Iconic Homologation Specials

Homologation means to sanction or “allow.” Homologation refers to the process taken to certify that a car is manufactured to meet the standards for sale— technically, all vehicles are homologated. But when we refer to a car being a homologation special , this means it’s approved for racing. Homologating a car for racing requires that a manufacturer produces a certain number of road-going versions. Homologations numbers will differ with each car; as it all depends on the series the car is racing in.

These homologation vehicles are quite rare and sought-after. As new cars, they were the trump card in every car quartet, and even today as classics, many models break records – though no longer on the track, but in terms of price.

BMW 3.0 CSL

From 1971, the E9 coupés were modified for touring car racing in collaboration with Alpina. The L in CSL unsurprisingly stands for lightweight construction. The first models also did not turn the performance world upside down but saved primarily on weight. the 3.0 CSL was built to make the car eligible for racing in the European Touring Car Championship 1,265 were built. The final version of the BMW 3.0 CSL was homologated in 1973 along with an aerodynamic package including a large air dam, short fins running along the front fenders, a spoiler above and behind the trailing edge of the roof, and a tall rear wing. The rear wings were not installed at the factory but were left in the boot for installation after purchase. This was done because the wings were illegal for use on German roads.

The most famous of the various versions of the BMW 3.0 CSL is certainly the last one, which was given the nickname “Batmobile” due to its sweeping aerodynamic package.

BMW M1

In the 1970s,BMW was successful in touring car racing. But when the 3.0 CSL started aging the big victories started to dwindle for the Bavarian Manufacturer. BMW took the decision to build a completely new, contemporary vehicle with a winning gene. Inspiration was found in the prototype BMW Turbo (E25), which back in the days was being designed by chief designer Paul Bracq. BMW Motorsport Director Jochen Neerpasch ensured power and performance for the M1, while Giorgio Giugiaro’s Italdesign design studio gave the body a new, production-ready polish.

Only 460 examples of the BMW M1, model series E26, were built between 1978 and 1981.

ALFA ROMEO GIULIA SPRINT GTA

With the introduction of the Giulia series, Alfa had replaced the venerable Giulietta Sprint coupe with an all-new design from Bertone designer Giorgetto Guigiaro named the Giulia Sprint GT. But the Sprint GT was really a wonderful two-person GT coupe. It was the perfect candidate for a production touring car racer, but at 2,200 pounds, it was way too heavy. To resolve that, Alfa created a “homologation special” production GT to be called the GTA (Alleggerita, or “lightened”), One of the hallmarks of the GTA was its use of an aluminum body shell and extensive use of magnesium components.

As with any homologation special, the street version was a pale imitation of the fire-breathing full racers.

 They had to build 500 examples to meet the rules.

FORD ESCORT RS 2000

RS in Ford’s lexicon stands for Rally Sport and in this context, Ford introduced an RS version of the Ford Escort for the UK market early in its life cycle. The original Mk I-based Escort RS of 1973 was a 1600 and wasn’t generally available in South Africa. To provide the extra performance promised by the RS2000’s looks, Ford raided its international parts bin and came up with the 2,0-litre single overhead cam four-cylinder motor known as the Cologne engine because it was produced in Europe at Ford’s Cologne factory.

The original name for the car was to be the “Puma”, but it was decided to keep with the RS tradition and so it was re-named the RS2000. It was claimed that the first 2000 cars were built between the June and September of 1973, and were reserved for the German market

Although group 1 homologation was achieved (5000 units built) it is now accepted that around 3500 RS2000 cars left the production line.

MERCEDES-BENZ 190 E 2.5-16 EVOLUTION II

The 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II was the final model in the Stuttgart automaker’s run of DTM homologation cars from the late Eighties and early Nineties.  The line began in 1983 with the arrival of the 190E 2.3-16, which featured a Cosworth inline-four initially designed specifically for rallying. However, Audi had other ideas and launched the Quatro to compete in the World Rally Championship. The rear-wheel-drive Merc was no competition for the Quatro and Mercedes focused their attention on the DTM Championship for the hot 190E. Mercedes' participation in the series would inspire BMW to create the M3 and the sports sedan showdown we know and love today was born.

Only 502 examples of the Evolution II were produced between 1990 and 1991. All but two of the cars wear Blauschwarz Metallic paint.

Iconic Turbo Cars

 Turbo charging might be the latest trend in engine technology, this type of forced induction has been around since the early ’60s. But turbocharging dates to the ’20s and ’30s, although it wasn’t nearly as sophisticated or reliable as it is today.

 BMW 2002 Turbo

The 2002 Turbo was essentially a hand-built car assembled by a special team operating within the BMW production facility in Munich, Germany. It was only ever built in left-hand-drive form. The BMW 2002 Turbo is famous for being Europe’s first production turbocharged car as well as a first for BMW. Launched in 1973 the turbo gave it a hefty power boost and it quickly became a performance car icon. 1672 examples were made, making it extremely rare today and a wonderful part of history.

BMW 2002 Turbo

Audi Quattro

The Audi Quattro made its original debut at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show. Its development would spur a long legacy of rally championships. The original Audi Quattro was put into production and remained a part of Audi’s line up until it was discontinued in 1991.The AWD car revolutionised rallying, and the turbo allowed drivers to exploit the extra power without overdoing it and crashing.  It made its competition debut at the 1000 Lakes Rally and went on to win the 1985 Pikes Peak Hill Climb as well as numerous World Rally Group B Championships.

Audi Quattro

Ferrari F40

The Ferrari F40 was and still is a special car in many ways. It was built it to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Ferrari as well as being a car Enzo Ferrari supervised and envisioned himself. In fact, it was his last creation as he passes away just a couple of months after they introduced the F40 in 1987.The F40 is a race car with a gorgeous body and a terrifying performance that will inspire you to drive as fast as you can.

Ferrari F40

Porsche 911 Turbo / 930

Apart from the GT3, every modern Porsche is currently turbo charged. It was however quite a different scenario in 1975. This was the car that made turbocharging a household name and pushed the 911 into the supercar league not to mention one of the most iconic rear spoilers ever. Further fettling given to the car in 1977 enhanced the power and performance even more, as well as increasing the speed of the car. Despite some turbo lag in the early versions of the car, and some difficult handling, the car is an icon throughout car culture.

Porsche 911 Turbo / 930

Jaguar XJ 220

Jaguar conceived it in the late ’80s as their first road-going supercar. The XJ220 got it name because it could do over 220 mph. The first prototypes had Jaguar’s V12 engine, but halfway into development, they decided to install a new 3.5-liter twin turbo V6 unit. The design of the car was fantastic with flowing lines along with wide stance that emphasized its performance and speed. When Jaguar released it, the XJ220 was the world’s fastest road going model

Jaguar XJ 220

Lancia Delta HF Intergrale

1982 Turin Motor Show, where Lancia first showed the direction in which Delta would go in the next ten years. Visitors were presented with a Turbo 4 × 4 version. The Lancia Delta Integrale was one of the most successful rally cars of the Group A era and a sensational road car. While Group B spawned the most extreme rally cars the world’s ever seen, its Group A World Rally Championship successor was the source of some of the greatest road cars and perhaps none more so than the iconic Lancia Delta Integrale.

Lancia Delta HF Intergrale

Lotus Turbo Esprit

The Esprit always looked like a supercar, but it didn’t go like one until Lotus added a turbocharged version in 1980. The launched earmarked the long-awaited turning point for Lotus. At last, here was a car that was potentially good enough to take on – and beat – a Ferrari 308 GTB. Numerous road tests soon verified that the Turbo was one of Europe’s most competent supercars. Its beautifully engineered turbocharged engine gave strong performance, it had exceptional road handling and although it still didn’t have the ultimate badge of its Porsche and Ferrari rivals, it was a driver’s car. It’s exotic shape was good enough to extend production from 1976 all the way to 2004.

Lotus Turbo Esprit

The Best of the British

With Britain’s fine history of car manufacturing and designing there are many unforgettable classic cars that have been part of the country’s rich motoring heritage.

Below we list out 10 favourites of all time.

10.Land Rover Series 1

Inspired by the Jeep used by the USA in World War Two, the Land Rover Series I was built to be a workhorse utility vehicle. Land Rover had just come off working on military contracts and had materials remaining, so they decided to put the rationed steel and the experience gained over the war years to create a robust vehicle. The design of the Land Rover was crude and rough around the edges but when put into its historical and social-cultural context, the Land Rover stands out as an icon of the British resilience and innovation.

For enthusiasts who like restoring classics, the Series I is a popular choice.

9.Morris Minor

Designed by the legendary British-Greek designer Alec Issigonis, the Minor was one of the first mass-produced British cars, released in 1948 it soon became one of the post popular and sought-after cars of its time. Its no-nonsense design was slightly more polished than its biggest rival at the time – the Volkswagen Beetle. The Morris Minor came in a variety of different shapes and sizes.

8.Rolls-Royce Phantom

Rolls-Royce is one of the oldest car makers in Britain, its name conjuring up images of class and prestige. The Phantom’s shape is still in that original automobile style. Its interior follows the tradition of the classic coachwork style, with curved, leather seats. This is a car designed before aerodynamics, crumple zones and fuel efficiency were a concern. Under 3,500 of the original Phantom were produced, so they are truly a rarity. There were a further seven versions of the Phantom built in the near 100 years since it first appeared on the market.

7.McLaren F1

The McLaren F1 is the definition of an ultimate supercar. With an extremely light body and a ferocious 6.1-litre BMW V12 engine, this South African inspired Gordon Murray masterpiece is the fastest naturally aspirated production car ever built. A record that’s yet to be beaten in over 22 years! It’s hard to believe that a car this fast wasn’t built for the racetrack. Despite not having been built with the track in mind, the McLaren F1 still found success, including winning the 24 Hour of Le Mans, competing against purpose-built prototype race cars. The ultimate British Super Car ever to be built with only 102 manufactured. A truly astonishing feat of British engineering.

6.Range Rover MK1

Introduced to the public in June 1970, the new "Range Rover" was launched as "A Car for All Reasons”. The original Spen King-designed Range Rover was one of the British Motor Industry's proudest success stories. According to King, “The idea was to combine the comfort and on-road ability of a Rover saloon with the off-road ability of a Land Rover. Nobody was doing it.” “It is the only vehicle that is equally at home in Park Lane, the Sahara, the Darien Gap, a cart track or a ploughed field.” Clearly the choice of upmarket families rather than farmers. When it went out of production at the end of 1995, it still looked as fresh and forward thinking as it did back in 1970 when one was exhibited in the Louvre as an example of modern sculpture.

5.Ford Escort MK1

When the Ford Escort was first introduced in the late 60s it won British car lovers over with its modern look, inspired by the classic American cars of the time. With a four-cylinder petrol engine at the front and rear-wheel-drive, this classic Ford was a practical car with an affordable price tag, which quickly turned it into a bestseller driven by millions. Not to mention, that it turned out to be one of the best rally cars in motorsport history. 

4.Aston Martin DB5

No list of the best classic British cars can go without mentioning the DB5. Did James Bond Make the DB5 cool, or did the DB5 make James Bond cool? The story could have been very different if Aston Martin had got their way. When production started on the third film in the Bond franchise, Goldfinger, the producers were seeking a British car to be fitted out with the gadgets that would become a staple of the franchise. The Aston Martin DB5 was an obvious choice, especially as Bond had driven one in the novels. But Aston Martin were reluctant to have their brand associated with the films. Finally convinced to do a product placement deal, the car featured in one of the most iconic Bond moments in the series’ history. Demand for the car rose significantly after the film’s premiere. Only 1,059 were made over the two-year production period.

3.The Original Mini

With a unique design that has been around for over four decades, the Mini is the epitome of a British classic. Designed by Alec Issigonis, (aka Morris Minor fame) the car wasn’t built with ambitions of longevity or celebrity status. The compact design of the Mini – a family car that shocked motor lovers across the world back in 1959.It however, found the recognition it deserved when racing legend John Cooper saw the racing potential of the Mini, which led to the production of the 1961 Mini Cooper S.  After the Mini Cooper S was crowned the winner of the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally, the popularity of the Mini skyrocketed. Practical and affordable, the Mini has had a 41-year-long production history, which ended in 2000. Despite millions of cars having been made over the years, the originals from the early 60s remain cherished collectables for classic car lovers.  

2.Ford GT40 

Henry Ford bet on British engineering to design a sports car that could steal the Le Mans dominance from the Italian powerhouse Ferrari. Featuring a mighty 4.7-litre V8 paired with precisely designed aerodynamics. The GT40 broke Ferrari’s streak and went onto to win the next four of the famous races with the American Carroll Shelby who rescued the failing project to create an icon of racing.

1.Jaguar E-Type

 Once dubbed “the most beautiful car ever made” by Enzo Ferrari himself, the Jaguar E-Type is undoubtedly amongst the best classic British cars ever made. The designer, Malcolm Sayer, came from an aeronautics background, which really shows in the striking, almost aggressive appearance. Its combination of beauty, high performance, dynamic curves, and long curved bonnet that takes up half of the car’s body, it revolutionised the car design world the instant it appeared on the market. The E-type proved that cars could be fashionable. The E-type is just one of six cars to hold residence in the New York Museum of Modern Art. It really is a work of art and a worthy number one on our top ten British classic cars list.

Alejandro De Tomaso

Every car builder in Italy wanted to be the next Ferrari. Alejandro De Tomaso created a wonderful marriage between sleek Italian design and American horsepower.

Through the 1960s and into the 1970s, a breed of independent Italian carmakers, all of whom wanting to become the next Ferrari, created limited-production sports and grand touring cars. Not having the full resources from which to construct their cars from the ground up, they were able to take advantage of several resources available at the time.  

Enter Alejandro De Tomasa, he was Argentine born with Italian lineage and grew up in Buenos Aries among a wealthy and politically influential family. His full name was Alejandro de Tomaso y Ceballos, he moved to Italy in 1955 to pursue a racing career in Europe.

Once settled in Modena he married Elizabeth Haskell, a wealthy American heiress, Elizabeth maintained her family’s interest in horse racing throughout her life Together the couple would venture into building racing cars in 1959, forming De Tomaso Modena SpA.

The early De Tomaso road cars included the Vallelunga and Mangusta, and in 1971 the company branched out into luxury four door saloons with the De Tomaso Deauville – but the car the company will always be remembered for is the Pantera – a mighty V8-engined supercar designed to compete with the best from Ferrari and Lamborghini, but at half the price.

De Tomaso needed cash to expand his business. The source was Elizabeth’s brother, Amory Haskell, vice president of an electronics manufacturer. With his American family’s money, De Tomaso went on a buying spree, purchasing among others styling house Ghia, coachbuilder Vignale, then later motorcycle manufacturer Moto Guzzi, Italian Mini license holder Innocenti, and the entire Maserati organization, saving the later from certain oblivion. 

(L to R )Enzo Ferrari , Adolfo Orsi , Horacio Oagani , Ferruccio Lamborghini , Alejandro De Tomaso

The De Tomaso Mangusta was a major step up for De Tomaso. He needed a car with a broader appeal than the little Vallelunga. The Mangusta was a stunning, Ferrari-sized two-seat grand tourer propelled at first by a Ford 289, and later a 302, V8 engine (Italian for mongoose) A total of 401 Mangustas were produced. 

(L to R ) De Tomaso Vallelunga 1965 , 1971 De Tomaso Mangusta

The name Pantera is Italian for “panther”, an indication of the vehicle’s sporting intent. A deal was finalized in September 1969, with Ford taking a 30% ownership in De Tomaso’s company. Ford chose the Lincoln-Mercury division to market the Pantera in the US, the goal being to offer a “halo car” that exceeded the C3 Corvette in design and performance. In June of 1970, Ford purchased the 50% share of the company held by Amory Haskell, who had died in a small plane crash in March of 1970.

1974 De Tomaso Pantera

There first series of Panteras were built from 1971 to halfway through 1972, when the upgraded Pantera L was introduced – that L stood for “Lusso”, the Italian word for “Luxury”. This new model had a black front bumper fitted to reduce lift at high speeds and meet new government regulations, it also incorporated a list of upgrades and improvements, making it as good oreven better than many of its Italian contemporaries. 1974 would see the introduction of the Pantera GTS, with all its chrome blacked out and new fender flares – this was the most aggressive looking of the early Panteras and it’s the car many see in their mind’s eye when they think of the model. All the early Panteras were fitted with Ford 351 Cleveland engines

Ford stopped importing the Pantera to the US after 1974, new regulations would have required the car be redesigned from scratch, which was never going to be cost effective. De Tomaso kept selling them in Europe and other world markets until 1996, a total of approximately 7260 were produced.

A series of unfortunate events led to De Tomaso never again seeing the success he had with the Pantera. Ford ended its partnership with De Tomaso in 1974. 

De Tomaso also produced luxury cars, though in more limited quantities. Only 244 of the Deauville four-door saloon and 409 Longchamp two-door grand tourer models were produced. These were named after the French Deauville-La Touques and Longchamp horse racing tracks respectively, names suggested by Elizabeth. He went on to manufacture just 50 of the Guarà sports car before his crippling stroke in 1993. At that point, he sold Innocenti and Maserati to Fiat.  

(L to R)1980 De Tomaso Longchamp Series 2 GTS , 1981 De Tomaso Deauville , De Tomaso Pantera 1985 , De Tomaso Pantera GT5-S 1988

De Tomaso died in Modena on May 21, 2003, having left an enduring mark on the Italian motor industry not just through the cars that bear his name, but also through his rescue and resuscitation of the now successful Maserati brand. 

1998 De Tomaso Biguà 1996 De Tomaso Guara

But it pleases me that these prized vehicles have advanced in terms of enthusiast and market respect, value, and desirability. With prices steadily rising, many of the people sitting on an old Pantera are deciding if it is a good time to sell. Just how many are awaiting discovery is uncertain.

The Most Expensive Japanese Classics Sold at Auctions.

It is no surprise to find Japanese production cars at Classic Collector car auctions these days and no one flinches anymore when 6-figure prices are achieved by great examples. In the past Japanese cars were not the showstoppers that were going to break the bank at collector car auctions, especially compared to the Ferraris and Aston Martins selling for over $20 million, but that does not mean Japanese Domestic Market or vehicles produced by traditional Japanese-based manufacturers do not make a statement from time-to-time.

Here is our pick of some notable examples we have found in our research on Japanese cars at Collector Auctions:

1989 Mazda 767B | $1.75 million

1989 Mazda 767B

In 2017 at Amelia Island, this 1989 Mazda 767B rolled across the Gooding & Company auction stage and sold for $1.75 million. One of just three 767B endurance racers built, this orange and green race car won overall at Le Mans in 1990 – the only Japanese manufacturer to claim victory at Le Mans.

1989 Mazda 767B

Following its retirement by Mazda after the 1990 Fuji 1000-kilometre race, the car fell into the hands of a German collector and underwent a restoration. During the process, the car’s 1989 Le Mans bodywork was acquired and were included in the sale, as were several spare gearboxes and 13J four-rotor engines.

1967 Toyota 2000GT | $1.15 million

1967 Toyota 2000GT that sold for $1.15 million.

The Toyota 2000GT is one of the most sought-after Japanese sports cars, with only 351 produced.

1967 Toyota 2000GT that sold for $1.15 million.

This example, which was an original U.S.-spec car, had transverse between the U.S. and Japan, where it was in a private collection. When it was acquired by Don Davis, it underwent an extensive restoration, which included such painstaking details as painting the inside of the headlamp buckets black and restoring the wheels to the correct colour. The car was stripped down to its bare Sheetmetal and repainted its original Bendix Yellow. The motor is a 2,000 CC Yamaha DOHC hemi-head inline six-cylinder engine factory rated at 150 horsepower and a top speed over 135 mph.

This 2000GT was sold from the Don Davis Collection by Rm Sotheby’s in 2013 for $1,15 million.

1967 Toyota 2000GT that sold for $1.15 million.

1970 Nissan Fairlady Z432R | $805,000

The 1970 Nissan Fairlady Z432R 

This second-generation 1973 Skyline broke a sales record for Skylines when it sold for $805000-00 at the Tokyo Terrada BH Auction in January 2020.

The 1970 Nissan Fairlady Z432R 

The car in question, a 1970 Nissan Fairlady Z432R, is quite possibly the rarest and most desirable example of the car still in existence. In fact, only 30 to 50 versions of the competition-prepped car were ever produced.

Only 420 examples of the regular Z432 were built and a fraction of those were R versions.

Each of the race-ready variants weighed 350kg less than the standard version and featured a list of racing upgrades, including a vertically stacked dual exhaust, fiberglass bonnet, thinner body panels and bigger fuel tank. Finished in orange, this version, no. PS30-00289 had been extremely well maintained which also helped drive the price.

The 1970 Nissan Fairlady Z432R 

1971 Datsun 240z Series | $310,000

1971 Datsun 240z Series

The car’s factory green colour puts it in rarefied air, as only three percent of all Datsun 240Zs were painted in this shade. The Datsun’s original owner, James Munson, was a car dealer and was given the car as a reward for winning a sales incentive promotion. The colour was only available as part of the promotion and was not open for orders from the public.  

1971 Datsun 240z Series

The other key item is the Datsun’s lineage. Not only is it a first-series car with only 21,000 original miles on the clocks, but it has also only ever had one owner until it was sold in 2019. In addition, only one mechanic had ever worked on the car, meaning that every bit of its maintenance history is documented. Lastly, the 240’s condition makes it a real unicorn.

When Nissan were looking for vehicles for their museum with solid examples of their cars few and far between, the company had to track down and restore decent examples, as there were very few museum qualities examples in existence.

This Datsun is as close to its new condition as we are likely to ever see, and even has its original window sticker and sales documents.

1971 Datsun 240z Series

1996 Subaru Impreza WRC97 | $300,000

1996 Subaru Impreza WRC97

New rules for the 1997 World Rally Championship season allowed manufacturers to diverge radically from production-based vehicles, which meant teams no longer needed to build homologation specials that brought the competition vehicle to the road. Subaru’s partners at Prodrive decided to throw out the previous Impreza rally car and built a whole new machine under the latest regulations.

1996 Subaru Impreza WRC97

Colin McRae spent hours behind the wheel of this Impreza during the model’s testing in preparation for the 1997 FIA World Rally Championship and for the model’s debut at Rally Monte Carlo in January 1997. McRae called it “QÜICK” straight out the box and generally a bit better in every way as well as faster" than its predecessor.

McRae racked up five wins that year and finished the drivers’ championship in second place ­ just a point behind Tommi Mäkinen’s Mitsubishi.

Chassis 001 never competed in the WRC at the hands of the factory squad. After Prodrive sold the car to, Procar of Italy, drivers there included an eight-place finish at the Rally di Monza by motorcycle racing champ Valentino Rossi.

The last owner had Prodrive restore Chassis 001 back to its original look with the Subaru WRC team’s famous blue and yellow livery.

Goodwood Festival of Speed 2018

1999 Acura NSX Zanardi Edition No. 51 | $277,017

1999 Acura NSX Zanardi Edition 51/51

This rare 1999 Acura NSX is No. 51 out of 51 built special-edition models produced to honour Alex Zandari’s two CART championships with Honda race cars.

1999 Acura NSX Zanardi Edition 51/51

Zanardi Edition models are distinguished by the Formula Red colour. Zanardi Editions' specs resemble those of the NSX Type S, which were 240kg lighter than Targa-topped models due to BBS alloy wheels, a fixed roof, thinner glass, and other trimmings. All were painted Formula Red and had black seats upholstered in a combination of leather and suede, stitched together with red thread. Numbered, autographed plaques denoted Zanardi Editions.

This example NSX was gifted by Honda to motorcycle racer Miguel Duhamel, who won the two season-opening races at the 1999 AMA Daytona 200 despite an incompletely healed broken leg on a Honda 600cc motorcycle.

It was sold with the owner's manual, full-service history, and a set of Duhamel's racing leathers.

1999 Acura NSX Zanardi Edition 51/51

The rise of Japanese collector cars was inevitable and should be welcomed.

After long time disregard, they have gained acceptance by older fans as well as young timers.

Lost Classics

Ferrari 375 MM Chassis Number 0378AM

Emerging in early 1953, the 375 MM was phenomenally successful in Europe as well as in America. Ferrari built just 26 of their 4.5-liter, 340hp monsters in 1953 and '54, mostly for competition use. Today, 25 of those 26 are alive and well and accounted for. Ferrari sold the missing one, with the chassis number 0378AM to Dr Dottore Enrico Wax, an Italian businessman and Italy’s importer of Enzo Ferrari's favourite booze (Johnnie Walker). Dr Wax was a supercar collector who never raced his 375 MM, keeping it in his garage in Genoa. The car vanished off the face of the earth never to be seen or heard of to this day. However, the Ferrari community are also fairly sure that someone, somewhere knows where it is; but it's also Possible that is still sitting in a garage in Genoa.

Bugatti Aerolithe

Bugatti was one of the most important sports and racing car brands in the 1930s. It was a position Bugatti deserved due to numerous victories and extremely advanced road cars. However, since Bugatti was a small company that relied on outsourcing bodies for their cars, they are hard to keep track of where or what happened to the vehicles today. Most of Bugatti’s car histories are missing the documentation of their history. It is estimated that Bugatti built and sold around 10,000 cars until 1947.However, there is one Bugatti that is possibly the most extreme classic car missing for 80 years. Unfortunately, there is not any trace of its fate or whereabouts. This car is the legendary Bugatti Aerolithe.

Bugatti had just begun construction of its new Type 57, designed and engineered by founder Ettore Bugatti’s son Jean. The French marquee went on to build about 800 Type 57s between 1934 and 1940, but never one to be satisfied with his work, Jean went about envisioning something more, something that would take his father’s famous line of “Nothing is too beautiful, nothing is too expensive” truly to heart. In 1935, Jean put pen to paper. The result was the Aerolithe concept, a show car whose curves would spawn four coach built Type 57 SCs—renamed the Atlantic Coupes.

Bugatti introduced it in 1935, building the Aerolithe on a T37 chassis with a design like the gorgeous Bugatti Atlantic. However, it came with a body they made from an extremely advanced aluminium-magnesium alloy called Electron. Since it was not possible to weld Elektron–magnesium, the panels were riveted together with standing seams that became a Type 57 Bugatti trademark detail.

Because of its unspeakably gorgeous construction, it was shown in London and Paris two or three times in 1935, road tested in '36 and then vanished. There is no particular reason to think it survived the War as the factory at Molsheim was seized in 1940; but prominent employees including Pierre Veyron were active in the resistance and the area was not heavily bombed in World War II.

Three of these cars have been accounted for and are currently held in very prominent collector hands. Two have Won “Best In Show” at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The last of the Atlantic Coupes, however, vanished without a trace. And if it still exists, it could be the most valuable car ever.

Duesenberg SJ-506

Duesenbergs are one of the finest American cars the industry ever built. It is also one of the most respected, sought-after classic cars in the world. The Duesenberg SJ-506 is not just a lost Duesenberg; it was and still is among the most beautiful cars of all time. One of 36 320hp factory supercharged Duesenbergs (SJs), it was bodied by Carrosserie Franay in Paris as a town car cabriolet speedster–a two-door convertible coupe with a rear luggage compartment faired in. After appearing at the 1934 Paris Salon, it was sold to Emile Beghain, who the following year would co-drive a Duesenberg at Le Mans. He brought it to his home in Algeria, where it remained until he fled the country during the war in 1962. While reports from Algeria were that it was destroyed and buried, no trace of it were ever seen again.

The SJ model is the top of the line “Doozy” with a supercharged eight-cylinder engine and an astonishing 320 HP. This was unheard of in the 1930s. Duesenberg only made 26 of them. While they have accounted for most of the cars, the chassis number 506 has been missing since the early ’60s.

The car was bodied by the French company Franay, appearing at the Paris Motor Show in 1934. They sold it to Emile Beghain of Algeria, who raced it on the Le Mans track, later returning with the car to Algeria. The elegant roadster remained in his possession until 1962 when civil war broke out ,Beghain was forced to flee. Although some people think the car was destroyed, there is no evidence of that, so the destiny of the SJ-506 remains a mystery.

1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 Rear Engine

The Boss 429 Rear Engine is one of the most interesting Mustang prototypes. Basically, they took the 1969 Boss 429 and moved the engine to the rear. Then Ford extensively tested it to see if this conversion had significant advantages over the standard layout.

They placed the engine longitudinally in the boot and connected it to the rear wheels over the C6 automatic transmission unit. Next, they turned the rear windscreen into a hatchback door to provide access to the engine. In fact, the entire conversion was surprisingly trouble-free. The Boss 429 Rear Engine had a 40/60 weight balance. The added weight over the rear axle helped launch it off the line and reduced wheel spin. However, Ford realized there were not any significant performance improvements to the standard front mounted engine model and decided to can the project before it got started with only one prototype being built.

Known internally as the LID Mustang, this unique project was the work of Ford Motor Company's Special Vehicles section and Kar Kraft, its private Detroit-area engineering facility. (Kar Kraft was ostensibly an independent contractor but had only a single client: Ford.) The LID acronym was short for Low Investment Drivetrain—an experiment to produce a mid-engine Mustang on a budget. Instead of an exotic European-style transaxle like, say, the Ford GT, this project used as many Ford production components as possible.

Although this was a radical experiment done on the fly and with an extremely low budget, it was a forward-thinking idea that would later be accomplished by other brands with great success. Unfortunately, the project was scrapped, and this innovative prototype was destroyed and never put into production.

But this is where the corundum gets started. The LID Mustang was not destroyed. In fact, the purist doubt that happened at all.

After its test program was completed, the car was sent to a fenced-in bullpen at  the Dearborn Proving Grounds, and there it sat with some other discarded test vehicles. From there the Mustang was supposed to be sent to the shredder but instead, sources in the know simply say the car just vanished one day. So, rumour has it that this one-of-a-kind Mustang has simply been sitting in a private garage somewhere in Dearborn or Allen Park for the past 40-odd years, and one day it will reappear. We will be looking forward to that day.

Renault Type CB Coupe De Ville 

On April 15, 1912, the RMS Titanic sank on its maiden voyage after striking an iceberg in the North Atlantic. History remembers the 1,503 people who died in the tragedy. But a story you may have never heard is the one surrounding the fate of the only car on board. The Titanic’s cargo manifest—having survived aboard the Cunard liner Mauritania—listed one automobile “case” onboard the fated ship.  The car in question: a 25-hp 1912 Renault Type CB Coupe de Ville owned by Titanic first-class passenger William Carter of Bryn Mawr, PA. The Renault itself was stored in the port side Orlop Deck storage area. The Carter family survived, but the car a total loss, having sunk to the bottom of the Atlantic along with rest of the ship’s cargo.

Carter later filed a claim against White Star Line for the value of the Renault ($5,000) with Lloyd’s of London.

It is through this claim that the identity of the vehicle was provided. No known photographs of Carter’s car exist. He died in 1940. In the years since the ship’s discovery at the bottom of the north Atlantic, several expeditions have attempted to locate the car. Though no conclusive findings have been made, one research team captured a photograph of what appeared to be the car’s left front wheel and fender. After more than 100 years on the ocean floor, however, it’s not likely much would remain of the car today.

The R129 SL a Rising Star ?

The original SL was the 300SL, which was introduced in 1954(W198) and with its iconic gullwing doors captivated the entire automotive world. While the 300SL Gullwing was a ground-breaking car in numerous ways, it was also awfully expensive and more of a race car than a road car. In 1955 it was soon joined by an entry-level SL, the 190SL (W121), which was not nearly as fast, but easier to drive and less pricy.

Mercedes Benz SL300 Gullwing

The modern SL series originated from the combination of these two models with the introduction of the 230SL in 1963 (W113) or more commonly known as the Pagoda. This car set the SL template that continues to this day as a high-quality, technologically sophisticated, two-seat convertible. The W113 (Pagoda) SL evolved through the 1960s and was replaced by what would become the longest-running SL model – the R107. Introduced in 1971 the SL had a V-8 for the first time, displacing 4.5 litres despite its 350SL badge. The R107 series continued to be produced up and till 1989 model year.

Mercedes Benz W113 Pagoda

Soon after the launch of the R107, Mercedes-Benz began work on its replacement, designated internally as theR129. The project that was started in the mid-1970s was finally launched for the 1990 model year.

Under the direction of Chief Designer Bruno Saccoand engineer-designer Johann Tomforde they refined a modern shape for the new R129 SL and finalized it by the mid-1980s. The next several years were spent on further testing and development.

Mercedes Benz R107

Mercedes Benz R129

The new R129 boasted several safety advancements, which included an automatic roll bar that was electromagnetically triggered and raised within 0.3 seconds. The SL's seats also represented an advancement in safety with their five-piece frames die-cast of a special magnesium alloy. The seatbelts and the buckle latch were incorporated into the seat frame, and the height of the belt was electronically adjustable with the headrest. ·A new front-seat occupant-detection sensor could deactivate the right-side airbag when it determined that the passenger seat held less than 12 kilograms. Automatic rain-sensing windshield wipers standard.

The SL's Interior alone resulted in the filing of 20 patents.

The R129 SL's automatic soft-top could be opened or closed in 30 seconds, while the hardtop was made of aluminium.

The new SL also featured a range of six- and eight-cylinder engines. However, these now featured a modern four-valve cylinder head.

Despite the long development period of the new SL, it proved to be worth the wait. The 20,000-unit initial year production run quickly sold out.

Over the 13 Year production run over 50 percent of the total produced were the V-8’s.The Six-cylinder cars were second with just 44 percent, and the V-12s were the least common representing just over six percent of all R129s.

Mercedes-Benz also produced its own special versions of the R129 SL for various markets around the world. A limited run of 10 cars was built for Italy’s Mille Miglia Storica in 1998 and 1999, while 40 were made for the U.S. 500 CART race in 1996.

In North America for the 1997 model year, a 40th Anniversary Edition Roadster celebrated the 300SL Roadster’s introduction in 1957. Of the 750 produced, one third were built as the SL320 and the balance as the SL500. 

The R129’s final model year of 2002 also saw the introduction of the Silver Arrow Edition USA, of which 1450 examples.

Mercedes Benz SL600 R129

Market Trends. 

With the earliest examples of the R129 now 30 years old, collectors are beginning to take notice. Over the past five years, R129’s in Excellent (#2) condition have increased on average by 49 percent. This has become a rising trend Worldwide and could well mark a turning point in the Mercedes Benz R129 market. First the W113 (Pagoda) went ballistic then the R107 followed. Superb R129s have already doubled in value over the past two years – but they have still got further to go.

Originality rules where R129s are concerned and a model that is surely going to excite and captivate the 90’s Car Market.

Mercedes Benz SL500 R129

Cars You Never Knew that were Plastic.

Mass production of glass strands was accidentally discovered in 1932 when Games Slayter, a researcher at Owens-Illinois, directed a jet of compressed air at a stream of molten glass and produced fibres. A patent for this method of producing glass wool was first applied for in 1933Owens joined with the Corning company in 1935 and the method was adapted by Owens Corning to produce its patented "Fiberglas"

The first car to have a fibre-glass body was a 1946 prototype of the Stout Scarab but the model did not enter production.

1946 Stout Scarab

The fibreglass car body boom quickly became the material of choice for countless low-volume car makers such as Lotus, Alpine, TVR, Matra, Ginetta and a few more. Some larger mainstream manufacturers were also quick to recognise the benefits of fiberglass, with Kaiser and Chevrolet revealing fibreglass-bodied prototypes as early as 1952 in the USA, with Saab and Volvo presenting niche fibreglass-bodied sports cars too soon after.

C1 Assembly Line

Today Fibreglass remains the favoured building material for many specialist cars, even if it has now fallen from favour with more mainstream mass-market manufacturers due the subsequent development of alternative hi-tech composites like Kevlar and carbon-fibre. Here are our favourite fibre glass bodied cars produced by mainstream makers better known for using more traditional materials…

Chevrolet Corvette C1 – 1953-62

Chevrolet rushed the Corvette into production following the model's debut at GM's 1953 Motorama show. The first 300 Corvettes were to a large degree, hand-built on a makeshift assembly line that was installed in an old truck plant in Flint Michigan while a factory was being prepped for a full-scale 1954 production run. The outer body was made out of then-revolutionary glass fibre reinforced plastic material. Although steel shortages or quotas are sometimes mentioned as a factor in the decision to use fiberglass, no evidence exists to support this.

The Corvette was produced using conventional fibreglass construction methods until the third generation C3 in 1968, when a press-mould process was introduced to simplify and decrease the GRP’s production time, this advance leading to the development of SMC (sheet moulded compound), used for all 1973-2004 Corvette body panels. Post-2004, Corvettes have continued to use SMC, but with a higher carbon-fibre content for strength and weight advantages.

Corvette C1

BMW M1 – 1978-81

In the late 1970s, the German automaker developed one of the more interesting mid-engine performance cars of all time. Born out of a desire to replace the aging 3.0 CSL race cars that BMW's then-newly founded Motorsports division campaigned around the world. BMW had to build 400 road cars to homologate it for racing. 

The Italian Design-styled (and built) M1 used riveted fibre glass panels, attached to a lightweight but rigid steel spaceframe chassis .Lamborghini was hired to develop the space frame chassis, Gianpaolo Dallara (a former Lamborghini employee)designed the suspension and Giorgetto Giugiaro who had recently founded Ital Design, was responsible for styling the car's wedge-like fiberglass body. German firm Baur oversaw final assembly in Stuttgart.

BMW M1

A decade after the M1, BMW went on to launch its second plastic car; the Z1 roadster, which featured removable GE’s Xenoy thermoplastic bodywork for the side panels and unusual retractable doors, with a fibre glass bonnet, boot, and tonneau cover.

BMW M1

Ford RS200 – 1985-86

The Ford RS200, a fibreglass-bodied homologation special developed to compete with Peugeot, Lancia, and MG in Group B rallying, but killed off before the model had chance to really prove itself.

Ford’s first (and only) rally of the 1986 season saw an RS200 involved in a tragic incident that took three spectators lives on the Rally de Portugal. This Portuguese accident was one of many that signalled Group B as simply too fast and dangerous, the Formula being outlawed at the end of 1986.

Ford RS200 Group B Rally Car

Due to Group B’s cancellation, the RS200’s competition career was very short lived, causing some RS200 buyers to refuse delivery of the cars. As a result, Ford never made the full 200 quota of Reliant-built road-going RS200s required to comply with homologation regulations, with reportedly 158 examples made between October 1985 and January 1986.

The RS200’s fibre glass s body was styled by Ghia and assembled around a honeycombed aluminium, steel and carbon-fibre central chassis, into which a Cosworth-developed 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder motor was centrally-mounted.

The bodywork of most of the RS200’s mid-engine Ford GT40 and GT70 competition predecessors were also made of fibreglass.

Ford RS2000

Ferrari 308 GTB ‘Vetroresina’ – 1975-77

Introduced at the Paris Salon in 1975, the stunningly beautiful 308 GTB – Ferrari's second V8-engined road car - marked a welcome return to Pininfarina styling following the Bertone-designed Dino 308 GT4. Badged as a 'proper' Ferrari rather than a Dino.

Produced initially with glass fibre (vetroresina) bodywork - the first time this material had been used for a production Ferrari - the Scaglietti-built 308 GTB used steel after April 1977.

Ferrari’s ripple-free fibre glass was of a high-quality standard, but in contrast to steel and alloy, it felt down market and deterred some customers with complaints of squeaks and creaks. Fibre glass 308s offered key benefits too though, being immune to rust – unlike later non-galvanised pre-1983 models – with a useful 150kg weight saving, a dry-sump lubrication system producing around 10PS more than steel-bodied GTBs, plus scarcity.

Only 712 vetroesina 308 GTB coupés were produced

Daimler SP250 ‘Dart’ – 1959-64

The English firm of Daimler (no relation to Mercedes-Benz) was known as a quality builder of stodgy limousines and hearses, particularly for the Royal Family, until the 1950s. At the time, the US market was queuing to purchase Jaguar’s, MG’s, Triumph’s, and Austin-Healey’s. Daimler jumped in with an advanced, if flawed, offering of their own. They hired Triumph motorcycle designer Edward Turner, who came up with one of the best sports car motors ever, a 2.5-litre Hemi V-8.

Daimler shocked all by unveiling a daring fibreglass bodied V8 sports car at the 1959 New York Show.

Early cars had bodywork issues; the fibreglass flexed alarmingly on the TR-3-style frame, so that doors would pop open during corners. The brakes were excellent and the engine even better, but the steering was a terribly slow.

Redesignated SP250 when production began Daimler SP250 Darts are rare these days with only about 1,000 survivors.

Daimler SP250 Dart

Volvo P1900 – 1956-57

In 1953 Volvo’s co-founder and managing director Assar Gabrielsson visited the U.S. and was very taken with the new fiberglass-bodied Chevrolet Corvette. He talked with Bill Tritt, who ran Glasspar, the company that made fiberglass boats and car bodies, and Tritt made some sketches of a two-seater roadster. Volvo sent a new chassis to Glasspar in Costa Mesa, California, and Tritt built a car around it.

After a handful of prototypes, the P1900 Sport went into production in 1956. Glasspar built 18 of the new roadsters and shipped the bodies to Sweden, where Volvo assembled the cars.

How the Volvo P1900 might have fared in the U.S. market became a moot point when Gabrielsson’s successor at Volvo, Gunnar Engelau borrowed one for the weekend. He was reportedly appalled by the lack of rigidity and quality control and famously said “I thought the doors would fall off.” Monday morning, he cancelled the project, and there would not be another Volvo sports car until the P1800 of 1960, which would be made of steel.

In total only 68 were produced with 18 of them exported to the USA the balance was all sold in Sweden.

Volvo P1900

BMC Mini – 1969

BMC Mini gathering in Chilie

Strong global demand saw BMC commence worldwide Mini production in the 1960s, the innovative car adapted to local market needs, from Italy to Australia.

The small South American market of Chile wanted the Mini but imported cars were banned. BMC could not justify the tooling and equipment needed for Chile to produce steel bodies, so it turned to experienced Isle of Man fibre glass  specialists Peel Industries (of P50 microcar fame) to develop a fibreglass Mini (plus a BMC ‘ADO16’ 1100) bodyshell, with local production beginning in 1969. Another South American country, Venezuela, later revived the fibre glass Mini in 1992, sold as the Cord, and building 768 examples.

BMC Mini 1969

BMW Mini 1992

Abarth 695 Tributo " Ferrari"

http://www.collectiblewheels.com/cars-for-sale/fiat-695-abarth-tributo-ferrari-for-sale

Carlo Abarth surrounded by his greatest cars

Abarth and Ferrari are two great names that have contributed, with conviction and dedication, to the legend of Italian racing that is known around the world. The legendary men behind both marques followed similar careers: first drivers, then tuners and finally heads of companies that command genuine respect in the world of motor racing.

These extraordinary men were associated in the past: in 1953, for example, a unique Ferrari-Abarth was born, the Ferrari 166/250 MM Abarth. The car raced in various international trophies including the legendary Mille Miglia.

Ferrari 166/250 MM Abarth.

Ferrari 166/250 MM Abarth.

It was in 1948 when the newly formed Italian automobile company named Ferrari began selling a promising sports car named the 166. The two-seater sports car featured a 12-cylinder engine mounted in the front and supplying over 100 horsepower to the rear wheels. The engine was just under two litres in size and had a unitary displacement of 166 cc, thus, the evolution of the model name. Production would last until 1953 with only 38 examples being produced. Even though production was low, its accomplishments are large, with wins at Le Mans, Mille Miglia, and the Targa Florio.

Fiat 500 Abarth (original ) 695SS

The tie between the two companies has been reinforced above all over the years with the exhaust systems designed by Abarth specifically for the cars built at Maranello: numerous exhaust systems have been made for various Ferrari models, some of which have won World Championship titles.

Abarth has always been well known for digging into the Fiat 500 and making it a bit of a terror on the rally circuits around the world.

This time around, according to corporate parent Fiat, the new Abarth 695 "Tributo Ferrari" has "substantial modifications" developed by both Abarth and Ferrari engineers.

First seen in 2009, 'gifted' to Ferrari team drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa.

Using 695 in the special edition’s nameplate recalls the 595-name applied to flagship versions of the first Abarth 500, which was pitched as a rival to the original Mini Cooper S of the 1960s.

Passion, heritage, exclusivity, Italian design: all this is encapsulated in the Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari. From the union of the two brands comes a limited edition which exalts Abarth's long racing tradition and enhances it with the inimitable elegance of Ferrari.

Paul Russell Master Restorer

Paul Russell

Over the past 40 years, Paul Russell and Company near Boston have become known as the world’s finest restoration workshop for concours-winning collector cars.

With 46 ‘Best of Show’ awards at the world’s most prestigious Pebble Beach Concours, it is fair to say Paul Russell knows a thing or two about restoring old cars. His clients include top-tier collectors such as Ralph Lauren and Andreas Mohringer , the Chairman of Samsung Electronics Corporation , to retired entrepreneur whose 22-car collection ranges from an economical 1958 BMW Isetta to a Mercedes 540K Special Roadster once owned by Warner Bros. founder Jack Warner and right down to us mere mortals without instantly recognizable names. Everyone is treated the same in Paul Russell’s world.

Paul Russell's shop is tucked away on a winding New England road tailored for a '50s-era roadster. There are woodworkers who bend and shape the wooden frames on pre-Second World War, coach-built cars; upholsterers whose skill would be suitable for the finest homes; and engine mechanics who work magic on the mind-numbingly complex power plants that come through the doors.

The restoration progress does not come cheap an initial deposit is required to get started. In return, Russell sends detailed statements every month cataloguing every bit of work done to the car. The statements include notes from the mechanic about scoring found on the interior walls of cylinders to a body shop memo about rust removed from the inner reaches of a quarter-panel. He also includes "in-progress" photos of the restoration, which he gathers into a scrapbook once the work is complete. A full restoration can take up to 2,500 to 3,000 hours.

Rebuilding cars to their previous condition often means building a history of the car from whatever clues are available. Some people do not care whether those hose clamps are Italian or American," Russell says. "We ask them whether they want a show car that will compete on a national level or whether they want a car they can enjoy and drive, as a way of helping them define their goals and ambitions."

Today, the people who bring their cars to Russell need to share his zeal for perfection; there is a waiting list of six to eight months and customers can expect to leave their car for a year for a full restoration. During that time, Russell's team of specialists will strip the car down to its shell and rebuild it piece by piece.

"There isn't anyone in the world, including Mercedes-Benz in Stuttgart, that comes anywhere close to his craftsmanship, “say the Mercedes Benz experts "There are no shortcuts with Paul."

1955 Mercedes-Benz 300Sb

Winning is an art and can be quite expensive. The professionals who specialize in restoring these show cars are a small group. They are forensic researchers, historians, artisans, world travelers and curators.

1958 Ferrari 335 Sport

Paul Russell is what separates a nice, shiny old car from a potential Pebble Beach winner?

Paul Russell and Ralph Lauren at Pebble Beach

Ferrari Dino 246 GT: A Style icon

The Ferrari Dino 246 GT is one of the most iconic cars ever designed.

The Ferrari Dino 246 GT first saw light at the 1965 Paris Motor Show as a prototype. It would start as a 206 GT before its transformation into the 246.

Enzo Ferrari's firstborn son, Dino Ferrari

The Dino brand honours Enzo Ferrari’s son Alfredino who had tragically died at the age of 24 in 1956 from leukemia. He was working on the Dino motor design at the time of his death and was credited with being the driving influence behind the new V6 engine which was being developed for competition purposes. Hence forth all six cylinder models were known as Dinos. Enzo idolized Dino and had big plans for his son at Ferrari’s Maranello factory, before Dino’s life was sadly cut short aged just 24.

The Ferrari Dino 246 GT features the six-cylinder engine Dino was designing prior to his death. It was the marque’s first production car to house a V6 engine, deviating from its usual V12 moniker.

Dino 246 GT six-cylinder engine.

The 246 GT was cheaper than a Porsche , more attainable and built with aspirations of dethroning Porsche in sales.

However, Ferrari's uncertainty towhether a cheaper car would diminish its lucrative Brand Image  kept the 246 GT from showcasing Ferrari’s famous Prancing Horse badge. Instead, it would carry the Dino’s badge.That is perhaps the reason why this wonderful machine would spend
much of its early existence undervalued. People yearned for the Ferrari badge to them, the Ferrari Dino 246 GT was not a traditional Ferrari.

1969 Dino Ferrari 206 GT

Perceptions would change over time. Fifty years later and the errari Dino 246 GT is now deeply coveted by collectors. An encapsulating piece f art worthy of gracing any museum. Well ahead of its time, the 246 GT influenced sports car culture and inspired generations of flamboyant supercars.

Between 1967 and 1969, Ferrari produced 150 Dino 206 GTs before the model evolved into the 246 GT. While both examples are relatively identical in looks, there are fundamental differences. The 246 GT is taller with a longer wheelbase and its body is made from steel rather than alloy.

Campher brothers' immaculate 1971 Dino 246 GT

The Ferrari 246 GT has a slight bigger engine than the 206 – 2.4 litres compared to 2.0 – while a cast-iron engine block was used instead of aluminium.The 246 GT was launched at the Turin Motor Show in 1969 and would be made in far greater numbers than its predecessor.

From 1969 to 1974, Ferrari made 3,761 Dino 246 GT models across three series as well as the Targa-roof 246 GTS.With its Fioravanti-Pininfarina design and Scaglietti-built brilliance,the Dino 246 GT was a huge commercial success. It became a pioneer of affordable luxury yet still encompassed all the hallmarks of a high-performance sports car.

U.S.-specification ‘Chairs & Flares’ coupe.

Designs differed slightly depending where the model was marketed and, as production moved into the early 1970s, Ferrari began to utilize certain options on the 246 GT. Most notably, for the U.S. market, wider Campagnola wheels were offered with iconic flared wheel arches. This unique design trait coupled with
intricate Daytona-patterned seats became affectionately known as the ‘Chairs and Flares’ option.

U.S.-specification ‘Chairs & Flares’ coupe.

When Ferrari ceased producing the Dino 246 GT in the mid 1970s, demand for the car remained high. It didn’t go unnoticed. As the Italian giants began to move away from the salubrious curves of the 246 GT, certain design aspects were used on its successor - the wedge-profiled, more angular Ferrari 308 – to keep appreciators happy.

Ferrari 308 GTS QV 1984.

A French Classic the Venturi GT400

“The inspiration for this article was whilst we are in lock down I was going through boxes of over a 1000 Fly Slot Cars that I have Collected.It made think that Fly Slot Cars were one of the Only Companies to ever manufacture models to Commemorate the History of the Venturi” from the 90”s.

The Venturi marque was a project born from two engineers who left their jobs at Heuliez to create machines that could compete with the top sports car manufacturers across Europe. Despite coming into existence during the onslaught of a global recession, Venturi managed an impressive list of accomplishments during its short tenure as a manufacturer

The Venturi 400 Trophy, also known only as Venturi Trophy is a competition car built in 1992 which was Affectionately referred to by some as the “French F40,”

The Venturi 400 GT that came in the 1990s remains one of the fastest road-going cars to come from France, and it was also the first road car ever to feature carbon brakes as standard equipment. Venturi produced more racing than road car variants though, and the motorsport entries proved to be formidable competition against well-established marques at high-level competitions like the 24 Hours of Le Mans, 1000km of Paris, and 4 Hours Spa. And with the assistance of racer-turned-organizer Stéphane Ratel, a single-model racing series was called the Venturi Gentlemen Drivers Trophy.

73 Venturi 400 Trophy models were produced,

Each of the vehicles in the Trophy had the same technical preparation to ensure that competition was on a level playing field, and the racing was as closely fought as you could hope for, and the six-race series was held on world-famous circuits of : Le Mans, Pau, Paul Ricard, Nürburgring, Magny-Cours, and Dijon.

Venturi gave customers the option to have the cars returned to the factory to be converted to road spec after the completion of the series, although the conversion did little more than add a speedometer and odometer, plastic door cards, and in some instances replaced the fixed covered headlights with pop-ups.

1992 - VENTURI 400 TROPHY, chassis n° 0051 out of 73, competed in the Gentlemen Drivers Trophy in 1992,1993 and 1994 and in the 1995 Philippe Charriol Supersports Trophy, driven by the Belgian Eric de Doncker, who finished fifth in the Group C category in the 1993 season..

It’s said that 13 Trophy-spec cars were converted, while the rest went on to continue to race in other series or were modified to be even more powerful track toys.

Despite the similarities in weight and 0-60 times between the F40 and this so-called “French version, “At the end of the day, the F40 is still a road car. The Venturi is definitely 100% a race car.”

The Venturi 400 Trophy above is the 66th 400 Trophy produced by the factory and one of Only 13 Venturi 400 Trophy which received road homologation by the factory.

Today, Venturi specialises in the development of high performance electric vehicles destined to break records or to operate in extreme conditions. Through its Venturi Global Challenges, Venturi aims at demonstrating the efficiency and durability of electric vehicles.

The first team to commit to the Formula E World Championship, Venturi competes under the name of ROKiT Venturi Racing with its drivers Felipe Massa and Edoardo Mortara.

Whats Trending in the Collector Market Right Now?

Our research is not an indicator of future collectability, but it says a lot about what’s trending hot and what’s not.

1981-1990 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60/FJ62

FJ60 prices have been rising for a few years, but increased sharply in 2018 and in 2019.Like earlier Land Cruisers, it is legendary for being rugged and dependable, but it has more modern creature comforts.

Introduced for the 1981 model year, the larger Land Cruiser FJ60 inherited the 4.2-liter inline-six engine from the FJ40, and its more modern design and amenities helped it compete in the rising sport utility market.

1999-2005 Mazda MX-5 Miata

The Mazda Miata moved much of the enthusiast community near to tears when it was introduced in 1989 for the 1990 model year. Colours were originally limited to red, white and blue and several option packages that included niceties like air conditioning, electric windows, and seat-mounted speakers. A nice removable hard top was offered as was an automatic version, but this option mercifully proved to be unpopular.

1993-2002 Mazda RX-7

Mazda fully embraced the Wankel rotary engine technology back in the 1960s, but it wasn’t until the RX-7 of 1978 that they really got it right, and it’s the RX-7 that is most fondly remembered in the world of rotary-powered cars. The first generation SA/FB RX-7 was a relatively humble car despite its novel engine, and the second generation FC was similarly somewhat basic, although an optional turbocharged model was added to the mix. The third and final generation FD RX-7, however, was an entirely different car. It was more exotic both in its look and in the technology under the bonnet. It was also more expensive and sold in far fewer quantities. From 1978-90, about three-quarters of a million RX-7s had been built, but there were less than 70,000 FD RX-7s built from 1991-2002.

2000-2003 BMW M5 (E39)

The BMW E39 M5 is the ultimate iteration of the original M5 formula that gave us exceptional performance in an unassuming everyday sedan. Refined and a whole lot of fun to drive, Car and Driver called it "the most desirable sedan in the world."

1994-1999 Ferrari F355

“F355 prices peaked in 2016–17 and then started gradually dipping, but then we saw a few massive sales at the end of last year that led to the car making our list. “They look great, sound great, are great driver’s cars, but they’re expensive to maintain.

A total of 11,165 Ferrari F355s were built during their 5-year production run, and they can be thrilling cars to own and drive as long as potential owners are aware of some common maintenance issues. For this reason alone, a careful study of all service records prior to purchase is recommended. Cosmetically, buyers need to keep an eye out for dashboard leather shrinkage as well as interior plastic parts that get "sticky" over time. These issues are somewhat common with Ferraris of the era and can be remedied by specialty shops, but represent a hidden cost to those not sensitive to the problem.

1995-1999 E36 BMW M3

While the E30 M3 was a big hit with enthusiasts, a star on track and a BMW performance icon, the company decided to go in a slightly different direction with the all-new second generation E36 BMW M3 of 1992. Its styling was nearly identical to the standard 3-Series, it was more comfortable, and had more usable power to make it ideally suited to daily driving. That’s not to say the E36 was slow. It had 46 percent more horsepower than its predecessor,handled very well and was generally regarded as one of the best all-around performers of the decade.

The Best Classic Car Events to attend in 2020

Over the Holiday period I was pondering on which Classic Car Events Internationally I would like to attend, below is a bucket list of My Events for 2020.

I have attended a few of the Events previously however because of time constraints ect I feel they deserve a second visit in 2020.

Rétromobile 2020

When: 5-9 February 2020

Where: Parc des expositions de la Porte de Versailles, Paris, France

The Paris show is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the year – partly because of the cars on display and partly because of the general ambience its Paris after all. It’s where cool cars combine with offbeat, quirky cars and motorcycles to create a collector car experience unlike any other.

It’s unique because it’s half-classic car show, half-retail opportunity. Its spread over eight halls, taking up almost 18 acres, and features more than 600 cars and 600 exhibitors. The exhibitors range from artists and restoration shops to classic car dealers and un gars selling the European equivalent of Hot Wheels.

To Top the Event it’s also the Opening Show of the Year which kind of sets a bench mark for the rest of the Year.

London Classic Car Show 2020

When: 20-23 February 2020

Where: Olympia, London, UK

The UK’s first big show of the year gets a new home for 2020, with the London Classic Car Show taking up residence in the wonderful Victorian splendour of the Olympia in Kensington. 

The London Classic Car Show is the must-attend event for any discerning classic car owner, collector or connoisseur. With over 500 cars on display, the show offers you the opportunity to view and purchase from what promises to be one of the widest collections in the UK.

This year’s show treats you to a brand-new carefully curated feature; Car Stories. The Car Stories stage celebrates six of the world’s most iconic and interesting cars, all with an incredible story to tell, hosted by motoring expert Max Girardo. Featuring personalities from the industry, including designers, racing drivers and owners, Car Stories provides a platform to delve into the rich history of these special vehicles with the help of those that know them best. The 1987 Rothmans Porsche 962C, Adrian Newey’s Lotus 49, and Sir Stirling Moss’s Maserati 250F will be amongst some of the cars taking centre stage..

The London Classic Car Show will also celebrate some of the most exquisite marques from throughout the decades. This year Range Rover celebrates a milestone 50 years as the leading luxury SUV and the Audi Quattro marks 40 years since its unveiling. Specially curated displays of some of the finest offerings from both Range Rover and Audi will be showcased at this show.

Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance 2020

When: 5-8 March 2020

Where: Amelia Island, Florida, USA

It’s the 25th Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.Like car week in Monterey, California, the northeast coast of Florida has become synonymous with classic automobiles and the people who celebrate them, thanks to the yearly Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. However, unlike Pebble Beach’s world-famous Concours, Amelia Island’s collectible car show doesn’t supercharge the excess; it has more of a relaxed, inviting vibe. That doesn’t mean the cars are inferior—quite the contrary.

As for early information on some of the special classes scheduled for the 25th annual Amelia Island Concours, founder Jack Warner has said the new mid-engine 2020 Chevrolet Corvette C8, due for its official unveiling July 18, will be displayed along with 11 other stillborn Corvette mid-engine prototypes from the 1970s on.

A class of cute cars is also planned, from more modern ones like the Nissan Figaro to classics like 1950′s German micro cars, as well as the cars of Italy’s Carrozzeria Scaglietti.

Also, cars designed by General Motor’s legendary 1930s to 1950s chief designer, Harley Earl, will also be assembled, such as the 1939 Buick Y-Job, the first concept car.

Techno-Classica Essen 2020

When: 25-29 March 2020

Where: Essen, Germany

The Essen Techno – Classica is known to ‘petrol -heads’ throughout the World as being one of the first of its type, one of the largest and one of the best. The place to be, for any car enthusiast, in the last week of March 2020.

In 2019 RM Sotherby’s held a Classic Car auction there for the first time it was so successful that they will be returning for 2020.

Around 1,250 exhibitors present themselves at the Techno-Classica Messe Essen and show over 2,700 first-class classic cars, young timers and many high-priced vehicles that are for sale. The traditions cultivated at Techno-Classica Essen also include the presentations of the more than 200 classic clubs and interest groups, the Concours d'Élégance, where an international jury of experts and journalists select the most beautiful, elegant and attractive classic dealers.

International car manufacturers also use the radiance of the world's leading trade fair. Numerous automobile brands present exquisite exhibits on their factory stands, most of which can be seen exclusively at the classic car fair in Essen. 

Concorso d’Eleganza Villa D’Este 2020

When: 22-24 May 2020

Where: Villa Erba, Cernobbio, Italy

The Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este owes its privileged status among the world’s most prestigious heritage events for historic vehicles to a number of unique attributes. These include the elegance of the event, its long and illustrious tradition, the unrivalled flair experienced at the majestic Grand Hotel Villa d’Este on the shores of Lake Como and the small, select groups of participants.

The Grand Hotel Villa d’Este is one of the world’s most iconic hotels. The grounds and parkland offer guests and visitors an opportunity to admire around 50 remarkable historic automobiles every year. The various classes are organised in different categories and judged by a world-famous jury headed by Jury President, Lorenzo Ramaciotti.

As backdrops to classic events go, you won’t get much better than the breathtaking shores of Italy’s Lake Como. Now 91 years old, this prestigious concours at Villa d’Este celebrates two- and four-wheeled classics.

A select elite from the international collector scene will come together there once again. The official opening of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este will take place on Friday 22nd May 2020.
The excitement will start to mount on Saturday when all the vehicles take up their positions in the morning. On 23rd May 2020, the carefully selected classic cars will be appraised in the exclusive gardens of Villa d’EsteThe traditional apogee of this lavish presentation comes when each of the vehicles parades on the terrace of the Grand Hotel directly overlooking the banks of Lake Como.

On Sunday, a procession will be staged in the park of the nearby Villa Erba. These grounds also occupy a majestic position directly on the edge of the lake and their expansive green swards offer the public audience the opportunity to take a closer look at these exceptional automobiles. This frequently also enables visitors to engage in discussions with the custodians and owners of the vehicles, as well as talking to celebrities from the automobile world – the Concorso Villa d’Este is recognised particularly by designers as a superlative travel destination. You are unlikely to find a comparable selection of legendary automobile jewels anywhere else in the world.

Three classes have already been announced: ’Hypercars of the 1990s’, ‘Pre-war Roadsters’ and ‘Cops and Robbers: Fast cars from both sides of the Law’, so you can certainly expect plenty of variety 

London Concours 2020

When: 10-11 June 2020

Where: London, UK

AN AUTOMOTIVE GARDEN PARTY AT THE HEART OF THE CITY.

The London Concours, presented by Montres Breguet, is a luxurious automotive garden party hosted right in the heart of the City of London from Wednesday 10th – Thursday 11th June. This hugely exciting automobile extravaganza will see 80 of the world’s most precious cars gather in the gardens of the historic and beautiful Honourable Artillery Company Headquarters and will include a ferocious collection of horsepower arranged in specially curated and themed displays chosen by the editorial panel of Octane Magazine. The two days offer entertainment on the lawns, beautiful retails chalets with luxury brands and artisan goods, and a delicious selection of food and beverages to match. If you are looking for a unique backdrop for a business meeting with either breakfast or lunch included, then London Concours is your solution.

A colourful celebration of the Ferrari Dino has been revealed as the first feature display at this summer’s London Concours.

Eight Dinos, each in a different factory-original colour, will be on display at this privately owned collection will be hard to miss.

On show will be Dinos finished in Blu Dino, Rosso Chiaro red, Grigio Ferro grey, Nero black and Nuovo Giallo yellow, plus three more shades, ensuring a vibrant display.And one of the eight is particularly special, being one of the five UK-delivered ‘Chairs and Flares’ versions, with enlarged wheel arches and ‘Daytona’ seats.

Monterey/Pebble Beach Car Week 2020

When:  August 7th and ends on August 16th.

Where: Monterey / California

The world’s premier classic car festival takes place over nearly two weeks in several sun-kissed locations around the town of Monterey and the nearby resort of Pebble Beach in California.

A tradition going back over half a century, the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance is where the world's collector cars meet and compete. Only the 200 best collector cars in the world roll onto the legendary 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links by Invitation only, and only a handful of those will receive official recognition for style, technical merit and historical accuracy.

But the Concours is only the final event in a packed week celebrating the classic automobile! All over Monterey County, classic cars take to streets, golf courses, parks and the world-renowned WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, surrounding visitors with automobiles from yesteryear.

There’s a wealth of events, including big-ticket auctions hosted by RM Sotheby’s, Bonhams and Gooding & Co, quirky fare such as the Little Car Show and Concours d’Lemons and glitzy affairs including the Concorso Italiano and Pebble Beach Tour D’Elegance. It all peaks with the Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance: probably the finest of all such classic car competitions.

Motorclassica 2020

When: 9-11 October 2020

Where: Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne, Australia

Australia’s best car show is a three-day affair, which kicks off with a parade through the centre of Melbourne and includes both a Concours d’elegance and a Classic Motor Show.

Motorclassica stands on the world’s stage as Australasia’s largest and most prestigious concours d’elegance and exhibition of classic and new exotic and prestige cars and motorcycles. In its 10th year, Motorclassica draws an affluent and engaged audience from around Australia and abroad for three days in celebration of the motoring lifestyle.  Hosted in the world heritage-listed Royal Exhibition Building located in Melbourne, more than 500 vehicles mix with fine food and wine, cinema, educational displays and 100 trade exhibitors.

The Melbourne Motorclassica Tour will be a fantastic opportunity to visit some outstanding classic motorcar collections, drive a sports car along the Great Ocean Road, one of the world’s best drives in Australia. 

GOING TO BE A BUSY YEAR !!!!

Top Cars from the Past 8 Decades

For eight decades, cars have been incredible: gorgeous, innovative, powerful, and even reliable and affordable. As we spend more time talking about not owning cars and enjoying them drive themselves, we thought it would be appropriate to look back on the glories witnessed and pick a few big winners.

The 1940s: Original Jeep

1943 Willy’s Jeep

The Willys-Overland Jeep was the vehicle than helped the Allies win World War II. The original rugged, throw-anything-at-it set of wheels, its legacy remains strong even today in vehicles such as the Jeep Wrangler.

Military vehicles have sometimes made the transition to civilian life. Think of the Hummer, for example.

But the Willys Jeep is one of the vehicles that said it all. Simple, easy to maintain, tough, ready for action. It was used by the US military and its allies as a scout car, so it saw front-line duty. Research it today and you can't help but be impressed at its perfect combination of form and function.

The 1950s: Citroën DS

Citroën DS

The Citroën DS marked France's automotive comeback after World War II. Ahead of its time in both technology and styling, the DS has and will always be considered a pinnacle of the peculiar Gallic aesthetic attitude toward cars: sleek, suave, worldly.

Its iconic styling, advanced hydro-pneumatic suspension, and numerous Citroën design quirks made the DS truly unique.

The beautiful machine went into production in 1955 and stayed there until 1975.

The 1960s: Volkswagen Beetle

VW Beetle

The "people's car," as the Volkswagen was originally defined, was created by Ferdinand Porsche at the behest of Nazi Germany for a cheap vehicle for everyone. Porsche went on to found Porsche as we know it today, while the Beetle survived the German World War II defeat to become one of the most popular cars of the 1960s.

Affordable, basic transportation was what a lot of people needs as the huge American sedans of the 1950s had lost their appeal. Eventually, the VW Beetle would go out of production but not before 21 million had been sold.

The 1970s: Lamborghini Countach.

Lamborghini Countach.

While the stunningly beautiful Lamborghini Miura may have been the original supercar, it is the Countach that put the supercar on the map. No car in the last 40 years can match the Countach for sheer star power.

Armed with Lamborghini's legendary Bizzarini V12 engine, a sleek wedge-shaped body by Marcello Gandini, and its iconic up-swinging doors, the Countach was a cultural phenomenon.

The 1980’s Porsche 959

Porsche 959

The 959 doesn't make our list because it could do 320km/h or because it let the world know that twin turbos were insane, or that variable all-wheel drive was possible on a sports car. The car's influence is still felt to this day on Porsche's line-up, and even that wasn't enough. The Porsche 959 is the best car of the 1980s because it walked the walk, winning everything from Dakar to Le Mans. Quite simply, in its heyday, nothing made could beat this car on any surface.

It's not just the car of the '80s. It's among the best of all-time.

The 1990’s NISSAN R33 SKYLINE GT-R.

NISSAN R33 SKYLINE GT-R.

The Nissan Skyline is an automobile nameplate originally produced by the Prince Motor Company starting in 1957, and then by Nissan after the two companies merged in 1967. An R33 GT-R driven by Dirk Schoysman lapped the Nordschleife in less than 8 minutes. The Skyline GT-R R33 is reported to be the first production car to break 8 minutes, at 7 minutes and 59 seconds.

It was an R33 variant that broke the "gentlemen's agreement" between Japan's automakers, limiting horsepower to 276. The R33 was also the only GT-R to be officially available with four doors.

Every dynasty has its bright spots and its dark horses. The '33 is emphatically the latter.

The 2000’s BMW E46 M3.

BMW E46 M3

There are the purists who believe BMW lost its way in the early 1990s. For everyone else, the early 2000s were the halcyon days for BMW, with that era’s cars being a perfect fusion of modern engineering, classic BMW driving dynamics, and somewhat-conservative styling.

The E46-generation M3 may be, simply, the best car BMW has ever built. It packed the S54 3.2-liter naturally aspirated inline-six engine, with 338 horsepower and an 8,000 rpm redline.

2010’s Tesla Model S

Tesla Model S

Elon Musk has leveraged every edge granted by the US government to put Tesla in the forefront of motoring’s future. He was also way ahead of every other electric-car maker, by giving his flagship Model S the form factor of a luxury car instead of an economy vehicle. He knew that potential buyers wanted comfort and panache to go with their environmental sensibilities. Tesla has had quality and production issues, but the cars are good to drive, and the company is sticking around.

The 2020s: Uber!

The best car from the latest decade - might not be a car! In fact, it might be a smartphone app valued at over $60 billion (about R841 billion), which not incidentally more than the market caps of GM, Ford, FCA, and Tesla.

For all its faults, Uber joined on-demand ride-hailing with the app economy and made it possible to eliminate much of the friction of getting around. In short order, users realised that Ubering (yep, it became a verb) could be cheaper than owning a car. The company remade the urban landscape and in the process shook up the taxi business.

Prior to CEO Travis Kalanick's departure in 2017, Uber was reckless and defiant in its relentless efforts to dominate the new market it had created. The law-bending and at time law-breaking wasn't good. Nor were the battles with governments in Europe.

But there's no debating that for the first time since the invention of the automobile, Uber got a massive number of people thinking about why they might not ever need one.

Affordable Classic That Look Expensive.

Nissam Z350 2003

Nissan Z350

The first Datsun Z car was shown at the 1969 Tokyo Motor Show under its domestic name of Fairlady Z. It turned out to be a landmark car, not only for Nissan, but for the entire Japanese car industry, because it proved Japan could produce a classic sportscar. It is fast enough and good looking enough for people to think you are rich.

Average Price: R150000-00

BMW Z3 2001

BMW Z3 and Z4

BMW is famous for its compact sports sedans with powerful engines. However, in 1995 they started producing sporty roadsters in the form of the Z3 and Z4. There’s a wide arrange of models and early ones are affordable.

You should always look for six-cylinder versions since they deliver a lively performance along with that charming open-air driving feel. The Z3 and Z4 are light and compact, so they are the perfect summer cruisers to help you look rich for not a lot of money.

Average Price: R189000-00

Ferrari Mondial 1991

Ferrari Mondial

Introduced in 1980, the Mondial was the successor of the 308 GT4. Despite the fact that the Mondial was more practical and somewhat cheaper, it wasn`t particularly popular and today it is one of rare poorly regarded models in the Ferrari community. The production ended in 1993 after close to 5000 examples were made. Today, this is one of the cheapest ways into Ferrari ownership.

Average Price : R800000-00

Mercedes Benz E55 2003

Mercedes E55 AMG

In 1998, AMG released its ultimate version of standard E-Class in form of the E55 AMG. From the outside, the E55 AMG looked like any other E-Class with just minimal changes but underneath the body, there was a 5.4-liter supercharged beast just waiting to be released.

AMG built over 12,000 examples which make them relatively plentiful today.

Average Price : R175000-00

Mercedes Benz 2000 SL500

Mercedes SL

When you think of the best car of the 1990s, there is one car that stands out and that is the famous Mercedes SL R129 generation. The SL roadsters were always fantastic driving machines and ultimate Stuttgart classics. However, the R129 was the symbol of the decade and the automotive personification of success, power, speed and quality. Driving in a Mercedes SL convertible will scream that you are wealthy.

Average Price: R389000-00

Roll Royce Silver Spirit 1981

Rolls Royce Silver Spirit

The early 80s Rolls Silver Spirit is a super luxury sedan with classic looks, a powerful engine and a bespoke interior. If you decide to buy this car, it will show that you have class, money and are a member of high society. And, if that is exactly what you want people to believe its money well spent.

Average Price : R389000-00

BMW M5 2002

BMW M5 E39

The M5 that BMW built from 1998 to 2003 is widely considered one of the best performance sedans of all times. The heart of the car was a glorious S62 4.9-liter V8 engine with 400 HP. And it sent all the power to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual. Once an expensive sedan a lot more affordable today than one would think.

Average : Price R189000-00

Porsche 996 Carrera 2003

Porsche 911

Even though the classic 911s and current models have prices through the roof, you can still find bargains on the used car market that will make you look rich. The shape of the 911 is iconic and makes it recognizable as an upscale car. And if you show up in a 15-year-old model, you will still look like a well-to-do person.

Average Price : R389000-00

Memorable Adverts

Over the years, we have all seen thousands – probably tens of thousands – of car ads in the pages of your favourite magazines.

As print media and magazines turn to the digital age adverts are becoming rather forgettable.

So the other day while we were doing research and going through bundles of old car magazines every so often something comes along that hits the spot – and these are just some of those from the past half a century or so.

Mini 850 (1963)

You can’t beat the period charm of this advert from 1963, four years after the Mini had been launched, and by which time it had already become a legend.

Audi diesel (1981)

It would be years after this advert appeared that diesels became mainstream in Europe, and it was thanks to the efforts of car makers such as Audi that this happened.

In the 1990s, the supercar was virtually dead. Only Ferrari and Lamborghini were offering models that looked great, had enough horsepower under their bonnets and handled better than run-of-the-mill sports cars of the era. And then came the 993 Turbo. "Kills bugs fast" is one of the more straight-forward ads from Porsche, featuring an action photograph of the vehicle accelerating mid-corner and a short description of its performance stats.

The concept of a Volvo turbo wagon, adequately illustrated

Daihatsu’s minivan that can pick up five times more women than a Ferrari

I could definitely not contradict that ad…: )

IF YOU HAVE ANY MEMORABLE ADVERTS OR HAVE COME ACROSS SOME PLEASE SHARE THEM WITH US AT WWW.COLLECTIBLEWHEELS.COM or ian@kilburn.co.za  

Chevrolet Corvette Convertible History in Pictures.

The name "Corvette" is the longest continuously running car nameplate in the world, dating back more than 60 years. Every first-generation Corvette—later known as the C1—was a convertible, and a coupe model wasn't added until a decade later, in 1963. Yet every generation of Corvette since has offered a convertible variant.

That rich history had us anxiously waiting to see what the new 2020 Chevy Corvette C8 convertible had in store. The C8 adopts its first-ever mid-engine layout, and to that the C8 convertible adds its own Corvette first: a power retractable hard top. Meanwhile, it also adds fairings behind the driver and passenger headrests, imparting an ever more exotic look.

C1 Corvette: 1953-1962

C2 Corvette: 1963-1967

C3 Corvette: 1968-1982

C4 Corvette: 1984-1996

C5 Corvette: 1997-2004

C6 Corvette: 2005-2013

C7 Corvette: 2014-2019

C8 Corvette: 2020-

We think it looks good, but only time will tell if the first mid-engine 'Vette becomes a classic piece of automotive design. What do you think of the new Corvette convertible? Let us know.

Concours South Africa 2019

Vic and Gerhard Camper Overall Winners 2019 Ferrari Dino

It hasn’t taken long for Concours South Africa at Steyn City to become an important fixture on the classic car calendar. And no surprise, when you consider the cars competing for the overall crown this year.

Contestants started arriving on Friday, off-loading and registering their vehicles at the Steyn City entrance, before driving in convoy to their final parking spots.

Graham Duxbury and Basil Green

Friday's activities closed with the induction of Basil Green and Graham Duxbury into the South African Hall of Fame. 

Saturday the judging panel had 15 minutes with each car, looking at overall condition, originality etc.

Later in the afternoon, the judges announced the top 12 that would go through to the final round (to be judged, again, on Sunday). The final 12 were;

·         1961 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (Franco Scribante)

·         1992 Opel Kadett 2.0 GSi 16v Superboss (Gavin Roberts)

·         1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS (John Sayers)

·         1990 BMW 325iS (Raveen Sewchand Ramlakan)

·         1973 Porsche 911T (Timothy Abbot)

·         1982 Ford Cortina XR6 (Wynand Mulder)

·         1956 Porsche 356 (Matthew Kreeve)

·         1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia "Step Nose" (Neville Forssman)

·         1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint (Neville Forssman)

·         1965 MGB Roadster (Thys Venter)

·         1957 VW Type 2 Split-Window (Wynand - Generation Old School)

·         1971 Dino 246 GT (Vic Campher)

Sunday’s perfect weather set the scene for the annual classic-car gathering which blended collector vehicles with stylish fashion, and sumptuous food and fine wines. Bringing further glamour to the event, Carolyn Steyn was on hand to award Best Dressed Lady to Lizelia Wort for her chic garden-party elegance.

Just after lunch, it was time for the announcement of the winners. In third place was Neville Forssman's beautiful Giulietta Sprint, second went to a crowd favorite, the BMW 325is of Raveen Sewchand Ramlakan and the winner... the beautifully turned-out Dino 246 GT of the Campher brothers.

“The level of competition was extraordinarily high,” said chief Concours judge Marius Malherbe. “So much so that the top 10 — selected for final judging — became a top 12.”

1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint

In the "Show 'n Shine" category it was Gordon Johnstone's 2005 Maserati Gran Sport that emerged victorious, while Class 1B was won by Roger Martin's Jaguar SS 2.5 Saloon, with Class 2A scooped by the very well-prepared 1957 VW Kombi Type 2 from Generation Old School. In Class 2B it was that beautiful 356A of Matthew Kreeve that came out tops while Raveen Sewchand Ramlakan's E30 325iS was the best of the SA specials.

Roll on Concours SA 2020...

Downforce is Sexy ?

Like all car enthusiasts, we love a big rear wing. Some of these generate real downforce, others are for show, but all are fantastic.

One of the most polarizing automotive design choices any automotive designer can make is the inclusion of a rear wing. Rear wings, or spoilers, are often added to race cars to spoil the flow of air across the vehicle and thus eliminate unwanted turbulence that could cause the vehicle to lose traction, become airborne or otherwise behave erratically on the track.

So if spoiler technology is designed for race cars, why have so many street machines become factory-equipped with huge rear wings?

 They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and, in this case, the old adage is true. Many factory-issued car spoilers are designed to make street-legal versions of race cars look more like race cars.

Ferrari F40

One of the most collectible classics of the modern era is the Ferrari F40–a stunning example of lightness, power and beauty. The car was named to honour the company’s 40th anniversary, and at the launch journalists spontaneously broke into applause, mesmerized by a sensuous shape that screamed speed. A tall rear spoiler dominated the design, which showed a resemblance to the 288 GTO. But otherwise, the form was quite clean.

Lamborghini Countach

Lambo’s legendary wedge was outrageous enough without a wing. When the Italian marque made one an option in the late Seventies, few could resist, even though it was entirely superfluous. Designed for F1 upstart Walter Wolf, the tray reached its most preposterous form on the monstrous LP5000 QV variant.

Ford Escort RS Cosworth

Mention the word “wing” to a Ford fan and they will shout “whale tail” at you.

The Ford’s Escort Cosworth boasts one of the most radical spoilers of all time, but did you realise that some were actually sold without it? In some countries the Escort Cosworth’s mighty rear wing was not allowed. In Switzerland, for example, the whale tail was declared a danger to motorcyclists in the event of a crash and thus all of its examples used a smaller rear spoiler. Even in the UK, later examples were offered with the option of a spoiler.

Porsche 964 Carrera RS 3.8

Porsche is no stranger to rear wings: from the 930 Turbo to the 993 Carrera RS, the Stuttgart marque has long been sticking duck tails and spoilers on its special edition sports cars. Best of the bunch? The double-layered number that appeared at the back of its 964 Carrera RS 3.8 – an ultra-rare performance weapon released in 1993 to homologate the equally mighty RSR racer. Stripped of all unnecessary elements, the RS was so slight in lightweight guise that the wing did well just to keep its wheels on the ground.

BMW E9 CSL

In racing trim, BMW’s iconic 3.0 CSL had an aero kit so sharp-edged and striking it earned the sports saloon a memorable nickname: the Batmobile. On the road? The feisty Seventies special wore the air ducts and fender fins, but no rear wing, because it was illegal on German roads. Instead, BMW hid the spoiler in the boot for self-installation. So, while the track car was prevailing in the European Touring Car Championship, new CSL owners were installing their own rear wings that helped it win.

Toyota Supra

Originally built over four generations –it was the fourth and final coming of the Supra that had the greatest rear end. Whether or not the wing on the Supra is functional or not is up for debate. But like many cars in the 90s, the presence of a spoiler meant one thing–force-fed power under the bonnert.

Plymouth Superbird

Built to go stock car racing and released for the road in very limited numbers, the Plymouth Superbird was not your average muscle car. It was paired with a V8 and a four speed manual gearbox, but it also looked like a rocket ship and had a rear wing big enough for it to take off. The rear wing was actually styled by a missile scientist.

Mercedes-Benz 190E Evo II

Executive cars aren’t where you’d usually expect to find a wing, let alone one as extreme as the Evo II’s. Then again, the limited-edition Mercedes was no ordinary executive car. The Evo II was introduced in 1990 and had a number of cosmetic and mechanical changes including a wild-for-its-time aerodynamics package, an in-car adjustable suspension, improved brakes, bigger 17-inch wheels, and a reworked AMG 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that produced 235 horsepower.