Octane April 2024

WELCOME TO THIS special 250th issue of Octane. To mark such an auspicious occasion we have a superb selection of 250-themed articles, ranging from a unicorn Ferrari to a brace of more recent, more affordable powerbrokers, via what is to my mind the greatest and most beautiful front-engined F1 car of all. Sandwiched between them are articles on the race to build the first 250mph road car, the first people and craft to hit the magic number on land, sea and air (and two wheels – above), plus a 250cc hero and a host of other achingly desirable 250-related icons. We hope it is as much fun to read as it was to put together. Rest assured that there is also all the usual great Octane content, including a spectacular revisiting…

HARRY HURST ‘Perhaps no other Formula 1 car better epitomises that era than the Maserati 250F, and it was driven by all the greats. More than anything, I think the shape – especially of the 1957 cars – is absolutely perfect and the definition of “form follows function”.’ Harry is Director of Programs for the Simeone Museum. Read his 250F story on pages 74-82. CHRIS MANN ‘The SS100 Jaguar looked like it was doing 100mph standing still and was the first high-performance sports car accessible to a wider demographic than the super-rich. Taking the wheel of two remarkable SS100s owned for decades by Michael Turner and John Guyatt was an honour.’ Find out more on pages 122-128. GERARD BROWN ‘I’d never heard of a Matra-Bonnet Djet but this bright yellow slice of…

To take advantage of this month’s special offer and get three issues of Octane for £5, either visit octane.co.uk/subscribe or call +44 (0)330 333 9491 and quote code DFEB24 Buying your issue of Octane – new and old PRINT ISSUE Octane is available at the usual branches of UK shops, such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and independents, as well as WH Smith High Street and Travel. You can order the latest magazine or a back issue, delivered direct to your door, by visiting magsdirect.co.uk and searching for ‘Octane’. DIGITAL ISSUES Download the Octane Magazine app on Android or Apple and you will be able to enjoy the new issue. Alternatively you can source the digital edition via either Zinio or Readly. SUBSCRIBE You can find superb offers on print (order…

Rétromobile, 31 January – 4 February UK visitors returning from Paris were heralding this year’s outing for the French event as the best for years, possibly decades. The numbers for the 48th Rétromobile certainly back up that claim, 130,000 visitors dropping in on the 75,000m2 show during its extended run at Porte de Versailles. Special displays included celebrations of the centenaries of both the Montlhéry speedbowl in the Paris suburbs and British marque MG, with the famous EX181 record-breaker at its heart. As always, the range of priceless stock on dealer stands from Fiskens, Kidston, Girardo & Co, Joe Macari, Lukas Hüni, Gallery Aaldering et al was worth the entry on its own. CAVALLINO CLASSIC, 26-28 JANUARY For its 33rd year, the Ferrari-plus spectacular returned to Florida’s Palm Beach and…

29 February – 3 March The Amelia This year’s concours on Amelia Island will boast 35 classes featuring everything from vintage Bugatti GP racers to Japanese performance cars of the 1990s. ameliaconcours.com 29 February – 3 March ModaMiami Hosted by the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, Florida, this new event promises a concours field of over 150 cars, plus a separate display of rare supercars and an RM Sotheby’s auction. modamiami.com 1-3 March Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance Australia’s finest classics and supercars gather at Cockatoo Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site close to the Sydney Harbour Bridge. sydneyharbourconcours.com.au 3 March Coffee & Classics Cars and motorcycles head to Bibury for the Classic Motor Hub’s season-opener. classicmotorhub.com 7-9 March WinteRace A field of 70 pre-2000 cars; an expertly plotted, 420km route…

21-25 April California Mille Just as the original Mille Miglia inspired today’s regularity race, the regularity race inspired this US event. The route for 2024 runs from La Jolla to Westlake Village. californiamille.com 21-27 April Tour Auto One of the great driving events, starting in Paris and finishing this time in Biarritz, and featuring four track races in-between, at venues including the Bugatti Circuit. peterauto.fr 25-27 April Manx Classic On the Isle of Man, roads are closed to allow competition on three hillclimb courses, each of them over a mile long. manxmotorracing.com 28 April Audrain Veteran CarTour Pre-1908 cars from across the USA meet at the Audrain Automobile Museum for a 50-mile drive around Rhode Island. audrainmotorsport.com 28 April – 26 May Trans-Africa Rally Following a horseshoe-shaped, 4750-mile route through…