Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2021 i Classic Car Mart

Welcome… PECKING ORDER We had to stop and laugh recently when a discussion about replacing company lease cars saw us seriously considering electric Hyundai and Kia SUVs rather than the usual German-made suspects. As you can imagine, for people writing about cars for a living this represents a big change indeed. Nevertheless, it was a reminder of the speed with which the automotive landscape is changing. As you can read in this month’s news pages, the very future of some of our best-loved brands is looking bleak as the world order changes; two of my personal favourites, Jaguar and Alfa Romeo look set for troubled times as they try to reinvent themselves, although cynics would point out that it’s by no means the first time for either marque. And as…

TWIN TEST: DOUBLE SIXES DAIMLER’S DOZEN It’s 50 years since Jaguar launched its V12 engine, arguably most at home in the XJ saloon. But is a late Series 3 car or the final X300-based variant the better buy? WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: JOE MILLER Some would argue that with Jaguar’s tagline of ‘Grace, Space and Pace’, its V12 engine was well overdue by its launch in 1971. But it was worth the wait, proving to be a muscular, smooth and durable engine that best suited the XJ’s character; it launched in the Series 3 E-Type and the Series 1 XJ received the engine in 1972. After two reskins, the Series XJ would have a stay of execution and last well into the XJ40 era as a V12 until the XJ40 was…

OR MAYBE..? Paul Wager, Group Editor Triumph Herald If the Anglia is the cost-effective alternative to pricey Mk1 Escorts, then the Herald is a similarly affordable entry-level into the world of TRs, Stags and Dolomites. Its separate-chassis construction makes the Herald – and its six-cylinder Vitesse sibling – ideal for the hands-on owner and as a starter classic it’s ideal. On-road performance is similar to the Anglia, with the holy grail being the 60bhp from the 1296cc 13/60 model. Expect to pay just £3000 for a serviceable Herald, with nice Vitesses starting from around £5000. Dave Youngs, Lancaster Insurance Mk2 Ford Escort The Anglia is often touted as a more affordable alternative to the increasingly pricey Mk1 Escort, but there is a second alternative in the shape of the later…

ENDANGERED SPECIES: ODDBALL FRENCH COUPES SOMETHING A BIT DIFFERENT Their more rational rivals might have outsold them when new, but now that these curious sporty numbers are tipping over 10 years old, they’re looking increasingly likely as modern classics. Words: Aaron McKay RENAULT WIND You may have thought all the little roadsters died out in the 2000s, what with the onset of hot hatch and SUV mania. But a few manufacturers bravely carried on, Peugeot leading the charge with its 206CC, General Motors signing off another Tigra and even Nissan making the Micra C+C. They weren’t the only ones either, but by far the most interesting of all was the Renault Wind. It might not have been the most successful, but it is distinctive, fun to drive, and surely a…

TAILGATE THREE-YEAR ITCH Sam considers how modern car finance could create a lack of classic cars for future generations. Anews story in one of the national papers this last week has prompted a lot of talk online from classic car people. The growing scarcity of Austin’s Metro, Maestro and Montego is leading to enthusiasts of those and other cars asking why this era – a relatively recent era – is seemingly drying up. The primary reason carries wider repercussions for modern classics and means we very likely won’t be seeing many of today’s cars at shows either. It’s a problem endemic to cars of more recent generations – one which worsens the newer a vehicle gets. However well a car sells, it simply doesn’t attract the sorts of people who…

PLUGS&LEADS CLASSIC MARQUES SET FOR SHAKE-UP When it comes to their futures, car manufacturers have never faced more challenges. As well as the UK government’s plan to halt the sale of conventional new diesel and petrol cars and vans by 2030, there’s the transition to electrification, a global pandemic, trade barriers, a semiconductor shortage, upstart rival companies and changing consumer habits all to contend with. Change is inevitable, but what does that mean for some of our most iconic traditional brands in terms of making – or breaking – them? The fate of Jaguar looks to be particularly worrying. In February it boldly announced that all its vehicles would be electric by 2025 as part of its ‘Reimagine’ plan, but also dropped plans to build an electric version of its…

OLDEST MARINA UPDATE Unfairly slated and the subject of tedious piano jokes, the Morris Marina has finally enjoyed a period in the limelight over the past week as it celebrated the 50th anniversary of its launch on April 27, 1971. With that in mind, it seemed appropriate to report on the progress of the oldest known Marina, which is undergoing restoration in Suffolk. Around 5000 Marinas were built in readiness for the launch event, but just nine are known to survive today, with VRU 362J, a 1.3 Deluxe Coupe in Bedouin (beige), thought to be the oldest. It was first registered on April 28, 1971, and was in use until 1979 when it was laid up in a leaky shed in Dorset. That was until it was saved by the…

MARKET TRENDS 1970s GERMAN COUPES Capri rivals from Opel, Audi and VW. Words: Jeff Ruggles With muscle-bound pony cars stealing the limelight in the US market, it was inevitable their mix of stylish bodywork and simple mechanical underpinnings would arrive on the other side of the Atlantic. And just as Ford had set the trend in America with the Ford Mustang in 1964, it got the jump on rivals in Europe too, releasing the Capri in early 1969. The Capri was built in Britain at Halewood, but also in Cologne in Germany. Before long, Audi and Opel had got in on the act, and Volkswagen was set to follow. The result was three German coupes based on the underpinnings of more mainstream models, all of which have become increasingly sought-after…

ROUND UP: SIXTIES EXPORT HEROES BRITISH INVASION National exports and imports have been in the news in recent months in a way that they haven’t been for decades. We survey a selection of British cars that found success on the foreign markets. WORDS: JACK GROVER The 1960s were almost certainly the British motor industry’s golden age – the business was thriving as more and more people bought more and more cars. Despite various mergers of the previous decade most of the traditional marques were still in existence, and the industry still had a near-total hold over its domestic market. Five per cent of the entire national workforce – a million people – were in the car-making industry. It was also the last period in which British cars were widely exported.…

DATABASE: MAZDA MX-5 1990-2005 THE MARKETPLACE THE CARS THE BEGINNING DATABASE MAZDA MX-5 (1990-2006) The Mazda MX-5 has long been accepted as a blue chip classic and early cars are even being restored now. We chart the first two generations of the world’s most successful roadster. Words: Paul Wager By the conservative standards of Japanese corporate culture, Mazda – alongside Honda – was one of the mavericks of the company’s automotive industry back in the ’70s and ’80s. Not only had the firm persisted with the Wankel rotary engine when all others had given up on the idea but it was also the only Japanese car maker to be substantially owned by a foreign company. Indeed, when Ford Motor Company had acquired its initial 24.5 per cent shareholding of Mazda…

RETRO RIVALS: BMW COMPACT v MERCEDES SPORT COUPE RETRO CARS GOLF COURSE Both BMW and Mercedes tried to downsize for the new millennium with predictably awkward results. We compare the Compact and the Sport Coupe. Words: Paul Wager BMW’s model naming strategy has long been out of control, the gaps in the logical 3/5/7-Series hierarchy filled in as new niches have been explored, which means that when the MINI is added to the mix, today the Bavarian giant can offer every size of car from city hatchback to giant SUV. Mercedes meanwhile, hasn’t gone to quite the same lengths but can still tempt customers away from the VW dealer with an A-Class. Despite their solid blue-chip pedigree and rock-solid brand credentials though, both marques rather fell over (Mercedes quite literally)…

CRACKDOWN ON MOT FRAUD The public are being urged by government to help protect people from unsafe vehicles by reporting instances of MoT fraud. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has published new guidance on dealing with dodgy testers and garages after hundreds were banned within the last year. Over the past year the DVSA has investigated 2057 fraud reports in England, Scotland and Wales, which resulted 156 garages and 335 testers being stopped from testing. Examples of breaking the law include giving an MoT certificate to a vehicle they know should have failed, passing a vehicle they have not tested and taking a bribe to issue a certificate. MoT testers or centres can be reported to the DVSA without giving your name or details, but you will need…

Classic Crossword 186 Clues Across 1 Tuning specialists who turbocharged the TVR Taimar’s Ford V6 (10) 7 Former Suffolk car maker (7) 8 _ Railton, famous engineer (4) 9 Vanden _, talking version of the Maestro (4) 10 Marque behind the Mini-based Hornet (8) 13 Large Vauxhall MPV from the late 1990s (6) 14 Toyota people carrier - ideal for a packed lunch! (6) 17 Engine type found in the Jowett Javelin (4-4) 19 _ models, entry-level offerings (4) 21 Small Daewoo model introduced in the early 1990s (4) 22 A shooting brake conversion of the Jaguar XJ-S by Lynx (7) 23 Famous US marque of old who made the Lark (10) Clues Down 1 The Bristol Brigand’s non-turbo sister model (9) 2 Ascona marque (4) 3 Kit car company…

10km SKYLINE SET TO MAKE HISTORY The Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R has enjoyed years of rising prices, but now a barely used 2002 example could make history when it goes for auction in Japan. With the US just a sort while away from being able to legally import the JDM legend thanks to its 25-year ruling, prices for ordinary examples are expected to continue to climb, but this example for sale with BH Auction in Japan is no ordinary model. As well as having covered just 10km and never having been registered, it’s one of only 718 V-Spec IIs built with the Nür package, meaning it was fitted with the gold N1 engine previously reserved for race cars. Nismo believed that the standard RB26 engine required too much maintenance to…

CLASSIC ROAD TEST: TRIUMPH STAG COOL RUNNINGS We revisit the only V8 Triumph and discover just how unfair history has been to BL’s answer to the Mercedes SL. Words: Aaron McKay Photography: Gregory Owain Triumph had wanted to sell 12,000 Stags a year but after seven years less than 26,000 were made. The export market, where Triumph had hoped 50 per cent of sales would go, was even worse. It wasn’t just the reliability woes we’ve forever heard about, it was that these were compounded by the fact the Stag already had everyone looking at it in the first place. When what they were talking about changed from how stylish it was to how disastrous it could be, its fate seemed sealed. However, those initial feelings towards the Stag would…

STAFF CARS RETRO CARS STAFF CLASSICS It's more change on the fleet as we revisit some old projects, welcome some new members to the collection and look into staffers’ own garages. Honda S2000 Paul Wager Although I’ve kept the Honda ready to go over the winter, I’ve also kept it away from the road salt, which means it’s really covered very few miles in the last few months. With the onset of slightly warmer weather in the last few weeks, I’ve been using the car more and the need to replace the rear tyres was worryingly obvious. The tester noted the low tread on the rears at the MoT earlier in the year and at the time they were still legal so the car was tucked back in the garage…

LIVING WITH THE LOTUS ELISE RETRO CARS PURE AND SIMPLE After 25 successful years, the Lotus Elise will cease production this year, making it the best-selling Lotus by far. The original S1 model is fast becoming recognised as a modern classic, but what is it like to buy, own and live with? Words: Nigel Fryatt Colin Chapman would surely have approved. The Lotus founder was lauded for his company’s engineering ingenuity; the model range is full of clever, but often remarkably simple designs, where a vehicle’s light weight allowed for smaller power units to be used, which coupled with market-leading dynamic handling produced highly sought-after driver’s cars. OK, so those characteristics were not always backed up with the necessary production quality control, and so the numbers produced were often less…