In their September 1989 issue, CAR magazine gushed excitedly about the latest Opel Kadett GSi 16V offering that had just been launched, saying: “In ride and finish, this latest most potent GSi is where the original one really should have been.” This new kid on…
In the late 1980s and early ’90s, German manufacturer Porsche was in a bit of trouble. Finances were tight and new models were sitting in showrooms gathering dust. Then inspiration and collaboration came from two rather unexpected sources… Let’s unpack the story of Porsche’s two…
Mach 1: 761mph – the speed of sound and one of the most highly regarded special-edition Ford Mustangs ever made. With rumours of the name returning to the blue oval’s brand in 2021 doing the rounds at the moment, we thought it worthwhile to track…
Top Gun, the 1986 blockbuster film named after an article in California magazine, follows life at the US Navy’s Fighter Weapons School in California. There’s lots of flying action, testosterone, one-upmanship and danger packed into the mix – and of course there’s also a love…
For many of us, knowledge of the Kyalami 9 Hour has come through second-hand information passed on to us by our parents or grandparents. But all that has now changed, with the famed event returning to the track this past weekend. When photographer Douglas Abbot…
Before becoming a commercial photographer, Mike Schmucker packed his bags for a two-year photography lab technician apprenticeship in Germany. After spending hours in the dark and another six months working to afford a new camera (the world had swapped to digital by now), he headed…
In September 1944, Volvo presented the PV444 (four-cylinder, four-seater, 40hp) in Stockholm. Although attractively priced, it showed some innovative engineering (the first monocoque Volvo, featuring a new-tech laminated safety-glass windscreen) and was clothed in some stylish American-influenced bodywork. With a shortage of materials following the…
In September 1962, Ford unveiled its new passenger saloon, the Consul Cortina. It ticked the design brief of being economical, practical, cheap to run and inexpensive to produce, and soon became the car to have. But there was more…
I remember the day I got my first Barbie like it was yesterday. It was the morning of my 5th birthday (for the sake of my vanity, we will not mention the year) and my mom and dad handed over a little package, wrapped in…
For most of the 1950s, South African endurance racing fans travelled to Pietermaritzburg or Cape Town to get their fix. But from 1958, the Highveld became the hotspot for long-distance racing. This trend kicked off with a 24-hour motorcycle event (won by Jannie Stander on…