Fiat to Display 21.7-liter Mefistofele and 500 by Gucci at Goodwood Festival

Fiat’s major attraction in this year’s Goodwood Speed of Festival, which begins tomorrow, will be the famous Mefistofele. The record-breaking classic, which is based on a 1908 Fiat SB4 Corsa, returns after a decade to Goodwood and will be displayed in the “Cathedral Paddock” area.

Mefistofele was a project by Sir Eldridge who wanted to make a record-breaking car. After purchasing an SB4 Corsa, Eldridge went on to lengthen the chassis using parts from a London bus (!) and add a modified 21.7-liter six-cylinder Fiat A12 aircraft engine with 4 carburetors that produced 320 HP at 1,800 rpm.

On July 12, 1924, the car, which got its name from the bangs and smoke it emitted, broke the world speed record at a speed at 234.980 km/h. Fiat’s owner, Gianni Agnielli, bought the car in 1964. After a lengthy restoration process, it is now in perfect working order and is a part of Fiat’s historical collection.

On another note, Fiat will also display at Goodwood the 500 by Gucci, a version of its city car customized both in the bodywork and the interior by Gucci creative director, Frida Giannini, along with Fiat’s own Style Centre.

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Silverstone Organisers Ask: What is the Best British Sports Car of All Time?

The fifteen finalists in the Silverstone Classic’s, “Best British Sports Car of All Time” vote-in have been announced, and boy is there some choice picks. Before we get to that though, can I just point out a misnomer in using the, “of All Time” qualifier?

This assumes (prophetically?) that Britain will not be making any more sports cars in the future, whereas, “Best British Sports Car So Far” would be a far more accurate description. But enough with semantics: who are our lucky finalists? Read on….

In the order that I would rate them (with 1 being the highest and 15 the lowest):

1. Jaguar XK 120
2. Lotus Elan
3. MG MGB
4. Jaguar E-Type
5. Aston Martin DB5
6. Lotus 7
7. Austin-Healey 3000
8. Triumph Spitfire
9. AC Cobra
10. MG MGA
11. Morgan
12. Austin-Healey “Frog Eye” Sprite
13. Triumph TR3
14. Triumph TR6
15. TVR Griffith

Event director Nick Wigley describes the competition thusly:

"Britain is famous for its sports cars but no one ever agrees which one is the best. That's a long-running debate we now want to put to rest and where better to settle the result than at the Silverstone Classic, where so many fine examples of these much-loved models will be on show?"

The three day event will feature some 7,000 classic automobiles from over 120 clubs across the United Kingdom. You can vote for your favourite online with the winner to be announced on the 7th of July. Feel free to state your favourite (or pick apart my listing) in the comments section below.

By Tristan Hankins

Link: Silverstone Classics Vote

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