Editorial

Continuing the racing theme from last week, and with the news of a slight 'climb down' from the FIA on some of the more drastic changes to F1 fresh in mind, whither Sports Car racing in the near future? The forthcoming auction at Retromobile has two seminal cars, of differing on-track success, from the early sixties when motorsport's governing body of the time, the CSI, had outlawed the open cars from Ferrari, Aston and Jaguar and introduced a World Championship based on GT cars. This of course culminated in the Ferrari GTO and lightweight E-type Jaguar era.

Aston's DB4GT was a game effort, and a good short circuit car in the hands of Moss and Salvadori, but could not live with any of the 250 GT Ferraris over the real 'killer' long distance events such as Le Mans, Daytona and the TDF. Christie's Berlinetta, a veteran of many a battle in the hands of sometimes works driver Carlo Abate, would have been treated mercilessly - but somehow, however abused, finish in the points. The myth of temperamental Italian machinery against solid British engineering laid bare.

While I can still enjoy the luxury of 'fantasy regulations', (without having to administer them), a strictly disciplined series, with a system of handicapping to even out the inherent differences between front, rear and mid engined cars, for GT models from Jaguar (a good excuse to withdraw from a disastrous entry to F1), Porsche, Ferrari and Aston Martin would make a lot of sense. You could also take a tarmac round out of the World Rally Championship, incorporate a couple of circuit races in it and re-run the TDF or Targa Florio. There are a lot of top-notch drivers out there, and I am sure many of the real car buyers, (I am not including the Schumi fans, or James Bond wannabes), would find this a genuine test of their sort of car.

Aston Martin have a couple of models perfect for this, and what a way to bow out with one of them before the introduction of the new V8 Vantage? They've even called it the right name - DB7GT.


Steve Wakefield
Managing Editor

This week in Classic Driver

CAR OF THE WEEK

Aston Martin DB7GT

According to Dr Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin, there has been growing demand from the marque’s sportier drivers for a new version of the DB7 Vantage. Hence the arrival of the DB7 GT, unveiled at the British Motor Show in October - the most powerful Aston Martin DB7 ever made...

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CLASSIC CAR OF THE WEEK

Porsche 959

Helmuth Bott, one of Porsche's greatest engineers and the leader of the team that produced the 959, said in 1986 that it was "a car which demonstrates the abilities of the Weissach development team in every aspect of automobile design"...

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NEWS

Ferrari 'Challenge Stradale' at the Geneva Motorshow


Maranello, 16 January 2003 - The new Ferrari, which will be unveiled at the Geneva Motorshow in March, will be called the 'Challenge Stradale'. It joins the 360 Modena and the 360 Spider in the Ferrari 8 cylinder range of road cars...

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Auctions

Auction Preview: Christie’s at Retromobile, Paris 8th February 2003

“You know, owning a DB4 GT was really something in the early 1960s.” So spoke the first owner of the blue Aston Martin DB4 GT which Christie’s is offering at its Retromobile auction on 8th February, in Paris. Ownership of such a creation is

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Events

GT Organisation announces 2003 Touring programme


Marlow’s historic Thames-side hotel, ‘The Compleat Angler’, was the venue for last Friday’s launch of the 2003 programme of events from classic car touring operator; the GTO Organisation. GTO’s principal, Richard Morgan, explains...

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Advertisement
PREMIUM OFFERS

Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Tour de France

For Sale by Auction 8/2/03
Salon Rétromobile, Porte de Versailles, Parc des Expositions, Hall 2-3, 75015, Paris

Lot 40

Contact; until the 4th February +44 (0)207 2851 From the 5th February +33 (0) 1 58 95 40 15

colour: Red
interior colour: Black hide
drive: LHD
type: Coupe
year: 1959
Chassis No.: 1333GT
Engine No.: 1333GT
Price estimate: 1,000,000-1,200,000 Euro
country: France

Dealership:



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Jaguar E-Type 4.2 FHC


Fully Restored. Photo documented.

This car was restored in the late 80's. It has been with the same owner since the late 80's and has competed in the Benson and Hedges concourse.


Colour: Dark Blue
Interior colour: Biscuit light beige
Drive: RHD
Year: 1966
price 34.950 GBP
Location: United Kingdom

Dealership:


Phone: +44-(0)1256-760 256

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Classic Kalahari Rally - Namibia
25th January - 2nd February 2003

Rallye Monte Carlo Historique
31st January -2nd February 2003

24th Bristol Classic Car Show
1st - 2nd February 2003

Retromobile Paris
7th-16th February 2003

Christie's Auction at Retromobile Paris
8th February 2003
Rétromobile Paris
07. Februar - 16.Februar 2003

Christie's Auction: Vintage Cars
08.Februar 2003

Auction – Poulain Le Fur: Exceptionnelle Collection de Mercedes
10.Februar 2003

British Car Auctions – Motorcars
10.Februar 2003

The Winter Trial
10.Februar - 14.Februar 2003

Christie`s Auction - Rétromobile Paris
10.Februar - 14.Februar 2003

Bonhams Auction at Hendon, RAF Museum
24th February 2003


see further event details

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