For the upcoming, flag-ship Monterey sale, Anglo-Canadian auction RM Sotheby's have consigned a pair of Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder. The most remarkable of the duo is chassis 1795GT, which accordingly has a $16 - $18 million estimate. Shown at the 1960 Geneva Motor Show, it is the very first short wheelbase example produced. Moreover, it is equipped with desirable covered headlights and came equipped with a factory hard-top. The short wheelbase prototype has had just two owners in the last 40 years and the California Spyder is consigned from the collection of a legendary German football player.
Also due to cross the block in August is 1217GT, which is the 19th of the 50 long wheelbase California Spyders built. It was originally sold to an Italian shipping company and later starred in a famous Italian movie. Among the next custodians were Swiss racing driver Jo Siffert and American collector John Mozart. Offered from long-term ownership, the Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spyder is estimated to sell for $5.5 - $6.5 million.

This weekend, the build-up to the 24 Hours of Le Mans will kick-off with the official test day. To get you in the mood, we have taken a closer look at two former, French winners. The outright victory was scored 50 years ago by Henri Pescarolo and Gerard Larousse in this fabulous Matra MS670C. It is the very last Matra sports racer built and raced only at Le Mans in 1974. Retained for many years by Matra, it is now part of the Le Mans Museum collection. As part of the centenary celebrations, MS670B-06 was demonstrated at Le Mans and the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2023.
Also out during these events was the Rondeau M379 that won the 24 Hours in 1980. It holds the distinction as the only car driven to a Le Mans victory by its creator as the driving duties were shared by Jean Rondeau and Jean-Pierre Jaussaud. Today M379-003 is part of a formidable collection that also includes several Le Mans winning Porsches.
At last weekend's Nürburgring 24 Hours, Volkswagen took the wraps of the latest Golf GTI Clubsport. It is powered by a 296 bhp version of the familiar turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which is mated to a seven-speed, dual-clutch gearbox.

The annual Spa Classic has grown to become one of the blue ribband events on the Peter Auto roster. With virtually non-stop action on the programme, the 12th edition looked like it would live up to expectations even before the weekend start. As it turned out, it did and then some thanks to the tempestuous weather the undulating Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is infamous for. We were treated to at least three seasons worth of weather in a single day. On Friday the rain got so bad that some of the sessions were cancelled. This certainly did not dampen the spirits and for the remainder of the weekend almost all races were able to take place without interruption. Among the highlights on track were the traditional fan favourites like the Classic Endurance Racing groups but also the newly created Endurance Racing Legends 2 field reserved exclusively to GT2 cars from the mid-1990s through to 2010. In addition to the races, there were also parades celebrating the 55th anniversary of the Porsche 917.
Our reporters braved the weather with this spectacular 200-shot gallery and detailed report as the results.

With the new Carrera GTS, Porsche have created the very first hybrid-engined 911. Its introduction is part of the mid-generation model update and comes alongside the mildly revised 992 II 911 Carrera, which retains its conventional drivetrain. Powering the new hybrid 911 is an enlarged, 3.6-litre version of the existing turbocharged flat-six. It is equipped with electrically assisted turbochargers and an electric motor that is housed inside the eight-speed gearbox. The combined peak output of the 911 Carrera GTS drivetrain is an impressive 534 bhp. Despite the additional components needed for the hybrid drivetrain, the new GTS is only 50 kg heavier than the outgoing model.
Great news from Lancia as the Italian manufacturer revealed the first details of the Ypsilon HF and more importantly the Rally 4 version of the hot hatchback. This signals Lancia's return to motorsport after a break of over 30 years. The road-going HF is equipped with an electric motor, while the competition-bound Rally 4 HF will be powered by a 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder. Both versions are slated to debut in 2025.
Another new car due to make its competition debut next year is the BMW M4 GT3 Evo. As the name suggests, it is an evolution of the existing model, which is currently raced with great success in all major endurance events. BMW also took the wraps off the Concept Skytop at the annual Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este. Based on M8 Competition underpinnings, the striking show car is a homage to classic roadsters like the 503 and Z8.

It has been a busy month on the streets of Monaco with three major race meetings staged in the small Principality. We were at the Grand Prix Historique a fortnight ago. The biennial event celebrates the rich history of the Monaco Grand Prix, which was first held back in 1929. The retrospective event saw single seaters and sports cars compete from the 1920s through to the 1980s, spread over eight distinct groups. The well curated entry list featured a spectacular mix of machinery, highlighted by no fewer than Maserati 250Fs, a pair of Matras and five V12-engined Ferraris. The tight track lined by unforgiving Armco barriers represents a real challenge for competitors and it was no surprise that many of the same drivers featured on the sharp end of each of the grids.
Our photographers enjoyed the Monaco sunshine for three days and returned with a 180-shot gallery that serves to illustrate our concise report.

In the build-up to the Monaco Grand Prix, Mercedes-AMG have debuted the PureSpeed Concept. It represents a preview of the first car to be produced in the limited Mercedes-Benz Mythos series. The two-seat roadster is inspired by the Stirling Moss SLR and the current generation Grand Prix cars. As a result, the PureSpeed boasts a cockpit that has no windscreen but features a HALO type roll-over bar. For additional driver protection, the Mercedes-AMG roadster comes with two aerodynamically optimised helmets. The number 10 on the nose is a nod to the Mercedes that won the Targa Florio 100 years ago this year. Mercedes-AMG will build 250 examples of the production version, which are available to the hand-picked Mercedes-Benz customers and collectors.
At the recent World Endurance Championship race, Alpine demonstrated a fully functional version of the Alpenglow. Created to showcase the latest hydrogen technology, this version is powered by a turbocharged, four-cylinder engine fuelled by hydrogen. This is a stop-gap engine, as an all-new V6 is currently under developed, which will power the next iteration of the Alpenglow.
Another Alpine-based machine is this AGTZ Twin Tail, which broke cover on the shores of Lake Como this week. Inspired by the A220 Le Mans racer, it is based on the current Alpine A110. Only 19 examples of the Zagato-penned machine will be built with prices starting at €650,000. The Twin Tail moniker refers to the rear-end of the bodywork, which can be both long and short.