Up Close with the Classics at the ICE St. Moritz
The Lopresto Alfa was honored as the top auto in the “Concept Cars & One Off” category.
Story and photos by Bob Cullinan
In 1947 LIFE magazine photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt visited St. Moritz and captured iconic images of the Swiss paradise, calling it “the most fashionable village in Europe.” This playground of the rich and famous has changed little over the ensuing decades, and once a year, mere mortals are invited to bask in the alpine glow and the distinctive sight, sound…and even the smell…of some of the world’s most enviable autos. [Read more…] about Up Close with the Classics at the ICE St. Moritz
Book Review: Alfa Romeo Cars in Motorsports Since 1945
Review by Pete Vack
With Alfa Romeo, Cars in Motorsports Since 1945, there is more between the covers than one might think at first glance. In fact this is a prodigious effort to record almost 80 years of Alfa racing around the world via photographs. It took noted author, historian and Alfisti Peter Collins over five years to find, curate and caption some 370 photos. [Read more…] about Book Review: Alfa Romeo Cars in Motorsports Since 1945
Book Review: Ferrari in F1
Review by Pete Vack
Eugenio Castelotti (Lancia) in the pits before the 1955 Monaco Grand Prix. Photo: Grand Prix Photo
For some of us, interest in F1 falters after so many years; where we could once recite by rote the winners of the six or seven F1 races in the 1950s, by the 1990s it was hard even to recall and name the World Champions, much less who won what in what. But Peter Nygaard’s book makes it easy…and a pleasure…to remember names and the battles that are lost to us in the mists of time and indifference. [Read more…] about Book Review: Ferrari in F1
Eugenio Castellotti by Graham Gauld
Story and photos by Graham Gauld
From the VeloceToday archives, 2019. Lead image: A close-up of Castellotti at Dundrod in 1955, concentrating hard while accelerating away from the hairpin in the Ferrari 850 Monza.
There are times when we can all be rather pretentious. I fell into that trap thirty years ago when I had the idea of writing a subjective book on the psychology of the racing driver. I have always had an interest in the variety of people who come into motor sport and what makes them tick. I had read a lot about psychology in general, then dropped the idea when I realized what a fool I might have made of myself. However, if Central Casting in Hollywood were ever asked for a “racing driver type” back in the 1950s, they would have to have chosen Eugenio Castellotti. [Read more…] about Eugenio Castellotti by Graham Gauld
Lingotto: Art, Flora and Fiat
See below for more information about this exhibit.
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
Prior to planning our trip to the Lake Como Concours last May, I read that Fiat had transformed the roof top of the old Lingotto site into a garden. We decided to travel from the UK to the concours events via Turin, staying at the Lingotto Hotel for a chance to view the art and garden displays.
Bob Hanna, Pioneer Canadian Racer and Builder
Bob Hanna in the 1960s. Hanna Collection
By John R. Wright
Bob Hanna is one of those quiet and unassuming people who do things unobtrusively so that unless you look closely you miss the important achievements they have accomplished. Not only was he an effective race driver, but he was also a builder of the sport in Canada and one of his crowning achievements was the first Canadian Formula One Grand Prix at Mosport in 1967.
Les Leston, Wheeler, Dealer
Les Leston
By Giles Chapman, from his book, “Three Million Miles in a Volvo and Other Curious Car Stories“
When we received Giles Chapman’s latest book we thoroughly enjoyed the short bios and interesting stories that comprised “Three Million Miles in a Volvo and other Curious Car Stories”. These are just perfect for the VeloceToday format, and here is the fourth in a series.
Sergeant Les Leston flew 30 Second World War raids over Germany, usually as a mid-turret gunner in Lancaster bombers. For one raid he was too poorly to go; the plane was shot down, its whole crew lost. On another he wrote “With love from Archer Street” on a 4000lb “cookie” bomb before it plummeted thousands of feet towards a Nazi target; Archer Street was the Soho home to the Musicians’ Union, and the London hangout of Les and his fellow jazzmen.
The Mario Righini Collection
By Alain Raymond
From the Archives, May 2019
Italy, 2012
“The Mario Righini automobile collection is one of the finest private collections in Italy. Would you like to visit?” asks Signora Adriana Zini, Director of Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari, in Modena.
How do you say “of course,” in Italian? Admittedly, I had never heard of the Righini Collection, but here I was the next morning, entering the 15th century castle of Panzano at Castelfranco Emilia, near Modena. Waiting in the inner court, a tall distinguished looking gentleman greets us with a smile. “Io sono Mario Righini. Benvenuti in Italia” says the charming host in a soft voice to the travelling journalist and his two friends. Luckily one of those friends is Salvatore Montana, from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, ex-Ferrari master race mechanic, who also serves as our interpreter.
The Banaszak Stanguellini Sport P2
Story by Pete Vack and Howard Banaszak
Read Part 1
Our lead appears whimsical but in fact, Banaszak’s Stanguellini (CS04080), called a “Mercollini” by the wags at Kiekhaefer, did set the Class H land speed record at Daytona Beach on February 28, 1956, at 102.1 mph, driven by Herm Behm. The combination of the Mercury 55 outboard and the tiny, lightweight but sturdy Stanguellini was a winner out of the box.
BMW’s Italian Designers Part 10
By Jackie Jouret
Photos courtesy The BMW Archive
Following its near-death experience at the end of 1959, BMW announced its renaissance at the Frankfurt auto show of September 1961. The Giovanni Michelotti-designed 1500 drew huge crowds, and the all-new midsize sedan tended to overshadow the other cars on the BMW stand. That’s a shame, because two of those cars were also making their debut: a convertible version of the popular 700 microcar—another Michelotti design—and the 3200 CS coupe wearing stylish bodywork designed by a young Giorgetto Giugiaro at Bertone.
Lancia’s First V Engines, A Technical Investigation, 1914-1922
Lancia’s technical evolution from a basic four cylinder to a remarkable narrow-angle V12.
A review by Pete Vack
The technical development and history of automobile and aero engines from Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Ferrari have been thoroughly examined. There is little, if anything, left to know, research or publish.
Not so with Lancia. But now, Geoffrey Goldberg, Lancia historian, author and architect from Chicago, helps fill the gaps with this technical investigation of the first Lancia V engines.
Lancia’s narrow-angle Vs
From 1922 to 1976, Lancia largely used a series of unique narrow angle V4 and V8 engines in their cars. And while the later 60º V6 and the Flavia flat 4 of 1960 were not of this family, all of their other cars for fifty years used these narrow V engines, a rather unconventional focus for such a prestigious car manufacturer. [Read more…] about Lancia’s First V Engines, A Technical Investigation, 1914-1922