COMPETITION TIME!

How would you like to win a truly unique, signed drawing by Graham Hull? Author of the recently-published book Inside the Rolls-Royce & Bentley Styling Department 1971-2001, Graham joined Rolls-Royce and Bentley Motors, Crewe, in 1971. He became chief stylist, responsible for both marques in the mid '80s, and was deeply involved in the spectacular rebirth of Bentley.

This completely original one-off A3 render of Graham Hull's 2014 personal concept artwork suggestion of how a modern, bespoke, luxury Coupé might look, was produced especially for Veloce last month, and we are giving it away to one lucky winner!

To be in with a chance of winning this exclusive piece of original automotive artwork, by an expert in his field, simply answer the following question:

Inside the Rolls-Royce & Bentley Styling Department 1971-2001 by Graham Hull is packed with photos, designs & sketches like the image above. How many pictures are there in Graham Hull's new Rolls-Royce & Bentley book?

To give you a clue, the answer can be found on the book description page here.

Email your answer to prize@veloce.co.uk. One lucky winner will be selected at random from all the correct entries on 30th April 2014.

AUTHOR PROFILE No.10: ULI CLOESEN

Uli Cloesen has authored five books for Veloce, with another in the pipeline for 2014. A soft spot for ’70s flat twins resulted in him writing his first book about customised BMWs. This well-received publication led to a series of other titles about custom motorcycles and the café racer genre.

"Growing up near Stuttgart in Germany in the ’70s, locally-produced Kreidler mopeds were king among 16-year-olds. I couldn’t stretch to a revered Kreidler Florett RS, so instead settled for a Maico MD50 moped, bought with a year’s savings from a newspaper round.

1975: See the full Maico MD50 moped spec here.
"During my apprenticeship in 1976, a Yamaha RD 250 marked my introduction to real biking, and man, you could thrash it around the hills with gusto!
"Soon realising that being on full throttle wasn’t what I wanted long-term, my next bike was a red Kawasaki Z 440 Ltd twin. This soft chopper – with a more relaxed four-stroke engine, good looks, great sound and torque – made for an easier relationship (and a longer lifespan). It was even a reliable companion for touring Europe, but the small fuel tank and stepped seat weren’t ideal for long days in the saddle.

1980: On the Kawasaki Z440 Ltd somewhere in the Spanish Pyrenees.
"Soon after returning from the Pyrenees, and wanting something more suitable for touring, a BMW R45 became the next steed. My dad had a BMW sidecar in the ’50s, in which I was a regular passenger on my mother’s lap from the age of one, which must have surely steered me towards BMWs.
"After a few years spent in Berlin I moved to the Black Forest region in Germany, and a more nimble Yamaha SR500 replaced the R45 BMW, which, although nice, had proved somewhat underpowered for its weight. But what can I say? Once into BMWs, always into BMWs, and from the mid ’80s I was the proud owner of a BMW R80ST: a bike that didn’t really sell that well in its day, even though it was as flickable as a 250cc bike, and, despite its 800cc displacement, not too heavy, torquey, and with an honest 50hp.

1985: On a trip through Ireland. It rained 2 weeks out of 2 and a half, but I loved the place.
"The late ’80s saw me moving to New Zealand to start a family, and for some time I rode only a mortgage, but a trip to India brought me back to biking. Smitten by the Royal Enfields that roamed the streets of the subcontinent, I had a used 350cc RE Bullet shipped to New Zealand for some Bulleteering on home turf.

2004: Come on, start up! About to head off, with my daughter’s school friend keen to come for a ride.
"Did I say I contracted the BMW bug? Won over by a blue 1977 R75/7 I spotted in the local buy, sell & exchange paper, I continued the BMW chapter. What a mistake to sell her some years later.

2005: This R75/7 had near 200,000km on the clock, but never missed a beat, never let me down. It was a great companion on fabulous New Zealand back roads.
"I always liked the engine of the early Yamaha Viragos, and in 2009 an ’81 Yamaha XV 750 (with its unfortunate starting problems) ended up in my garage. This bike was my last from the land of the rising sun – so far.
A spontaneous click on eBay during a one-year stay in the UK won me a BMW R60/7 in need of TLC. This is the latest Beemer I have bought, and it won’t be the last.
"My lifelong passion for motorcycles, together with redundancy from a teaching job, prompted me in 2009 to begin writing about bikes. I have an investigative mind, which leads me to write books on subjects where others haven’t gone before, and Veloce Publishing has been the perfect partner for such endeavours. New titles for 2014 will be British Custom Motorcycles, followed by Italian Café Racers. I am also working on a book about Italian sidecars for a German publisher, entitled Italienische Gespanne."

Click here to view all books by Uli Cloesen.

NEW AUDI TT READY TO TAKE SHAPE IN GENEVA

A new take on one of the most iconic Audi models in recent years will be unveiled next month.

At next month’s Geneva Motor Show Audi will pull the wraps from a completely new iteration of the compact sports car that tore up the rulebook and changed the course of design in its class at its 1998 launch. For the third generation of the iconic TT, the designers have reinterpreted a host of ideas from that first, game-changing template.

The front end of the new Audi TT has dominant horizontals. The Singleframe grille is broad and flat. Two contours form a V-pattern over the bonnet. The position of the four rings is also new - they now sit centrally on the hood, echoing the R8.

Struts divide up the large air inlets. The headlights repeat this motif – they are structured with divider struts acting as reflectors for the daytime running light. Audi can supply the headlights as an option with LED technology or its pioneering Matrix LED technology, where controllable individual light-emitting diodes generate the main beam.

Many details of the new Coupé’s profile are reminiscent of the first generation’s classic design. The sill contour forms a powerful light edge and the wide wheel arches constitute distinct geometrical entities. At the front, the wheel arch intersects the bonnet join, which continues over the door as the tornado line and extends all the way to the rear. The flat greenhouse looks like an entity in its own right. The shape of the C-pillar, with a slight kink, gives the TT a powerful, athletic look and enhances the impression of tension.

At the rear, too, horizontal lines reinforce the wide and focused impression. The struts in the rear lights pick up on the headlights’ motif. They remain permanently on – another Audi innovation. The third brake light with a flat strip shape links the two units on either side. All engine versions have two large, round exhaust tailpipes in the diffuser. Like all Audi S models, the TTS features four tailpipes.

Inside, too, the styling is so light it almost seems to float, evoking the clean sports car character of the new Audi TT. The centre console and door trims have flowing, matching shapes. Seen from above, the dashboard resembles the wing of an aircraft. The round air vents, a classic TT feature, have a turbine-like look and incorporate the air conditioning controls. This solution – and the elimination of the central MMI monitor, now replaced by the Audi virtual cockpit – paves the way for the dashboard’s remarkably slim architecture.

Sharper lines and a more dramatic interplay between surfaces will be particularly notable features of the third generation of the Audi TT, but they only scratch the surface of a pedigree sports car that has been systematically refined in every department, both inside and out.

Coming soon from Veloce!
Audi TT – All Mk1 (8N) models: 1998-2006 - The Essential Buyer's Guide
By Mark Davies

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

More info.

25TH ANNIVERSARY OF MAZDA MX-5 MIATA

First-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata
On February 9, 1989, the world was introduced to the all-new Mazda MX-5 Miata at the Chicago Auto Show. A few months later, it was named as one of the five "World's Best Cars" by Road & Track and never looked back.

Twenty-five years later, MX-5 has racked up more than 200 awards and sold more than 920,000 worldwide as of December 2013, making it the Guinness Book of World Records holder for "Best-Selling Two-Seater Sports Car." Adding to these great achievements, more MX-5s are road-raced on any given weekend than any other model of car.

"The MX-5 Miata has hit a number of milestones over the years and we're honored to say that 25 years later it's as much a global success and favorite among enthusiasts as it was on day one," said Jim O'Sullivan, president and CEO, Mazda North American Operations (MNAO). "At the Chicago Auto Show in 1989, MX-5 Miata set the bar for sports car performance and driving pleasure. Here we are on its 25th birthday still looking up at that bar."

MX-5's success is that it has not strayed from its promise to deliver pure driving enjoyment at an attainable price. Its introduction in 1989 revived the two-seat roadster segment, and it went on to be named to Road & Track's "World's Best Cars" list and was 14-times one of Car and Driver's "10Best".

Enthusiasts are encouraged to wish the MX-5 Miata a happy birthday on Twitter using the hashtag #MX5Turns25.

Available from Veloce!

Mazda MX-5 Miata 1.8 Enthusiast's Workshop Manual
By Rod Grainger

Phenomenally detailed book which covers the car from bumper to bumper. Every detail of important repair and maintenance jobs is covered.
More info.

Available from Veloce!

Mazda MX-5 Miata – The Essential Buyer’s Guide
By Carla Crook

Having this book in your pocket is just like having a marque expert by your side. Benefit from the authors years of real 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!

More info.

REVIEWS ROUND-UP

What people are saying about recently published Veloce books ...

The Book of the Ferrari 288 GTO by Joe Sackey
Alpine Renault – the fabulous berlinettes by Roy Smith
Inspired to Design – F1 cars, Indycars & racing tyres: the autobiography of Nigel Bennett

AUTHOR PROFILE No.9: ADRIAN STREATHER

The story of Adrian Streather, Porsche specialist, and author of no fewer than 15 Veloce books, so far ...

Adrian Graham Streather was born on December 25, 1958 in Basingstoke Hampshire. His earliest memory of a car is riding on his mum’s lap whilst his father drove around the block in an old 1938 Ford Prefect. Aged about four, Adrian remembers sitting with his father and building their first Airfix model, a Le Mans-winning Bentley. However, Adrian’s interest soon turned to aircraft. In 1975, aged 16, he joined the Royal Australian Air Force as an apprentice, serving 12 years until 1987 as an Instrument Fitter (Scientific Instrument Maker).

It was during Adrian’s military service that he found his niche in research and writing. Technical publication duties always seemed to land in his lap. It was also around this time that his interest in cars was reignited. Firstly, he purchased a Fiat 124 1800S Coupé with dreams of installing an Abarth kit, then one day in 1978 he was overtaken on the freeway by a pair of brand new Porsche 911SCs. He didn’t see them for long, but he certainly remembers yelling out: “I’ve got to get me one of those!”
With his interest in the automotive world reawakened, Adrian took up motorsports. He joined a local car club (becoming its Confederation of Australian Motorsports (CAMS) representative) and went racing. And not just in cars – he also dabbled in motorcycle racing. After a very short racing career, a Suzuki GS1000S motorcycle even became Adrian’s personal riding machine.
Adrian and a friend built a Ford RS2000 rally car with a lot of help from rally and racing legend Colin Bond, and he progressed a little further with the Ford brand, but truthfully, the less said about Adrian’s short motorsport career the better! Adrian loved the racing, the gladiatorial contest, but was put off by the politics and pecking order that dominated the period. In the end, the ever-increasing financial cost, marriage and children brought his racing career to an end, thank goodness!
After leaving the Air Force in 1987, Adrian found his way into civil aviation, but the desire to own a Porsche was still there. During Christmas 1992 Adrian was invited to join an Austrian airline that had its main base in Switzerland. He accepted, and in April 1993 he left for Switzerland, where on arrival he was appointed the airline’s Engineering Manager. His family followed in July 1993. In May 1993, Adrian purchased his first Porsche: a model year 1979 924. Adrian progressed onto a 944, and finally in 1998 he purchased his first 911, a 964 series Carrera 4. He was hooked for life.

The 911 bug totally consumed Adrian, and almost became a way of life. However, Adrian quickly discovered that the sum of technical knowledge about the 964 series was extremely limited, and filled with many myths. Having a problem on his own C4 that nobody could diagnose or repair, he set himself the task of finding out everything he could about the inner workings of the C4. Within a year Adrian found himself instructing the mechanics at his local repair facility on how the 964 C4 worked. His experiences and running of technical sessions on the 964 series led him to write his first Porsche book, solely dedicated to the 964 series of 911s. Titled Porsche 911: The Enthusiast’s Companion, it was published by Bentley Publishers of Cambridge Massachusetts, USA.

Other 911s followed, but the 964 Carrera 4, with its mechanical gear, shaft and differential-driven all-wheel-drive system, remains Adrian's favourite of all the Carrera 4s across the five model series. Adrian still runs Porsche 911 technical sessions, with a whole 2014/2015 programme planned for 'down under.'

It was during the time of writing this first book that tragedy struck the Streather family. On March 29th 2002, Gail and Adrian’s daughter, Natalie Louise Streather, aged 17 years and 9 months, died in Zürich. The outpouring of support for the Streather family from the Porsche community worldwide was overwhelming. Natalie’s name was carried to victory on the front of the class winning The Racer’s Group Porsche 911 GT-3 at Le Mans in 2002. Her name was also carried to outright victory at the Daytona 24 hour race in 2003 by the same team.

In June 2005 Adrian and Gail hosted special guests and Porsche enthusiasts from the USA and Europe at the Chateau de la Voloniere. Proceeds from this event were donated to the Natalie Louise Streather Memorial Fund founded by Gail and Adrian in the UK, and transferred to Rennwish in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA. The donated funds were used to help construct a new school for young women in Haiti. Previous donations to the fund were used to establish an 'Excellence in Art' award for outstanding art students at Gail’s old school, Salisbury High.
Adrian's second Porsche book was on the 911SC series, and was the first of the Essential Companion series published by Veloce. It was quickly followed by the Porsche 911 (993) and Porsche 911 (996) Essential Companions. Veloce has also published numerous other Porsche-related books authored by Adrian, including the Porsche 964, 993 & 996 Data Plate Code Breaker, and eight Porsche Essential Buyer's Guides. Veloce also published Adrian’s Ford GT: Then and Now book, which included photos of a tour of Essex in the real thing.

Some of Adrian’s published books have been licensed by Veloce for publication in Germany and France.

Veloce created the Battle Cry series and published two of Adrian’s books on Soviet military uniforms, of which he is a collector.

Adrian has also written an automotive-related biography for another publisher, released in English and Turkish. His next contracted book with Veloce is another Essential Companion, this time covering the first generation of the 997 series. He will also be writing an Essential Buyer’s Guide on the same series. In October 2013, Adrian and his wife Gail relocated from Switzerland back home to Adelaide, Australia, which for the moment has left him Porscheless. He’s not without wheels, and he has an Adelaide Metrocard, but it’s a major change from the good old days.

Click here to view all Veloce books by Adrian Streather.

VELOCE READERS' RIDES #2

Thanks to Catherine Flatt for sending us pictures of her awesome 1963 Corvette Sting Ray, which she purchased just before Christmas. The car has a detachable roof, is fully race-prepared and has FIA papers. It is eligible for the Spa 6 Hours, and Catherine hopes to enter the car in Le Mans Classic 2016.

The car being readied for racing.
"At the first Le Mans Classic I was one of only 6 women out of 1,200 drivers and was on the Motor Sports Association Judicial Panel for five years. I was 50 in July last year.

I have now handed my racing boots to my stepson, Pete Flatt, and son, Tom (his 21st birthday present this summer was his ARDS test, but he has yet to take it because he had a serious shoulder surgery just before his birthday).

I have had the roll cage removed (it is very easy to put back on) and the original driving seat put back in. The suspension has been eased off for road use (again, easy to put back for racing) and have sent all the badges away for refurbishment. Everything on it is as original as possible (for the FIA papers, or whatever they are called now), but I have upset the Corvette Club of GB because it has been stripped out etc. However, it does still have the original 8-track cartridge radio/sound system!"

My son, Tom Green, looking like Steve McQueen.
"The Aston was my husband's car and we part-exed it for a 1998 Aston V8 Coupe but the Corvette is very much mine, and I swapped a 512 TR Ferrari for it. I used to have a Dino, but traded that for the 512 TR (obviously, a bit of money coming my way in each transaction) but thought that the Corvette would be much less "precious" than the TR and more fun for all the family. I think it is the only right-hand drive one in the world. It was previously owned by Silvio Berlusconi's right-hand man, Alberto Di Luca."

Me at Silverstone next to the 1953 Aston DB2/4 that I have raced at the Le Mans Classic three times (we sold it earlier this year).

My beautiful 1958 Maserati motorbike (yes, they really did make them for a few years!).Would you like to have your car/motorcycle featured by Veloce? Why not send us your photos and we'll feature the best ones here each month, and also in our newsletter, Facebook and Twitter pages.