Autocar Lunchbox: Second-handers strike again, motorsport's fiercest rivalry and more
We round up our hottest stories, pictures and videos for you to devour in your lunch break
It’s everyone’s favourite part of the working day, lunchtime, and you’re no doubt craving a hefty dose of car-related content.
So we’ve revived our Autocar Lunchbox feature to bring you our favourite videos, stories, photos, quotes and more all in one place. Here are today’s picks:
*HOT NEWS*
New car registrations in Britain were down 97.3% year on year in April, due to the lockdown restrictions introduced to combat the spread of the coronavirus.
Just 4321 cars were sold last month, the lowest levels in Britain since the 1946, a year after World War II, figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reveal. A total of 161,064 cars were registered in April last year.
*UK new car registrations fall 97% in April due to coronavirus lockdown*
*VIDEO OF THE DAY*
The Ferrari F8 Tributo is the replacement for the 488 GTB. Featuring an almost all-new aerodynamically enhanced body and an even more powerful 710bhp twin turbocharged V8, it aims to meld the everyday civility of the GTB with the poise and ferocious pace of the Pista. Could this be the best of all worlds? And does the Tributo name hint at the F8's possible status as the last of the line for this type of Ferrari and its pure internal combustion engine?
James Disdale finds out on Ferrari's very own Fiorano test track, then heads out in the hills around Modena to find out.
*PHOTO OF THE DAY*
What's the greatest road car engine of all time? Whether it's a Cosworth or a Camaro, a Bugatti or a Bentley, the most stunning bit of engineering on a car often lies under its bonnet. We run through some of the most marvellous motors of all time.
*The greatest road car engines*
*QUOTE OF THE DAY*
“I should have bought a used car for a tenth of the money. I could even have bought one for the 10-day depreciation!”
It's a car buyer's worst nightmare: you shell out a hefty portion of your hard-earned for a shiny new motor, and within days it starts giving you grief. Could you be better served by a banger? James Ruppert considers the cars you could buy for the price of a few days' depreciation on a factory-fresh model.
*James Ruppert: Ditch dealers and depreciation with a used buy*
*FROM THE ARCHIVE*
One of the greatest rivalries in motor racing history played out through the 1930s. In fact, Motor Sport magazine recently named it the most explosive ever.
The two men involved were Tazio Nuvolari – a legend considered by many as the most talented driver of all time – and Achille Varzi, a fellow Italian 12 years his junior and himself supremely capable, but more refined, less gung-ho in his style. Find out how their rivalry culminated in a bitter, 100-lap battle at Monaco in 1933.
*From the archive: An epic racing battle between deadly rivals*
*POPULAR OPINION*
If, say, you could afford to transform your slightly crusty but largely authentic Porsche 964 into a gleaming 4.0-litre Singer, would you? Knowing the driving experience of your GT Junior could be made more enjoyable with some targeted modifications, could you honestly stick to your guns and keep it completely original?
It's a hot topic, and one that's been playing on Lancia Delta Integrale owner Richard Lane's mind over the past few weeks. See what he thinks below.
*Opinion: Just how much should you modify a classic car?*