Innholdsfortegnelse for 31/03/2021 i Classic Car Buyer

In many respects working on car magazines is similar to any desk-based job in that it can often involve long periods staring at spreadsheets and computer monitors, but every so often you’re jolted into the realisation that it’s not your everyday office job. This week started with just one of those moments when I found myself trying to keep up with a colleague across Coventry city centre en route to look at a potential project car. For various reasons, none of them at all sensible, I was piloting a Bentley Turbo R whereas said colleague was in a modern MINI Cooper S. The Bentley in theory has a 130bhp advantage over the modern Mini, although admittedly that’s blunted by an extra tonne in bulk, but I was expecting to be…

The popular Festival of the Unexceptional event will make a welcome return this summer, organiser Hagerty has announced. Celebrating cars that were once a common sight but are now a rarity on UK roads, the unique ‘Concours de l’Ordinaire’ will take place for the seventh time on July 31, having taken a year off in 2020 due to the pandemic. Since it was started in 2014, the unique event has showcased the oft-maligned and long forgotten ‘ordinary’ classic cars and commercial vehicles of the late 1960s, ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. It’s been a sell-out success on every occasion, so for 2021 there’s a new bigger venue – Grimsthorpe Castle in Lincolnshire. In addition to providing space for a greater number of unexceptional cars, Grimsthorpe also offers expansive grounds to enjoy…

Reiterating the buzz surrounding good condition ’80s and ’90s cars, a 1992 Mercedes-Benz 190E has achieved a world record auction result for a standard model. Showing just 11,899 miles, it was offered by Car & Classic on a seven-day online auction and sold for £14,750 to an international buyer – nearly 10 times the average price for the majority of other 190Es. Ordered new to Guernsey in late 1992, the car’s first and only owner brought it over to England and has kept it meticulously maintained. When not in use the car was kept in a warm, dry garage under a tailored cover. It’s ready to go with an MoT until February 2022, but we’d wager this one will continue to be cherished rather than used as a daily driver.…

Mathewsons’ most recent sale on March 19-20 proved to be another incredibly busy affair for the North Yorkshire auction house, with an astonishing 445 lots comprising classic cars, motorcycles and memorabilia going under the hammer. And despite the UK being in lockdown, the market once again proved it’s in rude health, with scores of estimate-beating sales. The catalogue at Mathewsons is typically at the more affordable end of the scale, with this sale no exception as a host of classics changed hands for relatively modest four-figure sums. However, there were a few notable exceptions, not least a stunning 1967 Aston Martin DB6, which soared to a best bid of £205,000, plus a lovely 1956 AC Aceca that commanded a top bid of £77,500. And to prove the ever increasing vogue…

SAAB 9000 (1984-1998) Giving Saab a useful flagship to sit above the long-running 900 models was the new 9000, eventually available in a choice of five-door hatch and four-door saloon body styles, numerous trim levels and with impressive performance thanks to Saab’s experience with turbocharging. Like all cars from the ‘Type Four’ project, the 9000 came with front-wheel drive and offered decent handling. The last five years have seen the 9000 move from ‘cheap transport’ to ‘modern classic’ status, with the best survivors rising in value. It’s still possible to pick up a down-at-heel 9000 for as little as £600-£800 but you can expect problems come MoT time. Around £1200-£1500 should be enough to secure a solid and presentable car that’s ready to enjoy and capable of many more years…

Distance: 80-100 miles Time: 1-2 days The Route… Starting in Redditch, head south to the market town of Evesham then south-east on the A44 to the picture postcard village of Broadway. From here, take the B4632 towards Winchcombe and on over the hill to Cheltenham, before leaving on the A436 to Bourton-on-the-Water and then continuing on the A436 and turning left up the A429 towards Stow-on-the-Wold. From here back to the Midlands, the A429 is an excellent ‘driving’ road with interesting twists and turns but still suitable for ‘opening up’ a performance-type classic. The A429 from here to just past the A3400 turnoff to Stratford on Avon forms part of the Roman Fosse Way road which ran from Exeter to Lincoln, passing through Bath, Cirencester and Leicester. Be sure not…

Distance: 120 miles Time: one day minimum, two days ideal The Route… This drive begins in Somerset and explores Devon’s national parks, great scenery and coastal routes. We suggest starting in the West Somerset village of Dunster, joining the A39 ‘Atlantic Highway’ as it heads past Dunster Castle and Minehead into Exmoor. Here you’ll encounter Porlock Hill, which rises 400 feet in under two miles with a gradient of 1 in 4, though there’s a milder toll road too. Then it’s on to Lynmouth and Lynton, set amongst an area known as England’s Little Switzerland, where you can stop and explore the Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway and the nearby Valley of Rocks. From here it’s back on the twisty A39 to Barnstaple and Bideford, before getting on the equally…

Distance: 180-200 mile round trip Time: Three days minimum, five to six ideal The Route… This one has a running theme of industrial and transport heritage, starting in the town of Ironbridge, a monument to the Industrial Revolution, following various stops of historic railway and finally landing us at the foot of the Snowdon mountains and, of course, the dramatic Welsh coastline. From Ironbridge we suggest taking Thomas Teldford’s old London-Holyhead road, otherwise known as the A5, which will take you past Shrewsbury and onto Oswestry. Travelling west into Wales, we’d point our wheel a little south on the A494 towards Bala and past its picturesque lake, well worth a stop for a photo of the car. At the southern end of the A494 there’s the charming market town pitstop…

Johnny Dumfries – otherwise known by his official title John Crichton-Stuart, 7th Marquess of Bute – has passed away at the age of 62 following a short illness. Dumfries was most well-known for his stint in Formula 1 as Ayrton Senna’s teammate at Lotus in 1986. Dumfries’ racing career began in earnest in FF1600 in 1980 but it was F3 where he first made big waves: having stepped up to F3, he won the British championship in 1984. A move to F3000 in 1985 precluded his eventual step up to F1 with Lotus in 1986. During his time with Lotus, Dumfries scored three championship points across the 15-race season behind the wheel of his Renault-powered Lotus 98T, with his top result being a fifth-place finish at the Hungarian GP. Dumfries’…

BMW is reviving a famous name from its past, with models from 2025 set to use a new platform called New Class (Neue Klasse in German). The Neue Klasse name was originally used for a line of saloons and coupes produced by the German automaker between 1962 and 1977. Beginning with the 1500 model, it was widely credited with saving BMW after its financial crisis of the 1950s. The 2025 New Class platform is designed to be fully electric but will also underpin cars with combustion engines, including plug-in hybrids. Rear wheel drive with the potential to expand to AWD, it will replace BMW’s current front-wheel-drive UKL platform used for compact cars and by the MINI, as well as the larger CLAR platform used by the rest of the BMW…

MG Motor plans to increase its presence in mainland Europe by doubling the number of its dealerships in the region to more than 200 on the back of new electric model launches. In an online presentation, MG Europe CEO Matt Lei said the brand will be selling its cars in 13 mainland European countries by the end of May, including Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Sweden and Norway. MG famously exported cars in huge numbers in its heyday, but the brand has not had a significant presence in mainland Europe since the demise of MG Rover in 2005. It became part of China’s SAIC Motor in 2007 but didn’t begin expanding into continental Europe until 2019, starting with the Netherlands. In the summer the company will start sales of the Marvel…

The latest auction from Bonhams MPH didn’t disappoint those expecting the usual range of promising projects, top quality icons, or something more eccentric. A number of cars were offered from a collector and racing driver, adding a few more motorsports and engineering showcases than usual. The first car to line up under the hammer was a superb 1936 Riley 12/4 Kestrel, which would also be the first of some other British pre-war classics including a 1928 Singer Junior, which sold for £9000, and a 1931 Standard 9hp for £14,062. Moving forward in years, we also saw a 1952 Lagonda 2.6 DHC sell for £76,000, while a couple of 1960s Triumphs, an Austin-Healey 3000, and even a 1969 Lotus Seven S3 all sold between £20,000 and £50,000. The most remarkable was…

With everything from Brexit to a worldwide pandemic seemingly putting the brakes on our travel plans, we thought it was the right time to revisit some of the great places to tour right here on our shores, and quite possibly on some of our doorsteps. So whether you fancy a trundle into the past with a Rolls-Royce or a wind in the hair blast into the mountains with a Triumph sports car, we’ve almost certainly got a trip lined up for your summer months.…

Distance: 60-70 Miles Time: One day The Route… This route offers hills, wide sweeping bends and massively spectacular scenery. Starting in the vibrant, modern city of Sheffield, head north up the A629 towards Chapeltown and then take the A616 past Stocksbridge above the steelworks before coming to Yorkshire Water’s Langsett Reservoir; over a mile long and a principal source of water for Sheffield and Barnsley. After Langsett, the road becomes steeper then a lot more open and windswept. A few miles on from here, you’ll spot a narrow road leading off to the left and dropping down below the road into the valley below; it’s not signposted but it’s the only turn off in this direction so you shouldn’t miss it if you fancy a visit to the former Woodhead…

The humble filling station has long been a crucial part of Britain’s infrastructure, having evolved from simple fuel sales to full-service destinations filling the gaps left by small local shops squeezed out of business by supermarkets. The fuel itself has become a hot topic recently, whether it’s the ethanol content or the longer-term prospect of replacing the pumps entirely by charging stations. All of which makes this forecourt from 1966 look like an increasingly distant past. The site isn’t in Lincolnshire as you might expect, but in Ipswich: Gainsborough isn’t the location but a brand of petrol, the company eventually being taken over by Total in 1974. At the time the photo was taken, just two cars were on the premises, but neither the Mk1 Mini or the HA Viva…

You don’t need to be a market expert to know that the ‘proper’ air-cooled Porsche 911 has been hot property in recent times and it’s the post-’74 impact-bumper cars which have shown the biggest gains. As a result, demand has meant that there are many European imports and former US-market cars running around in the UK which may not all be as rot-free as they’re claimed to be. Which in a nutshell explains the appeal of this example, which although LHD was sold in right-hand drive Japan in 1978 and came to the UK in 2014. Showing 145,000km (that’s 90,045 miles), it’s never seen road salt and CSCC reports that the factory underseal is all still present. The original spec included Recaro seats and lightweight interior, while the car currently…

Abrand new UKTV series featuring Brooklands Museum in Surrey has hit our screens. Shown on the Yesterday channel and available on demand via UKTV Play, Secrets of the Transport Museum is a 10-part series set at the world-renowned venue. As the home of the first ever purpose-built racing circuit and an extraordinary collection of aircraft spanning over 100 years, Brooklands Museum is home to some of the most important stories of motorsport and aviation history in the world. It’s the first time in the museum’s 30-year history that cameras have been allowed to film so much behind the scenes. The series follows the dedicated band of staff and volunteers who devote their time, skills and passion to maintaining the collection and preserving the site’s incredible legacies. Viewers can expect to…

The market for 1980s and 1990s cars seems to be enjoying a significant purple patch, with nostalgia, changing fashions and increased media coverage all potential factors in fuelling a substantial rise in demand and values. While exceptional classics are always likely to do well regardless of era, anyone with a keen eye on the market will have noticed strong prices for good modern classics in recent times, with dealers quickly selling their stock and scores of eye-watering prices achieved at auction. Indeed, the most recent update to the UK Hagerty Price Guide shows that over the last 12 months, the average price across over 40,000 values monitored has dropped by 3.8 per cent, or £8961 per car. However, cars first sold in the ’80s and ’90s appear to be substantially…

The reborn Bristol Cars company looks to have revealed prices for its ‘remastered’ 2022 models, with fully electric versions of the 411 and Fighter set to be available alongside Chrysler V8-powered variants. Following its liquidation last year, Essex-based property developer and Bristol enthusiast Jason Wharton completed the purchase of the intellectual property rights needed to begin making improved versions of existing Bristol designs, along with equipment such as chassis jigs and body parts. He plans to launch updated versions of the 411 four-seater and Fighter two-seater during 2022, and has placed adverts on Car and Classic for each model, both priced at £295,000 plus VAT. The listings claim eight new Bristol 411 Series 8 cars and eight Bristol Fighters will be built, with prototypes available for test drives in Q3…

BEDFORD HA (1963-1983) Who could have predicted when the Viva-based Bedford HA was launched in 1963 that it would remain in production for an amazing twenty years? The short-lived HA saloon disappeared in 1966 to make way for the Viva HB, but the van carried on right through to 1983. It was everything a car-derived van should be: simple, practical, roomy and very reliable, with most examples using Vauxhall’s dependable 1256cc engine. Ten years ago, it was still possible to pick up a solid and usable HA for less than £2000. Values have increased significantly, although the Bedford still looks good value compared with some of its contemporaries. You might be able to find a project vehicle for £1000-£2000, although at those prices you can expect a huge amount of…

Distance: 100-120 miles Time: Day-trip minimum, long weekend ideal The Route… This scenic cruise along the Norfolk coast takes us past flint-built houses, round-towered churches, small harbours, bird and seal-watching, long coastal walks, and a well-known royal retreat! Starting from King’s Lynn, there’s over 100 miles of relaxed and winding tarmac along the coast before meeting some lesser known but eminently charming seaside resorts at the end. We suggest starting off with the A149 from King’s Lynn towards the seaside town of Hunstanton. On the way here you might pop in at the 12th century Castle Rising Castle, as well as the Royal residence of Sandringham which is, we should point out, home to a museum showcasing many well-known cars owned by royalty over the years. You might choose to…

Distance: 500-600 miles Time: Three to four days minimum, ten days ideal The Route… Taking you along some of the best driving roads in the world, let alone Britain, this northern Scottish Highlands loop is also an opportunity to see some spectacular mountain and coast scenery, plus the occasional stop off for great food and a tipple at a local distillery. While the official NC500 route conjured up by the Scottish tourist board starts and ends at Inverness, we suggest that anyone coming up from the south simply starts on the west side. Head north from Glasgow up the A82, which winds through Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, to the convenient setting off point of Fort William. From here you have the option of spending an extra day…

Distance: 50 miles round trip Time: Half a leisurely day including lunch The Route… Starting near Grantham, this route take advantage of the empty roads and big skies of a part of the UK which often gets overlooked by those further west, with a route winding into the rolling Leicestershire countryside and taking in picturesque local villages to end up at Belvoir Castle. Starting near Grantham, head east on the A607 for a quick drive at the national speed limit down to Waltham on the Wolds. Taking a left turn off the A607 towards Stonesby, you’re close to the Waltham TV transmitting tower and the network of country lanes running along each side of the A607 provides a perfect playground to put your classic through its paces as you work…

With museums permitted to open from May 17, our favourite car-themed destinations should all be back in action by the time you’re thinking of enjoying any of the trips in this issue. Most of our favourite venues have also taken the time over the lockdown period to develop new attractions and exhibitions, so here are some suggestions as to side trips which will be well worth the effort. British Motor Museum Just a half an hour from the end of our Cotswold loop, the British Motor Museum is always worth a visit and if you haven’t seen the recently established Collections Centre, that’s worth the trip in itself. Showcasing a fascinating collection of prototypes and one-offs from the history of the brands which made up British Leyland and then Rover,…