David Brown Speedback at Techno Classica Essen

14 April, 2015

Following the recent appearance of the David Brown Automotive Speedback GT at Retro Classics in Stuttgart, the car is due to wow the crowds at Techno Classica Essen — the largest classic car show in the world.

The Speedback GT’s combination of modern engineering and retro styling provide a novel twist on a modern ‘Grand Touring’ design, and there is little doubt that this special car will receive a great reception at Techno Classica.

“We have had a very strong response in Germany since the early days of Speedback,” says David Brown Automotive. “We’ve taken several orders from the market, so we are aware that Speedback has many qualities that resonate very strongly with affluent German enthusiasts.”

Merry Christmas from NZ Classic Car magazine

The Classic Car magazine team is taking a few weeks’ holiday from the work computer and heading to the beach for some kickback time.
Merry Christmas, and have a wonderful summer holiday to all our readers, followers, and fans. Enjoy this special extra time with the family. We will be posting archive articles again in mid to late January.
Have fun, be good and be careful out there.

Two engines instead of one?

Popping two motors into a car is not only complicated, it doesn’t always end well. Donn Anderson recalls early attempts, including John Cooper’s ill-fated original Twini Mini built 58 years ago

For a boost in performance, better traction, and perhaps improved handling to some, two motors seems an obvious solution. It would also eliminate the need to develop a larger engine replacement from scratch, but would that outweigh the not inconsiderable technical difficulties?
The idea of using a pair of engines dates back at least 86 years to the Alfa Romeo Bimotor single seater racing car that was officially timed at 335km/h, or 208mph. Taking a lengthened Alfa P3 chassis, the Italians fitted two supercharged straight eight 2.9-litre and 3.2-litre engines, one in front of the cockpit, and the other behind the cockpit.