The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
By Roberto Motta
All photos by Renault Internal / Press
The record
On August 17th, Albert Lory, his team and the French streamliner embarked on a airplane for the U.S.A. At the same time the U.S.A. subsidiary of Renault was mobilized under the leadership of Robert Lamaison, director of Renault U.S.A.
[Read more…] about Renault hits 190mph—in 1956! Part II
Renault has come a long way since the post-war days of the Shooting Star and the Dauphine. The 1977 Renault RS01 was Renault’s first attempt in Formula 1, using turbo technology. Nicknamed ‘the yellow teapot’, Renault became a winner only two years after their difficult debut in F1.
Hugues Vanhoolandt brings us the best of France and Italy, Goodwood Style.
Every year since 1993, the Goodwood Festival of Speed in Southern England attracts the best of the cars and drivers from past and present and even provides a look at the future of the automobile.
One of the themes of this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed was “Giant steps in motor racing history”, and to illustrate the theme, some French cars in attendance were really appropriate. To mention a few, a 1930 Bugatti Type 53 four-wheel drive, the 1964 CD-Panhard with its aerodynamic shape to suit the straights of Le Mans, the four-wheel steering Peugeot 405 T 16 ‘Pikes Peak’, the 1977 Renault Turbo that revolutionized F1 and the 2010 electric powered Citroën Survolt. French cars have been on the leading edge of technological changes since the invention of the automobile.
Only the Festival of Speed can bring together so many different cars to give an instant view of more than a century of automotive history and this year Ferrari and Fiat were in showing cars that covered the span of that century. Chris Evans’ collection alone was worth the trip!
Peugeot won three times Indy 500, in 1913, 1916 (this car) and 1919.
Bugatti was a pioneer of four-wheel drive and tried it in the Bugatti T53.
Bugatti T54 of 1931 won on the Avus circuit, near Berlin, with Achille Varzi at the wheel.
The CD-Panhard (1964), propelled by a little .85 litre 2 cylinder engine, was build to win the Index of Performance at Le Mans. With its drag coefficient of 0.12, it topped out at 140 mph in the Hunaudières.
With the V12 MS670 of 1972, Matra became the first French marque to win at Le Mans since 1950. Here is the MS670B model of 1973.
The Peugeot 905, with carbon fibre monocoque and F1-style engine, succeeded Matra on the Le Mans winner’s list in 1992 and 1993.
Peugeot not only won Indy on American soil, but also Pikes Peak with the four-wheel drive, four-wheel steering 405 Turbo 16 in 1988 with Ari Vatanen driving.
After retiring from F1 in 1985, Renault became engine supplier for Williams with whom they won nine F1 world championships between 1989 and 1997. Renault recently announced that they will again provide engines to the Williams team next year.
Is the future electric ? Citroën seems to think so but electric is not necessarily dull and boring as demonstrate the Survolt.
Italians
A hundred years ago, engines with huge capacity were common on the racing scene as this Fiat S74 Grand Prix of 1911 using a 14.2 Litre 4-cylinder engine.
Originally a Grand Prix racer, this Fiat was rebuilt as a record-breaker in 1923 by Ernest Eldridge, using a 21.7 Litre aero engine. Called the ‘Mefistofele’, it reached 146 mph top speed in 1924.
Ferrari 340 America Touring coupé s/n 0122 A of David Cottingham of DK Engineering took Best of Show in the Cartier Style and Luxe Concours d’Elégance.
This Ferrari 375 MM spyder Pinin Farina s/n 0382 AM has been raced extensively in the US by Bill Spear and Duncan Black between 1954 an 1958.
250 GTL, 275 GTB, 365 GTC, 288 GTO, F40, all part of the collection of BBC Radio & TV presenter Chris Evans ...
as is this 250 GTO s/n 4675 GT that Evans acquired last year from the Matsuda Collection.
Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason brought his 365 GTB/4 Daytona Group 4 with 1972 Le Mans Ecurie Francorchamps livery.
In 1952, Ferrari sent some 375 Grand Prix cars to Indianapolis in order to conquer the brickyard, but without success. This car is now part of the Louwman Collection, in the Netherlands.
Lancia D50 had fuel tanks placed in the pontoons for a better weight distribution. This example is an exact replica of the 1954 model.
The Ferrari 312 B3, due to Mauro Forghieri, brought three wins to the Cavallino Rampante in 1974.
Every year, most of the F1 teams are present at Goodwood and Ferrari is no exception, with the F10 model of last year, driven by test driver Marc Gene.
To win a copy of Dino Brunori's Nardi book, (click on photo to read book review) tell us the year and make of the car in this photo. Send your answer to pete@velocetoday.com before 12 noon EDT, Friday, July 15th 2011.
Our winner last week was Paul Jewell, who, along with many others, correctly answered that the mascherina was the Giulietta grille and of course in front of the car. Paul told us his father owns a Giulietta and he would give Evan’s book to him as a present. Now that’s neat. Many thanks to all who entered!
This week, an even bigger book is our prize as we celebrate another successful Le Mitichie a Bassano. Last week’s contest process worked well, so it will continue; there will probably always be mulitple correct answers, so we’ll put them in a hat and make a drawing the old analog way. In addition, our friends from Australia said, please, add another day before closing the contest as they are a day behind us. Identify the car and year made in the photo above and send your answer to pete@velocetoday.com before 12 noon EDT July 15th 2011.
Not only has Dino Brunori authored the best Nardi book ever (and our best selling book), but is instrumental in organizing the beautiful barchettas at Bassano event. Again this year Charles Schoendorf writes the story from behind the wheel of his Arnolt Bristol.
To keep with the theme of small Italian cars this week, we offer up a bit about Abarth Days in Italy, thanks to Roberto Motta. More to come on Abarths soon.
We welcome a new advertizer, and an important one. Borrani Americas wants to make sure you know all about Borrani’s current line of wheels and services. We want you to know all about the fascinating history of Borrani and the wire wheel, and kick it off with an introduction in this edition of VeloceToday. We’ll start with the basics…like did you know you could get Borranis for your Cadillac? And be sure to check out the new line of Borrani wheels from X to S.
The we have the sleeper GP–which came alive in a big way on the very last lap. See Erik’s report on the British Grand Prix.
Scroll away!
By Chuck Schoendorf and Dino Brunori
Photos by Dino Brunori
If you own an open sports car from the golden era of the great Italian road races like the Mille Miglia, Targa Florio or Coppa d’Oro, you must attend Le Mitiche Sport a Bassano. Come once and you will become a Mitiche addict, and both a certified sports car driver and a certified nut ! A certified driver because of the gruelling, non-stop challenging mountain roads, a certified nut because all the cars are barchettas, meaning open cockpit, and it always rains in the mountains!
[Read more…] about Le Mitiche Sport a Bassano 2011
Photo Story by Dino Brunori
Le Mitiche Sport brings out a wide variety of historic racing cars not seen elsewhere in the world including a great number of of our favorite small displacement Italian sports racers. But also eligible are the legendary big cars like the Mercedes SSK below making it an event not to be missed.
1928 Mercedes SSK is a huge affair next to the miniscule Italian specials. It was driven by the team of Bernhard and Henry Bauer from Germany.
Antony Berni with his Fiat Abath 1000 TCR.
Words and photos by Roberto Motta
Italian text at end of photo selection
The idea of creating a gathering dedicated to owners of Abarths stems from the fact that there are not many opportunities to enjoy Abarths. Therefore, about a year ago, a few friends and sympathizers of the marque decided to organize the Historic Abarth track day.
Giorgio Solda in a 1979 Formula Fiat Abarth, Carlo Abarth's last project.
Friends included Tony Berni, Abarth specialist and founder of Berni Motors, Perry (Pierangelo) Passini of Franzoni’s Auto Brescia, and Giuseppe Giuffré, president of the Italian Abarth Historic Register.
This year was the second event and was held on June 30 2011 at the Circuit de Francia Corta ‘Daniel Bonera’, (located in the province of Brescia in Lombardy) with participants from all over Europe, had both a race and show. Abarth owners were able to prove their car on the track, and a show is held for those not eager to race. This year the show turned the paddock of the circuit in a real open air museum.
Horst-Pichler with SE021, a 2000 sports prototype built for the 1971 European Constructor's Championship.
The event drew about 100 participants and over fifty cars registered for the track. The cars were divided into four categories, and each category was allowed to use the track for a test period of 25 minutes each.
Berlina 1000 TC Radiale of Giuseppe Giuffré, president of the Italian Abarth Historic Register.
The latest wire wheel from Ruote Borrani is the X Ray, here making a big difference for the Maserati GTS.
In 2010, Borrani Americas partnered with Ruote Borrani Milano to be the exclusive importer and restorer of Borrani rims in North, Central and South America, thus bringing to the forefront a very relevant new story with a significant historical aspect that is rarely told. Our thanks to Ruote Borrani Milano, Borrani Americas, Roberto Motta, and David Seielstad for their help with this article.
For classic car enthusiasts, the name Borrani is synonymous with excellence. Their famed wire wheels have become an icon, known for quality, performance and design. In fact, the strength of Borrani is in its history and quality of its products. Borrani is still producing quality products, including their famous Borrani Classic wire wheels and new line of Xray, Sray and Bi Metal alloy wheels.
[Read more…] about Ruote Borrani, Then and Now
Fernando Alonso drives a real Ferrari.
By Erik Nielsen
Photos courtesy and copyright Ferrari Media
Ferrari Finds Speed, Finally
Grand Prix of Britain
Fernando Alonso did his best to convince everyone that he was worth every Euro the scuderia is throwing at him and brought Ferrari their first victory of the 2011 season in a typically damp British Grand Prix. Sebastian Vettel led during the first half of the race, getting the jump on his pole sitting team mate, causing groans of “not again” from the dignified fans and more guttural shouts of “che cazzo” from tifosi. But the result was enough to put Red Bull on notice that the last ten races will not be a cake walk. Hopefully.
[Read more…] about British Grand Prix 2011
It looks like our contests have been so successful we’ll just have to keep them going for a while, at least through the months of July and August. We congratulate last week’s winner, Virgil Taylor, who correctly and firstly identified the Wyss-Warhol as a 1964 GTO.
This week, something different. Alfa owner, writer and enthusiast Evan Wilson has revised his very enjoyable book about Giuliettas, a must have for anyone seriously interested in these small Alfas. We review the book below, and to win a copy of the latest and much improved book, Evan has supplied this quiz question:
On a Giulietta or a 101 Giulia, where is the mascherina typically installed?
Heads UP! New Contest Rules
Answer the question above as clearly as possible. But to accomodate our readers who don’t always open VT the instant it arrives and also give our readers in different time zones a chance to win the contest, we have devised a new way of conducting our contests:
*Please send your answer to the above question via email to pete@velocetoday.com, NOT the comment box below.
*(Entries will close at 12 noon EDT on Thursday July 7th (tomorrow).
*We’ll print out the correct answers and draw the winner from a hat.
*We’ll notify the winner via email and send out Evan’s excellent Alfa book to the winner by Friday. THere are NO strings attached; we won’t use your email address or geographical address for any reason other than to ensure you receive the book. Good Luck!
Below, the third installment of the Alfa 1300 Berlina series, Alfasud owner Evan Wilson’s Giulietta book is reviewed and the Revenge of the Lion. Scroll on.
All Black and White images © Alfa Romeo Automobilismo Storico, Centro Documentazione (Arese, Milano)
This is the third in our series of articles about the 1955-1961 Alfa Giulietta Berlina.
For Italy, the post war era was full of significant changes that would last more than a decade; these were the years of the Cold War as opposed to the dream of a united Europe; the launching of the first atomic-powered submarine; the Warsaw Pact; the birth of Rock ‘n’ Roll; Sputnik from the east and Barbie dolls from the west; the success of the Beatles and the death of Kennedy that signaled the end of an era.
[Read more…] about Alfa Berlina 1300, Italian Style
By Roberto Motta
Photos by: Media Audi, Peugeot Media, DPPI, Ferrari and Porsche Werk-Media photo
After the unfortunate experience in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Peugeot is back. Having resolved all the problems the team triumphed at the Circuit Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola 6 hours on July 3rd. [Read more…] about Peugeot Wins at Imola! In English and Italian
WYSS GOES WARHOL (ESQUE)
Our frequent contributor, scribe/artist Wallace Wyss announced his newest illustration trend–a la Warhol. “I really didn’t think of making a tribute to Andy,” Wyss says, “but when I had to change the color a few times on the printing press for my illustration of one car, I thought , why not show the variations? Maybe that’s how Andy thought of it.”
Wyss will award one signed print to the first person who posts a comment below identifying the make and model of the car.
Those who are planning on attending the Concorso Italiano on August 19th should find a booth where Wyss will be displaying the tribute to Andy print, plus a few other design rendering prints in the original designer’s styles along with his regular full color depictions of Italy’s greatest sports cars. Those who won’t make Monterey can find his work on www.albaco.com Also, interested parties can write photojournalistpro@hotmail.com
Winner of last week’s contest
Last week’s winner of a copy of McQueen’s Machines was Barry Morgan, who almost instantly bought several raffle tickets in support of the Waktins Glen IMRRC. Thanks Barry!
This week’s articles
*Oosthoek’s book on sports car racing in the south is reviewed
*What’s in Your Driveway? Alfa 2600 Zagato
*Premium Article Update: See them all!
*Snooze Alert: Grand Prix of Europe