Mad About Cars

One of the most iconic cars in automotive history is that of the Citroen DS. Launched in 1955, its futuristic Bertoni styling stood the test of time, and various innovative features, including hydropneumatic self-levelling suspension, helped ensure the car stood the test of time, with relatively light modifications during its 21 year production run. The car helped cement Citroen’s image as a dynamic, innovative car company.
A hit from the very first few minutes of its launch, the car signalled a new dawn for French engineering after the country suffered during World War II.
The DS was well ahead of its time, being one of the first production cars to feature disc brakes, with one of its most famous innovations being its hydropneumatic suspension. This gave the car a smooth, luxurious ride that few, if any of it rivals could match. This also made it a success on the rally circuit, winning the Monte Carlo Rally in 1959 and 1966.
The car’s angular, narrow design remained popular well into the 1970s, and was one of the few luxury cars that led even the German car makers in desirability. However, as the decade wore on, the car began to look increasingly dated and the DS was eventually replaced by the CX, regarded by Citroen enthusiasts as the last ‘true’ Citroen, before Peugeot took the company over.
Today, DS cars are very distinctive and eye-catching on the road, and the car is considered to be one of the most important cars of the 20th century. Because of this, used prices are very high, with even tatty restoration models being exchanged for over £1,000. Pristine examples of the car are known to exchange hand for anything up to £10,000.

The Ford Sierra was one of Ford most popular and radical European cars during the 1980s. After a difficult start, over 2,7million Sierras were made between 1982 and 1993, when it was replaced by the Mondeo.

The Sierra was launched following positive reviews of the Ford Probe III concept car, featuring a futuristic bold, streamlined design. The Sierra was closely modelled on the Probe, and had the daunting task of replacing the Cortina, which had been produced for nearly 20 years and was a firm favourite of the British public.

Reaction to the Sierra was poor, most found the radical new design very difficult to accept. Other design flaws included a tendency for the car to drift in crosswinds, and the car’s ‘blob’ like appearance led to exaggerated claims in the press that the car could hide major crash damage. However, as other manufacturers copied Ford’s aerodynamic design, the Sierra began to look more ‘normal’ and sales began to rise. So futuristic was Ford’s 1982 design that the car remained relatively unchanged until its end in 1993, bar a mid-life facelift in 1987 that also saw saloon and estate models of the car launched.

Some of the most desirable Sierras to be produced were the high-performance Cosworth models. Sierra Cosworths were successful both on the race and rally circuits, with the 3-door Sierra Cosworth instantly recognisable by its large ‘whale tail’ spoiler. A saloon version, the Sapphire Cosworth, later followed. Whilst many examples were abused, pristine examples of these cars are very desirable and fetch high prices when sold.

Whilst the Sierra did not look dated by the early-90s, in 1993 Ford opted to replace it by a radically different, all-new car, the Mondeo. With the Sierra being an everyday family car, most models were not cherished in later life, with more and more cars on the scrapheap. However, the Sierra is becoming a rare sight on the roads, with prices likely to pick up, even for mundane versions of the car, in years to come.

One of the most popular Formula One teams of the 1990s was Jordan Grand Prix, who enjoyed a spell amongst the sport’s leading teams during the late 1990s. Formed by former racer turned team owner, Eddie Jordan, the Irish team was known for it’s colourful ‘rock and roll’ image during the 1990s, being one of the most colourful teams in the paddock.
Jordan first took to the track in 1991, following many years as a successful F3000 team, with the first driver to test a Jordan car being Ulsterman John Watson. Powered by Ford engines, the team enjoyed a good debut in 1991, finishing fifth in the constructors series with drivers Andrea de Cesaris and Bertrand Gachot. However when Gachot was arrested after an assault on a London taxi driver, a young German named Michael Schumacher made his debut at the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix. Unfortunately, Schumacher was ‘poached’ by Benetton after his debut race, starting a couple of difficult years as the team struggled with poor engines.
However, by 1994 the team was once again starting to improve, with the duo of Rubens Barrichello and Eddie Irvine scoring regular points with Peugeot engines. By 1997, the team had started to ascend up the Grand Prix field, with two new drivers joining the team in the form of Ralf Schumacher and Giancarlo Fisichella. With Mugen-Honda engines, the car was competitive, with Damon Hill joining the team in 1998 following a disastrous year with Arrows. Unfortunately the dream-duo of Jordan and Hill did not challenge for title, although Hill scored a memorable win for Jordan in the torrential rain of the 1998 Belgian Grand Prix, en route to fourth in the manufacturers title.
With the charismatic Eddie Jordan at the helm, the team were fan favourites, and entered 1999 with Heinz-Harald Frentzen joining Hill. 1999 was the team’s zenith, whilst Hill struggled with motivation; Frentzen was a title contender for much of the season, eventually finishing third, with Jordan also finishing third in the constructors championship.
Sadly, the new millennium saw Jordan’s fall and eventual demise. Bad luck on the track saw Frentzen fail to repeat his 1999 form, and after a number of disagreements he was sacked mid-way through the 2001 season. 2002 saw a double blow, with a lack of sponsorship money, and a bias from engine suppliers Honda towards rivals BAR, leading in Jordan having to buy customer Cosworth engines in 2003. That same season saw Eddie Jordan unsuccessfully try to sue Vodafone, claiming the company had withdrawn from a verbal sponsorship contract. With Jordan having to pay the costs of the failed case, the writing was on the wall for the team, with Jordan eventually selling the team to the Midland Group. Jordan’s last season was in 2005, with the team as also-rans, but most Formula One fans remember the charismatic, fun-loving team that brightened up the paddock during the late 1990s.

Planning permission has been given for the Donington Park circuit to undergo a complete redevelopment in readiness for the 2010 British Grand Prix.
The re-developments will see the circuit’s infrastructure and layout modified drastically, with one of the major redevelopments being the construction of an all-new start/finish complex, complete with paddock and race control complex. This will be built on the Starkey’s straight complex, with the existing Dunlop bridge and neighbouring exhibition hall being demolished.
Circuit alterations will see Starkey’s straight being extended to the tight Melbourne hairpin, an interesting design that will see Formula One drivers exceed 200mph down the long straight, before having to brake hard to 70-80mph for the right hand hairpin.
To extend the track further, a new loop on the circuit infield will be built, starting and finishing at the Goddards section, currently the final corner of the present circuit.
The Redgate, Craner Curves and McLean’s sections of the track, so well revered amongst drivers, will remain.
The new plans have been met with mixed approval, whilst many feel the layout will optimise the hilly nature of the Donington circuit, others, particularly amongst the motorcycle fraternity, have raised concerns that the circuit’s twisty, exciting nature will be lost.
The plans also appear to cast doubt upon some of the other events held at Donington Park. The land which will be used for the circuit extension is currently used a motocross circuit, hosting high profile events such as the Motocross des Nations and British Motocross Grand Prix, and whilst circuit organisers state motocross will continue at Donington, it is unclear as to where this will be situated. A similar fate appears to await the Download music festival, which also takes place on Donington’s infield. Although it has been confirmed the event will take place in 2009, it seems likely that it will move elsewhere for 2010.
Building work in readiness for the 2010 Grand Prix season is due to commence within the next few months.

The famous London to Brighton Veteran Car Run is an annual car rally featuring ‘veteran’ cars and is the longest running automotive event in the world, having been first run in 1896.
The event is held exclusively for ‘veteran’ cars, i.e. those built prior to 1905. Generally held on the first Sunday of November, participants drive from Hyde Park in London (starting at sunrise), and travel a set course to Brighton. The route generally follows the A23 Brighton and covers a distance of 54 miles. Whilst this is an everyday journey for an average modern car, for fragile cars that are nearing a century of existence, this journey takes most of the day, with some cars even failing to finish. Participants that cover the distance before 4:30pm are usually awarded a medal by the organisers.
However, the event is not competitive. Participants are not permitted to exceed an average speed of 20mph for the run, and there is no finishing order. Cars are therefore simply completing the run as opposed to racing each other.
The event traces its origins to 1896, and the abolition of the Locomotive Act, commonly known as the ‘Red Flag Act’, where any motor car could travel at no more than 4mph and had to be preceded by a person on foot carrying a red flag. The event was next run in 1927, and has run continually since then (with the exception of World War 2 and associated petrol rationing)
Today, the run stands as a celebration of the pioneers of the motor car, keeping the origins of automotive travel alive with pioneering cars still taking to the road.