Innholdsfortegnelse for 7/23/2025 i Classic Car Buyer

Nostalgia is a funny thing. In the garage I have a perfectly good classic Mini that I’ve now owned for the best part of 20 years. In that time, it’s been improved and fettled to make it something of a long-distance tourer, or at least as good a long-distance tourer as you can realistically expect a Mini to be. Despite that, I find myself hankering after a basic Mini City. And it has to be one with the big bold stripes down the side, made from 1979-1982 with houndstooth seats, the single instrument, and not even a set of carpets. Ideally it would be an 850 from the launch year, which would be less than ideal for the work my current Mini gets subjected to. On paper it makes no…

The annual Historic Vehicle Gathering at Powderham Castle celebrated its 50th anniversary with a record number of vehicles on July 12-13. Hosted at the venue near Exeter by the Crash Box and Classic Car Club of Devon, a total of 1800 classic cars, motorcycles, commercial vehicles, tractors and steamers basked in the glorious sunshine over the weekend. This represented a 20 per cent increase in vehicle numbers over previous years, with an impressive 6000 visitors present to enjoy them. Mike Overfield-Collins, the rally chairman, said: “We really could not have asked for a better turn out of visitor numbers and vehicle exhibitors through the gates, all keen to enjoy this very special celebration. We had an impressive 58 steamers in total, nearly 350 cars in the Individual Entries section and…

There’s an oft-repeated statistic that we Brits are the biggest buyers of open cars in Europe. Climate change notwithstanding, it’s either a triumph of optimism or an appreciation of the few dry weeks we do get every year, but there’s no shortage of drop-top models on the market even today. It’s not a new phenomenon either, as a look at the price lists for the early 1950s will show you: two-seater sports roadsters were plentiful from the likes of MG and Triumph, while open four-seaters were also common. One of the most affordable of the open family cars was the Morris Minor, created simply and cheaply by removing the roof panel from a standard two-door saloon. Or rather, not adding it in the first place. Basic strengthening was added via…

The Dolomite endured a rather bizarre gestation, even by British Leyland standards. Its roots began with the front-wheel drive 1300 of 1965, which spawned both the front-wheel drive 1500 and rear-wheel drive Toledo in 1970, and eventually the Dolomite. First driven by the press in 1971 but not put on sale until the following year due to a pay dispute with workers, the Dolomite mixed the Toledo’s rear-wheel drive platform with the 1500’s long-tail bodyshell. It used an 1854cc version of Triumph’s slant-four, overhead camshaft engine, which was funded by Saab and had first appeared four years earlier as a 1.7-litre unit in the Saab 99. The 1850 was good for 91bhp, but genuine sports car performance arrived with the Dolomite Sprint of 1973. Engine capacity was increased to 1998cc…

In the 1980s, Volkswagen was a brand better known for following convention rather than defying it; its sister brand, Audi, being the one that appealed more to a quirky audience. But amid the sturdy but humdrum mainstream models in its range sat the odd hidden gem, and the Passat GL5 was one of them. The ‘5’ part of the name had a double meaning – five cylinders and five gears. We’ll start with the former – the engine, which came from Audi. The fuel-injected 2.0-litre unit was essentially a scaled-down version of the 2.2-litre powerplant used in the UR quattro Coupé and had a distinctive warble at idle, matched to a lively and responsive throttle that made the otherwise ordinary Passat something of an interesting car to drive. It may…

The first-generation Mazda MX-5 is remembered as one of the most important cars of its era, having kickstarted a revolution in the small sports car market following its debut in 1989. Without it, we may never have had cars such as the MGF, BMW Z3 and Alfa Romeo 916 Spider, all of which were hastily developed from existing parts to cash in on the new sports car boom. Much like the MGA above, this is another car that has been with one owner for most of its life. It’s a late Mk 1 Mazda MX-5 iS, finished in stunning solid Neo Green with a charcoal interior, and has been with its current owner since 2000. As such, it comes with 25 years of maintenance records and invoices, having been maintained…

FAST AND FURIOUS We celebrate performance icons that turn 40 in 2025, from the giant-killing Sierra Cosworth, to the brutish Bentley Turbo R and yuppie-favoured Porsche 944 Turbo. GRADE AX The Citroën AX was on sale for more than a decade and helped cement its maker’s reputation as a supermini great. We show you how to buy the best. CLASSIC CHOICE A trio of small ‘60s saloons compete, but will the Austin Cambridge, Ford Consul Classic or Hillman ‘Audax’ Minx come out on top? DOWNLOAD THE DIGITAL ISSUE OF CLASSIC CAR BUYER FROM AS LITTLE AS £1.37! Visit shop.kelsey.co.uk/classic-car-buyer-magazine The printed version of Classic Car Buyer is available in ASDA, Tesco, Morrisons and WH Smiths, plus all good newsagents…

SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER AT WWW.CLASSICSWORLD.CO.UK An exciting private collection of more than 50 rare classic and retro cars is to be offered for sale over the coming months by a Worcestershire specialist. Hidden away on the West Coast of Ireland in a selection of bespoke buildings, akin to the man-cave of many dreams, the collection comprises a host of alluring Fords, Opels, BMWs and more, and has been amassed over the last 30 years by an exacting and dedicated enthusiast owner. Keen to create a varied collection, the owner procured the best examples he could find, and if not, restored the cars to the highest standards, maintaining factory specifications. Following purchase, the cars were subject to major services, with work schedules for each carried out inhouse by an…

To celebrate 40 years since the launch of the original Sierra RS Cosworth, Kelsey Media has released a brand-new 132-page collectors’ special bookazine, Ford Cosworths: The Complete Story. This definitive one-off issue dives deep into the legacy of the Sierra, Sapphire, and Escort RS Cosworths – the cars that defined a generation of fast Fords. Inside, readers will find the full evolution story, rally and racing history, buying and tuning guides, rare archive material, and exclusive owner features covering both mint original examples and highly modified monsters. Ford Cosworths: The Complete Story is available to pre-order now for £14.99 via shop.kelsey.co.uk/product/ford-icons-cosworth-at-40. It will also be on sale at Ford Fair, Silverstone, on August 10.…

ROVER SD1 (1976-1986) The Rover SD1 was one of the most striking cars of the 1970s and 1980s – a reminder of the days when a Rover was something really quite special, even if it was dogged by British Leyland quality control problems that made such achievements feel a little against the odds. Styled by visionary designer David Bache, the SD1 (never its real name – it stood for Specialist Division One, but the cars themselves were called the Rover 2300, 2600 and 3500 initially) aped the look of the Ferrari Daytona. And while familiarity with its shape means it doesn’t quite have the visual impact it once did, try imagining the new Rover back in 1976, parked amid a sea of three-box Vauxhall Victors and Ford Granadas. The notion…

Quotation supplied by Lancaster Insurance Web: lancasterinsurance.co.uk | Tel: 01480 400761 Example quote: £109.97 or £127.97 with Agreed Value Quote based on a 45-year-old marketing manager, access to another car, no claims or convictions, club member, 3000 miles per year, no modifications, living in SP2 0HL. Disclaimer: Subject to underwriting criteria. An additional charge may be payable. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.…

The popular ’Normous Newark Autojumble is set to return to Newark Showground on Sunday, August 10, for another very special themed edition. Building on the success of the recent Classic Ford Day, this event will focus on celebrating the rich legacy of Japanese motoring with an exciting Classic Japanese Day. Classic car and motorcycle enthusiasts will gather to admire a diverse showcase of Japanese vehicles, ranging from iconic Honda Civics to Kawasaki Z1 bikes, and everything in between. As always, the event will feature the extensive indoor and outdoor stalls that have made the Autojumble a firm favourite, with hundreds of trade plots offering rare parts, tools, restoration services, and motoring memorabilia. Andy Catton, Event Planner at Mortons Media Group Ltd, commented: “We are delighted to bring another themed edition…

The numberplate ‘JB 1’ owned by famous car dealer Jack Barclay proved to be a standout lot at Bonhams’ recent Goodwood auction – selling for £608,600, including buyer’s premium. Jack Barclay was a racing driver and famous car dealer, well known as a Rolls-Royce and Bentley agent that offered unique coachbuilt vehicles. The name lives on in Bentley dealerships today, even though they are now owned by H.R. Owen. The JB 1 plate was used on many of Barclay’s own Rolls Royce and Bentleys over the years. It sold for more than double its estimate of £200,000-£300,000 and made history as the highest price paid for a vehicle registration number in the UK.…

The term had yet to be coined by then, but 1965 was a big year for the hatchback. Renault followed on from its 4 by adding a fifth door to its new 16 model, thus creating the first volume production two-box family car to employ such a layout. And over at Abingdon, MG launched the new GT version of its MGB, combining its new coupe – a genre that everyone already understood – with the practicality of a large opening rear door. Thus, the hatchback coupe was born, years before the term ‘hatchback’ had become a household name. Granted, there had been coupes with big opening tailgates before – the Jaguar E-Type for one, though that was side-hinged. And even with the top-hinged variant we’re focusing on here, the MG…

1972 - Dolomite is released in 1850 guise. 1973 - Dolomite Sprint launched with high performance 2-litre 16-valve engine, 1500TC replaces 1500. 1975 - Dolomite 1300 and 1500 launched, the existing 1854cc Dolomite becomes the 1850HL, HL spec also made available for 1500. 1976 - Triumph Toledo model deleted from the range. 1979 - Dolomite 1500SE launched with the square-headlamp snout, black paintwork with a silver coachline and a Sprint spoiler up front, plus extra walnut trim inside. Three prototype 1300SEs were also produced in Inca Yellow, Denim Blue and Vermillion. 1980 - Production ends with a total of 204,003 cars made.…

Listen up at the back, because this one’s a bit special. For starters, it’s a car that’s celebrating a major anniversary in 2025, as the MGA marks its 70th birthday, so that gives it instant appeal. But this one has the most remarkable history, having spent an incredible 60 years in the hands of one owner, who bought the MG as a six-year-old used car in 1965. First registered in Surrey and complete with the old buff-coloured RF60 logbook, the MGA was bought by the owner on the recommendation of a mechanic he knew who worked for MG main agent University Motors in London, who had looked after it up until that point. The car was used regularly through to 1972 when it went into storage, and it remained there…