Motoring News » Classic Cars

Chitty, Chitty Bang, Bang set for auction

Alan — Mon, 16 May 2011 20:48:43 +0000

One of the most beloved cars in the world, Chitty, Chitty Bang, Bang will go on auction in Los Angeles. The 1968 star of the family movie was shipped from England to California to go beneath the hammer Sunday. The car is expected to fetch up to £1.2m and is still in running order.

The car has been kept in Stratford-upon-Avon for the past four decades by the man who looked after it during the movie, owner Pierre Picton. Over the years it has been in charity road races as well as hundreds of shows but was never on auction until now.

There were a number of cars that were made for the movie but of all of them this was the only one that was a working car. In the movie it was driven by Dick Van Dyke. Ken Adams designed and the Ford Racing Team built the car. The bonnet is polished aluminium with a hand crafted boat deck of white cedar.

The engine is a V6 Ford three-litre and the dashboard was taken out of a World War I British fighter plane. Those who know it say it is the most recognizable car in the world.

Motor insurance costs set on turbo Figures released today by the AA have confirmed what many...

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Ralph Lauren talks about his car collection

admin — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 09:54:18 +0000

Stylish not only in clothing but also in automobiles, world renowned designer Ralph Lauren has established himself as amongst one of the world’s major car collectors.

His impressive collection includes a 1938 Bugatti, a 1958 Ferrari Testa Rossa and a 2010 Lamborghini Murielago, making Ralph Lauren’s range of cars ‘a museum of automotive history, an archive of performance machines that represent the finest achievements in motorsport’.

From the 28th April, a selection of Ralph Lauren’s most prestigious sports cars from the 1930s to the present day is on show for the first time in Europe at Paris’ Musée des Arts Décoratifs. 17 outstanding cars, chosen by the curator Rodolphe Rapetti, outline the main phases of European automobile history.
With this collection Ralph Lauren shows that the automobile is a major art form created by the industry’s biggest names: Bugatti, Alfa Romeo, Bentley, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Porsche and of course, Ferrari, the high point of this unique collection.

This video provides an exclusive look behind closed doors at Ralph Lauren private estate where the designer takes us on a personal tour of these stunning machines.

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918 Spyder pug-in hybrid details

Alan — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 01:25:42 +0000

The 918 Spyder, Porsche’s super sports car with it pug-in hybrid drive has today been outlined with further details. With the concept car receiving excellent response from the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, the production development is proceeding on pace. The Spyder is expected to use only three litres of fuel per 100kms (94mpg), because of its unique hybrid technology.

The 500hp V8 engine is helped by two electric motors adding an additional 219hp. For €645,000 plus VAT and on the road charges the 918 Spyder is available for ordering. There are no more than 918 vehicles in production insuring the two-seater 981’s exclusivity even greater. September 2013 will be when production commences for the 918 Spyder and it is only available in left hand drive with the first vehicles, for delivery, available in November 2013.

The Porsche 917 and Carrera GT are the design DNA for the new car as well as the RS Spyder and stays very close to the design of the concept car of 2010. The differences with the new design and the concept car are that the new two-seater features a manual roof system with removable panels that can be stored in the luggage compartment in the front and it is based on carbon fiber reinforced plastic mono coque.

A new unique plug in hybrid system operates the 918 Spyder that features a high revved V8 engine with displacement passing 4.0 litres and with an output of over 500hp and os based on the successful RS Spyder. The RS had multiple victories at the 24 hours of Le Mans, the Le Mans Series and the American Le Mans Series among other, proving its success.

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The best Japanese imports

admin — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 16:09:54 +0000

Back in the old days, the phrase ‘made in Japan’ was frowned upon by British consumers who thought all foreign goods were bound to be sub-standard. Now, however, we think differently. And nowhere is the Japanese ingenuity and sheer love of speed more pronounced than in their racing cars. Japanese imports are highly prized, particularly drifting cars and hyped cars. Anyone who is serious about adrenaline-pumping motor sports should take a tour of the Far East, taking advantage of cheap flights to Hong Kong, then travel on to the hotspots of Osaka and Tokyo.

Land of the Rising Sun

Japanese car culture has grown into a hugely influential trend and inspires people around the world. Young Japanese guys spend huge amounts of time and money customising their cars. If you can’t afford to import a vehicle, why not get some cool Japanese accessories such as illuminated gear sticks and washer nozzles, or amazing artwork on vinyl stickers.

One of the current top favourite Japanese sports car imports is the Toyota Supra 2JZ- GTE which has an awesome 3 litre, twin turbo engine and is capable of producing up to 1500HP. Another popular supercar is the Honda NSX with its sleek styling and roaring V6 engine. Two more of the most sought-after models are the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution and the Subaru Impreza WRX STi.

The Drifting scene

The squeal of tyres and the smell of burning rubber is all part of the thrill of a drifting competition, where drivers deliberately over-steer, clinging on to the tarmac with precision and speed. Japan is the home of this sport and its techniques were developed by touring car drivers in the 1970s. Japan’s mountainous roads are still the perfect location to practise this dangerous sport and there have been many fatalities over the years.

Drifting cars

The most popular Drifting cars are the Nissan Silvia S15, Mazda RX7 and the Toyota Supra. Drifting cars need to be rear wheel drive, so in fact any RWD model could be used. Races take place all over the world and the home of drifting is the Ebisu circuit. Drivers are judged on the angle and line they take, and the amount of smoke produced, scoring points for their technique.

Japanese racing culture

Racing cars along the streets has been a passionate obsession for many young Japanese in recent years. Although illegal, it is still a popular pastime racing along city streets and mountain roads. The revival of the sporadic Japanese Touring Car championships is being planned for 2012, so all those Japanese boy racers will have an outlet for their racing skills.

The hype lives on

The 1980s was the beginning of the craze for hyped up Japanese cars and the extrovert Japanese style is still strong. ‘Souping up’, accessorising and embellishing your wheels remains a big part of Japanese motor racing culture. These days most people choose to import their dream motor or buy one from a reputable dealer. But at one time it was a different case, petrol heads often had to import the cars themselves. Because of the distance, many of these pioneers used to take advantage of cheap flights to Hong Kong and extend their trips to East Asia to include the wonders of china. Once they had their fill of Hong Kong they would hop over to Japan, seal the deal and fly back to show off to their mates.

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The Millionth Range Rover is donated to Help for Heroes

admin — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 10:03:28 +0000

Land Rover is celebrating the production of its millionth Range Rover by donating the £85,000 vehicle to charity Help for Heroes, to help support soldiers and their families who have been wounded or killed in action.

The landmark one millionth Land Rover will roll off the production line on Thursday 4th November 2010, and will be celebrated by the Solihull factory’s employees. The West Midlands production line has seen three generations of Range Rovers being built over four decades.

Land Rover Managing Director Phil Popham will drive the one millionth Range Rover to London to hand the car to Help for Heroes. He will be followed on the M40 by a convoy of historic previous-generation Range Rovers, driven by their enthusiastic owners.

The destination is the Top Gear Live set in Earls Court where Jeremy Clarkson – who is a Help for Heroes patron – and war veterans will take delivery of the land mark car on behalf of the charity. The Range Rover being donated is the highest-specification model currently available, and estimates suggest it will raise over £100,000 for charity when auctioned later this year.

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Lotus to reveal surprise at Paris Motor Show

admin — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:35:32 +0000

1975. Ah what a year (not so for Nixon advisors but hey you can’t please all the people). The Watergate verdicts aside, 1975 was the year we saw Jaws encourage people to stay out of the sea, Margaret Thatcher become the first female leader of the Conservative party and the future face of British football emerge as David Beckham first drew breath.

1975 also marked the birth of another British legend when the Lotus Esprit was officially launched at the Paris Motor Show in October.

Okay, the earth is still spinning around the sun, but wouldn’t you agree that those things happening in 1975 changed the world a bit? Just a little bit?

We do.

And what we also know now is that 35 years later, something breathtaking will happen once again. Once more in Paris. Once more at the Motor Show.

Perhaps a new Esprit? Perhaps not. Or perhaps even more?

Feel free to guess what we’re up to but ultimately you’re going to have to wait and see. One thing is for sure, it’ll be worth the wait.

All will be revealed on16.45 CET 30th September 2010, at the Paris Motor Show.

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British Motor Shows of the 1960s

admin — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 11:09:41 +0000

The Earls Court Motor Shows were still the principal arena for the general public to see what was new on the market. Paris. New York, Tokyo, Geneva and Amsterdam were all shows where British cars shone in the battle for exports. Featured cars are Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Daimler, the Rover Gas Turbine, the Ford Zephyr and Zodiac, the Triumph Spitfire, the all new Morris 1100, the Hillman Imp, the MGB, Jensen, the new Vauxhalls and many more. British Motor Shows of the 1960’s continues a nostalgic look back at the years of high expectation after the long years of austerity after the Second World War.

Now available on DVD, this British Motor Shows of the 1960s is jam packed with material containing the following features.

1. Introduction

2. 1960 Earls Court Motor Show

3. 1961 Earls Court Motor Show

4. 1961 Rover Gas Turbine

5. 1962 Earls Court Motor Show

6. 1962 The New Morris 11 and Spitfire

7. 1963 Earls Court Motor Show

8. 1963 The New Hillman Imp

9. 1964 Earls Court Motor Show

10. 1964 James Bond’s DB5

11. 1965 Earls Court and New York Motor Shows

12. 1966 Earls Court Motor Show

13. 1966 Motor Industry Research

14. 1967 Earls Court Motor Show

15. 1968 Earls Court Motor Show

16. 1969 Earls Court Motor Show

BONUS FEATURES

1. 1960,64 and 68 Commercial Motor Shows

2. Tokyo, Geneva and Amsterdam Shows

With a running time of 86 mins, the DVD is available to purchase here or by clicking on the banner below. There is also another title in their series, covering British Motor Shows of the 1950s – available here.

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Charley Boorman’s Citroen 2CV Paris Tour

admin — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 08:31:19 +0000

Here is some footage of Charley Boorman visiting the sites in Paris from the seat of a gallic icon, the classic Citroen 2CV.

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Basic preparations for restoring your prized car

admin — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 11:59:11 +0000

The summer is nearly upon us which means that many Midget, Austin and Triumph fanatics pull off the covers and polish up their cars and give them a run out with their fellow enthusiasts. But for many there is a desire to join these clubs with a prized car, but are stalling at the restoration phase.

The most effective place to start a restoration project is with excellent organising and planning, as well as a financial background to keep the project running smoothly. Restoring a car can be expensive with unforeseen expenses having to be paid for throughout the project, so setting a budget and sticking to this is good in theory but sometimes hard to keep to.

List the essential items for every single job and evaluate which repairs you may reasonably do yourself and those where you will require a mechanic to do the work on your behalf as you do not have the knowledge, tools or facilities to do the work. Having somewhere to carry out the work is also crucial, a garage is obviously the most desirable place but sometimes this is not possible, so alternative solutions have to be sourced. For work that can be outside, a pop up gazebo could provide adequate temporary shelter but something more substantial may be required.

Somewhere to record the restoration project can sometimes be helpful. There are a number of computer programs that can assist with this, the benefit being that not only can you see what work is still to be completed, but it provides a basis to keep track of expenditures. In addition, somewhere to store before and after photographs and videos can provide a sense of achievement when the project is completed. Documenting the work that is done and posting these onto a personal website or forum can help others who are trying to tackle the same project as well as sharing information which can assist your project.

When you begin work it may be an idea to photograph or write down how the parts were disassembled, this means that there is a reference should anything go wrong. At this stage you will be ready for sourcing and buying parts, this can be an issue for more obscure makes and models but search the internet and you may come up trumps, one website to consult on a regular basis is OldClassicCar.co.uk. When the parts are ready for fitting, clean and degrease all of the elements to improve their productivity as well as making the end product look more desirable.

The interior of the vehicle can be one of the most expensive tasks during the restoration, but for authenticity purposes try and stay true to what there is before and if repairing isn’t an option because of wear and tear try and buy like for like. When the mechanics and interior are finalised the project is nearly complete with one more phase to finish… The exterior.

The paint work is what people see and obviously with so much pride about the vehicle you will want to get the best job done on it. Therefore source quality car painters who will do a fantastic job and this is probably one area that you will not want to scrimp and save on. Search the internet for products that can then help maintain this finish so that when the project is complete you can take time to erect your gazebo and spend the day polishing and buffering your restored prize possession.

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Ultimate boys toy in £4m auction

Alan — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 11:18:30 +0000

Guys dream of owning super cars like Ferrari’s and Porches’ but when you really think about it there really is only one very cool car to be seen in.

James Bond’s Aston Martin sports car from Goldfinger is expected to go for around £4m when the famous Sean Connery DB5 sports car goes up for auction. This will be the first time that the vehicle will be available for purchase from the open market.

The car comes complete with all of Bond’s favourite gadgets including a bullet proof shield, machine guns, smoke screen, revolving number plates, and an oil slick.

Although all of the gadgets still work, the machine guns unfortunately do not fire for safety reasons.

Most people will recognize the car as the same one that Bond drove after Tilly Masterson with, amidst the Alps and the car that Bond used to drive to the golf course when he took on Goldfinger in a round of golf.

The car was also seen in the 1965 Bond film Thunder ball and was purchased in 1969 for the first time by DJ Jerry Lee for the then astounding price of $12,000.

During the 70’s, Lee used to drive it around but now a philanthropist he is moving it out of storage and selling it in a London auction so that all proceeds can be donated to the Jerry Lee Foundation.

The stunning sports car only has 30,000 miles on it and is in perfect condition. It is also road legal so if the auction winner wishes they can drive the four million pound vehicle anywhere they like.

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