Pocket Rocket

In 1991, Gordon Murray and Chris Craft founded the Light Car Company. The first and only car – or more appropriately, road-going race car – was the Rocket model.

The name strongly aligns with Murray’s philosophy, and the vehicle is the lightest sports car in history, weighing just 385 kg. It was powered by a Yamaha motorcycle engine paired with a sequential gearbox. While the power output may seem modest (143 hp), the power-to-weight ratio is better than that of the Porsche Cayman GT4 (296 bhp/tonne vs 386.5 bhp/tonne in the Rocket). The design echoes Formula 1 cars from the 1960s, but differs in that it may accommodate two people (in tandem). The car was in production from 1991 to 1998, with 55 units made. Here’s a review from two young automotive journalists:

Gordon Murray Design

Gordon Murray’s romance with McLaren came to an end in 2004. Three years later, the designer founded Gordon Murray Design, an engineering, and design company, immediately flooding the market with innovations. The first of these was a three-seater (naturally) city car – the T.25. This wasn’t intended as a serious production model, but rather a halo project for the iStream car production system developed by GMD.

The T.25’s core principle: implementing Formula 1 technology into a city car. The result: low weight and high structural rigidity (due to vast use of carbon fibre). Moreover, its production was economical (a factory 80% smaller than a standard car plant) and transportation efficient (“flat-pack” style – allowing a standard container to hold up to 12 times more cars than medium-sized sedans). Powered by a three-cylinder engine from a Smart car, its power-to-weight ratio was comparable to that of a standard hatchback.

Like a Griffith from the Ashes

As mentioned, the T.25 was a halo car for Murray's iStream production process. The technology is intended to be bought by both large manufacturers and smaller firms seeking economical solutions.

The first car for a third party to be produced on the iStream production line was to be the TVR Griffith. An impressive prototype was unveiled in 2017 – a sports coupé powered by a Cosworth-tuned 5-litre Ford Coyote V8 engine producing 500 hp.

An impressive car, but with one downside – it hasn’t gone into production to this day.

OX Delivers

In other words, the spirit of the McLaren F1 on the African roads.

One of the first clients of Gordon Murray Design was the Global Vehicle Trust, a foundation aiming to motorise developing countries in Africa and Asia. The OX is an off-road truck with a central driving position, low weight, and high payload capacity (1,900 kg).

OX is a flat-pack project—quite reminiscent of… Ikea. The vehicle is delivered in a flat box and can be assembled in 12 hours by three people in local workshops. A standard container holds six kits in its folded form (compared to two ready-made vehicles). Once again, Murray emphasised economical transportation, as he often highlights in interviews that transporting air in containers is environmentally unfriendly.

Heavy Artillery

A faith will out. Gordon Murray didn’t last long as a supplier of production solutions – he decided to build a supercar himself. In 2017, alongside Gordon Murray Design, Gordon Murray Automotive was born, and work began on the spiritual successor to the McLaren F1.
On August 4, 2020, the GMA T.50 was revealed.

The design principles inherited from the F1: central driving position, low weight, and a thrilling powertrain. Additionally, the car boasts compact dimensions (comparable to the Porsche Boxster), a manual gearbox, and, most notably, a fan. But let’s break it down.

In 2019, Murray called the only engine manufacturer, in his opinion, capable of meeting the challenge – Cosworth. He specified: no turbocharging, the lightest V12 in the world (at the time), the fastest-revving engine with the highest rev limit of any road car. Bruce Wood, Cosworth’s managing director, was shocked but didn’t refuse, Murray stayed cool, and the two signed the deal.
The 65-degree, V12 engine is a configuration Murray says is the most balanced. Indeed, the Cosworth-built crankshaft is extremely light (13 kg) and is housed in a dry sump. The block and heads are aluminium, the connecting rods and valves are titanium, the pistons are made from MMC (Metal Matrix Composite), and the covers bearing the GMA and Cosworth logos are magnesium.
The engine uses gears instead of a belt or chain for the camshaft, due to its 9,500+ rpm rev range. The entire system looks like the inside of a Swiss watch, enhancing rev responsiveness. The rev limiter is set at 12,100 rpm, and within a second, the engine could theoretically rev beyond 50,000 rpm! Although it’s not the most powerful V12 in automotive history (670 hp), it is definitely the lightest, weighing just 178 kg (dry), which is about 50 kg lighter than its rivals’ engines.

The six-speed manual gearbox was provided by British company Xtrac, and engineers tested several gear knobs of varying weights to ensure the most satisfying shift feel during driving.

Driving pleasure, or even delight, is GMA’s philosophy. The creator of the T.50 wouldn’t even know, as he says it doesn't matter, what the car’s top speed is, if it wasn’t for the ESP calibration. On the other hand, he places immense importance on aerodynamics. As you can see, the car isn’t covered with spoilers from every possible angle, and the design is simplistic. The magic happens underneath. Viewers’ attention is drawn only to the fan mounted where a rear wing would typically be found on other cars.

In this case, it doesn’t function like the famous Brabham BT46B or the fastest car at the Goodwood Festival of Speed—McMurtry Spéirling. It doesn’t suck the car down onto the road. Its purpose is to regulate the vortex pressure and smooth the airflow in the diffuser. The diffuser’s goal is to increase the speed of the air flowing under the car – faster airflow = lower pressure = more downforce. The vortex that creates drag appears when the diffuser changes direction too quickly. At the front of the T.50’s diffuser is an opening that expels this dirty air through a vent, where a vacuum is generated by the fan. The entire aerodynamic concept is thus hybrid, combining ground effect and the fan. It’s the essence of the rivalry between Brabham and Lotus from 1978. Brilliant!

There’s plenty of material about this car; I recommend the video from Hagerty’s channel, where Henry Catchpole drives both the F1 and T.50 on Spanish roads. It’s a film best watched with the volume turned up to the max.

The Unfair Advantage

Gordon Murray Automotive doesn’t aim to be a mass producer – each car will be limited to a maximum of 100 units. That’s the fate of the T.50. Its track version, the T.50s Lauda (in honour of Niki Lauda, who won the only race the Brabham BT46B “fan car” competed in), will be even more limited—just 25 units. This design wasn’t a modification of the T.50, but a parallel project that’s even more extreme. At the rear, there’s an enormous delta-shaped wing reminiscent of the front wing of the Brabham BT52, and the small racing mirrors (the T.50 has cameras), lacking a considerable portion of the interior and chunk of the steering wheel. As a result, the dry weight drops to 852 kg! In this case, power is transmitted by an automatic gearbox – again supplied by Xtrac.

I hope to one day see this model competing at Le Mans, though for now, there doesn’t seem to be a suitable class for it in endurance racing. For now, we can admire footage of its debut at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.

The Younger Brother

The next road-going car to bear the siren emblem will be the T.33. The cabin design will be more conventional – two seats and the steering wheel on one side. Under the bonnet will be a softened version of the V12, with the rev limit lowered to 11,100 rpm. The styling pays homage to the sports cars of the 1960s, with subtle contours, elegant curves, and a beautiful engine cover window. It looks elegant and timeless. What excites me is the Spyder version with a carbon folding roof. What saddens me is the price – £1.37 million (T.50 is £2.36 million) and the limited production to the extent that if I ever see one in person, I’ll consider myself lucky.

Post Scriptum

Gordon Murray is also famous for a few other things: he collects T-shirts with musical prints and old-fashioned jukeboxes. But all of these pales in comparison to his collection of lightweight sports cars, more than half of which weigh under 900 kg.

A true genius.

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Backstage Reorganization

Aside from the driver transfers that generated the most excitement in 1987, there were also a few changes among the engineering teams and engine suppliers. For McLaren, the 1984, 1985, and 1986 seasons were very successful: two constructors' championships and three drivers' titles. However, these years were far from idyllic. Following an unsuccessful season in 1985, Niki Lauda announced his retirement. He was replaced by Keke Rosberg, who also decided to end his career one year later. The second driver's seat for the 1987 season was taken by Stefan Johansson, but it was no secret that this was due to a failed attempt to bring Ayrton Senna to the team (he was contracted with Lotus until the end of 1987). In 1986, McLaren also ended its collaboration with John Barnard, an excellent engineer who found employment at Ferrari. McLaren's boss, Ron Dennis, needed a bold change in the technical department and brought in Gordon Murray.

Taking Control of Chaos

Murray agreed to join the team under several conditions: first, he wanted to become Technical Director, and second, his contract would last only three years. He began his career at McLaren by working on the car for the 1988 season – the MP4/4. He agreed with the team management that he would immediately get to work on the drawing board, which he still uses today, and begin designing a car that had to fit into the changing regulations. But before the car could be put on the track, the working environment of the Woking team had to be laid out.

In his memories from that time, Murray speaks with fascination about the surprise he felt at McLaren's chaotic organisation, despite its significantly larger budget compared to Brabham. The team, despite consisting of numerous designers and engineers, lacked clear structure and procedures for testing the durability of car components. Murray grouped the people together and imposed a regime.

MP4/4

The biggest controversy surrounding the most iconic car in Formula 1 history is the debate over who really designed the McLaren MP4/4.

With a new Honda V6 Turbo engine, the McLaren MP4/4 received several innovations. On the one hand, Gordon Murray, the team's Technical Director, claims credit for these, while on the other, Steve Nichols, the car's chief designer and Murray's protégé, also stakes a claim.

This media dispute is personal, as the two men did not get along. The answer to the question of how many fathers a success has, and how many a failure, is one we are all familiar with. Ideas such as the more reclined driver position, the engine placed as low as possible, and the three-shaft gearbox (instead of two shafts) transmitting power from a low-mounted clutch to the driveshaft, belong to Gordon Murray, as confirmed by some of McLaren's own engineers and Osamu Goto, head of development at Honda Racing. Steve Nichols' role is undisputed; he did a tremendous amount of work preparing the car in a very short time, but discrediting Murray's role is at least improper.

However, let's not forget one thing: the car would have meant nothing without the phenomenal performance of the two drivers, Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. If not for Senna's collision at Imola, McLaren would have won every race in 1988.

F1 – Racing Technology on the Road

One evening, while waiting for a delayed flight at Linate Airport in Milan, Gordon Murray, Creighton Brown, Ron Dennis, and Mansour Akram Ojjeh (the last two were McLaren's owners) started chatting about the company's further development. The vision extended far beyond the racing arenas; the ambition was to create a road car. For Murray, this was an opportunity to find a new professional goal because, as he said himself, after twenty years in Formula 1, he had had enough. In 1988, work began on McLaren's first supercar, intended to dethrone the most significant designs of the time: the Ferrari F40, Porsche 959, Jaguar XJ220, and Bugatti EB110.

On 28th May 1992, the McLaren F1 XP1 prototype was unveiled in Monaco.

The prototype had mirrors mounted at the top of the A-pillar, with integrated indicators (possibly for the first time in history) but lacked any at the front of the body. Unfortunately, this solution did not receive homologation, and the production version had more conventional solutions. One of the first customers, fashion designer Ralph Lauren, had the mirrors installed in his car as per the prototype.

Delivers of the F1 to the customers began in 1994. Supersport machine was, in many ways, a pioneer. It was the first road car to cost 1 million dollars, the first with ground effect technology and active aerodynamics, and the first with a carbon fibre body structure. And, of course, the most distinctive feature: the central driver's seat with two side-passenger seats positioned behind it. For McLaren to be allowed on British roads, a change had to be made in road law, which until then only permitted cars with right-hand drive.

Even before the car took its final shape, there was an intense search for a power unit. Murray felt that it had to be at least a V10, preferably a V12. Talks began with Honda, who were supplying engines for McLaren's Formula 1 cars, but the marketing team announced that the 4.5-litre engine McLaren requested was not the type of technology the company wanted to be associated with. For a moment, Murray considered approaching Isuzu, who had presented a supercar prototype with a V12 under the hood, but talks went to dead end.

Murray pulled out a business card from his Brabham days and called his good friend at BMW, Paul Roche, a brilliant engine designer for the Bavarian Motorsport division. The design requirements: V10 or V12, no longer than 600 mm, weighing no more than 250 kg with accessories, and producing no less than 550 hp. The designer missed the weight target by 16 kg, but the power output exceeded expectations by 77 hp, much to everyone's delight.

Thus, a legend was born, breaking the speed record for production cars – 386 km/h, lond after surpassed by the Bugatti Veyron, but still unbeaten among naturally aspirated cars.

Racing Ban

In 1994, the BPR Global GT Series was founded as the successor to the World Supercar Championship. Several manufacturers, led by Porsche and Ferrari, expressed interest in participating. Private team owners, searching for cars on the open market, immediately turned to McLaren. However, Murray strongly opposed any involvement in racing. One of the interested buyers was Ray Bellm, who threatened Ron Dennis that if McLaren did not prepare a race-ready car for him, he would modify the road version himself. To avoid losing control over the car's construction and, more broadly, the brand's reputation, the team, including Murray, agreed to build one car. They removed unnecessary features from the interior (such as air conditioning and radio), limited the engine's power to 600 hp, improved the brakes, added radiators and a spoiler, and declared the car race-ready. The engine and gearbox remained unchanged. After a few race wins, McLaren decided to build another car and compete at Le Mans. Behind the wheel of car number 59, entered by Kokusai Kaihatsu Racing, were JJ Lehto (Finland), Yannick Dalmas (France), and Masanori Sekiya (Japan). After a race full of twists and turns, and having made the fewest mistakes, they won. In that edition, McLarens finished 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 13th.

The Ugly Duckling

McLaren's partnership with Mercedes began in 1995 with the supply of engines for their Formula 1 cars. The partnership grew stronger, and by 2000, Mercedes had purchased 40% of shares from Ron Dennis and Mansour Ojjeh. The offspring of this union was the 2003 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren – the first composite car from Stuttgart. Gordon and his team were responsible for the technical aspects: construction, aerodynamics, and homologation. Additionally, McLaren built a factory and produced all the SLRs.

The challenge, however, lay in production volume. McLaren had previously produced around 30 units of the F1 per year, while Mercedes wanted to build 500 SLRs annually. This required the development of new methods for forming carbon fibre panels and bonding body components. Murray speaks fondly of the engineering behind the car, though he doesn’t like the looks, but had no influence over the design.

Despite its imperfections – particularly the bulky interior borrowed from the C-Class – the SLR has become an icon of the automotive world. It featured a remarkable engine and distinctive special editions, such as the Mercedes SLR McLaren Stirling Moss Edition, which paid tribute to the original 300 SLR and one of the most significant drivers in history, who won the Mille Miglia in 1955.

Next Week: Part Three

Thank you for your continued interest, and I invite you to subscribe to the newsletter. I also encourage you to support the site on Buy Me a Coffee orPatreon. The funds collected will be used to develop the Heel and Toe magazine and ultimately allow full focus on the project. In the aforementioned service, sales of photos of the tested cars, including from this article, have started. These are collector's prints in numbered series on archival papers.

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I try not to use overly pompous words carelessly, but Gordon Murray IS A GENIUS. Last week, I realised that he celebrated his 78th birthday on the 18th of June. Therefore, I will dedicate this edition of the Sunday Drive to some of his Formula 1 car designs, and the next one to his road cars.

The South African Phenomenon

Gordon. Murray was born in Durban, the third-largest city in South Africa. He comes from a family of Scottish immigrants, and his father was involved in motorcycles, first racing them and then preparing them for races. Young Gordon was steeped in petrol from a young age and decided to become a racing driver as a teenager. Alongside starting his studies at the Durban University of Technology, he began working on his race car. The principles were simple and are the foundations of Murray's contemporary creations: the lowest possible weight (the first car weighed around 400 kg) and a low centre of gravity. On top of that, it had the appearance known from contemporary Lotuses: an open body and exposed front wheels. The 1.1-litre engine came from a Ford Anglia and, after modifications, achieved 90 brake horsepower. Thus, the IGM Ford Special was born, which the young driver raced for two seasons in the National Sports Car Championship, winning several races.

The status of the original car is unknown, but in 2017 Gordon drove to the top of the hill at Goodwood in a replica of the IGM Ford Special.

Brabham

In 1969, many things happened: the hippie movement reached its peak at the Woodstock festival, Pele scored his thousandth goal, Neil Armstrong landed on the moon (allegedly), and Gordon Murray packed his bags and sailed on a cargo ship to the United Kingdom. He had an ambitious plan: he wanted to join Lotus, and after previously exchanging correspondence with Mr Colin Chapman, he was almost certain of a position as an engineer. During the voyage from South Africa, an economic storm hit the United Kingdom, and the doors to the Hethel manufacturer closed in young Gordon's face. Brabham showed interest in working with him, where Gordon began designing and coming up with technical innovations. Bernie Ecclestone, who bought the team in 1972, quickly realised Murray's potential and soon appointed him as the chief designer. Our hero was then 26 years old.

Yet, after several team successes with Brabham during that period, Colin Chapman offered Murray a position with the Lotus racing team. However, Murray declined for two reasons: first and foremost, Bernie Ecclestone gave him complete design freedom, which he probably wouldn't have had under Chapman's leadership, and secondly, he feared a clash of two autocratic and disagreeable characters (his and Chapman's).

BT46B – Fan Car

The 1978 Formula 1 season was dominated by cars using ground effect, which Lotus had most effectively adopted in the model 78, with Mario Andretti on board – winning the championship. Colin Chapman's Black Beauty had a floor resembling an inverted aircraft wing and utilised the same ground effect, except instead of lifting the structure, it sucked it to the track. Brabham, aspiring to victories, presented the BT46 model, but neither Niki Lauda nor John Watson could challenge Andretti. Until the Swedish Grand Prix...

Exactly halfway through the season, the team unveiled the “B” variant of their car. The innovation that Murray worked on was a fan that pumped air out from under the car. Since the fan was engine-driven, it generated downforce regardless of the car's speed. Moreover, calculations strongly suggested that a car with the engine running at 12000RPM could be effectively suctioned to the ceiling! The biggest challenge for the engineers was explaining to the drivers how to approach aerodynamics in the context of their old habits. Murray recalls that Niki Lauda understood it the fastest, with a cornering advantage of up to 50km/h!

Reaching such speeds naturally involves some risks. Firstly, the tyres of that time were not designed for such loads. The Fan Car had to run with higher pressure, and talks with manufacturers about a new design with reinforced sidewalls were just beginning. Another problem was the sealing of the bottom of the vehicle. To maintain proper vacuum, the skirts fixed in the underbody couldn't be damaged. Murray came up with the idea of measuring the pressure under the floor and used a solution from aviation – specially adapted altimeters measuring static pressure differences. The drivers had gauges in the cockpit that they had to monitor; if the pressure dropped (due to broken skirts), they would lose grip, and at such speeds in the corners, they could simplu take off.

The first tests on the Anderstorp track astonished the competitors. False rumours about stones flying out of the fan began circulating around the paddock, but Gordon Murray quickly dealt with the bad PR, explaining to the competitors how physics works (stones, if they were to fly out through the fan, would fly sideways). Before the race, the car was inspected – sealed (including the transporter) and subjected to a thorough examination. After confirming no irregularities, the car was allowed to compete in the remaining races of the season. Niki Lauda won the race, describing the performance difference between him and the competitors as “humiliating.” Unfortunately, politics took over, and rebellious constructors threatened Bernie Ecclestone with leaving the newly formed FOCA (Formula One Constructors Association). Due to his far-reaching plans, he decided to withdraw the BT46B from racing and return to a more conservative car design – the BT46C variant.

End of an Era

Five years later, ground effect was banned by the FIA. The announcement came six weeks before the start of the 1983 season and put the teams in a difficult position, as they had to start from scratch with flat-bottomed cars. Preparing the Brabham BT52, Gordon Murray took a radical approach and shifted the weight distribution to the rear (70%) to improve traction. The cockpit shape resembled a fighter jet cabin with attached wheels and spoilers.

Murray's vision for that season was more holistic, and many innovations were developed around the car to gain maximum time advantage over competitors. In those days, cars started with enough fuel for the entire race and on one set of tyres. The BT52 was the first to regularly use strategic pit stops, allowing it to have less fuel and a lower starting weight (one pound of car weight translated to half a second per lap) and fresh tyres.

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Here is the first strategic pit stop in history by Nelson Piquet and the Brabham team.

To shorten pit stop times, the car was equipped with pneumatic jacks powered by an external compressor, and for the first time in Formula 1, air guns were used to unscrew the wheel lug nuts. Instead of electric heating blankets, the tyres were heated in a large gas boiler. The fuel was pumped with such energy that over 100 litres entered the BT52's tank in just three seconds!

The end of a Fairy Tale

The origins of the team bearing the name of its founder, Jack Brabham, date back to 1960. The team made its first Formula 1 start in 1962. Before Bernie Ecclestone and Gordon Murray joined, Jack Brabham and his drivers had won dozens of races and two titles. Ecclestone's acquisition of the team was not an attempt to revive a dead horse but an investment that, along with his cunning, began to yield increasing influence in the legal, media, and lobbying heart of F1. The enthusiasm for running the team waned in the mid-eighties, also due to poor results from drivers and engineers. The car prepared for the 1986 season was once again full of technical innovations by Gordon Murray. The main goal was to drastically lower the centre of gravity, and the most noticeable (for the drivers' backs) change was a more aggressive seat recline angle. Instead of 45 degrees, it was proposed to be 30. Other changes included tilting the engine by 18 degrees and using a new seven-speed gearbox.

New sponsorship contracts with Olivetti and Pirelli not only provided cash flow, but also required the hiring of Italian drivers. The team included Elio De Angelis and Riccardo Patrese. The car turned out to be a failure. Constant gearbox problems and an overheating engine added fuel to the fire of frustration.

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The team's core broke on the 15th of May 1986, when Elio De Angelis died in an accident during tests at the Paul Ricard circuit. Mourning, chaos, and mutual accusations prompted Gordon Murray to leave for McLaren…

But more on that next week.

Thank you for your continued interest, and I invite you to subscribe to the newsletter. I also encourage you to support the site on Buy Me a Coffee or Patreon. The funds collected will be used to develop the Heel and Toe magazine and ultimately allow full focus on the project. In the aforementioned service, sales of photos of the tested cars, including from this article, have started. These are collector's prints in numbered series on archival papers.

Have a good one!

One of the more interesting books about Poland in the 1990s is “The Sunday that Happened on Wednesday” by Mariusz Szczygieł. The stories discuss the early days of capitalism and the race for success. This edition of Sunday Drive results from my capitalist calendar getting clogged up – not for the first time and probably not the last. I intentionally did not write this text before the weekend, as I wanted to reference this year's edition of the most important race of the year – the 24 Heures du Mans.

Good (and Bad) News from France

The eyes of the entire motorsport world were on Circuit de la Sarthe this weekend, where the 92nd edition of the world's most famous race took place.
The starting list included 62 cars: 23 each from the Hypercar and LMGT3 categories and 16 from the LMP2 category. In the latter, the Inter Europol Competition team with Jakub Śmiechowski on board was competing. The green and yellow Oreca with side number #34 defended last year's title, but this time the United Autosports crew from Great Britain proved faster. Along the way, there were adventures and moments of terror: a broken wheel, difficult weather conditions, and neutralizations. Nevertheless, second place in such a race is a fantastic achievement! Congratulations!

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The race started brilliantly for Robert Kubica, who is racing in the top class – Hypercar – this season. The Ferrari car with number #83, starting from 12th position, advanced to 5th within a single lap! Kubica joined his teammates from cars #50 and #51, and the top five were dominated by AF Corse.

Then it got even better! On Saturday, the yellow Ferrari led the field several times. Unfortunately, at night, there was a collision between #83 with Kubica at the wheel and the BMW with number #15. Little is known about the circumstances leading to the crash, but the Polish driver suggests that Dries Vanthoor's driving was not fair.

The AF Corse crew was penalized with a 30-second pit stop, after which they managed to return to the lead. Unfortunately, after 248 laps (4 hours before the end), an electrical failure occurred, and the yellow Ferrari had to withdraw from the competition.

Triumphant Horse

Ferrari defended last year's title. However, this time the winning car was number #50, with Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina, and Nicklas Nielsen behind the wheel, after a very challenging and eventful race.

Nine cars finished the race with 311 laps, which shows that the competition was even. In 2023, only two cars finished with the same number of laps. Perhaps it was due to the rain and several neutralizations, maybe the Balance of Performance, but it doesn't matter because the weather, collisions, and regulations are all part of this spectacle. Autosport channel published a race review featuring experienced journalist Gary Watkins.

The Winding Road to France

Just before the racing weekend, Cadillac published a film on YouTube about over two years of preparations to return to endurance racing. The hour-and-a-half long documentary shows the process of preparation, designing, and testing of the car in the top Hypercar class. The entire effort had one goal – to win at Le Mans. Although the story is told from the perspective of one team, it is universal and fascinating. The script was written by Mike Spinelli, one of the founders of Jalopnik and currently head of content at Motorsport Network. The director is JF Musial, who created the /DRIVE channel on YouTube with Spinelli (unfortunately, it was abandoned by the giant).

This year, the best Cadillac was number #2, which finished in seventh place.

Cadillac made its first appearance at Le Mans in 1950. Thanks to the perseverance of Briggs Cunningham, two cars lined up on the starting grid: one with a standard Coupe de Ville body nicknamed “Petite Patoud” (French for clumsy puppy), the other named “Le Monstre” (French for monster) due to its appearance.

The cars finished in 10th (Petite Patoud) and 11th (Le Monstre), with the latter finishing with a damaged gearbox – only the highest gear was working, but thanks to a large fuel tank, the car didn't have to stop and start often.

The base for the cars was the same Cadillac Series 61 models, with a V8 engine of 5.4 litres capacity. The Monster's body was completely redesigned, in line with the regulations of the time. Engineers from Grumman Aircraft were involved in the aerodynamic wedge design, and the car could be seen in action at last year's Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Performance Tests

The idea behind the creation of endurance races was to test the durability and usefulness of cars. The first 24-hour race was organized in 1905 in Columbus, the capital of Ohio. A horse racing dirt track was used for this purpose, and four cars were entered in the race. Ultimately, three started: Pope-Toledo, Frayer-Miller, and Peerless.

The race was won by Charles and George Soules in a Pope-Toledo car, who had to rebuild the car after a crash (according to contemporary reports, it took them less than 60 minutes), but returned to the first position and crossed the finish line, covering a distance of 828.5 miles/1334 km (for comparison, this year's Le Mans winner covered 2540 miles/4237.7 km).

I have long wondered if there has ever been a 24-hour race completed by a single driver. Indeed, the first one was! In the Frayer-Miller car, Lee Miller (the constructor) fought alone, likely against unimaginable fatigue.

Interestingly, before and after the main race, other accompanying events were held. One of them involved starting in a fully loaded car, stopping at each quarter of a lap, and removing one person from the car. Then in the other direction – to a full load of passengers and a complete stop. Another, held after the longest race, was a three-mile race won by the aforementioned Lee Miller.

Japanese Dream

The latest edition of The Road Rat magazine is entirely dedicated to Japan. Inside, as usual, there are plenty of great stories and photos about the culture and constructions from the Land of the Rising Sun. Among them is the story of Mazda's success at Le Mans in 1991.

Richard Meaden's text recalls his first visit to Circuit de la Sarthe in 1991, which was a year of regulatory changes for car construction (FISA, the predecessor of FIA, envied the uniform rules of Formula 1 and starting from the 1992 season, the use of 3.5 litre naturally aspirated units was mandated). Mazda had participated in numerous races and, from the beginning, its entire construction philosophy was based on Wankel engines. The 1991 model had four cylinders and went down in history as one of the best-sounding cars.

Thank you for your continued interest, and I invite you to subscribe to the newsletter. I also encourage you to support the site on Buy Me a Coffee or Patreon. The funds collected will be used to develop the Heel and Toe magazine and ultimately allow full focus on the project. In the aforementioned service, sales of photos of the tested cars, including from this article, have started. These are collector's prints in numbered series on archival papers.

Have a good one!

After a month-long break, I return to you, dear Readers, with the Sunday Drive. This break resulted from a surge of professional duties, but as a consolation, I can add that a lot happened in the world of motoring during this month. The upcoming weeks and months will be full of photos, meetings, and reports. For now, I'm catching up on the backlog, and today I will share some of the more interesting premieres, which every year in May share a common denominator, or rather a lack of one: the roof.

BMW Skytop

The Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este is a prestigious event held annually at Villa d'Este on Lake Como in Italy. Its history dates back to 1929 when the first car beauty contest was organised. Initially, this event aimed to promote new car models and innovative body designs, focusing on elegance and design.

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After World War II, the contest disappeared from the motoring event map for almost forty years, only to be revived in the 1990s by Italian historian Tito Anselmi, in collaboration with Villa d'Este​. Since then, the event has gained significance and become one of the most important meetings for lovers of classic and vintage cars from around the world.

The contemporary Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este attracts both historic cars and modern concepts, presenting a wide spectrum of automotive masterpieces. Since 1999, the organisers have been BMW Group, and as expected, they have made the event a place for the premieres of their concepts. Practically, every year, luxury coupés from Roll's–Royce and BMW appear.
This year the stage belongs to the Bavarians, who showed the stunning Skytop, built on the 8 Series, most likely the M8, as it was officially announced that it features the most powerful engine in the BMW range.

I don't know if there is another car manufacturer that makes more beautiful prototypes than BMW. But I know that for the fans of the brand, who are heated to the core, it is BMW that pours a bucket of the coldest water by showing production versions.

Morgan Midsummer

The United Kingdom, despite its roulette-like weather, is the undisputed capital of convertibles. Islanders have always had a penchant for roadsters, as evident in their numerous historical designs. Since the 1930s, British brands like MG, Triumph, Austin-Healey, and Morgan have stood out in the production of lightweight, sporty convertibles that have become style and performance icons. Models like the Morgan 4/4, Triumph TR3, and Austin-Healey 3000 gained popularity both on British roads and in international rallies and races.

In the 1960s and 70s, British motoring continued to dominate the convertible segment with models such as the Jaguar E-Type and Lotus Elan, as well as the Morgan Plus 8. The Jaguar E-Type, often regarded as one of the most beautiful cars in history, became a motoring icon due to its unique design. The Lotus Elan was praised for its lightness and excellent driving properties, while the Morgan Plus 8, with its distinctive classic look, remains a quintessence of Britishness to motoring enthusiasts worldwide.

The latest creation from Malvern was made in collaboration with Pininfarina. The Italian stylistic thought can turn any ugly duckling into a swan. It’s just a shame that a few elements weren't pushed visually (and technologically): the steering wheel and, for heaven’s sake, the gear lever. It immediately suggests who supplied the components of the powertrain (see premiere number 1). The inline-six, which can be found in the Morgan Plus Six, BMW Z4, and Toyota Supra, produces 335 hp. The car is limited to only 50 units. I hope that in the future I will be able to see it at one of the elegance contests.

Jon Wells – Morgan's chief designer was a guest on The Smoking Tire Podcast. An interesting conversation about Morgan's philosophy:

Mercedes-AMG PureSpeed Concept

I don't really know what to think about the look of the car presented by Mercedes before the Monaco F1 GP. It doesn’t thrill me like the two previously described cars. The HALO system is supposed to protect passengers from rollovers and accidents on the track. Whether it will ever hit the track at all, as the limited-to-250-units silver red arrow will probably be a collector's item. However, the story of the red colour is interesting, referring to a race exactly a hundred years ago. At that time, body colours were assigned to the countries of origin of the manufacturers (I wrote about this in the second issue of SD) and Germany had to use white paint. This was to facilitate the recognition of approaching teams by the judges. The system also worked among fans, who frequently obstructed teams from foreign countries in rallies. During the Targa–Florio rally in Sicily in 1924, Mercedes decided to deceive unfriendly spectators and painted the car red – the colour of the Italians. The car with number 10 won, and the commemoration of that team was placed on the fender.

May at least the engine of the Mercedes sound as good as always.

ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring 2024

At this time of year, the temperature in the world of endurance racing rises to its climax at two events. The first on the calendar is the toughest of the toughest, held in the Green Hell, among the mountains of the Eiffel region, and in constantly changing weather – the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring.

In 2022 I went to the 50th edition to observe not only the competition but the community as a whole centred around the track. The atmosphere resembles a motorsport carnival: music, beer, and fancy dressers.

A comprehensive report can be read here:

As every year, thanks to ADAC's generosity, the race is broadcast live on YouTube and without additional fees. This link will probably be active only until the end of the race, but there will definitely be a replay (for marathoners) and a summary (for sprinters) on the channel.

UPDATE: The race was halted around midnight due to very thick fog. At the time of writing, it has been eleven hours since the red flag was raised. I hope they will be able to start for a few hours and settle the race in a classic way.

UPDATE 2: Unfortunately, the race was not resumed. At 1:30 pm the cars were released for five formation laps. As each took about 20 minutes, the cars crossed the finish line at full speed only. Thus, we witnessed the shortest twenty-four-hour race in this series – eight hours and only fifty laps completed.

A short summary can be found here:

BMW Art Car #20

The second, considered more prestigious race is, of course, the 24 hour marathon at Le Mans. More about the race in the next SD, and now we will deal with the premiere of the artistic painting of the Hypercar class car of the BMW factory team. The author is the performative painter Julie Mehretu, whose candidacy was selected back in 2018. The work was described as a “Performative work created from a painting motif and a racing car”. Hmm… As I don’t see a performance in wrapping a car in foil, the author's words that the process will be completed after the race at Le Mans seem interesting. Anyone who has had the opportunity to see a car up close after twenty-four hours of racing knows how much dust, sweat, insects, and damage changes the look of the car. Will the car be a canvas, speeding through the track and collecting elements of the composition? Is that what Julie Mehretu means by performative art? In this case, will the factory team drivers and everyone who comes into contact with the “Canvas” during the race be considered co-authors? Intriguing!

Thank you for your continued interest, and I invite you to subscribe to the newsletter. I also encourage you to support the site on Buy Me a Coffee or Patreon. The funds collected will be used to develop the Heel and Toe magazine and ultimately allow full focus on the project. In the aforementioned service, sales of photos of the tested cars, including from this article, have started. These are collector's prints in numbered series on archival papers.

Have a good one!

I'm holding a lottery ticket in my hand.
On the ticket, there are three scratch opportunities; matching all of them means winning the grand prize: the perfect story.

I scratch off the first part and the destination appears: the northeast corner of Poland. The deepest lake in the country – Hańcza. Unexpected and unconventional. The Suwałki Region is one of the cleanest areas in Poland. Clean in terms of nature, free from crowds of tourists, from advertising banners along the roads, and from… light!

Scratch-off number 2. I excitedly scratch it with my thumbnail and there it is! Four nights in a luxury condo. Date: (almost) mid-August. I must bring the hotel room to the location myself. It's a Mercedes EQS SUV. The largest passenger car in Mercedes' electric family. A condominium on wheels. The key phrase during the pandemic. I've never spent a holiday in a camper, but at first glance, the EQS resembles a living room with leather lounges rather than a complete living space with a bedroom and bathroom.

I quickly glance at the specification sheet. With the rear seats folded down, the distance from the end of the boot, to the front-row seats is about two meters. So, theoretically, there's room for an inflatable mattress, my “hotel bed”. And the view from the window, or rather from ten windows? I can choose it myself, travel halfway across the globe (that electrified part), and stop sideways, across, or upside down. I have a vista on all sides of the world and even upwards, towards the starry expanse.

Scratch-off number 3. I start to scratch it off but think that the previous two turned out so well that I'll save this one for dessert… Maybe I'll scratch it off on-site and let myself be surprised again by what I find?

Alright, it's time to make myself at home in my new home. The “S” class has always been synonymous with luxury. For many years, limousines have carried politicians, CEOs, and heirs in their rear seats. Those who wanted to identify with a more active lifestyle and take along a dog, a bike, or a picnic set, and drive off the paved roads, would look either to the G-class or altogether towards Great Britain. And for those of them, to whom Geländewagen, with its rich history and excellent off-road capabilities, wasn’t “posh” enough and not “S” enough, the biggest seller is its non-leaky nature. Then came the American aspirations of European and Japanese brands, and in 2006 in Detroit, Mercedes unveiled the GL model (X164). Ten years later, its now grown-up descendant from the 2013 model year, saw a facelift and a letter badge, around which this entire article revolves – The (GL) S. At this point, it became clear what this car was supposed to be—an S-class where one sits high in fashionable manner, an S-class in station wagon version. The third generation added a Maybach version, which will also appear in the EQ family – fully electric.

What is the EQS SUV all about? Although a new nomenclature for electric cars has appeared in the world of Mercedes, the “S” still means the same: the largest model in the line-up. The largest and most luxurious, with all the latest technological bells and whistles and travel comfort at the highest level (more luxurious can only be the previously mentioned Maybach version). The test version is the 580 4Matic model equipped with a 120 kWh battery. The official range promises 485 kilometres, but that's only a theory. The energy goes to two motors producing a total of 544 bhp and 858Nm of torque, and despite weighing nearly three tons, the car accelerates rapidly to speeds that are not proper to mention here. Moreover, the sense of guilt in terms of breaking the law is enhanced by the silence inside. The absence of a combustion engine is one thing, but the tested model was equipped with a soundproofing package containing double-glazed glass windows. The only sounds that come from outside are generated by the tyres (a 275/45 on 21” rims with a GoodYear Eagle F1 tyres) and the wind at much higher speeds.

I release the accelerator and check if the strongest recuperation can stop the car. It can – the car slows down almost to a halt, but not wanting to cause a disturbance on the road, I keep driving. The silence of lawful driving can be disturbed in three ways. The first is to choose one of three sound simulations of acceleration (the intensity decreases when driving at a constant speed) – two of them sound quasi-engine-like, and the third seems straight out of a sci-fi movie.

None of them appealed to me enough to win over the quiet potential of a concert hall. Because inside the EQS, when you play music, you can feel like you're in a concert hall. The stars on the hood – one large and hundreds of small ones – prompt the search for music inspired by space. The choice falls on Gustav Holst's suite “The Planets”. Burmester audio with its numerous speakers on board creates a depth that pierces the entire body.

What concert halls lack (at least in the few where I've had the chance to listen to concerts), are such comfortable seats. The massage function in any car is a stretch for me because the inflating balls pressing on my back do not relax me, but rather irritate me. More interesting are the “training” and mini-kinetics of the seats, which motivate you to tense your muscles and change your position during the journey. But all of that is nothing compared to the ventilation with cool air, especially on such a hot day as this summer. Dolby Surround of air conditioning.

Another surprise is the steering wheel. I’m a sucker for nice steering wheels, I appreciate their design, and I value the most those that are the original – round. To my delight, the “Electric Art” trim includes one. Without a flattened bottom for too-long calves (there's plenty of room, and you can also activate the comfort entry function), without aggressive profiling for thumbs (it's there, but almost unnoticeable). The rim is definitely thicker and probably has a larger diameter than those in the AMG versions. Really, it's only while holding the steering wheel that I felt I was driving a large vehicle. Despite the external dimensions, it's not obvious, most likely also due to the rear-wheel steering. At low speeds up to 10 degrees, which makes the turning diameter only 11 meters (VW Golf is only 10 cm better), and I must mention that the car is over five meters long. The interior accommodates passengers quite snugly. Wooden accents, warm tones of materials, and flowing, organic lines of the dashboard and doors enhance the sense of cosiness. The effect is further enhanced by atmospheric lighting – God only knows in how many different hues – and the cherry on top are the pillows in the headrests…

Alright Michael, time to wake up!

Such an expensive car – starting at 110000 € – cannot promise only comfort features and senses pleasing add-ons. The car must be smart and have at least two screens larger than those on which I watched “Seven Wishes” (Polish TV series) thirty years ago. Moreover, at the command of "Hathor, hathor, hathor!" (in German: "Hey, Mercedes"), it should tell jokes about BMW.

Onboard system can be asked to adjust a series of functions, but the effect of interaction in Polish slightly spoils the synthetic way the system speaks. In the tested model, there were five screens (plus one HUD), three of which were hidden under a single glass panel – the Hyperscreen. They can be operated in various ways: touchscreen, partly from the steering wheel, or voice control. There are as few buttons on the dashboard as possible, and I particularly missed those for controlling the air conditioning. Well, you can say "Hathor, hathor, hathor," but first – I'm shy, and second – I would rather not shout over the orchestra (still playing), now passing the Jupiter.

And since we've already fallen into the gravitational field of the gas giant, let's talk about the G-forces to which our Star is capable. The car weighs 2810kg and, just like Jupiter among its planetary companions, is the heaviest model in the Mercedes range. Despite this, it accelerates to 62 Mph in 4.6s. It's not a record in the electric world, but perhaps the AMG version will beat it. One might think that stiffer suspension in “Sport” driving mode, a low-mounted battery, and “torque vectoring” would keep the giant on course in the corners. Unfortunately, the laws of physics are hard to bend, and one must accept that it's not a light roadster that changes directions nimbly and confidently.

What limits interstellar voyages is also a matter of fuel. Planning a tour around Poland is also like planning a conquest of space – there are few chargers in the northeast. It is like planning with a map and a caliper. Calculating distances and setting priorities for power consumption. Fortunately, Hańcza is not far from Suwałki, where I located a 140kW station. While charging, I was alone for a while (at two stations) and managed to charge 91kWh in 60 minutes, which seems a tolerable result. Cost: 80 €. But that's also because I'm not a frequent grid user and have no subscription. That would be more economical for those who use chargers more frequently.

Waiting for the batteries to recharge, I remembered that I have one more scratch-off! One more chance to complete 100% of the plan. And that plan includes photographing the Perseids fall. I'm at the spot a couple of days too early for their peak, but something will definitely enter Earth's atmosphere, as the phenomenon lasts over a month. I'm prepared from A to Z. I have a camera and a tripod, and a stars-ready Nikon binoculars.

Furthermore, I'm in one of the two darkest regions in the country. I even have two roof windows of the EQS – I can stare at the sky all night. I pull out the ticket and scratch. Category: weather. Result: clouds, rain, and no visible stars. All or Nothing. For the rest of the afternoon and evening, rain drizzles, and droplets gather on the lens; nothing will come out of it except big disappointment. All the local bugs and other creatures make their way into the dry and seductively comfortable sleeping quarters at the back of the Mercedes, which at this point can only become a sleeping capsule, accompanied by the rumble of rain…

The disappointment of the previous evening's weather was compounded by the rays of sun that woke me the next day. I look through all the windows, a beautiful day is promised. Over Hańcza, there's still a remnant of fog, in the background someone is fishing from a boat.

While preparing a mo(u)rning coffee and meditating about Space. The only stars I've seen here are the ones on the EQS grill. I feel angry at Mother Nature, I resent the calendar, and blame fate. But that's how it is with lotteries – you usually lose. At least on the way back, I felt interstellarly relaxed.

Thank you for your continued interest and I invite you to subscribe to the newsletter. I also encourage you to support the site on Buy Me a Coffee or Patreon. The funds collected will be used to develop the Heel and Toe magazine and ultimately allow full focus on the project. In the aforementioned service, sales of photos of the tested cars, including from this article, have started. These are collector's prints in numbered series on archival papers.

Have a good one!

Oil flows calmly through the forests and foothills of Jaworzynka spring. It passes a small cemetery from World War I, turns northwest towards Blechnarka. Exactly 300 meters south of Gipsies Well, it intersects with another tributary, doubling its force as it snakes through Wysowa-Zdrój and Gorlickie Mouth. There, it flows into Klimków Lake and continues its path to a village named in its honour.

Now a tricky part:
Ropa is a Polish word for Petroleum.
Ropa – the river – is a left-bank tributary of the Wisłoka river, which it meets in Jasło.
Ropa is also a village situated along Ropa – the river.

The fume of oil continued to hover over Ropa (the village) for a long time before petroleum took the form we know from modern times. The first mentions in Polish come from the chronicles of Jan Długosz. The term originates from the Latin Petroleum (Petra – rock, oleum – oil).

Several decades after Długosz, the area was explored by a gold seeker – Seweryn Boner (no pun intended – I kid You not) – who found his mine was flooded with rock oil. Thus, supposedly, oil was discovered in these lands, although the legend of Mr Seweryn probably aimed to symbolize its quiet discovery by the locals, unanchored in time. Petroleum has been known since antiquity and was used, among other things, as a medical remedy.

I fast-forward the hands of the clock and stop in 1789, when the owner of Ropa (the village) became Władysław Siemieński, whose wife was named Petronela… More petrochemical signs from the skies!

Deposits of rock oil stretch under the entire Low Beskids. The first, manually dug shafts were created in the village of Siary, below Gorlice. Industrial-scale extraction began in 1854 by Ignacy Łukasiewicz. He was the one who distilled kerosene from rock oil and who constructed a kerosene lamp fuelled by what is known as lamp oil. The place where the pickaxe struck the ground for the first commercial oil mine was Bóbrka, and the owner was the world's first oil company: Trzecieski-Łukasiewicz. The entire region transformed into an oil province with mines, distilleries, and refineries.

The development of the next century was based on oil. No economy in the world is associated with an oil as much as the USA’s is. No automotive culture celebrates fuel combustion like that of the USA. What car, then, to pay tribute to Petroleum? Obviously, an American muscle.

The longest currently produced generation of sports car in the United States is the Dodge Challenger. In 2008, the third incarnation of the legend from the seventies debuted. The original from the seventies was the essence of a sports car from across the ocean. Better not to mention its successor – a to post-fuel-crisis victim and, instead of an original design, Dodge slapped its badges on a Mitsubishi Galant Lambda. A quarter-century later, the Challenger resurrected like a Phoenix from the ashes. The premiere engine was a V8 with a 6.1 litre capacity and a Mercedes-Benz five-speed automatic. In the sixteen-year production run, eighteen different versions were created with V6 and V8 engines, and the largest one to be placed under the hood was the 6.4 litre Apache. It is with such a version that we will celebrate the existence of ICE. Where? You have the regional clue above, and a pin on the map will point to the Museum of Oil and Gas Industry in Bóbrka. The institution, founded in 1961, is exceptional for many reasons. First: it combines two functions: it is both a museum and an active oil mine (the one that Łukasiewicz founded in 1854). Second: on the museum site, there is a technological cross-section of the Polish (and Soviet) oil industry. Third: the scent of the surrounding dense forests mixes with the scent of petroleum oil, which has caused me a pleasant dizziness several times.

We cross the gates on a Sunday afternoon. In front of us lies an extensive avenue that leads to the heart of the outdoor museum. The warm July sun illuminates the row of drilling rigs on the left, and on the right, the exhibition pavilion. Further, we pass boiler house buildings and various winches and working machines. After our first reconnaissance, we select numerous locations for photos, but we are deeply absorbed by acquainting ourselves with the exhibits and history of the place. There is so much here that we would need to sit a week! But one thing at a time.

The first spot we planned at the most intriguing vehicle we found – a vibroseis, used by Geofizyka Toruń until 1976. Between its axles is a mechanism that, when lowered to the ground, generates controlled, strong vibrations that penetrate the earth's crust. Seismic waves bounce off different geological layers and are received by geophones – sensors distributed on the surface of the earth. Geologists can make maps of underground structures by studying signals. This can help them find oil and gas deposits. Our rather large American car looks very petite next to the yellow vibroseis.

The second photo shoot plan is the CPN gas station, type: “mountain”. Under its sloping roof stands a tanker, surrounded by fuel dispensers of several generations from the many years of existence of the Central Petroleum Products. Inside the room, which at a contemporary station is mainly used for selling hot-dogs, you can admire a collection of photographs and memorabilia from the precursor of Orlen.

On day two, we focus more on the car. The Challenger SRT8 with a 6.4 litre engine (392-cubic-inch HEMI) with Scat Pack, Wide Body, and distinctive green livery reminiscent of a reptile's colouration presents itself threateningly and dominantly. The sound? Well… Nothing resonates with my heart as strong as the sound of a powerful V8, whether from the stables of Mercedes, Ford, or Dodge. The naturally aspirated version in our car, as it revs up, generates an unobstructed husky roar and elevates the drama to the limits of physical pain. Reptilian, green (in colour) energy. That's how I imagine the automotive version of the most ferocious late Cretaceous representative. I would rather not throw around dinosaur names because through popular culture it would sound banal, but certain myths have permanently settled in our heads. My favourite description of petroleum is “dinosaur juice” and I was surprised to read the words of Reidar Müller – It's a myth. Oil is the remnants of plankton and algae…

Our routes to and from the museum confirm another myth: American muscle cars feel best on the straights. The steering system with electric power assistance is far from the finesse of European competitors, and with power approaching 500 Bhp, it mainly serves to counter oversteer. The energy from the engine is transmitted by an eight-speed ZF automatic to the rear axle and is distributed on both sides by a limited-slip differential.

The second day is busy, we photograph the car and museum elements. It's Monday – most museums rest-day, we have all the objects to ourselves. I look at the constructions, mechanisms, and buildings. I remember what I was doing here 20 years ago. It was a photographic outing with an association where I took my first photographic steps. We travelled across the country to live on the museum grounds (I think we stayed in “Naftusia” – one of the wooden workers' cottages) and photograph the black-and-white landscape – it was the middle of the winter. Now we are here in summer, so I need to clear the snow from those views.

Now it's easier to peer into every nook and admire the forward-thinking thought. In the warm air, the scent of rock oil from the active “Franek” shaft spreads faster. We peer into the black interior and see the shimmering, sometimes bubbling thick sludge. It is it – here, not so deep underground – the primal form of the petrol. Imagination educated by the scattered photographs and descriptions throughout the museum paints stories from the mid-19th century. Before machines were put to work, workers were lowered into the shaft to manually extract the oil. Over the following years, the industrial revolution swung to the extent that in some areas, humans were replaced by machines. Everything was powered by oil or steam, engines driving flywheels, transmitting energy through belts to drills and jacks. The racket that once resounded here now echoes under the hoods of our cars.

We leave Bóbrka full of admiration and respect for what we've seen. The technology pioneered by Łukasiewicz made the world revolve around Petroleum. Thanks to it, we have the automotive, aviation, partly textile, polymer, and even construction industries. It has sparked numerous conflicts, wars, and economic crises. And supposedly it has irreversibly changed the climate. To take a stand on this issue, it's worth knowing at least a part of the history of climate changes (including the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and its impact on the development of a flora), rather than putting the blame on the fossil fuels. Yes, I agree with the opinion that humanity has done more harm than good to the Green Planet, that we will probably never dig ourselves out of environmental pollution, and that future generations will tread on a degraded, depleted earth. Still, let's not be deceived that what will replace oil is true “green energy”. This technology looks green only at the end-stage of use, and the conditions and rates at which people mining rare earth minerals work are shrouded in silence.
I'm not saying that electric powering of anything, including cars, is bad, but I claim that fossil fuels have fallen victim to negative marketing, and what we have achieved thanks to them has no significance in the current narrative.
Miners in Bóbrka extracting oil were working just as hard as a miners extracting cobalt in the Congo.
The shade of dubious green of both energy sources is the same.

Thank you to the Ignacy Łukasiewicz Museum of Oil and Gas Industry officials for their kind consideration of my idea and for enabling the production of this story. I would also like to thank Hardcore Car Rent for providing the car. The car was tested on a closed road, under controlled conditions.

Thank you for your continued interest and I invite you to subscribe to the newsletter. I also encourage you to support the site on Buy Me a Coffee or Patreon. The funds collected will be used to develop the Heel and Toe magazine and ultimately allow full focus on the project. In the aforementioned service, sales of photos of the tested cars, including from this article, have started. These are collector's prints in numbered series on archival papers.

Have a good one!

Ayrton Senna has captivated the hearts of Formula 1 enthusiasts with his exceptional abilities on the track. He impressed Brazilians with his empathetic attitude towards those in need of educational support. In his homeland, he achieved an almost divine status, akin to Maradona in Argentina.

Listen, here’s the situation: I don't feel up to writing about Ayrton Senna's life and career on “Sunday Drive”. Many editors, writers, and filmmakers – experts on the subject – have tackled that challenge. My knowledge regarding Senna is too limited. I can only reflect on the emotions stirred in me by every Formula 1 race from thirty years ago and his influence on the world of motorsport. In the early 1990s, when my love for motoring was forming, I watched everything related to Formula 1 with enthusiasm, including the tensions between Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, and my namesake Michael Schumacher. I believe that I witnessed THAT race live on television, although it is possible that it is a recollection evoked by the numerous emotional accounts of the tragedy. As I delve deeper into history now, I feel deep respect for Ayrton Senna and the legacy he left behind.

Movie Night

The Brazilian’s story was brilliantly told in the documentary “Senna”, directed by Asif Kapadia. The production won two 2012 BAFTA awards—for Best Documentary and Best Editing. Previously unseen footage, interviews with family and friends, and beautiful music will satisfy any biographical hunger. It's available to watch on Netflix.

Postscript

The screenwriter and executive producer was Manish Pandey, who, before becoming part of the podcast “Collecting Addicts” (which I recommend), spoke with Chris Harris about the documentary’s creation (pictured with Bernie Ecclestone, who also appeared in the series, but more on that another time).

New Sportscar Experimental

In 1988, McLaren signed a new contract for engine supply for its Formula 1 cars. After several successful years of collaboration with Porsche, Honda would supply the new engines. At the same time, a new driver joined the team – Ayrton Senna. Both Honda and Senna were already familiar to each other from prior seasons at Lotus. After his transfer to McLaren, Senna tighten-up his relationship with Honda, who decided to use the charismatic Brazilian as a development driver for their new car – a response to European sports exotics – the NSX. The first opportunity to test the new machine came in 1989 at the Suzuka circuit. Senna described the car as “fragile”. This opinion hurt the proud Japanese engineers, but instead of committing seppuku, they improved the structural rigidity by 50%. Further tests refined the suspension and handling. Finally, Senna's blessing descended upon the Japanese creation, and the car was deemed ready. Here’s a detailed report from the Suzuka tests (unfortunately in Japanese):

The Honda NSX was a successful design with legendary handling characteristics, yet it wasn’t very popular. Senna himself owned three examples, but his involvement in its development didn't hold enough PR power, and European brands effectively repelled the Japanese offensive. This footage from other tests at Suzuka, where a relaxed Senna in shiny slip-ons jumps into the cockpit and works his magic, is one of the key verses in the driver's bible. What I saw inspired the name of this portal and newsletter.

Italian Romance

Racing teams, especially in Formula 1, treat their drivers like jewels (understandable given contract values) and look disapprovingly upon alternative motoring risks (see R. Kubica's accident, which ended his Ferrari and F1 career). Senna had a rocky relationship with his bosses due to his love of motorcycles. He had a particular affection for Italian Ducati.

He knew Claudio Castiglioni, head of Cagiva and Ducati owner from 1985 to 1996. In 1994, Castiglioni introduced him to a new prototype street sportsbike – the 916. Senna was impressed by the innovative design and advanced construction of the bike. Admiring his charitable work, Castiglioni proposed a joint project, in which part of the money raised would be donated to level the educational playing field for young Brazilians. The contract allowing Ducati to use the “Senna” name was signed in March 1994, less than two months prior to the champion's death. The first of three series was limited to 300 units, and Senna chose the colour scheme himself. Thus, the Ducati 916 Senna was born.

The Name – The Brand

Perhaps the collaboration with Ducati, Castiglioni's charitable declaration, and the growing awareness of the “Senna” brand were the starting points of conversations between Ayrton and his sister Viviane about establishing a charity organisation. This was happening around the same time as the Ducati 916 Senna development. Due to the tragic accident, the establishment of the organisation was delayed until the Instituto Ayrton Senna was finally announced. The organisation received PR support (and probably financial) from Bernie Ecclestone and Sir Frank Williams. The foundation's income comes either from donations or royalties for the logo's commercial use on clothing, furniture, watches, and cars.

The foundation has been operating continuously for thirty years and remains a multi-generational family project of the Senna family.

Big comeback

In February 2022, Williams Racing, where Senna raced in his final season, announced that after 27 years, the distinctive “S” logo would be removed from their Formula 1 cars. The decision was justified by a “desire to close that chapter in the team's history and focus on the future.” That was the official stance. The truth is, despite the noble gesture beginning in the 1995 season, Senna didn't win championships or even podiums with Williams. Maybe he didn't have the chance, as he only competed in three races and didn't finish any due to the FW16 car's exceptional unreliability.

His greatest successes came with another British team—McLaren. Driving for them, he won three championships, and the red-and-white car remains the symbol of his success to this day.

Three months after Williams' decision, McLaren announced that the logo commemorating the Brazilian would appear on their 2022 season cars and beyond. A symbolic return to the best moments, both for him and us, the fans.

It seems that McLaren pushed Williams into a corner regarding the use of the symbol as early as 2018 when they introduced the successor to the P1 model—the “Senna”.

The hypercar from Woking was an uncompromising design where function far outweighed form (challenging aesthetics), offering top driving thrills. The mid-engine, V8-powered bolide produced 800 PS and 800 Nm, with alla of it transferred to the rear axle via a seven-speed DCT gearbox, allowing rocketing to 62 Mph in just 2.8 seconds. Even Jezza was impressed.

Ayrton's spirit still hovers over the entire Formula 1 paddock. Many drivers who raced through Tamburello section after him highlight how much he inspired their careers. Lewis Hamilton said:

He is an incredible legend. You can still learn things from how he approached racing and how he drove. You like to think that one day you may be recognised as someone that was able to drive similarly to him.

And Bernie Ecclestone:

The trouble with asking for good memories of Ayrton is that I do not have any bad ones. Perhaps my very vivid memories are of his strong opinion, and most of the time he was right.

Thank you for your continued interest and I invite you to subscribe to the newsletter. I also encourage you to support the site on Buy Me a Coffee or Patreon. The funds collected will be used to develop the Heel and Toe magazine and ultimately allow full focus on the project. In the aforementioned service, sales of photos of the tested cars, including from this article, have started. These are collector's prints in numbered series on archival papers.

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How many times have we all been told that the latest “M” is the best and the only one? The best that BMW has ever produced and the only one you need to buy because it’s the end of an era and there won’t be another…

The craze for the sporty, compact BMW started in 1974 with the launch of the 2002 Turbo model. Eleven years later, the groundbreaking M3 E30 debuted, considered for many years as “Peak BMW”. Even the M3 E46 during its market presence didn't take down the reputation of the E30, though today, many years after production ended, it grows into a bigger legend. The next generation (E90/E92/E93) had a problem – it became a larger and more overwhelming car. Moreover, after the launch of the 1 Series, it lost the “entry-level” title. The smallest car in the manufacturer's range, especially on steroids, was always welcomed with open arms by BMW enthusiasts. In 2011, the 1 Series M Coupé hit the showrooms as the spiritual successor to the M3 E30. Supposedly great, supposedly the best M ever. Again. It was no different in 2016 when the M2 F87 arrived. Revolution! Peak form! On Grand Tour, none other than Jeremy Clarkson said it. He wasn’t joking. Not much water has passed in the Thames, and it turned out that the general public didn’t like that the car was powered by the N55 unit – not a pure Motorsport division powerhouse. The same engine powered a range of other, standard models from Bavaria. Fortunately, it stopped meeting the emission regs (officially) and had to be replaced. And, as the market well received the M2, they transplanted into it the heart from the M3/M4 (F80/F82) with the designation S55, but fearing a fratricidal fight, they detuned it to 405 bhp. And again, a hit! Another peak form, another “The last of its kind”.

Today (January 2024) the next-generation M2 G87 is already on the market, but it’s not certain that it will inherit the crown from its predecessor because the appearance of this car is… well, not into my taste, to be honest. I wouldn’t call it ugly, but for me, it's a bit too square. Straight angles and perpendicular lines dominated the air intakes, diffuser, and even the “kidneys”. Slopes and triangles from the depicted here F87 generation seem more dynamic. Looking at the profile of the two-door coupé, the viewer's eye, starting from the front lights, is led by the curve of the hood, not too heavily embossed. At the meeting point of the hood and the A-pillar, a vent cover is installed – a strong graphic point (especially on the white paint) – starting for the crease running backwards along the side of the car. This ascending line includes a door handle, and thanks to the light and shadow game, it doesn't stand out too much. That line fades in the space between the rear wheel arch and the point connecting the C-pillar to the boot lid. The line of the roof and windows is rounded, though the latter ends visually turning back with two sharper corners known as “Hofmeister kink” and leads the eye back, towards the front. Our attention stops at the characteristic mirror with two bars. The lower, mounting one is horizontal and installed in the front corner of the window. Base black, cover in body colour. Visually appealing and supposedly effective aerodynamically.

The cabin is quite spacious, with a wide range of possibilities for setting the seats in the first row and the steering wheel. MS is a tall lad that always complains about this aspect in most cars he sits in. Here he took a position he described as “ideal”. In the smallest M! I am not much taller than Danny DeVito and have no ergonomic problems in any car. I do, however, have issues with design. The interior of the F87 generation does not dazzle with trinkets and gigantic screens. That idea has been known for years, and the visual language is derived from the 3 Series F30. The steering wheel is round with a round airbag cover and a thick rim, typical of M models. Not everyone likes this thickness, I treat it as a hallmark of these cars. The design of the steering wheel is in my top three favourites. It is a gauge that combines both worlds – analogue and digital. The needles are analogue, but the dials give a digital impression. This might be due to the perfectly matched blacks of the materials and the uniform backlighting. The edges of the gauges are defined by plastic frames, which visually reflect the trim installed around the airbag cover on the steering wheel. A very pleasant design.

Our test car in Alpine White is set on 19–inch Y-Spoke alloys with 245/35 rubbers at the front and 265/35 at the rear. A nice combination. Power is sent to the rear wheels only via an electronically controlled limited–slip differential and, heading towards the engine, through a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic. The engine, as I mentioned earlier, is the S55 unit, more powerful than its predecessor by 39 HP (405 HP at 5230 – 7000 rpm) with an increased torque of 85 Nm (from 465 Nm to 550 Nm at 2350 – 5230 rpm). Other changes include adding  a second turbo, stronger connecting rods and cylinders, a closed engine block, and improved cooling. Weight? Just over 1.5 tonnes. Result? 4.2 seconds to 60 mph. 

To test “The Ultimate Driving Machine”, we need to find “The Ultimate Driver’s Road”. Stelvio Pass is too far, but a small taste of it can be found on the most picturesque road in Poland – route 28 through Przysłup in the Silesian Mountains. We navigate its eighteen turns perhaps a hundred times, at varying speeds, on both dry and wet surfaces. Conclusions? What a car that is! As soon as the engine revs above 2000 rpm, it becomes eager, the upper band is aggressively enticing, and the gearbox transmits power quickly and efficiently. The DCT has three modes, and I am, craving sports thrills, switching it to the most aggressive mode, resulting with jerky upshifts, adding 10 points to the drama. Very satisfying! I press the gas pedal harder to feel the vicious character of the car. Thanks to its compact dimensions and suspension tuning, I can precisely determine the car's position on the road, and due to a smaller wheelbase than the M3, I feel the rear tends to swing out. 

The steering is precise and consistent. Changing direction is assured, even in corners approached with higher speeds. Surprisingly, one can feel how soft, compared to the front of the car, the rear is. As you enter a turn, the M2 is slightly understeering, in the middle of the turn it finds balance (the weight distribution is close to ideal – 50/50), and how it exits depends solely on the driver. I set the drive mode to Sport+ and grip the steering wheel harder.

After completing the first day of tests and with several decent photographs on my memory card, we checked the current market value of the M2. Prices for used models range from 40 to 60 thousand dollars (in Europe), and currently about 30 units are listed in polish Otomoto.pl. The new generation starts at 75 thousand $. It's hard for us to choose, not having experience with the new generation, but the more analogue F87 seems more interesting.

We spent two days on this beautiful road. Additional photos and a strobe shoot after dark. Driving up and down this road is mesmerizing. This car is mesmerizing. Not too big, not too arrogant, not overly modern. Just right. A good foundation for a monument commemorating “The Ultimate Driving Machine”. 

 Thanks to Hardcore Car Rent for providing the car. The car was tested on a closed road, in controlled conditions. 

Dear Reader, I invite you to subscribe to the newsletter. I also encourage you to support the site on Buy Me a Coffee or Patreon. The funds collected will be used to develop the Heel and Toe magazine and ultimately allow full focus on the project. In the aforementioned service, sales of photos of the tested cars, including from this article, have started. These are collector's prints in numbered series on archival papers.

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Milan – the capital of Italian finance and fashion. It was here in 1910 that Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili, shortly ALFA, a factory producing sports-oriented cars, was founded. Five years later, Nicola Romeo took over the business, leading to the birth of Alfa Romeo. For over a century, cars wearing the famous "Scudetto" on the front bumper have earned a distinguished reputation in the motorsport world and a notorious one among automotive mechanics. In 2021, Alfa Romeo fell under the global umbrella of the Stellantis group (previously under the smaller FCA umbrella) and immediately became a victim of the global epidemic of platform sharing among various brands. The first example of this model is the Tonale, which is manufactured near Naples, just like its transatlantic twin, the Dodge Hornet. Last week's premiere was the Alfa Romeo Milano, which will share the e-CMP2 platform with the Fiat 600 and Jeep Avenger.

The information, that it will be assembled in Tychy, Poland, displeased the Italian Minister of Industry, Adolfo Urso, who stated: "A car named 'Milano' cannot be manufactured in Poland. It is forbidden by Italian law." Indeed, Italian law reserves Italian-sounding names exclusively for products made within Italy. I must admit, despite supporting the Polish economy, I am quite impressed by the Italians' approach to protecting their culture, cuisine, and technology.

Let’s return to the "Milano". Among the trio mentioned above, it is definitely the most attractive car. The design team, led by Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos, is responsible for its visual appearance. The front is dominated by the new "Scudetto" badge, and the visual lowering of the hood results from black stripes located below the lights.

The lower part is almost entirely filled with an air intake, which visually keeps the vehicle closer to the ground. At the back, a black strip with rear lights directing downwards, reminiscent of the "boomerang" lights from the Maserati 3200 GT (designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro). The Milano's profile clearly shows it is a car with a higher roofline and compact dimensions. I appreciate the clean looks of the rear doors (the handle is moved to the C-pillar and hidden in black), but I dislike the overly short overhang behind the rear axle. The body ends with a so-called "coda tronca," harking back to the Giulia TZ from the 1960s.

The interior design of Alfas has always been in my TOP 3 – same here. Not overscreened, with a round steering wheel and characteristic rounded covers of the driver's gauge cluster.

This style of gauge cluster hood was introduced to the automotive world by the hero of the previous newsletter: Marcello Gandini.

Ticket to Canada

The automotive industry has a long tradition of naming cars after geographical locations. In 1967, at the Expo in Montreal, Alfa Romeo presented a concept car (then still with no name). Reportedly, it was named by the visitors themselves – Montreal. Bertone was responsible for the design and assigned a Gandini, who had been working there for several years.

The distinctive eyebrows in the production version lowered upon turning on the headlights, and an air intake appeared on the hood for the V8 engine, with a displacement of 2.6 litres and almost 200 horsepower. A five-speed gearbox from ZF was responsible for putting power to the wheels. What I cannot describe here is the sound of the engine, so use a link of Jay Leno's Garage episode:

Ferrari 750 Monza

Historically, Ferrari models are primarily associated with V12 engines. In the 1950s, a series of cars with inline four-cylinder engines was produced. Some of them had a displacement of two litres and were eligible to compete in Formula 2 (the Mondial 500 model). Later, the engine's capacity was increased to three litres (still four cylinders), thus creating the 750 Monza (named after the racetrack in Italy).

Here you can see the Monza in action, but on a different track: Goodwood.

In 2018, Ferrari introduced a contemporary iteration of the Monza – models SP1 and SP2 (single-seater and two-seater, respectively). These are not exactly the direct descendants of the 750, as under the hood, they don’t carry a four-cylinder engine.

Instead, they feature a V12 engine designated as F140, which debuted in the Ferrari Enzo, with 799 horsepower driving the rear wheels. Along with the SP models, a special series of Ferrari cars called Icona was launched, intended to evoke the legendary models of the brand. Doug DeMuro provides a detailed overview of the SP1:

Home Stretch

On another famous track – the Circuit de la Sarthe – there is a straight named Mulsanne. In 1980, Bentley surprisingly used this name not for any of their sports models, but for their most luxurious car. The first generation was produced until 1992. The second generation of this flagship luxury saloon debuted in 2010, powered by a modestly sized 6.75-litre V8 engine. It was also available in an extended wheelbase version (EWB) with a champagne cooler. Perfect for the track.

Production ended in 2020, and among the special editions was one celebrating 6 victories at the 24-hour Le Mans race – the Le Mans Edition.

Chris Harris and Neil Clifford discuss what it's like to be a driver and a passenger in the Mulsanne:

Thank you for your continued interest, and I invite you to subscribe to the newsletter. I also encourage you to support me on the Buy Me a Coffee website and Patronite(polish Patreon). The collected funds will be allocated to the development of the Heel and Toe magazine and will ultimately enable full concentration on the project. The sale of photos of tested cars has started on the Buy Me a Coffee website. These are collector's prints in numbered series, on archival papers. If the selection is too small, please visit my website, you can choose any frame. Do you have a unique car? I will be happy to photograph and review it!

Have a good one!

Marcello Gandini, born on August 26, 1938, in Turin, was an Italian car designer, considered one of the most influential in the history of the automotive industry. His career gained momentum when he joined Bertone. His initial efforts began in 1963, but Giorgetto Giugiaro, who had been there since 1959, expressed his disapproval. However, in 1965 Gandini moved to Carrozzeria Ghia, and the doors opened wide for him.

Over fourteen years of working for Bertone, Gandini created an incredible number of designs. The first iconic car partially designed by Gandini is the Lamborghini Miura. Partially, because Marcello designed only the bodywork.

The base was a design presented in 1965 at the Turin Motor Show, consisting of a frame, a running gear, and an engine. Revolutionary was the placement of the V12 engine, previously powering the 400GT model – transversely in front of the rear axle.

It was decided to exhibit the design alone after the partner of Lamborghini responsible for the bodies – Touring – presented four designs, which did not appeal to Ferruccio. Eventually, Nuccio Bertone won the contract, also because among all “carrozzerias” he had the least association with Ferrari. The clock was ticking; the vehicle had to be prepared for the 1966 Geneva Motor Show. Over the course of three months in the autumn of 1965, a rookie – Gandini, outlined the iconic bodywork. Even though the Lamborghini Miura P400 was recognized as a new benchmark, Gandini never fully identified with this car as much as with its successor: the Countach. What the designer missed in the process of creating the Miura was the influence on mechanical aspects, mainly related to the arrangement of the engine and gearbox.

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Hofmeister (?) Kink

Car manufacturers (and not only them) from all over Europe were attracted by Italy for a unique aesthetic approach. The visual foundations of many non-Italian brands were born in Italian design studios. Working in 1961 for Bertone, the aforementioned Giugiaro designed the BMW 3200 CS. It was the first car with a characteristic kink at the base of the C-pillar. 603 units of the 3200 CS were produced, and the kink, which has survived to this day, bears the name of the then BMW design chief – Wilhelm Hofmeister. In the mid-60s, the decision was made to construct a new flagship saloon, aiming to outdo Mercedes. The Munich manufacturer once again turned to the Turin design team. The task fell to Gandini, who by then had been promoted to the head of design. The result was a very sleek saloon with a low window line that gently rose at the C-pillar to a higher rear window-trunk connection. In the production version, the most significant change was abandoning the rectangular front light clusters in favour of more sporty double round headlights.

BMW Garmisch

It was 1970 when Marcello Gandini’s stunning concept has been lost.

Many years later, BMW's head of design, Adrian van Hooydonk, came up with the idea of recreating the lost car. The stimulus was the eightieth birthday of the original creator, who also became a consultant in building the modern iteration of the coupe. His contribution was valuable because the work was based on a few modest photographs and fragmentary documentation that survived in the Bertone archives. The model, like the original, was based on the BMW 2002 series and was created in Turin. It made its second debut at the Villa d'Este elegance competition.

In the 1970s, this wonderful project was the forerunner of the BMW 5 Series of the E12 generation. Paul Bracq was asked by the Munich company to design the whole, while Gandini helped create the bodywork.

French Kiss

In 1977, Gandini sent two prototypes designated FW11 to the United Kingdom and another two to Turkey, with Reliant, developing a car for the Turkish Anadol, as the recipient. The concept was returned due to concerns about too high production costs (the Turkish ones are presented in one of Istanbul's museums). After a few changes, Gandini offered the project named Tundra to Volvo, but the Swedes were not interested.

Eventually, a Citroën badge was pinned to the front of the car, and the BX designation at the rear. Thus was born one of the biggest hits of the French brand.

During its twelve years in production (1982–1994), over 2.3 million units were produced. The 1980s also contributed to the bloom of the advertising industry, and bold ideas entered the automotive world as well. For instance, one ad featured the BX flying on an aeroplane…:

In another advertisement, the designer himself, Marcello Gandini, made an appearance:

Gandini also made a significant contribution to the portfolio of Citroën's competitor, Renault. His involvement in projects for the French grew year by year, and after leaving Bertone, Marcello, now a freelancer, co-created the first generation Renault 5 Turbo, and was entirely responsible for the design of the second generation R5 “Supercinq”.

At the same time, Gandini was also working on the biggest car from the same manufacturer. A vehicle surprisingly common, produced for twenty-three years, often ignored by most civilian automotive enthusiasts – the Renault AE Magnum.

What connected the smallest car in the Renault range with the largest was the styling of the grill (see: photos above) and a strong emphasis on aerodynamics – hence the AE in the name of the first generation Magnum. The idea for a new visual direction for trucks with the diamond on the hood appeared already in 1977. Renault's head of design, Robert Opron, commissioned the design to the company's internal design studio and independently to Gandini, who had earlier designed the “Master” van. After narrowing down the proposals to two prototypes, full-scale models were built, and a presentation was organized at a former American air base in Crucey. For comparison, one unit of each competitive lorry was brought in.

The illustration shows the vast gap that separated the current styling of trucks from both Renault proposals. Ultimately, Gandini's design won, and although preparing the production version took another eight years, the Magnum impressed the market with innovative solutions upon its release and won the title “European Truck of the Year”.

I was previously unaware of the story behind the creation of the Renault Magnum, but for many years of travelling across Europe, these trucks always caught my attention. The always vertical wall swaying upon braking (the cabin is placed on four airbags) commanded my respect and interest. It still looks good even today, 43 years after its design. The same applies to other cars designed by Gandini. Last year, I saw a Lamborghini Countach for the first time in person. My knees buckled. How is it possible that such cars were being made 50 years ago (not to mention the Lancia Stratos Zero)? Ah, those Italians…

Grazie di tutto, Marcello!

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In the spirit of the yesterday's International Women's Day, in the sixth edition of "Sunday Drive," I will briefly outline the impact of several women on car design. This will, of course, not fully cover the subject, as there have been and are quite a few female designers. It suffices to mention Bertha Benz, who advised Carl on what should be improved in the pioneering vehicles, Helene Rother, who was the first female car designer in history (hired by General Motors in 1943), and Mary Anderson, who invented the windshield wiper. I hope we will return to them someday, but today we will focus on the creators of three exceptional cars: the second generation Honda NSX, the BMW Z4 E89, and the olive-green first-generation Corvette.

Premiere

On March 2, Karma Automotive showcased its latest car – the Gyesera. This is a fully electric "luxury" saloon, as they describe it themselves. Apart from a few design changes, especially in the front, the car's appearance does not differ much from the Revero model, whose history goes back to both the beginnings of the Karma brand and the painful downfall of Fisker Automotive – the business of a very talented Danish designer, Henrik Fisker. Among other things, Fisker's portfolio includes the design of the BMW Z8 and the co-design of the Aston Martin DB9 (together with Ian Callum). After leaving Aston, he created a series of companies that eventually led to the warmly received car named Fisker Karma. After a series of misfortunes, including a hurricane, the manufacturer declared bankruptcy. The remains were bought by the Chinese Wanxiang Group, which created the "Karma" brand from the model name. In June 2023, Michelle Christensen took up the position of Vice President and Chief of Design. Her first showcase of capabilities was the Keveya model presented in November – an ultra-luxury coupé.

Karma Kaveya. Source: Karma Automotive Michelle Christensen's portfolio is most brightly highlighted by the second (contemporary) generation of the Honda/Acura NSX. Thoughtful, offering joy from driving, and very technologically advanced, it failed in the market battles due to its origin. If it had borne a more noble badge, it would have become a legend. Or maybe it needed a contemporary Ayrton Senna, whose name would be entered into the register as a development driver and whose skills on the Suzuka circuit would become another YouTube hit. Honda did not plan anything like this, focusing instead on the technological race and aggressive exterior design, for which Michelle Christensen was responsible. Jay Leno's garage discusses the circumstances of its creation and design challenges:

Victorious Duo

In 2006, BMW announced an internal competition for the design of the second Z4 generation. The competition was won by a duo of designers from California's BMW DesignworksUSA: Juliane Blasi and Nadya Arnaout. The former created the bodywork, the latter the interior. To give everyone an equal chance, submissions were anonymous.

The project was still under the wing of the legendary Chris Bangle, who greatly supported the designers in their efforts. The car debuted at the Detroit Auto Show in 2009. That same year, it won several awards, including the Red Dot Design Award.

The paths of both designers diverged, Nadya Arnaout first went to Tesla (co-creating the interior of the Model S), and after a year, she teamed up with Henrik Fisker, mentioned earlier. Today, she is the chief interior design officer at Fisker Inc., whose latest product, the Ocean model, is now being criticized by every journalist alive.

Juliane Blasi stayed with BMW, and at the Geneva Motor Show in 2011, she presented the stunning future roadster project – BMW Vision ConnectedDrive. Special features include BMW Z1-style dropping doors and perhaps the first-ever passenger screen.

BMW Art Car

A glorious tradition of the Bavarian brand is to provide car bodies to visual artists. In 1991, Esther Mahlangu was invited to paint the 525i model, becoming the first artist from Africa in this project. 33 years later, BMW showcased the second Art Car by Esther – the BMW i5 Flow NOSTOKANA. However, this time the artist didn't paint it – the characteristic patterns of her painting are displayed by e-ink films and can change.

Does this improve my (unfavourable) opinion on the styling of the new BMW 5? No.

Teamwork

The "Damsels of Design" was a team of six designers created by Harley J. Earl, working for General Motors in the 1950s.

Their task was to improve the ergonomics of interiors, select materials, and implement new technologies. One of the most famous (and only surviving) projects of the team was the 1958 Corvette Fancy Free.

Painted in silver-olive colour, with several innovations that did not survive to our times (seasonal seat covers and a purse shelf) and two that did become the industry standard: retractable seat belts (previously they lied loose like those known from passenger aircraft) and a body crease for a licence plate. The history of the Damsels of Design and the creation of the Corvette can be seen in the first half of this documentary (the second half also contains an interesting story, but not related to the designers):

Thank you for your continued interest, and I invite you to subscribe to the newsletter. I also encourage you to support me on the Buy Me a Coffee website and Patronite(polish Patreon). The collected funds will be allocated to the development of the Heel and Toe magazine and will ultimately enable full concentration on the project. The sale of photos of tested cars has started on the Buy Me a Coffee website. These are collector's prints in numbered series, on archival papers. If the selection is too small, please visit my website, you can choose any frame. Do you have a unique car? I will be happy to photograph and review it!

Have a good one!

The one-day delay of Sunday Drive #5 is intentional; I wanted to wait for the launch of one of the most interesting cars premiers of the past few months. Today, the Renault 5 debuted – a modern variation on the iconic French city car from 1972.

Fifty years, from a technological standpoint, is quite a long time, and the new version is no less progressive than the original. Electric, of course, the 5 is based on the new "AmpR Small" platform. It's front-wheel drive, with a range of up to 400 km (from a 52 kWh battery), and the weight reaches 1450 kg (with the same battery). Technologically advanced, with a retro styling (which happens to be appealing to me), it is still meant to be a "car for the people" and offer the lowest price in its segment. While the outgoing Honda e costs £28,000 in the UK, the Renault 5 is set to start from £25,000. Here's a walkaround of the newcomer by Johnny Smith from The Late Brake Show channel.

Sports tradition will also be honoured, and in June, the sporty version of the "five" – the Alpine A290, will debut. The first Renault with the "Alpine" suffix debuted in 1976, and the "hot" version – the Renault 5 Alpine Turbo – in 1982. They were not as recognizable as the Renault 5 Turbo, but that's precisely the charm of a Q-car, discreet looks with surprising capabilities.

We don't yet know what the modern iteration of the Renault 5 by Alpine will look like or how powerful it will be, but we can take a glimpse at the "beta" version (A290_β), which the manufacturer describes as a "showcar". The February issue of the British Evo has a short column written by Richard Meaden with photos by Aston Parrott. It is bound to be interesting.

Press

In the same issue of Evo, John Barker reviews the second generation of the Toyota GR Yaris. Among the novelties: an option to equip this spectacular car with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Among the surprises: the appearance of the entire dashboard. It's supposedly more ergonomic but looks like it was designed in a Minecraft...

The main theme (though not the cover) of the issue is a test of all the petrol-powered hot hatches available in British showrooms. There are seventeen of them, sometimes double representatives from one manufacturer. The winner is the boomerang-returning – Honda Civic Type R. Returning because the latest generation regularly outclasses all the rivals in its segment and is nipping at the heels of super and hypercars in all polls, summaries, and tests.

It seems that alongside the ICE reality, Honda has a worthy counterpart – Hyundai's Ioniq 5 N. Say what? But how??? After all, Ioniq 5 is a crossover!

Yes, but no.

What exactly do the ideas of this specific car intersect with? Certainly, not those in the AMC Eagle or Subaru Outback – an off-road vehicle with a small passenger car. The term "crossover" is mostly a catch-all that's supposed to make the urban dweller in hiking boots feel better about their outdoor aspirations. Ioniq 5 is no crossover to me, just a scaled-up five-door hatchback. There's nothing wrong with that because the design is widely considered very successful. Its slightly inflated body panels remind me of the VW Golf II, and its proportions almost a perfect-match to those in the Lancia Delta Integrale. Just enlarged by 15% in every direction.

The sporty N version has 650 horsepower, all-wheel drive, and accelerates to 100 km/h in just 3.4 seconds. And it weighs two tons. We have to get used to the fact that new players in the automotive games are moving to the heavyweight class. The earlier-mentioned new Renault 5 is twice as heavy as its prototype!

In this material, you'll see what the Ioniq 5 N ("N" supposedly for Nürburgring) is capable of:

Motorsport

The undisputed kingdom of the fastest hatchbacks is the WRC series. On the list of entries for the 2024 season published by the FIA, there's only one crossover – the Ford Puma. The rest are race cars based on small cars, competing in all classes: Rally 1, Rally 2, and Rally 3. In the first of these, all cars must be equipped with hybrid powertrains, which are supposedly to promote sustainable development in motorsport…

Retro

The most titled car in the history of rally car racing is the Lancia Delta Integrale. It debuted on rally stages in 1987, immediately winning its first world championship thanks to fierce competition from Juha Kankkunen, Miki Biasion, and Markku Alén (1st place in the constructors' classification, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place among the drivers). Last year, the last factory Delta that won a rally in the 1992 season could be bid on via the Collecting Cars platform.

Resto

There's no doubt we're living in very interesting automotive times: we have a rich history, we're witnessing a velvet revolution in powertrains, and those conservative ones powered by dinosaur juice have cosmic performance. Thanks to modern material processing technologies, or 3D printing, incredible things are being created, including "restomods," a mix of restoration with modernization. The most famous ambassador of this philosophy is Porsche's restomoding workshop called Singer, but we won't talk about it today. We'll talk again about the Lancia Delta Integrale and the wonderful project from Automobili Amos – the Futurista. Remodelled, on a carbon-aluminium, three-door wonder, with the engine boosted to over 300 HP, only twenty units were produced. Jeremy Clarkson reviewed it (and the contemporary Stratos) in the twelfth episode of the third season of The Grand Tour.

Podcast

Johnny Smith, mentioned in the first paragraph, has a career spanning several automotive magazines and the television program Fifth Gear. Today, besides his own YouTube channel, he co-creates the excellent "Smith and Sniff" podcast. His co-host is a lad called Richard Porter, whose career started from the Sniff Petrol project, with funny and no-holds-barred texts about cars. Additionally, he is a scriptwriter and wrote some gags for Top Gear, and later for The Grand Tour. Today, he publishes his thoughts in the "Boring Car Trivia" book series. Porter appeared as a supporting driver in the Grand Tour movie "Carnage a Trois," which talked about French motoring. His role was racing against Les Trois Mousquetaires, of course in French hatchbacks. The whole thing was hilariously done, to be watched again on Amazon Prime. Here is a conversation with Porter on The Smoking Tire Podcast:

Thank you for your attention, and I invite you to subscribe to the newsletter. I also encourage you to support us on the Buy Me a Coffee and Patronite portals. The collected funds will be allocated to the development of the Heel and Toe magazine and ultimately enable full focus on the project. Sales of photos with the tested cars have started on the Buy Me a Coffee service. These are collector's prints in numbered series, on archival papers. If the selection is too small, I invite you to my website, where you can choose any frame. Do you have a unique car? I would love to photograph it and write about it!

Have a good one

Premiere

In the first half of February, there were three exciting premieres: a new estate car, a special edition of a very desirable estate car, and a facelift of an electric sports estate car. The newcomer is the BMW Series 5 Touring. The car, both in its combustion and electric versions, was unveiled in early February. For now, there are few engines, but surely the motor from the already announced M5 (also touring), next to the engine from 540d, will be the basis for new models of Alpina B5 and D5. This was the case with the previous generation of the Series 5. As for the appearance... well... (I write "well" again in the context of the styling of new BMW models), it doesn't captivate me as much as the styling of the G30/G31 generation did. The differences in dimensions are minor, but, for example, the lights are relatively large in the predecessor, the entire car visually appears to be smaller, which in my opinion, is an advantage. The new generation looks bigger and heavier.

Inside, the panoramic layout of two screens dominates, which isn't even that bad, and the dark, minimalist design of the infotainment system is one of the more elegant I've seen. The one regret I have is that in the new BMWs, you can't display the clocks in a traditional, circular form. It's just a line of code, and I think thousands of brand fanboys and fangals would have a permanent smile on their faces if the speed and rev counter were displayed as digital iterations of the dials, for example, from the e39 M5. The versions presented so far also lack another wonderful thing from the predecessor: a perfectly round steering wheel…

Audi presented a limited edition of the RS6 – the GT. The limited to 660 units Avant is probably an attempt to boost sales of the already ageing C8 generation – the RS6 version debuted in 2019. The premiere was scheduled for February, 6th, and I suspect it was meant to divert media attention from the above-mentioned BMW, which debuted a day later.

The RS6 GT stands out with carbon fibre add-ons, a new bumper, a larger rear spoiler, monstrous rims, and paintwork that references to the IMSA racing series. The entire design looks very dramatic and, aside from the wheels, very similar to the GTO concept from 2020. Both are a tribute to the Audi 90 IMSA GTO from 1989.

In the eighties, Audi was highly successful in rallying, and the S1 Quattro clinched two titles before the Group B was cancelled in 1986. Separately to its rally participation, Audi Sport also performed well in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, winning 5 editions in a row (1982–1987). In 1988, the model 200 Quattro made its debut in the Trans-Am series, and after a year, it moved to the IMSA GTO. This series had a more relaxed regulatory atmosphere, and among other things, there were no restrictions on using all-wheel drive (banned in the Trans-Am series). The last iteration of the five-cylinder R5 turbo engine, previously used in rallies and Pikes Peak climbs, was installed under the hood. The season in IMSA can be considered successful – second place in the constructors' classification, third and fourth among drivers. There wasn't much missing to dominate the entire series, but Audi did not start at the Daytona and Sebring.

In November 2023, Porsche announced that the Panamera Sport Turismo would be leaving the market, justified by the too few differences between it and the regular Panamera. The difference in boot capacity is only 25 litres (in favour of the estate) and the "saloon's" cover lifts along with the glass, so the argument about a larger loading gap also falls. This argument still applies to the electric cousins, and Taycan Cross and Sport Turismo both have a larger boot capacity (by 39 litres) and a more practical tailgate (in the regular Taycan, the tailgate does not lift with the glass). Porsche showcased refreshed Taycans, including Cross and Sport Turismo, at the same time as the BMW 5-series.

Farewell

After seventeen years of production, Mini is saying goodbye to the Clubman. This mini estate was the most interesting car among all the models of this manufacturer in my humble opinion.

The contemporary variant (R55) debuted in 2007 and was based on the second generation of the Mini Hatch. Interestingly, this generation is classified as a 5-door, although a visual assessment of the car's profile suggests something else. On the driver's side, there is one pair of doors, like in a hatchback. On the other side, we find a visually symmetrical construction, but in reality, these are double, split doors. Access to the rear seat is facilitated by "club doors" that open against the wind. The last two doors are, of course, the boot lid split in half and opened to the sides. Unfortunately, the market prefers taller cars, and some invisible and incomprehensible force, electric ones. The production line space occupied by the Clubman will be taken over by a new car – the Aceman – an electric crossover.

The Baker wet dream

In 2023, BMW presented a prototype estate car that tickled many automotive hearts – based on the Z4, the Concept Touring Coupé. This is not the Bavarians' first attempt at such a form of a sports car. In 1997, the Z3 Coupé debuted and received an engine from the M3 E36. Based on the latest generation of the Z4 (G29), it looks very dynamic and is unlikely to inherit the derisive nickname "Clown's Shoe" from its great-grandfather. Despite the praises for it, it remains in the concept stage for now.

An estate based on a two-door coupé is nothing new. One of the first sports cars in the "shooting brake" version is considered to be the Chevrolet Nomad from 1955. This category encompasses cars with a sporty character. A subcategory is estates based on coupés or roadsters, known as "breadvans". Here you can find an interesting compilation of nine intriguing designs.

A Swedish tiger

Tiger has a double meaning in Swedish: the obvious one, and to "keep silent". No car manufacturer is more understated as Volvo is. What car can be more "Q", than a Swedish estate? Starting with the Duett model from 1953, through the Amazon, the unbelievably beautiful breadvan 1800ES, to the XC70. When I think "Volvo", I see a rectangle on wheels. The most iconic is probably the 240 – a car for the average Swede, the quintessence of lagom. An interesting variant was the 245T, also known as "transfer". The extended wheelbase, the third row of seats, and the higher finish standard were meant to make transfers at airports more pleasant.

The last prototype that came off the production line in 1993 was built to the delight of the employees, "Short-Term Execution" (from Swedish Korta Ledtider). Besides the large cargo space, it probably had a small turning diameter. Perfect for tight parking lots under Ikea.

Motorsport

Investments in motorsport are often aimed at changing a boring image and grabbing the attention of motorsport enthusiasts and potential younger customers. Volvo also decided to prove that boring boxes on wheels can show their muscles and joined the British Touring Car Championship in the 1994 season. Instead of doing what others did and fielding a saloon, someone (probably from the marketing department) suggested an estate – the essence of the Swedish brand.

Regardless of the outcome, such a car would be discussed. The team and Volvo were quiet before the premiere; even the drivers did not know about the choice of a car capable of transporting the contents of an entire flat! The preparation was entrusted to a former competitor – now an ally, the TWR team. Under the hood was a five-cylinder engine, which, after removing the turbo not allowed in BTCC, was pushed further back and lower compared to regular cars. The weight distribution improved, but the burning issue remained the low power of the system. TWR engineers read the regulations carefully and introduced a series of nuanced changes that increased power without breaking the rules (protests from the competition came almost after every race). Although the season was not thrilling for any of the drivers, and the team finished eighth in the constructors' classification, no car was talked about as much as the Swedish estate.

As a treat, a video from Donut Media with the craziest estates in history.

Retro

The last chapter of this edition of Sunday Drive tells the story of a certain Hammer from Affalterbach. In the eighties, AMG was still an independent Mercedes tuner, and the debut of the W124 model turned out to be a breakthrough. In 1986, the AMG founders created "The Hammer" to achieve their goal of going faster than 300 kilometres per hour. Road and Track proclaimed it the most exciting car of the time. The Hammer Wagon was also created, and the story of one of the creations can be watched on the excellent channel Petrolicious. Activity on this channel has waned for some time, but the homepage announces a return this month. Fingers crossed!

Thank you for your attention, and I invite you to subscribe to the newsletter. I also encourage you to support us on the Buy Me a Coffee and Patronite portals. The collected funds will be allocated to the development of the Heel and Toe magazine and ultimately enable full focus on the project. Sales of photos with the tested cars have started on the Buy Me a Coffee service. These are collector's prints in numbered series, on archival papers. If the selection is too small, I invite you to my website, where you can choose any frame. Do you have a unique car? I would love to photograph it and write about it!

Have a good one!

Porsche has just revealed the electric version of its second most popular model – the Macan. The second, almost the first, because in the sales results, only 199 units were missing to overtake the most popular model (Cayenne) in 2023.

The new incarnation is, of course, electric. Two versions will hit the showrooms from day one: Macan 4 and Macan Turbo. Both models have two engines, both are powerful (408 HP and 639 HP) and fast - even 3.3 seconds to 100 km/h in the “Turbo” version.

Press

You won't find a turbine anywhere in the electric Macan. However, in the still warm issue of The Road Rat, we will find her on the cover.

It's a feast for the eyes inside, with the history of the 911 Turbo commemorating its golden anniversary. The author of the text is Mel Nichols, who was the editor-in-chief of the British Car Magazine in the 1970s. Back then, he went to the 911 Turbo premiere and shares memories of the confusion this model caused in the supercar market. The story also features one of the most controversial and glorified editors writing about cars - LJK Setright. Several of his texts can be found in the online archives of Car Magazine.

One of the sections of the British Top Gear magazine is “Retro”. The February edition inludes a report from the largest Porsche racing meeting - Rennsport Reunion 7. In 2023, it was combined with the celebration of the 75th anniversary of Porsche. The text written by Tom Ford is very optimistic. There is also a video report:

Magnus Walker, who was a guest on The Smoking Tire Podcast, speaks in a different tone about this edition of the gathering, but more on that later in the text.

What is a Turbo?

The history of turbocharging dates back to 1905, when Alfred Büchi received a patent for his invention. The concept was to use the energy of the exhaust gases to drive a turbine, which accelerated the intake gases, thus allowing more air to enter the combustion chambers. I'm not an engineering wizard, and I often rely on YouTube materials. The principle of operation is well explained in the video below from Donut Media.

This is a proper Y2b channel for lovers of broadly understood automotive engineering. For me, it's a bit too loud and overstimulated, but I'm old, and I like silence. Keeping the attention of the young generation requires shouting, explosions and visual tricks, and this channel is excellent at this.

Podcast

In January 2023, a small exhibition featuring Magnus Walker's Porsche collection opened at the Petersen Automotive Museum. These included the first 911 Turbo ever sold in the USA, which is the only car not modified by Walker. Interestingly, all the displayed 911s, and there were ten of them, came to the museum on wheels. Magnus and his colleagues delivered everything in person, which very well characterizes his approach to cars. Here you will find a very interesting conversation between Matt Farrah and Magnus Walker:

Magnus didn't like the Rennsport Reunion because, as he emphasizes, combining a typical motorsport event with a birthday party didn't work out at all.

In this video, Magnus will show you around his garage and talk about, among other things, his five Turbos:

Retro

Porsche's first application of turbocharging took place in the racing paddock in the first half of the 1970s. After two seasons (1970 and 1971) of the 917K's dominance at LeMans, the FIA changed the regulations and reduced the maximum engine capacity to three litres. The engine in the Zuffenhausen prototype had a capacity of five (twelve horizontal cylinders) and still had enormous potential, but it had to find an alternative racing series. Already in 1969, Porsche constructed two 917PA (Porsche-Audi) prototypes compliant with Can-Am standards. The first one never took off, but it served as a test platform for the H16 engine (!). At that time, Bruce McLaren and his own racing team dominated, using seven-litre V8 Chevrolet engines (McLaren won all the wins, Bruce won the championship, Danny Hulme was runner-up) and the remedy was either to increase the number of cylinders or... turbocharging. The first solution resulted in an increase in the car's weight by 80 kg, the second turned out to be a bull's-eye. In the 1972 season, Porsche was already immersed in Can-Am (as a result of the new FIA regulations, which I wrote about earlier) and with the Penske Racing team won the title driving the 917/10 model. The following season, the craziest, final 917 appeared on the starting line - 917/30.

Bored to five and a half litres, with power ranging from 1,100 to 1,580 horses (depending on the supercharging settings), the 917 was one of the most powerful racing cars in history. Interestingly, the gearbox had only 4 gears, and in first gear the car accelerated to 160 km/h!

In this video, you can look under the hood and hear some interesting facts from the mouth of Porsche engineer Johannes Wuest, but you have to put up with the arrogant presenter (it's still worth it):

Daytona

The above-mentioned team belonged to Roger Penske, a true racing titan. The team, now called Team Penske, competes in the IndyCar Series, NASCAR Cup Series, FIA WEC and IMSA SportsCar Championship.

Last year, Porsche returned to the competition in the last two series (LMDh category) and hired Roger to lead its factory racing team (named Porsche Penske Motorsport). In the 2023 season, the Porsche 963 performed very poorly, giving way to the cars of Ferrari, Toyota, Cadillac, Glickenhaus and, for heavens sakes, Peugeot (all in the Hypercar category) in the most prestigious race of the season - LeMans 24h!

Yeah…

But such racing animals do not give up easily, and they promise that 2024 will be better. I hope so because the car is good-looking, and if it made as much fuss as the 917, we would have another automotive icon. While writing these words, another prestigious, 24-hour race starts - Daytona 24 Hours. Porsche Penske entered two cars, one each from Proton Competition and JDC-Miller MotorSports.

I'm very curious how BMW, debuting in the same category, will fare.

Inter Europol Competition by PR1 Mathiasen with Kuba Śmiechowski on board starts in LMP2. Fingers crossed!

Dakar

The Saudi dust after driving through the desert has already settled, and Carlos Saintz Senior won the drivers' classification for the fourth time. I am pleased with Hołowczyc's determined attitude (117th place in the general classification), but even more pleased with the result of the Proxcars TME Rally Team car, with Jacek Czachor (in the co-driver's seat) and Magdalena Zając (at the wheel) onboard. They placed 112th, and Mrs. Zając became the second Pole to finish the most difficult rally in the world

Four Polish teams made it to the finish line in the Dakar Classic: Toyota Team Classic (23rd position), Dext P-Rally (43rd and 54th position) and Coco Loco (69th position).

Featured story

Last week I published an article on our visit to the Oil and Gas Industry Museum in Bóbrka. Even though the car we tested, there was not turbocharged, but I still encourage you to read it. Of course, I also encourage you to visit the museum. Just in time for the holidays.

Thank you for your continued interest, and I invite you to subscribe to the newsletter. I also encourage you to support me on the Buy Me a Coffee website and Patronite (polish Patreon). The collected funds will be allocated to the development of the Heel and Toe magazine and will ultimately enable full concentration on the project. The sale of photos of tested cars has started on the Buy Me a Coffee website. These are collector's prints in numbered series, on archival papers. If the selection is too small, please visit my website, you can choose any frame. Do you have a unique car? I will be happy to photograph and review it!

Have a good one!

— the most depressing day of the year. I have been wondering for a long time why the blue colour symbolizes a sad and melancholic mood. A quick internet investigation led me, among others, to “Blue Devil” and the “Blue Laws” derived from it (alcohol thread – to explore on your own). Another path leads through the seas and oceans of the Middle Ages. A blue flag on a ship's flagpole said that it was sad because an officer on the crew died. The British Navy in 1748 chose navy blue as the colour of its uniforms as a symbol of the stability and depth of the ocean waters. Navy Blue became a permanent part of culture and also found its way into the automotive culture that emerged in the 20th century. The palette of every modern manufacturer includes navy blue, ocean and night colours. There is an interesting story behind the national racing colours.

Around 1900, the Gordon Bennett Cup was initiated in France and participating national teams were awarded colours to paint their bodies. This is where, after a few changes and refinements, British Racing Green, Rosso Corsa and French Racing Blue come from. Today, two French sports car icons proudly wear blue: Bugatti (French Racing Blue) and Alpine (Bleu de France).

Manufacturers in other countries also created iconic shades of blue. In 1993, Audi presented the RS2 model in RS Blue, which returned many years later as Nogaro Blue in the RS6 (edition limited to 150 pieces). Another intriguing incident transpired in the showroom of the Bristol brand, which is widely recognized for its relaxed approach towards selecting the colour of the purchased automobile. Their policy encouraged the customer to choose any colour and promised perfect reproduction on the car's body. One day, someone, who in this story is referred to as a drifter, walked into the showroom and insisted on matching the car colour to his favourite saucepan hidden in a plastic bag. Despite the specific aura, the tramp was listened to and assured that the colour of the gravy saucer could be reproduced. The elusive customer told them as he was leaving that someone would reach out to the salon later to complete the purchase. That's what happened, and after some time, an employee of an eccentric Australian millionaire appeared with a suitcase of money. The colour covered the car body and was included in the manufacturer's palette under the Saucepan Blue name. So much for the gloomiest day of the year…

Under the blue Saudi sky

Monday will be very Blue for some Polish drivers taking part in the Dakar Rally. The news about the disqualification of two Energyland Rally Team cars has just been published. Eryk Goczal and Oriol Mena as well as Michał Gowała and Szymon Gospodarczyk were disqualified for using clutches made of illegal materials. The conclusion drawn from the statement released by the team is that one of their rivals may have notified judges to eliminate them. The team did not point to Judas, but if this was really the case, it is nothing new in the history of motorsport. Those in second place often ran crying to the organizers, complaining about numerous irregularities in the leader's car. Look no further, just remind Yourself the WRT team words after the finish of the LeMans 24h race won by Inter Europol Competition.

The rally itself is still ongoing, and we're rooting for our fellow drivers, co-drivers, and one mechanic. We had the greatest hopes for Krzysztof Hołowczyc's start, but after a collision with car number 314 (Kris Meeke/Wouter Rosegaar), they fell to a far-off position. The latest news is that he is in 146th place in the general classification. The second Polish female driver in Dakar's history – Magdalena Zając, is placed in the 137th position (car number 274). This is her second start, and she has well-experienced Jacek Czachor as a pilot. We keep our fingers crossed for them and the other Polish participants to complete the rally!

Dakar wannabe…

Desert rallies, Dakar in particular, are some of the most challenging races you can take part in on a two-wheeled vehicle. Physical fatigue, mental exhaustion, and day-to-day equipment repairing effort. Sport for real hard-bitten guys (and gals). Car manufacturers are eager to take advantage of the aura evaporating over Dakar by rolling out, let's be honest, more lifestyle than rally-style versions of their vehicles. It is usually a commemoration of a triumph in a race, and these are usually off-road, baja-like cars – SUVs (Mitsubishi Pajero) or pick-ups (Toyota Hilux). In the fall of 2022, a less obvious reinterpretation of the rally car was shown, this time based on a sports model – the 911 Dakar.

That off-roader is based on the 911 Carrera 4 GTS and is said to be a very competent desert car. However, it is doubtful that we will ever get to see it at the start of the legendary rally, because this toy, limited to 2,500 copies, will be a decoration of private collections. It is even less likely that we will see the car presented on January 3: Audi Q8 e-tron edition Dakar. These desert four rings are based on the Q8 advanced 55 e-tron quattro, but with a 31 mm raised chassis and General Grabber AT3 tires. And the plug.

Speaking of the off-road sports cars, it's difficult to omit probably the most irrational premiere that took place last year: the Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato. The manufacturer assures that despite the off-radical additives, the car also handles great on tarmac. A contender for the award for the craziest idea of 2023.

Ford had a bit of a different approach with his Bronco DR. Sorry, we can't talk about “style” in this scenario because the DR (Desert Racer) is a real deal built by Ford in partnership with the Multimatic (in the past helped build the last generation of Ford GT). The design is so advanced (according to the manufacturer) that straight out of the box it might go to the starting grid of the Baja 1000 race and fly through the wilderness of the United States and Mexico. It is worth watching the Jethro Bovington's review, where he gets acquainted with a car, and under the supervision of an instructor, learns how to drive a Baja-driving style.

Press

The January issue of British EVO Magazine (number 317) is dedicated to the eCOTY award. Nine sports cars entered the contest, including the mentioned Huracán Sterrato. James Taylor was responsible for the narration of the text, the summary was written by the magazine's editor-in-chief, Stuart Gallager, and Aston Parrott along with Andy Morgan were responsible for the photographs. Eighty pages of a superbly illustrated, in-depth and very interesting test.

A similar idea to eCOTY is Top Gear's Speed Week – an annual contest for the best performance car held on a racetrack and surrounding roads selected by the editors. The 2023 edition has been published in the issue number 377. 16 cars took part in the scrap, the chosen arena was the zero-emission Gotlandring track. The texts of the tests were divided between the editors of the magazine (unlike eCOTY), and the photos were taken by two photographers: John Wycherley and Olgun Kordal. That second lad is, in my humble opinion, one of the best automotive photographers on the market. Kordal performs great outdoors and even better in the studio, with arranged light.

In the January edition of Top Gear magazine (issue 379), Kordal took great photos of the Hyundai Ionic 5 N. The shoot of the car, in the Performance Blue colour (of course), took place in Seoul – under the thousands of neon lights. The photos and text are a part of the plebiscite summarizing 2023. The awards were handed out in the automotive industry Oscars convention. There are different categories, including the best sports car, the best design and personality (a bit like an Oscar for lifetime achievement). Just like at the Academy Awards, you may be surprised to hear very exotic categories, such as “the only car you will ever need.” If there is such a category, what are the others for?

Podcast melodrama

In The Sunday Drive #1 I wrote about the Tesla Cybertruck premiere. I also showed three videos shot by the journalists who had early access to the car. One of them was a chap called Jason Camisa. And the video was shot for the Hagerty YouTube channel. In my opinion, the materials produced for Hagerty, both in the US and UK, are exceptionally well delivered. However, not everyone may like Camisa's personality. I have to dose the materials he presents because I'm not a fan of such foolishness. And these are not actions Clarckson, Hammond and May style. These are simply arranged falls, stumbles and stupid jokes. Putting that aside, I like the content, and even more the visual aspect. Matt Farrah, a Road & Track magazine journalist and The Smoking Tire founder, had a different opinion about the Cybertruck film. He pointed out several inaccuracies in his podcast. I didn't hear any personal insults in this criticism, but Camisa apparently did, and a great drama broke out between the two blokes, who claim to adore each other. In TST podcast no. 885, the gentlemen try to explain what automotive journalism is and what creating opinions on the industry is. Apart from Matt's remorse towards Jason, it is worth listening to what both of them have to say.

Event

Automotive Icons is an exhibition whose is willing to present one hundred vehicles (cars, motorcycles, and tractors) worth one hundred million zlotys (approx 250000€). I didn't count the exhibits, but 1/5 of the budget was completed by two cars (Ferrari F40 and Hennesy Venom F5). A very interesting exhibition, with numerous legends on four wheels, but the rented space at the National Stadium is too small and there is no possibility to address every vehicle in person. Lancia Stratos, Aston Martin Lagonda, Honda NSX, De Tomasto Panthera - my picks among many great designs. The brightest star of them all and the central spot of the motorsport room is the Oreca car of the Inter Europol Competition team, locked in a “golden cage” with all the racing toil and French mosquitoes crushed on the bodywork. There's a lot to cover!

BMW M2 review

I would like to remind new readers about last week's test of the BMW M2 Competition. You can read the text HERE

Retro

The January issue of Classic Auto also writes about the Dakar Rally. There is an article about Polish starts with Jelcz, there is also the Dakar history of Porsche. And therefore, I am posting a nostalgic photo of one of those cars:

Thank you for your continued interest, and I invite you to subscribe to the newsletter. I also encourage you to support me on the Buy Me a Coffee website and Patronite (polish Patreon). The collected funds will be allocated to the development of the Heel and Toe magazine and will ultimately enable full concentration on the project. The sale of photos of tested cars has started on the Buy Me a Coffee website. These are collector's prints in numbered series, on archival papers. If the selection is too small, please visit my website, you can choose any frame. Do you have a unique car? I will be happy to photograph and review it!

Have a good one!

This is Sunday Drive — a biweekly magazine about the automotive industry, the first issue of which reaches you on Monday. Well… Yesterday was New Year's Eve, everyone had plenty of things to do: washing the car and refueling liquids of all sorts. Today, on The New Year's Eve, this newsletter found some of you reflecting on how 2023 went by and why it ended with such a headache, and, frankly, making plans for 2024. I also have plans and resolutions, and what you are reading is one of them. This biweekly newsletter is intended to be a collection of events, readings, and reflections of my experiences related to motoring. It will come to you alternately with a test or an automotive story, such as the one about the Mercedes EQS or the Nürburgring. Today I will focus on a short summary of the past year, and I must admit — what a year it was! Firstly, at the beginning of 2023 I decided to take up cars more seriously. Secondly, contrary to other New Year's resolutions, I did not abandon this particular one and organized several sessions in which MS helped me. Third, in doing so, I felt joyful and satisfied. Busy times are on the horizon.

M2 Competition

The next week read is a test of the previous generation BMW M2 Competition (F87). As a teaser, I will mention that MS recognized the smallest M-car as the best one that we tested together. Even though it's the smallest one in the entire “M” family, he had no problem with his height (almost two meters, long legs and short arms 🦖) and finding a comfortable driving position. You'll read about what I think about this car next week, and today I'm sending you a photo as a little treat.

Motivation

A bit last minute, but for those who feel up to it, I recommend the 75 Years of Porsche Sports Cars — Driven by Dreams exhibition at the Drive Volkswagen Group Forum in Berlin. The presented cars come from the Porsche Museum and you can see up close such gems as the 911 2.0 Coupé, Porsche 911 SC Safari, Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo, and 550 Spyder. At the last minute because the exhibition will close on January 7. Motivation and haste highly recommended.

P.S. This place (Drive) is worth adding to the list of mandatory points to check during every visit to Berlin. My earliest memory of Drive (or an early iteration of it) is from almost 18 years ago. I don't remember the exact date, but around 2005, while walking down Enter der Linden towards the Brandenburg Gate, I saw a crowd of people standing at the corner of Friedrichstraße. It didn't look like a protest to me, everyone rather window licked a display, where the hot new product of the VAG concern was presented — one of the most important cars in history — Bugatti Veyron.

What goes around… comes around!

Let's stay in 2005… Back then, I was a regular reader of the monthly Auto, Motor & Sport. In one of the spring issues, a photo contest was announced. Topic: rally photo. A friend of mine shared his Seicento, and together we came up with what we now call a “follow shot”.

I sent the picture, but then there was deafening silence on the matter, so I thought that nothing came out of it. The day before Christmas Eve A.D. 2005, a DHL delivery arrived and a package with the competition prize – an HP digital compact camera from the limited edition of the BMW Sauber F1 team – Was handed to me. This year, during a visit to my family home, I dug out a nice aluminum box with a 4Mpx camera. I didn't deal with automotive photography for the next few years, I was more interested in travel and documentary topics. Today I'm adding a motoring thread to those.

Premiere of the year

Or, to be more precise, a market premiere, or even two. The first one, much awaited from 2019, is the presentation of the Tesla Cybertruck to the journalists and the customers. Four years after the memorable speech, during which it turned out that the windows were not bulletproof, and many changes (the ramp on which the Cyberquad was supposed to drive disappeared, trivial mirrors appeared), the car was tested by journalists. I especially recommend three reviews videos, created by creators that had early access to the car.

TopGear:

MKBHD:

Hagerty:

More interesting customer premiere for me is GMA T.50. For those to whom the GMA acronym means nothing, I hasten to inform you that the founder is Gordon Murray (Automotive), the father of McLaren F1. Its grandson (according to Professor Murray) is marked T.50 and is something that has the predispositions to be an automotive absolute: naturally aspirated V12, manual gearbox, central driving position and conservative styling. Journalists from the British Top Gear were the first to drive it, and extensive material appeared in issue 378 of the Magazine. Text: Ollie Marriage, photos (great as always) by Mark Ricchioni. A video was also created, published on TG's YouTube channel:

Press

There will also be space for a press reviews in the Sunday Drive newsletter. I want to focus primarily on titles that I buy myself and whose reading inspires and educates. The form of a motoring magazine seems to me to be the perfect culmination of what I do – photography and writing. I choose titles based on what I consider to be the best photos and the most interesting content, which I aspire to. The strongest candidate is the British EVO. Photographs, texts, columns – all at a very high level. Especially the photos, especially by Aston Parrott. We will come back to this gentleman in the coming months.

I have been a British Top Gear subscriber for the longest time. I appreciate it for its wide range of stories built around cars and great photos. I have to point again to the article about GMA T.50, but also nostalgic material from the premiere of Pagani Utopia. The illustrations for Paul Horrell's text were taken by Tom Salt with an analog Gibellini camera designed by Mr. Pagani himself (GP810HP model)!

The third title on the list is The Road Rat Magazine. Broad, not chasing new products, focused on design and the process of creating legendary cars. In the fifteenth issue, you will find: Ferrari F40 creation history, the reason why the Mercedes 300 SL Roadster was even more important for the brand than the Gullwing was, and the first part of the article about Giampaolo Dallara, the designer responsible for, the creation of Lamborghini Miura. This magazine is a high art on wheels experience.

Returning to Top Gear for a moment, Chris Harris, one of the hosts of the last iteration of the TV show, has his column there. Everyone misses the seasons hosted by Claskson, May and Hammond, but what happened (through the fault of the first one) cannot be undone, and Top Gear had to find its way with a new crew. The first season after the changes was very chaotic – the main host was Chris Evans, who resigned immediately after shooting six episodes. In the next season, Matt LeBlanc, Rory Reid and Chis Harris came to the fore, as the third chap was the only one to survive subsequent personnel changes. Three superb seasons aired. Harris's most recent co-hosts were Paddy McGuinness (a TV personality popular in the UK) and Frieddie Flintoff (a cricketer). Everything indicates that after Flintoff's accident, that took place on the set, the show will not return. Or maybe another Velvet Revolution awaits us – not so long ago we learned that the Grand Tour is also going to be discontinued.

Harris writes about these experiences and the path leading to Top Gear in his autobiography: “Variable Valve Timings”. Conclusion after reading: it is challenging to make a living on writing about cars.

Podcast

A few years ago, Harris created the Collecting Cars auction platform (together with Edward Lovett) and as part of the project's promotional activities, they record the “Collecting Addicts” podcast, co-hosted by Chris Cooper (racing driver and automotive industry consultant), Manish Pandey (director, creator documentaries “Senna” and “Lucky!”) and Neil Clifford (fashion businessman). The conversations in the podcast are not pompous, often on loose topics that appear in the head of every petrol-head (for example, what would be the perfect duo of cars up to a quarter of a million or which car gives the greatest satisfaction when shifting gears manually). The perfect listen for afternoon traffic jams.

Motorsport

“2023 will be remembered forever in the history of Polish motorsport.” This sentence has and will appear hundreds of times. So what happened? The Polish team won the LeMans 24 Hours, and Kuba Śmiechowski became the first Polish winner of this race. In addition, Inter Europol Competition recorded its best season in history and, apart from winning the highest price in the 100th anniversary edition of the above-mentioned race, it took second place in the general WEC classification in the LMP2 class. This success did not reach the media as strongly as the success of Robert Kubica, who finished the LeMans 24 Hours in second place, but already became the WEC overall champion. Hats off to both Drivers!

Retro

Today we admire the Mercedes 500 SL, that we photographed at the request of Julia, who runs a detailing studio next to Rondo Starzyńskiego in Warsaw. Precise work, professional service

Thank you!

Thank you for your attention, and I invite you to subscribe to the subscriber list. I also encourage you to support me on the Buy Me a Coffee website. It's a competitor to Patronite and Pateraon, but with a name closer to my heart ☕️ 😉 The purpose of the crowdfunding model is a development of the Heel and Toe Magazine and will ultimately enable full concentration on the project. In addition to monthly support, the sale of collector's prints in numbered series on archival papers will be launched in January.

Have a good one!

The understanding of Paradise in all fields of art is close to a certain scheme: carefree heroes dressed only in a fig leaf, harmony prevailing between all beings and an all-pervasive idyll. Everything was going well until…
Hell places itself on the other side of the spectrum: tormented sinners, often consumed by hellfire or by monstrous creatures. Everything in the heat, everything in the crush and anguish. All in fiery reds, browns and charred blacks. And what if We were to replace it with vital greenery known rather from the left - paradise part – of the Bosch triptych? Is there a Green Hell somewhere?

I learned about the existence of the Nürburgring from a British motoring program I followed obsessively in the mid-2000s. Top Gear, even though it had its loop to measure the times of the tested cars, often referred to the German track and made not entirely serious films on it. The program gained fame and became the main opinion-forming and satirical automotive channel, and the loop located in south-western Germany, from the secret prototype testing centre - a mecca for all car enthusiasts.

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The history of the track dates back to 1918 when the idea of building the track was announced by Emperor Wilhelm II Hohenzollern. The concept began to crystallize seven years later, and the official opening took place on June 18, 1927. It is located in the Eifel Mountains in the Rhineland-Palatinate region. It is the longest racing loop in the world. It has a length of 25.37 km (depending on the race) and consists of up to 170 corners. Inside the northern loop (nordschleife) of the track, there are four towns and villages: Nürburg, Quiddelbach, Breidscheid and Herschbroich.
What makes it unique?

From the sports car manufacturer’s perspective, "The Ring" is an arena of unofficial championships - practically everyone is trying to beat the time record of their direct competitor and boast the title of "Fastest on the Nordschleife" and base their marketing on it.
Championships are also official – the GP loop has hosted Formula 1 drivers for years. The WEC (World Endurance Championship) - long-distance races - is regularly held.

But the most interesting seems to be the daily drivers' aspect. As no one is surprised by the presence of large players or the world of sports (after all, everything can be rented - a matter of budget), the presence of civilian cars with normal registration plates can be surprising. Well, the most difficult and dangerous track on Earth has the status of a public road, anyone can buy a ticket for the ride, punch it at the gate and drive through the "Green Hell".

Exactly… Where does this unofficial name come from? Jackie Stewart was the first to define the track in those words, and not without reason. It is a technically very difficult track, narrow, bent and dangerous. Built when safety was not a priority and geology strongly limited the possibility of modernization. Paradoxically, the track contributed to the revolution in the protection of racing drivers. In 1976, on the second lap of the German F1 GP, Niki Lauda, who, paradoxically, called for a boycott of the race, precisely for safety reasons, had a serious accident, from which he miraculously escaped living. The accident marked Lauda for the rest of his life, and the motorsport industry introduced, among other things, flame-retardant racing suits.

Despite its bad reputation, the Nordschleife attracts petrol–heads. Both on "tourist" days (when it is open to civilian cars) and during races. It's like flypaper for car enthusiasts, they flock to it from all over the world, including me. For years it also interested me photography–wise, for the last few years seriously. But the last three were not fortunate enough to carry out the plans. In 2019 I was preparing to launch a coffee–shop, 2020 turned everything upside down (sports events were cancelled), 2021 similarly. 2022 came and the idea came back to me like a boomerang. I began to wonder if this was the right time, but the answer came by itself. The previously favoured race and at the same time the biggest event of the season - the 24-hour ADAC Totalenergies 24h Nürburgring - celebrated its 50th birthday. There was no question of postponing it to the next (and the next, and the next…) season.

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The first unknown was the date, as soon as it was announced, the official website of the race was launched.
I was able to move on to the next stage - obtaining accreditation. For this purpose, it was necessary to go through the official process of the organizer - ADAC (German Automobile Club). The most stressful was the verification. Freelancers have the hardest time, on the other hand, journalists from large editorial offices have it the easiest. I work with Nikon and regularly publish on its websites, which was received with scepticism by the organizer (but finally accepted). My photographic pedigree also worked to my disadvantage, I am not a sports photographer, I rather manoeuvre around humanistic documentary photography. And translating my premise, photographing the phenomenon of the track mainly through the prism of the fans, was the most difficult. Dozens of e-mails and phone calls with the press office and here it is! I have full accreditation! Now it's time to organize your stay.

Hotels? Not only that at exorbitant prices but also booked up to several years in advance! What's more, these are usually not objects with direct access to the track. Such access is mainly offered by campsites. So then what? Tent? The most budget-friendly option, but the riskiest. In 2021, the race was interrupted by heavy rains which eventually led to flooding across the region. Also, equipment and moisture? Bad idea. I'm still looking for something in between... a campervan! Not only is it safer than a tent (and easier to manage in terms of moisture), it's even more mobile. Budget–wise - exactly halfway between a tent and a hotel.

All pre-departure items ticked, time to depart. The only unknown was the parking space - the campsites do not accept reservations…
The road from Warsaw took sixteen hours (1200 km) + an hour of standing in line to the campsite. Well… Since I couldn't leave earlier, now I have to reckon with the fact that I will be looking for the remnants of parking spaces. Fortunately, I found one next to fans of Polish origin (living and working in Germany) who took care of me and kept an eye on the car while I was absent.
The next day I directed my first steps to the press office and after receiving the accreditation I could start working. For several weeks before the trip, I was wondering what issues to illustrate and how. I had a whole list of them, but instead of starting from point one, I started with a leisurely walk, hoping that the opportunities would find me. I thought, for example, that since the track has loyal fans, among the quarter of a million people who came to this event, there will definitely be someone who has the Nordschleife tattooed on their body. And I was not wrong! I have found several such people. The search was based on asking random people if they knew someone who knew someone… The surprising finale was that the photo that entered the final selection was taken fifty meters from my motorhome! 
Speaking of walking…

I am a supporter of the idea that you have to walk a good photo out. And indeed, I overlapped, as rarely! Each day is about thirty kilometres on foot, with a huge backpack, jacket and heavy (heavier with each step) equipment. The officials provided journalists with transport around the ring, which was helpful in terms of accessibility to the extreme points of the Nordschleife. Fortunately, the atmosphere around the track was very friendly, and tiredness was compensated by nice conversations and good shots. To challenge myself even more, I decided to work as long as the race lasted and ended up shooting for thirty hours, without a break for sleep. The result is three and a half thousand photos brought from Germany, which had to be sorted and selected to illustrate this complex and challenging issue, that the Nürburgring is.

I’m very excited to introduce You to Heel and Toe Magazine. This project is all about cars, driving pleasure, great roads and the stories behind them. All words and pictures are provided by me – Michael Leja – a photojournalist based in Warsaw, Poland.

If You are keen on all (or some) of the above, feel free to subscribe to our newsletter.
Our goal in 2023 is to deliver interesting content once a month. Our ambition is to tell car–related stories about specific parts of the World, that Central Europe and The Balkans are. All of each are illustrated with photographs, taken with joy by me, with the help of Matt, a dear friend of mine.

If it sounds interesting do not hesitate to visit our Instagram and personal portfolio of the author!

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