The 190mph Lagonda Taraf supersaloon was launched in Europe at the 2015 Geneva motor show with a price of $1million excl. taxes.
Likely fewer than 60 built; the last-ever petrol engined Lagonda motor car; the spiritual heir to the famously William Towns-designed four-door Lagonda ‘Wedge’ of the 1980s.
Left-hand-drive 2016 Lagonda Taraf, with only 150km covered from new, now available at Nicholas Mee & Co’s Hertfordshire showroom.
The Lagonda company was founded in 1906. It has always produced small numbers of expensive sports, saloon and racing cars, winning the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1935. Famous patrons include H.R.H. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Lagonda has been owned by Aston Martin since 1947, when purchased by David Brown Industries.
IN DETAIL
The Lagonda Taraf – the name implies ‘ultimate luxury’ in Arabic – was revealed to a select number of VIP customers in a private room at the 2015 Geneva International Motor Show.
It had already been shown to a few chosen Middle East clients the previous November, a customer base with great enthusiasm for the marque, one which always held the futuristic and angular 1980s William Towns-drawn saloon in high regard.
The Taraf’s modern design was executed by a team at Aston Martin’s Gaydon headquarters led by Marek Reichman. They used the company’s flexible VH architecture as a foundation on which to create an elegant four-door: a luxury hi-performance supersaloon in the grand manner, capable of over 190mph thanks to its powerful 540bhp, 5.9-litre Aston Martin V12 engine. Like its coupé relations, the Taraf is clothed with carbonfibre-reinforced body panels for strength and lightness. The latest car’s sophisticated lines from Reichman’s team made saloons from Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Mercedes-Maybach seem almost staid by comparison. On the open road, the Taraf’s overall performance would have left them wanting.
Aston Martin’s initial intention with the Taraf was to solely serve the Middle Eastern market, but such was the VIP customers’ enthusiastic reception in Geneva that the company decided to make it available worldwide. At launch, it was priced at $1million in North America and €1million in Europe. All prices excluded local taxes and duties. Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd assured potential customers that the new car would be limited in production; no more than 200 would be made. In the event, most sources state fewer than half that number were built and sold.
The opportunities to own a Taraf are limited, particularly in the United Kingdom. Until now.
Internationally recognised Aston Martin specialist Nicholas Mee & Co has an immaculate example available at its base in Hertfordshire, close to Central London and the UK motorway network. The left-hand-drive car was built in 2016 and is finished in a stunning Onyx Black with a Winter Wheat and Obsidian Black, Caithness-grade hide interior. The lucky driver and three passengers can listen to music via the Bang & Olufsen BeoSound for Aston Martin 1000W audio system or enjoy the unique melody of the smooth and powerful V12 engine. Those in the roomy rear compartment have the opportunity of watching their favourite movies on high-quality rear screens. The ultra-rare car has covered only 150km from new.
“I remember the impact the William Towns Lagondas had in the 1970s and ’80s,” says managing director Nicholas Mee, who ran AML’s sales operation in London’s West End in those days.
“The original Towns-designed ‘Wedge’-shaped Lagonda generated amazing publicity and there was a three-year waiting list for the futuristic car. When first shown to the press in 1977 it was, literally, headline news in the national daily newspapers. Those cars proved a great sales success for Aston Martin Lagonda at a crucial time. There’s no doubt that the Taraf embodies the overall appeal of the older car, while being a modern-day product from Aston Martin’s Gaydon studios: fast, beautifully built and with a restrained and timeless appeal. Collectors of modern classics looking for exclusivity cannot ignore the rarity factor and that the Taraf will be the last petrol-engined Lagonda.
“People ask me to define a ‘future classic’. Well, the Lagonda Taraf is a pretty good place to start.”
For further information, please contact: Neal Garrard Director, Nicholas Mee & Co Ltd +44 (0) 20 3757 0974 or +44 7718 340811 neal@nicholasmee.co.uk
Lotus is working with a renowned British music producer, inspired by the engine note of the iconic Type 49, to develop a range of sounds for the all-electric Evija hypercar.
Patrick Patrikios has written and produced for Olly Murs, Sia, Britney Spears, Pixie Lott and numerous other world-famous stars. He was Brit Award-nominated in 2018 for his collaboration with Little Mix, and the tracks he’s worked on have been streamed more than a billion times.
“We wanted to create a soundscape for the Evija that was recognisably and distinctively Lotus,” said Patrick. “I sat with the development team at Hethel and discussed what that should be. We wanted something intrinsically connected to Lotus so we could set an audio blueprint for its future electric cars.”
Patrick loved the idea of using a famous Lotus as a starting point, and what better example than the Type 49 – one of the most iconic race cars of all time.
He explained: “There’s a purity to that V8, a raw edge and an emotion that stirs something in your soul, just like the best songs.”
The process began with the recording of a Type 49, which Patrick fed into his computer. In digitally manipulating the sound he and the Lotus team realised that slowing the engine note down created a similar frequency to the natural driving sound produced by the Evija’s advanced all-electric drivetrain.
“I adjusted the replay speeds and digital filtering of the Type 49 to generate a soundscape for the Evija – it was a very organic process,” said Patrick. “We all wanted something to spark an emotional connection between car and driver. Sound is hugely influential when it comes to creating and forming emotions, to enrich that bond that’s such a critical part of the Lotus experience.”
Patrick concluded: “I love that the sound from one of the most iconic Lotus race cars of all time has been the inspiration for its newest. There’s a symmetry to it which is beautiful.”
Welshman Patrick has been a Lotus fan since childhood thanks to his car-loving father. An Evora driver, he splits his time between Los Angeles and the UK. His body of work includes Hollywood movie soundtracks as well as songs from internationally renowned recording artists.
Patrick’s primary task was to craft the Evija’s external noise as it begins to deliver its immense ‘0-186mph (300km/h) in under nine seconds’ acceleration. However, using the Evija soundscape he created, he has also developed chimes and tones for everything from the activation of the indicators to the seatbelt warning.
Few race cars from any motorsport brand are as celebrated as the Lotus Type 49. It won on its first Formula 1 outing, the 1967 Dutch Grand Prix, with legendary driver Jim Clark at the wheel, and a Type 49 was on pole position at every race for the rest of the season. The following year Graham Hill won the F1 Drivers’ Championship in a Type 49.
Only 12 examples were ever made, and the car will be forever associated with two world debuts. The Type 49 was the first to use the all-new Lotus-developed Cosworth-Ford DFV engine that would dominate the Formula 1 grid for more than a decade, and it also marked the first appearance of the iconic red, white and gold colours of Lotus sponsor Gold Leaf, one of the most recognisable motorsport liveries of all time.
The MC20 has never previously been seen unleashing its power on low-grip surfaces.
The new Maserati super sports car is currently engaged in a series of reliability tests (on road and track, in various driving conditions) and intensive cold-weather trials on the snow-covered roads of the Valtellina and at the Ghiacciodromo Livigno (Sondrio), Italy’s most notable snow and ice circuit.
During its cold-weather mission, the super sports car was tested to evaluate engine cold starting, the low-temperature performance of its elastic components and the car’s handling on cold and low-grip asphalt surfaces. The tests were also performed to verify correct functioning of the Climate Control System in cold conditions as well as tests conducted on the battery, suspensions and brakes.
The extreme conditions have not stopped the new MC20; in fact, they have enhanced the opposing personalities of this car, born from the Brand’s racing DNA but designed for series production.
Hyundai Motor UK has announced the pricing and specification of the All New TUCSON Plug-in Hybrid, the latest addition to the lauded All New TUCSON line up.
With the addition of a plug-in hybrid powertrain, Hyundai’s best-selling SUV now offers the widest range of electrified powertrains in its class. Already seen in All New TUCSON, the 1.6-litre T-GDi Smartstream engine is paired with a 66.9 kW electric motor and a 13.8 kWh lithium polymer battery. Combined, the petrol engine and electric motor deliver 265 PS maximum power and 350 Nm maximum torque, with an electric only range of up to 50km*1.
In addition to styling and equipment shared with the rest of the range, All New TUCSON Plug-in Hybrid brings a number of technical changes for this powertrain, including active aerodynamics with an Active Air Flap that adjusts air intake depending on the engine coolant temperature, vehicle speed, and more, in order to minimise air resistance and maximise fuel efficiency. 4WD comes standard on the All New TUCSON Plug-in Hybrid, with Hyundai HTRAC four-wheel drive technology and a Terrain Mode selector for safe driving on challenging terrain. HTRAC can variably distribute driving power to the front and rear wheels depending on traction conditions and the driving state, while the Terrain Mode selector will optimise power, torque and braking depending on the road conditions.
Two trims are available, Premium and Ultimate, which aligns with the trims available on the Hybrid variants. Priced from £39,330, the Tucson Premium Plug-in Hybrid specification highlights include 18” alloy wheels, LED front and rear lights, 10.25″ touchscreen satellite navigation with Bluelink® connected car services and a 10.25″ driver’s supervision instrument cluster. Ultimate specification is from £42,030 and adds 19” wheels, leather seat facings, panoramic glass sunroof and smart electric tailgate. The optional Tech Pack is available on Ultimate models and includes electronically controlled suspension, remote smart park assist, blind spot view monitor, around view monitor and parking collision avoidance assist
Ashley Andrew, Managing Director, Hyundai Motor UK said “All New Tucson has received a tremendous reception from both customers and industry alike and it has quickly become a focus for the brand with its combination of styling, chassis dynamics and electrified hybrid powertrains. The launch of TUCSON Plug-in Hybrid will further grow its popularity, particularly within the key fleet markets with its combination of high standard specifications, zero emissions capability and low BIK. TUCSON Plug-in Hybrid is an important player for Hyundai in our environmental commitments and the on-going drive to lower the emissions of our vehicles.”
All New TUCSON Plug-in Hybrid models come with Hyundai’s industry leading 5 Year Unlimited Mileage Warranty, 8 year 100,000 mile High Voltage Battery Warranty, Roadside Assistance package, 5 Year Annual Health Check, and 12 Year Anti Corrosion Warranty.
The latest generation of the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars will be factory-equipped with Multimatic DSSV dampers
Multiple championship-winning spool valve damping technology to benefit all new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars
Multimatic’s commitment to the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup programme extends to having its junior driver, Seb Priaulx, continue his development in a Kelly-Moss Racing entered 911 GT3 Cup in the 2021 Porsche Carrera Cup North America
Multimatic has been chosen by Porsche to supply the spec damper for the new 2021, Porsche 992-based, 911 GT3 Cup car.
Multimatic DSSVTM dampers are used by many of the world’s top race teams, including 40% of the 2021 Formula 1TM grid.
Multimatic DSSV dampers have been the choice of championship-winning teams across a wide spectrum of race categories for almost two decades. From Formula 1 and Formula E to top-level GT and sportscar racing, many of the single-seater formulae, as well as grass roots racing, being the spec damper for the Mazda MX5 Cup.
Red Bull Racing took all of its Formula 1 World Championship victories using Multimatic dampers. The Ford GT won the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans on Multimatic DSSV and the Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo that smashed the Nürburgring Nordschleife lap record was running on Multimatic DSSV. The Mazda RT24-P will soon return to the notoriously bumpy Sebring Raceway, where in 2020, Multimatic DSSV helped the car to ride the bumps all the way to overall victory in the famous 12-hour race.
Now, every new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car, competing in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup and numerous national Carrera Cups will benefit from the very same Multimatic DSSV technology.
DSSV is a totally unique approach to providing high-fidelity hydraulic damping using precision spool valve technology that results in unprecedented predictability, accuracy and repeatability. The inherently superior frequency response of the spool valve provides outstanding transient characteristics, its turbulent flow regime minimises temperature effects and the basic architecture of the damper eliminates cavitation, enabling low charge pressures.
Raj Nair, Multimatic President & COO, said: “Multimatic continues to develop our unique damper technologies and we’ve always believed that there’s no better proving ground than motorsports. Within motorsports it’s well known that the Porsche Carrera Cup is the premier one-make race series in the world and we’re happy to see the series expand to North America. We’re proud that Multimatic DSSV dampers have been selected for the 911 GT3 Cup car and we look forward to our continued partnership with Porsche.”
The #15 Kelly-Moss Racing entry, driven by Seb Priaulx in Porsche Carrera Cup North America will carry Multimatic DSSV branding in celebration of the new relationship. As the Multimatic Motorsports junior driver is moving-up through successively more difficult challenges it became an obvious choice to have him demonstrate his talents in the world’s most competitive one-make, one-driver, sprint racing championship, while also underlining Multimatic’s commitment to the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup programme.
Larry Holt, Executive Vice President – Multimatic Special Vehicle Operations, said: “We had a number of potential programmes that we were looking at for Seb this year but have chosen to have him compete in the Porsche Carrera Cup North America as a show of support during our first year as a supplier to the series. It is also a great way for Seb to show us what he’s got, running against some outstanding talent in identical equipment, without the complexities of second drivers, pit stops or strategy. We have chosen a top team in Kelly Moss Racing and will leave him in their capable hands as we concentrate on our other programmes.”
