Browsing: Vintage Roadcar Articles
1931 Bugatti Type 50
It may come as a surprise that Ettore Bugatti’s first straight-8 engine did not power one of his rolling sculptures, it was to take to the skies in an airplane. The prototype was designed in France, during World War I. However, in the U.S. something called the Billing Commission was established to acquire European aeronautical...
Amelia to Showcase Mercedes 500K–540K
A special class of Mercedes-Benz 500K – 540K will take center stage at the 24th annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance on March 10, 2019. The 500K and 540K descend from the mighty Mercedes-Benz SSK, winner of the brutal 1931 Mille Miglia. Introduced at the 1934 Berlin Auto Show the Mercedes-Benz 500K was a superstar and supercar from its first moments. From 1934 through 1939, the 500K – 540K-series Mercedes was the ultimate super car, long before the term had been coined. The “sheer insolence of its power” made it “a master car for the very few,” according to British enthusiasts’…
The Beastie Boys, Darth Vader and a $200k Buick Regal
Car Design is a wicked beast. The purpose of design is to create both alluring and engaging combinations of mechanical and sculptural elements as a means to attracts buyers willing to pay money to possess such an object. But once the car is released, a whole new series of considerations changes what makes it beautiful, important, or desirable. For the most part, cars are designed to transport you from one point to another. But this is just their functional purpose. Cars also have aesthetic, athletic, emotional, nostalgic, and visceral purposes that continually strike a chord with a large part of…
It Hertz Too Much
One of the more interesting developments in the classic car hobby, over the past few years, has been the broader expansion of classic car rentals. Early on, there were a handful of companies that popped up in major markets that would offer to rent you a classic car, in the same way that you would go to Hertz and rent an ordinary car. Only rather than renting a mid-sized, generic, slush-bucket you might climb behind the wheel of a convertible Mustang or even a Ferrari 308 GTB. It was an interesting concept, but not particularly practical, unless you lived or…
Cavallino Classic Concorso Photo Gallery
Photo Gallery from the January 25, 2019, Cavallino Classic Concorso, Palm Beach, Florida.
Cavallino Classic Concorso Subscriber Photo Gallery
Subscriber-only Photo Gallery from the January 25, 2019, Cavallino Classic Concorso, Palm Beach, Florida....
Simeone to Host Philadelphia Concours d’Elegance
On Saturday, June 15, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., nonprofit Cool Cars for Kids, Inc. (CCfK) will host the third annual Philadelphia Concours d’Elegance at the world-class Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum. A Preview Gala will be held the night before, on Friday, June 14, from 6 to 10 p.m. The two-day event benefits the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in providing help and hope to children with rare genetic diagnoses and their families, and to support research that will identify the best possible treatments. The 2019 Philadelphia Concours d’Elegance will showcase an invitation-only assembly of 30-plus American and European…
Alfa 8C2900B Sells for $18.9 Million
On Friday, February 8th, in a packed salesroom at Salon Retromobile in Paris, Artcurial Motorcars sold one of the “Holy Grail” of collector cars, for a near all-time record price. Star of the sale was the 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 B Touring Berlinetta, which made its entrance to rapturous applause. Suspense built as the minutes passed with several bidders fighting over the car, both on the telephone and in the room. A private collector from the U.S. succeeded in buying the car for €16,745, 600 ($18,977,200), including premium. This exceptionally beautiful car is the third most expensive pre-war car ever to be…
Alfa Romeo 8C Chosen “Best of the Best”
Arguably one of the most desirable cars of all time, the remarkable 1937 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Berlinetta was revealed on Feb. 7, in Paris, as the winner of the fourth annual The Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Award. While eight stunning ‘Best of Show’ winners from top concours around the world competed for the accolade, the Alfa Romeo was the stand-out choice among the judges as the best car in the world. Hailing from Los Angeles, California, the car was entered into the running for the award after being named ‘Best of Show’ at the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours…
Retromobile Photo Gallery
Photo Gallery from the February 6–10, 2019, Retromobile Exhibition, in Paris, France.
Jean Todt Miura Unveiled at Retromobile
From February 6 to 10 , Lamborghini Polo Storico will be at Rétromobile, with a special red Miura SV. This important car underwent a complete restoration by Polo Storico and is owned by Jean Todt, currently President of the FIA, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, and former head of Ferrari’s F1 program. The handover ceremony took place yesterday at the Lamborghini Polo Storico stand in the presence of Automobili Lamborghini Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Stefano Domenicali, who personally handed the keys of the restored Miura to its owner. The vehicle, chassis number #3673, was born on November 11, 1972,…