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Premium Subscription Article: From Showcar to Turbine

January 12, 2011 By Roberto

This interview with Gilda’s owner Scott Grundfor is the first in a series of Premium articles about Gilda, the car, the legend and the designer.

By Roberto Motta

Scott Grundfor, left, confers with another turbine enthusiast Jay Leno.

Scott Grundfor is the CEO of Scott Grundfor Company, a firm devoted to the conservation, restoration and sales of classic cars. Located in Arroyo Grande, California, Grundfor has garnered 34 Best in Show awards, primarily with Mercedes Benz automobiles. In the past five years, he acquired several Ghia showcars, among them the 1955 Ghia “Gilda” showcar which is our feature.

Roberto Motta has been involved researching turbine powered cars and was very interested in the installation and drivability of the Gilda turbine project. He conducted this interview with Scott Grundfor in 2010 for VeloceToday.

Tell us about how you found the car.
I was offered Gilda (Chassis 9969 Carrozzeria Ghia) in 2005 when the car left the Blackhawk Museum. I wanted it because of its important history in automobile design and because I think it is beautiful. Gilda was offered to me by a broker, Mike Fairbairn, from RM Classic in Chattam Canada, who knew I had an interest in these special show cars.

1955 Brochure with surprisingly similar greenhouse to the Alfa B.A.T.s

We understand you have an interesting collection.
Cars of interest to VeloceToday readers include a 1965 Citroen ID 19; 1973 Ford Ghia Mini Max Concept; 1979 Ford (Ghia) Probe I Concept; 1982 Ghia Brezza Concept; 1982 Ghia Barchetta Concept; 1984 Ghia Pockar Concept; 1985 Ghia Shuttler Concept; 1985 Ford (Ghia) Probe V Concept.

In what condition was the car when you purchased it and did it have the OSCA engine at that time? [Read more…] about Premium Subscription Article: From Showcar to Turbine

Tagged With: gilda savonuzzi, Gilda showcar, gilda turbine, grundfor, roberto motta, showcars, turbine cars, turbines

Celebrating Fifty Years of the Renault R4

January 12, 2011 By Roberto

1963, going to the Opera

by Roberto Motta

Photos: Renault communication- RENAULT INTERNAL/PRESS

You may think this sad, funny, or just a sign of the times. If you Google “Renault R4”, there will be more results than if you Googled “Brigit Bardot”. [ PS: Brigitte, you have been redeemed. Reader Matthew Boyer says, “That’s only because you spelled Brigitte Bardot wrong. 1.5M hits for Renault R4 vs. 2.3M for BB.” Our faith in lechery has been restored–Ed.]

But the old R4 and its familiar French silhouette still turn heads like Bardot did in the early sixties. Not the most curvaceous of bodies, a half-century since its introduction in 1961, its fans still love the R4, like a favorite pair of blue jeans. And the R4 is the object of obsession for many collectors. Rare in the U.S.—it was never imported here—it was at least famous for its performance in the movie “Romancing the Stone” with Michael Douglas and Danny Devito.

This content is for Premium Subscriber members only.
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Tagged With: fifty years of renault r4, french cars, history of renault r3, r4 history, renault r4, roberto motta

Ferrari Art

January 12, 2011 By pete

I don't know who did the original Pininfarina Dino road car prototype drawing, maybe Pietro Brovarone? Of course, the first production 206GT road car had quite a few differences, but this was probably done after the Plexiglas- nosed four headlamp prototype. I like to find references to the designs early in the game so you can see how the designs developed.

By Brian Winer

Wallace A. Wyss is known to most sports car folks as a writer and author (with ten car history books to his credit), but in 2007 he re-discovered a long dormant talent for putting a brush to canvas and has since painted over 50 portraits of Ferraris. Brian Winer, Boston-born free lance writer and art connoisseur, interviewed Wyss to ask him what fascinates him so much about the prancing horse.
[Read more…] about Ferrari Art

Tagged With: buying ferrari art, ferrari art, ferrari artwork, ferrari paintings, ferrari race art, wally wyss

New Renault Electrics–Good Enough to Steal

January 12, 2011 By Roberto

Renault's new line of electric cars will soon be on the streets of the city of light.

Industrial espionage uncovered as Renault launches new line of electrics

News from Renault Media and Roberto Motta
Photos Renault Media

Renault President Christian Husson has suspended three senior managers after an investigation into the possible leaking of electric vehicle secrets to rivals. “The suspension of three group executives was decided following an investigation launched by the Renault group’s compliance committee. The procedure is fully standardized, highly rigorous and entirely in line with the ethical principles of our Group,” Husson said in a statement dated January 6th.
[Read more…] about New Renault Electrics–Good Enough to Steal

Tagged With: electric cars in europe, industrial espionage, renault electric cars, renualt, ze

All About our Premium Services

January 5, 2011 By pete

This month we’ll officially launch our Premium Subscription Service, which will probably cause a bit of confusion. Above, the Gilda Epic begins next week for our Premium Subscribers. Please allow us this space to explain in some detail.

VeloceToday now effectively has two different subscription services—one free, just as before, and another paid subscription which offers exciting new features as well as access to our massive archives.

Regular Free Subscription—Nothing has changed
The regular, free subscription is easily accessed by putting your name and email address in the blue and white pop up box that you often see when you open VeloceToday. If you are not subscribed, but wish to receive VT every week for free, sign up there. To eliminate the pop up box, just click on the circled X. Subscribers will continue to receive VeloceToday fifty times a year with three or four free articles, just as before. If you already are a subscriber and do not wish to have the Premium Service, nothing changes, there is no need to do anything.

New Premium Subscription service—Subscribe only if you want
Our thanks to the many readers who have already subscribed to our Premium Service! As many have noted, most of our 1000 plus archived articles are now part of the Premium, or paid, subscription service. But in addition to that, for our Premium customers only, there will be additional, exclusive and in depth features, pdfs, and mcuh more. Next week we’ll begin with the first of four new and exclusive articles about the Ghia Gilda, the car, the legend, and a two part article about the designer, Giovanni Savonuzzi. There is much to come and a lot lined up. You will see banners such as above (the art thanks to Jodi Ellis) which will announce the new features as they go online. You can tell it’s going to be good!

If you choose not to pay for the premium service, but are a regular subscriber you will continue to receive VeloceToday just as before. You need do nothing.

If you would like to subscribe to the Premium Service, simply follow the form, using either credit card or paypal. Best bet is one year at $4.95 a month ($59.40 per year). Your credit card will show “Media Pass” as the biller, not VeloceToday, as Media Pass is the company handling the software and service. I’ve been working with the staff at Media Pass for a couple of months now, and I am very pleased with their help, knowledge, and ability to solve any problem or work any issue. If you have any problems, there is a help number, or email me directly at pete@velocetoday.com. We want to make sure ALL of our customers are satisfied.

Why are we doing this?
Premium Service seems to be the best of both worlds—VeloceToday continues on for free, maintaining a growing a huge subscriber base, and as an option, we can offer Premium Services for those who chose the new service. There are many other reasons, and I’d like to list four:
1. Overhead costs continue to rise. For example, once our mail out subscription service was free; is it now $50 a month and will double soon. Office supplies, computer upgrades, new software, increased server capacity are all on the increase. We also pay for advertising in “Classic and Sportscar” magazine every month, which unlike Internet ad rates, is very expensive.
This is a business, albeit a small one. So, Please Subscribe!
2. We would like to be able to pay our contributors—something we have not been able to do before. I’d guess a lot of our readers were not aware of this. Since other Internet periodicals are also beginning to charge and offer to pay contributors, we must stay ahead of the curve to retain the wonderful men and women who give their all for VeloceToday. How much and how often we pay will depend upon our reader’s willingness to subscribe to the Premium Service. So, Please Subscribe!!
3. Over the past year we have conducted a very successful contribution drive. IF the Premium Service succeeds, we can do away with the contribution drives, and actually offer something special to our supporters while costing them less. That’s the plan, and again, only our readers will determine if we can totally drop the rather annoying contribution drives. So, please Subscribe!
4. If VeloceToday is to survive, and in particular survive the editor and publisher, we must actively seek and train a qualified person who can assist when necessary and take over the reins when the time comes. We would be amiss if we did not address these needs now, while we can. Needless to say, such a position, unlike now, will require a salary. Our help wanted sign is out, btw, so send in your resumes.

Click here to sign up for the Premium Service! Form is at bottom of article.

And now we return you to our regular (and free) scheduled programs featuring OSCA Berlinettas, Bugatti World Record, and the Ferrari 458 Challenge.

Veyron Record: 2010’s Top Story?

January 5, 2011 By Roberto

Making a big splash in 2010 was the Bugatti SuperSport at 267+ MPH. Photo Bugati Press.

Bugatti Veyron “World Record Edition“

By Roberto Motta and Staff

When Roberto Motta sent us this article, we thought it might be an appropriate candidate for 2010 top stories. If not, it certainly is right up there; readers comments and opinions are welcome. We will, of course, pretend that the new Bugatti is a French car, if only in spirit. But exciting, nonetheless! [Read more…] about Veyron Record: 2010’s Top Story?

Tagged With: bugatti veyron, fastest street car, land speed record for production cars, record attempts, veyron, veyron world record edition, world's fastest car

Ferrari 458 Italia Challenge–Over the Top

January 5, 2011 By Roberto

After thousands of no doubt happy laps the new 458 Challenge is ready.

By Roberto Motta
Photos: Ferrari-Media

With the new 458 Challenge, Ferrari puts an exceptional combination of extreme performance, superb fun behind the wheel and unique driving emotions at the finger-tips of its sporting, professional and gentleman-driver clients.
[Read more…] about Ferrari 458 Italia Challenge–Over the Top

Tagged With: ferrari 458 challenge, ferrari challenges, ferrari gt racing, ferrari racing, ferraro 458

From the Archives: The OSCA Berlinettas

January 5, 2011 By vack

The fantastic OSCA Coupe Vignale, chassis number 1153.

October 17th, 2007

Story by Pete Vack

We’ve long been interested in the OSCA MT4 Berlinettas–a particularly virulent form of OSCA-it is, as there were so few built. Several years ago Christophe Pund contacted us and said he had found there remains of 1176. It is being restored but no photos of the original car exist. He hopes someone might be able to help. In addition to Mr. Pund’s story and photos, we’ve also provided the details of all the OSCA coupes in our article below.
[January 4, 2011: Since this was written chassis 1176 has changed hands, but their are still no photos or drawings of the original engine!]
[Read more…] about From the Archives: The OSCA Berlinettas

Tagged With: Maserati, OSCA, osca maserati, osca racing, oscas coupes, vignale

From Shanghai to Milano in Four Alfas

December 22, 2010 By Roberto

Halfway home, somewhere south of Kiev. Photo: Ufficio Stampa Presidenza Provincia di Milano

An adventure that marks the passing of the Expo from China to Italy, and the end of the Alfa Romeo Centenary celebration.

By Roberto Motta
Photos: Ufficio Stampa Presidenza Provincia di Milano

Milano, December 18, 2010

Four Alfa Romeo Giulias arrived in Milano after a grueling 35 days and 25,000 kilometers of travel. The team drove through China, Mongolia, Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia and Croatia and finally into Italy. [Read more…] about From Shanghai to Milano in Four Alfas

Tagged With: alfa and expo, alfa romeo raid, expo rally, shanghai to milan raid

From the Archives: Fifty Years of Slot Cars

December 22, 2010 By pete

Strombecker's Lancia-Ferrari D50, before being set up for slot car tracks. The original receipt for this model was found in the box. It was sold on October 27th, 1960, at Bowen's Toyland in the Bedford Shopping Center in Bedford Massachusetts. The cost was $1.29.

Two brothers discuss a tradition of slot car racing that started in 1960

1959-1966 By Pete Vack
In December of 1957, Sports Cars Illustrated published an article about a Scalextric/Triang slot car set that author Bob Coogan had found at Polks Hobby Shop in New York City. Coogan called the table top track “The Ultimate Christmas Gift”. It was a great story, and clearly, a kid could get pretty juiced up on this new hobby. We’d have to wait for a while, but this was one young sports car nut that simply had to have a slot car track. There were no ifs, ands, or doubts about it. Remembering those days allows one to understand the tremendous anticipation of the latest version of the Ipad. [Read more…] about From the Archives: Fifty Years of Slot Cars

Tagged With: history of slot car racing, models, scalextric slot cars, slotcars, strombecker slot cars

New Abarth 500 Estremo, 260 HP on Demand!

December 22, 2010 By Roberto

Hyper Abarth by Romeo Ferraris puts out 260 hp.

By Roberto Motta
photos: Romeo Ferraris press office

In the tradition of the famous Italian “sorcerers”, Romeo Ferraris of Milan started his tuning career with the Fiat 500 and since then has progressed from BMWs to Ferrari 360s, all of which were tweaked to unbelievable levels. His son Mario is now in charge of the business, but the game remains the same; high performance. The firm as just announced an “Extreme” version of the Abarth 500. The name chosen by Romeo Ferraris for the transformation of the 500 Abarth leaves no doubt of the intent. The new car is a blend of raw power and extreme emotions. [Read more…] about New Abarth 500 Estremo, 260 HP on Demand!

Tagged With: 500 abarth, abarth 500 estremo, abarth extreme, romeo ferraris abarth

Pebble Beach to Feature GTO Class

December 22, 2010 By Wally

By Wallace A. Wyss

Illustrations: Original paintings by the author. Prints available from www.albaco.com

Ask any Ferrari enthusiast what is the greatest Ferrari and most will say 250GTO. [Read more…] about Pebble Beach to Feature GTO Class

Tagged With: ferrari gto pebble, gto ferraris at pebble beach, gtos at pebble beach

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