Long believed to have been lost, the unique Mercedes-Benz 540 K Streamliner returned to the limelight at the recent Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Designed by Hermann Ahrens, the slippery 540 K had originally been built to compete in the Berlin to Rome rally. After this was cancelled, the car served as a high speed tyre tester for Dunlop Germany. Upon its return to Stuttgart, it was dismantled and put in storage. Although most of the body disappeared, the original chassis was re-discovered. This prompted Mercedes-Benz Classic to resurrect the car with a spectacular result.
Known as the 'Star of India' this Delahaye 135M Figoni & Falaschi Cabriolet won Best of Show earlier this month at the inaugural Chantilly Arts & Elegance. It is one of nine examples built and one of just three survivors. We had already captured the lovely Delahaye at Pebble Beach, resulting in a 22-shot gallery.
Also designed to cheat the wind was the Lotus 15 Climax. Built between 1958 and 1960, it was the first Lotus sports racer powered by the FPF Climax engine. Thanks to its aerodynamic shape, light weight and fine handling, it was often able to compete with much larger engined rivals. Our new Lotus 15 feature now includes two of the very best examples but we intend to add more chassis in the future.
Ahead of the Paris Motor Show launch, Honda this morning released more details and the first non-camouflaged images of the upcoming Civic Type R. It will have over 280 hp, a six-speed manual and a special steering rack designed to prevent torque steer.
Specifically for the Asian market, McLaren has launched the 625C in both Coupe and Spider form. Compared to the 650S, it is based on, the Asia-specific McLaren is slightly more comfortable.

Ahead of the official launch next Thursday in Paris, Ferrari have released the first details of the 458 Speciale A. The 'A' is short for Aperta or Open and refers to the Spider configuration of this limited production, high performance machine. Powered by the same, 605 hp V8 engine as the Speciale coupe introduced last year, the 458 Speciale A will have a limited production run of 499 examples.
Much rarer still is the Ferrari 275 GTB/4 Nart Spyder of which just ten were built. The Nart acronym refers to the North American Racing Team, which was headed by Luigi Chinetti, who was also the one who commissioned the car. One grabbed headlines last year for selling for a staggering $27.5 million at auction but we have now learned that the example on display at Pebble Beach last month changed hands earlier this year for a reported $28 million. Both of these and two more are featured in our 70-shot gallery of this striking and hugely valuable Ferrari spyder.
Especially for the newly introduced 1.6-litre Formula 2 regulations of 1967, Lotus created the Type 48. In many respects a scaled down version of the manufacturer's Formula 1 and Indy cars, it was raced with some success by Team Lotus. A sad episode in this F2 racer's history is Jim Clark's fatal accident in one at Hockenheim in April of 1968. The featured example is a very rare survivor and was raced during the 1967 season by Jim Clark. We captured it during last year's tribute to Jim Clark at the Goodwood Revival.
One of the more unusual cars on display at Chantilly earlier this month was the Nomad Mk1 Ford. This was the first of three sports racers built by Bob Curl for Mark and Gabriel Konig. It was raced with some success during the 1967 season before it was superseded by the open Mk2.

Based on the latest, 'W205' generation Mercedes-Benz C-Class introduced earlier, Mercedes-AMG has created the all-new C 63 AMG. It boasts a similar four-litre V8 as found in the recently launched GT. What sets the all-new AMG-developed power unit apart from conventional twin turbo V8s is the 'hot inside' configuration with the exhausts and turbos mounted inside the V. In 'standard' trim, the M177 is good for 476 hp, while the optional 'S' package adds a further 34 hp to that figure. Compared to the outgoing model, the new C 63 AMG S is both more powerful and cleaner. In addition to the sedan model, an Estate will also be launched in Paris next week.
Rival Audi will also be out in force at the biennial 'Mondial de l'Automobile'. One of their main new models will be the TTS Roadster. As the name suggests, this is drop-top version of the TT Coupe introduced at the Geneva Motor Show back in March. The top of the range version will be powered by a turbocharged, four-cylinder engine good for just over 300 bhp.
One of the most interesting concept cars due to be unveiled in the French capitol is the Infiniti Q80 Inspiration of which an additional image and a little more information has just been released. According to the press release, the luxury four-door fastback sedan has a novel 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 seating arrangement. Our interpretation is that is that each of the four occupants of the car will have a separate seat.
Toyota, meanwhile, will showcase the C-HR Concept, which should lead the way for a hybrid-engined compact crossover.

In this, the company's centennial year, we have seen many great examples from Maserati's rich history. Today, we have selected five of the very best, all powered by a V8 engine. The earliest of these is the V8RI, which we already featured in July. The reason we have highlighted this independently sprung Grand Prix racer again is that the recent Goodwood Revival featured two V8RIs on the grid together, most likely for the first time since the 1930s.
Another star of the Revival was the unique 420/M/58 Eldorado, which was parade of the 250F parade. Built for the 1958 Race of Two Worlds at Monza, it combined a 250F chassis with a downsized version of the 450S V8. Perhaps its biggest claim to fame was the use of a sponsorship livery for the first time on a European racing car.
A similar V8 engine was found in the 5000 GT Touring Coupe introduced late in 1959. The featured example is the second of two similar cars with the original earmarked for the Shah of Persia, who had been a driving force behind the 5000 GT road car project. One of the stars at Pebble Beach last month the second 5000 GT Touring Coupe was commissioned by Basil Read, who also owned the Kyalami racing track at the time.
Arguably the most striking of the five cars featured today is the Boomerang show car created by Giorgietto Giugiaro in the early 1970s. Using Bora underpinnings, it boasts a dramatic wedge-shape and a futuristic interior with a steering wheel that doubled as a dashboard. Even though intended as a show car, the Boomerang is fully functional and road legal.
Another Bora variant is the little known Bora Group 4, which was shown at the recent Chantilly Arts & Elegance. It was developed by the factory for a wealthy privateer, but homologation issues prevented it from living up to the high expectations.

Rounding off the week, we today take a detailed look at one of the very first Ferraris; the 166 Spyder Corsa. All early Ferrari sports racers shared the same basic design with only slight variations in body design and engine displacement. The first of these produced in any significant numbers was the 166 Spyder Corsa. This featured a two-litre version of the Gioachino Colombo designed V12 engine and a cycle fender body. A series of eight was produced in 1948 and 1949, of which a remarkable number have survived. Our detailed article features three different examples, each of which is very significant in its own right. The first is the oldest surviving Ferrari, while the second is the earliest Ferrari that still features its original engine, chassis and body, and the third is the first competition Ferrari to be imported into the United States. They are pictured in a 58-shot gallery at events all around the world.

In a fortnight, the biennial Paris Motor Show will kick off with the first of two press days. Among the most powerful machines due to be launched is the Bentley Mulsanne Speed. Introduced alongside an updated version of the existing Mulsanne, the 'Speed' boasts an all-aluminium, twin-turbo V8 good for 530 bhp and a tarmac-shredding 1,100 Nm of torque. The mighty engine allows the big Mulsanne Speed to accelerate to 100 km/h in under 5 seconds.
Opel and Vauxhaull will use Paris to showcase a new top-of-the-range version of their popular super-mini. Dubbed the Adam S, it features a 150 hp version of the 1.4 litre four-cylinder engine, which is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox.
Environmentally friendly machines will once again take centre stage. Renault will showcase the Eolab Concept. This experimental vehicle can cover 100 km on just two litres of petrol. This is made possible by a lightweight construction, slippery design and highly efficient hybrid drivetrain. The Citroen C4 Cactus Airflow 2L Concept is equally frugal. The compact SUV is powered by a 'Hybrid Air' drivetrain, which combines a three-cylinder petrol engine and a compressed air energy storage unit.
Sister company Peugeot meanwhile has previewed the Quartz Concept, which offers a first glimpse of a future compact concept. Based on the latest 308, it sports a 270 hp petrol engine, complemented by two electric motors.

Each year event host Lord March provides thousands of enthusiasts with a magic step back into time in the form of the annual Goodwood Revival Meeting. Held for the 17th time this year, the 2014 edition celebrated 60 years of the Maserati 250F and Jaguar D-Type, and also celebrated the hugely successful career of triple World Champion Jackie Stewart, who first drove a single seater racing car at Goodwood 50 years ago. Also marked were the 50th anniversary of John Surtees' historic Formula 1 World Championship win and the 75th anniversary of D-Day. In addition the special parades and races, the event featured many familiar races with the Sussex Trophy, the RAC Tourist Trophy and the Glover Trophy among the highlights this year. Across the road, longtime partner Bonhams staged their most successful Revival Sale yet, headlined by a Lagonda LG45R, which sold for over GBP 1.5 million.
We were in attendance throughout the weekend at what is one of our favourite events of the year. The event's unique atmosphere has been captured by a comprehensive report, illustrated by a 300-shot Goodwood Revival gallery with an additional 60-shot gallery of all the stars of the Bonhams sale.

Fifty years ago this year, Sir Jackie Stewart first raced at Goodwood. This occasion is celebrated with a special parade of cars he raced during his career during this weekend's Goodwood Revival Meeting. Among the ex-Stewart racers present will be a pair of Tyrrell 006 Cosworths. Introduced halfway through the 1972 season, the all-new Tyrrell design was quick straight out of the box but proved woefully unreliable during its first outings. By 1973, the bugs had been ironed out and Stewart used the 006 to win his third and final World Championship. A very sad footnote in the Tyrrell 006's history was Francois Cevert's crash in the practice session of the final Grand Prix of the year.
We have captured both surviving Tyrrell 006s in action over the years, with an action-packed fifty-shot gallery as the result. This is due to be further expanded after the weekend, following our complete coverage of this year's Revival, which is due early next week.
We can offer a first glimpse of the event with a preview of the Bonhams Revival Sale. We snuck into the Bonhams marquee early and captured all the star cars, headlined by a superb selection of Abarths from the Maranello Rosso Collection. The sale is scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

With the summer break now over, manufacturers have jumped at the opportunity to reveal some of the most exciting new releases due at the Paris Motor Show early next month. One of the most highly anticipated will undoubtedly be the Mercedes-AMG GT. The compact Coupe is the first model from the new high performance sub-brand and features a lightweight aluminium chassis and body, and a twin-turbocharged V8. Unusually, the four-litre engine boasts dry-sump lubrication and the turbos are mounted inside the V. In 'standard trim', it is good for 462 hp, while a GT S version will also be available with 510 hp on tap. With these figures, the Mercedes-AMG GT looks set to be a real alternative to the ever popular Porsche 911.
Jaguar will also enter a new market segment with the XE, which was spectacularly launched on Monday evening. The product of a GBP 1.5 billion investment, the compact sedan also boasts a lot of aluminium to keep the weight down. The introduction will have been watched with particular interest by executives in Stuttgart, Munich and Ingolstadt. Topping the range will be this XE S powered by a 335 bhp supercharged V6, while smaller petrol and diesel engines will also be available.
BMW will use the Paris show to reveal the new 2-Series Convertible. The most potent version in the line-up will be the M235i, which features a twin-turbo straight six, good for 322 bhp.
Earlier this week, we already received a preview of the Divine DS show car, which firmly establishes DS as a separate marque.

An international Concours d'Elegance was staged in France for the first time this weekend in over decade with the Chantilly Arts & Elegance. Organised by Peter Auto, best known for events like the Tour Auto and Le Mans Classic, the new Concours was hosted by the hugely impressive Chateau de Chantilly. Matching the dramatic backdrop was a superb selection of cars spread over ten different classes. Two marked the Maserati centennial, while others included a tribute to Bugatti. In addition to the cars in the main Concours d'Elegance, the event also welcomed clubs, which brought out some superb cars, many of which would have deserved a spot on the field as well.
Our photographers ventured to the idyllic Chateau de Chantilly just north of Paris to capture the inaugural Chantilly Arts & Elegance in full detail. The result of their work is a concise report, illustrated by a 210-shot gallery.
Reliving the days of old, the Concours d'Elegance also welcomed brand new concept and show cars. Among was the Aston Martin Virage Zagato Shooting Brake, which was shown for the very first time. It is the third in a series of three one-offs built on Aston Martin chassis by Zagato to celebrate the British manufacturer's centennial. This Virage-based machine boasts a classic Shooting Brake style body.

During the very busy summer, we have seen many great and important cars, which we will look at in more detail in the coming weeks and months. Among them was this freshly restored Porsche 907. This was one of two examples prepared for the 1967 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Fitted with a very slippery body and the latest fuel-injected version of the 911 competition engine, this example was clocked at a staggering 302 km/h down the straight. Not surprisingly, the sister car won the Index of Performance. Following a crash in testing, the featured example was not raced again in period. After a complete restoration by noted Porsche expert, Willy Kauhsen, it was raced at the Le Mans Classic by former Le Mans winner Jurgen Barth.
The big (or small if you like) news this week was the launch of the all-new, fourth generation Mazda MX-5. Boasting a fresh design inspired by Mazda's KODO-Soul of motion design language, the new sports car is a full 100 kg lighter than the outgoing model. While no specific performance figures have been released yet, there is no doubt that the latest MX-5 should once again be a blast to drive.
Last night Lexus did release full figures of their new high performance flagship model; the RC-F. It features a 467 hp version of the 5-litre V8 engine, mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
Land Rover meanwhile, launched the first model in the completely revised Discovery line-up: the Discovery Sport. At the introduction, the latest 'Disco' will be powered by a four-cylinder diesel engine. Another brand-new SUV to break cover is the second generation Volvo XC90. Packed with sophisticated technologies, it is powered by a two-litre, four-cylinder engine, good for a whopping 360 bhp thanks to the combined use of a supercharger and a turbo.
The most powerful car added today however is the tarmac-shredding Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, which features a 707 hp, supercharged version of the familiar HEMI V8.

Over the weekend, Circuit Park Zandvoort hosted the third annual Historic Grand Prix Zandvoort. Always a drivers' favourite, Zandvoort is a challenging, undulating track running through the dunes on Holland's North Sea coast. This year's edition included no fewer than 13 different race groups, featuring national and international championships. Headlining the Historic Grand Prix was the FIA Masters Formula One Championship, while among the other highlights were the first ever appearance of Group C at Zandvoort and the hotly disputed Masters Sports Car race. In addition to the races, the crowds were also treated to lunchtime demonstrations, which included a run from David Brabham in a Brabham BT24 in honour of his late father Sir Jack Brabham and a re-enactment of the one-two finish of the Lotus 79 in the 1978 Dutch Grand Prix with two-time Indy 500 winner Arie Luyendyk playing the role of Mario Andretti.
Our photographers ventured to their local track for the first time since 2007 and returned very satisfied. The result is a 220-shot gallery, which serves to illustrate a detailed report.

One of the most exclusive events during the annual car week on the Monterey Peninsula is the The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering. The unique concours d'elegance combines an eclectic line-up of cars and motorcycles ranging from early models straight to modern supercars with a superb gourmet food and drinks. What also sets 'The Quail' apart is the fact that the competitors, often as knowledgable as 'professional' judges, themselves serve as judges in their class. At this year's edition the major anniversaries celebrated were 100 years of Maserati and the 50th of the Mustang, marked with a special class for early competition Mustangs. These special classes joined the familiar ones like 'The Great Ferraris' and the 'Post War Racing Cars'. One of the most striking machines lined up in the latter was the very first Porsche 911 GT1, which was originally raced by JB Racing in Marlboro colours. We did see the car before but sporting a later livery. The Quail also marked several world debuts, including that of the Lamborghini Huracan LP620-2 Super Trofeo due to compete in the company's one-make series. Lamborghini later also announced their intentions to develop a version of the car eligible to compete in international GT championships.
Our photographers explored the fairway and putting greens in front of the Quail lodge and have returned with a sparkling 200-shot gallery, which illustrates a concise report.