After renewing its relationship with Zagato in 2001, an amazing
collaboration that produced some of the most exclusive Aston’s ever, a plan for
a roadster was conceived based on the DB7 Vantage Volante. Designed for the
American market the AR1 debuted in 2002 at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Minki
The mini was in production for an impressive 41 years which just proves
hoe versatile and loved the design, hell Rover even worked how to fit airbags
to it in 1994. It even was sold against and beyond its replacements, the Metro.
In 1992 though Rover planned probably its biggest shake up/ modernisation to
date.
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Interview: Davrian Mk6a Custom
I got to chatting to Dave Cooper about his Hillman Imp based Mk6a
Davrian at this year’s Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show. Now let’s get to
the chase, Dave is no amateur at car restoration with him owning a restoration
company!!!!
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Subaru BRAT Rear Seats
To be honest there’s probably enough
about the BRAT to warrant its own article, but upon reading an article on
Jalopnik about the lack of small pickups and 60 year old “chicken tax” as the reason
behind it. So how did Subaru get around this?
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Random Video: How a Rotary Engine Works
As with all the very best "How does a...." videos the old ones are always the best. With simple descriptions and images (some CGI ones, although look fantastic, can over complicated and simple method its trying to get a cross) and description and produced by the father of the mass produced rotary engine, Mazda-
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
De Tomaso Deauville Series 2
Let’s cut to the chase, this thing
is fitted with the same Ford Cleveland 5.7ltr V8 that was fitted to the
Pantera, with all of those 330 horses. That would have made this one very, very
fast four door when it debuted in 1971 as the Series 1.
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Rover TCZ
The name of Rover, thanks to the last
20 or so years of its life, is now linked with outdated cars, poor sales and
that buyout!!!! However go back 40 years and Rover was a proud marque, with the
Rover P6 the ultimate status symbol for the aspiring middle classes. It was at
this time the concept car below was produced, and what a departure from our
thoughts of Rover it was.
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Zagato Zimp
Now walking past it on its stand at
the recent Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show you could tell it was
something special, that crisp clean body and “Z” badges made me want to know
more, thankfully after a “do you want to meet the owner?” I got the chance to
have a chat with Mike Hanna.
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Triumph Herald Hatchback Factory Prototype
Usually when we cover prototypes
their usually exotic or going for the wow factor, but this one’s a little more
mundane. Built in 1965 as a styling exercise this is the original “mule”, if
you look closer at the pictures below you’ll notice it’s asymmetrical with two different
finishes to the rear.
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show
This show is huge, so huge that a
single day is no longer enough to take it all on. Unfortunately one day is all
I had so with a 6:00am start I set off for the Midlands and the NEC in
Birmingham.
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Townscar / Minissima / Elswick Envoy
In the era of the “wedge” every car
designers was trying to introduce it to every model. William Towns brought this
philosophy to the mini, with the Townscar concept of 1972. While the body may
have been right up to date (this was the 70’s) the underpinnings were taken
straight from the car it was suggested it would replace, the Mini if you hadn’t
guessed.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Ford Escort RS1700T
Before the start of the “Turbo hot hatch” war in the early 80’s there was Group B Rallying in which required them as standard. However at this point Ford had released the 3rd generation of the Escort and as we all know it was now front wheel drive. Not the perfect start at the new dawn of the rallying elite.
Monday, November 10, 2014
Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show
Well thanks to our friends at
Lancaster Insurance once again we will be heading over to the NEC for this year’s
huge Classic Motor Show this weekend so be expecting a massive write up and no
doubt some special cars and updates.
Oh and don’t forget if you see me
there in my white logo’d hoodie give me a shout for some free sticker.
Heath
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Tatra JK 2500
We’ve covered Iron Curtain sports
cars before, namely the FSO Syrene Sport, which due to the political control in
Eastern Europe was never going to reach
production. This though is another glimpse into what the eastern bloc designers
were capable off, and my it looks good.
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Jaguar Kensington
Okay you’re Jaguar and just had the
massive hypercar hit that was the XJ220 however the rest of your line up is
looking a little dated, so what do you do? Hell get styling house Italdesign to
come up with a saloon concept that blends the shapes of the XJ220 and adds in a
few more doors. The result I think you’ll agree is very striking, particularly
in the mundane jelly mould days of the early 90’s.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Cumberford Martinique
So another “modern” take on the 30’s style sports car, these are usually base on something else )like a beetle) and are just a crude body sat on awkward running gear to only give kind of look. This though is different, very different.
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Norton Interpol 2
The name Norton
is held in high esteem in the bike world, with its road and race bikes of the
60’s and 70’s being highly valued, however in the mid 80’s and with another
buyout the brand took a short detour.
Thursday, October 16, 2014
MG Express
Its amazing
what Rover/MG tried as the company fell further and further in its demise. But
he Express has to be a serious low point. Basically they took an MG ZR (Rover
25) removed the rear seats and windows and called it a van!!!!!
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Random Video: 1962 British Motor Show
Now brought to
you in Technicolor for the first time. The British Motor Show on the verge of
the common market showing the cars that will be sold across in the Continent,
with such advancements as the Super Minx which has no grease points to worry
about-
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Jaguar XJ13
When most
people hear Jaguar, mid-engined and V12 in the same sentence they instantly
think oh what the XJ220, or rather what could have been the XJ220. However
Jaguar had its first crack of the mid-engined recipe back in 1966!!!!
Monday, October 6, 2014
American Auto Club North West Meet, Krispy Kreme’s, Manchester
Well with the UK show season pretty much at an end and
Sunday down to be dry and sunny (both in combination in the North of England in
October is a rare thing) I headed over to the American Auto Club North West’s
monthly meet at Krispy Kreme’s in Manchester with my daughter.
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Random Picture: Running in
I love going to car shows, as you’ve seen on here, and seeing something that just takes you back to an earlier motoring time. At the recent Footman James Manchester Classic Car, I couldn’t help but be drawn to this “Running in” sticker, a staple part of buying a new car 30plus years ago to ensure your engine was bedded in correctly. It also highlighted to the neighbours that your car was brand new as well.
Monday, September 29, 2014
Bristol Beaufighter
First
introduced in 1982, the Beaufighter was basically a continuation of the 412
with some slight styling tweaks like quad lights. The main change however was
these had their coachwork built at the Bristol
factory. The 412’s were shipped to Zagato in Italy before having that brutal
body work draped on.
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
ADC Scout
I know what
you’re thinking, “There’s a Rover Metro in there isn’t there!!!” and you’d be
right. Back in 1991 ADC (Automotive Development Consultants) drew up 6 concepts
all based upon the humble 5 door Metro, out of those a concept car of the Scout
was built.
Sunday, September 21, 2014
Footman James Manchester Classic Car, Event City
Well it’s that time of year with the show season coming to
an end and most petrolheads need just one more weekend but with us now in
September that is usually hit and miss with the rain!!!! Especially in Manchester.
So the chance to get to a show that the rain cannot, to pardon the pun, dampen must be on most peoples lists. Now for most tis would mean waiting till November and the beomouth that is the NEC show. But if you need a warm up act then the Footman James Manchester Classic Car may be for you.
So the chance to get to a show that the rain cannot, to pardon the pun, dampen must be on most peoples lists. Now for most tis would mean waiting till November and the beomouth that is the NEC show. But if you need a warm up act then the Footman James Manchester Classic Car may be for you.
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Schuppan 962 CR
Key headlines on this one are, former race car driver takes inspiration and a lot more from his La Mans winning Porsche 962 and builds a better faster road legal version then sells it at a production hypercar.
Monday, September 15, 2014
Ferrari FZ93 Zagato
Well what can I say, when Zagato build a one-off Ferrari prototype they
don’t hold back. Based on a Testarossa chassis and running gear, it’s not a bad
way to start, Ercole Spada styled it in to something that forward thinking.
Well in 1993 when it was shown at the Geneva Auto Show, this thing was
aggressive and away from the sleek styling that had taken over the auto
industry and supercar building.
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Article: Rise of the Retro Car Scene
There’s no denying or ignoring the rise of the Retro Car
scene over the last 5 years or so. A new generation of “classic car owners”
have looked back to the cars they saw growing up in the 80’s and now want some
of that style back. Not only that but cars that were ridiculed back in the day,
an embarrassment to be seen in, are now held in high esteem, we’re talking Lada
Riva’s, Skoda Rapide’s, Fiat 124’s and even the Reliant Robin.
Monday, September 8, 2014
Volvo P1800 ES
There’s no denying the Volvo P1800 is one stunning car, however maybe
not the most practical. So in 1972, and for only 2 years, the ES was made
available, the “Shooting Brake” version and my how good looking was it.
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Monday, September 1, 2014
Austin Gipsy
It may look
like a Land Rover, and after the conglomeration of British Leyland later in its
life, been built in the same factory as the Land Rover but this was a direct
completely independent competitor when it was released in 1958.
Friday, August 29, 2014
BMW F76/79 “Cargo Donkey”
I know a 3 wheel BMW that isn’t a bubble car!!!!! Built between 1932 and
34, it was sold as a delivery vehicle. The F76 was fitted with a 192cc single
cylinder 6bhp bike engine, this meant it fell under the 200cc limit meaning it
was license free for use on the road. The F79 though had a 398cc engine with
12bhp but was a licensed vehicle. In total 600 trikes were built, 250 F76’s and
350 F79’s.
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Phoenix Estate
Another car I
noticed at the recent Passion for Power show earlier this month. What drew my
attention was the roof bars, something you don’t see on Mini’s oh and lack of seams!!!!
Saturday, August 23, 2014
Win Tickets to the Footman James Manchester Classic Car
Thanks to Footman James we have 1 pair of tickets to this fantastic show to give away, so how do you win?
Easy just head over to our Facebook page and share post to be in with a chance, and while you’re at it why not “like” the
Facebook page. The competition will close at midnight on the 14th
September and the winners will be announced on the Monday 15th
September.
Good luck
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Maserati Karif
I spotted this
one at the recent Passion for Power show at Tatton Park, in amongst the
individual showers. Seeing an early 90’s Maserati is rare at the best of times
but after talking to the owner, this one is really rare.
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Passion for Power, Tatton Park
This is a huge
show and I was there for the whole of the first day on the Retrobeutes stand,
which looking at the weather report would be the better of the two.
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Random Video: Car adverts from the 50’s
I love old
adverts but the ones in the 50’s were really selling an idea of luxury and
fashion. With cars being face lifted virtually every year the need to sell the
latest accessory or latest styling flare was at the heart of adverts-
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
BMW i8
We don’t
normally have new cars on here, usually due to any car that now goes into
production, particularly from a major manufacturer, are styled for mass appeal
and mass production. But every now and again something comes along that breaks
the mould. The BMW i8 is one such car.
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Isuzu Nagisa
Now here’s a reall oddity from 1991 the Isuzu Nagisa amphibious concept car. There’s not much information out there, just a few pictures. From what I’ve found it was powered by a 3.2ltr V6, but beyond that nothing other than a few pictures, one being the concept.
If you have anymore information please get in touch.
If you have anymore information please get in touch.
Monday, August 4, 2014
Scirocco National Meet, RAF Cosford, Telford
Well after getting up at 6:30am and looking out of the window at the deluge of rain I honestly thought that the National Meet would quiet literally be a washout. How wrong was I, the members of the Scirocco Register (a club now help run) came out in force despite the weather.
Monday, July 28, 2014
Scirocco Register National Meet
One event that I never miss and I'll be there in my Mk2 Scirocco on Saturday. If you're at a loose end then I would recommend you head over as they'll be upwards of 60 cars there-
Friday, July 25, 2014
Strathcarron SC-5A
Between 1999
and 2001 this little car split the press, with some calling it a fantastic
drive, with others saying it didn’t deliver on the looks. When Ian Macpherson
and his son David set out to build a sports car it was to prove a simple and
lightweight cars could deliver a great driving experience.
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Guyson E12
Friday, July 18, 2014
Neorion Chicago
After dabbling
with electric cars, Greek millionaire Giannis Goulandis wanted to build a
conventional car. So taking inspiration from luxury 30’s styled cars but wanted
it mixed in with cross-country capabilities. You read that right a 4 wheel
drive off roader that looked like a 30’s luxury limousine.
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Random Picture: Ford Fairlane 500
I saw the one below at a recent visit to the Haynes Motor Museum, what
surprised me despite the size of the boot how small the actual storage area was
if you wanted to drop that hard top in. The sticker on the side of the box says
it all-
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Cord Beverly 810
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Ford Convair Special
Friday, July 4, 2014
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Coventry Transport Museum
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Honda Crossroad

Thursday, June 26, 2014
The Retro Show, Santa Pod
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Lotus Etna
Could this have been the replacement of the legendary Esprit? Well this
was a concept displayed at the Birmingham Motorshow in 1984 although it wasn’t
a drivable at the time.
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