MOTORING
Paul Hill
From: Middlesbrough
Job: Managing director of Tees firm Ocean Lighting
PICTURES BY MARTIN WALKER
My current car collection: My current daily car is a 2017 Audi
SQ7 in sepang blue. I bought this direct from Audi Teesside for
around £92,000, fully spec’d, as I have a passion for the Audi
Sport range of cars and the SQ7 was ideal for what I need –
including space for work and family life. Considering it is a four-
litre V8 triple turbo, I was astonished with the figures of 45-plus
motorway mpg I was returning. It literally drives like a sports car
including 0-60 in 4.7secs. You wouldn’t think you were in a big,
heavy four-by-four vehicle. It’s mind-blowing.
My weekend supercar: A 2011 Lamborghini Gallardo, which
is a bi-colour special edition with only 250 made in the world.
Mine is metallic white with a black roof and full extended leather
pack and upgrade Callisto alloys. It does 0-60 in around three
seconds and the performance from the V10 5.2-litre engine
is fantastic. It corners like it’s glued to the road. My favourite
thing about it is that as soon as you give it a rev it sounds like a
screaming demon! It’s so unique and addictive. I have always had
a passion for classic cars having owned a couple of VW Beetles,
and some old Fords and anything hot hatch from my teenage
years. My current classic collection consists of a few cars I grew
up around back then but simply could not afford to run, let
alone buy.
My current classic list includes: A 1990 Renault 5 GT Turbo
Raider Edition, of which there are only around 30 left on UK
roads; a 1990 Peugeot 205 GTi Convertible; a 1987 Ford Fiesta
XR2 Mk2; a 1985 Ford Escort RS Turbo Series 1 Custom; a 1994
Ford Escort RS Cosworth, a two-litre car with big turbo; a 340
bhp and a 2011 Ford Focus RS500, which is a limited edition, with
only 95 left in the UK. It’s value is also around 30% higher than its
price at new and rising each year. And no man should be without
a Transit van! Two years ago I purchased for Ocean Lighting a
Ford Transit Custom Sport 2.2 with all the bells and whistles. I will
never sell this thing. It’s a beauty and is lovely to drive.
My projects include: A 1983 Mk1
Fiesta XR2 with YB Cosworth
350bhp engine, which I’ve had
restored and personally rebuilt
in my spare time, while I’ve
just purchased a 1993 Fiat
Uno Turbo, which is going to
be getting stripped and fully
restored. There are only 13 of
them left on the UK's roads so
it’s a rare future classic.
Best drive-time music: I do have
a mixed playlist from funky, soulful
house music right round to ‘60s and
‘70s and anything that makes me feel
happy to drive. Whether it’s Bob Marley or
Queen, I’ll listen to it.
Best place to drive: I’ve visited some race tracks and recently
tested some Lamborghini Huracans at Oulton Park. I kind of
scared myself, to be honest, because the speed that those cars can
reach on the track is just crazy.
My favourite car when I was young: It has got to be the
Lamborghini Countach. I had a framed picture of one on my
wall from around the age of 12 and always dreamed of owning
a Lamborghini. I’ve worked hard over the years and have been
lucky enough to fulfil my dream of owning one.
My parents’ cars: My dad has always been into cars. He’s had
some old-school classics including a Ford Capri, Escort XR3i
and the big Granada.
My first car: That was a £50 Mini which I owned for the first
year of driving back when I was 17. It never made it through its
MOT so it was onwards and upwards to the Austin Metro MG.
My worst car: A company car, the Nissan Almera. It was an
horrific car in all aspects – looks, drive and performance.
My dream car: I’ve set a few goals and one of them is a McLaren
720S but the McLaren P1 is such a beautiful machine.
My worst crash: I was hit by a drunk driver whilst driving a
beautiful Audi RS4, pushing me into a car in front, causing a
lot of damage to my pride and joy. He then tried to drive off but
luckily he was caught and convicted.
The maddest place I’ve driven a car: I once drove a Peugeot
1007 hire car up into the hills of Nice in France and around the
Monaco track just before the Formula One event was due to
race.
The car journey I’ll always remember: Driving from the south
of France to Middlesbrough in a company Vauxhall Astra van.
It was a 17-hour journey at the peak of summer with no air-con,
a leaking radiator, expired MOT and a dodgy alternator. I only
stopped to fill up with fuel and water. I’ll never do that again!
tees-life.co.uk
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