VeloceToday.com

The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts

Fioravanti’s Alfa

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Roeberto Motta photo

Story by Roberto Motta

Alfa Romeo 33/2 Coupé special by Pininfarina

Looking at the 33/2 Coupé Special, take the time to savor the moment and let your eyes to explore the details of a very special car that has the flavor of an artistic creation, enhanced by the yellow color to the sensual lines of the body.

In the late sixties, Ferrari commissioned Pininfarina to do a study of new car with advanced aerodynamics. To design the car, Pininfarina chosen the young Ing. Leonardo Fioravanti, because he was young, had ideas, and even more had a mechanical engineering education at the Politecnico di Milano where his studies were focused on aerodynamics and car body design. [Read more…] about Fioravanti’s Alfa

And How! The Mystery of the T33 S/N

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And How! features open and innovative formats for notices, articles and posts

Roberto Motta photo

Readers who are familiar with the history of the T33 Alfas (and VeloceToday seems to harbor most of them!) are even more fascinated with the series of T33 Stradales that were destined to have fantastic, special bodies built on the chassis. They are some of Alfa Romeo’s most treasured and beautiful showcars. Roberto Motta recent revealed the story of how chassis s/n 75033112 was designed by Fioravanti based on a previous effort called the Ferrari 250 P5. But, we all asked, wasn’t the Alfa s/n 75033115?

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Interview with Giovanna Scaglione Part 7

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Franco Scaglione, “My Father” His Life in the Words of His Daughter Giovanna

As told to Robert Little, Renzo Carbonaro, Vladimir Pajevic and Ulrich Zensen
Copyright: 8 November 2017 All World Rights Reserved
Republished with permissions with changes to suit the format of VeloceToday.com

Part VII: Wool Threads and Scotch Tape…
“Aerodynamic Fluidity”

An internationally acclaimed graphic artist was once quoted as saying:
“I am going for a level of perfection that is only mine… Most of the pleasure is in getting the last little piece perfect.”

Such a quotation could easily have been applied to Franco Scaglione’s professional standards.
While not everyone will enjoy and appreciate all of his individual design accomplishments, his achievement in the reduction of coefficient of drag, the elimination of air friction or ‘slipperiness’ rates him in the pantheon of greatness…well beyond the achievements his contemporaries.

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The Tatra Type 87

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This article originally appeared in VeloceToday on February 29, 2012

Story and Photos by Karl Ludvigsen

Journalist Gordon Wilkins said that ‘although it has an impressive performance, it produces in the driver the uneasy exhilaration which may be got from shampooing a lion.’ Consumer advocate Ralph Nader called it the only car that was more dangerous than the much — oft unjustly — maligned Corvair. The German Army was said to have barred its officers from driving it, lest their numbers be diminished even more rapidly than World War II was already managing. [Read more…] about The Tatra Type 87

Tesla Greets Madison Avenue Sports Car Driving and Chowder Society

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Chowder Society Breaks Bread with Tesla: Tradition and Revolution Had a Great First Date

© Philippe H. Defechereux 2018

All photos by P. H. Defechereux except where otherwise noted

On the eve of Valentine’s Day, Tuesday February 13, 2018, there took place a ‘”first date” in Manhattan, NY. between two seemingly improbable parties: the venerable but still vigorous and lively Madison Avenue Sports Car Driving and Chowder Society (M.A.S.C.D.C.S.), turning 61 in March; and Tesla Motors Inc., still wet-behind-the-ears at only 15. Intriguingly, nothing was inappropriate about that pre-Valentine first meet luncheon.

The rendezvous spot chosen was the glass-walled street-level Tesla showroom on West 13th street and 10th Avenue. Everyone and everybody on earth today knows who Tesla is and what they do, besides sending cars in orbit with most powerful rockets. But while the M.A.S.C.D.C.S. continues to be a thriving club with growing membership of car-racing-enthusiasts, not everyone outside the greater New York City metropolitan area has heard of the “Chowder Society,” as long-timers fondly call it for short. So bear with us. [Read more…] about Tesla Greets Madison Avenue Sports Car Driving and Chowder Society

Interview with Giovanna Scaglietti Part 6

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Franco Scaglione, “My Father” His Life in the Words of His Daughter Giovanna

As told to Robert Little, Renzo Carbonaro, Vladimir Pajevic and Ulrich Zensen
Copyright: 8 November 2017 All World Rights Reserved
Republished with permissions with changes to suit the format of VeloceToday.com

Part VI: The Zenith of his Career –
Scaglione’s Independent Sixties

While the American titans of automobile design continued from the early 1950s to travel long distances to such places as Torino and Geneva, London and Paris to learn and observe the holy grail of styling trends being introduced by Franco Scaglione, the Japanese did more than just observe his design language. They learned on site!

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Sharp’s Retromobile Part 1 Alfa to Ferrari

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Text and photos by Jonathan Sharp

“I wonder what car the hotel will have borrowed for display in its lobby?” said my pal to me as we sped across Northern France on the Eurostar train whilst looking out of the window at the snow. Last year they displayed a Ferrari Dino; the year before it was a London to Brighton style Veteran car. This year their choice was a Morris Minor saloon in Trafalgar blue with non-original front seats. That was to be the only disappointment of the show. We spent most of the weekend at the show and I know for sure that we must have missed things, or only glanced at them meaning to return to them having been distracted by yet another gem or rarity that demanded our attention more urgently. I hope the following shots give you a taste of what was on offer. We have divided up the sixty plus images to save your scroller. A to Ferrari here, Fiat to Renault in Part 2.

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Sharp’s Retromobile Part 2 Fiat to Renault

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Photos by Jonathan Sharp

Where the cars are

What, even more from Retro? This is part 2 of Sharp’s Retro, covering Fiats to Renaults. While it seems like overkill, Retro is big enough for the like of four or five great correspondents and photographers, including the amazing Jonathan Sharp from the U.K, the magical Hugues Vanhoolandt from Belgium, the dean of all motoring correspondents Graham Gauld, who lives in France, and the evergreen ever-present Italian Alessandro Gerelli. It is where the Italians and French cars meet in glorious abundance.

And so, we do cover it well. It is almost like being there, minus the usually dismal weather. Enjoy!

–Pete Vack, Editor

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Scaglione Part 5

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Franco Scaglione, “My Father” His Life in the Words of His Daughter Giovanna

As told to Robert Little, Renzo Carbonaro, Vladimir Pajevic and Ulrich Zensen
Copyright: 8 November 2017 All World Rights Reserved
Republished with permissions with changes to suit the format of VeloceToday.com

Part V: Franco Scaglione and the B.A.T.

Courtesy Centro Documentazione Storica Alfa Romeo

Instead of presenting a narrative based upon the writing of others who probably had no first or second hand knowledge of the true facts surrounding the creation of the Berlinetta Aerodinamica Tecnica series, we have chosen to simply reproduce the facsimile below which should serve to illuminate the B.A.T. process from the standpoint of Bertone. [Read more…] about Scaglione Part 5

Retromobile 2018: The Abarths

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Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt

One of the highlights of the 2018 Retromobile show in Paris was the display of some 20 cars from the Abarth collection of Swiss Engelbert Möll. The collection of Mr. Möll, who is a former Abarth works racing driver, includes more than 40 Abarths as well as some engines that were also displayed in Paris.

This gathering was an opportunity to rediscover the extraordinary variety of the Abarth production as well as the ingenuity of this make to achieve great performances with small displacement engines.

It is interesting to note that the Abarth name is so famous that it was exhumed ten years ago by Fiat, like Renault did recently with the Alpine brand.
It is comforting to see that the great names never die.

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Retromobile 2018: Wimille and Company

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Story by Graham Gauld

There was a lot to talk about at Retromobile two weeks ago, particularly if you took a good look round some of the nooks and crannies, particularly in the upper floor of the exhibition hall.

For instance, Retromobile wanted to honor the great French racing driver Jean-Pierre Wimille who would have been celebrating his 110th birthday next week. Wimille was never truly appreciated outside his native France. Born in February 1908 he was immersed in motor sport from an early age as his father was one of France’s pioneering motoring journalists. Wimille took part in his first Grand Prix at the age of 22 in the French Grand Prix of 1930 held on the street circuit at Pau. He drove a Bugatti T37A and was immediately 5th fastest in practice but retired on the second lap when his supercharger broke. [Read more…] about Retromobile 2018: Wimille and Company

Retromobile 2018: Three Auctions

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Story and photos by Alessandro Gerelli

During the long weekend of the Retromobile in Paris, as usual three auctions took place: RM Sotheby’s, Bonhams and Artcurial have had their sales with good results. About 350 cars were auctioned, of which 25% were not sold. The total amount sold was about 70 million euros.

RM Sotheby’s sold three Bugattis, one old and two recent for a total amount of about 4,8 mln euros, while Ferrari, Maserati and Mercedes were at the top for Bonhams and Artcurial.

Here are our favorites from all three auctions: [Read more…] about Retromobile 2018: Three Auctions

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