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The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts

Final Days of Testing in Spain

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Massa pulls out for some tire testing.

THE AUSTRALIAN COUNTDOWN BEGINS

By Roberto Motta
Photos: Ferrari-Media

Following the cancellation of the Sakhir test and the Bahrain race, the pre-season continued with the last testing days at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya from Tuesday to Saturday. For the drivers, these testing days are the last chance to wrap up their development programs, evaluate new upgrades and improve their cars before the Australian Grand Prix, March 25-27.
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Ettore’s Baby Bugatti Part I: A Free Premium Feature!

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This week we are pleased to welcome Marshall Buck to VeloceToday. I first came upon Marshall when we were both contributing to Ford Heacock’s Vintage Motorsport magazine in the 1980s. Marshall is a lifelong car enthusiast who parlayed his interest in cars into a highly successful business of producing high end models for some of the most noteworthy collectors in the field. One day, Marshall emailed VeloceToday, one thing lead to another and we asked him to do an article on a subject dear to both of us, the Baby Bugatti. Oh, yes, the Baby, and as Marshall found out, don’t ever call it the Type 52…

Part I

By Marshall Buck

I can’t believe that the answer has been in front of me all these years. The answer to what you ask? The answer to the question I often ask myself: How am I ever going to afford a genuine vintage Bugatti? Simple answer…buy a ‘Baby’ Bugatti; a child’s car to be precise. I’m not talking about one of those cheapy Toys R Us plastic jobs. No sir, the one I have in mind is very special….one of the authentic half scale renditions of a Type 35. [Read more…] about Ettore’s Baby Bugatti Part I: A Free Premium Feature!

Alfa Romeo 4C GTA Concept: The Snake is Back

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New Alfa 4C GTA is designed to recall the T33 Stradale of 1967. Will it come to the U.S.? Perhaps.

By Roberto Motta
Photos by Alfa Romeo

Will the new 4C herald the end of Alfa’s Big Sleep?

A new Alfa Romeo compact “supercar” which represents the true essence of the brand’s values, made its debut at the the 81st Geneva International Motor Show.

The new Alfa Romeo 4C GTA Concept is designed by Centro Stile Alfa Romeo, and has very rough lines where the body is put together. But all this purposely creates the engaging personality that is linked to that of the legendary 1967 Type 33 Stradale. The T33 Stradale was derived from the T33 competition car, which defended the colors of the Milanese automaker in the World Championship series.
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Chrysler Lancia Flavia debuts at Geneva 2011

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VeloceToday Best of Show: IED Abarth: a very nice exercise of the Istituto Europeo of Design, based in Turin.

Photos by Alessandro Gerelli

A few bright spots at Geneva, but overall the cars are depressingly unnattractive, fat, frumpy. And what can we say of the Fiat Lancia Flavia Chrysler? We’ll let our readers voice their opinions; be sure to scroll down to see what Fiat/Chrysler has in store for us. [Ed.]

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The Return of DeTomaso: BlandblandBlandblandblandBland and more Bland

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Not bad for a crossover, but terrible for a De Tomaso. Courtesy Pininfarina

With a tip of the hat to Monty Python, we can’t help repeating ourselves over the exciting Pininfarina De Tomaso Deauville which was introduced at the Geneva Auto Show last week.

By Wallace Wyss

Just when you thought the name “DeTomaso” was dead as an Italian marque, it’s back. And guess who designed one of the first new proposals for the once-defunct Italian brand? Chez Pininfarina , who showed a new Deauville prototype crossover at the Geneva show.
[Read more…] about The Return of DeTomaso: BlandblandBlandblandblandBland and more Bland

Delage Barn Controversy: Views of the Owner

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Kitty Brunell behind the wheel of the Delage when new. Photo courtesy Derek Durst

A bit of a disclaimer here; I first met Derek Durst back in the 1980s, when he had in his possession one of the Le Mans HRGs. We wrote a story about the delightful Hurg and the article appeared in “Sports Cars International”. When Brandy Elitch’s story on the Delage and Ferrari in the barn was published last week, Derek wrote us a nice note to explain why he had a) changed the body and b) why he had run the ad on eBay in that fashion, which caused a good bit of confusion and speculation. While we fully support the views of both Brandes Elitch, the Delage clubs and Registries, we thought it only fair that Derek be given the chance to clarify a few issues. [Ed.]

By Derek Durst

I am a lifelong car-guy, a genuine car enthusiast albeit with a background in art, I am not a writer, but I feel obligated to respond to the above article in my own defense, as best I can. [Read more…] about Delage Barn Controversy: Views of the Owner

Rally Sweden: The Beginning of a New Era?

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Hirvonen's Ford flies through the snow on the way to win the Swedish Rally.

By Robero Motta
Photos Citroën presse- N. Zwickel and Ford Motor Company

Hoping the make the WRC more interesting, new FIA rules now allow 1600cc turbo engine cars. So the Citroën Total World Rally Team has entered two new DS3 WRCs to defend their World Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ titles, but a tough challenger is the Ford Fiesta RSR WRC. [Read more…] about Rally Sweden: The Beginning of a New Era?

VeloceToday First Drive Exclusive: Fiat 500 Sport

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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.
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Fiat 500 Revealed: California Dreamin’

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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.
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Ferrari Testing in Barcelona; Bahrain Cancelled

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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.
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