As if it isn’t bad enough that we have to hear about people crashing and annihilating these wonderful creations, now they are standing by and watching them go up in flames. It wouldn’t be so bad if it was just one or two, but “10 vehicles have been reported to have either been crashed or caught fire within three months”, according to Sky News.

When the Ferrari 458 Italia was launched in spring earlier this year it sped to success, partly thanks to the high praise given by the usually pretty sharp and over-critical Jeremy Clarkson and partly because of its devilish good looks. The 458’s fiery temperament surprisingly has nothing to do with the numerous stories that have flooded the papers and spread like ‘wildfire’. It’s the “mysterious jinx”, according to the Daily Mail website, that has plagued three unfortunate supercar owners.

Ferrari’s have always had a reputation for being ‘hot’ but recently the ‘Ferrari on flambé’ is becoming a serious problem, so serious in fact that the Italian automaker itself is now investigating the cause of the reported conflagrations.

Perhaps the Italian marque needs to take a drive down memory lane and start creating new models like the sturdy classics from the past, to prevent owners of these supercars having to witness the site of their beloved, expensive car burst into flames.

“One of the all-time greats”, is how Jeremy Clarkson described this sizzling supercar, but perhaps these flame-boyant motors should come with a fire warning – or at the least a fire extinguisher!

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Undoubtedly one of the biggest shows in the UK, the International Caravan & Motorhome show held at the NEC, is expected to attract over 80,000 visitors across the six days. For the chance to win FREE tickets to the show, simply click here and fill in the simple prize draw form.

Sureterm Direct, one of the leading names in Caravan & Motorhome insurance are exhibiting at the show and are offering the chance to win free insurance for a whole year. Visit Hall 9 and check out their stand, which offers a comfortable sitting area, where you can enjoy complementary refreshments in a rather unusual outdoor designed area, bringing the fun of the outdoors, inside.

If one of your motives at the show is to buy one of the amazing motorhomes on display or simply to peruse the latest models, you can take a seat in Sureterm’s bespoke open plan motorhome structure and get an instant quote from one of the friendly team.

If you want to see what’s new, this year’s show promises to give you the first opportunity to see the very latest 2011 models of caravans and motorhomes with the newest designs, layouts and innovations. There are more reasons to go to this year’s show, with more attractions than ever before, including a Real Ale Bar, Farmer’s Market and even a Cookery Theatre.

As well as Sureterm’s free insurance for a year competition, there are lots of other special show offers and deals that you won’t find anywhere else, so come along to the show and see the industry’s leading insurers, manufacturers and dealers all under one roof.

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There has been so much speculation and hype about the true identity of the Stig with the Top Gear show even staging a fake unveiling on their hit BBC show, which saw Michael Schumacher revealed from under the trade mark dark visor as the ‘fake Stig’.

One of the rumours surrounding the anonymous Stig is that the secret identity belongs to a racing driver who was a stunt double for James Bond. Despite these latest assumptions, the BBC insists The Stig’s identity remains a secret.

It’s one thing being a man of mystery but there comes a time when enough is enough, and according to the Telegraph website, Top Gear’s “famously incognito tame racing driver has locked horns with the BBC because he wants to write his ‘tell all’ autobiography”, this would of course reveal his true identity and put an end to the mystery of The Stig.

Only a limited number of people involved in the show know the true identity, including Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May. The speedster has been a hugely popular fixture of the show since 2003, but it seems he is finally frustrated at missing out on the Top Gear merchandising bonanza.

The Daily Mail website has revealed that the company that shares the Top Gear dividends with the BBC is reported to have had a £24 million turnover last year, which is one, if not the main reason Clarkson and the rest of the motley crew don’t want to end the air of mystery that surrounds this elusive character.

I’m not sure Top Gear could rely on the success of Clarkson’s mug as the face of Top Gear, and not even the slightly cuter features of Hammond, the show heavily relies on The Stig’s anonymous mask to draw in the ratings and keep people guessing.

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Top Gear are calling it “big news for small cars”, which seems quite fitting when we are talking about the classic 1960’s Peel P50 – the world’s smallest car. It’s the perfect car on a crowded street and it would certainly come in handy when trying to find a parking space, but being designed to accommodate one adult and a shopping bag it might not be the best car for a shopaholic.

With only 50 produced and sold between 1963 and 1964 and only 20 still around today this classic is in short supply, but fear not Top Gear has revealed that the Peel is making a comeback!

We saw Clarkson struggle to squeeze himself into a Reliant Robin in the last series of Top Gear but believe it or not, back in 2007 he managed to fit his 6ft 5in frame into a 54 inches long and 41 inches wide classic Peel.

The “diminutive wonder was also given a big boost after Dragon’s Den star James Caan pledged a massive investment to Peel Engineering’s new owner for a re-launch”, according to Top Gear. With no reverse gear and no way other than pushing or lifting it to back into a space or turn a sharp corner, it’s hard to take this car seriously. The Peel’s cute appeal and innovative design are enough though to make me agree with Clarkson’s opinion that it is in fact the “best small car on earth”.

The Top Gear website is urging people to buy Peel-related stuff, so the company makes more money which can be used to build more of these wonderful P50’s. And if all else fails it could be the ultimate funky personal mobility vehicle.

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American classics are known for their distinctive beauty and brawn but are best known for that infamous muscle power. The concept of a muscle car is simple, you take a small car and add a big engine in it, none of this sophisticated chassis, engineering integrity or lithe appearance – just sheer demanding strength.

America has produced some of the most incredible classic cars throughout the most memorable eras, including the Cadillac Eldorado’s and Ford Mustang’s of the 60s’s to the Chevrolet Chevelle’s and Dodge Challenger’s of the 70’s.

I’m pretty sure that the reason America doesn’t have roundabouts is because their muscle/classic cars are designed for straight-line speed not sharp bends or corners. The popularity and performance of these classics speak for themselves but the thing that sets them apart is that they depreciate less rapidly than your modern car and then begin to appreciate until the asking price is anywhere between 10 to 100 times more than the original price of the car.

Distinctive innovative style and trend-setting design are what American classics are most recognised for as well as the affordability and street performance that appealed to the younger target audience. The UK never really took to the American classic market, but you can see that there was a definite influence on some models we still see today, such as the Ford Capri and Vauxhall Firenza.

If you want to see some real metal marvels in this country all you only have to go to one of the numerous shows held throughout the UK, such as the Beaulieu International Autojumble where you can see some of the brightest, boldest wackiest and weirdest American motors on show.

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‘Do not try this at home’ is the warning that should be stated after each stunt performed on the hit BBC show, Top Gear. This comes after a pensioner’s Reliant Robin was targeted twice in one day, where it is believed that yobs were “recreating a stunt from the motoring show”, according to the Daily Mail website.

The classic Reliant Robin was found by the distressed owner on Sunday night – just two and a half hours after the Top Gear show was broadcast, reports the Telegraph website. The vintage motor suffered a smashed wing mirror, scratched paintwork and damaged one door beyond repair, with a an estimated repair bill of £1,000.

The retired owner of the classic car, who has owned Reliant Robins for 40 years, says he believes the vandals were inspired by the episode of Top Gear where Clarkson repeatedly flips a Reliant Robin on its side and speeds round corners.

“Ridiculous, irresponsible and dangerous”, are the words used to describe the antics of the hit TV show host, who is no stranger to controversy and who describes himself as an “equal opportunities loudmouth”.

The BBC show, which combines extensive fanatic car news with (at times) childish yet amusing stunts, seems to have lost one viewer, but due to the constant entertainment value and high profile guests, I doubt this unfortunate copycat behaviour will hamper the ratings for the Sunday night show.

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What could be a better way to get your classic restored than to return it to the people who created it in the first place? The Bavarian brand’s BMW Classic Centre has restored a 1972 BMW 3.0 CSi, according to WorldCarFans.com, and returned it to its owner in mint condition.

If you’re going to get your vintage motor restored to its former glory, it’s always best to get it done by professionals –and who could be more professional than BMW itself. Ralf Vierlein, BMW Groups Classic’s boss of sales and after sales, believes “we have the theoretical knowledge of the vehicles, the technical expertise, original BMW parts and the requisite infrastructure to systematically link it all up”.

The restoration took several months to complete, but if the owner himself was to attempt to restore it to the same standard it would more than likely take years. The Autoblog website has reported that “an increasing portion of BMW’s revenue in recent years has come from dealing in older cars”, which indicates that perhaps this restoration project will become a more common service offered by the Munich brand.

Not only did the renowned marque re-establish the classic characteristics that BMW has boasted for many years, it also converted the coupe’s transmission from a manual to an automatic, adding a little something extra to the service.

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Recharged and ready for action, the classic Jensen Interceptor has been given a new lease of life thanks to the financial backing of Carphone Warehouse founder Charles Dunstone. The entrepreneur has joined the “board of Jensen International Automotive after investing in the company which is re-launching the classic Jensen Interceptor marquee of the 1970’s”, according to the Telegraph website.

Using the time honoured tradition of adding an S onto the name to revive the old name makes these classic cars the Jensen Interceptor ‘S’. PistonHeads.com reports that these vintage motors have been “sufficiently modified to make them a much more modern proposition”, but still maintaining the classic characteristics.

For those people who aren’t petrol heads, the name Jensen makes you think of speed-thrilling hunky F1 racing driver Jenson Button, but in fact we’re talking about the dream car of the 60’s and 70’s. According to Jensen-cars.co.uk, the sleek iconic looks of the Jensen put it in a different league back in its day and is on track to do it all over again, but this time with 429bhp!

Classic cars are definitely not famous for hitting high speeds, but this modern classic can hit “60mph in a claimed 4.5 seconds”, according to PistonHeads.com, while heading for a top speed on the far side of 160mph.

Lifted from the past and re-designed to meet the demands of today’s motoring – that’s the modern version of the classic Jensen Interceptor S.

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The Ferrari 250 GTO is one of the worlds most sought after classic models, with Chris Evans being among the few people fortunate enough to own one. With a hefty price tag of £12 million it’s no surprise they come in short supply, with only 36 exquisite motors ever made.

Ferrari GTO’s have proven to be “serious investment fodder”, according to HonestJohn.co.uk, and are considered to be one of the most beautiful models ever built by Ferrari, and that’s saying something when you look back on the Spider, Testarossa, Daytona, Dino and F40 to name a few.

A 1965 Ferrari 250 GTO is expected to fetch a more affordable hammer price in the region of £240,000, which might seem a lot less than the £12m Mr Evans paid, but that’s because this particular model is a replica. This classic car was purpose built to create an authentic copy of the only right hand drive 4.0 litre, five-speed 250 GTO, built by Ferrari to compete at Le Mans.

To add to the authenticity of this fantastic imitation, a number of “genuine parts were used in the conversion, which took place in 1993, including the steering wheel, dials and wire wheels”, according to uk.cars.yahoo.com.

Like most classic cars the Ferrari replica has been on a long journey, starting with the chassis which was shipped to Italy where it was “shortened and converted to GTO specification, before a handmade aluminium body was painstakingly sculpted and subsequently returned to the UK for fitting by Ferrari experts”, reports HonestJohn.co.uk.

The auction at Brooklands Museum will also be home to another vintage motor which deserves recognition of four decades of greatness, it is of course the Aston Martin DB5, estimated to fetch between £350,000 – £450,000.

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A rather unusual classic car, which has been described as “extravagant and outrageous” by Alan Squindo, a spokesperson for RM Auctions, is due to fetch £4 million at auction later this month. Not only was the 1949 Delahaye Type 175 Roadster one of just 51 ever made it was also owned by Britain’s Marilyn Monroe.

Diana Dors was just 17 when she bought the second hand American classic and at the time she only paid £5,000 for the impressive looking Delahaye. The outrageous design included “French curves of the 1930s combined with more modern baroque ornamentation”, according to the Daily Mail website.

Mr Squindo said that these eccentric classics were often known for their “outlandish design, and many were built just for shows and impressing people”, according to the Telegraph website, but this particular model was one of the most spectacular and outrageous examples ever made.

The 1949 Delahaye is undoubtedly an impressive sculpture, with its swooping lines, vivid turquoise paintwork and glinting chrome, and just like the woman herself, curvaceous, sexy and flamboyant. Having been restored to its former glory over the last 10 years I’m sure there will be plenty of interest in this 1940’s classic.

Not content with only owning one classic motor, Diana Dors went on to make another extravagant purchase, this time a Rolls-Royce. Only three years after her first pricey purchase she not only became the proud owner of two shiny motors but also became the youngest registered Rolls-Royce owner.

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