The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
Photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
The Autoworld Brussels museum is currently presenting an exhibition retracing the epic story of the Lancia brand through a dozen vehicles entitled “Lancia 120 Years – Innovation through Italian Design”.
From the very first models, Lancia cars distinguished themselves by their lightness, functionality and originality of design.
These are the characteristics illustrated by the models displayed here.
By Peter Darnall
From the Archives, February 2021
Déjà vu: a feeling that one has seen or heard something before . . .
I came across an old friend at Thunderhill recently. I had not seen her in more than fifty years—and she had not changed a bit. She was drawing quite a bit of attention in the paddock, which was just the way I remembered our last meeting in the Del Monte Forest in the spring of 1956.
Esperienza Giro Lamborghini, display paddock
Story and photos by Vince Johnson
The heavens chose to wait until the last day of summer to finally bring South Australia some much-needed rain this year. In the state capital on the Victoria Park circuit, crews had obviously done their homework and on Saturday morning, in the paddock and pits, slicks were nowhere to be seen. With fifteen categories, ranging from Formula 1 to Historic Sports and Racing, including Motorbikes, the track was live from 8:30 to 5:30 each day.
Winner of best in show, Mr Sascha Baggli’s 1951 Bentley Mark VI Cresta II by Facel Metallon. This unique vehicle was commissioned by Jean Daninos as a gift for his wife.
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
In the lull between Retromobile and the proper start of the 2026 season I thought you might indulge me by allowing me to show you an event that we did not have a chance to publish in 2025 – the Cartier Style et Luxe concours which is an integral part of the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed.
You can always rely on the Cartier team to come up with a great selection of classes and last year was no exception.
British Speed King Donald Campbell practices his craft in his Baby Bugatti. Campbell would set many speed records both on land and water but died in a speed boat record attempt in 1967. His father Malcolm, also a Land Speed Record holder, assists. Photo courtesy the Bugatti Trust.
From the VeloceToday Archives, March, 2011
By Marshall Buck
I can’t believe that the answer has been in front of me all these years. The answer to what you ask? The answer to the question I often ask myself: How am I ever going to afford a genuine vintage Bugatti? Simple answer…buy a ‘Baby’ Bugatti; a child’s car to be precise. I’m not talking about one of those cheapy Toys R Us plastic jobs. No sir, the one I have in mind is very special….one of the authentic half scale renditions of a Type 35.
The French make Peugeot pioneered the retractable hardtop in the early 1930 ties by selling Éclipse bodies, made by coachbuilder Marcel Pourtout, on their 301 and 601 chassis. The concept of the Peugeot 402 Éclipse was also based on Georges Paulin’s patent. But this model, introduced in October 1935, was built in Peugeot’s own factory. Between 1936 and 1940 some 580 units were produced.
From the VeloceToday archives, March, 2015
Three important Frenchman who had a tremendous influence on automobile design: Georges Paulin, Marcel Pourtout and Emile Darl’mat, the three Musketeers. Much of their combined work evolved around the development of the disappearing hardtop as conceived by Georges Paulin. To give us a further insight into how clever kinematics conquered the auto industry, Gijsbert-Paul sent us this history.
By Gijsbert-Paul Berk
In the previous decades nearly all the major car manufacturers have introduced retractable hardtops in their popular or premium convertible models.
Opel had them on the Tigra TwinTop, Ford on their Fiesta and Focus models, Renault provided a glass paneled ‘see through’ hard top on the Megane CC, Volvo on the C 70 and BMW on the type 4 cabriolet. There even exist Ferrari California and Ferrari 458 Italia Spider versions with a retractable top.
The cover of the September 1960 Midland race program. Although Hap Sharp owned a 1959/60 Ferrari 250TR at one point, it never saw action at Midland Airpark.
Story by Willem Oosthoek, photos by Bob Jackson
The 3rd Annual Midland Sports Car Races took place on September 17-18, 1960, again at Airpark. Based on published spectator numbers – 4,000 on Saturday, 6,000 on Sunday – the event was a commercial success, but based on the number of entries, not so much.
Luigi-and-me-at-PVGP 2004. Photo by Ed Hyman, AutoPhotos.
Story by Sam Smith
My love for Italian cars started in 1960. A visit to Marlboro Raceway allowed me to get up close to cars only seen in Road & Track magazine, like a long wheelbase California Spyder and Charlie Hayes’s 250GT Short Wheelbase Berlinetta.
Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Sqaureback by Panther Westwinds chassis 15275
Photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
I wanted to sell our old Suburban, but I haven’t sold a car in years, and so someone told me to go to Facebook and look up groups on Chevy Suburban ‘Squarebacks’. And sure enough, that’s what the call them nowadays, Squarebacks, a term that presumably can be applied to just about anything with a square back. Ok, I get it. I’m not so square after all.
In the first turn of Race 4’s opening lap, Ronnie Hissom’s Lister/Chevy and Emory Cantey’s Porsche 550RS came together, knocking both cars out for the weekend.
Story by Willem Oosthoek, photos by Bob Jackson
Last week we described the strong October 1959 entry list, at least for an SCCA Regional in the Southwest. Today we’ll have a look how the big modifieds – five Ferraris [two with Chevy engines], one Maserati/Ferrari, three Chevy-engined Listers and a Jaguar/Chevy – performed in the two races scheduled for their class during the 2nd Annual Midland Sports Car Races. Their individual chassis numbers were mentioned previously, so we won’t repeat them.
The late Clyde Berryman’s diorama of the Mellaha pits and timing tower.
Story by Robert Young
The fabulous ‘golden era of motor sport’ of the 1930s was dominated by the silver German Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union racers. The Italian challengers in their brave red Maseratis and Alfa Romeos were outgunned in a motor sporting equivalent of the blitzkrieg. From 1934, when the German teams came on the scene, to 1937, the European Championship ‘750kg’ formula for Grand Prix cars saw engine capacities of up to 6 liters employed, but in 1938 this was reduced to 3 liters and once again the silver cars ruled the roost, with the ‘titans’ driving the Mercedes V12 W154.
