Sports Car Digest - The Sports, Racing and Vintage Car Journal
Sports Car Digest focuses on Classic Car Auctions, Concours d’Elegance, Vintage Car Racing, Road Rallies and other historic automotive events.
We profile the world’s finest sports cars, past and present automotive personalities, larger-than-life races and garages or museums. Profiles may include first-hand driving impressions, in-depth interviews and period racing stories and photographs.
For more than four decades, the Porsche 911 has been deemed an automotive icon and the epitome of the sports car. That means that the launch of the new Type 991 is an important event for the Porsche Museum Stuttgart as well. As a curtain raiser for 2012, the new generation is being welcomed as part of a major special exhibition from 31 January to 20 May, 2012 under the banner "911 Identity". … [Read more...]
By Kevin Triplett | Photos by Dennis GrayOne of the oldest open-wheel racing cars competing at the 2011 CSRG Charity Challenge was the unique 1958 Bourgeault Formula Junior owned by Simon Favre of Milpitas, California.Formula Junior got its start in 1958, when the FIA adopted a rules package suggested by racing driver and journalist Giovanni “Johnny” Lurani, to provide an entry-level … [Read more...]
On 8 March 1911, just three years after Ford's 'Universal Car', the Model T, was unveiled in Britain, Ford Motor Company (England) Limited was incorporated to look after the most important market outside North America.Ford's start in Britain had humble beginnings. In 1903 two Ford Model A cars were shipped to England and a modest trade began. The Ford Model B took to London's roads in 1905, … [Read more...]
A husband-and-wife team from Great Britain recently completed a remarkable trip around the world in a rare 1956 Bristol 405 Drophead Coupe. Geoffrey and Hilary Herdman finished the adventure in 16 months during which time they covered more than 33,000 miles.To celebrate this achievement, the Royal Automobile Club, of which Herdman is a member, has put their Bristol 405, registration 10 DPG, on … [Read more...]
By Edward LenahanThis 1961 Chevrolet Corvette factory race car, soon to be auctioned at Mecum’s January 24-29, 2012 Kissimmee Florida event, possesses a host of rare options and a provenance worthy of the velvet rope treatment at any of the world’s finest auto museums or vintage races. Gulf Oil sponsored and driven to an SCCA B-Production national championship by the likes of Dr. Dick … [Read more...]
British enthusiast Martyn Corfield aims to revive the pre-war British car marque Atalanta Motors by producing a new traditionally coach-built Atalanta.With more than just a gentle nod to Atalanta’s heritage, it is the objective of this venture to bring this innovative pre-war sports car concept up-to-date, by acknowledging 72 years of automotive evolution, yet remaining true in spirit and … [Read more...]
Math ProblemsBy Edward Lenahan“The most exciting thing about piloting an old vehicle,” I said to my wife Marguerite, “is the nagging sense it’s going to kill you.” We had just experienced our own brand of excitement, barely stopping our old tandem bike before a busy intersection, and this comment wasn’t so much a casual observation on my part as it was a way of making our … [Read more...]
By Tim ScottMy infatuation with the Ferrari marque goes back to the 1970s, and my ‘formative’ years. As a poorly eleven year-old, stricken by appendicitis and hospital-bound, my dear Mother’s approach to a quick and happy recovery was to arrange for me to sit in a 308 GT4 on a local dealer’s forecourt. A red Ferrari paddock jacket duly followed that Christmas.Fast forward … [Read more...]
Catching the spirit of Can-Am is one of the goals of the new Unlimited Racing Championship (URC) that will feature identically built NuArt CanAm cars reminiscent of the wide-open racing series from the 1960-70s. The URC will run as the "Heritage Series" with the American Le Mans Series for the 2012 season and beyond.“The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is thrilled to … [Read more...]
The design department at Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG) – which had not yet merged with Benz & Cie – began developing Mercedes compressor vehicles in 1919. Gottlieb Daimler's son Paul, who had succeeded Wilhelm Maybach as technical director and board member in 1907, drove the development work forward. DMG already had some experience with mechanical supercharging because compressor … [Read more...]
La [Bird]Cage aux …By Rick Carey, Auction Editor"Replica", "re-creation", "tribute", "fake", all describe something that isn't what it seems.This ongoing debate over terminology has crystallized around Mecum Auctions' offering of the Tipo 60/61 Maserati Birdcage using the chassis number 2459 in its upcoming 2011 Monterey auction.Its addendum posted to its Monterey auction site is … [Read more...]
The Puzzles Facing the Car Industry - Oil Prices and Consumer BiasesBy Martin SwigCar selling requires a long-term strategy. Consider Hyundai. In their first ten years in the U.S. they wandered all over the map. They then “idled” for about five years. Finally they found a sound strategy and produced a succession of very good cars. At long last they are recognized as a major … [Read more...]
On Friday 15 July 2011, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars celebrated the centenary of the Spirit of Ecstasy with an historic event. One hundred Rolls-Royce motor cars, from 1911 until the present day, were displayed in the Courtyard at the Home of the car manufacturer in Goodwood, West Sussex.The cars were presented by members of the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club, who joined VIPs and neighbours from … [Read more...]
A virtual museum tour of the famed BMW Art Car Collection is now available, with an extensive overview of the origin, history and development of the collection. In addition to extensive photographic material, a film has been devoted to every single one of the 17 “works of art on wheels”, each of which was designed by an internationally well-known artist. Historic racing footage and artists’ … [Read more...]
Alberto Ascari was a man in a hurry. In a relatively short Grand Prix career between 1948 and 1955, he became Formula One World Champion in 1952 and 1953, winning nine consecutive races on his way to the 1952 title.Ascari also finished second in Mexico’s La Carrera Panamericana in 1951, teamed with Luigi Villoresi in the second of two factory Ferrari 212 Inter Berlinettas. After eight stages … [Read more...]
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