Mention the 18th century Cornish champion wrestler Richard Trevithick and everyone draws a blank. But before Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler developed the world’s first automobiles, Trevithick, an inventer and engineer, had perfected a steam-powered, horseless carriage. Given that railways rather than roads were the future in the 1790s, his invention led to the development of the first locomotive, rather than the car. It was nearly a century later that Benz and partners would present the internal combustion-powered Model 3 Motorwagen at the World’s Fair in Paris in 1889 (the same year the Eiffel Tower was unveiled).
Aiming for the chequered flag: Mercedes-Benz
Paris as well as the Eiffel Tower loom large in Mercedes’ motorsport mythology. It was here in 1894 that the fledgling company won first prize in the inaugural Paris-Rouen race (after the winner had been disqualified because his steam-powered car needed a stoker as well as a driver). Daimler was making engines at that point, notably for pioneers Peugeot. They’ve come a long way since then, one of only three manufacturers to win the Triple Crown: the Indianapolis 500, 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the Monaco Grand Prix. To celebrate the 130-year anniversary, Mercedes took aim at a record it had wanted to break for years, the famed Mount Panorama Circuit. Job done: in February a Mercedes-AMG GT3 set the fastest lap around the 6.213km Bathurst circuit for a car with a roof at 1 minute and 56.605 seconds.
That unrestricted car won’t be in anyone’s garage soon, but another AMG-GT will be: the hybrid enhanced Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E-Performance is set to light up showrooms early next year. It’s a missile to be sure, the 4-litre V8 now paired with an electric motor to produce a whopping 1 420Nm of torque. That will make it good for a 0-100km/h time of 2.8 seconds. Legendary indeed.
Crowning moment: Mercedes SSK 1928. The magnificent open-top sports roadster, designed by Ferdinand Porsche, fetches upwards of R180 million today.
Coal shuttle to coolmeister: Aston Martin
Aston Martin’s 110 years on the road have been marked by massive turbocharged blowers, svelte Bond chariots and not a little bit of Le Mans glory. The road hasn’t been without its speed bumps though. Record losses in the early 2000s led to Ford selling the company to a consortium of super-rich investors. The move seems to have done the trick; Aston’s future, according to Forbes, is looking rosy with electric plans well underway and sales of their iconic V12s charging ahead. As 2025 looms large, everyone is talking about one car, the new Valour, a limited-edition thoroughbred that’s likely to be the marque’s most collectible car to date. Petrolheads will be talking about the twin-turbocharged 5.2-litre V12 as well as the manual gearbox, but style aficionados are hailing it as Aston’s prettiest in years.
The Brit style continues inside; woollen tweed seats are an option, meant to recall the 1959 Le Mans-winning DBR1. As Aston itself says, it’s a tribute to the golden era of driving when cars were seductive, wild and beautiful. Amen to that.
Crowning moment: Aston Martin DB5, 1963. Sean Connery’s first Aston in Goldfinger reappeared in Thunderball sporting new watercannons and a jetpack. Designed by Federico Formenti in Italy for Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera.
Italy’s torrid affair: Fiat
Beginning in Turin in 1899, Fiat’s history has been anything but simple. It has survived multiple recessions, absurd ideas and colossal temper tantrums by madcap owners but, happily, also equal amounts of genius. For decades Fiat owned the small-car space, giving the world the Topolino in 1936, the 500 in 1957, the 128 in 1969 and the Panda in 1980. It’s this last car that is laying the future for Fiat, now part of the leviathan Stellantis Motor Group. July marks the 125th anniversary of the company and the new Panda will form the basis for an international electric platform. Expect to see variations of the small runabout soon, including a bakkie. But the real style news is from sister marque Alfa Romeo, which will launch the oh-so-beautiful SUV Junior in late 2024. Touted as the company’s first full electric car, it’ll do battle for the title of coolest urban crossover, and our money is on it being the hands-down winner.
Crowning moment: Fiat 8V, 1952. Fiat’s most audacious foray into the world of V8 power quickly became the design sensation of 1952. Spaceship looks, futurist overtones, it referenced the ’50s obsession with all things interstellar. An original 8V Ghia Supersonic will fetch R52m at auction today.
