Indholdsfortegnelse for August 2020 i Classic Car Mart

Welcome… BLINKING INTO THE LIGHT Writing this as the world appears to be slowly coming back to life, I find myself stuck between the desire to get back to normal as quickly as possible and the feeling that some aspects of the recent slowing down of the pace of life are worth keeping: family time, catching up on the jobs at home and of course all that extra garage time… In the end, the decision was made for me by the chance to sample the ’67 VW Beetle in this month’s classic road test. Since I grew up with air-cooled VWs in general and Beetles in particular, this was one I fancied nabbing for myself and as I packed my camera into the car I realised it was the first…

NEW 3.8 XK BLOCKS There’s good news for classic Jaguar fans, as production of the 3.8-litre XK engine has resumed for the first time in more than half a century. Recreated to authentic original specifications by Jaguar Classic’s team of engineers, the brand new cast iron blocks will be a direct replacement for the 3.8-litre six-cylinder items originally fitted to the XK150, XK150 S, MkIX, Mk2, MkX, E-Type Series 1 and S-Type. At £14,340 including VAT but excluding shipping, they aren’t exactly cheap, but do come with a minimum 12-month Jaguar parts and accessories warranty, plus a certificate of authenticity. Subject to providing documentation confirming proof of vehicle ownership, customers can retain the serial number from their original block, which will be stamped on the new casting with an additional…

H&H, ONLINE, JUNE 24 As we’ve discussed previously, postlockdown demand means classic auctions remain surprisingly buoyant, despite being held behind closed doors with bidding conducted remotely. H&H’s monthly online sales have become a regular fixture now and the CCM office naturally comes to a halt as we follow proceedings, allowing just a short gap between Popmaster and classic auctions to get the real work done. The June sale threw up a few enticing lots, among them the almost-extinct VW Corrado, here in top-end VR6 guise, while the trend for everyman classics to command strong money was neatly illustrated by a low-mileage Mk2 Golf GTI hammered away for £9000, a Nissan Figaro for £3500 and a lovely Morris Minor convertible for £6000 after a hopeful comedian had apparently left a paltry…

RETRO RIVALS: JAGUAR XK8 v PORSCHE 996 ALTERED IMAGES Just as the Jaguar XK8 was given the job of beefing up its company’s sports car image, the Porsche 911 ‘996’ was tasked with diluting it, quite literally. But which is the best ’90s sports coupe – the first water-cooled 911 or the unashamedly butch XK? Words: Craig Cheetham Photography: Paul Walton When Jaguar launched its first all-new sports car in over two decades, expectations were high. There had been rumours of an all-new sporty Jaguar for years, but a combination of a lack of funds and a need to improve the quality and powertrain of the XJ6 put paid to that. At one point, there was an ‘F-Type’ ready to go, more sports car than grand tourer and much more…

BUYING GUIDE: NISSAN FIGARO ACCESS ALL ARIAS Nissan’s unashamedly retro Figaro is music to the ears of those who want the look and image of a Fifties classic, but with reliable Japanese running gear. Here’s our guide to buying the cultish roadster. Words: Craig Cheetham In the late 1980s Japan’s ‘boutique’ fashion movement saw a return of Fifties flair to all areas of life from clothing to personal transport. And to capitalise on the boutique movement, Nissan set up an internal project team called ‘Pike Factory’ to come up with cars that would fit in with the booming ‘old-new’ trend. It went on to cause quite a stir by launching three new models that it referred to as ‘retro fashion cars’, namely the utilitarian hatchback Pao, the S-Cargo delivery van…

RETRO PROJECTS STAFF CLASSICS Reporting on our retro project car fleet. Words: Paul Wager HONDA CRX Paul Wager Group Editor The chaotic state of the world over the last few months has meant that I’ve seen very little of the CRX, the car being locked in the office car park since the country moved to home working at the end of March. As we all know, the very worst thing to do to old cars is leave them standing for the long term and although I did remember not to leave the handbrake jammed on, I was concerned that it was a criminal shame to neglect one of the few nice CRXs left. Production Editor Aaron was local enough to pop round and run the engine a couple of times,…

CHECK OUT LOADS MORE NEWS AT WWW.CLASSICSWORLD.CO.UK PLUGS&LEADS A DECADE UNDER THE HAMMER Historics celebrates a decade in business this summer and it’s been able to chart how the values of various classic have behaved over 43 auctions and more than 8600 consignments since its first sale in 2010. Covering 26 different marques and 73 different models, the analysis shows a trend for many well-established classics to enjoy very strong rises towards the middle of the decade before correcting slightly in the last couple of years. Prime examples include the Series 1 and 2 Jaguar E-Type, Mk2 and XK120, as well as the Porsche 356 and various Ferraris. Bucking the trend though are the modern or previously overlooked classics now creating a whole new sector. So, while values for Porsche 911…

Classic Crossword 174 Clues Across 6 Ford Scorpio predecessor (7) 7 Spark _, ignition system part (4) 8 _ coefficient, aerodynamic specification (4) 9 Close cousin of the Austin-Healey Sprite (2,6) 10 The ‘H’ of bhp (5) 11 Enduring Nissans born in the 1960s (7) 13 Well-known Nissan model on the horizon? (7) 15 Book of road maps in an old Standard van? (5) 18 Estate model previously in the Honda Accord and Civic ranges (8) 19 See 16 down 20 Gordini’s signature colour (4) 21 Harold _, Mini de Ville coachbuilders (7) Clues Down 1 Removable-roof Porsche 911s (6) 2 A mid-1970s to mid-1980s Lancia (5) 3 _ Majestic Major, classic saloon (7) 4 Non-coupé version of the Fiat Dino (6) 5 Performance-boosted like Lancia Volumex models (12) 6…

AUCTION NEWS MATHEWSONS ONLINE, JUNE 6 There’s no better illustration of the varied appeal of the old car hobby than the catalogue for Mathewsons’ most recent auction, held as is the new normal behind closed doors to online and phone bidding. Among the highlights were a 1953 Morris Minor hammered down for just £3548 while the appeal of classic Fords is summed up by the £12,578 achieved by a Mk3 Cortina 2000E, the £21,231 Sapphire Cosworth and the £6988 hammer price of a 1992 XR2i. Elsewhere, curiosities ranged from a £2688 Bedford CF tipper to one of the few remaining Alfa 145s, a Renault Clio 16V sold for an appealing £3548 and a 1990 Rover Metro… now a two grand rarity and counting. No, really. We’ve picked out some favourites…

MARKET TRENDS FORD CAPRI It may not wear an RS or Cosworth badge, but the Capri has shown the way for classic Ford investment value. Words: Paul Wager We’ve become used to seeing classic Fords demonstrate an astounding rise in value over the last few years, and the humble Capri is among them. Intended very much as a Mustang for Europe, the Capri sought to emulate that car’s massive success which was chiefly achieved by the simple combination of running gear plucked from the regular saloon range, a stylish coupe body and a massive range of options. The whole point of the Capri was that it offered a slice of glamour at an affordable price point and so popular was it in the British market that the Cologne factory kept…

TWIN TEST: MERCEDES W123 v BMW E28 FEATS OF ENGINEERING When luxury cars were put up against a wall of change, these two responses proved to be not only great cars but also made history WORDS: AARON MCKAY PHOTOGRAPHY: GREGORY EVANS The times in which cars are developed always tend to shape them one way or another. For these two, their context remains relevant today. As new cars, they offered clever engineering solutions to the problem of reconciling the executive car with the increasing cost of fuel, and as classics they offer a somewhat conscientious, or perhaps simply just apologetic nod to the environmental pressures of today. But simply as pieces of history, they are each a fascinating insight into the state and direction of Mercedes and BMW. MERCEDES W123…

BUYING GUIDE: TRIUMPHS STANDARD FARE There’s a classic Triumph out there for every taste and every budget. We guide you through the market from £3500 to £35,000. WORDS: PAUL WAGER Think of the marques which make up the bedrock of the old car hobby and it’s a sure bet that Jaguar, MG and Triumph will all pop up. All three brands were responsible for turning out landmark models which have become icons of the classic car world, but key to the continued enthhusiasm for the brand is the ability to cater for all tastes and all budgets. Triumph may not have made its own car since 1981 but today you can still join the club with a Herald, Spitfire or Dolomite for a real-world budget, with aspirations stretching all the…

ENDANGERED SPECIES VW CORRADO GONE WITH THE WIND They may have been beautifully finished, but the UK’s supply of VW Corrados has been steadily dwindling over the past decade or so. Buy one now while you can. Words: Craig Cheetham The late '80s saw a sudden resurgence in the coupe market as two-door models unexpectedly found themselves back in vogue, even if low-roof stalwarts such as the Ford Capri and Opel Manta had finally been pensioned off. Whisper it, but the demise of these two staples was not before time. They may be seen as classic icons today, but in the mid-1980s they were awkward anachronisms. Based on Seventies technology and emulative of an era better known for leaf springs and bad facial hair, the Capri and Manta did the…

CHECK OUT LOADS MORE NEWS AT WWW.CLASSICSWORLD.CO.UK 40 YEARS OF PANDA This year marks 40 years since the first Fiat Panda hit the roads, although it was only in 1981 when the first UK examples made it over. By 1984, the range had grown to include the Panda Comfort, Panda Super and Panda 4x4 models, but it would soon be facelifted into the Mk2 that lasted in the UK until 1995. Lots of special editions added sometimes comical character to the car, including the 1990 Italia 90, celebrating the FIFA World Cup with football wheel trims and a strange stickman player graphic on the sides. The car was designed by Giugiaro with basic utility in mind: the seats use simple foam padding instead of springs, the covers and door trims…

CHECK OUT LOADS MORE NEWS AT WWW.CLASSICSWORLD.CO.UK FINAL BENTLEY V8 Back In January, Bentley announced that its iconic L-Series V8 engine was to leave production this year and as we went to press the final engine had just been produced by a team of seven people assembling the unit by hand in time-honoured tradition. Introduced in 1959, the enduring design has gained the distinction of being the world’s longest-serving V8 engine to remain in continuous production, clocking up a lifespan of over 60 years. First seen in the Bentley S2, the 6.2-litre engine was smaller, lighter and more powerful than the straight-six it replaced and was taken from design to running prototype in just 18 months. It was stroked to 6.75 litres in 1971 and would remain at that capacity…

ANGLIA CAR AUCTIONS, ONLINE, JUNE 20-21 Held over two days due to the sheer volume of entries consigned, ACA’s first classic sale since January took place on June 20-21. The King’s Lynn firm has taken major steps to ensure its sales are social distance-friendly, with online bidding offered for the first time and the sale streamed live on YouTube. In all other ways it was the same as a traditional sale, with viewers able to hear and see the cars being started up and driven through in front of the auctioneer’s rostrum. There was certainly plenty of intrigue amongst the 255 lots, with entries ranging from a Sinclair C5 to big prestige saloons. BMWs, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche featured heavily, as did British marques. The selection included a Series 1 Morris…

CLASSIC ROAD TEST: VW BEETLE BRITPOP As VW marks 75 years of the British getting it back into production, we revisit the car which made it a global player. Words and photography: Paul Wager Anyone who has attended a full-blown press conference from any of the German car makers will know that proceedings are often carried out with an underpinning of arrogance, both in terms of engineering and regard to the competition. This is, of course, not without justification and as the British fleet market illustrates we’re second to none in recognising the qualities of machinery from Munich, Ingolstadt, Wolfsburg and Stuttgart. Which is why it was slightly unusual to find Volkswagen publicly marking 75 years since production restarted after WW2 by recognising the British role in the reconstruction. Clearly,…

ROUND UP: V8 CLASSICS V FORCE With the move to tiny turbo fours, the big V8 engine could soon be a thing of the past. We round up some favourites already a part of history. WORDS: ANDREW EVERETT, PAUL WAGER In the Fifties, Sixties and Seventies, V8-engined road cars were still the stuff of mystery and expense in Europe and Britain. Not until the Rover P5B of 1967 and the following P6, Stag and SD1 would a V8 become commonplace but in 1959 only Daimler, Rolls Royce, Facel Vega and BMW made European V8-powered cars. Jensen would join the club in 1962 with the Chryslerengined CV-8 whilst since 1954, Facel Vega had also been using Chrysler V8s, widely considered the best production American V8. V8s were wide but short and…

DATABASE: ROVER SD1 THE MARKETPLACE THE CARS THE BEGINNING DATABASE: ROVER SD1 1976-1986 It may have technically been a step back from the avant garde P6 but the Rover SD1 took the company in a brave new direction and is a blue chip classic today. Words: Paul Wager The SD1 is something of an enigma. Although in fact much less advanced technically than the P6 it replaced, the car traded on its Daytona-inspired good lacks and hatchback versatility, further bolstered by the ‘halo’ appeal of the range-topping V8 engine to become a success for Rover. And this was despite being born in the darkest days of the industrial unrest which dogged the BL years. It even managed to win the coveted Car Of The Year award in the year after…

LIVING WITH THE FORD PUMA READY TO POUNCE The ‘warm hatch’ Puma was a significant performance Ford but remains an under-the-radar gem. What’s it like to live with? Words Paul Wager, Jeff Ruggles I was there when they launched the Ford Puma. At the time I was editor of Fast Ford magazine and the readership was hungry for ever-more powerful modified examples of Ford’s turbocharged RS models from Fiesta and Escort to Cosworth, but with the end of Escort Cosworth production the year before, it looked as if the RS badge was dead. Insurance issues played a major part but Ford was also trying to up its game in the mainstream segment after the stinging criticism of the Mk5 Escort. To this end it had invested heavily in updating its…

TAILGATE LONESOME JUBILEE As the mercury hit 34 degrees, Craig celebrated by driving 160 miles in a car with broken air con and duff electric windows. Which may explain his mental state as he sat on his patio raising a glass to the Mitsubishi Carisma. In amongst the multiple motoring milestones of 2020, there’s one car whose Silver Jubilee is set to pass with barely a mention. Yet in its own way, it was quite a significant car. The humble Mitsubishi Carisma turns 25 this summer and was the first fruit of an unlikely collaboration between the Japanese firm and Volvo to build cars at the old DAF factory in the Netherlands town of Born. Under the skin, the Carisma is essentially the same car as the Volvo S40, but…