The American
Auto Anniversaries T
T’riffic Transit
here’s always a birthday to celebrate in the world of cars and bikes – any excuse for a party! – but there are three significant ones happening around the publication date of this issue. A 1904 7hp Peugeot braves the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run MILBORNE ONE
Peugeot’s Two Hundredth
Some mistake… there were no cars two centuries ago! Mais non. It was in 1810 that Jean-Pierre and JeanFrédéric Peugeot turned their father’s cereal mill into a steel foundry and joined the burgeoning industrial revolution. From saws and steel rods for crinoline dresses, they moved into bicycle and motorcycle manufacturing from 1886. Shortly after, in 1891, Peugeot made their first automobile. From then, through the 504 which is still seen on the streets and dust tracks of Africa, via the rally-derived 205 ‘hot hatch’, to the sexy new RCZ Sports Coupé, Peugeot has been a firm favorite around the world, noted for their practical and forward looking engineering.
Triumph’s Twentieth
Riders of all marques are invited to enjoy a day of entertainment at Mallory Park race circuit in Leicestershire to celebrate the brand’s 20th birthday. Surely Triumph’s older than that, you say. What about Steve McQueen and Marlon Brando’s iconic rides? The 20th refers to the new company started by entrepreneur John Bloor, who bought the rights to the name seven years after the original company, which
had been taken over by a workers’ cooperative, went bankrupt. Triumph has grown from a quirky start-up whose buyers predominantly bought their bikes from a patriotic impulse to a truly world-beating firm – their individualistic bikes often winning group tests due to quality rather than flag-waving. Activities at Mallory include a round of the Triumph Triple Challenge, stunt riders, the UK’s best customised Triumphs, key historic models, a tour of the nearby Triumph factory, and the chance for visitors to ride the latest line up of bikes on and off track. The party will carry on into the night with live bands. Get tickets at www.triumph-live. co.uk or 01455 842931.
First, Ford’s Transit van had a major birthday in August, celebrating 45 years of success. The name may mean nothing to you (it has never been sold in the USA, although it has been available in Mexico for three years), but the Ford Transit is on of the most successful vehicles in Europe. It is the archetypal ‘white van’, used by millions of tradesmen – and indeed many bands, who typically use the light truck to ferry themselves from gig to gig. ‘Transit’ has become a generic term – like Hoover for vacuum cleaners – and it has topped the UK sales charts ever since the year in which Jim Clark won the Indianapolis 500 and F1 World Championship, the Sound of Music movie was released and Mary Quant invented the mini skirt. Over 6 Million Transits have been produced.
Meet the new Triumph... the same as the old Triumph... but this Bonneville’s oil-leak free
49