Octane

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

Ford vs Ferrari – again…

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IGNITION • EVENTS + NEWS + OPINION

COMING UP… • And just like that, the classic car season is in full swing. Here are some of the highlights of a jam-packed spring

Concours season is go! • Racing Ferraris take the spoils at two major international concours, on the same weekend, 10,000 miles apart

Suffolk to embrace La Sarthe centenary

NEWS FEED • Bicester bustling; new car space; McGee Roadster gift; charity trackday; RIP Sally; in the name of Oli; Breakfast Club themes; Aubrey 001; photo expo; free rallying; Lambo party

Chelsea reboot • Salon Privé will be back in the English capital next month

Shoichiro Toyoda b.1925

Stately old bomber • Richard Woolmer loves his Coventry-built Lancaster

Patination

Harry Metcalfe • Farmer, petrolhead and presenter of the massively popular Harry’s Garage on YouTube who is a fan of great design

JAY LENO • The Collector

DEREK BELL • The Legend

STEPHEN BAYLEY • The Aesthete

ROBERT COUCHER • The Driver

Selling the Ascari Ecosse

SUPERAMERICAN BEAUTY • Enzo Ferrari famously built road cars only to pay for racing. But then he built a road car so luxurious it became his personal choice of transport. Matthew Hayward drives the Ferrari 400 Superamerica Aerodinamico

THE YOUNG PRETENDER • At first glance it’s a 1930s Alfa 6C roadster. But looks deceive. Massimo Delbò unravels a very special project from the 1960s, built by Alfa Romeo and Zagato

LOADS of LUXURY • Once the company car of the world’s oldest surviving F1 driver, and the only one of its kind: James Elliott drives the Crayford Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 estate

ATOMIC KITTEN

HOW CALLUM WOULD DO IT NOW • Given the same set of compact yet sporting ingredients, here’s how a new Puma could look

RACE RESULT • This 911S once pounded America’s road courses. Now it begins a new life as a road-legal homage to Porsche’s racing all-rounder, the 911 ST

Andy Saunders • The UK’s most famous custom car builder has well over 60 vehicles to his name – and he’s not finished yet

FIT FOR THE Queen • This Daimler limousine was HM Queen Elizabeth II’s first State car – back when she was still a princess. Glen Waddington tells a royal tale

Going for a spin • 1929 FRAZER NASH SUPER SPORTS

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

Busy doing nothing • 1969 LOTUS ELAN

Monte Carlo, and bust • 1954 DAIMLER CONQUEST

Due care and attention • 1989 BMW 320i CONVERTIBLE

Fuelled by tea • 1962 VW BEETLE

OTHER NEWS

Beyond Valhalla • 2023 ASTON MARTIN VALKYRIE

Home in the Range • 2010 RANGE ROVER L322

HJ ‘Aldy’ Aldington • The Frazer Nash super-salesman who saw the potential for Germany’s BMW to charm the British motorist

Kiwi boot polish • Sadly, the Australian (oh yes it is!) shoe polish that once flew around the globe has finally had its wings clipped forever

Seiko Memo Diary • One of the 1980s’ more interesting technological cul de sacs, this was as essential as red braces and bubbles

Grand Seiko 8J56-3000 • Quartz needn’t mean a drop in quality

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3 ISSUES FOR JUST £5

Amelia Island sales total $178m • Gooding leads with $18m Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder

TOP 10 PRICES FEBRUARY 2023

2005 Ferrari 612 Scaglietti • Bring-A-Trailer Auctions,...