MOTORING
Paul Gibson
From: Maltby
Job: Managing director of Gibson Motorsport, motorsport preparation and constructing business offering
preparation of racing cars and components, with more than 450 race wins over the last 40 years.
PICTURES: CHRIS BOOTH
My Aston Martins: Both our Aston Martins are Volantes
and are pearlescent white. The DB9 we bought 11 years
ago and, to me, it is the modern DB4 while the Vanquish is
the modern DB5, which is two years old and a special “Q”
model. Both were sold to us by "Mr Aston” of the North,
Paul Thursby at Aston Martin Newcastle. I’ve purchased
10 Aston Martins from Aston Martin Newcastle – their
excellent product knowledge and service keeps me going
back to them for more. They alert me on the new product
lines coming through. In fact, I’m about to place a deposit
on the new Vanquish.
Best features: The styling of both cars sets them above the
rest and, of course, the power and the sound of the crisp
V12 engine is one to behold.
Best drive-time music: That depends on the mood and the
road - from Dire Straits’ Money for Nothing to Pavarotti’s
Nessun Dorma.
Best place to drive: Locally, the moor road between
Guisborough and Scarborough. Once you ascend Birk
Brow, you’re on your way. Beautiful medium-to-high
speed corners with the occasional twists and turns. Beyond
Whitby, a different set of challenges await.
My worst car: A
2006 BMW M5.
The car was great
but the gearbox was
unbelievably bad.
My other cars:
McLaren P1,
McLaren Senna,
Pose - Paul with his McLaren P1.
Porsche 918, Rolls-
Royce Cullinan,
and my little jewel, a Porsche Cayenne Diesel S. Cars have
always been a part of my life. I strive to be in a position to
purchase these iconic machines and care and maintain them
to the best of my ability. That’s why my company developed
Gibson Shield, the ultimate ceramic coating to maintain the
look and quality of your paint finish.
My dream car: Aston Martin Valkyrie or a McLaren F1
– respectively designed by F1 legends Adrian Newey and
Gordon Murray.
My favourite car when I was young: Surely everybody’s
dream of my age - James Bond’s DB5 from Goldfinger. The
Silver Birch car is an iconic classic these days - restored
versions fetch close to £1 million, which is a far cry from the
Corgi model that cost less than 50 pence at the time! My worst crash: Having raced for more than 40 years, I’ve
had a few! However, barrel-rolling an Audi Quattro in the
snow in 1985 was the worst. The ‘talking dash’ went into
hyper-speak! Approaching the A1M slip road on a dark cold
winter night on the M18, there was suddenly six inches of
snow. While an Audi Quattro was the best in its time, hitting
the snow on the slip road approach sent the car barrel-
rolling up the embankment. Luckily, it landed upright. I was
fine but the car wasn’t.
My parents’ cars: A Hillman Minx - in my dad's words, “We
are now doing a mile a minute, son!” They also had a Super
Minx, a Hillman Imp and a Rover 2000 TC. The maddest place I’ve ever driven: Nordschleife - the
Nürburgring - was amazing and not for the faint-hearted,
but if you’re a petrol head it’s a must in any car.
My first
car: Austin
Mini Cooper
998cc. It was
red with a
black roof.
The journey I’ll always remember: Middlesbrough to Nairn
in Scotland in the 1980s before the M9. It was a journey I
did regularly. One time, in an RX7, I did the 325 miles in
four hours 20 minutes.
Jewel - Paul's Porsche
Cayenne Diesel S.
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