Innholdsfortegnelse for 7/26/2023 i Classic Car Buyer

A low-mileage 1992 Ford Escort RS Cosworth Motorsport ‘Group N’ rally car that was thought to be lost has resurfaced in the UK and is being offered for sale. The Ford is one of just 2500 homologation cars built, rally-prepared to Group N + standards before being exported to Jakarta in 1993. After tackling a couple of Indonesian forest rallies it was parked and largely forgotten. In the 2000s, the Escort was discovered by an Australian enthusiast, covered in dust and sitting on flat tyres. Transported Down Under, its hibernation continued until 2021 when it was stumbled across by its next and more proactive owner. ‘Lost’ for almost 30 years, today the Escort is said to be in original and superb mechanical and cosmetic condition with just 703 miles on…

Hard as it would’ve been to fathom a few years ago, rising values mean that £10,000 isn’t quite the big budget for a classic that it once was, with collectors seemingly scrabbling for the most desirable old cars and leaving some enthusiasts out in the cold. However, if you are in the market for a driver’s car that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face then don’t lose heart, as there are still plenty of engaging options out there for those who simply adore driving. Over the coming pages we have compiled 12 realistic options for motorists who love nothing more than a rewarding B-road blast on a sunny Sunday morning – cars available for £10,000 or less. From tried and tested classics like the MG Midget, Caterham…

Granted, this one is a stretch for our budget, but a little extra hunting or home fettling will surely be worth it. The Seven was once a nice little earner for Colin Chapman’s Lotus outfit, and continued to sell like the proverbial hot cake when Caterham bought the rights and began selling them from 1973 onwards. The car’s tried-and-tested recipe of adding lightness meant it was able to outgun some illustrious competition over the years – and still does. With kits of the Series 4 Seven running dry, Caterham introduced its own version of the older Series 3 in 1974. The early range was pretty simple, with the Lotus-Ford Twin Cam available until 1983 and the Ford Kent engine later used to offer an entry-level in Seven ownership. One of…

Something of a giant killer, the 205’s secret was its lightweight build which meant that sparkling performance was provided by nothing more exotic than a pair of otherwise mundane four-cylinder engines plucked from PSA’s everyday saloon car range. The two models have noticeably different characters: the 1.6 is a revvier unit and needs to be worked harder to get the best from the car, while the 1.9 offers more torque and is generally less frantic, but both are great fun on a challenging cross-country route. Indeed, Peugeot’s iconic hot hatch is far happier away from the motorway, where its talents shine. On the B-roads of Northern France it in its element: a jaunt to the Brittany coast would see it fitting right in. Closer to home though, somewhere like the…

Driving pleasure can be found in the most unlikely of places, and the original Mini was a true case in point. When it first arrived in 1959, its creator Alec Issigonis intended it as a simple, utilitarian people’s car, but its radical, unfamiliar design and a host of early build issues could’ve led to failure. As it was though, the motoring press and the world of motorsport was sent into raptures by the Mini’s quantum-leap forward in roadholding, and together with its popularity among fashion-conscious city types, would help transform the Mini’s fortunes. The Mini had been used in motorsport right from the start, but a certain John Cooper had the idea of slotting a Formula Junior engine in to create a hot version, culminating in the launch of the…

The M100 is as easy to drive fast as a hot hatch and is remarkably similar in feel, so the ideal driving route has to include a few challenging corners while also being able to soak up the advantages of an open-topped roadster. I’d love to take one over to Switzerland, where I could spend time making the most of that safe handling and punchy turbo grunt on mountain passes, before soaking up the rays around lakes such as Lucerne, Geneva or Interlaken. Closer to home, the obvious destination is Norfolk, but in truth I’d head for the Jurassic Coast in Dorset. There are a few sections where you can really enjoy the roads, but there’s also plenty of opportunity to take it easy and take in the views, too.…

The third-generation BMW 3 Series arrived in 1991, and while it was certainly a step forward in many regards it’s probably fair to say that it didn’t capture enthusiasts’ hearts in quite the same way as the E30 generation cars before it. However, in recent times the E36 has blossomed to become a modern classic well worthy of consideration, with a range of body styles, engines and trim options to suit every requirement. Of those, the E36 328i Coupe is arguably the sweet spot for our £10,000 budget, offering a mix of driving pleasure, sleek looks and what we think is a great chance to appreciate in value over the coming years. The E36 Coupe arrived in the UK in 1992 in one of three guises; the entry-level car was…

Like so many performance cars of the 1990s, the Subaru Impreza has graduated from boy-racer to bona fide classic in recent years. It’s well deserved too; the Impreza draws on Subaru’s left-field heritage with its boxer engine and all-wheel-drive system, combining mechanical intrigue with incredible performance that saw it win 46 rallies, three constructors’ championships and three drivers’ titles in the World Rally Championship. In 2016, I got to know Kelsey Media’s Subaru Impreza Turbo 2000 on a classic car tour in northern France. For context, the Turbo 2000 was the detuned UK-market version of the now-famous Impreza WRX; it’s a purer example of the breed, devoid of extraneous spoilers and bodykits that adorned more potent versions. Its turbocharged 2.0-lite flat-four produced around 218bhp in facelift guise – but that’s…

When Honda revealed the S2000 in 1999, it made an immediate impact. Powered by a high-revving 240bhp 2.0-litre DOHC four-cylinder engine, the brand’s famous VTEC variable valve-timing technology gave the open-top two-seater the ability to rev to a screaming 9000rpm and allow for a thrilling element of Jekyll and Hyde character. There was more to the S2000, though, including a rewarding six-speed short-shifting gearbox, double wishbone suspension all round, class-leading levels of rigidity and a relatively light weight of 1260kgs. All this combined to deliver a 0-62 mph in just 6.2 seconds and a top speed of 150mph. Wrapped up with engaging handling (a limited slip differential was fitted as standard), the S2000 was a driver’s car in every sense. Allied to its pleasing roadster looks, it was quickly tipped…

The 350Z is far from perfect but as modern classic Japanese coupes go it has much to offer, not least those good looks that the subsequent model simply couldn’t beat. The combination of a large, hearty V6 engine and powerful Brembo brakes mean it’s off to a cracking start. While the chassis could arguably be a little more driver focused, it has all the right bits in all the right places; the engine is in the front, with drive sent to the rear wheels. All told the recipe creates an involving driving experience with enough character to impress. Despite what you might think, the 350Z is a usable and practical offering, with that in mind I’d take it on a European road trip to Germany – the Black Forest to…

BENTLEY TURBO R The Turbo R was a six-figure car when new, but today it can be purchased for a fraction of its original cost. This is a Bentley that rewards with high levels of luxury and impressive performance, but can come with big bills. Being prepared to undertake key maintenance yourself will save on running costs, but a healthy fire-fighting fund is advisable. AUDI A8 The original A8 was aimed at the high-end of the luxury market, though there was no LWB option. It was offered with three engine choices; a 2.8-litre V6, 4.2-litre V8 or a 3.7-litre V8, and came loaded with leather upholstery, air-con, traction control and other comforts. Today you can pay just £6000 for the top-of-the-range 4.2-litre model, and less for the entry-level 2.8-litre V6.…

FIVA, the international federation of historic vehicles, has undertaken a debate on the topic of classic car conservation versus restoration at its latest International Symposium on Restoration. Hosted by Retromobil Club Romania, the event saw international experts take to the stage in Sinaia for a day of speeches, with historians, restorers, engineers and collectors alike sharing their views and experiences. Amongst the diverse speakers was Adolfo Orsi Jr, who was part of the Italian family that owned Maserati during the 1930s to 1950s, American automotive historian and award-winning restorer David Cooper, Romanian restorer Andrei Ciocarlan, and British racing driver and classic car dealer, Sam Hancock. All of the speakers agreed on the importance of recording the amount of restoration, replacement and rebuilding that has been carried out on any vehicle.…

Rare coachbuilt Ferraris will star at September’s Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace. Among the star cars will be a Ferrari 275P that was a winner at Le Mans in 1963 and 1964, a 1961 250GT California Spyder once owned by film star Alain Delon, a 1964 250LM with impressive competition history, a 1963 250GT Berlinetta Lusso and a 1967 330GTC Speciale by Pininfarina. hallowed circuit at La Sarthe. To host the Alongside the Italian vehicles will sit further exciting classic machinery, with a Le Mans Centenary Celebration featuring some of the world’s most significant competition cars, as well as displays of rare and spectacular concours vehicles. The event will assemble around 1000 further cars in a series of special features and displays. James Brooks-Ward, Concours of Elegance CEO,…

With over 160 lots going under the hammer, WB & Sons’ July 15 sale proved to be one of its most eclectic yet. On the one hand, you had pre-war vehicles including a Morris Cowley and a Hillman Minx finding new homes, but on the other, a couple of Aston Martin Vantages did likewise. All told, the range of cars spanned some 84 years. However, if any particular genre stood out, it was fast Fords. A 1993 Escort RS Cosworth project car that had originally been supplied by Ford as a demonstrator for regional police forces was perhaps the biggest surprise, beating its estimate to sell for £29,975 despite being a non-runner. That said, a Series 1 Escort RS Turbo wasn’t far behind as it beat its upper guide to…

When it comes to traditional British sports car fun on a budget, there isn’t much that can top an MG Midget. Small, rear-wheel drive, DIY friendly and a hoot to chuck around, the Midget is an established classic that can still be had for surprisingly small sums. Launched in 1961, the Midget was appealing, but not exactly a new idea. As well as rebooting a name used on diminutive MGs of the past, it was essentially a rebadged version of the Austin-Healey Sprite Mk2 – itself a revised version of the original ‘Frogeye’ Sprite that had been launched in 1958. The Frogeye had been introduced as a new entry level British sports car, combining a new monocoque bodyshell with tried and tested parts from the likes of the Austin A35,…

For those of us who have often idly contemplated a big sports bike but who have been put off by the hospital records of two-wheeler friends, the Lotus Seven-style car seems like an ideal compromise: the lack of bodywork, supercar pace but impossible to fall off. Your budget for a Seven-style car can range from just £1500 right up to £30,000-plus, the top end of the market being occupied by the Caterham – official successor to the original Lotus design. When Lotus began its first push upmarket, one of the first casualties was the Seven, but a canny dealer by the name of Graham Nearn bought the rights to the design which was renamed Caterham Seven and has been in continuous production ever since. Early cars used a variety of…

A vehicle doesn’t need blistering performance to be a driver’s car, and the humble Mazda MX-5 proves the point. It’s more practical than a Caterham by some margin, but still offers a raw sporting experience without relying on outright grunt. Indeed, the MX-5’s blend of charm, entertainment and practicality is one of the reasons that we keep coming back to it as an excellent prospect for those in search of a cool, useable classic. Arriving in the UK in 1990, the first-generation ‘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 engineers…

This is quite a tricky one, as I’ve been lucky enough to drive Minis all over the world. If I had to pick the best playground it would probably be Bosnia for its twisty roads and scenery, but being realistic, very few people are going to just nip over to the Balkans in a classic Mini. Let’s face it, these cars are more about short-haul fun rather than traipsing along the motorways, even if the final destination is worth it. Instead, I’d probably head for the North York Moors National Park. As just a sample, I’d base myself at Rosedale Abbey, heading north along Knot Road before bearing south along Blakey Ridge with a stop at the cosy Lion Inn. To complete the loop, the return includes a drive down…

TVR had upped its game by the early 1990s, with notable improvements to build quality. The Chimaera of 1992 was derived from the Griffith that was launched two years earlier, and was intended as the most user-friendly and practical TVR yet. Longer and more spacious than its no-frills donor, the Chimaera would help widen the brand’s customer base while also boasting fine handling and a fantastic soundtrack. As per the Griffith, TVR opted to use the Rover V8 engine in 4.0-, 4.3-, 4.5- and 5.0-litre guises, ranging in power from 240 to 340bhp. Early cars provided a choice of 4-litre and 4.3-litre engines, with the Rover LT77five-speed gearbox sending power to the rear wheels via an open differential. In 1994, the gearbox was changed to the highly regarded Borg Warner…

This doesn’t sound glamorous, but it’s a surprisingly decent drive, and, in my case, it was a fruitful one, as I ended up at Meguiar’s UK where my E36 323i Convertible received a much-needed detailing session. It is a sedate couple of hours that you can savour with the roof down and just enjoy the roads and pretty scenery. After heading north on the A34, I headed west on the B4044 towards Eynsham, taking a right on the B4449 and ultimately joining the A4095 towards Shipton-on-Cherwell. The Cotswolds is off to the west, so plenty of opportunity to be distracted if a brief stop for a cream tea takes your fancy. I branched left on the A4260 heading north towards Deddington and then on to Twyford. I eventually arrived in…

Our hypothetical £10,000 budget can get you behind the wheel of either a 986 or even a 987 Boxter, helping to make it one of the best driver’s prospects in our selection. Launched in 1996, the Boxster was Porsche’s first roadster since the 914 and was a real savior for the firm. It was a clever design that cut production costs through sharing parts with other models. For example, the front end was shared with the forthcoming 996-genetation 911. Some may believe that the Boxster is an inferior Porsche, but this is a car that can run rings around most of the other options in its price range. As a driver’s car it’s hard to beat, its mid-engined layout delivered exceptional, balanced handling while a water-cooled six-cylinder engine provided the…

I’d not owned my Honda S2000 long when I did this particular drive down the North East coast of England. It was fabulous weather, the traffic was light, and the roads really showcased the S2000 to its best; long, open straights, enabling me to stretch the VTEC in all its red line glory, and corners that flatter the Japanese roadster’s handling. Having left Newcastle, I crossed the River Tyne over to Gateshead before taking a left on the A184 to pick up the A19 south. Heading east on the A174, which takes me towards Redcar, then right on the A171 across the North Yorkshire Moors into Whitby. I departed Whitby and then joined the A169 south all the way to Pickering, then onto Malton. There, I picked up the B1248,…

The Talbot Sunbeam Lotus is a pretty good package in standard form – with 150bhp from a race-bred short-stroke DOHC engine, rear-wheel drive, unassisted steering and a kerb weight still in three figures, it was many performance fans’ idea of the perfect do-it-all car. But when you consider that the rallying versions of the Sunbeam Lotus had around 250bhp from the same engine, it’s not surprising that some people wonder what the standard cars would be like with more power. That’s what a previous owner of this Sunbeam Lotus thought, since it was sent to well-known specialist Skip Brown in 1986 (with 48,000 miles on the clock) to have a big-port cylinder head fitted, taking power up to approximately 210bhp at the flywheel and 175bhp at the wheels, measured at…

COOPER S AT 60 Celebrating 60 years of the Mini Cooper S - one of the most popular British classic cars of all time and an enduring icon of motoring. TOYOTA MR2 Mk2 We get behind the wheel of the second-generation Toyota MR2 to see what the sporty Japanese machine has to offer today. BUY A ROVER R8 Learn everything you need to know about buying the dependable R8 variant of the Rover 200 and 400 Series 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 good newsagents…

The British Motor Museum at Gaydon, Warwickshire, has opened a new exhibition entitled Transitions: The Impact of Innovation, which explores the development of the car. The exhibition uses a combination of cars and interactive stations to illustrate how cars will be powered, their impact, the materials they use and alternative methods of control. A 1922 Ford Model T, a hydrogen-powered Riversimple Rasa, and a sectioned Nissan Leaf electric car form part of the display which runs until summer 2024. Visit britishmotormuseum.co.uk for more information and to book tickets.…

FORD ORION (1983-1993) When Ford launched the Mk3 Escort and Sierra hatchbacks to replace the Mk2 Escort and Cortina it left a saloon-sized gap in its line-up. In 1983 though, the four-door Orion arrived to plug the void and win over some of the customers who weren’t keen on a hatchback. The Orion was initially offered with 1.3- or 1.6-litre CVH engines and a choice of GL and Ghia trim levels, the latter in carb-fed form or with the same fuel-injected set-up as the Escort XR3i. One year on, an L model was introduced alongside a 1.6-litre diesel engine. A 1986 facelift mirrored that of the Escort and brought about more model options, further broadening the car’s appeal and seeing it peak as the UK’s seventh bestselling car in 1987…

The only proper place to drive a Midget is on a British country road – but it has to be the right one. You may think of Lincolnshire as being mostly flat fields and sub-sea level fens, but the top part of the county is much more bucolic and is strikingly pretty. It could also have been made for an MG Midget, with a network of fast single-carriageway A-roads snaking around rolling hills between cosy market towns. Better yet are all the narrow lanes spearing off these roads – lanes that would feel restrictive in a bigger, more powerful car but which make the most of a Midget’s ability to generate fun at 30mph. Slowing for corners and keeping the little engine on the boil will require accurate use of…

Hot hatches don’t come much more iconic than the Peugeot 205 GTI, which remains the benchmark for many a critic even to this day. Born in-house under Gérard Welter, the standard 205 was a real game-changer for an ailing Peugeot. It acquitted itself well when launched in 1983, but the GTI would become the most influential model in the range and turn the 205 into an icon. Launched in March 1984, the initial GTI models used the new 1580cc eight-valve XU unit producing 104bhp, which propelled the car to 60mph in 8.6 seconds. It compared favorably with VW’s Golf GTI, Ford’s XR3i and Renault’s 5 GTT pocket rocket. However, in 1986 Peugeot upped the ante with the introduction of a 130bhp 1.9-litre 205 GTI, its enlarged, longer-stroke XU9 engine and…

There’s a lot of hype surrounding the MX-5 but drive one and you’ll quickly discover that every bit of it is well deserved. While most of the earlier models are somewhat underpowered by today’s standards, the balance of available power to grip ensures a rewarding driving experience and, importantly, all without breaking the bank or risking the health of your driving licence. Little wonder that these roadsters have such an enthusiastic cult following. I thought of numerous routes to mention here but I’m going with the A686. Pick it up just outside of Hexham in Northumberland and point your bonnet at Penrith in Cumbria. Winding its way through the villages of Bearsbridge and Ninebanks, it climbs to Alston – one of the highest market towns in England, cutting over the…

Choosing the only front-wheel drive Lotus as a driver’s car might seem like a bold move to marque purists, but to focus on that one element is doing the M100 Elan an injustice. For a considerable time it sat in the shadow of more illustrious models, but the rebooted Elan is now increasingly regarded as an appealing modern classic. The M100 was an Elan built for the modern era, and as such it was rather unlike its 1960s namesake. As well as having a 16-valve Izuzu motor driving its front wheels, it was clothed in an all-new wedge-shaped (and rather wide) body penned by Peter Stevens. The M100 was critically acclaimed, but its launch at the beginning of the 1990s coincided with that of the Mazda MX-5, and that gave…

Try a Chimaera today and it does feel surprisingly civilised, the age of the design translating to a relatively supple suspension set-up which in combination with the supportive bucket seats means it can be comfortable over long distances, while the torquey V8 means that when the red mist has cleared, it can lope along calmly eating up the miles. As for where to drive it to get the best from your Chimaera, its chassis and handling has a blue chip provenance making it a credible contender everywhere from hillclimb to circuit, but at four metres long and 1.9 metres wide it’s no MX-5 and winding country lanes aren’t its natural habitat. No, what you need is a chance to stretch the Blackpool Bomber’s legs by heading into Europe, with a…

Drivers’ cars don’t come much more versatile than the practical, family friendly and yet impressively rapid Subaru Impreza. Its desirability was forged on the back of countless successes on the rally stage, which were born out of Subaru’s relationship with British firm Prodrive. Their union had started with the Legacy, which employed what would become a familiar Subaru format of a turbocharged flat-four and all-wheel drive. In 1992, the Legacy gained a smaller sibling, the Impreza. Performance versions kept the same winning formula; a four-cam EJ20 boxer engine linked with permanent four-wheel drive. When the turbocharged version arrived officially in the UK in 1994, it did so badged as the Impreza 2000 Turbo AWD. It’s 208bhp may have been down from the 240bhp produced by its Japanese Domestic Market (JDM)…

Go-to bargain sports cars of recent years seem to have a habit of increasing in price – see the Mazda MX-5 Mk1 for example, or even rubber-bumpered MGs. The Porsche Boxster is a car at a turning point in this respect; you can still grab one for less than £10,000 but this almost certainly won’t be the case for much longer. I drove a 986-generation example in 2015 – a perfectly specced Boxster S with the 249bhp, 3.2-litre engine. Back then it was up for sale for £7,295 with a shade over 100,000 miles on the clock; you’ll need a bit more than that to buy an equivalent example today, but don’t worry about feeling short-changed. The Boxster S combines Porsche’s penchant for glorious engines, perfect gearchanges and poised handling…

Nissan’s Z badge has been around for decades. The 240Z of 1969 was probably its most famous application but throughout the 1970s, 1980s and beyond, the moniker lost its way slightly, leading to larger and softer offerings lacking much in the way of sporting appeal. In 2002 though, the 350Z arrived to redress the balance. It was launched in the UK the following year in two guises: an entry-level car or GT Pack. Both were pretty generously equipped, but the main point was that the 350Z offered rear-wheel drive and 276bhp from a naturally aspirated 3.5-litre V6 that made a great noise. Performance was good, with 0-62mph possible in under six seconds and a top speed of 155mph. From 2005 a Roadster was added that was 110kg heavier, while a…

Long before the ULEZ was even dreamt of, we rewind to 1979 and the view from outside Brent Town Hall in Wembley Park, London. Despite cars from overseas heavily infiltrating the market by this point, most of the cars are British-made. The 1972 Austin 1300 on the left was last taxed in 1983, but neither the Mk2 Ford Cortina Estate or Hillman Imp on the right appear on DVLA records. Behind the Cortina is what looks like an Audi 100 Avant, and we also see a couple of Italians nestled between the Rover 2000 (last taxed in 1980) and the Triumph 1300 on the left. One of the these is a Fiat 127, and the other looks like a 128 Familiare, which wears an S-registration and would have been only…

Nestled amidst the picturesque landscapes of Bedfordshire, Turvey House is a Grade I listed country house that will be the perfect backdrop for celebrating the best of British motoring. The show will take place on Sunday, September 3, 2023, and will feature a wide variety of classic and iconic British cars from the likes of Aston Martin, Austin, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lotus, Morris, MG and Triumph. There will also be special themed displays, club stands, music and other entertainment, a pride of ownership competition and much more. TURVEY HOUSE, BEDFORDSHIRE Set in 150 acres of parkland in Bedfordshire, Turvey House was built in the 1790s and is a beautiful example of Georgian architecture. The gardens are also stunning and offer stunning views of the surrounding countryside. Visitors will be able…

For a car with such obvious Stateside influences, it’s no surprise that the Mk1 and Mk2 Ford Zephyr were made available as convertibles. However, the job of bringing a slice of Sunset Boulevard to the UK was not to down to Dagenham, but by a firm that was a dab hand at turning saloons into dropheads – Carbodies of Coventry. Perhaps surprisingly, it’s reckoned that convertibles accounted for just two per cent of total production, and that very few have survived. However, this remarkably original Mk2 Convertible has beaten the odds with gusto. First registered in July 1960, it was finished in special-order red over cream and was also fitted with an electric clock. Correspondence with the car confirms special orders were not possible on the saloon models at Dagenham…