Victory by Design

2003 · Documentary

The series features many of the most important competition cars in the history. Shot on international locations, each featured car is driven and appraised by renowned racer, Alain de Cadenet.

Episodes

▶1. JaguarThis is a definitive show for lovers of thoroughbred Jags. All the important milestone competition and production cars are here. Among the important cars featured are the first XK120 to win a significant race (with Stirling Moss driving), the most original and authentic surviving Le Mans-winning D-Type, the oldest surviving E-Type (chassis 003), the first race-winning E-Type (chassis 005), the last E-type ever made, the prototype racing E-Type, the E2A, the unique XJ13 and Lister Jaguar Coupe, the Le Mans winning XJR-9 and the last Jaguar supercar, the XJ220 and its competition sister, the XJ220C.▶2. Aston MartinLike others in the “Victory by Design” series, the Aston Martin show is a must for those who love the marque, featuring the milestone cars that helped make Aston Martin such a charismatic name on the race tracks of the world, from the early cars of Lionel Martin through to the present day. The programme features some of the earliest examples such as the Speed models, like the “Red Dragon” and “Black Car” and the important cars from the David Brown era including the Le Mans winning DBR1 regarded by many as the most beautiful sports car ever built. There’s production sports racers like the DB4GT and DB4GT Zagato, and the unique Project 215 and the last factory-supported Aston racer, the AMR1.▶3. PorscheThis episode contains rare and fascinating film shot by Huschke Von Hanstein and Dr Ferry Porsche as they built up the Porsche company through the 1950s, using motor sport as a means of development and promotion on a world wide scale. Combining this extensive archive film with Alain de Cadenet driving and appraising the milestone competition and production cars spanning Porsche’s history – from “Porsche Number One” through to the recent limited-edition supercar, the Carrera GT – a complete picture of the marque is built up.▶4. FerrariAlain de Cadenet, a long-time Ferrari enthusiast and aficionado, drives some of the great sports racers and production sports cars that helped establish the marque's reputation, believing that, rather than the Grand Prix racers, it was the sports cars that truly created the Ferrari mystique among the wider public. This show features those milestone sports cars in the marque's history, some actual Le Mans winners and some among the most valuable collectors' cars anywhere in the world (including the TR60, 250P and 250GTO, 330/P3 and 312PB.)▶5. MaseratiAlain drives and appraises some of the most important “Masers”, from the racer that helped establish the Maserati name in the 1920s, the Tipo 26, to the successful 8CM of the early thirties. The legendary pre-War 8CTF Grand Prix car, which was to win the Indianapolis 500 two years in a row, to the 250F, which would take Fangio to his fifth World Championship. Not forgetting the legendary Maser sports racers – the 300S, 450S and Birdcage.▶6. Alfa RomeoAlain de Cadenet, a true authority on Alfas, particularly the pre-WW2 cars of Vittorio Jano and Enzo Ferrari, drives and appraises many of the actual cars that won the great classic races which would help create the Alfa legend that's still with us today. Some of the superb Alfas featured include: the 8C 2300 Zagato, the actual car last raced by Enzo Ferrari as a driver and the actual P3 in which Tazio Nuvolari won the famous 1935 German Grand Prix.▶7. LotusFeatures cars from Classic Team Lotus which is owned by Clive Chapman, the son of Lotus founder Colin Chapman, and includes world championship cars as driven by Graham Hill, Jochen Rindt, Emerson Fittipaldi and Mario Andretti. Truly groundbreaking original cars are driven by presenter de Cadenet, including the Lotus 49B and the Lotus 72 and 79. The programme also includes Colin Chapman’s very first Lotus and many other of the finest examples that are now housed in the world’s largest Lotus collection at the Barber Vintage Motorsport Museum in Birmingham, Alabama.▶8. CorvetteAmerica’s sports car is celebrated in Victory by Design with a line up that includes many of the most important versions of the Corvette ever to hit road and track. Filmed in the UK and in the US, with cars from some rare and unique private collections, the programme includes the landmark experimental racers Cerv 1 and Cerv II along with the iconic Grand Sport 001, a De Lorenzo and a Greenwood racer and an original 1954 Blue Flame Six.▶9. Ford MuscleAlain De Cadenet drives a mouth watering selection of Ford Muscle cars including an original 1955 Thunderbird, a selection of AC Cobras, Lotus Cortinas, racing Mustangs and Galaxies and of course the iconic Ford GT 40. Uniquely, Alain gets to drive perhaps one of the most valuable historic race cars in the world today – one of only 6 that remain – the Shelby Daytona Coupe, the car that was developed to win the FIA world Sports Car Championship. A sister car, arguably with less race history, was recently purchased for a staggering $13 million.▶10. Grand Prix GreatsA Victory by Design special that takes a selection of the most important Grand Prix cars from the beginning of Grand Prix racing up to 1960 and includes famous names such as Bugatti, Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Mercedes and Auto Union. De Cadenet drives unique examples as ever, including a 1908 Panhard, a 1914 Mercedes GP, the awesome two engined Alfa Romeo Bi-motore and a world beating 1939 Auto Union Type D. The programme finishes with the Cooper Climax, the car that transformed post war racing when constructor John Cooper put the engine in the rear of the car, a development that ensured Grand Prix racing would never be the same again.▶11. Victory by Design: Making Of

More Like This

Fifth Gear

2002 · ★ 5.7

Getting viewers up to speed on all the latest automotive information, with new car reviews, second hand bargains and industry tidbits being the focus of this magazine show.

More info →

Overhaulin'

2004 · ★ 7.1

Overhaulin' is an American automotive reality TV show that ran for five seasons on TLC between 2004–2009, and currently on Velocity and Discovery.

More info →

Peking to Paris

2006

A 14,000 kilometer journey to re-enact one of the world’s greatest overland adventures – the most daring car race of them all.

More info →

For the Love of Cars

2014 · ★ 9

Actor and car fan Philip Glenister (of "Life on Mars" fame) and car restorer Ant Anstead find classic British cars to bring back to life.

More info →

Fahrt ins Risiko

2011

No synopsis available.

More info →

Bienvenue à la shop!

2021

This documentary series takes a deep dive into the fascinating world of customized vintage-car restoration. Follow a team of passionate workers who bring new life to automobiles from the 50s, 60s and 70s, as well as boats and home appliances.

More info →

Vintage Curves of Cuba

2019

Car enthusiast José Gaudet travels the Cuban streets and roads looking for the car of his dreams. He is accompanied by Gildor Roy, who is fluent in Spanish.

More info →

James May's Cars of the People

2014 · ★ 7.8

James May takes a look at the 'peoples car'. Covering every form of cars for the masses - from the Beetle to the Kei Car, May looks at the many forms of people's car, their origins and their effect on history. Each episode covers a particular theme; these being cars from dictatorships, microcars and the dream cars we aspire to.

More info →