Una Bugatti per Damiano: forgotten Bugatti Brescia Type 22 is rescued to help people

Damiano Tamagni was a 22-years-old Swiss lad that was beaten to death by three young criminals in a Carnival night in Locarno, Swiss. His parents, instead of only mourning, created a foundation in order to prevent juvenile violence, the Fondazione Damiano Tamagni. What does this have to do with cars, you may ask, but, in this case, everything. In order to work, this foundation has to count on financial help and it has received a very nice one from a lady that was lying at the bottom of the lake Maggiore, in Switzerland. Her name? Bugatti Type 22 Brescia.



People do not have a real idea of how this precious car was ever sunk, but it seems the car was one of three vehicles ordered by a Swiss dealer of Bugatti. Since only two clients paid the import taxes, the remaining car could not enter the country. Why it has been sunk makes no sense at all to us, but... The fact is that the car was in the water for over 80 years, at least. It was first delivered in Nancy, France, in April 11, 1925.

The Type 22 comes from the Type 13, the first car Bugatti has mass-produced (2,005 units). The name Brescia has emerged from a victory that happened in 1921 in this Italian city in which all first four places included Bugatti Type 13 vehicles. The road legal versions of the car were named "Brescia modifiée", or Brescia modified. The Type 13 was a light car (450 kg) powered by a four-cylinder 1,4-litre engine (more precisely 1,368 cm³). It delivered 40 hp at 4,500 rpm. As with most cars of that time, Bugatti only sold the structure of the car (chassis and engine), which was taken to a coachbuilder in order to have a body. The one that was built for the Bugatti in the lake Maggiore was a service from Emaille, a coachbuilder that must not be that popular, once no one knows of other works it might have performed.

Now the car will be restored (believe, it is possible) and sold. The money will be given to Fondazione Damiano Tamagni. This is why the operation to save the car, officially announced in November 2008, was called "Una Bugatti per Damiano", or "A Bugatti for Damiano". It is a pity the car can't bring Damiano back, but at least it will help some other young guys not to leave so soon.



These are pictures that gives us an idea on what the car may look like when its restoration is completed. This is a 1923 Type 22, once driven by Colonel B. Austin, a disabled man (he had no legs) that entered the car in 16 races and won 11 of them. This helped change laws in the United Kingdom in order to allow handicapped people to drive. The pictures are at The Annex to The Green Dragon at Picasa and we have received the kind authorization of its owner to publish them here. What a noble car this is...










Source: Una Bugatti per Damiano and The Annex to The Green Dragon at Picasa

"Icons of Speed and Style" will sell special vehicles connected to customisation

Next September 26 will be a special day for lots of car collectors that are in love with custom cars. In this day, at Petersen Automotive Museum, in Los Angeles, California, RM Auctions will offer real pieces of customisation history. We could speak about all of them at once, but it is much better to have a look at each one instead. Be our guests.



This baby is known "Killer Car" and there are reason for that. This 1970 LS6 Chevelle Convertible was driven by Ray Allen to win in almost all NHRA-sanctioned races it entered in 1970 and was crowned as the 1970 Super Stock World Champion. Completely restored, the car was already sold in an auction in 2006 and reached US$ 1.2 million. This time, the initial offer for it will be US$ 500,000 and top bids are expected to reach US$ 700,000. Hard times...



The Alexander Brothers, Mike and Larry, counted on the help of the talented designer Harry Bentley Bradley to buid this 1965 Dodge Deora Custom Pick-Up. This one-of-a-kind vehicle was based on Dodge A100 and became one of the most popular custom cars ever built. So much that Bradley left General Motors to work for Mattel and help create great Hot Wheels designs. The lowest price expected for it is US$ 350,000 and may increase up to US$ 500,000.



This is one of the cars that the famous drag car racer "Big John" Mazmanian had the chance to change: a 1961 Chevrolet Corvette. It was driven by his nephew, Rich Siroonian, to drive the car, what led them to win class honours at the 1962 Winter Nationals. The car was equipped with a 283 bhp small block engine, a four-speed transmission and Positraction. But they were not satisfied and placed a supercharger to help the engine generate even more power. Siroonian won the Bakersfield March Meet with it. The car competed until 1963, when Mazmanian exchanged it for a 1941 Willys. The minimum bid expected for it is US$ 300,000; the maximum, US$ 400,000.



The 1964 Road Agent custom car is another one that must have been known by dozens of kids in the 1960's and 1970's as a toy (such as Deora). It was built by Ed "Big Daddy" Roth. These kids are the same guys that now may be able to buy the real thing. The car was powered by a rear engine, the same one that powered the Chevrolet Corvair, and uses its transmission as well, only turned upside down. The chassis of the car was unique, made of chrome molybdenum steel tubes. If the front suspension seems familiar, that's because it is a 1937 Ford suspension with a VW torsion bar. This incredible-looking vehicle will start at US$ 250,000 and may reach US$ 350,000 if things run as expected.



Another sibling of Dodge A100 is the "Little Red Wagon Wheelstander", created by Bill "Maverick" Golden. Instead of the "slant six" engine that powered this pick-up truck, Golden chose to put a 426 (7-litre) Hemi engine ahead of the rear wheels. This is what made the A100 raise its front wheels and hold them there throughout the drag race. The least RM Auction expects for it is US$ 200,000. The top price may be US$ 300,000. Or more, of course.



This car is based on a 1932 Ford Five Window Coupe. Don Tognotti bought it for US$ 200 in 1960 and started adding interesting stuff to it, such as a 1951 Firepower 331 (5.4-litre) engine with four Stromberg 97 carburetors and a 1937 DeSoto transmission. The final cost of the car was US$ 4,056.22 at the time. "The Avenger", as it was named, won its class at the 1961 Grand National Roadster Show. The car now will be sold for a minimum of US$ 200,000 and may reach a price of up to US$ 250,000. Quite an investment, considering it is also driveable.



Bizarre stuff are normally very close to geniality. Ray Farhner has reached both with its 1850 "Boothill Express". This is the only Kustom Kar ever to be exhibited at the New York Museum of Modern Art. Based on a Cunningham Hearse that was drawn by four horses, it carried Bob Younger' body, one of the members of Jesse James Gang, to Lee's Summit Historical Cemetery in 1889. Considering the way the driver is located in this car, he should already drive the car from inside the hearse, especially when you know it is powered by a 500 bhp Chrysler Hemi engine. Prices may vary from US$ 150,000 to US$ 200,000.



This is the 1940 Westergard Mercury, but you may consider it one of the first custom cars of the world. It was created by Harry Westergard for a man named Butler Rugard, who wanted to have fadeaway fenders, just like the first concept car of the world, Buick Y-Job, had in 1938. Westergard is considered as the grandfather of custom car masters. As such, his Mercury's creation price may range from US$ 125,000 to US$ 175,000.



This 1960 Lincoln Continenal Mark V Limousine was bought at Schilling Motors in Memphis, Tennessee, for US$ 10,544.50. It was delivered to its owner on February 29, 1960. Any clue of the guy who owned this car? Elvis Presley. The car was customised by Hess & Eisenhardt, the same company that created the Lincoln X-100 Limousine in which John Kennedy was murdered, and had everything a car of that time could have, such as two separate units for front and rear air-conditioning and rear power privacy glass. Even though his first owner was "The King", the car is not the king of this list. It is expected to reach a minimum price of US$ 80,000 and a top value of US$ 120,000.



"The Wizard" Top Fuel Dragster is the first car ever to win two Top Fuel World Championships in sequence. Bennie “The Wizard” Osborn managed to do that in 1967 and 1968. His car became world famous and has also turned into a widely known toy. Its price, anyway, is no game at all: minimum of US$ 75,000 and an expected top of US$ 100,000.

These are fantastic vehicles. We just hope them to reach loving hands and careful owners. For the sake of history.

Source: RM Auctions

Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, the most expensive car of the world, reaches 9.02 million euros in auction

In May 2008, a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder sold for 7.04 million euros, what made it become the world's most expensive car. Ever. In May 2009, another Ferrari, but this time a 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa sold for an even higher price, 9.02 million euros. The title of most expensive car of the world, as you may have already figured out, is now in other hands.



It is no surprise the 250 Testa Rossa has reached this price. It was designed by Carrozzeria Scaglietti and only 22 units of it were ever produced. These cars were used in 19 international races and won 10 of them, what made the unit that was auctioned especially interesting for car collectors all over the world. RM Auctions did not reveal the name or from where the winning biddor was, what is no surprise at all, considering the car's price. Anyway, we are almost sure to hear from it again in this year's edition of Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

The most expensive car of the world has a V12 engine with 2,953 cm³ and six Weber 38 DCN carburettors to produce 300 bhp at 7,200 rpm, conducted by a four speed manual transmission. Although the car could surely accelerate a lot, its four drum brakes were also sure to heat up and lose efficiency as fast as the car could hit 100 km/h. This is certainly what made some of the guys that have driven this machine be considered heroes. Or totally out of their minds...
















Source: RM Auctions

April Fool's Day is widely celebrated by the automotive world

Be aware, dear reader. Today, we will have dozens of stories that may sound real, but that are only jokes. Some of them don't even intend to sound real, as the ones we have selected for you below. Anyway, we don't doubt many people will believe them as if they were real. Take the new Popemobil, for example. Hyundai has based it on an i10.



The idea with it is to save fuel and have something more discrete. But this is not the only idea for helping the environment. Kia has also developed a special version of Soul, the Aero-Soul, equipped with a low-cost system called Air Propulsion and Retardation Installation Line that helps any car to spend less fuel with the help of wind. Sensors in the front and rear bumper indicate if winds are strong. If they are, a panel opens and pushes the car ahead. If the car brakes, a front panel opens to help the car stop.




Seat goes beyond that with the wind idea. It uses a turbine generator on the car roof to power the headlights, what would save energy on the already very efficient Ibiza Ecomotive. The engineer that developed the Aero-Tonto (something like Aero-fool) is called Santos Inocentes, or holy innocents, and he would be developing a new Aero-Fool with 1 m wide wings...



Worse than that is Caparo RightFuel, an equipment that prevents diesel cars of being fuelled with petrol. As if Caparo, creator of the fantastic T1, really cared about diesel cars or fuel economy.




But the best joke of them all comes from the Goodwood Festival of Speed. They have decided to create a category of competition with no emissions. The idea is to ask pilots to push their cars up a hill that is almost 2 km long.



Happy April Fool's Day, my friends. I hope you don't get fooled by anything on it.

Source: Kia, Hyundai, Seat, Caparo and Goodwood

GM presents the Stingray Corvette Concept at Chicago Auto Show

Not long ago, some pictures of a new car have leaked. They were from the second Transformers movie, "Revenge of the Fallen", and presented what appeared to be a Corvette. More specifically, to be the new generation of Corvette, or the C7, as it is being called. At the 2009 edition of Chicago Auto Show GM has finally put an end to this mistery and revealed the Stingray Corvette Concept.



This car has searched for inspiration in some very important versions of Corvette, such as the 1959 Stingray race car, the 1963 Stingray Split Window and the Corvette SS from the 1950's. There is no information on engines or technical specs.

GM apparently denies it is the new generation for its most important sportscar, but why would it admit such a thing? Just to create a huge expectation on when this beauty will be available at dealers? Since things have to be back on track before that, there would be no need to make promises now. Especially one like this, which people will demand to see fulfilled with all their energy.













Source: GM