Alex Martin-Banzer

I went to London in early July with my father, SCM Publisher Keith Martin, to attend a special anniversary dinner at Bonhams’ headquarters — and to witness the unveiling of the Ferrari 250 GTO consigned for Bonhams’ August 14-15 auction in Carmel, CA. Last week I spoke with Bonhams Chairman Robert Brooks. Brooks discussed the…

The Ultimate Driving Machine has been my automotive drug of choice since I turned 16. My first Bimmer was a reliable 1977 320i. Soon after, I upgraded to power steering with my Alpine White 1995 318i, which I still drive today. My love for my car is renewed every time I hear the engine turn…

Flying all the way from Oregon to Texas to drive a car sounds a little bit crazy, but we’re talking about BMW’s 2014 M6 Gran Coupe — on the Circuit of the Americas track near Austin. Once I reached the track, the BMW instructor waved his arm at the array of 2014 M6 Gran Coupes…

Espresso bars, cigarettes and the telephone greeting “Pronto!” surrounded me. It was official: I had just stepped off the plane into Italy with the promise of driving restored classic Ferraris on the horizon. It was the quickest 48 hours of my life. A week ago my father, publisher Keith Martin, and I received an invitation…

If you ever wanted to teach your daughter how to work on engines, just send her on a 1,000-mile road trip in an old car. Last Sunday I left Portland with my two good friends, Carly Mackie and Carolyn Corl. We cruised down Highway 101 in the Sports Car Market ‘67 Alfa Romeo Giulia Super…

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to test drive a Hyundai Elantra GT. That car far exceeded my expectations. When its rebel sister known as the Veloster showed up in the garage, I grabbed the keys and took a long lunch, which turned into a long weekend. For $22,100, this Hyundai comes with…

This weekend I made an impromptu drive to Seattle to visit a friend from Kentucky. She just happened to be in the area for a few hours before she headed to Canada. I scavenged the SCM press fleet for just the right candidate. The cherry-red Hyundai Elantra GT won, equipped 1.8-liter, DOHC, 4-cylinder engine with…

When my father, Publisher Keith Martin, mentioned he was traveling to London on a last-minute trip, I didn’t think he was going to take my joke of me tagging along seriously. However, I soon found myself following my Dad onto an airliner. We were scheduled to attend a special 25th anniversary dinner with Bonhams at…

It was one of those perfect summer days in Oregon: 80 degrees, blue sky, with the rumble of vintage cars racing in the air. Portland International Raceway hosted the annual Historic Races this past weekend. With a hotdog in one hand and a Coke in the other, I spent the early afternoon kicking tires in…

Well, I’m back home in Oregon after a whirlwind week in Paris, busily writing down my memories as I recover from jet-lag, trying to keep my daily routine at bay for as long as possible. Here’s a quick summation of my second day.