Innholdsfortegnelse for 9/14/2022 i Classic Car Buyer

Hidden among all the recent press coverage of the Conservative party’s leadership campaign has been a suggestion that our new prime minister will shortly find herself being chauffeured around in a German-built Audi A8. If so, she will be the first UK prime minister not to use a British-built car, with her predecessors having enjoyed the opulence provided by marques like Jaguar, Daimler and Rover. According to newspaper reports, the Metropolitan Police has ordered a batch of bulletproof Audis as Number 10 transport, replacing the armour-plated Jaguar XJs that David Cameron specified in 2010. With those Jaguars coming towards the end of their service and the next-generation XJ being cancelled just before launch, there’s a suggestion that no British-made alternative is available. But is that true? Boris Johnson was regularly…

A 1956 Ferrari 250 GT TdF Berlinetta by Zagato has been awarded Best of Show at this year’s Salon Privé Concours d’Elégance, beating all other class winners that represented 12 decades of motoring – from veteran to supercar. Owned by David and Ginny Sydorick, the 250 GT TdF is one of just five long-wheelbase Ferrari 250 GTs designed by Zagato. Chassis 0515GT was originally built for one of Ferrari’s best customers, Vladimiro Galluzzi, who raced the car extensively during the 1956 season before selling it to racing driver Luigi Taramazzo. It was eventually retired from racing at the end of 1958.…

Coinciding with the 60th anniversary of the MGB is news that British Motor Heritage (BMH) is building its latest batch of complete bodyshells – 16 GTs and 14 roadsters – as part of its ongoing long-term support for the model. This represents the biggest single MGB bodyshell production run for four years, bringing BMH’s total number of MGB roadster and GT replacement shells to an impressive 2244 so far. A total of 2009 complete bodies were also built by BMH for the MG RV8 production run of the early 1990s. Of the 512,000 MGBs built at Abingdon between 1962 and 1980, BMH estimates that over 38,000 remain in the UK alone, many of which have benefited from the company’s continued production of complete shells and individual body panels. Commenting on…

Hagerty has announced plans to open a brand new facility at Bicester Heritage, which is now home to over 50 specialist automotive businesses at the former RAF Bomber Training Station. The Hagerty Clubhouse will undergo a complete interior redesign, adding bespoke member lounges, a sociable bar area and an exhibition space for curated vehicle displays, creating a unique new venue within the Bicester Heritage site. Regular events will be presented at the Hagerty Clubhouse, including industry presentations, celebrity talks and car culture-inspired activities. Hagerty customers will be able to use the space to relax while visiting Bicester Heritage, and car clubs of all sizes will be welcome to use the venue to host AGMs and other member meets. The Hagerty Clubhouse will officially open in 2023, with a firm date…

AUSTIN-HEALEY 100-6 (1956-1959) This was the second instalment in the ‘Big Healey’ line and the first to employ a six-cylinder engine, which really defined the breed. Although using what amounted to the same chassis and suspension as the original model, the 100-6 had a slightly longer wheelbase and a redesigned cockpit that allowed for a very small rear seat. The windscreen was now fixed rather than folding, and the bodywork was restyled for a more streamlined look derived from the aluminium-bodied 100S racer, with a distinctive oval radiator grille. Power now came from BMC’s 2.6-litre C-Series, initially making 102bhp, but then 117bhp from 1957 courtesy of a free-flow cylinder head and improved manifolds. The same year, production transferred from Austin’s Longbridge plant to the MG works at Abingdon. In 1958…

RELIANT SCIMITAR GTE The Scimitar GTE might have been the answer to a question very few people were asking, but it was such a good concept that it endured beyond the end of its own production, joining the ranks of the Avanti and Jensen Interceptor in being reimagined after its death by a new manufacturer. And it’s not hard to see why; a sensible Ford V6 engine, space for four and a useful boot was good, optional automatic transmission was even better, as was the undeniable credibility of being used both by the husband and daughter of our monarch. A better public endorsement was hard to find in the 1960s and ’70s. The attributes didn’t end on paper. All Scimitars can feel tight for the larger driver (while the later…

A rare 1959 MGA Twin Cam will be offered with no reserve at this weekend’s Goodwood Revival (September 17), when Bonhams sells it on behalf of its late owner’s family – with all proceeds going to the Alzheimer’s Society. The Twin Cam – one of just 2111 built by MG – was most recently owned by James Davis, son of the car’s long-term second owner, Rob. The car was bought new by London-based graphic artist Renato Fratini, with Rob acquiring it in 1963 and remaining its registered owner until 2016, when it was sold to help fund his long-term healthcare after an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Rob and the MG were in Canada by then, but in 2018 the car was acquired by a UK-based dealer and shipped back ‘home’. Rob’s son,…

Described as a ‘time warp’ example of what’s now one of the rarest mass-produced coupes of the ’70s, this 18,000-mile Renault 15 has come to market via the chairman of the Renault Classic Car Club. Brian Whiteside, who lives in Wimborne, Dorset, told CCB: “I’m gradually reducing my collection of Renaults. Looking after so many takes a lot of time.” This bright yellow Renault 15 – a 1289cc TL version – is said to be in “superb unrestored condition” and has apparently never been welded. It is an original right-hand drive car that was rustproofed by Ziebart when new, hence its lack of corrosion and all-original paintwork. The Renault 15 – like its sister coupe, the 17 – was launched in 1971 and arrived on the UK market the following…

Sign up to our newsletter at www.classicsworld.co.uk With inflation soaring in the UK and throughout the western world (and beyond), well-heeled investors are increasingly turning towards classic vehicles as a ‘safe’ choice during these uncertain times. That’s the view of Silverstone Auctions, taking its findings from the latest Knight Frank Wealth Report, which suggests that classic cars are outperforming many other forms of investment. As an alternative to traditional investment options like gold, gem stones, fine art and even rare wines, high-end classics are in particular demand at present, a trend that’s set to continue according to a statement by Silverstone Auctions: “For the next few years, classic cars may well be the way forward in terms of protecting your assets. £100,000 in the bank will be £90,000 this time…

The August bank holiday weekend saw almost 30 Rover 200 Coupes gathered at Millbrook Proving Ground, Bedfordshire, for a celebration of the model’s record-breaking runs there 30 years ago. It was in 1992 that a team of volunteers from Rover Group, including drivers, engineers and logistics experts, took two near-standard, ex-prototype cars to Millbrook and broke 37 UK Land Speed Records, 36 of which still stand today. These included 156mph for the flying 5km distance and 138.43mph for the 24 hours, from a standing start. The recent commemorate event, jointly organised by the Rover 200 & 400 Owners’ Club and the Rover Coupe Owners’ Club, enabled owners to drive on the same high-speed bowl where the records were broken, albeit at rather more sedate speeds. It was also attended by…

Historics will head to the fast-developing mecca of all things classic that is Bicester Heritage on September 24, with the auctioneer’s autumn sale marking its first visit to the bustling Oxfordshire venue. Fittingly, it’s put together a brilliantly eclectic catalogue too, with almost 160 cars consigned at the time of writing. As you would expect of Historics, there are several headliners expected to sell in six-figure territory. A 1961 Aston Martin DB4 Series 2 carries an estimate of £280,000-£310,000, while a beautiful 1970 Citroën DS21 EFI Decapotable by Chapron is guided at £145,000-£160,000. Adding an Italian flavour is a 1961 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider Veloce that could sell for as much as £140,000, with a 1986 Ferrari 328 GTS expected to command £110,000-£150,000. There are also several Mercedes-Benz models in…

Taken in July 1969 is this photograph of the recently completed Rhondda Road Bridge, over the River Taff at Pontypridd. The new junction was designed to make the lives of locals and tourists alike a little easier, although 53 years ago it wasn’t exactly over-run with traffic. Now though, it makes a fascinating sight, with an interesting selection of vehicles in shot. Heading away from the camera are a Mk1 version of BMC’s ADO17 ‘Landcrab’ (complete with rusty front wing), what looks like a PB-series Vauxhall Cresta, plus a Ford Zodiac Mk4; and heading in the other direction across the junction are a Triumph 2000 Mk1 and a BMC 1100 estate, cutting in front of a Morris FG lorry, an ageing Ford Consul Mk2 and a relatively new-looking Mini. Parked…

ROVER 600 We thought the 600 was an obvious counterpart to the Avensis, with both being Anglo-Japanese creations. While the Avensis was tailor-made for British production, the 600 was effectively a reskinned Honda Accord. That’s no bad thing, and the Rover styling and Honda engines certainly make it less anonymous both from the outside and behind the wheel. FORD MONDEO This is the one the Avensis had to beat in the company car parks. After a decade of minimal-effort fare, Ford became the standard bearer for the 1990s with the Mondeo, which offered zingy engines, a brilliant combination of ride and handling and a wide range of trim and body options. The Avensis was specifically developed to meet the challenge of the Mondeo. NISSAN PRIMERA Something of an unsung hero…