If it hadn’t been for the success of the Mini-Cooper S as driven by Paddy Hopkirk in the Monte Carlo Rally and similar challenging long-distance races in the mid-’60s, the Mini probably never would have achieved the worldwide recognition it has enjoyed. And there certainly never would have been a […]
Columns
1958 Chevrolet Corvette
The Chevrolet Corvette saw the light of day at the 1953 Motorama, the concept coming from Harley Earl, head of GM’s Art and Color Department, who sought to produce an American counterpart to the imported Jaguar XK 120. Until then, America had been without a real postwar sports car. The […]
1930 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Convertible Coupe
The Castagna-bodied 6C 1750 Alfa shown here is a triple masterpiece: its magnificent Vittorio Jano-designed engine, Alfa Romeo’s superb chassis,and the beautifully constructed and subtly detailed Castagna body. In addition, it has been fastidiously restored in Australia by marque specialists Double J. Vittorio Jano put the P2 GP project behind […]
1953 Ferrari 375 MM Spyder
While Enzo Ferrari’s focus was always on Grand Prix victories, he was never reluctant to apply the lessons learned in Grand Prix-or to spread out the high cost of GP car and engine development-to large displacement sports cars.Sports cars also earned both starting and prize money for the factory, and […]
1930 Bentley 6½-Liter Speed Six
Although the 6½-liter had been conceived as a touring car to compete with Rolls-Royce’s new Phantom, in Speed Six form it proved admirably suited to competition: in 1929 Barnato/Birkin’s Speed Six won the Le Mans 24 Hour race ahead of a trio of 4½-liter Bentleys and Barnato/Kidston repeated the feat […]
1972 Maserati Boomerang
Giugiaro’s Maserati Boomerang was first displayed as a non-functional model at the Turin motor show in 1971. By the Geneva show in March,1972, it had been transformed into a fully operational vehicle. The mechanicals were borrowed from the Maserati Bora. With its 4.7-liter V8 engine developing 310 horsepower, the Boomerang […]
SCM, Phase II
In October, 1963, Austin-Healey introduced the BJ8, with an updated interior including a wood-veneered dash. Several months later, the so-called phase II version of the Big Healey was unveiled, with many updates such as dual lenses for braking and winking, and exterior refinements including such advanced features as locking door […]
1970-76 Porsche 914-4
It was either love or hate at first sight when the 914 was introduced in 1970. Three decades later, the situation is pretty much the same.To appreciate the 914, you have to understand its design brief: to recreate the 356 Speedster. That is, produce a simple, reliable, tossable, two-seat sports […]
1970 Chevrolet Chevelle LS6 Convertible
The 1970s were the glory years for American muscle. Gas was cheap, and insurance companies hadn’t yet realized just how different an LS6 Chevelle was from a 350-cubic-inch commuter special. The 454-cubic-inch, 450-horsepower LS6 engine was put together, along with the car it rode in, at Chevrolet’s big-block V8 production […]
1970 Alfa Romeo GTAm
The GTAm models are derived from Alfa’s 1750 Veloce coupe. The Am suffix is a shortened version of “America,” and refers to the US model, which required fuel injection for emission reasons. With full development, the GTAm engine brought twice the brake horsepower available from a standard carbureted car. The […]