Frederique Constant in WatchWorld Magazine

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Great cover article about Frederique Constant in WatchWorld Magazine, one of the leading watch magazines in Europe!

To read the article, click here

 

Grand Opening of the first Frederique Constant boutique in Hong Kong

On October 19th 2010, Frederique Constant opened its first ever boutique in Hong Kong. Shu Qi - Frederique Constant Ambassasdor for Greater China - and Peter Stas - founder and CEO of Frederique Constant were attending the opening ceremonie.

[[MORE]] First ever Frederique Constant Boutique in Hong Kong opening ceremonie with Shu Qi - Frederique Constant Ambassador - and Peter Stas - Founder and CEO of Frederique Constant.

Paris Rendezvous...… Day 37 Troyes to Paris Finish

OCTOBER 16TH, 2010

Peking to Paris Motor Challenge update. More about the race here

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Pioneer category victors Charles and Nellie Bishop - Vauxhall 30/98

The Peking to Paris rally ended on Saturday with a parade through the streets of Paris celebrating the end of this remarkable 10,000 mile event.

A large crowd including many friends and family greeted the cars when they entered Place Vendome after roller skating marshals cleared their progress round the Arc de Triomphe and down the Champs Elysees.

It is 37 days since a total of 98 cars set out from the Chinese capital, coming from 26 different countries, thought to be a motorsport record.

With ages ranging from the oldest, a 103 year old six litre Itala to a 1970 Vauxhall, the competition was divided into three leaderboards.

Winner of the Pioneer category for pre 1926 models is Charles and Nellie Bishop in a Vauxhall Prince Henry, who overhauled early leader Max Stephenson in a similar model in the final stages. Winner of the Vintageant Category was Steve Hyde and Janet Lyne in a 1938 Chevrolet Fangio Coupe who led from the start and beat all the later cars on the time trials.

The Classics Category saw a remarkable effort by the oldest driver in the event, with Australian Gerry Crown, driving a 1974 Holden, wining in convincing style. At 78 years old Gerry was regarded as too old to be given a Chinese driving licence so his navigator, 33 year old Matt Bryson, drove the first few days. Matt is the son of John Bryson who accompanied Andrew Cowan to several Australian rally wins including two victories on the Southern Cross.

Second in the Classics category was the former Turkish rally champion Ahmet Omgun, with Erdal Tokcan, in an Anadol 1600 ahead of third placed crew, Andrew Godsen and Andrew Honeychurch, in a much more powerful Aston Martin DB5.

William and Victoria Medcalf - Bentley Super Sports - celebrate at the Paris finish

Since leaving Beijing every crew has lived and accumulated a lifetime of memories… fraught and frustrating border crossings… the remarkable friendliness and hospitality of complete strangers… the pain and despair of breakdowns and the triumph of miracle repairs and camping under star-laden skies in Mongolia where the Organisers, the Endurance Rally Association, ran a fleet of petrol tankers and trucks to provide a Dakar style back up of chefs cooking meals each evening.

"This has been beyond doubt the hardest event we have ever staged," said organiser Philip Young.

Almost home... Day 36 Aix les Bains to Troyes

OCTOBER 15TH, 2010

Peking to Paris Motor Challenge update. More about the race here

Rudi Friedrichs and Lennox McNeely - Alvis Speed 20

Paris is just a few more miles away and the bar in the Hotel Mercure in Troyes is once again buzzing after another great day on the road.

The route for the final full day of Peking to Paris 2010 left Aix-les-Bains along the shores of Lac du Bourget before striking north into the hills of the Bugey through classic rallying terrain en-route to the Circuit de Bresse for the day’s only Time Trial.

Watched over by enthusiastic local spectators, competitors enjoyed a 2-lap test around this great circuit. To add a little spice to the competition William Medclaf and Rudi Friedrichs entered into a private wager over who would take best time… with a bottle of champagne at stake for the winner. Results will be announced tomorrow evening but the rumour is that they were separated by hundreths of a second.

After the circuit, crews enjoyed a relaxed run on fast-flowing, traffic free roads basking in the glow of the late afternoon autumn sunshine. Many arrived into Troyes after dark having spent a couple or hours exploring the fine collection of cars and historic airplanes at the Chateau de Savigny, site of one of the day’s Passage controls. Others wiled away a few hours over a leisurely 7-course lunch…..

With all crews now within striking distance of Paris, there is a mood of eager anticipation tonight ahead of tomorrow’s arrival in Place Vendome from 1pm. As the Official Timekeeper of Peking to Paris, we will be welcoming the brave and passionate participants of this historic rally in the pop-up Frederique Constant VIP Area on Place Vendome. This promises to be a unique experience! In the evening, together with our guests we attend the exclusive Peking to Paris Gala dinner at the InterContinental Paris-Le Grand.

Live your Passion!

Crossing Italy....… Day 35 Viareggio to Aix les Bains

OCTOBER 14TH, 2010

Peking to Paris Motor Challenge update. More about the race here

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Clive Dunster and Cecilia Agger - Chevrolet Fangio Coupe

A glorious day in bright sunshine saw the Peking to Paris drive from Italy into France over the classic mountain roads of Italian Championship rallies.

There were four time trials held over some of finest tarmac roads in the hills overlooking the Mediterranean coast, organised with enthusiastic help of local motor clubs.

Narrow tarmac tracks threaded between trees all on the turn with sunlight dappling the yellows and golds up and down steep mountain climbs.

Clive Dunster in his blue Chevy Fangio Coupe was going great guns, keen to close the gap on David Park ahead and by the end of the day he achieved his goal, rising to 9th place in the Vintageant category.

The roads started off misty and damp but warm Autumn sunshine soon revealed a stunning landscape that saw the event thread it's way through numerous tiny villages out of Italy and into the French Alpes.

George Howitt and Monique Rombouts - Rolls Royce Phantom I

Aix les Bains, known in the 1950s as “Aches and Pains” by British rally crews, is just two stops from our finish in Paris. The excited buzz in the hotel bar this evening is a clear indication of a memorable day of rallying for the competitive crews and just how close we are to Paris for those whose primary aim is to cross the finish line.

Cars will enter Place Vendome on Saturday and drivers will turn off their engines for the last time at 1.00pm when they line up in front of the Ritz Hotel. As the Official Timekeeper of Peking to Paris, Frederique Constant will be welcoming the brave and passionate participants of this historic rally in the pop-up Frederique Constant VIP Area on Place Vendome.

Best performance on the time trials today was achieved by Rudi Friedrichs who blasted his Alvis round the tight mountain roads, more than 2 minutes quicker than the next best.

Crossing Italy....… Day 34 Ancona to Viareggio

OCTOBER 13TH, 2010



Peking to Paris Motor Challenge update. More about the race here

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Werner Meier-Cavaliere and Arnold Meier - Packard Convertible

This could have, should have, been a glorious day.

We were set to drive across Tuscany, taking in three gravel Time Trials, in a route plan that has received lots of pre-planning. All of this had to be tossed aside earlier today as the ferry from Greece arrived late – it was 12.30 before the cars ran down the ramp into the streets of Ancona. Superfast Ferries had proved to be Superslow, and changes were therefore inevitable.

Cars had a main road route to Viareggio, and we are in two very grand hotels on the sea-front, the Principe di Piemonte, and the Grande Royal Hotel…luxury on a hot-tap, but there is no hiding the disappointment that once into mainland Europe we had hoped that re-routes would be a thing of the past.

We are off to Aix les Bains tomorrow, with four Time Trials set up with the help of additional marshals who have come out of the UK to strengthen the team.

All at Sea....… Day 33 Thessaloniki to Igoumenitsa

OCTOBER 12TH, 2010

Peking to Paris Motor Challenge update. More about the race here

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Frank Bird(AUS) / Ross Oakman(AUS) 1964 Holden EH

This is coming to you from aboard the Superfast Lines ferry on our way from Igoumenitsa, Greece to Ancona in Italy.

We have all dined on an excellent silver-service meal, starting with mushrooms in a blue cheese sauce, followed by a large greek salad with goats cheese, followed by a two-inch thick fillet of steak and vegetables, and no doubt a sweet course to suit but your correspondent has bunked off in order to get back to the typewriter.

We saw three Time Trials today, and the results of these are about to be published on the results section. A good many crews however didn’t bother, opting for the main road course direct to the ferry.

Reg Toohey and Tony Spanjers - Bentley 3½ Park Ward

The ferry hold is full of trucks and is normally out of bounds to passengers but the crew of Car 39 which arrived at the docks on a truck is having a piston replaced and the engine is being stripped down. This is a big job indeed, as it’s a Rolls Royce Phantom and the crew, Dominic Howard and Alex Collins are being aided in the task by Rupert Marks, of Car 23, the blue Ford Model A. The co-driver of the Ford has just landed a £10,000 donation to Debra, his chosen charity, from Jazz FM, so this crew are working hard in all departments.

The weather in Greece however was a disappointment today, particularly as we arrived at the remarkable monasteries on the top of chimney like cliffs towering over the village of Kalambaka. It has rained for most of the day and the low cloud spoiled some of the grandeur of the scene.

While at the docks, crews found plenty of time for a spot of fettling, the Oldsmobile crew of Arthur and Anna Manners received help from Peter Banham with a loose rear wheel which needed some reinforcement.

There is a great party spirit on board however and all are now looking forward to testing last week, starting with Italy and a route through Tuscany into the Alps.

Acropolis Country… Day 32 Istanbul to Thessaloniki

OCTOBER 11TH, 2010

Peking to Paris Motor Challenge update. More about the race here

Bill Shields and Daniel Day - Dodge Coupe

We crossed into Greece this morning – delays at the Turkish border when the computer system crashed meant we all got started into the first Greek Time Trial later than planned. A short tarmac blast around a headland with sea-views and it was on towards Thessaloniki. We then took in a further two tarmac mountain climbs before dropping down to this sea-side resort.

Now we are in Europe, we are running our test sections at an average speed of 50 kph, (up to here, the national motor-sports authorities until now have helped organised our time trials slightly faster), and a good many crews found the targets well within reach, including the Hickling’s MG SA, the Manner’s Oldsmobile, and the de Sousa MG Magnette were among those who were able to clean one climb.

We set out in bright sunshine this morning but rain began to fall by later in the afternoon, this caught out the Turkish duo in the fibreglass Anadol, which understeered off on one wet corner, and required a tow back to the road by a local farmer – a scary moment, but they have built up a big cushion of time in second place overall in the Classics Category, ahead of the Aston Martin DB5 now going really well exploiting twisty tarmac to the full, and sounding glorious in the process.

One of the rising stars of the Time Trials is the big Dodge Coupe, Car 70 of Bill Shields and Daniel Day, who have put in some impressive times in a big car which seems to like nothing better than romping up steep climbs, exploiting its low-down torque to the full. On all three test sections the Dodge made light work of it all.

The Roberts in Car 88, the Sunbeam Alpine, went well today, having had a new differential. The little 1955 Peugeot 203 of Pierre-Yves Maisonneuve arrived into town tonight on the back of a truck with clutch problems.

Simon Hope and Adam Singer - Bentley Speed Six

Geof Robinson in Car 9 has sorted the problems of the Vauxhal and hopes to join us tomorrow at the ferry terminal for crossing to Italy. Someone else who is driving again are Australians Reg Toohey and Antoon Spanjers, who had to go to Tehran after having their passports stolen.

Two who are now off trucks and running again, are the Lagonda pair of Nigel Gambier and Hugo Upton, who have repaired their broken oil pump… and Chris Lunn’s Lagonda is now back running again, having been fixed at the garage of Anadol driver Ahmet Ongun, whose team were briefed by a London specialist on the phone step by step as the garage fixed their first Lagonda timing-chain transplant. They can now add a sign outside the workshop: “Anadol and Lagonda Specialists”.

Talking of Hugo Upton…we hear that he stole two policemen’s hats, and whistles, today, in order to direct traffic at the border. This begs the question: Will they now let him out of Greece?

We are now on our way over some classic Acropolis hunting-ground, our third test coming up is the Kalambaka stage, filmed in a James Bond epic, this is the place where monks built monasteries on the top of tall pillars of rock, and where access is only possible by basket on a rope. Sound’s an ideal challenge for Hugo.

We have now had four excellent hotels of a high-standard in a row, and tonight’s meal was particularly noteworthy, in a modern hotel yards from the sea. Surprised hotel receptionists greet oily handed competitors lugging into the reception area batteries for re-charging overnight in bedrooms.

Tomorrow night we are on an overnight ferry from Ingoumenitsa to Ancona. Nothing concentrates minds quite like the deadline for a ferry crossing.

Istanbul… Crossing into Europe... Day 31 Abant Lake to Istanbul

OCTOBER 10TH, 2010

Peking to Paris Motor Challenge update. More about the race here

Turkish Dancers at the Klasik Otomobil Club reception

We crossed the Bosphorous today, the bridge is regarded as the link where Europe meets Asia, and we have arrived a most comfortable hotel overlooking a blue sea at Silivri.

Every day brings us nearer to Paris and the fact that we are now in Europe brings home the remarkable effort that each and every crew has had to put in to get this far.

It has proved an easy run for most, and crews have spent the afternoon fettling cars and catching up on the laundry. Even Tim Scott made light work of today, riding his FN motorcycle. David Ingleby spent the afternoon at work in the sunshine soldering up bits of the 1914 electrics.

Craig and Nicky Marshall in Car 69, in their Dodge Coupe, are nursing a cracked piston, having experienced a remarkable engine overhaul by a local garage owner who was able to replace a bent valve – fortunately they were carrying a spare – while entertaining the couple in their home… without a word of English being spoken.

Craig and Nicky Marshall - Dodge Coupe

We have now had a chance to talk to Dave and Karen Ayre and more details have emerged on their accident the other day when the 1907 Itala spun on a wet road, damaging the front axle and bending the steering rods. No wheel came off and the car was repaired with the help of the Japanese television crew accompanying the event. The car is now back in the event.

Gerry Crown, relaxing in the hotel’s coffee-shop, is feeling pleased with the progress of his Holden, he took a relaxed view of the testing Time Trials which have been organised with the help of Turkey’s national motor-sport Federation. With a commanding lead and everything to lose in the Classic division, he decided on a softly-softly tactic and stroked the big Holden round the mountains content that the risk-taking was now over. Interestingly, all three of yesterday’s Time Trials were dominated by cars in the pre-1941 Vintageant Category.

To mark our final day in Turkey we have been entertained at a cocktail party organised by the Turkish Classic Automobile Club.

Smiles all Round, again… Day 30 Kozakli to Abant Lake

OCTOBER 9TH, 2010
Peking to Paris Motor Challenge update. More about the race here

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Martin and Olivia Hunt - Bentley Le Mans

Adrenaline has been flowing well today and there is a happy throng in the bar tonight recounting the tales of a what has universally gone down as simply a great day’s rallying.

What has made the difference – and there was still a mind-numbing 500 kilometres to knock off between hotel stops today – was the insertion of a string of off-road Time Trials, on narrow tracks that climbed and dipped, twisted and turned, over the rolling hills of the Turkish plateau, ending with a big surprise… a drive in the snow.

We are now at a fine hotel beside Lake Abant, near Bolu, and before dinner the buzz is all about the test-sections. There were three today. Two others had to be cancelled – the first because it was too muddy, and a steep slope would have defeated some of the older cars – and the second was discounted as impossible to run as recent pipe-laying work meant that one side of the track had been dug up, making it too narrow. Some early-morning course-car work enabled a swift decision to keep in the route, but turn test-start Controls into Passage Controls – where merely a stamp to prove the route had been complied with, kept everything on track. The final three Time Trials proved to be “absolute hum-dingers” which is Bentley-Boys talk of the sort you get from William Medcalf, second overall in the Vintageant Category.

Paul Bessade and Michel Magnin - Pontiac Convertible

The last test was the shortest, but the must demanding, with constant, free-flowing open bends, ending with cars cresting a ridge and finding it had snowed today, and all around was a carpet was white fresh snow. Fastest over this was Steve Hyde in the yellow Fangio Coupe who set a time of 12 minutes dead, just pipping the Aston Martin DB5 of Andrew Honeychurch by 4 seconds. Third best time was Rudi Friedrichs in his Alvis, 16 seconds clear of William Medcalf's Bentley. (For more information, go to the results page).

Car 48, the big Chrysler of Michael Thompson is back in the running, we reported that the road-side repairs of Simon Ayris had sent worrying rumours back to base-camp that the flywheel was coming adrift… this was nothing more than a gearbox malady, a chipped cog had sent a piece of metal into the valley of another cog and the knocking this caused was tremendous, “at first you would think a big-end had gone,” said Simon, who soon had the Chrysler on its way.

So, here is a short run-down of the leading positions of the three Categories:

First overall in the Pioneer Category for pre-1925 model-types, is Charlie and Nellie Bishop in their Vauxhall 30-98, on 219 hours, 22 minutes, 16 seconds, and in line for a gold medal, the only Pioneer crew still qualifying for a Gold Medal.

Second is Max Stephenson and Carl Watson in their Vauxhall, on 233:47:18; and Nicky Bailey and Janek Mamimo in the Buick is third.

In the Vintageant Category, Steve and Janet Lyne are on 197 hours, 25 minutes, 41 seconds, well ahead of the the William and Victoria Medcalf Bentley on 197:52:43, with Michael Thompson and Andrew Davies in the Chrysler still on for third. All three are up for a Gold Medal. It’s close for fourth, Rudi Friedrichs in the Alvis is mere minutes ahead of Alastair Caldwell’s Alfa Romeo 6C, despite the Alfa presenting the driver with daily mechanical challenges.

The all-girl crew in the Plymouth, Rachel Vestey and Suzy Harvey, are now back on the first page of the results, having had a totally depressing day yesterday …if someone had shown Rachel and air-ticket she would have had her many bags packed, brought down with electrical worries that gave no headlights, and a carburettor that failed to respond to the throttle pedal, so no power.

Today, things are different – from 15th, entering Mongolia, the girls plummeted to 35th, and then set about working their way up, and today they are grinning as they have gained a few places to 23rd. “The throttle is working and so is everything else… a brilliant day.”

In the Classics division, 78-year-old Gerry Crown, the veteran Australian rallydriver deemed too old to hold a Chinese driving licence so had to be listed officially as the “co-driver”, has a handsome lead with young Matt Bryson alongside him working the clocks… they are on 182 hours, 42 minutes, 35 seconds, with All Turkish Team on second place, with 183:57:24, in the fibreglass Anadol 1600, and Adrian Gosden and Andrew Honeychurch finally getting their act together and really making the Aston Martin DB5 fly… but over an hour adrift.

Fourth in the Classics division is the Holden of Greg and Liz Newton, on their first timed rally – they lost time when baulked by others on a muddy climb yesterday and were far from happy, but having built up a handsome class lead, are able to hang on as class leader.

The general verdict is best summed up by Steve Hyde: “Things simply can't get better than this… a wonderful day, from start to finish.”

Tomorrow is a “transit” day, with no timing, taking us just past Istanbul, and a short-driving day is promised with an afternoon off. Hmmm, where have we heard that before?

The Longest Day... Day 29 Erzurum to Kozakli

OCTOBER 8TH, 2010
Peking to Paris Motor Challenge update. More about the race here

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David and Karen Ayre - Itala

Our drive today from the ski resort at Erzurum has taken us 730 kilometres to Kozakli, the longest day of the Peking to Paris. We have seen a welcome return to rallying Time Trials, with three competitive sections of gravel, muddy tracks over a string of mountains.

We drove in the wheeltracks of history today as 200 kilometres from Sivas to Erzincan was a timed blast on the original London to Sydney Marathon of 1968. Our three test sections were highly challenging in poor weather, totalling over 60 kilometres.

Results will follow later, but we can report that Michael and Anne Wilkinson in their Alvis ran off the road and down a bank – both crew walked away and after a check up by our medics are regarded fit…. the car however has smashed front suspension, losing two wheels.

David Ayre spun the big Itala on a main road, we gather the car clouted a bank after losing a wheel. Both crew are fine but the 103 year old car is now on a truck.

This has been the best day of the rally, said Werner Meier-Cavaliere, driver of the Packard Convertible, and Nigel Gambier, Lagonda, says the same thing… others, however, say it’s been just too tough.

Gloomy News from the Frontline... Day 28 Tabriz to Erzurum

OCTOBER 7TH, 2010

Peking to Paris Motor Challenge update. More about the race here

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Nicky Bailey and Janek Mamino - Buick Roadster

We set off early for the Iran border this morning, and once a special track had been set up, things began to look up… cars were making good progress through all the formalities. We said our goodbyes to Ramin and the lads from the Motor Federation who have been working closely with us on an almost daily basis for the past six months, they have done a magnificent job… and then we rolled through the first gate of Turkey.

Things were slow to begin with – just one person in a kiosk to process 200 plus people, and with a broken computer. Things improved after we suggested he moves to another kiosk where a computer was working. This is actually a big improvement on the first time the Peking Paris crossed this border in 1997, when Turkish officials had no electric lighting and dim offices were lit by candles in cut-down coffee tins and the odd huricane-lamp.

Trucks were parked up to enable the Peking Paris to get through, a shrewd bit of foresight on someone’s part. Eventually the formalities were speeded up and after 20 or so cars had gone through, the process improved markedly. From now on, border hassles ought to be a thing of the past.

A day spoilt by stone throwing incidents

The roads today were excellent and we all bowled along, swallowing up the kilometres with relative ease. All that is except Car 48, the big Chrysler 75 of Michael Thompson and Andrew Davies that has developed a serious-sounding engine noise, which might be a loose flywheel, according to Andy Actman. Simon Ayris and Bill Hitchcock are giving it some attention, the word is that it's possibly coming here by truck.

Although everyone is happy to be in a comfortable hotel again, where beer and food is readily available, there is an atmosphere of considerable concern among some competitors. It’s nothing to do with borders or the massive distance covered... what is occupying minds most is that a good many cars – including the open cars at the front of the field today – were hit by stones lobbed by kids on their way home from school. This has shaken several drivers. We have all endured a great deal on this event… and coming into Turkey nobody was expecting a greeting quite like this.

Naturally, the regional police have been informed and steps taken to ensure close policing of our passage for tomorrow – which is the longest day of the whole event, and with a string of Time Trials in the hills, on gravel roads, kick-starting the competition again. But right now, a number of drivers say that’s the last thing on their minds.

Has Anyone Seen Richard Head?... Day 27 Rasht to Tabriz

OCTOBER 6TH, 2010

Peking to Paris Motor Challenge update. More about the race here

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Driving remarkable roads on the final day in Iran

Who is Richard Head? Who has heard of him? What did he ever do to have his name engraved on a rally trophy?

For the first Peking Paris Retrospective in 1997, a special award, decided by the Marshals, was awarded to a competitor called The Richard Head Award. Alas, the recipient never understood why he was presented with this trophy, or, what he had done to qualify for this unique award.

The talk among the marhals now that we are about to enter Europe is a simple question: Do we revive the Richard Head Award, and if so, who should qualify for this?

A little background: The winner in ’97 drove a red Allard. In the Baluchistan Desert, between Pakistan and Iran, he ran out of water with an over-heated radiator. Along comes Peter Banham, and tops up the rad, and all is well. “You ought to carry a spare can of water, you’ve got a leak,” advises Peter.

The following day, the rally is now crossing Iran and is the hottest part of the desert. A tiny spec on the horizon. Peter Banham inches closer… it’s the red Allard, in trouble again. The radiator has run dry. “I thought I suggested you carry a jerry-can of water,” says Peter, now just a little exasperated.

Driver David Arrigo then explained his reasoning. “I can’t possibly carry a can of water… the only way of strapping a jerry-can onto the car is on the back, and if I did that, it would spoil the lines of the car in the photos.”

This, and other incidents, qualified David for the Richard Head trophy. The Marshals are now wondering if there are any candidates out there to ensure this prizegiving initiative perhaps becomes a perpetual trophy.

Some years after this event, David Arrigo called us to enquire “Who was Richard Head… what did he do to get his name onto a rally trophy, and what did I do to qualify for this?” A lack of understanding of rally procedures, the event Regulations, preparation tips, and advice from the sweep-mechanics might count in the criteria… alas, explanations are not always a good thing. We dropped off the David Arrigo Chrismas Card list.

He was last seen driving an Austin A35 around Malta.

Alastair Caldwell and Catriona Rings with propshaft problems on the Alfa Romeo 6C

TABRIZ LATEST: We have reached the city of Tabriz, and are all now in a modern glass and marble hotel. Alastair Caldwell has repaired the cylinder head of his Alfa, and navigator Catriona Rings came running up the steps into the main foyer to reach the final time-control of the day with a minute to spare. We gather that they were swept through red traffic lights by baton-waving policemen. The latest worry for the driver however is that now the propshaft sounds as if it it’s about to fall out.

We have driven some remarkable roads today… at times it reminds you of South Africa and the hills of Isalwandha on the way to Rorkes Drift… turn a corner and you could be on the Alaska run from Anchorage through the Rocky Mountains to Dawson… Iran has some remarkable scenery.

The American crews are all impressed, and feel overwhelmed by the reception by local Iranians… several crews have received invitations to visit the homes of locals. American VW Beetle driver Garry Staples Jnr. is now back in the rally, having abandoned his plans to truck the Beetle to Turkey for repairs… a VW main-dealer spotted the car on the back of the truck, asked what the problem is, and when told that the crankshaft has a serious issue with a thrust bearing, he offered them a replacement engine… which was fitted in a matter of hours. The VW will now drive to the Turkey-border under its own power.

Where is Car 89? The local police know where every car is… they chalk off our progress as we go through the towns and villages… the national police have an over-view on where we all are and what we are doing… but, there is a problem with Car 89. The little blue Renault 4CV of Andrew Drinkwater is missing. Nobody has seen it… even the Iran police and security departments don’t know and the Motor Federation are just a little concerned that a car that has never given the impression of doing more than 50 kph flat out has somehow managed to give everyone, including those helping us, the total slip.

Tomorrow we head for Turkey.

The Other Side of the Moon... Day 26 Gorgan to Rasht

OCTOBER 5TH, 2010

Peking to Paris Motor Challenge update. More about the race here

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Dany and Joel Rollinger - Alfa Romeo Mata

Today started in darkness. It had been a remarkable night, even by rallying standards. On arrival at the hotel, we had been told that the President would be paying a visit to Gorgan, and therefore all the rooms would be taken over by his troop of bodyguards. So, the Iran Automobile Federation go into bat, and this is cancelled – we can have our rooms back.

Something got lost in the translation and when push came to shove – and it’s now late into the night – we find the entire rally of over 200 people has on offer just 15 rooms. This was sorted rapidly by Heidi and the camaraderie and goodwill of the rally, who all agreed that each room would be shared by eight. This was lightened somewhat when 20 agreed to erect their tents on the flat roof of the hotel.

Adrian and Barbara Shooter - Ford Model A

Some of the crews got in very late, and the sweeps, Peter and Betty Banham arrived at 4.30am, snatched half an hour of sleep before starting off again.

So, at just gone 5.0am this morning, the first car fired into life for the run from Gorgan to our coastal resort by beach of the Caspian Sea, another long haul of some 650 kilometres. Car 50, Detlev Borner and Peter Gillespie’s ’29 Studebaker President, rolled out of the hotel car park. The two were to have an eventful day, as they were to stop four times with the unusual problem of wheels breaking up. They opted to take the “coast road” route using the map-book supplied to each crew, instead of the suggested roads of the route-book which ran over a mountain range, and through some stunning scenery, on brilliant tarmac – not a pothole in sight – and traffic-free.

The roads in the hills just inland from the coast road of the Caspian Sea might as well be on the far side of the Moon – you sweep from corner to corner on perfectly maintained road surfaces, a big contrast to everything that has gone before us. As you drive through villages, locals all join in impromptu waves…wherever we go, we get the feeling that local Iranians are pleased to see us. One village had put up a series of hand-drawn banners across the streets.

Quite a few other crews opted for the shorter route of the coast, and by 7.0am, most were now on the road.

We have arrived at a town near Rasht that nobody has heard of, where Alastair Caldwell immediately jumped onto his Alfa engine to begin the tedious task of trying to change the head gasket in the dark. To make matters more trying, it has also started to rain heavily.

Our hotel is greatly improved, some of us are in villas in the garden overlooking the sandy beach, and we have all tucked into lamb kofta and rice, or local fish.

An Interview with Peter C. Stas, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Frédérique Constant in Leaders

Grand Opening of the First Frederique Constant boutique in Hong Kong

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Iran Rolls Out the Welcome Carpet... Day 25 Ashqabat to Gorgan

OCTOBER 4TH, 2010

Peking to Paris Motor Challenge update. More about the race here

Peter Roberts and Colin Beasley - Delage Tourer - emerge from the Iran border formalities.

“It’s a bit like the Mille Miglia,” said Rudi Friedrichs, the Alvis driver who was among the first to arrive at Gorgan at the end of a long hot 600 kms drive.

People waved, children cheered, police cars gave impromptu personal escorts through towns to individual cars…and whenever a rallycar stopped, a crowd quickly grew of admirers keen to welcome the Peking to Paris.

It has been totally organic, a warmth that only comes from impulsive and impromptu response to a rally driving through a community. When Clerk of the Course Kim Bannister stopped at a petrol-station to refuel the diesel Toyota pick-up, a truck driver at a nearby pump put his nozzle into the Toyota, filled our tank, and then refused any payment! Extraordinary stories of similar generosity have filtered through the rally ranks now that we are arriving in the hotels in Gorgan.

Hugo Upton and Nigel Gambier were welcomed by two teenagers on a motorbike who performed long wheelies, balancing precariously on one wheel right alongside their Lagonda as they left traffic lights coming into town here.
Driving the Impossible

Rupert Marks and Simon Mackenzie-Smith - Ford Model A

Our day started early, and it was another very hot day in bright sunshine. We climbed up a smooth tarmac road that swept and turned around the side of a mountain to reach the exit-border of Turkmenistan. There were no declaration papers for immigration, and it took some time for these to be found… it was just the start of the typical border frustrations.

At the entry to Iran, we were greeted by local members of the Iran Motor Federation who had turned up to give us a display of their own classic cars, and there was a loud round of applause when the first few cars inched their way through into the final compound.

We have been helped extensively in our organisation here by the Iran Motor Federation who have carried out a brilliant logistical exercise, as all cars were excused the need for a Carnet de Passage, and lots of pre-planning to help ease our way… at every town we were saluted by police patrolmen parked up by their cars, clearly whoever carried the route-authorisation on our behalf has done a thorough job.

The first 300 kilometres was through stunning countryside, brilliantly-smooth tarmac… as one driver remarked, “it’s the same grade of tarmac you see at race circuits like Silverstone”, and we found ourselves driving through deep mountain valleys, and at times had the road to ourselves. It’s the first time since Beijing the cars have been on perfectly smooth tarmac roads of real quality. A real driver’s road, the moment you leave the border.

We have reached the town of Gorgan, near the coast of the Caspian Sea, and tomorrow see some more of Iran.

Our hotel administration has caused some heart-burn as arrangements were suddenly changed when the President of Iran’s entourage took over our hotels, forcing our rooms to be cancelled… this has, we think, now been sorted, as the bodyguards have agreed to change their booking and so re-release to us our rooms, but if not, we will have to resort to our sleeping bags again and crash down in the corridors. The rooms are empty, and we are here, so, you might think, “where’s the problem?” Ah, understanding the ways of Iranian red-tape is not something that can be understood in an instant.

A Leader Loses His Grip… Day 24 Turkmenabat to Ashqabat

OCTOBER 3RD, 2010
Peking to Paris Motor Challenge update. More about the race here

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Arthur Freeman and Roger James - Ford Deluxe Coupe

Is metal fatigue beginning to make its impact on the results? Today was a fairly straight-forward run of 600 kilometres through the vast sands of the Taklamikan Desert, a Time Control out in the morning, one to clock in at the end of the day in the capital city of Ashgabat, and a few Passage Controls where no timing is recorded during the day. It sounds mighty light on pressure, but it was enough to see Max Stephenson in the 1925 Vauxhall tumble off the top of the leaderboard of the Pioneer Category, as he lost time with a broken steering arm.

He arrived at the hotel on the back of a truck, and for that, the penalty is that Max and navigator Carl Watson lose their claim for a Gold Medal finishers-award. It is a totally disheartening end of a very hot day for the two Australians who have dominated the top of the Pioneer leader-board since the outset.

Charlie and Nellie Bishop who have been 25 minutes adrift of the Australians now take over the top spot as 1st overall in the Pioneer Category, and David Ayre, in a remarkably reliable effort in the 1907 Itala, now takes up second overall, and Nicky Bailey and Janek Mamino in the 1918 Buick Roadster are third.
Driving the Impossible

Max Stephenson and Carl Watson - Vauxhall 23/60 - drop from leading the Pioneer Category

In the Vintageant Category, Steve Hyde in the Chevy Fangio Coupe still commands the pre-’41 Vintageant Category, with Michael Thompson and Andrew Davies second in a Chrysler 75 Roadster that survived the Peking Paris last time, they are just under 30 minutes off the pace of the leaders, and William and Victoria Medcalf are third in their Bentley. Michael and Anne Wilkinson are holding fourth in their Alvis.

In the Classic Category, Gerry Crown in the ’64 Holden with Matt Bryson is cruising along, having injured his wrist Gerry has let Matt take over the driving as the constant gearchange was just aggravating an old rally-injury, but he reckons he will be driving again when the Time Trials re-start in Iran.

The Turkish team in the ’67 Anadol – a glassfibre bodied car built in Turkey for some five years with the help of Reliant, powered by a Ford Cortina 1600cc engine, is second, and the Aston Martin DB5 of Adrian Gosen and Andrew Honeychurch holding third.

We are now in Ashgabat, a city that rarely makes the news. The capital of Turkmenistan, it is all wide tree-lined streets, immaculately kept, it could be Zurich, or Geneva, not a single cigarette-end is allowed in the gutter, there are manicured lawns, rows of pot-plants, lots of fountains, including a roundabout which a tour-guide reckons on being the largest water fountain in the world, and as you drive down the streets, little fountains in the central reservation of the dual-carriageways are lit up with constantly changing colours. The architecture is just unique – one vast government building, the national library, looks just like an open book. Truly a fascinating place.

Tomorrow we have the border to cross into Iran in the morning and then a massive 600 kilometre day to Gorgan... life on the Peking to Paris is certainly unpredictable.

Live your Passion