2024-10-03: 2024 Chantilly Arts & Elegance report and 150-shot gallery ...
Last month the tenth anniversary of the
Chantilly Arts & Elegance Richard Mille was celebrated. The biennial Concours d'Elegance was once again held in the imposing gardens of the Chateau de Chantilly. This year's edition had a variety of special classes celebrating the 100 years of the Bugatti Type 35, what would have been the 100th birthday of Italian engineer Carlo Chiti, and 50 years since the Lamborghini Countach entered production. There were also classes for the Mercedes-Benz SL and four-cylinder engined competition Porsches. Eligible for judging were not just classic cars but also modern one-off show cars and hypercars, and the cars entered by one of the 40 enthusiast clubs. On Saturday, the entrants had the opportunity to participate in a 100 km tour through the nearby countryside. This offered the spectators a rare opportunity to see cars like a Ferrari 250 GTO in the 'wild.'
Our photographers were on hand throughout the weekend and have compiled a class-by-class
150-shot gallery, which also includes coverage of the tour on Saturday. Many of the highlights are also included in our
detailed report.
2024-09-30: Bonhams Zoute sale with Ferrari and Porsche ...
An integral part of the Zoute Grand Prix is the annual
Bonhams auction scheduled for this Sunday. Fittingly, the sale is headlined by a Ferrari and Porsche from the 1950s that were both delivered new to Belgium.
The
Ferrari 340 America on offer is one of just two clothed by Touring Berlinetta body. Shortly after arriving in Belgium, it was shown at the Brussels Motor Show. It remained in Belgium until 1971 and was subsequently owned by noted Ferrari collectors Paul Schouwenburg and Giuseppe Lucchini. In 2011, chassis
0122A won best of show at the Goodwood Cartier Style et Luxe Concours d'Elegance and is now estimated to sell for €3 - €4 million.
Originally painted Belgian racing yellow
Porsche 550 Spyder is one of just ten of this type to race at Le Mans in period. It had some period racing success and was campaigned in much modified form well into the 1960s. Chassis
550-0082 received. comprehensive restoration from marque enthusiasts and was most recently re-painted from silver to its original yellow. Eligible for a wide variety of events, the 550 Spyder should sell for in excess of €3.5 million.
2024-09-24: 2024 Goodwood Revival Report and 220-shot gallery ...
After the scorching Dix Mille Tours, it was clear that the summer was over during the 26th annual
Goodwood Revival Meeting less than a weekend later. Torrential rain provided quite a challenge for drivers and spectators alike but also created some truly spectacular races throughout the weekend. As always, these also included some of the biggest names in motorsport with the likes of Tom Kristensen, Dario Franchitti and Jimmie Johnson all competing in multiple races. In addition to the 15 races, there were special parades marking 80 years of D-Day, 75 years of the Jaguar XK engine and the 60th anniversary of John Surtees winning the Formula 1 World Championship. The venue's past role as World War II airfield also did not got by unnoticed with a lovely display to start the day on Saturday and Sunday.
Our photographers were at the Goodwood Motor Circuit throughout the weekend to capture all the action despite the, at times, monsoon like conditions. This has resulted in a
220-shot gallery with plenty of spray, puddles and slides. It serves to illustrate our
in-depth report of all the highlights of the 2024 Goodwood Revival.
2024-09-19: Lotus Theory 1 and Audi RS e-tron GT Performance ...
With the
Theory 1 show car, Lotus has both paid tribute to some of the company's great designs but also offered a glimpse of future models. It is built around a carbon-fibre monocoque and powered by an electric drivetrain good for 1,000 metric horsepower. Capable of a 320 km/h top speed, the latest Lotus also has a claimed range of 402 km. The exterior styling of the
Lotus Theory 1 is a clear nod to the great wedge designs of the 1970s like the Esprit. Inside, it has a three-seater configuration, which is easily accessible through a proprietary door system.
While the very high performance Lotus is not quite ready to hit the markets, Audi has released the most powerful production road car yet. Suitably dubbed the
RS e-tron GT Performance, it combines a pair of electric motors mounted on the front and rear axles respectively. The combined maximum output of the drivetrain is 925 hp. In addition to the enlarged power output, the
Performance features improved braking through increased recuperation capabilities. Built by the Audi Sport in Neckarsulm, the
RS e-tron GT Performance is also equipped with a sophisticated adaptive damping system.
2024-09-17: 2024 Dix Mille Tours report and 190-shot gallery ...
After a brief summer break, our racing season resumed earlier this month a the French Côte d'Azur with the annual
Dix Mille Tours. Organised by Peter Auto, the event celebrated its 14th edition in 2024 and featured an action-packed schedule. In fact the weekend was so busy that the last race on Saturday finished close to midnight. All of the familiar Peter Auto grids were represented with the Endurance Racing Legends field for 1990s and 2000s prototypes and GTs split into two for the second time this season. Further highlights included a capacity grid for the Classic Endurance Racing 1 and a Group C race at twilight on Saturday. All the races were hotly disputed with many not decided until the closing stages. In addition to the on-track action there was also a spectacular display in the paddock, which featured no fewer than four McLaren F1 GTRs that were all part of McLaren's legendary 1995 Le Mans line-up.
Our photographers were on hand throughout the weekend and despite the very hot conditions captured all ten grids in this
190-shot gallery, which serves to illustrate our
concise report.
2024-09-13: Chantilly preview with 2022 winning Talbot Lago and new Flying Spur ...
A very busy month September will continue this weekend with the biennial
Chantilly Arts & Elegance concours. Hosted in the gardens of the 16th century Chateau de Chantilly just north of Paris, the event will feature the latest show cars and a superb selection of classic road and racing cars. To get in the right mood, we have taken a closer look at the
Talbot Lago T26 GS Motto Roadster that won one of the Best of Show awards in 2022. The unique T26 combined French underpinnings with a one-off
barchetta that was built by Italian
carrozzeria Motto. Raced in period, the
Motto Roadster spent most of its life in French hands.
One of the new show cars due to be unveiled at Chantilly is this
DS Automobiles SM Tribute. As the name suggests, it pays tribute to the legendary Citroën SM of the 1970s. Both the interior and exterior design were inspired by the Maserati-engined coupe. While the
SM Tribute is slightly larger, the proportions of the original were retained.
Hot on the heels of the all-new Continental GT, Bentley has now introduced the fourth generation
Flying Spur. Carried over from the two-door Continental GT is the hybrid drivetrain that can produce upwards of 771 bhp and a 1,000 Nm of torque. In addition to the impressive performance figures, the new
Flying Spur can run as pure electric vehicle for up to 76 km and boasts a total range of 829 km.