A 1934 car, the winning Dietrich Victoria was one in a small series of ‘semi-custom’ Packards, but stood apart from its brethren thanks to its cherry-picked features. Not only is it one of the rare ‘Vee-windshield’ cars, but it also has the distinctive twin-strip fenders of the LeBaron Dual Cowl Phaetons, making it unique. Enthusiasts consider 1934 to be a vintage year for Packard production: the mighty V12 had matured, and 1935 was to see a downturn in quality standards.

Without doubt, Audi wouldn’t be where it is today without the original Quattro of the 80s (and a healthy dose of capital from the Volkswagen Group, of course). At the 2010 Paris Motor Show, the firm paid homage to the car's 30th anniversary by showing a slick conceptual tribute.

Not even the most prestigious marques could ignore the cultural swing of the early 60s. With many brands (automotive or otherwise) targeting the youth of the day, changes were required not only in terms of marketing, but in styling, too.

The transition into the ‘Space Age’ was a challenge for the costumed superheroes: Flash, Green Lantern and Hawkman had to grapple with new sci-fi worlds, where technology was developing at light-speed. Taschen will soon publish the second instalment in Paul Levitz’s series exploring the history of the DC Comics characters, this time focusing on ‘The Silver Age’ of 1956 to 1970.

Of all the historic brands resurrected and adopted for limited-edition production runs, few have the kudos of Bluebird – the name on the land speed record-breaking cars of Sir Malcolm Campbell and his descendants. The new 360bhp Bluebird DC50 has two, electrically operated ‘scissor’ doors and a range of up to 200 miles, but don’t bother ordering one in red; it only comes in Bluebird blue.

There will also be an electric race car – the Bluebird GTL – designed for the forthcoming FIA Formula E series, an all-electric global race series that is scheduled to start in 2014.

You can read all about the Mercedes GP car elsewhere on Classic Driver, but once Lot 320 was safely despatched to the record books (and an anonymous telephone bidder) there followed more – sometimes record-breaking – prices to come. The previous record price of £2.3m for a historic Maserati was comfortably eclipsed by the £4,033,500 paid for the ex-Briggs Cunningham 1955 300S.

The example shown here is one of only 2,000 factory-produced Rover Mini convertibles. Equipped with everything that a Mini driver desires, the smart Brit has the sort of likeable appearance to make sure it’s always a welcome guest. Its short wheelbase also gives it a priceless advantage in the Festival’s crowded car parks. Who said Mini couldn’t be mighty?

Fear not. While the surrounding countryside seems lifted straight from a BBC HD nature documentary, the latest technological masterpiece from Stuttgart is the kindest yet to the environment. And from the driving seat, the lush green trees, the dark, glittering lakes and circling birds of prey pass by undisturbed and in almost total silence.

Steven Spielberg spends summer vacations here, as does his friend, movie star Tom Hanks – while many internet millionaires whose faces are unknown and unrecognised have large estates in Muskoka. Early in the 19th Century, wealthy industrialists discovered the pristine beauty of this region of eastern Canada, named after the local Indian Chief Muskoka. In later years, American billionaires such as the Rockefellers, Carnegies and Mellons gravitated here, building – along the banks of the magnificent clear lakes – veritable palaces that they humbly called ‘cottages’.