I cornered Bonhams boss Robert Brooks at the Goodwood press day and asked if I could photograph their most high profile aquisition for the July sale…..the ex Juan Manuel Fangio Mercedes W196 team car in which he won the Swiss and German Gran Prix of 1954 helping him to the F1 title that year.The car, which has been under the radar for a number of years, featured many innovative ideas for the day including in board brakes, fuel injection and desmodronic valve actuation and is in an fabulous un-restored state remaining the only W196 on the open market.Estimate $15-20M
Category Archives: News
VSCC New years driving tests at Brooklands
You can’t get a better motoring day out than the season opener for the VSCC, the vintage sports car club’s, new year’s driving tests at the Brooklands.
More than eighty pre-war cars competed at the famous race track west of London, willing their cars up the steepening test hill or driving around markers on the fearsome atmospheric banking.
Oldest car there was a gorgeous 1910 Delage,most numerous, the Austin Sevens in all their special guises,there were also plenty of MGs, chain gang Frazer Nashs,Bentleys,Alvis’ and Riley to name a few
Here ,left to right is the Wolsley Aerees special, Bugatti Brescia and Austin Seven Ulster in front of the old clubhouse.
The incredible Audi R18 e-tron quattro
It was a great coup to get to shoot this year’s Le Mans winning Audi R18 e-tron quattro for the Legends of Le Mans book.In a grand tour of Europe covering 2500 miles ,James has been photographing the last few cars for his upcoming studio art book, including a stunning 1920′s Lorraine Dietrich B3-6, a Mercedes SSK once owned by Sir Malcolm Campbell, the 2005 winning Peugeot 905HDi and the stunning Audi R8 and R18 e-tron quattro.
Shooting ‘Legends of Le Mans’ gets under way
After almost a year of planning James has started shooting his new studio book this month.To be called ‘Legends of Le Mans’ the book will feature up to 25 of the world greatest sports racing cars from throughout the 90 year history of endurance racing at La Sarthe photographed in the studio.Seen here is the 1970 Porsche 917K which won the race after 24hours and 343 laps with Hans Hermann and Richard Attwood at the wheel.
RAC exhibition in Pall Mall
James has just launched an exhibition of photographs and canvases at the Royal Automobile Club’s Hanging Room in Pall Mall London .Featured images include photos from the award winning book ‘The Art of the F1 Race Car’ as well as a selection of motorcycle pictures from his ‘Bonneville Portrait of a Legend’ hard back published last year.James has had a long association with the club photographing events for them including the London to Brighton Veteran car run and the more recently conceived Future car challenge for fuel efficient vehicles.New work introduced at the show includes a series of striking large pop art canvasses which opened the exhibition.The work can now be seen at the RAC country club ,Woodcote Park in Epsom.
Emerson Fittpaldi drives the Lotus 49C
In a mixed Festival of Speed for weather there was no doubt which team were the stars of the event this year. With a stunning central display towering in front of Goodwood house Lotus had no less than 32 cars present from the humble beginnings of the Lotus 6, through the glory years of the JPS sponsorship to the modern day.Here is double F1 world champion Emerson Fittipaldi in the stunning Gold Leaf liveried Lotus 49C.
Shooting Zora Arkus Duntov’s mule
Tom Falconer is one of most respected Corvette specialists in the world and between us we’ve had published no less than seven books on the marque.So when he told me about a re-creation he was building of one of Corvette originator Zora Arkus Duntov’s test cars I knew I wanted to shoot it.Based on a 1954 C1 chassis ,the car featured a 327 cu’ in’ V8 rather than the rather underwhelming straight six and competed in numerous speed trials at Daytona beach. Tom is based in Kent and with no drive-on beaches to be found we used all our resourcefulness to come up with this great location.










