The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
Story by Graham Gauld
Photos by Graham Gauld and Jonathan Sharp
As regular readers know, I have a great interest in coachbuilding. Though I believe the true high point in coachbuilding elegance was in the 1930s, I keep finding examples of post-war elegance that follow along the same lines. [Read more…] about Italian Coachwork on Jaguar Chassis
Captions and photos by Jonathan Sharp
Jonathan Sharp once again headed into the heart of the Costswolds for the magical affair at Blenheim Palace called Salon Prive. His report is encapsulated into the captions below, and at the end of the article are the complete results. The event was held from August 31 to September 2 2019. [Read more…] about Best of Salon Prive at Blenheim Palace
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
Visible on the horizon, about 8 miles out from Brighton’s pebble beaches, is the new Rampion wind farm. It got me thinking of the progress that technology has made over the past 120 years or so. [Read more…] about The Brighton Run, 2018
Story by Paul Wilson
Photos by Jonathan Sharp
I just returned from watching the Brighton Run for the second time as a spectator. It’s a feel-good event that’s got much wider appeal than the races and car shows I often go to. It’s not competitive: there’s no prize for arriving first (in fact you’re told not to go too fast), the simple cars and fancier ones get equal appreciation from the crowds of cheering fans. Thousands of them line the 60-mile route, smiling and waving at the cars as they go by. I didn’t see a single participant who didn’t look delighted by the experience–though I have to say, this year it was sunny and pleasant, which is unusual in November in England. [Read more…] about A Tourist at the Brighton Run
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
Let us take a walk along the gravel paths of William and Mary’s great fountain garden of 1689-1702, located on the east front of Hampton Court Palace. Enjoy with me a selection of world class automobiles entered in this years “Concours of elegance” held on August 31 to September 2. [Read more…] about Hampton Court Concours, 2018
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
Silverstone Classic, July 20-22, 2018
This year at Siverstone, there were 100,000 spectators, 1000 plus entrants spread over 21 races from F1 to endurance legends of the 2000s; a host of tin tops from hulking great American V8s to Mini Coopers. [Read more…] about Silverstone Classic, 2018
Photos by Jonathan Sharp
The Heveningham Concours has a bit of everything but aside from cars, it always attracts a good entry of propeller-driven airplanes. Last week our man in the UK Jonathan Sharp presented a few of the cars in the show, and this week he continues with cars, then a selection of dramatic night shots, and finally a few of the more interesting aircraft, such as a Messerschmidt built by Hispano Aviacion with a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine! We needn’t apologize for Jonathan’s excursions into the air – we always wondered where they got all the planes for the movie “The Battle of Britain”. [Read more…] about Sharp at Heveningham Part 2
Photos by Jonathan Sharp
On June 30-July 1, Jonathan Sharp once again attended the Heveningham Hall Concours d’Elegance. When he attended the inaugural event in 2106, he wrote, “Heveningham Hall is a 5000 acre estate deep in the heart of rural Suffolk with dramatic grass terraces designed by renowned landscape architect Kim Wilkie. [Read more…] about Heveningham Hall Concours d’Elegance 2018
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
The Brooklands museum complex is like a nostalgic oasis surrounded by modern glass fronted corporate head offices and a Tesco’s supermarket. However once you have entered into the site the years simply drop away. Whether it’s just the 1930s music playing over the PA system, or the restored buildings, one feels (if you use a bit of imagination) that you are back in the 1920s. The feeling of nostalgia increases 10-fold when the VSCC (Veteran Sports Car Club) have an event there. [Read more…] about Vintage Sports Car Club at Brooklands
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
June 8, 2018
Last year it was called the City Concours, but this year the name was changed to London City Concours because, as put by Octane magazine’s James Elliot, the original name “…did not quite do justice to the scale, reach or importance of the event to the whole of London.” Ok we got that. [Read more…] about London City Concours d’Elegance, 2018
Photo Gallery by Jonathan Sharp
Six years ago, on July 5, 2012 we noted that newcomer Jonathan Sharp caught our attention when he sent along a few B&W images of the Bugattis at Prescott. He told us he lived in the Brighton area of the U.K., not too far from Goodwood. “My first love has always been Ferrari, a passion started when I was given a Dinky Ferrari 250LM model”, he wrote. “I am happiest pointing my trusty camera at cars (preferably Italian) or my other love, piston powered fighter planes; a Spitfire or Mustang will stop me in my tracks and I can hear them when they are miles away and out of sight.” We said that are sure we’ll be seeing more of Mr. Sharp in the near future.
[Read more…] about Jonathan Sharp Photo Gallery
Abarth Simca 2000GT, Paul Hocking
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
In last week’s story, we left Jonathan Sharp freezing and wondering about the weather for Sunday…
6.00 am Sunday morning, my alarm goes off. I open the curtains…oh dear, snow. I doubt if they will be able to race at the members meeting today as the snow is supposed to be worse the further West you travel and I live to the East of the circuit. [Read more…] about More on the Goodwood Members Meeting 2018