NEW SERIES OF WHEELER DEALERS!

Wheeler Dealers is back! Check out series 11 schedule ...

Ford Fiesta XR2

17th March

Mike decides to go back to the 80’s and bags a bargain example of one of his dream cars - but there’s only £1000 to spend on repairs or the profit’s at risk. Edd isn’t convinced the XR2 deserves all the praise, but comes up with cheap and innovative solutions to add value. Mike finds a clever way to get Edd all the rare parts he needs and pulls out all the stops to prove the Fiesta is the hot hatch that started a fast Ford revolution.

Porsche 993 Targa

24th March

The last of the air-cooled legends. Mike goes in search of what many fans consider to be the last truly great Porsche. What he finds is the cheapest, tattiest 993 in the country. Mike however, can see a mechanically sound motor and potential profit lurking beneath seventeen years of muck and grime. Edd sets to work on a rescue mission to restore the car’s racing pedigree. It’s unloved and underpowered but after Edd lavishes some care and attention on the car, will the smart engine fixes and custom handling package spell profit on a Porsche that is still major money?

Mazda RX7

31st March

With its legendary mix of unique technology and awesome performance, Mazda’s coupe is unlike any other. Mike finds one that appears to have nothing wrong with it and challenges Edd to make a good car even better. But these cars are complex and unforgiving. So while Edd handles with care, Mike sorts out some stylish mods to make the RX7’s looks match its performance.

Citroen 2CV

7th April

Mike finds a fifty-six year old Citroen 2CV, retired in the sunny south of France. It’s a real people’s car with bags of charm. With cheeky bug-eyed headlights and rare suicide doors, the 2CV is one of the most recognisable cars ever designed and renowned, over its forty-two year production cycle, for its stark simplicity. Almost every aspect of this quirky car requires attention; Edd strips it back to bare bones to breathe new life back into the smoky old engine. A fresh paint job and interior will help to secure the car’s future for another fifty years but can Mike get top dollar for a car with no frills?

Chevrolet Camaro

14th April

It’s time for the boys to tackle one of the meanest muscle cars around. But finding the right one won’t be easy as the Camaro is already a cult classic. Mike tracks down a part-finished restoration in California with its fair share of problems. Edd has his work cut out with loads of missing parts to find and fit. With all this time and effort, is there still a profit on the cards?

Maserati 3200gt

21st April

Mike buys a supercar from the super saver menu. An Italian thoroughbred for under £10k. But supercars mean super bills. Mike’s reports of wayward handling and a hair-trigger throttle could lead to either bankruptcy or a very nasty accident. Some of Edd’s smart solutions could help to keep the budget under control but will it be enough to tame this technology packed, turbocharged V8? Techy tyres help get the luxury GT powerhouse back on track and an overhauled air-conditioning system restores some Italian flair.

Amphicar

28th April

Mike takes the ultimate plunge and invests in a car - and a boat, all in one. It’s the Amphicar, an amphibious vehicle that Edd has been dreaming of for years. But when he peels back the layers and discovers the car’s problems are serious, will he find himself in deep water and rinse away all the profit? This challenge truly puts Mike and Edd’s skills to the test and could see them literally sink or swim!



Available from Veloce!

Mike Brewer’s The Wheeler Dealer Know How!
Written by Mike Brewer, cheeky chappie and TV's best-known car dealing expert. In a career spanning almost 30 years, Mike has seen and done everything when it comes to buying and selling cars, and having established a successful career as a television presenter, is eager to share his knowledge, passion and enthusiasm for cars.
Telling you all you need to know about buying, preparing and selling modern classic cars, this book guides you through the minefield that is the world of car dealing, and helps you avoid the pitfalls that await the unwary. Plus, with stories and anecdotes from Mike’s time in the trade, you'll gain a fascinating insight into the world of wheeler-dealing.
Packed full of information and tips, The Wheeler Dealer Know How will give you the confidence to buy the car of your dreams and avoid ending up with a lemon. You’ll find out how to prepare a car to expert standards – from cleaning, to repairs and improvements – and when the time comes to sell, Mike tells you how to get the best price and avoid being ripped-off.
More info.

Porsche 993 – The Essential Companion: King of Porsche
By Adrian Streather

The 993 version of the evergreen 911 is sometimes described as the “King of Porsche”. This book chronicles the development, racing history and all ownership issues of the 993 in tremendous detail. Containing a buyers/owners guide and well over one thousand photographs, this book features incredibly in-depth information about all aspects of the Porsche 993. More info.

How to restore Citroen 2CV - Enthusiast's Restoration Manual
By Lindsay Porter

All the information needed to rebuild your 2CV in step-by-step detail, supported by over 1500, mainly colour illustrations. Covers body, trim and mechanical restoration, and gives advice on what to look for when buying a car or van, and originality guidance (colour schemes and production changes). More info.

AUTHOR PROFILE No. 4: MARK PAXTON

This month we welcome Mark Paxton, author of 8 Veloce books, into the author profile spotlight ...

According to my well-thumbed dictionary, an obsession is “an idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person's mind,” which pretty much sums up my lifelong relationship with the internal combustion engine and the vehicles it powers. My second birthday was apparently spent playing with a Dinky bubble car whilst more expensive and eye-catching presents lay ignored, much to the annoyance of my parents. By the age of 5, I was able to name virtually every car on the road, and with the newly acquired ability to read I began voraciously consuming anything and everything about motorised transport.

At 16, with a crisp, new provisional licence in my hand, I wobbled forth onto the Queen's highway astride the must-have two wheeler of the time, a Yamaha FS1E. That first love was intense, but short-lived, as the passing of another year opened up the possibility of bigger and faster machines, and a large number passed through my hands in a very short period.

The acquisition of a car licence merely increased my options when it came to spending all my disposable income on vehicles, and I started with a Citroën Ami 8 – a more comfortable and quicker relation of the 2CV. A huge mileage was promptly racked up forging a respect and admiration for these little cars, which has stayed with me to this day. It also gave me the opportunity to learn about mechanics, as money spent on garage bills was clearly a waste when it could be poured into the tank and burnt instead. Soon I was twirling the spanners not only on my car, but on those of other local enthusiasts as well.

My Suzuki GT500 loaded up ready for a trip to Italy in 1982.

Outside my garage, a 4 light Dyane and Diesel H van rub shoulders uneasily with a Fiesta (it wasn't all exotic) circa 1999.
The obsession well and truly had a grip by then, and I clocked up tens of thousands of miles criss-crossing Europe visiting far flung rallies and events, before deciding to leave a well-paid job for the insecurity of self employment fixing cars. The plus side, though, was being able to get behind the wheel of a huge variety of makes and models thus far denied to me. I initially concentrated on Citroëns, with the spartan pleasures of 2CV vans and saloons regularly interspersed by the swish luxury of a DS, and, on one occasion, an SM. My addiction became common knowledge, and soon other classic cars were arriving at the door – I have fond memories of MGCs, Costello V8 Bs, Spitfires, V6 Capris, VW Beetles and Vans, a PL17 Panhard, Peugeot 304s and 504s, and many more, including classics in the making such as the 205 and Golf GTis. Fleet contracts ensured that I had regular time working on Transits, Mercs and Ford Cargos as well, just to ensure diversity. Away from work I kept a small but ever-changing fleet of motorcycles, which fed my continuing need for two-wheeled action.

All things must pass, though, and after 15 years of such privileged pleasure a combination of factors spelt the end of my days on the tools. But every change in life comes with its own opportunities, and I decided to test the water and see if my accumulated experiences would be of interest to the classic car press. Fortunately they were, and I wrote articles and restored cars and motorcycles for Classic Car Mart, Practical Classics, Classic Motorcycle Mechanics, and many others. Buoyed by this, I approached Rod Grainger at Veloce to see if he would be interested in a buyer’s guide for my all-time favourite, the 2CV. He was, and the rest, as they say, is history. More guides followed, along with restoration manuals, some of which I have had the pleasure of seeing in other languages sitting on foreign bookshelves.

The 2CV I restored for Practical Classics.
I would like to say that age has tempered my passion, but sadly nothing could be further from the truth. I calculated recently that my lifetime’s association with vehicles has seen me clock up nearly a million miles, with around 200,000 of those covered on the Continent. Enough for any man, you might think, but the fire still burns strong: purely on a whim, I recently bought an old 2CV and hauled it around the back roads of the Balkans for eight weeks.

Bosnia about 6 weeks ago.
Is there no cure, or must I wait for the petrol to run out to finally release me from this affliction?
Mark Paxton

Click here to view all books by Mark Paxton.

AUTHOR PROFILE No. 3: MALCOLM BOBBITT

Malcolm Bobbitt’s first book for Veloce, the story of Fiat’s forever young 500 and 600 models, was published in 1993. The work came about through the author’s chance meeting with publisher Rod Grainger, who was promoting Veloce’s titles at a Fiat Motor Club event in 1992. The absence of a ‘Baby Fiat’ publication in the catalogue prompted Rod to suggest Malcolm write a history of the cars.



After several editions, including German and Japanese translations, the Fiat book is still in print. It was the starting point of Malcolm’s long relationship with Veloce, and a portfolio now comprising some sixteen titles, a number of which have entered multiple editions with several released as eBooks. Malcolm’s diverse interests are evident in the subjects he has tackled, which include London taxicabs, austerity motoring, three-wheelers, and British lorries, as well as Essential Buyer’s Guides, and in-depth books on Karmann Ghia Volkswagens, VW Buses, Rover, Citroën, Rolls-Royce and Bentley. Numerous other works bring the total number of Malcolm Bobbit titles to over thirty.

1974 with Citroën Dyane; slim, almost hippie style, and with hair!
“For long an enthusiast of minimal motoring, my everyday transport at the time of meeting Rod was a yellow water-cooled Fiat 126 Bis. Despite being told by Fiat owners that the car would prove wholly unreliable, it turned out to be an ever-ready and willing workhorse that often undertook speedy 750-mile round trips from London to the northern rim of the Lake District where I and my wife, Jean, owned a small cottage. With its tailgate and folding rear seat, the car also served as a capable if somewhat miniscule load carrier, and once transported an ancient Velosolex, which was a whim purchase at a Beaulieu Autojumble. Jean still reminds me of the ordeal, especially the fact that, having helped me remove the Velosolex’s wheels to get the machine through the rear hatch, she had to endure the journey home with the motorcycle’s handlebars turned through ninety degrees and resting on her shoulders.

My love of motor vehicles and motoring stems from my parents having never owned a car, regardless of my encouragement to do so. As a child, my constant pleading for them to buy a ‘sit-up-and-beg’ Ford Prefect fell on deaf ears, and it was that which determined me to acquire a car of my own as soon as I was able.

Looking back to around 1962, it seems ludicrous that I contemplated buying a car before I was old enough to learn to drive. It’s even more incredible that, along with a friend, I got as far as setting off to do a suspicious deal involving what must have been some wretched example of a prewar machine.

A study of the local paper’s ‘motors for sale’ section had revealed a plethora of Austin Sevens and Morris Eights on offer in exchange for a crisp fiver, no questions asked. Real luck would have been meeting the owner of an advertised car in a pub, and the dubious deal being done for no more than the price of a pint of Watneys, but the plan in this instance was to meet the vendor of an Austin Seven outside a hostelry a mile or so away from home, hand over £5 and push the vehicle home, as there were no hills along the route. Exactly what we would do with the wreck once it was in our possession hadn’t occurred to us, but all went well until our fathers suddenly arrived on the scene at an inappropriate moment and quashed all hope of the deal being done.

I bought my first car in March 1967. I handed over a hard-earned £350 for what appeared to be a clean four-year old Morris 1100, but actually, it transpired, had been denied sympathetic maintenance. It suffered from all sorts of the ailments for which the earliest examples of these models were notorious, and all the more scarily, it rode on re-tread tyres that, during the first long run I made in the car, began to fragment. The experience with the 1100 was a lesson in how to part with money, and it wasn’t long before the offending machine was part-exchanged for a 1966 Austin Cambridge.”

What I really longed for was a Citroën DS, as I remembered seeing these spaceship-like cars when they first made their appearance on Britain’s roads. Their unusual styling, along with the ability to seemingly waken and rise from a recumbent position before wafting along with all the ease of a magic carpet, had made a huge impression. I couldn’t afford one, let alone pay for its maintenance and running costs, so I settled for a brand new two-cylinder air-cooled Dyane 6, which was the slightly upmarket version of the 2CV.

It was the early 1970s, I had left home, and the frugal Citroën was an intrinsic part of my independence. The minimal motoring ethos blended in with my lifestyle, and it wasn’t long before I was embarking on long trips, such as completing the End-to-End run (then known as Le Jog) in under twenty-four hours and without using motorways. Leaving Lands End at six in the evening, I somehow managed to arrive at John o’ Groats twenty-two hours later. The grandest expedition was navigating a tortuous route through Europe to Norway’s North Cape, to arrive there on the longest day of the year. The three-week adventure, comprising some 3500 miles, was made without even a puncture.

At Lands End ready to leave for John o' Groats. Again with hair!

In Norway en route to the North Cape with just two cylinders and 602cc under the bonnet.
The Dyane was soon joined by a proper ripple-bonnet 425cc 2CV complete with flower-power decals, and I did eventually attain DS ownership by finding an early British (Slough) built example, which I discovered to my delight had enjoyed a remarkable provenance. It had been owned by Citroën Cars as a works vehicle reserved for the use of the firm’s chief engineer, and it was my pleasure to take the car to the DS’s 50th anniversary celebrations in Paris in 2005, where I was able to reunite it with its former celebrated custodian.

At the top of Queensland in Australia with a DS.
The one Citroën escapade that will forever remain in my memory is when, on a two-month long visit to Australia in 1978, I drove a DS from Brisbane to the top of Queensland. For most of the 2000 or so miles the going was over loose surfaces, and at one stage meant crossing a deep creek which usually could only be addressed by Toyota Land Cruisers and the like. Thankfully, the DS’s hydropneumatic suspension, with its adjustable ride height pumped up to its maximum altitude, enabled the quarter-mile water crossing to be completed without problem.

The many Citroëns in my life have included two ‘Maigret’ Traction Avants, a brace of 2CV vans, a now rare split-screen H-van, a CX, a sporty GS, an XM and, currently, a C6. There have been other cars, such as an early ’50s Fiat 500C Topolino, an Austin Metro, a couple of Fords, a Rover, and a wonderfully reliable Renault 4 that gave many thousands of trouble-free miles until it fell apart after even the rust had disintegrated. There’s always one car that rules the heart and not the head, and in my case it was a 1951 Bentley Mark VI. I saw the car at a classic car show and did the deal on impulse. I still remember the look of horror on my wife’s face as I arrived home with it.

With my 1951 Bentley Mk VI.
I’ve always liked what I think are odd-ball cars, which is why I have seldom been without an air-cooled or hydraulically suspended Citroën. French and Italian cars particularly appeal and there’s a soft spot for those deliciously specialist British cars, like the Rileys and MGs of the 1930s. Somewhere inside me is a voice telling me it’s time to have a sports car: okay, a mid-life crisis (or in my case, post-mid-life crisis) is probably to blame for my yearning, but I cannot help hankering after a Jaguar XK 150. Morgan comes into the frame too, and the thought of a three-wheeler – original or the new version – is fun. In reality I’d probably end up with a 2CV-based Lomax or similar.

With my wife Jean in 2005. After Paris, the Citroën DS 50th anniversary celebration continued in the UK, at Slough, the home town of Citroën in Britain.
As a member of the Society of Automotive Historians in Britain, I somehow agreed to the editorship of the society’s quarterly journal, which covers all aspects of motoring history. Society membership includes a number of distinguished historians and authors, some of whom, like Karl Ludvigsen, have written books for Veloce. Producing the journal was initially a daunting prospect, but with the publication of each edition it has become all the more rewarding in terms of members’ contributions.

Publication of the Veloce Karmann Ghia VW book is recorded for the local rag.
As a full-time motoring writer (I’m a member of the Northern Group as well as Guild of Motoring Writers), I do get to drive a lot of new cars, and I have to admit that I enjoy my work. Getting behind the wheel of the latest supermini is just as gratifying as squeezing into the confines of the new F-type Jaguar, an Aston Martin, Porsche or Bentley. Living in the northern part of the Lake District, my ‘road test’ area has England’s highest mountains and the wilds of Southern Scotland, all of which is within the coverage of the regional journals I write for. The terrain lends itself to trying out the latest 4x4s, often in true off-roading manner.

Road testing an Aston Martin V8 Vantage in Southern Scotland for the regional press.
Writing about classic and vintage cars for various periodicals is also a major part of my work. Getting to talk to enthusiasts who are passionate about their vehicles is a pretty good way of spending my time, as is being invited to sample such delights from behind the wheel. All in all, it’s not a bad life.”

Click here to view all Veloce books by Malcolm Bobbitt, here for eBooks.

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN’S DIAMOND JUBILEE TO BE CELEBRATED IN THE CARTIER ‘STYLE ET LUXE’ AT GOODWOOD FoS 2012

Now in its 18th consecutive year at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and Moving Motor Show (28 June – 1 July), the annual Cartier ‘Style et Luxe’ vehicle concours d’elegance promises to be truly exceptional this year. For the first time ever, Cartier will focus on just one set of vehicles, but what a collection of machines they will be!

As a mark of respect to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for her Diamond Jubilee, Goodwood and Cartier will gather together an astonishing selection of vehicles all personally owned or used by Her Majesty. These vehicles have never been seen in public together as a collection, and the quality and variety of the vehicles promises to be simply staggering.

Many vehicles will come from the personal collections of Her Majesty, including Sandringham and the Royal Mews. Others will be sourced from overseas governments and private collections, and all will have a genuine use and connection with The Queen.

The unique Cartier ‘Style et Luxe’ Royal Vehicle concours will be divided into five special classes, including state limousines and carriages, official overseas state visit transport, working cars, personal family cars, plus toy cars owned by the Royal Household.

Formal state limousines and carriages will include Her Majesty’s 1961 Rolls-Royce Phantom V, modified specifically to fit on The Royal Yacht Britannia, a 1929 Daimler Double Six 30hp Brougham and a 1920 carriage from the Royal train. Foreign Travel will include cars used for overseas State visits, sent over to Goodwood specifically for the Cartier ‘Style et Luxe’ with official government permissions. These include the striking Chapron-bodied Citroen SM Decapotable used for The Queen’s State visit to France in 1972, with the release of this car being personally signed-off by the French President. Festival visitors will also see a special 1950 Lincoln Cosmopolitan ‘bubble top,’ plus a Humber Super Snipe used for Her Majesty’s first Commonwealth Tour.

Working cars are set to include a unique coachbuilt 1956 Ford Zephyr Estate, purpose built to carry luggage, plus a 1961 Vauxhall Cresta Friary Estate, used to transport Her Majesty’s corgi dogs. Personal ‘Regal Runabouts’ will include a Rover P5 and Daimler Double Six used extensively by The Queen, plus Prince Philip’s 1961 Alvis TD21.

An unusual vehicle class of Royal Household toy cars will include a 1928 Citroen C4 presented to The Queen, plus an Austin J40 pedal car and 1966 Aston Martin DB5 007-replica pedal car.

On the Saturday and Sunday of the Festival of Speed, a number of Her Majesty’s cars will briefly move from the Cartier Lawn and slowly parade along the Goodwood hillclimb for a special Diamond Jubilee tribute to Her Majesty The Queen.

Goodwood’s acclaimed Cartier ‘Style et Luxe’ concours d’elegance celebration of fine automotive design always attracts a distinguished panel of judges, and this year will be no exception. Judges will include Ashes To Ashes actor Philip Glenister, athlete Edwin Moses, supermodel Natalia Vodianova, musician Brian Johnson, TV presenter Kevin McCloud and The Queen’s nephew Lord Linley.

During the Festival weekend, a visit to the Cartier ‘Style et Luxe’ is made all the more enjoyable by a superb soundtrack of live jazz playing on the bandstand on Saturday and Sunday, making this is an unmissable occasion for anyone who appreciates the inherent creative magnificence of great automobiles.

Source: Goodwood

“BUILD ME AN UMBRELLA WITH FOUR WHEELS”

André Lefebvre and the cars he created for Voisin and Citroën by Gijsbert-Paul Berk is BOOK OF THE MONTH in Australian Classic Car (May 2010).

“Build me an umbrella with four wheels.” These instructions were given to Citroën engineers in 1936. Head of those engineers was Andre Lefebvre, and the result was the iconic Citroën 2CV. It’s one of the many stories contained in Andre Lefebvre, by Swiss national Gijsbert-Paul Berk. Andre Lefebvre graduated as an aeronautical engineer and was working for Gabriel Voisin during the dark days of WWI. A shrewd businessman, Voisin realised the demand for military aircraft would plummet following hostilities – so he began producing cars using many aircraft techniques. His engineer was Andre Lefebvre, who went on to design a range of road and competition cars used to promote the Voisin name. With engines featuring Knight sleeve valves, they proved successful until the Great Depression. Lefebvre then moved on to Citroën and his name will always be linked with the French manufacturer.

While Lefebvre died in 1964, his legacy (apart from the Viosins) includes such great cars as the Citroën Traction Avant and DS. The former was the world’s first mass-produced chassis-less car and led the way for decades to follow. The DS, of course, startled the automotive world in 1955. The 2CV? Well, looking at the initial cars you can understand how Lefebvre interpreted what an umbrella on wheels looked like. Andre Lefebvre is a most entertaining and informative book – I can’t say I have read much on Voisin cars, so that was a real delight (especially the parts about its competition cars). The text, which I suspect has been translated from French, is nevertheless easy to read and the period photos are a delight.
An excellent publication. PQ

Click here for more info about the book.

CITROËN CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF THE SM

Citroën’s high performance coupé, the SM, is celebrating its 40th birthday.

The luxury sports tourer, an alliance between Citroën and Maserati, was first unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show on 11th March 1970 - 40 years ago today.

Technically innovative, with a dynamic, yet supremely comfortable ride experience, the Citroën SM was highly regarded for its futuristic styling, prestigious quality, ‘magic-carpet’ suspension and outstanding performance - a unique combination of characteristics not available in any other car at the time.

Officially recognised as a truly exceptional vehicle in the early 1970’s, the SM placed third in the European Car of the Year Awards in 1971 - the winner was Citroën’s GS. The SM also received the Motor Trend Car of the Year Award in the US in 1972.

Powered by a Maserati V6 engine, the SM was one of the fastest front-wheel drive cars of its day, with a top speed in excess of 220km/h (137mph). A competitive performer in motorsport, the SM won its first race at the Morocco Rally in 1971.

Pioneering innovative technology, the SM introduced a new type of variable assist power-steering, which made it easier to manoeuvre at lower speeds and provided greater resistance at higher speeds for improved control and handling.

The car also featured hydro-pneumatic suspension with automatic height correction and six headlamps with automatic levelling. Four power-assisted disc brakes, with independent front and rear circuits, automatically adjusted brake power according to vehicle load and weight distribution.

Renowned SM owners have included U.S. comedian Jay Leno, Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, author Graham Greene and actor Lee Majors. French Presidents from Georges Pompidou to Jacques Chirac used two specially modified 4-door convertible ‘présidentielle’ models, created by coach builder Henri Chapron.
Source: Citroën
Photos: A. Martin

SM - Citroën’s Maserati-engined Supercar
By Brian Long & Philippe Claverol
This is the fascinating story of how the Citroën SM came into being, with company politics and Maserati’s involvement covered in detail. The text and pictures then follow the car’s progress from its world premier at the 1970 Geneva Show until the final production models were built in July 1975.
More info.

HTTP://ISSUU.COM/VELOCE

Have been uploading some sample pages from Veloce books on Issuu.com. Check out the Veloce Issuu profile page to see more 8-page ebook previews.

NEC CLASSIC MOTOR SHOW 2009

It's the NEC Classic Motor Show today and over the weekend, and although Veloce will not be there, our friends at the Deux Chevaux Club of Great Britain will be, showcasing excerpts from our popular new book André Lefebvre, and the cars he created at Voisin and Citroën.

On top of that, they'll have the amazing Coccinelle prototype on display for all to see (as featured in the book), as well as an original TPV 2CV prototype from the 1930s!

We strongly recommend visiting their stand, check out the book, check out the cars, and see for yourself what all the fuss is about. The Deux Chevaux Club of Great Britain can be found at stand number 1C38.

ANDRÉ LEFEBVRE REVIEW

André Lefebvre, and the cars he created at Voisin and Citroën receives another good review this month, this time from Classic Car Mart.

"It's a fascinating story well told, aided by a host of illustrations." – Classic Car Mart

HIGH PRAISE FROM VICE CHAIRMAN OF GENERAL MOTORS

Bob Lutz - Vice Chairman of General Motors comments on his great pleasure at receiving his copy of André Lefebvre, and the cars he created at Voisin and Citroën in this letter addressed to the author. He remarks on Lefebvre as being a man who made tremendous influence on car design and reads with huge interest. Bob Lutz is also the enthusiastic owner of a six cylinder Citroën Traction Avant – one of the cars featured in the book.



André Lefebvre, and the cars he created at Voisin and Citroën
By Gijsbert-Paul Berk.
BOOK OF THE MONTH – Classic & Sports Car
This biography of André Lefebvre gives a revealing insight into the work of a practically unknown aeronautic engineer who, after building and racing competition cars for Gabriel Voisin in 1933, created for André Citroën the revolutionary front wheel drive Traction Avant (light fifteen in the UK). He was responsible for the minimalist 2CV and the Citroën DS, which was the sensation of the automotive world in 1955, and is still an icon of original automobile engineering and avant-garde design today.
More info.

ANDRÉ LEFEBVRE - LIVRE DU MOIS

A round up of the rave reviews that have been coming in for the brand new book André Lefebvre, and the cars he created at Voisin and Citroën
by Gijsbert-Paul Berk. Thanks to Classic & Sports Car, Octane and ClassicCars magazines for the reviews.

Click the images below to read each review in full:



This biography of André Lefebvre gives a revealing insight to the work of a practically unknown aeronautic engineer. Responsible for the minimalist 2CV and the Citroën DS – the sensation of the automotive world in 1955 – Lefebvre remains an icon of original automobile engineering and avant-garde design to this day. Click here for more info about the book.

ANDRÉ LEFEBVRE BOOK CAUSES STIR AT CITROËN MEETING

Gijsbert-Paul Berk – author of André Lefebvre, and the cars he created at Voisin and Citroën – took the chance at the 75heurespour75ans event in Arras to show his advance copy of the book to a number of Citroën fans.


According to the organisers there were over one thousand Citroëns Tractions Avant in the historic centre of the French town. It was an impressive sight (see pictures). In the exhibition hall of Arras the Dutch Traction Avant owners club TAN had also organised an interesting overview of all the TA models made between 1934 and 1957, with some special bodied examples.




This biography of André Lefebvre gives a revealing insight into the work of a practically unknown aeronautic engineer who, after building and racing competition cars for Gabriel Voisin in 1933, created for André Citroën the revolutionary front wheel drive Traction Avant (light fifteen in the UK). He was responsible for the minimalist 2CV and the Citroën DS, which was the sensation of the automotive world in 1955, and is still an icon of original automobile engineering and avant-garde design today.
Click here for more info about the book.

AUTO HEADLINES

UK fights for Vauxhall as GM bankruptcy looms

Business secretary Lord Mandelson has held “substantial telephone conversations” with GM amid final negotiations with bidders for its European arm.

The Government has explicitly linked any financial support for the spin-off of General Motors’ European operations to the future of its two UK car plants in Luton and Ellesmere Port.

Britain is lobbying to prevent the German government from bowing to election-year pressure with a pledge to protect domestic jobs at the expense of Vauxhall’s UK plants.

The three main bidders for GM’s European arm are Fiat, Canadian car parts maker Magna and financial investor RHJ. There are claims that whichever bidder wins, up to 10,000 jobs could be cut at Vauxhall/Opel.

Beijing Automotive Industry Corp has emerged as a fourth contender for the business and insiders claim it will try to avoid job cuts in Germany for two years.

As the winning bid is being decided, General Motors has acknowledged that it has failed to secure agreement from holders of $27bn in bonds for a contentious debt-for-equity offer, and said that its directors will meet “to discuss GM’s next steps”.

The setback, which was widely expected, clears the way for the carmaker to seek bankruptcy protection on or before June 1, the deadline set by the US government for GM to meet conditions for future financial aid, including the debt-exchange.

A General Motors bankruptcy would be the largest ever in US industrial history. (Daily Telegraph; Daily Mail; Daily Express; The Guardian: FT.com; just-auto.com: May 27)

Citroen issues termination notices in expansion plan

Citroen UK has issued two-year termination notices to all its 640 sales and service centres and parts distributors this week.

The manufacturer says the move is part of an ambitious sales growth and enhanced customer care strategy – plus the need to safeguard profitability.

The aim is to have fewer dealers, doing a better job and making more money, the firm said.

The majority of Citroen’s 200 sales outlets will be unaffected, but 20 have been told the carmaker may end their contracts, unless they improve customer care and/or sales performance against targets in 2009 and 2010.

Another 20 has been told the territory they represent is no longer viable. (am-online: May 27)

Football and driving don’t mix

Listening to football commentary on the radio while driving can be a dangerous distraction, scientists have warned.

They found that listeners’ driving became much more erratic when they were listening to the match.

Tests carried out using a driving simulator also showed that the pace of the game, goals and penalty decisions affected the ability and concentration of fans behind the wheel. (Daily Telegraph; Daily Mail: May 27)

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CAR OF ALL TIME

Classic & Sports Car magazine have polled a 20-strong panel as the jury to decide the single most beautiful classic car.

And the winner ...
The Citroën DS!

James Elliott, editor of Classic & Sports Car, said: “The Citroën is a benchmark design, but we were still astonished that it came out on top when you look at the sexiness – and values – of some of its rivals. Apart from the Mini, it’s by far the most affordable car to get any nominations at all, which probably means it’s a great investment!

Giorgetto Giugiaro - the man behind the Maserati Bora, VW Golf, Fiat Panda and Lotus Esprit, said: “The only example of a car really conceived ‘outside the box’. It is just impossible to imitate.”
Source:newspress

Check out these fantastic Citroën DS books published by Veloce:

Citroën DS – Design Icon
by Malcolm Bobbitt.


The most radical of Citroën’s idiosyncratic offerings, the DS was sensational when it was introduced in 1955. Twenty years and 1.45 million cars later it was still technically advanced to most other cars. Revolutionary in driving characteristics and comfort, it remains one of the most innovative cars of all time. Click here for more info about the book!





Citroën DS & ID – The Essential Buyer's Guide by Rudy Heilig.

Guides collectors, restorers and enthusiasts through the various production changes and problem areas that occur between the various models, to make sure that the restoration or prospective purchase is correct, original, and legitimate. This book is an essential reference tool that can be used when buying, selling, repairing or restoring the various D-models manufactured between 1966 and 1975. One hundred colour photos, useful appendices and expert advice mean that this book could save you thousands! Click here for more info about the book!



Personal favourite, The Lamborghini Miura also made the top 10 in the poll!
1. Citroën DS
2= Jaguar XK120
2= Ferrari 275GTB
4= Cord 810/812
4= Ferrari 250GT Lusso
4= Ferrari 250GT Short-wheelbase
4= Jaguar E-type
4= Lamborghini Miura
4= Lotus Elan
4= Lotus Elite (1957)

FIVE BRAND NEW ESSENTIAL BUYER'S GUIDES!

STOP! Don't buy any of these cars without the help of an Essential Buyer's Guide -

Citroen ID & DS
Fiat 500 & 600
Subura Impreza
Jaguar XJ-S
Jaguar XJ40
All available now (UK & USA)
Each just £9.99 UK / $19.95 USA

Buy the right car at the right price
Full coverage of all models
In-depth analysis of strengths and weaknesses
Includes market and value data
Advice on choosing the right version and condition
How to avoid buying a 'lemon'
Like having an expert at your side
Quick check guide and also a detailed inspection plan
details of desirable upgrades as well as modifications to avoid
Where and how to buy
Details of clubs and support organisations

DESCRIPTION
Having this book in your pocket is just like having a real marque expert by your side. Benefit from the author’s years of ownership experience, learn how to spot a bad car quickly and how to assess a promising one like a true professional. Get the right car at the right price!

Visit www.veloce.co.uk for more info!

LICENSED TO THRILL IN OCTANE

Fantastic feature in Octane Magazine's latest issue! the largest number of genuine 007 cars ever photographed in one location! The classic and performance motoring magazine, dedicates 19 pages of its November issue (on sale September 24) to feature nine of the actual cars that have helped to define Bond over his 46 years of cinematography.

Quantum of Solace, set for release in cinemas on October 31, is the 22nd film in the 007 series and sees the return of Daniel Craig as the spy with a licence to kill in his Aston Martin DBS.



The full list of bond cars in the magazine feature are as follows:



Aston Martin DB5 from Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965)

Toyota 2000GT from You Only Live twice (1967)

Aston DBS (1960s) from On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)

Lotus Esprit S1 from The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

Lotus Esprit Turbo from For Your Eyes Only (1981)

Citroën 2CV from For Your Eyes Only (1981)

Aston Martin V8 from The Living Daylights (1987)

Aston Martin Vanquish from Die Another Day (2002)

Aston DBS from Quantum of Solace (2008) and Casino Royale (2006)



It doesn't get much better than cool cars in the movies..



Heres what Octane said about the Veloce book Motor Movies – The Posters! By Paul Veysey.

"This book will most definitely liven up a coffee table but it will also fill a niche for those who love obscure trivia or those late night movies". Review from Octane, October 2007

ALSO! BOOK OF THE MONTH - Top Gear magazine Nov '07 ... AND No.6 Channel4's 4Car Top 10: car books for Christmas 2007









click here for more info about the book

CONTEMPORARY REINTERPRETATION OF CLASSIC 2CV

Citroën has just released details of its new convertible supermini, the C3 Pluriel - The Charleston. It will be shown for the first time at this years Paris Motor Show next month.

The new look of the C3 Pluriel Charleston certainly seems to lend itself to the design of Citroën’s iconic 2CV. This year, incidently, celebrates the 60th anniversary of Citroën’s famous car.



Citroën 2CV – The Essential Buyers Guide By Mark Paxton.

STOP! Don’t buy a 2CV without buying this book FIRST! Having this book in your pocket is just like having a real marque expert by your side. Benefit from Mark Paxton’s years of 2CV ownership: learn how to spot a bad car quickly and how to assess a promising one like a professional. Get the right car at the right price!



click here for more info