Tabla de contenidos para Volume 19 en RETROMOTIVE

Christian Marvier is deeply passionate about anything that flies or rolls with an engine. It was with him that I rode my first motorbike, a CB 750 Four from 1975, with a brown tank and gold trim. It was on his handlebars, in the hot summer air, that I experienced my first motorcycling sensations, with him as a passenger giving me plenty of instructions. It was also at this time that I experienced my first fall, at the age of 12. My feet were not yet on the ground and we lost our balance when we stopped. He pulled the bike out of the ditch, picked up the dirt embedded in the handlebars and said to me: "This is the dirt from your first stunt son, you don't tell mum,…

Danish company Kalmar Automotive is taking on the world in an adventurous way. This bespoke coachbuilding exercise uses its Viking heart to transform Porsche donor machines to extreme levels. Founder Jan Kalmar and nine-times Le Mans 24 Hour winning legend Tom Kristensen are extending the company’s model range in 2023. In our exclusive Q & A with the company boss, find out what makes the unique and adventurous Kalmar Automotive tick. WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE BUSINESS? Jan Kalmar: I’ve always been a car fanatic / petrol head and I think working in a field you have a passion that sets you up to do the best possible job. After years of working in the automotive industry in various roles and with a variety of duties, including prototype development…

Regis Mathieu runs a world acclaimed business in the south of France that deals in the production of chandeliers. Mathieu is a craftsman beyond repute where his stunning designs can be seen in some of the world’s most famous buildings. Think of the Paris Opera, the Palace of Versailles, Laxmi Vilas Palace, and Opera Philadelphia as Mathieu is a craftsman beyond repute where his stunning designs can be seen examples. His work comes out of a shop that was once an Ochre factory on the outskirts of the Provencal town of Gargas around 44km from Avignon. His father ran the Mathieu Lustrerie company that produced lighting following World War II, but the firm closed following his death. While studying business, Regis then committed to bringing his dad’s business back to…

The British company came into existence initially crafting pilot-themed timepieces. The business derived its name after brothers Nick and Giles English flew across France in their 1930s biplane in the late 1990s. During that trip they were forced to land in a farmer’s paddock after the weather turned rough. The farmer, who co-incidentally flew aircraft during the war, took them under his wing and looked after the plane. True to their word, the brothers said the farmer’s name, Antoine Bremont, would never be forgotten. Bremont’s watch range has grown to include an automotive and motor racing focus. Among the Jaguar collection of wrist watches is the special edition Jaguar E-Type that was created to pay homage to the celebrated sports car’s 60th anniversary in 2021. The black dial is inspired…

When thinking of a car that is suited for one of the hardest rallies of the world, the Mercedes-Benz Ponton models of the 1950s do not necessarily spring to mind. The so-called Ponton-Mercedes (due to its shape) with a baroque-like design seems to be out of place for competition events. Indeed, the four-cylinder Mercedes-Benz 180 and 190 versions seem to be a sluggish choice. Though, the range of Mercedes-Benz Ponton models were raced and rallied successfully as four- and six-cylinders during the 1950s at various events. They followed the phenomenal double-victory of Karl Kling and Hermann Lang at the third edition of the Rally Carrera Panamericana Mexico in 1952 with their Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. In 1999, Thomas Hanna from Munich decided to follow the tracks of the Carrera Panamericana success.…

I Italian collector Cristiano Spinetti leans on the side of his ancestry when it comes to alluring automotive machinery. Nothing particularly eyebrow raising there but what is a double take moment is the weapon that sits beside his Ferrari F40 and Lamborghini Diablo. Alongside these iconic examples is a Jaguar XJ200, serial number 123, which is not what one would normally find firing through the Tuscan countryside. “It seems that the only one missing here is McLaren Formula 1” Cristiano chuckles while walking me around his collection. He then begins to tell me about the relationship between the noble British brand Jaguar and his family. “Of course, we like Italian cars but there have always been Jaguars in my family’s garage (especially the E-Type my father’s favorite model), and we…

This Mercedes 300 SL Roadster stems from lofty aspirations, speed, desire but also involves tales of lies, deceit and intrigue. It cuts a stunningly beautiful impression, but that was not always the case. The 300 SL Roadster has not been owned by one family since new or living in a temperature-controlled garage and hauled to shows every-so-often. It has not won concours d'elegance praise, nor does it have a complete history. According to the Gull Wing Group it is now onto its fifth custodian. But going back three owners, an intriguing story of devotion and deception unfolds. This story starts at Grey College in the Free State, one of the best rugby schools in South Africa. While attending Grey College a young Steve Rademeyer falls in love. Not with a…

The Morgan Motor Company only produced 26 of its fiberglass, Plus Four Plus Coupés, but Chris Clarke insisted on having one more. Clarke secured the last remaining chassis from Melvyn Rutter and built number 27 in South Africa. This Plus Four Plus adds up to a rather unusual Morgan. My reaction when I first laid eyes on it was, is it a one-off Aston Martin or maybe a Jaguar? That was April, 2017 at ‘Angela’s Picnic’ the most social, laid back classic car event on the calendar, held annually at Delta Park, in the north of Johannesburg. Interestingly enough, it was started by motoring legend and enthusiast Angela Heinz in 1981, who also happened to be a Morgan agent. On that particular day I could not find the owner, but…

This car was thought to be lost to the automotive history pages, never to be seen in the metal again. That was until it was discovered by a group of BMW-loving Brits last year. Once owned by an infamous Polish gangster, the red Koenig Specials KS8 BMW is central to a remarkable story. This rare, powerful coupe has now emerged from its underground bunker where it was stored for eight years after the team of enterprising Brits saw it for sale in Germany. Before documenting the sale and retrieval at the end of 2022, I will give you a snapshot of one of its previous owners. The scarlet Koenig Specials KS8 850 V12 had been the prized possession of notorious criminal Nikodem ‘Nikoś’ Skotarczak who built an organized car stealing…