Top 10 Events 2015

1 Zoute Grand Prix 2015

Once again: 3 days of classic car-madness in Knokke-Zoute!  

The weekend started at the Bonhams auction (The Zoute Sale) with the stunning Ferrari 599 S.A. Aperta, Porsche Carrera GT(R), BMW M1, Jaguar XJ220, Lamborghini Countach and many more. 

Special visitor on friday:‘Dutchbugs’ Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse World Record Car Edition!   

On Saturday, I saw the start of the Zoute Rally (with Jochen Mass, Lancia Aprilia Sport Zagato, BMW 328 Mille Miglia, Wanderer Stromlinie,) and I visited the Zoute Concours d'élégance preview at the Approach golf. 

Sunday-morning, start of the Zoute GT-tour with some cool modern supercars: Porsche 918 Spyder, Lamborghini Murcielago SV (for sale: 750.000 euro), Lamborghini Aventador Roadster, Ferrari 488 GTB, ...

Then it was time for the Concours d’élégance at the Zoute Golf. 
First pic:  1939 Bugatti Type 57C Cabriolet by Gangloff (Winner Most special and unique bodywork)
Best of show (and winner Most Elegant Pre-War) was the 1930 original ‘Woolf Barnato’ Bentley Speed 6 Blue Train Special. (Confirmed by the owner: this is the original one-off ‘Gurney Nutting’ ).
The Triumph TR2 Coupé Francorchamps won Class B, post war coupé. The Porsche Carrera RS 2.7 Lightweight won the 'Most Iconic Car'-trophy.

Another exceptional car was this Mercedes C111-II. (Winner Prototype Trophy) Two weeks later, Jay Leno drove this car. Check out the video here. Other cars at the concours: 1965 Ford GT40 MkII Lamborghini Miura, BMW 507, BMW M1, BMW 328 hommage , Lotus M200 Concept Car, Maserati 250Si, Invicta S-Type Low chassis Corsica DHC, 1959 Alfa Romeo CSS by Ghia Aigle, this unrestored Bizzarrini and many more...

A very special treat: the ‘Centenial’ Maserati MC12! (This car was specially built for the 2014 FoS) Later that day, I had a nice chat with owner Michael Bartels. He told me they are making something special for the Nurburgring 24hours-race:  LWB Maserati MC12!) 

Winner of the Engineering Award: 1936 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900A 'Botticella', original Mille Miglia Competitor and ex-Scuderia Ferrari!

2 Corse Clienti Spa

Finishing my holiday with the Corse Clienti @ Francorchamps. 599XX, FXX and the all-new FXXKs. First appearance of the yellow FXXK!

3 Spa Classic

The one-off Ferrari Breadvan! Bonhams auction with the Porsche 962 and a Porsche 959 (and a 1948 Aston Martin 2litre Works Team car), Alfa Romeo T33/3, Ferrari F12 tdf1964 , Ferrari 288GTO, Ferrari 250 SWB with the Ecurie Francorchamps-livery, Ferrari 458 Speciale Aperta, a couple of Porsche 935s,  Jaguar XJR14 'Silk Cut'…  Spa Classic was pretty crazy!

4 Spa 24hours

The ‘Vroaaar’ BMW Z4 GT3 (Alex Zanardi, Bruno Spengler and Timo Glock) , brandnew Lamborghini Aventador GT3 and all the other race cars in the city of Spa, how cool is that!  Team VDS won the race… and announced to quit their racing programme. First appearance of the new Mercedes AMG GT3 and a very cool Bentley GT3-R in the paddock!

5 Spa Six Hours

Lots of original Ford GT40s, Jaguar C and D-types, Aston Martin DBR3, ex-F1s, CanAm-racers (David Piper!), very loud Mazda RX3, and a Ferrari 599GTO and Porsche 918 Spyder in the paddock! Down: what a car: 1955 Aston Martin DB3S (Ex-Kangaroo Stable)

6 Gran Turismo Events Spa

Ferrari Edo-competition ZXX on track! This 2003 Ferrari Enzo XX Evolution crashed into a lake during the Targa Newfoundland Rally, so owner Zahir Rana send it back to Edo Competition for repair and something extra: the 6.5l V12 now produces 950hp! Loud startup-video here.  Other cool cars @ GranTurismoEvents were the Edo Competition Ferrari 458Speciale, Alfa Romeo 4C, Lancia Stratos, the Swedish V8-Thundercar, Brandnew Porsche 991 Turbo S and my paddock-taxi for the event: BMW 1M Coupé!

7  Italian Car Passion @ Autoworld/Bruxelles

Now this was a serious line-up: Ferrari LaFerrari Vs Bugattti EB110 Vs LamborghiniVeneno Roadster Vs Maserati MC12 Centenario Vs Ferrari F12 ‘TDF1964’, (the old and the new)Alfa Romeo Disco Volante, a couple of Fiat 8Vs, Siata 208SBertone, Lancia Delta S4 Stradale, Lancia Stratos, Lamborghini Miura SV, the old and new Alfa Romeo Disco Volante… and a ‘new’ 1966 Porsche 906 in the permanent collection!

8 Lotus Carbecue

Great Event by Laurens ‘the Chickenfarmer’! 7 local Lotus-owners, great roads, perfect weather and one hell of a bbq… Sign me up for the next edition!

9 Concours Antwerpen

Lots of great cars @ the Antwerp Concours: Audi SportQuattro SWB, my first Peugeot 205 T16, Lamborghini Diablo, 1927 Amilcar CGS Coupé Duval, the 1951 Pegaso Z102 Berlinetta 'Enasa and this spectacular Bugatti Type 46S!

10 Jaguar @ Autoworld

Finally, my first Jaguar XJ220! Another great exhibition @ Autoworld with the Jaguar LeMans, Jaguar XK140 Ghia, Jaguar XK120 Farina, XJR-12 ‘Silk Cut’ and many more…