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”

It was a Bertone Kind of Day

The name Bertone has a certain familiar ring to it in the car design world, with a history spanning more than 100 years. All time greats such as Lamborghini Miura and Countach, Lancia Stratos and Alfa Romeo Giulia SS were born at Bertone, and a large number of concept cars and production cars alike were created there over the years. Sadly, the original Bertone family company came to a halt in 2012, and their collection had to be sold. Some special cars were sold separately, but the large bulk of the collection was sold as one, and it is now possible to see this collection at the Volandia museum near Malpensa airport outside Milan. Oh, and Bertone has been revived – more about that further down. Continue reading “It was a Bertone Kind of Day”

A Visit to ItalDesign

I’ll show you a few things before Filippo arrives“, head of PR Umberto told me as he welcomed me to ItalDesign. Filippo Perini, head of design at ItalDesign and formerly head of Centro Stile Lamborghini, had just called me to say he would be running a bit late. No worries, though, because Umberto had his sleeves brimming with aces. Continue reading “A Visit to ItalDesign”

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”

Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera – of Flying Stars and Saucers

The last two years have brought me close to the world of Touring Superleggera in various occasions and settings, from factory visits to a ride in a one-off Lamborghini by Touring. It’s fair to say that Touring has made its mark on Italian car history, being active from its start in the late 1920’s until the mid-1960’s and again in the modern resurrection of the brand, which now keeps the coachbuilding tradition alive in its factory just outside Milan. Continue reading “Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera – of Flying Stars and Saucers”

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”

Here comes… Cheetah! Lamborghini’s Off-Road Genesis

In the late 1970’s, the US Army were in the process of finding a new multi-purpose vehicle, and one of the contestants for the bid was a small company called MTI, who developed the Cheetah. However, long story short, the US Army went with AM General’s offer and MTI looked further, all the way to Italy, to be precise. Continue reading “Here comes… Cheetah! Lamborghini’s Off-Road Genesis”

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”

Bravo, Bertone, Bravo! Or: The Lamborghini That Should Have Been

As I removed my shoes and lowered myself into the unique Lamborghini Bravo, my heart rate went up even more. A few minutes earlier, I had the exquisite pleasure of seeing this unique prototype again, three years after our first encounter. Regardless of category or age, this very car, with its apparent oxymoronic complex simplicity, is one of the creations that never ceases to draw me in. Continue reading “Bravo, Bertone, Bravo! Or: The Lamborghini That Should Have Been”