Steve Cropley Putting on a show for the royals
MY WEEK IN CARS
MONDAY
Ever had a car damaged, then returned after repair? I have – not often, but enough to dislike what accompanies the end of the restoration cycle: paint and glue smells, trim scuffs, cutting compound imperfectly removed, boot carpet stains, mysterious rattles, iffy panel fit and all the rest. Well, our Mercedes S500 was recently rear-ended on a school run by a lady doing the same and had to spend a month with the panelbashers. But now it has returned, a great moment, and the bonus is that it has arrived in better than showroom condition.
Given that this superb car has amassed only 3000 miles in Autocar hands, we’re all amazed how much we missed it. Also by the margin of refinement that exists between the S500 and anything else to which we have regular access. I don’t think I’ll ever stop being amazed by the way noise killing in cars improves. I vividly remember driving Jaguar XJ12S in the 1980s and wondering how cars would ever get quieter. Against the Benz, one of those would sound like a cement mixer.
TUESDAY
We have an important Christmas writing job for readers who enjoy turning a phrase. We’re compiling a collection of great, off-beat things to do with cars next year and want to hear from readers with simple, doable, off-beat experiences (please, no obvious jokes). Write tightly about what happened in – strictly – 100 words. We’ll use some of the best. Email me; details below.
WEDNESDAY
Joyful day driving Mclarens by courtesy, indirectly, of the British and Bahraini royal families. It’s all because Mclaren needed a resounding opening for its new £50 million carbon centre in Sheffield and invited the Cambridges and Bahrain’s crown prince, Salam bin Hamad Al Khalifa, to do the job. Given the importance, hacks had to be involved; given the lack of house training among motoring scribblers, they needed to be kept at arm’s length. So Mclaren turned on a five-car convoy drive, in which I was privileged to take the wheel of a sports-suspended 570GT, a guise generally known as ‘Frankel spec’ because our clever colleague was first to spot a need for it. Sublime car, terrific day, great event. And great company.
THURSDAY
God’s gift to race driving I am not, as the record shows, but anything that can boost everyman motorsport still gets my vote because I’ve had so many wonderful days trying to get a bit better. This week’s decision by our motorsport authorities to rebrand the Motor Sports Association as Motorsport UK may strike you as a slight change, but it’s actually very significant, given the accompanying determination of the organisation’s new CEO, Hugh Chambers, and its chairman of a year’s standing, David Richards, to “repurpose the organisation” to improve things for their 30,000 competitors, 10,000 marshals, 3200 officials and 720 clubs.
The pair, who have worked closely in the past, stress their organisation’s impressive past achievements but also reveal comprehensive plans to modernise governance, reduce red tape, boost low-key formulae, streamline the licensing process and embrace electric racing – all wellchosen areas for action. The MSA did a very decent job, but MUK will be better.
FRIDAY
Long, penetrating journey across southern England by Audi A4 Allroad, one of those capable but somewhat unmemorable cars that wear the four rings. On my 450-mile round trip, I fell to wondering why those who drive other mile-eaters complain about the impatience of Audi drivers. I reached the conclusion that it’s some Audi models’ odd combination of great driving ease but meagre reward that does it. After a while, you just want to get where you’re going and the car’s easy speed across the ground casts those it encounters as obstacles. That’s how it felt for me, anyway.
We have a Christmas writing job for readers