Posts Tagged ‘le mans’

2010 Bentley Continental GT Speed For Sale

Posted: February 24, 2016 by The Car Spy in Bentley, For Sale, Pre-owned
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It is hard to believe that the shape of the Continental has been with us for more than 12 years now and with the odd cosmetic tweak and engine upgrade it has managed to establish itself as the best selling Bentley by far. In fact, it is the main reason the company is now considered to be an instantly recognisable global brand which is no mean feat for a single model. Who knows, the Conti might do for Bentley what the 911 has done for Porsche over the decades.

In these times, it is the marketing man who sits at the top table with the company bosses and they look to him to mix his magic potions to eke out every drop of dream-inspiring imagery to help maintain market share of their brand and individual models. The Continental is a good example.

Think of a jolly jaunt down to Monaco in the blink of an eye, wafting along in a near-silent W12 to arrive refreshed at the Casino in time for a game or two of Black Jack.

How about a raucous blast in the Scottish Glens with a glorious V8 under the bonnet while the sports suspension lets you attack corners like Lewis Hamilton?

Fancy a cruise along the Pacific Highway from LA to San Diego? You can just picture yourself in a Continental GTC with the roof down soaking up the sun and the miles listening to Pink Floyd on the Naim audio system.

Get the point? Along with breaking ice speed records it seems there is a Continental for every occasion and for almost every year of production Bentley has tinkered with the ingredients to keep the model fresh in the public’s eye.

So far we have seen…..Mulliner Driving Specs, a Diamond Series, a GTZ, Series 51, Supersports, Speed 80-11 Editions, Design Series China, ISR Edition, GT Speed, GT Le Mans, GT3, GT V8S and GT3-R. Creative or what?

Most Continentals you will find on the road today will be the staple W12 or V8 Coupe but every now and then a ‘special edition’ will appear on our radar and this time it is a 2010 GT Speed W12.

The ‘Speed’ part of the moniker means that (for the 2010 year model) you could expect a not insignificant 602hp instead of the ‘standard’ car’s 552hp whilst sitting on slightly lowered suspension. In other words, it will give you an almighty shove in the back when you want it and is a genuine 200+ mph GT.

Finished in Moonbeam Silver with Beluga hide interior we have been asked to find a buyer for a particularly nice example of a GT Speed which was registered in May 2010 and has completed only 14000 miles since new. A recent service complements the already comprehensive history for the car and the MOT expires in May 2017.

This GT Speed car comes with the following optional extras:-

20″ Speed Dark Tint finish alloy wheels fitted with very good Pirelli PZero tyres, Convenience Specification, Front Massage Seats, Linen Contrast Stitching, Piano Black Trim, Alloy Fuel Filler Cap, CD Changer, Bluetooth, Rear View Camera, TV Tuner, Power Boot Function, Rear View Camera, Space-saving Spare Wheel, Drilled Alloy Sports Pedals, Multi-function Heated Steering Wheel in Single-tone Hide Trim with Brushed Switch Surround, Clear Protection Film to Front and Rear, Mirrors and Side Sills, Bright Chromed Matrix Grille plus Bright Chromed Lower Bumper Matrix Grille, Valet Key.

The following are standard features on the GT Speed:-

Auto-dimming Rear View Mirror, Bi-Xenon Headlamps, Automatic Headlights, Cruise Control, Diamond-quilted Seats, Diamond-quilted Leather Inserts, Electric Steering Column with Easy Exit, Key-less Entry, Heated Electric Seats, Power-fold Heated Mirrors with Memory, Telephone Voice Control, Infotainment System including Satellite Navigation, Multi-zone Climate Control, Rain-sensor Wipers, Tyre Pressure Monitoring, Ultrasonic Park Distance Control Front and Rear.

Phew – not many boxes were left unticked with this car it seems!

This splendid car is on sale at £67,250 so to find out more give The Car Spy a call on 01892 506970 or email sales@thecarspy.net

Please note that part exchanges may be considered.

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Enzo Ferrari: the accidental hero

Posted: February 7, 2016 by The Car Spy in Ferrari, Ford, General, Lamborghini
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Ferrari and Ford have both been in the news lately. A record euro amount was paid at auction for a 1957 335 Sport Scaglietti and Ford are back at Le Mans after 50 years with an ambition to win again.

The success of the Ford GT40 from the 60’s is well-documented and today remains one of motor racing’s all-time great successes. Thanks to Signore Enzo Ferrari.

So the story goes, the great man was willing to consider the sale of his company to Henry Ford II back in 1963 but because of a disagreement over how the motor racing division would be run Enzo cancelled the negotiations. HF II had spent a fortune in lawyer’s fees up to that point and was pretty miffed that EF just upped and walked away from the table.

As a result of the falling-out of the two alpha-males the racing division of Ford were tasked with building a Ferrari-beater to give Enzo a good spanking for his tantrum. A partnership with Lola ensued and the creation of Ford Advanced Vehicles Limited in England whose first-born was the fabled GT40. The rest is history as they say and now we look forward to the new Ford GT.

At about the same time Mr Ferrari was having another spat with a gentleman called Ferruccio. The chap who was making tractors had a few tips for Enzo to improve the ‘drivability’ of his cars which resulted in him receiving a bloody nose from the man from Maranello. Ferruccio Lamborghini decided to start building his own cars. Oh dear, Enzo did it again but we really should be grateful for the Miura, Countach, Gallardo, Aventador, Sesto Elemento etc etc.

On the face of it, if Enzo Ferrari had been a mild-mannered, passive, congenial individual neither the GT40 or the multiple creations from Lamborghini would have ever existed. Quite fortunate therefore that he wasn’t and not only did he create some of the world’s greatest cars himself but he also had a hand in the creation of some that did not wear a Ferrari badge.

Grazie mille Enzo Ferrari!

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New Bentley GT3-R For Sale

Posted: January 6, 2015 by The Car Spy in Bentley, For Sale, New Cars
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Bentley GT3-R

Hard to believe that the shape of the Continental has been with us for nearly 12 years now and with the odd cosmetic tweak and engine upgrade it has managed to establish itself as the best selling Bentley by far. In fact, it is the main reason the company is now considered to be an instantly recognisable global brand which is no mean feat for a single model. Who knows, the Conti might do for Bentley what the 911 has done for Porsche over the decades.

In these times, it is the marketing man who sits at the top table with the company bosses and they look to him to mix his magic potions to eke out every drop of dream-inspiring imagery to help maintain market share of their brand and individual models. The Continental is a good example.

Think of a jolly jaunt down to Monaco in the blink of an eye, wafting along in a near-silent W12 to arrive refreshed at the Casino in time for a game or two of Black Jack.

How about a raucous blast in the Scottish Glens with a glorious V8 under the bonnet while the sports suspension lets you attack corners like Lewis Hamilton?

Fancy a cruise along the Pacific Highway from LA to San Diego? You can just picture yourself in a GT Speed Convertible with the roof down soaking up the sun and the miles listening to Pink Floyd on the Naim audio system.

Get the point? Along with breaking ice speed records it seems there is a Continental for every occasion. However until recently one part of Bentley’s history had been relatively unexploited – the legendary Bentley Blowers that won at Le Mans in 1930. Enter the GT3 and GT3-R.

The GT3 was developed to establish Bentley as a properly competitive racing team again and to bring the marque firmly back on to the stage of worldwide motorsport – the marketing men were at it again.

Such was the positive reception to the arrival of Bentley to compete with the likes of McLaren, Ferrari and Porsche that it was not long before the company wheeled out a ‘normal’ road-going version for those petrol-heads with deep pockets. Hence we have the GT3-R.

Limited to a production run of only 300 the low-down is as follows:-

Engine power 580 PS 6000rpm and 700 N·m 1700rpm, torque vectoring for each of the rear wheels, shorter gearing, recalibrated control software, all-new titanium exhaust with 7 kg weight saving and retuned acoustics, forged 21-inch alloy wheels in gloss black, Pirelli tyres, sport-focused Electronic Stability Control programme, Carbon Silicon Carbide (CSiC) braking system (420 mm front and 356 mm rear brake discs, 8-piston front calipers in green), two-seat cabin with carbon fibre, Alcantara and leather interior upholstery; bespoke sporting seats with additional side support through deeper bolsters upholstered in Beluga black leather and diamond-quilted Alcantara, upholstered steering wheel and gear shifter, centre console and fascia panels in carbon fibre, carbon fibre door casings with diamond-quilted Alcantara inner panels, rear cabin with a carbon fibre surround and upholstered in leather and Alcantara, green hide colour on the seats, instrument panel, door panels, contrast stitching throughout the seats and diamond-quilted areas; GT3-R badging at centre console, passenger-side fascia panel, sill tread-plates; GT3-R stitching at seat headrests in with contrast-green stitching, carbon fibre fixed rear wing and boot lid, bonnet with two vents, Glacier White body colour with gloss carbon fibre contrasts, two-tone green graphics tracing two power lines to the side profile of the car (one leading backwards from the front wheel, the other tracing the shape of the Continental GT’s rear haunch), headlamp bezels, matrix grille, window surrounds and bumper strips in gloss black. Phew!

Want to buy one? Well, too late because they are all sold out. Top marks for the marketing bods again!

However, we know of a cancelled order GT3-R that is physical and can be purchased today so to find out more give The Car Spy a call on 01892 506970 or email sales@thecarspy.net

Steve McQueen and ‘Le Mans’ remembered at Top Gear Live

Posted: October 20, 2011 by The Car Spy in Shows
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To mark the launch of the all new event at London ExCeL Top Gear Live is celebrating 40 years of the legendary racing film Le Mans at the exclusive Top Gear Live London Gala on 24 November 2011.

In celebration of the film’s 40th anniversary, which starred Hollywood legend Steve McQueen, guests will gain an unforgettable insight into Le Mans as they watch original clips, view stills and marvel at behind-the-scenes footage while sharing the memories of those who were there.

VIP guests will also be joined by Chad McQueen, son of the late Steve Mc Queen, and racing legends Derek Bell and David Piper, as they reminisce on the making of the film – where both risked their lives as they brought to life McQueen’s dream: to create the best, most realistic film about motorsport ever.

Le Mans, which used cutting-edge techniques and filmed largely live, featured the Porsche 917 and the Ferrari 512 and is remembered for its breathtaking footage from the actual 1970 race.

This iconic piece of cinematography, which featured 26 high performance cars, 41 stunt drivers and some 350,000 French speaking extras, uniquely captures the exhilarating atmosphere of arguably the greatest race on earth.

Guests will also have an exclusive opportunity to get up close to David Piper’s original 1969 Porsche 917 which will be on display at the gala event.