Thursday 30 May 2013

AUTHOR SEEKS STORIES ABOUT MERCEDES BENZ TRUCKS FOR NEW VELOCE BOOK



I’ve only been working on this new book project for less than a month and already information and images are rolling in from Europe and as far afield Australia and New Zealand. However, I’m particularly keen to include good references to MB’s truck endeavours in the 50s, 60s, 70s and onwards. I’m
also keen to look at the wider global picture including details or any partnerships and alliances in the far flung corners of the globe. So, whether you are, or were, a driver, an operator, a mechanic or even a dealer in MB trucks then I’d love to hear of your exploits and experiences working with trucks bearing the three-pointed star. In addition, if there’s anybody else that you think I should contact to involve them in this book then do let me know. The book will
ultimately cover a lot of ground, so speaking to former employees and executives can help to paint the picture of how the company grew in size in different markets, with quotes from those who were there at the beginning.
Colin Peck

So, if you’d like to get involved in this book please do contact me via email or telephone +44 (0) 1784 482336 or send a text to +44 (0) 7802 606433

VELOCE NEWS APP AVAILABLE FOR ANDROID

The FREE Veloce News app pulls all of Veloce's social media activity into one app, giving you the inside track on what is happening in the automotive world. 'Veloce News' includes exclusive video interviews with authors, photos and much, much more ...

Available now from the Google Play Store & Amazon Appstore, for Android phones and tablets.



The Veloce News app is also available for other platforms through the Veloce Digital Website.


SEE YOUR BOOK PUBLISHED!


Would you like to self-publish your work - your passion - and have the same high quality product as our own books, which are well-known and respected for their first-class characteristics?

If the answer's yes, get in touch with us right away to discuss the many possibilities available to you in terms of producing a conventional printed book and/or digital publishing (ebook) at prices that will suit all budgets. We can edit, design, lay out and print your book/ebook, and submit your ebook to Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Waterstones, iBookstore and GooglePlay.
Contact here.

Wednesday 29 May 2013

LOTUS 7 CLUB CELEBRATES ITS 30TH BIRTHDAY

The Lotus 7 Club, for Caterham and Lotus Seven enthusiasts, is celebrating its 30th Birthday at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu, Hampshire this Saturday, 1st June.

This celebration marks a return to the Club’s roots, since it was founded at the National Motor Museum 30 years ago. Since these beginnings, the Club has grown substantially, and now counts over 2,600 members organised into over 30 regional structures throughout the UK and Europe.

The event has already received in excess of 400 bookings for members and their cars, making it the largest gathering of Caterhams and Lotus Sevens in 2013.

The event will also be attended by senior representatives of Caterham Cars who will arrive in their latest model.

In addition to the Club’s 30th anniversary, the iconic Caterham 7 model is itself celebrating its 40th year in production and counts fans and owners all over the world.

As well as viewing all the Sevens on display and talking to the owners, attendees will be able to enjoy all the exciting cars and attractions on permanent display at the National Motor Museum.

Martin Bushaway, the Club chairman said, “We are delighted to be returning to Beaulieu where the Club was founded in 1983 and to have such a large gathering of 7s to celebrate our birthday. We are a diverse and welcoming club and it will be a great occasion for friends old and new to meet. We have representatives attending from our international associations from as far afield as Switzerland and Germany.

The event is open to the public and we would love to meet any other owners of Caterham and Lotus 7s, all of whom will be welcome on the day.”

Participants arriving in a relevant vehicle can purchase tickets on the gate from 8am on Saturday. For further information visit www.lotussevenclub.com

Source: Beaulieu

Coming soon from Veloce!
Lotus Seven replicas & Caterham 7: 1973-2013 - The Essential Buyer's Guide
.
Your marque expert: Rob Hawkins

Having this book in your pocket is like having a real marque expert by your side. Benefit from the author’s years of Lotus/Caterham Seven experience, 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!

More info.

Tuesday 28 May 2013

THE REAL WAY ROUND VIDEO PARTS 3, 4 & 5

Parts 3, 4 & 5 of a series of videos filmed by Jon Yates on his once-in-a-lifetime motorbike trip across 35 countries on a Yamaha Ténéré XT660.





Coming soon from Veloce!
The Real Way Round - 1 year, 1 motorcycle, 1 man, 6 continents, 35 countries, 42,000 miles, 9 oil changes, 3 sets of tyres, and loads more ... by Jonathan Yates.

This book captures one man’s real experience motorcycling around the globe – no back up teams, no spare bikes, no film crews. 42,000 miles through 35 countries, seeing amazing things, meeting fascinating people, experiencing different cultures and coping with extremely challenging conditions.
This book is not only proof anyone can do it, but also a guide as to how to do it. It is not a technical guide, but rather a broad-brush approach covering some of the key tasks needed to plan and complete a similar trip yourself. With dozens of inspirational photos of stunning scenery and intense experiences, plus an informal, straightforward commentary, this is an eye-opening and practical account of biking around the world. More info.

Friday 24 May 2013

SIR STIRLING MOSS ACCEPTS PERSONAL COPY OF AMÉDÉE GORDINI - A TRUE RACING LEGEND


Photo courtesy Pete Austin.

Roy Smith, the author of Amédée Gordini - a true racing legend, published by Veloce, is pictured here presenting Sir Stirling Moss with a personal copy of his book. Sir Stirling, who started his racing career in 1948, was to race many times against the Gordinis in the 1950s, sometimes being beaten by and sometimes beating the Gordinis. Later, when Stirling went on to race for the mighty Mercedes team, Amédée Gordini was among many other contestants to come under great pressure as the Mercedes W196 Streamliners effectively put an end to the era of make and mend racers. Sir Stirling, as we know, is one of the greatest drivers to grace the sport and Smith was honoured that he agreed to write a foreward for his book along with his old friend Froilan Gonzalez from Argentina who actually drove for Gordini in 1950.

Amédée Gordini – a true racing legend
By Roy Smith.

This is the story of a man, a team, and their life and times, as well as a complete record of all their achievements and failures. It logs the financial and personal cost of racing in the prewar and postwar periods. It tells of how the mighty car company Renault became involved with them in the late 1950s, and how Amedee Gordini became known throughout the world as one of the greatest engine tuners of his time. More info.



Independent reviews

'Book of the month' - Classic & Sports Car, May 2013.

'Book of the month' - Motorbooks (London bookshop), May 2013.

'The wealth of information here is staggering, and the race-by-race summary is particularly welcome' - Octane, May 2013.

'Utterly absorbing' - Classic Cars, May 2013.

'Gordini's endless enthusiasm and prolific output make for an involving tale.' – MotorSport, June 2013

Thursday 16 May 2013

THE REAL WAY ROUND VIDEO PART 2 - EUROPE

Part 2 of a series of videos filmed by Jonathan Yates on his once-in-a-lifetime motorbike trip across 35 countries on a Yamaha Ténéré XT660.



Coming soon from Veloce!
The Real Way Round - 1 year, 1 motorcycle, 1 man, 6 continents, 35 countries, 42,000 miles, 9 oil changes, 3 sets of tyres, and loads more ... by Jonathan Yates.

This book captures one man’s real experience motorcycling around the globe – no back up teams, no spare bikes, no film crews. 42,000 miles through 35 countries, seeing amazing things, meeting fascinating people, experiencing different cultures and coping with extremely challenging conditions.
This book is not only proof anyone can do it, but also a guide as to how to do it. It is not a technical guide, but rather a broad-brush approach covering some of the key tasks needed to plan and complete a similar trip yourself. With dozens of inspirational photos of stunning scenery and intense experiences, plus an informal, straightforward commentary, this is an eye-opening and practical account of biking around the world. More info.

Friday 10 May 2013

MOTOR BOOKS LONDON BOOK OF THE MONTH!

Great little video from Motor Books bookshop (based in London).
Their award for Book of the month May 2013 goes to recently published Veloce book Amédée Gordini – a true racing legend by Roy Smith.



THE 2013 GOODWOOD REVIVAL TO PAY TRIBUTE TO MOTOR RACING LEGEND JIM CLARK


On the 50th anniversary of the first of his two Formula 1 World Championship victories, this year’s Goodwood Revival annual driver tribute will be to the legendary Scottish racer Jim Clark.

A daily track parade at the Goodwood Motor Circuit will include a variety of Jim Clark’s most famous cars to honour the life and achievements of this incredible and versatile man.

The track parade will feature a wealth of famous competition cars, spanning a variety of different genres; in the course of his all too brief career, Clark achieved success in single-seaters, sports, GT and saloon cars, and even turned his hand to rallying, setting fastest stage times on the 1966 RAC Rally in a Lotus-Cortina. The track parade will read like a shopping list of great racing cars from the 1960s, including the Lotus 25 in which Clark won the F1 World Championship in 1963, the Lotus-Cortina in which he won the 1964 British Saloon Car Championship, and the Lotus 38 in which he won the Indianapolis 500 in 1965.

Such was the esteem in which the inimitable Scot, who tragically died in an F2 race at Hockenheim on 7 April 1968, was held that many of his contemporaries will make the trip to West Sussex to pay tribute. Star names confirmed so far include Sir Stirling Moss, Sir Jackie Stewart, John Surtees and Tony Brooks.

Jim Clark competed at Goodwood on many occasions in the early 1960s, and, along with fellow Scot Sir Jackie Stewart, jointly holds the lap record of 1m20.4, set at the circuit’s final F1 race in 1965. Goodwood Revival founder Lord March fondly recalls meeting him as a motor racing-obsessed boy, saying: “Jim was always very nice to me – quiet, charming, a thoroughly good guy; not brash like some of the other drivers. He was an absolute world-class driver, and effortless is a good way to describe his ability.”

Source: Goodwood

Wednesday 8 May 2013

MIKE BREWER'S WHEELER DEALER KNOW HOW! GETS A FIVE STAR REVIEW IN AUTO EXPRESS!

Thrilled to see brand new Veloce book Mike Brewer's The Wheeler Dealer Know How! pick up an awesome 5-star review in Auto Express magazine this week!



Click HERE for more info about the book.

Thursday 2 May 2013

TONY MASON'S MOTORING MAYHEM VIDEO

In the video spotlight this month, we have Tony Mason talking about his exciting new book Mason's Motoring Mayhem – Tony Mason's hectic life in motorsport and television. Published by Veloce later this month!



Few people achieve success and notoriety in more than one field, but Tony Mason has managed it! He joined a local car club before he even had a car, eventually climbing to the top with rally wins in his native Lake District, before joining the prestigious Ford works team and co-driving Britain’s biggest rally star, Roger Clark, to win outright the RAC Rally – Britain’s toughest event of its kind. He started a successful car accessory business then ventured onto the stage for a short while, before being signed by the BBC to appear on its popular Top Gear programme, on which he was a main presenter for 15 years. His cheery presence became a popular part of the programme, and he moved from rallying to driving all manner of vehicles, from vintage Rolls-Royces, Reliant Robins, tanks, fire engines and Eddie Stobart trucks. After he was famously bombarded with snowballs during a report on the Monte Carlo Rally, he became even better known, with the famous out-take being shown on programmes around the the world.
Tony Mason’s light-hearted, jovial persona transfers from television to page in this autobiography, taking readers on a trip from his early life in the seaside town of Morecambe through almost 100 countries, with thrills, spills, ups-and-downs all vividly remembered and often shown in photographs.More info.

NEW! AUTHOR PROFILE No. 1: BRUCE TAYLOR

New feature!

Bruce Taylor has authored two Veloce books on the fabulous Alfa Romeo Montreal V8 coupé. Alfa Romeo Montreal – The Dream Car That Came True is a beautiful introductory pictorial tribute to the Montreal with over 575 illustrations, while Alfa Romeo Montreal – The Essential Companion is a comprehensive 320-page technical bible for Montreal owners or potential owners.


My first car – who says that low profile tyres are a new idea?

“My first real automobile was a rather dilapidated 1937 Series I Morris 8, purchased when I was an 18 year-old student for the £25 that I had earned felling trees as a summer job. I recall that I was the object of a house meeting and severe reprimand, after naively rebuilding its 23hp side-valve engine on the pristine lawn in front of a certain prestigious university hall of residence!

After MoT testing (the British annual roadworthiness check) began in 1961, that car had to be scrapped and I borrowed money to invest in a new Ford Anglia 307E van, bought for £379. (At the time, commercial vehicles were not subject to purchase tax, which made them much cheaper than private cars). A few hours’ work with a Monodex steel sheet nibbler allowed me to fit large side windows, transforming the van into a very practical estate car, in which I toured much of Europe for eight years with youthful joy and no serious technical problems at all.

Being a keen radio ham I fitted the car with a powerful shortwave rig, and much of the rear space was taken up by the bulky vacuum-tube transmitter and its massive ex-WD high-voltage rotary transformers. With no seatbelts, and two auxiliary car batteries behind my back, I shudder to think what would have happened in the event of a frontal collision! After moving to a new job in Geneva, I found that a RHD converted van was unsaleable there and gave it away to a young hitch-hiker, who drove it back to her home in the UK and ran it for three more years before it finally succumbed to the tin worm.


My cute little GT6 coupé was cheap and lots of fun.

My next car was a personal import MkII Triumph GT6, a fast little 104hp coupé that suited the new wide-open autoroutes and speed-limit-free motoring of the time. In 1969 I could sprint from Geneva to Venice in 5 hours, which is still quite a good time today in spite of the much-improved roads. But it was a very unreliable car, and in addition to numerous other problems the Smiths instruments failed repeatedly, the propshaft had to be rebalanced three times, and the engine seized after less than two years. To its credit, Triumph accepted responsibility for the oil starvation defect which caused that, and supplied a replacement engine, even though the car’s 12-month/10,000km warranty had already expired.

I first fell for the Alfa Romeo Montreal at a Geneva Motor Show, and was most impressed with the exotic new Italian GT. But the price tag of CHF 40,450 was ten times more than the trade-in price that an Alfa dealer offered for my GT6. So I came away with only a Montreal sales brochure, which today is worth something as a collector’s item!


The original Montreal concept car is in the Alfa Romeo museum in Arese.

After driving and tinkering with the Triumph GT6 for seven happy years, in 1976 I bought one of the first Alfetta 2000 GTVs to be imported to Switzerland. The 2-litre GTV engine was a blast, and the car's handling was infinitely better than the GT6. But build quality was mediocre, the electrics were unreliable, and the body – built from imperfect recycled steel – rotted through from the inside in less than seven years. After this experience, I changed to driving Honda Preludes and vowed never to buy another Alfa, even though the factory claimed that these problems had been solved in later cars!

My wife, Jennifer, also appreciated the reliability and build quality of Honda cars, and drove a sporty red CRX del Sol until the arrival of our first child rendered that 2-seater impractical. The CRX was resold to a young man who paid for the car with a big roll of 50-franc notes, which did seem a little odd! Jennifer’s next auto was a splendid 1992 Daimler XJ40. These are very fine cars after the hydraulic self-levelling system has been removed and other initial design weaknesses corrected. Her Daimler has now clocked up over 210,000km and still drives beautifully.


Jennifer’s beautiful 1992 XJ40 has now clocked up over 210,000km.

But the Alfa virus is not so easily laid low, and I was finally lucky enough to acquire an excellent metallic brown 1972 Montreal that became available in the Geneva area. In fact, many Montreals have survived the years very well, since they were fabricated before the unfortunate recycled steel episode, and the bodywork was treated on an advanced finishing line that had been set up by Bertone in October 1970.

The Montreal has a splendid race-bred Carlo Chiti 200hp V8 engine and is a wonderful classic car to drive, but I soon found that detailed technical information about it was hard to come by. As a result, the car was considered a complex and temperamental automobile that is difficult and expensive to keep in good running order. Local Alfa dealerships were of little help, and were mainly interested in selling new models. When I enquired about spare parts at the main Fiat Auto centre in Geneva, the storeman replied “Montreal? Is that a Lancia?”


Not all Alfas are red! This finish was aptly named “Luci del Bosco”.

And the Montreal’s mechanical Spica fuel injection system was not well known. When my car initially failed an emissions test, the garage inspector started to unscrew the air filter cover. “Why are you doing that?” I asked. “To adjust the carburettors” was the mechanic’s reply! It took several years to discover little by little how the car was put together, track down what Montreal factory information existed, and reverse engineer some of the parts that were not documented. How could this useful information be shared with other Montreal owners?

In 1990 my CERN colleague, Tim Berners-Lee, created the very first WWW server. He put a computer in the corridor outside my office with a card saying 'Something new – try this'! I did, and was hooked immediately. After creating several websites for my work, I began to think that this new medium could be excellent for leisure activities, too. So I made a few private hobby websites, including one devoted to the Alfa Romeo Montreal: www.alfamontreal.info. Since the counter was reset in June 1996, that Montreal website has received over 500,000 visits. I am still updating and expanding it as I learn more about this interesting car, and I hope that this will make the information increasingly useful to Alfa Romeo Montreal enthusiasts everywhere.


The 200hp Montreal V8 is redlined at 7000rpm.

More than a century ago, the poet José Marti said that in his lifetime every man should plant a tree, make a child, and write a book. Having done the first two more than once, and encouraged by the popularity of the Montreal website, I set out to find a publisher for a book about the Alfa Romeo Montreal. This was not easy. Books can only be published if they are commercially viable, and the first question a publisher asks is “How many of these cars were produced?” Unfortunately, fewer than 4000 Montreals were built!

To its great credit, Veloce finally took the risk of publishing a quality 320-page hardcover for the small niche market of Montreal owners and potential owners. This Essential Companion book is about buying, maintaining and improving the car, and contains much technical information and many practical tips. It also contains information about Montreal history, production, racing, meetings, reviews, drawings, art, special tools, paint finishes, models, prices and service providers. I was delighted when it was commended by Christopher Reitz, the Director of Alfa Romeo Centro Stile, and voted 'Best Book of 2008' by Classic & Sports Car Magazine.

Veloce has published two books about the fabulous Alfa Montreal.

Encouraged by this, Veloce published a second book in 2009 - an introductory pictorial tribute to the Montreal that is addressed to a wider readership of classic car enthusiasts. Today, Montreals are readily available in Europe at very reasonable prices. I hope that these two books may help owners get the best from their cars, and show other discerning classic car enthusiasts that the Alfa Romeo Montreal is a hidden treasure well worth seeking.”

Bruce Taylor
twitter.com/alfamontreal

Wednesday 1 May 2013

AUTHOR ROY SMITH SIGNING GORDINI BOOKS

Yesterday Roy Smith signed copies of Amédée Gordini – a true racing legend for historic car specialist Eddie McGuire.



Eddie McGuire is a gentleman racing driver of some note. He owns several historic racing cars including the only racing Gordini sports car that is raced on a regular basis. The Type 23 Gordini GCS19 as driven by Jean Behra. Eddie has a lot of friends so he bought several books and asked Roy to sign them all, each with a special dedication.

Amédée Gordini – a true racing legend
By Roy Smith.

This is the story of a man, a team, and their life and times, as well as a complete record of all their achievements and failures. It logs the financial and personal cost of racing in the prewar and postwar periods. It tells of how the mighty car company Renault became involved with them in the late 1950s, and how Amedee Gordini became known throughout the world as one of the greatest engine tuners of his time. More info.



Independent reviews

'Book of the month' - Classic & Sports Car, May 2013.

'The wealth of information here is staggering, and the race-by-race summary is particularly welcome' - Octane, May 2013.

'Utterly absorbing' - Classic Cars, May 2013.

'Gordini's endless enthusiasm and prolific output make for an involving tale.' – MotorSport, June 2013

PETROLICIOUS RACES PAST 2M VIDEO VIEWS

One of our favourite websites, Petrolicious , the Vintage Car Culture Site, Sprints Past Two Million Video Views in Under Six Months

In just under six months, Petrolicious’ series of original videos celebrating vintage car culture have been watched over 2 million times. Before Petrolicious, quality content, especially videos, on vintage cars was scarce. Enthusiasts lacked a source for high-quality videos, photos and editorials that were both informative and inspiring.

“It’s great to see so much interest from fellow enthusiasts around the world,” says Afshin Behnia, incurable Alfista and CEO of Petrolicious. “Daily, we’re connecting with people in Japan, South Africa, the Middle East, and of course in Europe and the US who share our passion for classic cars. There is a huge audience out there that seeks tasteful, beautiful content - our incredible growth in viewership validates that.”

Dedicated to its Drive Tastefully® philosophy, Petrolicious set out to enrich the market with engaging narratives and deliver them with a deep appreciation and deference for design and aesthetics. Petrolicious visitors can browse through profiles on rare classics and charismatic personalities, dive into inspirational histories, or learn about buying their first vintage car.

Fueled by passion rather than marketing dollars, the site’s organic growth testifies that market void. Over 100,000 unique visitors per month consume over half a million pages, and more than 1.5 million Facebook users are exposed to Petrolicious content each month. The site has already expanded to include contributors across the globe, and Petrolicious has been approached by advertisers and brands looking to tap into its growing and targeted audience.
“Being somewhat new to classic car culture, what is really thrilling for me is the praise we’ve gotten from people who have stumbled on our site from adjacent interest areas like design or art,” says Kika Vigo-Behnia, Executive Creative Producer, Petrolicious. “You can genuinely feel their excitement when they tell us they come to the site for the beauty of the content, and as a result learn something about vintage cars. I love that we’re able to connect with people at that level, welcome them to the club, and share our passion.”

About Petrolicious
Petrolicious is dedicated to quality, original videos and editorial content for classic car enthusiasts.
We celebrate the inventions, the personalities, and the aesthetics that ignite our collective lust for great machines. We are fans and fanatics, collectors and racers. At Petrolicious we seek to entertain, inspire, and inform our community of enthusiasts and pique the interest of those who have been missing out.

Join the Petrolisti. Entertain your passion. Drive tastefully®.



Source: Petrolicious