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The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts

Graham Gauld

Alfas and Alpines in a French Junkyard

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The Alfa Montreal bought by Gerard Gombert for junk and now steadily sinking into the undergrowth fetched $13,000 at the Osenat Auction on November 9-11.

Story and photos by Graham Gauld

From the VeloceToday Archives, November, 2016

Nothing much happens around this part of the South of France. The hot spots of Nice, Cannes and Monaco lie on the sunny Coast of the French Riviera but here, inland about twenty miles away, village life is about the same as it has always been. But on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of last week all that changed with one of the oddest auction sales I have ever attended. Here is the story.

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Antoine Prunet, Susan Dixon

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Antoine Prunet, seen facing the camera in this picture with former Renault Formula 1 Team Manager Jean Sage, was the author of many books on the history of Ferrari.

Text and photo by Graham Gauld

I was very sad to hear that the much-respected Ferrari historian Antoine Prunet died last week of cancer. He had been ill for some time and only a few weeks ago his wife passed away, so the end of his life was very tragic.

I knew Antoine for about fifty years as we often met at one event or another and emailed frequently. Those of us who knew him will testify that he was always approachable, and appreciative of any assistance and information one could bring to his massive archives. [Read more…] about Antoine Prunet, Susan Dixon

The Magician of Rue Ettore Bugatti

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The plaque outside the workshop.

Story and photos by Graham Gauld

The village of Carpentras lies in northern Provence ten miles from Avignon and close to the river Gard that flows below that city’s famous bridge. It is like many French Provencal villages, with a history going back centuries. As a market town it was even visited by the Greeks and the Phoenicians and is famous for its sheep and honey. But there is one citizen there who is well known to Bugatti enthusiasts: Laurent Rondoni.

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And How!

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Peter Collins on his winning way in the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in July 1958. Photo: Grand Prix Library/Graham Gauld

Peter Collins Celebration begins June 10 in Worcester, UK

This year marks the 65th anniversary of the death of British racing driver Peter Collins in an accident during the 1958 German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring.

Collins was at the peak of his racing career and was a member of the Scuderia Ferrari team alongside his great friend Mike Hawthorn who was to go on to become Britain’s first Formula 1 Grand Prix World Champion. He was killed just two weeks after his famous victory in the British Grand Prix at Silverstone that year. [Read more…] about And How!

Kadoorie’s Perfecto Balilla

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The little winglet on the rear of the coachwork and the superb finish to the car.

By Graham Gauld

To me the Fiat Balilla 508 has always been one of the most stylish small sports cars of the 1930s and it was certainly a very successful model for Fiat.

The model I want to talk about, however, is a particular “Coppa D’Oro” model owned by the Hong Kong-based businessman Sir Michael Kadoorie, owner of the Peninsula Hotel Group and, incidentally, the Quail Lodge Golf Club at Laguna Seca, California.

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Paolo Martin’s Sigma Revisited

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The revolutionary Sigma Grand Prix car by Pininfarina and powered by Ferrari. Note the Ferrari mag wheels

Graham Gauld wrote this article a year ago, but in the meantime Roberto Motto came up with image of the Sigma from Pininfarina, while new information about Sigma came from Paolo Martin’s new book, Visions in Design, also reviewed this week. We put it all in a blender an came up with the story below. Ed.

Photos courtesy Pininfarina, Paolo Martin and Graham Gauld

“Some might feel inclined to remark, perhaps in a chiding tone, that this work has seduced us away from what has been our traditional path. We would certainly rebut such a charge.” Those words were uttered by Sergio Pininfarina when his company surprised everyone at the 1969 Geneva Motor Show by showing a startling one-off Grand Prix car, the Sigma.

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Graham Gauld Mini Autobiography Part 3

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Claviers was to be Gauld’s next home.

Story and photos by Graham Gauld

In 1994, Having made my decision to return to Europe, and the further decision to move to the South of France, I chose the tiny village of Claviers to be close enough to Italy and within easy driving distance to Milan, Turin and, of course, Modena.

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Graham Gauld in Claviers

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The 1932 Salmson GS (Grande Sport) that arrived in the village. (Jane Wallis-Hosken)

By Graham Gauld
From the Archives October 2020

I live in a small village in the south of France in the hills behind the beaches of Cannes and Frejus where very little happens. However, I am constantly reminded of the major role France played in the birth and development of automobile racing.

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Graham Gauld Mini Autobiography Part 2

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Graham explaining the driving test to Jackie Chan at Kowloon.


Story and photos by Graham Gauld
Read Part 1

In the first episode of this yarn I left you with my reply to the company in Hong Kong regarding their wish to have someone edit a car magazine they planned for mainland China and going off to Silverstone for a historic race meet. On my return on a Sunday evening in 1993, there was a reply informing me that tickets from Edinburgh to Hong Kong via London would arrive the following day and could I fly on Wednesday. [Read more…] about Graham Gauld Mini Autobiography Part 2

Graham Gauld: Mini Autobiography Part 1

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Graham Gauld with his partner Jane Wallis-Hosken at the Portimao historics in Portugal.

Story and photos by Graham Gauld

It is hard to believe, but by the time you read this it will have been seven months since Jane and I turned in the key to the house, got a lift to the Nice airport and flew to London, leaving behind 27 years’ worth of memories of living in the South of France, in easy driving distance from Nice, Cannes, Monaco and Ventimiglia on the Italian border. Four weeks earlier I had celebrated the 70th anniversary of my first work as a motoring journalist at the age of 17.

Why am I telling you all this? Well Editor Pete Vack thought it would be a good idea to explain how it has been settling down in the country of one’s roots, after being away for close on thirty years. My life, so far, can be split into three parts so let’s start with the first part.

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Gauld Remembers Forghieri

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Not another pesky journalist!

Story and photos by Graham Gauld

I must admit I was saddened to hear the news that Mauro Forghieri, the man who designed some of the finest Ferrari cars during the modern era, died in Modena at the age of 87.

Mauro was quite an engaging character who had a great sense of humor. On occasion, he could turn prickly, as though he was tired of hearing the same questions again and again. Wherever he went, he was always surrounded by people asking him questions.

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Old Friends at Silverstone

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Eddie McGuire and the ex-Archie Butterworth Bentley.

Story and photos by Graham Gauld

Normally the BRDC Silverstone Classic is my special three-day event, but this year I could only spend one day there and so did not see half of the cars that turned up. However, I did meet up with two old pals who each had a story to tell.

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