Friday, May 1, 2009
Thursday, April 30, 2009
BMW BOXER TWINS - HERE'S THE BIBLE!
-PRESS RELEASE-
The BMW Boxer Twins 1970-1996 Bible describes in great detail BMW's very significant air-cooled motorcycles of the 1970s through the 1990s: motorcycles which provided an unparalleled combination of comfort, reliability and performance which earned them a huge following internationally.
By way of introduction the book relates how, in the 1960s, before the /5 series, BMW had a reputation for producing expensive and idiosyncratic touring motorcycles. But the /5 changed all that. Although still expensive, BMW twins suddenly became desirable to a new world of riders, and during the 1970s the air-cooled boxer evolved into the ground-breaking R90S and R100RS sports and sports touring models. These were amongst the first motorcycles with factory-fitted fairings and they also offered class-leading performance. Even when BMW decided to discontinue the twins in favour of the new four-cylinder K-series in 1984, demand for the older boxers forced BMW to reconsider. The boxer was resurrected and continued for more than a decade.
The ultimate source of information on the BMW Boxer Twins of 1970 to 1996, this 'Bible' includes a full description of the model's stage-by-stage development along with analysis of the boxer twin engine. Year-by-year revisions to each model during the whole production run and all engine and frame numbers are included with a technical appraisal. The full racing history is another feature of the book.
One of the world’s foremost motorcycle historians, Ian Falloon brings the same passion to The BMW Boxer Twins as he does to his other over twenty books on motorcycles. These titles include the Original BMW Twins, BMW R90S, BMW Story, Ducati Story, Moto Guzzi Story, Honda Story and Veloce publications The Ducati 750 Bible, Ducati 900 Bible, Moto Guzzi Sport Bible and Laverda Twin and Triple Bible.
Author Ian Falloon has a small collection of classic sporting motorcycles, including a 1976 BMW R90S. He is a freelance contributor to a number of motorcycle magazines around the world and was born in New Zealand but currently lives in Australia with his wife Miriam, and sons Ben and Tim.
The BMW Boxer Twins 1970-1996 Bible is published by Veloce at ￡29.99 in hardback with 190 colour pictures.
R45, R65, G/S and GS models are not covered.
Click here for more info about the book.
The BMW Boxer Twins 1970-1996 Bible describes in great detail BMW's very significant air-cooled motorcycles of the 1970s through the 1990s: motorcycles which provided an unparalleled combination of comfort, reliability and performance which earned them a huge following internationally.By way of introduction the book relates how, in the 1960s, before the /5 series, BMW had a reputation for producing expensive and idiosyncratic touring motorcycles. But the /5 changed all that. Although still expensive, BMW twins suddenly became desirable to a new world of riders, and during the 1970s the air-cooled boxer evolved into the ground-breaking R90S and R100RS sports and sports touring models. These were amongst the first motorcycles with factory-fitted fairings and they also offered class-leading performance. Even when BMW decided to discontinue the twins in favour of the new four-cylinder K-series in 1984, demand for the older boxers forced BMW to reconsider. The boxer was resurrected and continued for more than a decade.
The ultimate source of information on the BMW Boxer Twins of 1970 to 1996, this 'Bible' includes a full description of the model's stage-by-stage development along with analysis of the boxer twin engine. Year-by-year revisions to each model during the whole production run and all engine and frame numbers are included with a technical appraisal. The full racing history is another feature of the book.
One of the world’s foremost motorcycle historians, Ian Falloon brings the same passion to The BMW Boxer Twins as he does to his other over twenty books on motorcycles. These titles include the Original BMW Twins, BMW R90S, BMW Story, Ducati Story, Moto Guzzi Story, Honda Story and Veloce publications The Ducati 750 Bible, Ducati 900 Bible, Moto Guzzi Sport Bible and Laverda Twin and Triple Bible.
Author Ian Falloon has a small collection of classic sporting motorcycles, including a 1976 BMW R90S. He is a freelance contributor to a number of motorcycle magazines around the world and was born in New Zealand but currently lives in Australia with his wife Miriam, and sons Ben and Tim.
The BMW Boxer Twins 1970-1996 Bible is published by Veloce at ￡29.99 in hardback with 190 colour pictures.
R45, R65, G/S and GS models are not covered.
Click here for more info about the book.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A GRAND PRIX DRIVER?
Ever dreamt of pitting your skills against reigning FIA Formula One World Drivers' Champion Lewis Hamilton? Well now you can as Mobil 1 lubricants have teamed up with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes to launch Will You Be The 1? an interactive, online game designed to provide the definitive Grand Prix test for any aspiring driver.
Grand Prix driver Lewis Hamilton is the first to have played the game and has set a 10,147 points score to head the leaderboard. Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and Mobil 1, the world’s leading engine lubricant, have combined their racing expertise and technical know-how to create the game. Free to join at www.mobil-1.co.uk, the game features four key challenges to provide an all-encompassing test for anyone who thinks they can match Lewis Hamilton.
Will You Be the 1? also provides UK gamers with the chance to meet Lewis Hamilton at the Mobil 1 Garden Party on Saturday 20th June and attend the British Grand Prix at Silverstone the very next day. The gamer at the top of the leaderboard at 23.59.59 on 4th June will also receive an exclusive trophy containing Mobil 1 oil from the very Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-23 car that helped Lewis Hamilton secure fifth place at the Brazilian GP and win the 2008 World Championship. So what are you waiting for?
The four tests cover a wide range of skills essential for Grand Prix Racing driving including: Technical knowledge, which tests users’ knowledge of a Mercedes-Benz engine; Memory, which challenges competitors to recall race tracks from around the world; Reactions, where the Lewis-hopefuls drive a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes off the grid when the lights go green; and of course a Driving Challenge where players get to drive the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-24 on Lewis Hamilton’s Mobil 1 Supercircuit – a selection of Lewis’ favourite corners from around the world. Once completed, users receive an overall score and ranking split according to region, group and against all other entrants.
Lewis Hamilton commented: “Formula One is a sport that demands high performance from its drivers through the ultimate mental and physical tests. It is only by collaborating with partners such as Mobil 1 that we can deliver peak performance on the track, race after race.”
ExxonMobil spokesperson, Otto Nijdam added: “Formula One is the ultimate testing ground for the driver, the car and the lubricant. ExxonMobil’s technology partnership with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes is now entering its fifteenth year so to mark this we wanted to give fans the chance to experience a taste of the level of performance needed to be a success at the very top.”
The Will You Be The 1? game will be running on Mobil 1 sites across the world, and can also be added to Facebook through a downloadable application to allow you to compete easily with friends and showcase your current ranking.
The Mobil 1 range of lubricants is available from Exxon, Esso and Mobil service stations, leading franchised car dealerships, automotive stores and other independent retailers.
Source:MOBIL 1
THE PUMA POD
GM teams up with Segway to produce this PUMA (Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility) city vehicle.
The P.U.M.A is capable of speeds of up to 35MPH and has the ability to communicate with other vehicles via an ‘internet’ which means that bashing into each other should not be possible and the same system could actually drive the pod itself.
The P.U.M.A is capable of speeds of up to 35MPH and has the ability to communicate with other vehicles via an ‘internet’ which means that bashing into each other should not be possible and the same system could actually drive the pod itself.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
REVIEWS FROM DOWN UNDER
A couple of great reviews this month from Australian Classic Car!
Tinplate Toy Cars
By Andrew Ralston.
"I suspect many of us remember tinplate toy cars from the 1950s and early 1960s. I certainly do, but sadly each and every one I owned has gone to that large Bandai garage in the sky. Most were based on American vehicles. They tended to be larger than Dinky Toys or die-cast cars, ranging from eight to 16 inches and usually powered by friction-drive mechanisms or electric motors. With radio control still years away, the electrical examples were often operated via a remote control box that also contained the batteries.
The 150 or so tinplate cars featured in this book
are part of a single collection and each one still has its original box. (I’m always amazed when boxes have lasted for so long and I always imagine some poor deprived child who wasn’t allowed to play with the toy). While the collection and therefore the book predominantly features American cars, there are also a small number of European and Japanese cars, as well as a chapter covering tin plate cars made in China and Argentina.
I particularly like the range of tinplate Mercedes and Jaguars.
Each car is treated to a clear photo and informative text. There is also a chart detailing the cars’ estimated prices today, with categories ranging from the
highly affordable (US$50-$100) through to the almost unthinkable (US$5000 and up). An interesting and informative publication."
Click here for more info.
British Woodies from the 1920s to the 1950s
By Colin Peck
"When you think of ‘woodies’ you generally think of American cars, but there was a flourishing British industry as well. While many English woodies didn’t see their way through to the 1970s, they are now attracting real interest. This new publication in the Veloce ‘Those were the days…’ series describes how the shooting-brake evolved until it reached its
peak in the post WWII period, when steel was in short supply. It wasn’t limited to Morris Minor Travellers, either, as almost every manufacturer, large and small, offered a woodie in its order
books. Apart from the mainstream, manufacturers as diverse as Allard, Lea-Francis and Alvis offered woodies. There was also an industry in replacing rusted bodies with new timber bodywork, and
it was not unusual to
see a Rolls-Royce or Bentley so fitted. It was sobering to read that “the average recommended period between major re-varnishing was just two years if a decent level of weather protection for the wood was to be achieved”. Most woodie owners didn’t undertake the re-varnishing at all and sadly many woodie bodies rotted away in 10 years or less. This publication is as delightful as the cars themselves and contains a fascinating collection of period black-and-white photos as well as colour photos of restored examples. Highly recommended."
Click here for more info.
Tinplate Toy Cars By Andrew Ralston.
"I suspect many of us remember tinplate toy cars from the 1950s and early 1960s. I certainly do, but sadly each and every one I owned has gone to that large Bandai garage in the sky. Most were based on American vehicles. They tended to be larger than Dinky Toys or die-cast cars, ranging from eight to 16 inches and usually powered by friction-drive mechanisms or electric motors. With radio control still years away, the electrical examples were often operated via a remote control box that also contained the batteries.
The 150 or so tinplate cars featured in this book
are part of a single collection and each one still has its original box. (I’m always amazed when boxes have lasted for so long and I always imagine some poor deprived child who wasn’t allowed to play with the toy). While the collection and therefore the book predominantly features American cars, there are also a small number of European and Japanese cars, as well as a chapter covering tin plate cars made in China and Argentina.
I particularly like the range of tinplate Mercedes and Jaguars.
Each car is treated to a clear photo and informative text. There is also a chart detailing the cars’ estimated prices today, with categories ranging from the
highly affordable (US$50-$100) through to the almost unthinkable (US$5000 and up). An interesting and informative publication."
Click here for more info.
British Woodies from the 1920s to the 1950sBy Colin Peck
"When you think of ‘woodies’ you generally think of American cars, but there was a flourishing British industry as well. While many English woodies didn’t see their way through to the 1970s, they are now attracting real interest. This new publication in the Veloce ‘Those were the days…’ series describes how the shooting-brake evolved until it reached its
peak in the post WWII period, when steel was in short supply. It wasn’t limited to Morris Minor Travellers, either, as almost every manufacturer, large and small, offered a woodie in its order
books. Apart from the mainstream, manufacturers as diverse as Allard, Lea-Francis and Alvis offered woodies. There was also an industry in replacing rusted bodies with new timber bodywork, and
it was not unusual to
see a Rolls-Royce or Bentley so fitted. It was sobering to read that “the average recommended period between major re-varnishing was just two years if a decent level of weather protection for the wood was to be achieved”. Most woodie owners didn’t undertake the re-varnishing at all and sadly many woodie bodies rotted away in 10 years or less. This publication is as delightful as the cars themselves and contains a fascinating collection of period black-and-white photos as well as colour photos of restored examples. Highly recommended."
Click here for more info.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
VELOCE AT MINI UNITED 2009
Pleased to announce that Veloce have been offered a trade stand at Mini United 2009 and we will be attending the whole weekend. The event takes place at Silverstone from 22-24th May and celebrates the 50th anniversary of the classic Mini. A star attraction performing at Mini United will be the iconic music legend Paul Weller!
Visit www.miniunited.com for more details about the event.
We will be selling all of our Mini related books at the event. Whether you are into classic Mini's or weird and wonderful Mini derivatives, Veloce will surely have something for you. Here's a small selection! More details to follow ...
Click covers for more info.
Visit www.miniunited.com for more details about the event.
We will be selling all of our Mini related books at the event. Whether you are into classic Mini's or weird and wonderful Mini derivatives, Veloce will surely have something for you. Here's a small selection! More details to follow ...
Click covers for more info.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
"NOT JUST ANOTHER MINI BOOK"
Here is a great review by Richard Porter from www.minimarcos.org.uk of the awesome Veloce book Maximum Mini by Jeroen Booij.
"Up to now I've regarded Peter Filby's Amazing Mini as the bible for Mini kits and variants. I don't think it's ever been surpassed for sheer comprehensive coverage of the Mini phenomenon, but Maximum Mini is THE book to have if your main interest is in Mini derivatives. This is more than just a book - it's been a labour of love for the author. It is not just very well researched: Booij has sought out examples af many extemely rare cars - some unique - from as far afield as Japan and New Zealand, photographed them and talked to the original designers in many cases.
This is a large size hardback (250x250mm) with 128 pages in colour. A full two-page spread is devoted each make, and sometimes to more than one mark. Our club cars are well represented, from the D.A.R.T and its recent reincarnation up to the Heritage Mk.VI, including the Mini Jem and Kingfisher Sprint. The Autocars Marcos estate, originally destined for Israel, also finds a place. This book is by no means a complete catalogue of Mini variants. Sportcars, coupés, racing cars and buggies there are a-plenty, but to the exclusion of three-wheelers and what I call the “Mock Mokes” - Cubs, Scouts, Scamps, Yaks and the like. None of William Towns’s creations made it either. What the author has done is dug up the fascinating history of some wierd and wonderful machines, very few of which were made in any number if they made it to production at all. I for one hope this book will be a great success and volume 2 will follow on in due course.
This is not just another Mini book. It's right up our street, and we are stocking it for sale to club members at a discount. The fact that my Mk.IV is included (unbeknown to me in advance) in no way affects my enthusiasm for it! A few other club members may also be pleasantly surprised to find their cars pictured".
Click here for more info about the book.
"Up to now I've regarded Peter Filby's Amazing Mini as the bible for Mini kits and variants. I don't think it's ever been surpassed for sheer comprehensive coverage of the Mini phenomenon, but Maximum Mini is THE book to have if your main interest is in Mini derivatives. This is more than just a book - it's been a labour of love for the author. It is not just very well researched: Booij has sought out examples af many extemely rare cars - some unique - from as far afield as Japan and New Zealand, photographed them and talked to the original designers in many cases.This is a large size hardback (250x250mm) with 128 pages in colour. A full two-page spread is devoted each make, and sometimes to more than one mark. Our club cars are well represented, from the D.A.R.T and its recent reincarnation up to the Heritage Mk.VI, including the Mini Jem and Kingfisher Sprint. The Autocars Marcos estate, originally destined for Israel, also finds a place. This book is by no means a complete catalogue of Mini variants. Sportcars, coupés, racing cars and buggies there are a-plenty, but to the exclusion of three-wheelers and what I call the “Mock Mokes” - Cubs, Scouts, Scamps, Yaks and the like. None of William Towns’s creations made it either. What the author has done is dug up the fascinating history of some wierd and wonderful machines, very few of which were made in any number if they made it to production at all. I for one hope this book will be a great success and volume 2 will follow on in due course.
This is not just another Mini book. It's right up our street, and we are stocking it for sale to club members at a discount. The fact that my Mk.IV is included (unbeknown to me in advance) in no way affects my enthusiasm for it! A few other club members may also be pleasantly surprised to find their cars pictured".Click here for more info about the book.
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