BEATING BOND
Inside Fernando Alonso’s £7m Aston Martin collection James Bond would be proud of – including ‘moving piece of art’
Scroll to read my highlights of the Goodwood Festival of Speed
WILL Fernando Alonso be the next James Bond?
No.
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But he’s got the charm, he’s got the skills and he’s busy assembling an Aston Martin collection 007 would be proud of.
His toy box will soon look like this:
£2.5million Valkyrie hypercar
£2million Valiant
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£1million classic DB5
£500k Vantage GT3 race car
£500k DTM race car
£200k DBX707 super SUV
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That’s almost 007 million quid.
Valiant is Alonso’s baby, the result of a personal commission from the F1 champ.
Ride along as the new Ford Capri takes on the Goodwood Festival of Speed hillclimb
He gave it full beans up the hill at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
The road-legal race car is powered by a monster 745hp V12 manual feeding the rears.
Exotic lightweight materials and trick suspension add to the excitement — and the cost.
Alonso said: “The interaction between Aston Martin F1 and Aston Martin has been closer than ever for this car.
“More power, less weight. Everything that a racing driver loves and the result is a moving piece of art.
“For me, the sound of the V12 is a very special way to feel the car.
“Some of the aerodynamic devices on the floor, the front splitter and the diffuser were a challenge. For a track car, it’s not difficult. But for a road car you need to go over speed bumps and things.”
‘I’ve always been a big fan’
Alonso has a DBX707 as a daily driver and he’s about to get those chunky eyebrows behind the wheel of his own 1,100hp Valkyrie, painted green and lime like his F1 car.
He said: “I love my DBX. The handling, the braking. The platform is super-stable. I’m always surprised when I drive it.
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“The Valkyrie is going to be delivered soon. My birthday is July 29 so maybe that’s good timing.”
Has he seen the online clip of Max Verstappen driving a Valkyrie through a tunnel?
“Yeah, I’ll wait for him outside the tunnel! But no, I mean it is something we all love.
“We are enthusiastic about cars, we drive the best cars in the world every two weeks, but in our normal life we want to drive a powerful car as well.
“I have an Aston Martin DTM race car, I’m thinking of getting a Vantage GT3, and I’m also looking for a DB5. Silver grey, the classic colour. Totally original. It’s a challenging search.”
Any truth to the rumours you’re the next James Bond?
“I would love to but I’m maybe not a good actor [laughs]. I could be the stunt double for the most dangerous parts of the movie. I’m in the moment of my life that I’m really looking forward to having a small collection and Aston Martin is known for high-collectible cars.”
Sounds like you’ve fallen in love with Aston Martin?
“Yes, I’m more and more into the brand. I’ve always been a big fan but lately the products are a step up and the brand is still very exclusive.
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“When you buy a car of this price, with this kind of performance, you want to be treated as a one-off. Aston Martin is taking care of its customers.”
Make sure to ask for a staff discount.
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Winners & Loo-sers
IF you like cars, you’ll love the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
It’s Glasto on wheels
Here are some of my highlights:
1. Red Bull doing Red Bull things with synchronised drift cars, rally stars, stunt bikes and F1 aces Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo.
The supercar paddock packed with more million-pound motors than a Dubai shopping mall.
Instagram gold. Love love l-o-v-e the £2.5million Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale.
2. Porsche, Lamborghini, Fiat and Ford featured on the Cartier classics lawn . . . with TRACTORS.
Ploughing match? You can have that one for free, Jeremy.
3. O-MG. The gorgeous MG Cyber GTS, a hardtop version of the electric Cyberster.
It should be with us next year – 60 years on from MGB GT, the fixed-head version of the MGB.
Goodwood’s main display celebrated 100 years of MG.
4. BMW M always has something tasty and this year it was the M5 saloon.
High-revving V8 and e-motor combo, 727hp, all-wheel drive, adaptive suspension, room for four and luggage.
Gimme the keys.
5. Ford blitzed Sunday’s King Of The Hill timed shootout with Supervan 4.2. Ford’s wild Dakar racer, the Raptor T1+, made its world debut.
6. Code brown. The 2,000hp Lotus Eviya X crashed less than ten metres from the start line.
Surely that’s deserving of a plaque.
7. And finally . . . who put the Ford Crapi beside the crapper?
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