Octane March 2020

Beatles versus stones, Bjorg against McEnroe, Senna or Prost: every sphere seems to have its premier league of eternal rivalries that take competition to a new level. In the world of classic cars there are loads, ranging from Midget and Spitfire to 250 GT SWB or DB4 GTZ, but pre-eminent among all battles is 911 versus E-type. There is no denying that they top the aspiration list for an astonishing number of people, and have long done so. I find that especially interesting because, while they are clearly both brilliant and iconic, other than that they actually have very little in common in ethos, tech or appearance. Perhaps the appeal is the breadth of model options, and, of course, the commensurate price variation. Running from substantially less than £50k (I…

sam chick ‘Crawling in a roof void high above the studio floor gave me a unique perspective on two iconic and uncompromising designs that changed our collective culture. Forced to choose? I’d stand with Enzo Ferrari: the E-type is the most beautiful car ever.’ To see Sam’s beautiful 911 and E-type images, turn to PAGES 60-72. diederik Plug ‘In 2014 I got the chance to drive the elusive Isdera Commendatore 112i. Before that, I was convinced it didn’t exist. To take it for a spin was a stunning experience. Now, years later, I got to experience the car in its original glory, after it was restored by its original manufacturer. That felt like full circle to me.’ The forgotten supercar: PAGES 130-138. andrew english ‘I’d discovered Pete Larsen’s Liberty Ace…

Le Jog 7-10 December Le Jog marked its 25th anniversary, predictably, by travelling 1500 miles in 75 hours from Britain’s most south-westerly point (Land’s End) to its most north-easterly (John O’Groats). Some 82 cars, including eight vintageants, started the gruelling epic, with 64 of them making it to the end. Even after a generation of experience and tech advances, not to mention vastly better and more scientific preparation for endurance events, it seems this one is still a major challenge. Six crews received gold medals: Stuart and Emily Anderson (Bentley 4¼), Paul Dyas and Martyn Taylor (Volvo Amazon), Kevin Haselden and Gary Evans (Mini-Cooper), Stewart Christie and Andy Ballantyne (MGB GT), Richard Boughton and Paul Bosdet (BMW 2002 Tii), and Eric Michiels and Aswin Pyck (Porsche 924S). Lopresto anniversarytour, 14-22…

1 February The Measham Rally That date is slightly misleading, because participants set off from Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome long after darkness has fallen and this night rally actually finishes on 2 February. It’s what the VSCC calls ‘the ultimate pre-war motoring challenge’’, and if the VSCC says that… vscc.co.uk 5-9 February Rétromobile Tractors are set to take centre stage at Rétromobile in 2020, the organisers having gathered together 30 rare and significant machines in addition to the usual array of outstanding classic cars. retromobile.com 7-9 February Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance All eyes will be on Duesenberg at the 14th Boca Raton Concours as the grand old American marque celebrates (by one measure, at least) its centenary. bocaratonconcours.com 8 February Concours in the Hills Fountain Hills, Arizona, has long been known for…

For generations, Dresden was famed for its fine china. In February 1945 it became even more famous for a shocking event, when the Allies firebombed this seventh-largest city in Germany and caused terrible death and destruction. The very mention of Dresden made people shudder. The reasons for and against this attack have long been argued. Much of the city was left unrestored but now the citizens have rebuilt it, resulting in the fine place – poignantly twinned with Coventry – that it is today. The Frauenkirche, on the city’s main market square, was left in ruins for many years as a war memorial until it was rebuilt after Germany’s reunification, using as much original material as possible, and reopened as recently as 2005. A stone’s throw from the Frauenkirche on…

‘Call for estimate, the Mecum auction website said in its entry for the world-famous Ford Mustang GT driven by Steve McQueen in the 1968 film Bullitt. There was no reserve price, but owner and seller Sean Kiernan needn’t have worried. Symbolically, bidding opened at the same $3500 paid both of the two previous times the Mustang was sold, the second of those in 1974 when Sean Kiernan’s father, Bob, bought it. Pretty soon, bidders at the 10 January sale at Kissimmee, Florida, had pushed the price up to $2.5 million, nudging close to Mecum’s unofficial and ‘optimistic’ estimate of around $2.7 million. Bidding then slowed, but three telephone bidders edged the Mustang up to an astonishing $3.4m before the gavel finally fell. Add fees and commission and the buyer, unknown…