Magneto Magazine Issue 27 Autumn 2025

Cover story: Porsche 959

From Gruppe B design study (depicted on cover) to production perfection, celebrated automotive journalist Georg Kacher’s debut feature for Magneto celebrates the 40th anniversary of Porsche’s first supercar, the legendary 959. The feature covers the story of what was touted as the most advanced supercar of its time, including the 1983 Gruppe B prototype unveiling, the development of the production car and the people behind it. Includes the 1985 Frankfurt motor show car, 1986 launch reaction and driving impressions. Illustrated by an exclusive Sam Chick photoshoot of the Gruppe B design study, C 29 aerodynamic mule and the final production car. In addition, Bruce Canepa talks about his extensive experience with the model, and explains the role he and others played in bringing the 959 to America.

Rolls-Royce Phantoms

David Lillywhite celebrates 100 years of the Phantom by assessing two of the finest Phantoms around, one with the most striking body of its ilk and the other built for Polish General Wladyslaw Sikorski. The 1933 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental with body by Freestone and Webb was originally owned by prolific Rolls-Royce customer Sir John Leigh. The Rolls-Royce Phantom III Sports Cabriolet was built by Parisian Carrosserie Vanvooren for General Sikorski and was delivered to him in Warsaw in 1937.

Virgil Exner’s Dream Cars of the 1950s

Far more than ‘merely’ the father of the tailfin, Exner was a master of mid-century modern automotive design and the man responsible for what became known as the ‘100 million dollar look’ as well as for introducing Chrysler’s hugely successful ‘Forward Look’ design style. Peter M Larsen examines the work of legendary designer Virgil Exner revealing how, despite career lows as well as highs, ‘Ex’ marked the spot – and why his legacy and influence will never be forgotten.

ATS 2500 GTS

The ATS 2500 GT/GTS was the ultimate result of Maranello’s own ‘Night of the Long Knives’ in 1961. Ultimately, and despite a stellar cast of ex-Ferrari staff, the project failed. Chassis 2005, the ex-Bill Mitchell car and star of this feature, is one of just 12 to have been built. Stored for decades under a tarpaulin in Denver, Colorado, it is back on the road after an impressive restoration.

Alberto Ascari artefacts

Image-led feature consisting of Rick Guest’s incredible photographs of many significant and personal items belonging to the great two-time F1 World Champion, Alberto Ascari.

Ken Okuyama Design

An interview with former Pininfarina design director, product design powerhouse and coachbuilding specialist Ken Okuyama conducted both at his design studio and while out driving his Kode61 Birdcage in Tokyo, Japan. Illustrated by Kunihisa Kobayashi’s late-night photoshoot in the city’s most popular neon-soaked shopping districts of Ginza, Shinbashi and Akihabara.

Bertone’s Corvette-based Concepts

Featuring the 1984 Ramarro, Bertone’s highly imaginative styling alternative for a front- engined Chevrolet Corvette C4, alongside the company’s 1990 Nivola, a reimagined, mid-engined Corvette C4. Includes fresh insight from Bertone Stile’s then head of design, Marc Deschamps.

Top 50 Car Films

Richard Heseltine takes on the daunting task of selecting and ranking the fifty best films where the cars are the stars.

Time to buy a Lotus Exige?

Richard Dredge gives a thorough assessment of the history, the nuts and bolts and the value proposition of the S1 and S2 Exige models in today’s market.