OCTANE 262 April 2025

ASTON MARTIN ‘RAZOR BLADE’ • FIAT DINO SPIDER • DAKAR CLASSIC 262

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Further Entries Invited Goodwood, Chichester | 13 April 2025 Ferrari Classiche certified 1967 FERRARI 330 GTC Coachwork by Pininfarina £400,000 - 500,000 *

Bonhams|Cars is thrilled to announce the return of its Miami Auction in partnership with South Florida Motorsports, race promoters of the 2025 FORMULA 1 CRYPTO.COM MIAMI GRAND PRIX. Taking place Saturday evening after Qualifying, the auction will once again unfold on the iconic F1 circuit, with cars driven on the track and across the auction block.

Further Entries Invited Miami Gardens, Florida | 3 May 2025

The ex-Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello 2009 BRAWN GP BGP 001 FORMULA ONE © Fluid Images Tim Scott

Forthcoming auctions ENQUIRIES +44 (0) 20 7468 5801 ukcars@bonhamscars.com

+1 (415) 391 4000 uscars@bonhamscars.com

bonhamscars.com/membersmeeting

bonhamscars.com/miami

* For details of the charges payable in addition to the final hammer price, please visit bonhams.com/buyersguide

THE BONMONT SALE | 29 June +32 (0) 476 87 94 71 | eucars@bonhamscars.com GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED | 11 July +44 (0) 20 7468 5801 | ukcars@bonhamscars.com THE QUAIL AUCTION | 15 August +1 (917) 206 1630 | uscars@bonhamscars.com

Issue 262 April 2025

PAGE

Contents 94

‘IT IS NOT FOR THE FAINT-HEARTED – THERE IS EVEN A 425km TIMED STAGE’ THE DAKAR CLASSIC

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Contents Issue 262

106 Features

116 86

HOT HATCH HEROES 60 In five decades, hot hatches have evolved beyond their humble origins. Now it’s time to look back at the very best of them

ASTON MARTIN ‘RAZOR BLADE’ 76 Built to break records, this one-off Aston Martin went on to enjoy a successful racing career – thanks to its ultra-slim bodywork

UNIQUE COBRA 427 86 Robert Coucher goes for a blast at Goodwood Circuit in the last of the dry-sump Competition Cobras

DAKAR CLASSIC 94 Cars from Renault 30 to Porsche 959 replica tackle this brutal 7000km desert odyssey

THE OCTANE INTERVIEW 102 Meeting William Heinecke, collector and founder of Anantara Concorso Roma

GUMPERT APOLLO 106 Braving Germany’s pure-bred 700bhp track-day monster

E-TYPE ADVENTURE 116 From Kuala Lumpur to South Yorkshire across land in a 1967 Jaguar E-type

FIAT DINO SPIDER 122 Stunning Pininfarina bodywork and a Ferrari engine make this a Fiat like no other

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Contents Issue 262

Regulars

18

EVENTS & NEWS 18 The latest pics from classic car events around the world; repercussions of the ICE ban; dates for your spring diary – and beyond

COLUMNS 47 Jay Leno, Derek Bell, Stephen Bayley and Robert Coucher on matters of import

LETTERS 55 America’s own Lister Jaguars

OCTANE CARS 134 Trials of Tatra, Moretti, Triumph and more

OVERDRIVE 142 Latest Land Cruiser and electric Mk1 MX-5

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN 146 Virgil Exner, king of American design excess

146

GEARBOX 148

142

LA architect and petrolhead David Martin

ICON 150 Neon signs: colourful tubes of ad magic

CHRONO 152 Why some watches are officially certifiable

BOOKS 154 Superb new Bentley tome and many more

148

GEAR 156 Desirable stuff, from a posh bike to posters

THE MARKET 162 Insider knowledge, auction news, stats, cars for sale, Lancia Gamma buying guide

AUTOBIOGRAPHY 194 ‘Roxette’ star and Ferrari collector Per Gessle

154

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RM 16-02 EXTRAFLAT In-house skeletonised automatic winding calibre 50-hour power reserve (± 10%) Baseplate and bridges in grade 5 titanium Platinum rotor Case in grade 5 titanium

A Racing Machine On The Wrist

Issue 262 April 2025

WELCOME

FEATURING

FROM THE EDITOR

DAVID ROSCOE-RUTTER ‘The Fiat Dino Spider is a masterpiece of Italian design and engineering, pairing gorgeous curves and timeless style with the charismatic heartbeat of a Ferrari V6 – an underrated classic that has undeniable charm and soul.’

David’s beautiful photographs illustrate Richard Heseltine’s feature on pages 122-130.

JONATHAN JACOB

Fine fare for common men HOT HATCHES, RATHER like raves, 140bpm, glow-sticks and everything else that went with them, rather passed me by in period, even though, having been born in 1968, I should have been a prime target. No regrets. I realised this after much fevered debate with colleagues trying to draw the line in the sand from when hot hatch culture morphed into twocking and generally unpleasant larrikinism. We reckoned that as a James Elliott, Editor in chief cultural phenomenon the hot hatch probably peaked in the late 1980s and suffered its first death (of many) when big beasts Peugeot and VW failed to replace either 205 GTI or Golf GTI Mk2 to the satisfaction of their salivating audiences.

Even so, by then the hot hatch genre had become part of the establishment, which is why manufacturers are still churning them out and they remain just as popular today. More remarkable than the genre’s survival and thriving is the broadening of its appeal to all ages of keen driver, although, with firmly middle-aged petrolheads now queuing up to spend up to £60,000 on a Toyota Yaris, the cynical might suggest that their champions are pretty much the same people that fell for them 40 years ago.

Hot hatch prices do seem to have ‘matured’ with their audience, but between the original Golf GTI and today’s young pretenders there has been a sensational line-up of cars from the big two before Renault took on the baton and in turn passed it on to Japan, which really ramped things up. And many of these practical driving greats are now available for comparative pin money, whether it is the RenaultSport Megane that set the ’Ring alight or the riotous Clio 182.

If you have never been bitten by the bug, there is still time. After all, hot hatches may have eluded me in period, but they got me eventually. Well, tepid ones at least.

Two of my most recent, proper daily drivers (i.e. Elliott ‘moderns’) have been an Alfa 145 Cloverleaf and the Ford Focus ST170 that is outside my house right now. Both have offered an unbeatable combination of peppy drivers’ car, docile family car, and practical tip-trip car. Both cost peanuts. More will follow.

JOHN SIMISTER ‘Not only is Razor Blade one of the earliest surviving Aston Martins, it’s also one of the thinnest racing cars ever created. On a bitterly cold post-Christmas day it was a privilege to drive what had been created as a Brooklands record-breaker and became quite a handy racer.’

Find out more on pages 76-84.

PAUL HARMER ‘Restored to how it raced on Sicilian roads in the 1966 Targa Florio, this ultra-rare Shelby Cobra really looked the part. But, more than that, it sounded it, too: raw V8 thunder assailed the ears of onlookers as Robert Coucher took to the track at Goodwood. Thrilling.’

Full story: pages 86-92.

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London’s Most Stylish Automotive Garden Party Experience

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Issue 262 April 2025

NEXT MONTH

EDITORIAL Editor-in-chief James Elliott james@octane-magazine.com

ISSUE 263, ON SALE 26 MARCH

Associate editor Glen Waddington glen@octane-magazine.com Art editor Robert Hefferon roberth@octane-magazine.com Markets editor Matthew Hayward matthew@octane-magazine.com Founding editor Robert Coucher Contributing editor Mark Dixon

Inquiries to info@octane-magazine.com

NASA

STEPHANE ABRANTES

JORDAN BUTTERS

Italian correspondent Massimo Delbò Design assistance Ruth Haddock Contributor Chris Bietzk

ADVERTISING Group advertising director Sanjay Seetanah sanjay@octane-magazine.com Account director Samantha Snow sam@octane-magazine.com

Porsche 911s

Air-cooled versus water-cooled: is there any contest?

We find out

Plus Bugatti Type 35B Celebrating 100 years of the supercharged racer Lunar Rovers In space, no one can hear how much fun you’re having Alfa Romeo Giulia SS Driving Bertone’s sublime, super-sleek 1960s coupé Mazda MX-5 Land’s End to John O’Groats on eco-fuel (Contents may be subject to change)

Dealer account manager Marcus Ross marcus@octane-magazine.com Lifestyle advertising Sophie Kochan sophie.kochan2010@gmail.com Advertising inquiries Tel: +44 (0)1628 510080 Email: ads@octane-magazine.com

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J O I N A T H R E E - D AY A U T O M O T I V E G A R D E N P A R T Y IN THE HEART OF THE CITY The London Concours is the capital’s leading automotive summer garden party,

UNIQUE ART CARS | THE HYPERCARS Y O U N G T I M E R S | T H E FA S T F O R D S 7 0 TH A N N I V E R S A R Y M E R C E D E S - B E N Z S L LEGENDARY AC CARS | DREAM CARS | WILDCARDS

gathering together nearly 150 spectacular privately owned cars into one of London’s most beautiful hidden venues. Hosted at the Honourable Artillery Company HQ, a five-acre oasis of green in the heart of the City of London.

This year the London Concours will host – among many others – celebrations of Aston Martin, Mercedes-Benz and a dedicated Supercar Day to showcase the very latest performance innovations. Alongside these breathtaking displays, the London Concours is an occasion of pure indulgence, featuring luxury popup boutiques, champagne by Veuve Clicquot, catering by Searcys and a line-up of celebrity and expert guests as well as live podcast recordings.

For tickets visit londonconcours.co.uk

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The Month in Pictures

Ignition E V EN T S + NE WS + OPINION

2025 Rolex 24 at Daytona 25-26 January The 63rd running of one of the greatest spectacles in motorsport, and one of the most coveted crowns in endurance racing, was set on its way by British hotshoe and 2025 Grand Marshal Jamie Chadwick. As often happens, the 61-car marathon turned into a mad sprint for the frontrunners in the closing stages. The upshot was a second consecutive victory for a Penske Motorsport Porsche 963, marking the 20th win for the German manufacturer. After 781 laps, the winning Nasr/Vanthoor/Tandy car was followed home by the Rosenqvist/Dixon/Braun/ Blomqvist Acura Meyer Shank Racing ARX-06, with the Estre/Campbell/Jaminet Penske Porsche 963 coming home in third.

Rolex / Stephan Cooper / Jensen Larson

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Ignition The Month in Pictures

FROM TOP

Salon Rétromobile 5-9 February

The vast indoor show at the Paris Expo in Porte de Versailles was really buzzing this year, with the stand-out celebrations being for the 70th anniversary of the Citroën DS, bringing together 12 models and reviving the famous DS Ballons.

Other anniversaries marked included Mazda MX-5 (35), Cadillac (120) and Skoda (130). Artcurial held a two-day auction on-site, while hugely impressive stands were created

by Fiskens, Girardo, Kidston and more.

There was a greater than ever motorcyle presence – including the collection of Éric de Seynes; French F1 from the 1960s to today, plus the motoring inventions of Adolphe Kégresse, famed for his semitracked vehicles.

Peter Auto

La Traversée de Paris 12 January

More than 700 vehicles aged over 30 travelled across the heart of the French capital in a biannual celebration of vintage and classic motoring. As ever, the 25th running was brilliantly organised

by Vincennes en Anciennes, France’s leading multi-marque club. La Traversée follows a 30km route, leaving Château de Vincennes pre-dawn and with vehicles – including many tractors – even pausing en route in Montmartre to be blessed.

Vincennes en Anciennes 20

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Ignition The Month in Pictures

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP

VSCC Measham Night Rally 11-12 January

A freezing and misty night added to the atmosphere for crews on the Vintage Sports-Car Club’s first competitive event of the year.

Pictured is Gordon Hodgkinson’s Riley Sports at the start point, Stonehurst Farm in Mountsorrel.

Neill Staniforth

New Zealand Historic GP 10-12 January

Some 25 Formula Atlantics were at the New Zealand Historic Grand Prix meeting in Taupo, with Swift DB4s dominating.

Brazilian F1 star and ex-Formula Atlantic champion Roberto Moreno attended.

Peter R Hill / Chelsea Karl photography

The Vantage World Tour

February 2023 – TBC A mere hiccough in Colombia for the father-and son team taking on the world in stages in their Aston Martin. After a dozen countries and 12,000 miles, they’ve raised £24,000 so far for thecalmzone.net.

Phil & Will Churchill

VSCC New Year Driving Tests 26 January

Angelica FuentesGarcia enjoying herself at Brooklands in the 1928 Peugeot Lockhart Special.

Michael Stokes

Showground Stages 18 January

Victory at Builth Wells went to Jack Thorne and Andrew Richards in their Ford Escort Mk2.

22

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traditional values modern thinking

Racing In Europe This Year?

You may now need an ATA Carnet to temporarily import your car into the EU. SINCE BREXIT Non-UK registered Race Cars will require an ATA Carnet UK registered vehicles and Race Cars being transported by a commercial operator (including a Race Team) will require an ATA Carnet CARS have formed a partnership with the Chamber of Commerce and are able to issue ATA Carnets at a heavily discounted price.

Please contact carnets@carsworldwide.com for further information.

JAPAN

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UNITED KINGDOM

+81(0) 45 306 7043

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www.carsworldwide.com | info@carsworldwide.com

Ignition The Month in Pictures

LEFT AND FAR LEFT, AND BELOW LEFT

Palm Beach Cavallino Classic

23-26 January The outstanding Classiche Certified Ferrari award at the 34th edition of the benchmark Florida Ferrari event at Mar-a-Lago went to the ex-Scuderia Filipinetti 1967 Dino 206 S (chassis 026, far left), while Brian Ross’s 1957 335 S (0674) was declared best competition Ferrari, and road car honours went to Tom Peck’s stunning ex-Turin Salon 1954 375 MM Ghia Coupé (0476). As well as the 104-car concours, the event included a Tour d’Eleganza from Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach, plus a party under the stars at The Breakers, where the recently launched Ferrari F80 made its North American debut.

Canossa Events

Autosport International 9-12 January

The annual extravaganza at the NEC in Birmingham unsurprisingly went to town on the 75th anniversary of F1, but also boasted the usual roster of ‘name’ attendees and stunning cars. Split into a two-day trade show then a two-day public event, it was very well attended throughout. New for 2025 was a dedicated engineering hall but, as ever, the Live Action Area was the first port of call for anyone after a bit of noise and theatre – and it didn’t disappoint.

Michael Holden 24

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1950S ‘BIG-BANGER’ FERRARIS

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE 1952 FERRARI 340 MEXICO SPYDER 0228 AT 1954 FERRARI 375 PLUS 0384 AM www.girardo.com | Oxfordshire, UK +44 (0)203 621 2923 Turin, Italy +39 011 1927 2277 | info@girardo.com

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1952 FERRARI 340 MEXICO BERLINETTA 0226 AT

14/02/2025 13:09

Ignition The Month in Pictures

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT

Clee Hill Trial 18 January

David Golightly successfully scaling Hillside 2 in his 3.3-litre Ford T special during the Wenlock Edge event.

Ben Lawrence

Australia Day 26 January

The 1927 Bean arrives at Government House in Sydney on its epic journey from London to Melbourne in the wheeltracks of Francis Edwin Birtles, who in 1927 was the first man to drive a car – a Bean – from England to Australia.

James Nicholls

Grand National Roadster Show 31 Jan – 2 Feb

Ross Myers’ 1936 Ford Roadster was crowned America’s Most Beautiful Roadster at the 75th GNRS at Fairplex, Pomona, CA, while Bill Barbato’s 1933 Pontiac Sedan won the Al Slonaker Memorial Award.

GNRS

InterClassics Maastricht 16-19 January

Big 30th anniversary celebration of the Dutch show included a 21-car display of past favourites. Best of Show was a 1940 Tatra T87, and this 1959 Porsche 718 RSK was on the Passione Engadina stand.

Mario Laguna

Antique Cars Show 2025 26 January

Antique Cars Pakistan’s third annual Karachi event attracted 120 cars, the youngest 30 years old, the oldest 101.

Asim Qureshi 26

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Ignition Events

Dates for your diary 21-23 March NEC Restoration Show Barn-finds, pristine restorations and groaning trade stands fill Birmingham’s NEC.

necrestorationshow.com

21-23 March Espíritu de Montjuïc Peter Auto opens its racing season with a meeting at the challenging Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain.

peterauto.fr

22 March Zoute Revival Rally A relaxed rally starting in the Waasland area west of Antwerp and finishing on the Belgian coast in Knokke-Heist.

zoutegrandprix.be

Espíritu de Montjuïc, 21-23 March | Image: Julien Hergault

23 March 27 February – 2 March

6-9 March

12-16 March

Retro Classics Stuttgart

The Amelia

Coppa delle Alpi

Some 90,000 petrolheads descend on Stuttgart each year for this show, which welcomes everything from iconic racing cars to classic scooters.

Visitors to the concours on Amelia Island will find 275 cars divided into 35 classes. We’re looking forward to the two Streamliner classes.

retro-classics.de

ameliaconcours.com

28 February – 2 March

7 March

This regularity rally heads north from Brescia into the mountains of Italy, Switzerland and Austria.

Crews in eligible cars will be competing not only for bragging rights, but also for a guaranteed entry in the 2026 Mille Miglia.

Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance

Bicester Motion Track Social

Australia’s finest classics gather at Cockatoo Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site close to the Sydney Harbour Bridge and accessible by ferry.

sydneyharbourconcours.com.au

1 March VSCC John Harris Trial On the edge of the Peak District, members of the VSCC compete for the Dick Batho and Patrick Marsh trophies.

vscc.co.uk

1-2 March

Bicester Motion continues its programme of events for paid-up ‘Pegasus’ members with a track session. Tickets are £125 each.

bicestermotion.com

7-9 March Phillip Island Classic The Southern Hemisphere’s biggest historic racing meet, held on Phillip Island, a couple of hours south of Melbourne.

vhrr.com.au

7-9 March A Novice Trial

1000miglia.it

13-15 March WinteRace A field of 70 pre-2000 cars; an expertly plotted, 460km route through the Dolomites and part of Austria; and heaps of snow.

winterace.it

15-16 March Rallye de Paris Post-1949 sports cars are given a workout on a rally that visits the Bugatti Circuit and Montlhéry Autodrome before the finish in Paris, where an awards lunch is held aboard a boat on the Seine.

Shelsley Walsh Breakfast Club Shelsley Walsh hillclimb hosts its second Breakfast Club gathering of 2025. All cars are welcome, and tickets cost £5 per person.

shelsleywalsh.com

23 March Rippon Lea Estate Concours d’Elegance Held in the grounds of the Rippon Lea mansion in Melbourne, Australia, and featuring a field of around 100 classic cars and motorcycles.

ripponleaconcours.com

28-30 March Generations Rally Based in Harrogate and designed to introduce youngsters to the joys of endurance rallying, this event is exclusively for multigeneration crews.

rallytheglobe.com

1-5 April P800 NorCal Rally

rallystory.com

Hosted by the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, Florida, and with a display of 100 rare supercars in addition to the concours field.

Based at Hellidon Lakes Hotel in Northamptonshire, this is the ideal introduction to regularities, driving tests and Tulip books.

Training sessions on the first two days, then a 65-mile rally.

Spring is heralded by the VSCC’s two-day trial in Herefordshire.

Conceived by the folks from the Petersen Museum, and this year running between Arroyo Grande (where the crews will visit an impressive private car collection) and beautiful Lake Tahoe.

modamiami.com

hero-era.com

vscc.co.uk

petersen.org

ModaMiami

15-16 March VSCC Herefordshire Trial

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3-6 April

7-12 April

The Flying Scotsman

Tour Auto

Pre-’48 cars cross the North York Moors and the Pennines before tackling the Scottish portion of a route that finishes, in keeping with tradition, at Gleneagles.

One of the great driving events, starting in Paris and finishing this time in Nice, and featuring four track races in-between, at venues including Dijon-Prenois and Charade.

hero-era.com

5-9 April

peterauto.fr

Copperstate 1000

9-13 April

Crews in pre-’74 cars explore Arizona. This year’s itinerary includes an evening at the Lowell Observatory, where Clyde Tombaugh was working when he discovered Pluto in 1930.

Techno-Classica Essen The daddy of indoor classic car shows will again test the stamina of visitors, who will find more than 1250 exhibitors packed into the Messe Essen in Germany.

mensartscouncil.com

siha.de

6 April

10-12 April

Coffee & Classics

Salon Privé London

Car enthusiasts roll up to the Classic Motor Hub in Bibury to enjoy tasty breakfast grub and some live music.

The gardens of the Royal Hospital Chelsea host a ‘Concours de Vente’ featuring 75 first-rate classic cars, all available to buy.

classicmotorhub.com

salonprivelondon.com

6 April

10-13 April

Brooklands Veteran & Vintage Motorcycle Day

Coppa Milano-Sanremo

Organised by Brooklands and the Sunbeam Motor Cycle Club, and including a talk on the evolution of early motorcycles.

brooklandsmuseum.com

6-14 April Goodwood Members’ Meeting Tour VIP access to the Members’ Meeting is the main attraction, of course, but the programme also features a track-day at Goodwood and excursions that include a visit to the McLaren Technology Centre.

audrainmotorsport.com

A regularity rally that pays tribute to the Milano-Sanremo races of old. This year’s event begins with scrutineering at Monza Circuit, where crews will be able to drive some practice laps before they head to the official start at Lake Iseo, home of iconic boatbuilder Riva.

milano-sanremo.it

12-13 April Goodwood Members’ Meeting Highlights this year will include the Win Percy Trophy, a new race for sub-3.0-litre, Group 1 Touring Cars from the period 1970-1982.

goodwood.com

BOOK NOW! Some of these events may seem a long way off, but you need to secure your place and travel plans now to take part Classics in the Walled Garden 2 July This evening event – 4-9pm – is in its 16th year in the Walled Garden at The Luton Hoo Estate, near Harpenden (above).

Founder Peter Madden has handed over the reins to a small group of local enthusiasts who promise live music, more food and drink options, and additional car displays. classicsitwg.com

Rally Padre-Figlio / Padre-Figlia 19-21 September The entry criteria have loosened in the sense that two rallies have combined so you can take your son or daughter, but you still have to do so in a Ferrari and the organisers will still accept only one Ferrari of each model for each rally… so you can take a different child if your car’s spot is taken. Cost is just shy of €8000 per car. happyfewracing.com

Marrakech Tour 25-31 October Seventh edition of the Atlas Mountains event. Open to post-1950 classic cars and with a GT Rally category for contemporary sports cars, the event starts and finishes in the Moroccan city and explores the Ouzoud waterfalls, Lake Bin El Ouidane and many other attractions. rallystory.com

Trans-Africa Rally 28 April – 26 May 2026 Starting in Cape Town and finishing in Durban, this 29-day, 7660km event travels through seven southern African countries, taking in the dunes of Sossusvlei, elephants of Chobe and Victoria Falls en route. Open to pre-1980 vintage and classic cars, the entry list is limited to 22 vehicles, so book early. Shipping will be in February 2026. destination-rally.com Copperstate 1000, 5-9 April | Image: Tom Leigh

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Ignition Essential 2025 events

2025

highlights

Car shows and concours There are (many!) more to look forward to besides, but you’ll want to mark the following events in your diary 24-27 April

16-18 May

Anantara Concorso Roma

Cavallino Classic Modena

A new concours d’elegance for 2025, held in Rome’s historic centre and open exclusively to Italian cars.

A small but perfectly formed concours d’elegance for Ferraris, held in Enzo’s hometown.

Greenwich, Connecticut, is again preceded by a ‘concours de sport’ featuring competition cars, homologation specials, supercars and hot rods.

cavallino.com

greenwichconcours.com

17 May

1 June

Aston Hill Climb 100

Valletta Concours

21-22 June

Classics assemble in Malta’s capital, under the sunniest sky in Europe and against a backdrop of impressive Baroque buildings.

Concours d’Elegance Suisse

A picture-postcard venue on the seafront north of San Diego, and a good variety of classes, including one this year for ‘Iconic American Hot Rods’.

A century after it last hosted a competitive event, the hillclimb after which Aston Martin was (partly) named is to be celebrated with a show featuring veteran, vintage and classic cars.

vallettaconcours.com

concoursdelegancesuisse.com

lajollaconcours.com

astonhill100.com

3-5 June

28-29 June

London Concours

Heveningham Concours

Classes at the Honourable Artillery Company in London will include one for art cars.

The field of cars at Heveningham Hall in Suffolk will as usual be complemented by a fabulous display of vintage aircraft .

anantaraconcorsoroma.com

25-27 April La Jolla Concours d’Elegance

2-4 May

23-25 May

The Greenbrier Concours d’Elegance

Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este

Ferrari is to be the featured marque at the West Virginia concours this time round.

At Lake Como, cars compete in classes including ‘Go Big or Go Home’ – reserved for exemplars of 1980s and 1990s excess!

greenbrierconcours.com

3-4 May

concorsodeleganzavilladeste.com Image: BMW Group Classic

londonconcours.co.uk

8 June

Dinard Elegance Free to attend for spectators, and held in the French town that lays claim to hosting the first ever concours for motor cars.

dinard-elegance.com

The Château de Coppet near Geneva welcomes a field of 100 classics from around the world.

heveninghamconcours.com

Cincinnati Concours d’Elegance

2 July An evening garden party and classic car gathering at the impressive Luton Hoo Estate, held to raise money for causes including the NSPCC.

classicsitwg.com

Beautiful old cars and boats share the limelight at Lakewood Yacht Club just outside Houston, Texas.

30 May – 1 June Greenwich Concours d’Elegance

At Ault Park in Cincinnati, the red carpet will be rolled out for cars from Blighty, the theme of this year’s event being ‘Icons of British Motoring’.

keels-wheels.com

The concours d’elegance in

ohioconcours.com

Keels & Wheels

14 June

Classics in the Walled Garden

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Ignition Essential 2025 events

concludes with three worldfamous concours: The Quail (15 August), Concorso Italiano (16 August), and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance (17 August).

17-20 September

whatsupmonterey.com

iconsmallorca.com

15-17 August

27 September

The British Motor Show

Ironstone Concours d’Elegance

Displays of classic cars, stunt shows, a trade village and much more at the Farnborough International Exhibition Centre.

At Ironstone Vineyards in California, visitors enjoy one of the most diverse concours fields you’ll find anywhere, featuring commercial vehicles and tractors as well as cars and motorcycles.

thebritishmotorshow.live

22-24 August CarFest

10-13 July

26 July

Goodwood Festival of Speed

Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional

Featuring a giant display marking the 75th anniversary of the F1 World Championship; and as ever including Cartier Style et Luxe, the prestigious concours d’elegance held on the lawn of Goodwood House.

goodwood.com

12 July Concours d’Elegance at Copshaholm In South Bend, Indiana, with an especially interesting class titled ‘The Silent Knights’ for cars with Knight sleeve-valve engines.

Yorkshire Elegance At Grantley Hall in Ripon, the entries will be grouped by age, the six planned classes spanning 140 years of motoring history.

yorkshireelegance.com

25-26 July Concours of Elegance Germany Back following its successful debut last year, and bringing 50 first-class classics to the shores of pretty Lake Tegernsee in the Bavarian Alps.

concoursofelegancegermany.com

2-5 October Audrain Newport Concours & Motor Week

27-30 August

hagerty.co.uk

Salon Privé

audrainconcours.com

1-3 August Classic Days Düsseldorf The grounds of the Rittergut Birkhof near Düsseldorf are transformed into an open-air museum with the arrival of some 7000 classic vehicles.

classic-days.de

1-10 August

19 July

22-24 July

Image: Ironstone Concours

The concours itself, held at one of Rhode Island’s grandest properties, is complemented by seminars, an auction and a tour.

A gargantuan gathering of pre1980 cars that draws more than 500,000 people to Reno, Nevada.

noosaconcours.com.au

ironstoneconcours.com

carfest.org

Hot August Nights

The little beach town of Noosa Heads in Australia experiences a brief population boom as 20,000 car enthusiasts arrive to enjoy a concours held on the main drag.

Three rallies precede ‘The Grand’, a concours d’elegance held on Mallorca’s Son Vida golf course.

Grimsthorpe Castle welcomes charmingly ordinary cars built between 1970 and 2000.

concoursatcopshaholm.org

Noosa Concours d’Elegance

Held again at Laverstoke Park Farm, and again treating visitors to lots of live music as well as car displays. Acts announced so far include Travis and Madness.

Icons Mallorca

hotaugustnights.net

2-3 August Beaulieu Supercar Weekend Some of the world’s rarest and most outrageous supercars are gathered together in Beaulieu.

beaulieu.co.uk

3 August

Blenheim Palace hosts one of the UK’s premier concours, following which the entries will be joined by 1500 club cars.

salonpriveconcours.com

5-7 September The Concours of Elegance Seventy of the world’s finest cars gather at Hampton Court Palace to contest the main concours, which will again be supported by the Levitt Concours for cars owned and entered by women.

concoursofelegance.co.uk

5-7 September Caramulo Motorfestival This free festival in central Portugal is organised by the Museu do Caramulo and always features cars from the museum’s excellent collection.

caramulo-motorfestival.com

Rally of the Giants

5-7 September

The All American Auto Club heads to Stonor Park, bringing with it cars rarely seen on this side of the pond.

Radnor Hunt Concours

allamericanautoclub.com

8- 17 August

Shooting brakes, station wagons and panel vans are to get special classes at the 2025 edition of this concours in Pennsylvania.

radnorconcours.org

Monterey Car Week

6-7 September

Car ‘Week’ is now a ten-day extravaganza with auctions galore and more than a dozen shows. The programme

Beaulieu Autojumble

8-12 October Zoute Grand Prix Expanding this year to become a five-day programme of events, and including a show, a Bonhams auction, a tour and two rallies – all happening in and around Knokke-Heist in Belgium.

zoutegrandprix.be

23-26 October Auto e Moto d’Epoca Bologna Cars, motorcycles, automobilia and spare parts are packed into Bologna Exhibition Centre.

autoemotodepoca.com

7-9 November Classic Motor Show Held at the NEC, this is the UK’s biggest indoor classic car show.

necclassicmotorshow.com

14-16 November Interclassics Brussels The largest indoor show in the Benelux region, filling the sprawling Brussels Expo.

interclassics.events

5-7 December Retro Classics Bavaria

The enormous sale of motoring bits and bobs returns.

Visitors to this popular event in Nuremberg will find themed displays, a large club presence and tempting trade stands.

beaulieu.co.uk

retro-classics-bavaria.de

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THE ALPINE TRAIL

2025

More information

4.928 km • 23 Days

Ignition Essential 2025 events

2025

highlights

Motoring and motorsport events A selection of the best motorsport festivals, race meetings, hill-climbs, rallies and tours on the calendar 24-26 April

3-4 May

14-15 June

22 June – 3 July

Manx Classic

Audrain Veteran Car Tour

Brooklands Relived

Carrera Andalucia

On the Isle of Man, roads are closed to allow competition on three hill-climb courses, each of them over a mile long.

Pre-1908 cars meet at the Audrain Automobile Museum for a 50-mile drive around Rhode Island.

Featuring speed trials and action on the Test Hill, and recalling the days when Brooklands was the epicentre of racing in Britain.

A 2200km regularity rally in Spain’s southernmost region, featuring several special tests at racetracks.

brooklandsmuseum.com

rallytheglobe.com

Peking to Paris

17-21 June

27-29 June

The biggest challenge in endurance rallying sees crews follow in the tyre-tracks of the loons who raced 15,000km from China to France back in 1907.

Mille Miglia

Dragstalgia

Brescia to Rome and back in a hurry, in the company of some of the world’s greatest classic cars.

Santa Pod Raceway serves up the sights, sounds and smells of drag racing in years gone by.

1000miglia.it

santapod.co.uk

21-29 June

3-6 July

manxmotorracing.com

1-4 May Simola Hillclimb Furious hill-climbing fun in Knysna in South Africa. Classic cars take centre stage on 2 May.

speedfestival.co.za

2-4 May

audrainmotorsport.com

17 May – 22 June

hero-era.com

Donington Historic Festival

4-7 June

Expanding to become a threeday event this year, and with new grids including one for GT3 racers from the period 2006-2012.

Kitzbühler Alpenrallye

doningtonhistoric.com

2-17 May

Crews competing in four classes (some more relaxed than others) drive 600km of jaw-dropping roads in Austria’s Tyrol region.

alpenrallye.at

The Great Race

Le Mans Classic

More than 120 crews – all chasing a cash prize as well as a good time – contest a regularity rally starting in St Paul, Minnesota, and finishing nine days later in Lake Murray, South Carolina.

The storied Circuit de la Sarthe welcomes back cars of a type that raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans between 1923 and 1981.

greatrace.com

lemansclassic.com Image: Mathieu Bonnevie

Best of Peru

13-15 June

An unforgettable drive through southern and central Peru that includes stops at Lake Titicaca, Colca Canyon, the Rainbow Mountain and Machu Picchu.

Vernasca Silver Flag

21 June – 2 July

11-12 July

In Italy, pre-1973 competition cars tackle an 8.5km hill-climb that begins in the beautiful medieval town of Castell’Arquato.

Grand Tour of Iceland Crews in hired 4x4s drive right around Iceland on the country’s spectacular ring road.

The popular Swedish rally marks its 75th anniversary with a programme that includes four newly devised special stages.

sceniccartours.com

vernascasilverflag.it

sceniccartours.com

midnattssolsrallyt.com

Midnight Sun Rally

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Ignition Essential 2025 events

16-19 July

6-11 September

Ennstal Classic

The Derek Bell Tour

A regularity rally contested on superb roads in the mountainous Austrian province of Styria.

Octane columnist and five-time Le Mans winner Derek Bell leads a jaunt through parts of Croatia, Slovenia and Austria.

ennstal-classic.at

24-26 July

v-events.co.uk

Eifel Rallye Festival

8-12 September

Sideways action on stages formerly used in the German rally championship.

Vintage Tour Alentejo

eifel-rallye-festival.de

1-3 August Oldtimer Grand Prix Cars spanning nine decades of motorsport history do battle at the Nürburgring.

oldtimergrandprix.com

2-3 August Vintage Prescott Pre-war cars blast up Prescott’s traditional 880-yard course, established by the VSCC in 1938.

vscc.co.uk

2-8 August Bonneville Speed Week Speed freaks from around the world bring their hopped-up machines to Utah and floor it on the Bonneville Salt Flats.

A drive across the gently rolling landscape of the Alentejo region – Portugal’s breadbasket – in an MGA provided by Vintage Tours.

vintage-tours.com

8-13 September Colorado Grand Pre-’61 cars set out from Vail for a 1000-mile run through the stunning Rocky Mountains.

20-21 September

5-11 October

Pendine Sands Hot Rod Races

Modena Cento Ore

12-14 September

Members of the Vintage Hot Rod Association rumble across the vast beach at Pendine in Wales.

Goodwood Revival

vhra.co.uk

A thrilling 1000km rally starting in Rome, finishing in Modena, and featuring races at tracks including Imola and Mugello.

co1000.com

The 2025 event will open with the largest ever parade of VW Type 2 Split-Screens. The Campers will pootle around Goodwood Circuit before the first of 13 wonderful races gets underway.

goodwood.com

18-21 September

25-27 September

modenacentoore.canossa.com

Spa 6 Hours

31 October – 2 November

The endurance race that gives this event its name always serves as the finale, so book tickets for the Saturday if you want to see it.

At Circuit Paul Ricard, teams of up to four drivers in pre-1991 cars contest a proper 24-hour race.

spasixhours.com

vdev.fr

Les 2 Tours d’Horloge

scta-bni.org

Gran Premio Nuvolari

27-28 September

2 November

13-16 August

The rally held in memory of Tazio Nuvolari starts and finishes in his hometown, Mantua.

Ardennen Rennen

RM Sotheby’s London to Brighton Veteran Car Run

Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion

gpnuvolari.it

Air-cooled Volkswagens and Porsches are hustled through the Belgian Ardennes.

ardennenrennen.be

Pre-1905 cars motor from Hyde Park to Brighton, commemorating the Emancipation Run of 1896.

First-rate Historic racing at Laguna Seca in California.

18 September – 16 October

weathertechraceway.com

Islands of Japan Marathon

3-5 October

A 7000km route will take crews in pre-1977 cars to Japan’s four main islands, from Hokkaido in the north to subtropical Kyushu.

Barber Vintage Festival

5-9 November Classic 24 Hour at Daytona

rallytheglobe.com

The track at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Alabama hosts a top-drawer race meeting for classic motorcycles.

Image: Gerard Brown

barbermuseum.org

19-21 September

3-25 October

Circuit des Remparts

Amazon Adventure

Vintage and classic cars slide around Angoulême, the walled hilltop town in western France.

19 September – 11 October

The crews will begin their trip in Suriname and cross into French Guiana before heading deep into the Amazonas region of Brazil for a once-in-a-lifetime driving experience.

Monaco to Athens

bespokerallies.com

21-24 August Passione Engadina Based in St Moritz and now with a one-day, ladies-only rally as well as the two-day main event.

passione-engadina.ch

22-24 August Silverstone Festival Celebrating 75 years of Formula 1 but featuring an array of grids, including one for Group C cars.

silverstone.co.uk

29 August – 1 September Lime Rock Historic Festival

circuitdesremparts.com

The racing at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut is followed by a concours and a massive display of cars and motorcycles.

Participants will experience 11 countries as they motor north from Monaco into the Alps and then down the Adriatic coast towards Athens.

limerock.com

destination-rally.com

veterancarrun.com

Iconic competition cars thunder round the Florida circuit.

hsrrace.com

6-19 November Namibia Tour A journey that will take crews in 4x4s across otherworldly desert landscapes and then to nature reserves teeming with wildlife.

classictravelling.com

6-9 December Le Jog

Over 300 pre-1915 motorcyles trundle from Epsom to Brighton.

The famous Land’s End to John O’Groats Trial was absent from the calendar in 2024, but it’s back to reclaim its place as ‘the hardest endurance rally in Europe’.

sunbeam-mcc.co.uk

hero-era.com

5 October Pioneer Run

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Ignition News

Boutique makers rally against potentially crippling ICE ban Low-volume manufacturers say they have had their futures thrown into doubt due to UK Government vagueness over post-2030 emissions exemptions Words Nathan Chadwick Photography Lister / Morgan / CALLUM / Alvis

SMALL-VOLUME British car manufacturers have called for more clarity about the future of propulsion in the wake of Lister’s abandonment of plans for a new Knobbly.

In late January, Lister CEO Lawrence Whittaker (pictured far right, below) announced that plans for a new road car had been cancelled after eight months of development due to uncertainty over whether exemptions for low volume vehicles to the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate would continue past 2030 or 2035.

We spoke to Lawrence directly after he posted his concerns on social media. ‘When the previous Government announced the ZEV mandate, it was quite a long way in the future, so it wasn’t much of a concern,’ he said. ‘The previous Government extended it to 2035, but the current Prime Minister wanted to bring that back to 2030.’ Officially, it is still 2035.

This comes as production wraps up on the Lister Knobbly Continuations, with 30 built.

‘We’d designed a car that brings the Knobbly into the future, with a new shape and a complete carbonfibre monocoque/body.

I think there’s a gap in the market for something a little like TVR [used to be] – small-volume but really powerful, great-looking and great-sounding vehicles.’

Whittaker is not averse to electric propulsion – a Knobbly EV has been investigated – but the current vagueness over whether the exemption will continue means picking a lane is challenging, especially in the light of poor EV supercar and hypercar sales.

‘If the Government mandates that all cars have to be purely electric, then by 2030 there will be a demand for electric supercars,’ Whittaker added.

‘But if the mandate is that small-volume manufacturers can

continue to operate outside the [SVA/IVA] rules then we would make an ICE car – for anybody who really wants a performance car, the sound and thrill of it is what it’s all about. We can’t go forward and make an EV car if others are still allowed to sell petrol cars after 2030. We don’t know whether we could make a petrol car, or an electric car.’

In response, the Department for Transport’s spokesman said: ‘The ZEV mandate legislation runs until 2030, and does not implement the phase-out of vehicles. Manufacturers registering fewer than 1000 cars are exempt from all ZEV mandate targets for the duration of the legislation. The Government has not brought forward the 2035 date, which is the phase-out of all new non-zero-emission cars and vans.

The Government is consulting on the phase-out of new cars that rely solely on an internal-

combustion engine from 2030.

The consultation seeks views on whether manufacturers registering fewer than 1000 vehicles should be exempt from the requirements.’

As a result of the furore, the Department for Transport has invited Whittaker to join its consultation, though he remains concerned by what officials had to say. ‘It said that all cars have to be zero emissions beyond 2035 – there is no consultation on that,’ he says. ‘The clarification I was seeking is not much better, because creating a car takes time – if we get a car ready by 2029 there’s only going to be six short years to sell it.’

Other small-volume manufacturers have echoed the calls for clarity. Alvis Car Company owner Alan Stote says smaller OEMs are generally able to take a more nimble approach to regulations compared to larger manufacturers. ‘However, no

Below, from left, and opposite CALLUM, Alvis and Morgan are all in active consultation with or seeking clarification from the Ministry of Transport, as is Lister.

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‘Creating a car takes time – if we get a car ready for 2029, there’s only going to be six years to sell it’ matter what size of business you are, you need clarity to plan and make decisions on strategies,’ he says. ‘We would welcome this from the Government. We have investigated the electrification of our pre- and post-war car lines.

All our customers have specified the original ICE powertrain, upgraded by us to satisfy emissions so it can be enjoyed on the road. We’ve also run our pre-war demonstrator on biofuel, as another avenue to investigate.’

According to CALLUM’s managing director, David Fairbairn, the uncertainty around legislation hasn’t inspired confidence for niche vehicle manufacturers to commit to projects and put the funding in place. ‘Given both the low volumes and the limited times these cars are enjoyed on the road, the environmental impact is predicted to be minimal,’ he said.

‘An exemption such as we see today feels appropriate. A definitive statement would benefit this industry and the supplier base that depends on it.’

Morgan has been involved in the Government consultation, both directly and via the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). ‘Although demand for an electric Morgan is currently limited, we are confident in our ability to develop a lightweight, fun-todrive, bespoke electric sports car,’ said managing director Matthew Hole. ‘Our recent EV projects have focused on preparing the business to develop and produce electric vehicles, while assessing market demand and refining our strategy. Clarity on future regulations is essential for our continued success, and we hope the Government will provide clear guidance.’

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Ignition News

John Kraman RIP USA auction mainstay John ‘the professor’ Kraman has died. The Mecum stalwart was consignment director before assuming the role of ‘the voice of Mecum’ when it took to the airwaves in 2008.

LM is Best of the Best THE WINNER OF THE tenth annual Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award – revealed and crowned in a special Paris ceremony on the eve of Rétromobile – is Chris Cox’s stunning 1964 Ferrari 250LM. One of only 32 produced, this LM had an accomplished on-track career from 1965 to 1967, and it lined up at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1966 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1968. Acquired by Cox in 2018, it was showcased at the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena, Italy, as part of the ‘Ferrari Forever’ 75th anniversary exhibition in 2022 and has also been displayed at Pebble Beach. It earned its spot in the Best of the Best by scooping Best of Show at the 2024 Palm Beach Cavallino Classic.

Cox said: ‘I am humbled to receive this distinguished award. It brings me tremendous joy to show a vehicle with such a rich history at the world’s biggest concours, and being selected for The Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award is the highest honour a car collector can achieve.’

‘The winning 1964 Ferrari 250LM is much more than just a stunning vehicle,’ added award co-founder Christian Philippsen. ‘This is one of Ferrari’s most revolutionary models, with a rich competitive history.’

The contenders were: 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Spider, 1957 Ferrari 335S, 1937/1946 Delahaye 145 Cabriolet, 1947 Delahaye 135MS Narval Cabriolet, 1934 Bugatti Type 59 Sports, 1937 Bugatti Type 57S, 1928 Bugatti Type 35C GP and 1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III.

RM backs Japan concours RM Sotheby’s will be title sponsor of the Concorso d’Eleganza Japan when it returns to the calendar at Yakushiji Temple on 15-16 March, preceding a seven-day Tour d’Eleganza around Japan on 17-23 March. RM has also announced a new 50-car Milan auction to be held at the Fonderia Macchi Carlo on 21-22 May.

Manor Park ennobled Despite being founded only in 2021, Runcorn auction house Manor Park Classics has bought Southampton-based Barons as the first step in a planned expansion across the UK. The busy Cheshire outfit has also announced a move online with a new free-for-sellers weekly timed online auction. See manorparkclassicsonline.com.

Miami sound machines Depite being in only its second year, ModaMiami, which takes place at (and around) the Biltmore Hotel on 1-2 March has lined up some stellar names and cars. Most excitingly, it is promising a mouthwatering selection of Mercedes, including the legendary Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR that dominated the 1955 World Sportscar Championship with the likes of Sir Stirling Moss and Juan Manuel Fangio, as well as one of the 75 SLR McLaren Stirling Moss that it inspired.

Robin Hamilton RIP This indomitable spirit will forever be remembered as the man who insisted on racing Aston Martins when the rest of the world had given up, keeping the marque in the public eye via his Le Mans forays with such cars as The Muncher. See page 49 for Derek Bell’s memories of Robin Hamilton.

Belated thanks The ex-Monaco safety car Lamborghini Countach that featured in issue 261 was photographed at Soho Farmhouse (sohohouse.com/houses/ soho-farmhouse). Octane would like to extend its thanks to everyone there for being so accommodating.

Broad Arrow jobs boon US auction house Broad Arrow has been on a major recruitment drive prior to its first European sale, at Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in May. The appointments include Philip Kantor joining as Vice Chairman of Europe, Gregory Tuytens signing up as Car Specialist and Head of Consignments for Belgium and the Netherlands, plus Paul Gaucher, Daniele Turrisi, Jean-Louis Baldanza and Valérie Simonet.

Osamu Suzuki RIP The world’s longest-standing car company boss ran his family firm from 1978 to 2016, during which time production multiplied tenfold, principally through his visionary incursion into the Indian subcontinent.

Petersen fundraiser Following the devastating Southern California wildfires, a hastily arranged charity cruise-in at the Petersen Automotive Museum on 26 January raised an impressive $140,000, which will be donated to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation and the LAPD West Bureau. As well as the cash, more than 250 items were collected for distribution to evacuation centres and families impacted by the fires.

Concours Merc focus More than 50 iconic MercedesBenzes are set to be displayed at the Honourable Artillery Company on Wednesday 4 June during the London Concours.

Presented by Hilton & Moss, ‘The Greatest Marque – Mercedes-Benz’ feature will chart the company’s innovation and engineering through some of its greatest creations. See londonconcours.co.uk for more.

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New Fiskens partner London specialist Fiskens has announced that long-term sales executive Christoff Cowens is to become a partner in the business that he joined in 2019, working closely with founder Gregor Fisken and the wider Fiskens team. Cowens is credited with securing some of Fiskens’ most impressive consignments.

New Morgan flagship Morgan, which will imminently reveal its new six-cylinder flagship car, has released a set of teaser photos of a disguised prototype to whet enthusiasts’ appetites. The new car, which is yet to get a name, will be coachbuilt on a new CXV platform, an evolution of the company’s bonded aluminium chassis, and will be powered by the outgoing Plus Six’s BMW six-cylinder turbocharged engine.

Merc museum’s record year Some 882,422 people attended the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart during 2024, a record since it opened in 2006 and up 10% on 2023. Visitors came from 162 countries, primarily from France, China and the USA, and a milestone was reached on 12 September with the 13millionth visitor since the opening.

Déjà Vu in La Sarthe The greatest motorsport battles of the 1960s are set to be revived, with Ford following deadly rival Ferrari back to Le Mans. The Blue Oval marque, which originally crushed the Italians with the GT40, has announced that it will enter the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2027 and enter a full sports prototype at Le Mans in a bid for outright victory rather than the class honours it has fought for in recent years.

Federation launches survey The huge five-yearly survey of the historic vehicle world by the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs is underway. It closes on 31 May and the data is vital in allowing the Federation to lobby Parliament in the UK to preserve enthusiasts’ freedom to use their cherished vehicles without restriction. To add your voice to thousands expected to respond, go to fbhvc.co.uk/survey.

Unforgettable classic car tours through Portugal Discover the most beautiful regions of Portugal in a MGA roadster: impressive landscapes, culture & history, first class hotels & culinary highlights.

Valkyrie heads for Le Mans Aston Martin is to make a bid for overall glory at Le Mans with a race-bred version of its Valkyrie hypercar. If the Aston Martin THOR (The Heart of Racing) team comes good it will be the marque’s first outright Le Mans win since Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori steered the DBR1 to victory in 1959.

BaT comes to Europe Huge online USA collector car auction platform Bring a Trailer (BaT) has announced that it is to cross the Atlantic and start operations in Europe. While Bring a Trailer has maintained a small footprint in Europe over the past decade, the site’s highest-volume seller, 1600Veloce of New York, has opened operations in Germany, becoming the first US-based BaT partner to offer services to European customers.

Portugal Norte

Alentejo

Douro Valley

www.vintage-tours.com

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Ignition News

Left William Medcalf of Vintage Bentley and a Chelsea Pensioner with the 2024 Prix d’Honneur-winning Bentley.

Salon Privé London roars ahead Top dealers are already signed up to put cars on the lawn while new glass galleries promise to elevate the luxury feel yet further SALON PRIVÉ London returns to the Royal Hospital Chelsea on 10-12 April for the fourth running of the event, with the popular Concours de Vente still at its core. The concours, in which all the 75 cars on display are for sale, has already attracted top-end dealers and specialists including Joe Macari, Fiskens, Simon Furlonger and Hilton & Moss, while the SL Shop is set to make its debut on the lawn.

While all the cars will be for sale, they will still be judged by a panel that will include Amanda Stretton and Richard Hammond.

As well as battling for the Prix d’Honneur, last year scooped by Vintage Bentley’s spectacular 1930 Speed Six, there will be the coveted Pensioners’ Choice prize, chosen by the famous Chelsea Pensioners, as well as a People’s Choice award.

Whether at Blenheim Palace in the summer or Chelsea in the spring, Salon Privé has become renowned for its wealth of

modern manufacturers and frequently important UK or European debuts. The roster for 2025 already includes Porsche, Polestar, Elektron, Abarth, Koenigsegg and Alpine, and many more are expected to sign up between now and April.

The 2025 event will also have a special day to celebrate 20 years since the groundbreaking Bugatti Veyron was launched. The 253mph hypercar was the fastest production car in the world when it was introduced in 2005 and there are big plans to honour the anniversary at Salon Privé London. If it compares with the parade of Aston Martin Valkyries that the event laid on in 2024 then people will still be talking about it for years to come.

One of the big attractions of the event is the opportunity to visit a venue that opens its doors to public events only a few times a year. For 2025, organisers are promising to make that experience even more

memorable for Salon Privé London’s 20,000 visitors via ‘magnificent new galleries set to revolutionise the luxury outdoor experience’. As well as weatherproofing the spring event, the galleries will be used at Salon Privé Blenheim Palace later in the year. Organisers pledged: ‘Glass galleries will be constructed on the historic site, enabling all of the premium

brands to bring their spectacular displays under cover, where they can be enjoyed whatever the British weather has in store.’

They further promise: ‘Covered walkways, red carpets and lavish surroundings; enthusiasts will be able to don their finest attire and enjoy stunning cars, luxury shopping and gourmet delights in complete comfort. The glass structures mean that they can still appreciate the picturesque surroundings and unique atmosphere, revolutionising the experience of being at a premium outdoor event.’

As usual, visitors will discover a wide range of non-motoring aspects in the Luxury Village, from fine art and jewellery to antiques, motorcycles and even helicopters and boats.

Salon Privé chairman Andrew Bagley said: ‘Our two events at Royal Hospital Chelsea and Blenheim Palace perfectly book-end the motoring season and have become unmissable dates in the diary for discerning enthusiasts, but we’re never content to rest on our laurels.

The addition of these incredibly elegant galleries demonstrates how dedicated we are to providing the ultimate luxury experience and will enable more people to enjoy both events in complete comfort.’

See salonprivelondon.com.

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1948 Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa by Ansaloni Estimate: €5.500.000 - €7.500.000

1965 Ferrari 275 GTS Estimate: €1.500.000 - €1.800.000

1960 Maserati 3500 GT Vignale Spider Estimate: €690.000 - €750.000 1949 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Coupe

by Dubos Frères Estimate: €1.200.000 - €1.500.000 1958 Lancia Aurelia B24S Convertible Estimate: €200.000 - €250.000

THE THE NEW NEW STAGE STAGE FOR FOR YOUR YOUR LEGEND LEGEND THE NEW MOTORSPORT FORMAT FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY THE MOTORSPORT WHOLE FAMILY · 200 NEW motorsport legends FORMAT FOR· THE Car infl uencers 200 motorsport legends ·· Car uencers Sim infl racing ·· Historical fairground with circus ·· Historical fairground with circus Simmile racing ·· Art Concept cars ·· Concept carstribute show ·· Art mile Salzburger Bauernherbst Elvis Presley ·· Elvis Presley tribute show · Salzburger Bauernherbst and much more Special theme: “Niki Lauda” · Special theme: “Niki Lauda” and much more

R E T STER I G ISLE/S RE G E R HICLE/S C I VE H VEW NO NOW

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Ignition Opinion

The Collector

Jay Leno Lamenting the horror of the recent LA fires

A

s I write this, the massive fires here in California are 15% contained.

Just to give you an idea of the scale of this nightmare, more than 10,000 homes and buildings have burned to the ground and it’s not over yet.

The paradox is the fact that it’s 75ºF today and sunny. Malibu is one of those places they name automobiles and restaurants after. It’s home to beautiful people, movie stars, and some of the most sinuous driving roads in the country. I think there are more Porsches here per capita than any place else.

Fires are common. We have a ‘fire season’; fire breaks out as often as it snows in England. But we’ve never seen anything like this. Winds of 75-100mph – the Santa Anas – combined with global warming and extremely dry conditions, over-building and over-population, have all fuelled this nightmare.

One especially frightening scenario I saw involved a group of Mercedes and Porsche SUVs as well as Teslas, Lexuses and other luxury vehicles stuck in a bottleneck at the base of a canyon. Most of the people were forced to abandon their cars and run for their lives. The Santa Ana winds pick up speed as they race through the canyons carrying fire. Imagine spraying an aerosol can on a cigarette lighter, but on a much greater scale.

I witnessed this myself when I came round the corner and saw about 30 of these cars melted together. I saw where a bulldozer had pushed them off the side of the road so the fire crew could get through. I spoke to a firefighter who apologised to me that he had to damage the cars but had no choice: he had to get the fire equipment through.

There are something like 3000 firefighters and first responders battling this blaze. I called the police as well as the fire department and asked them if there was anything we could do. The guys are hungry, the fire chief told me. I contacted a friend of mine who has one of those giant Texas BBQ deals, you know, the kind you see at a Willie Nelson concert, with hundreds of chickens and ribs on it. We got my 1941 American LaFrance fire truck (the one featured in Octane 253), went down to the staging area loaded with hundreds of pounds of chicken, ribs and corn.

Military personnel, police, even inmates from local prisons had been brought in to help fight the fires; hundreds of tents set out because nobody is going

home until the fires are out; Humvees everywhere to help prevent looting.

I didn’t feel right asking about collector cars that had been destroyed, but many of the firefighters were enthusiasts and wanted to talk about them. One of the fire chiefs told me that my 1941 American LaFrance was a real morale-booster: these folks had seen so much destruction, and seeing something shiny and in good shape seemed to cheer them up.

At that point the captain said ‘Let me show you something’ and we got in his truck. We drove to one of the highest points in Malibu and for miles there’s nothing but smoke and ash. We drove past a house where you could see the skeletal remains of four Porsches: two 356s and two 911s. Only the shapes told me what they were. Tyres and interiors had been totally torched. As you went further down the street, I saw the remains of what appeared to be a ’47 Lincoln as well as a ’41 Cadillac. It was like modernday Pompeii, where people had only minutes to get out and everything else was frozen in time.

I was amazed at how much during their breaks the firefighters and first responders wanted to talk about cars. In wealthy communities like Malibu and Pacific Palisades you tend to meet enthusiasts who have many cars, usually exotics like Ferraris and four-cam air-cooled Porsches. These guys all had some kind of dream car they were going to acquire after they retire or their kids graduate from college.

The sad part, besides the obvious loss of human life – 24 as of the time of writing – is the fact that I didn’t see any vehicle that could be saved.

Aluminium cars simply melted and steel-bodied cars were warped and twisted by the heat so badly I’m not sure they could be salvaged.

Fire is the worst thing that can happen to your collector car. A friend of mine had a 1936 Auburn.

He absent-mindedly left the door open and the heat from the lightbulb in the door melted its plastic housing, which caught fire and burned his garage to the ground. That’s why I put battery disconnect switches on all my cars. That’s why original Lamborghinis burn to the ground. The wiring runs through the body and years of driving causes the wires to break through the insulation and catch fire.

Something to think about. Stay safe.

‘Imagine spraying an aerosol can on a cigarette lighter, but on a much greater scale’

Jay was talking with Jeremy Hart.

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BESPOKE FITTED LUGGAGE FOR CLASSIC & SPORTS CARS

G GREAT REAT E ESCAPES SCAPES FOR FOR D DISCERNING ISCERNING D DRIVERS RIVERS

4-7 APRIL : E C C TTOUR 4-7 A PRIL:: E EXMOOR XMOOR C CANINE ANINE C CAR AR T OUR 4-7 APRIL XMOOR ANINE AR OUR 1-15 MAY :: TTUSCANY & U MBRIA TOUR 1-15 M AY USCANY & U MBRIA T OUR 1-15 MAY: TUSCANY & UMBRIA TOUR 24-30 JUNE:: RREC INTERNATIONAL R ALLY, GERMANY 24-30 24-30 JJUNE UNE: RREC RREC IINTERNATIONAL NTERNATIONAL R RALLY ALLY,, G GERMANY ERMANY 30 JUNE-8 JULY: BRITISH CLASSIC CAR MTG, ST MORITZ 30 JJUNE UNE-8 -8 JJULY ULY:: B BRITISH RITISH C CLASSIC LASSIC C CAR AR M MTG TG,, S STT M MORITZ ORITZ 30

27 -1 SEPT : XK C D TTOUR 27 A AUG UG-1 -1 S EPT:: XK XK & & E-T E-TYPE YPE C CLUBS LUBS D DONEGAL ONEGAL T OUR 27 A UG SEPT & E-T YPE LUBS ONEGAL OUR 1-6 O CT: SCOTTISH BORDERS 1-6 O CT : S COTTISH B ORDERS 1-6 OCT: SCOTTISH BORDERS 9-13 O : HAMPSHIRE VALLEYS &V ILLAGES 9-13 OCT CT 9-13 O CT:: H HAMPSHIRE AMPSHIRE V VALLEYS ALLEYS & &V VILLAGES ILLAGES 6-19 N OV: NAMIBIA 6-19 N NOV OV:: N NAMIBIA AMIBIA 6-19

C CLASSIC LASSICT TRAVELLING RAVELLING..COM COM

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Ignition Opinion

The Legend

Derek Bell Remembering a gentleman of the racing world

F

air warning, I am playing the role of proud dad again here. My youngest boy, Sebastian, takes after his mum in that he has brains. He is way too smart to be a racing driver, and he is already enjoying great success in business in his midtwenties. He follows motorsport religiously, but he chose a different path from me. To be honest, a major part of me is glad that he did, and I am in awe of what he has achieved, but another part wondered what he could do if ever he managed to squeeze his 6ft 4in frame into a track weapon.

Now I know. There are several Porsche highperformance driving courses around the world. The first was established in 1988 by me and my friend Ken Fengler. The Porsche Precision Driving School with Derek Bell was a big hit and my eldest boy Justin was an instructor there. All these years later, Sebastian took part in something similar at the amazing Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama. He did a lot of driving in all manner of trick Porsches and was bloomin’ quick. It was wonderful for him to have an insight into what I did; how I felt going hell for leather on a circuit.

Sebastian phoned me after January’s 24 Hours of Daytona. He said something along the lines of how he felt he should have been racing there. I fear I may have created a monster! Speaking of the seasonopener, I missed it this year for a variety of reasons.

Nevertheless, congratulations to Roger Penske and Porsche for taking yet another major scalp. Also, kudos to Nick Tandy who was on the driving strength. He became the first person ever to win 24-hour races at Daytona, Le Mans, Spa and the Nürburgring.

Moving on, and for the second month in a row, I would like to say a few words about someone who has recently passed on, and who left their mark on motor racing even if they weren’t particularly well-known. Robin Hamilton died in January and, to be honest, we hadn’t spoken in decades. I drove for him only a few times way back when, but I liked him. I won at Le Mans for the first time in 1975, but two years later I was scrabbling just to stay in the game. I don’t mean to sound disrespectful to Robin, but it was a case of have race licence, will travel.

I was doing the European Touring Car Championship with the Broadspeed Jaguar team,

and the domestic F1 series with a Hexagon Penske, but I rarely drove sports cars because the offers weren’t there. In 1978-79, I didn’t have a programme of any description. Everything was a one-off. I don’t recall how I came to be hired by Robin, but I do remember being impressed by his determination. He loved all things Aston Martin. It was the only marque for him and he and his team had built this thing called RHAM/1. I gather it was also known as ‘The Muncher’ on account of its appetite for brake discs.

I tend to be attracted to people who love what they do. I often get swept up by their enthusiasm. This was definitely the case here. My memory is a bit hazy, but I drove it in the 1979 Silverstone 6 Hours. I shared the car with Dave Preece, who was a dentist by day and a handy club racer on weekends. The Aston was unbelievably physical to drive. It was a heavy old bus but also very fast in a straight line because it had twin turbos. It just rocketed down the straights, but you had to tiptoe through the corners.

Flames would occasionally lick out from under the bonnet, too, and the cabin filled up with fumes.

We finished 13th and the last classified runner. We were more than 30 laps down on the Porsche 935 that won, but it made it to the end, which was quite an achievement in itself.

I have since been told that I drove the car again a year later at Silverstone, on this occasion sharing seat time with Robin. We retired early. I honestly don’t remember it, but all these years later I think of Robin and The Muncher with affection. He was a nice chap who performed miracles with little money. As such, Robin deserves credit for his accomplishments.

While I am on the subject of taking drives as and when they were offered, I was reminded recently of something Jo Siffert once said. I was his team-mate in the Gulf Porsche 917s in 1971. We had just finished a race and he asked if I was doing the German GP, which was the following weekend. I said I didn’t have a drive. He told me to get on the phone and not quit until I had one.

I simply wasn’t wired that way, and that’s perhaps to my detriment. I knew guys who would see a friend die in a race and immediately badger the team manager to replace them for the next round. I couldn’t imagine doing that.

I never reached giddy heights in F1, but I could at least face myself in the mirror.

‘Flames would lick out from under the bonnet, and the cabin filled up with fumes’

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14th Edition

21 - 24 August 2025

The battle of the prancing horses, but not only...

For the first time ever, the host brand will be Porsche. We will feature 40 Italian brands, 40 Porsche and 40 Ferrari, all produced before 1985, along with selected lightning strikes at the organizer’s discretion.

The battle of the prancing horses, but not only...

For further information and registration: www.passione-engadina.ch

For further information and registration: www.passione-engadina.ch

Ignition Opinion

The Aesthete

Stephen Bayley Can car design ever be an art again?

W

ith all the pomposity available to youth, I wrote in my first book that if Michelangelo were alive today, he’d have cars in his portfolio: a Fiesta as well as a Pieta. I knew this was smart-arse over-reach, but I was 27, it was 1979 and the case that cars might be considered as ‘art’ was not widely understood. And that was a case I wanted to make.

Of course, even a great maestro does not work alone. Michelangelo had assistants, including someone to pass him his mallet and chisel and cook his lampredotto. But car design differs from art in that it is necessarily a collaborative process and it’s difficult to identify a single auteur. For example, no fewer than 14 identifiable designers were, in 1962, working on what became the ’69 Ford Capri.

Besides, the car industry is a closed shop, even if that closure is a global one. All the designers know each other. All the suppliers know the designers.

They swap jobs like swingers swap partners.

It is as closed a community as, say, the Army. But, instead of isolated barracks, car designers inhabit the worldwide car show circus where, to expand their consciousness, they talk to… each other. This is why car design advances only by small increments and without attention to real-world demands. You could also say that this is why independent designers rarely break into the closed shop of the automobile.

But when independent designers do work on a car, the results are fascinating. Walter Gropius was director of the Bauhaus, its founding slogan being ‘Art and technology: a new unity!’ The Bauhaus experimented with industrial materials in furniture, but never produced a machine as elemental as a bicycle, still less a car. It was more interested in art and craft, citing the importance of the machine and industrial materials only for rhetorical purposes.

So Walt went off and designed the Adler SportReise Cabriolet, which won a beauty competition at Berlin’s 22nd Internationale Automobil Ausstellung in 1931. It was a magnificent machine but an architectural conception: enormous masses were integrated into what in profile looks like a city skyline. Despite the Bauhaus’s proletarianism, the Adler was an aristocratic machine. Gropius paid no attention to emerging aerodynamic science.

Nor did his great rival and contemporary, the shaman-provocateur-genius-charlatan who selfbranded himself Le Corbusier. Infatuated by the discipline of car design, Corb made extensive drawings of his Voiture Minimum and outrageously changed the dates on them to claim it anticipated the Citroën 2CV, which it did not.

At the same time, Buckminster Fuller produced his Dymaxion demonstrator car, which was so underdeveloped it took-off and killed its test-driver.

But the best external intervention happened at Porsche. For so apparently rational a company, Porsche got itself into a terrible muddle with a new car to complement the 911. Being a Porsche, it must be excellent. But not so excellent that it took sales from the older car. Volkswagen was to be the manufacturing partner of this Typ 914. Four-cylinder versions were to be branded Volkswagen, sixcylinders as Porsche. Volkswagen may have wanted it to look like a Porsche, but Porsche certainly did not want it to look like a Volkswagen. Now there is a demanding brief: make it underperform and not look like anything else.

Hans Gugelot, a design consultant in Neu-Ulm, was hired. In a country where the austere is commonplace, Gugelot’s austerity was extreme.

Bayer provided a new plastic sandwich material that allowed sheer, uninterrupted surfaces; Gugelot created a formal masterpiece with wonderful details, including rocker panels painted black to enhance the illusion of lowness, and doorhandles that were invisibly recessed. In its execution, the 914 spoke of intelligence and restraint, not muddle.

It is aesthetically unique. It has more in common with Gugelot’s Kodak Carousel slide-projector – a completely unfrivolous design, grey with gentle radii – than with any other car. The 914 is similarly undecorated and, making no concessions to fashion, has not dated in 50 years. So there’s the moral.

As analogue perceptions and combustion propulsion fade into memory, new cars become less interesting to independent designers. Or to anyone.

I don’t see a new Michelangelo coming along.

What I do see happening is special editions with designer signatures, rather as Uniqlo has capsule collections of, say, Marni and JW Anderson. But that’s fashion. That, I suppose, explains what has happened to design today.

‘All the designers know each other.

They swap jobs like swingers swap partners’

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Ignition Opinion

The Driver

Robert Coucher The sound of a car is as important as the way it looks

I

recently picked up a copy of Into The Red by ex-Octane columnist (and sometime musician) Nick Mason and the former contributor, road-tester and racing driver Mark Hales. The book consists of track tests of 17 of Mason’s historic racing cars, from a 1901 Panhard B1 bone-shaker to a 1990 Porsche 962 ground-effect weapon. The really good thing is that it came with a CD of recordings of all of the cars being revved around Silverstone and Donington, recordings made with proper equipment to ensure the sound was pure and crystal.

So I couldn’t resist firing up my Yamaha CD player and selecting track five: the 1953 BRM V16 Mk2 being push-started for two laps of Donington. With the volume set to a fairly silly max, I settled down with the book to re-read the BRM piece while the sound of the V16 going supersonic at 12,000rpm bounced off the walls (the girls were out!). To my mind, it’s the best-sounding engine ever created.

As Hales wrote: ‘The noise made by a BRM V16 is one of the most awesome events in motor sporting history. Nothing… has made a sound like it, either before or since. It’s not just the volume… but its sheer intensity. The BRM’s noise assumes another dimension which you feel as well as hear… a series of shrieks broken by silence and the echo rolling back.’

The bewitching sound the V16 creates is so wonderful, it’s actually moving. Then it dawned on me, moving for the wrong reasons when you realise human ingenuity of this slightly bonkers nature is being quashed as the world’s bureaucrats take it upon themselves to kill the internal combustion engine and much of the West’s car industry.

The book was first published in 1998, some 27 years ago. The most modern car included was the Porsche 962, being eight years old. So fast-forward 27 years to 2052. What do you think an eight-yearold car (a 2044 model) will sound like then?

Probably a milk float.

Like most sensible non-zealots, I’m all for electric propulsion in some vehicles. If you are after a limousine like a Rolls-Royce, Bentley or Maybach Merc, where near-silence is desired, then perfect.

And electric city cars are good. I live in London and have appreciated how much quieter cars have become over the years. That old black cab drone followed by the stink of dirty diesel is not missed.

But pure electric does not suit everyone’s needs so there has to be a mix of EV, hybrid and ICE, with wonderful-sounding classic cars kept running for the joy of their aural stimulation.

Obviously while not being anywhere near Nick Mason’s league, even though I did play the side drum in the cadet band, I’ve been fortunate to experience some superb engines of my own, let alone with the day job – that F1 V12 was far more sonorous than the drone of the Veyron W16. Best affordable engine experienced? Undoubtedly the South African homologation special, the 3.0-litre Alfa GTV V6 wearing triple Dell’orto carbs. Operatic.

My first engine was a Ford ‘Essex’ V6 with a Meissner cam and bigger Weber carb. Shoehorned into an unsuspecting Lancia Aurelia, it turned the 1950s Italian GT into a hot rod, sounding rough, tough and gutsy. This was followed by an Alfa Giulia saloon wearing a restrictive single Solex carb, which ran out of revs at about five thou’. Fitting twin Webers released the car’s mad Italian personality and, with air filter and rear silencer removed (I was young and stupid), it revved with vim and sounded like it was doing 100mph everywhere.

Then it was Porsche, initially a 356C. What a superb little car. A total rot-box and the flat fourcylinder engine was not its best point. Being derived from the cheap VW ‘people’s car’, the air-cooled lump sounded like a load of stones rattling around in a tin can. It managed only about 75bhp and wouldn’t rev on its puny Zenith 34 carbs and restrictive exhaust. Several years of fiddling turned the Porsche from a weed to a muscular screamer! Running on ludicrous Weber 44s and a large extractor exhaust, the wall of noise it emitted at high revs also went supersonic through the inlet chokes and out of the rude exhaust, hiding the low-rent air-cooled clatter.

It had become so loud I sold it.

The car with the best engine was my 1973 Porsche 911 2.4S, rebuilt to 2.7 litres, so RS spec. Absolutely the best in mechanical engineering: strong, reliable, powerful, smooth, willing, full of character. I miss it but am still enjoying the romance of one of the best-looking engines of all, the Jaguar straight-six.

With its polished twin cam covers, rows of head bolts and sense of symmetry, it performs gently and quietly, and being of 3.8 litres, it’s effortlessly powerful and remains my cool-rod of choice.

‘Several years of fiddling turned the Porsche from a weed to a muscular screamer!’

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Octane-SF-2025-RED308.indd 1

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Ignition Letters

When Gary met Brian ROBERT COUCHER mentioned in his column in Octane 261 that he might have an interest in a Lister XJ-S, presumably a UK version.

In the 1980s, my company GW Bartlett modified new XJ-Ss to our own Lister specs in the USA. In the early ’80s I was buying ‘Lister’ components for new XJ-Ss from BLE Ltd (Ron Beatty, John Lewis and Ian Exeter) in Birmingham.

Exeter and Lewis grew tired of losing money on their Lister programme and offered to sell the company to me, so I bought it with the blessing of Brian Lister. The photo [above] shows him sealing the deal with me outside the RAC in London.

I changed what BLE was doing with their car in the hope of making some money. I formed Lister of North America Inc sometime around 1983 and we sold body kits to Jaguar dealers here in the USA, Japan and Europe – hundreds of them. In my shop we built a performance version that included modified suspension with help from Bryan Wingfield, Hayward and Scott exhaust, five-speed manual conversion parts by Jaguar Cars, 3.54:1 differential instead of the stock 2.88:1 (the 0.88 transmission overdrive gave an effective final drive ratio of 3.11 to 1 in fifth gear), body parts from Robin Statham in Princes Risborough, and many

Letter of the month

other changes. We sold about 20 of these cars, which were converted in my workshop, through Jaguar dealers and the price was about $87,000.

The picture [below] shows a 1987 Lister NAS 5 (North American Spec, five-speed manual).

The Lister project was a lot of fun but also a tremendous amount of work and expense.

Although the company took in a lot of money, it never made a profit. Each time I thought the bank balance was in the black the marketing bills would arrive and wipe it out.

I think the subsequent UK Lister XJ-S was very similar to mine but with a modified V12 engine.

We couldn’t modify our engines because of environmental regs, with the exception of my own Lister, with a Forward Engineering 6.0-litre V12.

Gary Bartlett, Indiana, USA

Collectable Clio I was pleased to see the Renault Sport Clio 182 get some much deserved love in Octane 261. I am the lucky owner of Trophy no.309 [below], which is something of a ‘Trigger’s broom’ in that it’s had a replacement engine and gearbox in its past, but is now in good fettle. There can be no doubt that it’s a comparative bargain right now as a collector’s or driver’s car.

As the Trophy approaches its 20th anniversary, interest will surely start to rise once more.

With only about 550 made, and maybe 410 left, it’s ultimately rarer than a Williams and less than half the cost. Some are now even being exported to France, Japan and Hong Kong, with the US accessible in five years’ time.

Surely it’s a case of grab one and enjoy it while you can!

David Reid, Derbyshire

Bayley the prophet A recent letter to Octane regarding the writing of Stephen Bayley and a note in the Editor’s Welcome about Bayley’s book, The Age of Combustion, led me to purchase said book, as well as his 1986 publication Sex, Drink and Fast Cars. It’s typical Bayley, with an esoteric and perhaps slightly pompous style of prose (well, he would have been a young man in 1986!), but what foresight he showed by concluding ‘perhaps cars will become less like capital equipment and more like consumer durables’ and then

LETTER OF THE MONTH wins a Ruark R1 Bluetooth Radio, worth £239 The R1 is perfectly proportioned, beautifully made and deceptively powerful.

It’s the perfect bedroom, kitchen or workshop radio.

Ruark is a family-owned British company, passionate about sound and design. Its aim is to make premium music systems that look and sound fabulous, products that will enhance your home and life, including radios, compact active speakers and all-in-one music systems – all with Ruark’s long high-fidelity heritage at their core.

Visit ruarkaudio.com for more information.

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Ignition Letters

Monday morning dawned bright and clear – good. I’d driven the ‘D’ many times before, but only for a quick shake-down before a race weekend. This drive was going to be about 200 miles, in great weather.

The ‘D’ is a friendly car to drive, very docile at normal speeds – and what a reaction you get at a petrol station! – but floor the pedal and, wow, it goes. Not like a superbike, but seriously fast for a road car.

It’s a memory I’ll never forget and a great after-dinner tale.

Baz Cope, South Yorkshire

‘perhaps cars will be sold in supermarkets’. That was quite a projection almost 40 years ago!

Roger Shufflebottom, Cheshire

Wedding car Richard Heseltine’s piece about his Honda Z600 in Octane 259 took me back to 1972, when a good friend of mine, Paul, and I decided to do our own little road trip from London to Athens in his Z600 [above]. It had the go-faster black stripes on the side, which helped it with going up hills.

With the car packed to the gills so we had hardly enough room to breathe, we drove to Paris and then visited the wine country of Burgundy and Alsace to stock up on the red and white stuff. The plan was then to motor down to the Côte d’Azur and into Italy, before crossing into Greece.

However, the Z600 had other plans. One morning, after about an hour’s driving, we both felt rather ill and stopped at the roadside to recover. We then noticed that the exhaust pipe was leaking fumes, which were clearly getting sucked into the cabin.

With windows wide open, we managed to get to a garage in Marseilles, where they repaired the exhaust pipe and told us how lucky we had been. The rest of the trip passed without major incident and we were able to reach

the ferry at Brindisi in Italy and cross over to Greece.

The twist to this story is that, on the way over on the ferry, we got chatting to two Dutch girls – one of whom I later married.

Nicolas Fenton, London

Dream D-type drive James Elliott’s editorial in Octane 260 reminded me of a lovely occasion a few years ago when I was looking after Peter Neumark’s race cars at the Goodwood Revival.

The lads and I had taken three cars down in the transporter: D-type ‘OKV 1’ [pictured below], a Maserati 250F and Mark Griffiths’ Lotus 18. The revered Jim Stokes was delivering an Alfa 8C Monza to Goodwood with new gearbox internals fitted.

Halfway through the weekend, I said to the Boss: ‘You know we have a transporter problem going home, because we have four cars and only three places on it.’ Long pause. ‘Oh… Will you drive the “D” home then, Baz?’

Coucher’s crash Robert Coucher wrote in Octane 257 about his accident in a Renault 5 at Kyalami circuit.

I watched the drama from the pavilion on the outside of Clubhouse Corner, and there was relief all round when Coucher emerged from the wreck looking relatively unscathed.

My scrapbooks revealed a photo [below] that I took of the Renault post-accident.

Andre Stemmet, Pretoria, South Africa

Controversial concept…

What a well-balanced article on Jaguar’s rebirth in Octane 260.

No doubt something needed to be done to generate sales and profit, but like most I was dismayed at the promotional material for the Type 00 concept.

It made me laugh when I read that one of the slogans is ‘Copy Nothing’. Have a look at 2014’s Volvo Concept Estate: apart from the sloping rear roof line, it’s the same car in a different colour!

Another lookalike is the Kia Proceed Concept of 2017.

Did Jaguar’s campaign work?

One thing’s for sure: it certainly caused comment and put the brand to the forefront.

Greg Peckover, Kent

…or future classic?

It seems as if even some people closely associated with the Jaguar marque are divided about the Type 00 concept. As a long-time enthusiast and owner, I say bring it on! My first reaction was that it’s not traditional like my XJ6 Coupé, or as conventionally beautiful. But strong design is what I consider a necessity, and the Type 00 concept certainly has it as a two-door coupé.

How to carry that over to a four-door is now the question.

If all goes well, perhaps sometime before the first Mars landing we will also finally have a real E-type successor! I’m ready for both.

John Tolle, Tucson, Arizona, USA

Cheese feast Silver Bears! I love that movie [Letters, Octane 260, and below].

It’s a great, if cheesy, Euro-caper romp with a superb cast. Not in the same class as The Italian Job but still fun.

If I may add to a must-see list, it would be 11 Harrowhouse.

From the same period, it has excellent car scenes (Dino 246 GTS, Lotus Europa Twin Cam), a great ’70s wardrobe, memorable theme by Michael J Lewis, and even a Hawker Hurricane!

Sterling DuBarry, Ontario, Canada

Send your letters to letters@octane-magazine.com Please include your name, address and a daytime telephone number. Letters may be edited for clarity. Views expressed are not necessarily those of Octane.

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Hot hatches Five decades of fun

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HOT HATCH HEROES They’re a dying breed, yet the best transcended humdrum heritage to be among the most entertaining drivers’ cars ever. Octane takes a trip to the good old days Words John-Joe Vollans Photography Jonathan Jacob

THE BEST HOT hatches emanate joie de vivre like almost nothing else on four wheels. For many enthusiasts they opened the gates to performance motoring and, like any first love, those sensations of speed, freedom and pride are indelible memories. Were it not for the hot hatch, an entire generation might never have graduated to greater things.

The hot hatch took over from the affordable European sports cars of the 1970s and 1980s, many of which looked antiquated in comparison. They majored on thrills and practicality, a combination that caught on, fast.

The hot hatch formula is typically defined by a frontmounted, four-cylinder engine that drives the front wheels.

Other elements usually include lowered and stiffened suspension, better braking and enhanced visual appeal.

Among its target demographic, the latter tends to be of paramount importance. How else were you going to attract attention at your local drive-through?

Any driveline deviation (rear- or four-wheel drive), or larger engine variations – while often brilliant in their own right – should be seen as outliers in this exploration of hot hatch heroism. No need to muddy the waters with greater complication, weight and expense, the hot hatch has been so good for so long because of its simplicity – not in spite of it! All clear? Then let’s begin…

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V O L K S WA G E N

GOLF GTI Mk 1

I

t’s a tale that’s been told many times, so let’s not dwell on the out-ofhours work of a band of VW boffins, headed by PR wizard Anton Konrad and engineer Herbert Schuster. All you really need know is that a supposed six-person team toiled at Wolfsburg – presumably to the sound of Kraftwerk’s Autobahn – to produce the ‘Sports Golf ’, turning the pedestrian Beetle replacement into a totemic trailblazer.

A production run of just 5000 – plus a thought-to-be-detrimental price – was agreed by VW suits and, after a genius decision to swap the prototype’s dual-choke Solex carburettor for Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection, the Golf GTI went on sale in the summer of 1976. In case you hadn’t guessed already, that projected figure was a little pessimistic: more than 2.3million GTIs have since been made across eight generations.

Humble by modern standards, the first GTI’s 1588cc engine – donated from the Audi 80 GT – was practically muscular in the mid-1970s. Its reliable and efficient 108bhp gave the GTI a top speed of 112mph, with 60mph appearing in a smidge over nine seconds. Sitting lower and riding firmer than its less sporting siblings, the GTI was fun to drive, frugal and dependable – far from universal attributes at the time.

This example is one of the later (post-1982) 1.8-litre 112bhp versions – incidentally, so representative of its type that it’s been immortalised by Corgi. Despite bringing only a handful more horsepower and torque to the party, the way the 1.8 delivers is significant. The buzzy 6100rpm peak power of the early GTI is brought down to a more

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Clockwise, from opposite Crisp styling is understated; interior basic but features supportive seats and iconic ‘golfball’ gearknob; fuel-injected 1.8 offers more fun than 112bhp might suggest.

manageable 5800, while the peak torque threshold is breached at just 3500 (compared to 5000).

On first impression, this Golf doesn’t dazzle with its dynamics; instead, it feels composed within its comfort zone. Press on – this is a GTI, after all – and the chassis proves willing, with body control a little on the softer side of what we’re used to today. This early Golf does a fantastic job of ironing out undulations, while also proving adept at negotiating the more acute moor-top curves. Its relatively skinny 175mm tyres only begin to protest when pushed hard, and this is a very light car (840kg), so changes in direction aren’t hampered by excess mass.

The Golf GTI’s appeal is, and always was, due to its all-round abilities.

The chassis and controls get better the more that’s asked of them, yet ease off and it settles into a comfortably swift rhythm. Equally at home crushing the commute or cresting the Col de Turini, the original GTI offers simple, analogue fun. Its fundamental poise and ‘rightness’ as a driver’s machine mean we can forgive it the odd foible, namely its less than stellar brakes.

We could hardly overlook the Golf ’s fabulous styling, a credit to maestro Giorgetto Giugiaro and VW’s own Herbert Schaefer. It’s aged exceptionally well, looking a lot more mature than many a be-winged machine that followed in its wake. The market clearly likes this tasteful GTI, too, having responded in a big way around 2010, pulling prices from a four-figure (or less) bargain into what’s now a £20,000 machine (for the best examples); concours contenders command twice that.

As a first outing for the GTI, and arguably the hot hatch as we know it, Volkswagen’s original walks a tightrope between usability and driveability, yet still delivers the thrills, nearly 50 years on.

THE COMPETITION EARLY HOT HATCHES The hot hatch didn’t simply emerge fully formed in the mid-1970s. It developed gradually on the shoulders of brave pioneers. That arguably all kicked off with the Mini Cooper.

Yes, it lacked that type-defining rear hatch but possessed many of the other ingredients.

Other notable stepping stones include Autobianchi’s A112 Abarth, the Simca 1100Ti, Alfasud Ti and the Renault 5 Alpine – all of which arrived before the Golf GTI, the latter by just a few months.

FORD ESCORT XR3i Ford spent the late 1970s and early 1980s trying to rein in the go-faster Golf. Its Escort XR3, and later fuel-injected XR3i, lagged behind the Golf dynamically, with early examples criticised for rock-hard ride and odd suspension camber.

Largely cured of its maladies by the middle of 1981, the XR3i was then more favourably compared.

Far from close were the two camps of owners, at least in the UK. The VW cost more– £5700 versus £5123 in 1980 – and appealed more to the well-heeled, while the Escort was seen as the hot hatch for the masses.

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PEUGEOT

205 GTI

B

y the mid-1980s a new wave of even hotter hatches had crested.

Boasting either 16 valves or turbochargers, they forced rivals and newcomers into a rethink. Peugeot launched the 205 GTI into a trough between the first- and second-generation swells.

The 205 was met in February 1983 with a more muted reaction than many care to remember. Models supplied to journalists at the international press launch in Morocco weren’t heaped with universal praise. The majority admired Gerard Welter’s neat exterior styling, plus its airy cabin – the work of Paul Bracq – yet Car of the Year ’83 went to the Fiat Uno. Test drivers in the North African heat did, however, see the car’s go-faster potential, something that hadn’t escaped Peugeot’s attention, and the GTI joined the range 12 months later.

It was powered by Peugeot’s new 1.6-litre four-cylinder, tuned to a peaky 105bhp at 6250rpm. Its power-to-weight ratio was on the money, even if, on paper, it seemed to lack firepower. An extra 10bhp was found in 1985, yet even better was still to come… A year later, the 130bhp 1.9-litre GTI landed – literally, if its TV advertising was to be believed.

This 205 is one of those more potent 1.9-litre models and, while opinions are divided between the purist’s preference for the original 1.6 and the outright urge of the 1.9, both knock spots off many contemporaries when it comes to driver engagement. Where the 205 really shines is with its chassis set-up – MacPherson struts up front, torsion bars and trailing

arms at the rear – and lack of mass. It weighs only around 800kg, and what little there is is kept low down, allowing for direction changes akin to a dragonfly’s. The cherry on this cake is steering that’s full of feedback.

It’s impossible to put a price on the feeling of driving a 205 GTI up here in the North York Moors: the unbridled joy that emanates from every interaction is beyond such considerations. In this natural habitat, it still feels ludicrously entertaining. Weight transfer under hard braking, cornering or acceleration is clearly telegraphed via a chassis that feels equal parts supple and predictable – for those paying attention. Even then, the car’s tendency to rotate mid-bend – usually following a loss of confidence and a sudden lifting of the right boot – has been largely mitigated by modern tyres.

The 1.9’s more accessible 119lb ft of torque (80% of it from 2200rpm) means you don’t work too hard for its rewards. To some, that’s part of the problem. While mentioning shortcomings, trim rattles (not too apparent in this example) plus an orange speedo needle that waves a vague range of figures as it climbs, rapidly feel more like mere character traits. If you notice at all, you’ll likely be chortling at the sheer theatre of it.

Prices for good 205 GTIs have gone wild lately. The best, like this Miami Blue example, now fetch between £15,000 and £25,000, with truly exceptional GTIs commanding over £30,000 – one was even sold

by Aguttes in 2022 for a whopping £69,768.

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Clockwise, from above Sublime styling treated to wheels and ’arches; engine looks industrial, pulls hard; later interior works well – but it’s all very grey.

THE COMPETITION FIAT TIPO 2.0ie SEDICIVALVOLE This 16-valve twin-cam Tipo might not look as desirable as its nation of origin or name would suggest, but beyond its boxiness lies some degree of brilliance. Borrowing its engine from the larger Lancia Thema, this Fiat’s 143bhp twin-cam allowed it to smash its way to 60mph in just over eight seconds.

RENAULT CLIO WILLIAMS

LANCIA DELTA HF INTEGRALE

Based on the great bones of the Clio 16V, with RenaultSport expertise poured into a limitededition, brand tie-in model, the Clio Williams had little to do with Formula 1 but it was a great driver’s car – even more welcome, in 1993, as it dropped into a hot hatch market turning tepid.

The ‘Willy’ was developed to homologate the new Clio’s 2.0-litre engine for Group N,and its 148bhp was enough for 0-60mph in 7.6sec.

We know we’re breaking our own rules here, but we had to mention Lancia’s hot hatch lineage, not least because it grew from the front-wheeldrive Delta HF Turbo –and that quaiifies for the long-list on its own. Its four-paw successor, the Lancia Delta HF 4WD Integrale, utterly dominated Group A rallying from 1987 to 1992, winning six back-to-back WRC Constructors’ titles. Not a bad road car, either…

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, h c t a h t o h e h t r o f t o n t i e r e e v a W ‘ h r e v e n t h g i m n o i t a r e n e ’ g s a g n i h t r e t a e r g o t d e t a u d a r g

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A CI D N O H

V IC

R E P TY

Right and below This generation proved to be a rare sight in UK, but successive Type Rs soon followed; focused interior features characteristic Type R titanium gearknob.

B

y the 1990s, the hot hatch had arguably become a victim of its own success, with many finding that punitive insurance premiums were punishing performance. Makers responded by turning out less overtly sporting products, cars that alluded to performance rather than properly possessing it, in a move typified by Volkswagen. Having done much to kickstart the craze in the first place, Wolfsburg’s 1990s GTIs were far less worthy of the badge. Improvements in refinement, passive safety and usability all added weight, initially without significantly increased horsepower. Sure, there were some fine offerings from the French – namely the Clio Williams and the excellent Peugeot 306 GTI-6 – but to find this era’s true game-changing hot hatch, we have to look further afield.

The first Honda Civic Type R (EK9 in Honda code) was officially not sold in the UK, yet it’s the hot hatch that took the metaphorical driver-favourite baton from the 205 and ran with it. Honda envisaged the first Civic to wear its illustrious Type R badge – only the third car to do so, after the NSX and Integra – as a racer that also happened to be road-legal. It was built to homologate a domestic singlemake series, and Honda’s priorities were totally opposed to most in Europe.

Its motorsport brief becomes apparent the second you rev its bespoke, hand-ported 1.6-litre engine to figures that would cause lesser engines to eject their con-rods through their blocks. At the risk of verging into internet meme territory, hysterically high rpms are what dominate the EK9 experience. Its use of clever VTEC variable-valve technology provides a naturally aspirated 185bhp at 8200rpm. Sub-6000rpm, however, you’re left wondering what all the fuss is about. Venture beyond and the character of the engine transforms into that of a mechanical maniac: as you cross into the VTEC realm the step-change is intense. The engine note swells, taking on a bassier tone, as forward progress begins to increase exponentially, with a subtle yet discernible shove in the back.

Putting that much power through the front wheels in a controllable manner required a torque-sensing, helical limited-slip differential, not to mention a strengthened, stitch-welded bodyshell. And if the engine dominates this Type R’s theatrics, then its chassis bags the best supporting accolade. It feels taut, enhanced in this Championship White example by aftermarket coilover suspension but with a minimum of other modifications – unusual within

the JDM scene. With those slightly stiffer coils, and barely any more weight than its 1980s predecessors (just 1090kg), this Civic barely pitches at all. There are just enough clues for your inner ear to detect an attitude change, together with a communicative wheel, well-placed pedals and a satisfyingly mechanical gearchange – even on this 250,000-mile daily/ track example, feedback remains fantastic.

Due to its driver-favoured reputation and its rarity over here (it’s thought there are 300-500 in the UK), the EK9 is sought out by enthusiasts. Japanese performance car prices have long been on the rise as younger enthusiasts – who tend to prefer this territory’s takes – have grown into money.

Prices for EK9s worth having start at around £15,000, rising to nearly £30,000 for the most pampered.

Behind the wheel, this Type R feels like the era’s highwater-mark hatch but, if you want easily accessible performance in any gear, then it’s not for you. If, however, you’re seeking a machine that demands you pay attention, one that makes you strive to hit every gearchange and apex bang-on, then you’ll be totally in tune with the Type R.

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THE COMPETITION PEUGEOT 306 GTI-6 Peugeot took a two-pronged approach in the 1990s, with the smaller 106 GTI taking after the 205 while the 306 GTI-6 went straight for the larger Golf. Both were great to drive, but the extra cog, greater grunt and increased refinement of the 306 made it a better all-rounder.

CITROËN SAXO VTS Park your boy-racer preconceptions, because the sins of its youth shouldn’t permanently sully the Saxo. Yes, many an atrocity in the name of Max Power was committed against it, but strip away the car culture carryovers and the VTS is a fantastic little hot hatch. Powered by the same engines as late 205s and 106s, and building on the already brilliant reputation of its predecessor AX GTI, what’s not to love?

RENAULTSPORT CLIO 172 Fast Clios have been around for as long as the model itself but, for its second generation, Dieppe took things up several notches. The Clio 172 packed the horsepower (actually PS) suggested by its name, which seemed like a lot in 1999.

A subsequent model upped the firepower to 182PS, with the next generation offering 197 and eventually 200PS.

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Hot hatches Five decades of fun

US

RS

FOC D R O F

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ith its World Rally Championshipinspired looks, and the rekindling of a much-loved moniker, the original Focus RS had a lot to live up to. Several of Ford’s earlier fast front-draggers hadn’t quite managed it, but the RS required little defending. Its expensive branded underpinnings – Sachs dampers, Brembo brakes and Quaife differential – didn’t disappoint.

Ford claimed around 70% of RS components were either beefed-up or bespoke.

Its 2002 arrival also helped popularise the new ‘super hatch’ sub-genre. The mid-engined Clio V6 got there first (in 1998) but, shortly after, we were treated to barely restrained beasts in the form of the Golf R32 and Alfa Romeo 147 GTA. Due to the unrelenting work of chassis guru Richard Parry-Jones and well-honed multi-link rear suspension, the Focus took a prodigious dynamic leap forwards. The RS was a notch above, even if some who weren’t accustomed to modulating their right foot through a limited-slip differential missed the point. Ford went straight from playing catch-up to being the market leader.

Although it has all the hallmarks of a homologation special, the Mk1 RS wasn’t a motorsport mission statement.

Instead, it was inspired by (and aped) the sterling engineering work of Malcolm Wilson and M-Sport in the WRC. It also allegedly had development input from Ford works drivers Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz.

To paraphrase Henry Ford, you could have your Focus RS in any colour, so long as it was Imperial Blue. Numbers for this 60mph-in-6.4sec super hatch were pegged at just 4501, with almost half going to UK buyers. At launch, the Focus RS would have set you back £19,995 – allegedly barely enough to cover its cost – and today you’ll need at least £25,000 for a good example, with the best breaching the £35,000 barrier.

The Focus is our first turbocharged hero hatch, and boy, does it show. Its 212bhp four-cylinder is awakened via a green start button in the centre console, which has aged about as well as the rest of the cabin. Carbon and blue colour-coding might be a little too much for some, but no one said RS Fords were supposed to be subtle.

While it’s not plagued by lag, power certainly arrives with a bang, yet usefully low down on the blue-arced, RSscripted dial. There’s an accompanying flicker of red in the corner of your eye, as the boost gauge registers raucous pressure has been reached. Fun and forward momentum are only briefly interrupted by rapidly dispensed gearchanges, through the delightful click-clunk cable-operated, shot-peen geared, five-speed manual. That infamous Quaife limited-slip differential meters grunt to whichever front wheel can use it and, while it can prove a little intense under a lead foot, the reward is that the RS digs into a tight corner and pulls you out, getting you on the way to its 144mph top speed.

The RS represents a transitional form between the frontand four-wheel-drive hot hatch. The Alfa Romeo 147 GTA had shown that the days of an open differential with power over 200bhp (nearly 250bhp in the barmy Italian) were well over, and the four-wheel-drive Golf R32 proved almost prosaic by comparison. The RS is somewhere between those two extremes, its potent performance barely constrained, yet with an excellent chassis to fall back on.

Clockwise, from opposite Focus’s distinctive styling suits the hot-hatch staples of oversize wheels and bumper ducts; turbo four gives 212bhp; bold Racing Blue accents feature within.

THE COMPETITION HONDA CIVIC TYPE R (EP3) Competition for the RS could hardly have come much fiercer than with this fellow Brit-built Type R. Finally embracing the UK market, Honda handed EP3 Type R production to Swindon, which was a welcome gesture, considering we’d missed out on the EK9. The EP3’s 197bhp performance pipped the Focus RS’s to the punch, introducing the world to a 200PS, 150mph hot hatch months earlier.

Dynamically it was nearly as capable as the Ford and cost less at a fiver under £16k, yet the pair were fierce period rivals. The ‘breadvan’ Civic seems unfairly forgotten in comparison, but that makes it a bargain from £6000.

RENAULT CLIO 182 TROPHY The Trophy very nearly made the cut as one of our ultimate heroes, though its Megane stablemate raised the bar higher still. Today, the Trophy is heralded by many as the ultimate expression of the old-school hot-hatch formula, and it’s easy to see why – even if its trick remote-reservoir dampers aren’t that much of a step up over the 182 Cup’s set-up. All RenaultSport Clios are fabulous, this one just got a little more sprinkling of special.

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R E N AU LT S

MEGANE PORT

R 26.R

T

he phenomenon of the track-day came to prominence around the new millennium.

Nürburgring lap times replaced horsepower bragging rights as ride quality took a back seat in pursuit of the sub-eight-minute. Among myriad models thus developed, some when shown a British B-road would cause their owners to call the chiropractor. Very few achieved circuit star status without punishing elsewhere.

In 2008, RenaultSport’s decision to put its already excellent Megane R26 on a crash diet resulted in the R26.R. Outwardly and conceptually extreme, the R26.R would have been a tough sell at the best of times, and it was launched straight into the jaws of a global financial crisis.

The Dieppe factory curbed its already modest plans to ship 230 examples to the UK (of 450 total) to just 159 yet, despite its tiny impact on global sales, evo magazine recently heralded the R26.R as ‘the most significant hot hatch of the last 25 years’. Quite some boast.

Developing a hot hatch based on circuit principles was hardly new – as we’ve already seen with our seminal Civic – yet making one with no rear seats and a roll-cage was.

Giving a shopping car the full 911 GT3 RS treatment elevated the category. RenaultSport crafted a hot hatch that put driver engagement above all other considerations, seating it atop a performance pedestal in the process.

Speaking of sitting, getting comfy in the confining driver’s bucket is our first R26.R test. Then comes the fumbling with the Sabelt six-point harness – making sure you’ve closed the door first. It all adds a sense of trepidation, the

inescapable conclusion of seeing a roll-cage and harness being that you’re one small slip away from a trip to A&E. The surprise is that the R26.R is both easy to drive and wonderfully compliant. Having shed 123kg (19 stone in old money) via its carbonfibre bonnet, plastic side and rear windows, less sound deadening, lighter wheels and a host of other tricks, the R26.R features spring rates reduced by around 10%. Perfectly matched dampers give a cohesion to the ride that’s at odds with the whole aesthetic. The R26’s 227bhp engine remains unchanged but, freed from pulling superfluous weight, it propels this riotous Renault to 60mph in only 5.9sec.

It still isn’t really a featherweight in this company at 1230kg, but the R26.R’s wide track, broad (225mm) rubber and exceptionally well-judged suspension provide Velcrolike mechanical grip. No matter the pace – and it’s capable of generating a lot – the R26.R proves precise. Press on and, like all the best competition-inspired crossovers, it feels ever more up for it. The track is really the only sensible place to find out where this Renault begins to lose its battle with physics. That, of course, is a big part of the R26.R’s appeal.

When it was new, this limited-edition Renault cost £23,815 (or £27k fully loaded). That might not sound like a lot of money for something so remarkable, and it wasn’t.

Yet even at a comparable bargain price, RenaultSport still couldn’t shift enough of them, allegedly passing unsold UK stock to the Swiss. Since then, the car’s been recognised as the motoring masterpiece it always was… with prices to match. To own one today, you’ll need £40,000-50,000.

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Opposite, left and below R26.R shakes that ass just a little more provocatively; racing buckets in here – and no rear seats; 227bhp turbo four has 123kg less to pull.

THE COMPETITION ALFA ROMEO 147 GTA Nothing was as insanely hardcore as the R26.R, but crow-barring a 250bhp 3.2-litre V6 into the front-driven nose of Alfa’s hatch improved tyremakers’ stock. £10,000 secures.

FORD FOCUS RS Mk2 Five cylinders in this second generation, and 305bhp – through the front wheels! Thus-far unheard of, but clever ‘Revo-knuckle’ strut mounts claimed to tame it. Ultra-quick, bit laggy, cheaper than a quattro – still £30k for a good one.

HONDA CIVIC TYPE R (FN2) Bonkers VTEC 2.0-litre revs to 9000rpm – and relative torque paucity has you wanting to. A highly focused driving experience, all about the front end, though bumpy British B-roads test its compliance. Happy hunting from £5000.

VW GOLF GTI MkV/VI A brilliant return to form, heralding a 2.0-litre turbo fourcylinder era that remains in play, best enjoyed as a manual six-speeder. The harder you drive, the better it gets, but the market has noticed. Still plenty to choose from at £5-12k.

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Hot hatches Five decades of fun

AS FOR THE HERE A N D N O W…

H

ard as it might be to swallow, 2008 was 17 years ago. Since the Megane R26.R was launched, the sector has continued to evolve, although fewer and fewer ‘traditional’ hot hatches have been released during that time.

Four-wheel drive, greater complexity and seemingly silly horsepower figures have almost entirely replaced the simple and engaging delights of lightweight, front-wheel-drive hot hatches. It’s not so long ago that 200bhp seemed like a serious figure, yet one of the most potent of the current crop – the Mercedes-Benz AMG A45 S – easily doubles that with 421bhp. Mind you, at 1680kg it weighs nearly twice as much as a 205 GTI. Past masters such as RenaultSport are no more, having been closed and folded into Alpine. Ford has canned its Fiesta ST, and it looks as though Honda’s latest Civic Type R (FL5) will be its last, at least as we know it. Unfortunately, the wider motoring public these days appears to care more about straightline performance and phone integration than it does about driver feedback and fun.

Despite the current gloomy climate, there have been some recent stand-out greats, namely 2012’s magnificent Ford Fiesta ST and 2017’s Hyundai i30 N. The latter is a surprising driver’s delight from the South Korean maker, which also gave us the equally entertaining i20 N –currently one of the few proper hot hatches on sale. With its six-speed

manual transmission, four-cylinder engine and front-wheel drive, the i20 N is something of a stronghold. And there’s always been the ubiquitous Golf GTI, especially entertaining in Clubsport trim (now with 296bhp).

The success of Toyota’s GR Yaris in 2020 has shown that there’s still a place for a pint-sized rallyist, too, and an updated version was launched at the end of last year. The 2020 car might have been four-wheel-drive, but its relative low weight (1280kg) and power output (257bhp) still struck a chord with us. This first version has been so successful – beating the required 2500 homologation number by approximately 29,500 – that it soon became a permanent fixture in Toyota showrooms.

Yes, on paper the remaining crop of hot hatches could wipe the floor with all but our youngest heroes, but that’s not really the point. Sadly – and there’s no way of sugarcoating this – fun behind the wheel in this sector seems to have been sidelined. I’ll risk being labelled a Luddite but, as our selection of past masters proves, it’s hard to argue that we didn’t have it better in the old days.

THANKS TO the car owners, and to the Mk1 Golf Owners’ Club (vwgolfmk1.org.uk), Peugeot 205 Owners UK (search for it in Facebook Groups), EK9 Honda Civic Type R Forum (ek9. org), Mk1 Focus RS Owners’ Club (mk1focusrsoc.com), Renault Megane R26 Owners UK (which is also a Facebook Group).

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13/02/2025 15:41

Aston Martin 1920s record car

THE SHARPEST In the 1920s, Razor Blade took Aston Martin hunting for speed records. Now it takes John Simister to his limits Photography Matt Howell

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Aston Martin 1920s record car

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A Left, above and below In profile, Razor Blade looks like many a handsome racer of its era – but when viewed from head-on, the truth behind its name is soon revealed.

erodynamic drag. The less of it a moving object has, the faster it will go on a given amount of power. So if you want to break a speed record, reduce the drag.

That drag is the product of a shape’s drag coefficient (the ‘Cd’ much vaunted by many a maker after Audi displayed ‘Cd 0.30’ on the rear side windows of its thirdgeneration 100 in the early 1980s) multiplied by the frontal area. A 1920s open-wheeled racing car is unlikely to score well on the Cd bit, detail smoothing notwithstanding, but there were exciting possibilities with the ‘A’ part. The car you see here, hailed as the thinnest racing car ever made, is the result.

Seen from above, it resembles a blade. If you view it from the rear against a light background, you might not even notice the body at first.

This is the Aston Martin Razor Blade.

This very sharp-looking car’s reason for its 1922 creation was to break the record for the highest speed maintained over an hour in a ‘light car’ – one with an engine of no more than 1500cc. Brooklands was the obvious British venue for such an attempt, 100 miles or more in the hour the aim, but Aston Martin was being harried in this quest by rival AC. The pressure was on.

At the front, the new car’s chassis (numbered 1915) was much like that of 1921’s A3, the third Aston Martin to be built and nowadays the oldest survivor of the marque. But the chassis width was reduced sharply aft of the engine, as a body just 18.5in wide and the very narrow rear track show. That body was shaped and built by De Havilland with obvious aeronautical expertise, featuring a smooth undertray and a vertical slot in the tail’s extremity to allow the escape of air from inside the Razor Blade and make it act less like a windsock.

In its initial form, the body came higher around the driver so all you could see was his head, and the wheels were of pressed steel in ‘artillery’ spoked pattern. At this point, the car with chassis 1915 was known as Oyster, the latest in the series of named works Aston racers Coal Scuttle, Bunny and A3, whose very non-PC name is now deleted from the lexicon. After a few trials with driver Herbert Kensington Moir, the claustrophobia and the heat accumulation were deemed too much to take and the hinged cockpit cover was modified into the form much like that we see today, over a century later.

From this cockpit the driver had a good view of the right-hand front tyre as it burst on the bumpy Brooklands banked circuit. That happened several times during testing and even during the record attempts, always just as Razor Blade, as the Aston had been renamed after its body revision, powered off the banking and onto the Railway Straight at 100mph-plus.

George Eyston (he who later set a world land speed record with his Thunderbolt, powered by two Rolls-Royce V12 aero engines, at 357.50mph in 1938) did the initial testing with the revised body, while SCH ‘Sammy’ Davis – another quick, brave and compact driver – was lined up for the record attempts.

Razor Blade’s speed was not in doubt but its endurance was, for not only did that offside front tyre keep bursting, but it twice broke the torque tube that located the rear axle, too. So it was that AC beat Aston Martin to the hourlong 100 miles record, John Joyce achieving the feat in December 1922 with an average speed of 101.39mph.

Razor Blade’s raison d’être was over, but still there were other (shorter-duration) records to break and races to run. Razor Blade, remaining in its iridescent green paint, had plenty more to give.

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Aston Martin 1920s record car

JAMES CHEYNE COLLECTION VIA ECURIE BERTELLI

‘Some mighty names from the past have battled with this car.

Now the bar has been lowered and I’m going to have a go’

WITH THAT CRAMPED cockpit and the narrow rear track (originally of just 3ft), Razor Blade looks as though it might be a handful when attempting to hustle it around a track with significant bends. More impediments to this aim are that the front wheels have no brakes, the quarter-elliptic rear springs are rock-hard, and the rear brakes, in period, had drums only 6in in diameter and merely a single inch wide, gripped (not very well) by cast-iron shoes with no linings.

Even Lionel Martin recognised the hopelessness of these brakes. Martin sent a letter to past owner Fred Ellis, who restored the by-then very butchered Razor Blade around 1960, having bought it from an enthusiast who’d found it in a breaker’s yard in 1949. In it he said: ‘I am afraid the single-seater is not of much practical use. The brakes on the rear axle were ex-10hp Singer and were just no use at all.’

Using the Singer brakes made some sense because a 10hp Singer formed the basis of Lionel Martin’s first cars. Today, though, Razor Blade has bigger brakes from a 1923 sidevalve Aston, which sit out in the airstream instead of being totally inboard. This modification has widened the track, but it’s still much narrower than the front track.

The braking has exercised several minds over the years. As found by Ellis, Razor Blade had not only a rehashed body with a tail from a Bugatti but also a front axle from a Belgian OM, with ‘huge’ brakes.

Ellis’s rebuild included a period Aston Martin front axle with a road car’s usual front brakes and just one rear brake (the differential has always been locked solid), but the next refurbishment, by current owner James Cheyne and starting in the 1990s, returned Razor Blade closer to its original form. So no front brakes, but rear ones that do work.

Then there’s the 1488cc engine, as daringly designed for the rapid alteration of speed as the

brakes were not. Its four cylinders are topped by a 16-valve head, the bucket tappets of which are actuated by two overhead camshafts, driven from the crankshaft by a vertical shaft and a train of gears. It’s one of six engines created for the Voiturette class and was originally fitted to TT2, known as Green Pea and one of Aston Martin’s 1922 Grand Prix entries.

The block – you can see daylight between the cylinders from the outside – and the head were in effect half of a French Ballot straighteight. It was designed partly by Marcel Gremillion, who was a friend of a friend of Count Louis Zborowski, a major figure of the racing world who had helped to keep Aston Martin afloat during its various bouts of financial disarray. These major components were mounted on the crankcase of a newly designed Aston engine that had failed to produce enough power.

The new 16-valve ensemble developed 55bhp at 4200rpm. With a 112mm stroke but a bore of just 65mm it was never going to be a high revver, but having four valves for each cylinder at least allows those narrow bores to breathe deeply via, originally, an updraught Zenith carburettor but now a brass Claudel Hobson with a barrel throttle valve. The camshafts each run in three ballraces, and are lubricated by their own dripfeed systems.

A third dripfeed oils the camshaft drive.

RAZOR BLADE has been warmed up over a couple of laps of Aston Martin’s little test track next to Silverstone circuit. All systems appear to be go, in spite of the freezing air. Some mighty names from the past have battled with this car. Now the bar has been lowered and I’m going to have a go.

Once I have threaded my way into the cockpit and my feet have found the pedals, the hinged cockpit cowl is lowered over my head

by Razor Blade’s minders from Ecurie Bertelli and I’m encapsulated. Not quite as much as I would have been 102 years ago, and in its latest form Razor Blade’s cowl is further relieved around the shoulders, but there’s still barely room to move my arms. How I would correct a skid I have no idea. Let’s hope I don’t have one.

How do I make it go – and how to keep it going? There’s no self-starter, so Bertelli’s man cranks the starting handle vigorously while I hold the throttle open a little. We have already dripped some fuel into the cylinders via the spark plug holes to encourage combustion in this rapidly cooling engine, and I have retarded the ignition to reduce the risk of a backfire and a broken wrist. I have also pumped up the pressure in the fuel tank to 2psi with the plunger near my left hand, a pressure I will need to top-up once we’re under way.

It fires after some strenuous cranking. I can set the ignition to its mid-point, a good

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Opposite, above and below Major Frank Halford in Razor Blade at Brooklands, August 1923; streamlining aft of driver’s head; adjustable steering box; huge rear brakes but no front ones; little space for engine or driver, thanks to skinny 18.5in width.

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Aston Martin 1920s record car

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compromise that won’t require any more mental bandwidth from me. Also helping that aim is that, unlike most early Astons, Razor Blade has its accelerator conventionally on the right. That frees neurons to cope with the gearbox, much like that of a Brescia Bugatti with a gate rotated 180º from the usual pattern.

It’s separate from the engine, as is the very visible Hele-Shaw clutch, the casing of which contains an astonishing 19 plates.

Ahead of me are four dials: fuel pressure, revs (temperamental), water temp and oil pressure. I am to watch the last of these especially closely. Above them are the three valve-gear oilers: do not touch. A small handle on the right operates the horizontal radiator shutters: closed is better for streamlining, and overheating is hardly likely to happen today.

We leave them slightly open, just in case.

Those multiple clutch plates act a little like a viscous limited-slip differential when the oil is cold, so the clutch drags and I have to be quick and definite in engaging first gear. The clutch proves to be quite light and smooth, so we’re into second gear with a clutch-up pause in neutral and a middle-sized crunch, and on to the circuit.

I wish I hadn’t left my goggles at home, because my eyes are streaming in the freezing air and it’s hard to see where I’m going as Razor Blade, now in third gear, and I head towards the sun. But the Aston is pulling happily, exhaust note a crisp blare to overlay the contented commotion of oscillating metal under the bonnet, and when I press the brake pedal there is some meaningful retardation.

A few more minutes of this, for the camera, then I’m back in the pit-lane. Now I shall don my full-face crash helmet and have another go, this time with the advantage of vision and a nose no longer numb. The clutch and gearbox oil have warmed through, too, so first gear is found without a crunch and subsequent upshifts are mostly slick and silent. Sometimes the downshifts are, too.

Fourth gear is found on the back straight and we’re blaring along nicely. Now, a bend. The steering is very quick, the rear end has no differential, very stiff springs and that narrow track, so might it feel like a big Morgan threewheeler? It’s hard to say, but once hauled into a bend Razor Blade feels less precarious than I had been expecting.

It understeers strongly – until, I suspect, its rear wheels receive a big slug of power, but I’m not about to push my luck. Not with my arms encased in aluminium. Better to return Razor Blade intact, after a couple more laps during which I try hard to imagine what this machine felt like when pounding around the Brooklands banking at 100mph or so.

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Aston Martin 1920s record car

1922 Aston Martin ‘Razor Blade’ Engine 1488cc DOHC four-cylinder, 16 valves, Claudel Hobson updraught carburettor Power 55bhp @ 4200rpm Transmission Four-speed manual non-synchro, rear-wheel drive, locked differential Suspension Front: beam axle, semi-elliptic leaf springs, Hartford friction dampers Rear: live axle, torque tube, quarter-elliptic leaf springs, Hartford friction dampers Steering Marles worm-and-peg Brakes Drums, rear only Weight 800kg (approx) Top speed 100mph

THEY WERE BRAVE men who did that. As well as Kensington Moir, Eyston and Davis, Major Frank Halford won the August 1923 Brooklands Short Handicap in Razor Blade (averaging 93.5mph) and set a record on the Brooklands Test Hill, to add to Kensington Moir’s class records for the standing-start halfmile, kilometre and mile. Humphrey Cook and Capt JC Douglas were among its other drivers.

In private hands in the 1930s, Razor Blade took part in hillclimbs and speed trials. Its career continued into the 1950s, but after Fred Ellis’s rebuild it was bought by the Harrah Collection in the US, where it stayed until 1985.

Classic car dealer Dan Margulies brought it back to the UK, and in 1989 James Cheyne bought it and embarked on a restoration programme to return Razor Blade to, within reason, its as-raced 1920s state. Restoration expert Sean Danaher in Newmarket did a huge amount of the work, especially in creating and machining engine parts, which he finished in 2000. Meanwhile James Cheyne, with help from Aston Martin historians, eventually convinced the DVLA to reactivate Razor Blade’s original registration number, XO 9958. So you could drive it on the road, if you dared.

Since then, Razor Blade has spent time on display at Brooklands between occasional competitive outings and appearances at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Now this remarkable piece of Aston Martin history is for sale. You could even go touring in it as a twosome: in the two boxes of history that come with it, from which much of the foregoing was gathered, is a tale of one 1930s owner whose wife used to sit astride the tail as they motored along. Good idea? Perhaps not.

THANKS TO Ecurie Bertelli (ecuriebertelli.com), where Razor Blade is for sale.

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Track test Unique Shelby Cobra

HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT

Having languished in a museum for 35 years, this Shelby 427 Competition Cobra has a special history that makes it one of one.

Now it’s come roaring back to life Words Robert Coucher Photography Paul Harmer

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Track test Unique Shelby Cobra

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F

ive hundred and twenty three horsepower! In a car weighing a tonne. That indicates intent. This would be attention-grabbing today, but imagine the impact of all that power hitting the tarmac in 1965.

This Shelby 427 Cobra is that car.

It is believed to be the only one in existence, making it the rarest and the fastest Cobra of all time.

Very different to ‘ordinary’ Cobras, if there’s such a thing, this is one of only 19 Competition Cobras built by Carroll Shelby to go racing. More than that, it’s one of four produced with dry-sump lubrication and, of that hallowed quartet, chassis number CSX3019 is the sole survivor. Exclusively, Octane was invited to drive CSX3019 at Goodwood Circuit following a nut-and-bolt restoration in Britain and America – as things should be. But allow me a moment to settle after my thunderous experience behind the wheel to look at what makes this Shelby 427 Competition Cobra the Cobra.

Born in Texas in 1923, Carroll Shelby was always fascinated with speed, both on the ground and in the air. As well as being an Air Corps pilot and chicken farmer, he became a racing driver at the age of 29 and, after racing in America, joined Aston Martin in Europe, for which team he won the Le Mans 24 Hours with Roy Salvadori in 1959.

He retired from racing in 1960 for health reasons, but the ever-competitive and entrepreneurial Shelby realised that America needed ‘limited production sports cars’, the likes of which he’d seen (and driven against) on Europe’s circuits.

He thought: ‘America is missing a bet, a big bet… the design and production of an all-purpose, all-American sports car or grand touring car that you could drive to the market and also race on the weekend.’

And so he persuaded the Bristol Aeroplane Company to send him an AC chassis – without engine – on credit. At the same time, he persuaded Ford to send him a 260ci V8 and transmission, also on credit. As well as being competitive, Shelby was persuasive, so CSX0001 was born in 1962 and he went Cobra racing in 1963 in CSX0002, already fitted with the later 289ci V8, good for 400 horsepower.

Unfortunately, the Corvette Grand Sport then arrived on the scene with an aluminium 377ci lump under its glassfibre bonnet pumping out 500bhp. At the ’63 Nassau Speed Week, confident ‘Ol Shel’ was thoroughly beaten. Down but not out, he got hold of a new 427ci mill from Ford and, with legendary racing driver and test developer Ken Miles at Shelby American, shoehorned it into a Cobra MkII. Miles test drove it and immediately named it ‘the turd’.

So a drastic redesign was hastily begun to enable the simple old AC chassis to handle all the extra power, giving rise to the MkIII. This included a 5in wider chassis, thicker tubing and coil-sprung suspension, plus highly modified bodywork to fit over all these uprated underpinnings. Power was provided by the ‘side oiler’ Ford FE 427ci V8 with a 780cfm Holley four-barrel carburettor, originally rated at 425bhp with 480lb ft of torque.

Naturally, Shelby wanted to see his big-block on the track. To qualify as a production car, under FIA rules for the GT class, he had to manufacture 100 examples. He was confident he could shift that number so a competition-spec model was developed. It had even wider bodywork to accommodate huge Halibrand wheels and Goodyear racing tyres over larger rear disc brakes, plus heavy-duty front and rear dampers, bronze suspension bushings, an external fuel filler, 42-gallon fuel tank, roll bar, and jacking points front and rear. Additionally, under the scooped bonnet, the engine boasted magnesium intake manifolds, trick heads, an oil cooler, rear diff ’ cooler and unbaffled side exhausts.

Anticipating FIA approval as a slam dunk, Shelby placed an order from AC in Britain for 100 of these Comp Cobras, each in primer with black interior, to be shipped Stateside upon completion. Unfortunately, on 19 April 1965, the FIA inspectors pitched up and found only 51 cars completed, so they denied Shelby homologation. Meanwhile in Maranello, the same thing happened to Carroll’s nemesis, Enzo, with his 250 LM also being denied approval. Then the FIA changed the rules, creating a new Competition GT class, the problem for Shelby then being that this put his Cobra in the same class as his employer Ford’s GT40. With a clear conflict of interest, Carroll agreed not to campaign his own cars, leaving that to privateers.

By that time 53 competition chassis had been completed

by AC (CSX3001 to CSX3053) and 16 had been sold to private racing teams. The first two were retained as prototypes and one was sent to Ford. The remaining 34 were parked outside Shelby’s LA warehouse and were proving difficult to sell at a whopping $9500 each. Then someone had the bright idea of painting and completing the cars as street racers, selling them as S/Cs: the fabled ‘semicompetition’ cars.

While those were being completed for street use, an order came in for three more full competition cars to add to the existing 16, making 19 in total. This is one of them, but with rather more…

Gary Bartlett of Indiana, USA, is a friend of Octane and has afforded us the opportunity to test-drive a number of his special Jaguars and Fords, including his highly original E-type, the ex-Bob Tullius Group 44 Jaguar XJ-S, the exChequered Flag 427 Competition Shelby Cobra (chassis number CSX3006), the roadgoing GT40 MkIII – and now this Competition Cobra. Bartlett is fastidious about restoring his cars to ultimate specification and then using them properly on the Mille Miglia and at Goodwood.

‘This Cobra is the most detailed and precise restoration project that I have ever been involved in,’ he says, the upshot being that the restoration team was presented the Restorer of the Year trophy at the 2023 Historic Motoring Awards.

So we have to admit skin in the game, but with good reason.

History records that this 1965 Shelby Competition Cobra with dry-sump lubrication was ordered by Los Angeles attorney and amateur racer Ed Freutel. It was invoiced to him on 31 May 1965 for the substantial sum of $12,424.70. Painted in dark blue with Ecurie Cinquante Cinq on each flank and wearing black California registration 89

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Track test Unique Shelby Cobra

Above and opposite Freshly restored and ready to race again, this unique Cobra has an incredible history – not least an ill-fated entry in the 1966 Targa Florio.

plate NQR 925, the Cobra was shipped to Europe, where Freutel and his ex-Formula 1 co-driver, Tony Settember, raced it in numerous European events during the 1966 season, including the tough Targa Florio, Spa, the Nürburgring and the Le Mans 24 Hours.

This was probably a tad optimistic because, until the 427, amateur Freutel’s racing experience had included such things as MGBs. After a night of partying, allegedly, and in his car’s first attempt at the Targa, Freutel went off on the second lap and hit a concrete kilometre marker. The right front wheel and suspension were damaged. After the race, with the stricken Cobra retrieved, it was found that the road wheels, steering wheel, badges and carburettor were missing, so the car was sent to a specialist in Modena and Shelby parts were flown in and re-fitted.

Many years later Gary Bartlett picked up the trail. ‘I’d heard there was a Cobra on display at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu, so I went to look at it in March 2018.

It was finished in psychedelic livery and looked very shiny and that’s when I noticed the very unusual dry-sump oil filler cap. So I began to research the car and discovered how special it actually was.’ Indeed, hidden in plain sight…

Freutel had sold the Cobra after the 1966 season to John Tojeiro for £500, who then sold it on to racing driver John Woolfe for £1000. Woolfe had a good deal of success with the car, racing it in the UK, but sadly he was killed at Le Mans while driving a Porsche 917 in 1969, so the car went to Hexagon of Highgate and then to AutoKraft in the mid1970s. Finally purchased in 1983, it was placed in the museum where it quietly waited for around 35 years.

‘The owner initially would not sell, but after four years of badgering, in October 2022, I was able to purchase the 427.

Although it still looked shiny, unpicking it revealed all sorts of damage and bodged repairs,’ says Bartlett. ‘There was only one thing to do: restore it to its original Targa Florio specification. Ecurie Cinquante Cinq had to ride again.’

And so the transatlantic restoration of this AngloAmerican bruiser began. Barry Burgess of JA Rose in Hawkhurst, Kent, was entrusted with the rebuild and restoration of the mechanical components, and Angus Blomfield of Class Works in Sunbury-on-Thames set about refinishing the paintwork to concours standard. The engine was shipped to DeWaine McGunegill Engine Performance in Bartlett’s hometown of Muncie, Indiana, while Nick Acton of Acton Custom Enterprises in New Hampshire took care of parts and vital information. This was the award-winning ‘Team 3019’.

With the Holman-Moody-supplied NASCAR 427ci V8 engine opened on the bench at McGunegill, the crank was found to be a Le Mans-spec item attested to by a dollar sign stamped into one of its counterweights, with the polished connecting rods being Le Mans spec as well, featuring 7/16in rod bolts in place of the normal 3/8in bolts in the regular Competition engines. As mentioned, CSX3019 has a lot of unique history that’s come to life again after all these years.

PARKED IN THE pits at Goodwood, the Cobra actually looks quite small. But it also looks hugely muscular, taut and fast on wide Halibrand alloy wheels shod with fat Dunlop

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ALAMY

‘AFTER A NIGHT OF PARTYING, ALLEGEDLY, AND IN HIS CAR’S FIRST ATTEMPT AT THE TARGA, FREUTEL WENT OFF ON THE SECOND LAP’

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Track test Unique Shelby Cobra

1965 Shelby 427 Competition Cobra Engine 6984cc OHV V8, four-choke Holley carburettor Peak power 550bhp Max torque 519lb ft Transmission Four-speed manual, rear-wheel drive, Le Mans-spec 3.058 Salisbury differential Steering Rack and pinion Suspension Front and rear: double wishbones, coil springs, telescopic dampers. Front anti-roll bar Brakes Discs Weight 1100kg Top speed 190mph, depending on gearing 0-60mph 4.0sec

racing tyres, the curvaceous bodywork doing its best to cover the bulging underpinnings (and less so to hide the massive twin satin-black sidewinder exhausts), a gaping front grille housing an oil cooler, and the Targa Florio ‘178’ racing roundels recalling that important moment in history.

The Cobra features the original Targa-spec full windscreen and side deflectors. The wheels are new, made from aluminium alloy, allowing the original fragile magnesium ones to be safe in storage, and the seats are leather-trimmed comfort buckets rather than hard racing shells – Bartlett is a driver who likes to use his cars.

Fire up the big-block and you feel the Earth move. It is relatively quiet, thanks to Barry Burgess working hard to meet Goodwood’s stringent noise regulations. The lovely alloy foot-pedals are offset to the left, but caress the small accelerator pedal and the vast engine rocks the Cobra on its coil springs. The gearlever is canted forward at a weird angle but presents the knob and reverse pull-toggle at just the right

place. The clutch goes down lightly and the MGB-derived rack-and-pinion steering needs some muscle to manoeuvre from rest. First gear is long and the engine chugs smoothly off on its monster 519lb ft of torque; you can almost hear each of the eight cylinders firing individually.

Out on the circuit the car feels tight and direct. The steering lightens up and it goes where pointed. The tyres are cold and a bit knobbly at first, as you slip the top-loader through the enormously high gear set. The dry sump holds 15 litres of fresh oil, so it takes a few gentle laps to warm through. So far the big Cobra is well-behaved and obedient but, with that big American-spec roll hoop behind your head, it’s time to rumble.

Coming out of the chicane in second gear, make sure all four wheels are foursquare, then slowly depress the longtravel pedal down to the stop. The Cobra lunges and speed builds. Go for third and the rush continues but in a strangely relaxed manner. There are no histrionics here: like a slowmotion movie scene, the vast V8’s torque takes all the effort out of forward thrust as it muscles the light car along.

Suddenly you are at Madgwick Corner and need to brake. Oh god, the lazy V8 thrum and long gearing belie how quickly the Cobra picks up massive speed, so we are travelling too fast for a smooth entry. Brake, brake, brake!

Chastened, we continue through Fordwater, St Mary’s and Lavant to try another lap with a closer eye on entry speeds that build so effortlessly.

With its independent double-wishbone suspension, the 427’s chassis is vastly improved over the MkII’s transverse leaf spring and live axle set-up. But that big-block V8 makes it nose-heavy, so the rear end is loose with all that grunt. At sane speeds up to, say, 120mph, the Cobra steers, brakes and handles well, but the trouble is that it will continue up to 190mph and at those speeds it will be a handful.

Having been developed in 1966, it was a bit late to the racing game, with Ferrari running its 330P and Ford running the winning GT40s. This Cobra was on standby at Le Mans in ’66 in case the GT40s had problems, but then Ford took its famous 1-2-3 victory. If it had arrived a few years earlier, who knows…

Shelby 427 Competition Cobra, chassis CX3019, is back and running hard on the roads and tracks of America and Britain. It’s immaculate and correct, so no wonder it took that HMA Restorer of the Year trophy. But fitted with fresh rubber, safe new alloy wheels, road-legal sidepipes and comfortable bucket seats, the Comp Cobra was re-launched at the Goodwood Revival in 2023 and Bartlett now uses it, come wet or dry conditions.

Oh, and that 523bhp power output at the top of this piece? For driving, Bartlett replaces the original show air filter with a free-flowing K&N one… to free up an essential, additional 27bhp. That makes for a total of 550bhp. Carroll Shelby would be proud.

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Epic rally Dakar Classic

D U N E

B U D D I E S

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The Dakar Rally still has a fearsome reputation for genuine risk to life, so just imagine doing it in a Renault 30 TX or a Tatra lorry. Octane meets the intrepid crews on the Dakar Classic Photography ASO / Aurélien Vialatte / F Gooden DPPI / M Mattos FOTOP / F Macedo FOTOP / R Rodriguez FOTOP

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Epic rally Dakar Classic

THE LEGEND OF the greatest motoring adventure was born in the mid-1970s when French motorcyclist Thierry Sabine got hopelessly lost in the Libyan desert during a rally and decided the best way to mark his near-death experience was to share it with the world. In 1979, the first Paris-Dakar was held over a route that made its way 10,000km from the French capital to Senegal. Some 182 vehicles set off, of which only 74 survived to the end.

The enormity of the challenge, the otherwordliness of the landscapes and the sheer thrill of the danger made it an instant hit, not only with legions of amateur rallyists and professional playboys but with works teams, too. By 1984 entries were close to 500, with classses for bikes and cars, and the 1982 Mark Thatcher incident already well behind it. In case there is some slim possibility you’ve forgotten, the UK Prime Minister’s son and his Peugeot 504 team were lost for six days in the desert. It was a stark and high-profile reminder that the Paris-Dakar could bite.

Sabine died in 1986 (in a helicopter crash on the event), but his baby continued to thrive under his father Gilbert, hitting 600 starters in 1988. Then it began to change, and struggle, and by 1993 the reins had been handed to the Amaury Sport Organisation, which is still in charge.

From then on the raid could never be assumed to start in Paris. Or finish in Dakar. It has started in Spain, been held entirely in Africa, been cancelled (in 2008, due to unrest in Mauritania) and was even run in South America for a decade. Since 2020 The Dakar, as it is now known, has been staged entirely in Saudi Arabia with five vehicle classes: Motorcycles, Quads, UTVs, Cars and Trucks.

In 2021, Amaury introduced a Classic class, a regularity, navigation and dune-crossing rally for pre-2000 vehicles, of which 24 took part. This year the entry list was packed with 95 cars and trucks, 80 of which made it to the finish.

It may not quite be the all-out thrash of The Dakar but it is not for the faint-hearted, with four ‘speed’ classes and three age categories competing for two weeks in January.

It starts in the south-western city of Bisha (500km from Jeddah, where the vehicles land); the first and last days are the shortest at 195km and 146km respectively, but the next shortest is 380km, there are eight days over 500km and the longest is an epic 811km. There is even a 425km timed stage! It totals 7246km, 4033km of that timed, over the most challenging terrain on the planet.

Many at the sharp end were bumping right up against a new pre-2005 age limit, but the fact that a Series III Land Rover can still come third tells you all you need to know.

Left, from top Dutch quattros tackling the dunes included Peter van den Bosch and Hans Brand (see page 99) and this one – seen finishing the rally in 32nd and then airing itself – piloted by Eric van Loon and Hein Verschuuren; crews often worked late into the night to keep cars running the next day; helicopters followed the action.

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PORSCHE 959 DAKAR REPLICA Momabikes Raid Team Husband-and-wife team Juan Morera and Lidia Ruba have already tasted victory in the Dakar Classic, being overall winners in 2023 in an obligatory Toyota Land Cruiser. The Barcelona-based Momabikes founder wasn’t so happy this year for his fourth bid for glory, however, when their event came to an abrupt halt on Stage 8 after the clutch burned out on the fourth dune test. Until then, their 964 C4-based replica (built

by Jérémy Athimon’s Nantes Prestige Autos to emulate the Porsche 959 immortalised by Jacky Ickx on the Paris-Dakar in 1986) was flying and one of the star entries, contending at least for a place on the podium.

Engineer Lidia explained that they had been unsure of the car since before the off: ‘Last year the experience with this car was very nice. We were really looking forward to racing with it because it is a real gem. The bad thing was that it arrived the day before we were due to board and we could barely test it beforehand, which caused us a lot of problems that had to be fixed on the fly.’

CITROËN 2CV Team 2 Chameaux Czech drivers Barbara Holicka and Lucie Engova drove a multi-coloured 2CV to the Dakar Classic finish in 2024 and returned in 2025 (coming 66th), but they were joined on the raid this year by the Dutch duo of Floris De Raadt (right) and David Kann, who dubbed themselves Team 2 Chameaux and crossed the finish line just five places further back. The de Raadt/Kann 1968 2CV was the oldest car in the event and was picked thanks to de Raadt’s obsession with a model that he came within a whisker of being born in. Frustratingly, the technical problems began for them even before the start, with multiple fuel-related breakdowns en route to Bisha, and continued on the rally, with the famous suspension giving up the ghost. Few teams made better use of the rest day, de Raadt and Kann rolling the Citroën onto its side, propping it up with a log and getting to work. De Raadt also took a sensible approach to weight-saving: dieting to lose 10kg rather than trying to trim it from the car.

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Epic rally Dakar Classic

LAND ROVER SIII Team Raisys This may have been the Lithuanian pair’s first bid for Dakar Classic title, but both Ignas Daunoravicius and Karolis Raisys have tonnes of experience in motorsport, including multiple Monte Carlo rallies and Lithuanian championships for Raisys and an impeccable record in professional drifting for his navigator.

No one was dismissing it, therefore, when Raisys declared: ‘I’m sure we will have the slowest car on the 2025 Dakar Classic, but I still think we can win.’ And they very nearly did, bringing the Land Rover SIII station wagon home in third, a mere 300 points behind the winners. The choice of vehicle for this tortoise-and-hare attempt was partly dictated by the British off-roader’s excellence for the terrain, but also by Raisys’ status as a Land Rover brand ambassador in his homeland thanks to his rallying prowess. Daunoravicius, with virtually no experience of regularities, was a last-minute stand-in and fared brilliantly in the circumstances.

PEUGEOT 205 Team Passion Aventure Childhood friends Denis Fercoq and Jean-Marc Locqueneaux finished 79th, highly respectable considering neither had tackled the Dakar Classic before – though they are both ‘raid’ veterans – and their car, while oozing period charm and ambition, was never likely to be a contender against far younger 4x4s. Fercoq, who worked for two decades as a mechanic before becoming a plasterer, spent a year building their Peugeot especially for this event, using a 1996 ’shell and fitting it with a Xantia turbodiesel engine, which he says is far better at dealing with all the sand. Locqueneaux said before the event: ‘I discovered Africa Raid…

That’s where I met up with Denis, who had been a friend when we were 20. We did four or five Africa raids at the same time, but never in the same car. This will be the first time, it’s make or break! The goal is to finish honourably.’

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RENAULT 30 TX Team Boucou One of 2025’s most eye-catching Dakar Classic entries was the Renault 30 TX of Frenchmen Patrice Auzet and François-Xavier Bourgois. The pair, who last year came 22nd in a Peugeot 504 Coupé, finished 39th overall, but it could be argued that their biggest accomplishment was getting to the startline. Powered by a 2.7-litre V6 and putting out some 180bhp, their Renault 30 TX has Dakar history, having failed to finish in 1981 with restaurateur Georges Houel, but it was a stripped barn-find when Bourgois was put onto it in 2022 by fellow competitor Jérémy Athimon.

Bourgois and Auzet acquired it and the latter completed an epic, race-against-time restoration he described as a 600-hour ‘ordeal’.

The Renault competed resplendent in the original Gitanes and Paris Match livery that it wore 44 years earlier, and the team achieved its sole aim: to finally get the Renault to the finish line.

PEUGEOT 504 COUPÉ Team Montana Racing

AUDI QUATTRO Dutch Quattro Legends Driver Peter van den Bosch was competing in his seventh Dakar, his first since 2015 and his first not in a truck (best result: tenth in 2013). The father of five was accompanied by his friend and debutant Hans Brand, who travelled from his home in California for the Classic, to 53rd place in their quattro, a replica of the Rally S1 that took part in the 1985 event.

Before the start, van den Bosch said: ‘This will be my seventh Dakar, with six of them in South America in the truck category. I’ve spent time practising in the Moroccan desert, and for me, it’s all about having fun with the friends in my team.’ Brand added: ‘It’s my first time reading a roadbook so I can see us getting lost a few times, but the main goal is to have a really good time doing it.’

An Italo-German team in a French car – what could go wrong?

Actually, with just the one previous Dakar Classic under their belts (116th in the same car in 2022), Ernst Amort and Adi Ruhaltinger brought the latter’s svelte two-wheel-drive Peugeot home an impressive 67th. As Amort said: ‘We always thought the Dakar Classic is to be done with proper classic vehicles. At the beginning of the Dakar, there were a lot of two-wheel-drive cars and Adi had this Peugeot 504 that we already used in 2022.’ For their second tilt at the Classic, they lightened and reinforced the 1977 504’s clutch and fitted a closer-ratio gearbox. Amort added: ‘Winning is extremely difficult; with a rear-wheel-drive, it’s virtually impossible. But we would like to move up in the rankings.’ Job done.

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Epic rally Dakar Classic

TOYOTA LAND CRUISER Team Factory Tub The 2024 winners – then with an astonishing seven stage wins and despite a Stage 9 penalty bumping them back to third – were firm favourites to score a second consecutive victory. In a totally rebuilt HDJ 80, they did not disappoint and dominated from the outset. Driver Carlos Santaolalla Milla and navigator Jan Rosa I Viñas have now won all three events they have competed in as a team, this time securing victory by 31 points from the Nissan Terrano of Italians Lorenzo Traglio and Rudy Briani, with the Land Rover of Team Raisys in third. The lowest the winners finished on any of 2025’s stages was sixth, and they came out on top on eight of the 13 to better even their 2024 effort. You wouldn’t bet against this pair to make it a hat-trick of wins in 2026.

RANGE ROVER Team GVA With two finishes and two abandonments since his first Dakar in 2005, Frenchman Lionel Guy was determined to finish the 2025 event in the Range Rover he describes as his ‘baby’. He is something of a purist: ‘A classic event must be classic in every way. From the vehicle to the navigation instruments, it must remain a Dakar of yesteryear, so I’m staying true to my beast.’

He was partnered by pal Laurent Milbergue, who had only one previous Dakar Classic under his belt (102nd in 2022): ‘For my first participation, I came to make a dream come true; you come back because you’re bitten! Because Lionel is a good driver, someone demanding, I hope I will satisfy him, that he won’t hit me on the head with a shovel!’ They finished 43rd.

TATRA T815-2 Team Loprais Giometal TV Barrandov This Czech crew was led by first-time driver Ignor Pazdera, with model and pop star Olga Lounova, who did the the 2022 Dakar Classic in a Mercedes G5000, as navigator. Originally set to compete in an Opel Ascona, when that plan evaporated Ales Loprais invited her to join one of his truck teams. She said: ‘It’s a dream coming true and a miracle of life. Normally you prepare for the Dakar for a year, it’s a huge thing to have the money and the team to do it. And then someone calls you occasionally to propose you to go… I couldn’t refuse this unexpected offer!’

The team’s experience came from its former Tatra employee ‘mechanic’ Milan Holan who had participated 14 times and built multiple trucks. They finished an impressive 34th.

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G E N E R AT I O N S T R AC K DAY Thursday 1st May

We invite owners to bring their vintage Bentley and a member of the next generation to gain experience in driving their motor car from seasoned Bentley drivers in a safe and enjoyable environment at Goodwood Motor Circuit.

WE DNE SDAY 30TH A P R IL

Welcome Dinner at The Works THUR SDAY 1ST MAY

Morning Theory and Tuition Afternoon Track Day Rules Apply Trackside Hospitality and Afternoon Tea

ENTRIES OPEN CO N TACT A N N A @ V I NTAG E B E NTL E Y.CO M TO SE C UR E YO U R PL ACE

THE O C TA N E INTERVIEW

Bill Heinecke Meet the collector and hospitality tycoon behind a new concours in the heart of the eternal city, Rome Words David Lillywhite

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‘I’M AT THAT AGE now when I would like to do a few things that I enjoy, and concours is one of them,’ says Bill Heinecke as we sit down together in Paris during Rétromobile week. And that seems a reasonable ambition for a man who’s raced cars and bikes, who sails, who flies jets and helicopters and who owns hundreds of hotels, restaurants and fast food outlets.

But we’re misleading you slightly, because Bill is a seasoned concours entrant already; you’ve probably seen at least one of his Ferraris at an event or in a magazine over the years. What he’s planning now is his own top-level concours, in Rome. Or perhaps a series of concours around the world. Well, why not?

‘I’ve been participating in concours for 30 years or more,’ he continues.

‘I started out racing go-karts, then cars, and then – as I got older – rallying and racing vintage cars. Then I sort of retired [from motorsport]. And it seemed, when we took over this hotel [the Anantara Palazzo Naiadi] in Rome just before lockdown, that it would be a perfect place to have an annual concours, because there hasn’t been one in Rome for 65 years.

‘It’s a beautiful hotel. It’s featured in House of Gucci and Mission Impossible. It’s where Sophia Loren used to live. We even held her 90th birthday there, with her old 300SL Gullwing and Federico Fellini’s 300SL Roadster.

‘So a concours just seemed like the natural thing to do. UBS is participating as a major sponsor, we have Jeremy Jackson-Sytner [curating the cars], Adolfo Orsi on the judging, and [Ferrari expert] Marcel Massini is helping on the selection. We’ve got a great team in place for the concorso and also at the hotel.’

First events are never easy, and Bill could easily have created an amazing concours with his own cars, but that would go against his principles; he might have a couple of his cars on display but certainly not in any of the judged classes.

What’s he got? Mostly, but not solely, Ferraris, almost all with interesting stories to them. You might know his 250GT SWB Speciale Aerodinamica Pininfarina or the 365 GT4 2+2 Prototipo, and then there’s a 250GT LWB California Spyder, a 330GT Nembo Spider and many more.

Of the non-Ferraris, there are several motorcycles, including two Vincents and several Triumphs; a Miura SV, the famous Jaguar XK120 Supersonic, and a 1936 Bentley once owned by Prince Bira – an Asian connection that Bill especially appreciates. There are also a few new additions, such as a 250 PF Series One Spyder with covered headlights currently in restoration with Strada e Corsa in the Netherlands, and the first Lancias he’s ever owned – one of three Flavias built for the Targa Florio and a one-off Fulvia HF designed by Tom Tjaarda for Le Mans.

Later Bill mentions that he took part in the 2024 Gumball Rally from Saigon to Singapore in his Ferrari 575, which leads to an aside that he also owns the Daytona that featured in The Gumball Rally movie. You’ll know the car – it’s the one in which Franco, played by Raul Julia, says: ‘And now my friend, the first-a rule of Italian driving’ before ripping off the rear-view mirror and adding ‘What’s-a behind me is not important.’

Of course, Bill has made sure that the mirror is now magnetically attached, so he can do the same occasionally.

And all of this originated from an initial desire simply to avoid university. Bill’s father was in the US military and then the foreign services, and his mother worked for Time magazine. As a result of those jobs, the family moved around, mostly between South Asian countries. It was in Malaysia that Bill first started karting, in 1962. A year later, aged

Left and above Bill Heinecke today and on Day 1 of his cleaning business, carrying squeegee and bucket as well as briefcase. He remains similarly hands-on today.

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The Octane Interview Bill Heinecke

Clockwise, from below left Bill started racing karts in Malaysia in 1962, a passion that later landed him a Thai newspaper column; in Phuket, Thailand, with two of his Ferraris; on the Tour de France Auto in his Ferrari 275 GTB; piloting his Elva-BMW; the spectre of having to join the Carrera Cup pro ranks was what pushed Bill towards historic racing; on tour to Maranello with other Ferrari owners, in his long-wheelbase ’58 California Spyder.

13, he brought one of the first karts to Thailand, where he still lives today.

Not long after, he started to write a weekly column on karting in the Bangkok World newspaper, in return for advertising space alongside the column. This led to him becoming the publication’s advertising manager at just 17 years old, while still at high school, and a year later he borrowed $1200 to form an office cleaning company and an advertising agency.

He sold the latter to the famed Ogilvy & Mather organisation and in 1967 formed Minor Holdings (later The Minor Group).

By 1978, with his businesses growing, Bill was able to launch his own hotel, and continued to open more, most of them within Thailand. He introduced fast food to Thailand, even pizzas, backed schemes to help endangered elephants and to educate Thai children, and later became a naturalised citizen, giving up his US nationality. Now there are four generations of Heinecke in Thailand.

Yet with all this going on, his passion for cars, motorcycles and motorsport has continued unabated.

‘I raced go-karts with Michael Kadoorie [car collector and co-founder of The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering] in the Philippines and in Hong Kong, in the early days. I did a lot of motocross or scrambling too, starting with a 50cc Honda.

‘My first car was a Jaguar XK120 and I had numerous cars after that; Triumphs and Alfa Romeos and what have you. And then I started racing: I had an E-type first – in those days you could race GTs with the Formula 2 cars in the Macau Grand Prix. I was the youngest driver to compete at Macau, in 1968. I raced a Porsche 906, a BMW Elva and many more, and I did a lot of the Tour Autos, Coupe des Alpes and those sorts of events, as well.

‘After that, I graduated to the Carrera Cup. I had a Porsche GT, and I raced that for a few years with [car collector] Chip Connor and a few other friends from Asia. It was very competitive. I won a few Carrera Cup 104

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‘I was the youngest driver to compete at Macau, in 1968. I raced Porsche 906, Elva and many more’ races but after that you have to go up to the professionals. And I certainly knew that that wasn’t going to be my forte. I like to think that I know my limits, so that’s when I retired from racing – but I have all sorts of other interests. I love to fly. I started in propeller planes and moved up to light jets – we operate one of the largest private jet charter companies in Thailand – and I learned to fly helicopters.

‘I still fly helicopters a little bit when I get a chance to do that, but I prefer to sit in the back seat now, rather than in the front seat. The Champagne tastes better in the back,’ he laughs, perhaps only slightly tongue-in-cheek.

It’s a dizzying climb from writing a karting column to owning hotel and restaurant groups, let alone one of the top car collections, especially without coming from either a hospitality or an automotive background.

So what was Bill’s secret in those early days?

‘I think that our family was always very competitive. They certainly encouraged me to do whatever I wanted to do, as long as I supported myself. They cultivated a competitive spirit, whether racing go-karts, playing cards or doing business.

‘It’s been a sort of a steady transition all my life. I’ve always aspired to the next step, whether it be with propeller planes or race cars or go-karts or whatever. Fortunately, I’ve had a very lucky life in which I’ve been able to do all that and still work.’

Lucky? Maybe, but it was hardly plain sailing. He estimates that the Covid lockdown cost his business over $1bn, with 525 of his 550 hotels at one time closed. It nearly finished them off, but he says that was nothing compared to the 1997 financial crash in Asia or, much worse again, the Thailand tsunami of 2004, which destroyed one of his hotels.

Bill arrived there within hours, helping to retrieve and identify the bodies of guests and staff.

Now, it would be misleading to claim that after all this Bill is starting to take things easy, but at 75 years of age he’s especially keen to ensure that, as well as running his businesses, he also makes the time to do the things that he’s wanted to do for a while. That’s where we circle back to the Anantara Concorso Roma, and if the Italian event is the success it looks likely to be on 24-27 April, how the Rome format might be expanded and adapted to other venues at Bill’s disposal.

‘Anantara operates around 50 hotels,’ explains Bill. ‘It’s part of our Minor Hotel Group, which is made up of about 575 hotels globally, in 63 countries. Anantara has nine hotels in Europe, and the rest are in Asia, the Middle East and South America. So we hope that not only will there continue to be an Anantara concours in Rome annually but that we will have more at other locations.

‘Portugal has a long racing history; we’ve got a beautiful hotel in the Algarve. We’ve also got one in Marbella and we’ve already had a couple of very small Spanish concours that were organised by the hotel there, because the owner of the hotel has a passion for cars. Rome will be bigger next year, too – this year we’ve limited it to 50 Italian cars. All the signs are in place for a successful event, I think, so I’m looking forward to keeping my hand in the game.’

FOR MORE INFORMATION visit www.anantaraconcorsoroma.com.

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Track-day thriller Gumpert Apollo S

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Following a stellar career creating legends for Audi, Roland Gumpert set out to build a radical track-day weapon.

Marc Sonnery takes a brave pill Photography Dennis Noten

STEALTH FIGHTER FOR THE ROAD

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Track-day thriller Gumpert Apollo S

S

ome years ago, on my annual visit to the sorely missed Geneva motor show, the Gumpert Apollo really caught my eye. Supercars rarely do that. Here was a no-nonsense instrument so focused on efficiency that it appeared almost austere, and made most of its rivals seem dainty and effete. It looked like a bulldog among Afghan hounds.

I spoke with one of the Gumpert representatives on the stand, a bright young Czech racer called Gabriela Jílková. She seemed deeply impressed, rather than merely pushing a product. That piqued my interest even more. And then, in August 2009, the Apollo set a new Nürburgring Nordchsleife lap record, beating all comers at 7min 11.57sec.

But how did Gumpert Sportwagenmanufaktur GmbH come to be?

Roland Gumpert’s creation has an unusual back-story, as befits a true maverick. An illustration: in his teens he secretly took the motor from his mother’s vacuum cleaner to try to turn it into a turbocharger… Yet he veered away from the mad professor path to become an engineer, hired

by Audi in 1969 for testing duties and working his way up to collaborate with none other than Ferdinand Piëch.

He developed the four-wheel-drive Iltis military all-terrain vehicle (see Octane 202), a vehicle in which Freddy Kottulinsky won the gruelling 1980 Paris-Dakar Raid, while Gumpert himself finished ninth in his. He soon rose to head of Audi Sport and led the company through

its triumphant Quattro WRC era, with four world titles and 24 individual victories. Supremacy achieved.

This encouraged him to seek other challenges. The Apollo was intended to win on the track and then be used on the road – 30 years after many thought that concept had died. Yet he was quite specific about what he wanted: ‘It has always been my dream to have a car with so much downforce, such aerodynamic efficiency that you could drive on the roof of a tunnel at high speed. This car can do it.’

And so, after a few years working in China, Gumpert returned to Germany in 2001 and joined forces with Roland Mayer, of tuner MTM fame. GMG Sportwagenmanufaktur Altenburg GmbH was founded in 2004, in Altenburg, south of Leipzig in the former East Germany, an area where several car factories are located and which is thus replete with qualified staff. A year later the firm was renamed Gumpert Sportwagenmanufaktur GmbH. Free from corporate restraints, Gumpert had surrounded himself with a compact group of efficient staff, about 40 in all, gathering brain power from the universities of Munich and Ingolstadt. Design was by Marco Vanetta, a quarter-scale model was built during 2001 and full-scale prototypes emerged three years later, with production beginning in 2005. Costs were kept under control by sourcing generic parts from no fewer than 60 suppliers across Europe.

The frame is made from high-strength chrome molybdenum steel and weighs only 98kg. The carbon monocoque protecting the passengers is screwed directly to the frame and weighs a mere 23kg. Powering it is an

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Above and right The only view most road users will see of the Gumpert Apollo; sequential transmission is within easy reach of the steering wheel.

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Track-day thriller Gumpert Apollo S

Clockwise, from bottom left Race-type pushrod suspension shares space with 700bhp twin-turbo V8; gullwing doors for maximum visual impact; rear is possibly its most dramatic angle.

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engine based on the Audi RS6’s 90º 4.2-litre V8 with five valves per cylinder, four overhead camshafts (two per bank), VarioCam direct timing, high-performance con-rods, forged pistons and two MTM turbochargers. A forged crankshaft was created with very high torsional stiffness and low mass; a dry sump ensures proper flow in all conditions.

Two intercoolers (described as ‘immense’ by Gumpert) chill the turbo’s compressed output on its way to the combustion chambers. Its electronic ignition is paired with eight ignition coils and sequential multipoint fuel injection, all controlled by a drive-by-wire electronic accelerator.

Various power levels were available: 650bhp for the base version, 700bhp for the S (Sport) version and 800bhp for the full-blown R (for Race) track cars. As for the transmission, the Apollo employs an Italian CIMA longitudinal sequential six-speed gearbox with bespoke ratios.

Weight distribution is classically biased 58% towards the rear.

Contrary to that of many rivals, the suspension was conceived with ample compression and rebound, acknowledging abrupt real-world surface changes: dips, bumps, hollows, cracks, potholes, all of which can cause terminal loss of control in cars with limited suspension travel.

Double transverse control arms front and rear ensure that the tyre treads

remain perfectly connected to the road surface. Ride height can be set between 40mm and 120mm depending on road or track use. Stabilisers prevent diving during hard braking and lifting during acceleration, and it is all articulated via sealed uniball joints.

This example is an Apollo S, currently offered by Carugati, the prominent Geneva dealership founded by respected racer Tiziano Carugati. Chassis number W09GUA2157AG64021 was first sold in Geneva in January 2015, then resold to its current owner in Ticino, Italy.

It’s just had a major service and Carugati’s gregarious representative, Marc Seynave, is here to take us through it.

It looks frankly ominous in matt black, a colour that suits it perfectly, a stealth fighter jet for the road. The body is impeccably smooth, immaculately so for glassfibre. Tellingly, a gaggle of teenagers ignore the Italian GT and supercar offerings around it in full gawping mode. It looks like a video game escapee.

The nose is blunt, entirely businesslike: you can almost hear Roland Gumpert say ‘We are here for efficiency, not a beauty contest.’ The sides are functional, the only consideration being to funnel engine bay cooling air into huge intakes ahead of the rear wheels. The rear is even more

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Track-day thriller Gumpert Apollo S

workmanlike, with vast grilled ventilation openings. The huge wing and roof-mounted air intake complete its imposing presence.

The owner’s manual is quite a read, in itself a glimpse into Roland Gumpert’s perfectionism: ‘The vehicle is a modern high-performance sports car with complex systems and individual components which must be exactly adjusted/aligned to each other according to the conditions.’

Jawohl, then. You’ve been warned.

Shoehorning oneself over the high sill of the carbonfibre tub is a challenge, but the seat is very supportive. The steering wheel is removable and the boss designed so that it cannot be slotted back on incorrectly.

Four-point harnesses keep you from flying forwards under braking and it’s quite confined: not one for basketballers but at 1.75m I’m fine.

A mix of bare carbon tub and Alcantara surrounds you. The seat does not move but the driving position of each owner was adjustable at the factory, thanks to a moveable pedal rack, altered steering column length and varied seat padding. And if former World Rally Champion Walter Röhrl managed to fit his 1.96m frame into an Apollo – laughing as he wedged himself in to take one for a spin! – then I can’t complain. With the gullwing door down, an integrated roll-over bar makes you feel safely cocooned.

Clockwise, from below Weapon-like rather than elegant; cabin is tight, purposeful; top-mounted air intake à la McLaren F1; centre-stack features mainly Audi switchgear.

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‘THIS IS THE FASTEST THING I’VE DRIVEN SINCE A FULL-BLOWN FERRARI 333SP’

Ahead of you are gauges for water temperature, oil pressure, revs and speed up to 400km/h, plus a digital gear indicator. A tin plate stating one should wait 15 seconds after ignition to start the engine is written in Italian. In the centre console are a boost gauge, fuel gauge, the start button and an oil temperature gauge that toggles between engine and gearbox.

Below that is the Racelogic display with a rotary switch to choose your traction control level. Best to make sure your passenger does not fiddle with that. There is air-con, too, venting via Audi parts.

The sequential gearlever sprouts quite high, positioned a little too far back for my taste, particularly with a passenger, as it gets tight when your elbow runs against the rear bulkhead. Pull to go up the six gears, push to go down. For reverse there is a button on the steering wheel that you push while simultaneously pushing the lever; ‘R’ then appears in the dash display. Gumpert recommends using the clutch for every shift, though at high rpm some do not.

Turn the key, wait 15 seconds, then press the start button. A brutish sound erupts from behind but is not overwhelming. A rear-view screen pops up from the passenger side of the dash, very useful in close manoeuvres as there is no rear window. As you’d expect, this is not your grandma’s clutch but a heavy-duty twin-plate unit that’s abrupt in its action; 1200rpm, brevity and smoothness avoid stalling. The sequential gearbox is easy to get used to, demanding a firm tug to engage each gear.

Extremely precise steering benefits from an electro-hydraulic rack, easing low-speed turns on those huge Michelin Pilots, 255/35 ZR19 at the front, 345/35 ZR19 aft. It’s highly confidence-inspiring, though the wheelbase feels very short, and you sense that it is as poised and reactive as can be. The front overhang is modest and the low spoiler of this example survives without the nose-lifting system of some later cars.

There is quite a bit of background noise from the gearbox and floating brake discs, which rattle about, all in character with the Apollo’s purposeful appeal. Meanwhile the cooling system gargles like it is using mouthwash. Even so, it feels docile and user-friendly to such a degree that a long trip would be no problem at all – so long as your butler is chauffeuring your luggage. The ride is softer than expected, yet it feels as planted as King Kong in a boxing ring, very much willing to turn-in instantly, bringing back Lancia Stratos memories. There is no hint of understeer or roll.

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Track-day thriller Gumpert Apollo S

You downshift the old-fashioned way, with a blip of throttle to ease the change. And once a clear stretch opens, the revs increase explosively, even before the turbos awaken at 3500rpm: there you find peak torque of 626lb ft. Then you shoot forwards with seriously hissy progress and the Racelogic traction control soon intervenes. This is not a gentle system like in a McLaren but an all-or-nothing nanny. It can be adjusted exactly to your choosing via the switch: Seynave explains that no more than 15% is needed on the road, 5% is fine on track but beyond 12% or so it becomes too disruptive. The brave might switch it off altogether.

There is a launch control feature, too, though the owner’s manual stresses that it puts strain on the car’s powertrain and therefore should not be used on public roads. Quite.

Further bursts of speed leave me wide-eyed: this is quite simply the fastest thing I have driven since a full-blown Ferrari 333SP sports prototype years ago. Even seasoned Apollo drivers don’t go above 60006500rpm on track-days; 7000rpm is the absolute maximum usable but you’d be in orbit by then. Thankfully, huge iron discs with AP calipers are up to the task of bringing you back down with zero drama or skittishness.

A Torsen differential lock keeps the rear under control.

Alas, we are not at Spa or Silverstone today, and the limits are far beyond what the Swiss police force would tolerate, but the Apollo’s giantslaying potential was proven by its exploits on the Nürburgring Nordschleife in-period.

A long chat with a very keen, savvy driver who has driven over 8000km in one was most interesting. One trip took in the high-altitude Route des

Grandes Alpes, 12 hours each way with mountain passes as high as 2700m on carefully chosen summer days, untroubled by traffic or bicycles. He explained: ‘The car is as raw as can be in every way. It does not overheat in urban traffic, even on the Côte d’Azur in summer, and is solidly reliable. The engine is in fact of simple build. When you find an empty stretch of twisty road with perfect visibility its limits are, of course, intimidating, far higher than most drivers’ abilities, and it takes time to approach them on the open road. Understeer is almost impossible to summon unless a gross mistake is made, or the surface is poor or wet.

When the back end goes it is pleasingly predictable; you really get a feel for the car and you know when it comes. Approaching the top speed at 280km/h, it is glued to the ground by its downforce and is as stable as at 150km/h. A Gumpert test driver even saw 380km/h on a GPS read-out!’

Throughout the day with the car there are no hostile reactions from anyone, just silent awe. Even those uninterested in cars understand that this is a precision tool. Yet demand for the Apollo proved to be limited.

Most figures suggest that 150 were built, and Gumpert had to file for bankruptcy during the summer of 2013 after a new investor failed to provide promised funds. Ultimately Roland Gumpert’s creation was a bold statement and a successful one in its way: an amazingly efficient, focused yet well-rounded device, deserving of the utmost respect. Given his background, we should expect nothing less.

THANKS TO Tiziano Carugati and Marc Seynave at Carugati Automobiles (carugati.ch), where the car is for sale.

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Jaguar E-type Malaysia to UK

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LONG WAY BACK Two intrepid ex-pat Brits took an E-type from Kuala Lumpur to Yorkshire in 77 days. This is their epic overland adventure Words and photography Mike Johnston

FAMILY AND FRIENDS are flagging us away. It’s 8am as we set off with the roof down in the tropical heat. The car is a 1967 Jaguar E-type roadster, imported from the USA, restored here in Malaysia (I’ve been living in Asia for 28 years) and converted to right-hand drive. Paul, an old university friend from Colorado Springs, USA, was keen to join me and is unfazed by the prospect of two months and more away. Our destination is the UK, 14,500 miles distant, via South-East Asia, China, Central Asia and over the Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan – current conflicts and travel advisories rule out Myanmar, Russia and Iran. After Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, we’ll take our pick through Europe.

The car has been in regular use for six years since its restoration and is ready and willing. Although the route is clear, you cannot travel independently through China with your own vehicle. Several agencies offer tours, and we have opted for a 27-day group tour from the Laos border, across Tibet and the Himalayas, exiting at Kyrgyzstan. It’s the only fixed element of the trip and determines our April start date.

Day one is ambitious. We make great progress through Malaysia to Krabi, on the west coast of Thailand, covering 500 miles – our longest daily distance. Tropical storms mean we arrive in the dark, and the limitations of the windscreen wipers and headlights become evident.

We then cross the border into Laos, and from this point will drive on the right-hand side of the road until we reach the UK. The crossing is complicated, taking up several hours until we can head to the capital, Vientiane.

Laos, China and Azerbaijan are the only countries that require visas in advance, though they are easily available online. Except for China, we book our hotel rooms on a daily basis, trying to choose those with secure parking, but in Vientiane that turns out to mean street spaces reserved by traffic cones.

From Vientiane we head north to Luang Prabang, a heritage town also on the banks of the Mekong River. The first 70km or so is on the new Friendship Highway, which

eventually will go all the way to the Chinese border.

There are some initial issues as the bonnet-mounted numberplate can’t be machine-read, and we decide to drive with the roof up for safety, though this three-lane highway is largely empty.

Route 13 is a road we’ll never forget thanks to its atrocious condition, marred by sections of extreme rough rock and potholes that could swallow an elephant. The going here is slow, and the suspension takes a hammering, but we make it to Luang Prabang and stop for a couple of nights’ break. Here we have to park on the street and, come the morning, we find that a market has been established along the whole road. The car is fine, thankfully, although a disgruntled stallholder has probably lost his normal pitch.

Towards the Chinese border the road gets no better, but our arrival at Boten sees big hotels and matching entertainment facilities, built by the Chinese for the Chinese. Here we meet a great bunch of people from as far afield as Australia, Germany, Denmark, USA and the Czech Republic, with whom we’ll cross China. There are six 4x4s and six motorbikes; ours is the only classic car.

Our guide from Drive China has prepared much of the documentation, which makes customs easy, after which we head to the police station to pick up a temporary numberplate and driving licences. Only in China is this necessary; everywhere else accepts the International Driving Permit and original registration documents.

The roads here are generally excellent, without the creaks, groans and rattles of the past few days, and Yunnan Province has beautiful scenery, historical towns and national parks. As with Laos, the toll highways in Yunnan have peculiarities; there’s a requirement to check the engine number on all foreign vehicles against the temporary numberplate – not a problem for the E-type, where you just lift the front, but more complicated for some of the other vehicles. Staff at the crowded toll plaza ignored the agitated queues building up behind with horns blaring repeatedly!

Clockwise, from top left From car park to marketplace, Laos; setting off from Kuala Lumpur; roadside yak; Tiger Leaping Gorge, Yunnan Province; Mount Everest, up close; E-type dwarfed by local motors.

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Jaguar E-type Malaysia to UK

‘There’s no petrol station, but we’re taken to a shed where a lady sells bootleg fuel at a premium price’ Clockwise, from top right Scenic roads are a given in Tibet; Chinese border demanded much documentation; don’t startle the wildlife; Chinese roads carved through rock; bootleg fuel stop in Uzbekistan; snow and ice challenged the E-type at times; Tibetan yak proved friendly, thankfully.

It is rare to see classic cars in China, particularly in the less populated western region, and we soon become popular on Douyin (Chinese TikTok). By the end of our journey through China, our guide tells us that our posts have had 165million views! Friends from my time living there are following our progress, too.

As we approach Tibet we start a serious climb, and ultimately spend 14 days above 3500m; our maximum road elevation is 5250m above sea level. Some perspective? Mont Blanc peaks at 4809m! The car runs OK in these conditions, a slight loss of power and an increase in idle speed being the only noticeable differences. I adjust the fuel mixture but should have left it alone; the car never runs quite as well afterwards.

As our popularity had spread though Douyin, our group guide is contacted by the Chinese news agency Xinhua, requesting an interview when we reach Lhasa.

We’re happy to oblige, though our packed schedule means we miss seeing ourselves on TV. Tibet is a fascinating place; probably the highlight of the trip is a visit to Mount Everest Base Camp. You cannot drive here, but the Government has created an excellent electric bus service that takes about 30 minutes from the local town.

Perfect weather conditions mean spectacular views.

It’s mid-May when we travel through Tibet yet still the weather is changeable, the clouds close in and for a day or two we’re faced with snow and sleet – not so nice for the bikes and ourselves. Again, the headlights and wipers struggle, so it’s always a relief to see clear skies in the mornings. As the car had been set-up for use in Malaysia, I had removed the heater matrix and never replaced it, so it gets a bit chilly at times, too.

We’re on sections of Route 318, the Sichuan-Tibet highway, a road-trip destination for many in China, considered one of their most difficult roads. The scenery is amazing, all snow-capped mountains, Tibetan pastures and switchback passes. Unfortunately, the freeze-thaw climate makes for broken surfaces and landslides, so maintenance is continuous and there are many accidents.

Some sections are treacherous and made worse by everyone’s desire to capture the E-type on video.

In contrast, we soon reach the lowest point of the journey, at Turpan in Xinjiang Province, more than 100m below sea level. A change in the temperature here as well, back to the 35-40ºC we were used to in South-East Asia.

Exiting China is a lot more complicated than entering.

To reach the border with Kyrgyzstan at the Torugart Pass, initial processing is approximately 100km from the crossing. As foreigners, all our vehicles go through an X-ray before we can leave the customs compound and head to the border. A new road is being built, which will make the journey simpler. In our case we face 13

checkpoints before the actual border, where our passports are again taken away for final scrutiny before we can leave.

Instead of crossing into Kyrgyzstan around mid-day as expected, it’s early evening when we reach immigration.

After three more hours of processing, we leave in darkness as it’s starting to snow, making for a perilous drive to our stop at Naryn. There are no petrol stations open and we arrive on fumes near midnight.

Kyrgyzstan is a beautiful country, crystal lakes and Alpine-like mountains a massive change from the scrub desert of western Xinjiang. After visiting the capital Bishkek, we head for Uzbekistan, choosing an easier route to its capital, Tashkent, through Kazakhstan. We know that the road through Kyrgyzstan is in poor condition, but we had not anticipated the 22 hours it would take to cross from Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan. All cars are rigorously searched and only a few allowed through at a time. From this point we decide to limit the number of border crossings as much as possible.

Uzbekistan’s historical Silk Road towns of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva are worth the effort, with their spectacular ancient plazas, mosques and mausoleums.

Travel is fairly straightforward, although there are police checkpoints where we’re stopped for no reason other than that we’re different. When the officers realise we speak no Russian we’re sent on our way, normally with a smile, always after obligatory photos.

At Khiva, we chat with some German travellers in dusty 4x4s who’d just come along the route we would take to Kazakhstan. They laugh when they see we’re in the E-type and predict that we won’t make it! With no other realistic option we have no choice but to carry on, and the last 100 miles in Uzbekistan are comparable to Route 13 in Laos, the surface destroyed by heavy trucks, continuous potholes and for a long stretch no paved finish at all. The going is slow and painful yet the locals don’t seem to care and we see numerous cars with at least two flat tyres and a long wait for assistance.

When we finally reach the end of the worst section, we’re too low on fuel to make it to the border. There’s no petrol station in town but, after a lot of online translation with the locals, we’re taken to a shed on the outskirts where a lady sells bootleg fuel at a premium price. With some trepidation, we make the purchase and continue to the border. Next stop: Kazakhstan.

Despite travelling independently, we’re in contact with some of the group from China who were likely to cross the Caspian Sea around the same time as us. A UK couple travelling on a BMW motorbike from Australia had done a lot more research than us and we agreed to meet in the port of Aktau, ready to cross together as a group of two cars and two motorbikes. Safety in numbers!

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Jaguar E-type Malaysia to UK

The process involves appointing a shipping agent, lawyer and translator, and giving power of attorney to handle the vehicles. A Russian lady who had joined her friend at the end of the China leg is a massive help here and the vehicles are dropped off at the port. We take the short flight to Baku in Azerbaijan, where we enjoy a pleasant four-day stay, waiting for the boat.

From Azerbaijan we travel to Georgia and then to Turkey. Border crossings are getting easier, and traversing Turkey takes eight days including rest stops in Cappadocia and Selçuk, visiting the ancient site at Ephesus, home to the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

It’s in Turkey that we experience the first potential problem with the car. Near Konya, the oil pressure gauge suddenly drops but without any noticeable change to the engine performance, noise or temperature. We drive carefully to the outskirts of the city and find a workshop where we can change the oil and filter, strip and check the oil pressure relief valves and springs, and then reassemble.

It’s slightly better but clearly not right according to the gauge. I suspect the oil pressure sender is the issue, but for the rest of the journey we drive at leisurely pace, always with an eye on the oil pressure gauge.

Although Bulgaria and Romania are now part of the Schengen area, the system is not yet fully integrated and we still face border crossings within the EU zone, with the final one at the Romania/Hungary border. From Hungary it’s clear for our journey through Austria, Germany and France. We spend two weeks travelling within Europe, shorter daily distances and lots of beautiful medieval cities, great roads, hotels, food and drink, although all twice the cost of the equivalent in Asia.

We’ve fixed a July date for arrival in the UK, where our wives and family will meet us. On schedule, we emerge from the Channel Tunnel and head north to my motherin-law’s house in South Yorkshire for a well-earned celebration. We’ve spent 77 days travelling 14,500 miles across seven time zones and 17 countries. We have experienced altitudes from -100m to 5250m, temperatures from below zero to more than 40ºC, plus sun, rain, hail, snow and sleet. Remarkably, we’ve averaged 21.5mpg and, apart from the oil pressure issue, suffered only two flat tyres and one broken exhaust mount, which was fixed with Jubilee clips. Not bad for two 60-year-olds and a well-sorted ’67 Jag.

Clockwise, from top left Locals loved the E-type at every stop; impromptu repairs at a workshop in Konya, Turkey; you want mountains? We got mountains; a warm South Yorkshire welcome at last.

SEARCH FOR ‘E-Type Roadtrip’ on Facebook to see more.

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Showcase your car’s history with a bespoke binder www.hartnackandco.com

Humble exotica Fiat Dino Spider

WHAT’S

IN

A

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The Fiat Dino Spider’s humble marque name belies its exotic racebred Ferrari engine and curvaceous body. Richard Heseltine takes the wheel Photography David Roscoe-Rutter

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Humble exotica Fiat Dino Spider

Left and right All the glamour of a Ferrari, styled and built by Pininfarina, badged as a Fiat.

R

evs are rising at the sort of rate that could induce a nosebleed and the roads are awake to the sound of a Dino Spider as it flicks two fingers at the fainthearted. It fizzes with energy, the V6 roaring its own fruity language.

It’s just you, the sort of backdrop that makes your heart soar, and roads that are twisty, turny and challenging. You’re not about to suffer auditory fatigue any time soon, that’s for sure.

The backbeat makes you want to press on, surging towards the sort of speeds fully deserving of a spell in the stocks.

None of which suggests that you’re driving a Fiat: the most mainstream of Italian marques has produced some great cars amid some that are, well, less so. This intriguing curio is something of an anomaly in that it employs a Ferrari engine, and a truly classic one at that.

As such, the Dino Spider should naturally be elevated to the elite circle of landmark exotica, but that has never quite been the case. A Fiat with Ferrari firepower suggests a treasure beyond price but also the bargain of a lifetime, and in many ways it is.

It requires an act of will not to listen to the engine note in whimpering incomprehension.

How can it sound this good? It demands your

attention, as does the rest of the car, yet the narrative behind how Fiat got wrapped up in making the Dino is a little cloudy.

It is widely held that Ferrari was eager to homologate a V6 engine for the 1967 1.6-litre Formula 2 regulations. These rules stipulated that such engines needed to be based on a production car unit (using the same block but not necessarily the same cylinder dimensions).

Also, a minimum of 500 engines needed to have been made in a year prior to applying.

Given that Ferrari was making around 700 cars per annum, this presented something of an obstacle, even if it had form when it came to homologation chicanery.

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There was always Fiat. The Turin giant had provided behind-the-scenes backing to Ferrari before and it rode to the rescue once again. A meeting was arranged between Gianni Agnelli (Fiat’s heir apparent) and Enzo Ferrari himself, plus Fiat MD Vittorio Valletta and general manager Vincenzo Bono. Weber’s Francesco Bellicardi acted as moderator. It remains unrecorded as to what, precisely, was said, but they parted with a deal: Fiat would sponsor the construction of an engine that would power a new range-topper. The engine would also be employed in a sub-species of Ferrari, the upshot being that a sufficient number would be made to appease the rule-makers.

As to the finer points, they would iron out the details later. This thoroughbred V6 began life as a Vittorio Jano design from 1956, with a 65º vee-angle and twin camshafts for each bank of three cylinders. It was chopped and changed thereafter to suit assorted racing formulae. Aurelio Lampredi was then tasked with turning a 1596cc unit (by then attributed to Franco Rocchi) into a production car engine. All four camshafts were driven by roller chains, and there was a four-bearing bottom end with a nitrided crank. Head and block were each of light alloy. Lampredi left the stroke at 57mm, but widened the bore from 77 to 86mm, giving it a displacement of 1987cc.

Three gurgling Weber 40DCN 14 carburettors sat in the centre of the vee, with power quoted as 160bhp at 7200rpm. The fivespeed transmission was descended from the 2300S coupé’s four-speeder, with a separate casing bolted to the back of the existing item for the extra cog.

Underpinning the car was a stressed unitary platform, rolling on a 2286mm (90in) wheelbase, the front end suspended via a coil spring and wishbone set-up plus an anti-roll bar. At the rear, the Dino made use of a 2300S-derived live axle arrangement (with a Borg Warner limited-slip diff), with twin dampers per side. Vented Girling disc brakes 125

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Humble exotica Fiat Dino Spider

featured all-round, while steering was by means of a ZF Gemmer worm-and-roller design.

Then there was the styling. The Spider was the work of Pininfarina, which wasn’t big on apportioning credit to a particular stylist. It had also been engaged to construct the bodies: floorpans were supplied to the legendary coachbuilder, with the bare hulls being transported back to Fiat’s Rivolta facility for the installation of running gear.

The Spider’s big reveal at the Turin motor show in late 1966 came as no surprise, because the Italian media had been hyping it for the better part of 12 months. According to some

breathless news items of the period, the first 500 had been sold before customers had so much as clapped eyes on the car, though this has a whiff of the apocryphal about it.

A closed sister variant arrived the following March at the Geneva motor show, the Giorgetto Giugiaro-styled Coupé. He had been working on a replacement design for the 2300S as far back as 1963, and his design was reworked for this new application (his outline for the Isuzu 117 was visually similar, too). However, Il Maestro had left Bertone for arch rival Ghia by the time of its Switzerland launch, so it was left to others to refine his proposal. While

mechanically akin to the Spider, the Coupé had a longer 2540mm (100in) wheelbase and was better equipped: the rear seats were genuinely usable and split 50:50 for added practicality.

The previous year had witnessed something of a blip in Dino production, Fiat pausing manufacture after 1133 Spiders and 3629 Coupés had been made. Construction didn’t recommence for several months and both variants re-emerged with significant changes.

For starters, the lusty V6 was markedly more Fiat than Ferrari, with an iron block and a capacity hike to 2419cc thanks to bore and stroke that measured 92.5 by 60mm. This

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1968 Fiat Dino 2000 Spider Engine 1987cc V6, DOHC per bank, three Weber 40 DCN 14 carburettors Power 160bhp @ 7200rpm Torque 127lb ft @ 6000rpm Transmission five-speed manual gearbox Steering Worm and roller Suspension Front: unequal-length wishbones, coil springs, telescopic dampers, anti-roll bar. Rear: live axle, upper radius arms, coil springs, twinned telescopic dampers Brakes Discs Weight 1150kg Top speed 124mph

Clockwise, from right Dino Spider looks at home in stately surroundings; winding roads are its natural home; no Ferrari badges; five-speed gearbox was Fiat’s own; could be a Ferrari from this angle.

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Humble exotica Fiat Dino Spider

‘The V6 is pure theatre. Blip the throttle and it’s all whoops and wails overlaid with what sounds like machine-gun fire’

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Left and above Curvaceous styling looks all the more exotic roof-down; quad-cam 2.0-litre V6 revs hard and offers 160bhp.

resulted in a power boost to 180bhp at 6600rpm, and greater torque: 166lb ft at 5500rpm. A ZF five-speed ’box with a dog-leg first was also standardised, while a Fiat 130 saloon-derived independent suspension arrangement appeared on both iterations.

Fiat’s purchase of Ferrari in 1969 saw the house of the Prancing Horse expand its manufacturing base. Spiders and Coupés were subsequently assembled in Maranello, with Pininfarina and Bertone supplying fully trimmed bodyshells. And so it continued until both models were dropped in 1972, although unsold cars remained on the books well into the following year amid a fuel crisis. A mere 424 of the 2.4-litre Spiders had been made along with 2414 Coupés. Dinos were never officially offered in right-hand drive configuration, and in the UK at least they have been underappreciated. It didn’t help that cars tended to be poorly maintained as they fell down the food chain.

The relative complexity of Dinos put off many, with values remaining on the floor for decades. Now it’s a different story and enthusiasts are willing to restore cars properly in the knowledge that they might recoup their investment rather than simply throw cash onto the pyre. The Spider is the more striking of the two; the current Hagerty Price Guide lists the Condition 1 value for a Spider 2000 as £123,000, fully £72,000 more than a Coupé would command. To some, it’s a truly classical shape, all curves and cleavage. This 1968 car has the earliest (and nicest) detailing, too, with a chrome grille (rather than matt black) and no rubbing strips on the bumpers.

Distinct from its handsome fixed-head sibling, the Spider looks more Ferrari than Fiat, but owner Marc Gordon commendably stopped short of adding Cavallino Rampante badges. Inside, it’s more spacious than you

might imagine, while the aluminium fascia is much more attractive than those found in later iterations. The pedals are offset somewhat to the right, but comfort isn’t compromised. It’s a nice office. Historic racer (and Goodwood race winner) Gordon likes to use his cars, and in anger, the impeccably restored Dino having recently made the trip from Blighty to Spain and back. It is well-sorted.

The short-stroke V6 is pure theatre. Blip the throttle to clear its several throats and it’s all whoops and wails overlaid with what sounds like the magnified cracking of machine-gun fire. The pedals are close-coupled, which rather goes with the territory, but the clutch is progressive and take-off is smooth and immediate. What strikes you instantly is how free-spinning this engine is. It isn’t exactly over-endowed with torque, but it revs off its axis past 3000rpm. That isn’t to say that the Dino is blisteringly quick. It is certainly fast, especially for its vintage, but it’s the way that it makes you feel that makes it so compelling.

Hold it in gear longer than is strictly necessary and it races towards the redline (peak power is at 7200rpm). It is the antithesis of subsequent ‘junior’ Ferrari engines, with their flat-plane crank parps. You don’t need to keep piling on the revs, but it would be rude not to because the result is so, well, choral. The gearbox is a cracker, too. Nevertheless, history paints the transmission on early cars as being a weak link; that it wasn’t quite strong enough. It’s a sweet set-up all the same, which is perhaps as well, for the stout lever needs to be pushed and pulled liberally to keep the engine on the boil.

The transmission has a precise shift movement across the gate, and fifth isn’t merely an overdrive. What may come as a surprise to some is that it is tractable despite the slender torque figure. It keeps on pulling. Truth is, it’s hard to resist changing down and up again 129

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Humble exotica Fiat Dino Spider

just to hear its battle-cry. Childish? You damn’ well betcha. Life-affirming? That and more.

The engine dominates the Dino experience, but that isn’t to say that the rest of the car is a dynamic duffer. Far from it, in fact. On rutted topography, slaloming around potholes, the Spider feels far more rigid than you might imagine, with no banging or crashing through the structure. There is no kickback through the steering, either.

The Dino tears through fast sweepers with just a whiff of understeer, but some articles from yesteryear paint this most exotic of Fiats as being not quite so hot when negotiating the sharper stuff. Certainly, exposure to baggy examples in the past might have led you to surmise that the rear end will break away with little provocation, but that isn’t the case here.

Without throwing the car around with abandon, yet still driving in spirited fashion, the Spider doesn’t feel wayward. The underpinnings weren’t deemed sophisticated even in period, but it doesn’t threaten to spill.

As ordinary as it may seem, the suspension set-up works well.

Apply power coming out of a slow, tight bend and it’s unthreatening, but then it does have a limited-slip diff. With courage on the ascent, it might get jiggy should you encounter a mid-corner bump but otherwise you would have to be ham-fisted to get into trouble. By way of comparison, it feels lighter on its feet than the later 2.4-litre, iron-block cars, but the pay-off is that it isn’t such a relaxed cruiser. It’s all relative; a trade-off. As one wag put it decades ago, purity had given way to sophistication. The brakes are good for the period, too, even if the servo doesn’t lend a lot of feel to the pedal. Oddly, this is more acute at slowish speeds when heel-and-toe action is overcome by a bit more braking than is strictly called for. This ebbs with greater acclimatisation.

It’s hard not to be won over. This shapeliest of Fiats represents a compelling mix of the proletarian and the elitist. No, it isn’t a Ferrari, but to view it as such would miss the point. It makes all the right noises, provides all the right sensations, and in many ways the low-born basis is not a disadvantage. Far from it. The Fiat bits hold up their end of the bargain. It may seem odd to quote Cars & Car Conversions here, but this title was one of few in-period that didn’t sugarcoat its criticisms. It concluded in 1969: ‘Let’s just say that it represents one of the most enjoyable motoring experiences ever to come our way and leave it at that.’

The Dino Spider satisfies brows both high and low. It oozes charm, although screams is probably nearer the mark.

THANKS TO Standon Hall (standonhall.co.uk) and DTR European Sports Cars (dtrsports.com).

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Magneto Tours: Château Edition Your chance to take part in an exclusive drive to the Dordogne, with Magneto magazine and Club Des Autos

June 26-30, 2025 Itinerary DAY 1 A warm welcome as we gather for lunch at Beaverbrook Country House, setting the perfect tone for the journey ahead. Departure at 15:00, led by Octane magazine founding editor Robert Coucher.

• Destination: St Malo (via Portsmouth ferry) • Distance: 60 miles / 96km Enjoy a relaxing supper at sea before retiring to your private cabin for a restful night, waking up refreshed in St Malo.

DAY 2 • Destination: Château Alexandra Palace, a 17th-century castle renovated into a luxury hotel • Distance: 200 miles / 325km A coffee break before a scenic journey to a charming lunch spot by the Loire River. In the evening, indulge at Le Daniel’s restaurant before unwinding in the luxury of Château Alexandra Palace.

DAY 3 • Destination: Château de Sermet • Distance: 235 miles / 375km Start your day with breakfast at Le Daniel’s, lunch in the town of Périgueux, then unwind with dinner and an overnight stay at the historic Château de Sermet.

DAY 4 • Destination: Les Jardins de Marqueyssac (loop) • Distance: 90 miles / 140km Enjoy a scenic drive to the stunning village of La Roque-Gageac, followed by a stroll through the breathtaking Les Jardins de Marqueyssac. Savour lunch by the Dordogne river, before returning to Château de Sermet for a delightful supper.

DAY 5 Join us for an unforgettable driving tour from the UK to the Dordogne, France, through picturesque French countryside on a stunning château trail. Enjoy exquisite food, fine wines and breathtaking roads in your classic car. This event is designed for motoring enthusiasts to relax, socialise and experience wonderful French roads. The tour concludes at the historic Château de Sermet, where you can unwind with fellow owners in an exceptional 14th-century setting. Full support and return routes or transport available.

• Destination: French market town (loop) • Distance: 60 miles / 90km Drive through scenic countryside to a French market, enjoy lunch at La Récréation, then return to Château de Sermet for wine tasting and supper.

For full details go to: www.magnetomagazine.com/events

Additional notes: Car storage is available for participants flying home. Return driving routes, hotel recommendations and private aeroplane bookings are available on request.

Or contact us: jasmine@hothousemedia.co.uk

DAY 6 A final departure breakfast, followed by farewells and airport concierge.

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The purpose of the club was to bring together enthusiasts who owned Bugatti cars. By the end of 1930 there were 40 members, at the end of 1931 that number had doubled, and by 1932 the club reached 150 members. After a while, non-Bugatti-owning motoring enthusiasts applied for membership and, in order to add interest in the club, they were admitted. This has remained the case ever since.

In 1936 it was agreed that the club needed its own motorsport venue and the sale of a well-known estate near Cheltenham sparked much interest for its potential as a hill-climb. Prescott House and its 58-acre estate were bought in 1937 and, since the spring of 1938, Prescott Speed Hill Climb has become a cornerstone of British motorsport, welcoming tens of thousands of visitors each year as one of the top five most-visited sporting venues in Gloucestershire.

For eight decades the BOC has remained owner and operator and welcomes both historic and modern machinery. Prescott Speed Hill Climb has always been considered an innovator, having been one of the hills included in the inaugural British Hill Climb Championship, founder of the first Hill Climb Drivers’ School worldwide, and always offering a range of innovative and engaging events, the most recent being a competitive hill-climb in darkness.

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Hot topic THE SILENT KILLER The HCVA supports the development of lower-carbon fuels and our aim is for our sector to demonstrate proof of concept and be the early adopter of renewable liquid fuels. Ethanol is an increasingly used component that has many sustainability benefits when applied to modern vehicles.

However, the well-known disadvantages of using ethanol in older vehicles means that it is increasingly important that more is done to protect the fuel systems of our historic and classic fleet.

Ethanol, the silent killer of vehicles not designed for it, causes damage that is most prevalent when a vehicle is being stored.

Ethanol is highly hygroscopic and thus creates a perfect environment for acetobacter, a type of bacteria that excrete acetic acid, which is highly corrosive – this typically starts after two weeks throughout a classic car or motorcycle’s fuel system.

The good news is that a solution already exists in the form of specially formulated storage fuels. Originally developed for farming and gardening machinery, which have similar ethanol-related issues, they have now been re-engineered to suit the historic vehicle sector. Benefiting vehicles laid up for periods longer than a month, these storage fuels have demonstrated that even after three years a vehicle will start on the button and run smoothly. Available in leaded and unleaded high-octane, they are guaranteed to be ethanol-free, suitable for three years’ storage or even longer, and don’t leave varnish or corrosion in the fuel system.

At under £5 per litre for a ten-litre can the fuel is clearly more expensive, although the small amount required for storage makes perfect financial sense compared with the cost of restoring an entire fuel system.

At the HCVA our mission is to protect the future of our past, and we believe that increasing awareness of the availability and benefits of storage fuels is fundamental to promoting vehicle preservation as fuel chemistry continues to evolve.

We welcome all businesses and individuals with an interest in shaping the future of our sector to join us at www.hcva.co.uk.

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Octane Cars The trials and tribulations of the cars we live with

In the clutch of despair 1946 Tatra T87 Delwyn Mallett

A BRIEF RESUMÉ. Tatra is dispatched to the professionals to remedy fuel feed problems, dodgy front brakes and mysterious clunk from nether regions. All the above are addressed and remedied, and to all intents and purposes the beast seems ready to be retrieved.

A trip to Lewes for a road test and hopefully a leisurely clunk-free cruise home is scheduled.

It was not to be. After a few miles it became apparent that

what started as mild clutch slip in top gear was getting worse, the car wouldn’t accelerate and it clearly wasn’t up to a 70-mile journey home. Mission aborted. Called the AA. Towed back to base and a conversation with a somewhat despondent mechanic, Janos.

Was it merely a clutch cable adjustment problem or possibly, as suggested by a suspicious amount of oil around the bell housing, a contaminated clutch

centre plate? I departed for home, leaving the bemused Janos to diagnose the problem.

It was all bad news from then on. An attempt to adjust the clutch cable resulted in the badly corroded end of the threaded cable snapping off. On inspection it was obvious that the adjuster had for many years been quite literally hanging on by a thread and could have failed at any time.

Undeterred, Janos fabricated

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OCTANE’S FLEET Clockwise, from facing page Most of tail lifts up to reveal Tatra engine; V8 was removed to access clutch; tail lid and valance were also taken off; clutch adjuster was hanging on by a thread.

These are the cars – and ’bikes – run by Octane’s staff and contributors

JAMES ELLIOTT Editor-in-chief • 1965 Triumph 2.5 PI • 1968 Jensen Interceptor • 1969 Lotus Elan S4

a much improved adjuster out of stainless steel, which unfortunately confirmed that there was no more clutch adjustment available. The problem clearly lay with the centre plate.

Only way forward was engine out!

It’s not absolutely necessary to remove the massively heavy engine lid/tail to remove the 87’s engine, but it certainly makes life easier and avoids the possibility of a life-threatening injury if it should crash down on you.

(Remarkably, only a single bolt at the fin’s apex, upon which the lid hinges, holds the lid to the body.)

Rear valance and bumper also have to be removed but that’s not too time-consuming – time is, of course, also money when you are paying someone else to do the difficult stuff.

Engine out and clutch off, it became apparent that this must have been only the most recent bout of slippage as the flywheel was displaying a web of hairline cracks on its surface and discolouration from excessive friction, leaving no option but to

ROBERT COUCHER Founding editor • 1955 Jaguar XK140 GLEN WADDINGTON Associate editor • 1989 BMW 320i Convertible • 1999 Porsche Boxster SANJAY SEETANAH Advertising director • 1981 BMW 323i Top Cabrio • 1998 Aston Martin DB7 Volante • 2007 Mercedes-Benz SLK200 MARK DIXON Contributing editor • 1927 Alvis 12/50 • 1927 Ford Model T pick-up • 1942 Fordson Model N tractor • 1955 Land Rover Series I 107in ROBERT HEFFERON Art editor • 2004 BMW Z4 3.0i DAVID LILLYWHITE Editorial director • 1971 Saab 96 • 1996 Prodrive Subaru Impreza

‘After a few miles it became apparent that what started as mild clutch slip in top gear was getting worse’ dismount it for remedial work.

After another visit to Lewes to view the disassembled parts, I returned with the flywheel and clutch and dropped them at specialist Orca Clutch, in Bordon, who said they could machine the flywheel and reface the centre plate within a few days.

As promised, a few days later my flywheel with most but not all of the cracks machined out (a few were too deep) was once again heading back to Lewes to be reunited with the 87. Stay tuned for the result.

MATTHEW HOWELL Photographer • 1962 VW Beetle 1600 • 1969 VW/Subaru Beetle • 1982 Morgan 4/4 BEN BARRY Contributor • 2007 Mazda RX-8 MASSIMO DELBÒ Contributor • 1967 Mercedes-Benz 230 • 1972 Fiat 500L • 1975 Alfa Romeo GT Junior • 1979/80 Range Rovers • 1982 Mercedes-Benz 500SL • 1985 Mercedes-Benz 240TD SAM CHICK Photographer • 1969 Alfa Romeo Spider ROWAN ATKINSON Contributor • 2004 Rolls-Royce Phantom 135

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Octane Cars Running Reports

ANDREW RALSTON Contributor • 1955 Ford Prefect • 1968 Jaguar 240 SAM CHICK Photographer • 1969 Alfa Romeo Spider RICHARD HESELTINE Contributor • 1966 Moretti 850 Sportiva • 1971 Honda Z600 PETER BAKER Contributor • 1954 Daimler Conquest • 1955 Daimler Conquest Century • 2005 Maserati 4200GT • 2008 Alfa Romeo Brera Prodrive SE DAVID BURGESS-WISE Contributor • 1924 Sunbeam 14/40 • 1926 Delage DISS MATTHEW HAYWARD Markets editor • 1990 Citroën BX 16v • 1994 Toyota Celica GT-Four • 1996 Saab 9000 Aero • 1997 Citroën Xantia Activa • 1997 Peugeot 306 GTI-6 • 2000 Honda Integra Type R • 2002 Audi A2 JESSE CROSSE Contributor • 1968 Ford Mustang GT 390 • 1986 Ford Sierra RS Cosworth MARTYN GODDARD Photographer • 1963 Triumph TR6SS Trophy • 1965 Austin-Healey 3000 MkIII DELWYN MALLETT Contributor • 1936 Cord 810 Beverly • 1937 Studebaker Dictator • 1946 Tatra T87 • 1950 Ford Club Coupe • 1952 Porsche 356 • 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL • 1957 Porsche Speedster • 1957 Fiat Abarth Sperimentale • 1963 Abarth-Simca • 1963 Tatra T603 • 1973 Porsche 911 2.7 RS • 1992 Alfa Romeo SZ EVAN KLEIN Photographer • 1974 Alfa Romeo Spider • 2001 Audi TT HARRY METCALFE Contributor • 20 cars and 15 motorbikes To follow Harry’s adventures, find Harry’s Garage on YouTube.

Back in the fold at last 1966 Moretti 850 Sportiva Richard Heseltine WELL, THAT TOOK a while.

I spent an age trying to find a Moretti, bought this one in December 2018, but only in 2024 was it finally released from captivity. I had fly-tipped it with my mate Paul de Turris at DTR European Sports Cars, promising that I would pick it up in a few months. The better part of six years then passed, during which loved ones have been ill (and worse), not to mention the small matter of three house rebuilds.

There was a time when there was more furniture in my garage than in my house. The Moretti is tiny, but nevertheless I was worried that it would be crushed by a tallboy. Then, finally, the furniture was gone. My garage still looked like landfill, but there was a Sportiva-sized space free.

I phoned Paul and told him to get it ready. He’d heard it all before but, on realising that I was serious, he and his team set to.

The car was brought down from the mezzanine floor at DTR and coaxed into life.

That meant first replacing the battery. Then the main alternator feed was rewired (there was 10amp wiring for a 45amp alternator…), while the ignition switch was replaced. New plugs and filters were also fitted, while the fuel tank was drained, flushed repeatedly, and equipped with new fuel. The heater hoses were also swapped out, and a new brake master cylinder fitted.

One of the worst jobs, apparently, was trying to get the doors to close properly due to sticking mechanisms, a certain amount of jiggery-pokery and choice swearing being involved before they’d shut.

This is but a thumbnail sketch of what transpired before the big day. Zoom Car Transport trailered the car from Surrey to Shropshire, and since? Well, the Sportiva isn’t

Above, from top Free, at last, to join Richard’s baby Honda; frenetic little rear-mounted engine; captive at specialist DTR.

perfect. It is clearly running rich and takes an age to idle. It also alternates between three and four cylinders until it’s warm. It just needs use. My first outing was enlightening, mind. You sit semi-reclined, and the view through the shallow windscreen is framed by the pronounced wheel humps.

The sun was low, the noise from out back strung out. It isn’t quiet, that’s for sure. There was a particular sequence of switchbacks where I felt as though I had been transported to Sicily and the Targa Florio.

I was consumed by the romance of it all. I was borderline euphoric, in fact – until I was snapped out of my Walter Mitty-like reverie by a Transit van that blasted past before streaking off into the distance. Go on, burst that bubble.

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Rolls-Royce and Bentley Heritage Dealers “Attention to Detail”

Bentley 6 ½ Litre 1928 Semi Weymann Limousine

by Gurney Nutting

Bentley 4 ¼ Litre 1937 3 seat All Weather Tourer

by James Young

Black and Kingfisher Blue with Navy hide upholstery.

Beautifully restored and totally original with all matching numbers and one owner since 1966.

Chassis number FA2504.

Black and Grey with Black hood and Dark Blue hide upholstery.

Maintained by P & A Wood for over 10 years.

Extensive history. Very good useable condition.

Chassis number B30KT.

Bentley S3 1964 Standard Saloon

Bentley S1 Continental 1958 Flying Spur

by H.J. Mulliner

Pine Green over Shell Grey with Beige hide upholstery.

Only 65,000 miles from new with four owners and extensive history.

Good sound original unrestored condition.

Chassis number B52EC.

Tudor Grey with Beige Hide upholstery.

Restored to a high standard over twenty years ago. Known to P & A Wood since the 1980’s. Excellent condition with extensive history.

Chassis number BC42EL.

Bentley Continental R Mulliner March 2000

Bentley Continental GTC V8 Mulliner August 2020

Meteor with Cotswold hide contrast French Navy and Burr Walnut veneer.

40,000 miles with full service history. One of only 63 made. Excellent condition and considered as a rare and desirable modern classic Bentley.

Portofino with Blue hood and Linen hide contrast Imperial Blue with Piano Black veneer. Only 8,500 miles with two owners and full Bentley history.

High specification and a very attractive colour scheme.

Great Easton, Dunmow, Essex CM6 2HD, England Telephone: 01371 870848 Fax: 01371 870810 E-mail: enquiries@pa-wood.co.uk www.pa-wood.co.uk

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DANIEL BEVIS

Octane Cars Running Reports

The all-weather Triumph 1965 Triumph 2.5PI James Elliott THERE HAVE BEEN a couple of notable firsts for the Triumph since its return (I imagine that, like saying ‘Happy New Year’ in January, there must be a timelimit on how long I can keep referring to that). One of them was (whisper it) my first ever Bicester Scramble. Lord knows why I have never made it to one before – probably because I only wanted to go when I had an appropriate car to turn up in – but, boy, did I pick a Duesie.

With dire weather forecasts, and gritters out in force distributing their payload of Triumph dissolvent, it didn’t look promising as I battled through the freezing fog and rain from London to Bicester, nor as I queued in dense fog to get into the site, or even as I parked up on the fast-hardening slush.

But, despite the weather, the atmosphere was fantastic. I saw loads of people I knew, enjoyed

the warmth and hospitality of the Hagerty Clubhouse for the launch of its 2025 Bull Market, and generally had a blast. The funny thing was that everyone kept telling me almost apologetically that Scrambles are usually a lot busier, more vibrant and generally better, but I was loving it just as it was. I can’t wait to go back when it is at full strength.

Another first was a trip to the Walton Bridge Breakfast Club, south of London between Walton-on-Thames and Shepperton. That’s only half-anhour from me – at 7am on a Sunday, it takes a couple of days in rush-hour on a weekday – and I had seen and heard enough good things to give it a go. The weather was a bit kinder for this and it was great to meet a whole bunch of new cars and owners. The riverside venue, while also being able to accommodate scores of cars, is about as picturesque as

you’re going to get in an urban environment, plus the on-site café is excellent.

My Triumph was the third car there at 7.40am, after a long-termowned MGB and a classic lockdown-buy Mk1 Escort, but it soon filled up with all sorts of delights spanning the whole hobby. The star car seemed to be a Renault 8, though, and I could see why because it was oozing kerb appeal. By 9.30am, when the dog-walkers, rowers and so on started to outnumber the classics, I decided to head home, but I will

Top and above The Triumph braved freezing fog, rain and snow for a first Bicester Scramble; another early Sunday at Walton Bridge Breakfast Club.

definitely be back again soon.

Other than that, it’s been business as usual. The car is going great guns, it is still taking 25 years off me the moment I am behind the wheel, and, more than ever, it is absolutely embodying the brief when it went off for its body restoration: solid and presentable. Nailed it.

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v-management.com

JORDAN BUTTERS

PROTECT MAINTAIN ENJOY Since 2015 we have provided the finest car storage and management services for clients in the UK and around the world.

400-Car Facility West of London

Winter fun

Full Concierge Services

1999 Porsche Boxster Glen Waddington

Transport & Logistics

Collection Management

A BIG OLD black leather jacket lives in the Porsche’s boot. It carries the aroma of spare coolant and screenwash, and the must of boot lining and old cleaning cloths, but it really comes into its own on those cold, crisp, blue-sky winter days, when you go for an impromptu blast with the roof down, enjoying the Boxster’s excellent heater so your feet are toasty. There’s nothing worse than suffering numb toes when you’re making the most of twisty roads.

We’ve had precious little of that this winter. Plenty of cold but rather too much wet, grey and dark. Yet that’s when the effectiveness of the Boxster’s roof proves itself. I’d always fancied a Cayman and I have the BMW for roof-down fun, so the fact that the Boxster’s roof goes up and down is a bonus. Not to mention that it cost rather less than even the rattiest Cayman… And a spirited drive with the roof in place feels more focused on the road than the sky, along with the benefit of hearing that fabulous flat-six wailing and snarling more clearly behind you.

I admit that the Boxster bears the brunt at this time of year as I tend to be extremely sparing with drives in the BMW. Just enough to stop it seizing up, unless we have a prolonged spell without road salt. I got it wrong before Christmas, which cost me a new battery, and right now I’m weighing up when to get it booked in for some work: an early MoT in time for spring maybe, along with a full service – plus investigation into the speed-related whine that suggests a worn bearing somewhere.

A recent conversation with Stuart Templeton (templetonsgarage.co.uk) suggests that knackered diffs are rare though not unheard of, so I’m keeping fingers crossed that it’s not too catastrophic.

The Boxster needs a bit of attention too. I’m just back from a rainy trip to Electrogenic in Oxfordshire to drive its EV-converted MX-5 (see Overdrive, page 144). Yes, it absolutely threw it down both ways, brightening up just enough to enjoy the Mazda, but properly testing the waterproof properties of the Boxster’s roof, not to mention the effectiveness of its wipers. I’m pleased to report that it’s a brilliant winter roadster – only I’ve picked up a crack in the windscreen. Not sure what caused it as I was in the middle of nowhere with no other traffic in sight when something landed hard on the ’screen, perhaps a stone dropped by a bird. A call to my insurers is clearly the next step, though I’ve had some poor results in the past with emergency replacement services. What are your thoughts, dear reader?

To discuss your requirements contact Ben Hadfield either by emailing ben@v-management.com or by calling 01635 867705

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Octane Cars Running Reports

Left and below In Pete’s barn, awaiting work; underside was ‘getting crusty’; now cured and covered in underseal. Cue winter fun.

Dealing the seal 2007 Mazda RX-8 Ben Barry ‘HAPPY TO REPORT no holes,’ texted mechanic Pete Taylor after he’d finished undersealing my Mazda. Welcome news: Mazda RX-8s typically don’t fare well through British winters and a quick Google reveals all manner of complaints about poor factory underseal leading to crumbly under-bodies.

My RX-8 certainly needed some significant treatment after more than 50,000 miles and my own three years of using it on the UK’s salted roads, even if it’d covered fewer than 2000 miles during that time.

I already knew it was in a bit of a state underneath; then last summer RX-8 specialist Pete warned me ‘It’s getting crusty’ when he handed back the keys after a service. When the MoT tester gave me the exact same warning word-for-word a few months later, I knew I had to take action quickly.

So I took the Mazda off the road for a little while and stored it in my garage so it could fully dry out. Sure enough, the underside looked like a Spitfire pulled from

the North Sea after a dogfight; I half-expected to find barnacles when I poked about under there.

And perhaps some holes.

The next step was to time a trip to Pete’s place just outside Melton Mowbray on a suitably dry day and then leave him to it. He’s proved something of a find, has Pete. The RX-8 is worth very little and is unlikely to appreciate greatly over the coming years, so my aim is simply to maintain it well, if sensibly, while keeping any bills to a minimum.

I also want to enjoy driving it in all weathers, especially as the torque-light rotary only really allows the chassis to, well, express itself in the wet. Pete’s extremely modest premises (an open farm

building that must be brutal to toil in during winter) and correspondingly reasonable hourly rate allow me to do exactly that.

He also knows his stuff, having worked on RX-8s for many years.

He came highly recommended by a friend in the trade who’d previously sold me the Mazda and had used him for routine maintenance, including fitting the RX-8 PZ’s Prodrive-fettled suspension. Given he’s pretty local to me and already knew the car’s past, well, it was a no-brainer.

With the RX-8 long since dried out and up on his ramps, Pete removed any trims and covers close to the surface rust, then used a combination of a wire wheel on a drill, a wire brush and a grinding wheel to remove all the flaky excess rust. With that sorted, he blew off all the relevant areas with compressed air and generally tidied everything up. Only then could he be sure there weren’t any further problems lurking, and kindly texted to inform me of the zero-hole count.

Pete then added the first layer of thick black underseal, left that to dry overnight, before adding a second layer of underseal and re-fitting the trims. A few days later I picked the Mazda back up, and now feel a lot less guilty about using it all-year round.

OTHER NEWS ‘From our place in Bel Air, we watched the fires in Los Angeles County burn into the night, our cars packed with clothes in case we had to leave suddenly.

Fortunately, we were OK – and the Audi TT and Alfa Spider are, too’ Evan Klein

‘Doris the 1954 Daimler has returned with a fresh diff’ and a general service done, ready for another season of hill-climbing’ Peter Baker

‘Tried to give the Model T a run the other day and it just would not start, even after cleaning and heating the plugs in the oven.

I’m now hoping it’s just water that’s collected in the carb float chamber’ Mark Dixon

‘Another of the Audi A2’s four individual coil packs expired recently, a £20 part and a ten-minute job to swap.

Otherwise it has performed its winter duties faultlessly’ Matthew Hayward

‘Time’s up on the custodianship of my wife’s 1989 MercedesBenz 300SL. It’s just not being used so we’re reluctantly putting it up for sale – email sanjay@ octane-magazine.com if you’re interested’ Sanjay Seetanah

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Where Great Cars Are Bought & Sold.

SOLD 1937 DELAGE D8-120

BY CHAPRON

AVAILABLE 1935 ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM II CONTINENTAL

AVAILABLE 1955 LANCIA AURELIA SPIDER AMERICA

AVAILABLE 1957 BMW 507

SOLD 1957 CADILLAC ELDORADO BROUGHAM

AVAILABLE 1930 CADILLAC V-16 SPORT PHAETON

AVAILABLE 1936 LANCIA ASTURA

AVAILABLE 1966 LAMBORGHINI 400 GT INTERIM

SOLD 1954 ALLARD J2X

SCAN FOR OUR FULL INVENTORY

+1 (314) 524-6000 2023 Copyright Hyman Ltd. St. Louis, Missouri

Overdrive Other interesting cars we’ve been driving

Eighties revival 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser Mark Dixon

THE PICK-UP truck in front of us is a proper working vehicle. Ifor Williams top, mud tyres, Welsh hill farmer at the wheel. We’re on an old drover’s road, a rocky track in Carmarthenshire, Wales. The Romans used it first, and if you know where to look you can still see the earthworks from a couple of their marching camps.

This is the steepest part of the route, where strata of bedrock have been pushed almost vertically to the surface, creating

miniature mountain ranges with gravelly valleys. The pick-up has four-wheel drive but it struggles to find traction as a front wheel paws the air, until the driver’s sheer determination powers it forward.

We’re in a new Toyota Land Cruiser on road tyres, but this shouldn’t be a problem. Select Low Ratio, engage centre diff lock and rear diff lock. And then – the pièce de résistance – press another button that decouples the front anti-roll bar to allow greater

suspension articulation. Steel coil springs, you see, rather than puncture-prone airbags.

That’s the thing about the new Land Cruiser: packed with tech but at heart an old-school 4x4 on a separate chassis with a big diesel engine. There are definite visual similarities with the classic 70-series of the 1980s, including – on the First Edition model – round headlights. That’s now sold out in the UK, and so we’re in the slit-headlight Invincible version.

Still looks very cool, especially in this Sand paint that’s indelibly associated with old Land Cruisers.

Let’s tranquilise the elephant in the room first. That 2.8-litre diesel engine is ‘only’ a 200bhp turbo four-pot; the competition all offer straight-sixes with 250-300bhp.

For a vehicle weighing 2.5 tonnes and with a 3.5-tonne towing capacity, 200bhp is not a lot.

Nevertheless, the Toyota goes surprisingly well, helped by an eight-speed auto gearbox. The engine is noticeably vocal in a

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Left and below left Octane took the Land Cruiser to a remote corner of Wales, and survived in plastic-lined comfort.

The same, but different

gruff, rather coarse kind of way, but it has a certain character – much more so than the unloved Ingenium four-cylinder turbodiesel that JLR put into the New Defender for a few months.

With a few miles under your belt, you’ll find you can hustle it pretty effectively, especially in Sport mode. That hustling is helped by electric steering that’s pleasantly weighted, and a lack of significant roll in corners. On-road it’s better than a Grenadier, while not as fluid or composed as a Defender.

Inevitably, the driving experience is blighted by electronic so-called ‘driver aids’.

Recklessly speed at 21mph in an ideologically imposed 20mph limit? You’ll be mercilessly bonged-at. Turn your head for more than a couple of seconds to admire those Roman earthworks as you trundle along at 6mph?

You’ll be visually and audibly admonished about your ‘driver inattention – look forward!’ It’s almost amusing to see just how many bings, bongs and flashing screens you can generate simultaneously when you’re wading through a flooded section of track between raised banks.

Off-road, of course, is where the Land Cruiser feels invincible.

And, just as importantly, you sense that it will be reliable: not a trait particularly associated with its rivals. Given the amount of electronics in these things now, that’s rather important when you’re crossing the Kalahari.

Pricewise, the Land Cruiser supposedly starts at £75,000, but restricted UK supply has resulted in low-mileage used vehicles typically being offered at £80,000-85,000, with the round-headlight First Editions at a premium. On paper, a Defender 110 beats it for value and allround capability, particularly on the road. But, if you want to stand out – and disassociate yourself completely from the Chelsea crowd – then the Land Cruiser is a quality alternative. Just make sure you find one in Sand.

2025 Subaru Forester Glen Waddington I’VE LONG BEEN a bit of a Forester fan, ever since the compact Impreza-based original was launched in the late 1990s as more of an estate-car-on-stilts than the third-generation SUV we came to know a decade or so later. Now the sixth generation has arrived, not quite 100% new but significantly altered over the outgoing 2018 version, rather as the MkV Golf gently morphed into the MkVI. Frameless doors are long-gone, but the Forester is still exclusively four-wheel-drive and the flat-four remains, although these days it’s known as the e-Boxer. Yup, it’s a mild hybrid, not a plug-in, so we’re not going to bang on about range and so on since this is more the old re-gen and bit-of-a-boost; you only really notice it during low-speed manoeuvres, as the 2.0-litre flat-four fires as soon as you give it some gas.

It drives through a CVT ‘box’, so if you’re in D the engine will rev pretty hard while the driveline catches up. You can use the paddles to access seven artificial ratios, or knock the selector across and stay in manual mode. If you’re on it, you’ll want to, but the Forester is quite a mollifying device on the open road, and I find myself leaving it to its own devices. Driven that way, it’s brisk enough and relatively quiet, though there’s not a lot of warble from under the bonnet these days, more a whine. It’s physically smooth and refined, though.

More of an issue is the slight transmission lag as you step off, especially noticeable if you’re trying to pull out from a junction in a hurry.

Subaru seems to be targeting those who don’t like taking chances, however, as the new version is stacked with safety aids that seem very similar to those Mark mentions in the Land Cruiser (see left): all bings, bongs, flashing lights and reminders to stay awake.

The Forester pads along in comfort, yet despite the lofty ride height and generous spring travel it feels pretty well tied down. The newly designed seats are far more comfortable and supportive than of old, the improved steering rack offers more sharpness (though no more actual feel), and it feels extremely tightly made (it’s 10% stiffer than before). New cabin finishes mostly please straying fingers, too, and while there’s a big new portrait-oriented central touchscreen, there’s also a full set of oldfashioned clocks straight in front of you.

You’ll pay around 40 grand, depending on trim and equipment level, about what you’d expect in a market that includes the Hyundai Tucson. It’s a pleasing thing, but hardcore Scoobyists will miss the character of the past.

Above, from top New body panels, more glass, a new dashboard, much-improved seats, better steering, comfortable and unobtrusively assured to drive – still a flat-four, though you wouldn’t know it.

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Overdrive Also tested

Left and bottom Looks little different, but batteries under the bonnet, a different soundtrack, quicker to 60mph…

New green shoots for the old MX-5 1996 Eunos MX-5 EV by Electrogenic Glen Waddington I USED TO own a Mazda MX-5.

A Mk1 in black that looked a bit like this one. I’d had the suspension tweaked and a ruder exhaust fitted, but one thing it lacked: torque. Something this one has rather more of.

Electrogenic has created a conversion kit that swaps the Mazda’s venerable twin-cam for battery power. The clever bit is the way in which the new parts have been integrated. In place of the engine (front) and petrol tank (rear) are batteries, good for a realistic 150-mile range. It produces 160bhp (up from 116bhp in the original), peak torque is up to 229lb ft, and it weighs only 100kg more, around 1100kg. Weight distribution remains identical, while the

power-to-weight ratio is improved by 21%. Think 0-60mph in around 6sec, top speed 115mph.

The motor sits in place of the gearbox, feeding via Electrogenic’s own step-down transmission into a shortened prop-shaft, itself carried in a bespoke torque tube.

Suspension is standard; so is the steering rack, though assisted via a Mercedes-Benz-sourced electric pump rather than the regular belt-driven device. Re-gen brakes supplement the standard discs.

Outside and in, it looks very little changed. The original structure is preserved; nothing is cut or drilled and the installation is reversible. You’ll spot the differences under the bonnet and back bumper, but within you get the same ignition key and start

logic, the same gearlever (pull back to go forwards, push for reverse) and even the same clocks and gauges, though modified in purpose: the rev-counter, for instance, moves according to whether you’re under power or re-generating energy, while the fuel gauge indicates charge.

There’s water-cooling, however, so the temp gauge is real. In the centre console are configurable drive modes (Eco, Normal, Sport) that map throttle, outputs and re-gen potential, plus a set of speed limiters: this example is set to spend its life in urban London.

We don’t need the limiters today, thankfully. There’s a soft response in Eco mode, nice and easy to get underway, while Normal increases re-gen response,

allowing single-pedal modulation of speed. There’s a bit more edge to that in Sport, as well as access to maximum power and torque.

What’s surprising is how refined and solid a 74,000-mile unrestored, imported Eunos MX-5 can feel – chassis rigidity is improved by the incorporation of the battery packs, which act as structural members. That in the front also locates many of the peripheral components, such as air-con, the ECU and so forth.

On twisting roads there’s entertainment to be had: the MX-5 is much more fun with a slug more torque, but the effect is more subtle than alarming. Rather than rowing through the gears you modulate your inputs, and the amount of retardation as you back off in Sport mode is enough to adjust the car’s attitude, which you can then capitalise on as you put your foot back down.

In a straight line, the effect is clear: the Mazda gathers in the horizon a fair bit quicker and suddenly you’re at the legal limit though without effort. Yes, I miss charging forwards in a series of lunges and gearshifts, but it’s not without character, as this MX-5’s motive force is far from silent. It whirrs away like a rotary engine, and the speed with which it spins (it maxes at 12,000rpm) means it always sounds busy, making progress feel faster than it is.

The one you see here is the first.

Pricing for the kit hasn’t yet been released, but more orders will make it more affordable.

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Trusted purveyor of rare & historic forfor45 Trusted purveyor of rare & historic automobiles 45years years Trusted purveyor of rare automobiles & historic automobiles for 45 years Avidly and passionately involved in motorsports Avidly and passionately involved in motorsports Avidly and passionately involved involved in motorsports Avidly and passionately in motorsports BuyBuy • Sell • Consign • Sell • Consign Trade Buy • Sell • Consign•• •Trade Trade

Buy • Sell • Consign • Trade

Gone but not forgotten Words by Richard Heseltine

Left GM maestro Virgil Exner (left) with Ghia’s Luigi Segre discussing the former’s 1951 Chrysler K-310 concept, blending US and Italian styling.

Virgil Exner A design puritan at heart, yet no one did excess more excessively IT WAS A speech that would come back to haunt him. Virgil Exner enlivened the 1948 American Society of Body Engineers gala by railing against what he saw as ‘Buck Rogers’ automobile design hokum, perpetuated by ‘… the table-cloth artist, the air-brush expert and the plush scale-model stylist’. His concerns centred on how the industry’s integrity would be lost forever if Detroit’s susceptibility to whimsy was allowed to prevail. Today’s designers clearly had talent, he insisted, but what about good taste?

Fast-forward a decade and ‘Exner look’ Chrysler products were synonymous with excess, but then the tail-fin king was nothing if not a contradiction. Seemingly blessed and cursed in equal measure, Exner’s life was rarely dull. Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on 24 September 1909, he was an unwanted child.

His biological parents – a young housemaid and a travelling salesman – abandoned him to state care shortly after his birth. Within 18 months he was adopted by George and Iva Exner of Buchanan, Michigan.

On enrolling at the University of Notre Dame in 1926, car-loving Exner excelled at fine art while terrorising the neighbourhood aboard his hopped-up Ford Model T. He would carve another notch into his steering

wheel every time he bested a more powerful machine. But Exner quit higher education half-way into a four-year course: advertising beckoned. He was married in 1930, a father three years later, and a chance commission from a local newspaper changed everything.

Asked to produce renderings for an article on future automotive trends, Exner let rip, the upshot being that he was offered a job in the General Motors’ embryonic Art & Color Section. Then, in 1938, the Exner clan headed to New York, where Raymond Loewy was hiring. However, tragedy was to strike in 1942 when their two-year-old second son fell from a window and onto a concrete path. His injuries were not life-threatening but he was wrongly medicated in hospital and died.

Exner threw himself deeper into his work but became disenchanted with Loewy, not least because of his unwillingness to attribute credit. The two were on a collision course to the point that, unofficially, two teams worked on the USA’s first truly post-war automobile: the Studebaker Champion. Exner’s brief won the toss. Midway through 1949, he joined the smallest of the Big Three as Chief of Advanced Styling Studio. Within a decade he created a powerbase and was given (after constant battles) the freedom finally to realise his

design philosophy of simple outlines with minimal embellishment.

However, as with all philosophies, Exner’s was open to interpretation. He pushed the boundaries, trawling Italy’s coachbuilders large and small for artisans to fashion his series of ‘idea cars’. Eventually, he settled on Ghia. The alliance led to a raft of show queens that helped propel Chrysler Corp to the forefront of the 1950s Detroit style wars. With the likes of the ‘Forward Look’ 1955 Chrysler C-300 raking in the plaudits, Exner could do no wrong but, as he gradually took over responsibility for the Dodge and DeSoto lines (not to mention the handbuilt Imperials, which he instigated), something had to give.

Ultimately, it was his heart. A caffeine junkie and habitual smoker with a fondness (but no tolerance) for a tipple, Exner suffered failing health that culminated with a heart attack in July 1956. After extensive surgery, and a protracted recovery, he rallied to witness the rapturous reaction to the following year’s range, and not just in the US. Exner eventually returned to work but he was heading for a fall.

He just didn’t know it yet.

In the summer of 1959, Chrysler’s second-in-command William Newberg overheard Chevrolet boss Ed Cole talking about his plans to downsize products for the 1962 model year. Cole was actually talking about introducing the Chevy II ‘compact’, but the misinformed – and panicking – Newberg instructed the immediate reduction in size of Plymouths and Dodges. It was a catastrophic decision, Exner likening the ’62 line-up to ‘plucked chickens’. Dodos would have been closer. Sales tanked and a demoralised dealer network wanted blood. Exner was sacrificed in November 1961. Just to heap on the misery, his house burned down a few weeks later.

Unbowed, Exner turned his attention elsewhere, not least to a multi-million-dollar scheme to construct a futuristic travelling circus, complete with parade vehicles. There was a final hurrah, however. Exner had long dreamed of designing a new Stutz and received the backing to build the Blackhawk for 1969. He was working on sister models when, on 21 December 1973, he was rushed to hospital. Exner died the following day after suffering an aneurysm. He was 64.

Respected by other designers, if not necessarily by bottom-line-minded suits, Exner left behind some of the most easily recognisable cars ever to reach production.

While some of them may have been within a hair’s breadth of folly, they mostly stayed on the right side of wrong.

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Gearbox

David Martin The renowned Los Angeles architect and petrolhead built his first car aged just 14

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2. Stewart-Warner gauges captured the American market and one of the most successful was a 160mph speedometer. I am sure that 99% never reached 100mph – just think, half of this gauge has never been used.

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3. When I was 17, I joined a hot rod club in Hollywood called the LA Roadsters Car Club. It had members like Dick Scritchfield, who owned the McGee roadster at the time. Actor Norm Grabowski and Tom McMullen, founder of Street Chopper and Street Rodder magazines, were also members. This is my membership card and jacket from those days.

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4. When my son was small, I got a bit carried away and built this car for him. Like most builds, completion took a bit longer than expected and by the time it was finished he couldn’t fit in it. I moved the pedals to the outside so he could drive it. The advantage was now anyone could drive it, regardless of size.

It’s a real rocket, with an OHV Honda engine.

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5. The last large building I designed was a 75-storey tower in downtown LA with a 175ft (53m) spire on top of it. This is one of the test bolts from the spire. It has a tensile strength of a few million pounds. You could suspend about a thousand Ferraris from this one bolt.

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6. We are designing what I imagine to be the ultimate California hot rod. Our talented team has taken my rough sketches, and with the use of computers developed a detailed digital file.

This file is helping us fine-tune the car’s form, steering, suspension, motor placement, seating ergonomics, and all else required to realise the ‘Indy Special’ I have in mind.

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7. In the mid-1970s we built an off-road car and took it to Mexico to race the Baja 1000 and the Baja 500. After a few years we got fairly good at it, earning Class 2 wins in both competitions.

The Mexican trophies were handmade from local stone, wood and cast metal, and incorporated cultural symbols such as Aztec warriors and eagles.

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1. I have been refining a ‘31 Ford hot rod since 1980. It won the America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) award at the Grand National Roadster Show in 2018. My friend, Carlo Traglio, is a jewellery designer and presented me with this very precious gift of cufflinks with diamond wheels and a blue stone body in the exact shape of the roadster.

8. My first licensed vehicle was a grey 1953 Lambretta motor scooter from Continental Motors in Whittier, California. Of course the first thing I did was give it a custom paint.

Very recently, I picked up an identical scooter from an auction in St Moritz, from the collection of an Italian aristocrat.

9. The 2023 Driven by Design prize was presented to me by Professor James Kelly at Kilomètre Lancé in St Moritz. The jury evaluated participants at full speed and voted unanimously for my 1957 Lotus Eleven. The award features a sketch of my Lotus by Kelly.

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PRE V

th WORLD SHOW FOR VINTAGE, CLASSIC & PRESTIGE AUTOMOBILES, FUTURE CLASSICS, MOTOR SPORT, CLASSIC TUNING, MOTORCYCLES, SPARE PARTS, RESTORATION, YOUNG CLASSICS AND WORLD CLUB MEETING

Artist: Alfredo de la Maria

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Tickets online only: www.technoclassica-tickets.de HERE ON SALE NOW!

Icon Words by Delwyn Mallett

ALAMY

Left The famous Moulin Rouge in Paris shows neon lights off to good effect in 1936, overshadowing the traditional hoardings for Cinzano, Pernod et al.

Neon signs Colourful tubes of magic that were embraced wholeheartedly by the advertising industry NOTHING ON DISPLAY inside the 1910 Salon de l’Automobile in Paris would fundamentally alter either the look or technology of the automobile. Outside the Grand Palais, however, inventor and entrepreneur Georges Claude was showing off his latest gizmo.

Stretching for 35 metres across the façade of the Palaisour were ‘fiery red’ glass tubes that he hoped might revolutionise the world of lighting.

Although his invention didn’t replace the incandescent lightbulb, it did spawn its own industry, becoming a promotional tool that spread across the world’s urban landscapes from Times Square to Tokyo and arguably became the foremost vernacular art of the 20th Century.

Neon, an inert gas, along with Krypton and Xenon, was first isolated from the air that we breathe by the eminent Victorian chemists Sir William Ramsey and Morris Travers in a busy six weeks of activity in 1898, four years after Ramsey and Lord Rayleigh had isolated Argon.

All gained a Nobel Prize for their efforts. It was immediately noted that, when subjected to an electric current, neon glowed red. However, it wasn’t until Claude – often called the ‘Edison of France’ – started harvesting neon on an industrial scale as a by-product of his recently formed Liquid Air company that the possibility of using it as a light source became a practical proposition.

Building on and improving the established technology of Geissler gas-discharge tubes, Claude patented his neon tube light in 1910 but soon realised that its true potential was as an advertising medium. By reducing the diameter of the tubing and exploiting the glass bender’s

skills, it could be manipulated into complicated shapes. In 1913 he installed a neon name sign on the premises of the largest hairdressing establishment in Paris, the new Palace-Coiffeur, on Boulevard Montmartre. The first commercial advertising installation appeared a year later when vermouth manufacturer Cinzano commissioned a large rooftop sign atop a building in the Boulevard Haussmann.

The big boost for neon came when Claude was granted a US patent for his invention in 1915 and established ‘Claude Neon’ to market and license his system. It is thought that the first commercial use of neon in the US was in 1925 in the shape of a large Packard logo on dealerships in Los Angeles and San Francisco owned by entrepreneur Earl C Anthony. Huge crowds gathered just to stare at the signs.

Take-up of neon signage gathered momentum after Nevada legalised gambling in 1931 and Las Vegas, a hitherto obscure desert town, quickly grew into a gambling Mecca and the most ‘neonised’ location on the planet. As is the wont of American culture, where bigger is always better, and with casinos and hotels vying for attention, neon signs grew in size exponentially, taking over the entire façades of buildings and turning the Las Vegas Strip into a canyon of neon – so much so that early astronauts could pick out its glow from space. At its peak there were an estimated 15,000 miles of neon tubing in Vegas.

Although Neon was the generic term adopted for the glowing tubes, it wasn’t the exclusive medium in the signs. Neon produces a reddishorange glow, Argon a blue-green light, Krypton a greenish-yellow glow and Xenon a lavender light. Using coloured tubing and internal phosphorus coating further extended the colour palette.

By the 1950s there was barely a gas station, motel, movie theatre, drugstore or bar in America that didn’t announce its presence in neon.

Signmakers displayed their creativity with imaginative graphics and ingenuity of construction, with many signs creating the illusion of movement by alternately switching on and off sections of the display.

Bottles poured and cocktails bubbled while swizzle sticks swizzled, animals cantered, showgirls gyrated and motels with pools featured impressive columns of neon with swimsuit-clad women diving from their tops into neon ripples. The most famous kinetic neon sign has to be Vegas Vic, a 12m tall (40-foot) cowboy who since 1951 has been waving his arm in welcome to punters visiting the town.

Neon signs became homing beacons for night-time travellers. One of the most familiar, erected in 1934 and visible for 70 miles, was the 35ft by 40ft rotating Mobil Pegasus flying above the 400ft Magnolia building in Dallas – the tallest building in Texas (see Octane 123).

Neon has also had a significant presence in movies. No film noir was complete without the mean streets being bathed in neon. Orson Welles, the master of elaborate camera moves, famously had his camera track right through a storm-lashed rooftop sign and into the El Rancho nightclub in Citizen Kane. But the most infamous movie sign was for the Bates Motel. Simple, and perhaps more ominous because of it, its barely visible ‘Vacancy’ materialises through the rainswept windscreen of the soon-to-be-murdered Janet Leigh in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho.

More elaborate and far less sinister is ‘Rick’s Café Americain’ sign in the Humphrey Bogart classic Casablanca. Reproductions of both are available, with which cinephiles can decorate their dens.

With the emergence of Pop Art in the 1960s, low art met high art as a number of artists started to incorporate neon into their creations, but by the 1970s neon signage was on the wane as cheaper backlit plastic signs gained popularity. Today, many of the signs that retain the look of neon are in fact plastic tubing and LEDs.

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1990 JAGUAR XJR 12 LM

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1986 SAUBER C8 MERCEDES

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COLLECTION

Chrono

by Mark McArthur-Christie

Just how accurate is accurate?

OMEGA

The Swiss have extensive testing and certification to verify watches. Who’d have thought it?

THAT WATCH ON your wrist – whether it’s a £50 Seiko you picked up at a boot-fair or a £5m Patek Grandmaster Chime (it’s a watch, honestly, not a lederhosen-clad Swiss rapper) – has the toughest of lives. The balance wheel in most modern watches runs at around 28,800bph. That may only be 480rpm, but it means, each year, the balance will oscillate just over 252m times. In the five or so years between services, that’s more ticks than most calculators can handle.

Your watch also has to deal with the constant expansion and contraction of its metal components and changes to lubricant viscosity because of temperature variations. Gravity and even air resistance play hell with the balance’s desire to oscillate evenly. The movement is

constantly fighting the effects of you just living your life, not to mention the odd knock and the magnetism from modern appliances.

Given this sort of abuse, it’s hardly surprising that the tiny variations in the time it takes the balance wheel to swing back and forth add up.

You might get lucky and that £50 car-boot Seiko will lose or gain only a few seconds each week. But what really constitutes ‘good’ accuracy?

Like almost everything else in Watchworld, the answer is that ‘it depends’. Some people are completely unfussed if their watch runs a few minutes fast or slow. Others are banging on their watchmaker’s door if theirs is dropping a few seconds a day. There needs to be an objective standard for timekeeping, if only to keep in check the people who get upset if the second hand on their quartz watch doesn’t hit all the markers exactly as it ticks.

Talk to most watchmakers and they’ll say anywhere between ±3 to ±10 seconds a day is fine. Outside that and you’ll probably need to get your watch serviced. But if you want to be really fussy about timekeeping, you need a watch that’s been certified as a chronometer.

A chronometer, whether it’s mechanical or quartz, is built using the same principles and components as any other watch – a power source, a geartrain and an oscillator – but it’s manufactured and assembled to such a high standard that it’s capable of precise timekeeping. And you can’t just slap the term ‘chronometer’ on any watch: it needs to have been tested. That’s where organisations such as the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (COSC), or the Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS) come in.

A COSC-certified mechanical chronometer needs to run no faster than -4 or +6 seconds a day over a 15-day test in different positions (designed to mimic the way your watch might move on your wrist) and temperatures. A quartz chronometer needs to be tested only in one position (because quartz isn’t affected by positional error), but it does need to hit a tougher target of ±0.07 seconds a day and sustain it across a greater range of temperatures.

As you’d expect from the people who regulate Swiss time, METAS is even more pernickety. You won’t get a certificate from them unless your watch (the whole watch, not just an uncased movement) can hit -0/+5 seconds per day while being beasted with magnetic fields and moisture.

The movement will already need to have been certified by the COSC. There’s something quixotic about chronometer testing. After all, your phone will give you the bang-up accurate time at the push of a button, but isn’t it wonderful that people are still determined to make a little box of cogs and springs as accurate as it can be, despite it.

ONE TO WATCH

Omega Marine Chronometer A very solid slab of accuracy for the seafarers among us

APART FROM BEING the most accurate knuckleduster ever made, the Omega Marine Chronometer was the first quartz watch certified by the COSC (acronym explained above). With a variation of just 0.002sec per day, it’s also the only wristwatch to have been certified as a marine chronometer. The movement is fully jewelled but, because it’s powered by a battery through a stepper motor rather than the constant force of a mainspring, it’s solid, reliable and needs less lubrication.

Sadly, most of the handful that Omega made in gold have been scrapped for their cases. Expect to pay £3000-4500.

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Aquis Date

Oris Boutique London, 41 South Molton Street, London W1K 5RP www.oris.ch Tel: 020 7629 0888

Books Reviewed by Mark Dixon

My Travels on Racer Road

PETE LYONS, Evro Publishing, £70, ISBN 978 1 910505 87 8

In 1975, Formula 1 ace Jackie Stewart wrote to Autosport magazine to compliment the writer of its Grand Prix reports. ‘I think we are very lucky to have Pete on this side of the Atlantic,’ he stated.

‘No other writer at this time gives the atmosphere and feeling to the Grand Prix scene as he does.’

Sir Jackie has been a lifelong friend of Pete Lyons ever since. In one respect that’s only natural, since Lyons supported Stewart’s call for greater safety in motor racing – but the fact that Lyons was also good friends with Denis Jenkinson, despite the latter’s angry retort that making motor racing safer would take the excitement out of it, is testament to how well-liked this American was on the scene.

Among the many, many anecdotes he recounts in this autobiography is one about how ‘Jenks’ and he together fixed a race fan’s VW Microbus and ended up ‘grinning our delight at each other’.

Such memories set the tone for the book, which is very much an eclectic collection of stories from Lyons’ life, rather than a by-the-numbers account of motor racing in the glory years of the 1960s and early ’70s. There’s a short chapter on how Lyons came to own a horse, for example (he bought it to save it from the knacker’s yard), and another on the Piper Cherokee he used as commuter transport for 12 years. It’s all written in his trademark easy-going prose, which earned him legions of fans at a time when race reports tended to be on the dry side.

A columnist in Autosport once caricatured what Lyons freely admits was his ‘somewhat Rococo writing style’ on the lines of ‘Dat Pete Tigahs, he be goin’ on about the chirpin’ of the birds and the buzzin’ of the bees and the smell o’ the flowahs, but we don’t know who leadin’ da race!’

Having a father, William Oswald ‘Ozzie’ Lyons, who was both a motor racing enthusiast and a superb photographer, has proved a real boon for this autobiography in that the early years of Lyons Jr’s life were extremely well-documented. There are some great images of the family’s daily drivers, which included a 1930s Rolls-Royce Phantom II (pictured left) that the 17-year-old Lyons helped his dad drive from New York to California – and back – in 1957. It wasn’t long before Lyons Jr became a skilled photo-journalist himself, although he would give up following the F1 crowd around the world in 1977, jaded by the incessant travel, the long hours and the lack of a home life.

In-between, he also had a fabulous time mingling with the rich and the famous – one of the upsides of being an impoverished journalist – and this period accounts for the majority of this 560-page hardback. Now almost 85 and married to his beloved wife Lorna for over 40 years, he’s clearly happy with his lot; and you’ll feel happier, too, after reading this constantly entertaining memoir.

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Super 3 Design by Adventure

On the Grid

Bristol Six-Cylinder Cars

Andy Plumb’s previous book about Reliant three-wheelers was our Book of the Month in issue 218 – and you can guess from the subject matter just how good it had to be to win that coveted slot. Now he profiles a different kind of three-wheeler, Morgan’s new Super 3 (on which he was Digital Design Leader) and this work is equally brilliant in its colourful presentation. But Plumb’s insider status means there’s historical substance here, too, making it a valuable addition to the Morgan canon.

Coming up with a different approach for a generic book about modern Formula 1 is a hard ask, so US journalist Luke Smith has opted for a personal take about random aspects of the F1 scene. They range from the frivolous – he devotes seven pages to how a would-be F1 engineer ended up making Melbourne’s best croissants – to the deadly serious, such as the effect that global travelling by the F1 circus and its fans has on emissions. You’ll either love or hate his chatty style, but you’re unlikely to be bored.

Sir George White, son of the man who founded Bristol Cars under its parent Bristol Aeroplane Company, points out in his foreword that good books about Bristol tend to be very expensive. This is the exception to the rule. It may be a humble, compact softback, but it’s absolutely packed with info about the evolution and history of the Bristol straight-sixes – including a chapter on the stillborn 220/240 ‘World Car’ prototype. Written by a marque expert, it’s very well-illustrated and is superb value.

ANDY PLUMB, leadindesign.ltd, £50, ISBN 978 1 7385326 1 2

LUKE SMITH, Simon & Schuster, £22, ISBN 978 1 3985 3246 5

CHRISTOPHER BALFOUR, Amberley, £15.99, ISBN 978 1 3981 1974 1

The Complete Catalogue of the Citroën 2V

Bentley Mark VI & R-Type A photograph in this superb book is the perfect example of the old adage that there’s nothing new in motoring. It shows a Heath Robinson-like trailer behind a prototype Bentley MkVI, where the trailer wheels drive a pair of massive electrical generators with household radiator-like resistance grids mounted on top. To simulate extreme loads on the car, their resistance could be varied to produce electrical braking on the trailer wheels – like the regenerative braking used in modern EVs. At full resistance, the trailer could hold a MkVI down to 15mph at full throttle in top. Ouch!

This handsome slipcased work is packed with similarly rare images. Following on from Dalton Watson’s previous volumes about the post-war Phantoms and the Silver Wraith, it covers not only the standard-bodied MkVI and R-Type but also the export-only Rolls-Royce version, the Silver Dawn; plus the coachbuilt Continental and coachbuilt versions of the regular cars. There are also appendices detailing owners’ handbooks, technical specs, and chassis records of all but the standard-bodied cars (there were simply too many of the latter to include here).

A must-buy for any owner, this book is also a compelling argument as to why a MkVI or R-Type is such a great-value classic today. Sample reason: when Crewe adopted the US-made Hydramatic automatic gearbox, pictured above, it changed the oil pans from pressed steel to aluminium castings simply because Rolls-Royce couldn’t bring itself to use cheap components.

MARTIN BENNETT, Dalton Watson, £130.50 inc p&p to USA & UK, ISBN 978 1 85443 319 0

You’re probably aware that Citroën’s ‘tin snail’ spawned a whole family of relations such as the Dyane, the Méhari and the Ami 6. But did you know about the boxy export variant, the Citroën FAF (Facile à Fabriquer, Facile à Financer); or the Iranian-built Dyane called the Jyane, a Farsi word that conveniently means ‘lion’ or ‘bold’?

These and so many more are profiled in James Taylor’s excellent hardback, which explores every corner of the wide world of the 2CV. Beginning with the pre-war 2CV prototypes – three of which came to light only in the mid-1990s, in the attic where they’d been hidden during World War Two – it charts the story until production ended in Portugal in 1990. Naturally, that includes the many 2CV special editions (the last of which, the 2CV Perrier, had a plastic monkey mascot) but also the many one-offs and special-bodied cars, plus aftermarket accessories. Nicely presented with loads of pics, this is a model history that’s also fun.

JAMES TAYLOR, Herridge & Sons, £40, ISBN 978 1 914929 08 3 155

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Gear Compiled by Chris Bietzk

Mercedes-Benz Type S slot car by Velasor The second German Grand Prix, held in 1927, was dominated by Mercedes: the podium places were swept by three factory-run supercharged Type S racers, which thundered around the Nürburgring pursued rather forlornly by an assortment of smaller machines. Right out in front was Otto Merz, and his no. 8 car has been recreated in slot-car form by the folks from Velasor. They presented the model at Rétromobile, where it formed part of a fabulous diorama depicting the conclusion of the Grand Prix. €850. velasor.com

Honda Monkey 125 T-shirt It’s not as amusingly diminutive as the old Z-series Monkeys, but the modern-day Monkey 125, based on the Grom model, has become a cult bike in its own right. Its popularity has prompted Honda to release a fun line of Monkey merchandise.

£24.95. honda-direct.co.uk

Fears Brunswick 40.5mm Jump-Hour Edwardian Edition Only available to buy at the 2025 British Watchmakers’ Day show (8 March at Lindley Hall in central London), this elegant limited edition features a sterling silver case and a dial inspired by the pocket watches that Fears made back in the Edwardian era.

£5450. fearswatches.com 156

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1:43-scale Denzel WD 1300 SS model by AutoCult AutoCult continues its mission to model history’s more obscure machines with this smashing little likeness of the car that won the 1954 Rallye des Alpes – an event run in July of that year, but in conditions that were sometimes downright hostile. Driven by its creator, Wolfgang Denzel, the speedster zipped along mountain passes still partially covered in snow, besting Porsches, Renaults, Triumphs, and even a Sunbeam Alpine piloted by Stirling Moss.

£128.95. grandprixmodels.com

Fujifilm Instax Wide Evo Like the Instax Mini Evo before it, this is a ‘hybrid’ instant camera that gives you the chance to review your photos before printing them. It has a wider, 16mm lens and takes the biggest Instax film available, which at 99mm across is twice as wide as the Mini film, yet not much more expensive.

£319.99. instax.com

Fustle Lakelander Northern Ireland-based manufacturer Fustle named this new model after the Lakelander Gravel Grinder, a one-day, 100km event billed as one of the UK’s toughest gravel cycling challenges. The bike is cleverly designed to reduce chatter on rough tracks: there’s no heavy, traditional suspension here, but instead a hidden, elastomer-sprung linkage integrated into the top tube and permitting 12.5mm of rear-wheel travel.

Complete from £2999.99; frame only £1999.99. ridefustle.com 157

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Gear

1992 Williams FW14B model by Lego A 12in-long model of the car in which Nigel Mansell ran away with the 1992 F1 Drivers’ title. It comes with a delightfully executed Mansell minifigure; the bushy eyebrows and the famous soup-strainer are spot-on.

£69.99. lego.com

Original 1960s SCCA poster

by Richard Corson In the 1970s and ’80s, one of the great pleasures of cracking open an issue of Road & Track was finding a new illustration or two by long-time contributor Richard Corson, who was also responsible for the wonderful artwork you see on this well- preserved Sports Car Club of America race bill. £450. antikbar.co.uk

‘Campbell’ linen raincoat

by Grenfell Created in the image of the raincoats that Grenfell made in the 1930s and named after Sir Malcolm Campbell, who wore Grenfell coveralls when setting his many Land and Water Speed Records.

£750. grenfell.com

1:43-scale GMC MotorHome model by Automodello Finished to resemble Hesketh Racing’s plush team bus, which was the subject of a memorable What Car? review written by Hesketh support driver Charles Lucas.

His (fictitious) account of an intractable traffic jam concluded with him making use of the GMC’s luxuries to successfully deliver the baby of another motorist.

‘I made a quick adjustment to the air suspension to put the bed on an angle to ease delivery. The baby was rather premature but with the help of the oxygen bottle we carry for hangovers he seemed quite comfortable. I suggested popping him in the microwave, but the handbook only listed baby chicken or suckling pig.’

$119.99. automodello.com 158

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free shipping

A beautiful blend of periods

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rouewatch.com VAT included UK & EU

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since 2009 tyre cushion sets info@altairego.it

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BMW M posters

by Automobilist Officially licensed by BMW, this collection was produced to celebrate some of the marque’s best-loved competition cars and their successes. Pick of the bunch for us is the 3.0 CSL poster, inspired by BMW’s win at the 1975 12 Hours of Sebring.

With its aero pack and sticky Dunlop tyres, the ‘Batmobile’ was able to take turns one and two of the Sebring circuit flat-out – which was then unheard of. The marshals were so sure it was impossible to navigate the turns at full pelt, in fact, that they sent Hans Stuck back to the pits, assuming that his BMW’s brake lights had a fault! £59 each. automobilist.com

Camp Fieldtimer

R/C Ford Baja Bronco

by Tamiya It was 50 years ago this year that production of the Baja Bronco came to an end, with perhaps 450 examples built – far too few to satisfy all those who would like to buy one of the Bill Stroppe-modified SUVs today. At least fans can now snap up a radio-control version of their dream car.

Made in Switzerland but designed in the USA and, it turns out, partially inspired

by German engineering – specifically by the classic BMW 02 Series cars. Camp offers three versions of the neat 39mm Fieldtimer, each one featuring a colour used on the 02 cars back in the 1960s and ’70s. Buyers can choose between Atlantic Blue, Florida Green and Malaga Red, as seen here.

£739. campwatches.com

£314.99. wonderlandmodels.com 160

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TA L A C R E S T

the world’s number one classic ferrari dealer

1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spyder Talacrest have completed 6 Daytona Spyder conversion transactions in the last few years in addition to factory Spyder deals in the past. Today this car presents in fantastic condition and offers a thrilling V12 “al fresco” analogue driving experience. Complete with an extensive history file, this Daytona is ready for tours and events when the sun finally makes an appearance this year.

1 OF 158 RHD MODELS MADE || EXPERT SPYDER CONVERSION || EXTENSIVE HISTORY FILE

t wo ot h e r f e r r a r i C L A S S I C S F O R S A L E

1966 FERRARI 330 GTC

1973 FERRARI 246 GTS DINO

W W W. TA L A C R E S T. C O M +44 (0)1344 308178 | +44 (0)7860 589855 | john@talacrest.com

Edited by Matthew Hayward

The Market B U Y I N G + S E L L I N G + A N A LY S I S

TOP 10 PRICES JA N UA RY 202 5

£5,781,248 ($7,040,000) 1966 Ford GT40 MkI Mecum Auctions, Kissimmee, Florida, USA, 18 January £3,021,773 ($3,772,500) 1958 Ferrari 250GT LWB Berlinetta ‘Tour de France’

by Scaglietti RM Sotheby’s, Phoenix, Arizona, USA, 24 January £2,972,210 ($3,700,000) 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 First Retail Production VIN 001 Barrett-Jackson, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA, 26 January

Museum cars make €86m and re-write the top 10 RM Sotheby’s sells Stromlinienwagen and 250LM for benchmark figures in Europe EUROPE HAS BEEN buzzing with excitement this month, thanks to RM Sotheby’s achieving two landmark results. Five days ahead of its Paris auction, it offered the 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 R Stromlinienwagen from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum to a room of private bidders in Stuttgart. With a final bid of €51,155,000, it became the most valuable Grand Prix car ever sold, and the second most valuable car ever sold at public auction – right behind the Uhlenhaut Coupé sold by RM in 2023 for €135million.

RM then sold the second car offered from the Indy museum – the Le Mans-winning 1964 Ferrari 250LM – for €34,880,000 in Paris. That was not only a benchmark for an LM, but the sixth most valuable car of any kind to be sold at public auction. Further cars from the museum are due to be offered at the end of February in Miami. Money from these auction sales will go to the the IMS Museum to maintain and buy further exhibits, although can’t be used to carry out planned building work.

In other news, Broad Arrow Auctions has firmed

up its plans for a European expansion – starting with a Villa d’Este auction in May. Taking over the spot from RM, which held a relatively small sale every other year, we understand that Broad Arrow plans to stage a much larger sale each year. To plug the gap in its calendar, RM has announced a new sale in Milan a few days ahead of the concours.

There has also been much movement behind the scenes, with Broad Arrow poaching several experts from Bonhams in Europe. These include Philip Kantor and Gregory Tutyens (who have covered Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands), Paul Gaucher (who’s been at Bonhams for ten years in Switzerland), plus Daniel Turrisi from Italy and Jean-Louis Baldoni from France. Bonhams has already started recruiting, with a new line-up to be announced at the end of February.

Another interesting announcement comes from Bring a Trailer. The mammoth US-based online auction platform, which posted $1.5billion in sales last year alone, has plans to move into Europe.

Expect to hear more soon.

Matthew Hayward

£2,559,195 ($3,195,000) 1931 Bentley 8-Litre Convertible Victoria by Murphy RM Sotheby’s, Phoenix, Arizona, USA, 24 January £1,898,370 ($2,370,000) 1939 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante by Gangloff RM Sotheby’s, Phoenix, Arizona, USA, 24 January £1,847,700 ($2,250,000) 1967 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Mecum Auctions, Kissimmee, Florida, USA, 18 January £1,762,200 ($2,200,000) 2023 Hennessey Venom F5 Roadster Barrett-Jackson, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA, 25 January £1,634,040 ($2,040,000) 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing RM Sotheby’s, Phoenix, Arizona, USA, 24 January £1,541,925 ($1,925,000) 2014 Pagani Huayra Coupé Barrett-Jackson, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA, 25 January £1,538,567 ($1,882,500) 1987 Porsche 959 Komfort Bring a Trailer, California, USA, 16 January The top ten data is supplied courtesy of HAGERTY

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Star cars beat the winter blues Celebrity, Royal or on-screen status can boost a classic’s value by more than 400% but, while that proved true for two recent big buys, the biggest star of all was left unsold THE NEW YEAR is a strange time in the world of classic cars, especially in the northern hemisphere.

Harsh winter weather, salted roads and the resultant lack of events combine to make classic outings rare at the best of times, and this year the frequent storms raging across the UK, US and Europe have kept all but the most determined historic drivers confined to their garages. Then there’s the valuation outlook that I’ve explored on this page in months past: changeable, becoming bleak in parts.

So, it was a relief to find a glimmer of humour in mid-January when a 1967 Jaguar E-type 4.2 open-top sports was sold by Mecum at Kissimmee, Florida, for an eye-watering $880,000 (£708,000), 847% over the model’s appropriate UK Hagerty Price Guide ‘excellent’ value. A rather obvious clue to why this particular car fared so well at auction was its Union Flag paintwork over blue leather interior: this was the original ‘Shaguar’ that appeared in all three Austin Powers movies, owned by a private collector since filming ended and restored by Jaguar in the mid-2000s. A week later, a 1966 Ford Galaxie followed the same trajectory, selling for $495,000 at Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale sale, rather more than the standard Hagerty ‘excellent’ value of $24,000.

Just the chassis and drivetrain remained of the original Ford, an entirely new glassfibre body having been created to make this into one of the most recognisable cars ever seen on screen: the original ‘Batmobile’ reportedly used in filming for the ABC television series and subsequent movie.

Cars such as these don’t naturally lend themselves to the pages of Octane but the reason why they both sold for such a premium over their standard equivalents underpins much of what drives the top of the collector car market: emotion. Classic car ownership is not a logical investment in the sense that nobody needs an old car; rather it’s a purchase of something that makes the heart soar. Sometimes, the X-factor that prompts a surge of love is linked to a model’s racing heritage, its looks or its performance, but the very top cars often have a cultural reference point that marks them out as special. That could be an association with a famous person, but often it’s an appearance in a movie, TV show or video game.

And, although the recent prices achieved by this pair of cars were huge in comparison to their standard equivalents, the delta wasn’t in any way exceptional compared with other automotive star cars. The Hagerty Power List tracks such vehicles – over 500 once owned by celebrities and used on screen – and there are many other names that push values significantly skyward. On average, a movie connection adds 392% to the value of a car, beating art cars (267% uplift) and British Royal Family

ownership (up 157%). When multiple cars are considered rather than just one-offs, the James Bond franchise tops the list: the 26 Bond cars tracked by Hagerty sold, on average, for 410% more than their non-007 equivalents.

Steve McQueen is another name that adds real value: the 29 cars associated with him added a 137% premium and, obliquely, this uplift may have been a reason why another car offered at Kissimmee failed to sell. The 1969 Porsche 917K chassis number 917-022 was the hero car in McQueen’s epic Le Mans movie, purchased by his company Solar Productions direct from the Porsche factory and adapted to take camera equipment for filming. It went on to compete in its own right and passed through the hands of Brian Redman and Richard Attwood before being purchased by Jerry Seinfeld in 2001. It failed to sell, although a bid of $25million was apparently on the table.

That’s a big figure. Back in 2021, RM Sotheby’s offered 917-031 at its Monterey auction. This was another 917K with verifiable Le Mans history (in both the movie and the race), but this car also failed to sell on the day, with an estimate of $16-18.5million. Add on the Solar Productions tick and given the state of what could politely be called ‘flux’ in the 2025 global economic outlook, and $25million really looks a fair price. Maybe Seinfeld has read the Hagerty Power List and was expecting that 137% gain over the last 917K offered but, whatever the actual reserve, 917-022 certainly achieved one aim: Kissimmee once again put its old rival Scottsdale in the shade as the most reported US auction event of the new year.

John Mayhead Hagerty Price Guide editor, market commentator and concours judge

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GOODING & COMPANY

The Market Auction Previews

The World’s Fastest Car Gooding & Company, Amelia Island, USA 6-7 March

WHEN THE RUF CTR was crowned the world’s fastest car by Road & Track in 1987, the magazine also gave it the nickname ‘Yellowbird’ – for obvious reasons.

Contrary to assumptions at the time, even then the German manufacturer was rather more than ‘just’ a tuner. Using the 911’s narrower body style for outright top speed capability, the 930 running gear was significantly modified and fitted with a six-speed gearbox of Ruf ’s own design – to give it longer legs, and comfortably take the strain from the 463bhp, 3.4-litre flat-six.

Although already a legend, the Yellowbird also found fame in the form of a VHS tape released by Ruf in 1989, named Faszination on

the Nürburgring. If you haven’t seen this epic ten-minute video of Stefan Roser effortlessly sliding the CTR around the Green Hell, then you really need to seek it out on YouTube.

The car here is to be offered by Gooding & Company at Amelia Island and is described as ‘arguably the finest extant’. Chassis 26 (of 29 built) has covered 1700km from new and was specified with the most desirable Leichtbau configuration, not to mention the iconic Blutengelb (Blossom Yellow) colour.

Spending its first 30 years in a private German collection, it was exported to the USA in 2020, where its perfect condition has been maintained. It’s estimated to sell for in excess of $6,000,000. goodingco.com

Brawn again Bonhams, Miami, USA 3 May NOBODY WAS READY for the Brawn GP team in 2009. Thanks to a clever ‘double diffuser’, the start-up rising from the ashes of the old Honda GP team, and led by technical director Ross Brawn and CEO Nick Fry, powered to a surprise championship win.

With Mercedes power, the experienced pair of Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello guided the team o that Constructors’ title, and Button took the Drivers’ crown too.

Three cars were built: Mercedes has one, Ross Brawn the second, and this car – chassis 001 – was given to Jenson Button at the end of the season. It remained in his personal collection until 2024, and will be offered

by Bonhams in Miami. bonhamscars.com 164

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1994 Mercedes-Benz S72 AMG Broad Arrow, Amelia Island, USA

AUC T ION DI A RY

7 Mar, broadarrowauctions.com

29 January – 1 February Mecum, Las Vegas, USA (motorcycles) 27-28 February RM Sotheby’s, Miami, USA 1 March Historics, Ascot, UK 1-2 March Classicbid, Stuttgart, Germany 6-7 March Gooding & Company, Amelia Island, USA 7-8 March Broad Arrow Auctions, Amelia Island, USA 8 March Barons, Southampton, UK WB & Sons, Killingworth, UK 9 March Hampson, Tattenhall, UK 12-14 March Mathewsons, online 13 March Charterhouse, Sparkford, UK (motorcycles) 16 March Aguttes, Paris, France 18-22 March Mecum, Glendale, USA 22 March Oldtimer Galerie, Toffen, Switzerland 22-23 March Classic Car Auctions, Birmingham, UK 24 March Osenat, Fontainebleau, France 26 March H&H, Solihull, UK (motorcycles) 27 March Charterhouse, Sparkford, UK 28 March – 6 April Hampson Marketplace, online 29 March Dore & Rees, Bradford-on-Avon, UK 2 April Brightwells, online 3-5 April Mecum, Houston, USA 4 April Ewbank’s, Send, UK 4-5 April Manor Park Classics, Runcorn, UK 5-6 April ACA, King’s Lynn, UK 7 April Aguttes, Paris, France 9 April H&H, Duxford, UK 11-12 April Branson Auction, Branson, USA

There are two ways of looking at this car: it’s either a very expensive W140 Mercedes-Benz S-class, or an extremely good value way to own and drive a car with the same engine as a Pagani Zonda. That’s right, this exceptionally rare AMG-fettled version uses the same 7.2-litre V12 that would eventually end up in the Italian supercar. This 72,000-miler is expected to sell for $175,000-225,000.

1990 TVR 290S

1959 Maserati 3500GT

1974 Panther J72

WB & Sons, Killingworth, UK 8 Mar, wbandsons.com

CCA, Birmingham, UK 22 Mar, iconicauctioneers.com

H&H, Duxford, UK 9 Apr, handh.co.uk

Seemingly somewhat forgotten, left hanging between the memorable wedge TVRs and curvaceous Griffith, the S-Series roadsters can offer quite a lot of value, as demonstrated by this 290S with 123k miles and a large service record. Ford V6 power and a simple but effective chassis make this £5500-6500 car an appealing prospect.

Inspired by the Touring restoration feature in Octane 261? Then this unrestored 3500GT might just be for you. Sold new in Switzerland and subsequently exported to California, this example came to the UK to be restored in the 1980s, but it never happened. Some parts have apparently gone missing, so it’s not one for the faint-hearted.

Estimated at £20,000-30,000.

Although the retro-styled sports cars built by Panther might not be to all tastes, they are an interesting part of the British sports car scene in the 1970s. This is one of just 368 J72s built, and it features a 4.2-litre Jaguar XK engine – only fitting for the SS100-inspired bodywork. This one is a genuine one-owner-fromnew car, and is expected to fetch £15,000-20,000 at auction.

Also Look Out For… ‘If Heaven will afford me five more years,’ muttered Hokusai on his deathbed, ‘then I’ll manage to become a true artist.’ The Japanese painter and printmaker had in his own estimation created nothing of note until late in his career, and it was in 1831 at the age of 71 that he produced an artwork that would become one of the world’s most famous: The Great Wave.

The piece was warmly received by the Japanese public, and it is thought that some 8000 impressions were made by Hokusai’s publisher in period. Of those, around 130 survive. They vary not only in condition but in fidelity: the hand-carved wooden blocks used to make the image became worn with time, resulting in a variety of minor printing flaws.

All surviving impressions, however, are now worth a packet, and those that have come to auction in recent years have obliterated their pre-sale estimates.

In 2023 a record $2.76m was paid for a very fine example, against an estimate of $500,000-700,000.

Colour us sceptical, then, that the impression offered by Heritage Auctions in Dallas on 20 March will be won for the suggested $100,000-150,000.

Thought you’d like to know 1917 Autoped scooter (see Octane issue 260) sold for $33,000; 1714 Stradivarius violin (issue 261) sold for $11.25m.

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

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The Market Data Mining

Bizzarrini 5300GT

BIZZARRINI 5300GT

Top design credentials but a Chevy V8 makes it a bargain compared with pure-breds the now-famous ‘Palace Revolt’ after voicing their concerns over Enzo’s insistence that his wife, Laura, took a major role in company operations. This freed Bizzarrini to work on other projects, including (in 1963, alongside Giugiaro at Bertone and Renzo Rivolta) the Iso Rivolta 300. Two versions were made: a 2+2 Grifo A3/L finished

by Bertone and the competition A3/C in Bizzarrini’s own workshop in Livorno.

Bizzarrini was convinced of the model’s racing potential and won the GT 5-litre+ class at Le Mans in 1964 and ’65. Following the latter, having driven the racing car back to Livorno, Bizzarrini negotiated a deal whereby he would build the A3/C under

licence with a few styling changes, as both racing Corsa and road-going Strada variants, badged the Bizzarrini 5300GT. Today, the 5300 Strada is a collectable car, with values of ‘excellent’ examples listed in the Hagerty Price Guide at £800,000 ($1m) and concours, alloybodied examples worth around 38% more. That said, it doesn’t have the clout of its on-track rivals of the period, the GT40, Ferrari 250LM and the 275GTB, all of which are worth significantly more. A rather niche badge and that Chevy small-block V8 may put some collectors off, but they’re missing a treat – this car looks and sounds wonderful, both on track and off.

John Mayhead

HAGI Value Tracker

broader international market, in contrast to many right-hand-drive classic BMW models in the UK, which lag behind the international market.

In 2020, well-kept examples could be found for £44,000.

Prices surged to £95,000 by 2025 – a recent benchmark transaction was above £130,000 – returning impressive average annual growth of more than 16% over the last five years. In comparison, the HAGI Top Ex Index (excluding Ferrari and Porsche) recorded annualised growth of just under 5% over the same period, while the S&P 500 equity measure delivered average annual returns of approximately 13%.

Similarly, the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 has appreciated, though at a slightly slower pace.

In 2020, the value of good manual models stood at just over £15,000, rising to £30,000 by 2025 – offering an increase of 98% over five years. While this is a strong return, it falls short of the E30 M3’s 116% appreciation over the same period. More

importantly, since new, the more affordable M3 has surged by over 300%, while the 190’s growth has been a more modest 20%.

BMW also produced several special M3 variants. The convertible, with just 786 units built, now trades for over £100,000. The Sport Evolution, 600 examples produced in 1990, commands prices of £150,000 or more.

Unlike the standard MercedesBenz 190E 16V, which lags behind regular E30 M3s in value,

The BMW E30 M3 debuted at the 1985 Frankfurt motor show as BMW’s ultimate answer to touring car racing. It has delivered market-leading returns over the past five years.

Between 1986 and 1991, BMW produced approximately 18,000 M3s, including special variants. Its closest competitor, the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 and 2.5-16, had a production run of around 20,500 units from 1983 to 1993. When launched in the UK in 1987, the M3 had a base price of £22,750; the 190E 2.3-16 cost £25,000. More than 2.3million E30 3-Series were built, of which the M3 accounted for less than 1%.

Over the past five years, the E30 M3 has experienced a dramatic rise in value. As all M3s were left-hand drive, they possess a strong global appeal, so UK prices align closely with the

365bhp

1965 WAS A dramatic year in the world of the sports car. Ferrari’s rivalry with Ford at Le Mans turned into conflict after the GT40’s dismal performance: all six retired; Ferrari dominated the podium, led by the 250LM that just sold in Paris for a record €34.88m. Enzo’s feud with Ferruccio Lamborghini was also about to reach a new level when the naked chassis of the Miura was unveiled at the Turin motor show, and (noting the theme here?) his spat with Giotto Bizzarrini finally resulted in the release of the latter’s 5300GT. Bizzarrini, then best-known as the architect of the 250GTO, had left Ferrari four years previously along with a group including engineer Carlo Chiti, sacked in

BMW E30 M3

7 0-60mph Seconds

147mph TOP SPEED

133

MADE (86 ALLOYBODIED)

£533k-1.1m CURRENT HAGERTY PRICE GUIDE RANGE, FAIR TO CONCOURS

the Mercedes 190 Evo II (500 units) commands a significant premium, fetching twice the price of an M3 Sport Evo. In 1986, former Formula 1 driver Jean Alesi called the E30 M3 one of the most enjoyable, best-handling road cars he had ever driven – and judging by today’s market, enthusiasts wholeheartedly agree.

HistoricAutoGroup.com

5 -Y E A R % AV E R A G E A N N U A L I S E D R E T U R N S 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0

16.64

13.37

4.98

BMW E30 M3

HAGI Top Ex Index

S&P 500 Index

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PETER BRADFIELD LTD PETER BRADFIELD BRADFIELD LTD LTD PETER

1964 Works Healey 3000 Lightweight “767 KNX” is an important historic racing car. It was hand built by the Healey Motor Company Competition Department with a 1934 Invicta S Type lightweight chassis and an all-aluminium body. It was the only ‘Works’ entry for the 1964 “Sebring 12 Hour” driven by Paddy Hopkirk Chassis 165 is one of only 77 S Types built and was fitted from new with the desirable coachwork by Carbodies. The legendary style of and then campaigned by Ted Worswick in the 1966Works Targa Florio with Alan Minshaw and in 1968 with Richard Bond. The current owner Healey the car stems from the underslung chassis 1964 but is enhanced by exposed3000 chromeLightweight exhausts, 270 polished bonnet rivets and the regiment of 1964 Works Healey acquired it in is2015 and Jeremyhistoric Welch racing thoroughly race prepared it. 3000 KNX isLightweight very fastMotor and handles well.

The high performance 3with litre a “767 KNX” an important car.

It was hand built by the Healey Company Competition Department louvres on its flanks. The 4½ Litre straight six engine with twin carbs, twin ignition and twin fuel delivery systems all add substance to “767 KNX” is an important historic racing car. was hand built by the Healey Motor Company Competition Department with engine with three 45DCOE Webers and all round disc brakes give it a very nice edge.

It has a fuel cell, fire system and safety cage anda lightweight chassis and an all-aluminium body.

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1925 Bentley 3-4½ Litre YK 1360 is a Short Chassis Speed Model still fitted with its original Vanden Plas coachwork. It has been uprated with a perky 1925 3-4½ 4½ litre engine giving it a good turn of speed and Bentley mechanically feels goodLitre on the road. The talented Mr. Getley at Kings1939 Frazer Nash BMW 328 1925 Bentley 3-4½ Litre bury Racing has was maintained it. However, aBentley number of3-4½ previous owners have taken aondogged delight in Nash willfully ignoring the 1925 Litre Speed Model The BMW the best sportscar built before the war.

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15/12/2023 14:15

The Market Dealer News

SHOWROOM BRIEFS

1991 Rolls Royce Corniche III £130,950 Beautifully presented and eye-catching late-model Chrome Yellow Corniche.

Options include a cocktail cabinet in the driver’s door and a vanity kit on the passenger side! top555.co.uk (UK)

1923 Aston Martin ‘Halford Special’ £550,000 from Ecurie Bertelli, Olney, Buckinghamshire, UK NOT ALL SIBLINGS look alike, and despite this Aston Martin racer’s traditional ‘racing car’ appearance, it is chassis 1916, the sister car to the ground-breaking ‘Razor Blade’ (see page 76).

This chassis was the first Aston Martin built for public sale, and its first track outing was at Brooklands in 1923. Its story really began the following year, when it was crashed by the first owner and bought by Major Frank Halford.

Halford fitted new bodywork and experimental 1.5-litre six-cylinder engines with an alloy block, twin overhead camshafts and even turbocharging. It later raced with a supercharger. Sold in 1928, it was dismantled and the engines found homes elsewhere.

After a significant period of inactivity, the chassis was rescued and restored during the 1970s by its current owner, who managed to track down many of the car’s original parts – including one of its original engines. After many years of use, it was once again restored in 2008 following a crash at Silverstone during a VSCC race. It has since returned to racing, and the owner has enjoyed success in various VSCC, Goodwood and AMOC events.

Now offered by pre-war Aston Martin specialist Ecurie Bertelli, it’s an extremely usable and proven historic racer, one that would be most welcome at top events around the world – including the 2026 Monaco Historic Grand Prix. ecuriebertelli.com

The Insider HOW LONG HAVE you been in the classic car business? I started working in the auction sector in 2004 at Bonhams, moved from automobilia to the car department in 2007, then joined RM Sotheby’s in 2023.

What was it like presiding over the second most valuable car auction ever? Well, there was some anxiety prior to the Mercedes-Benz W196 Streamliner sale, but you have to handle it like any other car. They’re just numbers with a few extra zeros…

What are your own preferred types of car? 1950s Bentley Continentals and ’60s British sports Cars. I own a Jaguar E-type Roadster and I’d like a pre-war Bentley.

1950s/’60s Bentley Continentals have become incredible value for their quality.

Have there been demographic changes in who’s buying at auction? Yes. Recent growth in supercars and hypercars is remarkable and still going strong.

Are pre-War cars doomed? No. There are so many events and collectors have a more spirited way of using them. Some of the greatest cars are from that era, as we see at high-profile concours events, though larger models are tougher to sell.

Sholto Gilberston After 20 years in auctions, he recently sold two of the most expensive cars ever in the course of a week.

1961 Auto Union SP1000 Coupé €19,950 From an engineering standpoint, these three-cylinder, two-stroke Auto Union and DKW cars are fascinating. This 47,255km example of the lesser-spotted SP1000 looks cracking, too. kenniscars.nl (NL)

1992 Toyota Land Cruiser POA Quite an interesting ‘hot rod’ of a Land Cruiser, this desirable BJ73 has been fitted with a tuned 4.2-litre 1HD-T turbodiesel engine, with all the other performance mods to match. carcaveusa.com (US)

2008 Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG Black Series $293,450 AUD One of only 500 built, this Australian-delivered car has covered 33,470km. Powered by the 507bhp 6.2-litre V8, it’s a surprisingly hardcore machine. duttongarage.com (AUS)

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The Market Buying Guide

THE LOWDOWN

WHAT TO PAY

Lancia Gamma Berlina An underdog luxury saloon, as much of an outlier now as it was half a century ago THE LINE BETWEEN pleasure and pain is always fuzzy when it comes to old Italian cars. While often delivering the highest of highs, they have also been known to cause untold heartache. It’s fair to say that, in the case of the Lancia Gamma, the scales were never tipped in its favour. The Italians have always struggled to sell executive cars in other markets, especially the UK. And the Gamma suffered with tales of snapped timing belts and terminal corrosion after just a few years. Even the most committed Lancia fans were hesitant. The Gamma Berlina appeals as a classic buy, though, and offers plenty of positive attributes that are often glossed over by those keen to make a joke at its expense.

Launched in 1976, the Gamma had started life in the early 1970s as a joint development between Citroën and Lancia, or rather their parent companies Michelin and Fiat. The plan was for the CX to use Lancia’s engines in place of the abandoned Wankel that had been planned initially, while the Gamma would use elements of Citroën’s hydropneumatics – both would share elements of the same floorpan.

Politics and tension between the French and Italians soon flared up, however, and the partnership ultimately foundered.

Somewhat underfunded, Lancia continued alone, forging a new path. Externally, it’s difficulat not to see the similarities between the Gamma and the late-1960s BMC Aerodynamica prototype, and that’s because it was penned by Leonardo Fioravanti – who had contributed to the earlier concept – at Pininfarina. And despite the fastback styling, the Berlina was, as the name suggests, a traditional booted saloon – just like the CX.

The Gamma was powered by 2.5-litre flat-four engine, connected to a five-speed manual gearbox driving the front wheels. Although it was launched at home in ’76, the first Gamma Berlina didn’t make it to the UK until 1978. Early road tests actually complimented the car on its solid build, as well as its exceptional (for the era) dynamic abilities and overall engineering quality. The fully independent suspension was suitably modern, with MacPherson struts at the front and twin lower transverse links at the rear, while servo-assisted disc brakes all-round and power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering completed the package.

While the engine might have proven to have a few major design flaws, it was a gutsy, free-revving and very lightweight unit that provided decent performance. With 140bhp, the Gamma could crack 0-60 in under ten seconds, and go on to a top speed of 118mph. Over the years it went through a few minor facelifts, gaining a new front grille and smaller 2.0-litre engine option from 1981.

Sales were slow, and with fewer than 15,000 Berlinas built (more Coupés were sold in the UK than Berlinas) it was never the mainstram success that Lancia needed. Production finally ended in 1984, and the car was later replaced by the sharpsuited Lancia Thema – a much more successful car, but (many would argue) a less pure Lancia product.

As it always was, the Gamma remains a car that appeals to those who appreciate unique engineering – and love an underdog. A niche proposition, but if you’re one of those people, as it nears its 50th birthday there’s every reason to seek out a survivor and experience it for yourself.

Matthew Hayward

As there are so few Gammas left on UK roads (How Many Left suggests that there were just six licenced Berlinas, and fewer than 40 Gammas of all flavours on the road in 2024), finding one here is difficult.

Classic Car Auctions sold an as-new 79-mile car, which had been treated to a 600-hour ‘recommissioning programme’, for £21k in 2021 – giving some indication to the top of the UK market for these cars. Expect to pay £5000-10,000 for a more run-of-the-mill example.

Head to Europe, and prices seem to range from €5000 for a decent car through to €15k for a low-mileage minter.

LOOK OUT FOR Mocked by TV personality Jeremy Clarkson, the Gamma has a reputation for corrosion problems. Although the joke is worn out at this point, it’s still a much-deserved repution. Check the integrity of the sills, wheelarches and all the obvious structural areas. Any small bubbles or slightly dodgy-looking paint repairs should be closely examined. Anywhere that trim attaches to the car can also be a hot spot, so it’s worth being thorough. Low values mean previous bodywork repairs have probably been done on a tight budget.

Another old Gamma trope is that the timing belts like to snap when the engine is cold and full steering lock is engaged. Sadly, it’s a real problem, and the best way to minimise the risks is frequent timing belt change: advice varies, but think every 12,000 miles or two years to be safe.

Otherwise, the engines can be long-lived if well-serviced.

Many had issues with worn camshafts, but most have been replaced at this point.

The original automatic transmission was weak, and many have now been converted to the bulletproof five-speed manual.

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1996 PORSCHE

993 C4 COUPE

MANUAL PORSCHE HISTORY 57,000 m £69,500

1996

1970

FERRARI F355 SPIDER

MERCEDES BENZ

33,000 m

METICULOUS RESTORATION TO CONCOURS £145,000

GIALLO FLY YELLOW

280 SL PAGODA

For Collectors of Modern Art, experts in Ferrari, Porsche, Jaguar and AC Cobra W: hendonwaymotors.com

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T: +44(0)20 8202 8011

13/12/2024 12:36

A C

H E R I T A G E

1990 AC Cobra MKIV Lightweight 12,000 miles from new. Three previous owners. One of only a handful of MKIV lightweights with the correct 'AKL' chassis number.

The Ford 302 engines fitted were carburated and uprated to Stage 3 motorsport conversion with aluminium cylinder heads.

The registration ‘A26 COB’ is included in the sale and relates to the 26 promoted lightweights. Lovely condition throughout £165,000

1963 AC MA-200 Prototype Unique factory prototype, used daily by AC’s managing director between 1963-68. It has a 289 Ford V8, fully independent AC design. Fully restored.

Significant history file, with magazine features and factory drawings. POA

1964 AC COBRA 289 Fully matching numbers, recent cosmetic restoration by AC Heritage. Extensive hillclimb history by Paul Channon. Continuous history from new. One of the finest examples of the marque. POA

1985 AC MKIV Cobra 15,000 miles from new. One of very few factory-supplied hardtops, MKIII dashboard conversion and 15-inch Halibrand. The MKIV has been meticulously maintained over the past forty years. £125,000

1960 AC ACE BRISTOL Full AC Heritage works restoration completed in 2020. Rare factory supplied hardtop. One previous keeper from 1963 to 2019. This Ace is one of the finest examples on the market. SOLD

AC HERITAGE

For more information about any of these vehicles, please contact our sales team.

AC Heritage · International Broker of Historic & Classic Motorcars · Brooklands Motor Circuit, Surrey, UK Telephone +44(0)1932 828545 · Mobile +44(0)7557 878123 · www.acheritage.com

2016 PORSCHE 911 R (991) White with green stripes and black leather and hounds tooth cloth interior. Porsche warranty until September 2026, 2,700 miles

£389,950

2022 PORSCHE 911 (992) GT3 Gulf orange with black interior, Club Sport pack with additional fire extinguisher, 1,375 miles

£155,950

2021 PORSCHE 911 (992) C4S TARGA ‘HERITAGE EDITION’ Guards red with Atacama beige interior, 1 of 922 produced worldwide, 39 miles

£194,950

+44 (0) 1772 613 114

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10/02/2025 15:21

C HARLES P RINCE

Le Mans

Worldwide Collector Car Sales

1930 Bentley 4.5 Litre Supercharged Le Mans FS 3624

Blow the doors off any other car on the road with this superb well known blower. Now totally rebuilt to the highest standards this late 4.5 Litre with the correct spec chassis and heavy crank engine has been a familiar sight at many serious competitive events over many years

1924 Bentley 3 Litre Speed Model Rare original 2 seater. Full history

1935 Bentley 3.5/4.25 Litre Continental DHC by Oxborow and Fuller. Full history

We are always eager to buy important collectors cars.

All cars can be seen tried and tested at Quin Hay Farm Petersfield Hampshire GU321BZ or in central London.

Please see our website for full stock photos videos and details. Valuations always available.

Int T 0044 (0) 79 85 98 80 70 sales@charlesprinceclassiccars.com charlesprinceclassiccars.com

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1959 Elva Mark III

1936 Talbot Alpine Team Car Replica

1934 Bentley 3½-Litre Tourer

1925 Vauxhall 30-98 OE Velox Tourer

Landline: +44 (0) 1440 841 447

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john@polsonmotorco.com

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R AW L E S M O T O R S P O R T LT D

Austin Healey Restoration - Upgrades - Sales - Service - Upholstery - Concours Prep - Engine Build & Rolling Road

Rawles Motorsport Ltd, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 4JR

178

178

01420 23212

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MURRAY SCOTT-NELSON ASMotorsport Motorsport ltd AS ltd

01723 361 227

Poplar Farm, Bressingham, Diss, Norfolk, IP22 2AP Tel: 01379688356 Mob: 07909531816 Web: www.asmotorsport.co.uk Email: info@asmotorsport.co.uk

Austin Healey 100/6 This is an original Longbridge 100/6 duotone car supplied new to San Francisco in 1957. Still in its original colour scheme, rust free ex California black plate car. 2020 Mille Miglia competitor. Fantastic opportunity to buy a Mille Miglia car at a sensible cost. Well prepared example and fitted with a highly desirable genuine works hardtop and roll over bar. For fullest details call 01723 361227 or call Jon 07831 830270 £Please enquire

Austin Healey 3000 MK 3 BJ8 Phase 2 Built between 2nd-3rd May 1966 and dispatched to Charleston, USA on 6th June 1966. First registered in the late 80’s in the UK. Finished in the classic duo tone Ice Blue over Ivory White, blue leather trim and blue weather equipment. Fitted stainless steel wire wheels, luggage rack, Moto-Lita woodrim steering wheel & overdrive. Previously sold and maintained for a number of years by ourselves. Includes extensive history file. £47,500

ASM hand build bespoke versions of the R1 roadster, inspired by the Aston Martin race cars that won Le Mans and the world Sportscar championship in 1959.

Contact us for details of commission builds and stock.

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Tel: 01379688356 • Mob: 07909531816 Web: www.asmotorsport.co.uk Email: info@asmotorsport.co.uk I-307295.indd 1

Austin Healey 3000 MK 3 BJ8 Phase 2 Dispatched to Philadelphia, USA 28th October 1965. Returned to the UK in the early 90’s and restored. Looked after and maintained extremely well. Colorado red with red leather trim piped in white with black mohair hood and dark red mohair hood cover. 72 spoke silver painted wire wheels, leather Moto-Lita steering wheel and overdrive. A lovely example previously sold by ourselves. £59,950

Murray Scott-Nelson, Beaconsfield Street, Scarborough YO12 4EL

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ASM R1 Stirling Moss tribute car enjoying track time at Goodwood.

ASM hand build bespoke versions of the R1 roadster, inspired by the Aston Martin race cars that won Le Mans and the world Sportscar championship in 1959.

Contact us for details of commission builds and stock.

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1931 ALFA ROMEO 6C 1750 GRAN SPORT ZAGATO

1988 FERRARI 328 GTS ‘BIANCO AVUS’

1930 INVICTA 4.5 LITRE LOW CHASSIS S (A) TYPE

Selection of other cars available: 1918 American LaFrance Speedster 2003 Aston Martin Vanquish 1930 Bugatti Type 46 Coupé Superprofilée Ch. 46208 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio by Gangloff (Now sold) 1938 Delahaye 135S Competition Tribute 1938 Delahaye 135M Cabriolet by Figoni & Falaschi 1953 Maserati A6 GCS Pininfarina by Pur Sang Phone +45 5363 8956 or visit:

W W W. C E N T U R Y L I M I T E D . E U

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180

1976 Porsche 911 2.7

1959 Austin Healey 3000 Mk1

LHD, 60,000 miles, supplied new to BT7, black interior, fully restored some Germany, narrow body ..............£42,995 years ago, fantastic....................£42,995

1997 Range Rover 4.0 SE

1996 Marcos Mantara 3.9 V8

Auto, Rioja Red, cream leather interior, 30,000 miles, full history, A/C, PAS .......

55,000 miles, history.............. .... £11,995 ...................................................£25,995

1975 Lancia Fulvia 1.3S

• 2.2 & 2.4 Liter Porsche 911 6 Cylinder Engines • Upgraded 5-Speed Porsche 901 Transmissions • Weber Carbs, New Wire Harnesses, 914-6 Oil Tanks • Wide Fuchs 5-Lug Genuine Alloy Wheels • Upgraded Wilwood Brakes, Blaupunkt Stereos

1991 BMW Z1

LHD, Ex-Italy, fully restored, beautiful.... UK supplied, 69,000 miles, original and ...................................................£24,995 unmolested......... .......................£36,995 • Porsche Specialists California, USA • Restoration: +1 760-758-6119 • Showroom: +1 760-758-6100 sales@classicshowcase.com

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Ferrari 612 Scaglietti F1 Rosso Corsa 44,513 Miles

£52,495

Stock Number - 22751

Ferrari 355 Spider Manual Rosso Corsa 36,981 Miles

Stock Number - 22783

Ferrari 550 Maranello Nero Daytona 13,334 Miles

£84,995

£119,995

Stock Number - 22864

Ferrari 430 Spider F1 Nero Daytona 19,138 Miles

£74,995

Stock Number - 22741

Ferrari 599 GTB F1 Grigio Silverstone 25,809 Miles

£84,995

Stock Number - 22912

Ferrari 458 Spider DCT Rosso Corsa 29,941 Miles

www.tfcgb.com True Ferrari Connoisseurs Cavallino Building, ME15 9YG

182

182

£129,995

Stock Number - 22778

1951 Ferrari 212 Inter: Vignale / Drogo, Mille Miglia 1952, 1954. Ground up restoration.

Race and Rally ready. Unique one of a kind, matching numbers. Piero Drogo, a subcontractor to Ferrari Factory; wins well-known.

1970 Porsche 917:5 liter, flat 12. Total comprehensive rebuild by ex-factory 917 specialist. Driven by Derek Bell, Vic Elford, Jo Siffert; used in the making of Steve McQueen’s movie “Le Mans”.

WE WILL BUY AND CONSIGN ALL FERRARI AND ALL VINTAGE SPORTS RACING & GT CARS PARTIAL TRADES CONSIDERED - FINANCING AVAILABLE

1968 Fiat Dino Spider: Rare. Frame-up resto; bare metal repaint. Driveline & suspension rebuild; new interior top & chrome. With photo docs. Stunning!

1974 Jaguar XKE V12 Roadster: One of a kind, uniquely built. Bare metal repaint, new interior, 5-sp, Webers, SS headers, Alloy radiator, Two tops.

2011 Hennessey Venom mid-engine GT: 3rd one built out of 13; 725hp; as new condition; single owner from new with only 2100 miles.

1996 Porsche 911 Twin Turbo, Arena 1965 Austin-Healey 3000 BJ8, red/tan, 1986 Ferrari Mondial: Just out of 20 year 1965 Porsche 356SC Cabriolet: MatchRed/Tan, 55k miles, clean CarFax, ing #s, 1 of 533. 3-owner, full docs, COA. frame-up resto., 4sp OD, Webers, comp ownership, always serviced / excellent cosmetic/mechanical condition, 67k miles. One repaint. Euro version. wheels, headers, electronic ignition. well-maintained. Excellent paint. service records from new. A beauty.

Outstanding original throughout.

Performs better than it ever did.

All systems in excellent working order.

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1948 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Super Sport Pininfarina Cabriolet

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183

speedsport gallery

Prepatory Artwork for Abarth Logo painting

by Dexter Brown

­

This a preliminary painting for a major work by Dexter Brown of the Abarth scorpion logo.

Gouache on board PRICE: £1,000.00

­

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ASTON MARTIN HERITAGE PARTS 15% DISCOUNT FOR NEW CUSTOMERS*

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astonheritage.co.uk Tel: +44 (0)1332 374874 parts@astonengineering.co.uk

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NEW BODY SHELLS NEW BODY SHELLS FOR NEW BODY SHELLS GROUP FOR NEW BODY SHELLS FOR GROUP E-TYPE SERIES I, II AND III GROUP FOR E-TYPE SERIES I, II AND III GROUP E-TYPE SERIES I, II AND III E-TYPE I, MODERN II ANDJAGUARS, III THOUSANDS OF PARTS AVAILABLE FOR SERIES CLASSIC AND VISIT OUR WEBSITE 18/11/2020 10:26

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• •Restorati Restorati • Restorati on on on •Engine Engine • rebuilds Engine rebuilds rebuilds • • •Re-trimming Re-trimming • Re-trimming •MOT MOT • preparati MOT preparati preparati on on on • • •Product Product • Product advice advice advice

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1

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S TO R A G E & TRANSPORTATION

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LOCATIONS

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191

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2009 Porsche 997 Carrera 4S Cabriolet in Dove Grey with black hide interior and 6 speed manual transmission. Just 2 lady owners from new with a complete Porsche only, fully stamped service history. The recorded mileage is just 43,600 confirmed by the mot history and the last lady owner has enjoyed this car since 2012. The specification includes Air conditioning, satellite navigation with Bluetooth connectivity, electrically operated mohair soft top, Bose sound system, Cruise control, Heated electric seats, 19” multi-spoke alloy wheels with red brake callipers, white instrument dials and alloy pedals. A rare opportunity to acquire a beautiful, low mileage, convertible 997, reduced in line with current values to £39,950

1988 Porsche 928 S4 finished in Porsche Silver metalic with full black hide interior. This is a well-preserved example with only 77,000 miles and comes with a complete service history. This 928 S4 has been entrusted to “Porsche Chester” since 2019 for regular servicing and improvement including new discs and pads and over £8,000 on the car has been spent during that time. Less than 4,000 miles covered in the last 5 years. Porsche advertising at the time of production claimed 316 BHP and a top speed of 165 MPH. Porsche 928’s in this excellent condition are becoming increasingly difficult to find and we believe that this one will sell quickly and won’t be available for long.

Competitively priced for one in this condition at £24,950

2009 Porsche Panamera 4S finished in Yachting Blue Metallic with cream hide interior. Just arrived with us from an mot test carried out on the 16th of January which it passed with no advisories. The condition of this Panamera is a credit to its previous owner and has to be seen to be fully appreciated. It comes with a full-service history including an original book pack and is faultless to drive. Whilst the total mileage is 95,000, it has been impeccably maintained and it looks and drives like a car that has a 5th of that mileage. Not expensive for one in this condition at £15,000

Email: martin@runnymedemotorcompany.com | www.runnymedemotorcompany.com

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Autobiography

PAAL KVAMME

Interview by Paal Kvamme

Per Gessle The Roxette pop star now blends performing with life as a Swedish hotelier and maintaining his large collection MY INTEREST IN cars goes back to my childhood. I’ve loved cars since I was a kid: the Lamborghini Miura, classic cars with wire wheels, unattainable cars. It was all about the sound, the design, the thrill of racing – a much more dangerous sport then than it is today.

My plumber father and I went to the Anderstorp circuit to watch racing. When Ronnie Peterson came along, he became an idol for motorcycling Swedes. In 1978, when I was in London to buy guitars for my band Gyllene Tider, we passed an electronics store with ten television sets in the window. All of them showed Ronnie Peterson’s crash. That’s how I found out he was dead.

The Ferrari Dino was an early dream car. As a little boy, I saw Tony Curtis drive one in The Persuaders! on television. It is one of the most beautiful cars ever made. I haven’t driven mine in two years; it’s so popular with hotel guests that it’s hard to take out. I buy cars, and they stay here. My first car was my father’s orange VW Passat; my first Ferrari was a ’95 456 GT. I have enjoyed a long and successful career, so I have had the means to buy these things.

When I bought the cars in ‘The Joyride Car Collection’, I thought they were incredibly expensive. When I bought Ferraris in the

mid-2000s, I lost money on them. Then I had the opportunity to buy limited editions, more likely to hold their value. The last decade they have really increased in value.

The collection has grown a bit. In 1997, I played at Ferrari’s 50th anniversary party and became friends with them. It wasn’t like it is today: now you have to be ‘selected’ to be a customer. Then I bought a regular 430… no wait, I didn’t have that… yes I did! I hardly remember it. I sold it and bought a 430 Scuderia. Then there were 458s. My favourite is a 458 Speciale Aperta: V8 engine without turbo, an open-top limited edition. It is absolutely superb to drive.

My wife Åsa and I have owned Hotel Tylösand, outside my hometown of Halmstad, since 1995. When we were going to build new hotel rooms, I told Åsa that we have so many damn’ cars, they are everywhere, under tarpaulins. I love these cars, everyone who loves cars loves them, so maybe we should build a garage? At the hotel, the cars have a purpose, even when they are not driven.

People can look at them, especially kids.

The more Ferraris I bought, the more doors opened in Maranello. I already had a LaFerrari when a box arrived in the mail. There was a letter saying I had been chosen, and a Ferrari key with my name on it. It said ‘We are going to release a new car, you have the opportunity to buy it.’ I was supposed to pay €500,000 in advance, but there was no information about which car it was. But I had contacts in Ferrari, and knew it was a LaFerrari Aperta.

For me, the design is most important. You do not have to drive at 300km/h even if a car goes that fast. It’s about the experience, the romance, this special feeling. But the most important thing is design. I have never bought a car that I didn’t think was beautiful. During

a dinner with some friends, there was discussion about whether cars are lady magnets. I didn’t think it was right, but did a test a few days later. When I was going to buy strawberries at the supermarket I took the LaFerrari and parked it a little way from the entrance. Ten minutes later there were 30 men around the car and not one woman!

This is a new era, with hybrids and electric cars. I will never have an electric car. I am 66 years old, and when it comes to music, I like old music played in the real way. I like the ideas to come from someone’s brain, from someone’s need to express themselves. It’s the same with cars. Gasoline cars will disappear from the market, but today’s cars will still exist. You will be able to buy petrol. I don’t drive excessively, so I have a pretty clear conscience when it comes to my emissions.

Some cars I hardly drive at all. My Monza SP2, my Daytona SP3, the Competizione: these are more than cars. They are design masterpieces, works of art. They are not meant to be driven 100,000km. The Monza is an absolutely idiot car, it has no windscreen.

Imagine if the car driving in front of you uses the washer fluid! It’s pretty, though.

I have never been interested in speed. I’m not a fast driver. My wife has a Maserati Levante Trofeo; it’s impossible not to drive fast in it. You don’t notice the speed – in modern cars it’s difficult to follow the speed limit. Not like my McLaren Senna: you have to drive it with earplugs. It’s no use talking in it. It is a racing car for street use. If you drive at 120km/h in it, it sounds like 120km/h.

I don’t have space for any more cars. But I would really like to have a 288 GTO, it is incredibly beautiful and fierce. I would like a Testarossa, too; I grew up with Miami Vice.

But I’m not a collector, that’s for sure!

Octane (ISSN 1740-0023, USPS 024-187) is published monthly by Hothouse Publishing Ltd, UK. Airfreight and mailing in the USA by agent named World Container INC 150-15, 183rd St, Jamaica, NY 11413, USA. Periodicals postage paid at Brooklyn, NY 11256.

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T H E

H A I R P I N

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1992 PORSCHE 964 RS A very well sorted immaculate example. Italian supplied. Two owners. The second, an English owner, for 23 years. Comes with everything.

1989 PORSCHE 911 CARRERA 3.2 CABRIOLET An exceptional example from the last year of production. Just 36,000 miles with all books, tools and keys.

1973 LANCIA FULVIA 1.6HF ZAGATO A rare UK RHD example well-known to the Lancia Club. An excellent older restoration.

A 2024 London Concours entrant. Very well sorted and drives beautifully.

2000 TVR GRIFFITH 500 Immaculate, 15,000 miles with full history from new. Power steering, rare split removable roof and custom-made exhaust. Hard to find like this.

1973 CITROËN SM European supplied and surely one of the best SMs remaining. A manual example with full black leather interior. Great history, restored to the highest standards.

1977 MG MGB ROADSTER BY FRONTLINE A very high specification example from the gurus at Frontline who transform the MG in every respect. Beautiful build and detail finish and goes like no other MGB.

T E L : 0124 9 76 0 6 8 6 • T H E H A I R P I N C O M PA N Y. C O . U K T H E H A I R P I N C O M PA N Y C O M P T O N B A S S E T T W I LT S H I R E S N11 8 R H

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