I love this shot because it shows the public’s reaction to the Stratos Zero. The Stratos Zero is just 33.3 inches tall. The iconic Stratos Zero concept car was designed by Bertone without Lancia’s knowledge, to get their attention and win their business. Pininfarina was Lancia’s default designer, and theywere known for their elegant designs.…

In the many hours I’ve spent reading and writing about cars online, I’ve found many really cool classic photos (my arbitrary definition of classic for this series will be anything shot before 1985), and I wanted to feature them. All of these photos are interesting, sometimes due to the car, the setting, the composition, the…

This is one of my favorite old car videos I’ve found on YouTube. This clip is from a documentary about the 1967 Monte Carlo Rally, presented by Mr. Motor Racing himself, Stirling Moss. This era of rallying is probably my favorite, when rally cars were still actual production cars and not purpose-built monsters. Cars like…

The original Carrera Panamericana had a well-deserved reputation as the world’s most dangerous motor race. Created by the Mexican government to promote the new Pan-American highway system, the race was twice as long as Italy’s Mille Miglia. Racing began with long-distance competitions, held on public roads, from one location to another. The Carrera was one…

No one racing car has more nicknames than the Porsche 917/20 “Pink Pig”, or should I say “Big Bertha”, or “Truffle Hunter from Zuffenhausen”? The origins of the iconic livery are usually attributed to a bit of fun by the designers, but the whole story is quite fascinating. In 1970, Porsche had two versions of…

Macchinissima was created by three enthusiasts in LA who wanted a show that properly celebrated their favorite Italian cars while being more relaxed than your typical concours. The result is a show that is reminiscent of Luftgekhult, but with more flair thanks to its Italian style. I enjoy car shows in many different environments, but…

This Lotus 49 was one of a few cars on track for a demo at this year’s Monterey Reunion. The others were pretty special, including a Mercedes 300 SLR and a Williams FW14. But this 49 really stood out. It is strange to see a period-correct car and driver on a modern track: no roll…

As much as I loved the car I had no desire to race it, but the idea of driving one lap ‘just to see’ intrigued me, so I had no hesitation in saying yes. However, by the time I reached Cerda, just eight kilometres from the start, I was already having second thoughts.” – Vic…

Ghia’s 375 MM had a distinctly American style, finished in a two-tone color scheme of Salmon Pink and Anthracite Grey. Ferrari’s 375 MM and the later 375 Plus were highly successful in competition, winning numerous major endurance races. While their rivals at Mercedes and Jaguar used inline-sixes, Ferrari used the 4.5-liter “big-banger” Lampredi V12. Driven…

The wing, fuel injection, and turbochargers. All three of these innovations changed racing forever, and this man played a crucial role in pioneering them. He was also a talented driver who briefly competed in F1. He designed and ran the first wing on a racing car, and it worked. He worked for both Porsche and…