Cars

The famous ‘Lightweight’ series of cars produced by Jaguar in the early 60s has passed into legend. Nowadays, entry to the ‘Lightweight E-type club’ has a hefty multi-million-dollar price tag, and they are rarely seen outside the Goodwood Revival or Pebble Beach.

Original Lightweights aside, with their all-aluminium bodywork, 5-speed gearboxes, alloy blocks and fuel-injection, the model was raced in various stages of tune all over the world throughout the 1960s.
 

The idea for an ‘appropriate’ transporter to carry Scotland’s finest from circuit to circuit was hatched in the late '50s, just after the team’s second victory at Le Mans. Using a Commer truck as a base, and with generous support from the Ecurie Ecosse association and countless trade sponsors, it was designed and built by Walter Alexander and Company of Falkirk, Scotland.

It made its first appearance at the Scottish circuit, Charterhall, on 29 May 1960.

Why the Jaguar, when Jonathan Kaiser and his colleagues can sell you any manner of motoring marvels? Well, this is a London special and we think that the silver Jaguar, a machine improved and modified for 21st Century touring and events, is the perfect car for a getaway from the city to a post-Christmas holiday cottage in the English countryside.

The black car, with its characteristic ‘Shelby’ yellow stripe, carries a genuine CSX chassis number as it is one of a series of cars produced by Shelby American Inc., a division of Carroll Shelby International, Inc., the company founded by Carroll Shelby.
 

The name might be a bit of a mouthful (and that’s leaving off the oft-quoted ‘short chassis’ bit), but the rare – only eight were commissioned by Aston’s very best clients – cars were the very last V8s built at Newport Pagnell, in the year 2000. As such, they represent a defining moment in the company’s history.

And by ‘limited’ we are talking just 101 examples, nearly all of which have been sold. There’s no denying that the vast majority of these will be destined for sunnier climes. But the British enjoy a fine tradition for healthy open-air motoring – witness a typical early spring Vintage Sports Car Club meeting, with Barboured and flying-helmeted drivers braving the elements en route to a day on the track.

We’re a tough breed.

The latest coupé-with-extra-doors-and-seats-and-a-powerful-motor is BMW’s equivalent of the Mercedes-Benz CLS tuned by AMG, the Porsche Panamera Turbo and Audi’s forthcoming RS7. Broadly, it shares the powerplant and running gear of the M5 saloon. So buyers will enjoy a seven-speed, dual-clutch gearbox and a twin-turbocharged, 4.4-litre engine.

With 552bhp, and torque of 502lb ft available between 1500 and 5750rpm, it will be immensely fast. Top speed is limited to the dreaded 155mph – with a ‘de-restriction’ option that includes special high-speed tyres.

Initially intended exclusively for the 2013 Porsche Mobil1 Supercup, the new ‘Type 991’ edition of the 911 GT3 Cup is the race version of the forthcoming 911 GT3 road car. It also claims to be the first race car based on the seventh-generation of the 911. Powered by a 3.8-litre flat-six engine, it promises 10HP more than its predecessor: 460HP at 7,500rpm. This is transmitted via a six-speed ‘dog-type’ gearbox with, for the first time in a Porsche Cup race car, shift paddles on the steering wheel.

The decision was taken in the light of a worldwide economic downturn - and despite its competitors (Porsche, Ferrari and McLaren) soon to be launching incredibly fast, state-of-the-art hybrid supercars.

The trucks are built in the heart of pioneer country, Jackson, Wyoming. Legacy Classic Trucks takes an original Dodge Power Wagon – the famous all-wheel-drive truck produced from the closing stages of WW2 to 1980 – and then totally rebuilds it with all mod-cons: air-conditioning; modern, three-point seatbelts; four-wheel disc brakes; power steering; a 16,500lb winch; and much more.