In last month's Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 'only' 50 classic cars were entered. All of them however, are interesting enough to warrant a separate article. In the last few weeks, we have already featured quite a few and today we take a look at a further four.
Combining an English chassis with an American engine and an Italian designer suit, the AC 428 is one of the most beautiful cars built in the 1960s. Closely related to the much better known Cobra and Maserati Mistral, only 80 examples were ever built over a seven year period. The complexities of having an English chassis bodied in Italy meant that the cars were expensive and the delivery very slow. The Convertible shown at Villa d'Este had just benefited from a ground up restoration and is probably one of the best in existence.
Completely English is this majestic Bentley 8-Litre, fitted with a Gurney Nutting built 'Sportsman' Coupe. The owner braved the elements and drove the massive beast from The Netherlands, through the Swiss Alpes, to Como. He was deservedly awarded the Trofeo Automobile Club di Como for the car driven the furthest to the event.
The Bentley completely dwarfed this BMW 328, which at 3.9 meter has a shorter overall length than the 8-Litre's wheelbase. This particular 328 stands out because it is fitted with custom coachwork by Wendler. Although it looks similar to the standard 328, the Wendler Cabriolet is more luxuriously appointed.
A regular in American events, the final car of today's update is a rare sight in Europe. This Auburn 852 SC Speedster only arrived in Europe late last year. It was recently completely restored and is a superb example of the legendary 'Boat-tail Speedster' design by Gordon Buehrig. Against strong competition, it was awarded best in class at Villa d'Este.

Constants in today's update are the numbers 4 and 400. We kick off with the Mitsubishi Lancer EVO X FQ-400, which is the most potent Lancer ever offered by the factory. The 400 here is a reference to the power produced by the turbocharged four-cylinder engine; 403 bhp to be exact. All that force is transferred to all four wheels through Mitsubishi's advanced all-wheel drive system. It helps to propel the four-door 'family car' to 60 mph in under four seconds. In addition to boosting the power, the Japanese company has also modified the chassis to match the increased performance. Wider suspension has been fitted front and rear, considerably improving the handling characteristics. The FQ-400 will become available in England this summer for a very competitive �49,999 list price.
In the case of the Ferrari 400 Superamerica S1 Pininfarina Coupe Speciale the '400' is a reference to the four-liter displacement of the V12 engine fitted. The featured example was the first of the new generation Superamericas and can easily be distinguished by its unique Pininfarina coachwork. Like the 375 America posted some weeks ago, this special 400 Superamerica was built for Gianni Agnelli. Like his earlier Ferrari, it sports a massive grille and an unusual two-tone finish.
The same four-liter V12 engine, although in a slightly hotter form, is also found in this 330 P. The 330 P represents Ferrari's first evolution of the mid-engined 250 P that had been very dominant in the 1963 season. Today only very few examples of these early mid-engined Ferraris have survived in their original condition. One of the very best is the pictured 330 P.

In the formative years of Grand Prix racing, the cars were manned by the driver and a riding mechanic. Even though the riding mechanic eventually disappeared, in Europe the cars remained two-seaters until the early 1930s. Only once the regulations allowed for narrower cockpits, did the Grand Prix cars become single seaters. Today we take a closer look at two of the final Grand Prix cars that could seat two. Both are shot during the 2008 Monaco Historic Grand Prix.
The Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza was the most potent model in the diverse 8C line-up. It was not really built for Grand Prix racing but it was forced into the fray after the twin-engined Tipo A proved to be a failure. The model name was a reference to the debut victory in the 1931 Italian Grand Prix at Monza. The following season, the Works team turned to the Tipo B, which as its nickname 'Monoposto' suggests, was a single seater. Privateers, like Scuderia Ferrari, continued to campaign the Monza for several seasons. One of the three featured examples was driven to victory in the 1933 Mille Miglia by the great Tazio Nuvolari.
Maserati's belated answer to the Monza was this 8C 3000 first raced late in 1932. One of the reasons for the delay was the untimely death of the company's main designer Alfieri Maserati earlier in the year. Eventually only two examples were built before, it was replaced by the 8 CM (the M is a reference to Monoposto) in 1933. Campari scored a win in the French Grand Prix in the first 8C 3000 beating one of the Alfa Romeo Monzas highlighted today. The other was raced by 'Bentley Boy' Sir Henry Birkin in the Tripoli Grand Prix. Unfortunately he burned his arm on the exhaust and later died from blood poisoning. Our 8C 3000 article includes both examples built.

BMW's research and development department have mastered the art of finding answers to questions nobody had previously thought of asking. Whether these questions were not asked before for a good reason is up for debate. One of BMW's earlier answers was the X6, which combined elements of the 6-series coupe and the X5 SUV. Now BMW have created another niche market with the 5-Series Gran Turismo, which was previously shown in Concept form. The car holds the middle between a regular 5-Series and a hatchback. It features a longer wheelbase than the standard 5-Series and has a massive boot with a lid that hinges at the roof.
The new BMW will come with a choice of three engines, including a new twin-turbo straight six (535i), an earth thumping common-rail diesel (530d) and the latest twin-turbo V8, which powers the top of the line 550i model. The highly efficient eight cylinder engine produces a hefty 407 bhp, yet is more frugal than its predecessors thanks to its direct fuel injection. The engines are mated to an automatic that, for good measure, has eight forward speeds. The 550i Gran Turismo will hit the markets this fall.
We can only wonder what will come out of the Munich R&D department next. A thoroughly conventional but efficient sports car would be an answer to a question many people do ask.

In the build up to this weekend's Nürburgring 24 Hours race, Volkswagen revealed the Scirocco R. It uses a similar turbocharged, direct injection engine that will power the Sciroccos that will take part in the marathon through the 'green hell.' In road going guise, the high-tech four cylinder produces 265 hp. Compared to the similarly engined base version of the Scirocco, the R spec engine represents a 65 bhp improvement.
At the annual W�rthersee gathering, Audi took the wraps off the Q5 Custom Concept. It comes equipped with the company's new supercharged V6 engine that produces a hefty 408 bhp.
Amidst doom and gloom, Opel and Vauxhall revealed the high performance versions of the 'Sports Tourer' variant of the award winning Insignia. The OPC and VXR pack a twin-turbocharged V6 engine that is good for 325 bhp.
All of the cars in today's update are eclipsed by the Sportec SPR1, which is derived from the Porsche 997 Turbo. The Swiss company has tuned the flat-6 engine to a staggering 854 bhp. As it stands today, 60% of the production has already been sold.
At the recent Spa 1000 km we ran into two exciting new racing cars. The first is the Oreca 01 AIM, which is the first ever Oreca badged racing car. It combines sharp lines with a striking livery and could very well be one of the outsiders of the upcoming 24 Hours of Le Mans race. In one of the support races this Ginetta G50Z made an appearance. The silver bullet is a combination of the successful G50 shell with a high-revving Zytek V8 engine that usually powers Le Mans Prototypes.

The September 1971 issue of Road & Track magazine prominently featured the Momo Mirage on the front cover. The subtitle stated: "An Italian car for American customers." The Road & Track scoop was the culmination of nearly four years of development. The ambitious project was the brainchild of former Briggs Cunningham team manager Alfredo Momo and New York real-estate man Peter S. Kalikow. Momo supplied the experience and contacts while Kalikow provided the all important funding. In the feature article on the Mirage, Road & Track reporter Pete Coltrin was very enthusiastic of what he described as an 'Europeanized ponycar.' So why have we heard so little since of this promising new entry into the market? After about three cars were completed Momo and Kalikow were faced with the harsh realities of the early 1970s that saw prices of material increase considerably and demand for gas-guzzling cars decline at a similar rate. This was a real shame as the Momo Mirage was not just another Italo-American hybrid. The car featured a well refined chassis, ample interior space and a fit and finish that would have rivaled any of Europe's luxury manufacturers.
After spending around $500,000 of his own money, Kalikow pulled the plug and returned to his father's real-estate business. He has since assembled a highly impressive collection of 1950s and '60s Ferraris. Fortunately he has not forgotten about his earlier venture and recently brought the second Mirage (the production prototype) out of hiding. It had never been shown in public before it made an appearance at the recent Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este. This gave us ample opportunity to take a closer look at this very rare but highly impressive four-seater coupe. It has resulted in a 18-shot gallery, which illustrates a detailed description of the car's genesis.

Defying the current economic crisis, RM Auctions once again managed to break the world auction record today at the Leggenda e Passione Ferrari auction in Maranello. It was not the much hyped 350 Can-Am that broke the record; this failed to sell as bidding stalled at around $10 million. The record breaker was this beautiful black Ferrari 250 TR that required a bid of over $12 million to swap owners. With its unique lines and howling V12 engine, the Testa Rossa is regarded as one of Ferrari's finest sports racers ever built. Various versions of the car won the 24 Hours of Le Mans four times.
One of just 19 'pontoon fender' style Testa Rossas built, the new world record holder combined an interesting history with a virtually unmolested body and chassis. It was first owned by Piero Drogo, who raced the car extensively and would later be responsible for the bodies of the iconic 330 P3 and P4 as well as the 350 Can-Am also included in the auction. Its second owner painted the car in an unusual black with a red nose band. In recent years it was part of a prominent Japanese collection. The car was restored to its original configuration and striking colors especially for the auction. The 250 TR was sold to a telephone bidder right at the end of the auction.
The success of chassis '0714TR' inspired us to completely revamp our article of this iconic racing car. It now features pictures and history of seven separate Testa Rossas. Most of them are seen in action at historic events around the world. The combined gallery contains a total of 36 shots.

In the early 1950s Ferrari's core business was racing cars but luxurious road cars were also built to special order. These thoroughbreds were popular with royals and the most discerning of customers. Two of the most famous of these early Ferrari clients were French industrialist Paul-Michel Cavalier and Italian lawyer Gianni Agnelli.
Cavalier was not just a customer, he was also the only non-Italian on the board of Ferrari. He had an interesting taste in cars; he usually ordered the latest and most powerful racing chassis with a luxuriously appointed fixed-head body. Our favorite of his one-off Ferraris is this 410 S Scaglietti Berlinetta. Completed in 1955, Cavalier had the car painted in an equally unusual creme-white color. He owned the car for nearly a decade before selling. Among its subsequent owners were prominent collectors Pierre Bardinon and John Bosch. At one point the Scaglietti Berlinetta was repainted red but fortunately that was rectified during a recent restoration. Last month the current owner showed the unique Ferrari at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este.
An even more important man in Ferrari history, Gianni Agnelli was a customer of Ferrari first and then as CEO of Fiat, he later took control over the company. Agnelli had an equally extravagant taste and was clearly inspired by American cars when he ordered this 375 America Pinin Farina Coupe. With its large grille and metallic red over metallic green paint job, it looked unlike any other Ferrari of the day. It was not surprising that after his ownership, the striking Ferrari was sold to the United States where it remains to this day. The current owner bought the car some years ago and first showed it in its highly original condition and then had it fully restored by the experts at Motion Products. Upon completion, the Coupe Speciale was very successfully shown at a variety of events on both sides of the Atlantic.

Scoring a debut victory at its launch in 1971, Chevron B19s have been successfully raced ever since. They were first used in contemporary events like the European 2-liter championship and subsequently became very popular historic racing cars. Following the victorious debut, B19s scored many outright and class victories in 1971. This was carried on by the very similar B21 and B23 that replaced it in the following seasons. Chevron's Derek Bennett was responsible for the small racer's very simple but highly effective design. Thanks to its fantastic handling, the lightweight B19 was back then and is still a proper giant slayer.
In just one year, Chevron are believed to have built a total of 35 B19s. Due to chassis repairs and replacements the history of those 35 cars and the many additional chassis in existence is very hard to trace. Over the last year many historians from around the world have contributed to track down the cars and their history, which has resulted in this very interesting page on Oldracingcars.com. If you have additional knowledge please contact us or Allen Brown at Oldracingcars.com.
The featured example has a very interesting and confirmed history. It is seen in action during the 2007 and 2008 season in its period correct livery.
The Chevron B19 is also one of ten cars added we have added to our wallpaper section for our loyal supporting members. Other wallpapers added include the new Lola-Aston Martin, Auto Union Type D and a Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet at Villa d'Este.

This weekend the legendary Spa Francorchamps circuit hosted the second round of the 2009 Le Mans Series. The long, fast and undulating circuit is a favorite among the drivers and no fewer than 51 cars lined up for the 1000 km race. While victory was the objective, many also used the race as the final preparation for next month's 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Peugeot Sport and Team Essex made their first (European) appearance of the season while Oreca fielded a brand new car and Reiter Engineering debuted the GT2 version of the Gallardo.
The support program was headlined by the ever exciting Classic Endurance Racing one-hour 'enduro' on Saturday. No doubt attracted by racing at Spa for an hour, a very impressive 53 classic racing cars were entered. Among them was plenty of tantalizing machinery like several Lola T70s, a Porsche 936 and the ferocious Ferrari 712 Can-Am. The race was closely disputed and incident packed.
The same could be said of the 1000 km race on Sunday where the incidents already started during the formation lap. Despite further restrictions, the Peugeot easily qualified on the front row and gradually built up a lead in the race. Behind them it was absolute mayhem with not one seeming to get through the race unscathed. For some entries the battle damage had major consequences, causing them to fail the post-race scrutineering.
After conflicting schedules forced us to miss the previous two editions of the Spa 1000 km race, we were back this year. Three days of running around the track have resulted in an action packed 200-shot slideshow and a 2500-word report.

At their annual Quail auction this year, Bonhams will offer the rare opportunity to acquire an original surviving 'Silver Arrow.' This Auto Union Type D is one of only three cars of this kind in existence and the only one that is not locked away in a collection. So it is not surprising that it is expected to sell for around $8 million in August.
Powered by a supercharged V12, the Type D was well ahead of its time with its mid-engined layout. Thanks to its DeDion rear axle, it did not suffer from the treacherous handling characteristics of its V16 engined predecessors. The car's handling was actually so good that it could match the much more powerful Mercedes-Benz W154 towards the end of 1938. The early part of that season had been dogged with problems and tragedy that were a little too much for the small team to handle. By signing Italian ace Tazio Nuvolari things quickly got better, resulting in two Grand Prix victories. At the 1939 Reims Grand Prix, Auto Union introduced a new twin-stage supercharged version of the car, which scored a convincing 1-2-6 victory. Unfortunately War intervened and we had to wait another 20 years before the mid-engined layout would take over in Grand Prix racing.
Today, some seventy years after its debut, the twin-stage Auto Union returned to what is left of the Reims track. On behalf of Bonhams, marque experts Crosthwaite and Gardiner took the car out for a couple of runs along the old pit-straight. This enabled us to get some rare action shots of the car as well as capture every little detail. Our work has been compiled in a breath-taking 24-shot gallery that illustrates a detailed history of the model.

At last year's Ferrari Leggenda e Passione sale in Maranello a new world record was set for the most expensive car ever sold at auction. This year's edition, again hosted by RM Auctions in association with Sotheby's, promises to break that record once again. Very early on they consigned a beautiful Ferrari 250 TR that was estimated to eclipse last year's top seller by a little bit. Late last month, however, they surprised friend and foe with the announcement that they have included this fantastic Ferrari 350 Can-Am in the May 17th auction. Originally born as one of just three 330 P4s, this sports racer has been in the same collection for nearly four decades. With the other two also in long term ownerships, this is a very rare opportunity to buy one of Ferrari's definitive sports racers of the 1960s. Although it is hard to give out estimates but bids on the 350 Can-Am will surely get to 8-figures and some suggest up to $20 million.
In some respects, it is a shame that such a headliner grabber has been consigned as it takes so much of the attention away from the other interesting lots. To ensure that they do not get left out, we have highlighted three other very interesting entries in this preview. The rarest of the breed is this unique Ferrari 250 GT SWB Bertone Coupe. It is one of only very few Ferraris styled by the great Giorgietto Giugiaro and looks nothing like the familiar SWB by Pininfarina. The elegant two-seater is expected to sell for $3 - $4 million. With two examples built, the Maserati 250S is almost as rare. Originally built for Carroll Shelby and Jim Hall, the example offered has recently resurfaced after a long spell in the Rosso Bianco museum. In addition to the auction car, our article also features the only other 250S built.
The Leggenda e Passione auction also includes the collection of Edgar Schermerhorn, who had a special passion for rare coach-built Ferraris. Our favorite of the collection is this very early 166 Inter Stabilimenti Farina Berlinetta, one of just four or five built by this coach-builder.

Last week the Spanish city of Valencia hosted the introduction of the latest entry into the supercar market. Local racing car manufacturer GTA Motors revealed the appropriately named Spano. The high-tech machine combines a supercharged Viper engine with a lightweight composite chassis. Running on bio-ethanol, the blown V10 produces a staggering 840 bhp. The exterior styling is equally impressive with a full glass roof as an absolute highlight. Only 99 examples will be produced. A few days earlier, Jaguar used the Shanghai Motor Show to release the first picture of the all-new XJ. Little else was revealed other than the official launch date of July 9th.
At last week's Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este this fabulous Ferrari 250 GT Europa won the 'Trofeo BMW Group Classic' for the best restoration. Executed back in Maranello at the Ferrari Classiche department, the extensive restoration had been completed just days before the show.
During qualifying for the 1990 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans Mark Blundell clinched a surprise pole with his Nissan R90CK. This was the result of a stuck wastegate, that had boosted the power to over 1100 bhp on his twin-turbo V8 engine. It was a rare highlight in Nissan's Group C program but did reveal the great potential of the Lola designed R90CK. The featured example is seen in action at Le Mans and Goodwood.
A very young Lord Hesketh was responsible for one of the last great privateer efforts in Formula 1. Together with designer Harvey Postlethwaite and James Hunt, he flamboyant Lord challenged the seasoned teams. Hunt finished on the podium many times in 1974 and 1975 and more importantly won the 1975 Dutch GP in the Hesketh 308 Cosworth. Our gallery features the first two examples produced. James' winning car is pictured in the hands of his son Freddie Hunt on two different occasions.

Every year in April over 200 classic racing cars gather in Paris for the start of the Tour Auto road rally. This year's edition started in the Jardin de Tuileries, between the Place de la Concorde and the Louvre museum. The five day, 2000 km event took the participants through France, Luxembourg and Belgium. The route uses some of the finest roads that are both exciting to drive and have fabulous vistas. On the itinerary were also five race tracks including the swooping Dijon and the legendary Spa Francorchamps circuits. One of the finish locations was the fantastic Schlumpf Museum in Mulhouse.
The Tour Auto is open to cars of a type that competed in the original Tour de France between 1951 and 1973. An exception is made for interesting cars of a later era. This year the Jaguar Mk I and Mk II took center stage, celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the Mk I's maiden class victory. The colorful field included many exciting cars including Ford GT40s, Alfa Romeo GTAs, Alpine A110s, Aston Martin DB4 GTs, Porsche 906s and Cobras. With the original event dominated for so many years by Ferraris, it is no surprise to see so many of the V12 engined machines line up for the 2009 edition. The absolute highlight was the 250 GTO that took the outright victory back in 1964.
Due to conflicting schedules we could only follow the Tour Auto for two days. By staying out from dawn to dusk, we have managed to capture all of the classes on a wide variety of locations. Our work has been compiled in an exclusive 150-shot gallery to illustrate our full report.