CELEBRITY CHEF JAMES MARTIN IN HIS MASERATI A6GCS AT THE 2008 MILLE MIGLIA

May 16th. 2008, 9:36am

Celebrity chef and car aficionado James Martin has entered his latest addition to his car collection, a stunning Maserati A6GCS, in this year’s Mille Miglia race.

James, who acquired and painstakingly restored his 1948 A6GCS (one of only 15 ever built) just a few months ago, headed off to Italy on Sunday in a new Maserati GranTurismo. He was accompanied by a TV crew who will be filming him and his co-driver Sarah Bennett-Baggs, herself a racing driver and team manager, for a one-off documentary which will be aired later this year.

The Mille Miglia starts today at 19:30 from Brescia, Italy and will finish on Saturday at 22:30 again in Brescia. A total of 10 Maseratis, including James Martin’s A6GCS featuring race number 161, will be competing in the 2008 edition of the “world’s greatest road race”.

For further information please contact:

Silvia Pini
Head of Communications
Maserati GB
Tel: +44 (0)1753 878 705
Mobile: +44 (0)7764 157 270
Email: spini@maserati.co.uk

Note to editors:

1. The Maserati GranTurismo is a true four-seat, thoroughbred, muscular sports car, which is thrilling to drive, and makes no compromises when it comes to on-board functionality and comfort. The large oval front grille and the long bonnet furrowed with the classic “V” streak make the GranTurismo instantly recognisable. Powered by a prodigious V8 engine producing 405 hp, the GranTurismo represents the ultimate in trans-continental crossing, high-performance luxurious motoring.

Prices for the Maserati GranTurismo start at £78,650.

2. The Maserati A6GCS features an open 2-seater barchetta body with cycle wings, no doors and a single central headlight (monofaro in Italian) and was crafted by factory coachbuilder Medardo Fantuzzi of Tipo 26 fame. A body with integrated mudguards and three headlights was introduced for endurance racing in 1948. A unique streamlined coupé was built for Luigi Villoresi to drive in the 1947 Mille Miglia. A total of 15 cars were made. Two team cars raced with Alberto Ascari and Luigi Villoresi in 1947 and 1948, the latter winning the Italian championship both years. The A6GCS also raced in Formula 2 as a single seater, with its road-going equipment removed and the passenger seat blanked-off, resulting in a net weight of 580 kg.
3. For more information and to follow James and Sarah’s Mille Miglia adventure visit www.1000miglia.eu