IT’S SUCH A PRIVILEGE to have worked on so many iconic vehicles over the years, whether that has been at Porsche, Lotus, Mercedes-Benz or Tesla. Historic race cars are something I’ve always had a fascination for. There’s really nothing more exciting than gentleman's racing! To combine that aspect into the business serves both head and heart. It’s really never a chore to come to work.
I’m usually up between 6am and 6:30 to check my emails, particularly those from customers overseas, such as the US, which will have come in overnight. We enjoy breakfast together as a family, then I drop off my son and daughter at school and college.
First business of the day is the morning start-up meeting, a punchy 20 minutes or so discussing the top issues across the company. All the departments design, engineering, manufacturing, classic racing will know if there are any issues and what we have to do to resolve them. Then COO Tony Smith and I guide the team or knock over any obstacles to getting the job done. But the teams are so good, they’re talented, they keep pushing. We’re 180-plus-strong, from design engineers to toolmakers, CNC programmers and composite specialists and so on.
Denne historien er fra January 2023-utgaven av Octane.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra January 2023-utgaven av Octane.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Will China Change Everything? - China is tearing up modern motor manufacture but is yet to make more than a ripple in the classic car world. That could be about to change dramatically
China now dominates the automotive world in a way even Detroit in its heyday would have struggled to comprehend.Helped by Government incentives, the new car world is dominated by China's industries: whether full cars that undercut Western models by huge amounts, ownership of storied European brands such as Lotus and Volvo, or ownership and access to the vast majority of raw materials that go into EV cars, its influence is far-reaching and deep. However, this automotive enlightenment hasn't manifested itself in the classic world in any meaningful way - until now.
Jem Marsh
The hard-bitten Marcos boss was driven like few others and never knew when he was beaten. Thankfully
Vandamm House
A Mid-Century Modernist masterpiece that was immortalised on celluloid - despite never actually existing
Making light
Alfa Romeo's post-war renaissance began with the 1900 saloon - and matured with Zagato's featherweight coupé version, as Jay Harvey discovers
FULL OF EASTERN PROMISE
Is burgeoning classic car interest in the Middle East good for the global classic market? Nathan Chadwick investigates
Before the beginning
This rare Amazon Green pre-production Range Rover is Velar chassis number 4. James Elliott charts its historically revealing factory restoration
Ben Cussons
As the outgoing chairman of the Royal Automobile Club hands on to his successor, Robert Coucher quizzes him about the evolution of this great British institution
BULLDOG & THE PUPPIES
We gather five motoring masterpieces by avant-garde designer William Towns - and drive all of them
Below the tip of the Audrain iceberg
As the Audrain organisation grows, we take a look behind the scenes at the huge car collection that feeds it
Flying the Scottish flag
Young Ecurie Ecosse driver Chloe Grant gets to grips with the Ecurie Ecosse Jaguar C-type at Goodwood. Matthew Hayward is Octane's witness
