Bentley to take the hill at Shelsley Walsh, the 600bhp SUV will demolish the course.

Bentley’s 600 bhp luxury Bentayga SUV will be tackling the Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb on the 3rd and 4th June in a bid to recreate history, by setting a new women’s record.

In September 1926 and 1927 Miss May Cunliffe set new ladies records in a 3 litre Bentley and to mark the 80th anniversary of her achievements, Vicky Parrott, Drivetribe.com’s road test editor, will be piloting the Bentayga up the course, in a bid to set a new women’s record for 2017.

The Midland Automobile Club recently opened up new classes to encourage manufacturers and current cars to compete at British Racing Green with classes for, Electric, Autonomous, SUV, Estate and Hypercars.

Mark Constanduros, Commercial Manager for Shelsley Walsh commented “Great to see a Bentley back at Shelsley Walsh and taking part in our new SUV class with the aim to set a new Ladies Record in the Bentayga. I hope they will set a record for the history books.”

“This aspect of the event is new for us and one we hope to build upon over the coming few years, giving the manufacturers a home to promote their products in a live environment in front of potential customers.”

“Having the Bentayga in our new SUV class and challenging for a new record, marks another moment in Shelsley Walsh’s history.”

British Racing Green takes place on the 3rd and 4th June to celebrate all things British, Racing and Green or evokes the spirit of British Racing Green, with electric power being the greenest and fastest developing form of power.

For more information visit www.shelsleywalsh.com or to see the cars in action as part of the Midland Hill Climb Championship weekend visit the website for discounted advanced tickets.

Salon Privé - now offering pre-booked as well as ‘on-the-day’ test drives and passenger rides.

• Salon Privé - now offering pre-booked as well as ‘on-the-day’ test drives and passenger rides
• Models available: Lamborghini Huracán, Morgan EV3, Bentley Bentayga and BMW i8 amongst others
• Full list of manufacturers participating in test drive programme to be announced

Salon Privé has become the only event to offer test drives on the public road through its new ‘see it, test it, drive it’ programme. The experience is launched in partnership with hand-picked, luxury automotive manufacturers and is exclusively available to Salon Privé guests from the 1^st to 3^rd September.

The new ‘see it, test it, drive it’ experience allows Salon Privé’s guests to get behind the wheel of some of the world’s most luxurious and prestigious cars from world-renowned manufacturers. These include; Abarth, Bentley, BMW, Lamborghini, Lexus, Morgan, Overfinch and Tesla.

Joining the supercar-themed line-up of test drive models is the exotic Lamborghini Huracán, and both the LP 580-2 and drop-top equivalent, the LP610-4 Spyder, will be on hand to offer guests a thrill on the road. Also confirmed from Italy is the brand new Abarth 124 Spider, the compact two-seater roadster that has just hit showrooms. Abarth will also be bringing two of its recently facelifted 595 hatchbacks in 595 C Turismo cabrio and 595 Competizione guise.

Meanwhile, BMWi division’s game-changing plug-in supercar, the BMW i8, will also be on hand and lines up beside Morgan’s all-electric EV3 three-wheeler and the much-discussed luxury Tesla Model S.

Bentley’s all-new Bentayga SUV has also been confirmed to join the programme’s test drive line-up. The Bentayga, which already has a waiting list of over a year, has a starting price of £160,000 and is the luxury British brand’s debut into the SUV market. Described as the fastest, most powerful, most luxurious SUV in the world, Salon Privé’s guests will have the opportunity to experience the vehicle for themselves during the three-day event.

“Putting customers behind the wheel at a prestigious event like Salon Privé is an amazing opportunity for guests to experience a Bentley first hand,” said Head of Business at Bentley Birmingham, Mark Hudson. “The fact that we’ve also been able to include the World’s most luxurious production off-roader, the Bentayga, into the test-drive line-up with other Bentley models means the response, so far, has been incredible.”

Celebrating another luxury SUV marque, Overfinch will also taking part in the ‘see it, test it, drive it’ experience, offering its 5.0-litre Autobiography model for guest test drives. The supercharged V8-powered off-roader has a performance-inspired carbon fibre body styling package and inside houses a luxury leather interior.

For manufacturers and supporting dealerships, the driving experience allows their sales experts to explore the virtues of each car in an informal setting with genuinely interested customers. Pre-qualification is completed through the high ticket price of £295, which includes full hospitality on the day, as well as pre-approved test drive requests. This ensures guests and manufacturer partners are best-suited before the drive.  

Discussing the ‘see it, test it, buy it’ programme, event co-founder David Bagley said: “Salon Privé strives to combine all elements of the lifestyle that owning and buying some of the most important luxury cars offers. It makes sense that we put our guests in the driving seat during the event, especially when you consider the location at Blenheim Palace and the manufacturers’ cars on display."

He continued: “You won’t find this engagement with luxury brands anywhere else. So far the take-up for test drives has been amazing, as a large percentage of guests already confirmed for the event have reserved cars to drive. I am sure that this initiative will deliver sales leads for our manufacturer partners, and our guests will enjoy the experience.”

Media accreditation is now open, and press can apply via the online booking form by providing their credentials and preferred attendance date. Media invites are limited, so interested parties are advised to apply as soon as possible.

RUF Automobile GmbH is pleased to announce the opening of a representative office in the United Kingdom.

RUF Automobile GmbH is pleased to announce the opening of a representative office in the United Kingdom.

The UK office has been formed in partnership with father and son team Richard and Mark Sekula, founders of TheCarSpy.Net which is one of the UK’s most respected brokerage businesses for the sourcing of luxury vehicles, supercars and hypercars.

Managing Director of RUF Automobile GmbH, Estonia Ruf stated: “The opening of the UK office comes at an important time for us because our range of cars is now the strongest it has ever been. 

The reception we received at the 2016 Geneva Motor show this year was incredible and the level of interest in the latest RUF cars has exceeded all of our expectations.”

Mark Sekula co-Director of RUF Automobile UK added “Having known RUF and the Ruf family for many years now we are very familiar with the engineering principles and ethos of the company. 

Knowing what RUF is capable of producing, we are very excited to be a part of the expanding international presence. The UK has tremendous potential for RUF cars and it will be our task to establish a sound base for both pre and post-sales support for customers in this country. 

We feel that now is the perfect time for us to satisfy the needs of the high-performance and luxury sector based on our own current market experience here in the UK.”

The new UK office becomes part of the RUF international network that includes the USA, Canada, Singapore, Japan, China, Thailand, Taiwan and Chile.

RUF Automobile has been manufacturing its own Porsche-based sports cars for more than 40 years and has developed a reputation for producing powerful super-fast creations that are unrivalled both in terms of performance and build quality.

The current range consists of the RTR, RGT, Turbo Florio, CTR3 Clubsport and 3800S. Each car is capable of exceeding 200 mph (320 kph).

RUF Automobile has recently demonstrated its creative flair with the extensive use of carbon-fibre in the classic-bodied SCR and the full carbon-bodied Ultimate models, which wowed the crowds at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show.

The traditional but potent RCT Evo, Turbo R and R56.11 models continue to provide enthusiasts and collectors alike a modern RUF take on the desirable Porsches of years gone by.

RUF is also able to provide a complete bespoke service for Porsche owners searching for the highest quality re-build and restoration of RUF and Porsche classic cars using the full range of highly qualified engineering skills and resources at the factory in Pfaffenhausen. 

In addition, RUF also offers professional management services for customers including car storage, transport, servicing plus offering expert opinion on vehicle values.

Pirelli to sponsor the Salon Prive Prestige and Performance section with a homage to hyper and supercars.

• Modern-day concours for super & hyper cars from 1975 to present day is first of its kind
• Pirelli-sponsored competition gives the chance to mingle with 68 showstoppers in exclusive public day on Saturday 5^th September
• Entrants includes UK’s only Lamborghini Reventon Roadster and Jay Kay’s green LaFerrari

Salon Privé has confirmed its world-leading line-up of cars in the event’s inaugural Pirelli Prestige and Performance, paying homage to super & hyper cars from 1975 to the present.

Presented in The Great Court and paraded through Blenheim Palace’s beautiful grounds, the innovative new competition is the centrepiece of The Salon Privé Supercar Show, the event’s first ever public day, on Saturday 5^th September.

In the Pre-Millennium Supercar category is a Bugatti EB110 SS. A hugely significant car, it was the prototype for the subsequent lightweight Super Sports version. Used extensively for bodywork development, this 1993 model received the experimental interconnected fuel tanks later used in the production of the US Super Sport version. This engine number, ‘026’ was also used for land speed and performance testing.

Also in this class is the Lamborghini Diablo GT. Replacing the legendary Countach, the Diablo was the fastest, most advanced and most expensive Lamborghini ever built. Introduced in 1999, only 80 of the Diablo GTs were made, boasting an enlarged 6.0-litre engine that produced 575bhp.

Car enthusiasts will be able to feast their eyes on a rare Maserati MC12 Stradale which is in the aptly named “Blink and It’s Gone” class. Developed to signal Maserati’s return to racing after 37 years, the road version was produced to homologate the race version. This model is one of only 50 ever produced.

Unsurprisingly in the same category, is the only Lamborghini Reventon Roadster in the UK. This all carbon-fibre Lamborghini was designed based on an F15 fighter jet. Only 15 models were made, however, this particular model is even rarer, as it’s one of only three right-hand-drive examples.

Jay Kay’s infamous green LaFerrari is also in this class. Well-known for his impressive car collection, Jay proudly enters his LaFerrari, one of the marque’s most ambitious projects yet. Pushing the boundaries of technology on a road car, it showcases Ferrari’s technical capabilities in both GT and Formula 1 engineering.

In the sophisticated “Grace and Pace” class, is a 2009 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione Coupe. It is number 422 of 500 manufactured worldwide, produced in the unique colour Blu Oltremare as a special factory order. With a carbon-fibre body and a 4.7-litre 450bhp V8 engine, only 40 cars were originally allocated to the UK.

Every car enthusiast will know of the Bugatti Veyron, and the Grand Sport Vitesse is a very special edition. As part of a class celebrating “Ten years of Veyron Production”, this model combines the engine of the Super Sport with the space and comfort of the original Grand Sport. The Grand Sport Vitesse is the fastest production roadster in history.

One of the newest cars in the competition is a 2015 Ferrari 458 Speciale Tailor-Made. Competing in “Built for Speed”, this model was built to the owner’s specification as part of an exclusive new personalisation programme from Maranello. This 458 Speciale takes its inspiration from Ferrari’s sporting history, offering a brace of racing-derived materials, finishes and liveries.

Entrance tickets into the ‘Pirelli Prestige & Performance’ Competition cost £20 and also include access to the stunning grounds of Blenheim Palace. For those wishing to have the full Salon Privé experience, a limited number of VIP Hospitality tickets costing £114 are still available. These tickets includes luncheon and refreshments as well as full access to the fabulous Concours entries, stunning Super, Hyper and Concept cars and an amazing range of high-end luxury brands and products.

The final car list in full:

Class A: 40 Years of the Iconic Ferrari 308 GTB

1976 Ferrari 308 GTB

1977 Ferrari 308 GTB

1977 Ferrari 308 GTB Vetroresina

1976 Ferrari 308 GTB Vetroresina

1977 Ferrari 308 GTB

1976 Ferrari 308 GTB Vetroresina

Class B: Built for Speed

2004 Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale

2012 Lamborghini Aventador

2013 Mercedes SL63 AMG bi-turbo

2007 Lamborghini Murcielago LP640

2010 Ferrari 599 GTO

2011 Porsche 997 GT3 RS 4.0

2015 Ferrari 458 Speciale Tailor-Made

2015 Aston Martin Vanquish

2009 Ferrari 430 Scuderia

2013 Lamborghini Gallardo Super Trofeo

Class C: Feel the Breeze

2009 Ferrari F430 Scuderia Spider 16M

2015 Lamborghini Aventador Roadster

2006 Ferrari Superamerica

2013 Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster

2000 BMW Z8

1998 Ferrari 355 GTS

1989 Ferrari 328 GTS

2008 Bentley GT Convertible

2011 Ferrari 599 SA Aperta

2001 Ferrari 550M Barchetta

Class D: Pre-millennium Supercars

1989 Ferrari Testarossa

1993 Jaguar XJ220 S

1993 Bugatti EB110SS

1991 Ferrari F40

1985 Lamborghini Countach 5000s

1995 Ferrari 512 TR

1981 BMW M1

1984 Ferrari 512 BBi

1999 Lamborghini Diablo GT

Class E: Celebrating 10 Years in Production of the Bugatti Veyron

2014 Bugatti Veyron 16.4

2014 Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse

2008 Bugatti Veyron 16.4

Class F: Grace & Pace

2009 Audi R8

2014 Alfa Romeo 4c

2015 Jaguar F-Type

2015 VW XL1

2015 Mercedes AMG GTS

2015 BMW i8

1978 Cadillac Courier

2011 Maserati Granturismo MC Sportline

2009 Alfa Romeo 8C

2013 Aston Martin V12 Vantage

2010 Maserati Turismo MC-Shift

Class G: Road & Race

2015 Radical RXC 500

2015 Mono

2000 Lotus 340R

Class H: Blink and it’s Gone

2004 Pagani Zonda S

2015 Koenigsegg One:1

1995 McLaren F1

2006 Ferrari Enzo FXX

2010 Lamborghini Reventon Roadster

2007 Maserati MC12 Stradale

2014 Ferrari LaFerrari

2014 Porsche 918 Spyder

2013 McLaren P1

1993 Jaguar XJ220