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!
Peugeot won three times Indy 500, in 1913, 1916 (this car) and 1919.
Bugatti was a pioneer of four-wheel drive and tried it in the Bugatti T53.
Bugatti T54 of 1931 won on the Avus circuit, near Berlin, with Achille Varzi at the wheel.
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 ...
as is this 250 GTO s/n 4675 GT that Evans acquired last year from the Matsuda Collection.
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.
Lancia D50 had fuel tanks placed in the pontoons for a better weight distribution. This example is an exact replica of the 1954 model.
The Ferrari 312 B3, due to Mauro Forghieri, brought three wins to the Cavallino Rampante in 1974.
Every year, most of the F1 teams are present at Goodwood and Ferrari is no exception, with the F10 model of last year, driven by test driver Marc Gene.