Octane is the authoritative guide to the best classic cars in the world.
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Classic life is coming back
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Octane
Donington festival rocks • It may have been forced to be held behind closed doors due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but this popular event on 1-2 May was a hit with entrants and the many who enjoyed watching the action via a livestream. And with qualifying and 11 races crammed into the weekend, there was plenty of action on tap for viewers. Grids ranged from pre-war sports cars to historic Touring and Grand Prix cars, plus the Jaguar Challenge for pre-1966 examples, Formula Junior and more. One of the highlights was the Historic Touring Car Challenge for the Tony Dron Trophy. This frenetic hour-long race for 1960s to 1980s Touring Cars brought together a 40-strong grid of everything from early-60s Cortinas to mighty 1993 Group A Nissan Skyline ‘Godzilla’ (as featured in Octane 203). The undoubted star, however, was the flame-spitting 1989 Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500 of Craig Davies and Steve Soper.
COMING UP… • From England’s green and pleasant hills to Sardinia’s celebritypacked emerald coast, there’s a busy couple of months ahead
Louwman Museum • One of the world’s great must-visit museums celebrates all motoring history, but especially Dutch
MUSEUM OF CURIOSITY OPENS • Andrew English gets a guided tour of the latest concept in car museums
A WORD FROM THE APPRENTICE
NEWS FEED • Double dose of déjà vu; Bonhams stalwart flying solo; light cars dash to Oulton; new supercar services; academy praise; old name bouncing back; latest on your favourite events
Any other business…
Selective Salon • Octane joins forces with one of the world’s leading car events, taking place in Oxfordshire in September
Last of the repmobile racers • Alan Strachan is the Super Touring Mondeo man
Retro racing games
McKeel Hagerty • He studied to be a Russian Orthodox priest, but is now boss of a classic insurance giant and set up the Historic Vehicle Association
JAY LENO • The Collector
DEREK BELL • The Legend
STEPHEN BAYLEY • The Aesthete
ROBERT COUCHER • The Driver
Greatness is a matter of opinion
THE ONES WILD • This is The Holy Trinity, the cars that took on La Sarthe and were scarcely tamed for the road. Henry Catchpole braves the McLaren F1, Porsche 911 GT1 and Mercedes-AMG CLK GTR
PUTTING A POSITIVE SPIN ON IT • The 1963 Chrysler Turbine was a brilliant piece of engineering that worked perfectly. So why did it ultimately fail? Mark Dixon tells the story of a great might-have-been
Bateau Lafitte • Well, it’s boat-shaped. Though this tiny car has more in common with a motorcycle… or an aeroplane. John Simister explains all
THE HOME OF SECRETS • New York-based SpyScape is more than a mere museum: it’s an interactive introduction to Bond, Bourne, Ethan Hunt and more – and you don’t have to leave the house to visit it
OUT OF THE SHADOWS • This 1930 Alfa Romeo 6C Gran Sport was raced by George Eyston – then spent most of its subsequent life hidden. Now it’s back in the limelight
The Duke of Richmond • The pandemic has destroyed a season of events and racing, yet the Goodwood Festival of Speed and Revival will live on. The Duke explains how – and why they must
RE-CREATIVE LICENCE • Bristol dominated its class at Le Mans in 1954, but none of the cars has survived intact – which is where this replica steps in
CAN YOU DIG IT? • JCB opens up its unique archives for a look through more than 75 years of engineering innovation and hydraulic highlights
BUILT FOR PLEASURE • For more than a century Zagato has coachbuilt some special cars, but its sole foray for Bentley...