Stihl Kombi set .......brilliant

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What I strange thing to be writing about. Boys and their toys.

My hedger cutter of 20 years standing (Husqvarna) gave up the ghost so I needed to replace it. I have alot of beech, hornbeam around my property so needs regular tidying up.

Have recently bought a Stihl Chain-saw which works well I thought I ought to check out the Stihl range on the hedge cutter. The Kombi allows a powerful engine unit and then you fix in the extra tools. Some 15 in the range.

Cannot recommend enough. Check out the Welsh voice!

New Targa 4S hits the streets!

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The first videos on the 992 Targa 4S are coming out. Why would I be interested.? Well some of you may have picked up I owned a 991 Targa 4S Gen 1 with he 3.8 litre engine from 2015 to 2018. It was a manual so rare….. around 10% of the Targa’s where manuals in 991 variant.

I find Mr JWW a marmite character. On this occasion I actually think his has pitched his review really well as he accepts this is not an out an out sport GT car…..but he likes it.

Personally like a number of reviewers I’m not sure about this new 911. I’m not a fan of the digital dashboard or the girth and the same looking backside to all their other cars now. Sometimes they get it right the first time…..sometimes it takes a couple of goes to get it back on the right direction.

The PDK system here, is now 8 speed was 7 speed in 991 version and again a manual option.

Manuals not available yet but he thinks it will be the one to go for. So do I.

The 0-60 is around 1 sec quicker that a very serious improvement over the Gen 1 cars.

Enjoy.

Here's the new Porsche 911 Targa first drive review of the 992 Carrera 4S. Available at launch is the Targa 4S, which develops 444bhp and 391lb ft for a 0-62...

Aston Martin DB4 Reg no. XLE 46 1959 model coming up for sale in October with Bonhams

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A much sought-after 'Series 1' example, chassis number '148/R' was sold new to Richard Gordon Ltd of South Audley St, London finished in Pacific Blue with Blue Grey Connolly leather interior.

Over the next 50 years or so had a further seven owners. The last owning for over 25 years from 1994 until last year.

Carrera GT........Great Photo.....do you know where this was taken?

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In the Porsche magazine this month a lovely feature on the Carrera GT …………this was the feature photo but no credit to where it was shot……I know where this is….do you?

I popped out this morning to recreate….weather crap…..a usual exercise before I do in the Sun in the GTS…..

Somewhere in England…but exactly where is this?

Somewhere in England…but exactly where is this?

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Taken 31 July 20 at 12:45 35C Hottest day in UK this year!

Taken 31 July 20 at 12:45 35C Hottest day in UK this year!

DB5 Goldfinger Edition 1 of 25.... Do you have a spare £3.3m?

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Like most kids in the mid 1960’s we all had the corgi model the DB5 James Bond. I gave mine way to a cousin …..

Below is my replacement

Here are the opening paragraphs on the Goldfinger car

“Given that each Aston Martin DB5 Goldfinger Continuation takes 4,500 hours to hand-make, we always expected the build quality to be sky-high, but now, with the release of new images following the completion of Job 1, we’ve the hard evidence. The first of 25 customer cars looks immaculate - the way that Aston probably dreamt it could produce cars back in 1963. In 2020 it is using the same traditions, albeit supplemented by modern technology. The result, somewhat predictably, is the best of both worlds. 

Aston Martin’s Newport Pagnell Heritage Division revealed the full list of Q-inspired additionsthese DB5 Continuation cars – each of which is priced at £3.3 million – in May, and now we can see how the features look on the actual car. The smoke screen deploys actual smoke, the nose-mounted machine guns pulsate and glow as if they’re firing real rounds, and the oil slick delivery system spurts out fluid from a moving taillight. It’s all looks authentically Bond.”

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Wilderness in Kyle of Sutherland

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Whilst reading the FT on Saturday, in the Travel section with the title 'Chasing Waterfalls’. 

It talks about Struie Hill……..

On my photo below is mentions Ben More is some 30 miles away.

What it fails to mention is this is highest mountain in this part of the Highlands. A magnificent mountain…..well worth a visit….it was raining when we visited in 2016……shame as really the only time it did rain on the entire trip.

Ben More Assynt is the highest mountain in the extraordinary landscape of Assynt. It is hidden from the roads, however, by the neighbouring summit of Conival. Ben More has huge, scree girt flanks, a fine approach ridge and a view of total desolation.

"There is a moment when the view opens up over the Kyle of Sutherland, its waters glinting like a blade in the dark, rich landscape of Scotland’s far north."

The writer is from Kyle of Sutherland and was visiting old haunts.

The Alladale Hotel and Lodge recently won all sorts of awards. It reminds me of a mini Skibo Castle that I have been lucky enough to say at with a Member.

Also the Achness Hotel looks rather special with good selection of Whiskies at the bar!

This is in the wilderness land near Lairg behind Dornoch…... so in a mates back backyard (an old Le Mans companion)

Making me very homesick for a NC500 re-run

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30 May 2016 cars parked up at Struie Hill

30 May 2016 cars parked up at Struie Hill

Doing some detective work

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I have signed autograph of Stirling Moss that I knew had been shot at Monaco in the early 1960’s. At the bottom of this blog note.

I did some research as the authentication certificate was a not clear. It turns out this race was Lotus’s first ever Grand Prix win on 29 May 1960. But, it was a privately entered Rob Walker car a Lotus 18 Cooper with Stirling driving in his number 28 car. It was on pole…ahead of the three Lotus team cars.

He fell back at the start to third and then to second an on lap 17 overtook Jo Bonnier in his BRM (number 2) at the Loewes’ corner (at the time called Station) and I have photo on the overtake as his waves his customary hand to thank the driver he has just passed.

Below the edited highlights of this race and to add a bit more context some of the rushes from Grand Prix the 1966 film with James Garner as the lead I remember as a 10 year old.

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Historic motorsport legend Sir Stirling Moss at Race Retro Stoneleigh Park. He won again in 1961 in the Rob Walker Lotus Cooper. This time as number 20. Tragically his career cut short in 1962 at the well documented crash at Goodwood.

Bentley’s 6.75-litre V8 engine is no more: we pay homage with a classic road trip

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After 61 years of service, the end has come for Bentley’s 6.75-litre V8. To mark the occasion, we take one on a road trip from London to Geneva

Henry Catchpole revisits trip he did a few years ago as homage to the demise of this famous engine.

Woolf Barnato of Bentley boys fame in the late 1920’s is buried in Englefield Green…..Near Windsor……and the excellent trip starts with a visit to his gravestone.

Magnus Walker - Urban Outlaw

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This is the video that captured the essence of Magnus and his vision for early aged 911’s from 1963 to the mid 1970s.

His combo garage and home in the now trendy arts district in LA. His place reminds of an office, R&D Laboratory that I rented in Brisbane in West End for one of my businesses back in the early 2010’s. It also needed to find a new lease of life.

Le Mans 1956 Mike Hawthorn.......I was a one year old.....

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I would typically be thinking about Le Mans in a couple of weeks and starting to get my gear prepared. Whether it will happen in mid September this year is anybodies guess right now odds must be still 50 50.

I found this historical film sequence a few years ago and everytime I watch it, takes you right to the heart of the race. Obviously the track has changed but not that much. Today the pine trees have been really thinned out (in most cases I suspect used by the campers for firewood).

Enjoy.

Ferrari 599 GTB - bargains to be had........

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I was surfing the other day on Tom Hartley Junior’s web site. Boy does he have some amazing cars for sale and I spotted a low miler 599 GTB from 2007 with just 4,000 miles on the clock for £110,000. Classic Metallic grey (grigio silverstone) and red (rosso) leather interior. Has a VIP pack……..(whatever that is).

I was lucky enough to join a Ferrari’s Owners Club factory visit in 2008 (we also did Lambo and Zonda) and the production line of the 599 was so impressive.

The car seems to have fallen out of favour at the moment and prices very depressed. The V12 Enzo engine that’s slightly detuned for this car, is magnificent. When you see the engine being made in the factory it really did seem to tie art with hi technology manufacturing.

Tiff recently (3 years ago) did a review of 599 from the factory and had Stirling Moss riding shot gun. The episode starts with Stirling driving one of his old SWB 250’s. I think this is the car now owned by Ross Brawn. We see this lovely blue car occasionally at events, as Ross lives close to border of West Berkshire and South Oxfordshire. [Updated 30 May 2020 I now see its Clive Beecham’s Car that I blogged on back in September 19]. Stirling really enjoys Tiff’s driving…….says it much quicker than his 1960 GP cars!

Chris Harris also did a fascinating review when he bought one of these beauties.

I’m including this as well.

Enjoy.

Brilliant insight into the Porsche Racing 911 Pro cars back-to-back race weekends at Le Mans and The Ring in 2019

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Porsche have just produced a wonderful documentary on the 2019 24 hour race at Le Mans and the follow on event one week later at the Ring.

I have been lucky enough to go many times to the race at Le mans since my first visit in 1983. In 2019 I took along a good friend who said to me one day ‘hey are you ever going to invite to Le Mans with you’. So I sorted it out and he joined the group of friends that I go with each year.

The Ring is still on my bucket list……one day.

Will the 2020 race happen? Nobody knows at the moment but we have our tickets if it does…..its now booked for the weekend after the Revival Weekend at Goodwood, third week of September 2020.

In 2019, the world of motorsports saw something it had rarely seen before; the two toughest endurance events in motor racing took place back-to-back: the 24h...