How the Suez crisis gave birth to Issigonis’s Mini, why it has 10-inch wheels and how a little Cooper S won the Monte Carlo three times.
Browsing Category CLASSIC CARS
Citroën DS: The ‘Goddess’ That Fell From the Sky in 1955 Paris
The story of the Citroën DS: hydropneumatic suspension, 12,000 orders on day one, de Gaulle, and why it’s still called the ‘Goddess’.
Austin-Healey 3000: The “Big Healey” That Won Rallies and Cooked Its Driver’s Feet
The Austin-Healey 3000 (1959–1967): a 2.9-litre six, wins in tough rallies with Pat Moss, a hot cockpit and a sound you never forget.
Renault 4: The “Blue Jeans” Car That Sold 8 Million
The 1961 Renault 4 was meant to be as simple as a pair of jeans. Over 8 million were sold, with a dashboard gear lever and a different wheelbase on each side.
Volvo P1800: The Saint’s Swedish Coupé and the Car with 5 Million Kilometres
The Volvo P1800 was drawn by a 22-year-old Swede in Italy, starred with Roger Moore in “The Saint” and holds a record of over 3 million miles with one owner.
Porsche 356: The First Car to Wear the Porsche Name
The Porsche 356 was born in 1948 in a former sawmill in Gmünd, Austria. Ferry Porsche, the Speedster, Le Mans and 76,000 cars built almost by hand.
Lamborghini 350 GTV: How a Tractor Maker Took On Ferrari
The 1963 Lamborghini 350 GTV: Ferruccio Lamborghini, his quarrel with Enzo Ferrari, Bizzarrini’s V12 and the prototype that was shown without an engine.
The Heart of the Bull: Lamborghini’s V12 and V10 Engines
Lamborghini’s engines since 1963: Bizzarrini’s V12 that lived for almost 50 years, the Aventador’s new V12, the Gallardo’s V10 and the hybrid era.
Ferrari F40: The Last Car of Enzo Ferrari
The 1987 Ferrari F40: Ferrari’s 40th anniversary, the twin-turbo V8, Kevlar and Perspex, over 320 km/h and the last Ferrari Enzo approved.
Jaguar E-Type: “The Most Beautiful Car Ever Made”
The Jaguar E-Type (1961–1975): its Geneva debut, aerodynamicist Malcolm Sayer, 150 mph, three series and its place in New York’s Museum of Modern Art.