions – the sector supports 113,000 jobs – to fill when these highly skilled craftsmen retire in the next 10 years or so.

It is crucial for the future of all companies in our field (and your hobby) to bring on young talented engineers, mechanics, trimmers and metalworkers, teaching them not only the ‘old’ way but the ‘right’ way.

Neil joined us in 2022 and continues the tradition of apprentices working at Essendonbury Farm in

conjunction with the Heritage Skills Academy at Bicester Heritage. His predecessor went on to be nominated for Apprentice of the Year at the Historic Motoring Awards in 2019.

With a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Strathclyde, Neil certainly has the qualifications on paper for the job. His task now is to learn the trade hands-on from our skilled technicians.

He is a great addition to our team, and we know you will enjoy meeting him.

Neil very much enjoys attending his instruction sessions at the Heritage Skills Academy, located suitably at Bicester Heritage and Brooklands Museum and has made a positive impact there, recently collecting a bursary award presented at the NEC Classic Motorshow in November 2023.

In the meantime, do watch this film and you’ll learn a little more about a young man who has such a great future in our industry, who so enjoys working on these “special cars”.

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THE HISTORIC AND CLASSIC VEHICLES ALLIANCE (HCVA), WHY IT’S SO IMPORTANT

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couple of months ago, Nick attended the HCVA’s first Heritage Matters Day, held at Hagerty’s UK Clubhouse at Bicester Heritage.

The event took the form of a workshop with guest speakers whose purpose was to raise awareness of the challenges the hobby of enjoying classic cars faces in the coming years. Principally, these are the move to electric vehicles, the impression ‘liquid-powered’ classics are not ‘green’, and how the restoration industry can bring on younger technicians and craftsmen.

With an estimated 1.54 million classic and historic vehicles in the UK driven by owners with an average age 62, many, many cars will change hands over the next 25 years. And that does not include ‘modern’ classics’ such as 21st Century product from Gaydon that will be cherished for years to come. All these vehicles need skilled and passionate technicians to keep them on the road, as well as experienced engine-builders, metalworkers and trimmers to restore the older ones using traditional methods.

With the average age of workers in our industry – a trade that supports 113,000 jobs – approaching 60, there is a real need to bring in new blood.

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The latter issue is close to Nick’s heart and is one of the reasons all of us at NM&Co support our apprentice programme. You can watch a video that spotlights our latest recruit elsewhere in FullBore.

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Classic cars are big business. The category turns over £18 billion annually and raises £4.5 billion every year for the government in taxes. Speaking at the event, Greg Smith, MP for Buckinghamshire and member of the Transport Select Committee, is a cheerleader for the classic vehicle sector, declaring that, “every car restored exemplifies sustainability over throwaway consumerism”. That’s a quote worth remembering, as is the point made by HCVA chair David Meek: “25 years ago, the future was diesel”. The attitude to liquid-powered vehicles from on high might well change, and it’s the HCVA’s job to fly the flag for our beloved cars.

On the ‘liquid-powered’ subject, talk soon turned to so-called ‘e-fuels’, bio-based sustainable fuels that can be used alone or mixed with petrol. There has already been a race for cars powered by Anglo American Oil’s sustainable product at Goodwood this year. Mixed with petrol, it’s made from the bicomponents of ethanol coming from waste products generated by food production, but does

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not include ethanol itself, which can be damaging to older engines and fuel lines. No crops that could be eaten are used, and nor is land reclaimed from rainforests.

The World Rally Championship switched to 100 percent sustainable fuels in 2022. French refinery giant TotalEnergies is developing a 100% renewable fuel for motorsport competition, to be introduced from next season at the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), including the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2022, and at the European Le Mans Series (ELMS). Formula 1 is planning to introduce them alongside its new 2026 engine regulations.

The general public’s attitude to petrocarbon-based fuel is probably the most high-profile issue facing the HCVA. ‘Green’, sustainable products are clearly the future, so the Alliance is instituting a sustainability rating for every applicable current and future liquidfuel product.

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And again looking to the future, the HCVA is keen to stress that involvement in classic cars is not necessarily an exclusively ‘oily hands’ profession. Dan Geoghegan, the CEO of Bicester Motion, the company that runs the site, neatly summarised the way to involve more youngsters: “Have more fun, then people will want to be involved”. StarterMotor, the charity that’s vision is to spark a passion for historic motoring in the next generation, lists nine areas of career opportunity: Restoration, Engineering, Manufacturing, Media, Events, Sales, Finance, Insurance and Destinations. The latter, of course, takes in events, which have proved so popular in recent years. You won’t see many dirty fingernails at Villa d’Este.

vehicle licensing authority, the future of owning and running a classic – registering it, regaining a ‘lost’ number plate, taxing it if relevant, addressing its emissions – can never be certain.

It was a fascinating day out and really gave us confidence that looking after the future of our favourite cars is in safe hands with people who truly care about us, the industry members, and you, the enthusiasts who love and cherish your Astons.

You can support the HCVA by taking out an Owners & Enthusiasts Membership: Several levels are available.

See hcva.co.uk

The DVLA was present at the event. Although the two representatives generally kept their counsel, the fact that they turned up at all was significant. Without the co-operation and goodwill of the UK’s ultimate motor

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OP E N HOU

Nicholas Mee & Compa Christmas ho

1pm Friday 22n 8am Monday

For any sales enquiries durin email info@nicholasmee.co.u Viewings can be arran

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any will be closed for the olidays from:

December to y 2nd January.

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ng that period, please either uk or call 07718 340811. nged by appointment.

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