Ultimate Aston Martin headlines new C&SC

| 5 Sep 2012

If ever a British car could rival the legendary Italian GTs of the 1960s then it’s the Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato that takes pride of place on the cover of the new issue of C&SC.

Pace and grace don’t really do justice to the magnificent Aston Martin that Stirling Moss christened “the strong-man’s GT car”. Having also driven Ferrari’s 250GT Short Wheelbase, Moss had the perfect point for comparison, and now Mick Walsh has driven both, too.

Keeping the rich GT seam going is the brand that blended Italian looks with raw and reliable American muscle – Iso. Marin Buckley takes time to savour the Rivolta, Grifo, S4 saloon, Fidia and Lele. So, what made the brand so unique, how do these great GTs feel now and what led to the company’s demise? Buckley reveals all.

If GTs aren’t your thing then we’ve got something completely different – it’s called the Kégresse and it’s a French-made half-track with a story to tell. In a time before PR (you would think) Citroën saw the benefit of its vehicles conquering the supposedly unconquerable – even if they had to be dismantled and carried. Jon Pressnell tells the story of these fascinating machines, and the equally fascinating men that steered them. Like the best PR campaigns, all was not quite as it seemed.

Unlike the Citroën DS Safari, the attributes of which are plain for all to see. Bettering the quirky charisma of the big wagon was a nigh on impossible task, but it fell on another great French marque – Peugeot and its 403 estate – to have a go. Andrew Roberts drives the pair back-to-back to tell us how they got on.

Meanwhile, Mick Walsh has a liaison with his father’s first love: Britain’s sports car underdog – Singer. Mick drives the B37, the firm’s last true sports car, and talks to its owner about the 3000 man-hours it took to restore.

Our next story features another brand close to C&SC’s heart, Alfa Romeo. A company that can twang the heartstrings of the car lover better than any other, its Latin charm is matched only by its frailties. We test Autodelta’s 75 and Giulietta and, yes, they’re turbocharged!

Someone who could tell us a thing or two about turbos is Martin Ogilvie – the man that worked with Colin Chapman through Lotus’ heyday. He reflects on the good old days, what separated Chapman from the rest, what he learnt and even what he’s got in store for the future.

Of course there’s much more, too, not to mention our regulars, which this month include a buyer’s guide to the last straightforward Rolls-Royce, our classics – focusing on our trip to the Le Mans Classic – letters, columns, art and auctions.

But before all that, below is a taste of what’s to come in the form of our high-definition super-sized wallpapers.

For a picture of the stunning Zagato DB4GT, click here.

Click, here, for a picture of Iso’s awesome family.

For a huge picture of a Jag XK with its Porsche competitor, click here.

And, to see Mick in the Singer, click here.