Innholdsfortegnelse for 9/27/2023 i Classic Car Buyer

Aston Martin has celebrated the 60th anniversary of its iconic DB5, reflecting on the appeal and performance of the famous model as well as displaying it at the Goodwood Revival alongside the latest addition to the marque’s DB model line, the new DB12. September marks exactly 60 years since Aston Martin unveiled its then newcomer, and six decades on, the DB5 continues to be one of the world’s most recognisable classic cars. Speaking of the enduring appeal of the DB5, Aston Martin’s Executive Chairman, Lawrence Stroll – himself a DB5 owner – said: “The David Brown era gave us so many great Aston Martin sports cars but none more recognisable, revered, and desired as the DB5, which laid the foundations of our identity as a British luxury brand synonymous with…

David Brown Automotive – the Silverstone-based firm known for its Jaguar XK-based Speedback GT and numerous luxury Mini restomods – has added an electric car to its line-up for the first time. The new Mini eMastered sticks to the brand’s usual recipe for its converted Minis but adds a 97hp electric motor and 18.8kWh battery in place of the usual A-Series engine. A range of 110 miles is claimed alongside a 0-60mph time of 8.5 seconds; David Brown Automotive suggests that the car has been “engineered to be the ultimate luxury remastered classic for the city.” There’s no DC fast charging capability, however, with owners limited to 6.6kW AC charging via a port mounted in place of the usual fuel filler. The firm claims a full charge in three hours…

PORSCHE 914 (1969-1976) The 914 was the result of a collaboration between Volkswagen and Porsche. VW needed a replacement for its Type 3 Karmann Ghia, and Porsche wanted a sports car that could replace its entry level four-cylinder 912. With an existing deal between the two for car development in place, it all seemed a perfect fit. With its targa-style roof that could be clipped to the underside of the bootlid and short overhangs, the 914 was certainly different. Originally, Porsche was to sell the six-cylinder 914/6, while Volkswagen would market the 1.7-litre, four-cylinder 914/4 producing 80bhp. The new agreement dictated that the 914 would be marketed as a Porsche in the United States and a VW-Porsche in Europe. Coachbuilder Karmann would assemble the 914, with bodies for the six-cylinder…

Having been a Mini owner since I was 15 and an obsessive long before that, I simply can’t imagine life without an example of Issigonis’ miniature marvel in my life. I’ve lost count of how many of I’ve owned, but it must be more than 20, or perhaps even 30. I’ve been lucky enough to own many different derivatives too, but that only serves to make choosing just one variant to occupy a dream garage all the more difficult. The obvious choice would be a 1960s Cooper or Cooper S, which is one model I’ve never had the privilege of owning. But with values so high, I’d be scared to use it for long road trips in Europe as I’d want to, or leave it anywhere. An early 1990s Rover…

No matter how much you love the XK120, there’s no denying that it’s not an all-weather car in the famously unpredictable British climate. Yes, the heater works well for a ’50s car and the sidescreens keep out most of the draught but it’s hardly a practical way to transport four people and their dogs on a rainy day. Which is where my second choice comes in. Now I’m well aware that values of the very early two-door classic Range Rovers have been climbing steadily to the six-figure level for years, but at the risk of horrifying the purists, I’m not that keen on them. I’ve tried a few over the years and those very early carburetted V8s are sluggish and surprisingly unrefined compared to what Land Rover managed to achieve…

In many ways, the premise of narrowing down a selection to just a two-car dream car garage is doomed to fail from the get-go. Any car enthusiast with an infinite budget would never stop at just two. If I could, I’d buy a veritable selection of classics, spanning different eras, body shapes and offering different driving experiences to suit the mood and the journey. However, if it comes down to a perfect pair of cars I’d have two fundamental criteria that would need to be met by both cars: the ability to have fun on an open B-road when the mood strikes, while the other choice would need to offer effortless cruising potential so that longer journeys could be lapped up in the minimum of stress and the maximum of…

The second slot in my fantasy two-car garage was originally reserved for my favourite car of all time, the Subaru Forester STi. Combining the best rally-bred bits of the Impreza WRX STi with a practical, charmingly awkward crossover estate body, the Forester STI represents the very best of the often-esoteric Japanese domestic car market and is perhaps the perfect do-it-all performance car. Editor Jeff is also a fan – he once enjoyed a Forester STI passenger ride through the streets of Tokyo complete with burnouts – but it was decided my preferred post-facelift model (2006 onwards) wasn’t quite classic enough for this exercise. There’s no better replacement for a four-wheel-drive, rally-bred estate than the Audi RS2 – the original example of the breed. Like the Subaru, it offers a perfect…

Nigel Boothman’s experience on our sister title Rolls-Royce & Bentley Driver serves as a warning of some of the major pitfalls of buying a Shadow – especially when buying an example that has been sat idle. Previously belonging to the Duke of Marlborough, the 1971 Silver Shadow I had been off the road for 35 years but was surprisingly rust-free, and its faded brown paint could easily be restored. Mechanically, however, there was much to do. With some work it fired up, but was accompanied by noise from the top end of the engine that was traced to bent pushrods. There was also a problem with the ignition circuit, solved by cleaning up the contacts in the ignition switch box – something that needed careful removal of parts like the…

VAUXHALL VIVA HC/VAUXHALL CHEVETTE It took both the Viva HC and Chevette to fully answer the Escort’s challenge. At the very top of the tree, the Chevette HSR overpowered any factory Escort, though values have only risen to match RS models recently. Spare panels are similarly hard to find, but less expensive than equivalent Ford parts. HILLMAN AVENGER Though the Avenger may have trailed the Escort Mk1 (and Mk2) in sales, it was more than its dynamic equal, boasting a coil-sprung rear end where the Escort used leaf springs. An estate, two-door saloon and Mexico-baiting Tiger were fine Escort Mk1 rivals, but by 1975, the Escort moved on. TRIUMPH TOLEDO/DOLOMITE The Michelotti styled two-door Toledo and rationalised post-1976 Dolomite range fought the Escort on equal terms, but no vans or…

A London-style ultra-low emissions zone (ULEZ) for the city of Leeds has been ruled out by councillors but could still be implemented by the government. At a full council meeting, councillors passed a motion opposing the introduction of a zone, despite a local commitment to improving air quality. In an interview, Conservative councillor, Alan Lamb, stated that the introduction of a ULEZ in Leeds would be “punitive”, adding: “If we were to introduce measures like this, there isn’t a suitable alternative for a lot of people, and it would just be punishing them and add extra tax without any benefit or reward.” However, Mr Lamb reportedly also stated that the idea of a ULEZ scheme for Leeds could be revisited if evidence changes. Despite the fresh ruling, the city could…

The latest Morris Leslie Classic Vehicle Auction on September 16 included more than 75 lots. Entries gracing the specialist’s floor ranged from pre-war cars, such as an Austin 7 Deluxe snapped up for £3630, to modern classics of all kinds, amongst them a rare VW Golf Mk3 GTI Colour Concept that sold for £4400. For the most part the guide prices were bang on the money, but a few vehicles stood out as overperforming on the day. Amongst those cars to outperform their highest estimates came a striking 1970 Jaguar E-Type, described by the auction team as being one of the best examples it had ever seen. Bidding accelerated through the guide price of £50,000-£60,000 with the hammer eventually coming down at £66,650. At the other end of the affordability…

‘Perfect Partners’ will be the theme as the 2023 Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show takes place at Birmingham’s NEC from November 10-12, providing a challenge for car clubs and exhibitors to interpret their displays and stands with partnerships in mind. That could be everything from long-standing relationships with sponsors – such as the decade-long partnership between the show itself and Lancaster – but also the association between manufacturers, such as Mercedes and AMG, or Fiat and Abarth. Here at Classic Car Buyer, we think it’s a neat opportunity to think about the perfect two-car classic garage. If you’re anything like us, then you’ll have two classic cars stored in your mind’s eye – a perfect pairing that you’d love to own one day if money was no object. All this…

The second part of my ultimate classic garage combination is harder to work out. I need something roomier with longer legs, and should it happen to go like stink too, that’s a bonus. So, inspired by my impressively do-anything five-door Ford Fiesta ST that’s accomplished but way too new to be included here, an older hot hatch would be ideal. Let’s not forget this is a dream garage, so as brilliant as a Mk2 Golf GTI or Peugeot 205 GTI may be, there’s surely licence to ramp things up a bit. One choice that would fit the bill is the frankly unhinged Alfa Romeo 147 GTA, but I’d prefer five doors. Fortunately, there’s another Italian that fits the bill perfectly. That car is the Lancia Delta HF Integrale, a rally-bred…

While I could probably be swayed on my second choice, the first slot in my classic car double garage is reserved for a non-negotiable entry. The Toyota Celica emerged in 1970 and significantly contributed to the way Japanese cars were viewed by the rest of the world. The first in a string of mass produced, stylish, and affordable Japanese coupes that were appealing as much for their sensible underpinnings and low running costs as for their fashionable looks, the Celica’s American styling influences were obvious, but that served only to bolster its appeal. While the hand-finished 2000GT that came before it was undeniably beautiful, the Corolla and Corona popular and relatively attractive, the sleek first-generation Celica snared a far younger, upwardly mobile audience in search of a car with good…

To complement the Honda, I need something slushy. A car that can consume the miles effortlessly. For me, there’s only one marque that has produced many examples of cars that fulfil that brief with ease: Jaguar. Now if this was a one-car garage, I’d be choosing an X100 XK8 convertible in a heartbeat; or maybe a late model XJS drop-top, ideally a Celebration spec one. Those last of the line cars have the deliciously smooth AJ16 4.0-litre straight six engine – probably one of the best power units Jaguar has ever produced. However, I don’t think two convertibles make for a dream pairing. So, my wafty choice would have to be a saloon, if for no other reason than I then have at least one of two cars which is…

No one will be remotely surprised by my top choice, since the DS has an unshakeable spot in any automotive wish list of mine. And I’m not alone, since the DS has its admirers far beyond the usual legion of Citroën-worshipers. People who wouldn’t look twice at a GS and would rather walk than drive a 2CV will still find space in their garage (dream or otherwise) for Bertoni and Lefèbvre’s ‘Goddess’. And it came third in the International Car of the Century poll in 1999 (behind the Mini, a car which I do actually own but wouldn’t have in my dream two-car garage – pick the bones out of that!) and regularly tops lists of the most beautiful cars of all time. The DS has been wowing people from…

Although built with some seriously clever ideas and the best of intentions, some of British Leyland’s cars never met the sales figures desired – as this February 1980 image demonstrates. Scores of reportedly unsold Princess and Maxi models – two cars that often competed with each other for buyers – fill a compound at BL’s Cowley plant, coinciding with the news that the company’s market share had dwindled to 15 per cent. Later in 1980, the Maxi 2 was launched with new bumpers, which surely meant a uncertain fate for the chrome-clad models shown here. We can’t help but wonder if any have survived? As ever, if you sport anything we’ve missed, let us know via ccb.ed@kelsey.co.uk.…

Replacing the ‘Pagoda’ W113 SL was no mean feat – but Mercedes-Benz rose to the occasion. Friedrich Geiger’s angular styling supplanted that of Paul Bracq; the new car had to be bigger, wider, and heavier than the outgoing model – and house a V8 to capture the hearts and minds of the United States, where the majority of sales would take place. It worked: the car was a mainstay in imported soap operas, notably Dallas. By 1974, however, a six-cylinder model, the 280 SL, joined the range. With less weight over the nose and better fuel efficiency, it held greater appeal for European buyers. Said engine lasted until September 1985, when a 3.0-litre six took the reins. Perhaps that’s why a previous owner of RFH Classics’ 280 SL, built in…

XK ENGINE AT 75 As the Jaguar XK engine reaches its milestone 75th anniversary, we chart its fascinating history through the cars it was fitted to – from XK120 to DS420. CLASSIC CHOICE We rewind to the 1970s as we compare the Leyland Princess, Ford Granada and Vauxhall Victor to see which is the best classic choice. BUYING A MAZDA RX-7 The first-generation Mazda RX-7 was one of the brand’s most successful rotary-engined models. Don’t miss our in-depth buying advice. 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 second Caffeine & Machine location has now officially opened. The Bowl in Bedfordshire follows the outfit’s first successful location near Stratford-upon-Avon, which first welcomed petrolheads in 2018. The former roadside pub on Bedford Road, Ampthill, has been lovingly reworked as a new destination for car enthusiasts and has been named in reference to the nearby Millbrook Proving Ground. The classic-style roadhouse diner is open daily for food and drinks – visit caffeineandmachine.com to find out more.…

Some of the world’s rarest classic cars will go on display at a new and exclusive concours event in Italy. The inaugural Concorso d’Eleganza Varignana 1705 will see 22 handpicked pre-1973 vehicles form a display at an event held in the heart of Italy’s Motor Valley. Chosen by a panel of experts, the classics will be hosted at the spectacular 18thCentury Palazzo di Varignana – one of Europe’s most luxurious resorts, from October 13-15. The event aims to set new standards in the world of classic car competitions. For more information visit palazzodivarignana.com/en/experiences/concorso-deleganza.…

Charterhouse will return to its now regular home of the Haynes International Motor Museum when it hosts its next classic car auction on October 5. The auctioneer’s sales at the Somerset venue have been bustling hives of activity in recent years, and this one is set to be no exception. Traditional British classics are set to star, especially prestige brands. A stunning 1974 Jaguar E-Type Series 3 V12 roadster is one of the most eye-catching and carries an estimate of £64,000-£68,000, but you’ll also find a 1964 Mk2 2.4 guided at £13,000-£16,000, as well as a barn-find Series 1 XJ6 4.2 dating from 1969. Meanwhile, a 1968 Daimler V8 250 is estimated at £15,000-£18,000, while a 1984 Silver Spirit could be a good way into Rolls-Royce ownership for an estimated…

I guess it’s a classic case of familiarity breeding contempt. As far back as I can remember, if I was asked to name an ultimate classic car it would have been the E-Type Roadster but in recent years that’s changed – ironically, largely since taking the Editor’s chair on Jaguar World magazine. First I found myself preferring the purity of the original design in the shape of the E-Type coupe but then I had the chance to drive some of the iconic 1950s Jaguars and everything changed. A particular highlight was driving the genuine C-Type from Jaguar’s heritage collection around the Italian town of Brescia during the Mille Miglia, but more recently I’ve had the chance to experience a few examples of the car from which the C-Type is descended:…

My second choice wasn’t quite such a clear-cut decision as the first, but that it would be something German was probably a given as I’m a sucker for Germanic style and engineering. James has pinched the Porsche 911 (and there would have been an outcry if I had picked a 997 GT3 RS), and I felt a Volkswagen Golf Mk2 wasn’t quite going to cut it as an ultimate dream car. Therefore, I’ve opted for the robust Mercedes-Benz W114/5. I owned a left-hand drive 240D saloon several years ago, and I’d like to own a petrol model at some point, either in saloon or stylish coupe guise. Penned by respected French designer Paul Bracq, the ‘New Generation Models’ as they were marketed by Mercedes, first appeared in 1968. The mid-sized…

All forms of air-cooled 911 have had a renaissance in recent years; values have skyrocketed, specialists have cashed in and there are enough restomods, reimaginings and recreations to fill our hypothetical two-car garage hundreds of times over. It’s a level of popularity that’s hard to understand for some, but I’m firmly in the apologist camp. With multiple generations across the best part of three or four decades of production to choose from, picking just one air-cooled 911 for a two-car garage is a challenge. The purist’s choice is the 1973 Carrera RS 2.7, the seminal go-faster 911 and first to use the Carrera name, while the 911 Turbo (aka 930) set the bar for forced-induction performance cars. The 964-generation car is a worthy choice with its introduction of the four-wheel…

If the purpose of a two-car garage is to cover all the motoring bases, then my second car has to be the complete opposite of a large Citroën estate – something small, simple, quick, with little to no load space and which involves the driver as much as possible in the business of driving. Fortunately, there is exactly such a machine in the shape of the Lotus Elise. My tastes in cars have always tended towards the extremes – pillowy barges that do all the work for you or lightweight, raw, uncompromising sports cars. Stuff that straddles the two, like hot hatchbacks and coupes, has never really appealed. Which brings me to the Elise. Perhaps slightly oddly given the last couple of sentences because the little Lotus isn’t that raw…

‘Time warp’ is used too often in the classic car press – usually to talk up the prospects of a grime-covered, barn-orphaned car pushed inside at the nadir of its desirability. Ford’s Escort has never been unpopular, mind you: the Mk1 and Mk2 models were bought and adored in their millions, and feared the length and breadth of historic rallying, where they represent the only (relatively) affordable alternative to a Porsche 911 nowadays. Any two-door Escort Mk2 with a decent shell is prime fodder for the keen rallyist, and with new bodies now available from the Far East, the number of rust-free cars beginning new lives as Porsche pugilists must surely be dropping. That Car Cave’s 1980 1.3L escaped the special stages is a miracle in itself; much of that…

The Traveller name plate (also applied to the larger MO and smaller Mini Minor) joined the Morris Minor range in 1952, progressing through 803cc Series II, 948cc Series III and 1098cc Series V guises latterly as the ‘Morris 1000’, outliving the Tourer and Saloon body styles until its discontinuation in 1971. RFH Classics’ Traveller represents an interesting crossroads for Minor fans: it’s one of the last 948cc Series III Morris 1000s, made in the same year – 1962 – as the first Series V 1098cc cars. For some aficionados, the smaller unit is reckoned to be the sweeter engine of the pair. Previously restored, RFH says the panel fit, wood panelling and Almond Green paint is in excellent order – as befits a total rebuild. The iconic shade is set…