Innholdsfortegnelse for 6/28/2023 i Classic Car Buyer

Over 15,000 attendees descended on Bicester Heritage on June 17-18 for Flywheel, an event celebrating the venue’s 10-year anniversary as an historic motoring hub. The event also gave plenty of hope for the future of the industry, with around 2000 attendees aged under 14. Charity partner StarterMotor provided encouragement by supplying 1500 tickets to local schools and charities. The marques on display ranged from a 1903 Knox to a one-day-old Porsche 911 GT3 RS, with further highlights including historic rally cars on the figure-of-eight circuit and various Bentley displays. Sustain Classic also launched the first sustainable fuel for classic cars at the event, while HERO-ERA and Prodrive took the wraps off their secret collaboration, based on an original Ford Mustang.…

Despite what the name might suggest, the Carrera Collection is an auction containing more than just Porsches. Indeed, the RM Sotheby’s sale is so vast that it takes place in two parts: the first in Switzerland on July 7, the second in Italy on July 12. While perhaps out of the usual CCB remit, they do give us a great chance to lust over some exotica. In the first catalogue comes a host of desirable Porsche models. The earliest on offer is a matching-numbers1955 1500 Speedster – the restored 356 guided at £195,000-£230,000. Meanwhile a 1963 356 B Carrera 2 2000 GS coupe looks equally appealing and is anticipated to sell for £270,000-£345,000. Of the many 911s on offer here the earliest is a red 1966 coupe. One of only…

The Spitfire arrived during a golden period for the small British roadster. When it made its debut in 1962, the Austin-Healey Sprite had been launched in Mk2 guise and joined by the MG Midget, and Triumph wanted a slice of the action. Despite humble underpinnings largely borrowed from the Herald, the Spitfire 4 had plenty to offer – not least its styling by Italian legend, Michelotti. The Herald’s 1147cc engine was fitted with twin SU HS2 carbs, an aggressive camshaft and front disc brakes, pushing the recipe harder than ever before and justifying a higher price tag over BMC’s rival roadsters. Only its swing axle suspension let it down on paper, but on the road the Spitfire’s low grip and oversteer-prone handling served to thrill. The order books were soon…

Originally, the Mini-based Moke was devised as parachute-droppable vehicle to be used by the military, but when poor ground clearance and a low power output kyboshed that plan, the ‘Buckboard’ project would remerge as a vehicle for civilian use. BMC hoped it would make inroads into the commercial market, but it ended up attracting purchase tax, closing off this avenue. Instead, it found its niche as a fun recreational vehicle, especially in hotter destinations. The MkI Moke went on sale in the UK in 1964, powered by the basic Mini’s 848cc A-Series and with parts like a removable canvas roof and passenger seats optional extras. Initially you could have any colour you wanted, as long as it was Spruce Green, though white was added later. The MkII Moke of 1967…

The Citroën Méhari took much of its inspiration from the Mini Moke, and in the same vein there was more than a passing connection to the military. The Méhari was designed by a French World War II fighter pilot, intended as a simplistic utility vehicle. The bosses at Citroën liked what they saw, and production of the unusual recreational car was planned for 1968. Under the skin it was based largely on parts from other Citroën models. The 2CV donated its chassis, while the flat twin petrol engine was the same 602cc unit you’d find in the Dyane, Ami and the later 2CV6. With clothes on it weighed just 535kgs. The Moke had been deemed too weedy for British armed forces that were used to the Land Rover, but the…

The 1980s might have seen the decline of the traditional two-seater sports car, but there was no stopping the four-seater soft-top – with the Golf shown here being by far the most successful. Mind you, not even the most optimistic prophet at Volkswagen could have envisaged the success of the Golf Cabriolet when the model first took a bow in 1979, or how long a career it would enjoy. By the time the last one finally rolled off the production line at German specialists Karmann in 1993, an impressive 400,871 examples had found buyers – a remarkable achievement by any standards. A wide array of Golf Cabriolet derivatives arrived over the years, ranging from less performance-orientated 1.5-litre models through to the 1.8 GTI, the latter offering 112bhp. Among the most…

If you fancy true classic looks with slightly newer mechanicals, then maybe the Nissan Figaro is your perfect summer companion? Although just 20,000 Figaros were built in total, they’re no longer a rare sight on UK roads thanks to the dedication of enthusiasts and specialists in this country. Indeed, estimates suggest that around 20 per cent of all Figaros built are now owned by Brits. The Figaro dates from a fascinating era for Nissan, with a host of limited-run retro-style models being built by the company’s special projects division, known as Pike Factory. The process started with the cute Be-1 three-door hatch of 1987, followed by the quirky S-Cargo panel van and the utilitarian-looking Pao hatch two years later. But it was with the Figaro of 1991 that Pike Factory…

Volvo is often thought of as being synonymous with Sweden, but these days it can boast several factories in China – unsurprising given that it’s been under Geely’s ownership since 2010. In truth however, Volvo has been making cars outside of Sweden since the 1960s, with this image depicting a snapshot of its factory in Ghent, Belgium, during 1994. This was the second Volvo car plant outside Sweden, and it began by assembling the ‘Amazon’ 120-series model in 1965. Here we see a mixture of Volvo 440 and 460s being loaded on to transporters, although according to Volvo’s own literature, both models were never built there, being manufactured at the NedCar plant in the Netherlands instead. The 440 and 460 were solid but never that exciting, as the colours shown…

MINI Mk3 COOPER S If you can’t get on with the square-nose Clubman body, then the Mk3 Cooper S is the way to go – widely regarded as the best-driving factory-built Mini of them all. But with barely 1500 made and demand high you’ll struggle to find one and you’ll pay more than the price of this GTS when you do. INNOCENTI MINI DE TOMASO Innocenti introduced a Cooper-evoking Mini of its own in 1976. The blocky Bertone-styled Innocenti may have looked strikingly different to the homegrown Mini but under the skin it was very familiar, right down to the 74bhp 1275cc engine – albeit a single-carb affair not to true Cooper spec. VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE GSR Similar in concept, colour and initals but very different in execution. Not only in…

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Colin McRae’s first championship-winning Subaru is being offered for sale by Silverstone Auctions. The 1992 Subaru Legacy RS Group ‘A’ rally car is one of three competition machines owned by the late Scottish motorsport star, offered alongside a 1977 Chrysler Sunbeam Ti Group ‘A’ rally car and a bespoke Ford Escort Mk2 – all formerly part of the McRae family collection. McRae’s remarkable career saw him take the Scottish Rally Championship in 1988 and the British Rally Championship in 1991 and 1992. In 1995 he became first British driver, and the youngest person ever, to win the World Rally Championship – a record that stood for 27 years. The Subaru was Colin’s personal favourite. J314 PWL was built by the Prodrive factory team to full International ‘Group A’ regulations, with…

The Mercedes-Benz Club will host its annual National Concours event at the British Motor Musuem for the third time on July 8. Entry categories vary from the Master Class that will see serious competition among the very best cars in the club right through to more modest classes for the ‘daily driver’, which is just for fun and is voted for by the members. “There will also be an exhibition and modified class, and – new for this year – a specific class for AMG models,” added Club Concours manager Brian Ellis. The event will be supported again by Meguiar’s, while Rob Halloway, the Marketing Director for Mercedes-Benz Cars, Director of Mercedes-Benz World and President of the Club, will present awards and trophies. For further details see mercedes-benz-club.co.uk.…

A freedom of information request submitted by the BBC has uncovered that London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) generated more than £224m in 2022. The enormous figure was brought in through a combination of daily charges (£151.3m) and penalty charge notices – known as PCNs (£73.3m). According to reports, Transport for London (TfL) will use the funds, which equated to an average of £18.7m every month, to cover “set-up costs” for the planned ULEZ expansion, and for improving the way the existing scheme operates. Currently any non-compliant vehicle driven in the zone must pay a daily charge of £12.50 or risk a fine of £180, reduced to £90 if it is paid within two weeks. Controversially London’s ULEZ map is set to expand on August 29 to include all London…

RANGE ROVER CLASSIC (1970–1996) The culmination of a long project to build a new model that was more road-focused than the original Land Rover, the Range Rover emerged in June 1970 and would set the wheels in motion for a new breed of luxurious off-roaders. Initially available with a three-door body style and a 3.5-litre V8 linked to a four-speed manual gearbox, the range was expanded to include a five-door version in 1981. Thereafter the Range Rover was improved year-on-year, with the introduction of the 3.9-litre engine and revised dashboard in 1989 helping to ensure its continued appeal. Diesel models went on sale from 1986 – initially using VM Motori units but later getting Land Rover’s own 200TDi and 300TDi engines. The long-wheelbase 4.2-litre LSE version of 1992 used a…

When it came to replacing the Austin-Healey ‘Frogeye’ Sprite with the slightly more civilized Mk2 in 1961, BMC decided it would launch an MG model of the new version as well. After all, the Sprite was already made at MG’s factory. Abingdon certainly played on this by calling the car the Midget – a name first ascribed to the M Type of 1929, and last used for the TF of 1954. This first modern Midget brought sub-1000cc motoring back to MG enthusiasts for the first time since 1936. It differed from the Sprite by having a traditional MG-style grille and extra trim, a black instead of white steering wheel and other small detail differences. Despite having a conventional bonnet and an opening bootlid over the Frogeye, the Midget was still…

OK, the Spider first appeared in the late 1960s, but it’s the 1970s-onwards cars that are most achievable these days. The Pininfarina-styled Series 1 with its twin-cam 1.6-litre motor and rounded ‘boat tail’ was joined by the 1750 Spider Veloce in 1969, but it was all change for the Series 2 in 1970, which now featured a squarer Kamm tail. In 1971 the 1962cc twin cam was installed to create a performance flagship model in the Spider 2000, and the following year the Spider Junior gained the 1600 engine. Produced until 1982, this is the Spider of popular imagination with its E-Type style headlamp cowls, delicate chrome bumpers and carburetted engine. That said, it wasn’t cheap, with the Spider costing more than a contemporary E-Type. Much like the MGB, the…

Fiat’s wedge-shaped X1/9, named after its internal codename, arrived in 1972. The unusual creation came about thanks to a collaboration between Bertone and Fiat, with the intention of creating a replacement for the rear-engined 850 Spider that could take on the traditional British roadsters. Bertone already built the Spider, so it naturally had an element of self interest in mind when coming up with a successor. The shape of the Bertone offering was an evolution of the 1969 Autobianchi A112 Runabout concept. The 75bhp 1290cc four-cylinder engine derived from the Fiat 128 would be mid-mounted, thus providing excellent balance and appearing rather futuristic in comparison with the MG Midget or Triumph Spitfire. The concept car was not designed for night use, so neat pop-up headlights were added. Bertone would build…

When Lotus wanted to introduce a model that sat beneath the likes of the Esprit they decided on a re-boot of the Elan name. But there was a surprise for the marque faithful, with the new wedge-shaped design adopting a front-wheel drive layout. It was a decision some traditionalists struggled to accept, but in practice the handling was superb and remains a high-point of Elan M100 ownership today. Launched in 1989, the Series 1 was offered in normally-aspirated or turbocharged form, although the modest price difference ensured most plumped for the latter. Clothed in a body designed by Peter Stevens, there was a lot to like about the new Lotus even if a rival in the shape of the Mazda MX-5 arguably contributed to limited sales. Just 3855 – and…

When it comes to fun in the sun there are few better options than the Mazda MX-5. By now we all know the story of its genesis, inspired as it was by the two-seater sports cars of the past. The truth is that the MX-5 cleverly filled a gap in the market once occupied by the small, lightweight British sports cars that, by the time the Mazda was revealed in 1989, had all but disappeared. Arriving in the UK in 1990, the new ‘NA’ MX-5 was curvaceous, cute and full of character. From its pop-up headlamps to its rounded tail, the car’s proportions were simply perfect – as was the overall spec. The decision to make the newcomer front-engined and rear-wheel drive was vital to its long-term appeal, with Mazda’s…

The Mercedes-Benz SLK first appeared as a concept car at the 1994 Paris Motor Show with the production model following in 1996. While it didn’t entirely break new ground with its clever metal folding ‘vario-roof’, it helped such an arrangement gain popularity, and the 2000s was in many ways the era of the two-seat convertible-coupe. The Mercedes compact roadster was powered by a supercharged 2.3-litre four-cylinder engine, launching it to 60mph in seven seconds. A 2000 facelift saw the arrival of a supercharged 2.0-litre engine creating the SLK 200, while the SLK 320 model offered a more powerful 215bhp V6 motor. In 2001, the SL 32 AMG was launched to rival BMW’s M Roadster and the Porsche Boxster S, boasting 349bhp from its supercharged V6. Mercedes built 311,000 examples before…

Think of the Smart Roadster (and fastback Roadster-Coupe) as the 21st century equivalent of an Austin-Healey Sprite and you’ll begin to understand the appeal of this diminutive sportster. On sale from 2003 and featuring a choice of removable targa-style panels or an electrically-folding fabric roof, the Roadster followed the original Smart’s principle of a skeletal-like structure – known as the Tridion safety cell – from which ‘plastic’ body panels were hung. It was a clever, lightweight design – and it meant Smart could get away with employing an uprated version of its existing three-cylinder 698cc turbocharged engine, now producing 80bhp. It was ample power for a sportster that weighed in at a mere 790kg, giving it a power-to-weight ratio of 101bhp per tonne. In an effort to boost sales of…

Us Brits love our weather, and when the summer does finally show its face, we can’t help but enjoy it with a spot of seasonal motoring. It is probably why we buy more convertibles than most other nations; wind-in-the-hair driving really does seem to appeal to us. The classic car scene is blessed with fabulous options for those in search of some unforgettable summer fun, so for this special issue of Classic Car Buyer we’ve compiled a list of 20 cars from five different decades that each have the potential to excite you. From the Triumph Spitfire of the 1960s to the Smart Roadster of the 2000s, our picks seat two or more and cover a wide breadth of styles and performance levels, with cruisers to all-out performance heroes among…

Born in an era when British classics sported American influences such as memorable tail fins, the Rootes Group’s Sunbeam Alpine was designed to compete against roof-down rivals from MG and Triumph. The original body-on-frame Sunbeam Alpine was launched in 1953, with the more advanced ‘Series’ models running from 1959 and boasting unitary construction and even wind-up windows – a rarity at the time for a two-seat sports car. The Series I Alpine used a modified version of the Hillman Husky’s floor pan, while an 83bhp 1.5-litre twin-carb engine was linked to a four-speed gearbox with optional overdrive. Power was increased to 1592cc with the arrival of the Series II in 1960, and this 80bhp engine remained in use throughout the lifespan of the subsequent Series III and IV versions of…

If ever there was a classic car that needed little in the way of introduction, it’s the MGB. One of the world’s most cherished classics, the MGB’s simple formula and charm made it a hit during its 18-year production cycle and long beyond. The MGB combined tried and tested mechanical components with modern unitary construction, an idea that was inspired by the Austin-Healey Sprite that was being built at Abingdon, and already paying off over at Rootes with the Sunbeam Alpine. Despite ideas of new V4 and V6 engines, the MGB ended up with a reworked version of BMC’s B-series engine, this time stretched to 1798cc and fitted with twin SU carburettors to produce 95bhp. The bodyshell was designed in house, and was both simple and elegant. It was an…

Without doubt the Mk3 Escort had a tough gig, following the rear-wheel drive Mk1 and Mk2 as it did, with its front-wheel drive layout and boxy styling. All told, this new Escort, which embraced the hatchback style, was a real departure from what had come before. The changes didn’t end with its looks, either; independent rear suspension and mix of the Fiesta’s 1.1-litre Kent-based Valencia engine, and the new CVH 1.3- and 1.6-litre engines, meant it was mechanically different too. In 1983, a five-door estate and a Karmann-built Cabriolet joined the existing three- and five-door hatches and three-door estate, and there would be sporty versions too. The XR3 was followed by XR3i, RS1600i and RS Turbo models, which really ignited interest. The Mk3 was a sales success, quickly becoming Britain’s…

In 1978 the Saab 99 was joined by the 900, which was offered with a turbocharged engine from the outset. Initially this was the 99’s 145bhp 2-litre inline slant four engine with a Garrett blower, but from 1985 there was a 16-valve, 175bhp twin-cam version. Two prototype convertibles were developed – one in America and one in Sweden. The American Sunroof Corporation engineered one based on a two-door saloon, while Swedish coachbuilder Leif Mellberg developed its version around a three-door hatchback with a part-targa roof like a Jaguar XJ-SC. The two-door ASC study was selected and shown at the 1983 Frankfurt Motor Show to such universal acclaim that Saab’s hand was effectively forced. The car would launch in 1987 to coincide with the slant-nose facelift in most markets, though the…

With the closure of MG’s historic Abingdon factory in 1980, not even the most optimistic enthusiast could have predicted that a sensational new mid-engined two-seater MG would be taking the sports car market by storm just 15 years later. Yet that’s exactly what happened in 1995 with the launch of the all-important MGF. It had to be good, of course, to stand a chance of beating the Mazda MX-5 at its own game; but Rover’s engineers did an excellent job of creating a genuinely competitive sportster on what was then a tight budget. Don’t be put off by the fact the MGF used modified Metro subframes and Hydragas suspension, as this helped to ensure that the ’F offered one of the best ride/handling combinations ever seen in an MG two-seater.…

When it comes to affordable BMW Z cars, it’s the Z3 will likely pop into your head. However, the Z4 of 2003 is arguably a far better car, and now that it is 20 years old most would consider it a genuine modern classic. Launched in 2003, the E85 Z4 was available with a 170bhp 2.2-litre engine or more powerful 193bhp 2.5- and 231bhp 3.0-litre straight-six M54 petrols. Designed with BMW’s ‘flame surfacing’ look, Chris Bangle’s distinctive visual style means these cars still appear modern by today’s standards. In 2005 a 150bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder model joined the range, which came with a six-speed manual gearbox and replaced the previous entry-level 2.2 option. The new N52 mill arrived in 2006 and was offered in 215bhp 2.5si and 258bhp 3.0si guises, running…

The first Astra represented a big shift for GM Europe, being the firm’s first front-wheel drive product, sitting on a new platform and requiring brand new engines and transmissions. It was a well-received car, stealing a march on Ford’s switch to FWD and setting the scene for Vauxhall’s strong performance in the 1980s. But by 1984 a new Astra was in the wings, and Vauxhall needed to shift the old model out of the showrooms. So it turned to the well-worn strategy of the special edition, launching the Astra ‘Celebrity’. Based on the 1300S model of the Astra (the ‘S’ standing for ‘Seventy-Five’, denoting the higher-tune version o the 1.3-litre engine rather than any real sporting pretentions), the Celebrity, like most editions of its type, had features that were usually…

1980s SUPERMINIS The supermini sector flourished in the 1980s, and we evaluate three of the leading contenders in the Vauxhall Nova, Austin Metro and Peugeot 205. US MARKET FORDS Ford plans to head back to its roots to emphasise its American ideals. In celebration, we revisit US market Blue Ovals sold in the UK, including the Probe, Cougar, Explorer and Mustang BUY A LOTUS ELITE, ECLAT OR EXCEL Fancy an affordable Lotus? Our in-depth guide on Elite, Eclat and Excel tells you exactly what to look out for. DOWNLOAD THE DIGITAL ISSUE OF CLASSIC CAR BUYER FROM AS LITTLE AS 94p! Visit: www.pocketmags.com or download it via the App Store; search Classic Car Buyer. The printed version of Classic Car Buyer is available in ASDA, Tesco, Morrisons and WH Smiths, plus all…