ClassicInside - The ClassicDriver Newsletter

ClassicInside – The Classic Driver Newsletter

Edition 17/2004

May 7th 2004

This edition is sent to 26.518 subscribers

Editorial

Your editor finally got to have a good look at the DB9 this week, courtesy of Norfolk Aston Martin agent, Stratton Motor Company. The evening was an opportunity for those already 'on the list', and potential buyers, to try the car out for size in chauffeured rides with a brief spell behind the wheel, and is part of an International launch of the car to the buying public. It will of course be at the British Motorshow later this month. Three examples were on hand, fresh from Gaydon, in Silver, Silver Sand and Metallic Black (your author's descriptions, I expect the exact names are Basaltic, Bismuth and Antimony or some-such), all complete with different interiors. Wow! What a car! The praise from all concerned was unanimous, and concurred with the rapturous reception the motoring press gave the car in recent reports.

A brief road test conducted by a well-known club-racer resulted in a 'thumbs-up' for the '9, the very powerful V12 and flawless paddle-shift 'box coming in for special praise. And that's from a man used to 400bhp cars on the track. On the debit side the rear seats are miniscule although we did squeeze a small boy into the back of one - getting him out again was another matter, although this may well have been due to his enjoyment of the DB9 experience.

Arriving early into the event I came across the demonstrators at speed on British roads, and the car's road presence definitely matches its showroom appeal; you've just got to have one. A conclusion confirmed by the bulging order book that sees delivery dates nudging the far side of the clock. Mind you, when deliveries proper start of this car and the Bentley Continental GT, and the AMV8 next year, I've no doubt things will settle back to relative normality, at least one client on Wednesday confessed to ordering both the Aston and Bentley with a view to selling one or both when they finally turned up.

A complete, fully restored and revitalised Classic Inside this week and a brief mention (prior to next week's full review) of a DVD/Video available on www.xkd505.com that gives you just about the best 'from the seat' experience that we have seen of historic racing, this time alongside Win Percy in a 1955 D-type Jaguar at the 2002 Goodwood Revival against Tony Dron in the Ferrari Dino. Tony rates it highly, in fact he's "Never seen anything of its kind that's so exciting".

I could not add to that.

Steve Wakefield
Managing Editor
sw@classicdriver.com

THIS WEEK IN CLASSIC DRIVER
Maserati 5000GT - Fit for a King I have finally driven a Maserati 5000GT. It has been a long time coming, almost eight years in fact, and to do so I first had to build the car. Of all the 5000GTs, Allemano-bodied cars represent the largest proportion – some 22 of the 34 examples built. They were the production version of the car; built for royalty, the rich and the famous... read the complete article
Tour Auto Lissac 2004 If you take a quick look at the overall results of the thirteenth Tour Auto-Lissac you can’t help thinking that it’s been a family affair! The winners were the Hugenholtz couple - 6 wins for Hans, 5 of which are with his wife - in their Lotus Elan followed by Frédéric Puren whose mother, Elizabeth, did the navigating in their E-Type Jaguar while on the third step of the rostrum were Ludovic Caron and his father René in their Daytona Cobra coupe... read the complete article
Classic Team Lotus is booked for Brands Hatch csma Festival 2004 Details of the Classic Team Lotus cars appearing at the csma Brands Hatch Classic Festival on May 22-23 have just been announced. A stunning array of historic Lotuses, spanning two decades of achievement, are being prepared for the big weekend. The following cars will be demonstrated on track and displayed for all to see close up... read the complete article
Bonhams at Monaco 15th May 2004 - Preview The Grand Prix Historique drops the starter’s flag on a period of hedonism and excitement that is Monaco GP week, and a vital part of that meeting is the early Saturday evening auction of ‘Les Grandes Marques à Monaco’. This year Simon Kidston has assembled a staggering 70+ car entry that includes several F1 cars and an ex-Le Mans Ferrari 275GTB/C... read the complete article
Bonhams & Goodman at Double Bay, Sydney, Australia 23rd May 2004 - Preview Sydney-based auction house Goodman, now amalgamated under the Bonhams umbrella, are holding an important sale at their usual Double Bay premises later this month. Among the twenty three motor car entries are some significant pre-war cars including this 1922 Delage CO2 Grand Sports 4 1/2 Litre... read the complete article
Bonhams Aston Martin Sale at Newport Pagnell, 8th May 2004 - Preview It’s that time of year again, the annual all-Aston sale at Newport Pagnell organised by Bonhams in conjunction with London Aston Martin specialists Nicholas Mee & Co. There’s an extensive collection of automobilia - much of it Bond-related - and an ex-007 Vanquish but the highest seller is likely to be the 1960 Aston Martin DB4GT estimated at £290,000 - 340,000... read the complete article
Aston Martin Lagonda Launches Heritage Restoration Centre Aston Martin Lagonda Works Service will officially open its Heritage Restoration Centre on Saturday 8th May 2004 that has been designed to provide comprehensive restoration service for owners of older models... read the complete article
Special Centenary version of the Phantom to be produced Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has announced today, 4th May 2004, that a special Centenary version of the Phantom will be produced. The announcement was made at the Midland Hotel in Manchester, England, where Rolls-Royce is celebrating the centenary of the first meeting between Henry Royce and the Hon. Charles Rolls... read the complete article
Porsche reveals the The "Porsche Design Indicator" at Baselworld 2004 At Baselworld 2004 the subsidiary of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, presented the new "Porsche Design Indicator" to the specialist world – a lavishly designed watch that combines chronograph functions with a mechanical digital display for the first time... read the complete article
170 bhp MINI Cooper S Convertible MINI UK is delighted to announce pricing and specification details of its new range topping MINI Cooper S Convertible. The MINI Cooper S Convertible will make its UK debut at The Sunday Times Motor Show Live on 25 May... read the complete article

Advertisement PREMIUM OFFERS
Ferrari F355 Spider F1 6 Stack CD Changer. Nero Tonneau Cover. Tracker Retrieve. Colour Giallo Modena Interior colour Nero Leather Drive RHD Year 11/1998 Milage 22,000 m / 35,406 km Price 64.950 GBP Dealership: TOP555 Beler Way, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE13 0DG phone +44 (0)1664 482 555 see all details see complete stock from this dealer
Maserati 5000 GT Body by Allemano In the company's own words, "Maserati's production has always been characterised by highly aristocratic and elegant performance cars," arguably the finest embodiment of these two most desirable attributes being the legendary 5000GT. An exclusive car even by Maserati's exalted standards - in 1960 it cost as much as a Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II - the range-topping, V8-engined 5000GT was custom built to special order only, recalling an era when wealthy connoisseurs would commission a preferred coachbuilder to body a factory-supplied chassis in their chosen style. Commencing at '103.002', chassis were even-numbered up to '103.066', just 34 being completed between 1959 and 1964, making the 5000GT much rarer than its closest rival, the Ferrari 400 Superamerica, 47 of which were built in the same period. Chassis number '054', the car offered here, was completed on 17th September 1962 and delivered new two days later to first owner Count Giuseppe Comola, of Naples, Italy. Its specification included black paintwork, wire wheels, seat belts and three tone air horns, and it returned to the factory for servicing until 1965. Its next owner was Frank Arciero, of California, USA, and the car subsequently enjoyed another three owners in the USA (details available) before passing into the ownership of dealer Mats Linden in Sweden. Chassis number '054' returned to the USA in the 1990s, belonging first to noted Maserati collector Alfredo Brener, of Houston, Texas and then to the present owner. Prior to that date, the car had been displayed at Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, in August 1999, being judged the 'Most Elegant'. Fully restored in the late 1990s, '054' has the more powerful, Lucas fuel injected engine and the desirable ZF five-speed manual gearbox. Finished in black with natural leather upolstery and presented in excellent condition, with immaculate interior, the vehicle is offered with State of Washington US Title Deed and new (reproduction) owner's manual. Comparable with the finest limited production Ferraris of the period, yet rarer still, this superb example of Maserati's biggest and best is worthy of the closest inspection. Local taxes will be liable if the car remains in the EU, but it may be imported via Great Britain or Monaco (for local residents) at the special rates for historic cars. colour Black interior colour Tan drive LHD year 1962 Chassis No. AM103.054 Price estimate 220,000 - 280,000 Euro Dealership: Bonhams - Les Grandes Marques à Monaco 15th May 2004 7 Av. Pictet-de-Rochemont, 1207 Geneva phone +41 (0)22 300 3160 see all details see complete lotlist from this auction
Costin GT The first time this car has come onto the market. FULL / UNBELIEVABLE RESTORATION by Costin Car Company Ltd, with NO expense spared to produce a car of the HIGHEST QUALITY THROUGHOUT. Will accept a fair reasonable offer based around £50,000 - £55,000 or will accept racing/classic car in part exchange. Year 1966 Drive RHD Dealership: Mike Abbas Charnock Grange, Charnock Richard, Lancs, PR7 5LH phone +44 (0) 1257 470034 see all details see complete stock from this dealer

EVENTGUIDE

Mille Miglia Retrospective 2004, Italy
6th - 9th May 2004

Bonhams Auction, Aston Martin Lagonda Limited, Newport Pagnell, UK
8th May 2004

San Remo Classic
8th - 12th May 2004

Bonhams Auction, Les Grandes Marques a Monaco
15th May 2004

Grand Prix de Pau Historiques, France
22nd - 23rd May 2004

Barons Classic Auction, Sandown Park, Esher, UK
25th May

5th Rallye de Princesses, France
30th May - 4th June 2004

Silverstone Historic Festival, UK
26th April 2004

2nd Three Castles Welsh Trial
5th - 8th June 2004

see further event details

SERVICE

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