Octane November 2020

YOU KNOW WHEN TV shows flash up signs for balance, saying things such as ‘other two-stage microfibre mops are available’, well, we need to do a bit of that this month, too. Before you get to our cover story, please be aware that other modded, uprated, or otherwise altered Jaguar E-types are available. Loads of them, in fact, from pretty much every major specialist, and it has to be said that many of them are absolutely superb. But the Eagle E-type is the original, the 1994 pioneer that gave birth to this entire new class of classic car thanks to the devotion and determination of the indefatigable Henry Pearman. Henry’s not just one of the good guys, but one of the best. By focusing on Eagle we are not ignoring…

SIMON WINSON ‘Looking through some of my old photos during lockdown, I remembered the amazing time I spent with the Lister Storm team, when the guys from Leatherhead took on the major league at Daytona. The sound of that V12 and the excitement of the racing is something I will treasure forever.’ Lister at Daytona in 1996: pages 80-86. PETER TOMALIN ‘I’ve often chatted to Mike Loasby, usually about Astons for Octane’s sister title, Vantage. He helped pull the company back from the brink in the mid-70s, but he also worked for Alvis, Triumph, Coventry Climax and – most intriguingly – DeLorean. As ever, he doesn’t pull any punches.’ The Octane Interview: pages 98-102. JAMES NICHOLLS ‘This fast on land is hazardous, but on water these speeds take on another…

23-26 September Salon Privé The Blenheim Palace-based event is actually two shows rolled into one: the traditional concours field will be replaced on the Friday by a new display documenting the evolution of the supercar. salonpriveconcours.com 24-27 September Spa Six Hours A wonderful long weekend of wheel-to-wheel action, whatever the weather, but spectators will unfortunately not be allowed in to enjoy the racing this year. spasixhours.com 25-27 September Summer Trial Based in Telford this time for easy access to the roads of North and Mid Wales, the Summer Trial is the perfect introduction to rallying for rookie crews, and always a fun weekend for old hands. heroevents.eu 26 September ABC Trial Reformatted to run solely in the Betuwe region of the Netherlands, but that’s a big enough playground for an…

PRAGUE IS ONE of those vanishing cities, still maintaining its old charm while gently moving up to date. Its cobbled streets are full of quaint shops selling Bohemian glass and Klimt prints. Its theatres are beautiful and inexpensive, while eating and drinking are reasonably priced in lovely old restaurants. One word of warning, though – if you partake of the wonderful Czech beer and say nothing, more beers will be delivered automatically until you tell the bar staff to stop! Among the first things you will notice in Prague are the vintage and classic cars carrying visitors on city tours, all adding to the unique atmosphere of the place. Another eye-opener is the huge Millennium Metronome, ticking away over the Vitava River. It’s just behind this that we find the…

Main image collectingcars.com WHILE THE GOVERNMENT panics that London’s ‘Prets’ are shutting as workers tuck away their season tickets and Skype in their pyjamas, the classic market is booming. Sales of classic cars and parts are defying the forecasts of gloom as more people choose to buy a classic and the spares to keep it on the road. A combination of less commuting, more free time and even cash from redundancies is helping fuel a rise in classic popularity. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the year didn’t begin well for classic dealers and parts suppliers. Matthewson’s Auctions boss Derek Matthewson says: ‘We were seriously worried when we saw lockdown looming and debated whether we should hold our 21st March auction behind closed doors or with the public present.’ It’s a sentiment echoed by…

With so much economic uncertainty swirling around, insurance company Hagerty has picked a timely moment to release possibly the most in-depth research yet into the long-term fluctuations of the classic car market. Produced by John Wiley for Hagerty Insider and following the fortunes of a single model of car over more than two decades in the USA, the report was prompted by the dire global economic outlook following the Covid-19 outbreak and sought to analyse how the classic car market had fared in previous recessions. And how it might this time. The Hagerty report focused solely on the fortunes of the 1954-63 Mercedes-Benz 300SL, especially appropriate according to Wiley because ‘the car has been considered collectable from the time it was new and has never gone out of style’. Starting…