The Car Spy

2011 BMW F10 M5 For Sale

Posted: July 17, 2015 by The Car Spy in BMW, For Sale, Pre-owned
Tags: 2011 bmw f10 m5 for sale, bmw m5, e28, e34, e39, e60, f10, m5, silverstone, silverstone ii metallic, The Car Spy

It’s hard to believe that the BMW M5 has been around for nigh on 30 years. Some of those earlier models have become very sought-after classics now especially the E28 which was largely hand-built and just over 2000 were produced between 1985 and 1988.

Even by today’s standards the 282 hp generated by the 3.5 litre straight-six engine is pretty impressive so back then it must have blown everyone’ socks off – most family saloons would have struggled to get anywhere near 100 hp in those days.

In 1988 the E28 was replaced by the E34 M5 which stuck with the 6-cylinder format but by the time it went out of production power output was up to 335 hp. The car was also built by hand and although it took two weeks to build each car over 12,000 were eventually produced.

When the E39 M5 arrived in 1998 it marked the end of the hand-building process of the car and full-on mass-production meant that over 20,000 units were sold by 2003. The E39 also marked the move away from the legendary 6-cylinder engine to a V8 that could produce around 400 hp and sprint to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds. The M5 was now in supercar territory.

In 2005 the E60 M5 was acclaimed as the fastest four-door production saloon in the world. With a V10 engine producing 500 hp mated to a 7-speed sequential gearbox it was almost unbeatable. 60 mph came up in close to 4 seconds and any attempt to drive the car any quicker was a certain licence-killer. The car was a real fire-cracker and loved by every car reviewer including Jeremy Clarkson.

And so in 2011 the F10 version arrived which is still in production today. BMW decided to go back to a V8 formula but this time assisted by a twin-turbo. The net result was an increased power output of 560 hp with 680 Nm of torque to make sure that the car could still lead the pack from the front. The F10 lapped the Nurburgring in 7.55 seconds which is the fastest time recorded for an M5. Enough said.

Every car enthusiast should take time out to drive an M5 if they haven’t done so already. Any version will do because each model was built as a proper driver’s car with capabilities way beyond what might be required for everyday road use.

It is quite simply the best high-performance saloon ever made over the last 30 years.

And so we come to the F10 M5 that we are advertising on behalf of the current (BMW enthusiast) owner.

This one owner 2011 M5 was supplied new and serviced by Cooper Tunbridge Wells and has so far recorded 12,000 miles. The specification is as follows:-

Silverstone II Metallic
Black Extended Merino Leather
20″ M Double-spoke 343M Alloy wheels
Powered Boot-lid operation
Comfort Access
Soft-close Doors
Reversing Assist Camera
Through-loading ski bag
Split-folding rear seats
Lumbar support for driver and front passenger
Front M Multi-function seats
12V power sockets
High Beam assist
Surround-View
Internet
Loudspeaker system – BMW Professional
Telephone USB audio Interface
Mobile application preparation
Sun Protection Glass
Speed Limit Display

This car also comes with a BMW 5-year servicing plan and has the BMW Manufacturer’s warranty and MOT until November 2015.

Sorry this car is now SOLD!

For further details or to arrange a viewing of this M5 please contact The Car Spy on 01892 506970 or email sales@thecarspy.net

Why not subscribe to our newsletter to receive updates directly from The Car Spy? Click here to sign-up

The Challenge: Find a cool soft-top for less than £10k

Posted: July 16, 2015 by The Car Spy in Alfa Romeo, Audi, BMW, Honda, Mercedes Benz, MG, Nissan, Porsche, TVR
Tags: alfa romeo spider, audi tt, bmw m3, bmw z4, honda s2000, mercedes benz slk32 amg, mg mgb, nissan 350z, porsche boxster, tvr chimaera

And so the conversation started with: “I need some advice. I have a yearning for a soft-top that is not limp-wristed, must be fast and capable of putting a smile on my face. I have a budget of £10k and I want to buy the car and fuel for the summer with the money”. The challenge was on.

Our friend is a car enthusiast, drives an expensive Range Rover but luckily he is not too hung-up on badge snobbery. A mid-life crisis was unfolding however and the interest in a drop-top was likely to be short-lived especially when the balmy days of summer had turned into the dark, cold days of November. Residuals had better be half-decent then for whatever was chosen for the summer ride.

A quick search in the usual on-line showrooms revealed a surprising number of candidates that could potentially do the job for the man. So the plan was to produce a Top Ten list of candidates but it almost became a struggle to keep the list down to twenty such is the variety of choice out there.

However, performance and value for money became the cutting tools for slimming down the list and a magic Top Ten was finally accomplished based on the criteria we had set for the car.

Each car in our list will give you a pleasant shove in the back with at least 200bhp on tap (ahem, with the exception of one) and you will get to 60 mph in less than 7 seconds in most of them. Some will make a glorious sound in the process. Out of the £10k budget we have allowed for a grand’s worth of fuel and insurance to get through the summer.

If you are bothered about the name on the boot-lid then some of you might dismiss half of our suggestions with ease. For those of you with an open mind and a financial awareness that precludes any prejudices against driving a car more than two years old you will hopefully concur with our findings.

For added measure the cars we have listed are cars you can buy today (as long as they haven’t been sold before you read this article) so we have tried to make the choice as real as possible.

And so, in no particular order:

Honda S2000 – we sold quite a few of these back in the day and even today we can marvel at the sheer flexibility of Honda’s VTEC engine and its ability to rev up to 8000 rpm with ease. Depending on the year model of choice up to 247 hp will be available from the 2.0 litre and the later cars have nicer alloys. Graphite grey or black with a red or black/red interior are popular colours. This particular example would fit the bill very nicely at £9000.

Audi TT 3.2 V6 Quattro – The shape of the Mk 1 TT has stood the test of time well and Audi has struggled to improve on a design that was somehow just right at the very start of production. The silky-smooth V6 version offers 247 hp and married with the superb DSG gearbox this TT will eat up the miles with ease. Black and silver are preferred colours for the TT and this one looks spot on for £8246.

Nissan 350Z V6 Roadster – Shamelessly copying from the TT’s curvy shape but still managing to retain its own identity the 350Z dishes up a wholesome 287 hp. The 3.5 litre V6 powerplant also produces a nice snorty note which means driving with the roof down at every opportunity. Some colours can make the car look a little dumpy but this lovely burnt orange example for £8295 looks a peach.

BMW Z4 3.0 – Sadly the M Roadster was out of reach of our budget but the lusty 262 hp straight-six 3 litre is a capable substitute. Manuals are okay-ish but the splendid 6-speed auto box with flappy paddles makes for entertaining driving. Black or dark grey are good choices for colours and this low-mileage Z4 for £8395 ticks all the boxes for us.

Mercedes Benz SLK32 AMG – If there is one winner in the horsepower stakes amongst our choices then the SLK32 AMG romps home with first prize. The supercharged six-cylinder produces no less than 349 hp and (on paper at least) is likely to be the quickest car on our short-list. The engine noise is beguiling and this version of the SLK distances itself comfortably from the limp-wristed image of the lesser-powered SLK’s. Choose colours wisely and avoid the strange reds, blues and yellows – stick with safe silver or black like this one being advertised for £8950.

TVR Chimaera 4.0 – Such is the popularity of older TVR’s these days that is was surprising that we could find even one suitable car to include in our list. A 5.o Chimaera was our first target but finding anything less than a basket-case for under £10k was impossible. The 4.0 V8 however will rustle up 240 hp and will undoubtedly make the best noise of any of the cars on our list. The V8 soundtrack is intoxicating and you will be looking for excuses to find a tunnel on every trip. Any colour will do and our choice is this lovely-looking blue example on offer at £8999.

Porsche Boxster 3.2 – On the other hand there is a large choice (by comparison) of Boxsters out there so the key is to go for the 258 hp 3.2 and not the 2.7. Also look for the latest version you can find for the money. These cars are (almost) bullet-proof and wear the miles well whilst offering brilliant handling and eager performance that will put a large grin on your visage. Most will be found in tasteful, blues, blacks or silver and we found this splendid Seal Grey low-mileage 3.2 on offer at £8995

Alfa Romeo Spider V6 – Before you start mumbling about the unreliability etc of Italian cars take a deep breath and consider the virtues of the Alfa Spider. It is arguably the prettiest car on our list. An Alfa that has been cared for has been owned by somebody who loves their cars. For that reason they would have made sure that maintenance and any failed bits would have been taken care of under their stewardship. Our budget allows for the purchase of a 260 hp V6 version which is probably the best V6 engine ever made. Oh yes it is. Let your heart rule your head and be different with this classic Alfa Red example for a lowly £8250.

BMW M3 – The second BMW to appear on our list (not a surprise really) and it’s the E46 M3 with its energetic 330 hp straight six powerplant. The car is a joy to drive and once again this is a car that we have a great deal of experience with (including the earlier E36 M3). Service history is everything with these cars and avoid anything with missing BMW history in the early part of its life. The manual 6-speed gearbox is our preferred choice but the SMG sequential transmission is fun to live with. Most colours look good on the car and this Mystic Blue M3 looks very appealing at £9000.

MG MGB – Come on, if you are going to live the dream of classic open-top motoring then the MBG is still top of the list. Original early car values have gone ballistic now and you would need £20k to buy a decent example. For our budget we are looking at the later rubber-bumper cars which have been converted back to chrome and all of the US-spec rubbish bits removed. Performance will be underwhelming from the 95 hp 1.8 litre engine but that doesn’t matter because it will keep up with modern traffic all day long and make a nice noise whilst doing so. How about this Tartan Red model with chrome wire wheels for £8200? Could be worth a bit more than that by the time you sell it too!

So there you have it, a chance to let the wind blow through your hair this summer without breaking the bank. Most of the cars listed would depreciate by very little if anything at all and one or two might actually be worth a little bit more by the end of the year.

Which one did our friend go for? He hasn’t made up his mind yet since we gave him too much choice!

Feel free to let us know which soft-top you would choose or if you think there are any other cars out there that deserve to be on our list and why.

RS3 Sportback – DRIVEN

Posted: July 6, 2015 by The Car Spy in General

Snap, Crackle, Pop.

80’s kids will remember the trio of ‘Rice Krispies’ mascots and their relevant monikers…some 80’s kids (Well not many actually) will also remember the original Audi Quattro that blitzed the international WRC Rally stages and genuinely elevated Audi into the UK and European mainstream of household names…The spiritual ancestor for this car – The road going Audi Quattro ‘Coupe’ was of course recently serialised in the ‘Ashes to Ashes’ BBC 80’s cop drama.

On the way back from collecting a brand new Bentley GT Speed from leafy Surrey, James Scanlon at Tunbridge Wells Audi invited me to drop in and take the new RS for a spin. He said I could drive it as hard and as fast as I wanted and the only rule was if I crashed it – I bought it… (Only kidding James!) But of course, I duly obliged.

This new RS3, powered by a 2.5 litre 380 BHP Turbocharged 5 Cylinder (Half the Lamborghini V10 I’m told by James – he could be right there) sounds absolutely raucous. It almost at times has the same engine note, just a slightly muffled version as the Lambo block – the Gallardo V10 was one of our favourite cars to sell at TCS towers during the mid to late 00’s…

So what’s so special about this then and why should you buy one?

– It’s not chintzy like a Mercedes A45 AMG so you wont look like P-Diddy on a pay cut. Audi genuinely are the masters at understatement. Nobody – (but you and a few keen-eyed enthusiasts) will have a clue what the car is, and more importantly what it’s capable of). The only clues are – Wheels, Arches, Exhausts and maybe the subtle rear roof spoiler (take note Mercedes).

– It’s (currently) the most powerful hot-hatch on the market. Mercedes are due to increase the power output of the AMG A45 to 381 BHP – from 355 BHP – in a strange game of ‘My D is bigger than yours’ with their Ingolstadt rivals…There is of course the BMW M135i, lots of rear-wheel drive hooning – but I couldn’t live with its sad face or fat bottom. The RS3 hits 62 MPH in 4.2 seconds from a standstill.

– It feels lightweight and nimble, I had thought that the RS3 was lighter than the A45, but it turns out the A45 is actually lighter than the RS3! (Credit to Justin Rick @ Mercedes Tonbridge for pointing this out!). The A45 felt a heavier car, maybe through the more weighted steering feedback…

– It’s practical. Genuinely. Having been a ‘hot hatch’ fan-boy for many years now (After owning and driving all different types of cars) I feel that a fast hatchback is the ideal car for UK roads. UK roads are terrible, the weather is largely mixed and the roads just aren’t big enough to drive everywhere in something like the Bentley I had arrived in. This suits the Audi pocket-rocket and its fantastic Quattro system perfectly.

– It’s limited to 155 MPH. I know that the Germans have been doing this for some time now, but this car really feels like it could easily push through that barrier (174 MPH Unrestricted)…Of course I didn’t try this on public roads!

– It’s reassuringly expensive. Not joking, this demonstrator lists at over £42,000 OTR (WOW.) – Why is it a good thing? Because it’s a genuine performance car. I happened to be standing in a BMW dealership recently, looking at an M3 Saloon whist I was waiting to see somebody. I couldn’t help but notice the OTR price was quite a way over the £60k mark. £60k! Yes, it has 40 BHP more and looks quite fancy but come on…a 20k premium? ‘Small’ cars are getting bigger and more powerful…bigger cars are becoming more fuel-efficient and environmentally conscious. (Note the Audi A8 E-tron Hybrid, Mercedes S400 Hybrid and BMW Active 7 Hybrid). This is the way the market is being driven due to demand and customer buying attitudes.

So whats it like to drive? Quick. Very quick.

Like the rapid A45 AMG this RS3 is a genuine license loser. The soundtrack is addictive BUT it really can be driven sensibly when you aren’t pretending to be an 80’s rally driver. It isn’t deceptively fast, it feels physically fast with a soundtrack to match. This car had the standard exhaust system but I’m told it can be upgraded to a Sports Exhaust system – this I would be interested to hear! The whole thing (Engine et al) is mated to the superb 7 Speed Twin clutch (think DSG) gearbox that helps to really pull the car enthusiastically towards the horizon.

The suspension and ride are fantastic compared to its predecessor, I expected it to be a bit of a bone-shaker like the much maligned (but now collectible) previous 8P RS3 but it really coped exceptionally well over a large range of road surfaces. Interestingly the car seemed to adapt to my driving style through different conditions. You can change the driving dynamics of the car by using Audi’s drive select function activated through the MMI Screen. Settings are; Comfort, Auto, Dynamic or if you are feeling particularly ambitions – Individual. Audi’s often come under fire from road testers and the general motoring press in the UK for having a lack of steering feel or slightly underwhelming handling, my argument is yes, they often do feel like driving a car in a computer game, but they are often – like the RS3 – extremely competent. It does exactly what its supposed to do. It feels surefooted and well planted 99% of the time and only really skates or skits across the surface somewhat if you start to get a bit too trigger happy through some S-bends. For most drivers, this car is perfectly adequate and capable and will probably make you feel like a better driver than you actually are.

Fuel consumption, No idea. You don’t buy a car like this and worry about fuel, but the Audi boys tell me that the RS3 achieves around 34.9 MPG. Fascinating!

As a brief summary then – Yes, the RS3 gets my vote. A much improved and needed upgrade from the previous generation. Go buy it, even in that daft ‘primer’ grey colour. You can throw in your wife and kids (plus some luggage) and have a sensibly rapid, rally stage drive to the next town with a Sainsbury’s local.

Oh and if you were wondering – Snap, Crackle, Pop is the sound that comes from those exhausts (and the ensuing whiplash).

For more information about the new RS3 please call James Scanlon at Tunbridge Wells Audi on – 01732 808620‎ or of course contact us! Mark@TheCarSpy.Net or 01892 506970

Le Mans 2015 – A view from the inside track with Team Pistonheads

Posted: June 16, 2015 by The Car Spy in Alpine Renault, Aston Martin, Bentley, Classic Racing, General, Land Rover, LeMans, Lotus, McLaren, Motor Shows, New Models, Pistonheads, Porsche, Race Events, Renault Alpine, Shows

You know those ’scam’ emails you get, the ones where a man from (insert dodgy unspecified country) offers you either a large amount of money from a recently deceased, previously unknown family member, or they offer you a LaFerrari for 50 grand? Well of course they are always too good to be true. This was almost one of those situations. The email had come via Dawn at Rain PR, it came through to Richard and he forwarded to me along with the words ‘Wow…that is some invite!’

It was a private invitation to Le Mans for one of us, plus 39 other guests. Aston Martin pit access, your own private Le Mans ‘Fixer’ private ‘glamping-style facilities’ on site, there would also be booze and food also offered as part of the hospitality…

After speaking to the lady in question on the phone and confirming that everything was kosher, the short straws were drawn and fortunately I (Mark) drew the longest one, so would be the representative for TheCarSpy.Net over the duration of the weekend.

Dawn at Rain PR (Pistonheads PR partner) e-mailed me to say everything was confirmed and I would be receiving a special package via UPS the day before I would be due to leave (Friday the 12th). Katie Blake from Rain called me to check that I had received my parcel and that I had everything I needed for the trip, she would be our guide and personal assistant with us for the duration of our stay. It contained tickets, instructions and a PHLMS 2015 T-Shirt and Hoodie.

Thanks Pistonheads! #PHLM2015

Friday 12th – Le Mans arrival day

It was confirmed that I would be travelling to Le Mans by train, there was an option to travel by Bentley – (more on that to follow) but I decided that with the likely high intake of alcohol about to be consumed the train would be the better option for me. My Rain PR Le Mans prep pack informed me that I would be travelling with Stuart Masson from The Car Expert, I hadn’t met Stuart before but had heard about and read his blog. We exchanged a few messages before leaving and agreed it was easier to meet at the Eurostar Terminal at St Pancras.

After doing some last minute emails I left our offices just after 9 am and headed up to St Pancras to meet Stuart, he had told me to keep an eye out for his ‘Olympic Sized’ Australian flag (I thought he was joking!) that he had bought with him in support of fellow Aussie and Porsche LMP1 driver – Mark Webber…so as you can imagine it wasn’t particularly hard to spot Stuart when I did arrive at the terminal!

Meet and greet, Euros withdrawn and check-in sorted, we grabbed a quick snack and boarded the Eurostar to head to Paris.

We decided not to drink until we arrived at LeMans, the journey was spent mainly discussing current cars, general car chat and just about anything car-related. One thing that became obvious to me pretty quickly was the fact Stuart is hugely into motorsport – with a particular passion for the 24 hour race. I’d like to think I know quite a substantial amount about cars but to be fair, other than F1 I really don’t know a great deal about motorsport. The Car Expert then set about educating me on the different classes within Le Mans, what they meant, the drivers, which manufacturer was likely to win etc, etc.

The journey passed relatively quickly, we were booked on a train from Paris Montparnasse to Le Mans so would have to use our limited knowledge of GCSE French to navigate the Metro system (which is massive, slow and very hot) but we survived and resurfaced from the catacombs of Paris to board our train to LeMans. I must admit I was impressed with the TGV, its arguably quicker, cleaner and more efficient than the Eurostar.

We were receiving constant updates on WhatsApp from the PH crew travelling by Bentley convoy of their arrival times and status. Bentley Cambridge had kindly provided Pistonheads with four brand-new Bentleys – a Continental Flying Spur (CFS – as it’s known in the trade), GT Continental (GTC), GT Speed and a stunning flagship Mulsanne.

CFS, GTC and Mulliner

GT Speed W12

@Bentley_Cambs …you know you want to…

Upon our arrival, Catherine had texted us to say that Katie’s phone had died so we had some time to kill. Stuart suggested we head to the town square to watch the drivers parade. It was absolutely jam-packed so we headed to a bar with some outdoor seating to take in the sights, sounds and have our first pint (or two) together. If we could see the actual parade then apparently it looked something like this: (WOW. – thanks McLaren!)

The text from Katie came, so we headed to the tram stop that would take us all the way to LeMans. It was a short and relatively easy journey and the stop was a 5 minute walk from our private PH camp. After some faffing around and general confusion about which direction we were supposed to be heading, we managed to find Katie and she led us to the camp.

Upon arrival at the camp, we were shown the facilities and our tents for the trips, and introduced to the rest of the guests. The PH team made themselves known to us and the rest of the guests and within 20 minutes we were sat having a drink and a superbly cooked meal with Lee Williams (Executive Director of Pistonheads). After talking about cars, business and general PH-type chat for a long time, we decided it would be best to head to the ‘Pie and Piston’ – a Pistonheads-themed English Pub to mix it with other PH’ers and members. It was a quaint little set up that enough space for a beer garden and general pub-rowdiness. We met some interesting people including a great chap called Mike that had just taken delivery of his brand new Bentley GT3 R. He had been invited down by Bentley Cambridge to drive the car on the Mulsanne circuit as part of the celebrations. After chatting and drinking for quite some time (I even bumped into some old school friends – Si, Sean, Rob etc!) we decided it was probably best to head back (at 3am!) to be fresh for the big day.

Mike’s GT3 R – Supplied by Bentley Cambridge

Does exactly what it says on the tin…

Saturday 13th – Le Mans Race Day

The day I lost my Le Mans virginity.

Full-English was the best start to the day in such circumstances. Waking up at Le Mans is a bit like waking up in some kind of war zone, all you can hear is helicopters, screaming tyres and people shouting. Feeling slightly groggy, and the temperature at 26 degrees C (at 9am) some of us decided it may be an idea to go for a wander and see what we could find.

Stuart and I walked down to the car park not far from our camp site to be greeted by the PH VIP cars and also the McLaren VIP’s next door. It was a compound full of P1’s, F1’s, 575’s and just about every McLaren imaginable…BUT it was cordoned off and I couldn’t see anybody from McLaren that I recognised. We really wanted to get in so we started to charm the lady at the gate in our best/worst English ‘with a French sounding accent’ whist pulling sad faces and somehow it worked…we were in! We managed to have a quick chat with a few people that we knew (between the photos) one being Tim Burton, AKA Shmee150 who’s fresh back from his Gumball 3000 trip across Northern Europe and the USA.

Can you guess what it is yet?

McLaren were making quite a large song and dance about their involvement over the weekend – This was because it was the 20th anniversary of the F1 GTR winning the Le Mans 24 Hour. As you can see from the photos below, they really wheeled out the big guns….

LM25

We decided it best to walk up the race village, this is a purpose-built area full of bars, display cars, show cars, sponsor items, and interesting things (there was a 911 GT3 RS Cup built from LEGO!)…It was also a good time to catch up with some more of the VIP crew and chat about cars and life in general. Katie introduced me to Nihal, a lovely Land Rover enthusiast from op’ north who’s big into cars and shooting (that’s clay/game shooting not drive-by shooting). After grabbing some supplies (and a lot of water) we decided to find a good vantage point to see the start of the race. Sadly there was no way of getting near the start finish line so we found a space on a banked corner instead….by this time it was absolutely boiling! Anticipation was rapidly building amongst the crowd with the clock ticking closer to 3PM. Fortunately a bunch of really, REALLY shouty French guys positioned themselves right next to us to keep us entertained (We had no idea what they were shouting). Anyway, with ‘La Marsellaise’ blasting out of the PA system and the huge partisan crowd belting out ‘Marchons..Marchons…Qu’un sang impur…’ etc, it was LIGHTS OUT and the race was on!

Wouldn’t fancy your chances in a crash…

Decent vantage point for the first few laps

Katie had kindly arranged with David Adams at Aston Martin Racing for us to go backstage during the race, we weren’t quite sure what to expect, or what we were going to see even, but all I can say is that it was far beyond expectation. David led us through security, reminded us to be super careful – this was very much a live area and literally anything could happen at any given point. On a couple of occasions we had to watch our backs as mechanics raced past us with tyres etc for the pit stop teams at the side of the track. David showed us various parts and tyre sets for the cars, he explained that one of the Astons (#97) was an ‘Art car’ designed by German Abstract artist Tobias Rehberger. As we navigated through to the front of the garage we were placed in a pen of sorts and told to wait there as two cars would be coming in for pit stops, it was fascinating to experience this just a few feet from the drivers and mechanics, you gain incredible awareness of the gravity of the situation, almost like you can feel the tension in the air, but the most awe-inspiring part was the noise! THAT NOISE! It’s like nothing I’ve ever heard…like a really angry loud dog mixed with thunder? Fortunately I grabbed a recording of car #99 pitting to show you all.

Yes…that’s how close we were!

Aston Martin Art Car detail, pic courtesy of Aston Martin Racing

After our Aston visit, we headed back to the camp for our evening meal, most of the talk was about our experience so far, particularly the noise and tension in the pits! As soon as the sun had set we decided to head back out and do pretty much the same as the night before. This time we had the fascinating prospect of seeing the cars race at night, somehow it all looks much faster and seems more visually dramatic. With the clock heading into the early hours of the morning we were starting to feel really drained, I ended up rambling to Luke from PH about our skiing experiences and favourite jaunts in Austria (mainly about how rubbish I am) the Pro Plus tablets just weren’t working and there definitely wasn’t a can of Red Bull in sight…I had boldly predicted that I would ‘easily’ stay up the whole night, I was in bed by 3.30.

Sunday 14th – Le Mans Final Day

Awoken at 8.30 by some serious noise! It’s at that point you actually realise the race genuinely lasts 24 hours. We were positioned probably less than 100 meters from the race track so you really could hear every gear change and every dab of the throttle. Its strange because you almost ’tune out’ the noise during the day and night, it becomes normal – like a constant. (It also definitely proves that I have selective hearing!)

Whilst filling up on breakfast, Stuart was informing me about latest state of play, Porsche had a 1-2 in the LMP1 Class and in the GT Class Aston Martin were winning, he was happy with Webber’s performance and so was happy with Aston’s, but he did advise me that anything could happen. The drivers become extremely tired and the focus drops off allowing for elementary mistakes that would usually never happen in other disciplines of motorsport. Later that day at 2.15 pm, almost twenty-three and a half hours into the race, the leader of the GT class in Aston Martin number 98 momentarily lost his concentration and wrecked his car, sadly his and his teams race over with nothing to show for it but it proved exactly what Stuart had told me earlier.

Le Mans fact: Did you know that each team is supposed to have at least three drivers to share the endurance? Years ago however some drivers would actually do the whole event solo – can you imagine 24 hours behind the wheel without sleep while racing a 1000hp behemoth?

I had decided my personal itinerary for the day was: firstly, visit and scale the ferris wheel, the view from up there is incredible. My only regret is that I didn’t go up at night – I highly recommend you to do this if you have the chance!

The dove from above!

Secondly to check out the new Aston Martin GT12 and Corvette C7 ‘R Edition’ for a customer – Objective achieved. (I’ve even managed to place an order for one)

Then to check out the new Renault Alpine concept, a sub £50k lightweight affordable sports car for 2016 – Sadly I only managed to get a shot of the rear…

To visit the Ford v Ferrari showcase. Some seriously valuable cars here…a few that you may even have diffic!ultly placing a value on. For example – the first car we stumbled across was a 250 GTO!

To witness the winner of Le Mans and the end of the 24 hours. This time it was Ex F1 star – Nico Hulkenberg’s turn in Porsche (LMP 919) number 19 completing a massive 395 laps in total with his team.

Porsche #19 Hulkenburg and Co...Winners 2015!

Finally, it was time to say our goodbyes to the rest of the camp and dash back to Paris in time to catch our Eurostar home…it was almost emotional! Stuart and I had Ben Travis from the Evening Standard and his long serving friend Jack in tow to keep us company, a really top couple of guys.

That’s all from me…I must say it was fantastic meeting everybody and I would love to head back next year.

I had a couple of Le Mans ‘Car Spy’ T-shirts printed for the weekend but I guess they aren’t of any use now other than to wear whilst I’m running or gym-ing…still, no publicity is bad publicity they say, right?

M (The Car Spy)

Thanks to:

Pistonheads (and the PH crew) – http://www.Pistonheads.com

Rain PR – http://www.RainCommunications.co.uk

Bentley Cambridge – http://www.vindis.bentleymotors.com

Aston Martin Racing – In particular David Adams – http://www.astonmartin.com/racing

Haymarket Media Group – http://www.haymarket.com

All of the welcoming accommodating people I had the pleasure of meeting.

Special thanks to:

Lee Williams and Ruben Burton (Pistonheads) – Fantastic pair of guys – the future of Pistonheads is in safe hands.

Stuart Masson (The Car Expert) – Race informant/Le Mans Knowledge Specialist – 5 times Le Mans Veteran.

Katie Blake (Rain PR) – Thanks for organising everything – and looking after me – the Queen of PR!

Full Album here (Photos taken on iPhone 6)

New Left Hand Drive Porsche 911 (991) GT3 For Sale

Posted: April 15, 2015 by The Car Spy in For Sale, Left Hand Drive, New Cars, Porsche
Tags: 911, 991, carrera white, GT3, Left Hand Drive, Porsche, porsche 911 gt3, The Car Spy

2014-porsche-911-gt3-1

There are some cars which will always command a lot of attention whenever a new version is announced and the Porsche 911 GT3 is one of them. Since the first GT3 version was launched way back in 1999 just over 14000 have been produced and of those that still survive each one has appreciated in value. In other words, they have been a solid-gold automotive investment.

A few years ago we sold a well cared-for 2005 996 GT3 which would be worth around £70k today…..

2005_Porsche_911_GT3_-_Flickr_-_The_Car_Spy_(19)

And also this drop-dead gorgeous 2010 997 GT3 RS which would set you back in excess of £135k in today’s money – possibly even more than that soon as values continue to rise northwards.

2010_Porsche_911_GT3_RS_-_Flickr_-_The_Car_Spy_(29)

We cant tell you what the owners paid for these cars when they bought them from us but they will be comforted by the fact that their GT3’s are akin to having a barrel full of diamonds in the garage. Nice.

The latest (991) GT3 had barely been announced when the right hand drive allocation was sold out – it seems the desire for a GT3 burns bright here in the UK

The only other option it seemed was to purchase a left-hooker since the factory would make a few more of those to satisfy (most of) the rest of the world.

Fortunately we have access to a brand new, unregistered, left hand drive GT3 which has just arrived in the UK from Germany and is vat qualifying.

The specification is as follows:-

Carrera White (Solid)
Leather and Alcantara Interior
GT3 Wheels in Anthracite
Front Axle Lifting System
Dynamic Light System (PDLS)
Sport Seat 6 Point [heated] (Including Harness)
Tracking system (VTS)
Floor mats
Phone Prep
PCM with Navigation
Sound package
Aluminium Interior Trim
Alcantara Steering Wheel
Alcantara Armrest Lid
Red Harness Belts

Just for the record the latest incarnation of the GT3 features a 3.8 litre, flat-six engine mated to a PDK transmission which together produce 475 hp. The car is capable of providing a 0-60 mph time of 3.0 seconds and a top speed of 195 mph according to the manufacturer.

For further details and pricing please get in touch in the first instance on 01892 506970 because we are not expecting this sought-after GT3 to be available for very long or drop The Car Spy an email at sales@thecarspy.net.

The Car Spy

Welcome to The Car Spy!

Enter a Keyword to….

Recent Posts

Subscribe

Contents

Follow us via Email

Blog Stats