Octane December 2020

TAKE ONE: the romantic in me deplored the VAG takeover of Lamborghini in 1999; it epitomised all that was wrong with the modern, increasingly globalised world. Round about then, a ‘new’ word had suddenly come back into vogue: homogenised, and that seemed to fit the inevitable but criminal blunting of Lamborghini with common sense just as much as it did the sight of a McDonald’s (or Starbucks; pick your own poison) on every street corner, the depressingly relentless gentrification of London’s Soho district, and all the other cases of character and personality being subsumed by the, er, homogeneous modern world. Take two: the pragmatist in me adored the VAG takeover of Lamborghini just over two decades ago, it being a lifeline to a company simply too bonkers and too niche…

HARRY METCALFE ‘I was a farmer long before I got involved in motoring journalism – but I’ve always been a petrolhead. So it was inevitable that one day I would own a combine harvester. Finding somewhere to park up under cover can prove tricky at times.’ Read the full story – and see David Shepherd’s fabulous photography – on pages 100-108. JORDAN BUTTERS ‘Shooting pre-war classics is always an experience as there are often moments when you’re reminded just how much more convenient modern motoring has become. But when the subjects are as elegant and characterful as that Lagonda, you quickly forget any hiccups. What a fantastic car!’ See Jordan’s photographs on pages 78-86. RICHARD MEADEN ‘I cut my teeth on Minis so have always had a soft spot for them. I’ve…

Le Mans at night can be atmospheric enough but with empty stands and no crowds it was postively eerie on 19-20 September, even with the screaming field pounding up to the Dunlop Bridge, lights ablaze. Credit to the Automobile Club de l’Ouest for managing to put on any sort of event for this 88th running of the 24-hour enduro after having to postpone from the usual June slot. The race itself was rather more conventional than the circumstances surrounding it, with Toyota Gazoo Racing taking its third win on the trot via Sébastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima and Brendon Hartley in the TS050 hybrid. They were a full five laps ahead of the Rebellion Racing R13, while there were class wins for the UK’s Aston Martin and United Autosports.…

22 October The Historic Motoring Awards Covid-19 has put paid to the planned awards ceremony at the Rosewood in London, but the show must go on(line). Register (free of charge) on the Historic Motoring Awards website and everyone can watch live as this year’s winners are announced by host Amanda Stretton. Also look out for special guest appearances by some well-known faces. historicmotoringawards.co.uk 22-25 October Mille Miglia Crews in open cars – and there will be many – will have to wrap up warm this year, with the event rescheduled from May to the end of October. That said, everything apart from the chill in the air will feel familiar as the teams hustle from Brescia to Rome and back in the company of some of the world’s greatest classics.…

WE ALL HAVE A friend like Maurice Dufresne. Perhaps it’s you? He or she is the person who finds what looks like a worthless item, but thinks: ‘I’ll put this aside – just in case it comes in useful one day.’ Maurice Dufresne definitely had that mindset. At the age of 22, he ran a blacksmith’s workshop at a time when mechanical equipment was taking over from the horse. He hit on the idea of making farm trailers for tractors and built more than a thousand of them. Finding base materials hard to come by, he began recycling metals. He found that the disposable age was upon him and began accumulating obsolete machinery, tractors, tools, farm equipment and anything else he felt to be part of history, concentrating on the…

DESPITE THE threats of bans on new petrol cars, restrictions on cars in towns, and various official haruspices telling us where and when we can’t meet to look at old motors this year, the future most definitely smells of petrol, leather and painted metal. Across the UK there are organisations springing up, expanding and thriving that mean the classic scene is well-placed to take on the miseries and bannits. They’re proof that classic cars are not only very much part of the future of driving, but also that an industry worth in excess of £5bn to the UK is thriving, with a social scene that’s becoming more diverse and creative year by year. Classics, by their nature, need care and maintenance. That means there’s a need to make sure the…