As it's the very last newsletter of 2010, let's take a backward glance at a year that started and ended in Arctic British weather — two periods of bitter cold that make the 31deg C, suffocating heat of the Le Mans Classic in July seem a lifetime away.

Gosh, there's been some travelling this year. If you include two visits to Le Mans, and combine that with the Monaco Historics, a few days in Pebble Beach, Paris for Rétromobile and then heading West Sussex–way for another brace of magnificent Goodwoods, it's been an action–packed 12 months.

And that's without soaking up the unique style of Villa d'Este, an event which I've personally never been to (but intend to, next year), or the unrivalled Techno Classica Essen, which is long overdue an Editorial visit.

During 2010, we've tested some extraordinary new cars including Bentley's new Mulsanne and totally revised Continental GT, plus the car on everyone's mind in the last few weeks: the brilliant New Stratos. My own 2010 started off with the February launch of the Aston Martin Rapide in Valencia, a very capable, elegant four–door with surprisingly agile performance.

Meanwhile, a brief drive in a Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570–4 Superleggera was a legs–to–jelly experience.

On the classic front, just a few weeks after the Rapide it was off to the Cotswolds to drive first a Maserati A6G/54GT Zagato Coupé, and then secondly, the magnificent 1955 Ferrari 375 Mille Miglia.

With a wide–diameter, studded wooden steering wheel in your hands, the big bonnet up ahead and an open road ahead of you, life in the driving seat of a 375 MM does not really get any better.

But, looking forward to 2011, with Scottsdale, USA and Kuwait trips already planned for January and February, who knows what the New Year will bring?

With very best wishes for Christmas and the New Year from everyone at Classic Driver.

Steve Wakefield Managing Editor sw@classicdriver.com

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