Carspotting London - Terje's cars

I recently attended the London Concours - an exhibition of exclusive cars in the surrounding park The Honorable Artillery Company near the City of London. The event spanned two days and was primarily aimed at the business world. The park became an arena where business associates, colleagues or the entire office could meet for breakfast, lunch or Champagne in particularly beautiful surroundings. I myself invited the wife and our London-posted daughter for Champagne and Ferrari.

The mid-mounted Ecoboost 3,5 V6 looks small from the outside, but delivers performance worthy of a supercar.

Fords in the Ferrari class?

The cars near the champagne tent weren't really Ferraris - "just" Fords. But when we talk about the new Ford GT, we are actually in the Ferrari class. One might wonder if EcoBoost will do? The engine is beautiful, sitting under the rear window with two separate, recessed exhaust pipes. The 3,5-litre V6 actually looks small compared to the Ferraris beyond. The performances are nevertheless impressive. 646 turbo horses, torque of 678 Nm and top speed of 347 km/h. This is undoubtedly a supercar. A privately owned car. The owner was very sympathetic and let us study his car in detail.

Classic Ferrari for sale

1958 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta "Tour de France".

The Ferraris were a little further behind. The majority belonged to one of London's Ferrari dealers. A new Ferrari ticks all the boxes of features an exclusive car should have. V8 and V12 engines. A blue F150 LaFerrari caused a stir. It looks like it's eating the road – even when it's standing still. I would characterize it more as raw than beautiful. I don't know what lies behind the model designation LaFerrari, - but interpret it as a kind of "this is it - definitive Ferrari", or something like that. The engine is – not unexpectedly – a V12. A 6,3 liter that produces 800 HP and provides a torque of 700 Nm at 6750 revolutions. Performance is delivered at high revs in pure sports car spirit without turbo. But the LaFerrari is equipped with a so-called KERS system (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) which recovers braking energy to give extra boost when needed. Together, it is possible to extract a boost effect of 963 HP and a torque of 900 Nm.

Of classic Ferraris, the Ferrari 250 GT from the 50s and 60s is perhaps among the most beautiful. It was clear that the crowd really liked them, especially the Lusso variety. And while we're on the topic of sex, we can also bring the yellow 275 GT. All models are true representatives of the Gran Turismo concept.

The world's largest Miura collection?

It's not every day you can study the Lamborghini Miura, - one of the world's most beautiful cars - and among the most expensive. On a French auction earlier this year sold a barn wreck with rotten interior for €560 plus fees. I would argue that the Miura must be one of the world's most preservation-worthy cars.

This is the same Miura used in the 1969 film Italian Job.

It is an experience to study every detail.

The characteristic eyebrows give the car a feminine touch.

Details from the Lamborghini Miura - signed Bertone.

Among the 7 Miuras at the exhibition, one could find the same car that was used in the opening scene of the movie "Italian Job" - the original from 1969 ( - not from 2003). In the film, the car and driver end up in a fatal crash inside a tunnel. The car is then mercilessly pulled out by a bulldozer and pushed off a cliff into the river below. Many believed that the film company had scrapped a well-functioning Miura until one day it appeared to the public. In 2015, it was put up for sale at $1,5 million. And now the orange Miura was on display at the London Concours! The car that was sent off the cliff was a wreck someone else had crashed earlier…

Bugatti's first resurrection

EB-110 — The detail picture says something about the finish on this Bugatti.

In the late 80s, some Italians decided to buy the rights to the Bugatti brand and create a new model. The EB-110 was named after none other than Ettore Bugatti, and was produced from 1991 until the company was liquidated in 1995. The EB-110 is in every way a supercar. It has a quad-turbo V12 engine which in the EB-110 Super Speed produces 612 HP.

The first re-creation of Bugatti did not end so well, in terms of business. The few cars that were made were obviously too expensive for the market. Everyone knew that New Bugatti was actually a completely new player. You had to be either rich or naive - or both - to buy a copy of this model. In retrospect, it has turned out that the cars are alright. Today, they are classics that sell for high sums. If you own such a car, you are unlikely to meet the same car on the road.

In retrospect, Bugatti has been resurrected again under the Volkswagen group. This has probably been a positive for EB-110 owners, although the "All-New" Bugatti is unlikely to have any obligations to original EB customers.

The world's toughest Aurelia?

1955 Lancia Aurelia B20 "Outlaw" in profile.

The Lancia Aurelia from the 50s is one of the world's most beautiful cars. Especially the coupe version. A company has specialized in making a hot rod variant of the Lancia Aurelia B20 GT. They call it "Outlaw". Each car is made to order and designed in consultation with the customer. A typical styling involves cutting the roof as shown in the pictures. The drivetrain is based on Flaminia. It therefore probably works with two classic cars to create one. In any case, the result is breathtaking.
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Aston Martin ONE-77 - made in only 77 copies. Price exhibited model: 2 million GBP.

Take time off from the Christmas hustle and bustle!

Christmas spotting in London — Black Friday on Oxford Street.

We have been in London to visit our daughter who lives and works there. Her elderly parents lived in Holborn within walking distance of high-street shopping along Oxford Street and Regent Street. The exclusive Westfield shopping center was just a few stops away on the Central Line. It was black Friday, black week, black week-end and cyber monday, - and God knows what! After this, the shops will be decorated for Christmas shopping. The streets were already decorated for Christmas. It's beautiful, but in my simple eyes I think Oxford Street became chaotic. While my ladies wandered in and out of the shopping magazines, I stood like an elephant outside with the shopping bags. There was nowhere to stand without being in the way.

I thought it was war!

Fortunately, there are quieter areas in the big city. On Saturday, I chose to go on a leisurely photo hunt for rare cars, so-called carspotting in London. I took the Tube to Knightsbridge where the famous shopping center Harrod's is located. It is in itself worth a visit, - but if it is cars you're looking for, it might pay to take a walk around the department store. Knightsbridge is often called the Arab district. Here you will find uncompromising supercars with mid-mounted engines. Keep your camera ready, as they often run around. Fortunately, you can hear them from a long distance away.

Let's go spotting!

I take Brompton Road down towards South Kensington station. Across the street is a Lamborghini dealership. A signal green Huracán buzzes around. There are always people driving around in their Lamborghinis. If you walk around the back, you can spot parked cars and traffic in and out of the facility. There is also an Aston Martin dealer here.

carspotting in london — Maserati GranCabrio, Old Brompton Road, South Kensington.

Maserati GranCabrio

I continue down Old Brompton Road. If you are thirsty or hungry, this is a nice street to bunker down in before you head up towards Kensington and on between Holland Park and Hyde Park towards Notting Hill. I take a picture of a new Maserati GranCabrio outside Franco Manca Pizza. On the right, behind the small Italian restaurant Bella Italia, is a shop for classic cars. You have to go all the way into the alley to see the shop windows. During opening hours, there are often a couple of vintage cars parked outside.

Mercede-Benz SE 4,5 (W108), South Kensington.

Mercedes-Benz SE 4,5 V8 (W108)

I "window shop" in Sports Classic London. They have two gorgeous DB4 Aston Martins there. I continue north in the alley to the wider Harrington Road where a Mercedes SE (W108) convertible is parked. It may seem more "placed" than parked. Maybe bait for the car dealership below? It is a left-hand drive car with a 4,5 liter V8, if the numbers on the boot lid are correct. I think they do. According to Google, Mercedes-Benz supplied sedan models of the W108 with 4,5 liter engines to the US.

Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen, South Kensington.

New AMG G 63

Should I win big in gambling, the AMG G-Wagen 63 is number 1 on the wish list. Along the main road, a beautiful specimen is parked alone. I would have chosen exactly the same color, Designo Citrine Brown. The personal registration number has been brought over from a previous model, also an AMG G-Wagen of a previous model. Wondering if the owner sells coffee cups, or something like that?

If, like me, you like the new G-Wagen but can't afford one, book an appointment at Mercedes World at Brookland, WeyBridge. For £200, you can rent such a car for an hour at a closed facility with, among other things, easy terrain. It's on my to-do list for next year. This is a popular team-building activity in business.

Classic Mini

Classic Mini is perhaps the vehicle best suited for London traffic, although comfort and safety are hardly comparable to the large SUVs parked on either side. I imagine that the green Mini is placed as a decorative feature in front of the owner's house. I take the photo so it looks like it's the only car in the street.

Maserati Gran Turismo

I am impressed by how well Maserati has become, from almost total obliteration after its marriage to Citroën in the 70s. Today, the model range is characterized by Grant Turismo cars - not uncompromising sports cars with mid-mounted engines - but cars that also offer long-distance comfort. In a side street in Kensington, this Maserati was parked. It is beautiful where it stands in solitary majesty, - but I would not have been comfortable parking "my" Maserati here overnight.

Bentley Continental Flying Spur W12

Around Knightsbridge I saw several new Bentley Continentals flying by. I chose to photograph them in profile, but later realized that profile pictures of new Bentleys are not very flattering. I think they get too heavy around the C-pillar. Without the grill, they also lack character. I think Volkswagen should have gone a few more rounds at the drawing board. They should perhaps have looked a little towards group brothers in Audi and Lamborghini. The model pictured is a W12 – 6,0 liter V12 with 625 HP. I expect the drivetrain to be sourced from Lamborghini. It would be interesting to hear how it sounds in Bentley.

Ford Mustang Fastback mk1

It is undoubtedly an eye-catcher. The white American with blue stripes seems a thought out of place - or alien - in the middle of Kensington. Like most vintage cars, it may seem that it is not used very often. It decorates the street, but I think it deserved winter storage under cover.

Porsche 911 Turbo (991.2)

Newer Porsches are quite close in this part of London. I took a picture of this Turbo 991 parked along one of the many lovely little iron fenced green areas that are so typical of Kensington.

Aston Martin DB11 convertible

The DB11 is a modern Aston Martin. It was produced from 2016 as a 2017 model. It's not often you get to study it up close.

The Mercedes-Benz SL convertible

On the way between Holland Park and Hyde Park I come up to Notting Hill. I pass The Churchill Arms, – the pub whose facade is decorated with Christmas trees all year round, and which specializes in Churchill effects. I don't know where I got it from, but I imagine that Notting Hill attracts artists and artists, - not just ordinary riches. The area was immortalized in the film Notting Hill, where a simple bookseller began a relationship with Julia Roberts herself. One can see a change in the car park, compared to Kensington. Here there are more special and characteristic cars, - veterans and youngtimers, like this SL which seems to be in daily use.

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to take more photos, as the evening darkness came on. My trip can be completed in about an hour, but you should allow more time, as the finest cars are often parked in the side streets. There will be a lot of back and forth, so to speak. If you are going to take pictures, you should make calm movements. Then I imagine that you cause less attention. Tourist on a trip, sort of. You can hop on the Tube (Central Line) in Notting Hill. I myself chose to walk down to Bayswater station.

Small Car Big City

Outside our hotel, Rosewood London, stood this beautiful Mini mkVII. It belongs to the tour and event agency Small Car Big City . You can find them online. There you can find available times and book a classic Mini with a guide for various driving routes around London. You can also drive yourself – with a guide – or in groups with other Minis. Ideal as a wedding car, or for special celebrations. Maybe to impress someone? The Mini pictured is supposedly called "Dot" and is one of 10 named Minis that can be rented.