The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
Story and images by Bob Cullinan
The car is massive: A seven-litre 1928 Mercedes-Benz SSK. And the resume of the diminutive driver is nearly as impressive. We met up with vintage racer Katarina Kyvalova at The ICE (International Concours of Excellence) St. Moritz to talk about her career, her favorite events, and where she wants to go from here.
Story and photos by Bob Cullinan
Automobiles are designed to move people and possessions from one place to another, and occasionally compete in races. But every now and then, an event comes along that changes the perception and possibilities of what you can…and should…do in a car. You’ll never look at snow and ice the same way after seeing the priceless classics drive and drift across Lake St. Moritz at The ICE.
1934 Bugatti Type 57 “Tank”
The Lopresto Alfa was honored as the top auto in the “Concept Cars & One Off” category.
Story and photos by Bob Cullinan
In 1947 LIFE magazine photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt visited St. Moritz and captured iconic images of the Swiss paradise, calling it “the most fashionable village in Europe.” This playground of the rich and famous has changed little over the ensuing decades, and once a year, mere mortals are invited to bask in the alpine glow and the distinctive sight, sound…and even the smell…of some of the world’s most enviable autos.
Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
Every two years, the château and grounds of Chantilly hosts a new edition of the Chantilly Arts & Elegance Concours. It is difficult to find a more beautiful setting to house the most beautiful automobiles of the past and present, especially when the sun is out. This edition already marked the tenth anniversary of the creation of this event which revives the tradition of the elegance concours of the 30s and 50s, when coachbuilders unveiled their latest creations.
Corrado Lopresto’s recent find as displayed last weekend at the Wilton Concours. Jonathan Sharp photo.
Story by Pete Vack
The world of the Internet will likely soon be filled with stories of a particular Alfa Romeo that served as the prototype for a new Alfa Zagato GT, one with a long tail, suddenly clipped off and called the “Coda Tronca”. And so we add to the hoopla, for of course the prototype Coda Tronca as found by the long time and truly enthusiastic Italian collector Corrado Lopresto and introduced at the Wilton Concours last weekend, (see related story) is an important find and a truly significant Alfa Romeo and Zagato. In Part 1 we’ll look at the use of the Kamm effect and why the Alfa SZ Coda Tronca was different.
Winter, 1960
As Ercole Spada would later recall, these were exciting times. In February 1960, The 22 year old ex-soldier, lacking any kind of formal training, had applied for a job at Zagato upon completion of his military service. He brought with him no portfolio, no sketches. But he loved to draw cars. “While my friends were stealing a peak into Playboy, I had my nose deeply into car magazines,” Spada recalled. Elio Zagato asked him if he had a driver’s licenses and could draw on a one to one scale. Spada said yes and Zagato hired him on the spot. Before Spada came onboard, Zagato didn’t have a chief designer. Cars just more or less happened. Life was simpler then.
Spada: the long story of a short tail.
The rounded shape of the production Alfa SZ 1300. Photo by Bartholomew.