By Damien Gayle


Head turner: Green-eyed passers-by look at Chris Evans's new £412,000 Maserati MC12 supercar parked outside the Radio 2 studios yesterday morning

The ongoing economic hard times have got people everywhere tightening their belts and cutting back on luxuries.

Life is slightly different, however, for the BBC's well-paid personalities.

Car enthusiast Chris Evans had fellow petrolheads green with envy yesterday as he took a spin in his latest ride, a £412,000 Maserati MC12.

Gleaming: A group of men stop to admire the vehicle, which is made entirely of carbon fibre and is a modification of a racing model

Evans, a DJ with BBC Radio 2, slid into the gleaming white two-seater Italian supercar after his breakfast show yesterday morning at the station's London studio.

It was parked on Gildea Street, Westminster, just outside Western House, Radio 2's London HQ, and the presenter had to manouevre out of a tight spot to drive away.

London's congested streets may not be the ideal track for the the six-litre Maserati MC12, which has a top speed of 208mph and goes from 0-60mph in just 3.8 seconds.

Made entirely of carbon fibre, the car is a modification of a racing model, and Evans's is just one of 50 available to consumers worldwide.


What recession? Evans emerges from the Radio 2 studios at Western House and climbs into the limited edition Italian supercar, of which only 50 have been made available to consumers worldwide

Off for a spin: The six-litre MC12 has a top speed of 208mph and goes from 0-60mph in just 3.8 seconds, more than enough for the clogged highways of central London

Despite its sporting heritage, the MC12's interior is designed for luxury, with a mix of gel-coated carbon fibre, blue leather and silver 'Brightex', a synthetic material dubbed 'too expensive for the fashion industry.'

Evans is famous for his love of classic cars. In 2010 he paid a British record of £12million for a 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO.


source:dailymail