SIMPLY FORD AT BEAULIEU

Simply Ford - Sunday, 2nd May 2010
National Motor Museum, Beaulieu

The first Beaulieu ‘Simply Ford’ event takes place on Sunday 2nd May and promises to be a great day out for all Ford enthusiasts. All Ford owners are invited to come to Beaulieu in their vehicle and become part of the event. Any model is welcome, from the new Focus RS to the old MK 1 or 2 Escort RS or even a Model T!

All Ford owners taking part have an opportunity to enter the Pride of Ownership competition with the winner receiving a £100 cash prize and a Beaulieu trophy. The winner will be one of twenty vehicles chosen by the judging panel to go on display in the Main Arena and take part in a cavalcade.

For entrants arriving on the day in their Ford and joining the event on the Beaulieu Parkland, individual prices are adult £10 and child £5. To book in advance or for more information about group or club entry and concession prices telephone 01590 612888. All other entries will be via Beaulieu main reception at normal admission prices.

Visit www.beaulieu.co.uk/beaulieu/simplyford for more information.

HOW MATRA CAME FROM NOWHERE TO LEAD THE WORLD!

Matra sports cars– MS620, 630, 650, 660 & 670 – 1966 to 1974
By Ed McDonough

This new book from Veloce Publishing, details the origin and history of the Matra sports cars. Racers designed and built by a French firm with no history of sports car racing manufacture to contest the various versions of the World Sports Car Championship between 1966 and 1974. This series of cars started life with the 2-litre BRM engine before progressing to the Ford V8, and subsequently Matra’s own sonorous V12 from its then current Grand Prix car. The book includes the development and race history, with a full list of all race events and individual chassis numbers of Matra cars.
The late 1960s and early 1970s were a significant era in the world of international sports car racing. As the motor racing rule-making body moved back and forth between cars that less and less resembled road going vehicles, prototype sports car racing captured the imagination of manufacturers, teams and fans alike. Porsche vs. Ferrari vs. Alfa Romeo vs. Matra provided some of the best racing for sports cars ever witnessed, and by 1973, the Matra prototype – little more than a Grand Prix car with full bodywork – was dominating the scene. That period has always been viewed as one of the great eras in sports car racing, when all the great Grand Prix drivers were fully active in sports car as well as GP/F1 machines.
This carefully-researched book, which provides the complete story of a great time, and a great make, in motorsport is now available from bookshops or from www.velocebooks.com.

Click here for more info or buy a copy now using Paypal or credit card!

GET WELL SOON SIR STIRLING

Best wishes from all at Veloce to Sir Stirling Moss who is recovering in hospital after falling down a lift shaft at home and breaking both his ankles.
Full story here.

ROY SMITH INTERVIEW

Alpine & Renault – The Sports Prototypes – Volume 1: 1963-1969
By Roy Smith.
Sports prototype racing is about endurance, for the drivers, for the teams and for the companies involved. In this story we see the effort, the blood, the sweat and the tears, reputations won and lost, life and also death. The cars, some of the most evocative ever seen, are described in detail. We see stunningly beautiful, creative, slippery aerodynamic designs that allowed Alpine to take many class wins and outright victories in championship racing, from 1963 to 1969. You will feel the passion and dedication for racing from interviews with the men involved, illustrated with dramatic period photographs. More info.

Alpine & Renault – The Sports Prototypes – Volume 2: 1973-1978
By Roy Smith.
Sports prototype racing is about endurance – for the drivers, for the teams, and for the companies involved. Under the new management at Renault, and with assistance from Elf, the state-owned French oil company, Alpine made a remarkable return to sports car racing, vividly described here along with the reputations that were won and lost. More info.

SMART FORTWO URBANSTYLE EDITION

The smart fortwo edition urbanstyle adds a whole new dimension to the iconic model’s reputation for being ‘big in the city’.

Based on the 2010 passion model, the aggressively-styled edition urbanstyle will be limited to a UK production run of 230 coupé models – 160 units featuring the 71bhp (mhd)engine and 70 with the turbocharged 84bhp unit. A cabriolet version is available as a special order only.

With exclusive dark grey matt finish paintwork, which also extends to the attractive 6-spoke, 15” alloy wheels, and a tridion safety cell in gleaming black, the edition urbanstyle cuts a dash in the most fashionable of places.

The contemporary and sporty feel of the edition urbanstyle is also reflected in its stylish interior. Heated, nappa leather black seats with yellow double stitching and striking reflective stripes set the scene, while the 3-spoke steering wheel and gear shift knob are also finished in supple nappa leather. Door trims, knee pad and the instrument panel benefit from a leather-look finish and eye-catching matt silver details and yellow accents complete the interior’s ambience.

Navigating the bright lights is guaranteed to be an entertaining experience for the edition urbanstyle’s occupants too. In addition to the smart sound system, which provides crisp sound reproduction thanks to its 2 tweeters, 2 mid-range speakers, subwoofer and smart

MP3 interface, the model also has an integrated audio and navigation system. This advanced system incorporates a 5.8” touch screen, iPod®/USB connectivity, Bluetooth and radio/CD.

“The edition urbanstyle offers a unique fusion of cutting-edge style and a level of equipment that features infotainment technology rarely seen in this sector,” said Dermot Kelly, Managing Director Mercedes-Benz Cars UK.

“smart has always been a trendsetter and the contemporary look and advanced specification of the edition urbanstyle reinforces the perception that the brand is very much a modern design statement.”
Source:smart

the little book of smart – New Edition!
By Paul Jackson.

In the little book of smart, now featuring a brand new extra chapter, author and smart fanatic Paul Jackson guides us through the history of the brand, its highs and lows, its successes and failures, up to the present day, with the very latest fortwo line-up promising major sales worldwide and, of course, helping to pave the way for a future for smart in the USA. It’s a fascinating tale, told succinctly and in an entertaining style, and complemented by full colour photography throughout. 144 pages packed with over 100 colour pictures and entertaining text make this a great little book. More info.

TRIUMPH STAG BUYER'S GUIDE REVIEW

Thanks to Peter Robinson for this review which appeared in The Stag Owners Club Magazine, Feb 2010.

Click image to view full size

Triumph Stag – The Essential Buyer’s Guide
By Norm Mort and Tony Fox.
• Comprehensive guide reveals the Stag's strongest and weakest points
• Details of all model changes made throughout production listed
• Unique and rare options
• Features 100 previously unpublished colour photographs
• Models produced for European and North American markets
• Engine and detail photos
• Production data and original road test info
• Common problem areas
More info.

VICTORY FOR DODD ON RALLYE SUNSEEKER

Picture courtesy of www.cmwi.net: Marcus Dodd and Andrew Bargery heading to victory in the wet conditions on today's Rallye Sunseeker.
Defending champions Marcus Dodd and Andrew Bargery got the defence of their title underway in the best possible fashion with a sensational seventh victory on Rallye Sunseeker held in Bournemouth at the weekend.

Driving the Hyundai Accent WRC the pair emerged 33.7 seconds ahead of the Peugeot Cosworth of Andrew Burton and co driver Robin Kellard, with former ANCRO champion Steve Perez and co driver Paul Spooner claiming third place a further 13 seconds back on the opening round of the 2010 MSA Gravel Rally Championship.

Dodd, from nearby Poole, overcame the disappointment of retiring on last year's event, and also the drenched Dorset forests this year, to run out a clear winner and apart from a couple of moments during the day his only problem was an errant warning light on the last stage.

Burton, who decided not to register for ANCRO points, brought his crowd-pleasing Peugeot Cosworth home in runner-up spot after Perez, the 2004 national champion, suffered a last stage spin which meant the Chesterfield driver had to settle for third place in his Ford Focus WRC07.
Towcester's Roger Duckworth and co driver Mark Broomfield had a trouble-free run to fourth place in their Subaru WRC, with Paul Bird, from Penrith, and co driver Kirsty Riddick in their Ford Focus WRC08 putting in a brave drive to finish fifth following the death of his mother last week.

Yorkshiremen Jonny Milner and Ian Windress brought their Toyota Corolla WRC home in sixth after a misfire slowed the former double British champion earlier on. Next up was Anthony Willmington, Dave Weston Jnr and Jonny Greer, but none of them were registered for points leaving Co Durham driver Stephen Petch and co driver John Richardson to claim sixth place ANCRO points following their tenth place finish in the Hyundai Accent WRC.

In the Viking Motorsport Ford Escort Challenge, Richard Lane and co driver Frank Richer took the spoils and the Nissan Micra pairing of Ian Barrett and co driver Gavin Wright claimed victory in the 1400cc Cup.
Marcus Dodd: "It's been a very difficult rally and the stages have been as wet as I've ever known them but to win this event for the seventh time is fantastic. One mile from the end of the last stage the water temperature shot through the roof but it was not a problem in the end and to claim victory on my local event is a great start to the year."
The next event takes place on 23rd/24th April with the Pirelli Tour of Cumbria which is based in Carlisle.

Source: www.msagravelrallychampionship.co.uk.