The Alfa Romeo Sprint Zagato Coupé has us firing on all six cylinders

Trust us when we say that falling in love with an Alfa Romeo is very easily done. When we spotted this Zagato-bodied Sprint, powered by a smooth twin-cam six, we were instantly smitten…

Show star

The Turin Motor Show of 1963, the 45th Salone dell’Automobile, was an event of considerable note. For many, it is most memorable for the unveiling of the Scaglione-designed Lamborghini 350 GTV, a prototype grand tourer that led to the first production Lamborghini, the 350 GT. But in another, quieter corner of the show floor, Alfa Romeo was unveiling its latest prototype, the 2600 Sprint Zagato Coupé.

Zagato body

Featuring an uprated, 145bhp version of the the six-cylinder, twin-cam engine found in the Giulietta, the ‘SZ’, with its Zagato body, was nearly 140kg lighter than the standard 2600 Sprint. These changes provided both improved handling and better acceleration – precisely those areas where the standard 2600 was deemed to be somewhat lacking. Drivers’ cars and indeed sought-after luxury items, just 105 examples left the factory priced at 3,970,000 lire. Such a price was out of reach for most in 1965, but the car's rarity and timeless styling have undoubtedly played leading roles in securing ‘future classic’ status.

In 2015, Turin will once again host a motor show – its first for 15 years. It's a free event, open to the public and located in the Parco del Valentino. A month prior to this event, the Bonhams Spa Classic Sale on 24 May includes this white 1965 Alfa Romeo 2600 Sprint Zagato Coupé. Offered in ‘very good’ unrestored condition, with black leather interior, it comes with a pre-sale estimate of £110,000 - £160,000. We feel this is a relatively modest amount for a car that, arriving at Turin’s comeback event, would turn more heads than most.

View all the lots from the Bonhams Spa Classic Sale on 24 May.

Vintage Off-Road Rampage: The Trucks of the 2015 Mexican 1000

by Elana Scherr
That headline pretty much covers it. We were down in Baja, California, Mexico for the 2015 running of the Mexican 1000. This is not the SCORE Baja 1000. This is the Baja 1000’s drunk cousin, who makes the party so much more fun. This is what the Baja 1000 was like in 1968, when it was still the Mexican 1000, and this new Mexican 1000 (running since around 2010, when Mike Perlman, son of the original founder, Ed Perlman, decided to start a vintage off-road rally on the Baja Peninsula) features a ton of vintage buggies, trucks, cars, and bikes, tearing through 1,300 miles of desert and Mexican highway from Ensenada to San Jose Del Cabo.

Baja is a truck-lover’s paradise, every small town is home to Chevy C-10s of all eras, Frankensteined Fords and Dodge D-series, not to mention all the Ramchargers, since they were produced here until, like, yesterday [Editor’s note, Dodge produced the Ramcharger in Mexico until 1996]. There are old pick-ups behind shacks and toppling fences, and even better, there are old pick-ups still in action, hauling livestock and cactus and race fans, the latter eager for stickers and signatures from the off-roaders at the rally stage exits.

Every truck on the street told a story in its dings and dents, and every truck in the race was rapidly making its own story (and dings and dents). One of our favorites included the 1983 Bronco with famous off-road racer Walker Evans’ signature on the tailgate. Apparently Mr. Evans was a little impatient to get by the Bronco in the previous year’s race. Oh yeah, did we mention the Bronco wasn’t racing? It was just the pace truck that year! Walker signed the damaged rear, and offered to pay for repairs.

Getting a love tap from a legend is small potatoes in the Mexican 1000. Augie and Nathan lost the whole front end of their ride, towed it out of the dirt, found a mechanic and were back in action to cross the finish line. Bruce Galien didn’t get his 351 Cleveland powered 19’68 Ford to the end after it blew a head gasket, but he did keep all the body panels straight, which is more than we can say for the “Big Oly” Bronco, which did a bit of summersaulting on the second day, and lost the front diff cover on the third, but still made it to the end, and even pulled some other competitors out of the silt. Maybe all the racers should have taken notes from Sue Mead and Shelby Hall, who took the 19’69 Motor Trend Bronco through the desert in the same pristine condition as it started the race in. They weren’t alone of course, Chris Collard and Shelby’s grandfather, a fellow named Rod Hall (you might notice his name on the fender…from back in 1969) also took good care of the museum piece on its journey.

Between the racers, the locals, and the school busses-turned-car haulers, the Mexican 1000 is truly trucker’s heaven, even if it is a little hard on the trucks themselves. Scroll on through and see for yourself.






From: http://www.hotrod.com

THROTTLE ROLL 2015

Last weekend it was Australia’s turn to run with custom bike baton as Throttle Roll took over the Vic Hotel in Enmore, Sydney. The event was started by ‘Shed mate Mark Hawa, founder of the global phenomena The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, and this year, the 3rd edition, boasted more bikes, bands and stalls than ever before, celebrating all that is great in the new-wave scene. A weekend extravaganza of custom motorcycles and live music for all the family to enjoy.

The party atmosphere, helped along by the Aussie sunshine, attracted 9000 visitors across and weekend and over a 1000 bikes packed the local streets.

A 500 bike ride-out headed for the stunning coastal route south of the city to Seacliff Bridge on Saturday before the partying kicked-off back at the Vic.

50 custom bikes were forklifted into the Vic carpark and no doubt had the health & safety dude quivering in his riggers.

Mark is a busy guy, running Throttle Roll, Sydney Café Racers and The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride.

Road to Le Mans : AF Corse

Aux 24 Heures du Mans 2015, Michelin est partenaire de 20 teams que nous présenterons jusqu’au début de la semaine mancelle. Avec cinq Ferrari 458 Italia engagées, AF Corse est l’une des équipes les plus fournies cette année aux 24 Heures du Mans.

Le départ d’Alonso chez McLaren a dissipé les dernières rumeurs d’un retour de Ferrari au Mans en prototype, alimentées par la présence du pilote de la Scuderia dans la Sarthe l’an passé.

Il n’empêche que la marque italienne est l’une des plus représentées cette année avec huit voitures attendues, dont cinq engagées par AF Corse.

L’équipe, basée à Piacenza, a été créée en 2002 par Amato Ferrari, un ancien pilote amateur. AF Corse a d’abord engagé des Maserati (Cup, FIA GT) avant de faire débuter les Ferrari F430 GT2 en championnat FIA GT et de remporter quatre titres Teams d’affilée entre 2006 et 2009.

En 2010, AF Corse a orienté une partie de ses activités vers l’Endurance - Le Mans Series et les 24 Heures du Mans – tout en assurant une présence pour ses clients dans plusieurs championnats GT. En 2011, avec les nouvelles 458 Italia développées par Michelotto, AF Corse a gagné tous les championnats dans lesquels elle était engagée.

En 2012, AF Corse a remporté la catégorie LM GTE Pro aux 12 Heures de Sebring, une première victoire de classe aux 24 Heures du Mans inoubliable avec la voiture accidentée aux essais, ainsi que le premier titre LM GTE Pro FIA WEC de l’histoire.

AF Corse a conservé ses couronnes mondiales en 2013 et 2014 et remporté une seconde fois les 24 Heures du Mans l’an passé, avec le même trio Bruni/Vilander/Fisichella.

Cette année, AF Corse débarque au Mans avec cinq Ferrari 458 Italia chaussées par Michelin, deux en LM GTE Pro et trois en LM GTE Am, avec pour objectif de remporter les deux catégories et de faire briller (une dernière fois ?) la Ferrari 458 dans la Sarthe.

At the 2015 Le Mans 24 Hours, Michelin will have 20 partner teams which we will be introducing one by one up to race week. AF Corse, which is running five Ferrari 458 Italias, will be one of the busiest operations in La Sarthe this year.

Alonso’s decision to switch to McLaren in F1 dispelled building rumours of a Ferrari prototype at Le Mans which were fuelled by the ex-Scuderia driver’s presence at the 2014 race.

Even so, the Italian make will be represented this year by no fewer than eight cars, five of which will be in the hands of AF Corse.

The Piacenza-based Italian team was founded in 2002 by former amateur racer Amato Ferrari and began by running Maseratis (Maserati Cup, FIA GT) before entering Ferrari F430 GT2s in the FIA GT Championship, winning four straight Teams’ titles from 2006 to 2009.

In 2010, AF Corse dedicated some of its resources to endurance racing (Le Mans Series, Le Mans) while continuing to contest several GT series. In 2011, it won all the championships in which it was involved with the new Michelotto-developed 458 Italia.

The 2012 season saw AF Corse win the LM GTE Pro class at Sebring, as well as an unforgettable class victory at Le Mans after its car was written off during practice. It also claimed the LM GTE Pro crown in the inaugural FIA WEC.

It successfully defended that title in 2013 and 2014, in addition to securing another class win at Le Mans last year with the same trio (Bruni, Vilander and Fisichella).

At this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours, AF Corse will be tending to five Michelin-equipped Ferrari 458 Italias: two in LM GTE Pro and three in LM GTE Am. Its aim is to win both classes to mark what could be the current model’s final appearance in the great French race.

Voitures engagées aux 24 Heures du Mans 2015

Ferrari 458 Italia N°51 – LM GTE Pro : Gianmaria Bruni / Toni Vilander / Giancarlo Fisichella

Ferrari 458 Italia N°71 – LM GTE Pro : Davide Rigon / James Calado / Olivier Beretta

Ferrari 458 Italia N°55 – LM GTE Am : Duncan Cameron / Matthew Griffin / Alex Mortimer

Ferrari 458 Italia N°61 – LM GTE Am : Peter Mann / Rafaelle Gianmaria / Matteo Cressoni

Ferrari 458 Italia N°83 – LM GTE Am : François Perrodo / Manu Collard / Rui Aguas

Palmarès aux 24 Heures du Mans

2011 : Pole position LM GTE Am – 2^e LM GTE Pro (Fisichella/Bruni/Vilander)

2012 : 1^er LM GTE Pro (Fisichella/Bruni/Vilander)

2013 : 2^e et 3^e LM GTE Am (Perrazini/O’Young/Case et Gerber/Griffin/Cioci)

2014 : Pole position LM GTE Pro et Am, 1^er LM GTE Pro (Bruni/Fisichella/Vilander)