Hagerty Drivers Club - Issue 4 - Autumn 2025

DRIVERS CLUB

COLUMNS

24 Paul Cowland on why the MGB sports car deserves its enduring popularity

26 My dad is my hero in overalls, explains Charlotte Vowden

28 Henry Catchpole is dreaming big on a small scale with Hot Wheels

30 Lambo LM002 came from an era of excess. It was also ahead of its time

A year of Hagerty Drivers Club

On our first anniversary, HDC reflects on a year of growth and excitement –with plenty more to come

WE CAN BARELY BELIEVE IT, BUT it’s been more than a year since we launched Hagerty Drivers Club. In that time it’s already attracted well over 600 members and is gaining ever more momentum – which means we can keep adding to the range of benefits and events that we can offer to you.

So, first of all, thank you for joining HDC. It takes time to build a worthwhile community such as this, and we’re delighted that so many of you have joined and engaged with the Club over the past year.

Just as importantly, remember that we love hearing from you and meeting you. Show us your cars and motorcycles, let us know what you’d like from HDC, come along to the events. Speaking of which…

You have probably seen that, due to the popularity of HDC Goes North tour this summer, we have got another superb

drive for you this year – the Castle to Coast, which runs from Ludlow to Conwy on October 3. Prices start at just £135 per car, so if you haven’t signed up already please take a look. You will find more details on the HDC website.

“I’ve attended a lot of car tours over the past decade, and none has had such an eclectic mix of cars and characters as the Hagerty Drivers Club event,” said one

enthusiastic member. “We’re all united by the same passion: driving.”

If you can’t make that, then there will be plenty of events for you in 2026. In the meantime, remember members are always welcome in the Hagerty Clubhouse at Bicester Motion during working hours (9:00am-5:30pm weekdays and 9:00am1:00pm Saturday). Don’t be put off by the guard at the gatehouse – he’s friendly! Just

‘We’re delighted that so many of you have joined the Club over the past year’

tell him you’re heading to Hagerty. It’s a great place for a coffee and a chat – and there’s always interesting machinery on show.

If you’re new to HDC membership, here is what’s been going on so far in 2025: members have enjoyed many benefits, including exclusive areas at events such as the Hagerty Hill Climb at Shelsley Walsh, Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional (FOTU) and RADwood. The monthly Hagerty Hangouts at the Hagerty Clubhouse have been equally successful – and a great opportunity for us all to share stories and enjoy an eclectic selection of cars. And, of course, you receive this quarterly magazine featuring writers including Henry Catchpole, Paul Cowland, Charlotte Vowden and Hagerty’s own John Mayhead, along with stunning photography and in-depth features on a wide range of cars and bikes. As ever, let us know what you’d like to see

in the magazine – it’s for you, after all.

We’re sure you know this already, but just in case, here’s a reminder that members also enjoy a 25 percent discount on entry to FOTU, RADwood and the Hagerty Hill Climb, plus live Q&A sessions with experts, enthusiasts and collectors. And there are now more than 88 discounts currently listed in the members’ portal, from savings at Starbucks and Halfords to reductions on bookings with Airbnb and Holiday Extras.

As Mark Roper, Hagerty managing director, put it on our recent birthday: “Over the past year we have really enjoyed engaging with the Club’s members at events such as our popular HDC Goes North tour, and through our dedicated members’ portal. Hagerty is proud to be part of the wonderful car community in the UK, and HDC has become a great way to reward our members and celebrate their passion for cars and car culture.”

Oh, and if you happen to be reading this but you’re not a member, then why not get involved? Go to www.hagerty.co.uk/driversclub and join our happy band of enthusiasts.

Scan here to Ask Hagerty anything to do with the classic car and bike world.

Scan here to give us your HDC feedback – what you love and what you don’t.

Castle to Coast Driving Tour

Fri 3 Oct 2025 | Ludlow to Conwy

You can expect...

• Stunning scenery - from the Shropshire countryside to the brilliantly quirky Portmeirion

• Delicious food and drink - breakfast, 2-course lunch and 3-course dinner included

• More than just a great drive - brilliant pit stops planned to explore

• Make a weekend of it - optional overnight stays available

First come, first served. Spots are limited to 24 vehicles only.

Packages start from £135

Earlier this year, members joined our first driving tour, HDC Goes North – this what they had to say...

“I’ve attended a lot of car tours over the last decade, none have had such an eclectic mix of cars and characters as the Hagerty Drivers Club”

“This was a great trip... I very much enjoyed it and will sign up for the next one”

Scan to secure your space or visit hagertyuk.com/hdctour

“Excellent. Really good tour, great route and excellent visits. Great people and a nice crosssection of cars”

Family bonds

When his brother-in-law died, Mark Osborn took on more than a family heirloom – he vowed to rescue a dream, restoring a DB5 against all odds

Words Nathan Chadwick

Photography Jonathan Fleetwood

THE OWNER

“IT WAS A DREAM PETER CARRIED with him for many years,” Mark Osborn recalls as he gazes over the DB5’s slippery Superleggera shape. “When Goldfinger was released, he told his parents that one day he would own one of these Aston Martins.”

Mark’s just finished a five-year restoration on this DB5, after it was bequeathed to his wife Sandra when Peter Waters, her brother, passed away in 2020. It’s been a story with heroes and villains in the finest traditions of a spy thriller – although without the exotic locales; it was put together in a garage Mark built in his mother’s garden.

It all began in the 1990s, when Peter finally achieved his four-wheeled dream, albeit with a not-too-great example. “He arranged for it to be restored, but his budget didn’t allow for the very highest standard,” remembers Mark. “Even so, it was a well sorted and usable car.”

After being pressed into action for proms, weddings and a James Bond charity event, the DB5 began to show its age. “Peter entrusted it to a supposed friend, who claimed to be an Aston Martin expert,” Mark says. “It remained with the guy for five or six years, with Peter handing over large sums of money, yet no progress was made.”

Then Peter’s health began to decline, and upon his passing he left the DB5 to his sister. “He most likely knew that we would not sell it for profit, but would do our best to preserve it,” Mark believes. “But when we eventually recovered the Aston from the so-called friend, it had been virtually destroyed.”

When the DB5 had gone away, it was a running car with an oil leak, binding rear

‘Every time I walk into the garage, I pinch myself. We were told we’d never do it’

brakes and aluminium corrosion on the doors. When it was finally returned, it was stripped to the shell with boxes of unlabelled parts and several trim pieces missing – around 70 percent was left.

Fortunately, Mark had trained as a mechanic out of school. “While it’s an Aston, it’s a car of that era and very simple, and I managed to wade through the bits,” he says.

The restoration began in earnest with the bodywork entrusted to an ex-colleague, at Prestige Paintworks in East Sussex (www.prestigepaintworks.co.uk). This took 18 months, while the engine spent a year with Aston Engineering in Derbyshire (www.astonengineering.co.uk). Mark is full of praise for the latter’s team in particular.

“I could not have completed the project without them; I was allowed to walk through the workshops with a camera, take notes and measurements, and speak freely with the engineers,” he says. “I could also phone for advice, and they would often send me photographs to show how a part should be assembled. Their generosity and expertise were invaluable.”

Although Mark had restored cars before, the DB5 was an entirely different prospect – yet he wasn’t deterred. “When I embarked on the project, I had an auctioneer evaluate the car for probate,” he recalls. “I was told not to bother trying to restore it – ‘it will cost too much and you don’t know what you’re doing’ – but that was a red rag to a bull. I never respond well to being told I can’t do something. My attitude is that if someone down the road can do it, so can I – it’s a matter of knowledge and determination.”

Mark had Sandra’s full support. “She was determined that we’d complete the project, whatever the cost or time,” he says. There were, however, some practical limitations; their driveway couldn’t be used and their single garage was too small to both house the DB5 and carry out the work on it.

Then Mark had a brainwave. “My mother has a large garden, and I persuaded her that it was more space than she could manage

THIS SPREAD After five years’ hard restoration work by Mark, with support from Sandra, the Aston Martin is finally back on the road.

THIS PAGE They said it could never be done... but the neatly finished DB5 is a fitting homage to its late owner.

as she was getting older,” he says. “I asked if she’d mind me building a garage there to work on the car, and she agreed. She hadn’t quite appreciated how large it would need to be, but she was happy in the end because it meant she saw me more often than usual.”

Mark is a builder by profession, so he erected the garage himself – and once the DB5’s body and engine came back, the process of assembly could begin.

“The dining room table served as a very nice workbench for the dashboard for a couple of months, and the trim was kept in the loft until it was ready to fit,” he recalls. “The evenings were spent researching and reading the manuals. Some weeks I’d spend five evenings and every available Saturday in the garage at home just renovating bits. When they were ready to install, I’d take them over to the garage at my mum’s.”

Most challenging were the door and window mechanisms. “At times I felt like crying,” Mark grimaces. “Every adjustment could create a new problem; one part might fit perfectly, and then a slight change elsewhere would cause it to jam. Even a single washer could make the difference between success and failure.”

The roof gutters also proved to be a considerable challenge. “New ones were relatively inexpensive – but they arrived straight and had to be hand-shaped to fit the curvature of the windows and doors,” Mark explains. “From the front screen, around the A-post and across to the rear quarterlight, every bend had to be precise.”

Seeing the car in its naked form brought home just how hand-built Astons were: “You can see the hammer marks on the spaceframe where factory craftsmen had simply adjusted the metal by hand.”

Sourcing trim was another issue; if used parts weren’t available, Mark made them. “I fabricated many of the aluminium trims in the door apertures,” he says. “There was also a small piece around the heater controls; even though it fits in the palm of your hand, it can cost £400. I tried it five times and the last attempt worked perfectly.”

His sheet-aluminium skills came in useful

‘If Peter is looking down I think he would be very proud’

under the bonnet, too. “The rocker covers have two breather pipes; if you buy them from Aston, each one costs £500,” he explains. “I sourced two pieces of aluminium tubing from eBay for £8 and fashioned the pipes, teaching myself TIG welding.”

After five years’ work, and 17 years since it had last been driven, the DB5 is finished. “When we first took it out I was very surprised by how well it drove, considering it needs a bit more steering alignment and carburettor tuning,” Mark says. “A modern car is like driving your sofa, but this requires more input – you need to have patience with the gearchange. If you try to rush it the DB5 will fight you, so it’s all about rhythm.”

Peter had already installed aftermarket power steering. “Otherwise you’d need arms like Popeye,” Mark laughs. “Even so, it is still heavy – and the clutch is weighty, too.”

He and Sandra are ecstatic with how it has turned out. “Every time I walk into the garage, I still pinch myself,” Mark says. “We were told we would never do it. We are not especially wealthy, but we scraped and saved to make it possible – I’m very proud of what we have achieved.”

He believes it’s a fitting homage to Peter, too. “We carried out the work exactly as he had envisaged it – fast-road spec and bumperless – and we restored it as a tribute to him,” Mark beams. “We did not change anything from his vision, so if he is looking down I think he would be very proud.”

THE SPECIALIST

Kickstarting the future

We meet StarterMotor, the charity that aims to inspire younger generations to get involved in the classic community – and set them up with jobs, too

Words Nathan Chadwick Photography StarterMotor

IT’S A LONG-HEARD REFRAIN ONLINE – the kids are just not interested in cars. Of course, our individual experiences may tell us differently, but while events big and small around the country currently attract a broad range of attendees, it’s clear that more needs to be done to safeguard the future of the classic community.

Enter StarterMotor, a charity set up by David Withers. A long-time classic enthusiast and collector himself, he – as with many others in the sector – recognised that an ageing population was placing the future of our motoring heritage at risk.

“There was a real possibility that interest could fade or decline significantly,” says the current StarterMotor general manager Steve Cootes. “The idea was to establish a charity with a clear mission: to breathe new

life into the classic and historic car sector.”

That mission is aimed not only at the wider community of enthusiasts, but at professionals in the industry, too. “The goal is to ensure that classics continue to be restored and maintained, that events are still organised, and that publications remain supported by specialist journalists. It is about the entire ecosystem – not just about mechanics and workshops,” Steve explains.

StarterMotor reckons that the average age of those maintaining and restoring these vehicles is now 55-60. “This poses an obvious long-term challenge,” Steve says. “StarterMotor is focused on addressing this by encouraging younger people to get involved across all areas of the sector. This includes introducing them to the full range of careers, training paths and workexperience opportunities in the industry.”

Steve has been in place for around a year, taking over from David Withers. David ran a fleet of classic cars to get young drivers interested in getting behind the wheel and attending events. He also set up a youth-volunteering group called the StarterMotor Ambassadors.

Since Steve has been with the charity, its focus has been refined. “We still have a small number of vehicles, although I have reduced the fleet because maintaining it is expensive and the charity doesn’t have

‘You end up talking about adventures in cars and learning from each other’

THIS SPREAD Classic cars are fun – and the StarterMotor charity is spreading the word among not only young people but also schools, organisations, private individuals and clubs.

the necessary financial resources,” he admits. “There is now much greater emphasis on working with schools, colleges and learning organisations, including the British Motor Museum in Gaydon. We recently supported an event there that ran across three days, providing opportunities to engage, speak about the charity and discuss the wider sector.”

One success story is Gracie Haddon, a former StarterMotor Ambassador who has now been appointed to the charity fulltime as its marketing and events specialist.

“My childhood was filled with books about classic cars, motorcycles, caravans and similar things. I spent much of it visiting shows and meeting the owners of these fascinating vehicles, hearing their stories and learning about their experiences,” she explains. “That is what sparked my passion for the communication side of the motoring world. I studied advertising and marketing at university, finished my final assignment on a Thursday, moved to Bicester and started full-time work the following week.”

Her initial interest – as with many of the youngsters involved in the charity, the passion for cars – was handed down from her parents; she shares ownership of an Austin-Healey Sprite with her father. “I first got involved through Bicester Motion, by helping out at its Scramble. I worked

on its social media channels, and through connections I made there I met the StarterMotor team. I was an Ambassador for just over two years. During that time I supported the social media side of things where I could. Now I am leading the new social media and communications strategy, and am fully involved in all related activities.”

She sees the classic and historic vehicle sector as an ecosystem. “It’s full of career paths that many people do not even realise exist. There is auctioneering, journalism, events, sales and, of course, insurance,” she says. “This industry is full of life. Whether it is Historic racing, classic rallies or just being on-site at Bicester and seeing everything in motion, it’s an exciting place to be.”

The other major draw is the sense of community, too. “The first time I came on site here at Bicester Motion and saw a group of people my own age who shared the same interests, it was a real turning point for me,” Gracie says. “I thought: ‘Oh my gosh, there are others like me. There are other people who feel the same and are also searching for a sense of belonging.’ It is about friendship and shared understanding. You end up

‘The classic and historic vehicle industry is full of life – an exciting place to be’

talking about adventures in cars, swapping stories and learning from each other. It is also very helpful to have people you can call on if your own classic breaks down.”

While raising funds is a key part of StarterMotor’s activities, that’s not the only way in which people can help. Steve says: “More broadly, we need support in kind –for example, the opportunity to borrow cars on a short-term basis so we can offer young people hands-on driving experiences and involvement at events. We want to be seen as the leading organisation in this space, actively creating opportunities for young people to join this remarkable community and find careers that sustain and support it. That’s the medium-term goal – to become known across the UK for our impact.”

Other European nations have seen what StarterMotor is doing, and Germany, Austria and Belgium now have similar organisations. “The challenge with this sector’s ageing demographic is not unique to the UK – it is a global issue,” Steve says.

The charity is ramping up its online visibility, and it will soon have its own dedicated YouTube channel. “That’s where

our target audience, Generation Z, resides – we need to be in their space,” Steve continues. “However, we also need to support the charity financially, which means reaching out to a different demographic. This includes organisations, private individuals and car clubs.”

Steve is also keen for businesses to get involved. “It is very difficult to find firms that are willing to offer short-term workexperience placements, whether for a day or a week,” he says. In recent years, Further Education colleges have started offering two-year T Levels – equivalent to three A Levels. As part of the curriculum, students must do 315 hours of work experience, which equates to roughly one day per week.

“This is a clear area where businesses and individuals with a genuine interest in the sector can help. By opening their doors, they can offer young people the chance to see what goes on inside a business. That could mean a day or two to simply give them exposure, or a regular placement where a T Level student could contribute to a project and so be usefully productive.”

While StarterMotor is primarily aimed at Generation Z, it’s open to working with those who are older, too. “Quite a few technicians are becoming disillusioned with modern technologies and the kinds of vehicles now arriving in dealerships,” Steve says. “Working in a garage today is a very different experience compared to what it was 20 or 30 years ago.”

As a result, he’s encountered people who are interested in returning to the sort of work

THIS SPREAD The historic vehicle movement benefits hugely from the energy and passion these youngsters can bring.

they once enjoyed most. “We want to see the sector revitalised, and it needs new energy,” he says. “Someone in their 30s, 40s or even early 50s can very much be part of that rejuvenation, because they are still notably younger than the average age in the sector.”

The charity is also getting directly involved in education programmes, by either bringing students to Bicester to experience the businesses on site, or going into schools to make presentations, provide tangible skills training and meet the next generation directly.

“We are panning for gold. We are seeking out those few youngsters in each year group who are interested, and it is then up to us to guide them. There are many opportunities to engage with young people in an educational context,” Steve says. “Ultimately, we want to offer them work opportunities, not just a chance to engage with the classic car community. The joyful aspect of this work is that the young people who do show an interest bring real energy and passion.” If you’re a young person, parent, school or business who wants to know more, get in touch with StarterMotor at www.startermotor.co.

“I LOOKED AT PREVIOUS EVENTS and thought – wouldn’t this be the chance of a lifetime?” Tom Warren-Price recalls. That chance was the 2025 Hope Classic Rally, for which the Hagerty Drivers Club ran a competition to win a driving spot.

When HDC member Tom Warren-Price was told he’d won a spot on the Hope Classic Rally, it meant far more than simply a fun (if daunting) day out

For the uninitiated, the Hope Classic Rally was set up in aid of the WeSeeHope charity, which invests in community-led education and entrepreneurship initiatives to support lasting change and help lift children across sub-Saharan Africa out of poverty. By teaching parents and guardians how to manage money, build businesses and use community banking, it opens the door to new opportunities. The Hope Classic Rally has already raised more than £2 million since its 2015 inception. A good cause – and Tom says all it took

Hope and glory

Words Nathan Chadwick

Photography Matthew Pitts and Jono Renton

THE EVENT

for him to send in a competition entry was a glass of wine one evening. “Not long after, I had a phone call from HDC ambassador Charlotte Vowden, telling me I had won two tickets – I was delighted,” he recalls.

Tom is no stranger to classics, because he owns an early Honda Prelude. “It lives in a leaky old garage, and I’ve spent a lot of time patching the roof up to keep the rain off,” he says. His steed for the event couldn’t have been more different – a superb Tuthill-prepared 1965 Porsche 911 Cup, left-hand drive with a full roll cage and no idle. “Fortunately the fixed bucket seat was the right size for me,” he smiles.

The lack of idle took Tom straight back to his first car, a VW Golf. “Its automatic choke never worked,” he laughs. “Winter commutes were spent dancing on the pedals to keep it going – I had to draw on those same skills in the Porsche.”

The Hope Classic Rally started at Wotton House in Surrey. It took a scenic route to Dunsfold for a procession lap around the Top Gear test track, before heading back to Wotton House for drinks and dinner, with a charity auction in aid of WeSeeHope.

For Tom, the initial challenge was getting over the first speed hump. “It was a baptism of fire – I stalled the 911 once, as the revs dropped and it cut out,” he says. “Getting used to the brakes was interesting, too – they required a firm touch.”

He soon warmed to the car, and found

‘Extraordinary cars I might never otherwise experience. Just incredible!’

the route fantastic: “At times I thought: ‘I’m sure this road was in the film Genevieve,’ but then I reminded myself to concentrate on driving. My brother navigated for me. He is very diligent and patient, and he guided us through without trouble.”

Tom says the best part was meeting up with Richard Tuthill at lunch, surrounded by automotive glitterati: “These were extraordinary cars I might never otherwise experience. Just incredible! The sights and the smells were unforgettable.”

Tom is full of praise for the Hope Classic Rally: “I really liked the relaxed atmosphere. Everyone knew it was a charity event, so there were no airs or graces. At other meets I have sometimes felt judged in my old Honda, but here it was all very inclusive.”

However, the day had a greater resonance, thanks to the 911. “My late father raced in his youth and worked as a precision engineer; he built beach buggies and often used Porsche engines,” Tom explains. “Recently I came across old car magazines from 1969 with his picture in them, and driving these roads with my brother felt like a connection to him, as these would have been the same roads he drove. I’m not a religious man, but it felt as if my father was guiding us through the day.”

One of Tom’s most cherished memories was a race at Castle Combe. “My father had links with Nevica, a ski-wear company that sponsored a green Porsche,” he says. “Watching it race and meeting the driver afterwards made a huge impression on me. I’ve dreamed of owning a 911 ever since. I even have a 911 plaque on my garage wall.”

Despite this particular 911 not being the easiest example to get to grips with, the passion hasn’t dimmed – it has only grown stronger: “They say never meet your heroes, but in this case it was wonderful.” See more on WeSeeHope at www.weseehope. org.uk and book your place on the next Hope Classic Rally at www.hopeclassicrally.org.

THIS SPREAD A chance to lap the Top Gear test track formed just part of the rally, which attracted automotive exotica including the Tuthill 911 driven by HDC member Tom Warren-Price.

We were there right at the start. Now, 18 months in, Great Northern Classics is a must-visit venue for all fans of classic cars and motorcycles

WHERE IN THE UK CAN YOU FIND AN historic venue with car and motorcycle storage, on-site training facilities, restorers, dealers, valeters and more, with room for outside classic events and even an on-site cafe? No, we’re not talking about Bicester Motion this time, but Great Northern Classics in Osmaston, Derby. This remarkable place was opened in March 2024 following a year-long, £3.5m development of the former Rolls-Royce Heritage Centre in an 80,000sq ft Victorian-era building. Have you been yet? We were there at the opening, and were blown away by the sheer scale and magnificence of the place. It’s

Words David Lillywhite Photography Great Northern Classics

THIS SPREAD The Victorian-era site in Osmaston, Derby is the perfect location for this Northern automotive gem, deep in the UK’s industrial heartland.

deep in the UK’s industrial heartland, in an area that’s a mix of decaying former factories and modern-era regeneration.

The ambitious renovation project, led by GNC co-founders Shaun Matthews, Mike Copestake and Rob Jones, has seen the construction of a dehumidified car-storage facility, a glass atrium, a 7000sq ft mezzanine and café, a private conference suite and an outdoor events space with capacity for more than 150 vehicles.

Since that exciting official first day, GNC has hosted countless clubs and themed days for cars and motorcycles of all ages. As we finish this issue of the magazine, NordikFest for fans of Scandinavian classics, Off-Road Special, Lowrider Night and Porsche Night are imminent, and there’s a regular Coffees & Cars on the second Sunday of every month.

Several motoring-related businesses, including the AutoRARA restoration and restomod specialist, 750 Motor Club, Iconic Auctioneers, Pinchbeck luxury car dealer, Alloywheelwright, CS Automotive repair services and many more, have set up bases within GNC. As with Bicester

‘GNC has hosted countless clubs and themed days for cars and motorcycles’

Motion, it’s become a true automotive hub. However, it’s also much more than ‘just’ an events and business space: one of GNC’s goals from the very beginning was to help plug the industry’s skills shortage by establishing a training scheme in heritage restoration expertise for the next generation. There are plans for training schemes and apprenticeships that will help to feed the many businesses – not just at GNC but around the UK.

Complementing the workshop facilities

are a vast area for secure, dehumidified vehicle storage, a private conference suite and an outdoor lot tailored for car-club meetings and motoring events.

It’s a great place to visit. The Tramshed Café, situated on the mezzanine, is open to the public and provides a view over the business units and storage area below . The mezzanine also offers event space for hire.

“Visitors can see, hear and smell what’s going on in the workshops,” explained Shaun Matthews at the opening. “We are trying to create somewhere for the next generation of specialists and enthusiasts.”

All this from a site that could so easily have been lost – along with more than 170 years of industrial history. The 4.2-acre Victoria Ironworks, on Derby’s Osmaston Road, was originally an Eastwood & Swingler Ltd iron foundry built in the 1850s. It was used to manufacture beams for the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Singapore market hall, railways in Japan, Sweden and St Petersburg, and as many as 235 bridges in India.

In 1917 the Government requisitioned some of the building as part of the war effort and Rolls-Royce moved in for large-scale

‘Be sure to visit and soak up some of that noble industrial past’

THIS PAGE GNC hosts plenty of diverse events for petrolheads, as well as being a hub for various motoringrelated businesses.

production of its Eagle aero engine. This was to provide over half of the allies’ airborne horsepower, and was used in 50 different aircraft and airships during World War One.

Interwar, Eastwood & Swingler ceased trading and its section of the Ironworks (where GNC is now housed) was converted into a bus garage and, later, a trolley bus depot, but Rolls-Royce remained on the rest of the site. Here during WW2 it researched large structural castings in magnesium alloys, leading to work on compressor castings for early centrifugal jet engines.

When the bus depot closed in 1961 RollsRoyce took over the entire site, basing its light-alloy foundry in the section now occupied by GNC. This was used to produce advanced jet- and gas-turbine engine components, including the Spey motors that powered Thrust SSC to 763mph.

From 1981 the site was home to the RollsRoyce Heritage Trust – until its conversion to the current use by Great Northern Classics. If you haven’t visited, be sure to do so and soak up some of that noble industrial past – along with a coffee or two.

As an HDC partner, Great Northern Classics gives members free parking and five percent off storage. For more details, please head over to www.greatnorthernclassics.co.uk.

Jaguar S3 E-Type - Zero compromise restoration with selected upgrades in Jaguar Azure Blue

Ferrari Daytona – extensive cosmetic restoration in original Rosso Chiaro

DB6 Volante re-commissioning,

Jaguar Azure Blue

Ferrari Daytona – extensive cosmetic restoration in original Rosso Chiaro

DB6 Volante re-commissioning, extensive metalwork correction and colour change back to original 1/1 Amethyst

Ferrari Daytona – extensive cosmetic restoration in original Rosso Chiaro

DB6 Volante re-commissioning, extensive metalwork correction and colour change back to original 1/1 Amethyst

PAUL COWLAND

Why the MGB is an A-list classic

British sports car deserves its enduring popularity

‘BELLY BUTTONS’. A CLASSIC TERM used by old motor-trade lags to describe incredibly common cars. Why belly buttons? Simply because everybody has one…

One could argue that the MGB, in its many forms, is such a confection. Common to the point of comedy at most classic shows, Abingdon’s finest can be found at everything from a village summer fête to the paddocks of the Goodwood Revival.

The production numbers go some way towards explaining its popularity in the first place, with more than half a million made between 1962-80. But that doesn’t cover how there are quite so many remaining. Estimates range between 50k-100k left globally. If that higher figure is true, it’s hard to think of such an everyman vehicle, at such a modest price, that has survived in such high numbers. A fifth of its initial production? Such an immortality ratio is usually reserved for hand-built exotica.

Glancing at the auction listings and classifieds, it’s also worth noting that there are several hundred for sale at any given time. And should you be picking up this magazine in a dentist’s waiting room sometime in the year 2035, I would imagine it’s still very much the case. You see, the second-hand appeal of these cars simply never diminishes, and – I hope – never will.

There’s a reason for this; to use another lazy metaphor the MGB is what I’d call a ‘fish and chips’ classic, allied with other national dishes such as the Mini, 2CV, Beetle and Morris Minor. As with their

edible equivalents, these wonderful models are relatively cheap, available on almost every street corner and fabulously satisfying to consume. And, while we all think we’d love to regularly dine out on the feasts created by those fine restaurateurs from Maranello or Stuttgart, the truth is that can get very expensive, very quickly. More often than not, there’s an awful lot to be said for consuming a tray of perfectly cooked, perfectly seasoned chips, in a polystyrene tray on the beach. And that is the MGB experience, in a nutshell.

As well as being prevalent, the MGB is also pretty, particularly in its earlier, chromebumper incarnation. Well proportioned lines, a handsome visage and the stunning addition of the Pininfarina-penned GT means the ‘B’ exudes a timeless elegance usually reserved for cars that sit much higher up the sports car food chain. Best of all, these shapely shells also house an unheard-of amount of legroom for those above six feet high. There are painfully few small 1960s cars into which I can comfortably fold my 6ft 4in frame, but in the MGB? I can almost straighten both of my legs. It’s a masterpiece of packaging. It’s not fast, yet it’s fast enough. It handles

‘The MGB exudes a timeless elegance usually reserved for cars that sit much higher up the sports car food chain’

well, but not exceptionally. It excites, yet it doesn’t punish. The engines and chassis provide just what is needed, nothing more, leading to yet another reason for the MGB’s seemingly endless appeal; its tuning and customisation potential. With so many on the road, it comes as little surprise to learn that there’s a veritable ecosystem of parts, accessories and tuning upgrades to make these cars look, sound and drive precisely as your heart desires. Even though you will inevitably be parking next to your B brethren at your next Cars & Coffee, it doesn’t mean your cars need to look anything alike.

The MGB is all things to all enthusiasts. A surprisingly capable competition car, a superb country-lane cruiser, a fabulously usable weekend hack. Hell, plenty of people daily them year round. It perfectly executes its brief, with talent to spare. Magazine editors know that including one on the cover will sell an extra ten percent of copies that month, yet you can fix one with a bent spoon and a piece of string. I don’t even have to tell you to get one before the market goes mad; the sheer proliferation of cars means it never will. It will always be easy to get into and out of, both physically and financially.

As you have guessed, I’m a huge fan. But bizarrely, among the hundreds of classics I’ve owned, the brilliant B has never figured. After spending a morning trawling the ads, I’m not sure how long that can continue. Restorer, writer and co-star of TV’s Turbo Pickers and Salvage Hunters: Classic Cars, Paul Cowland is also a Hagerty ambassador.

ABOVE Evocative slogan is as true in today’s classic car world as it was when the MGB was new.

LUXURY IN MOTION

The Peninsula London’s unrivalled fleet includes new and restored vintage Rolls-Royces, custom Bentley Bentaygas, BMW i7s, and an electrified 1960 London taxi – ensuring guests enjoy The Peninsula’s signature elegance and comfort at every stage of their journey.

CHARLOTTE VOWDEN

Why my dad is my hero in overalls

When it comes to classic cars, he’s got it all covered

MY HERO DOESN’T WEAR A CAPE, he wears overalls. My hero is a mechanic. My hero is my dad, Steve. As a little girl, I would feign repulsion at the heap of overalls he’d pile high by the washing machine on a Sunday morning, ready to be cleaned for the week ahead. Dirty, stinky, yucky –those are just some of the descriptives little me would have used. Decades later, I find comfort in their distinctive, musky scent. A heady mix of eau de engine infused with a touch of perspiration that carries top notes of grease and oil... I think it’s a strange reminiscence of childhood that I experience when I happily nestle into my dad’s overalls for a hug. The scent stirs a sense of reassurance; it has the ability to make me feel safe.

Whatever the vehicle I am driving, whatever the time of night or day, my dad has always put on his overalls and driven to my aid in moments of strife. He’s worn his overalls more than any other item in his wardrobe. Yes, they are his uniform, a sensible and practical choice, but they are an expression of purpose and intention too. They say: I’m here to help and I’m ready to get stuck in. My dad will graft in all weathers, and my gosh, he never gives up. Whether it’s sweat or raindrops that he’s wiping from his brow, he will always get the job done.

Neighbours, businesses, friends and family; there are so many that seek assistance and rely on my dad. He’s an everyman hero who shows up in a white van. At lunchtime, when it’s time for sandwiches, his overalls

ABOVE Charlotte and her dad Steve share a love of all things old and oily – and of overalls, too.

stay on. He sometimes falls asleep on the sofa in them, too; he set the trend long before adults began thinking it was cool to wear onesies around the house.

As his apprentice when we’re working on my MGA, wearing a pair of his overalls transforms the way I behave; after 36 years, dad has a daughter who’ll finally do what she’s told. Most of the time, at least. With his business logo stitched into the breast pocket, I don them with a sense of pride.

Dad’s vocation is the manifestation of a family that dared to dream. His father had ambitions to become a Formula 1 mechanic – back in the day when they wore white coveralls over their normal clothes, often inclusive of a bow tie – but circumstances conspired and it just wasn’t meant to be. Then my dad went to college. As the first one in the family to enter higher education, his qualifications meant he could succeed in getting one step closer to that shared dream.

With a 5ft 4in stature to dad’s 6ft 1in frame, when I don a pair of his overalls I’m obliged to roll up the sleeves and turn up the trouser legs so as not to be swamped, but it’s a comforting and transformative routine. I’m sure there are many among us who own a pair of tatty overalls, the old

‘Dad’s overalls carry a heady mix of eau de engine with top notes of grease and oil’

faithfuls you see no reason to throw away. The pair that have been there for every repair, they are blemished by the evidence of your toils. Stains, spills, splatters and snags; each mark has a tale to tell. Conjuring memories, they are a piece of apparel that can carry as much meaning as a treasured trinket or pair of lucky pants. Sporting a name that states their purpose, overalls are true utilitarian fashion. Their design gives you no reason to look for an alternative choice. Tailored to allow for dynamic movements – it’s no wonder my dad has developed creaking knees and a dodgy back – they feature elasticated waistbands and ample pockets. Function always outmodes style. Made from flameretardant, tear-resistant material; I have even seen fabrics with a UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) rating – but dad’s never opted for anything as sophisticated as that. At some point, we’ll all put our trust in a person who wears overalls, whether it’s for a full restoration or a little fettling to get your classic through its MoT. I’m grateful that, for me, that person is my dad. The relationship you have with a mechanic is built on trust – you take it on good faith that they’re reliable, proficient and honest. Too many have experienced the heartbreak of being duped by a crook. If my dad ever decides to hang up his overalls, I know I’ll never find a mechanic who wears a pair quite so well. Follow automotive writer, presenter and adventurer Charlotte’s #adventureswithfrisky on Instagram @charlottevowden.

Dreaming big – on a small scale

Hot Wheels: inspiring kids young and old since 1968

I HAVE JUST BEEN DRIVING MY new Ferrari F40 for the first time. I didn’t want to take it out for a while when I got it. You know the feeling – you’re like the proverbial ‘cat i’ the adage’, all at once desperate to drive it, yet also longing to preserve its pristine newness.

I remember that feeling with a childhood birthday bicycle; eager to swing a leg over it and start pushing the pedals, but also wanting to keep the shiny frame fresh and the tyres unsullied. It lasted about two days in the sitting room before the rest of the family decided that any festive goodwill had passed and it needed to be moved to the shed. Pretty good going, I reckon.

But back to the F40 – a Competizione, to be precise. Once I’d cracked the plastic from the cardboard, I’d passed the point of no return and it was free to be driven. Round the pile of magazines, through Biscuit Chicane, a bit of oversteer onto Pencil Straight (watch that boost as it hits like a hammer blow at 4000rpm), then brake late into Coaster Corner before lining up for a flying-finish jump over the keyboard.

I’ve parked it up next to a Ford Model A Custom, a Porsche 904 Carrera GTS, a Super Twin Mill, an Alfa Giulia Ti Super, a GMA T.50 S and a Quick Chat (a telephone on wheels). I might take it for a spin again in a minute if I’m struggling with the words. I love Hot Wheels cars, and their origin story of the husband-and-wife team that co-founded Mattel. Elliot Handler wanted to emulate the success of his wife, Ruth, the

ABOVE Ferrari F40 helps keep Henry’s imagination racing –and his words flowing.

driving force behind Barbie. So, together with a former rocket scientist, Jack Ryan, he came up with the first Hot Wheels (The Original Sweet 16, released in 1968) and the famous orange track to go with them.

“But they’re just children’s toys,” some people say. To which I’d reply that a good toy is a valuable, clever thing. It fires the imagination, helping kids to build worlds in their minds and under the kitchen table. Toys teach via stealth. We instinctively worry that if children watch too much television they’ll lose the ability to mentally create, because the screen is doing it all for them. The gateway to future AI laziness perhaps. A toy, on the other hand, builds creativity, encouraging daydreaming.

Why shouldn’t adults also benefit from that inspiration? Perhaps some escapism, too – goodness knows we need it sometimes. Some might mock it as Peter Pan syndrome, but I don’t see it that way. If you see a real F40 parked on the street you stop and stare and imagine what it would be like to drive. You are filled with wonder and your mind races. I think a percentage of that same wonder is ignited by seeing the Hot Wheels version, as an ankle-biter or an adult.

Then there is the thrill of the chase. The

‘A toy builds creativity, encouraging daydreaming. Why shouldn’t adults also benefit from that inspiration?’

cost of entry might be small, but you often have to invest a bit of time rifling through the boxes at the supermarket checkout and be prepared to come away empty-handed. With over 500 million Hot Wheels made every year, the chances of finding an F40 to call your own are, of course, reasonably good, but nonetheless there’s the little rush of joy when you see the one you’ve been after, at the bottom of the fifth box you’ve looked in. It really is all the sweeter because you didn’t just search for it on Amazon. I’m not obsessive about collecting. I’m not on the forums or scouring eBay for vintage examples, although I obviously fantasise about stumbling across a VW Rear Loader Beach Bomb – a 1969 prototype said to be worth six figures – but I do like the chance of occasionally finding a rare Treasure Hunt model or an even scarcer Super Treasure Hunt with a Spectraflame paint job. It’s fun.

Right, just 100 words to go and I think I’m in need of another little drive for that final creative push. My daughter has just turned up with a cool-looking Land Rover Defender 90 with tan paint and a number ‘68’ (in honour of that first year) on the doors and bonnet, so tackling the treacherous Cushion Mountain trail seems like a good idea. I think the 928S Safari and Monster Dairy Delivery (the Riehlman’s sign on the side refers to the car’s designer, Phil), which I happen to have to hand, might make it an interesting race. Journalist and Hagerty YouTuber Henry began his road-testing career on Evo and has competed in the British Rally Championship.

HENRY CATCHPOLE

WordsRichardHeseltine PhotographyMattHowell

MONSTER! Huge‘RamboLambo’wasindicativeofaneraofexcess.

Itwasalsowayaheadofitstime

HAGERTY

IT’S HARD TO IMAGE THE LM002 fitting in anywhere. The Lamborghini offroader doesn’t look quite right in sleepy villages in middle England, that’s for sure. Driving the automotive equivalent of Frankenstein’s Monster ensures that you do rather stand out. There’s a sore-thumb resonance as you thread your way through narrow streets, all the while being acutely aware that people are staring, pointing or maybe even reaching for their phones to take a photo. It’s almost as though the carnival is in town – and you’re it. This isn’t a car for shrinking violets, then. That said, this 2.7-tonne amalgam of steel, glassfibre and aluminium barely qualifies as a ‘car’.

The LM002 is among the most pointless vehicles ever made. Gloriously so. It existed in its own surrealist bubble when it was launched almost 40 years ago. It is only now that the rest of the world is catching up. For better or worse, it marked the jumping-off point for the ultra-powerful, ultra-exclusive SUV. The thing is, scroll back far enough in the narrative and the end product was far removed from the vehicle first mapped out in Sant’Agata. You see, the LM002 was rooted in assorted prototypes that were created with military applications in mind.

To cut a long story short, this civilian plaything was born of the American armed forces’ need to replace the M151-series Jeep. Competitors vied for the lucrative US Government contract to manufacture a HMMWV (High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle). The prototype was built in conjunction with Californian off-road specialist Mobility Technology International, the result being displayed at 1977’s Geneva Motor Show. Using a rear-sited Chrysler V8, and devoid of doors, the Cheetah resembled an outsized beach buggy. It didn’t land the gig, and the prototype was either destroyed or survives to this day – depending on what story you believe. Lamborghini, which had endured four years of turmoil under the administration of Georges-Henri Rossetti and René Leimer, was now bankrupt, too. The firm was ultimately acquired by Jean Claude and Patrick Mimran, with the 20-something siblings righting the ship over time. The Franco-Swiss brothers decided that there was still some life left in the Cheetah concept, and an evolutionary version was

created in time for the 1981 Geneva expo.

The LM001 looked similar to its forebear, with doors having been added along the way in addition to large air scoops. However, it was now powered by a 5.9-litre AMC unit that produced 180bhp. Some reports from the time claimed that the Syrian army was interested in acquiring a fleet of the vehicles. This may be apocryphal, though, given that only one was made. It was apparently a handful to drive, thanks to a pronounced rear-end weight bias and terrifying front-end lift. So, having failed twice, that should have been that – but no.

Nothing if not persistent, Lamborghini

‘It marked the jumping-off point for the ultrapowerful, ultraexclusive SUV’

followed through with the LMA002 (‘A’ for anteriore, or front), which arrived a year later. This latest strain was significantly different, not least in that it employed an allnew tubular-steel spaceframe with a V12 up front. The concept was tweaked and honed thereafter, and somewhere along the way the business plan changed. It emerged at the 1986 Brussels Motor Show in definitive LM002 form, military connotations having been toned down appreciably.

Of course, the car was most in demand in sandier climes; the sort of country where single-digit fuel consumption was of little consequence. By the time it was tentatively offered for UK consumption in 1988, it cost a huge £84,615 before you went anywhere near the options list. For this, you received a 5167cc off-roader with a five-speed dogleg ’box; one capable of 0-60mph in 7.8 seconds and a top speed of 122mph if the factory figures were to be believed.

Intriguingly, the LM002 was the first production off-roader since Austin’s Gipsy to boast all-round independent suspension. This was advantageous for various reasons, not least because it allowed the diffs and propeller shafts to be tucked up inside the chassis. On the LM, these and other delicate items such as the exhaust were protected by steel reinforcement. A dual-wishbone set-up was employed front and rear, along with coil springs and telescopic dampers. At the time, long-serving sales manager

HAGERTY DRIVERS CLUB

THIS SPREAD Big, bold and bonkers; Lamborghini’s offroader soon shed its military roots in favour of luxury and styling excess.

HAGERTY DRIVERS CLUB

Ubaldo Sgarzi claimed that Lamborghini was building two cars per week. Chrysler, which acquired the storied firm in April 1987, announced plans to sell 75 LM002s per year Stateside before ramping up production. However, by the time the run ended in 1992, a mere 328 had been made, of which 48 were to LM/A (LM/American) spec. Sylvester Stallone and Tina Turner were among the clientele – along with a few despots and other ne’er-do-wells who came down on the wrong side of history. Which brings us to today and sleepy rural Worcestershire. ‘Our’ 1991-reg LM002 LM/A looks as though it has driven off the set of a post-apocalyptic sci-fi movie. The confrontational attitude is heightened by the sense of scale. For starters, it’s 4902mm long, 2000mm wide and stands 1850mm off the deck. It also has a 2950mm wheelbase. In comparison, a Range Rover of the same year was 2540mm. Then there’s the ground clearance: 425mm below the belly pan –but this shrinks to 295mm beneath the diffs. It seems enormous in all directions.

Inside, the incongruity of four leatherclad seats, air-con, a stereo and suchlike only heightens the sense of weirdness. Despite the LM002’s vastness, it somehow feels a mite cosy. Once sited behind the

‘The LM002 is a hoot to drive once you have overcome initial trepidation’

Momo steering wheel, your left arm is crowded by the proximity of the door, while the footwell is squeezed for space. There is plenty of room for tall drivers, but rather less for rear passengers with the seats fully back. The vast transmission tunnel eats into cabin space. It houses the gearlever, switches for the electric windows and rear heater vents, not forgetting a couple of ashtrays and a cigarette lighter. There are also three banks of ‘mystery’ rubber switches, and some carbonfibre appliqué. The large lever alongside the tunnel engages drive to the front wheels. The handbrake, meanwhile, is hidden from view by your right leg. It is an ergonomic nightmare, while reflections from the flat windscreen and side glazing prove a distraction. You feel unmoored from reality in here. The LM002 is alien to any other SUV available – even when stationary. Turn the ignition key, wait a moment for the fuel pumps to build up pressure, prod the throttle, and another twist is rewarded with the sound of a pure-bred V12 bursting into life. There then comes a further wait while the all-alloy unit warms up, followed by the dipping of the meaty clutch and the ker-klunk of first gear. Once on a B-road, the change proves fast and reasonably

positive, although the lever is a reach away.

The recirculating-ball steering is heavy at pottering speeds, yet the power assist kicks in beyond that. Given such massive front tyres – wider than those of any other production car in period – you’re grateful for the help. All-independent suspension and generous wheel travel give a surprisingly good, if not exactly super-smooth, ride. There’s none of the expected tramlining at cruising speed, either, but there is plenty of road roar from the fat rubber. This is matched for volume by transmission whine. Despite its imposing size and lofty ground clearance, the LM002 doesn’t pitch, dive or lurch. Without trying particularly hard, it tackles sweeping bends well. We didn’t feel compelled to stray anywhere near its limits, out of fear that we might exceed our own. Nor, it must be said, did we venture off-road. There are limited-slip differentials front and rear, and another in the centre that can be locked. By most accounts, the Lambo will climb a 50º slope without hesitation, traction permitting.

The brakes have an oddly dead feel through the pedal, which is to be expected of a power system – but they do work well once you have become accustomed to this, which is perhaps as well. The best bit, though, is the engine. Everything about this enduring chain-driven classic was seemingly crafted to make your heart soar. It is no way quiet, but noise isn’t intrusive until the revs rise appreciably. A broken red line starts at 6000rpm and a solid red line at 6400rpm (peak power is delivered at 6800rpm…). While not drifting into this territory, but still enjoying listening to it spin, you can’t help but smile – perhaps even giggle. By modern standards the LM002 isn’t particularly quick, but it is still faster than something this size has any right to be. The quoted 0-60mph time is comparable to a 16v VW Golf GTI Mk2, Lambo claiming way back that the car would reach 100mph from

a standstill in an aerodynamics-blunted 24.6sec. But sprinting from the blocks isn’t its métier, more its sense of invincibility. It gains speed with freight train-like momentum; 50-80mph in fourth, for example, purportedly takes 8.8sec. It feels faster. There is something gloriously illogical about driving the LM002 enthusiastically that makes you want one all the more.

Of course, there are one or two problemettes, not least it having the turning circle of an ocean liner. It’s a pig to manoeuvre, but you would be surprised if it were otherwise. All-round visibility isn’t great, either. There are quite a few blind spots, but that has been a Lamborghini staple since time immemorial. Regardless, you can forgive the LM002 a lot because it is a hoot to drive once you have overcome initial trepidation. It is the loopiest production off-roader the world has ever seen, and one that would outdo any latterday performance SUV for sheer spectacle.

There is an obvious caveat, though. It is impossible to blend into the background in a LM002 should you wish to – but nobody who is shy and retiring has ever acquired a Lamborghini by mistake. The ‘styling’, for want of a more appropriate word, is every bit as outrageous as that of the Countach, Diablo or Murciélago, the difference here being that other road users don’t judge you unfavourably. They even let you into traffic –and they smile while they’re doing it. Many thanks to Jane Weitzmann – find out more at www.jhwclassics.com.

THIS SPREAD For the average buyer, the ostentatious LM002’s V12 fuel economy wasn’t much of an issue...

Specifications

Engine 5167cc V12

Transmission Five-speed manual, all-wheel drive

Power 420bhp @ 6800rpm

Torque 369lb ft @ 4500rpm

0-60mph 7.8 seconds

Top speed 122mph

Weight 2692kg

Hagerty Valuation Guide

Concours $519,000 Excellent

$377,000 Good $336,000 Fair

$246,000 (values in US$ only)

Extra

A long-distance quest in search of the finishing touch for this very special Skoda helped it win this year’s Festival of the Unexceptional. Here’s its story

Words Craig Cheetham Photography Matthew Pitts and Craig Cheetham

HAGERTY DRIVERS CLUB

OVER THE PAST DECADE, THE Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional has grown from a few under-appreciated survivors gathering on a croquet lawn to become one of the biggest and bestattended one-day car shows in Britain. Its uniqueness is a massive part of its appeal – nowhere else will you get to see an Austin Allegro estate rubbing shoulders with a Lada Samara convertible, or such rare delights as a Citroën Saxo Open Scandal and an Austin Metro ARX.

Within that mix, 1990s cars are especially popular – and with that comes a whole new generation of classic car enthusiasts. The accessibility, usability and low running costs of ’90s cars are magnetising the under-30s, who are driving a retro revolution by falling in love with vehicles that are older than they are. Among them is 22-year-old Simon Paczkowski – the proud winner of the 2025 Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional Concours de l’Ordinaire.

As the sun burst through from the event’s drizzly start, Simon’s 1992 Skoda Favorit Forum shone out as the star of a concours courtyard like no other. There were no Bugattis or exotic-bodied Ferraris here. But if you wanted to see a Perodua Nippa or the most remarkably preserved example of a Mk1 Citroën Berlingo panel van, then it was nothing short of heaven.

And as Simon himself proved, there’s not that great a difference between owning an ultra-rare Italian thoroughbred or an extraordinarily scarce 1992 Skoda. At the end of December 2024, according to www. howmanyleft.co.uk, Simon’s Favorit Forum was the only one of its type still taxed and MoT’d – compared with nine Maserati Mexicos or 18 Aston Martin DB2s.

The price for such exclusivity is a need for dedication to the cause – if you want the best and most original of any kind of car, then you need to put in the hard yards. Nobody can fault Simon’s commitment in that regard.

He is the first to admit that he loves visiting a scrapyard (let’s face it, it’s a rite of passage for any young old-car nut), and he

is a regular at Harry Buckland’s place in Cheltenham – one of the few traditional such premises left in the UK. But when the automotive graveyard in question is in Aberdeenshire, 500 miles from home, it’s a committed man who makes the journey.

THIS SPREAD Simon Paczkowski’s very rare 1992 Skoda Favorit Forum closely beat Callum Bailey’s ’99 Mondeo 1.8 LX and Andy Smith’s ’79 Citroën Visa Club.

“I made a 1050-mile round trip for a pair of rear headrests,” Simon told us. “Those in my car were missing, and the Forum ones were different to any others. They were offered in only two colours, and while I could find some of the others, getting hold of a pair in the same trim as my seats was impossible – or so I thought. It was frustrating, because I wanted my Favorit to be right.”

Simon’s Skoda was a ‘lucky’ car. He acquired it from a like-minded mate, who had rescued it from going for scrap with a

HAGERTY DRIVERS CLUB

running issue. He managed to get it going again and sold it to Simon, who has since spent hours bringing the Skoda back to the condition it’s in – a labour of love, but surprisingly not a marathon of welding.

“The car has covered just 30,000 miles from new and is in completely original condition, including all of its paintwork,” explained Simon. “I have only done minor corrections to get it back looking its best.

“This is a Forum spec, which was the base model. Possibly the only one left taxed on the UK roads, and believed to be the only one left in the country not only in this condition, but in this colour – Pacific Blue.”

Having put so much effort into its preservation, binning some aftermarket wheel covers so Simon could proudly exhibit the basic and brilliant steel rims, it was only the aforementioned headrests

‘Simon has spent hours bringing the Skoda back to the condition it’s in’

that stopped K394 LUF from looking identical to the way it did on the day its original owner drove it away from the Skoda showroom in Worthing.

“I looked everywhere on the net without luck,” Simon said. “Then I found out about a Favorit in an obscure scrapyard in rural Aberdeenshire. Photos of the car online, in its overgrown final resting place, confirmed that it had a full set.

“It took some decision-making because of the costs involved, not least because the scrapyard was disused, but in the end I planned and made a 1050-mile round trip from South Warwickshire to North Aberdeenshire in my other car – a 1996 Felicia – to purchase a pair of restraints.”

And if that’s not dedication to the cause and worthy of a concours win, then frankly, we don’t know what is…

Further highlights from FOTU 2025

The biggest and best show yet saw a huge selection of cars on display, from the rare to the gloriously mundane

Attendees come from far and wide in their exceptionally unexceptional cars.

Grimsthorpe Castle in Lincs makes for a stunning Festival of the Unexceptional backdrop.

Hagerty’s ambassador Charlotte Vowden.

Distinctive stainless-steel DeLorean never fails to get attention.

Superb 1970 Triumph 1300TC among older classics on show.

Event is a feast of long-gone name badges. Something to see for petrolheads of all ages.

the 916 gained a cult following and transformed the fortunes of Ducati

DUCATI

Arguably the most beautiful motorcycle of the past 30 years,

Words David Lillywhite Photography Alamy

‘The 916 looked like nothing else – but even better, it had the performance to match’

THIS SPREAD The world-beating 916 moved things on for an already revered motorcycle marque, and its influence is still felt today.

DUCATIS WERE ALWAYS A LITTLE BIT special. In the 1970s they got really special. And then, in 1994, the 916 came along and blew the collective minds of the motorcycling world. From that point on, Ducati’s reputation just kept on rising.

If you’re not into bikes and are struggling to relate to this, think what the Miura did not just to Lamborghini but to the supercar world – indeed the whole car world – three decades earlier. The 916 redefined what a sportbike could be. It looked like nothing else – but even better, it had the performance to match. And in case there was ever any doubt as to that performance, Ducati took it racing, with world-beating results.

becoming known for engineering ingenuity.

But let’s rewind a bit. In the early 1990s, the superbike scene was fiercely competitive and dominated by Japanese manufacturers Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki. They had pretty much mastered reliability, comfort and outright power, and they’d even got character pretty well nailed.

Still, though, there was something about Italian brands that just oozed style and flair. Moto Guzzi was the ‘sensible’ choice, MV Agusta the wild one, and somewhere in between was Ducati – a brand founded in 1926 in Bologna as a radio components manufacturer. Gradually it shifted its focus towards bikes during the post-war period,

The 1950s and ’60s marked Ducati’s entry into motorcycle racing with a focus on small-displacement machines, which garnered success in class racing across Europe. Its signature was building small, nimble bikes such as the Cucciolo. But over the decades, its reputation grew as a maker of lightweight, sporty models that offered an appealing mix of performance and style.

The 1970s signalled a turning point with the introduction of larger, more powerful models, most notably 750cc V-twins. These bikes, especially the 750 SS, cemented Ducati’s reputation in the racing world and among enthusiasts. The V-twin, with its desmodromic valve system – an Italian invention allowing precise control by opening and closing the valves mechanically rather than allowing them to spring shut –became the marque’s defining feature.

Most famously, Mike Hailwood’s return to motorcycle racing with a win at the 1978 Isle of Man TT on a Ducati 900SS created a legend of both man and machine, with the factory’s subsequent Hailwood replica road bikes still sought after. But by the 1980s, Ducati was struggling with reliability issues and financial stability. It was in this context that the company’s turning point came about in the early 1990s, with an injection of new management and investments.

The arrival of Claudio Domenicali (now Ducati’s CEO) helped streamline the firm’s focus on high-performance engineering and racing. This culminated in its resurgence in World Superbikes and Grand Prix. At this point the 916 made its bold appearance, succeeding the powerful but less dramatic 888. It was unveiled in late 1993, with the official release following in 1994.

The reception to the 916 couldn’t have been stronger. Ducati sold out its entire first year’s production run in the US before any had even arrived there, and by the end of 1994 the bike had won every major

magazine’s Bike of the Year award.

Journalist Mick Walker summed it up:

“To many enthusiasts around the world, the 916 was not simply the latest superbike, but the best there had ever been. It set new standards of performance, handling and braking, but also style and charisma... The 916 changed the face of sports bikes in a way that only the original Suzuki GSX-R750 had managed a decade earlier.”

Why was it so special? As much as anything, this was down to its looks. Over the previous 20 years we’d had increasingly outrageous machines from the Japanese in particular – such as Suzuki’s GSX1100 Katana and Kawasaki’s GPZ900R – but nothing had ever looked like the 916. Not even Honda’s limited-run NR750 superbike...

We can thank the late Massimo Tamburini for that. Widely regarded as one of the greatest motorcycle designers of the 20th century, his influence ran deep through the world of high-performance bikes and exotic cars alike. He created the

‘Its allure was only added to by incredible racing success from the start’

Bimota Tesi in the late 1980s and seemed to have an instinct for penning designs that were both breathtaking and functional.

Tamburini’s approach was to combine an aggressive, race-inspired feel with elegance and balance. His signature was evident in the 916’s flowing lines, twin-headlamp silhouette and sculpted bodywork. The chrome-moly trellis frame was a real masterstroke, providing the structural integrity necessary for high performance while shaving precious weight. Every component, from the aerodynamically efficient under-seat exhausts to the singlesided swing arm and the sculpted tail,

THIS SPREAD Carl ‘Foggy’ Fogarty spearheaded the 916’s deep dive into world motor sport, scoring several WSB titles as he went.

seemed to have been crafted with purpose and passion. His design not only raised Ducati’s profile but also set a new standard for motorcycle aesthetics, influencing countless other models in the years to come.

The 916’s performance matched its looks. Its eight-valve, liquid-cooled Desmoquattro V-twin was merely a longer-stroke version of its 888 predecessor’s (the model names were simply from the engine capacity). The 916 produced 114bhp at 9000rpm, which couldn’t match Japan’s most powerful four-cylinders but made up for it with more torque and a highly distinctive exhaust note.

What was really striking, though, even in the mid-90s when bikes were significantly smaller than they are now, was how incredibly compact the 916 was compared with both the 888 and rival superbikes.

Around this time I joined Bike as deputy editor. I’d never ridden a 916 and, after a diet of four-cylinder superbikes and noisy two-stroke sports machines, it was a revelation. It wasn’t a motorcycle for long distances; you folded yourself onto it, knees tucked up high, bum back, arms stretching forward. It immediately felt more nimble than most, and the way it delivered its power set it aside from everything else I’d ridden – and remember that I was typical of that generation of motorcyclists, who’d rarely known high-performance V-twins.

The 916 felt special to ride, and its allure was added to by incredible success right from the start in racing. Ahead of the bike’s launch, Ducati had recruited the characterful and hugely talented Brit Carl Fogarty for its Superbike World Championship team. After a couple of so-so seasons on the outgoing 888, Foggy took on the 916 in 1994, winning 11 races that year to take the championship

He won decisively in ’95 with 13 victories, with Australian Troy Corser taking the

championship on the 916 in ’96 and Foggy taking it in ’98, still on the 916, and in ’99 on its 996 successor. Ducati’s wins continued for years after the 916 in both World Superbikes and the newer Moto GP.

The 916 road bike continued to evolve, too. The single-seater 114bhp Strada was soon joined by the higher-spec 916SP, with a claimed 126bhp thanks to a twin-injector version of the V-twin with stronger, raceoriented internals. Its suspension boasted higher-spec parts and weight was reduced.

In 1995 the Strada was replaced by the twin-seat Biposto. Ducati also launched the first 916 Senna – a project that had been instigated before Ayrton’s death in 1994. It had the Strada/Biposto-spec engine and SP chassis parts, along with black paint, red wheels and a smattering of carbonfibre. Just 300 were made; later Senna II and Senna III models added to that total.

We shouldn’t forget the slightly cheaper and less powerful 748, either, which combined 916 styling with a smaller version of the V-twin. While most 916s are red, or red and white for the SPS, the 748 was most often sold in yellow, and it is now a more affordable entry into the 916 family styling. With far less fanfare, other small revisions and even new models were

introduced to homologate racing parts. These included the 955SP, to allow Ducati to use a 955cc V4 in AMA Superbike racing in the US. The big one, though, was the 1997 916SPS, featuring a largely new 134bhp engine with redesigned crankcases to allow it to be bored out to 996cc, pushing nearer the superbike racing 1000cc limit.

In 1998 came the Ducati 916 Foggy Rep: a race-replica tribute to Carl Fogarty that also allowed the homologation of a revised frame and airbox for WSB racing.

And that was it for the 916, which in 1999 was replaced by the 996 – a logical upgrade that looked little different from its predecessor. The 998, 999, 1098, 1198, 1199, 1298, 1299 and even today’s Panigale V4 continued to build on the design of the 916 – the true sign of an icon of motorcycling.

If you’re now hankering after one as much as I am, you need to know that prices have been steadily rising over the past few years. But the good news is they’re a lot cheaper to buy and maintain than equivalently iconic Italian cars… Decent 748s are around £5000, a 916 Strada or Biposto starts at £5500 but an SPS or Foggy rep can easily command £20,000-£30,000. I’d happily have one in my lounge to stare at all day, although that would be a dreadful waste.

Specifications

Engine (916 Strada) 916cc four-stroke 90° V-twin, fuel injected, four valves per cylinder, desmodromic, liquid-cooled

Transmission Six-speed, chain drive

Power 114bhp @ 9000rpm

Torque 67lb ft @ 6900rpm

0-60mph 2.9sec

Top speed 160mph

Weight 194.5kg

Valuation guide (916 Strada)

Fair £5500

Good £6500

Excellent £9500

Concours £12,000

RAD FOR IT!

The recent Oasis reunion has fuelled nostalgia for all things 1990s. If you’re looking for a car with the appropriate RADwood-era vibe but feel priced out of the traditional icons, here are six alternatives that offer the right status without the big outlay

Words Nathan Chadwick

Photography Magic Car Pics

Toyota Celica GT-Four

Rally fans past and present revere this sporting coupé, so why not channel your inner Didier Auriol?

IF YOU GREW UP TO THE SOUNDS OF whistling wastegates, growly turbocharged four-pots and Tony Mason’s energetic Rally Report coverage in the 1990s, or spent many an hour honing your powerslides on Sega Rally, then the Toyota Celica GT4 (or GT-Four) will be instantly recognisable.

You’ll also be familiar with the huge prices the Lancia Delta HF Integrale and Ford Escort RS Cosworth command. Even the tamest Subaru Imprezas and Mitsubishi Evos are now rapidly increasing in value.

It’s not as if the Toyota is a weakling among its peers; in final ST205 form as pictured here, the GT-Four outgunned its Lancia and Ford rivals with 239bhp in UK spec and 252bhp in the Japanese market. The Celica has competition pedigree, too –across all generations it won 30 rallies, four

and two manufacturers’ gongs. Okay, being caught with an illegal turbo restrictor in 1995 does cast a shadow, but we’d suggest Toyota was far from being the only culprit…

The GT-Four nameplate first appeared at the 1985 Tokyo Motor Show, on a convertible prototype. Although a drop-top did not go into production, the four-wheel-drive ST165 went on sale in its home market in October 1986, with the 182-190bhp 2.0-litre 3S-GTE turbocharged four-pot. It arrived in Britain in March 1988, and then the ST185 appeared in late 1989 with extra curves and 200bhp. The 1991 Carlos Sainz edition was a true homologation special, with a water-to-air intercooler, reshaped bonnet, reworked bumper, shortened gearlever throw and more rally-style refinements.

The 1994 ST205 ditched the pop-up lights

‘In

final ST205 form,

turbo, four-channel ABS and Superstrut suspension. The first 2500 GT-Fours needed to homologate the rally cars also featured anti-lag system plumbing, water injection and a water-spray bar and pump for the front intercooler, as well as extra insulation between the engine and chargecooler.

It looked the part, too – particularly the ST185 and ST205 – and the mixture of allwheel drive and a Torsen rear diff gave superb grip. Downsides? Well, the Celica was heavier than its rivals, and reviewers of the time noted that the steering was not quite as exciting as a Delta, Impreza or Evo’s.

Thirty years on, and with all these cars unlikely to be driven quite as hard as they were when new, the Celica’s extra comfort might just be a bonus en route to RADwood. Okay, so the somewhat sedate cabin lacks the Integrale’s synthesiser-style theatrics, but it won’t rattle like the Lancia, either.

Fortunately for Didier Auriol wannabes, the Celica is relatively robust. The 3S-GTE unit is strong, but look out for oil leaks, smoking turbos and worn seals. Listen for knocking or hesitation under boost – signs of poor tuning or abuse. Many cars have aftermarket ECUs or boost controllers; ensure any mods are professionally done. The stock CT20b turbo is reliable yet costly to replace. The five-speed manual is robust, but aggressive launches can wear the AWD – check for clunks from the diffs.

That Superstrut front suspension was effective but it wore out too quickly for the rally team, who ditched it for a traditional

MacPherson set-up. This can happen on the road cars, too, with tell-tale uneven tyre wear, knocking or excessive camber. The high cost of replacements mean most owners switch to standard struts.

With the youngest GT-Four now 28 years old, you’ll need to check for rust; back arches, sills, the floorpan and under the rear spoiler are common grot spots.

The Celica might lack the online clout of its rally contemporaries, but that makes it a fascinating choice, at the fraction of the cost of an Escort Cosworth – which, don’t forget, didn’t manage to win one WRC...

Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205 (1994-1999)

Engine 1998cc, inline-four, DOHC, turbocharged

Drivetrain AWD, five-speed manual

Power 239bhp @ 6000rpm

Torque 224lb ft @ 4000rpm

Weight 1440kg 0-60mph 6.1sec

Top speed 153mph

Hagerty Price Guide

Fair £8000

Good £12,000

Excellent £18,000

Concours £25,000

Fiat Barchetta

For a genuine slice of la dolce vita, this fun and fruity roadster provides plenty of smiles per mile

THE 1990S MAY HAVE BEEN LEAN times for the hot hatch, but they were boom years for small coupés and convertibles thanks to cheaper insurance deals.

The Mazda MX-5 was often seen as the default choice, with more luxury coming in the guise of the BMW Z3 and MercedesBenz SLK. Meanwhile, Audi’s fashionable TT made for a genuinely fine daily driver then and remains a usable classic today. Choosing the Fiat Barchetta over these and many other options was quite a stretch for a UK dweller – after all, it was officially imported with left-hand drive only.

But here’s the thing: even though just

759 examples came here over ten years, plenty more were brought in as grey imports. A big part of the appeal had to be the looks – designed in house at Fiat Centro Stile by Andreas Zapitanas and Alessandro Cavazza, it was stylish in a way most of its contemporaries could only dream of.

Underneath the sharp styling are Fiat Punto underpinnings; at its heart is a 1.8-litre four-pot producing around 130bhp that’s wonderfully rev-happy. It sounds crisp and rorty, and despite drive going to the front, it brings to mind the zesty classic Fiat convertibles of the 1950s and ’60s.

Of course, you’ll never be able to pull off MX-5-style tail-slides, but really that’s not what the Barchetta is about. It’s all about the good life – and it’s hard not to find yourself smiling behind the wheel. The steering is light and responsive, and the Fiat is genuinely fun to chuck into corners as you would a hot hatch. Only the puzzling

the front, it brings to mind the zesty classic Fiat convertibles of the 1950s and ’60s’

decision not to provide a right-hand-drive version irks – given the nature of British roads, you will get to know individual potholes at the edge of the road quite quickly. On the other hand, if you do a lot of European touring, the Barchetta’s LHD nature will come in useful for tollbooths. Nevertheless, some cars were converted to right-hand drive by the aftermarket.

The cambelt must be replaced every five years or 60,000 miles, while the wear-prone variator produces a distinctive diesel-like rattle on start-up when it begins to fail. It is best sorted at the same time as the cambelt. Rocker-gasket oil leaks are common and should be checked during routine servicing. Idle-control valves and lambda sensors can also fail as the car ages, leading to poor running or increased emissions.

The cooling system is generally reliable, although the radiator and rubber hoses can become brittle with age. Overheating is not

Fiat Barchetta (1995-2005)

Engine 1747cc, inline-four, DOHC, naturally aspirated

Drivetrain FWD, five-speed manual

Power 130bhp @ 6300rpm

Torque 119lb ft @ 4300rpm

Weight 1056kg

0-60mph 8.5sec

Top speed 124mph

Hagerty Price Guide

Fair £1000

Good £3000

Excellent £5500

Concours £9000

a frequent problem, but it is still worth monitoring closely, particularly on cars that have not been regularly maintained.

Front MacPherson struts and rear trailing arms are shared with the Punto, but tuned for sharper handling. The arms, along with bushes and drop links, are wear points, especially on older or neglected cars.

The five-speed manual ’box is generally robust and well suited to the engine. Early cars, particularly pre-2001, can suffer from weak synchro on second and third. This is more noticeable if the gearbox has been used aggressively when cold. Clutch slave cylinders are known to develop leaks, which may result in a soft or fading pedal.

Rust is arguably the Barchetta’s greatest weakness, particularly on early cars and LHD grey imports. Common areas to inspect include the front arches, seams of the inner wings, rear arches, sills, floorpans, battery tray, boot floor and the area behind the front wings where mud and moisture often collect. Soft-tops can tear or leak, and replacement parts are getting harder to find.

The Barchetta is a joy to drive, with sharp steering, a willing engine and a well balanced chassis. It’s not a hardcore sports car, but it does offer a lot of character for the money. Values remain low, although the best cars are starting to appreciate – time to see if this Barchetta floats your boat?

Alfa Romeo 145 Cloverleaf

Crazy Italian bucked the trend of ‘tamer’ hot hatches in the 1990s. It’s rare now, but the search will be well worthwhile

THE 1980S WERE REALLY THE ERA of the hot hatch. Although it was a 1970s invention, the concept of performance and panache in a usable package captured the imagination of drivers and makers alike. Sadly, it also caught the attention of thieves, making these cars an insurance nightmare. In response, manufacturers tried to make their hot hatches more respectable for the early 1990s. Cars such as the Renault 19 16v, Ford Escort RS2000 and Fiat Tipo Sedicivalvole were good, but they didn’t quite capture the imagination in the same way. Sadly, neither did Volkswagen’s Mk3 GTI. The few truly hot hatches of this era – namely the Renault Clio Williams and Peugeot 106 Rallye – have quite rightly seen their values ascend rapidly. It was only the

‘Unlike most of its contemporaries the Alfa Romeo was loud, brash, unhinged and uncouth in all the best ways’

launch of Peugeot’s 306 GTi-6 in 1998 that kick-started the next great hot hatch era. However, there was another machine from the ’90s that you may have forgotten. Unlike most of its contemporaries it was loud, brash, unhinged and uncouth in all the best ways: the Alfa Romeo 145 Cloverleaf. It really wasn’t supposed to happen. Plucked from future BMW design supremo Chris Bangle’s desk as a proposed fourdoor Lancia, it was hastily turned into a replacement for the high-selling but old 33. Early on it used the characterfully raspy but even older Boxer engine originally found in the Alfasud, yet it was revitalised by the 1996 arrival of the Twin Spark four-cylinder. It certainly looks the part – it’s all pumped-up aggression, scowling like a

03

Alfa Romeo 145 Cloverleaf (1996-2000)

Engine 1970cc, inline-four, DOHC, naturally aspirated

Drivetrain FWD, five-speed manual

Power 150bhp @ 6200rpm

Torque 137lb ft @ 3500rpm

Weight 1260kg

0-60mph 8.4sec

Top speed 130mph

Hagerty Price Guide

Fair £1600

Good £2400

Excellent £3300

Concours £4100

Milanese businessman before his morning triple espresso. It’s a fascinating design full of odd quirks: the wraparound-style rear glass, the ‘breadvan’ look and the scalloped doors. Some call it ugly, others charmingly odd. In the most common red or yellow paint, it was an assault on the senses in the same manner as the legendary SZ Il Mostro.

In many ways it’s one of the last truly brutalist cars, which is reflected in the stark, black cabin. It has a sort of Tonka Toy charm, but it’s not exactly luxurious. The door-opening graphic display is marvellous, however. Also, unlike the GTV 916, with which the 145 shares so much, the ergonomics aren’t a disaster, either.

You will certainly enjoy the drive. Okay, 150bhp, 1260kg and 0-60mph in 8.4 seconds don’t look great on paper, but thanks to the glorious engine you’ll simply not care. It revs to the skies, sounding truly magnificent while it does, and there’s a useful dollop of mid-range torque for B-road shenanigans. The steering is light and sharp, and while the 306 GTi-6 has a far more honed chassis, the 145’s sheer fun is hard to argue with.

There are a few challenges – and yes, iffy electrics and rust (arches, floorpans and sills) are a key consideration. Additionally, the cambelt needs replacing every three years regardless of mileage, and a dieseltype noise at start-up means the variator for the variable valve timing needs replacing at the same time as the ’belt. Sloppy shifts could indicate worn synchros, and engine mounts degrade leading to vibrations.

FWD Alfas are notorious for suspension gremlins. Expect wear in front wishbones, anti-roll bar links and rear trailing arms. If it feels vague or wanders on rough roads, budget for a refresh. Brakes are adequate but may need upgrading for spirited use.

Fewer than 100 survive, which means finding one will be half the job. The good news is that there’s good parts commonality across the Fiat group of the era, and we know of several that have been restored –proving just how these characterful little rascals worm their way into the affections of the afflicted. The 145 Cloverleaf might not be the best hot hatch of the 1990s, but it’s certainly one of the most entertaining.

Suzuki Cappuccino

Buzzy little funster flew the flag for quirky 1990s Kei cars, and it still gives the ultimate caffeine buzz now

THEY SAY GOOD THINGS COME IN small packages – which makes it all the more depressing that huge SUVs rule the land. Here’s the automotive palate cleanser – and it’s just as rejuvenating behind the wheel as the beverage that donated its name. Built to conform to Japan’s Kei-car rules, hence the small engine, performance and size, the Cappuccino actually translates to British roads well – light and nimble, it’s the kind of car Colin Chapman might have made. Upon its 1989 Tokyo Motor Show debut it was a clear tribute to classic Brit roadsters. Project lead Toshihiko Hirai insisted it deliver real driver engagement, and despite it only really being intended for Japan, UK enthusiasts persuaded Suzuki GB to offer it from 1993-95. Production

continued until 1998 in its homeland.

The Cappuccino certainly handles like a Lotus – thanks to independent suspension all round, a limited-slip diff and 50:50 weight distribution, it’s fun, nimble and balanced, with excellent turn-in. Its threepiece aluminium roof, giving targa, T-top or fully open configurations, is a bonus.

It may have only a 63bhp three-cylinder, but with its 700kg weight its performance belies its spec. Despite a mere 90mph top speed, its turbocharged delivery punches through the gears up to that. That old adage of being more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow will be proven every time you take the Suzuki out – it’s an absolute hoot. It might be a bit daunting – and dwarfed – on the motorway, but it’s surprisingly adept at cruising, with supple suspension for long distances.

‘The Suzuki Cappuccino is just as rejuvenating behind the wheel as the beverage that donated its name’

Suzuki Cappuccino (1991-1998)

Engine 657cc, three-cylinder, DOHC, turbocharged

Drivetrain RWD, five-speed manual

Power 63bhp @ 6500rpm

Torque 65lb ft @ 4000rpm

Weight 700kg

0-60mph 11.0sec

Top speed 90mph

Hagerty Price Guide

Fair £2000

Good £4500

Excellent £7500

Concours £10,000

quite common, especially from the cam cover and turbo oil feed. Radiators can corrode, which may lead to overheating. The cambelt should be changed every 60,000 miles or five years, whichever comes first. The five-speed manual ’box is usually reliable, although high-mileage cars can suffer from worn synchromeshes. Inspect the front wishbones and rear trailing arms for rust or signs of fatigue. Suspension bushes and dampers tend to wear, so factor in potential replacement costs. The steering should feel tight and responsive, with no looseness or play.

Rust is the biggest issue. Check the sills, rear arches, suspension mounts, floorpans, door bottoms and screen surrounds. Many cars have had welding or restoration work, and the standard of repairs can vary. Some imports were not well protected against rot when new, which only adds to the risk. Look out for leaks around the roof panels, as well as cracked seals or damaged latches. Headlamp and tail-light lenses can fog or crack, and replacements can be hard to find.

Inside, the plastic trim is lightweight and prone to rattling or cracking with age. Aircon was an optional extra, so check that it works. Electric windows and mirrors can become slow or stop working altogether.

The Cappuccino won’t be the fastest car on a track day, but as the ultimate caffine buzz it is one of the quickest ways to draw a smile on a tight British B-road.

Audi S8

1990s luxo-barges don’t come much more exotic than this AWD, aluminiumbodied, V8-powered Audi

SAY HELLO TO WHAT WAS ONCE dubbed ‘the world’s greatest car’. Normally that title was reserved for the MercedesBenz S-Class, or perhaps a Rolls-Royce or Daimler – but in the mid-1990s Audi’s take on upper-class travel was a revelation.

The A8’s story began 12 years pre-launch, at the behest of Ferdinand Piëch. Fourwheel drive was a key part of Audi’s brand DNA, but the issue was a significant weight penalty; up to 100kg compared with a rearwheel-drive exec. Piëch asked the Aluminum Company of America to develop a car that would not only mitigate the extra weight of four driven wheels, but be lighter and thus more efficient than any of its RWD rivals.

Fast-forward to the 1994 launch of the A8, whose all-aluminium monocoque made it lighter model-to-model than the S-Class. It not only revolutionised how executive cars would be built, but it also helped to revitalise Audi’s image. Proof came when German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder ditched Merc for an A8 as his official state motor. However, with AMG getting ever closer to Mercedes-Benz, and BMW and Alpina both unleashing highpowered V12s, Audi fancied a piece of the ultimate performance-exec market.

The resultant S8 did without 12 cylinders,

but instead it used a 4.2-litre V8 that was good for 335bhp and a mid-5.0-second 0-60mph time. That was seriously quick for the era, thanks in no small part to the 1730kg kerbweight – a Ferrari 456 would beat it to 60mph by only half a second.

Perhaps the biggest surprise was how the S8 handled. Forget the Audi clichés about numb steering and understeer – the S8 was surprisingly neutral. It was nimble and agile in a way that you’d scarcely believe, with seemingly endless reserves of grip.

It was also impeccably finished inside –it might not have had a Jaguar’s ‘gentleman’s club’ feeling, but everything felt well made, beautifully engineered and crisply designed.

Such quality comes at a price, of course, and long-time Audi enthusiasts have often struggled to get much support from HQ,

‘The S8 was nimble and agile in a way that you’d scarcely believe, with seemingly endless reserves of grip’

even for brand-defining cars such as the Quattro. Remember, this S8 cost £60,000 when new, which equates to £111,000 now.

If you can’t stomach the bills for a c.£110k car that cost you a tenth of that today, then the S8 experience could prove painful.

The all-alloy V8 is robust if maintained, with power up to 360bhp depending on year. It uses a timing belt, and replacement is vital every 60,000 miles or five years. Cam-cover gaskets and auxiliary belts can leak or perish, and coil packs may fail with age. Most cars had a five-speed Tiptronic auto, but a six-speed manual was an option.

Suspension wear is common. Listen for clunks or knocks, especially from front wishbones and drop links. Bushes and dampers should be checked. Brakes are powerful but costly to replace, especially the later cars’ larger front discs.

The aluminium body resists rust, but repairs can be costly and bodged cars are best avoided. Corrosion around window trims or bubbling under paint can indicate

substandard repairs. The cabin wears well, but dash-display pixel loss and failing seat heaters or window regulators are common.

The good news is that for the most part, the S8 is remarkably robust. The bad news is that on the rare occasions it does go wrong, parts and labour can be very expensive –ask anyone who’s owned an Audi RS6...

It goes a long way to explain why the S8 is rarely remembered in the same way as its contemporaries. W 140 S-Classes in good nick are ever more costly, while the era’s objectively inferior Jaguars are cherished and the Lexus LS400 has a cult following. Yet the S8 seems to have been largely forgotten, despite its abilities and its legacy.

However, it wasn’t long ago that the Audi’s Ronin car chase co-star and fellow four-door supercar from a previous era, the Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9, was just a cheap barge with huge performance and a bigger reputation for sizeable bills. Look at the prices of those Mercs nowadays –could the S8’s glory days be on the horizon?

Audi S8 (1994-2002)

Engine 4163cc, V8, DOHC, naturally aspirated

Drivetrain AWD, six-speed manual, five-speed automatic

Power 335bhp @ 6800rpm

Torque 317lb ft @ 3500rpm

Weight 1730kg

0-60mph 5.4sec

Top speed 155mph (limited)

Hagerty Price Guide

Fair £2500

Good £6000

Excellent £11,000

Concours £20,000

Subaru SVX

Unusual Giorgetto Giugiaro styling, a prestige interior and a smooth flat-six mean this

THE COLLAPSE OF THE WORLD economy in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and its aftermath for car manufacturers, could form the basis of a rip-roaring novel. Japan’s booming economy had led its auto makers to invest billions of yen into techpacked luxury GTs and sports cars, only for the market to evaporate just as its shiny new products hit (empty) showroom floors.

Few quite encapsulate that rollercoaster ride quite like the Subaru SVX, a svelte, Giorgetto Giugiaro-styled GT from a brand largely known for rugged utility cars – oh, and the endearingly peculiar XT coupé of the mid-1980s. Remember, this was before the Impreza, while the Legacy had only just started to prove its worth on the rally stage.

The SVX was among a cohort of Japanese GTs designed to capture the high-margin grand-tourer market largely dominated by the Porsche 928 and Jaguar XJS. Yet by the time most of them arrived, not even 928s

stand a chance, and it sold in tiny numbers. It deserved much better. The EG33 was essentially a stretched version of Subaru’s EA82 and EJ22 flat-fours. At 3.3 litres it was the firm’s largest production motor –and it would be the only mass-produced Subaru flat-six until the EZ series turned up in the 2000s. Its compact size and Boxer layout made it great for packaging, and its smooth, torquey nature suited its GT role. Less can be said for the gearbox... There was much to love about the interior. At a time when Japanese cabins had many buttons but bland designs and scratchy plastics, the SVX was quite the revelation. There was plenty of Alcantara, leather and ‘wood’. The exterior was even better. Nothing quite looked like it at the time, and it still cuts a dash today; the windows within windows were a particular highlight. Behind the wheel the Subaru remains a satisfying GT – it’s far removed from the

‘Few cars defy all rationale quite like an SVX – and that’s what makes it such a compelling choice’

anyone expecting that will be disappointed. Instead, it’s to be enjoyed for it consummate smoothness. Unlike its Mitsubishi 3000GT counterpart the SVX is naturally aspirated, which means it gives a burbling roar that turns into a growl and then a metallic snarl. It also rides beautifully but, despite its heft, it can still entertain in the corners thanks to an ingenious torque-vectoring system. It’s just such a shame that the Subaru is lumbered with a lethargic four-speed auto; a manual gearbox was never offered. gearbox, which is vulnerable to failure, particularly if it has overheated or been poorly maintained. Fitting a transmission cooler is highly recommended. Signs of trouble include jerky changes, slipping and a flashing ‘Power’ light on the dash. Manual conversions are increasingly common, and even if sometimes controversial they are generally considered to be an improvement.

You should expect wear in the struts, bushes and balljoints. The SVX is a heavy car, so suspension components can also tire over time. As aftermarket replacements are limited, try to budget for either custom solutions or wallet-emptying genuine parts. Inspect the rear wheelarches, inner sills, boot floor and area around the windscreen for signs of corrosion. The distinctive glass-over-glass windows are a trademark feature, but they are costly to replace and the motors are known to fail. On the inside of the car, common problems include malfunctioning climate-control panels, faulty window switches and sunroof issues.

As an ownership prospect, few cars defy all rationale quite like an SVX – and that’s what makes it such a compelling choice for those who refuse to run with the herd.

Engine 3139cc, flat-six, DOHC, naturally aspirated

Drivetrain AWD, four-speed automatic

Power 240bhp @ 5600rpm

Torque 22lb ft @ 4400rpm

Weight 1590kg

0-60mph 7.3sec

Top speed 150mph Hagerty Price Guide

THE

1000HP

This astounding, all-British leviathan was once the world’s fastest car. It’s now undergoing an epic restoration before it returns to Daytona Beach to mark the centenary of its record-setting run

Words John Mayhead Photography National Motor Museum

“THE ENGINES WERE STARTED UP and the whole building shook. No words can describe the unimaginable output of power which the 1000hp machinery seemed to catapult into the building. It was one continuous deafening roar. The very walls quivered, while the tiles on the roof seemed to dance… I think I stood and stared at the monster as a child would have done. It is the only time I can honestly say when I have stood in front of a car and doubted human ability to control it.”

Henry Segrave’s description of hearing the twin Matabele aero engines fully fire up for the first time, in a cradle at Sunbeam’s Moorfield Works in Wolverhampton in early 1927, wasn’t an overreaction. Nobody had tried to push the Land Speed Record over 200mph – let alone with a four-tonne, 23ft 6in car powered by engines displacing nearly 45 litres. Everything, from the coupling shaft to the honeycomb radiators, had to be designed for an environment that existed only in an engineer’s notebook.

Some said it couldn’t be done – but those naysayers didn’t factor the skill and determination of three extraordinary men, supported by a host of British engineering firms who flocked to back this home-grown motoring leviathan. Segrave was the face of the project; the driver’s chiselled jawline and innate charm hid a hard determination to succeed. This included shouldering the logistical challenges of the project, pulling together sponsors’ financial support and finding a suitable venue for the attempt.

Then there was Sunbeam’s powerhouse, chief engineer and designer Louis Coatalen. He and Segrave had already achieved a motoring milestone by winning the 1923 French Grand Prix in a Sunbeam, the first time a British driver had achieved such a position in a British car. Then, in March 1926, Segrave took the Land Speed Record at 152.33mph over the mile in another Sunbeam, a red 4.0-litre Tiger nicknamed Ladybird – but within six weeks the title had been taken by John Parry-Thomas driving Babs on Pendine Sands at close to 170mph.

Segrave immediately called Coatalen, who was in Paris, to discuss their response. The pair reasoned that they needed to smash the existing record, not simply break it. Segrave wanted 200mph; for Coatalen that meant brute force. Said Henry: “He reasoned that if it had to be power, power

he would use – more than any other.”

It came from two huge aero engines the pair found at the Sunbeam factory – 22.5litre V12s with double overhead camshafts and 48 valves, which put out 435hp at 2000rpm. Previously used to power two racing hydroplane boats, one of which sunk, they had been recovered from the seabed off Detroit in 1921.

Coatalen quickly created a concept: one forward engine driving back in the typical manner towards a bespoke three-speed gearbox, and the other behind the cockpit driving forwards through a countershaft, with chain sprockets powering the rear wheels. The all-enveloping body was designed to be like an upturned boat, and while its flat steel undertray would ostensibly allow the car to slide along in the event of an accident, it would also almost certainly provide aerodynamic benefits.

THIS SPREAD Restoration work has revealed relics of the Sunbeam’s past, as Beaulieu readies it to return to the scene of its 1927 Daytona Beach record-breaking run.

The basic design achieved, Coatalen passed the responsibility for creating the car – its name rounded up to the pressfriendly Sunbeam 1000hp – to the third member of the trio: chief engineer Captain JA ‘Jack’ Irving. Working at the Moorfield facility, he quickly put Coatalen’s concept together, combining a chassis frame made by John Thompson Motor Pressings, steel forgings produced by Vickers, Hartford shocks and Dewandre Vacuum servo brakes. Various issues arose: wind-tunnel tests of a model showed a tendency for the rear to lift at speed, which was overcome by a modified tail design, while the drive

HAGERTY DRIVERS CLUB

chains became almost red hot during trials.

The huge red machine rolled out for its first test run on March 21, 1927 at Daytona Beach, Florida in front of 10,000 spectators. The first runs, kept to a conservative speed, were dogged by issues with brakes, gear ratios and the timing system, the last of which had been inadvertently damaged by spectators. Nevertheless, by March 29 the team felt ready for an attempt at 200mph.

At first all went well, but just as Segrave passed the start a gust of wind pushed him off line. It took him nearly a mile and a half to correct the swerve. Pushing hard at the peak 2200rpm, he flashed through the 1km, one mile and 5km sections, only to be pushed off line once again, this time hitting marker poles and skidding over 400 yards before he once again brought the monster back under control and pressed the brake. Little happened. With the beach running out, he pulled left into the sea; the shallows slowed him before he plunged into the Halifax River. New wheels were quickly fitted for the return leg, and he finally crossed the line with an average speed of 203.79mph for the mile. Segrave was the fastest man on the planet.

The press went wild. Sunbeam proudly produced a booklet entitled The Greatest Motoring Achievement Ever Recorded, The Motor speculated that “Major Segrave’s record will probably stand for a long time”, and The Autocar called it a “wonderful combination of man and machine”.

Unfortunately for Segrave, The Motor was wrong. Within a year, Malcolm Campbell had bettered Henry’s record in Blue Bird to 206.956mph, and then, in April 1928, American Ray Keech pushed it up to

207.552mph. Undaunted, Segrave linked back up with Irving and tried again in 1929, smashing the record in the Golden Arrow at 231.446mph and gaining a knighthood in the process. The 1000hp car was packed away until, in 1958, the Montagu (later National) Motor Museum at Beaulieu received it on loan from the Rootes Group, purchasing the machine outright in 1970.

Other than a repaint in 1972, maintenance and the odd excursion to various shows, the Sunbeam remained relatively untouched until last year, when its refurbishment began.

“Getting the 1000hp running again fitted in well with our plans,” Museum CEO Jon Murden explains. “We’re at the start of a programme that’ll transform the Museum – the building and the way we encourage people to interact with our exhibits. Bringing the Sunbeam back to life will help raise funds, and introduce a whole new generation to an extraordinary feat of engineering and part of our national heritage.”

The aim wasn’t just to refurbish the

car, but to return it to fully operational condition – and to send it back to Daytona in March 2027 to run again on the sands on the 100th anniversary of Segrave’s world record. The project was entrusted to senior engineer Ian Stanfield, known as ‘Stan’.

“The rear engine has already been stripped, and we’ve tried to keep everything as original as possible,” he tells me. “Parts that weaken over time have been replaced –valve springs, piston rings, brake linings and the like – and other parts that were either missing or damaged, but nothing else.”

One of the most sensitive parts of the restoration was the chassis. This needed to be inspected for cracks, but its historical integrity still maintained. Stan pressurewashed before soda-blasting it – a less aggressive process than the more traditional shot-blasting. This care paid off: original makers’ marks were found and will be preserved under a clear coat of Trimite paint.

Next, the unpainted parts will be cleaned with a laser process, and other components will be made from scratch. The compressed-air starting mechanism, unique to this engine, had been lost over time, and another is now being recreated. Fascinating links to the past have been found: a 1921 shilling and an adjustable spanner were discovered embedded in thick gunk on the suspension, and a screwdriver emerged from the oil tank.

As we go to press, a major milestone in the restoration will have been reached, with the initial engine’s first public startup in 90 years taking place at the Beaulieu International Autojumble on Sunday September 7. Renovation of the second engine has already started, and the car is expected to be finished next year ready to tour the UK, Europe and, finally, the US.

‘The experience of hearing this leviathan roar again will be one not to miss’

Then, on March 29, 2027 – 100 years after Segrave’s run – it will once again thunder down Daytona Beach. Exactly how fast is yet to be decided, but a repeat of the 203.79mph record is out of the question, to preserve both the driver and this piece of motoring heritage. One thing is for sure: the experience of hearing this leviathan roar again will be one not to miss. Sunbeam 1000hp Restoration Campaign donations can be made at www.national motormuseum.org.uk. Sponsors and corporate donors who’d like to be associated with it are urged to email nellie.rogers@beaulieu.co.uk.

SPIDER MAN

DTR European Sports Cars boss Paul de Turris uses his restoration superpowers to bring Italian exotica back to life – and more

Words Richard Heseltine Photography Charlie Magee

THE FIAT 124 SPIDER HAS AN unshakable hold on Paul de Turris – but then, he has no desire to shake it off. The DTR European Sports Cars principal became enamoured of the Italian roadster as a young pup, and he has revisited it endlessly ever since. He has done so despite restoring more highfalutin exotica.

“I remember my father coming home with one. It was white. I can’t tell you much more, least of all how and why he had it for a few days, but I fell in love with the shape. It all started with the 124 Spider, and it’s funny how I keep going back to it.”

Instantly likeable, and quick to smile, Paul began working on cars in his teens while a student. He established the business in 1989, initially importing models from the US: “I was given the parental option of not going to university and getting a job straight from school, or getting a degree and then doing whatever I wanted – so I studied something that didn’t hold much interest and then began bringing in 124s in batches of six or 12. Almost immediately, we – DTR – got into restoring them and offering right-hand-drive conversions. We did 50 or 60; we would build cars to order.”

Warming to the theme, he adds: “We initially operated out of premises in St Margarets, London. It was tough – the margins were slight, and then the interest rates on the workshop mortgage shot up to 15 percent. We moved to a place opposite Mortlake train station in 1997, and then to our current facility in Coulsdon, Surrey in 2008. DTR European Sports Cars has been in business for 36 years, and I suppose the secret to that longevity is adaptability. All things 124-related was our stock in trade for a while, but then we got into importing brand-new Fiat Barchettas in the late ’90s.”

The past 20 years, however, have seen the firm become well known for its epic restorations. “We have always done regular work – servicing Italian classics, repairing

THIS SPREAD Paul’s company DTR offers a multi-faceted restoration service – and it has also recently entered the restomod field with its Fiat 124 Corsa.

‘It all started with the 124 Spider, and it’s funny how I keep going back to it’

HAGERTY DRIVERS CLUB

them and so on – but we usually have ten restorations on the go at any one time. The world has changed a lot since I first got involved in restoring cars, though, and we have been directed to some degree by what the market wants. It’s easy to plough ahead and do only what you want to do, but sometimes the economic realities suggest a different course of action.”

At the time of our visit, all manner of Fiats, Abarths and a Moretti 2300S are in the throes of reanimation, along with a few left-field projects such as a 1904 De DionBouton that is having an engine rebuild.

“We usually stick to Italian cars, but we do like a challenge,” Paul explains. “We do everything in-house aside from chroming and some engine machining. Part of this is due to me being a bit of a control freak. You

can buy some new panels for Italian cars, but the quality is variable so we make our own using an English wheel. It is something that I love to do personally, but equally I am responsible for the trimming work.”

He continues: “Also, the prices of certain parts have sky-rocketed since Covid. Take a wiring loom: the cost of the same item from the same supplier has quadrupled in five years. As such it isn’t viable, so now we do our own. It isn’t about being a Jack of all trades, more that we can control the process and be sure that the quality is consistent throughout. Expectations are so much higher now, too. The Fiat 8V we have here is Vignale bodied. It’s a fantastic shape, but no thought in period was given to structural integrity – and, being coachbuilt, one door was an inch shorter than the other.”

At this Paul’s eyes roll as he recalls the horrors of a previous restoration. “It’d been shown at a major concours way back when,

‘We usually stick to Italian cars, but we do like a challenge’

but it was all wrong. It had an Alfa Romeo gearbox, Buick tail-lights and so on. It took us five years to do it properly, and that meant making everything from the bumpers to the instruments – but one of the joys for us has been making the car drive better than it ever did in period. I don’t mean that we have modernised it, more that we have tested and adjusted it endlessly. The owner likes to drive it, too. It isn’t just a show car.”

Which brings us by way of an awkward segue back to 124s and DTR’s recent entry into the restomod field. “Again, the decision was driven by what the market wants, but also by our customers,” says Paul. “The first car, the one here, was built for someone who, like me, owns a pre-war Fiat 508S, and also a 124 Spider. He lives in London. That got us to thinking of combining the running gear from the post-2016 ‘new’ 124 Abarth Spider with the body of a pre-1974 original 124 Spider to create a car that you

could drive anywhere and in all conditions.”

Enter the 124 Corsa. “We started with the premise that we’d make it both fast and comfortable. One of the shortcomings of the original car is that it was designed for left-hand drive so there’s little room on the nearside relative to the offside. As such, after reinforcing and gusseting the body, we moved the transmission tunnel across. We also brought the floors up.

“The 1.4-litre MultiAir turbo can go to 300bhp, while the suspension is also carried over. It’s been a huge engineering exercise. Essentially, the Corsa is a new car with a lot of bespoke content.” The plan is to build a dozen; one customer has even put his name down for two to go with his Singer Porsche.

As for the future, expect the unexpected. “DTR will evolve,” Paul says by way of a parting shot. “I have plenty of ideas.” We would be amazed were it otherwise. More DTR details at www.dtrsports.com.

THIS SPREAD Paul says classic car fans should expect the unexpected from his Surrey-based company: “I have plenty of ideas.”

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HAGERTY EVENTS 2025

Winter warmers

There’s plenty to keep the enthusiast flame going as we head towards winter. Here are the Hagerty picks

Castle to Coast October 3, 8:30am-8:00pm.

Ludlow, Shropshire to Conwy

Join fellow HDC members for a full day of escorted driving from Shropshire through to North Wales, with 165 miles of stunning scenery. The day is designed to offer a balance of fun motoring, good company and a relaxed atmosphere with plenty of camaraderie – all you need to do is add fuel. Starting in Ludlow for breakfast, the route covers three scenic legs taking in quiet back roads, rolling hills and coastal areas. The day is escorted by professional lead drivers, and hand-held radio comms in every vehicle will keep things running smoothly. We’ll stop for mid-morning coffee, and continue north before arriving at Portmeirion for lunch and a wander. This unique coastal village was designed in the style of an Italian Riviera town. Known for its colourful architecture, ornate gardens

and views over the Dwyryd Estuary, it’s a great place to stop, stretch your legs and enjoy lunch with fellow HDC members.

We’ll then head back out on yet more memorable roads, and finish the day at the Quay Hotel and Spa in Deganwy. This relaxed venue sits on the waterfront, with views across to Conwy Castle. We’ll enjoy a talk from HDC Ambassadors Paul Cowland and Charlotte Vowden, before having a group meal in the Quay’s renowned restaurant – a great space to unwind after a full day of driving. When booking, you can choose to then stay the night or head home.

Packages start from £135. This tour is limited to 24 vehicles, with a maximum of two people per vehicle.

Zoute Concours Auction 2025

October 8-9 for previews, October 10 for auction. Approachgolf, Prins Filiplaan 1, 8300 Knokke-Heist, Belgium

Zoute Grand Prix Car Week is a five-day festival that blends exceptional cars, art and a luxury lifestyle, promising a truly unforgettable celebration. Hagerty auction

arm Broad Arrow’s Zoute Concours sale will be held in conjunction with the Zoute Concours, which takes place on October 11-12. Consignments include a Ferrari 275 GTB/4, Lamborghini Murciélago LP640-4 Versace Edition and Fiat 131 Abarth rally car.

The Zürich Auction 2025

October 30-31 for previews, November 1 for auction. Dolder Grand, Kurhausstrasse 65, 8032 Zürich, Switzerland

Broad Arrow has teamed up with Auto Zürich, the Swiss extravaganza that was first held in 1987 and has become one of Europe’s most successful motor shows.

The nearby Dolder Grand is an ideal location to host an auction of exceptional collector cars; built in 1899 on the Adlisberg mountain overlooking Zürich, its history can be traced back to the dawn of the motoring age. Early consignments include four of the tastiest water-cooled 911s ever to leave Stuttgart, and a Jaguar D-type.

Classic Motor Show

November 7-9. NEC, Birmingham, B40 1NT We’ll be heading to this show for the first time – and we’ll be bringing a very special original Mini. We’ll keep the surprise under wraps for now, but be sure to drop by for a chat about all things cars and bikes, pick up merch and share your passion for motoring.

Further ahead:

March 2026. The Amelia and Auction, Ritz Carlton Amelia Island, Florida, US May 2026. Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este Auction, Villa Erba, Italy

Also keep an eye out on the Hagerty website for the return of the Hangouts, the hillclimb at Shelsley Walsh, RADwood, Festival of the Unexceptional and much more in 2026.

For details of all these events, please visit www.hagerty.co.uk/official-events

Weather... what bad weather?

It’s time to exercise your pride and joy, even as the nights grow longer. Here are a few prime ideas…

SEPTEMBER

International St Moritz

Automobile Week

September 18-21

St Moritz, Switzerland

High‑alpine hillclimbs (Bernina Gran Turismo), super‑stickshift supercar tours, rallies and concours gatherings. bernina-granturismo.com/en

Circuit des Remparts d’Angoulême

September 19-21

Angoulême, France

A street‑circuit festival with Historic races, a concours, classic rallies through Cognac vineyards and much more. circuitdesremparts.com

Pendine Sands Hot Rod Races

September 20-21

Pendine, Carmarthenshire

Vintage Hot Rod Association’s pre 1949 races at original home of speed records. Free to watch. vhra.co.uk

Stoke Prior Steam Rally

September 20-21

Bromsgrove, Worcestershire

A celebration of all things steam, with a classic car show and an autojumble to boot. steamheritage.co.uk

Kop Hill Climb

September 20-21

Princes Risborough, Oxfordshire

One of the oldest hillclimbs in the world attracts amazing cars, motorcycles and soapboxes, while fundraising for the local community. kophillclimb.org.uk

Festival of 1000 Cars

September 21

Cholmondeley Castle, Cheshire

A huge number of cars – plus motorcycles, too – at this very scenic location, with food, drink, music and an autojumble. classicshows.org

Spa Classic

September 25-27

Spa Francorchamps, Belgium

One of Europe’s premier Historic racing events, including multiple races for pre‑1965 and later GT machinery, Formula 1, the Alfa Revival Cup and more. spasixhours.com

OCTOBER

Zoute Grand Prix Car Week

October 8-12

Knokke-Heist, Belgium

A luxurious festival combining the Zoute Iconic Rally, Zoute Rally, GT Tour and concours, as well as art displays, auctions and lifestyle events. zoutegrandprix.be

Restoration Show and Spares Market

October 11-12

Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire

Looking for an obscure part or supplies to finish your resto? Here’s a good place to start. restoration-show.co.uk

Brooklands Motorsport Day

October 12

Weybridge, Surrey

Auto e Moto d’Epoca

October 23-26

Bologna, Italy

More than 5000 cars on show and available to buy, with the very best food. Special tribute to 75 years of Formula 1, plus a Honda motorcycle showcase. autoemotodepoca.com

NOVEMBER

St James’s Motoring Spectacle

November 1

Pall Mall, London Free event outside the RAC Clubhouse has a superb display of machinery through the ages. veterancarrun.com/ st-jamess-motoring-spectacle

London to Brighton

Veteran Car Run

November 2

London to Brighton

The world’s oldest motoring event, with Veteran (pre‑1905) cars travelling from Hyde Park to Madeira Drive. veterancarrun.com

Classic Motor Show

November 7-9

NEC, Birmingham

More than 3000 vehicles, the UK’s leading clubs, traders, live shows and a packed auction.

See previous page for details. necclassicmotorshow.com

Roger Albert Clark Rally

November 20-24

Nationwide

A full day of track oriented historic displays, hillclimbs and motorsport exhibits. brooklandsmuseum.com

More than 180 classic rally cars battle the elements across the UK on historic RAC rally stages. racrmc.org

‘Oldest motoring event, with Veteran cars travelling from Hyde Park to Madeira Drive’

Milano AutoClassica

November 21-23

Milan, Italy

A festival of Italian classics, from concours exhibits to auctions and autojumbles. milanoautoclassica.com

DECEMBER

LEJOG Trial

December 6-9

Nationwide

The toughest classic rally in Europe, LEJOG is a 1500 mile winter endurance challenge from Land’s End to Carlisle. hero-era.com

JANUARY

Brooklands New Year’s Day

Classic Gathering

January 1

Weybridge, Surrey

Kick the year off with a diverse selection of cars and bikes. brooklandsmuseum.com

Vintage Stony

January 1

Stony Stratford, Bucks

Showcase of pre 1940 cars, motorcycles and commercials, taking over the Market Square. vintagestony.co.uk EVENTS DIARY

The International Historic Motoring Awards returning this November

Celebrate the finest in classic and collector motoring—where distinguished achievements in restoration, craftsmanship, and heritage converge under one roof. Be part of a world-class evening of recognition, elegance, and discovery.

SCAN TO BUY TICKETS OR CONTACT IHMA@HOTHOUSEMEDIA.CO.UK

Nominations now open—submit your entry at historicmotoringawards.co.uk

Friday November 14 2025

The Peninsula London

PRODUCTS AND BOOKS

Cool stuff

Round-up of the latest automotive-inspired products and books

Ever fancied making your own car-care products? With this kit and only a little time in the kitchen, you can do just that by conjuring up a 250ml pot of carnauba wax. Just add an outrageous brand name and snazzy Instagram marketing, and you’re pretty much there. Not suitable for anyone under 14, and everything you need is included. It costs £29.95, and HDC members get 15 percent off with Dodo Juice – see details in your members’ portal. www.dodojuice.net

Dodo Juice Home Brew car wax kit

BMW Z1 Pixel T-shirt

Largely recognised for its doors that disappeared into the sills, the Z1 should also be remembered for its Z-axle, which revolutionised BMW handling from then on. Pay your tribute with this 100 percent cotton T-shirt, available in XS to XXL for £42.40. https://lifestyle.bmw.com/en/home

Audi inside-out beanie

If you have fond memories of Audi Quattros slithering through stages in the 1980s, you can probably remember just how chilly watching the RAC Rally was. This reversible beanie will bring it all back, for £32.21. https://store.group1auto.co.uk

Power Unleashed

Got a fervour for forced induction? This is the story of turbos and superchargers in racing and road cars. The three-volume set costs £395, and HDC members get 10 percent off. www.evropublishing.com

Mondaine Doppio Solar

Mondaine has long taken inspiration from Swiss railway clocks, but as time marches on the brand has embraced the future. Within the 41mm stainless-steel case, and beneath the dial, solar cells harness both natural and artificial light, storing energy in a rechargeable battery. This energy powers the watch, eliminating the need for regular battery replacements. A fully charged battery can last eight months. The Doppio Solar costs £399. www.uk.mondaine.com

Hot Wheels BMW 320 Group 5 and M3

GTR two-pack

Mark 50 years of the BMW 3-Series with these £17.99 1:64-scale race-car tributes. The 320 thundered around Europe’s circuits in the ’70s, while the M3 did the business in the US. www.smythstoys.com

Ferrari 275 P: The Only Ferrari to Have Won Le Mans Twice

To win the Le Mans 24 Hours is a dream. But to do it twice...? The story of 275 P no. 0816 is told in this gloriously illustrated, £125 book – and HDC members get 10 percent off. www.porterpress.co.uk

DETAILING

The final detail

Looking to go beyond a mere clean? Here are five tips from Dodo Juice

Words

Nathan Chadwick

Photography Dodo Juice

VISIT ANY SHOW AND YOU WILL instantly see the difference between a clean car and a detailed one. The detailing world has really taken off over the past ten years, with a plethora of products available from the inexpensive to the exorbitant. It can be bewildering for the uninitiated – so we asked Dodo Juice’s Dom Colbeck for help with detailing for beginners.

1. Skimping won’t wash

The first thing you should do is spend the money on a proper pressure washer, Dom advises. “We have many customers placing orders for, say, £120 in products,” he explains. “When we ask what washer they have, it turns out to be a £70 one.”

He says that a cheap unit will not be as effective as a quality one. “Even if you use high-quality products, you will never get the best from snow foam if your pressure washer is poor,” he explains. Aim to spend £200-£300 from a major brand to get not only a good warranty but also decent spares, accessories and support. “Pay attention to pressure, too – a good washer usually starts at around 130 bar,” he says.

2. Spend time, not money

Perhaps surprisingly for a man who sells cleaning products for a living, Dom says spending time introducing more steps to your detailing process would be wiser than a brimmed online shopping cart.

“Don’t try to buy yourself out of difficulty by spending on more products,” he advises. He points to using a clay bar as a good example: “It will take a little longer, but it is

THIS SPREAD Snow foam, a fingertip wax-applicator mitt and the two-bucket washing technique are all part of the full car-detailing experience.

not an expensive or difficult process. A clay bar will remove tar and embedded contaminants that are not dealt with during washing, and it only takes an extra half an hour to an hour to do properly.

“Many people skip this step because they do not have the time, so they try to compensate by using more chemicals. You could use a tar remover, but if you have time to use a clay bar you can remove small bits of tar, tree sap and other embedded particles.”

However, a big step in terms of time is the learning process, which Dom advocates, either by reading or via YouTube. “Spending a bit of time learning and applying that knowledge will give you better results, especially when you follow it up by giving the process proper time and care,” he says.

3. Back to basics

Snow foaming might be fun, but Dom says its really only effective on cars that aren’t too dirty already. Instead, he advocates the two-bucket technique as a perfect way to get started. “The method involves adding

‘If you enjoy spending time alone with your car, detailing can be therapeutic’

the shampoo solution to one bucket, applying it to the car, then rinsing the mitt in the second bucket,” he says. “This stops the dirt from going back onto the car and prevents you from rubbing in small bits of grit, which is what causes swirl marks.”

He also advises choosing additional kit carefully. “Generally speaking, wash mitts are better than sponges. The latter are not all bad, but you need to be careful with how you use them. For most people, a mitt is the

better choice,” he says. “A quality drying towel is also better than a chamois or a water blade, because the pile allows dirt and water to escape safely. Even if you only have the patience to wash your car thoroughly and nothing more, investing in two buckets, a decent mitt and a good drying towel will probably be £50 well spent.”

4. Choose your moment

If the sun’s out you might be tempted to cool off with a car-cleaning session – but that’s a bad idea. “Working outside in direct sunlight will always make products dry more quickly, and it increases the risk of water spots, especially in hard-water areas,” Dom says.

“It is best to wash your car either early in the morning or later in the evening. In fact, it’s sometimes better to leave it dirty and wait for the right conditions than to rush.”

5. Making the difference

Making the difference compared with a standard wash is all in the detail – hence, rather obviously, the phrase ‘detailing’. “Start cleaning the door sills, or the top of the door jambs, or the fuel-filler cap –you’ll soon realise they may never have been cleaned,” Dom says.

“All it takes is a bit of all-purpose cleaner, detailing spray and, perhaps, even using a paper towel if the area is particularly grimy. Detailing is all about those little touches.”

And finally…

“Leave machine polishing to the pros – you can still achieve great results with handpolishing and a good wax,” Dom advises. Instead, focus on the most important part about detailing: “If it ever feels like a chore, get someone who has the time, passion and enthusiasm for it – otherwise the results will be poor. If you enjoy spending time alone with your car, however, detailing can be very rewarding – and therapeutic. Imagine spending two hours with a podcast on, focusing on the car with no other distractions. It really can improve your emotional wellbeing; people often refer to wellness, and for some, detailing can be part of that.” For more details, head to www.dodojuice.net. HDC members can get 15 percent off with a discount code – more details in your portal.

DRIVING TIPS

How to shift smoothly when it comes to the crunch

Synchro or no synchro, skilled drivers can easily adapt their technique

THERE ARE MANY THOUSANDS OF passionate classic car fans who keep the fires burning for older-vehicle ownership due to the sheer pleasure they get from maintaining and driving such machinery – even when some of these cars require special techniques to get the best out of them on the road.

In this latest column, I am looking into how best to use non-synchromesh ’boxes where simply changing gear becomes an

event and drivers have to cultivate mechanical sympathy when shifting up and down the transmission. Something I remember from the past is the simple art of gearchanging on cars that have nonsynchro ’boxes or, at least, no synchro when selecting first ratio. Back then, such actions required a certain delicacy and smoothness – otherwise it sounded like the driver was really grinding the cogs.

I used to own a 3.8 Jaguar E-type roadster as well as an early Morgan Plus 8, and if I remember correctly both featured Moss ’boxes. Neither had synchromesh on first ratio (nor on reverse, of course), and you had to be really sympathetic when selecting that gear – often having to go to second before delicately engaging first – so as not to crunch the ’box into oblivion. In some older cars, you may even have to come to a complete stop in order to select first without crunching. But this lack of synchro is really no problem – it’s just a matter of treating the transmission slightly differently to a fully synchro unit.

After my Jaguar and Morgan came some early Ferraris from 1971 to 1980, which had a slightly different gearshifting issue. These were the acclaimed 246 GT Dino and 308 GTS/GTB models, in which it seemed impossible to select second ratio until the

’box oil was hot. I remember changing straight from first into third without using second; I didn’t want to ‘force’ the car into gear, because it felt important to protect the longevity and durability of the mechanicals. It didn’t spoil the driving pleasure – I just drove around each model’s idiosyncrasies, which many of them have.

Before the synchromesh gearbox was introduced in the 1930s, every driver had to master the gentle art of ‘doubledeclutching’. Who among you remembers that as a driving skill you had to learn?

When a manufacturer advertised a car as having a ‘synchromesh gearbox’, you never usually had synchro on the first or reverse ratios. The non-synchro unit (‘crash ’box’) is a type of manual transmission where gears don’t feature a synchromesh mechanism at all, often requiring the double-declutching technique. So what exactly is this? Allow me to explain.

Using the left foot, drop the clutch to the floor – change into neutral – raise the clutch back up again – drop the clutch to the floor again – smoothly, take the next gear required to the point of ‘feeling it in’. You may find that applying ‘sustained revs through a slight throttle application’ – or blipping the throttle – helps the gear engage better when downshifting, as the clutch is smoothly brought back up to engage the drive to the wheels. Using the sustained-revs change method prevents the clutch being engaged onto a ‘dead engine’, in that you match the revs to suit whichever ratio is being taken. On older cars I suggest you ‘slow down’ the gearchange process, so you can ‘feel’ the ratios in without forcing, and also that you use sustained or blipped revs to see if that helps. It’s a bit tricky to start with and needs your full focus on what should be the easy task of changing gear – but it’s an interesting challenge. Happy classic motoring.

PAUL RIPLEY Award-winning drivingsafety expert shares his knowledge from the high-performance training industry.

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THE MARKET

Generational shift

Why 52, not 42, could be the answer to life, the universe and everything else

LOOK AT A CHART PLOTTING THE record price paid for a car each year at public auction back to the mid-1980s, and it provides an interesting snapshot of how the automotive world has changed in the past 40 years. Other than a blip in the late ’80s when speculators were pushing up the prices of some Ferraris tenfold almost overnight, plus the inevitable subsequent market crash, it was a relatively gentle ride for the next two decades. Then, in around 2010, things became interesting.

In the past 15 years, the top auction price paid for any vehicle has increased about twentyfold – but it’s the type of cars that achieve records that interest me. Up to 1998, other than that speculative Ferrari blip between 1988-90, the top ones were all pre-war or just post-war models. Between 1998 and 2016, the records were absolutely dominated by Enzo-era Ferraris, accounting for 14 of the 19 annual top spots. Since then, it has been a complete mixture, including a pre-war Bugatti, a couple of 1950s MercedesBenz racers and a few 1990s McLaren F1s. Although it may not be obvious at first, 1998 and 2016 are linked: these were the respective years in which the youngest

members of two generations reached the age of 52: the ‘Silent Generation’ of pre1946 and the subsequent ‘Baby Boomers’ who handed over to Gen X in 1964. This makes sense of the changes in tastes: preand just post-war racing cars were clearly those that impacted on people born before the end of World War Two; similarly, it was 1960s racers for the Boomers. With the oldest in that generation reaching their early 70s, 52 seems to be the handover point.

I know that we’re talking record cars with stratospheric prices, but Hagerty’s ownership data seems to suggest that this handover point is roughly on point for the rest of the market, too; in the past decade, we’ve seen Gen X take over from Baby

‘It’s a snapshot of how the automotive world has changed’

Boomers as the predominant force in both sales and as insurance policyholders.

But what’s with Gen X’s diversity of interest – and why are only two of the records held by 1990s cars when, following the logic, they should dominate? Maybe it’s indicative of wealth being held for longer by older people, or a sign of how Gen X was brought up on heavy ’60s influences in music and cinema. Maybe it’s just that we are still early on in that demographic group’s dominance.

Will prices of Enzos, F50s and LaFerraris match those of the 250 California Spyder, 250 Testa Rossa and even 250 GTO in the next decade? Suggesting as much may be a leap of faith, but an F50 made nearly $10 million at RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2025 sale; ten years previously, one sold at the same auction for $1.98m, then a record for the model. Times, as they say, are a-changin’.

JOHN

MAYHEAD Hagerty Price Guide editor, author, market commentator and concours judge.

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1962–1980

The MGB remains among the world’s most popular sports cars. It’s one of the easiest to live with, too

Words Nathan Chadwick

THE MGB RANKS AMONG THE FINEST classic cars ever built. Affordable, attractive, simple to maintain and eternally popular, it’s been a fixture of the British sports car scene since the final model left Abingdon in 1980.

It was conceived as a modern successor to the MGA, retaining traditional MG design cues while offering a more up-todate chassis. The project was led by Syd Enever, the man behind both the MGA and BMC’s motor sport operations. Styling was by Don Hayter, who retained familiar features such as the sloping nose and peaked front wings, but wrapped them in a more squat and compact package.

Underneath those sleek panels, the

MGB combined elements from the MGA with parts borrowed from across the BMC range – even including floorpans from the utilitarian J-type van.

Launched in 1962, the MGB featured a new 1798cc B-series engine with three main bearings, which produced 95bhp, and a four-speed gearbox with synchromesh on all but first. Steel wheels were fitted as standard, although many owners opted for wire rims – making the original steel versions a rare sight today.

The engine was improved in 1965 with the adoption of five main bearings. That same year, the MGB GT joined the range: a fixed-head coupé with a rear tailgate and

Photography Magic Car Pics

small, fold-forward rear seats.

More substantial updates followed in 1967. These included a new rear axle, an all-synchromesh gearbox with closer ratios and a switch to negative-earth electrics with an alternator replacing the dynamo. Later that year, the manufacturer launched the MGC, powered by a 3.0-litre C-series engine from the Austin-Healey. This is easily spotted due to the hump in its bonnet. By 1970, cost-cutting measures to the MGB were becoming visible. A cheaper front grille and vinyl upholstery replaced earlier items, while Rostyle wheels and side trims became standard fitment.

The MGB V8 arrived in 1973, intended

THIS SPREAD The GT arrived in 1965 – a fixed-head coupé complete with a rear tailgate and kids-only fold-down seats.

What to pay

1962 MGB Roadster (chrome bumper)

Fair £6600

Good £8900

Excellent £18,400

Concours £26,900

1965 MGB GT (chrome bumper)

Fair £5000

Good £8300

Excellent £14,800

Concours £23,800

1973 MGB GT V8 [chrome bumper)

Fair £7900

Good £14,100

Excellent £22,700

Concours £34,100

1979 MGB GT (rubber bumper)

Fair £2500

Good £5100

Excellent £8600

Concours £15,200

1980 MGB Roadster (rubber bumper)

Fair £3400

Good £7800

Excellent £11,700

Concours £15,800

* Prices from Hagerty Price Guide

to compete with the numerous private conversions that used Rover’s alloy V8 powerplant. The factory version was only ever offered in GT form, and it remained in production for just a few years.

In 1974, US safety regulations brought the most dramatic change of the car’s production years. The ride height was raised and rubber bumpers were fitted, adding nearly 50kg and dulling the car’s handling. Ironically, this compromised version appeared in time for MG’s 50th anniversary, which was marked with 751 green-and-gold Jubilee models for 1975. At this time, overdrive became standard, too.

In 1977, black-painted valances were

introduced to better blend in the bumpers. These were joined by a new dashboard with revised controls, column stalks and a four-spoke steering wheel.

MGB production ended in October 1980 after 18 years, with the final 1000 cars built as special LE models. These were finished in silver or bronze, and fitted with alloy wheels from the Triumph Stag.

Engines

The B-series is a proven and generally robust powerplant, although wear is to be expected. Most of these engines will have had some form of rebuild by now. The main concerns are worn piston rings and cylinder bores, leading to smoky running, increased oil consumption and

‘Most of these engines will have had some form of rebuild by now’

reduced compression. These motors are forgiving and will carry on regardless, but eventually they will need sorting out. Fortunately, reconditioned units are widely available for less than £1000.

Rumbles from the bottom end point to

worn crankshaft main bearings. A rattle at idle suggests a loose or stretched timing chain – if ignored, this can cause serious damage. Burnt valves are another common issue, often resulting in rough running and low compression.

The B-series is a highly tunable unit, and many cars – especially later, rubberbumper models – now produce more power than they did when new.

Gearbox

This car’s standard four-speed unit is tough, particularly the later, overdrive ’boxes. Early models are often retrofitted with these – a worthwhile upgrade. Aftermarket fivespeeds are also popular, offering improved cruising ability without sacrificing character.

Specifications

1962 MGB Roadster

Engine 1798cc, inline-four, OHV

Power 95bhp

Top speed 100mph

0-60mph 13.1 seconds

Economy 30mpg

1965 MGB GT

Engine 1798cc, inline-four, OHV

Power 95bhp

Top speed 105mph

0-60mph 11.0 seconds

Economy 30mpg

1973 MGB GT V8

Engine 3528cc, V8, OHV

Power 137bhp

Top speed 125mph

0-60mph 8.5 seconds

Economy 25mpg

1975 MGB Roadster

Engine 1798cc, inline-four, OHV

Power 87bhp

Top speed 102mph

0-60mph 13.0 seconds

Economy 30mpg

1975 MGB Roadster

Engine 1798cc, inline-four, OHV

Power 87bhp

Top speed 93mph

0-60mph 13.9 seconds

Economy 30mpg

Suspension and brakes

The MGB’s mechanical layout is pretty simple from the factory, with semi-elliptic leaf springs at the rear and lever-arm dampers all round. Many cars have since been improved with modern telescopic dampers, which sharpen the handling and transform the driving experience.

Braking upgrades are also common. Improved front discs are widely available through the MG Car Club and MG Owners’ Club, both of which supply parts to enthusiasts around the globe.

The MGB community tends to value effective upgrades over rigid originality. Well sorted modified cars are often more desirable than standard examples – early production and special editions aside.

THIS SPREAD The timeless Roadster guarantees classic wind-in-the-hair vibes. Most cars have black-painted dashboards, but some MGBs boast wooden trim.

Bodywork

Body condition is the most important consideration when buying an MGB, because poor repairs or hidden rust can prove costly to rectify. Begin with a visual check for uneven seams or cracking paint, which can hint at filler hiding rot. Pay particular attention to the sills, which have a difficult-to-repair hidden inner castle-rail section. Rust where the wings meet the sills often means trouble underneath. Some cars have had cheap over-sills or patch repairs just to pass an MoT – avoid them. Although now fewer in number, neglected examples do still turn up. Don’t be taken in by talk of ‘patina’ if the car is obviously decaying. If it looks rough on the outside, it’ll be worse where you can’t see. Wing-top

seams can rust, as can the base of the windscreen frame on GTs – a fiddly repair. Also inspect the front inner wings, especially the trumpet sections, and the rear spring mounts. Trim and soft-tops are easy to replace, and relatively affordable, so while they’re useful bargaining points, they are not deal-breakers.

Interior

The cabin is basic. Most cars have a blackpainted dash and simple Smiths dials. Later models gained a single loudspeaker in the facia. Early-’70s MGBs have the toughest vinyl trim; later brushed-nylon fabrics wear quickly and shed foam. Early leather trim is rare and usually needs specialist attention. Most interior materials are reproduced,

Model history

1962 MGB Roadster launched, featuring three-bearing B-series engine and nonsynchromesh first gear

1965 GT version joins range, offering fixed-head option with hatchback practicality

1965 Engine revised with five main bearings for improved durability. Interior upgrades include internal door pulls and various trim enhancements

1967 Electrical system updated with alternator in place of dynamo. Reinforced gearbox, revised axle and fully synchromesh transmission introduced

so replacements are easy to source if originality isn’t critical. As with exterior trim, cabin condition should be viewed as a negotiation point rather than a big concern.

Which one to buy?

There’s no such thing as a bad MGB – your first choice is between Roadster and GT. The Roadster is more open and engaging, while the GT is more refined and visually distinctive. Pre-1974 chrome-bumper cars are more sought after, although many later models have since been converted. The earliest examples hold the greatest appeal for collectors and concours entrants alike. If you’re looking for a car to enjoy and improve, any well sorted 1970s model will serve you well. The MGB is one of the easiest and most satisfying classics to own – provided you start with the right one.

‘The Roadster is more open and engaging; the GT is more refined and distinctive’

THIS PAGE The MGB GT V8 used Rover’s alloy eight-cylinder powerplant to provide additional muscle and genuine driving thrills.

1967 MGC arrives, fitted with 3.0litre six-cylinder engine and available in both coupé and open-top forms

1969 Updates for forthcoming 1970 model year bring vinyl-trimmed interiors, Rostyle wheels, rubbing strips and British Leyland badges on front wings

1973 MG unveils factory-built MGB GT V8, powered by Rover’s alloy eight-cylinder engine

1974 To meet US regulations, MGB gains rubber bumpers and increased ride height

1975 MG’s golden jubilee year marked with Jubilee special edition. Overdrive becomes standard feature across model range

1980 Production ends in October. Final 1000 cars sold as special-edition MGB LEs, finished in unique colours with Stag-style alloy wheels

CLASSIC CHOICES

Tour classics

What is a classic for if not to be driven? Heading out into the wide-open world for a few days is one of motoring’s great privileges – here are eight ways to sample the automotive good life

THE TECH WORLD HAS A BRANDnew mantra – ‘touch the grass’. Fumbling with foliage might seem like an odd allegory, but it refers to disconnecting from the online world and reconnecting with the real one. As classic vehicle owners, we could learn a few things from this.

It can be easy to forget that our cherished cars and motorcycles are there to be used. Not only polished, tinkered with or traded, but exercised thoroughly and often – and not just around the corner to warm through the mechanicals once a week.

A tour is the perfect opportunity to do just that. Whether organised with friends or through a specialist – don’t forget HDC’s own tours, including Castle to Coast at www. tickettailor.com/events/hagertyenthusiast limited/1822474 – or just by yourself and a mate, it’s a great way to bond with your car. Of course, choosing a motor for a grand

Words Nathan Chadwick

Photography Magic Car Pix

tour is a critical consideration. While many people might have lofty dreams of focused performance machinery or stripped-out, lightweight sports cars, the reality is that boomy exhausts, unforgiving suspension and the storage capacity of a thimble wear thin far quicker than you might imagine.

A touring companion must be satisfying to drive, but it must also have enough oomph for easy cruising; after all, any long drive will involve some motorway miles before you get to the truly scenic bits. But there must also be due thought given to comfort and storage space – running out of underwear after just three days is hardly living la dolce vita, is it?

One of the best grand tourers has to be the Triumph Stag. This delicious 2+2 droptop boasts Giovanni Michelotti-penned lines over 2000-derived underpinnings and a woofly 3.0-litre V8 designed in house.

The Stag may not have had the greatest

THIS SPREAD Smart styling, a 3.0-litre V8 plus plenty of wood and leather mean the Stag 2+2 is the perfect grand tourer.

‘V8’s flexibility makes Stag the consummate long-distance cruiser’

reputation when new, but those days are now more than 50 years ago. The tired clichés have melted away as the aftermarket has addressed its foibles – it is now one of the most popular classics in the UK.

It’s very easy to understand why just by looking at it: the long bonnet, low beltline, exquisitely styled chrome and cabin adorned in wood and leather make the Triumph a truly special place to be. Then there’s the sheer – and admirable – pluck of the British Leyland suits at the time. Not only did they resist the urge to lob the familiar Rover/ Buick V8 into yet another car, but with the Stag they made a determined effort to take on the mighty Mercedes-Benz SL.

However, it is the feeling you get behind the wheel that’s really most important. Even though the Triumph’s 9.0-second sprint to 60mph was respectable for the time, the V8’s sheer flexibility makes it the consummate

long-distance cruiser. Its 170lb ft of torque is useful for overtaking, but it is equally adept at loping along at low revs, allowing you to savour the landscape. And don’t listen to the naysayers – if a Stag has survived this long, then it’s likely to have benefitted from modern radiators and electric fans that banish the notorious cooling miseries to the past.

While Stags were available with a four-speed manual gearbox (with optional overdrive), the three-speed Borg-Warner self-shifter arguably suits the cruiser remit rather more these days; and after all, the Triumph was never a hardcore sports car.

That is immediately apparent when it comes to the magnificent ride comfort, which absorbs the most corrugated of UK roads in a way that even an R107 MercedesBenz SL might struggle with. Independent suspension fore and aft means it holds the road well, and the Stag remains composed in virtually all situations; push it too far and there will be noticeable body roll, but why would you drive it that hard anyway?

The power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering is light yet not devoid of feedback; if a little vague by modern standards, there is a tangible connection to the road surface. One area where the Stag might struggle is in the braking department – the front disc/

‘There’s a classic grand tourer just waiting to be discovered – and enjoyed’

THIS PAGE Years of refinement mean any issues the Stag suffered when it was new should have long since been ironed out.

rear drum stoppers are best described as ‘adequate’, but if you are coming to this Triumph from more modern machinery, deceleration will require more anticipation than you are used to. Upgrades to modern pads or discs all round are a good option.

This shouldn’t detract from the Stag’s sheer charm. It’s a great way to enjoy a long drive, and there’s a huge community of like-minded enthusiasts who can help, commiserate and encourage.

However, there are so many different ways to enjoy a tour, and a roadster isn’t for everyone. Whether you want something more exotic, more bare bones or with more of a handling focus – or even something that evokes the great open spaces of much bigger continents – there’s a classic grand tourer just waiting to be discovered.

And, most importantly, enjoyed. Because ultimately, will you really be proud of the days you spent polishing your car rather than enjoying the great outdoors with it?

Time to open up your maps, perhaps engage a few like-minded enthusiasts and go in search of the best roads you can find.

Seven ways to put the grand into grand touring

From iconic Americana to British eccentricity, with a sliver of Italian finesse, here’s how to turn a mere road trip into an awesome adventure

Ford Mustang

Few cars talk to the soul about the unfettered joy of the open road more than a slice of Americana. In a Mustang, it’s a feeling that translates well from Boston, Massachusetts to Boston, Lincolnshire. The joy of Mustangs in particular is you can pick from many variants, from a muscle car such as the one above to a more calming drop-top. You can get into an excellent early Mustang for as little as £22k.

Lotus Excel

While we all dream of an Esprit, the sad reality is that shoehorning yourself into one is at best awkward and at worst painful. The Excel represents an excellent compromise – superb Hethel roadholding and handling, but with room for your limbs and head, plus luggage and even passengers. Excels are also a fraction of the Esprit’s entry-point value – an excellent one will cost as little as £10,000.

Ferrari 456

Maranello’s 1990s rebirth was heralded by this Pininfarina-penned beauty – a step away from the wedgy profiles that had dominated since the ’70s. Glorious 5.5-litre V12 and refined handling make it a mouth-watering GT. Running it won’t be cheap, but purchase is still within reach. Prices are rising in Europe, making the £50k you’d pay for an excellent auto a bargain. Good manuals are £20k more.

Jaguar XJ-S

Once viewed unfavourably compared with the E-type, the XJ-S has finally stepped out of its forebear’s shadow and is regarded as one of the great British GTs. There’s a reason why it’s now among the most popular cars in the Jaguar clubs, and its stock has grown in the wider auto world, too. An excellent mid-1990s example such as this one will cost £10k-plus for the V12, and £8k-plus for the straight-six.

Morgan Plus 8

Not many cars encompass the wind-in-your-hair, back-to-basics thrills of touring quite as well as a Morgan. In the case of the Plus 8, the presence of the torquey Rover/Buick V8 makes for smoother progress than its four-pot counterpart, while the limited-slip differential also means the car is fun in the bends. An excellent example from the 1967-1990 era will cost you around £37k.

Rover P5 3.5

If you prefer rather more genteel grand touring, the P5 3.5 makes an excellent case for itself. The Rover/Buick V8 perfectly matches the private members’ club decor, and the exquisite looks are deeply stylish without being extrovert. You could rock up anywhere from Monmouth to Monaco and be welcomed with open arms. An excellent one will cost around £13k for a saloon, and £20k for a coupé.

TVR Chimaera

A car with a big V8 and lightweight construction, yet without any driver aids, might seem a bit too much for a relaxing grand tourer. However, the Chimaera was set up to be more comfortable than its Griffith stablemate, with a softer ride and ample boot space. The 4.0- and 4.5-litre models make for the best grand tourers, and you should budget around £14k for an excellent example.

Great Scot

An out-of-season North Coast 500 sounds rainy and grim – but Hagerty customer service agent Jay Grimsey found sun, empty roads and lots of fun

Jay Grimsey

2016 MINI Cooper S

Borrowed for: Four days

Best driving road: Applecross Pass

Best driving album:

Random Access Memories, Daft Punk

Dream car: 1972 Porsche 911S

First car: 2005 Mitsubishi Colt Equippe 1.3

Favourite parents’ car: 2000 Audi A6 4.2 Quattro. Dad had it from new; he gave it to me for my 21st. It’d been off the road for a bit and we never had chance to sort it. We sold it together just before he passed unexpectedly

SCOTLAND’S NC500 IS ONE OF THE greatest driving experiences in the world –and with my mate Frankie getting married, we and two other friends, Louie and Jake, decided to head up there to see if it lived up to its billing. For extra spice, we decided to go just before the driving season started, over four days in late March and early April.

You’d think this might have been risky given the ‘Far North’s’ reputation for everpresent moistness, but I don’t believe for a second Scotland actually has bad weather – it’s just a ploy to keep the English out. Every time I have been, I’ve had stunning

weather – and this time it was no different.

Just as well, considering Jake took the somewhat optimistic decision not to pack waterproofs. Even his mother advised against it; he looked her in the eye and said “I play by my own rules”. We were praying for a bit of rain just to show him he was wrong. Instead, he mostly got away with it – which was particularly impressive as, apart from the first night, we camped all the way.

My steed was the mother of the groom’s MINI Cooper S, which I collected from Oxfordshire and drove up. Frankie, who lives in Germany, ended up flying to

HAGERTY STAFF CARS

London and then Inverness. The ‘support vehicle’ was a Kia Ceed, which we didn’t expect to last the distance but it managed just fine. We kept in touch with walkietalkies, which were particularly useful for organising fuel and food stops.

We started with the southern stretch of the NC500 and headed up to Durness. Some people drive straight north from Inverness to John O’Groats and then across, but doing it the way we planned meant we had more energy for the first two days, which are the best for driving and offer more places to stop and explore. The roads are also better there – and it’s worth climbing the Applecross Pass from the bottom up, rather than coming down…

Going early in the year turned out to be a great idea; because it was technically out of season by a few days, there were very few cars on the road. Whenever we caught up with a motorhome or caravan, the drivers always pulled over and let us pass.

The biggest challenge was camping. None of us had much experience beyond festivals, so surviving without a bit of luxury was quite hard. Because it was a stag do, we wanted to make it more than just driving – we wanted to stop at interesting places along the way. However, some campsites insisted on arrival before 4:00pm, one even before midday – although when we phoned ahead the managers admitted they said this mainly to stop people arriving late at night.

Despite the enforced curfews, en route we visited the Singleton whisky distillery, stopped at Rogie Falls and made a short detour south to Eilean Donan Castle. Along the way we also drove the Bealach na Bà, the mountain pass with long, winding climbs.

There were mishaps, mostly involving Jake. In addition to refusing to bring waterproofs, for some reason he brought along two tents – one waterproof and the other a cheap model. On the first night it rained and water leaked into the supposedly waterproof tent. The next night he tried the cheap one, which nearly blew away; he ended up alternating between the pair.

On top of that he brought the wrong camping stove. He thought he had two: one in good order, and another that he’d brought as a joke – it was charred and came in a burned briefcase. Problem was, he had forgotten the good one... The damaged stove took ages to boil water, and eventually

‘The perfect car; light and nimble like a go-kart, with Sport mode engaged and the exhaust popping’

we realised he’d been using it upside down. Probably why it’d burned in the first place...

At John O’Groats we camped in a field right at the far northeastern tip of mainland Britain. When we pitched our tents it was not very windy, and Frankie remarked how calm it was. Almost on cue a gale swept in, and the joke about the groom summoning it ended up in Louie’s best man speech.

The whole trip took four days and four nights. Each of us had different highlights, but for me it was the Applecross Pass. It felt as if the MINI was the perfect car for that road; light and nimble like a go-kart, with Sport mode engaged and the exhaust popping each time I lifted off the throttle.

If you’re thinking of doing the NC500, then go – and don’t discount an early-season sortie such as ours. Make sure you phone ahead to book camping spots, and be sure to choose a small, nimble car; it’s not about horsepower, it’s all about the sights. Around every corner it seemed as though God had made the perfect road – until we rounded the next bend, which was even better. We laughed a lot – how did we get this lucky?

THIS SPREAD MINI was an ideal car for the NC500 ‘stag road trip’, which took in challenging roads, majestic scenery and various attractions.

REARVIEW MIRROR

A totally RAD love affair

Why RADwood and FOTU are welcoming in a fresh, young fanbase

IN 1980, I BOUGHT MY FIRST CAR: A rusted-out, torn-apart 1967 Porsche 911S that my dad and I dug out of a snowbank and pieced back together over the next three years. I was 13, so I couldn’t drive it yet – but when I could, wow, did I have fun. I’ve taken it to the top of Pikes Peak, snaked my way up California’s Highway 1 from Malibu to Big Sur, and driven it endlessly on the country roads near my home.

I had no idea just how fortunate I was at the time. Porsches were much less valuable and collectable back then, which is how I managed to purchase mine for just $500. Today, the same car in similar condition would be a lot more – a reflection of just how dramatically interest in Porsches has grown over the years, particularly those built in the 1980s and ’90s, the so-called RADwood era.

As you might have guessed from the major feature in this issue, we’re in the midst of a nostalgia-based love affair on both sides of the Atlantic with RADwood cars, particularly the more attainable transaxle Porsches such as the 944 and 968.

Stateside, the RADwood phenomenon was sparked by Art Cervantes (who is now

Hagerty’s RADwood director) and Warren Madsen, two car fanatics who wanted to celebrate the 1980s and ’90s sports cars of their youth. They launched the first RADwood in June 2017 in San Francisco with 150 cars. More events soon followed, growing into a national phenomenon. The name ‘RADwood’ was inspired by the Goodwood Revival, blending the word ‘rad’ with ‘wood’, and paying homage to the classic British motor sport meeting.

RADwood is as much about embodying the era’s culture – high-top sneakers, BMX, skateboarding and retro arcade games – as it is about the vehicles themselves, which in the States means everything from hot hatches and muscle cars to SUVs and minivans made between 1980 and 1999.

In 2019 Art and the Hagerty team brought the first RADwood to the UK, and the concept caught on but with several twists. David Lillywhite, auto journalist and editor of this magazine, tells me that RADwood fandom in the UK also includes cars from the early 2000s, with a strong preference for performance hatches, saloons and coupés. Also, younger auto fans in their 20s and

30s have caught the bug, but their tastes (and budgets) lead them in the direction of the cool, older, if often mundane, cars they see at the phenomenally popular Festival of the Unexceptional, which captures hearts and imaginations each summer at Grimsthorpe Castle. This year’s winner: a 1992 Skoda Favorit Forum, of all things.

“Those gloriously ordinary chariots of yore are now cool; ten years ago they’d have been utterly embarrassing,” Lillywhite says.

The trend toward ‘newer’ classics is encouraging for anyone passionate about car collecting. It’s also fascinating to watch newcomers in their teens and 20s start with basic but unique cars (sort of how I did with my Porsche), then move up to performance models in their 30s, and eventually chase more expensive and iconic cars as their income matures in their 40s, 50s and 60s.

It goes to show that car love isn’t a fixed or static pursuit. It evolves – and always will. Regardless of geography or age, car collecting has become a vibrant hobby, welcoming everyone, no matter where they start. Same as it ever was. Until next time, cheers – and keep on driving.

MCKEEL HAGERTY CEO and chairman