Other centenaries in 2019 include the distinctive and talented automotive creations of the Milan coachbuilder and design house Zagato, along with the crazy workings of the propeller-driven French Leyats, plus the stunning automotive creations of the gifted aviation pioneer Gabriel Voisin; some of the above due to appear at Goodwood to admire in person during some of this year’s motoring events.
Post-war automotive celebrations for 2019 will include the 70th anniversary since Austrian-born engineer Carlos (Karl) Abarth established his specialist tuning and sports car firm in Turin in 1949, along with the first reveal of VW’s now-iconic ‘Type 2’ air-cooled commercial vehicle range.
Ten years later saw the launch of a number of interesting and important new models, with 1959 debuts for the Jaguar Mark 2 and IX, Maserati 5000 GT, Daimler SP2350 ‘Dart’, BMC ‘Farina’ saloons, Austin-Healey 3000, Fiat 1800-2100, Studebaker Lark, Triumph Herald, Ford Anglia, Citroen Bijou, BMW 700, Lloyd Arabella, and so on.
The most significant of all 1959 entrants though proved to be BMC’s Austin-Morris Mini, the revolutionary front-wheel-drive city car with Issigonis’ innovative transverse engine layout. We can look forward to celebrating the Mini’s 60th birthday with a dedicated race at the 77th Goodwood Members’ Meeting over the weekend of 6-7 April, which promises to be extremely entertaining.