A client purchased a prestigious U-shaped single storey home that looked out onto a central courtyard. Though this was large enough to accommodate his much-loved Aston Martin, there was not sufficient room to turn the car round. As a result, driving off necessitated a dangerous reversing manoeuvre into the main road traffic.
The problem was overcome by sinking an electronic turntable into the courtyard and resurfacing this with the original paving, in such a discreet way that the revolving plinth is hardly discernible. At the touch of a button in the car, or in the house, the turntable revolves through 180 degrees within the tight confines of the courtyard, allowing our client to make a quick, and very much safer, 007-style getaway. Additionally, the same controls operate a security gate at the entrance to the property.
As if this wasn't Bond-like enough, the system has another rather clever attribute. When arriving home at night, the owner drives his car onto the turntable, presses a button and the turntable lowers to a garage level. He drives off into the underground parking bay and the revolving plinth then rises again. Quite a disappearing act, and a very secure one too!
