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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.

NOW IN BOOK FORM, PORSCHE SHOWROOM POSTERS FROM THE FIRST 25 YEARS

Some of the most beautiful automotive art appears on posters, especially in the car industry's earlier years. European artists were masters at this, including those who did their work for Porsche. And now a book of Porsche factory-sponsored posters that originally appeared between 1949 and 1974 has been published for all to enjoy. Porsche Showroom Posters ~ The First 25 Years is the work of two of the best known and most active Porsche poster dealers in the world. In addition it provides access to the collections of several very focused owners, including Prescott Kelly, Jim Moran Jr., Jim Perrin, and the comedian Jerry Seinfeld.

Every poster is shown in large size with reference to the actual size and type on the border. You can also view it online, free, but having done so I can assure you it will definitely make you want one. Unfortunately the hard-cover edition, printed in very limited numbers, is sold out but the regular soft bound edition, printed on heavy stock, is still available. But listen up, Porsche fans... the soft-cover print was limited to 911 copies (wonder where they got that number?) so it will soon be gone. The very reasonable price is just $39.95 plus $8.00 for shipping/handling. Taxes, if applicable, are extra. For more information and to order contact Everett Anton "Tony" Singer at Tony@vintageautoposters.com.

PAYING HOMAGE TO THE FORGOTTEN BMW

I'd be willing to bet that the majority of people who purchased BMWs over the past quarter century have no knowledge of the marque's history. Contrary to what they may think it wasn't always rosy. In fact the post-war years were so difficult that the company was in crisis mode more than once and even came close to being purchased by Daimler-Benz.

This was not a matter of recovering from the ruins of war. All German manufacturers faced similar difficulties. The blame lay with poor decision-making by company management, which chose to rebuild its car-making group with luxury automobiles based on pre-war designs. They weren't bad cars but the mass market wasn't ready for high priced vehicles. Motorcycle sales had collapsed and the Isetta, which accounted for more than half the turnover of BMW AG in 1957, couldn't generate enough profits. BMW was forced to consider building a medium-size 4-cylinder car as a way of getting the company back on course.

But before that could happen it needed an economy car (a real car, not a "bubble car") to bridge the gap between the Isetta and the future sedan, which could hardly be developed overnight. Initially it was to be a 2-seater sports coupe using as many Isetta 600 parts as possible, followed by a 4-seater a few months later. However it was soon realised that this was no way to build a car and with help from Austrian importer Wolfgang Denzel and a body designed by Michelotti of Italy the completely new BMW 700 was launched. In 1960 it accounted for 58% of the company's total turnover.

Power came from a rear-mounted, flat-twin BMW motorcycle engine driving a 4-speed manual transmission; although it only produced 30 hp the car was very light at just 1500 pounds. A sport coupe version improved the output to 40 hp; a nifty little convertible followed the Sport. The 700 used a steel monocoque structure, the first BMW automobile to do so.

Modified 700s were successfully raced by such notables as Hans Stuck, Walter Schneider, Hubert Hahn, and Jackie Ickx. Schneider went on to win the 1961 German saloon car title. Today the 700 is all but forgotten except, perhaps, by a few nostalgic Germans. However 188,211 BMW 700s were built in five years of production, allowing Munich time to develop the 1500, the car that saved the company.

THE FASTBACK IS BACK. BUT WILL IT SUCCEED?

Have you noticed that those "touring" and "grand touring" models that various manufacturers announced over the past couple of years have one thing in common? They're fastbacks. Why? Because aerodynamically and aesthetically the fastback has always been a symbol of speed and these new grand tourers are meant to suggest quick, comfortable, performance driving. (Which would be fine if slower cars got out of the way and if there wasn't a radar-equipped officer hiding behind every tree.)

That led me to comment on this week's Classic Driver newsletter. Its lead story is all about fastbacks, both old and new. Being an English site, Classic Driver includes a number of British and European cars, ignoring, with one exception, North America, where the fastback once reigned as top model for several major manufacturers, convertibles excepted. Well, perhaps we can forgive them since no Detroit manufacturers are currently offering a fastback, nor are they advertising a grand touring option.

Classic Driver begins with the following: "The fastback bodystyle delivers the rare phenomenon of adding practicality and sporting intentions in one fell swoop."

I would agree although it can have some disadvantages, primarily reduced rear seat headroom along with a less spacious trunk. Our friends then continue with appropriate praise for six outstanding fastback designs. (Classic Driver's text has been abbreviated here.)

France: Citroën SM
"The SM was a variation of the lauded DS, and featured a similarly aerodynamic profile and 'magic-ride' self-levelling suspension. However, it also had a V-6 Maserati engine. Its characterful, Robert Opron-styled body also means it possesses the same contemporary coolness as the DS."

Italy: Lamborghini Espada
"The quirky Espada was penned by Bertone’s Marcelo Gandini, who had partially desensitised the public to its unconventional proportions with the Marzal concept a year earlier."

Great Britain: Bentley R Type Continental by H.J. Mulliner
"The elegant Mulliner-bodied R-Type Continental is arguably one of the sweetest spots in the distinguished heritage of the Crewe-based manufacturer. With just 207 built, each is special in its own right."

Czechoslovakia: Tatra T87
"As a successor to what is commonly known as the first aerodynamically-focused production car, the Tatra T87’s evermore streamlined shape made it the 'bahnstormer' of its day, with near-100mph capabilities."

Germany: Porsche 356 Coupe
"As the car that put Porsche on the map, the 356 needs little introduction. This Pre-A, centre-creased windscreen example might not offer quite the same rear headroom as some of the other fastbacks we've unearthed, but the panache it provides in return plays its part as a counterweight."

USA: Ford Mustang Fastback
"The fastback has since become one of the most desirable iterations of the archetypal pony car, and was apparently the main design inspiration behind the contemporary version."

Preparing this blog found me wondering which car I would select as a fastback favorite. Difficult, because there are many to choose from, right down to the humble Volkswagen Beetle. But after a few minutes reflection there was no doubt about the winner, the fastback coupe that Enzo Ferrari once described as "the most beautiful car in the world." That car is the Jaguar E-Type (top).

[Fastback photos: Classic Driver; Jaguar: takeyoshimages.blogspot.ca]

SALE OF FAMOUS RACE CAR COULD BE THE AUCTION EVENT OF THE YEAR

You can be sure that classic car enthusiasts the world over will be watching the results of Bonham's auction at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on July 1st, as the most important historic Grand Prix car ever entered into public auction goes on the block. It's the 1954 2½-litre straight-8 Mercedes-Benz W196 – chassis number ‘00006/54’ – in which five-times World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio won both the 1954 German and Swiss Grand Prix races.

These victories were the first to be achieved in succession by the Mercedes-Benz factory Formula 1 team in its return to postwar racing. The Fangio car also has special significance as the first "slipper-bodied" postwar Mercedes-Benz to win a Formula 1 Grand Prix race.

Mercedes missed the first two 1954 World Championship rounds in Argentina and Belgium, making their debut in the 1954 French Grand Prix at Reims-Gueux. The all-new W196 cars ran in "Stromlinienwagen" form (fully enclosed instead of open-wheeled), setting new records as Juan Manuel Fangio and team-mate Karl Kling finished first and second in both qualifying and the race.

However, the Stromlinienwagen car's enclosed body proved difficult to position accurately on the twisting layout of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone so Fangio requested an open-wheeled W196 variant for the upcoming German Grand Prix, to be run on the 14.2-mile Nurburging road circuit. Mercedes-Benz reacted instantly, tailoring new cars ‘00005’ and ‘00006’ to his recommendation. And it was in this actual car, chassis 00006, that Fangio won the race. He then repeated the feat in the Swiss Grand Prix on the daunting Bremgarten forest circuit at Berne, to win by 58.7 seconds from Argentine compatriot Jose Froilan Gonzalez’s out-classed Ferrari. The victory was Fangio’s third in four Grand Prix races, assuring him of his second Drivers’ World Championship title.

The highly advanced W196 introduced a number of technologies to Formula One, among them:

Fuel-injected engine
All-independent suspension
Multi-tubular "spaceframe" lightweight chassis design
All-round inboard-mounted brakes
The straight-8 engine's "lay-down" configuration to reduce the car’s overall height
Power take-off from the centre of the engine’s long 8-cylinder crankshaft to minimize vibration

With a race car of such historic importance it would be all but impossible to estimate a selling price; there are too few precedents as examples. It all comes down to who is willing to outbid the others and I would guess that the result will set a record. This is one auction that deserves to be carried on worldwide television. Hopefully Bonhams will at least assure that we can watch it online.

[Photo: The Spitzley/Monkhouse Collection]

CLASSIC CAR EXTRAVAGANZA BRINGS THE WORLD TO SCOTTSDALE

In just a few days tens of thousands of classic car enthusiasts will be pouring into Scottsdale and neighbouring Phoenix for the biggest auction week of the year. Being an automobile journalist of limited means I won't be among them. Rest assured I'm not seeking sympathy as I've attended the auctions several times in the past and, for the most part, enjoyed myself. Lack of a traveling companion was the reason for that minor qualification: I hate attending special events alone.

So like the rest of us stay-at-homes I'll be enjoying Scottsdale this year via the Web and television. Needless to say, Barrett-Jackson's week-long event will be carried live on Speed Channel (endless reruns in the coming months, in case you miss it). In addition, Barrett-Jackson is making available a "Beyond the Block" app that you can download into your smartphone and thus carry the auction with you. Open it up in your local coffee shop and chances are you'll have a crowd eager to see those beautiful collector cars. Better still with a tablet.

Meanwhile you can whet your appetite by downloading the major auction company's digital catalogs. RM offers one with fabulous photography, Russo & Steele is now making its catalog available online, as is Gooding & Company. And the nice thing is, the digital catalogs (unlike the printed editions) are free.

For those Marque1 visitors who may not be familiar with the quality of vehicles to be sold in Scottsdale, herewith three mouth-watering examples from Gooding & Company. The car up top is a 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500 K Cabriolet A. According to Gooding there are just 11 remaining examples and this is one of the best. With a supercharged engine, it carries a body coachbuilt in-house by Sindelfingen. Ordered new by a Swedish baron, it spent nearly 50 years in Sweden, then moved to West Germany in 1983 and finally to its current owner’s collection in the Netherlands in 2004. The estimated selling price is a mouth watering $2,500,000 - $3,000,000.

A "Disappearing-Top Convertible Coupe," this very unique design by the Walter M. Murphy Company of Pasadena is a 1933 Duesenberg Model J, originally sold as a bare chassis so that the owner could choose his own coachbuilder. In 1961 it was purchased by famed collector Bob Estes of Los Angeles who owned it for approximately 40 years. The car was displayed at Pebble Beach an astonishing five times between 1970 and 1985. Restored to concours standards by Stone Barn Automobile Restoration of New Jersey, it was a recent participant in a prestigious Duesenberg tour in California. Expect to bid between $2,000,000 - $2,400,000.

Who can resist an MGA? It's like falling in love all over again if you're a sports car enthusiast like me. I've never owned one but I can honestly say that when the famed Mosport track was brand new and not yet raced on, I drove the very first fast lap in an MGA. It was the company's break from traditional pre-war styling and was upgraded mechanically, too. The 4-cylinder 1489 cc OHV engine came with twin SU carburetors mated to a 4-speed gearbox and produced 72 bhp. 4-wheel hydraulic drum brakes did the stopping, while an independent front suspension with wishbones and coil springs plus a solid rear axle took care of the roadholding. Obviously well cared for, this 1957 beauty is estimated at $35,000 - $45,000.

THE OPEL RALLYE MANTA, SACRIFICED BY BUICK

When OldCarWeekly invites readers to tell their personal car stories Brian Earnest has the fun of interviewing the owners and photographing the cars. At least I hope it's fun... I've been doing television, radio, and magazine interviews for decades and still hate it. Three questions and I'm tongue-tied. So I'm glad it was Brian and not me interviewing Vern Rieckmann of Neenah, Wisconsin, because I'm fascinated by Vern's 1973 Opel Rallye Manta.

The Manta was launched when I was a Canadian ex-pat living in London, working for the J. Walter Thompson ad agency as creative director of the Ford of Europe account. The products we were advertising were pretty good if you liked Cortinas and Capris but I was more impressed with some of Opel's German cars, though I kept that thought to myself. The Fords suffered from too much of Detroit's design influence whereas Opels maintained the functional solidity typical of German automobiles.

The Rallye Manta was a performance coupe developed from the Opel 1900 Series, a solid though unspectacular selection that included a base coupe, two-and-four-door sedans, and a station wagon. All driven by a 1.9 liter inline 4-cylinder engine. And therein lay a problem when competing with Ford's Capri, for the latter would eventually offer a V-6 option (from Ford of Germany) while Opel's 6-cylinder engine was an inline unit that wouldn't fit the 1900. Ford V-6 Capris went on to terrorise the race track while Opel was left out in the cold. Bad news for product image.

Back in Detroit, GM's brass decided that it needed a competitive compact that would allow Buick to play in the fuel economy league. Bring on the Opels, it thought, cars that could trade on the German image of quality and reliability. Big mistake. The cars lived up to the reputation but Buick dealers hadn't a clue how to market an import, nor did their sales people know how to sell one. What's worse, traditional Buick customers, accustomed to big luxury yachts, didn't know what to make of these compacts with the funny name. Obviously the Opel Rallye Manta, the sportiest version, wasn't going to fly with this crowd.

Buick sold nearly a half-million Mantas in the first half of the 1970s. Exact figures for the Rallye versions are unknown but I'd be willing to admit there weren't many, which makes Vern Rieckmann's 1973 example quite rare, at least in North America. The story of how he acquired the car, what it took to make it like new again (not a lot, actually) is an interesting one and I encourage you to link to Brian Earnest's article.

[Photo: Brian Earnest]

A STEP UP FROM THE BEETLE, A GIANT LEAP FOR VOLKSWAGEN

One of my favorite collector cars is the Volkswagen Type 3, also known as the VW 1500 and, from 1966, the VW 1600. So I was delighted to note that Collectible Automobile magazine's February 2013 issue contained a thoroughly researched article on the Type 3. In case the model name doesn't ring a bell I should explain that the Type 3 was VW's first step up from the Beetle, offering a modern, spacious bodystyle with similar but contemporary technology.

The Type 3 was never intended as a replacement for the Beetle. VW boss Heinz Nordhoff believed the latter should continue well into the future, with ongoing improvements to keep it competitive. And why not? The car was hugely successful wherever it was sold, including North America. But Nordhoff was hearing a growing rumble of media voices that insisted the company needed to offer a larger, more contemporary vehicle. In 1958 he commissioned the Porsche Bureau in Stuttgart to build two prototypes, one of which was a notchback, the other a fastback. What Porsche didn't know was that Ghia of Italy had also been invited to submit a concept and that Volkswagen's own development group was working on a similar project.

When Nordhoff viewed all three proposals he apparently couldn't decide which one he liked best. His typically corporate solution was to ask the participants to work as a team, not something any creative design group likes to hear. The result was similar to the Porsche concept except for changes such as a higher waistline and higher headlight positioning, to satisfy the needs of the American market. Ferry Porsche wasn't exactly pleased with the compromise, saying that "it turned our very advanced design into a car like any other."

Some critics complained that the Type 3 design was bland and unexciting and while that may have been true it was also a harmonious, well-balanced shape, thoroughly up to date, reflecting the Beetle's fabled quality. What made it especially distinctive was the 4-cylinder, air-cooled boxer engine. Although similar to the Beetle's it was an amazing 16" lower, primarily because the cooling fan was relocated to the rear of the engine, driven off the end of the crankshaft, while the all-important oil cooler was placed on its side. This resulted in a "miracle of packaging" (by the standards of the day), for it was now possible to have a proper trunk complementing the one at the front. Placing the engine below the floor also gave Volkswagen its first station wagon, the Variant.

The notchback was launched in 1961 along with a handsome Karmann-Ghia coupe, the T34, at which point the Type 3 came into my life. I was assistant public relations manager for Volkswagen Canada and had been assigned, along with my own assistant (and racing buddy) Ralph Luciw, to make dealer presentations at major cities from Halifax to Vancouver. Our first look at the car came when it was offloaded from a van at company headquarters in Scarborough. Ralph and I were both impressed but there was a real jaw-dropper because along with it came, not only the coupe, but an absolutely gorgeous Karmann-Ghia T34 convertible. That car was soon on its way back to Wolfsburg and has been the subject of much speculation among VW enthusiasts, for the convertible was never produced. The first time I mentioned this in my About.com Cars site a few years ago I had a deluge of e-mails from Germany asking what else I knew about the car. Ten prototypes were built and remarkably, five still exist.

Although I wasn't aware of it at the time, we in Canada were privileged to market the Type 3, as it wasn't sent to the US until the 1966 model year, though that didn't prevent more than a few examples migrating across the border to eager American VW enthusiasts. 1966 was also the year that a fastback was added to the range, joining the notchback and the wagon in a three model lineup.

During the Type 3's lifetime several performance upgrades were made to the engine. From the original 1500 came a slightly more powerful 1500S, then the 1600, and in 1968 fuel injection became standard. Other improvements included front disc brakes, a minor front end restyle to increase the front luggage capacity and thicker bumpers with protective rubber strips. A 3-speed automatic was offered for the North American market but it did nothing for the car's acceleration and few were purchased.

I didn't own a Type 3 until after I'd left the company and gone through two other jobs, finally landing in Vancouver and my first ad agency stint as a copywriter. A slightly used 1500 Variant wagon with a spacious interior, it was a perfect fit for a family with two young boys. The car wasn't quick off the line but it handled well, the 4-speed all-synchro transmission had that same "knife through melted butter" feel as the Beetle, plus it was easy on fuel. My 1500 was right at home on the mountain roads and urban streets of Vancouver and I look back on it with great affection.

Volkswagen Type 3's hardly make a ripple in the collector car market so you can buy one in excellent condition for $7000 - $9000. It's a car I'd be happy to own. A special thanks to Graham Robson for his informative Collectible Automobile article, which inspired me to write this blog. The February issue is still on the stands as I write so if you're interested in the Type 3 you may want to pick up a copy. Good reading.

[Type 3 Photo: Paul Niedermeyer]

THE SHELL 4000 RALLY. TOUGH. LONG. GONE

It was Canada's unique contribution to world motorsport. It was the longest rally in the world. It was colorful, exciting, dramatic, and attracted drivers and manufacturers from several countries. And it died before the rally could grow into the lasting event it deserved to be. I'm talking about the Shell 4000, a potentially great national rally spoiled by a combination of commercial needs and indifferent media coverage.

The event was initially known as the Trans Canada Rally but everyone called it the Shell 4000 because it was sponsored by Shell Oil and the route was, more or less, 4000 miles from start to finish. The original choice of "Trans Canada" was to create the impression that the rally ran from coast to coast when, in fact, it started in Vancouver and ended in Montreal (or the reverse in alternate years). The Shell 4000 was the only FIA sanctioned rally in North America.

A promotor and sports car enthusiast named Jim Gunn was the man who conceived the Shell 4000 and remained its chief organiser throughout the brief period of its existence. It was the indefagitable Gunn, aided by Peter Bone, who encouraged Shell to sponsor the event and never stopped working to make the rally a success, but in the long run he was defeated by the same apathy that Canadian media had shown to all forms of motorsport.

I should explain that the Shell 4000 had little in common with modern world championship rallies, now better known as "rally races." Nor was it identical to famous European events like the Monte Carlo and Tulip rallies, themselves like racing on snow or ice but still demanding navigation between sections with points lost for being early or late. Canadian speed laws were too low for fast highway driving, while local authorities seemed unwilling to temporarily close a few miles of road. Tenacious police, particularly in the prairies, looked upon the rally as a harvest for radar traps. (I should add that a few special speed stages were added from 1965.)

Yet that didn't mean the rally was a long-distance cruise. It attracted several well-known international competitors plus a modicum of manufacturer support. Ford, Studebaker, Rootes, Renault, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and Chevrolet participated, directly or through dealers.

It was tough and it was hard on cars and drivers. Stirling Moss' sister Pat was an experienced European rally champion, as was her co-driver Ann Wisdom. They gave it their best, driving factory-sponsored cars, but never won. NASCAR stock car racer David Pearson surprised everyone with his entry but ended up frustrated and defeated. One of his competitors was Belgium's Olivier Gendebien, multiple LeMans 24-hours winner and South African Rally champion (he did finish fourth in Canada). After years of trying, American rally ace Scott Harvey, a Chrysler engineer, finally won the last running of the event. The great Alpine rallyist Henry Taylor finished second in 1965, the same year that F1 ace Pedro Rodriguez participated, saying the rally was tougher than any race he'd ever driven.

The country's vast size plus its topography and weather meant that every leg was different from the last. British Columbia and Alberta offered twisting mountain roads with nasty drop-offs. With the event being held in early May many prairie roads were often deep in gumbo (mud). Ontario and Quebec provided a variety of weather and driving conditions. And everywhere there continued a relentless push to maintain times while getting little rest during the brief hours alloted for sleep. Fatigue was often a deciding factor. Little wonder that even the big names lost multiple points or went off the road.

The Shell 4000 lasted from 1961 to 1968, when Shell opted out, and with no major sponsor willing to take over, Canada's first and only international rally came to an end. Shell Oil never saw the press coverage it needed to cover the cost of its participation and the conventional Canadian media (enthusiast publications aside), already prejudiced against motorsport, was reluctant to treat the rally as much more than a novelty.

I believe the Shell 4000 needn't have died. What it lacked was a budget large enough to hire a major public relations firm, rather than leaving the job to the organisers. The pr people would undoubtedly have found ways to get the press involved while at the same time developing community events along the way where locals could participate, meet the competitors, and safely watch the cars in roped-off spectator areas. Could it be revived? I doubt it. Too expensive to meet modern standards. But a retro rally for vintage cars, running from Halifax to Vancouver, would not be impossible. All we need is a modern day Jim Gunn and an imaginative sponsor. Try the Tar Sands operators. They could use some positive publicity.

PS:
The above photo was taken by Nigel Matthews at the 2012 Birmingham classic car show. It was one of six built for rallying by Triumph's competition department. Three cars, identical to this, were shipped to Canada for the Shell 4000. All the black & white photos originally appeared in Canada Track & Traffic magazine.

I covered the rally for CT&T in 1965 under my former pen name "Phil Murray." You can read that vintage article by clicking here.

THIS AUDI MODEL COMES GIFT-WRAPPED WITH HISTORY

Whenever I spot a contemporary Audi, which is often these days, I wonder if the owner has any concept of the history behind this great marque. Audi has developed into a serious competitor for BMW and Mercedes, to the point where many are being purchased by folks who buy the cars to enhance their personal image. Not that I'm going to rant about this human peculiarity; people have been purchasing cars for that reason for over 100 years. Still, it would nice if more owners knew about Audi's heritage.

And that brings me to the rationale behind today's blog: a Christmas gift idea for the Audi owner. It's a superb diecast model of a 1935 Audi Front 225 Roadster from the Franklin Mint, in my favorite 1:18 scale. Aerodynamic, sporty and graceful, the Front 225 Roadster was a feast for the eyes and a delight to drive.

In 2009, at the request of Audi, model maker CMC celebrated the manufacturer's 100th anniversary by releasing this hand-assembled precision diecast model. According to the Franklin Mint it consists of more than 1,600 individual parts.

The model comes in three different two-tone versions: black and yellow with a black interior, blue and silver with a red interior, and red and white with a black interior. The blue and silver version appealed to my eyes but you can view the others by clicking on the Franklin Mint site. The interior features a fully instrumented dashboard and leather-upholstered seats. The precisely detailed undercarriage includes metal leaf springs, bonded brake cables and a simulated wood frame. Mounted on the rear is a removable spare wheel.

At $330 the Audi Front Roadster is not inexpensive but on the other hand you'll be giving a gift of history. And with a limited production of just 4000 of each colour combination, I suggest you get your order in soon.