DB, the 11th of its Name. A Bit of Aston Martin Heraldry

The picturesque Eifel area in western Germany is well worth a visit. Not only because there are lots of lovely views and interesting old villages, but also because it is home to one of the world’s most famous race tracks, namely the Nürburgring, and especially its old Nordschleife section. And, as I picked up an elegant, dark blue Aston Martin DB11 V8 at the AMR performance centre right next to the ‘Ring, I thought to myself that it would have been nice to take it for a few laps. Didn’t happen, though. Continue reading “DB, the 11th of its Name. A Bit of Aston Martin Heraldry”

Aston Martin Vantage – Sports Car With a View

In the series of enticing cars, Aston Martin last year reached the facelift of the Vantage, and there was no shortage of curves or sportiness. However, did they go one too far on that iconic grille shape? Go big or go home, the Americans say, but could this work in the English tradition? The answer is to be found, as so many times before, in the right half of the brain of the beholder. I was genuinely looking forward to trying out the new Vantage, although I wasn’t convinced that the design was my cup of tea, as I arrived in Geneva to borrow the keys to a deep red specimen for a week. Continue reading “Aston Martin Vantage – Sports Car With a View”

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”

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”