Due to their exceptional value and often poor state, most historic Ferraris have been restored to concours condition in the past thirty years, making an unrestored original Ferrari a rare sight. Today we take a look at a Ferrari racer that has spent 38 years in storage, and has only recently resurfaced. The featured 196 SP is not only very special because of its unique patina, but being the first mid-engined Ferrari sports car it is also historically important. Much older, but equally important for the manufacturer it represents is the Rolls Royce Silver Ghost Bark Roi de Belges; the single most famous Rolls ever constructed. It was a factory demonstrator back in 1907 and continues to do so to this day.
More recent, but equally spectacular are the two supercars included in this week's news. The Lamborghini Cala Concept turned 10 this year but its stunning design still looks completely modern. If the Giugiaro designed Lambo is stylishly gorgeous, the 650 bhp Orca C113' is obviously designed purely for function. If the manufacturer's performance claims are correct, and it functions perfectly well, a predicted top speed in excess of 360 km/h and sub 3 seconds acceleration times are proposed.
Porsche had already turned motor racing up side down with the 917 in 1970 before they outdid themselves again in 1972 by adding two turbochargers to the 12 cylinder engine, creating the 1000 bhp 917/10K. Donohue, Follmer, and Haywood harnessed the Porsche power to take the CanAm by force, literally.

For the first time since the Cayenne, Porsche has added a new model to their line-up. Fortunately, the Boxster S derived Cayman S is a proper sportscar again. With 295 bhp on tap, the small mid-engined coupe should offer a very indulging drive. Much of Porsche's motorsport history has been written on the French Le Mans track, but the German manufacturer is not in contention for the victory this year. The French Pescarolo on the other hand is one of the top favourites with their brand new C60 Hybrid. A decade before Porsche started to rack up overall victories on the Le Mans track, Ferrari was the dominant manufacturer. In those early 1960s two British manufacturers attempted to challenge the Italians. First up was Aston Martin in 1962 with the stunning DB4 GT derived DP212 prototype racer. Interestingly some of this unique car's design details were used as an inspiration for the DB6 in the 1960s and the DB7 in the 1990s. Jaguar proved more successful in 1963 and 1964 in the GT class with the E-Type Lightweight. Today we take a look at the rare Low Drag version of which only two were constructed. This is not where the Le Mans connection ends; the Allard J2R featured also has a history on the legendary track.
A couple of weeks ago we took a look at the Alfa Romeo Carabo Concept to which we credited the introduction of the wedge shape, but this week we can present an even earlier example of this design theme; the DAF Siluro. Designed and constructed by Giovanni Michelotti, this one-off has only recently been restored after serving for many years as a garden ornament in the designer's son's garden.

Maybach's current line-up of uber-luxury vehicles does not excel in the looks department, but the recently unveiled Exelero Concept might signal a change for the better. Unlike many prototypes it's not 'all-show-and-no-go'; the 700 bhp Exelero was clocked around Nardo at just over 350 km/h. In contrast to the 'teutonic' Maybachs the small and perfectly balanced Ferrari 500 Mondial Pinin Farina Berlinetta is a stylistic master piece.
After a one year sabbatical, Spyker returned to motor sports earlier this year at the Sebring 12 Hours race. Their weapon of choice was the brand new C8 Spyder GT2 R, which will be the first open GT racer to compete at Le Mans for many decades. Even the much acclaimed AC Cobra did not race as a roadster on the legendary track; it made its debut in 1963 with a specially constructed hard top. In this weeks update we take a closer look at one of the two Cobra 289s that competed in that race. Around the same time that the Cobra turned things around in Europe, Lotus revolutionized Indy racing in North America. With the Lotus 38 the British manufacturer scored the first win at the Brickyard with a mid-engined car, beating the front engined roadsters which had dominated the 500 mile race for many years.

The second half of the 1960s saw the introduction of a number of revolutionary production and concept cars; today we take a look at three of these. In the first sixty years of the century, the drive layout remained very traditional, with the engine up front driving the rear wheels. The 1960s saw the introduction of a number of alternatives. Lamborghini broke the ground for the mid-engined setup with the Miura. A completely original P400 S is highlighted this week. The Oldsmobile Toronado of 1966 was America's first front-wheel-drive car in 30 years, a result of General Motor's experimentation with alternative layouts. Not only technically did the cars advance considerably in this era of change, but also aesthetically. With Bertone's Alfa Romeo Carabo the popular wedge shape design was first introduced in 1968.
From the same era as these revolutionary vehicles is the Ferrari 250 LM. Despite being hampered by homologation issues, the 250 LM's competition career was saved with a victory in the 1965 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Today, seen as one of the most valuable cars, the featured example is seen in action from last month's Tour Auto rally.
GT cars come in all shapes and sizes, which is evident when looking at the featured Porsche 997 GT3 Cup and the Honda NSX GT500. Raced in Japan only, the NSX GT500 is mainly known to the rest of the world through the popular Sony Playstation title Gran Turismo.

Last week the 14th annual Tour Auto retrospective was held. With a 1648 km route through some of the most scenic regions of France, this year's edition was one of the finest. After the start in Paris the caravan quickly entered the central mountain region, setting the stage for a fantastic rally. Traditionally the Tour Auto entry list is dominated by Ferrari, Porsche and Alpine. To preserve the entrants enthusiasm and maintain performance balance, various classes were arranged. Despite the key rule of pre-1966 cars solely being eligible for the overall win, entries through to 1973 were welcomed. An especially tight battle between four drivers in Class 4 went on for several stages before all but one were forced to retire before reaching Biarritz.
Our photographic team chased the cars for the complete five days and are proud to present a full report and 250 shot slideshow, showcasing the action and the incredible scenery.

The elaborate custom coachbuilt cars of the 1920s and 1930s are commonly referred to as 'royal cars'. One of the cars featured in today's update explains why. The Duesenberg J Franay Convertible Sedan was first owned by Queen Marie of Yugoslavia. Not only did she own this unique 'Duesey', but she also used it frequently, covering well over 50,000 miles. Although rarer today than in the past, custom coachbuilding is still in practice, however now commonly consists of modifying an existing vehicle. Rinspeed is well known for wild creations and their latest oddity, the Cayenne based Chopster only strengthens that reputation.
The 2005 motorsport season is in full swing both on track and off-road. This week we take a look at two of Japan's leading competitors in their field. Subaru's impressive rallying record over the last ten years does not look to be in jeopardy as the new Impreza WRC 2005 continued the success with a victorious debut at the 2005 Rally Mexico. On track, the recently debuted Dome S101-Hb Mugen, is very much in contention to score Japan's second victory in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans race.
Alfa Romeo's brief return to sportscar racing in the late 1960s and early 1970s was concluded by winning the 1975 world championship with the 33 TT/12 Spider. It combined cutting edge Formula 1 technology with a two seater body. Similar to the Alfa, the Allard J2X Le Mans was also one of the last versions of a highly successful series.