The Castrol Classics Collection brings together promotional films from the BP Video Library.
The short films span a period from the 1950s to the early 1980s, although this selection primarily focuses on the 1960s and 1970s.
Included here are shorts covering Can-Am racing, hillclimbing, saloon car racing, rallying and drag racing.
'Jimmy' - Rallying with the Chevette
This wonderful archive film follows rally legend Jimmy McRae and his exploits with Dealer Team Vauxhall (DTV), driving the rally-prepped Vauxhall Chevette. The film joins Jimmy as the season is drawing to a close with just the Bovis National rally – the final round of the Castrol Autosport Rally championship - left to go.
Featuring footage from the Mintex Rally, the Circuit of Ireland, the Welsh rally, the Scottish rally, the Manx Trophy International Championship Rally and the Ulster Rally, McRae races against many European champions and famous rally drivers including his team mate Pentti Airikkala, Hannu Mikkola, George Hill, Mike Jackson, Malcolm Wilson, David Jones and Arnie Garvick. If you're a rally nut or a petrolhead then you'll love watching this retro special!
Castrol Classics Cars Vol 1.
"There's no replacement for displacement" - this collection of racing films from the BP Video Library seems to be testament to that mantra.
Start with a visit to Laguna Seca Raceway for the Can-Am Monterey Castrol Grand Prix of 1969, where Bruce McLaren was victorious in his 7-litre Chevrolet-powered McLaren M8B. Stirling Moss is on hand to offer his insights.
Next we head to Silverstone, for a very different sort of action: Drag Racing. Drag on a Summer's Day showcases the National Drag Racing Club's 1973 meeting. Everything from production machines up to top fuel, funny cars to twin-engined drag bikes. This is a riot of noise and speed.
Racecraft sees the cameras move from trackside to inside the cockpit with Frank Gardner at Oulton Park. Frank is at the wheel of an SCA Chevrolet Camaro touring car as he narrates the fast laps of a very rough looking Oulton.
Next we're off to the Monte Carlo Rally, then Aix-les-Bains for the World motorboat championship, Mont Ventoux for a hill climb won by Porsche, the Tour de France at Bordeaux and finally Monaco for the 1966 Grand Prix as we explore the intricacies of timing in sports.
Filmed in colour throughout, this compilation of fascinating films is at once a look into the vanished past and yet still feels right on the cutting edge of power, speed and excitement.
Castrol Classics Cars Vol 2.
'Highland Fling' is the title of the opening film of this compilation, the voice over is provided by Raymond Baxter and it is an absolute cracker. Following the 1960 RAC rally from Blackpool, through the Lake District, Yorkshire, into Scotland and back down to finish at Brands Hatch.
Raymond Baxter is also the voice of 'International Rally 1952'. That year's RAC Rally had split starts in Hastings and Scarborough and travelled over 1800 miles around Britain. Ian and Pat Appleyard give details about their preparations of their famous Jaguar 'NUB 120'.
Across the North Sea now for the Tulip Rally of 1954, a colourful affair that pitted a multi-national field against 2000 miles of road rallying through Holland.
'Flying Ice' takes us through Stockholm and out into the countryside in the depth of winter for a session of - you've guessed it - ice racing at -25ºC
'British Racing Green' is the final entry in this compendium, showcasing a full day of motor-racing entertainment, including a rare outing for the Ferguson P99 four-wheel-drive Grand Prix car at Silverstone for the British Empire Trophy and a demonstration lap of legends such as Kay Petre, Tony Rolt and George Eyston at Oulton Park.
At Silverstone we see John Surtees, Stirling Moss, Jack Fairman, Bruce McLaren, Roy Salvadori, Graham Hill, Jim Clark and Tony Brooks. Run to Intercontinental formula, the event was the swansong of the 2.5 litre Grand Prix formula. In a wet race Stirling Moss, in a Cooper-Climax T53, was untouchable, although John Surtees and Hill gave it their all.
Goodwood and the International Tourist Trophy sees another drive for Moss in British Racing Green - although ironically in this event he's behind the wheel of a Ferrari, doing battle with the Aston Martin of Roy Salvadori.