Well 6th Gear America had it’s first Supercar event in Detroit, Michigan at the weekend and what a fabulous day it turned out to be too.
Steph Wilcox our General Manager attended the day and it went down with our American cousins fantastically well. 6th Gear America has’nt yet got the number of Supercars we have over here in the UK but the whole company in Detroit is like a mini version of the UK operation for now.
I say for now because I do believe we have woken the ‘sleeping giant’ over there since the interest and enthusiasm has been enormous.
Starting in Detroit, 6th Gear America will be expanding into other US States over the next few years making the UK operation look pretty small!
So what’s happening over here in Blighty? The first 6th Gear Experience event in Blyton Park Lincolnshire for 2012 takes place on Saturday. It’s a fantastic track with super smooth tarmac and some blindingly quick sweeping bends.
Overall though sales have picked up brilliantly well after a slow start to the beginning of 2012. Yes it’s all doom and gloom in the economy currently but at least we can inject a bit of the ‘feel good’ factor into play for a change!
6th Gear Experience Ltd hits the United States!
Busy Busy Busy!
Blyton Park our new venue near Gainsborough/Doncaster is filling up quick these days, what a super little circuit with lots of lovely smooth tarmac.
The office phones are manic at the moment – apologies to customers who have had to queue for as much as twenty minutes, it hasn’t helped that the phone system has been the subject of an ongoing fault too. So once again apologies. We should be back to normal soon enough.
So what’s new on the super car front? Well the new Lamborghini LP560 has been stacked out since it arrived at the beginning of the year. It’s as punchy as the Ferrari 458 Italia but with it’s four wheel drive it holds the road arguably even better. But the Radical SR3 passenger hot lap race car has also been absolutely flat out and provides a thrilling ride for 6th Gear Experience customers at all the venues. It’s truly mind boggling!
And the season’s almost here again!
With the 2012 season almost upon us it’s all go here at 6th Gear Experience.
During the winter we’re traditionally repainting supercars where needed, giving them the servicing they require and generally getting them ready for the first event at Bruntingthorpe on March 3rd.
So what’s been going on in the 6th Gear workshop? Well we’ve a fully operational paint spray booth with ovens as well as 4 ramps where our 5 top class technicians work on the cars. One of the older Ferrari 360′s has just been totally repainted by our in-house master painter Dave. He’s made a brilliant job of it too. Realistically most of the thirty odd supercars need some paintwork whether its just a font bumper and bonnet or indeed a total repaint. the Audi R8′s have both needed new clutchs, the Astons have generally just had routine servicing and the Lambo’s more of the same.
talking of Lambo’s we’ve just had a new one added to the fleet. Not – I’m sorry to say – the long awaited Aventador, but a year old LP550-4. A bit like a more modern Gallardo the LP550′s are a superb piece of kit. Not quite as quick as our Ferrari 458 but rapid and very stable with it’s four wheel drive.
This year however we’ll be concentrating on updating the fleet although that said, we do try to keep to current models wherever possible.
The new Ferrari 458 Italia has just been at Graypaul Nottingham for it’s first service where it had attention to a gearbox oil leak. It’s also had a new set of Michelin’s (£1400-ouch) and is on top form. Probably the fastest supercar we have at the moment point to point. In a straight line the Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 might just nail it, but at 2 tons the lighter and more agile Ferrari has it whipped round corners.
Look forward to seeing even more customers in 2012!
Simon G
Blyton Park feedback & a new addition to the fleet..
Well we had awful weather.. but the first weekend at Blyton Park was a resounding success. What a super circuit – ultra smooth tarmac and really challenging. Customers enjoyed it thats for sure! It’s well worth making the trip over since we’ll be running there for at least 10 event days in 2012.
So the new addition to 6th Gear’s fleet is slightly different. It hasnt wheels but rotors and hasnt a petrol engine but a jet turbine. Yep it’s a Bell 206 Jet Ranger the very same chopper thats appeared in many of the Bond films over the years like ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’, ‘For Your Eyes Only’ and the like. From later this month the Jet Ranger flown by an experienced commercial helicopter pilot will be offering pleasure flights on the day known as (unsurprisingly) ‘Pay and Fly’.
So if you are coming along to oine of our events from 23rd October at Elvington onwards – subject to weather – you will be able to take a short trip in the Jet Ranger for £45. We’ll also be offering a 15 minute flight taking in the city of York and the Minster. Really great fun and great value. The chopper kind of suits 6th Gear’s image with Supercars, Trucks and Helicopters providing customers with a great range of fun activities!
The 458 is going fantastically well. It’s minor issues seem to be sorted and it’s a joy to drive. Also available to pay on the day its well worth having a lap in this magnificent beast.
Our Christmas offers have now been launched so please check them out!
Latest News – Aventador, 458 Italia progress and apology!
It’s been a while since the 6th Gear Experience blog has been updated mainly due to the blog being incorparated into the new website which we launched recently.
So what’s new? The 458 has been a huge success with this gorgeous supercar being full on almost every event day. It goes fantastically well but we have had a couple of issues with the fuel sender unit which shows the tank is full whereas in reality there’s not a drop in the tank. But leaving that aside the gearchange is incredible in it’s lightening response and the noise from that V8 simply captivating.
The new Lamborghini Aventador is due to land in December – ours is burnt Orange, the first ones are due in the country this Autumn and the first reports have been this Supercar is in a different league to anything else. We can’t wait!
The new Nissan GTR continues to rocket aroung any of 6th Gear’s five circuits at an awesome pace. In a straightline only the 458 and Lamborghini LP640 leave it but we are talking just a couple of car lengths up to 120mph. After that the difference is more marked, but point to point the GTR is astonishing.
With the season drawing to a close in November the remaining event days are filling fast. Blyton Park & Bruntingthorpe circuits are the new kids on the block and fantastic venues they are too.
We’ll be updating this blog much more frequently from now on, keep taking a look for the latest news..
458 – going great guns! New website imminent too..
So the stunning 458 has completed a few events now and whats the verdict? Its fantastic. That gearchange is very distinctive on the track, its like listening to a Kalashnikov machine gun. Feedback from the 150 odd customers who have been behind that stunning F1 style wheel has been mind-blowingly positive.
Latest news on our new Lamborghini Aventador is it might just appear before the end of the season. The Italians arent the best at predicting delivery dates but the signs are that it will be this year at least thank goodness.
Meanwhile our 458 Italia makes its first appearance in Evo magazine next month..
The launch of our new website is imminent.. look out for it in the next 10 days.
It’s almost here – the hottest new Ferrari in 20 years!
Before I chat about our new weapon from the boys at Maranello check out our new articulated catering truck – new for 2011!
We decided at the end of 2010 to take the catering ‘inhouse’ and converted one of the supercar doubledecked transporters to a mobile catering unit.
This now serves the most delicious food including baked potatoes with a variety of tasty filling, hot and cold sandwiches and ‘specials’ such as pork and apple sauce baps, awesome chilli con carne and even casseroles. On top of that our coffees include lovely Latte’s Cappucino’s and Espresso as well as special Tea’s and a selection of cold drinks. And all at reasonable prices too..
But back to this new Ferrari. Our 458 Italia is due to land this coming Friday 8th of April. I havent got as excited about supercars since the LP640 arrived in 2007..
Stop Press! Its here! The most stunning looking Supercar I’ve seen in ages..
We’re nearly there!
With just over a week to go before the first event at Prodrive near Kenilworth its a mad rush to get everything sorted.
Andy our Operations Director has worked his magic on another one of our five articulated trucks – the latest conversion enables the 40ft trailer (which still carries four supercars) to materialise into a catering truck with which we retail panini’s baked potatoes and a full range of other appetising food.
Supercar wise here’s an update. The new Ferrari 458 has suffered delivery delays again and now lands in May. The LP700 – the first new V12 from Lamborghini in a decade – is promised for August time and what a monster this supercar will be. As I’ve said before I’ve been lucky enough to see this beast in the flesh at the factory, the only drawback is the price. How does £275,000 grab you with a few options that is.
The exciting part is that this new Murcielago replacement will be collected by 6th Gear from the factory in Sant’Agata Italy around about this time. Travelling over to Italy will be the companies Murcielago LP640 and the Orange Murcielago so on the way back to England it should be some spectacle! Imagine three big Lamborghini’s roaring through the snow tunnels of the St Gottardo pass which passes over the Alps joining Switzerland and Italy. Real Italian Job stuff!
The Ferrari 599 has now been delivered back with its new pearl white look with a matt black stripe and black wheels! It looks fantastic.
Look forward to seeing you all on one of our event days this year
Happy New Year!
Seasons Greeting for 2011 to all our customers from us all here at 6th Gear..!
It’s certainly going to be a busy one, the first event dates especially at our Surrey venue near Longcross are looking especially so.
So whats happening behind the scenes? Well most of the Supercars have now been serviced, our Ferrari 599 GTB is having a full colour makeover so will look incredible in March when the season begins – I’m not going to say which colour combination but it really will look the nuts! The Orange Murcielago is also in pieces with the leather interior in for a full retrim. Its going from cream to black with orange piping – far more practical and it’ll look awesome too.
The LP640 is also about to visit the paintshop, its front end being ultra low took quite a severe battering from stones in 2010..
We often get asked why we dont use the plastic film on the front end of the Supercars. The answer is that with hard track use, dirt gets under the film so we end up simply repainting the front ends instead.
Its only two months now till the new season begins kicking off at Prodrive’s superb circuit in Warwickshire on March 5th. Look forward to seeing you there!
Bologna, Italy November 2010
So frustrating I know, but earlier this month I flew out to the Lamborghini factory at Sant’Agata to view the new LP700-4 (Murcielago replacement) with the other chaps who also have one on order in the UK.
So whats it like? Now thats the problem cos I can’t say a word! Yep, had to sign a confidentiality agreement, was sent through a metal detector and basically sworn to secrecy. What I can say is its a stunning piece of kit, 700bhp, 0-60mph in 2.8 seconds and 210+ mph max speed. It also has a seven speed paddleshift transmission..looks like no manual option which is a crying shame.
Ferrari have trodden this road before with the 458 Italia (ours arrives Jan 2011) – my opinion is that paddleshift transmission’s have their place but a manual to me is always more ‘involving’ for a driver than a paddleshift.
Colour? For 6th Gear it will probably be Pearl Yellow with black/yellow seats..
Fancy a drive? It’ll be at least July 2011 when it lands but will be available at all 3 of 6th Gear’s circuits after that..
But the 2010 season is drawing to a close – its been a tough but rewarding year. 6th Gear has grown enormously and next year we’ll be even bigger with new cars and facilities on board. 6th Gear will also be even better value for money with the new Ferrari’s and aforementioned Lamborghini’s we have coming…See you then!