An Automotive Year in 5 Photos

[Fayaz]

Twenty-thirteen has been an eventful year for the automotive world. We've seen birthdays: The iconic Porsche 911 hit 50, and Aston Martin has made it to 100.

Many interesting cars have been released, from the nippy Ford Fiesta ST, through the breathtaking Jaguar F Type range, right through to the next generation of hypercars. Mclaren, Ferrari and Porsche have proven that a hybrid is no longer the exclusive preserve of the eco-hatchbacks, whilst setting blisteringly fast Nurburgring lap times. 

The car industry too has seen good news; TVR is to be revived and making sports cars again to the delight of enthusiasts, whilst the likes of Jaguar, Bentley and Lamborghini have shown SUVs that would not normally be associated with their brands. It's certainly been a busy year.

Closer to home, 2013 has also been an active year for UK Wheels Events. We've tried to capture it in the following five photos.

The Preston Supercar Meet is a monthly gathering of cars. Not restricted by its namesake, everything from a tuned Mini to Ferrari 458s have been the centre of attendees' curiosity. It represents just that: a gathering of petrolheads who love cars. Some drive from as far as Cheshire or Liverpool to present what they drive and admire that of others.

The 'Fast Ford Face-off' above was taken at the December meet. 

On April 1st, the Preston Supercar Meet visited Oulton Park for the British GT season opener.The day involved a spirited drive from Preston, a few parade laps of the track, and two stints of GT racing. There were some fantastic cars on display including a Bentley Speed 8 and an Enzo.

The above photo captures the essence of the day. Fervent preparation before the car is wheeled from the tent to pits; the anticipation building as onlookers catch a glimpse of a silent racer which will soon be on the limit on track; a magical snapshot of what happens behind the scenes of each race.

The Chatsworth House gathering is the largest annual gathering of TVRs. Each year, hundreds of Blackpool Rockets gather in Derby and park together on the main grounds. It is a magnificent sight, not only for it's sheer magnitude, but the  wide spectrum of colours on display. The faint rumble of Inline Sixes and V8s make a soothing backdrop as cars continue to arrive.

This picture is a TVR Tamora arriving on the scenic grounds of Chatsworth. Some TVR owning UKWE members drove in convoy from Lancashire, making for a memorable journey.

UKWE's partner Amari Supercars holds a quarterly open day. Their customers and PSCM are invited to the showroom to view current stock. Not only does this offer the chance to view showroom content, (which is often wall to wall with Ferrari and Maseratis) the car park also gets filled with vehicles that are equally impressive.

This is a shot from the October open day. The parking area is full, demonstrated by this customer V12 Vantage in a unique shade of Amethyst red.

One of the larger car gatherings in the North West is Supercar Sunday at Mitton Hall, Whalley. Naturally, UKWE and PSCM members contribute to the turnout. Taking place during the summer months, there is always a nice balance of classic and and modern cars in attendance. Notable cars that have attended include an Ultima GTR and Porsche 904 Carrera GTS. 

This Ferrari 308 is also a PSCM attendee. This picture was taken towards the end of the event, earlier flanked by a Jaguar E Type.