The sleek lines of the Tornado Ventury are well illustrated in this photo, ca. 1967. ©Wally Vorlaufer Wally Vorlaufer
The sleek lines of the Tornado Ventury are well illustrated in this photo, ca. 1967. ©Wally Vorlaufer
Car Profiles

Tornado Ventury Record Breaker

Avatar photoGlen Smale

Written by: Glen Smale and Images by Glen Smale and Wally Vorlaufer

There have been many stories and accounts written over the years covering record breakers, one-off specials, and innovative performance developments. But this story is about a remarkable vehicle developed by a young man with a passion for the unusual. It all started back in 1954, when, aged just fourteen years, Wally Vorlaufer emigrated from Austria to South Africa with his family, where they established a jewellery manufacturing business.

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Glen Smale
South African-born Smale started his professional motor journalism and photography career back in 1994, but if truth be told, Glen has had a driving passion for all things motoring since a tender age. In 1997, Glen launched Autosport & Classics, a classic motoring and historic motorsport magazine covering the local scene in SA. Two years later, having sold his share in the magazine. Between 2004 and 2016 Smale has authored thirteen books covering sports cars and motor racing. In 2007 he received the Laurin and Klement ‘Design Writer of the Year’ award for his book Jaguar E-type: Portrait of a Design Icon. In 2012 his book, Porsche at Le Mans: 60 Years of Porsche Participation in the World’s Greatest Motor Race, was shortlisted in the British Sports Book Awards. Of his thirteen books, no less than seven have been on Porsche cars, perhaps suggesting where his passion lies. Glen first started writing for the only magazine dedicated entirely to the Porsche 911, namely Total 911, as far back as 2005 and still contributes to this magazine on a regular basis. He has also written for the well-known Porsche magazines in America, Excellence, for a number of years. In addition to this, Glen has contributed to the Porsche Club of North America monthly publication, Panorama, as well as a host of other titles over the years in Europe, the UK and South Africa. Away from the race track, Glen was an aspiring golfer in his younger days and represented his province in the under-18 age group for a number of years. He went on to win his University Championships and represented Rhodes University for five years, as well as playing club league golf for ten years. With both children now out of the house and working, Glen lives with his lovely German wife, Elke, in the beautiful county of Carmarthenshire in West Wales. Glen has been a member of the Guild of Motoring Writers since 1995.
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