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The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts

Graham Gauld

History at the Italian National Motor Museum

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Mariella Mengozzi, the new Director of the Italian National Motor Museum with Graham Gauld.

Story by Graham Gauld

I am sure that when most readers see the word “Museum” they shudder and move on. But wait a minute, times have changed and with modern communications, the whole concept of museums and how they should serve the public has changed enormously.

This is why the Italian National Motor Museum in Turin is justly proud of the fact that it is one of just 50 museums, of all types and persuasions, nominated by the London Times as one of the finest in the world. [Read more…] about History at the Italian National Motor Museum

Graham Gauld: Le Mans, 1949

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Story by Graham Gauld

Everyone remembers that the first Le Mans race held after WWII was in 1949 and was won by Luigi Chinetti and Lord Selsdon driving a Ferrari barchetta. Usually that is where everyone’s recollections end; but that Le Mans race was fascinating not just as a spectacular event to take our minds off post-war austerity, but for some of the cars taking part. [Read more…] about Graham Gauld: Le Mans, 1949

Fiat Grand Prix Race Driver, Felice Nazzaro

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Story by Graham Gauld

If you read the first article in this series you will recall the photograph of Felice Nazzaro at the wheel of the 18 liter Fiat S-B 4 Corsa “ Mephistopheles” that was sent to England to race against the Napier race car at Brooklands. [Read more…] about Fiat Grand Prix Race Driver, Felice Nazzaro

Fiat Grand Prix Cars

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Story by Graham Gauld
Photos by Centro Storico Fiat

For nearly twenty years I was a consultant to Fiat in Britain assisting the public relations department. One area was liaison with Fiat’s own historian, Antonio Amadelli, who, at the time, ran Fiat’s own small museum and large archives. Antonio was later to go on to become head of the Biscaretti Museum in Turin and his knowledge of Fiat was immense. Amongst other things I was able to add photos of their early Grand Prix cars to my archive and Editor Pete suggested we share some of these with comments on the background to the photos. [Read more…] about Fiat Grand Prix Cars

Vignale’s Fiat 8V, Castagna’s Alfa

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Story by Graham Gauld

From time to time I go through photographs that have been taken years ago, printed up and then forgotten in boxes. Obviously, some get ditched as they are unlikely to be relevant to anything I intend to write in the future, but others come as interesting surprises. As VeloceToday seems to attract people who appreciate and admire coachbuilding I set aside one or two which I thought might be worth mentioning. These are two such examples.

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Italian Gentleman Drivers: Franco Martinengo

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Story by Graham Gauld
Period photos courtesy ot Cesare Martinengo

From the Archives, August 8, 2012
Regular readers may remember my May 2012 article about the Monaco Historics in which I mentioned meeting Cesare Martinengo, whose father Franco was a typical Italian “Gentleman Driver” throughout the 1940s and ’50s. This sounded interesting and I had to find out more. Cesare then brought his scrapbooks to me in the South of France and I spent a fascinating day going back in time when people raced for the fun of it and enjoyed racing with their friends.

Cesare Martinengo, however, did some racing himself, mainly with small Italian sports cars. It was no surprise that thanks to his father’s long-time friendship with Elio Zagato, Cesare raced a double bubble Fiat 750 Zagato. (In the lead photo, Elio, left, with Franco Martinengo stand next to their Fiat 1100 Zagatos.) [Read more…] about Italian Gentleman Drivers: Franco Martinengo

Circuit du Grand Sambuc

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Story and photos by Graham Gauld

For around twenty years I had known of the existence of a private racing circuit beside a reconstructed Chateau up in the hills behind Aix en Provence in the South of France and I had heard how it had been built by an enthusiast and used for testing.

So it came as a surprise to be invited to a Festival of Motor Sport to be held at the Domaine du Sambuc circuit on June 23. There was little advance information and so, perplexed, I arrived to find that the event proposed by Hugo Riperd and Clive Rigby, who now own the circuit and chateau, had been scaled down. This was due to the local mayor announcing they could not set up some track records but instead could only put on demonstrations. which meant the event either had to be cancelled or else go ahead on a very relaxed scale: thankfully they chose the latter as they had arranged something special. [Read more…] about Circuit du Grand Sambuc

And How! Moto Guzzi’s Remarkable V8

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And How! features open and innovative formats for notices, short articles and posts

Photo by Hugues Vanhoolandt

It is Brandes Elitch’s best loved motorcycle. “This is my absolute favorite bike and my vote for the most desirable bike ever made.” It captivated Graham Gauld at this year’s Monaco Historics. It even lit a fire under the Editorial bum. Find out why. Ed.

Story by Graham Gauld

For a reason I never completely understood, the Monaco Club invited a bunch of people with vintage racing bikes to drive round the circuit and wave to the crowd. But one bike, a Moto Guzzi of 1957, caught my eye. [Read more…] about And How! Moto Guzzi’s Remarkable V8

Monaco Historic Grand Prix 2018

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Story and color photos by Graham Gauld

The Monaco Historic Grand Prix meeting (May 11-13) has come and gone and, my, how time flies when you are having fun. As readers will know, I go to those events, never do reportage on the races, but keep looking for oddities and interesting sidelights that the others may not have noticed. Monaco this year was a rich source of items so let’s start off with an oddity, the Assegai Formula 1 car. [Read more…] about Monaco Historic Grand Prix 2018

Graham Gauld on the Tour Auto 2018

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Story and photos by Graham Gauld

Last Saturday, April 28t, the Tour Auto came to town. When I say town, I mean the small town of Fayence in the Var region of Provence in the South of France. Fayence is about 20 minutes from my home here and when I realized the cars were not only passing through the town but would have a rest stop before the last two Special Stages before the finish at Nice, then I had to pay a visit.

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Graham Gauld and the Motoring Aristocracy

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Story by Graham Gauld

Throughout the history of European motor sport the aristocrats and the titled were the true pioneers, mainly because they were the only people who had the money to indulge in this new and gentlemanly sport. Many embraced racing with great enthusiasm.

A number of them were Scots and since that is a topic dear to my heart, I would like to tell you the stories of three of them who were as different as chalk and cheese, from three distinctly different eras of motorsport.

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Graham Gauld at Avignon

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Story by Graham Gauld
Color photos by Graham Gauld

The Avignon Auto Show took place last weekend (March 23-25) and as usual I went there to see what cars would turn up. This year they decided to honor the 70th anniversary of Porsche so the main show area featured the German make.

I hate to admit this but I am really not a Porsche fan but I must say the organizers had gathered a very representative array of racing Porsches and the whole show and car park looked like the factory car park in Stuttgart.

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