Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2025 i Classics World

The classic car hobby is full of widely accepted nuggets of wisdom: buy on condition not mileage, don’t skimp on tyres, never put a car away wet, and so on. One such adage that’s especially true is that it’s best to buy a convertible in winter. The idea is you can generally get a better deal when most buyers want sensible vehicles suitable for rubbish weather. It follows that spring and summer are the best times to shift to a soft-top: with better weather and longer days, demand soars and creates a seller’s market. Despite knowing this cardinal rule, I fall into the same trap every year as the clocks go forward. The feeling of winter releasing its grip is particularly welcome when you live north of the border as…

Best known for his work on the legendary McLaren F1, Professor Gordon Murray CBE’s career now spans 60 years, and his company – Gordon Murray Automotive (GMA) – will celebrate this milestone as the Central Feature at the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed this July. A striking sculpture outside Goodwood House will form the Festival’s central feature, showcasing how six decades of innovation continue to shape GMA’s approach to lightweight engineering and driving perfection. GMA’s latest supercars – the T.50, T.50s Niki Lauda, T.33 and T.33 Spider – will be displayed alongside a selection of iconic Murray-designed road and race cars spanning from 1965 to 2025. The celebrations will also feature the highly anticipated unveiling of a new GMA supercar. Reflecting on his career, Professor Gordon Murray commented: “For 60…

The Historic and Classic Vehicles Alliance (HCVA), a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to preserving classic and historic vehicles, has launched a new Careers Hub aimed at addressing key challenges in the industry. This centralised online platform is designed to connect businesses with job seekers, promoting a variety of roles across restoration, engineering, mechanics, and more. The HCVA Careers Hub seeks to support the sector’s long-term sustainability by showcasing career opportunities and attracting a new generation of skilled professionals. It provides a resource for businesses to advertise job openings and apprenticeships, helping to secure the future of the industry and preserve automotive heritage. The initiative is part of the HCVA’s broader efforts to ensure the continued growth of the classic and historic vehicles sector. By facilitating the development of future talent, the…

With over five million examples of the classic Mini produced, it’s highly likely that you could spend a lifetime without encountering the same car twice, but something about Simon Rushton’s yellow Mini 95 van looked familiar. It was only later, chatting with Simon about his story with the car that I realised I’d probably seen it a quarter of a century ago when I was editor of Fast Ford magazine and shared an office with the team editing Mini Magazine, where the van was featured. Back then it was owned by Scott Bullen and looked very different from the van you see here. It was Scott’s first car, acquired at the age of 15 and back then classic commercial Minis were still plentiful enough for modifying to be a popular…

I’ve taken some stick over the years from Mini-owning colleague Jeff Ruggles, editor of our weekly Classic Car Buyer, for referring to the Metro as ‘the thinking man’s Mini’… but is it in fact more accurate to apply the term to the ‘ADO16’ range of BMC 1100/1300 cars? Either a clever extension of an equally clever idea or the perfect illustration of Issigonis as a one-trick pony depending on your personal viewpoint, the BMC1100 was essentially a scaled-up Mini offering more interior space but the same mechanical layout. This time round however, the more upmarket aspirations of the model codenamed ADO16 meant that the functional styling approach employed for the Mini wouldn’t quite cut it in the marketplace. To this end the professionals were called in, namely Pininfarina which had…

Volvos seem to have been something of a fixture in my life for the past 40 years. It all started back in 1985 when a mate and I invested £40 in a 1965 121 Amazon which had been sat in a Sussex barn for eight years. We dragged it out using David’s Austin Cambridge, by 6.00pm it was running and within a week it was back on the road for a fully justified MoT. We went on to own AJK651C for over 25 years, finally selling it in 2011 as a restoration project. Since then, I’ve owned numerous Volvos, though all have been everyday drivers rather than preserved pets. The run started with an orange 1974 144 and included a 740 estate, three V70s, an S40, two XC70s and my…

You’d have thought that after all the literally millions of words I’ve written about old cars I’d know my way around Triumph’s 1970s small saloons without having to thumb through a battered old copy of World Cars… but when I borrowed a Toledo from our company fleet a while back I had to peer underneath to satisfy myself whether it was front or rear-drive. That’s not as crazy as it sounds, since even by the standards of BL product planning, Triumph’s mid-range models of the time were crazily confused. The story begins conventionally enough with the Herald, a car which had performed well for Triumph as an affordable small family car. The Herald had been designed to use a separate chassis to avoid Triumph relying on the major players like…

2001 BMW 740i ● Brightwells, February 15–19 £5936 A highlight of the Modern Classics sale was this 2001 BMW E38 740i in sought-after ‘sporty shorty’ spec – Sport trim, short-wheelbase. Sitting pretty on M-Parallel wheels and with 110,187 miles on the clock, the car had been well used but well maintained and seemed a great buy to us. 1995 Mercedes SL280 ● Brightwells, February 15–19 £8120 This 1995 Mercedes R129 SL280 stood out not just for its ultra-low 22,000 miles, but also for spending its first seven years in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia with its first owner. Handsome on the eight-hole wheels and sporting a rare manual gearbox, we reckon its new owner secured a great example for the price. 1992 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado ● Brightwells, February 15–19 £1783 Showing…

The second-generation Mazda MX-5 -known as the NB – was evolutionary rather than revolutionary, modernising the interior and improving the driving experience and practicality mildly, but showing its age by the mid-2000s. Launched in 2005, the NC generation was an all-new model; safety was improved thanks to numerous airbags and driver aids in the form of traction and stability control that could reduce and manage power in the event of lost grip to prevent the uninitiated crashing what might’ve been their first rear-driven car. Despite looking bigger than the NB MX-5 thanks to larger wheels, bulbous lights and flared arches, the ‘NC’ remained a lightweight, compact sports car weighing just 45kg more than its predecessor, measuring just two inches longer and 1.6 inches wider. The mildly inflated dimensions aided the…

Anticipation is growing ahead of this year’s Classic Ford Show, which returns to the South of England Showground, Ardingly, on May 11. Europe’s largest classic Ford event, the show will be chock-full of highlights and special anniversary displays, attracting Blue Oval fans from far and wide. Visitors can expect a huge trade village offering everything from panels to engines, a massive club area (with awards for the best displays) and the return of several show favourites. Among these will be The Great Unveiling, which has taken place at the Classic Ford Show for the last 17 years and is designed to showcase stunning classic Fords that have just been finished in time for the show. Hidden under covers until the event, never-seen-before completed projects will be revealed one by one…

The disparity in values between entry level classics and the very best of the breed appears to be getting bigger, according to data compiled over the last decade. Intel from the Hagerty Price Guide reveals that difference between the bottom ‘Condition 4’ daily drivers with visible flaws and the best concours examples has broadened exponentially, suggesting that while run-of-the-mill examples of a classic are suffering, very special cars are still hitting the high notes. Updated every quarter, the Hagerty Price Guide gathers intelligence on classic car values across a vast range of makes and models, using information from classic car auction activity – usually with close attention to judge if there’s a bidding war skewing the results – plus dealer sales and information from the cars Hagerty insures. Taken as…

CHRISTOPHER WARD C65 DUNE GMT From £995 (£1005 as tested) — christopherward.com Reviewed by James Howe If Christopher Ward’s The Twelve range was designed to ride the wave of enthusiasm for integrated-bracelet 1970s sports watches – and its Bel Canto enthusiasts’ fondness for on-show complications – then the C65 Dune GMT is pitched at the other end of the taste spectrum. The Dune GMT is a small watch at 38mm across. It’s light too; on the leather strap fitted to our review sample, it weighs just 68g. The size and weight together help lend a vintage feel to what is an ostensibly vintage-leaning design, sitting somewhere between ‘Dirty Dozen’ WW2 field watch and Rolex Explorer II. The optional leather strap is high-quality but lacks fine adjustment; we struggled to get…

I'll put the Rover outside so you'll spot the house,” offered Philip Copperwheat and naturally it turned out to be far more accurate than any sat nav yet devised. After all, a Rover of any kind is an increasingly rare sight today as this year marks 20 decades since production ended at Longbridge and the imposing presence of a P5 stands out noticeably in the modern suburban streetscape. Of course I should also have asked “which Rover?” since in common with many of the Rover Sports Register members we've encountered recently, it seems enthusiasm for the longship badge is generally a deep-seated passion. Philip's current tally runs to the P5B coupe you see here, plus a P4 in the garage, a 1938 six-light Rover 12 and the P6 owner's Holy…

Jaguar may have moved away from retro styling in later years, but back in 1994 a healthy slice of tradition was exactly what the company needed. The angular XJ40 had proved just a little too modern for the company’s existing clientele while not pushing the boundaries far enough to tempt buyers away from German rivals. Ironically, with the early electric and quality control issues finally sorted, the later XJ40s could match their Teutonic competitors. That was just as well, for even with Ford backing funds were too tight for an all-new XJ. Instead, Jaguar opted to re-skin its existing model in such a way as to provide a true successor to the fondly remembered Series 3 XJ, thus creating the X300. Introduced in September 1994, the X300 benefited from Ford’s…

Lately, it almost feels as though we see the rise and fall of tens of fledgling car companies every year, including OEMs, restorers and restomodders. So I’ll be the first to admit that when Boreham Motorworks and their revival of the Mk1 Ford Escort RS came across my desk, I was skeptical. However, when that press release came with an invitation to visit a research and development facility for a tour and to meet the directors, that skepticism very quickly turned into curiosity. The R&D facility we visited is one of four locations in which Boreham Motorworks and their parent organisation DRVN Automotive Group operate. With headquarters in County Durham and assembly facilities in Coventry and Surrey, Boreham Motorworks appears to be serious about their commitment to being a home-grown,…

The Chevrolet Corvette is a household name even in the UK; along with the Ford Mustang, it’s an American automotive icon whose cultural impact has been immense. Hollywood has a lot to do with that, along with Apollo astronauts, racing drivers, countless rock and pop songwriters, and even a few US presidents. The Corvette’s cultural imprint means that most enthusiasts are familiar with the classic examples of the 1950s, ’60s, ’70s and perhaps even ’80s – but the 1990s are a bit of a blind spot on this side of the pond. In fact, many will have missed the fact that Chevrolet sold the fifth-generation Chevrolet Corvette in the UK from 1999, albeit in very small numbers and in left-hand-drive only. The result is that values for the C5 remain…

Bentley stole the show at the 1991 Geneva Salon with the surprise reveal of the rakish Continental R, a car that helped Bentley to announce that it was, well and truly, out of the shadow of Rolls-Royce. Despite its glorious back catalogue, Bentley had suffered long-term decline in the post-war years, becoming little more than a badge-engineered version of the equivalent Rolls-Royce, although its lower production numbers actually made it more exclusive than its parent marque. Even the development of a Bentley Camargue Turbo – designated DZ – was abandoned in January 1981, although its specifications subsequently formed the underpinnings of what morphed into the Bentley Mulsanne Turbo. Paradoxically, through the post-war decades, the mythology surrounding the Bentley marque grew stronger and it was only a matter of time before…

The roads we drive our classics on continue to suffer from a “pothole plague” that shows no signs of abating. The backlog of carriageway repairs on local roads in England and Wales has reached new heights at almost £17 billion-worth, and local roads are resurfaced, on average, once every 93 years. What’s more, one in every six miles of road is reported to only have five years of structural life remaining. The findings come from the latest Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey report commissioned by the Asphalt Industry Alliance, which provides detailed insight into the funding and condition of the local road network in England and Wales. This year marks the 30th successive ALARM survey and highlights the continuing challenges facing highway teams, who don’t have the level…

Rolls-Royce and Bentley restoration specialist, Evice, has joined the EV retromod market by launching Halcyon, a new brand focused on remastering classic Rolls-Royce models with bespoke design and advanced electric powertrains. The brand’s first project, a 1978 Corniche, has been devised to showcase cutting-edge features while preserving the luxury associated with a classic Rolls. The company’s bespoke 800-volt electric platform delivers an estimated 500hp – over double the output of the original 6.75-litre L-Series V8 – and up to 250 miles of range. The drivetrain offers silent operation, while the electronically-controlled active suspension incorporates three driving modes – ‘Drive’, ‘Spirited’, and ‘Touring’ – to alter the driving experience while reportedly maintaining the trademark floaty ride comfort. Limited to just 60 units, the cars are tailored to individual client specifications, with…

So here’s a question you’ve quite possibly never considered: it’s the early ’80s and you enjoy the privileged position of sheikh in a newly oil-rich country, so you want to stand out from the crowd. Sure, a Mercedes is the default option or even a Silver Spirit, but the Rolls is commonplace and the Sheikh two palaces down has just taken delivery of a white 500SL, complete with shiny red leather, gold badges and the complete catalogue of modifications including gullwing doors. There’s always the Italian exotica of course but the combination of Modenese build quality, graded roads and desert heat doesn’t hold much promise. The solution? A left-field bit of thinking and an order for a Saab 900 Turbo, a car engineered for extremes of temperature and noted for…

1955 MGA By the early ’50s, MG knew it couldn’t rely much longer on its current range of T-Series sports cars, which under the skin were essentially updated versions of pre-war designs. The solution came with a Le Mans racer developed in 1951, using the chassis of the TD ‘Midget’ with a streamlined new body penned by Syd Enever. The T-Series chassis made the driving position higher than ideal and a second prototype was developed with the chassis rails widened to allow the driver’s seat to drop down between them. Dubbed EX175, the project was shown to BMC management in 1952 as a potential replacement for the TD range, but Donald Healey had got in first with his Austin-Healey 100… which to add insult to injury, the MG men were…

We bought our Mercedes W124 with one mission in mind: a 24-hour driving challenge. Organized by Rich Kitchen of the UPnDOWN YouTube channel, the event combined a livestream marathon with a points-based race to cover the most miles and complete quirky, Taskmaster-like challenges, all while attempting to raise funds for the Sophie’s Legacy cancer charity by encouraging viewer donations. Team Classics World – comprising me, Classic Car Buyer Editor Jeff, and Videographer Lucas – joined four other teams driving a Subaru Impreza Turbo, Skoda Felicia, Citroën C5, and modern BYD Seal EV respectively. At 3pm, the klaxon signalled the start. Collecting our challenge envelope, we first headed to the Hascombe Ward at the Royal Surrey Hospital in Guildford to deliver a Sophie’s Legacy care package. While Jeff and Lucas dashed…

The XK engine and the glamorous XK in which it debuted may have first appeared in the optimism of the UK’s first postwar motor show in 1948, but its genesis lay in the dark days of the Blitz. As engineer Walter Hassan described in his autobiography, by 1943 the Luftwaffe had done its worst for the city of Coventry and the compulsory fire-watching sessions which required Jaguar staff to spend one evening a week on unpaid lookout duty were far quieter than they had previously been. Never one to waste an opportunity, Jaguar founder William Lyons made sure that the potentially tedious fire-watching sessions on a Sunday night were turned into a profitable exercise by ensuring that the team comprised the top technical minds at the company: William Heynes, Claude…

SUVs and crossovers are the go-to for the vast majority of new and used car buyers today, but we reckon there’s still a place for the classic estate. And the good news for enthusiasts is that there are loads of great options to consider. Some may come with premium badges and higher running costs, but buying wisely can help you avoid many of the risks often associated with used performance cars. Whichever you go for, a good example will still offer a special driving experience – along with space for all the family and their stuff. Volvo V70 R Volvos are known for being safe, sensible, and, if you believe the clichés, perfect for antique dealers. But the V70 R is where Volvo showed its more exciting side. With prices…

It’s not often that I’m seen shouting at a car and ranting about why someone thought it would be a good idea to remove the front bumper in order to remove the headlight, but the 335i is one such culprit. Hoping I could extract the condensation from the nearside headlight, I wanted to remove the entire unit. Unlike most headlights I’ve removed, I soon discovered I needed to start with the front bumper. I called AES to book time on their ramp and having done the job, I’m glad I did because the work involved soon started to grow. After a couple of weeks of scouring scrapyards and visiting my local BMW dealership, I’d not only managed to replace the headlight (the old one was beyond rescuing), but restore the…

Ferrari California (2008–2013) Introduced in 2008 as a new entry-level model in the range, the California combined a lot of firsts for the famous Italian sports car manufacturer. It was the first Ferrari to use a V8 in a front-engined configuration, and the first to use a dual-clutch automatic gearbox – the closest it had come before was its F1 automated manual. The California was also the first Ferrari to use an electrically folding hard top. Its historical importance should see it earmarked for attention in the future – but its reputation as a softer, less dramatic modern Ferrari has held values back, at least for now. Created ostensibly to attract more buyers to the brand, the California went up against the likes of the Bentley Continental GTC as a…