Fast and luxury cars

Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson was born on 18th July 1950 in Sharnley Green (count Surrey) is a british entrepreneurship and billionaire who created one of the most reckognizable brands in the world – Virgin Group. We wouldn’t obviously write about him on our site if he wasn’t a great motorsport fun and activist.

Richard Branson was 18 times fired from school. His first business step was setting up a student newspaper called simply “Student”. This newspaper got popularity among young people in a really fast way. The newspaper was set up in 1967 when such stars like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones were already popular. Branson knew that music was going to be a great business. Together with his friends, he started selling music records by shop shipping. Such model of delivery goods, let them to sell records over a dozen percents cheeper than traditional shops. Nowadays, most of Branson businesses has a word “virgin” in the name. It apparently came from meaning that Branson and his friends were “virgins” in business. His shop shipping was also named “virgin”. The company was growing up and in early seventies Branson started recording activity under the name Virgin Records. The crucial moment took place in 1973 when all publishers rejected Mike Oldfield’s new record. Richard Branson took a challenge and published Oldfield’s album called Tubullar Bells. In result it was sold with 5 million specimens and let Virgin Records to earn more than one billion pounds.

In 1977, Virgin got popularity thanks to recording Sex Pistols group. That was next, great success of the company, and next 5 million records being sold. His company got recognition on the market and started signing lucrative contracts with such stars like: The Rolling Stones, Bryan Ferry, Simple Minds, Paula Abdul, Steve Winwood, Janet Jackson, Genesis, Phil Collins or Peter Gabriel. After 20 years of succeses, Branson sold Virgin Music Group – brand, music publishing house and recording studios to Thorn EMI company and got 1 billion dollars from this transaction.

Current Branson’s businesses are:

• Virgin Travel – luxury holidays for wealthiest people.
• Virgin Airlines – airlines, partly also luxury airlines.
• Necker Island – In 1978, Branson became an owner of small carribean island Necker. He bought it for 180 thousand USD and currently rents it for 22 thousand USD per week.

Branson is also known from unconventional marketing moves and behaviors. When he wanted Indian government to let his airlines into Indian market, he came to parliament building on white elephant. It resulted in beginning of regular Virgin Airlines flights to India. The godmother of his first plane became Princess Diana. in 2001, Branson sold 49% of shares to Asian carrier Singapore Airlines for 979 million USD.

Fail met Branson when he wanted to get concession for leading british national lottery. Government decided to refuse his bid. It astonished many people who expected obvious success of Branson, showing that he was a donor of Labour Party. Indeed Branson supported Tony Blair during campaing in 1997.

In 1986, on boat Virgin Atlantic Challenger II Richard he passed through Atlantic Ocean in record time. One year later he set up to pass Atlantic Ocean in balloon Virgin Atlantis Flyer. That was first such succeding sphere trial.

In 1991 he passed the longest distance in balloon in history – 6700 miles, crossing Pacific Ocean from Japan to Arctic Canada. In his next balloon adventure he almost died, and his partner was struggling for life when sphere crashed into freezing sea by the Ireland coast.

His only not fulfilled dream remains Virgin Atlantic. The company will manage space tourism. As researches showed, over 14 thousand people would like to have a space trip and could manage to pay for it. Each of them would have to pay 200 thousand USD per ticket. Branson’s partners in this business are: Paul Allen (founder of Microsoft) and Burt Rutan, the creator of Virgin Atlantic Global Flyer jet plane. This jet was used by another millionaire Steven Fossett to travel around the globe in 67 hours without fuel filling and intermediate stops.

In promotional lottery that was supported by Volvo, one person from USA won a space flight for free.

In the year 2009, Virgin Group was a strategic sponsor of Brawn GP Formula 1 Team. This team won both standings – individual as well as constructors that made Richard Branson very happy and pushed him to buy his own Formula 1 Team. Branson became the owner of racing team called Manor GP and its name was changed to Virgin Racing. Although Branson hired good drivers – Timo Glock and Lucas Di Grassi, his team is one of the weakest in the Formula 1. The reason for this situation is that team did not have enough time for preparation before 2010 season. I’m sure that if Branson decideds to remain in Formula 1 for next seasons, his cars will be improved and they will join a battle for top positions.

On 14th April 2010 took place a great event for Famiglia Ferrari. In the building of Military Academy in Modena we could participate in a presentation of an exclusive new 599 GTO. There were many stars, billionaires and other influential people who wanted to participate in that great evening. Ferrari Chairman Luca di Montezemolo and Academy Commander General Roberto Bernardini welcomed the guests to this exclusive event.

Ferrari 599 GTO cannot be bought just from car saloon. Firstly, no one would sell such great car to casual person. Secondly, there will be only 599 cars produced, and all of them are already sold. It is nothing strange because Ferrari 599 GTO is the fastest Ferrari car that may be used not only on the car circuit.

To be honest, Ferrari 599 GTO is only a little bit changed Ferrari 599 FXX so that it gets permission to be used on public roads. Many solutions used in Ferrari 599 GTO come from Ferrari 599 FXX and Formula 1 – special aerodynamics packet, light materials, suspension settings and hiper strong ceramic brakes to name a few.

In the near future we should see this car on the streets of the most expensive cities in the world – Monaco, Zurich or Paris. Famiglia Ferrari will get a new fantastic car that is going to set a new level of building fantastic civil cars. Civil – only in official documents because sport car with 670 HP is definitely not a casual vehicle. It is something from another world! Enjoy!

Innes Ireland said in 1967 that racing in that times was like fun for children. He didn’t say it about current Formula 1 – He said that about Formula 1 in 1967!! It shows us what kind of personality he was. He though that racing was easy and tamed. What would say contemporary Formula 1 drivers if they were to participate in racing like in 60’s? I am deeply sure that none of them would decide to compete in such event.

Innes Ireland got to Formula 1 in 1959 as lieutenant of British Army. That was time of such drivers like Jack Brabham, Stirling Moss, Tony Brooks or Philip Hill. The only win of Innes Ireland was in 1961 during Grand Prix USA. How breakneck adventures were meeting drivers in those times shows a comment given by Ireland after his accident during practice in Monaco in 1961. He said that he was thrown 50, maybe 70 meters out of the car. He remembered great fontain of blood gushing from his left left and Stirling Moss who came and helped him. Nonetheless Ireland minded racing as something that didn’t released adrenalin enough. He was looking for adrenalin in other areas like aviation.

Marc Surer is one of the most interesting people in motorsport. He came out in 1979 and participated mainly in Formula 1 and Group B Series races. His private life was as extreme as his performances on circuit.  Both of his wifes belonged to Playboy Rabbits – the first one was Yolanda Egger and the second was Christina Bonzli who also competes in car races.

At the beginning of his Formula 1 career, Marc Surer was more interested in splendor and glamour of being Formula 1 driver. Competitions’ results were not so important. People who met him in those times could say many funny and controversial stories about his private life, especially in matter of woman. After few years of driving in Formula 1 Mark Surer became more focused on competition but he never gained any bigger succeses in the queen of motorsport.

His supporters may remember one significant moment of his racing live. During Belgian Grand Prix in Zolder in 1982 he was driving with a huge pain in his ankles. That was because three years earlier he had broken both ankles. In the day of the race he didn’t tell doctors about his pain because he wanted to compete in the race. Even after finishing the race he was smiling and didn’t show his suffer.

His last season in Formula 1 took place in 1986. After that he started driving in other competition series and rallies. Unfortunately  in 1986 he experienced tragic accident. During Hesja Rally his Ford RS200 group B, hit the tree after explosion of tyre. The car immediately burnt. Surer’s pilot Michael Wyder died while Surer survived because he was thrown out of the car. After spending three months in coma he knew that his driver career is over. Later he competed in German tourist cars races but it was a small period in his life. You can see Marc Surer’s accident on the video below:

After finishing racing he started working in television. Firstly he was a presenter and commentator of DRS Television, currently he works in Premiere channel. Marc Surer had almost everything: beauty, charism, charm and super attractive wives from Hugh Heffner house. There was only a lack of the most important matter for racing driver – he didn’t won any important races in his career.

Do you plan to spend time in French Riviera? Would you like to do it in a really sophistacated and comfortable way? If you say ‘definitely yes’ – I advice you to hire luxury villa instead of accomodation in hotel or apartment in block of flats. Renting a whole villa gives you fantastic opportunity to feel free during your holidays.

There are many companies that offer villa rentals in Riviera and they also manage with most of office formalities that are to be done before renting a house. If you cannot manage to hire whole building you may also hire one floor or few rooms. It depends on particular offer of each villa’s manager.

The prices for Villas rentals vary depending on particular location. If you wish to hire villa in areas around Monaco and Cannes you have to be ready to spend much more for it in comparison to less popular places located in French Riviera. When you rent a house you usually pay by each person-day, not for a whole house. But in such situation you have to know that if there are free beds remaining in villa, its manager may hire it for other people and you will not be the only one who hires particular house. There are three solutions to avoid such situations:

- pay also for remaining beds that stay free during your time in villa,

- rent a smaller villa,

- take more friends and family members who would like to spend luxury vacations in such way.

Performance

Facts

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano was firstly presented during Geneva Motor Show in 2006. GTB is abbreviation from Gran Turismo Berlinetta, which resembles such legendary models like Ferrari 250 GTB, Ferrari 275 GTB and Ferrari 365 GTB4. Fiorano is obviously the name of testing circuit that belongs to the company and lies by the Ferrari factory in Maranello. The main idea about this vehicle was to create a car that would bring great pleasure from driving mixed with fantastic performances and technology taken from Formula 1.

As in many Ferrari models, this one was designed thanks to cooperation with Pininfarina. Car’s bonnet resembles Ferrari 612 Scaglietti however it is much more aggresive. The whole design of the car is strictly connected with special requirements given by aerodynamics specialists.

599 GTB is the third strongest, serial produced Ferrari model. Better performances have only Ferrari Enzo and Ferrari 458 Italia. Engine used in the car provides 620 HP which is stunning number. Fantastic job was also performed in construction of gearbox. Now, the whole time needed to switch between gears is only 0,1 s. In previous Ferrari models this rate was much more – approximately 0,25 s. Gearbox solution was taken from Formula 1 and that is the reason for this fantastic improvement.

Maximum speed of this Ferrari reaches 333 km/h, and acceleration is estimated at 3,6 seconds (to 100 km/h). Possible problems that may be caused by unexperienced driver are resolved by F1-Trac system and technologically advanced suspension. Both of those solutions also come from Formula 1.

Only 34 years old John Elkaan was announced as a new president of Fiat. He ousted Luca di Montezemolo who resigned from the post. Di Montezemolo motivated his decision with fulfiling a task which was improving the financial condition of the company. Italian was the president of Fiat for last six years, now he will stay in boards of directors of organization.

62 years old Di Montezemolo will be still working on the post of Ferrari’s president.

John Jacob Philip Elkaan often known as “Jaki“, is an Italian industrialist. He is also grandson of the late Gianni Agnelli, heir to the automaker Fiat. The group also posseses such marques like: Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa Romeo and Lancia. Instead of being the new president of Fiat he is also a chairman of investment company called Exor. This company controls such journal titles like Corriere della Sera, La Stampa and also Juventus Turin F.C. to name but a few.

John Elkaan spent his childhood in New York where he was born. He attented primary school and after finishing his primary education Elkaan’s family decided to move to Paris where he got a diploma at the Victor Duruy Lycée. Just after that he started studies in Italy at The Polytechnic University of Turin. He graduated in 2000 year with a degree in industrial engineering.

In 1997, at age 22, Elkaan was selected to the Fiat board due to the death of Umberto Agnelli who was being told to head the Fiat group. Although he was in the board of Fiat he continued his studies in Turin. Elkaan was also gaining his work experience, incognito so that no one finds out which position he really had in business. He worked in some company’s holdings: headlight plant in Birmingham (England) and a production line in Krakow (Poland). After finishing studies at The Polytechnic University of Turin he went to New York where he joined General Electric’s Corporate Audit Staff program.

The year 2004 was very important in his life. That was because he became vice chairman of the Fiat board and vice chairman of IFIL (now Ronx) . That change was caused by the death of his grandfather Gianni Agnelli.

Few days ago he became a chairman of Fiat, taking post after Luca Cordero di Montezemolo.

Rowan Atkinson for most of us is just Mr Bean but for those who are luxury car fans he is someone great. Fast and luxury cars are the second face of Rowan Atkinson. Not many people know that this actor participated in many semi-professional races like brand trophies of Mini and Renault 5. He was doing it just for passion without any greater succeses. It does not matter that he didn’t achieve great results in racing, because there are thousands of great racing drivers in England so competition is really stiff. The thing that matters is how Rowan Atkinson is good about cars and how big are his passion and knowledge about cars.

Thanks to successes on the screen he can manage to possess a nice collection of supercars. In his premise located in Oxfordshire he has:

• Aston Martin DBS V8
• Aston Martin V8 Zagato
• Aston Martin DB7 Vantage
• Bentley Mulsane
• McLaren F1
• Bugatti Veyron
• Lancia Delta Integrale
• Renault 5 Turbo
• MG XPower SV
• Morgan Aeromax

This is impressive collection, is not it?

Atkinson does not like when someone calls him “collector”. He says that this word is connected to museum but he does not treat his cars like exhibition. He says that cars are to drive not to stay in garage like in museum. His fans remember when crashed his McLaren F1 hitting back of Rover Metro with speed about 50 km/h at popular A6 motorway.

Rowan Atkinson is also a great writer. His columns about cars are superb. In a few verses of his texts he can show character and essence of such english icons like Jaguar E from 1963 or MGB which he was driving in Spa.

All of small italian towns have own special climate and atmosphere, but climate of Maranello is absolutely unique. Ferrari’s factory which is located there has been writing the history of Maranello since the early 1940’s. Wherever you go in this town you will see people who are proud of living here. It does not matter if it is hairdresser, baker or medicine’s doctor. Most of them have Ferrari signs in their rooms. There are many stickers, logos, posters, flags and other symbols that resemble visitors that they visit kingdom of Ferrari.  Whoever you ask in Maranello why he likes his town he will obviously say that because Enzo Ferrari chose this town to write a beatiful history of his company here.

In midday, streets around the Ferrari’s factory are crowded for a few minutes when workers have a break to eat something, drink coffee and rest from work. It is fantastic view when all those fantastic specialists wearing red clothes go out to small bars and cafes located around the factory. In such moments you can really feel what it really means to be a part of Ferrari family.

Maranello is a holy place for Ferrari fans. Thousands of people come here every year just to see the factory of one of the best luxury car brands ever. They usually visit “Galleria Ferrari” which is a company’s museum. This place is like a temple for them. One day I will write more about “Galleria Ferrari“.