Octane November 2023

WHEN I WAS young (long before I could drive) I became fixated on turning a Mini Clubman Estate into a campervan without altering the exterior bodywork. I was perhaps prompted by the availability of a ’shell stashed behind the garage after my brother had liberated its gearbox for his 1973 Mini 1000, and had loads of carefully worked out, quite professional-looking drawings (some even on tracing paper for added credibility), but sadly I was equipped with neither the will nor the skill even to start turning them into reality. In the years since, I have learnt that pretty much every serious petrolhead has at some point entertained a comparable dream (or delusion), usually equally unfulfilled. I guess that’s why I was so engrossed in this month’s tale of Tony Hunter creating…

ANDREW GREEN A public vote for the 2022 Historic Motoring Awards anointed Andrew as Amateur Photographer of the Year. Part of his prize was a £500 grant from Yohan Poonawalla to help with equipment costs, plus a full feature photoshoot for Octane. Andrew’s pictures accompany James Elliott’s words on the Renault 5 Turbo: pages 72-80. JEREMY JACKSON-SYTNER ‘I’m sitting behind a huge 7.4-litre V16 engine — all that power and torque, all those moving parts, and yet it is totally vibration-free and utterly silent. It’s the complete opposite of my V-twin Harley, though there is a connection: they both make me smile.’ Find out how this home-restored Cadillac took on the Pebble Beach Concours: pages 116-122. CHARLIE B ‘There’s such an impressive list of names on the window denoting the people who…

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 DSEP23 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…

Goodwood Revival, 8-10 September The 25th edition of the Goodwood Revival was graced by the usual glut of A-list drivers, including Jenson Button, Romain Dumas, Emanuele Pirro, Tom Kristensen, Mark Webber and many more. It also held celebrations for Carroll Shelby (who would have been 100 this year), 75 years of Lotus, and Sir Jackie Stewart (who lapped the track in Tyrrell 006 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his third World Championship), plus, in the Fordwater Trophy, hosted its first all-sustainable fuel race: 30 pre-’66 911s competed (including Lord March in car 44 with James Turner, pictured). The Rudge-Whitworth Cup marked the centenary of Le Mans with a grid of Alfa Romeos, Bentleys and Bugattis presided over by Grand Marshal Jacky Ickx. Two-wheeled machinery took over the opening track…

28 September – 1 October Audrain Newport Concours & Motor Week The packed schedule for this year’s Motor Week features seminars on car design, a Bonhams auction, a tour, and opportunities to explore the Audrain Automobile Museum before the concours itself, held at The Breakers – one of Rhode Island’s grandest properties. audrainconcours.com 28 September – 1 October Porsche Rennsport Reunion The seventh edition of the world’s biggest Porsche gathering, held at Laguna Seca Raceway.  porscherennsportreunion.com 30 September Self-publishing workshop for motoring writers A workshop held at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon, and aimed at both both budding and established writers. michaelsedgwicktrust.co.uk 30 September MG 100 at Beaulieu Organised by members of the MG Owners Club, but open to all wanting to celebrate the centenary of the marque.  beaulieu.co.uk…

WITH PEBBLE BEACH, The Quail and Salon Privé the traditional launchpads for cars with an historical angle – whether fresh-to-market restomods or old names dropping new cars – August and September are always frenetic on that front, but this year the multiple reveals at the big events were comprehensively trumped by a factory effort in Italy. It was always going to be, from the moment that someone at Stellantis rubberstamped Alfa Romeo reviving the legendary Tipo 33 Stradale moniker. The news broke on 31 August that Alfa Romeo would build – via Touring Superleggera – a limited run of 33 cars (even though every one of them has already been accounted for, following a preview during the F1 race at Monza in 2022) in its first foray for decades into…