CATEGORIES

JAY LENO The Collector

There’s nothing quite like opening the throttle of a steam-powered vehicle and feeling the massive torque pushing you forward, like the hand of God.

Buick Roadmaster Wagon

This eight-seater, Corvette-engined wagon is an affordable cult classic

DREAM INTO ACTION

For one entrepreneur, the lure of Italian beauty with American power was not enough: it needed German build quality, too. The result was the Bitter CD

OCTANE CARS OWNING+ DRIVING + MAINTAINING

I HAVE FORM when it comes to Lotus Elans. The reason is simple. It is a sports car so good that it makes even a tepid shoe like me resemble a highly competent driver, and it’s the best of its generation by a country mile.

FLIPPING ITS LID

The Ferrari 575M was a watershed modern-era Ferrari. But it was the Leonardo Fioravanti-developed Superamerica that really opened it up

DESERT RIDER

In 1986, one privateer tackled the Paris-Dakar in his own very special Range Rover Audi Quattro Proto. This is its story

A class of its own

As insurance partner to Octane, Classic Insurance Services is delighted to be the headline sponsors of the Historic Motoring Awards, celebrating excellence throughout the classic and performance car sector.

Heat & light

The Maserati A6G/54 is a thinly disguised racer with just enough civility for the road - beautifully wrapped in ultra-lightweight Zagato bodywork. Peter Tomalin is treated to a rare thrill

The friendlier face of Ferrari

AN OLD MATE of mine, whose parents were Worcestershire farmers in a village just a few miles from where I live, tells a wonderful story from the early 1960s. Knowing him as I do, m absolutely certain it’s true.

Nigel Lempriere

Founder of Tecniq, leaders in automotive design and manufacture and classic racing and restoration, too -

The factor

2023 marks the 60th anniversary of the Mini Cooper S and this example is the oldest survivor. Mark Dixon tells the story of a Mini that has truly lived a life

Gone but not forgotten

Sir Roy Fedden, Celebrated aero engineer and workaholic who twice tried, and failed, to trigger a revolution in car design

FLYING WITH MANTUANS

Is anything more idyllic than three days of spirited driving in Italy in a pre-war Aston Martin? That might depend on the weather, says James Elliott

DEREK BELL The Legend

Just so you know, this column is being lovingly crafted on my birthday.

OVERDRIVE

Other interesting cars we've been driving, Art of the estate

The baseball

It's a simple, stitched, leather-covered and who has propelled it - matters a lot. So does the mud sphere, but what's inside -

Jenson Button

The 2009 Formula 1 season is the stuff of legend, and it certainly made one of Button. Time to look back at how it happened, and ahead to what's still in store

Fresh from the museum

RM Sotheby's, Munich, Germany 26 November

1969 Ferrari 365 GTC

$750,000 from Tom Hartley Jnr, Leicestershire, UK

Air of accuracy

Rare World War Two survivor seeks new owner - and there's a heroic tale behind it

ROBERT COUCHER The Driver

The expression giant killer’ has become hackneyed these days, but back in the mid-Sixties it certainly applied to John Cooper's reimagining’ of his friend Alec Issigonis’ revolutionary small car.

STEPHEN BAYLEY The Aesthete

Prometheus stole fire from the gods, who punished him for his creative impertinence.

BMW i7

FIRST DRIVE All-electric version of BMW's 7 Series limousine combines tech, luxury and plenty of space

McLaren eyes saloon and SUV as part of electrification plans

New boss floats SUV plan. Greater focus on quality

Sleek SUV to lead the charge for new Italian EV company

First car shown by AEHRA. Saloon to follow in 2023

ALL MOD CONS

There's something about the Porsche 911 that makes it a favourite for the restomod treatment. We explore the world of restoring and modifying the German classic

Porsche Taycan CT

FINAL REPORT We loved our EV, and Porsche is already fixing the few issues we had

All-new bigger MINI to take aim at Golf

EXCLUSIVE MINI boss reveals larger new models with sales expansion in mind

Skoda Enyag iV Coupé vRS

FIRST UK DRIVE Is electric SUV worthy of sporty badge?

08 e-tron heralds Audi range revamp

New name for Audi e-tron. Efficiency tweaks raise range