Automotive
Octane
HOT HATCH HEROES
They're a dying breed, yet the best transcended humdrum heritage to be among the most entertaining drivers' cars ever. Octane takes a trip to the good old days
10+ min |
April 2025
Octane
WHAT'S IN NAME
The Fiat Dino Spider's humble marque name belies its exotic racebred Ferrari engine and curvaceous body. Richard Heseltine takes the wheel The Fiat Dino Spider's humble marque name belies its exotic racebred Ferrari engine and curvaceous body. Richard Heseltine takes the wheel
8 min |
April 2025
Octane
The Collector Jay Leno
Lamenting the horror of the recent LA fires
3 min |
April 2025
Octane
Lancia Gamma Berlina
An underdog luxury saloon, as much of an outlier now as it was half a century ago
2 min |
April 2025
Octane
STEALTH FIGHTER FOR THE ROAD
Following a stellar career creating legends for Audi, Roland Gumpert set out to build a radical track-day weapon. Marc Sonnery takes a brave pill
8 min |
April 2025
Octane
Neon signs
Colourful tubes of magic that were embraced wholeheartedly by the advertising industry
4 min |
April 2025
Octane
Per Gessle
The Roxette pop star now blends performing with life as a Swedish hotelier and maintaining his large collection
4 min |
April 2025
Octane
Bill Heinecke
Meet the collector and hospitality tycoon behind a new concours in the heart of the eternal city, Rome
6 min |
April 2025
Octane
DUNE BUDDIES
The Dakar Rally still has a fearsome reputation for genuine risk to life, so just imagine doing it in a Renault 30 TX or a Tatra lorry. Octane meets the intrepid crews on the Dakar Classic
8 min |
April 2025
Octane
LONG WAY BACK
Two intrepid ex-pat Brits took an E-type from Kuala Lumpur to Yorkshire in 77 days. This is their epic overland adventure
8 min |
April 2025
Octane
David Martin
The renowned Los Angeles architect and petrolhead built his first car aged just 14
2 min |
April 2025
Octane
THE SHARPESTT
In the 1920s, Razor Blade took Aston Martin hunting for speed records. Now it takes John Simister to his limits
9 min |
April 2025
Octane
The Pro route to faster lap times
Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Pro 4Matic+
2 min |
January 2025
Octane
The power to corrupt
2024 Aston Martin Vanquish
2 min |
January 2025
Octane
Hyperactivate!
1967 Austin-Cooper MkII 998 by Crafted Classics Tuning Glen Waddington
2 min |
January 2025
Octane
De Tomaso Racing Blue Blood
IF THE MARQUE De Tomaso is mainly familiar to you through cars such as the Mangusta, the Pantera, maybe the Longchamps and, if you're next-level classic car geek, racers such as the P70, then the sheer variety to be found in this mammoth tome is going to come as something of a shock. There are literally dozens profiled here, and one or two will probably be news to even the most seasoned enthusiast.
4 min |
January 2025
Octane
The best watch in the world
We've been here, but it bears repeating these gems will soon be cheaper than a 1st class stamp
2 min |
January 2025
Octane
A star is reborn
This recently revived coachbuilt beauty made the final four at the Pebble Beach concours in August
8 min |
January 2025
Octane
REINVENTING THE WHEEL
The gyroscopically stabilised Gyro-X blurred the line between reality and science fiction. Sam Glover takes the prototype for a spin
10+ min |
January 2025
Octane
SAYONARA GT-R
After a remarkable 17-year career, the supercar-humbling Nissan GT-R bows out on a high
2 min |
January 2025
Octane
Shiro Nakamura
Nissan’s long-standing Chief Creative Officer became architect of the marque’s style-led revival… and is also known as ‘Mr GT-R’
7 min |
January 2025
Octane
LIGHT SPARKS
How does the electric Tesla Roadster compare today?
7 min |
January 2025
Octane
TOURING PARTY
Lamborghini 350 GT and Aston Martin DB4 Vantage: two 1960s super-GTs with a special Carrozzeria Touring connection. But which thrills the most?
10 min |
January 2025
Octane
The world's craziest road race?
Surprising history of the Targa Florio
2 min |
January 2025
Octane
THE COLOUR OF VICTORY
This Mercedes 2.0-litre Targa Florio was part of the winning works team on the fabled road race in 1924. Now it's back to tackle those same Sicilian mountain roads a century on
10 min |
January 2025
Octane
FERRARI'S HALO IS SHINING
Maranello’s so-called Big Five, both individually and as the ultimate set’, are riding out recent market fluctuations
2 min |
January 2025
Octane
GLORY BE
With the Ferrari 288 GTO, Enzo himself kicked off a series of supercars to reinvigorate his over-gentrified marque. Now, 40 years on, Octane examines a genuine legend
10+ min |
January 2025
Octane
Will China Change Everything? - China is tearing up modern motor manufacture but is yet to make more than a ripple in the classic car world. That could be about to change dramatically
China now dominates the automotive world in a way even Detroit in its heyday would have struggled to comprehend.Helped by Government incentives, the new car world is dominated by China's industries: whether full cars that undercut Western models by huge amounts, ownership of storied European brands such as Lotus and Volvo, or ownership and access to the vast majority of raw materials that go into EV cars, its influence is far-reaching and deep. However, this automotive enlightenment hasn't manifested itself in the classic world in any meaningful way - until now.
5 min |
September 2024
Octane
Jem Marsh
The hard-bitten Marcos boss was driven like few others and never knew when he was beaten. Thankfully
3 min |
October 2024
Octane
Vandamm House
A Mid-Century Modernist masterpiece that was immortalised on celluloid - despite never actually existing
3 min |