Zagato, the world famous Italian Coachbuilder, has a long history of restyling British Cars for marques such as Jaguar, Aston Martin and Bristol. And now it’s added Bentley, with the announcement of the Bentley GTZ Zagato for sale with the full backing of Bentley.

Zagato’s styling tends not to be massively radical. In many ways it’ a case of less is more. You still know what the car is, but it looks different; exclusive; special. And Zagato have certainly achieved that with the Bentley GTZ.

Based on the pick of the bunch Bentley, the Continental GT Speed, Zagato have taking a very desirable car and made it unique. The front bumper disappears, replaced by a big air intake, with added vents in the bonnet. The back gets a similar treatment, and the roof gets a ‘double-bubble’. New alloys add to the visuals, as do the restyled arches. And it’s all topped off with a two-tone paint job.

The already excellent interior (styled by British firm Adaptive Space) is left pretty much as before, but a few additional options are available. Mechanically it’s all standard - but the standard on the GT Speed is exceptional by any standards.

If you love the GT Speed (which I do) and you have deep pockets (which I don’t!) the Zagato is for you. They are being made in tiny numbers (only 9 - all LHD), and will be available through Bentley dealers. Or you could save the wait, and give us a call. We have one available in July.

However deep your pockets are, you can’t simply look for a Ferrari FXX for sale. It doesn’t work like that. The FXX is not a road car, and Ferrari will only let you buy the car if you ‘Stack Up’. But if you do, and you can afford it, you get the huge privilege of being one of Ferraris ‘Test Drivers’.

The FXX uses a fair bit of the technology from the Enzo, but is a pure track car, part of a programme designed to develop Ferrari’s technology by enlisting the feedback from FXX owners. Owners can only drive the cars on special track days organised by Ferrari, and one of the conditions is giving a full brief of the car to Ferrari after every session.

Just 30 FXXs have been built (originally 29, but Ferrari built a special black one for Michael Schumacher) and they are loosely built on the Enzo platform, but with an output raise to 800+ bhp, slick tyres, upgraded brakes and the very latest F1 gearbox. Plus of course full telemetry. And owners have the option to store the cars with Ferrari and full Ferrari maintenance is included in the deal.

This is a very rare car, and very desirable. The one we have includes full Ferrari support, but a purchase is dependent on approval from Ferrari.

If only I could afford it!!

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Ferrari California for sale! Now doesn’t that sound better than Ferrari F149 for sale?

I wrote a while back about my dislike for car numbers instead of car names, and it looks like Ferrari were listening! The first details on the new Ferrari we wrote about last month have now been released and, as we expected, this is a baby 599.

This is going to get really interesting. With a 450bhp V8 and great 7-speed dual-clutch box, not to mention the first folding metal roof on a Ferrari, this is aimed fair and square at Aston Martin, Porsche and the top end SLs. And if the target price of £125k is right, it is going to see a lot of sales going to Italy.

Looking at the picture you can see how much like the 599 it is, and with the trademark round lamps at the back and 4 pipes, no one is going to mistake this for anything other than a Ferrari. The engine is in the right place and performance is suggested to be sub 4 seconds to 60.

More details when we get them. I can’t wait!

To enquire about any car in this article, new or used, just click here

Bugatti Veyron Pur Sang for sale. Now there’s a phrase you’re guaranteed not to see very often. We’re big admirers of the Veyron (it really is in a different league from any other hyper car on the market), and we couldn’t see how any car could offer more (or in this case less, at least in weight). But the Pur Sang does.

Only 5 Pur Sangs are being made, so they make your regular Veyron look as common as a mini. And it really does stand out, with a very pure aluminium bodyshell, a carbon fibre monocoque and no paint! And all this means a weight saving of almost 100kg, making this an even faster Veyron than the ’standard car’.

Even though we deal in Veyrons regularly, it really is rare to have a Pur Sang. It’s hard to believe that these cars (remember, there are only 5 in the world) sold out in just 24 hours. But the Bugatti is very special, and the Pur Sang even more so.

There is no point espousing the virtues of the Veyron again. They’ve been expressed here on more than one occasion, and in countless other places far more eloquently than I can. Enough to say this is the ultimate road car. The ‘Concorde’ of the automotive world. And this is the ultimate iteration of the marque.

If you want it, be quick!

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I know, we do cars. But actually, there are two reasons for featuring this incredible machine. The first, and most important, is that this is an absolutely awesome piece of kit. As the makers say “The Veyron of the Sea”. The second is that we are branching out! Over the next few months we will be launching a site dedicated to all things boats (well, the interesting stuff at least), another for planes/helicopters and a third for property. That’s going to keep us occupied through the summer. But we know there’s a big demand for us to do what we’ve done for cars in these areas. Should be fun!

Where do we start with the boat? 0-60mph? Haven’t a clue. Top speed? Ah, I know that - 100mph bar a whisker! Now that’s a bit quicker than a banana boat! Power? Now I do know that - 1600hp. A serious amount of power. And this isn’t some stripped-out hull. It has beds and luxury and toys and everything the serious speed-freak could want. I’m starting to see the appeal.

So, we have the XSR48 for sale, but when can you have it? Well, the waiting list is currently 3-4 years, but who wants to wait that long? Fancy it for this summer? You can have it in August! So, we can do the same thing with boats that we do with cars. Give our clients what they want, when they want it.

To quote the makers, XSMG:

The XSR48 is a supercar on water, a luxury powerboat with supercar looks. With a total of no less than 1600hp from two bi-turbo diesel engines, the XSR48 has supercar acceleration to match its stunning appearance.

But style has not been sacrificed for speed. The XSR48 combines the DNA and high performance of a supercar with superyacht styling making it the ‘Bugatti Veyron’ of the sea.

The XSR48 has been developed in collaboration with a number of world class design and construction partners including legendary hull designer Fabio Buzzi, award winning superyacht designers Redman Whiteley Dixon and High Modulus the world’s leading exponent in composite marine structures. The XSR48 will be manufactured at the internationally renowned Berthon Shipyard in Lymington.

I think this boat is going to cause a few waves (pun intended!) so if you seriously want to be blasting round the seven seas this summer, give us a call!

When Land Rover announced the ‘Stormer’ concept back in 2004, we all knew it would never make it in to production - it seemed just too ’sport’ a car for A Range Rover. But we were wrong - sort of. The Stormer did make it in to production as the Range Rover Sport. Admittedly, it did lose some of the edge that the Stormer had. And it was only a 4/5 door. Nearly, but not quite.

It has been rumoured for some time that Land Rover will eventually launch a ‘Proper’ Stormer, but that now seems somewhat less likely as the LSE Range Rover Sport Coupe is now close to reality, and it’s going to be available in Range Rover Showrooms soon. But there are only going to be 20 available in the UK. Want one? We can help!

An out-take from the LSE blurb reads:

The Range Rover Sport Coupe has been created by our highly talented team of designers and skilled automotive engineers. Based on the original Land Rover concept car the “Stormer” the Sport Coupe takes the Range Rover to an enhanced level of design, comfort and speed.

Every element of the Sport Coupe has been appraised and there has been no compromise. The brief to the design team was simple yet infinitely demanding… The best of everything.

One of the main criticisms when the Range Rover Sport was launched is that a Coupe version should have followed. LSE Design have now captured that design and have fulfilled and further advanced the Range Rover beyond compare.

An incomparable blend of power, luxury and in line with tradition the “Coupe” styling, equate to the ultimate SUV ever produced.

The exterior body styling design includes flared wheel arches, twin chromed LSE tailpipes, LED lighting and 22” LSE alloy wheels, contributing to its dynamic good looks. A full glass transformational sunroof provides an exceptional feeling of light and space.

This enhanced attention to detail isn’t confined to the outside, with sports seats trimmed in high-grade Nappa leather. The instrument cluster and the unique “Coupe clock” has been designed by the best engineers in the world, with a portfolio such as the Bugatti Veyron and the Bentley Continental, individualising the Range Rover Coupe interior beyond comprehension and to the very highest level of quality and workmanship.

Our bespoke design programme available to each commissioning of the Sport Coupe allows the customer to individualise their car, producing their own work of art. The combination of our extensive range, your personal tastes and the naturally varying appearance of our materials makes the Range Rover Coupe bespoke creation a true one-off.

The LSE Design bespoke programme includes sumptuous leather upholstery available in numerous colours. Fine wood and carbon trim and over one thousand exterior colour finishes, all of which can be used to create individual highlights or combined to form your ultimate car.

The Range Rover Sport Coupe comes with a full three year warranty. Servicing and warranty work can be carried out at your local Land Rover dealership.

The Range Rover Sport Coupe is currently available with the standard 4.2 Supercharged petrol engine or the new TDV8 diesel power-train. A 500BHP engine upgrade package is imminent and details of this programme will be issued shortly.

So if you’re looking for a Range Rover Sport Coupe for sale look no further!

But with only 20 available in the UK you’ll have to be quick.

I really like the McLaren SLR Roadster, and we get quite a few calls at the moment asking if we have a physical McLaren SLR Roadster for sale. The answer is pretty much the same - we do. And I had cause to look the other day to see just what we had, and I realised we have a white one for sale.

As anyone who reads here from time to time will know, I do have a problem with white cars. As I’ve said before, I think it’s an age thing. If you’re beyond a certain age you grew up surrounded by white Cortinas and Austin 1100s, and apart from that a ‘posh’ white car was for a wedding. But it would appear that white is the new black in our world, and I have to admit I am starting to see it, but only on certain cars.

Audi used a special V12 Q7 recently to showcase the model at a motor show, and that was in white. And it did look good, I have to admit. And the Audi R8 looks stunning in white (and, as someone pointed out to me recently, much more aggresive). The same applies to the Gallardo, but for some reason I just don’t like it on Bentleys or Rolls Royces, or even Ferraris. So what about a white SLR?

I actually think this works. It would be better to show you a perfectly lit pro shot to see it in all its glory, but I get regular emails asking me to use more pictures of the actual car, so as we have a handy image (admittedly on a bit of a grey day) I thought I’d use it here. It will certainly stand out from the crowd, even more than a regular colour SLR. And if you imagine it flying through a verdant country scape (minus the ‘packing’ strips on the picture) I’m sure you’ll see it too!

So, if you’re looking for a white McLaren SLR Roadster for sale, at less than list, get in touch.

To enquire about any car in this article, new or used, just click here

Back in the day when snooker was in its heyday, I was an avid fan. Brought up a policeman’s son, I had access to a proper full-size snooker table from a young age at the local station, and indulged in what was known as the ’sign of a mis-spent youth’ - the green baize.

In the seventies and early eighties snooker was at its peak. Prime time coverage on TV and big prize money made for a nation obsessed. From the ‘old-timers’ like Ray Reardon and the relative newcomers like Cliff Thorburn (and his fellow Canadian Bill Werbeniuk, who managed to convince the game’s authorities that he needed 20 pints of lager per game for medical reasons!) and the completely unpredictable Alex ‘Hurricane’ Higgins, the sport managed to become interesting. Even Steve ‘interesting’ Davies, who wasn’t the most flamboyant player in the world, became big news because of his uncanny ability to pot everything in site in a plodding, pedantic style. And they all got rich in a sport that didn’t even raise a sweat.

But snooker got boring. The characters disappeared and it was just another late-night slot on TV. But one man stood out. A sometimes tormented soul, with a complicated private life, whose natural ability in the game made it a must-watch again. That man is Ronnie O’Sullivan. And yesterday saw him achieve a maximum break on TV in the most flawless fashion. And what does Ronnie intend doing with his prize for the maximum break? He’s going to look for a Bentley Continental GT Convertible for sale (or more correctly a Bentley Continental GTC for sale) and spend the summer with the top down, cruising.

I was always a tad disappointed with the Continental GT. It lacked edge, but wasn’t really a cruiser in the Bentley mode. Then along came the GT Speed and put that right. But what of the GTC? Well, unlike its hard-top brother I always felt it worked really well. A convertible doesn’t need an edge. Sure, there are convertibles with a real edge; proper drivers machines. The F430 and Gallardo spring to mind. But the GTC is about the waft. And the power. And the interior. And the noise. And especially the noise. In the hard-top you just don’t hear it. But in the GTC there is definitely a glorious, Thor-like soundtrack. And I love it. The interior is beautifully appointed and the seats extremely easy on the body. And it goes. I mean, it really does go. And it seems to go even more with the top down! It still feels nose-heavy in the bends if you push hard, but the GTC isn’t going to be used like that. But put your foot down on a nice long straight and you experience what feels like an endless wave of power. Overtaking, at even the slightest opportunity, is simplicity itself. You just seem to be transported from where you were to where you want to be in an instant. It is very intoxicating.

So enjoy your Bentley and your Summer, Ronnie. You deserve it (if you can find time between the runs). And if you want a good deal on the car, give us a call!

To enquire about any car in this article, new or used, just click here

The growth of mid-range 4×4s carries on apace, with the first official pictures and specifications coming from Mercedes.

This spurt in the mid-size 4×4 offerings is a very sensible move by the manufacturers. There is no way that the green lobby is going to stop the proliferation of 4×4s, but making smaller offerings is one way to take the edge of the ramblings about environmental damage. Anyone with a brain knows that the whole man-made climate change lobby is about as believable as the assertion in the seventies from the same ‘authoritative’ sources that we were about to slip in to an ice-age. But as long as the media continues to give coverage to the nonsense it is sensible to have options. And these smaller 4×4s are very good options.

I wrote a week ago about the new Q5 from Audi, and that for me seems to be the pick of the bunch. But Mercedes is playing the game with the new GLK. Expect to see the Mercedes GLK for sale in Europe, at least in its less powerful guises, before the end of the year. But don’t expect to see it here. Why, I hear you cry. Well, quite simply, Mercedes doesn’t think the UK market is important enough, so it’s made a car that will cost it a chunk of money to make in RHD form, so it’s going to let the sales run in the rest of the world to see how it goes. It’s is even apparantly considering a RWD only option for the UK. Shame on you Mercedes. The UK is one of your most important markets, and consumers won’t take kindly to being excluded from the GLK. They will simply opt for the Q5 and stary there. And that will mean a big trade-off when people consider other vehicles in the range. Once they’ve got used to Audi build quality and their exceptional interiors, a Mercedes is going to seem a much less enticing option. Not a good plan.

Anyway, what has the GLK got to offer. At launch expect to see an entry-level 2.1 diesel witn around 170bhp and 40+ mpg. In addition there will be 3.0 Diesel and a couple of petrol engines - a 3.0 and a 3.5. It is rumoured there will also be a GLK AMG63 at some point in the future. The usual range of sport and off-road options are available, as are a range of gearboxes. But none of that matters, because it won’t be coming to the UK until at least 2010.

Bad move, Mercedes.

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Almost everything Audi has done in the last few years has worked. Late to the party with a big SUV? Don’t worry, we’ll make the sector our own when we get there (Q7). Show Porsche how to do it? No problem (R8). An object lesson in executive cars? This is how you do it (A6). And now we add the Q5. Is the Audi Q5 for sale yet? No, but as soon as it is (first models should be available in September) there are going to be some seriously worried manufacturers out there (think Land Rover with the Freelander, BMW with the X3 and Mercedes with the upcoming GLK).

The Q5 is a shade longer than its rivals, but it would seem, a darn sight more sporty, with a few new toys and suspension choices to hand. A trio of engines is available at launch, but I think it’s a fair bet we’ll be seeing a high-performance version in 2009. For now the 2×2.0 litre cars (a petrol and a diesel) are a good entry point, but the 3.0 TDI is the choice. This engine does a great job in the A6, and not such a good job in the Q7. But in the Q5 it will offer 0-60mph in a little over 6 seconds and 30+mpg. This car is going to be unbeatable in its sector.

I have become a big fan of Audi in the last few years but, although I’ve driven my fair share, I’ve never owned one. But, so long as the Q5 drives as well as I expect, I think this is the perfect car for Carla (L&M). Beautifully made; high driving position (for the less than confident driver); great auto-box (7 speed twin-clutch S-tronic) ample room for the dogs and decent fuel consumption. And, just to make it ideal, a decent turn of speed for when I have to drive it!

Well done Audi. Cracked it again!