Browsing: Vintage Roadcar Articles
Zagato’s Vicious Monster
Robert Opron passed away last month, tragically from complications due to Covid 19. His body of work would certainly warrant significantly more detailed coverage on his illustrious career than I can offer in this column, but I believe a most fitting tribute to his career can be summarized in the 1990 Alfa Romeo SZ, perhaps the most daring and ambitious of his car designs. I’ll never forget the first time I saw an Alfa Romeo SZ in person. I had been working as a professional designer for three years, focusing mostly on automobile design, but also enjoying freelance work in…
Pebble Beach to Honor the Lamborghini Countach
Ferruccio Lamborghini was never content to rest on success. With the 1966 debut of the P400 concept for his Miura, he set forth the very definition of a “supercar.” Yet just five years later, in 1971, he unveiled an even more radical concept—the low and crisply creased LP500, complete with soon-to-be-signature scissor doors. The name for this car is an exclamation of wonder in the local Piedmontese dialect of Italy: “Countach!” To mark the 50th anniversary of this jaw-dropping concept, the forthcoming 2021 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, to be held on Sunday August 15 on the 18th fairway of Pebble…
Volkswagen Variety at Beaulieu for Simply VW
VW cars, campers and commercials will be the motoring stars of Beaulieu’s Simply VW on Saturday  June 19th, as Vee Dub owners and fans enjoy a great Saturday out at Britain’s National Motor Museum. A calendar highlight following the easing of current restrictions, the much-loved rally will bring together all manner of ultra-cool VWs as it returns for 2021. The third of Beaulieu’s 15 Covid-secure Simply rallies planned to take place this year, every age and model of VW is welcome to take part in Simply VW. The 2020 event saw an impressive selection of VWs take their places in the…
MG Unveils Futuristic “Cyberster”
Just days after revealing design renderings, MG has released the first official photographs of its Cyberster concept car, which will be making its debut at the Shanghai Auto Show later this month. The Cyberster – developed by the team at the MG Advanced Design Centre in London – is a two-door, two-seater sports car recalling the brand’s tradition, drawing a number of styling cues from the classic MGB Roadster while also ushering in new high-tech features, including an interactive gaming cockpit and 5G connectivity. The Cyberster’s intelligent all-electric architecture will enable an approximate EV range of 800km (500 miles) and…
Master of the Road—1940 Packard 120
“You’ve got to see this car!” said Robert Escalante, internationally known restorer of classic Packard automobiles. And he wouldn’t have called me unless he had found something truly extraordinary, because both of us have seen any number of spectacular classic Packards and have restored show-winning examples ourselves. But this metallic Sea Cloud Gray 1940 120...
Mazda RX-3—50 Years of Economy & Performance
After celebrating its centenary in 2020, 2021 sees the 50th Anniversary of one of Mazda’s most interesting, adaptable and successful cars. Often overlooked when compared to the later RX-7 coupe or the earlier and far rarer Mazda Cosmo, the Mazda RX-3 was a landmark car in Mazda’s history – a car that cemented Mazda’s association with the rotary engine at home and abroad, while its export success helped put Mazda on the map as a global automotive company. Not only that, its success on the racetrack led the way for the accomplishments of the later and more famous RX-7. By…
Rare Jaguars to Feature at Auto Royale
Arguably the most important figure in British motoring history, and certainly the one with the most prolonged impact as the leader of his company for more than 40 years was Jaguar founder Sir William Lyons. This year marks the 120th birthday of “Mr Jaguar”, along with a number of other significant milestones including the 70th anniversary of the C-Type and the much-publicized 60th anniversary of the E-Type, often considered the most beautiful car ever built. In honor of these achievements, the organizers of Auto Royale have announced the second of this year’s exciting headline classes in the British International Concours…
Muscle Madness Photo Gallery
Photo Gallery from the Feb. 20, 2021, Muscle Madness event at the Automobile Driving Museum, El Segundo, CA.
Muscle Madness Subscriber Photo Gallery
Subscriber exclusive Photo Gallery from the Feb. 20, 2021, Muscle Madness event at the Automobile Driving Museum, El Segundo, CA....
1952 Pegaso Z-102 “CĂşpula” Berlinetta
In 1951, the Spanish industrial manufacturer ENASA, under the leadership of former Alfa Romeo engineer Wilfredo Ricart, debuted an exotic 8-cylinder sports car, the Pegaso Z-102, as way of broadening its brand and international prestige. Two, one-off, custom-bodied show cars were produced in 1952, one designed by Carrozzeria Touring called the “Thrill Berlinetta”, the other a reputedly in-house ENASA design dubbed the “CĂşpula” Berlinetta. The CĂşpula was first displayed at the 1952 Paris Motor Show and then the World Motor Show in New York the following year. The car was then purchased by the president of the Dominican Republic, Rafael…
1967 Ferrrari 330 GTC
The 330 GTC was unveiled at the 1966 Geneva Salon and was an amalgam of other Ferraris. It shared its 94.5-inch wheelbase and tubular steel chassis with the 275 GTB, and its 4-liter, V-12 motor was the same as the one powering the 330 GT 2+2. The Pininfarina-styled body was a mash-up as well, taking...