Octane September 2021

THE WORD ‘RETROMOD’ doesn’t really seem to cut it when the car you are updating is barely old enough to qualify for classic insurance. (Of course, the word retromod is horrible and shouldn’t be used anyway, but that’s another story.) Yet news that McLaren is doing a number on the McMerc (alright, the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren) seems to really tap into the zeitgeist. Even before Octane heard the news and Mark Dixon tested the sensational results, we had been discussing that this mightily impressive machine seemed to be one of those rare greats that slips under the radar. Not like the XJ220, which even now tracks way below its contemporary rivals, all of which have taken off, even the Bugatti EB110 – but more like the XJR15, which languished in the doldrums…

DAVE SHEPHERD ‘With its hood down, long bonnet and its imposing front three-quarter presence, I’d like to imagine the Lancia swiftly navigating the twisty roads of the Amalfi coast in the late 1920s, heading towards a saucy weekend liaison on the island of Capri.’ See Shep’s photographs of the Lancia Lambda with John Simister’s story, pages 82-90. MATTHIAS TECHAU ‘To meet the father of Porsche’s flat-six, which made the 911 the icon it is today, is enough to make anyone star-struck. Yet this legend of engineering was one of the most modest people I’ve ever met. Sadly, he passed away eight months after our meeting. It was an honour to talk with him.’ Hans Mezger’s final interview: pages 120-124. MAX SERRA ‘I like to see new projects that preserve the great traditions…

This showpiece event on 8-11 July bounced back as if nothing untoward had happened in the world over the past 16 months. Being run as a pilot event by the UK Government’s Event Research Programme, the Festival was visited by MP Oliver Dowden on the Friday, though the presence of Hollywood star Tom Cruise caused a bit more of a stir. Rob Bell won the Shootout with a time of 45.01sec in the McLaren 720S GT3X, while Marc Newsom’s Lancia Stratos HF won the Cartier Style et Luxe. A Driftkhana proved popular and James Sunderland won the inaugural Hannu Mikkola Trophy on the rally stage. Lotus formed the central display for the second time, this time virtually, while star guests included Mario Andretti (bottom left), Roger Penske, Daniel Ricciardo and…

30 July – 1 August Silverstone Classic This huge meeting – hundreds of cars will line up on the track – allows visitors to watch cars racing into dusk as nostalgia-fuelled bands play. The Brand New Heavies and Aswad are headlining. silverstone.co.uk 31 July – 1 August Gaydon Land Rover Show Land Rovers and Range Rovers gather at the British Motor Museum, home to HUE 166, the oldest surviving Land Rover. There will be trade stands and live music as well. britishmotormuseum.co.uk 1 August Bromyard Speed Festival Shelsley Walsh hosts the Bromyard Speed Festival, an annual celebration of Bromyard’s motoring history that goes ‘on tour’ to the famous hillclimb venue every other year. shelsleywalsh.com 6-8 August Copenhagen Historic Grand Prix Flat-out fun in the Danish capital on an unusual 2.6km…

THERE IS NO denying that there is something magical about Paris. Driving from the north, the first sight of the Sacre Coeur and the Eiffel Tower are always exciting. However, look right and there is something even more thrilling for people like us, as huge rockets dominate the skyline. This is your first glimpse of Le Bourget French National Air and Space Museum. Over the past few years, great improvements have been made to this air museum that was founded in 1919 and is said by its proprietors to be the oldest in the world. The welcoming entry hall to what was once the main Paris airport has been restored to 1937 style. In the main museum, the collection of early aircraft is spellbinding. The first gallery features the pioneers,…

CHANGE IS AFOOT at Lotus, though the launch of the hugely impressive new Emira feels more like a major segue than the end of an era. It’s purely petrol-powered (no hybrids) and steers with hydraulic (rather than feel-killing electric) assistance, both of which will surely delight driving enthusiasts. And it’s still built in a big shed at Hethel, near Norwich, where Lotus production has mostly trickled along since 1966. Yet those production processes have been tightened to suit big-league sports car customers, thanks to a £100m investment at the factory and the considerable backing and parts-sourcing expertise of Chinese parent company Geely. At a stroke, the number of cars built here will triple, from around 1600 of the old Elise, Exige and Evora trio (which die at the end of…