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.
Southern Hemisphere’s Largest
The online catalogue for the southern hemisphere’s largest and most prestigious classic car auction is now available http://arts.theodorebruceauctions.com.au/asp/searchresults.asp?st=D&pg=1&ps=25&sale_no=AS0206+ (www.theodorebruceauctions.com.au) I am really excited about the 45 Veteran, Edwardian, Vintage and Classic vehicles that I have brought together to be sold on 24th October at 7pm AEST by Australia’s oldest auction house, Theodore Bruce. There are lots of highlights...
read moreFlick the switch
As I did not get a call from the BBC to appear on the new Top Gear, nor did I receive a call from Mr Clarkson to be part of his new venture, I thought I might as well plough my own furrow. I know that it is far from the finished article but I hope you like it. We will try and bring you another exciting instalment before Christmas, so look out for Episode 2. Before then though there is lots to do including, attending the 3rd Edition of the Bund Classic Concours d’Elegance in Shanghai 16th-18th October; running the Southern Hemisphere’s...
read moreOverdrive
It is always hard getting back into the swing of things after you have been travelling. Having been to Europe three times so far this year there has been plenty to catch up on back at home however. One of the things that I have been working on is a new short film clip about classic cars called ‘Overdrive’. It has been an exciting project with the script written by myself and the filming and editing carried out by one of my old college students Augusto Keltika Jnr. He is a talented man as can be seen from his...
read moreIt’s a small world…
I am busily consigning cars for the Theodore Bruce ‘Motorclassica’ Auction (www.theodorebruceauctions.com.au) taking place on October 24th at the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne. Amongst the interesting vehicles already consigned is a very interesting Alfa Romeo TZ1 replica (pictured below). It was built in Italy by Greppi at the beginning of the 1990s and is as close to one of the original 112 cars built by Alfa Romeo in the 1960s as it is possible to be without actually being a Factory car. In Italy recently it was a...
read moreThe Prop Set
Whilst in Italy recently I visited the ex-Caproni aeroplane factory which has now been turned into a museum, Volandia. It is right next to Malpensa airport, Milan and incredibly interesting. Any editors out there who want the feature please get in touch.
read moreThe Jet Set
Attending the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este as a member of the media is probably about as close to the jet set as I am going to get, but at least I am getting closer! Great cars, great ambience, great stories!
read moreLa Dolce Vita in Riviera
The first weekend of the Italian summer season was spent on the Italian Riviera photographing classic Riva speedboats. It was a fantastic trip, and thank you to the organisers and the Hotel Lido Palace for making my stay such a pleasant one. Keeping up with speedboats and having a platform to photograph from is no mean feat so my thanks must also go to my ‘chauffeur’, Rodolfo Gozzi. Rodolfo has the patience of a saint and ferried me around in the fantastic Invictus (www.nauticabertelli.it) – I could not have had a better...
read moreLiving the Dream
It is that time of year again – early summer in Italy. The Villa d’Este Concorso d’Eleganza is taking place on the 22nd -24th May and I am lucky enough to be in attendance once more. Having covered this fantastic event for the last couple of years I am really looking forward to spending another fabulous weekend on Lake Como. The following weekend I will then be attending a Riva boat rally in Santa Margherita Ligure. So, if you see someone walking around with a permanent grin on his face, then you know that is me. For those...
read moreHighest Bidder
As a specialist consultant to Theodore Bruce, Australia’s oldest auction house, May 10th saw me involved in an exciting auction of popular culture and motoring memorabilia. With that sale successfully completed it is now time to turn my attention to the next big task in hand – the 2015 Motorclassica Auction. We have been appointed to run this prestigious sale at the heritage Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne for the next three years after our successes of the last two years. I am now actively seeking the consignment of...
read moreNew Section
If you have not already spotted it there is a new section for this website entitled Image Gallery. Please check out some of the images that I have taken over the last few months by clicking on the tab above. It is amazing what a modern camera can do when set to automatic! This shot is one of my recent favourites and has appeared in several magazines including the latest issue of the new magazine Volante, A Journal For The Gentleman Driver, published in the Middle East.
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