The Supercar KidsThe Supercar KidsIssue 5 - Winter 2012/2013Issue 5 - Winter 2012/2013

It’s the early part of a new year, with new beginnings so we open our 2013 issue series with a bang and head straight to the private airfield at RizonJet with not one, but two custom Rolls Royces. One belongs to a professional footballer Emmanuel Adebayor, and the other to MTV Slip’s Elo of the London Motor Museum. If that wasn’t enough excitement for one place, we added in some variety with the incredibly exclusive and appropriately priced Maybach Xenatec also belonging to Elo.

Many readers will have set new resolutions as the clocks changed to 2013, and similarly we decided to try something new by featuring three ultimate luxury cars in our cover shoot, each one of which certainly invokes some sense of 'boss' status. Everyone has different tastes and opinions when it comes to class and luxury so it is without a doubt that may of you are giving Emmanuel's gold and black Phantom some strange looks, while others prefer the unique image of the car, after all it's sure to turn heads even if for the wrong reasons! If a Rolls isn't your thing but you still want to travel in style you may appreciate the class of the Maybach Xenatec, even rarer than any Rolls Royce has only a handful were ever produced, these bad boys will cost you about £650,000.

Luxury jetsetters amongst us should check out the CAMCO Air private jet shown in this story, the one photographed is the first ever in the UK! CAMCO Air launched its private jet service in July 2012, following the purchase of their brand new Cessna Citation CLS Plus. Headquartered in Mayfair, London, CAMCO Air intends to expand its fleet beyond Europe and the United Kingdom to the Gulf. Their new brand and design have been seen across the USA, Iceland, UK and France in just a few days following its unveiling in Wichita, Kansas.

CAMCO will charter you a trip to your desired destination for up to £9000 depending on the location. If you want all of this to yourself though, the ultimate travel toy can be yours for a cool £20 million! It seats 9, so we'd recommend pooling some money together with your friends.

We would like to extend a huge thanks to Rizon Jet at Biggin Hill for having us there, to CAMCO Air for letting us feature their awesome jet and to London Motor Museum for arranging and bringing the cars shown.

Article by Mahmood Ansari & Adam Gordon Photography by Luke Gilbertson Photography

Editorial

Contributors

Thank you for picking up the fifth issue of The Supercar Kids magazine. For the first issue of the year we are trying a few new things. After we recap our TSK run through the city, we take a look at some of our favourite winter-ready performance and luxury cars.

We also checked out a few events from around the world, but didn't remain limited to car shows, as we also visited The London Boat Show and one of the biggest motorcycle supershows in the world, the North American International Motorcycle Supershow.

We expect 2013 to bring great things, especially as the weather brightens up and events get back into flow! Thank you for reading and we hope you will join us again next time.

Mahmood Ansari - Founder & DirectorTim Burton - Managing PartnerAdam Gordon - Creative Director

Sponsors

Rick HollisterGurps KandolaJet PouvreauWolfie KutnerLuke GilbertsonNick WilliamsMatt Clifford

www.thesupercarkids.com The Supercar Kids Facebook @TheSupercarKids

In This Issue:

Supercars In The City

The CoolestWinter Wheels

13 Shades of Godzilla

New Section:Celebrity Supercars

London Boat Show

Autosport International

North AmericanInternational

Motorcycle Supershow

KIK Customs:Wrapping Tim’s R8

and much, much more.

Supercar NewsIn light of the ever-changing world of supercars, we’ve decided that a monthly or bi-monthly update is not nearly frequent enough to stay up to date on the latest supercar news. Thus, we have taken to a blog to provide you with the latest news in the supercar world as it happens. The blog can be found at http://blog.thesupercarkids.com/

This section of the magazine will now be used as a ‘highlight reel’ of sorts, providing links to the month’s most interesting news stories from the blog.Let’s take a look at what has happened in the supercar world so far this year:

Bugatti Gangloff Concept Miami Aventador Parade

Jenson Button Drives P1 Prototype

The Only F40 Limo

How a teenage celebrity deals with a break-upCelebrity Supercars: Justin Beiber

Most of us when going through a break up would shed a tear or two and go out on a night out with our friends to forget about everything. But if you’re Justin Bieber - one of the most well-known pop musicians in the world - then it’s a different story.

Following the break up with Selena Gomez, Bieber gifted himself a brand new white on white Ferrari 458. With a top speed over 200mph and 0-60 at 3.4second anyone is bound to forget about the rest of the world and just see their own smile in the mirror. With an awesome paintjob of Bianco Avus, and white alloys, this Ferrari 458 is certainly one of the most tasteful looking 458s out there. As if that wasn’t enough, Justin Bieber has even customized not only the brake callipers, but even the Ferrari Badge in a soothing blue colour.

Looking at his previous cars and the ‘interesting’ work on it, such as the Fisker Karma and the Mercedes Sprinter, Bieber has certainly surprised us all and added an epic piece of machinery to his collection.

What is your favourite celebrity car? Feel free to tell us on our facebook and twitter pages, and we may feature them in a future edition!

Article by Mahmood Ansari

Supercarsin theCity

Supercarsin theCity

On a mild winter night in central London, I met up with Tim, Mah-mood and some of the other friends for a little Supercar Kids run through the city, in which we would stop at Canary Wharf to take the magnificent photographs you see in this issue of TSK.

Supercarsin theCity

Supercarsin theCity

It’s always fun to slip into Tim’s seductively sleek Sepang blue Audi R8 V10 Spyder for a spin around London. It gets looks from almost every direction, and is an incredible machine. Driving through central London, in the evening, with the Christmas lights on, and a potent 525 horsepower V10 roaring behind you is an experience of magnificent proportions. People smile when they see us coming, or more often than not, hear us coming. Often we are seen before we are heard due to the raucously attractive exhaust note which sounds sweet as we drive along, accompanied by the beautifully loud downshift blips as we decelerate to a halt.

So, the plan was to drive down from our first meeting point to Canary Wharf, where the troupe consisting of the R8 and a McLaren MP4-12C, would meet up with a Ferrari 458 Italia. When we arrived at Canary Wharf after the run through London, (including a stop at a petrol station to fill up the very thirsty cars), we parked the cars up, and waited. Lo and behold, the 458 Italia finished in the paint scheme known as Nero Daytona turned up, looking like very stealthy in the night, instantly recognisable by its distinctive LED lights, it’s low profile, and it’s absolutely sublime exhaust note. Even at low speeds this great Italian stallion sounds exceptional.

It was at this time where I had the opportunity to have a short ride in the McLaren MP4-12c. Not one to turn down a ride, I happily jumped into the car, whose carbon tub made my entry a little clumsy. Entry and Exit into supercars is a funny topic, the McLaren is one of the harder cars to get in and out of in a cool manner, while the 458 was easier to manoeuvre myself into, and the R8 even easier. Practice makes perfect in this manner, and the owners have this vital process mastered!

In the McLaren, the layout of the interior is clean, uncluttered, and clearly driver-oriented. The car has lovely deep leather seats, which were already warm due to the seat warmer! Out of the three cars experienced, the MP4-12C had the smoothest ride quality; it literally did feel like I was being wafted along in something far larger, like an S-class or a Phantom.

The acceleration in this car didn’t feel as linear as the R8, it felt like the power output built up exponentially, in a spiky manner, meaning the acceleration felt ever so slightly delayed, and when it did come, it came all at once! Induction noise was very apparent from the McLaren and sounded very nice, it was a raspy sound accompanied by the whistle of the twin turbo chargers, mixed in with the spirited grunt of the surprisingly loud sports exhaust.

The ride was over soon, and as I pondered about my experience of the McLaren, I was simultaneously opening the passenger side door to the Ferrari 458 Italia. Sitting in the Ferrari, I noticed that the layout was as clean as the McLaren, and created in the mind-set that the driver is king. All the controls which would traditionally be mounted on stalks were mounted on the steering wheel, including the small but crucial ‘Manettino’ switch, which controls the different traction control settings in the car. A simple push of the start engine button, brought the 4.5 litre V8 confidently into life with a burble and a slight shaking of the car, which highlighted how light-weight the 458 really is. Revving the engine also shakes the car slightly, which is always an exciting thing to do, and is aurally dynamic from both the inside and the outside. We headed off from Canary Wharf, on the drive from east London, to West London, where out final destination would be Harrods, in Knightsbridge. London was still bustling at this time of the night, and as I looked around from the inside of the car, I realised that the Ferrari is a head turner in the truest sense of the term. People looked on, children smiled and waved, and urged us to rev at every possible chance. It made me smile knowing that these supercars not only bring joy to their owners, but to the people around them. Nilesh loved that fact too, and made a little boy very happy that night with some enthusiastic rev lining at a red light.

The 458 definitely has an on and off sound, due to the nature of its exhaust valves which open at a certain RPM, dictated by the current Manettino setting. I quite like the way it bursts into song at a certain RPM, accompanied by a very noticeable push in the back as you become momentarily glued to your seat depending on how hard the and how long the driver decides to accelerate for.

The 458 is magnificent, and seems to effortlessly accelerate upon the every whim of the driver in total control. The power feels linear and unlike the McLaren, the lack of forced induction also means there is a complete lack of turbo lag, which means an instant throttle response, which is even noticeable from the passenger seat. The engine in the V8 sounds amazing, and definitely my favourite from this event.

The evening ended with a lovely meal in a nearby restaurant, where we as car enthusiasts were able to talk more in depth about the night’s goings on, and all came to an appreciation, that although these three cars are different, they all serve the same purpose, of satisfying our thirst for automotive pleasure. The experience of being driven through London, on a lovely night like this, was one that I will remember for a long time. Many people say that supercars cannot be enjoyed in the confines of a city. I believe that to be untrue, Going from 0-30mph (a usual speed limit) in a Super-car with over 500 horse power at the wheels is still something incredibly exciting to experience, and being able to drive one around, in what is undoubtedly one of the greatest cities in the world, and bring smiles to people’s faces, is inspiring.

Article by Andrew AdedejiPhotography by Automotive-Exposure and Luke Gilbertson

Buddha-Bar London

Established in September 1996 by Raymond Visan, Buddha-Bar Paris was - and still is - one of the most globally recognised and widely acclaimed resto-bar and lounges, catering to clientele who appreciate sublime elegance and style.

Buddha-Bar London is re-inventing the elegance and integrity inspired by Raymond Visan, bringing the elements of Buddha-Bar to 145 Knightsbridge as a dining experience for the busy socialites, shoppers and business people of Mayfair, Knightsbridge, Kensington and beyond. An international destina-tion to be seen at, as well as enjoyed, for lunch, light dishes and cocktails in the afternoon to the evening, accompanied by immersive music.

Nestled in the heart of Knightsbridge, the new Buddha-Bar Restaurant opened from 12 throughout the week, mixing up London’s dining scene with its sumptuous menu of pan-Asian dishes, reputable music and striking interi-ors. Spearheaded by co-founder Tarja Visan, Buddha-Bar London has rein-vented the brand, pushing culinary boundaries while offering guests an unrivalled experience blending food, music, décor and light perfectly.

Buddha-Bar’s central London location offers ultimate convenience for busi-ness meetings and lunches, ensuring a delicious yet efficient service for any size group. And as it fringes Knightsbridge’s prestigious stores and bou-tiques, it has quickly become a favourite of fashionistas and ladies of leisure who are in search of a nearby retreat for a light and delicious lunch.

The menu includes a wide array of dishes. Start with the signature Buddha-Bar Chicken Salad or Chilli Salt Crispy Squid – both dishes will tease your appetite and prepare you for the delicious main courses. Follow with the Pan Fried Sea Bass with Shiso Butter, a fusion of buttery flavours that melt in your mouth, or Five Spiced Barbecued Chicken, a sensation for the palette with its melange of sweet and fiery hints.

Buddha-Bar London is also pleased to announce the latest addition of Buddha-Bites, a brand new set lunch menu featuring a meticulously selected choice of light Pan-Asian dishes that are pleasing to every guest’s appetite. If you’re a foodie, make sure you check out this place if you happen to be in London.

For more information do visit their website at www.buddhabarlondon.com.

Article by Mahmood AnsariPhotos by Buddha-Bar London

TSK Tech: John’s Phone

We love receiving tonnes of messages from our audience telling us to check out a certain car, luxury item or gadget. One which caught my eye was John’s Phone, especially the ‘gold bar’ limited edition, which was mentioned to me by a Dutch chap named Bob Wouters.

For those of you that like to keep your luxury gadgets simple, this one may be for you. John’s Phone Bar claim’s to be the world’s simplest golden cell phone: no frills or unnecessary features such as a camera, text messaging and an endless number of ringtones. You call, you hang up, and that’s it.

Made in the Netherlands, John’s Phone is compatible with any type of SIM card - pay as you go and SIM-only contracts, both national and international. John’s Phone o�ers global roaming, except on the 3G networks in South Korea and Japan. With its long standby time of more than 3 weeks, John's Phone is pretty handy when travelling or driving.

The back of the phone features a small opening with an address book and pen – two unique features you can use even when your phone is switched o�. In addition, it includes an earphone that allows you to call hands-free while driving.

If you don’t want the shiny golden colour-scheme, it also comes in a variety of other colours, such as Tree (brown), Grass (Green), Sweet (Pink), Snow (White) or Business (Black), with prices starting at €69.95.

We would love to hear about your favourite gadgest at www.thesupercarkids.com

Article by Mahmood Ansari

SUPERCAR RIDE COMPETITIONSUPERCAR RIDE COMPETITION

We’ve teamed up with Ferrari Colchester to give some of our UK fans a chance to win some rides in a choice of their supercar from their demo fleet which includes amazing supercars such as Ferrari 458 Italia, Ferrari 458 Spider, Ferrari FF, Ferrari California and Ferrari F12 to join very soon.

All you have to do is simply follow their twitter accounts at @FerrariCol & @Luggy31 and tweet them that you are a Supercar Kid! They will be randomly picking 3 people at every 1000 thousand followers to come to their dealership and go for a spin!

Please be aware that winners will need to make their own way. Travelling and hotel cost will not be covered.

We’ve teamed up with Ferrari Colchester to give some of our UK fans a chance to win some rides in a choice of their supercar from their demo fleet which includes amazing supercars such as Ferrari 458 Italia, Ferrari 458 Spider, Ferrari FF, Ferrari California and Ferrari F12 to join very soon.

All you have to do is simply follow their twitter accounts at @FerrariCol & @Luggy31 and tweet them that you are a Supercar Kid! They will be randomly picking 3 people at every 1000 thousand followers to come to their dealership and go for a spin!

Please be aware that winners will need to make their own way. Travelling and hotel cost will not be covered.

Rolls-Royce Ghost – a saloon of a classic luxury and comfort. One of the ultimate cars in design, style and technology, perfect for those special occasions whether going into the heart of London for business, taking a loved one for dinner, heading to the races in style or simply a getaway at a hotel. Engineered to grip the road atat all times, it creates dynamic drive and the famous Rolls-Royce “magic carpet ride” for the driver and the passengers. 21st century technol-ogy has been blended with the grace of yester-year.

For your very own luxury experience with the Rolls Royce simply contact Season Car Hire at 0844 227 44 73 to have those cherished memo-ries. You can also view the huge variety of cars they have to offer at www.seasoncars.com.

Rolls-Royce Ghost Car type: Saloon BHP: 503 0-62 mph: 4.9 Top Speed: 155mph Colour: Grey Seats: 5

TSK Top Picks: The Coolest

WINTER WHEELSIt’s that time of year again. Many of our readers and fans are located in countries that undergo some pretty drastic weather changes in the winter months. For petrol-heads, lead-foots and supercar drivers alike, the white stuff can be quite a pain in the tailpipe if it gets bad enough. For many, a snow-covered road means changing over to winter tires for a few months. For others, it means putting the summer car away, and driving something that is usually less enjoyable until the snow subsides.

What if having a winter car didn’t necessarily demand that you sacrifice comfort, performance and style? Here at The Supercar Kids, we’ve picked out our favourite ice-taming cars from around the world for some of our more ‘weather-hardened’ readers in the Northern Hemisphere.

We have to admit, Bentley isn’t exactly the first name that would normally come to mind when planning for a winter drive, but that changed when Finnish world rally champion Juha Kankkunen set the new world record for speed on ice at a chilling 330.695 km/h (205 mph). Bentley were so pleased with their accomplishment, they immediately began production on 100 units of the special edition Bentley Supersports Ice Speed Record Convertible, which later appeared at the Geneva Motor Show.

Bentley’s position at the top of the record holder’s podium was short-lived, however. Just one month after Bentley shattered the previous ice speed record, Audi sent their RS6 fitted with Nokian winter tires to the same location. The Audi just barely beat Bentley’s record, with the RS6 reaching up to 331.61 km/h (206 mph).

The Bentley Supersports also wasn’t the only car to inspire an addition to the manufacturer line-up. In light of the successes of Audi’s RS6 line, and possibly the growing popularity of hot hatches, Audi has unveiled the Audi RS6 Avant (below) as a future production model. In addition, Audi just announced plans for a ‘plus’ package available to the Avant family, com-plete with 600 horsepower. As far as practical winter cars go, it doesn’t get much better than a 5-door monster that can get from 0 to 60 in less than 4 seconds. We expect that the RS6 Avant will be a phenomenal car year-round, but will really shine in the winter.

Let’s just say, hypothetically, that the Bentley Supersports and Audi RS6 aren’t your cup of tea. Sure, they’re nice cars, but you want something more. Something agressive - something as sporty as your summer car. If you’re looking for inspiration, you’ll need look no further than professional skiier Jon Olsson’s collection. Being an X-Games medalist and pro skiier, Jon has had the chance to toy with the best of the best winter vehicles.

Jon has had two Lamborghini Gallardos and two Murcielagos (one LP-640, one LP-670). His first mountain-taming supercar was the first Gallardo, sparked by conversation over beer. In a brief interview with Jon, he writes, “When I got this car we had a few beers and started joking about how funny it would be to drive it in the winter, woke up the next morning and realized that I needed to be an idiot and go for it. That’s where its all started.” And so it began. With a Packline box and a Thoule roof-rack, Jon began what would turn into an iconic series of builds.

In addition to being a pro skiier, Jon Olsson is also a road-rally fan. He made his first appearance on the Gumball 3000 rally in 2010 driving his LP-670, and has returned to the rally with a new fleet every year since.

Jon’s next project was determined to beat the top speed of his LP-670, which had reached 220 km/h with the ski-box. Jon purchased a Nissan GT-R and bolted the box directly to the roof. With a t-shirt pushed between the box and roof to improve stability, the GT-R hit 292 km/h.

Mosty recently, Jon has taken to the roads - and hills - with his Stasis Audi R8. Not only did his Audi come along for the Gumball 3000 in 2012, but Jon also held an online contest to pick a passenger for what Jon calls the ‘Extraball’, the road trip from Germany to Sweden to get the cars back home after Gumball. The highest speed the R8 has reached is 290 km/h,

but Jon tells us that it has more to give.

To keep up with Jon Olsson’s adventures, check out his website at http://jon-olsson.com/

Do you know of any fantastic winter cars we missed? Let us know on facebook or twitter!

Article by Adam GordonPhotography by Oskar Bakke

The core of the website is formed by the spots. Anyone in possession of a camera who spots an exotic car can send their pictures to share them with a large, and constantly growing community of enthusiasts. Every day, thousands of spots from all over the world are uploaded.

Why not head to www.autogespot.com now and submit your pictures of cars you've seen?

This Month’s Highlights:

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Mansory LINEA Vincerò d'OroBeverly Hills, United States of AmericaSpotted by DLM

Aston Martin V12 ZagatoParis, FranceSpotted by KVCphoto

Autogespot is an international platform where car enthusiasts meet, share photos and get the latest updates about exotic cars. It is for the fans, by the fans.

Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Hamann VolcanoDubai, United Arab EmiratesSpotted by Patrick3331

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport VitesseParis, FranceSpotted by AnthonyR/AnshoB

Ferrari F12 Berlinetta Novitec RossoLuzern, SwitzerlandSpotted by svb1995

Audi RS5 Cabriolet (Carrera GT, F50, F40)Monaco, MonacoSpotted by PACOCANO90

The 2013Canadian InternationalAuto Show

As the big double doors of Toronto’s Metro Convention Centre swung open, I was met with the glimmer and shine of all the 40th Anniversary of CIAS (Canadian International Auto Show) has to offer. CIAS began in 1974 and quickly became the biggest consumer show of any kind in Canada. With over 500,000 square feet of showroom and more than 1000 vehicles on display, there was a lot to cover. I was here primarily to check out new concepts and seek out supercars within the ‘Auto Exotica’ section of the show. Fortunately for me, CIAS 2013 delivered more than I had even anticipated.

In the first room, the thing that caught my eye immediately was the Acura NSX concept, making it’s first appearance in Canada with the recently unveiled red leather interior. The 2013 show played host to several Canadian debuts, including the Maserati Quattroporte, the show-stealing Lexus LF-LC, the all-new Dodge Viper and the new Corvette C7 Stingray. BMW also brought Canada’s first look at the electric hybrid i-series, with the BMW i8 and i3 concepts.

My personal favourite exhibit was that of ‘Nextmod’, a local aftermarket performance tuner. Their showcase consisted of numerous performance flagship cars, including two R35 GT-Rs, a Subaru STI hatch, and even an old Evo IIX, modified for both track and street driving.

After hours of navigating the Convention Centre, I finally made my way into the Auto Exotica showcase, and wow, was it ever an impressive display. In the center of the room was an exhibit dedicated to italian perfor-mance history. It featured everything from an iconic Ferrari 365 GTB4 ‘Daytona’ to the track-built Ferrari 599XX and Maserati MC12 Corsa.

The Auto Exotica exhibit also featured some Canadian first-timers, such as the MP4-12C Spider, the 2014 ‘facelifted’ Gallardo, and the mighty Ferrari F12 Berlinetta. The entire show was so exciting, I’m amazed I managed to contain myself long enough to take these photos. The 2013 Canadian International Auto Show is an absolute ‘must-see’ if you’re in the area.

Article by Adam GordonPhotography by Overdrive Photography

13 Shades of Godzilla13 Shades of Godzilla

Recently, we put together a little gathering to showcase an engineering marvel that often gets overlooked by exotic and luxury owners - Japan’s Godzilla, the GT-R.

As you can see, the gathering attracted a rather ‘colourful’ crowd. We’d like to thank everyone who came out on this day to provide a fantastic photo-opportunity.

Photography by Nick Williams

The London The London Boat ShowBoat Show

This January, we headed down to The London Boat Show, an annual London event which, was held at the Excel Exhibition Centre. This was rather interesting, as it is off our usual topic of cars, however the motivation and the atmosphere was enough to give us a buzz as soon as we entered the exhibition.

The original show dates back to 1957, which used to be held at the Olympia. It was only in 2002 that it was moved to Earls Court, due to the high demand and popularity of the show and with the market expanding across several income levels. The show featured everything from dinghies to cruise yachts; catering all budgets from the entry level up to something for the elite millionaires.

This year there were more dedicated boardwalks than usual at the show, allowing the general public to step on board a variety of boats. Some of the manufacturers that were showing this off were Quicksilver, Bayliner and Bavaria. Some of the other attractions at this years show included exhibits from the Royal Navy and used boats marina. Visitors and spectators also had a chance to take part in some activities in pools, and there was also an area for the owners association. If you weren’t in the market to buy yourself a new boat, there were still plenty of shops where you were able to purchase accessories and gifts that catered to tastes and interests across the board.

Although this show is dedicated to boats, this year it also hosted to the outdoors show, the London bike show, the active travel show and the luxury brand show. The luxury brand show was rather interesting, as we came across something a little closer to home: a selection of some of the rarest supercars, including an Aston Martin One-77, Pagani Zonda F Roadster, Koenigsegg CCR from Super Vertura and a rare 1909 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost which has recently been restored by P & A Woods Rolls Royce and Bentley. The 1909 Rolls is estimated to be worth over £2 Million.

Some of the other exhibitors at this year’s show included our friends at Season Car Hire, who brought their Ferrari 458 Italia and a Nissan GT-R. MTECH had their racing Ferrari 458 and Lamborghini Gallardo on the show floor, and it was nice to see the impressive Lightning GT on display as well. The Lightning GT was first launched in 2008 at the London Motor Show and although it was meant to be delivered in 2009 it was then pulled back to 2013, it boasts 0-60mph in less than 5 seconds and has a recommended top speed of 120mph.

If you’re a fan of the luxury lifestyle, a yacht club member, or just curious about the massive showcase, we would highliy recommend the London Boat Show to anyone in the area each January. The show has something for everyone, and since it consists of 4 separate shows in on, it also makes a pretty good networking opportunity for anyone in the respective industries.

To find out more about the event(s), both past and future, visit their website athttp://www.londonboatshow.com

Article by Gurps KandolaPhotography by The Video Box London

2013AutosportInternational

Covering over 1 million square feet, Autosport was ‘the’ four-wheel indoor extravaganza of this January. Featuring every level of Motor Racing from Karting to Formula 1, and with exhibitors ranging from specialist race suppliers to major manufacturers showcasing their road and race cars, the show truly brought together the world of motorsport under one roof this month.

For the 23rd year running, the annual pre-season event was held at the NEC in Birmingham, UK from 10th – 13th January 2013. The show uniquely catered for industry professionals and motorsport fans alike, incorporating two trade-only days(10th & 11th) to allow visitors and exhibitors to meet in a business to business environment, and two more relaxed public days(12th & 13th) dedicated to motor enthusiasts.

The ‘careers in motorsport’ area was for those interested in getting advice to find their best route into the industry. The Historic Motorsport section celebrated the cars and stars of yester-year, featuring the leading names in historic motorsport milestones. Many of today’s top racing drivers started their careers in karting, so a karting area was specifically dedicated to the sport. If that was not enough, the event also consisted of an oval racing section for the die-hard fans of oval racing, covering all aspects of autograss, rallycross, oval racing, drag racing, road and off-road racing. New for 2013 was the Rally Area, where the organisers worked on bringing together all the Rally Racing exhibitors in one place.

At Autosport International 2013, attendees also had the opportunity to experience the thrill of live racing on a purpose-built indoor track. Visitors had the chance to watch the most amazing stunts, drifting and races, and have a go at the karting track and simulators, including the ride of your life at the Caterham Driving Experi-ence.

If you still hadn’t had enough, you could also get up and close to the F1 Racing Grid and watch interviews with some of the biggest Formula One drivers. From legendary drivers to industry figureheads like Christian Honer, some of the sport’s biggest names were also interviewed on the Autosport Central Stage. Paddock Pass holders also had the opportunity to get autographs of yet some more big names in the motorsport industry during various signing sessions throughout the show. For those looking to spend a bit of their hard earned cash on their childhood dream car, Coys Auction gave them the perfect opportunity to see the most amaz-ing vintage, race and road cars go under the hammer.

This was certainly a good start to the 2013 event calendar, and we look forward to attending various events around the world this year. What auto events are you most looking forward to attending? Tell us on our facebook at www.facebook.com/thesupercarkids

Article by Mahmood Ansari Photography by Matt-Media

KIK Customs

I've always wanted to drive a purple car, and a few years ago I came very close by ordering a new Audi S5 in their Velvet Purple before changing my mind at the very final hour and opting for a safer choice in Sepang Blue. Jump forward a few years and I've recently bought another Audi, this time an R8 V10 Spyder that you can read all about as the cover story from Issue 4. Again the car is Sepang Blue, now though with the help of KIK Customs (http://www.kikcustoms.co.uk) it's time to go purple!

Vehicle wrapping is the simplest form of changing your car's colour without the costs affiliated with a respray; the hours in the workshop, the depreciation on resale the moment you stray away from safe colours and so on. It opens up all sorts of options for patterns, complete custom prints, changing just little aspects such as a carbon effect roof, bonnet or spoiler, right down to what colour you want your door mirror arms.

A wrap not only serves the purpose of allowing a colour change but if applied correctly it will also preserve and protect the paintwork underneath. It is a tem-porary material, usually guaranteed for a good number of years, but when the time comes to remove it the original colour remains underneath in exactly the condition it was left. The cost varies depending what work is being done, what material is being used and other factors but typically is in the £1,500-2,000 region. At a personal level, the ability to make my car into exactly the colour I'm after serves two purposes, it's unique and instantly recognisable as it travels as well as protecting it while taking part in numerous events and supercar runs – fat rear tyres throw up a lot of stones on the roads believe me!

After making the decision to go for a car wrap there are a few choices to be made, such as which company to do the work and then looking through endless streams of samples to decide what colours to go for. After some research, I chose to take my car to KIK Customs, based in Basildon, Essex. They are fairly new kids on the block but with a reputation second to none based on their experience in valeting and vehicle signs, my car could not have been better looked after.

The team at KIK guided me through streams of sample materials, I had already set my heart on purple as a base colour but you couldn't imagine the number of options available. We ordered small samples of the top two choices and it was immediately obvious which was the one to go for, a Midnight Purple with an iridescent effect; remniscent to the colour available on R34 Skylines.

Showing from a vibrant lighter colour when caught in the right light, through to a stealthy deep shade otherwise, we knew the colour would set the car apart.

Before entering the workshop for the transformation a vital part of the process is to wash and prepare the bodywork full in the knowledge that any imperfections will emphasise through the effect of the wrap. Paul, a partner in the business runs KIK Valeting (http://www.kikvaleting.co.uk) where he details some of the most remarkable cars on the roads, his team have even previously looked after the Gumball 3000 cars during the rally. Running through a process of snow foaming the car, claying it and getting everything ready, the car was then driving into the workshop, a zone where dust is minimesed in order to keep the surfaces immaculate throughout the process.

Before the first sheet of wrap material can be placed on the car, various parts need removing, for example the badges and the glue residue they leave behind followed by the door mirrors as while they are in situ they prevent the door panels from being done as a single piece. The individual body panels on the car need to be measured and cut and then work can commence!

Placing a panel is no easy feat, often needing multiple people to hold it out and work placing each section at a time, ensuring it doesn't tear or experi-ence air bubbles in the process.

In general a vehicle wrap can be done in 2-3 days of solid work because each panel then needs heating, stretching and moulding to match the body's shape before trimming and tidying all of the edges. Spending time with the KIK team taught me a lot about car wrapping and how the different materials make a significant difference to the application process; unsurprisingly the type I chose was not the easiest, meaning absolute perfection was required to create the right finish. Due to the 'flip' effect the colour creates, depending on the light and angle you see different colours on the panels, any slight bumps, chips, dust or anything that creates other than a completely flat surface can be seen through. With the exception or one or two pre-existing stone chips to the car, you couldn't take more care to make it absolutely impeccable.

When all of the panels are down, the mirrors and badges must be returned to position, then the after-care part of a wrap is very similar to bodywork as you can polish and wax it to bring out the best shine. The quality of the wrap on my car is absolutely exceptional and is very hard to differentiate from paint without a full-on inspection. During the time my car was being wrapped, a friend's R8 Coupe was also in the workshop being turned into a matte military green style, a complete contrast alongside mymidnight purple, but looking fantastic together.

Naturally many fans of Shmee150 (http://www.youtube.com/shmee150) were initially concerned by the suggestion to turn the car purple but I could not be happier with the result. Although it's hard to photography the colour accurately, it is absolutely what I was after and genuinely every person who has seen it up close has been impressed with the final result, and for that I can only thank the KIK Customs team for such an absolutely stella job.

For a video timelapse of the wrapping process, vist http://bit.ly/KIKwrap

Article and Wrap Photos by Tim BurtonPhotoshoot by Sam Moores Photography

North American International

SUPERSHOWMOTORCYCLE

It’s not uncommon to see car fans and motorcycle riders coming together to create fantastic community events, and the North American Internation Motorcycle Supershow in Toronto, Canada was no exception. Toronto’s international centre was transformed into a high-revving showroom that featured everything from a decade-by-decade showcases of motorcycle history to cutting-edge technology and new manufacturer models. A few booths even featured some exotic cars, and others boasted some of the most powerful hot rods and custom trucks that I have personally ever seen.

It’s not uncommon to see car fans and motorcycle riders coming together to create fantastic community events, and the North American International Motorcycle Supershow in Toronto, Canada was no exception. Toronto’s international centre was transformed into a high-revving showroom that featured everything from a decade-by-decade showcases of motorcycle history to cutting-edge technology and new manufacturer models. A few booths even featured some exotic cars, and others boasted some of the most powerful hot rods and custom trucks that I have personally ever seen.

Every year, over 50,000 riders and motorcycle fans alike pile into Toronto’s International Centre to see what more than 500 exhibitors have to show. In addition to being a showcase for shiny toys and some of the most gorgeous custom motorcycle work in the world, the show also serves as a market-place for used bike sales and trades. If there is one place to sell your old bike, it would be here. Over previous years, Toronto’s North American International Motorcycle Supershow has established a reputation as the pinnacle of North American motorcycle shows.

A big show-stopper in the street bike section was Kawasaki’s all-new Ninja 300. While engine displacement is smaller in comparison to Kawasaki’s higher-end models, the new 300 features styling, technology and innovation that both experienced riders and first-timers are sure to appreciate. The Japanese company also featured new crowd favourite, the Ninja ZX-6R, which brought the in-line four-cylinder 636cc engine back to the brand.

A highlight of the main showroom was “A Century of Motorcycles”, a trip through the decades of motorcycle history. The exhibit featured everything from military bikes and sidecars to early three-wheelers, and even had a rare Japanese Valmobile, the fold-away motorcycle. A lot of people stopped in their tracks at the sight of Altometheus 2, the Bonneville landspeed racing sidecar, built in England (Pictured below).

As a big fan of custom work, the final showroom of the supershow was definitely my personal favourite. The room was full of custom projects which weren’t just limited to two wheels. Custom-creators came from all over the world to show off their unique artwork and fabrication projects.

If you’re a motorcycle fan, you definitely want to put the North American International Motorcycle Supershow on your ‘to-do’ list.

For more information on the show, visit http://www.motorcyclesupershow.ca/To see this full photo album visit https://www.facebook.com/OverdrivePhotography

Article and photography by Adam Gordon (Overdrive Photography)