This the second of two parts to the report on the Salon Privé event. The first covers the Supercar displays and this one covers the rest of the event.

SALON PRIVE

Most of the special displays for the three day Salon Prive “proper” had been removed, but the area that had been used was still accessible and there were things to see here. The dealers and manufacturers who generally had stands around the perimeter of the lawn were still present and the centre had been filled mostly with a special display of Porsche models.

ASTON MARTIN

Although not the first in the DB series, this is undoubtedly the best-known, and needs little in the way of an introduction, as this model is famous for being the most recognised cinematic James Bond car, first appearing in the James Bond film Goldfinger The DB5 was a follow-on to the DB4, designed by the Italian coachbuilder Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera. Released in 1963, it was an evolution of the final series of DB4. The principal differences between the DB4 Series V and the DB5 are the all-aluminium engine, enlarged from 3.7 L to 4.0 L; a new robust ZF five-speed transmission (except for some of the very first DB5s); and three SU carburettors. This engine, producing 282 bhp, which propelled the car to 145 mph, available on the Vantage (high powered) version of the DB4 since March 1962, became the standard Aston Martin power unit with the launch in September 1963 of the DB5. Standard equipment on the DB5 included reclining seats, wool pile carpets, electric windows, twin fuel tanks, chrome wire wheels, oil cooler, magnesium-alloy body built to superleggera patent technique, full leather trim in the cabin and even a fire extinguisher. All models have two doors and are of a 2+2 configuration. Like the DB4, the DB5 used a live rear axle At the beginning, the original four-speed manual (with optional overdrive) was standard fitment, but it was soon dropped in favour of the ZF five-speed. A three-speed Borg-Warner DG automatic transmission was available as well. The automatic option was then changed to the Borg-Warner Model 8 shortly before the DB6 replaced the DB5. The high-performance DB5 Vantage was introduced in 1964 featuring three Weber twin-choke 45DCOE side-draft carburettors and revised camshaft profiles, delivering greater top-end performance at the expense of overall flexibility, especially as legendary Webers are renowned as ‘full-throttle’ devices. This engine produced 315 hp. Only 65 DB5 Vantage coupés were built. Just 123 convertible DB5s were produced (also with bodies by Touring), though they did not use the typical “Volante” name until 1965. The convertible model was offered from 1963 through to 1965. Originally only 19 of the 123 DB5 Convertibles made were left-hand drive. 12 cars were originally fitted with a factory Vantage engine, and at least one further convertible was subsequently factory fitted with a DB6 specification Vantage engine. A rare factory option (actually fitted by Works Service prior to customer delivery) was a steel removable hard top. From October 1965 to October 1966, Aston Martin used the last 37 of the Aston Martin DB5 chassis’ to make another convertible model. These 37 cars were known as “Short Chassis” Volantes and were the first Aston Martins to hold the “Volante” name. Although calling it a “Short Chassis” is a bit of a misnomer as the “short” comes from comparing it to the subsequent DB6, which has a longer chassis. When compared to the DB5, it is not “short” but rather the same size, however these cars differ to the DB5 convertible models as they feature DB6 split front and rear bumpers and rear TR4 lights, as also used on the DB6.

As well as the coupe and convertible model there was the Shooting Brake, the only example built by the factory. Apparently commissioned to accommodate David Brown’s gundog and polo equipment, the Shooting Brake order was put in by dealer Cyril Williams of Wolverhampton. The alloy body was built by London coachbuilder Harold Radford & SOns and attracted so much attention that 11 further cars were built for various customers, although this was the only one to Vantage specification.

As with many other Aston Martin models, a high-performance Vantage model of the Virage would later be introduced. First shown at Birmingham in September 1992, the Vantage was produced from 1993 through 2000 and, like many other Aston Vantage models would soon become the only variant available. The Virage name lasted just a few years, with its final descendants inheriting the simple and familiar V8 name. The Vantage had new styling with only the roof, doors and wing mirrors shared with the Virage. The wing mirrors were later replaced in favour of the ones from the Jaguar XK8/XKR. The Vantage is wider, lower, used four round tail lights (later adopted for the base V8 Coupe), and featured new rear suspension and interior electronics. Like the 6.3, the Vantage used record-sized 362 mm (14 in) brake discs and 18 inch wheels. The biggest change to the Vantage was inside the engine compartment. The 5.3 L (5,341 cc) V8 engine now used twin superchargers. Power output was now 550 bhp, and the torque was equally high at 555 lb/ft (752 Nm) at 4,000 rpm. Top speed was 300 km/h (186 mph), with acceleration to 60 mph taking 4.6 seconds.Customers cars could be returned to Works Service starting in 1998 to be converted to V600 specifications, where the engine was upgraded to 600 bhp at 6,200 rpm and 600 lb/ft (813 Nm) of torque at 4,400 rpm. In 2000, Aston Martin’s Works Service unit also built nine bespoke Vantage Volante models (convertibles), one of which was built to long wheelbase

There was another example of the Valkyrie here.

The Valour was first presented in July 2023. The production is limited to 110 examples, to celebrate the carmaker’s 110th anniversary. The Valour has a 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 engine based on that of the 2018 DBS. The Valour has the same philosophy and design as the Victor, which is also inspired by the 1977 V8 Vantage, but they do not share a direct platform. The Valour rides on a platform developed from the 2018 Vantage and DBS, with an aluminium chassis and a 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 engine producing 705 bhp and 753 N⋅m (555 lb/ft) of torque, mated to a 6-speed manual transmission made by Graziano. The Victor, on the other hand, is a one-off vehicle based on the One-77, with a carbon fibre monocoque chassis and the One-77’s 7.3-litre naturally aspirated V12 engine refined by Cosworth to produce 836 bhp and 822 Nm (606 lb/ft) of torque, which is also paired with a 6-speed manual transmission made by the Italian company. So, while both have retro designs and are limited-run, the Victor is based on the One-77 and the track-only Vulcan, while the Valour is closer to the DBS and Vantage.

The DB12 was introduced as a replacement for the DB11. More of a heavy facelift than an all new model, it is quite hard to tell apart from its predecessor.

In 2017 Aston Martin announced a limited series production of the Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato; the latest creation from its long-standing partnership with the prestigious Italian design-house Zagato. The Vanquish Zagato Concept was unveiled to great acclaim at the prestigious Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este at Lake Como, Italy in May 2016. The Vanquish Zagato is available in 4 body styles – coupé, convertible, speedster, or shooting brake. 99 each were built of the coupé, convertible, and shooting brake, while a mere 28 speedsters were made, for a total of 325 cars. The Vanquish Zagato features the same AM29 V12 from the Vanquish S, which has a power output of 603 PS and 630 Nm (465 lb/ft) of torque, allowing the Vanquish Zagato to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.5 seconds before reaching a top speed of 324 km/h (201 mph). Registered on 1st May 2019, this car was run in on the drive down to Brescia two weeks later before participating in the 2019 Mille Miglia, where the car formed part of a 12 car team formed by Andrea Zagato.

The Aston Martin Vulcan is a two-door, two-seat, high-performance lightweight track-only car launched in 2015 at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. The Vulcan was designed by Aston Martin’s creative officer Marek Reichman, taking inspiration from then-current Aston Martin models such as the Vantage, the DB9 and the One-77. Production totalled 24 cars, one for each hour at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with each priced at US$2.3 million. One was included with the penthouse of Aston Martin Residences tower in Miami. The engine, a 7.0-litre naturally-aspirated V12, mounted in an aluminium alloy chassis with a carbon fibre body, has a power output of 831 PS at 7,750 rpm and 575 lb/ft (780 Nm) of torque at 6,500 rpm. The top speed (without the wing) is 208 mph (335 km/h) and 0-60 time is 2.9 seconds. The Vulcan is fitted with a magnesium torque tube which has a carbon fibre propeller shaft, a limited-slip differential and an Xtrac 6-speed sequential transmission. The car has a dry kerb weight of 1,350 kg (2,976 lb). It uses Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, which are fitted on 19 inch APP-TECH wheels that feature centerlock design. Stopping power is aided courtesy of carbon-ceramic brakes, which measure 380 mm (15 in) at the front, 360 mm (14 in) at the rear, and are produced by Brembo. Engine power delivery is selectable using a selector knob in the car, with the first option setting the power to 507 PS, the second option setting the power to 684 PS, and the third and final option allowing the engine to deliver the full 831 PS of power output. The Vulcan generates GT3-car levels of downforce via its prominent front splitter, rear diffuser and adjustable rear wing. Aston Martin states that the car will produce 324 kg (714 lb) at 100 mph (160 km/h) and 1,362 kg (3,003 lb) at its Vmax speed. The car has a race-derived pushrod suspension with anti-dive geometry and is complemented by Multimatic’s Dynamic Suspension Spool Valve (DSSV) adjustable dampers and anti-roll bars, front and rear driver-adjustable anti-lock braking, and variable traction control. Like the Ferrari FXX, 599XX, FXX-K, and the McLaren P1 GTR, the Vulcan must be approved to drive on track day events by the factory. However, unlike those cars, customers can keep the car on their own. The AMR Pro package for the Vulcan was unveiled at the 2017 Goodwood Festival of Speed. The package contains extra aerodynamic pieces to enhance the performance of the car, with the presence of an enhanced dual-element rear wing with a Gurney flap, large dive planes, side wheel arch louvres, and turning vanes designed to improve steering response.[10] These improvements allow the car’s downforce performance to increase by 27%. Balance has been improved as well, with a 47/53 weight distribution, due to the majority of the pressure going towards the centre of the car. The car still has the same 7.0-litre naturally-aspirated V12 engine as the standard Vulcan, with the power output being unchanged. The 6-speed transmission is also retained unchanged, but shorter final driver ratio is used in order to improve acceleration. All existing cars can be fitted with the AMR Pro package by the Aston Martin Q division at the owner’s request.

This is a One-77, a two-door, two-seater flagship sports car, which was first shown at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, although it remained mostly covered by a “Saville Row tailored skirt” throughout the show. It was revealed in full at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, and deliveries from the beginning of 2011. Prior to the One-77’s Paris Motor Show debut, various details about the car were revealed, but official specifications were not fully revealed until the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. The One-77 features a full carbon fibre monocoque chassis, a handcrafted aluminium body, and a 7,312 cc DOHC 4 valves per cylinder with Variable Valve Timing V12 engine developing 750 hp at 7,500 rpm and 553 lb/ft of torque at 5,000 rpm. Aston Martin claimed the engine to be the most powerful production naturally aspirated engine in the world when the first car was delivered. The car utilises a strengthened version of the DB9’s 6-speed automated manual transmission and height-adjustable pushrod suspension coupled with dynamic stability control. The car features Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres (255/35 ZR20 front, 335/30 ZR20 rear) and Carbon Ceramic Matrix brakes. The top speed was estimated to be 220 mph (350 km/h) and actual tests in December 2009 showed a figure of 220.007 mph (354.067 km/h), with a 0–60 mph acceleration time of approximately 3.5 seconds. The engineering and manufacturing of the carbon fibre chassis and suspension system was contracted to Multimatic of Canada. The projected weight was 1,500 kg (3,307 lb), but the production model weighs 1,630 kg (3,594 lb). The CO2 emissions of the One-77 are rated at 572 g/km. The production of the One-77 was limited to 77 cars, forming part of the name One-77, and sold for 1,15m. In May 2012, one of the 77 was involved in a crash in Hong Kong and was written-off, reducing the number of total cars in existence to 76

BENTLEY

Making another appearance here after its debut in 2022 was the ultra exclusive Batur. Limited to a production run of just 18 cars, the Batur is the latest coachbuilt vehicle to be created by Mulliner. While the roofless Bacalar features a barchetta-style body, offering an elemental, open-air driving experience, the Batur is a sleek hard-top coupé, characterised by a new, minimalist design language that will define the Bentley style in the forthcoming electric car era. The incredible performance of the Batur, however, is driven by much more than its rapier-like silhouette. Beneath its gleaming bonnet lies the most powerful expression ever of the 6.0 litre, twin-turbocharged Bentley W12 engine. As the age of the petrol-powered grand tourer nears its conclusion, the Batur stands as an incredible celebration of this iconic powertrain. Like every coachbuilt car Mulliner creates, the Batur offers a level of luxury that only Mulliner can achieve, thanks to a veritable showcase of cutting-edge techniques and materials. In short, the Batur is more than just a car. It is a thrilling vision of Bentley’s future. It costs in excess of £1.6 million. I have to say, I remain rather underwhelmed.

This was a rare chance to see a Bacalar in person. Bentley has been incredibly slow to cash-in on the trend for megabucks in-house specials. While almost every other luxury and supercar brand from Aston Martin to Lamborghini has tapped into demand for $1-million-plus low-volume halo cars, Bentley has been busy focusing on its regular production models. But that all changes with this new Bacalar roadster from Bentley’s Mulliner special projects team. You might remember the bright yellow Bacalar concept revealed last March – it would have been the focal point of Bentley’s Geneva stand if the show hadn’t been cancelled. Bentley has started to deliver the first of 12 customer cars, and it let us get close to the Car Zero development Bacalar and revealed some incredible details about the build process that might help explain why it costs $2m (£1.5m). Bentley claims its Mulliner division is the oldest coachbuilder in the world, being almost as old as the brand itself. Originally an independent company that gained a reputation for its work clothing Bentley and Rolls-Royce chassis, it was acquired in 1959 by Rolls-Royce, which had swallowed Bentley up over 25 year earlier. Mulliner stayed with Bentley when BMW took Rolls-Royce, and these days Mulliner’s operations are split into three. There’s Mulliner Collections, which can sort paint-to-sample colours or bespoke stitching for your Bentayga or Continental; Classic, which is currently building the Blower Continuation Series; and Coachbuilt, the department responsible for the Bacalar. Though the Bacalar is based on the Continental GTC convertible, you’ll never mistake one for the other thanks to the 750 new components that go into making one. The Bacalar takes styling cues from 2019’s stunning EXP 100 GT concept, most obviously the huge radiator grille, twin hood vents and headlights that bleed out into the fenders behind them. There are more EXP 100 echoes in the concave rear and its slim tail lamps, the slimmer waist, and the rear arches, which lose the GTC’s retro-style flares. But where the 100 was a four-seat coupe, the Bacalar is a two-seat roadster with a double-bubbled rear canopy – and, incredibly, is only the second dedicated two-seat Bentley since 1930. There’s no roof, not even an emergency top, so it’s no surprise that the 12 cars have found homes in places like Miami and Monaco. Inside, you get two luggage pods where the back seats would be, and a unique wraparound cockpit with a taller console that emphasizes the supposed sportiness. There are even Porsche RS-style door release pulls, though this being a Bentley, they’re made of the leather. The classic round air conditioning vents on the console have gone, a small detail, but one that, together with the flat-bottom wheel, sci-fi design of the graphics in the digital gauge cluster, and very different trim materials, creates an overall impression of a much more modern car than the GTC. But the craftsmanship, in and out, is right up to Bentley’s usual standard. The new wheel design has three finishes: satin, polished and gloss. Mind you, you don’t choose between them, you get all three on every rim, which is why it takes Bentley a week to paint each one. The dark wood dashboard is built from Riverwood, which has been preserved for 5000 years in peat bogs, lakes and rivers in eastern England, and wool is used sparingly on the dashboard, seats and door panels. Each Of The 12 Bacalars Is Different Inside And Out. The choice of those materials is theoretically up to each customer, but Bentley has been careful to guide each buyer to make sure no two Bacalars are the same. That means only one was able to order the Flame Yellow paint from the 2020 concept. Under the the Bacalar gets the four-wheel steering system Bentley recently announced for the Continental GT Speed, but carbon ceramic brakes are optional, which seems a bit stingy given the $1.5m price. But you do get the Speed’s 650 hp twin-turbo W12, instead of the stock W12 GTC’s 626 hp. And the curb weight is down 66 lb (30 kg), albeit it to a still massive 5,262 lb (2,384kg), so 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds seems entirely possible. Bentley also went to the trouble of testing its 200 mph top speed, even though it’s almost certain no owner will ever do the same. If you want one, you’re out of luck because all 12 Bacalars have already sold – and, interestingly, half went to people new to the brand.

BRABUS

Sheffield-based BRABUS Topcars presented a mouthwatering line-up of six thrilling cars – the BRABUS G800, BRABUS GLS800, BRABUS Range Rover SV, BRABUS Porsche Turbo S 820, BRABUS AMGT 930 and the new BRABUS SL750 Performance. Making its first UK appearance, the BRABUS SL750 Performance has a power enhancement package including hybrid turbos that take output up to 750bhp, with a carbon fibre aerodynamics package. The car is also fitted with newly released BRABUS Monoblock ZM alloys.

BUGATTI

The Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 is a mid-engine sports car, designed and developed in Germany by the Volkswagen Group and Bugatti and manufactured in Molsheim, France, by French automobile manufacturer Bugatti. It was named after the racing driver Pierre Veyron. The original version has a top speed of 407 km/h (253 mph). It was named the 2000s Car of the Decade by the BBC television programme Top Gear. The standard Veyron also won Top Gear’s Best Car Driven All Year award in 2005. The Super Sport version of the Veyron is one of the fastest street-legal production cars in the world, with a top speed of 431.072 km/h (267.856 mph). The Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse was the fastest roadster in the world, reaching an averaged top speed of 408.84 km/h (254.04 mph) in a test on 6 April 2013. The Veyron’s chief designer was Hartmut Warkuß, with the exterior being designed by Jozef Kabaň of Volkswagen. Much of the engineering work was conducted under the guidance of chief technical officer Wolfgang Schreiber. The Veyron includes a sound system designed and built by Burmester Audiosysteme. In May 1998, Volkswagen AG acquired the rights to use the Bugatti logo and the trade name Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. To succeed the EB 110 model produced under the previous ownership, the automaker quickly released a series of concept cars whose technological advancements would culminate in the form of the Veyron 16.4. Between October 1998 and September 1999, Bugatti introduced a series of Giugiaro-designed concept vehicles, each with permanent four-wheel drive and powered by the Volkswagen-designed W18 engine. The first car, the EB 118, was a 2-door luxury coupé presented at the 1998 Paris Motor Show. The next car, the EB218, was a 4-door saloon presented at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show. The third and final car, the 18/3 Chiron, was a mid-engine sports car presented at the 1999 International Motor Show in Frankfurt. In October 1999, Bugatti unveiled a fourth concept car at the Tokyo Motor Show. The EB 18/4 Veyron was a mid-engine sports car styled in-house under the direction of Hartmut Warkuß. In 2000, a modified version, the EB 16/4 Veyron, was displayed at motor shows in Detroit, Geneva, and Paris. Rather than the three-bank W18 engine of the four previous concept cars, the EB 16/4 featured the four-bank W16 engine architecture installed in every production example of the Veyron. The decision to start production of the car was made by the Volkswagen Group in 2001. The first roadworthy prototype was completed in August 2003. It is identical to the later series variant, except for a few details. In the transition from development to series production, considerable technical problems had to be addressed, repeatedly delaying production until September 2005. The Veyron EB 16.4 is named in honour of Pierre Veyron, a Bugatti development engineer, test driver and company race driver who, with co-driver Jean-Pierre Wimille, won the 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans while driving a Bugatti. The “EB” refers to Bugatti founder Ettore Bugatti and the “16.4” refers to the engine’s 16 cylinders and quad-turbochargers. Several special variants have been produced. In December 2010, Bugatti began offering prospective buyers the ability to customise exterior and interior colours by using the Veyron 16.4 Configurator application on the marque’s official website. The Bugatti Veyron was discontinued in late 2014, but special edition models continued to be produced until 2015.

FERRARI

The 275 was a series of two-seat front-engined V12-powered models produced in GT, roadster, and spyder form by Ferrari between 1964 and 1968. The first Ferrari to be equipped with a transaxle, the 275 was powered by a 3286 cc Colombo 60° V12 engine that produced 280-300 hp. Pininfarina designed the GT and roadster bodies, Scaglietti the rare NART Spyder, among the most valuable of all Ferraris made. The standard 275 GTB coupe came first. It was produced by Scaglietti and was available with 3 or 6 Weber twin-choke carburettors. It was more of a pure sports car than the GT name suggested. Some cars were built with an aluminium body instead of the standard steel body. A Series Two version with a longer nose appeared in 1965. The 275 GTB/4 debuted in 1966. A much updated 275 GTB, it generated 300 bhp from a substantially reworked 3286 cc Colombo V12 engine, still with two valves per cylinder but now with a four-cam engine and six carburettors as standard. In a departure from previous Ferrari designs, the valve angle was reduced three degrees to 54° for a more-compact head. The dual camshafts also allowed the valves to be aligned perpendicular to the camshaft instead of offset as in SOHC engines. It was a dry-sump design with a huge 17 qt (16 litre) capacity. The transaxle was also redesigned. A torque tube connected the engine and transmission, rather than allowing them to float free on the body as before. This improved handling, noise, and vibration. Porsche synchronizers were also fitted for improved shifting and reliability. The 275 GTB/4 could hit 268 km/h (166.5 mph). With new bodywork, it was the first Ferrari to not be offered with wire wheels. A total of 280 were produced through to 1968 when it was replaced by the 365 GTB/4 Daytona

FORD

Codenamed “Erika”, the third generation Escort was launched in September 1980. The car, Ford Europe’s second front-wheel drive model, was originally meant to be called the “Ford Erika”, but ended up retaining the Escort name. Some say this was due to British consumers’ reluctance to let go of the “Escort” badge (as the first two generations of Escort had been among Britain’s most popular cars, with the Mk II being Britain’s best selling car in 1976), and some say that the Germans were concerned with the song Erika, which was a famous battlemarch of the German armed forces during World War II. The North American Escort introduced at this time was a distantly related derivative. Sales in the United Kingdom increased, and by 1982 it had overtaken the ageing Cortina as the nation’s best-selling car, beginning an eight-year run as Britain’s best selling car. Unlike the Mark II, which had essentially been a reskin of the original 1968 platform, the Mark III was a completely new design, and was conceived as a hi-tech, high-efficiency vehicle which would compete with the Volkswagen Golf and Honda Civic – considered at the time the class benchmarks. The Mark III was therefore a major engineering and stylistic departure from the two previous models; the biggest changes being the adoption of front-wheel drive, the new hatchback body and the all-new CVH overhead camshaft engines. The suspension was fully independent all around, departing from the archaic leaf spring arrangement found on its predecessors and the bodyshell was on average, 75kg lighter than that of the Mk II, yet Ford claimed was stiffer than the outgoing car. Ford however, was conscious that loyal customers of the previous generation Escorts may be deterred by the Mk III’s advanced design, and hence the car was marketed in the United Kingdom with the strapline “Simple is Efficient”. It was Ford Europe’s second front-wheel drive model launch, the first being the smaller Fiesta in 1976. The car used Ford’s contemporary design language of the period with the black louvred radiator grille and straked rear lamp clusters, as well as introducing the aerodynamic “bustle-back” bootlid stump (trademarked by Ford as Aeroback) which would be further developed in the forthcoming Sierra and Scorpio; the stump was proven to reduce the car’s aerodynamic drag co-efficient significantly, which was a class-leading 0.38 at launch. New were the overhead camshaft CVH engines in 1.3 L and 1.6 L formats, with the older Ford Kent-based “Valencia” engine from the Fiesta powering the 1.1 L derivative, although there was a short-lived 1.1 version of the CVH engine sold in certain markets before it was discontinued in 1982. The Escort Mark III was voted European Car of the Year in 1981, fighting off stiff competition from Italy’s Fiat Panda and British Leyland’s Austin Metro. From launch, the car was available in base (Popular), L, GL, Ghia and XR3 trim. As was common for Ford during this period, there were different dashboard mouldings for “high” and “low” series trim levels. GL and above models had a slush-moulded dashboard with ‘soft feel’ covering, and faux chrome embellishment. Base and L specification models had a ‘hard feel’ injection moulded dashboard with fewer holes for switches – the base dashboard was a sub-variation of this which omitted the centre air vents, glovebox, side demister vents and speaker grille and only a two-position blower fan switch. These lead-in models were extremely basic even for their time; in addition to the aforementioned dashboard, they came with just partial door cards with no armrests, vinyl seats (cloth was an optional extra), and no rear parcel tray or push button tailgate release. Consequently, these models sold very poorly and most buyers opted for at least the L specification. From mid-1982, a five-speed manual gearbox was introduced across the range. This was now standard on the 1.6 L versions and could be specified as an option on most 1.3 L engines. A selection of features was available, either as standard fitment or optional extras depending on model, including a tilt-and-slide sunroof, central locking, and electric windows. All models except for base and L were fitted with a check-light system for low fuel, low oil, low coolant, low screenwash, and worn out brake pads. Power steering was not available on European Escorts although it was available on the US Escort. The 1983 model year saw the Ford ATX three-speed automatic transmission (developed primarily for the US version) becoming available on the 1.6 L engine, and the base models now had cloth seat trim as standard. The Escort estate was initially only available with three doors, but a five-door version was introduced in 1983. In that year, a saloon version of the Escort, the Orion, was launched. It used the same mechanicals as the hatchback, but had a more upmarket image and was not available with the smaller 1.1 L engine. It was also directed at buyers of the earlier Cortina, which had ceased production in 1982, with its Sierra successor not available as a saloon at the time. However, the car attracted criticism from the motoring press at launch due to its suspension, with positive camber on the front wheels and negative camber at the rear, giving rise to the Mark III’s infamous “knock-kneed” stance. The Mark III soon had a reputation for a harsh, unforgiving ride. In September 1983 the revised suspension mounts from the Escort-based Orion and the larger Sierra steering rack were introduced as running changes for the 1984 model year which also coincided with other minor upgrades across the range, which included revised trim and steering wheels, new style badging and improved sound systems across the range, whilst the austere base models were finally given the “L” specification dashboard and improved seat trim. Another engine, introduced in August 1983, was the diesel engine. Developed in Dagenham, it was remarkably economical for its time, and still is to this day, managing over 70 mpg. It was available on the L and GL models. However, the performance was worse than the 1.1 L petrol version, with only 54 bhp and a top speed of barely 90 mph (140 km/h) – which prompted Ford to eventually enlarge the engine to 1.8 L some years later in the facelifted Escort. The Mk III model (1980–1986), was the most common type of car on British roads in December 1989, with almost 1,500,000 examples registered. A convertible version, made by coachbuilder Karmann, appeared the same year as the five-door estate (1983). It was the first drop-top car produced by Ford Europe since the Corsair of the 1960s. The Escort Cabriolet was initially available in both XR3i and Ghia specification, but the Ghia variant was later dropped.

GROUP C CARS

KOENIGSEGG

LAMBORGHINI

There was another example of both the Countach and the Diablo here.

This is one of the 20 Reventón models that were built. Launched at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, this was the most expensive Lamborghini road car ever until the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento was launched, costing two million dollars (€1.5 million, or £840,000). Its top speed was recorded in Dubai, UAE at 221 miles per hour. The official press release stated that only 20 vehicles would be sold to the public, with one additional car (marked as 00/20) produced for the Lamborghini museum. Although early rumours indicated the total number would actually be 100, each Reventón is stamped with its number in the sequence of 20 between the driver’s and passenger’s seats, and only 20 were built. Of the original 20 coupes, 10 were delivered to the United States, seven to Europe, one to Canada, and two to Asia. One of them is in the possession of controversial Chechen leader, Ramzan Kadyrov. All the cars were finished in a sort of dull grey colour. Despite the exterior being new, and constructed from carbon fibre, almost all the mechanical elements (including the engine) were sourced directly from the Murciélago LP640. According to the official press release, the Reventón’s exterior styling was inspired by “the fastest airplanes”.

Lamborghini UK’s stand had three cars on it: the established Huracan, now nearing the end of its production life, the big-selling Urus and the all-new Revuelto.

LAND ROVER

Delivered on 29 July 1948 JUE 477, the first Land Rover off the production line lived with the imaginatively-named Professor Ewen McEwen for over 20 years before he sold it on to a farmer in the North East of England. After performing its agricultural duties the 4×4 was abandoned in a field for decades. Tracked down by Land Rover specialist Julian Shoolheifer, chassis number one was recovered and put up for sale. Although he couldn’t purchase the rights to continue building the Defender as he had hoped INEOS boss Sir Jim Ratcliffe was able to buy the car in a sealed bid auction. Ratcliffe had it restored, keeping it as original as possible, rather than bringing it up to concours condition and then took it upon the greatest adventure of its (and his) life. This has been well documented with a number of books covering the story of this landmark car.

LOTUS

This is the stunning Evija which was making another appearance at this event, but which is still some months away from entering production. Unveiled in July 2019, it is the first electric vehicle to be introduced and manufactured by the company. Codenamed “Type 130”, production of the Evija will be limited to 130 units. The Evija prototype underwent high-speed testing in November 2019. A video was released on 21 November 2019 ahead of its debut later that day at the Guangzhou Auto Show. Lotus said it was planning thousands of miles of further road testing for the car, on circuits in Europe and on Lotus’s own track at Hethel, England. As of August 2020, production is set to begin early-mid 2021. The name ‘Evija’ is derived from Eve of the Abrahamic religions, a name whose etymology can be traced back to the Biblical Hebrew חי, meaning ‘alive’, or ‘living’. Lotus Cars CEO Phil Popham said: “Evija is the perfect name for our new car because it is the first all-new car to come from Lotus as part of the wider Geely family. With Geely’s support we are set to create an incredible range of new cars which are true to the Lotus name and DNA.” The Evija is powered by a 70 kWh battery pack developed in conjunction with Williams Advanced Engineering, with electric motors supplied by Integral Powertrain. The four individual motors are placed at the wheels and each is rated at 368 kW (500 PS; 493 hp), for a combined total output of 1,970 bhp and 1,700 Nm (1,254 lb/ft) of torque. The Evija is equipped with magnesium wheels with diameters of 20 inches at the front and 21 inches at the rear. The car uses Pirelli Trofeo R tyres and AP Racing carbon ceramic disc brakes. Lotus claims that the Evija will be able to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in under 3 seconds, from 0 to 299 km/h (186 mph) in under 9 seconds, and achieve a top speed of over 320 km/h (200 mph).

MASERATI

Maserati UK made the first UK showing of the new GranCabrio here, an evocative four-seat luxury cabriolet powered by a 550bhp 3.0-litre V6 ‘Nettuno’ twin-turbo engine. Alongside it, Maserati also presented two other stunning models, the GranTurismo Trofeo PrimaSerie, celebrating 75 years of fine Italian grand touring and the company’s flagship supercar, the MC20 Cielo.

MG

The MG Cyber GTS was showcased here just weeks after its world debut to celebrate MG’s 100th anniversary. Inspired by the 1968 MGC GTC Sebring, which secured the best-ever factory MG result at the legendary 12 Hours of Sebring, the sleek coupe is finished in classic British Racing Green. The electric GT is said to capture the spirit of the MGC GTS Sebring “whilst delivering a rear-wheel drive car utilising the MG of today’s advanced, high-performance EV powertrains… the Cyber GTS Concept explores the further potential for MG creating a new future for GTS model in the EV era”.

MORGAN

NARAN

British hypercar manufacturer Naran Automotive debuted the Naran Hyper Coupe for the first time in the UK. A striking four-seat hyper coupe promising up to 1,000bhp, just 39 cars will be built, with deposits already accepted for the £2m supercar.

PORSCHE

There was a special display of Porsche, mostly 911s here that filled all the central area, replacing all the other special cars that had been here for the previous three days. This gathering was marking 50 years of the 911 Turbo and 25 years of the GT3.

 

Porsche GB also had a stand here with the Cayenne and a couple of the latest 922-generation 911s here.

There were a couple of historic models here in the iconic Gulf livery, the 911 Carrera RS and the 917.

The Porsche 959 is a sports car manufactured from 1986 to 1993, first as a Group B rally car and later as a road legal production car designed to satisfy FIA homologation regulations requiring at least 200 units be produced. The twin-turbocharged 959 was the world’s fastest street-legal production car when introduced, achieving a top speed of 317 km/h (197 mph), with some variants even capable of achieving 339 km/h (211 mph). Combining race-car performance with luxury-sedan comfort and everyday drivability in dry, wet and snowy conditions, it was considered the most technologically advanced road car of its time. After the successful introduction of all-wheel drive on more rally-specific cars like the Audi Quattro, it was one of the first pure high-performance sports-cars with all-wheel drive, providing the basis for Porsche’s first all-wheel drive 911 Carrera 4 model. Its performance convinced Porsche executives to make all-wheel drive standard on all turbocharged versions of the 911 starting with the 993. The twin-turbo system used on the 959 also made its way to future turbocharged Porsche sports cars. In 2004, Sports Car International named the 959 number one on its list of Top Sports Cars of the 1980s. Development of the 959 (originally called the Gruppe B) started in 1981, shortly after the company’s then-new Managing Director, Peter Schutz, took his office. Porsche’s chief engineer at the time, Helmuth Bott, approached Schutz with some ideas about the Porsche 911, or more aptly, a new one. Bott knew that the company needed a sports car that they could continue to rely on for years to come and that could be developed as time went on. Curious as to how much they could do with the rear-engined 911, Bott convinced Schutz that development tests should take place, and even proposed researching a new all wheel drive system. Schutz agreed, and gave the project the green light. Bott also knew through experience that a racing program usually helped to accelerate the development of new models. Seeing Group B rallying as the perfect arena to test the new development mule and its all wheel drive system, Bott again went to Schutz and got the approval to develop a car, based on his development mule, for competition in Group B. The powerplant is a sequential twin-turbocharged DOHC flat-six engine equipped with 4 valves per cylinder, fuel fed by Bosch Motronic 2.1 fuel injection with air-cooled cylinders and water-cooled heads, with a bore x stroke of 95 mm × 67 mm for a total displacement of 2,849 cc. It was coupled to a unique manual transmission offering six forward speeds with the first gear labelled “gelände” (terrain), allowing the car to pass noise regulations, as well as reverse. The engine was largely based on the 4-camshaft 24-valve powerplant used in the Porsche 956 and 962 race cars. These components allowed Porsche to extract 450 PS at 6,500 rpm and 500 Nm (369 lb/ft) of torque at 5,000 rpm from the compact and efficient power unit. The use of sequential twin turbochargers rather than the more usual identical turbochargers for each of the two cylinder banks allowed for smooth delivery of power across the engine speed band, in contrast to the abrupt on-off power characteristic that distinguished Porsche’s other turbocharged engines of the period. The engine was used virtually unchanged in the 959 road car as well. To create a rugged, lightweight shell, Porsche adopted an aluminium and Aramid (Kevlar) composite for the body panels and chassis construction along with a Nomex floor, instead of the steel floor normally used on their production cars. Porsche also developed the car’s aerodynamics, which were designed to increase stability, as was the automatic ride-height adjustment that became available on the road car (961 race cars had a fixed suspension system). Its drag coefficient was as low as 0.31 and aerodynamic lift was eliminated. The 959 also featured Porsche-Steuer Kupplung (PSK) all-wheel-drive system. Capable of dynamically changing the torque distribution between the rear and front wheels in both normal and slip conditions, the PSK system gave the 959 the adaptability it needed both as a race car and as a “super” street car. Under hard acceleration, PSK could send as much as 80% of the available power to the rear wheels, helping make the most of the rear-traction bias that occurs at such times. It could also vary the power bias depending on road surface and grip changes, helping maintain traction at all times. The dashboard featured gauges displaying the amount of rear differential slip as well as transmitted power to the front axle. The magnesium alloy wheels were unique, being hollow inside to form a sealed chamber contiguous with the tyre and equipped with a built-in tyre pressure monitoring system. The 959 was actually produced at Karosserie Baur, not at the Porsche factory in Zuffenhausen, on an assembly line with Porsche inspectors overseeing the finished bodies. Most of Porsche’s special order interior leather work was also done by the workers at Baur. The 1983 Frankfurt Motor Show was chosen for the unveiling of the Porsche Group B prototype. Even in the closing hours of October 9, finishing touches were being applied to the car to go on display the next morning. After the first two prototypes, the bodywork was modified to include air vents in the front and rear wheel housings, as well as intake holes behind the doors. The first prototype receiving those modifications was code named “F3”, and was destroyed in the first crash test. The road version of the 959 debuted at the 1985 Frankfurt Motor Show as a 1986 model, but numerous issues delayed production by more than a year. The car was manufactured in two levels of trim, “Komfort” and “Sport”, corresponding to the trim with more creature comforts and a more track focused trim. First customer deliveries of the 959 street variant began in 1987, and the car debuted at a cost of DM431,550 (US$225,000) each, still less than half what it cost Porsche to build each car. Production ended in 1988 with 292 cars completed. In total, 337 cars were built, including 37 prototypes and pre-production models. At least one 959 and one 961 remain in the Porsche historic hall in Stuttgart, Germany. In 1992/1993, Porsche built eight more cars assembled from spare parts from the inventory at the manufacturing site in Zuffenhausen. All eight were “Komfort” versions: four in red and four in silver. These cars were much more expensive (DM 747,500) than the earlier ones. The later cars also featured a newly developed speed-sensitive damper system. The cars were sold to selected collectors after being driven by works personnel for some time and are today by far the most sought-after 959 models. If desired, even more power was available to customer cars by Porsche. According to Paul Frère there was an optional 530 PS factory upgrade, with an increased top speed of 336 km/h (209 mph) along with the 0–100 km/h (0–60 mph) acceleration time reduced to 3.4 seconds

This is the Carrera GT. The development of this car can be traced back to the 911 GT1 and LMP1-98 racing cars of the late 1990s, the career of both which had ended in 1998 not least due to FIA and ACO rule changes in 1998. Porsche had been planning a new Le Mans prototype for 1999, with the car initially intended to use a turbocharged flat-6, but later redesigned to use a new V10 engine, pushing the project back to planned completion in 2000. The V10 was a unit secretly built by Porsche for the Footwork Formula One team in 1992, but later shelved. The engine was resurrected for the Le Mans prototype and increased in size to 5.7 litres. The project was cancelled after two days of testing of the first car, in mid-1999, mostly due to Porsche’s wish to build the Cayenne SUV with involvement from Volkswagen and Audi, thus requiring engineering expertise to be pulled from the motorsports division. It was also speculated that VW-Audi chairman Ferdinand Piëch wanted Audi’s new Le Mans Prototype, the Audi R8 not to face competition from Porsche in 2004. However, Porsche did keep part of the project alive by using the 5.5 litre V10 from the prototype in a concept car shown at the 2000 Paris Motor Show, mainly in an attempt to draw attention to their display. Surprising interest in the vehicle and an influx of revenue provided from the Cayenne helped Porsche decide to produce the car, and development started on a road-legal version that would be produced in small numbers at Porsche’s new manufacturing facility in Leipzig. Porsche started a production run of Carrera GTs in 2004. Originally a production run of 1,500 cars was planned. However, Porsche announced in August 2005 that it would not continue production of the Carrera GT through to 2006, citing discontinuation was due to changing airbag regulations in the United States. By the end of production on May 6, 2006, more than 1,270 GTs had been sold, with at least 604 of those being in North America.

PRODRIVE

Back in 1997, Prodrive built the first Subaru Impreza of the WRC era that took over from Group A in the World Rally Championship. Now, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the WRC97 that Colin McRae, Piero Liatti and Kenneth Eriksson all drove to the 1997 Manufacturers’ title, the same company in Banbury has produced what it claims is a road-going version of a WRC Impreza and it’s called the P25. Some have suggested that the P25 is a restomod of a 22B (or P1), but although it looks very similar, it is quite a different car under the skin. In fact the skin itself is different, because almost all the P25’s bodywork is made of carbon fibre. In lightest, pared-back track spec it weighs just 1150kg. The EJ25 Engine is also substantially upgraded and produces 450bhp and 442lb ft of torque, meaning a 0-60mph time of under three seconds. Sport Plus mode also brings Anti-Lag to the party, which does nothing for fuel economy and everything for response and entertainment. There is also bespoke suspension, a new interior by Callum Designs (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), AP Racing pedals and brakes, a choice of seats and a hydraulic handbrake in addition to the electric parking brake. But perhaps the centrepiece of the whole car is the gearbox; a Prodrive six-speed sequential with helical cut dog gears. It’s operated by a single paddle that you pull towards you to change up and push away to change down. There is also a fly-by-wire clutch that you don’t need to touch at all when you engage the rather spectacular launch control. Sadly only 25 P25s are being produced and each one starts at £552,000. It also won’t be for everyone as it is undoubtedly a pretty focused and at times raw experience

ROLLS ROYCE

The Cullinan and Spectre were the two cars on the Rolls Royce stand.

ZENVO

The Aurora Agil and Tur editions were shown in public here for only the second time globally, following their European show debut just a few weeks earlier. Described as Zenvo Automotive’s second chapter, the ground-up all-new design of hypercar promises a genuine no-compromise approach to performance, which is being described as an “equilibrium of extremes” by Chairman and CCO Jens Sverdrup. “We just wanted to build an uncompromised driver’s car, which delivered on every level. It was approached in a very Danish way, meaning every part is carefully considered, and we wanted to introduce this style and design philosophy to the hypercar segment.” The all-new Aurora is the lightest and most powerful car Zenvo Automotive has ever built. With carbon fibre bodywork and Formula 1-derived technology, the Aurora also features a bespoke all-new powertrain – a 6.6-litre quad-turbo V12 hybrid producing 1,450bhp in the RWD Agil version. Developed by MAHLE Powertrain, whose HQ is in Northampton, UK, the V12 can rev to a thrilling 9,800rpm. The 4WD Tur is then further enhanced by a triple electric motor system, generating an extra 600hp. The headline result is a colossal 1,850bhp, which Zenvo Automotive promises will deliver naturally aspirated engine-style throttle response plus a seamless blend of instant power and torque. The powertrain is also a record-holder, as the most powerful V12 engine ever fitted to a road car. A Formula 1 ethos has inspired the all-new ZM1 modular monocoque design, created to offer a compromise-free blend of comfort and track focus. It also allows Zenvo Automotive to deliver two different styles of driving and design – either the beautifully elegant Tur, or the more aggressively-styled Agil. The Zenvo Automotive Aurora Tur follows a grand touring ethos, with flowing, well-proportioned design purity. The Aurora Agil builds on this with a more extreme interpretation clearly focused on track driving, with the bodywork managing airflow to deliver extremely high levels of downforce. In an approach similar to that of Salon Privé, Zenvo Automotive is also promising a new level of customer experience for Aurora clients, effortlessly delivering the outstanding customer focus expected in the luxury sector. Its carefully-chosen global partners have already demonstrated exceptional customer service and will provide ongoing support and reassurance to Aurora owners, fully backed up by the factory at every stage.

AWARD CARS

A number of cars from across the event were selected for a series of awards and they brought into the main area for something of a ceremony. Most of these I had seen elsewhere on site and they have already featured earlier in this report, though there are some more photos added here.

 

From among the Club Cars, there were two awards made, one for a Classic and the other a Modern Supercar, and respectively, the cars selected were an Aston Martin DB6 and the Noble M600.

 

I was pleased to see that the very rare second generation Maserati Quattroporte was one of the cars selected for an award.

The one I had not spotted was this Lotus Cortina Mark 2. Ford wanted to change a few things for the Mk2 Lotus-Cortina. The Mk1 had done all and more than they could expect in competition, but the public linked its competition wins with Lotus and its bad points with Ford. Ford still wanted to build a Mk2 Lotus and compete with it, but Lotus were moving from Cheshunt to Hethel so it was a bad time for them to build another model. Ford were also concerned with the unreliability of the Lotus built cars. So a decision was made at Ford that to continue with its competition drive and make the car more cost effective they would make the car at Dagenham themselves, alongside the other Cortinas. So the Mk2 had to be much easier to build than the Mk1 so that it could be made alongside Mk2 GT production, just with a different engine and suspension. The Mk2 took a while to appear, first appearing in 1967. The main difference was the choice of colours and the lack of a stripe, although most had them fitted at Ford dealers at extra cost. The only cosmetic changes made were a black front grille, 5.5J x 13 steel wheels and Lotus badges on rear wings and by the rear number plate. The badge on the front grille was an option at first. Unlike the Mk1, the Mk2 was also made in left hand drive from the start of production. The Mk2 Cortina Lotus also gained an improved and more powerful (109 bhp) engine, which was formerly supplied as the special equipment engine option on Lotus Elan and the Cortina Lotus Mk1. The gearbox ratios remained 2000E ones but the car now used the Mk2 GT remote-control gearchange. The car also had a different final drive of 3.77:1 rather than 3.9:1. The Mk2 was a wider car than the Mk1, so although they looked the same, the steel wheels had a different offset so as not to upset the tracking, and radial tyres were now standard. Another attraction was the larger fuel tank. The spare wheel could now be mounted in its wheel well, but the battery remained in the boot to aid weight distribution. The only real difference to the engine bay was the air cleaner mounted on top of the engine. The interior was almost identical to a GT. The Mk2 did exactly what Ford wanted, it was far more reliable whilst still quick enough to be used in competition, until it was replaced by the Escort Twin Cam. The car did receive a few updates, but none as urgent as the Mk1’s. Only a few months after production started, the Lotus badge on the rear panel was cancelled and a new TWIN CAM badge was fitted under the Cortina script on the boot lid. Despite the badge changes, Ford UK continued to market the model as the “Cortina Lotus”. The new combined clock and centre console was fitted. In late 1968 the entire Mk2 range received some cosmetic changes; for the Lotus, this meant that the 4 dials on top of the dash were brought down and made part of the dash. An internal bonnet release and a more conventional mounting for the handbrake were also phased in. A new single-rail gearshift mechanism was used. The car stayed in production until 1970. The Cortina Lotus was marketed in Europe as the Cortina Twin Cam in 1969/70. Two 4-door versions were supplied to the Mid-Anglia Constabulary for evaluation as use as a fast patrol and pursuit car by British Police forces. The trial never went beyond the two vehicles, which are both still in existence.

IN THE CAR PARK

By the time I got back to the main car park, an awful lot of people had gone, so I am sure that I missed out on many an interesting car that would have been here earlier in the day. As I waited for the queues of people trying to exit, I did wander around what was really rather a large area to see what I could spot, and these were the cars that caught my attention:

ABARTH

As well as my own car ending up in the main car park, there were a number of other Abarths that I spotted. Many of them were the Series 4 version of the 595.

More recently, Abarth have produced the 695 Rivale, a celebration of Fiat’s partnership with Riva, which has already seen a special Riva version of the 500,. Described as being “the most sophisticated Abarth ever”, it is available either as a hatch or a cabriolet, with both of them featuring a two-tone Riva Sera Blue and Shark Grey paintwork. The Rivale is adorned with an aquamarine double stripe, satin chrome finish on the door handles and satin chrome moulding on the tailgate, various aesthetic elements inspired by the Riva 56 Rivale yachts and ‘695 Rivale’ logos, joined by Brembo Brakes, Koni suspension, and 17-inch Supersport alloy wheels. Enhancing the nautical theme the new 695 Rivale features either a carbon fibre or mahogany dashboard, black mats with blue inserts, blue leather seats and door panels, carbon fibre kick plates, special steering wheel wrapped in blue and black leather and with a mahogany badge, blue leather instrument panel cover, and mahogany gear lever knob and kick plate. These are joined by the standard Uconnect infotainment with a 7-inch display, which is compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and there is also a hand-written numbered plate that can be customised with the mane of the customer’s yacht on request. Powering the 695 Rivale is the same 1.4-litre turbocharged engine that makes 180PS (177hp) and 184lb/ft of torque, that features in the 595 Competizione, allowing it to go from rest to 100km/h (62mph) in 6.7 seconds and up to a top speed of 225km/h (140mph). This is a regular model in the range, but confusingly, there is also the Abarth 695 Rivale 175 Anniversary, created to celebrate 175 years of the Riva brand. Just 350 of these were produced, half of them the hatch and the other half cabriolets. These featured 17-inch alloy wheels with a special pattern, celebratory badge on the outside, hand-crafted details such as the two-tone colour – blue and black hand-stitched leather seats with a celebratory logo stitched onto the headrest, carbon dashboard silk screen printed with special logo, numbered plate. Standard Rivale cars arrived in the UK in April 2018, and quite a few have been sold. They always attract lots of interest when they do appear.

Also here was another example of the 124 Spider

ALFA ROMEO

The 156 GTA cars were launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2001. Named after the Alfa Romeo GTA from the 1960s, the letters GTA meaning Gran Turismo Alleggerita (English: lightened Grand Tourer). 2,973 berlinas and 1,678 Sportwagons were built until the GTA production stopped in October 2005 as the 156 gave way to the Alfa Romeo 159. The GTA came with the 3.2 litre Bussone V6 engine (The big Busso, so called after legendary Ferrari engineer Giuseppe Busso), the largest capacity version of the much loved V6 engine. With a 93 mm bore and a 78 mm stroke giving it a capacity of 3,179 cc, it generated  250 PS (247 hp) and 220 lb/ft of torque. After market Alfa Romeo specialist Autodelta produced performance versions up to 3.7 litres and 400 PS. The European Touring Car Championship winning 156 GTA was however running a 2.0 litre 4-cylinder 300 PS engine due to class regulations. The GTA variants were equipped with either a six-speed manual transmission or six-speed Selespeed (paddles in steering wheel, hydraulically operated robotised) gearbox, had a lowered and stiffened suspension, a distinctive body kit, wider rear arches and leather interior. The suspension was specifically made for the GTA by Fiat Research Centre and Fiat Auto Design and Development Department. Steering was also made faster, only 1.7 turns from lock to lock compared to 2.1 in normal models. The GTA had also larger brakes (Brembo), with 12″ front discs and 10.8″ at the rear. The front discs were later upgraded to 13 ” to cope with the performance potential. Even though the name suggests a light car, the GTA isn’t any lighter than other 156s, as it was actually 91 kilograms (201 lb) heavier than the 2.5 litre V6 engined version. The GTA did not get the Giugiaro designed facelift introduced to the 156 in 2002, but continued with the acclaimed Walter de Silva design to the very end of production.

BMW

First introduced as the Concept Vision EfficientDynamics, the i8 was part of BMW’s “Project i” and was marketed as a new brand, BMW i, sold separately from BMW or Mini. The BMW i3, launched for customers in Europe in the fourth quarter of 2013, was the first model of the i brand available in the market, and it was followed by the i8, released in Germany in June 2014 as a 2015 model year. Other i models were expected to follow.The initial turbodiesel concept car was unveiled at the 2009 International Motor Show Germany, In 2010, BMW announced the mass production of the Vision EfficientDynamics concept in Leipzig beginning in 2013 as the BMW i8. The BMW i8 gasoline-powered concept car destined for production was unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. The production version of the BMW i8 was unveiled at the 2013 International Motor Show Germany. The following are the concept and pre-production models developed by BMW that preceded the production version. When BMW i sponsored the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, they announced that they would provide support vehicles; the i8 operated as the official safety car. BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept car was a plug-in hybrid with a 1.5L three-cylinder turbo-diesel engine. Additionally, there were two electric motors with 104 kW (139 hp). It allowed an acceleration to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.8 seconds, with an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). According to BMW, the average fuel consumption in the EU test cycle (KV01) was 3.76 L/100 km (75.1 mpg imp), with a carbon dioxide emission rating of 99 g/km(1,3 L/100 km and 33g CO2/kabelham; EU-PHEV ECE-R101). The estimated all-electric range was 50 km (31 mi), and the 24-litre petrol tank extended the total vehicle range to up to 700 km (430 mi). The lightweight chassis was made mainly from aluminium. The windshield, top, doors, and fenders were made from polycarbonate glass, with the body having a drag coefficient of 0.22. The designers of the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept were Mario Majdandzic for the exterior and Jochen Paesen (lead interior design), Markus Speck (interior design), and Felix Staudacher former Baerlin (detail design) for the interior. While Jochen Paesen took care of the main interior theme, Markus Speck was in charge of the seats, all the visible structure, and some details. Felix Baerlin supported Jochen Paesen on details including the steering wheel and center console. The vehicle was unveiled at the 2009 International Motor Show Germany, followed by Auto China 2010. The BMW i8 Concept plug-in hybrid electric vehicle included an electric motor located in the front axle powering the front wheels rated 96 kW (131 PS; 129 hp) and 250 Nm (184 lb/ft, a turbocharged 1.5-litre 3-cylinder petrol engine driving rear wheels rated 164 kW (223 PS; 220 hp) and 300 Nm (221 lb/ft of torque, with combined output of 260 kW (354 PS; 349 hp) and 550 Nm (406 lb/ft), a 7.2 kWh (26 MJ) lithium-ion battery pack that allowed an all-electric range of 35 km (22 mi). All four wheels provided regenerative braking. The location of the battery pack in the energy tunnel gave the vehicle a low centre of gravity, enhancing its dynamics. Its top speed was electronically limited to 250 km/h (155 mph) and was expected to go from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 60 mph) in 4.6 seconds. Under normal driving conditions the i8 was expected to deliver 80 mpg US (2.9 L/100 km; 96 mpg imp) under the European cycle. A full charge of the battery would take less than two hours at 220 V. The positioning of the motor and engine over the axles resulted in 50/50 weight distribution.The vehicle was unveiled at the 2011 International Motor Show Germany, followed by CENTER 548 in New York City, 42nd Tokyo Motor Show 2011, 82nd Geneva Motor Show 2012, BMW i Born Electric Tour at the Palazzo Delle Esposizioni at Via Nazionale 194 in Rome, and Auto Shanghai 2013. This concept car was featured in the film Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol. The BMW i8 Concept Spyder included a slightly shorter wheelbase and overall length compared to the BMW i8 Concept, carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) Life module, drive modules made primarily from aluminium components, interlocking of surfaces and lines, 8.8-inch (22.4 cm) screen display, off-white outer layer, and orange-toned naturally tanned leather upholstery. The vehicle was unveiled at Auto China 2012 in Beijing where it won Concept Car of the Year, followed by the 83rd Geneva International Motor Show 2013. The designer of the BMW i8 Concept Spyder was Richard Kim. The design of the BMW i8 coupe prototype was based on the BMW i8 Concept. The BMW i8 prototype had an average fuel efficiency of less than 2.5 L/100 km (113.0 mpg imp; 94.1 mpg US) under the New European Driving Cycle with carbon emissions of less than 59 g/km. The i8 with its carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) passenger cell lightweight, aerodynamically optimized body, and BMW eDrive technology offered the dynamic performance of a sports car, with an expected 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) sprint time of less than 4.5 seconds using both power sources. The plug-in hybrid system of the BMW i8 comprised a three-cylinder, 1.5-liter BMW TwinPower Turbo gasoline engine combined with BMW eDrive technology used in the BMW i3 and developed maximum power of 170 kW (228 hp). The BMW i8 was the first BMW production model to be powered by a three-cylinder gasoline engine and the resulting specific output of 115 kW (154 hp) per liter of displacement was on par with high-performance sports car engines and was the highest of any engine produced by the BMW Group. The BMW i8’s second power source was a hybrid synchronous electric motor specially developed and produced by the BMW Group for BMW i. The electric motor developed maximum power of 131 hp (98 kW) and produced its maximum torque of around 320 Nm (236 lb/ft) from a standstill. Typical of an electric motor, responsive power was instantly available when starting and this continued into the higher load ranges. As well as providing a power boost to assist the gasoline engine during acceleration, the electric motor could also power the vehicle by itself. Top speed in electric mode was approximately 120 km/h (75 mph), with a maximum driving range of up to 35 km (22 mi). Linear acceleration was maintained even at higher speeds since the interplay between the two power sources efficiently absorbed any power flow interruptions when shifting gears. The model-specific version of the high-voltage 7.2 lithium-ion battery had a liquid cooling system and could be recharged at a conventional household power socket, at a BMW I Wallbox, or at a public charging station. In the US, a full recharge took approximately 3.5 hours from a conventional 120 V, 12 amp household circuit or approximately 1.5 hours from a 240 V Level 2 charger. The driver could select several driving modes: SPORT, COMFORT, and ECO PRO. Using the gear selector, the driver could either select position D for automated gear selection or could switch to SPORT mode. SPORT mode offered manual gear selection and at the same time switched to sporty drive and suspension settings. In SPORT mode, the engine and electric motor delivered extra performance, accelerator response was faster, and the power boost from the electric motor was maximized. And to keep the battery topped up, SPORT mode also activated maximum energy recuperation during overrun and braking as the electric motor’s generator function, which recharged the battery using kinetic energy, switched to a more powerful setting. The Driving Experience Control switch on the center console offered a choice of two settings. On starting, COMFORT mode was activated, which offered a balance between performance and fuel efficiency, with unrestricted access to all convenience functions. Alternatively, the ECO PRO mode could be engaged, which, on the BMW i8 as on other models, supported an efficiency-optimized driving style. In this mode, the powertrain controller coordinated the cooperation between the gasoline engine and the electric motor for maximum fuel economy. On deceleration, the intelligent energy management system automatically decided, in line with the driving situation and vehicle status, whether to recuperate braking energy or to coast with the powertrain disengaged. At the same time, ECO PRO mode also programmed electrical convenience functions such as the air conditioning, seat heating, and heated mirrors to operate at minimum power consumption, but without compromising safety. The maximum driving range of the BMW i8 on a full fuel tank and with a fully charged battery was more than 500 km (310 mi) in COMFORT mode, which could be increased by up to 20% in ECO PRO mode. The BMW i8’s ECO PRO mode could also be used during all-electric operation. The vehicle was then powered solely by the electric motor. Only if the battery charge dropped below a given level, or under sudden intense throttle application such as kick down, was the internal combustion engine automatically activated. The vehicle was unveiled in BMW Group’s Miramas test track in France. The production BMW i8 was designed by Benoit Jacob. The production version was unveiled at the 2013 Frankfurt International Motor Show followed by 2013 Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez. Its design was heavily influenced by the BMW M1 Homage concept car, which in turn pays homage to BMW’s last production mid-engined sports car prior to the i8: the BMW M1. The BMW i8 featured butterfly doors, head-up display, rear-view cameras and partially false engine noise. Series production of customer vehicles began in April 2014. The electric two-speed drivetrain was developed and produced by GKN. It was the first production car with laser headlights, reaching farther than LED lights. The i8 had a vehicle weight of 1,485 kg (3,274 lb) (DIN kerb weight) and a low drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.26. In all-electric mode, the BMW i8 had a top speed of 120 km/h (75 mph). In Sport mode, the i8 delivered a mid-range acceleration from 80 to 120 km/h (50 to 75 mph) in 2.6 seconds. The electronically controlled top speed was 250 km/h (155 mph). The 20,000th i8 was produced in December 2019, one of the limited Ultimate Sophisto Edition models. The last i8 rolled off the production line on 11 June 2020. In total, there were 20,465 units produced: 16,581 coupés and 3,884 roadsters.

LOTUS

Hard to miss, with its bright yellow paint was another example of the all-electric Eletre.

MERCEDES-BENZ

There was also another example of the well-regarded W123 Mercedes and the R107 SL here.

NISSAN

The second-generation Cube was released in 2002 with a larger interior than the previous model. The combination of angled and curved surfaces was based on the third-generation Micra/March, powered by a 1.4-litre inline-four engine. The model included the “e4WD” system as an option, which transfers power to the rear wheels when the front wheels spin via a small electric motor on the rear underside of the floor. The electrically powered system allows for reduced drivetrain drag in FWD mode. A slightly longer, three-row model, the Cube Cubic (stylized as Cube³, model code GZ11) went on sale in September 2003. Until the second and final facelift in January 2007, the Cubic had a different grille from the regular Cube. This, along with slightly longer rear doors, is the only external difference between the two. When equipped with a CVT, the steering wheel button controls and the sport wheel button on the dash panel are located next to the hazard flasher switch. In May 2005, the Cube had a light facelift which included the optional upgrade of the new HR-series 1.5 L engine from the Nissan Tiida. The Cube received another exterior update in January 2007. All Cube models have optional extras including an Ion filter (Air Ioniser) for cleaning the air and Nissan’s ‘smart key’ which allows the driver to enter the car without having to use a key. Other options include a sunroof, 12 different styles of front grille and satellite navigation. Other specific models also have different styles of bodykits and fender flares. They come with optional 14 or 15 inch wheels and the Autech versions (Rider, Cube3 and GT models) with chrome styling and special seat covering. The second-generation Cube was imported and sold in Malaysia by Mitsuoka as the M-Box and later the MPV. This model was different from other Mitsuoka models in that it had no major differences to the original car, and simply had a different grille and a couple of other exterior parts. The M-Box and MPV were exclusive to Malaysia.

The R32 generation Skyline debuted in 1989 and was available as either a 2-door coupe or 4-door hardtop sedan, all previous bodystyles were dropped. The R32 featured several versions of the RB-series straight-6 engines, which had improved heads (the twelve port inlet was gone) and used the ECCS (Electronically Concentrated Control System) injection system. Also available was an 1,800 cc 4-cylinder GXi model. Most models had HICAS four-wheel steering, with the rear wheels being hydraulically linked to the front steering. The 2.5-litre GTS-25 became one of the first Japanese production cars to feature a 5-speed automatic transmission. The GTS-t came in standard and Type M configurations, with the Type M having larger five-stud 16-inch wheels, four piston front callipers and twin piston rears plus other minor differences. ABS was optional (except for the GT-R and GTS-4), mechanical LSD was standard on the GTR and viscous LSD was standard on all turbo models and optional on all but the GXi. Nissan also produced 100 Australian models of the R32. In addition, there was a 4WD version of the GTS-t Type M, called the GTS-4. This generation was considered a “compact” under Japanese legislation that determined the amount of tax liability based on exterior dimensions. The smaller engines were offered so as to provide Japanese buyers the ability to choose which annual road tax obligation they were willing to pay. The station wagon bodystyle was discontinued, and replaced by the Nissan Stagea. 296,087 of these cars were sold in its five year production run.

PORSCHE

The 911 traces its roots to sketches drawn by Ferdinand “Butzi” Porsche in 1959. The Porsche 911 was developed as a more powerful, larger and a more comfortable replacement for the 356, the company’s first model. The new car made its public debut at the 1963 Frankfurt Motor Show. The car was developed with the proof-of-concept twin-fan Type 745 flat-six engine, but the car presented at the auto show had a non-operational mockup of the single-fan 901 engine, receiving a working unit in February 1964. It originally was designated as the “Porsche 901” (901 being its internal project number). A total of 82 cars were built as which were badges as 901s. However, French automobile manufacturer Peugeot protested on the grounds that in France it had exclusive rights to car names formed by three numbers with a zero in the middle. Instead of selling the new model with a different name in France, Porsche changed the name to 911. Internally, the cars’ part numbers carried on the prefix 901 for years. Production began in September 1964, with the first 911s exported to the US in February 1965. The first models of the 911 had a rear-mounted 130 hp Type 901/01 flat-6 engine, in the “boxer” configuration like the 356, the engine is air-cooled and displaces 1,991 cc as compared to the 356’s four-cylinder, 1,582 cc unit. The car had four seats although the rear seats were small, thus it is usually called a 2+2 rather than a four-seater (the 356 was also a 2+2). A four or five-speed “Type 901” manual transmission was available. The styling was largely penned by Ferdinand “Butzi” Porsche, son of Ferdinand “Ferry” Porsche. Butzi Porsche initially came up with a notchback design with proper space for seating two rear passengers but Ferry Porsche insisted that the 356’s successor was to use its fastback styling. 7 prototypes were built based on Butzi Porsche’s original design and were internally called the Porsche 754 T7. Erwin Komenda, the leader of the Porsche car body construction department who initially objected, was also involved later in the design. In 1966, Porsche introduced the more powerful 911S with Type 901/02 engine having a power output of 160 PS. Forged aluminum alloy wheels from Fuchsfelge, with a 5-spoke design, were offered for the first time. In motorsport at the same time, the engine was developed into the Type 901/20 and was installed in the mid-engine 904 and 906 with an increased power output of 210 PS, as well as fuel injected Type 901/21 installed in later variants of the 906 and 910 with a power output of 220 PS. In August 1967, the A series went into production with dual brake circuits and widened (5.5J-15) wheels still fitted with Pirelli Cinturato 165HR15 CA67 tyres. and the previously standard gasoline-burning heater became optional. The Targa version was introduced. The Targa had a stainless steel-clad roll bar, as automakers believed that proposed rollover safety requirements by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) would make it difficult for fully open convertibles to meet regulations for sale in the US, an important market for the 911. The name “Targa” came from the Targa Florio sports car road race in Sicily, Italy in which Porsche had several victories until 1973. The last win in the subsequently discontinued event was scored with a 911 Carrera RS against prototypes entered by Ferrari and Alfa Romeo. The road going Targa was equipped with a removable roof panel and a removable plastic rear window (although a fixed glass version was offered from 1968). The 110 PS 911T was also launched in 1967 with Type 901/03 engine. The 130 PS model was renamed the 911L with Type 901/06 engine and ventilated front disc brakes. The brakes had been introduced on the previous 911S. The 911R with 901/22 engine had a limited production (20 in all), as this was a lightweight racing version with thin fibreglass reinforced plastic doors, a magnesium crankcase, twin overhead camshafts, and a power output of 210 PS. A clutchless semi-automatic Sportomatic model, composed of a torque converter, an automatic clutch, and the four-speed transmission was added in Autumn 1967. It was cancelled after the 1980 model year partly because of the elimination of a forward gear to make it a three-speed. The B series went into production in August 1968, replacing the 911L model with 911E with fuel injection. It remained in production until July 1969. The 911E gained 185/70VR15 Pirelli Cinturato CN36. and 6J-15 wheels. The C series was introduced in August 1969 with an enlarged 2.2-litre engine. The wheelbase for all 911 and 912 models was increased from 2,211–2,268 mm (87.0–89.3 in), to help as a remedy to the car’s nervous handling at the limit. The overall length of the car did not change, but the rear wheels were relocated further back. Fuel injection arrived for the 911S (901/10 engine) and for a new middle model, 911E (901/09 engine). The D series was produced from Aug. 1970 to July 1971. The 2.2-litre 911E (C and D series) had lower power output of the 911/01 engine (155 PS) compared to the 911S’s Type 911/02 (180 PS, but 911E was quicker in acceleration up to 160 km/h. The E series for 1972–1973 model years (August 1971 to July 1972 production) consisted of the same models, but with a new, larger 2,341 cc engine. This is known as the “2.4 L” engine, despite its displacement being closer to 2.3 litres. The 911E (Type 911/52 engine) and 911S (Type 911/53) used Bosch mechanical fuel injection (MFI) in all markets. For 1972 the 911T (Type 911/57) was carbureted, except in the US and some Asian markets where the 911T also came with (MFI) mechanical fuel injection (Type 911/51 engine) with power increase over European models (130 hp) to 140 hp commonly known as a 911T/E. With power and torque increase, the 2.4-litre cars also got a newer, stronger transmission, identified by its Porsche type number 915. Derived from the transmission in the 908 race car, the 915 did away with the 901 transmission’s “dog-leg” style first gear arrangement, opting for a traditional H pattern with first gear up to the left, second gear underneath first, etc. The E series had the unusual oil filler behind the right side door, with the dry sump oil tank relocated from behind the right rear wheel to the front of it in an attempt to move the center of gravity slightly forward for better handling. An extra oil filler/inspection flap was located on the rear wing, for this reason it became known as an “Oil Klapper”, “Ölklappe” or “Vierte Tür (4th door)”. The F series (August 1972 to July 1973 production) moved the oil tank back to the original behind-the-wheel location. This change was in response to complaints that gas-station attendants often filled gasoline into the oil tank. In January 1973, US 911Ts were switched to the new K-Jetronic CIS (Continuous Fuel Injection) system from Bosch on Type 911/91 engine. 911S models also gained a small spoiler under the front bumper to improve high-speed stability. The cars weighed 1,050 kg (2,310 lb). The 911 ST was produced in small numbers for racing (the production run for the ST lasted from 1970 to 1971). The cars were available with engines of either 1,987 cc or 2,404 cc, having a power output of 270 PS at 8,000 rpm. Weight was down to 960 kg (2,120 lb). The cars had success at the Daytona 6 Hours, the Sebring 12 Hours, the 1000 km Nürburgring, and the Targa Florio. The G Series cars, with revised bodies and larger impact-absorbing bumpers arrived in the autumn of 1973 and would continue in production with few visual changes but plenty of mechanical ones for a further 16 years.

There were a number of other Porsche models that I spotted here, examples of which I had also seen earlier in the day.

No question, this was a doo day out. Forget the fact that this is Salon Prive, as it really is not, with almost all of the special content removed, and just think of this as a massive show for supercars, and other classics and you will end your day feeling well satisfied, having seen examples of just about every supercar released in the last 40 years in many cases in multiple examples. It is no wonder that the event is so popular.