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The name of Rover, thanks to the last 20 or so years of its life, is now linked with outdated cars, poor sales and that buyout!!!!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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 3^rd 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.

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

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.