Make Green Great Again at London Concours
#Makeitgreenagain Class, presented by Bespoke Handling at this years London Concours, was designed to honour the best examples of unique vehicles that dare to be different by being specified in a wide range of unusual green hues. It was inspired by the social media trend "Make Green Great Again" and was curated by the creator of the original @makegreengreatagain page on Instagram. No flashy red Ferraris or modest silver Aston Martins for this class—just the motoring marvels that are Restoring American Automotive Prowess and Making Green Great Again.
An exquisite Jaguar XK120, one of the last roadsters to be constructed in RHD, will be shown in the exhibit. In July 1953, it was supplied to F. Parham Ltd. in Gillingham, Kent, to be used as a company car. The boss, Leonard Francis Parham, was an avid rally driver and also used the automobile for racing. Following that, the XK changed hands three more times before a young engineer named Douglas Potter bought it in January of 1968. He raced it in the newly formed XK Register series and found some success, but then he put it away for around 40 years. It was stripped down to its chassis and rebuilt to FIA standards.
1953 Jaguar XK120
A magnificent Aston Martin DBS will also be part of the class, with its Pentland Green exterior and Parliament Green interior fitting right in with the rest of our vehicles. The DBS replaced the beloved Vanquish as Aston Martin's flagship model in 2008, drawing inspiration from the fierce DBR9 and DBRS9 GT racing cars of the time. It had a naturally aspirated 5.9-litre V12 with 510 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque. The DBS's striking design was inspired by race machines, as was the decision to employ carbon fibre for the engine cover, trunk lid, front wings, and door sills. The end product is a vehicle capable of 192 mph and a sprint to 62 mph in 4.3 seconds.
2009 Aston Martin DBS
A remarkable Porsche Carrera GT with a Zagato body will also be on display at the Honourable Artillery Company. The current owner submitted this specimen to the renowned Zagato coach builders in Italy in 2019 to be transformed into a GTZ by installing new body panels and custom trim. The majority of Zagato projects are made with manufacturer approval; when done properly, the alteration will not violate homologation regulations and the car will retain its original mechanical integrity. The conversion does, however, result in a marginal reduction in mass. Last but not least, a custom paint colour was created to go with the green leather upholstery.
Included in the showcase will be a Ferrari 488 Pista, the ultimate road-going representation of the brand, painted in Verde Francesca, a brand-new Ferrari colour picked by the car's owner. The 488GTE and 488 Challenge racing vehicles served as visual references for the Pista. The bumper now has ducts that lead to a massive vent in the hood, which is where the most significant changes have been made. At extremely high speeds, this adds to the downforce over the nose. With these modifications plus the diffusers beneath the body and in the rear, the Pista generates 20% more downforce than the 488GTB. However, the 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 engine produces 710 bhp at a whopping 8000 rpm in a vehicle that weighs 91 kilogrammes (kg) less than the GTB.
2019 Ferrari 488 Pista
One of the most stunning automobiles of the last two decades, the Alfa 8C, will also be making its way to the HAC. The 8C from Alfa Romeo came out of nowhere, a stunning idea from 2003 that captivated the automotive industry and practically compelled Alfa to produce it. Maserati's 8C, designed by Wolfgang Egger and powered by a 4.7-litre crossplane V8 like that seen in the GranTurismo, generates a healthy 444 horsepower. The 8C is based on the same platform as the Maseratis of the time, but it is significantly shorter and lighter because of the heavy usage of carbon fibre. With its transaxle and low-slung engine placement, the vehicle's mass is evenly distributed over both axles. This one is especially alluring because of its unique green paint job.
1978 Jaguar XJC V12 - Harry Metcalfe
Among the lineup of eco-friendly vehicles will be Harry Metcalfe, the man behind EVO magazine and the star of the viral video series Harry's Garage, in his one-of-a-kind Jaguar XJC. After purchasing the Jaguar in 2014, Harry made modifications to its performance and handling, including installing shorter gears, a shorter differential, and lower, stronger springs. After two years of enjoyment, the automobile will undergo a two-year restoration beginning in 2020. It was originally going to be Aston Martin Minotaur Green, but Harry didn't like the bronze "flip" aspect, so he had a specialist at Novol (who supplied the paint) create a custom blend without it. The restoration has made it a shining example of this classy British sports car.
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