Penned by Franco Scaglione, the original Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale ranks as one of the all time great designs and Alfa Romeo has now created a tribute using modern underpinnings. Appropriately dubbed the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale, the compact mid-engined coupe has a design inspired by the original. Underneath the retro skin, the new 33 Stradale is very modern with a carbon-fibre monocoque chassis and a choice of a 620 bhp twin-turbo V6 or a full electric drivetrain good for 750 bhp at peak power. Alfa Romeo-backed Formula 1 driver Valtteri Bottas will be responsible for honing the chassis. The 333 km/h top speed claimed surely is not a coincidence and the 33 Stradale should be able to accelerate to 100 km/h in under three seconds. Alfa Romeo has tasked specialist company Touring Superleggera with the construction of the 33 Stradale. Only 33 examples will be built in total and all have already been spoken for. It will be interesting to see how many customers will combine the retro styling with an all-electric drivetrain.
There is little retro about the Porsche Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid announced this week. It is the new range-topping model of the Cayenne line-up and combines the familiar twin-turbo V8 engine with an electric motor. The combined maximum output is a whopping 729 bhp with 950 Nm of torque available. In addition to the regular version, the Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid is also available in Coupé form.

This weekend, the Historic Racing by Peter Auto series returns from the summer break with the annual Dix Mille Tours at Paul Ricard. A packed schedule features all the familiar grids and also a demonstration of historic Formula 1 cars. To get you in the mood, we have taken a closer look at four cars that will star at Paul Ricard. Lining up in the Endurance Racing Legends field is this Porsche 911 GT2 R, which was raced at Le Mans four times. It was originally built to Evo spec and raced by Larbre Competition in the GT1 class. It ran in the top five overall until a crash in treacherous conditions ended the charge. The GT2 was raced through the end of the 2002 season and has now been restored to its 1995 colours. Another car raced successfully by Larbre Competition and also a four-time Le Mans veteran is this Chevrolet Corvette C6.R GT2. This ex-works car was the very first GT2 specification Corvette C6.R built. It won the GTE Am class at Le Mans in 2011. Chassis C6GT-001 is currently the only C6.R GT2 used in historic racing today.
Another car that returned to the race track this season is this MG Lola EX257. It was raced twice at Le Mans by the works team and proved fast but fragile. It was later raced in North America but has now been returned to its striking works colours.
Of a slightly earlier vintage is this March 75S. The BMW-engined sports prototype was originally raced by Swiss driver Fredy Lienhard. Now campaigned by a British racer, it will line up in the Classic Endurance Racing 2 race on Sunday.
If you are in the area, you can attend from September 1st-3rd or otherwise we will be there to capture all the highlights for an in-depth report.

Although the dust has barely settled in Monterey, it is already time to look ahead. As part of the Hampton Court Concours of Elegance, Gooding will host their now annual London Sale on September 1st. The headliner is this remarkable Ferrari 166 MM/53 Vignale Spyder, which offered from a 63-year single ownership. It was raced regularly in period and also starred in a movie but nevertheless survived in exquisite, unrestored condition. Chassis 0328M should change hands for the first time since 1960 for an estimated £2,500,000 - 3,000,000. Also never fully restored is this Ferrari 250 Europa Pinin Farina Coupe. It was a winner at the Cannes Concours d'Elegance in period and apart from a re-spray in the 1960s has been beautifully preserved. The rare Lampredi engined Ferrari is fully Classiche certified and has a £1,250,000 - £1,500,000 estimate.
We do have time for another quick look back at the past weekend with the results of the RM Sotheby's, Bonhams and Gooding auctions held on the Peninsula.
Taking home the coveted 'Best of Show' at Pebble Beach was this Mercedes-Benz 540 K Spezial Roadster. Originally owned by the King of Afganistan, this rare high-door and long-tail version with covered spare wheels was freshly restored by RM Restorations. Other three pointed star news from Monterey came in the form of the second generation Mercedes-AMG GT. More luxurious than before, it has grown in size and a row of back seats was added. The range-topping model features a 576 bhp version of the familiar twin-turbocharged V8 engine.

It has been a very busy week on the Monterey Peninsula with a large number of interesting car debuts. One of the wildest is no doubt this fully road-legal Ford Mustang GTD. Developed together with Multimatic and powered by a 800 bhp supercharged V8 Coupe is the most powerful road car ever produced by Ford. Due to be ready for customers late next year, the Mustang GTD is ready to take on all comers. Ford CEO and accomplished racer Jim Farley himself already invited his rival CEOs for a showdown.
Wilder still is this Lotus Type 66 Chevrolet. Inspired by a stillborn Can-Am car of the late 1960s, this track-only machine combines a honeycomb aluminium monocoque chassis with a mighty Chevrolet V8 engine. Only ten examples of the Type 66 will be built. Another track-day machine revealed in Monterey is the Maserati MCXtrema. Based on the mid-engined MC20 road car, it has been given the full race treatment. Production of the 740 bhp machine is limited to 62 examples and all have already been spoken for.
Offering a glimpse of the future was Lamborghini with this Lanzador Concept. The battery electric powered show car offers a preview of a new production model due in 2028.
Fellow Italian manufacturer Automobili Pininfarina took the wraps off the B95. Powered by four electric motors, good for a combined 1,877 bhp, it is claimed to be the most powerful all-electric barchetta ever constructed. Ten will be built and each one will be subtly different from the other.
Rolls-Royce showcased the first of the limited production Droptails. Built to customer order, these highly exclusive machines feature a distinct convertible body with a unique tail. The twin-turbo V12 powering the Droptail has been further tweaked to produce an additional 30 bhp.

Earlier this week at the Quail Lodge, the Peninsula Classics awarded the Best of the Best award to this striking Delage D8 120 S de Villars Cabriolet. The spectacular one-off design was eligible for the coveted prize as it had won the 2022 Hampton Court Concours d'Elegance. Many years ago and with a previous owner, the Delage also already received Best of Show at Pebble Beach.
Among the many new cars due to be revealed during the Monterey Car Week is the Zenvo Aurora, which is a hypercar powered by a bespoke twin-turbo charged V12 engine. In 'standard' Tur trim, the V12 is assisted by a hybrid system with a single electric motor also driving the rear wheels. Thanks to an additional pair of motors mounted at the front, the Agil version is the 1,850 bhp, four-wheel drive range-topping version. Hand-built in Denmark, production of the two Aurora models will begin in 2025.
At the official Pebble Beach Auctions, Gooding announced a pair of interesting new private treaty sales from the same spectacular Porsche collection of a famous comedian. The earliest of the two is the very first 935 and the only example in private hands of its type. Freshly restored, it was shown at Ameilia Island a few years ago. Rarely seen since joining the collection is this numbers matching 904 Carrera GTS. Never raced in period and always cherished, it retains the original engine and gearbox. It is now available for the first time since joining this stable in 1998.
Meanwhile in Italy, Lamborghini has started testing the new SC63 GTP racer. The Italian manufacturer has kindly released a a few pictures so we can now get a first glimpse of what the car looks like in real life.

It is Pebble Beach week and one of the traditional highlights is the official Gooding Pebble Beach Auctions. Among the most interesting machines in the lot list is this Ferrari 340 America, which debuted with a class podium at Le Mans in 1952. It was then raced extensively through to 1960, gaining a different engine and body. Hiding under Devin bodywork, the original chassis was famously offered on Ebay in 2006. The original engine was also tracked down and the 340 America was completely restored by Ferrari Classiche. The car has come a long way from the $26,000 Ebay sale and is now has a pre-sale estimate of $3 - $4 million.
Another Italian sports car available is this beautifully restored Lamborghini Miura SV. It had a single owner for its first 38 years and has had just two since. Not shown at any major event, the Miura SV is expected to sell for over $3.5 million.
Also available are two iconic American pre-War machines. The earliest is this Mercer Type 35J Raceabout that is offered from the Jerry S. Foley III estate. Also available from longterm ownership is this one-off Duesenberg J LeBaron Phaeton. It is the only one with this body style built on a long chassis and has been in the same hands since 1979.
Due to make its debut on the Monterey Peninsula is this strikingly beautiful Aston Martin DB12 Volante. It shares the high performance underpinnings with the recently launched Coupe and adds the benefit of open top driving. Production should commence this quarter with the first cars expected at customers before the end of the year.
As part of a new range of battery electric vehicles, Fisker Automotive is developing the Ronin sports car. Inspired by the legendary John Frankenheimer movie, the limited production machine will have a bespoke aluminium spaceframe chassis and is expected to have a 600-mile range. The production version should be ready to go in 2025.

The latest edition to the mighty Hennessey Venom F5 range is this Revolution Roadster. Limited to just 12 examples, the $3 million supercar is a track-oriented version of the road-going Roadster. It features the same 1,817 bhp 'Fury' V8 engine but boasts a more aggressive bodykit. If you are interested in one, you are too late as all twelve Revolution Roadsters have already been sold.
An even madder track car is the McMurtry Spéirling PURE. This is the production version of the electric 'sucker-car' that smashed the Goodwood record last year. Development is ongoing but McMurtry plan to have the Spéirling PURE ready by 2025 and will produce no more than 100 examples of the mindbogglingly fast machine.
For the 2024 model year, a Nismo version of the Nissan Z will be available. It features a refined chassis and a revised engine good for 420 bhp. The only gearbox available for the Nismo Z is a nine-speed automatic gearbox.
At the Spa 24 Hours, Ford announced the new Mustang GT4. Developed together with Multimatic, it represents the entry level GT racer in the Mustang range, eligible for international championships around the world.
Among the many new cars launched at last month's Goodwood Festival of Speed was this lovely little AIM EV Sport 01. It has been built by the same Japanese company that once powered an Oreca to fifth overall at Le Mans but instead of the V10 engine used a decade ago, the EV Sport 01 features a pair of electric motors. They produce a combined 483 bhp, which should make sure the compact sports car goes as well as it looks.

Spread over three days and with over 200 lots consigned, the upcoming RM Sotheby's Monterey Auction looks set to grab some headlines. With all consignments now revealed, we have picked three that particularly stood out for us. First up is the Ferrari 550 GTS Maranello, which is the third built for Care Racing Developments by Prodrive. Raced extensively in period, it was driven at Le Mans by none other than rallying legend Colin McRare. One of the first sold to a collector, CRD03 has more recently been raced at select events by its owners. An example of the last V12 powered Ferrari to win at Le Mans, it is estimated to sell for over $8 million.
A 550 of a completely different order is this Porsche 550A Coupe. Understood to be one of two Coupes built and the sole survivor, it was created specifically for Le Mans. It was up to the task as it placed fifth overall and first in class during the 1956 edition. Chassis 550A-0104 then had an extensive and gruelling American racing history before eventually being restored to its original configuration by noted Porsche collector Dr. Julio Palmaz. A unique piece of Porsche racing history, it has a guide price of $5.5 to $7.5 million.
Also boasting a one-off racing history is the $9.5 - $11.5 million Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder that will cross the block on the final day of the sale. The second short-wheelbase example produced, it was shown at the 1960 Turin Motor Show and then became the only California Spyder of any configuration to be raced at the Targa Florio, in 1962. Later painted red and then black, it has only recently been returned to its Targa Florio configuration complete with start numbers and roll-over bar. Not shown since, 1883GT should make for a very interesting entry at all the major events.

Celebrating the 60th anniversary of the 911 in great style, Porsche developed 911 S/T, which is appropriately limited to just 1963 examples. Inspired by the rare 911 ST competition cars of the late 1960s and early 1970s, the new S/T combines the lightweight Touring package version of the GT3 with the 503 bhp engine of the GT3 RS and a six-speed manual gearbox. The 911 S/T is also available with a Heritage Design Package, which includes a roundel and race number of choice.
Starting in 2024, Ford will organise the IMSA sanctioned Mustang Challenge for the new Mustang Black Horse R. Based on the high-performance Black Horse road car, the spec-racer features a modified engine, beefed up suspension and additional safety features. The calendar still needs to be finalised but Ford expects the Mustang Challenge to run 10 or 12 races during five or six race meetings in 2024.
Due to be released during the Monterey car week is the Automobili Pininfarina Vision Pura. It is a preview of a second model in the battery electric vehicle line-up of the Italian manufacturer. Automobili Pininfarina describe the Pura as a Luxury Utility Vehicle.
Legendary McLaren designer Steve Nichols, of MP4/4 fame, has revealed a McLaren M1A inspired production sports car. Fittingly dubbed the N1A the open-top sports car boasts a sophisticated bonded aluminium and carbon-fibre composite chassis and comes with a choice of Chevrolet small-block based engines. The most powerful version is a 7-litre behemoth good for 650 bhp. Nichols Cars will produce no more than 100 examples of the N1A.