AUTOCAR PHOTO SHOOT
Alan Stoneham’s report
I left home Sunday lunchtime not really looking forward to my first long drive towing a car on a trailer! Sure, a few miles to the tip with my little trailer was no problem but 240 miles with a Marlin on the back of a, as yet, unproven second hand trailer was rather more daunting. As it turned out the trip up to Silverstone was very uneventful and the only on the morning of the shoot when Mark took me down a dead end road and I had to reverse into a yard did the towing experience get remotely "interesting"!
On arrival at the Silversto
ne car park where the cars were already gathering for the shoot I felt mildly intimidated by a) the automobile exotica already on display and b) all the shiny enclosed trailers they had arrived in! There then followed a not unexpected delay to the proceedings while cherry-picker with photographer atop and assorted magazine people moved around without any real sense of purpose or plan. But eventually, as always, a plan came together and cars started to be assembled on some rather rough ground in the adjoining park. The 5EXi-R was in the first group of five to be photographed and much careful positioning was ordered by the now elevated photographer.
Then more cars were added, some taken out of shot and finally the big group shot with all the cars. It was fabulous to see so many wonderful machines close up, especially the truly exotic T1 Caparo.
The good news that a reporter/tester from Autocar wanted to try out the Marlin was very welcome indeed and I was more than happy to let Mark accompany her on the test drive. Best of all when I realized that upon their return back to the car park (coming along the dual carriageway beside the car park) the car making that rather delicious sound was mine!
Then another chap,* Matt I believe, took the car for a quick whiz around the empty car park for some action shots. Then it was back on to the 
trailer, Mark showing me how to properly secure her to it(!), and the 240 uneventful miles home.
A very interesting and different day out with the added bonus of practice sessions for the World Aerobatic Championships going on over the race circuit!
*Read the report on Autocars web site www.autocar.co.uk/CarReviews/FirstDrives/Marlin-5exi-R-2.0/242607/