The economic depression that followed World War II decreed that Alfa Romeo could no longer afford to produce purely the bespoke motorcars that had made the marque famous on both road and track. Mass produced models were needed and the first fruits in this direction were the 1900 Berlinetta and […]
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1961 Ferrari 250 GT Competition SEFC SWB
The first Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta with a 240cm wheelbase, later nicknamed SWB (for short wheelbase), was shown at the Paris Motor Show held in October 1959. It was still very much a prototype but the complete finished car was ready for the Turin and Geneva Shows held a few […]
Jaguar XK 140 Roadster
The XK140 was introduced in October 1954 at the London Motor Show as the successor to the XK120. The XK140 was easily distinguishable from its predecessor because of its Mk 7 type front and rear bumpers, the traditional radiator grill but with fewer slats and a chrome strip which ran […]
Maserati Merak SS
In the creative environment that coincided with the beginning of the 1970s, Maserati began work on the design of a car with high performance sporting characteristics capable of dominating the hard-fought 3-liter class of the market. In order to avoid risks the layout of the Merak, the name of a […]
1959 Mercedes-Benz 300SL
The name of Mercedes-Benz is synonymous with the heritage of the motorcar, and the company has over the decades produced some of the finest examples of sporting machinery. Early forays into the competition world led to the production of some of the fastest touring cars of their day and an […]
1948 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Freccia d’Oro
{vsig}1995-2_1753{/vsig} Like most manufacturers after World War II, Alfa Romeo had to rebuild factories and produce a range of cars that would be economically viable to both manufacturer and public. Already a suitable new engine existed in the 2.5-liter six-cylinder of 1939, basically an enlarged version of the previous 2.3-liter […]
1965 Ferrari 275 GTS
{vsig}1995-2_1751{/vsig} The 275 series of road cars made its debut at the 1964 Paris Motor Show, replacing the long-standing 250 range in its various forms. The stunning new 275 GTB replaced the 250 SWB Berlinetta and 250 Lusso as a car that could be used both on road and track, […]
1950 Cisitalia 202B Gran Sport
Piero Dusio’s attempt to build road cars resulted in just 170 units, but each was a classic. For a short period Dusio created excitement and he left the world of the motorcar better than he found it. He deserves an honored place in history. Many regard the Cisitalia 202 Gran […]
1961 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ (1995)
When the Giulietta SZ was first announced, it was described by Sports Car World as “Zagato’s Little Jewel” and, over 30 years later, there is n reason to dispute that assessment. With 100 bhp, a five-speed gearbox, a top speed of 120 mph and 0-50 mph in 81 seconds, there […]
1987 Ferrari Testarossa
Pininfarina has pulled off many masterstrokes in its time, but few compare with its styling of the Testarossa. Those long “egg slicer” grilles down the side of the body are more than merely functional, they are more than just a style statement, they are positively inspired. They are the sort […]