In 1976 Fiat set its eyes on the World Rally Championship. But unlike the purpose-built Lancia Stratos and Renault Alpines that had scooped the titles in the years preceding this, the Italian automaker called on the unlikely Fiat 131 saloon as a base. It was…
Thelate 1970s saw the demise of the small, cheap and cheerful British sportscars that had been a hit for so many years. The Austin-Healey Sprite had long since disappeared and the enthusiasm for the likes of the Triumph Spitfire and MGB was fading rapidly. Triumph…
Wings, scoops, splitters and ducts are the must-have go-faster goodies on any boy racer’s car, plane or rocket. But this is not necessarily the best option and often causes more drag than good. However there’s a carefully-calculated solution to this age-old problem of channelling that…
In August 1979 the world saw the introduction of the Mk5 Ford Cortina and as our local manufacturers so often did, Ford South Africa decided it needed a bit of modifying to suit the harsher conditions. The result was the fitment of the 3-litre Essex…
Ask any pre-schooler, or those of us not gifted with any artistic ability, to draw a picture of a car and they’ll pen (or crayon) a Renault R8 – or if the drawing utensil slips, a longer-nosed 10. The French firm’s simple 3-box shape is…
In December it was 33 years since Giulio Ramponi passed away at his home in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga.While his name might not initially be familiar to many, his involvement, success and dominance on the international motorsport scene puts him into the top echelons of the sport’s…
Nomad: A member of a people that travels from place to place to find fresh pasture for its animals and has no permanent home. A person who does not stay long in the same place. A wanderer. Or a South African-developed go-anywhere vehicle by General…
Thanks to some serious performance and pedigree the Shelby Mustang GT500 of 1967 made it on to, and still remains high up on, many motorists’ wish lists. With the remaking of the 1974 Gone in Sixty Seconds feature movie in 2000, the hype around this…
Isuzu Motors Limited of Japan as it commemorated 80 years in 2017. The company built a strong reputation as a manufacturer of rugged and reliable commercial vehicles but it did delve into car manufacture along the way. Ever heard of aBellett? It is one of…
Piranha: A small fish species that, relative to body mass produces one of the most forceful bites measured in all vertebrates. This immense power is generated by large jaw muscles and combines with finely serrated teeth to make them adept at tearing up flesh. It’s…