Although its location makes it a bit off the beaten track, the Classic Motor Hub has a strong reputation among the car communities and so the program of events that they run tend to be well-supported. Open during the day for those who want to stop in, and avail themselves of the on-site café, and look at the mouth-watering stock that is to be found split between two large barn-type buildings, or perhaps even to discuss a possible purchase, the site really comes to life when there is a special event on. During the course of the season, many of these are at weekend, of course, but there are also some mid-week evening events, and this is one of those. I’ve been to the site a number of times, and always enjoyed it, so when my diary looked clear enough to be able to set off to get to this “Sundowner”, I bought a ticket and hoped for good weather so as to be able to enjoy the venue and the visiting cars. I got lucky with the weather, which was glorious, but you will need to read on to see whether I was equally lucky with the cars that were on-site:

VISITING CARS

ABARTH

The Abarth 124 Spider was developed in parallel with the Fiat model. It does cost a lot more, and there are those who think you don’t get enough extra for your money, but those who have driven it will tell you otherwise. You certainly get more power. The 1.4 MultiAir turbo unit jumps up from 138bhp to 168bhp, while torque also increases by a modest 10Nm to 250Nm, which gives it a  0-62mph time of  6.8 seconds, which is half a second quicker than the 2.0-litre Mazda MX-5. The top speed is 143mph. It weighs just 1060kg meaning a power-to-weight ratio of 158bhp-per-tonne, and with the new Record Monza exhaust system it sounds great even at idle. The Abarth version gets a stiffer suspension setup than the regular Fiat 124 Spider, with Bilstein dampers and beefed-up anti-roll bars. Bigger Brembo brakes also feature, with aluminium calipers. It can be had with a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission with paddles, and the latter gets a Sport mode for quicker shifts. Many of the UK cars sport the ‘Heritage Look’ pack, which is a no-cost option. It brings a matt black bonnet and bootlid, plus red exterior trim detailing and has proved popular. The £29,565 starting price gets you standard equipment such as cruise control, climate control, Bluetooth, a DAB radio and satnav, plus Alcantara black and red (or pure black) seat trim. The automatic gearbox is a £2,035 extra, while an optional visibility pack brings LED DRLs, auto lights and wipers and rear parking sensors. Sales ceased during 2019, with around 1800 cars having been brought into the UK, so this is always going to be a rare car, and values are already increasing at a rate reflecting its desirability and the difficulty in finding one

AC

There are all manner of different AC Cobra recreations, and this is one made by Crendon Replicas, who have been manufacturing authentic style Cobra replicas since 1990. From humble beginnings in Long Crendon (the birthplace of chassis 01 and where Crendon acquired its name), the CR427 is the lifelong accomplishment of now retired John Kerr. His passion for engineering, design, and enthusiasm for nothing other than perfection now lives on in the CR427 under the ownership of Anthony Hale. Since 2001 Anthony has been building some of the UK’s finest Cobra recreations and has built an exceptional reputation throughout the industry for supplying Cobras to private individuals and prestige dealers alike. With over 45 Cobra builds to date under his company of Absolute Horsepower Ltd, the CR427 will now continue to uphold its rightful place as one of the most respected Cobra replicas in the UK. Crendon Replicas is now based in Wellington, Somerset. Working from a purpose built workshop each CR427 is handcrafted using the original designs, tooling and bespoke fabrication techniques that have been implemented on every Crendon build to date. All fabrication where possible is carried out in-house, ensuring the highest level of quality control and minimising downtime from external sources.

ALFA ROMEO

First of the all-new Giulia models to appear was the Berlina, launched in 1962. The styling was quite straight forward, but great attention was paid to detail. The engine bay, cabin and boot were all square shaped. But the grille, the rooflines and details on the bonnet and boot made for an integrated design from bumper to bumper. Thanks to Alfa Romeo using a wind tunnel during its development, the Giulia was very aerodynamic with a drag coefficient of Cd=0.34, which was particularly low for a saloon of the era and not a bad figure even for cars of today. Couple that with the fact that Alfa Romeo was one of the first manufacturers to put a powerful engine in a light-weight car (it weighed about 1,000 kilograms) and thanks to an array of light alloy twin overhead camshaft four-cylinder engine, similar to that of the earlier Giulietta models range, the car had a lively performance which bettered that of many sports cars of the day. The Tipo 105.14 was the first model, with a 1,570 cc Twin Cam engine with single down-draft carburettor generating 91 hp at 6500 rpm. The “TI” nomenclature referred to a class of Italian saloon car racing known as “Turismo Internazionale”, and had previously been applied to higher-performance versions of the 1900 and Giulietta saloons in the 1950s. However, for the Giulia saloon, the Ti was at first the only version available, and later, with the introduction of the TI Super and Super, the TI became the base version for the 1,600 cc engine class. The steering column gearchange (the only one in the Giulia range) was replaced with a floor change for 1964 (Tipo 105.08). Right hand drive cars, available from 1964, only ever had a floor change (Tipo 105.09). Brakes were by drums all around at first. Discs were introduced later, first at the front, and later all around. A brake servo was not fitted at first, but was introduced in later cars. The steering wheel featured the only horn ring ever in the Giulia range. The dashboard with a strip speedo is a notable feature, as is the steering wheel with a horn ring. The Giulia TI was phased out in 1968 and re-introduced as the austerity model 1600 S.  Tipo 105.16 was a special racing model introduced in 1963. Quadrifoglio Verde stickers on the front wings were a distinguishing feature. Only 501 were made for homologation and today it is very rare and desirable. The 1,570 cc engine was fitted with two double-choke horizontal Weber 45DCOE carburettors for 110 hp at 6500 rpm. The body was lightened and a floor gearchange was fitted as standard, as were alloy wheels of very similar appearance to the standard steel ones of the TI. The TI’s instrument cluster with its strip speedometer was replaced with a three-instrument binnacle comprising speedometer, tachometer and a multi-gauge instrument (fuel, water temperature, oil temperature and pressure) – these instruments were similar to those fitted to the contemporary Giulia Sprint and Sprint Speciale coupes and Spider convertibles. The steering wheel was a three-spoke item with centre hornpush, also similar to that of the more sporting models. Braking was by discs all around, although the first cars used drums and early disc models lacked a servo which was introduced later. The police cars seen in The Italian Job were of this type. Tipo 105.06 was an austerity model made from 1964 to 1970 with a 1,290 cc single-carburettor engine for 77 hp at 6000 rpm. Four-speed gearbox with floor change fitted as standard (the 1300 was the only Giulia model not fitted with a five-speed gearbox). Though the engine was given a 105 series type number, it was basically the engine from the 101 series Giulietta Ti. This model appears not to have been exported to many markets outside Italy, if at all. Braking was by discs all around, without a servo at first, later with a servo. Tipo 105.26 was introduced in 1965. It transferred the technology from the racing TI Super to a road car, to make the most successful Giulia saloon. 1,570 cc engine with two double-choke Weber 40DCOE carburettors for a milder, but torquier tune than the TI Super – 97 hp at 5500 rpm. There was a new dashboard with two large round instruments (speedo and tacho) and clock, a sportier steering wheel with three aluminium spokes and centre horn push, similar to that of the Ti Super, later changed for one with the horn pushes in the spokes. All-around disc brakes with servo were fitted as standard from the outset. The serpent crest of the Sforza family appears in a badge on the C-pillar and is a distinguishing feature of the Super. For 1968, there was a suspension update, including revised geometry and a rear anti-roll bar. The wheels were changed in size from 5J x 15 to 5J x 14, and tyres from 155/15 to 165/14. For 1970, updates included dual-circuit brakes, centre-mounted handbrake lever to replace under-dash “umbrella handle”, larger external doorhandles, and top-hinged pedals (the latter in left hand drive models only; right hand drive continued with bottom-hinged pedals to the end of production). In 1972, Tipo 105.26 was rationalised into the Giulia 1.3 – Giulia 1.6 range. Tipo 105.39 built from 1965 to 1972. Right hand drive model replaced in 1970 by the 1300 Super. 1,290 cc engine with single down-draft carburettor for 81 hp at 6000 rpm. Unlike the re-deployed 101-series Giulietta engine of the austerity-model 1300, the 1300 ti motor was a 105 series engine, basically that of the sportier GT1300 Junior coupe with different camshaft timing (but the same camshafts) and induction system. Five-speed gearbox. Three-spoke bakelite steering wheel with plastic horn push covering the centre and spokes. Dashboard initially with strip speedo like that of the TI. For 1968, updates included a dashboard based on that of the Super, but with a simpler instrument binnacle, still featuring two large round instruments (speedo and tacho) and a separate fuel gauge, and the same suspension, wheel and tire updates applied to the Giulia Super in the same year. For 1970, updates included dual-circuit brakes, centre handbrake, larger external doorhandles and top-hinged pedals (on left hand drive cars only), again as applied to the Super for that year. Tipo 105.85 was basically a Giulia TI re-introduced in 1968 as a lower-level model to come between the 1300 and 1300 ti on one hand, and the Super on the other. It had a re-interpretation of the 1,570 cc single-carburettor engine for 94 hp at 5500 rpm and similar trim to the 1300 ti. Replaced in 1970 by the 1300 Super which offered similar performance in a lower tax bracket. The last cars from 1970 featured the top-hinged pedals, centre handbrake and dual-circuit brakes as for the Super and 1300 ti. Tipo 115.09 was introduced in 1970. It was basically a 1300 ti fitted with the engine from the GT 1300 Junior coupe that featured two double-choke horizontal carburettors; the engine actually had the GT 1300 Junior type number. This model was rationalised into the Giulia Super 1.3 – Giulia Super 1.6 range in 1972. In 1972 a rationalisation of the Giulia range saw the Super 1300 (Tipo 115.09) and the Super (Tipo 105.26) re-released as the Super 1.3 and Super 1.6. The two models featured the same equipment, interior and exterior trim, differing only in engine size and final drive ratio. The 1300 ti was dropped. A small Alfa Romeo badge on the C-pillar is a distinguishing feature, as are hubcaps with exposed wheel nuts. In December 1972 Alfa-Romeo South Africa released the 1600 Rallye. This locally developed more powerful 1600 cc version of the 1300 Super used the 1300’s single-headlight body shell. The car was largely ready for competition and was only planned to be built in limited numbers, and was fitted with racing-style rear-view mirrors, rally lamps, fully adjustable seats, and a limited-slip differential. Claimed power was 125 hp. The Giulia Super range was re-released in 1974 as the Nuova Super range, including the Giulia Nuova Super 1300 and 1600 This featured a new black plastic front grille and a flat boot lid without the characteristic centre spine. Otherwise the cars differed little from their Giulia Super predecessors and bore the same Tipo numbers with an S suffix. A Nuova Super fitted with a Perkins 1,760 cc diesel with 54 hp at 4000 rpm, was the firm’s first attempt at diesel power. The same Perkins diesel was used also in Alfa Romeo F12 van. The diesel version was slow, 138 km/h (86 mph), and the engine somehow unsuitable for a sport sedan so it was not big seller, only around 6500 examples were made in 1976 and the car was not sold in the UK. Production of the Giulia ceased in 1977. There are relatively few of these cars in the UK, and many of these are left hand drive models which have been re-imported relatively recently, or have been converted for historic racing, so it was good to see a nice road-going model here.

There’s a complex history to this much-loved classic. The first car was called the Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT, and was revealed at a press event held at the then newly opened Arese plant on 9 September 1963, and displayed later the same month at the Frankfurt Motor Show. In its original form the Bertone body is known as scalino (step) or “step front”, because of the leading edge of the engine compartment lid which sat 1/4 an inch above the nose of the car. The Giulia Sprint GT can be distinguished from the later models by a number of features including: Exterior badging: Alfa Romeo logo on the front grille, a chrome script reading “Giulia Sprint GT” on the boot lid, and rectangular “Disegno di Bertone” badges aft of the front wheel arches; flat, chrome grille in plain, wide rectangular mesh without additional chrome bars; single-piece chrome bumpers; no overriders. Inside the cabin the padded vinyl dashboard was characterised by a concave horizontal fascia, finished in grey anti-glare crackle-effect paint. Four round instruments were inset in the fascia in front of the driver. The steering wheel was non-dished, with three aluminium spokes, a thin bakelite rim and a centre horn button. Vinyl-covered seats with cloth centres and a fully carpeted floor were standard, while leather upholstery was an extra-cost option. After initially marketing it as a four-seater, Alfa Romeo soon changed its definition of the car to a more realistic 2+2. The Giulia Sprint GT was fitted with the 1,570 cc version of Alfa Romeo’s all-aluminium twin cam inline four (78 mm bore × 82 mm stroke), which had first debuted on the 1962 Giulia Berlina. Breathing through two twin-choke Weber 40 DCOE 4 carburettors, on the Sprint GT this engine produced 105 hp at 6,000 rpm. Like all subsequent models, the Sprint GT was equipped with an all-synchromesh 5-speed manual transmission. The braking system comprised four Dunlop disc brakes and a vacuum servo. The rear brakes featured an unusual arrangement with the slave cylinders mounted on the axle tubes, operating the calipers by a system of levers and cranks. According to Alfa Romeo the car could reach a top speed of “over 180 km/h (112 mph)”. In total 21,902 Giulia Sprint GT were produced from 1963 to 1965, when the model was superceded by the Giulia Sprint GT Veloce. Of these 2,274 were right hand drive: 1,354 cars fully finished in Arese, and 920 shipped in complete knock-down kit form for foreign assembly. For 1966, the Giulia Sprint GT was replaced by the Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT Veloce, which was very similar but featuring a number of improvements: a revised engine—slightly more powerful and with more torque—better interior fittings and changes to the exterior trim. Alongside the brand new 1750 Spider Veloce which shared its updated engine the Sprint GT Veloce was introduced at the 36th Geneva Motor Show in March 1966, and then tested by the international specialist press in Gardone on the Garda Lake.  Production had began in 1965 and ended in 1968. The Giulia Sprint GT Veloce can be most easily distinguished from other models by the following features: badging as per Giulia Sprint GT, with the addition of round enamel badges on the C-pillar—a green Quadrifoglio (four-leaf clover) on an ivory background—and a chrome “Veloce” script on the tail panel; black mesh grille with three horizontal chrome bars; the grille heart has 7 bars instead of 6; stainless steel bumpers, as opposed to the chromed mild steel bumpers on the Giulia Sprint GT. The bumpers are the same shape, but are made in two pieces (front) and three pieces (rear) with small covers hiding the joining rivets. Inside the main changes from the Giulia Sprint GT were imitation wood dashboard fascia instead of the previous anti-glare grey finish, front seats revised to a mild “bucket” design, and a dished three aluminium spoke steering wheel, with a black rim and horn buttons through the spokes. The Veloce’s type 00536 engine, identical to the Spider 1600 Duetto’s, featured modifications compared to the Giulia Sprint GT’s type 00502—such as larger diameter exhaust valves. As a result it produced 108 hp at 6,000 rpm, an increase of 3 hp over the previous model, and significantly more torque. The top speed now exceeded 185 km/h (115 mph). Early Giulia Sprint GT Veloces featured the same Dunlop disc brake system as the Giulia Sprint GT, while later cars substituted ATE disc brakes as pioneered on the GT 1300 Junior in 1966. The ATE brakes featured an handbrake system entirely separate from the pedal brakes, using drum brakes incorporated in the rear disc castings. Though the Sprint GT Veloce’s replacement—the 1750 GT Veloce—was introduced in 1967, production continued throughout the year and thirty final cars were completed in 1968.  By then total Giulia Sprint GT Veloce production amounted to 14,240 examples. 1,407 of these were right hand drive cars, and 332 right hand drive complete knock-down kits. The Alfa Romeo 1750 GT Veloce (also known as 1750 GTV) appeared in 1967 along with the 1750 Berlina sedan and 1750 Spider. The same type of engine was used to power all three versions; this rationalisation was a first for Alfa Romeo. The 1750 GTV replaced the Giulia Sprint GT Veloce and introduced many updates and modifications. Most significantly, the engine capacity was increased to 1779 cc displacement. Peak power from the engine was increased to 120 hp at 5500 rpm. The stroke was lengthened from 82 to 88.5 mm over the 1600 engine, and a reduced rev limit from 7000 rpm to 6000 rpm. Maximum torque was increased to 137 lb·ft at 3000 rpm. A higher ratio final drive was fitted (10/41 instead of 9/41) but the same gearbox ratios were retained. The result was that, on paper, the car had only slightly improved performance compared to the Giulia Sprint GT Veloce, but on the road it was much more flexible to drive and it was easier to maintain higher average speeds for fast touring. For the United States market, the 1779 cc engine was fitted with a fuel injection system made by Alfa Romeo subsidiary SPICA, to meet emission control laws that were coming into effect at the time. Fuel injection was also featured on Canadian market cars after 1971. Carburettors were retained for other markets. The chassis was also significantly modified. Tyre size went to 165/14 from 155/15 and wheel size to 5 1/2J x 14 instead of 5J x 15, giving a wider section and slightly smaller rolling diameter. The suspension geometry was also revised, and an anti-roll bar was fitted to the rear suspension. ATE disc brakes were fitted from the outset, but with bigger front discs and calipers than the ones fitted to GT 1300 Juniors and late Giulia Sprint GT Veloces. The changes resulted in significant improvements to the handling and braking, which once again made it easier for the driver to maintain high average speeds for fast touring. The 1750 GTV also departed significantly from the earlier cars externally. New nose styling eliminated the “stepped” bonnet of the Giulia Sprint GT, GTC, GTA and early GT 1300 Juniors and incorporated four headlamps. For the 1971 model year, United States market 1750 GTV’s also featured larger rear light clusters (there were no 1970 model year Alfas on the US market). Besides the chrome “1750” badge on the bootlid, there was also a round Alfa Romeo badge. Similar Quadrofoglio badges to those on the Giulia Sprint GT Veloce were fitted on C pillars, but the Quadrofoglio was coloured gold instead of green. The car also adopted the higher rear wheelarches first seen on the GT 1300 Junior. The interior was also much modified over that of earlier cars. There was a new dashboard with large speedometer and tachometer instruments in twin binnacles closer to the driver’s line of sight. The instruments were mounted at a more conventional angle, avoiding the reflections caused by the upward angled flat dash of earlier cars. Conversely, auxiliary instruments were moved to angled bezels in the centre console, further from the driver’s line of sight than before. The new seats introduced adjustable headrests which merged with the top of the seat when fully down. The window winder levers, the door release levers and the quarterlight vent knobs were also restyled. The remote release for the boot lid, located on the inside of the door opening on the B-post just under the door lock striker, was moved from the right hand side of the car to the left hand side. The location of this item was always independent of whether the car was left hand drive or right hand drive. Early (Series 1) 1750 GTV’s featured the same bumpers as the Giulia Sprint GT Veloce, with the front bumper modified to mount the indicator / sidelight units on the top of its corners, or under the bumper on US market cars. The Series 2 1750 GTV of 1970 introduced other mechanical changes, including a dual circuit braking system (split front and rear, with separate servos). The brake and clutch pedals on left hand drive cars were also of an improved pendant design, instead of the earlier floor-hinged type. On right hand drive cars the floor-hinged pedals were retained, as there was no space for the pedal box behind the carburettors. Externally, the series 2 1750 GTV is identified by new, slimmer bumpers with front and rear overriders. The combined front indicator and sidelight units were now mounted to the front panel instead of the front bumper, except again on the 1971-72 US/Canadian market cars. The interior was slightly modified, with the seats retaining the same basic outline but following a simpler design. 44,269 1750 GTVs were made before their replacement came along. That car was the 2000GTV. Introduced in 1971, together with the 2000 Berlina sedan and 2000 Spider, the 2 litre cars were replacements for the 1750 range. The engine displacement was increased to 1962 cc. The North American market cars had fuel injection, but everyone else retained carburettors.  Officially, both versions generated the same power, 130 hp at 5500 rpm. The interior trim was changed, with the most notable differences being the introduction of a separate instrument cluster, instead of the gauges installed in the dash panel in earlier cars. Externally the 2000 GTV is most easily distinguished by its grille with horizontal chrome bars, featuring protruding blocks forming the familiar Alfa heart in outline, smaller hubcaps with exposed wheel nuts, optional aluminium alloy wheels of the same size as the standard 5. 1/2J × 14 steel items, styled to the “turbina” design first seen on the alloy wheels of the Alfa Romeo Montreal, and the larger rear light clusters first fitted to United States market 1750 GTV’s were standard for all markets. From 1974 on, the 105 Series coupé models were rationalised and these external features became common to post-1974 GT 1300 Junior and GT 1600 Junior models, with only few distinguishing features marking the difference between models. 37,459 2000 GTVs were made before production ended and these days they are very sought after with prices having sky-rocketed in recent years.

The 916 Series cars were conceived to replace two very different models in the Alfa range. First of these was the open topped 105 Series Spider which had been in production since 1966 and by the 1990s was long overdue a replacement. Alfa decided to combine a follow on to the Alfetta GTV, long out of production, with a new Spider model, and first work started in the late 1980s. The task was handed to Pininfarina, and Enrico Fumia’s initial renderings were produced in September 1987, with the first clay models to complete 1:1 scale model made in July 1988. Fumia produced something rather special. Clearly an Italian design, with the Alfa Romeo grille with dual round headlights, recalling the Audi-based Pininfarina Quartz, another design produced by Enrico Fumia back in 1981, the proposal was for a car that was low-slung, wedge-shaped with a low nose and high kicked up tail. The back of the car is “cut-off” with a “Kamm tail” giving improved aerodynamics. The Spider would share these traits with the GTV except that the rear is rounded, and would feature a folding soft-top with five hoop frame, which would completely disappear from sight under a flush fitting cover. An electric folding mechanism would be fitted as an option. Details included a one-piece rear lamp/foglamp/indicator strip across the rear of the body, the minor instruments in the centre console angled towards the driver. The exterior design was finished in July 1988. After Vittorio Ghidella, Fiat’s CEO, accepted the design, Alfa Romeo Centro Stile under Walter de Silva was made responsible for the completion of the detail work and also for the design of the interiors, as Pininfarina’s proposal was not accepted. The Spider and GTV were to be based on the then-current Fiat Group platform, called Tipo Due, in this case a heavily modified version with an all new multilink rear suspension. The front suspension and drivetrain was based on the 1992 Alfa Romeo 155 saloon. Chief engineer at that time was Bruno Cena. Drag coefficient was 0.33 for the GTV and 0.38 for the Spider. Production began in late 1993 with four cars, all 3.0 V6 Spiders, assembled at the Alfa Romeo Arese Plant in Milan. In early 1994 the first GTV was produced, with 2.0 Twin Spark engine. The first premiere was then held at the Paris Motor Show in 1994. The GTV and Spider were officially launched at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1995 and sales began the same year. The cars were well received. At launch, many journalists commented that Alfa had improved overall build quality considerably and that it came very close to equalling its German rivals. I can vouch for that, as I owned an early GTV for eighteen months, and it was a well built and reliable car. In 1997 a new engine, a 24-valve 3.0 litre V6, was available for the GTV along with bigger, 12.0 inch brakes and red four-pot calipers from Brembo. The console knobs were changed from round central to rectangle ones and to a three-spoke steering wheel. Some versions were upgraded with different front bumper mesh to bring the wind noise down to 74 dBA. In May 1998 the cars were revamped for the first time, creating the Phase 2 models. Most of the alterations were inside. The interior was changed with new centre console, painted letters on skirt seals, changed controls and switches arrangement and different instrument cluster. Outside, the main changes included chrome frame around the grille and colour-coded side skirts and bumpers. A new engine was introduced, the 142 hp 1.8 Twin Spark, and others were changed: the 2.0 Twin Spark was updated with a modular intake manifold with different length intakes and a different plastic cover. Power output of the 2.0 TS was raised to 153 hp. Engines changed engine management units and have a nomenclature of CF2. The dashboard was available in two new colours in addition to the standard black: Red Style and Blue Style, and with it new colour-coded upholstery and carpets. The 3.0 24V got a six-speed manual gearbox as standard and the 2.0 V6 TB engine was now also available for the Spider. August 2000 saw the revamp of engines to comply with new emission regulations, Euro3. The new engines were slightly detuned, and have a new identification code: CF3. 3.0 V6 12V was discontinued for the Spider and replaced with 24V Euro3 version from the GTV. 2.0 V6 Turbo and 1.8 T.Spark were discontinued as they did not comply with Euro3 emissions. By the 2001-2002 model year, only 2 engines were left, the  2.0 Twin.Spark and 3.0 V6 24V, until the Phase 3 engine range arrived. The Arese plant, where the cars had been built,  was closing and, in October 2000, the production of GTV/Spider was transferred to Pininfarina Plant in San Giorgio Canavese in Turin. In 2003 there was another and final revamp, creating the Phase 3, also designed in Pininfarina but not by Enrico Fumia. The main changes were focused on the front with new 147-style grille and different front bumpers with offset numberplate holder. Change to the interior was minimal with different centre console and upholstery pattern and colours available. Instrument illumination colour was changed from green to red. Main specification change is an ASR traction control, not available for 2.0 TS Base model. New engines were introduced: 163  hp 2.0 JTS with direct petrol injection and 237 hp 3.2 V6 24V allowing a 158 mph top speed. Production ceased in late 2004, though some cars were still available for purchase till 2006. A total of 80,747 cars were made, and sales of the GTV and Spider were roughly equal. More V6 engined GTVs than Spiders were made, but in 2.0 guise, it was the other way round with the open model proving marginally more popular.

The Alfa Romeo 4C is a two-seater, rear-wheel drive coupé with technology and materials derived from the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, with a 1750 cc turbo petrol engine with direct injection, the “Alfa TCT” twin dry clutch transmission, and the Alfa DNA dynamic control selector. The 4C concept version was unveiled in the 81st Geneva Motor Show in March 2011, followed by the Mille Miglia 2011 parade, Goodwood Festival of Speed 2011,2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. It was displayed for the first time outside in Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in 2012. Compared to the production version, it is very similar, with the biggest differences being front lights, side vents and mirrors. The Alfa Romeo 4C Concept was voted the ‘Most Beautiful Concept Car of the Year’ award by the readers of German magazine Auto Bild, and won the Auto Bild Design Award 2011. It was awarded the “Design Award for Concept Cars & Prototypes” by referendum of the public in Villa d’Este. The production car was unveiled at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, followed by 2013 Essen ‘Techno Classica’, Goodwood Festival of Speed 2013, Moscow Raceway, 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. The bare ‘4C000’ chassis was also shown at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. Ordering of European models began in October 2013 at Alfa Romeo dealerships in Europe. As part of the Alfa Romeo 4C launch, Alfa Romeo Style Centre and Compagnia Ducale designed a 4C IFD (Innovative Frame Design) Bicycle, inspired by the Alfa Romeo 4C coupé. The vehicle went on sale in December 2013 and marketed in Europe, Asia and America. Production of the 4C began May 2013 at Maserati’s plant in Modena, with an expected production of up to 2500 units per year. It was the first mass-produced Alfa Romeo model to be sold in the US market since 1995 when the 164 sedan stopped being sold in the US. Production of the Alfa Romeo 4C was originally estimated to be over 1000 units per year, with an upper limit of 3500 units per year, depending on the quantity of carbon fibre chassis that can be built by the supplier Adler Plastic. Within the 3,500-unit quota, 1,000 units are earmarked for Europe. Delivery of the European Alfa Romeo 4C Launch Edition took place at Balocco (Vercelli, Italy) Test Centre. In 2018, the 4C coupe was discontinued for the North American market. The 4C Spider, however continued to be sold there for model year 2019 and model year 2020. In other markets, such as Australia and Japan, both the coupe and Spider continued. In late 2020, a new tribute-edition named the 4C Spider 33 Stradale Tributo was announced. The car was designed by Centro Stile Alfa Romeo (Style Centre) and developed by Alfa Romeo. The chassis is composed of a central carbon fibre tub, with aluminium subframes front and rear. The carbon fibre tub is produced by TTA (Tecno Tessile Adler) in Airola, as a joint venture between Adler Plastic and Lavorazione Materiali Compositi.  The carbon fibre components that make up the chassis are cut using CNC technology. The entire carbon-fibre monocoque chassis (“tub”) of the car weighs 143 pounds (65 kg). Front and rear aluminium subframes combine with the tub, roof reinforcements and engine mounting to comprise the 4C chassis giving the vehicle a total chassis weight of 236 lb (107 kg) and a total vehicle curb weight of just 2,465 lb (1,118 kg). The 4C has a single carbon fibre body, similar to the body of many supercars. The outer body is made of a composite material (SMC for Sheet Moulding Compound) which is 20% lighter than steel. The stability is comparable to steel and better than aluminium. The 4C employs double wishbone suspensions at the front and MacPherson struts at the rear. The resultant weight distribution is 38% on the front and 62% on the rear axle. Wheels and tyres have different diameters and widths front and rear: 205/45 R17 front and 235/40 R18 back as standard, with optional 205/40 R18 and 235/35 R19. Both wheel options come equipped with Pirelli P Zero tyres. The 4C uses vented disc brakes on all wheels; Brembo 305 millimetres (12.0 in) on the front and 292 millimetres (11.5 in) on the rear. The car can stop from 100 km/h (62 mph) in 36 metres. To save weight and increase steering feel, the 4C has no power steering. Its center of gravity height, at 40 centimetres (16 in) off the ground, is 7 centimetres (2.8 in) lower than that of the Lotus Elise. The 4C uses a new all-aluminium 1,742 cc inline 4 cylinder turbocharged engine producing 240 PS at 6000 rpm. The engine has been designed for minimum weight. The engine’s combined fuel consumption 6.8 l/100 km (42 mpg‑imp; 35 mpg‑US).[4] 0–62 mph (0–100 km/h) acceleration is achieved in 4.5 seconds and the top speed is 258 km/h (160 mph), the power-to-weight-ratio being just 0.267 hp/kg (8.22 lb/hp) A journalist from Quattroruote car magazine demonstrated how the 4C accelerates from 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) faster than 4.5 seconds. In race mode, with left foot on the brake pedal, if you pull the right shift paddle the engine will rev to 3500 rpm, but if you also pull the left paddle the engine will rev to 6000 rpm and 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) time will go down to 4.2 seconds. Italian car magazine Quattroruote published the lap time of 4C around Nürburgring. It lapped the ring in 8:04. The 4C is equipped with a six speed Alfa TCT Dual Dry Clutch Transmission, and can be operated via gearshift paddles on the steering wheel. It also has an Alfa ‘DNA’ dynamic control selector which controls the behaviour of engine, brakes, throttle response, suspension and gearbox. In addition to the modes already seen in Giulietta, the 4C has a new “Race” mode. The U.S. version of the 4C was introduced in the 2014 New York International Auto Show with the first 100 4C’s being shipped to the U.S. early July, with a total of 850 being shipped by the end of 2014. The U.S. model includes extra bracing and strengthening required to meet U.S. crash regulations (including aluminium inserts in the carbon fibre chassis), resulting in 100 kg (220 lb) of weight increase. This version also has new headlamps similar to those seen before in the 4C Spider version. In 2018, the 4C coupe was discontinued for the North American market due to US DOT NHTSA FMVSS 226 Ejection Mitigation. The regulation called for a progressive compliance date based on volume and, due to low volume, the 4C was allowed to continue until the last compliance date of 9/1/2017, thus all 2018 4C coupes in North America have build dates of 8/2017 or earlier. The 4C Spider, however continued to be sold in North America for model year 2019 and model year 2020. The Spider version of the 4C was previewed showing a pre-production prototype at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show. Sharing its engine with the Coupé version, the 4C Spider has different external parts such as the headlights, exhaust and engine hood, as well as a different roof section that features a removable roof panel. The North American spec 4C reflects a weight difference of only 22 lb (10 kg) (2,465 lbs vs. 2,487 lbs) for the Spider variant. Top speed is quoted at 257 km/h (160 mph) and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) at 4.5 seconds. The 4C Launch Edition was a limited and numbered edition, unveiled at the vehicle’s launch at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. The vehicle came in a choice of four paint colours (Rosso Alfa, Rosso Competizione tri-coat, Madreperla White tri-coat or Carrara White matte). 500 examples were reserved for Europe/ROW, 500 for North America, 88 for Australia (Rosso Alfa and Madreperla White only), 200 to Japan and 100 for the Middle East. Note that the original press release cited 500 for North America, 400 Europe, and 100 ROW; however, the plaques on actual cars suggest that more were built and are the numbers referenced above. Distinguishing features of the Launch Edition were carbon fiber trim (including headlight housings, spoiler and door mirror caps), rear aluminium extractor with dark finishing, Bi-LED headlights, dark painted 18-inch front and 19-inch rear alloy wheels, additional air intakes on the front fascia, red brake calipers, racing exhaust system, BMC air cleaner, specific calibration for shock absorbers and rear anti-roll bar, leather/fabric sports seats with parts in Alcantara and a numbered plaque. Alfa Red coloured cars got matching red stitching on the steering wheel, handbrake, mats, handles and sports seats. In Europe the vehicle went on sale for 60,000 euros including VAT. The 4C Competizione is a limited edition version of the 4C introduced in the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, finished in matte Vesuvio Grey, with carbon details on the roof, rear spoiler, mirror caps, side air vents and headlight moulding. The run reportedly consisted of 108 units. The Japanese market received 25 units, and 10 units were assigned to Australia. The US-market received no Competizione editions. The car had a very mixed reaction. The UK press hated it at launch, but owners generally disagreed and loved it. A total of 9117 were built before production ceased in 2020.

ASTON MARTIN

Following the unveiling of the AMV8 Vantage concept car in 2003 at the North American International Auto Show designed by Henrik Fisker, the production version, known as the V8 Vantage was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in 2005. The two seat, two-door coupé had a bonded aluminium structure for strength and lightness. The 172.5 inch (4.38 m) long car featured a hatchback-style tailgate for practicality, with a large luggage shelf behind the seats. In addition to the coupé, a convertible, known as the V8 Vantage Roadster, was introduced later in that year. The V8 Vantage was initially powered by a 4.3 litre quad-cam 32-valve V8 which produced 380 bhp at 7,300 rpm and 409 Nm (302 lb/ft) at 5,000 rpm. However, models produced after 2008 had a 4.7-litre V8 with 420 bhp and 470 Nm (347 lb/ft) of torque. Though based loosely on Jaguar’s AJ-V8 engine architecture, this engine was unique to Aston Martin and featured race-style dry-sump lubrication, which enabled it to be mounted low in the chassis for an improved centre of gravity. The cylinder block and heads, crankshaft, connecting rods, pistons, camshafts, inlet and exhaust manifolds, lubrication system and engine management were all designed in house by Aston Martin and the engine was assembled by hand at the AM facility in Cologne, Germany, which also built the V12 engine for the DB9 and Vanquish. The engine was front mid-mounted with a rear-mounted transaxle, giving a 49/51 front/rear weight distribution. Slotted Brembo brakes were also standard. The original V8 Vantage could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds before topping out at 175 mph. In 2008, Aston Martin introduced an aftermarket dealer approved upgrade package for power and handling of the 4.3-litre variants that maintained the warranty with the company. The power upgrade was called the V8 Vantage Power Upgrade, creating a more potent version of the Aston Martin 4.3-litre V8 engine with an increase in peak power of 20 bhp to 400 bhp while peak torque increased by 10 Nm to 420 Nm (310 lb/ft). This consists of the fitting of the following revised components; manifold assembly (painted Crackle Black), valved air box, right and left hand side vacuum hose assemblies, engine bay fuse box link lead (ECU to fuse box), throttle body to manifold gasket, intake manifold gasket, fuel injector to manifold seal and a manifold badge. The V8 Vantage had a retail price of GB£79,000, US$110,000, or €104,000 in 2006, Aston Martin planned to build up to 3,000 per year. Included was a 6-speed manual transmission and leather-upholstery for the seats, dash board, steering-wheel, and shift-knob. A new 6-speed sequential manual transmission, similar to those produced by Ferrari and Lamborghini, called Sportshift was introduced later as an option. An open-topped model was added to the range in 2006 and then in the quest for more power a V12 Vantage joined the range not long after. All told, Aston produced 18 different versions of the model in a production run which continued until 2018, with a number of limited edition cars swelling the ranks.

This version of the Vanquish started life as the Project AM310 Concept that was unveiled at the 2012 Concorso D’Eleganza at Villa D’Este on the shores of Lake Como, Italy. The concept car was based on the fourth generation VH platform. It included a tweaked version of Aston Martin’s familiar grille and headlight design and a more pronounced bulge in the bonnet – with the real One-77-inspired flourishes saved for the sides and the rear, the side vents run almost to the door handles (from One-77), new rear light design from One-77, and a 5.9-litre V12 engine that produced 550 PS. Aston Martin later announced that the concept would be put into production as the all new Aston Martin Vanquish. The exterior styling of the Vanquish is an evolution of the DBS with many styling cues such as the elongated side strakes being inspired by the Aston Martin One-77. The boot lid included an integrated rear spoiler designed to look as if it is impossible to make; this was done on the orders of Aston Martin Chief Executive, Dr. Ulrich Bez. The car has an exposed carbon fibre side skirt showing its all carbon fibre body. The Vanquish uses the new VH Generation IV platform which is lighter and uses more carbon fibre components than the VH Generation II platform used in the DBS. The car featured an all new interior based on the one found in the exclusive One-77. The standard interior was trimmed in hand stitched leather and alcantara and was available in a range of colours. The centre console features an revised infotainment system over the one found in the DBS. The car was available as either a 2-seater or 2+2. The Vanquish used an upgraded version of Aston Martin’s flagship 5.9-litre AM11 V12 engine called the AM28 with a power output of 565 bhp at 6,750 rpm and torque of 457 lb/ft  at 5,500 rpm. The Vanquish can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.1 seconds, and has a top speed of 295 km/h (183 mph). Like most Aston Martins, the engine is front mid-mounted for better weight distribution, with the power going to the rear wheels. The Vanquish has 51/49 front/rear weight distribution, and a kerb weight of 1,739 kg (3,834 lb). It uses a fully catalysed stainless steel exhaust system with active bypass valves. The Vanquish uses an updated Touchtronic II six-speed automatic gearbox. It was the first Aston Martin model to be available with launch control. The combined space of cabin and a boot that, at 368 litres, is more than 60% larger than that of the DBS. The brakes are ventilated carbon ceramic discs, 398 mm (15.7 in) six-piston callipers in the front and 360 mm (14.2 in) four-piston callipers in the rear. The suspension is a lightweight aluminium front subframe with hollow castings with independent double wishbones incorporating anti-dive geometry, coil springs, anti-roll bar, and monotube adaptive dampers in the front and independent double wishbones with anti-squat and anti-lift geometry, coil springs, anti-roll bar, and monotube adaptive dampers in the rear. It has a three-stage adjustable adaptive damping system including normal, sport and track modes. The tyres are Pirelli P Zeros, 255/ZR20 in the front and 305/30 ZR20 in the rear. The vehicle was unveiled in the London Film Museum, Covent Garden, followed by 2012 Monterey Car Week. Deliveries to UK and Continental Europe began in late 2012. In August 2014, Aston Martin revealed technical modifications to the Vanquish. The changes include a new eight-speed Touchtronic III gearbox and upgraded AM29 V12 engine that produces 568 bhp and torque of 465 lb/ft. The changes greatly enhanced performance, with an acceleration of 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.6 seconds, and a top speed of 324 km/h (201 mph). In 2013, Aston Martin unveiled a convertible version of the Vanquish, called Volante. The Volante includes a full carbon fibre body, triple-skin lightweight fabric roof, 50% larger boot than its predecessor and the third generation Brembo 398 mm × 36 mm front and 360 mm × 32 mm CCM rear Carbon Ceramic Matrix (CCM) brake discs with six-piston front and four-piston rear brake callipers (from the One-77). The Vanquish Volante is 13% torsionally stiffer than the outgoing DBS Volante. The carbon fibre-skin of the Vanquish Volante was created by the engineering team at Aston Martin. The vehicle was unveiled at the 2013 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Deliveries to Europe began in late 2013. On 16 November 2016, Aston Martin announced the new Vanquish S model. The Vanquish S features the same AM29 V12 engine, with power now increased to 595 bhp, and a new aerodynamic package. The Vanquish S can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.5 seconds, and the top speed remains unchanged at 201 mph (324 km/h). The starting price at launch was £199,950 and deliveries started in December 2016. Aston Martin also unveiled a convertible version of the Vanquish S called the Vanquish S Volante in 2017.

AUDI

Still well-regarded over 40 years since its launch is the Quattro, a legend which transformed rallying and brought the idea of four wheel drive as a performance benefit to the market. The idea for a high-performance four-wheel-drive car was proposed by Audi’s chassis engineer, Jörg Bensinger, in 1977, when he found that the Volkswagen Iltis could outperform any other vehicle in snow, no matter how powerful. Bensinger’s idea was to start developing an Audi 80 variant in co-operation with Walter Treser, Director of Pre-Development.. Following an unveiling on 1st March 1980, Audi released the original Quattro to European customers in late 1980, with the car featuring Audi’s quattro permanent four-wheel drive system (hence its name), and the first to mate four-wheel drive with a turbocharged engine. The original engine was the 2,144 cc  in-line-5-cylinder 10 valve SOHC, with a turbocharger and intercooler. It produced 197 bhp propelling the Quattro from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.1 seconds, and reaching a top speed of over 220 km/h (137 mph). The engine was eventually modified to a 2,226 cc  inline-5 10 valve, still producing 197 bhp, but with peak torque lower in the rev-range. In 1989, it was then changed to a 2,226 cc inline-5 20v DOHC setup producing 217 bhp, now with a top speed of 230 km/h (143 mph) Audi Quattros are referred to among owners and enthusiasts by their engine codes, to differentiate between the earlier and later versions: the earliest  2144 cc 10v being the “WR” engine, the 2226 cc 10v being the “MB” engine, and the later 20v being the “RR” engine. Hence, Quattro models may be referred to as either the WR Quattro, MB Quattro, and RR or “20v” Quattro, respectively. Quattro car production was 11,452 vehicles over the period 1980–1991, and through this 11 year production span, despite some touch-ups, there were no major changes in the visual design of the vehicle. For the 1983 model year, the dash was switched from an analogue instrument cluster, to a green digital LCD electronic instrument cluster. This was later changed in 1988 to an orange LCD electronic instrument cluster. The interior was redesigned in 1984, and featured a whole new dash layout, new steering wheel design, and new centre console design, the switches around the instrument panel were also redesigned at this time. In 1985 the dash changed slightly with harder foam and lost a diagonal stripe, the dash switches were varied slightly and the diff lock pull knob gave way to a two-position turning knob with volt and oil temp digital readouts. External styling received very little modification during its production run. Originally, the car had a flat fronted grille featuring four separate headlamp lenses, one for each of the low and high beam units. This was altered for the 1983 model year, and replaced with combined units featuring a single lens, but housing twin reflectors. This was changed again, for the 1985 model year, in what has become known as the ‘facelift model’ and included such alterations as a new sloping front grille, headlights, and trim and badging changes. Max speed was 124 mph. The RR 20v Quattro also featured a new three spoke steering wheel design, leather covering for door arm rests, gloveboxes, centre console and door pockets. There was also a full length leather-wrapped centre console running all the way to the rear seats. The 20v was also the first Ur-Q to have “quattro” script interior with partial leather seats. The floor on the drivers side had a bulge due to dual catalytic exhaust setup. The different models may be distinguished by the emblems on their boot lids: the WR had a vinyl ‘quattro’ decal or a brushed aluminium effect plastic emblem, the MB had chrome plated ‘audi’, ‘audi rings’ and ‘quattro’ emblems, whilst the RR had only chrome plated ‘audi rings’. The rear suspension was altered early on with geometry changes and removal of the rear anti-roll bar to reduce a tendency for lift-off oversteer. For the 1984 facelift, the wheel size went from 6×15-inch with 205/60-15 tyres to 8×15-inch wheels with 215/50-15 tyres. At the same time the suspension was lowered 20 mm with slightly stiffer springs for improved handling. For 1987, the Torsen centre differential was used for the first time, replacing the manual centre differential lock. The last original Audi Quattro was produced on 17 May 1991, more than two years after the first models of the new Audi Coupe range (based on the 1986 Audi 80) had been produced.

In September 1986, Audi released a new Typ 89 Audi 80 for the 1987 model year on the European market and introduced it elsewhere within a year. It was based on a new platform which broke the relationship between the 80 and the Volkswagen Passat, the corresponding third generation of which used the transverse-engined Volkswagen B3 platform, whilst Audi stuck with the longitudinal front wheel drive layout for the B3-series 80. Production codes were Typ 89 from 1987 to 1989, and Typ 8A from 1990 onwards (in line with a restructuring of many VW platform designations). It introduced a new aerodynamic look and a fully zinc coated galvanised bodyshell. Unlike its predecessor, the B3 was marketed worldwide only as the Audi 80 or Audi 90. Initially, Audi transferred existing powertrain concepts to the new model although fuel injection was now available for some engines. A range of new petrol and diesel inline four-cylinder engines became available to European customers along with the procon-ten safety system which became standard fitment from 1991. Procon-ten was a notable safety feature comprising a series of hidden steel cables routed behind the gearbox, attached to the steering wheel and front seatbelt inertia reels. In the event of a front impact, the engine and gearbox are forced rearwards, pulling on these cables. This action simultaneously pulls the steering wheel into the dashboard to prevent the driver colliding with it while tightening the front seatbelts. This innovation was a precursor to the airbag, which became popular on mass produced cars during the 1990s after being patented by Mercedes-Benz in 1982. In 1987, the Audi 90 was reintroduced as an upmarket, more luxurious variant of the 80. To begin with it would again feature a choice of 10-valve inline five-cylinder petrol engines, and could be specified with or without quattro. The 90 differs visually to the 80 by a full width tail-light panel; headlights which featured additional high-beam lights and a slightly different front grille. Indicator lamps were moved from beside the headlights to the bumpers next to the fog lights, which were standard fitment on the 90. Brightwork surrounds for the windows, tops of the bumpers and side rubbing strips were also standard. Interiors were upgraded over the 80 featuring velour seat coverings and a slightly more generous level of equipment. The then range-topping 2.2E offered a boot spoiler, alloy wheels, leather steering wheel and sports front seats. Switchable ABS was standard on quattro versions. From 1989 to 1991 the Audi 90 offered the first 20-valve engine from Audi since the turbocharged engine used in the Audi Sport Quattro. This new 2.3L engine produced 170 PS and featured in the front wheel drive 20V, 20V Sport and four-wheel drive 20V quattro derivatives. The non-quattro 20V models were 120 kg lighter. Externally, Sport versions of the 90 were visually distinguished by the deletion of brightwork in favour of satin black window surrounds, bumper cappings and thinner side mouldings. A raised aluminium boot spoiler, lowered suspension and uprated brakes were fitted as standard, Speedline wheels were also standard fitment in the UK. In October 1988 a Coupé version based on the 80/90 appeared, called simply the Audi Coupé (typ 8B). This had completely different three-door liftback bodywork and replaced the earlier, B2-based Coupé which had been manufactured into early 1988. This version remained in production until 1996, in parallel with the succeeding B4 generation Audi 80. A convertible was planned from the beginning but did not appear until May 1991 as the Audi Cabriolet. This model remained in production until 2000 and was optically aligned with the B4 Audi 80 from its introduction.

Also here was the very latest version of the RS6 Avant, a popular (if now very costly) brutish wagon.

AUSTIN

There was one example of the popular Seven here, an early car. Herbert Austin’s masterpiece which did much to put Britain on wheels in the 1920s was first seen  in 1922, as a four seat open tourer. Nicknamed Chummy, the first 100 featured a 696cc four cylinder engine, which was quickly upgraded to the 747cc unit that remained until the end of production some 17 years later. The first cars had an upright edge to the doors and a sloping windscreen, but from 1924, the screen became upright and there was a sloping edge to the doors, as well as a slightly longer body. Stronger brakes came along in 1926, along with a slightly taller nickel-plated radiator grille, conventional coil ignition, a more spacious body and wider doors. An even longer and wider body arrived in 1930, as well as a stronger crankshaft and improvements to the brakes which coupled front and rear systems together so they both worked by the footbrake. In 1931 the body was restyled , with a thin ribbon-style radiator and by 1932 there was a four speed gearbox to replace the earlier three-speeder. 1933 saw the introduction of the Ruby, a car that looked more modern with its cowled radiator. There were also Pearl and Opal versions. Development continued, so in 1937 there was a move to crankshaft shell bearings in place of the white metal previously used, and the Big Seven appeared. The last Seven was made in 1939, by which time 290,000 had been produced. Aside from saloons and tourers, there had been vans and sports derivatives like the Le Mans, the supercharged Ulster and the rather cheaper Nippy. Around 11,000 Sevens survive today.

AUSTIN HEALEY

The Mark II to Mark IV Sprite were all very similar and represented the evolution of the model throughout the 1960s, The Mark II was announced at the end of May 1961. It used the same 948 cc engine with larger twin 1 1⁄4 inch SU carburettors, increasing power to 46.5 bhp. A close-ratio gearbox was fitted. The bodywork was completely revamped, with the headlights migrating to a more conventional position in the wings, either side of a full-width grille. At the rear, styling borrowed from the soon-to-be-announced MGB gave a similarly more modern look, with the added advantages of an opening boot lid and conventional rear bumper bar. The result was a much less eccentric-looking sports car, though at the expense of some 100 lbs extra weight. It followed the MG version of the car which was introduced a couple of weeks earlier as ‘the new Midget,’ reviving a model name which had been a great success for the MG Car Company in the 1930s. The Midget was to prove more popular with the public than the Sprite and by 1972 had completely supplanted it within the BMC range. In October 1962, both Sprites and Midgets were given a long-stroke 1098 cc engine. A strengthened gearbox with Porsche (baulk-ring) synchromesh was introduced to cope with the extra power – 56 bhp. Front disc brakes were also introduced at the same time and wire wheels became an option. 31,665 Mark II Sprites were made. The Mark III Sprite was also marketed as the Mark II MG Midget – differences between the two were again restricted to minor trim detailing. Although still 1098 cc, the engine had a stronger block casting, and the size of the crankshaft main bearings was increased to two inches. A new (slightly) curved-glass windscreen was introduced with hinged quarterlights and wind-up side windows. Exterior door handles were provided for the first time, with separate door locks. Though the car could now be secured, with a soft-top roof the added protection was limited. The rear suspension was modified from quarter-elliptic to semi-elliptic leaf springs, which gave a more comfortable ride for a near-negligible weight penalty as well as providing additional axle location, the upper links fitted to the quarter-elliptic models being deleted. Though scarcely sybaritic, these changes helped the Sprite and Midget compete with the recently released Triumph Spitfire. 25,905 Mark III Sprites were made. The next upgrade was presented at the London Motor Show in October 1966. Besides receiving the larger 1275 cc engine (which disappointed enthusiasts by being in a lower state of tune than that of the Mini-Cooper ‘S’), the Mark IV and its cousin the Mark III MG Midget had several changes which were more than cosmetic. Most notable is the change from a removable convertible top, which had to be stowed in the boot, to a permanently affixed, folding top of greatly improved design, which was much easier to use. Separate brake and clutch master cylinders were fitted, as car manufacturers’ thoughts began to turn to making their products safer. For the 1970 model year cast-alloy wheels were fitted and the grille was changed to resemble that fitted to the MG Midget. 22,790 Mark IV Sprites were made. The Healey connection was discontinued in 1971, so the final 1,022 Sprites built were simply Austin Sprites.

BENTLEY

This is what is sometimes referred to as the “Derby” Bentley. These were produced after the acquisition of Bentley by Rolls-Royce, in 1934, at which point the focus of the brand shifted to the production of large and elegant tourers. The cars retained the famous curved radiator shape based on earlier Bentley models, but in all meaningful respects they were clearly Rolls-Royces. Although disappointing some traditional customers, they were well received by many others and even W.O. Bentley himself was reported as saying that he would “rather own this Bentley than any other car produced under that name.” The Rolls-Royce Engineer in charge of the development project, Ernest Hives (later Lord Hives), underlined the Rolls-Royce modus operandi in a memo addressed to company staff “our recommendation is that we should make the car as good as we know how and then charge accordingly.” At a time when the Ford 8 could be purchased new for £100, an early Bentley 3½ Litre cost around £1,500 (equivalent to £6400 vs. £96,000 today), putting it beyond the reach of all but the wealthiest consumers. Despite not being a car of remarkable outright performance, the car’s unique blend of style and grace proved popular with the inter-war elite and it was advertised under the legend the silent sports car. Over 70% of the cars built between 1933 and 1939 were said to have still been in existence 70 years later. Although chassis production ceased in 1939, a number of cars were still being bodied and delivered during 1940. The last few were delivered and first registered in 1941. The 3.5 litre came first. Based on an experimental Rolls-Royce project “Peregrine” which was to have had a supercharged 2¾  litre engine, the 3½ Litre was finally fitted with a less adventurous engine developed from Rolls’ straight-6 fitted to the Rolls-Royce 20/25. The Bentley variant featured a higher compression ratio, sportier camshaft profile and two SU carburettors on a crossflow cylinder head. Actual power output was roughly 110 bhp at 4500 rpm, allowing the car to reach 90 mph. The engine displaced 3669 cc with a 3¼ in (82.5 mm) bore and 4½ in (114.3 mm) stroke. A 4-speed manual transmission with synchromesh on 3rd and 4th, 4-wheel leaf spring suspension, and 4-wheel servo-assisted mechanical brakes were all common with other Rolls-Royce models. The chassis was manufactured from nickel steel, and featured a “double-dropped” layout to gain vertical space for the axles and thus keep the profiles of the cars low. The strong chassis needed no diagonal cross-bracing, and was very light in comparison to the chassis built by its contemporary competitors, weighing in at 2,510 pounds (1,140 kg) in driveable form ready for delivery to the customer’s chosen coachbuilder. 1177 of the 3½ Litre cars were built, with about half of them being bodied by Park Ward, with the remainder “dressed” by other coachbuilders like Barker, Carlton, Freestone & Webb, Gurney Nutting, Hooper, Mann Egerton, Mulliner (both Arthur and H J), Rippon, Thrupp & Maberly, James Young, Vanden Plas and Windovers in England; Figoni et Falaschi, Kellner, Saoutchik and Vanvooren in Paris; and smaller concerns elsewhere in UK and Europe. Beginning in March, 1936, a 4¼ Litre version of the car was offered as replacement for the 3½ Litre, in order to offset the increasing weight of coachwork and maintain the car’s sporting image in the face of stiff competition. The engine was bored to 3½ in (88.9 mm) for a total of 4257cc. From 1938 the MR and MX series cars featured Marles steering and an overdrive gearbox. The model was replaced in 1939 by the MkV, but some cars were still finished and delivered during 1940-1941. 1234 4¼ Litre cars were built, with Park Ward remaining the most popular coachbuilder. Many cars were bodied in steel rather than the previous, more expensive, aluminium over ash frame construction.

BMW

First introduced as the Concept Vision EfficientDynamics, the i8 was part of BMW’s “Project i” and was marketed as a new brand, BMW i, sold separately from BMW or Mini. The BMW i3, launched for customers in Europe in the fourth quarter of 2013, was the first model of the i brand available in the market, and it was followed by the i8, released in Germany in June 2014 as a 2015 model year. Other i models were expected to follow.The initial turbodiesel concept car was unveiled at the 2009 International Motor Show Germany, In 2010, BMW announced the mass production of the Vision EfficientDynamics concept in Leipzig beginning in 2013 as the BMW i8. The BMW i8 gasoline-powered concept car destined for production was unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. The production version of the BMW i8 was unveiled at the 2013 International Motor Show Germany. The following are the concept and pre-production models developed by BMW that preceded the production version. When BMW i sponsored the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, they announced that they would provide support vehicles; the i8 operated as the official safety car. BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept car was a plug-in hybrid with a 1.5L three-cylinder turbo-diesel engine. Additionally, there were two electric motors with 104 kW (139 hp). It allowed an acceleration to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.8 seconds, with an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). According to BMW, the average fuel consumption in the EU test cycle (KV01) was 3.76 L/100 km (75.1 mpg imp), with a carbon dioxide emission rating of 99 g/km(1,3 L/100 km and 33g CO2/kabelham; EU-PHEV ECE-R101). The estimated all-electric range was 50 km (31 mi), and the 24-litre petrol tank extended the total vehicle range to up to 700 km (430 mi). The lightweight chassis was made mainly from aluminium. The windshield, top, doors, and fenders were made from polycarbonate glass, with the body having a drag coefficient of 0.22. The designers of the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept were Mario Majdandzic for the exterior and Jochen Paesen (lead interior design), Markus Speck (interior design), and Felix Staudacher former Baerlin (detail design) for the interior. While Jochen Paesen took care of the main interior theme, Markus Speck was in charge of the seats, all the visible structure, and some details. Felix Baerlin supported Jochen Paesen on details including the steering wheel and center console. The vehicle was unveiled at the 2009 International Motor Show Germany, followed by Auto China 2010. The BMW i8 Concept plug-in hybrid electric vehicle included an electric motor located in the front axle powering the front wheels rated 96 kW (131 PS; 129 hp) and 250 Nm (184 lb/ft, a turbocharged 1.5-litre 3-cylinder petrol engine driving rear wheels rated 164 kW (223 PS; 220 hp) and 300 Nm (221 lb/ft of torque, with combined output of 260 kW (354 PS; 349 hp) and 550 Nm (406 lb/ft), a 7.2 kWh (26 MJ) lithium-ion battery pack that allowed an all-electric range of 35 km (22 mi). All four wheels provided regenerative braking. The location of the battery pack in the energy tunnel gave the vehicle a low centre of gravity, enhancing its dynamics. Its top speed was electronically limited to 250 km/h (155 mph) and was expected to go from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 60 mph) in 4.6 seconds. Under normal driving conditions the i8 was expected to deliver 80 mpg US (2.9 L/100 km; 96 mpg imp) under the European cycle. A full charge of the battery would take less than two hours at 220 V. The positioning of the motor and engine over the axles resulted in 50/50 weight distribution.The vehicle was unveiled at the 2011 International Motor Show Germany, followed by CENTER 548 in New York City, 42nd Tokyo Motor Show 2011, 82nd Geneva Motor Show 2012, BMW i Born Electric Tour at the Palazzo Delle Esposizioni at Via Nazionale 194 in Rome, and Auto Shanghai 2013. This concept car was featured in the film Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol. The BMW i8 Concept Spyder included a slightly shorter wheelbase and overall length compared to the BMW i8 Concept, carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) Life module, drive modules made primarily from aluminium components, interlocking of surfaces and lines, 8.8-inch (22.4 cm) screen display, off-white outer layer, and orange-toned naturally tanned leather upholstery. The vehicle was unveiled at Auto China 2012 in Beijing where it won Concept Car of the Year, followed by the 83rd Geneva International Motor Show 2013. The designer of the BMW i8 Concept Spyder was Richard Kim. The design of the BMW i8 coupe prototype was based on the BMW i8 Concept. The BMW i8 prototype had an average fuel efficiency of less than 2.5 L/100 km (113.0 mpg imp; 94.1 mpg US) under the New European Driving Cycle with carbon emissions of less than 59 g/km. The i8 with its carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) passenger cell lightweight, aerodynamically optimized body, and BMW eDrive technology offered the dynamic performance of a sports car, with an expected 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) sprint time of less than 4.5 seconds using both power sources. The plug-in hybrid system of the BMW i8 comprised a three-cylinder, 1.5-liter BMW TwinPower Turbo gasoline engine combined with BMW eDrive technology used in the BMW i3 and developed maximum power of 170 kW (228 hp). The BMW i8 was the first BMW production model to be powered by a three-cylinder gasoline engine and the resulting specific output of 115 kW (154 hp) per liter of displacement was on par with high-performance sports car engines and was the highest of any engine produced by the BMW Group. The BMW i8’s second power source was a hybrid synchronous electric motor specially developed and produced by the BMW Group for BMW i. The electric motor developed maximum power of 131 hp (98 kW) and produced its maximum torque of around 320 Nm (236 lb/ft) from a standstill. Typical of an electric motor, responsive power was instantly available when starting and this continued into the higher load ranges. As well as providing a power boost to assist the gasoline engine during acceleration, the electric motor could also power the vehicle by itself. Top speed in electric mode was approximately 120 km/h (75 mph), with a maximum driving range of up to 35 km (22 mi). Linear acceleration was maintained even at higher speeds since the interplay between the two power sources efficiently absorbed any power flow interruptions when shifting gears. The model-specific version of the high-voltage 7.2 lithium-ion battery had a liquid cooling system and could be recharged at a conventional household power socket, at a BMW I Wallbox, or at a public charging station. In the US, a full recharge took approximately 3.5 hours from a conventional 120 V, 12 amp household circuit or approximately 1.5 hours from a 240 V Level 2 charger. The driver could select several driving modes: SPORT, COMFORT, and ECO PRO. Using the gear selector, the driver could either select position D for automated gear selection or could switch to SPORT mode. SPORT mode offered manual gear selection and at the same time switched to sporty drive and suspension settings. In SPORT mode, the engine and electric motor delivered extra performance, accelerator response was faster, and the power boost from the electric motor was maximized. And to keep the battery topped up, SPORT mode also activated maximum energy recuperation during overrun and braking as the electric motor’s generator function, which recharged the battery using kinetic energy, switched to a more powerful setting. The Driving Experience Control switch on the center console offered a choice of two settings. On starting, COMFORT mode was activated, which offered a balance between performance and fuel efficiency, with unrestricted access to all convenience functions. Alternatively, the ECO PRO mode could be engaged, which, on the BMW i8 as on other models, supported an efficiency-optimized driving style. In this mode, the powertrain controller coordinated the cooperation between the gasoline engine and the electric motor for maximum fuel economy. On deceleration, the intelligent energy management system automatically decided, in line with the driving situation and vehicle status, whether to recuperate braking energy or to coast with the powertrain disengaged. At the same time, ECO PRO mode also programmed electrical convenience functions such as the air conditioning, seat heating, and heated mirrors to operate at minimum power consumption, but without compromising safety. The maximum driving range of the BMW i8 on a full fuel tank and with a fully charged battery was more than 500 km (310 mi) in COMFORT mode, which could be increased by up to 20% in ECO PRO mode. The BMW i8’s ECO PRO mode could also be used during all-electric operation. The vehicle was then powered solely by the electric motor. Only if the battery charge dropped below a given level, or under sudden intense throttle application such as kick down, was the internal combustion engine automatically activated. The vehicle was unveiled in BMW Group’s Miramas test track in France. The production BMW i8 was designed by Benoit Jacob. The production version was unveiled at the 2013 Frankfurt International Motor Show followed by 2013 Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez. Its design was heavily influenced by the BMW M1 Homage concept car, which in turn pays homage to BMW’s last production mid-engined sports car prior to the i8: the BMW M1. The BMW i8 featured butterfly doors, head-up display, rear-view cameras and partially false engine noise. Series production of customer vehicles began in April 2014. The electric two-speed drivetrain was developed and produced by GKN. It was the first production car with laser headlights, reaching farther than LED lights. The i8 had a vehicle weight of 1,485 kg (3,274 lb) (DIN kerb weight) and a low drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.26. In all-electric mode, the BMW i8 had a top speed of 120 km/h (75 mph). In Sport mode, the i8 delivered a mid-range acceleration from 80 to 120 km/h (50 to 75 mph) in 2.6 seconds. The electronically controlled top speed was 250 km/h (155 mph). The 20,000th i8 was produced in December 2019, one of the limited Ultimate Sophisto Edition models. The last i8 rolled off the production line on 11 June 2020. In total, there were 20,465 units produced: 16,581 coupés and 3,884 roadsters.

The M2 was first revealed in Need for Speed: No Limits on November 2015, before later premiering at the North American International Auto Show in January 2016. Production commenced in October 2015 and is only available as a rear-wheel drive coupé. The M2 is powered by the turbocharged 3.0-litre N55B30T0 straight-six engine producing 365 bhp at 6,500 rpm and 465 Nm (343 lb/ft) between 1,450–4,750 rpm, while an overboost function temporarily increases torque to 500 Nm (369 lb/ft). The M2 features pistons from the F80 M3 and F82 M4, and has lighter aluminium front and rear suspension components resulting in a 5 kg (11 lb) weight reduction. The M2 is available with a 6-speed manual or with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission which features a ‘Smokey Burnout’ mode. 0-100 km/h acceleration times are 4.5 seconds manual transmission models and 4.3 seconds for models equipped with the 7-speed dual clutch transmission. Top speed is limited to 250 km/h (155 mph) but can be extended to 270 km/h (168 mph) with the optional M Driver’s package. The M2 Competition was introduced at the 2018 Beijing Auto Show and succeeded the standard M2 Coupé. Production began in July 2018. The M2 Competition uses the high performance S55 engine which is a variant of the 3.0-litre twin turbocharged straight six engine found in the F80 M3 and F82 M4. The engine features a redesigned oil supply system and modified cooling system from the BMW M4 with the Competition Package, and also features a gasoline particulate filter in certain European Union countries to reduce emissions. Compared to the standard M2, the S55 produces an additional 30 kW (40 hp) and 85 Nm (63 lb/ft), resulting in a larger and more sustained power output of 405 bhp between 5,370–7,200 rpm, and 550 N⋅m (406 lb/ft) at 2,350–5,230 rpm. The 0-100 km/h acceleration time is 4.4 seconds for six-speed manual transmission models, and 4.2 seconds for models with the 7-speed dual clutch transmission. Top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h (155 mph), but the M Driver’s package can extend the limit to 280 km/h (174 mph) which is 10 km/h (6 mph) further than in the M2. The M2 Competition also has a carbon-fibre reinforced plastic strut bar, enlarged kidney grilles, and larger brake discs of 400 mm (15.7 in) in the front axle and 380 mm (15.0 in) in the rear axle. Because of the new engine and cooling system, the M2 Competition is 55 kg (121 lb) heavier than the standard M2 at 1,550 kg (3,417 lb) for manual transmission models and 1,575 kg (3,472 lb) for dual-clutch transmission models. Production recently ended in anticipation of the next generation car.

CATERHAM

CITROEN

There is a long history to this car, but it was only really with the relaunch of the model to the UK market in 1974 when interest here took off. Sales of the 2CV were reinvigorated by the 1974 oil crisis. The 2CV after this time became as much a youth lifestyle statement as a basic functional form of transport. This renewed popularity was encouraged by the Citroën “Raid” intercontinental endurance rallies of the 1970s where customers could participate by buying a new 2CV, fitted with a “P.O.” kit (Pays d’Outre-mer—overseas countries), to cope with thousands of miles of very poor or off-road routes. Because of new emission standards, in 1975 power was reduced from 28 hp to 25 hp. The round headlights were replaced by square ones, adjustable in height. A new plastic grille was fitted. In July 1975, a base model called the 2CV Spécial was introduced with the 435 cc engine. Between 1975 and 1990 under the name of AZKB “2CV Spécial” a drastically reduced trim basic version was sold, at first only in yellow and with an untreated black roof. Slimmer bumpers with stick-on tape rather than plastic strips and no overriders were fitted. It also had the earlier round headlights, last fitted in 1974. In order to keep the price as low as possible, Citroën removed the third side window, the ashtray, and virtually all trim from the car, while that which remained was greatly simplified, such as simple vinyl-clad door cards and exposed door catches rather than the plastic moulded trims found on the 2CV Club. Other 2CVs shared their instruments with the Dyane and H-Van but the Spécial had a much smaller square speedometer also incorporating the fuel gauge, originally fitted to the 2CV in the mid-1960s and then discontinued. The model also had a revised (and cheaper-to-make) plastic version of the 1960s two-spoke steering wheel instead of the one-spoke item from the Dyane, as found on the Club. From the 1978 Paris Motor Show the Spécial regained third side windows, and was available in red and white; beginning in mid-1979 the 602 cc engine was installed.[58] In June 1981 the Spécial E arrived; this model had a standard centrifugal clutch and particularly low urban fuel consumption. By 1980 the boost to 2CV sales across Europe delivered by the 1973 Energy Crisis had begun to wear off and there was a whole new generation of superminis and economy cars available from European and Japanese manufacturers. Citroën itself now had the Visa available. Peak annual production for 2CVs was reached in 1974 (163,143 cars) but by 1980 this had dropped to 89,994 and by 1983 would stand at just 59,673. Nonetheless the car remained profitable for PSA to produce on account of its tooling and set-up costs being amortised many years before and it could share major parts with more popular or profitable models such as the Visa and Acadiane. As part of this rationalisation in 1981 the Spécial was fitted as standard with the 602 cc engine, although the 435 cc version remained available to special order in some European countries until stocks were used up. Also in 1981 a yellow 2CV6 was driven by James Bond (Roger Moore) in the 1981 film For Your Eyes Only. The car in the film was fitted with the flat-4 engine from a Citroën GS which more than doubled the power. In one scene the ultra light 2CV tips over and is quickly righted by hand. Citroën launched a special edition 2CV “007” to coincide with the film; it was fitted with the standard engine and painted yellow with “007” on the front doors and fake bullet hole stickers. In 1982 all 2CV models got inboard front disc brakes, which also used LHM fluid instead of conventional brake fluid—the same as was found in the larger Citroën models with hydropneumatic suspension. In late 1986 Citroën introduced the Visa’s replacement, the AX. This was widely regarded as a superior car to the Visa and took many of the remaining 2CV sales in France following its introduction. From 1986 to 1987 2CV production fell by 20 per cent to just 43,255 cars. Of that total over 12,500 went to West Germany and 7212 went to the UK. France was now the third-largest market for 2CVs, taking 7045 cars that year. It was estimated that Citroën was now selling the 2CV at a loss in the French market, but that it was still profitable in other European countries. The peak of 2CV sales in the United Kingdom would be reached in 1986, thanks to the introduction of the popular Dolly special edition (see below)—7520 new 2CVs were registered in Britain that year. This year saw the discontinuation of the Club, which was by then the only 2CV model to retain the rectangular headlamps. This left the Spécial as the only regular 2CV model, alongside the more fashion-orientated Dolly, Charleston and the other special editions. In 1988, production ended in France after 40 years. The factory at Levallois-Perret had been the global centre for 2CV production since 1948 but was outdated, inefficient and widely criticised for its poor working conditions. The last French-built 2CV was made on February 25. In recognition of the event, the last 2CV built at Levallois was a basic Spécial in a non-standard grey colour—the same shade as worn by the very first 2CVs. Production of the 2CV would continue at the smaller-capacity but more modern Mangualde plant in Portugal. In 1989 the first European emission standards were introduced voluntarily by a number of European nations, ahead of the legal deadline of July 1992. This meant that the 2CV was withdrawn from sale in Austria, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and The Netherlands—the latter one of the car’s largest remaining markets. That year the three leading markets for the 2CV were West Germany (7866), France (5231) and the UK (3200). The last 2CV was built at Mangualde on 27 July 1990—it was a specially-prepared Charleston model. Only 42,365 2CVs were built in Portugal in the two years following the end of French production. Portuguese-built cars, especially those from when production was winding down, have a reputation in the UK for being much less well made and more prone to corrosion than those made in France. According to Citroën, the Portuguese plant was more up-to-date than the one in Levallois.

DAIMLER

Launched late in 1962, the Daimler V8 Saloon was essentially a rebadged Jaguar Mark 2 fitted with Daimler’s 2.5-litre 142 bhp V8 engine and drive-train, a Daimler fluted grille and rear number plate surround, distinctive wheel trims, badges, and interior details including a split-bench front seat from the Jaguar Mark 1 and a black enamel steering wheel. Special interior and exterior colours were specified. Most cars were fitted with power-assisted steering but it was optional. Automatic transmission was standard; manual, with or without overdrive, became an option in 1967. The 2.5 V8 was the first Jaguar designed car to have the Daimler badge. A casual observer, though not its driver, might mistake it for a Jaguar Mark 2. The Daimler’s stance on the road was noticeably different from a Mark 2. In April 1964 the Borg-Warner Type 35 automatic transmission was replaced by a D1/D2 type, also by Borg-Warner. A manual transmission, with or without an overdrive unit usable with the top gear, became available on British 2.5 V8 saloon in February 1967 and on export versions the following month. Cars optioned with the overdrive had the original 4.55:1 final drive ratio. In October 1967, there was a minor face-lift and re-labelling of the car to V8-250. It differed only in relatively small details: “slimline” bumpers and over-riders (shared with the Jaguar 240/340 relabelled at the same time), negative-earth electrical system, an alternator instead of a dynamo and twin air cleaners, one for each carburettor. Other new features included padding over the instrument panel, padded door cappings and ventilated leather upholstery, reclinable split-bench front seats and a heated rear window. Power steering and overdrive were optional extras. Jaguar replaced its range of saloons—the 240, the 340, the 420, and the 420G—with the XJ6 at the end of 1968. The company launched the XJ6-based Daimler Sovereign the following year to replace the Daimler saloons—the 240-based V8-250 and the 420-based Sovereign. Henceforth all new Daimlers would be re-badged Jaguars with no engineering links to the pre-1960 Daimlers.

FERRARI

Still seen by many as the most beautiful Ferrari ever built was the 246 GT Dino and this time there was just one example here.  The Ferrari Dino was created to honour Alfredo ‘Dino’ Ferrari, Enzo Ferrari’s only legitimate son, who sadly died of muscular dystrophy in 1956. Unlike any previous road-going Ferrari, the Dino utilised a V6 engine, the Tipo 156, which Alfredo himself had helped develop and strongly advocated during his working life. Following continued motor racing success and in order to homologate Ferrari’s 1966 Formula Two campaign, a new line of mid-engined production V6 coupés with Fiat running gear went on sale in 1967 in two litre 206 GT form. However, in 1969 a larger 2.4 litre Dino was introduced, named the 246 GT or GTS in the case of the Spider. Only 3,913 definitive Dinos were built before the introduction of the completely restyled V8 engined 308 in 1973. The voluptuous bodywork of the 246, which many regard as the prettiest ever to grace a road-going Ferrari, was designed by Pininfarina and built by Scaglietti. It clothed a tubular chassis which carried wishbone independent suspension at each corner. The compact four-cam, 190bhp. engine was mounted transversely above the five-speed gearbox and just ahead of the rear axle, allowing for both a comfortable cockpit and some usable boot space.

A front-engined grand tourer, the 456 was produced from 1992 until 2003, as an overdue replacement for the long-defunct front-engined 412 as the company’s V12 four seater.  Pietro Camardella and Lorenzo Ramaciotti at Pininfarina designed the original 456 which was available in GT and from 1996 in GTA forms. The difference in name signifies the transmission: the former has a six-speed manual and the latter has a four-speed automatic developed in partnership with FF Developments, in Livonia, MI (which was later purchased by Ricardo Engineering in the UK). This was only the fourth automatic transmission ever offered by Ferrari. The 5473 cc 65° V12 engine was derived from the Dino V6 rather than the more conventional 60° V12s used in the 412 and Daytona. It produced 442 PS with 4 valves per cylinder and Bosch Motronic M2.7 engine management. It could push the 1690 kg car and four passengers to 302 km/h (188 mph) making it the world’s fastest production four-seater. Acceleration to 100 km/h was just 5.2 seconds, with a 13.4 second quarter-mile time. At the time of its development it was the most powerful road car ever developed by Ferrari (aside from the F40). In 1996 engine was changed with Motronic M5.2 management and typed as F116C. The name 456, as was Ferrari practice, came from the fact that each cylinder displaces 456 cubic centimeters. This was the last Ferrari to use this naming convention. Despite its supercar performance, the 456 has a relatively unstressed engine, which has proven to be a very reliable unit. The chassis is a tubular steel spaceframe construction with a one-piece composite bonnet and body panels of aluminium. The body panels are welded to the chassis by using a special “sandwich filler” called feran that, when laid between, allows steel and aluminium to be welded. The Modificata 456M appeared in 1998, starting with chassis number 109589. Many changes were made to improve aerodynamics and cooling, and the interior – still featuring Connolly Leather – was freshened with new seats and other conveniences (fewer gauges on dash, and a new Becker stereo fitted in front of gear stick rather than behind as in the very shallow and special Sony head unit in the 456 GT). The 456 has a smaller grille with fog lights outside the grille, and lacked the bonnet-mounted air scoops. The undercarriage spoiler on the 456M is fixed, where the older 456 had a motorised spoiler that began its deployment above 105 km/h (65 mph). Power remained unchanged on the Modificata using Bosch Motronic M5.2 engine management at 442 PS; the cylinder firing order was changed for smoother running, and the torque remained the same for later versions of the 456 GT. The Tour de France Blue with Daytona Seats was the most desirable colour and leather combination. Approximately 3,289 of all versions were built, consisting of: 456 GT: 1,548; 456 GTA: 403; 456M GT: 688; 456M GTA: 650.

Firmly placed in Ferrari’s history as one of their finest big GTs, the 550 Maranello’s combination of stylish Pininfarina lines and front mounted 12-cylinder engine meant this car had the potential to become an instant classic, following in the footsteps of its forebear, the 365 GTB/4 ‘Daytona’, and if you look at the way the prices are steading to go, it’s clear that the potential is being realised. Launched in 1996, and with modern styling cues, a 5.5 litre V12 engine producing around 485bhp and a reported top speed of 199mph, the 550 Maranello was a serious motor car. A less frenetic power delivery, the six speed manual box and excellent weight distribution were all factors in the 550 becoming the perfect European Grand Tourer. Ferrari updated the car to create the 575M. Launched in 2002, it is essentially an updated 550 Maranello featuring minor styling changes from Pininfarina. The 575M was replaced by the 599 GTB in the first half of 2006. Updates from the 550 included a redesigned interior and substantial mechanical improvements, including bigger brake discs, a larger and more powerful engine, improved weight distribution, refined aerodynamics and fluid-dynamics along with an adaptive suspension set-up (the four independent suspensions are also controlled by the gearbox, to minimize pitch throughout the 200-milliseconds shift time). Two six-speed transmissions were available, a conventional manual gearbox and, for the first time on a Ferrari V12, Magneti Marelli’s “F1” automated manual gearbox. The 575 model number refers to total engine displacement in cc, whilst the ‘M’ is an abbreviation of modificata (“modified”).

Launched at the 2015 Geneva Show, the 488GTB followed the lead set by the California T in bringing turbocharging into a modern-day, mid-engined V8 Ferrari supercar for the first time. The engine is completely new when compared with its V8 stablemate, not only in components but also in feel and character. It is a twin-turbocharged 3902cc unit whilst that in the California T is 3855cc. In the 488 GTB, it produces 660bhp at 8000rpm and 560lb ft at 3000rpm. Both outputs are significant increases over the normally aspirated 4.5-litre V8 used in the 562 bhp 458 Italia and 597 bhp 458 Speciale, and also greater than the car’s biggest rival, the McLaren 650S. The torque figure of the 488 GTB is such that it also exceeds the 509lb ft at 6000rpm of the normally aspirated V12 used in the range-topping Ferrari F12 Berlinetta. The mighty new engine in the 488 GTB drives the rear wheels through a revised seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox derived from the 458. It features a new ‘Variable Torque Management’ system which, Ferrari says, “unleashes the engine’s massive torque smoothly and powerfully right across the rev range”. The gear ratios are also tuned to “deliver incredibly progressive acceleration when the driver floors the throttle”. The 488 GTB can crack 0-62mph in just 3.0sec, 0-124mph in 8.4sec and reach a top speed of 205mph. Its 0-62mph and 0-124mph times match the McLaren 650S’s, but the Woking car’s top speed is slightly higher at 207mph. The engine also accounts for the ‘488’ element of the car’s name, because each of the engine’s eight cylinders is 488cc in capacity when rounded up. The GTB suffix, standing for Gran Turismo Berlinetta, is a hallmark of previous mid-engined V8 Ferraris such as the 308 GTB. Not only is the new turbo engine more potent than the 4.5-litre V8 from the 458 Italia, but it is also more economical. Combined fuel economy is rated at 24.8mpg, compared with 21.2mpg in the 458 Italia, and CO2 emissions are 260g/km – a 47g/km improvement. Ferrari’s HELE engine stop-start system features on the 488 GTB. Developments on the dynamic side include a second generation of the Side Slip Angle Control system, called SSC2. This allows the driver to oversteer without intruding, unless it detects a loss of control. The SSC2 now controls the active dampers, in addition to the F1-Trac traction control system and E-Diff electronic differential. Ferrari says the result is “more precise and less invasive, providing greater longitudinal acceleration out of corners” and flatter, more stable behaviour during “complex manoeuvres”. Learnings from the Ferrari XX programme have also been incorporated into the 488 GTB, something that Ferrari says allows all drivers and not just professionals, to make the most of its electronic and vehicle control systems. It also claims the 488 GTB is “the most responsive production model there is”, with responses comparable to a track car. The 488 GTB has lapped Ferrari’s Fiorano test track in 1min 23sec – two seconds faster than the 458 Italia, and half a second quicker than the 458 Speciale. The dimensions of the 488 GTB – it is 4568mm in length, 1952mm in width and 1213mm in height – closely match the 458 Italia from which it has evolved. Its dry weight is 1370kg when equipped with lightweight options – 40kg more than the McLaren 650S. The new look, styled at the Ferrari Styling Centre, features several new aerodynamic features that improve downforce and reduce drag. Most notable is the addition of active aerodynamics at the rear through a ‘blown’ rear spoiler, where air is channelled from the base of the glass engine cover under the spoiler. This contributes to the 50% increase in downforce over the 458 Italia. Also new is a double front spoiler, an aerodynamic underbody, a large air intake at the front that references the 308 GTB, a diffuser with active flaps, new positioning for the exhaust flaps and new-look lights. The interior has been redesigned to be made more usable, including new switchgear, air vents and instrument panel. The multi-function steering wheel remains, while the infotainment system gets a new interface and graphics. The Spider followed the closed coupe model six months later, and supplies of that car are now reaching the UK. This is now the bigger seller of the pair, as was the case with the 458 models.

FIAT

Known as project 110, the brief for the Nuova 500 was to create a micro-car that would not only carry on the tradition of the earlier Topolino, but which would also take sales away from the ever popular Lambretta and Vespa scooters of the day. It clearly needed to be smaller than the 600 which had been released with a conventional 4 cylinder engine. Not an easy task, but development started in 1953 and by August 1954, two designs were ready to be shown to Fiat management. They selected one, and serious development began. At first the car was referred to as the 400, as it was going to have a 400cc engine, but it was soon realised that this was just too small, so a larger 500cc air-cooled engine was developed. It was signed off in January 1956, with production starting in March 1957 in advance of a June launch. Fiat’s marketing department got busy, with hundreds of the new car taking to the streets of Turin, each with a pretty girl standing through the open sunroof that was a feature of all the early cars. The press loved it. 50 units were shipped to Britain, where the car made its debut at Brands Hatch, and again the reception was enthusiastic. But the orders just did not come in. Fiat went for a hasty rethink, relaunching the car at the Turin Show later that year. power was increased from 13 to 15 bhp, and the poverty spec was lessened a little, with headlight bezels, brightwork on the side and chrome hubcaps, a Nuova500 badge on the engine cover, winding side windows (the launch cars just had opening quarterlights) and the option of a heater fan. It was enough to get sales moving. The original car was still offered, at a lower price, called the Economy. In the first year of production, 28,452 Fiat 500s were made. Over the next 19 years, the car changed little in overall appearance, but there were a number of updates with more power and equipment added. A 500 Sport was launched in August 1958, with a more powerful version of the 499cc engine. It lost the soft top, having a ridged steel roof, to increase strength of the body. It was only available in grey with a red side flash. The first major changes came in 1960 with the 500D. This looks very similar to the Nuova, but with two key differences. One is the engine size: the D features an uprated 499 cc engine producing 17 bhp as standard, an engine which would be used right through until the end of the L in 1973; and the other is the roof: the standard D roof does not fold back as far as the roof on the Nuova, though it was also available as the “Transformable” with the same roof as the Nuova. The D still featured “suicide doors”. There were larger rear light clusters, more space in the front boot thanks to a redesign of the fuel tank and new indicators under the headlights. A year later, Fiat added a light on the rear-view mirrors and a windscreen washer, but the car still lacked a fuel gauge. Sales increased from 20,900 in 1960 to 87.000 in 1961, 132,000 in 1962 and by 1964, the last year of production, they hit 194,000 units.  The D was replaced in 1965 by the 500F, which finally moved the door hinges from back to the front, owing to changes in Italian safety laws. There was a deeper windscreen and thinner door pillars, which increased the height of the car by 10mm, improving visibility for the driver. The 500F ran through to 1975, from 1968 alongside the more luxurious 500L which was added to the range in 1968. The L is easy to tell apart, with its bumper overriders. The final updates created the 500R, which incorporated many changes from the 126 under the skin of the classic shape, and in this form production continued alongside the newer 126 until 1976.

HOTCHKISS

The Hotchkiss Anjou was a luxury car offered between 1950 and 1954 by the French automaker Automobiles Hotchkiss. It was an updated version of the 486 and 686/866[2] models which had first appeared in the 1930s and inherited its engines from those cars, although their engines in turn dated back to OHC units introduced in the mid-1920s. The car was launched in autumn 1950, and during the first year 1,787 were produced. In 1951 the company produced a further 2,666. The depressed state of the economy and the government’s punitive taxation policy, especially in respect of larger cars, saw to it that, at least in terms of units produced, 1951 was the car’s best year, however. 815 were produced in 1952 and only 197 in 1953. 1953 was the last year of production, but the company was still advertising new cars for sale at least until the end of 1954, which indicates that their financial problems may well have been exacerbated by the practice of systematically manufacturing more cars than they were selling earlier in the Anjou’s life. The Anjou came with a large limousine-style body significantly modified when compared to its predecessors and characteristic of the times. A small number of two-door coupés were produced as well as a 2-door cabriolet, branded as the Hotchkiss Anthéor. Carrosserie Worblaufen in Switzerland also built two four-door Cabriolets based on the 2050. There was a choice of two engine sizes. Most cars were 1350s, shipped with a four-cylinder OHC 2,312 cc water-cooled unit with one or, at the customer’s option, two carburettors. However, a longer-nosed version allowed space for the larger ohc six-cylinder 3,485 cc water-cooled engine that promoted the car into the stratospheric 20CV taxation class, but increased claimed maximum power from 72/75 hp to 100/125 hp, with a corresponding increase in claimed maximum speed from 130 km/h (81 mph) to 145 km/h (90 mph). Sources for the power output vary, possibly according to whether the engine was fed by one or two carburettors. Both cars were offered with so-called “classic” four-speed manual transmission, and the smaller-engined car was available with an optional electromagnetic Cotal gearbox, which is seen by some as a precursor to more modern automatic transmission systems, and which would also have stood out from the crowd at any time on account of its having featured four forward speeds and four reverse speeds. In addition to the 5,465 Anjous produced, the company built about 40 of the 2-door cabriolet Anthéor models.

JAGUAR

This is a C Type replica. The C-Type was built specifically for the race track . It used the running gear of the contemporary road-proven XK120 clothed in a lightweight tubular frame, devised by William Heynes, and clothed in an aerodynamic aluminium body designed by Malcolm Sayer. The road-going XK120’s 3.4-litre twin-cam, straight-6 engine produced between 160 and 180 bhp, but when installed in the C-Type, it was originally tuned to around 205 bhp. Early C-Types were fitted with SU carburettors and drum brakes. Later C-Types, from mid 1953, were more powerful, using triple twin-choke Weber carburettors and high-lift camshafts. They were also lighter, and braking performance was improved with disc brakes on all four wheels, which were something of a novelty at the time, though their adoption started to spread quite quickly after Jaguar had used them. The lightweight, multi-tubular, triangulated frame was designed by William Heynes. Malcolm Sayer designed the aerodynamic body. Made of aluminium in the barchetta style, it is devoid of road-going items such as carpets, weather equipment and exterior door handles. The C-Type was successful in racing, most notably at the Le Mans 24 hours race, which it won twice. In 1951 the car won at its first attempt. The factory entered three, whose driver pairings were Stirling Moss and Jack Fairman, Leslie Johnson and triple Mille Miglia winner Clemente Biondetti, and the eventual winners, Peter Walker and Peter Whitehead. The Walker-Whitehead car was the only factory entry to finish, the other two retiring with lack of oil pressure. A privately entered XK120, owned by Robert Lawrie, co-driven by Ivan Waller, also completed the race, finishing 11th. In 1952 Jaguar, worried by a report about the speed of the Mercedes-Benz 300SLs that would run at Le Mans, modified the C-Type’s aerodynamics to increase the top speed. However, the consequent rearrangement of the cooling system made the cars vulnerable to overheating, and all three retired from the race. The Peter Whitehead-Ian Stewart and Tony Rolt/Duncan Hamilton cars blew head gaskets, and the Stirling Moss-Peter Walker car, the only one not overheating having had a full-sized radiator hurriedly fitted, lost oil pressure after a mechanical breakage. Testing by Norman Dewis at MIRA after the race proved that the overheating was caused more by the revisions to the cooling system than by the altered aerodynamics: the water pump pulley was undersized, so it was spinning too fast and causing cavitation; also the header tank was in front of the passenger-side bulkhead, far from the radiator, and the tubing diameter was too small at 7/8 inch. With the pump pulley enlarged, and the tubing increased to 1 1/4 inch, the problem was eliminated. The main drawback of the new body shape was that it reduced downforce on the tail to the extent that it caused lift and directional instability at speeds over 120 mph on the Mulsanne Straight. These cars had chassis numbers XKC 001, 002 and 011. The first two were dismantled at the factory, and the third survives in normal C-type form. In 1953 C-Types won again, and also placed second and fourth. This time the body was in thinner, lighter aluminium and the original twin H8 sand cast SU carburettors were replaced by three DCO3 40mm Webers, which helped boost power to 220 bhp. Further weight was saved by using a rubber bag fuel tank, lighter electrical equipment and thinner gauge steel for some of the chassis tubes . Duncan Hamilton and Tony Rolt won the race at 105.85 mph (170.35 km/h) – the first time Le Mans had been won at an average of over 100 miles per hour (161 km/h). 1954, the C-Type’s final year at Le Mans, saw a fourth place by the Ecurie Francorchamps entry driven by Roger Laurent and Jacques Swaters. Between 19951 and 1953, a total of 53 C-Types were built, 43 of which were sold to private owners mainly in the US. When new, the car sold for about $6,000, approximately twice the price of an XK120. Genuine cars have increased in value massively in recent years, however buyers do need to be aware that replicas have been produced by a number of companies, though even these are far from cheap to buy thesedays. Cars with true racing provenance are well into the millions now. A  C-Type once owned and raced by Phil Hill sold at an American auction in August 2009 for $2,530,000 and another C-type was sold at the Pebble Beach auction in 2012 for $3,725,000, More recently an unrestored C-Type that raced at Le Mans has sold for £5,715,580, during the Grand Prix Historique race meeting in Monaco. In August 2015, an ex-Ecurie Ecosse Lightweight C-type, chassis XKC052 and the second of only three works lightweights, driven by Peter Whitehead and Ian Stewart to fourth at the 1953 Le Mans 24 Hours, fetched £8.4 million at auction in California.

Jaguar launched the Mark IX in 1959, as a replacement for the previous Mark VIII. The early versions were identical in exterior appearance to the Mark VIII except for the addition of a chrome “Mk IX” badge to the boot lid. Later versions had a larger tail-lamp assembly with the addition of an amber section for traffic indication, visually similar to the tail-lights of the smaller Mark 2 Jaguar sedan. By the time the Mark IX reached the market, it was quite an old design, as it was based on the Mark VII which had been first seen in 1950. The Mark VII chassis came from the even earlier Jaguar Mark V but whilst the wheelbase remained the same at 10 feet, 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 engine originally developed by the Standard Motor Company, the Mark VII was powered by the newly developed XK engine, which had first been seen in the 1948 XK120, with the 3442 cc straight-six providing 160 bhp, the same as in the XK120. 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, an engine with a lower compression ratio of 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. In 1952, The Motor recorded a top speed of 101 mph, 0–60 mph in 13.7 seconds and returned 17.6 miles per imperial gallon. These were impressive figures for the time, and were one reason why the car was popular in motorsport as well as on the road. 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. By the time the Mark VII was upgraded to M specification in 1954, 20,908 had been produced. Launched at the London Motor Show in October 1954, the Mark VII M continued with the same capacity and 8:1 compression ratio, uprated to 190 bhp. A four-speed manual gearbox was standard, while the Borg Warner automatic, introduced in 1953 and hitherto available only on exported Mark VIIs, now became optional for British buyers. 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 and mounted on the bumper. Both bumpers now wrapped further around the sides of the car. 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. The Mark VII was succeeded by the Mark VIII in 1956, and although this looked very similar, there were plenty of detailed differences, The interior fittings were more luxurious than those of the Mark VII. Distinguishing visually between the models is facilitated by changes to the front grille, the driving or fog lamps being moved from the front panel to the horizontal panel between bumper and front panel, larger rear lamps and most obviously a curved chrome trim strip below the waistline which allowed the factory to offer a variety of two-tone paint schemes. In addition the new car had rear spats that were cut back to display more of the rear wheels and featured a one-piece slightly curved windscreen, where the Mark VII had incorporated a two-piece front screen of flat glass. Just 6227 examples were made before the introduction of the Mark IX. The new car had a larger 3.8 litre 190 bhp version of the XK engine Standard transmission was a four-speed manual system: options included overdrive, but most cars were built with a Borg Warner three-speed automatic box. The Mark IX was the first production Jaguar to offer four-wheel servo-assisted Dunlop disc brakes and recirculating ball power steering, which were now standard equipment. The brake system included a vacuum reserve tank to preserve braking in the event that the engine stalled. On models with automatic transmission, the brakes were equipped with an electromagnetic valve that maintained brake pressure at rest when the brake pedal was released to prevent the car from rolling back on an incline, hence its name “Hill Holder”. The Hill Holder was often troublesome (failing to release the brakes when the accelerator was depressed) and was disconnected on most cars without ill effect. The power steering was driven by a Hobourn-Eaton pump, operating at 600-650 psi. It was attached to the back of the generator and allowed the steering to be geared up to 3.5 turns lock-to-lock as against the 4.5 turns for the Mark VII and VIII models. The sunshine roof became a standard fitting for the UK market. The interior was in the same luxurious mode with extensive use of leather, walnut wood trim and deep pile carpet. A range of single and duo-tone paint schemes was offered. 10,009 examples of the Mark IX were made before its replacement in 1961 by the lower and more contemporary-styled Mark X.

Although bearing a family resemblance to the earlier XK120 and XK140, the XK150, launched in the spring of 1957,  was radically revised. A one-piece windscreen replaced the split screen, and the wing line no longer dropped so deeply at the doors. The widened bonnet opened down to the wings, and on the Roadster the windscreen frame was moved back 4 inches to make the bonnet longer. The XK140’s walnut dashboard was replaced by one trimmed in leather. On the early Drophead Coupés, the aluminium centre dash panel, which was discontinued after June 1958, had an X pattern engraving similar to the early 3.8 E-Type. Thinner doors gave more interior space. On the front parking lights, which were located atop the wings, a little red light reminded the driver the lights were on. Suspension and chassis were very similar to the XK140, and steering was by rack and pinion; power steering was not offered. The standard engine, the similar to the XK140, but with an new “B” type cylinder head, was the 3.4 litre DOHC Jaguar straight-6 rated at 180 SAE bhp at 5750 rpm but most cars were fitted with the SE engine whose modified cylinder head (B type) and larger exhaust valves boosted the power to 210 SAE bhp at 5500 rpm. Twin 1.75-inch (44 mm) SU HD6 carburettors were fitted. While the first XK150s were slower than their predecessors, the deficit was corrected in the spring of 1958 with a 3.4-litre “S” engine whose three 2-inch SU HD8 carburettors and straight-port cylinder head increased power to a claimed 250 SAE bhp. For 1960, the 3.4 litre engine was bored to 3.8 litres, rating this option at 220 hp in standard tune or 265 hp in “S” form. A 3.8 litre 150S could top 135 mph and go from 0–60 mph in around 7.0 seconds. Fuel economy was 18mpg. Four-wheel Dunlop 12 in disc brakes appeared for the first time although it was theoretically possible to order a car with drums. When leaving the factory the car originally fitted either 6.00 × 16 inch Dunlop Road Speed tyres as standard, or you could specify 185VR16 Pirelli Cinturato CA67 as a radial option on either 16 × 5K½ solid wheels (basic models) or 16 × 5K wire wheels. Production ended in October 1960, and totalled 2265 Roadsters, 4445 Fixed Head Coupés and 2672 Drophead Coupés.

The Series 2 E Type introduced a number of design changes, largely due to U.S. National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration mandates. The most distinctive exterior feature is the absence of the glass headlight covers, which affected several other imported cars, such as the Citroën DS, as well. Unlike other cars, this step was applied worldwide for the E-Type. Other hallmarks of Series 2 cars are a wrap-around rear bumper, larger front indicators and tail lights re-positioned below the bumpers, and an enlarged grille and twin electric fans to aid cooling. Additional U.S.-inspired changes included a steering lock which moved the ignition switch to the steering column, replacing the dashboard mounted ignition and push button starter, the symmetrical array of metal toggle switches replaced with plastic rockers, and a collapsible steering column to absorb impact in the event of an accident. New seats allowed the fitment of head restraints, as required by U.S. law beginning in 1969. The engine is easily identified visually by the change from smooth polished cam covers to a more industrial “ribbed” appearance. It was de-tuned in the US with twin two-barrel Strombergs replacing three SUs. Combined with larger valve clearances horsepower was reduced from 265 to 246 and torque from 283 to 263. Air conditioning and power steering were available as factory options. Production totalled 13,490 of all types, with 4885 of the FHC, 5,326 of the 2+2 and 8,628 of the OTS model

Successor to the E Type was the XJ-S, launched in September 1975, and to a not universally approving public. This was a very different sort of sporting Jaguar, more boulevard cruiser than sports car, even though the car had plenty of appeal with its smooth V12 engine which gave it genuine 150 mph performance. Press reports were favourable, but a thirsty V12 and a car with inconsistent build quality and styling that not everyone warmed to meant that sales were slow, and they got slower as the decade passed, leading questions to be asked as to whether the car should continue. As well as sorting the saloon models, Jaguar’s Chairman, John Egan, put in place a program to improve the XJ-S as well, which also benefitted from the HE engine in early 1981. A Cabrio model and the option of the new 3.6 litre 6 cylinder engine from 1984 widened the sales appeal, and the volumes of cars being bought started to go up. A fully open Convertible, launched in 1988 was the model many had been waiting for, and by this time, although the design was over 10 years old, it was now brimming with appeal to many. 1991 saw an extensive facelift which changed the styling details as well as incorporating the latest mechanical changes from the Jaguar parts bin, making the XJS (the hyphen had been dropped from the name in 1990) a truly desirable car. Seen here were both pre- and post-facelift models as well as one of the rare TWR-converted XJR-S cars. These were made between 1988 and 1993 by the newly formed JaguarSport, a separate company owned in a ratio of 50:50 by Jaguar and TWR Group Limited specialising in developing high performance Jaguar sports cars. The car had a distinctive body kit, special alloy wheels, a unique suspension system utilising modified coil springs and Bilstein shocks, a luxurious interior with Connolly Autolux leather along with walnut wood trim, and handling improvements. The first 100 of these cars were named “Celebration Le Mans” to commemorate Jaguar’s 1988 win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and were only sold in the UK. Between 1988 and 1989, a total of 326 XJR-S cars were produced with the 5.3 litres engine with a power output of 318 bhp. After September 1989, the displacement of the engine was increased to 5,993 cc and it was now equipped with Zytek fuel injection and engine management system. This was different from the standard 6.0-litre engine used in the late XJS models and was unique to this model. The power output was raised to 334 bhp at 5,250 rpm and 495 Nm (365 lb/ft) of torque at 3,650 rpm due to a higher compression ratio of 11.0:1, a new forgedsteel crankshaft, increased bore and forged alloy pistons. A modified air intake system and a low loss dual exhaust system was also standard on the model. The engine was mated to the 3-speed GM400 automatic transmission utilising a recalibrated valve body and had faster shift times. The car was equipped with Dunlop D40 M2 tyres for better grip. These modifications resulted in a top speed of 260 km/h (160 mph). A total of 787 coupés and 50 convertible XJR-S were built for the world market.

From the current range were examples of the F Type sports car and the F Pace SVR.

LANCIA

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.

Lancia launched the Delta in 1979, as what we would now think of as a “premium hatch”. Offered in 1300 and 1500cc engines, this car, which collected the prestigious “Car of the year” award a few months later, brought Italian style and an expensive feeling interior to a new and lower price point in the market than Lancia had occupied since the early days of the Fulvia some 15 years earlier. The range grew first when a model was offered using the 4 speed AP automatic transmission and then in late 1982, more powerful models started to appear, with first a 1600cc engine, and then one with fuel injection, before the introduction of the HF Turbo. All these cars kept the same appearance and were quite hard to tell apart. These were the volume models of the range, but now they are very definitely the rare ones, as it is the performance versions which have survived and are now much loved classics, even though relatively were sold when they were new, thanks to a combination of the fact that they were quite costly and that they only ever came with left hand drive. The Integrale evolved over several years, starting off as the HF Turbo 4WD that was launched in April 1986, to homologate a new rally car for Lancia who needed something to fill the void left by the cancellation of Group B from the end of 1986. The Delta HF 4X4 had a four-wheel drive system with an in-built torque-splitting action. Three differentials were used. Drive to the front wheels was linked through a free-floating differential; drive to the rear wheels was transmitted via a 56/44 front/rear torque-splitting Ferguson viscous-coupling-controlled epicyclic central differential. At the rear wheels was a Torsen (torque sensing) rear differential. It divided the torque between the wheels according to the available grip, with a maximum lockup of 70%. The basic suspension layout of the Delta 4WD remained the same as in the rest of the two-wheel drive Delta range: MacPherson strut–type independent suspension with dual-rate dampers and helicoidal springs, with the struts and springs set slightly off-centre. The suspension mounting provided more isolation by incorporating flexible rubber links. Progressive rebound bumpers were adopted, while the damper rates, front and rear toe-in and the relative angle between springs and dampers were all altered. The steering was power-assisted rack and pinion. The car looked little different from the front wheel drive models. In September 1987, Lancia showed a more sophisticated version of the car, the Lancia Delta HF Integrale 8V. This version incorporated some of the features of the Delta HF 4WD into a road car. The engine was an 8-valve 2 litre fuel injected 4-cylinder, with balancing shafts. The HF version featured new valves, valve seats and water pump, larger water and oil radiators, more powerful cooling fan and bigger air cleaner. A larger capacity Garrett T3 turbocharger with improved air flow and bigger inter-cooler, revised settings for the electronic injection/ignition control unit and a knock sensor, boosting power output to 185 bhp at 5300 rpm and maximum torque of 224 lb/ft at 3500 rpm. The HF Integrale had permanent 4-wheel drive, a front transversely mounted engine and five-speed gearbox. An epicyclic centre differential normally split the torque 56 per cent to the front axle, 44 per cent to the rear. A Ferguson viscous coupling balanced the torque split between front and rear axles depending on road conditions and tyre grip. The Torsen rear differential further divided the torque delivered to each rear wheel according to grip available. A shorter final drive ratio (3.111 instead of 2.944 on the HF 4WD) matched the larger 6.5×15 wheels to give 24 mph/1000 rpm in fifth gear. Braking and suspension were uprated to 284 mm ventilated front discs, a larger brake master cylinder and servo, as well as revised front springs, dampers, and front struts. Next update was to change the engine from 8 valves to 16. The 16v Integrale was introduced at the 1989 Geneva Motorshow, and made a winning debut on the 1989 San Remo Rally. It featured a raised centre of the bonnet to accommodate the new 16 valve engine, as well as wider wheels and tyres and new identity badges front and rear. The torque split was changed to 47% front and 53% rear. The turbocharged 2-litre Lancia 16v engine now produced 200 bhp at 5500 rpm, for a maximum speed of 137 mph and 0–100 km/h in 5.5  seconds. Changes included larger injectors, a more responsive Garrett T3 turbocharger, a more efficient intercooler, and the ability to run on unleaded fuel without modification. The first Evoluzione cars were built at the end of 1991 and through 1992. These were to be the final homologation cars for the Lancia Rally Team; the Catalytic Evoluzione II was never rallied by the factory. The Evoluzione I had a wider track front and rear than earlier Deltas. The bodyside arches were extended and became more rounded. The wings were now made in a single pressing. The front strut top mounts were also raised, which necessitated a front strut brace. The new Integrale retained the four wheel drive layout. The engine was modified to produce 210 bhp at 5750 rpm. External changes included: new grilles in the front bumper to improve the air intake for engine compartment cooling; a redesigned bonnet with new lateral air slats to further assist underbonnet ventilation; an adjustable roof spoiler above the tailgate; new five-bolt wheels with the same design of the rally cars; and a new single exhaust pipe. Interior trim was now grey Alcantara on the Recaro seats, as fitted to the earlier 16V cars; leather and air conditioning were offered as options, as well as a leather-covered Momo steering wheel. Presented in June 1993, the second Evolution version of the Delta HF Integrale featured an updated version of the 2-litre 16-valve turbo engine to produce more power, as well as a three-way catalyst and Lambda probe. A Marelli integrated engine control system with an 8 MHz clock frequency which incorporates: timed sequential multipoint injection; self-adapting injection times; automatic idling control; engine protection strategies depending on the temperature of intaken air; Mapped ignition with two double outlet coils; Three-way catalyst and pre-catalyst with lambda probe (oxygen sensor) on the turbine outlet link; anti-evaporation system with air line for canister flushing optimised for the turbo engine; new Garrett turbocharger: water-cooled with boost-drive management i.e. boost controlled by feedback from the central control unit on the basis of revs/throttle angle;   Knock control by engine block sensor and new signal handling software for spark park advance, fuel quantity injected, and turbocharging. The engine now developed 215 PS as against 210 PS on the earlier uncatalysed version and marginally more torque. The 1993 Integrale received a cosmetic and functional facelift that included. new 16″ light alloy rims with 205/45 ZR 16 tyres;  body colour roof moulding to underline the connection between the roof and the Solar control windows;  aluminium fuel cap and air-intake grilles on the front mudguards; red-painted cylinder head; new leather-covered three-spoke MOMO steering wheel; standard Recaro seats upholstered in beige Alcantara with diagonal stitching. In its latter years the Delta HF gave birth to a number of limited and numbered editions, differing mainly in colour, trim and equipment; some were put on general sale, while others were reserved to specific markets, clubs or selected customers.

The first generation Delta had been given a second lease of life by its rallying successes, but by the 1990s it was over ten years old and due replacement; its four-door saloon sibling, the Prisma, had already been replaced by the Lancia Dedra. By the time the new car was ready, Lancia had all but pulled out of the UK, so the car was never officially sold here. A few have since been brought in, though, and there were two of them here. Both are the three door HPE models, and are familiar sights at Italian car and other gatherings in the area. The “Nuova Delta” (Tipo 836)—always referred to by Lancia as Lancia δ with the lower-case Greek letter – was introduced at the Geneva Show in 1993, alongside the final “Evo 2” HF Integrale. Sales commenced in May 1993. Initially the Nuova Delta was offered with three engines and outputs varying from 76 to 142 PS: an entry level SOHC 1.6-litre, and two DOHC inline fours with Lancia’s twin counter rotating balance shafts, an 8-valve 1.8 and a 16-valve 2.0 litre. Trim levels were three: base and LE for the 1.6 and 1.8, base and richer LS for two-litre models. The sportier 2.0 HF was also unveiled in Geneva, but went on sale in September; it used a version of the 16-valve 2.0 litre equipped with a Garrett T3 turbocharger and an intercooler to produce 186 PS. Mechanical changes from the other Deltas included up-sized 205/50 tyres, stiffer suspension, standard 4-way ABS, a “Viscodrive” viscous coupling limited slip differential and, in the HF LS trim, electronically adjustable dampers with two settings. Visually the HF turbo was set apart by an eggcrate grille with a gunmetal surround and a yellow HF badge, a sportier front bumper complementing 1.1 inch wider front wings, black side skirts, specific 15 inch 7-spoke alloy wheels and a spoiler at the base of the rear window. Larger disk brakes and optional Alcantara Recaro sport seats were shared with the 2.0 LS. About a year after the launch, in June 1994, the 1.9 turbo ds turbodiesel variant was added to the range; it was powered by the usual 1,929 cc SOHC unit, pushing out 90 PS. The turbo ds was given the flared fenders and bumper of the HF, and was available in base and LE trim.  Presented a month later and put on sale in autumn, the Delta 2.0 GT paired the naturally aspirated 2-litre engine with the looks of the HF—flared wings, bumper and spoiler. Although a three-door had been rumoured since 1991, it was not until the 1995 Geneva Motor Show that one became available. It was christened HPE—a denomination that had previously been used for a variant of the Lancia Beta, and standing for “High Performance Executive”.  At first the HPE was only available with the three top engines: 2.0 16v, 1.9 turbodiesel and 2.0 16v turbo in HF guise. The three-door bodyshell had entirely redesigned body sides, but retained the roof and rear section of the five-door model; rear wheelarch flares complemented the HF-derived wide front wings and bumper, sported by all HPE versions. This meant the HPE was around 2.4 inches wider than a standard Delta, while all other exterior dimensions remained unchanged. Styling differences from the five-door included specific side skirts and a body-colour grille, to which the HPE 2.0 HF added all the accoutrements of the five-door HF and additional air intakes under the headlights. At the beginning of 1996 the range was updated. All naturally aspirated engines were replaced; the 1.6 and 1.8 8-valve by 16-valve units, while the 2.0 16v was discontinued in favour of a 1.8 16v equipped with variable valve timing. Trim levels for the 5-door were now three: base LE, richer LX and GT, exclusive to the 1.8 V.V.T. engine. The three-door HF turbo remained the only one offered, as the five-door version was discontinued. In addition to the turbocharged engines, the HPE was available with 1.8 V.V.T. and also the smaller 1.6 engines; the latter, entry level HPE adopted the bumper and narrow front wings of the standard Delta. Minor styling changes were introduced, such as alloy wheels and wheel covers of a new design, chrome vertical bars to the 5-door cars’ grille, and body colour mirror caps. November 1997 brought the last revisions for the Delta. Seven models made up the updated range: 5-door and HPE with a choice of 1.6, 1.8 V.V.T. or 1.9 td engines—the 18 16v having been phased out—and a renewed 2.0 HF, again in HPE form only. The 5-door range was reduced to a single LS trim. More of the plastic exterior details were now painted in body colour, namely bumper, bodyside and C-pillar inserts. All HPEs donned flared front wings. The updated HPE 2.0 HF was shown at the Bologna Motor Show in November. Visually it continued the monochrome theme of the restyled cars, and it was made more distinctive by bumpers, side skirts, and spoiler of a new design, and 16 inch Speedline Montecarlo alloy wheels with 215/50 tyres; inside the seats were upholstered in black leather with contrasting colour Alcantara centres. Mechanically it received a tweaked engine, producing 193 PS, which made for a 5 km/h higher top speed. The Delta was dropped from Lancia’s lineup in 1999, with no immediate successor.

LAND ROVER

The first-generation Range Rover was produced between 1969 and 1996. It was available only in a 2-door body until 1981. (Before then, 4-door models had been produced by specialist firms). Unlike other 4x4s such as the Jeep Wagoneer, the original Range Rover was not designed as a luxury vehicle. It was up-market compared to preceding Land Rover models, but the early Range Rovers had fairly basic, utilitarian, interiors with vinyl seats and plastic dashboards that were designed to be washed down with a hose. Convenience features such as power steering, carpeted floors, air conditioning, cloth/leather seats, and wooden interior trim were fitted later. The Range Rover was a body-on-frame design with a box section ladder type chassis, like the contemporary Series Land Rovers. The Range Rover used coil springs as opposed to leaf springs, permanent four-wheel drive, and four-wheel disc brakes. The Range Rover was originally powered by various Rover V8 engines and diesel engines. Originally, the Range Rover was fitted with a detuned 130 hp version of the Buick-derived Rover V8 engine. In 1984, the engine was fitted with Lucas fuel injection, boosting power to 155 bhp. The 3.5-litre (3,528 cc) engine was bored out to a displacement of 3.9 litres for the 1990 model year, and 4.2-litre in 1992  for the 108-inch Long Wheelbase Vogue LSE (County LWB [long wheelbase] in North America). One of the first significant changes came in 1981, with the introduction of a four-door body. Shortly after twin thermo fan technology was introduced to reduce significant overheating problems 1970s models experienced in Australia. In 1988, LR introduced a 2.4-litre turbodiesel (badged Vogue Turbo D) with 112 bhp, manufactured by Italian VM Motori. The same engine was available in the Rover SD1 passenger car. The diesel project was codenamed project Beaver. During the project, 12 world records were broken, including the fastest diesel off-roader to reach 100 mph (160 km/h), and the furthest a diesel off-roader has travelled in 24 hours. In 1990 project Otter was unveiled. This was a mildly tuned 2.5-litre, 119 bhp version of the ‘Beaver’ 2.4. In 1992, Land Rover finally introduced their own diesel engines in the Range Rover, beginning with the 111 bhp 200TDi, first released in the Land Rover Discovery and following in 1994, the 300 TDi, again with 111 bhp. The first generation was known as the Range Rover until almost the end of its production when Land Rover introduced the name Range Rover Classic to distinguish it from its successors. The original model served as the basis for the 1989 introduced 1st generation Discovery (directly based on the standard (short) wheelbase Range Rover), and for the 2nd generation Range Rover, based on the LWB chassis of the Classic.

LOTUS

Introduced in 1967,  the Elan +2 had a longer wheelbase and two rear seats and so was intended for those Lotus customers who needed space to carry (small) people in the back, without sacrificing the same basic principles which made the Elan so appealing. A fast and agile sport coupe, a number of different engines were fitted over the years, with the later models having 130 bhp and a 5 speed gearbox at their disposal, which gave a top speed of 120 mph and 0–60 acceleration of 7.9 seconds and 0-100 mph 21.8 seconds. 5,200 Elans +2 were made, with production ceasing in 1975. Fewer than 1,200 of these cars remain on the roads today. Their relative rarity, beautiful lines, impressive performance and practicality are the main factors for the rising interest on these cars among collectors.

It is now over 20 years since Lotus launched the Elise, a model which showed a return to the core values of simplicity and light-weight which were cornerstones of Colin Chapman’s philosophy when he founded the marque in 1955. The first generation Elise was produced for just over 4 years, with a replacement model, the Series 2 arriving in October 2000. It came about as the Series 1 could not be produced beyond the 2000 model production year due to new European crash sustainability regulations. Lacking the funding to produce a replacement, Lotus needed a development partner to take a share of investment required for the new car. General Motors offered to fund the project, in return for a badged and GM-engined version of the car for their European brands, Opel and Vauxhall. The result was therefore two cars, which although looking quite different, shared much under the skin: a Series 2 Elise and the Vauxhall VX220 and Opel Speedster duo. The Series 2 Elise was a redesigned Series 1 using a slightly modified version of the Series 1 chassis to meet the new regulations, and the same K-series engine with a brand new Lotus-developed ECU. The design of the body paid homage to the earlier M250 concept, and was the first Lotus to be designed by computer. Both the Series 2 Elise and the Opel Speedster/Vauxhall VX220 were built on the same production line, in a new facility at Hethel. Both cars shared many parts, including the chassis, although they had different drive-trains and power-plants. The VX220 carried the Lotus internal model identification Lotus 116, with the code name Skipton for the launch 2.2 normally aspirated version and Tornado for the 2 litre Turbo which came out in 2004. Fitted with 17 inch over the Elise’s 16 inch front wheels, the Vauxhall/Opel version ceased production in late 2005 and was replaced by the Opel GT for February 2007, with no RHD version for the United Kingdom. The Elise lived on. and indeed is still in production now, some 15 years later, though there have been countless different versions produced in that time. Whilst the first of the Series 2 cars came with the Rover K-Series engine, and that included the 111S model which had the VVC engine technology producing 160 hp , a change came about in 2005 when Lotus started to use Toyota engines. This was initially due to Lotus’ plans to introduce the Elise to the US market, meaning that an engine was needed which would comply with US emissions regulations. The selected 1.8 litre (and later 1.6 litre) Toyota units did, and the K-series did not. that MG-Rover went out of business in 2005 and engine production ceased confirmed the need for the change. Since then, Lotus have offered us track focused Elise models like the 135R and Sport 190, with 135 bhp and 192 bhp respectively, as well as the 111R, the Sport Racer, the Elise S and Elise R. In 2008  an even more potent SC model, with 218 bhp thanks to a non-intercooled supercharger was added to the range. In February 2010, Lotus unveiled a facelifted version of the second generation Elise. The new headlights are now single units; triangular in shape they are somewhat larger than the earlier lights. The cheapest version in Europe now has a 1.6 litre engine to comply with Euro 5 emissions, with the same power output as the earlier 1.8 136bhp car. Lotus has been through some difficult times in recent years, but things are looking more optimistic again, with production numbers having risen significantly in the last couple of years, after a period when next to no cars were made.

MASERATI

Sole Maserati here was my recently acquired Grecale.

MAZDA

The Mazda MX-5 (NC) is the third generation of the Mazda MX-5 manufactured from 2005 to 2015. At its introduction in 2005, it won the Car of the Year Japan Award and made Car and Driver’s 10Best list from 2006 to 2013. The NC is the first MX-5 generation to feature a retractable hardtop variant, with its roof being able to fold and unfold in 12 seconds without sacrificing trunk space. The exterior styling by Yasushi Nakamuta resembled the original design, but unlike the update from NA to NB, which was mostly a nose/tail/interior change, the NC shares no components with the NB, except for the fender-mounted turn signal lights on non-U.S. models (and rear differential internals). The chief designer of this model generation was Moray Callum. The 2003 Mazda Ibuki concept served as a preview of the new model. The suspension changed from a four-wheel double wishbone setup to a front wishbone/rear multilink setup, shared with the Mazda RX-8. Technologies including traction control and stability control were added to increase driveability. According to Car and Driver, the NC has a skidpad number of 0.90g. For the U.S., the engine was the 16-valve, 2.0 L MZR LF-VE DOHC I4, producing 170 bhp and 190 Nm (140 lb/ft) of torque coupled to either a 5-speed or a 6-speed manual transmission or 158 bhp with the optional 6-speed automatic transmission. A limited-slip differential was available with the 6-speed option. In Australia, the 2.0 L MZR was offered, rated at 158 bhp and 188 N⋅m (139 lb/ft) of torque and the 6-speed transmission and LSD are standard. In Europe, two engines were offered: the 2.0 L MZR LF-VE rated at 158 bhp and 188 Nm (139 lb/ft) of torque, coupled to the 6-speed manual transmission; and a new 1.8 L MZR L8-VE, rated at 126 bhp and 167 Nm (123 lb/ft), coupled to the 5-speed manual transmission. A six-speed automatic transmission, with steering wheel mounted paddle shifters, was optional. A test by Car and Driver magazine revealed a 0-60 mph time of 6.5 s for the 2.0 L U.S.-spec NC. Manufacturer figures for the European-spec model are: 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 9.4 s for the 1.8 and 7.9 s for the 2.0. As of this generation, the car no longer complies with Japanese law’s maximum exterior width dimension for the mid-size vehicle tax class, making Japanese buyers liable for additional costs for ownership. In July 2006, Mazda debuted a Power Retractable Hard Top (PRHT) version of the NC with a two-piece folding hardtop, named MX-5 Roadster Coupé in Europe, Roadster Power Retractable Hard Top in Japan, and MX-5 Miata Power Retractable Hard Top in the U.S. and Canada. Designed by Webasto and constructed of polycarbonate, the top requires 12 seconds to raise or lower, and the first models were delivered to customers in late August 2006. The hardtop adds 36 kg (79 lb) to the weight of a comparably equipped soft-top, without diminishing trunk space when retracted. The PRHT omits the soft-top’s storage compartments behind the seats to accommodate the folding roof mechanism. Performance times are slightly affected with the weight increase, with the 0-100 km/h (62 mph) time increased to 9.6 s for the 1.8 and 8.2 seconds for the 2.0. Thanks to better aerodynamics, though, top speed is increased from 196 km/h (121.8 mph) to 200 km/h (124.3 mph) for the smaller-engined model and from 210 km/h (130 mph) to 215 km/h (134 mph) for the 2.0. These figures are for the European- versions. The MX-5 facelift was unveiled at the 2008 Paris Motor Show and Science Museum in London, and later at the 2009 Chicago Auto Show. The Japanese model went on sale on December 9, 2008 at Mazda and Mazda Anfini dealers. Major changes concern the restyled front which now incorporates elements from Mazda’s newer models like the larger grille and new head and fog lights. Further restyled elements include the side skirts, rear bumper and the tail lights. The soft-top Touring and Grand Touring models feature a mesh grille bordered by a chrome frame. The hardtop Roadster Coupe now features a mesh grille bordered by a chrome frame and chrome elements inside the headlamps and outer door handles. The instrument panel gained darker features and redesigned graphics for the gauges. To create more leg space in the cabin, a protrusion from the door pockets was eliminated. The 2.0 L; I4 engine was rated 167 bhp at 7,000 rpm and 190 Nm (140 lb/ft) at 5,000 rpm for the 5-speed manual transmission, 158 bhp at 6,700 rpm with the fuel cut-off at 7,200 rpm and 190 Nm (140 lb/ft) at 5,000 rpm for the automatic transmission. Engine redline was raised by 500 rpm to 7,200 rpm in manual model and fuel cut at 7,500 rpm. The suspension and gearbox have been fine-tuned; with the latter offering smoother shifts and an automatic transmission will be introduced in Europe for the first time.

MERCEDES-BENZ

The second generation Mercedes-Benz SLK, internally designated model R171, is a two-passenger, front-engine, rear-drive, retractable hardtop roadster, unveiled at the 74th Geneva International Motor Show—and manufactured and marketed for model years 2004–2010. Currently in its third generation and manufactured at Mercedes’ Bremen plant, the SLK nameplate designates Sportlich (sporty), Leicht (light), and Kurz (compact). The R171 features a number of revisions compared to its predecessor, the R170: a 30mm longer wheelbase, increased length (72mm) and width (65mm), 40% increased use of high strength steel, seven-speed automatic transmission, adaptive two-stage airbags, head/thorax sidebags and a revised roof mechanism (marketed as the Vario roof) deployable in 22 seconds (previously 25 seconds) with a rotary-pivoting rear window enabling a more compact folded roof stack and trunk storage increased by 63 litres with the roof retracted.[6] Optional features include remote operation of the retractable hardtop as well as an innovative forced air, neck-level heating system integral to the headrests, marketed as Airscarf. The fully galvanized bodywork, which features 19 percent improvement in static bending and 46 percent improvement in torsional strength with the roof down, also features a 3% improvement in aerodynamic efficiency, with a Cd value of 0.32. The design has been aerodynamically optimised to minimise interior draughts with the top retracted and includes a fabric windblocker which can be pulled up over the two roll-over bars. Mercedes marketed the R171’s tapering front end styling by designer Steve Mattin as “Formula One-inspired”. In 2008, the SLK reached sales of 500,000.  The R171 SLK were the last series that a manual transmission was available in a 6 Cylinder Mercedes-Benz Convertible. The successor to the R171, R172, only offered manual transmission in their 4-cylinder vehicles.

MG

The post-war TC was replaced in 1950 by the TD, which combined the TC’s drivetrain, a modified hypoid-geared rear axle, the MG Y-type chassis, a familiar T-type style body and independent suspension using coil springs from the MG Y-type saloon. A 1950 road-test report described as “most striking” the resulting “transformation … in the comfort of riding”. Also lifted from the company’s successful 1¼-litre YA saloon for the TD was the (still highly geared) rack and pinion steering. In addition the TD featured smaller 15-inch disc type road wheels, a left-hand drive option and standard equipment bumpers and over-riders. The car was also 5 inches wider with a track of 50 inches. For the driver the “all-weather protection” was good by the standards of the time. For night driving, instrument illumination was “effective but not dazzling, by a pale green lighting effect”.  There was still no fuel gauge, but the 12 gallon tank capacity gave a range between refuelling stops of about 300 miles and a green light on the facia flashed a “warning” when the fuel level was down to about 2½ gallons. In 1950 the TD MkII Competition Model was introduced, produced alongside the standard car, with a more highly tuned engine using an 8.1:1 compression ratio giving 57 bhp at 5,500 rpm. The higher compression ratio engine was offered with export markets in mind, and would not have been suitable for the UK, where thanks to the continued operation of wartime fuel restrictions, buyers were still limited to 72 octane “Pool petrol”. The TD MkII also featured twin fuel pumps, additional Andrex dampers, and a higher ratio rear-axle. Nearly 30,000 TDs had been produced, including about 1700 Mk II models, when the series ended in 1953 with all but 1656 exported, 23,488 of them to the US alone.

MG re-entered the sports car market in 1995 with the launch of the MGF Two versions of this mid-engined and affordable rival to the Mazda MX5 were offered: both of which used the 1.8 litre K-Series 16-valve engine. The cheaper of the two put out  118 hp and the more costly VVC model (by dint of its variable valve control) had 143 hp.  Rover Special Projects had overseen  the development of the F’s design and before finalising the styling bought-in outside contractors to determine the most appropriate mechanical configuration for the new car. Steve Harper of MGA Developments produced the initial design concept in January 1991 (inspired by the Jaguar XJR-15 and the Ferrari 250LM), before Rover’s in house design team refined the concept under the leadership of Gerry McGovern. The MGF used the Hydragas suspension, a system employing interconnected fluid and gas displacers, which gave the car a surprisingly compliant ride and which could be tuned to provide excellent handling characteristics. The MG F quickly shot to the top of the affordable sports car charts in Britain and remained there until the introduction of the MG TF in 2002. The MG F underwent a facelift in Autumn of 1999 which gave the car a revised interior as well as styling tweaks and fresh alloy wheels designs. There was also the introduction of a base 1.6 version and a more powerful 160 hp variant called the Trophy 160, which had a 0-60 mph time of 6.9 seconds. It was only produced for a limited time. An automatic version with a CVT called the Steptronic was also introduced. A comprehensive update in 2002 resulted in  the MG TF,  named after the MG TF Midget of the 1950s. Based upon the MG F platform but heavily redesigned and re-engineered, the most significant mechanical changes were the abandonment of Hydragas suspension in favour of conventional coil springs, the new design of the air-induction system that along with new camshafts produces more power than in MG F engines, and the torsional stiffness of the body increased by 20%. Various cosmetic changes included a revised grille, redesigned front headlights, bumpers, side air-intake grills and changes to the rear boot,. The car continued to sell well.  Production was suspended when MG-Rover went out of business, but resumed again in 2007 when Nanjing built a number more.

MINI

The Mini was the model that refused to die, with sales continuing after the launch of the Metro in 1980, and gathering momentum again in the 1990s, thanks in no small part to interest from Japan and because Rover Group decided to produce some more Cooper models. The first series of Cooper cars had been discontinued in 1971, replaced by the cheaper to build 1275GT, but when a limited edition model was produced in 1990, complete with full endorsement from John Cooper, the model was a sell out almost overnight, which prompted the decision to make it a permanent addition to the range. A number of refinements were made during the 90s, with fuel injection adding more power, a front mounted radiator and more sound deadening making the car quieter and new seats adding more comfort and a new dash making the car look less spartan inside.  It formed part of the range until production of all Issigonis Minis ended in 2000.

MORGAN

PEUGEOT

In 1999, Peugeot Sport unveiled the 206 WRC, and it competed for the first time in that year’s World Rally Championship, with French tarmac veteran and long-time marque stalwart Gilles Panizzi narrowly failing, against a resurgent reigning champion in Mitsubishi’s Tommi Mäkinen, to win the Rallye Sanremo. The car was soon a success, however, and won both the manufacturers’ and drivers’ championships in 2000, Peugeot’s first such accolades since their withdrawal from the WRC after Group B was banned after the 1986 season, and achieved in the hands of Panizzi, Francois Delecour and Mäkinen’s successor as drivers’ world champion, Marcus Grönholm. For 2001, Grönholm competed alongside two refugees of SEAT’s exit from the championship at the end of 2000; compatriot Harri Rovanperä and the French 1994 world champion, Didier Auriol. Rovanperä and Auriol each contributed single wins, on Swedish Rally and Rally Catalunya respectively (the former to be a sole career win for the Finn, and the latter victory helped by assorted problems for the blisteringly quick debuting Citroën Xsara WRCs), before Auriol left the team at the end of the season. Grönholm, meanwhile, suffered sufficient reliability woes in the first half of the year such that he could manage no higher than fourth overall in the series, although Peugeot did fend off Ford, with a 1–2 result by the two Finns on the season-ending Rally of Great Britain to successfully defend the constructors’ championship title. In 2002, Grönholm – despite now being paired in the factory line-up with defending 2001 champion from Subaru, the Briton Richard Burns – led Peugeot to a repeat of the WRC title double aboard his 206 WRC. His dominance that year was compared to Michael Schumacher’s dominance of Formula One. In summary, Peugeot won two drivers’ championships, in 2000 and 2002, and three manufacturers’ titles in a row between 2000 and 2002. However, by 2003 the 206 WRC was beginning to show its age and was less effective against the competition, notably the newer Xsara WRC and the Subaru Impreza WRC, so it was retired from competition at the end of the season, to be replaced with the 307 WRC, albeit, unlike its predecessor, based not on the production version’s hatchback, but its coupé cabriolet body style. The Peugeot 206 WRC was awarded the Autosport “Rally Car of the Year” in 2002, preceded by the Ford Focus RS WRC and followed by the Citroën Xsara WRC. In 2002, Peugeot GB created the Peugeot 206 Cup, a one-make rally championship aimed at young drivers. The championship was created to help young drivers develop their careers. The cars were built by Vic Lee Racing and drivers such as Tom Boardman, Luke Pinder and Garry Jennings all drove in the championship.A similar championship also existed in France. This is a road-registered car produced in tribute to the WRC cars.

PORSCHE

The 356 was created by Ferdinand “Ferry” Porsche (son of Dr. Ing. Ferdinand Porsche, founder of the German company), who founded the Austrian company with his sister, Louise. Like its cousin, the Volkswagen Beetle (which Ferdinand Porsche Senior had designed), the 356 was a four-cylinder, air-cooled, rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive car utilising unitised pan and body construction. The chassis was a completely new design as was the 356’s body which was designed by Porsche employee Erwin Komenda, while certain mechanical components including the engine case and some suspension components were based on and initially sourced from Volkswagen. Ferry Porsche described the thinking behind the development of the 356 in an interview with the editor of Panorama, the PCA magazine, in September 1972. “….I had always driven very speedy cars. I had an Alfa Romeo, also a BMW and others. By the end of the war I had a Volkswagen Cabriolet with a supercharged engine and that was the basic idea. I saw that if you had enough power in a small car it is nicer to drive than if you have a big car which is also overpowered. And it is more fun. On this basic idea we started the first Porsche prototype. To make the car lighter, to have an engine with more horsepower…that was the first two seater that we built in Carinthia (Gmünd)”. The first 356 was road certified in Austria on June 8, 1948, and was entered in a race in Innsbruck where it won its class. Porsche re-engineered and refined the car with a focus on performance. Fewer and fewer parts were shared between Volkswagen and Porsche as the ’50’s progressed. The early 356 automobile bodies produced at Gmünd were handcrafted in aluminium, but when production moved to Zuffenhausen, Germany in 1950, models produced there were steel-bodied. Looking back, the aluminium bodied cars from that very small company are what we now would refer to as prototypes. Porsche contracted with Reutter to build the steel bodies and eventually bought the Reutter company in 1963. The Reutter company retained the seat manufacturing part of the business and changed its name to Recaro. Little noticed at its inception, mostly by a small number of auto racing enthusiasts, the first 356s sold primarily in Austria and Germany. It took Porsche two years, starting with the first prototype in 1948, to manufacture the first 50 automobiles. By the early 1950s the 356 had gained some renown among enthusiasts on both sides of the Atlantic for its aerodynamics, handling, and excellent build quality. The class win at Le Mans in 1951 was clearly a factor.  It was always common for owners to race the car as well as drive them on the streets. They introduced the four-cam racing “Carrera” engine, a totally new design and unique to Porsche sports cars, in late 1954. Increasing success with its racing and road cars brought Porsche orders for over 10,000 units in 1964, and by the time 356 production ended in 1965 approximately 76,000 had been produced. The 356 was built in four distinct series, the original (“pre-A”), followed by the 356 A, 356 B, and then finally the 356 C. To distinguish among the major revisions of the model, 356’s are generally classified into a few major groups. 356 coupés and “cabriolets” (soft-top) built through 1955 are readily identifiable by their split (1948 to 1952) or bent (centre-creased, 1953 to 1955) windscreens. In late 1955 the 356 A appeared, with a curved windshield. The A was the first road going Porsche to offer the Carrera 4 cam engine as an option. In late 1959 the T5 356 B appeared; followed by the redesigned T6 series 356 B in 1962. The final version was the 356 C, little changed from the late T6 B cars but with disc brakes to replace the drums.

The Porsche 718 is a series of one- or two-seat sports-racing cars built by Porsche from 1957 to 1962 was a development of the successful Porsche 550A with improvements made to the body work and suspension. The car’s full name is 718 RSK, where “RS” stands for RennSport (sports-racing) and the “K” reflects the shape of the car’s revised torsion-bar suspension. It had a mid-engined layout and used the 142 horsepower (106 kW) 1.5-litre Type 547/3 quad-cam engine introduced in the 550A. The car seen here is a rather wonderful replica

The 911 continued to evolve throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, though changes initially were quite small. The SC appeared in the autumn of 1977, proving that any earlier plans there had been to replace the car with the front engined 924 and 928 had been shelved. The SC followed on from the Carrera 3.0 of 1967 and 1977. It had the same 3 litre engine, with a lower compression ratio and detuned to provide 180 PS . The “SC” designation was reintroduced by Porsche for the first time since the 356 SC. No Carrera versions were produced though the 930 Turbo remained at the top of the range. Porsche’s engineers felt that the weight of the extra luxury, safety and emissions equipment on these cars was blunting performance compared to the earlier, lighter cars with the same power output, so in non-US cars, power was increased to 188 PS for 1980, then finally to 204 PS. However, cars sold in the US market retained their lower-compression 180 PS engines throughout. This enabled them to be run on lower-octane fuel. In model year 1980, Porsche offered a Weissach special edition version of the 911 SC, named after the town in Germany where Porsche has their research centre. Designated M439, it was offered in two colours with the turbo whale tail & front chin spoiler, body colour-matched Fuchs alloy wheels and other convenience features as standard. 408 cars were built for North America. In 1982, a Ferry Porsche Edition was made and a total of 200 cars were sold with this cosmetic package. SCs sold in the UK could be specified with the Sport Group Package (UK) which added stiffer suspension, the rear spoiler, front rubber lip and black Fuchs wheels. In 1981 a Cabriolet concept car was shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Not only was the car a true convertible, but it also featured four-wheel drive, although this was dropped in the production version. The first 911 Cabriolet debuted in late 1982, as a 1983 model. This was Porsche’s first cabriolet since the 356 of the mid-1960s. It proved very popular with 4,214 sold in its introductory year, despite its premium price relative to the open-top targa. Cabriolet versions of the 911 have been offered ever since. 911 SC sales totalled 58,914 cars before the next iteration, the 3.2 Carrera, which was introduced for the 1984 model year. Coupe models outsold the Targa topped cars by a big margin.

Replacing the 964, the 993 models were first seen in October 1993, with production starting a few weeks later. Its arrival marked the end of air-cooled 911 models. The 993 was much improved over, and quite different from its predecessor. According to Porsche, every part of the car was designed from the ground up, including the engine and only 20% of its parts were carried over from the previous generation. Porsche refers to the 993 as “a significant advance, not just from a technical, but also a visual perspective.” Porsche’s engineers devised a new light-alloy subframe with coil and wishbone suspension (an all new multi-link system), putting behind the previous lift-off oversteer and making significant progress with the engine and handling, creating a more civilised car overall providing an improved driving experience. The 993 was also the first 911 to receive a six speed transmission. The 993 had several variants, as its predecessors, varying in body style, engines, drivetrains and included equipment. Power was increased by the addition of the VarioRam system, which added additional power, particularly in the mid-ranges, and also resulted in more throttle noise at higher revs; as a consequence, resulted in a 15% increase in power over its predecessor. The external design of the Porsche 993, penned by English designer Tony Hatter, retained the basic body shell architecture of the 964 and other earlier 911 models, but with revised exterior panels, with much more flared wheel arches, a smoother front and rear bumper design, an enlarged retractable rear wing and teardrop mirrors. A major change was the implementation of all alloy multi-link rear suspension attached to an alloy sub frame, a completely new design derived from the 989, a four-door sedan which never went into production. The system later continued in the 993’s successor, the 996, and required the widening of the rear wheel arches, which gave better stability. The new suspension improved handling, making it more direct, more stable, and helping to reduce the tendency to oversteer if the throttle was lifted during hard cornering, a trait of earlier 911s. It also reduced interior noise and improved ride quality. The 993 was the first generation of the 911 to have a 6-speed manual transmission included as standard; its predecessors had 4 or 5-speed transmissions. In virtually every situation, it was possible to keep the engine at its best torque range above 4,500 rpm. The Carrera, Carrera S, Cabriolet and Targa models (rear wheel drive) were available with a “Tiptronic” 4-speed automatic transmission, first introduced in the 964. From the 1995 model year, Porsche offered the Tiptronic S with additional steering wheel mounted controls and refined software for smoother, quicker shifts. Since the 993’s introduction, the Tiptronic is capable of recognising climbs and descents. The Tiptronic equipped cars suffer as compared to the manual transmission equipped cars in both acceleration and also top speed, but the differences are not much notable. Tiptronic cars also suffered a 55 lb (25 kg) increase in weight. The 993’s optional all wheel drive system was refined over that of the 964. Porsche departed from the 964’s setup consisting of three differentials and revised the system based on the layout from its 959 flagship, replacing the centre differential with a viscous coupling unit. In conjunction with the 993’s redesigned suspension, this system improved handling characteristics in inclement weather and still retained the stability offered by all wheel drive without having to suffer as many compromises as the previous all-wheel-drive system. Its simpler layout also reduced weight, though the four wheel drive Carrera 4 weighs 111 lb (50 kg) more than its rear wheel drive counterpart (at 3,131 lb (1,420 kg) vs. 3,020 lb (1,370 kg)). Other improvements over the 964 include a new dual-flow exhaust system, larger brakes with drilled discs, and a revised power steering. A full range of models arrived before the arrival of the 996 generation in 1998.

During the 1990s, Porsche was facing financial troubles and rumours of a proposed takeover were being spread. The signature air-cooled flat-6 of the 911 was reaching the limits of its potential as made evident by the 993. Stricter emissions regulations world wide further forced Porsche to think of a replacement of the air-cooled unit. In order to improve manufacturing processes, Porsche took the aid of leading Japanese car manufacturer Toyota whose consultants would assist in the overhaul of the Zuffenhausen manufacturing facility introducing mass production techniques which would allow Porsche to carry out production processes more efficiently. Porsche had realised that in order to keep the 911 in production, it would need radical changes. This led to the development of the 996. The sharing of development between the new 911 and the entry level Boxster model allowed Porsche to save development costs. This move also resulted in interchangeable parts between the two models bringing down maintenance costs. The Porsche 996 was a new design developed by Pinky Lai under Porsche design chief Harm Lagaay from 1992 to 1994; it was the first 911 that was completely redesigned, and carried over little from its predecessor as Porsche wanted the design team to design a 911 for the next millennium. Featuring an all new body work, interior, and the first water-cooled engine, the 996 replaced the 993 from which only the front suspension, rear multi-link suspension, and a 6-speed manual transmission were retained in revised form. The 996 had a drag coefficient of Cd=0.30 resulting from hours spent in the wind tunnel. The 996 is 185 mm (7 in) longer and 40 mm (2 in) wider than its predecessor. It is also 45% stiffer courtesy of a chassis formed from high-strength steel. Additionally, it is 50 kg (110 lb) lighter despite having additional radiators and coolant. All of the M96 engines offered in the 996 (except for the variants fitted to the Turbo and GT2/GT3 models) are susceptible to the Porsche Intermediate Shaft Bearing issue which can potentially cause serious engine failure if not addressed via a retrofit. The 996 was initially available in a coupé or a cabriolet (Convertible) bodystyle with rear-wheel drive, and later with four-wheel drive, utilising a 3.4 litre flat-6 engine generating a maximum power output of 296 bhp. The 996 had the same front end as the entry-level Boxster. After requests from the Carrera owners about their premium cars looking like a “lower priced car that looked just like theirs did”, Porsche redesigned the headlamps of the Carrera in 2002 similar to the high performance Turbo’s headlamps. The design for the initial “fried egg” shaped headlamps could be traced back to the 1997 911 GT1 race car. In 2000, Porsche introduced the 996 Turbo, equipped with a four-wheel-drive system and a 3.6-litre, twin-turbocharged and intercooled flat-six engine generating a maximum power output of 420 bhp, making the car capable of accelerating from 0–60 mph in 4.2 seconds. An X50 option which included larger turbochargers and intercoolers along with revised engine control software became available from the factory in 2002, increasing power output to 451 bhp. In 2005, Porsche introduced the Turbo S, which had the X50 option included as standard equipment, with the formerly optional Carbon fibre-reinforced Silicon Carbide (C/SiC) composite ceramic brakes (PCCB) also included as standard. In 2000, power output on the base Carrera model was increased to 300 bhp. 2001 marked the final year of production for the base Carrera 4 Coupé in narrow body format. In 2002, the standard Carrera models underwent the above-mentioned facelift. In addition, engine capacity was also increased to 3.6-litres across the range, yielding gains of 15 bhp for the naturally aspirated models. 2002 also marked the start of the production of the 996 based Targa model, with a sliding glass “green house” roof system as introduced on its predecessor. It also features a rear glass hatch which gave the driver access to the storage compartment. Also in 2002, the Carrera 4S model was first introduced.

Porsche offered an RS version of the 997 GT3. In common with its predecessors, it was a homologation model for use in a range of racing series. The 997 GT3 RS was introduced in Europe in October 2006 and in North America in spring 2007. The 997 GT3 RS is 20 kg (44 lb) lighter than the 997 GT3, weighing in at 1,370 kg (3,020 lb). This weight-saving was achieved by the use of an adjustable carbon fibre wing, a steel engine cover, and a lightweight plastic windscreen. The weight savings gives the 997 GT3 RS corresponding engine power to curb weight ratio of 300 hp per tonne. The body of the 997 GT3 RS is 64 mm (2.5 in) wider at the rear than the 997 GT3 (a legacy from the Carrera 4 models with which it shares its body shell). The muscular-looking rear end conceals a wider track that not only improves directional stability but also increases the potential cornering grip. However, drag is increased and top speed is reduced due to the larger rear wing. In addition to the new technology, the paint scheme and body panels are all designed specifically for the RS. The US version of the 997 GT3 RS has a standard rear window (not plexiglas) and the smaller 911 fuel tank to comply with rules of SCCA, Can-Am, and IMSA. For Grand-Am races, the central locking wheel nut is replaced with the standard five-lug pattern required under Grand-Am rules. Production of the first generation 997 GT3 RS (997.1 GT3 RS) ended in 2009. An estimated 1,168 vehicles were delivered worldwide.

Porsche unveiled the facelifted 991.2 GT3 at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show. Extensive changes were made to the engine allowing for a 9,000 rpm redline from the 4.0 litre flat-six engine derived from Porsche 911 GT3 R and Cup racing cars. The engine has a power output of 500 PS (493 bhp) and 460 Nm (339 lb/ft) of torque. Porsche’s focus was on reducing internal friction to improve throttle response. Compared to the 991.1, the rear spoiler is 0.8 inch taller and located farther back to be more effective resulting in a 20% increase in downforce. There is a new front spoiler and changes to the rear suspension along with larger ram air ducts. The car generates 154 kg (340 lb) of downforce at top speed. The 991.2 GT3 brought back the choice between a manual transmission or a PDK dual clutch transmission. Performance figures include a 0-60 mph acceleration time of 3.8 seconds (3.2 seconds for the PDK version) and a quarter mile time of 11.6 seconds. The GT3 can attain a top speed of 319 km/h (198 mph).

The third-generation Boxster (internally known as the 981) was announced on 13 March 2012 at the Geneva Motor Show with sales starting in early summer 2012. The 981 Boxster reflected the new design language from the 911 (991) and 918, and featured new and revised engine and transmission specifications. Together with a new body, the type 981 Boxster featured a new, 40 per cent more torsionally rigid chassis, the front track was 40 mm (1.6 in) wider, the rear 18 mm (0.7 in) wider and the wheelbase extended by 60 mm (2.4 in), but with a small weight reduction of up to 35 kg (77 lb) compared to the previous type 987 Boxster. The standard Boxster was fitted with a new 2.7-litre flat-6 engine, and the Boxster S was fitted with the existing 3.4-litre engine but with revised performance. Both engines were equipped with a 6-speed manual gearbox and an optional 7-speed reworked PDK. Both manual and automatic models were available with several technical options, including Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) and a Sport Chrono Package that included active transmission mounts, and made the PDK-equipped model even faster. Porsche claimed that the new generation Boxster provided fuel savings of 15% over the outgoing model. The range was expanded in March 2014 with the addition of the GTS derivative, with slightly altered front and rear bumpers and an additional 15 PS/ 15 bhp from the 3.4-litre engine. In 2015 the GT4 derivative was introduced, seeing the engine from a 991.1 Carrera S rotated 180 degrees. The GT4 also saw a lowered ride height, altered bumpers, a rear wing and additional GT package upgrades including brakes and certain suspension components from a 991.1 GT3. These special cars were manufactured from 2015 – 2016 with a total of 2500 being made, making this model one of the more desirable collector’s cars in Porsche’s lineup. The GT4 was widely considered one of the best cars of 2015/2016 where it won many awards for its impeccable handling and performance. The third generation Cayman was unveiled at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. The production version of the 981 Cayman was released as a 2014 model in the spring of 2013. The new car was available in both the standard trim with a 2.7-litre engine, and in the S trim with a 3.4-litre engine. Both versions were available with either a 6-speed manual or a dual-clutch 7-speed PDK transmission. The 981 Cayman featured upgrades including a new body, a longer wheelbase, a wider front track, electrically powered steering, and a redesigned interior that matched the firm’s contemporaneous 911 models. The new model gained acclaim in the motoring press as one of the best handling sports cars at any price, due to its mid-engine layout and driving dynamics. The Cayman S benefited from the same engine and running gear as Porsche’s 3.4-litre version of the 911. A heavily revamped version of both models, known as the 982 generation was launched in 2016 to replace these cars.

Porsche unveiled the latest Boxster Spyder based on the 981 Boxster in April 2015 at the New York Auto Show. The Spyder is a lightweight high performance version of the Boxster and the lightest Porsche in the model lineup at the time, weighing 1,315 kg (2,899 lb). It is powered by the largest and most powerful engine used in a Boxster at the time, a 3.8 litre flat-6 shared with the Cayman GT4 and 911 Carrera S, rated at 375 bhp. This allowed the car to attain a top speed of 290 km/h (180 mph). The Spyder is only available with a 6 speed manual transmission. The styling of the car is similar to the previous generation Spyder, continuing the twin hump rear deck and manually operated canvas top. It also shares some styling with the Cayman GT4, using the same front and rear fascia. The Spyder’s lightweight design was achieved through the use of aluminum doors and rear boot lid, a manually operated canvas soft top with electronic assist, and unique lightweight 20 inch wheels. The manual soft top results in a weight saving of 24 lb (11 kg) over the standard Boxster’s electric powered top. Interior door handles were replaced with nylon door pulls for a weight savings of 1.2 lb (1 kg). The air conditioning and audio system were also removed, although they could be added as no cost options. Total weight savings amounted to 66 lb (30 kg) when compared to a manual-equipped Boxster GTS despite the Spyder’s upsized engine and chassis upgrades. The Spyder is the only model from the 981 generation to feature an updated faster ratio steering rack shared with 911 Turbo S for improved steering response and feel. It is equipped with a smaller diameter GT steering wheel used in both the 911 GT3 and Cayman GT4. The Spyder’s brakes are enlarged over other Boxster models, using six-piston calipers with 340 mm rotors at the front and four-piston calipers with 330 mm rotors at the rear shared with the 911 Carrera S. The Spyder features a sports suspension with 20mm lower ride height than the standard Boxster. A limited slip differential with Porsche Torque Vectoring shared with the Cayman GT4 was also used. Reception was positive with high marks for its lightweight chassis and handling balance. Some reviewers preferred the Boxster Spyder’s chassis setup to the Cayman GT4’s, even if the latter has more ultimate grip. The Spyder was a limited-production model with 2,486 units in total made with 829 of those destined for North America

RELIANT

More of a luxury model than the SE5, the SE6 series Scimitar GT, launched in October 1975,  was aimed more at the executive market. These models were two-door sports estates, again with the Ford V6 3.0 litre engine as used in the 5a with 135 bhp,: the wheelbase was increased by 4 inches and the track by 3 inches making the cars correspondingly longer and wider than their predecessors. The extra length was used to improve rear-seat legroom and access which enhanced the car’s credentials as a ‘genuine’ four-seater. The SE6 was replaced by the SE6A in late 1976. 543 SE6 models were produced. The SE6A displayed a number of changes, including Lockheed brakes and suspension revisions. An easy way to spot a 6A from a 6 is the change to orange from red reflectors on the rear extractor vents, and the 3 vertical grooves in the front bumper (in front of the wheelarches) were removed. 3877 SE6As were made – making it the most popular version of all the SE6 shape. Ford stopped making the “Essex” engine for the Capri by 1981, and production stopped completely in 1988 so one of the major differences with the SE6B was the engine. The German-built Ford “Cologne” 2.8 litre V6 was used instead (thus the chassis on the 6B differs from the 6/6A at the front) and provided similar power but rather less torque at low revs. The final drive ratio was lowered from 3.31:1 to 3.54:1 to compensate. All SE6Bs (and the SE8) were equipped with the quite troublesome Pierburg/Solex carburettored engines (many owners have changed to the Weber 38DGAS from the Essex engine) and although the battery was moved from the 6/6A position to allow for injection equipment to be fitted, none ever left the factory so fitted. Some late versions (around 1983 on) came with the galvanised chassis as standard but the exact numbers and chassis details are vague. Introduced at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show, only 437 SE6Bs were manufactured. Production ceased by 1986. But that was not the end of the story. After production at Reliant ceased, Middlebridge Scimitar Ltd. acquired the manufacturing rights to the Scimitar GTE and GTC in June 1987. This company, based in Beeston, Nottingham, produced a 2.9 litre version of the GTE with many modifications and modernisations (over 450) including electronic fuel injection and a five-speed Ford T9 gearbox.(with the Ford A4LD 4 speed auto as an option). The fifth Middlebridge Scimitar built was delivered to HRH The Princess Anne. Only 78 Scimitars (all but 3 cars in RHD) were ever produced by Middlebridge before the company went into receivership in 1990. One GTC was made, using a LHD body from Reliant which was converted by Middlebridge to RHD but the car was never completed and eventually the body and chassis were separated and sold off to new owners. The production rights were subsequently acquired by Graham Walker Ltd., which as of 2014 built Scimitars to order

RENAULT

In response to Lancia’s rallying success with the mid-engined Stratos, Renault’s Jean Terramorsi, vice-president of production, asked Bertone’s Marc Deschamps to design a new sports version of the Renault 5 Alpine supermini. The distinctive new rear bodywork was styled by Marcello Gandini at Bertone. Although the standard Renault 5 has a front-mounted engine, the 5 Turbo featured a mid-mounted 1,397 cc Cléon-Fonte with fuel fed by Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection and a Garrett AiResearch T3 turbocharger OHV 2 valves per cylinder Inline-four engine placed behind the driver in mid-body in a modified Renault 5 chassis. In standard form, the engine developed 160 PS at 6000 rpm and maximum torque of 221 Nm (163 lb/ft) at 3250 rpm. Though it used a modified body from a standard Renault 5, and was badged a Renault 5, the mechanicals were radically different, the most obvious difference being rear-wheel drive and rear-mid-engined instead of the normal version’s front-wheel drive and front-mounted engine. At the time of its launch it was the most powerful production French car. The first 400 production 5 Turbos were made to comply with Group 4 homologation to allow the car to compete in international rallies, and were manufactured at the Alpine factory in Dieppe. Many parts later transferred to the Alpine A310, such as the suspension or alloy wheel set. The R5 Turbo was conceived with dual intent, promoting the sales of the common R5 and being homologated in the FIA group 3 and 4 categories of the rally championship (today WRC). All the motorsport derivatives were based on the Turbo 1. The factory pushed the engine output up to 180 PS for the Critérium des Cévennes, 210 PS for the Tour de Corse, and by 1984 as much as 350 PS in the R5 Maxi Turbo. Driven by Jean Ragnotti in 1981, the 5 Turbo won the Monte Carlo Rally on its first outing in the World Rally Championship. The 2WD R5 Turbo soon faced the competition of new Group B four-wheel drive cars that proved faster on dirt. There are several victories throughout the early 80’s in the national championships in France, Portugal, Switzerland, Hungary, and Spain, many victories in international rallies throughout Europe, with wins in iconic rallies such as Monte-Carlo. After the factory ceased support, it lived a second life being developed by many teams and enthusiasts to compete in regional championships and local races in which it was ubiquitous and reached many success for almost 20 years. At the time of retirement, the newly created historical categories allowed these cars to return to international events and competitions, living a third life. For these reasons it has accessed to a legendary status and has a huge fan base.

SUBARU

This is a P1 version of the first generation Impreza. To counter the grey imports of high-performance Japanese variants, Subaru UK commissioned Prodrive to produce a limited edition of 1,000 two-door cars in Sonic Blue, called the WRX “P1”. Released in March 2000, they were taken from the STI Type R lines and used for the P1. The car was the only coupé version of the WRX STI GC chassis to receive ABS. In order to allow for ABS, the DCCD was dropped. Engine output was boosted to 276 bhp, and the suspension optimised for British roads. Options were available from Subaru consisting of four-piston front brake calipers, electric Recaro seats, 18-inch wheels and a P1 stamped backbox. The P1, or Prodrive One, is echoed in the name of the Prodrive P2 concept car. They are among the most sought after of all Subaru Impreza models now.

TRIUMPH

By the mid 1960s, money was tight, so when it came to replacing the TR4 and TR5 models, Triumph were forced into trying to minimise the costs of the redesign, which meant that they kept the central section of the old car, but came up with new bodywork with the front and back ends were squared off, reportedly based on a consultancy contract involving Karmann. The resulting design, which did look modern when it was unveiled in January 1969 has what is referred to as a Kamm tail, which was very common during 1970s era of cars and a feature on most Triumphs of the era. All TR6 models featured inline six-cylinder engines. For the US market the engine was carburetted, as had been the case for the US-only TR250 engine. Like the TR5, the TR6 was fuel-injected for other world markets including the United Kingdom, hence the TR6PI (petrol-injection) designation. The Lucas mechanical fuel injection system helped the home-market TR6 produce 150 bhp at model introduction. Later, the non-US TR6 variant was detuned to 125 bhp for it to be easier to drive, while the US variant continued to be carburetted with a mere 104 hp. Sadly, the Lucas injection system proved somewhat troublesome, somewhat denting the appeal of the car. The TR6 featured a four-speed manual transmission. An optional overdrive unit was a desirable feature because it gave drivers close gearing for aggressive driving with an electrically switched overdrive which could operate on second, third, and fourth gears on early models and third and fourth on later models because of constant gearbox failures in second at high revs. Both provided “long legs” for open motorways. TR6 also featured semi-trailing arm independent rear suspension, rack and pinion steering, 15-inch wheels and tyres, pile carpet on floors and trunk/boot, bucket seats, and a full complement of instrumentation. Braking was accomplished by disc brakes at the front and drum brakes at the rear. A factory steel hardtop was optional, requiring two people to fit it. TR6 construction was fundamentally old-fashioned: the body was bolted onto a frame instead of the two being integrated into a unibody structure; the TR6 dashboard was wooden (plywood with veneer). Other factory options included a rear anti-roll bar and a limited-slip differential. Some say that the car is one of Leyland’s best achievements, but a number of issues were present and remain because of poor design. As well as the fuel injection problems, other issues include a low level radiator top-up bottle and a poor hand-brake. As is the case with other cars of the era, the TR6 can suffer from rust issues, although surviving examples tend to be well-cared for. The TR6 can be prone to overheating. Many owners fit an aftermarket electric radiator fan to supplement or replace the original engine-driven fan. Also the Leyland factory option of an oil cooler existed. Despite the reliability woes, the car proved popular, selling in greater quantity than any previous TR, with 94,619 of them produced before production ended in mid 1976. Of these, 86,249 were exported and only 8,370 were sold in the UK. A significant number have since been re-imported, as there are nearly 3000 of these much loved classics on the road and a further 1300 on SORN, helped by the fact that parts and services to support ownership of a TR6 are readily available and a number of classic car owners’ clubs cater for the model.

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.

TVR

With something of a retro look, the S Series which was announced at the 1986 British International Motor Show, initially as a concept, but due to a massive positive response, the car went into production in less than 12 months, with 250 pre-manufacture orders. This was Peter Wheeler’s first major development since buying the company from Martin Lilley, and the turning point in TVR’s fortunes, which had struggled with the “Wedge” based cars that had been introduced in 1980 to replace the long running M Series models. With styling which looked more like these popular M Series cars, the first  S Series cars used Ford’s Cologne V6 in 2.8 litre 160 hp and for the later S2 to S4 had the later 2.9 litre 170 hp unit.  TVR made frequent updates to the cars, moving from those retrospectively called the S1 to S2 and later S3 and S4 in short succession. The S3 and S4 received longer doors, although some late S2’s were also thus equipped. Vehicle models ending with “C” were used to denote vehicles which were fitted with a catalytic converter. Only the S3 and S4 were fitted with catalysts. The Cat was only introduced to the UK in August 1992, at “K” registration, but catalysed cars were produced before that,  intended for export to markets with tighter emissions standards. Just as they had done with the “wedges”, TVR found more excitement by putting the Rover V8 engine under the bonnet of the car in lieu of the Ford unit, though the two models were offered in parallel. The V8S used a 4.0 litre fuel-injected Rover V8 engine, with gas-flowed cylinder heads, higher lift camshaft, compression ratio upped to 10:5:1, revised manifold, new chip for the engine management system and a limited slip differential. The result was 240 bhp at 5250 rpm and 270 lb/ft of torque at 3000 rpm. The V8S had a number of cosmetic differences over the V6. The bonnet had a large hump – created to house the Italian specification supercharger but carried over to all V8S models. The V8S had a small vent facing the windscreen, whereas S1 to S3 models face forward. Very late S3 and S4 models had no hump at all. As with all TVR’s there is no specific point in time when they changed styles, probably when they ran out! The suspension track was slightly wider on the V8S achieved with revised wishbones at the front and revised trailing arms at the rear. Disc brakes are fitted all round. The standard specification of the V8S included ½ hide leather interior, walnut trim, mohair hood, OZ alloy wheels, driving lamps, electric windows and door mirrors. 0-60 mph could be achieved in 4.9 seconds and 0-100 mph in 12.9 seconds. It was faster than an Aston Martin Virage, a Ferrari Testarossa, Lotus Esprit Turbo SE and Porsche Carrera 2 the supercars of the early 1990s. Between 1986 and 1994 2,604 S Series cars were made; 410 of these were of the V8S variety.

The T350 cars were made from 2002 to 2006. They were based on the TVR Tamora, and powered by TVR’s Speed Six engine in 3.6 litre form, producing 350 hp. The T350 was available in coupe and targa versions, the coupe version being known as the T350C, and the targa version the T350T. The T350 later formed the base of the TVR Sagaris. Function dominates form evident by the car’s aero-dynamic design which has been created for maximum downforce and minimal drag. The smooth frontal nose and the sharp rear cut tail allows the car to be aerodynamically efficient while reducing drag. The sloping rear line of the car ensures that the car generates minimum lift at high speeds. The car takes many components from the entry level Tamora such as the interior, multi-function display and analogue metres. The optional Sport package adds extra options in the multi-functional display such as lap-times, oil temperature and water temperature. The fastback design of the car gives the customer an advantage of increased boot space. The powerful Speed Six engine is a proven race winning unit and very responsive suiting the car’s aggressive character with a 0 – 100 km/h time of just 4.4 seconds.

CLASSIC MOTOR HUB CARS

It is always worth spending time in the two expansive “showrooms”, looking at the latest stock. Some cars are here for quite a time, as is the case with some of the more specialist classics, but other stock comes and goes quite quickly, so I was not surprised to find that quite a lot of the cars here were not ones that had been present at the time of my last visit just a few weeks ago in early March.

1928 Alvis FWD Racer

1924 Aston Martin Long Chassis Tourer: Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford first went into business together in 1913, becoming partners in a garage that was based in Kensington and sold Calthorpe, GWK and Singer cars. In 1914, Martin competed in a Singer that had been tuned by their foreman Jack Addis, and he did so well at a venue called Aston Hill in Buckinghamshire that when Bamford & Martin Ltd started to make its own cars, they would be called Aston-Martins (the hyphen subsequently being dropped). In the years immediately following World War One, Bamford & Martin made a name for itself in motor racing with a short run of Aston Martin competition cars that included ‘Bunny’ – which set numerous records at Brooklands – plus a pair of twin-overhead-camshaft Grand Prix racers that were commissioned by Count Louis Zborowski. It also built the car known as A3, which is now the oldest-surviving Aston Martin. Not until 1923 did road-car production get under way, customers being able to choose between a 38bhp long-chassis model or a 45bhp short-chassis variant. They were fitted with a 1486cc sidevalve engine, but fewer than 60 were built before the company ran into financial difficulties and was placed into receivership in 1925.  Robert Bamford had left in 1921, and Lionel Martin did likewise four years later when he fell out with board member John Benson – later Lord Charnwood. After being put up for sale by the receiver, Aston Martin was bought by William Renwick and Augustus Bertelli, who moved the company from Kensington to Feltham and started the next chapter in its occasionally turbulent history. Although Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford had founded their company in 1913, they produced only a tiny handful of their Aston Martin cars over the next decade – and those were mostly for competition use. Not until 1923 did the firm really start anything that could be referred to as a ‘production run’ of road cars that could be sold to the public, which makes this Aston Martin sidevalve – chassis number 1941 – an exceptionally early example of the breed. Built in 1924 on Bamford & Martin’s long chassis (a short-chassis model was also offered), it was supplied new to a Midlands-based buyer in April of that year. It’s thought to have stayed with that first owner until World War Two, by which time its body had been removed and it was requisitioned for use by the Home Guard.  In 1945 it was rescued from a scrapyard by John Vinnicombe and his brother. A letter from John states that, although they were ‘impoverished students’ at the time, they managed to rebuild the Aston Martin – even if it meant fitting components such as a Humber back axle. The car was given a new registration number – MPG 503 – and John then used it as daily transport in London before being forced to sell it because he had nowhere to keep it.  By 1961, the Aston Martin was back in a scrapyard – or, to be more specific, GA Brooks (Motor Components) Ltd, which was based in Edenbridge in Kent. On 26 May, it was bought from there by an owner who would end up keeping it until the present day – a period of more than 60 years.  He paid the princely sum of £75 for the Aston Martin – the receipt is still part of the history file – and rebuilt it to original specification. During the 1960s and 1970s, the car raced in Aston Martin Owners’ Club events, including the St John Horsfall meeting, and there’s a photograph of it being enthusiastically cornered during a 10-lap scratch race at Silverstone in July 1976. From the early 1980s onwards, the Aston Martin was displayed at the Brooklands Museum in Surrey, and in 1988 it was re-registered DS 7621. It remained in the museum until 2012, when it was sent to Switzerland so that it could be restored. The sidevalve engine was rebuilt and there are thousands of photographs documenting the work that was carried out.  The rebuild took two years and in 2014 the car returned to Brooklands, where it was displayed alongside two well-known racers from marque history – the famous ‘Razorblade’ and the Halford Special. Fitted with an original-style Tourer body, this Aston Martin is now being offered for sale with a fascinating history file that includes hand-written notes, invoices and receipts going back to 1961 and beyond. It’s thought to have had only four owners in almost 100 years and is among the earliest surviving Aston Martins, making this a rare opportunity to acquire a car from the legendary marque’s Bamford & Martin years.

1964 Aston Martin DB4 Series IV GT Spec: When the Aston Martin DB4 was launched in 1958, it marked the beginning of a new era for the British marque. John Wyer was dissatisfied with the styling of an initial 1956 prototype for the proposed ‘next generation’ of Aston Martin, and insisted that the company should turn to an Italian design house. A deal was therefore done with Touring of Milan, from which Aston Martin also licensed the Superleggera method of lightweight construction, which involved using a framework of small tubes on a rigid platform chassis.  Touring’s crisp, clean shape was fitted around a new 3.7-litre six-cylinder engine that had been designed by Tadek Marek. Suspension was via coil springs and wishbones at the front, with a live axle at the rear. Rack-and-pinion steering was fitted in place of the steering box used on the earlier DB2 series, while disc brakes were used all round. The DB4 was regularly updated throughout its production run, from the 1958 Series I to the Series V of late 1962. From 1961 onwards, there were also the options of a convertible body style and the more powerful Vantage model. In addition, there was the short-wheelbase, competition-focused DB4 GT, which was introduced in autumn 1959. Only 95 of these lighter, more powerful models were built, and they were successfully raced in period by the likes of Stirling Moss, Innes Ireland and Jim Clark. When John Bolster tested one for Autosport magazine, he recorded a 0-60mph time of 6.4 seconds, a top speed of 152mph, and concluded that the DB4 GT ‘must be placed high on the list of the world’s most desirable Grand Touring cars.’  This beautifully presented Aston Martin DB4 Series IV was rebuilt to full GT specification by marque specialist Goldsmith & Young, since when it has been maintained regardless of cost. Chassis number DB4/813/R was first registered on 10 February 1962, with the same number that it still wears today – SGR 404. Finished in Black Pearl with red trim, it was sold new to Levey’s Wallpaper Stores Ltd in Newcastle upon Tyne. In February 1964, it was acquired by a new owner who was based in London, and the original log book records its ownership history up to the early 1970s. Its conversion to GT specification was carried out during 2011-12, and involved far more than just upgrading the mechanical components. The car was shortened by five inches to match the dimensions of the GT, and the boot floor was changed to GT spec, with the spare wheel mounted over a 100-litre polished-aluminium fuel tank.  The six-cylinder engine was initially bored out to 4.2 litres and fitted with a twin-plug cylinder head. The twin Lucas DMBZ6A distributors were converted to Lumenition electronic ignition with original copper-core HT leads, and triple Weber 45 DCOE carburettors were fitted. A remote oil-filter conversion was added, plus a full-flow oil cooler with braided hoses. More engine work was then carried out by RS Williams in late 2022. The extensive rebuild involved taking the capacity up to 4.7 litres, and a dyno test showed that it was producing 349bhp at 5500rpm and 379lb ft of torque at 4000rpm. It drives through a David Brown four-speed synchromesh gearbox. Considerable thought was given to chassis modifications. Koni SP2 front dampers were fitted, while a telescopic conversion was carried out at the rear. In order to reduce body roll while cornering, the rear roll centre was altered via a lower Watt link centre pivot, and an upgraded anti-roll bar was fitted at the front. Solid steering-rack mounts were also specified. The braking system benefits from Girling four-pot calipers front and rear, and there’s a GT-spec twin master cylinder pedal box, with bias bar. Inside, there are Ridgard RS4 racing seats with Securon four-point harnesses, plus mounting points so that a six-point cage could be installed. A Stack electronic tacho has replaced the original mechanical unit, there’s a mohair headlining, and a battery isolator switch has been added. Now presented in Light Grey with red leather interior, the DB4 has been de-bumpered and the mounting holes deleted. Lightweight polycarbonate rear quarter-windows and rear screen have been installed, although the owner decided to retain framed glass windows for the doors, he specified period correct lightweight polycarbonate rear quarter-windows and screen along with 16in chrome wire wheels to be fitted. Having been used sparingly since its restoration, this Aston Martin DB4 is offered for sale in exceptional condition and with an extensive history file that includes its original build sheet and service record, plus a photographic record of its rebuild. The painstaking way in which it was converted to GT specification is apparent in every detail, and the result is a superb example of this highly sought-after British sports car.

1964 Aston Martin DB5: Beautifully presented throughout, this Aston Martin DB5 has been extensively restored in recent years and certified by the factory to coveted Gold standard. Chassis number DB5/1878/R was completed at Newport Pagnell on 8 November 1964 as a right-hand-drive UK-market car. Finished in Black Pearl with a Fawn interior, it was first registered on 29 December and dispatched to dealer Cyril Williams of Wolverhampton. It’s thought that its intended first owner – A Jackson & Son Ltd of Birmingham – never took delivery, and instead it was bought by George Styles on 3 March 1965. The DB5’s history file includes an unbroken record of ownership from then all the way up to the present day. Mr Styles kept the car until November 1986, when it passed to Paradise Garage in London. It was then bought by Mark Longe in 1991, and he sold it the following year via RS Williams to Howard Giles. Giles took the DB5 back to Aston Martin at Newport Pagnell so that it could be fully assessed, and he decided to embark on a complete restoration. The process took nearly two years, with Aston Martin being entrusted with the bodywork and interior, while RS Williams took care of most of the mechanical work. Giles sold the DB5 in June 1999, and after being cared for by two further owners, it passed to a new custodian in October 2014. With 20 years having passed since the restoration, he commissioned marque specialist Oselli to carry out a further full restoration such were the demands of the meticulous owner. This was thoroughly documented – including photographs – in the history file and resulted in stripping the Aston Martin down to nothing more than a shell. A full bare metal repaint in original colour scheme was carried out, the interior was completely re-trimmed, and all other mechanical components and electrical items on the car were rebuilt as new at a cost of just over £400,000. The result is an immaculate example of this iconic British grand tourer that retains its original colour combination and matching-numbers status. Now also resting on brand new stunning Borrani Wire Wheels at a cost of over £15,000. Now being offered for sale at the Classic Motor Hub, this Aston Martin DB5 comes with an extensive history file that includes an original instruction book, plus a wealth of invoices showing the work that has been carried out over the years – testament to how well its enthusiast owners have cared for it.

1965 Aston Martin DB5 Vantage: For many enthusiasts, the bloodline of DB4, DB5 and DB6 defines the classic Aston Martin. The DB5, in particular, remains one of the most recognisable cars ever built thanks to its role in the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger. When it had been launched in 1958, the DB4 featured styling by Touring of Milan and was built using its lightweight Superleggera construction method. Beneath the bonnet, meanwhile, was a new twin-cam, six-cylinder engine that had been designed by Tadek Marek. The DB4 was regularly updated until it was replaced by the DB5 at the 1963 Frankfurt Motor Show. The new model looked almost indistinguishable from the last of its predecessors, but it featured numerous refinements. Most significantly, the engine had been bored-out from 3670cc to 3995cc, while a five-speed gearbox soon replaced the old four-speeder. A Borg Warner automatic transmission was also offered. In standard form, the engine featured SU carburettors and produced about 280bhp. From September 1964 onwards, however, a Vantage option was offered. With three Weber carburettors, altered camshaft timing and larger ports, this engine – which had been developed under the in-house code of DP217 – gave in the region of 315bhp. When Autocar tested a DB5 in the autumn of 1964, it recorded a top speed of 140mph and a 0-60mph time of 8.1 seconds. It also noted how easily and comfortably the DB5 would cruise at speeds in excess of 100mph and concluded that it ‘ranks in the very top bracket of the world’s high-performance cars.’ Motor magazine managed to reach 145mph with its test car, a speed that it had bettered only with the Jaguar E-type and Chevrolet Corvette. In terms of the DB5’s handling, it noted that ‘straight-line stability and cornering both reach the high standards expected from Aston Martin with their illustrious competition record.’ The DB5 was in production for only two years, during which 1021 of all types were built, before it was replaced by the longer-wheelbase DB6. This Aston Martin DB5 is one of 65 cars that were fitted with the more powerful Vantage engine, and it’s thought to be one of only 11 that left the Newport Pagnell factory in the now-iconic colour combination of Silver Birch with a black interior. Production of the DB5 ended in September 1965 and chassis number DB5/2163/R is a late example that would have been built during that year. It was delivered on 5 February 1966 to its first registered owner – Burlington Marketing Associates Ltd, which was based on Old Burlington Street in London’s upmarket Mayfair district. Additional owners who are listed on the DB5’s factory build sheet include a Mr Mash of Little Marlow in Buckinghamshire and a Mr Phelps of Coomb Lane in London. That same build sheet includes a hand-written note recording the engine number as being 400/2653/V – all genuine Vantage engines featured the V suffix. However, a note on the factory service records that is dated 23 February 1966 – only three weeks after delivery – states the following: ‘New engine fitted, tuned and car road-tested’. The engine that is now installed in the car is 400/2338/V. By July 1967, the DB5 had covered 9554 miles and the service records show that it was being maintained at the factory until at least November 1968. A little later in the car’s life, subsequent custodians included the Honourable Michael OW Pearson, who is now the fourth Viscount Cowdrey. He owned the Aston Martin between 1989 and 1991. More recently, this DB5 was retained by a single owner for 20 years and was cared for by Aston Martin Works, with the history file containing invoices from the Newport Pagnell company going back to 2005. Before being sold by its previous owner in 2020, it went to Aston Martin Works, where the engine was removed. The carburettors and cylinder head were overhauled – during which a new composite head gasket was fitted – and the engine bay was detailed. The gearbox was also removed and the clutch assembly and flywheel were replaced, while the brake calipers were overhauled and zinc-played. The old underseal was removed from the underside of the car and the engine bay, and both areas were given a new coat of Dinitrol rustproofing treatment. This Aston Martin DB5 Vantage is now being offered for sale at The Classic Motor Hub having been in the UK for its entire life and used only sparingly in recent years. The most powerful model presented in its most famous colour combination, it is an extremely desirable and collectable example of this legendary British Grand Tourer.

1967 Aston Martin DB6: The DB6 was the ultimate development of a bloodline that began in 1958 with the DB4 and which, for many enthusiasts, still defines the classic Aston Martin. Although it retained the basic Touring styling of the DB4 and DB5, the DB6 featured an extended wheelbase and a higher roofline in order to provide more room in the rear. It also introduced a redesigned rear end, with a Kamm-style ‘cut off’ and a spoiler that reduced lift and gave the DB6 a link to Aston Martin’s Project 215 racer. The Tadek Marek-designed 3995cc straight-six engine was carried over from the DB5, in either triple-SU specification or as the triple-Weber Vantage. A Powr-Lok limited-slip differential, chrome wire wheels and automatic transmission were offered as no-cost options. Beneath the skin, there was rack-and-pinion steering and independent front suspension, with a live rear axle and Watt linkage. Girling disc brakes were fitted all round, and a five-speed manual gearbox was standard fitment. The DB6 was launched at the 1965 London Motor Show and was offered in both coupé and open-top Volante forms. At just under £5000, it was more expensive than the DB5, but Motor began its road test of a Vantage model by stating that it was ‘superior in every way’ to its predecessor. The magazine recorded a 0-60mph time of 6.1 seconds – Autocar managed 6.5 seconds during its own test – and 100mph came up in only 15 seconds. The maximum speed Motor could achieve was 147mph, slightly short of the figure that Aston Martin claimed. A Mk2 version was introduced in 1969 – with wider wheels and optional fuel injection – and the model remained in production until late the following year before finally being discontinued. First registered on 3 April 1967, this Aston Martin DB6 was originally supplied by Arnold Wilson Ltd in Leeds to a Mr Heaton of Heaton Fluids Ltd. He soon put some serious miles on his new grand tourer, with service records showing that it had covered just over 24,000 miles by July 1969. There are Esso Service record sheets attesting that the car was regularly serviced during 1969 all the way until December 1972 having covered 79,400 miles. By the time the DB6 was put through the MoT test in December 1978, it was showing 89,038 miles. Shortly after that, it was acquired by Harry Hennis, who was based in the north-east of England. After running the Aston for a short period, Hennis parked it in his parents’ garage – and there it stayed for more than 25 years. In the mid-2000s, Hennis – who was an engineer – brought the DB6 out of storage and started a thorough restoration. He stripped down the car to a bare shell and used various marque specialists as and when required, but didn’t keep many of the receipts because he didn’t want his wife to know how much he’d spent! The work was completed by 2007 but Hennis couldn’t bring himself to drive the Aston because he knew that, if he did, he wouldn’t be able to sell it. He was reluctantly forced to part with it only because he was retiring to a cottage in Scotland and there was no room to store it. The DB6 was therefore acquired by the current owner in September that year and trailered back to his home in Hereford. After he had put about 2000 miles on the car, he entrusted it to marque specialist Four Ashes in Stratford-upon-Avon so that an extensive check-over and service could be carried out. The work totalled more than £4000 and included a replacement radiator, reconditioning of the brake servos, and the fitment of electronic ignition. In 2015, the same owner had the DB6 stripped to bare metal and resprayed in the same shade of Dubonnet Rosso in which chassis number DB6/3004/R had left the Newport Pagnell factory almost 50 years earlier. The Aston retains its original engine (400/3017) and even its original black leather upholstery, which is now beautifully patinated. More recent work has included the front bumper being rechromed, the left-hand window motor being replaced, and a new headlining being fitted. Now reluctantly being offered for sale after 15 years and more than 10,000 enjoyable miles, the current owner willing to downsize his collection, this Aston Martin DB6 has had only three owners from new and is a highly original car that has been very well cared for in recent years.

1970 Aston Martin DBS : Intended as a replacement for the iconic Touring-designed series of DB4, DB5 and DB6, the DBS marked a change in direction for Aston Martin when it was launched in 1967. There was supposed to have been more in the way of continuity, but unfortunately Touring went out of business after producing two prototypes. In-house designer William Towns was therefore given the job. He produced a modern, sharp, square-edged design that set the template for the subsequent V8 models and helped to establish the accepted ‘look’ for a big Aston throughout the 1970s and 1980s. The DBS should have been powered by a V8 engine from day one, but Tadek Marek’s new 5.3-litre unit wasn’t ready in time, so Aston Martin carried over the 4-litre six-cylinder engine from the DB6. It was available in either standard 282bhp SU-carburettor form, or as the 325bhp Vantage, which used Weber carburettors. A handful of cars were also produced with the Brico electronic fuel-injection system. Drive was via a ZF five-speed manual gearbox or a three-speed Borg-Warner automatic, and the rear suspension employed a de Dion set-up rather than the DB6’s live axle. The DBS V8 eventually joined the six-cylinder model in 1969, the same year in which the DBS starred alongside George Lazenby in the 1969 James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. When Autocar tested a V8-engined car in 1971, it recorded a top speed of 161mph and summed up the model with the words: ‘Tremendous performance, superb brakes, excellent handling’. The two models ran alongside each other until 1972. The six-cylinder DBS was then dropped and the bigger-engined car morphed into the V8, which would be the mainstay of the Aston Martin range into the 1990s.  This Aston Martin DBS is an extremely rare example and is one of only 15 six-cylinder DBS cars that were fitted with fuel injection. Offered on the DB6 MkII and the DBS between 1969 and 1971, the system was the first all-British electronic set-up and had been developed by the Coventry-based Brico company. Only when Brico was sold to Lucas – which had its own mechanical injection system – did Aston Martin revert to offering only carburettors on the DBS.  The guarantee for chassis number 5579/R was issued on 1 May 1970 and it was sold via Lazenby Garages to its first owner, a Mr Stanwell of Boston in Lincolnshire. The car was fitted with an automatic gearbox and finished in Azzurro Blue with Dark Blue Connolly leather interior. Its factory build sheet doesn’t record any further owners, but in the late 1980s it was one of four cars that were bought from a private collector in Wales by Northamptonshire-based Maurdon Motors. It was then kept – unused – in the company’s own collection until being sold to its next custodian in 1993.  The DBS changed hands again in 2001, and by 2016 it was decided to treat it to a full restoration. The work was carried out by marque specialist Richards of England and involved stripping the car back to bare metal. Once the necessary bodywork repairs had been carried out, it was initially resprayed in Bahama Yellow before it was decided to go with the original shade of Azzurro Blue instead. The attention to detail even extended to retaining the red enamelled ‘FI’ badges in the front wings. The six-cylinder engine – number 400/4561/SFI – was rebuilt and enlarged to 4.2 litres. The manual gearbox, which had replaced the automatic unit that the car had originally been specified with, was also rebuilt. Such was the fastidious nature of the whole project that over £200,000 had been spent by July 2018. The restoration was completed the following year and is fully documented in a hardback book that is covered in the same leather that’s been used for the Aston Martin’s interior. More recent work has included a differential rebuilt in May 2023 and all invoices have been kept in the extensive history file, which also includes the factory build sheet and MoT certificates going back to the early 1980s. It’s thought that this Aston Martin DBS is the only fully restored, six-cylinder, fuel-injected example in the world. Not only is it still in outstanding condition following its three-year rebuild, it represents an opportunity to acquire a rare piece of marque history.

1987 Aston Martin V8 Zagato Volante: Aston Martin’s line of V8 models can trace it roots to 1969 and the launch of the William Towns-designed DBS V8. That car subsequently morphed into the V8 and progressed through various incarnations, all of which featured Tadek Marek’s enduring 5.3-litre V8 engine. The styling was subtly tweaked along the way, while mechanical changes included a switch from fuel injection to less-troublesome Weber carburettors for the 1973 Series 3. After just about surviving a period of economic turmoil in the mid-1970s, Aston Martin took until 1978 to introduce the Series 4, which would be known as the ‘Oscar India’ model and lasted until the launch of the fuel-injected Series 5 in 1986. A Vantage model was added in 1977 and offered supercar levels of performance in a luxuriously appointed, old-school British design. In fact, when Car magazine ran a 1984 group test, a Vantage proved to be faster from 0-100mph than the Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer, Porsche 911 Turbo and Lamborghini Countach. The X Pack variant was launched at the 1986 British Motor Show and included upgraded cylinder heads and internals, plus a quartet of Weber carburettors, helping to boost the power output to well over 400bhp. The ultimate specification, however, could be obtained by asking Aston Martin to enlarge the 5.3-litre Vantage X Pack to a monstrous 6.3 litres.  During the mid-1980s, the V8 model helped to rekindle the relationship between Aston Martin and legendary Italian design house Zagato, the two companies having first worked together on the iconic 1960 DB4 GT Zagato. The V8 Zagato was announced in 1985 and finally unveiled a year later, when its angular, muscular lines attracting a flurry of orders.  Zagato handcrafted the aluminium body panels in Italy and also redesigned the interior, and the brochure called the car ‘the supreme expression of the art of high performance’. It stated that only 50 would be built, but total production reached 52 coupés and 39 Volante. This Aston Martin V8 Zagato Volante is unique in that it is the only right-hand-drive example to feature the 6.3-litre X Pack Vantage V8 engine. The upgrade was carried out at the Newport Pagnell factory when the car was only a few months old, and is fully documented in its history file. This Volante Zagato was ordered via Stratton Motor Company (Norfolk) Ltd, with the first owner paying his £25,000 deposit on 1 July 1987. At that point, it was thought that chassis number 30031 would be ready in September 1988, but it took until November 1989 for it to be delivered. It was finished in Gladiator Red with a Parchment interior and Burgundy piping, plus Beige carpets.  The final invoice was issued on 18 October 1989 and shows that the Aston Martin Volante Zagato was very much in the ‘reassuringly expensive’ category, with a final on-the-road price of £190,549. Having been first registered on 5 March 1990, the car was back at Aston Martin’s Service Department that July so that the standard 5.3-litre engine could be converted into 6.3-litre Vantage X Pack specification. The original factory invoice is included in the history file and shows the extent of the work, from replacing the fuel injection with Weber carburettors to installing a Vantage Zagato bonnet assembly and nose panel. The front and rear suspension was also stripped out and upgraded with a specially prepared handling kit, while a large-bore exhaust system with straight-through rear pipes was fitted – a job that also involved modifying the rear valance. The conversion cost almost £20,000 in labour alone, not including the necessary parts, and is documented in the paperwork with a certificate signed by Aston Martin Chairman Victor Gauntlett and Service Manager Kingsley Riding-Felce. The standard car was already fast, but the 6.3-litre X Pack conversion moves this particular example onto another level of performance. Now being offered for sale in ‘as new’ condition having covered only 1450 miles, this Aston Martin Volante Zagato retains its matching-numbers status and has just been extensively recommissioned at a cost of more than £20,000.

2005 Aston Martin Vanquish S

1909 Benz 25/45 Six Seat Sport Tourer: There can be little doubt that Karl Benz was the first to produce the petrol-engined car. Karl Benz started his engineering career making stationary engines running primarily on coal gas but soon realised the possibilities for mechanical personal transport. Benz pioneered the 4-stroke, 954cc single-cylinder engine and fitted it to a 3-wheeled “car”. Benz’s engine ran at a sedentary 400rpm and produced a grand 0.75bhp. For comparison DeDion Bouton’s engine ran at over twice the speed but Benz favoured a slower engine as it was less likely to shake itself apart. Benz’s 3-wheeler, the first petrol-powered motor vehicle was finished in Autumn 1885 and featured a tiller steering system. Benz had attempted to engineer a system to steer two front wheels but was unsuccessful, and was forced to wait until the Ackermann system was developed only a couple of years later. The 3-wheeler Benz was an innovative first attempt at a motorcar but sadly this innovation was not backed up with particularly strong sales figures as people had yet to come to terms with the idea of the horseless carriage. However, progress in this era was rapid and the first 4-wheeler came in 1893 and featured an enlarged engine now displacing 1745cc which produced a heady 3bhp and by the turn of the century this engine platform had been developed to displace almost 3 litres. This car, or more accurately this chassis template was named the Viktoria and was intended to be versatile enough for a large range of uses from 6-seater limousines to delivery vans and buses. However, it was the more compact, cheaper Velo launched in 1894 that solidified Benz as the premier motorcar manufacturer of the age. The Velo was the sales success the company needed. Sales of the Velo in 1900 outstripped the total sales of all vintage Benz cars sold before, with 603 Velos sold that year. With his cars now significantly outperforming the competition Karl Benz saw little need to change the design formula and his cars quickly became outdated as the industry caught up and by 1902 Benz sold only 206 cars. To rectify the problem Benz brought in new engineers headed by Hans Nibel who set to work on a 4-cylinder motor with 2 valves per cylinder and by 1908 Nibel had designed what was to be the template for the next series of successful Benz vehicles. Nibel’s cars were conventional machines featuring either chain or shaft drive which appealed to more conservative buyers as other manufacturers began to experiment with more diverse methods of propulsion. The vintage Benz we have in stock at The Classic Motor Hub is one of those built on Nibel’s successful design. So versatile was Nibel’s impressive engine that Benz offered it in 25 different variations and sizes. The 25/45 was built between 1909 and 1912 and the in-line 4-cylinder engine had an enormous displacement of 6.3 litres fed by an improved spraying nozzle carburettor developed by Benz. In October 1909 the car was delivered new to its first owner Ing Otto Krause who lived in Buenos Aires. Ing Krause came from a wealthy family who ran the main shipping lines between Buenos Aires and Patagonia. The Krause family owned the car until 1961 when it was discovered in a barn on the Krause family farm by a collector named Jorge Parodi. The car had been used on the farm as a work vehicle, having had the body removed and engine and chassis most likely used as a motorised cart. Parodi purchased the car from the family but did little with it, seemingly unable to find a body for the car. In 1983 Parodi sold the car to another collector called Carlos Pujol who started a comprehensive restoration on the chassis and engine. Señor Pujol owned the car for 15 years but was unsuccessful in finding a body for the car and grew tired of the search and so sold the car to our client in 1998. For six years our client searched South America for an original Benz body and fortunately had more success than the previous two owners, finding an original Benz body built by A Vendrine et Cie of Courbevoie, Paris. The restoration was completed in 2004 and since then the car has participated in several local rallies in South America, notably winning its class in the Autoclasica concours in 2012.This vintage Benz 20/45 is now in impeccable condition and ready to be enjoyed by the next vintage motoring enthusiast.

1947 Bristol 400: The Bristol 400 prototype appeared in 1946 and introduced at the 1947 Geneva Motor Show. Derived from immediately pre-WW2 BMW products (thanks to a connection to BMW through Frazer Nash), the chassis was based on the BMW 326, the engine on the 328, and the body on the 327. This 1947 Bristol 400, KHU303, was used as a factory development and road-test car.

1953 Cooper-Alta Formula 2: As the 1953 season approached, 23-year-old Stirling Moss was already firmly established as one of motor racing’s rising stars. The ‘Boy Wonder’ had won the Tourist Trophy twice, was the dominant force in 500cc Formula 3, and had even demonstrated his peerless versatility by finishing second on the Monte-Carlo Rally. One of his co-drivers on that gruelling event had been John Cooper, an engineer and Autocar journalist who is not to be confused with the John Cooper who built successful racing cars at Surbiton on the outskirts of London. John ‘Autocar’ Cooper approached Moss in late 1952 and suggested that, along with Ray Martin and Alf Francis, they develop and build a single-seater to Formula 2 specification for Moss to race. His plan was to use a chassis supplied by John ‘Surbiton’ Cooper, but with modifications including front suspension that employed double wishbones and coil springs instead of the standard Cooper transverse leaf spring. There would also be Girling disc brakes up front, while at the rear was a de Dion tube with double radius rods on both sides, a Watt linkage, coil springs and inboard drum brakes. Moss had initially suggested sourcing a 2-litre six-cylinder Maserati engine, but the Italian marque would sell them only a complete car. Instead, they approached British firm Alta and acquired one of its four-cylinder, twin-overhead-camshaft, 1970cc engines. This would run on twin Weber 45 DOE carburettors and be mated to a modified Alta gearbox. It quickly became clear that the modifications specified by ‘Autocar’ Cooper were so extensive that it was easier to simply obtain the relevant tubing from Surbiton rather than a complete chassis. This would then be built up by Ray Martin and Alf Francis – and by now there was only 12 weeks to go before the car’s intended debut at Goodwood. Despite the fact that it constituted almost a completely new car, Martin and Francis had the chassis ready after only eight weeks, and off it went to Cooper at Surbiton to receive its body panels. The engine, however, arrived with only 11 days left and was immediately found to be bigger than the dummy unit that the team had been sent. In order to fit it in, they had to move the steering gear, which affected the geometry. Not until the early hours of race day – Monday 6 April – was the car finally lowered onto its wheels. They then discovered that it didn’t fit the transporter, but nonetheless it had been delivered to Goodwood by mid-morning. Moss raced in the seven-lap Lavant Cup that day and, despite starting from the back of the grid, came through to finish seventh after a dice with Ken Wharton (Cooper-Bristol) and Bobby Baird (Ferrari). The car’s next outing came in front of a huge crowd for the International Trophy at Silverstone on 9 May. Moss finished a close second in his heat behind the winning Maserati of ‘Toulo’ de Graffenried – the two men shared fastest lap – and then made a blistering start in the final. He briefly led before being overhauled by faster cars and was running sixth when a pit stop to take on more fuel dropped him to ninth at the finish. Two weeks later, on 25 May, Moss and the Cooper-Alta Special were at the first post-war meeting to be held at the compact Crystal Palace circuit in south London. The Coronation Trophy comprised a 10-lap heat in which Moss finished fourth and then a 10-lap final in which he battled with Whitehead’s Cooper-Bristol before taking the chequered flag in fifth. The ambitious little team then headed off to the continent and the Eifelrennen, one of the most prestigious non-championship races of the season. Held over the fearsome Nürburgring Nordschleife on 31 May, it attracted a strong entry from across Europe. De Graffenried won again in dreadful conditions, while Moss – who had won that weekend’s Formula 3 race – had to settle for sixth place after being held up in the early stages by the Ferrari of Kurt Adolff. At the end of June, the Cooper-Alta was entered for the Grand Prix de Rouen-les-Essarts, a Formula 1 race that was also open to Formula 2 machinery and which was held on the majestic Normandy road circuit. Giuseppe Farina and Mike Hawthorn finished first and second for Ferrari, but Moss lost first gear on the opening lap and finished down in tenth place. His final outing in the Cooper-Alta Special came a week later, on 5 July, in the French Grand Prix at Reims. As had been the case the previous year, the 1953 World Championship was for 2-litre  Formula 2 machinery and the race around the high-speed circuit – which had recently been modified to bypass the village of Gueux – would be a battle royal between Ferrari and Maserati. By the time Mike Hawthorn took a famous victory for Maranello, just pipping the Maserati of Juan Manuel Fangio, Moss had long since retired. The flywheel disintegrated and the clutch housing, as he later put it, ‘burst asunder’, resulting in a nasty gash on his leg. The team then decided that the best way forward was to put an Alta engine in a standard Cooper chassis, and the Special was therefore retired from front-line competition. During 1954-55 it was used by Ferodo for brake testing, and in 1956 it took part in sand-racing in Jersey. There is also a photograph showing it back in England in 1957, when it was raced at a very wet Snetterton by a JS Read. The Cooper-Alta Special later went into the Doune Motor Museum in Scotland, Lord Doune having acquired the car in late 1968. It stayed there for three decades until being bought by Bugatti specialist and historic racer Ivan Dutton. John Lloyd then bought it from Dutton and, after a restoration carried out by Neil Davies Racing, the Cooper-Alta made its debut in historic racing at Brands Hatch in 2002. ‘The design has fantastic potential,’ said Davies at the time. ‘Almost straight out of the box at its Mallory first test it handled beautifully, and I reckon it can beat all the Cooper-Bristols.’ The car was entered for that year’s Monaco Grand Prix Historique and continued to race in historics with its next custodian, Dave Clewley, who bought it from Lloyd in 2007. Clewley, a well-known figure on the Vintage Sports-Car Club scene, went on to race the Cooper-Alta Special with the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association and at events such as the Goodwood Revival and the Nürburgring Oldtimer Grand Prix.

1914 Delage Voiturette: This charismatic Delage is a faithful recreation of the car in which Albert Guyot won the 1908 Grand Prix des Voiturettes.  Held on 6 July – the day before the Grand Prix de l’Automobile Club de France – the race comprised six laps of the demanding, 47-mile Circuit de la Seine-Inférieur. The triangular route started in Dieppe before heading south-east to Londinières, north to Eu, and then south-west back to Dieppe.  Orléans-born Guyot was the son of a locksmith and was an early agent for Delage. He had a long and successful racing career, including five appearances in the Indianapolis 500, and following World War One he drove for the works Duesenberg Grand Prix team. Such was his standing in France that he was awarded the coveted Legion d’Honneur. The 1908 Grand Prix des Voiturettes attracted a strong entry that included the Lion-Peugeot cars of Jules Goux and Georges Boillot, but Guyot took a comfortable victory in five hours, 45 minutes and 30 seconds. That was seven minutes ahead of second-placed Louis Naudin, who drove a Sizaire-Naudin powered by a 1963cc single-cylinder engine. The basis for this recreation of Guyot’s winning car was the complete rolling chassis of a Delage Type AM. The chassis, gearbox, back axle and other major components are therefore all from an Edwardian-era Delage – chassis number 6626. The build was entrusted to two extremely well-respected names in the Edwardian-car world: Hughie Walker and his father Mark, who is well-known for the spectacular way in which he drives his Land Speed Record 200hp Darracq. After studying numerous period photographs, they built a body that closely replicates the one fitted to Guyot’s car. In place of the single-cylinder engine that powered Guyot to victory is a rare Edwardian-era 3.7-litre, four-cylinder Chevrolet unit, complete with a three-port cylinder head. Its overhead-valve, crossflow arrangement gave the Walkers scope for considerable performance improvements, and it now features new, balanced, pressure-fed crankshaft and rods, plus a new oil pump. A new camshaft with increased lift and modern timing has been fitted, plus new valves, valve springs and pistons, and the compression ratio has been raised to 7:1. The original four-speed gearbox was totally rebuilt (a spare gearbox is included with the car), while the back axle had a new crownwheel and pinion made in order to give gearing of 30mph per 1000rpm.  Following its completion in 2023, the Delage was raced by its owner at the Vintage Sports-Car Club’s Mallory Park meeting. The car then received an invitation to the 2024 Goodwood Members’ Meeting, where it competed in one of the weekend’s most popular races – the SF Edge Trophy. Driven by Hughie Walker, it qualified in sixth place on the 25-strong grid, following which Walker drove an impressively committed race, at one point out-braking his father’s Darracq into Woodcote during a spirited dice. The Delage crossed the line in sixth position, right on the tail of Duncan Pittaway’s ‘Beast of Turin’ – the FIAT S27. Now being offered for sale at the Classic Motor Hub, this highly evocative and front-running Delage is perfectly finished for a car of this pioneering era, with its brush-painted bodywork sporting the same number 1 that Guyot’s car wore at Dieppe. With its complete set of original Edwardian brass lighting, it is UK road-registered and makes an extremely usable and exciting road car. It has a conventional modern pedal layout with the throttle on the right, and mounting the tuned Chevrolet engine in a lightweight chassis has given it superb performance. Parts for the robust four-cylinder unit are still available in the US. This GP Delage is eligible for many events in the UK, Europe and the USA, including Vintage Sports-Car Club meetings as well as high-profile races such as the SF Edge Trophy, where it has already shown itself to be extremely competitive. Should the new owner wish to participate, the car could potentially be a fantastic entrant to the SF Edge race at the 2025 Goodwood Members Meeting.

1960 Ferrari 250 GTO SWB: During the 1950s and early 1960s, Ferrari developed its line of 250 GT Berlinettas to the extent that the model came to dominate the Gran Turismo class of international motor racing. From the first 250 GT to the fabled GTO, the marque undertook a near-constant process of evolution that was well suited to the demands of top-level competition, and included in that period are some of the most coveted cars ever to roll out of the Maranello factory. The first Ferrari to use the ‘250’ designation was the 250 Sport, the model in which Giovanni Bracco won the 1952 Mille Miglia – and it was in honour of that momentous victory that Ferrari introduced the 250 MM the following year. Then came the 250 Europa, which used the Aurelio Lampredi-designed ‘long block’ V12 engine and a chassis that had a wheelbase of 2800mm. At the 1954 Paris Salon, Ferrari unveiled the 250 Europa GT, and this was the car that really laid the foundations for the subsequent 250 GT. Beneath the bonnet was a 2953cc development of the V12 engine that Gioacchino Colombo had originally designed for Enzo Ferrari during the summer of 1945. It was mounted in the Tipo 508 chassis, which had a wheelbase of 2600mm and would form the basis of all 250 GT Berlinettas until 1959, with minor modifications along the way leading to the adoption of a B, C or D suffix. The Scaglietti-built 250 GT Berlinetta was introduced in 1956 and used the latest Tipo 128 development of the Colombo V12 engine. It retained the 2953cc capacity, but the block, cylinder liners, cylinder heads and crankshaft were all new, as were the camshafts, and bigger valves were used. This engine survived until well into the 1960s, being modified for use not only in the 250 GT series, but also forming the basis for the engines that would power the 250 Testa Rossa, the 250 P and the 250 LM. The 250 GT Berlinetta would go through myriad detail changes over the course of the next few years, but those built between 1956 and 1959 have come to be referred to as the ‘Tour de France’ model because of their success on that gruelling French event. In fact, variants of the 250 GT would go on to win every year between 1956 and 1964. Its success on the Tour de France was only a small part of the extraordinary 250 GT story. The Berlinetta swept aside the opposition pretty much everywhere it raced. In 1956, Olivier Gendebien finished fifth overall on the Mille Miglia, and won the GT category ahead of a quartet of Mercedes 300SLs. The Belgian ace repeated that success the following year, winning the gruelling Giro di Sicilia and the Reims 12 Hours. In 1959 came the next major development, with the appearance at Le Mans of a model that retained the Tipo 508 chassis but which introduced a new Pinin Farina body style that would be carried over to the 1960 250 GT. Battista ‘Pinin’ Farina had founded his eponymous business on 22 May 1930 in Turin, and it made a name for itself with flowing, aerodynamic designs for manufacturers such as Lancia and Alfa Romeo. This was not a man who held Enzo Ferrari in any sort of awe or reverence – when Enzo first got in touch in 1951, story has it that Farina expected him to travel to Turin. Enzo, in turn, expected Farina to travel to Maranello, and the impasse was broken only when Battista’s son Sergio suggested that they meet halfway, in Tortona. The first Ferrari to wear a Pinin Farina body was a 212 Inter, and by 1958 the company had become successful enough to build a larger plant at Grugliasco. The Pinin Farina-designed 1959 250 GT was, in effect, a hybrid – new body on old chassis – and would therefore become known as the ‘Interim’ model. Only seven were built, with the car of André Pilette and George Arents finishing fourth overall in that years Le Mans 24 Hours race. After that short run of ‘Interim’ models came the definitive 1960 250 GT. Launched at the Paris Salon in October 1959, this latest development formed another major step in that it used the new Tipo 539 chassis. Although it was outwardly similar to the Tipo 508, it was stronger and stiffer than before – and most importantly the wheelbase had been reduced from 2600mm to 2400mm. That led to it being unofficially dubbed Passo Corto – the Short Wheelbase. Unlike earlier Berlinettas, The 250 GT Short Wheelbase was available in right or left-hand drive and owners had the choice of either a race-ready Competizione variant, featuring a host of competition features to include an aluminium body, sparsely trimmed interior and more highly tuned engine, or the Lusso, with its steel body, fully trimmed cockpit and a less powerful V12. The car could be truly ordered in bespoke fashion to the customers demands and in reality, it was common for buyers to ‘mix and match’ between those two specifications. The earliest Short Wheelbases were all left-hand-drive Competizione models and had plain front and rear wings with no air vents, and there was an air outlet in the rear screen. The top edge of the doors, meanwhile, curved noticeably downwards towards their rear edge. On cars built between May and August 1960, air vents appeared in the front and rear wings, indicators were added to the front wings, and projecting surrounds were added to the brake cooling ducts in the front valance. There was now a proper housing for the rear numberplate, and the first Lusso and right-hand-drive models left the factory. On cars built between August and December 1960, the vent in the rear screen was moved up to the trailing edge of the roof.  In 1961, the front grille was made larger, the top edge of the door windows was straighter rather than curving downwards and the petrol filler cap was moved from below the bottom-left corner of the rear screen to a new position on the left-rear wing; on some cars, it was tucked away inside the boot.  The engine was a further development of the outside-plug Tipo 128DF that had been used in three of the ‘Interim’ 250 GTs. The block and many of the internals were carried over, but new cylinder heads were used with larger coil-sprung valves. This latest variant of the V12 was called the Tipo 168B, and it produced up to 275bhp; Lusso models made do with a lower compression ratio and about 240bhp.  In late 1960, the engine was updated into Tipo 168 form and during the following year came its ultimate development – the Tipo 168 Comp/61. This unit had Testa Rossa-style cylinder heads with larger valves, the manifolds lengths were altered and larger-bore exhaust pipes used. A trio of Weber 46DCF3 carburettors was employed and the sump was made of Elektron. The Short Wheelbase continued the heady run of motorsport success that had been enjoyed by the 250 GT series since 1956. In 1960 and ’61, Stirling Moss won the Tourist Trophy at Goodwood aboard Short Wheelbases entered by his great friend Rob Walker and described it as a ‘beautiful handling car’. Willy Mairesse and Georges Berger won the Tour de France in both of those years, while the Short Wheelbase enjoyed further success in events such as the Nürburgring 1000km, Paris 1000km and the Le Mans 24 Hours. Fernand Tavano and Pierre Dumay won the GT class at La Sarthe in 1960 and finished fourth overall, while Pierre Noblet and Jean Guichet claimed class honours the following year and were third overall.  By 1961, the Prancing Horse was dominant in each of the top-line international disciplines. Phil Hill became Formula 1 World Champion, Ferrari won four of the five rounds of the World Sports Car Championship, and the Short Wheelbase had firmly established itself as the benchmark in GT racing – despite the best efforts of Aston Martin and Jaguar. With its beautiful Pinin Farina styling, robust and sonorous Colombo V12, and a level of versatility that allowed it to be driven to a circuit, racedhard to victory, and then driven home again, it’s little wonder that the Short Wheelbase has become one of the most revered and sought-after Ferraris of all time. Chassis number 2177 GT is a particularly rare example of the Ferrari 250 GT Short Wheelbase. Its frame was sent to Carrozzeria Scaglietti in Modena on 6 September 1960 so that it could receive its hand crafted special order steel bodywork. The competition specification V12 engine – numero interno 612F – was completed on 25 October and it was dyno-tested two days later. The results are noted in the car’s build sheet and show that it produced an impressive 243bhp at 7500rpm.  2177 GT was an unusual steel bodied Competizione model. In that respect, it shares characteristics with 1993 GT and 1995 GT, which were the first two Short Wheelbases to be exported to the UK for British distributor Maranello Concessionaires. The car was also fitted with stiffer springs front and rear, the Competizione ribbed gearbox, a competition exhaust and brackets to accept a quick-lift jack. The window surrounds are in alloy and every conceivable comp feature was originally specified. The rear axle ratio of 8/32 was well-suited to hillclimb use, and 2177 GT was delivered new on 29 October 1960 to its first owner – a Mr Zimmerman in Switzerland. The supplying dealership was Italauto SA, which was based in Lausanne and was owned by Emmanuel ‘Toulo’ de Graffenried – a former racing driver who won the 1949 British Grand Prix. It’s said that the Swiss hillclimb fraternity preferred the steel body because it was stiffer, harder-wearing and easier to repair than aluminium. Zimmerman kept 2177 GT until 1962, when he sold it to Armand Boller. Geneva-based Boller was a banker and gentleman racer, and entered the Short Wheelbase for the famous Ollon-Villars hillclimb on 25 August. The event was a round of that year’s European Mountain Championship and attracted a strong field, and Boller finished an impressive fifth in class. In early 1963, Boller acquired a 250 GTO and would go on to race his latest Ferrari under the banner of Scuderia Filipinetti. Georges Filipinetti was a key figure on the European Ferrari scene at that time, and his competition cars were driven by the likes of Herbert Müller and future Formula 1 star Jo Siffert. Boller was part of that tight-knit group and it’s thought that Siffert might have had at least one outing in 2177 GT in a Swiss event, but so far it has not been possible to prove this theory, he is however mentioned in the Ferrari service sheet. After Boller bought the GTO, his Short Wheelbase was sold to another Swiss racing driver – Walter Ringgenberg. A Ferrari enthusiast who had previously owned an alloy-bodied 250 GT Short Wheelbase Competizione (1771 GT) as well as a 250 GT ‘Tour de France’, Ringgenberg was a hotelier and restaurateur from Bern. A personal friend of Ferry Porsche, he had raced a 356 during 1953 and ’54 before moving up to a Porsche 550 for 1955. On 18 March that year, he and works driver Richard von Frankenberg used the new car to set six international 1500cc class records at Montlhéry near Paris, and in June Ringgenberg shared it at Le Mans with Hans-Jörg Gilomen. By the time he bought 2177 GT, Ringgenberg had mostly given up circuit racing preferring hillclimb events, and he entered 2177GT in three events during 1964. In May, he finished third in class at Mitholz-Kandersteg, and went one better at Sierre-Crans-Montana in August. That event was part of the International Championship for GT Manufacturers, in which the GTO was being pushed every inch of the way by the Shelby Cobra, and it therefore attracted a strong entry. Pierre Sudan won the 3-litre class in his GTO with a two-run aggregate time of 15 minutes 6.8 seconds, but second was Ringgenberg, who posted 15 minutes 40.4 seconds in 2177 GT. It was a superb result in such a high-profile hillclimb.  Ringgenberg ended his season with an appearance at Eigental, and in 1966 he sold the Short Wheelbase to a new owner in the US, racing driver, entrepreneur and car dealer Bob Grossman via the Swiss dealership owned by Paul Blancpain and Jo Siffert.  Having grown up in Philadelphia, Grossman settled in Nyack, New York after serving in World War Two. He was a talented singer who used to pay for singing lessons by buying and selling cars – something that soon became his main business.  He acquired a Jaguar dealership via Max Hoffman and got into racing with an XK 120 in Sports Car Club of America events. It was via Jaguar that he got to know Briggs Cunningham, and Grossman would race Lister-Jaguars as well as Lightweight E-types with the renowned American privateer.  He also established a close relationship with Luigi Chinetti and over the years would gain considerable experience with various Ferraris, from an alloy bodied 250 GT California Spyder which he raced to fifth place overall at Le Mans to Short Wheelbases and GTOs. In 1963, Grossman had been elected as president of the Road Racing Drivers Club, an elite group that included a number of the most highly skilled sports car drivers in the United States, and the following year he took a Ferrari GTO (5573 GT) to ninth place overall at Le Mans with team-mate Fernand Tavano. According to Ferrari historian Marcel Massini, Grossman raced 2177 GT at the Mount Equinox hillclimb in 1966 and after spending some time in the Grossman fleet the car was sold on to fellow racing driver and Ferrari customer from Massachusetts Dudley Cunningham the following year to sit alongside the ex-works Ferrari 340 MM (0322AM) in which talented Marzotto brothers finished fifth overall at Le Mans in 1953. Cunningham kept 2177GT until 1975 racing it in SCCA events during the early years of his ownership. He sold it – via an advert that claimed it to be ‘ex-Jo Siffert’ – to the Ferrari historian and author Jim Riff, who was based in Illinois. He set about having 2177 GT restored. The process included an engine rebuild, and stripping the Ferrari to bare metal, which showed a remarkable lack of accident damage for a car that had been used in competition. When it was finished, 2177 GT finished second in class at the Ferrari Club of America’s concours in St Louis, having been driven there from Chicago by Jim in the pouring rain! During Riff’s ownership, the Short Wheelbase was often entered for concours events, and in 1985 he also raced it in a historic event at Elkhart Lake. That same year, 2177 GT appeared on the cover of Ken Gross’s book Ferrari 250 GT SWB, which was published by Osprey. Riff sold the car in 1986 to California based Tom Byrnes, who raced it in the Monterey Historics weekend at Laguna Seca in 1987 and 1989. Its next custodians were Phillipe Brecht and then Martin Van Doorne, who had the Short Wheelbase restored in 1994-95. Van Doorne later displayed 2177 GT at Ferrari’s 50th anniversary event in Rome and Maranello, before selling it to Geneva-based watchmaker and co-founder of the Swiss Ferrari Club Dr Peter Baumberger. In 1999, the car was acquired by Austrian Jean-Robert Grellet. Grellet had it repainted yellow and went on to enter the car regularly for events such as the Ennstal Classic, the Giro di Sicilia Revival Targa Florio and the Grand Prix Montreaux. Ferrari also invited 2177 GT to be part of its 70th anniversary celebrations at its Fiorano test track. Thanks to its incredible versatility as a competition car that can also be driven comfortably on the road, there are those who covet the Short Wheelbase above even the GTO. It certainly continued the level of motorsport success that enthusiasts had come to expect from the 250 GT series. With its Swiss competition history, its rare specification and its fascinating cast of characters, 2177 GT was very much part of this legendary period in Ferrari history.

1965 Ferrari 275 GTB: Blending motorsport pedigree with muscular, elegant styling, the Ferrari 275 GTB offered a considerable step forward over its predecessor – the illustrious 250 GT – when it was introduced in 1964. Technical developments included a five-speed transaxle and all-round independent suspension, the latter being achieved via double wishbones and marking a ‘first’ for Ferrari road cars, which had previously used a live rear axle.  Disc brakes were employed all round and Borrani wire wheels fitted, while underneath the bonnet was an updated 3.3-litre version of Gioachino Colombo’s famous V12 engine. As standard, it ran on a trio of Weber carburettors and produced a claimed 280bhp, but a six-carb set-up was offered as a factory option and was said to boost output to well over 300bhp.  As per Ferrari tradition, the model name came from the capacity of each individual cylinder, the 77mm bore and 58.8mm stroke adding up to 275cc. The 275 was offered in both GTB coupé form and as the GTS convertible, and for 1966 Ferrari introduced various updates on the Series 2 model. These included revised ‘long nose’ styling for the Pininfarina-designed, Scaglietti-built bodywork, which was made from steel with alloy doors, bonnet and boot lid. The factory also offered the option of a lightweight, all-aluminium body. Although it was initially refused GT-class homologation for 1965, the 275 had a successful motorsport career. A Competizione Speciale model – ostensibly based on the road car’s Tipo 563 chassis but heavily modified in almost every respect – was developed under Mauro Forghieri and finished third overall at Le Mans in 1965. For the 1966 season, a short run of 275 GTB/C cars was produced and the Maranello Concessionaires entry of Piers Courage and Roy Pike won its class in that year’s Le Mans 24 Hours. In late 1966, the roadgoing 275 gained a new four-cam version of the 3.3-litre V12 in order to create the GTB/4. That car lived on until 1968, when it was replaced by the 365 GTB/4 – better known as the Daytona. The Ferrari 275 GTB being offered for sale is a particularly special example of the ‘long nose’ Series 2. It’s thought that fewer than 60 were specified with all-alloy bodywork, and chassis number 08069 is one of them. Completed in late 1965, it was finished in Argento Metallizzato with a Pelle Nera leather interior, and its 3.3-litre V12 engine was fitted with the standard triple Weber carburettors. Ferrari historian Marcel Massini has confirmed that ‘08069’ was supplied new to the well-known dealer Gastone Crepaldi in Milan, who sold it in January 1966 to its first owner, a Signor Zanaboni. It was later acquired by Signor Ghisa, who lived in Trieste in the north-east corner of Italy. By mid-1974, the Ferrari had been exported to the US and was advertised for sale in Road & Track magazine. Its owner at that time was Ronald De Lorenzo, who lived in Youngstown, Ohio, and the advertisement stated that the 275 GTB was still in its original colour, that it was in ‘concours’ condition, and that De Lorenzo was its first US owner.  The car was duly sold to Dr Raymond Boniface of Poland, Ohio, and he would end up keeping his treasured Ferrari for 40 years. At some point during his ownership, it was repainted red, and as well as taking it to local shows in Ohio, Dr Boniface also attended larger events such as the Ferrari Club of America’s annual meet at Watkins Glen.  Only in 2014 did this 275 GTB change hands again, when it was sold by RM at its Monterey auction. It was then brought to the UK and given a full restoration by marque specialist GTO Engineering. The entire process is painstakingly documented in the car’s history file and included stripping the alloy bodywork to bare metal, at which point it was noted how solid and original this Ferrari was.  It was then resprayed in its original colour of Argento Metallizzato and all of the mechanical components were rebuilt to original specification. Such was the quality of the restoration that the Ferrari won its class at the 2015 Salon Privé Concours d’Elegance at Blenheim Palace.  Its current owner used the 275 GTB on the 2024 Tour Auto, and this exceptional matching-numbers car is now being offered for sale complete with Ferrari Classiche Certification. From the beautiful Pininfarina styling to the robust and sonorous Colombo-designed V12 engine, the 275 GTB is much sought-after by marque enthusiasts, but this represents an even more special opportunity to acquire a rare alloy-bodied example of this legendary Grand Tourer.

1978 Ferrari 512 BB Koenig: What do you do when your brand new 1978, 360bhp Ferrari 512 BB just isn’t quick enough? As far as problems go it’s a pretty nice one to have to be fair. It sure as hell beats the myriad mundane issues that we mere mortals have to deal with on the regular. A leaky tap perhaps, or too much rain when it’s mid-June maybe. Certainly not super car performance woes. Despite being a distinctly first world problem there is a rather simple solution, however. You make a call to a certain Mr König at Koenig Specials and he transforms your already impressive whip into an unhinged psychopath on wheels by strapping not one, but two turbochargers to its 5-litre, flat-12 engine. Madness or genius? We’ll let you decide, but we know which side of that particular fence we’re cheering from, and it rhymes with gastrocnemius. People have been tuning cars and slapping on muscular body kits for decades, both professionally and at home in garages and workshops around the world but nobody was really tweaking super cars and exotics back in the ’70s. It was believed that these bastions of brake horsepower were untouchable, already at the peak of performance, so there wasn’t any point in further fettling. That was until Willy König decided that his very own, brand new 1974 Ferrari 365 BB was a little, how shall we say, underwhelming. Sure, OK Willy, whatever you say. If any one of us were to jump into a factory fresh 365 BB in period that certainly wouldn’t be our first thought. Or one hundred and first for that matter. But König was used to speed having raced various cars since ’61, beginning with a Cooper acquired from F1 driver Wolfgang Graf Berghe von Trips. Over the ensuing decades, König would continue to race in many high profile races, and indeed cars, including the Ford GT40 and BMW M1 Procar series, to name just two examples and it was this knowledge and experience of racing, as well as the intimate relationships forged with professional racing teams, engineers and designers that provided the necessary know how when it came to tuning. Beginning as a hobby with the aforementioned 365 this love of tuning would flourish into a full blown company in ’77 with the founding of Koenig Specials. König had gone from fitting crude modifications to a bona fide tuning house and it wasn’t long before others came knocking wanting similar tweaks to their cars, including numerous celebrity endorsements, and the company would branch out to include the likes of Mercedes, Porsche and BMW, among others. Opinion was divided, however. Some thought what Koenig Specials (we’ll be using the official company name from here on out) was doing was sacrilegious, akin to painting sunglasses on the Mona Lisa or adding a pair of boxers to Michelangelo’s David and Enzo Ferrari famously had them legally remove all prancing horse badges from its cars once modified stating that they were no longer Ferraris. However you feel about things though you can’t deny it was a bold move by a company that produced some bold cars, including this particular 1978 Ferrari 512 BB, available from our good friends at the Classic Motor Hub in the heart of the Cotswolds. Martin Chisholm and the amazing team there have built up a reputation for excellence and have been selling the cream of the classic crop for years so it comes as no surprise that a car like this should be up for grabs. A period twin-turbo conversion by Koenig Specials this Ferrari 512 BB represents the height of what Willy and engine-builder Franz Albert were offering at the time. Three performance levels were available for the 512 BB, ranging from ‘subtle’ mods that increased power to around 370bhp and a 450bhp option with Mahle pistons and modified cylinder heads, through to the full fat experience that added twin turbos, Mahle pistons, a racing exhaust, and fuel injection in place of the original carburettors that boosted power to well over 600bhp. And that’s exactly the treatment applied to this car, which means a top speed of 206mph and 0-60mph in 3.9 seconds! Not only that but Vittorio Strosek produced a fibreglass body kit to beef up the car’s looks. From flared wheel arches and side air intakes to front and rear spoilers it’s an imposing beast, not to mention rare, with there being only around 50 examples thought to have been produced with few of those being top spec versions such as this. Converted to Koenig specification in 1982 this incredibly low mileage 512 BB has recently undergone reconditioning work at Modena Engineering and is in superb condition throughout. Koenig Specials as a company may now be a shadow of its former self but the cars that it breathed on will forever be a wonderfully exciting glimpse into the world of tuning and what’s possible to achieve should you have the will, no matter the muse or canvas.

2005 Ferrari 612 Scaglietti: When it was launched in 2004, the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti continued Maranello’s long tradition of great front-engined GT cars. Designed by Pininfarina and intended as a replacement for the ageing 456, it was named to honour Sergio Scaglietti, whose eponymous company designed and built a number of legendary sports and racing Ferraris during the 1950s and ’60s. With its 5748cc V12 engine producing 540bhp, the 199mph 612 Scaglietti was heralded as the fastest four-seater Ferrari ever made, and the engine was mounted far enough back to give the car impressively nimble and neutral handling. Owners could choose between a six-speed manual gearbox and an ‘automated manual’ paddle-shift system, with the vast majority opting for the latter. This was also the second Prancing Horse – after the 360 Modena – to feature all-aluminium construction, and there was more room inside than had been the case in the 456, particularly in the rear.  The double-wishbone suspension was matched with clever electronics such as integrated stability and traction-control systems, plus continuously variable damping, and road-testers were immediately impressed by the 612’s user-friendly nature. Peter Robinson wrote in Autocar that: ‘No Ferrari has ever been this easy-going or this comfortable… It feels soft, pliable, soothing – yet at the same time controlled… And fear not, because it’s also quick. Very quick.’ There were various limited-edition models during the 612 Scaglietti’s production run, plus an HGTC package that added just over £15,000 to the £181,225 list price and came with different wheels, tyres and brakes – plus reprogrammed suspension and gearchange.  The 612 Scaglietti lasted until 2011, when – after just over 3000 had been built – the new FF model was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show. First registered on 25 January 2005, this early Ferrari 612 Scaglietti has had only two owners from new and has been fastidiously maintained throughout its life.  The left-hand-drive car was specified with the six-speed automated manual paddle-shift transmission and the refined colour combination of Metallic Grigio Titanium with Cream leather. It was supplied to its first owner, Magda Larsson, wife of Swedish football star Henrick Larsson by Autoropa in Malmo, Sweden. The Ferrari main dealer then serviced the car during her 12-year ownership, and when she sold it to a UK-based friend in 2017 it received a £5000 service that included changing the cambelts.  The second and current owner collected the Ferrari directly from Autoropa and brought it back to the UK, where it’s been maintained by a London-based specialist. It has still covered only 9000 miles from new, has never been used during the winter, and has always been kept in a garage. The service schedule has been rigorously maintained regardless of the number of miles that have been covered – its most recent service was on 14 July 2022, when the cambelts were replaced again.

1950 Ford F1 Pickup: The Ford F-Series revolutionised the pick-up market in the United States, and the F1 being offered for sale here is a nicely restored, extremely original example of this best-selling model. Built between 1948 and 1952, the first-generation F-Series was offered in a variety of models. The most common was the F1 – a half-ton pick-up – and the range went all the way up to the F7 and F8, which were built as heavy-duty variants such as fire trucks. This particular Ford F1 was built in 1950 and features a column-mounted shift for the three-speed gearbox – it was during that year that Ford switched from a floor-mounted gearlever. It also has the small rear window that would be replaced with a larger version as part of a facelift for 1951, as well as the 100hp, 239ci (3.9-litre) V8 engine. The other option for this generation of F1 was a 95hp, 226ci (3.7-litre) six-cylinder unit. It’s thought that this F1 stayed in the United States from new all the way up until 2002, when it was exported to the UK via Balsinger Motors in Texas. It had been acquired by a London-based company that sold machinery for mining, construction and civil engineering, but it was sold in 2008 to an enthusiast who has owned it ever since. The bodywork and rear deck were stripped and repaired, with the panels remaining all original, and the suspension and braking system were rebuilt. The flathead V8 engine had already been rebuilt at an earlier date. The wiring was renewed and a 12-volt conversion carried out, while the correct wheels were sourced – and painted in body colour, as per the original finish – and new tyres fitted. A photographic record of the work, as well as the associated invoices, is included in the Ford’s history file. There is also a copy of the Shop Manual for the 1949-50-51 Ford F-Series. With its ‘step-side’ bodywork, painted-metal interior with simple bench seat, and torquey V8 engine, this Ford F1 is perfectly evocative of rural America in those early post-war years, and it’s easy to see why this era of pick-up truck has acquired such a strong following in recent years.

1972 Iso Grifo Series 2:  When it was introduced in 1965, the Iso Grifo featured input from some of the most famous names in motoring. The stylish bodywork was penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro at Bertone, while the engineering side of things was entrusted to Giotto Bizzarrini – the man who had done much of the work developing the 250 GTO while he was at Ferrari. The basic recipe was to blend Italian styling and engineering with a small-block Chevrolet V8 engine. This robust powerplant was offered in two states of tune, the hottest of which produced 365bhp – enough to make the Grifo a rival to the refined GTs being produced by Ferrari and Maserati. That was an impressive boast for a company that had started out in the 1950s making motorcycle-engined microcars. The Series 2 model followed in 1970 and featured subtly revised styling, the most obvious change being to the front end, where the headlights were hidden under neat covers. The most extreme Grifo variants gained Chevrolet’s 7-litre or 7.4-litre engines, which boosted power to well over 400bhp. In 1972, late in the model’s production life, the IR-8 model was introduced with Ford V8 engines. When Car and Driver tested an early Grifo, it recorded a 0-60mph time of seven seconds. ‘As a comfortable Grand Touring machine,’ it stated, ‘the Iso is an unqualified success.’ British magazine Autocar reached a maximum speed of 161mph, making the Grifo the fastest car it had tested to that point. Only 413 Grifos of all types were built before Iso car production came to an end in December 1974, and of those only 31 were exported new to the UK. To call the restoration of this 1972 Iso Grifo a labour of love would be an understatement. It was rebuilt with a passionate attention to detail and it’s no surprise that it subsequently won its class at one of the most prestigious European concours of all. The last of only five right-hand-drive Series 2 Grifos that were fitted with the small-block 5.7-litre Chevrolet V8 engine, it came equipped with power-steering and air-conditioning. The first owner listed in the UK logbook is Robert Jull, who told the current owner that he found the Grifo too powerful for him, so he sold it to a London nightclub owner. It was later acquired by Rupert Beckwith-Smith and then DE Murray – owner of Rangers football club.  After passing through two more owners, the car was bought at auction by an enthusiast who had been hooked on Grifos since the age of 10, when he saw a Series 2 in The Observer’s Book of Automobiles. The car was in his ideal specification but he decided to remove the engine so that he could tidy up the engine bay. That small act turned into a 19-year full restoration… After not being happy with an early respray in dark blue, he delved a little deeper into the bodywork before deciding to hand it over to a restoration specialist. The first step was to chemically dip the bare shell so that it could be properly assessed. Of the body panels, only the bonnet, roof and boot lid were retained – everything else was replaced. Along the way, some clever improvements were made. The front inner wings can be unbolted to allow access to the bulkhead and headlight area, drain tubes run from the grilles in front of the rear window to the wheelarch to allow water to escape, and the front chassis rails were moved slightly outwards to enable the exhaust to pass inside them.  While Iso used to simply cut out a box section to fit the wider TH400 automatic transmission, on this car a new box section was fabricated in order to be safer and stronger than the factory method. The work to the chassis and body took six and a half years and four times the original budget, and in the meantime the owner was sourcing parts from around the world. Reassembling the car then took a further three and a half years. The installation of the engine-bay ancillaries was improved with a 170-amp alternator, modern air-conditioning, a new power-steering pump that did away with the separate reservoir on the wing, and a new high-flow water pump. The engine, radiator, gearbox, differential, brakes and suspension were all rebuilt, Dynamat insulation was used throughout and a completely new wiring loom fitted. The magnesium wheels were stripped and X-rayed before being ‘chromated’ to seal them and then hand-finished.  Everywhere you look, there’s impressive attention to detail. A new, tidier fusebox was hidden inside the glovebox, but to retain the original look a stainless-steel replica fusebox was mounted in the correct place in the engine bay. The sound system has also been uprated with an amplifier under one seat and a subwoofer under the other. Having originally been red, the Grifo was resprayed in a different shade of the same colour while Fred Moss owned it. It was then briefly blue during the restoration process, before the owner settled on the very attractive ‘Varedo Bronze’ – a colour that perfectly shows off the Grifo’s elegant, muscular lines. The interior, meanwhile, was retrimmed in Camel Birch and features a special touch. In 2013, the owner went to Italy for an Iso event and asked marque owner Piero Rivolta and engineer Giotto Bizzarrini to sign two pieces of leather. These were then mounted on panels behind the seats, beneath plastic covers and away from damaging sunlight.  The restoration was finished in 2019, just in time for the Grifo to be shown at the prestigious Chantilly Arts et Elegance event near Paris. All the hard work paid off when it won its class, which was judged by Andrea Zagato – the son-in-law of Piero Rivolta. The owner later drove the car across Europe to the old factory in Varedo, near Milan; it was apparently the first Iso to go into the factory since it had closed its doors in 1974. The Grifo was also displayed at the Italian National Automobile Museum in Turin, as part of an Iso commemorative exhibition. Now being offered for sale for the first time in more than 20 years at The Classic Motor Hub, this cherished Iso Grifo remains in immaculate concours-ready condition. There are two history files full of research, invoices and receipts, plus numerous photographs. Already a rare car, it boasts some well-considered personal touches that make it a unique example of this extremely attractive Italian-American grand tourer.

1954 Jaguar XK120 drophead coupe: The Jaguar XK 120 was the sensation of the 1948 Earls Court Motor Show. The lithe sports car was initially intended as a low-volume showcase for Jaguar’s brand-new, 3.4-litre, straight-six engine – descendants of which would survive into the 1990s – but it was soon being put into production. Demand far exceeded the expectations of Jaguar boss William Lyons, and the XK 120’s blend of beauty and performance – it was the world’s fastest production car when it was launched – made it an international sales success at a time when exports were vital to British companies. Three body styles were produced before the XK 120 was replaced in 1954 by the XK 140. First came the Open Two-Seater (also known as the Roadster), which was followed in 1951 by the fixed-head coupé, and in 1953 by the drophead coupé. At first, the bodywork was constructed from aluminium, but in early 1950 Jaguar instead began to use steel for most sections. Although the standard XK 120 produced 160bhp, the SE model upped that to 180bhp. Fitting a C-type head plus larger 2in SU carburettors boosted it even further to 210bhp, and it’s little wonder that XK 120s proved to be so successful in competition. At the 1950 Le Mans 24 Hours, the car of Leslie Johnson and Bert Hadley was a late retirement from third position, but their performance helped inspire Jaguar to return in 1951 as a works team with the C-type. This time they won outright, the first of five Jaguar victories at La Sarthe during the 1950s. There was rally success, too – most famously courtesy of Ian Appleyard in ‘NUB 120’ ­­– plus record runs that included averaging 100.31mph for seven days and seven nights at Montlhéry in 1952. Although the XK series lived on until the XK 150 was replaced by the E-type in 1961, for many enthusiasts the original XK 120 was the purest example of the breed, and it’s little wonder that, seven decades later, it remains such a coveted sports car.Toulon-born singer Gilbert Bécaud would have cut quite a dash in 1950s France at the wheel of his newly acquired Jaguar XK 120 drophead coupé. Having been part of the Resistance during World War Two, Bécaud became a songwriter in 1948 and started singing himself a few years later following encouragement from Edith Piaf. He was still in his 20s when he bought this XK 120 – which is now being offered for sale at the Classic Motor Hub – and it would have been the perfect choice for the stylish young performer. Chassis number 678351 was dispatched from the Browns Lane factory in Coventry on 27 May 1954, and sold new to Bécaud via Parisian distributor Charles Delecroix. It was delivered in Pastel Blue with a blue interior, and the accompanying Heritage Certificate states that it was fitted with engine number F3194-8, body number P2616 and gearbox number JL23094. As the 1950s progressed, Bécaud began acting and an English version of his song Je t’appartiens became a hit for the Everly Brothers. It would later be covered by the likes of Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley and Nina Simone, while another song of his, Et Maintenant, was recorded under the title What Now My Love by Shirley Bassey, Judy Garland and Frank Sinatra. The XK 120 was first registered in the UK in 1989. It was imported after being acquired by Trevor Scott-Worthington, who was ‘Total Quality Manager’ for Jaguar at the time, and kept the car for 19 years. Mr. Scott-Worthington had also set up Jaguar spares specialist Coventry Auto Components in 1969. Although the car was still attractive and driving well by 2016, the then- owner decided to commission a full restoration. The work was carried out by Clanfield Coachbuilding in Oxfordshire. The bodywork was stripped to bare metal and any repair sections were finished with traditional lead-loading – as would have been done at the factory. A full engine rebuild was carried out and a new clutch assembly fitted, while a specialist ash framer replaced any woodwork that was showing signs of deterioration. Inside, the seats were in good condition and had acquired a nice patina, so the decision was taken to leave them as they were. The rest of the interior was retrimmed, including new carpets and door cards, and the rare ivory steering wheel was retained as a nice touch of European chic from the car’s time in France. The restoration process took five years, and a full photographic record is part of the history file. Coopercraft front disc brakes and a five-speed gearbox are both popular modifications that make the XK 120 a much more useable proposition in modern conditions, and this drophead coupé is now ready to be enjoyed by its next owner.

1954 Jaguar XK140: Introduced in 1954 as the replacement for the XK 120, the Jaguar XK 140 retained the outline of its famous predecessor while adding various refinements and updates. It holds a coveted place in the affections of marque cognoscenti, with many arguing that it’s the best of all the XKs thanks to its blend of 120 style and 150 practicality. Among the external changes was a revised radiator grille with fewer vertical slats, plus more substantial bumpers. The engine was moved forwards and the interior was redesigned in order to give occupants a little extra room, but the two-piece windscreen remained. Mechanical revisions included telescopic dampers in place of lever-arm units, plus rack-and-pinion steering instead of the old recirculating ball set-up. Beneath the bonnet was the same 3.4-litre engine found in the XK 120, but in a heightened state of tune. The standard XK 140 produced 190bhp, while the SE model gained a cylinder head to C-type specification and was good for 210bhp. The latter was designated XK 140 MC in North America, and it was to this vital market that most XK 140s were exported. When Karl Ludvigsen tested an XK 140 in the US for Sports Car Illustrated, he concluded: ‘This latest revision of a time-tested machine is notably improved in the handling and braking departments, and this, together with its smooth and surging power, make it a delight to drive at high speeds over long distances on fast, winding roads.’ The same three body styles were offered as on the XK 120 – Roadster, Drophead Coupé and Fixed-Head Coupé – with production being split roughly equally between them. In total, 8937 XK 140s were built before it was replaced by the XK 150 in 1957. This Jaguar XK 140 Roadster has just emerged from a painstaking restoration and is beautifully presented in its original colour combination of Birch Grey with red interior. Chassis number 800003 was completed on 26 November 1954 and was the third right-hand-drive XK 140 Roadster to be built. This variant was by far the most rare of all the XK 140s, with only 73 being built between 1954 and 1956. In contrast, 480 Drophead Coupés and 839 Fixed-Head Coupés left the Browns Lane factory in right-hand-drive configuration. The XK 140 was dispatched on 15 December 1954 and supplied via Henlys London to the Halls dealership in Finchley, on the northern outskirts of the capital. The car’s original registration number of 505 EHX – which it still wears almost 70 years later – was issued in Middlesex. Little is known of the XK 140’s early history, but it was acquired by the current owner in 1969. He then stored it for several decades until it was in need of a total restoration. This has been carried out over the past three years, with the Jaguar being returned to its former glory. The bodywork was entrusted to Lee Thompson at ML Classics Ltd in Warwickshire and the car was then taken to T&T, which is based near Nuneaton, so that it could be resprayed in Birch Grey. Hamptons Coach Trimming took care of the interior, which is superbly finished in red, and Classic Engineering Works did the engine machining work that was required. Photographs show that, at some point before the XK 140 had gone into storage, it had been fitted with a triple-carburettor set-up, but it is now running on the correct twin SUs. Now at The Classic Motor Hub and offered for sale for the first time in more than 50 years, this Jaguar XK 140 Roadster is a very rare and extremely early right-hand-drive example.

1961 Jaguar E Type FHC “Flat Floor Model”: Few cars have had the impact of the Jaguar E-type when it was launched at the 1961 Geneva Motor Show. Early road tests produced a headline top speed of 150mph, Malcolm Sayer had designed a shape of timeless beauty, and all of this was on offer for a fraction of the price asked by rivals such as Aston Martin and Ferrari. Little wonder the E-type became such a strong symbol of the Swinging Sixties. The car owed much to the famous Le Mans-winning D-type of the 1950s. Aerodynamicist Sayer had previously worked at the Bristol Aeroplane Company and for the D-type he devised a central monocoque structure – referred to as the ‘fuselage’ by some of Jaguar’s top brass during development – to which was added a front subframe for the engine. That layout was retained for the E-type, which replaced the D-type’s live rear axle with independent suspension all round. It was introduced with the 3.8-litre, triple-carburettor, straight-six engine from the outgoing XK 150 S and its performance was mind-boggling at a time when even 100mph was well beyond the experience of most motorists. Bill Boddy wrote in Motor Sport that: ‘The E-type is a staggering motor car on all counts; safety, acceleration, speed, equipment, appearance – all are there, for a basic price of only £1,480.’ Production of the roadster and FHC slowly ramped up through 1961, with early cars also scoring some notable competition success. Updates came thick and fast as Jaguar struggled to keep up with demand. In 1962, the ‘flat floors’ were replaced in order to provide more room in the foot well, and in late 1964 the engine was enlarged to 4.2 litres. At the same time, a Jaguar gearbox with synchromesh on all four speeds replaced the previous Moss gearbox. In 1966, a 2+2 model was added to the range, and the Series 1 lived on until 1968, when it morphed into the facelifted Series 2. A more fundamental change came in 1971 with the addition of a V12 engine for the Series III, and the E-type lived on until 1975 before it was replaced by the XJ-S. This beautifully restored Jaguar E-type Series 1 FHC dates from 1961, the first year of production. Chassis number 860120 was completed at the Browns Lane factory in Coventry on 18 December that year and is one of the coveted ‘flat floor’ models. It was finished in Imperial Maroon with Maroon trim and dispatched via Henlys London on 10 January 1962. It’s believed that it was then sold to a wealthy farmer – Albie Malan – in Ladybrand, South Africa. Malan was apparently a great enthusiast who owned a number of expensive cars and would regularly cover the 140 kilometres between Ladybrand and Bloemfontein at high speed. The E-type is then thought to have been acquired in the 1980s by the owner of Dorian Hats in Johannesburg, where it was used only infrequently. In 1988, it was bought by John Lawrence in Auckland and shipped out to New Zealand. Having been registered BJQ 260, the E-type remained in New Zealand for more than 25 years. Records from its annual Warrant of Fitness Inspection show that it was used sparingly from 2003 onwards, and covered a little over 2000 miles from then until it was sold to a new owner and exported to the UK in 2015. When it arrived, the Jaguar was entrusted to Lincoln-based Richards of England and given a thorough restoration. It was completely stripped down and the shell was fitted to a jig before being bead-blasted to take it back to bare metal. It then received in the region of 500 hours of work in the Richards of England fabrication department, with the intention of retaining as many original panels as possible. It was resprayed in its original shade of Imperial Maroon and displayed mid-restoration at the London Classic Car Show. The engine was rebuilt by M&C Wilkinson, the gearbox and differential were also rebuilt, and all of the brightwork was rechromed. Inside, Maroon Connolly Vaumol hide was used on the seats and centre console, while wool carpets and a wool headlining was fitted. The original alloy dash and wood-rimmed steering wheel were retained, and Richards of England even considered details such as using the correct ‘mid blue’ colour on the Girling dampers and creating an aluminium replica of the early ‘side fin’ radiator, which has been painted black. Now being offered for sale, this Jaguar E-type Flat Floor was the 120th right-hand-drive Fixed-Head Coupé in terms of chassis-number sequence and represents a rare opportunity to acquire a matching-numbers ‘flat floor’ car. It is still fitted with engine number R3270-9, body number V1453 and gearbox number EB2428JS – all of which are listed on its Heritage Certificate – and is a superb example of this iconic model.

1964 Jaguar E Type Semi-Light Weight: The early 1960s were a golden period for GT racing, with the Ferrari 250 GT Short Wheelbase and GTO going up against the Shelby Cobra, Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato and Jaguar Lightweight E-type. They were raced by skilled privateers and established aces alike, and between 1962 and 1965 they did battle in the International Championship for GT Manufacturers – the World Sports Car Championship in all but name. The Jaguar E-type was first raced at Oulton Park in April 1961, with Graham Hill taking his Tommy Sopwith-entered car to victory. The new British challenger offered stern competition to its rivals, which was little wonder considering that the E-type was the ultimate development of a bloodline that started with the XK 120 and continued via the Le Mans-winning D-type. It used a monocoque centre section with a subframe carrying the engine and front suspension. At the rear, independent suspension was fitted at a time when many of Jaguar’s rivals still employed a traditional live axle, and disc brakes were used all round. Beneath the long bonnet was a triple-carburettor, 265bhp, 3.8-litre straight-six engine. Through that first season, the E-type won races in the hands of top drivers such as Hill, Roy Salvadori and Michael Parkes, while Ferrari responded to the threat by developing the fabled GTO for 1962. In turn, Jaguar fought back with a short run of 12 Lightweight E-types for the following season. These featured an aluminium monocoque and an engine with an aluminium block rather than the standard cast iron, while developments included fuel injection and, later, a ZF five-speed gearbox. During 1963 in particular, a Lightweight E-type was more than a match for a Ferrari GTO in British circuit racing – particularly the famous John Coombs car, which was regularly raced by Graham Hill. In 1964, it was also raced by a young Scotsman who was beginning to make a name for himself – Jackie Stewart. Although it was always first and foremost a road car, the Jaguar E-type had a stellar period competition career and has gone on to be mainstay of the historic-racing scene. Supplied new to North America as a standard Roadster, this Jaguar E-type has been converted into a competition car of the highest standard and evokes the look and specification of the legendary Lightweight models that were built by the factory in the 1960s. Race-prepared by renowned Market Drayton-based specialist Valley Motorsport, for Jon Minshaw, the E-type features a highly tuned all-alloy engine that is suitable for events such as Peter Auto’s Sixties Endurance series. The 3.8-litre straight-six is running on triple Weber 48 DCO3 carburettors, plus a six-branch exhaust manifold that runs into a side-exit pipe. A cast-iron engine that would be suitable for road-based events is also available, and both engines are covered by current HTP papers. The gearbox is the correct 1964-spec Jaguar four-speed manual, driving through a Salisbury Powr-Lok limited-slip diff. The fire-extinguisher system, seat, harness and fuel cell are all still ‘in date’, while the specification includes a heated windscreen and a high-amp alternator that is ideally suited to endurance racing. This E-type was developed with the Spa Six Hours very much in mind and extra ‘pod-style’ front lights are available. The suspension, wheel bearings and braking system have all recently been rebuilt. The front suspension is fully adjustable in terms of dampers, geometry and ride height, while anti-roll bars are fitted front and rear. The car is running on Avon tyres – 225/60 at the front and 245/60 at the rear. Having been built into competition specification, this Jaguar has been raced all over Europe by some of the best-known names on the historic scene. E-type maestro Jon Minshaw raced it in the Graham Hill Trophy at Goodwood’s 74th Members’ Meeting, and later in 2016 he shared it with long-time co-driver Phil Keen in the Gentlemen Drivers race at the Zolder Masters Festival. After being acquired by enthusiast Martin Halusa, the E-type continued to feature at the sharp end in events such as the Espiritu de Montjuic at Barcelona, the Silverstone Classic and the Spa Six Hours. During this time the specialist team at High Tech Motorsport in Kidderminster have prepared the car to the highest level, irrespective of cost to ensure reliability and competitiveness. Now being offered for sale with current HTP papers until 2026, this Jaguar E-type Semi-Lightweight has been prepared to exacting standards and is eligible for the greatest events in historic motorsport, from all of those listed above to the Le Mans Classic, Jaguar Classic Challenge and Modena Cento Ore.

Jaguar E Type

1932 Lagonda 2 Litre Low Chassis

1951 Land Rover Series 1: Few cars can claim to be genuinely revolutionary, but the Land-Rover is most definitely one of them. In the aftermath of World War Two, Rover’s chief designer Maurice Wilks – perhaps inspired by using a Jeep on his farm in Anglesey – came up with a vehicle of unmatched ‘go anywhere’ versatility. When it was launched in 1948, the Land-Rover used an 80in wheelbase and a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, which drove through a four-speed gearbox and a two-speed transfer box. Although it featured four-wheel drive, early cars had a freewheel unit that disengaged the front axle from the transmission when coasting. The sturdy box-section chassis was made out of steel, but the body panels were aluminium – a decision originally taken because of post-war steel shortages. One of the keys to the Land-Rover’s appeal was its use of Power Take-Off points that enabled owners to run machinery from it, and it was an immediate success both in crucial exports and at home. The Series 1 was regularly updated during its production run. The 1.6-litre engine was enlarged to 2-litres in 1951, and in subsequent years more wheelbase options were added – all the way up to the late 109in long-wheelbase model. From 1957, there was also the option of a diesel engine. Although the basic outline remained unchanged, there were detail visual changes along the way. From 1951, for example, the headlamps came ‘through’ the grille rather than being set behind it. There were also different body styles – an early Tickford Station Wagon proved to be short-lived, but a factory version was introduced in 1954. Military orders were soon pouring in, and Land-Rovers were even pressed into service for the royal family – both during official events and for private use. A revised Series 2 was launched in 1958 and Land-Rover eventually grew to the point where it became an individual marque in its own right. Production of the ‘Series’ models and the subsequent Defender ran continuously until 2016, by which time just over two million of these remarkable vehicles had been built.  Painstakingly restored by its owner – a mechanical engineer – this Land-Rover Series 1 is a rare UK-market survivor. Built on 3 January 1951, it was given the Gloucestershire registration KDF 672 and sold via Steels Garages in Cheltenham.  The first owner listed in its logbook is Reginald Reed, who lived in Mitcheldean on the western fringes of Gloucestershire. By 1980, it was only a few miles down the road in Lydbrook with new custodian Michael Prior, and between then and 2015 it passed through three more Gloucestershire-based owners.  In May 2015, the Land-Rover was acquired by an enthusiast based in Stratford-upon-Avon. By that time, it had been dismantled and was in need of a complete restoration, but the original 1.6-litre petrol engine was still fitted. Other major components are also thought to be original – the carburettor and wheels are date-stamped to when the car was built, the axles feature the correct batch number, and even the distributor mount and interior gauges are correct for this age of Land-Rover.  Among the very few deviations from standard specification following the restoration is the fact that the seats have been retrimmed in leather – something that was offered in the period Tickford Station Wagon variant. The chassis was galvanised but it was decided that the body panels were beyond repair. New inner and outer wings were sourced, plus door tops and tailgate, but the bonnet was retained – and the old panels have been kept with the car. Even the original bolts were cleaned up and reused where it was safe to do so, and the correct Lucas 700 headlamps were sourced.  The gearbox, front and rear axles, and engine were all rebuilt. The latter received hardened valve seats plus – among other components – new pistons, bearings, camshaft, timing chain, seals and gaskets, valve guides and core plugs.  The result is a superbly presented example of the highly coveted Land-Rover Series 1 80in that is being offered for sale on the open market for the first time since the 1980s having been restored with fastidious attention to detail. There is now a strong following for these iconic vehicles, and with most right-hand-drive survivors being cars that were exported new to Australia, this represents a very rare opportunity to buy an early UK-market Series 1.

1967 Lotus Elan 26R ex Bob Hayhurst: When it was launched in 1962, the Elan was crucial for Lotus. The outgoing Elite had been a critical success but a financial failure, and it could ill-afford to repeat that experience. The lightweight ethos championed by founder Colin Chapman would be retained, but whereas the Elite used a glassfibre monocoque, the Elan featured a steel backbone chassis. Onto this was mounted a GRP body, while beneath the bonnet there was a Ford-based Twin Cam engine that was originally 1498cc, but which would be enlarged to 1558cc during 1963. There was independent suspension all round, disc brakes, and rack-and-pinion steering, and when Autocar tested an early Elan it commented on the car’s ‘almost uncanny cornering power’. The Elan remained in production until 1973, developments along the way including the 115bhp SE model, the 126bhp Sprint, the addition of a fixed-head coupé, and a Plus 2 model that featured a larger body and rear seats. During the model’s production run, Lotus enjoyed huge success in Formula 1, and it was one of its former works drivers – Mike Spence – who was instrumental in the creation of the Elan BRM. In 1967, Spence had joined BRM, which already had close links with Lotus thanks to building competition-spec engines for its cars. Spence and BRM engineer Tony Rudd came up with a plan to buy Elans in kit form, with the body in primer. An upgraded engine would be fitted in place of the standard unit, which offered 115bhp in Series 3 SE form. With modifications including a gas-flowed cylinder head, bigger inlet valves, an increased compression ratio, different camshafts, revised Weber carburettors and a four-branch exhaust manifold, the BRM engine produced 130bhp, with the option of 140bhp if even hotter cams were specified. These special Elans were then finished in BRM’s dark green livery with orange bumpers and sold through Spence’s Lotus dealerships. Sadly, the project ended when he was killed during practice for the 1968 Indianapolis 500, but the Elan BRM had received rave reviews. When Paddy McNally tested one for Autosport, he recorded 0-60mph in 6.8 seconds and said that ‘the effect of 130bhp changes the whole nature of the car … when the extra horsepower is added, so is a great deal of excitement’. In 1967, Lotus main dealer Mike Spence Ltd. created the Elan BRM special edition which most notably offered a tuned engine and unique colour scheme. At the time, Mike Spence was in his second season as a works BRM F1 driver having spent three years with Team Lotus earlier in the decade. Accordingly, Spence was uniquely positioned to make his concept for a Lotus-BRM crossover a reality. BRM had of course already supplied tuned engines for several Lotus competition cars to include the Elan 26R and 47, Following the death of Jim Clark at Hockenheim in April 1968, Spence re-joined Lotus for that year’s Indianapolis 500. However, he was fatally injured during practice when his four-wheel drive, gas turbine-powered Lotus 56 hit the wall and one of the car’s front wheels struck Spence’s head. As a consequence of the tragedy at Indianapolis, the Elan BRM project was quickly abandoned. Although over 20 engines had been completed, only around ten to twelve cars were actually completed. Presented in the trademark BRM colour scheme of Dark Green with Blaze Orange bumpers, this particular example was frequently hillclimbed by its first owner, Bob Hayhurst, who retained it until 1987. Today, this super little Elan has undergone a complete restoration to include installation of a new Lotus backbone chassis. Importantly, the original chassis is offered as part of the package. Even in standard form, the Lotus Elan is renowned as being a high-water mark in sports car history, but this particular example is even more special thanks to its status as one of the ultra-rare Elan BRM models. It’s thought that only about 10 of these were sold in period, and this is car number 006. It was delivered in kit form to its first owner – RJ Hayhurst – in August 1967 and registered 11 TE. Bob Hayhurst was a keen racer and used the Elan BRM in numerous events around the north of England, including the Baitings Dam hillclimb. He kept the Lotus until 1987, when he sold it to his nephew, Mike Gregson, who re-registered it KBV 787F. With Gregson being based overseas, the car spent a long time in storage during his ownership, and when it was acquired by a new owner in 2010, they decided to embark on a full restoration. The rebuild was carried out by Lotus specialists Ken and Neil Myers, with the remit being to retain as much of the car’s impressive originality as possible. The respray was done by Alan Rigarisford, who was in charge of the Mike Spence Ltd paint shop in 1967 and would have painted the Elan when it was new! Such was the painstaking nature of the work that the colour was matched against a can of the original Dockers paint, and checked against an ex-Mike Spence BRM Formula 1 car. The restoration is fully documented in a photo book that accompanies the Elan BRM. It notes that the car features the standard gearbox rather than the optional close-ratio unit, but that it has the optional 3.55 differential. It also states that, when corrosion was discovered on the steel backbone chassis, the decision was taken to replace it with an original Lotus-built chassis that was supplied by Tony Hills of Kelvedon Lotus. Once restored, the Elan BRM was displayed at the famous Donington Collection between August 2011 and the museum’s closure in 2018, with the car’s owner regularly visiting in order to drive the car and stay on top of its maintenance. More recent work has included the fitment of a New Old Stock steering rack, new driveshaft couplings, and a suspension overhaul that was carried out by Neil Myers. This Lotus Elan BRM is now being offered for sale with an exceptional history file that includes the book of service vouchers, the owner’s handbook, and period documents from Mike Spence Ltd that include specification options and price lists. Not only does it look highly evocative in BRM colours, it also drives superbly – fully justifying the Elan’s reputation for peerless handling and sounding great thanks to the throaty bark from its Twin Cam engine.

1947 Maserati A6GS Monofaro: The Maserati A6GCS is the last true Maserati. In 1947 the Maserati brothers Ernesto, Bindo and Ettore, now released from their contract with the Orsi family packed up their tools and left to form OSCA with their sights set on building lightweight, fast racing cars. Before they left however, they had time for one last masterpiece, the Maserati A6GCS Series I. Designed in conjunction with lead technical engineer Alberto Massimo, the car was officially called the 2000 Sport after the powerful 1978cc straight-6 under the bonnet. Styled by Medando Fantuzzi, the Monofaro or single headlight was initially designed to have a coupé body but the Maserati brothers, forever focussed on weight saving instructed Fantuzzi to design a lighter “Siluro” or torpedo body featuring cycle-wing fenders to protect the open wheels during racing. The Maserati brothers, perhaps aware this was the last car they would design for the company that bore their name, paid particular attention to the development of the Monofaro. The car was a mechanical masterpiece featuring double wishbone suspension across a low-slung tubular frame chassis with the engine mounted to a 4-speed gearbox. The resulting car was a force to be reckoned with, taking the fight to the more powerful Ferraris also racing at the time. The Monofaro raced predominantly in Formula 2 races where the greats such as Alberto Ascari, Stirling Moss and Tazio Nuvolari battled week in, week out at race meetings all over Europe. The first Monofaro made its debut in 1947 at a Modena sports car race where Ascari and Luigi Villoresi came first and second. In 1948 Maserati Monofaro chassis number 2007 left the Modena factory gates and began its racing career as a works factory car. The car competed on behalf of the Maserati team in European races before being renumbered by the factory in 1949 to chassis 2010 as was a fairly regular occurrence in period. However, by this time the factory had begun development of the A6GCS Series 2 and so sold the car to an Italian businessman named Giuseppe Vianini. Before WWII Giuseppe Vianini had established a successful business in Argentina as a motorcycle dealer and through his business became involved with AC Argentina Equipe who sponsored promising Argentinian racing drivers to come to Europe. One such driver they sponsored was Juan Manuel Fangio who had proven himself on dirt and gravel long-distance races across South America. These races were far removed from the Grand Prix races held in Europe which were considered the pinnacle of competition racing and so in 1947 Fangio moved to Europe to continue his racing career. Having seen Fangio race in South America Guiseppe Vianini was eager to get the young Argentinian into his Monofaro and began leveraging his contacts with AC Equipe Europe to get Fangio into his Monofaro. For the 1949 Rome Formula 2 race Fangio lined up in chassis 2010 against the dominant Ferrari 166Cs. In reality the Ferraris were always going to win with double the cylinder count but the Maseratis of Fangio and Benedicto Campos provided the only credible opposition. For the 1952 season Vianini, eager to get involved with the South American Maserati dealer network imported the A6GCS to Argentina where he sold the car to Carlos Lostaló. Lostaló continued to race chassis 2010 in the local races around Buenos Aires. At some point in the early ‘50s Lostaló removed the engine and gearbox from “2010” and fitted a Ford V8 engine and continued to race the car throughout the 1950s. The original engine and gearbox went into storage. The car we offer here is a hand-crafted Maserati A6GCS Monofaro featuring a Siluro body fitted with the original engine and gearbox from chassis 2010, the car driven by 5-time Formula One World champion Juan Manuel Fangio. The engine and gearbox lay in storage for a considerable length of time before being acquired by the car’s current owner who himself stored the drivetrain until recently deciding to commission a replica chassis and body around the original engine.

MG TC

1949 MG TC Gammon Racer: The early post-war years were when the foundations were laid for the present-day British motor industry. Budding constructors such as Colin Chapman, John Cooper and Eric Broadley cut their teeth as racing got under way again, often making use of the plentiful disused airfields that were suddenly available. It was also an incredibly fertile period for specials-builders, and one of the most successful of that era was Peter Gammon with his MG-based racer. Originally built in 1949 as a very late-production MG TC and registered LBP 150, his car was raced at Goodwood the following year in standard specification by its first owner, an RE Molyneux. It was then bought by Gammon from its second owner, Michael Orr, and underwent a significant transformation during 1951. Gammon fitted a lightweight aluminium body with cycle wings, and a 1497cc engine was installed. The car was looked after by Surrey-based Barwell Engineering and the engine was prepared there by John Lucas, who had previously worked for Weslake. The four-cylinder unit ran on twin SU carburettors, and featured a high-lift camshaft and a gas-flowed cylinder head with oversize valves. Bernie Rodger was Barwells mechanic and chassis specialist, and he later went on to design the chassis for the Peerless car. The frame on the Gammon Special was strengthened and adjustable rear dampers were used they were controlled via a knob on the dashboard. Gammon went on to achieve a huge amount of success with the car. Among countless podium finishes were three wins at Silverstone in 1952, plus one at Thruxton. The following year, he won at Silverstone, Goodwood and Snetterton, and claimed the Motor Sport Silverstone Trophy as well as the Egerton Challenge Trophy. He also won that years Performance Cars 1500cc Trophy, and in third place in the standings was Colin Chapman. So impressed was the Lotus founder that he invited Gammon to race one of his Mk6 cars. Gammon transferred the tuned MG engine into his Mk6 and raced it through 1954. In September of that year, he advertised both the Lotus-MG (£850) and the Gammon Special (£450) for sale in Autosport. The latter was bought by Jimmy Blumer, who would go on to race in the 1964 Le Mans 24 Hours in a works Sunbeam Tiger. He raced the Gammon Special in 1955 but his results are unknown, apart from winning a sprint at Sherburn in May. Blumer then sold the car to Arthur Grayson, who was based in Redcar in north-east England, and from Grayson it passed in the summer of 1957 to John Swift. In a 1976 letter, Swift recalled that he raced and hillclimbed it at venues such as Barbon, Catterick, Croft, Charterhall and Silverstone. “I had an enormous amount of fun with the car,” he wrote, “which I raced on the proverbial shoestring”. He explained that “it would pull 6100rpm, which is about 102mph on the Club Circuit at Silverstone” before he had to brake for Woodcote corner. It would apparently out-accelerate Healey Silverstones, AC-engined Aces and Triumph TR2s, and while he recalled it being less competitive against the new Lotus Eleven, it was a source of delight to lap XK120s and MGAs! Swift paid £295 for the Gammon Special and sold it for £375 to someone that he remembered only as Lambert. By then, he had modified the bodywork to include a then-fashionable Connaught-type egg-crate grille and repainted the car British Racing Green. Subsequent owners included Dick Deasey, Brian Chapman, Ted Walker (of Ferret Fotographic fame) and Ken Dalziel, before it was bought in 1975 by MG enthusiast Dave Saunders. He later said that it was in “a rather sorry state” and the car was put away for 20 years until Saunders embarked on a full restoration in the late 1990s. It was while he was researching the car and looking for photographs to use as reference material that he approached Ted Walker to ask if he had any period images of it, only to discover that Walker himself had owned it in the early 1970s. Saunders meticulously rebuilt the car to Gammon-era specification in time for it to take part in the 1999 Goodwood Revival. He then raced it extensively in historic meetings around Europe, from Silverstone, Oulton Park and Donington Park to the Nürburgring, Dijon and Assen. Now being offered for sale by The Classic Motor Hub for the first time in almost 50 years, the Gammon Special is one of the fastest and best-known post-war MG-based specials. It comes with a wealth of period photographs and later correspondence documenting its fascinating history, and perfectly evokes a halcyon period in British motor racing.

1965 MG Midget: From 1962 until 1965, the World Sports Car Championship was contested by GT cars rather than sports-racers, and throughout that period the Division I category for the smallest-engined cars was dominated by Abarth. Among those taking the fight to the Italian squad was the BMC Competitions Department, which entered the 1965 championship with its MG Midget. Now being offered for sale for the first time in 20 years, 6 GRX represents a very rare opportunity to acquire an MG Midget that was built and raced by the works BMC Competitions Department during that halcyon period in the 1960s.

1960 Morris Mini Minor: Very early examples of the ground-breaking Mini are particularly sought after, and few survivors will be as original as this exceptional 1960 Morris Mini-Minor. When it was launched in 1959, the Mini revolutionised the small-car market in the same way that the Austin Seven had done more than 30 years earlier. Perhaps it was little wonder that the car was initially sold under the Austin Seven name, as well as the Morris Mini-Minor, before becoming known as simply the Mini. Conceived as a way of offering an economical and practical small car in the aftermath of the Suez Crisis and subsequent petrol rationing, the Mini’s genius lay in its packaging. Designed by a team led by Alec Issigonis, it was only 10ft long but featured room inside for four people, thanks to the fact that the four-cylinder engine was mounted transversely and drove the front wheels – a simple but hugely effective layout that would set the template for all small cars. In the Mini, the four-speed gearbox was in the sump and shared the engine’s oil supply, and there was even innovation to be found in the suspension system. Alex Moulton came up with a design that used compact rubber cones instead of conventional springs, and although it was replaced by a fluid-based Hydrolastic system in 1964, the ‘dry’ rubber cones were fitted again from 1969 onwards. Space was maximised inside thanks to the use of sliding windows, while the doors were opened via a pull-cord rather than a handle. It was a spartan arrangement that reflected Issigonis’s desire that the Mini should be simple family transport – or a car ‘for the district nurse’, as he put it. However, its compact dimensions and ‘wheel at each corner’ stance gave it superb handling, and enthusiastic drivers quickly realised it could handle more power. The standard car was launched with an 848cc engine, which would be enlarged to 998cc, 1098cc and then 1275cc. From 1961 onwards, there was also the option of the Mini Cooper, which was conceived by racing-car constructor John Cooper and introduced with a tuned 997cc engine plus front disc brakes. Two years later, the 1071cc Cooper S came along, and these ‘hot’ Minis enjoyed huge success in international motorsport, particularly rallying; between 1964 and 1967, a Cooper S won the Monte Carlo Rally three times in four years. Although it became an enduring symbol of the 1960s – whether buzzing through rally stages or pottering down high streets – Mini production lasted until 2000. Countless variants were produced, from saloons to estates and panel vans, and not only is it consistently ranked as being among the most significant cars ever made, it remains one of the most beloved. Built during the first full year of production, it was invoiced to its first owner – Miss E Muxlow of Sleaford in Lincolnshire – on 1 October 1960. Miss Muxlow bought it via Holland Bros Ltd, the local BMC distributor, which had a garage on Carre Street, Sleaford. The original invoice is still part of the car’s remarkable history file and shows that the Morris Mini-Minor cost her a total of £558 9s 8d, against which she was offered £75 as part-exchange on her old car. An accompanying receipt shows that Miss Muxlow paid the balance on 2 November 1960, and the file even includes the car’s Maintenance Service Voucher Book. This records regular servicing during its early years, up to 17 March 1965, when it had covered 5990 miles. It’s thought that the Mini remained in the Sleaford area even after it had passed to subsequent owners in the 1980s and beyond. It was used sparingly – it has still covered only 19, 000 miles – but its ‘timewarp’ condition is testament to the fact that it has obviously been diligently maintained. The paintwork, for example, is original, as are the front and rear subframes. The 848cc engine has never been removed and the bodywork has never been welded. The interior is also untouched and charming early touches abound, such as the floor-mounted starter button. The car even comes with the optional wicker baskets that offered extra storage beneath the rear seats in the compact cabin. Now being offered for sale at the Classic Motor Hub, this Morris Mini-Minor comes with a Driver’s Handbook, a copy of the AA Members Handbook for 1966-67, and the original Unipart anti-freeze sticker is even still in the windscreen. It represents a rare chance to acquire an unrestored, perfectly preserved and totally original example of this timeless classic.

1961 Porsche 356 Cabrio

Porsche 930 Turbo

1935 Riley MPH 14/6: Like Aston Martin and MG, Riley was keenly aware of the promotional and engineering value of motor racing, and for 10 years following the introduction of its four-cylinder Nine model, it was a mainstay of the competition scene. With its high-mounted twin camshafts, inclined overhead valves and hemispherical combustion chambers, the Nine engine was ripe for tuning. The Brooklands Speed Model not only won its class in events such as the Brooklands Double Twelve and the Index of Performance at Le Mans, it won the 1932 Tourist Trophy outright. Adding two more cylinders to the Nine engine enabled Riley to develop a series of sporting ‘sixes’. They included the MPH, the prototypes for which were based on the works cars that had been campaigned in the 1933 Tourist Trophy. This latest model used a chassis that was underslung at the rear and featured a wheelbase of 8ft 1.5in, and three engines would be offered during its short life – 1458cc, 1633cc and 1726cc. Two gearboxes were offered – a close-ratio manual or a pre-selector – and 18in Dunlop tyres were specified. Suspension was via semi-elliptic springs front and rear plus Duplex Hartford dampers. ‘To the open-air-loving motorist with sporting tendencies,’ wrote The Autocar in 1934, ‘this new Riley MPH should prove singularly attractive.’ In the 1934 Le Mans 24 Hours, two works-entered MPH models finished an amazing second and third overall, beaten only by the Alfa Romeo 8C-2300 of Luigi Chinetti and Philippe Étancelin. Despite that success for the six-cylinder car, the next generation of competition Riley was represented by the four-cylinder TT Sprite. Riley produced only a short run of roadgoing MPHs alongside the racing variants. With its sporting bodywork and low-slung stance, it has – as noted writer Mick Walsh put it when he drove an MPH for Classic & Sports Car magazine – ‘the aura of a British Alfa Monza’. Little wonder it’s become such a coveted choice of 1930s sports car. Riley achieved immense competition success during the inter-war years and, with its rakish styling and six-cylinder engine, the MPH model was, in effect, a racing car for the road. Exclusive and expensive in period, it remains one of the Coventry marque’s most famous models. This particular car is ‘MPH No 7’ – chassis number 44T 2255. It was first registered on 19 November 1935 by Stanley Hodgkinson of Botleigh Grange – a large manor house near Southampton. The Riley was therefore issued with the Southampton registration AOT 855. That initial registration came almost a year after the main batch of MPH cars. Marque specialist Robin Cameron, writing in his reference work Riley MPH, suggests that ‘2255’ could originally have been supplied to Riley distributor Hector Dobbs, who was based in the outskirts of Southampton and regularly bought racing models and other special Rileys from the factory. After remaining unregistered during its brief time with Dobbs, it’s thought he sold ‘2255’ to Hodgkinson and the original MPH body was replaced by a more-spacious body made by Bertelli – a coachbuilding company that was run by Enrico Bertelli and which supplied bodies to Aston Martin, which was based next-door to its premises in Feltham, Middlesex. Although AOT 855 was advertised for sale in the mid-1960s as being ‘one of two’ with Bertelli coachwork, Cameron has written that the second car is, in fact, likely to have been one of the works Gamecocks used in the Alpine Trial. If correct, that makes AOT 855 the only MPH to feature a Bertelli body.  In the February 1939 issue of Speed magazine, the MPH appeared in the background of a photograph that was taken in the workshops of Thomson & Taylor – the Brooklands-based engineering firm that built Land Speed Record cars as well as the chassis for the famous ERA racing cars, which used Riley-derived engines. AOT 855 was offered for sale during the late 1940s by dealer Blake & Co in Liverpool, by which time it was black. Riley Register records then show that, through the late 1950s and early 1960s, it was owned by N Ashurst, AA Heard and CM Ross.  In 1962, the MPH was sold via Chiltern Cars to a Mr Lowdell of Tring in Hertfordshire. His ownership was brief, and later in the year it was back with Chiltern Cars before passing to Tony Fitch of Falcon Hall, Wormley. In 1964, Mr Fitch sold the Riley – which was then British Racing Green – to Donald Beatty of Walnut Creek, California. Early the following year, he wrote to the Classic Car Club of America requesting that the MPH be considered for membership and included a detailed description that included the engine number (14T 2255). After initially being refused, the request was granted in early 1966.  The Riley returned to the UK in 1974 via well-known London dealer Dan Margulies, who sold it to Fuad Majzub. Iranian-born Majzub was a wealthy businessman who had a large collection of cars, and in 1976 he entrusted the Riley to Automobile Restorations so that it could be rebuilt – a process that was never completed. The car was kept in storage and shown, still incomplete, at the 1984 Riley Register Coventry Rally. When Fuad passed away, the MPH passed to his son Julian – a keen historic racer and founder of Blockley Tyres. It was then acquired by a new owner in 2004 and he treated the Riley to a full concours-standard restoration, after which he enthusiastically campaigned it in Vintage Sports-Car Club events. Now being offered for sale by the Classic Motor Hub, this well-known Riley MPH comes with an extensive file that meticulously documents its history and includes correspondence and receipts going back to the 1960s. With its crisp six-cylinder engine and pre-selector gearbox, it is a stylish, fast and extremely usable 1930s sports car that’s eligible for a wide range of events and represents a rare opportunity to acquire a genuine MPH.

1920 Rolls Royce 40/50 HP “Silver Ghost”: First introduced in late 1906, the Rolls-Royce 40/50hp was the model that established the marque’s reputation as the builder of ‘the best car in the world’. It went into production in 1907 and lasted until 1926, and was made in both the UK and the USA – the latter at Rolls-Royce’s factory in Springfield, Massachusetts. The 40/50hp was originally fitted with a 7-litre straight-six engine, which featured a seven-bearing crankshaft and pressurised lubrication system, and the model was soon proving itself via its impressive performance in reliability trials. In 1907, one car covered 15,000 miles under official RAC observation – a total that including taking part in the Scottish Reliability Trial – and its only involuntary stop during that period was when a petrol tap shook itself closed on rough roads.  Registered AX 201, that particular car was called ‘the Silver Ghost’, a name that would retrospectively be applied to the entire 40/50hp range after it had been replaced by the Phantom. The engine was enlarged to 7.5 litres from 1910, and the following year a 40/50hp famously drove from London to Edinburgh and back using only top gear – a remarkable demonstration of the car’s flexibility. Early reports mentioned not only that, but also the model’s overall quality, smoothness and refinement. Taking part in such trials generated invaluable publicity, but also helped to improve the model throughout its production life. After a disappointing showing in the 1912 Alpine Trial, for example, Rolls-Royce returned the following year with cars featuring a four-speed gearbox in place of the old three-speed unit, improved cooling and bigger brakes. At the time, the brakes operated on the rear wheels only. Not until the early 1920s did front brakes – complete with servo assistance – become available. The modifications made to the successful 1913 Alpine Trial cars were then carried over to the production cars in the shape of the sporting Alpine Eagle Speed Model, and a total of nearly 8000 Silver Ghosts were built during the course of its life. As the car that established the foundation upon which the Rolls-Royce legend was built, it is still revered more than a century later. Beautifully finished in grey with a contrasting red interior, this extremely handsome Rolls-Royce 40/50hp Silver Ghost is one of the highly desirable Alpine Eagle Speed Models.  Its extensive history file documents its early days in impressive detail. Ordered on 24 March 1919, chassis number 10CW was ‘received on test’ on 21 February 1920. It was then dispatched to JB Ferguson, which was based on Chichester Street in the centre of Belfast. Founded by Joseph Bell Ferguson – brother of tractor pioneer Harry – the company was, according to a 1921 article in the Belfast News Letter, the sole distributor for Rolls-Royce in Ireland. It was also a coachbuilder that bodied a number of 40/50hp chassis, and it duly fitted four-seater tourer coachwork to 10CW. On 23 November 1920, the car was delivered to its first owner – a JH McGugan, who was also based in Belfast. It was sold the following year to a Mr Sandford, and then to a Mr Langford, both of whom lived in London.  The chassis cards for 10CW note that it was sent to the Rolls-Royce Cricklewood depot on various occasions during this period, including a visit in August 1921 for routine engine servicing. The Silver Ghost was then shipped to the US via the SS Missouri, a note on the chassis cards suggesting that this happened in August 1922. Records held by the Rolls-Royce Foundation show that, in 1932, it was sold by LI Dimm to Al Gross of Long Island, and that at some point it was fitted with a ‘sedan limousine’ body that was built by the Brooks-Ostruk company of West 66th Street in New York.  The Rolls-Royce was later stored for more than 40 years in an open-fronted barn before being rescued in 1977 by marque enthusiast Arthur Knapp. Although he didn’t embark upon a restoration, Knapp saved the car from further deterioration and it was eventually bought by Malcolm Tucker in November 2007.  In an article for the RREC’s Silver Ghost Register in November 2013, Tucker wrote: ‘The condition of 10CW reflected the time the car spent at the mercy of the Mid-West weather; scorching summers and icy winters. The Brooks-Ostruk body had suffered badly … the aluminium panelling was corroded badly, and the steel wings were disappearing fast. The doors and main body frame had stood up well, however. The chassis and mechanical components appeared to have avoided serious corrosion, and were at least 95 per cent complete.’ The car was brought back to the UK and a full restoration was started in March 2008 by Mike Knowles of Ro-Ben. Due to Knowles’s ill-health, the work was taken over by AJ Glew in September 2013. A close replica of the original Ferguson body was built by Western Coachworks, while Trevor Hirst of Christchurch fabricated a new set of wings and bonnet sides. The Silver Ghost retained its original engine (J171) and was given the UK registration number RR-7492 in March 2016, following a painstaking restoration that had cost more than £230,000. More recently, AJ Glew carried out a further round of restoration work after the car had suffered an accident, with the result that this Rolls-Royce 40/50hp Silver Ghost is being offered for sale in exceptional condition throughout. With its engineering pedigree and effortless performance, it is rightly considered to be one of the finest – if not the finest  – cars of its time.

1931 Talbot AO75/90: Designed by Swiss-born engineer Georges Roesch, the Talbot 14/45 had proved to be an immediate success when it was launched in 1926, to the extent that its sales helped to save the struggling marque. Three years later, its six-cylinder engine was stretched to 2276cc for a run of larger and more powerful ‘18hp’ models. The first of these was the 75, which was introduced in 1930 on the same basic chassis as the 14/45. Surrey-based dealer Fox & Nicholl soon recognised this car’s sporting potential, so Roesch raised the compression ratio and carried out other engine modifications in order to boost power and create the 90 model, which achieved great success at Brooklands and Le Mans. The chassis for these 18hp cars was produced in two different wheelbase options – 9ft 6in and 10ft – while bodywork was supplied by a number of different coachbuilders. The bare chassis was priced at £425, with catalogued bodies including the 2/3-seater ‘double dickey’ at £525 and the drophead saloon at £600. These cars formed the mainstay of the Talbot range into the mid-1930s, with upgrades along the way including the replacement of the ‘silent third’ gearbox with a Wilson pre-selector unit. As the company’s catalogue put it at the time: ‘The Talbot has won a wide circle of firm friends in every section of the community to whom the superb fitness of this thoroughbred motor has special appeal’.  When parent company Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq got into financial difficulties in the mid-1930s, Talbot was taken over by the Rootes Group. As the decade progressed, the famous ‘Roesch Talbots’ would be increasingly diluted by the use of components from other Rootes marques and Roesch eventually left the automotive industry, his legacy secure thanks to the brilliant cars he left behind. The Georges Roesch-designed Talbots of the 1930s are among the most desirable British cars of their time thanks to their competition pedigree and reputation for engineering excellence. This particular Talbot 75/90 adds to that with a fascinating ownership history that begins with an order placed at the 1930 London Motor Show by renowned racing driver Major AT Goldie Gardner. Essex-born Gardner was a veteran of the First World War who had started racing at Brooklands during the mid-1920s. He later enjoyed a long association with MG, lapping Brooklands at over 120mph in a single-seater K3, and was also a prolific record-breaker. During the early 1950s, by which time he was more than 60 years of age, he set 43 speed records at the Bonneville Salt Flats.  Gardner’s Talbot was chassis number 29518, which was fitted with engine number 236. It was supplied via Warwick Wright and registered GO 8057 on 25 March 1931. The unique four-seater tourer coachwork was by KC Bodies and it’s thought that Fox & Nicholl then upgraded this 75 model to high-performance 90 specification at the request of Gardner. At some point during 1931, Gardner sold the Talbot via Fox & Nicholl to 19-year-old John Harris, whose family owned a construction company that specialised in building golf courses. A fine golfer himself, Harris went on to become a golf-course architect of considerable renown and designed hundreds of courses all over the world.  Harris would keep GO 8057 for 45 years, and in 1965 he wrote to Motor Sport magazine to say that the Talbot ‘has taken me in complete safety for more than 200,000 miles and I have never had an anxious moment due to the road-holding’. He also noted that the car had received two overhauls, one in the mid-1930s and the other 20 years later. The 1950s work was carried out by Fox & Nicholl and included an engine rebuild in which new inlet and exhaust manifolds, a single downdraught SU carburettor and a Scintilla magneto were fitted. In 1955, Harris took the car to an event at Goodwood so that it could be driven by Georges Roesch himself. Harris reported that Roesch was impressed with its performance and Cecil Clutton – President of the VSCC – wrote to Harris thanking him for making the Talbot available, saying that ‘it made all the difference having such a perfect example’. In 1976, Harris sold the car to Peter Pollard, who had the interior retrimmed as close as possible to the original colours by local firm EJ Baker & Co. He also carried out various other repairs in time to use GO 8057 for the Silver Jubilee Rally at Ascot in 1977.  Pollard used the car sparingly over the next couple of decades, and in the early 2000s he decided to strip down the chassis until only the main body section was attached. The engine was rebuilt by noted specialist IS Polson and the bodywork was repainted, and in 2016 this highly eligible car was entered into the Concours of Elegance at Windsor Castle. Now being offered for sale by the Classic Motor Hub, GO 8057 is an exceptional and well-known Roesch Talbot that boasts impeccable provenance and comes with an extensive history file that includes a wealth of evocative period photographs – plus invoices that go back to the 1950s work carried out by Fox & Nicholl. This charismatic Talbot still features its original coachwork, engine and ‘silent third’ gearbox, and has real presence both on the road and at rest. The upgrade to 90 specification has given it strong performance and it makes an exhilarating road car, particularly when the small windscreen is folded flat. As long-term owner John Harris put it, ‘There is some real character in the Roesch Talbots.’

 

1938 Talbot-Lago T23 “Baby”: Italian-born Antonio Lago had already led a fascinating life by the time he was brought in to help rescue Automobiles Talbot SA, which was in serious financial trouble by the early 1930s. The entrepreneurial Lago would end up acquiring the business himself following the collapse of parent company Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq, and in the years either side of the war, his revitalised Talbot-Lago concern built an enviable reputation thanks to a combination of stylish road cars and motorsport success.  In the latter part of the 1930s, Lago – working with engineer Walter Becchia – introduced an updated range of models that featured an array of different wheelbases and engine options. The 4-litre T23, for example, was offered as the short-wheelbase ‘Baby’, the mid-length ‘Major’ and the long-wheelbase ‘Master’. It featured independent front suspension and a Wilson pre-selector gearbox, both elements that were carried over from earlier, pre-Lago Talbots. The T23 was offered with coupé or cabriolet coachwork, and famous owners included racing driver Philippe Étancelin, who was given one in 1938 as payment for being part of the works team. Lago knew well the importance of motorsport in terms of publicising a marque, and in 1937 his cars won the Tourist Trophy at Donington Park and the French Grand Prix at Montlhéry. Talbot-Lago continued building cars after the war, initially with the 4.5-litre T26, then the 2.6-litre Baby, and finally the 2.4-litre, four-cylinder T14. There was more motorsport success, too, thanks to the T26C, which notched up significant victories in both Grand Prix events and sports car racing. It wasn’t long, however, before sales plummeted and Lago found himself coming under increasing financial pressure. The marque limped through much of the 1950s before being sold to Simca in 1959, a sad end for a name that had briefly belonged in the same sentence as the likes of Bugatti and Delahaye. It’s thought that this Talbot-Lago T23 was delivered new in 1938 to racing driver Louis Rosier, alongside a T150 SS Coupé by Figoni et Falaschi. French ace Rosier would go on to serve with the Resistance during the war, before establishing himself as one of the leading drivers of the late 1940s and early ’50s. Although he was an excellent Grand Prix driver, his most famous success came in sports cars, when he won the 1950 Le Mans 24 Hours in a Talbot-Lago T26 GS. He drove the endurance classic almost single-handed, his son Jean-Louis completing only a couple of laps as his co-driver. This T23 three-position cabriolet was constructed on the short-wheelbase ‘Baby’ chassis and features a 4-litre, six-cylinder engine driving through a Wilson pre-selector gearbox. Built at the Talbot-Lago factory at Suresnes, the bodywork was designed by Giuseppe Figoni, of renowned coachbuilder Figoni et Falaschi. As such, it features trademark Figoni details such as the ‘teardrop’ front and rear wings – the Italian maestro was also responsible for the sublime Talbot-Lago T150 ‘Teardrop’ coupés. Although little is known about the early life of this T23 cabriolet, it was later restored over the course of 20 years by Andre Lapines. A mechanical engineer and marque enthusiast, Lapines rebuilt it from the ground up, paying particular attention to originality. As part of the process, he rebuilt the six-cylinder engine and Wilson gearbox, and the finished car was said to be ‘show quality’. In 1996, it was acquired by Jack Stromers of Monterey. For the first part of its journey to California, he drove it some 800 miles through Europe, including crossing the Alps. It was then sold to a Dutch collector in 2004 and returned to Europe, where it won its class at the 2010 Concours d’Elegance at Paleis Het Loo. This Talbot-Lago T23 has continued to win concours prizes with subsequent owners, and is offered for sale in exceptional condition, from the leather and wood in the stylish cockpit to the flowing lines of its coachwork. It’s easy to see why these Suresnes-built cars have become so coveted.

1952 Talbot T15 “Baby”: In the late 1940 and early 1950s, Talbot-Lago was renowned for its luxury road cars and successful racing cars. The marque’s T15 ‘Baby’ was intended to complete the range by offering a less-expensive, smaller-engined alternative – and this car is a very rare survivor. Talbot-Lago first used the ‘Baby’ name on a range of six-cylinder models during the 1930s and revived it following the Second World War. With the T26C proving to be a winner in Grand Prix racing and at the Le Mans 24 Hours, and the expensive 4. 5-litre T26 acting as its flagship road car, the four-cylinder T15 ‘Baby’ was intended to ‘meet the demands of a large number of customers looking for a classy car with medium power [and] easy and inexpensive maintenance’ while still ‘possessing to the highest degree the traditional qualities of the brand’. This was nonetheless an expensive car produced in relatively small numbers and, with various options on offer, very few T15s are exactly the same. Its 2. 7-litre twin-cam engine produced 120bhp and there was the choice of a four-speed synchromesh gearbox or a Wilson pre-selector. The independent front suspension employed coil springs, while semi-elliptic leaf springs and hydraulic dampers were used at the rear. Talbot-Lago claimed that the T15 ‘Baby’ was the ‘fastest, most pleasant to drive and safest’ car in its class, but production of all models at the Suresnes factory fell sharply after reaching 433 in 1950, and the last T15 ‘Baby’ was built in 1953. The post-war landscape was very different to the 1930s and, like a number of famous top-end marques, Talbot-Lago struggled through the 1950s – especially in a French market that heavily taxed large-engined cars. Owner Antonio Lago – who had acquired the rights to the French Talbot business in the mid-1930s following the collapse of the Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq combine – put the company up for sale in 1958 and the following year it was acquired by Simca. More than 60 years later, Talbot-Lago remains an evocative name thanks to its impressive engineering, extravagantly styled road cars and international motor racing success. Built in April-May 1952, voiture numero 121660 was not delivered to Garage Parc Monceau – Talbot-Lago’s main Paris agent – until a year later. It’s thought that one reason for the delay might have been due to the fact that it was a well-specified De Luxe model, with extras such as a sunroof and heater making it more expensive than usual and therefore harder to sell. It was registered 2056 BZ 75 in the name of the Societe des Ancien Ets Gillot, and on 21 October 1955 the car went back to Garage Parc Monceau in order to have its engine and clutch replaced. Talbot-Lago had suffered a spate of crankshaft failures on the original 2. 7-litre engine, and therefore offered owners a free exchange for an upgraded 2. 5-litre unit – as also used in the glamorous T14 Lago Sport model. The more robust later engine featured a five-main-bearing crankshaft rather than three, and the exchange is recorded in a hand-written note on this car’s factory build sheet. On 25 April 1957, ownership of this ‘Baby’ passed to the Paris-based Societe SOFIGRAG, and three years later it briefly returned to Garage Parc Monceau. From there, it was sold in April 1960 to a new owner who registered it 322 DG 78 in the départment of Yvelines, to the west of Paris. Meticulous research included in the T15’s history file shows that it was next owned by a solicitor from Quimper, near the Atlantic coast in France’s north-east corner, and registered 860 FR 29. Then, in 1964, the car went back to Paris and was registered 5239 QH 75 after being bought by Pierre Coffi – and remarkably he would keep it for the next 48 years. In February 2012, the Talbot-Lago was bought by a British owner who lived in Kent. He treated it to a thorough recommissioning process, registered it 171 YUN, and sold it a few months later to an enthusiast who went on to enjoy it for the next 10 years. Now being offered for sale at the Classic Motor Hub, this Talbot-Lago T15 is a rare example of this elegantly understated French car. With softer suspension than its larger-engined stablemates – plus high gearing and a strong engine – it’s a comfortable, practical and stylish choice of 1950s saloon.

Whilst this was a very pleasant evening out, enjoying both the late spring sunshine and the cars on show, it was a little disappointing that rather more people did not have the same idea as me, as I was rather expecting the site to be pretty full, as indeed it has been on previous occasions. This time, I would say that fewer than half of the available capacity was used, so attendance was well down, for reasons which no-one will probably ever really figure out. There are a few more of these evening “Sundowner” events, and I shall be undeterred by the disappointing attendance, and diary permitting, plan to come along.