Part 1 gives us a teasing glimpse of some of Porsche's 'could-have-been' cars; a vision of a possible parallel universe for the brand. Stay with Classic Driver for Part 2, coming soon...
Video: Porsche
Having spent the 1960s recovering from financial troubles, the 1970s saw BMW keen to start a new chapter. The 1972 Paris Motor Show seemed the perfect stage for the Munich marque to show the world that it was thoroughly revitalised, and head designer Paul Bracq set to work.
On Saturday 4 August 2012, MD Andy Heywood and his team welcomed visitors to their premises, situated in a small village not far from London and just a taxi ride from Luton airport.
Regular customers and Maserati Club UK members were treated to some rare and interesting cars, all set in immaculate workshops. The company has specialised in the Maserati marque since 1977, when Bill McGrath first opened his eponymous business.
The Abarth 595 Turismo (top) comes with a 160bhp, 1.4-litre turbo four-cylinder – that’s an extra 30bhp over the existing car in non-esseesse specification. The Turismo comes with a host of standard features such as leather upholstery, 17in 10-spoke alloys and xenon headlamps.
The Competizione version (below) takes the stakes a little higher, with extra features over the Turismo that include cross-drilled front and rear disc brakes, Sabelt seats in fabric upholstery and a ‘Monza’ exhaust.
The early sixties saw Maserati switch its focus from producing racing steeds for the likes of Fangio, to making elegant road cars in partnership with coachbuilders such as Vignale and Frua. After a series of pretty coupés and spiders, Pietro Frua was commissioned to design the marque’s first four-door: the Quattroporte. It’s a bloodline that lives on today and, with its V8 engine churning out more than 250bhp, it could well be regarded as one of the first super-saloons.
This time, though, the race-inspired colours look a little more polished. The classic 'Martini' white, with red and blue stripes, show off the curves of the hybrid hypercar’s bodywork to better effect.
Both liveries were worn by Le Mans-winning Porsche 917s in the early Seventies. And the new car’s task seems equally demanding: it will be launched into a market soon to be populated by successors to both the Ferrari Enzo and the Mclaren F1, as well as the production version of Jaguar’s C-X75 concept.
With more than 1,000 racing cars and motorcycles expected to attend, the organisers are aiming to surpass the 30,000 visitors they attracted in 2011. Highlights will include the Caramulo Hillclimb and a Historic Hillclimb, while a regularity run – something of a Portuguese speciality – should bring a whole new dimension to the 2012 event.