Now’s the time we start putting the Supercars through a programme of paintwork and servicing. When you are talking nearly six grand for a Lamborghini clutch (and we have 6) then it certainly aint cheap!! Paintwork wise we had a good year in 2009.

The Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale is about to have the front spoiler painted, the LP640 has suffered in the same area too. The Ferrari 599 has had a great year with hardly a mark on it and as for the 3 Aston’s (DB9 DBS and Vantage) these have also stayed almost unmarked. The old lady of the fleet – the well known Orange Murcielago has had a lot of recent work. Bodywise it’s being painted currently to look like the Murcielago LP670 SV with matt black rear panels. It’s just had the latest LP640 wheels and brakes upgraded too, so when this is finished it’ll be a heck of a monster!! This is a sentimental Supercar for me – when it was new in 2004 ( a couple of years before 6th Gear began) it took me on a 5000 mile trip round Europe and what a great journey that was. It’s covered well over 130,000 miles now and still features in Evo magazine from time to time. Strangely enough even with this mileage it drives superbly, thanks to all it’s recent upgrades. The 430 Spider is a fairly recent addition to 6th Gear’s fleet – again its a Supercar thats easy enough to handle, not my cup of tea if i’m honest but predictable in the dry. Personally I prefer the Lambo’s in the wet – with 4 wheel drive they are ‘planted’ and heavy enough not to be affected by wind too much either.

The Aston DBS is a cracking machine. Now I’ve never been such a fan of Aston’s – pipe and slippers spring to mine but the ‘new’ range is anything but. The DBS is the best certainly on the track, its a hard ride with the sports suspension setting switched on and the brakes are stunning. However its the noise that makes the hairs on your neck stand up on end. The howl from that James Bond V12 is simply awesome over 4000rpm.

The Ariel Atoms havent needed too much attention since the 2009 season. A brake pad change and a new starter motor for one has been it. ‘Robust’ is a pretty good description of these incredible supercharged rocketships. Personally I won’t ride as a passenger in them anymore, I’m not the best passenger at the best of times but the Atoms just cross the line for me. Thrilling but bloody terrifying if I’m honest! More soon……

Simon George