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McClarrons Affinity - Automotive Magazine - Issue 3

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I S S U E 3Automotive

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I S S U E 30305081013A Tribute to - Sir Frank Williams Grazie! ValentinoIntroducing Twisted by McClarrons AffinityNew Car ReleasesFort William to Mallaig - the road less travelledInside This Issue12McClarrons Affinity - Lunch With a View

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I S S U E 3Like many of my friends I often say that “Ilove motorsport”. This is possibly anexaggeration – would I go and watch a raceif it was pouring with rain outside? Probablynot, if I’m honest. So, can I truly say that Ilove motorsport?Then you have Sir Frank Williams. He didn’tjust love motorsport, he lived, breathed andsacrificed a huge amount for the sport heloved.Frank Williams started in motorsport as acompetitor but was quick to realise hislimitations, peaking in Formula 3, andunderstood that if he wanted to see anyaction in Formula 1, it wouldn’t be behindthe wheel. 1968 saw Frank Williams Racingback Piers Courage, in a successful seasonin Formula 2. Following this success, Frankpurchased a Brabham F1 car which Couragedrove to second place in the US andMonaco Grand Prix in 1969.In 1970, the team attracted interest fromDe Tomaso, who built a car for Courage.During the Dutch Grand Prix, the carflipped and caught fire resulting in thedeath of Courage. This event had a deepand lifelong impact on Williams, andsome say this caused him to create adistance between himself and his driversfor the rest of his career.Skip ahead a few years and Frank hasbeen introduced to Automotive Engineer,Patrick Head, who, with some financialinput from the Middle East, he formed apartnership with in 1977. Their partnershiptook the newly formed Williams GrandPrix Engineering Limited, to their doubletitle win in 1980, with Alan Jones as thechampion and Williams Racing as theconstructor. Can you imagine this thesedays? A newly formed F1 team, with just£200,000 behind them, running one car,winning the Driver and ConstructorChampionships just three years afterlaunch. It’s a testament to the bondbetween Head and Williams, and thepassion, fortitude and sheer drive theyboth showed.Sir Frank WilliamsCBE (1942 - 2021)P A G E 0 3

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I S S U E 3Robin Nathan01653 609092robin.nathan@mcclarroninsurance.comFrank was involved in a horrendous caraccident in 1986 while driving from the PaulRiccard circuit in the South of France to NiceAirport. After watching the FW11 testing, Frankwas desperate to get home to run the Londonhalf marathon the next day, so the drive to theairport was rather spirited! The rental car rolled a number of times anddropped eight feet until it finally rested upsidedown with Frank suspended in his seatbelt.His passenger was unharmed but Frank hadbroken his spine, leaving him tetraplegic, andwith doctors giving him, at the very most, 10years to live. Frank didn't return to the pit lanefor nearly a year, and when he did it was RonDennis of McLaren who commented “Nowhe’s even more dangerous. All he can do withhis time is think.”How true this would turn out to be. Frankoversaw the Williams team through countlessvictories and led the team to become one ofthe most successful teams in F1 history, andone of only 3 teams to have had 750 GrandPrix starts. In fact, there are very few teamswho can claim to have been more successful,with Williams having won 9 Constructors’Championships, 7 Constructors titles and 312race victories. The men who won the worldtitle at the wheel of his cars were Alan Jones,Keke Rosberg, Nelson Piquet, Nigel Mansell,Alain Prost, Damon Hill and JacquesVilleneuve.The death of Ayrton Senna in 1994 in aWilliams car haunted Frank, some say for therest of his life. It is definitely fair to say that itchanged him. It took three and half years forFrank and the Williams team to be cleared ofany wrongdoing, but cleared they were.Jacques Villeneuve’s win in 1997 would be thelast for the Williams team. Adrian Neweydeparted, having been denied a position asTechnical Director, which saw the start of asteady decline for the team’s fortunes. Throughout these low years, the fanbasehas remained strong and Williams still holdsa special place in the heart of motorsportsfans. I, for one, was at Silverstone in 1987when Damon Hill fought and won asensational race against his teammate,Nelson Piquet. That day ignited a passion formotorsport in me, which still burns brightlytoday.The Williams team was sold in 2020, endingthe family-run chapter of its history, butnever forgetting where it came from.Hopefully, new investment will see theteam’s fortunes improving and maybe wewill see a Williams car at the front of the gridsometime soon.It feels as though I have written many piecesabout the losses in motorsport over the lasttwelve months, from commentators todrivers, and marshals to team principals. SirFrank Williams was, and will always be, onein a million in motorsport, and hisenthusiasm and love for the sport will neverbe forgotten.Sir Francis Owen Garbett Williams CBE –Race in Peace.P A G E 0 4

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I S S U E 3P A G E 0 5125cc World ChampionshipWon the World Championship in 1997.Starts Wins Podiums Poles30 12 15 5250cc World ChampionshipWon the World Championship in 1999.Starts Wins Podiums Poles30 14 21 5Moto GP/500cc World ChampionshipsWon the World Championship in 2001,2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008 & 2009.Starts Wins Podiums Poles372 89 199 55Until we see you againValentino –Arrivederci e grazieper I ricordiI’m now wondering how wise it was to putthose statistics first, as it makes anything Iwrite now rather pale into insignificance.When it comes to the world of motorsport,you can choose a superlative andValentino Rossi will likely have achieved it.I'm acutely aware of my limitations as awriter so I'll leave it to this article from theBBC to give you the unbelievable story ofhis racing career.And finally, check out this video ofValentino being reunited with his ninechampionship-winning bikes. This is a man who is truly at one with hismachine and who clearly loves motorsportwith every fibre of his being.Valentino Rossi - Role of Honour

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By PROTECTING THE BEST BETTER Specialist Twisted Defender Insurance underwritten by First Underwriting We believe through our work with Twisted we can offer a superior insurance solution for your Twisted Defender vehicle

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PAGE 08 Introducing Twisted by McClarrons Affinity McClarrons Affinity have been working closely with Twisted over the past 5 years In that time we have become familiar with the difficulties owners can face when looking to insure their Twisted Defender vehicle That s why we have joined forces with Twisted to bring you Twisted by McClarrons Affinity an insurance solution that provides you with the peace of mind that your pride and joy is covered correctly How can you benefit Through our insurance solution which includes the policy being underwritten by motor insurance specialists First Underwriting you can benefit from the following Twisted as approved repairer should the worst happen your policy covers ISSUE 3 you for using Twisted as the approved repairer for any damage meaning you don t have to use a repairer who may not fully understand the modifications of the vehicle or be able to bring it back to its prior state Claims Management if you make a claim you will benefit from McClarrons Affinity s in house claims team who will support you through the process and manage your claim on your behalf allowing you to get on with the more important things in life Known Modifications working directly with Twisted we obtain full details of vehicle modifications so you don t have to worry about declaring every little detail to us we make arranging your insurance simple Agreed Value basis the basis of any settlement where achievable is offered on an agreed value basis This means that in the event of a total loss the amount paid is set from the start of the insurance contract having been agreed between all parties up front With our policy Twisted themselves advise on the value after all they know better than anyone

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I S S U E 3Ben Pickles01653 602649ben.pickles@mcclarroninsurance.comOur Promise to You…We will spend time with you tounderstand your insurance needs fullyMcClarrons Affinity and First Underwritinghave been working with Twisted to fullyunderstand what a Twisted vehicle is and canbe, and how this affects your insurance needs.Through experience and sharing knowledge,McClarrons Affinity and First Underwriting areconfident they have a more comprehensiveknowledge of a Twisted vehicle than anyother insurance provider. This means we canprovide you with the right cover.With Twisted sharing full details of yourvehicle directly with us, an accurateoverview is provided to the insurer everytime, giving you peace of mind that yourvehicle is adequately protected.It is important to us that you understandwhat you are buyingThe process of buying insurance fromMcClarrons Affinity is an advised sale. Thisdiffers from many online offerings; itmeans that your dedicated AccountExecutive will take the time to explain thecoverage and conditions of your policyand answer any queries you may have.You will be able to contact your AccountExecutive at any time to make changes toyour insurance or for any advice.If the worst does happen, we will bethere for youIn the event of a claim, our in-house claimsmanagement team will negotiate remedialaction on your behalf, liaise with insurers,Twisted, and any other third partiesrequired, and keep you updatedthroughout the process. We take away the stress of making aclaim – no long hold queues, noworrying about whether you havemissed anything in your cover, nowondering what is happening.Get in touchIf you’re interested in learning moreabout Twisted by McClarrons Affinity,please do not hesitate to contact ourteam on 01653 697055 or by emailingaffinity@mcclarroninsurance.com.P A G E 0 9

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PAGE 10 ISSUE 3 New Car Releases New Range Rover There is a new flagship car for Range Rover coming to a road near you in 2022 It s not available in full EV format you will have to wait another two years to see what that iteration looks like but it is a significant step change from its predecessors The grandad of the luxury SUV market the big Range y is not only an absolute pleasure to drive on the road but is also an extremely capable off roader The new design is much sleeker than previous models with disappearing door handles la Velar and bumpers and glass that meld seamlessly into the bodywork Read the Auto Express review here New EV from Lucid Not heard of California based EV manufacturer Lucid If not then be prepared for an onslaught in the oncoming months The value of this start up was recently estimated at 89 9B taking it past Ford hot on the heels of General Motors and a proper rival for market leader Tesla Lucid is releasing a number of models in the forthcoming months and have according to their own sources already had over 13 000 reservations for their cars If like me you have been waiting for an affordable electric car that also has a single charge range of over 300 miles then Lucid might well be the answer you have been waiting for Read more about Lucid here

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I S S U E 3P A G E 1 1New Car ReleasesGenesis G70 Shooting Brake - Genesis cars arethe luxury arm of Hyundai. The brand wasoriginally conceived in 2003, but launched as astand-alone brand in 2015. Hyundai has clearly setout their stall with Genesis, aiming squarely at thelikes of the BMW, Mercedes and Audi executivemodels. The G70 Shooting Brake sits alongside theG80, G70 saloon, GV70 SUV, and the large GV80SUV. Where Toyota has succeeded with Lexus,and Nissan are trying hard with Infiniti, how willHyundai fair with Genesis? Only time will tell, butthe current models are definitely a good start.See the Auto Express first look at the G70 shootingbrake here.2022 Volkswagen T-Roc - In a crowded part ofthe motor marketplace are small SUVs. ThinkVolva XC40, Mazda CX-5, Hyundai Tucson andBMW X1 to name but a few. One that you haveprobably seen, but largely ignored, is the VW T-Roc. It's been redesigned and revamped for 2022and now looks aggressive on the road, but is apleasure to drive and has all the toys you couldwant.Have a read of the What Car? review here.

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I S S U E 3On 23rd September, McClarrons Affinityjointly hosted a tour around South Wales.We were hosted by Rybrook Lamborghini forcoffee and pastries in the morning whilstguests took the opportunity to chat and getto know one another.The day was bright and dry, and the routetook us cross-country to Chepstow and thenjoined the B4235 to Usk. We went throughUsk to Abergavenny on the B4598, followingthe River Usk, past Trostrey Castle, and ontothe Brecon Beacons National Park for thefinal part of the morning drive. Lunch was at Llangoed Hall where we weretreated to some fantastic food, fine companyand, if the weather held out, what promisedto be an afternoon of some incredible drivingroads.From Llangoed we went back to Brecon andinto the Beacons. The scenery was incredibleand the Ferrari Roma and Porsche GT4 got achance to stretch their legs – what anamazing noise.After a quick stop off for ice cream – if youare lucky enough to have a sunny day inWales you have to celebrate with icecream, right? – we skirted the top ofMerthyr Tydfil on the heads of the valleyroads, and then turned sharp left ontothe B4560. This road is one of my favourite drivingroads. It’s not that long, and the sheepcan make the driving interesting attimes, but the scenery is glorious andthe sweeping bends are a joy to drive. Ifyou have driven Blakey Ridge inYorkshire, you will know the type ofroad.Although it was tempting to turn aroundand drive the road again, time dictatedthat we push on to the final destinationof the day – The Manor Hotel inCrickhowell. The Manor is a lovelyvenue on the side of a valley withfantastic views and a big car park! Weenjoyed a coffee and said our goodbyes.Thank you Arbuthnot Latham for hostingthis day with us. If you'd be interested inattending one of our future UK day driveouts, please let Robin Nathan know.P A G E 1 2McClarrons Affinity -Lunch With a View

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PAGE 13 ISSUE 3 Fort William to Mallaig the road less travelled If you chose to take a trip to the North Coast 500 during the first two weeks in August and found yourself behind a rather slow moving motorhome I must hold my hands up and apologise Yes I feel I must come clean and admit to you all that for a short period I was a motorhomer I m not going to try and justify it but what I am going to do is ask why on earth you went all the way to the north coast of Scotland to drive that particular road Don t get me wrong it s extremely pretty and if you could find an empty bit of road then I m sure it would be a fun drive but there lies the problem all the world and their godfather go up there to drive it There you find yourself in a convoy of motorhomes and caravans doing 40 miles per hour Not so fun So let me introduce you to the A830 or the Road to the Isles to its friends This unassuming piece of tarmac runs between Fort William and the small fishing village of Mallaig just south of the Isle of Skye Along the way you can take in sights such as the glorious Loch Eil the Glenfinnan Viaduct or the Harry Potter bridge to those with a movie bent and Eilean na Moine in Loch Eilt where Dumbledore was buried You also pass the incredible Silver Sands of Morar this amazing stretch of beach has to be seen to be believed before heading into Mallaig which doesn t really have much going for it but they do have great fish and chips This incredible road is 2 hours south of the NC500 route and 4 hours south of John O Groats So why on earth would you travel an extra 4 hours just to get stuck behind hordes of North Coasters and motorhomers when you can drive this glorious piece of road While the days are short the weather is cold and roads are distinctly slippery why not start planning for the spring when you can once again fling the garage doors open and get the wheels back out on the road From the Cat and Fiddle Road to Blakey Ridge to the Road to the Isles there are some incredible roads out there that offer a great driving experience it can just take a little bit of exploration to find them Robin Nathan 01653 609092 robin nathan mcclarroninsurance com

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With McClarrons Affinity, you can expect insurance protection that works to your needs,whether you are looking to protect your high-value household, a specialist vehicle or yacht,or a unique collection. Our Promise to You…A true appreciation of your requirementsWe will spend time with you to understand your insurance needs fully. We ask the relevantquestions upfront to ensure there are no surprises in the event of a claim.It is important to us that you understand what you are buyingThrough face-to-face meetings, we will provide you with risk management advice, answerany queries you have and provide you with a tailored insurance solution.If the worst does happen, we will be there for youIn the event of a claim, our in-house claims management team will negotiate remedialaction on your behalf, liaise with insurers and keep you updated throughout the process. Contact us today for a complimentary review of your insurances.About McClarrons AffinityI S S U E 3P A G E 1 4