Magneto Magazine Issue 25 Spring 2025

Cover feature: McLaren F1

Part 1: Peter Stevens, who played a major role in the car’s design, tells the fascinating story of how a small but highly skilled team shaped this automotive icon. Illustrated with all-new exclusive photography of XP5, XP1 LM and #10R, the GTR formerly owned by Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason.

Part 2: 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the F1’s win at Le Mans. Highly experienced journalist Andrew Frankel, who witnessed it all up close, unpacks one of the most remarkable 24-hour races ever. Five-time Le Mans winner Derek Bell, who narrowly missed out on the win, adds further insight. Ricardo Santos’ striking illustrations of all four of the F1s that finished in the top five places provide the visual beauty..

Bertone Ferrari Rainbow

Marcello Gandini’s famous wedge-shaped design study, based on Ferrari 308 GT4 running gear. It was the star of the 1976 Turin Motor Show but rarely seen since; kept at the Bertone HQ until the company went bankrupt, it’s now part of the Automotoclub Storico Italiano’s Bertone collection, on display outside Milan. The feature was written by expert Matteo Licata.

Remembering Alex Xydias

Ken Gross, who conducted the last ever interview with Bonneville and hotrodding legend Alex Xydias just months before his death, aged 102, remembers the many hours spent with Xydias over the years and explains his influence in a highly personal tribute.

Maserati 200SI Spyder by Fantuzzi

Automotive journalist and author Basem Wasef gets behind the wheel and out on the road in sunny San Diego in Jonathan Segal’s recently restored, 2024 Pebble Beach-starring 1957 Maserati 200SI, chassis #2427.

Prodrive’s Greatest Hits

Following Prodrive’s 40th anniversary celebrations, we pick a selection of the firm’s most iconic cars and talk to the engineers, designers, drivers and co-drivers behind them. The cars include the 1984 Porsche 911 SC RS rally car, the 1992 Subaru Legacy Group A rally car, the 2000 Ford Moneo Super Touring Car, the 2000 Subaru Impreza P1 road car, the 2007 Aston Martin DBR9 Le Mans car and the 2011 Mini Countryman WRC rally car. 

Jaguar E2 

Simon Aldridge tells the story of the Jaguar prototype that was built to test chassis, suspension and styling ideas for the then forthcoming E-type. Briggs Cunningham took it to Le Mans and then over to the US for a short racing season before returning it to the factory. E2A somehow escaped the crusher and is today an utterly original and remarkable time capsule – a 65-year-long tale of luck and passion.

Top 50 Pininfarina designs

Selecting the fifty greatest designs from such a prolific, celebrated coachbuilder marking its 95th anniversary was never going to be easy. Richard Heseltine relished the task, delivering an expertly ranked and superbly reasoned feature.