Octane May 2016

A CASUAL REMARK from motor sport historian Doug Nye, chatting about this month’s cover feature: ‘Hey, he is Sir Stirling Moss OBE – and he was in his era Mr Motor Racing. His impact and stature during the 1950s/early ’60s was literally Hamilton/Schumacher/Vettel/Senna all rolled into one… with knobs on… and added walnuts… This tends to be forgotten too readily today. He invented the charismatic Formula 1 standard-setting driver as a truly marketable public figure.’ Did we need to be reminded of this? I’d like to think we didn’t, because we’re all great fans of Stirling here at Octane, which is why he’s on the cover. Perhaps it helps that our team is significantly more experienced (OK, older) than your typical magazine team – most of us are in our…

DOUG NYE When, as a consultant to auctioneers Bonhams, Doug was given the task of verifying the world’s last real unrestored, yet running, Jaguar C-type, he jumped at the chance. ‘Originality, once lost, can never, ever, be regained – which makes this lovely thing a work of fine art.’ Read all about this remarkable car on pages 54-62. TOM SALT ‘This shoot was confusing and upliEing. Confusing because the rotating cafe at Piz Gloria meant breakfast was never where you le it. Upliing because the mountain mist cleared for justlong enough to reveal a truly breathtaking landscape.’ Find out about 007’s Alpine lair (and a swansong Aston Martin) on pages 100-110. SAM HANCOCK Sam is a former Le Mans Series champion and Aston Martin works driver who competes in major…

GOOIWOOI TRACKIAYS Join Octaneat Goodwood for our next trackday on 12 May (there’s another on 13 October). Cost is £299 per car with driver, plus £60 per guest. Visit www.octane-magazine.com and click on ‘merchandise’. BUY OR SELL CLASSICS ONLINE Want to buy a classic car? Got a classic car to sell? Just fancy browsing classic cars for sale in your lunch hour? Satisfy all your cravings at www.classicand performancecar.com. HISTORIC MOTORING AWARIS The International Historic Motoring Awards are back! Run in association with EFG, the venue is The Guildhall, London, on 17 November. See www.historic motoringawards.com. SUBSCRIBE TO OCTANE Have Octanedelivered hot off the press – or read the digital edition on your iPad, PC or laptop. See our special offer (pages 158-159) or search for ‘Octanemagazine’ in your app…

THE CLUE IS IN THE NEW NAME. It’s not only literally accurate but also sums up the bolder, more confident feel to a museum that’s been around since 1993, when it was first opened in Gaydon, Warwickshire, to show off the survivors of British Leyland’s mixed reign. So the Heritage Motor Museum has become the British Motor Museum, to cover not only the cars of its founders but anything built in the UK. The original building has been remodelled, the displays expanded and improved and, crucially, a huge two-storey car storage facility added to the site. That new building, The Collections Centre, finally gives a single home to vehicles that have previously been stashed around the country. It’s not laid out as a museum, but it’s packed with automotive gems…

THE FEDERATION of British historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC) is seeking to moderate the latest emissions from the Fédération Internationale des Véhicules anciens (FIVA) about what constitutes a historic vehicle. Increasing numbers of low-emission zones (LEZS) across europe have focused the minds of those who represent the interests of historic-vehicle owners and the freedom to use them. Same aims, different interpretations. Or so it seemed after FIVA’S press release of 2 February, and FBHVC’s request for a raincheck on 26 February. Two issues are troubling our legal representatives. One relates to those leZs: FIVa wants all of them across europe to adopt the same stance, exempting historic vehicles from potential exclusion from these zones, whereas FBhVC thinks it better to negotiate individually with leZs as they are created, and not involve…

LESS OF A TRIAL IN WALES There’s a new category for the Three Castles historic rally for those who don’t enjoy regularity sections. The Three Castles Sporting Trial follows the full Classic Trial route but without exact timing through the regularity sections. entries, at £2495 per car, close on 30 april. The new Sporting Trial joins the original regularity rally and the shorter heritage Trial. all three take place together in Wales, 1-4 June. RACE TO HONOUR DRON Octane columnist and former Touring Car driver Tony Dron has been honoured with a new motor racing legends race series, the Tony Dron Trophy for 1970-82 Touring Cars running to FIa Group 1 or British Saloon Car Championship Group 1½ regulations. The winner of the series will be awarded the actual trophy…