www.ecurie25.co.uk

Make Every Second Countécurie25 is the ultimate Supercar Club.

With multiple locations across the UK, écurie25 provides its members with convenient and immediate access to a collection of the world’s best supercars. Explore the best roads that Europe has to offer, push your limits on our track days, and join us for an amazing array of lifestyle events.

Whether it’s lounging on a yacht watching the Monaco GP trackside, or experiencing the exhilaration of the legendary Nürburgring, whatever your dream, we have it covered.

There is no better way to enjoy the latest supercars and to live the supercar lifestyle. All you need to do is choose the perfect car for the occasion, and then get out there and enjoy it!

Simply call us on the number below and we will be happy to arrange a convenient time to meet up at any one of our four UK Clubhouses.

t: 020 7837 6648 e: enquiries@ecurie25.co.uk w: ecurie25.co.uk

As we pass our fifth anniversary, there can be no doubt that the world of supercars is more exciting than ever.What a delectable smorgasbord of new arrivals – Ferrari 458 Italia, Audi R8 V10 Spyder, Mercedes SLS, Bentley Continental Supersports and the Porsche Panamera. Specimens of all these beauties are of course available for é25 members to enjoy at a branch near you. So much has been written about the 458 that we spared you another write up in é25 and just thought we’d show you some nice pictures instead. But we did reproduce London member Tim Oldland’s superb review of the SLS – initially posted on Pistonheads but repeated here due to its enormous popularity – even the pictures are his own work! Surrey member Paul Williams also wrote a feature comparing the Audi R8 Spyder with its “Brother in Arms” the Lambo LP560 Spyder – read to the end for the hilarious summary! In fact as part of our new editorial strategy all the articles for é25 have been written by our own members from their various locales – so special thanks also to David Grover and John Bisby for playing Jeremy Clarkson for the day. I think it’s much more what a club should be about. Do let me know if you would like to do a feature in the next edition. In these austere times, the attraction of supercar club membership has never been greater and it has been a pleasure to see our network expand to Esher, Surrey making drives down to the South Coast without traversing London a real treat, not to mention the pure luxurious thrill of having one of the team waiting for you when you arrive at the airport with the keys to your “wheels for the weekend” – if you haven’t tried it, it’s a must – especially if you are travelling with clients or colleagues! Looking forward, 2011 is the year of going international. Plans for Australia have already been announced, and we hope to see at least one more country on the map soon. So even when you are travelling you will be able to...Make every second count! Chirag ShahCEO écurie259, Railway Street, London, N1 9EE T: +44(0)20 7278 3010www.ecurie25.co.uk

CREDITS

Photography front cover & aboveArlen Figgis

Artwork treaclemedia.com

Branch ManagersLondon (Richard Thomas)Esher (Michael Roberts)Wakefield (Paul Brown)Ballymoney (Philip McAuley)

MAIN FEATURES

06 Brothers in ArmsOne of our members has the enviable task of comparing two cars which share much of the same drivetrain and architecture, the Audi R8 V10 Spyder and its relative the Lamborghini LP560-4 Spyder.

12 Scottish road rallyWith an opportunity to drive a selection of the é25 stable on some of the UK’s best roads, John Bisby gives a unique insight into a typical é25 road rally.

21 Open and shut caseDoes the SLS offer more than just trick doors? Seasoned member, Tim Oldland takes the SLS to the Peak District and discovers a compelling case for not choosing an Italian thoroughbred.

28 Design is in the detail.It’s not always about driving exotica on the road or on the track. é25 magazine gets all arty and appreciates one of its newest cars up close.

34 When a passion for watches and cars collideJames Gurney looks into one man’s obsession with all things automotive and horological. His watches tell this story perfectly, as does the fact that over 350 professional motor racing drivers have worn them.

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Download the SeasonDiscover must-attend events, share your social calendar and find local venues with the Season iPhone app. For more information visit veuve-clicquot.com/ukseason. Available at the App and iTunes store.

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Member Paul Williams takes our two white cabs out to see how they compare.

Audi R8 V10

Brothers in Arms

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Lamborghini LP560-4

Photography: Paul Williams Copy: Paul Williams

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If Carlsberg wrote exam questions, they might come up with this: “Write an essay, comparing and contrasting two Spyders: The Lamborghini LP560-4 and the Audi R8 V10. Relevant equipment necessary for experimentation will be supplied”. Just imagine. Well, I got the privilege of answering this question - a couple of weekday evenings with each car - two thoroughly modern supercars, both bright white 2-seaters with the same Lamborghini 5-litre V10 engine, both endowed with a soft top for extra head-turning capability and surround-sound experience for the occupants.

On paper, these cars seem pretty similar. With that engine, both cars achieve 0-60 mph in just under 4 seconds, and have a top speed of around 200 mph. The R8 packs 518 bhp peaking at 8,000 rpm, and the LP560-4 has the engine retuned to a brutal 560 bhp.

So, first up, the R8. When this car first came out in its V8 incarnation, it was quite a head-turner. The shape was new and futuristic, and the performance could match something like an Aston Martin V8 Vantage. But for a real supercar, both were a little underpowered, and - particularly the Audi - was hampered by a slightly sluggish automatic gearbox that caused the driving experience to lack some immediacy. The updated R8 V10 addresses these issues really well - significantly more power, noise, and a much slicker gear change. Turn they key and the engine bursts into life - accelerate through the gears and a masculine rumble turns into a deep roar. The drive is extremely precise - if anything the handling is more like a track car such as a Lotus Exige - point this car into a corner, and even under significant power and speed the chassis just does what you expect, keeping all four wheels firmly gripping the tarmac. Not once did I feel any stepping-out of the rear - the aptly-named Audi ESP traction system flatters any driving style, making it quite easy to drive quickly round twisty country lanes without scaring yourself silly. This is hassle-free supercar driving. The car is still a head-turner, keeping those futuristic fins by the lamp clusters, and to those in the know, the understated V10 badge tells the story that this car means business.

With most supercars, the interior can be very plush, but it is common to expect the facilities available to the driver to be lacking compared to a modern “standard” car - for example: 80s-looking Sat Nav (if any), obscure switches, temperamental petrol-cap release, vague gauges - often evident with Italian exotica - but this is an Audi, and that just would not be on in a piece of precision engineering from Germany. Instead, you have a great navigation system, predictable switches, well thought-out layout. Once again, hassle-free supercar driving. Any downside? Well, with most paddle-shifts, a flick of both paddles simultaneously brings the gearbox back to neutral - important with sequential gearboxes when idling at a junction - but in the R8 you can only do this with the gearstick, which becomes slightly annoying after a while. And there is always this imaginary nagging voice whispering “it’s an Audi ... that can’t be a real supercar, surely?”

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On paper, these cars seem pretty similar. With that engine, both cars achieve 0-60 mph in just under 4 seconds, and have a top speed of around 200 mph.

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The R8 stimulates the brain; the LP560-4 gets the heart beating at double-speed.

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Now to the LP560-4. Having a “mark 2” also seems to have helped the Lamborghini - the original Gallardo, although admittedly absolutely the kind of car little boys’ dreams are made of, suffered particularly from unreliability, including things like fairly random clutch response, meaning as a driver you weren’t really quite sure what might happen next. The LP560-4 is a different car entirely - far more positive in its response to human input, and seemingly engineered significantly better. I thought the R8 V10 was a head-turner, but this takes the whole “look at me” thing to the next level. The aggressive, angular lines, the massive exhausts, and the soundtrack. Oh the soundtrack. After the initial momentary bark at ignition, remarkably, you can drive this car almost as quietly as any typical family hatchback; but any excursion into more than quarter-throttle territory transforms this machine - a deep metallic roar that rises into a scream, all the time accompanied by intense forces as the acceleration pins you into the seat and distorts your facial features. There is so much power and such intensity requiring total concentration you feel like this car wants to devour you! You can only push it so far before you are sure it will do so. The handling is great, but there is just so much power that you dare not go anywhere near the bottom of the throttle pedal travel unless there is ample open straight road in front of you. Unpredictable, untamed, unbelievable.

The interior is good - very good. Lots of hand-stitched leather, and capable instruments, looking uncannily like an Audi dash, except for some of the gauges being marked in Italian just to remind you of this car’s heritage. Of course, there are some wrinkles - occassionally when shifting up through the gears under power there is a sideways kick as the next gear engages, which can be slightly unnerving when you’re putting all your efforts into moving in a straight line. And, being a Lamborghini, you just never know if it is actually going to start each time.

Which would I have? If this was my only car (and I would have to sell the rest to get one!), and I had to pay for servicing, and I needed a car that would start every day without drama, and get me from A to B rather than just driving round for the thrill of it, then it would have to be the R8. It is a supercar. But if someone were to offer me the LP560-4 and some kind of make-believe “all your troubles taken care of” warranty package that would mean I wouldn’t have to double my expenditure just to keep it on the road, and I wanted my heart to get regular exercise, then it would have to be the Lamborghini.

So ... we started with an exam question. To continue the school train of thought ... in a classroom of supercars, the Audi R8 is the teacher’s pet - the pupil that answers every question with complete precision and accuracy, and always gets the predicted grade A results. The Lamborghini on the other hand is the wayward arts student - equally brilliant, but unpredictable and often surprising. The R8 stimulates the brain; the LP560-4 gets the heart beating at double-speed. Floor the R8 and you get the satisfaction of machine doing exactly what man is telling it as you sweep round a tricky bend; floor the Lamborghini and you think this may be the last bend you ever take.

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The Scottish Road RallyAn écurie25 member gives an insight into this years trip to Scotland.

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Photography: Arlen Figgis Copy: John Bisby

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Setting off for Wakefield early on Friday 24thhof June, the sun made a rare but very pleasant appearance – a good sign for the forthcoming weekend!

Had écurie25 planned the sudden improvement in the weather? Perhaps not, however, the coffee and pastries at the Clubhouse were clearly planned, as was the gleaming display of cars.

After being introduced to the other members and their partners that were taking part in the first écurie25 Scottish Road Rally, Ben handed out the ‘lovingly prepared’ route plan, briefing notes and ‘car swap’ list. Eager to know what we would sample first, I flicked straight to the back page to find we were departing in the F430 Spider – another good omen.

Some lovely scenery and open roads soon replaced the initial ‘slog’ out of Wakefield as we headed towards the North East. The F430 performed better than expected, precise, very quick and pretty comfortable even with the roof down; my wife, Alison was very impressed. Despite initially attempting to keep in some form of convoy, we soon separated as we made our way towards the first changeover point. I knew the next car was to be the Bentley GT, this would allow us to have a slightly more relaxed jaunt up to the lunch point just north of Newcastle.

Moving from the F430 to the “Be Gently” was at first a little disconcerting, no sudden rush of speed, no wind in the hair and pretty much silence other than the lovely burble of the big V12 up front. After a few minutes of acclimatisation however, we picked up an indecent pace and found progress to be somewhat more comfortable. Bentley clearly use witchcraft to develop their cars – a car so big and heavy has no right to be so fast and controlled on these types of roads.

After a hearty Geordie lunch, we took charge of the Lamborghini LP560, a rather stunning if slightly flashy piece of kit. The noise of the V10 as we sped along the coast road through the Borders and into Scotland was something to be savoured. The next two days were going to be very special indeed.

‘Special’ was the best way of describing our arrival at Cromlix House, our residence for the weekend. We meandered up the long drive in convoy, to be greeted by a bagpipe player in full regalia at the entrance, with our hosts Paul and Karen waiting to welcome us. I am still trying to work out how they managed to arrive before us as they had the pleasure of travelling in a Honda CRV that had been struggling to keep up along the flat sections never mind the hills!!

As our luggage was already at the hotel and in our rooms, the first job was to join the rest of the party; eschewing the Champagne and cocktails; a cold beer was the order of the day. The chance to finally have a good chat with the other members was decidedly welcome as we swapped notes and impressions of each of the cars used on the way. It appeared that the two dark horses were the Maserati Quattroporte and the Porsche Panamera Turbo – both decidedly rapid but surprisingly nimble on the A roads.

As we progressed onto our second and third drinks, a dapper gentleman arrived carrying several suit carriers. Karen’s strange request for our waist, neck and shoe sizes (men only, the ladies clearly need less help when choosing appropriate evening wear) was about to become clear as upon opening each suit carrier, the full Scottish regalia was presented ready for us to try on in preparation for tomorrow’s evening event.

The arrival evening was a lovely, relaxed night with a delicious meal, great wine choice and plenty of time to relax and get to meet the other couples that were on the trip. The weather forecast for the Saturday was good and we had already watched (with a slight pang of guilt) as Nassar from the é25 team worked away on his own, cleaning and prepping the cars ready for the next day.

Breakfast was nice and early, I decided to eat lightly in view of the drive ahead and still being full from the night before. As we headed outside, Paul and Ben briefed each of us on the route for the day, stopping points and things to look out for.

Setting out onto the local roads in the Maserati Quattroporte was indeed mouth watering. Despite its size, it seemed to shrink around you, the steering being direct and the throttle sharp – especially in Sport mode.

The Panamera was blisteringly quick especially on the wider A roads, the only criticism I could think of was that the car always seemed to be in control more than the driver!

Another spell in the LP560 around the Lochs was everything anyone could wish for - secure, scorchingly fast, loud and full of character.

Although the R8 is a relatively more familiar sight nowadays and ‘only’ wears an Audi badge, this proved to be the best all rounder of the weekend. Fast, grippy, extremely well balanced and capable of being a comfy GT or a rapid supercar. Capable of mixing it with any of the other cars, everyone who drove it commented on how good it was.

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Another spell in the LP560 around the Lochs was everything anyone could wish for - secure, scorchingly fast, loud and full of character.

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The weekend was a hugely enjoyable experience and one that we will definitely participate in again. Great food, fantastic company, stunning cars and some amazing driving, all organised to an extremely high standard.

Lunch at the famous Loch Fyne restaurant was memorable. Wonderful fresh seafood, a lovely location with a view out onto the road and up into the hills that would shortly be our destination, it passed too quickly. I decided to avoid the Oysters as the roads ahead looked twisty!

Over the years I have driven along some great roads, during the afternoon however the roads were exceptional. Fast A roads passing Loch Lomond and Loch Awe. Switchback B roads along winding lanes and meandering through some lovely villages followed by blasts up hills that seemed to rise forever followed by great downhill runs punctuated by blind corners, adverse cambers and scenery that God most certainly should be proud of.

Our last vehicle changeover brought us to a stop at the small town of Arrochar, or perhaps we brought the small town of Arrochar to a stop! We managed to find enough spaces to park the cars together whilst we searched for some refreshments. The local Constabulary also managed to find us and my weekend was about to come to an early finish with a booking for my earlier misdemeanours - I was innocent, honest guv! – before it turned out only to be a spoof arranged by Paul.

Pulling back into the car park at Cromlix House, everyone had Cheshire cat grins and some great stories of the drive. The early evening sun was still shining and the beer was both cold and very welcome. We now just had the Kilts to contend with!

As each of us arrived in the reception hall, the initial trepidation of wearing a “skirt” disappeared. It was a hot, balmy evening, but the cooling draft from down below was very welcome! After a few drinks and a bit of banter I almost forgot about the strange attire. Then the piper started, local dancing girls appeared and a freshly cooked haggis was brought out for us to bless! It was really rather tasty and deserved a blessing.

The entire group attempting to perform traditional Scottish dancing with some professional tutors and bagpipe player had to be one of the highlights of the evening. With several pints inside us our dancing seemed to be unbelievably good, regrettably the photos proved otherwise.

Of course no Scottish weekend would be complete without a whisky tasting and we were not let down – we retired to the Library where our Whisky expert provided us with a few drams.

Thankfully Sunday morning allowed for a lie-in and a later breakfast! After the mellow start we headed to Gleneagles where Ben and myself had arranged a round of Golf whilst the rest of the guests had massage treatments at the Spa. After my golf cart disappeared down the first hill whilst I was teeing off I realised the Spa would have been a better bet.

The sun disappeared behind a thick cloud as we departed Gleneagles to head back to Wakefield at the end of the weekend, followed by a couple of downpours – the weather adding to the downbeat feeling at having to return home so soon.

Arriving back at the Wakefield Clubhouse, we were presented with coffees and our own cars, all freshly cleaned and shiny - typical écurie25 service.

The weekend was a hugely enjoyable experience and one that we will definitely participate in again. Great food, fantastic company, stunning cars and some amazing driving, all organised to an extremely high standard.

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John Bisby being spoofed by a friendly police officer

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Member David Grover gives us the inside track on the Silverstone Track Day.

Photography: Arlen FiggisCopy: David Grover

Silverstone Track Day

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écurie25 track days really took off in 2010 and I was lucky enough to attend my second session at Silverstone on a bright dry day on 3rd August on the new circuit that was used in this year’s British GP. Silverstone is fast, has some interesting new corners and the new complex slows you down much more than you feel it should when you are on track. Slow in, hold the apex, wait, wait a bit more, wait again then now see the road open up and nail the throttle. That’s the advice I kept being given anyway! The cars we had were real track cars –stripped out, lowered suspension and setup for track use – a Porsche Boxster cup car which you really need to drive to realise just how good it is, a Lotus Exige S, a Renault Clio cup which was more supped up than the versions we have used on the Nurburgring rally, and even another member’s Porsche 997 GT3. But my favourite was the Lotus 211 which has to be one of the most outstanding track cars available today, anyone unsure should check out the footage comparing this with the KTM X-Bow on Fifth gear, where Tiff Needle battles it out with this year’s Touring Car champion and fellow Porsche owner, Jason Plato. It’s much cheaper too than the X-Bow. I must admit I do fancy a Radical though - more on that later. Each of our sessions allows one to one training with a co-driver who have all proved to be both patient and encouraging to help me in particular, improve my lap times with less outright speed and more focus on the line into corners, braking points, the concept of trail braking and the least steering angle possible to get around the corner keeping average speed times up, which is the true secret of being quick on track. It’s normal to expect to get a session in each car in the morning and a session in each car in the afternoon and that is what we got, albeit sometimes frustrated by a bit of track closure time with a few people having a bit of an ‘off’. Mental exhaustion is the challenge here as concentration needs to be high so regular breaks, plenty of fluids and a bit of quiet time help keep in the zone.

Buzzing around us constantly are the many 911’s and Radicals that are the most popular vehicles on track each day, the sheer ground effect of the Radical gives it amazing cornering and grip, so best advice don’t try to compete with one, as chances are you will come off the track pretty quickly. Better advice is, can we have more on a future track day please, écurie25? You may be lucky to see many more track focussed and race vehicles there with you, with race teams testing their cars and a few rarities like the chap in the garage next to us that arrived in an Enzo for a quick few laps before it was put away in its trailer and taken home again. Unknown to us was that a special and unplanned treat was awaiting in the other garage next door. Lamborghini were there on a customer day with two LP570—4 Superleggerra’s, one in white and one in Ithaci Verdi, which for those not in the know is lurid metallic green, or in my own words stunning! é25 arranged for us to get a number of laps driving in one, so just after lunch I slipped on the new crash helmet I bought that very day and off I went. Anyway it’s a stunning vehicle and being a well known Lambo fan in the club, I must say it was stunning around the circuit with great poise, turn in and sheer grip so I was left wanting to get my purchase order in quickly, until the white one blew something that deposited fluids everywhere on the pit lane, put the clutch out of action and had to be pushed home. That’s when you are glad it’s not your headache and fully appreciate the cars that you can enjoy at é25 come without running costs and maintenance headaches. At the end of the day, as per my first écurie25 track day, I ventured out in my own 997 turbo, which sadly has since been sold, in perfect condition I might add. The organisers of the track days are quite flexible about this for é25 guests. Probably wise to take out insurance though which in hindsight I will do next time in case of a mishap.

Late in the day the track does tend to become much quieter too, so seeking preservation rather than records, it was nonetheless great fun to be out again in a car I know and love well, feedback from on lookers was that I was actually very quick getting to over 120mph on two of the straights, probably as the track was becoming more familiar now, but if you take your own car out, however good it may be on the road, you quickly realise its under braked, has soft suspension and normal road tyres on it that deaden the raw experience of a proper focussed machine. Never mind, it’s good to try it nonetheless and return with those discs nicely warmed up for the trip home however it does serve as a great reminder as to why a track car is best for the occasion. So what next for 2011? Members have asked to try more unusual machines like the X-Bow, GT3RS, Radical etc so maybe those who come along next year will get that treat, let’s see. Rest assured, the cars we had anyway were great so well done écurie25 for coming up with the trackday concept and well done also for managing the day well with breakfast, a good lunch break and a get together afterwards for those who wanted. A final thought is perhaps in 2011 we should get the event with timed laps so that at the end of the day, fastest drivers in each car are announced and the overall winner declared for the event - not that I am competitive in any way.

Roll on 2011...

To learn more about the 2011 season, please go to the ‘trackday’ section at - www.ecurie25.com/uk

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écurie25 track days really took off in 2010 and I was lucky enough to attend my second session at Silverstone on a bright dry day on 3rd August on the new circuit that was used in this year’s British GP. Silverstone is fast, has some interesting new corners and the new complex slows you down much more than you feel it should when you are on track. Slow in, hold the apex, wait, wait a bit more, wait again then now see the road open up and nail the throttle. That’s the advice I kept being given anyway! The cars we had were real track cars –stripped out, lowered suspension and setup for track use – a Porsche Boxster cup car which you really need to drive to realise just how good it is, a Lotus Exige S, a Renault Clio cup which was more supped up than the versions we have used on the Nurburgring rally, and even another member’s Porsche 997 GT3. But my favourite was the Lotus 211 which has to be one of the most outstanding track cars available today, anyone unsure should check out the footage comparing this with the KTM X-Bow on Fifth gear, where Tiff Needle battles it out with this year’s Touring Car champion and fellow Porsche owner, Jason Plato. It’s much cheaper too than the X-Bow. I must admit I do fancy a Radical though - more on that later. Each of our sessions allows one to one training with a co-driver who have all proved to be both patient and encouraging to help me in particular, improve my lap times with less outright speed and more focus on the line into corners, braking points, the concept of trail braking and the least steering angle possible to get around the corner keeping average speed times up, which is the true secret of being quick on track. It’s normal to expect to get a session in each car in the morning and a session in each car in the afternoon and that is what we got, albeit sometimes frustrated by a bit of track closure time with a few people having a bit of an ‘off’. Mental exhaustion is the challenge here as concentration needs to be high so regular breaks, plenty of fluids and a bit of quiet time help keep in the zone.

The cars we had were real track cars –stripped out, lowered suspension and setup for track use...organised to an extremely high standard.

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OPEN AND SHUT CASEMember Tim Oldland discovers that the SLS has more than just trick doors.

Photography: Tim OldlandCopy: Tim Oldland

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Alarm set for 8am. Off it goes on cue, but I’ve been awake for a good hour already, far too excited to sleep. I’d been avoiding opening the curtains though, as I’d read the weather report yesterday. Oh well, thinks I, it has to be done sometime. So I pull back the drapes to reveal….. Grey. Well, to be more specific – grey skies, rain, wind, rain and bit more rain. It’s absolutely chuck-ing it down. A little knot forms in my stomach.

You see, today I have nothing to do, apart from drive a car. A very special car. In the many years I’ve been a member of ecurie25 I’ve driven all manner of supercars – Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Aston Martins, Porsches etc, including some special machinery just this year. But to-day’s motorised adrenaline rush excites me more than anything I can remember, bar my first ever drive in a Lamborghini Murcielago. But it’s not Italian, not French, nor British. It’s a very special Mercedes-Benz.

The SLS AMG.

I can’t quantify it, but for some reason this Merc has really got under my skin. The looks have certainly divided opinion, but in pictures I loved it. I’ve known that ecu-rie25 would get one on the fleet though, so I’ve actually avoided trying to see one in the metal. I didn’t want to be disappointed. There’s something about it that genuinely had me fidgeting in my seat when I arrived at the Leeds e25 HQ to pick it up – and it’s not just the doors. But I’ll get back to that later, because I still had that knot in my stomach about the weather. I’d initially planned to have a week with the SLS, and do a mammoth road trip from Leeds up to the best roads Scotland has to of-fer. Pure driving pleasure – a big engine supercar, and some amazing roads. But due to (very annoying) work commitments my spare time has been cut short, so I’ve been cut down to just 24hrs with the SLS, and the Peak District as my playground. Not all bad, then.

So, I’m handed the keys and we walk out into the ga-rage and I get my first look at an SLS in the metal. And quite frankly, anyone who doesn’t like the looks should be locked up in a mental asylum in my eyes, because it’s just stunning. Okay, I’ll admit it’s not a beautiful car like a Ferrari 458 or a Maserati GranTurismo, but it certainly works for me. To me it follows the age old tradition of GT styling from the 60’s. Massive long bonnet (hous-ing a large capacity V8), tight rear overhang, low body. The front end is definitely a bit brash, with the massive Merc badge sitting in an even bigger grille, thrusting forward in its wing-like satin silver housing. The head-lights caused a stir upon launch, with many saying they didn’t fit the look, but I think they do, continuing the sharply angled look of the front end. Down the sides of the large front wings you get the side strakes common

on the Merc SL, but that little bit more stylised in this application. Then you have what I think is the crowning glory of the SLS – the doors.

Yes, they’re a gimmick, but they really do look good. More on those later. At the back is where I think the SLS is best resolved – driver sitting right on the back wheel, with the smoothly tapered rear coming to a stop with the lovely twin pipes and LED rear lights. I think this SLS stands out more than most though, as it is painted in Imola red. From what I’ve been told, and have seen in the classi-fied ads, the majority of SLSs are ordered in Black, Silver, Grey or derivatives thereof, which all seem a little dull. The Imola red of this example makes it stand out like an anorexic at a Weight Watchers meeting.

I approach the car, unlock, and those little door handles at the bottom of the door pop out to greet you. Bend down to open the door, and it rises up majestically on its gas struts and…. is looking me directly in the eye. Hmmm. Okay I’m not exactly stumpy at 6ft 3in tall, but quite a lot of people will have to duck to get in under the door. It may be touted as an everyday supercar, but it still has the en-try/exit issues that the Italians have. A very low seat, with a rather wide sill to straddle is not the easiest thing to get into, especially when blessed with the lengthy append-ages that my height brings with it (stop sniggering at the back). But then you’re in the very comfy seat, and want to close the door. Even I with long arms had to reach very high up to grab the door and bring it down with me. I learnt to pull it down with me as I entered eventually, but all it would take is a hiccup in the process and you’d be left with a leg painfully hit by a descending door. Appar-ently Mercedes considered powered doors, but left them out on the grounds that it would add a lot of weight in the undesirable location of the roof.

Okay, so onto the interior. When I saw the images of the SLS’s interior I was a little disappointed. It didn’t seem special enough for such an overt car. But like the Audi R8, it is simple, looks functional and is an ergonomic dream. The satnav unit, controlled by the Command dial is a very good system, but it suffers from the same issue that so many high end car systems do – you can’t enter a full UK Postcode. This really is absolutely infuriating, as a lot of the time you don’t know the street name, and this functionality is available on a £100 Tomtom. All the other major controls are very nicely weighted, but it seems odd at first to have no wiper arm on the right of the steering wheel (all the controls are on the left arm, with lights on the dash). One of the nice touches inside is that if some-thing looks like aluminium, it invariably is, including the centre console and gearchange paddles.

Now, the really important bit, as sitting a bit ahead of the

nice alcantara trimmed steering wheel, and AMG dials sits… The Engine. I need to emphasise that, because The Engine is truly immense in this application. AMG’s 6.2 litre V8 has been praised before in the SL, S, C, CLS etc, but it was surely designed for this role. Incidentally, it does seem odd to me that, despite the 6208cc ca-pacity, they insist on putting ‘6.3’ badges on the side of all models with this engine, SLS included. I know it’s supposed to hark back to the legendary 300SEL 6.3 litre race cars, but it just makes more sense to me to have 6.2 on the side!

Anyway, none of that matters when you press the brake pedal and thumb the starter. That big V8 bursts into life with a blare of revs, then settles into a delicious burble, reminiscent of a 70’s US muscle car. Stand at the back at idle and close your eyes, and you could be standing behind a Dodge Charger 440R/T. Bliss. As with all Mercs of note, it’s Auto only, but this one has their first dual clutch gearbox, packing 7 gears and a lovely set of paddles behind the wheel. Slip it into D and you pull away very smoothly. In fact, heading out onto the streets of Wakefield it’s very apparent that in its Comfort setting the SLS is firm, but compliant enough to be used every day without incurring massive Chiropractor bills. The only issue is that it may be a little too easy, as there’s a lot of throttle travel before the SLS will get moving, especially in Reverse.

The slip road onto the M1 approaches, windows down despite the rain, and foot to the floor…

(there should be some text here, but it contains far too many expletives for family reading)

This is a seriously fast car. I mean Lambo LP560 type fast (not surprising really, it actually has a higher bhp/tonne). And the noise is like something from a V8 lover’s wet dream. The deep bellow at low revs, rising up to a mechanical thrum, then the exhausts take over again to give forth their musical scream. I don’t mind saying that I spent a large part of that day slowing down and accelerating, giggling like a child every time it performed its overture.

Once the drudgery of the M1 was dealt with the nose of the SLS crept into the Peak District. I’m quite familiar with this territory, but in almost torrential rain, it made me ever so slightly nervous, given that I’d already expe-rienced the brutal power the SLS has. Put the suspen-sion into Sport+, and leave the TC on was my advice, so I complied. The road ahead (Woodhead Road for those who know it) twists and turns, rises and falls, and on this day had mini rivers running all over it. And I had the time of my life.

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I can’t quantify it, but for some reason this Merc has really got under my skin. The looks have certainly divided opinion, but in pictures I loved it.

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The SLS’s steering is absolutely pin-sharp with as much feedback as you’d ever need. The gearbox is fantastic too, if you stay away from the paddles. Shifting manually gives quite tardy results which seems a little odd given how rapid they are in Auto mode. But it matters not, because in Auto mode it hangs onto gears right to the red line, and downshifts at exactly the right time.

In Sport+ you also get just the right amount of slip from the TC. In tight uphill corners with a river running across them, I was getting a nice armful of lock on before the car gathered it up and let me carry on my way. Perfect. The suspension was firmed up, but still didn’t skip over bumps mid-corner, and the car stayed very flat through hard cornering.

The next morning, I woke up at 5am as the weather report

had said it would be dry, and it was. So I headed back to the same road to try it in the dry and the results were the same just with much higher speeds! (but all within the law, Officer). It handles just like an old-school GT, powering out of corners with the rear pushing wide, hearty V8 bellow-ing in your ears. If it hadn’t been for my 9am deadline and dwindling petrol reserves I’d have stayed on that road all day long.

Speaking of petrol, that’s one area that really impressed me. I pressed on a lot in that car, and over a couple of hundred miles I averaged 21mpg, which I think is fantastic for a 560bhp supercar. And I was amazed at the amount of attention that the SLS got everywhere it went. Pull into a petrol station and most people have a look because of the noise, but as soon as I popped the door open I’d have 5 people standing around it asking questions by the time

I’d hauled myself out. Not even Lamborghinis and Ferraris get as much attention in my experience.

In reality, the SLS would probably be a much more useable car with normal doors. The gullwing doors do get in the way, including in the interior. Where they join in the centre of the roof lining is a large bulge which I whacked my head on plenty of times when turning my head to look in a junc-tion. But they are so much a part of the car it would lose a lot without them. The convertible version on the way will be just as accomplished, but I doubt it’ll be as special.

For me, the SLS AMG sits among the Ferrari 599 and Lamborghini LP560/4 in my favourite supercar hierar-chy. It may even be at the top. It just got under my skin like not many cars have, before and after driving it. Euromil-lions Lottery tickets are £2 now, correct?

And I was amazed at the amount of attention that the SLS got everywhere it went.

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www.piloti-europe.com

Tel: +44 (0)1327 858 003

SEBRING£123.38 inc VAT

Piloti DrivesTM

Visit our website or Silverstone showroom to view the full range

Colour Options

DETAIL Photography: allPhotoLondon.com

FERRARI

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The Pininfarina designed body of the F458 Italia is definitetly not form over function. The Italian car makers latest mid-engined supercar incorporates technologies born from years of F1 experience.

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When a passion for watches and cars collideJames Gurney explores the result of a lifelong enthusiasm for all things automotive and horological.

Photography: BRMCopy: James Gurney

Graphic: ©iStockphoto.com/-prokhorov-

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The link between the love of cars and the love of watches would not be worth mentioning here save for the extremes to which Bernard Richards goes in pursuing them. “I am passionate for cars and watches” he told me a few years ago, a franglism I have treasured as it seems to capture his genuine, intense excitement far more directly than would a standard English phrase - this is, after all, a man who gives house space to his collection of classic racing motorbikes. It is the watches however that tell the story of his twin passions most directly - they simply could not have been designed by anyone who does not think that milled titanium is more beautiful than silk or that man’s highest artistic achievement is the nut and bolt.

Richards comes from watchmaking stock but spent 30 years doing small-scale engineering projects for luxury brands that took in everything from chessboards, pens and lighters to dash-boards and watches. Eventually he decided that greater satisfaction could be derived from being his own client and making in numbers and levels of quality that were determined by his choice and not someone else’s needs. His first watch he made for his own pleasure, but was so distinctive that he had orders from family and friends sufficient for a year’s production almost instantly.

Two things conspired to turn the interest of friends into commercial success. The first was the product and the character behind it - Richards’ experience lead him to concentrate on the external engineering of his watches - lugs screwed rather than welded onto the case (which also allows a mix of different materials to be used), designing his own unique screws and hands. Everything is made by hand in-house to super-high tolerances and finished by hand, though to levels that are more appropriate to engineering efficiency rather than the gloss of a Vacheron or Patek. “We do not make overpolished and overbrushed pieces,” says Richards, “People who drive high performance engines do not wear their grandfather’s watch.” Richards also believed that making to order and allowing a high degree of customisation would give his watches a combination of value and individuality that would be unbeatable in the market.

The second element to BRM’s (Bernard Richards Manufacture - the coincidence is, if not deliberate, at least knowing) success was that Richards is a passionate enthusiast for motor-racing at all levels the whole idea for BRM having its genesis in nearly a year’s enforced rest following a karting accident in 1996. Richards is a well-known and popular figure in race circuit paddocks and fellow petrolheads leaped on his watches, within five years BRM watches were being worn by some 350 professional drivers as well as countless others involved in the business. BRM’s embedded status on motor-racing being maintained by the brands support for racing at a number of different levels from LMP2 Pescarolos to the Italian Historic Car cup.

People who drive high performance engines do not wear their grandfather’s watch.

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BRM make about 2,000 watches a year ranging from sub-£3,000 ETA based simple watches to platinum cased manufactured watches that reach into six figures. Drawing the crowds at events such as the Goodwood Festival of Speed and SalonQP have been watches such as the brand’s unique “birotor” with its movement suspended within the case on four carbon-fibre shock absorbers and conceived by master-watchmaker Jean-Paul Crabbe. The Birotor has two sets of rotating weights that are linked to a central axis and jump into action at the least shake of the watch, the rotors carrying sufficient weight to have a distinct gyroscopic effect. Crabbe also designed a unique automatic tourbillon for the brand using ultra-specialised alloys more commonly found in race engines.

The mainstay of BRM’s collections remains the V12 which comes in an endless variety of guises - most of the watches are made to order, the exceptions being low run limited editions such as the 44mm E25 with its black-pvd steel case and carbon dial. Designed as a celebration of the new partnership between BRM and écurie25 this special watch features a piston-shaped case, perforated strap and specially modified ETA 7753 chronograph. The V12-E25 edition has petrolhead written all over it.

the V12-E25 edition has petrolhead written all over it

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Tel: 0800 008 6679www.cruiseline.co.uk

The Adventure

Cruise Collection

Call for brochure Prices are per person based on twin share, subject to availability and may change at any time. E&OEPlease quote reference code ECURIE on all correspondance.

MAJESTIC ALASKAPRE PAID GRATUITIES & $1000 ONBOARD CREDIT PER STATEROOMREGATTA, San Francisco to San Francisco 12 May & 26 August 2011, 14 days cruise only

G Inside £1828ppC1 Outside £2288ppB2 Veranda £2633pp

GLACIAL WILDERNESSPRE PAID GRATUITIES & $1000 ONBOARD CREDIT PER STATEROOMREGATTA, Anchorage to Vancouver 29 June & 23 July 2011, 12 days cruise only

G Inside (based on 29 June) £1683pp C1 Outside £2056ppB2 Veranda £2431pp

G Inside (based on 23 July) £1797pp C1 Outside £1970ppB2 Veranda £2545pp

ALASKAN GRANDEUR$1000 ONBOARD CREDIT PER STATEROOMREGATTA, San Francisco to Vancouver 26 May & 14 August 2011, 12 days cruise only

G Inside (based on 26 May) £1682ppC2 Outside £2027ppB2 Veranda £2430pp

Alaskan Discovery

E25 Oceania advert.indd 1 21/12/2010 09:40

Make every second count...a quick membership guideécurie25 is the longest established supercar club in the world. Membership gives you convenient access to the most desirable supercars from multiple branches across the UK. Of course, membership is not just about enjoying great cars, it’s also about making the most of our superb events calendar and sharing your motoring passion with new friends.

t: 020 7837 6648 e: enquiries@ecurie25.co.uk w: ecurie25.co.uk

40 | é25 magazine

On The Road

Please note that the collection is constantly changing; as we aim to keep only the latest and most popular models. The current collection islisted below and includes all the cars across the écurie25 branches. We run more than one example of many key models.

Group é0 Cars:

Mercedes SLS AMG

Bentley Continental Supersports

Ferrari 612 Scaglietti

Lamborghini LP560-4

Lamborghini LP560-4 Spyder

Ferrari California

Ferrari 599

Audi R8 V10 Spyder

Ferrari 458 Italia

Porsche Panamera Turbo S

Group é1 Cars:

Bentley Continental GT Mulliner

Bentley Continental GT

Aston Martin DB9 Sport Pack

Aston Martin DB9 Volante

Aston Martin Vantage Roadster

Ferrari F430 Spider F1

Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder

Aston Martin DBS

Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet

Group é2 Cars:

Aston Martin Vantage

Audi R8

Jaguar XKR Convertible

Porsche 911 GT3

Group é3 Cars:

Overfinch Range Rover Vogue

Porsche Cayenne Turbo

BMW M5

Maserati Quattroporte

Porsche 911 Turbo (996)

Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet

How does it work?

Each member is allocated points which are traded for time in cars and é25 events at any écurie25 Clubhouse around the world.

Members that take a V12 Membership should expect to enjoy about 35 days and 1,750 miles driving a selection of cars in our é1 category. That’s about £340 per day - less than half the cost of renting such cars.

The exact number of days you get will depend on how many miles you drive, and in which cars. The points cost for car bookings includes 50 miles per day, additional miles are then charged in points at the published rate.

There is no mileage limit; you can drive as far as you wish in any of the cars, subject to you having sufficient points to cover that mileage. For events you simply spend the points from your existing account in accordance with the published rate.

Group é4 Cars:

Ford Focus RS

VehicleCategory

é0

é1

é2

é3

é4

McLaren MP4-12C coming in 2011

Weekday

30

20

17

14

13

Weekend(3 days)

140

110

95

85

80

1 Week

245

175

140

120

110

2 Weeks

465

325

255

220

200

3 Weeks

710

500

395

340

315

Points PerAdditional Mile

0.4

0.2

0.1

0.05

0.025

£12,000 Other memberships available, see website for full details.

plus £1,750 joining fee

V12 Membership

EMMANUELLE Range up to a GG cup. Style featured B to G cup.Figleaves.com, Fenwick, Harrods, Harvey Nichols, John Lewis, Leialingerie.com, Selfridges and all good independent stores.

Coming up in the next issue of é25 Magazine: the new McLaren MP4-12C, how will it compare with the F458? é25 members will be some of the first to find out! é25 goes international – a preview of the first overseas branch, and Monaco GP 2011 – as seen by a ship’s captain.

What’s around the corner?Coming in the next issue...

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From urban brawlers to long haul touring machines, from contemporary customs drenched in chrome to dark retro-style bobbers; Harley-Davidson® has motorcycles for almost every kind of rider. With twenty-eight models for 2011, choosing what to take out on a test ride could be tough.

To book your free test ride visit www.harley-davidson.co.uk or come and see us at the next écurie25 event.NeedÊaÊLicence?– Call us on 0871 641 2207 to fi nd out how we can help

© H-D 2011. Harley, Harley-Davidson and the Bar & Shield logo are among the trademarks of H-D Michigan, LLC.

H1D_C396_Ecurie25_305x240_Dec.indd 1 04/02/2011 10:35

www.brm-manufacture.com

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