It’s always been the same at Porsche. According to Clarkson they employ the laziest designers in the car world. You’d have to be a complete Porsche fanatic to spot the changes in each iteration - 993, 996, 997 - and mid-cycle facelifts are even more difficult to spot. But change they do, albeit subtly, and here’s the latest version of the venerable Porsche 911. And the phones will soon be ringing, asking if we have the facelifted Porsche 911 for sale!

As you would expect, the visual changes are pretty minor. The front bumper and grille get a slight tweak, a few changes to the lights front and back and… well, that’s it really. But there’s more going on under the skin.

The biggest change is probably to the gearbox. For the first time Porsche is offering a rapid-shift dual-clutch 7 speed gearbox, offering hugely improved shift-speed from the paddles. It’s new for a road-going Porsche, but is based on a system Porsche have used on their Le Mans cars for nearly 20 years.

To add to the benefits of the new gearbox (which in Porsche abbreviation speak is know as the PDK) Porsche have tweaked both the standard and ‘S’ engines to give more power - 20bhp for the 3.6 and 30bhp for the 3.8 - which shave 0.3 off the 0-60 time, and direct injection, besides helping the acceleration, also gives a 12% improvement in fuel economy. Good news all round.

I’ve done the 911 thing, and it’s very seductive. And Porsche has a very large band of loyal, and sometimes fanatical, 911 buyers, who will be queuing up for this facelifted 911. But they’re going to have to wait longer for the ‘Meaty’ models. The GT2, GT3 and Turbo continue unchanged. But expect a price hike of around £1500 for the new models when they hit the showrooms in the UK later this year.

It may look the same, but the 911continues its inexorable improvement in all the areas that matter.

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Back in December we had a handful of the new Bentley Continental GT Speeds for sale. It was quite a coup. They were new, they were very desirable and we had some for sale. A couple of guys (and one lady) treated themselves, and I know they are extraordinarily happy with them. But since then we’ve only had half a dozen or so enquiries on the GT Speed. Very odd.

I was chatting today, as I do, to a very nice guy at a Bentley main dealers. And he was bemoaning the fact that the GT Speed isn’t massively in demand. True, there is still a waiting list, but he concludes that people just aren’t aware enough of just what a stunning car the GT Speed is. And you know, I think he’s right.

On paper, the GT Speed just doesn’t look special enough. Less than half a second to 60 quicker than its sibling, the standard Continental GT. Just a handful of miles an hour quicker. It doesn’t seem much for the extra money. But honestly, the figures belie the car’s performance and feel.

The GT Speed is, without doubt, the most astonishing car you will ever own or drive. A real heavyweight (literally) it picks up its skirts and flies, and handles, like a real thoroughbred supercar. And don’t forget, it’s damn nearly as quick as an F430. And it’s all leather, 4 seats, quiet and comfortable. There is nothing to compare. Its handling and feel are in a different league to the standard GT.

Just look at what some of the motoring press have to say:

The result is a compelling and utterly addictive car. The GT Speed’s mighty W12 emits a fabulously purposeful yet understated rumble when roused, and throws you down the road in epic fashion.

Evo Online

overall it feels more involving than ever. Although the uprated and lowered suspension has undoubtedly made the ride firmer, softer anti-roll bars mean the Bentley never feels uncomfortable.

Times Online

And they’re all in this vein. And I agree completely. Forget the Arnage (glorious though it is), and forget any other comparable car (there isn’t really one anyway!). This is unbeatable.

Do yourself a huge favour, Get in a Bentley Continental GT Speed. You know you deserve it!

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A new Ferrari is always a cause for celebration, especially when it’s a front-engined Ferrari. So the piece I wrote a couple of weeks ago about the new Ferrari California due to go on sale, probably next year, caused a wave of emails.

“They’ve shown it with the top down, because it’s going to look awful when the top’s up” was the theme of nearly every email and conversation after that piece. And I thought you all might have a point. There are lots of good-looking cars that really lose it when the top goes up. But we needn’t have worried. It looks stunning when the top is in place, as the picture here testifies (as with all the images here, click it for a bigger version).

Now I agree that Rosso is the default colour for a Ferrari. But they are a bit common. So it’s nice to see this picture, just released, in something different. And in this case it’s a homage to the original California - Azzurro California blue.

Just 14 seconds to raise or lower the roof makes it as quick as anything else out there. There’s room in the back for small children (or legless adults) and more than enough power to keep most of us happy.

As I said last time, a very cleverly positioned and executed car.

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!

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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.

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