Recently I posted a photograph on a social media site of my ‘classic’ car collection circa 2007. It struck me for a two reasons. First, was that I remembered the day vividly. The second was that I was struck by how different each was from the other: a 1950 ‘Crosley-Gardner Special, a 1952 Lancia Ardea, a 1960 Alfa Romeo 2000 Touring Spider and a 1969 Lamborghini Islero.
RM Sotheby’s, which introduced a curated, art gallery-type presentation for classic automobile auctions with its “Art of the Automobile” sale in November 2013, is holding a second themed sale on December 10 at Sotheby’s New York (1334 York Avenue). Called “Driven by Disruption,” this auction will present a stellar, curated collection
Many auto aficionados no doubt resonate with the idea of a thread running through a carmaker’s timeline and model history, one that then defines the marque’s heritage. Marketing departments sometimes overplay heritage, of course. The best messengers for heritage should be cars that deftly blend a sense of history with their modernity. Call it retro done right.
For over ten years, Festivals of Speed has earned its spot at the apex of auto shows in the Southeastern United States. However, with a golf tournament and preshow reception benefitting The Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, this December’s Festivals of Speed in Orlando will be much more than just a “car show.”
Join Premier’s Juan Garcia, our West Coast Sales Manager, at this weekend’s Desert Concorso in Palm Springs. Awards will range from the best Mid-Engine Ferrari to Marque specific recognition for Porsche, Lamborghini, Maserati and Alfa Romeo to will be determined by an expert team of judges. All awards will be presented by the Masters of Ceremonies, Donald Osborne and Keith Martin.
Everyone’s favorite car on this year’s Mountain Mille was a 1954 Oldsmobile Rocket 88 Holiday Coupe driven by a husband and wife team of newly-retired Army Colonels—Yes, Sir! Yes, Ma’am!—in training for next year’s Mille Miglia. Yes, every Vintage Rallies event is unique!
The call of the road was a key part of the American experience for decades. The coming of the ‘popular priced’ car with the Ford Model T gave folks that lived in the country a way to more easily get to the city and those that lived in the city a more convenient way to get out to the country.
On the 2014 Texas 1000, two rallyists from Santa Fe suggested that Jean and I organize one of our Vintage Rallies in New Mexico, Colorado and Utah. So we did. Our first Southwest Passage was so overbooked that our crew had to stay in a separate hotel when we ran out of rooms.
There are arguably a score of excellent multi-day vintage rally and tour events held around the world each year, many held in wonderful places with terrific roads and contested by exciting and beautiful cars. However, it can be definitively declared that all the rest exist as a tribute to the greatest historic driving event of them all, the historic Mille Miglia of Italy.
