BEST OF 2008

Two Veloce books were considered best book of 2008 in Classic and Sports Car magazine's end of year polls!

THE SMART WAY FROM LONDON TO EDINBURGH

The ASA have ruled in favour of smart, the iconic automotive brand, by supporting the brand’s London to Edinburgh television advertisement.

The ad shows a time-lapse sequence of the two-seater car driving from London to Edinburgh. The voiceover states that, “on one tiny 33 litre tank, a smart car can do 433 miles”.

The ASA has investigated and rejected claims that the ad is misleading.

In their adjudication the ASA stated: “We considered that the VCA* figures in conjunction with Mercedes’ evidence was sufficient to support the claim that a smart car could do 433 miles on one tank of petrol. We concluded that the ad was not misleading.”
Source:newspress

Coming soon! the little book of smart – New Edition! By Paul Jackson.
In the little book of smart, now featuring a brand new extra chapter, author and smart fanatic Paul Jackson guides us through the history of the brand, its highs and lows, its successes and failures, up to the present day, with the very latest fortwo line-up promising major sales worldwide and, of course, helping to pave the way for a future for smart in the USA. It’s a fascinating tale, told succinctly and in an entertaining style, and complemented by full colour photography throughout. 144 pages packed with over 100 colour pictures and entertaining text make this a great little book. Click here for more info about the book.

BOOK OF THE MONTH IN AUSTRALIAN CLASSIC CAR

Ford Escort RS Cosworth & World Rally Car by Graham Robson is awarded Book of the Month in the January edition of Australian Classic Car Magazine!

In his ‘Rally Giants’ series, Graham Robson aims to describe the shift in motor sport from reliability trials to the modern idea of road rallying. Today’s rally vehicles are engineered and driven with a focus on speed and strength first, and reliability second. They are high performance machines - with road-going homologation specials built pretty much as an afterthought to comply with regulations - not existing road cars tuned to stay the distance. Events are composed of a series of shorter intense races on closed road special stages instead of one long distance to endure over public roads.

Robson’s series approaches these changes through the development and competition histories of milestone vehicles, like the Ford Escort RS Cosworth in this book. By the late 1980s, Ford Motorsport (FM) was faced with the erosion of Ford’s competition status since the 1970s, an era dominated by the successes of the Escort Mk1 and 2. The RS200 had been too little, too late to stop the slide against Audi, Toyota, Subaru and Mitsubishi, Fiat, Peugeot and Lancia. The Sierra had looked promising but was too bulky and heavy to continue as it was.

It was critical that the new Cosworth succeed. Not only had Ford been the only British make consistently at the top level of world motor spot but it had also consistently made its technology and developments available to private buyers. This fact brings Robson to point out why new rally and race cars are important at all. The release of their homologation models affects car buyers’ expectations and thus, other manufacturers. Customers learn quickly what is possible from one year to the next, and expect to be able to buy it.

For example, once 4 wheel drive was accepted in rally cars after the Audi Quattro’s precedent, it was adopted for the Sierra Cosworth and refined in the lighter, nimbler RS to create the rallying breakthrough Ford needed. Car showrooms consequently began to reflect these changes.

Stuart Turner, director of FM at the outset of the project, and his team had all agreed that their next rally car had to be based on an existing mainstream model. “Why don’t we see if we can take the platform and running gear from a Sierra Cosworth 4x4, shorten it, then see if an Escort body will fit on it?” This line of development was more or less followed. The RS was 4½ years in the making, under four different directors, but it was worth it. In 1993, its first year, it won five World Championship rallies.

Readers will gain insight into Ford’s engineering methods and enjoy reading about the Ford Motorsport design team’s dynamics – the members really did work together. As one person’s idea was pursued, problems naturally emerged which other members would solve. Later chapters in the book explain the need to develop a World Rally Car, and the changes required to turn the Cosworth into that car.

Photo buffs will relish the colour images in the ‘Rally Years’ section taken on location across Europe, Africa and Asia - wherever the RS was competing. Personally, I liked reading the collection of biographies of engineers, rally drivers and other influential people in the Cosworth’s development. Among many team drivers taking the RS Cosworth to victory, Carlos Sainz was a standout, driving during 1996, a top year for the RS. An early driver worth getting to know was Francois Delacourt, and dashing, talented Ari Vatanen is regarded as a true enthusiast’s hero.

Click HERE for more info about the book!

1/2 PRICE VW CAMPER BOOKS!

Here's a great offer if ever there was one! These fantastic VW bus and camper books are now half price at £12.99 + p+p! Perfect for all VW fanatics!


VW Bus - 40 years of Splitties, Bays & Wedges By Richard Copping.

A unique volume dedicated to three generations of VW’s legendary Transporter making extensive use of the highly sought after artwork and photography of the age.





Volkswagen Camper – 40 years of freedom By Richard Copping.
Packed with original marketing images and using original promotional material – ranging from lavish photography to charming home-spun images – here is a complete record of all aspects of the VW Camper story. Includes layouts for the restorer of older models and those interested in the luxury associated with the third generation Wedge.



Volkswagen - The Air-cooled Era in Colour By Richard Copping.
All incredibly popular sixties design classics with enduring appeal, the original air-cooled Volkswagen cars and Transporters are fully explored in this fascinating book. A unique picture-led chronicle of the Volkswagen story through the fifties and sixties. This book makes extensive use of the artwork from contemporary promotional literature for a real retro feel. A must have for motoring enthusiasts and VW devotees alike.

Click book covers for more information

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!

NEW PORSCHE 911 GT3

The new Porsche 911 GT3, which will make its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show on March 3 2009, is the latest evolution of an iconic sports car. Embodying the essence of more than 23,000 Porsche racing victories, the 911 GT3 is the ultimate integration of driver and car and arrives in the UK this autumn.
In developing the second generation of the Type 997 911 GT3 into the most sporting and dynamic road-going 911 ever with a naturally-aspirated power unit, Porsche has applied a wide range of know-how gained in motor sport. Indeed, this is precisely why the new GT3 is truly impressive not only on the road, but also on the race track.

The 911 GT3 offers an even higher standard above all in two key areas: performance and driving dynamics. The proven six-cylinder naturally aspirated power unit now develops a maximum output of 435 hp (320 kW), up 20 hp over its predecessor. This results first and foremost from an increase in engine capacity by 200 cc to 3.8-litres and from improved cylinder head gas flow: now not only the intake, but for the first time also the exhaust camshafts, are adjusted by VarioCam.
The second emphasis in developing the 911 GT3 to an even higher standard was to further improve the car’s driving dynamics. For the first time, the 911 GT3 comes with a particularly sporting variant of Porsche Stability Management (PSM), offering the facility to deactivate both Stability Control (SC) and Traction Control (TC) in separate steps. And to give the driver unrestricted, individual control over the driving dynamics of his car, these functions are not reactivated automatically even under the most extreme driving conditions, but only at the touch of a button.
Source:newspress

Veloce Special Offer!
THE history of the Porsche 911 - 1963 to 2004 - in five volumes by Brian Long.
First shown as the 901 prototype at the 1963 Frankfurt Show, the 911 quickly built on the Porsche legend established by the 356 models. This and the previously published four volumes looks at the history of the evergreen 911 in definitive detail, covering 40 years of progress from the earliest design studies to the water-cooled cars of today.
Click here for more info about this special offer!

NEW FORD FOCUS RS

In the 40-year story of Ford RS, the marque has been applied sparingly, merited by only the most high-performance Ford machines of the time.

Six years have passed since the last Ford RS – the Mk1 Focus RS – finished its strictly limited production run. Now the famous badge has returned for its league of devoted fans and a new generation of performance car enthusiasts.

This new Focus RS is the product of Ford Team RS, headed by Jost Capito, a committed car enthusiast and racer. Alongside Capito is a small team of dedicated performance car and motorsport engineering specialists, led by Chief Programme Engineer, John Wheeler, whose own expertise stretches over 20 years of Ford performance and motorsport vehicles.

Team RS works hand-in-hand with Ford of Europe experts from across the engineering spectrum to create Ford’s performance road car range. More than 100 engineers have been involved in Focus RS and every one understood the weight of expectation that greets a new Ford RS model.

The 2009 production start for Focus RS has marked the 10th anniversary of Ford Focus and 40 years of Ford RS. More info:www.fordmedia.eu
Source:newspress

Fans of the Ford RS badge and its famous history will find interesting reading in these great books available from Veloce:

Rallye Sport Fords – The inside story by Mike Moreton.
The inside story of how Rallye Sport Fords were created by Ford in the 70s and 80s, enabling works’ and private teams to be fully competitive in national and international rallies and races, to win many championships, and, for RS cars to be bought by over 100,000 enthusiast customers. With over 100 photos and illustrations, many previously unpublished this previously untold story is brought vividly to life. Click here for more info.


Ford Escort RS Cosworth & World Rally Car (Rally Giants Series) by Graham Robson.
The Escort RS Cosworth, which began rallying in 1993, was one of the most ingenious designs of all time, and eventually became Ford's most successful model since the legendary Escorts of the 1970s. The combination of Cosworth power, four-wheel-drive transmission, and an effective aerodynamic package made it a Rally Giant in all conditions, and, until the all-new Focus WRC was launched in 1999, this generation of Escorts was the most effective rally car that Ford had ever produced. Click here for more info.