Octane May 2019

I cannot thInk of any performer in any movie that has had a greater impact-toscreentime ratio than our Ferrari NART Spyder – OK, Ferrari 275 GTS/4 NART – cover car. Truth be told, the car only played the tiniest of cameos in The Thomas Crown Affair, yet what a lasting impression it made. In the car’s fleeting appearances I fell in love not only with the NART Spyder, but the Ferrari marque and even that entire era, the smoky cool swagger of the late ’60s becoming my cultural touchstone for everything from music – it may sound harsh, but apart from the car, probably the most memorable facet of that film was the Michel Legrand soundtrack – to art and motors. The first time I saw The Thomas Crown Affair,…

Paul Harmer ‘Years ago I studied architecture, and the Audi TT’s proportions, sense of purpose and its lack of decoration have always appealed. The somewhat more brutalist Alton Estate where we photographed this one has the same effect on me.’ See Paul’s superb photography, and read why one Octane columnist thinks the TT should be revered, on pages 88-94. Nigel BootHmaN ‘I grew up around Alvises yet, despite almost 20 years writing about old cars, hadn’t visited Shelsley Walsh until now. It’s remarkably unspoilt and the Alvis Goodwin Special has just the right mix of science and brutality – thrilling but far from crude. I think it’s going to have a very successful second career on track.’ Turn to page 96 for more. mark Hales ‘I thought nothing would ever…

London Classic Car Show 14-17 February Major celebrations for Citroën, Ian Callum, Mini and aero-engined cars, plus a live stage and frequent parade action on the Grand Avenue were all overshadowed at the ExCeL by the Octane-backed homage to The Italian Job at 50. As well as a load of authentic-looking tributes including the coach, Minis, Lamborghini Miura and even the OM Sicurezza van, the stars were the convertible Jaguar E-type and Aston Martin DB4 that actually appeared in the film. the ice st moritz, 2 march the incredible pilot concours for top-end classics and top-drawer folk took place at the exclusive swiss resort. see next month for the full story from our insider, simon Kidston. retro classics stuttgart 7-10 march it may not have the sheer enormity of techno-classica…

CAR enthusiAst, collector and founder of Revs Institute in Florida, Miles Collier, has launched a major new initiative aimed at safeguarding the future of traditional cars. Provisionally dubbed Revs 2.0, the concept is to establish a data and research hub that will unite car enthusiasts worldwide. With such a global ambition, Revs 2.0 will necessarily exist as much in the online world as the physical one: it will function as a network for people and resources, potentially similar to Wikipedia in the scale of what it covers but also functioning as a ‘bulletin board’ to bring people together. ‘Today’s world is not business as usual. And our meaningful car world can no longer be “business as usual”,’ said Collier, addressing attendees of the biennial Revs Symposium. ‘If we want to…

Here are four potential areas that Revs 2.0 might focus on, as identified by Miles Collier PRAXIS Defined as ‘care and use skills, associated materials, information and training’, Praxis includes all the practical knowledge needed to maintain and restore classic vehicles. It envisages Revs 2.0 as being a point of contact or directory, which people could access for information globally. CONNOISSEURSHIP Nothing to do with elitism of any kind, Connoisseurship is the ‘determination of what creates value and authenticity’ by means of in-depth research, whether using period photographs or study of surviving original vehicles, plus analysis of original finishes and build techniques. LEGACY ‘Knowledge of the automobile’s context with respect to its evolution, its archaeology and the modern world it shaped’, is how Collier defines Legacy. It could be supported…

Yorgan Yotor Company sold to European finance group In a shock announcement at the Geneva motor show, Morgan – one of the last and most belligerent bastions of the British motor industry – revealed that it will no longer be UK-owned. Investindustrial will take a majority stake in the 110-year-old company, with the deal expected to be completed in April. The Morgan family will retain a minority shareholding, while the management team and all employees will also become shareholders. Investindustrial, European venture capitalists with a €6.8bn portfolio, stressed that its Morgan fund will be different from the one with a stake in Aston Martin and will have a different strategy. Morgan made £3.2m profit in 2018, currently sells 700 cars a year and has just unveiled its new Plus Six.…