Project#12 Rusty Soul BY PURE

           

1958 RIVA TRITONE “VIA”

The Tritone is a mahogany runabout that first entered production in 1950 by Riva, a company that had been founded 104 years earlier in 1846. The Tritone would represent the new top of the line for the company’s models and each would be built to customer specification, with each customer invariably being royalty, celebrity or just absurdly wealthy.

The Tritone you see here was ordered by and delivered to Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco in 1958. They called their new boat “Via” and used it extensively throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s, it’s said to have played host to some of the most iconic actors of the era – often running them between a private pier and the landing deck of a much larger motor yacht moored in Port Hercule.

Powered by twin Chris-Craft MCL 6-cylinder petrol engines the Riva Tritone had a top speed well in excess of 30 knots and was well-known for its high-speed handling abilities. The fit and finish throughout the boat is on par with what you’d expect for a vehicle that was delivered new to a royal family, it recently underwent a sympathetic restoration during which almost all of the original wood and both of the original engines were kept in place.

With an estimated value of somewhere in the region of $680,000 this isn’t a weekend runabout for everyone, however if you have the money and simply cannot abide by fibreglass or aluminium, you can click here to visit the Tritone’s listing courtesy of RM Auctions.

If you love the style of the Tritone and would like to have a go at building something similar in your garage, you canclick here to visit Classic Wooden Boat Plans, be sure to check out the Baby Bootlegger and the Miss APBA Hacker as they’re absolutely stunning.

Photo Credits: Michel deRuijter ©2014 Courtesy of RM Auctions

Dita Von Teese

Monte Carlo glory for Tesla and Renault / Tesla et Renault gagnent en Principauté

After victories for Volkswagen and Opel on the ‘modern’ and ‘historic’ events respectively, Tesla and Renault can now also claim Rallye Monte-Carlo success in 2014. Tesla took the top prize in the 15th Rallye Monte-Carlo des Energies Nouvelles (‘New Energies’) and Renault won the 5th Rallye Monte-Carlo ZENN (Zero Emission, No Noise).

The Rallye Monte-Carlo des Energies Nouvelles on March 19-23 was open to ‘clean’ cars (electric, hybrid, green fuels), while the shorter ‘ZENN’ rally is organised exclusively for electric vehicles with a range of less than 250km. It is this event which Daniel Elena and Sébastien Chardonnet entered diving Citroën C-Zeros.

More than 100 cars started the Concentration Run to Aix-en-Provence from three different locations (Lugano, Annecy-le-Vieux and Clermont-Ferrand). The entry included four Citigos entered by Skoda Auto Deutschland whose driver line-up starred the former European Rally Champion Mathias Kahle. Other cars ranged from a pair of Teslas to a variety of Hondas (Civic, Jazz, Insight, etc.) and Toyotas (Yaris, Prius, Auris, etc.). The menu featured a number of regularity tests which visited several ‘stages’ made famous by the ‘real’ Rallye Monte-Carlo (Col du Corobin, Puget Théniers-Gilette, Col de la Madone), plus two autotests on the harbour-side in Monaco. 

The competition was dominated by the two Tesla crews, with James Morlaix and Christian Grimaldi ending up first and second. Arthur Prusak was third in a Toyota Prius Plug-In.

The Rallye Monte-Carlo ZENN was won by the Renault ZOE of Greg/Munier, ahead of a Mitsubishi i-MIEV (Ferry/Gallet) and a Think City (Koffler/Gaioni). Rallying’s WRC-3 world champion Sébastien Chardonnet came fourth in a Citroën C-Zero and the nine-time world champion co-driver Daniel Elena was ninth in a similar car.

The new electric Formula E single-seater racing car was on display in the ‘Partners’ Village’ in Monaco which will host round eight of the new world championship on May 9, 2015.

Après Volkswagen en moderne et Opel en historique, Tesla et Renault ont également enrichi le palmarès des différents Rallyes Monte-Carlo 2014. Tesla a remporté le 15e Rallye Monte-Carlo des Energies Nouvelles et Renault a gagné le 5e Rallye Monte-Carlo Zero Emission, No Noise.

Ouvert aux véhicules « propres » (électriques, hybrides, carburants verts), le Rallye Monte-Carlo des Energies Nouvelles fêtait cette année sa 15^e édition du 19 au 23 mars. L’épreuve était doublée du 5^e Rallye Monte-Carlo Zero Emission, No Noise réservée aux véhicules électriques de – de 250 km d’autonomie dans laquelle Daniel Elena et Sébastien Chardonnet étaient engagés sur des Citroën C-Zero.

Plus de cent véhicules se sont élancés de Lugano, Annecy-le-Vieux ou Clermont-Ferrand pour un parcours de concentration jusqu’à Aix-en-Provence. Skoda Auto Deutschland engageait quatre Citigo (dont une pour l’ancien champion d’Europe des Rallyes Mathias Kahle). Le plateau comptait aussi deux Tesla S, de nombreuses Honda (Civic, Jazz, Insight…), Toyota (Yaris, Prius, Auris…). Plusieurs zones de régularité étaient au programme, comme le Col du Corobin, Puget Théniers-Gilette, le Col de la Madone, ainsi que deux épreuves de maniabilité sur le port de Monaco.

La 15^e édition du Rallye Monte-Carlo « EN » a été dominée par les Tesla S qui ont signé un doublé avec James Morlaix et Christian Grimaldi. Arthur Prusak a terminé à la 3^e place au volant de sa Toyota Prius Plug-In. Le Rallye Monte-Carlo « ZENN » a été remporté par la Renault Zoe de Greg/Munier devant la Mitsubishi IMIEV de Ferry/Gallet et la Think City de Koffler/Gaioni. Le Champion du monde des Rallyes WRC-3 Sébastien Chardonnet a pris la 4^e place sur sa Citroën C-Zero. Le nonuple Champion du monde des Rallyes Daniel Elena a terminé 9^e sur la même monture.

La nouvelle monoplace Formula E 100% électrique était exposée au village « partenaires ». Monaco accueillera la 8^e manche du championnat le 9 mai 2015.