ClassicInside - The ClassicDriver Newsletter

ClassicInside – The Classic Driver Newsletter

Edition 20/2004

May 28th 2004

This edition is sent to 27.266 subscribers

Editorial

Motor Shows come to Great Britain every two years, so there is always pent-up anticipation of the new cars on display. The great British public will soon be let loose on the manufacturers' stands, particularly next week when national school holiday start. Of course we 'Classic Drivers' like to know what's going on before then, and as always it was tremendously interesting seeing what the luxury and prestige manufacturers are up to. You can read the review in the article below; suffice it to say 'all the usual suspects' certainly delivered the goods. The DB9 has the ability to make hardened writers stop in their tracks, the 612 Scaglietti is a truly magnificent machine with a surprising amount of cabin space and the Maserati MC12 is a total knock-out for its navy-dyed carbon-fibre bodywork alone.

You'll also find a great article from the excellent 'Cars for the Connoisseur' magazine on Aston PR man Mike Ashley's exploits in THE Bond DB5 in the early post-Goldfinger, film publicity days. I can't quite believe the story of using the revolving number plates, but you wouldn't want to disbelieve such a nice chap would you?

There's not long now to the Le Mans Classic, and the grid we publish this week shows it will be an absolute cracker. If you had not thought of going, or preferred only the main race in June, you really should double-check that diary again. It was great last time and this year, with an extra grid, longer hours of daylight and warmer weather, it can only be better. We will be there in force and hope to give you a unique trackside report on the eve of the race.

So there'll still be time to pack the bags and make that last-minute trip. And having sampled the Bentley Continental GT, Aston Martin DB9 and Ferrari 612 this week I can think of a few suitable cars to do it in.

Steve Wakefield
Managing Editor
sw@classicdriver.com

*THIS WEEK IN CLASSIC DRIVER*
Cannonball 8000 Rally 2004 September 17th, 18th, 19th 2004 sees the latest chapter in the Cannonball rally saga with the second London to Monaco three day Cannonball 8000 Rally aimed at some of Europe's high profile car enthusiasts... read the complete article
Aston Martin meets James Bond's 'Goldfinger' In the June issue of 'Cars for the Connoisseur' Mike Ashley describes how he took on the onerous task of taking the James Bond Aston Martin DB5 literally round the world to each premiere of Goldfinger forty years ago... read the complete article
Mille Miglia 2004 – the legend lives on! This year’s Mille Miglia Retrospective took place from 6 - 9 May, the 27th running of the event. Every year new fans and classic car enthusiasts are drawn into the magic of this unbelievable road race from Brescia to Rome and back again... read the complete article
Le Mans Classic 2004 - the countdown begins... With just eight weeks to go before one of the world's premier historic motor-racing events, we now have a pretty definitive line-up for the event. Many of the cars and drivers that made the inaugural 2002 race such a success are there as well as a completely new, more modern class... read the complete article
British Motorshow 2004 Motorshow on Press Day. Great ambience, the cars are at their best and the manufacturers’ stands and staff are positively purring. Nearly ten days of meeting and greeting await our brave car makers. But Press Day is special, and it’s also the day the celebrities turn out for their favoured marques, like Maserati’s latest signing, supermodel Jodie Kidd... read the complete article
Porsche announce new Turbo 'S' Coupe and Cabrio The new Porsche 911 Turbo S builds on the awe-inspiring attributes of the 911 Turbo, and takes the driving experience to a new, higher level. The Turbo S, which is available both as a Coupe and Convertible, is based on the current 996 generation 911 Turbo and will join the broadest ever range of 911 models when it goes on sale in August... read the complete article
Christie's at Jack Barclay Showroom, London 7th June 2004 - Preview Ferrari and Rolls-Royce. Two of the greatest names in motoring and, at Christie’s next London Sale, 31 of the 42 lots will be from these marques. No less than 18 Ferraris, all from the ‘M’ Collection, are under the hammer including this alloy-bodied 1966 275GTB 6C estimated at £160,000 - 200,000... read the complete article
All-Porsche auction in Reims, June 5 - 6 2004 With 8 years experience of selling historic and collectible Porsches, ‘Automobilia’ will organize the first Porsche-only auction in Europe. This sale will take place in the famous Chateau Vranken Pommery in Reims on the 5 - 6 June. Around 30 cars, all technically inspected and valued, are expected to be entered... read the complete article
Bonhams at Monaco 15th May 2004 - Review The classic and Historic racing car world was rocked to its foundations at Monaco on Saturday 15 May 2004 when Bonhams achieved the modern record price of more than EUR 1,400,000 for the star lot offered – the actual Formula 1 Ferrari F1/2000 in which Michael Schumacher not only won the last four Grand Prix races of the 2000 season, but also secured Ferrari’s breakthrough Drivers’ World Championship... read the complete article

Advertisement PREMIUM OFFERS
Bentley Pre-War Speed 6 THE EX-MAHARAJAH OF JAIPUR 1930 BENTLEY SPEED 6 TWO DOOR COUPE BY HJ MULLINER. This delightful Speed 6 was originally supplied to the Maharajah of Jaipur in October 1930 and is one of only a handful of two door coupes extant. Interestingly there are only about 30 Speed 6’s worldwide known to retain their original coachwork of any design, most cars having been re-bodied as Le Mans replicas. In 1937 it was purchased by the Becker family, and was cherished in their careful ownership for 38 years until 1975 when was sold for a record price at a Christie’s auction to its third owner…. who also kept it for nearly 30 years. The car is highly original throughout retaining all its original mechanical components as well as its original and very sporting coachwork, which includes a large sunroof - presumably to accommodate for the Indian weather conditions ! It was the subject of a full restoration by Tony Townsend in the 1980s, and following the completion of the work has been used regularly, its journeys having included a number of trips from England to the Côte d’Azur. It is presented in beautiful condition throughout and is finished black with tan leather interior. The history is well documented with a large and comprehensive file including numerous old photographs, letters and correspondence.. Colour Black Interior colour Tan Drive RHD Year 1930 Chassis No. LR 2778 Engine No. NH 2748 (original) Dealership: Jonathan Procter Central London (nr Hyde Park) - visitors by appointment please Phone +44 (0)207 262 8330 see all details see complete stock from this dealer
Austin Healey 3000 ex-Works, Pat Moss, Rome-Liege-Liege Rally-winner For Sale by Auction 7th June 2004 Exceptional Motor Cars Including Property from the 'M' Collection Jack Barclay Showroom, 2-4 Ponton Rd, Nine Elms, London SW8 5BA Sale commences at 18.00 Colour Red with White hardtop interior colour Black Drive RHD Year 1960 Chassis No. HBN7/8446 Engine No. 29D HUH/12161 Price estimate GBP 70,000 - 100,000 Dealership: Christie's Sale at Jack Barclay Showroom 7th June 2004 The Jack Barclay Showroom, 2-4 Ponton Rd, London SW8 5BA Phone +44 (0)207 389 2851 see all details see complete stock from this dealer
Aston Martin DB7 Vantage Coupe 6 speed, leather, full history, Aluminium Pedals, Heated Screen. Colour Skye Silver Interior colour Charcoal Hide Drive RHD Year 2001 Mileage 5.000 m / 8.047 km PRICE 69.950 GBP Dealership: Stratton Motor Company (Norfolk) Limited Ipswich Road, Long Stratton, Norwich, Norfolk, NR15 2XJ Phone +44-(0)1508-530 491 see all details see complete stock from this dealer

EVENTGUIDE

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

The Sunday Times British Motorshow, NEC, UK
27th May - 6th June 2004

Louis Vuitton Classic, Waddesdon Manor, Aylesbury, UK
5th June 2004

Stanford Hall - ‘The UK’s Premier Italian Car Concours’
6th June 2004

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

Motor Racing Legends Pre-War Sports Car Series, Nürburgring, Germany
26th - 27th June 2004

Goodwood Festival of Speed, Goodwood, W.Sussex, UK
25th - 27th June 2004

see further event details

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