Christmas is coming!
Summer is here in the Southern Hemisphere, Christmas is coming, and very soon it will be the start of the 74th Sydney to Hobart which I shall be covering once again from the...
James Nicholls - Narratologist
Blog
Recent news More posts »Pista Premiere
It was an honour to be invited to the Ferrari North Shore Service Centre at 12 Barcoo Street Roseville which was specifically chosen as the venue for the 488 Pista Australasian...
Taschen presents FERRARI
This veritable work of art, designed by Marc Newson, offers unrestricted access to hundreds of photographs from the Ferrari archives, and those of private collectors, to reveal...
Classic Car Auction Yearbook 2017 – 2018
The latest edition of the wonderfully informative and incredibly detailed and accurate Classic Car Auction Yearbook is now available. Written by Adolfo Orsi and Raffaele Gazzi...
Sale of the 20th Century
The Beatles, Margaret Thatcher, Frank Sinatra, Cary Grant, Michael Jackson, Rod Stewart, Deep Purple, Aretha Franklin, Kylie Minogue, Herge’s Tin Tin, John Lennon, AC/DC, Jack...
It’s a Knokke out!
The Zoute Grand Prix held at the chic, affluent Belgian coastal resort of Knokke Le Zoute is one of the motoring world’s best kept secrets. The 9th Edition held on 4 – 7 October...
Entre Nous – Bentley Continental GT
“A way of driving that’s really ‘entre nous’ “ (‘The Continental’, with apologies to songwriters Con Conrad and Herbert Magidson) Since its launch in 2003, the Bentley...
Portofino
It was great fun and an honour to be chosen as one of the first people to drive the new Ferrari Portofino in Australia. Top up or top down it is an amazing car which can take you...
European Classic from Western Australia
West Australian car collector Alan Tribe enjoyed a breakthrough win this week at the World’s premier class car event: the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance 2018. His 1939 Lagonda...
Halcyon
Please check out a new project of mine at www.halcyonauctions.com First up is as follows: SALE OF THE 20TH CENTURY October will see the sale of part of one of...
Building Blocks
Work Transformed: People, place and purpose. Books from architectural practices often tend to be somewhat self-congratulatory. Written by the marketing department rather than the...
Travel
And for those of you who prefer stories about travel rather than cars, boats or watches, here is another recent example of my work from Signature Luxury & Travel Magazine:-...
Spreading the Gospel
Herewith below, some recent examples of my work that perhaps make for interesting reading that have appeared in Singapore (Jetgala), Australia (Signature Luxury Travel &...
In an English country garden
Going to the Heveningham Hall Concours d’Elegance, deep in the Suffolk countryside of East Anglia, is like stepping back in time. This is no doubt what it would have been like in...
And Friends
I was at a cocktail party for MB&F (Maximilian Büsser and Friends) watches the other evening and later conducted an exclusive interview with the charismatic founder Max...
European Grand Tour
I had a blast on my European Grand Tour recently as these pictures hopefully show. Editorial enquiries welcome. First Stop – Classic Boat Rally in Venice Second Stop...
The Kellner Affair
‘The Kellner Affair’, by Peter Larsen and Ben Erickson and published by Dalton Watson Fine Books is a remarkable book. But how to categorise it, what is the genre and where...
Thank you Henry.
Those people at Ford are very nice. For my big trip to Crowdy Head to cover the beach trials (cf previous post) they lent me a very nice Ranger Wildtrak. I must admit I was...
On The Beach
Just got back from the Drag-ens Sydney Hot Rodders weekend at Crowdy Beach. A great day out, over 1,000 spectators watching pre-1941 cars and motorbikes doing their stuff on the...
Two More Beauties For Sale
Every now and then I alert you to cars with interesting stories that are available through me. If you are a potential buyer and wish to learn more, please do not hesitate to get...
A Different Perspective
Please take a look at my article published by Perspective Magazine on architects, designers and their cars....
Cue Red Ruby
Offers are invited for these two incredible motor cars, both with outstanding provenance and history. To find out more please contact me directly –...
Pass the Salt please
Lake Gairdner in South Australia is hard to reach. Seven hours drive from the State Capital, Adelaide, the last two hours of which is on dirt roads in the Outback and the last 25...
Urus
Beating the Tamburo! The opportunity to take more than one friend or member of the family in a Lamborghini has not been possible since the demise of the fabled LM in 1993. Until...
A Passage To India
“Is emotion a sack of potatoes, so much the pound, to be measured out? Am I a machine?” to borrow a line from Chapter XXVII of E.M.Forster’s 1924 novel, A Passage to India. Well,...
Electric Avenue
I am totally sold on electric cars having just returned from a trip to the NSW countryside on behalf of Signature Luxury Travel & Media magazine. Hosted by Tesla and Crowne...
Maserati Incomparabile
1971 Maserati Ghibli SS Spyder, factory right hand drive offered for sale: The Ghibli Spyder is perhaps even more attractive and elegant than the original coupé and is oft...
Sydney Concours d’Elegance
Two international Concours d’Elegance took place on the weekend of 27th and 28th January 2018. Respectively they were held in Sydney, Australia, and in Palm Beach, Florida,...
Book 2
The New Edition of the Classic Car Auction Yearbook by Adolfo Orsi and Raffaele Gazzi reports on the 2016-2017 Season with unprecedented statistics showing long-term gains and...
Book Review
2017 was of course the year of Ferrari, as one of the most recognised luxury brands on the planet celebrated its 70th glorious year. There were of course lots of illustrious...
2018
Happy New Year dear readers. I trust you have had a good Christmas and all the very best for 2018. I was on the water on Boxing Day for the start of the 73rd 628 nautical mile...
Blowering Dam
On the 40th anniversary of Ken Warby breaking the World Water Speed Record, his son David was out testing Spirit of Australia II, designed by Ken, for his own record attempt in...
Crashlab!
The other day I was lucky enough to pay an interesting and informative visit to Crashlab to watch an ANCAP crash test on a new vehicle. It was also quite intimidating, but...
New and Blue!
The Hong Kong Gold Coast Motor Festival showcased some 90 cars, from the prized classic and collectors’ cars in the Concours d’Elegance to the highly desirable and latest...
Signature Luxury Travel
I am really excited about working with Signature Luxury Travel Magazine and hope to be doing lots more with them going forward in the future. Check out the latest issue with my...
FOR SALE
Every now and then I offer something special by Private Treaty . This 1925 Bugatti Type 35A Grand Prix was delivered to the Paris dealership in February 1926. Known...
MOTORCLASSICA 8
The eight edition of Motorclassica, the Australian International Concours d’Elegance & Classic Motor Show was a great success with record attendance. The spring...
Ferraris everywhere
Just two weeks after being a member of the jury for the Concorso d’Eleganza in Italy to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Ferrari, this time the Prancing Horses were closer...
1947 – 2017
To be invited to the celebrations for Ferrari’s 70th anniversary in Maranello was one thing, but then to be invited to be a member of the Jury of the Concorso d’Eleganza was...
Hampton Court
Henry VIII’s appetites were said to be large in many areas of his life. He would certainly have been satisfied though with the extravaganza of automobiles laid out upon the...
Il Sereno
Whilst in Italy recently I had to make time for luncheon at what is one of Europe’s hottest new hotels. I had heard lots about it and I am glad to report it is all good....
Happy Birthday
They came from far and wide to celebrate ASDEC’s 30th anniversary. Entrants from Monaco, France, England, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, the islands of Corsica and Sicily, and...
Red, White and Blue Off-road
Whoever says that Bentley cannot do off-road does not know what they are talking about. I have just been on a Bentley Bentayga Diesel Adventure Drive in the Hunter Valley, NSW....
New Record
And here is the 1977 Holden Torana A9X Hatchback leaving the building after being sold for a staggering Aus$715,000! A new record for the marque and a new record for an...
Roll up, Roll up!
This car has certainly been causing a stir, having made an appearance on Channel 7, ABC radio (http://www.abc.net.au/radio/sydney/programs/breakfast/torana/8505814), and The...
Requiescat In Pace
The term legend is used too loosely these days. On April 10th, however, we lost a legend when the genius boat designer Carlo Riva, aged 95, went to the big harbour in the sky....
Boys just wanna have fun!
With apologies to the lyrics of Cyndi Lauper, sometimes my job really is fun. What more do I really need to say about this image taken on a recent photography session with a 1964...
India Rubber
Highway Masala! Being a Judge at the 21 Gun Salute International Vintage Car Rally and Concours Show in Delhi, was indeed an honour and a privilege. Not only was the event,...
Indiaaah!
This week I am off to Delhi for the seventh edition of The 21 Gun Salute International Vintage Car Rally & Concours Show. The three days of motoring indulgence should prove...
Sydney Concours d’Elegance
I was the Chief Honorary Judge at the 2017 Sydney Concours d’Elegance which took place recently at Darling Harbour Wharf in Pyrmont under the auspices of the ICJAG, the...
PEACE AND LOVE IN ’17
It has been a great Christmas and New Year period and I have been taking things pretty easily in readiness for a big year ahead. I did however manage to do a couple of stories in...
Up, up and away!
I say it every year, but right about now, Sydney Harbour is a difficult place to beat if you love sun, sea and boats! The GC32 hydro-foiling ultra-light catamarans certainly made...
Overdrive Video EP3
Welcome to Episode Three of Overdrive. It has taken us a while to do another episode, what with one thing and another – hopefully the wait was worthwhile as we look at a...
Auction Result
Mossgreen’s important Collectors’ Cars, Motorcycles & Automobilia Auction, held on Sunday 27 November at Lorbek Luxury Cars showroom in Melbourne, achieved almost AUS$2.4...
Important Cars at Auction
I am very excited about the prospect of being involved in the first auction with Mossgreen to which I have made a contribution, which will take place in Melbourne on Sunday 27th...
The Common Pursuit
Those of you not lucky enough to live in Australia, and even some of those of you who do, may not have been able to view Car Chronicles which appeared on the Discovery Turbo...
Beaux Arts
Motor car design and designers are fascinating topics. I just love those wonderful coach-built vehicles from the French and Italian masters, Saoutchik, Chapron, Vignale, Touring...
Good Fun at Goodwood Revival
A visit to the Goodwood Revival has to be on everyone’s motoring ‘bucket list’. A three day extravaganza of historic motor racing and related activities,...
High Society
It has been a busy week for the aristocracy in England. First it was to Blenheim Palace, where Sir Winston Churchill was born, for Salon Privé; then on to Windsor Castle to help...
Perfect Day
A perfect day with a perfect 40 degree wake at the back of Tinkerbell. Tinkerbell is the first Fairey/Campbell Christina 23 ever made. Hull number 1 was built by Bruce Campbell...
