Magneto Magazine Issue 11: Autumn 2021

ISSUE

11 AUTUMN 2021

BORN TO SPEED

Donald Campbell, the troubled man behind the records

D AV E K I N N E Y O N PORSCHE 964

E N Z O’ S FIRST FERRARI

PA G A N I Z O N D A BY JETHRO BOVINGDON

MAX MOSLEY’S E A R LY Y E A R S

LE MANS TOP 50 RACING MOMENTS

£10.00 | AUTUMN 2021

PRINTED IN THE UK

Carmel, California | 13 August 2021

Catalogue Now Online

ENQUIRIES +1 (917) 340 9652, East Coast +1 (415) 391 4000, West Coast motors.us@bonhams.com bonhams.com Download the Bonhams app for iOS & Android

Scan for 2021 Quail Catalogue

1 October 2021 Newport, Rhode Island

Consignments Invited

© 2021 Bonhams & Butterfields Auctioneers Corp. All rights reserved. NYC DCA Auction House License No. 2077070

In the present family ownership since 1964 1928 MERCEDES-BENZ 26/120 S-TYPE SPORTS TOURER Chassis No. 35920

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18 COMING SOON What’s happening where, as the world starts to open up again

27 S TA R T E R Best of Show winners return for Pebble Beach 70th anniversary; effects of Brexit on the UK collector car scene; Max Mosley’s early years; the Bizzarrini revival

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THE STORY OF DONALD CAMPBELL

PAGANI ZONDA: THE DREAM CAR

HENRY FORD AND T H E VAG A B O N D S

ARISE, THE NEW ARESE RH95

He emerged from the shadow of his speedking father to become a legend in his own right – both on land and on water

With its ethereal quality and scarcely believable back-story, it is the stuff of folklore and legend.

We drive it (in real life)

Four of the US’s most revered men – kindred spirits who never lost their sense of adventure or love of the outdoors

Touring Superleggera embraces the future while honouring the past with its next car in a continuing streamline tradition

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REDEFINED. RE-ENERGISED. REBORN.

FUTUREPROOFING THE AUTOMOTIVE GREATS Everrati™ makes iconic electric cars relevant to the world today. All our models are handbuilt and upgraded to offer unparalleled luxury and performance, featuring the very latest in advanced - yet fully reversible - electric powertrains. Full of soul, but zero emission.

To future-proof your driving experience register your interest at: www.everrati.com/magneto

Everrati™ supplies restored and modified classic and vintage cars for its customers. Everrati™ does not manufacture vehicles. Everrati™ is not sponsored, associated, approved, endorsed, nor, in any way, affiliated with the manufacturers of the cars they restore. All brand names, logos and crests along with any other products mentioned are the trademarks of their respective holders. Any mention of trademarked names or other marks is for purpose of reference only.

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BOWCLIFFE HALL DRIVERS’ CLUB

LUDVIGSEN ON...

THE FIRST FERRARI

TOP 50 LE MANS MOMENTS

In the heart of Yorkshire, there’s an exclusive club packed with some of the world’s best motoring art and automobilia

In 1939 Enzo Ferrari left Alfa and established Auto Avio. The Tipo 815 was his original racing car – and this is its story

From triumph to tragedy, endurance motor sport at La Sarthe never fails to excite. Here are the most memorable events

ACQUIRE Buying a Citroën SM, market intelligence on the Porsche 964 and the Singer effect from Hagerty and Dave Kinney, collecting motoring art, watches, movie posters and vintage cycles, plus new products and books

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L E G A L : TA L E S O F THE UNINSPECTED

198 COLLECTIONS: FERRARI 375

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136 MORGAN’S FA C T O RY T O O L S The beauty of everyday hand tools that have survived decades of use at Morgan’s Pickersleigh Road factory in Malvern

200 HISTORIC RACING: W E T-T R A C K T I P S

202 BEHIND THE LEGEND: CREWE IN THE ’80S Magneto

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Editor’s Welcome

11 Around the planet we seem to have gone from zero to full-speedahead since I last wrote a Magneto ‘welcome’. Events are back on again worldwide, and the buying and selling of collector cars has continued with vigour – although it’s interesting that whenever and wherever lockdowns have eased, sales drop for a while as focus changes to holidays, office returns and the like, before bouncing back.

As I write this, all restrictions in the UK are lifted and future precautions will be down to the organisers. Elsewhere, the situation varies of course. Some of you will disagree, but I say we should keep the safety measures in place at our major car events regardless of rules for a while – and do it properly, too! At one recent show, vaccination details were requested but then not checked at the gate.

Let’s not blow it this time around...

Usually, Magneto co-founder Geoff Love and I are lucky enough to attend Monterey Car Week every year. As we go to press it’s looking unlikely we’ll be there due to travel restrictions, but Magneto US contributors Winston Goodfellow, Evan Klein and Ken Gross will be in attendance. Geoff and I can’t wait to be back again next year.

Speaking of which, we’re delighted that last issue’s trial printing of Magneto in both the UK and the US went extremely well, and will continue going forward. For US readers, that will mean quicker delivery and increasingly more tailored content. We hope you enjoy it – and all feedback is welcome to david@hothousemedia.co.uk.

David Lillywhite Editorial director

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A U C T I O N S & P R I VAT E B R O K E R A G E

G O O D I N G C O .C O M

+1.310.899.1960

1929 BUGATTI TYPE 35B GRAND PRIX Formerly the Property of Louis Chiron Winner of the 1929 Grand Prix de l’ACF and Spanish Grand Prix Chassis 4938

1957 MASERATI 200 SI Well-Known and Race-Winning Example Driven in Period by Joe Sheppard Coachwork by Fantuzzi

1959 FERRARI 250 GT LWB CALIFORNIA SPIDER COMPETIZIONE Factory-Competition Engine, Gearbox, and External Filler Raced in Period by Dott. Ottavio Randaccio Coachwork by Scaglietti I Chassis 1235 GT

1958 FERRARI 250 GT SERIES I CABRIOLET Ferrari Classiche Certified Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® Class Winner Coachwork by Pinin Farina I Chassis 1075 GT

1995 M C LAREN F1 Elegant One-Off Color Combination I Less than 400 Km from New

FRIDAY AUG. 13 AT 5PM SATURDAY AUG. 14 AT 11AM

ONLINE BIDDING AVAILABLE VIEW AUCTION PREVIEW & REGISTER TO BID

Pebble Beach® and Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® are trademarks and service marks of Pebble Beach Company. Used by permission.

OFFICIAL AUCTION HOUSE OF THE PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE®

Contributors D AV I D T R E M AY N E DT says the 297mph peak he hit in his jet car at Elvington in August 2017 was worth more to him than all of the 590 Grands Prix he’s reported on and his 53 motor sport books. But then, he was laughing moments after parachute issues put him upside down at 260mph… In this issue he writes about his hero, Donald Campbell.

JETHRO BOVINGDON A welcome return from Jethro, who wrote the epic McLaren P1 vs Senna article in issue one of Magneto, only to then rudely find fame and fortune on Top Gear America.

A break in filming allowed him to return to a supercar he’s known throughout his career, the Pagani Zonda – fast becoming one of the most collectable cars of its time.

PETER STEVENS A Magneto regular and an automotive design legend... but Peter isn’t just about sketching McLaren F1s, Esprits, XJR-15s and the like. He’s also a great writer with a wide breadth of car knowledge, as shown by his wonderful feature in this issue on the camping trips undertaken

by Henry Ford and his famous friends.

He reported on his first F1 race at 18 and now, over 50 years later, Andrew is still pounding the pitlanes of Le Mans, Daytona and Silverstone, and he’s interviewed all but three F1 World Champions. His new book Is There Much More of This? will be published in the autumn; you can read his memories of Max Mosley in this issue.

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I LLUST R AT IONS P ET E R A LLE N

ANDREW MARRIOTT

© Pierre-Yves Riom

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27.01.21 17:03

Who to contact

Editorial director

Managing director

David Lillywhite

Geoff Love

Art director

Advertising sales

Peter Allen

Sue Farrow, Rob Schulp

Managing editor

Staff writer

Accounts administrator

Sarah Bradley

Elliott Hughes

Jonathan Ellis

Lifestyle advertising

West Coast US contributor

European editor

Sophie Kochan

Winston Goodfellow

Johan Dillen

Contributors in this issue Ted7, Jethro Bovingdon, Jonathon Burford, Nathan Chadwick, Tom Coulthard, Robert Dean, Dale Drinnon, Michael Furman, Malcolm Griffiths, Rob Gould, Sam Hancock, Richard Heseltine, Dave Kinney, David Lawrence, Karl Ludvigsen, Andrew Marriott, John Mayhead, James Nicholls, Debbie Nolan, Andy Reid, Clive Robertson, Max Serra, Andrew Shaylor, Amy Shore, John Simister, Peter Stevens, David Tremayne, Rupert Whyte

Single issues & subscriptions Please visit www.magnetomagazine.com or call 011 44 1371 851892 Subscriptions managed by ESco Business Services

HOTHOUSE MEDIA Geoff Love, David Lillywhite, George Pilkington Castle Cottage, 25 High Street, Titchmarsh, Northants NN14 3DF, UK Printing Seaway Printing Company, Green Bay, Wisconsin, US Printed on Opus Dull text and cover Specialist newsstand distribution Pineapple Media, Select Publisher Services Who to contact Subscriptions & business geoff@hothousemedia.co.uk Accounts accounts@hothousemedia.co.uk Editorial david@hothousemedia.co.uk Advertising sue@flyingspace.co.uk, rob@flyingspace.co.uk

©Hothouse Media Ltd. Magneto and associated logos are registered trademarks of Hothouse Media Ltd. All rights reserved. All material in this magazine, whether in whole or in part, may not be reproduced, transmitted or distributed in any form without the written permission of Hothouse Media Ltd. Hothouse Media Ltd. uses a layered privacy notice giving you brief details about how we would like to use your personal information.

For full details, please visit www.magnetomagazine.com/privacy/

Magneto [mag-nee-toh] noun, plural mag·ne·tos 1. Electrical generator that provides periodic high-voltage pulses to the spark-plugs of an internal-combustion engine, used mostly pre-World War One although still fitted for emergency back-up of aircraft ignition systems.

2. Fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

3. Great quarterly magazine featuring the most important cars in the world.

ISSN Number 2631-9489. Magneto is published quarterly by Hothouse Publishing Ltd. Great care has been taken throughout the magazine to be accurate, but the publisher cannot accept any responsibility for any errors or omissions that might occur.

The editors and publishers of this magazine give no warranties, guarantees or assurances, and make no representations regarding any goods or services advertised in this edition.

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More from Magneto

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70 YEARS OF PEBBLE BEACH

MAGNETO NEWSLETTER

Pre-order this beautiful collectors’ book, produced by the Magneto team on behalf of Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Standard Edition: Case bound, $90.00 Publisher’s Edition: Limited-edition slipcase, $180.00 Chairman’s Edition: Leather-bound, signed, $550.00 http://bit.ly/PebbleConcours70thBook

Want to stay in touch with news, features and opinion from Magneto? Plus have the chance to win fantastic prizes? Then sign up to the weekly Magneto newsletter. Please do so via the link below – we promise not to spam you! https://bit.ly/magnetosignup

MAGNETO SLIPCASES

SUBSCRIBE TO MAGNETO

Slipcases are once again available to pre-order, each one designed to hold four issues. Each is cloth covered with an embossed Magneto logo. You’ll find them under the ‘Magneto Store’ heading.

Slipcase £40 ($65) including p&p. www.magnetomagazine.com

Don’t miss out on issues of Magneto! Subscribe for one year for £48 ($90) or two years for £84 ($151), including p&p. Magneto is now delivered in new, stronger cardboard packaging to ensure your copies arrive in perfect condition. www.magnetomagazine.com

Liam Lawson Professional Racing Driver with Hitech GP

PROFESSIONALLY TESTED ON TRACK. SUPPORTED BY AN ENTIRE TEAM OF EXPERIENCE. NOTHING LIKE IT. The Rodin FZED is the track car that comes with post-sales support from professional formula racing team; Hitech GP. Don’t just pretend to live your dream.

Own it completely, with full support.

V I E W I N G BY A P P O I N T M E N T AT D O N I N G TO N PA R K , U N I T E D K I N G D O M RODIN-CARS.COM

Concours of Elegance is a thing of beauty

Travel back in time to the Goodwood Revival

Motorsport Reunion at Laguna Seca is go

Round-up of more of our favourite events

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Coming soon

CONCOURS OF ELEGANCE September 3-5, 2021 Thanks to exquisite timing between lockdowns, last year’s Concours of Elegance was one of only a few big collector-car events to take place in the UK – and what a glorious weekend it was. This year’s showing, again in the gardens of London’s Hampton Court Palace, promises to be every bit as spectacular.

Sixty of the world’s rarest concours cars will be on display, many of which will rarely have been seen in the UK or even worldwide. They will be accompanied by hundreds more unusual and beautifully presented exhibits.

Many will also take part in a two-day driving tour running up to the main event.

Winners, including the coveted Best of Show, are chosen by the owners of the cars themselves rather than a panel of judges. Meanwhile, some of the UK’s most prestigious clubs line up their members’ cars for independent judging in the Club Trophy; the winner secures a place in the following year’s main Concours of Elegance. www.concoursofelegance.co.uk

Magneto

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GOODWOOD R E V I VA L September 17-19, 2021 Oh how we’ve missed the Duke of Richmond’s unparalleled extravaganza of wheel-to-wheel (and occasionally roof-to-Tarmac) Historic motor racing against an evocative backdrop of vintage glamour. After its enforced year off, the upcoming Goodwood Revival promises to return with a bang, as the legendary West Sussex circuit once more resounds to the glorious noise of cars and motorcycles from pre-World War Two through to the mid-1960s.

A star-studded line-up of drivers and riders will be in the mix, including the likes of Tom Kristensen, Richard Attwood, Derek Bell, Matt Neal, Jason Plato, Michael Dunlop, John McGuinness and Freddie Spencer.

Along with time-honoured favourites such as Over the Road, the Revival Car Show, Revival High Street, Freddie March Spirit of Aviation and Bonhams, fresh features for 2021 include a brand-new bridge over the track at Madgwick Corner, as well as additional in-field viewing areas with extra grandstands. Fantastic! www.goodwood.com

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SUMMER

AU T U M N

WINTER

SPRING

Coming Soon

Coming Soon

SUMMER

AU T U M N

WINTER

SPRING

MONTEREY MOTORSPORTS REUNION August 12-15, 2021

ROLEX

If you can get there, here is the perfect opportunity to see more than 550 celebrated Historics battle it out at California’s WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. This high-octane highlight of Monterey Car Week is a must-do for race car fans, especially as this year it celebrates Ford in Trans-Am – the 55th Anniversary of the Pony Car Wars.

Encompassing everything from GT, IndyCar, FIA and IMSA to Sports Racers and Tourers, eras span the pre-1920s to the early 1990s.

Every entry is scrutinised to ensure period correctness, race provenance and authenticity, having been whittled down from more than 1000 applications.

The open paddock at this celebration of motor sport history is a fabulous bonus.

Want even more? Car Week kicks off with the Monterey Pre-Reunion over the previous weekend of August 7-8. Here, around 300 competitors get valuable track time in a less full-on environment. www.weathertechraceway.com

Magneto

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Coming Soon

BELOW Scenes from Chattanooga Motorcar Festival and the Audrain Newport Concours.

MONTEREY CAR WEEK

RADNOR HUNT CONCOURS

August 6-15, 2021

September 10-12, 2021

Californian auto extravaganza includes Concours on the Avenue, McCall’s Motorworks Revival, The Quail – A Motorsports Gathering, Pebble Beach Tour, Concours d’Lemons, Concorso Italiano, RetroAuto, Monterey Motorsports Reunion and the Pebble Beach Concours.

www.radnorconcours.org

www.seemonterey.com/events/ sporting/concours

BROOKLANDS SUMMER C L A S S I C G AT H E R I N G August 22, 2021 www.brooklandsmuseum.com

I N T E R N AT I O N A L ST MORITZ AUTOMOBILE WEEK September 10-19, 2021 A new extended series of events has been built around the established Bernina Gran Turismo mountain race in Switzerland, including the Motorsport Rendezvous Concours d’Elegance, Kilomètre Lancé – Alpine 1000, an RM Sotheby’s auction and even the Automotive Film Festival St Moritz. A perfect way to ease into the autumn.

CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE PA L E I S S O E S T D I J K

www.bernina-granturismo.com

August 27-29, 2021

September 13-17, 2021

www.concourselegance.com

www.heroevents.eu/event-schedule/ scottish-malts-2021

S C O T T I S H M A LT S

AMERICAN S P E E D F E S T I VA L

C H AT TA N O O G A M O T O R C A R F E S T I VA L

September 30-October 3, 2021

October 15-17, 2021

www.americanspeedfestival.com

www.chattanoogamotorcar.com

GOODWOOD MEMBERS’ MEETING

August 30-September 4, 2021

GRAN PREMIO NUVOLARI

LA JOLLA MOTOR CAR CLASSIC

www.peterauto.fr

September 16-19, 2021

October 1-2, 2021

October 16-17, 2021

www.gpnuvolari.it

www.lajollaconcours.com

www.goodwood.com

G O O D W O O D R E V I VA L

CONCORSO D’ELEGANZA VILLA D’ESTE

AUTO E MOTO D’EPOCA

TOUR AUTO

SALON PRIVÉ September 1-5, 2021 www.salonpriveconcours.com

CLASSIC GALA SCHWETZINGEN September 3-5, 2021 www.classic-gala.de

CONCOURS OF ELEGANCE September 3-5, 2021 www.concoursofelegance.co.uk

September 17-19, 2021 www.goodwood.com

KO P H I L L C L I M B F E S T I VA L September 25-26, 2021 www.kophillclimb.org.uk

AUDRAIN NEWPORT CONCOURS September 30-October 3, 2021 www.audrainconcours.com

October 21-24, 2021 www.autoemotodepoca.com

October 1-3, 2021 www.concorsodeleganza villadeste.com

CASTLE COMBE AUTUMN CLASSIC October 2, 2021 www.castlecombecircuit.co.uk/ race-days/autumn-classic

LAS VEGAS CONCOURS October 21-24, 2021 www.lasvegasconcours.com

GREENWICH CONCOURS October 22-24, 2021 www.greenwichconcours.com

H I LT O N H E A D ISLAND CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE

LIME ROCK H I S T O R I C F E S T I VA L

R A L LY T H E G L O B E C A R R E R A I TA L I A

September 3-6, 2021

October 2-12, 2021

www.limerock.com/ labor-day-historics

www.rallytheglobe.com/ carrera-italia-2021

November 7, 2021

BEAULIEU AUTOJUMBLE

ZOUTE GRAND PRIX CAR WEEK

LONDON TO BRIGHTON VETERAN CAR RUN

October 6-10, 2021

November 7, 2021

www.zoutegrandprix.be

www.veterancarrun.com

September 4-5, 2021 www.beaulieu.co.uk/events/ international-autojumble

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www.hhiconcours.com

FROM THE VERDON-ROE COLLECTION 2000 LISTER STORM GTM002, FIA GT CHAMPIONSHIP WINNER FIA GT Drivers’ Championship winner 2000, with Jamie Campbell-Walter and Julian Bailey n Lister Racing from 2000-2002, securing 2000 Team Championship, later with British privateers Création Autosportif in FIA GT n Extensive race history, including 4th place in 2003 GT Championship with Verdon-Roe, and 2004 appearance in Spa 24 hours n Race ready, offered direct from her period driver

1982 McLAREN MP4/1B-6 (M10) ex-Niki Lauda McLaren’s pioneering ground effect Formula One design, the first carbon fibre composite chassis n Design by John Barnard n Piloted

by Niki Lauda for the 1982 season, MP4/1B-6 won the British GP at Brands Hatch n Fully restored by TAG-McLaren for the company collection, including new monocoque, before passing to private hands n Winner of two FIA Historic Formula One Championships, raced by its current owner

14 Queens Gate Place Mews London SW7 5BQ +44 (0)20 7584 3503 www.fiskens.com

August 15, 2021 70th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

We can’t wait to start our engines, shift into gear, and gather with our friends again — and we will.

Stay connected with us through the Insider — our digital magazine sharing inspiring stories, insights and information about the Pebble Beach Concours and the collector car community.

Sign up at pebblebeachconcours.com/insider ©2021 Pebble Beach Company. Pebble Beach®, Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance®, and their underlying images are trademarks, trade dress and service marks of Pebble Beach Company.

Pebble Beach hits 70 – and Best of Shows return

Duke of Richmond on Festival of Speed and new events

Late Max Mosley remembered by his racing manager

What it’s like to take part in world’s most beautiful race

Bizzarrini is back with an ambitious development plan

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Words David Lillywhite

WHETHER OR NOT YOU ARE going, whether or not it’s already been and gone by the time you read this, you should know that the delayed celebration of the 70th anniversary of Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance includes a line-up of a significant proportion of previous Best of Show winners, including the fabled firstbuilt Bugatti 57SC Atlantic.

At the time of writing it is impossible to say how many will be in the line-up due to COVID-related entry restrictions into the US – although it’s expected to be more than half of the 69 previous winners.

One highly significant victor there will be the 1931 Pierce-Arrow 41 LeBaron Town Car Cabriolet that was entered by 1955 by Phil Hill, later to become the first US Formula 1 champion. This car’s significance is as much about it being the firstever classic to win at Pebble Beach, because in the concours’ first few years it was based around new cars, not classics, as an accompaniment to the Pebble Beach Road Races.

Hill changed the face of the event, and it was the standards of his restorations of cars that before had just been thought of as ‘old’ which led to them being appreciated as rolling works of art. Until Hill’s 1955 triumph, three winners had been new Jaguars (a MkVII saloon and two XK120s), one ’Healey 100 and the first, in 1950, a new Edwards R-26 special.

Incredibly, only two post-war cars

‘Although many cars have been re-restored, Best of Shows chart progression in renovation standards’

The greatest concours lineup on earth?

A remarkable display of previous Best of Show winners will mark the 70th anniversary of Pebble Beach

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have since won Best of Show: a 1964 Maserati Mistral, back in 1968, and Jon Shirley’s 1954 Ferrari 375MM Scaglietti, in 2014. Both are expected this year. Others anticipated include the Voisins of the Mullin Museum (1934 C-25 Aerodyne) and Sam and Emily Mann (1934 C15), along with Duesenbergs, Delahayes, MercedesBenz roadsters, Daimlers, TalbotLagos, a Horch 853, and recent winners such as David and Ginny Sydorick’s Alfa Romeo 8C and Sir Michael Kadoorie’s Bentley 8 Litre.

Although many cars have been rerestored since their wins, the Best of Shows do chart the progression in renovation standards, from basic, to glitzy and over the top, to the current originality-respecting levels.

We’ll show pictures afterwards on the Magneto website, and will also be producing the 70th anniversary book (details on page 16). Pebble Beach takes place August 15.

See www.pebblebeachconcours.net.

1955

1968

1978

BELOW Just some of the Best of Show winners expected to return to Pebble Beach this year.

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1963

1972

1977

1980

1983

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Words Marco Makaus

Photography Alberto Novelli

What did Enzo really say about the E-type?

The Ferrari boss once called Jaguar’s sleek Roadster “the most beautiful car in the world”.

Or did he? We dissect the phrase that caused shock waves around the planet

ENZO FERRARI HAD A VERY complex personality. He was famous for speaking his mind very clearly, but also for playing mind games. We will never know if he said something because he really believed it, or to create an unexpected reaction.

Gino Rancati was one of Italy’s most influential motoring journalists.

Among other things, he was the first to introduce the subject on TV. He also wrote a good number of books.

In 1977 he published Ferrari, lui – later translated and published as Ferrari, the Man. It was a long interview on Enzo’s life, achievements and troubles, and only Rancati – who had a personal relationship with Ferrari – could have made it.

Towards the end of the book he asked Enzo what cars he liked, and the reply was: “The E-type Roadster is the most beautiful car in the world, and, could I afford it, I would love to own a Rolls-Royce.” This last part is particularly important, because Ferrari was a very affluent entrepreneur and probably in 1976-77

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‘Did he really think the E-type was beautiful? A man who never, ever spoke about rivals’ cars?’

he could afford to buy not only a Rolls, but the entire company.

So, here we go; he said something that was not true and anybody could argue it was not true. Did he really think the E-type was the most beautiful car? Better than his own 250 California Spider, for example?

A man who never, ever spoke about rivals’ cars, let alone praised them?

In 1992 I published an Italian book on the E-type, and I quoted the phrase from Rancati’s book. I gave a copy to the chairman of Jaguar Italia in the company’s Rome base.

Come 2011, someone there had to write a press release for the E-type 50th anniversary. They found the book and read it. This way, the nowfamous sentence was used in the Italian press release, and when the British PR saw it, they quoted it, too. It was then published all around the world.

One can only imagine the reactions in Maranello, where you could not even park unless you had a Fiat Group car!

ABOVE Author Marco Makaus used the famous quote in his E-type book.

LEFT Enzo was a capricious and provocative man, who relished making statements for effect.

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Starter

Aston Martin A3 is in A1 condition Top-flight restoration gives oldest marque model in existence a new lease of life in time for centenary celebrations

Words John Simister

MEET THE OLDEST ASTON Martin in the world; the third car thus branded to be built by what was originally the Bamford and Martin company, and the most senior survivor. This is the year of its 100th birthday, but despite its age it is fully functional and fighting fit.

Magneto had the chance to drive chassis no. A3 at Brooklands, where a chunk of its early history was made.

Most significantly, driven by Bertie Kensington Moir it took several light-car speed records including 100 miles at an 86.2mph average.

That happened in 1921 when A3 was virtually new, meaning that its normal, black-painted bodywork had barely been fitted before it was ousted by a streamlined, long-tailed replacement.

The original look was soon reinstated, but over the years A3 took on other guises. First came a lower, racier one, by which time the factory had renumbered the chassis to 1918 and re-registered the car from AM 270 to XN 2902. Some time later, A3 gained a wire-wheeled, wider-bodied, short-tailed, cyclewinged look redolent of the 1930s (plus, finally, brakes on the front wheels), and its origins faded into history. Not until 2002 did a sharpeyed expert at the Bonhams auction house spot the A3 marking on the chassis and realise its significance.

The Aston Martin Heritage Trust raised the money to buy A3 a year later, and commissioned a restoration intended to recreate the original as-built look without necessarily honing the mechanicals enough for regular reliable running. Various maladies afflicted the car over the following years, mainly with regard to the gearbox, the differential and, latterly, the engine, but pre-war Aston specialist Ecurie Bertelli has now rendered A3 fully fit at last.

When I meet it at Brooklands, the engine is still running in.

Today, A3 looks magnificent with

LEFT FROM TOP A3 returns to Brooklands, scene of its early achievements.

Unique chassis

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stamping revealed its true ID after decades of operating ‘incognito’.

its torpedo-esque bodywork, castaluminium artillery-look wheels, ample wood and spindly demeanour.

Under the bonnet is a sidevalve, monobloc, four-cylinder engine of 1487cc and maybe 38bhp, fed by a brass SU ‘sloper’ carburettor.

Beneath my feet are pedals arranged with the accelerator in the middle; by my right knee is a gearlever whose gate is rotated 180 degrees from normality so the pattern is both back to front and upside down. And no synchromesh, obviously. Not even constant mesh; it’s proper vintage sliding pinions in here.

The A3 starts instantly. It can’t idle for too long because there’s no fan and it gets too hot. It does have a water pump, though; unusual in 1921, when simple convection currents usually did the job. The oil-bath clutch engages smoothly, the throttle feels keen and we are off, soon discovering the optimum doubledeclutch technique except for fourth, for which crunch-free engagement remains tantalisingly elusive.

The very thought of driving a century-old car might fill one with wonderment, yet in its architecture and the way you make it move A3 is recognisably related to today’s cars.

Not in the way you make it stop, though; as part of its reversion to original spec, A3 once again does without front brakes. Pressing hard on the pedal and pulling hard on the handbrake tensions two sets of cables and applies maximum effort to the rear wheels, but that’s no help if the road lacks grip.

This engineering blind spot, found across the motor industry until the mid-1920s, is the only scary aspect to driving this otherwise remarkably capable and usable machine. The oldest Aston in existence lives and breathes, and the final restoration is fabulous. I hope the buyers of today’s Aston Martins appreciate how it all began.

Starter

Words Tom Coulthard

Photography Motorsport Images

Goodbye to a giant-killer JOHN SPRINZEL BECAME ONE of the best-known drivers of his era despite never racing single-seaters, which didn’t interest him. What he really enjoyed was modifying a production car within the regulations, and then driving the wheels off it in some of the world’s top-flight events.

These giant-killing feats endeared Sprinzel to the public. He took part in more than 100 International competitions, in over 40 makes of car – from an 803cc Austin A30 to a Holman Moody 7.0-litre Ford Galaxie – and he was a member of the works teams of 11 different companies. He led the trio of Austin-Healey Sprites that won their class one-two-three in the 1958 Coupe des Alpes.

Sprinzel became the 1959 British Rally Champion, co-driven by Stuart Turner. But John’s best individual results came in 1960: third overall on the Liège-Rome-Liège and second overall on the RAC Rally. On UK circuits in 1958, he’d nearly won the inaugural British Saloon Car Championship, taking the 1.0-litre class. In 1960, he achieved another class win at the Sebring 12 Hours in a special-bodied works Sprite.

He wrote four books and countless articles, too. In addition, he was the commentator for ITV’s World of

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Sport Rallycross coverage. John took his own MG Midget on the 1968 London-Sydney Marathon, and went on to organise the 1970 World Cup Rally for the Daily Mirror, described as the toughest rally of all time.

He was born in 1930 in Berlin, but in 1933 his film-director father was sent to Britain to set up Paramount’s London office, and the family settled in Golders Green. Years later, after National Service, John built up the silk-screen business his father had set up to publish his mother’s fashion sketches. Soon they were printing waterslide transfers for everything from Dewar’s whisky bottles to plastic mugs for the Queen’s coronation.

In 1955 he read that entries were opening for the British International Rally, and he turned up at the RAC’s Pall Mall HQ so early that he was allocated start no. 1. He secured the loan of his mum’s year-old Austin A30 for what he said was a “touring holiday with friends”, but was rumbled when the elder Sprinzels spotted him in ITV news coverage of the start... He was soon forgiven, having come sixth in a class of 20.

John bought a Triumph TR2 and went rallying seriously for a season, before realising that all the other ‘likely lads’ were in TRs. To get

Motor sport all-rounder John Sprinzel has died at 91, but what a life! And wait ’til we tell you about the windsurfing...

ABOVE Sprinzel contested more than 100 International competitions. noticed, he bought a run-out A30 that had been works-modified to A35 spec. For the race experience, he signed on for the Whit Monday Bank Holiday meeting at Goodwood in June 1957, and duly won the handicap event. When John Bolster interviewed the young driver about his Austin’s “extraordinary speed” live on a BBC broadcast, Speedwell Performance Conversions was born.

In 1959 Sprinzel was asked to set

up the Speed Equipment Division of the Donald Healey Motor Company, with the promise of works drives in the World Sports Car Championship.

John worked with Geoffrey Healey to draw up homologation papers for the Sebring Sprite, which achieved that class win at the Florida circuit.

Donald Healey allowed John to buy the Speed Equipment Division and set up his own garage business in Lancaster Mews in west London, which became a go-to destination for those with speed in their hearts.

John also sold new models, gaining a Marcos dealership through which he met his life-partner Caryl. Having lived the ‘good life’ on a smallholding with an old windmill, in 1979 they started windsurfing and eventually represented Greece three times in the World Championships. They started a windsurfing school on Corfu and another on Turkey’s Aegean coast.

Before long, sailboarding champ Robby Naish invited them to Hawaii, where the weather and high winds proved irresistible. They moved there, retiring from windsurfing only at the end of the 1980s and building a secluded house. It was there they lived until John passed away aged 91 after a short illness. He’s survived by Caryl and a large extended family.

Photo: Blue Passion

21 - 30 APRIL 2022

One of our original events, that provides the keys to unlock the gateway for enthusiasts to explore the magical roads of Europe is back for another springtime adventure, starting once again at the Brooklands Museum. An overnight ferry gets us quickly onto the continent, where the tulip route book for this 10-day exploration of Europe will guide competitors through everchanging landscapes and it won’t be long before the trappings of modern life are forgotten,

APPROX. LENGTH OF ROUTE:

and one settles into rally life. Through the vineyards of France, to the Pyrenees and the first opportunity to explore alpine regions and on to new roads in Andorra, with the principality an exciting new addition for the 2022 event. Spain follows, and the Picos de Europa will surely smash any preconceptions about what the Spanish terrain has to offer before dropping onto

3,000 KM

the flatlands and onwards towards Portugal where the final three days of the event will twist and

10

turn towards Lisbon. London - Lisboa is an ideal opportunity to enjoy the romance and cultural experiences of Western Europe from the exciting viewpoint of your classic car, and is rewarding beginners and experienced crews alike.

APPROX. LEG DISTANCE:

350 KM DAYS:

VEHICLE ELEGIBILITY:

Pre 1986

hero-era.com enquiries @ hero-era.com | +44 (0) 1869 254979 @ heroerarally

2021-07-ad-magneto-L2L-230x290.indd 1

07/07/2021 14:46

Starter

‘HOT ROD’ AND ‘STEALTH’ ARE two terms not often seen together.

But they perfectly describe the Porsches emanating from Workshop 5001 since 2014, the year the firm opened in Southern California.

The 911s seen here reflect the philosophy. “The authentic driving experience of vintage cars is what people lust after,” proprietor and ace engine builder Marlon Goldberg says, “but older cars feel slow compared to modern ones. We bridge the gap, give them guts while keeping that vintage authenticity.” He dubs the builds Sports Purpose Makeovers, where a ‘sleeper’ packs a hot engine and has everything else precisely engineered so there is marvellous symmetry to the entire package.

Which leads us to the stocklooking yellow 911. “This is what most clients do,” Goldberg notes.

“They want a hot rod, something faster than their original car, but no one will know what has been done.”

Under the rear decklid of that 1972 F Series lurks a 235bhp twinplug 2.8-litre motor that gives it the power-to-weight ratio of a 993 but

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Words and photography Winston Goodfellow

These ‘sleepers’ ain’t tired How So Cal’s hotrodding heritage has informed a new generation of Sports Purpose Makeovers from Porsche specialist Workshop 5001

in a lighter, more responsive car.

The more extreme blue 1974 Carrera highlights how every Workshop 5001 build is not ‘cookie cutter’ but unique. “The owner wanted to Autocross, so we crafted it as a weapon for that,” Marlon says.

They located a ’74 Carrera with a Sportomatic “that was in pieces and needed to be restored. I won’t ruin someone’s nice car; we build from models facing uncertain futures…”.

Power comes from a 350bhp 964’s 3.6 rebuilt to 993 RSR specs with RSR pistons and cylinders, custom cams, special rods and a MoTeC computer for brains.

The commissioning client desired a manual transmission, so a trick gearbox was custom made. The front end has 935 parts, Öhlins and more are found in back, and on the road this 911 is surprisingly tractable and lively. Floor the long-travel pedal, and the inline-six feels like it will rev forever with a cascading power delivery that’s quite addictive the higher the tach needle climbs; above 4500rpm the engine lets loose with a hair-raising deep bellow that will

have you convinced you’re riding shotgun in Steve McQueen’s 917 in Le Mans. The nicely weighted gearbox has a crisp gunbolt action, and the steering is quick but not overly darty. The ride is relatively firm yet something I could live with.

Everything about the car feels robust and well honed, reflecting what Goldberg calls the “classic training” he received when he talked Andial partner Dieter Inzenhofer into an apprenticeship not long after Marlon and his wife moved to LA. Goldberg’s father sent out his Carrera Cabriolet, and they built a 3.8 engine for it.

Marlon says his teachers didn’t know they were hot rodders, for “clients started asking them for racing parts on their cars. Dieter and his guys became influenced by California’s hot rod culture, but maintained a classic factory mentality where the key was figuring out what doesn’t work.”

Workshop 5001’s stealthy Porsche hot rods use the same, meticulous approach. The firm also does complete restorations and service work for local clients.

More at www.workshop5001.com

DRIVEN BY CHAMPIONS

HEAR THE ROAR OF THE V16 AND EXPERIENCE THE RE-AWAKENING OF BRITAIN’S ORIGINAL F1 TEAM

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*TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY. SEE WWW.BRITISHRACINGMOTORS.CO.UK FOR DETAILS. COMPETITION CLOSES SEPTEMBER 1ST 2021.

How do you feel now the Festival of Speed has taken place?

It’s a great relief, that’s for sure. It was a good feeling to get going again.

It had been dreadful because we didn’t know what was going on, we only announced it two weeks out [when the Festival was granted ‘pilot event’ status]. We just committed to building the event hoping it was going to happen, so it was a big risk.

How confident were you that the Festival would go ahead?

We’d been talking to the DCMS [Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport] for a long time, and everybody was very supportive and helpful. We had to explain how we were going to do it and why we would be a suitable venue for a pilot event: most people drive here, it’s a very, very big site, it’s all outdoors, and we had already committed to building the indoor structures such as Future Lab, the Drivers’ Club, all those areas, differently so they were more open. We also spread everyone around the site much more than in previous years.

Words David Lillywhite

Photography Jeff Gilbert/Alamy

And what were your highlights of this year’s Festival of Speed?

My gosh... well, having Mario [Andretti] here for the first time in a long, long time, and having Emerson [Fittipaldi] drive the Lotus turbine was pretty amazing. Roger Penske was great; the last time he was at Goodwood was in 1963, racing a GTO. We’d been having friendly conversations for 20 years; he finally decided it was time to come. And then just all those people who managed to come... it was amazing.

of Revival for bikes. We’re going to introduce it this year at Revival and run it in 2022. The world road-racing championship was here in the ’80s, so there’s quite a bit of history. We’re going to start a Goodwood Cycling Club, too. And there’s our Goodwoof event, a sort of Festival of Speed for dogs. It’s a celebration of dogs and their health and wellbeing – there will even be a featured ‘marque’ of dogs, and a competition for the best kennel designs, called Barkitecture [laughs again]: Foster, Hopkins, Jony Ives, Marc Newson... they’re all designing kennels!

How has the pandemic affected the Goodwood Estate?

We’re so caught up with big events and hospitality that it’s had a huge impact. It’s going to take years to get over. The Goodwood Supporters’ Association has been amazing; they almost all carried on paying their memberships to help.

What’s next for Goodwood? Can you even do any more?

[Laughs]. We have actually got a few things coming out... Next year we’re going to launch Eroica here; a sort

I know you like dogs, but are you a keen cyclist, too?

I love bicycles! I’ve got a few nice ones. I had a lovely Belgian racing bike hanging in my studio years ago, and now I’ve got a rather nice Pashley Guv’nor.

What are you most looking forward to from the Revival and Members’ Meeting this year?

We have very big plans for a proper celebration of Stirling Moss at the

Starter

Revival with all the cars, and we’re doing a Festival of Britain celebration, too. The Members’ Meeting is looking strong – there will be a surprise announcement on that soon.

Are there any of your heroes who haven’t yet attended Goodwood?

Well, the two big ones that sadly never made it were Senna and Schumacher. The World Champion we can’t persuade is Keke Rosberg.

We try every year! AJ Foyt is another one – we’ve tried him lots of times.

I’m letting you into all my failings...

How is your collection of cars and motorcycles looking lately?

My collection hasn’t grown much, annoyingly. I did buy a nice old Rolls-Royce 20/25 shooting brake, which I absolutely love. We use it on the shoot, and it’s really good [off-road] because it’s got such thin wheels. It’s got three rows of seats, so I use it to take people around the shoot. It’s such good fun!

For events see www.goodwood.com.

Revival is next, on September 17-19.

INTERVIEW

The Duke of Richmond and Gordon Goodwood’s driving force looks back on a stressful Festival of Speed and talks of plans for the Revival, Members’ Meeting and two exciting new events...

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Words Nathan Chadwick

Illustration Peter Allen

Collector cars; the hidden cost of Brexit As the implications of recent changes within Europe sink in, dealers, owners and racers alike are counting the cost.

But it’s not all bad news...

IT’S BEEN MORE THAN SIX months since the United Kingdom formally left the European Union, and the ripple effects of that are only just becoming fully known to the collector-car world due to the distraction of COVID-19.

Where once collectors could buy, sell or transport cars into Europe and back without tax or customs fees, this is no longer the case. “If you were buying a Ferrari in Italy, you’d just bring it to the UK, do a NOVA (Notification of Vehicle Arrivals form), declare the car is in the UK, pay the tax and it’s registered,” says Max Girardo of Girardo & Co. “Now there are many more forms to fill out, and then five percent import duty if it’s over 30 years old. If it’s younger than that, it’s 20 percent VAT then ten percent import duty – the same cars have become a lot more expensive.”

Although Girardo says Brexit hasn’t helped his business due to the added complexity, it hasn’t had a huge impact and the challenges can be overcome. “Our business is very international, and very broad – while we are based in the UK, many cars and clients don’t come here,” he explains. “You just work with the system; where before I used to buy cars in Europe and bring them all back, there’s certain vehicles you don’t – it’s not worth the bonds, so I just keep them in Europe.”

It’s a view echoed by Gregor Fisken of Fiskens. “It is what it is,” he says. “I grew up in a generation when we had carnets, custom T-forms, and that’s just what life was. The reality of an awful lot of this stuff is

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political, punitive and unnecessary.

It’s harmful to the EU, it’s harmful to Britain – it’s a pain in the arse, but we’ve just got to get on with it.”

While Fisken foresees that the situation will be simplified and get better over the next four years, he’s yet to see many problems hit his business. “We get cars consigned to us from across the world, so we’re quite used to bringing them into the UK on a temporary basis,” he says.

“It’s not a colossal upheaval for us, but it has put more cost into what we do – that cost is in the paperwork and bureaucracy, and I loathe both.”

While cars are still being sold in and out of Europe, the bigger issues lie with transporting racing cars.

“The carnet side of it is utterly disgusting – that they would charge so much money so that someone can move their racing car around is absolutely wrong, wrong, wrong,” fumes Fisken. “A carnet could cost £30,000-£40,000 per year for an expensive, Historic car, and you don’t get your money back. Not many enthusiasts would consider that worth it – a load of enthusiasts who would have gone off to do the Spa Six Hours or Le Mans Classic will simply not bother.”

Even temporary carnets come with their own problems. “We were going to race at Le Mans with our Prodrive Ferrari 550, so we got a carnet,” says Girardo. “We had to post a bond – depending on how long the carnet lasts and car value, the price goes up.”

If that wasn’t tricky enough, then there’s the issue of time. “We had to send the car early to get some work done in France – then we’re under

‘It’s harmful to the EU, it’s harmful to Britain – it’s a pain in the arse, but we’ve just got to get on with it’

time pressure coming back because the carnet runs out three days after the race. We have to make sure the car is back in the UK on Monday, so we can cancel the carnet.”

Pandemic lockdown restrictions, and the corresponding lack of events, have masked the realities of the Brexit situation according to James Walker of classic car transportation firm CARS UK. “We’re really not going to see what the true impact of Brexit is until next year,” he says. “For us as a business, we’re used to completing customs entries for cars coming into and out of the US. It’s been an education

YOUNGTIMERS FEEL THE PINCH – OR DO THEY?

process for our customers as to how it works in and out of Europe.

“Gathering all the paperwork needed is something our customers aren’t best pleased about – it’s onerous, what with lots of different car documents, forms of ID, vehicle valuations and so on. A customs entry also costs money – £250 to export to Europe and €300 to temporarily import the other side – so if someone from the UK wants to compete in the Tour Auto it’s going to cost them an extra £1000.”

Fisken agrees that COVID-19 has covered up the worst implications of the carnet system, but points to a

spot of good old British ingenuity that might, at least temporarily and in certain cases, get around the issue: “The system is not fit for purpose – once we get through all of the pandemic, we are going to look at having road-registered [racing] cars.”

For rallying events, such as those run by HERO, cars can be driven over the border and then transported from there. This has helped HERO weather the storm, as its communications director Tony Jardine says: “There’s a determination among competitors, because people really want to go rallying – they’ll make it happen.”

Although cars older than 30 years are not liable for VAT upon import to the UK, plus five per cent import tax, the cost of buying a younger car from Europe has risen significantly. Collectors are staring down a ten percent import tax and 20 percent VAT. Neither Fisken nor Girardo see that values will change too much for left-hand-drive cars, but the increased cost of shopping in Europe might see a growth in right-hand-drive car values.

“It means that demand becomes more compartmentalised,” says Girardo. “The UK buyers look for UK cars, and put more value on them – it’s just supply and demand; they have a smaller pool of cars to choose from.”

The big issue is what happens to UK-registered left-hand-drive cars. Often seen as a less expensive way to own an exotic in the UK, with the added benefit of a wider worldwide sales opportunity, there are a lot of LHD cars in market circulation. However, values might not necessarily be as affected by increased export/import costs as might be imagined, according to Girardo: “You could argue that UK cars will stay the same value,” he says. “While there are fewer LHD cars for UK buyers to choose from [because Europe is too expensive], there are fewer buyers for LHD cars already in the UK. The good thing is that UK collectors are relatively open minded about LHD cars, but that means such cars in the UK will only have a market in the UK.” Fisken doesn’t believe LHD cars will become less popular. “If customs and carnets become too painful, you’ll have two markets, with a stronger market for RHD cars,” he says. “LHDs won’t become less popular, but I think a lot of people will be dissuaded from shopping in Europe unless you get a huge currency swing. If a currency is on your side and you can buy a better car in Europe for the end price, including the tax, then you’ll go through the process.”

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Words David Lillywhite

M1 Concourse puts Pontiac back on map NEARLY 120 YEARS AGO, THE area you’re looking at here, in Pontiac, Michigan, was home to the Rapid Motor Vehicle Company, building automobiles that by today’s standards were distinctly un-rapid.

Later it became a General Motors assembly plant, although again not home to anything especially fast.

Perhaps the most iconic product of the factory at that time was the six-wheel GMC Motorhomes of the 1970s. And then GM went bust, leaving the city of Pontiac to its own, suddenly jobless devices.

More recently, the brownfield factory site was bought by the private company Racer Trust, with the aim of turning it into one of a new generation of M1 Concourse collector-car centres where owners can store and exercise their vehicles away from the public road.

Situated at the end of Detroit’s famous Woodward Avenue, home of the huge annual Woodward Dream Cruise, it’s the perfect petrol-head location. Phase one of the project

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Latest events at new petrolheads’ paradise near Detroit will pull the crowds back to legendary ex-GM location.

We’ll see you there... was completed back in 2015 and it’s now moving into phase four, which means the finalisation of the new event centre along with even more private garages.

And that means there are now more than 250 garages, sold not leased, with prices starting at $176,000 for a 560sq ft unit. Owners are then able to modify the facilities to their own taste, with some sticking to refrigerator and TV, and others going for the full ‘New York apartment’ style (plus car lift).

With the event centre comes, of course, two new events: the American Speed Festival and the Woodward Dream Show. M1 Concourse’s managing director Tim McGrane (best known for his previous roles at Blackhawk and Laguna Seca)

describes the former as “taking some of the best elements of the greatest events around the world”. It will take place from September 30 to October 3, with time trials on the 1.6-mile circuit and a celebration this year of Jim Hall and the Chaparrals. The ABOVE AND BELOW Pontiac’s M1 Concourse represents a new era of car storage ’n’ play facilities.

Daytona International Speedway will also be using the venue for its delayed 2020 and 2021 Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee ceremonies.

As for the Woodward Dream Show, this is timed to coincide with the Dream Cruise on August 20 and 21, to provide a place to view some of the more exotic machinery that can’t be driven on the cruise.

See www.m1concourse.com for more.

Starter

Words Nathan Chadwick

From Ettore to Rimac

B U G AT T I AUTOMOBILI SPA

Bugatti’s story is a long one, filled with as much drama as it is delight. The latest twist in its ownership tale happened in July, when the firm was combined with Rimac Automobili to become Bugatti-Rimac.

Here’s the tangled tale of Bugatti ownership…

OWNED BY… ROMANO ARTIOLI 1987-1995

BONHAMS, MAGIC CAR PICS

AUTOMOBILES E T T O R E B U G AT T I

ETTORE BUGATTI 1909-1947

ROLAND BUGATTI 1947-1952

Ettore Bugatti had been designing vehicles for Prinetti & Stucchi, De Dietrich, Peugeot and Deutz, but decided to strike out on his own with the Type 10 in 1909. He’d been prototyping it in his basement while working for Deutz, and when the contract ended he set off in the finished car, nicknamed ‘the Bathtub’, in search of a factory location – which turned out to be Molsheim.

For the next 30 years Bugatti presided over some of the world’s most luxurious cars and successful racers – and found time to expand into aeroplane engines and trains.

The death of Jean Bugatti in August 1939 testing a Type 57, swiftly followed by World War Two, was when the firm started to decline. Ettore died in 1947, and ownership passed to the families from both his marriages.

Development of its new range of cars stuttered to a halt, and within five years so did the company. The last model was the Type 101, of which nine were built. Two were converted, and one wouldn’t be completed until 1965 by Virgil Exner.

Artioli had made his name running a Ferrari dealership in Italy and Germany, and for importing Japanese cars into Europe. His passion, however, was for Bugattis, and with the encouragement of no less than Ferruccio Lamborghini, he bought the Bugatti trademark to form Bugatti Automobili SpA. A trio of former Miura engineers plus Paolo Stanzini and Marcello Gandini would combine to create the EB110 supercar.

Artioli’s own heavy input would lead to the departure of Stanzini and Gandini, to be replaced with F40 engineer Nicola Materazzi.

The EB110 was released into the early-1990s world recession, and this, along with the costs of developing the stillborn EB112 saloon and Artioli’s over-ambitious purchase of Lotus in ’93, led to the firm’s bankruptcy in 1995.

B ENGINEERING – EDONIS 1995-PRESENT DAY When Bugatti went bankrupt, vice chairman Jean-Marc Borel set up B Engineering. The EB110 would form the basis, but now with 671bhp, 3.8 litres, no turbos or 4WD, and Marc Deschamps design. Around 21 have been made; in 2018 Casil Motors took over the project to produce 15 more. B Engineering still services EB110s.

AEROPL ANE PARTS

HISPANO-SUIZA 1963

VIRGIL EXNER 1965 Exner, famed for his designs at General Motors, Chrysler and Studebaker, and for inspiring the Karmann Ghia, was winding down from his ‘fins and flares’ heyday as automotive tastes changed at the start of the 1960s.

Undeterred, he set about designing the Exner Revival Cars, which updated old marques for the 1960s. One of these was Bugatti; he got Ghia to craft a show car on a shortened Type 101 chassis for the 1965 Turin expo.

Cash wasn’t forthcoming, so neither was another car.

Although car production stuttered to a stop in around 1952, the aeroplane parts business continued. It was bought by Hispano-Suiza, who’d also long since sold off its car-producing arm, to the Spanish government.

SNECMA 1968-PRESENT DAY Snecma – now Safran Aircraft Engines – acquired HispanoSuiza, Socata and Bugatti in one swoop. Two years later, Messier and Snecma would join forces on landing-gear production, and further consolidation led to MessierHispano-Bugatti, changed to Messier-Bugatti in 1977.

Clearly liking triplebarrelled-names, British aero firm Dowty was merged to form Messier-Bugatti-Dowty in 2011, although this changed to Safran Landing Systems in 2016, presumably to ward off a world hyphen shortage.

B U G AT T I S A S

OWNED BY… VOLKSWAGEN AG SE 1998-2021

DAUER RACING GMBH 1997-2011 Bugatti’s sudden collapse left five half-finished EB110s and a lot of parts, some of which were bought by Porsche racer and 962 road-car converter Dauer. The upgraded model was based on the lightweight EB110 SS, but with 4WD and a carbonfibre body. Oh, and 695bhp. The company folded in 2008; the EB110 parts business was transferred to Toscana Motors GmbH in ’11.

Just before Christmas 1998, Ferdinand Piëch bought himself a present – the rights to the Bugatti name. Bugatti SAS was incorporated in 2000, and bought Château Saint Jean, Ettore Bugatti’s guest house near Molsheim, to set it up as Bugatti HQ. Snecma refused to sell the old Bugatti factory, so VW built a new one next to the château.

In the two years after taking the company over, Bugatti showed four Giorgetto Giugiaro-penned concept cars using a 547bhp W18 engine

that was based on VW’s modular engine group. The engine lost two cylinders for the EB 16/4 concept car of 2000, but this didn’t stop it producing 1001bhp.

Production was scheduled for 2003, yet delays meant it didn’t appear until 2005, whereupon it became the fastest car in the world.

The 16C Galibier saloon was previewed in 2010.

However, by 2013 the plan had been shelved in favour of developing the Chiron, which was unveiled in 2016.

R I M A C - B U G AT T I

OWNED BY... RIMAC AUTOMOBILI, VAG AND PORSCHE 2021The Bugatti project had been one of Ferdinand Piëch’s pet projects, causing concern among executives from the very beginning – it’s believed Bugatti lost millions on each car sold. Following his sudden death in 2019, VAG board members started to look at the future of the large number of marques he’d hoarded – Bentley, Ducati, Lamborghini and Bugatti – and their viability, with the costs of the VW emissions scandal weighing on their minds.

Rimac Automobili has made its name with electric supercars, and provides drivetrains to Jaguar, Koenigsegg, Aston Martin and Pininfarina. Talks at taking over Bugatti began in 2020, and in the end a new company was formed in July 2021 – Rimac-Bugatti. Rimac’s stake is 55 percent. As part of the deal, Porsche upped its Rimac stake from ten to 24 percent.

LEFT It is believed that VAG lost money – millions – on every Bugatti Veyron built.

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MOTORING DREAMS

AND

FLYING MACHINES

A SOUTHERN CLASSIC WHERE DREAMS TAKE FLIGHT

EVENINGS TO REMEMBER CREATIVE LIBATIONS .AND CUISINE

FLIGHTS & FANCY GALA

CAR CLUB SHOWCASE

CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE

FRI, NOV 5, 2021

SAT, NOV 6, 2021

SUN, NOV 7, 2021

Including the Classic Car Club of America’s Grand Classic ® , the STuTZ Club’s Grand STuTZ and the Legends of the Autobahn East

Featuring STuTZ as the Honored Marque

Opening night bringing the legacy of automotive and aviation together under the stars

HHICONCOURS.COM

Words Sarah Bradley

Photography Jacob Hawkins/Peter Allen

UK conceived its new operational base in ‘motor sport valley’, it wanted to mark its heritage in an interactive way which would relate the history of those early British clubs and events that continue to inspire motor sport organisation and regulation today.

The result – designed and project managed by Magneto art director Peter Allen, written by contributor

Damien Smith and sub-edited by managing editor Sarah Bradley – is a distinctive wall graphic that flows through the public areas, and will provide an evocative and informative backdrop to further planned car and memorabilia exhibits. Illustrated

by Ricardo Santos, and printed and installed by Signbox, the artwork was painstakingly developed in close consultation with Motorsport UK and its 60,000-strong community.

“It was a collaborative process,” says Peter. “We wanted to cover every motor sport discipline, not just the ‘glamorous’ events. It had to be democratic. From a design viewpoint I worked in Motorsport UK’s new branding and logo, and I was keen to get Ricardo involved

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Timeline of excellence Unique art installation at Motorsport UK’s new base celebrates British achievements on road and track – and Magneto creatives played a big role

FROM THE FIRST RAC TOURIST Trophy held on the Isle of Man in 1905 to Lewis Hamilton’s recordbreaking string of Grand Prix wins, what better way to chart an evolution of excellence on road and track than The Story of British Motorsport, a unique art installation at Motorsport UK’s brand-new headquarters?

The artwork, which celebrates the nation’s achievements in every form of competition, was created by none other than Magneto’s award-winning design and editorial team – and the ultimate accolade was its inspection by multi-Formula 1 World Champion Sir Lewis, who inaugurated the Bicester Heritage HQ on the eve of his recent British GP victory.

When governing body Motorsport

because I’ve always been a fan of his work, which is artful, playful but very technically accurate. Installing the wall wraps was nerve wracking, because the sheets are huge, but the result is spectacular. And to keep the timeline relevant, the final panel can be changed every year to incorporate recent British achievements.”

The HQ’s opening was attended by chair David Richards CBE and CEO Hugh Chambers, who showed Sir Lewis the work Motorsport UK is doing to sustain and develop safe, fair and fun competition. They also presented him with the Hawthorn Trophy, named for Britain’s first F1 World Champion Mike and awarded annually to the most successful British or Commonwealth F1 driver.

ABOVE AND LEFT Hamilton, Richards and Chambers inspect The Story of British Motorsport at governing body’s headquarters.

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Words David Lillywhite

Photography Amy Shore

IT’S SO CLOSE. SO VERY CLOSE. The project to restore the one-off Aston Martin Bulldog, and then drive it at 200mph, is in its final stages; the car should be running by the end of August, if not before.

Magneto has followed the project from the start, fascinated by this second chance for Britain’s first true supercar to finally achieve the top speed it was designed for, rather than the oh-so-close 192mph it achieved back in 1979.

Nigel Woodward at Classic Motor Cars in Bridgnorth, UK, where Bulldog is being restored, explains progress as Magneto goes to press in late July. “We’re into final assembly,” he says, “with the final build of the front suspension, which includes additional ride-height adjusters to allow the driver to raise Bulldog a few inches when necessary. This means it can now run at the original design height, which was too low to be practical on the road at the time.”

The height adjustment is enabled by hydraulic collars on all four corners, with the original hydraulic

reservoir for the left-hand door lifter now also supplying fluid for the suspension, rather than adding an unnecessary non-original part.

What else? “New brake rotors have turned up, as has the new windscreen [from Pilkington glass], which is good, because that could have been a showstopper,” continues Nigel. “The cooling pack is in, plumbed in and pressure tested, as is the air-con, about half the wiring loom is installed, the roof is on and the doors are about to be fitted. We are also working with Pirelli, which has been extraordinarily helpful in developing the tyres.”

Bulldog’s engine and gearbox are also under final assembly, both having been together and apart several times as the dry build was perfected and a number of one-off transmission parts were remade.

Within days of our conversation, Nigel is expecting to have a complete rolling chassis, most likely with engine and gearbox fitted.

From that point, it will be possible to install the rest of the wiring loom,

Bulldog edges closer to 200mph testing Meticulous restoration of the legendary Aston Martin supercar is nearly finished – and then its much-anticipated top-speed bid will begin

TOP AND ABOVE Bulldog’s engine is now near-complete, the suspension is installed and panels test-fitted to chassis.

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the remainder of the body panels and the interior trim, to the point that by the end of August Bulldog should be ready for its first start-up.

“We’ll set the car up on the hub dyno initially,” says Nigel. “It’s really handy for being able to check everything safely and to run the engine in. As with any restoration, we’ll then get some miles on the cars for a shakedown and de-snag.

“At that point, we’d usually hand the car back to the customer… but for Bulldog we then enter phase two of the project, the 200mph attempt.”

A suitable high-speed venue is currently being lined up for the topspeed attempt, which will see Aston Martin works driver Darren Turner at the wheel, overseen by Richard Gauntlett, son of the late Victor Gauntlett, who became chairman of Aston Martin towards the end of the Bulldog project. Magneto will be in close attendance.

You can find previous articles online at www.magnetomagazine.com – and watch for updates on the first engine start-up on Magneto social media.

1 –5 SEPTEMBER 2021 BLENHEIM PALACE

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Words Andrew Marriott

Photograph Getty Images

WE DREW UP OUTSIDE THE large metal gates of the Temple of Glory in Yvelines near Orsay, south of Paris. Built in 1800, this magnificent building was the home of Sir Oswald and Lady Diana Mosley, parents of the man I was sitting alongside – Max Mosley.

Max’s burgeoning career as a barrister was going well, but he had also been seriously bitten by the motor-racing bug – something I had actively encouraged. He was just embarking on his first full year of Formula 2 with a Brabham BT23C entered, rather grandly, by the London Racing Team.

We were heading to a meeting.

However, we had received word from Max’s mechanic Jon Redgrave that the transporter had broken down somewhere north of Paris.

The gist of the message was that he needed some francs to sort it out.

We found the transporter duly repaired, and after Mosley handed Jon the required cash we wished the truck Godspeed. Then Max turned to me: “As we are here, we might as well go and stay with my parents tonight.” I don’t think they even knew we were coming when we drew up outside the stately home.

Nevertheless, Lady Diana – author, book reviewer and one of the famous Mitford sisters – was unphased by the unannounced arrival of her barrister-turnedracing-driver son and a long-haired journalist-cum-part-time-race-team manager. A kitchen supper was

quickly served, and later the 6th Baronet Sir Oswald Mosley of Ancoats joined us, interrogating Max on how his racing was progressing – which to be truthful was less well than his legal career.

Politics wasn’t discussed, although it was regularly a subject during our road trips to races. I remember Max telling me that he was convinced his father would have become Prime Minister if he had not veered first to the Left and then violently to the Right. Sir Oswald was originally one of the youngest Members of Parliament, representing Harrow as a Conservative, then an Independent, and later becoming Labour MP for Smethwick, before founding the British Union of Fascists in 1932.

Fifty years after the overnight stay I have just recounted, I was sitting over lunch with Max in a pleasant and discreet Italian restaurant behind Harrods, catching up on the “old days”, and I recalled the story.

The then-78-year-old former FIA president remembered the incident with remarkable clarity.

Over the years, he founded March Engineering with three coconspirators, and their cars won in countless categories including Formula 1 and Indianapolis. With Bernie Ecclestone he guided F1 and the FIA into the world of commercialisation, and he then became FIA president for 16 years.

Along the way he’d inspired plenty of headlines, been involved in privacy issues and campaigned successfully

for road-safety matters worldwide.

But let’s get back to Max’s early days and how he first became intoxicated with racing. He blames it entirely on his wife Jean, whom he met as a teenager. One of their earliest adventures together was to ride a scooter all the way to Valencia in Spain, via that mansion in Paris.

At this time Max was studying at Oxford for a physics degree – he later switched to law – while Jean’s employer was a Silverstone flag marshal and thus had the offer of the occasional free tickets. Jean acquired the freebies for the 1961 Silverstone International Trophy meeting, so they set off, the scooter now replaced by an Austin-Healey Sprite. They got to Woodcote Corner fence as the Formula Junior race completed its first lap. Max’s autobiography said: “I knew at that moment it was something I absolutely had to do.”

After taking his finals he went to one of the very first racing schools, at the disused Finmere Airfield near Bicester, and did some laps in an old Cooper Formula Junior with leaf-spring rear suspension. I, too, attended the same Motor Racing Stables course and drove that very car – the same year as Max. By now he’d traded in the Sprite for a Lotus Elite that he had bought from Sports Motors, Manchester – a garage run by successful Formula Junior driver Rodney Bloor. As he tucked into his pasta all those years later, Max revealed a secret about the car: “I loved it, but I had to sell it when I

Max’s racing days Former Brabham boss and FIA head, the late Max Mosley, is remembered by his original racing manager – a veteran journalist and broadcaster himself

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PREVIOUS PAGE Mosley, pictured in March 1968, left an indelible mark on the worlds of motor sport and road safety.

LEFT Max’s first Brabham F2 race, at Hockenheim on April 7, 1968. It was the event in which Jim Clark perished.

started racing because I needed the cash and a suitable tow car. Recently, I bought it back. Someone spotted it in an auction catalogue and said to me ‘you used to have one of those’. I looked at the photo, and it was my car. In the write-up it said ‘bought originally by a Mr Mosley from Sports Motors’. I thought if they realised the connection the cost might escalate, so I got a friend to buy it for me. I still drive it occasionally and still love it.”

By this point Max had successfully made the switch to law, and was called to the bar in June 1964. The motor-racing bug was still burning, but now he had a realistic chance of earning enough money to buy a racing car. Cases included briefs from the RAC to defend erring motorists, although this did give him a respect for the traffic police and their dealings with road accidents – a topic he later became passionately involved with at the FIA. Finally, in early 1966, he had earned enough money to realistically scan the second-hand racing advertisements. He came close to buying a Lotus 7 before opting for an engineless Mallock U2, which he would contest in the Clubmans Championship, then (as now) a successful and popular series for front-engined racing sports cars.

One of his cousins had an interest in the Chelsea Lotus dealer Len Street Engineering, which installed a push-rod Ford 109E motor in the Mallock. A first test at Silverstone convinced Max he’d be polishing some trophies pretty soon. As so many aspiring racers have found out, it is rarely that easy; he was lapped in his first race at Snetterton. But he

was delighted that the insular motorracing world wasn’t really aware of his background or simply didn’t care, for his family name had earlier hampered him when he attempted to stand for Oxford Union president.

He quickly discovered that trying to run a racing car without any trained mechanics was futile, and he was able to hook up with Dave Reeves, of Meadspeed in Walthamstow. With Reeves’ help the car was transformed, and by the end of Max’s first season he was starting to run near the front.

He was earning extra money from teaching law, and bigger cases were coming along, so for 1967 he purchased a new U2 Mk6B complete with a powerful John Young engine.

His first race that new season was back at Snetterton, and he had the wonderful feeling of taking the chequered flag for the first time.

Max even made his International racing debut in the car in a F2 race at Crystal Palace in the British United Airways Trophy meeting in May. He did this by the simple expedient of taking the four mudguards off the U2. Officials weren’t very keen, but with his lawyer’s logic and eloquence he was allowed to start. It was a twoheat and a final event, and Max was lapped twice and finished last in his heat. But he had shared the grid with the likes of Jacky Ickx, Bruce McLaren, Piers Courage and the man who was later to become his business partner, Alan Rees.

McLaren had graciously given him some driving tips in the paddock. Between practice and the race, Max found time to bolt the wings back on and head to Brands Hatch where, utilising Bruce’s hints,

‘Max recalled a conversation in which Denis Jenkinson had said: “If you are going to make it to F1, we’d know by now”’ he won – and he also lowered the Clubmans lap record by over a second.

It was about this time that I met Max, and we discussed his possible move to F2 the following year. At that point, as well as working as a motoring journalist covering F2, I was also handling the career of several drivers. Back in those days in both Formulas 2 and 3, obtaining entries in foreign races was quite a difficult process – even down to the sending of telegrams and negotiating starting money as well as permits from the RAC and so on.

My main driver – and also my flat-mate – was a former top karter called Chris Lambert. A plan was hatched where he and Max would buy brand-new Brabham BT23Cs for the forthcoming 1968 season, and enter under the London Racing Team name to give the operation some gravitas. Chris already had a year of F2 racing under his belt with a small budget from his father John who, together with a chap called Holderness, wrote a definitive student chemistry text book that remains available to this day.

In fact it didn’t work out as planned, because Max later decided

to have his car run out of Frank Williams’ place in Slough. Having now moved into the trademark and patent side of law, he was representing some big companies. This helped with the funding, while his cousin Henrietta Guinness also assisted with the budget, having seen him win a race at Mallory Park in the U2.

The car came in time for preseason test sessions at Brands, Thruxton and Snetterton. At the latter Max followed a guy who was going inordinately quick in a Formula Ford car. Back in the paddock the chap climbed out to reveal he was wearing simply jeans, a scruffy T-shirt and plimsolls. It was James Hunt.

Nothing really prepared Mosley for his first proper F2 race with the Brabham at Hockenheim. It came on a grey and rainy day, April 7, 1968 – the date may resonate with you. It was the race in which Jim Clark perished.

Despite the conditions, Max finished ninth of the 20 starters. He didn’t realise Jim had met his end until someone came up and asked him after the race if Clark was indeed dead. “I had been aware something had happened, because I’d seen an ambulance parked on the verge at a fast part of the track in the forest,” recalled Max. “I’d no idea it was Jim.” Max’s team-mate Chris Lambert finished third and fifth to take fourth overall. Chris told me that the lap before Clark crashed, Jim had put a finger out of the cockpit and waved him by, presumably worried by a probable deflating tyre. If Max was in any doubt that racing was dangerous, all such thoughts were dispelled that day.

At the second Hockenheim race of the year amidst a big slipstreaming

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group, Max’s Brabham touched Jo Schlesser’s car and became airborne at 170mph. Alan Rees literally drove under it. Amazingly it landed on all four wheels and ground to a halt, albeit with shattered suspension.

If Mosley needed any more reminding that F2 racing back then was stunningly dangerous, he saw the stark reality at Zandvoort in July when his erstwhile London Racing Team partner Chris was killed after an incident with Clay Regazzoni.

Meanwhile, Max had become friendly with both Jochen Rindt and Piers Courage, who both questioned why he went racing. His career as a barrister was progressing well, but the buzz of motor sport still had him in its grip and he enjoyed the company of his new-found friends.

Fifty years later Mosley recalled that first year of F2: “It was not only a big leap from a front-engined Clubmans car to F2, but I was so inexperienced. I think when I sat on that Hockenheim grid I had spent only about 17 hours racing, really nothing at all. It is hardly surprising I wasn’t on the pace. However, on the positive side I met and made friends with some of the biggest names in the sport – people such as Ken Tyrrell, Frank Williams and Colin Chapman – and this was to serve me well later.”

While hanging out at Williams’ Bath Road workshops one day, Max spotted a face that was familiar in a different context. He realised it was Robin Herd, who had been on the same physics course at Oxford.

Robin was doing a little moonlighting from Cosworth, re-designing the rear suspension of an F1 Brabham that Frank Williams had acquired for Piers Courage to race in the Tasman series. “We hadn’t seen each other for ten years, but we immediately hit it off. We had dinner and agreed we ought to get together and do something in motor sport,” recalled Mosley. That was the genesis of March Engineering.

Max still wanted to prove his worth as a driver, though. “I decided to give it another year, but rather foolishly in retrospect I bought a new Lotus 59, not really a favoured car. I should have stuck with the Brabham, which was well set up and worked well.”

Plotting with Robin and Dave

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ABOVE March Engineering’s Mosley, Alan Rees and Robin Herd discuss the Ford Cosworth V8 before the start of the 1971 F1 season.

‘The suspension collapsed, and I finished up in a camping ground utterly uninjured but with the car badly damaged’

Reeves of Meadspeed, a groundbreaking aerodynamic device was designed for the Lotus with a rear wing supported by two aeroprofiled supports. Max tested the car at Silverstone before the start of the season, and while it gave an immediate corner-speed gain it then ignominiously collapsed due to the forces it was generating. A stronger version was built, but no sooner was that done than the FIA reduced the maximum wing height, after both Graham Hill and Jochen Rindt had wings collapse in 1969’s Spanish GP So the unfair advantage had disappeared, although it had helped Max and Robin start to formulate ideas for the future. Mosley’s second year in F2 got off to an unusual start with an entry in what was called the third Premio de Madrid. The authorities at Jarama decided to run a non-championship F1 race, but with only two takers in outdated cars, they opened it up to Formula 5000 and F2 machinery, despite there being a Hockenheim F2 race on the same day.

I must have secured a decent amount of starting money, because Max elected to miss Hockenheim and race in Spain in one of just nine cars. Unfortunately, the Lotus had a fuel-injection problem and retired. Reporting the race for Motor Sport was our illustrious colleague Denis Jenkinson. Max remembered a heart-to-heart conversation with him there, in which DSJ had said: “If you are going to make it to F1, we’d know by now.”

Max’s next scheduled race was the F2 event on the Nordschleife at the Nürburgring, two weeks after the talk with Jenks. With little information on set-up available from Lotus, the car was bottoming badly during practice.

“I could smell the glassfibre, and

then the suspension collapsed at high speed, and I finished up in a camping ground utterly uninjured but with the car badly damaged,” remembered Max. He was immediately approached by a marshal, who had in his hand a nut that had fallen off the suspension; Mosley was lucky not to have become another racing statistic.

Once the car was repaired he headed to Snetterton for a test, and again survived another scare. This one was caused by a front disc brake shearing, although Max managed to avoid an argument with the Norfolk countryside.

The plans for March Engineering were really taking off by this time; Mosley was now working with Robin Herd, Alan Rees and Graham Coaker, setting up the business in Bicester.

The Lotus 59 had one last outing, but not with Max at the wheel; instead, the car was lent to a promising young Swede called Ronnie Peterson to make his F2 debut at Albi in the south of France in September. He proved there was little wrong with the car by coming home fifth.

Max’s racing career was over. Had he stayed with it, would he have reached F1 as many of his F2 rivals did? Today, with his intelligence and commitment, I like to think he may well have done so. But back then, I thought it highly unlikely – and that was assuming he stayed alive.

Instead he became one of F1’s big beasts, building up March Engineering and subsequently becoming a major part of the commercialisation of the sport and going on to be FIA president.

More recently he invested in startups in the Artificial Intelligence sector, and retained a stake in the Wirth Research business and in Global NCAP, an international charity focusing on road-safety issues around the world.

I wrote a profile on Max for Motoring News over 50 years ago when he was still racing. I said that he will be certain to write plenty of headlines in the future, but maybe not at the wheel of a racing car. It was one of my better predictions. Meanwhile, Max looked back on those early motoring and racing exploits with huge pleasure. I’ll miss him greatly.

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Words Kate Tojeiro

Writing the John Tojeiro story

LEFT Without John Tojeiro there would have been no Shelby Cobra or Ford GT40.

BELOW Daughterin-law Kate is now committing John’s life to paper – and maybe film as well.

GUNHILL STUDIOS

The daughter-in-law of the constructor and racer explains why she’s immersed herself in her legendary relative’s history

SAT ON A BENCH IN THE sunshine, I could hear the sound of a powerful engine note in the distance shifting and then idling. This could mean only one thing; a water-skier had fallen into the lake. I was visiting a French friend, an internationally renowned slalom instructor.

I looked at the bag on my lap, unexpectedly anxious. Within it was a bundle of letters tied with a red ribbon, handwritten in ink on vellum. The correspondence was between the late John Tojeiro’s parents over 100 years ago. John’s mother was English, his father Portuguese, but the only common language they shared was French.

She travelled through Europe in the 1920s with a friend and met Rui, John’s father. Despite her family’s disapproval she fled to Portugal and married him. When John was just three and his sister a baby, his father died in a freak boating accident. His mother returned to England with the two children and never married again.

Asking my French friend to translate these beautiful notes seemed like an immense intrusion, even though they were from a longgone era. The remarkable tale of romance and travel was compelling enough, but it was John’s story that

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piqued my interest. Several months previously, I had been sat upon a jerry can in the paddock at the Goodwood Revival, sheltering from the rain with my daughter. My outfit was beginning to give rise to that musty ‘wet dog’ smell that only vintage clothes seem to bring about.

A well dressed man ran towards us and tipped his trilby politely as he sheltered from the weather. “You’re Kate, aren’t you? The late John Tojeiro’s daughter-in-law? Without John there would be no Cobra. He was also the first to put an engine in the middle of a sports car, set the path for the GT40, a whole year before the Lola Mk6; not a well known piece of information that.

Must dash; Sussex Trophy!” he tipped his hat, smiled warmly at my daughter and I, and ran off to the pits.

A few days later, I was sat with a client (I’m an executive coach by day) who had also been at Goodwood, and I recalled the moment. He looked at me earnestly, and then smiled as he said: “I think you need to write his story, Kate.” I laughed at the ridiculousness of his suggestion.

Then, as my friend continued to translate the letters into English, the century-old romance viscerally emerged. His fiancée looked at me

unnervingly directly: “You have to write this story, Kate.”

That was 2015, and a journey of research and discovery began. I was fortunate and filled with gratitude to interview those who knew John and were happy to share their stories of racing his cars back in the day and being trackside in the 1950s and ’60s.

The wonderful custodians who own and race his machines today added colour and life to this deep, gentle man who created cars of speed, beauty and power from within, frankly, a very tatty garage.

Cavendish Morton, the Royal Society artist, designed the bodies

and, to me at least, they are works of art as well as fast, dangerous, competitive racing cars.

I checked the facts about when John put the engine in the middle of a sports car, and it was indeed before the Lola Mk6. I had lunch with one of his first employees, a delightful man who worked with him in the early 1950s and recalled how John turned a VW axle around and upside down long before Hewland. John just wanted to make something more efficient, so he did it; he wasn’t a businessman, but he did perhaps quietly want the recognition.

Shortly before John’s death, Carroll Shelby came to England and presented him with a photograph of a Daytona Cobra upon which he had written: “Without you John, it all would never have happened.”

My curiosity to write John’s story turned into a compulsive passion to seek out the man behind the design and engineering innovation. It is a tale of life, love and loss, but also the legacy of an extraordinary ordinary man with a slew of swimming medals, without whom the most iconic car of the past century wouldn’t exist.

Kate Tojeiro is being represented by literary agent Kerr McRae, for her book and/or film Without You.

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HAVING SAT AT MY DESK FOR A posture-damaging three hours, I made the fatal mistake of searching online for AC Acecas for sale. Two days later I found myself in the leafy London suburb of Wandsworth to inspect a 1955 Aceca-Bristol.

The ad had caught my eye because the photo was a grainy black-andwhite taken at Brands Hatch, rather than the usual full-colour, polished depiction. The car turned out to be far better than I expected, and the next day – after exchanges about the price – I became the owner of YPK 60.

At the inspection I was primarily concerned with title and condition; I didn’t grasp the importance of the date of registration. Then a friend remarked that, given the car was pre1957, I’d presumably be considering the Mille Miglia. So began the journey.

I spoke with many colleagues who had experienced ‘the Race’, as the Italians call it. As well as practical advice, they explained I’d be unlikely to gain entry at first time of asking.

If true, I determined that said first effort could be treated as a dry run.

The event’s website application

Words Clive Robertson

Photography Deutsche Bank

process could be filled out in English, thankfully, but before that I had to apply for an eligibility certificate, which in turn required me to obtain a FIVA Identity Card for the car.

Accredited inspector Paul Loveridge came to do a two-hour study majoring on history, originality and adherence to the specification as manufactured.

The card was issued last December, noting that the AC had run for some ten years with a 2.5-litre Lancia B20 engine, after the original Bristol unit had failed in Italy in 1968.

At this point, Sarah Porter signed up as my skilled co-driver and navigator. Apart from being gracious company, her computer skills broke the back of the admin. Many hours were expended in completing the application, not to mention collating and uploading documents including passports, driving and competition licences, ECG-based certificates, green card, plus the car’s registration document and certificates for both MoT and insurance.

March 9, 2021 was scheduled for the competitors’ list announcement.

By 6:30pm we were concerned that

my inbox was empty, but delving into my spam folder revealed the longed-for acceptance email. Hard to put into words the sheer jubilation and excitement that engulfed us; we would be driving onto the famous start podium in Brescia. Much Chianti was consumed that evening.

Now we had to deal with absolutes rather than possibilities. COVID had cast a dark shadow over all of us. The UK government had instigated a world-class vaccination programme, while Italy was recovering from the initial devastation of its elderly population; overseas-travel prospects were looking promising, although we realised much could change.

We debated whether it was appropriate to be contemplating such a venture. It was, after all, the realisation of a dream, but not being undertaken out of necessity. In the context of most UK and European classic events being cancelled or postponed, we reasoned that the organisers’ apparent determined approach spoke of, at the very least, local and possibly even government support of an event that would bring

Starter

much-needed economic stimulus.

Our confidence was misplaced, however, when the traditional May start was postponed until June.

Last year the event had been moved from May to late October, so we were initially incredulous. What difference could a month’s delay possibly make? Yet the organisers, other knowledgeable connections and fellow entrants alike all repeated the mantra that the 39th Mille Miglia would go ahead. I spent several hours immersed in the regulations regarding participant withdrawal, cancellation by the organisers and force majeure.

At this juncture we decided we had either to abandon the event and deal with the consequences, or press on until other agencies brought down the curtain. Who knew if we would ever get another chance?

YPK 60 was delivered to Stanton Motorsport for final prep. A larger fan plus a new dynamo and battery were fitted. Sump and exhaust guards were made. Heat insulation was installed between driver’s floor and exhaust. Transport was next on the agenda; should we drive the Aceca

Mille Miglia – the drive of a lifetime A spur-of-the-moment decision can lead to a unique opportunity, as Magneto’s legal columnist discovered. Here is his tale of participating in the most beautiful race in the world

ABOVE Legendary event sees hundreds of cars race from Brescia to Rome and back – for 2021, in an unaccustomed anticlockwise direction.

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ourselves and risk breaking down en route, or perhaps even trailer it to Brescia? Both seemed daunting prospects, given the 16-hour days behind the wheel that lay ahead. The only practical choice was to have the car transported overland, while we flew. We found a firm that could provide transport and mechanical support, while Ryanair took us and nine other passengers to Bergamo.

Scrutineering was booked for 2:00pm on Monday June 14. The six stages of enquiry each required an official stamp – despite the fact that we had already satisfied the online requirements. Mementos were generously proffered by Mille Miglia and sponsors Chopard and Hermes, including a very cool team watch.

We then had to push the AC, entry no. 308, under the keen gaze of three stern-looking scrutineers. A moment of high drama ensued; they resurfaced from beneath the bonnet to declare that the car was sporting the wrong

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ABOVE TOP Fans of both two wheels and four relish the Mille Miglia with passion.

ABOVE Just a taster of some of the delicious machinery that took part in this year’s event.

‘On through the shimmeringhot landscape where, in truth, the driver sees all but remembers only glimpses’

engine number as recorded by FIVA, and was therefore ineligible. It transpired that they’d alighted upon the cylinder-block number. Having redirected them to the less obvious number on top of the rear engine flange, sanity was restored amid much good humour. Despite the apparent chaos at scrutineering and general hubbub, the organisation and sponsorship staff were unfailingly courteous, charming and helpful.

Day two, Tuesday 15, commenced with a 30-car, police-escorted convoy to Brescia’s Piazza Della Vittoria.

Here, a small lead seal was fitted to each car’s steering column in a sealing ceremony that was apparently low key compared with the usual convocation of 375 cars in the city centre.

At last, the startline: 3:11pm, flag drops, down the ramp, 4500rpm in first, power on into second, brake and 90º right turn at the end of the red carpet, into a sea of cheering, flag-waving, tooting Brescians. An overwhelming, emotional moment, and surely the epitome of all that’s great about the Mille Miglia.

A short drive through the city, with throngs urging for more speed.

Into a Z-bend hillclimb, up through formal gardens and onto the open road. I relaxed for a second, and was passed by four cars in the blink of an eye. Back on the power to join in. That was the style of driving throughout.

On through the shimmering-hot landscape where, in truth, the driver sees all but remembers only glimpses, while the navigator is similarly afflicted by having to stay with the road book’s fiendish tulip diagrams.

Only in the speed-restricted towns and villages were we able to take in the extraordinary architecture.

The Bristol engine positively sung as we tackled the Passo della Cisa at 1040 metres above sea level.

Down to Viareggio on the coast, and the remains of a buffet supper.

Exhausted and into bed at midnight.

We made the 8:11am start time with seconds to spare, assisted by competitors 307 and 309 leaving a gap for us. Travelling down the west coast taking in various time-anddistance trials, we turned inland at Grosseto, reaching the walled city of Viterbo in the late afternoon. Hitting the outskirts of Rome near dark, we latched onto a Mercedes-Benz 300SL as pathfinder. After 45 minutes at 80mph we were hindered by a closed

underpass and a tar-laying machine.

Having negotiated those, and under threat of late penalties, we sped on through red lights, across tram lines and against traffic. We arrived at the final checkpoint bang on time.

Driving past the floodlit Victor Emmanuel II National Monument and Colosseum, we stopped for pizza and wine in a roadside cafe. We then collapsed into bed at the Marriott, exhausted by 16 hours at the wheel.

The need for sleep meant a customary ‘just in time’ start at 7:11am. The road took us north through Orvieto, Cortona, Arezzo and Radda in Chianti in the midst of the wine region. At this point Sarah was driving and, embarrassing to say, we got lost in Prato on account of my abysmal navigating. Sarah got us back in touch with the route; the Futa and Raticosa Passes lay ahead.

After his record-breaking 1955 Mille Miglia, and referring to the glee on the face of navigator Denis Jenkinson, Stirling Moss wrote: “I’d just been flat-out for six hours, and here he was, this wonderful nutcase, wanting me to go harder still.”

While obviously not possessed of the celebrated duo’s skills, Sarah and I were in our own way looking forward to emulating their “nutcase” antics.

Alas, the fates conspired against us.

We commenced the climb towards the passes, but by 8:00pm we started to lose power in heat that was, even at that time of day, in the high 80s.

No fluid was lost, nor was oil mixing with water, so the 1950s electrics became the prime suspect.

The valiant Aceca was recovered to the final Bologna stop; our active participation in the 39th Mille Miglia was brought to an end. The next day we managed to enjoy a splendid lunch hosted by the Automobile Club Verona in the city’s main square.

Then on to Brescia and the finishing ramp, to find our neighbouring crews – in an Ermini and an Alfa 1900 – enquiring where we had been.

Since returning home I have been consistently asked two questions.

Was the driving as dangerous as some say? There were certainly a few close calls, but given the fact of 375 performance cars covering more than 1000 miles in four days, the law of averages would suggest otherwise.

Would we do it again? A resounding yes from both of us. We have unfinished business.

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Starter

Words David Lillywhite

Rebuilding Giotto’s legacy Bizzarrini is back, initially building continuation cars but with an ambitious – and well-funded – ongoing plan

ONE OF THE LATEST MARQUES to re-emerge and leap into the world of continuation cars is Bizzarrini – once the eponymous powerhouse of one of the car world’s greatest-ever engineers, Giotto Bizzarrini.

This is the man responsible for the Ferrari 250GTO, Lamborghini V12 engine and a win at Le Mans in 1965 with the Bizzarrini 5300GT Corsa, a highly modified version of the Iso Grifo – among many other stunning achievements.

In 2015, Pegasus Brands, the Kuwait-based company headed by Rezam Mohammed Al Roumi and previously involved with Aston Martin (it still owns 50 percent of Aston Martin Works) was looking for brands to put its considerable might behind. At that point, it homed in on Bizzarrini.

CEO Christopher Sheppard takes up the tale: “I fell in love with the story. I remember briefing Rezam that we have discovered something here that is incredibly romantic, and he instantly fell in love with the story as well. Eventually we met with the vendor of the brand and concluded

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the acquisition of the business in August 2019. We’ve taken that time to really understand what we have.

Giotto’s story deserves to be told.”

So far, so good. The plan is to build 25 continuation Revival versions of the Le Mans-winning car, chassis 222 (now owned by Bruce Meyer), which Giotto famously drove back to Italy after the race. The first will be the development prototype; the following 24 (inspired by Le Mans) will be customer cars. Two versions will be available, one to FIAAppendix K spec for Historic racing, with a one-piece glassfibre body as with ABOVE AND BELOW Bizzarrini owns 5300GT, P538 V8 and V12, along with a period transporter.

‘Profits from the continuations will go towards the production of an all-new supercar’ the original model’s. The other will be in carbonfibre, but to an identical appearance as the original.

As with other continuations the 5300GT Corsa Revival will not be road legal, but there’s nothing to stop customers from having their individual cars lightly modified for IVA or the equivalent in their own country. No price has been officially announced, but we can make an educated guess that they will be around £1.5 million ($2m) each. Six orders have already been confirmed.

These brand ‘return stories’ have a habit of stalling at the crucial point of actually building the model, but Bizzarrini has sensibly chosen to partner with the renowned RML in Northants, UK for the continuations.

RML (from Ray Mallock Ltd) is one of the longest-established race-car engineering companies in the UK, now run by Ray’s son Michael. It works with major manufacturers on projects, race cars and continuations.

Bizzarrini has taken over a building

at RML and completed all the A-surface scans and CAD generation, which will be combined with more than 1000 original drawings to start producing body, chassis and other parts. The idea is to build the car to look as original as possible, but with a few added safety considerations.

And then? Profits from the sales of the continuations will go towards the production of an all-new Bizzarrini supercar, sketched out by Giorgetto Giugiaro, who designed the 5300GT while at Bertone “We went to meet him in 2019, and asked if he was sitting down with Giotto now designing a modern supercar, what form would it take?” recalls Christopher. “To see Giugiaro draw his ideas in front of us was just a thing to behold.”

The prototype 5300GT will be testing later this year, with the first customer car planned for handover in March 2022 and the last a year later. Work has started on the new supercar; the first of a planned run of 40 is expected in 2023, with more to come. A second continuation car will follow, along with a spider version of the supercar.

A percentage of profits will go towards a Bizzarrini Foundation to train young engineers in Pisa and Florence universities, where Giotto studied and lectured.

More at www.bizzarrini.com.

T H E WO R L D S R A R E ST C A R S c o ncours of elegance.co.uk

PRESENTED BY

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Words David Lillywhite

Photography Heidi Mraz

Motoring art, piece by piece American artist Heidi Mraz creates her work from thousands of fragments of historically relevant artefacts

ABOVE Hundreds of hours of research and sometimes tens of thousands of pieces go into Heidi Mraz’s art.

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“I STARTED DOWN THE automotive path, particularly in art, as a young child,” says Heidi Mraz over a long, entertaining Zoom call.

“My dad’s from Europe, and he used to talk about car styling a lot. One day we were in MoMA [Museum of Modern Art], New York, and I went running up the steps, and at the very top of the steps was this car on a platform lit by a spotlight. The title of it read A Classic Car (it was a Cisitalia). And my dad followed me up and said: ‘See, I told you.’ That was the first time I sort of thought about a car as art.”

Heidi went on to study art and then communications, too, started her own company and ended up working in automotive. But it wasn’t until she was bringing up her three sons that she returned to art, first starting up an artist consortium and art foundation in her town, and then discovering a local ‘cars and coffee’ event.

“I thought, well, now I have a target audience, but I also wanted to pay homage to the local vendors. So I gathered car magazines from all the local businesses and I started to cut them up and create this art. At first all that mattered was that it was from car magazines. And then I started doing crazy stuff! There was a Porsche RSR in Gulf Blue... I went through a couple of thousand magazines to find this colour. Then my son was looking at a magazine like this [pulls an intense face]. It was the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition. And the Gulf Blue was in the sky, in the water, all around these beautiful models.

“So I called this one Race Around the Curves, and created it out of just the swimsuit edition. And this is the first time I hid naughty bits in the

car. Let me tell you, everybody wanted to come and see if they could find a breast!”

From there, Heidi was off, creating an Alfa Spider from “fabrics and jewellery and beautiful blingy things” to reflect a comment made in an early test drive that “even a woman could drive it”, and the Ferrari 166MM ‘Uovo’ (Egg) from 3500 eggs. Then there’s the famous Bugatti raised from Lake Maggiore after nearly 75 years submerged, in order to raise money in honour of a local boy beaten to death by youths. Heidi painted a canvas out of water-soluble inks, took it to the very spot in which the car had lain submerged, and had the father of the boy who died take it down 170ft into the lake. The canvas was then used to create the artwork of the car.

Most recently, Heidi created Shaped by the Wind, a near-twometre-long artwork of the Racing Team Holland Porsche 906, using 1100 pieces of period programmes, names of previous owners, blueprints, test notes, mechanics’ records, auction records and photos. She then built a wind tunnel to blow a powdered orange pigment over and around a model 906 onto a primed canvas to record the shape of the car.

This is barely scratching the surface of the hundreds of hours of research and sometimes tens of thousands of pieces that go into Heidi’s art, but you can find more on her website. Or seek her out – you’ll find her at international car events.

“I feel like I’ve found my tribe, this group [of car people]. It’s almost like everything has come full circle, and I’m at a point now where I just really enjoy every day.”

See more at www.heidimraz.com.

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Starter

Words David Lillywhite

Photography Bonhams

What made James Knight exit Bonhams after so long?

When the MD of a major auction house moves away, questions will be asked…

Here are the answers, and James’s view on the market

IN APRIL IT WAS ANNOUNCED that James Knight, the head of Bonhams’ motoring group for 15 years and a director since 2000, would be leaving. So why did he go, and what are the market perspectives he’s gained over the years?

“Let’s scroll back to the beginning,” starts James, by way of explanation.

“I’m 18 years old, get a job at Christie’s as a furniture porter, and from the age of 18 through to 57 I work at Christie’s, Brooks and then Bonhams – but it was always a smooth transition with no time out for, say, a gap year. Just some holiday, maybe a week off for Christmas, and there you go.

“So I’d always thought that when I hit 60 the plan would be to actually get the gig that I’ve achieved today.

During the course of last year, it was apparent that Bonhams’ global motoring department needed more administrative management and support. I felt that it was important to free up Rupert Banner [US-based group motoring director] and myself to be more client facing.

“And to be fair to Bruno Vinciguerra, the CEO, he totally got it – and that meant we brought on some admin and it enabled us to bring Maarten ten Holder over from RM Sotheby’s. And it then gave me the opportunity to bring forward the gig that I’d always promised myself.

Bonhams didn’t want me to go, so I still have a foot in the Bonhams camp, but I’ve also had the freedom

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to create a company, James Knight Collectors’ Car Consultancy Limited.

It’s a win win, really.

“What I want to do is to work with a group of clients who are saying: ‘I’ve got this collection of cars. I know I’ve got some that I don’t want, I know I haven’t got some that I do want. Can you help me?’ I can offer that impartial advice and services – like the ultimate concierge, if you like. And that’s really what I want to carve out for myself in the market.”

And that market… How’s it looking now, we ask Jamie? “I think the market has been incredibly resilient. It’s not as strong as it was in 2014, 2015. It’s let off a bit of

‘The market has been incredibly resilient. It has let off a bit of steam –which it needed to’

steam, which it needed to because it was on a relentless rise. But it has let off steam as opposed to having a major correction – I remember the late 1980s and early ’90s, and that was one hell of a ‘correction’!

“Now only the very best examples will do, and there are new ways to buy [in person or via websites]. The older the car, the more people want to inspect it, for two reasons. The older the car can mean the older the potential buyer, and their brains are wired that they want to go to the auction to view the car. But, of course, the older the car, the more it might need looking at... When you’re dealing with a five-year-old Porsche, its miles, its service history, its options are what you look at. But I do think we’re going to see more migrate into the digital world.

“Also, what we regarded as used cars verging on popular classics have become proper collectors’ cars. The average age of the cars that appear in typical sales would have been early

1970s, maybe late 1960s. It’s creeping into the 1980s now, and the more digital you go, the younger the car.

“Now, what does that mean for pre-war models? I think any pre-war car that still has a name current today, and also has a sporting nature or particularly elegant coachwork will always be coveted. We know that the buyers of those cars are looking to do Mille Miglia, Flying Scotsman, those events that are always over subscribed. But I think the person who’s sitting on a fairly pedestrian Phantom II limo, who is dismayed with the assessment of value in 2021... well, if they want to revisit it in three years’ time, they’re probably going to be even more unhappy.

“You know there’s that food chain; when the cars at the top of the tree start to go up in value, everything else moves along. You might find some closing and widening of gaps, but that seems to be a vogue thing. The trick is guessing the next vogue…”

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Words David Tremayne

Seasoned by a childhood in the thrall of an unbending and distant – if undeniably courageous – father, Donald Campbell spent much of his adult life seeking to live up to the ‘speedking’ legend of his family name. That he did so withdetermination,gallantry and ultimate success, both on land and on water, speaks volumes about his character Illustrations Ricardo Santos

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Donald Campbell

ABOVE Pictured here with Blue Bird, Donald Campbell felt forever in awe of father Malcolm.

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ABOVE Preparing to tackle the salt at Bonneville in 1960, Donald proved an inspiration to a new generation of young engineers.

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THERE IS A WONDERFUL MONOCHROME British Movietone newsreel of Captain Malcolm Campbell, returning by ship in February 1932 from his successful foray to Florida’s Daytona Beach where he has raised his own Land Speed Record to 253.97mph with his famous Blue Bird. As soon as permitted, his son Donald, a rising 11, scuttles on board.

Dressed specially for the occasion in overcoat and bowler hat, the boy is bursting with importance as he rushes up the gangway towards his father, his right hand outstretched in an unmistakably grown-up gesture of greeting. Perhaps he has practiced it with his mother, who follows. But the Old Man either chooses not to see it or is flustered by the display of affection, and clumsily launches into his planned spiel for the cameras. The child looks hurt, but puts on a brave face.

In many ways Donald Malcolm Campbell, who would have turned 100 in March this year, never stopped being the young boy holding out his hand to his father, seeking parental approval that was rarely forthcoming. Everything he did in life was done with the innate (and often subconscious) aim of doing something of which his father might have been proud. Of proving that he too was a speedking, not just son of a speedking. Right to the end Sir Malcolm, as he became in 1932, cast a shadow which his only son, in his own mind, never escaped – even though his own achievements were every bit as impressive.

What must have it been like to be Sir Malcolm Campbell’s son? Malcolm had been a war hero, ferry pilot, military policemen, diamond trader, insurance pioneer, Lloyd’s member and a reasonable (although often hamfisted) racing driver. And he had broken the

Land Speed Record nine times and the water equivalent four. But he was also an egotistical and overbearing father with a sometimes cruel edge beyond which he would not countenance his son venturing to emulate him...

“I think it was very difficult to be Sir Malcolm Campbell’s son, rather than exciting,” Campbell’s third wife, the cabaret star and actress Tonia Bern, who died on June 14 this year, once told me. “Malcolm was a very cold-blooded man.”

When I mentioned that movie footage to her, her eyes sparkled. “Where Donald walks up the steps and he’s got the little bowler hat?

And goes up to shake hands? That made me fall in love with him! When we met at the Savoy in November 1958, three hours later we were in bed together! And three days later he showed me that movie and I thought: ‘My God!’ That little boy had learned a speech and he hesitated for a moment... and Malcolm Campbell tried to push him away. And I knew then how I would make this man love me forever, just by being kind. Because he had never had that from his father.”

“He was a terrific example,” Donald himself said of his parent. “Courageous, colourful, dour, unbending, uncompromising. He and I were very different characters.”

Crucially, they also lived in very different eras. Malcolm was a remote hero to any small boy during his heyday of the inter-war years, when the general public knew its place and stars were feted like gods. He made up with his Blue Bird car and boat what Britain’s racing drivers were unable to do with their outclassed British machinery in Grand Prix races. By the time Tonia came into Donald’s life, Malcolm was long gone. Laid low by glaucoma and a

‘I think it was very difficult to be Malcolm Campbell’s son, rather than exciting. He was very cold-blooded’ Magneto

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Donald Campbell

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BLUEBIRD K7

Campbell’s jet-engined hydroplane underwent numerous developments during its 1955-1967 career as a Water Speed Record holder. It was much modified before his final – and fateful – attempt in ’67, with a 4500lb-force BristolSiddeley Orpheus engine on loan from the Ministry of Defence, a new hydraulic water brake and a vertical stabiliser from a Folland Gnat.

GETTY IMAGES

Donald Campbell

series of strokes, he had died on the last day of December in 1948. Donald’s sister Jean remembered her father telling her that he had just seen his old rival, the late Sir Henry Segrave, while Donald recalled this man he regarded as a god, exhausted and spent, saying: “It’s all right, old chap. I’m quite finished.”

A throwaway remark by Malcolm’s old friend, racer Goldie Gardner, had set Donald on his own path of speed. He had to acquire from his father’s estate the Blue Bird K4 hydroplane and its Rolls-Royce engines, but he inherited his faithful mechanic Leo Villa. They mistakenly thought they had broken, or were about to break, his father’s record in 1949 and ’50. And after American Stanley Sayres and his Slo-Mo-Shun IV trailblazer had pushed Malcolm’s mark from 141mph to 160mph, they’d had to redesign the now-renamed Bluebird on similar prop-riding principles, only for gearbox failure to destroy the craft when it was travelling over record speed on Coniston Water on the morning of October 24, 1951. Out of funds and equipment, Campbell went back to Civvy Street, and he and Villa monitored John Cobb’s effort at Loch Ness with his jetpropelled Crusader hydroplane. Then Campbell heard the call of the siren again when the much-loved Cobb was killed on September 29, when his boat oscillated wildly and broke up at around 240mph.

Working with two gifted young British engineers, Ken and Lew Norris, Campbell resolved to carry on Cobb’s work and mortgaged everything to create an all-new jet-powered Bluebird, K7. To begin with there were endless teething troubles on a freezing Ullswater early in 1955, but on July 23 he achieved 202.23mph to smash what he loved to refer to as the Water Barrier. There was no such thing, of course, but it accorded his project the sort of gravitas that fast jets and their pilots had enjoyed when Chuck Yeager smashed the Sound Barrer in October 1947. Campbell was a self-promoter although he didn’t care much for self-aggrandisement, but he did enjoy being regarded as a man who did important things for his country.

At Lake Mead in October 1955 Bluebird was swamped by milling pleasure craft and sank, 78

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but exactly a month later, on November 16, Campbell raised his record to 216.20mph. And from 1956 to 1959 he would collect a very nice average annual bonus worth around £75,000 today from holiday magnate Sir Billy Butlin, who handed a £5000 prize to anyone breaking the Water Speed Record each year. Campbell made sure he lifted his speed just enough to leave sufficient margin for each ensuing year, and on the one occasion in 1956 when he did go way too fast on his first run with 286mph, he made sure to generate a reason for making the return at only 164mph to cement a new record of 225.63mph.

A couple of attempts in America – on Canandaigua Lake and then Onondaga Lake in New York state’s Finger Lakes – failed in 1957, but later that year he returned to Coniston to achieve 239.07mph, followed in the next two years there by 248.62mph and 260.35mph.

He was now the Boy’s Own hero, a friend of the stars and one in his own right – although there would be a little friction between him and Stirling Moss, as the racing driver let it be known that he did not really approve of the way that Campbell persuaded sponsorship out of BP, to whom he was also affiliated. But they were horses on very different courses. Where motor racing wheel-to-wheel was a mano a mano adrenaline rush to certain types of driver, in record breaking the man at the epicentre was up against himself and Mother Nature rather than 20 other rivals, and the venture was therefore much more cold blooded.

Campbell came to discover that more and more when he had the Norris brothers create for him the car to end all cars. Bluebird CN7 was a big blue whale powered by a BristolSiddeley Proteus gas-turbine engine that drove all four wheels in his quest for 500mph on land.

It took years to design and build, but was finally ready to run on the Bonneville Salt Flats in August 1960. But he had competition. In what became known as The Great Confrontation, Campbell and Bluebird faced hot rod legend Mickey Thompson, whose self-built Challenger was an ingenious machine powered by four Pontiac engines. Mormon garage owner Athol Graham had built himself a streamliner called City of Salt Lake from a war-surplus belly tank,

ABOVE The two pillars of strength in Donald’s personal life; his wife Tonia Bern and his bear mascot Mr Whoppit.

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BLUEBIRDPROTEUS CN7

Created for Campbell by the Norris brothers, the Bristol-Siddeley Proteus gas turbine-powered CN7 set a 403.10mph Land Speed Record for a wheel-driven car on Australia’s Lake Eyre on July 17, 1964. From its debut on the Bonneville Salt Flats in August 1960, the streamlined machine took on and shook off challenges from numerous swaggering young guns – but both it and ‘fuddyduddy’ Brit Donald proved their mettle.

Donald Campbell

and powered it with the Allison aircraft engine from Bill Boeing’s Miss Wahoo hydroplane.

Drag racer Art Arfons had a similar motor in his Green Monster, Anteater. And the fourth rival was a harbinger of things to come; Los Angeles medic Dr Nathan Ostich’s Flying Caduceus thumbed its elegant nose at the rules and was blown along by a pure-thrust General Electric J47 turbojet. It, too, had 500mph in its sights.

Incredibly, all of them failed. Thompson got closest, recording 406.60mph one-way before an engine blew on his mandatory return run.

Graham was killed. Ostich ran into handling problems, and Arfons withdrew.

Campbell also crashed, between 325mph and 360mph depending on whose version of events you believed. It would transpire much later that he hyperventilated when breathing oxygen, which had made him speed happy.

But Bluebird’s constructional integrity was far superior to City of Salt Lake’s, and Campbell survived – although when he insisted on walking into Tooele Hospital doctors were horrified to discover an undetected basal skull fracture.

“When they put him in the ambulance, he looked at me and winked, and whispered something to the Highway Patrolman,” Tonia recalled. “I later learned that he said: ‘Don’t let Tonia come in the back.’ He was frightened he was going to die, or he didn’t want me to see him like that. He was like a rag as they lifted him out of Bluebird’s cockpit. I was pushed

into the front of the ambulance, and it was a two-hour drive. On the way there was a knock on the glass partition that separated the front from the back, and it opened. The Highway Patrolman and the nurse said: ‘Your husband is sending you a message. He says: “The family jewels are all right.”’ Even then, you know... Unbelievable!”

The crown jewels were indeed all right, but Tonia had to nurse Donald for months in the aftermath, to the point where sex became a necessary placebo rather than a pleasure.

Eventually, in a rebuilt car, Campbell tried again, this time on Australia’s Lake Eyre in 1963. It hadn’t rained there for nine years, but did so the moment he arrived. His Land Speed Record attempt thus became a horribly prolonged torment that stretched on and off into mid-1964, as he was forced to run his great car on a track compromised by the weather.

The inevitable ennui in the little camp affected all those who were part of the project, and Campbell had a bitter argument with some high-handed CAMS stewards who arrogantly questioned his fitness to drive the car he had dedicated his life to creating.

Eventually, his reputation in tatters after the loss of BP and a very public argument with Rubery Owen boss Sir Alfred Owen, who had rebuilt the car but accused him of cowardice, Campbell made two almost suicidal runs on the perilous surface on July 17, 1964. Back at Bonneville in 1960 he had peered into the pit

when he crashed, and seen what dark horrors it held. Yet still he carried on. Now those horrors were all around Bluebird as he kept it flat-out despite his fear and hyper-awareness of the danger, and the crumbling surface. What other choice did he have?

On the edge of control he bullied Bluebird heroically through the dust, even though it was ripping up its 52in-diameter Dunlop tyres and scraping its belly as it dug ruts almost six inches deep. Incredibly, each run stopped the clocks at 403.10mph. He had finally emulated his father, and afterwards he claimed to have seen Malcolm’s reflection in the raised cockpit screen during the turnaround, and that his parent had told him: “It’ll be all right, boy.”

Ken Norris remembered seeing Donald staring straight ahead, while no-nonsense project manager Grahame J Ferrett told me: “I saw the same thing. I said: ‘What’s the speed?’ But nothing... nothing. He was sitting there like a dummy, his head tilted back. He didn’t tell me then what had supposedly transpired, and I certainly saw no vision of anybody, let alone Sir Malcolm Campbell sitting there – but he was definitely in a trancelike state, for maybe 30 seconds.”

It had been an abnormally brave performance that made many regret the intemperate accusations they had so easily raised about his level of commitment. But despite his heroics it was a qualified success. Back in August 1963 at Bonneville a young Californian hot rodder

MOTORING PICTURE LIBRARY, GETTY IMAGES

LEFT Campbell’s 1960 Bonneville crash resulted in a fractured skull among other injuries, and set back his record bid.

RIGHT Preparing to tackle Coniston Water in late 1966, relaxed, smiling and undeterred by the danger he faced.

Two months later, a haggard stag at bay after myriad technical problems, Donald was dead.

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141.74mph, Malcolm Campbell, Aug 19, 1939

130.86mph, Malcolm Campbell, Sep 17, 1938

129.50mph, Malcolm Campbell, Sep 2, 1937

111.71mph, Gar Wood, Feb 5, 1932 117.43mph, Kaye Don, Jul 18, 1932 119.81mph, Kaye Don, Jul 18, 1932 124.86mph, Gar Wood, Sep 12, 1932 126.32mph, Malcolm Campbell, Sep 1, 1932

102.16mph, Gar Wood, Mar 20, 1931 103.49mph, Kaye Don, Apr 15, 1931 110.28mph, Kaye Don, Jul 31, 1931

98.76mph, Henry Segrave, Jun 13, 1930

92.83mph, George Wood, Sep 4, 1928 93.12mph, Gar Wood, Mar 23, 1928

87.39mph, Jules Fischer, Nov 10, 1924

80.57mph, George Wood, Sep 6, 1921

77.85mph, Gar Wood, Sep 15, 1920

70.86mph, Casey Baldwin, Sep 19, 1919

66.66mph, Chris Smith, 1915

59.96mph, Victor Despujols, Jun 1914

46.51mph, Tommy Sopwith, Jul 1912 58.26mph, Coleman du Pont, Sep 1912

45.21mph, Fred Burnham, Sep 9, 1911

43.60mph, Noel Robbins, Apr 1910

WAT E R S P E E D R EC O R D

1940

1935

1930

1925

1920

1915

1910

1905

1900

1895

LAND SPEED RECORD

272.46mph, Malcolm Campbell, Feb 22, 1933

253.97mph, Malcolm Campbell, Feb 24, 1932

246.09mph, Malcolm Campbell, Feb 5, 1931

231.446mph, Henry Segrave, Mar 11, 1929

206.956mph, Malcolm Campbell, Feb 19, 1928 207.552mph, Ray Keech, Apr 22, 1928

174.883mph, Malcolm Campbell, Feb 4, 1927 203.792mph, Henry Segrave, Mar 29, 1927

152.33mph, Henry Segrave, Mar 16, 1926 169.30mph, John Godfrey Parry-Thomas, Apr 27, 1926 171.02mph, John Godfrey Parry-Thomas, Apr 28, 1926

150.76mph, Malcolm Campbell, Jul 21, 1925

143.31mph, Rene Thomas, Jul 6, 1924 146.01mph, Ernest Eldridge, Jul 12, 1924 146.16mph, Malcolm Campbell, Sep 25, 1924

133.75mph, Kenelm Lee Guinness, May 17, 1922

124.10mph, ‘Cupid’ Hornsted, Jun 24, 1914 (first two-way)

121.57mph, Fred Marriott, Jan 23, 1906 125.95mph, Victor Hémery, Nov 6, 1906

104.65mph, Paul Baras, Nov 13, 1905 109.65mph, Victor Hémery, Dec 30, 1905

94.78mph, Louis Rigolly, Mar 31, 1904 97.25mph, Pierre de Caters, May 25, 1904 103.55mph, Louis Rigolly, Jul 21, 1904

83.47mph, Arthur Duray, Jul 17, 1903 84.73mph, Arthur Duray, Nov 5, 1903

75.05mph, Leon Serpollet, Apr 13, 1902 76.08mph, William K Vanderbilt, Aug 5, 1902 76.60mph, Henri Fournier, Nov 5, 1902 77.13mph, M Augieres, Nov 17, 1902

41.42mph, Camille Jenatzy, Jan 17, 1899 43.69mph, Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat, Jan 17, 1899 49.92mph, Camille Jenatzy, Jan 27, 1899 57.60mph, Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat, Mar 4, 1899 65.79mph, Camille Jenatzy, Apr 29, 1899

39.24mph, Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat, Dec 18, 1898

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317.596mph, Ken Warby, Oct 8, 1978

288.60mph, Ken Warby, Nov 20, 1977

285.213mph, Lee Taylor, Jun 30, 1967

276.33mph, Donald Campbell, Dec 31, 1964

260.36mph, Donald Campbell, May 14, 1959

248.62mph, Donald Campbell, Nov 10, 1958

239.07mph, Donald Campbell, Nov 7, 1957

225.62mph, Donald Campbell, Sep 10, 1956

202.32mph, Donald Campbell, Jul 23, 1955 216.20mph, Donald Campbell, Nov 16, 1955

178.49mph, Stanley Sayres and Elmer Leninschmidt, Jul 7, 1952

160.32mph, Stanley Sayres and Ted Jones, Jun 26, 1950

ABOVE Records were set to be broken... but oh, what achievements as every speed pioneer reached a new pinnacle.

1995

1990

1985

1980

1975

1970

1965

1960

1955

1950

1945

714.144mph, Andy Green, Sep 25, 1997 763.035mph, Andy Green, Oct 15, 1997

633.468mph, Richard Noble, Oct 4, 1983

622.407mph, Gary Gabelich, Oct 23, 1970

555.483mph, Craig Breedlove, Nov 2, 1965 576.553mph, Art Arfons, Nov 7, 1965 600.601mph, Craig Breedlove, Nov 15, 1965

403.10mph, Donald Campbell, Jul 17, 1964 413.20mph, Tom Green, Oct 2, 1964 434.02mph, Art Arfons, Oct 5, 1964 468.72mph, Craig Breedlove, Oct 13, 1964 526.28mph, Craig Breedlove, Oct 15, 1964 536.71mph, Art Arfons, Oct 27, 1964

394.20mph, John Cobb, Sep 16, 1947

369.70mph, John Cobb, Aug 23, 1939

345.50mph, George Eyston, Aug 27, 1938 350.20mph, John Cobb, Sep 15, 1938 357.50mph, George Eyston, Sep 16, 1938

312.00mph, George Eyston, Nov 19, 1937

276.82mph, Malcolm Campbell, May 7, 1935 301.129mph, Malcolm Campbell, Sep 3, 1935

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Donald Campbell

GETTY IMAGES

RIGHT Bluebird ’s launch on a freezing Ullswater in early 1955 was beset by teething troubles, but by summer it had smashed the ‘Water Barrier’.

called Craig Breedlove had driven his Spirit of America jet car to 407.45mph, and few cared about the semantics of how a car transmitted its power. The world was only interested in outright speed. There was little interest back in Britain, and Campbell realised that Bluebird CN7 was a white elephant.

Typically, he struck back as only he could.

After further adventures, and literally on the last day on which he could have done it, he broke his own Water Speed Record for the seventh time, on December 31, 1964.

He achieved 276.33mph on Perth’s Lake Dumbleyung, literally racing up the lake ahead of the incoming storm, the ‘Albany Doctor’.

That was his finest hour, as he became the only man ever to break the Land and Water Speed Records in the same year. It’s a feat unlikely ever to be matched.

In so many ways he was a better man than his father, although he himself could not see that. He was more gracious, his edges more rounded. He didn’t have his dad’s ability to make money, but neither did he hoard it; he was generous to a fault. And he didn’t refer to his crew as his staff, the way that Malcolm did.

Leo was always known affectionately as ‘Unc’, rather than by the peremptory ‘Villa’, and he was a trusted friend not an employee.

“What used to amaze me,” Grahame J Ferrett said, “was that at the end of any run, he could read those instruments like you wouldn’t believe. He could tell all those guys what everything was about at practically any stage of the run. Way beyond my comprehension that somebody could do that.”

But what should he do next? In September 1965 he was disappointed by the lukewarm reception given to his plan for a new supersonic rocket-powered Bluebird. Copied from his father, his were the manners and expressions of a long-bygone era. They hadn’t interested the teddy boys of the 1950s, and were even less appealing now to the hippies in Carnaby Street.

Who wanted to listen to an Establishment figure in a pinstripe suit and bowler hat, and hear that plummy accent with its carefully inflected Churchillian tone? It had driven his 86

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second wife, Dorothy, mad. Donald had always been a charismatic man, and she saw no need for that deliberate confection: “He had all that youthful energy, and great respect for women and women’s opinions. But I hated the affectation of ‘The Voice’.” So did Ferrett, but Campbell never tried it on with the plain-speaking Australian, who appreciated Donald being his real, intensely likeable and unaffected, self around him.

Over in Los Angeles, Craig Breedlove had been busy staking his claim to be the Coolest Man on Earth that he holds to this day (note that Felix Baumgartner and Alan Eustace count as stratospherists!), with five Land Speed marks of his own up to 600mph, and talk of going after the water record, too. He was much more a newspaper editor’s idea of the thrusting young speedking: hip, tousle haired, slim and muscular – the man the girls went for. Which was deeply ironic.

When Craig travelled to England in 1963 on a Goodyear publicity jaunt after that Bonneville run, he had been extremely nervous of the reception he and his media entourage would get when they made a planned stop-off at Campbell’s home on October 19. But the manner in which Donald handled a potentially explosive situation spoke volumes about his true character.

“I loved Donald,” Craig says. “We had a lot of

‘I have no desire to die. I enjoy this life far too much... It’s one of those things; you take the risk or you don’t’

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It is matching numbers and underwent a full nut and bolt restoration in 1994. At this time, the colour was changed from Opalescent Gunmetal to Opalescent Silver. Since restoration, the car has covered just over 14,000 miles and has been impeccably maintained by marque specialists throughout. The car even retains its rare original tool roll.

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fun. I have a cartoon character in mind when I think of him. It’s a kind one. He reminded me of J Thaddeus Toad in the Ichabod Crane series, when he first got the motor car. Donald was very charming in that way. He was almost like a child who had been held down all his childhood, and then when the Old Man died, boy!

“I have very fond memories of him. I met him in London, then at his home in Surrey, where he actually hosted a reception for me after we had set the 400mph record. I was this 25-year-old kid and had no idea what to expect.

The press guys were expecting fireworks, but within five minutes he just had them following him all over his house. He just had a very charming way with him, a lot of charisma and a lot of stature from the Campbell name. I have a little more perspective now that I’m older, and I can see how skilled he was, and how talented.”

Craig also discovered what hardened ‘get-itdone’ racers such as Mickey Thompson had at Bonneville. Which was that this ‘fuddy-duddy’ Campbell guy had been practising his own brand of free love in the 1950s long before the hippies ever twigged to it at Woodstock. Never 88

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mind The Voice or the British stiff upper lip; beneath that false carapace the real Donald Campbell was another hot rodder, a decent guy who loved fast cars and boats... and chasing women. A kindred spirit.

He had no intention of stopping. For who was he, if not a record breaker? He knew the Americans were coming after his Water Speed Record, but many disbelieved him because they were too idle to do the basic research which would have confirmed that. So when the rocket car faltered, he decided to put a better engine in Bluebird K7, and squeeze 300mph out of her. He figured the best way to beat them was to lift his own mark beyond their reach, simultaneously reviving interest in the Campbell name and the new car.

Perhaps going back to Coniston again was a big mistake, although events suggest that it need not have been. There Donald often appeared like a stag at bay, and as technical problems multiplied it was easy for an uninformed media yet again to perceive fear, just as they had on Lake Eyre. He gave the lie to that with one 250mph run on Christmas Day,

ABOVE The image that powerfully, graphically and enduringly captures one man’s legacy of abnormal courage.

1928 Bond Super sports Chassis #7 Ordered new by Sir Malcolm Campbell and sold through his London showroom.

Sole survivor of 7 cars built. Restored and ready.

Dubbed ‘The Brighouse Bugatti’ in period!

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Donald Campbell

A PERSONAL STORY

GETTY IMAGES

RIGHT Donald’s personal Jaguar E-type parked at Coniston on January 4, 1967 awaiting its owner, who was never to return.

and two 280mph-plus squirts on December 27, when a handful of friends helped him out while Leo was enjoying a break with his wife Joan down south. The runs gave Campbell an immense boost, and showed him how much extra power Bluebird had with the BristolSiddeley Orpheus jet that had replaced the trusty Metro-Vick Beryl.

Yet he was nearing 46, and all the tribulations since Bonneville had undoubtedly wearied him. Tonia was picking up her career again, and although some said their marriage was failing, she was adamant it wasn’t. As she was appearing in Bristol, Campbell wiled away his time with Vi Aitken, and there was a scene when Tonia arrived in Coniston unexpectedly.

But besides calling many old friends at a late hour from his bungalow on the evening of January 3, 1967, it was with Tonia whom he spoke longest on his last, lonely evening. She scripted the poignant scene for the Anthony Hopkins television movie, Across the Lake.

Those who doubted his commitment were shocked at 08:45am on that cold morning of January 4, when he averaged 297mph on the first of the two runs he had to make. Suddenly, many people who had no skin in the game realised that all along everything had been very serious indeed while they had drunk, played cards and generally picked their generous host to pieces.

That it had all been leading to this moment of truth for a beleaguered, frightened yet determined 90

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and committed man trapped by his own courage within the long, long shadow of his father.

He’d told the author Peter Williams that the calculated risk “doesn’t mean to say you don’t have all the normal human reactions of apprehension, fear, excitement and everything that goes into the human make-up. I have no desire to die. I enjoy this life far too much. A number of gallant men have lost their lives trying to push forward man’s knowledge in this sphere. It’s one of those things; you take the risk or you don’t”.

“Plus 47”, they told him over the radio, and he knew that he needed to average 303mph on the way home to cement the world’s first-ever Water Speed Record over 300mph. This was what Donald Campbell did for a living. And at 08:50am, anxious to make headlines as the London Boat Show opened, he slightly miscalculated the risk factors of the greater thirst of the Orpheus engine and the effect of a new water brake, and it was what killed him.

But remember when you first saw the footage or stills as Bluebird leapt gracefully from the surface, looped through some 330 degrees at a speed that had at one stage peaked at 328mph, then was lost in one shattering moment beneath the dark, unforgiving water.

Was there ever a more spectacular end for a man out of his time, or a more enduring image that so powerfully and graphically captured his legacy of abnormal courage?

On March 8, 2001 diver Bill Smith recovered Bluebird K7’s main wreckage.

Ten weeks later he fulfilled Gina Campbell’s wish to locate and raise her father’s headless body. His Bluebird Project then recovered the rest of the wreckage and painstakingly rebuilt it before demonstrating the completed craft on the Isle of Bute’s Loch Tad in August 2018. After such a miraculous resurrection, it is sad that he and the Campbells have today fallen out over who has the rights to run and display it.

Donald Campbell has been the greatest influence on my life. Attending his funeral in Coniston 34 years after his death, I was curious to feel so numb.

But when later I received Gina’s foreword to my book Donald Campbell: The Man Behind the Mask, her validation opened the floodgates and left me emotionally wrecked.

Campbell led me indirectly to our Stay Gold jet-car challenge for the UK Land Speed Record. On the 50th anniversary of his death, as many gathered in Coniston, I was sequestered in a freezing garage in North Shields, my long red racer squeezed next to a big blue boat as Bill and his boys managed to get our jet engine running properly at last.

The record is 301mph. In August ’17 we averaged 275 on our first proper test run and peaked (ironically) at 297mph, before a parachute malfunction at 250 provoked an interesting inversion.

We’ll try again soon in the rebuilt car.

I literally put myself in Bill’s hands when I drive Stay Gold, and I’m very fond of Gina, who has her father’s courage and character. I’m conflicted by their argument, but hopeful that eventually all parties can resolve their differences. I’d love to see an agreement that enables the Ruskin Museum to exhibit Bluebird K7 and also empowers Bill and his team to make annual demo runs with this iconic craft to inspire a new generation of young engineers and encourage the spirit of adventure, in the gallant name of one of the greatest speedkings of them all.

As our Queen once nobly observed: “The departed live on in those they have helped to shape in life.”

ABOVE Bill Smith recovered Bluebird K7’s wreckage from the water in 2001.

Pip drea With its ethereal quality,

scarcely believable back-story...

Words Jethro Bovingdon Photography Malcolm Griffiths

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Pagani Zonda

...and fairytale ending, Pagani’s Zonda is the stuff of folklore and legend. We drive it (in real life)

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ABOVE Climbing, coiling roads of Italy’s Apennine mountains were the perfect playground for our test driver Jethro Bovingdon.

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OPPOSITE Horacio Pagani’s radical Zonda used skills he honed on Lamborghini’s Countach Evoluzione.

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Pagani Zonda

DOWN IN THE CLUTCHES OF MODENA it’s a hot, sticky summer’s day and the streets are alive. The Emilia-Romagna region has been under a strict lockdown for so long, and now the people are out and making up for lost time.

The Piazza Grande is buzzing, and every narrow street and sun-drenched square is bursting with colour, noise and laughter. And the sound of supercars. The annual Motor Valley Fest has taken over Modena and everybody is happy about it.

Especially us. Because while the city dwellers pay homage to their home-grown icons in stifling heat, the roads that heave and climb and coil up and over the Apennine mountains nearby are spookily quiet and the air is cool and fresh. Just the occasional gaggle of motorcycles and the odd appearance by an obligatory careworn Fiat Panda interrupt the flow. I’m sure the Italian tourist board lays on those glorious little tin boxes to keep the place feeling authentic. It works.

Anyway, nothing gets in the way for too long.

Our bright-orange shock of carbonfibre and titanium politely howls past obstacles, 7.3-litre V12 at full cry. There are no shaking fists, just waves of approval and even more happy faces.

La dolce vita is real and wonderful. And all you need to experience it is a Pagani Zonda F coupé, preferably tracing the wheel-tracks of Moss and Jenks on the sinuous Passo della Raticosa. The clichés are tumbling now… but who cares? I’m feeling indulgent.

If our current situation – borrowing Horacio Pagani’s personal Zonda F coupé (1 of 25 produced, chassis no. 91, built in 2007) and driving it on amazing roads that once witnessed Mille Miglia racers at full tilt – seems dreamy, consider the Pagani story as a whole. It could be the greatest fairytale in motoring. Ever.

Horacio was born in Casilda, Argentina in 1955, and dreamed of designing and engineering sports- and supercars. He found his way to Lamborghini in 1982 and soon proved his talent.

When the chaotic maker wanted to investigate new composite materials in 1987, it was Horacio who headed up the team responsible.

The result was the Countach Evoluzione prototype, a radical design study intended to inform the next great stride for Lamborghini.

Featuring a new carbon-composite chassis, carbon-Kevlar and aluminium body panels, and investigating four-wheel drive, active suspension and a raft of other technologies that perhaps you wouldn’t associate with Lamborghini, the unpainted Evoluzione was an ungainly looking but effective study. It weighed nearly 400kg less than the Countach QV, despite delivering much greater rigidity and all 98

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the dynamic and safety benefits that come with that quality. Horacio had found his own ‘Black Gold’, and it had nothing to do with the balsamic vinegar of which the region is so proud.

Almost unbelievably, the unique Evoluzione’s final act was a crash test. Once again it demonstrated the fantastic properties of carbonfibre, yet even its gory, glorious death wasn’t enough. Lamborghini wouldn’t invest in a technology still in its infancy for road-car applications. So Horacio left the company, mortgaged himself up to the eyeballs to buy his own autoclave and founded Modena Design in 1992. It was a huge step. Terrifying, visionary and no doubt bemusing to his colleagues and friends. It’s the moment Jack trades his family’s only asset for a few beans in our fairytale.

Modena Design flourished. So much so that Horacio’s real dream of building his own supercar became a tantalising possibility. His friend and countryman Juan Manuel Fangio – yes, the supporting cast is pretty good in this tale – made an introduction to Mercedes-Benz, and the rest is history. The AMG-powered Pagani Zonda C12 was shown at the Geneva Auto Salon in 1999 and a new icon was born. Combining cutting-edge material technology, artisan detailing, daring design and engineering quality not seen since the McLaren F1, the Zonda simply blew apart the competition. It didn’t just rock the establishment. Overnight, the new supercar with the funny name and the organic, insectoid aesthetic became the new benchmark against which all others would be judged.

On a cloudless day in 2021 the Zonda, a local term for the foehn wind of the eastern slopes of the Andes, looks fresh and outrageous. Just like the Countach that Horacio came to know so well, its form, proportions and sheer heartthumping charisma transcend the usual ravages of time. You can see shadows of the influence of Group C race machines in the shape, but instead of slavishly copying the competition cars that so fascinated Horacio, the Zonda effortlessly manages to reappropriate the proportions and surfaces into a statement that is clearly born of the Italian supercar tradition.

There’s another layer, too. You see it in the slender stems of the side mirrors, the flawless weave of the exposed carbonfibre, even the stylish script of the Zonda F badge itself.

This is supercar as high art.

The door opens conventionally but the drama, nevertheless, is inescapable. It swings weightlessly, revelling in the properties of carbonfibre, and your eyes don’t quite know where to look first. The teardrop glass canopy creates a sense of space and lightness despite the fact that the black weave of carbonfibre

RIGHT With its organic, insectoid aesthetic, Zonda set a new benchmark against which other supercars were judged after its 1999 unveiling.

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‘Zonda promises to meld the noise, excitement and glamour of an old-school supercar with the dynamic poise of a modern hypercar’ 102

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OPPOSITE Sculptural instrument pod is complemented by soft leather, intricate stitching, carbonfibre and aluminium trim.

ABOVE Still fresh and outrageous, the Zonda’s form, proportions and heart-thumping charisma all transcend usual ravages of time.

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Pagani Zonda

dominates. It frames the driver from the high sills to the architecture of the swept-back dash itself and the gorgeous periscope-style housings for the air vents.

You might think so much carbonfibre could create a cold, austere cabin, but the Zonda mixes soft leather and intricate stitching patterns, and knows just when to break up the colour palette with aluminium utilised for the centre console and the gloriously sculptural instrument pod. Best of all, there’s a short gearlever with a metallic, cylindrical shifter nestled in close to the driver. Six manual ratios; just the way God intended. Atop it, almost pulsating in the sunshine, is a red button. Just hop in, twist the key and then depress the button with your thumb, and the 7.3-litre V12 awakens. The Zonda is ready. Are you?

It’s a question worth pausing over. Not because the Zonda is some sort of wild widowmaker, but simply because the values have increased to such an extent that every drive takes on added responsibility. Back in 2000, a 6.0-litre 389bhp Zonda C12 cost around £200,000 as compared with a Lamborghini Diablo VT 6.0 at £152,500. The gulf in engineering, quality and craftsmanship was barely reflected in that differential, but ever since there’s been a fairly dramatic ‘correction’.

By 2007, for example, the Zonda had moved to a new place in the market. This Zonda F coupé would have left the factory at closer to 104

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ABOVE First drive of Zonda F since car’s total restoration via Pagani’s Rinascimento service.

£475,000. In 2009 the ‘final’ Zonda variant, the Cinque (just five were built), commanded £1.4 million. Of course, it wasn’t the last version. The Zonda, despite being replaced by the Huayra in 2012, refuses to die. It also has an extremely complicated evolution despite just 140 being built. So, deep breath and try to take this in…

The very first cars were the 6.0-litre C12, progressing to 7.0 and then 7.3 versions of the C12 S, followed by Roadster, Zonda F (available in coupé and later Roadster configuration), F Clubsport, the extreme and track-only R, quickly followed by the R-inspired Cinque, Cinque Roadster, another track special called the Revolución, then just three of the gorgeous Tricolore models, plus a 760 series with a 750bhp development of the remarkable M120-series AMG V12 based on existing Zonda chassis. Got all that?

In 2017 Pagani showed the 789bhp Zonda HP Barchetta at Pebble Beach – a gift to Horacio from, well, himself, and a celebration of the car’s 18th birthday. It was to be a one-off, but two more will be built. The price?

It’s €15 million. Plus local taxes. Ask Pagani really nicely and it’ll still build you a new Zonda, even as the Huayra’s production run comes to an end and its replacement is just over the horizon. I suspect in 2035 people

will still be commissioning Zondas…

We’re about to be reminded why. The Zonda F is probably the sweetest of sweet spots. The quality is sky high and even more jewel like than that of the very earliest C12 and C12 S models, the aesthetic is much purer than the often more extreme subsequent cars’, and it has that magic ingredient; a Cima six-speed manual gearbox. From Cinque onwards, and with the Huayra replacement, Pagani moved to an automated single-clutch ’box operated by paddles, and while it doesn’t ruin the experience, it’s certainly a compromise and dates the cars. A manual is timeless.

In fact, the whole thing is timeless. With a super-stiff carbonfibre tub, that mighty 592bhp naturally aspirated V12 and three pedals, the Zonda promises to meld the noise, excitement and glamour of an old-school supercar with the dynamic poise of a modern hypercar. This model is estimated to be worth around £6 million. Seems the Zonda’s unique attributes are a pretty irresistible combination.

The clutch – floor hinged, exquisite – is heavy. Not quite up there with a Countach’s, but the effort required feels suitably substantial and I realise the circular indent of the pedal will leave a lasting impression on my thin-soled shoe. No matter; the noise, the view and the sensations are already unforgettable. Some light bruising doesn’t seem too big a price to pay. Progress is easy. The M120 engine is

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Pagani Zonda

blessed with huge torque, and despite a lightweight flywheel pulling away is simple. You don’t even need to tickle the throttle. The flatbottomed Nardi steering wheel is wonderful to hold and, as with the clutch, the hydraulically assisted rack has a heft to it. The Zonda is a relative flyweight at just 1230kg (dry), but it doesn’t feel nervous or flighty.

That six-speed ’box has a curious feel to it.

The throw is short and sweet, but there’s a strangely hollow sensation to the action – like it’s not really connected to anything at all. It’s not one of the great shifts, then. However, that doesn’t seem to matter. Being so in control of the V12 engine and having such a direct connection to the way the Zonda moves makes the car immediately engaging and intuitive, and the intimidation factor simply melts away. The view out is fantastic, and the road ahead is framed by those plunging front wings. It’s like you’re being conditioned to be focused, alert.

As with all cars featuring a carbonfibre tub, an initially surprising amount of road noise thrums through the structure. Yet as the Zonda’s personality becomes clearer, the rich, textured feedback from all of the controls makes the volume entirely fitting. Despite the sumptuous build and sense of bespoke luxury to the cabin, the F (for Fangio, remember) is a light, responsive and focused supercar. The way it moves with such composure combined with an obvious lack of inertia is almost Lotus like. If you’ve ever driven, say, a Lamborghini Diablo, the brightness of the dynamics and the effortless way the Zonda responds to inputs are nothing short of a revelation. It’s at once supple and alert, calm and yet capable of stunning agility. And all the time it speaks to you, through the measured steering, the stable and adjustable chassis, and the sonic, addictive soundscape of its incredible V12 engine.

Driving the Zonda quickly is relatively simple. Put the value out of your mind, listen to what it’s telling you and trust those messages.

It really is that capable. However, to master it takes longer. The V12 doesn’t rev to the heavens, but what range it has comes and goes quickly, and so managing downshifts takes real skill and practice. The carbon-ceramic brakes are superb and once again require authentic effort – it’s another part of the masterful balancing of control weights and actions that makes the Zonda F such a cohesive machine – and measuring their effectiveness with a blip of throttle and immediate downshift to match is unbelievably satisfying. Just don’t expect to manage it every time. So often the revs die before you’ve manoeuvred the gearbox down a ratio, and the car objects with a jolt. The 106

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ABOVE Naturally, Horacio Pagani’s garage houses a substantial collection of his eponymous cars. What wouldn’t you give to explore inside...?

solution? More miles. Many more. It’s no chore.

With time and concentration everything clicks, and the way the Zonda F demands effort and technique to experience it at the peak of its performance is utterly enthralling. Naturally you start to read the road as minutely as possible, almost tenderly judging inputs so they meld with the precision that befits this extraordinary car, and you throw yourself into the embrace of the sonorous V12 as it picks up the Zonda and fires it at the Apennines. It’s a wonderful engine, easy going on the one hand and ferociously powerful when called upon.

While it lacks the complex, high-intensity valvetrain noise and the pure mechanical feeling of a Ferrari or Lamborghini 12-cylinder motor, the barrel-chested, force-of-nature-style delivery and the sweet, smooth, singular howl at high revs are every bit as exciting.

The words of Pagani’s brilliant PR, Giulia Roncarati, are still swilling around somewhere at the back of my mind. “This is Mr Pagani’s personal car, of course,” she had explained.

“It’s just been through the Rinascimento programme and it is valued at €7 million. So perhaps we drive it with, um, consideration.”

Rinascimento, or Renaissance, is Pagani’s new restoration service, which sits alongside the Puro certification programme that works much like Ferrari’s Classiche department. Since this car’s meticulous return to as-new condition

‘The brightness of the dynamics and effortless response to inputs are nothing short of a revelation’

(including removing a large Batman cartoon graphic bizarrely placed on the bonnet by a previous owner), Horacio has driven it precisely zero kilometres. Part of me says slow down.

The other says that maybe this car won’t get exercised properly again for some time. Maybe ever. So let’s play. Guess which part wins…

Drive deep into the corners in the Zonda and the front-end grip remains faithful. It will start to slip into understeer if you’re really brave, but to drive with such freedom even on empty Italian roads seems remiss. If this was my car I might make it a little more ‘pointy’, but we’re taking a degree or two. Of course, this being Pagani you can ask for any set-up you so desire.

On the way out of turns the traction control very quickly tries to spoil the fun, though. Not only does it suffocate the engine hard and early, it also refuses to let go again for what feels like whole seconds. Crazy as this sounds, you have to turn off the traction control to really get under the skin of the Zonda F. Do so and you’ll find a car that doesn’t just feel approachable and predictable, but one that lives up to the promise and more. The Zonda F is built to proper supercar scale and always feels wide on these undulating roads, yet such is the accuracy it displays that you never feel hemmed in. Again, it’s the stiffness of the carbonfibre structure and the control that quality grants over suspension tuning that really strike you.

The Zonda deals so confidently with rough surfaces but doesn’t suffer with poor body control as a result. It really flows.

The creamy, eager dynamics are a credit to legendary test driver Loris Bicocchi. He cut his teeth at Lamborghini and on the Bugatti EB110 project, and went on to define the dynamics of a number of incredible cars, Veyron and Chiron included – so it’s no wonder that the Zonda F is so positive and trustworthy. Once or twice I even deliberately give it a little more throttle than is advisable, feel the fat 335-section Pirellis spin up under the strain and ride out the neatest, most thrilling oversteer slide you could ever imagine. I feel bad for a split second, then realise Mr Pagani would probably just shrug and smile. Loris, too; and I know for sure that Fangio would approve.

The Zonda is an icon. It is impossibly valuable. Its very creation is the stuff of folklore and legend. But after a quite extraordinary day I come to realise that, most of all, this machine is just an unbelievably exciting, exotic, outrageous and wonderful driver’s car. The real fairytale isn’t the heart-warming back-story. It’s holding the gorgeous Nardi wheel in your hands, feeling the Zonda move underneath you with delicacy and precision, and listening to the V12 in all its airshredding glory. It’s a story for the ages.

Words Peter Stevens

HENRY FORD AND HIS ‘VAGABONDS’

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The story of four of the US’s most revered men – ki

HenryXxxxxxxxx Ford’s ‘Vagabonds’ Xxxxxx

indred spirits who never lost their sense of adventure or love of the outdoors

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PREVIOUS SPREAD The original four Vagabonds: Thomas Edison, John Burroughs, Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone.

ABOVE Henry Ford on wood-chopping duties in Maryland during a 1921 trip.

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A GOOD WINTER’S-EVENING GAME played with friends (when allowed) is to imagine organising a camping trip to some remote but attractive place with a bunch of famous people. You can chose a president or head of state, an eminent industrialist, an inventor, a naturalist and an owner of a serious start-up company. Who to chose?

This is an extremely unlikely possibility, but it is exactly what Henry Ford did each summer between 1914 and 1924, with the exception of 1917 and 1922 when he was too occupied with company matters. The names of Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone and, to a lesser degree, John Burroughs were well known in 1914, and they formed the core of what, as they later named themselves, were the ‘Vagabonds’.

The Ford Motor Company had rapidly expanded after the Model T’s 1908 launch put America on wheels and eventually brought about the demise of the working horse – but not everyone welcomed this intrusion into rural life. John Burroughs was an eminent naturalist who denounced the car as a “demon on wheels that would seek out even the most secluded nook or corner of the forest and befoul it with noise and smoke”. Henry Ford was in fact a country boy and keen bird watcher, and he enjoyed Burroughs’ essays on nature.

Because he truly believed that his simple car would give thousands of people the opportunity to visit the American wilderness, he gifted Burroughs a new Model T to persuade him that the vehicle could be a positive product.

Thomas Edison had been young Ford’s hero ever since their first meeting in 1896, when the latter worked as an engineer for the Edison Illuminating Company. Thomas was intrigued

by Ford’s experiments with gasoline-powered automobiles, and encouraged him to develop his ideas further. Edison later became an early customer for the Model T. He had purchased a riverside property in Fort Myers, Florida, in 1885, where he created a tropical retreat for himself and his family, friends and professional colleagues. It would seem that he invited Ford down to his southern home in the winter of 1914 to look at using the automobile to explore the Everglades, and that Ford suggested Burroughs join them. This first camping trip was certainly not a private event; there was much publicity and expectation when the two men announced their intention to visit Edison. This is not surprising, because by then Henry Ford himself was world famous.

In his notebooks, Burroughs remarked how he “marvelled at the exotic subtropical plants and birds of the Caloosahatchee River region”, and noted how much the area reminded him of

Honolulu and Jamaica. From Ford’s own viewpoint, he would subsequently always grasp any opportunity to spend time with Edison and escape the pressures of Detroit.

With their collective love of the discovery of new plants and creatures, that initial trip into the Everglades was a great success, and the feeling of working with nature decided the small group on making this an annual affair.

Both Ford and Edison agreed that young Harvey Firestone would make an excellent fourth member of their party. There was probably a commercial side to this plan, since Ford used Firestone products and Edison was interested in finding a substitute for natural rubber for tyres.

In 1915, following a visit to the Pan-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, Ford, Edison and Firestone were joined by Burroughs for a tour of California. The latter said: “It often seemed to me that we were a luxuriously equipped expedition going forth to seek discomfort.” There is no doubt that the Vagabonds had a different concept of rough living from the vast majority of Americans.

Meanwhile, their camping adventures gave the famous foursome a chance to unwind, but also proved to be effective advertising for Ford automobiles and Firestone tyres.

The road trips generated headlines such as “Millions of dollars worth of brains off on a vacation” and “Geniuses to sleep under stars”.

Americans were able to watch newsreels shot

by Ford Motor Company film crews that accompanied the Vagabonds, while Henry himself organised what we would now call PR people to brief local newspapers about the progress of the adventure. Evenings were spent around the camp fire, where topics as varied as the future of man and society, the Great War, poetry or the respective merits of Mozart and Shakespeare were discussed.

Certainly the four men shared a love of the outdoors – although where Burroughs saw a pastoral stream, his fellow travellers saw an untapped source of waterpower. And with Ford and Edison forging an ever-closer friendship, in 1916 Henry bought an estate next to the latter’s Fort Myers home.

In 1918, the four Vagabonds set off on a lengthy camping trip from Pennsylvania to Tennessee through the Great Smoky Mountains. Each would play an assigned role on the excursion, with Edison tending to the electricity and battery needs, Firestone ensuring the cars were well equipped and stocked with food, Ford scoping out possible campsites, and the elderly Burroughs playing the role of wildlife resource, birdcall tutor and hiking instructor. Edison, also acting as Magneto

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PREVIOUS SPREAD FORD MOTOR COMPANY. THIS SPREAD GETTY IMAGES

Henry Ford’s ‘Vagabonds’

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captain, navigated dirt roads with a compass and a lapful of atlases; he did this from his perch in the front seat of the lead touring car. He preferred back routes and avoided major towns. “We never know where we are going, and I suspect that he does not, either,” Firestone wrote of the intrepid inventor, who had a proclivity for the roads less travelled – and less paved.

For his part, Ford showed himself to still have an ability to fix things when they broke. On one occasion, when a shattered fan blade punctured a car radiator, he set to, both plugging the hole and removing the opposite blade to keep the fan in balance. Reports suggest that he was watched by a large group of locals.

During this 1918 trip, for which the group was joined by future President Calvin Coolidge, John Burroughs kept a detailed journal. He died in March 1921, and it was not until some years later that this was published as an essay titled A Strenuous Holiday. To quote: “We cheerfully endure wet, cold, smoke, mosquitoes, black flies and sleepless nights, just to touch naked reality once more.”

In truth, it wasn’t exactly ‘naked reality’. They ‘endured’ a luxurious existence during these two or three-week trips. While Edison did encourage his friends to ‘rough it’, and even forbade shaving, the men often broke that rule – particularly when, on the later journeys, their 112

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wives tagged along. And the gourmet kitchen staff were still expected to wear bow ties.

Burroughs’ observations on his companions were both charming and revealing: “The behaviour of Mr Edison on such a trip is in marked contrast to that of Mr Ford. Partly owing to his much greater age, but mainly, no doubt, to his more meditative and introspective cast of mind, he is far less active. When we paused for midday lunch, or to make camp at the end of the day, Mr Edison would sit in his car reading, or curl up, boy fashion, under a tree and take a nap, while Mr Ford would inspect the stream or busy himself in getting wood for the fire.”

He continued: “Mr Ford is a runner and a high-kicker, and frequently challenges some member of the party to race with him. He is also a persistent walker, and from every camp, both morning and evening, he sallied forth for a brisk half-hour walk…

“Mr Firestone belongs to an entirely different type – the clean, clear-headed, conscientious business type, always on his job, always ready for whatever comes, always at the service of those around him. A man devoted to his family and friends, sound in his ideas, and generous of the wealth that has come to him as a manufacturer.”

On these later trips the Vagabonds may still have slept under the stars, but they were hardly ‘roughing it’. Edison’s mobile electric generator

ABOVE Ford, Edison and Firestone’s 1921 trip to Maryland was joined by President Warren Harding (second from right).

‘We endure wet, cold, smoke, mosquitoes and sleepless nights, just to touch naked reality once more’

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kept their campsites fully illuminated, and the men slept in personal tents embossed with their names. They travelled in a convoy of chauffeured Ford automobiles with an entourage of cooks and attendants.

Among the 50-vehicle caravan on the 1919 camping trip was a specially designed kitchen car, which Burroughs called a “Waldorf Astoria on wheels”. It featured a gasoline stove and a built-in refrigerator that stored everything from fresh eggs to rib-eye steaks. Inside the spacious dining tent, jacketed waiters placed bowls of food and pitchers of beverages on the giant Lazy Susan that spun in the centre of the enormous round camp table capable of seating 20.

Some months after Burroughs’ death, the remaining Vagabonds embarked on another extended camping trip, this time with their families in tow. (The Firestones even brought their butler.) At their campsite in western Maryland, the illustrious Americans were joined for the weekend by the new President, Warren Harding. He was accompanied by more than three dozen staff, including his US Secret Service detail, and even a piano and wooden dancing platform. Harding joined the men in riding horses and shooting rifles, and happily helped cut firewood and prepare dinner.

By 1923 the comfortable living arrangements had got seriously out of control so, for 1924, 114

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instead of a camping adventure Ford hosted Firestone and Edison at the historic Wayside Inn just outside Boston, which he had recently purchased. The trio made day trips, including a visit to now-President Coolidge’s summer White House in Plymouth, Vermont.

This would be the Vagabonds’ final sojourn.

The publicity Ford once courted now consumed their trips and prevented any possibility of rest and relaxation. Firestone lamented that their “simple, gipsy-like fortnights” had morphed into a “travelling circus”. Gone were the days when they would engage in tree-chopping contests, hunting, racing, talking and entertaining onlookers – and some ‘off-road’ motoring.

Nevertheless, the publicity caused huge interest among Americans who believed they still had that ‘pioneering spirit’. Thousands of people, later referred to as ‘tin-can tourists’, set out from the cold northern states in their cars or trucks to winter in the warmer states such as Florida.

They became the forerunners of the ‘snowbirds’, who still move south for the winter months.

These travellers were catered for by a rapidly expanding campsite network, and of course they merged with the migrating unemployed who’d lost their jobs and homes during the Great Depression. These latter citizens endured a far harder life than the fortunate Vagabonds, but that’s another tale for another time...

ABOVE Thanks to a gourmet catering service, it’s unlikely – if still possible – that Henry Ford had to fish for his supper.

‘They travelled in a convoy of chauffeured Ford cars with an entourage of cooks and attendants’

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Touring Arese RH95

Embracing Words Dale Drinnon

future,

honouring

the Photography Max Serra

the

past Hard on the heels of the AERO 3, Touring launches the next car in its continuing streamline tradition. And this, the Arese RH95, is much the same concept – except totally different Magneto

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Touring Arese RH95

RIGHT Scissor doors are a first for Touring, but the overhead glass continues a theme from the Disco Volante Coupé.

ABOVE “Everything evolves from the proportions,” insists designer Louis de Fabribeckers. “If the fundamental proportions are wrong, nothing can fix that.”

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WE ARE SEATED OUTSIDE THE ONLY coffee shop open at zero-horrible-thirty in the morning, Touring design director Louis de Fabribeckers and I, absorbing our first caffeine of an already long, tiring day. Meanwhile photographer Max Serra continues his night shoot of the legendary custom coachbuilder’s hot, new and rather surprising Arese RH95, and I’m probing, for once in my career, like a real, serious journo. The car industry is changing faster than most of us ever thought possible. I want to know how can such a small player as Touring Superleggera hope to stay relevant?

Louis sets down his cup and pauses. “Actually, I think small is an advantage; it gives us greater flexibility and makes us more of a team.

The devotion everyone shows is incredible, especially in dealing with COVID, and in some

Touring Arese RH95

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BELOW View from above presses home the clean, organic flow of the Arese rear contours.

BELOW Milan’s culture is reflected in Milanese design, from architecture to cars.

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Touring Arese RH95

LEFT Exhaust outlet shapes, as well as air inlets up front, are common treatments that unify the Touring AERO series.

RIGHT TOP This production number is accompanied by a plaque signed by all employees.

RIGHT BOTTOM Touring monogram is stitched into driver’s seat back.

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Touring Arese RH95

ways we’re not so much a car company as an artist’s studio, or a fine tailor shop. We’re something of a niche product, you know – something for the connoisseur.” He chuckles.

“Like a car magazine printed on paper.”

And I chuckle with him. Because I think he’s absolutely correct, and it’s always been true; find a niche you’re good at, love doing and people want, never compromise on quality – and you’ll be okay. If your efforts should generate objects of outstanding beauty, grace and style, well, all the better – and here in the Milan area, that’s held true from stunning Milanese suits of medieval combat armour and Verdi at La Scala, right through to Milan Fashion Week and modern architecture that enhances a cityscape, instead of defacing it.

“What’s more,” Louis continues, “and this has been the Touring philosophy since the founding in 1926, our client isn’t just buying a car; they’re becoming part of a continuing tradition of excellence. We are like the Japanese master artisans, the calligraphers and sword makers who use the old, honoured techniques and materials [Note: they’re called shokunin, I have since discovered], and keep the arts alive.

Except…” and here he draws a distinct verbal line of emphasis under that last word, “…Touring has always been avant-garde, as a part of that very tradition, and we are open to adding the new techniques and materials to our traditional skills, to give us every tool available.”

Which brings us around full circle to the Arese RH95 – a car that would initially seem to have little in common with the models Touring has produced after resuming business in 2006 under new ownership, following 40 years of dormancy.

It takes no visual clues or spiritual inspiration from past landmark machines, unlike Louis’ glorious Disco Volante Coupé and Spyder; it isn’t a direct modernisation of a 1950s one-off, unlike the Sciàdipersia; it doesn’t revive iconic Touring styling devices to great effect, unlike the Berlinetta Lusso’s classic creased waistline.

The Arese doesn’t even use the Superleggera

alloy body-panelling methods that originated the company’s name: like last year’s AERO 3, it is dressed with the new techniques and materials of carbonfibre. Finally, the Arese has a mechanical distinction unique for the firm; it’s Touring’s first automobile based on a midmounted engine platform.

As for the exact source of that motor and running gear, however... beyond the fact that it’s an acclaimed 200mph-plus Italian supercar with a 710bhp turbo V8, it’s something I’ve been asked not to discuss. Call me old fashioned (although ‘antiquated’ might be more appropriate), but I’ll honour that request. Meanwhile, anyone who hasn’t already learned the answer via the web – and I suspect there aren’t many – should land plumb on it within 15 seconds of clicking.

It would seem, then, that the Arese RH95 is the proverbial clean sheet of paper. Until you actually walk around it, and despite advance briefings via video chat about Louis’s design concept, and various detail renderings, it took seeing the physical machinery before I fully twigged what a clever dude is our Mr LdF. His

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Arese does indeed take clues from Touring’s past, but they’re from cars of the modern past, not masterworks from the previous century.

Details from its front and rear treatments, for example, such as air-inlet and exhaust-outlet shapes, if not strictly identical, are clearly related to those of the AERO 3 as well as both the Discos.

So are the headlamp contours, the shape of the rear shoulders and, in truth, the general smooth flow of the overall profile and perfectly balanced proportions. Louis’s intention for some time has been to create a contemporary Touring ‘look’, a family of cars inheriting the feel and spirit of the company’s pioneering work in automotive aerodynamics, dating back to racers such as the streamlined Superleggera Alfa Romeos of the 1930s, and the 1940 Mille Miglia-winning BMW 328 Touring Coupé, but without any hint of retro styling.

“This will be our AERO series,” he says, “making references to the modern Disco and Disco Spyder, and the AERO 3, but no reference at all to a classic car. With the Arese we are honouring the past, but looking toward the

Touring Arese RH95

future.” And before you ask why it’s not called the AERO 4, the story is rather lovely; Arese is the district of Milan the company calls home, RH are the initials of the first client and project patron, and 95 represents this year’s observance of Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera’s 95th anniversary.

Another advantage of meeting the Arese in person; I am reminded once again that Touring builds supercars for grown-ups, not for development-arrested adolescents. AERO or not, there are no aero appendages tacked on here and there, to no obvious highway-speed function save hormone stimulation. While the car can be had in any colour or combination thereof (more on that later), this first unit is dressed in supremely tasteful Verde Pino, or Pine Green, a favourite since seeing it on a Disco Coupé at the works.

With a reasonable level of restraint, it can be driven through residential areas without blasting unsuspecting civilians from their beds at hours decidedly pre-zero-horrible-thirty. Despite a somewhat aggressive-looking front splitter, it also handled all the potholes and speed ramps I encountered during a test run around the same Milan neighbourhood, although I did proceed with all caution possible while doing it. In fact, probably best if I mention this now...

Let’s be straight here, people. I didn’t flog this car even slightly, aside from the odd short, low-speed burst in painstakingly clear situations, and for obvious reasons. Primarily, this is the one and only, the public launch hasn’t even occurred, and the day after I’m finished, it’s off Stateside for promotional duties. God save my rep and press card if I whang it, not to mention a long-cultivated trust relationship with worthy Touring. Besides, this ain’t my first rodeo, nor, I reckon, is it yours, gentle reader; we both know the titanic performance this package generates, and that only a fool would ‘road test’ it on genuine roads. Let Touring’s pro driver do the QC. Moreover, grown-up prospective buyers

might be interested in other of the Arese’s qualities, such as its sheer feline elegance. I’ve said repeatedly that Touring offers the rarity of modern cars made with classic sensibilities (and it still hasn’t bought the slogan, dammit), and this is proof positive. The eye follows the RH95’s lines with no jarring interruptions, no abrupt corners or angles throughout their sweep, and the tail tapers to a satisfyingly organic conclusion. That the target visual ‘mood’ was 1960s Targa Florio racers, light, small and responsive, is no surprise (apparently the in-house project codename was Florio, no less), and ghosts of Alfa 33 Periscopica are easily imagined lingering.

From a purely practical standpoint, too, the front boot space looks the most usable of all the modern Tourings’. You could weekend with this, as long as it was Casual – and yes, that snorkel in the engine clamshell is a functional component. With no window back there, though, driver vision to the rear is via a camera located down between the exhaust outlets and fed to a normally mounted interior ‘mirror’, as with the AERO 3. Don’t worry, I was sceptical as well – but five minutes and you’re used to it.

Not so much to my personal taste are the scissor doors. Granted, these are nicely weighted BELOW de Fabribeckers (left) and author have worked on every Touring launch of past decade.

‘Touring builds supercars for grown-ups, not for developmentarrested adolescents’ 126

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for the breed, function well and do ease entry to the deeply bucketed seats, but I yet remember an EB110 that tried to bite off my left leg at the knee some years ago. Nonetheless, once inside you’re aces; that seat is startlingly comfortable and critical controls are well located (does anyone use those other silly techno gizmos for anything except “hey, wow, look at this”?). Outward visibility is impressive, and I do love the upper glass panels in the GT40-type doors – when closed, they give an impression of the forerunning Disco Coupé’s superb glass canopy roof.

Another feature carried forward with the AERO family: Arese shares AERO 3’s ingenious ‘cocoon’ idea of individualised passenger and driver cockpits. There’s also a new bespoke Touring Pattern for the leather, complete with a tiny initial ‘T’ stitched into the driver’s seat back, like a tailor-made shirt monogram, or your every whim can be indulged. Colours, fabrics, trims, gadgets... Touring will likely accommodate most things that don’t violate homologation regs, inside or out, and indeed encourages client participation in all aspects of the build.

It helps make this very much Their Car. Our photo Arese, for instance, has customcast alloy wheels, patterned to the client’s specifications, while the AERO 3 can be had sans the trademark shark-fin bootlid (although no one has opted for that). I also saw an AERO 3 on this visit painted a raw-aluminiumlike silver colour that reminded me of a vintage Twin Beech, and instantly lost my heart.

Obviously, this personalisation is one reason Touring doesn’t quote base prices; equally obviously, you can expect a significant bill regardless of what you add on or don’t add on.

Alas, exclusivity and hand-crafted excellence don’t come cheaply, and only 18 units will be built; as of press time, three of them are already spoken for. Delivery of your finished Arese can be expected six months after your platform donor car arrives at Touring. If desired, Touring can also source a donor for you. Now, what’ll it be? Disco Green, or Beechcraft Silver?

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LEFT Jaguar Leaper guards the entrance to the club dining room.

RIGHT Custommade Bentley ‘radiators’ act as wall-light shades.

Petrol-heads of the North

In the heart of Yorkshire, there’s a drivers’ club packed with some of the world’s best motoring art and automobilia Words David Lillywhite

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Bowcliffe Hall Drivers’ Club

LEFT FROM TOP Classics on the shelves; Bryan de Grineau original hangs over the mantelpiece in the Briefing Room; Each of the Bentley-inspired chairs is named.

FUNNY STORY… I’VE KNOWN JONATHAN Turner through his fuel company and his car collecting for about 20 years. And I was aware that he had a big place in the North of England, where like-minded car people tend to gather.

But when I arranged to call in on the Vintage Heuer watch company at the grand-sounding Bowcliffe Hall, did I put two and two together that this was JT’s place? Not at all! The penny dropped only when driving into the immaculate stately-home grounds and spotting the ‘This Way, That Way’ signpost and smattering of classic cars, and confirmed once inside by the wealth of motoring art.

I soon discovered that Jonathan was out for the day, and it wasn’t long before the expected “Lillywhite, you plonker” text came through.

But what a venue to visit – and what an obvious article for Magneto; the first time Bowcliffe Hall has been shown off in a car magazine. Some features do come more easily than others...

The Hall serves as the HQ for Jonathan’s business, but it’s also a conference centre, a wedding venue, offices for other businesses including Bonhams and Vintage Heuer, and – most importantly for us – the location of the Bowcliffe Hall Drivers’ Club. The club is by invitation only, with a set amount of members, but it’s also open to visits from car clubs, rallies and any other groups that will appreciate the mix of English fun and eccentricity mixed with high-class surroundings and automobilia.

Built in the early 1800s, Bowcliffe Hall was bought in 1917 by pioneer aviator Robert Blackburn, who went on to become a major force in aircraft manufacture (think of the Blackburn Buccaneer, later the Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer). “During the war, the great and the good – Winston Churchill and all sorts – came here to see Blackburn because he was a significant maker by then,” explains Jonathan 130

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Bowcliffe Hall Drivers’ Club

‘The only non-British car featured is a Mercedes-Benz… being overtaken by a Bentley’

Turner when I finally catch up with him.

Following Blackburn’s death in 1955, Bowcliffe Hall was bought by fuel company Hargreaves which, three decades later, was bought by the Turner family firm, the Bayford Group.

“Yes, in 1955 it changed from a private home to the head office of a global business,” confirms Jonathan, “and in 1988 we bought the business, and the property became our head office. And then in 2004, I did what is called a family management buyout – which is why I’ve had the freedom to be a little bit crazy, and grow and develop Bowcliffe Hall in the way that we have. It was madness, but it’s been great fun.”

Much of the madness Jonathan refers to is centred around the Blackburn Wing, a spectacular architectural treehouse creation built away from the house in the shape of a wing. It’s one of several venues on the estate used for weddings, conferences and meetings.

“About ten years ago, when I was thinking about restoring Bowcliffe, I also thought – as all boys do – that I’d quite like a treehouse. So I started off on this journey of planning a treehouse with an aviation theme. I thought about where these early pilots would have gone for a beer, a glass of wine or whatever... So I said: ‘Right I’ll build a pilots’ mess.’

“Then I thought: wait a minute, I’m not a pilot; my whole thing is old cars and racing and rallying. It’s in my DNA. But there’s a crossover between early aviation and early motoring, and Blackburn drove an old Alvis, so I thought I’ll be a little bit vain and create a drivers’ club.”

This is perfect territory for Turner; at a race, a rally, a concours or just a gathering of car people, you know he’ll be at the centre of the action. Now his office, in Blackburn’s old bathroom, overlooks a generous terrace that itself looks out into the house grounds with an Austin Seven van parked outside, a film-prop plane placed randomly on the lawn and the striking Blackburn Wing in the distance.

Inside are the ground-floor rooms that make up the drivers’ club, accessed via long corridors lined with motoring art – not all of it serious but much of it very important. There’s F Gordon Crosby, Bryan de Grineau, Russell Brockbank, 132

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Géo Ham and Alan Fearnley, as well as original early Shell posters and much more.

The leather-sofa-and-dark-panelling decor is very ‘Dawn of Motoring’ in era, with room for 85 guests or 35 seated for food. There’s more art and automobilia everywhere you look, much of it collected by Jonathan long before the birth of the club. There’s a huge Jaguar Leaper above one door, spotted in a Kings Road junk shop years ago, and necessitating a hole to be knocked in the wall to mount it. And there’s a ladder propped up in one corner, randomly, which turns out to be from a Lancaster bomber.

All this is supplemented by custom-made pieces. “The corner light fittings are exact replicas of a Bentley radiator,” says Jonathan.

Each has a different number, reflecting the winning Le Mans cars. The cover for the air-conditioning is a replica of a Rolls-Royce radiator topped by a Spirit of Ecstasy model.

“All the main light fittings as you go down the restaurant are British – Austin-Healey, MG, Jaguar... everything is a reflection of historic motoring. The chairs resemble Vintage Bentley seats, each with a brass plaque engraved with a Vintage Bentley-related name. Nobby Clarke for example, the chief mechanic, and Dorothy Paget, who funded the race team.”

As if you hadn’t guessed by now, the theme is UK motoring; the only non-British car featured is a Mercedes-Benz… being overtaken by a Bentley! Even the wooden floor was painstakingly crafted in the pattern of the Union Jack.

“So basically it’s been a labour of love,” says Jonathan. “And then you go: ‘Well, that’s lovely JT, brilliant. Now what are you going to do with it?’” The answer? Bowcliffe Hall Drivers’ Club is now a private members’ club, with an undisclosed number of members, staging its own events – most recently a celebration of 60 Years of the E-type – and with clubs, tours and rallies encouraged to visit.

I ask if I can join, to which the answer is: “I’ll talk to the selection committee – next time I look in the mirror.” Poor fellow, it seems he’s not found a mirror yet...

More information on www.bowcliffehall.co.uk.

Read about Vintage Heuer overleaf.

ABOVE FROM TOP The Blackburn Wing sits in the trees, away from the house; Spirit of Ecstasy; The club terrace, often home to a sign-written Austin.

SPEEDMASTER SPECIALIST IN HISTORIC AUTOMOBILES Tel: +44 (0)1937 220 360 or +44 (0)7768 800 773 info@speedmastercars.com www.speedmastercars.com

JORDAN 191 - FORD HB EUROBRUN ER188

Michael first car – used

by Michael at Spa powered Francorchamps inCosworth 1991. TheDFR 191 was thefrom first the Jordan car, for the This 1988Schumacher’s Eurobrun F1 car wasGrand drivenPrix

by Stefano Modena Oscar Larrauri, by a Ford Engine, era ofF1pre-qualifying team thatentries, has now become themachine Aston Martin F1 Team. carthis was driven

by Andrea dethe Cesaris, Michael Schumacher andand Alex Zanardi, in and 30+ funded by slot magnate WalterThis Brun, car is a perfect car for Masters Demonstration events other Premier De Cesaris’s hands it came tantalisingly close winning a GP. A invites projecttowhich was indirectly funded byBelgian pop music’s biggest setting Motoring Events throughout the world, the cartohas also received Demonstration events at the GP and Brandsstar Hatch MSV his hair on fire, a driver incarceration and gave the debut to oneincluding of F1’s all-time greats, the 191 could have its own film. festivals.

The carlost is offered forto sale complete having been recently restored fresh Richardson engine, spares package andfeature newly made We areand pleased offer this unique piece history spare wheels offerstofantastic performance forofa F1 fraction offor its sale. original cost.

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1996 WILLIAMS - RENAULT FW18-3

One of the most successful F1 cars of all time the FW18 won 12 of 16 races and the World Championship in 1996, designed by Adrian Newey the car dominated the opposition. This car was driven to 2 pole positions, 3 Race Wins and 2 Second places by Jaques Villeneuve and only decided the World Championship at the last race of the season. Offered complete in running condition and with a complete set of running equipment including pre heaters, jacks and 2 sets new wheels.This car remains eligible for the Williams Racing Heritage program and has most recently been run by Williams. A rare opportunity to acquire a multiple GP Winning car in running condition.

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Vintage Heuer

Time at Bowcliffe Hall One of the businesses at Bowcliffe Hall is watch specialist Vintage Heuer.

We catch up with the classic brand’s latest trends

IF YOU’RE INTO CARS THEN YOU’LL probably appreciate Heuer watches, with all their motor sport connections. And if you’re into Heuer watches, you’ll really appreciate Jonathan Scatchard, one of the world’s leading authorities on the brand.

He’s not based in Geneva or New York or London. His office is upstairs in Bowcliffe Hall, Yorkshire, as featured in the previous pages.

His window overlooks beautiful parkland, but the view inside is equally stunning, lined as it is with rare Heuer-related memorabilia along with the watches and stopwatches themselves.

Heuer seems now to be an obvious watch brand to specialise in, but it wasn’t that way when Jonathan started out. His history with watches goes back to working as a teenager at his local jewellers in Harrogate: “The ladies there thought watches were boring, so I was wheeled out at 16 to see the watch reps.

Watches then were ‘secondhand’, not vintage, and only the Italians seemed interested in them. Otherwise, you’d just have one watch for life – usually an Omega Constellation given as a 21st birthday present.”

Jonathan, though, loved the Heuer Carrera in particular, and as he started to deal in watches, he’d hold back the Heuers for himself. “In the 1990s no one wanted them,” he says. “They were thought of as secondhand TAGs at best. I saw Carreras for £250 and Monacos for £400.”

Heuer had been bought by TAG in 1985, and in the late 1990s that brand launched authentic reissues of the Carrera in exactly the same style and modest 36mm case size as the 1960s original. Customers started to ask for these reissues, which were priced at about £1250, but Jonathan realised he could sell the originals for less (“That sounds crazy now, doesn’t

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Words David Lillywhite Photography Watch Gecko online magazine

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it?” he laughs). Then TAG Heuer reissued the Monaco, and interest really started to rise.

Jonathan went in with a Heuer specialist to run a watch auction, and from there his business took off. He launched the Vintage Heuer website in 2003, and moved to Bowcliffe Hall five years ago, teaming up with Guy Nelson-Bolton (“one of the best watch hunters in the business”) to also launch Vintage Watch Shop, covering non-Heuer timepieces.

Now, mostly thanks to Steve McQueen’s Le Mans, the Monaco is the best known and most valuable of the Heuers. Yet when they were new they weren’t particularly collectable, and the King of Cool connection was inconsequential; in fact, McQueen was inspired by Swiss racer Jo Siffert, who was already connected to Heuer.

A Siffert-edition Autavia is highly sought after.

The Carrera is the next best known, but some are better than others; Jonathan has just sold one of around ten mid-1970s McLaren editions.

So what next in the Heuer market? “There’s a new wave of buyers who are starting to buy pre-TAG-era Heuers of the early 1980s,” says Jonathan. By that point Heuer was out of fashion and almost bankrupt, but watches of that period that are taking off include the divers’ versions, gold-plated ‘Wolf’ watches (so-named because of the Leonardo DiCaprio character’s wrist-wear in The Wolf of Wall Street) and the Heuer chronographs of the time – “think Don Johnson in a white Testarossa”.

Keep an eye out, too, for the early digital stopwatches of the time, which are becoming more collectable, and are a great 1980s rallycar accessory. The market evolves but Jonathan continues to be ahead of the Heuer curve.

Thanks to Vintage Heuer, www.vintageheuer.com, Vintage Watch Shop www.vintagewatchshop.com.

Morgan hand tools

Morgan has always been at the hinterlands of the old world and the new – and that extends to th

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he tools its artisans use. Predictably,

most have wooden construction...

TOOLS OF THE TRADE Words Nathan Chadwick Photography Andrew Shaylor

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Morgan hand tools

PREVIOUS SPREAD The sheet-metal hammer is used for shaping aluminium bodies and scuttles.

Its weight has been precisely tuned for intricate metalwork, but also allows enough force to shape aluminium effectively.

While this shaping still uses traditional techniques (including rolled edges and hand-stamped louvres), the wings are superformed and the panels are laser cut.

RIGHT Dividers are specifically used for marking the edges of the bonnet panels for cutting down. After the body is complete, the ‘body in white’ is ready for paint preparation.

The hand-beaten panels are further refined before painting – customers can choose from more than 40,000 colour combinations.

OPPOSITE Although the lead hammer is no longer used in the production of new cars, its contribution to Morgans of old was critical – it was used for traditional wirewheel knock-ons.

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OPPOSITE This particular marking gauge belongs to Will Ansell, who works in the woodshop.

It first belonged to his grandfather, who died before Will was born.

Will uses it every day to measure and mark the body frames he crafts.

This tool is suspected to be around 70 years old.

Each Morgan’s frame is hand-crafted from ash wood, from which the aluminium body is hung.

LEFT This Stanley No. 4 smoothing plane is one of workshop stalwart Vince Wanklin’s prized possessions, and is easily recognisable by everyone in Morgan’s woodshop because of the block it rests on.

Now retired, Vince made this block when he was a Morgan apprentice. He would cover the block in linseed when the plane was resting on it, which would help the plane run smoothly.

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Morgan hand tools

RIGHT Although these tin snips don’t have a single owner, all of the craftsmen in the workshop have very similar snips with signature extended handles. These are used for trimming the bonnets to ensure the fit against the bodywork, cowl and scuttle is correct; the lengthened handles allow for additional leverage when cutting.

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The original-equipment radial on the Jaguar E-type, it was the tyre of choice for sporting drivers in the Sixties and Seventies with its rain-defying and road-hugging qualities.

The original Aquajet man traded his safari shirt for a cardigan long ago, but the next generation of adventurous motorists can still buy the tyre he stood for.

Vintage Tyres has reintroduced the Aquajet in a wide range of 10in, 13in and 15in sizes. We can’t promise an international man of mystery lifestyle, but with a set of Aquajets on your classic,great grip in all conditions is guaranteed.

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Morgan hand tools

LEFT Instantly recognisable to everyone in the assembly workshop, the wooden mallet is more than just a blunt object – it has a very precise function. It’s used to correct the shape of the underside of the scuttle at each corner.

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An i c o n r em ast er ed Our mission has evolved since 2007, yet our founding principle has remained constant; to create the most authentic, restored Land Rover Defenders in the world. Defenders that are as influential and inspirational as our clients.

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The first Ferrari

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Auto Avio Costruzioni Tipo 815

After Alfa Romeo fired Enzo Ferrari back in 1939, he was wealthy but without a mission. He discovered that soon enough, by building sports cars for two prominent racers to compete in the 1940 Mille Miglia

by Karl Ludvigsen

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SUCCESSFUL AND TURBULENT IN EQUAL measure, Enzo Ferrari’s racing relationship with Alfa Romeo began in 1920 and ended on September 6, 1939, when Alfa chief Ugo Gobbato advised Enzo that he was terminating the latter’s contract as a senior advisor a year and a half before its official ending. Gobbato effectively liquidated the famous Scuderia Ferrari in order to take all racing in-house. This cost Alfa Romeo quite a lot in view of the contract’s termination conditions.

“While we express our regret that circumstances have prevented us from continuing to require your assistance,” Gobbato wrote, blaming Italy’s expected entry into the war, “we would like you to know that we appreciate the work that you have done for Alfa Romeo in the last 20 years. We are pleased that your liquidation came about in a friendly and fair way and with mutual satisfaction.”

“In the end, I was sacked,” Enzo summarised, “which seemed to be the only logical solution to the situation that had developed. In 1939 came my divorce from Alfa Romeo. I sold the racing cars to Gobbato and he fired me. With the settlement after my 20 years and with my savings, I transformed the Scuderia into a small car factory.” Historian Alessandro Silva said: “Ferrari obtained quite a substantial sum. He bought an entire apartment building in downtown Modena with part of his severance payment from Alfa.”

The public announcement was concise: “Ferrari, after mutual agreement with the management of the make, resumed his freedom with respect to Alfa Corse, and is now setting up, in the premises that were already home to the Scuderia, a workshop for repairing cars.

Racing is for the time being set aside.”

That last – so disappointing to Ferrari’s many fans – would turn out to be erroneous, even though a clause in the agreement Ferrari had signed with Alfa Romeo prohibited him for four years from rebuilding his Scuderia and from being involved with the racing world. “I was a leading and possibly a crucial character,” he avowed, “in two sensational clubs – Fiat and Alfa Romeo – by which I mean in the motor-racing sector.” But he found a loophole.

Enzo Ferrari could not compete, but what if his name were not on the maker or its product?

In September 1939 he founded a new company called Auto Avio Costruzioni (AAC). This opened its doors at his existing headquarters, the former Scuderia base at 11 Viale Trento e Trieste in Modena, to provide design and manufacturing services. Its supposed use for “repairing cars” would be entirely secondary.

Joining Ferrari were engineer Alberto

Massimino, tester Enrico Nardi and an engineer with workshop experience, Vittorio Bellentani, as well as faithful members of his mechanical crew. Federico Giberti controlled the office, while Lorenzo Ross managed finances.

Production was overseen by Rolando Paolo Rosso. Equipped to carry out all machining work in-house, the AAC needed only to obtain castings from the Fonderia Calzoni in Bologna.

Almost immediately an opportunity presented itself. An attractive objective was the 1940 Mille Miglia, scheduled for April 28. Conditions in Italy at the time prevented the usual race down to Rome and back again, so the resourceful Brescia auto club organised its first Gran Premio Brescia della Mille Miglia on a 103-mile triangular course with apexes at Cremona, Mantua and Brescia. Nine laps would cover 927 miles, a decent approximation of the original 1000-mile race. Pecuniary rewards were on offer. The prize for victory in each of five classes was 10,000 lira. In addition, Fiat posted a prize of 5000 lira for a class win by a car that was a Fiat or at least Fiat based.

Near the end of 1939 Ferrari discussed the idea of a 1.5-litre car for that category with a wealthy Modenese Marquis, his friend Lotario Rangoni Machiavelli. He was an experienced sports car racer who first competed in the Mille Miglia in 1937 and moved up to Alfa Romeos in 1938. With Ferdinando Righetti he won the 1939 eight-hour Targa Abruzzo on the demanding Pescara circuit, driving an Alfa 6C 2500SS Corsa. The Marquis was friendly with budding auto racer Alberto Ascari, son of Ferrari’s mentor Antonio Ascari at Portello.

On behalf of Ascari and himself, Rangoni Machiavelli expressed interest in suitable Ferrari-built cars for the Brescia event With only four months to go before the race, at a Christmas Eve dinner party, Ferrari agreed to build suitable cars for Machiavelli and Ascari. In charge of the design project was the AAC’s Alberto Massimino, a talented and versatile 45-year-old engineer who had moved to Modena to work on the Alfa Romeo Tipo 158 and the engine of the Tipo 316 Grand Prix car.

To facilitate fast completion and conform with the terms of the possible Fiat prize, Ferrari had his men use a Fiat 508 C as their starting point. Fiat had made a handful of these mainstream sedans into endurance racers, so Ferrari’s team reinforced the chassis but left untouched the brakes, live rear axle, steering and Dubonnet independent front suspension.

The four-speed transmission received new gears with more suitable ratios.

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fabrication attention. Massimino created a straight-eight based on the 1.1-litre 508 C Fiat’s four-cylinder engine. By keeping its 68mm bore and shortening the stroke from 75mm to 60mm, he made an oversquare inline eight with a displacement of 1496cc. This required the casting of an aluminium cylinder block by Fonderia Calzoni, Ferrari’s usual supplier, which also cast the new one-piece sump for what was called a ‘semi-dry-sump’ lubrication system. Cylinders with ferrous liners were topped by two suitably ported 508 C cylinder heads. A larger water pump aided cooling.

Carried over was the Fiat pushrod and rocker overhead valvegear, underneath a onepiece aluminium rocker cover. The engine needed a new five-bearing crankshaft and matching camshaft, both of which were designed by Massimino and made in the well equipped former Scuderia workshop. Feeding the siamesed inlet ports was a quartet of downdraught Weber 30 DR 2 carburettors. A single Marelli distributor served all eight cylinders. With a compression ratio of 7.0:1, up a point from the 508 C original’s, this ingenious engine gave 72-75bhp at 5500rpm.

For the cars’ bodies Ferrari turned to Felice Bianchi Anderloni, the design head of one of Italy’s most forward-thinking coachbuilders, Milan’s Carrozzeria Touring. Felice’s son, Carlo Bianchi Anderloni, then a 23-year-old cadet in the military, well recalled his father speaking of Ferrari’s visit to Touring.

“He said Enzo wanted something that could be recognised as a Ferrari at a glance,” the younger Anderloni remembered. “He was

obviously thinking of some type of production, for he wanted his car to have a touch of luxury.”

Felice Anderloni made some initial sketches, then refined them through use of his ‘visualisers’, who turned his initial drawings and ideas into detailed renderings. As well as the sports-racer, their designs included a more formal cabriolet version. After a false start with a less distinctive front end, both had the same pear-shaped grille, which when combined with the new headlamps created for the latest Opel Kapitän did indeed give distinction to the AAC’s first offering. It was known as the Tipo 815 – a cheeky reversal of the Alfa Romeo Tipo 158, another 1.5-litre eight.

A 1:10-scale model of the chosen design was analysed in a wind tunnel. Based in Milan, young Alberto Ascari was often seen around the workshops as the cars were bodied, taking an interest in every detail. While the Marquis’s example was trimmed with some elaboration, the one for Ascari was sparely outfitted in the sports-racing tradition.

Construction was by Touring’s ‘Superleggera’ method of a network of tubes over which the material was closely fitted, an alloy of magnesium with aluminium called Itallumag 35. The body weighed 119lb and the car 1177lb dry. Wheelbase was 95.3in and track 48.8in.

Borrani wire wheels with Rudge hubs carried Pirelli Stella Bianca tyres in 5.50 x 15in dimensions. Its fuel tank held 23.8 gallons.

The first completed 815 underwent tests on public roads in the hands of Enrico Nardi.

Carlo Anderloni said that Touring’s favourite stretches were between Milan and Como, and

‘Enzo Ferrari’s new car was known as the Tipo 815 – a cheeky reversal of the Alfa Romeo Tipo 158, another 1.5-litre eight’

LEFT Alberto Ascari with the earliest incarnation of his Tipo 815, sans front air inlets flanking its grille.

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The first Ferrari

between Milan and Bergamo. “The car was covered in felt ribbons,” he said, “then followed by a second car with a photographer onboard, who took pictures. Once the photos were developed, my father looked at the ribbons to analyse the airflow.” The two bodies differed, Rangoni’s having a longer tail. At least one featured a tiny prancing horse and sported the AAC initials above its grille.

The prudent Ferrari entered the cars only provisionally just two weeks before the race.

However, both were on hand for the start. After an obligatory haranguing of the crews of the 75 starters by a Fascist-party official, Ascari’s Tipo 815, serial 021 and race no. 66, was flagged away at 6:21am, a minute after Rangoni’s sister car, serial 020. Alberto, wearing the Nuvolari-like kit of a motorcyclist’s sleeveless waistcoat over his jersey, was accompanied by Nardi. He soon overtook his team-mate and easily assumed the class lead. On his second lap one of the Fiatmade rocker arms failed and Ascari was out.

Driving with his cousin Giovanni Minozzi at his side, Rangoni Machiavelli lasted longer in a car that had enjoyed more pre-race testing. He assumed the class lead, setting a 1.5-litre lap record at 91mph on the way to tenth place overall. Rangoni’s long-tail 815 led its class by more than half an hour when its transmission failed with two-and-a-half laps to go. “The experiment that started so brilliantly,” said Ferrari, “ended in failure, largely because the car had been built too hastily.” Nor had there been time to test it thoroughly.

It was anything but a total loss for Ascari, however. In February 1943 he sold his 815 for

the handsome sum of 42,000 lira; Ferrari’s price to him had been 20,000 lira. The new owner of 021 was Milan’s Enrico Beltracchini, who was moving up from a Fiat 500. In nine entries in 1947 he retired four times and enjoyed one fourth and three fifth places. He entered the 1948 Mille Miglia but didn’t start.

The subsequent history of Rangoni Machiavelli’s car was less happy. After it was damaged in an accident his Tipo 815 was sent to a scrapyard – more for storage than immediate dismantling. While test-flying an airplane in 1942 the Marquis crashed fatally.

The car went to his brother Rolando, who set about recovering it from the scrapyard in 1958.

He located the Tipo 815 and confirmed its identity with Enzo. Returning to collect it, he found that his historic long-tailed ‘first Ferrari’ had been scrapped in the meantime.

The short-tailed Ascari 815 passed from Enrico Beltracchini to Emilio Fermi-Storchi, who had a small museum near Modena.

Ultimately it was sold to Mario Righini and Domenico Gentili. Settled in Righini’s estate at Anzola dell’Emilia, it received a substantial overhaul. Bodywork was refreshed by Campana di Modena, while the engine and drive-line were rebuilt by Gianni Torrelli of Campagnolo at Reggio Emilia. Then the two owners enjoyed it in the 1991 Mille Miglia Retrospective.

Thus one of the Tipo 815s is happily intact and among us, as evidence of Enzo Ferrari’s determination to be active in the world of motor racing. Although he would build more ambitious cars after the war, they would never be the ‘first Ferraris’.

‘After an obligatory haranguing of the crews of the 75 starters by a Fascist-party official, Ascari’s Tipo 815, serial 021, was flagged away a minute after Rangoni’s sister car, 020’

LEFT Tipo 815 serial 021 saw action in post-war race meetings at the hand of Milan’s Enrico Beltracchini.

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From triumph to tragedy,

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THE TOP 50 LE MANS 24 HOURS MOMENTS endurance motor sport at La Sarthe never fails to excite. Here are the most memorable events over nearly 100 years of the great race

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BLOWN OFF COURSE PERHAPS the oddest car ever to qualify for the 24 Hours, the Nardi Bisiluro wasn’t the only ‘twin-boom’ Italian racer of the period. It was, however, the most notorious. Its lefthand side housed the 737cc four-cylinder Giannini engine and transmission, while the right-hand ‘pod’ comprised the fuel tank and ultra-narrow cockpit. Conceived by Carlo Mollino and Enrico Nardi, it weighed only 450kg (992lb) and was fast enough to compete in 1955’s tragic race. Unfortunately, it was out after an hour; the turbulence from a passing Jaguar D-type blew it off the track.

NO SUBSTITUTE FOR CUBIC INCHES AND the prize for the biggest-engined Le Mans car goes to… Well, strictly speaking, the Eagle 700 that appeared at Le Mans in 1990 didn’t make the race. Nor was it anything to do with Dan Gurney’s marque of the same name. Based on a Lola-designed Corvette GTP monocoque, and powered by an 11,471cc 32v V8 created

by Joe Schubeck, the car was hobbled by electrical glitches during practice. With fixes in place, it then developed an oil leak onto the rear wheels. Cue a visit to the Armco for Eagle Performance Technology principal Paul Canary.

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TROPHY DASHED

M A R I O AT L E M A N S

MOTOR magazine used to award a prize to the highestfinishing British-made car.

In 1966, the only one to finish was the French-entered Mini Marcos of Jean-Louis Marnat and Claude Ballot-Léna.

Ironically, marque instigator Jem Marsh spent most of the race doing his best to distance himself from their bid, opining that their car was a “…bit of a lash-up”.

However, it continued to drone around and came home in 15th (and last) place. According to Marsh, Motor never got round to providing the trophy despite him petitioning the title repeatedly.

FEW drivers have starred in as wide a spread of disciplines as Mario Andretti.

However, victory at Le Mans eluded him. ‘The Fonz’ made his maiden start in 1966, and his last in 2000 at the tender age of 60, six years after he had quit racing full time.

He finished third in 1983, sharing a Porsche 956 with son Michael and Philippe Alliot, and again in 1995 in a Courage alongside Jan Lammers and Derek Warwick. The closest he came to winning was in 1994 when he placed second with Bob Wollek and Éric Hélary, again driving for Courage.

S T R ATA G R A P H G E N E R AT O R NASCAR driver/entrant Billy Hagan had long wanted to compete in the 24 Hours.

Nevertheless, the American’s Stratagraph Inc team almost didn’t make the cut in 1981 because its tube-framed, 394ci Camaro hadn’t turned a wheel before practice. It sat at 39th on the grid, having hit 180mph-plus down the Mulsanne Straight. Hagan was joined by Bill Cooper and multi-NASCAR champ Cale Yarborough, but they were out after 13 laps. Unbowed, the team returned a year on with a brace of Chevrolets.

BELOW Le Mans win eluded Mario Andretti. RIGHT DeltaWing came to a sticky end.

Top 50 Le Mans moments

MORGAN WINS ITS CLASS IN 1962, Christopher Lawrence and Richard Shepherd-Barron won the 2.0-litre GT class in the former’s Morgan ‘TOK 258’.

A notable achievement – not least because in 1961 Lawrence’s different Morgan entry had passed through scrutineering only to be thrown out before practice on highly spurious grounds.

It later transpired that the works Triumph team was worried that a Triumphengined Morgan might upstage them, so [cough] ‘had a word’ with the organisers.

O N A D E LT A W I N G A N D A P R AY E R A RUNNER-up for the most left-field car ever to make the cut was this daring device conceived by maverick British designer Ben Bowlby.

With its narrow front track to reduce frontal area and lack of wings (downforce was derived from the underbody), the DeltaWing looked unlike any other racing car. Nevertheless, an army of credible backers supported the project. The car was fielded in the 2012 event as an ‘experimental vehicle’, and proved the naysayers wrong by qualifying in 29th place.

Sadly, the four-cylinder Nissan-engined (and -backed) device was punted into the barriers at the Porsche Curves by an errant Toyota 75 laps in.

A SECOND FIRST PRIZE THE Lotus Elite claimed six consecutive class wins at Le Mans. It also provided nuisance value for the many local marques, especially in the patience-bothering Index of Performance contest. In 1960, the works-blessed car of David Buxton and Bill Allen won its class and also bagged Index honours.

However, a week after the race, the organisers realised there had been a slight snafu; the French privateer Lotus of Roger Masson and Claude Laurent was the rightful winner because it recorded better average fuel economy than the British Lotus.

Rather than amend the results, it merely awarded a second first prize.

T O F I N I S H F I R S T, FIRST YOU...

IT’S an unfortunate record for a prolific winner. Hans Heyer competed in 1000 races, taking umpteen touring car scalps in addition to outright victory in the 1984 Sebring 12 Hours. However, his Le Mans record was lamentable. The Tyrolian made his first start in 1972 in a BMW 2800CS. He’d go on to make 13 further attempts to 1986, variously aboard works Fords and Lancias plus Kremer and Georg Loos Porsches, before rounding out his bids with the TWR Jaguar Group C squad.

His tally comprised 14 DNFs; a 100 percent failure rate.

B E N T L E Y: T H E C O M E B A C K BENTLEY has a rich history at Le Mans, having accrued five wins from 1924-30. However, prior to its return to the endurance classic in 2001, the marque hadn’t been represented since 1951 when the ‘Embiricos’ coupé retired from its third showing in the 24 Hours. Scroll forward to 2003, and Bentley bagged honours with the Speed 8, Tom Kristensen, Guy Smith and Rinaldo Capello (above) beating the sister car of Johnny Herbert, David Brabham and Mark Blundell by two laps.

It also represented the fourth straight win for the Volkswagen Group (the other three being for the Audi brand). The three-year programme wasn’t renewed thereafter.

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DIESEL PIONEER HALF a century before Audi claimed silverware at Le Mans with diesel power, the Delettrez brothers were the glow-plug kings. In 1949 they fielded a car with a 70bhp straight-six diesel, only to retire. Their 1950 racer was backed by MAP (Manufacture d’Armes de Paris) which, among other things, made tractors. This was the first Le Mans racer to have its engine sited amidships. However, drivers Pierre Veyron and Francois Lacour didn’t go the distance. The Delettrez bros returned with a diesel in ’51, but recorded another DNF.

PORSCHE’S FIRST

A E R O I N N O VAT O R

FIRST JAPANESE CAR AND DRIVERS

THE ‘WINNER’ WHO WON BEHIND THE PACE CAR GENTLEMAN driver John Winter (a pseudonym of Louis Krages) helped win the 1985 running for Joest Racing. Klaus Ludwig and Paolo Barilla did the lion’s share of the driving, though, during a race that saw privateers upstage the works Porsche squad. Winter didn’t do a single lap at race speeds; the timber magnate performed only one stint, and that was behind the pace car while an accident was dealt with. He had only adopted the moniker so as not to alert his family. He got rumbled after pics from the podium reached the German media.

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THE Japanese have long had a love affair with Le Mans, and the first homedesigned and -built car to qualify was the Sigma MC73. It was also the first to compete with a variation of the Wankel rotary engine.

However, just to add to the confusion, this Mazdapowered machine had the legend ‘Toyota’ emblazoned across the rear wing…

Trailblazing also stretched to the team fielding the first Japanese drivers ever to compete in the great race; Hiroshi Fushida and Tetsu Ikuzawa joined Frenchman Patrick Dal Bo. They retired, but big things ensued for many of the key players.

FEW Le Mans cars have ever appeared as way-out as Charles Deutsch’s LM64 which was, in essence, a Panhard Dyna in (low) drag.

Designed by Lucien Romani and Robert Choulet, this study in streamlining (above) was instantly identifiable thanks to its stabilising fins.

A central ‘tunnel’ was sunk into the undertray that channelled airflow to generate ground effect, while a diffuser accelerated air beneath the car. Weighing just 560kg, and packing all of 78bhp from a supercharged 848cc twin, the LM64 could still do 137.5mph outright.

Two cars were entered in the 1964 race; both retired, but the design blazed a trail for the likes of the Porsche 917 Langheck.

RIGHT Where it all started for Porsche, with the 356 Gmünd SL’s class victory 70 years ago.

FROM little acorns… Porsche and the Le Mans race remain inextricably linked, thanks in no small part to the brand’s 19 outright wins. Its firstever trophy was hoisted 70 years ago, as a class win for a company that was barely three years old. In 1951, the sole 356 Gmünd SL to start the race was driven by Auguste Veuillet and Edmond Mouche. They guided their 1086cc coupé to 19th place overall and claimed 1.1-litre category honours – and thus, the floodgates were opened.

BRILLIANT BOB’S BAD LUCK BOB Wollek claimed six podium finishes at Le Mans.

He also bagged four class wins. However, he never won outright, his bad luck becoming part of Le Mans folklore. ‘Brilliant Bob’ contested the race on 30 occasions but, despite victory at the Daytona 24 Hours four times, and taking several other major gongs, the cards never fell into place in the race he most wanted to win. Errors by team-mates, car breakages and so on often spoiled his chances.

However, he came painfully close to winning in 1997 aboard a 911 GT1, only to uncharacteristically spin into retirement while leading.

Top 50 Le Mans moments

CLASS HONOURS FOR FEMALE DRIVERS

JOHN WOOLFE’S FATA L A C C I D E N T

PESCAROLO THE LEGEND FEW drivers have ever been more closely associated with a particular race as Henri Pescarolo. The Paris-born star had a so-so career in

Formula 1 after showing well in the junior categories, but excelled elsewhere, particularly in sports cars.

He contested at Le Mans a record 33 times between 1966-99. He claimed three consecutive wins with Matra in 1972-74 (above), and secured his fourth and final victory in 1984 in a Joest Racing Porsche 956B with Klaus Ludwig. The veteran also bagged class honours in 1976 and 1992. As an entrant, he finished second in 2005.

IT was an accident that would have far-reaching consequences. In 1969, John Woolfe was initially paired with Digby Martland in a Porsche 917. The latter subsequently made way for Herbert Linge, and Woolfe was advised to let Porsche’s test driver make the start.

He refused. Following the traditional sprint to the car, Woolfe began making places, having not yet done up his safety belts. The 917 left the road at Maison Blanche on the opening lap, and connected with the barriers.

It overturned and caught fire, Woolfe being thrown out before succumbing to his injuries. The standing start was axed for 1970.

AMONG the nicest men ever to steer a racing car, Win Percy was also among the luckiest. That said, having your car take a turn for the airborne at 240mph marks you out as being unfortunate.

It’s just that the West Countryman’s terrifying shunt in 1987 was more akin to an aeroplane crash; it was a miracle he survived, let alone without injury. A rear tyre blew as he guided his Jaguar XJR-8LM along the Mulsanne Straight. It caught air, Percy recalling that all he saw thereafter were treetops and the night-time sky before the car returned to earth.

TED7/PETERSEN

WIN FLIES THE U N F R I E N D LY S K I E S

THE 1975 24 Hours saw Michèle Mouton, Marianne Hoepfner and Christine Dacremont win their class with the Moynet LM75. It was the first time an all-female crew had claimed honours regardless of category, and Mouton’s fearlessness in the wet in particular garnered headlines. Their biggest foe early on was the Equipe Elf-Switzerland Alpine A441 team, similarly helmed by an all-woman team (MarieClaude Beaumont and Lella Lombardi). Due to a failed rev-counter cable, the Moynet trio (below) had to time their gearchanges by ear.

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SOLO RUNNING

FEEL THE PAIN

SUCCESSFUL sportsman Edward Ramsden ‘Eddie’ Hall entered his 41/4 Litre Bentley in the 1936 running of the 24 Hours. However, the race was cancelled due to the general strike in France.

The textile heir fielded the car in the 1950 event, and holds the distinction of being the first – and last – driver ever to do the race solo despite co-driver Tom Clarke waiting in the wings, ready to take over. Hall finished eighth overall, 20 laps down on the winners, having completed 236 laps. That equated to close on 2000 miles of driving aboard the bespoke coupé. He averaged 83mph, too.

IT’S hard not to wince when recalling Eliseo Salazar. Once, if the Chilean was recalled at all, it was for a punch-up with Nelson Piquet at the 1983 German GP. However, after a long spell bumping along the bottom, he was picked by TWR to drive a works Jaguar at Le Mans. In 1989, he was paired with brothers Alain and Michel Ferté, but gearbox issues hurt their chances. They came eighth.

He was invited back a year later, though, and paired with American Price Cobb and Dane John Nielsen.

Their car won, too – it’s just that Salazar didn’t drive it.

He was poised to, but the third Jaguar, driven by David Leslie, Alain Ferté, and topranker Martin Brundle, had retired. Salazar was ousted in favour of Brundle, and eventually installed in the fourth TWR entry, running in 11th. It also then retired.

CHAPMAN V THE SCRUTINEERS LONG before he turned F1 on its head, one of Colin Chapman’s main points of focus was competing at Le Mans (as both driver and entrant). That all famously changed in 1962. Jim Clark’s Nürburgring performance in May of that year proved that the new Lotus 23 sportsracer was blisteringly quick.

However, plans to field two works cars – one with 997cc power, the other 745cc – in France a few months later fell afoul of the scrutineers.

The story behind why they were kicked out is muddied at best. Both cars were deemed illegal for a raft of reasons, not least because the rear wheels had six-stud fixings while the fronts had only four. Regulations specified that the spare rim should fit front and back. Chapman altered the rears to four studs, while also making countless other mods in a bid to get into the race, but the clipboardwielders proved inflexible.

Colin vowed that Lotus would never return to Le Mans – and it never did in an official capacity while he was alive.

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A GROUP C WEAPON WINS AS A GT CAR IT was a remarkable act of homologation chicanery, and it worked a treat.

The Porsche 956 and its 962 descendent owned the Le Mans 24 Hours from 1982-87. That, however, wasn’t quite the end of the story, because a variation on the theme won the 1994 running. German Jochen Dauer offered his own roadgoing take – the Dauer 962 Le Mans – that featured largely new bodywork but was patently still a Porsche racing car with all that entails.

Improbably – and some might argue inexcusably – it was allowed to compete in the GT class at La Sarthe in 1994. The regulations had been written to entice production car-based GTs back to the fold. However, it was a little vague in certain areas, not least what constituted ‘production’. The 962 promptly triumphed outright with factory assistance, with the sister car placing third behind a SARD Toyota sportsprototype. A race car that had been transformed into a road car and then changed back into a racer had won.

Work that one out.

RIGHT Le Mans 2016 brought last-minute heartbreak to the Toyota team after TS050 broke down.

T OYO TA H E A R T B R E A K IT was the sort of finish to a race where you were obliged to watch through the cracks of your fingers. Even if you weren’t a marque fan, you had to feel for Toyota Gazoo Racing during the dying moments of the 2016 race.

The Japanese brand had come close to winning before, but here both of its TS050 Hybrids had taken turns leading, primarily in a long and fascinating battle with the Porsche of Romain Dumas,

Neel Jani and Marc Lieb.

Nevertheless, the Toyota of Anthony Davidson, Sébastien Buemi and Kazuki Nakajima seemingly had it in the bag. The race was theirs... and then it wasn’t.

On the penultimate lap, the engine died. Eventually, it fired again, by which time the game was over and they weren’t classified in the final standings. Porsche won, with the sister Toyota finishing runner-up. It was the fifth time that Toyota had finished second in 18 attempts. Even to hardened media types this was a lump-in-thethroat moment, because several members of the Toyota team were sobbing.

Top 50 Le Mans moments

MERCEDES DOES A B A C K- F L I P. R E P E A T E D LY THERE was a palpable sense of expectation during the build-up to the 1999 running of the 24 Hours. This was going to be a vintage race, with BMW, Toyota, Nissan, Audi and Panoz vying for contention with works cars. Oh, and the might of Mercedes-Benz was to field its latest CLR challenger.

During Thursday night’s practice, the cracks began to appear. And how... Mark Webber’s car was trailing Frank Biela’s Audi when suddenly the front end went light. The car performed a somersault, but the team management chose not to accept the Australian’s version of events. A day later, Webber endured another back-flip after cresting a rise behind a Chrysler Viper.

Mercedes-Benz went into crisis mode. It canvassed the opinion of McLarenMercedes F1 technical chief Adrian Newey, among others.

His advice was to withdraw before the race. Instead, two cars were fielded. On lap 75, Peter Dumbreck was in third place, lining up the Toyota ahead of him, when his CLR similarly cartwheeled due to a fundamental aerodynamic flaw. The sister car was then withdrawn. Mercedes-Benz hasn’t returned since.

NEWMAN SHINES SPORTS car racing in general may have been in the doldrums in 1979, but the 24 Hours shone brightly despite the heavy rain showers. So much about this provided colour and intrigue, not least the small matter of how two relatively unknown American drivers (if only to European audiences) were able to finance their winning bid.

There was scant works involvement that year, although the factory Porsche

GARTNER PERISHES THE second half of the 1986 race saw works Porsche men Derek Bell and Hans-Joachim Stuck in command, but only after a tragic accident that claimed Jo Gartner’s life. The Austrian had taken over the Kremer 962C from Sarel van der Merwe, and was seven laps in when he crashed heading onto the straight from Tertre Rouge. His car slewed left, hit the guardrail and bounced between the barriers.

The race was then run behind a safety car for two-and-a-half hours while marshals extracted Gartner and cleared debris. Sadly, he died of a broken neck. By the time racing resumed, the Joest Porsche that challenged early on had expired and Bell/Stuck had an eight-lap advantage over the Jaguar of Derek Warwick/Eddie Cheever/ Jean-Louis Schlesser. That became an even bigger lead after a tyre blow-out wrecked the Jaguar’s suspension.

Bell/Stuck finished eight laps ahead of Walter Brun’s Porsche, but Gartner’s death cast a sombre shadow.

team entered two 936s. Jacky Ickx, then merely a four-time winner, was armed with one of them, but he was disqualified for receiving outside assistance. The other car dropped out thanks to engine problems.

It then boiled down to a battle of the Group 5 Porsche 935s – primarily the Kremer car driven by Klaus Ludwig and the notorious Whittington brothers, Don and Bill, and the Dick Barbour entry, steered by the car’s owner plus 935 maestro Rolf Stommelen and Hollywood heartthrob Paul Newman (above). And they finished in that order (another Kremer entry was third). However, but for a jammed wheel nut which led to a more involved fix, it isn’t inconceivable that the Barbour car would have won.

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JAGUAR MAKES AN IMPRESSION

A PIONEERING AMERICAN AMERICAN sportsman Briggs Cunningham drove his ‘Bu-Merc’ at the first Watkins Glen GP meeting in 1948. This was the jumpingoff point for bids as both driver and entrant. And if you’re going to race sports cars, you may as well do so at the biggest event of its kind.

The lure of Le Mans had bewitched other Americans long before Cunningham first participated in the endurance classic, but his was to be a sustained attack.

Cunningham was already 43 when he entered two Cadillacs in 1950’s 24 Hours; a largely stock Coupe DeVille nicknamed ‘Clumsy Puppy’ was driven by Cunningham and Phil Walters (who hitherto had raced under the alias Ted Tappet). The Collier brothers, meanwhile, drove ‘Le Monstre’, which was a more radical variant with a streamlined body that was as unattractive as it was memorable. ‘Clumsy Puppy’ scampered home in tenth, its ugly sister following it in 11th after an excursion into a sandbank cost valuable time.

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JAGUAR has quite the lineage at Le Mans, having claimed seven victories to date.

However, the marque was in contention for a debut win first time out in 1950. Three XK120s were entered, and two finished, in 12th and 15th place. The other car (below), driven by Leslie Johnson and Bert Hadley, moved up the order and was lying third during the night behind the Talbot-Lagos of father-andson duo Louis and JeanLouis Rosier, and Pierre Meyrat and Guy Mairesse.

Third became second when the leading car lost time having a rocker shaft changed, although Louis Rosier soon reasserted himself en route to victory.

Even so, third place for the XK120 – essentially a production car – would still have been a superb result.

However, a lack of stopping power became an issue, and the use of heavy engine braking began to take its toll.

Then, with three hours to go, the clutch let go and they were out. Jaguar returned a year on with the XK120C – or the C-type as it is more commonly known – and claimed victory.

M E X I C A N S R AV E

BELL WINS BUT LOSES

THAT Ferrari scorched to victory in 1961’s 24 Hours surprised nobody. Eleven cars featured among the 55-strong entry, the works team having set tongues wagging during the April test weekend when Richie Ginther’s V6 Dino 246 SP lapped three seconds faster than second-place Phil Hill’s 250 Testa Rossa. Pedro and Ricardo Rodríguez in the privateer NART 250 TRI/61 stole the actual race.

By 11:00pm, the supremely fast Mexicans were dicing with the works Ferraris on a drying track. On the Sunday morning, they lost nearly 30 minutes due to a misfire, but soon recovered. However, with two hours to go, their engine let go at Maison Blanche.

They’d been running in second place and were in contention for victory. Their retirement gave Olivier Gendebien/Hill breathing room, and they recorded Ferrari’s fifth win to equal Bentley and Jaguar’s record.

DEREK Bell is, to many fans, Mr Le Mans. He recorded five victories, his last in 1987.

However, this final triumph had a sting in its tail. That year saw him share a Porsche 962C with Al Holbert and Hans-Joachim Stuck. Despite having an inoperable turboboost gauge, a battery that flattened itself, a windscreen that worked its way loose, and a lot more besides, the

car held together while the expected threat from Jaguar subsided. By the Sunday morning they had a fourlap lead; by 4:00pm, they crossed the line to win by an incredible 20 laps (above).

However, two hours before the end, the architect of this success (and a lot more besides), Professor Bott, dropped a bombshell; Porsche would not be contesting the SportsPrototype World Championship in 1988. It would just do the Le Mans 24 Hours. Not only that, but the manufacturer was withdrawing from the rest of the ’87 season. Bell had just been benched. His regular team-mate Stuck didn’t find out for another week.

Top 50 Le Mans moments

JAGUAR POUNCES IN 1988, the TWR Jaguar squad claimed a popular victory in the 24 Hours. It was the first for the marque since 1957. However, had the race lasted another lap, who knows what might have happened? Jaguar may have been the pre-event favourite, but Porsche wasn’t going out without a fight. It was switching allegiances to IndyCar, yet the works 962C’s swan song appearance almost ended with another win. Almost...

The Porsche of Derek Bell, Klaus Ludwig and Hans-Joachim Stuck sat on pole following a ‘committed’ qualifying lap from the latter.

It led early on, too. However, for whatever reason, Ludwig decided not to pit on his scheduled lap three hours in. He ran out of fuel at the Porsche Curves, and limped to the pits on the starter motor. From thereon in, the trio treated each lap as a qualifier. The Jaguar XJR-9 (below) of Jan Lammers, Andy Wallace and Johnny Dumfries bested them by less than a lap. What’s more, Lammers had use of only fourth gear during the final stint…

BELOW Luigi Chinetti took Ferrari’s firstever win almost single handedly.

HILL DOES THE TRIPLE GRAHAM Hill’s 1972 Matra team-mate Henri Pescarolo didn’t want to drive with the 40-something Londoner. He feared the old-stager was past it. ‘Pesca’ had every reason to feel nervous, because Matra was kicking against an open goal. A reg change rendered the 5.0-litre monsters of old as obsolete. The capacity for top-flight sports-prototypes was now capped at 3.0 litres.

Porsche withdrew, Ferrari sat it out, so Matra was the clear favourite (the Alfa Tipo 33s weren’t expected to go the distance – and they didn’t).

This was also the year that saw the new Porsche Curves bypass Maison Blanche, the site of many crashes – even though 1972 saw Hill’s friend Jo Bonnier perish. The Briton and Pescarolo never put a foot wrong, and won by 11 laps for a Matra one-two; Hill became the only man to win the F1 title, the Indy 500 and Le Mans.

BENTLEY MAKES GOOD

FERRARI’S MAIDEN WIN THE fledgling Ferrari marque claimed its maiden win in 1949, this being the first year the 24 Hours had been staged in peacetime.

And it fell to long-time Ferrari ally Luigi Chinetti to make it happen. Already a double victor, having claimed honours in 1932 and ’34 aboard Alfa Romeos, the racer/concessionaire was paired with Peter

Mitchell-Thomson (Lord Selsdon) in the latter’s 166MM. However, the British blueblood was a team-mate in only the most nominal sense.

Chinetti, who was 47 years old at the time, did the bulk of the driving. And how.

According to Motor Sport magazine’s race report, Selsdon didn’t take the wheel until 4.26am, by which time his 2.0-litre barchetta was comfortably in the lead.

He reputedly felt unwell and relinquished it again at 5.38am. There were weird parallels with the 1932 race, where Raymond Sommer did the bulk of the driving en route to victory after Chinetti was stricken with a fever.

Here, he battled fatigue, a slipping clutch and a lot more besides to become the first three-time winner.

BENTLEY won the 1924 event, only to not feature among the finishers a year on. In 1926, two of the three works cars suffered engine failures. It fell to Sammy Davis and Dudley Benjafield to uphold marque honour.

The former was at the wheel for his final stint when he reeled in the second-place Lorraine-Dietrich of Gérard de Courcelles and Marcel Mongin. Davis’s challenge ended badly; the car got beached on a sandbank.

Lorraine-Dietrich blanketed the podium positions, but, despite covering sufficient mileage to have placed fourth, the stricken Davis/Benjafield car wasn’t classified.

The following year saw the same car in the wars again. The sister Bentleys had been wiped out in a crash at Maison Blanche on the Saturday evening, the Davis/Benjafield entry also being involved. However, it was able to continue despite being badly damaged. The Jean Chassagne/Robert Laly Ariès was in contention for honours until the Sunday afternoon, when time was lost with a jammed starter motor. Davis asserted himself up front, while the Ariès subsequently retired with a broken distributor. Bentley had claimed its second victory.

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MICHAEL FURMAN

RIGHT Type 57G ‘Tank’ took top honours for Bugatti in 1937 in an otherwise tumultuous race.

MAZDA MAKES HISTORY YOU had to hand it to Mazda.

It turned up at Le Mans, year after year, as the underdog; certainly the least fancied of the various Japanese works teams, let alone Group C-era powerhouses from Europe. The 787B sportsprototype had achieved relatively little prior to the 1991 event. However, the Mazdaspeed team was able to exploit a loophole that meant it was exempt from the ‘equivalency’ weight penalty intended to even out performance with large-capacity Group C old-stagers and the new breed of 3.5-litre cars.

The Mazda’s four-rotor Wankel engine also proved bulletproof. Nevertheless, the Team Sauber Mercedes squad was in charge until its bid unravelled on the Sunday morning. By dawn, the Mazda of Johnny Herbert, Bertrand Gachot and Volker Weidler was in second place.

Amid attrition, this became first and it led home a trio of Jaguars. For Herbert, however, the joy of crossing the line to take the win proved short-lived. On getting out of the car, he keeled over due to dehydration and didn’t make it to the podium celebrations. Mazda’s win remains the only one for a non-piston-powered car.

ABOVE RIGHT Trintignant/ González Ferrari was over-engined, outdated 340 – but it beat new D-type.

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B U G AT T I W I N S AMID TRAGEDY

BULL FIGHTS JAGUAR JAGUAR had claimed a resounding win at Le Mans in 1953. The highest-placed Ferrari was down in fifth spot. A year later the Scuderia returned with three 4.5-litre 340 (375 Plus) sports racers.

Jaguar, by contrast, had a new weapon in its armoury; the D-type. And that’s before you factor in other works and privateer squads. Of the 57 cars that made the start, only nine were

classified, but the FerrariJaguar battle raged to the end.

By dawn, just one factory Ferrari and a lone D-type were still running. The Jaguar was helmed by the previous year’s winners, Duncan Hamilton and Tony Rolt; the scarlet car by Maurice Trintignant and José Froilán González. The latter pairing appeared comfortable until the heavens opened again, with two hours to go. The Jaguar started making inroads; even more so after the sodden Ferrari pitted for the final time and took an age to fire again. Hamilton charged in a manner he later deemed almost suicidal, but the ‘Pampas Bull’ responded in kind. Nevertheless, they were just 87 seconds apart as the chequered flag descended.

THE 24 Hours returned to prominence in 1937 following a fallow year. Honours fell to Jean-Pierre Wimille and Robert Benoist following an impressive performance in their Bugatti Type 57G ‘Tank’. They won by seven laps, leading home a trio of Delahayes. However, the race was tainted by an accident on the eighth tour, when René Kippeurt lost control of his Bugatti Type 44. The car rolled several times before coming to a halt in the middle of the road. The rookie driver was thrown clear and killed instantly, his body lying on the track.

Fritz Roth, who was close behind, departed the circuit in avoidance before flipping.

Pat Fairfield’s Frazer Nash BMW 328 then struck Kippeurt’s Bugatti, only to be rammed by Jean Trémoulet’s Delahaye. It, in turn, was hit by the Talbot driven by ‘Raph’ (Count George Raphaël Béthenod de Montbressieux) and the Riley TT Sprite of Raoul Forrestier. Another car – an Adler – was also caught up in the melee.

Fairfield succumbed to his injuries in hospital two days later. Trémoulet was also injured, as was Raph.

MCLAREN WINS FIRST TIME OUT IT was the mother of all upset wins. In 1995, Le Mans was meant to favour the sportsprototypes, and while perhaps not the strongest field ever, there was no reason to suggest that one wouldn’t win. Mario Andretti, Bob Wollek and Éric Hélary, plus Eric Bernard, Franck Lagorce and Henri Pescarolo, were formidable contenders in the two factory Courages. Then there were the Kremer K8s driven by the likes of former winners Hans-Joachim Stuck and Christophe Bouchet. The fastest McLaren F1 – a GT car, let’s not forget – lined up ninth on the grid.

However, appalling rain, technical issues and accidents came into play. By midnight, McLarens were running 1-2-3.

Then they hit trouble, much of it transmission related.

An inspired drive by JJ Lehto anchored the victory for the Kokusai Kaihatsu Racing/ Lanzante entry. It also marked the third win for Yannick Dalmas and the first for Masanori Sekiya (also the first for a Japanese driver).

Top 50 Le Mans moments

PORSCHE W I N S – F I N A L LY YOU had to feel for Hans Hermann. The 1969 event in which he had come so close to winning was his 13th attempt; class honours were scant reward. In 1970, he was armed with a 917K (below) and new team-mate Richard Attwood. Despite the language barrier, they gelled brilliantly, theirs being one of nine examples of the flat12-engined monsters entered in the race (seven started).

They were up against a legion of Ferrari 512s.

By midday on the Sunday, only 19 of the 51 starters were still running amid the murk. By the end, only seven were classified, with Hermann and Attwood having finished five laps clear of 917-mounted Gérard Larrousse and Willi Kauhsen. It wasn’t the most glamorous of endings, mind.

Denis Jenkinson wrote in Motor Sport: “…The winners were put in the back of a sand-and-gravel lorry, and it set off on a lap of honour.

It was actually a lap of dishonour, for the lorry looked like a dustcart setting off to pick up rubbish.”

Hermann had promised his wife he would quit racing if he won. He kept his word.

LEVEGH’S HEROICS HIS name is forever associated with the 1955 Le Mans inferno, but ‘Pierre Levegh’ (Pierre Bouillin) merited more. His efforts in 1952 deserve veneration, not least because he came close to being the only solo victor in the race’s history. A year earlier, he’d finished fourth with René Marchand, and in 1952 they fielded a TalbotLago T26C sports-racer.

The ’52 running was one of high attrition, and during the night he had a healthy four-lap lead over his Mercedes-Benz pursuers. He refused to yield to his teammate, and appeared set for a fairytale win – only for the car to expire with only an hour left to run. At the time, it was assumed that fatigue had set in; that he wrongslotted, which prompted a massive over-rev. However, following his death in 1955, The Autocar reported that Levegh had become aware of a vibration emanating from the bottom end early on. Doubting Marchand’s mechanical sympathy, he opted to stay behind the wheel for the duration.

ICKX’S PROTEST THE 1969 event was full of memorable moments, not least Jacky Ickx’s slow saunter to his car at the start. A year earlier, Willy Mairesse had crashed on the opening tour while he attempted to close the door of his Ford GT40.

Fellow Belgian, the mercurial Ickx, staged a one-man protest against the classic Le Mans sprint. He took his time doing up his belts, and his JW/Gulf GT40 was the last car away.

Porsche was tipped to win, and the Richard Attwood/Vic Elford 917 dominated much of the race. At one point, they held a five-lap advantage; however, the car dropped out on the Sunday morning. The GT40, which Ickx shared with Jackie Oliver (who tends be ignored whenever this race is discussed), assumed the lead.

However, the final three hours descended into an epic battle between the blue-and-orange car and the works Porsche 908LH of Hans Hermann and Gérard Larrousse. Ickx and Hermann slipstreamed each other to the end with barely 120 metres separating them. It marked the first of six wins for Ickx.

MYTHICAL DRUNKEN ANTICS THE Jaguar C-type won first time out in 1951. However, the following year’s race was an embarrassing failure; the remodelled body resulted in chronic overheating and all three works entries retired. A year on, the much-developed C-type was armed with disc brakes (a Le Mans first), and a line-up of Duncan Hamilton/ Tony Rolt, Peter Walker/ Stirling Moss, and Ian Stewart/ Peter Whitehead. However,

an incident during practice led to one of the 24 Hours’ more colourful legends; that Hamilton and Rolt were suffering the ill effects of drink come the race.

All three Jags had dipped under the lap record during the build-up. However, the Hamilton/Rolt car (above) had been on-track at the same time as the spare C-type, which happened to wear the same race number (Norman Dewis needed to qualify to act as reserve). Ferrari protested, a fine was levied, and Jaguar took the hit. Yet folklore has it that Hamilton and Rolt, believing they had been disqualified, drowned their sorrows – only to earn a reprieve. They won, of course, ahead of Walker and Moss, but the ‘driving under the influence’ bit is fiction.

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BELOW The meeting of two Le Mans legends; Jacky Ickx and Tom Kristensen.

LOCAL WINS RACE

AUDI’S DOMINANCE YOU have to feel for Audi. The problem with manufacturer involvement in motor racing is that they tend to be fickle; they’re likely to pull out at a moment’s notice. That is certainly true of the 24 Hours, but not for this resolutely German brand.

True, for the first decade and a half of the new millennia, the identity of the winning marque seemed preordained; that it was simply a case of guessing which Audi was going to win. But you can’t blame it for the lack of competition – and it isn’t as though Audi had it easy all the time.

It didn’t need to go down the diesel route (below) in 2006. It made life difficult for itself, but it was out to prove a point – and it did. And in 2008, Peugeot had the quicker car, and there was a scintillating inter-marque battle in the final hour, but ultimately it was the Audi’s stability in variable conditions that contributed to yet another win. All told, Audi won 13 times from 2000-14. It is now second only to Porsche in terms of victories.

TOM KRISTENSEN – THE KING OF LE MANS GOOD fortune seemed to rain abundant on Tom Kristensen in the great race.

The Dane won on his debut in 1997 driving a Joest Racing Porsche WSC-95 alongside Michele Alboreto and Stefan Johansson. Even then, he was a late substitute for an injured Davy Jones. He then drove for BMW in 1998-99, before claiming 2000-02 honours alongside Frank Biela and Emanuele Pirro with Audi.

A gap year with Bentley in 2003 resulted in another win,

and the following June he equalled Jacky Ickx’s record of six victories aboard an Audi R8. In 2005, he claimed a seventh victory, and he then extended his tally in 2008.

In 2013, he furthered his run with a ninth win, again with Audi, before calling time on driving after the following season. Kristensen made 18 starts at Le Mans and won 50 percent of the time. He also placed second twice (2012, 2014), and third three times (2006, 2009-10). He retired from the other four events.

Records are meant to be broken, but we can’t see his being eclipsed any time soon.

IN 1949, a three-year-old local boy looked on entranced as racing returned to Le Mans.

He vowed that one day he’d win the 24 Hours. There were few early indicators that Jean Rondeau possessed any great skill as driver, though. In 1972, he raced a Chevron B21 in the 24 Hours alongside Brian Robinson.

The car dropped out on the Sunday morning. A year later, there was a failure to qualify aboard an aged Porsche, and in 1974, he placed 19th – out of 20 finishers – in the same car. In 1975, his weapon of choice… a Mazda S124A (RX-3 in the UK).

However, he was nothing if not persuasive, and with considerable assistance from aerodynamicist Robert Choulet, Rondeau’s eight-man

ABOVE Local boy Jean Rondeau took his M379 Le Mans programme to victory at La Sarthe.

crew rocked up at Circuit de la Sarthe in June 1976 with two beautifully prepared cars (they were named in honour of the main sponsor Inaltera, which made wallpaper) and the cream of French driving talent. After a change of name to Rondeau, the team/ constructor regrouped and, in 1980, the local boy with big dreams won alongside Jean-Pierre Jaussaud.

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FORD V FERRARI IT was a battle for supremacy the likes of which had never been seen before. Henry Ford II, having been jilted at the altar by Enzo Ferrari, vowed revenge. He got it, too.

However, the legend behind how the Blue Oval bested the Old Man is precisely that. It has been embellished beyond recognition in print, and reimagined by Hollywood to the point that it’s hard to differentiate the actual from the apocryphal.

What is undoubtedly true is that victory for the Ford GT40 wasn’t the work of a moment.

Ford’s budget for its Le Mans bids, let alone the Total Performance programme as a whole, was astronomical. One insider likened it to that of the Moon Landing. Nevertheless, the first attempt at the 24 Hours in 1964 ended with retirement for all three cars.

A year later, it was another washout. Then, in 1966, the 7.0-litre Mk2 scorched

1955 LE MANS TRAGEDY IT was a race that lives on in infamy. June 11, 1955 was – and remains – the darkest day in motor sport history.

That year saw 83 race-goers killed and many multiples of that injured after Pierre Levegh’s Mercedes-Benz was launched into the crowd before disintegrating, fire raging through the spectator area sited across from the pits. The fallout was seismic, not least for those whose actions led to the catastrophe.

Levegh, whose breakdown at the last gasp in 1952 had gifted Mercedes-Benz a 1-2 finish, joined the works team for 1955. The 300SLR had already claimed honours elsewhere, not least in the Mille Miglia, and they were a threat from the outset. Star driver Juan Manuel Fangio (sharing an SLR with Stirling Moss) vied with Jaguar’s Mike Hawthorn during the early running, repeatedly swapping the lead and dipping below the lap record.

At 6:26pm, the accident occurred after the latter pitted. Hawthorn raised his hand to indicate his plans and pulled to the right. He braked hard, his D-type being equipped with discs. Lance Macklin swerved to avoid him, which placed his AustinHealey 100S in the path of Levegh’s 300SLR. The Frenchman had nowhere

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to go, the British roadster acting as a launch ramp.

Fangio, who was in close proximity somehow missed the carnage, slightly brushing Hawthorn’s Jaguar that was by now stationary. Levegh’s charred body initially lay in full view on the pavement.

Mercedes-Benz withdrew from the event, much to the vocal annoyance of Moss, but the race wasn’t red-flagged.

Instead, Hawthorn and teammate Ivor Bueb emerged victorious. Recrimination was never far away thereafter, and Macklin brought a libel suit against Hawthorn following the release of the latter’s 1958 autobiography Challenge Me the Race, in which he effectively absolved himself of responsibility.

It remained unresolved due to Hawthorn’s fatal road accident that same year.

to victory with a staged close-formation 1-2-3 finish.

It marked the end of Ferrari’s run at Le Mans, the Italian marque having won year after year since 1960.

However, it is worth pointing out that Ferrari did sports cars, Formula 1 and various other disciplines, spending the sort of lira that wouldn’t cover Ford’s catering budget.

It is also worth recalling that while Ferrari got its bottom kicked on hallowed ground in 1966, it did return the favour at Daytona the following year. It finished 1-2-3 – but we have yet to see a film about that... Joking aside, though, there is no denying the fact that Ford set itself a goal and achieved it.

And how. The 1967 Le Mans race saw AJ Foyt and Dan Gurney win in the mighty Mk4, while JW Automotive/ Gulf squad famously claimed honours in 1968-69 using the same GT40 (no. 1075). ‘The Deuce’ got his revenge on Il Commendatore. We should all be grateful that Enzo got his back up in the first place.

1972 Duckhams LM

The first prototype created by Gordon Murray, the designer of the iconic McLaren F1 GT A model unique in the world, entered for the 1972, 1973 and 1974 editions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans A competitive car, eligible for the Le Mans Classic

www.ascottcollection.com Xavier Micheron Phone: + 33 (0) 9 67 33 48 43 Mobile: + 33 (0) 6 17 49 42 50 Email: cars@ascottcollection.com Paris - France SCAN ME 1968 COSTIN NATHAN GT / 1974 MARCH 74S COSWORTH V8 / 1981 LOLA T600 COSWORTH V8 / 1982 RONDEAU M382 1984 VOLVO 240 TURBO Group A / 1989 TIGA GC 289 C2 / 1990 SPICE SE90C / 1991 PORSCHE 964 CARRERA CUP 1995 PORSCHE 993 GT2 EVO / 2000 REYNARD 2QK LMP900 / 2004 PORSCHE 996 GT2 MARK 2

Top 50 Le Mans moments

THE THIRD MAN

OH, where to start? The 1965 Le Mans 24 Hour race has long since passed into legend. It’s a story of how a privateer squad upheld Ferrari’s honour while the works team fell apart, and Ford’s mega-money bid foundered. Even then, victory was only secured late in the day. The thing is, that is only the amuse-bouche to the big story; that a third, uncredited, driver got behind the wheel of the winning car for a stint. That, and the reasons why he was installed in it in the first place.

Predictably, the GT40 army led the charge come 4:00pm on June 19 of that year. It didn’t last long.

Ferraris blanked the top six positions as darkness fell.

By the early hours of Sunday morning, the 250LM entered

by Luigi Chinetti’s NART squad, and shared by Jochen Rindt and Masten Gregory, was lying in a distant third place. By midday, just 14 of the 51 starters were still lapping, with the FrancoBelgian partnership of Pierre Dumay and Gustave Gosselin seemingly on target to take the win aboard their 250LM. However, Rindt was lapping faster than Dumay in the NART 250LM that was now in second place.

And then the leader’s luck took a tumble late in the day; Dumay somehow managed to control his car after it developed a puncture while travelling flat-chat down the Mulsanne Straight.

Five laps were lost making repairs. There was no way the deficit could be clawed back, so Rindt and Gregory came home the victors, Chinetti adding a win as an entrant to the three he had accrued as a driver.

That would be a great story in itself, but the narrative surrounding how the race was won has since

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taken on a credibilitystretching life of its own.

These days, reliability tends to be of the bulletproof variety. Way back when, cars tended to be nursed, coaxed and cajoled into completing the distance – and the 250LM’s transmission was notoriously fragile. Some state as gospel that Rindt and Gregory fully expected their car to retire early, so deliberately beat on it.

Why flog your guts out and prolong the inevitable?

Somehow, though, it stayed together. Asked about this, Luigi Chinetti Jr, who was on site that year, said: “If dad thought for a moment that they were trying to break his car, he would have broken their asses.”

Additional intrigue surrounds claims made

by NART regular Ed Hugus that he had picked up the slack during the night; that Gregory didn’t enjoy driving in the dark because he wore glasses, so Hugus took his place. His involvement was purportedly glossed over because it would have led to the car’s disqualification.

His version of history has, astoundingly, been accepted as gospel truth in certain circles – and in print, too.

However, there isn’t an iota of a scintilla of a nuisance of evidence to suggest that any of it is true.

A lack of proof doesn’t mean something didn’t happen. However, without corroboration you have to doubt the veracity of Hugus’s claim. But what is really telling isn’t so much that the 250LM triumphed at Le Mans in 1965, more that Ferrari hasn’t won there since. Given that the brand is set to field a new weapon in the hypercar class in 2023, maybe we won’t have to wait too much longer for outright win number ten.

“

It’s such a privilege to race these historic touring cars. Winning is less relevant these day’s; it’s more about the social side and having a great weekend away. In fact, I’ve never had so much fun, just trying to make it to a race finish!

Patrick Watts

Creating Motor Racing Legends of Tomorrow motorracinglegends.com

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Market Watch: Citroën’s bonkers but brilliant SM

Market Analysis: Porsche 964 and the Singer effect

Watches and Art: Patek Ref 2526 and F Gordon Crosby

Automobilia: Spotlight put on Le Mans movie posters

Collecting: Latest interest in classic road cycles

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M A R K E T WAT C H

Citroën SM Just how deserving of its recalcitrant reputation is this bonkers but brilliant Maserati-engined masterpiece?

Well, that depends on how well it’s been looked after...

Words John Simister Photography Magic Car Pics

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LIKE THE IDEA OF MEETING challenges from unexpected angles, with a whole lot of lateral thinking thrown in? You will love the idea of a Citroën SM. A four-camshaft Maserati V6 (the ‘M’ in the name) driving the front wheels? Why not.

DS-like oleopneumatic suspension, fully powered brakes and selfcentring power steering? Of course.

A 1970s space-age body that makes even a DS look a touch normal?

The SM has all this and more. No other grand tourer has upended convention as dramatically.

Just look at it. Glassed-in nose enclosing six headlamps and the numberplate, the outer two lamps following the front wheels’ steering movements. The Citroën doublechevron badge not on the nose but forming an air vent on the bonnet’s right-rear corner. A tail of ultimate angularity incorporating a giant hatchback. Inside, it’s similarly defiant of convention. And under the bonnet, well… it’s all pipes and cables and suspension spheres, and a long shaft poking forward from an engine half-buried under the scuttle – a shaft driving a remotely mounted alternator and air-conditioning pump.

It looks complex and alien, and perhaps rather frightening. Add that to horror stories of selfdestructing engines and selfimmolating fuel-injection systems, plus Citroën’s famous disregard for its most magnificent creation after Peugeot rescued the bankrupt company in 1975 (there were tales of unused Maserati engines being thrown into skips), then it’s fairly clear why demand took a steep downward curve during the SM’s 1970-1975 production life – and why buyers have been wary ever since.

Or have they? During the past 12 months, in the current lively market for classic cars, values are up by 20 percent in the UK according to Hagerty’s market analysis. Are collectors becoming bolder? Are the SM’s tripwires exaggerated? Are sellers cashing in on the boom, causing buyers to need extra caution? Yes, there’s truth in all those assertions. This guide will help you unpick them.

LEFT AND ABOVE SM prices have recently started to climb; true French luxury, 1970s style.

T H E VA L U E P R O P O S I T I O N There are several choices to make in SM variations, although all are left-hand drive only. These are carburettors (three Weber 42 DCNF) versus fuel injection (Bosch D-Jetronic); five-speed manual versus three-speed automatic; 2.7 litres versus 3.0 litres; European versus US specification. Autos and US-spec cars are worth less than European manuals, but a US manual can be an excellent route to ownership if the SM in question has come from a ‘dry’ state.

Those variations in spec were not necessarily sequential in time, except when injection replaced carburettors on 2.7-litre engines in 1972. That version, with manual transmission only, continued to the end of production, joined by the carburettor-only 3.0-litre car from 1973 for markets free of taxrelated disincentives for larger engines – which mainly meant the US. Most 3.0 SMs were automatics, albeit not as ludicrously short

‘Just look at it! No other grand tourer has upended convention as dramatically’

legged in top gear as the shortlived 2.7 self-shifter was.

Manual 2.7s are by far the most numerous SMs. Of these, 7133 were made with carburettors and 3500 with injection, out of a total production run of 12,920 cars.

Hagerty’s UK price guide doesn’t distinguish between years, engine variants or transmissions, but quotes a remarkable £70,400 for a concours example – unthinkable a few years ago. A ‘fair’ car is valued at an average of £21,900, ‘good’ at £33,500 and ‘excellent’ at £43,600.

Hagerty’s analysis gives some intriguing background to these figures. “It’s fascinating to see who is buying the SM,” says the company’s John Mayhead. “Of those asking Hagerty for a policy, the big majority (77 percent) are of the ‘baby-boomer’ generation or older (born pre-1965) against an average of 47.3 percent for all collectable cars. Also, it is notable that we have had no requests for cover from ‘millennials’ born since 1981, against an average of nearly 20 percent for all cars.” Clearly, if you want an SM in your life, you are likely to have remembered the impact it made when launched.

T H E D E S I R A B I L I T Y FA C T O R Where to start? The looks – as styled by Robert Opron, who also shaped the later CX (and, later, various Renaults and the curious Alfa Romeo SZ) – we’ve mentioned.

There’s intrigue inside, too, with cross-ribbed front seats shaped in a continuous curve from cushion

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PR ICE SE LL ING

HIG HE ST

BID

VA LU E P E R FO R M A N C E

CO ND ITI ON

YE AR

DA TE

R E C E N T U K A U C T I O N R E S U LT S

£80,000

THE MARKET

MAY-1-20

1971

3

£29,750

£29,750

CONDITION 1 CONCOURS

SILVERSTONE

JUL-1-20

1971

2

£29,500

£33,188

CONDITION 2 EXCELLENT

THE MARKET

AUG-1-20

1972

3

£18,500

NOT SOLD

HISTORICS

SEP-1-20

1971

2

£43,000

NOT SOLD

COLLECTING CARS OCT-1-20

1971

BONHAMS

MAR-10-21

1971

2

£32,944

£37,886

BONHAMS

MAR-10-21

1973

3

£32,944

NOT SOLD

HISTORICS

APR-18-21

1972

2

£32,250

£35,475

£27,500

£70,000

AVERAGE PRICE CONDITION 3 GOOD CONDITION 4 FAIR

£60,000

£50,000

£40,000

£30,000

£20,000

ABOVE 1973 2.7 put up for auction via Bonhams’ this year.

to backrest despite the latter’s reclinability, a radio set sideways between those seats (as reprised in the CX), and a sweeping curve of dashboard from low ahead of the passenger over the instrument panel, in front of which sits – of course – a single-spoke wheel.

And there’s a giant red warning light that illuminates whenever any other malfunction light activates, to make sure you’ve noticed. It tends to flicker as sunlight passes through it, too, giving you anxious moments as you drive along a treelined road on a sunny day.

The gearlever, activating a transaxle also used in early Lotus Esprits – as well as in the Maserati Merak, which shares the SM’s V6 – moves with precision. The brake pedal, actually more of a giant mushroom like the DS’s, hardly moves at all, pure pressure rather than motion being its activator.

Learning the required delicacy of

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£10,000

prod takes a little practice. As does flowing with the steering, whose ‘DIRAVI’ – DIRection à rAppel asserVI – system’s powered self-centring allows the front suspension to have no castor.

When working as it should, the steering will centre even when the SM is stationary, provided the engine is running. When the SM is moving, the weighting felt by the driver is entirely artificial, and increases with road speed to improve the feeling of stability.

This is achieved by using the speedo cable’s rotation to control

‘A well set-up SM is a true joy to drive, all to the backdrop of a V6 engine growl’

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2018

the hydraulic pump’s output.

Just two turns of the steering wheel will take the SM from one extreme of lock to the other. Many pundits of the time found it hard to adapt to the perceived strangeness of the SM’s steering and brakes, and to the small, subtle movements needed to control them. Those used to today’s cars, often with electric power steering and overservoed brakes, will find an SM much less of a leap provided it’s set up as it should be. Such an SM is a true joy to drive, effortlessly easy to guide and road-flatteningly supple in its suspension, all to the backdrop of a V6 growl. Some SMs, though, feel darty and edgy enough to confirm past prejudices.

They don’t have to be that way.

And the engine? It makes for a brisk grand tourer rather than a scorching one; 170bhp (2.7 with carbs), 178bhp (injection) or 180bhp (3.0) sound sufficient, but

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there are nearly 1.5 tonnes to pull.

Top speed for a manual is around 140mph, though.

T H E N U T S A N D B O LT S Jamie Piggott of the DS Workshop, on London’s northern outskirts, knows a lot about SMs and has worked on many. He is blunt: “If you buy a bad one, it’ll break your soul and destroy you financially.”

That bad, really? “The biggest issue with them by far is that there was a time when they had no real value, but they were still a lot of exotic car to maintain. Fifteen or 20 years ago, £5000 would get you one that was all right. And if the engine rattled, it would be ignored.

“So you need either to be very careful or to see some really good invoices. It’s a ridiculously complicated engine, so you want to see evidence of work on valves and chains, and to see whom the work was done by. The chain

TIMELINE

LEFT Outrageous Euro-specification front end features glass-covered lights and plate; US cars have a different arrangement.

1970

Citroën SM revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in March. Sales begin in September, initially only in France.

1971

SM scores third place in the European Car of the Year award.

1972

Three-speed automatic transmission optional for this year only, while fuel injection replaces carburettors on 2.7litre manual examples.

Wins US Motor Trend Car of the Year.

1973 tensioners have to be adjusted manually on a frequent basis, and the chains changed regularly.”

So, what is this engine? It’s a V6 with an aluminium block and heads, and a 90º vee angle more commonly used in a V8. It makes this an unusually low V6, with a lot of space for its intake system, and its crankshaft features shared crankpins for opposite cylinders as you would find in most V8s but not most V6s. This gives the engine uneven firing intervals and a distinctive beat to its exhaust note.

Each cylinder head contains two overhead camshafts actuating the valves via bucket tappets with shim adjustment. So far, so relatively normal. Less normal, although once much favoured for potent engines, is that Maserati gave its V6 engine sodium-filled exhaust valves. The idea is that once the engine is at running temperature, the sodium has melted and its

sloshing around inside the hollow valve helps conduct heat away from the valve head.

However, in manufacturing this valve, the head must be welded to the stem after the sodium is in place. If an SM has been left immobile for a long time, as many restoration or recommissioning projects will have been, then the welded joint is likely to have corroded. Then the valve head breaks off, with disastrous results.

“I know of only one car that has been constantly used and still has its sodium valves,” says Jamie.

“For the past 20 years the fix has been to use stainless-steel valves, so check for receipts to show the work has been done.”

Now, those chains. The two upper chains, at the front of the engine, need their tension adjusted every 6000 miles. After 30,000 miles – fewer even than a modern disposable cambelt – they should

be replaced. The lower chain – at the back of the engine, so impossible to change without extracting the whole powertrain – lasts a bit longer, maybe up to 60,000 miles.

Clearly, the more intelligence you can gather on an SM’s chain history, the better. If in doubt, you’ll need to replace the lot. Worn chains will take the edge off the performance, too, because the valve timing will have become retarded.

Beware, also, of neglected fuel injection. “It makes a complicated car even more complicated,” Jamie observes. “Check that the flexible pipes have been changed, or it’s likely to burst into flames. Too often we’ll see cars that have been fixed up and made pretty for sale, but the pipes haven’t been done.”

Once past the engine, things become more normally ‘Citroën like’. The oleopneumatic set-up tends to be robust and reliable, but there are checks to make. With the

Bored-out 3.0-litre engine, still with triple Webers, offered for some export markets – mainly the US. Auto transmission option returns with this engine, now with longer-legged final drive. Manual 3.0-litre model offered for one year only.

1974

SM axed from US market because variable suspension height is incompatible with new US bumperheight legislation.

Final US-specification cars diverted to Japan.

CX model, using a version of SM’s ‘DIRAVI’ steering, is launched.

1975

Production ends, with a mere 115 SMs built in this year. Peugeot, Citroën’s new owner, ends its shareholding in Maserati.

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T H E D E TA I L S 1970-1975 CITROËN SM ENGINE

90º V6 2670CC OR 2965CC

POWER

170-180BHP

TOP SPEED

140MPH (MANUAL)

0-60MPH

9.9 SECONDS

VALUES FROM HAGERTY PRICE GUIDE Lower price is for a usable driver needing work; higher price is for a concours example. Most cars for sale fall between these two extremes.

“Both in the UK and US Hagerty price guides,” says the company’s John Mayhead, “SM values have followed the same pattern in recent years; relatively flat, followed by a very significant increase in the past 12 months. They are up 14.9 percent in the US to an average of $62,975/£45,500, and up 20.1 percent in the UK to $58,587/£42,350.

This has been reflected in 2021 auction results in the UK and Europe, where bidding has reached more than £35,000 on all examples offered.”

UK £21,900-£70,400

US $19,000-$112,000

engine running and the suspension pumped up to normal ride height, open the rear hatch and sit on the sill. The tail will sink, but should then pump up to normal height within three seconds. Stand up again, see the tail rise a little, and in three seconds it should drop back to normal. Then try the same at the front, by pressing a knee on the bumper and releasing it.

Sub-standard behaviour here could indicate leaks of the special LHM fluid that also powers the brakes and the steering (check the fluid level) or inoperative height correctors. Also, press down on and release each corner in turn.

The suspension should feel pliable.

If a corner feels rock hard, a new nitrogen-filled suspension sphere is needed there – a cheap and easy fix. Beware also of creaks from the front, which could indicate cracks in the SM’s structure where the wishbones’ mounting blocks attach to it. A welded repair is possible but involves much dismantling.

As with any half-century-old car,

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ABOVE All that brightwork is stainless steel; corrosion-proof but tricky to find in good condition. rust is a worry. Around the bonded front and rear screens, and along the outer sills between the rear wheel and the door, are the top trouble spots. However, the frontwing bases, all around the rear wings, under the taillights and on the door bottoms are also worth checking. Plus, of course, the underside; the SM’s platform is broadly similar to the DS’s, although it lacks the latter’s unboltable roof and rear wings. These, instead, are conventionally welded in place.

The bonnet is aluminium and prone to ‘pickling’ of the paint along the front edge, while the bumpers are durable stainless steel. The plastic front grille is likely to be brittle with age, and replacements are now rare and expensive. Even more costly are the Euro-spec headlamp glasses; if a US-spec SM, with four round, exposed, sealed-beam headlights,

is to be converted to Euro spec, the cost can run into several thousand pounds including the steerable outer lights (which use an intriguing system based around plastic beads pushed and pulled within an oil-filled pipe).

And the cabin? “It’s reasonably hard wearing,” says Jamie, “but expensive to re-trim. Check that everything works, including the aircon fitted to most cars, which can’t be switched off, and the electric windows, which can get very stiff.”

More than anything, though, you want to feel that an SM has been loved and cherished. Four correct and reasonably recent tyres can be a good pointer to this; they should be Michelin XWX in a 205/70 VR15 size, still available new.

THE FINAL DECISION If you plan to use your SM rather than just owning it as an object of automotive art (a role it fulfils admirably), you really should drive it before you buy it. “Potential buyers coming from a Ferrari or

Maserati, or perhaps an Alfa Montreal, would be freaked out by the ride, steering and handling,” opines Jamie. “If they come from a DS, they’d think it just brilliant.”

But an SM, if set up correctly, really isn’t as alien an experience as its reputation suggests. On the contrary, it’s a truly lovely machine to drive. Nor need it be a maintenance nightmare; a good one can be robust and reliable provided it’s regularly maintained by someone who understands it.

And nothing else of the era is as assertively, gloriously individual.

As for which version, an injected European-spec 2.7 is the most prized, but a triple-carb SM can be just as engaging a drive. A US-spec car doesn’t look as special, yet it can be made to appear European if you’re prepared to spend on the required parts. You don’t have to fit the steering headlights – but you probably would, to complete the SM experience. Wouldn’t you?

Thanks to Jamie Piggott at DS Workshop, www.dsworkshop.co.uk.

One of these 6 exclusive Bugatti Royales recently flew halfway around the world to a new owner after sleeping in a secret California location for 36 years. No prize for guessing who was chosen to handle it.

A C Q U I R E

Porsche 964 and the Singer effect In certain circles ‘reimagined’, or backdated, cars are considered the ultimate incarnation – but how do they impact on overall model values?

Words Dave Kinney Photography Magic Car Pics

LET’S JUST GO AHEAD AND start with an excessively broad yet easy-to-swallow premise; all Porsche cars are collectable. “What about the 914?” you might have shouted ten or more years ago, but no one is shouting now. Fast forward to today, and some of the same naysayers are currently proclaiming: “What about the SUVs?” But that dynamic is rapidly

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changing. Indeed, some Porsches are less collectable than others, and, because of condition, a few have value only for parts. But with a dedicated, informed and sometimes borderline-obsessive fan base, Porsche makes cars (and SUVs) that people treasure.

The brand built a total of 63,762 964 series models between 1989 and 1994. (For the uninitiated, 964

is the internal name Porsche used for that series of its 911 model).

These were designated as Coupés, Targas and Convertibles, plus a small number of Speedsters, RS variants, Turbos and a few other special 964s that we are going to summarily ignore for now.

Basically, the total numbers for the ‘standard’ 964 look like this: there were 18,219 C2 Coupés built, and 13,353 C4 Coupés, plus 3534 C2 Targas and 1329 C4 Targas.

Add to that the Convertibles, with 4802 C4 and 11,013 C2. That gives us a total of somewhere around a possible 31,572 Coupés and 4863 Targas, plus 15,815 Convertibles, for a 52,250 total.

Obviously there is an attrition rate for all cars, but according to Rob Sass, publisher of the Porsche Club of America’s own Panorama Magazine: “Well over 80 percent of 964s built remain today.” There

ABOVE Many brand aficionados consider the 964 to be the sweet spot in the Porsche catalogue. are likely cars with bad paperwork, a few crashed models that might still be counted as roadworthy, so let’s just use round figures and say there are more than 40,000 C2 and C4 Coupé, Targa and Convertible 964s still with us. Plus, those Turbos, Speedsters and RS cars...

Enter Singer Vehicle Design. The company, based in Los Angeles, California, is not a manufacturer

‘Singer rebuilds, restores and updates Porsches while giving them a retro look’

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M A R K E T A N A LY S I S

1989-1994 Porsche 911 (964) $200,000

$150,000

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1989-1994 Porsche 911 (964) Carrera 2 Coupé $100,000

$75,000

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so, in essence, it is not building a car. Rather, it is rebuilding, restoring and updating mechanicals while giving Porsches a retro look.

Singer takes 964s and makes them into Singers. Very highly respected, and with excellent quality standards, it has effectively become a standalone brand by making – er, ‘reimagining’ (in Singer-speak) – an updated, tribute version of an iconic Porsche.

How does the process work?

Singer takes a customer-owned 964 and reimagines it. Don’t own a 964? The company can assist you in purchasing one to have for your own. Here’s the important part – you own the vehicle, not Singer. Again, it is not an official manufacturer, but rather it is a rebuilding, restoration and repair facility. Your car arrives as a 964, and, in a metamorphosis-like process, becomes a reimagined

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M A R K E T A N A LY S I S

RIGHT At present it would appear that backdaters such as Singer only gently affect overall 964 values.

Porsche – a butterfly to überbutterfly-like version of the way it originally left the factory years ago.

So why use 964s, and not an earlier, or later, version of the 911?

“The 964 is really dialled in,” says Rob Sass. “It’s just about the ideal platform – redefined and not as tail happy as the earlier cars.”

It looks like the 964 is a sweet spot in the Porsche catalogue – a combination of the good things such as the availability of power steering and all-wheel drive, plus a good number of them were built; it was a successful redesign. There were a few not-so-good things, too – at least to some; they were available with an automatic transmission, and some people don’t care for the all-wheel-drive set-up. That’s not a very long list of reasons not to like the 964, though, and if you buy your Singer ‘starter-kit’ car with a Tiptronic arrangement, the firm can give you a three-pedal set-up in return, so no big deal.

In the process of reimagining your 964, just about everything is changed, improved, restored and

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rebuilt. In fact, the number of parts and sub-assemblies that leave your car to make way for its reintroduction as a Singer is enormous. Modifications, or full change-outs, are made to the engine, transmission, bodywork (the steel doors are kept when the body is changed to carbonfibre), suspension, brakes, interior trim, wheels and more.

While this process, now known as backdating, is not exclusive to Singer, the company is the bestknown Porsche backdater. And its work is exceptional. I have examined seven Singers in the past ten years, and each one was jewellery-like in its execution, a treat for the senses and – as tough as it is to say this – justifiable in its enormous cost.

Here, in the words of respected Porsche author Ryan Snodgrass, is his take: “Singer parallels the enthusiasm around aspects of extremely high-end bespoke watches, where its creations celebrate not only the engineering thought process applied to all the mechanical systems, but also

the exceptional craftsmanship required to rethink and execute each part with custom details not seen on production cars. Focusing on all these aspects morphs each Singer into a one-of-a-kind Porsche with a unique back-story that led to the final design choices.”

What about the effect Singer cars will have on the non-Singer 964s? As you can see from our charts, values for these series cars are on a high, and in the 2021 selling season – where all rules seem to have been temporarily suspended – they continue to see a value advance in all three bodystyles.

Is this the fault of backdaters?

That answer is a qualified no.

The popularity (and values) of the 964 would be heading up on

‘I have examined seven Singers. Each was jewellery-like in its execution; a treat for the senses’

their own merits. When and if Singer hits the 1000-cars-built mark, it will have been responsible for less than 1/40th of overall production – not insignificant, but not huge. When you look at just the C2 and C4 Coupé numbers, it looks like the build figures are still enough for backdaters to only gently affect values.

For some spares, unfortunately and not unexpectedly, the prices of many essential parts such as 3.0and 3.2-litre motors as well as 964-correct manual transmissions have been on an even steeper value escalator. Is this pricing the less well-heeled owner out of the market? In some cases, yes.

One more issue to address. For most cars, the rule is that the original, untouched, unmodified examples almost always pull the biggest bids. Will any of us currently alive actually live to see a Singer restored back to a stock 964? That question begs a very strong no for an answer. Exclusiveness and build quality trump originality in few cases. The Singer is the car which breaks that rule.

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WAT C H E S

The greatest-ever ‘time-only’ Patek The Ref 2526 is the perfect combination of design, precision and hand finishing; a true manifestation of the brand’s values Words Jonathon Burford

THE FIRST HALF OF 2021 HAS seen more blue-chip watches sold at higher prices than many of us can remember. Partly this has been down to the disposal of a huge collection from the estate of an important South Korean collector, but across the board the strength of the market for high-value watches appears to be very robust.

To give you an idea of the sheer quantity of these ultra-collectable watches, take Patek’s perpetual calendar chronograph Reference 2499. This model, in production for 35 years, was made only in 349 examples. In any normal year, we might see a couple come to market, and it is a highlight of any sale when one does. However, since December, 13 Ref 2499s have come to auction, Every single one of those offered sold above their low estimate, with three exceeding $2 million.

Below these headline-grabbers were a slew of other great watches.

Of particular interest to me was the handful of Patek Philippe Ref 2526s. The brand’s first automatic wristwatch, this is in my estimation the ultimate ‘time-only’ piece ever made in series. Any great wristwatch is a blend of its three main components – dial, case and movement – and with the 2526, Patek really delivered. Let’s start with the movement.

In 1931, Rolex launched the first automatic ‘perpetual’ mechanism, and received a two-decade patent on May 16, 1933 precluding anyone from making a similar caliber.

When Patek finally launched the

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Ref 2526 in 1953, you’d have thought it had spent the entirety of those 20 years building its first automatic caliber, the 30-jewel 12-600.

This is the manifestation of the brand’s values – a perfect combination of design, exceptional precision and hand finishing. At its heart, and dominating the movement, is its huge 18K gold rotor, thought to be the first-ever decorated rotor with intricate hand engine-turned finishing. At launch, Patek advertised the caliber 12-600 as accurate to within one second a day – a frankly ludicrous feat of accuracy for the era.

The 35.5mm case was described as “oversized”, but today it still feels contemporary, elegant and balanced on the wrist. The 2526 was the first Patek to carry the distinctive and beautifully designed ‘double-P’ crown that, combined with its screw-down case back, ensured the watch was, unusually for the time, waterproof. I like

ABOVE White-metal 2526 is the rarest and virtually unobtainable, with around 20 examples known.

the quirk that Patek decided to produce such a beautifully finished and detailed movement which, given this solid case back, was only ever likely to be seen by the watchmaker and never the owner.

The real magic is to be found in the early dials, however. Firstseries pieces wear beautiful, twicebaked, hard-enamel dials that are effectively impervious to tarnish or ageing. This gives a spectacularly warm, reflective, eggshell finish with a three-dimensional effect due to the hour markers being set into the dial using pins. A beguiling combination of texture and depth of colour is complemented by the simple, graceful dauphine hands.

This enamelling process has always been complex and with high-production wastage rates, so it’s unsurprising that Patek made them only for a short period exclusively on the first-series 2526.

One problem with enamel dials is they can prove fragile, susceptible

to hairline cracks that will have a huge negative effect on a watch’s value. Should you be considering a 2526, take care while viewing the dial though a loupe to search for evidence of cracks, and do not consider any example with enamel flaws. Look for cases that retain their strong, defined, rounded angles to the lugs, and ensure the watch exhibits its distinctive PP crown; these have often been replaced with later, less desirable, small Calatrava cross-variants.

The most affordable and common metal type was yellow gold, with gold markers and hands, followed by pink variants. Whitemetal examples are the rarest and virtually unobtainable, with circa 20 known, while most of the 25 platinum versions have diamond hour markers. You should look to pay $40,000-$60,000 for a good yellow-gold example of the first series. Rare dials and whitemetal versions can go for ten times

MOTORING ART

LEFT Yellow gold, with gold markers and hands, was the most affordable and common metal type.

this. Caveat emptor, too; you may see very attractively priced examples come to market, but these usually display dial cracks or unoriginal dials that the sellers are trying to conceal. Always insist on a Patek Philippe ‘Extract from the Archives’ before buying; these represent $500 well spent.

I still consider the Ref 2526 fine ‘value’, even in today’s market, and a good long-term ‘hold’ given their rarity, history, usability and the lack of good examples to be found. I still feel they are under appreciated against rare-metal variants of the Patek Ref 565 and 2508, for example.

As an historic price perspective, when the 2526 was launched the Ref 2499 – the piece I referenced at the start of this article, the bluest of blue-chip watches, the only perpetual calendar chronograph made by any brand at the time and the benchmark for beautiful and complex watch making – retailed for only CHF 3800. It is pretty extraordinary, then, to note that the simple time-only gold Ref 2526 on a bracelet retailed for circa CHF 3400 – a reflection of the complexity, technical skill and artisanship required by Patek Philippe to produce these watches.

Should you be lucky enough to find a good example, I’m pretty sure you will never regret the purchase of what is one of the brand’s greatest-ever series watches.

Jonathon Burford is vice president and specialist at Sotheby’s watch department. For its ongoing Watches Weekly sales see www.sothebys.com.

The first and the best?

Pioneer of early motoring work F Gordon Crosby is among the most soughtafter of all specialist artists Words Rupert Whyte WITH MOTOR RACING IN ITS infancy, the exciting, atmospheric and sometimes wild-looking scenes portrayed by Frederick Gordon Crosby (1885-1943) of pre-World War One leviathans blasting down the narrow, treelined dirt roads of the Continent must have looked other-worldly to early readers of The Autocar.

Alongside Peter Helck creating artwork for Automobile Quarterly in the US, Crosby was the foremost artist illustrating the great motor races and speed attempts of those early decades. With a background as an engineering draughtsman, and with no art-school training, his early work was tight and clipped. As he gained experience, practice and confidence, his work

loosened and developed into the style for which he is most known, full of expression and atmosphere.

His engineering background gave him the technical accuracy and mechanical feeling of his cars that no contemporary could manage.

However, he recognised that his figure work needed improvement, and so he enrolled for life classes at his local art school.

Although Crosby was primarily an illustrator, governed by time constraints and the need to portray a specific event for The Autocar’s deadlines, a man of his talent was able to raise his pictorial records to become full works of art. As well as attending races and then working up ‘on-the-spot’ sketches back in his studio, he’d utilise eyewitness reports. He was able to bring the verbal and written accounts to life with exaggerated drama and excitement.

Crosby showed huge versatility using a host of mediums; drawings in pen and ink, pen and wash, charcoal and crayon, paintings in watercolour, gouache and oils – although the latter was used more frequently in his aeronautical works. He was equally at home working in three dimensions on plaques, sculptures and

medallions of motoring subjects, most often commissioned as trophies. The whereabouts of many of these is unknown.

His rendition of the first Targa Florio (1906) exemplifies his mixed-media work. The event became a firm favourite of Crosby, and Count Vincenzo Florio let him travel around the circuit by car during the race, allowing him to stop at any time for the best vantage points. The Count was a great admirer of Crosby’s work, and he commissioned the artist to make several paintings of the Targa. They appeared from time to time on race posters.

F Gordon Crosby’s work is now among the most sought-after and collectable of all motoring artists’.

With a large proportion being held within a small number of private and museum collections, there is little opportunity for the buyer.

On the rare occasions his original artworks do come to market, prices often exceed the auction estimate. It is unlikely that any notable Crosby can be found under £5000 today, and prices are more often £15,000 upwards.

Rupert Whyte runs Historic Car Art, www.historiccarart.net, selling original works and posters.

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AUTOMOBILIA

Iconic film posters receive top billing Le Mans... the film, the myth, the star – and the most sought-after movie posters in all of motor racing. Here’s what you need to know Words and photography David Lawrence

LE MANS THE MOVIE WAS filmed on location at the legendary French circuit in 1970, and took advantage of access to the actual 24 Hours in mid-June. As we related in our Le Mans special (Magneto issue 9), additional footage was shot after the race, using Porsche 917s and Ferrari 512s at speed.

The film was written by Harry Kleiner and directed by Lee H Katzin, and Steve McQueen, Siegfried Rauch and the beautiful Elga Andersen headed up the roster of stars. Real-life racing drivers included Brian Redman, David Piper, Derek Bell, Herbert Müller, Jonathan Williams, Jacky Ickx, Jo Siffert, Jürgen Barth, Masten Gregory, Richard Attwood, Vic Elford and many more.

McQueen sought to pursue his dream of creating a film about his racing passion. There was a great deal of on-set drama that had nothing to do with the on-screen drama; several directors were fired, while of the inevitable car crashes, some were horrendous.

Although as a motor sport fan I see Le Mans as a true cinematic tour de force on racing, upon its 1971 release it was a commercial and critical flop. Yet many years on it is a must-see, still rich in the racing authenticity McQueen strove for 50 years ago, and telling the story as freshly today as it did then.

The Le Mans posters are arguably the most sought-after and valuable of any racing film. Personally I was never a big fan of the US artwork; I always gravitated toward the foreign

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posters. Each country’s distributor would have been in charge of artwork, and many had their own artists. That is why foreign posters almost always vary design-wise from their American counterparts.

With that said, the US artwork and all the stills were made available.

A brief notes on sizes. In the US, we had lobby cards – hard-stock 11in x 14in scene cards – and the thicker window card, initially not folded, at 14in x 22in. Then a halfsheet poster (22in x 28in), singlesheet (41in x 27in) and 40in x 60in hard-stock rolled poster, followed by a three-sheet version (81in x 41in) and a six-sheet (81in x 81in).

France’s most popular largeformat posters were a half Grande (31.5in x 47.2in), Grande (47.2in x 62.9in) and double Grande (62.9in x 94.4in). Italy’s big sizes were a one-foglio (28in x 39in), two-foglio (39in x 55in) and four-foglio (55in x 78in). England had a one-sheet (20in x 30in), two-sheet (30in x 40in) and four-sheet (40in x 60in).

Investment-wise, the Le Mans posters are the Patek Philippe, Rembrandt or Ferrari 250GTO of racing movie poster collecting. I’ve been searching for them since the 1980s, when I bought my first group for $15 each – and the dealer was glad to get rid of them. In 2007 I did a one-owner sale with RM Auctions at Monterey, which set Le Mans poster world records. Keep in mind this was 14 years ago...

I sold a French one-sheet for $4370 against a $4000-$6000 estimate, a US six-sheet for $8395

ABOVE McQueen’s portrait is the focus of this original Italian two-foglio measuring 39in x 55in, 1971. Value $5000-$7000.

ABOVE Waving to the crowds on this US six-sheet in four panels from 1971, measuring 81in x 81in. Value $6000-$8000.

($4000-$6000) and a US onesheet for $3162 ($1000-$1200).

The collectables market has grown dramatically since then. Sotheby’s saw the value a few years back, when it featured a Le Mans poster full page among million-dollar paintings in one of its magazines.

Le Mans posters are the pinnacle for race-related movie posters. Any

serious collector definitely needs some of these pieces. Even the lobby cards are worth seeking out – including the ones that play up just the love interest, virtually ignoring the motor sport aspect.

Thanks to expert David Lawrence of www.madisonsauctions.com and to AutoMobilia Resource magazine, www.automobiliaresource.com.

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COLLECTING

Two wheels good... ...but two vintage wheels are better. We look at the resurgence of interest in classic road bicycles and the style that goes with them

FOLLOWERS OF GOODWOOD might have noticed that the phenomenon that is Eroica is coming to the country estate that we know best as the home of British Historic motor sport.

Eroica? It’s a vintage cycling event that started in Italy and has spread to California, South Africa, Japan, Germany, Spain, Switzerland and the UK, where it’s previously taken place in the Peak District in the North of England, but is relocating for 2022 to Goodwood in the South Downs.

In this parallel universe of vintage cycling festivals, the bicycles have their gearshifters on the downtubes of their delicate steel frames in (literally) heavy contrast to today’s lightweight alloy and carbonfibre.

And the riders wear long shorts and caps, not Lycra and helmets.

Eroica’s success has helped to fuel a resurgence of interest in vintage road bikes that sees eBay and cycling forums buzzing, and a new generation of old-tech bicycle experts. As lockdown eases, excitement is building for the next events, and specialists are reporting an increase in business.

Golden Age Cycles’ Brian Reid is a technology teacher who realised his passion for old bikes could lead to a new career. His stock of more than 500 bicycles can be seen at Bicester Heritage, the centre of the UK classic car trade located in a former World War Two RAF base.

“I’m not sure whether this is a bike shop, an art gallery or a museum,” says Brian as he unlocks the door to his unit in which several rooms are packed wall to wall with

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vintage cycles. “I’m just a kind of dating agent, putting people in touch with the bikes they love.”

In many cases, the bikes Brian’s customers love are those they owned as teenagers or that ‘the rich kid up the road had’ back then.

Others remember their father’s bike – including Reid, whose dad never had a driving licence but cycled everywhere on a 1959 Bill Hurlow Condor (Brian: “I caught the disease!”). Many jumped on the Bradley Wiggins-inspired cycling upsurge, and are now looking for something different, to supplement their modern road bikes.

There’s no shortage of such bicycles, but there’s a big difference between simply an ‘old’ machine and one that is worth restoring, cherishing and collecting. Luckily, the price threshold of the latter is relatively low, and Brian reckons it’s possible to start at just £200300 – although he recommends going in a bit higher if possible.

“For anything sub-£200 values are stable, but from £400-500 they’re really selling and becoming very collectable,” says Reid, who has seen prices more than double in the five years that he’s been trading. “At the lowest levels you can buy a Raleigh, Carlton, Holdsworth or Claude Butler of the 1980s. They’re easy to find and you can still buy spares for them.

“Usually, though, I steer my customers towards a Mercian – it’s always been a good make, is still going, and the cycles are solid and reliable. My expertise was in 1960s to ’90s bikes, but as I’ve gained in confidence I’ve started to stock

WWW.STEEL-VINTAGE.COM

Words David Lillywhite

ABOVE Hetchins Magnus Bonum Six-Days ‘curly’ classic road bike from the 1960s, featuring the distinctive intricate stays and lugs. cycles from the 1920s-on. The older it is, the more interesting it is to ride, but until the 1960s they have a very limited range of gears, so the early bikes are really for the hard-nut enthusiasts.”

He digs out three very different cycles to demonstrate his point.

First, an early-1980s white Raleigh Rapide for £195; mass produced and now a bit scruffy, but still with Reynolds 531 tubing (a frame made from 501 or, better, 531 should be the minimum starting point) and desirable Campagnolo gears.

Next, a green-and-yellow Dabro, one of just 12 bikes hand-made by the Davis Brothers in Essex. “This will feel much lighter and tighter than the Raleigh,” says Brian. It’s £650. The third is a Colnago Master Più, an exquisite £1895 Italian. “If

a Hetchins is the Rolls-Royce of bicycles, then this is the Ferrari.”

Ah yes, the Hetchins; the holy grail. These legendary Brits have been built since the 1930s, and are known for their high levels of craftsmanship. The most valuable are the ‘curly Hetchins’, named after the beautifully intricate stays and lugs that form the frame’s structure. They can easily fetch £2000-plus. This is where Brian’s heart lies, although his stock also includes a Penny Farthing and Raleigh Choppers (“prices have gone crazy for Choppers again”) – and he’s noted that early mountain bikes are now gaining in value.

As for Eroica, trends change.

“Five years ago I was seeing a lot of 1940s-50s black bikes. Then it was Hetchins, and then Italians.

A vintage cycle isn’t a rational purchase – it’s all about emotion and nostalgia; that’s why it so good.”

For more, visit www.eroica.cc. Brian’s stock is at www.goldenagecycles.co.uk.

1933 ASTON MARTIN LE MANS £495,000 First owned by esteemed period racing driver Bobby Morgan who kept it for 20 years, this 1½ litre short chassis 2/4 seater is, quite simply, one of the best Le Mans available! Ready to go racing, rallying or touring and comes with current 1000 Miglia Registro papers and FIVA card. It successfully completed the 2017 1000 Miglia, the Silverstone Classic in 2015 & 2019, plus many other track and rally events, and won its class in the AMOC Hampton Court Concours.

Ecurie Bertelli built the current engine in 2015, but the original stamped engine block also comes with the vehicle (not fitted). It has a right-hand throttle layout, but this is easily reversed to the original centre throttle configuration. This vehicle has been maintained by Ecurie Bertelli to the highest standards and comes with an extensive history file.

A test drive is recommended.

Contact Ecurie Bertelli for more details.

+44 (0)1234 240024 | info@ecuriebertelli.com | ecuriebertelli.com | 53 Stilebrook Road, Olney, MK46 5EA, UK

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LEGACY

H E R I TAG E S E RV I C E A N D S A L E S F O R A L L JAG UA R S R E C O M M I S S I O N I N G F O R R OA D U S E | AU T H E N T I C I T Y P R E PA R AT I O N | M OTO R S P O R T ph | 61 2 9313 7866 • email | sales@paradisegarage.com.au • web | www.paradisegarage.com.au address | 25-27 Dunning Avenue Rosebery, Sydney Australia

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DIVERSIONS

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Compiled by Nathan Chadwick and Sophie Kochan

SURFING SLICKS

NOTARGIACOMO LAMPS

From the glamour of 1970s BMWs sports saloons in California to the ragged army of Volkswagen T2 Campers descending on Cornwall every summer, there’s an interesting crossover between cars and surfing.

Well, Surfing Slicks takes that connection a step further.

The brainchild of Lincoln Chillman, these wall-art surfboards have been hand-crafted in the UK to evoke memories of more than 50 different racing liveries, such as Ecurie Ecosse, Carl Fogarty and Tyrrell. Pictured here are, from left, BRM, Lotus, Vanwall and AllAmerican Racing – but more designs are promised.

“Having decided that the contours of a surfboard are the perfect blank canvas on which to capture the finest motor-racing liveries of the past century, we got in touch with our favourite race teams,” explains Lincoln.

“We have partnered with many of them on previous artistic projects, and we discovered that, once again, they shared our passion for the Surfing Slicks concept.”

Lincoln is also open to one-off designs and bespoke commissions – perfect for your own race livery, or for something rather more obscure. We’re currently obsessing over a Texaco Sierra RS500 theme...

Fittingly, each surfboard will reflect the livery (unless specified otherwise), meaning a 1970s design will be represented on a surfboard from the same era; the examples pictured measure 6ft 6in. Prices start from around £2600, with wall mounts also available. Bespoke items are priced individually. www.surfingslicks.com

Stefano Notargiacomo reinvents discarded parts of mechanical history into stunning home-decor pieces.

Hand-crafted in Rome, in a workshop dating back to 1938, each item is unique and reflects Stefano’s personal passion for cars and motorcycles – whether it’s a Vespa carburettor or a Ferrari 348TS cam cover (pictured). www.stefanonotargiacomo.it

ROLEX COSMOGRAPH DAYTONA The Daytona has always been linked to motor racing, but this one has got more to do with the Space Race. The 116519LN has a dial made from metallic meteorite, a substance that cools by a few degrees Celsius every million years, creating unique crystallisation. It comes in 18ct white, yellow or Everose gold, and costs £27,350. www.watches-ofswitzerland.co.uk

MASERATI 150S The Maserati 150S was part of a two-pronged attempt to replace the A6GCS. All 27 examples built used a 140bhp inline-four that originally debuted in a boat, and wore a Celestino Fiandri-styled body similar to that of the 300S. Jean Behra won the 1955 Nürburgring 1000km in one. This $1612 model reproduces in 1:8 scale the test car presented to the press in Modena in 1955. www.maseratistore.com

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BOOK REVIEWS

Ultimate Ferrari 250GTO Definitive history takes the deepest look yet into Ferrari’s most coveted car, and the people who’ve owned, raced and loved it Review Nathan Chadwick

THE 250GTO IS THE MOST revered Ferrari of them all, and by association the most expensive of them all. All 36 examples exist in a fantasy land that even the average billionaire can’t reach.

It’s refreshing, therefore, to find out via James Page’s £450 Ultimate Ferrari 250GTO that however expensive these cars have become, whatever their histories, whomever has sat in the drivers’ seats and whatever other cars share their garage space, owners’ passion for the 250GTO shines through.

The first volume forensically takes apart this Ferrari and the politics of the situation. With Giotto Bizzarrini, the car’s ultimate godfather, departing the scene part-way through development, the 250GTO could have ended up being a defeat from the jaws of victory. Yet as it turns out, the rampant, youthful enthusiasm of the likes of Mauro Forghieri laid the foundation for a model that came to dominate GT racing.

Each championship year is profiled in exacting detail, but there’s plenty of room for all the races the GTO did across the globe.

While the extensive research into

‘We really get a sense of the characters who have owned GTOs over the years’

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the development history and races is excellent, it’s the second volume, which tells the history of each chassis, that throws up the most fascinating part of the package.

Rather than simply listing the previous owners and transactions, we really get a sense of the disparate characters who’ve owned GTOs over the years, and the stories of each chassis, from racing histories to subsequent ownership.

From Alain de Cadenet flipping GTOs for peanuts at the first sight of engine trouble in the 1970s and cars being used as ‘a smoker’ to flit between London drinking holes, to glitzy and glorious sojourns to the most exclusive lawns and race tracks in the world, it’s all here.

Our favourite anecdote comes from chassis 3729 GT, which was originally owned by John Coombs.

After being borrowed by Jaguar for analysis to aid the E-type racing development (although without Ferrari’s knowledge), it went back to Maranello for some work. The return trip, with David Salamone and his car-trade father, who looked after Coombs’ motors, was fraught – a garage put petrol in the oil tank, the car began to overheat so had to be driven down tramways to avoid traffic jams, and it was beginning to snow. Undeterred, in Switzerland an under-age David was allowed a 15-minute blast.

This set is full of such stories; the first volume is wonderful, the second adds classic character – much like its subject matter. www.porterpress.co.uk

BW - In 1928, a Chinese warlord by the name of Zhou Xicheng ordered the production of a special commemorative coin (the 1928 Auto Dollar) which would feature an image of his beloved automobile.

His advisors strongly urged him against this as they predicted that if his car was identified by the image on the coin he would be killed - which is exactly what happened the following year! www.baldwin.co.uk

SG - In 1966 this 6d stamp was created to celebrate British Technology. During printing an interesting anomaly occurred with the blue ink meaning that it looks like the classic Jaguar, which had been parked neatly within a run of mini coopers, had driven away! Only 24 mint examples of this error are known to exist with previous examples selling for more than £40,000. www.stanleygibbons.com

Acquire

BOOK REVIEWS

Breadvan: A Ferrari to beat the GTO After being spurned by Ferrari, Count Volpi and Bizzarrini rose to the occasion with the Breadvan Review Nathan Chadwick

BRUMOS, AN AMERICAN RACING ICON IT’S OFTEN SAID REVENGE can make you ugly – and Ferrari 250GT SWB chassis number 2819 GT is a prime example. But one man’s ugliness is another’s beauty.

In the past 20 years the Breadvan has become a fan favourite on the Historic racing scene, with captivating performances at the Goodwood Revival. However, the story of the car itself is just as stirring, as related by Richard Heseltine in his punchy Breadvan: A Ferrari to Beat the GTO. Pleasingly, the book doesn’t just focus on the race results – this is a very human tome that shines a light on a tumultuous period in Ferrari’s history. Count Volpi is the star who, having been spurned over a brace of 250GTOs by Enzo for backing the ATS project, tasked Giotto Bizzarrini with modifying 2819 GT into a GTO-beater.

Chassis 2819 had already been relatively successful in competition, but after its DNF at Sebring in ’62 it would begin its new life in a body crafted at Neri e Bonacini. Bizzarrini is quoted as saying that the car’s distinctive look was a development of his 250GTO work at Ferrari.

Volpi’s team had to battle the scrutineers just to get into the race,

‘A trip to the Riviera wouldn’t be the last time it would fall foul of the cops’

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and his recollections are eyeopening. In the event, the Breadvan would lead the GTOs before it suffered mechanical failure; a spot of knobbling from Maranello loyalists? Volpi pulls no punches...

Chassis 2819 GT would compete for only one year, although its time as a road car was also colourful – a trip to the Riviera resulting in an appearance on the front page of a newspaper and a police rap. It wouldn’t be the last time the Ferrari would fall foul of the cops.

After Volpi sold the car in 1965 it headed to the US and through the custody of a variety of characters, – including, for a brief time, Sonny Bono. There it returned to Europe to start its Historic racing career.

This £45 book tells the complete story of the Breadvan’s life right up to the present day, and finishes with a set of gorgeous studio images. Chassis 2819’s life may have been ugly in places, but Heseltine’s book turns ‘Il Mostro’ into something beautiful. www.porterpress.co.uk

Although the Brumos racing team is most famous for its Porsche exploits during the 1970s with the likes of Peter Gregg, Hurley Haywood and Rolf Stommelen, Brumos can trace its origins back to the dawn of the 20th century.

This $559.59, three-volume set exhaustively chronicles the three ages of Brumos: the build-up to the 1970s; the golden years of that decade; and 40 years since Gregg’s suicide in 1981. His wife kept Brumos going, finding time for stints in TransAm and endurance racing. It also details more recent projects including 2009’s Daytona victory with Mark Donohue’s son David behind the wheel. www.thebrumoscollection.com

ORIGINAL JAGUAR E-TYPE With the E-type celebrating its 60th birthday this year and no end of barn-finds selling for evermore eye-popping prices, Malcolm McKay’s £65 exhaustive guide is well timed. Whatever E-type restoration project tickles your fancy, there are extensive notes that detail each individual change in production across all variants.

For that reason, it’s not a book for the casual enthusiast – and it’s all the better for that. While many others tell the E-type story, very few will go into the precise changes in keyfob design, what radiator was used in which month, what straps held down which battery, and so on...

Essential reading for restorers and inspectors, and for gaining brownie points at club meetings. www.porterpress.co.uk

9600HP: THE WORLD’S OLDEST E-TYPE JAGUAR

SAM’S SCRAPBOOK

It was the Jaguar that launched millions of adolescent dreams and forged the E-type legend: 9600HP. This was the car Bob Berry drove to the Geneva show launch with 20 minutes to spare. From then on, the E-type was a star.

Author and publisher Philip Porter owns 9600HP, and his enthusiasm is palpable on every page. It’s a warts-and-all story, from darling of the Jaguar press fleet, to an, ahem, ‘period of rest’ in a barn for two decades, to its resurrection and starring role as a standard-bearer for Jaguar and British cultural history.

Porter’s £45 book is indulgent, but in the very best way. www.porterpress.co.uk

Sam Posey is a renaissance man – painter, artist, author, architect and, of course, racing driver.

Although some entries are light on detail, the intimate images from behind the scenes and meticulously photographed personal keepsakes more than make up for it, as well as the tales.

One of the most notable was at Le Mans in 1971, where a dispute over whether Penske or NART got the new Ferrari engine was settled by Mark Donohue towing it away with a forklift. It’s a book full of fascinating asides, casting a more human touch to names such as Surtees and Chinetti. A warm, personal experience, at £30. www.evropublishing.com

Moto

HISTORICS Specialists in race car preparation and restoration

T: 01372 729192 • M: 07917 767558 • E: info@motohistorics.co.uk • W: www.motohistorics.co.uk

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LEGAL ADVICE

Tales of the Uninspected, and other horror stories With collector cars as in life, ‘love at first sight’ doesn’t always equate to ‘happy ever after’.

Here’s how to avoid a nightmare relationship...

Words Clive Robertson, solicitor, Healys LLP

AT LAST, YOU’VE FOUND ‘THE One’; sanity goes out of the window, rationale ceases to function, your temperature edges up as does your heart rate. You are in the presence of perfection. I’m not talking about your dream date. No, it’s THE car, which in that moment is the object of your desire that must be sated. Without further thought you make an offer, which is accepted. Some of us have escaped the ill effects of this type of rash behaviour, but more often than not, the nightmare has just begun.

I put my hand up to having made impulse purchases. In my early 20s, I found an Austin-Healey 3000 Mk2 with triple carbs, central gearchange and side screens; really quite rare. I was swayed by the wire wheels and Colorado Red paint. You know it’s the right car when you have to sneak in a backward glance as you walk away.

On this particular occasion, I saw something hanging from under the nearside front wing. Getting down on my knees, I tugged on what turned out to be a newspaper. Further investigation produced a football sock. The wing had been filled with rubbish, glassfibred over and painted.

Later that decade, after I thought I had learned a thing or two, I was captivated by a Mercedes 190SL on sale at a dealer. It was flawless silver with a hardtop. Slowing down from a sustained 70mph drive, I heard a loud thump from the rear. Pulling over with difficulty, I spotted that the nearside back end was down – and that the arch was empty. About 20 yards behind me lay a wheel flat

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on its hubcap, attached to the brake and a chunk of rusted chassis. After many hours of cutting and welding, the structure was declared sound – although, chillingly, the welder told me that if the hardtop had been removed with both doors open, the car would have folded in two.

More recently, at the London Classic Car Show, I found an old friend at a Porsche trade stand, poring over a folder of photos showing the full restoration of a 1970s 911. The car was painted in blood orange, stripped out and ready for the track, although road registered. It looked fabulous, complete with megaphone exhaust exiting the centre of the rear.

The deal was done there and then.

In due course the 911 delivered all that was promised – but more so, wherein lay the issue. The intensity of the drive made any more than 15 minutes at the wheel unbearable without a full helmet. I shouldn’t mention that my chum was a lawyer and should have known better.

Another danger zone for the irrational buyer is the romantic ‘barn find’ of the noble wreck. While I understand the allure of reviving an almost-lost chassis, I’ve never succumbed to the temptation as I’ve not relished the prospect of paying, after purchase and restoration, more than the value of the end product.

That said, most renovation firms have standard terms, to include stage payments for agreed milestones and dispute mechanisms to deal with unforeseen eventualities. However, this year I have come across several

instances of buyers who have been less than diligent in following the progress of their projects.

I was contacted on behalf of a pair who’d contracted to buy a 250-series Ferrari from a main dealer. The price included full restoration, a hefty deposit and monthly payments until completion and delivery. Little or nothing had been heard for three years when, following an request for a progress update, the dealer denied all knowledge of the transaction.

Friends in France committed an Alfa Spider to a Parisian workshop for refurbishment. Knowing and trusting the proprietor, they were surprised to find, after 24 months, that the business had vacated its premises. The car is still insured 12 years later, but remains to be found.

Last month, a VW camper was the focus of a call from a distressed owner. It had been the subject of a vague agreement for restoration over 12 months. The owner visited the premises to find their pride and joy parked outside, uncovered and rustier than ever. The restorer had apologised and promised to start the renovation forthwith. He then called to say that he’d been obliged to move premises, but he would not divulge the address nor would he now answer the phone. Sadly, the owners were coming to the conclusion that they would have to cut their losses and abandon their much-loved VW. Buying and/or restoring requires diligence as well as a cool, calm and collected attitude. Objectivity is key.

As I’ve shown, my early enthusiasm resulted in several avoidable horrors.

After the 190SL, I found a striking ’65 E-type convertible on a forecourt.

With original opalescent silver-blue paint and navy leather, it was simply the best-looking car I had ever laid eyes on. Although in hindsight the white soft-top was questionable...

Following inspection by a good

‘Behind me lay a wheel attached to the 190SL’s brake and a chunk of rusted chassis’

+44 (0)7768 997439

friend and knowledgeable garage owner, there came the bombshell that the Jag was not only a bad buy, but positively unsafe. A serious and badly repaired front smash meant that it crabbed to the left over 50mph.

While I’ve learned a little over the years, I can’t claim to know it all – but fortunately there are experts who can advise at every juncture. Whether buying privately or at auction, and in all restoration matters, a methodical approach should be adopted. Always try to make a first inspection accompanied. Someone familiar with the model would be a bonus, but anyone would suffice. I recall a neighbour who, while accompanying me on an inspection, asked sotto voce if I could smell the drying paint. We departed promptly. Unless you’re in the presence of an unquestionable bargain, never make an instant offer.

It may pay to reflect overnight.

If your offer is accepted, ensure it is contingent upon receipt of a satisfactory inspection report. Clubs can usually suggest a suitable expert.

Don’t be afraid to spend several hundreds of pounds; in the context of your purchase price, this will often pay for itself if defects are revealed.

Ask the expert to examine the title, usually a V5c, in terms that chassis, engine and gearbox numbers, be they matching or not, are as advertised.

History should also be closely examined, especially where race or high-value cars are concerned.

Careful attention should be paid to authenticity of documentation. If there are any doubts, probe further.

Ink can be dated in some cases, paper can be compared with period examples, alterations can be detected and handwriting can be verified.

Most importantly, the parties will be best served by entering into a written contract, the terms of which should be agreed and advised upon by solicitors. Typically, this should deal with the following: price and deposit; description of the vehicle; warranties as to title and condition; the absence of third-party claims; schedule of documents; and parts, bill of sale and delivery.

Be careful out there. ‘Wrong ’uns’ are often in disguise. Do the diligence, consult the experts and you should never lose a wheel.

Private Sales and Consignments established 1978 sales@paulrussell.com

(1) 978-768-6919

paulrussell.com

MATTHEW HILL COACH TRIMMING interior restoration to the highest standard

www.matthillcoachtrimming.com info@matthillcoachtrimming.com +44 (0)1403 740182

COLLECTIONS

Getting on track with the Ferrari 375 Our man once taught both Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso how to drive a Formula 1 Ferrari. Yes, really... Here’s the full amazing story Words Robert Dean

I HAVE OFTEN BEEN ASKED which was my favourite car to drive from Mr Ecclestone’s collection. They all have their merits, but one or two stand out for performance, history or just because I drove them a lot.

This last reason would be relevant to the 1951 Ferrari 375 Formula 1 car driven to first place in Italy and France by Alberto Ascari, which sports Aurelio Lampredi’s 4.5-litre engine. Actually, I was lucky enough to drive the 125 Colombo Ferrari from the late 1940s back-to-back with the 375, which appeared in 1950, and the difference was amazing.

In the 125 I could feel the chassis moving under me, and everything felt a bit pre-war. While it went extremely well and was a fast, capable race car, I realised how dated it was once I stepped into the 375. The latter’s chassis was much stiffer, and the brakes worked really well (for drums), but its engine’s extra power and flexibility were palpable; you could slide the car and control it on the throttle with precision.

I had it flat-out once in Bahrain down the start-finish straight – which Rick Hall told me was about 160mph – only slightly misjudging the amount of stopping distance I needed with drum brakes at the end of the straight. However, I styled it out with a beautiful, controlled slide, much to the cameraman’s delight because they repeated it over the weekend on the big screens.

I first drove the 375 at a Ferrari event at Brands Hatch, where once a day I did five demonstration laps.

However, because no garages were available, I was allowed to keep the car in the Kentagon restaurant, roped off from the public. Coming back from the first run, I thought if I put it in backwards, the next time I could get into it in the restaurant,

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roll down the hill and bump start it without any assistance. Perfect!

The problem was that I had to give it a load of revs to get up the little slope into the restaurant.

Unfortunately, as I did this, the exhaust blew all the food and drinks off the two tables behind it. There was quite a discussion about it, and I had to buy everyone new food and apologise in 12 different positions.

It was my own stupid fault.

Needless to say, for the rest of the weekend I parked the Ferrari front end in first. One time I was sitting on the grass outside, and a small boy walked up and asked: “Which chassis number is that?” I told him, and he knew the car’s whole history.

You know when to shut up and listen, so I sat him down and we discussed the histories of all the 375s, about which he knew a considerable amount. His father came over and told him not to bother people, but I made the dad sit down and listen, too. Then I sat the boy in the car and his father took lots of pictures. All went away very happy and a bit wiser.

In 2007 I took the 375 to the Ferrari works for the marque’s 60th anniversary, and Felipe Massa drove it along with Luca Badoer. Felipe did not want to be told how to drive the car by a mere curator such as me, and he was quite off-hand. He also did donuts in the car with smoke pouring off the tyres, and I am afraid I lost my temper. My friend Giuseppe

‘The 375’s exhaust blew all the food and drinks off the tables. There was quite a discussion...’

ABOVE Our bump-start hero (on the right) gives Alonso a helping hand with the 375 at Silverstone. had to hold me back from dragging Massa out of the car and explaining things to him. Meanwhile, Luca was serious and attentive; he did all I asked of him and drove it beautifully, but he hated the experience. Ho hum!

I did get to drive that car wearing my blue serge suit and Ray-Bans round the Fiorano circuit, and then between the historic yellow Ferrari buildings much to the dismay of the security guards. I must say, though, I looked spectacularly cool doing it...

In 2001 I took the car to Silverstone for a celebration of Shell and Ferrari racing together for 40 years. The PR guys managed to find a Mr Wentworth, who was the scrutineer at the 1951 Grand Prix, as well as an Italian mechanic who worked on the car in period.

I went to the Ferrari hospitality to arrange for Michael Schumacher to come to the car so I could go through the controls with him. However, his PR refused, saying: “He is a World Champion and doesn’t need anyone to show him how to drive a race car.”

“Fine,” I said. “I’ll put it back in the trailer and take it home, because he is not getting into the car until I have gone through the controls with him.” You must remember it has a centre throttle, magneto ignition and left-hand manual gearchange.

After a bit more discussion she agreed, and I spent a fantastic hour with Michael showing him how to drive it. Sadly, he hated it. He did his lap, stepped out the cockpit and never wanted to get back in. A while later I met him at an event, and we laughed about it. He said he preferred the latest car, not the old ones.

In 2011 I again took the 375 to

Silverstone, for Fernando Alonso to drive. I arranged to meet him at 6:00pm outside the Ferrari hospitality building, so I blagged my way into the paddock pushing the car.

Fernando duly arrived, and he was impressed that I had the 375 with me because he said cars weren’t allowed in the paddock. I said: “What are they going to do? Sack you?”

I spent a surreal hour and a half teaching him to drive and bump start the Ferrari, and discussing racing front-engine cars. I also told him of the origins of ‘heel and toe’ when used with a centre throttle pedal, because when your right foot is on the righthand-side brake pedal your ankle will articulate to the left. Then your heel can blip the throttle for a downchange while still being on the brake.

Fernando tried it sitting in the car, and he was astonished. He said that if he ever had a race car with three pedals he would configure it like this because it was a much better idea.

I managed to get him two laps, because I’d bumped into Mr E that afternoon and said it was a shame to go to all this trouble and drive only half a lap. The next morning I was told we had two laps.

Googling ‘Fernando Alonso Ferrari 375 run’ turns up footage. He did everything I had told him, and after doing wavy, wavy on the first lap he really went for it on the second, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

The upshot is that I’ve driven an extraordinary piece of history, and I can say that I taught both Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso how to drive an F1 Ferrari. Fernando won the race, so I must’ve been good.

Find out about the history of your machinery, and be part of it.

Former Ecclestone Collection manager Robert now runs Curated Vehicle Management. See www.c-v-m.co.uk.

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HISTORIC RACING

Don’t be wet behind the ears in the rain Recondition your mind to see wet weather as an opportunity rather than a challenge, with our practical guide to releasing your inner ‘Regenmeister’ Words Sam Hancock

YES, I’M WRITING THIS IN THE height of summer, my face a little singed from a sun-drenched weekend at Paul Ricard, but we all know how quickly the weather can turn and its scant regard for the dry-running preferences of the average Historic racer. So to help ready you for the next inevitable deluge, here are a few simple suggestions – starting with the very first seconds of your day...

Whether racing or otherwise, most of us habitually groan at the sight of rain when we throw open the curtains in the morning.

However, if you want to not only cope with, but thrive at, racing in the wet, you can’t afford to feel beaten before even strapping into the car.

So from now on, during a test or race day, force yourself to positively celebrate the first sign of rain.

Embrace it! Recondition your mind to see wet weather as an opportunity rather than a challenge. It’ll take time and practice until you truly believe in your new, forced reaction, but eventually it will trigger a confidence that will translate to the stopwatch.

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Next up, car preparation. For those with the luxury of changing from slicks to dedicated wet-weather tyres, the battle is of course half won. But with many Historic categories using the same rubber for both wet and dry conditions, set-up adjustments become vital. The primary goal is to increase chassis compliance by softening the suspension, allowing it to absorb as much of the load transfer as possible and more gently distribute what’s left to those four, tiny, rubber contact patches.

If you have adjustable dampers, start by softening whatever settings you can by at least 30 percent, both front and rear. If this helps, don’t be afraid to go more, particularly in compression (bump). You could argue that softer springs (leaf or coil) might also help, but this is rarely a practical solution in a sodden paddock – and can in fact backfire by ruining the car’s inherent balance.

Something to try on a test day, maybe, but too big a risk for a race weekend.

Assuming your car is rear-wheel drive, and you have an anti-roll bar

at the back, soften its setting substantially or even disconnect it.

This will increase rear traction and reduce wheelspin under throttle. I prefer to keep front anti-roll bars close to their dry-weather setting to dial a little understeer into the balance, which is not only easier to control but also contributes to better rear traction and stability.

If adjustable, wind the brake balance rearward between five to ten percent to reduce the propensity for front-wheel lock-ups. If you feel the back axle starting to snatch, you’ve gone too far – but be careful not to confuse an overly rearward brake bias with poorly executed downshifts.

Finally, try to use a recently bedded set of new tyres, to benefit from the nice, sharp edges and full-depth channels of the tread pattern.

With your set-up adjusted, hit the track and proactively assess the grip during the out-lap, rather than wait to be surprised by the lack of it later.

With a straight steering wheel and from a low rolling speed, lean into the throttle to provoke wheelspin.

Immediately you’ll get your first sense of the traction available, and kick-start the data-gathering process. You can do this even as you leave the pitlane.

While braking into a slower

‘From now on, during a test or race day, force yourself to positively celebrate the first sign of rain’

corner, and with a clear road behind you, check your brake balance by carefully adding pedal pressure until you lock up. You’ll often be surprised at just how hard you can get away with braking, again gaining critical data and a nice confidence boost for the run to the first corner.

Positively hunt for grip by trying wildly different lines. With the rain unable to permeate well rubbered asphalt, there is usually much to be found both outside – and inside – of the regular dry-weather line.

The general goal is to make your main requests of the car – braking, steering, acceleration – on areas of the road that have more abrasion, more ‘bite’. You can start by simply driving a car’s width wide of your regular line in every corner. You will likely find more traction without adding too much distance to your lap.

The next stage is to start exploring the outer limits of the circuit’s width.

Careful, though – you’ll need to compensate for the added metres by maximising your rolling speed through these areas.

Finally, for tighter corners such as hairpins and chicanes, you can try braking and accelerating inside of the dry line. This is tricky to execute, though, as it involves slithering back across the dry line, which can undo your hard-earned gains.

There is plenty more detail I could go into, but for now consider these recommendations the lowhanging fruit. If it all sounds a bit intimidating try to get some practice in a kart, where all of the same principles apply.

WOUTER MELISSEN

LEFT Goodwood goals: our man Sam hustles a Ferrari 246S Dino Fantuzzi ‘high-tail’ Spider at a very wet Revival.

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1961 JAGUAR XKE OBL - CAR NO. 132 - SERIES 1 ROADSTER

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1961 JAGUAR XKE - CAR NO. 781 - SERIES 1 ROADSTER

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FIN A NC I

LEFT Continental T was typical of the brave new world of Bentley styling developed under Richard Perry.

BEHIND THE LEGEND

How the boss curried favour A spicy approach to workforce relations from Richard Perry, Rolls-Royce and Bentley CEO from 1983 to 1986 Extract from Inside the Rolls-Royce & Bentley Styling Department: 1971-2001 by Graham Hull, Veloce Books

EVERYONE THOUGHT OF Richard Perry as ‘Dick’, although it felt far too familiar to call him that. As George Fenn gradually handed over the reins, Dick took over full time from running Mulliner Park Ward in London. This now appears to have been part of a master plan by Vickers to keep the show on the road while a new regime had time to get to grips with multiple issues. Peter Ward arrived to take over Marketing, and Mike Dunn Engineering, and John Stephenson established Product Planning. Also during this period Fritz Feller decided to retire, leaving me as chief stylist, so to speak.

Given the demands of running a factory in a harsh economic climate, aesthetics probably weren’t too high

on Dick Perry’s list of concerns.

Fortunately, we had just completed the SX concept car, so at least he had some evidence of intelligent life in Styling. It soon became obvious, however, that the only way of impressing an ex-Fleet Air Arm pilot would be to balance a pint of beer on my head while reciting all the verses of ‘There’s Only One Pub in Town’ – and as this wasn’t really my forte, the future looked bleak.

Dick was quite capable of good, old-fashioned, motor-industry anger.

An engineer brought up from MPW a high-mounted stop-lamp for the Corniche to obtain sign-off at the Styling review. Admittedly it wasn’t the prettiest of things, but Dick went absolutely ballistic, sparing the

hapless presenter nothing. During the tirade I had to step away from the unfortunate recipient or risk scorch marks on my clothes.

Dick had to deal with a rare, all-out strike by the hourly paid workforce, which gave rise to a classic Perry anecdote. Driving slowly through the large, orderly picket every morning, he was regularly harangued by one Tony Jenkins, a very enthusiastic and effective shop steward. One evening, late, Dick ate the fieriest Indian meal he could stomach. Next morning, as Tony began his daily verbals, Dick wound down his window and, breathing the fiery fumes into Tony’s face, thanked him for his comments, the pungent aroma shocking Tony into silence. Having heard this story from both sides, it appears to be true.

Most people who have served in the Forces possess a fairly black sense of humour. At a boardroom presentation on In-Car Entertainment I argued against over-complicated controls as they could lead to a fixed, puzzled expression in the morgue; the result of someone trying to master a stereo’s graphic equaliser, say, whilst driving. This seemed to go down well, and represented a turning point between Dick and myself, as a shared sense of humour is a great bridge-builder. Happily, the advent of the Turbo R also raised spirits. Ultimately, Dick was the only

managing director at Crewe who suggested Styling report directly to him, and it was also he who told me to work closer with John Heffernan and Ken Greenley on Corniche/Continental R. For such a robust personality Dick was remarkably sensitive to the wants and needs of the workforce, replacing the segregated dining areas with one open-plan restaurant, nicknamed Dick’s Diner and run by a top catering firm. His masterstroke, after the debilitating strike, was ensuring every employee, regardless of status, got a company-car ride; a huge undertaking, with a couple of Rolls constantly giving joy rides. Most employees were hardly able to relate to the product they made, never previously experiencing the superb comfort of these legendary vehicles.

The rides were particularly useful to the trimmers, as leather-seat comfort is directly attributable to the skills of the machinist who tensions the surfaces. After the rides, the men were given a company tie and the ladies a silk scarf. The exercise was a simple gesture, but showed an appreciation of the workforce that was well received. I liked Dick Perry; not least because he had been a development driver on the Austin A30, my first car. He was a rare example of a larger-than-life character you could enjoy working for.

Magneto (ISSN No: 2631-9489, USPS number 22830) is published four times a year – in February, May, August and November – by Hothouse Publishing Ltd, UK. Magneto is distributed in the US by RRD/Spatial, 1250 Valley Brook Ave, Lyndhurst NJ 07071. Periodicals postage paid at South Hackensack NJ and other additional entry offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Magneto c/o RRD, 1250 Valley Brook Ave, Lyndhurst NJ 07071.

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1967 AC 289 SPORTS ‘COBRA’ ♦ 1953 ASTON MARTIN DB2 VANTAGE ♦ 1969 ASTON MARTIN DB6 ♦ 1925 BENTLEY 3L BLUE LABEL TOURER 1927 BENTLEY 3/8 SPECIAL ♦ 1939 BENTLEY 4 1/4 VDP ‘HONEYSUCKLE’ ♦ 1967 CITROËN DS21 DÉCAPOTABLE BY HENRY CHAPRON 1911 CHALMERS DETROIT MODEL 11/30 HP ♦ 1970 FERRARI 365 GTB/4 DAYTONA ♦ 1938 FRAZER NASH-BMW 328 ♦ 1961 JAGUAR XK 150 S 3.8 FHC 1954 LANCIA AURELIA B20 GT SERIES 4 1929 ♦ 1934 MG K3 SPORTS RACING TWO-SEATER – EX WORKS ♦ 1965 TVR TRIDENT PROTOTYPE 1924 ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER GHOST PICCADILLY ROADSTER ♦ 1918 STUTZ BEARCAT SERIES S ROADSTER

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