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The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts

Gary Axon

Valletta Concours d’Elegance

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Mustang and Maserati pedal cars

Story and photos by Gary Axon

Due to an imminent Maltese Governmental general election, the traditional St. George’s Square location for the annual Valletta Concours (VC) — usually staged next to the Maltese Parliament building in the center of Valletta; Malta’s breath-taking UNESCO World Heritage capital — had to relocate to Triton Square for this year’s VC on 24 May.

Historic Valletta is the citadel city of the Knights of St John, constructed after the Great Siege of 1565 with its striking honeyed facades largely unchanged since then. One of the more recent additions though are revisions made to the 16th Century fortifications built by the Knights around Triton Square, notably renovated by globally renowned architect Renzo Piano who changed the city’s main entrance gateway where the 2026 VC was held from one to keep people out to one now welcoming them in.

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83rd Goodwood Members’ Meeting 2026

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Featuring the Varzi Trophy Race. Photo by Joe Harding

By Gary Axon
Photography by Joe Harding and Gary Axon

With Veloce Today’s ace British reporter Jonathan Sharp off covering the inaugural Anantara Concorso Roma in Italy, our own Goodwood insider Gary Axon has stepped in to report on just a few of the many highlights from this year’s 83rd Goodwood Members’ Meeting held on April 18-19, all with a Latin flavor.

In bright spring sunshine and unseasonably high temperatures, Goodwood turned the clock back 50 years to the blistering heat of 1976 by celebrating the spirit of that year’s motor racing season, when Brits James Hunt and Barry Sheene dominated, taking the World Championships in their respective Formula 1 and MotoGP sporting disciplines. Hunt’s ’76 Championship winning McLaren M23 and arch rival Niki Lauda’s Ferrari 312T were both present, the latter proving to be one of Maranello’s most successful Formula 1 chassis of all time.

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‘Simply Italian’ Car Meet at Beaulieu, September 28

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A rainy day did not discourage 500 plus Italian car owners.

Story and photos by Gary Axon

In a bid to attract more visitors to its picturesque Beaulieu location post Covid-19 pandemic, the UK’s National Motor Museum successfully introduced its now popular themed ‘Simply’ vehicle gatherings a few years ago, with around a dozen of these well-attended Simply events held during the 2025 season.

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Valletta International Concours, June 1, 2025

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Crowd pleasing Alfas at Valletta.

Story and photos by Gary Axon

Considering its overall population of just 550,000 inhabitants, the diminutive but beautiful Mediterranean island of Malta has a surprisingly large number of older and interesting cars. Every year in early June since 2017 (excluding the Covid period), many of the proud local owners and restorers of these classic vehicles gather next to the Maltese Parliament building at St. George’s Square in the historic capital city of Valletta for the annual Valletta International Concours (VIC).

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2025 Italian Car Day at the Brooklands Museum

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Modern Fiat 124 Spider Abarths were popular.

Story and photos by Gary Axon

The gridlock traffic and the sight of a stricken and steaming Pantera pushed to the side of the road to cool off in the log jam leading to the historic Brooklands Museum near Weybridge, Surrey could only mean one thing. The traffic chaos caused by the now traditional first Saturday in May annual Italian Car Day being held at Brooklands suggested it was going to be an exceptionally busy event at the significant banked ex-motor racing circuit, the oldest in the world.

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And How! VeloceToday’s Most Valuable Assets

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In addition to our comments section below each article, VeloceToday often gets very nice compliments, sent via email or included in a note with a subscription check. These comments rarely get published, but are meant as recognition of the work done by our contributors, who create the content that makes VeloceToday what it is. Magazines are nothing without good content, and therefore contributors are our greatest and most valuable assets.

They are historians, authors, editors, photographers, columnists, journalists, judges, drivers, restorers, artisans, collectors and constructors. They hail from the United States, Great Britain, Australia, Germany, France, Belgium and Italy. Here are the names of thirty-three whose contributions made the year 2024 one to remember.

Jeff Allison, Gary Axon, Giles Chapman, Bob Cullinan, Rodney Diggens, Joseph Duray, Brandes Elitch, Graham Gauld, Greg Glassner, Bob Harrington, Joe Hurwich, Stefan Ivanov, Vince Johnson, Jackie Jouret, Allen R. Kuhn, Dale LaFollette, James Lanoway, Frederic Levaux, Bernard Linck, Roberto Motta, Herb Miska, Chris Nugent, Willem Oosthoek, Paul Sable, Charley Seavey, Jonathan Sharp, Jim Sitz, Roy Smith, Sean Smith, Pete Vack, Hugues Vanhoolandt, Paul Wilson, Robert Young

T57, Jollys, Gandini at Cartier Style, Goodwood

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Ferrari’s Jolly

Photos and intro by Jonathan Sharp, captions by Gary Axon

You never know what to expect when you enter the show field for the Cartier Style et Luxe Concours, held annually as part of the Goodwood Festival of Speed. This year on the library lawn near to the stable block visitors were greeted by, amongst many a fine automobile, the sight of a 1977 Volkswagen Polo, probably the best condition 1977 Polo you are ever likely to see but a Polo never the less. Why? Well if you have a class to celebrate the work of Marcello Gandini, and you want to show Gandini designs other than those for Lamborghini (which were of course also on display) then why not a Polo! with a Citroen BX and a Fiat X1/9 to boot. Another sight that I am sure you are unlikely to see on the lawn at Pebble Beach is a Renault Tractor displayed across the way from a Bugatti Type 57!, or a Meyers Manx Beach Buggy near the Felber Ferrari Beach car displayed close to a 40/50 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost. Only Goodwood would do that.

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