Still rocking at 70 – Abarth Days 2019
2019 marks a significant landmark for the Italian name with the scorpion symbol which, at 70 years old, still ignites the passion of enthusiasts around the world. The company was started by Carlo Abarth and motor racing driver Guido Scagliarini in Bologna, back in 1949. Carlo’s star sign, Scorpio, was selected as the logo – […]
AC 3000 ME: The Best Laid Schemes – Classic Car
“The best laid schemes of mice and men gang oft agley and leave us nought but grief and pain for promised joys.” Those words, written by Robert Burns in 1785, might be said by some to describe the saga of the AC 3000 ME, the last car built by the iconic marque at its long-time […]
Alfa Romeo coupés: the power of three
It’s a sad state of affairs when a coupé is glaringly absent from Alfa Romeo’s model range, particularly in light of the marque’s track record of producing sporting cars with an abundance of brio. Thankfully, Alfa Romeo has announced that a coupé version of the much-admired Giulia saloon will be launched this year. So whilst […]
Abarth 695 Biposto: the world’s smallest supercar
Abarth described the 695 Biposto as the world’s smallest supercar. In truth, it’s closer to a road-legal race car. Either way, this fastest and feistiest of Fiat 500s came with a price tag to match. When launched in 2014, it cost from £33,055. This fully-loaded example – pride of Abarth UK’s heritage fleet – tips […]
Eleven AC Schnitzer’s show stars
AC Schnitzer has been fettling, modifying and improving BMWs for over 30 years and if there’s one thing that’s guaranteed to garner attention to its product range – wheels, styling, suspension and engine upgrades – it’s a swanky and dramatic motor show car. Since its Frankfurt debut with an E32 7 Series back in 1987 […]
Electric 911
The sheep looked around suddenly and had every right to look baffled. Sheep don’t generally expect to be stalked silently by a 1979 Porsche 911 Targa. Yet, here it was, the smooth, low-slung bonnet and iconic slightly oval headlight surrounds within pouncing distance of the bewildered sheep’s woolly jumper. With an air of bemusement and […]
How nimble can a Bentley Continental GT Speed really be?
The Antrim Coast road doesn’t really go anywhere. It wends its way from the ferry port of Larne, about 40mins north-west from Belfast, up along the northern coast of Northern Ireland to tourist trap central – the Giant’s Causeway and eventually to the golfing town of Portrush. Once you get up past Ballycastle (a gorgeous […]
Twingo GT in Paris
It may be small, but you just expect to see a tousle-haired Rene Arnoux tumbling out of it, Gauloises in one hand, phone number for an attractive blonde in the other. If the seventies and eighties were the last refuges for truly characterful drivers in motor racing, then they were also (arguably) the last period […]
Vauxhall Chevette
The Chevette was the likely Lads hot hatch before hot hatches were hot hatches.
Lexus RC F
The mood music is bullish from the American manufacturers at the Detroit Motorshow, which gets under way this week. But we’re excited by the launch of the Lexus RC F, the top spec version of Lexus’s Mustang-like coupé. The RC F is equipped with a new 5.0-litre V8 engine with a maximum output set to […]