The Fabulous World of Marcello Gandini at the Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile in Turin

Marcello Gandini, who celebrated his 80th birthday last fall, has made one of the most significant impacts on car design during his more than 60 years long quest for the best design, be it for extreme super cars or for practical city cars. Oh, and he has drawn helicopters, trucks, sake glasses and a villa too, so it would be fair to say that he thinks outside the box. Continue reading “The Fabulous World of Marcello Gandini at the Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile in Turin”

When You Prefer Bringing the Living Room Along – Driving the Bentley Bentayga W12

In one of the many interesting departments in Motorworld Stuttgart, I found it – finished in a powerful Dragon Red II and with 22 inch black rims. There is no doubt that the Bentley Bentayga is a solid chunk of car, with just over five meters from snout to hedge and 222 cm in width. The three meter wheelbase is only one Louis Vuitton bag shorter than the entire length of the Fiat Panda I parked next to later on the journey. Continue reading “When You Prefer Bringing the Living Room Along – Driving the Bentley Bentayga W12”

Who’s Up For Some Danish? Zenvo, That Is

A bleak February afternoon was to become very colourful as I parked outside the Zenvo factory in Præstø, an hour’s drive south of Copenhagen. Throughout Zenvo’s eleven years, they have presented cars in a wide variety of colours, ranging from modest brown to striking turquoise, and their design language has always been recognizable as an original look. From the first ST1 model, Zenvo have moved on to the TS1, the race-spec TSR, and now with the the Geneva launch of the TSR-S, the model range counts three cars. But let’s first return to February, where PR man Peter Van Rooy welcomed me into his office for a quick chat. Continue reading “Who’s Up For Some Danish? Zenvo, That Is”

A Taste of Frankfurt, Automotively Speaking

The IAA (Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung) in Frankfurt is a major happening, especially in the European car scene, and big European brands very often show their finest silver here first. Speaking of silver, Mercedes-AMG’s much anticipated Project One made its first public appearance here, being driven on stage by Lewis Hamilton, where both car and man received well deserved applause. Continue reading “A Taste of Frankfurt, Automotively Speaking”

The First Lamborghini & Design Concorso d’Eleganza at Neuchâtel

Over dinner on the eve of the very first Lamborghini & Design Concorso d’Eleganza, I could sense that Enrico Maffeo, head of Lamborghini’s Polo Storico, was relieved that the event was about to unfold. Months of planning would come to fruition, and precious cars from all over Europe and even from Japan would join in for a weekend dedicated to Lamborghini and Le Corbusier. Continue reading “The First Lamborghini & Design Concorso d’Eleganza at Neuchâtel”

Sights to Behold at Concours of Elegance

I walked the quarter mile from the gates, through the courtyards and passages of Hampton Court Palace to reach the The Great Fountain Garden at the back and was met by truly a sight to behold: The five Jaguar D-Types that finished 1-2-3-4-6 at the 1957 Le Mans 24 Hours race, all lined up, just like that. Continue reading “Sights to Behold at Concours of Elegance”

Now, Where Did I Leave That Boutonnière? Villa d’Este – a Tale of Style

What can I say? The recent Villa d’Este weekend saw a display of motoring vehicles that would leave any enthusiast in a futile search for words to adequately describe it all. From Ballot to Hispano-Suiza, Shelby Cobra to Siata, Ferrari to Lamborghini, the grounds of this magnificent villa were housing the very finest automotive silver for the annual Concorso d’Eleganza. Continue reading “Now, Where Did I Leave That Boutonnière? Villa d’Este – a Tale of Style”

Cherishable Chariots at Chantilly

The third installation of the Chantilly Arts et Elegance took place on the grounds of the picturesque castle of Chantilly on the first weekend of September. In its short lifetime, Chantilly has become one of the go-to events for classic car lovers, and this year also catered for those who prefer the modern supercars, as Saturday morning saw the start of the Supercar Rally. Continue reading “Cherishable Chariots at Chantilly”

Zonda R, 911 GT1, P1 GTR; Heard of the Blancpain Ultracar Sports Club?

If you like seeing the rarest and most extreme of modern hypercars, both stationary and in action, you should consider attending one of the events of the Blancpain Ultracar Sports Club. This club offers owners of automotive unicorns the opportunity to let their cars stretch their legs on track on some of the best racing venues available. Continue reading “Zonda R, 911 GT1, P1 GTR; Heard of the Blancpain Ultracar Sports Club?”

Lamborghini Countach “Walter Wolf” at Villa d’Este

Very few individuals have been as instrumental as Walter Wolf in keeping Lamborghini moving forward, most obviously so through the special Countaches he ordered and co-developed. Wolf owned at least four Countaches from new, starting out with a rather standard white LP400, to which he added a roof wing. Continue reading “Lamborghini Countach “Walter Wolf” at Villa d’Este”