The name 'Grifo' is Italian for Griffin, the mythological beast that's half lion and half eagle. The lion half represents the coat of arms of the Iso company's founder, Renzo Rivolta, while the eagle represents the symbolic animal of the United States. This symbolic union is quite fitting for the Iso Griffo considering it was pure Italian beauty in design and style, coupled with the power of the mighty American … [Read more...]
BMW 507- The 1950s Roadster that near Bankrupted the Company
Some cars are designed to get us from A to B, and nothing more. And then there are icons - cars that leave their mark, monumental creations of a certain era in the automotive world. The BMW 507 is most certainly not just a car. Even though the 507 was by no means a financial success, its place in automotive history will never be forgotten. It was a car born essentially out of a need for a cheaper, alternative … [Read more...]
Aston Martin DB6 – A Credit to British Engineering
What comes to your mind when you think about James Bond? For me, it's the vodka martini - shaken not stirred of course. The next vision that pops in is the Aston Martin – a car fit for Britain’s most elite (yet fictional) agent. While the infamous DB5 came with a lot of special agent perks such as ejector seat, a bullet shield on the back, and oil spray, the Aston Martin DB6 is quite similar yet more … [Read more...]
Ferrari Daytona – Last of the Front Engine V12
Ferrari Daytona, officially called the Ferrari 365 GTB4 Berlinetta, is known as the quintessential front-engine classic grand touring car. It was one of the last V12 front-engined Ferrari war horses. The classically shaped and ridiculously fast Daytona was a supercar with a split personality. The two sides of the Ferrari Daytona met at the 120mph mark. Under 120 mph the Daytona was deemed heavy with inert controls … [Read more...]
Lamborghini Diablo – The Sant’Agata Devil
If it wasn’t for our huge competitive nature tethered into our DNA, we might not have had many of today’s technological advances. More importantly, we wouldn’t get to gaze in awe at many of the automotive world’ jewels, and the Lamborghini Diablo is certainly one of those! At the era when Enzo Ferrari was building state of the art racecars in the Scuderia factory, Ferruccio Lamborghini, a great businessman and … [Read more...]
Jaguar XKSS – Transforming the D-Type
When Enzo “II Commendatore” Ferrari said that the Jaguar E-Type was the most beautiful car he ever witnessed, it was hard to say otherwise. However, looking down the line, it becomes obvious that it wasn’t a one-time thing, the Jaguar XKSS sure does rank right up there with the E-Type. Throughout time, the British brand produced some of the most iconic and eye-pleasing design lines in the automotive … [Read more...]
AC Shelby Cobra – A Beast to Tame
The AC Shelby Cobra is one of the most iconic sports cars of the post-war era. When it comes down to sheer automotive power and anger, there is no substitute for the Shelby Cobra. The Cobra 427 top speed was 164mph and it could leap from 0 to 60 in a heart-stopping 3.8 seconds. It was the fastest car America had ever seen at the time and left the Chevrolet Corvette in its dust. The Cobra struck the public … [Read more...]
Sunbeam Tiger – A Mighty Roar in a British Sports Car
The Sunbeam Tiger is an English iconic two-seater roadster, built during the 1960s by the Rootes Group of Britain to capture the American muscle car market. At first glance, the Sunbeam Tiger may appear to be a docile English roadster -but looks can be deceiving. Under the hood lies an American 289 cubic inch Ford V8, producing approximately 200 horsepower, and a rumble of a classic American muscle … [Read more...]
Porsche 924- The Unsung Hero
You probably won’t see the likes of Bentley or Bugatti aiming to cover a broader client spectrum in order to boost sales. However, there was a time when Porsche did exactly this – the luxury sports car brand went for an 'economical' sports car that would appeal to the masses- the Porsche 924. This would be the car that would get them through a time when their finances were light on. Hoping to get everything set … [Read more...]
Is the Ferrari 250 GTO About To Be Replicated?
The 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO has been described as a work of art, recently fetching a price of $US48 million in 2018 at a RM Sotherby's auction held in Monterey, California. This makes the Ferrari 250 GTO one of those most expensive cars of all time. Back in its day though, you could have purchased one for around $18,000. A total of only 36 Ferrari GTOs were only ever produced between 1962 and 1963, and three ‘Series … [Read more...]
Remembering Hans Mezger (1929 – 2020)
The legendary Porsche engineer Hans Mezger passed away June 10, 2020 at the age of 90. Porsche owes him not only the Porsche 911's air-cooled, six-cylinder boxer engine but also the overall construction of the 917 and its twelve-cylinder engine as well as his creation of the TAG Turbo Formula One engine. For more than three decades, Hans Mezger was responsible for Porsche's most successful racing cars and engines. … [Read more...]
The Resplendent Royale – Bugatti Type 41
In the 1920s, Bugatti created the most luxurious car in the world. With the Type 41 Royale, in 1926, Bugatti presented the strongest, largest and most luxurious automobile in the world, characterized by unimaginable power and opulent equipment. For Ettore Bugatti, the Royale was the culmination of his creation. A vehicle that knew no competitors in terms of performance, quality and image. A vehicle for emperors, … [Read more...]
Happy 80th Birthday to Kurt Ahrens
The former Porsche works driver Kurt Ahrens celebrated his 80th birthday on Sunday, 19 April 2020. Kurt Karl Heinrich “Kurti” Ahrens was born in Brunswick, Germany in 1940 as the son of the racing driver Kurt Ahrens senior. “Kurti” became interested in his father’s sport early on and they soon even both competed in the same races together. Ahrens Jr. started his racing career in 1958, proved himself first in … [Read more...]
How Thirty Vintage Bugattis Ended Up on a Train
Around 60 years ago, Fritz Schlumpf purchased a collection of thirty Bugatti models after tough negotiations. He simply adored Bugatti: Schlumpf had to own as many of the vehicles as possible because he wanted to use them as a basis for establishing the biggest Bugatti collection in existence. In fact, it became something of an obsession, as reflected in the negotiations with an American Bugatti owner that went on … [Read more...]
35 Years Since Senna’s First Formula 1 Win
It was 35 years ago, in monsoon conditions, that a determined young Brazilian raced to his first Formula 1 victory and cemented his name in motorsport folklore. It was Sunday 21 April and the 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix. Behind the wheel of a Lotus 97T was Ayrton Senna, just turned 25 years old. With the car at the absolute limit of its grip, he delivered a masterclass in wet-weather driving for the hardy Estoril … [Read more...]
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