Marque1

ASTON MARTIN DB4GT "JET" SETS WORLD AUCTION RECORD

Every spring Bonhams holds an exclusive auction of Aston Martins at the original factory in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire. Some of the rarest and most beautiful Astons in the UK and Europe go on sale, providing a unique opportunity for a collector to snag something special. On Saturday, May 18th, 2013, the marque's centenary year, a one-off coupe by Bertone set a new world auction record price for an Aston Martin. The 1960 DB4GT "Jet" Coupe sold for £3,249,500 ($4,928,679).

The car was the last DB4GT off the production line and is a complete "one-off" with coachwork by Italian design house Bertone. Therein lies an interesting tale.

In 1960 Aston Martin commissioned Bertone to conceive and build a special Gran Turismo version of the DB4GT to be premiered at the 1961 Geneva Motor Show. It was a young Giorgetto Giugiaro who penned the design with its strikingly angular lines, a hint of his signature style as he went on to become one of the most celebrated automotive designers of our time. In 1969 Giugiaro established Italdesign, a research and development center responsible for the styling of prototypes and dozens of production cars. Including the VW Golf and GTI.

The Bertone Aston Martin was named the Jet, debuting in Geneva in 1961 alongside Jaguar's new E-Type. (What a show that must have been!) Its last owner, now deceased, purchased the car in 1986, then had it restored to concours condition by the factory. Obviously a dedicated enthusiast, he'd owned several other Aston Martins prior to acquiring the Jet. The car has won a remarkable 12 awards including "First in Class" at Pebble Beach and the Hurlingham Club, and "Best in Show" at Villa D’Este.

Clearly the world's well-heeled collectors knew a winner when they saw one. The DB4GT attracted intense interest from bidders in the room and on the telephones, with bidding escalating at increments of £100,000. Is it the most beautiful Aston Martin of all time? I'll leave it up to you to decide although I'm inclined to think the DB4 itself is a contender for that crown. Hard to improve on perfection. Just ask James Bond.

ON THE SHORES OF LAKE COMO, DREAMS OF A CLASSIC AUCTION

This is the time of year when my imagination takes me to Europe, as a spectator at the Monaco Grand Prix, and as an admirer of great classic cars at the Villa d'Erbe concours on the shores of Lake Como. I won't be attending either one due to a slight problem known as "lack of funds" but that won't stop me from dreaming. And it won't stop me from making fantasy bids at RM's Villa Erba auction, held in association with the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este on May 25th.

The auction will be one to remember with only 40 of the very best classics sourced from around the world. I've chosen to feature four in today's blog, four that I'd be delighted to own, each one rare and unique. Leading off is the car shown up top, a 1929 Bentley 6½-Litre Sedanca de Ville by H.J. Mulliner. I have a special affection for any car born in the same year that I entered this world (yes, I'm that old/young) and this Bentley appeals to me for its elegance and for the statement it makes about its owner. It was Bentley's 1929 Olympia Motor Show car.

It has a single overhead cam inline six-cylinder engine with three SU carburetors, producing 180 bhp from 6,597 cc. A four-speed manual transmission, semi-elliptic front and rear suspension, and four-wheel drum brakes are part of the specification. The coachbuilder was H.J. Mulliner, of Chiswick, who designed it as a Sedanca de Ville with a Barker-patented "de Ville extension." Since 2007 the car has been on display at the Bentley factory in Crewe, as well as being shown in the Bentley Company's heritage museum.

No less than five Ferraris will be offered, including this 1953 Ferrari 340/375 MM Berlinetta 'Competizione' by Pinin Farina, a car with a fabulous racing history. It was one of three works 375 MM competition cars entered at the 1953 24 Hours of Le Mans as an integral part of Ferrari’s manufacturer's championship team. It raced at the 24 Hours of Spa and the Carrera Panamericana, and won the 12 Hours of Pescara. It is the only works race car to have been driven in the World Sports Car Championship by three World Champions: Hawthorn, Ascari, and Farina.

The impressive specifications include a 340 bhp, 4,494 cc overhead camshaft V-12 engine with triple Weber 40 IF/4C carburettors, four-speed manual gearbox, independent front suspension with transverse leaf springs, live axle with parallel trailing arms and semi-elliptic leaf springs, four-wheel drum brakes, and tubular steel frame. This fabulous Ferrari, a concours winner, has appeared at Pebble Beach, the Louis Vuitton Classic, and the Goodwood Revival.

If I were to bid on a car purely because of its appearance, I'd surely choose this 1930 Bugatti Type 46 Coupé Superprofilée. It was designed by Jean Bugatti, Ettore's son, who created some of the most beautiful cars the world has ever seen. It is based on the Type 41 Royale, a massive, ultra-luxurious car that Bugatti intended as the ultimate statement in motoring. The Type 46 retains some of the Royale's styling but in a more manageable size and a more affordable (relatively) price.

"La Petite Royale," as it is sometimes called, features a 140 hp, 5,359 cc SOHC inline eight-cylinder engine with three valves per cylinder, three-speed manual transmission, front semi-elliptic leaf spring suspension, rear inverted quarter-elliptic leaf spring suspension, and four-wheel cable-operated drum brakes. It rides on a substantial wheelbase of 138 inches.

While it's not unusual to see a Mercedes 300SL at an auction, you won't see one like this twice. The 1962 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster has not only enjoyed a 5-year comprehensive restoration, it has been upgraded with contemporary technology to make it suitable for everyday driving. This includes changes to the valves and valve seats for use with unleaded fuel; a "123" electronic ignition system developed by a Dutch firm for F1 racing; and "Easydrive" electric power steering. Easydrive uses a hidden computer-controlled electric motor to assist steering effort and is manually adjustable according to the driver’s preference.

Originally delivered in Switzerland, it also includes a factory hard top and a new set of fitted luggage by Karl Baisch. The 2,996 cc overhead cam inline six-cylinder engine produces 240 bhp, delivered through a 4-speed manual gearbox. A coil spring independent front suspension, coil spring single-point swing axle rear suspension, and four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes complete the basic specifications. Some 300SL collectors may baulk at the changes made to this car but if it means being able to drive it almost anywhere, anytime, well, that makes sense to me.

As mentioned, these are just four outstanding classics out of forty to be auctioned, but RM has been wise enough to make the entire catalog available for downloading. So click here and enjoy yourself and if fortune allows you to be a real, live bidder, good luck. I can, by the way, make myself available for a ride in that beautiful Bentley, born in the same year.

A CLASSY COLLECTIBLE: PONTIAC FIREBIRD INLINE-6

The Pontiac Firebird was a consolation prize. In 1966 Pontiac's General Manager John Z. DeLorean had ordered the construction of a two-seat sports car called the Banshee. Weighing 500 pounds less than a Corvette and with almost the same horsepower, it offered dynamic styling with exciting performance. Too exciting for GM's top management however, who saw it as a competitor for the Corvette, not just a Mustang fighter. No way would Chevrolet give up sales of its star performer for a Pontiac.

The consolation prize was to be a derivative of the Chevrolet F-car Camaro, then under development. GM reasoned that it could sell more pony cars through two divisions than one, as Ford was doing with the Mustang/Cougar, so DeLorean got a car with the same body panels as the Camaro except for a distinctive front end. Meanwhile two driveable examples of the Banshee were completed and both survive today.

What didn't survive was the name. An ad agency (trust them to spoil the fun) did a dictionary check and found that "Banshee" was a spirit in Irish folklore which foretold a death in the family. A new name had to be found and that name was Firebird. Apparently the same ad agency missed the fact that "Firebird" in Indian mythology is a monster bird that swoops in and carries off little children. Just kidding, folks.

If DeLorean didn't get his sports car he did at least have the opportunity to include an inline 6-cylinder engine with an overhead camshaft. Also introduced for the 1966 Tempest, the base unit produced 165 hp from its 230 cubic inches. A 4-barrel Sprint version upped this to 215 horses. The base engine was backed by a three-speed manual or two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission but the Sprint added an optional 4-speed. The '67 Firebird's six later became available with a higher-compression four-barrel "H.O." version making 285 horsepower, substantially more than the 250 hp base V-8.

As Edmunds wrote in its historical review "it's too flippant to dismiss the Pontiac Firebird as an afterthought repackaging of Chevy's Camaro." That was certainly true with the overhead-cam six under the hood, which some experts claim made for a better balanced, better handling package than with a V-8. But by late 1970 that engine had been replaced with an uninspiring Chevrolet six making a mediocre 155 hp. What were they thinking, you ask? Americans were captivated by pushrod V-8 engines to the point where more exotic powerplants, in spite of their lightness and economy, were ignored. Except in Jaguars, Aston Martins, Maseratis, Ferraris and a few other fast continentals.

The Pontiac Firebird went on to greater glories with its race-winning Trans Ams, the Z-28s, the Formulas, the Esprits and other desireable variations, until, in 2002, by then graced with truly beautiful styling, GM killed both it and the Camaro. Less than a decade later management wrote off the Pontiac marque entirely. The Camaro has since made a comeback but the Firebird will never return except as an interesting collectible.

Admittedly the V-8s had the edge in performance but if I were seeking a classic Firebird I'd go back to the beginning and search for one with an H.O. 285 hp inline six. That was an engine worth keeping.

USED CAR LOT MYSTERY MACHINE: WAS IT A VAUXHALL 30-98?

It was the 1960s and I was driving my race car (a family sedan in disguise) to the track. We were about to pass one of those used car lots that inexplicably appear on country roads, miles from any town or city. I slowed just a little, curious about what might be on sale at low-rent prices. Suddenly I spotted a car so totally out of place it could have been from another planet. I hit the brakes and pulled over.

One thing was obvious. This was a sporting machine from a much earlier era. Decades earlier. By modern standards it was big and brutish, all engine and wheels, with two seats and a body that barely surrounded the internal mechanisms. It was silver, possibly unpainted aluminum. And at the top of the radiator sat a badge that read "Vauxhall."

At that point in my life I was aware of the Vauxhall marque but only as a British maker of small sedans. Owned by General Motors, the company was offering North Americans economy cars that looked more American than European. But I knew nothing of its history (it would be years before I began writing about classic cars) and never thought, for a moment, that Vauxhalls could also be race cars, or that the marque's origins went so far back.

If I'd been properly steeped in Vauxhall history I'd surely have known about the famous 30-98. The first 30-98 was built to satisfy racer Joseph Higginson's demand for a car to break the outright record at the famous Shelsley Walsh hillclimb, in return for which he would hand over a cheque for £2,000 to Laurence Pomeroy, Vauxhall’s Technical Director. Higginson’s car was completed on the evening of May 2, 1913, and the following day he set fastest time at the Waddington Fell hillclimb, convincing the factory that it was on to a winner.

Britain’s first car to achieve over 100mph, the 30-98 was built between 1913 and 1927, during which time 600 cars were produced at Vauxhall’s Luton factory, of which nearly a third survive today. And that's why 33 surviving models – around 20 per cent of the cars left in the world – recently charged up that same hill to celebrate the event that marked the debut of what was said to be "the first and best British sports car."

The famous hill was temporarily closed by Lancashire police for the occasion. Although regulations prevented cars being timed, the drivers were definitely aware of Higginson’s record (47.2 seconds on a rain-sodden track) and were determined to recreate his run as closely as possible. To say that those 33 cars were "driven with spirit" is an understatement. It must have been a stunning event to watch. And with those huge 4-cylinder engines, something to hear, as well.

I can't say for certain that the Vauxhall I saw on that country dealer's lot was a 30-98 but in my memory it appears to have been nearly identical. Unfortunately no one was there to explain the incongruity of an historic British sports tourer being surrounded by a collection of very ordinary used cars. It's a sight you would never, ever, see today.

You can, however, see images from the original run with video from the 2013 event by clicking here.

OH, TO BE A KID AGAIN, WHEN THE NEW CARS ARRIVED

There was a time, not so long ago, when new car introductions were major events, always in the early autumn, composed of equal parts mystery and pizazz. No more. New models can now be launched anytime, any season, by way of media introductions or on stage at international auto shows. It was more fun the old way. Just ask someone who was a kid back then.

With very few exceptions new models (in Canada and the US) would traditionally be unveiled in September or early October. Auto dealerships turned their showrooms into theatrical sets by decorating them with promotional material supplied by the manufacturers. Windows would be covered on the inside so that no one could see the new cars until the announcement day arrived. And then it became a celebration, featuring a host of special invitees, existing customers, and selected VIPs.

Kids, of course, were not invited. No matter. Those with an interest in automobiles would be up at sunrise on mornings when the new cars were delivered on auto carriers like the one in our photo. Because the cars were to be kept secret from a curious public they would most often be transported under cover, tightly wrapped in canvas. But once the truck arrived at the showroom those covers had to come off before any cars could be removed from the trailers, and that was the moment the kids had been waiting for. They got to see the new and flashy models first, up close, before they were hidden by blacked out showroom windows, 24 hours or more ahead of all those adults who were invited to the big party.

It was Nigel Matthews who got me reminiscing about this when he forwarded several black & white photos of car haulers in the 40s and 50s. Wonderful images of the past, including the sometimes stylish trucks that brought the new cars to the showrooms. All photos are from the John Jurkowski Collection.

Our lead photo is one you'll never see again: brand new 1950 Packards on their way to the showroom. Nor will you see this one (above), a load of 1948 Pontiacs, some covered like the Packards. Both marques have been consigned to history.

This handsome hauler is almost as attention-getting as the 1955 Buicks it is carrying. Not sure of the meaning of the sign, though.

Fords all the way in this one: transport, cars, and a nice new pickup, all from 1946; first new automobiles after WW2.

Ah, yes, we love those panel trucks of yesteryear. These 1948 Fords were a handsome addition to the line and must have warmed the dealer's heart when they arrived.

The 1956 Oldsmobiles had so much style and performance that heads must surely have turned when these 2-tone beauties passed by on the trailer.

Last in this group but certainly not least, the 1956 Studebakers achieved a new level of automotive design from the Raymond Loewy group. Arguably the best looking cars of their era. Note the presence of Studebaker pickups on the trailer.

[Photos: The John Jurkowski Collection]

GREATEST ALL BRITISH CAR SHOW, VANCOUVER 2013

It can be hard to measure greatness but by most standards Vancouver BC's ABFM (All British Field Meet) must be one of North America's finest British car shows. The number and variety of automobiles (more than 600 in 61 classes), the uniqueness and rarity of some of those cars, the commercial displays, the lovely setting of Van Dusen Botanical Gardens; all combine for a very special day. For 2013 that date is Saturday, May 18th and it's one not to be missed if you enjoy British cars and live in British Columbia or nearby Washington.

Like most great car shows, the ABFM has its own official poster. This year it's as unique as some of the cars featured in the show, for the poster features four new paintings by Vancouver artist Bill Richards: an Aston-Martin, a Morris Minor, an Austin Healey, and a Vincent motorcycle. Widely known for his automotive paintings and drawings, Richards uses a mixed-media technique combining ink and watercolour on paper to produce a luminous effect. Examples of his recent work will be on display at this year’s Vancouver ABFM vendors area.

Featured marque at the ABFM this year is Aston Martin plus "A Century of Morris Motors, 60 Years of Austin Healey, and 85 Years of Vincent Motorcycles." It should be fascinating to discover the cars and bikes that will appear in those categories and I suspect that among them will be vehicles you and I have never seen before nor even knew existed. Personally I'm looking forward to that magic moment when the best of British cars bloom amid the beauty of Van Deusen Gardens on May 18th.

OWN A SPECIAL PIECE OF HUDSON HISTORY AT AUBURN SALE

For those of us old enough to remember, it seems like only yesterday that Hudson was a proud manufacturer of fine, middle-class automobiles. Hudsons were part of mainstream America, competing with marques like Buick, Nash, and Studebaker, known for advanced engineering and styling. For a few years the company also produced a handsome lower priced spin-off, the Terraplane.

Hudson's many admirers would never have believed that the company, which began producing cars in 1909, financed by Joseph L. Hudson, founder of Detroit's Hudson department store, would ever shut its doors. Yet in 1957, after being merged with Nash-Kelvinator into American Motors, Hudson, by then just a badge-engineered replica of its former self, faded into history. Fortunately for those who recall the halcyon days of Hudson and also for the edification of those who don't, collectors have kept the name alive by restoring and maintaining examples of the marque.

One man who clearly had a love affair with Hudsons, was John Soneff. Although his collection included a variety of makes, Hudsons predominated. And it is Hudsons that will catch everyone's attention at Auctions America's Auburn Spring Collector Car Sale, which takes place on the weekend of May 9-11 at the historic Auburn Auction Park. A number of cars from the Soneff Collection are being offered for sale, including the Hudsons shown here. I've chosen these six cars partly because they represent different eras in Hudson history and, well, just because I like them.

The car in our lead photo is a 1929 Hudson Model R Landau Sedan. It features Biddle and Smart coachwork on a Model R 122.5-inch wheelbase chassis, with a 288.5-cid, 92-hp inline six-cylinder engine and three-speed floor-shift manual transmission. Options include dual sidemounts, front and rear bumpers, trunk, radiator shutters, sidemount mirror, driving lights, and steel wire wheels.

The Terraplane began life as a lower-price Essex Terraplane but by 1934 the Essex name had been eliminated. Terraplane was a wonderful name for a car in those years, combining "Terra" (earth) with "Plane" (as in aeroplane) at a time when people were fascinated by the concept of travel by air. The car's design also had elements of art deco in its styling. The car being auctioned is a 1936 Terraplane Coupe with a 212-cid, 88-hp inline six-cylinder engine and three-speed floor-shift manual transmission. It comes with such delights as a rumble seat, rear-mounted spare, fender skirts, and wide whitewall tires.

Hudson also made pickup trucks both before and after WW2, though they were as much cars as trucks, being based on the sedans. Long, low, and sporty, Hudson pickups made play out of work. This 1942 example has been upgraded with a 1954 Hudson Hornet 308-cid inline six-cylinder engine, twin carburetors, dual exhaust, and Hydra-Matic transmission. One of only 67 1942 Hudson pickups produced, it was totally restored five years ago and has only 200 miles on it since then.

Clearly John Soneff had no problems with upgrading his Hudsons as this 1947 Hudson Super 8 Sedan reveals. It has a contemporary V-8 engine with an automatic transmission, power brakes, dual mirrors, Auto Meter gauges, and an AM/FM/cassette player. I'm somewhat of a purist myself but that wouldn't stop me from bidding on this "no reserve" Hudson. Reliable, too pretty to resist and probably a pleasure to drive.

In 1949 Hudson introduced its famous "step-down" cars, in which passengers stepped down onto a floor that was surrounded by the perimeter of the car's frame. This made the car safer, more comfortable, and greatly improved the roadholding, as Hudson proved when its racing Hornets dominated NASCAR from 1951 through 1954. The 49 Hudson Commodore 6 Convertible Brougham on offer comes with a Twin H-Power six-cylinder engine and column-mounted three-speed manual transmission. It has power windows, power top, and non-original power steering. A beauty, in my view.

When this 1954 Hudson Hornet Special 6 appeared, Hudson was in its last model year before being merged with Nask/Kelvinator. Which makes the car on auction rather special. It was the last "real" Hudson and with its rakish lines and 308-cid, 170-hp six-cylinder engine with optional Twin H-Power, still offered the style and performance that made the marque's reputation. Special Hornet emblems, hood scoops, exterior window shades and chrome wire wheels add to its uniqueness.

So there you have them, folks, six desireable Hudsons awaiting you in Auburn on May 10th and 11th. To see more of his Hudsons plus the rest of the John Soneff's collection, just click here. Then bid on one with my blessing. And, uh, a little envy, too.

[Photos: Auctions America]

IS THIS TAJIKISTAN'S ANSWER TO THE WOODWARD CRUISE?

For years we North Americans made fun of Russian cars, most of which failed to match our standards of styling and performance. Or so we thought. But the people who drove them often felt differently and now that those cars are getting old enough to be regarded as "vintage" or "collectibles" they're being maintained and restored with the same affection that we display for our Pontiacs and Plymouths.

It's all about memories, all about nostalgia, just as it is here. That's why you'll find personal collections in Russia, and interesting automobile museums, too. Of course there's nothing quite like our Woodward Cruise but the good folks of Tajikistan have their own version in the form of an old cars parade. For a Westerner it's quite fascinating to see so many makes and models that we only know by name, if that.

BBC World News covered the parade, which you can watch by clicking here. Obviously both car owners and spectators are having fun but wait... what's that MG doing in there? You've never seen anything like this before.

I HAVE SEEN THE FUTURE AND I APPROVE THIS MESSAGE

This morning as I walked through the parking lot next door I saw the car of tomorrow. The real car of tomorrow, and it's here today. At first glance I mistook it for a Maserati Quattroporte. Getting closer, I thought it was a Jaguar. Up close I discovered that this beauty was, in fact, a Tesla Model S, the all-electric luxury sedan.

Of course I've viewed dozens of photos of the Model S and read countless words but this was my first "live" sighting. I can tell you that the car is far more impressive when seen in all its three-dimensional glory. That it could be mistaken for the two cars mentioned above says a lot about the styling, which is conventional compared with, say, a Prius, but is elegant and quite beautiful. My enthusiasm for the design also includes the Tesla's interior, as good or better than any sedan you could name.

Obviously I didn't drive the Tesla Model S (it makes me wish I was back in the test driving business) so I'll have to turn to Edmunds.com for a quoteable review. Rest assured that Edmunds doesn't rush to superlatives that don't ring true. I seldom quote entire paragraphs but this opening is too well-written to ignore:

"Based on the electric cars that have come out so far, you'd assume that conventional automotive design says they have to be podlike devices with meager range, meager power and about as much charm as Des Moines. For its Model S, however, Tesla has taken that conventional thinking, stuffed it in a burlap bag, beat it incessantly with a crowbar and thrown it off a bridge."

The reviewer goes on to say that the Model S has "the potential for stunning performance in terms of both acceleration and handling." Clearly the car is a performer by any standard. With the base 40 kWh battery pack, it produces 235 horsepower with a range of just over 100 miles. The 60 kWh option gives 302 hp and has a 208-mile range, while the 85 kWh provides 362 hp and a 265-mile range. The top-of-the-line 85 kWh Performance model, says Edmunds, has the same range but is capable of 416 hp. Zero to 60 mph goes from an admirable 6.5 seconds to a blistering 4.3 seconds.

4.3 seconds? Now that's supercar territory! Potential buyers will, however, want to know how long it takes to recharge those lithium-ion batteries. Again quoting Edmunds, it appears that, depending on the model chosen, charging time is not unreasonable. "All Tesla Model S versions can use standard 110- and 240-volt household outlets. Using a 240-volt circuit, the base 40 kWh battery would take about 5 hours to fully charge. Bigger battery packs can also use a dual charging system that can half the charge time. Using this system, count on about four hours to charge the 60 kWh or 85 kWh packs. Tesla is also building a network of high-speed superchargers that promise 160 miles worth of charge in only 30 minutes."

Those are the key facts. To learn more about the Tesla Model S' handling, cornering, steering and brakes (all outstanding) I suggest you go to Edmunds Web site. Meanwhile try to stay with me for the following comment about the past, present, and future of electric cars, for that future is coming much faster than the pundits predicted and faster, too, than most executives at the big car companies are willing to admit.

For several decades my fellow automobile journalists looked on the electric car with as much enthusiasm as they would a Wartburg, East Germany's sad excuse for an automobile. Much of the criticism was aimed at the batteries, which were limited in range and would supposedly be expensive to replace. I suspect, also, that they were unwilling to give up the visceral effects of the internal combustion engine, things that give us emotional satisfaction. Electric motors do not roar they "whirr," they provide torque immediately instead of building under acceleration, and they don't require the art of manual gearshifting nor the use of more than one forward gear.

The auto executives, though at least spending a few million dollars on research and careful not to be too negative in their remarks, were insisting that the electric car's future was way, way off in the distance. Similar excuses were made regarding battery range and costs; even now they continue predicting that electric cars will make little dent in market sales until at least 2025, and even then just 5% or less. Meanwhile they insist that plug-in hybrids represent the best solution for fuel savings and environmental safety.

Except, however, for an industry leader who had the foresight to let one his companies develop a pure electric suited to family car buyers and priced where they could afford it. I'm talking about Carlos Ghosen, CEO and chairman of the Renault/Nissan alliance. Nissan's 2013 Leaf sells for US$21,300 after Federal tax savings and delivers mileage of 130 mpg city, 102 mpg highway. It gets up to 75 miles on a single charge, adequate enough considering that a normal trip for most of us is no more than 29 miles, with 40 miles per day for the average commute to work and back.

The first edition Leaf was rather plain in appearance but the newest model has enough flair in its styling to attract admiring glances. The car is utterly practical in its features, offering all the power assists, comfort, safety and performance potential buyers are accustomed to. As improvements to battery technology come along the Leaf's range will increase, making it suitable for longer trips. When Carlos Ghosen gave Nissan the go-ahead to develop this car he was looking far ahead and time will prove him right.

Indeed, changing battery technology is something that many critics and most automakers seemed to have ignored in their conservative predictions. Now I can't pretend for one split second to be knowledgable about technical matters but I've long been a believer in electrically-powered cars and when my peers were making known their conservative views I was saying "no, you're wrong... more powerful batteries will be developed at a faster rate than you're anticipating and a few will be revolutionary in concept." My opinion was based on a simple belief in mankind's inventiveness, especially when profit is to be made. So far I've been proved right and I still believe that affordable long range battery power is just around the corner, not in far off 2025.

As did Henry Ford and Thomas Edison. Regardless of his success with mass production and equal fame with the Model T, in effect creating a car for "the people" at a time when the motor car was largely a plaything for the rich, Henry Ford was actually convinced that the future lay in cars driven by electric storage batteries. His colleague in this remarkable vision was none other than long-time friend Thomas Edison, whose efforts in applying electricity to the needs of the world are legendary. Edison understood the limits of the lead-acid battery well enough to pursue other alternatives, eventually settling on a nickel-iron array that weighed considerably less than lead batteries, could deliver twice the range, and could be recharged in half the time. His vision included a recharging infrastructure linked to trolley lines, electrical stations extending from city to countryside, curbside charging stands not unlike our modern parking meters.

In 1910, Edison storage batteries powered streetcars in New York, conquered San Francisco's hills, survived endurance tests. That alone should have been enough to encourage Edison and Ford to continue their efforts had they not been forced to fight off an onslaught of exaggerated claims, negative advertising, and intense competition from the Electric Storage Battery Company, the misnamed monopoly that had allied itself with the internal combustion combine. But whether the genius of Thomas Edison and the wealth of Henry Ford might have succeeded in producing a viable electric car using nickel-iron battery technology is something we'll never know, for "The Great War" caused an immediate demand for thousands of vehicles that had to be reliable, easily-refueled, provide adequate power and range, and were ready for manufacture. Only one engine could meet that need. Internal combustion became the dominant source and the opportunity to develop a lightweight, powerful battery was lost for decades.

Elon Musk is co-founder of Tesla Motors and PayPal. He is an American entrepreneur who was born and raised in South Africa to a Canadian mother and a South African father. He is best known for founding SpaceX and for co-founding Tesla Motors and PayPal. He is also Product Architect at Tesla Motors and CEO and Chief Designer at SpaceX. The latter develops and manufactures space launch vehicles with a focus on advancing the state of rocket technology. NASA selected SpaceX to be part of the first program allowing private companies to deliver cargo to the International Space Station.

Musk's stated mission for Tesla is "to increase the number and variety of electric vehicles available to mainstream consumers in order to speed up humanity's move from a mine-and-burn hydrocarbon economy towards a solar electric economy, which is the primary, but not exclusive, sustainable solution." He is, in my opinion, a modern day Henry Ford, the man who transformed the way the world moves with his mass-produced, low cost Model T. HF would be proud.

HONEST TED'S SPRING SALE OFFERS TEMPTING DISCOUNTS TO CLASSIC CAR FANS

Every year at this time Wilkinson's Automobilia shop in Vancouver, BC, features "Honest Ted's Spring Sale," with massive discounts on model cars, books, brochures, clothing and a vast range of automobilia, until May 04. A few examples of in-store purchases offered from 20% to 60% off include: 1:43 scale models - 25% off; 1:43 Porsche models - 40% off; books - 25% off; 1:18 scale models 30% - 50% off; 1:24 scale models - 25% off; 2012 Formula 1 clothing up to 30% off; sales brochures - 20% off. And as they say, much, much more.

Having an empathy with mass-produced cars as well as rare classics I found myself attracted to a circa 1963 Peugeot 404 diecast model in 1:18 Scale by Norev. Just a humble sedan, you might say, but in French automobile history it enjoyed a role as a well-liked and highly successful family car. Appropriately, it is available for an equally humble $69.95 CDN. You can find this and many other unique models by visiting the store at 2531 Ontario Street in Vancouver, B.C. Or you can call (604) 873-6242.

Buy online, however, and enjoy 20% off any orders placed between Saturday April 27th and Saturday May 4th. As most of Marque1's viewers reside hundreds to thousands of miles from Vancouver, this is an easy way to take advantage of these great deals. Just click on eautomobila.com to see everything that's available.