Octane

Octane is the authoritative guide to the best classic cars in the world.

Democratising greatness

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Octane

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IGNITION • EVENTS + NEWS + OPINION

Dates for your diary

BOOK NOW! • These events may seem a long way off, but you need to secure your place now

Have your say on DVLA • Owners are urged to respond to a Government consultation that could prove crucial for UK classics

New partner and venue for awards

Salon Privé stars revealed • Best-ever Blenheim ‘garden party’ promised

News feed

Martin Stretton • Having raced or tested over 350 competition cars, this super-successful driver also runs a restoration and race preparation business

3 ISSUES FOR JUST £5*

JAY LENO • The Collector

DEREK BELL • The Legend

STEPHEN BAYLEY • The Aesthete

ROBERT COUCHER • The Driver

With an old nail and I

HIGH POINT • As Aston Martin launches the latest Vantage, Octane looks back to the marque’s first junior sports car – and discovers a bargain high-performance landmark, in V8, Roadster and V12 form

THE VIEW FROM UP HERE • A brief history of Vantage, from bigger carbs via Zagato specials to the individual sports model we now know

A DREAM MADE REAL • When is an Alfa Romeo not an Alfa Romeo? When it’s the unique and visionary 6C 2500 SS Riva ‘Serenissima’ Berlinetta

FIRST STEP TO THE PODIUM • Bentley had dreams of reigniting Le Mans success before big brother VW made plans. This is the car that convinced them victory was possible

Ray Christopher • Octane meets the hot rodder and inveterate car-builder who made his name creating Ford-sanctioned GT40 replicas

YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE NUTS • …to run a Ferrari Testarossa in London every day, but it helps – as does the car being a later variant, re-coloured in Nocciola

THE OTHER KIWI RACER • Most of us have heard of Bruce McLaren. But the RA4 Vanguard also hails from New Zealand – and deserves to be better known

DESERT STORMERS • Deep in Arizona there’s a track where historic NASCAR racers get to play – and Octane is invited to see the action

SIGN of the TIMES • One Bristol enthusiast liked the company so much he bought the famous Kensington showroom frontage – plus examples of its first and last cars. Robert Coucher drives the 400 and Fighter

OCTANE CARS • OWNING + DRIVING + MAINTAINING

Bicester brotherhood

OCTANE’S FLEET • These are the cars – and ’bikes – run by Octane’s staff and contributors

Floored by some bad news

Belted in

Club converts

Venting frustration

OTHER NEWS

An unexpected winner • Other interesting cars we’ve been driving

A week with a supercar

Cayman: the twilight zone

Clive Cussler • Author of Raise the Titanic, whose fictional hero ran a selection of niche cars that mirrored his own collection

Air Jordans • More than just a pricey pair of pumps

Collecting Heuer • Experts on the coolest watchmaker of the 1960s talk Octane’s man through the peaks and troughs

ONE TO WATCH Mühle SAR Rescue-Timer • This search and rescue mule is tough as old boots

Gear

Books

Models

Classic model

The Market • BUYING + SELLING + ANALYSIS

TOP 10 PRICES MAY 2024

Market soars… market crashes • Why the headlines don’t always describe the full story

Better than staring at the TV • Gooding & Company, Pebble Beach, USA 16-17 August

Beautiful failure • Broad Arrow Auctions 14-15 August

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