McLaren GTS 2024 review: Woking’s forgotten supercar November 13, 2024 For its first 11 years in existence, every car built by McLaren Automotive followed the same template: two seats, a mid-mounted V8, a dual-clutch gearbox and rear-wheel drive. From the original MP4-12C to Ultimate Series exotics such as the Senna, these supercars majored on going fast and having fun. Only the McLaren GT really broke [...]
The Naked Truth November 13, 2024 Charles and Ruth Simpson, co-founders of Simpsons’ Wine Estate and Domaine Sainte Rose, tell Libby Brodie about their journey with Naked Wines How did you get Naked? We started working with Naked Wines in 2012 and they were with us from the outset, helping us through our first vintage in 2016. An amazing 1,200 Angels pre-purchased a case [...]
Land Rover Defender by Onyx Vans review: Passport to adventure November 12, 2024 While driving behind a caravan being towed along a narrow country road, it struck me what makes this Defender, converted by Onyx Vans, a unique vehicle. Unlike the grey SUVs also headed to our campsite, each one dragging what looked like an oversized fridge through the hedgerows, I was aboard an icon without any white [...]
Move over Malbec: Why There’s more to Argentina November 12, 2024 Argentina is famed for its wine; in fact, wine is legally recognised as the country’s national beverage. Historically its famed Malbec has had ‘Main Character Energy’ but, on a recent trip to the wine region of Mendoza (pronounced ‘Mendosa’ with an ‘s’), there were some other finds that struck me with their star quality. Eduardo [...]
Porsche Panamera GTS 2024 review: A sports car for all the family November 11, 2024 Stonking V8 engines without electrical assistance have suddenly become an endangered species. Not long ago, all of Germany’s super saloons followed this recipe; now the BMW M5 has become a plug-in hybrid, while the Mercedes-AMG E63 has thundered off into the sunset, replaced by the E53 and its hybridised straight-six. Aside from the (largely forgotten) [...]
What happened at the poshest event in Monaco November 11, 2024 Arriving in Monaco, a magnet for the rich and glamorous and the second smallest country in the world, I was struck by the tones of the buildings: an enticing blur of apricot, peach and sand. Famed for fast cars due to international races like Monaco Grand Prix and Monaco ePrix, it is a country of [...]
Pharrell Williams documentary Piece by Piece misses out some important bits November 8, 2024 Music superstar Pharrell Williams tells the story of his rise to fame in the most unusual way: through the medium of Lego. Animated in the style of The Lego Movie and its sequels, Piece By Piece documents Pharrell Williams’ rise from a young Virginia kid with a dream to one of the biggest names in [...]
Piece By Piece review: Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson in soulless Christmas filler by Amazon November 8, 2024 Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson can’t save this soulless Christmas comedy It’s early November, which in Hollywood means the countdown to Christmas has begun. Hoping to kick start the cheer is action comedy Red One. Sadly, it’s as exciting as finding a lump of coal in your stocking. Dwayne Johnson – star of what feels like [...]
Inside the Farringdon restaurant serving crocodile goujons and excellent steak November 7, 2024 Vivat Bacchus in Farringdon is now serving customisable braai boards, but City AM popped in for crocodile and sirloin steak WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH VIVAT BACCHUS? Translated from Latin, Vivat Bacchus means ‘glory to the wine god!’, which, as sayings go, feels like a fitting starting pistol to a City lunch. Vivat Bacchus has a [...]
Inside the Surrey estate loved by Cliff Richard and Andy Murray November 7, 2024 The Surrey estate is close to Windsor and has historic parkland backing onto new residential properties Set amid 78 acres of land, including wildflower meadows, the Surrey country estate of Sunningdale Park was established in the late 1700s and for centuries was home to all manner of Sirs and High Sheriffs, including at one point [...]