The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
Credit Alfa Romeo
By Roberto Motta
Alfa Romeo kicked of the New Year by announcing that it received prestigious awards in Italy and Germany with the Giulietta and the MiTo, its two most successful models. [Read more…] about Alfas Win Awards in Italy and Germany
First drive in the new Fiat 500 Sport, thanks to Bergstrom Fiat in Milwaukee.
While Brian Winer scoped out the new Fiat in California, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, John and Lizzie Sexton high tailed it over to Bergstrom Fiat, where the exclusively Fiat dealership allowed VeloceToday to be the first enthusiast publication to road test the not-yet-available US Version Prima Edizione. They were lucky enough to test the aptly named “Sport” model.
[Read more…] about VeloceToday First Drive Exclusive: Fiat 500 Sport
Will it be successful with an ad campaign pitching it as, in essence, the new Mini?
INGLEWOOD, CA. Feb. 15, 2011. Laura Soave, the attractive 38-year old woman in charge of bringing Fiat back to America (for the third time, she says) predicts that the Fiat 500 will be a popular trendy car much like the new Mini. Soave made the prediction to reporters from the Motor Press Guild at a presentation near Los Angeles International Airport. She also showed a commercial embodying that philosophy. The commercial revealed their marketing stance—they are aiming straight at the Mini buyer, i.e. the young fashionable person who already is equipped with ipod, ipad, Blackberry.
[Read more…] about Fiat 500 Revealed: California Dreamin’
Amilcars are rare, coupes even rarer. But from 1921 to 1939 Charles Duval bodied a great number of Amilcars and was particularly noted for his charming coupes, this one on a 1926 CGSS.
Alonso, Ferrari, Barcelona. But no Bahrain.
By Roberto Motta
Photos: Ferrari-Media
The Bahrain Grand Prix, first race of Formula One Championship has been postponed. The decision was taken by the Arabs organizers as results of the sad events that are happening on these days in this country.
Catalunya Testing
On Friday February 18th, the Ferrari 150th Italia started its third test session in preparation for the Formula 1 World Championship, at Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona.
[Read more…] about Ferrari Testing in Barcelona; Bahrain Cancelled
Toly Arutunoff update
Toly Arutunoff, race driver, racetrack owner and VeloceToday contributor, was severely injured last week after stopping to help a motorist in a snowstorm in Texas. He lost one leg at the scene of the accident and the other was crushed.This is the latest from his wife Karen:
Tomorrow will be surgery #4. Toly continues to amaze with his strength of spirit and mind if not body. He has no memory of the past week for the most part but seems to know exactly how this tragedy happened. He survived by the grace of God. Please send Valentine cards to: OU Medical Center-Presbyterian 700 NE 13th Street, Room 318 (Anatoly Arutunoff), Oklahoma City, OK 73104. Karen is updating information on his condition on her Facebook page, Karen Arutunoff
This week: One Premium article, and four regular features, so scroll down.
All photos by Alessandro Gerelli
Retro, Paris, February, 2010
Alfas at the Bonham’s Auction
Alfa Romeo Ondine saloon of 1962 (sold for 4945 Euro).
Not all race cars at the Desert Classic will be Indy cars. This is Bill Pope’s Maserati 8CM that won a 2nd place ribbon at Pebble Beach last summer.
Michael T. Lynch
The fourth edition of the Palm Springs Desert Classic Concours d’Elegance will be held over the weekend of February 26-27 at the famed La Quinta Resort and Club in the desert spa area of Southern California.
A modern concours is more than just a car show, and the weekend of February 19-20 will see the inaugural Desert Classic Vintage Race, sanctioned by the Vintage Auto Racing Association, at the new 16-turn Chuckwalla Valley Raceway just down the road from La Quinta. This will kick off a Desert Classic Speedweek celebration.
[Read more…] about Desert Classic Celebrates Indianapolis 500 Centenary
Alonso out in the Spanish sun for a weekend of testing.
By Roberto Motta
Photos: Ferrari-Media
Thursday and Friday 10-11 February, 2011 Massa Up
Andalusian circuit of Jerez de la Frontera; F1 testing take two. Felipe Massa started testing in the early morning at the wheel of of his Ferrari F150 Italia. The Brazilian driver’s program has the same objectives as last week at Valencia; finding the best set-up for the car, increasing understanding of the Pirelli tyres behaviour, aerodynamic testing and starts.
[Read more…] about Ferrari 150 Italia Tests at Jerez
Commentary By Brandes Elitch
Last week (February 7th), two different cars were listed for sale on eBay Motors. While they appear to have nothing in common, these two listings raise some important questions. The first, item 220734001769, was a 1952 Ferrari 212 Pinin Farina coupe. To quote from the listing, “212 body in great condition, mounted on a metal dolly with wheels to roll around…it is unbelievable…you could fit an American engine and chassis and have a half million dollar look at the country club. The chassis and engine was used to build a beautiful 212 Touring- bodied barchetta.”
[Read more…] about Delage and Ferrari in the Barn: Reality as a Concept
Peter Whitehead hustles his four-seat racer through a turn. Photo by Racecarshot.com.
By Brian Winer
You would think, in a country like Italy, that once seeing Ferrari V12s or Maserati V8s in action, any Italians thinking of building high performance cars to compete with them would throw up their hands and say “It is useless to compete—you cannot improve upon perfection.”
And then there were guys like Renzo Rivolta who, after venturing from the refrigerator making business into cars with the tiny BMW Isetta in the fifties, decided to make a grand touring coupe.
Not using an Italian engine, of great complexity and cost, but an off the shelf Chevy V8 with an iron block, iron heads, overhead valves, low tech but high horsepower.
The result? A four seater coupe that can be out there on the same race course as a Ferrari or Maserati four-seater and blow their doors off. And if you live in the U.S. and blow a part, hey, you stop at Auto Zone or the nearest junkyard. Try that with your Ferrari or Maser.
The first Rivolta was shown in the Turin show in 1962. If you dig into its history you find that it actually was a phoenix arising out of the ashes of a British project called the Gordon Keeble.