by: Matt Franey Race of the rich Italy gone mad Not a gentle stroll Police on your side Everybody's out Best Brits

From the world of fashion, model Lisa B was an entrant as was Oliviero Toscani, the photographer behind the controversial Benetton advertising campaigns of the 1980s. The aristocracy still makes its presence felt as well, with nobility from across Europe taking part. From the UK, Lord March of Goodwood Festival of Speed fame drove a Chrysler, while Prince Leopold von Bayern, a BMW ambassador, flew the flag for Munich's most famous marque.

What a royal upbringing doesn't earn you, however, is a guaranteed right to finish the race. Although the event is now spread over two days, the cars must still run from first thing in the morning until midnight. Squeezed into the tiny cockpit of a car like the D-type, that is a long, long day behind the wheel.

Jaguar's Stuart Dyble presses on in the longnose D-type

Thankfully the Jaguar also proved to be a phenomenally reliable and devastatingly quick machine. As the race threaded south through the tiny Republic of San Marino and down towards Assisi and Rome, car enthusiasts in Mercedes SL55s and Ferraris attempted to keep pace with the contenders. Despite its age, however, they were no match for the insanely quick Le Mans racer. Through mountain passes and along flat Italian plains the D-type cruised at speeds approaching 150mph without a hint of complaint. The hardest part was keeping its delicate racing clutch from overheating in the narrow streets of towns such as Siena and Bologna.