Longest Jump Story

C'était un exploit très attendu, et Guerlain Chicherit se souviendra toute sa vie de cette journée et de cet accident. Ce jour-là, à Tignes, le mardi 18 mars 2014, tout le monde a eu peur. Revivez ce saut en caméra embarquée grâce à GoPro qui nous propose cette vidéo on ne peut plus saisissante.

BMW Motorcycles R1200RT!

road trip royal enfield 2014

Bristol 406 Zagato: Charismatic classic or confused catastrophe?

Zagato’s quirky and often radical styling has always split opinion, and the hallowed Italian design house’s take on the Bristol 406 certainly didn’t buck the trend. But was this particular interpretation tainted by the vision of Bristol’s eccentric director? We’ll let you decide…

It’s the subject of intense debate in the Classic Driver office today: is this 1960, Zagato-bodied Bristol a classic, unconventional and charming design typical of the famed design house whose name it bears, or just a slightly awkward, Anglo-Italian collaboration boasting some warped dimensions and a confused character?

Sit down, stand out

Bristol’s then-concessionaire and soon-to-be director Anthony Crook was as fanatical about his cars’ ability to stand out as he was notoriously choosy about who could buy one. The firm’s customer base was always extremely select – clients included Peter Sellers, Bono and Sir Richard Branson, to name but a few – and each and every car was distinct and incredibly luxurious. You knew a Bristol when you saw one and there was certainly no need for advertisements or lavish motor show stands. 

Zagato’s 406 had to carry the same torch, regardless of the designer behind it, and Crook’s brief for the two-door body was simple yet precise. It was to be designed for those who desired an even faster car than the standard 406, while still retaining reliability, flexibility and, perhaps to the detriment of the styling, sufficient rear accommodation – a trait Crook said was ‘normally lacking in Grand Touring saloons’. 

Crook’s curves

The result was arguably successful in that Crook’s requirements were met; performance-wise, especially, considering the drastic 260kg weight saving over the standard car. But were Zagato’s design principles lost in translation? In our eyes, at least, the signature double-bubble roof does little to compensate for the vast, hearse-like rear windscreen and abrupt rear arches. It is quite clearly still recognisable as a Bristol, though, and there are some attractive Latin design cues well integrated into the design, albeit rather too subtly to make themselves properly known.

This particular car is one of just four five-seater 406 Zagatos, and was displayed at the 1959 Earls Court Motor Show before being sold by Anthony Crook Motors to a well-known member of the Bristol Owners’ Club. Benefitting from a major restoration and continuous history from new, ‘NPK 120’ will be auctioned by Bonhams at its Goodwood Festival of Speed sale on 27 June. We’re sure its owner-to-be will revel in the car’s flexibility and interior space, but will the same be said of the styling? To join the exclusive roll call of Bristol owners might just swing it!

Photos: Bonhams

You can find several more Bristols for sale in the Classic Driver Market.

BMW Roadster Revolution

I love a good concept bike. An open brief and an aim to push the boundaries, breach new territory and who can forget the multi million dollar budgets behind them. It's not often that concepts go on to be production models though and if they do, they are usually watered down husks of the original design. In the case of BMW Motorrad's Roadster Revolution though this trend may be about to be broken.

Looking at other recent additions to the BMW Roadster lineup such as the R Nine T the radical looking Revolution isn't too far removed from their current styling trends. While certain elements such as the headlight, rear fender (or lack of) and that sexy exhaust may get revised due to different countries compliance laws, we could be seeing a very similar version of the Revolution up for sale in 2014. As with all of BMW's bikes there's much more to the Revolution than it's tricked out looks that make it something really special.

"This concept bike is a symbol of how modern and emotional a boxer-powered BMW roadster can be.” 

Edgar Heinrich, Head of BMW Motorrad Design.

The Roadster is powered a 1170cc version of BMW's classic flat twin, which produces around 125bhp and 125Nm of torque. With all that power and it's unmistakable Street Fighter looks it's easy to see why the photo above is part of BMW Motorrad's media release photography for the Revolution. The days of hinting this type of shenanigans on a motorcycle are a thing of the past, manufacturers now know what their target audience want and aren't afraid to prove their bikes can deliver.

Another classic BMW feature found on the Revolution is the single sided swingarm and shaft drive managed by an adjustable Ohlins monshock positioned directly beneath the rider. The bright blue tubular frame not only look great it's a specially designed load bearing design that BMW have decided to highlight rather than blend into the engine, an aesthetic decision that I will happily applaud as it looks freaking hot.

Raw, milled aluminium is another key feature of the Revolutions design. On the big triangular air intakes the mill marks are still visible to add to the bikes aggressive street fighter looks and the sleek tail section is a single piece of alloy; strong, light and sleek. Milled alloy also surrounds the instrument cluster and the LED headlight lens, holds the headlight in position on the forks and forms the main body of the Revolution's underslung "engine spoiler".

A good balance of light and dark colours help to reduce the bulk of the horizontally opposed boxer engine and also draw the bike closer to the ground for an even more aggressive look. Flaked metallic white paint, neon yellow highlights, raw alloy and carbon fiber bodywork make the Revolution look like something from the latest Tom Cruise sci-fi flick, but if the rumours are true the Revolution isn't a concept for the future, it's a bike for today.

BMW MOTORRAD

via return of the cafe racers

RRL Riders Tour Paris 2014

Ralph Lauren RRL, Ralph Lauren's brand founded in 1993 offering a mix of selvage denim, vintage apparel and accessories and cool, rugged sportswear with roots in workwear and military gear and Blitz motorcycles, a Paris-based custom garage founded by Fred Jourden and Hugo Jezegabel in 2010, that conceives, customises and hand finishes motorcycles to create unique, one-of-a-kind machines, Presented The Ralph Lauren RRL Riders Tour in Paris.

On Sunday, May 25th ran the first custom motorcycles ride around the RRL universe. 200 motorcycles rode on 99kms, with a departure from Paris, and during 3 hours, paraded and popped in at The Dampierre Castle , La Vallée de Chevreuse, and Versailles, and ended in front of the Ralph Lauren flagship store, boulevard St Germain. There, the RRL vintage universe welcomed all these beautiful 2-wheels pieces of machinery fanatics in a cool and authentic American ambience. The St Germain boulevard became a huge luxury garage, where all the participants gathered, and benefited from the "Bike Clinic" for cares and polishings.

This tour was proposed to all the custom motorcycles passionnates, through a registration on the dedicated website www.rrlriders.com, which selected the most beautiful motorcycled, eligible to compete and make this event the rendez-vous of the year. #RRLriders.

NINE-T

Wheels and heels: David Drebin plays with our imagination

This race between a Ford GT40 and a long-legged female could only have one outcome – but what’s the reason? A driver fleeing a mistress that won’t take the hint? Or is it, perhaps, the owner in pursuit of her stolen car?

It could be either, but the work simply entitled ‘Wheels and Heels’ by Canadian artist and photographer David Drebin is part of a series named ‘Love and Other Stories’, which depicts solitary women in various stages of a love affair. As such, it seems likely the long-legged brunette’s relationship is in its closing stages, but the beauty of art is in its interpretation – and we much prefer the thought of a female-owned GT40. Let’s hope her car is recovered soon…

Photo: David Drebin via Artsy

You can find several Ford GT40s for sale in the Classic Driver Market.

joli phare