Following up on our preview earlier this week, we have now highlighted one of the Chevron B16s entered. This particular car has a relatively straightforward history, which is chronicled here.
Lotus racing cars have often been very successful. One exception is the Lotus Esprit GT1 built for the 1996 BPR Endurance Championship. Unusually for a Lotus, it was built following the letter and the spirit of the regulations and as a result featured many stock components. By 1996, the likes of Porsche had already raced the bar with purpose built racing cars that only followed the letter of the law. The Esprit GT1 did score one second place finish against better developed and funded machinery. The featured example at one time served as a spare parts bin for a sister car but it is now owned by a true enthusiast, who is gradually rebuilding it to its original glory.
The Arrows A9 BMW quite possibly has one of the shortest Formula 1 careers in recent history. Only one example was built and this car was raced only three times. The A9 is nevertheless significant as it was the last Arrows designed by Dave Wass, who was one of Arrows' co-founders. The one-off machine is current for sale with Duncan Hamilton.

This weekend, we will be at the Circuito del Jarama just north of Madrid, Spain for the second annual Jarama Classic. The event boasts the familiar Peter Auto grids including Group C and Classic Endurance Racing. To get you in the mood, we have taken a closer look at three of the great sports racers due to hit the track this weekend.
Rarest of the three cars is the TOJ SC303. Built in 1978 by Jorg Obermoser's team, it is one of the very last TOJs built. Powered by a Cosworth DFV V8 engine, the featured example was raced with considerable success in 1978 and also appeared at Le Mans. In recent years, it has been restored to its original livery.
The earliest of the trio is one of the very last Porsche 550A Spyders. This car was sold to a Brazilian, who raced it in Europe first before shipping it back to South America. Chassis 0143 was only very recently repatriated to Europe and has been raced in Peter Auto event since 2016.
Also re-appearing on track last year was this Porsche 962C. In period, this car was raced by a Swiss privateer. In 1989, it featured a particularly striking livery, which 962-131 still wears today.
Monza is this week the scene of the official ELMS and FIA WEC tests. Before the action started, Alpine revealed the A470 LMP2 car. Based on an Oreca design, it features a spec Gibson V8 engine, good for around 600 bhp.

One of the absolute highlights at the Goodwood Members' Meeting was a very rare appearance of the Mirage M6 Weslake Coupe. Built for the 1973 season, it featured a coupe body and Weslake V12 engine that were unique to this car. After being tested extensively, the car ultimately remained un-raced. Following a very long spell in the United States the one-off and very striking M6 Coupe returned to the United Kingdom just one week before the Members' Meeting.
Among the other Gulf liveried machines that starred at Goodwood were the very last McLaren F1 GTR Longtail and the Porsche 908/03 from the Porsche Museum.
Lotus returned to their old ways with the Elise Sprint, which is 41 kg lighter than the standard Elise. The Sprint is available with a choice of engines including a 217 bhp supercharged, four-cylinder.
McLaren have revealed another glimpse of their upcoming three-seater supercar, code-named the BP23. It is due to be released in 2018 with first deliveries starting at the very end of that year.

Taking centre stage at last weekend's Goodwood Members' Meeting were the great GT1 cars of the 1990s and today we take a closer look at four of these.
The earliest was the penultimate Ferrari F40 LM built. This particular example was not actually raced in period, it instead served as the centre piece in the then newly opened Ferrari of San Francisco showroom. After spending most of its life in California, chassis 97893 was more recently sold to the United Kingdom.
There were no fewer than four McLaren F1s at Goodwood, including this early F1 GTR. Raced for two seasons by Thomas Bscher and John Nielsen, it scored three outright victories. Chassis 03R only left Bscher's collection in 2012 to join the stable of the current custodian.
Porsche was also strongly represented including with this ex-Kremer and ex-Labre 911 GT1. Raced extensively in period, its most notable result was a third overall in 1998 Daytona 24 Hours. The GT1 was restored to its Daytona livery and more recently also registered for road use.
Brought along by Porsche themselves was an ex-works 911 GT1 Evolution. The first of three examples built with the 996 type headlights, chassis 004 was raced with some success during for most of the 1997 season.

This weekend we were at the Goodwood Motor Circuit for the 75th Members' Meeting. This is the third major annual event organised on the Goodwood grounds. Officially, it is a low key affair but being a Goodwood event, it nevertheless attracted a stellar field of cars and star drivers. The two-day meeting featured 12 races and three high-speed demonstrations. The races including grids for popular machines like Edwardian behemoths, 1960s GT cars and 1970s Group 1 touring cars. Among the drivers in action during the weekend were the likes of Gerhard Berger, Roberto Ravaglia and Tom Kristensen, who all competed in the one-hour Gerry Marshall Trophy for Group 1 Touring Cars. The equally impressive demonstrations were for Group 6 sports prototypes, Group A touring cars and 1990s GT1 racers. These were not parades but the precious machines were actually driven at proper speeds.
We were on hand throughout the weekend and have captured all the actions in a 240-shot gallery that serves to illustrate a concise report.

Arguably one of the most unusual Ferraris ever created is this 166 MM Fontanta Uovo Coupe. It was originally conceived as a more familiar Touring Barchetta but following a heavy accident early in its life, it was re-bodied by Fontana with a coupe body. Thanks to its unusual design, it received the nickname 'Uovo' or egg. It was extensively raced in this guise and following a spell in the United States, it returned to Italy in 1986. Rarely seen in public during the last few decades, the Uovo has now been consigned to the upcoming RM Sotheby's Monterey auction.
Of a completely different order is this very rare Ferrari 1512 F1. Powered by a diminutive, 1.5-litre flat 12, this car is the third of three built in 1964 and 1965. It was raced alongside the V8 engined 158 F1 during the final two years of the 1.5-litre era. The featured example has not been raced since and has survived in a lovely patinated condition. Last month, it was the centrepiece of a fabulous Ferrari F1 display at Retromobile.

At this weekend's Goodwood Members' Meeting, the races will be complemented by demonstration runs for the great Group 6, three-litre sports cars of the 1970s and the 1990s era GT1 machinery. Among the Group 6 cars will be this Gulf liveried Mirage GR7. Raced at major events for several seasons, it was in contention for outright wins on several occasions but ultimately did no better than 2nd in World Championship events. Meticulously restored the GR7 is today part of the ROFGO Collection and has been regularly raced during the last few seasons. Other Group 6 cars due to take to the track are the Cosworth-engined McLaren M8C, which will be reunited by its original driver Alain de Cadennet, his later De Cadenet T380 and the unique Lola T282.
Due to take the track in the high-speed GT1 demonstrations are rare machines like several Porsche 911 GT1s, Ferrari F40 LMs and McLaren F1 GTRs.
We will be on hand during the weekend and will return with a full report and gallery early next week.

We are deeply saddened to report the passing of John Surtees late last week at the age of 83. A hugely talented racer, Surtees remains the only person to win World Championships on both two and four wheels. His greatest success on four wheels came in 1964 when he won the Formula 1 World Championship in this Ferrari 158 F1. In recent years, he was reunited with the car during demonstrations at Goodwood. In addition to his success in single seaters, Surtees also became the inaugural Can-Am champion with the Lola T70 Mk2 Spyder.
Surtees will surely also be remembered at the upcoming Goodwood Members' Meeting where the race for mid-1960s sports cars is named after him. Another fan favourite is the race for Edwardian behemoths, which this year will include this Alfa Romeo G1. It is one of fifty built and the sole survivor, making it the earliest Alfa Romeo in existence. Bonhams will stage an auction at the Members' Meeting on Sunday. Among the 88 lots consigned is this Lola T70 Spyder. The second T70 built, this car was raced in period by David Hobbs and has also been very successful in historic events.
Of the many cars that crossed the block at Amelia Island over the weekend, this Porsche 911 GT1 Strassenversion was among the top sellers. It was part of Gooding's $30.5 million sale and eventually changed hands for a staggering $5.6 million.

Rounding up this year's Geneva Motor Show coverage, we today take a look at some past and current stars. From the past come this Pinin Farina styled Lancia Aurelia PF200 and Fiat 8V Coupe Ghia Supersonic Coupe by Ghia. They were shown at the 1953 and 1954 editions of the Geneva show respectively and are due to cross the block at the RM Sotheby's Amelia Island sale tomorrow.
While Ghia is long gone, Pininfarina is still in business and they revealed this Fittipaldi EF7. Slated for limited production, it was engineered by German company HWA of AMG fame with the help of Brazilian racing legend Emerson Fittipaldi. The EF7 features a carbon fibre chassis and a bespoke V8 engine.
Fellow Italian design house Italdesign have stepped up to become a niche manufacturer with limited production models based on products of mother company Audi. At Geneva, they revealed the R8-based Zerouno of which just five will be built.
One of the biggest surprises and certainly one of the most interesting cars on show was the RUF CTR. Although it looks like a 1980s Porsche 911, it features an all-new carbon-fibre chassis with push-rod suspension and a twin-turbo engine. Thanks to the lightweight chassis, the 700 bhp CTR tips the scales at just 1,200 kg.
Dutch supercar builder Spyker was on hand to reveal the C8 Preliator Spyder and more importantly an engine deal with Koenigsegg for a naturally aspirated V8 that will power both the Coupe and Spyder versions of the Preliator. Production of the former is due to start later this year.
Francophiles and lovers of compact sports cars will rejoice to find the new Alpine A110 to their liking. Using a lightweight aluminium chassis, it is powered by a mid-mounted, 252 bhp engine. For optimal handling a vast majority of the A110's weight is concentrated inside the already very short wheelbase.

On the shores of the Lac Leman, the annual Geneva Motor Show kicked off with the first of a pair of press preview days. Among the most highly anticipated cars to break cover this morning was the McLaren 720S. Replacing the 650S, this striking machine features an all-new monocoque and a four-litre version of the familiar twin-turbo V8 engine. It features a hugely sophisticated, aerodynamics dictated design. Among the 720S' most unusual features are the headlight air-intakes that feed fresh air to the engine bay through the double skinned doors.
Another new high performance that captured our attention was the new Porsche 911 GT3. It features the 500 hp engine of the previous GT3 RS and more importantly, the manual gearbox returns as an option.
Aston Martin used the Geneva Motor Show to take the wraps of the new AMR sub-brand for high performance versions of the 'regular' production models. The two cars revealed today were the Rapide AMR and the Vantage AMR Pro.
Audi debuted the all-new RS 5 Coupe of which a DTM version was also revealed.
Sister company Bentley used the Swiss show to introduce the EXP 12 Speed 6e; the electric, drop-top version of the highly acclaimed EXP 10 Speed 6 launched in 2015.

This week, all eyes are on the Geneva for the annual Motor Show that starts tomorrow. As a final preview to the event, we today take a closer look at the latest pre-releases.
One car that will definitely be a talking point is the mighty Lamborghini Huracan Performante. Powered by a 630 bhp V10 engine and 40kg lighter, this hardcore Huracan clocked a lap on the Nurburgring in just 6:52 minutes according to Lamborghini.
Another high performance machine to take centre stage will be the Infiniti Project Black S. Based on the top of the range Q60 model, it features the familiar twin-turbo V6 engine but mated to a hybrid system developed together with Renault F1. Unfortunately, no performance figures have been released yet but it should be very quick.
Ford will use the Geneva Motor Show to release a slightly more modest but still very exciting Fiesta ST. It is powered by a diminutive three-cylinder Ecoboost engine, which nevertheless pumps out an impressive 200 hp.
Although not present at Geneva yet, Aston Martin did reveal Valkyrie as the official name for the new supercar developed together with Red Bull Racing. It will feature a carbon-fibre composite monocoque, a naturally aspirated V12 created by Cosworth and a seven-speed gearbox provided by Ricardo.

In less than two weeks hundreds of collector cars will cross the block at three auctions in the Amelia Island area and today we take a closer look a two absolute highlights. One of the headliners in the Bonhams sale is this Ferrari 250 Europa GT. It is one of the earliest Ferrari road cars with the famous three-litre 'short-block' V12 and unlike most other Europa GTs, chassis 0389GT boasts an aluminium body. The pre-sale estimate is $2.3 - 2.6 million.
At the Gooding sale, one of the star cars is a very rare Aston Martin DB5 Vantage. Around 65 DB5s were built to Vantage specification, which included triple Webers and a claimed 314 bhp output of the straight six engine. Estimated to sell for over $1 million, the example consigned was delivered new to Paris.
Before the gavel is raised in Florida, the 2017 Geneva Motor Show will open its doors. Among the cars announced this week are the all-new and highly anticipated Alpine A110 and the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo shooting brake. We will keep you up to date as the new cars break cover in the coming days.