Austrian-born Otto Mathé is left with one functional arm after a motorcycle accident during a race in September 1934 results in his right arm being paralysed below the elbow. Not that it stops him from continuing to actively participate in motorsport – quite the opposite. Mathé takes a “double or nothing” approach and switches to four wheels. Giving up is never a possibility, and from that point his passion for cars is wholly dedicated to Porsche. In the mid-1950s he becomes increasingly well known for arriving at his favourite racetracks with a rather unusual vehicle: the “Fetzenflieger.”

Though combining Volkswagen components with Porsche engine-performance technically makes the Monoposto a Formula 2 car, Mathé always keeps available a set of bolt-on mudguards, lighting, a second seat and a spare wheel, so in next to no time his contraption is ready to compete in other racing series where needed. With the gear lever installed on the left – the side of his still-functional hand – he leans against the steering wheel to change gear: a posture that makes the Austrian world-famous. And in spite of his physical disability, Mathè regularly outclasses the competition, leaving even the keenest drivers in his dust.

The peculiar Porsche turbocharges Otto Mathé’s career. The self-built racing car, with hand-crafted aluminium skin accommodating a 1.5-litre factory racing engine (Spyder), and later a Fuhrmann engine from the 356 A Carrera GT, is certainly one of the most unusual Porsche racing cars ever seen. Its extremely low centre of gravity, short wheelbase, and engine installed in front of the rear axle result in extraordinary driving characteristics, while a kerb weight of just 395 kilograms and 130 PS enable acceleration to more than 200 km/h. But it’s not just for those qualities that the bizarre nickname of “Fetzenflieger” – or “shreds flyer” – is coined for the car.

Mathé leaves the side panelling open in order to facilitate quicker changing of the spark plugs when needed. All that protects the carburettors from incoming dirt are two overlapping fabric tarpaulins, which also function as air filters, and occasionally misfires ignite the fabric, and the speeding vehicle leaves flaming fragments on the track behind it.

Otto Mathé, Porsche Type 64, Porsche AG With the Berlin-Rome car type 64 Mathé won the most races for Porsche. He contested the Coppa d’Oro delle Dolomiti for the first time in 1949, and on September 7, 1952, the two cars were the first to be awarded first place.

The Fetzenflieger was primarily used in sand track racing and ice races; an example of the latter is the legendary race commemorating Dr. h.c. Ferdinand Porsche in Zell am See. Otto Mathé sets a record time there in 1956, completing the four-kilometre icy course in just 157 seconds – leaving Porsche PR boss and racing driver Huschke von Hanstein and Richard von Frankenberg trailing. On that day, around 3,000 motorsport fans are captivated by the Fetzenflieger at the foot of the Großglockner.

McLaren 600LT Spider – Sky’s The Limit For New Longtail Convertible

McLaren Automotive today releases first images and details of the third new model in its £1.2bn Track25 business plan – the McLaren 600LT Spider. The fifth car to carry the Longtail name, the new convertible fully embodies the McLaren Longtail philosophy of increased power, reduced weight, optimised aerodynamics, track-focused dynamics and limited availability. In addition, it brings a new dimension of excitement over the 600LT Coupé, without compromise to the dynamic purity of the most performance-focused car in the Sports Series line-up: a retractable hardtop to give the choice of open-air driving.

Like its 600LT Coupé sibling, the Spider records a significant weight saving over the model on which it is based, with McLaren’s engineers achieving a reduction of 100kg* at DIN weight over the 570S Spider. Furthermore, thanks to its lightweight but incredibly strong carbon fibre MonoCell II chassis, the convertible 600LT retains the structural rigidity of the Coupé with none of the strengthening that is usually required with conventional steel or aluminium structures. The result is a weight penalty of only 50kg over the Coupé, which contributes to a lightest dry weight of just 1,297kg for the Spider. This is at least 80kg less than any direct competitor and the equivalent power-to-weight ratio of 463PS-per-tonne underpins astonishing levels of performance and dynamic prowess.

Enhancing the Sports Series Longtail experience with open-air motoring is as easy as pushing a button to lower or raise the three-piece, powered retractable hardtop roof at speeds of up to 40km/h (25mph). With the roof lowered, occupants benefit not only from wind in their hair, but also the memorable aural and visual drama provided by the top-exit exhausts that are unique to the 600LT.  An electrically-operated, glazed wind deflector can be activated independently of the hardtop, to reduce buffeting or increase ventilation – or simply to allow more of the exhaust sound into the cabin.

Incorporating technology proven in the 650S, 675LT and 570S Spiders, the hardtop roof is more secure and wear-resistant than a fabric alternative would be, as well as offering Coupé-like cabin refinement when in the raised position. Equally importantly, it allowed McLaren’s design team to maintain the focused design language and silhouette of the 600LT Coupé. When lowered, the roof stows elegantly with the assistance of soft-close technology beneath a tonneau cover located behind the seats; with the roof raised, this tonneau storage area provides an additional 52 litres of luggage space.

The 600LT Spider benefits from the same portfolio of performance enhancements that has proved irresistible to 600LT Coupé buyers. The electronic control systems of the twin-turbocharged, 3.8-litre V8 engine have been revised, the cooling system uprated and the shorter exhausts tuned to liberate more power. The engine produces the same 600PS (592bhp) and 620Nm (457lb ft) in the Spider as it does in the Coupé.

The uprated powertrain enables the driver to exploit the 600LT Spider’s carbon fibre monocoque chassis to the full, aided by a dual-clutch, Seamless Shift seven-speed Gearbox (SSG) that features Ignition Cut in Sport mode to facilitate faster changes whilst delivering a dramatic aural crack from the top-exit exhausts, plus Inertia Push in Track mode to optimise acceleration. The 600LT Spider will reach 100km/h (62mph) from a standstill in 2.9 seconds, with 200km/h (124mph) achieved in just 8.4 seconds – a near-indistinguishable 0.2 seconds slower than the Coupé. The maximum speed is 324km/h (201mph) with the roof raised, or 315km/h (196mph) with it lowered.

Performance is further enhanced by the lightweight carbon fibre bodywork that creates the Longtail silhouette and the same design of fixed rear wing as the Coupé which – despite the aerodynamic challenges posed by a convertible body – generates the same 100kg of downforce at 250km/h (155mph).  Ultra-precise, track-focused handling is supported by a forged aluminium double-wishbone suspension system with recalibrated dampers, firmer engine mounts and a lightweight braking system. The 600LT Spider is fitted with bespoke, track-focused Pirelli P- Zero™ Trofeo R tyres and the driving experience is further enhanced with quicker steering and sharpened responses from throttle and brake pedals.

Lowering the roof of the 600LT Spider showcases the performance-orientated interior, which features lightweight Alcantara® trim and Carbon Fibre Racing Seats from the McLaren P1™ as standard. The Super-Lightweight Carbon Fibre Racing Seats designed for the McLaren Senna are available as an option, either on their own or within the MSO Clubsport Pack. Further weight-saving options and measures – including deletion of the audio and climate control systems – are available to buyers determined to shave off every kilogramme possible.

The new 600LT Spider is the fifth model to carry the coveted LT badge, joining the illustrious bloodline that began in 1997 with the McLaren F1 GTR ‘Longtail’, of which only a development prototype and nine examples were built. Victorious in five of the 11 rounds of the 1997 FIA GT Championship, the original Longtail also finished first and second in the GT1 class at Le Mans, almost 30 laps ahead of the opposition. McLaren Automotive revived the legendary Longtail name at the 2015 Geneva International Motor Show, with the launch of the 675LT Coupé, a limited-volume model that rapidly sold out. In response to customer demand, a 675LT Spider followed, all 500 examples of which were sold within two weeks. The fourth model to bear the Longtail name, the 600LT Coupé, was revealed in July 2018 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and has since been hailed by critics as one of the finest cars in its class – an accolade that will now be challenged by its new Spider sibling.

Like the Coupé, availability of the 600LT Spider will be limited, with build slots scheduled around other Sports and Super Series models.  Available to order now from McLaren retailers, each car will be hand-assembled at the McLaren Production Centre in Woking, Surrey, England.

The 600LT Spider is priced from £201,500 with taxes (UK). Further information about the new addition to the McLaren Longtail family can be found at https://cars.mclaren.com/sports-series/600lt-spider.

F1 Champion Nigel Mansell’s Williams-Renault Red Five At Bonhams FOS

The Williams-Renault FW14B Formula 1 car in which legendary British racing driver Nigel Mansell won five Grand Prix races on his way to becoming 1992 Formula 1 World Champion Driver is to be offered by Bonhams at the Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale on 5 July 2019.

This historic, sophisticated and complex Formula 1 car contested 13 of that year’s 16 qualifying Grand Prix races, and was driven by World Champion Nigel Mansell in seven of them. The combination of Nigel Mansell and this Williams-Renault FW14B chassis ’08’ won five of those seven Grand Prix races and finished 2nd in another before the car was entrusted to Mansell’s Italian team-mate, Riccardo Patrese.

Under Mansell’s command, the car became known as ‘Red Five,’ after his race number, and while piloted by Patrese, it became ‘White Six.’ Patrese contested a further six Grand Prix races in this car that year, scoring World Championship points in three of them before ending the season as runner-up in the Drivers’ competition to World Champion Mansell.

During that season, the Mansell went on to break Ayrton Senna’s contemporary record of eight Grand Prix victories in a single season by adding four more to his Williams-Renault FW14B haul, thereby becoming the first driver in Formula 1 racing history to win nine World Championship-qualifying Grand Prix races within a single season. He sealed that memorable year’s Drivers’ Championship at the Hungarian Grand Prix in mid-August, with five qualifying rounds still to run. Mansell became the first Briton to win the World title since James Hunt in 1976 and, in parallel, Williams-Renault won the 1992 Formula 1 Constructors’ World Championship.

Overall, this spectacularly historic World Champion Formula 1 car contested 13 World Championship-qualifying Grand Prix races, winning five and finishing second twice. It qualified on pole position seven times for its 13 Grand Prix races.

The Williams-Renault FW14B design proved itself to be one off the most dominant Grand Prix racing cars of all time. It was also one of the most sophisticated and exquisitely complex ever built. The FW14B was designed by Adrian Newey, widely celebrated today as one of the most successful Formula 1 designers of all time.

In addition to its 3.5-litre V10-cylinder Renault RS3 racing engine, car FW14B/08 features Williams Grand Prix Engineering 6-speed semi-automatic transmission and Williams GPE ride-levelling active suspension. In combination with the car’s cutting-edge aerodynamic form, this recipe produced a car which boasted top level on-circuit performance in the 1992 field, in which it consistently out-performed the very best that Ferrari, McLaren-Honda, Benetton, and Lotus could pitch against it.

Having been painstakingly well-preserved, initially by Williams Grand Prix Engineering and subsequently by a single private owner, the Williams-Renault survives today in running order. Both its V10-cylinder engine and the sophisticated hydraulic active-suspension system have been exercised in recent weeks.

Mark Osborne, Global Director of Motorsport at Bonhams, commented: “The FW14B was the high-water mark in Grand Prix design for ’92. It was so dominant that it trounced the competition in ten of the sixteen rounds of the Championship, with records tumbling along the way. As a young man, and along with a nation, I was in patriotic awe of the brilliance of the British Williams cars, and of Red 5 in particular. Chassis 8 was the focus of that adulation – the best of the breed – and in Mansell’s hands it took the first 5 rounds of the Championship. The FW14B was then and remains today one of the most sophisticated cars to compete in F1.

Limited-Edition Bugatti Chiron Sport Is One Patriotic Hypercar

If Bruce Wayne lived in Paris instead of Gotham, he’d drive the new limited-edition Bugatti Chiron Sport. The sleek, matte-blue hypercar is the perfect ride for Batman. A French Batman. Yet it’s available to the rest of us. OK, not exactly the rest of us, but those of us who don’t have to ask, “So, how much is that?”

In celebration of its 110th anniversary, Bugatti has unveiled the magnifique Bugatti Chiron Sport “110 ans Bugatti,” a stunning tribute to the company’s roots—and national pride. Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S., says the car honors Bugatti’s 1909 origins in Molsheim, located in the Alsace region of France. “This is also where we are planning our future.”

With its dramatic style lines, carbon-fiber body, and crazy width, the exclusive automobile is immediately recognizable as Bugatti. But it’s far from typical (if you can use that word when referring to Bugatti). Only 20 will be produced.

The Steel Blue paintwork at the rear of the anniversary edition resembles hot-rolled steel, and the “C” design surrounding the passenger compartment is also painted Steel Blue. The front end is exposed carbon fiber. The two-tone color scheme continues behind the alloy wheels, which reveal French Racing Blue brake calipers. And the rear is dominated by the diffuser and bumper in glossy Steel Blue Carbon with the contrasting matte-black exhaust system.

The pièce de résistance is the underside of the rear spoiler, which features the Le Bleu-Blanc-RougeFrench flag across its entire width. The patriotic blue-white-red combination is featured in several other places, as well, including the side mirrors and the sandblasted and hand-polished aluminum filler cap, which is emblazoned with a “110 ans Bugatti” emblem.

Inside, the French tricolor can be found on the headrests and the back rests of the sports seats, this time embroidered with the French flag in a vertical position, as well as the on the leather steering wheel. The interior is upholstered in soft Deep Blue leather, and the door trims, sides, and seat areas are covered in Alcantara.

If you’re fortunate enough to see a “110 ans Bugatti,” you’d better look it over quickly. Powered by a 8.0-litre W16 turbocharged engine that produces 1479 horsepower and 1180 lb-ft of torque, it can accelerate from 0–62 mph in 2.4 seconds and has a top speed of 261 mph. Vive la France!

Dealing In Dreams By Talacrest’ John Collins

A fascinating book by John Collins. This book is a fascinating insight into the world of dealing in classic collector Ferraris and other exotic cars from John Collins. It tells the inside story about John Collins and Talacrest, from its beginning to present day and is also a wonderful catalogue of the world’s most fabulous cars that Talacrest and John have been involved with.

With approximately 350 pages, the book is prolifically illustrated with stunning archive pictures from Auto Italia and Marcel Massini amongst others and includes many important Ferrari road and racing cars. Many are accompanied with histories, track tests and how the deals were done.

The book has been published to commemorate Talacrest’s 30th Anniversary and documents the start of the business with borrowed capital from mates in the local pub, to the development of an enterprise which became the first Classic Car dealer to win a Queen’s Award for Export.

A must read for all Ferrari enthusiasts!

For enthusiasts, a candid recollection of the real stories behind some of the most exotic road and racecar transactions presents a unique insight into the operation of the market at the highest levels.

All profits from the sale of the book will be split between two charities – The Thames Valley Air Ambulance and The Racehorse Sanctuary.

The 1972–78 GMC motorhome is a front-wheel-drive wonder

 

First we had tents. Travel trailers followed. Vans arrived on the scene, combining the tow vehicle and the living space. Finally, there was the motorhome. GMC’s take on the formula was a wild combination of technology that allowed people to explore the countryside without leaving the comfort of their living room. Literally.

A motorhome is pretty simple in concept—place living quarters on a truck chassis. The typical example, however, often joins the worst features of both ‘motor’ and ‘home’ in a single, hard-to-drive, impossible-to-fix package.

GMC joined the motorhome market in 1972 with the…Motorhome. While the name was not adventurous, the design and construction was far from ordinary. Sold in 23 and 26-foot lengths, the chassis utilized front-wheel-drive technology and the body was molded fiberglass. To say it plainly, the GMC motorhome had flair in a market filled with boxes on wheels.

 

Why front-wheel-drive? Let’s start with the “how”: GM leveraged its experience from the Oldsmobile Toronado and Cadillac Eldorado to create the engine layout. The vast majority of production used the Toronado-spec 455-cubic-inch Olds V-8, with final-year examples downsized to a 402ci mill. Regardless of size, the V-8 was mounted longitudinally with the transmission mounted alongside rather than behind. A large chain drive connected the two. The power split at the transmission and was carried to the wheels by axles that were actually ahead of the engine. Installation was simple, which mattered because the GMC, unlike all of its competition, was built using modern automotive assembly practices.

The drivetrain occupied just the front eight feet of the chassis, allowing the living quarters to have a lower floor. In fact, it was just 14 inches off the pavement. The roof height was reduced to match, creating a sleek package. Due to the rear axle only needing to support weight and not drive the wheels, the rear suspension was placed outside the frame rails, eliminating the step up at the rear of many contemporary motorhomes. The rear suspension used air bags and featured automatic leveling both on the move and while parked.

All the tech under the skin was neat, but the skin itself should not be overlooked. GM used experience from the Corvette to create a fiberglass and aluminum body. It was common in motorhomes to use wood framing, similar to non-mobile homes, so water leaks resulted in expensive rot repair. GMC motorhomes stand the test of time much more elegantly than others in this regard; only the floor is made from wood.

Production closed in 1978. With oil embargoes and gas shortages, the market for homes on wheels temporarily dried up. But the love for this piece of GMC innovation has not. Since the powertrain is shared with a common production car, parts acquisition for repairs and maintenance is simple as ordering parts for a mid-‘70s Toronado. Double-digit gas mileage, even while flat towing a car behind, makes it efficient enough to continue running in modern times. Active owner’s groups are supportive and welcoming to new owners. Could this six-wheel marvel be your ticket to cross-country adventure? It certainly beats a tent!

MORGAN BIDS A FOND FAREWELL TO THE V8, PAVING THE WAY FOR ITS ALL-NEW ‘WIDE BODY’ SPORTS CAR

Key facts:
• A new video produced by Morgan Motor Company celebrates the final two V8 powered cars to be built.
• The final Aero 8 and Plus 8 are destined for Morgan’s heritage fleet of vehicles.
• The final Plus 8 is the 300th Plus 8 to be fitted with BMW’s N62 engine.
• In 2019 Morgan will launch a new ‘Wide Body’ sports car.
• This vehicle will be built upon an all-new bonded aluminium fabricated platform and use a powertrain never before installed in a Morgan.
• The new ‘Wide Body’ car will be the most dynamically capable production Morgan ever.

This year marks the 50th – and final year – of Morgan using a V8 engine. The Plus 8 and Aero 8 are unquestionably iconic models within the Morgan range and Morgan’s latest video celebrates their significance and the engine that powers them.

The short film features Keith Dalley, Chief Test Driver at Morgan and the person responsible for test driving every aluminium chassis Morgan V8. Following Keith on his final V8 test drive around the Malvern Hills, the video ends with a beautiful look at some notable Morgan V8’s from the last half century, before closing with a hint of what will power the next performance Morgan.

Coming in 2019, Morgan will launch an all-new ‘Wide Body’ sports car to the premium end of the Morgan product range, positioning it above the Roadster, Plus 4 and 4/4 in performance terms. The car is not designed to be a direct replacement for the outgoing Plus 8 and Aero 8, but it will naturally fit into the space in the Morgan product range left by both.

This car will use an all-new ‘bonded aluminium fabricated’ chassis designed by Morgan. The chassis will be twice as stiff as the aluminium chassis used on previous flagship Morgans. This chassis, combined with a performance powertrain never before installed in a Morgan, will result in the most dynamically capable production Morgan ever.

The development programme for the ‘Wide Body’ has spanned several years and has been delivered by Morgan’s highly skilled, world class, Design and Engineering teams. These teams now total close to 30 members and are based at the Morgan Factory in Malvern, UK.

Morgan’s Technology Director, Graham Chapman, said “We are excited to be launching the ‘Wide Body’ car in Morgan’s 110th year, and over the coming weeks and months, we will be releasing further details. The 2019 launch of this car is the culmination of several years of unprecedented investment in Design and Engineering for Morgan. This has produced the most advanced development programme in Morgan’s history, the results of which we cannot wait to share with our customers worldwide.”

 

Morgan Motor Company sold: One of last British carmakers bought by Italian firm.

Britain’s last domestically owned carmaker has gone into foreign ownership.

After 110 years under the control of one family, the Morgan Motor Company is to become majority owned by an Italian venture capital group Investindustrial, which is backed by businessman Andrea Bonomi.

The Morgan family will be minority shareholders and “stewards” of the brand and its famous designs. For the first time in its history, the management team and all employees at Morgan will also become shareholders in the business.

The investment comes without loading any debt onto the business.

Founded in 1909, Morgan continues to handbuild premium sports cars with a classic design in its historic factory in Malvern, which is visited by more than 30,000 enthusiasts each year.

With revenues of £33.8m and net profit of £3.2m in 2018, the company sells around 700 cars per year comprising the familiar “Plus” sports cars and, latterly, a revived retro three-wheeler.

All the cars are manufactured using three core elements: ash, aluminium and leather, which are functional as well as traditional.

A major part of Morgan’s appeal has always been its “brutishness”, and the notion of a family-owned company that has defied mere fashion and purely commercial considerations.

The new owners will need to be careful to maintain as much of that as they can, and keep up cordial relations with the loyal and active owners’ community, which has more than 5,000 members and 50 clubs globally.

However, sport car manufacture, as with the rest of the industry, is increasingly complex and capital-intensive, as the demands of safety, emissions and customer expectations become evermore exacting.

Finance, then, is key. As part of the transaction, and as a sign of its long-term faith in the company and the wider British automotive sector, Investindustrial promises to support Morgan to accelerate new product development, after the launch of the new Plus Six at the Geneva motor show – the first to adopt the company’s new CX-Generation architecture.

Investindustrial also aim to increase global distribution and “broaden customers’ experience” with events, “enabling Morgan to fulfil its global potential as an iconic maker of handbuilt British sports cars”.

In supporting the company, Investindustrial also pledges to “leverage its vast experience and track record in the automotive industry, developed through a number of successful investments over the last 30 years, such as Aston Martin and Ducati”.

Dominic Riley, chairman of the Morgan Motor Company, said: “The past two years have been the most successful in our company’s 110-year history.

“However, to really fulfil Morgan’s full potential and secure our long-term future, both the family and management team, felt it was essential to bring in a strategic partner.“

A partner that shares our vision for Morgan and has the expertise, financial resources and track record of success in the automotive world to make it happen. That partner is Investindustrial.”

Jill Price, granddaughter of founder Henry Frederick Stanley Morgan (“HFS” as he came to be known throughout the motoring world) and longest-serving Morgan family director, said: “Having very carefully considered all options for the future success of Morgan, the family concluded that this new ownership structure, and Mr Bonomi and Investindustrial, have the pedigree and resources to secure the long-term future of Morgan.

“It was important for the family to retain a shareholding, and we are delighted that our loyal management team and workforce will now also have a stake in the business.”

There are no immediate changes to products or for the 190 staff in Malvern.  

The TVR Griffith Will Probably Be Delayed For a Very Strange Reason

It's got nothing to do with the car but everything to do with EU construction rules.

Are you excited for the return of the TVR Griffith? We sure are—England's rowdiest sports car company promises the all-new performance machine will be a jaw-dropper, engineered by Gordon Murray and powered by a Cosworth V8.

Problem is, TVR probably won't be able to deliver cars by its previously-set target of "early 2019." And for once, the issue has nothing to do with actual car building. Blame EU regulations for this one.

As Autocar reports, the problem stems from the Welsh government's three-percent stake in the soon-to-be-revived-again car company. Since this tiny piece of TVR is now government-owned, the budding automaker is now subject to European Union rules.

All of which means that the construction and renovation work to be completed at TVR's factory in Ebbw Vale, South Wales, must be held to EU government construction standards—including a rule that says the construction work must go out to bid across the entire EU, as opposed to being bid on simply by local or regional firms.

As Autocar tells it, construction can't begin until the bidding process has been completed in January 2019. Which puts TVR's intended early-2019 delivery date into jeopardy.

"It's frustrating, that's for sure," TVR head honcho Les Edgar said to Autocar, noting that once a bid has been accepted, the factory will require about six months of construction and renovation work. Edgar did hint that some work could begin as early as March at a different facility on TVR property.