Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 1973/1974

A bit of American muscle spotted in Wilmslow a few weeks ago with this Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. It looks to me like an early 1070s model (1973/1974?) with a 5.7 V8 engine. The V8 in the 1973 Stingray produced 190bhp or 250bhp depending on the models, but I have no idea what the output of the V8 in this particular car is. So if some of you are Stingray experts and can let us know, drop a comment underneath! It is such a cool-looking car though!

Mclaren P1 2015

I know what you are thinking: "What's happening with the quality of that picture?" The answer is simple, I went to Bentley Manchester yesterday to have a look around and check out the new Bentayga (coming in a next post). Before leaving, I headed toward the back of the dealership to look through the glass wall into the workshop, and there it was, in the corner to my right, the Mclaren P1. You might wonder what a Mclaren would be doing in a Bentley garage, but the Mclaren showroom is so small in Knutsford that they cannot service cars there, so they now share with Bentley. The poor quality of the picture is therefore due to the fact that using my iphone throught a lit up glass isn't ideal to take pictures, but hey, we can see the car nonetheless!

I am pretty sure I have already seen this particular car while driving around a few months ago, but couldn't take a picture of it for obvious reasons (always keep your hands on the steering wheel!!!)

The P1 is Mclaren's hyper-hybrid-car, which competes with its main rivals, the Ferrari Laferrari and the Porsche 918. It has a 3.8 twin-turbocharged V8 engine which produces 727bhp to which Mclaren have added an electric motor producing an extra 176bhp, giving a grand total of 903bhp! The result is breathtaking: 0-62 in just 2.8 seconds and a top speed of 217mph or 349km/h which is electronically limited, otherwise the car could potentially reach 245mph or 395km/h! Only 375 P1s will be built with a price list of £866,000 but having just looked on www.autotrader.co.uk, 2 new P1s are available from independent companies for an eye-watering £1.8 and £2 million!!!

I must say that if money was obviously no-object, the P1 would be a seriously cool car to own and drive around!

50,000!!!

I never thought I would reach 50,000 views!
Thank you to everybody for your support and checking in regularly.
E.

Lamborghini Gallardo 2014

Another picture from my Paris trip, this time of a Lamborghini Gallardo on the Faubourg St Honoré, a famous Parisian street which harbours many a luxury shop. I could not spot the specific model of Gallardo but it looks like LP 560-4 (5.2l V10, 560bhp, top speed of 202mph (325km/h) and 0 to 62 in 3.7 seconds)

Aston Martin V12 Vantage S Roadster 2015

You might remember catching a glimpse of this blue beauty in my post from the end of May where I presented the grand opening of the new Manchester Aston Martin service centre, and now here it is, in its very own post. So the pictures of this V12 Vantage S Roadster were taken inside the building on the day. It looks like the standard V8 Vantage, but just a beefed up version with aerodynamic details and a specific colour scheme. And under the bonnet you won't find the standard V8 either but a 5.9 V12 with 565bhp. 0-62 takes 3.9 seconds and the top speed is 205mph or 328km/h. I really think the "Flugplatz blue" colour (as it seems to be called) suits the car to perfection!

Ferrari Superamerica 2005

Something rather rare today, seen last month at the Ferrari showroom in Wilmslow, a Ferrari Superamerica. This convertible version of the 575M was only produced in 2005. 559 cars were ever built, 57 of which were right hand drive, which makes this one particularly rare! It had a carbon fibre structured roof which rotate 180 degrees and a 5.7 V12 engine producing 532bhp. The top speed is 199mph or 320km/h and 0-62 covered in 4.3 seconds. Not bad for a "convertible"!

Insider 21 - Ferrari 612 Scaglietti 2005

It's been a while since the last Insider post so here is a new one in the series. As you will have probably spotted on the dashboard, I am behind the wheel of a Ferrari 612 Scaglietti. I took the picture last weekend at Ferrari Stratstone in Wilmslow. You don't see many 612 around and I can't believe I forgot to take a picture from the outside. In 2004, the 612 replaced one of my favourite Ferrari, the 456, and it was itself replaced in 2011 by the FF. The 4-seater has a 5.7 V12 which produces 540bhp. It has a top speed of 199mph or 320km/h and 0-62 only takes 4.2 seconds.