The roll call of cars that were on the scene 50 years ago and which are still being built today is short. It gets shorter still if you stipulate a perfect, unbroken run of production. If you then dismiss those cars whose name has lingered but whose physical form has flitted from one class to… Continue reading Why the BMW 3 Series still rules after 50 years
Author: Autocar Magazine UK
Inside the chaotic 1975 Earls Court Motor Show
The International Motor Show at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre – its status can’t be overstated. But back in 1975 it was a grim time for Britain in general, with economic stagnation and inflation somehow coexisting, and a car industry in turmoil. Just months before the show, British Leyland had been nationalised after a government report had revealed… Continue reading Inside the chaotic 1975 Earls Court Motor Show
Testing the bookends of BMW’s supreme B58 straight-six engine
If I were to gaze into a crystal ball and predict what kinds of articles classic car magazines will be pumping out in 25 years’ time, staring back at me from within the quartz would be one letter and two numbers: B58. A few pages on the history, the birth, the need for a new… Continue reading Testing the bookends of BMW’s supreme B58 straight-six engine
How a German Prince created a Vauxhall legend
We’ve heralded the 1911 Vauxhall Prince Henry as one of the most influential cars of the 20th century, being perhaps the first proper production sports car. But what was the inspiration behind it? And who was Prince Henry? His name was actually Heinrich, and he was Prince of Prussia (the dominant state within the German… Continue reading How a German Prince created a Vauxhall legend
To Bruges and back in a bathtub
I had to go to Bruges, and the options were either to take my old Audi A2 or get some touring miles under the wheels of the Morgan Super 3 before the weather became too cold for that sort of thing. So I opted for the Morgan, and it turned out to be a splendid… Continue reading To Bruges and back in a bathtub
Merlin’s magic: I won at life when I flew a Spitfire – and you can, too
A cough. A splutter. A jet of flame for good measure and the Merlin is prised from its slumbers and into rambunctious life. Many of you, perhaps even most, will have heard one of these engines, at Goodwood or an airshow. But unless you’re physically strapped into an aircraft boasting one, you can never claim… Continue reading Merlin’s magic: I won at life when I flew a Spitfire – and you can, too
Aston calls it the Vanquish Volante, I call it… Utterly divine
When I wrote the review back in July, I nearly ran out of superlatives to describe Gaydon’s most powerful and expensive roadster. I don’t understand Ferrari’s current design language and McLaren supercars still have a whiff of IT department about them. Aston, meanwhile, just seems to be consistently knocking it out of the park. The latest… Continue reading Aston calls it the Vanquish Volante, I call it… Utterly divine
I’m 74, and I’ll keep my mad mid-engined Clio V6 as long as I can
With just 400 Phase 1 and Phase 2 examples registered in the UK, either on the road or on SORN, a Renault Clio V6 is a rare sight – and that’s just how Martin Hassett likes it. “I like things that are rare and unusual,” he tells me. “My father never drove, so I have no desire… Continue reading I’m 74, and I’ll keep my mad mid-engined Clio V6 as long as I can
A very güten Morgan: Charming Supersport is my dream daily
The view that greets a Supersport driver is one of the best in modern motordom: a long, sleek bonnet, swooping wheel arches and diminutive, spotlight-style headlamps ensure this car is characteristically true to Morgans of yore. But what sets the Supersport apart from its forebears is its ease of use, practicality and ultimately its more… Continue reading A very güten Morgan: Charming Supersport is my dream daily
When we joined Tokyo’s street racers for a 186mph tunnel run
As Japan’s automotive industry began to flourish in the 1960s and produce sporty cars, Japanese enthusiasts took to the country’s stunning mountain roads to race one another, often in highly modified machinery – and driving in such a fashion grew in popularity and spread to urban expressways. Supposedly some street racing clubs had codes intended… Continue reading When we joined Tokyo’s street racers for a 186mph tunnel run