Sorry I was thinking of my big block cheeseboard I am having with Shiraz in business class this arvo..........
Good story of the original Disco Volante Alfa. http://www.velocetoday.com/alfa-romeo-disco-volante-c52/
Some background of the new owner of the GTO sold for $70 mill US. http://www.velocetoday.com/and-how-how-much-is-a-gto-really-worth/
1996: Ferrari 456 Ferrari commissioned FFD-Ricardo in the US to develop an automatic version of the 456GT four-seater coupé, preserving the V12’s famous driving experience but offering ease of use. Ricardo configured a four-speed torque converter transmission from scratch, using bought-in internal components and with a novel layout dictated by the six-speed manual Ferrari’s rear transaxle gearbox architecture. The propeller shaft from the front-mounted V12 drove the torque converter mounted ahead of the rear axle line, while the gearbox was positioned behind and fed its output forward to the differential. Labelled GTA when it was launched in 1996, the automatic 456 drew powerful praise from an unexpected quarter - enthusiasts’ magazines. “One of the best auto setups on any fast GT”, said Car Magazine, revelling in a transmission that allowed the engine to rev to 7000 rev/min before shifting to the next ratio.
not Italian, of jewish heritage apparently. Pretty interesting guy, not at all shabby in the engine design area.
'Sigh'.....It never ceases to amaze me that who you thought were intellegent,worldly folk turn out to be as dumb as dog poo. FFS Italian is a nationality. Jewish is a religion. What the f^&k has THAT got to do with engine/gearbox manufacture. Brett B27 had the same weird illusions that it's the bloody same as well..........................................but then he was a lesser bloke from UnZud.
Jewish is a bit more than religion though eh? "Jewish ethnicity, nationhood, and religion are strongly interrelated" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jews I have Jewish friends that are non religious but still identify as Jews. And gee you're touchy. I can't see how anything Ian posted was offensive
thank you. For the record, I have huge respect for Jewish culture and achievements. Not so much for Greeks - what have they given the world besides democracy, philosophy and mathmatics?
I never anywhere said I was offended.Period. That someone of Ian's standing could/can get religion confused with nationality is baffling to say the least. It's the same as you saying that the bloke who did you leatherwork was thought to have been Australian but turns out he is a Muslim. He can be one and the same. Get it.
Don't thank Greg,he's incorrect.....you CAN be Italian,Greek,Aussie or any other nationality AND still be Jewish,Catholic,Muslim or any other bloody religion. It still doesn't have any bearing on what that has to do with engine/gearbox manufacture.
No I don't. No different to me identifying as a Greek. I'm still Australian. Jews are an ethnic and religious group. Greeks are the same according to the Greek Orthodox church which I have no interest in
Of course, but my experience is that being Jewish is more than religion alone - it's culture and a strong connection to history, which I think is admirable. Jewish people have more inventions and hold more patents per capita than any other ethnic/religious/cultural group. The original Mr Ricardo was a prolific inventor, to quote his Wiki page "Ricardo was descended from a brother of the famous political economist David Ricardo, a Sephardi Jew of Portuguese origin."
Well you're wrong. Ian:"Not Italian"=not of the Italian nationality.....nothing to do with religion. Ian:"of Jewish heritage"=Jewish religion.....nothing to do with any nationality. You can't say.."of the Israeli heritage" 'cos that can be Arab,Christian or any other mixes you can think of,even though it's widely presumed it's the "Jewish' state.