Indholdsfortegnelse for March 2022 i Classic Car Mart

Part of the appeal of this job is the sheer variety but few days throw up quite such a contrast as sampling a Honda NSX and Renault 4 in the same morning. Naturally as an S2000 owner I’d been looking forward to revisiting Honda’s high-tech Ferrari slayer and the lowmileage as-new example was everything I’d expected it to be. What I didn’t expect was that a spin round the block in the Renault 4 would generate exactly the same grin. Despite its rather lower status in the automotive hierarchy, it’s no less a significant car and it struck me that they’re really very similar in many ways: both exhibit a focused engineering thinking which is part of their success. The Honda took a new approach to the supercar, one of…

NEWS Snetterton’s motorsport history is to be celebrated at a new historic racing festival this summer, the‘Snetterton Historic 200’. Motor Racing Legends will host six historic grids including the Amon Cup – the one-make series for Ford GT40s. It will be joined by the Royal Automobile Club Woodcote Trophy and Stirling Moss Trophy for pre-’56 and pre-’61 sports cars, the Historic Touring Car Challenge with Tony Dron Trophy for ‘70s Group 1/Group 2 cars and ‘80s Group A cars, and the Sixties Touring Car Challenge with U2TC for ‘60s touring cars under two-litres. The threehour Royal Automobile Club Pall Mall Cup will cater for pre-’66 GT and Touring cars and ‘50s sports cars, with the Motor Racing Legends race for pre-war sports-cars completing the line-up. The Historic Racing Drivers’ Club…

After operating behind closed doors since the pandemic hit, Anglia Car Auctions opened to the public at the end of January for its first classic sale of 2022. “We are really looking forward to welcoming back our old customers and also very keen to extend a warm welcome to some of our newer online customers, many of them we have not yet met in person,” said ACA’s Guy Snelling. “Quite a number of changes have been made to the auction premises, with a view to creating more space for bidders.” The next sale takes place on April 2-3, with viewing offered on the Thursday and Friday prior from 9am-4pm. For those planning to attend the sale in person, details of the guidelines that will have to be adhered to, including…

Coventry’s game changer holds steady in the sub £20k market, having bounced back from a lockdown plateau. The XJ6 galvanised Jaguar’s strategy for more than five decades – and while the full name plate may have died with the X350 series, it left a legacy of affordable three-box luxury for enthusiasts to enjoy. 1968 was when it all came together: a svelte four-door body; Jaguar’s XK straight-six engine, and a subframe-mounted independent rear suspension pioneered in the E-type. It was a tantalising prospect –a powerful, luxurious executive saloon with roadholding equal to that of many sports cars. Earlier attempts had seen Jaguar try to perfect the formula; while the Mark X, S-Type and 420 have their fans, the latter remains seriously undervalued. None of the XJ6’s forebears quite hit the…

RANGE ROVER P38A v JAGUAR XJ6 The Range Rover P38a was targeted not only at other off road vehicles, but at the world of the luxury saloon. The Jaguar XJ was Britain’s poshest plutocrat carrier – how does the Range Rover compare? Photography: The Range Rover P38 was a vast step above what had come before – it offered not only go-anywhere ability but luxury beyond what the outgoing car could hope to match. Land Rover was bullish about the new product – it believed that not only was it capable of seeing off the best that Jeep could throw its way but also that it could compete on equal terms with the Mercedes S-Class and Jaguar XJ. Few outside the motoring magazines had the chance to compare the two…

DATABASE THE BEGINNING THE CARS To understand the significance of the Capri one must first appreciate the impact of the Mustang and the precedent it set within Ford. Clothing workaday running gear in a body the masses could afford proved wildly successful at its launch in April 1964; US management in Dearborn, realising the precedent, set out to build a European equivalent –a coupé based on existing platforms and running gear, freeing up funds to create a new bodyshell and marketing campaigns to maximise its appeal. DEVELOPMENT Retaining the equine theme, Project Colt was born, hot on the heels of the Mustang, towards the end of 1964: rapid development saw a stretched Corsair platform used as the basis for the new car, as Dearborn decided that the upcoming Escort was…

SAAB 900 CONVERTIBLE YEAR: 1990 MOT: JUNE 2022 PRICE: £12,995 The unmistakable boxy silhouette of the Saab 900 has arguably become one of the most iconic shapes to come out of Scandinavia’s automotive industry, perhaps along with the Volvo 850 estate. Brought in to replace the Saab 99, the 900’s primary guise was as a four-door family saloon. However, not wanting their customers to miss out on the brisk Nordic weather – or perhaps more likely to appeal to warmer, overseas markets – the 900 also spawned convertible variants, such as this one. The origins of the 900 extend back to the late ‘70s, meaning that by the time this 1990 example had been produced, the model had gone through various evolutions. In addition to a cosmetic facelift with new…

A cheeky Valentine’s poll of British classic cars favoured by drivers for a first date has revealed that enthusiasts prefer a Mini to a Maxi. An online survey by Great British Car Journey aimed to find out what British car made from 1960-1990 was a favourite for romance, with the Derbyshire attraction asking its 16,000-strong social media following to talk about the vehicle they had their first or most memorable date in. The Mini took top spot, followed by the Ford Capri, Morris Minor, Ford Escort and Austin Metro. In sixth place was the Ford Fiesta, with the Hillman Imp, MGB, Austin/Morris 1100 and finally the Austin Maxi rounding out the top 10. The attraction has all of these on display, including several Minis and a 1981 Maxi. To celebrate…

MINI is launching a new official conversion to turn the classic 1959-2000 Mini into a zero-emission runabout. The MINI Recharged project sees the venerable A-Series engine replaced with an emission-free drivetrain, but crucially, it’s all reversible. The idea has been on the boil for some time, even before the brand’s current MINI Electric was launched. A one-off classic Mini Electric was built in 2018 and presented at the New York Auto Show. MINI says the positive reaction prompted it to set up a team to develop a commercial kit for classic Mini owners. The Mini’s combustion engine is switched for a 90kW (121bhp) electric motor that can propel it from 0-62mph in around nine seconds, which is around 1.5 seconds quicker than a 1960s 1275 Cooper S. MINI has not…

A Lotus Elite once gifted to ex-Formula 1 racing driver Ronnie Peterson is set to be auctioned by Historics at its Ascot Racecourse sale on March 12, offered with no reserve. The 1974 example is the 207th Elite to have been built and is resplendent in Lotus Yellow with a custom Oatmeal interior. The paintwork retains a deep shine, and the interior is largely in good order, although there are some age-related blemishes to show. In its current ownership for around 15 years, the Elite has been stored for some time but has been regularly started and lightly exercised. It’s offered with many bills and receipts and has a fantastic, documented history file that also contains photos of Ronnie Peterson and the car at the Lotus factory, including the handover…

Confetti cannon isn’t a phrase I ever expected to write in a classic car publication but it’s something you’ll find in the next Brightwells sale, courtesy of a selection of Daimler DS420 limousines. Converted to landau format very neatly by a professional coachbuilder the two cars in the sale are available as separate lots but together would make a ready-to-go business. The real headliner of the sale though is the Honda NSX, a beautifully original example showing just 11,567 miles and which after a brief spin round the car park we can assure you drives like new. Being a 1992 example, it’s an early model and is pure original NSX right down to the lack of power steering. A close second behind the NSX – well, for our Markets Editor…

ESCORT RS2000 4x4 The final Escort to wear the RS badge, the RS2000 4x4 is a rare hidden gem. Photos: After the go-go 1980s of RS Turbos torquesteering past speed cameras and Peugeot 205 GTIs snaking into hedges, the hot hatch market appeared to cool off for the 1990s. But as today’s modern classic genre gains pace, these cars once dismissed as too slow, too safe and altogether too conservative to be worth getting excited over are shifting in place. The Peugeot 306 GTI and Renault Clio Williams were always at the top of the pile for their low kerb weights and feisty 16-valve engines. Together with the perennial Volkswagen Golf GTI, they’re now moving up from the £1500 bit of fun to the region above £5000 where collectors take…

BL SPORTS CARS It may have been responsible for some alarming automotive own goals but the BL era also generated some of the most iconic British sports cars. Say the phrase, ‘British Leyland’, and often it is met with dismissive sighs or a mocking chuckle. It’s true, BL was hardly a bastion of good business practices, but it wasn’t all just beige Allegros and workforce strikes. In fact, despite the common narrative, the marque did have a few moments to be proud of, and arguably most of them were performance cars. The MGB, for example, is one of the best-selling sports cars of all time. Meanwhile, on the ‘grand tourer’ end of the spectrum, Jaguar’s XJ-S was conceived while the Big Cat was on BL’s leash, and despite a tricky…

PORSCHE 911 Looking at a glance very much like the classic 911, the 964 model was the first generation to bring significant updates to the tried-and-tested formula. Prices are rising, so grab one while you can. The world of the Porsche 911 can be a confusing place, not helped by Porsche retaining the ‘911’ badge for successive evolutions of the car which became ever different from the original 1963 model. The most obvious departure from the classic air-cooled 911 with its Beetle-esque silhouette was the 993 generation, launched in 1993 which would be the last of the air-cooled cars. Before the 993 however, came the 964 which may have looked very similar to the classic 911 but which was – or at least, Porsche claimed it to be – 85…

H&H Auctions has announced the launch of a new 24/7 timed online auction service allowing classic car lovers to buy and sell round the clock. H&H Classics Online Auctions will close on the second Wednesday of each month and see a constant flow of classic and modern classic cars and motorcycles for buyers to bid on. The first sale was already underway, with 12 lots as we went to press including a rare Mini Thirty LE, a oneowner Porsche 924, a Mk1 Toyota MR2 and a BMW Z3M. See www.handh.co.uk for more details.…

NEWS Check out loads more news at WWW.CLASSICS- WORLD.CO.UK Following last year’s scaled down, multi-weekend format due to Covid restrictions, MotoFest Coventry will be back in full splendour for 2022, moving from its usual June slot to September. Set to be the biggest show yet, the 2020 MotoFest will host a full events programme based around a past, present and future theme. This will include the return of the unique Sprint Circuit using the city’s Ring Road and other dedicated urban spaces showcasing live motorsport across the city centre. There will also be the traditional classic car and modern modified static car displays, plus a significant future technology focus with a showcase of the latest alternatively-fuelled vehicles, electric cars and advanced automotive technology. What’s more, the festival will also provide…

Insurance and lifestyle brand Hagerty has revealed 10 auction sales that exceeded all expectations laid down by its regularly updated price guide in 2021 and speculated what they might mean for the market. While some of the valuation-busting entries, like a Porsche 959, an Aston Martin DB4 GT and a 1971 Iso Grifo S2, are for more affluent enthusiasts, there were some more affordable entries that could be indicative of changing market trends. For instance, a 1980 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II that sold at Bonhams for £30,375 – 14.6 per cent above its price guide valuation of £25,500 – aligns with Hagerty’s belief that the very highest-quality 1970s and 1980s Rolls-Royces will continue to increase gradually in value. Likewise, it reckons a 22,000-mile Aston Martin DB7 Vantage Coupé that beat…

HILLMAN MINX Photography: Bold probably isn’t the first word that comes to mind when you see a Hillman Minx, but this month’s road test is a Minx in the Audax series, produced from 1956-1967.Audax translates from Latin as ‘bold’ and Rootes Group had bold plans for their new platform. Struggling somewhat against Ford and BMC in the domestic market, Rootes set their sights on international sales to boost profits, particularly in America. When the all-new Hillman Minx – based on the platform nicknamed ‘Audax’ in the factory – first hit US shores in 1957, it did so at the perfect moment; America had been hit by a fuel shortage as a result of the ongoing Suez Canal crisis and at that moment, a compact, economical car that still looked broadly…

MERCEDES W123 For many, the W123 series is the iconic classic Mercedes – and with good reason. This is what you need to know if you want . In 1976, when Mercedes launched the new 200-280 series (Code name W123), it seemed much like a case of the emperor’s new suit. Yet again, Mercedes had produced a solid, safe saloon and coupe, much like its previous ‘Stroke Eight’, but with a wealth of improvements. Still used to this day as cabs in many developing nations, the W123 has earned itself a reputation as one of the few truly bulletproof classics. Four diesel options were available, along with four petrol options – the top 280 model was also available with fuel injection. The following year, Mercedes debuted the W123 coupe (or…

Our Condition ratings CONDITION 1 First class, well cared for. Not ‘Concours’ (for which prices are higher). CONDITION 2 Good condition, with legitimate MoT and on the road. May require some work. CONDITION 3 In need of work, usually major. IMPORTANT NOTES 1 The Classic Car Mart Price Guide is compiled by reference to a wide variety of sources, including clubs, auction results and advertisements, both printed and online. It is impossible for anyone to accurately value a specific vehicle without first examining the car. 2 These listings are intended to provide a useful guide only. Asking prices can vary widely between different examples of the same model. The optimism of the seller can be a major factor. 3 Our figures relate to private sales. Dealer prices and values for…