The owner's memory goes back a long way. He borrowed the name of his fast Heesen half-glider from an Italian rally car, the Lancia "Aurelia" B20 GT. With the "Aurelia", the first ever Gran Turismo vehicle, Lancia not only entered the world of rallying in 1951. In its saloon, coupé and convertible versions, the model marked a rapid technical advance for its time. The transaxle design with a gearbox mounted on the rear axle gave the "Aurelia" superior driving characteristics thanks to its clever weight distribution.
Today, this technical highlight can only be found on brands such as Ferrari or Aston Martin, bringing the floating "Aurelia" full circle. The 37-metre-long Heesen's exterior is already astonishing with its hull paintwork, which is probably unique on the scene to date.
Motorsport connoisseurs will know that this light blue and orange war paint scheme belongs to the Gulf Racing team. And which vehicles sweep around the tracks under this label? For example, racing cars from Aston Martin, Ferrari and Lamborghini. Which brings us very close to "Aurelia", both inside and out. Because nothing other than the theme of motorsport dominates the "Aurelia" design inside and out. The Monegasque firm Dobroserdov Design was responsible for the colour scheme based on the Gulf Racing model. The owner chose the starting number ten because Heesen's "Aurelia" was the tenth in the 37-metre series. Nakhimov's project management team commissioned the Bannenberg & Rowell team with the interior. Dickie Bannenberg and Simon Rowell had to translate an idiosyncratic briefing for the three guest accommodations into an interior. [...]
Nakhimov's project management recommended Bannenberg & Rowell to the owner as interior designers. The London team convinced him immediately.
