If you thought there was something familiar about this car you'd be right. Remember the spectacular Bertone-designed "BAT" Alfas of the late 1950s? Like most Italian-designed cars of the period they were years ahead of their time. Not necessarily practical but sparkling with design cues that set the tone for the future. The car you're looking at is the BAT 11 concept from the Bertone studios, a modern rendering of the historic design icon. Owned by Gary Kaberle of Michigan and based on the Maserati Gran Turismo platform, itself a long-wheelbase version of the Alfa 8C, the BAT 11 will make a special appearance at the 2009 Concorso Italiano. Sharing the stage will be the 1955 Ghia Streamline X "Gilda". Named after Rita Hayworth's character in the movie Gilda, it is an experimental car that first appeared at the 1955 Turin Motor Show, the result of a collaboration between Chrysler design chief Virgil Exner and Ghia designer Luigi Segre. It has subsequently been fitted with a single-stage gas turbine engine. Concorso Italiano will be held at the Laguna Seca Golf Ranch in Monterey, CA, August 14, 2009.

Some classic car owners are content to leave their charges in museums or humidity-controlled garages. Others believe the cars should be driven and even exposed to the same hazards they faced when new. Among the latter are members of the Bentley Drivers Club, who organised a tour of thirty-four vintage Bentleys ranging from 1925 to 1969 that began in Vancouver, BC, travelled north through Banff, Jasper, Prince George, and onto the Alaska Highway to Anchorage. From there they ferried to Port Hardy on Vancouver Island, then drove south to the finish at Victoria, BC's capital city. The cars and drivers came from England, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the United States.

Victoria being a mere twenty miles from my home in Sidney, I was delighted to view more classic Bentleys than I'd seen in my entire lifetime. Some nineteen cars were original "W.O." Bentleys, built by Walter Owen Bentley prior to the sale of his assets to Rolls-Royce in 1931. As they arrived these fabulous classics lined up in front of the British Columbia parliament buildings, to the astonishment of tourists visiting from nearby Canadian and US cities. For these magnificent old classic cars and owners the tour was a challenge, which explains why some arrived with dirt and dust while a few looked as though they'd just had a visit with the detailers. Of the thirty-four classic Bentleys that began the tour only two failed to make it to the finish. Which tells you just how rugged these cars were when built. Most early Bentleys seemed to be painted British Racing Green but this 1928 4.25 liter was an exception, making it a favorite with spectators and photographers.



It seems as though no two Bentleys were alike, hence this beautiful 1939 4.25 liter, owned by David & Adele Cohen. I especially liked the crisp, creased cabin design.



And though it's a shame not to include all the Bentleys in the tour, let's conclude with a postwar example, when the great British cars, under the Rolls-Royce umbrella, had become elegant continental tourers.



[Thanks to contributor Nigel Matthews for making me aware of this unique event.]

It had to happen eventually: Classic cars being auctioned on the Internet by professionals. And who better to do it than Canada's RM Auctions, widely regarded as the best in the business. "We're thinking outside the auction block," said Dan Spendick, Consignment Specialist, RM Classic Cars, Inc. "RM's 30 years of experience in the collector car hobby is being extended into the realm of e-commerce by offering our valued clients a cyberspace alternative to traditional auction venues."

Hmmm... as an observor I've often wondered how buyers at a live auction could determine whether a car is mechanically sound. Yes, they can peek in-and-under while an owner revs up the engine but it's still a game of chance. What happens when the buyer gets nothing more than digital images plus a few words of encouragement from RM? Here's the auctioneer's explanation:

"RM's expert Car Specialists, providing a third-party assessment of each vehicle's condition with verification of proper titles and ownership, promote confident bidding and buyer satisfaction; detailed condition reports and extensive photography of each consignment are featured at www.rmauctions.com for consideration weeks in advance of the sale; transactions are conducted from the comfort of home or office, and without the expense and time commitment of travel to a traditional auction venue; consignors' transportation costs are eliminated; and, RM offers successful bidders logistics assistance, including shipping and customs advice."

Is this cyberspace auction the way of the future? I doubt it. Most collectors like to get up close to the metal before making a decision. But it could lead to fewer live auctions; after all, if people are willing to buy "blind" on eBay, why not in big-time auction sites like RM? I'll be interested to see how this progresses and in particular if it leads to a growth of a business where professionals, for a fee, check an Internet auction vehicle for a prospective buyer. RM's first Internet auction takes place Sunday, August 9, 2009.

Pontiac, soon to become one of the Lost Marques of America. Just this day I read that GM would shortly discontinue the Solstice and the Vibe. Mind you, the former was a niche car whose image was diminished by sharing it with Saturn and a British Vauxhall, while the latter was a Toyota Matrix with a few styling differences. Rather than bemoan the demise of yet another American car, however, the Fairfield County Concours has decided to celebrate the Pontiac brand at their 2009 event on September 12 and 13. In addition to a display of the most significant Pontiac models from its 83-year history, the event is also searching nationwide to find America's oldest Pontiac and America's (including Canada's) oldest Pontiac still with its original owner.

Aided by event partners Fed Ex Auto Transport, United Airlines and Mandarin Oriental Hotels, the Connecticut concours is offering each of the winners free transport of their car to and from the event, two free First Class tickets on United Airlines to New York, as well as a free three-night's stay at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Manhattan, and VIP tickets to the show. True, much attention will be drawn to the GTO and wide-track Pontiacs of the 1960s, but I hope that someone appears with a 1934 Pontiac 8-cylinder sedan similar to what my mother once owned. It was just another old car then but it contributed to my earliest driving experiences. And with it, my everlasting respect for the Indian head. If you're aware of a car that could meet the show requirements, please get in touch with the organisers now.

Of all the vintage Buicks that I admire, perhaps none are as close to my heart as the immediate pre-war Roadmasters. The long hood, sweeping fenders and chrome-bedecked grilles do it for me, especially knowing there's a mellow inline-eight at my command. I drove one only once, during an Ontario provincial election when a competing party enlisted "chauffeurs" to drive folks without a car to the polls. I didn't have a driver's license and they didn't ask! The poor old souls who survived my foot-to-the-floor drags up the Queensway would probably have voted for Josef Stalin if he'd released them from the horror of this drive. Oh... and I don't remember who won the election. This gorgeous 1948 Buick Roadmaster convertible will be auctioned at RM's Vintage Motor Cars of Meadow Brook auction at the Shotwell Gustafson Pavilion at Meadow Brook Hall during the latter's annual concours d'elegance, August 1, 2009. It would certainly get my vote.

Sometimes great cars get overlooked because they are forced to compete with a more powerful sibling. That was certainly true of the Porsche 912. Essentially a 4-cylinder version of the 911 it never had a chance up against the latter's 6-cylinder engine, which was part of the excitement when the 911 was launched. By offering the 912 Porsche was covering its bases, providing customers with a more affordable version. The engine was virtually identical to that found in the last 356 Super 90s and had many enthusiastic supporters, including this writer, who prefers his cars simple and uncomplicated. When I open the rear hatch on a modern Carrera I can't even find the engine, for goodness sake.

All this is by way of bringing your attention to a gathering of Porsche 912s in Morro Bay, California, August 6-9, that is expected to be the largest of its kind in the world. Considering all the 912s I've seen in the past few years, even two would be a large gathering but apparently more than 2,500 owners continue to restore and drive them. As one who owned and raced a 356B I have great respect for the Porsche air-cooled four and so the combination of that engine with Porsche's slick 4-speed box in a 911 body (the original, far more elegant than the current model with all its bulges and spoilers) seems like a very attractive package. And dare I suggest that with less weight hanging out the back, it handles better?

You can learn more about this wonderful Porsche 912 event, organized by the Porsche 912 Registry, by clicking here.

If I could give myself a Fathers Day gift it would be an all-expenses paid trip to Detroit to see the annual Eyes on Design concours d'elegance. I'd do so because this event is attended by many of America's car designers and automotive decision makers and is therefore aimed at attracting cars whose styling represents the crème de la crème of automotive beauty. As a bonus it is also a weekend of charity benefitting the Detroit Institute of Ophthalmology, assisting and educating the blind and visually impaired. The Bridgestone Americas Trust Fund is a co-sponsor. The annual automotive design show, held Sunday, June 21, features more than 200 automotive and motorcycle designs from the past, present and future at the Edsel & Eleanor Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan. As an added attraction for me, a former automobile ad writer, this year the show features the Art of Automobile Advertising and Design. Hey kids, it's your Dad calling!

The cars at Pebble Beach are always spectacular but the 59th Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance will present something truly special. On August 16th it promises to "showcase the most impressive collection of Bentley team cars ever assembled." The early 3-litre car that ushered in the legend of Bentley at Le Mans will be among the many famous on display; at the very first Le Mans race, held in 1923, it was Chassis 141 that set the inaugural lap record and finished in fourth place. The following year, a Bentley won the race. Bentleys then recorded four consecutive wins from 1927 through 1930. For a time, Chassis 141 languished in the obscurity of a small English village, but it has since been restored. It will journey all the way from its current home in Australia.

Event organizers also plan to unite the record-setting Bentley Speed Sixes, known more simply as Old Numbers One, Two and Three, and the iconic Birkin Blower race cars. Tim Birkin, perhaps the most famous of the fast-living Bentley Boys, devoted much of his time to developing a supercharger for the race team and all four of the original Birkin Blower race cars are headed to Pebble Beach. In addition to the racing class, there will be two classes of unique Vintage Bentleys, a class of Derby Bentleys, and several Bentleys in other classes. But the car I'd most like to see is Captain Woolf "Babe" Barnato's legendary 8-liter Van den Plas Tourer. This is the Bentley he drove after betting that he could beat the famous Cannes-to-Calais Blue Train across France (which he did, in spectacular fashion). The car is also featured on the 2009 Pebble Beach Concours event poster.

[Image credit: vintageracinggreen.com]

It isn't often that I participate in so-called "lucky draws," especially those where the first prize is a brand-new million dollar+ home. What would I, a bachelor of considerable years, do in an 8-room house, anyway? I could barely afford the taxes let alone the services of a cleaning lady. Of course if it came with a private road race circuit leading past the front door, I'd be sorely tempted to purchase a few tickets.

But here's a lucky draw that attracts me and, I hope, you, too. The winner gets this beautiful 1974 MGB-GT, complete with air conditioning and overdrive, with the benefits going to the British Transportation Museum, an arm of the Society for the Preservation of British Transportation in America. A non-profit organisation, it is raising funds for a building to permanently house the museum in the Dayton, Ohio area. The building will have a display area for British transportation vehicles, an art gallery, a library of parts, repair and maintenance manuals along with books and magazines featuring British marques, and a gift and memorabilia outlet.

Tickets are priced at a reasonable $20.00 each or six for $100.00. The MGB is in superb condition, featuring a new Moss Motors interior, rebuilt carbs and front suspension, rebuilt brake system converted to DOT5 fluid, a one-of-a-kind handcrafted wood steering wheel, and a Covercraft car cover. Drawing will be held at the 7th annual "British Car Meet at the Market" car show on May 15, 2010, or as soon as all 1000 tickets have been sold.

The draw is being managed by Macy's Garage, a reputable firm with a history going back to 1932, now totally devoted to the maintenance of fine British automobiles (a noble endeavor if ever there was one). So if owning an MGB-GT tickles your fancy, try risking twenty bucks or even go for a hundred. If I should win I'll enjoy the long drive from Ohio to my home in BC, just in time for Vancouver's All British show.

If you love vintage cars and if, like many of us, you're also a motor racing fan, you have to appreciate The Vintage Racing League. It advertises itself as "the world's largest online community for people that love vintage cars" and I'm not about to argue with that claim. Nevertheless I'm often surprised, when chatting with fans of old cars, to learn how many are unaware that vintage cars are regularly driven in competition. Those who go to great lengths to keep their hobby cars spotless and free from damage might find it hard to conceive that owners would take such risks but on the other hand, race cars were built to be raced, so why not?

The sports media, of course, rarely covers such events, which makes it difficult to keep up to date with schedules. Chances are vintage racing is happening at a track near you but you wouldn't know it if you depend on your local newspaper or TV station. That's why I recommend bookmarking the vintage racing site which, by the way, is chock full of information about racing history. The interactive feature also means that enthusiasts can share comments and suggestions about places to see and visit.

I had my first taste of vintage racing during a 4-year stint in the UK and was astonished at the level of competition. It's not a parade, folks, it's real racing, with the drivers holding back just enough to avoid massive shunts, though the races are not without spins, rolls, and other unplanned off-track excursions. Returning to North America I witnessed similar competitions at Laguna Seca and Watkins Glen. In mid-July I'll be attending a Westwood reunion at Mission Raceway in BC. You can admire race cars in museums or watch lovely old cars in cruises, but until you've seen and heard vintage cars racing in anger, you have yet to rewind your personal time machine.