Victory by Design - Lotus episode

[@robertrishel3685]

One of the very best automotive tv series ever produced, presented with absolute perfection. Alain DeCadenet is sorely missed….

[@rustybearden1800]

Alain was the best automotive presenter ever - his dashing good looks and charm, his legit racing pedigree, his involvement in motorsports and well respected reputation as an expert in automotive design and history and perhaps most importantly, his marvelous speaking voice and style. He could read a phone book and make it interesting and compelling. This clip from his infamous "Victory By Design" automotive series is par for the course - actual examples of the historic vehicles driven robustly on scenic roadways (the main backdrop being the Goodwood Estate and grounds) lavishly illustrated with his brilliant monologues and cheeky, period correct helmets, goggles and gloves. It is a textbook primer and guide to the history of automotive design and racing. Each famous marque is explained in detail, punctuated with POV footage of Alain driving these priceless cars to within an inch of their existence, barking, gurgling, roaring and screeching, demonstrating in real time why they are important, iconic and legendary. My favorite episode is the Jaguar program - the rear view of him wringing the neck of an E Type Jag is just priceless. Wish someone would get them together and rebroadcast them in order and we could all enjoy them again. The Gentleman Badass - Alain De Cadenet!

[@monktoncrew]

Alain was the David Attenborough of cars and motorsport. An absolute treasure.

[@aeiouxs]

@@monktoncrew agreed - I really like that comparison!

[@Twongo]

Nailed it. I really loved the 333SP drive at... Mas Du Clos, was it? Either way, the way he peeled his fingers off the wheel and the dry tongue of cotton mouth said it all.

[@richsfc1]

I loved Victory by Design and Alain de Cadenet. They were magic!

[@caribman10]

I was lucky enough to do two pit walk-throughs at The Goodwood Revival with Alain deCadenet and all I can tell you is I'll never forget either one. His enthusiasm shown here was 100% genuine as was he. A great sportsman. All that with one eye!

[@jimbrown9477]

can we all just take a moment to REALLY appreciate that speedvision used to be an ACTUAL thing? how lucky were we and didnt even know it. putting out this level of quality back then. and lets all be even more stoked that we've had the pleasure to experience the MAGIC that is Alain De Cadenet. In my opinion, he is the true embodiment of automotive romance and passion. Nobody did it better. The absolute best.

[@pete5534]

Outstanding. It saddens to think there’ll not be a program quite like this again. However, I am so happy that I found this posting. Thank you!

[@rockets4kids]

The quality of documentaries has just gone to crap since the era when these were made.

[@caribman10]

You'd need another DeCadenet, and there ain't one.

[@aeiouxs]

Alain De Cadenet - what an incredible presenter he was, such a clean, crisp, knowledgable and easy-going presentation style, shocked at his passing last year. Loved this really incredible look back through Lotus models, as an ex-Lotus Elise owner. Shame there are those who look down on Lotus as flimsy, unreliable, underperforming cars - when their ethos couldn't be purer and their motorsports pedigree inarguable. RIP Alain.

[@Triumphs1962]

You are so very right. Nowadays, with the majority of young car owners, if you have to put air in the tires it’s a distasteful job. I have several British cars and people ask me all the time, “don’t you find yourself working on the car all the time”? My reply is I do the maintenance ( which I enjoy) and the car takes care of itself if I do that. Most of them have tractor engines in them which are pretty reliable.

[@chrispenn715]

What a great video. The Lotus 72 is the epitome of GP cars - my favourite of all time.

[@alexandresoares5749]

As a motorsport lover I am extremely impacted by the quality of this video! The narrator's simplicity, accuracy and clarity are unparalleled highlights! Congratulations!

[@scottscottsdale7868]

I loved watching all of these episodes about 15 years ago. I am gutted he passed.

[@andrewthompson6893]

I so miss VBD and just listening to Alain talk. Nobody does it better IMO.

[@tejastiger61]

I think SADC was a hero to a vast silent army of fans… I never could keep up, although wished to accompany him in all his automotive endeavors If only in my dreams .. He will live, drive on forever if only in our best memories …. Foot to the floor.. God bless him.

[@JeffW77]

This is really wonderful. I remember a magazine article (Road & Track probably) about a restored Lotus 11 street car. The 1965 Lotus-Ford with Jim Clark was truly eye-popping and changed Indy racing forever. If I understand correctly, Rolla Vollstedt from Portland, Oregon built the first rear engine Indy car with an Offenhauser engine. In mid-60s, Mr. Vollstedt lived up the road--we sometimes saw his Indy car in his carport.

[@pripph1355]

Sadly enough, Mr. de Cadenet is no longer with us, He died in 2022. But what an enthusiast!

[@pete5534]

He truly was. A real racer, and a fantastic presenter.

[@Lemma01]

Oh - I didn't know. Seems like a top chap. RIP Cad. ❤

[@johntechwriter]

One of the last “gentleman” racers.

[@k3corvette35]

Just loved his reaction to the spitfire flyby !!! That pilot damned near gave Alan de Cadenet a hair cut !!!

[@peregrinemccauley5010]

Thanks for spoiling my week you tosser .

[@Hackenbaker]

Thanks Alan for this amazing footage! Rest in peace. Godspeed Alan. Grat pleasure have to meet you.

[@pobinr]

Nicely presented. And no silly music. Sorry to hear he's passed, RIP

[@roccolombardi7809]

THE best of all time! RIP Alec...

[@Seekerofknowledges]

Thank you wholeheartedly for posting this. Is my fifth time here and it will not be my last.

[@andybroer651]

RIP Alain de Cadenet great driver and presenter

[@sergioleone3583]

Thanks for posting this! I have the original six on DVD (ordered after seeing on SpeedTV), and have also seen the Ford episode. I hadn't seen this Lotus one yet, so it is a special treat!

[@paulomiranda1717]

I loved the series and Speedvision.I truly miss it

[@Triumphs1962]

I spotted him at the California Monterey Historic’s some years back. I walked up to him and asked if I could get a picture with him. With a big smile he said “certainly mate!” Still have the picture hanging up in my shop twenty years later. Great guy very knowledgeable.

[@iansutherlandcraig]

I would like that back garden.

[@Pauley_in_GP]

I was fortunate to meet Mr. de Cadenet at a southern California car guy hangout way back in 2006. He was a model for the word "gentleman." (I don't think I can post a link to the photo he graciously let me take.) Most of the viewers of this video have probably seen the entire "Victory by Design" series. But if you haven't, trust me, you must!

[@allendanielson3165]

I had the opportunity to see an interview presented by De Cadenet. Don Nichols- the Shadow-J.P. Jarier & 3 other well known drivers. Laguna Seca. Monterey Historics. Got to meet him & talk a bit. What a guy ! You wanted to invite him over for a cook out.

[@ultrablue2]

Thank you for posting!

[@napoliansolo7865]

Loved this show. This was before Disney bought up all the channels on cable and turned them to crap. Thanks Disney.

[@Jesuswinsbirdofmichigan]

Sept.02/2023, #36 comment ⚠️ my highest praise for an video. Very/Very Fine✝️

[@dcallan812]

Lotus, where lightness is expensive. Love the Lotus story and cars.

[@ronstiles2681]

Lotus incredible and simplify wonderful

[@jameswalsh8837]

One of the most flattering things anyone has ever said to me was: "Well Colin Chapman would have been proud of you." That from a guy who worked for Chapman in the 1950s, who was looking over one of my racing vehicles on display at a show in Sydney.

[@mrrolandlawrence]

classic stuff indeed. i heard that lotus was so called because hazels pet name was "lotus blossom". best de cadenet moment has to be when ray hanna gave him a haircut with a spitfire. what a great history of all the lotus models though. great video.

[@M.ARSEVEN]

A great show with a great host. Both truly missed. Never get tired of @28:21 music to my ears.

[@parrotraiser6541]

It was one of the regrets of my father's life that he was invited to help Colin Chapman build a car, (probably the Mk.), and he turned him down.

[@paulboyle6857]

R.I.P "De Cad" I,ll always remember a club meet at Silverstone in around 1968 when he showed up with a Porsche 908(!) &,hardly surprisingly proceeded to sweep the board.These were the days when you would see Ferrari 250 LM,s at hillclimbs and once,memorably,a 250 GTO at a Castle Combe sprint!!

[@napoliansolo7865]

I consider car theft a major not to do. The only car I really would have stolen was a Lotus Europa dressed in John Player black and gold. My girlfriend and I were walking through a parking lot to see American Graffiti when it first came out. The keys were in the ignition and I didn't think twice about taking it. My girlfriend dragged me by the arm away from it, possibly saving me from prison time. I still kind of wished I'd at least took it for a spin...Thanks Pat.

[@shelbysolko7783]

There were many other Lotuses that were legendary throughout Colin Chapman's legacy. The Cortina, the 35 which won F2 championships, and a 32b that raced in Australian GP races known as the Tasman Series. Which in fact was all won by Jim Clark. Before he died in 1968 in an F2 race in Hockenheim, Germany driving the Lotus 49 after a tire went flat. Went off the track like an unguided missile can crashed into the forest. And that was Jim Clark's downfall. And as the decades went past. The 1994 Lotus 109 if you don't know who drove that. It was driven by Johnny Herbert of Britain. And Pedro Lamy of Portugal.

[@pete5534]

Thanks for your input, much appreciated! I suppose there’s only so much that’s covered in less than forty minutes. Great stuff.

[@shelbysolko7783]

@@pete5534 Cheers. 👍

[@jjhpor]

The story about Clark driving the first 23B was consistent with my experience owning Loti. OK Lotuses. Incredible performance and incredible unreliability. I owned three, a Cortina, an Elan and a Europa. No regrets.

[@SlickCrusty]

excellent

[@motorbikemuso]

Excellent.

[@bobguarnieri280]

Awesome!

[@cskellum4]

Got to shake his hand as he was walking into Barber Motorsports Museum to film the segment on the 29.

[@stevejones1318]

How on earth did he manage to assemble all those rare beauties? I'd love an 18.

[@napoliansolo7865]

You didn't get in a Lotus, you put it on.

[@trackie1957]

20:45 oh, my! What a sound!

[@danweyant4909]

How many were from the Barber's collection? Quite a place, no?

[@scottl.1568]

Sweet

[@lotuselise4432]

I used to have an Elise S2 111Ramazing car had ro sell it as I was skint, now have an Elise S1, issue is I put on weight so its hard to get in to.

[@tonycamplin8607]

Lotus, really great cars especially their sports cars. Back in the day I had an X11 Climax engined one, I agree about the 23b, they were fantastic to drive. One comment he kept getting his tubular chassis descriptions wrong, it isn't a space frame unless it's fully triangulated so a Lotus VI doesn't have one.

[@Warren-g8t]

Damn that JPS car really is fast. It blew your helmet off

[@marcel13091975]

Enzo Ferrari wasn't a designer: he was a business man who hired designers.

[@WilHenDavis]

Wot? No seat-belt? Well, I suppose he's such a wonderful driver that he doesn't need such a junk accessory?

[@richsackett3423]

Alain wouldn't have been late if he'd driven a more modern car.

[@HolgerKuhrts]

Remember Jochen Rindt.

[@alexandresoares5749]

yes this was the only if of failure of the film. Forgetting Rindt is not excusable. Well remembered.

[@jamesfranklin2203]

Where was made this episode?

[@PCarew]

Where was this filmed?

[@marcusrawlinson5024]

The automotive engineers of genius you list at the start includes Enzo Ferrari, a very odd claim in my opinion.