Beating the Tamburo!
The opportunity to take more than one friend or member of the family in a Lamborghini has not been possible since the demise of the fabled LM in 1993. Until now that is, with the launch of the new Lamborghini Urus. Whilst the LM was more of a truck (the ‘Rambo-Lambo’ conspicuous by lack of even a mention at the launch at Barangaroo in Sydney), the new Urus is a luxury super suv. At its Oceania premiere I was able to sample the new Lamborghini experience, which combines the DNA and qualities of the current Lamborghini offering. Take the very best bits of the Huracán and the Aventador super sports cars, such as four-wheel steering and carbon ceramic brakes, throw in air suspension and lots of other high-tech stuff including torque vectoring, and Lamborghini has created an SUV capable of 0-100 km/h in 3.6 seconds with a top speed of 305 km/h. Despite its increased centre of gravity and the fact that it is much higher and heavier than the other models from Sant’Agata Bolognese, the Urus is capable of stopping from 100 km/h to a stand-still in just 33.7 metres
This is a sports car on steroids that is capable of running on sand, snow, gravel, race-track or tarmac, with breathtaking performance and amazing all round capability. This is in no small part due to its exciting new V8 4.0 litre twin-turbo engine, the first occasion that Lamborghini has utilised turbo power. All controlled from the Tamburo, or Drum at the centre of the ultra-modern interior which comfortably seats four. And the name, well, as has been the tradition at Lamborghini, the name Urus is derived from the world of bulls. The Urus, also known as Aurochs, is a wild ancestor of domestic cattle. The Spanish fighting bull, as bred for the past half-millennia, is still close to the Urus in its appearance.
Packing My Bags
I am getting excited about my forthcoming trip to Europe. Not only will I be covering the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique for the first time, I will also be attending the big classic car auctions taking place in the Principality on the same weekend. Then it is straight on for the Mille Miglia start in Brescia before heading back to Lake Como for the Villa d’Este Concorso d’Eleganza. The following week will see me in St Tropez for the Riva meeting and the Voiles Latines sailing. Its not all fun in the sun though as I do have to...
read moreBest of British
The Queen Mary 2 was in Sydney Harbour this week and what better backdrop for me to photograph this fabulous Aston Martin Vantage. Formerly the property of Jodhi Meares (also pictured) and other well known custodians, this is one very special motorcar, the history of which you will be able to read up on soon in Unique Luxury Magazine inter alia.
read moreNew Novella
My new novella, “Signed, Sealed and Delivered”, has just been published by Vivid Publishing. If you live in Australia and are interested in ordering a copy please go to http://www.vividpublishing.com.au/jamesnicholls/ If you live elsewhere in the world (like most people do!) please contact me directly should you wish to place an order. Review copies available upon request. Happy Reading
read moreComing Up in 2016
2016 is already well under way and although unfortunately I did not make it to Paris for Retromobile earlier this month, I have some exciting editorial planned from around the world for the year ahead. At this stage, listed below are just some the events which I will be delivering for Unique Luxury (Australia), Rewind (Singapore), Volante (UAE), Invictus (USA), and the host of other magazines that I contributed to last year including Perpsective (HK); Motorsport (UK); Octane (UK); The Spectator Australia; MotorBoat & Yachting (UK); Ocean...
read moreBuque Escuela Guayas
It was a beautiful day on Sydney Harbour to welcome in the Ecuadorean Naval training ship, The Guayas on its ten month Vuelta el Mundo. They were lucky though to arrive to such great weather after four days of continuous torrential rain, and I was lucky as it made for some great images. Talking of good images, if you would like to view some of the better shots I have taken on my travels over the past few months I have recently updated the Image Gallery section on my website:- https://marinamarini.com.au/image-gallery/ . Simply click on the...
read moreOverdrive Ep 2
As promised here is the second episode of Overdrive. In this episode we compare and contrast the Jaguar Mk II with the Citroën DS; take a look at quintessential English motors in Italian suits, and some cool motor bikes McQueen style. Don’t forget to flick the switch into Overdrive. I say, Ding dong!
read moreHNY one and all
I could not be bothered taking any pretty pictures of New Year’s Eve fireworks, many more better things to be doing. I did though take some pretty pictures on Boxing Day at the start of the 71st Sydney to Hobart race.
read moreHere Comes Summer (Down Under)!
Summer has officially started in Australia. That does not only mean soaring temperatures and lots of blue skies, nothing but blue skies, it also means the start of some serious boating action. Stadium sailing at its best was in evidence on Sydney Harbour for the eighth and final act of the 2015 Extreme Sailing Series (pictured above) whilst on Boxing Day it will be the start of the great race, the 71st Sydney Hobart Race. Your intrepid reporter will once again be on the water to cover the action, at least as far as the Heads anyway!
read moreDriven not hidden
The Theodore Bruce Motorclassica Auction was the most successful classic car auction ever held outside of the USA and Europe. Whilst lot number 44, a 1963 Ford Falcon, was, by a long chalk, not the most expensive car we sold (that honour went to lot 27, the 1914 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost), it did provide a lot of fun as is shown on this extract from the television programme “Driven not Hidden”!
read moreFive Days of Motoring Madness
This is how the organisers described the Dubai International Motor Show to which I was invited as a guest speaker on the Ignition Live Talks. It was great fun and a great show. One of the highlights for me was the ‘pop-up’ Motoring Nostalgia Museum supported by Volante Magazine for whom I am a regular contributor. There were plenty of of other things happening but I was particularly excited to see the stunning David Brown Speedback GT (pictured here outside the tallest building in the world, the 828 metre high Burj Khalifa) and...
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