Bonham Cars

[abg7]

When will you show us the 90s Chaucer? That one also spawned several variants, just like the current one.

[Leonardo9613]

It is on the cards to bring it here.
I have to revisit it, however, because due to the TCC rules and characteristics, there are a few non-canon things on those cars. But yes, it will come.

[Leonardo9613]

You’ve seen it at Goodwood and voted for it as the best car shown on the Festival of Speed.

But, in case you missed it, here is an explanation as to what the Bonham Vision Gran Turismo is.

Props to @titleguy1 for the artwork

The Bonham Vision Gran Turismo is what happens when you combine the elements of the great racing simulation and its passion for racing and perfection together with the design team from Bonham, with inputs from Luceat Studios. This low, wide, aggressive sports car is the ultimate expression of the classic 2-seater, front-engined, rear-wheel drive sports car.

Upfront, the car has a 4.7 V8 engine, with 520 hp and capable of revving all the way to 8800 rpm. The power is sent to the rear wheels only, through a 7-speed dual clutch gearbox, which is coupled to an electic differention. The weight distribution is a perfect 50/50 and, with the all-aluminium chassis and panels, this lightweight race trim weighs just 1482 kg, all of which enables the Bonham VGT to get from 0-62 in just 3.5s and all the way onto a top speed of 173 mph.

It was timed going up the hill in just .
Below, car in action, taking the hill at Goodwood, in the virtual environment of Gran Turismo.

And soon it could also become a reality. Stay tuned.

[DeusExMackia]

Well let’s just be honest and drop the shit, it looks fucking gorgeous, both in that black and white grey and the semi-British Racing Green. And my body is ready for all and any production cars that come of this marvelous creation.

[abg7]

Is that V8 engine in the Vision GT cross-plane or flat-crank? Also, is it turbocharged or normally aspirated?

Edit: Since it is an atmo cross-plane V8, it is very reminiscent of a V8 Vantage to me. It’s not offered in any Chaucer variant, though, which is a shame.

[titleguy1]

Naturally aspirated cross-plane V8.

I still have the file

[DeusExMackia]

#A Motoring Man’s Meanderings
###Review: Bonham Chaucer Brooklands (Estate)
“Stiff upper lip by day, steroid induced adrenaline junkie by night”

With the Rennen Angeles R roadtested, the next logical step is to test Bonham’s offering into the mid-size performance market. The Chaucer Brooklands might sound like a stately homed owned by the National Trust, but it’s about as posh as a Primark dinner jacket. It’s not cheap, like Primark, however; the Brooklands is currently the most powerful car in its class, with a 511 hp power output courtesy of a turbocharged 3.0l i6. They certainly aren’t messing around then, and better still, they’ve even given me the choice of two variants to test drive. I’ll pick the estate, I think, simply for the fact that that rear end looks delicious.

Today, we’re back in England. Gloucester specifically - it’s about an hour from the factory in Redditch, and being down here gives me easy access to the Cotswold Hills, which hide some surprisingly good tarmac so long as you’re prepared to dodge the off Chelsea tractor.

As I’ve said, that rear looks delightful. The front isn’t quite as exciting, but it manages to balance loudness with just enough restraint. Massive cut outs and a gaping bottom grill certainly tell you its a performance vehicle, but they haven’t overdone it, despite how big these vents are. The vents on the side of the car are also a nice touch.

Unlike the Angeles R, the Chaucer Brooklands is RWD, with E-LSD and 7 Speed DCT. Vented discs all round, active dampers, and a load of aero work. It’s certainly up to date then tech wise, yet the specs aren’t too different from the Angeles. 0-60 in the same 3.9 seconds, despite the 40 extra horsepower and the lower weight even on this estate model. Still, perhaps it’s all in the drive.

On the road and first impressions are that it feels sharp. Much sharper than the Angeles. The handling is just as precise, but the solid suspension makes it feel more connected to the road. It brakes brilliantly too, and they have the balancing perfect for the weight distribution. Speaking of which, thanks to the extra metal at the rear, the weight balance of this thing is just a smidgen off 50/50, and it really benefits from this. Turn the ESP off and coaxing powerslides out of it is like buttering toast, even on these tight country back lanes. It’s more than happy to break loose when you throttle it, but that slight sense of danger keeps it exciting.

But, there is a problem with the power delivery; the torque. It’s odd to say the least. Turbos kick in bang on the dot of 3k RPM, which is perfectly fine, and you do get a nice kick from that. But, the torque then dips back down, suddenly meaning you don’t quite have as much pull as you expected. So you keep your foot down, and finally it picks up properly after 6000 and peaks 7000. At the top end, this fine, as it means you get to drive a turbo car where peak torque and peak power and close to one another. But in the middle, it gets bogged down. And it feels remarkably unnatural if you’re used to, well, just about any other turbocharghed performance car.

And where does that extra power go? It revs very high for a turbo engine, but it doesn’t really deliver any more gusto. I’m minded to say it’s wasting some of it spinning its wheels, or that it could do better if it had AWD, but something tells me it really in that setup, and that even if retuning a bit to cut out the mid-range dip costs its that 511 hp power figure.

Still, the wain of that 3.0l i6 in the upper reaches of its rev range is gorgeous. It’s just a shame its a nuisance to reach that. As a result, overtaking gets a bit of getting used to with the weird torque curve, though it’s not like it doesn’t produce a lot of torque, meaning when driving around time, its not too noticeable a problem.

Something else the Chaucer does very well is comfort. The interior is great, not quite as high specced as the Angeles (but then again, I felt that was a bit of an issue with that car anyway), and perfectly practical. But it’s the ride that really sells it; screw the air suspension of the Angeles, the Chaucer glides over the bump with only the assistance of the adaptive dampers. Some will say it’s not quite “purist” with that electronic gear on here, but it’s such a nice thing to have for when you’re just driving normally. And it means you can still corner as well as this car can when you need it.

I feel like I could live with this car. It adapts very well, drives very well and performs well, so long as you can excuse the slightly odd torque curve. It’s the handling that really took me with this car; nothing beats a balanced chassis, and the estate version of this car has just that. I’d certainly say it’s worth the extra money just to experience it (plus for the practicality, for those more sensible buyers).

It’s also a real looker, and is certainly the one to consider if you want a car in this category that will turn heads without shouting about it. Plus, it’s got the Brooklands name - that’s not something to argue with. It’s got a bit of badge going on, but it’s to your benefit, not the company’s (in that they can charge you more for no reason). Plus, five hundred horsepower is five hundred horsepower. You’ve already won automotive top trumps if you have this thing, it’s such a powerhouse. The Chaucer then is the one you want if handling is you top priority, and if you want those gaping front vents and a straight-six soundtrack. I just wished they’d tuned it a little more carefully.

Two down, two…three? Maybe four to go? Zenshi are next, Erin after that (although I’m, er, going to ‘struggle’ to do that) and any other company who wants to challenge in this market. Heck, at this rate, I might even have to compile this all into one review…

- Gavin Anderson

[Leonardo9613]

The 2018 Bonham Fleming

Continuing the long tradition of the front-engined, rear-wheel drive luxury British GT car, the new Fleming is the perfect car for the secret agent who wants to have a relaxing drive home after a day of work, with the speed and handling to run away from the mobsters, if required.

On this new generation, the car has been reconceived from the ground up, featuring an all-aluminium construction and advanced suspension technology, with semi-active dampers and sway bars, with Road, Sport and Track settings, that also control the exhaust noise, throttle mapping and dashboard lighting and layout. There are also two individual settings, that allows individual configurations amongst the different systems.

Inside is where the Fleming shines. The hand-stitched nappa leather is omni-present around the cabin and the 21-speaker Bang and Olufsen sound system amount to an unrivalled luxury ambiance.

The Fleming is available with two engine options, a 3.0 turbocharged straight-six with 500 hp, lifted from the Chaucer Brooklands, and a naturally-aspirated 6.0 V12, with 644 hp, courtesy of Agnelli-Dumont. Both engines use a 7-speed dual clutch automatic to send power to the rear wheels only and are equipped with an electronic limited slip differential. Carbon-ceramic brakes are standard equipment on the V12 and optional on the Straight-Six.

For technical details, click the arrows below:

Fleming Straight-Six 3.0 Turbo - $86,400 @100%

Fleming V12 6.0 - $110,600 @100%

Photo gallery

[abg7]

If I had the chance I would order my Fleming with a V12 - it just sounds better, even though the turbo six is cheaper and thriftier. At any rate the Fleming should whet my appetite until the Chaucer is remade.

[Leonardo9613]

The Fleming GTE

The racing version of the brand-new Bonham Fleming is ready to tackle La Sarthe, Daytona, Silverstone and all other tracks on the GTE calendar.

The GTE is powered by a tuned version of the 3.0 straight-six turbo from the standard car and achieves under 1500 kg in race spec, over 300 kg lighter than the original car, due to the complete stripping of the interior from any trace of leather or massaging seats.

Three liveries have been pre-conceived for the Fleming GTE, the classic British Racing Green, with gold touches, the corporate Light Blue and Orange combo from Wulf Refineries and a Deep Black and Silver combination, first seen on the Bonham Vision Gran Turismo.

Full photo gallery

[Leonardo9613]

The 2019 Bonham Fleming Drophead Coupe

Convertibles usually come with penalties that spoil the driving and road comfort, related to the loss of rigidity and added strengthening required. Since the Fleming has been designed from the outset to be a convertible, the chassis didn’t need extensive alterations. That way, weight not only didn’t increase, as it actually went down by 8 kg on the straight-six model. The V12 is, by contrast, 8 kg heavier, due to improvements in the interior quality and sound insulation. Coupled with the advanced all-aluminium construction, there should be no difference between driving either the Fixed or Drophead models.

The engines are exactly the same as those fitted to the Coupe, being either a 501 hp turbocharged inline 6 or a naturally aspirated V12 with 644 hp. Meanwhile, the gearbox fitted to the V12 model is new, the double clutch unit being replaced by an 8 speed automatic. The smoother and more comfortable nature of this new gearbox should enhance the grand-touring experience of the V12 model. This change will also be carried over to the 2019 coupe.

First deliveries begin in Spring 2018, with all cars being built at Bonham’s factory in Redditch, UK.

Available trims - click on the arrows to show details

Fleming Drophead Coupe Straight-Six - $93,870 at 110% markup

Technical Details

Chassis

Glued Aluminium Monocoque and Aluminium panels
Front Longitudinal engine, RWD
7 speed Double Clutch transaxle gearbox, with an electric limited slip differential
Double Wishbone front suspension, Multilink rear
Carbon ceramic brakes
Weight: 1,775 kg

Engine
Inline 6. 2997 cc. turbocharged
Direct injection
Variable Valve Timing on Admission and Exhaust
Variable Valve Lift
95 RON Premium Fuel required
Power: 501 hp at 8,600 rpm
Torque: 470 Nm at 6,800 rpm
Redline: 9,000 rpm

Performance figures

0-62: 4.3 s
Top Speed: 199 mph
50 to 75 mph: 2.1 s
Quarter Mile: 12.31s
Fuel economy: 31 mpg combined

Fleming Drophead Coupe V12 - $115,920 at 110% markup

Technical Details

Chassis

Glued Aluminium Monocoque and Aluminium panels
Front Longitudinal engine, RWD
8 speed Torque Converter transaxle gearbox, with an electric limited slip differential
Double Wishbone front suspension, Multilink rear
Carbon ceramic brakes
Weight: 1,946 kg

Engine
V12, 5995 cc, Naturally Aspirated
Direct injection
Variable Valve Timing on Admission and Exhaust
Variable Valve Lift
95 RON Premium Fuel required
Power: 644 hp at 8,500 rpm
Torque: 645 Nm at 6,100 rpm
Redline: 9,000 rpm

Performance figures

0-62: 4.1 s
Top Speed: 210 mph
50 to 75 mph: 2.1 s
Quarter Mile: 12.06s
Fuel economy: 25 mpg combined

[DeusExMackia]

Review: 2018 Bonham Fleming V12 Drophead

“Oh for crying out loud, just LOOK at it”

As I’ve said before, the GT car is a hard car to mess up. And Bonham should know; the Fleming marque carries with it years of prestige, as well as the reputation of older models to be about as reliable as a drunk working in a liquor store. That, however, certainly hasn’t graced more recent models, and this new one should be no different.

Because of the ease of designing a GT car, Bonham have been able to really go all out and create a genuinley stunning design. It follows all the principles of such a car; unfussy, understated and pretty. But, they also haven’t been afraid to add some aggression into those compelx headlights, some slight retro with that classic long nose, and some muscle with that quad exhaust set at the rear. There’s no other way to put it: it is an astonishingly beautiful car.

And now, it has no roof. The dainty canvas design it’s been replaced with harks back to the older days of luxury coupes of the sixties, and so perfectly complements the gracefulness of this car. Why would it have a folding metal roof? It’s not German, it doesn’t need to show off. I mean just look at it.

What’s it like to drive? Awful. So damn awful. So awful in fact that I didn’t know where the end the roadtest. I didn’t feel like I could find a road that really do it justice - the A82 in Sctoland would be ideal, but I was stuck down at the Bonham dealership in Richmond. Well, I guess a blast down the A3 down to the South Downs wouldn’t be too hard, and with 644 West Midlands horses on tap, it wouldn’t take long either.

At 70 mph, this car is so quiet that words don’t do it justice. The advanced auto box sits in 8th gear, purring over at barely a smidgen above idle. And it just wooshes its way down the road. It’s a sensation of serenity like no other.

Off the A3 at Petersfield and on to the twisty A272 over to Winchester. Roof down, gearbox in sports mode, and holy god this car shoves. It may well weigh two tons, but the outstanding suspension and incredible power from that V12 engine just make it so damn good. It’s a soft car this, as it should be, but its the way it controls it weight that makes the difference. It’s always safe and pliable, yet also delivers great feedback to the wheel. It feels remarkably professional, and the result is driving satisfaction like no other. And of course, with the roof off, that V12 sounds like the voice of angels.

Make no mistake, I would have the Drophead version any day over the coupe. It feels more natural, and thanks to their clever engineering, Bonham have managed to make it barely any heavier than before. And this isn’t exactly a heavyweight coupe in the first place.

What this car exudes is satisfaction. The passion in the engineering, the grace in the design and the immensity of its performance. It doesn’t matter what the specs really come down to, you just know with this car when you see it. A GT car that maintains what makes GT coupes so good, but keeps up on appearances. It’s damn near flawless.

Cars this good are why I became a motoring journalist in the first place; they celebrate the joy of driving.

- Gavin Anderson

[Leonardo9613]

The 2019 Bonham Fleming Brooklands

Time for the Fleming to get the Brooklands treatment. As with all Brooklands models, the car has been transformed and everything has been turned to 11.

First and foremost, the V12 engine has been turbocharged. With that, power has been lifted from 644 hp to 907 hp, with 996 Nm of torque, with no less than 900 Nm all the way from 3,000 rpm to the 6,500 rpm. Peak power comes at 8,200 rpm and the redline is set at 9,000 rpm.

To put all this power to the road, RWD wasn’t enough. Therefore an AWD system had to be installed. Default settings send 35% of the power to the front axle and 65% to the rear axle, however in extreme situations up to 90% of the power can be send to the rear or up to 50% to the front. The power shuffling is controlled by an E-Diff, fitted to the rear axle of the car, along with the 7-speed DCT gearbox.

Power is put down to the road through high performance Pirelli P Zero tyres, with Corsas optional. The xx inch wheels are carbon fibre and exclusive to the Fleming Brooklands, and house the carbon-ceramic brakes.

Inside, luxury wasn’t forgotten, with the car now sporting a premium sport interior, all covered in Alcantara and a 10-speaker sound system by Bang and Olufsen.

The luxurious experience inside, coupled with the added weight of the drivetrain, meant that despite the all aluminium construction, the Fleming Brooklands weighs more than 2 tons, at 2,008 kg.

In spite of that, the performance numbers are staggering. 0-62 mph comes in just 2.5s and top speed is 225 mph.

Fleming Brooklands can be pre-ordered from now, deliveries starting in June.

Technical details

Chassis

Glued Aluminium Monocoque and Aluminium panels
Front Longitudinal engine, AWD
7 speed Double Clutch transaxle gearbox, with an electric limited slip differential
Double Wishbone front suspension, Multilink rear
Carbon ceramic brakes
Carbon fibre wheels
Weight: 2,008 kg

Engine
V12, 5995 cc, turbocharged
Direct injection
Variable Valve Timing on Admission and Exhaust
Variable Valve Lift
98 RON Premium Fuel required
Power: 907 hp at 8,200 rpm
Torque: 996 Nm at 3,100 rpm
Redline: 9,000 rpm

Performance figures

0-62: 2.5 s
Top Speed: 225 mph
50 to 75 mph: 1.3 s
Quarter Mile: 10.02s
ATT lap time: 2:02.54
Fuel economy: 18.6 mpg combined

Price $156,600 with 200% markup

[Leonardo9613]

The new Bonham Kashmir

The ultimate in luxury has now been given a new benchmark.

Bonham Kashmir 6.0 V12 in British Racing Green

The Bonham Kashmir has a long lineage of luxury, stretching all the way to the pre-war years, with some of the very first cars used by the royal family bearing the Kashmir name. That tradition has been kept over the years, with the Kashmir ER II, a 1952 special edition made especially for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth and used by the royal family for years to come, being the most expensive car sold at the London CM Auctions.

This new model carries on with being the pinnacle of luxury. The body and chassis are entirely constructed in aluminium, as are the suspension arms, with a double wishbone set up at the front and multilink in the rear. All models get air suspension as standard, inline 6 models come with adaptive dampers and semi-active anti-roll mechanisms, while the V12 model has a fully active set up for the anti-roll bars, making use of a 48V secondary electrical architecture to control the electric motors that govern the suspension.

Three engine options and trim levels are being offered. Balmoral and Windsor are equipped with the typical Bonham Straight-Six engine, in two outputs, 350 hp and 502 hp, both through an eight speed automatic gearbox. Balmoral has RWD as standard and AWD optional, whereas Windsor is AWD only. At the top of the line up, Kashmir Buckingham, with the charismatic Bonham V12, here twin-turbocharged to provide low end punch. The resulting 570 hp are sent to all wheels by the same 8 speed gearbox.

Bonham Kashmir 6.0 V12 in British Racing Green

Available trim levels (details available if you click on the arrows)

Kashmir 3.0 Balmoral - $89,610 at 100% markup

Technical Details

Chassis
Glued Aluminium Monocoque and Aluminium panels
Front Longitudinal engine, RWD
8 speed Automatic gearbox
Double Wishbone front suspension, Multilink rear
Weight: 2,160 kg

Engine
Inline 6. 2997 cc. turbocharged
Direct injection
Variable Valve Timing on Admission and Exhaust
Variable Valve Lift
95 RON Premium Fuel required
Power: 350 hp at 7,600 rpm
Torque:
Redline: 8,100 rpm

Performance figures

0-62: 6.2 s
Top Speed: 155 mph (electronically limited)
50 to 75 mph: 3.9 s
Quarter Mile: 14.47s
Fuel economy: 35.6 mpg combined

Kashmir 3.0S Windsor - $113,170 at 110% markup

Technical Details

Chassis
Glued Aluminium Monocoque and Aluminium panels
Front Longitudinal engine, AWD
8 speed Automatic gearbox
Double Wishbone front suspension, Multilink rear
Weight: 2,250 kg

Engine

Inline 6. 2997 cc. turbocharged
Direct injection
Variable Valve Timing on Admission and Exhaust
Variable Valve Lift
95 RON Premium Fuel required
Power: 502 hp at 7,900 rpm
Torque:
Redline: 9,000 rpm

Performance figures

0-62: 5.6 s
Top Speed: 192 mph
50 to 75 mph: 3.3 s
Quarter Mile: 13.74s
Fuel economy: 32.8 mpg combined

Kashmir 6.0 V12 Buckingham - $175,500 at 150% markup

Technical Details

Chassis
Glued Aluminium Monocoque and Aluminium panels
Front Longitudinal engine, AWD
8 speed Automatic gearbox
Double Wishbone front suspension, Multilink rear
Weight: 2,460 kg

Engine

V12, 5995 cc, Twin-turbocharged
Direct injection
Variable Valve Timing on Admission and Exhaust
Variable Valve Lift
95 RON Premium Fuel required
Power: 569 hp at 6,900 rpm
Torque:
Redline: 8,000 rpm

Performance figures
0-62: 4.6 s
Top Speed: 211 mph
50 to 75 mph: 3.0 s
Quarter Mile: 12.78s
Fuel economy: 28.5 mpg combined

Photo Gallery

Bonham Kashmir 3.0 Windsor in Sandstorm Metallic

Bonham Kashmir 6.0 V12 Buckingham in Tyrian Black Pearl

Bonham Kashmir 6.0 V12 Buckingham in Tyrian Black Pearl

Bonham Kashmir 3.0 Balmoral in Côte d’Azur

Bonham Kashmir 3.0 Balmoral in Côte d’Azur

Bonham Kashmir 6.0 V12 Buckingham in Tyrian Black Pearl

Bonham Kashmir 6.0 V12 Buckingham in Tyrian Black Pearl

The car was first shown on the 2018 Geneva Motorshow.

[Radster]

Looks really smart. My only complaint would be the lower part of the car. Has yet to grow on me, but the lights and grille are

[Hshan]

Everything seems just great except for… a sports car engine in a luxury car - I mean the 502 hp I6.

[Leonardo9613]

I meant to get a screen cap of the torque curve, but I forgot to do that. The engine might have a high specific output, but the turbo spools nice and early, with a linear power crescendo and let’s not forget this is an inline 6 engine, meaning it’s very smooth.
As with the entire Kashmir line up, it gets impressive drivability and comfort scores in game, with great market scores.

[Hshan]

But still, revving to 7900 rpm for peak power in a luxury car is a bit weird

[Leonardo9613]

Tell me what isn’t weird in the world of automation

[Leonardo9613]

The 2019 Bonham Orwell

Bonham Orwell 2.0 Balmoral in Tour de France Blue

Revised for 2019, the Bonham Orwell has moved the game on in terms of desirability in its class.
The brand new face, with full LED headlights and tail lights, give it a distinctive look, with family cues relating it directly to the top of the range Kashmir sedan, but with its own unique personality, as shown on the intricate DRL detailing.

Down the sides, the body sculpting continues with the carefully styled chrome add-ons and blacked out pillars, creating the impression of a floating roof, which can be specced in body colour, white or black.

At the rear, the car continues with the LED theme and also continues the distinctive Bonham look.

All in all, this is the first crossover you could actually want to buy.

Bonham Orwell 2.0 Balmoral in Tour de France Blue

However, it’s not all show and no go. Underneath, the Orwell is a very credible car, joining the best of Baltazar engineering together with Bonham luxury and exclusivity, The car is based on the cutting edge C/D Platform from Baltazar, with all-round fully independent suspension, a modern DCT gearbox and the new 2.0 engine range.

The engine range is composed of the VVL and VVT equipped, all-aluminium 2.0 4-cylinder unit, available in 3 states of tune, with 202, 262 and 325 hp. The car is available in Hillsborough, Balmoral and in sporty Cotswolds trim levels. The lowest power model can be had with either a 6-speed manual, which is FWD only or DCT, either with FWD or AWD, meanwhile mid spec Balmoral, both with the 202 and 262 hp engines, and sporty Cotswolds models are automatic and AWD only.

Sales begin in September in China, Anikatia and East Asia. First deliveries for Europe and the USA will begin in October.

Available trim levels (US/UK prices):

Hillsborough - 202 hp 2.0T engine, Manual or DCT
202 hp manual FWD - $ 33,610/£31,850
202 hp DCT FWD - $ 34,990/£33,210
202 hp DCT AWD - $ 36,790/£34,980

Balmoral - 202 or 262 hp 2.0T engines, DCT only
202 hp DCT AWD - $38,900/£36,950
262 hp DCT AWD - $40,355/£38,490

Cotswolds - 325 hp 2.0T DCT
325 hp DCT AWD - $45,500/£43,270

Bonham Orwell 2.0 Balmoral in British Racing Green

Bonham Orwell 2.0 Balmoral in British Racing Green