Thirty years ago this year, American sports car racing was drastically reshuffled with the arrival of the IMSA GTP class. Designed for purpose-built racing cars, this class finally managed to break the stronghold of the numerous versions of the 'production based' Porsche 935s. The first manufacturer to jump on the GTP bandwagon was Lola, who, under strong encouragement from racer Brian Redman, produced the all-new T600. The sophisticated machine used an aluminium honeycomb monocoque and employed underbody venturis to generate downforce through 'ground effect'. Redman immediately vindicated his enthusiasm for the new class by taking a debut victory with a Chevrolet powered T600 at Laguna Seca. He would go on to dominate the IMSA series in the new Lola and was crowned champion at the end of the year. Meanwhile in Europe a Cosworth engined example won two World Championship rounds. At the recent Monterey Motorsports Reunion, we caught up with one of these successful racers, T600 HU06, which was raced by Ted Field's Interscope team in 1982. Still wearing the familiar colours and '0' start number, it was raced at Laguna Seca almost exactly thirty years after Redman's victorious debut.
One of Lola's longtime rivals, March, joined the fray a year later with the 82G. Like the Lola, the new March had benefited from the input of Dr Max Sardou, who was one of the 'ground effect' pioneers. The new March proved slightly quicker and eventually replaced the T600 as the dominant force in the IMSA GTP class. Although only four 82Gs were built, it spawned a whole series of machines that were raced with notable results for many years to come. Also in Monterey was the very first 82G, which scored pole positions at both the Daytona 24 Hours and Sebring 12 Hours. It was presented by only its second owner at The Quail and during the McCall Motorworks Revival. A regular in the GTP race during the Motorsports Reunion at the track, is the fourth and final 82G built. Like the original T600, both theses 82Gs are powered by Chevrolet's venerable small-block V8.

As is well known, Ettore Bugatti was not one to innovate, favouring the gradual evolution of existing designs. Bugatti pushed that credo furthest of all with the final Grand Prix car built by the French company before the War; the Type 59/50B III fielded in the 1938 French Grand Prix had actually started life as one of the six Type 59s built in 1933. In the intervening years, it received various engine configurations and, in 1936, became the first ever true single seater produced by the fabled manufacturer. In its ultimate guise, it still incorporated many of Bugatti's traditional design elements like the solid axles and cable-operated brakes but also sported a new lightweight engine that combined an aluminium block with steel liners and a bronze head. The car was nevertheless incapable of challenging the more sophisticated and vitally much better funded German efforts and after two outings in 1938 finally faded from view. It did not appear until recent years and following a complete restoration to full running order, the unique Bugatti even returned to the track during the Goodwood Revival earlier this month. This allowed to take a closer look at the last classic Bugatti Grand Prix racer.
In coverage of this month's Frankfurt Motor Show, we did not update all of the existing articles with the full set of pictures and details that became available during the show. That oversight is rectified today as we take another look at some of the German show's highlights. Our favourite among these is the Audi A5 DTM, which will race in the popular series from next year. Built to the latest regulations the striking machine features a full carbon-fibre monocoque chassis. Audi also released a series of show cars; the A2 Concept as well as the Urban Concept in both Fixed Head and Spyder form. A brand new manufacturer making its debut at the IAA was Britain's Eterniti. The 'boutique marque' livened up their launch with the introduction of the Hemera. Effectively a Porsche Cayenne Turbo S wrapped in a carbon-fibre body, the very exclusive machine is scheduled to hit the market in 2012.
Our final piece concerns two Honda related products; the Civic Type R Mugen 2.2 and the HPD ARX-03a. The latter is developed by Wirth Research using a new chassis design and will be raced by Strakka Racing in the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship.

One of Ghia's most famous designs was the 'Supersonic' penned by Giovanni Savonuzzi. Close to two dozen of these futuristic bodies were made in the mid-1950s, fitted mostly to Fiat 8V and Jaguar XK120 chassis. An exception was this unique Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk II, which was one of four chassis of this type sent to custom coach-builders; the other three went to Touring of Milan. First seen at the 1956 Turin Motor Show, the Supersonic Aston Martin was bought by French-born, American racer Harry Schell. Soon after it disappeared in the United States and had lingered in rather derelict condition until very recently. Having benefited from a complete restoration, the one-off Supersonic Aston lined up for this year's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Amazingly, two other Supersonics, both Fiats, were also on the field.
Another one-off on Pebble's famed 18th fairway this year was this Ferrari 375 MM Pinin Farina Coupe Speciale. This rather striking machine is believed to have been built for Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman and although she does not appear to have actually taken delivery, the car is most commonly referred to as the 'Bergman Coupe'. The unique 375 MM has been in American hands for many years and only makes rare public appearances. The only reason the Pinin Farina Speciale Coupe was at Pebble this was that the owner's intended entry, another one-off Ferrari, was still in the final stages of restoration. We certainly look forward to seeing that one next year!
Late last week, Gordon Murray, of McLaren F1 fame, launched his latest creation on conjunction with Toray Industries; the Teewave AR.1. Powered by an electric motor, this small sports car is constructed from carbon-fibre, which has helped keep the weight down to 850 kg (1875 lbs) despite carrying a lithium-ion battery pack that tips the scales at 240 kg (530 lbs). In fact the AR.1 is much lighter than similar all-electric machines like the Tesla Roadster but also lighter than a conventionally powered Lotus Elise. The press release does not state wether the Teewave AR.1 is headed for production.

One of the most interesting cars that lined up for last weekend's Goodwood Revival was undoubtedly this Maserati Tipo 151. One of just three built specifically for the 1962 24 Hours of Le Mans, this sole surviving example had not seen action since the mid-1960s and immediately placed third in the prestigious RAC Tourist Trophy Celebration. In period the mighty V8-engined machine was not quite so successful with lack of development funds and luck preventing it from living up to its promise. The featured example was entered at Le Mans by Briggs Cunningham and ran as high as third before a damaged oil tank resulted in an early retirement. It was briefly raced in North America and converted into a road car. During the last decades it was one of the stars of the Rosso Bianco museum before being acquired by the current owner in 2006. He had the Tipo 151 restored the car to full running order with remarkable results. The machine's interesting history is illustrated by a detailed 18-shot gallery.
The Jensen Interceptor will soon be added to the long list of classic models that have been brought back to life. Developed by British engineering and coach-building company CPP, the new Interceptor should see the light of day before the end of 2012 with deliveries scheduled to start in 2014. Production of the all-aluminium machine will be limited to ensure absolute exclusivity. To give us a hint of what's to come, CPP has released these two teaser images.

The annual Goodwood Revival is without a doubt the world's largest stage show; invited to dress up in contemporary outfit the spectators themselves are also part of the cast and decor. Despite the huge popularity of the event, host Lord March and his excellent team each year try to add new elements to keep things fresh even for the most seasoned visitors. One of the most recent additions is the period 'high street' with a Tesco's supermarket stocked with food and drinks in very correct 1960s packaging. As always the familiar program was supplemented by several anniversary displays and races. Among the celebrations were the 75th anniversary of the Spitfire and 100 years of Ford of Britain. There was also a two-driver race exclusively for Jaguar E-Type's marking the 50th anniversary of the iconic model. Breaking with tradition, the Revival honoured a driver that is no longer with us; Juan Manual Fangio. Not that a reason is needed to pay tribute to one of the greatest drivers ever but 'Il Maestro' would have been 100 years old in 2011. Further highlights included a field of highly unusual 500 cc Formula 3 racers, the return to the track of the mighty Maserati 151/1 in the RAC TT Celebration race and the star-studded St Mary's Trophy for 1960s touring cars. All dressed up, our photographers spent the better part of four days at the high-speed track in the South of England to capture all the activities both on the ground and in the air. The result is a detailed report illustrated by a spectacular 320-shot gallery.

Our second and final installment on this week's Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA) kicks off with two of Germany's finest tuners or 'enhancers' as they would prefer. Brabus launched the Mercedes-Benz CLS based Rocket 800. As the name suggests, it is powered by a 800 hp variant of the Brabus tweaked AMG V12. Among the modifications to the twin-turbo engine is a substantial increase in displacement, bringing it up to just over 6.2 litre. Brabus usually go about their business quite subtly but that is not the case with the new Rocket, which features a wide body-kit and a massive rear wing. Never known for their subtlety, Techart introduced the Techart GTStreet RS. Based on the already rather extreme Porsche 997 GT2 RS, the latest addition to the German tuner's line-up features a 720 hp engine. As with the GT2 RS, all of that power is sent to the rear wheels only.
Among the many concepts, the two launched by Land Rover certainly kept our attention. Slated as a possible replacement of the legendary Discovery, the DC100 represents a major departure from tradition. The Indian owned company also launched this Sport version of the same concept.
Even though production of the Karma has yet to start, Fisker used Frankfurt to debut a third variant. Known as the Surf the latest variant of the innovative machine is an estate aimed at customers with an active and eco-friendly lifestyle. Like the Karma, the Surf uses electric motors only for propulsion, while an efficient petrol engine is used to generate additional electricity when needed.
One of the most unusual trends at the German show were the super small city cars. Opel's variant is known as the RAK e; a nod to the experimental rocket cars raced by Fritz von Opel in the 1920s. The very compact machine is fully electric and has a range of around 100 km (62 miles).

Today the biennial Frankfurt Motor Show or IAA kicked off with the first of two press days. The list of new releases is seemingly endless and we would like to kick off our coverage with a look at eight of the most interesting debuts.
Lamborghini took the wraps off the Gallardo LP 570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale; the most extreme version of the V10-engined model yet. It is inspired by the Super Trofeo competition that races in a one-make series. Production will be restricted to just 150 examples. The Italian manufacturer also confirmed that a very limited series of the even more extreme Sesto Elemento will also be built. Deliveries of the ten cars are scheduled to start early in 2013. Fellow Italians Maserati took the gathered media by surprise by launching the Kubang, a near production ready SUV. It will be built on Jeep underpinnings but with a Modena developed engine and an eight-speed gearbox.
Lotus revealed a heavily revised Exige S. The small sports car has received a completely restyled body and the supercharged V6 engine already found in the Evora S. The ambitious British manufacturer also announced the Exige R-GT rally version that is scheduled to compete in several tarmac rounds of the WRC. Another racing car unveiled in Frankfurt was Mercedes-Benz' all new C-Coupe DTM. This next generation touring car will race in the popular championship next year against similar machines from Audi and BMW.
Among the many concept cars launched was the F125!, which is built to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the automobile. The two-door coupe features a fuel cell that powers four wheel-mounted electric motors. The star on Volvo's stand was the Concept You, which serves as a preview of an upcoming large sedan from the Swedes. During the design process input from the global car buying public was used.
In the following days the remaining releases will also be added to our database.

The heavily revised Silverstone track this weekend hosted joint fifth round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC) and fourth round of the Le Mans Series (LMS). Headlined by the ongoing and highly fascinating duel between Audi and Peugeot, the Autosport 6 Hours of Silverstone attracted a 45-car strong entry. These consisted of a colourful mix of high quality GTs and Prototypes all chasing success on the Northamptonshire circuit. Being Silverstone, it was hardly surprising that rain was always around the corner but with some rare exceptions, we were spared throughout the weekend. Part of the support program was the ever popular Classic Endurance Racing (CER) series with a one-hour race for sports cars that competed at Le Mans in the late-1960s and 1970s. The packed field featured a host of Lolas, Chevrons and Porsches complemented by rarer machines like the Ferrari 712 Can-Am, two Ford GT40s and a freshly restored TOJ.
Having to find their way again around the 'new' Silverstone, our photographers were at the track throughout the weekend. The result is a detailed report, illustrated by an action-packed 240-shot gallery.

Although we have yet to wrap up our Monterey Classic Car Week coverage, tight scheduling forces us to already look at upcoming events. First on our roster is the fifth round of the ILMC, the Autosport Silverstone Six Hours, followed by the IAA and at the end of the week the Goodwood Revival. This time-warp event is one of the season's highlights and this year celebrates the 100th birthday of the late Juan Manuel Fangio and the 50th anniversary of the Jaguar E-Type. To mark 'the Old Master's' very successful career, a parade of many of his great racing cars is scheduled. Mercedes-Benz is expected to bring three of the racers the Argentinian campaigned in the 1954 and 1955 seasons. The finest of these is no doubt the W196 Grand Prix car. Technologically superior to the competition, it dominated the Formula 1 Championship in this brief period. Among the ground-breaking features incorporated in this 'Silver Arrow' were desmodromic valve actuation and direct fuel injection. These helped the 2.5 litre straight eight to produce at least 290 bhp by 1955. Fangio won the championship both years and under his wing a talented young man by the name of Stirling Moss blossomed, taking his first Grand Prix win in a W196 in 1955. Although Sir Stirling announced his retirement from racing, he will no doubt make an appearance behind the wheel of one of the Mercedes racers over the weekend. Over the past few years we have captured two W196s in action already, piloted by the likes of Mika Hakkinen and Sir Stirling Moss.
The legendary Jaguar E-Type's 50th anniversary celebrations have already been a feature at many events this year but the Revival always manages to bring out something special. The two-driver, 45-minute Fordwater Trophy has been reserved exclusively for the E-Type. Among the cars that will star in this race will be the E-Type Lightweight that are usually part of the multi million dollar Tourist Trophy grid. Our ever growing gallery of the competition E-Type now consists of six different examples with the addition of the highly original ex-Kjell Qvale S850660 and chassis S850668, which was part of the special E-Type race at the recent Monterey Motorsports Reunion.
If you want to experience the Revival in person, tickets are still available for Friday and Sunday.

In less than a week's time, the Internationale Automobile Ausstellung or IAA will kick off in Frankfurt, Germany. Our list of new releases is quickly growing and today we added six more.
Certainly the most exciting of these is the very compact Jaguar C-X16 sports car. Slated as a 'production concept', the car could very well hit the market in virtually unaltered form. Sporting Jaguar's shortest wheelbase since the XK120, the two-seater coupe is powered by a sophisticated hybrid drivetrain that produces as much as 475 hp when the 'push to pass' button on the steering wheel is activated. The car's lightweight aluminium construction further contributes to the car's impressive performance figures. The C-X16 definitely promises to be one of the IAA's star cars.
In recent years, French manufacturer Citroen have launched their fair share of funky concepts and the Tubik due for Frankfurt is certainly no exception. The nine-seater 'van' is a thoroughly modern interpretation of the 'Type H' produced in very large numbers by the company for over three decades. Almost needless to say; the Tubik comes with a hybrid drivetrain. Like Audi, Volkswagen will reveal an innovative city car in the form of the Nils. Powered by a relatively modest 34 bhp electric motor, the single-seat machine can nevertheless achieve a top speed of 130 km/h (81 mph) and has a range of 65 km (40 m).
Fiat's high performance subsidiary Abarth will add several models to the line-up including this 695 Competizione. The pocket-rocket features the same engine as the limited edition 'Tributo Ferrari', making it the most powerful Fiat 500-based model available.
Not to be confused with 'Infiniti', a name new to debut in Frankfurt is 'Eterniti'. This London based luxury manufacturer will reveal the Hemera SUV. Little is known about the specifics of the car other than that the engineering team is led by Alastair Macqueen, whose previous work includes the Jaguar XJ220.

One of the most exclusive events of the Monterey Classic Car Week is The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering. Tickets are strictly limited to 3,000 examples due to size restraints and although they are priced at $395, they usually sell out within the hour. The lucky few that get their hands on a ticket are treated to a unique mix of fine food and drinks, and a fabulous selection of sports and racing cars. At this year's edition, the familiar classes were joined by special ones celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Jaguar E-Type, the Ferrari America and SuperAmerica, the Riverside circuit and the 50th anniversary of Phil Hill's F1 World Championship. In addition to attracting fantastic historic machinery, The Quail also reserves a spot for most recent super cars, and in 2011 the event was a stop for the Bugatti Veyron rally. The likes of Lamborghini, Pagani, Ferrari and Bugatti also showed their latest model. For many The Quail was the first opportunity for most in North America to see the new Pagani Huayra and Lamborghini Aventador.
Bugatti revealed the 1.65 million Euro Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport 'l'Or Blanc', which was built in conjunction with the Koenigliche Porzellan-Manufatur Berlin (KPM). l'Or Blanc literally means 'white gold,' and is a reference to the porcelain used throughout the car. Although the car may not be to everyone tastes, there are some nice details like the Royale inspired elephant badges on the wheels and fuel cap.
Our reporters were at the Quail Lodge throughout the event to capture and enjoy the ninth Motorsports Gathering. This has resulted in a full report, illustrated by a 150-shot gallery.

One of the Monterey Classic Car Week's most pleasant surprises was the choice of this Voisin C25 Aerodyne as the 'Best of Show'. One of our personal favourites, this art deco masterpiece perhaps was not one of the most obvious winners on the well stocked field. Some even suggested that the car was not elegant but they simply missed the point. More than most cars of the era, the Voisins were sculptures crafted from the finest materials and also engineering works of art. A fine example is the intricate sliding roof fitted on the Aerodyne, which sports portholes that align with the rear window to maintain rearward visibility even with the roof down. In 1935 the Voisin C25 was more expensive than a comparable Bugatti and as a result only a handful were made and even fewer have survived. The Pebble winning example is one of an estimated seven C25s fitted with the Aerodyne body in period and one of four survivors. The current owner acquired the car in complete but derelict condition after it was hidden away in the Monaco area for many decades. A three year restoration brought the car back to life and wowed the crowd and judges alike at Pebble. Celebrating the victory we have added a detailed feature, illustrated by a 24-shot gallery that showcases many of the machine's unique features.
In addition to the two Urban Concepts, Audi will also reveal this A2 Concept at the IAA in Frankfurt. The compact machine features a fully electric drivetrain. It is too early to tell if this concept will spawn a replacement for the revolutionary but ultimately failed all aluminium A2. South Korean manufacturer Kia is set to take the wraps of a yet to be named Four Door Sports Sedan Concept in Frankfurt as well.
Although a new generation 911 road car has already been announced, Porsche have launched yet another update of one of the '997' racing cars. Built to compete in the GT3 events and based on the Cup car, the new 997 GT3 R now features a 500 bhp engine and a paddle shift gearbox.