Unusually, I'm writing this on Wednesday, a couple of days earlier than normal — the reason being the launch of our Bentley Brooklands book at Jack Barclay Bentley.

It's all very exciting and you can read about it in today's newsletter.

Used to living on the edge, I find it slightly unworldly to look over a week's news and features so far in advance. With the searing acceleration of the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570–4 Superleggera I drove in the summer still etched in my brain, the thought of an all–new, 700HP V12 from the Sant'Agata Bolognese manufacturer is an exciting one.

And hats off to Porsche, too, for upping the performance of the Cayman with its new 'R' version. There'll be some out there saying the performance is still not enough — yet I remember a conversation with one of the most significant automotive engineers of recent years (and a very handy driver), who strongly felt the standard Cayman could run rings round anything, short of the really powerful exotica.

A Rolex Air King will do everything the more expensive models do (okay, bar show the date). Likewise, a bog–standard, well–driven Cayman can hold its own against a 911 merely pointed and squirted down a twisty road. And they both have the same shield on the nose.

As ever, it's the power of marketing; the triumph of 'want' over 'need'.

Steve Wakefield Managing Editor sw@classicdriver.com

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