The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
Ten years after my first visit, my enthusiasm is still at the highest point when comes to the Goodwood Revival. This event remains unique as it combines the thrill of racing on an old style circuit with a stylish atmosphere thanks to the period dress code.
For this particular Concours coverage, we asked photographer Jonathan Sharp if he could send two or three photos of our favorites, so we might present a different view of each car. He concurred so here they are, even the D-Jags! Please note that some got more than two chances to be beautiful. And, if you want to see the images in large hi res format, simply click on the photo.- Editor [Read more…] about Hampton Court Palace Concours, September 1-3
By Graham Gauld
Bearing in mind the tremendous success of German drivers in Grand Prix racing before WW2, it is baffling that since the inception of the World Championship in 1950, it took 44 years before Germany could claim its first Formula 1 Champion, Michael Schumacher in 1994. [Read more…] about Graham Gauld bios Hans Herrmann
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
As I noted back in 2014, England early September is turning into car weeks, like Monterey, but extending almost 13 days. And in this case, instead of golf courses, it is a case of pick your favorite stately home. [Read more…] about Salon Prive, 2017
Photos by Alessandro Gerelli
On September 6th, RM/Sotheby’s auction in London (not be be confused with the September 9 RM Auction in Maranello) was neither a great success nor a flop…many of the lots were sold, but others, like the white Countach above went begging. [Read more…] about RM/Sotheby’s London Auction, September 6
Story by Sean Smith
When Santo Spadaro of Dominick European Cars tells you “I have a few cool Fiat-Abarths I think you would like to see,” the only sane answer is “Where, and when?” [Read more…] about Maurizio’s Abarths
Story by Michael T. Lynch
Photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt unless otherwise noted
If you really want to do the Monterey Peninsula’s Automotive Car Week completely you have to arrive on the Friday before the weekend before the Pebble Beach Concours. The nine days include multiple car shows, auctions, panel discussions and book and memorabilia sales events. This year’s tally was 38 events that I would have been interested in, if I were younger. Let us take you to a few stops along the way.
If you have spare time during the week and have any interest in Italian machinery (and I know you do), you must make some time to see Robb Talbott’s Collection in the Motorcycle Museum in Carmel Valley Village, out where the sun shines much more than it does on the coast.
Above, the upstairs is primarily road and road racing bikes and, as you can see, the flavor is definitely Italian. However, who doesn’t love a BSA Gold Star Clubman. (Lynch photo)
Brandes Elitch has previously written of this Museum in the August 30, 2016 edition of VT, but the quality of this collection should be mentioned as often as possible.
The downstairs has flat trackers, speedway bikes, motocross machines, desert sleds and anything else that ran on dirt. I hope I conveyed how any trip to the Monterey area is incomplete without viewing this jewel of motorcycle history. (Lynch photo)
Monterey Car Week
The congestion caused by Car Week events has resulted in at least one City Council person in every Peninsula City to call for the abolition of the week. The municipalities have brought part of the problem on themselves. Most have ordinances to protect the taxpayers by calling for events to pick up the cost of police overtime, cleanup, etc. This is understandable, but most cities did not enforce those ordinances so they could attract people to their towns. Now the events are being charged in some cases and we will see what effect this has on the events themselves, some of which are always marginal financially. Whatever happens, you can be sure bandings of the CAVE people (Citizens Against Virtually Everything) will continue to keep the abolitionist cause alive via letters to the editor, City Council comments, etc.
Two bright spots in the week, optically speaking, are the Carmel-by-the-Sea Concours on the Avenue on Tuesday and the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance on Thursday. The venue for both is the same, Ocean Avenue, the Main Street of Carmel. These two events are free, allowing the locals to see the Concours cars without paying the mid-three figure prices of the main events. They thus draw huge crowds, including many families. These events are somewhat of a payback to the local communities who suffer through the inconveniences of the week.
Story by Brandes Elitch
Photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt unless otherwise noted
The fifteenth edition of The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, was held on August 15, 2017, at the Quail Lodge and Golf Club, located in Carmel Valley, California, a few hours south of San Francisco. About 225 automobiles and motorcycles were exhibited in what has been described elsewhere as a garden party atmosphere, carefully planned and curated by Gordon McCall https://velocetoday.com/gordon-mccall-authenticity-and-continuity/ and his staff. This is an exceptional event, and in this brief article I will try to convey why this is the case. [Read more…] about The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering 2017
Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
For its 67th Concours d’Elegance, the 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links was celebrating Isotta Fraschini and Carrozzeria Castagna.
Another interesting class was for the ‘California Specials that Raced at the Pebble Beach Road Races’ between 1950 and 1956, that led to the opening of the Laguna Seca Raceway in 1957. [Read more…] about Pebble Beach Portfolio by Vanhoolandt
Story and Photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
This year was a very special year for Laguna Seca as it celebrated the 60th anniversary of its creation. The ‘Racing Through the Decades’ display provided a walk down memory lane of some of the most famous cars that have raced here since 1957, including the first and the last cars to win professionally at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. [Read more…] about 2017 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion
GIJSBERT-PAUL BERK BRINGS THE FIAT 1100 FORMULA JUNIORS TO LIFE; DALE LAFOLLETTE PUTS TOGETHER A PORTFOLIO OF STUNNING PHOTOS; HUGUES VANHOOLANDT AND BRANDES ELITCH BRINGS US ROUND ONE OF OUR MONTEREY COVERAGE. Click here to Subscribe!
