07/05/2013 12:36:53

We’re a chauffeuring company – so we do the driving for you. On one recent occasion, however, the client took one look at the car and insisted on getting behind the wheel himself.

He is one of our regular customers, and it was his wedding day. In the past he’d mentioned that he was interested in a Rolls Royce Ghost. So, keen to surprise him, and with the help of a friend, we asked the company about the possibility of borrowing one and they obliged - for five whole days!
They had loaded it with ‘toys’ so we spent the two days before the wedding just playing with them. Some are for the driver’s benefit – like the ‘head-up’ display that projects information, such as your speed and Sat Nav directions, as if onto an invisible screen at the end of the bonnet. You can see straight through it for normal driving, but if you just refocus your eyes slightly, you can clearly read the figures. It has the latest form of adaptive cruise control – you don’t just set the desired speed but also the distance from the car in front.

It has cameras everywhere. There’s a feature that synchronises the images from all the different cameras to give you an aerial view. You can look down on yourself, as if you were in a helicopter, and see the car in relation to the people and objects around it – totally amazing and excellent for parking! It has a large footprint and is a tall vehicle but cameras on all four corners make sure you don’t get near anything. This is especially useful at junctions as the bonnet is long – you can see what traffic is coming in both directions before pulling out. A night vision camera was included on our car and you can clearly see people and objects in the dark. Great when you are in the countryside and it is pitch black!

There were plenty of features for the passengers, including rear seats that recline, retractable tables, TV and DVD that connects to whatever you want by Bluetooth. The rear doors open forwards, which makes it easier to get in and out of, plus the passengers in the back don’t have to lean forward to shut the door – they just sit back and press a button (if your chauffeur doesn’t get there first!). There was lots of legroom, white leather seats and lambs’ wool rugs an inch deep – you just wanted to take your shoes off and let your feet sink into the softness!

When we picked up our client on his wedding day he just couldn’t resist getting behind the wheel himself - the temptation to say ‘I’ll take that, thanks very much’ was too great! He discovered, as we had, that this is not just a wonderful car to be chauffeured in, but the kind of car you want to drive yourself. Everything is very quiet and smooth – it just glides through the gears and is a thoroughly capable car. However, if you want to press on, you are in for some thrills. It has a 6 litre V12 twin turbo engine and it will do 0-60 in about 5 seconds! There is no rev counter (that would be vulgar) but a power reserve indicator that dips as you accelerate. That’s what it’s all about – refined elegance, without being too brutish.

The Ghost is more discreet than the Phantom, much less ostentatious and aggressive. It obviously turns heads but we found that the looks were appreciative and respectful rather than antagonistic – quite unlike the effect that some other expensive car can have on people.

This particular model cost around £250,000. Not surprisingly we’d love one. It’s the ultimate car, for the chauffeur, the passenger and for the owner that wants to drive themselves. Will we, or will he, get one? Watch this space!

13/05/2012 18:14:55

We are delighted to announce that one of our drivers, Graham, has recently been awarded Gold for his advanced driving skill through RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents).

The aim of advanced driving is to control the position and speed of the vehicle in a safe and smooth manner, by judging the traffic and road condition to allow progress in a discreet and responsible way. The driver develops a positive and courteous attitude on the road, and a high standard of driving competence based on concentration, observation, anticipation and good handling skills. Quite simply, the car should be in the right place at the right time, travelling at the right speed and can always be stopped safely in the distance seen to be clear.

All permanent drivers with Sybaris have advanced driving qualifications, either through RoSPA or with IAM (the Institute of Advanced Motorists), so you can be certain of a safe and pleasant journey every time you travel with us.

If you would like to experience the first class service from Somerset and Bristol chauffeur company Sybaris Chauffeurs, call on 0800 311 8938 or email info@sybarischauffeurs.com

10/05/2012 16:48:17

If you are flying with Virgin Upper Class, we are now able to take you directly into the the dedicated departure wing at Heathrow Terminal 3.  Until recently, this was only for those travelling to Heathrow with the Virgin Atlantic chauffeur service on selected ticket classes.

This dedicated wing allows you to be personally greeted by the check-in staff as you get out of the car.  Your bags will be taken from you and you will be escorted through a private security channel directly into the Virgin Upper Class clubhouse lounge on the first floor.

Access to this service is by appointment only

Let us know if you would like to use this service and we will provide details of your driver and you can then book by calling the Upper Class Support team on 01293 493600 (7am - 8pm) up to 12 hours before your flight with the following details:

Your flight details (unique locator reference or ticket number), Names of all the passengers in the vehicle, Passport details of all passengers (and address of first night stay if travelling to the US), Car details (registration, make, model and colour - we will give you this), Driver's name and mobile number, Number of bags to be checked in, Your email address for the confirmation, and Estimated time of arrival.
You will not be able to access the wing without pre-booking.  Please call us if you have any questions or would like to take advantage of this service next time you travel Virgin Upper Class.

05/05/2012 15:14:59

If you have travelled with us in the last month, you may have been picked up in our latest addition - a brand new silver Mercedes S-class.  This is the latest part of our programme to continually invest in new vehicles and means that we now have one of the most modern fleets in the Somerset and Bristol area - with the majority of our cars being under one year old - so you can be assured of a smart new car when travelling with Sybaris.

Like the other Mercedes S-class cars in the Sybaris fleet, this is a long wheelbase model - which gives you significant extra leg room in the back for an extremely comfortable journey.  Combine this with air suspension and all the luxury you would expect from Mercedes with electrically reclining heated black leather seats, walnut trim and rear privacy blind, you can be assured of arriving at your destination as refreshed as possible.

The Mercedes S-class has recently been voted the most comfortable luxury car by Which? magazine for its ride quality, low noise levels, seat space and overall refinement.  In addition there are all the usual extras that you expect from Sybaris like superb service, your choice of newspaper, magazines, water & mints, Marshfield Bakery treats, and practical things like umbrellas and phone chargers.

If you would like to experience the new Mercedes S-class from Somerset and Bristol chauffeur company Sybaris Chauffeurs, call us on 0800 311 8938 or email info@sybarischauffeurs.com.

26/03/2012 14:40:29

All this wonderful warm sunny weather has made it feel like summer is just round the corner, and that brings with it the fabulous sporting events that we Brits do so well!  Wimbledon is almost as famous for its strawberrries and cream as it is for the tennis - so if you are one of the lucky few to have tickets for this summer's tournament, why not make the day as easy as possible and use Sybaris Chauffeurs to take you there.

We can provide a luxurious Mercedes S-class for 2 passengers, up to a superb Chrysler Grand Voyager for 6 travelling together.  And we will even throw in the strawberries!  Contact us for a quote by email to info@sybarischauffeurs.com