Category: Classic cars

InterClassics Brussels 2025 was an absolute hit…

Posted in Automobilia, Car Events, Car Shows, Classic cars, Manufacturer's Classic Centers, Museums, Service & Repair, UncategorizedTagged , Leave a comment

In the vast “palaces” of the iconic Brussels Expo, the 10th edition of this event proved quite popular, with no less than 29.472 enthusiasts admiring the four-wheeled classics. Special theme of the show was the celebration of the looks, fury and sound of the V12 engine, which is of course at home in many supercars. The good news is that these wonderful engines are here to stay, as our Brussels EU politicians are going to allow combustion engines to live on after 2035…

The festival of supercars: a Koeningsegg was admired by many…

The show also focused on the 75th anniversary of Formula 1. Many supercars were therefore to be seen on the show, and this inspired the organiser MECC Maastricht to provide a special “Supercar Foyer” at the InterClassics Maastricht, which is to be held from 15 to 18 January in Maastricht.

International character

Organiser Erik Panis also mentions the international character of the show, and indeed, it is becoming one of the hallmarks of the Brussels event. It has now grown to the biggest indoor classic car event in the Benelux. Also, if you look at the number of cars which changed hands on the show, one notes that the classic car sector is still growing…

BEHVA promotes youth education…

One of the important partners of MECC is the Belgian Historic Vehicle Association (BEHVA). They worked actively to support students and teachers in car maintenance, repair, and service. Indeed, without the (specialized) professional mechanical and service know-how in repair and workshops and classic car care centres, the classic car industry and sector simply cannot survive and have a good future.

Many beauties were to be found on the show, and our beloved Royal Historical Vehicle Club Belgium, which had put up a beautiful stand at the InterClassics show, won a special prize with a well-preserved Lincoln Continental Mark II built in 1957. The club also celebrated its 50 years of existence…

The body, interior, and chassis of this Continental are totally original; of course, the mechanics underwent a thorough overhaul to make it roadworthy and reliable. For Emmanuel de Menten, (here far left in the photo), the proud owner of this Lincoln with classic “European” and Latin/Italianate styling language, hence the name “Continental”,  owning this car is the fulfillment of a child’s dream…

On the photo below you see the counselor and member of the executive committee of Autoworld Brussels, Leo Van Hoorick, handing over the Special Price of the BEHVA Jury to RHVCB President Michel Van Eesbeeck.    

Celebrating 50 years of VW Polo…

Your servant vividly remembers driving the Audi 50 as a test car, and soon after I sat behind the wheel of the first Polo, a more dressed down version of the Audi sister model, launched in 1975. The original Polo 1 was sold in not less than 1,1 million units, and was built, including a facelift, until 1981. Of course, the history of the Polo merits a special article by itself and we will come back on this.


 

We limit ourselves here to the remarkable Polo models on the VW stand of the show, the Polo Harlekin and the Polo R WRC.

The story of the “Harlekin” is a special one. When the third generation of the Polo was introduced in 1994, Volkswagen also launched its modular production system. This allowed some parts to be exchanged with other models and brands within the group.

To highlight this approach, a small group of production engineers decided to fit ten Polos with body parts of different colours, and the Wolfsburg marketing department liked the idea and decided to make a limited production run for the German market. In total, from 1995 to 1997, 3.806 units were built, with 103 extra right hand drive Polos for the UK market.

The Polo R WRC is an icon of the World Rally Championship! Over four seasons, this car ensured that Volkswagen Motorsport and its beloved duo Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia won four world titles for manufacturers, and the same number for drivers and co-drivers. Of the 52 rallies in which the Polo R WRC participated, the car won 43 (or 82.7%) and at least one of its drivers finished on the podium 50 times.

The Polo R WRC, which is showcased at the Belgian VW Club stand during InterClassics, is the car that Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia used in 2013. The 1.6-litre turbo engine produces around 315 hp, a power that is transmitted to all four wheels via a sequential gearbox. Good for a sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in less than four seconds!

You can write the next InterClassics Brussels in your agenda: it is scheduled from 20 to 22 november next year!

Hans Knol ten Bensel  

How to photograph your (classic) car…as a professional.

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At a three quarter view the car reveals its proper proportions, a wide angle lens and a lower standpoint will make the car look more impressive. An overcast sky combined with a quiet background and natural surroundings are ideal…

Car lovers as we are, we all would like to photograph our car(s). But how do we master the art? Here we give you a few useful tips, which will let you avoid mistakes and lead you right away to achieve impressive results…

Photography is all about light, so indeed choosing the right lighting is very important.

So avoid midday sun, but choose rather, if you can, the “golden hour”, which is at  sunrise or sunset, when the light is warm and soft, enhancing  the contours and reflections of the car.

Overcast days are also good, as it avoids harsh shadows and renders the colors of the car very well.. When you cannot avoid the sun, look for shadow spots, certainly when you are photographing details of the car.

When shooting details, try to evoke the character of the car. This Jaguar D Type is all about speed. When looking at this photo, You hear the straight six roaring down the Mulsanne straight at Le Mans…

Very important also is choosing your best angle. Ideal is kneeling down to the height of the headlamps, but of course this is a matter of taste. Try it out… Three quarter shots will show best the overall design of the car, but profile shots are also a good starting point. When you have photographed front and back of the car, it is time to shoot the details. Your (classic) car has many…

Very useful, and we would say a must, is the use of a polarizing filter. For your smartphone, there are simple clip-on versions available. It avoids reflections of windscreen and painted surfaces. Shooting from an angle can also minimize the reflections of these surfaces.

I tried to catch the atmosphere of rallying with this shot. I took the reflection of the chequered flag in the door window into the composition of the image.

Use your hand to shield the lens from sunlight, or use a lens hood on your camera.

Look for a quiet, non distracting background. That is, choose a quiet country road, foliage, or an empty parking lot (the marks on the ground can be quite disturbing however). Leave enough room around the car. It shows then something about the setting around it. Indeed, it tells a story…

In the composition, look for leading lines, like the road, drawing attention to the car. Just have a look at https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-use-leading-lines-in-photography.

Use also the rule of thirds. The rule of thirds is a fundamental photography guideline suggesting that images are more pleasing when subjects are placed along imaginary lines that divide the frame into thirds, both horizontally and vertically, or at their intersections. Your smartphone has this grid most probably, so put it on. Then position your main subject along these lines or at their 4 intersections (often called “power points”). 

Never forget “human interest” photos. The face of the young woman is at an upper “power point” of the rule of thirds grid, leading your eyes to her face.

If your photo includes a horizon line, position it along the upper or lower third line, rather than dead center, to create a more balanced image. 

You will see how this really works… Just have a look at https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UrCM4_NRmvA, but there are many YouTube videos to show you.. just practice!

You can also be creative when shooting a moving car: choose the burst mode on your camera or phone. Also try a slow shutter speed, it also gives surprising results…

This photo of the Volvo 122 S evokes the memory of legendary champion Tom Trana, throwing his Volvo along the gravel roads at a Swedish Midsummer rallye…

Our modern smartphones offer quite impressive quality, so for many there is no need for a proper camera. But then again, many find the use of a “real” camera more engaging and pleasant, as your servant does. Try a wide angle lens, which gives excellent results, but know that a 35 mm film equivalent lens or a 28-90 film equivalent zoom lens will do everything you would ever want, except of course when you are on the racing circuit taking action photos. That is a completely different matter, and this will be the subject of another article.

My very first camera, back in 1974: a Japanese bought Nikomat with the 1,4 50 mm Nikon lens, alongside the Canon AE-1 with motor drive.

Mirrorless cameras are more compact, but a good trusted (second hand) DSLR will do everything you would ever want marvelously. It is however rather heavy, so keep this in mind when you carry it along for hours on end. A shoulder harness which would allow to carry without effort even two big DSLRs would then be the thing to wear…

Mirrorless cameras are superb. Light, yet with excellent sensors, offering 24 m pixels here, combined with an F 4 Zeiss Vario-Tessar T E 16-70 mm.

Dashboards always make you dream away. Look for even light conditions, avoid strong contrasts and reflections.

Of course, the now iconic and much wanted compact mirrorless analog vintage look cameras like the Fujifilm X100 which I have been using for years now earn you much sympathy and open many doors for you at events…

Advantages of the camera are, besides the pleasure of using it, the longer battery life when you are taking many photos, for instance at a classic car event or rally.

The same can be said about classic engines…

When using your smartphone, make sure to choose highest quality, and RAW format if you have a RAW editor to edit your photos afterwards. Also choose the HDR setting, or high dynamic range. If your smartphone allows you to choose portrait mode, then select it to have a shallow depth-of-field effect.

Photos of car details can tell the whole story: You would like to sit in this seat, driving through the Alps…

Tap the screen for focus and exposure adjustment, and you are all set. Of course you can use the post processing filters your smartphone software offers you, but don’t overdo things. Just work on your style, and keep trying. Even full professional photographers take some two years to perfect their style in post processing.

You are all set, now get behind that lens and shoot!

Hans Knol ten Bensel

We attended the annual “British Car Day” in Malines…

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April 26 was already for weeks firmly put in the agenda for all the (Belgian) fans of British cars. After all, that’s when parts specialist Anglo Parts organized its annual “British Car Day”, where the classic car clubs and restoration specialists could put their best foot forward to recruit members or appeal to customers.

From left to right on our RHVCB stand: your servant, Ingrid De Jonge and Club president Michel Van Eesbeek

As faithful readers already have read in our post about our visit to parts specialist Anglo Parts, (see the post “Lifeblood for your British Classic Car”) your servant has become board member of the Royal Historical Vehicle Club Belgium, and I was present at the event which a stand of our club.

This time the weather gods were better than in the previous edition, and this attracted twice as many spectators.

At the event itself there were a lot of enthusiastic enthusiasts who came up with very special cars. For example, we came face to face with a very rare Marendaz Special, a car designed by DMK (Donald Marcus Kelway) Marendaz and built between 1926 and 1932 in Brixton Road in London, and then until 1936 in Maidenhead in Berkshire. Of this beautiful sports car, whose radiator resembles that of the Bentleys of the time, only 20 to 50 copies were built by the eccentric Marendaz, who fought air battles in France during the First World War as a member of the Royal Flying Corps, in which he was wounded in 1918.

Your servant will make an extensive (photo) report of this very special car on our columns soon…

Most Marendaz Specials used Anzani engine(s)…

Also, a very enthusiastic more than 80 year old English enthusiast had arrived with a vintage… taxi. The man’s name is Dirk Harland, and he had left Hemel Hempstead the day before in his 1955 Beardmore London Taxi Mk7, with his grandson in the back.

He crossed the channel from Dover to Calais, and unfortunately got into a massive one and a half hour traffic jam on the Antwerp ring road. But don’t worry, he showed up flawlessly the next morning at the British Car Day with his Beardmore…

Furthermore, there was of course a legion of MGs to admire, Triumphs, Minis in all kinds of tune , Jaguars, in short, something for everyone…

Relatively rare: an MGA Twin Cam

The event was also characterized by the enormous venue of enthusiasts, who all had taken out their British Classic and had it parked on the road and areas around the premises of the organizer Anglo Parts. Just have a look at the photos…

Finally, I would like to mention that the organizer Anglo Parts has made a film of the event, here is the link: https://youtu.be/qVDd3k6X_d4?si=jFJ4kFtTVRadlVtk. 

Photos of the event can also be seen on https://www.britishcarday.org/

Hans Knol ten Bensel

We took a 1969 Austin Healey Sprite Mk IV through the Belgian technical inspection…

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Enjoying and driving an oldtimer means also that you have to take it to the technical inspection in regular intervals.

In Belgium, a car is an “oldtimer” when it has been registered 30 years ago. You can then register your car with an “O” (oldtimer) license plate. This means that you enjoy reduced road tax, but on the other hand the use of the car is restricted. Any commercial and/or professional use is prohibited. You cannot use it as stage prop or décor for film productions for example. Neither can you use it for weddings and other special occasions which involves transporting passengers, even when this is done for free. Nor can you use the car as a daily commuter between home and work.

As Belgium has three regions, notably Brussels, Flanders and the Walloon region, the regulations for technical inspection for oldtimers show some differences.

In the Brussels region, cars between 30 and 50 years old have to be taken to the technical inspection every two years. When the car is older, you have to do this only every 5 years. This was the case for our Sprite…

In the Flanders region, the rules are identical. If your car is older than 1st of  January 1926, you don’t have to submit the car to a technical inspection.

In the Walloon region, cars between 30 and 50 years have also to be inspected every two years. However, when a car older than 30 years has a “historic value or interest”, it is set free of periodic inspection. The car has to be in original condition and out of production, and no major modifications are allowed, except replacing the chassis when necessary, change to radial tires, and of course all the (safety) changes and improvements which are legally prescribed over the years.

Cars older than 50 years don’t have to be taken to inspection any more.

So we took the Austin Healey Sprite out of its winter sleep two weeks before the inspection. Of course we picked a day when the weather was fine. As the Sprite has been fairly recently fully restored and has  enjoyed an extensive mechanical overhaul, we did not expect too many problems. Also the battery had been replaced recently. Starting the engine was nevertheless somewhat hesitant, as it did not fire up after two attempts after having waited previously for the fuel pump to fill the carburettor fuel reservoirs. We had the choke fully out, and were uncertain whether the air/fuel mixture was correct, so to prevent the engine from over-flooding we gently pressed the accelerator halfway on the third attempt and the engine then immediately fired up. We found the engine idling steadily, but nevertheless rather rough, so some tuning of the two SU carburetors might be necessary. We have the impression the air/fuel mixture setting is rather lean for the moment, but only a tune up using mixture measuring instruments will tell.

Oil pressure was OK, which is to be expected as the engine had been totally restored. We took the Sprite for its first spring tour over a distance of a good 35 kilometers, keeping a watchful eye on the cooling temperature and oil pressure gauges and letting the engine and drive train warm up thoroughly. Of course (hand)brake and all the controls were tested.

Several weeks later it was time to put it through the technical inspection. We did not expect many problems, and indeed there weren’t any. The inspectors admired the clean engine bay, and the 1275 cc Series A BMC engine, which is basically identical in the Mini Cooper S, save for the tuning. It makes the 714 kg Sprite quite a lively performer, where it develops a healthy 65 HP at 5800 rpm. Mind you, acceleration is rather brisk with 0 to 100 km/h reached in about 12,5 seconds. The engine is a long stroke unit, therefore quite flexible, developing a good torque for its size of 98 Nm at 3000 rpm.

The BMC A series engine is a very interesting and beautiful “classic” engine, and has a very long history. We will come back in more detail about this engine in further posts.

As said, the technical inspection went without a hitch, as brakes, suspension, chassis and all auxiliaries were found to be in perfect working order. The engine’s CO2 emissions were also found to be OK, taking into account the historic emission standards of course. Apparently it was a good idea that we left the carburetor settings unchanged for the time being, although the idle is still rather rough. 

So we received a “green” inspection report, which is now valid for another five years. 

On the way back from the technical inspection, we used the motorway for most of the trip, and the Sprite was happily cruising along with a beautiful exhaust roar at some 3500 rpm. 

We now also filled up the fuel tank, choosing 98 octane fuel, and avoiding the use of Euro E10 95 octane petrol, which contains 10 pct methanol. There is a product “Classic Valvemaster plus” sold amongst others by Anglo Parts, which protects engines originally designed to run on leaded fuel for the negative effects of Methanol. Another product they distribute is EPS Ethanol protection from Millers Oils. We performed a major cleaning and detailing session with the Sprite to bring it to (almost) concours condition before we used it our next sortie , driving it to Mechelen for the “British Car Day” organised by Anglo Parts on the 26th of April, were the Sprite was proudly present on the stand of the Royal Historical Vehicle Club and met wich much interest from young and old… 

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Lifeblood for your British classic car: we visited Anglo Parts…  

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This year we will turn again more regularly also to classic cars, as their importance starts to grow over the years, and your servant has always had a very keen interest in them. Indeed, I am the proud owner, since now about 47 years(!) of a 3.4 Jaguar Mk II S-Type. Over the years, a BMW Z3 roadster with a fixed hard top in the matching ice blue metallic joined my stable as my favored “Youngtimer”. You read about it regularly in these columns under the category “our cars”.

As a board member of the Royal Historical Vehicle Club Belgium, I will on my site report also regularly about the activities of this club, which will also be present at the “British Car Day”, organized by Anglo Parts at their premises on April 26. We will tell you more about this event in a following post.

But now let’s tell you more about what I saw and heard on my recent visit to Anglo Parts. It is one of Europe’s largest online British classic car parts suppliers, and is operating in not less than 11 countries. Indeed, it regularly ships parts to the Netherlands, Italy, France, Sweden, Spain, Luxembourg, Finland, Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary. It is situated at Zandvoortstraat 53 B-2800 Mechelen, and its webshop can be reached via www.angloparts.com.

They have about 60,000 parts in stock, specializing in parts for MG, Jaguar, Triumph, Austin Healey, Land Rover, Mini and Morris Minor, actually for over 56 types of British classic cars. They are approved specialists of British Motor Heritage for MG, Mini, Triumph and Morris Minor spare parts and accessories.

Anglo Parts operates as a webshop, and therefore has a user friendly website using the original (factory) drawings as a reference to locate the parts you need. You can easily find the right parts via their index.

But you can of course visit the company in Mechelen, where it has its vast (2500 m2) parts warehouse and where you can collect the parts you want, and visit its shop with a host of car care products and accessories for your classic. We show you here some photos of their shop and the warehouse.

The Anglo Parts team consists of highly qualified professionals, who will assist you with expert advice in your search for the right part for your car. Many of the staff own a (British) classic themselves, so their experience really counts.

Anglo Parts also offers you products which can upgrade your classic, improve smooth running and increase its reliability. Like the fully electronic Classic Sport Ignition. All CSI systems are installed into a special housing which can’t be distinguished from original, your classic will keep its authentic look…

Anglo Parts will also offer you advice in their blog letter on their website to avoid problems when running your classic. Like for instance avoiding using Euro95 petrol, as it will be replaced by the ‘cleaner’ variant E10. This is petrol with 10% ethanol, made from beetroot for example. Whilst this is good for the environment, it might be a hazard for your classic car.

Anglo parts will also service and repair your dashboard instruments and wiper motors, amongst others…

Ethanol is highly flammable, but it can dissolve in the fuel tank, attract moist and be the cause of rust or blockages. Or, especially in classic cars, combust too soon and cause damage to your engine. The Dutch classic car federation Fehac even recommends never to use this fuel.

Soon your servant will be present at the “British Car Day” on April 26…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Photographers’ notes:

We used again here our Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000, proving its excellent versatility with its 25-400 mm Leica zoom lens. For the indoor photos, we used a film speed ISO between 1250 to 3200, which still produces no image noise whatsoever, and allowed us to stop down the aperture to F 7,1 for maximum depth of field.

110 years Maserati was celebrated at Interclassics Brussels…and so much more!

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The breathtaking contours of the award winning Maserati A6GCS/53 Berlinetta by Pinin Farina, presented by the Brussels Autoworld museum on their stand.

The 9th edition of the Interclassics car show proved again a formidable event. The 40.000 m2 spread over several palaces was filled with collectible four wheeled beauties, and lovers of Italian, British, German, French or last but not least American classics could have a true delightful time from Friday 15 to Sunday. Your servant also took his Fujifilm X-A5 camera along, and shares here with you his impressions.

Hans Knol ten Bensel

D’Ieteren celebrates 345 years of heritage…

The dynamic PR department of D’Ieteren invited me to their magnificent stand, where they celebrated the anniversaries of some of the most iconic models of the brands they import into our country.

To present the rich history of its brands, D’Ieteren adopted the theme of the evolution of technology, and so displayed the vintage models of the Volkswagen Golf, Audi 100, SEAT Ibiza, Škoda Octavia and Porsche 911 alongside their current versions. The cute Microlino was also present, next to the iconic BMW Isetta…

What better for me to do than to aim my Fujinon lens to bodywork details of both current and vintage cars, visually telling the story of progress along many decades…

Down to the very essence: the “dashboard” of the BMW Isetta…

The electric Microlino continues this tradition of “less is more…”

In doing this, I found it remarkable how ”modern” the Porsches still look, and indeed a ”classic” Porsche hardly feels out of place five decades later. What’s more, its sheer performance and road manners still are impressive today. Actually, the same can be said of the ”Ur” Golf, its proportions, styling,  performance and overall stance are still quite modern.



Porsche celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Porsche 911 Turbo . The Porsche 911 Turbo Type 930 made its debut in 1974. I still have the fondest memories of these early Porsche 911’s. As a young car journalist I drove them to the limit, enjoying their delicate handling, the hiss of the air cooled flat six at high revs, the tout feel and precision of the whole car. Indeed, Porsche’s are unique, and once you sat behind the wheel of them, they make an indelible impression.

Celebrating 50 years of Audi in Belgium , D’Ieteren also put a truly pristine and original Audi 100 L Automatic alongside the brand new A6 e-tron, which has just hit the market. It completed this with an equally formidable 100 Coupé.

The dramatic styling details of the ’74 Audi S Coupé…

And the clean lines of the S6 e-tron…

Bentley showed a recent 2022 Flying Spur alongside a mid ‘80s Bentley Turbo R. This now classic Bentley brings back sweet personal memories, as I was invited to drive this impressive powerful V8 turbocharged saloon personally from Brussels to le Mans to attend the 2003 Le Mans 24 hour race, witnessing the event from the Bentley pit stand, and see the Bentley Speed 8 win the race!

Massive power with style…

Seat celebrated 40 years of the Ibiza, showing an immaculate 1984 model, shown here below.

Automotive technical evolution was most apparent when one compared the 65 year old Skoda Octavia Break 1201 with the present Octavia. Understandable, as in the mid sixties, the styling and technology of the products behind the iron curtain were somewhat lagging behind what was made in the west, and indeed, a time span of more than six decades  is also very long indeed.


Last but not least there was the Microlino on the D’Ieteren stand, next to the car which inspired it, the BMW Isetta. Similar in shape, but totally different in technology. 

Of course, there were some beautiful American classics on the show. Just look at the 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Nomad Sport Wagon shown here on the stand of the Royal Historical Vehicle Club Belgium…

Maserati, or the unique magic of pur sang…

The quality of the Maserati’s on display was nothing short of stunning, and the car which was prized best of show was a pale blue A6GCS/53 Berlinetta by Pinin Farina, presented by the Brussels Autoworld museum on their stand. I show you here some photos of this gorgeous coupé. I am totally smitten by its feline stance and wonderful proportions.

It just has tons of character, and it embodies everything the brand with the trident stood and still stands for. This ninth edition of the Brussels Interclassics was certainly a wonderful show, and we are already looking forward to the next edition.
Just enjoy the photos…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

The VW Golf is now 50 years with us!

Posted in Automobilia, Car History, Car manufacturers strategy, Car production and factories, Car technology, Classic and Vintage Cars, Classic cars, DesignTagged , , , Leave a comment


The “Ur” Golf, which looks still quite “modern”, 50 years later.

Many people will say that things are changing rapidly, and many things have disappeared or are not what they used to be. Well, we can be sure of one thing: the Golf, the heart of what Volkswagen as a car manufacturer stands for, is still amongst us.

Indeed, during five decades already, the Golf still accompanies us in our automotive life. Since 1974. Then your servant got married, and drove indeed the first Golf as a test car, and has the fondest memories of this first series, especially when testing the Golf GTI. This sporting Golf created nothing short of a legend. 50 years later, the sporting sound of its 1,6 liter 110 HP engine still seduces, as does its handling and acceleration.

The stuff of eternal legends: the Golf GTI

To me, even this very first series is still a “young” car. The straight-line design created by Giorgetto Giugiaro is timeless, the proportions are just right, the “Ur” Golf still looks good from any angle. Just read further…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

An instant hit…

The Golf set out to win hearts. The Golf quickly became a true “Volkswagen”, and the first million units were sold as early as 1976. Now, more than 37 million Golf’s have hit the road.

Over the decades, the portfolio has been expanded to include further variants: besides the GTI, there was also the Golf Cabriolet or Golf Variant, or many others.

With each new model generation, state-of-the-art technologies, safety concepts and convenience features have been incorporated into the compact class. The Volkswagen Golf has thus democratised not just technologies such as the monitored catalytic converter and anti-lock braking system, but also airbags, cruise control and electronic assist systems as well as mild and plug-in hybrid drives.

In the anniversary year 2024, Volkswagen will present the evolutionary development of the eighth Golf generation. It will impress with visually refined features, new assist systems and powertrains, and also next-generation infotainment systems and software. The world premiere of the new Golf is just a few weeks away, with pre-sales scheduled for spring 2024.

Keeping history alive Volkswagen Classic will also accompany the Golf in its anniversary year and will present historic Golf models from the Volkswagen collection on numerous occasions. First rendez-vous is in Paris. From 31 January to 4 February 2024, the Golf Generations I to VII will enhance Volkswagen France’s presence at the “Salon Rétromobile” show in Paris.

Directly afterwards, from 2 to 4 February 2024, Volkswagen will show a Golf I and the unique EA 276 concept car – the Golf predecessor from 1969 developed in Wolfsburg – at the “Bremen Classic Motorshow”.

A long history… with a touch of NSU

In this first report we will focus on the first series. The concept was nothing less than a complete technical revolution for Volkswagen. They had already acquired NSU in 1969, and so the technology of in-line engines was already present in the group, with the VW K70, originally an NSU design, and the famous Prinz 1000 to 1200 TT’s. The K70 was also a front wheel drive car, and the art of “Leichtbau”, or making light bodyworks, was also already acquired with this car.

Technical forerunner of things to come: the in line 1000/1200 cc four cylinder of the NSU Prinz in the late sixties, still air cooled however…

So the beacons were set in terms of technical product design and manufacturing engineering, to make a mass produced light car with transverse 4 cylinder in line engine.

The new Golf was light, some 165 kg lighter as the Beetle. The styling was done by Italdesign under the direction of Giorgetto Giugiaro. The first Golf is also beautifully compact: only 370 cm long. It had some good power, a healthy 50 HP with the basic 1100 cc engine, and 70 HP with the 1,5 litre engine. So the performance was something the Beetle could only dream of. The chassis, suspension and handling were also in another league. On top of it all, the Golf was cheaper to produce, but cost 600 Euros more than the last Beetle 1303…

In 1976 came the Diesel and the GTI version, and as I said, from that moment on, the “modern” VW was a fact…

More soon about the Golf history…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

We drove the Alfa Romeo Tonale Hybrid: smooth Italian (super)power…

Posted in Automobilia, Car technology, Car Tests, Classic cars, Design, E-mobility R &D and solutions, Lifestyle, New Models, UncategorizedTagged , , , Leave a comment

I vividly remember my visit to the Centro Stile Alfa Romeo. Indeed, I sat in the prototype mock up bodywork/interior of the Tonale, and had to be very cautious not to touch anything, as it was made of plaster, clay and wood. I was invited at the Centro Stile Alfa Romeo by Chief designer Klaus Busse and his team, when the plaster and wood prototype of the Tonale was just finished. We admired its typical proportions in tune with the higher stance of an SUV, with a horizontal accent line reminiscent of the styling language of the famous ‘Disco Volante’ two seater, created by Carrozzeria Touring back in 2013 and the original Disco Volante 1900 C52 born 1952, also designed by the Milanese coachbuilder Carrozzeria Touring… I just love the the iconic Scudetto grille and certainly the five-hole 20-inch alloys…

Another highlight was the first acquaintance with the plug-in Hybrid version on the Balocco proving ground. See the whole story on these columns, by clicking the following link: https://autoprova.be/2022/11/17/we-drove-the-alfa-romeo-tonale-plug-in-hybrid-q4-in-balocco-the-wonderful-panache-of-todays-efficient-sportiness/ and https://autoprova.be/2022/11/20/the-alfa-romeo-tonale-plug-in-hybrid-q4-the-full-story-of-a-modern-electrified-thoroughbred/

But now read further…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

So when we took the wheel of our white Tonale Hybrid test car, the sweet memories came back instantly. The Tonale seduces not only with the right proportions and curves of its bodywork, also in the cabin the iconic Alfa Romeo atmosphere reigns. The round instrument clusters, the big sized gearshift paddles around the classic steering wheel inspire the enthusiast, and it is indeed just how an Alfa Romeo should look. The interior is all black andorned with red stitching on dashboard panels and seats, and this is the only color to choose from for the time being…

A swift turn of the “DNA” drive mode selector lets you choose how you want to drive your Tonale for the day. There are three modes to choose from. Dynamic will reveal all the sporting qualities of this 280 HP Tonale, N means “Naturale” or natural, and then this Alfa will choose for you the right propulsion in each situation, adeptly choosing between engine or E-power. When you want to enjoy more the “Zen” smoothness of battery power, then select the “A” mode, and this Tonale will treat you whenever possible to the delights of electric propulsion. Of course, this happy feeling doesn’t last forever with a 15.5-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, the Tonale has some 60 kilometers in store for you. When the battery is depleted, the Tonale will switch automatically to the “Naturale” mode, and you then can still enjoy the clever smoothness of hybrid propulsion. The battery is recharged fully after some 2,5 hours when connected to your 240 V home charging plug.

Power

The 1.3-liter MultiAir turbo four and the electric motor produce a total of 280 horsepower, of which 121 are derived solely from the 90-kW electric motor mounted in the rear, as we said, fed by a 15.5-kWh battery pack located under the cabin. All this develops beautiful, smooth punch, which we also fondly remember during our high speed laps on the circuit on the Balocco proving ground. A Giulia Quadrifoglio was then our pace car, and we had no trouble at all following this throughbred beauty, which was driving at 9/10 of its capacities, as the Alfa people  told us afterwards. A smooth avalance of power is yours in this Tonale when you put your foot down. 0 to 100 km/h is reached in 6,2 seconds. This tells the whole story… The top speed is reached at 206 km/h. The MultiAir engine itself develops 180 HP at 5750 rpm, giving it a score of not less than 135,1 HP/L. 

So yes, the Tonale in plug-in Hybrid form is a smooth performer, also thanks to its 6 speed automatic, which reacts nicely to your right foot.  As a bonus, you get four wheel drive thrown in. It is to me a very strong point in favor of this PHEV. When we come to fuel consumption, the official WLTP figure is 1.13-1.48 l/100 km. Let’s say that in pure electric mode, the consumption is stated at 19 kW/100 km, and when you drive solely on petrol, it all depends on your driving style. Anything between 10 and 6 litres/100 km, we would say. Driven with some restraint, an average consumption around 7,3 liters is normally achievable, with some distance driving thrown in, as was proven by our test. Of course, the Tonale scores well on emissions:  CO2 emissions are 26-34 g/km. All these figures are quite remarkable as the Tonale is certainly not a lightweight car with its 1835 kg.

Thoroughbred handling

Despite its all steel underpinnings, the Tonale handles excellent indeed. When you go for the dual-stage valve active suspension, you will find it a smooth companion on pothole filled urban roads. The Tonale feels indeed equally well at home on winding roads when you drive it with abandon, as when you drive it slowly and smoothly in town. The light steering also helps to put a smile on your face, even in tight urban traffic. Stopping power is delivered in the top Veloce version which we tested by Brembo brake calipers, and it is totally beyond reproach.

Infotainment and connectivity

Every Tonale comes standard with a 10.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system. It has the Uconnect 5 software found on other models within the Stellantis group. The home screen can be customized, and you can adapt the interfaces and create not less than five unique user profiles. It has standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as of course wireless phone charging. We must say that sometimes we found the touchscreen rather slow and hesitant to react to our finger pressure, certainly awkward when driving and you want just to perform an easy command with one touch of your finger.

Of course the Tonale offers all the thinkable safety and driver-assist features, like automated emergency braking and a very smooth and subtle adaptive cruise control, which I enjoyed very much. Especially the clever refinement of the adaptive cruise control impressed me. Indeed, enormous progress has been made in this field over the last few years.

Practical

The Tonale offers ample comfort for four, has certainly in the top Veloce version everything you could wish for, and with the entire camera supported driving aids, it is a breeze to drive in town and to park in narrow spaces. Boot space is sufficient, with 385 l with all seats up, and to a maximum of 1430 l with everything flat. You can also use your Tonale as a tow car, and it is good for 1250 kg trailer load with brakes, and 700 kg without.

Conclusion

Stylish, full of panache both inside and out, the plug-in version of the Tonale has a lot to please. Enormous performance, with handling to match, it is a true high-performance Alfa, and thanks to the E-power it delivers this performance effortlessly and smoothly.

When you are in the mood, very decent economy is possible, and in normal everyday driving this leaves you smiling all the way.

All these good qualities DO have a price, but then, beauty in this world is never cheap, is it?

Think about this: the timelessness of the styling, the excellent proportions, the emission values thanks to its hybrid configuration make this Tonale a companion for years, if not decades to come, on all the regions and cities in Europe and beyond, so why not fall in love with this Tonale, and set the right tone for your future mobility…

Hans Knol ten Bensel