Foxton Tycoon's Son 'Behind £300k Rolls-Royce Phantom Drift' [Update: Or Not?]

Do you remember the Rolls Royce Rally video we posted earlier this week? Since we broke news of the stunt 6 days ago, the short clip has managed to rack up an impressive 2 million views on YouTube, showing that people larking around in expensive cars is still on everyone’s “100 Things To Do Before You Die” uber-list.

According to an industry insider however, this is no ordinary Rolls Royce and no ordinary petrolhead behind the wheel. This particular Phantom is reported to be an official Rolls-Royce press car which was recently handed over to Chas Hallett, WhatCar? Editor-in-Chief, for a thorough testing only a few days after the mud-spattering rally was filmed.

This isn’t the first time a press car has been taken for a hoon, and it certainly won’t be the last, but it turns out that the crew behind the viral rally video are none other than the sons of Jon Hunt, a British property entrepreneur, best known as the founder of UK estate agency Foxtons.

The ‘controlled’ drifting is reported to have taken place at Hunt’s Suffolk estate, Heveningham Hall, an 18th century Grade I listed Palladian country house with 25 bedrooms, 19 bathrooms, and 12 receptions. And 460 acres of land of course for rear-wheel-drive fun.

It’s likely that the lad behind the wheel of the Phantom, carefully drifting it through the gates of Heveningham Hall is Jon Hunt’s son, Harry Hunt, who is also an up-and-coming young British rally driver taking part in the IRC 2WD Championship. Aside from the Roller, he drives a lime-green Citroen DS3 much like fellow Brit Liam Doran.

It turns out the Hunts are a hardcore, car-enthusiast family. In an interview with the Daily Mail, Foxtons founder Hunt mused: “I’m building a private car museum. I love old Ferraris and old Art Deco French cars. I’ve got a list of 100 cars I’d like to put together. It’s all about engine numbers and chassis numbers”

Thankfully Hunt isn’t one to let his beauties sit untouched, instead preferring to stretch their legs on his estate. See below for a great example: Hunt’s Ferrari 280 GTO spitting flames. This, ladies and gentlemen, is living the dream at its finest!

Update: this story was picked up by Jalopnik, and TaxTheRich responded to their request for comment with this:

Hi Raphael,

I did enjoy the article that you wrote – and love Jalopnik. I had been in contact with Patrick George, who I believe also writes for Jalopnik before the article was written.

One of the main reasons why we do these videos as anonymous is because we would prefer to stay out the limelight and let the videos showcase themselves. There has been a lot of speculation behind who is behind these videos however, I can assure you that the names you think are behind it are 100% not involved in any of the videos.

I would hope that Jalopnik would prefer to write stories about cars rather than Investigational journalism. I am glad that you have emailed me first to ask as I would hate for you to have defamaed the persons below.

Should you have any additional queries please feel free to contact me, otherwise I look forward to sending you our next jaw dropping car video in the near future!

With kind regards,

Andrew

Just like the identity of The Stig, people were bound to start naming names sooner or later. The search for the faceless hooner continues…