The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
We are very pleased to announce that VeloceToday contributor Brandes Elitch has been honored with the prestigious International Automotive Media award. Elitch is a long-time contributor to VeloceToday and we were proud to have helped Elitch take the book from conception to publication. Our congratulations to both Elitch and publisher David Fetherston. [Read more…] about Lancia Loraymo Wins Automotive Media Award
The three versions of their Nuovo 1100: The Berlina, the Familiare and the more sporting TV (Turismo Veloce), recognizable by the extra lamp mounted in center of the radiator grill. Photo courtesy Fiat.
Story by Gijsbert-Paul Berk and friends
In the continuing saga of the Fiat 1100, Gijsbert-Paul Berk presents the line of 1089 cc Fiats from the 1953 Nuovo 103 to the final variant, the 1969 1100 R.
Read Part 1
Read Part 2
Read Part 3
The postwar European economic boom created demand for workers in the industrialized triangle between the cities of Milan, Turin and Genoa. Around 9 million Italians moved from poor rural and mainly agricultural areas to find employment there. During those years, the Italian GPD grew with an average of 5.8% per year, very close to the German growth rate; the purchasing power of the population rose accordingly. [Read more…] about A Touch of Dante’s Genius: 1100/103 to 1100 R
The car that caught my eye was this monster French Hotchkiss. Photo by Jonathan Sharp.
Story by Graham Gauld
You would think that after spending three and a half days at the Silverstone Classic, I would come up with a host of stories. But this year, I must confess, it was tough. This is not because there were no interesting cars; but I had arranged in advance various meetings with people who had written asking for help with books or articles they are writing, plus the usual problem of getting round the paddock without someone diverting my attention.
Almost there… but will the fabulous Gerin be ready for Amelia?
France, 1925: What has a mid-engined unit frame chassis, independent four wheel suspension with coil springs, OHV four cylinder engine with conical valve springs, four wheel brakes and an aerodynamic body with roll down windows?
Story by Eric Davison
Read about the Tampa Bay Auto Museum
In the first quarter of the 20th century, the French auto industry was leading the world with innovation. A great deal of that innovation appeared because a few of the better engineering minds of the time were convinced that there was a direct correlation between the automobile and the airplane.
Surely the Farman brothers, Gabriel Voisin and even Ettore Bugatti felt so. The Farman brothers started out with airplanes for which they were pioneers and innovators. Their cars were equally delightful. [Read more…] about The Unbelievable Gerin Aerodyne
Quiet a contrast to the front running Listers and Jaguar D Types is Brian Palmer’s 1963 Lotus XI.
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
Looking at the sparsely-seated grandstands in some of the shots below, you would think the Silverstone Classic was nearly empty, believe me it was not. Over the three day weekend (July 28-30) over 100,000, people trod on these hallowed grounds. There is so much so see and do the races, all 22 of them, can become just another attraction to be enjoyed.
One of the Editor’s favorite images; Frank Shaffer took this photo of Tony Pompeo’s Fiat 1100S at Watkins Glen in 1949.
Story by Gijsbert-Paul Berk and friends
Fiat 1100S
While Pierre Dusio was making a huge impact with his 1100 Fiat-powered Cisitalias, back at Fiat they weren’t idle and eager to return to some normalcy. As early as 1947 the Fiat 1100 S sports coupe made its appearance and was an immediate success, both in term of sales and results. Its shape was somehow reminiscent of its predecessor, the 1938 MM. With a maximum height of 1 m, 35 cm it was 1 cm higher than the pre-war car, but still much lower than the saloon, which measured 1 m 51cm. The compression ratio of the 1089 cc. four cylinder was raised to 7.5 : 1 and the S engine delivered 51 HP at 5200 rpm. With a dry weight of just 818 kg (1803 lbs.) this made an acceleration of 0 – 100 km/h (62 mph) in. 21.5 sec possible and a top speed of 150 km/h (93 mph). Of course, many lucky owners participated in the Mille Miglia and other competitions. [Read more…] about A Touch of Dante’s Genius: The 1100S, E and ES
Pebble Beach 1952. Bill Pollack is about to win first overall in the most famous Cad-Allard of West-Coast sports car racing – here he’s about to pass Sam Weiss in the XK-120. The cars have just turned onto the main or pit straight and are coming out of a slight left hand bend. From here it is full throttle for a moment or two and then a very high speed bend just past the pits and a hard stop for a 90° right hand turn. Credit corsa@corsaresearch.com
Last week we published a tribute to the late Bill Pollack, and following that we received more interesting photos and comments, which deserve to be published as well. Ergo, here is a bit more about Bill Pollack with some rare images. But first, a few comments from our readers: [Read more…] about And How! More on Bill Pollack
“Laguna Seca is sacred ground.”
Richard Varner, CFO, MotoAmerica
Story by Brandes Elitch
Photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
As Laguna Seca is about to celebrate their Sixtieth Anniversary, there are major political developments within the management of the facility that appear to give Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP) a three-year contract to manage the raceway.
And that’s important, for the health of Laguna Seca depends a great deal on the continued support of vintage car racing during the week. And, while there are a few dozen historic car races worldwide, arguably, after sixty years of hosting vintage car racing, the track at Laguna Seca has more history than any other similar venue in the U.S.
Review by Pete Vack
This year, the Blackhawk Museum in Danville California, along with the Museo Dell’Automobile di Torino, collaborated on a presentation of postwar classic automobiles that depict the crossroads of American and Italian design in the 1950s and 60s.
Correspondent Brandes Elitch has previously written about the exhibit at the Museo Dell’ Automobile di Torino (read review), which ran until June 25th. Now, it is Blackhawk’s turn to look at the fascinating subject of Italian and American automotive design in the postwar period. The Blackhawk’s exhibit is “A Romance of Fins and Chrome,” or subtitled, “Jet-age Cars that Forever Changed Modern Automotive Design.” It opened on June 8 and will run through September 30. Anyone going to the Monterey Car week is well advised to attend this fantastic display of Italian, and American cars. [Read more…] about Transatlantic Style at the Blackhawk
Fiat 508 spider sport 1932: the winner of 2017 event.
By Alessandro Gerelli
Alessandro Gerelli began attending the famous Coppa d’Oro events in the 1980s, when the first retro events were organized. He first reported on the event for VeloceToday 15 years ago in 2002, shortly after we began publishing weekly. Since then he has attended thirteen times, right up to this year’s edition. [Read more…] about Coppa d’Oro delle Dolomiti is 70
Cisitalia is the acronym of “Compagnia Industriale Sportiva Italia”, the official name of the conglomerate of Piero Dusio’s business ventures. The logo, a stylistic Alpine goat (Capra ibex), was also an idea of Dusio, because these animals are reputed for their courage, speed and agility. The colors he chose – blue and gold – are those of the city of Turin. At right, the first batch of the Cisitalia D46 racing cars.
Story by Gijsbert-Paul Berk
The name Cisitalia is inseparably linked to that of Piero Dusio. This Turinese sportsman, racing driver and entrepreneur was president of Juventus, Turin´s successful football (soccer) club and founder of the Scuderia Torino. His business enterprises were registered as Consorzio Industriale Sportivo Italia. Indeed: CISItalia! The business conglomerate included textile mills, a trading house, a bank, many hotels, sportswear manufacturing and bicycles. [Read more…] about A Touch of Dante’s Genius: The Cisitalia
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
It’s lunch time on the Sunday and I am sitting on a straw bail near the lake on the Heveningham Hall Estate deep in the heart of Suffolk. In front of me is a small display ring where several retriever dogs are being put through the paces, each dog happily diving into the water reeds to retrieve the object thrown for them. An inshore F1 racing power boat is giving high speed rides on the lake, its four stroke engine making an impressive noise which can probably be heard several miles away. To my right is a display of vintage tractors and to my left in the big parade ring several Shire Horses with carts are being displayed to the crowd. Above my head a MK9 Spitfire is engaging in a mock dog fight with an ME109 (Actually its an Hispano Buchan but its close enough) and lined up on the immaculate terraced lawn of Heveningham Hall directly behind me are 50 of the worlds rarest cars. Behind the terraces and close to the orangery is a small collection of classic 1930s aeroplanes that have entered into the new Aviation concours. They are lined up by the trees at one end of a small grass airstrip and at the other end of the strip are parked several dozen visiting aircraft. [Read more…] about Heveningham Hall Concours of Elegance