The Airsports Insurance Bureau team is delighted to welcome Sarah Kislingbury to its ever expanding personal lines division. Sarah has been recruited as one of our valuable office administrators and will be responsible for ensuring our clients get the very best after care.
Sarah has over 15 years experience (she’s older than she looks) working within fast paced office environments and understands the importance of delivering a high quality customer service which we endeavor to provide at AIB.
Sarah lives locally in Chandlers Ford and has two daughters. She is a keen runner representing the Solent Running Sisters, regularly participating in races ranging from cross country to half marathons and is participating in the Bournemouth Half Marathon on October.
If you like the idea of getting the occasional adrenaline rush, it probably does not come as a surprise to read that there are a number of sports you can take up to achieve this. One of these is paragliding and it is becoming increasingly popular throughout the UK.
A paraglider enables you to take to the air in a very cost effective manner when compared to the likes of a fixed-wing aircraft. The canopy of your paraglider catches the wind and powers you on your travels.
These lightweight aircraft are capable of travelling huge distances. In fact, on 3rd August 2014, Mark Watts took to the skies in his Enzo 2 taking off from Milk Hill, not too far from Devizes in Wiltshire, and flew to Cromer on the Norfolk Coast – a distance of 275 km, breaking the open distance UK paragliding record.
There are numerous British Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association (BHPA) recreational paragliding clubs around the country so you shouldn’t have far to travel to attend one and enjoy all the benefits they provide including both flying and social benefits. However, before taking the plunge, you may wish to get a feel for the sport just to be sure that it is for you.
In this respect, you will find that a number of BHPA registered schools offer a one-day taster course costing in the region of £150. Then, if you decide paragliding is the thing for you, the next thing to do is sign up for the full training course that is likely to cost between £1,000 to £1,300. You can expect it to take about ten days of training to get to Club Pilot level that will permit you to fly without supervision as a member of a recreational club.
Paragliders can be carried in a rucksack on your back so are easy to transport to your take off point. As well as the canopy, you will need boots, flying suit, helmet and harness. In due course, you may choose to buy a GPS and emergency parachute. If you were purchasing a new paraglider expect to pay in the region of £2,000 to £2,500 but used ones can be bought for less.
So, if you want to find out more about the sport, why not take a look at the British Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association’s website www.bhpa.co.uk You could soon be making your first solo flight.
At Airsports Insurance Bureau we have specialist schemes and facilities to cover the novice and most experienced paraglider. We can provide equipment cover, personal accident and travel insurance so please give the team a call on 02380 268351 who will be only to happy to help.
This week AIB News focus on another interesting classic car we insured, the Fiat X1/9 Sports Car. Our thanks go to Mr C for providing the photograph’s of his very rare and beautiful Faran Eliminator edition.
There can be few pleasanter motoring experiences than to drive along a country road on a warm summer’s afternoon at the wheel of a modern classic Italian open-topped sports car. The Fiat X1/9 fits the bill perfectly but because of its removable hardtop it can also be driven when the weather is less kind.
This delightful car has an interesting history. It was originally manufactured by Fiat for a decade between 1972 to 1982 during which period around 140,500 were produced. However, from 1982 to 1989, Bertone, whose chief designer Marcello Gandini originally designed the car, took over production with some 19,500 cars being sold.
The two-seater car had a rear mid-engine initially of 1298 cc (75 bhp) and a 4-speed manual gearbox but this was replaced with a 1498 cc (85 bhp) engine and a 5-speed manual gearbox in 1978 with this being situated at the front of the rear axle. The more powerful engine can get from 0 to 60 mph in about 10.4 seconds and produces a top speed of about 112 mph. Due to the spare wheel and fuel tank being placed behind the seats next to one another this improved the car’s handling although the rear wheel drive made it somewhat difficult to drive in wintry conditions.
The wedge shape of the car was, in some way, similar in design to that of a speedboat. The Fiat X1/9 also featured headlights that popped up which were rather innovative for the time. The removable hardtop could be stored in the luggage compartment that was located at the front of the car.
Interestingly, the body of the car was made at Bertone’s factory but then assembled at a Fiat factory until 1982 when, as mentioned above, Bertone took over complete production of the vehicle.
There were various kit conversions available for the Fiat X1/9 with one of those coming from The Farran Car Co Ltd here in the UK. They offered an Eliminator kit either fitted by themselves or for the DIY car enthusiast. This comprised a spoiler, side sill skirts and replacement rear and front wing/bumper mouldings made in fiberglass. Alternative engines were also available.
The car has featured in a variety of races.
Prices for the Fiat X1/9 range from a few hundred pounds to around £10,000 depending upon history, mileage and condition.
Should you need insurance on your Fiat, or any classic car ring our quote line on 02380 268351 for an instant quote and cover.
Aston Martin has revealed details of a raft of interesting enhancements to two of the brand’s most popular and successful sports cars: the Vanquish ultimate GT and Rapide S four-door, four-seat, sports car.
With the arrival of 15 Model Year (15MY) cars in markets around the world over the next few months, the luxury British brand is offering not only considerably enhanced performance and much-improved fuel economy and emissions, but also an even more honed, precise and responsive driving experience.
With the debut of the new Touchtronic III eight-speed automatic gearbox in both Vanquish and Rapide S – the first time that this state-of-the-art gearbox has been incorporated into a transaxle layout – Aston Martin is improving every major area of the cars’ performance and fuel economy. The brand’s engineers have worked meticulously with technical partner, ZF, to develop the eight-speed technology and integrate it perfectly into the latest generation of the iconic and much-imitated Aston Martin VH architecture.
The 0-60 mph times for both the Vanquish and Rapide S are reduced in 15MY cars: The Vanquish drops from 4.1 seconds to just 3.6 seconds (3.8 seconds 0-100 km/h) and the Rapide S is capable of the same sprint in only 4.2 seconds (4.4 seconds 0-100 km/h) – also down by a full half second from its previous figure of 4.7 seconds. These impressive gains not only ensure the cars’ exceptional competitiveness in their respective sectors, but also confirm Vanquish as the quickest accelerating series production Aston Martin in the company’s 101-year history.
Changes to gear and final drive ratios allow the cars to be not only quicker but also more frugal, with reduced emissions too. In both sports cars the CO2 figure drops by an average of ten per cent – down to 298 g/km for Vanquish and 300 g/km for Rapide S – while economy is boosted to 31 mpg, on average an 11% improvement, on the EU’s extra urban cycle for both the Vanquish and the Rapide S under the same stringent test conditions.
Combined with a revised final drive, the ratio changes also mean both cars are, for the first time, now capable of top speeds of 200 mph or above.
A reduction in exhaust gas back pressure as a result of ratio adjustment and other changes also benefits peak power, which rises by up to three bhp to a peak of 568 bhp (576 PS) in Vanquish, and two bhp, 552 bhp (560 PS), in Rapide S. Peak torque is up by 10 Nm, too, to 630 Nm at 5,500 rpm in all the cars.
The new eight-speed Touchtronic III automatic gearbox is not only three per cent lighter than its predecessor, it is also packaged more efficiently occupying precisely the same space within the car yet adding two further ratios over the outgoing transmission.
Touchtronic III delivers exceptional shift speed and moves between ratios as quick as 130 milliseconds – far quicker than even the most accomplished racing driver is capable of – while better gearbox efficiency allows more power and torque to be transmitted to the road more of the time.
Ian Minards, Product Development Director at Aston Martin, explained: “We have a long and successful technical partnership with ZF and so it was a natural step for us to adapt and integrate their world class 8HP transmission in to our transaxle layout.”
“This has been a detailed piece of work involving careful consideration of many technical parameters including gear ratios, software integration and shifting strategies. This has delivered a significant step change in both vehicle performance and economy whilst preserving the unique Aston Martin V12 driving experience.”
Gearbox software changes make for a truly comprehensive selection of available driving features such as ‘Drive’ and ‘Drive Sport’ modes along with ‘Paddle Shift’ and ‘Paddle Shift Sport’ options for more engaging, sporting, shift control.
Optimal, multi-ratio downshifts are available by pulling and holding the down shift paddle, allowing for the car to select the lowest available gear when under braking. Adaptive Drive Recognition (ADR), meanwhile, tailors shift points to the individual driver’s style. Thus a more spirited driver in standard ‘Drive’ mode will rapidly adapt to enjoy a shift map more akin to the settings found in ‘Drive Sport’. As the programming is reset during each key cycle – when the car is locked and unlocked – the perceived ‘changes’ to the car’s nature are similarly reset.
Engine management upgrade
Away from the gearbox, 15MY Aston Martin Vanquish and Rapide S models benefit from the addition of the latest Bosch Engine Management System. The new system, which delivers more precise engine control and seamlessly communicates with the new gearbox, receives its first application in an Aston Martin that combines the AM29 V12 engine and an automatic gearbox.
Meanwhile other electronic and engineering changes have taken place in 15MY cars to deliver a consistent GT character by perfectly aligning the chassis with improvements in powertrain performance and accessibility. For instance, a revised torque tube reduces transmission noise transfer into the passenger compartment while revised DSC sees the retuned stability system optimised for the new gearbox. A revised steering ECU delivers an even more crisp and precise steering response.
Uprated dampers on the new Vanquish – 15% stiffer at the front and a full 35% stiffer at the rear – improve the dynamic characteristic of the car in line with its significantly enhanced performance. Rapide S, meanwhile, gets uprated larger front brakes. Both cars also benefit from a retuned brake booster and amended rear suspension bushes that are now 20% stiffer than before.
There are also subtle but important styling enhancements, both inside and outside the cars, that add extra visual appeal for 15MY Vanquish and Rapide S.
Outside there’s the arrival of new ten-spoke forged alloy wheel designs, available in a variety of finishes, that not only enhance the cars’ looks but save almost seven kilos in weight versus the standard wheel. There are also new paint colour options including, for the first time on Vanquish and Rapide S, the availability of the special paint colour Diavalo Red, previously limited to the breath-taking V12 Zagato.
Inside, the cars get new leather trim colour options including the contemporary blue-black Dark Knight, and bold Fandango Pink. Rapide S also gains the exciting option of a new Duotone leather seat finish in Sahara Tan and Vibrant Red, as well as a range of new headlining options that mix quilting with the finest leathers or Alcantara.
Director of Design Marek Reichman explained: “More bold and dynamic interior and exterior treatments are the perfect offering for customers of the latest models.
“It is, of course, possible to add more colour to our cars while maintaining Aston Martin’s reputation for elegance and beauty, and I’m very happy to see this enhanced and extended colour palette offered to our loyal customers around the world.”
The global market introduction of 15MY sports cars begins in Q3 of 2014, with more details on market-specific pricing and options available in due course.
The Spa circuit is famous for its high speed challenge and, at his usual Thursday meeting with the media in the Belgian paddock, Kimi Raikkonen was asked if he regretted the fact the current cars are a bit slower than in the past. “In a way yes, if you think of F1, you’d think we would have everything possible in the car to make them go faster, as it was in the past,” began the Scuderia Ferrari driver. “But obviously, now the rules have changed aimed at making the cars slower, while improving the show. I think the cars looked nicer in the past and were much more challenging to drive and it was more fun in some ways. On the other side, maybe we have more overtaking now, but sometimes I think it would be nice to go back and race with the cars from the past.”
When Kimi made his F1 debut there were concerns voiced about his lack of experience, so he is ideally placed to comment on the story of the day, next year’s arrival of the currently 16 year old Max Verstappen at Toro Rosso. “I did one full year, 23 races in a car before coming to F1,” recalled the Finn. “He has probably done more. I did well; time will tell how he will do. The sport is more straightforward now than in the past, the points are given out to more finishers. So I don’t think he will have problems and I hope he does well.” Kimi’s last win at Spa came at the wheel of a Ferrari in 2009, which at the time he described as “a miracle.”
He was asked what a victory would represent on Sunday. “It would be a similar story!” he said. “That year, we were one of the few teams running KERS and that was a good help for us here. Hopefully we can have a good weekend overall and a good race, so that we start improving. But here and Monza are probably not the easiest places for us as we are missing some straightline speed, which is very important at this circuit and the next one. I think that the final part of the season can only be better for us, especially as I’ve had a much better feeling from the car at the last two races.”
The much loved Porsche Cayman has won the category of ‘Best Coupé’ in the prestigious 2014 UK Car of the Year Awards, an independent set of accolades designed to highlight the best new cars on the market tailored specifically for the needs of the UK consumer.
Described by 27 professional motoring journalist judges as one of the best drivers’ cars in its class, the Cayman was crowned the winner following a series of votes.
UKCOTY is designed specifically for the UK car-buying public. Its tests are carried out on public roads, with the aim of making the awards more relatable to car buyers.
The new Cayman is the third generation of the benchmark mid-engined sports coupé’. Its dynamic blend of driver appeal, peerless handling and high quality has seen it win many plaudits as well as a number of awards.
“It’s one of the best drivers’ cars out there at any price”, said journalist and juror Richard Bremner. “It’s glamorous, easy to live with and impressive value for money.”
Two characterful flat-six ‘boxer’ engines are offered in the Cayman, with displacements of 2.7-litres and 3.4-litres respectively, both offering an enticing blend of power and efficiency.
The styling of the Cayman adds further distinction. An extended wheelbase with short overhangs and the option of up to 20-inch diameter wheels help accentuate the striking visuals of, as expressed by juror Tom Ford, “the finest small coupé of 2014.”
“Essentially the perfect sports car,” expert David Ross remarked, “Porsche has kept all the elements that made the original Cayman so good, and added to them with a touch more refinement, improved quality and even better handling – a real feat given how impressive the previous model was. No other sports car at this price comes even close.”
The Cayman is priced at £39,694, which offers a flat-six engine that combines 0-62 mph in 5.6 seconds with 36.7 mpg combined (with PDK transmission). The Cayman S costs from £48,783, with a 3.4-litre engine producing 325 hp for 0-62 mph in 4.9 seconds, while offering the potential delivery of 35.3 mpg combined.
Freelance journalist and jury member Anthony Ffrench-Constant perhaps summed up the Cayman’s universal appeal best when he said: “The correct answer to the pub bore’s ‘If you could have only one car…’ question.”
The 2014 Lotus Festival is in it’s 7th year for the event and despite a couple of very brief showers (!) the day went very well for all involved at Brands Hatch. With an on the day official presence from Lotus Cars, displaying their current range including an Pewter Grey Evora SR, Exige S V6 coupe and Roadster and Elise Club Racer along with Lotus Motorsport who attended with the full carbon bodied Evora GTE we last saw in Geneva in 2012, the $1m T125 track car, Elise Cup R and Evora GT4. Classic Team Lotus didn’t disappoint with a selection of cars showing of the race team livery over the years with a green and yellow Type 32B as driven Jim Clark, the Gold Leaf Type 49B which Graham Hill won the Monaco GP driving in 1968 and 1969, JPS Type 79 and Camel Type 99T which was the last car Team Lotus won a GP with in the hands of Ayrton Senna in 1987.
The trade village, which this year was 50% bigger than the previous event reported a brisk day and car clubs were all packed out with terrific examples of their chosen niche. On track, there were demo’s of some classic F1 cars including the Lotus 101 and Micheal Schumacher’s Benneton 109B among others. The LoTRDC racing was eventful and enjoyable and we’re pleased to report than Marcus Jewell, who had a significant off on the GP circuit was released from the Medical Center and seen walking around the paddock later in the day.This story has been provided by our friends at www.thelotusforums.com and artwork courtesy of www.nineteen80one.com
The weekend of the 19th and 20th of July saw the return to the track of the Rainwater Harvesting Evora at Snetterton, Norfolk for the GT Cup. A five week break in the Cup Championship calendar gave both the teams and drivers a chance to re-gather their efforts for the second half of the season. For the Evora, a return to Lotus Motorsport at the factory in Hethal for a mid season re-fresh meant the car would be in the best shape possible for the rest of the season. Car owner and driver Adrian Lester explains, “We are very happy with the performance of the car and we know we have a great package, so we don’t need to change anything too much. We’ve simply replaced a few of the parts that were coming to the end of their working life and had everything checked over. Everyone knows the car at the factory and they are keen to see it do well so that gives us great confidence going into a weekend, knowing the guys have put some great effort into the preparation.”
Although it was over a month since the pairing of Adrian Lester and his pro driver and coach, Andrew Bentley had driven the Evora, they were hopeful to pick up where they had left off all those weeks ago at Silverstone, where despite failing to finish the weekend’s races due to a suspension failure thanks to contact, they had set fastest times in their class and were looking to be in a good position to put in a strong result. “Silverstone was disappointing on one hand but on the other it hinted at the potential we have in the car and the driver pairing. We went into Silverstone with a healthy lead in our class in and an incredible 4th position in the overall Championship standings, sadly, this was not to last. Adrian had the strongest run of his season in qualifying and it was looking great for the race. Sadly, a hangover from some contact earlier caused the suspension to give up and the team, despite a big effort, were unable to fix it for the races.” Said Andrew
Arriving at Snetterton with plenty of energy the Rainwater Harvesting team quickly showed strong pace in testing and warm up, being able to put in lap times ahead of their fellow Class A competitors. A tough qualifying for Adrian flowed however, earning 7th in class after his best laps were thwarted by traffic. On review of the data, Andrew could see that Adrian was capable of a quicker lap, which was a great boost for the upcoming 1st race of the weekend, the 45 minute two driver battle.
Andrew was proved correct, with Adrian being able to lap some 2 seconds clear of his qualifying pace in the opening laps of the race. The Evora got stuck into a great battle with last year’s overall champion and current class points leader Jeff Wyat which lasted through to the 1st safety car period caused buy a car spinning and stopping out on track. At the same point, the pit lane opened for driver changes, with a flood of cars jumping at the chance to gain an advantage. Unfortunately, the Evora was unlucky to be caught out by the timing of the safety car and instantly went one lap down on the rest of the field. A superb stop and driver change by the team and the Evora was back out, this time with Andrew now in the car and pushing hard, setting fastest lap after fastest lap. Again, another safety car and more bad luck meant the unlucky team got stuck in a pack of cars, loosing even more time. “We got the worst possible end of the stick with both safety cars there. Through no fault of anyone’s, we got caught behind as it was released from the pits to neutralise the race and slow everyone down so the marshals could retrieve the stranded cars. It effectively ended our race, but we still managed to end up with a few championship points which are critical for the season as a whole.” Said Andrew.
Traces, each 25 minutes long. No driver changes in either of these so they are flat out duels to the flag. As has been the case in the previous rounds, Adrian drove in the first of these, round 11 of the championship, with Andrew taking the wheel for the second race later in the day, round 12.
Another strong performance in the qualification session for Adrian saw him setting his best times of the weekend, reporting the car feeling great on new rubber, this gave him a lot of confidence for the race. This confidence was well placed, coming away with a solid 5th in class after a fractured race due to safety car making an appearance yet again. Adrian reported after the race “I felt I could have actually gone a bit quicker and made up another place but, with the safety car periods as they were, it stopped our flow. The car’s been great this weekend and I’m looking forward to the next round at Silverstone already!”
Next up was Andrew, starting from grid 8 in Class A for the third and final race of the weekend. Andrew knew he had to play a tactical race as up ahead were the Class A cars he had to beat, but because of Adrian’s sterling efforts in the previous race, he had a number of more powerful cars behind. Andrew explains “Having cars in the higher classes around us at the start of a race, which are much quicker than us on a straight, makes it very difficult as they are able to blast past, but when we get to the braking and cornering, they often aren’t as quick as us. If you get caught behind a car in a section of bends it can really hold you up.”
A steady start to the race may have signalled that little progress was to be made, but by lap two, Andrew started to pick off the competition, one by one. Quick work was made of Ben Tompkins in the Ginetta G50, with Harding next up in another G50. A move down the inside of the tight left of Agostini, gained another place. A battle with some faster Class B cars halted progress for a lap but once these were despatched with Andrew was able to chase down Peter Parsons in another Ginetta and Mark Short in his BMW M3. These two were having a great battle for the lead of Class A and Andrew was keen to join the party. A neat move down the inside at Oggie’s caught Parsons unaware, allowing Andrew into 2nd in class and some space to chase down Litherland in the quick M3. The BMW has the legs of everything on the straight but Andrew was able to make up ground in the brake zones and corners. This became evident when he pulled off a rare move around the outside of Agostini’s and into the lead of Class A. From there, he got his head down and won with a solid 12 second gap. Andrew said after the race “I knew I had to play this one smartly. We have the pace in the Evora over the lap, but the quicker cars around us made the opening lap tricky. I didn’t take any silly chances and bided my time. Picking the Class A cars off one by one took some planning but once I got past, I got my head down and was just working on setting fastest lap and being consistent. I have to thank Rainwater Harvesting, Adrian and the guys at Lotus Motorsport, they work so hard and wins like this are what we all do it for.”
The next round of the GT Cup will feature on the stunning Silverstone GP circuit on the weekend of 16th and 17th of August. Andrew, a senior instructor at Silverstone has a good bit of local knowledge which he is sure to use and Adrian has always shown well around the GP track. All in all, the Rainwater Harvesting team are looking for another strong performance.
Legal and General need very little introduction as they are a long-established and well-known insurance company. We are proud to have partnered with them so that they can provide our clients with a tailor-made Home Insurance policy. With so many insurers offering buildings and contents cover you can expect yours to be competitively priced.
Legal and General has a reputation for providing a quality, reliable service to their many customers. In the unfortunate event of you having to make a claim on your Home Insurance policy you can be assured that it will be dealt with speedily by their experienced claims department.
They provide two levels of cover that you can choose from – Essentials and Extra giving you greater choice.
Who are Legal and General?
Legal and General is one of the leading financial services companies in the UK. They were established back in 1836 in London and now have over 9,000 staff looking after the insurance and investment needs of more than 10 million customers around the world. As at 30 June 2014, they had assets under management amounting to £465 billion and, as at 31 July 2014, had a market capitalization value of £13.9 billion. For the 12 months to 31st December 2013 they produced a net profit of £1.13 billion.
For more information about Legal and General visit www.legalandgeneral.com
Equity insure vehicles of varying types including cars, motorhomes, classic cars, vans, horse boxes, ice cream vans, taxis, coaches, buses, kit cars, modified vehicles, fleet cars, agricultural vehicles and lorries to name but a few. The owners of these vehicles are passionate about them and desire an insurance policy that is bespoke for them.
The staff at ERS are committed to meeting their customers needs and will “go that extra mile” to help them achieve this – especially when their clients need them following a claim. They believe that a standard motor insurance policy is not what their customers are looking for and go out of their way to exceed their customer’s expectations. They provide a level of service that is second to none.
These are some of the reasons why AIB Insurance has partnered with them and we have not been disappointed. For that matter, nor have our customers.
In addition to the insurance offerings, Equity also have a very good breakdown product and we are in advanced negotiations with them on an exclusive arrangement – stay tuned for details!
About ERS
ERS started back in 1946 as Equity Motor policies and over the years has seen many changes until rebranding in 2013 as ERS. Their focus is “very much on protecting people’s passions or livelihoods, what we call Equity Insurance.” They are a Lloyd’s underwriting business (Syndicate 218).
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