Alfa Romeos at Lime Rock, 2026
Story and photos by Sean Smith
For the uninitiated, their only frame of reference to an Alfa Romeo is Dustin Hoffman’s character Benjamin Braddock frantically driving his Alfa Duetto Spider 1600 to stop the girl of his dreams from marrying another man. That was the beginning of Alfa history for some. Present company excepted. Still, you may never have witnessed a gathering of Alfas like the ones that came together at the 44th Lime Rock Historics and you may never see them again. Unless Santo Spadaro has something to say about it.
[Read more…] about Alfa Romeos at Lime Rock, 2026
Antwerp Concours d’Elegance 2026
Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
Founded in 2005, the Antwerp Concours d’Elegance celebrated its 21st edition this September, making it one of the oldest European concours d’elegance, even if it isn’t among the most famous.
While perhaps less exclusive than the major international concours, it is all the more authentic and offers the opportunity each year to discover some rare gems hidden away in private collections usually inaccessible to the public.
The main theme for 2026 was the Bugatti marque, whose Belgian club is celebrating its tenth anniversary. [Read more…] about Antwerp Concours d’Elegance 2026
1955-1961 Alfa Giulietta Berlina Overview
All Black and White images © Alfa Romeo Automobilismo Storico, Centro Documentazione (Arese, Milano)
From the Archives, July, 2011
For Italy, the post war era was full of significant changes that would last more than a decade; these were the years of the Cold War as opposed to the dream of a united Europe; the launching of the first atomic-powered submarine; the Warsaw Pact; the birth of Rock ‘n’ Roll; Sputnik from the east and Barbie dolls from the west; the success of the Beatles and the death of Kennedy that signaled the end of an era.
[Read more…] about 1955-1961 Alfa Giulietta Berlina Overview
Happy Birthday Toly, Sincerely Graham Gauld
Toly in his familiar white sunhat with his double bubble Lancia Flaminia Zagato at the Pau circuit in the south of France. (Photo Grand Prix Library/Gauld)
Story by Graham Gauld
Anatoly Arutunoff celebrated his 90th birthday yesterday, September 21, and I wish I had been there in Tulsa where I am sure he had a great party.
Years ago, and long before I met him for the first time, I had heard about this mad Russian who lived in Oklahoma and amongst other things owned his own auto racing circuit ( Hallett Circuit near Tulsa). [Read more…] about Happy Birthday Toly, Sincerely Graham Gauld
Gauld looks at the DKW
The Frazer-Nash DKW sports car prototype driven by Ken Rudd at the 1955 RAC Tourist Trophy Race. ( Photo Grand Prix Library/Gauld)
Story and photos by Graham Gauld
One of the first cars to impress me as being something of a “sleeper” was the DKW Sonderklasse. The car and the marque are probably totally unknown today as at least two generations have passed since first I saw one in action. It was pale blue and was driven by a young Scottish farmer called Ian Scott Watson.
Ian was the archetypal enthusiast who sold his MG for a typical British kit-car of the 1950s; a Buckler that he built up with the ubiquitous Ford 1250cc engine. It was not a success but he was fascinated by a rather odd looking car sold by AFN Ltd, a company with Frazer-Nash origins, that was to become the main importers of Porsches.
Salon Prive, 2026
“Shipshape and Bristol Fashion”
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
I suppose it had to happen. After something like 50 days without rain in the area, and frankly, rather unpleasantly hot temperatures, Wednesday September 2nd dawned wet and cool in Brighton. But the weatherman said it would clear later, so off I went to the Prive Concours. Three hours later I pulled into the car park at Blenheim Palace just as it started to rain; the weather had decided to follow me north and stayed with me for most of the day.
De Gallo at the Museo Nazionale Dell’Automobile
Museo Nazionale Dell’Automobile
Story and photos Copyright by Daniel De Gallo
During my vacation in Piemonte this past month, it was worth revisiting the Museo Nazionale Dell’Automobile, located in the south end of beautiful Torino (Turin) Metropolitan city. Torino is home of F.I.A.T. and many other famous Italian car design firms. Torino was nominated sister city with Detroit, MI in 1998; that makes sense… and yes, Ford Gran Torino series were named after that city.
Anyway, the museum sits in a modern dedicated facility built between 1958 and 1960, with a retro futuristic style, still very elegant to this day. It is located minutes from the old F.I.A.T. Lingotto factory and roof-top proving track, now turned shopping mall and mixed-use office-residential space.
The Zagato Experience
Richard Stafferton’s TZ1 S/N 084 and John Winter’s Coda Tronca s/n 00195 and Oliver Collin’s round tail, s/n 00147, taken in Richard’s driveway in Toronto, 1978. See how many Alfas you can identify in Richard’s yard. Photo Oliver Collins collection.
By Pete Vack *
From the Archives, June 2015
As early as the late 1960s, the Alfa enthusiast instinctively knew that of all the post war Alfas semi production cars, the Zagatos were the most desirable. Alfa Zagatos exemplified the era of the relatively inexpensive, coachbuilt GT car, as did the special bodied Ferraris, Maseratis, and Lancias.
They were also, for most part, aluminum, which beat the ever present rust problem associated with steel bodied cars of the era. Unlike the competition, Alfas were more numerous, less expensive and in general more reliable. They had mechanicals that could be understood, repaired and there were ample parts available. Another part of the lure of Alfas was that the 1300/1600 cars were a joy to drive; some, yes, underpowered, but all were fun and easy to drive. They were small, light, responsive and eager. Many were raced successfully at Le Mans, Sebring, and the Targa Florio.
Ferrari Behind the Fence, 1962
Jeff Allison continues the series looking at Ferraris he’s photographed – this time in 1962.
Twelve Hours of Sebring at the Sebring, Florida Airport on March 23-24, 1962
Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa 61 (Chassis 0792TR), Sebring 12 Hours, March 23-24, 1962-jeff-allison
The Scuderia Serenissima, also known as the Scuderia SSS Republica di Venezia, of Italian Count Giovanni Volpi di Misurata entered this 2953cc V12 Ferrari 250 TR61 driven by Swede Jo Bonnier and Italian-born, Belgian-resident Lucien Bianchi (in car).
Enemies of The Drake
Earlier this year, Jonathan Sharp had a chance to visit the Museo Nazionale Dell’Automobile in Turin and photographed this remarkable exhibition devoted to British Formula One teams that made life miserable for Ferrari in the 1960s through the 1980s. Per the Museo, “Enzo Ferrari used to call them, somewhat dismissively, ‘garagistes,’ the British teams that challenged Ferrari’s dominance.”
Titled “The Drake’s Enemies: Enzo Ferrari and the British Teams,” the exhibit opened on April 2 and will run until October 11, 2026.
Brooklands GP100, Moderns
This brings back some memories. 1976 Surtees TS19, complete with its controversial livery courtesy of the London Rubber Company, so controversial that the BBC and ITV considered it unacceptable for daytime viewing. If I recall correctly, the advertising strapline at the time was ‘The small family car’.
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
The August 7th Brooklands GP100 attracted a field of racing cars from the 1920s to a 1991 McClaren MP4/6. While far from complete, the selection did allow the sold-out crowd to experience the sights and sounds of the cars at Brooklands…something one can’t do at a museum or concours.