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Richard Bensted-Smith


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#1 Stirling

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Posted 07 May 2007 - 22:23

Can anyone give some biographical information on Richard Bensted-Smith, author of Racing Cars in Colour (Batsford, 1962)?

ciao,
Stirling

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#2 Sharman

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Posted 08 May 2007 - 08:43

All I know, and I met him once, is that he navigated Pete Hughes for Ford and was a journalist

#3 ian senior

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Posted 08 May 2007 - 09:26

He was the editor of Motor magazine for a while, in the 60s.

#4 Graham Gauld

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Posted 08 May 2007 - 10:28

Richard was also a very cool and competent co-driver in International rallies. Former racing driver Henry Taylor recalls the first time he competed in the Monte Carlo Rally going on a recce with Richard with a Ford. After going over one of the stages as fast as he could Richard casually remarked to him that if he drove like that in the rally he wasn't going to get anywhere ! Needless to say for a racing driver to be told that was quite a shock to Henry.

#5 jarama

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Posted 08 May 2007 - 16:00

He's the author of "RALLY MANUAL", first published by M.R.P. in 1960.


About his international rally participations, I've found these:


'56 Tulpenrallye, #84, POM 754, Austin A90 Westminster, Richard Henson / Jack Sears / R. B.-S., finisher (2nd in Class)

'56 Liège Rome Liège, #15, MRX 43, MGA 1500, John Milne / R. B.-S., 14th o/a (8th in Class, 1st in "débutants" classification)

'58 RAC Rally, #129, 119 KMH, Austin A35, John Sprinzel / R. B.-S., DNF (crash into a telegraph pole)

'58 Liège Rome Liège, #25, PMO 200, Austin-Healey Sebring Sprite, John Sprinzel / R. B.-S., DNF (stub axle)

'59 Tulpenrallye, Ford Zephyr, Peter Riley / R. B.-S., 3rd o/a

'59 Acropolis rally, #12, RMO 101, MGA Twin-Cam, John Sprinzel / R. B.-S., DNF (off the road)

'60 East African Safari, #68, Ford Anglia 105E, Peter Hughes / R. B.-S., 1st Class B (751-1000cc)

'60 RAC Rally, #46, Austin-Healey Sebring Sprite, John Sprinzel / R. B.-S., 2nd o/a (1st GT -Autosport Trophy- , 1st in Class -Up to 1300cc-)


Carles.

#6 Stirling

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Posted 08 May 2007 - 18:29

Many thanks to all for the responses. Bensted-Smith's Introduction and commentaries in Racing Cars In Colour are perceptive and well-constructed vignettes, clearly written by someone who knew of what he wrote. Given that Carles cites Bensted-Smith's involvement in rallying as dating from over half a century ago, he must clearly be of an advanced age now - does anyone happen to know if he is in fact still living?

ciao,
Stirling

#7 ollie798

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Posted 22 June 2011 - 15:44

Can anyone give some biographical information on Richard Bensted-Smith, author of Racing Cars in Colour (Batsford, 1962)?

ciao,
Stirling


Hi,

Richard Bensted-Smith was my grandfather. He passed away on the 30th May 2011 after suffering from dementia for a number of years. Below is most of the tribute that was given at his funeral on the 11th of June in Newton Ferrers.

Dick was born on 20th July 1929.

He lived his early life was in Newton Ferrers, Devon. From Sherborne School, Dick went up to Cambridge, where he read Engineering and graduated from Pembroke College. Engineering, per se, was not for him, but he carried his practical knowledge forward and put it to good use during his career as a motoring journalist.

He joined the staff of The Motor magazine in the early 1950s and relished the opportunities that his job gave him to combine his passion for cars with gainful employment. This allowed him to travel as a reporter to places as diverse as Morocco and Moscow. From the mid 1950s to early 1960s he competed in - and won in his class - a variety of international rallies, including the famous Monte Carlo Rally.

Dick published a number of books, including The Rally Manual, which was published in 1960 and which cost all of 21 shillings, and another entitled Racing Cars in Colour. However, the book he was most pleased with was Turn Left for Tangier, written in 1960. This was the story of his part in the trial of the prototype Triumph Herald down through the length of Africa. In his own words, "The purpose of the expedition...was to drive until things fell off and then screw them on again". I think he would have been surprised to note that Amazon.com is selling this book today as a ‘collectible’ for $312.

In 1961, Dick was appointed Editor of The Motor magazine and he was given the responsibility of undertaking the speed test for the original Jaguar E Type. There is still some controversy as to whether the top speed was 149.5mph or whether the car actually reached 150mph. In 1962, he also drove the 1903 7hp Panhard-Levassor in the London to Brighton Run for Veteran cars, extolling its virtues in the words "The Panhard, in fact, is a sports car, as the merest hermetically sealed week-ender could scarcely doubt after a glance at its dashing profile."

In 1973, Dick decided to go out on his own. He formed a specialist motoring PR company called Newspress, which was based in Horsham, West Sussex. At Newspress, he could still test drive cars and all manner of things relating to motoring and he could also write about them in his own distinctive style.

A fulsome tribute to Dick, and his contribution to the world of motoring journalism can be found on www.newspress.co.uk
I hope this answers your interest in my grandfather, despite it being more than 4 years late!

Ollie

Edited by ollie798, 24 June 2011 - 09:12.


#8 john winfield

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Posted 22 June 2011 - 16:23

Ollie,
Sorry to hear about your grandfather but that's a really interesting tribute. Thanks for posting. I have a copy of the Batsford 'Racing Cars' book on my shelf but hadn't realised that RB-S had competed too.
John

#9 Sharman

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Posted 22 June 2011 - 17:51

As I said back in 2007, I met Dick with PJC and found him very pleasant company. Sad to fear of his passing.

#10 Graham Gauld

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Posted 22 June 2011 - 18:19


Richard was a good journalist and a good friend, sharp witted and amusing. We had many a laugh on factory visits and press launches. I lost touch with him when he started the PR business but along with Mike Palmer they made Newspress a successful enterprise preparing and sending out press releases on behalf of many major motor manufacturers. It is sad to know that he suffered from dementia in the end a tragic way to go for such a charming and amusing person.

#11 ollie798

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Posted 24 June 2011 - 09:18

Thank you for your comments. I never knew how known he was in the motoring industry, and I feel proud to have been a Grandson of his. Do you have any other information relating to or about him that isn't in his tribute? I would be very intersted to know more if that is possible.

Ollie