Innholdsfortegnelse for 9/7/2022 i Classic Car Buyer

The new-car market has always been a victim of fashion, with body styles falling in and out of favour with buyers. That’s certainly been the case with coupes, a genre that became gradually less popular in the 1980s thanks to the success of the hot hatch. Not only did the new obsession with go-faster hatchbacks affect demand for two-seater sports cars in the early part of the decade, it also had an adverse effect on the once-booming coupe market. The end of the ’80s brought fresh hope for fans of the coupe, however, with a number of new launches from major manufacturers – including the Volkswagen Corrado (which we take a look at this week, starting on page 22), the Vauxhall Calibra and various Japanese offerings like the super-stylish Nissan…

The new MG4 – an all-electric five-door hatchback that’s due to hit UK showrooms later this month – has been getting rave reviews in the British press. A number of magazines and websites have hailed it as a breakthrough model for the former British marque, while a high-performance version is set to bring some much-needed ‘sportiness’ back to the MG line-up. Pitched against the Volkswagen ID.3 in spec but significantly more affordable in both list price and predicted PCP rates, the MG4 is a match for its German rival in almost every respect, according to most ‘first drive’ reports. Prices start from £25,995 for the standard SE, which offers up to 214 miles of range, while £28,495 buys the SE Long Range – with a claimed maximum of up to…

Brightwells’ catalogue is building fast for its next timed auction, which begins on September 10 before concluding from 7pm on September 14. There were already almost 150 lots at the time of writing, spanning a period of 98 years. Amongst them, you’ll find a bumper selection of low-mileage entries. These include a box-fresh 1995 Volvo 440 SE that’s covered only 7809 miles and is estimated at £5000-£7000, plus a 1978 Triumph TR7 FHC showing just 9196 miles and carrying a guide of £7000-£8000. For those with deeper pockets, a 1991 Ferrari 348 TS with a mere 17,500 miles could be one of the sale’s headliners at a predicted £52,000-£60,000, while a more modest sub-£7000 sum could secure a 1966 Morris Minor Traveller with an odometer reading of just 31,500. A…

The original ‘A-Type’ 2CV of 1948 was available with one colour (grey) and one engine (a 375cc, 9bhp, air-cooled flat-twin). It had a top speed of 41mph, took over 40 seconds to get there on dead level ground and did 55mpg. It had four doors (the windows on the front ones flipped open, the rear windows were fixed), a four-speed gearbox, four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes (inboard at the front), clever interconnected long-travel suspension via horizontal coil springs mounted under the floor, rack and pinion steering, a supremely comfortable (if alarmingly bouncy) ride and the roadholding of a particularly tenacious escargot. Nearly all of that still applied to the very last 2CV to come off the line in 1990. Now known by the ‘AZKA’ model code, it had a larger engine…

We’ve received an email from reader Jon Clough, who’s been following our recent mentions of cars that were registered ‘new’ long after they’d rolled off the production line: “Oldstock cars have always fascinated me, especially as I’m an MG fan. I can remember when the Abingdon factory closed in 1980, quite a few MGBs were bought by collectors and weren’t registered for some years. The latest MGB I’ve seen was a C-reg one, which means it was registered in 1985 at the earliest.” Jon has also spotted a particularly late MG TF at marque specialist Trophy Cars (trophycars.co.uk), one of the 906 examples assembled at Longbridge when Nanjing (then owner of the MG brand) reintroduced the TF in 2008 – three years after the collapse of MG Rover. Production ceased…

It may not have been everyone’s cup of tea but there’s no denying that the creativity and skill which went into creating the outlandish show cars of the Max Power era deserve at least grudging praise even from those of us who prefer their cars a little more restrained. A select few on the CCB team are even old enough to have worked in the car magazine industry when the modifying craze was at its peak. And for group editor Paul Wager, the Max Power Reunion event at the British Motor Museum, Gaydon, over the August bank holiday weekend was a chance to relive his Escort RS Turbo days. Incredibly, enough of the former Max Power feature cars from the era have survived to create an impressive display, while some…

Scramblers, the Bicester Heritage membership club, held its most successful ever Assembly during the recent bank holiday weekend, filling the location with BMWs to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the company’s ‘M’ division. Using the paddock part of the site, with Bicester’s famous grass airfield and watch tower as a backdrop, Scramblers welcomed a range of models from across the ages, with a display provided by BMW North Oxford and Prodrive’s E30 M3 rally car. Scramblers hosts exclusive members-only Assemblies on the final weekend of every month, each one having a different theme. Previous events have been themed around hot hatches, ’90s icons and British classics. The next, taking place on Saturday, September 24, will be celebrating supercarsand poster cars. To find out more, go to scramblers. bicesterheritage.co.uk.…

The 60th anniversary of Abingdon’s biggest-selling model of all time, the MGB, is being celebrated at the British Motor Museum on Sunday, September 25, hosted by the MG Owners’ Club and the MGB Register of the MG Car Club. Among the many hundreds of MGBs that will be on display at Gaydon, brought along by club members and MG enthusiasts, some extra-special examples have been confirmed. The biggest collection of MGB Berlinettes ever seen in one place is certain to attract interest, with at least nine expected. And the MGB Marathon Car driven by Jean Denton and Tom Boyce in the 1968 London to Sydney rally will also be on show, sporting its huge ‘roo-bars’. The motorsport heritage continues with LBL 591E, the MGB that competed in the ’68 Targa…

TRIUMPH TOLEDO (1970-1976) In the late 1960s, Triumph needed a new entry-level model to replace both the ageing Herald and the brilliant but overly complicated (and expensive) 1300. The result was the Toledo, which took the 1300’s bodyshell and applied restyled front and rear ends. The 1296cc engine remained, but now driving the rear wheels via a simple coil-sprung live axle instead of the 1300’s independent trailing arms. Inside, the 1300’s elegant interior was swapped for a simplified dashboard made of a single panel of wood and vinyl seats and door trim. As launched, the Toledo was only available as a two-door with four-wheel drum brakes, although a four-door did arrive later. The equipment list was also gradually improved, acquiring front disc brakes, a heated rear window, stainless steel-trimmed roof…

The Volkswagen Golf was a firm favourite by the late 1980s, with the second-generation Scirocco also available to those who craved something wearing a sharper suit. In 1988, however, VW introduced yet another choice with the Corrado, arriving in time to take advantage of a boom in the coupe market; this was the peak period for stylish 2+2s, with the Corrado providing both style and substance. Arriving in the UK in early 1989 and based around the Mk2 Golf platform, a 1.8-litre 16v engine was the Corrado’s only powerplant initially. It was joined two years later by the supercharged G60, employing the same motor boosted to 158bhp. Further revisions came in 1992 when the styling was tweaked along with wider front wings, while a 2.0-litre 16v engine replaced the 1.8…

You don’t need to be much of a detective to work out that this week’s image was taken in Italy sometime during peak holiday season. The fact that most of the cars are Italian – some of them sporting roof racks full of luggage – gives a pretty blatant clue. It was actually snapped on August 15, 1969 in Savona, north-west Italy, and shows a queue of holidaymakers on the A10 highway, otherwise known as the Autostrada dei Fiori. Among the most popular Fiats we can see are numerous 500s, 600s, 124s and 1500s, models that seemed to dominate any Italian street scene at that time. We can also spot a Fiat 850, plus at least two Alfa Romeos – a Giulia and a super-stylish GT Junior. A couple of…

A collection of 16 highly desirable classic cars formerly owned by an avid collector and experienced yachtsman is heading to auction, with the RNLI being the main beneficiary from the sale – which includes a selection of valuable Rolls-Royces, a Triumph Vitesse and a Vanden Plas 1300. Robert ‘Bob’ Furniss Riding, who passed away on May 11 this year, left his estate predominantly to charity. And given his reputation as a knowledgeable Rolls-Royce and Bentley owner, these two marques feature heavily in the collection, which goes under the hammer – with no reserve – at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford on October 19. The Rolls-Royces on offer comprise a 1926 20hp Landaulette, a 1932 20/25 Drophead Coupe, a 1934 Phantom II Continental Sedanca Coupe, a 1937 Phantom III Sports Limousine…

The 2022 Beaulieu International Autojumble takes place this coming weekend (September 10-11), providing enthusiasts from all around the world with an unrivalled opportunity to stock up on period parts, accessories, automobilia and more. Hundreds of traders will be on site, while private sellers having a clear-out will be taking advantage of the event’s Sunday-only Trunk Traders section. Anyone looking to buy their next classic will certainly want to visit the Automart area containing an array of cars for sale, while Saturday sees Bonhams hosting its next classic auction – with lots entered so far ranging from a 1914 Ford Model T motorhome to a 1963 Lagonda Rapide. Advance one- and two-day autojumble visitor tickets are available. For more details or to book, visit beaulieu.co.uk/events/internationalautojumble/tickets.…

We’ve become accustomed to WB & Sons putting together interesting catalogues for its regular classic car auctions, but the entry list for its September 17 sale is surely the most alluring yet. In a line-up that would rival many a car show, you’ll find homologation specials, hot hatchbacks, hero models and even a very rare Lotus. Forced induction plays a major role here, with a stunning 1984 Renault 5 Gordini Turbo expected to fetch £14,000-£16,000, a 1985 Series 1 Ford Escort RS Turbo likely to achieve close to £20,000, and a Fiesta RS Turbo guided at £10,000-£15,000. Meanwhile, a 1992 Toyota Celica GT-Four in rare and desirable Carlos Sainz guise shows just 22,000 miles and could sell for as much as £35,000. For those who prefer superchargers, an extremely rare…

VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE (1998-2011) A product of VW’s new American Design Centre, the New Beetle was first unveiled in concept form in 1994, with the production version that arrived four years later being little different. In shape and proportions it bore little resemblance to the original Beetle, and since it sat on a Golf platform it was mechanically the complete opposite. But its arched window area, chubby wing shapes, ovoid lights, flared sills and smiling bonnet seam were all enough to get people’s nostalgic neurons sparking. To say that the New Beetle sold well in the USA would be to understate things – it was a phenomenon, with huge waiting lists, literal queues around the block at dealers and people making cross-country flights to get their hands on one. In…

RILEY ONE-POINT-FIVE Just because you crave a slightly more luxurious motoring experience than the norm doesn’t mean you want the gargantuan dimensions of a limousine. There have always been buyers who appreciate a touch of opulence in a compact package, which is why these three very different offerings came to exist. And first to market by quite some margin was, of course, the Riley One-Point-Five shown on this page. This was the twin-carb version of BMC’s new two-marque saloon range of the late ’50s, which went on to enjoy an eight-year career. The latest Riley was a compact model with a prestigious name, proper on-board luxury and plenty of driver appeal. It was beaten to the showrooms by its Wolseley 1500 stablemate, which debuted in March 1957 and was immediately…

ROVER 216 ‘SD3’ This was a rare entry in the small-saloon sector, being a standalone saloon model with no hatchback counterpart and wearing what was still a decidedly premium badge. Honda origins made for good quality and the 1.6-litre model used a sturdy BL S-Series with either a carburettor or fuel-injection. The 216 Vanden Plas was at least equal to any Orion wearing the Ghia badge. VW JETTA Mk2 Being designed parallel with the hatchback Golf meant that the Jetta was one of the more cohesive small saloons. Available in a wide range of specifications from basic two-doors to a powerful GTI, the Jetta was praised for its spacious cabin and sturdy build quality. A niche seller in the UK, they are now of interest to VW enthusiasts precisely because…