Monday 28th February 2011

And They're Off! (To Geneva With PH)

'Ace reporters' head for Switzerland in the PH fleet SEAT Leon Cupra R

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We know that if you can afford a fast car you probably never get up much before lunch time, so this is what 7am looks like for the benefit of the PH core audience. Can you hear the birds tweeting? Nasty little blighters...

But never mind the starlings, the two early birds in this picture are Mike (aka BarnatosGhost here on PH) and his best mate Dan.

You might also have noticed the bright yellow SEAT Leon Cupra the aforementioned fellows appear to have been saddled-up with, in which case you've probably already put two and two together and realised you're looking at ace pairing who won our recent competition to help the PH HQ team cover the Geneva motor show - all (er, some...) expenses paid!

Yep, PH's newest pair of intrepid Geneva show reporters have hot-footed it towards Switzerland this very morning, in convoy with PH staffer Riggers and his own new best mate and official PH Geneva photographer Steve Hall. (At least we hope they're going to be mates, it's a long way down...)

Mike describes himself as 'dipped in oil from day one' thanks to the family garage business, impeccably well-behaved, solid company on long trips, and keen-as-mustard. His friend Dan even has an iPod, apparently.

For some reason the two may regularly be seen driving around Wales together, squabbling about major manufacturers' brand strategies. Mike claims to be a committed German Bangernomist, whose fleet includes a Mercedes 190e, W124 E300D(on veg!), MX-5, E30 325i, and VFR800. They're both also regular spectators at Le Mans and the Nurburgring.

"Dan unites steady hand and Canon. I scribble about the sacred romance twixt man, machine, dewy pasty and open-top, open-throttle 5am Roxette," said Mike in his pitch for the PH Geneva gig.

When the competition judging ran over into lunch time, the thought of that clammy petrol station Ginsters proved to be the clincher...

[Garlick]

The winners seem to have left a rather lovely NSX in our car park.

Annoyingly, it seems they have taken the keys with them

[anonymous-user]

The picture could go in the bad parking thread

Jealous though, I'd love to go there.

[edo]

Garlick said:

The winners seem to have left a rather lovely NSX in our car park.

Annoyingly, it seems they have taken the keys with them

[Life Saab Itch]

Dammit, Tom and I didn't mention pasties.

Have fun guys.

[fatboy b]

I just watched the 50 E-types heading in the same direction

[Chris-R]

fatboy b said:

I just watched the 50 E-types heading in the same direction

And I'm having lunch with Norman Dewis!

[BBS-LM]

Well, good luck on the trip lads. I have an mp3 of a Ferrari 458 which you can upload to the Leon Cupra to make it sound like a super car, if you like.

[Turbobanana]

Chris-R said:

And I'm having lunch with Norman Dewis!

Pistonheads - name dropping matters

[alexpa]

LOADS of pictures please guys!

[anniesdad]

Garlick said:

The winners seem to have left a rather lovely NSX in our car park.

Annoyingly, it seems they have taken the keys with them

That would be the Demon of the Tracks car, right?

[Garlick]

anniesdad said:

Garlick said:

The winners seem to have left a rather lovely NSX in our car park.

Annoyingly, it seems they have taken the keys with them

That would be the Demon of the Tracks car, right?

Ah yes, of course it is!

[tonym911]

Turbobanana said:

Chris-R said:

And I'm having lunch with Norman Dewis!

Pistonheads - name dropping matters

Yes Norman is a lovely guy, ahahaha. Good name-dropping story on R4 last night. In a former life, ex-HK governor Chris Patten was ordered by M Thatcher to tell his then-boss Norman St John Stevas to stop his incessant name-dropping. When Patten passed on the order, Stevas said 'oh yes, I must admit she's right, the Queen Mother told me off for that only yesterday'. Well, it seemed funny at the time.

[Chris-R]

tonym911 said:

Yes Norman is a lovely guy, ahahaha. Good name-dropping story on R4 last night. In a former life, ex-HK governor Chris Patten was ordered by M Thatcher to tell his then-boss Norman St John Stevas to stop his incessant name-dropping. When Patten passed on the order, Stevas said 'oh yes, I must admit she's right, the Queen Mother told me off for that only yesterday'. Well, it seemed funny at the time.

Actually, I think Stephen Fry told me that one...

(Well, it was on some telly programme or other!)

[neilpurves]

Just heading off to the show myself now, unfortunately by plane as I wanted to take my E-type (long story but wife beleives a roof is more important than a new interior!!). Hopefully I will see some of the E-type 50th Birthday celebrations in amongst the long legs and journo types that I normally see there !!
Hope the PH crew have good shoes. It may be smaller than the IAA but you tend to do a lot of mileage. If I spot them I will offer something to drink (are they in PH shirts at least?).

Neil

[pagani1]

Clammy on the outside is the least of their Ginster worries, it's what lurks inside that should strike dread into every Genuine Cornish Pasty eater.Have a great time in the littered streets of geneva guys. Littered-well someone has to throw Gaddafi's ill gotten gains away.

[Garlick]

neilpurves said:

are they in PH shirts at least?

Hmm, they're not (well it is press day and you need to be smart(ish))

You might struggle to spot them I'm afraid.

[Sortie 10]

Memo to PH team - don't take the autoroute all the way. The old N5 through the Jura mountains and across the Col de la Faucille is a glorious playground and leads directly to Palexpo. Lots of twisties (the Col itself is on top of some fabulous hairpins) - at this time of year the shed-dragger potential will be minimal (unlike when I head there later in the year )

[trackdemon]

anniesdad said:

That would be the Demon of the Tracks car, right?

[Stu R]

Turbobanana said:

Chris-R said:

And I'm having lunch with Norman Dewis!

Pistonheads - name dropping matters

Norman's probably* posting on Jaguar's internal Message board "Holy st! Tomorrow I'm having lunch with Chris-R, epic!"



*not

[simonrockman]

Have they posted anything?