A brief video has been released online that gives an insight into the origins of the famed prancing horse on the Ferrari badge.

It turns out that the idea for the horse logo was inspired by a WWI Italian fighter pilot by the name of Francesco Baracca. It was Baracca who first used a prancing horse badge on the fuselage of his biplane during the Great War.

Apparently, Enzo Ferrari only spoke of the badge’s origins once and that’s how the story became known. To find out more click on the video clip below. Read full story…

30 years after World Rally Championship victory in the Talbot Sunbeam Lotus it’s time for Lotus to return to rallying with the brother of the newly launched Exige S – the Exige R-GT.

The Exige R-GT will participate in the newly formed FIA GT category of the FIA World Rally Championship on tarmac in Monte Carlo, Tour de Corse and San Remo.

For Group Lotus’ Director of Motorsport Claudio Berro the return to rally has an extra special meaning; “My motorsport career started in rally, in fact, I even took part in the Talbot Sunbeam Lotus’ Italian Rally championship winning a race in San Marino back in 1981 so this is a very nostalgic moment for me.  As we unveiled the car in Frankfurt, alongside the original championship winning car, I had the chance to get back inside and the smell was exactly the same – it brought back many happy memories for me.

“With the new R-GT rules in rally, it’s a very interesting time for us to return to the sport. Naturally our approach this time around will be different to when we won the championship with Talbot three decades ago but I think our philosophy is definitely the same, we want to compete and ultimately we want to win. Our new rally car, the Exige R-GT is a dream come true for those who are passionate about GT racing – this will be their car.” Read full story…

Ashley talks to the experts to find out more about preparing a classic car for Targa, rallying and circuit racing.

Preparing a Targa car is a bit like determining the length of a piece of string. The variables are infinite, depending on budget, choice of car and so on. In this article we’ve focused on a classic car as the basis for a Targa car, providing some information that’ll help you make the right choices when building a car to compete in Targa events.

I’m no expert when it comes to building competition cars, so I contacted Paul Madeley, owner of Motorsport Fabrications, who is not only building a Porsche 944 Turbo for this year’s Dunlop Targa, but has years of experience and a wealth of knowledge when it comes to motor sport.

Selection

First item on the agenda is choosing the correct donor car. It may be an old favourite, such as an Escort, Fiat 124, BMW or Porsche, but take your time to ensure you buy the best you can afford. In other words, your chosen car needs to be structurally sound and straight, you don’t want to spend a large portion of your budget straightening chassis members, repairing rust or any other major issues just bringing the car up to scratch before you even begin. A good suggestion would be to stick with the type of drive-line you prefer, front or rear wheel drive, especially if this is your first attempt, as the car will be easier to drive without the expense associated with four-wheel drive vehicles. Read full story…

The Full Throttle Festival is back in Manukau this coming Labour Weekend, and according to organisers the show will be bigger and more spectacular than ever.

The 2011 event will be based in and around the Manukau’s TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre. The festival will feature a three day free programme of car shows, displays, demonstrations and action ranging from drift cars to competition karts and V8 Rod and Custom cars.

Held over all three days of Labour Weekend, October 22-24, the event is a chance for different car groups and racing disciplines to get together and celebrate a common interest.

The first day (Saturday) is all about the V 4 and Rotary Supershow, with a show and shine display inside the TelstraClear building and drift action in the tarmac action zone set up in the main car park beside the building.

The second day is In Gear Sunday, a chance for the many car clubs of the region to put their best vehicles on show.  Leading car clubs already confirmed include the Mustang Car Club and the Vauxhall Opel Sport car club.

The clubs will be joined by an on-track demonstration from karting enthusiasts. Kartsport NZ will have a static display for the whole three days and will have information available for people who are interested in the sport. Read full story…

Last weekend’s Goodwood Revival event opened in the UK with an array of pre-1966 Jaguars playing a key role and an estimated 140,000 spectators visiting over the three day event.

On static display and racing in anger on the Goodwood Motor Circuit, vehicles ranging from the elegant SS100 right up to the rare E-type Lightweight models celebrated Jaguar’s sports car heritage.

A full speed practice session took place ahead of the E-type race on Saturday. Comprising a grid of some 30 examples of the E-type, the session saw a hard-fought battle between the Lightweight shared by Gerhard Berger and Adrian Newey and the E-type (also a Lightweight) of Emanuele Pirro and Desiré Wilson to claim pole.  Despite the substantial value of the E-types taking part the speed was incredible with a time of 1-minute 24-seconds and 102.2 mph being recorded by the pole car.

Tony O’Keefe, Curator at Jaguar Heritage, commented: ‘It’s been an incredible first day at the Goodwood Revival – a truly unique event and a fitting place to celebrate 50-years of the E-type. I’m grateful for the support shown by private owners in entering their valuable cars in the races as well as putting them on display – Jaguar has a wonderful heritage, kept alive by the enthusiasm and passion of the owners.’ Read full story…

The latest brand revival to hit the motoring world will see the Jensen Interceptor brought back from oblivion. The Interceptor was a two door GT Coupe/hatch/convertible built by Jensen Motors between 1966 and 1976 in the UK. It was powered by Chrysler-sourced V8 engines and matched up its brawny powertrain with hand-built coachwork. The combination won the Interceptor many fans over the years and has set it up nicely for a comeback.

Now Healey Sports Cars Switzerland, which owns the brand rights to Jensen Motors, are planning to re-launch the company with a spanking new car next year. The car will be the modern day version of the Interceptor built as a four-seat GT car. The new Interceptor will use an aluminium chassis and bodywork but little else is known at this stage.

Founder and co-owner of CPP, Brendan O’Toole, said: “The Jensen design team has respected and honoured the great heritage and attributes of the original Interceptor, while injecting a contemporary edge and advanced technologies that will ensure it appeals to the passionate, discerning motoring enthusiast of today.” Read full story…

There’s nothing like the simplicity of a practicable classic commercial – and there are few classics more practical than a Braddie.

Brian Hartman has had a fascination for the two cylinder-engined Bradford pickup truck since his late teens. Later on in life, once work, marriage and family commitments took over as his top priorities, any thoughts of owning a Bradford were put on the back-burner, so Brian, along with his wife Barbara, placed the idea of owning Bradford on to their wish-list.

However, over the years they would often talk about their dream of owning a Bradford and, after many years and with semi-retirement looming just around the corner, they decided to start thinking more seriously about fulfilling their dream.

Ironically, whilst helping a friend pick up a vehicle, they discovered a Bradford truck that appeared to be in fairly good condition. To be sure, the wooden framework had seen better days and had succumbed to the elements over time, but the rest of the truck was complete, and they decided there and then to buy it.

Brian and Barbara were certainly under no illusions about the task ahead in bringing the old Bradford back to its former glory, in fact they were extremely excited about the challenge that lay in front of them. Read full story…

Renault has revealed that it will be building an all-new sports car shortly and to boost interest it may resurrect a brand that has been dormant for almost 20 years – Alpine.

Speaking at the Frankfurt Motor Show last week, Renault product manager Beatrice Foucher said that the next-generation Megane and Laguna will be built on a common C/D platform and this platform will also spawn a sports car. “We need conventional cars as well as innovative cars”, Foucher said. “It’s very early, but we will have at least one coupe in the line-up off the new platform.”

Foucher went on to state, “We’re working on an Alpine. It’s a possibility and we’re looking at what an Alpine would be in a RenaultSport line-up.”

An Alpine? That’s right, it may be time for this once famous car brand to return. But first a history lesson. Read full story…