Inhoudsopgave van January 2024 - Octane

MUCH AS I WOULD like to trundle through life unshakably confident that our hobby will continue unabated for time immemorial, surely we all occasionally wonder whether the axe might one day fall swiftly and terminally. Me possibly more than most. I was a teenager in the early 1980s, when we woke up every day pretty much convinced that there would be all-out nuclear war before the going home bell. That time may not quite have rivalled the Cuban Missile Crisis, but it taught an entire generation to fret constantly about the unthinkable coming to pass. So might the unthinkable come to pass for classics? We have already seen last month that Government policy and legislative threat to the internal combustion engine have helped prompt some market jitters, but four more…

25-26 November KartMania Exhibitors from across the world of karting congregate in the Wing building at Silverstone for the KartMania show, which, as always, includes a ‘Kart Boot’ sale. kartmania.co.uk 26 November New Forest VW Santa Run Organised in aid of the children’s cancer and haematology unit at Southampton General Hospital, the Santa Run sees classic and custom Volkswagens assemble at Beaulieu before travelling in convoy to the hospital to drop off presents. beaulieu.co.uk 29 November – 3 December Sebring Classic 12 Hour Classic competition cars do battle at Sebring Raceway in Florida, where vintage aircraft also vie for the attention of the spectators. hsrrace.com 2 December VSCC Winter DrivingTests Bicester Heritage hosts the VSCC’s curtain-closer, in which entrants attempt car-control challenges in conditions often not conducive to precision driving!…

AFTER LAST YEAR’S near-Arctic weather, the 350 entrants on the 2023 RM Sotheby’s London to Brighton Veteran Car Run were greeted with unseasonably mild conditions. Star attraction as the cars, crews and spectators gathered in Hyde Park in the dark on 5 November was the on-the-road reunion of the 1904 Darracq and 1905 Spyker that were the stars of 1953 British comedy film Genevieve. Both cars usually live in the Louwman Museum in The Netherlands and went on something of a 70th anniversary publicity tour, including time at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu, before setting off from London. Of course, the slightly inconvenient truth is that neither the Spyker nor the Darracq (it’s a very long story in the case of the latter) should really be eligible for the…

Has there ever been a more beautiful Porsche than this? There’s a long-standing argument from some enthusiasts that the Porsche Carrera GTS is one of the best-looking cars ever to have come from the Stuttgart manufacturer, and it’s easy to see why: this 44in-tall mid-engined coupé is sleek and curvy. It was built with a singular purpose, however – to win. You’d be forgiven for thinking the design had been outsourced to one of Turin’s many styling houses, but no, it was the handiwork of the Porsche design department. Specifically, Ferdinand Alexander ‘Butzi’ Porsche, the grandson of company founder Ferdinand. After a series of lightweight, mid-engined racers – the 550 and 718 – in the late 1950s, Porsche made the decision to pursue the world of Formula 1. Aiming to…

It’s fair to say that, as a professor of Industrial Design at California College of the Arts, a frequent speaker on the history of car design, and a Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance judge, I’ve seen a lot of beautifully restored examples of design excellence. But this year, while I was considering entrants in the Figoni Centennial 1923-1937 class at Pebble Beach, a largely unknown flash of burgundy rumbled into view, took its place on the 18th fairway, and jettisoned my mind from its tufted leather library chair of familiarity. The car in question? The 1953 Kurtis Sorrell SR-100 prototype. In November 1953, Robert ‘Bob’ Vern Sorrell shocked the automotive world when his innovative creation made its world debut at the Fourth Annual International Motorama (aka the ‘Petersen Motorama’). It earned…

Look at the opening spread to this feature again. Doesn’t seem real, does it? The car, the house, the garden, the palm trees, the flawless blue sky – they’re like a movie set. But I’ll let you in on a secret: there was no great planning or in-depth set dressing involved for this photoshoot. We went to see the owners of the car, they suggested a house belonging to some friends for the backdrop, they made a phone call, all sorted. The reason this was possible and not even difficult is because the shoot took place in Palm Springs, California. If you are a fan of Mid-Century Modern architecture and lifestyle, then Palm Springs is the place to find it. While the area has a complex history that stretches back…

They who would valiant be ‘WHETHER OR NOT faith is important or relevant to you, we hope that being away from the usual pressures and challenges of life allows you to rest, reflect, and maybe even discover something of value as we retrace the steps of those who travelled before us.’ That’s how Octane’s favourite motoring clergyman, the Rev Adam Gompertz – chaplain to Bicester Heritage and instigator of the REVS-Restore mental health programme – introduced this year’s Pilgrim Tour. Meandering through North Wales to the ancient holy island of Bardsey, it loosely follows the route that pilgrims have taken for many centuries – although more likely on two and four feet rather than four wheels. Now, Adam is a great friend and I’d heard good things about previous tours,…

IT’S OFTEN THE little things that tell the big stories. Meet the Lemania 5100, a movement that was the bellwether for the changes in the watch industry that started in the 1970s. This was before watches were captured by FashionworldTM and celebrity endorsement and were, by and large, designed to do a job. ‘Box and papers’ was more likely to refer to Rizla than Rolex, no-one cared about serial numbers, and you could buy an 18ct Newman Daytona from your local dealer for under £1000 because no-one wanted them. In the real world, away from the rarefied haute horlogerie watch ateliers, the 5100 could be the best chronograph movement ever. It was accurate, cheap to produce, cheap and easy to service and as reliable as an old OM602 2.5 diesel engine.…

MOULTON NSSAFARI The Moulton bicycle was already decades ahead of its time when it was launched in 1962, but creator Alex Moulton (best known to car enthusiasts as the man behind the Hydrolastic suspension system) never stopped refining his design, and the company he founded carries on his work today. The NS Safari is the latest iteration of the space-frame ‘New Series’ Moulton, and the first Moulton fitted with a disc brake on both wheels. As the name suggests, the 10kg bike – featuring Hydrolastic suspension at the rear and Flexitor suspension at the front – will handle all sorts of terrain, and that drop-dead-gorgeous frame splits in two for ease of transportation and storage. £10,950. moultonbicycles.co.uk AMERICAN INDY ARCADE GAME A product of the 1960s and the slot-car racing…

24 October It’s hard to explain to anyone who is not in on the ‘cult of the 240’ how much these cars were – and continue to be – cherished by owners everywhere. The Volvo ‘bricks’ as they are known for their lack of, shall we say, imaginative styling are noted for their safety, reliability and low cost of ownership (after a large up-front investment when new). ‘Long roof’ cars in particular are increasingly rare in the ever more SUV-obsessed marketplace, and collectors are actively searching for low-miles, one-owner examples such as this 1993 Volvo 240 Classic. This is number 468 of a final run of 1600 of these US-only limited-edition estates and was located in Manasquan, New Jersey. It has had one owner from new, is showing 80,887 miles,…

THIS WAS APPARENTLY the second Frazer Nash BMW 319/55 Sports to arrive in the UK, and it was soon bought by an amateur racing driver. Early on in its life, this charming little sports car was seen proving itself at Brooklands, Goodwood, Shelsley Walsh and Donington circuit. Among the huge history file are documents showing a first-in-class finish at the 1939 Brooklands JCC Rally, and a competitive result on the London to Exeter Trial. Since being bought by the current vendor in 2006, it has once again been campaigned in several VSCC trials, Irish rallies and classic BMW events. Originally painted in Primrose Yellow over blue, it’s presented in this splendid combination of grey with red seats today. Eligible for a host of prestigious events, this car’s in fine mechanical…

NET ZERO IS coming, whether you like it or not. Just like many others around the world, the UK Government has committed to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, of which banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars after 2035 is only a small part. There’s still rather a lot of debate around how (or if) we can get there, but the truth is that it’s leading to a huge shift in legislation – and public opinion – that will almost certainly make enjoying anything with an internal combustion engine increasingly difficult in the future. Yet the historic car industry is estimated to be worth over £18.3billion to the UK economy each year, and it’s under threat – possibly even from unintended consequences. With that in mind,…

Fen End may have its own banked section but, this 100m mini-Karussell aside, it is not exactly the Nürburgring. In fact, having been built on the old Honiley Airfield site near Wroxall only five years ago, in circuit longevity terms the tarmac on JLR’s test track in the Midlands is barely dry. That said, you can still see the shape of the WW2 airfield in the track, about half of it directly overwriting what was there, half underlining the remainder like shadow text. The former Prodive site crams a lot into a small space, offering one long (almost mile-long) straight, a shorter one that sweeps left before a 180º loop onto the short top section and into a standard right, which propels you back onto another long, undulating straight. Those…

1:18 scale 1989 RANGE ROVER VOGUE SE By Cult Scale Models Price £198.95 Material Resincast Longtime readers of Octane may recall that about ten years ago editor-at-large Robert Coucher owned a 1991 Range Rover Vogue SE, finished in Ardennes Green but otherwise identical to this replica. Outwardly it looked immaculate but, sadly, it had to go when a pre-MoT inspection revealed extensive rot. That’s one thing you’ll never need to worry about with Cult’s beautiful model. Cast in resin, with no opening panels (although you can ‘pose’ the front wheels), it captures the Rangie’s handsome looks perfectly. The generous glass area of the windows means that the interior is on full display and here, too, Cult has done a great job of depicting the dashboard, leather seats and walnut trim. A…

SOME TRADITIONS NEVER change and, despite Bonhams no longer being officially connected with The Brighton Run, it still holds its Golden Age of Motoring sale ahead of the legendary November event. A number of pre-1905 veteran cars were offered, some with an entry on the Run included. Sales totalled £2.9million, with 88% of lots sold. Top-seller was a 1902 Panhard et Levassor Type A2 7hp Twin-Cylinder Rear-Entrance Tonneau, which amazingly featured its matching-numbers engine and original coachwork. This car has been out of public view for some years and sold for £368,000. Another real highlight for bidders was the 1904 Richard-Brasier 16hp Type O Four-Cylinder – again with matching numbers – which sold for £328,000. The annual RM Sotheby’s London auction saw 87% of cars sold, with a £14,015,547 total…

Porsche gave the 928 a final update in 1992, launching the 5.4-litre 345bhp GTS with manual and automatic options. Just under 3000 had been built by the time production ended in 1995, with manual cars the rarest and now commanding significant premiums. Bonhams’ Amelia Island sale in 2016 indicated where the best manual cars were seven years ago, when it achieved $132,000 (£108,500) for a US-market example with 23,686 miles. A European-spec GTS with under 17,000km from the well-publicised Youngtimer Collection changed hands at the RM Sotheby’s 2019 Paris sale for ¤138,000 (£119,500); the car was then imported into the US where it was resold by Broad Arrow Auctions at Amelia Island in 2023 for $175,000 (£144,000). RM set the current auction record for a GTS at its 2022 Monterey…

DESPITE EVERYTHING THAT is wonderful about the original Honda NSX, there was always an argument that, while it was a great road car, it was a few notches shy of exceptional on track. By 1993, Honda’s engineers had a solution ready to remedy that with the launch of the NSX-R. This was the very first Honda Type R model, setting the template for all of the hardcore Civic, Integra and Accord models that followed. The ethos was fairly simple: remove weight, stiffen the suspension and hone everything to within an inch of its life. To drop the weight, the first and most obvious change was the seats. Gone were the comfortable leather items, and in their place was a pair of bright red carbon-Kevlar bucket seats from Recaro. The dash…

JUST HOW FAST does a hatchback have to be before we consider it a hot hatch? I’ve always been of the opinion that it’s more about attitude than actual performance, as is perfectly demonstrated by such cars as the Peugeot 106 Rallye and VW Up GTI. Being small and light brings its own benefits and, in a world of increasingly bloated cars, driving something that weighs under a tonne is a joy. As the Fiat Panda 100HP proves, it can also be a bargain. Fiat finally replaced the original and much-loved Giugiaro-styled Panda in 2003 with this all-new model designed by Giuliano Biasio of Bertone, and built at Fiat’s Tychy plant in Poland. It was an instant city-car hit, even sweeping up the European Car of the Year award in…

I’VE ALWAYS BEEN into cars and ’bikes, buying older cars and working on them. In 1992 I applied to join Colchester Institute’s Vehicle Restoration course, learning how to weld, make panels, paint and do electrics. I was in my early twenties, immersed among kindred spirits and it was a really good grounding. I grew up on the Isle of Wight and returned there from Colchester, joining the Frogeye Car Company, building ‘new’ Sprites with K-series engines. I’d become a skilled welder and sought to diversify, so I got coded by Lloyd’s and then I could work in shipbuilding, applying my MIG and TIG capabilities to alloy-hulled catamarans for commercial and naval contracts, even installations for the Millennium Dome. I’d got to the point where I had a skill set in a…

Modena Cento Ore, 9-14 October Running from Argentario to Emilia-Romagna, the 23rd outing for this rally took in four of Italy’s most famous circuits – Vallelunga, Modena, Mugello and Magione – featured nine special stages and covered a total distance of 959km. The participating crews represented more than 15 nations, with only 10% from the home nation of Italy. The trophies were equally well spread. The Pre-1965 Competition Class was won by Robin Ellis and Julian Thomas in their 1965 ‘Shapecraft’ Lotus Elan, while the Post-1965 Competition Class went to Seb and Steve Perez (who also scored fastest time in the Special Stages, and took that award) in a 1975 Lancia Stratos. Allan and Jacob Thom won the Index of Performance in a 1965 Lotus Cortina. Other age-related winners included…

Somerset museum opens at last After a four-year battle to get his dream off the ground, Pat Hawkins has opened a classic car and motorcycle museum in the heart of Taunton town centre, Somerset. As Octane went to press, the museum was due to be opened on 20 November by Richard Hammond. County Classics Motor Museum, a non-profit charity sited in a former department store, is focused on affordable and accessible cars and motorcycles, mostly from the 1960s to the 1990s. The building houses around 100 cars and 80 motorcycles as well as a shop and a café. Its self-made instigator bought and sold his first car aged 11 and owned 13 garages by the time he was 36. He hopes that the museum will breathe new life into Taunton…

MOST CAR OBSESSIONS are probably formed during childhood. Favourite Matchbox toys with eroded paint from over-playing, hero cars in film, computer games, or the cars we sat and rode in of our parents, family and friends. The models embedded in my deepest ‘want list’ come the theoretical lottery win have all been embossed on my psyche from a young age. As the son of a motor trader, it was predictable that I’d grow up a car nut. From the age of four, Saturdays were spent with dad at work, dressed up in a shirt, tie and braces, pretending to work at one of the numerous franchised dealerships he looked after. Dealer staff even phoned through pretend enquiries for me to handle, and I vividly remember being excited to pick up…

Letter of the month IT WAS ME that was riding shotgun and that photographed the speedometer showing 188mph [above] in June 1978, with six-times Production Sports Car champion Chris Meek driving his Ferrari 512BB – your cover car in Octane 246. The 512BB was one of about 40 Ferraris that Chris owned, although not all at the same time! I well remember rising early on that June morning to accompany Chris down the M1, touching 188mph when there was little traffic and no police cars to impede our progress. As you report, the photograph and poster have become very widely requested over the last 40-odd years and both are still available in many sizes. Copies can be obtained from myself and can be despatched worldwide: email me at ndpleeds@gmail.com. Chris Meek,…

Day two, mid-morning, outside the Palácio Nacional de Mafra, it strikes me that the Corrida das Fundadores is more than just a gentle trundle between two cities. Think of it as Portugal’s equivalent of the London-to-Brighton Run, only the start and finish points in this case are three times as far apart even by the shortest route. Participation is open to cars built by 1939, rather than 1905, although the oldest of the 30 on this event is the 1904 Mercedes Simplex Tourer driven by Albert Eberhart and Roy Sullivan, and Octane’s 1920 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost is pre-dated only by that car and a 1916 Buick. We’re at an elevation of 115m, not so high in the grand scheme of things, but the topography of the greater Lisbon area is…

FORTY YEARS since founding Derby-based Aston Engineering and 50 years since he first immersed himself in the world of Aston Martin, David Jack is in reflective mood. ‘Wandering around the paddock at this year’s Le Mans Classic, I’m thinking I must be the only bloke here who built the car back in the day and is still racing it now,’ he smiles. The car in question being the 1977 Aston Martin RHAM/1, aka The Muncher. ‘And here’s something else – the budget we had for the Classic this year was well in excess of what we had to do the actual Le Mans in 1977!’ Since the sad demise of Richard Williams in 2021, it’s hard to think of anyone who has a longer active association with the Aston Martin marque,…

IT WAS AN endorsement for which admen would pay lesser mortals millions. Barack Obama, often referred to as the first high-tech President, told CNET News that his BlackBerry was his ‘favourite gadget’. He was frequently photographed speaking into it, texting from it, waving it, or wearing it clipped to his belt in a leather holster, gunslinger style. Headlines were made around the world when it became known that, despite the protestations of his Secret Service men, he would not be separated from his BlackBerry. Yet BlackBerry went from boom to bin in only a few short years. When Obama became President in 2009, half of the mobile phones in the US were made by BlackBerry and it ruled the business world, but by the time Obama left the post BlackBerry…

Book of the month The Austin Pedal Car Story DAVID WHYLEY, Porter Press International, £85, ISBN 978 1 913089 28 3 ‘That’s the best-looking Austin I’ve ever seen!’ So said Donald Healey – perhaps slightly thoughtlessly – to Austin works manager George Harriman at the unveiling of the Austin J40 pedal car in 1947. But he had a point. Designed by a small team working in a corner of the Longbridge factory, the J40 – nicknamed the ‘Joy car’, after the JOY numberplates of its four prototypes (take that, Honda!) – was a brilliant piece of design. It was also an astonishingly altruistic one. The early post-war years were difficult ones for Britain, but they also saw the foundation of the National Health Service in 1948; less well-known was a…

THE 1980S WERE a very special time for tuning companies. Wide ’arches, big spoilers and turbos were all common, but some companies took things to new heights, with extensive re-engineering. This is one such example of taking things to the extreme: the Boschert B300. Although Gullwing doors hadn’t been seen on a roadgoing factory Mercedes-Benz since the original 300SL (with the exception of the C111 prototypes), plenty of tuning companies had attempted to create their own ‘Gullwings’, usually based on the W126 SEC and with varying degrees of success. Check out the 1000sel.com website for a comprehensive history of these eye-catching creations. Towards the end of the decade, one man thought he could do things better. Engineer Hartmut Boschert decided that the recently launched C124 Mercedes 300CE would be a great…

In October last year, residents of Billings, Montana, were positively outraged after vandals pitched up at a Sinclair petrol station one night and destroyed a statue of Dino. The friendly Apatosaurus has been the Sinclair mascot since the early 1930s, and maintains an approval rating that is the envy of every other figure associated with the fossil fuel industry. He really began to worm his way into the affections of the public when he appeared among a display of life-size dinosaurs commissioned by Sinclair for the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair. This was the first outdoor exhibit of its kind, and visitors flocked to see the 70ft-long Dino, then referred to by Sinclair as a Brontosaurus – paleontologists have long squabbled over whether Brontosaurus should be regarded as distinct from or…