Horsepower Heritage

Aston Martin is a name synonymous with sports cars, and it's a marque that has survived against all odds for over a century. Aston has always teetered on the edge of oblivion only to hang on for yet another chapter, being rescued time after time by wealthy benefactors and brilliant engineers. Russell Hayes' new book, "Aston Martin: the Entire Story" chronicles the people, the cars, the racing and the seemingly perpetual troubles of this quintessentially British brand. BUY the BOOK: http...

Born out of a love of great automobiles, timeless design and the fascination for bygone eras in motorsport, Autodromo wristwatches have captured the imagination (and the wrists) of many car enthusiasts. In this episode, Autodromo's founder Bradley Price discusses his career as an industrial designer and the inspiration behind his work, as well as vintage racing and his car collection. Horologists and gear ahead alike will be settle right into this story like a bolstered racing seat. VIS...

The spectacular Porsches built by Gunther Werks might be the ultimate expression of the ultimate air-cooled 911. Founder Peter Nam disliked how technology was dulling the driving experience, so he and his team have instead to worked to re-engineer the 993 platform in a way that strengthens the car's already fantastic attributes. With extensive use of carbon fiber, a stiffened chassis, a highly tuned suspension and precision-built Rothsport engines and robust transmission, Gunther ...

Elana Scherr is the Senior Features Editor at Car and Driver Magazine. She's also an incurable MoPar muscle car fan- and together with her husband, Tom, Elana rescues unloved and overlooked automobiles whenever she can, giving them a new home and plenty of care. She drives plenty of new cars in her professional life but is always game for a classic car road trip or other adventure. Follow Elana on Instagram and YouTube: @challengeher SUPPORT THE PODCAST : https://www.buymeacoffe...

Author Peter Grimsdale returns to Horsepower Heritage to discuss his new book "Superveloce: How Italian Cars Conquered the World". It's a sweeping history of the Italian auto industry with a fascinating cast of characters and astonishing insights into the development of legendary machines that are beloved the world over. From the early days of the motorcar through the Swinging Sixties, Superveloce will make you appreciate Italian iron more than ever. BUY "SUPERVELOCE": https://www.ama...

From the moment he saw midget racers in Pasadena as a kid in the late 1940s, Jim Busby was hooked on cars. He became a hot rodder, a mechanic, a drag racer, and by the 1970s he was behind the wheel of Lolas and Porsches on road circuits in the US and Europe. Jim made his mark at places like Lime Rock, Sebring, Daytona, Monza, the Nurburgring, and of course, Le Mans. He also had many successful years building engines and cars and managing his own racing team, culminating with the m...

Four little letters: SEMA. This simple acronym helps drive the 300 million dollar US automotive aftermarket industry. Every year, thousands of companies descends on Las Vegas, Nevada to showcase their latest and greatest products- everything from exhausts and lift kits to lighting and detail supplies. The Specialty Equipment Market Association was founded in 1963, originally to promote "speed equipment" (bolt-on, go-fast parts!) and the first SEMA exhibition took place in the bowe...

Not long ago, three Los Angeles car enthusiasts decided to organize a new event celebrating the best Italian machinery in a distinctive location. Mike Baum, Bronson Page and Dorian Valenzuela are friends, collectors, and the creatives behind MACCHINISSIMA. MACCHINISSIMA III comes to Downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, September 27. Horsepower heritage host Maurice Merrick joins Team Macchi this year as Master of Ceremonies. Beautiful, beloved and quirky Italian machines will b...

On a narrow street in Tokyo, there's a nondescript little workshop known as Naito Engineering, where some of the world's most desirable sports and racing cars are cared for by a small team of men. Founded by Shinichi Naito in 1952, it's now a third generation business where, on any given day, you might find a Ferrari 250LM on the lift or a Porsche racing engine being rebuilt. Shinichi's son Masao and his grandsons So and Kei now carry on the tradition. For seven years, filmmaker Ben Ber...

In the early 1960s, Lincoln Small fell in love with the perfomance-tuned FIATs built by Abarth. Soon he was obsessed with them, leading to a business venture with a pair of backyard-engineer brothers, John and Geoff Anstead, in which the three became the Abarth agents in the United Kingdom. Under the Radbourne Motors banner, they imported, prepared, sold and raced the whole range of Abarth cars. Now Lincoln Small has written an engaging and endearing account of his life among these car...

Cultivating the next generation of automotive restorers and specialists is essential to the survival of the car hobby- whether your classic was built in 1900 or 1990. Blake Swingle is one of these next-gen tradesmen. Soon to graduate from McPherson College (which offers the only Bachelor's degree in this field in the United States), Blake has learned the fundamentals of research, metalwork, machining, paint, upholstery and all of the other skills needed to preserve and even resurrect a classi...

The "Golden Age of Auto Racing" began after World War II and lasted until the early Seventies. It's a period that is frequently romanticized. But that thin veneer was shattered at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on the afternoon of June 11, 1955, when a catastrophic collision caused the deaths of Mercedes-Benz driver Pierre Levegh and at least 83 spectators. Here's the story of that terrible day and its aftermath. This episode was originally released in 2022 and is now updated and remastered. ...