Lewis Hamilton no longer drives supercar collection because it hurts the planet

Six-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has a collection of supercars that he no longer drives out of concern for the environment, he said last week during a press conference for the Formula One Tuscan Grand Prix (which he ended up winning).

Hamilton said the only road cars he currently drives are the battery-electric Mercedes-Benz EQC and Smart EQ ForTwo.

Hamilton also said he requests to be picked up from airports in electric vehicles wherever possible, and that he no longer flies on his own private jet to help reduce his carbon footprint. He actually got rid of the jet last year.

The reigning F1 champion previously had quite a car collecting habit. In a 2018 interview, Hamilton said he owned two Shelby Cobras, a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 recreation, a Ferrari 599 SA Aperta, a LaFerrari and LaFerrari Aperta, a McLaren P1, and a Pagani Zonda. At the time, he said the cars were split between Los Angeles and Monaco.

Lewis Hamilton introduces the Mercedes-AMG Project One at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show

Lewis Hamilton introduces the Mercedes-AMG Project One at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show

In 2015, Hamilton entered the Gumball 3000 Rally, driving a Koenigsegg Agera S.

Hamilton has also been involved in the development of the Mercedes-AMG One hypercar, which uses the actual engine from Mercedes’ championship-winning F1 cars. That development work is taking longer than expected, delaying the start of deliveries to 2021.

Hamilton recently announced that he is forming a team for the Extreme E electric off-road racing series, which he sees an opportunity to promote greater environmental awareness.

In January, organizers released a provisional five-race 2021 calendar with races in remote locations like Greenland and Dakar, Senegal. Races will be held without spectators onsite, which should ensure minimal disturbance to the natural environment, and means Extreme E could launch on schedule despite the coronavirus pandemic.

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NISSAN SKYLINE GT-R M-SPEC NUR: JADE WARRIOR

There were only 250 Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec Nur cars ever made, and this one is filled with enough rare and valuable parts to make any Nissan fan drool.

You know you’re obsessed with GT-Rs when you start a business to sell the excess ones you’ve bought. That’s what happened with Allen Cheng, founder of the legendary V-Spec Performance in Victoria, Australia. Starting off with a single Midnight Purple III R34, he soon progressed to owning so many he had to get rid of some, and having realised selling them could be a viable business, he opened V-Spec in 2011. These days, the business has grown to be what is undoubtedly Australia’s premier GT-R specialist sales outlet. One that, as well as similarly rare GT-R parts, also runs the Charge Speed Australia brand. Oh, and in case you hadn’t guessed from the images, they have an impressive workshop, too.

Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec NurNissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec Nur

However, before they built this car, for all the company’s knowledge, expertise and ability to get rare cars and parts in, V-Spec didn’t really have much of a name for itself. Things had definitely improved after the signing of sales manager Simon Ong, who himself drives an R34 V-Spec II Nur and works hard within the community to promote the company, but V-Spec still needed a kick. So, there was only on thing to do, right? Yep, the team decided to build a proper demo car. Obviously it had to be something that would show off not just their ability to source some of the rarest and highest quality cars and parts the GT-R world has to offer, but also show that they could be unique and bring imagination to their work. The end result was this – their 2002 Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec Nur, complete with a range of wish-list componentry.

Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec NurNissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec Nur

So, let’s talk about what they’ve done. Obviously, the biggest change from the norm is the naked carbon front end. Simon says the decision was taken early to go this route, as it would best show off the insanely expensive Nismo Z-Tune dry carbon body parts. “We obviously wanted to be different, and we knew that, with the price for one of these dry carbon kits, not many people in Australia were going to have them, so we wanted to go down that track”. Simon says the plan was to leave it raw too, but eventually they coated it with a layer of clear, which serves to make it look cleaner. The coating also leads to a rather weird tactile sensation, as the dry carbon has all the lumps and bumps from the raw weave that you’d expect, but the clear makes your fingers glide over them in a way your brain has trouble processing. There is no doubting the finish is unique though, and in our eyes, the mix of semi-gloss black front-end, Millennium Jade mid and rear sections, plus black accents from the Superior Sport carbon wing stays (one of the few non-Nismo parts, simply because Nismo don’t make stays) and super-rare 19-inch Nismo LM GT4 Omori Factory wheels, gives this car a whole new take on the traditional black-and-gold combination often seen in other builds.

Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec NurNissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec Nur

It’s worth talking more about those wheels too, as they’re another example of V-Spec’s (and specifically Allen’s) obsession with finding low-volume and discontinued parts. Any hardcore Nismo nerd will know the Omori Factory LM GT4s are a limited-run part, complete with unique machined logos and made to celebrate the facility where Nismo, until recently, spent its entire life. However, perhaps only the real super nerds will recognise how rare these 19-inchers are, as while 17 and 18-inchers were recently reissued by the company, the 19s only came out once, so while numbers are uncertain, there are likely only a handful in existence. Simon says even tracking down one set was difficult, and any you find today will cost more than £3500 a set. Of course, Allen being Allen, he managed to find two sets, so he’s got spares if needs be. “He has one set of silver in the showroom, then he bought another pair from someone else, then another pair from someone else again. Then, because one of the pairs was already black and the other pair was silver, we had a think about whether we could get the black ones redone [in silver], but because it was too hard and too expensive, it was easier to get the silver pair painted black. So we have one set of blacks and one set of silvers. Because Allen’s such a collector and enthusiast, anything rare and discontinued, he’s gotta have!” Simon laughs.

The rest of the car is a treasure trove of rare, discontinued, or just prohibitively expensive, Nismo parts – all tracked down or ordered by V-Spec. The car came from Japan with a full R1 engine, giving it 500hp or so thanks to the better turbos, exhaust manifold, cams, a different tune and countless other things, but to ensure extra ‘Nismo-ness’, V-Spec also ordered the company’s dry carbon intake and intercooler piping. Behind the engine, the previous owner had already fitted a Super Coppermix twin-plate clutch, which remained in fine condition, so there wasn’t much point touching that, but V-Spec did go for a Nismo 4.11 GT LSD. As for the suspension, it came with Nismo sway bars and the entire Nismo Circuit Link set, so again, there wasn’t much work to do, but the Apex N1 coils were swapped for Nismo R-Tune ones to keep the theme going. The F50 Brembos it arrived with were set to stay, but a few weeks after this shoot we were told R35 items were replacing them instead. Interestingly, the rear bumper, which had the ‘Skyline’ logo shaved, did stay, but no one was keen on the wing-less rear end it arrived with, so another factory bootlid was sourced, along with a stock wing and Nismo carbon gurney flap. Of course, Nismo LED tails finish off the back-end. Finally, to rectify the prior owner’s other ‘interesting’ exterior design decisions, V-Spec ordered Nismo side skirts and rear pods to match the already-fitted rear arch extensions.

Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec NurNissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec Nur

Keen eyes will spot there are two non-Nismo mechanical items on the car; an ARC Super Micro Conditioner radiator and a Power House Amuse R1 Titan exhaust. The radiator was put in because not even V-Spec could find a Nismo item before the shoot (long since discontinued and basically a unicorn), while the exhaust was a rather high-level placekeeper for a Nismo Weldina titanium model they fitted later.

Having finished the car and teased it on social media, the only thing left was for V-Spec to show it off for real, and for that they had the perfect platform – the inaugural GT-R Festival in Sydney. Trucking the car up there (driving it up would involve the hassle of removing the lip spoiler and finding a workshop close to the venue to re-fit it), they were sadly greeted by pouring rain for the first half of the day, but the stunned looks and large numbers of photos posted on both traditional and social media meant it had done its job regardless.

“All over Facebook people know our company now,” says Simon. “Soon after the show, we had someone travel from Sydney just to come visit us, because when we took it up to the festival, a lot of people saw it and now they know who V-Spec Performance is. So, the reaction was good. It did what we wanted – we wanted people to know who we were, become friendly with us and have chats, and we’ve achieved all that”.

In terms of how the car actually drives, post-upgrades, Simon says it drives pretty nicely, as you’d expect. Being a demo car, it doesn’t get driven around too much, but he says that the R1 engine “definitely feels more raw than your normal RB26”. “It feels more like a race car with that engine. Response is faster and it’s definitely more aggressive. Maybe it’s the cams, but it’s definitely aggressive. And with the exhaust on it, it does feel like you’re in a bit of a race car. It sticks to the ground like  a good ‘un too. Especially because of the size of the wheels and tyres, it certainly grips. It’s nice and solid; it definitely feels high quality”.

Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec NurNissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec Nur

Indeed, ‘high-quality’ is what both V-Spec and the demo car itself are all about. There’s no doubt the components on this machine are expensive, but as with most things in life, you get what you pay for. And in terms of V-Spec itself, you clearly get more than just the componentry; there’s imagination, the ability to track down rare items others can’t and the satisfaction that comes with working with passionate, hard-working people. That’s surely worth its weight in Millennium Jade.

Tech Spec: Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec Nur

Engine:

Full 2.6-litre Nismo R1 engine with N1 block, pistons, rings and exhaust manifold, Nismo exhaust manifold spacer, 0.9mm metal head gasket, R1 camshafts, Nismo main and conrod bearings, R1 turbos, Nismo large capacity turbo outlet pipe, Nismo 600cc injectors, Nismo 50mm heat shield, Nismo large capacity air flow meter, Nismo sump baffle, Nismo air filter, Nismo strengthened timing belt, Nismo throttle chamber collar, Nismo oil gallery plugs, Nismo ported and polished heads, balanced and blueprinted rotating assembly, R1 coil cover and Nismo ECU flash tune, Nismo oil cooler, Nismo catch can, Nismo dry carbon intake and intercooler piping, Nismo intercooler, Nismo air intake kit, ARC Super Micro Conditioner radiator, Nismo oil filler and radiator caps, Power House Amuse R1 Titan cat-less exhaust from front pipe back and NGK spark plugs, Nismo Super Coppermix twin-plate clutch, Nismo flywheel, Nismo clutch master cylinder, Nismo GT 4.11 LSD.

Chassis:

10.5×19-inch ET12 Nismo LM GT4 Omori Factory Spec Machining Logo Version wheels with 265/30 Yokohama Advan AD08R tyres, Nismo wheel nuts, Nismo Circuit Link suspension kit, Nismo R-Tune coilovers (f&r) Nismo sway bars, Nismo titanium front strut tower bar, Nismo rear tower bar, Brembo F50 four-piston front callipers (f&r) with 355mm slotted two-piece rotors and Dixcel Z-Type pads (f) and 330mm slotted two-piece rotors and Dixcel Z-Type pads (r), Project Mu G4 brake fluid.

Exterior:

Nismo Z-Tune dry carbon front bumper, fenders and under cover (painted clear), Nismo R-Tune dry carbon bonnet (painted clear), Nismo dry carbon splitter, Nismo side skirts and rear pods, Nismo rear wheel arch extensions, Nismo carbon B-pillar garnish, stock M-Spec diffuser with Nismo fins, Nismo GT LED rear lights, stock R34 GT-R rear wing with Nismo carbon gurney flap and Superior Sport carbon wing stays.

Interior:

Nismo GT shift knob, silver painted interior trim, new stock R34 steering wheel, Nismo Combination Meter gauge cluster, Nismo floor mats.

Feature taken from Banzai magazine. Words and photos: Chris Nicholls.

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FC THROWBACK: MODIFIED CITROEN C2

Welcome to this week’s FC Throwback, where we take a look back at some of our favourite previous feature cars. This week it’s Joe Hobbs’s C2 from 2013…

modified Citroen C2modified Citroen C2

Dressed in deep purple paint and wearing custom mint green rims, Joe Hobbs’s C2 is smashing the scene with its bold colours and dirty lows!

modified Citroen C2modified Citroen C2

Growing up surrounded by petrol heads was only going to end up one way for Reading-based modder Joe Hobbs. As soon as he was handed his driving licence Joe went on the hunt for a suitable base car.

modified Citroen C2modified Citroen C2

After a long search, he finally decided on a standard Citroen C2. “I went for the C2 because it was different to what most of my mates were going for, and I wanted a car to stand out,” Joe tells us.

modified Citroen C2modified Citroen C2

A standard C2 was never going to stand out from the crowd though, and in no time at all Joe got the mods rolling. Sorting out that ride height was top of his hit list, so Joe fitted a set of coilovers and decked it to a respectable height.

modified Citroen C2modified Citroen C2

When it came to sorting out a set of rims, Joe wanted to go the extra mile and find something unique. After putting in a call to the guys at Image Wheels a design was picked. The end result is a set of custom-built three-piece rims in staggered 8.5x15in and 9.5x15in fitment. Before they were fitted, the rims were wrapped in Toyo 195/45×15 tyres. A simple drop and set of rims was never going to cut it though, so Joe turned his attention to sorting out that boring exterior.

modified Citroen C2modified Citroen C2

Local bodyshop Imagination Creations were put in charge of sorting the Citroen’s shell. The front bumper has been fully smoothed, together with the rear to give it a clean and uncluttered finish. The boys have also worked their magic on the boot and deleted the aerial. At the same time all the badges were removed and a de-badged grille was fitted. With all the panels up to scratch it was time for Joe to pick a colour to dress the C2 in.

modified Citroen C2modified Citroen C2

After a fair bit of head scratching, Chris from Imagination Creations and Joe settled on a custom, mixed-purple paint. Every inch of the car has been covered in this deep purple finish and makes for a fresh alternative to the usual Euro colours we see. The car was taking shape, but even with the coilovers, it still wasn’t sitting quite right.

modified Citroen C2modified Citroen C2

There was only one way to go – to really dump the C2 on its arse, so Joe booked the car in with HavAir. The Citroen is now fully loaded with a four-way air-ride system that allows it to cock a wheel at the flick of a switch. The rear seats have been binned, and replaced with a pair of three gallon tanks that Joe had painted to replicate a pair of Duracell batteries. The interior has been treated to a pair of Recaros and a 300mm Momo wheel. A JLW3 Audio sub and amp combined with an Alpine headunit take care of the tunes, while a Powerflow custom exhaust system gives the car a nice little burble.

modified Citroen C2modified Citroen C2

This might be Joe’s first attempt at modding a car, but he’s completely nailed it – job done!

TECH SPEC CITROEN C2

Styling
Smoothed front bumper, rear bumper, bonnet, boot and aerial, de-badged grille, custom paint job

Chassis
Air-ride, 2x three gallon air tanks, hardlines, four-way AVS 9 channel switch box, AVS digital gauge, Airzenith compressor, custom built three-piece staggered 8.5x15in and 9.5x15in Image Wheels, T1R Toyo 195/45×15 tyres

Interior
Stripped rear seats, custom boot build with air tanks custom painted as Duracell batteries, Recaro VXR bucket seats, 300mm Momo steering wheel, handmade custom billet aluminium gear knob

Audio
JLW3 Audio sub, JLW amp, Alpine headunit

Tuning
Powerflow exhaust

Thanks
Chris Ronchetti, Michael Hobbs, Geoff Skinner, Molly Coates, Danny Braggins, Massimo Boukas, Darron Augustus, Lil Olly (Olly Scott), Doug Smith, all my family and friends

Words Nick Turner Pics Laurens Parsons

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