Postponed from its original date in May, the 2021 edition of the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este will be held this coming weekend. This prompted us to take a look back at the 2018 edition with a closer look at three interesting machines. The newest of the trio is this Ferrari 500 Superfast, which was acquired new by legendary actor Peter Sellers. It was originally finished in a striking metallic gold with a tan leather interior. Sellers loved the car and would own it for nearly 15 years. Now in Belgian hands, 6679SF was presented in its lovely original combination.
Shown by the custodian after a forty-year ownership was this Porsche 904 Carrera GTS. First raced at Le Mans in 1964, it finished twelfth overall and first in class. Chassis 904-041 still boasts its French racing stripe.
That Elvis Presley owned a BMW 507 Roadster is well documented but he actually had a second one. This example was gifted by Presley to co-star Ursula Andress in 1963. The ex-Bond-girl clearly enjoyed the car and retained it for well over a decade. She had it subtly modified by George Barris. In subsequent ownership, 70192 was restored to its original configuration with the exception of the nerf bumpers that were fitted by Barris.
Although the official launch is still a month away, Chevrolet have released yet another shot of the upcoming Corvette Z06. In the picture released the camouflage has been removed and it is also fitted with a less aggressive rear wing.

We were saddened to hear of the passing of Gordon Spice last week. He was a hugely successful driver, winning the Spa 24 Hours outright in a Ford Capri and then turned to building his own Group C cars. In addition to fielding and driving the Spice Group C machines himself, he also sold the car to customers. Chief among them was Chamberlain Engineering, who campaigned this Spice SE89C with great success. It was the first example built ahead of the 1989 season and won eight rounds of the British C2 Championship that year. It was also raced at Le Mans twice and also clinched the FIA Cup in 1992. Now restored to its 1991 Le Mans livery, chassis 001 has returned to the track in recent year.
British specialist manufacturer Caterham have introduced the first new model since it was acquired by a Japanese conglomerate. Dubbed the Seven 170, it is the lightest and smallest Caterham Seven yet. The 170 is a reference to the hp per ton the new Seven boasts. This is the result of a combination of a turbocharged 660cc Suzuki engine and a weight of just 440 kg. Available as a kit or a complete car, the Seven 170 is also available in the 'S' stripped back or 'R' track focused versions.
Four leading British companies operating in the automotive field have used the period in lockdown to create this all-electric Aura Concept. Revealed yesterday, the compact sports car serves as a proof of concept and a demonstrator of what the four companies are capable of.

Earlier this month we were at the Autodromo Vallelunga Piero Taruffi to capture the second Vallelunga Classic. Just like the inaugural event in 2015, the second edition was organised by French specialists Peter Auto. It was the fourth circuit event of the five-meeting season for Peter Auto and all the familiar grids were represented. However, due to conflicting schedules and ongoing travel restrictions, some fields were a little light and combined to make for denser grids. The Vallelunga track itself, with the lack of a proper straight, represents a challenge in and of itself, the unusually hot weather made things even more difficult for the drivers and the cars. Nevertheless, there was some great racing throughout the weekend with a hotly disputed Heritage Touring Cup race as the fitting finale.
We were at the track throughout the weekend and have captured our thoughts in a concise report, which is illustrated by a grid-by-grid 180-shot gallery.
Next up for Peter Auto is the Estoril Classics in October where we expect some very strong grids.

At this weekend's official Goodwood Revivial auction, Bonhams will offer what may very well be the lowest mileage Jaguar XJ220 in existence. It was sold new to a Germany based collection and remained with its original owner until 2015. Neither owner ever registered the XJ220 and chassis 220778 has barely covered 400 miles. It does benefit from a full service and engine rebuilt at the hands of specialists Don Law Racing.
For next month's Zoute Sale, Bonhams have consigned one of only 30 Bugatti EB 110 SSs. Also sold to Germany, this iconic 1990s supercar has been regularly used during the last three decades. Its four owners covered close to 30,000 km. Underlining the demand for these machines, Bonhams estimate that the EB 110 SS will sell for over €2 million.

This week, two very interesting Porsche came across our desk, both of which are available for sale. First up is this 911 Carrera RSR 3.8 GT racer. Completed late in 1993, it was raced extensively by its successive American owners through to the 2000 season. As part of its 34-race career, it appeared at the Sebring 12 Hours and Daytona 24 Hours on multiple occasions. In more recent years, it was brought to the United Kingdom still in very original condition and, crucially, with all the major components still on the car. Now repainted in its 1994 livery, chassis 079 is currently available with the Gooding & Co. Private Treaty department.
Of a slightly earlier vintage is this 959 Komfort. It has had only one owner from new; the Qatari Royal Family. It was one of no fewer than seven that were originally ordered by the family. This particular example was finished in Wine Red Metallic and boasts a matching burgundy interior. In virtual as new condition, the Porsche 959 Komfort has been consigned to this weekend's RM Sotheby's St. Moritz sale with just 961 km on the odometer.

This weekend we are at the Autodromo Vallelunga for Peter Auto's Vallelunga Classic. Among the many sports cars, GT racers and touring cars due to take the track is this lovely Lola T210, which competes in the CER1 category. It was delivered new to Alain de Cadenet and was successfully raced by Chris Craft and then by a succession of French drivers. Again in French hands and meticulously prepared by Equipe Europe, chassis SL210/09 has been very competitive during the last couple of seasons.
Hot on the heels of the new road going version, Lotus have now revealed the Emira GT4. Developed together with specialists RML, it is powered by a supercharged V6 engine. The Emira GT4 will be ready for customers at the start of 2022 in limited numbers with a more cars available in 2023.
One of the IAA cars we missed on Monday was wild Cupra Tavascan Extreme E Concept. It is an Extreme E based preview of the all-electric Tavascan that is currently under development at the factory in Barcelona ahead of its 2024 market debut.

This week, Munich will host the IAA Mobile show. It is in every way a motor show of the future; most of the cars on display are electric and the displays themselves are also far from conventional. Instead of concentrating all booths in a single exhibition centre, the 2021 IAA has opted for separate pavilions for each marque, spread over the city. At the Porsche pavilion, all eyes will undoubtedly be at the Mission R. This is an all-electric concept for a future one-make series. Shorter but wider than a Cayman, the compact machine houses a pair of motors, one on the front and the other on the rear axle, that are capable of producing 1,072 bhp in qualifying trim. The batteries can be re-charged from 5% to 80% in less than 15 minutes using Porsche's proprietary supercharging system. The striking Mission R also boasts active aero, which includes a Drag Reduction System (DRS).
Over at the Mercedes display, there were two show cars unveiled and also the first all-electric AMG model; the EQS 53 4MATIC+. It boasts electric motors on both axles, which have a combined peak power of 751 bhp in AMG Dynamic Plus trim. Even in this guise the maximum range is 580 km. The two show cars on display are the ultra luxurious Mercedes-Maybach Concept EQS and the rugged Mercedes-Benz Concept EQG. The latter is an electric version of the G-class.

Good news from the Malvern hills; Morgan have published the first details of an all-new 3 Wheeler. It will be powered by an internal combustion engine; a three-cylinder sourced from Ford and from the looks of the teaser images will have a modern front suspension.
As part of the German manufacturer's electrification efforts, Mercedes-AMG have released the first hybrid model: the GT 63 S E Performance. It uses the familiar twin-turbo V8 engine combined with an electric motor. The combined output of the hybrid drivetrain is a startling 831 bhp, which is sent to all four wheels. This allows the GT 63 S E Performance to accelerate to 100 km/h in less than three seconds.
Following the Skysphere revealed last month, Audi have now unveiled the Grandsphere Concept. Like the previous show car, it is an all electric machine powered by a pair of electric motors. The striking four-door sedan has a 750 km range and yet has a peak output of 710 bhp.
Britain's oldest manufacturer, AC Cars will add this Ace RS Electric to the line-up. The all-electric version of the classic design will have a 320 km range and a peak torque of 500 Nm. The first examples available are priced at GBP 129,500.