Photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt

An Alfa Giulia TZ at the start of the Quail, a private event that marks the beginning of the festivities...
[Read more…] about Monterey in Photos with Hugues Vanhoolandt
The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
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Photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt

An Alfa Giulia TZ at the start of the Quail, a private event that marks the beginning of the festivities...
By pete

Renault has come a long way since the post-war days of the Shooting Star and the Dauphine. The 1977 Renault RS01 was Renault’s first attempt in Formula 1, using turbo technology. Nicknamed ‘the yellow teapot’, Renault became a winner only two years after their difficult debut in F1.
Hugues Vanhoolandt brings us the best of France and Italy, Goodwood Style.
Every year since 1993, the Goodwood Festival of Speed in Southern England attracts the best of the cars and drivers from past and present and even provides a look at the future of the automobile.
One of the themes of this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed was “Giant steps in motor racing history”, and to illustrate the theme, some French cars in attendance were really appropriate. To mention a few, a 1930 Bugatti Type 53 four-wheel drive, the 1964 CD-Panhard with its aerodynamic shape to suit the straights of Le Mans, the four-wheel steering Peugeot 405 T 16 ‘Pikes Peak’, the 1977 Renault Turbo that revolutionized F1 and the 2010 electric powered Citroën Survolt. French cars have been on the leading edge of technological changes since the invention of the automobile.
Only the Festival of Speed can bring together so many different cars to give an instant view of more than a century of automotive history and this year Ferrari and Fiat were in showing cars that covered the span of that century. Chris Evans’ collection alone was worth the trip!

The CD-Panhard (1964), propelled by a little .85 litre 2 cylinder engine, was build to win the Index of Performance at Le Mans. With its drag coefficient of 0.12, it topped out at 140 mph in the Hunaudières.

With the V12 MS670 of 1972, Matra became the first French marque to win at Le Mans since 1950. Here is the MS670B model of 1973.

The Peugeot 905, with carbon fibre monocoque and F1-style engine, succeeded Matra on the Le Mans winner’s list in 1992 and 1993.

Peugeot not only won Indy on American soil, but also Pikes Peak with the four-wheel drive, four-wheel steering 405 Turbo 16 in 1988 with Ari Vatanen driving.

After retiring from F1 in 1985, Renault became engine supplier for Williams with whom they won nine F1 world championships between 1989 and 1997. Renault recently announced that they will again provide engines to the Williams team next year.

Is the future electric ? Citroën seems to think so but electric is not necessarily dull and boring as demonstrate the Survolt.
Italians

A hundred years ago, engines with huge capacity were common on the racing scene as this Fiat S74 Grand Prix of 1911 using a 14.2 Litre 4-cylinder engine.

Originally a Grand Prix racer, this Fiat was rebuilt as a record-breaker in 1923 by Ernest Eldridge, using a 21.7 Litre aero engine. Called the ‘Mefistofele’, it reached 146 mph top speed in 1924.

Ferrari 340 America Touring coupé s/n 0122 A of David Cottingham of DK Engineering took Best of Show in the Cartier Style and Luxe Concours d’Elégance.

This Ferrari 375 MM spyder Pinin Farina s/n 0382 AM has been raced extensively in the US by Bill Spear and Duncan Black between 1954 an 1958.

250 GTL, 275 GTB, 365 GTC, 288 GTO, F40, all part of the collection of BBC Radio & TV presenter Chris Evans ...

Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason brought his 365 GTB/4 Daytona Group 4 with 1972 Le Mans Ecurie Francorchamps livery.

In 1952, Ferrari sent some 375 Grand Prix cars to Indianapolis in order to conquer the brickyard, but without success. This car is now part of the Louwman Collection, in the Netherlands.
By hugues
Captions and Photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
[Read more…] about Italians at the Mille Miglia 2011 by Vanhoolandt
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Small turnout at the first Spa Classic didn't deter our man Vanhoolandt from bringing back great shots. The Raidillon corner, pictured here, is the landmark of the circuit, a right turn uphill that F1 cars take flat out.
Photos and Captions by Hugues Vanhoolandt

Belgian Vincent Gaye always spectacular in his Ferrari 250 GT SWB s/n 2069GT, winner of the race for pre-66 Italians Sports and GTs.
The first Spa Classic was held at the end of May on a circuit called by some ‘the most beautiful circuit in the world’, Francorchamps in the Ardennes region in southern Belgium.
It is certainly one of the most challenging racetracks with fast corners, climbs and descents.
[Read more…] about Spa Classic 2011
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When Hugues Vanhoolandt sets up to take a photo for VeloceToday, crowds magically disperse, even at Villa d’Este.
Photos and Captions by Hugues Vanhoolandt
Italians at Villa d’Este
[Read more…] about Vanhoolandt at Villa d’Este, 2011
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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.
By pete
Photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt taken at the Goodwood Revival, 2010
This year Goodwood celebrated the life and career of John Surtees. Born in 1934, his racing career spanned 22 years from 1950 to 1972, winning world championship driving titles for MV Agusta four times and once for Ferrari in 1964, then going off on his own to create a series of Formula cars which met with mixed success. Few have experienced a more varied and successful life in motorsports than John Surtees.
In an exclusive interview granted in 2001 with VeloceToday Editor Pete Vack, the only Champion on two wheels and four tells it like it was…
[Read more…] about This is What John Surtees Said
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By Werner Pfister
Is the new Bugatti fast enough to be at two places at the same time?
On August 15, at the Pebble Beach Concours, Bugatti debuted a new model of their very successful Veyron which had been developed in secret over the past year. [Read more…] about Record Breaking Doppelganger?
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Sandy Leith pushing hard with his 1931 Type 37. Leith, who is the Registrar of the American Bugatti Club, tell us about his car: My car was the second-to-last T37 built. It was bought by a New York banker on vacation, Elgood Lufkin, in Paris who brought it home with him. After one or two more owners and an engine blow-up in early ARCA competition, it received the 4-cylinder, Ford B engine in 1935 and raced as the 'Scrambling Egg' Bugatti-Ford special with the ARCA until 1940 when it disappeared. I found it in 1995 and have kept it, essentially, as found.
Photos and Captions by Hugues Vanhoolandt
The best of the bugs from Monterey.
By pete
Last week Hugues Vanhoolandt displayed the Italian effort at this year’s Le Mans Classic, which everyone is saying gets better and better every year. For the 5th time, Le Mans Classic celebrated the greatest long distance race in the world. With more than 420 cars on the track, ranging from 1923 to 1979, it was close action from Saturday at 4 pm to Sunday same hour.With 96,000 spectators, Le Mans Classic proved to be one of the world’s greatest historic racing car event.
Photos and captions by Hugues Vanhoolandt.
[Read more…] about French at Le Mans by Vanhoolandt