Victor Gauntlett

Malcolm Victor Gauntlett (20 May 1942 – 31 March 2003) was an English petrochemical entrepreneur and car enthusiast, best known for forming the largest independent petrol retail business in the United Kingdom, and for reviving Aston Martin.

Biography Malcolm Victor Gauntlett was born in Surrey. After attending St Marylebone Grammar School and a short period in the Territorial Army, he took a short service commission as an officer in the RAF, where he trained as a pilot. After leaving he was commissioned into the Kent and County of London Yeomanry.

Among those who worked for him, Gauntlett was known as "MVG". An ebullient and well-dressed character who always wore a gold chained pocket watch, he was regarded as an inspirational leader, who worked extremely hard yet also had a great capacity for enjoying life.

A Freeman of the City of London, in 2002 he was appointed master of the Worshipful Company of Coachmakers and Coach Harness Makers. As a result of his death halfway through his year as Master of the Worshipful Company, they agreed to set up an annual scholarship in his name.

Petroleum After leaving the air force, Gauntlett joined British Petroleum in 1963, moving in 1967 to Compagnie Francaise des Petroles, the parent company of Total S.A., in France and then London.

In 1972, he founded independent oil company Hays Petroleum Services, which traded as Pace Petroleum. While the product came from the major producers, shrewd buying and efficient distribution made a healthy business. By 1980 Gauntlett had created one of Britain's biggest independent petrol suppliers, delivering to more than 450 garages. In 1983 he sold a share in Hays/Pace to the Kuwait Investment Authority, which bought the whole company from Gauntlett in 1986.

After selling a 75% stake in Aston Martin to Ford in 1987 (but remaining as shareholder and chairman until 1992), Gauntlett founded Proteus Petroleum, which in 1995 was voted UK Oil Company of the Year. In 1998 he sold the business to Texaco, but remained chairman until 2000.

Automotive interests Gauntlett (right) with Prince Michael of Kent in Aston Martin DBR2 during the Mille Miglia reenactment race 21 to 23 May 1987, here in Pesaro.Gauntlett loved classic cars, especially Bentleys and Aston Martins. He enjoyed racing Bentleys in club events, and owned a 4.5-litre "blower" Bentley which before World War II Tim Birkin had lapped Brooklands at 104 mph (167 km/h).

Through Pace Petroleum, Gauntlett sponsored motor racing events, initially local to Farnham but expanding to a Great Britain scale, including Formula Ford 2000, RAC Hill Climb and Rally Championships. In 1980 Morgan racer Norman Stechman introduced Gauntlett to Peter Morgan, resulting in "Pace Petroleum Team Morgan" featuring Stechman in Prodsports and Rob Wells in Modsports for the 1981 season. Pace was Nigel Mansell's personal sponsor in his first two years of Formula One.

After selling Aston Martin, Gauntlett returned to the classic scene and became a trustee of the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu. Through this association he saved the Napier Railton for the country, topping up the UK National Lottery funding with the British Racing Drivers' Club and comedian Rowan Atkinson to keep the car at its home at Brooklands. In 1999, Gauntlett and Prince Michael of Kent took a blower 4.5 Bentley from London to Moscow. He was an active supporter of the Le Mans classic parades in the eighties until they banned him for driving too fast.

Although the company was doing well, Gauntlett knew it needed extra funds to survive long term. In May 1987, Gauntlett and Prince Michael of Kent were staying at the home of Contessa Maggi, the wife of the founder of the original Mille Miglia, while watching the revival event. Another house guest was Walter Hayes, vice-president of Ford of Europe. Despite problems over the previous acquisition of AC Cars, Hayes saw the potential of the brand and the discussion resulted in Ford taking a share holding in September 1987.

Although Gauntlett was contractually to stay as chairman for two years, his racing interests took Aston back into sports car racing in 1989 with limited European success. However, with engine rule changes for the 1990 season and the launch of the new Aston Martin Volante model, Ford provided the limited supply of Cosworth engines to the Jaguar Cars racing team. As the "small Aston"/DB7 would require a large engineering input, Ford agreed to take full control of Aston Martin, and Gauntlett handed the company chairmanship to Hayes in 1991.

Quotations "I'm half overgrown schoolboy, half hard-nosed businessman" – Gauntlett on himself "I wouldn't be going into it unless I thought there was money to be made. I am quite convinced there is a niche for a high-quality product. There will always be the people who want the super-duper" – on taking over Aston Martin "I feel I am more akin to the high-class jewellery business or a famous art gallery than anything else" – commenting on his role in making cars Asked: "How can you make a small fortune out of Aston Martin?" Gauntlett replied "Start with a big one." On the importance of being decisive, his self-deprecating motto was " Often wrong, never in doubt!"