About Windrush Car Storage

For over a century, the twelve-cylinder piston engine format has powered some of the greatest vehicles to grace Windrush’s classic car storage. Here are ten all-time favourites, picked by the team.   The V12 has history. Back in 1904, the world’s first twelve-cylinder piston engine – split into twin banks of six cylinders whose ‘V’ shape gave it the name – was originally designed for boat racing. Scan the annals since then and you’ll find the V12 powering everything from Panzer tanks and military trucks to diesel locomotives and World War II aircraft. But more than any of these, it’s the iconic automobiles featuring that classic engine configuration that have endured – and here at Windrush long term car storage, it’s our pleasure to keep them that way. Here are ten of the very best V12s, as chosen by our prestige car storage team.        McLaren F1 (1992) Think ‘supercar’ and the mental image that flashes up is still the legend unveiled at Monaco’s Sporting Club in May 1992. Gordon Murray’s concept and Peter Stevens’ body design were impeccable, but the mythology came from BMW Motorsport’s 6.1 V12, powering the McLaren to a production car world record of 240.1mph. Own one and you’re in good company, from Rowan Atkinson to Ralph Lauren. Pagani Zonda (1999) Founded by ex-Lamborghini engineer Horacio Pagani at the dawn of the ’90s, this Italian newcomer debuted in style with a supercar that went from underdog to object of desire overnight. Pagani’s famous attention to detail – and scholarly knowledge of composites – marked the Zonda out before you even turned the key, but the masterstroke was to include the 6.0 V12 from Mercedes-Benz AMG, nudging 400hp and ludicrously good fun. Lamborghini Miura Largely driven by his rivalry with Ferrari, Ferruccio Lamborghini hired the great Italian engineer Giotto Bizzarrini to dream up an engine that would pip the prancing horse, and from the late-’60s, his mid-mounted 3.9 V12 made the Miura look and move like an arrowhead on wheels. Perhaps Bizzarrini’s greatest triumph was his engine’s longevity: that V12 endured (with the occasional facelift) right through to the 2011 Lamborghini Murcielago.  Maserati MC12 As scarce as it gets – with just 50 road cars produced to homologate the 12 racers competing in the FIA GT Championship – the guts of the MC12 was the Ferrari F140 6.0 V12 (a derivative of which is in the Ferrari 812). It jumped off the mark like a scalded cat – 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds – topped out at 205mph, and is an occasional and very welcome guest at Windrush’s classic car storage.   Ferrari 812 Superfast The name wasn’t exactly subtle, but the Superfast lived up the billing. With a 6.5 V12 capable of 789hp and 9000rpm – with no turbocharging – there had never been a more powerful naturally aspirated production car engine when it debuted at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show. In fact, that engine was so good that Top Gear considered the rest of the Superfast almost an afterthought: “The mightiest V12 of them all. With the rest of a car attached…”   Rolls Royce Phantom Unlike the go-faster brigade elsewhere in this countdown, the Phantom was as silent, stately and serene as the name suggested. But that effortless vibe belied the graft being done within by the 6.75 N73 BMW V12, taken from the E65 BMW 7-Series, but with increased capacity. A car that reminded us that luxury, class and sophistication were not mutually exclusive with raw power. Jaguar V12 While many V12 cars are untouchable icons that exist only in the pages of magazines, Jaguar’s classic twelve-cylinder is the one you’re most likely to have sampled, thanks to its inclusion in multiple production models through the ’70s and ’80s. Stick a pin in Jaguar’s production history and you’ll find it doing the business, from the vintage E-Type to the XJS and XJ of the ’80s, Jaguar’s engine was complex, silent, powerful and, perhaps above all, abundant, bringing the V12 to the driveways of everyday drivers. Ferrari 250 (1953) Pinin Farina’s undulating closed berlinetta bodywork delivered on the style, but it was Gioacchino Colombo’s 2933cc V12 that supplied the substance, mounted longitudinally in the front and capable of 237hp. Far more than a stopgap, the engine would go on to be fitted to various incarnations of the 250 including the GTO, California Spyder and GT SWB. Mercedes-Benz S600 (1991) Hard to believe given its proud history, but in 1991, the S600 represented Benz’s first toe into the V12 market. The newly designed 6.0-litre engine was the German marque’s first mass-produced twelve-cylinder for a passenger car, not to mention the most powerful MB engine to date, packing 408hp. Audi Q7 TDI 2008 was a vintage year for Audi, with the marque cheering Allan McNish to Le Mans victory in an R10, while readying a new Q7 whose V12 twin-turbo diesel posted an audacious 1000nm of torque and 493hp. Autocar described it as “the Q7 for those who struggle with the concept of self-constraint and have very deep pockets” – and it was meant as a compliment. Choose Windrush prestige car storage, for V12s and beyond At Windrush’s long term car storage, we know exactly how to treat your car, whether it’s a vintage V12 or a cherished modern classic. Read a little more about our prestige car storage programme, and you’ll be reassured that our state of the art facilities in London and the Cotswolds are exactly where your vehicle should be when it’s resting off the road. From the warm welome of our professional washing and drying regime, to the regular checkovers and maintenance regime that keep your vehicle in peak condition for the length of its stay, no other prestige car storage programme goes further. The Windrush team is ready to welcome you to our classic car storage in London and the Cotswolds. To learn more, drop us a line on info@windrushcarstorage.co.uk

At Windrush, we thrive on providing the best prestige car storage, and continually strive to be better. Our approach has enabled us to qualify for the highly regarded ISO9001 certified status – but what does that mean for our clients? Classic car storage, in town and country Established by Tim Earnshaw in 2004, Windrush operates two long term car storage centres: a secure, secretive storage facility situated underneath the streets of Central London and an expansive headquarters hidden from view within beautiful Cotswolds countryside. Both are renowned for offering unrivalled care and attention to detail for fastidious owners of all types of vehicle. A superior service, recognised by ISO status Since our launch, the Windrush classic car storage team has continually improved and enhanced our service levels, earning highly coveted ISO9001 certification in the process. ISO status is awarded on a number of quality management principles including strong customer focus, motivation and implication of top management, a process-driven approach and continual business improvement. ISO 9001 sets out strict measures for the quality management systems in place within an organisation. To remain certified, every member company has to prove and display a continually developing business which meets the expectations required to maintain ISO membership. Using ISO 9001 processes ensures Windrush customers receive consistent, good-quality products and services while helping our management team to promote continual internal development and service level enhancements. Prestige car storage, always going the extra mile At Windrush we never rest on our laurels, a fact that has earned our leading reputation in the classic car storage sector. Our clients already understand the levels we go to, but for those who would like to know more, we have detailed our meticulous processes here. Meanwhile, if you’re considering entrusting your vehicle to our long term car storage facilities, you may like to download our latest client PDF brochure. The entire Windrush team are proud to be the best, and assure our clients, present and future, that we will always seek new ways to improve our long term car storage service to stay well ahead of the rest. Windrush’s team is ready to talk you through our long term car storage service. Get in touch on info@windrushcarstorage.co.uk    

Pure, unashamed luxury. We all deserve a bit of it, and for many of Windrush’s clients, a car is not simply a utilitarian means of travelling from A to B, but a private bubble of glorious self-indulgence. From the glossy sheen of premium upholstery to the cultured purr of a no-expense-spared engine, our luxury car storage team has seen every dream machine in the book. Now, we present ten of the most desirable and decadent vehicles ever to grace our long term car storage facilities in London and the Cotswolds. Lexus LS400 Launched in 1989 as Japan’s first serious attempt at fighting with the Euro luxury market (represented by the Jaguar XJ, Audi A8, Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7-Series), the LS400 offered peerless build quality, near-silent 4.0V8 and all the luxury you needed (even though in today’s world it looks positively spartan). They came, they saw, they (kind of) conquered, though many luxury car enthusiasts just couldn’t leave behind a prestige badge. Maybach 57/62 Yes, it was a bit dated (based on the outgoing Mercedes-Benz S-Class) and granted, it was a bit gaudy, but countless hip-hop stars can’t be wrong. The Maybach was expensive too, but that was all part of the plan, marking the owner out as being very wealthy indeed. Inside, you found private jet-style fully reclining seats, hence the showbiz maxim: ‘laid back in the Maybach’. Rolls-Royce Phantom The Phantom represented a comeback for R-R in 2017 when it unveiled a brand-new model under the ownership of BMW. Vast in size (not to mention vastly over-engineered) and one of the biggest automotive statements ever launched, Rolls-Royce was back after a few years of lacklustre models. The Phantom heralded a new dawn for the firm and it hasn’t looked back since. Mercedes-Benz S-Class Rewind a few years and the S-Class was regularly cited as ‘the best car in the world’. Launched in 1972, it remained true to its well-built, luxury saloon format for life, always offering a variety of trims and engines. Meanwhile, the S-Class was unique in being available with a small engine (usually around 2.8 litres) in fairly basic trim, to a powerful V8 or V12, absolutely loaded with kit. Whatever trim you went for, over-engineered class was the order of the day, and the S-Class remains a stalwart of our luxury car storage. Range Rover What started out as a slightly more comfortable way to own a 4×4, quickly became a beacon of wealth and taste. The country set took it to their hearts – quickly followed by the city types – and all around the world, it has been the first-choice luxury car for over 50 years. The Range Rover has fought battles with every luxury brand to retain the crown of best luxury 4×4 – but none has managed to knock it from its lofty perch.   Jaguar XJ Since launching in the late-’60s, the Jaguar XJ has been driven by good guys, bad guys, royalty, politicos and countless visitors to Windrush’s classic car storage. The model simply oozes British charm, while cosseting those fortunate enough to sit in one. Best of all, being a Jaguar, it handled superbly and had a great turn of speed. It’s fair to say the XJ was never the pinnacle of the luxury car sector, but it certainly commanded the most respect. Bentley Arnage In fairness, you could choose any Bentley and it would be at home on this list, but the Arnage was the last (so they say) of the ‘proper’ Bentleys, with handmade construction, the finest materials and a whopping great engine up front. It is regal, classy and carries its class in a fine-tailored suit. Not that expensive today, but it still demands an awed hush when it floats into Windrush’s prestige car storage. Aston Martin Lagonda Yes, we mean the wedge-shaped one from the late-’70s. Futuristic, angular, laden with electronics and designed by William Towns, the Lagonda was the first production car to feature a digital dashboard. So advanced were its looks, it never sold in large numbers, and so advanced was its technology that it often suffered from gremlins. But what a way to (sometimes) travel. Maserati Quattroporte The Maserati was never a rival for more traditional luxury cars, but we can’t ignore the Quattroporte (four-doors in Italian). Launched in 1963, it has been around longer than you might expect, but it was the 2003 model that most remember. Fitted with a normally-aspirated, dry sump 4.2 V8, it was a supercar with seats. Notoriously expensive to run – but the noise from the V8 was worth the outlay alone. Audi A8 While the A8 has become the chauffeur car of choice, suffering from a spot of anonymity as a result, we can’t ignore the way this model launched into the sector. When unveiled in 1994, the A8 was the first production car to feature an aluminium chassis (making it enviably lightweight), while it was also sleek, well-designed and beautifully appointed. It’s the car that saw Audi barge its way into the Mercedes-Benz S-Class party with style, and the two have battled ever since. Choose Windrush prestige car storage for the lap of luxury Whether you drive a luxury car or something a little more functional, at Windrush classic car storage, we always apply the same passion, expertise and sky-high standards. Our luxury car storage service starts with a twelve-stage induction process that prepares your car for its downtime. We continue with an ongoing maintenance schedule that keeps your pride and joy primed during long term car storage. And our service doesn’t stop until you collect the keys. For luxury car storage, it has to be Windrush. Get in touch with the team today on info@windrushcarstorage.co.uk