If asked to name a car museum in Belgium, it’s a pretty sure thing that most people would cite the AutoWorld, which is to be found in the Parque du Cinquantenaire in Brussels, which houses a world-class collection of over 300 cars, ranging from early attempts at a motor vehicle right up to the present day, augmented by a program of special displays which ensures there is always something fresh on display. But it’s not the only significant museum in Belgium and nor is it the longest established. That honour goes to the MahyMobiles collection, under review here, with a museum named after its eponymous founder dating back to 1970.

The Mahy family, from Ghent in Belgium, specialized in the manufacture of steam boilers. Ghislain Mahy, born in 1907, developed a mechanical aptitude in childhood. At the age of seventeen he built his first car, using a Dixi engine and second-hand parts. “The worst car ever built” he always said. Four years later and after very careful tuning, he managed to sell it for a good price (6500 FB in his time) which financed his entry into the motor trade. In 1938, he opened the first car rental agency in Belgium and subsequently became an agent for several big name manufacturers: Nash, Simca and Fiat. In 1944, Ghislain bought, at the same time as an FN motorcycle (the oldest 4-cylinder motorcycle in the world), and also a Ford T, for the modest sum of 150 FB. This model was close to his heart because it presented to him a precious childhood memory: his father had driven an identical car. He knew the mechanics well, with the exception of the gearbox, which he dismantled and reassembled in order to understand how it worked. Then the acquisitions followed one another: a 1915 Benz Karpatensieger, a 1921 Fiat limousine, a 1915 Wanderer, a superb 1906 Belgian Fondu, a 1920 Rolls Royce that a mechanic intended to transform into a tow truck,… And the collection grew.

Let’s go back to before the war: business is going well for Ghislain, he wants to expand. His dream is to rent the castle of the Counts in Ghent. This splendid 12th century building was not yet classified as a historic building and had been used as a textile factory. Ghislain’s wife, more realistic, suggests that he take an interest in another empty shell, the former Winter Circus, a gigantic circular building of 5000 m2 located in the centre of Ghent. An agreement was concluded between Mr. Mahy and the owner, the essential transformations were carried out and, in 1939, the work was completed. But Ghislain is out of luck: the inauguration day is the day of general mobilization. The war arrives, a long period during which trade will slow down. After the war, the owner of the Cirque wanted to sell his property and Ghislain acquired it in 1948. The period was financially difficult for the Mahy family. Ghislain decided to make the Cirque a more ambitious garage than the one he had built before the war and the doors of the new garage opened in October 1954. It is one of the most modern and largest in Flanders. The rooms are huge but there are still many that cannot be used for professional activity: dead ends, rooms cluttered with columns, high floors and deep cellars are used to store vintage vehicles. This gigantic circular building is a surreal place: an architectural masterpiece. Above the “runway” are suspended a Zeppelin gondola and an airplane decorated with neon tubes serving as a chandelier. All around, on each of the 4 floors, dozens of legendary ancestors seem to be spectators of a ghost act. Others sleep peacefully in the 2 levels of cellars and have not seen the light of day for over thirty years! These vehicles were stored in the old Winter Circus. This gigantic circular building was a surrealistic place, an architectural masterpiece of 6000 square meters, situated in the centre of Ghent. The ground floor was used for his car dealership, so the five floors and the two underground levels were used for the storage. On every level, dozens of legendary ancestors seem to be spectators of a phantom show. Others were sleeping quietly in the two underground levels not seeing daylight for more than thirty years. In October 1953, when Ghislain converted the ancient Winter circus into an auto dealership, he already was the owner of 35 ancient cars. A new opportunity presented itself. At the time of the Korean war, the price of scrap metal rose five-fold and many old cars were fell victim to scrap dealers.  The concept of “collector’s car” had yet to develop and therefore Ghislain Mahy could buy these ancient vehicles for their scrap value. Everybody considered Ghislain  a fool, because he was ‘collecting useless scrap’. But, in the 60’s, interest in historic vehicles grew rapidly , and, as a result Ghislain began searching for a building to house the first Belgium automobile museum; a site he could share his passion with others. For years, Ghislain continued to collect vehicles. Several hundred were added to those who already were stored in the various rooms of the old circus. From the beginning, Ghislain began to restore. For the first cars, this consisted of dismantling and reassembling the parts and applying paint with a brush. Replacing parts back then was not as easy as it is now. There were certainly many pieces, but no structure brought them together. Today, we consult classified ads in specialized magazines, we contact owners’ clubs or we search on the internet. At the end of the 1940s, you had to rely on chance or create a network of contacts. Very quickly, he replaces the brush with a paint gun, but Ghislain does not know the proper technique. He calls on a coachbuilder friend. But he is also faced with problems with woodwork, upholstery and others… Each time he finds qualified friends to help him. From the end of the 1950s until around 1970, Ghislain and his eldest son Ivan worked in a small workshop helped by a few passionate volunteers such as, for example, this exceptional craftsman, a former upholsterer, who had learned the trade at Minerva at the age thirteen years old. Over time, Ghislain, Ivan and their friends have restored 250 cars themselves in around forty years. In 1964, Ghislain Mahy bought an old bowling alley of 2000 m2 in Ghent. He transformed it, placed restored vehicles, prepared the room for the opening, when the city of Ghent banned the operation of the museum, arguing that the building was in a green zone and that a museum was a commercial activity. The press was interested in the collection and an article was read by the mayor of Houthalen. He contacts Ghislain Mahy. His idea was to set up a room on the main square to turn it into a museum, but this time it was the governor of Limburg who opposed the project. For him, a specific building must be built to house the collection. Thus, in July 1970, the Provincial Automobile Museum opened in Houthalen, in Limburg. In effect the first Belgian national motor museum and it is one of the first automobile museums in Europe. But the beginning of the 1970s coincided with the first oil crisis. And in 1975, the museum began to feel the effects. In addition, staff costs are becoming more and more expensive and, for reasons of subsidies, schools no longer come to the museum. In 1983, the province decided to close its doors. However, the Mahy family was authorized to take over the operation of the museum on their own.

In 1983, Ivan Mahy took over the management of the museum. He was helped by volunteers and the museum was once again very successful. Three years later, turnover has increased significantly. The museum advertises a lot, the public comes in droves. The proximity of Bokrijk Park is a boon as it attracts a lot of visitors. In 1985, the Province considered the time had come to increase the rent: it was multiplied by five and now corresponded to the advertising and promotional budget of the museum. AGM could not financially support the increase of the rent and the negotiations were going nowhere, so the vehicles presented in Houthalen were going to have to be transferred to another exhibition location. A magnificent 8,000 m2 hall was available, located in the prestigious setting of the Cinquantenaire Museums in Brussels. Its metal structure with a span of 48 m without pillars was perfect. “The deal” was negotiated in particular with the ministers Herman De Croo (communications) and Louis Olivier (Public Works, owners of the building). The inauguration took place in 1986 after the restoration of the building, located opposite the Army and Aeronautics museums (one of the largest in the world) and near the Museum of Arts and History. In addition to its architectural quality, the place has a symbolic value since between 1902 and 1934, almost every year, the automobile show was organized there. More than 200 mechanical gems have been welcoming you there for than 30 years and constitute what is considered one of the most fabulous automobile museums in the world. But Autoworld actually only houses a quarter of the vehicles collected by Ghislain Mahy. The other vehicles, around 800, slept peacefully at the former Winter Circus in Ghent until 1997. Already before moving to Brussels in 1986, the non-profit organization “Autocollection Ghislain Mahy” was looking for a larger place than the Circus to house old vehicles. Many contacts were made with the public authorities. The State sold several barracks and factories which had become vacated following bankruptcies or moves. AGM was looking for a group of large buildings with surrounding land. Ivan Mahy contacted many cities, including Antwerp, Blankenberg, Brussels, Ghent, Ostend, which were ready to provide a suitable building for the collection. Many sites were too expensive, too small or unsuitable. In 1996, during a visit to Frasnes-lez-Anvaing, a curator informed Ivan Mahy about a factory for sale in Leuze-en-Hainaut. AGM visited the former “Ernaelsteen” textile factory and found it perfectly suitable and met the first alderman of Leuze. The latter, Mr. Jean-Pol Renard, was immediately very enthusiastic. Three days later AGM was informed that the town of Leuze had agreed to purchase the old factory with a view to install the future municipal automobile museum there. From then on, Ivan Mahy and a few friends tackled a mammoth move. For three years, they worked hard to transfer 800 vehicles, stored in the circular galleries and basements of the former winter circus of Ghent, to Leuze. In addition to the vehicles, tons of spare parts, old equipment and tools would also be transferred to the site, which despite its 20,000 m2, was already too small. The private library, one of the largest in Europe, is overflowing with tons of precious automotive documents, which are carefully classified and inventoried there. Over time, the ambitious project came to fruition and the future municipal automobile museum was named “Mahymobiles”.

Mahymobiles was opened to visitors on 29th September 2000. Ghislain Mahy’s collection has two very unusual aspects. The collection is privately owned but, in March 1978, the Mahy family created a charitable foundation, “Autocollection Ghislain Mahy” (AGM), in order to prevent dispersion or compulsory sale following the death of a family member.  The second is the collection’s theme. It is probably unique worldwide in containing at least one example of every important aspect of automobile development. The Mahy collection is one of the largest in the world and includes more than nine hundred and fifty cars, sixty motorcycles, a collection of bicycles, children’s cars, some horse-drawn carriages and sleighs.  There is not space for all of them on site, so presented here are around 300 vehicles and associated displays and artefacts, and everything else is stored off-site.  Here is what I found at the time of my May 2024 visit:

After paying the entry fee, the first cars I found were displayed in a somewhat darkened area.

1946 Volugrafo Bimbo: Belmondo developed the vehicle called Volugrafo Bimbo 46, in November 1945 and produced from spring 1946. Production ended in 1948 after about 60 were made. The vehicle had a tubular frame and a narrow track of only 78 cm. The fully encased front wheels were guided on double wishbones of equal length, and steering from the large steering wheel positioned slightly left of the centre was transmitted by a chain. The open, doorless body contained a bench on which two people could sit next to each other in an emergency. The vehicle was 2.4 meters long and 90 centimeters high. There was a thin fabric top without side panels as weather protection. It was powered by an air-cooled single-cylinder 125cc engine of 5 HP driving the left rear wheel. There was also a sports version equipped with a second drive set on the right rear wheel. At least five vehicles have survived, one of them here and one in the Museo Ford Gratton in Farra d’Isonzo (Italy). .

Next up were a series of unrestored cars, these having been purchased some time ago with every intention of restoring them to their former glory.

There are the first of lots of artefacts and memorabilia displays as well, in this area.

1974 Apal Santa Rosa Concept

1900 Germain Petit Phoenix Omnibus

1913 Barré Camionette

1915 Model T Ford

1900 Vivinus Duc: Vivinus cars were made by Ateliers Vivinus S.A., a company founded in 1899 in Schaerbeek, Brussels. The company was renamed Automobiles Vivinus S.A. in 1908. The owner, Alexis Vivinus (1860-1929), had made bicycles in the 1890s and become an importer of Benz. From 1895 he started to make his own range of cars. These were belt-driven voiturette models with a 785 cc single-cylinder engine and 2-speed transmission by belt drive. Licences to make his designs were sold to firms such as New Orleans of England, Georges Richard of France and De Dietrich in Germany. From 1907 a range of more conventional 4-cylinder cars were made with shaft drive, along with motorcycles and aero engines. The company went into liquidation in 1912. The workshop was taken over by Fabrique d’automobile belge [fr]. Vivinus himself later joined Minerva.

1902 Pont-Moteur Fiacre Type A

The rest of the first of the three large exhibition halls contains a very diverse collection of cars, largely grouped together by country of origin.

AMERICAN CARS

1927 Ford Model T Speedster

1930 Ford Model A Tourer: The Ford Model A was the Ford Motor Company’s second market success after its predecessor, the Model T. First produced on October 20, 1927, but not introduced until December 2, it replaced the venerable Model T, which had been produced for 18 years. This new Model A (a previous model had used the name in 1903–04) was designated a 1928 model and was available in four standard colours. By February 4, 1929, one million Model As had been sold, and by July 24, two million. The range of body styles ran from the Tudor at US$500 (in grey, green, or black) to the Town Car with a dual cowl at US$1200. In March 1930, Model A sales hit three million, and there were nine body styles available. Prices for the Model A ranged from US$385 for a roadster to US$1400 for the top-of-the-line Town Car. The engine was a water-cooled L-head inline four with a displacement of 3.3 litre. This engine provided 40 bhp. Top speed was around 65 mph (105 km/h). The Model A had a 103.5 in (2,630 mm) wheelbase with a final drive ratio of 3.77:1. The transmission was a conventional unsynchronized three-speed sliding gear manual with a single speed reverse. The Model A had four-wheel mechanical drum brakes. The 1930 and 1931 models were available with stainless steel radiator cowling and headlamp housings. The Model A came in a wide variety of styles including a Coupe (Standard and Deluxe), Business Coupe, Sport Coupe, Roadster Coupe (Standard and Deluxe), Convertible Cabriolet, Convertible Sedan, Phaeton (Standard and Deluxe), Tudor Sedan (Standard and Deluxe), Town Car, Fordor (five-window standard, three-window deluxe), Victoria, Town Sedan, Station Wagon, Taxicab, Truck, and Commercial. The very rare Special Coupe started production around March 1928 and ended mid-1929. The Model A was the first Ford to use the standard set of driver controls with conventional clutch and brake pedals, throttle, and gearshift. Previous Fords used controls that had become uncommon to drivers of other makes. The Model A’s fuel tank was situated in the cowl, between the engine compartment’s fire wall and the dash panel. It had a visual fuel gauge, and the fuel flowed to the carburettor by gravity. A rear-view mirror was optional. In cooler climates, owners could purchase an aftermarket cast iron unit to place over the exhaust manifold to provide heat to the cab. A small door provided adjustment of the amount of hot air entering the cab. The Model A was the first car to have safety glass in the windshield.  Model A production ended in March 1932, after 4,858,644 had been made in all body styles. Its successor was the Model B, which featured an updated inline four-cylinder engine, as well as the Model 18, which introduced Ford’s new flathead (sidevalve) V8 engine.

1932 Lincoln KA Roadster Murray: The Lincoln K series (also called the Lincoln Model K, in line with Ford nomenclature) is a luxury vehicle that was produced by the Lincoln Motor Company between 1931 and 1940. The second motor line produced by the company, the Model K was developed from the Model L, including a modernized chassis on a longer wheelbase. In 1931, Lincoln also introduced a V-12, becoming a feature of the company for nearly 20 years. One of the most exclusive vehicles produced in the United States during the 1930s, the Model K competed domestically against the Cadillac V-12 and V-16, Packard Twin Six, Chrysler Imperial, Pierce-Arrow Model 53 and the Duesenberg Model J, as well as bespoke bodied ultra-luxury models from Hispano-Suiza, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Bugatti, and Mercedes-Benz. Alongside multiple body configurations produced by Lincoln, bare chassis were provided for coachbuilders. After the 1939 model year, Lincoln ended production of the Model K, selling leftover vehicles as 1940 models. For 1941 and 1942, the Lincoln Custom was sold as an indirect successor to the Model K, offered as an 8-passenger limousine or touring sedan produced as a long-wheelbase version of the Lincoln-Zephyr. Since World War II, various Lincoln sedans (the Continental or its Town Car successor) have been produced as long-wheelbase sedans or factory limousines, but no direct model line has been developed as a successor to the Model K. The original Model K appeared in the 1931 model year on a new chassis with a 145 in (3683 mm) wheelbase. Factory bodies included two- and four-door phaetons, the latter available as a dual-cowl model. The 384.8 in³ (6.3 L) engine was a derivative of the earlier L-series 60° V8, but a dual venturi downdraft Stromberg carburetor, higher compression, and altered timing raised the power to 120 hp. It competed with the recently introduced Chrysler Imperial, Renault Reinastella, Rolls-Royce Phantom II, Mercedes-Benz 770, Duesenberg Model J, Packard Eight, and the Cadillac Series 355. Lincoln offered their clients a long list of coachbuilders with very desirous reputations that were contracted to provide coachwork. Providers who were retained from the previous Model L were Wolfington, Judkins, Willoughby, Brunn, LeBaron, Dietrich, Locke, Derham, Rollston, Waterhouse, and Murphy. The Lincoln K series was split in 1932 into two lines, the V8 carryover Model KA and the new V12-powered Model KB. The V8 car reverted to a 136 in (3454 mm) wheelbase, though engine output was pushed to 125 hp. The KB, on the other hand, featured the marque’s new L-head V12 engine. The 447.9 cuin (7.3 L) 65° L-head unit produced 150 hp. Both series featured a new grille with less of a surround, vent doors rather than vertical louvers on the sides of the hood, a parking light on top of each front fender, and 18 inch wire wheels. The Lincoln V-12 competed directly with cross town rival Cadillac V-12 introduced earlier in 1930, and it joined a select group of 1930s cars with multicylinder engines, namely those manufactured by Franklin, Hispano-Suiza, Horch, Lagonda, Maybach, Packard, Rolls-Royce, Tatra, Voisin, Walter, and Marmon. The Victoria Coupe was offered as both a steel roof and a convertible, and the coupe was the inspiration for the smaller 1932 Ford Victoria coupe, also offered with a V8 engine but a more affordable price. The Lincoln Victoria coupe, first introduced in limited numbers in 1929,[6] also competed with the Packard Light Eight Victoria coupe also in 1932. The V8 engine was replaced in the Model KA with a new 381.7 in³ (6.3 L) V12 for 1933. This L-head engine shared little with the big KB engine which continued unchanged. The 1933 K-series Lincolns featured many changes, only a few of which were readily visible. The removal of the bar linking the headlights and return of hood louvers was most noticeable, but the revised chassis, thermostatic shock absorbers, and transmission made the greatest difference. Drivers would notice the adjustable-pressure brakes. Both V12 engines were replaced for 1934 by a single 414 cu in (6.8 L) version of the new Model KA V12, with the KA and KB names now denoting the wheelbase only. Styling changes included a body-colored grille surround and the replacement once again of louvers with doors on the side of the hood. The Lincoln line was greatly trimmed for 1935, with all cars simply called Model K. The marque attempted to improve profitability by focusing on the lofty over-US$4,000 segment, limiting sales in the depression-wracked United States. By 1936, the Model K’s days were numbered as the less-expensive and more-modern Lincoln-Zephyr debuted for 1936. Nonetheless, the 7-passenger Model K limousine was the marque’s best-selling model despite its US$4700 price tag. The grille and front fascia were again redesigned, and a revised raked windshield and pressed steel wheels were now used. The Model K continued in production for five more years, but sales declined rapidly with the modern Zephyr and new flagship Continental being more appealing to buyers. Production was evidently completed during the 1939 model year. The last Lincoln K series was delivered in January 1940.

1907 Cadillac Model K: Cadillac’s single-cylinder lineup was consolidated into two models for 1906, the short wheelbase Model K and long wheelbase Model M. Priced at $750 for the Model K or $950 for the Model M, 3,650 units were sold that year. The K and M were essentially similar to the Models E and F from 1905 but with updated bodies. Production and sale of the Models K and M continued in 1907 in both the Tulip and straight lined body styles. The Model M was offered with a delivery body in 1906 and again for the 1907 model year. Three 1907 Model Ks were used in the famous Dewar Trophy test of the Royal Automobile Club in England. They were disassembled, the parts mixed, and then reassembled without problems. This test cemented the Cadillac’s reputation for precision and quality and brought fame to the marque. The Model M continued only as a commercial delivery vehicle for 1908, priced at $950.

1918 Cadillac Model 18 Limousine

1959 Chevrolet Corvette: The first generation of Corvette was introduced late in the 1953 model year. Originally designed as a show car for the 1953 Motorama display at the New York Auto Show, it generated enough interest to induce GM to make a production version to sell to the public. First production was on June 30, 1953. This generation was often referred to as the “solid-axle” models (the independent rear suspension was not introduced until the second generation).Three hundred hand-built polo white Corvette convertibles were produced for the 1953 model year. The 1954 model year vehicles could be ordered in Pennant Blue, Sportsman Red, Black, or Polo White. 3,640 were built, and sold slowly. The 1955 model offered a 265 cu in (4.34 litre) V8 engine as an option. With a large inventory of unsold 1954 models, GM limited production to 700 for 1955. With the new V8, the 0-60 mph time improved by 1.5 seconds. A new body was introduced for the 1956 model featuring a new “face” and side coves; the taillamp fins were also gone. An optional fuel injection system was made available in the middle of the 1957 model year. It was one of the first mass-produced engines in history to reach 1 bhp per cubic inch (16.4 cc) and Chevrolet’s advertising agency used a “one hp per cubic inch” slogan for advertising the 283 bhp 283 cu in (4.64 litre) Small-Block engine. Other options included power windows (1956), hydraulically operated power convertible top (1956), heavy duty brakes and suspension (1957), and four speed manual transmission (late 1957). Delco Radio transistorised signal-seeking “hybrid” car radio, which used both vacuum tubes and transistors in its radio’s circuitry (1956 option). The 1958 Corvette received a body and interior freshening which included a longer front end with quad headlamps, bumper exiting exhaust tips, a new steering wheel, and a dashboard with all gauges mounted directly in front of the driver. Exclusive to the 1958 model were bonnet louvres and twin trunk spears. The 1959–60 model years had few changes except a decreased amount of body chrome and more powerful engine offerings. In 1961, the rear of the car was completely redesigned with the addition of a “duck tail” with four round lights. The light treatment would continue for all following model year Corvettes until 2014. In 1962, the Chevrolet 283 cu in (4.64 litre) Small-Block was enlarged to 327 cu in (5.36 litre). In standard form it produced 250 bhp. For an extra 12% over list price, the fuel-injected version produced 360 bhp, making it the fastest of the C1 generation. 1962 was also the last year for the wrap around windshield, solid rear axle, and convertible-only body style. The boot lid and exposed headlamps did not reappear for many decades.

1939 Buick 41 Special Sedan

1972 Dodge Dart Swinger: The Dart and its sister model—the Plymouth Valiant—were substantially redesigned for the 1967 model year, and the new models constituted the fourth generation to bear the name. In addition to new styling, the cars received revised steering systems, wider front track and frame rail spacing, and redesigned K-members capable of accepting larger engines. The Dart kept this basic form, with facelifts consisting of revised front and rear-end styling and interior trim, until the end of A-body production in 1976 for North America and 1981 for South America. The restyled Dart for 1967 featured a rear window with compound inverse curves. This created a unique appearance at the rear of the greenhouse, but tended to collect snow and created thick C-pillars that looked formal but created blind spots for drivers. Curved side glass was used for the first time on a Chrysler compact. The front featured a new dual-plane front end contour: the center section of the grille, bumper, and leading edge of the hood were recessed from the front plane of the car. The single headlamps were placed forward of the recessed center section, defining the front plane. Park/turn lamps were set into the grille, in the corners formed by the transition area between the recessed and forward sections. Annual revisions would ensure so although the basic design of the car was the same, visually, it looked refreshed every year, and there were mechanical and trim alterations as well. Changes for 1972 included a revised grille without the central divider of the 1970 and 1971 items, new surface-mounted sidemarker lights rather than the previous flush-mount units, the instrument cluster was now shared with the Valiant and featured a large, rectangular speedometer and several, small, round gauges; the AM/FM-radio option returned. The Demon had new fender-mounted metal “Demon” badges without the small devil character on the 1971 decals. The “Demon” decal on the rear of the car was replaced by Dodge and Dart emblems on the lower right edge of the deck lid. Some Demons with the side and rear panel tape stripes retained the tape devil character. A new, optional, single, hood scoop replaced 1971’s dual scoops, and was coupled with a hood-paint blackout that had been standard on the 1971 high-trim/high-value Demon Sizzler model. Cars equipped with the optional rally wheels now came with newly restyled centre caps, finished in a light-argent (silver) paint. Demon production was substantially less than Duster’s; this is reflected in higher collector car values for the Demon, especially V8 models. Dodge continued to make fairly extensive changes to the car every year right up unto 1976 at which point the car was replaced by the Dodge Aspen.

1946 Packard Clipper 8

1930 Plymouth Model U Roadster

1956 Ford Thunderbird: The Ford Thunderbird began life in February 1953 in direct response to Chevrolet’s new sports car, the Corvette, which was publicly unveiled in prototype form just a month before. Under rapid development, the Thunderbird went from idea to prototype in about a year, being unveiled to the public at the Detroit Auto Show on February 20, 1954. It was a two-seat design available with a detachable glass-fibre hard top and a folding fabric top. Production of the Thunderbird began later on in 1954 on September 9 with the car beginning sales as a 1955 model on October 22, 1954. Though sharing some design characteristics with other Fords of the time, such as single, circular headlamps and tail lamps and modest tailfins, the Thunderbird was sleeker and more athletic in shape, and had features like a bonnet scoop and a 150 mph (240 km/h) speedometer hinting a higher performance nature that other Fords didn’t possess. Mechanically though, the Thunderbird could trace its roots to other mainstream Fords. The Thunderbird’s 102.0 inches wheelbase frame was mostly a shortened version of that used in other Fords while the car’s standard 4.8 litre Y-block V8 came from Ford’s Mercury division. Though inspired by, and positioned directly against, the Corvette, Ford billed the Thunderbird as a personal car, putting a greater emphasis on the car’s comfort and convenience features rather than its inherent sportiness. The Thunderbird sold exceptionally well in its first year. In fact, the Thunderbird outsold the Corvette by more than 23-to-one for 1955 with 16,155 Thunderbirds sold against 700 Corvettes.  With the Thunderbird considered a success, few changes were made to the car for 1956. The most notable change was moving the spare tyre to a continental-style rear bumper in order to make more storage room in the boot and a new 12 volt electrical system. The addition of the weight at the rear caused steering issues. Among the few other changes were new paint colours, the addition of circular porthole windows as standard in the fibreglass roof to improve rearward visibility, and a 5.1 litre V8 making 215 hp when mated to a 3-speed manual transmission or 225 hp when mated to a Ford-O-Matic 2-speed automatic transmission; this transmission featured a “low gear”, which was accessible only via the gear selector. When in “Drive”, it was a 2-speed automatic transmission (similar to Chevrolet’s Powerglide). The Thunderbird was revised for 1957 with a reshaped front bumper, a larger grille and tailfins, and larger tail lamps. The instrument panel was heavily re-styled with round gauges in a single pod, and the rear of the car was lengthened, allowing the spare to be positioned back in the boot. The 5.1 litre  V8 became the Thunderbird’s standard engine, and now produced 245 hp. Other, even more powerful versions of the V8 were available including one with two four-barrel Holley carburettors and another with a Paxton supercharger delivering 300 hp.

1964 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray: First seen in 1963, this model introduced us to the name Sting Ray. It  continued with fibreglass body panels, and overall, was smaller than the first generation. The car was designed by Larry Shinoda with major inspiration from a previous concept design called the “Q Corvette,” which was created by Peter Brock and Chuck Pohlmann under the styling direction of Bill Mitchell. Earlier, Mitchell had sponsored a car known as the “Mitchell Sting Ray” in 1959 because Chevrolet no longer participated in factory racing. This vehicle had the largest impact on the styling of this generation, although it had no top and did not give away what the final version of the C2 would look like. The third inspiration was a Mako Shark Mitchell had caught while deep-sea fishing. Production started for the 1963 model year and ended in 1967. The 1963 model was the first year for a Corvette coupé and it featured a distinctive tapering rear deck (a feature that later reappeared on the 1971 “Boattail” Buick Riviera) with, for 1963 only, a split rear window. The Sting Ray featured hidden headlamps, non-functional bonnet vents, and an independent rear suspension. Corvette chief engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov never liked the split rear window because it blocked rear vision, but Mitchell thought it to be a key part of the entire design. Maximum power for 1963 was 360 bhp, raised to 375 bhp in 1964. Options included electronic ignition, the breakerless magnetic pulse-triggered Delcotronic first offered on some 1963 Pontiac models. On 1964 models the decorative bonnet vents were eliminated and Duntov, the Corvette’s chief engineer, got his way with the split rear window changed to a full width window. Four-wheel disc brakes were introduced in 1965, as was a “big block” engine option: the 396 cu in (6.49 litre) V8. Side exhaust pipes were also optionally available in 1965, and continued to be offered through 1967. The introduction of the 425 bhp 396 cu in  big block in 1965 spelled the beginning of the end for the Rochester fuel injection system. The 396 cu in option cost $292.70 while the fuel injected 327 cu in (5.36 litre) engine cost $538.00. Few people could justify spending $245.00 more for 50 bhp less, even though FI could deliver over 20 mpg on the highway and would keep delivering fuel despite high G-loading in corners taken at racing speeds. Another rare ’63 and ’64 option was the Z06 competition package, which offered stiffer suspension, bigger, multi-segment lined brakes with finned drums and more, only a couple hundred coupes and ONE convertible were factory-equipped this way in 1963. With only 771 fuel-injected cars built in 1965, Chevrolet discontinued the option at the end of the ’65 production, having introduced a less-expensive big block 396 engine rated at 425 hp in the middle of the production year and selling over 2,000 in just a few months. For 1966, Chevrolet introduced an even larger 427 cu in  7 litre Big Block version. Other options available on the C2 included the Wonderbar auto-tuning AM radio, AM-FM radio (mid-1963), air conditioning (late-1963), a telescopic steering wheel (1965), and headrests (1966). The Sting Ray’s independent rear suspension was successfully adapted for the new-for-1965 Chevrolet Corvair, which solved the quirky handling problems of that unique rear-engine compact. 1967 was the final year for the C2 generation. The 1967 model featured restyled bumper vents, less ornamentation, and back-up lamps which were on the inboard in 1966 were now rectangular and centrally located. The first use of all four taillights in red started in 1961 and was continued thru the C-2 line-up except for the 1966. The 1967 and subsequent models continuing on all Corvettes since. 1967 had the first L88 engine option which was rated at 430 bhp, but unofficial estimates place the actual output at 560 bhp or more. Only twenty such engines were installed at the factory. From 1967 (to 1969), the Holley triple two-barrel carburettor, or Tri-Power, was available on the 427 L89 (a $368 option, on top of the cost for the high-performance 427). Despite these changes, sales slipped over 15%, to 22,940 – 8,504 coupes and 14,436 convertibles.

1910 Stanley Steamer Delivery Wagon

FRENCH CARS

1901 de Dion Bouton 4 ½ G

1901 de Dion Bouton Rothschild

1899 de Dion Bouton 1 ¾ Tricycle

1914 de Dion Bouton EJ14 Phaeton

1904 Cottereau

1901 Prunel

1920 Bellanger 17CV Type A

1921 Gregoire Type 134

1908 Peugeot-Lion Double Phaeton

1911 Delaunay-Belleville

1911 Rochet-Schneider 12HP

1920 Renault 18CV Torpedo

1932 Renault Nervasport:

The Renault Nervasport was a straight-eight engined sporting luxury automobile introduced by Renault in March 1932 and produced until 1935. It was based on the larger and heavier Nervastella. A more streamlined version called the Nerva Grand Sport appeared in 1935 and replaced the Nervasport, remaining in production until the summer of 1937. As with many Renaults during the 1930s, type changes as well as small often cosmetic facelifts and upgrades appeared frequently. The word “sport” in the car’s name reflected the application of Renault’s “superpuissance” (superpowered) formula whereby the engine from a larger model – in this case the Renault Nervastella – was combined with a shorter chassis and lighter body. The Vivasport was a similar development in a smaller scale. The Nervasport also had less standard equipment and a correspondingly lower price. The initial “TG 5” version of the Nervasport appeared in March 1932. It was powered by the same 4241 cc flathead inline-eight with 100 PS. Weighing in at 160 kg (350 lb) less, it was appreciably faster than the Nervastella. It has a 3,130 mm (123 in) wheelbase and was classified as a 24CV in the French taxation system. This first model can be recognized by having a straight one-piece front bumper, five equally sized vent flaps on the bonnet sides, and a fairly upright grille. The car was considered solid, fast, and safe, albeit lacking in brakes in spite of them being of a servoed (mechanical) design. The TG 5 model code showed its close relation to the TG/1/2/3/4 models of the Nervastella. Unlike the Nervastella, the first Nervasport received a three- rather than a four-speed gearbox. As for the Nervastella, only the top two gears had synchro. In total, 540 TG 5s were built, with the last 40 examples equipped with Suspendu Amorti (“damped suspension”) rubber engine mounts – a response to Citroën’s Moteur Flottant (“floating engine”) of 1932. The TG 5 briefly remained available alongside the new ZC 2 – as a result, 48 late and still unsold TG 4 and TG 5 Nervastellas and Nervasports were rebodied with aerodynamic bodywork much like that of the succeeding ZC 2 (and ZD 2) models, thus forming a sort of intermediate variant. First shown at the 27th Paris Motor Show in October 1933 (although recognized by the French authorities as a distinct model one month earlier), the ZC 2 version received streamlined bodywork reminiscent of a period Chrysler product. The related Nervastella was called the “ZD 2”. The body now featured a reclining grille and windshield, more rounded bodies with deeply skirted fenders and an integrated boot. The vent flaps are now larger towards the rear of the car and the front bumper now has a pronounced curving dip in the centre, all of which adds to the streamlined motif. The side-valve engine, while still retaining the 105 mm (4.1 in) stroke and basic structure used for Renault engines since 1905, received an increased bore (now 80 mm or 3.1 in) for a displacement of 4,827 cc. The tax horsepower increased to 28CV.[2] Power remained as before, with this becoming somewhat of a handicap in a market where outputs per litre had begun to climb. Low-end torque increased, however. The wheelbase increased to 3,184 mm (125 in). Eight naked chassis were delivered to various coachbuilders. For the next Paris Show, in October 1934, the design was yet again rounded off a bit (ZC 4). The wheelbase increased by about 7 cm (2.8 in) and the bonnet now sports four long chrome-capped vents, accenting its length. The front bumper is now of a two-piece design with a gap for the registration plate in the middle. The engine (as with all of Renault’s sixes and eights this year) received an automatic choke and an optional engine starter which engaged when the throttle was depressed. The ZC 4 was short-lived, with the upgraded ACN 1 appearing towards the end of March 1935. The bore was increased to 85 mm and displacement and power were also increased, to 110 PS at 2800 rpm and 5447 cc. The new engine code was “type 450”. Production was small, for instance only eight ACN 1s (including two roadsters) were built. The roadster looked similar to the convertible but is a strict two-seater and has a folding windscreen. Production of the ACN 1 ended very soon though, in September 1935, in favour of the hyper profilée (“ultra-streamlined”) Nerva Grand Sport. A super-streamlined version called the Nerva Grand Sport (ABM 3) appeared in March 1935 and was offered alongside the Nervasport for a little while. Earlier, there had also been a Nervastella Grand Sport (ZD 4) available. Both models feature integrated headlights and very curvy bodywork. After the Nervasport was discontinued, only the Nerva Grand Sport remained, in ABM 5 and later ABM 7 forms. Production ended in July 1937, although the car seems to have remained in pricelists until 1938.

1954 Renault 4CV: There seem to be several different accounts surrounding the conception of the car, one being that it was originally conceived and designed covertly by Renault engineers during the World War II German occupation of France, when the manufacturer was under strict orders to design and produce only commercial and military vehicles, in defiance of the direction of the boss, Louis Renault, whereas another version says that in 1940, he had directed his engineering team to “make him a car like the Germans’. Regardless, the truth is that work did go on during the war, with the occupying Germans who were keeping a watch on the company turning a blind eye to what came to be known as Project 106E. Certainly those working on the project were looking closely at the Volkswagen and their new car had a similar overall architecture to that, while recalling the modern designs of the fashionable front-engined passenger cars produced in Detroit during the earlier 1940s. The first prototype had only two doors and was completed in 1942, and two more prototypes were produced in the following three years. An important part of the 4CV’s success was due to the new methodologies used in its manufacture, pioneered by Pierre Bézier, who had begun his 42-year tenure at Renault as a tool setter, moving up to tool designer and then becoming head of the Tool Design Office. As Director of Production Engineering in 1949, he designed the transfer lines (or transfer machines) producing most of the mechanical parts for the 4CV. The transfer machines were high-performance work tools designed to machine engine blocks. While imprisoned during World War II, Bézier developed and improved on the automatic machine principle, introduced before the war by GM. The new transfer station with multiple workstations and electromagnetic heads (antecedents to robots), enabled different operations on a single part to be consecutively performed by transferring the part from one station to another. The 4CV was ultimately presented to the public and media at the 1946 Paris Motor Show and went on sale a year later. Volume production was said to have commenced at the company’s Billancourt plant a few weeks before the Paris Motor Show of October 1947, although the cars were in very short supply for the next year or so. Renault’s advertising highlighted the hundreds of machine-tools installed and processes adopted for the assembly of the first high volume car to be produced since the war, boasting that the little car was now no longer a prototype but a reality. On the 4CV’s launch, it was nicknamed “La motte de beurre” (the lump of butter); this was due to the combination of its shape and the fact that early deliveries all used surplus paint from the German Army vehicles of Rommel’s Afrika Korps, which were a sand-yellow colour. Later it was known affectionately as the “quatre pattes”, “four paws”.The 4CV was initially powered by a 760 cc rear-mounted four-cylinder engine coupled to a three-speed manual transmission. In 1950, the 760 cc unit was replaced by a 747 cc version of the “Ventoux” engine producing 17 hp. Despite an initial period of uncertainty and poor sales due to the ravaged state of the French economy, the 4CV had sold 37,000 units by mid-1949 and was the most popular car in France. Across the Rhine 1,760 4CVs were sold in West Germany in 1950, accounting for 23% of that country’s imported cars, and ranking second only to the Fiat 500 on the list. The car remained in production for more than another decade. Claimed power output increased subsequently to 21 hp as increased fuel octanes allowed for higher compression ratios, which along with the relatively low weight of the car (620 kg) enabled the manufacturers to report a 0–90 km/h (0–56 mph) time of 38 seconds and a top speed barely under 100 km/h (62 mph) The engine was notable also for its elasticity, the second and top gear both being usable for speeds between 5 and 100 km/h (3 and 62 mph); the absence of synchromesh on first gear would presumably have discouraged use of the bottom gear except when starting from rest. The rear mounting of the engine meant that the steering could be highly geared while remaining relatively light; in the early cars, only 2¼ turns were needed from lock to lock. The unusually direct steering no doubt delighted some keen drivers, but road tests of the time nonetheless included warnings to take great care with the car’s handling on wet roads. In due course, the manufacturers switched from one extreme to the other, and on later cars 4½ turns were needed to turn the steering wheel from lock to lock. Early in 1953, Renault launched a stripped-down version of the 4CV bereft of anything which might be considered a luxury. Tyre width was reduced, and the dummy grille was removed from the front of the car along with the chrome headlamp surrounds. The seats were simplified and the number of bars incorporated in the steering wheel reduced from three to two. The only colour offered was grey. The car achieved its objective of retailing for less than 400,000 Francs. With the Dauphine already at an advanced stage of development it may have made sense to try and expand the 4CV’s own market coverage downwards in order to open up a clearer gap between the two models which would be produced in parallel for several years, but reaction to the down-market 4 CV, branded as the “Renault 4CV Service”, must have disappointed Renault as this version disappeared from the Renault showrooms after less than a year. The poor sales performance may have been linked to the growing popularity of the Citroën 2CV: although at this stage powered by an engine of just 375 cc and offering sclerotic performance, the 2CV was bigger than the Renault and in 1952 came with a starting price of just 341,870 francs The 4CV’s direct replacement was the Dauphine, launched in 1956, but the 4CV in fact remained in production until 1961. The 4CV was replaced by the Renault 4 which used the same engine as the 4CV and sold for a similar price.

1907 Delahaye Type 27C

1936 Peugeot 301D: The Peugeot 301 is a four-cylinder large family car produced by Peugeot between 1932 and 1936. The original 301 can be seen either as a belated replacement for the Type 177, which had not been on sale since 1928, or as a return by Peugeot to that market segment after having left it for four years. The 301C saloon produced in 1932 and 1933 featured a six-light (three windows on each side with a rear quarter window) four-door boxy body, with space at the back for a separate boot. Slightly longer-bodied versions without the separate luggage box were also available. The 301 CR introduced to the Sochaux lines after the summer break of 1933 was less angular, and the word “aérodynamique” featured prominently in Peugeot’s publicity for the restyled car. Another, bolder change to the look of the saloon came with the introduction of the 301D in 1934. The 301D was no longer a six-light saloon, and it featured a longer sloping tail which suggested the streamlining of the Peugeot 402 and 302 which would appear during the following two years. A variety of four-door 301s constructed on the same 2,720 mm (107.1 in) chassis were produced, although a longer 2,940 mm (115.7 in) wheelbase was also available for use, among other applications, as a taxicab with a middle set of seats that could be folded away (“strapontins”). There were also various 2-door versions which could be bodied as coupés or cabriolets. A commercial version, the 301T, had a tall van body replacing the usual passenger cabin section directly behind the B pillar. Despite the changes in body design over the lifetime of the Peugeot 301, the configuration of the engine remained the same: a four-cylinder water-cooled unit of 1465 cc. A maximum output of 35 bhp at 4000 rpm was stated for the 301D, with passenger car maximum speeds of between 80 km/h (50 mph) and 100 km/h (62 mph) according to body type. For the much taller 301 van the maximum speed did not exceed 70 km/h (44 mph). An electric starter motor was included, although, as was normal at the time, provision for manual cranking remained. The 301 was based on the underpinnings of the commercially more successful Peugeot 201, originally introduced in 1929. The rear wheels were driven via a three-speed manual transmission. There was no synchromesh. The drum brakes were cable operated. The lights, controlled from a knob in the middle of the steering column, operated on a twelve-volt electrical system. The 301 was fitted with independent front suspension: it was one of the first volume produced cars to be thus equipped from launch, and benefited from exceptionally good road holding as well as greatly reduced vibration from the steering column by the standards of the time. Leaf springs at the rear were in line with contemporary practice. The 301 competed in the 8 CV class in terms of fiscal horsepower, and sold approximately 70,000 units during its four-year model run. It was replaced in 1936 by the Peugeot 302.

1971 Peugeot 304: The Peugeot 304 is a small family car manufactured and marketed from 1969 to 1980. The 304 was introduced to the public at the Paris Motor Show in September 1969. Production of the saloon/sedan on the Sochaux assembly lines was discontinued during the summer of 1979, while the “Break” (estate / station wagon) was manufactured until the spring of 1980. The 304 fit into the 7CV tax category, one step above its little sister the 204 (6CV) and significantly below the 9CV 404. The 304 was a success for Peugeot and was noted for its Pininfarina styled exterior; It was marketed until 1980 and was replaced by the Peugeot 305, which was launched in 1977, still based on the Peugeot 204 with which it shared many components. The chassis lasted for approximately 24 years when derivative models (the 204 and 305) are included. Peugeot conceived the 304, noting a gap in the midsize car market in France, Italy and the rest of Western Europe, and used the smaller 204’s midsection, to minimize development costs and maximize return. The 304’s main competitors on its home market came from Renault and Simca, with Citroën noticeably absent from this sector at the launch. independent suspended front-wheel-drive drivetrain and disc brakes. At introduction, only a single model was available: a four-door sedan (berline) with Super-Luxe equipment. The 304 was also built in a version meeting federal standards for sale in the United States. The 304 did not sell particularly well in North America, though, and the federal version was only produced between June 1970 and July 1972. Introduced in the latter half of 1970 as a 1971 model year car, the station wagon arrived during calendar year 1971 (production beginning in November 1970). 1,407 were sold during calendar year 1970, 2,153 cars during 1971, with a final 709 cars delivered during 1972 (4,269 sold in total). The 304 was launched with an all alloy SOHC four-cylinder 1,288 cc petrol engine (XL3), directly derived from the 1130 cc XK3 engine fitted to the earlier 204. A more powerful S version of the engine, sporting a twin choke/twin barrel carburettor (XL3S), became an option on the coupé and cabriolet in March 1972. The S engines provided a 10 hp output increase to 75 hp and also became available on the 304 saloon in the autumn of 1972. Various detailed modifications were made to the engine in 1975 which boosted torque and included a marginal displacement increase to 1,290 cc (XL5/XL5S). After the 204 had been discontinued, the 304 Break and Fourgonette also became available with a new 1127 cc petrol engine (XK5, modified in a similar manner to the XL5) to fit this opening at the lower end of the market. The new 6CV 304 Break and Fourgonette were introduced at the 1976 Paris Show. In order to meet federal emissions standards in the United States, the engine used there was lightly modified. It had a reduced compression ratio of 7.5 to 1 (rather than the usual 8.8 ratio) and a slightly changed carburettor. Claimed power is 70 hp SAE Gross in 1970, the 1972 models used the SAE net rating which is very similar to DIN and have a claimed maximum output of 58 hp. In the Greek market there was a significant tax threshold at 1,200 cc. In order to stay beneath this, the 304 Berline was sold with the 204’s 1130 cc XK4 engine since October 1971. In September 1975, this changed over to the lightly changed XK5 engine; production of the special Greek model ended in March 1978. A 1,357 cc diesel engine became available for the saloon from July 1976, and for the estate and “fourgonette” van two months later. In July 1979, a larger 1,548 cc diesel engine was offered; this was the engine also installed in early versions of the Peugeot 305. Only available for a little over three years, Peugeot still built more than 120,000 diesel 304s. The car was moderately advanced for its time, having fully independent suspension, and a four-speed gearbox located directly below the engine, sharing the same oil as the engine. Although most interior components were interchangeable with the 204, the 304 had a floor-mounted gear change in place of the column-mounted control in the smaller car. The transverse-engine front-wheel-drive configuration conferred enhanced cabin space, although this was no longer such an unusual feature as it had been for the 204 back in 1965. The 304 also incorporated front disc brakes and headlights that could adjust for left/right hand drive. The 304 was designed to slot between the popular 204 and the recently introduced Peugeot 504. Since the 204 had an exceptionally spacious passenger cabin for its class, the 304 body used the central portion of the 204: engine and running gear components were mostly interchangeable between the two cars. However, the 304 had a restyled front grille and headlights, designed consciously to emulate the 504 which had received a generally positive market reception. More substantial differences occurred at the rear of the saloon, where overhang on the 304 was 13.5 cm (5.5 inches) longer than on the 204: this allowed for a larger boot/trunk. However, estate and two-door versions shared their (shorter) rear ends with corresponding models in the 204 range. Coupé and cabriolet versions replaced their 204 forerunners in March 1970, being the first models to receive the “S” version of the engine two years later in March 1972. The lower powered cabriolet and coupé 304s were withdrawn from the market in July 1972 and August 1973 respectively, leaving only the S models. Originally only offered as a sedan, the Break (station wagon) model appeared in September 1970 and largely completed the lineup. The three-door fourgonette (panel van) version of the 304 appeared only in September 1977, as a belated replacement for the 204 fourgonette which had disappeared from the production lines the previous year. The 304 changed little during a model life exceeding ten years. From the outside, the saloon received a simplified rear light cluster design in September 1972, and the Peugeot badge appearing on the front grille now took on a gold coloured solid form in place of the silver/grey coloured outline badge that the car had worn hitherto. The roof line of the saloon was discreetly squared off to give greater headroom for rear passengers: the window frames on the rear doors were modified correspondingly, adding about and inch and a half to their rearmost upper edge and making them unique to the 304, while the car’s front doors remained interchangeable with those on the 204. Changes under the metal were limited: the replacement of the dynamo with an alternator in mid-1971 (standard on the Break, Coupé, and Cabriolet from the beginning). Somewhat wider tyres became standard fitment on the sedan and Break in February 1974. The hydraulically operated clutch was replaced with a cable operated mechanism in 1977. Launched in 1969, the Peugeot 304 confronted a more competitive market place than the one that had greeted the 204 in 1965. From the start it found itself in a fight for market share with the Renault 12 also introduced at the 1969 motor show: after the launch in 1970 of the Citroën GS, competition intensified further. Nevertheless, the entire segment was boosted by the 1973 oil price shock as motorists traded down from larger cars. The Peugeot was particularly popular with the police and other public services both within France and in the Saarland region of Germany where the German Peugeot importer is based and where locally, for historical reasons, Peugeot traditionally enjoyed a level of market penetration usually reserved, at that time, for domestically branded makes. The 304 saloon remained in production until 1979, by when a saloon version of the Peugeot 305 had been on sale for two years: the break (estate) 304 continued until Summer 1980, by when an estate version of the 305 had been introduced. By 1980, when the last 304 Breaks came off the lines at Mulhouse, 1,178,423 Peugeot 304s had been produced. Of these, approximately 36 percent were exported, mostly within Europe: during the 1970s Peugeot was one of several European manufacturers successfully learning to treat the entire EEC region as a single market.

1921 Delahaye Type 87

1911 Delahaye 20CV Double Berline

1921 Delahaye Type DE Torpedo Mathernet

1927 Talbot 15CV

Citroen DS Cabriolet: It is hard to imagine just how revolutionary this car must have seemed when it was unveiled at the Paris Show in 1955. 18 years in secret development as the successor to the Traction Avant, the DS 19 stole the show, and within 15 minutes of opening, 743 orders were taken. By the end of the first day, that number had risen to 12,000. Contemporary journalists said the DS pushed the envelope in the ride vs. handling compromise possible in a motor vehicle. To a France still deep in reconstruction after the devastation of World War II, and also building its identity in the post-colonial world, the DS was a symbol of French ingenuity. It also posited the nation’s relevance in the Space Age, during the global race for technology of the Cold War. Structuralist philosopher Roland Barthes, in an essay about the car, said that it looked as if it had “fallen from the sky”. An American advertisement summarised this selling point: “It takes a special person to drive a special car”. Because they were owned by the technologically aggressive tyre manufacturer Michelin, Citroën had designed their cars around the technically superior radial tyre since 1948, and the DS was no exception. The car featured a novel hydropneumatic suspension including an automatic levelling system and variable ground clearance, developed in-house by Paul Magès. This suspension allowed the DS to travel quickly on the poor road surfaces common in France. In addition, the vehicle had power steering and a semi-automatic transmission (the transmission required no clutch pedal, but gears still had to be shifted by hand though the shift lever controlled a powered hydraulic shift mechanism in place of a mechanical linkage, and a fibreglass roof which lowered the centre of gravity and so reduced weight transfer. Inboard front brakes (as well as independent suspension) reduced unsprung weight. Different front and rear track widths and tyre sizes reduced the unequal tyre loading, which is well known to promote understeer, typical of front-engined and front-wheel drive cars. As with all French cars, the DS design was affected by the tax horsepower system, which effectively mandated very small engines. Unlike the Traction Avant predecessor, there was no top-of-range model with a powerful six-cylinder engine. Citroën had planned an air-cooled flat-6 engine for the car, but did not have the funds to put the prototype engine into production. The 1955 DS19 was 65% more expensive than the car it replaced, the Citroën Traction Avant. This did impact potential sales in a country still recovering economically from World War II, so a cheaper submodel, the Citroën ID, was introduced in 1957. The ID shared the DS’s body but was less powerful and luxurious. Although it shared the engine capacity of the DS engine (at this stage 1,911 cc), the ID provided a maximum power output of only 69 hp compared to the 75 hp claimed for the DS19. Power outputs were further differentiated in 1961 when the DS19 acquired a Weber-32 twin bodied carburettor, and the increasing availability of higher octane fuel enabled the manufacturer to increase the compression ratio from 7.5:1 to 8.5:1. A new DS19 now came with a promised 83 hp of power. The ID19 was also more traditional mechanically: it had no power steering and had conventional transmission and clutch instead of the DS’s hydraulically controlled set-up. Initially the basic ID19 was sold on the French market with a price saving of more than 25% against the DS, although the differential was reduced at the end of 1961 when the manufacturer quietly withdrew the entry level ID19 “Normale” from sale. An estate version was introduced in 1958. It was known by various names in different markets: Break in France, Safari and Estate in the UK, Wagon in the US, and Citroën Australia used the terms Safari and Station-Wagon. It had a steel roof to support the standard roof rack. ‘Familiales’ had a rear seat mounted further back in the cabin, with three folding seats between the front and rear squabs. The standard Break had two side-facing seats in the main load area at the back. During the 20 year production life, improvements were made on an ongoing basis. In September 1962, the DS was restyled with a more aerodynamically efficient nose, better ventilation and other improvements. It retained the open two headlamp appearance, but was available with an optional set of driving lights mounted on the front bumpers. A more luxurious Pallas trim came in for 1965 Named after the Greek goddess Pallas, this included comfort features such as better noise insulation, a more luxurious (and optional leather) upholstery and external trim embellishments. The cars were complex, and not always totally reliable, One of the issues that emerged during long term use was addressed with a change which came in for 1967. The original hydropneumatic system used a vegetable oil liquide hydraulique végétal (LHV), similar to that used in other cars at the time, but later switched to a synthetic fluid liquide hydraulique synthétique (LHS). Both of these had the disadvantage that they are hygroscopic, as is the case with most brake fluids. Disuse allows water to enter the hydraulic components causing deterioration and expensive maintenance work. The difficulty with hygroscopic hydraulic fluid was exacerbated in the DS/ID due to the extreme rise and fall in the fluid level in the reservoir, which went from nearly full to nearly empty when the suspension extended to maximum height and the six accumulators in the system filled with fluid. With every “inhalation” of fresh moisture- (and dust-) laden air, the fluid absorbed more water. For the 1967 model year, Citroën introduced a new mineral oil-based fluid liquide hydraulique minéral (LHM). This fluid was much less harsh on the system. LHM remained in use within Citroën until the Xantia was discontinued in 2001. LHM required completely different materials for the seals. Using either fluid in the incorrect system would completely destroy the hydraulic seals very quickly. To help avoid this problem, Citroën added a bright green dye to the LHM fluid and also painted all hydraulic elements bright green. The former LHS parts were painted black. All models, including the Safari and ID, were upgraded at the same time. The hydraulic fluid changed to the technically superior LHM (Liquide Hydraulique Minéral) in all markets except the US and Canada, where the change did not take place until January 1969, due to local regulations. Rarest and most collectable of all DS variants, a convertible was offered from 1958 until 1973. The Cabriolet d’Usine (factory convertible) were built by French carrossier Henri Chapron, for the Citroën dealer network. It was an expensive car, so only 1,365 were sold. These DS convertibles used a special frame which was reinforced on the sidemembers and rear suspension swingarm bearing box, similar to, but not identical to the Break/Safari frame.

ITALIAN CARS

Dallara F007-005

1925 Alfa Romeo RL SS Sport Castagna: The Alfa Romeo RL was produced between 1922 and 1927. It was Alfa’s first sport model after World War I, designed in 1921 by Giuseppe Merosi. It had a straight-6 engine with overhead valves, and came in three different versions: Normale, Turismo and Sport. A total of 2,640 RLs were made. The RLTF (Targa Florio) was the race version of the RL. It weighed half as much as the standard production models, despite the engine having seven main bearings instead of four and double carburetors. It was used among the 1923 Alfa race team, which had drivers like Ugo Sivocci, Antonio Ascari, Giulio Masetti and Enzo Ferrari. Sivocci’s car had a green cloverleaf symbol on a white background; when he won the 1923 Targa Florio, that symbol was to become the Alfa team’s good luck token. Five[6][circular reference] different RLSS were entered in the first Mille Miglia in 1927, but only two completed the race.

1932 Fiat 508 Balila: The 508 Balilla was a compact car launched in 1932. It was effectively the replacement of the Fiat 509, although production of the earlier model had ceased back in 1929. It had a three-speed transmission (increased to four in 1934), seated four, and had a top speed of about 50 mph (80 km/h). It sold for 10,800 lire (or 8,300 2005 euro). About 113,000 were produced. It was offered with a number of different body styles. The first 508 came with a front-mounted four cylinder petrol/gasline side-valve engine of 995cc. Maximum power was listed as 20 hp at 3500 rpm, providing for a top speed of approximately 80 km/h (50 mph). Power passed to the rear wheels through a 3-speed manual gear box without the assistance of synchromesh on any of the ratios. Stopping power was provided by drum brakes on all four wheels. At the end of 1933 power was increased to 24 hp at 3500 rpm, and the maximum speed went up to 85 km/h (53 mph). Transmission was upgraded to a four speed gear box. For 1934 the car now came with a slightly more aerodynamic looking “berlina” (saloon/sedan) body, available with either two or four doors. This version was identified as the Fiat 508B, and the original 1932 model was now, retrospectively, became the Fiat 508A. The first 508A, introduced in 1932, was a 2-door “Berlina” (saloon/sedan) with four seats and a three speed “crash” gearbox. The front seats could be slid forwards and the backrests tilted in order to facilitate access to the back seat in what was a relatively small car. Unusually, the windows in the doors could be wound down by turning a crank handle fitted to the door, while the windscreen was hinged at the top and could be opened, while two windscreen wipers were powered by their own electric motor, positioned inside just above the windscreen. The interior used rubber mats while the seats were cloth covered. Accessories offered included a dash-mounted rear-view mirror, an interior light mounted on the centre of the roof and an externally mounted luggage platform at the back which, when specified, came with the spare wheel repositioned to a mounting point on the side of the car between the left-side door and the front wing. A “Lusso” (“de Luxe”) version also featured a better type of cloth covering for the seats as well as extra bright work around the lights, front grille, wheels and door handles. With the 508B, introduced early in 1934, the body was described as “more aerodynamic” although from the perspective of later developments in car styling, the 508B still followed the rather boxy lines associated with cheap cars from the early 1930s. The gear box was upgraded, now offering four forward speeds, and while the a 2-door “Berlina” remained on offer for a few more months, a 4-door “Berlina” was now added. In June of the same year the 2-door “Berlina” was delisted for Italy and there was a further face-lift for the 4-door bodied car, which now received a modified front grille and a windscreen, previously vertical, that was slightly raked, hinting at the more wholesale styling changes that would accompany the appearance in 1937 of the 508C version of the car. Standard and “Lusso” versions of the 4-door “Berlina” were both offered. The 508 “Spider” was a small 2-door 2-seater cabriolet bodied car. The driver and passenger sat side by side, but the driver’s seat was fixed a few centimetres further back than the passenger seat. On the Spider the seat coverings were made from leather. The car was available in both standard and “Lusso” (“de Luxe”) versions. The windscreen could be folded down and the removable fabric hood could be stored in a suitably shaped storage bag provided for the purpose. The early “Spider” came with the same three-speed “no-synchromesh” gear-box as the “Berlina”. However, it benefited mechanically from the 1934 upgrade, switching to a four-speed transmission. In the case of the “Spider”, however, the 1934 upgrade was not accompanied by any change to the body shape. A “Torpedo” bodied 508 was added to the range in 1933, with four seats and four doors, and in 1933 still with the 3-speed “crash” gear-box. It was offered only with the “Lusso” (“de Luxe”) trimmings. As on the “Spider”, seat covers and interior trimmings used coloured leather. The windscreen pillars and door hinges were chrome plated, and the removable fabric hood could be stored in a suitably shaped storage bag provided for the purpose. The upgrade to a four speed transmission in 1934 was not accompanied by any aesthetic changes to the “Torpedo” bodywork. The Italian military was active in Tripolitania (now known as Libya) during this period, and a special “Torpedo Coloniale” was produced, sharing the features of the regular 508 Torpedo, but this car came with wider tyres and was painted the colour of sand. The Spider Sport had a lower sleeker shape than the “Spider”, with a distinctive tail treatment which attracted the catch-phrase “insect tail”, designed in 1933 by Ghia and said to have been inspired by small roadster bodied English cars of the period. The early “Spider Sport” models came with the same crash gearbox as the other cars, but the engine was fed by a special carburetor, which with its raised compression ratio of 7:1 gave rise to a maximum output listed as 30 hp at 4,000 rpm. The final drive ratio was also altered, and top speed went up to 110 km/h (69 mph). Fiat 508s with this body type were assembled by Fiat in Italy, and were also included in the production schedules of Fiat affiliates/subsidiaries Germany, France and Czechoslovakia. Various small scale enhanced versions appeared including, possibly most notably, the Fiat 508S, known as the “Fiat 508 Coppa d’Oro” (“Gold Cup”), especially prized by collectors 75 years later. The “Spider Sport” received the transmission upgrade to 4 speeds in 1934 together with a special overhead valves (at a time when other 508 variants still came with a side valve engine) and other technical enhancements which pushed the power up to 36 hp. The most sporting versions advertised their performance aspirations with a more steeply tapered Tail section. Launched in 1935, the “Coupé” bodied 508 (also sometimes known as the “Berlinetta Mille Miglia”) shared its mechanical elements, including the more powerful 108CS engine, with the “Spider Sport”. The body was a 2-seater aerodynamic Berlinetta, intended for competition use in colder climates such as those encountered in Northern Italy during the “Mille Miglia” (then run in late Winter). The Coupé may have been warmer in cold weather than the Spider Sport, but it was also heavier: competition success proved elusive. A commercial version of the Balilla was offered, both as a panel van or as a small flat-bed truck, with a 350 kg load capacity, based initially on the 3-speed 508A and later on the 4-speed 508B.

1932 Lancia Astura: The Lancia Astura is a passenger car produced by Italian automobile manufacturer Lancia between 1931 and 1939. Lancia replaced the Lambda model with two models: the four-cylinder Artena and the larger, V8-powered Astura. Both of these models were introduced at the Paris Motor Show in 1931. The Astura chassis was used by various coachbuilders to create coupes, convertibles and sedans. The Astura evolved over four series: First series, built between 1931 and 1932 with 496 units made; Second series, built between 1932 and 1933 with 750 units made. The engine mountings were modified for this generation to reduce noise and vibration; Third series, built between 1933 and 1937 with 1,243 units made. The third-generation Astura was offered in short-wheelbase and long-wheelbase variants, and was powered by a new, larger engine; Fourth series, built between 1937 and 1939 with 423 units made. Only offered in long-wheelbase. First- and second-generation Asturas are powered by a 72 hp 2.6-litre 19° V8 engine, while third- and fourth-generation models are powered by a 3.0-litre 17° V8 capable of 82 hp.

Alfa Romeo Giulia GTC: Based on the Coupe, but with a model designation of its own, was the GTC, a stunningly pretty open topped model which was only produced for a year in 1965, in very limited numbers making them rare today with a total production of just 1000 cars in right and left hand drive versions. Only 99 were made for the British and South African market. It was based on the Giulia Sprint GT, with the cabriolet modification carried out by Touring of Milan. Besides the cabriolet top, a distinguishing feature is the dashboard finished in black instead of grey crackle. The model was badged with a script reading “Giulia Sprint GTC” on the bootlid. To restore some of the bodyshell rigidity lost by removing the fixed roof and pillars, Carrozzeria Touring added reinforcement to several areas of the bodyshell. Through the production life of the model, several modifications to the reinforcement applied were made by Touring, apparently in an effort to improve the stiffening achieved. Carrozzeria Touring was in financial trouble when the Giulia Sprint GTC went into production. The company went out of business shortly after production of this model ended.

Alfa Romeo Junior Zagato: Looking very different from the rest of the Giulia range was a rather special Coupe, designed by Zagato. First seen in public at the Turin Motor Show of 1969, the GT 1300 Junior Zagato was a limited production two seater coupe with aerodynamic bodywork penned by Ercole Spada while he was at renowned Milanese styling house Zagato  Based on the floorpan, driveline and suspension of the 1300 Spider, the Junior Zagato had a  floorpan shortened behind the rear wheels to fit the bodyshell. the model evoked the earlier, race-oriented Giulietta Sprint Zagatos which featured aluminium bodywork and had a very active competition history. However, the Junior Zagato featured a steel bodyshell with an aluminium bonnet and, on early cars, aluminium doorskins. The Junior Zagato was not specifically intended for racing and did not see much use in competition.  In total 1,108 units were constructed, with the last being built in 1972 although the records suggest that a further 2 cars were built in 1974. In 1972 the 1600 Zagato came out of which 402 units were produced. In this case the floorpan was unaltered from the 1600 Spider, so that the normal fueltank could be left in place. As a consequence, the 1600 Zagato is approximately 100 mm (3.9 in) longer than the 1300 model. This can be seen at the back were the sloping roofline runs further back and the backpanel is different and lower. The lower part of the rear bumper features a bulge to make room for the spare wheel. The 1600 Zagato has numerous other differences when compared to the 1300 Junior Zagato.so if you ever see two side by side, and were a real expert, you could probably tell them apart easily. The last 1600 Zagato was produced in 1973 and the cars were sold until 1975. This is definitely a “marmite” car, with some people loving the rather bold styling and others finding to just odd for their tastes. I am in the former category.

Lamborghini Jarama: When it came time to update it, instead of just redesigning the Islero, Lamborghini instead made the Jarama, filling the spot which would have been taken by a second generation of the Islero. Introduced in 1970 at the Geneva Motor Show, Lamborghini built the Jarama to meet U.S. standards using a version of the Espada chassis that had had its wheelbase shortened by 10.7 inches. The Jarama was heavier than the Islero, though it claimed the same top speed of 162 mph. The Jarama is powered by the same 3,929 cc Lamborghini V12 engine used in the Islero and Espada. The engine was fitted with Six Weber carburettors and sent power to the rear wheels through a 5-speed manual transmission. Two different models were made, the original GT (1970–1973) model which produced 350 bhp, and the GTS (also known as Jarama S) (1972–1976) that produced 365 bhp. The GTS featured a few minor body modifications including a bonnet scoop, exhaust vents in the wings and new wheels. A redesigned dashboard, power assisted steering, removable roof panels, and a Chrysler TorqueFlite automatic transmission also became available as options. Early Jaramas featured magnesium alloy wheels from the Miura. A total of 328 Jaramas were built.

Maserati Indy: The Maserati Indy (Tipo AM 116) is a four-seater fastback grand tourer produced from 1969 to 1975. The Indy was conceived as an alternative to the Ghibli offering a V8 engine and room for four people; it effectively replaced both the ageing six-cylinder 2+2 Maserati Sebring—which descended from the 1957 3500 GT— and the first generation Quattroporte. Two coachbuilders showed their proposals at the November 1968 Salone dell’automobile di Torino, both based on a Maserati 4.2-litre chassis. On Ghia’s stand there was the Simùn, a 2+2 berlinetta designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro; on Carrozzeria Vignale’s, a sleek 4-seater fastback penned by Giovanni Michelotti. Both coachbuilders had already an established relationship with Maserati, as Vignale had been responsible for the 3500 GT Spyder, Mexico and Sebring, while Giugiaro had recently penned the Ghibli at Ghia. Vignale’s prototype was preferred, and the production model was launched by Maserati at the Geneva Motor Show the following March.  The car was christened Indy in honour of Maserati’s two victories at the Indy 500. At its launch in 1969 the Indy was offered with a 4.2-litre V8 engine. From 1970 a 4.7-litre Indy 4700 was offered alongside the 4200; the same year some interior updates were introduced, including seats with retractable headrests and a new dashboard. In 1972, Maserati added the Indy 4900 to the range, equipped with the new 4.9-litre V8. Production of the Indy ended in 1975. In total 1,104 were produced, 440 of them Indy 4.2s, 364 Indy 4.7s and 300 Indy 4.9s. These days the cars worth a fraction of the prices charged for a Ghibli, which makes them something of a bargain to my mind.

Ferrari 308 GTS: The 308 GTB was launched at the Paris Motor Show in 1975 as a direct replacement for the Dino 246. Designed by Pininfarina with sweeping curves and aggressive lines, the 308 has gone on to become one of the most recognised Ferraris of all time. Fitted with a 2.9 litre DOHC V8 engine fed by four Webber 40DCNF Carburettors, the power output of 255bhp was sufficient to propel the 308 from 0 to 60mph in 6.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 159 mph. Tougher emissions standards in the 1980s challenged Ferrari more than many other marques. In 1980, fuel injection was adopted for the first time on the 308 GTB and GTS models, and power dropped quite noticeably from 240 bhp to 214bhp. Two years later, at the 1982 Paris Motor Show, Ferrari launched the 308 quattrovalvole, in GTB and GTS form. The main change from the 308 GTBi/GTSi it succeeded were the 4-valves per cylinder—hence its name, which pushed output back up to 240 hp restoring some of the performance lost to the emission control equipment. The new model could be recognised by the addition of a slim louvred panel in the front lid to aid radiator exhaust air exit, power operated mirrors carrying a small enamel Ferrari badge, a redesigned radiator grille with rectangular driving lights on each side, and rectangular (in place of round) side repeaters. The interior also received some minor updates, such as a satin black three spoke steering wheel with triangular centre; cloth seat centres became available as an option to the standard full leather. Available included metallic paint, a deep front spoiler, air conditioning, wider wheels, 16-inch Speedline wheels with Pirelli P7 tyres, and a satin black roof aerofoil (standard on Japanese market models). Apart from the 32-valve cylinder heads, the V8 engine was essentially of the same design as that used in the 308 GTSi model. The gear and final drive ratios were altered to suit the revised characteristics of the four valves per cylinder engine. One other significant benefit of the QV four valve heads was the replacement of the non-QV models sodium valves which have been known to fail at the joint between the head and the stem. Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection and Marelli Digiplex electronic ignition were carried over from the GTBi/GTSi. The car was produced in this form until the launch of the 328 models in the autumn of 1985 which had larger 3.2 litre engines and a number of styling changes. 308 GTB models are becoming increasingly sought after, with prices rising steadily and quite steeply.

Lancia Fulvia Berlina: The Lancia Fulvia (Tipo 818) is a car produced by Lancia between 1963 and 1976. Named after Via Fulvia, the Roman road leading from Tortona to Turin, it was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in 1963 and manufactured in three variants: Berlina 4-door saloon, 2-door Coupé, and Sport, an alternative fastback coupé designed and built by Zagato on the Coupé floorpan. Fulvias are noted for their role in motorsport history, including a 1972 win of the International Rally Championship. Road & Track described the Fulvia as “a precision motorcar, an engineering tour de force”.  The Fulvia Berlina was designed by Antonio Fessia, to replace the Lancia Appia with which it shared almost no components. The Appia was a rear wheel drive car, however, while the Fulvia moved to front wheel drive like the Flavia. The general engineering design of the Fulvia was identical to that of the Flavia with the major exception of the engine, the Flavia having a four-cylinder horizontally opposed engine and the Fulvia a ‘Narrow Angle’ vee configuration as featured on most production Lancias from the Lambda. The Fulvia used a longitudinal engine mounted in front of its transaxle. An independent suspension in front used wishbones and a single leaf spring, while a beam axle with a panhard rod and leaf springs was used in back. Four wheel Dunlop disc brakes were fitted to first series Fulvias. With the introduction of the second series in 1970 the brakes were uprated with larger Girling calipers all round and a brake servo. The handbrake design was also changed – using separate drums and brake-shoes operating on the rear wheels. The Fulvia’s narrow-angle DOHC Lancia V4 engine was mounted well forward at a 45° angle. A new design, by Zaccone Mina, its unusually narrow 12° V allowed a single cylinder head to cover all the cylinders, with one cam each for intake and exhaust valves. The Berlina started out in 1963 with a 1091 cc, single twin-choke carburettor engine producing 58 bhp at 5800 rpm. The Berlina 2C (Tipo 818.100/101), running until 1969 was an improved, more powerful Berlina launched late in 1964, with a 71 bhp engine fitted with double twin-choke Solex carburettors. 155R14 Michelin X radial tyres. The body-shell also had revised front subframe mountings. Distinguished by an enamelled “2C” badge on the radiator grille and rear “Fulvia 2C” script. The Berlina GT (Tipo 818.200/201/210/211) of 1967–68 was introduced at the 1967 Geneva Salon with the 1216 cc (later 1231 cc) engine from the Coupé, producing 80 bhp at 6000 rpm. Distinguished by an enamelled “GT” badge on the radiator grille and rear “Fulvia GT” script. Fitted with 155R14 Michelin X. The Berlina “Grecia” (Tipo 818.282/292), from 967–69, was a Greece-only version fitted with a smaller 818.282 1,199 cc engine, putting out 79 PS at 6200 rpm. The Berlina GTE (Tipo 818.310/311) was introduced in 1968 with the 1298 cc (818.302) engine from the Coupé Rallye 1.3, for an output of 87 bhp at 6000 rpm. In addition, the brakes were uprated with a brake servo, and fitted with 155 SR 14 Michelin ZX radial tyres. The Fulvia saloon was updated in August 1969 with a redesigned body on a 20 mm (0.8 in) longer wheelbase, and an updated interior. An altered roofline also provided more space for rear-seat passengers. The Berlina (Tipo 818.610/611) Series 2 was introduced in 1969 with the 1298 cc engine. The Berlina “Grecia” (Tipo 818.682) of 1969–70. Series 2 Greece-only limited displacement version; the 818.282 1.2-litre engine was unchanged. For 1970–72 the Series 2 came with the 1298 cc (818.302) engine and 5-speed gearbox, introduced in 1970. Larger Girling callipers and pads replaced the Dunlop system fitted to first-series cars.

Lancia Flavia Coupe: Named after the Via Flavia, the Roman road leading from Trieste (Tergeste) to Dalmatia, and launched at the 1960 Turin Motor Show, the Flavia was initially available only as a four-door saloon, featuring a 1.5 litre aluminium boxer engine, Dunlop disc brakes on all four wheels, front-wheel drive and front suspension by unequal-length wishbones.  This model was soon joined by a two-door coupé, designed by Pininfarina on a shortened platform. Vignale built 1,601 two-door convertibles, while Zagato designed an outlandish-looking light weight two-door sport version. The sport version has twin carburettors for extra power (just over 100 hp); however, this version of the engine was notoriously difficult to keep in tune. Even the single-carburettor engine suffered from the problem of timing chain stretch. Sprockets with vernier adjusters were fitted to allow for chain wear, and the cam timing was supposed to be checked every 6000 miles. Early cars also suffered from corrosion of the cylinder heads caused by using copper gaskets on aluminium heads; nevertheless, the car was quite lively for its day, considering the cubic capacity. Later development of the engine included an enlargement to 1.8 litres, a mechanical injection version using the Kugelfischer system, and a five-speed manual gearbox. Towards the end of the 1960s, when Fiat took control of the company, the Vignale and Zagato versions were discontinued. The coupé and saloon versions received new bodywork, first presented in March 1969 at the Geneva Motor Show.  The engine increased to 2.0 litres, available with carburettor or injection, and four- or five-speed gearbox. The 2.0 litre models were only made with revised Pininfarina Coupe and revised Berlina bodies.

BRITISH CARS

1926 Rolls Royce Phantom I: The Rolls-Royce Phantom was Rolls-Royce’s replacement for the original Silver Ghost. Introduced as the ‘New Phantom’ in 1925, the Phantom had a larger engine than the Silver Ghost and used pushrod-operated overhead valves instead of the Silver Ghost’s side valves. Constructed as two groups of three cylinders with a single detachable head, the engine was described by Rolls-Royce as producing “sufficient” power. The engine used a 107.9 mm bore and undersquare 139.7 mm stroke for a total of 7,668 cc of displacement. In 1928, the cylinder heads were upgraded from cast iron to aluminium; this caused corrosion problems. The separate gearbox connected through a rubberised fabric flexible coupling to the clutch and through a torque tube enclosed drive to the differential at rear, as in the Silver Ghost. The New Phantom used the same frame as the Silver Ghost, with semi-elliptical springs suspending the front axle and cantilever springs suspending the rear axle. 4-wheel brakes with a servo-assistance system licensed from Hispano-Suiza were also specified, though some early US models lacked front brakes. Like the Silver Ghost, the New Phantom was constructed both at Rolls-Royces’ Derby factory in the United Kingdom and at a factory in Springfield, Massachusetts in the United States. The US factory produced New Phantoms from 1926 to 1931. Principal differences between the US and UK models included wheelbases and transmissions. Both versions were specified with the same standard 143½ in (3644.9 mm) wheelbase; the long-wheelbase U.S. model was 146½ in (3721.1 mm) and the UK 150½ (3822.7 mm).Both versions used a single dry-plate clutch, with US models equipped with a centre change 3-speed transmission and UK a 4-speed. Other minor differences include fuel gauge placement, with the UK New Phantom’s at the tank but some US models having one on the dash, and manual central lubrication systems. The UK Phantom employed Enots nipples, some times as many as 50, which required attachment of a special Enots oil pressure gun and needed time-consuming service at 500, 1000 and 2000 mile intervals; the US model used a centralised Bijur system which lubricated all the oiling points with a stroke of a single pump. Only the chassis and mechanical parts were produced by Rolls-Royce. The body was made and fitted by a coachbuilder selected by the owner. Coachbuilders who produced bodies for New Phantom cars included Barker, Park Ward, Thrupp & Maberly, Mulliner, Hooper and the Italian coachbuilder Zagato. American Phantoms could be bought with standardized bodies from Brewster & Co., which was owned by Rolls-Royce, and Fleetwood. The Phantom was replaced by the Phantom II in 1929.

Bentley R Type Cresta: Directly after World War 2 Bentley produced the Mark VI and the R-Type, the latter later also as Continental. So far, so true. But in addition there was a low volume model which is almost unknown today: The Cresta. This noble coupé with Italian-French roots is worth more than just a quick side glance. So let’s roll back in time to 1946, when Europe was slowly recovering from the horrors of war. At the time, many countries categorically refused to trade with former Nazi states like Germany and Italy. France was particularly drastic in enforcing this ban. When the Paris Motor Show was held again in September 1946 for the first time after the war, exhibitors from Germany and Italy were banned. This ban naturally hit small companies much harder than large ones. Among them was the small coachbuilding company of Battista “Pinin” Farina. However, he didn’t accept the clear “no” from the exhibition management. Together with his son Sergio, he set off for Paris with two vehicles, an Alfa Romeo and a Lancia. He parked these directly in front of the main entrance to the Grand Palais, where the Auto Salon was held. At times, there were more trade show visitors standing outside to see these two unofficial exhibits than there were in the hall. This, of course, drew the attention of the exhibition management, who had Battista Farina finally put on the list of undesirables for the following editions of the motor show. However, the two cars had reached enough potential customers. Among them was also Jean Daninos, head of the French company Facel-Metallon. After Farina had to cope with a fire in his workshop, Daninos offered him a lucrative deal. Together with Walter Sleator, then head of the Paris Bentley dealer Franco-Britannic Automobiles, Daninos proposed to develop a handsome coupé body on the chassis of the Bentley Mark VI. The design was to be done by Farina, while the construction up to the finished car was to be done by Facel in France. Battista Farina gladly accepted this proposal and set to work. The first two or three prototypes of the Cresta were built in his renovated workshop. Compared with the ten examples subsequently built at Facel, they were given a wider radiator grille that was less reminiscent of the original Bentley grille. Facel had to install another grille at the direct request of Bentley in Crewe, which kept a close eye on this project. The Mulliner Fastback emerged from the findings a few years later. In fact Bentley specially modified the Mark VI chassis supplied to Facel with a lower steering column and other minor details. It is believed that 12 or 13 of these cars were made.

1956 Humber Hawk: The Mark III Hawk was a completely new car and was first shown at the London Motor Show in October 1948, but it still retained the earlier engine (side-valves, 1944 cc, 56 bhp at 3800 rpm) and transmission albeit with new rubber mountings. The new body was styled by the Loewy Studio and the separate headlights of the old model were gone, along with the separate front wings. The chassis was new, with coil-sprung independent front suspension replacing the previous transverse leaf spring. The body was now an integral component of the car’s structure. The rear axle was also a new design with hypoid gearing. The body could be finished in a wide range of colours, both as two-tone and metallic. The metallic finishes would be offered on all the Hawks until the model’s demise in late 1967/early 1968. When compared with the prewar style body with vestigial running boards the car’s weight was less by 3 cwt or 336 lb (152 kg) and the new flush-sided body gave room for the front bench seat to be three inches (76 mm) wider. The rear seat was a full five inches (130 mm) wider. Overall the car was six inches (150 mm) shorter and one and a half inches (38 mm) lower. Despite the lower height the new hypoid back axle allowed more head room in the rear seat. In the early spring of 1951 the Mark IV version arrived with a larger, 2267 cc engine incorporating, as before, an aluminium cylinder head and with a 58 instead of 56 bhp output. However, at mid range speeds around 15 percent more power was generated. The Mark IV also used larger, 15-inch wheels. The steering was now more highly geared and was commended by commentators for its lightness when manoeuvering the car in a confined space despite 53% of the car’s 2,996 pounds (1,359 kg) being carried by the front wheels. The Mark V Hawk announced in September 1952 was given a larger clutch, larger rear shock absorbers, a strengthened body-frame and other minor mechanical changes. A new treatment was given to the car’s front. It was also available as a “luxury touring limousine”. A lowered bonnet line and wrap-around bumpers with over-riders distinguished this model from the Mk IV.  The main change with the Mk VI, which was introduced in June 1954, was the fitting of an overhead-valve cylinder head to the engine. The rear of the body was slightly changed, which made the car longer. In 1955 an estate version with fold-down tailgate appeared. The April 1956 Mk VIA was a fairly minor upgrade, with changes mainly to the interior. A de-luxe version was added to the range. A completely new car arrived in 1957.

1963 Jaguar Mark X: When the time came to replace the Mark IX, Jaguar adopted a completely new look, with the resulting car, unsurprisingly called the Mark X, being notably larger. Indeed its bulk, especially the width, came to characterise the car, and constituted one of the obstacles to sales in Europe, though this was less of a handicap for the American market, for whom it had been designed. The first three years production used the familiar 3.8 litre XK engine, and this was enlarged to 4.2 litre in 1964 in line with the E Type. The Mark X was the first Jaguar to feature fully independent rear suspension and the last to feature an interior with abundant standard woodwork, including the dashboard, escutcheons, window trim, a pair of large bookmatched fold out rear picnic tables, and a front seat pull-out picnic table stowed beneath the instrument cluster. Later, air conditioning and a sound-proof glass division between the front and rear seats were added as options. For the London Motor Show in October 1966 the Mark X was renamed the Jaguar 420G (not to be confused with the smaller Jaguar 420, which was an update of the smaller S Type). The 420G differed visually from the Mark X only with the addition of a vertical central bar splitting the grille in two, side indicator repeaters on the front wings, and a chrome strip along the wing and door panels (two tone paint schemes were also available with the chrome strip omitted). Interior changes included perforations in the central sections of the leather seats, padded dashboard sections for safety, moving the clock to a central position, and the introduction of air conditioning as an option. A “limousine” version was available, on the standard wheelbase, with a dividing glass screen partition and front bench seat replacing the separate seats of standard cars. The wheelbase was extended by 21″ with the mechanical underpinnings of the car being subtly re-bodied for the 1968 Daimler DS420. Despite running for the same length of time as the Mark X (5 years) the 420G sold in less than a third of the numbers: this lack of popularity and the increasing production of the XJ6 resulted in the 420G being run out of production in 1970. Whilst over 18,500 of the Mark X were made, just 5,763 of the 420G were made

Triumph GT6: Contemporary Triumph marketing advertised the GT6 as being developed from the “race winning Le Mans Spitfires” to capitalise on their aesthetic similarities, whereas the Le Mans Spitfires and the GT6 were actually two entirely separate development programmes (the GT programme pre-dating the racing programme). However, the marketing spin was so successful that many people erroneously believed the Le Mans Spitfires to actually be GT6s. The production car was introduced in 1966 and called the Triumph GT6. The new body was a sleek fastback design with an opening rear hatch which gave the GT6 the nickname “Poor man’s E-Type”.  It was really a 2-seater, but a small extra rear seat could be ordered if required and was large enough for small children. The family resemblance to the Spitfire Mk II was strong, the longer 6-cylinder engine necessitated a new bonnet top with a power bulge and the doors were provided with opening quarter light windows and squared-off glass in the top rear corner. The 6-cylinder engine was tuned to develop 95 bhp at 5000 rpm, and produced 117 lb·ft of torque at 3000 rpm. The increased power necessitated certain changes to the Spitfire mechanics; the radiator was new and mounted further forward in the car and the gearbox was the stronger unit from the Vitesse, with optional overdrive. Front springs were uprated to cope with the extra weight of the new engine. The overall vehicle weight unladed was 1,904 lb (864 kg). The interior of the GT6 was well equipped; a wooden dashboard housed a full complement of instruments, with carpets and heater included as standard. The new car had some very strong selling points. The new engine provided a 106 mph top speed and 0–60 mph in 12 seconds, a little better than the MGB GT. Moreover, the unit was comparatively smooth and tractable, in marked contrast to the MG’s rather harsh 4-cylinder engine. Fuel economy was very reasonable for the period at 20mpg, and the interior well up to the competition. The only major criticism was of its rear suspension; the GT6 inherited the swing-axle system from the Spitfire, which in turn was copied from the Herald small saloon. In the saloon it was tolerated, in the little Spitfire it was not liked and in the powerful GT6 it was heavily criticised. Triumph had done nothing to improve the system for the GT6 and the tendency to break away if the driver lifted off the power mid-corner was not helped at all by the increased weight at the front of the car. The handling was most bitterly criticised in the USA, an important export market for Triumph, where they were traditionally very strong. Similar criticism was being levelled at the Vitesse saloon, which shared the GT6’s engine and its handling problems. Triumph realised that they needed to find an answer to the handling problem, if only to maintain their reputation in the USA. Their response came with the 1969 model year, with the introduction of the GT6 Mk II, known in the States as the GT6+. The rear suspension was significantly re-engineered using reversed lower wishbones and Rotoflex driveshaft couplings, taming the handling and turning the Triumph into an MGB beater. The Vitesse was also modified, but the Spitfire had to wait until 1970 for any improvements to be made. There were other changes for the Mk II; the front bumper was raised (in common with the Spitfire Mk.3) to conform to new crash regulations, necessitating a revised front end, and side vents were added to the front wings and rear pillars. Under the bonnet, the engine was uprated to develop 104 bhp with a new cylinder head, camshaft, and manifolds. Performance improved to 107 mph but perhaps more noteworthy the 0–60 mph time dropped to 10 seconds.  The fuel economy was also improved to 25 mpg. The interior was updated with a new dashboard and better ventilation, a two-speed heater fan and a black headlining. Overdrive remained a popular option for the manual transmission. A further update to the Series 3 came in the autumn of 1970, at the same time as the Spitfire Mark IV was launched, but sales remained low and the car was deleted in the autumn of 1973 with production having reached 40,926 examples.

Singer Chamois: The Chamois was the luxury version of the Hillman Imp, added to the range in the autumn of 1964, just over a year after the launch of the Hillman versions. It was updated during the 1960s inline with the Imp versions and was deleted in 1970 when the Singer name was phased out.

Austin Mini

GERMAN CARS

VW Schwimmwagen:

: The Volkswagen Schwimmwagen (lit. ’swimming car’) is a light four-wheel drive amphibious car, used extensively by German ground forces during the Second World War. With over 15,000 units built, the Schwimmwagen is the most-produced amphibious car in history. Prototyped as the Type 128, it entered full-scale production as the Type 166 in 1941 for the Wehrmacht – Nazi Germany’s military. The Porsche / Volkswagen Schwimmwagen used the engine and mechanicals of the VW Type 86 four-wheel drive prototype of the Kübelwagen, also used for the Type 87 four-wheel drive ‘Kübel/KDF’ Command Car (Kommandeurswagen), which in turn were based on those of the civilian KDF-Wagen. Erwin Komenda, Ferdinand Porsche’s first car-body designer, was forced to develop an all-new unitized bodytub structure, since the flat floorpan chassis of the existing VW vehicles was unsuited to smooth movement through water. Komenda patented his ideas for the swimming car at the German Patent office. The initial Schwimmwagen, Type 128 prototype, was based on the full-length Kübelwagen wheelbase of 2.40 m (7 ft 10 in). Pre-production units of the 128, fitted with custom welded bodytubs, demonstrated that this construction was too weak for off-road use. It had insufficient torsional rigidity, and easily suffered hull-ruptures at the front cross-member, as well as in the wheel-wells. This was unacceptable for an amphibious vehicle. The large-scale production models (Type 166) had a reduced wheelbase of 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) which resolved these issues. All Schwimmwagens were four-wheel drive in first gear (and reverse gears on some models) only and had ZF self-locking differentials on the front and rear axles. As with the Kübelwagen, the Schwimmwagen had rear portal axles, which provided increased ground clearance, while at the same time reducing drive-line torque stresses with their gear reduction at the wheels. The Schwimmwagen had a top speed of 50 miles per hour (80 km/h) on land. When crossing a body of water a screw propeller could be lowered down from the rear deck/engine cover. When in place a simple coupling provided drive straight from an extension of the engine’s crankshaft. This meant that screw propulsion always drove forward. The Schwimmwagen had a top speed of 10 km/h (6 mph) in the water. For reversing in the water there was the choice of using the standard equipment paddle or running the land drive in reverse, allowing the wheel-rotation to slowly take the vehicle back. The front wheels doubled up as rudders, so steering was done with the steering wheel both on land and on water. The Schwimmwagen could also be steered by the passengers using the paddle(s). Schwimmwagens were produced by the Volkswagen factory at Fallersleben /Stadt des KdF-Wagens and Porsche’s facilities in Stuttgart; with the bodies (or rather hulls) produced by Ambi Budd in Berlin. 15,584 Type 166 Schwimmwagen were produced from 1941 through 1944; 14,276 at Fallersleben and 1,308 by Porsche; the VW 166 is the most-produced amphibious car in history. Only 189 are known by the Schwimmwagen Registry to remain today, and only 13 have survived without restoration work.

Mercedes-Benz 220S Coupe: The Ponton was Daimler-Benz’s first totally new Mercedes-Benz series of passenger vehicles produced after World War II. In July 1953, the cars replaced the pre-war-designed Type 170 series and were the bulk of the automaker’s production through 1959, though some models lasted through 1962. The nickname comes from the German word for “pontoon” and refers to one definition of pontoon fenders — and a postwar styling trend, subsequently called ponton styling. A bewildering array of models were produced, with a mixture of 180 four and  220 six cylinder engines, with Mercedes W numbers of W120 for the 4 cylinder cars, and W180 for the 220s, as well as W105 for the little known or seen 219, a six cylinder model with a smaller engine. Mercedes introduced fuel injection  to the 220 model in 1958, creating the W128 220SE, and the company was rare among car makers in the 50s in offering a diesel engine, so 180D models were also offered.

Mercedes-Benz 190SL: Produced between May 1955 and February 1963, having first been seen in prototype at the 1954 New York Auto Show, this was designed as a more affordable sports car than the exclusive and rather pricey 300SL, sharing its basic styling, engineering, detailing, and fully independent suspension. While both cars had double wishbones in front and swing axles at the rear, the 190 SL did not use the 300 SL’s purpose-built W198 tubular spaceframe. Instead, it was built on a shortened monocoque R121 platform modified from the W120 saloon. The 190 SL was powered by a new, slightly oversquare 105 PS Type M121 1.9 litre four cylinder engine. Based on the 300 SL’s straight six, it had an unchanged 85 mm bore and 4.3 mm reduced 83.6 mm stroke, was fitted with twin-choke dual Solex carburettors, and produced 120 gross hp. In detuned form, it was later used in the W120 180 and W121 190 models. Both the 190 SL and the 300 SL were replaced by the Mercedes-Benz 230SL in 1963.

Ford Taunus 17M: The Ford Taunus 17 M is a middle-weight family saloon that was produced by Ford Germany between 1964 and 1967. The entire range was first presented in September 1964 and volume production of the two and four door saloons began in November 1964. The “Turnier” estate version followed in January 1965 with coupé bodied cars coming along some time later. The Taunus 17M name had been applied to the car’s predecessor and it would apply also to subsequent Ford models which is why the 17M introduced in 1964 is usually identified, in retrospect, as the Ford Taunus P5. It was the fifth newly designed German Ford to be launched after the war and for this reason it was from inception known within the company as Ford Project 5 (P5) or the Ford Taunus P5. The car was slightly larger in its overall exterior dimensions than its predecessor, but appeared in many respects to be a slightly toned down evolution from the more radical “Badewannetaunus” which it replaced. The big changes with the P5 were under the hood/bonnet where a broadened range of engines included, for the first time on a post-war German Ford, a V6 engine. The Ford Taunus P5, thus propelled, was West Germany’s least expensive 6-cylinder-engined car, and the “Turnier” estate version could be promoted as Germany’s first (and for some years only) six-cylinder estate. The Taunus P5 came as a modern monocoque three-box design, not dissimilar from its predecessor, but more conservative. The design continued with its predecessor’s still unusual avoidance of round headlamps. The rear panel might have been seen as following the silhouette of a bathtub, and there were those who applied the “Wanne” (Tub) soubriquet, reminiscent of the “Badewanne” soubriquet of the P3, but the P5 appeared to be more of a committee design, which may explain why the automotive press was by now losing its previous enthusiasm for promoting a new catchy nickname for each new Ford Taunus model launched. All the four-cylinder cars were badged as Taunus 17Ms. All the six-cylinder cars in the range were badged as Taunus 20Ms. A feature of all the engines which marked them out as “modern” was the oversquare cylinder dimensions. The entry level Taunus 17M was fitted with the 1498 cc V4 engine first seen two years earlier in the “Cardinal” Taunus P4. The mainstream models were powered by a 1699 cc unit: this was now a newly developed V4 engine derived from the smaller 1498 cc unit with which it shared its 90 mm bore, but the stroke was slightly lengthened. Claimed maximum power in 1964 for the two units was respectively 60 PS and 70 PS, both at 4,500 rpm. A subsequently introduced version of the 1699 cc car came with a quoted power output of 75 PS. The Taunus P5 was the launch model for Ford’s new V6 engine which was also a development from the company’s V4 unit. The 1998 cc V6 version offered a claimed maximum power of 85 PS or, with a higher compression ratio, 90 PS achieved in both cases.at 5,000 rpm. Performance from the six-cylinder engine was boosted by the fitting, as standard equipment, of twin carburettors. The P5 came with a “Startautomatik” which appears to have been a form of the automatic choke originally introduced in 1960 with the earlier 17M, but still something of a novelty in this class of car. The least expensive of the six-cylinder 20Ms was aggressively priced at 7990 Marks. An Opel customer wishing to buy a six-cylinder car would need to find at least another 1400 Marks for the six-cylinder Kapitän-engined Opel Rekord which had been introduced in March 1964, presumably in anticipation of the arrival later in the same year of Ford’s new six-cylinder Taunus. Power was transferred from the engine to the rear wheels via a three-speed all-synchromesh manual gear box controlled using a column-shift. A four-speed box was available as an optional extra. A three-speed fully automatic “Taunomatik” transmission, modelled closely on the North American “Fordomatic” was listed from May 1966, although it was nearly the end of 1966 before a few Taunus P5s thus equipped began to be delivered. Front disc brakes had become a standard feature on the previous model towards the end of its production run, and the P5 carried over from the P3 the combination of front disc brakes and rear drum brakes. Servo-assistance for the brakes was standard on the top models and optional at extra cost further down the range. The suspension followed what was becoming, especially for Fords in Europe, a conventional pattern, applying MacPherson struts at the front and a bream axle suspended on leaf springs at the back. The track was wider than on the previous models which a reporter at the time wrote was a cause of the P5’s improved handling. The electrical system was a six-volt one, which by now was seen as old fashioned. 12 V was introduced with the 1967 model. The car came with the same body options as before. Most customers chose the two- or four-door saloon. A “Turnier” estate was also offered with three or (for the first time on a Taunus) five doors. The Hardtop-Coupé which appeared only in 1966 was virtually indistinguishable from the two-door saloon up to the car’s waist-level, but a shortened roof line and an increased rake for the rear-window ensured that the price of the coupé’s elegance was paid by rear seat passengers in terms of severely restricted head room. As before there was also a 2-door coach-built (Karl Deutsch) cabriolet conversion, but few of these were made and the cabriolets appear to have been disproportionately expensive. Inside all the cars came with a bench seat at the front and at the back as standard apart from the top-of-the-line Taunus 20M TS which included individual front seats as standard. Individual seats were available at extra cost on the less exalted models, as part of a (by the standards of the time) long list of optional extras. The boot/trunk could be locked from the outside, and when this was done the adjacent fuel filler flap was locked automatically at the same time. The Ford Taunus P5 was reasonably successful. The company produced 710,059 between 1964 and 1967. Nevertheless, the market was also growing and sales of the car’s principal competitor, the Opel Rekord, were moving ahead faster, with the Opel Rekord C the first of the two Opel Rekord versions that would each sell more than a million units. Unusually for a German-designed Ford at the time, the P5 was produced in right hand drive in South Africa and Southern Rhodesia. The Taunus P5 was replaced in 1967 by the Ford 17M/20M P7.

Opel Manta A: The Manta A was released in September 1970, two months ahead of the then new Opel Ascona on which it was based. A competitor to the Ford Capri, it was a two-door “three-box” coupé, and featured distinctive round tail lights, quite similar to those on the Opel GT and which in fact were used on the GT in 1973, its final model year. It took its name, and a few minor styling cues, from the Manta Ray concept car (1961), which also famously influenced the 1968 Chevrolet Corvette C3 (both Chevrolet and Opel have General Motors as their parent company). The only difference between the Ascona and Manta was exterior sheet metal, glass and trim. The frame, mechanics, dash, front seats, and many other parts were shared between the cars. The Manta was normally equipped with a 1.6 or a 1.9-litre CIH engine, although in Europe, a small 1.2-litre motor was also offered. All Mantas sold in the U.S. had the 1.9 L and larger heavy duty radiator (an option on European models). It came with either a four-speed manual or a three-speed TH-180 automatic. The Manta was known to be one of the best-handling cars in its class and went on to win a large number of rallies in Europe and the United States. There was a sport model known as the “Rallye” from 1971 to 1974. The Rallye model was, overall, an appearance and gauge package, the most noticeable difference being the addition of a black bonnet, and on 1970–1973 models, fog lamps. Mechanically, the only difference was the gear ratios in the models with manual transmissions, and the Rallye model came with standard stiffer suspension, a tighter turning radius, and very aggressive front caster adjustments. Both had dual rear anti-roll bars, providing exceptional handling. In 1973 and 1974 there was also the “Luxus” model, which included refinements like corduroy seats, colour-coded interiors (blue or burgundy), and faux wood panelling. The only special edition Manta ever produced for the U.S. market was the “Blue Max”, in 1973. This amounted to a blue 1973 Luxus model, with a unique dark blue vinyl roof, mechanical sunroof, and automatic transmission. The European market had a number of different versions. Most were basic trim packages, the most popular being the “Berlinetta”, which was similar to the Luxus but included rubber trim on the bumpers (standard on all 1973 U.S. Opel Mantas), vinyl roof, and other miscellaneous features. The one exception was the 1975 Opel, which offered the GT/E and a number of special editions based on the GT/E. The GT/E was a fuel-injected version of the European 1.9L and the performance figures were very impressive for the time. The most notable special editions models based on the GT/E were the “Black Magic” (with black and plaid interior) and the “Swinger” edition in white, also with an odd interior choice.

VW-Porsche 914: This is a model born of a joint need that Porsche had for a replacement for the 912, and Volkswagen’s desire for a new range-topping sports coupe to replace the Karmann Ghia. At the time, the majority of Volkswagen’s developmental work was handled by Porsche, part of a setup that dated back to Porsche’s founding; Volkswagen needed to contract out one last project to Porsche to fulfill the contract, and decided to make this that project. Ferdinand Piëch, who was in charge of research and development at Porsche, was put in charge of the 914 project. Originally intending to sell the vehicle with a flat four-cylinder engine as a Volkswagen and with a flat six-cylinder engine as a Porsche, Porsche decided during development that having Volkswagen and Porsche models sharing the same body would be risky for business in the American market, and convinced Volkswagen to allow them to sell both versions as Porsches in North America. On March 1, 1968, the first 914 prototype was presented. However, development became complicated after the death of Volkswagen’s chairman, Heinz Nordhoff, on April 12, 1968. His successor, Kurt Lotz, was not connected with the Porsche dynasty and the verbal agreement between Volkswagen and Porsche fell apart. In Lotz’s opinion, Volkswagen had all rights to the model, and no incentive to share it with Porsche if they would not share in tooling expenses. With this decision, the price and marketing concept for the 914 had failed before series production had begun. As a result, the price of the chassis went up considerably, and the 914/6 ended up costing only a bit less than the 911T, Porsche’s next lowest price car. The 914/6 sold quite poorly while the much less expensive 914/4 became Porsche’s top seller during its model run, outselling the Porsche 911 by a wide margin with over 118,000 units sold worldwide. Volkswagen versions originally featured an 80 PS fuel-injected 1.7 L flat-4 engine based on the Volkswagen air-cooled engine. Porsche’s 914/6 variant featured a carburettor 110 PS  2.0 litre flat-6 engine from the 1969 911T, placed amidships in front of a version of the 1969 911’s “901” gearbox configured for a mid-engine car. Karmann manufactured the rolling chassis at their plant, completing Volkswagen production in-house or delivering versions to Porsche for their final assembly. 914/6 models used lower gear ratios and high brake gearing in order to try to overcome the greater weight of the 6 cylinder engine along with higher power output. Suspension, brakes, and handling were otherwise the same. A Volkswagen-Porsche joint venture, Volkswagen of America, handled export to the U.S., where both versions were badged and sold as Porsches, except in California, where they were sold in Volkswagen dealerships. The four-cylinder cars were sold as Volkswagen-Porsches at European Volkswagen dealerships. Slow sales and rising costs prompted Porsche to discontinue the 914/6 variant in 1972 after producing 3,351 of them; its place in the lineup was filled by a variant powered by a new 100 PS  2.0 litre, fuel-injected version of Volkswagen’s Type 4 engine in 1973. For 1974, the 1.7 L engine was replaced by a 85 PS 1.8 litre, and the new Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection system was added to American units to help with emissions control. 914 production ended in 1976. The 2.0 litre flat-4 engine continued to be used in the 912E, which provided an entry-level model until the 924 was introduced.

BELGIAN CARS

1938 Imperia TA9 BS: Impéria was a Belgian automobile manufactured from 1906 until 1948. Products of the Ateliers Piedboeuf of Liège, the first cars were designed by the German Paul Henze. These were four-cylinders of 3, 4.9, and 9.9 litres. The next year, the company moved to Nessonvaux, Trooz municipality, and began production in the old Pieper factory. The Nessonvaux factory began producing Impéria-Abadals from about 1916; in 1921, it built three ohc 5.6-litre straight-eights. These were quickly replaced by an ephemeral ohc 3-litre 32-valve four-cylinder which was capable of going 90 mph (140 km/h). This was followed by an 1100 cc side-valve 11/22 hp four designed by Couchard, one of the first cars ever built with a sunroof. Its engine rotated counterclockwise, and its transmission brake also served as a servo for those on the front wheels. In 1937 a six-cylinder of 1624 cc appeared; this had been available in three-carburettor Super Sports form from 1930.

1926 Nagant 1000C

1934 Minerva M4

 

1925 Minerva AG160V

1926 Minerva Torpedo

1937 FN 63C Pompiers

1926 FN 2200 Coupe de Ville

1914 Minerva 18CV Ambulance

CORRIDOR DISPLAYS

Citroen 7CV Traction Avant: 1934 saw the introduction of the Citroen’s revolutionary and mould-shattering front-wheel-drive semi-monocoque Citroën Traction Avant. The Traction endured a troubled and prolonged birth process, however, and was part of an ambitious investment programme which involved, also in 1934, the bankruptcy of the business, and its acquisition by Citroën’s principal creditor. The patron himself died in 1935. In this troubled situation, availability of the larger Rosalies (although re-engined with a turned-around version of the new Traction’s OHV four-cylinder engines) continued till 1938: it is only through the distorting prism of subsequent events that its reputation has been diminished when set against the technical brilliance of its successor. There were three examples of the Traction Avant here. Produced for over 20 years, many different versions were made during that time, all with the same styling outline, but with power outputs ranging from 7 to 15CV, and different wheelbases, as well as some with Coupe and Convertible body styles. There was even one model with a large opening tailgate, the Commerciale.

Panhard Dyna Junior Pichon-Parat: The Panhard Dyna Junior is a small sports car built by Panhard from 1952 until 1956. The car was initially offered as a roadster and later as a cabriolet. Slightly over 4,700 were built. In early 1951, Joseph Bell (JB) Ferguson approached Panhard with a proposal to build a small sports car for the American market. Ferguson, the brother of Harry Ferguson, had emigrated to the US and in 1951 was running New York based Fergus Motors importing and reselling of a variety of European cars including Panhards. Panhard undertook the project with Ferguson’s financial support. To reduce design costs and speed development the Dyna Junior was built with the chassis and front-wheel drive power-train from the Dyna X. Panhard hired the carrosserie Di Rosa and their chief designer Albert Lemaitre to design the body and build a prototype. Di Rosa, known primarily for their work on trucks and buses, was able to complete the first aluminum-bodied prototype in just a few months. The car had a single door on the driver’s side and a fold-down windshield. Jean Panhard reviewed the car and requested extensive changes. Ferguson, who had received pictures of the prototype, withdrew from the project. In a very short time a second prototype was ready that was approved by Panhard, and ten pre-production examples were ordered. Panhard originally planned to build just 500 Dyna Juniors but decided to increase production in response to demand. To adapt the car to larger production volumes and reduce costs Panhard decided that the production Junior would get a steel body instead of one of aluminum. This change increased the weight of the car by more than 100 kg (220.5 lb). The car debuted at the Paris Motor Show in October 1951 and sales officially started at the beginning of the following year. Production of the car was initially done at Di Rosa’s factory, but they were unable to meet demand and Panhard moved the Junior’s assembly line to their factory in Orléans. Di Rosa would close shortly afterwards. The Dyna Junior was characterized by simple lines and few frills. Exterior decoration was limited to the grille inherited from the Dyna X. The car had exposed hinges on the trailing edge of the two passenger doors that opened “Suicide”-style. There were no external door handles, so opening the door required reaching in through the sliding plastic side windows to reach the interior latch. There was likewise no external trunk lid, with the rear storage compartment accessed by folding down the backrest of the two-place bench-seat. The interior was spartan, with a single centre-mounted dial for the speedometer and a gearshift lever sprouting from the dashboard as in the Dyna X. Despite having just 34.5 hp the car’s performance, handling, fuel economy, and affordable purchase price made the Junior popular with young car buyers. The Dyna Junior would use two versions of the Dyna X chassis over the course of its production history. Early Juniors used the X86 chassis from the Dyna X 120 while later models used the X87 chassis from the Dyna X 130. This platform gave the Junior a wheelbase of 2,127 mm (83.7 in) and front and rear tracks of 1,220 mm (48.0 in). The front suspension was independent with upper and lower transverse leaf springs, while the rear was a rigid trailing axle with a central pivot and torsion bars. Shock-absorbers were hydraulic Houdaille units and the brakes were nine-inch drums on all four wheels. Tires front and rear were 145 × 400. The transaxle was the four-speed manual gearbox from the Dyna X. The Dyna Junior was powered by the air-cooled two-cylinder OHV boxer engine designed by Louis Delagarde. The earliest cars used the 745 cc GM750 SS3 engine that produced 32.6 hp at 5,000 rpm giving a maximum speed of 120 km/h (74.6 mph). The GM750 Sprint engine that produced 35.5 hp at 5000 rpm from the same displacement was an option. In April 1952 the larger 851 cc GM850 38 CV engine making 37.4 hp became available, raising top speed to 125 km/h (77.7 mph). The GM 850 S 40 CV Sprint version of this engine making 41.4 hp at 5000 rpm could also be ordered. In February 1953, the roadster was joined in Panhard’s lineup by a cabriolet version that came with exterior door handles and wind-up glass side windows in place of the plastic sliders on the roadster. In March the Junior began to use the X87 chassis, and a three-seat bench seat was fitted. In 1954, the grille from the Dyna X was replaced by a simpler oval opening with an aluminium crosspiece similar to that on the Dyna Z and the instrument panel was upgraded to two dials. In March 1954, the bumpers were changed. In June of this year the 745 cc versions were dropped. In 1955, the car was offered with an optional MAG supercharger that raised power at 60 hp and top speed to 145 km/h. In March the roadster was dropped from the line-up. Production of the Panhard Dyna Junior ceased in April 1956. Both the Panhard Dyna X and Dyna Junior were used as the basis for other limited-production vehicles. Coach-builder Pichon-Parat built about thirty copies of a fixed-head coupé version of the Dyna Junior that followed the original’s appearance very closely. The same company also designed a more streamlined body that could use the chassis of either a Dyna X or Junior, depending on the customer’s wishes. About 60 of these cars, called Dolomites, were built with production continuing until 1956

Mercedes-Benz 300: The Mercedes-Benz W186 Model 300 was a four-door luxury sedan produced by Mercedes-Benz between 1951 and 1957. It was the company’s flagship model at the time, succeeding the World War II era W150. Three versions were produced in succession, known informally as the 300a (or simply 300), 300b, and 300c. An enlarged “300d” variant built on the W189 chassis succeeded it in late 1957. Also referred to as a “Type 300”, the W186 was equal in features and price but superior in performance to the rival Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud and Bentley S1. Favoured by statesmen and business leaders, it offered options such as a glass partition, VHF mobile telephone, and dictation machine. The W186 is often identified as an Adenauer after Konrad Adenauer, the first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany), who employed six custom cabriolet, hardtop saloon, and landaulet versions of the W186 and its successor W189 during his 1949-1963 tenure. Among the custom features in these “parade cars” were writing desks, sirens, curtains, dividing partitions, sunroofs, and half-roof “landaulet” configurations. Technologically advanced, the 300 was regarded as a “driver’s” car, sharing numerous design innovations and mechanical components with the iconic Mercedes-Benz 300 SL “Gullwing”, including engine, suspension, and chassis. The four-door 300 (W186) was introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show in April 1951 and entered series production in November 1951. It had no “a” designation, which was informally added, along with the “b” and “c”, by later enthusiasts seeking to distinguish the three W186 generations. Available as both a saloon and cabriolet, it featured graceful modernist bodywork atop Mercedes’ proven X-frame chassis. An all new 3.0 L (2996 cc) overhead cam, aluminum head M186 straight-6 was coupled to a 4-speed all-synchromesh manual gearbox. Twin downdraft Solex carburetors and an innovative diagonal head-to-block joint that allowed for oversized intake and exhaust valves produced 115 PS at a 6.4:1 compression ratio. Designed to give reliable service under prolonged hard use, the engine featured deep water jackets, thermostatically controlled oil cooling, copper-lead bearings and a hardened crankshaft. With no natural cruising speed, the car could sustain anything up to its maximum speed all day, road conditions permitting. The combination of a rigid X-shaped ovoid steel tube frame and four-wheel independent suspension provided surprisingly nimble handling. Double wishbones, coil springs, and a stabilizer bar were used up front and Mercedes’ typical double coil spring swing axle in rear. An innovative dashboard-operated rear load-levelling suspension engaged a torsion bar to increase stiffness by one-third when needed, and a pedal-operated central lubrication system kept friction points silent.[2] Brakes were hydraulic drum all around, steering worm-and-sector, replaced in 1952 by recirculating ball. A total of 6,214 saloons and 591 Cabriolet Ds, retroactively referred to as the “300a” series, were produced through September, 1955, including a brief 300b run incorporating elements of the 300c’s partial facelift prior to its debut. The 300b (W186) was introduced in March 1954, adding vacuum assisted power brakes and front door vent windows. Engine power was upped to 125 PS via different Solex carburetors and an increased compression ratio of 7.5:1. The 300c (W186) made its debut in September, 1955, adding a larger rear window and optional 3-speed Borg-Warner automatic transmission. It was priced at $10,864 in the United States (DM 22,000 on the home market), with the convertible almost a third more at $14,231 (DM 24,700). A special Innenlenker limousine (also called the Type 300 Lang) with on a 20 cm (7.9 in) longer wheelbase became available from July, 1956, priced at DM 25,000. A total of 1,432 300c saloons were produced through July, 1957. Only 51 300c series Cabriolet D’s were built through June 1956, when the model was dropped. The 300c was succeeded by a limousine-length “300d” (W189) in 1957. It featured sweeping changes that included revised bodywork, fuel injection, and unique hardtop configuration transforming it into a pillarless phaeton.

Ford Anglia 100E: In 1953, Ford released the 100E, designed by Lacuesta Automotive. It was a completely new car, its style following the example of the larger Ford Consul introduced two years earlier and of its German counterpart, the Ford Taunus P1, by featuring a modern three-box design. The 100E was available as a two-door Anglia and a four-door Prefect. During this period, the old Anglia was available as the 103E Popular, touted as the cheapest car in the world. Internally there were individual front seats trimmed in PVC, hinged to allow access to the rear. The instruments (speedometer, fuel gauge and ammeter) were placed in a cluster around the steering column and the gear change was floor mounted. A heater and radio were optional extras. The dashboard was revised twice; the binnacle surrounding the steering column was replaced by a central panel with twin dials towards the driver’s side in 1956; the last from 1959 had twin dials in a binnacle in front of the driver and ‘magic ribbon’ AC speedo similar to the 1957 E-series Vauxhall Velox/Cresta and ’58/’59 PA models, and included a glovebox. Under the bonnet the 100E still housed an antiquated, but actually new, 36 bhp side-valve engine sharing the bore and stroke of the old unit but now with larger bearings and inlet valves and pump-assisted cooling. The three-speed gearbox was retained. Some models were fitted with a semi-automatic “Manumatic” gearbox. A second windscreen wiper was now included at no extra cost, although the wipers’ vacuum-powered operation was also retained: by now this was seen as seriously old-fashioned and the wipers were notorious for slowing down when driving up steep hills, or coming to a complete rest when trying to overtake. The separate chassis construction of the previous models was replaced by unitary construction and the front suspension used “hydraulic telescopic dampers and coil springs” – now called MacPherson struts, a term that had not yet entered the public lexicon – with anti-roll bar and semi-elliptic leaf springs at the rear. The car’s 87-inch wheelbase was the shortest of any Anglia, but the front and rear track were increased to 48 inches, and cornering on dry roads involved a degree of understeer: the steering took just two turns between locks, making the car responsive and easy to place on the road, although on wet roads it was too easy to make the tail slide out. A rare option for 1957 and 1958 was Newtondrive clutchless gearchange. The electrical system became 12 volt.  A facelift of the Anglia 100E was announced in October 1957. This included a new mesh radiator grille, new front lamp surrounds, a larger rear window, larger tail lights and chrome bumpers. The 100E sold well; by the time production ceased in 1959, 345,841 had rolled off the production line.

Jaguar Mark VII: The Jaguar Mark VII is a four-door luxury car produced from 1950 to 1956. Launched at the 1950 British International Motor Show as the successor to the Jaguar Mark V, it was called the Mark VII because there was already a Bentley Mark VI on the market. A version of the Jaguar Mark V with the XK engine had been designated as the Mark VI, but it is thought that only two were built. In its original 1950 form the Mark VII could exceed 100 mph, and in 1952 it became the first Jaguar to be made available with an optional automatic transmission. Mark VIIs were successful in racing and rallying. The Mark VII chassis came from the Jaguar Mark V and the wheelbase remained the same at 10 feet (3,048.0 mm). The new model’s body looked more streamlined, with integrated headlights and mudguards, a two-piece windscreen, and longer rear overhang. As on the Mark V, the rear wheels were partially covered by removable spats. Whereas the Mark V had a prewar pushrod engine originally developed by the Standard Motor Company, the Mark VII was powered by the newly developed XK engine. First seen in production form in the 1948 XK120, the 3442 cc DOHC straight-six provided 160 bhp, the same as in the XK120, and the saloon’s claimed top speed was over 100 mph (160 km/h). When the car was being developed, Jaguar thought it would find most of its customers overseas, mainly because UK car tax at that time penalised buyers of larger-engined cars. However it went into production just as Britain’s postwar economic austerity began to ease, and in 1951 the car’s enthusiastic reception in both the British and American markets prompted Jaguar to relocate production to larger premises, at the Browns Lane plant, which had been built for wartime production as a shadow factory and was now available for immediate use. The published performance figures for the Mark VII were based on the standard 8:1 compression ratio, but as this was unsuitable for the UK market’s low-octane Pool petrol, a 7:1 engine was optional. British motoring magazines tested the car’s performance with the higher compression ratio, using the Ostend to Brussels autoroute in Belgium, where 80 octane fuel was available. A Mark VII tested by The Motor in 1952 had a top speed of 101 mph (163 km/h), accelerated from 0–60 mph (97 km/h) in 13.7 seconds, and returned 17.6 miles per imperial gallon (16.1 L/100 km; 14.7 mpg‑US). The test car cost £1693 including taxes. In 1952 the Mark VII became the first Jaguar to be offered with an automatic transmission. By the time the model was upgraded to M specification in 1954, 20,908 had been produced. The Mark VII M was launched at the British International Motor Show in October 1954. Although the engine continued with the same capacity and 8:1 compression ratio, the introduction of new high-lift cams increased the amount of power to 190 bhp, giving the car a claimed top speed of 104 mph (167 km/h). The four-speed manual gearbox remained the standard fitting but was now constant mesh and fitted with closer ratios, while the Borg Warner automatic, hitherto available only on exported Mark VIIs, now became optional for British buyers. Larger torsion bars were fitted to the front suspension. Flasher-type traffic indicators replaced semaphore arms. Distinguishing the Mark VII M from its predecessor, circular grilles over the horns were installed below the headlights in place of the former integrated auxiliary lamps, which were moved slightly further apart up-rated and mounted on the bumper. Both bumpers now wrapped further around the sides of the car. New large tail lamps with built-in reflectors now incorporated direction indicators. New headlamps were given Le Mans type diffuser glasses. Seats were now full length and incorporated Dunlopillo. In 1956, with the advent of the Suez Crisis, Britain anticipated fuel rationing, and bubble cars appeared on the streets. Jaguar switched focus to their smaller saloons (the Mark I 2.4 had been introduced in 1955), and neither the Mark VII M nor any of its increasingly powerful but fuel-thirsty successors would match the production volumes of the original Jaguar Mark VII. Nevertheless, before it was superseded by the Mark VIII, the Mark VII M achieved 10,061 sales during its two-year production run

Renault Dauphine: The Renault Dauphine is a rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive four-door economy sedan with three-box styling, manufactured and marketed by Renault from 1956 to 1967 across a single generation. Along with such cars as the Citroën 2CV, Volkswagen Beetle, Morris Minor, Mini and Fiat 600, the Dauphine pioneered the modern European economy car. More than two million Dauphines were manufactured, many under licence by other manufacturers outside of France. Renault marketed numerous variants of the Dauphine, including a luxury version, the Renault Ondine; a decontented version, the Dauphine Teimoso (Brazil, 1965); sporting versions marketed as the Dauphine Gordini and the Ondine Gordini, and the 1093 factory racing model; as well as a prominent derivative, the Caravelle/Floride, a Dauphine-based two-door coupé and convertible. As Louis Renault’s successor, and as Renault’s chairman, Pierre Lefaucheux continued to defy the postwar French Ministry of Industrial Production – which had wanted to convert Renault solely to truck manufacture. Lefaucheux instead saw Renault’s survival in automobiles and achieved considerable success with the 4CV, with over 500,000 produced by 1954. The Dauphine was born during a conversation with Lefaucheux and engineer Fernand Picard. The two agreed the 4CV was appropriate in its postwar context, but that French consumers would soon need a car appropriate for their increasing standard of living, and the onset of the French Autoroute national highway implementation. Internally known as “Project 109” the Dauphine’s engineering began in 1949 with engineers Fernand Picard, Robert Barthaud and Jacques Ousset managing the project. A 1951 survey conducted by Renault indicated design parameters of a car with a top speed of 110 km/h (68 mph), seating for four passengers and fuel consumption of less than 7 L/100 km (40 mpg‑imp; 34 mpg‑US). The survey indicated that women held stronger opinions about a car’s colours than about the car itself. Engineers spent the next five years developing the Dauphine. Within the first year, designers had created a ⅛th-scale clay model, studied the model’s aerodynamics, built a full-scale clay model, studied wood interior mockups of the seating, instrument panel, and steering column – and built the first prototype in metal. Having largely finalized the exterior design, testing of the prototype began at Renault’s facilities at Lardy, France – by secrecy of night, on July 24, 1952. Using new laboratories and new specially designed tracks, engineers measured maximum speed, acceleration, braking and fuel consumption as well as handling, heating and ventilation, ride, noise levels and parts durability. Engineers tested parts by subjecting them to twisting and vibration stresses, and then redesigning the parts for manufacture. By August 1953 head engineer Picard had an almond-green prototype delivered to Madrid for dry condition testing, ultimately experiencing only five flat tires and a generator failure after 2,200 km (1,400 mi). Subsequently, Lefaucheux ordered engineers to test a Dauphine prototype directly against a Volkswagen Beetle. The engineers determined that noise levels were too high, interior ventilation and door sealing were inadequate and most importantly, the engine capacity was insufficient at only four CV (748 cc). The four-cylinder engine was redesigned to increase its capacity to 845 cc by increasing the bore to 58 mm, giving the car a new informal designation, the 5CV. By 1954 a second series of prototypes incorporated updates, using the older prototypes for crash testing. Lefaucheux followed the testing carefully, often meeting with his engineers for night testing to ensure secrecy, but did not live to see the Dauphine enter production. He was killed in an automobile accident on February 11, 1955, when he lost control of his Renault Frégate on an icy road and was struck on the head by his unsecured luggage as the car rolled over. The Flins factory was renamed in his honour, and he was succeeded on the project by Pierre Dreyfus. By the end of testing, drivers had road tested prototypes in everyday conditions including dry weather and dusty condition testing in Madrid, engine testing in Bayonne, cold testing at the Arctic Circle in Norway, suspension testing in Sicily, weatherseal testing in then-Yugoslavia – a total of more than two million kilometres of road and track testing. In December 1955, Pierre Bonin (director of the Flins Renault Factory) and Fernand Picard presented the first example to leave the factory to Pierre Dreyfus, who had taken over the project after Lefaucheux’s death. Renault officially revealed the model’s existence to the press through L’Auto Journal and L’Action Automobile et Touristique in November 1955, referring to it simply by its unofficial model designation “the 5CV”. Advance press preview testing began on February 4, 1956, under the direction of Renault press secretary Robert Sicot, with six Dauphines shipped to Corsica. Journalists were free to drive anywhere on the island, while under contract not to release publication before the embargo date of March 1, 1956. The Dauphine debuted on March 6, 1956 at Paris’ Palais de Chaillot with over twenty thousand people attending, two days before its official introduction at the 1956 Salon International de l’Auto in Geneva. In addition to its internal project number, Project 109, the prototype had been called by its unofficial model designation, the “5CV”. Lefaucheux, Renault’s chairman, often simply called it La machine de Flins (the Flins machine), referring to the Flins factory where Renault would ultimately initiate its production (and which would later be named in Lefaucheux’s honour). Renault considered the name Corvette for its new model, but to avoid a conflict with the recently launched Chevrolet Corvette instead chose a name that reinforced the importance of the project’s predecessor, the 4CV, to France’s postwar industrial rebirth. The final name was attributed to a dinner conversation at l’auberge de Port-Royal, chaired by Fernand Picard, where either Jean-Richard Deshaies or Marcel Wiriath said “the 4CV is the Queen of the road, the new arrival can only be the Dauphine. Dauphine is the feminine form of the French feudal title of Dauphin, the heir apparent to the throne. Ironically, both Robert Opron and Flaminio Bertoni of Citroën had wanted to name the Citroën Ami 6 the Dauphine, though by that time, Renault had registered the name. At introduction, the Dauphine was positioned in the marketplace between the concurrently manufactured 4CV, and the much larger Frégate. The new model followed the 4CV’s rear-engine, four-door three-box sedan format, while providing greater room and power and pioneering a new focus for Renault on interior and exterior colour and design. The Dauphine used a version of the 4CV’s water-cooled Ventoux engine with capacity increased from 760 cc to 845 cc, and power increased from 19–32 hp. According to Road & Track, the Dauphine accelerated from 0–110 km/h (0–68 mph) in 32 seconds. Engine cooling was facilitated by air intakes behind each rear door and a vented rear fascia. Heavier and 12 in (300 mm) longer than its predecessor, the 4-door body featured monocoque construction with “a pair of perimeter-shaped longitudinal box sections and substantial cross-bracing”, but without the 4CV’s rear-hinged suicide doors. Renault offered a three-speed manual transmission for the Dauphine, with synchronizers on 2nd and 3rd gear. In October 1961 synchromesh was provided for the 1st gear. There was also the option of a semi-automatic transmission – in effect, a manual transmission coupled to dry clutch that engaged and disengaged by touching the gearshift – beginning in 1957 with an electromagnetically-operated Ferlec clutch and no separate clutch pedal – similar to Volkswagen’s Autostick. Beginning in 1963, the Dauphine could be had with the three-speed transmission with electro-mechanical control, developed by Jaeger, which functioned as a “fully-automatic” transmission. Renault’s “automatic transmission” was controlled by five dash-mounted push-buttons: R-N-D-2-1. A Renault advertisement at the time said “out went the stick, in went the push-buttons – and in stayed the zip, the fun, the economy (35-40 miles a gallon isn’t unusual). That’s because the only difference between our shift and shiftless cars is this: an electronic control unit on our pushbutton model shifts the gears for you, automatically.” Front suspension was conventional coil-spring/wishbone layout with an anti-roll bar and rack-and-pinion steering, on a detachable front cross member. Rear suspension was a high-pivot swing axle with concentric coil-spring/telescopic dampers sitting atop the swing tubes which Renault called trumpet casings. With the exception of the trunnion arms in the transaxle housing, there was no fore-aft ‘location’ of the rear suspension. The pressed engine/transaxle/suspension mounting member was detachable from the main body structure. 61 percent of the Dauphine’s weight was carried by the rear wheels. The rear swing axle design, unless ameliorated by any of several options, can allow rear tires to undergo large camber changes during fast cornering, leading to oversteer – a dynamically unstable condition in which a vehicle can lose control and spin. Renault relied on a front anti-roll bar as well as tire pressure differential to eliminate oversteer characteristics – low front and high rear tire pressure — and induce understeer. The tire pressure differential strategy offered the disadvantage that owners and mechanics could inadvertently but easily re-introduce oversteer characteristics by over-inflating the front tires. In the United States, drivers (and General Motors) experienced virtually the same issues with the Chevrolet Corvair. In 1960 Renault revised the suspension with the addition of extra rubber springs up front and auxiliary air spring units (mounted inboard of the conventional coils) at the rear – marketing the system as Aerostable[20] – and giving the rear wheels a small degree of negative camber and increased cornering grip. Speaking about the Dauphine’s rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, Renault’s Fernand Picard said in a paper he delivered in 1957 that the car was part of a rear-engine trend led by Volkswagen, Fiat and Renault whereby the rear drive/rear engine configuration had increased from 2.6 percent of continental western Europe’s car production in 1946 to 26.6 percent in 1956. The United Kingdom auto industry, which had also managed largely to avoid the front-engine/front-wheel drive trend of the 1930s, was excluded from Picard’s figures.  The Dauphine used a three-box design of the ponton genre, with cargo volume forward and engine volume rearward. Overall, Dauphine styling was a scaled down version of the Renault Frégate, itself a classic three-box design of the ponton genre. Renault received styling assistance for the Dauphine at the request of Lefaucheux in June 1953 from Luigi Segre of Carrozzeria Ghia, especially with integrating the engine’s air intake at the rear doors. The Dauphine had a front-hinged trunklid, which housed the headlights and opened to a seven-cubic-foot trunk. The spare tire was carried horizontally under the front of the car, behind an openable panel below the bumper. The interior featured adjustable front bucket seats and a rear bench seat, a heater, painted dash matching the exterior, twin courtesy lamps, a white steering wheel, rear bypassing (vs. roll down) windows, twin horns (town and country) selectable by the driver and twin open bins on the dashboard in lieu of gloveboxes. Exterior finishes included a range of pastel colours. In 1950, the president of General Motors (GM) had visited Renault, noting the cars’ drab colours, inside and out. According to their own 1951 Survey, Renault’s studies had shown that women held stronger opinions on the colours of a car than the actual choice of a particular model. Coincidentally, well-known Parisian textile artist Paule Marrot (1902–1987) had written to Renault’s chairman, Lefaucheux, giving her opinion that the cars of postwar Paris were a uniformly somber parade, and wondering whether an artist could not help find fresh, vibrant colours. Marrot had attended Paris’ prestigious L’école des Arts Décoratifs, had won a gold medal in 1925 at the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes and had received a 1928 Prix Blumenthal. Convinced of her value to the project, Pierre Lefaucheux made her a member of the Dauphine team — “to rid Renault of their stuffy image. After decades of being dipped in various shades of black and grey, car bodies [would be] painted in happy pastels.” Working with four others and after setting up a new test laboratory to measure fabric wear as well as paint wear and uniformity, Marrot proposed new body and interior colours. The new paint colours contrasted with those from the competition, the Peugeot 203 and Simca Aronde, including bright colours with names such as Rouge Montijo, Jaune Bahamas, Bleu Hoggar and Blanc Réja. Marrot and her team then developed complementary interior fabrics for the seats and door panels, turning to Paris’ large textile houses. Marrot also designed the Dauphine’s emblem of three dolphins over a crown, which adorned the Dauphine’s steering wheel and hood throughout its production. Later in life, Marrot went on to win the French Légion d’honneur (Legion of Honor), and Marrot’s textiles were later licensed by companies as diverse as Nike and Hayden-Harnett. The Renault Ondine, an upmarket variant of the Dauphine, was introduced in 1961 and was offered for two years. It featured a 4-speed transmission. The Gordini version was offered with a 4-speed transmission, four-wheel disc brakes from 1964 and increased horsepower, performance tuned by Amédée Gordini to 37 hp. Both Dauphine Gordini and Ondine Gordini variants were offered. The 1093 was a factory racing model limited edition of 2,140 homologated, which were tuned to 55 hp and featured a twin-barrel carburettor, four-speed manual transmission and tachometer, had a top speed of 140 km/h (87 mph), and were produced in 1962 and 1963. All were painted white with two thin blue stripes running front to back along the hood, roof and trunk.By the early 1960s, Renault sought to avoid the single-model-culture that had nearly destroyed Volkswagen, accelerating the development of the Dauphine’s successor, the R8, which supplemented the Dauphine in 1962. Renault celebrated the end of Dauphine production with a limited edition of 1000 models. The last of the base-model Dauphines was produced in December 1966 and the last Gordini models were sold in December 1967. By this time the Dauphine had been excluded from the manufacturer’s production lines and Dauphine assembly during the model’s final years was subcontracted, along with that of the Caravelle, to Brissonneau and Lotz at Creil.

THE 60s ONWARDS

The second main display hall contains an array of cars from the 1960s through to the 80s, some more familiar than others.

De Tomaso Deauville: The De Tomaso Deauville was a luxury four-door saloon first exhibited at Turin Motor Show 1970. The Deauville was powered by the same 351 in³ (5763 cc) Ford Cleveland V8 as the De Tomaso Pantera, rated at 330 hp. The car had a top speed of 230 km/h (143 mph) and featured styling similar to that of the Jaguar XJ. The Deauville had an independent rear suspension very similar to that used by Jaguar, and ventilated discs front and aft. It shares its chassis with the Maserati Quattroporte III. There were three Deauville variants: the early series 1 (1970–1974: serial number 10##, 11## and 12##), late series 1 (1975–1977: serial numbers 14##) and the series 2 (1978–1985: serial numbers 20## and 21##). A total of 244 cars were produced.

Mazda RX-7: There were three generations of the RX7 and this is the first. During its production life, there were three distinct series. Series 1 (1978–1980) is commonly referred to as the “SA22C” from the first alphanumerics of the vehicle identification number. In Japan it was introduced in March 1978, replacing the Savanna RX-3, and joined Mazda’s only other remaining rotary engine powered products, the Cosmo, a two-door luxury coupe, and the Luce luxury sedan. The lead designer at Mazda was Matasaburo Maeda, whose son, Ikuo, would go on to design the Mazda2 and Mazda RX-8. The transition of the Savanna to a sports car appearance reflected products from other Japanese manufacturers. The advantage the RX-7 had was its minimal size and weight, and the compact rotary engine installed behind the front axle, which helped balance the front to rear weight distribution, and provide a low centre of gravity. In Japan, sales were enhanced by the fact that the RX-7 complied with Japanese Government dimension regulations, and Japanese buyers were not liable for yearly taxes for driving a larger car. The rotary engine had financial advantages to Japanese consumers in that the engine displacement remained below 1.5 litres, a significant determination when paying the Japanese annual road tax which kept the obligation affordable to most buyers, while having more power than the traditional inline engines. The Series 2 (1981–1983) had integrated plastic-covered bumpers, wide black rubber body side mouldings, wraparound taillights and updated engine control components. While marginally longer overall, the new model was 135 lb (61 kg) lighter in federalised trim. The four-speed manual option was dropped for 1981 as well, while the gas tank grew larger and the dashboard was redesigned, including a shorter gear stick mounted closer to the driver. In 1983, the 130 mph speedometer returned for the RX-7. The GSL package provided optional four-wheel disc brakes, front ventilated (Australian model) and clutch-type rear limited slip differential (LSD). The second generation model was launched in late 1984.

Rover 3500 “P6”: Whilst the 3 litre P5 model may have been thought of as a replacement for the top end of the long running P4 Rovers, it was really this car, the P6 model, first seen in October 1963 which was its true successor. Very different from the long-running 60/75/80/90/95/100/105/110 models, this car took some of its inspiration, it is claimed, from the Citroen DS as well as lessons learned from Rover’s Jet Turbine program of the 1950s and early 60s. It was a “clean sheet” design, carrying nothing over, and was  advanced for the time with a de Dion tube suspension at the rear, four-wheel disc brakes (inboard on the rear), and a fully synchromesh transmission. The unibody design featured non-stressed panels bolted to a unit frame. The de Dion set-up was unique in that the “tube” was in two parts that could telescope, thereby avoiding the need for sliding splines in the drive shafts, with consequent stiction under drive or braking torque, while still keeping the wheels vertical and parallel in relation to the body. The Rover 2000 won industry awards for safety when it was introduced and included a carefully designed “safety” interior. One innovative feature was the prism of glass on the top of the front side lights. This allowed the driver to see the front corner of the car in low light conditions, and also confirmed that they were operative. One unique feature of the Rover 2000 was the design of the front suspension system, in which a bell crank (an L-shaped rotating bracket trailing the upper hub carrier joint) conveyed the vertical motion of the wheel to a fore-and-aft-horizontally mounted spring fastened to the rear wall of the engine compartment. A single hydraulically damped arm was mounted on the firewall for the steering. The front suspension was designed to allow as much width for the engine compartment as possible so that Rover’s Gas Turbine engine could be fitted. In the event, the engine was never used for the production vehicle, but the engine compartment width helped the accommodation of the V8 engine adopted years after the car’s initial launch for the 2000. The luggage compartment was limited in terms of usable space, because of the “base unit” construction, complex rear suspension and, in series II vehicles, the battery location. Lack of luggage space (and hence the need to re-locate the spare tyre) led to innovative options for spare tyre provision including boot lid mountings and optional Dunlop Denovo run-flat technology. The car’s primary competitor on the domestic UK market was the Triumph 2000, also released in October 1963, just one week after the Rover, and in continental Europe, it contended in the same sector as the Citroen DS which, like the initial Rover offering, was offered only with a four-cylinder engine – a deficiency which in the Rover was resolved, four years after its launch, when Rover’s compact V8 was engineered to fit into the engine bay. The Rover 2000 interior was not as spacious as those of its Triumph and Citroen rivals, especially in the back, where its sculpted two-person rear seat implied that Rover customers wishing to accommodate three in the back of a Rover should opt for the larger and older Rover 3 Litre. The first P6 used a 1,978 cc engine designed specifically for the car, which put out around 104 bhp. That was not enough to live up to the sports saloon ambitions, so Rover later developed a twin SU carburettor version with a re-designed top end and marketed the revised specification vehicles as the 2000 TC. The 2000 TC was launched in March 1966 for export markets in North America and continental Europe, relenting and making it available to UK buyers later that year. This engine generated  around 124 bhp. The standard specification engines continued in production in vehicles designated as 2000 SC models. These featured the original single SU. More performance was to come. Rover saw Buick’s compact 3528 cc V8 unit that they had been looking at developing as the means of differentiating the P6 from its chief rival, the Triumph 2000. They purchased the rights to the innovative aluminium engine, and, once improved for production by Rover’s own engineers, it became an instant hit. The Rover V8 engine, as it became known, outlived its original host, the P5B, by more than thirty years. The 3500 was introduced in April 1968, one year after the Rover company was purchased by Triumph’s owner, Leyland and continued to be offered until 1977. The light metal V8 engine weighed the same as the four-cylinder unit of the Rover 2000, and the more powerful car’s maximum speed of 114 mph as well as its 10.5-second acceleration time from 0–60 mph were considered impressive, and usefully faster than most of the cars with which, on the UK market, the car competed on price and specifications. It was necessary to modify the under-bonnet space to squeeze the V8 engine into the P6 engine bay: the front suspension cross-member had to be relocated forward, while a more visible change was an extra air intake beneath the front bumper to accommodate the larger radiator. There was no longer space under the bonnet for the car’s battery, which in the 3500 retreated to a position on the right side of the boot. Nevertheless, the overall length and width of the body were unchanged when compared with the smaller-engined original P6. Having invested heavily in the car’s engine and running gear, the manufacturer left most other aspects of the car unchanged. However, the new Rover 3500 could be readily distinguished from the 2000 thanks to various prominent V8 badges on the outside and beneath the radio. The 3500 was also delivered with a black vinyl covering on the C-pillar, although this decoration later appeared also on four-cylinder cars. A 3-speed Borg Warner 35 automatic was the only transmission until the 1971 addition of a four-speed manual 3500S model, fitted with a modified version of the gearbox used in the 2000/2200. The letter “S” did not denote “Sport”, it was chosen because it stood for something specific on those cars: “Synchromesh”. However it is important to note that the 3500S was noticeably quicker than the automatic version of this car with a 0-60mph time of 9 seconds, compared with 10.1 for the standard car. Moreover, due to the fuel-guzzling nature of automatic gearboxes of this era, the manual car’s official cycle was 24mpg compared to the automatic’s 22mpg. The Series II, or Mark II as it was actually named by Rover, was launched in 1970. All variants carried the battery in the boot and had new exterior fixtures such as a plastic front air intake (to replace the alloy version), new bonnet pressings (with V8 blips even for the 4-cylinder-engined cars) and new rear lights. The interior of the 3500 and 2000TC versions was updated with new instrumentation with circular gauges and rotary switches. The old-style instrumentation with a linear speedometer and toggle switches continued on the 2000SC versions. The final changes to the P6 came in the autumn of 1973 when the 2200 SC and 2200 TC replaced the 2000 SC and TC. These cars used an enlarged 2,205 cc version of the 2000 engine, which increased power outputs to 98 and 115 bhp respectively as well as offering improved torque. The P6 was replaced by the SD1 Rover, a completely different sort of car indeed, after 322,302 cars had been built. Seen here was an late model 3500S, a very aspirational car in its day..

Citroen GS: This filled the gap in Citroën’s range, between the 2CV and Ami economy cars and the luxurious DS executive sedan. The DS had moved significantly upmarket from its predecessor the Citroën Traction Avant, and beyond the finances of most French motorists. Leaving this market gap open for fifteen years allowed other manufacturers entry into the most profitable, high volume market segment in France. This combined with the development costs and new factory for the DS-replacing Citroën CX, the 1974 oil crisis, and an aborted Wankel rotary engine, led Citroën to declare bankruptcy in 1974. The GS took 14 years to develop from initial design to launch. In 1956, Citroën developed a bubble car prototype to fill the gap in its range between the DS and the 2CV, known as the C10. Development continued with ideas like a Wankel engine and hydropneumatic suspension suggested as possibilities, with a new, modern body to match. Another iteration was the “C60,” which resembled an Ami 6 with a long, smooth nose. In 1963, development had moved to “Project F”, which was close to being production ready. Citroën decided the car was too similar to the 1965 Renault 16 and by 1967 Project F was suspended. Many of the mechanical components continued to “Project G”, which became the GS. The GS was designed by Robert Opron, with a smooth two box design that bears some resemblance to the 1967 design study by Pininfarina Berlina Aerodinamica. On 24 August 1970, Citroën launched the production GS. The body style was as a Berline (a four-door saloon with three side windows), in a fastback style with a sharp Kammback. The aerodynamics gave the best drag coefficient of any vehicle at the time. Good aerodynamics enabled the car to make the best of the available power from its 1015cc flat four engine, but the car as launched nevertheless drew criticism that it was underpowered. Citroën addressed the issue with the introduction in September 1972, as an option, of a larger 1,222 cc engine. Claimed power increased from 55 bhp to 60 bhp, but it was the improved torque that really marked out the more powerful engine, and which enabled the manufacturer, with the larger engined versions, to raise the second gear ratio and the final drive ratio. Larger front brake discs were also fitted. Visually the GS bore little resemblance to any other car on the market, until the development of the larger Citroën CX in 1974. The fastback design, with a separate boot, was controversial – a hatchback layout was considered too utilitarian by CEO Pierre Bercot. The 1974 CX shared this feature. The boot was nevertheless exceptionally large, in part due to the positioning of the spare wheel on top of the engine. Both the early GS (until 1976) and the GSA have the unusual rotating drum speedometer (similar in construction to bathroom scales), rather than the dials found in a conventional dashboard. The later GS (from 1977 until the introduction of the GSA) had a conventional speedometer. The GS was offered in four trims: G Special (base), GS Club (midrange), GS X (sports), and GS Pallas (luxury). The GS X and Pallas were only offered as saloons. The GS was also available, from September 1971, as a four door station estate and a similar two-door “service” van. The GS was facelifted in 1979 and given a hatchback, and renamed the GSA. This change reflected the growing popularity of small family hatchbacks in Europe since the launch of the Volkswagen Golf. Other modifications included a new grille, new plastic bumpers, new taillights, new hubcaps and new exterior door handles. It also had a revised dashboard with the auxiliary controls on column-shaped pods so they could be reached without moving the hands from the single-spoked steering wheel; similar to the CX layout. It was partly replaced by the larger BX in 1982, although production continued in reduced volumes until 1986. Citroën did not re-enter the small family hatchback market until the launch of the ZX in 1991. The GS met with instant market acceptance and was the largest selling Citroën model for many years. 1,896,742 GS models and 576,757 GSA models were produced in total.

Volkswagen Scirocco: Volkswagen began work on the Scirocco during the early 1970s as the replacement for the aging Karmann Ghia coupe, and designated it the Typ 53 internally. Although the platform of the Golf was used to underpin the new Scirocco, almost every part of the car was re-engineered in favour of a new styling (penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro) which was sleeker and sportier than that of the Golf. The Scirocco debuted at the 1973 Geneva Motor Show. Launched six months before the Golf, in order to resolve any teething troubles before production of the high volume hatchback started, the Scirocco went on sale in Europe in 1974 and in North America in 1975. Type 1 models featured a range of four-cylinder engines with displacements from 1.1 to 1.6 litres, with a 1.7 also offered in North America, all featuring a single-overhead camshaft and two valves per cylinder. The design of the vehicle combined with the lack of D.O.T.-approved rectangular headlights, made it necessary to have four round headlights, two for low beam use and two for high beam use for all the cars imported to the US. Many European owners of Scirocco with smaller engines replaced the two rectangular headlights with four round headlights as to eliminate the differentiation between smaller and less powerful engines and larger and more powerful ones. However, the European “TS” version, for which maximum power was listed as 85 PS, was easily distinguishable from the less powerful “L” and “S” (50 and 70 PS) versions which came with just two rectangular headlights. An automatic transmission option was added in January 1975. Automatic transmission-equipped Sciroccos were generally rare outside of North America. The Scirocco GTi entered production in the summer of 1976, while the later cult Golf GTI wasn’t unveiled until the autumn of the same year. Its high-revving, 110 bhp 1.6-litre engine featured mechanical fuel injection, 175/70HR13 tires on 5.5Jx13 wheels, a larger duckbill style front spoiler, a red frame for the grille, and the standard car’s solid front brake discs were replaced with 9.4 in (239 mm) ventilated discs. Anti-roll bars were also fitted front and rear. During the production of the “Type 53”, there were subtle changes to the body and trim. On cars produced after the summer break in August 1975 (for the 1976 model year), the conventional two wiper system changed to a single wiper which parks on the passenger side of the windscreen, while the driver also benefited from improved, lighter, steering linkage. However, air conditioning became available as an option on the domestic market in August 1975. The possibility to retrofit the installation, together with a larger battery, was offered to existing owners. In August 1977 (for model year 1978) the separate front side marker and turn signal, changed to a combination wrap-around orange lens. At the same time, behind the doors the B-pillar colour changed from body colour to black, which was thought to give the car a more pleasing profile.  Other mid-life changes include the move from chrome bumpers with rubberised end caps to a plastic-coated one-piece wrap around bumper. In 1979, the one-piece “flag” style outside mirrors transitioned to a two-piece shrouded mirror. The car changed little before being replaced by the second generation in March 1981 (Europe). There were also special variants throughout the Type 1 production. Most distinguishable by paint schemes and trim, there were special versions called “Sidewinder”, “Sidewinder II”, “Champagne Edition”, “Champagne Edition II” and the “S”. The Champagne Edition II only came in white with black accents and a Zender front spoiler. On the NA models the 1980 “S” versions came in only three colours, Alpine White, Black and Mars Red with unique colour accents. This “S” model differed from the base model by having blacked out chrome trim, day glow additions to the exterior trim, Recaro designed sports seats, white letter tires, sport strips and a standard five-speed transmission. This was followed by the 1981 “S” versions which only came in Cosmos Silver Metallic, Cirrus Gray Metallic and Mars Red without the colour accents. Steel sunroofs were an available option on both the “S” non-“S” vehicles. Unlike the sunroofs on the second-generation Sciroccos introduced in 1982, these earlier versions only tilted open. They did not slide back but could be removed and stored in a special fabric folder and placed in the trunk hatch. Not forgetting the addition of the “Storm” models, available in two colours with a run of 250 cars in each colour. The second generation car was launched in late 1981.

Datsun Sunny 120Y Coupe: The third generation (1973–1978) Sunny was extremely popular as it debuted during the 1973 oil crisis. It was first shown on 1 May 1973 in Japan, as the 1.2 or the 1.4-litre Excellent. Both engines were offered in two different levels of output, from the lowest powered 68 PS 1.2 to the 95 PS Excellent GX Coupe. Six body styles were offered: the four-door sedan, two-door sedan, two-door fastback, three-door wagon, five-door wagon, and a three-door van. The coupé retained its fastback styling, but now featured a full hatchback door rather than the small trunk lid of the previous generation Sunny. The wagon and van were not offered in North America. In 1975, Japan models were fitted with emission control technology, called Nissan NAPS to be in compliance with Japanese Government emission control regulations enforced that year. The related Sunny Excellents continued until 1976 as PB210 models, at first fitted with a 1.4-litre L14 engine. American market B210s were the first Sunnys to have the larger 5 mph collision bumpers, due to the USA’s safety standards at the time. Other markets continued with the more tightly-fitted chrome bumpers. In most markets, the B210 line featured as the only engine option a re-designed A12 engine. As usual for Japan, the wagon (three- and five-door models alike) was marketed as a van for commercial use, where it was only available with the lowest-powered 1.2 engine (VB210). The van, in its lowest standard equipment level, came equipped with a three-speed manual gearbox with a column-mounted shift lever. This chassis formed the basis for the S10 underpinning the Nissan Silvia coupé, which allowed Nissan to sell the Sunny Coupé at two Nissan Japanese dealership networks. The Sunny was exclusive to Nissan Satio Store, while the Silvia was exclusive to Nissan Prince Store, alongside the Nissan Skyline. B211 is the chassis code for the minor facelift of the B210, introduced in February 1976. It included a changed grille and other minor changes, such as new wing mirrors and hubcaps. The most important differences were under the hood, where the engines had been upgraded to meet Japan’s 1976 emissions standards. The Sunny Excellent now only came fitted with the larger 1.6-litre engine, with the more compact A14 engine replacing the L14 and being installed in the regular bodied model (HB211). The Excellent’s chassis code changed from PB210 to GB211 and was now considered a trim-level option for the regular B211 rather than a separate model. Although regular production in Japan as well as sales in most countries ended in late 1977 for the 1978 model year, the B210 series continued to be produced by Nissan South Africa through 1980. The van models were not replaced until later. The Datsun B210 continued to be the fuel-economy leader in North America and it was one of the least expensive cars available. This was in part due to the light metal; small A13 or A14 engine with OHV technology and a very basic vinyl interior used in its construction. Introduced for 1974 with a 1.3-litre four, this was replaced by a larger and more powerful 1.4-litre version for 1975  which developed 70 or 68 hp in 49-state and California trim, respectively. The regular version took leaded fuel and depended on an EGR system for air cleaning, while the unleaded California cars have a catalytic converter. This engine remained in use, continuing to be installed in the next generation B210. At the time, their body styles were popular with buyers – mainly the hatchback coupé as the sedans were considered by some to be less appealing. Datsun dealers were instructed to describe the coupé as having “the image of a Mini-Z-Car”. The 1978 B210 (American model) with five-speed transmission was rated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency at 50 mpg‑US highway fuel economy. Road & Track was somewhat critical of the B210 in their 1975 test. They criticised the “modest performance” of the “peppy” engine, but were impressed with its 27 mpg‑US fuel economy. B210 pricing started at US$2849 that year. The “Datsun Honeybee” was a special edition consisting mostly of appearance parts. Nonetheless, the Honeybee is now considered a collector’s car among Datsun enthusiasts. The fourth generation model was launched in 1978.

Triumph Stag: Envisioned as a luxury sports car, the Stag was designed to compete directly with the Mercedes-Benz SL. It started as a styling experiment, cut and shaped from a 1963–4 Triumph 2000 pre-production saloon, which had also been styled by Michelotti, and loaned to him by Harry Webster, Director of Engineering at Triumph. Their agreement was that if Webster liked the design, Triumph could use the prototype as the basis of a new Triumph model. Harry Webster, who was a long time friend of Giovanni Michelotti, whom he called “Micho”, loved the design and took the prototype back to England. The end result, a two-door drop head (convertible), had little in common with the styling of its progenitor 2000, but retained the suspension and drive line. Triumph liked the Michelotti design so much that they propagated the styling lines of the Stag into the new Mark 2 2000/2500 saloon and estate. The initial Stag design was based around the saloon’s 2.5-litre six cylinder engine, but Harry Webster intended the Stag, large saloons and estate cars to use a new Triumph-designed overhead cam 2.5-litre fuel injected  V8. Under the direction of Harry Webster’s successor, Spen King in 1968, the new Triumph OHC 2.5 PI V8 was enlarged to 2997 cc to increase torque. To meet emission standards in the USA, a key target market, the troublesome mechanical fuel injection was dropped in favour of dual Zenith-Stromberg 175 CDSE carburettors. A key aim of Triumph’s engineering strategy at the time was to create a family of engines of different size around a common crankshaft. This would enable the production of power plants of capacity between 1.5 and 4 litres, sharing many parts, and hence offering economies of manufacturing scale and of mechanic training. A number of iterations of this design went into production, notably a slant four-cylinder engine used in the later Triumph Dolomite and Triumph TR7, and a variant manufactured by StanPart that was initially used in the Saab 99. The Stag’s V8 was the first of these engines into production. Sometimes described as two four-cylinder engines Siamesed together, it is more correct to say that the later four-cylinder versions were half a Stag engine. It has sometimes been alleged that Triumph were instructed to use the proven all-aluminium Rover V8, originally designed by Buick, but claimed that it would not fit. Although there was a factory attempt by Triumph to fit a Rover engine, which was pronounced unsuccessful, the decision to go with the Triumph V8 was probably driven more by the wider engineering strategy and by the fact that the Buick’s different weight and torque characteristics would have entailed substantial re-engineering of the Stag when it was almost ready to go on sale. Furthermore Rover, also owned by British Leyland, could not necessarily have supplied the numbers of V8 engines to match the anticipated production of the Stag anyway. As in the Triumph 2000 model line, unitary construction was employed, as was fully independent suspension – MacPherson struts in front, semi-trailing arms at the rear. Braking was by front disc and rear drum brakes, while steering was power-assisted rack and pinion.  Although other bodystyles were envisaged, these never made production, so all  Stags were four-seater convertible coupés. For structural rigidity – and to meet new American rollover standards of the time – the Stag required a B-pillar “roll bar” hoop connected to the windscreen frame by a T-bar. A removable hardtop was a popular factory option for the early Stags, and was later supplied as a standard fitment. The car was launched one year late in 1970, to a warm welcome at the various international auto shows. Sadly, it rapidly acquired a reputation for mechanical unreliability, usually in the form of overheating. These problems arose from a variety of causes, all of which are now well understood, and for which solutions have been identified, but at the time, they really hurt the reputation and hence sales of the car. They ranged from late changes to the engine which gave rise to design features that were questionable from an engineering perspective, the choice of materials which necessitated the use of antifreeze all year round, the engine’s use of long, simplex roller link chains, which would first stretch and then often fail inside fewer than 25,000 miles; the arrangement of the cylinder head fixing studs, half of which were vertical and the other half at an angle causing sideways forces which caused premature failure of the cylinder head gaskets. and poor quality production from a plant troubled with industrial unrest and poor quality control. At the time, British Leyland never provided a budget sufficient to correct the few design shortcomings of the Triumph 3.0 litre OHC V8, and the dealers did not help matters. The Stag was always a relatively rare car. British Leyland had around 2,500 UK dealers when the Stag was on sale and a total of around 19,000 were sold in the UK. Thus the average dealer sold only seven or eight Stags during the car’s whole production run, or roughly one car per year. This meant that few dealers saw defective Stags often enough to recognise and diagnose the cause of the various problems. Many owners simply replaced the engine altogether, often with the Rover V8, Ford Essex V6, or even the Triumph 6-cylinder engine around which the car was originally designed. Perhaps thanks to such a reputation for its unreliable engine, only 25,877 cars were produced between 1970 and 1977. Of this number, 6780 were export models, of which 2871 went to the United States. The majority of cars were fitted with a Borg-Warner 3-speed automatic transmission. The other choice was a derivative of the ancient Triumph TR2 gearbox which had been modified and improved over the years for use in the TR series of sports cars. Other than the choice of transmissions there were very few factory-installed options. On early cars buyers could choose to have the car fitted with just the soft-top, just the hard-top (with the hood storage compartment empty) or with both. Later cars were supplied with both roofs. Three wheel styles were offered. The standard fitments were steel wheels with Rostyle “tin-plate” trims. Five-spoke alloy wheels were an option, as were a set of traditional steel spoke wheels with “knock-off”‘ hubcaps. The latter were more commonly found on Stags sold in North America on Federal Specification vehicles. Electric windows, power steering and power-assisted brakes were standard. Options included air conditioning, a luggage rack, uprated Koni shock absorbers, floor mats and Lucas Square Eight fog lamps, and a range of after-market products, most of which were dealer installed as optional accessories could also be fitted. Rather unusually for a 4-seat touring car, the accessory list included a sump protector plate that was never produced. This was probably included as a slightly “gimmicky” tribute to Triumph’s rallying successes. Nowadays, the Stag is seen in a very different light, with lots of very enthusiastic and knowledgeable owners who enjoy the good points of this attractive looking car and who revel in the fact that the market has not yet boosted prices into the unaffordable category, as one day will surely happen.

Lancia Fulvia Coupe: The Fulvia Coupé was a compact two-door, three-box coupé introduced in 1965. Like the saloon it was designed in-house by Piero Castagnero, using a wheelbase 150 mm (5.9 in) shorter than its sedan counterpart. As the last Fulvia model to be discontinued, the coupe was ultimately replaced in 1977 by a 1.3-litre version of the Beta Coupé. The 1965–67 cars were equipped with a 1,216 cc 818.100 engine—from 1967 enlarged to 1,231 cc—producing 79 hp at 6,000 rpm. The same engines were subsequently used on the Berlina GT. The Coupé HF of 1966–67 was the competition version of the coupé, introduced later in 1965. It carried a tuned version of the 1,216 cc engine producing 87 hp at 6,000 rpm. Bodywork was lightened by removing the bumpers, using an aluminium bonnet, doors and boot lid, Plexiglas side and rear windows, and bare steel wheels without hubcaps. The Rallye 1.3 HF of 1967–69 had a new 1,298 cc engine with 100 hp at 6,400 rpm. The Rallye 1.3 of 1967–68 was an updated coupé with the 818.302 1,298 cc engine with 86 hp at 6,000 rpm. The Rallye 1.3 S of 1968–70 was an updated, more powerful Rallye 1.3 with a new 818.303 1,298 cc engine producing 91 hp at 6,000 rpm. There was also the Rallye 1.6 HF of 1969–70. Known as Fanalone (“big lamps”) because of the characteristic upsized inner pair of headlamps. The evolution of Rallye 1.3 HF, equipped with an all-new 818.540 1,584 cc engine producing 113 hp at 6,500 rpm. Other changes included negative camber front suspension geometry, with light alloy 13 inch 6J wheels; and a close ratio 5-speed gearbox and wheel arch extensions. The easiest way to distinguish this version is by the triangular holes between headlamps and grille. The Rallye 1.6 HF of 1969–70 was a works rally-spec Fanalone, produced in very limited numbers. The most powerful Fulvia with a 1,584 cc engine producing up to 130 hp depending on tune. This was the version used by the works rally team until 1974 when it was superseded in competition by the Stratos HF. 45 mm bore Solex carburettors were used that were later replaced by 45 DCOE Webers. The cam cover had a special blue stripe over the yellow paint job (HF cars had just a yellow paint job). The Series II cars first appeared in 1970. For the Coupé 1.3 S of 1970–73, there was a face-lifted body and new 5 speed gearbox with 1298 cc (818.303) engine producing 89 hp at 6000 rpm. Larger Girling callipers and pads replaced the Dunlop system fitted to 1st series cars. The Coupé 1.3 S Montecarlo of 1972–73 was a special edition based on the 1.3 S, commemorating Lancia’s victory at the 1972 Monte Carlo Rally. The livery resembled the works car, with matte black bonnet and boot lid bearing Monte Carlo rally plate-style stickers. This version used his own bodyshell with flared wheel arches, similar to the 1.6 HF bodyshell. Other accoutrements included 1.6 HF Lusso interior fittings such as bucket seats with headrests, rectangular front fog lamps, no bumpers and black single wing mirror; 4.5J steel wheels of the standard Coupé were fitted. The Coupé 1600 HF of 1970 had the face-lifted all steel body with 1,584 cc engine with Solex C42DDHF carb producing 113 hp at 6,000 rpm. The bodywork was changed from the standard 1.3 Coupé to incorporate flared wheel arches (replacing the extensions used on 1st series HFs). There was a further update creating the Coupé  Series 3. This was introduced in 1974 and was mechanically the same as the earlier Series 2 1.3 S except for the addition of emission control on the Solex carburettors. Other than for “Fulvia 3” badges, it is easily recognized by its matte black grilled and headlight frame. It featured a new design of seats incorporating headrests and new white-faced instrument dials with an updated range of trim colours, materials and options. There was a Coupé 3 Montecarlo between 1974–76 which was as the earlier Montecarlo, but with Coupé 3 accoutrements. And finally there was the Safari between 1974–76. A limited edition based on the standard Coupé 3 with simplified trim and equipment, celebrating Fulvia’s participation in the Safari Rally. It came without bumpers, with matte black exterior trim, seats upholstered in denim cloth and leatherette, exterior badges on the bonnet and on the boot lid and also a special numbered plaque on the dashboard.

Peugeot 504 Coupe: The 504 Injection two-door coupé and two-door cabriolet were introduced at the Salon de Geneva in March 1969. The engine produced the same 96 bhp of output as in the fuel-injected saloon, but the final drive ratio was slightly revised to give a slightly higher road speed of 20.6 mph (33.2 km/h) at 1,000 rpm. Unlike the saloons, the coupé and cabriolet received a floor shifter. At the 1974 October Motor Show Peugeot presented a more powerful engine for the 504 coupé and cabriolet, now fitted with a “PRV” 2664 cc V6 unit developed in collaboration with Renault and Volvo. This was the same engine that would be used for the 604 berline, to be introduced at Geneva five months later, in March 1975. The engine incorporated various innovative features such as an aluminium cylinder block, and a fuel-feed system that employed carburettors of differing type, one (type 34 TBIA) featuring a single chamber controlled directly according to the movement of the accelerator pedal, and the second being a twin chamber carburettor (type 35 CEEI) designed to operate simultaneously with the first, using a pneumatic linkage. Maximum output for the 504 coupé and cabriolet fitted with this new V6 engine was given as 134 bhp, supporting a top speed of 186 km/h (116 mph). During 1975, the first full year of production, 2643 of these six-cylinder 504 coupés and cabriolet were produced, which was considered a respectable number although dwarfed by the 236,733 four-cylinder 504 berlines (saloons/sedans) and breaks (estates/station wagons) produced by Peugeot in France in the same year. Following the launch of the six-cylinder cars, the four-cylinder versions of the coupé and cabriolet 504s were delisted: they returned to the showrooms in 1978 in response, it was reported, to customer demand.

Toyota Corolla 1200SL: In May 1970, the E20 was restyled with a more rounded body. The now mutually exclusive Corolla and Sprinter names were used to differentiate between two slightly different treatments of sheet metal and trim. The Corolla Levin and Sprinter Trueno names were introduced as the enhanced performance version of the Corolla and Sprinter respectively when a double overhead camshaft version of the 2T engine was introduced in March 1972 (TE27). In September 1970, the 1400 cc T and 1600 cc 2T OHV engines were added to the range. In Australia, only the 1.2 L engine (3K) powered 2-door KE20 was available as a sedan and wagon / panelvan. The brakes were single system with no booster, solid discs on the front and rear drums. Front sway bar but no rear sway bar. Parts are not compatible with later models. In New Zealand, the 4-door KE20 was available alongside the 2-door KE25 and KE26 2-door wagon respectively. Most models stopped production in July 1974 but the KE26 wagon and van were still marketed in Japan alongside the new 30-series, until production finally ended in May 1978.

Opel Commodore GS: The Opel Commodore A was manufactured from 1967 to 1971, based on the Rekord C. After having offered a Rekord-6 powered by a 2.6 L 6-cylinder engine (which originated in the Opel Kapitän and Admiral) since March 1964, Opel in February 1967 launched the Commodore as a faster up-market version of the Rekord. The Commodore was initially available with the known the 2.2-litre six and a larger 2.5 L engine developing 115 PS with a single carburettor. The 2239 cc engine with which the Commodore was launched shared its 82.5 x 69.8 mm cylinder dimensions with the four-cylinder 1492 cc Rekord engine on which it was based. The unit was first seen in the short-lived six-cylinder version of the Opel Rekord towards the end of 1966, but ceased to be offered in the Rekord after July 1967 when it became the entry level power unit for the newly introduced Opel Commodore. Body styles comprised a two-door or four-door notchback saloon and a two-door hardtop/fastback coupé. In September 1967 the sporty Commodore GS offering 130 PS from a dual-carburettor 2.5-litre six was introduced. For the 1969 model year, the carryover 2.2-litre six was dropped and the optional 2-speed Powerglide automatic was abandoned in favour of Opel’s new 3-speed automatic transmission. From September 1969, the base 2.5 L-engine was pumped up to 120 PS; at the same time, both remaining engines received hydraulic lifters for smoother running, a new exhaust system and six camshaft bearings. The handbrake lever was moved from its position under the dash to a location between the front seats and the fuel tank was enlarged from 55 to 70 litres. An even more sporty model than the GS, the Commodore GS/E, debuted in March 1970. It had a 2.5 L engine equipped with Bosch D-jetronic fuel injection system developing 150 PS, which gave the car a top speed of 197 km/h (122 mph). The Commodore GS/E also had a career in motorsports, with a car prepared by Steinmetz. In April 1970 a Commodore with a detuned and carburetted 2.8 L-six giving 145 PS followed (GS 2800). The Rekord C/Commodore A “V body” platform was used by GM to produce other models in many markets, these include the Ranger sold in mainland Europe and also in South Africa, as well as the GM Opala which was built and sold in South America from 1968 through to 1992. Ranger and Opala production commenced two years after the Commodore A’s debut in 1966. Today the name Commodore is a name synonymous with GM Holden of Australia. However, that wasn’t always the case: The first-generation Holden Commodore actually is equivalent to the third-generation Opel Commodore. All engines for the Commodore were 12 valve, CIH straight-six engines ranging from 2.2 to 2.8 litres. All but one engine option had single-barrel (2.2) or double-barrel (2.5; 2.8) downdraught carburettor. in 1970 the GS/E model was introduced which as its badge implies did not utilise carburettors, the “E” meaning Einspritzung or fuel injection in English. Opels didn’t have the reputation for performance cars in the period and they had seen the positive impact on sales for other race winning manufacturers on having performance models in their range of cars. Opel wanted to be in this area of the market and the results of this desire was the Commodore GS/E. The carburettors were ditched in favour of a Bosch D-Jetronic, Bosch’s first commercially produced electronic fuel injection system. Bosch D-Jetronic was a very early version of multi-point EFI, the “D” stood for “drucksensorgesteuert” (pressure sensor regulated). Unlike later Bosch fuel injection system, the injection was direct to the cylinder instead of via the Plenum inlets, which meant the a specific cylinder head was manufactured specifically for the engine, making this model unique and expensive to produce and purchase. Different from older mechanical injection systems, it incorporated taking input from the pressure inside the intake manifold. This is known as the Air Mass Sensor or in modern terms this would be known as the MAP-sensor (manifold absolute pressure), a part that’s commonly found in more modern vehicles. Bosch sold the patent to Japanese companies that continue to produce injection systems based on D-Jetronic. D-Jetronic fuel injection was installed onto the 2.5 litre engine with the modified cylinder head, increasing power by 20 bhp, making it more powerful than the larger 2.8 litre engine. The fuel injected engine, named 2500 E, now produced 150 hp at 5,800 rpm and 196 Nm (145 lb/ft) of torque at 4,500 rpm with an unchanged compression ratio of 9.5:1. For comparison, the base model Porsche 911T in 1970 had 25 bhp less, but was more expensive. The GS/E could accelerate from 0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 9.5 seconds, a similar value to the same period Porsche 911. It could also reach a top speed of 192 km/h (119 mph). The GS/E Coupe model is known affectionately as the “German Charger”. 156,330 Commodore As were built, including 2,574 GS and GS/E variants.

Renault R12: This 2.5 million unit selling car, the R12, was introduced at the Paris Motor Show in October 1969. Work had begun on it was early as January 1964, when the Styling Centre began to design a model intended to bridge the gap between the Renault 8 and the Renault 16. At the time of its launch, the R12 was only available as a 4-door saloon, in L and TL specifications. The more expensive TL featured two separate reclining front seats instead of one front bench seat, armrests on the doors, lights in the boot and glovebox, a heated rear window, and extra warning lights. It would have been a simple matter to install the light weight engine from the Renault 16 in the Renault 12, and this was later done for some high-end versions. However Renault had successfully built market share since 1945 by competing aggressively on price. In the closely contested 1300cc category it was left to the new Peugeot 304 to attract customers willing to pay a premium price, while for the Renault 12, at launch, the aluminium block of the Renault 16 was rejected on cost grounds. Instead, Renault specified an enlarged version of the iron Cléon unit, used since 1962 in the Renault 8/10. The engine’s size was increased to 1289 cc for use in the 12. Listed power output was 60 hp which provided for a respectable top speed of 145 km/h (90 mph). The new version of the five-bearing engine initially fitted on the Renault 12 retained the removable cylinder liners that Renault had long favoured. The longitudinal placement of the engine, most of its mass positioned ahead of the front wheels, allowed the R12 to have a very simple design of the gear-selector that was placed on the floor of the car, and not on the dashboard as with the R4 or on the steering column as with the R16. On the early cars the handle to operate the handbrake was placed under the dashboard. The handbrake was later relocated to a position between the two front seats. The R12’s suspension also differed from that of the R4 and R16, using a rigid (but light) rear axle as opposed to four-wheel independent suspension. The use of a rigid rear axle from a manufacturer that had championed all-round independent suspension for twenty-five years was seen by many commentators as a retrograde step. In 1970, two new variants were introduced. The estate was launched with the same trim levels and engines as in the saloon and a high performance Renault 12 Gordini model was introduced equipped with the all-aluminium 1565 cc block from the R16 TS fitted with two double-barrel Weber carburettors producing 125 PS (123 hp), a reinforced crankshaft, a five speed gearbox, ventilated disc brakes on the front wheels and normal disc brakes on the rear wheels, as well as a tuned suspension. The Gordini was able to reach 185 km/h (115 mph) and was sold with paint schemes comprising a solid pastel colour (there were several to choose from) with double white stripes added on, the most famous combination being French Blue with stripes. 2225 Renault 12 Gordinis were sold in 1971 but after that sales began a free fall. Renault stopped production of the Gordini in 1974 after 5188 had been sold (compared to 11,607 Renault 8 Gordinis). In October 1972, the more upmarket R12 TS was introduced. It used the same 1289 cc engine as in other R12s, but was equipped with a single, double barrel Weber carburettor, which increased power to 64 PS ( 63 hp) and raised the top speed to 150 km/h (93 mph). Aesthetically, the car was distinguishable from other R12s by its special Gordini-style wheels, a chrome strip along the side of the car, and in some countries, two extra headlights. The TS also featured integrated headrests, a tachometer and a cooling-fluid temperature gauge. October 1972 was also when the hand brake lever was relocated from a position ahead of the driver to a floor-mounted location between the front seats. This became possible because now, even on the base “L” version of the car, the front bench seat was replaced by two individual seats. In October 1973, the R12 TR appeared. This model slotted between the TL and TS, and had automatic transmission as standard. The whole range was facelifted in 1975 with a simplified grille, new rear lamps and dashboard. The Renault 12’s successor, the Renault 18, was launched in 1978, but French production of the Renault 12 continued for two more years in spite of its successor’s instant popularity.

NSU Sport Prinz Coupe: The Sport Prinz was a 2-seater sports coupe variant. It was designed by Franco Scaglione at Bertone studios in Turin. 20,831 were manufactured between 1958 and 1968.  The first 250 bodies were built by Bertone in Turin. The rest were built in Heilbronn at Karrosseriewerke Drauz which was later bought by NSU. The Sport Prinz was initially powered by the 583 cc Prinz 50 straight-twin engine but a maximum speed of 160 km/h (99 mph) was nevertheless claimed. From late 1962 a 598 cc engine was fitted.

Volkswagen Beetle Cabrio: These were produced by Karmann at their Osnabruck facility. Production of an open-topped Type 1 Beetle Cabriolet began in 1949. The convertible was more than a Beetle with a folding top. To compensate for the strength lost in removing the roof, the sills were reinforced with welded U-channel rails, a transverse beam was fitted below the front edge of the rear seat cushion, and the side cowl-panels below the instrument panel were double-wall. In addition, the lower corners of the door apertures had welded-in curved gussets, and the doors had secondary alignment wedges at the B-pillar. The top was cabriolet-style with a full inner headliner hiding the folding mechanism and crossbars. In between the two top layers was 1 in (25 mm) of insulation. The rear window was tempered safety glass, and after 1968, heated. Due to the thickness of the top, it remained quite tall when folded. To enable the driver to see over the lowered top, the inside rearview was mounted on an offset pivot. By twisting the mirror 180 degrees on a longitudinal axis, the mirror glass would raise approximately 2 in (5.1 cm). The convertible was generally more lavishly equipped than the sedan with dual rear ashtrays, twin map pockets, a visor vanity mirror on the passenger side, rear stone shields, and through 1969, wheel trim rings. Many of these items did not become available on other Beetles until the advent of the optional “L” (Luxus) Package of 1970. After a number of stylistic and technical alterations made to the Karmann cabriolet, corresponding to the many changes VW made to the Beetle throughout its history, the last of 331,847 cabriolets came off the production line on 10 January 1980.

Daihatsu Compagno Berlina: The Daihatsu Compagno is an automobile which was produced by Daihatsu in Japan from 1963 to 1970. The name comes from the Italian word for “partner.” The Compagno was designed to be offered in multiple bodystyles, and was introduced prior to the acquisition of Daihatsu by Toyota in 1967. The Compagno was available as a two-door sedan, four-door sedan, two-door pickup truck, a three-door delivery van and a convertible. The first Compagno prototype was shown at the 1961 Tokyo Motor Show and was of an appearance reminiscent of the Fiat 1800/2100. This was not a very well balanced design and Vignale’s production version ended up looking quite different. The Compagno used a ladder-type chassis instead of the more modern monocoque style, with torsion bar wishbone suspension at the front and semi-elliptical leaf springs for the rear axle. The Compagno is also the first Daihatsu car to use the famous “D” logo. One hundred twenty thousand Daihatsu Compagnos were produced between 1963 and 1970. The first model introduced, in April 1963, was the Compagno Light Van light commercial vehicle (F30V). It was available in Standard or Deluxe trim. Two months later the Compagno Wagon (F30) followed, a pricier and more comfortable and passenger oriented version. This cost over twenty per cent more than the Standard Light Van and was Daihatsu’s first four-wheeled passenger car. In November 1963 the Japanese-designed two-door saloon appeared, called “Berlina” and with the F30 chassis code. This was available in either Standard and Deluxe trim, priced close to their Light Van and Wagon counterparts. The Deluxe had an Italianate dashboard, reflecting Vignale’s input, complete with three-spoke Nardi steering wheel. To celebrate the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, Daihatsu used two Compagnos and a New line in a PR stunt, driving the 18,000 km (11,000 mi) from the Olympic flame in Olympia, Greece to Tokyo in a little over three months. In April 1965 the Compagno Spider appeared, introducing the larger and more powerful 1000 engine. The engine displacement was initially kept below one litre to price the car in the lowest road tax bracket for Japanese buyers. The Spider received a twin-carb unit producing 65 PS. One month later the larger engine was also installed in the Berlina, and a new four-door model (only with the bigger engine) was added. The four-door model sits on a 60 mm (2.4 in) longer wheelbase. 1000 Berlinas have a single carburettor and produce 55 PS. In October 1965 the F31P Compagno Truck appeared, a small pickup truck capable of loading 500 kg (1,102 lb). The 800 cc engine gradually became installed only in the lesser variants as the 1000 cc segment gained in popularity in Japan. In November the Compagno 1000 GT appeared, a Berlina two-door with the more powerful Spider engine. In April 1967 a two-speed automatic transmission became available. In May 1967 the Compagno received a minor facelift, with new head- and taillights and a new grille. The fender pressings were also subtly altered so as to streamline production. A Super Deluxe version of the four-door was added, while the Spider and GT gained front disc brakes. Last amongst the news was the 1000 GT Injection, with mechanical fuel injection albeit no more power than the existing twin-carb version. In April 1968 the front grille was altered again, with black trim for the Spider and GT. The Super Deluxe gained chrome trim at the rear. In April 1969 the succeeding Daihatsu Consorte appeared, using Daihatsu’s own 1.0-litre engine fitted in the Toyota Publica KP30 body. Daihatsu decided to depend on Toyota for designing compact cars from now on. The Consorte was initially only available as a two-door sedan, and while the Van, Truck, and Convertibles were not replaced the four-door Super Deluxe remained in production until January 1970 so as to meet existing orders. Notably, the Compagno was the first official Japanese car import for the UK market. Arriving in May 1965 in its initial 797cc form, UK press such as Autocar magazine found the car to be quite lacklustre compared to its competition. Aside from the build quality and good standard equipment, the magazine review noted its outdated styling, poor ride and brakes, high price, and a 0-60 time that was quoted as being “too slow to record.” In the end, only six Compagnos would be sold in the UK in its five years on the market. Nonetheless, the Compagno would eventually inspire other Japanese automakers to begin exporting their products to European markets, such as the 1966 Corona from Toyota and the 1968 Sunny from Nissan (which would be known as the Datsun 1000). The Compagno was also sold in numerous other European markets.

Ford Consul Capri: The Consul Capri was a two-door coupé version of the Classic saloon. The Capri Project was code named “Sunbird” and took design elements from the Ford Thunderbird and the Ford Galaxie Sunliner. It was instigated by Sir Horace Denne, Ford’s Sales Export Director. He wanted a “co-respondent’s” car to add glamour to the product line. It was designed by Charles Thompson who worked under Colin Neale and had sweeping lines, a large boot space and a pillarless coupé roof. On its September 1961 announcement, the Consul Capri was available for export only, but went on sale to the domestic British market in January 1962. The bodies were sub-assembled by Pressed Steel Company, with only final assembly of the drivetrain taking place at Dagenham and from February 1963 at Halewood. It was intended as part of the Ford Classic range of cars but the body was complex and expensive to produce. With new production methods, time demands from Dearborn and a need to match opposition manufacturers in price, the Ford Classic and Consul Capri were almost doomed from the start. The Consul Capri was fitted with a variety of Ford Classic De-Luxe features, including four headlights, variable speed wipers, 9.5 in (241 mm) front disc brakes, dimming dashboard lights and a cigar lighter. The four-speed transmission was available with either a column or floor change. It was proclaimed as “The First Personal car from Ford of Great Britain”. Initially fitted with a 1340 cc three-main-bearing engine (model 109E), the early cars were considered underpowered and suffered from premature crankshaft failure. Engine capacity was increased in August 1962 to 1498 cc (model 116E) and this engine with its new five-bearing crankshaft was an improvement. The first 200 Capris were left-hand-drive cars for export including Europe and North America. In Germany, at the 1961 Frankfurt Auto show, Ford sold 88 Capris. In February 1963 a GT version (also 116E) was announced. The new GT engine, developed by Cosworth, featured a raised compression ratio to 9:1, a modified head with larger exhaust valves, an aluminium inlet manifold, a four branch exhaust manifold and, most noticeably, a twin-choke Weber carburettor – this being the first use of this make on a British production car. The same engine was announced for use in the Ford Cortina in April 1963. The Consul Capri was the first Ford to use “GT” as a model derivative worldwide. Overall the car was very expensive to produce and in the latter part of its production was running alongside the very popular Ford Cortina. Sales were disappointing and the Consul Capri was removed from sale after two and a half years with 19,421 sold, of which 2002 were GT models. 1007 cars were sold in 1964, the last year of production, 412 of them being GTs. The Consul Capri was discontinued in July 1964. The Consul Capri (335) is one of the rarest cars from Ford of Great Britain.

Borgward P100: The Borgward P100 is a large four-door sedan first presented in September 1959 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and produced by the Bremen based auto-manufacturer Carl F. W. Borgward GmbH between January 1960 and July 1961. The design featured the ponton, three-box design pioneered by Borgward in 1949, but now filled out to the relatively angular corners, reminiscent of the style being popularised by Pininfarina with designs such as that of the Fiat 1800, the Peugeot 404 or the Austin Westminster. Like the Farina designs, the P100 featured small angular tailfins. The P100 followed the structural approach of the existing Isabella, incorporating an integral chassis. The straight-6 2240 cc engine derived from that fitted in earlier Borgward six-cylinder sedans, of which the most recent had been the Borgward Hansa 2400 Pullman. Advertised performance figures included a power output of 100 bhp and a maximum speed of around 100 mph (161 km/h). The P100 was competing in the six-cylinder sedan sector which through the 1950s had become ever more dominated by Mercedes-Benz, whose 220SE model also received a modern chiselled body shape in 1960. Borgward’s previous six-cylinder sedans had achieved only limited market penetration, and early reports that the P100 was confirming Borgward’s reputation for introducing new models beset by teething troubles suggested that despite its technically adventurous suspension and modern style, the P100 might struggle to compete against Stuttgart’s well established reputation for producing dependable sedans. Nevertheless, during its nineteen months in production, the P100 notched up over 2,500 cars produced, putting it on course usefully to outperform earlier six-cylinder Borgwards in the market place. The bankruptcy of the business in August 1961 brought P100 production to an end, although the plant did complete another 47 cars in the days following the bankruptcy. The model enjoyed a brief afterlife: the production line was sold and shipped to Mexico by Grupo Industrial Ramirez in Monterrey NL, where between 1967 and 1970 more than 2,000 additional P100s were produced.

Ford Taunus 17M: Growing prosperity in postwar Germany encouraged Ford to offer a line of bigger and more expensive cars. The Ford Taunus 17M of 1957 was as long as (though significantly narrower than) the British Consul Mk2, but a different car. It presented a style similar to American 1955 Fords, featuring substantial (at least by European standards) tailfins. The transatlantic flamboyance of the car’s styling gained it the sobriquet “Baroque Taunus”, showing styling influences from the North American Mercury Monterey of the same time period. Unusually for middle-class German cars of this period, it was available with either two or four doors. The competition noticed, and from 1959, buying an Opel Rekord with four doors was possible. The P2 used an overhead-valve (OHV) engine with 1698 cc and 60 hp. A maximum speed of 128 km/h (80 mph) was quoted. A road test of the time commended the smoothness of the three-speed, all-synchromesh manual transmission system. A new generation car arrived in 1960.

Lancia Beta MonteCarlo: Considered to be part of the Beta family, though there is an awful lot about the car that is very different from the front wheel drive models was the MonteCarlo, no fewer than eight examples of which were displayed. First conceived in 1969, with a a final design completed by 1971 by Paolo Martin at Pininfarina, what was initially known as the Fiat X1/8 Project, was originally designed as Pininfarina’s contender to replace Fiat’s 124 Coupe, but it lost out to Bertone’s cheaper design, which became the Fiat X1/9. Rather than scrap the proposal completely, it was developed further, when Fiat commissioned Pininfarina to build a 3.0 litre V6 mid-engined sports car. An X1/8 chassis was used as the start point, and developed for the first time in-house by Pininfarina and not based on any existing production car. Due to the 1973 Oil Crisis, the project was renamed X1/20 and updated to house a 2.0 litre engine. The first car to be made out of the X1/20 Project was the Abarth SE 030 in 1974. The project was passed to Lancia, and the road car was launched at the 1975 Geneva Motor Show as the Lancia Beta MonteCcarlo. It was the first car to be made completely in-house by Pininfarina. Lancia launched the MonteCarlo as a premium alternative to the X1/9, with the 2 litre twin cam engine rather than the X1/9’s single cam 1300. Both used a similar, based on the Fiat 128, MacPherson strut front suspension and disc brakes at both front and rear. Lancia Beta parts were limited to those from the existing Fiat/Lancia standard parts bin, the transverse mount version of the Fiat 124’s twin cam engine and the five speed gearbox and transaxle. MonteCarlos were available as fixed head “Coupés” and also as “Spiders” with solid A and B pillars, but a large flat folding canvas roof between them. Sales were slow to get started, and it soon became apparent that there were a number of problems with a reputation for premature locking of the front brakes causing particular alarm. Lancia suspended production in 1979 whilst seeking a solution, which meant that the car was not produced for nearly two years. The second generation model, known simply as MonteCarlo now, was first seen in late 1980. The braking issue was addressed by removing the servo, as well as few other careful mechanical tweaks. The revised cars also had glass panels in the rear buttresses, improving rear visibility somewhat, and there was a revised grille. In the cabin there was a new three spoke Momo steering wheel in place of the old two spoke one, as well as revamped trim and fabrics. The engine was revised, with a  higher compression ratio, Marelli electronic ignition and new carburettors which produced more torque. It was not enough for sales to take off, and the model ceased production in 1982, although it took quite a while after that to shift all the stock. Just under 2000 of the Phase 2 cars were made, with 7798 MonteCarlos made in total.

Triumph TR7: What turned out to be the final TR model was launched in January 1975, and this time it really was all new. A dramatic Harris Mann wedge shaped was shock enough for the purists, but the fact that at launch it only came as a Fixed Head Coupe was almost too much for some to bear. In the end, though. more TR7s were sold than any other TR model, so it really cannot have been all that bad even if the car had a somewhat bumpy existence, moving production plant  from Speke, Liverpool where the early cars were made, to Canley, Coventry in 1978 and then finally to the Rover Solihull plant in 1980. An open topped model did join the range in 1980 and small numbers of factory built TR8s with the 135 bhp Rover V8 engine under the bonnet were made, but the proposed 2+2 Lynx model, and a version with the 16 valve Dolomite Sprint engine and the 2 litre O Series unit never made production. The car was launched in the United States in January 1975, with its UK home market debut in May 1976. The UK launch was delayed at least twice because of high demand for the vehicle in the US, with final sales of new TR7s continuing into 1982. The TR7 was characterised by its “wedge” shape, which was commonly advertised as: “The Shape of Things to Come”, and by a swage line sweeping down from the rear wing to just behind the front wheel. It had an overall length of 160 inches, width of 66 inches, wheelbase of 85 inches and height of 49.5 inches, and a kerbside weight of 2205 pounds, exactly 1000 kg. During development, the TR7 was referred to by the code name “Bullet”.The original full size model wore MG logos because it was styled at Longbridge, which was not a Triumph factory. Power was provided by a 105 bhp 1,998 cc eight-valve four-cylinder engine that shared the same basic design as the Triumph Dolomite Sprint engine, mounted in-line at the front of the car. Drive was to the rear wheels via a four-speed gearbox initially with optional five-speed manual gearbox, or three-speed automatic from 1976. The front independent suspension used coil spring and damper struts and lower single link at the front, and at the rear was a four-link system, again with coil springs. There were front and rear anti roll bars, with disc brakes at the front and drums at the rear. The interior trim was revised in March 1977, with the broadcord seat covers being replaced with red or green “tartan” check inserts with black leather effect vinyl edging, which looks so very period. now The tartan trim was also reflected in the door cards in padded matching red or green tartan cloth inserts in the black leather effect vinyl. A number of other detailed changes were made, partly to ensure commonality of parts in future models, such as the Convertible and the TR8, and also based on what else was available from the corporate parts bin. Badging changed a number of times, but there were no other significant alterations before the end of production in 1981. In total approximately 115,000 TR7 models were built which includes 28,864 soft top/convertibles, and approximately 2,800 TR8 models

Renault Fuego: The Renault Fuego (Fire in Spanish) is a sport hatchback that was manufactured and marketed by Renault from 1980 to 1986, replacing the Renault 15 and 17 coupés of the 1970s. Marketed in the United States by American Motors Corporation (AMC), the Fuego was also assembled in several countries in South America, where production continued until 1992. According to Renault, 265,367 Fuegos were produced, 85% of those manufactured in France from February 1980 to October 1985. Spanish production for European markets continued into 1986. The Fuego’s exterior was styled by Michel Jardin, and the interior by Francois Lampreia, both working under direction of Robert Opron. Automotive journalist L. J. K. Setright said the Fuego “is blessed with a body which is not only roomy and aerodynamically efficient, but is also beautiful”. The Fuego was heavily based on the Renault 18, sharing its floorpan and drivetrain, with its front suspension developed from the larger Renault 20/30. Despite sharing no parts, the design kept the familiar double-wishbone layout common with the Renault 18, incorporating a negative scrub radius geometry. The suspension design would later be added to the facelifted Renault 18, and later, with minor refinements (larger bushings etcetera), the Renault 25. Power steering was available at the higher end of the range. The Fuego dashboard was added to the facelifted R18 in 1984 (though initially only available in the R18 Turbo) and then both updated again in September 1983 (LHD cars only) for the 1984 model year. European production continued until 1985 in France and 1986 in Spain, while Renault Argentina produced the Fuego from 1982 until ending production in 1992 with the 2.2 L “GTA Max” (the final phase III facelift introduced in 1990). In Argentina, it reached 63 percent local parts integration. Wind tunnel testing was used to allow the Fuego to have sporty coupé lines while maximizing rear seat space. The resulting drag coefficient (Cd) factor ranges from 0.32 to 0.35. In October 1982, the turbocharged diesel Fuego became the fastest diesel car in the world, with a top speed of 180 km/h (110 mph). The Fuego was one of the first cars to offer a remote keyless system with central locking, available from September 1982, using a system invented by Frenchman Paul Lipschutz — marketed as the “PLIP” remote in Europe. The Fuego was also the first to have remote steering-wheel-mounted controls for the audio system (European LHD GTX and Turbo from September 1983). This feature was subsequently popularised on the 1984 model Renault 25. The Fuego was also available with options including leather upholstery, multi-function trip computer, cruise control, air-conditioning (factory or dealer-installed), and a full-length Webasto electric fabric sunroof. A convertible version trimmed with a leather interior was unveiled by the French coachbuilder Heuliez in 1982 aimed at the U.S. market, but was not produced due to lower than expected sales in the American market – the R11/Alliance convertible taking its place. Three examples were built and finished to American specification (sealed beam headlights, enlarged bumpers, etc.). The Fuego became the best selling coupé in Europe during 1980 through to 1982. Variants included: 1.4 L TL, 1.6 L economy tuned GTL (LHD only); 1.6 L TS and GTS (manual and automatic transmissions); 2.0 L TX and GTX (manual and automatic transmissions). The TX was a downgraded version of the GTX, but differences varied by country. This model deleted alloy wheels, electric windows, central locking, air conditioning, fog lights, headlight wipers, etc. depending upon the market. A manual-only 2.1 L turbo-diesel was also produced for LHD European markets in the 1982-1985 period. This model was differentiated by the “bulge” in the top of the bonnet, extra vents in the front bumper, and “Turbo D” badging on the grille, side and rear hatch glass. The Fuego Turbo (1.6 L/1565cc with a manual transmission) was added in 1983 to coincide with the facelift. This facelift included a revised front grille, plastic trim on the bumpers, revised dashboard on LHD models, wheel design, interior trim and fabrics – sepia (coffee brown) with dark brown/white striped velour seats; or ash (grey) with black/red striped velour seats for the Turbo, and ash or sepia for the other models sold with European specifications. Interior colour now depended on exterior colour, eliminating the large choice of customised options of the previous models. The facelifted GTX was also offered with the 2.2 L EFI engine from the Renault 25 in certain LHD markets (generally where the Fuego Turbo was not sold). Renault sold the Fuego in the UK aiming it at the market segment occupied by the Opel Manta and Ford Capri. It became the top-selling coupé during 1981 and 1982. The available trims beginning in 1980–81 with the TL, GTS, and GTX, before increasing to the TL, TS, GTS, GTS Automatic, TX, and GTX manual in 1981–82; TL, TS, GTS, GTS Automatic, TX, GTX, GTX Automatic in 1982–83; TL, GTS, TX, GTX Automatic, and Turbo in 1983–84, and down to just two (GTS and Turbo) during 1985 and 1986 as sales declined.

Ford Capri Series 3: The Capri Mk III was referred to internally as “Project Carla”, and although little more than a substantial update of the Capri II, it was often referred to as the Mk III. The first cars were available in March 1978, but failed to halt a terminal decline in sales. The concept of a heavily facelifted Capri II was shown at the 1976 Geneva show: a Capri II with a front very similar to the Escort RS2000 (with four headlamps and black slatted grille), and with a rear spoiler, essentially previewed the model some time before launch. The new styling cues, most notably the black “Aeroflow” grille (first used on the Mk I Fiesta) and the “sawtooth” rear lamp lenses echoed the new design language being introduced at that time by Ford of Europe’s chief stylist Uwe Bahnsen across the entire range. Similar styling elements were subsequently introduced in the 1979 Cortina 80, 1980 Escort Mk III and the 1981 Granada Mk IIb. In addition, the Mk III featured improved aerodynamics, leading to improved performance and economy over the Mk II and the trademark quad headlamps were introduced. At launch the existing engine and transmission combinations of the Capri II were carried over, with the 3.0 S model regarded as the most desirable model although the softer, more luxurious Ghia derivative with automatic, rather than manual transmission, was the bigger seller of the two V6-engined models. Ford began to focus their attention on the UK Capri market as sales declined, realising the car had something of a cult following there. Unlike sales of the contemporary 4-door Cortina, Capri sales in Britain were to private buyers who would demand less discounts than fleet buyers allowing higher margins with the coupé. Ford tried to maintain interest in 1977 with Ford Rallye Sport, Series X, “X Pack” options from the performance oriented RS parts range. Although expensive and slow selling these proved that the press would enthusiastically cover more developed Capris with higher performance. In early 1982, the Essex 3.0 V6 which had been the range topper since September 1969 was dropped, while a new sporty version debuted at the Geneva Motor Show, called the 2.8 Injection. The new model was the first regular model since the RS2600 to use fuel injection. Power rose to a claimed 160 PS, even though tests showed the real figure was closer to 150 PS, giving a top speed of 210 km/h (130 mph), but the car still had a standard four-speed gearbox. The Capri 2.8 Injection breathed new life into the range and kept the car in production 2–3 years longer than Ford had planned. The four-speed gearbox was replaced with a five-speed unit early on – at the same time Ford swapped the dated looking chequered seats for more luxurious looking velour trim. A more substantial upgrade was introduced in 1984 with the Capri Injection Special. This development used half leather seating and included a limited slip differential. Externally the car could be easily distinguished by seven spoke RS wheels (without the customary “RS” logo since this was not an RS vehicle) and colour-coded grille and headlamp surrounds. At the same time the 2.0 Capri was rationalised to one model, the 2.0 S, which simultaneously adopted a mildly modified suspension from the Capri Injection. The 1.6 model was also reduced to a single model, the 1.6 LS. The car was finally deleted at the end of 1986, 1.9 million cars having been made over 18 years, and having been sold only in the UK for the final months of production.

Renault R5 GT Turbo: Eighteen months after the debut of the second generation R5, the “supercinq” as it is sometimes known, Renault produced their response to Peugeot’s 205 GTi, the R5 GT Turbo. Many were convinced that this was a better car, though it did have a reputation for unreliability and hot starting was quite an issue with fuel vaporising in the carburettor as the engine cooled. It used a modified four cylinder, eight-valve Cléon 1,397 cc engine, a pushrod unit dating back to the 1962 original (in 1,108 cc form). It was turbocharged with an air-cooled Garrett T2 turbocharger. Weighing a mere 850 kg (1,874 lb), and producing 113 hp, the GT Turbo had an excellent power-to-weight ratio, permitting it to accelerate from a standstill to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds. To differentiate it from the standard 5, it came with blocky plastic side skirts. Unfortunately, turbo lag was an issue, along with poor hot starting, and it was considered rather difficult to control. The same engine was used, with similar issues, in the Renault 9 and 11 Turbos. In 1987, the facelifted Phase II was launched. Major changes in the Phase II version included installing watercooling to the turbocharger, aiding the Phase I’s oil-cooled setup, which extended the life of the turbo. It also received a new ignition system which permitted it to rev 500 rpm higher. These changes boosted engine output up to over 118 hp. Externally, the car was revamped, with changes (including new bumpers and arches) that reduced the car’s drag coefficient from 0.36 to 0.35. Giving the Phase II a 0–100 km/h time of 7.5 secs. In 1989 the GT Turbo received a new interior, and in 1990 the special edition Raider model (available only in metallic blue, with different interior and wheels) was launched. In late 1991 the Renault 5 GT Turbo was discontinued, superseded by the Clio 16v and the Clio Williams. Survival rate of the R5 GT Turbo is low and few cars are particularly original, so this was nice one to behold.

Honda N360: Honda’s idea for a practical kei-class car came to life with the N360 series. The “N” stood for “norimono”, which means “vehicle” in Japanese. Hitting the market in March 1967, the N360 was built for domestic sales in Japan, while the N600 was destined for the European and American markets. The N600 was the first automobile Honda sold in America. As such, it is the genesis for every Honda hatchback that followed, both here and in Japan: Life, City, Today, Civic, and N-One. The drivetrain was even used as the basis for other Hondas, such as the TN360, Life Step Van and truck, Vamos, and Z-series. The engine for the N-series was derived from the CB450 motorcycle. Both cars originally came standard with manual transmissions, but offered an automatic transmission option starting in 1968, making the N360 the first kei-class car to do so.

Honda S800: Introduced at the 1965 Tokyo Motor Show, the S800 would replace the successful Honda S600 as the company’s image car and would compete with the Austin-Healey Sprite, MG Midget, Triumph Spitfire and Fiat 850 Spider. Like the S600, it was available as either a coupe or roadster and continued the advanced technology of its predecessors. The 791 cc straight-4 engine produced 70 hp at 8000 rpm, thus making this Honda’s first 100 mph  automobile, but still allowing for 35 mpg. In April 1967 the car was described as the fastest production 1-litre car in the world thanks to its high revving engine (up to 10,000 rpm) and the manufacturer’s history of manufacturing powerful relatively low capacity motor-cycle engines. Early examples continued to use the chain drive and independent suspension in the rear. 752 roadsters and 242 coupés were then produced. After that Honda switched to a conventional drive-shaft, live axle rear end with four radius rods and a Panhard rod. 604 roadsters and 69 coupes were built with this setup before disc brakes replaced the front drums. In 1967, the S800 became available in Britain. By this time the model had the more conventional drive layout as stated above, with predictable handling and a firm ride. It was also cheaper than the Mini Cooper and Triumph Spitfire, in Britain. In February 1968, the S800M (aka S800MK2) was introduced with flush mounted interior door handles, side marker lights outside, dual-circuit brakes, lean burn carburetion under the bonnet and safety glass. These changes were made for the American market, but the car was never exported there officially. Production ended in May 1970 with 11,536 S800s produced. Honda did not manufacture another S roadster for nearly thirty years until the release of the S2000 for the 2000 model year.

Ford Escort Mark 1: The Mark I Ford Escort was introduced in the UK at the end of 1967, making its show debut at Brussels Motor Show in January 1968, replacing the successful, long-running Anglia. The car was presented in continental Europe as a product of Ford’s European operation. Escort production commenced at the Halewood plant in England during the closing months of 1967, and for left hand drive markets during September 1968 at the Ford plant in Genk. Initially the continental Escorts differed slightly from the UK built ones under the skin. The front suspension and steering gear were differently configured and the brakes were fitted with dual hydraulic circuits; also the wheels fitted on the Genk-built Escorts had wider rims. At the beginning of 1970, continental European production transferred to a new plant on the edge of Saarlouis, West Germany. The Escort was a commercial success in several parts of western Europe, but nowhere more than in the UK, where the national best seller of the 1960s, BMC’s Austin/Morris 1100 was beginning to show its age while Ford’s own Cortina had grown, both in dimensions and in price, beyond the market niche at which it had originally been pitched. In June 1974, six years into the car’s UK introduction, Ford announced the completion of the two millionth Ford Escort, a milestone hitherto unmatched by any Ford model outside the US. It was also stated that 60% of the two million Escorts had been built in Britain. In West Germany cars were built at a slower rate of around 150,000 cars per year, slumping to 78,604 in 1974 which was the last year for the Escort Mark I. Many of the German built Escorts were exported, notably to Benelux and Italy; from the West German domestic market perspective the car was cramped and uncomfortable when compared with the well-established and comparably priced Opel Kadett, and it was technically primitive when set against the successful imported Fiat 128 and Renault 12. Subsequent generations of the Escort made up some of the ground foregone by the original model, but in Europe’s largest auto-market the Escort sales volumes always came in well behind those of the General Motors Kadett and its Astra successor. The Escort had conventional rear-wheel drive and a four-speed manual gearbox, or three-speed automatic transmission. The suspension consisted of MacPherson strut front suspension and a simple live axle mounted on leaf springs. The Escort was the first small Ford to use rack-and-pinion steering. The Mark I featured contemporary styling cues in tune with its time: a subtle Detroit-inspired “Coke bottle” waistline and the “dogbone” shaped front grille – arguably the car’s main stylistic feature. Similar Coke bottle styling featured in the larger Cortina Mark III (also built in West Germany as the Taunus) launched in 1970. Initially, the Escort was sold as a two-door saloon (with circular front headlights and rubber flooring on the “De Luxe” model). The “Super” model featured rectangular headlights, carpets, a cigar lighter and a water temperature gauge. A two-door estate was introduced at the end of March 1968 which, with the back seat folded down, provided a 40% increase in maximum load space over the old Anglia 105E estate, according to the manufacturer. The estate featured the same engine options as the saloon, but it also included a larger, 7 1⁄2-inch-diameter clutch, stiffer rear springs and in most configurations slightly larger brake drums or discs than the saloon. A panel van appeared in April 1968 and the 4-door saloon (a bodystyle the Anglia was never available in for UK market) in 1969. Underneath the bonnet was the Kent Crossflow engine in 1.1 and 1.3 litre versions. A 940 cc engine was also available in some export markets such as Italy and France. This tiny engine remained popular in Italy, where it was carried over for the Escort Mark II, but in France it was discontinued during 1972. There was a 1300GT performance version, with a tuned 1.3 L Crossflow (OHV) engine with a Weber carburettor and uprated suspension. This version featured additional instrumentation with a tachometer, battery charge indicator, and oil pressure gauge. The same tuned 1.3 L engine was also used in a variation sold as the Escort Sport, that used the flared front wings from the AVO range of cars, but featured trim from the more basic models. Later, an “executive” version of the Escort was produced known as the “1300E”. This featured the same 13″ road wheels and flared wings of the Sport, but was trimmed in an upmarket, for that time, fashion with wood trim on the dashboard and door cappings. A higher performance version for rallies and racing was available, the Escort Twin Cam, built for Group 2 international rallying. It had an engine with a Lotus-made eight-valve twin camshaft head fitted to the 1.5 L non-crossflow block, which had a bigger bore than usual to give a capacity of 1,557 cc. This engine had originally been developed for the Lotus Elan. Production of the Twin Cam, which was originally produced at Halewood, was phased out as the Cosworth-engined RS1600 (RS denoting Rallye Sport) production began. The most famous edition of the Twin Cam was raced on behalf of Ford by Alan Mann Racing in the British Saloon Car Championship in 1968 and 1969, sporting a full Formula 2 Ford FVC 16-valve engine producing over 200 hp. The Escort, driven by Australian driver Frank Gardner went on to comfortably win the 1968 championship. The Mark I Escorts became successful as a rally car, and they eventually went on to become one of the most successful rally cars of all time. The Ford works team was practically unbeatable in the late 1960s / early 1970s, and arguably the Escort’s greatest victory was in the 1970 London to Mexico World Cup Rally, co-driven by Finnish legend Hannu Mikkola and Swedish co-driver Gunnar Palm. This gave rise to the Escort Mexico (1598cc “crossflow”-engined) special edition road versions in honour of the rally car. Introduced in November 1970, 10,352 Mexico Mark I’s were built. In addition to the Mexico, the RS1600 was developed with 1,601 cc Cosworth BDA which used a Crossflow block with a 16-valve Cosworth cylinder head, named for “Belt Drive A Series”. Both the Mexico and RS1600 were built at Ford’s Advanced Vehicle Operations (AVO) facility located at the Aveley Plant in South Essex. As well as higher performance engines and sports suspension, these models featured strengthened bodyshells utilising seam welding in places of spot welding, making them more suitable for competition. After updating the factory team cars with a larger 1701 cc Cosworth BDB engine in 1972 and then with fuel injected BDC, Ford also produced an RS2000 model as an alternative to the somewhat temperamental RS1600, featuring a 2.0 litre Pinto (OHC) engine. This also clocked up some rally and racing victories; and pre-empted the hot hatch market as a desirable but affordable performance road car. Like the Mexico and RS1600, this car was produced at the Aveley plant.

Display cabinets contain a most impressive collection of models from a wide-range of different companies.

A separate room contains a most impressive array of bicycles, surely one of the larger collections in the world.

FOR RESTORATION

The third main exhibition hall is quite unlike the other two, with dimmed lighting and something of a ghostly ambience. Displayed in here are a number of vehicles which are as yet unrestored, in varying states of decay.

For sure, this is an interesting place, well worth a visit. More details are available on the museum’s own website: https://mahymobiles.be/