RETROLEUM

DAIMLERV8-250

SAAB 96Explore this Swedish road-going racer

FERRARI TESTAROSSAAn icon unleashed

JAGUAR XJ-SWe take Jag’s 70’s superstar across the Moors

‘It’s more than just metal’This painstaking rebuild of a family treasure is what classic car ownership is all about

PLUS Jaguar XK120 Subaru SVX Range Rover

£3.50ISSUE 001

MAY 2016

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INTRODUCTION

WHAT RETROLEUM IS ALL ABOUTFirst of all, thank you for purchasing, or at the very least turning over the front cover of, the first issue of Retroleum.

Retroleum has been produced with a goal to include everyone with an interest in classic motoring, regardless of their age,

background or finances. It’s our goal to have something for everyone, whether that be vintage, modern classics or mid-century cars, we want everyone in the classic car community to feel included, irrespective of why they’ve come to love old cars.The classic car community is growing more and more, with younger and younger people coming to love retro motors that they never would have seen on the road as daily drivers. Our aim is to remove the stereotypical

phrases so often found in classic car magazines, with comparisons being made to ‘what was in the day’ - just try and find an article on the Volvo P1800 without a reference to The Saint.

We’re here to share experiences - after all, classic motoring grants so many experiences, it would be a crying shame to bottle them up for ourselves.

We’ll explain what they’re like to drive, their quirks and characteristics, as well as the technical specifications that go alongside. We’ll advise what to look out for when buying them, as well as how to keep them in top condition.

Richard Geary - Editor, writer & photographer

A SPECIAL THANKSI’d like to extend my eternal gratitude to all who have helped Retroleum come to fruition. An enormous thank you to James and the team at Classic and Sportscar Centre for their help and generosity for offering vehicles and hospitality.

I offer my thanks to all others involved with offering vehicles and advice, as well as thank fellow automotive

journalist Quentin Willson for his insight and expertise.

A final thank you must also be sent in the way of my parents and fiance for their continued support, as well as a special acknowledgement to my dad for starting me on this slipperly slope known as classic car ownership.

My wallet shall never forgive you.

CONTACT ME

If you want to get in touch, here’s how:

email: richardtgeary@gmail.comphone: 07875 502445instagram: richardtgearytwitter: @richardtgeary

RETROLEUMMAY 2016 ISSUE 001

THIS MONTH

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NEWS & EVENTS

Silverstone Classic

Goodwood Festival of Speed

Les Grandes Heures Automobiles

Japfest

NEW CAR NEWS

McLaren 675LT Spider

Porsche 718 Cayman

SEAT Ateca

FEATURES

Jaguar XK120

Rolls Royce Corniche

Jaguar XJ-S

Saab 96

Range Rover Classic

Daimler V8-250

Ferrari Testarossa

ADVICETop 5 Affordable Mid-Engine Cars

Subaru SVX Buyers Guide

The story of this Daimler V8-250 is what classic car ownership is all about

This Rolls Royce Corniche just oozes class

The Range Rover Classic is probably the perfect vehicle

Forget Impreza’s - this mad Saab is the road going rally car to lust after

Relive Jag’s silky V12 as we take it over the Yorkshire Moors

We analyse if the Testarossa will be the next big thing

‘Nothing makes you feel like a 1950’s film star quite like this’

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As one of Britain’s premier events on the historic racing calendar, the Silverstone Classic is gearing up to become one of the largest classic car festivals, with last year’s record-breaking silver jubilee extravaganza attracting more than 100,000 visitors for the very first time.

Judging by the attendance and fever around Media Day, 2016’s follow-up, from the 29th to the 31st of July, is gearing up to be even bigger and better, with the Home of British Motor Sport primed to host the ultimate celebration of classic cars.

With the variety of on-track action matched by a plethora of off-track entertainment, the sheer scale of the event is astonishing – and it is continuing to grow year-on-year, as the vast Silverstone estate is given over to a full-on festival of flat-out fun for all the family.

Some of the world’s finest cars are set to take to the track and the paddocks in a fantastic celebration of historic marque and model milestones this summer, which include the 50th birthday of the iconic Lamborghini Miura and 25 years of the charismatic Nissan Figaro.

It’s not just cars set to star at the event either, with plenty of big names supporting. Freddie Hunt is set to be there, as the event prepares to mark the 40th anniversary of his father James Hunt’s Formula 1 World Championship crown. Other

big names to lend their support were actor and renowned car fanatic Philip Glenister and his co-presenter Ant Anstead from TV’s For The Love Of Cars, Nic Hamilton – brother of World Champion Lewis – and former England international footballer Luther Blissett, who is an ambassador for new event charity partner Prostate Cancer UK.

Touring Car legends such as Steve Soper, Jeff Allam and Patrick Watts are also set to be racing the historic touring cars, so expect plenty of fast-paced, bumper-to-bumper action – and maybe even the odd crash if the drivers get their way.

For the first time at the Silverstone Classic, there will be four separate touring car grids – the JET Super Touring Car Trophy (1990-2000), Historic Touring Car Challenge (1967-1989), Big-Engined Touring Cars (Pre ’66) and Under 2-Litre Touring Cars (Pre ’66) – bringing together more than 200 of the nation’s best-loved cars.

n another exciting innovation, in addition to the ever-popular Group C twilight race, FIA Masters Historic Formula One, Legends of Modern Formula One and Stirling Moss Trophy amongst many others, the new Can-Am 50 Interserie Challenge will stage its season finale at the Classic. These extreme machines will provide an awesome soundtrack to the event as they celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2016.

SILVERSTONE CLASSIC UPCOMING EVENTS

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Extending the event’s appeal to two- and three-wheeled fans as well as car connoisseurs, this summer’s Classic will also welcome to the bill World GP Bike Legends – off the back of a successful debut at Jerez in Spain last year – and the Sidecar Salute, with 1987 500cc World Champion Wayne Gardner and ten-time ten FIM Sidecar World Champion Steve Webster both in attendance at Media Day.

Away from the racetrack, the impressive infield display will include live music concerts from chart-toppers The Boomtown Rats, The Stranglers and Reef, more than 120 car clubs exhibiting classic models from through the decades, Silverstone Auctions, aviation displays, a live Range Rover restoration with new event partner eBay and – for the first time – a Concours d’Elegance.

In a special feature to commemorate England‘s victory over Germany in the 1966 Football World Cup Final, meanwhile, a car football match with the Classic’s official courtesy car partner SsangYong UK will be held exactly 50 years to the day on Saturday, 30 July.

All tickets for the 2016 Silverstone Classic must be purchased in advance. Adult admission starts at just £42 and sticks to the Classic’s ‘access all areas’ policy, thus providing admission to both National and Wing race paddocks, trackside grandstands, the vintage funfair, air displays and the live music concerts.

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The 2016 Festival of Speed theme has been announced as “Full Throttle – The Endless Pursuit of Power”, celebrating the most epic machinery ever to grace the race tracks of the world.

Since its pioneering days, motorsport’s insatiable thirst for increased speed has been underscored by a parallel quest for power. This year’s Festival will feature the racing machines that, more than any others, have pushed the power envelope, and the intrepid pilots who tamed them.

From monstrous aero-engined leviathans to flame-spitting turbo F1 cars, titanic pre-war Silver Arrows to thundering Can-Am monsters, and fearsome two-stroke Grand Prix bikes to brutal Group B rally cars, the 2016 Festival will feature cars and motorcycles which prove beyond doubt that, where power is concerned, bigger really is better.

Alongside this central theme, the 2016 Festival will pay tribute to BMW’s rich motorsport heritage, as the German manufacturer marks its centenary, with an amazing line-up of cars and bikes. Also celebrated will be 50 years since the inaugural Can-Am championship and the first of the GT40’s four Le Mans win, and 40 years since James Hunt’s World Championship victory.

Thursday 23rd June will launch the Festival with Press & Preview Day, when the Moving Motor Show will see many cars revealed by their manufacturers in this country for the

first time, giving Press and visitors the rare opportunity to get behind the wheel on a drive up the infamous Goodwood Hillclimb.

Festival of Speed founder Lord March said: ‘This year’s Festival will see the wildest, fastest, craziest, baddest cars and bikes ever to ascend the Goodwood Hill. Not to mention of course the heroes that tamed those mighty machines. There will be lots of noise, speed, colour and, of course, power. That’s what the Festival of Speed’s all about. I’m really excited about it and hope it will be an absolutely spectacular and memorable weekend.’’

DETAILS RELEASED FOR THE FESTIVAL OF SPEED

‘Fancy a romantic trip to Paris, dear? Just a slight catch...’

UPCOMING EVENTS

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‘Fancy a romantic trip to Paris, dear? Just a slight catch...’

LES GRANDES HEURES AUTOMOBILES

We’re rather lucky in Britain really, when it comes to classic car events, we have some of the greatest in the world. Goodwood has become an automotive Mecca, while events at the likes of Silverstone, Donnington and Shelsley Walsh are getting better year by year.

But now the French are getting in on the action too, and good news for us Brits, it’s nice and easy for us to gatecrash too.

After the great success and acclaim of last year’s inaugural Les Grandes Heures Automobiles (LGHA), this wonderful event is coming back again in September (24th and 25th) – just days before the Paris Motor Show in case you needed more reason to head across the Channel – with even more activities and attractions planned to entertain every historic motor racing fan and classic car and bike enthusiast.

The LGHA takes place at the legendary banked Autodrome de Linas-Montlhéry, just 20 miles away from the centre of Paris, and within easy reach of the UK. The Autodrome de Linas-Montlhéry has been a legendary temple of speed and world records since 1924, with this important and venerable racing circuit set to give a memorable welcome to the glorious cars and motorcycles of yesteryear as the 2016 LGHA gets underway this September.

Racing here is less competitive than events we tend to get in Britain, but is more an exhibition of iconic motors. Don’t expect to see Touring car legends go a bit mad like they

do at the St. Mary’s Trophy during the Goodwood Revival, but honestly, that shouldn’t put you off.

A variety of historic motors are set to take to the track,

with this year featuring fearsome Group B rally cars set to take to the steeply banked Montlhéry track in the dark with headlamps ablaze.

The LGHA’s car and motorcycle demonstrations are reserved for historic cars and bikes, as well as younger sports models, with all generations running together divided into grids of similar machines, taking account engine size and age. The groups take turns on the track in a series of 20 minute sessions each, with all participating cars getting a minimum of four 20 minute runs, and every motorbike enjoying at least three 20 minute sessions over the weekend to create an amazing show. LGHA visitors can expect to see some famous motor sport celebrities in attendance too.

Within the banked motor circuit the LGHA will include a substantial, unlimited area dedicated to French and international car and motorcycle clubs.

With lively demonstrations of iconic cars and motorcycles, Group B rally cars, famous faces, large dedicated classic vehicle club displays, paddock access, a Shopping and Trade Village, plus exceptional on-site catering, bars and refreshments – French style of course – all just one hour away from Paris, the 2016 LGHA will have plenty to offer every enthusiast and family alike.

Admission prices begin from a mere €16, with advance tickets available on-line.

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A record crowd was brought in as biggest Japanese car show in Europe, Japfest, celebrated a plethora of iconic Japanese models at its new Silverstone venue.

Almost 20,000 people flocked to the iconic race circuit on Sunday, April 24th, an increase of 20% over the previous record achieved in 2015. Fans of Japanese performance models were able to, as ever; witness a fantastic spectacle, filled with over 3,000 amazing cars and a mixture of on-track and static action.

Once again British Drift Championship drivers were present to host the TOYO Tires ‘Drift Kings’ competition to find the fastest and most spectacular drift driver, but this year, rather than compete for out-and-out style and finesse, the BDC drivers elected to use the extra speed and space offered by the change of venue to work together and put on the best show they could for the eager crowds, donating the £1,000 prize money to charity. The overall winner was Matt Carter, who stood out on the day with 107 mph on initiation to be crowned Drift Kings Champion 2016.

The event also celebrated some of the most iconic cars ever to come out of Japan, with the sensational Mazda RX-7 FD being granted a special stand to honour its 25th anniversary.

Launched in 1991, the third-generation RX-7 brought new levels of performance to Mazda’s famous rotary engine thanks to its sequential twin turbos. The FD was one of the most incredible feats of engineering, with 276bhp being squeezed out of Mazda’s tiny 1.3-litre rotary engine.

As well as the Mazda, Mitsubishi’s Lancer Evolution was also celebrated as Europe’s biggest ever gathering of Mitsubishi Evo models, courtesy of Evolution a new club catering for all generations of the performance version of the Lancer saloon from the rare and original Evo I, to the very latest Evo X, took to add to the impressive display.

Well-known cars on the stand included Richard Marshall’s awesome Evo IX GT ProSeries Time Attack car and Craig Hammond’s Norris Design built 950bhp Evo V, the world’s only road going twin charged Evo.Event organisers also took to social media prior to the event in order to name the most iconic Japanese car ever.

Models such as Subaru’s rally legend, the Impreza, and Toyota’s Supra were touted, but the mind-blowing Nissan Skyline took victory of the title by a hefty margin.

Gaining particular fame in the UK through Gran Tursimo and the Fast and the Furious franchise, the Skyline has become a staple in the world of performance motoring through a combination of astonishing turbo-charged power and technical wizardry.

Event Manager Katherine Chappell said: “The Nissan Skyline is one of the cars that really kicked off the Japanese tuning craze in the UK, so it’s no surprise to see that it’s been named as the most iconic Japanese performance car of all time.”

EVENT NEWS

JAPFEST CELEBRATES ICONIC MODELS

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McLaren have shed further light on the open top version of their utterly brilliant 675LT.

The 675LT Coupé focused on light weight, enhanced aerodynamics, increased power and track-focused dynamics, and the Spider is set to follow suit. The 675LT Spider, only the second McLaren in nearly two decades to wear the LT – or ‘Longtail’ – name, stays true to the spirit of its iconic predecessor with aerodynamically optimised, dramatically enhanced styling that results in a whopping 40% more downforce than the 650S Spider.

Much like the coupe, it’s obvious the 675LT Spider has been designed to deliver incredible performance above all else. Weight has been reduced by 100kg through the increased usage of carbon fibre and by lighter components throughout, including newly developed suspension geometry derived from the McLaren P1.

Under the skin sits the heavily revised 3.8-litre twin turbo V8 powertrain from the Coupé sibling, ensuring performance figures are worthy of the LT badge. The power output and torque figures remain unchanged, with the Spider delivering 666bhp and 700nm.

All that power means 0-62mph is dispatched with in just 2.9 seconds, and it’ll keep on going to 203mph. But even

with these phenomenal performance figures, the LT Spider can still manage to return 24.2mpg. Sure, it’s no match for a diesel hatchback in the economy wars, but for a face-bending supercar, it’s certainly not bad.

Lightness is also important though. As with the 675LT Coupé, the front bumper with larger splitter and end plates, front under body, side skirts, side intakes, lower side intakes, rear bodyside lower, rear fenders, rear deck, rear bumper, diffuser and ‘Longtail’ Airbrake are all carbon fibre. This all contributes to bringing the 675LT Spiders weight down to 1,270kg – a whole 100kg lighter than the 650S Spider. Thanks to the carbon fibre monocoque chassis, the Spider hasn’t needed any further strengthening to compensate for the lack of roof, meaning only the retractable roof system contributes to the spider weighing just 40kg more than its coupe sister.

Styling remains the same as the hardtop, with the extended front splitter flanked by front wing end plates, each working the airflow harder and increasing downforce. Sculpted carbon fibre door sills run along the lower edge of the bodywork, flowing in to a smaller air intake ahead of the rear wheels. This sits below the more pronounced side intake; with both feeding clean, cool air into the side radiators, which are more prominent, to offer increased cooling. The retractable hard top stows below a colour-coded tonneau

LIGHT SHONE ON THE TOPLESS LONGTAIL

NEW CAR NEWS

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cover, and the engine remains visible through a lightweight vented polycarbonate engine cover. At the rear, the lightweight titanium crossover twin exhausts exit below the active ‘Longtail’ Airbrake.

The Spider also shares the suspension set up and geometry of the Coupé, with the front end sitting on stiffer springs and a wider track. As standard, the 675LT Spider is fitted with 10-spoke Ultra-Lightweight forged alloy wheels – 19-inch at the front, 20-inch at the rear – and P Zero Trofeo R tyres.

Inside, the lightweight theme continues throughout, with Alcanatara and bare carbon fibre being used, although leather interior can be specified for no extra cost. A pair of lightweight carbon fibre-shelled racing seats, modelled on those fitted to the McLaren P1, save a combined 15kg, while providing superb support.

The 675LT can also be specified with decent levels of equipment for such a track-focused car. Heating and ventilation (HVAC) is now controlled via the centrally mounted touchscreen IRIS screen, rather than through door mounted controls to save weight. The air conditioning unit is removed, saving 16kg, but can be specified as a no-cost option. Standard features include satellite navigation, DAB Digital radio and a lightweight four-speaker system from Meridian.

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Hot on the heels of the 718 Boxster, Porsche have unveiled its hardtop sister – the 718 Cayman.

This new Cayman is set to use the same four-cylinder boxer engines found in the 718 Boxster, meaning the Cayman now shares the same power output across the range as its soft top sister car.

The entry level 2.0 litre Cayman produces 300bhp and 380nm of torque, while the Cayman S produces 350bhp and 420nm of torque from its turbocharged 2.5 litre unit.

Fitted with Porsches excellent PDK gearbox, the standard 718 Cayman completes the 0-62mph sprint in 4.7 seconds, and keeps on going to a thoroughly respectable 170mph. The S meanwhile hits 62mph in just 4.2 seconds, and tops out at 177mph.

Responsiveness and cornering grip have been improved thanks to firmer suspension and anti-roll bars, while the steering is more direct to enhance the Caymans agility. The rear wheels have been widened too to deal with the extra grunt.

Brakes have also been uprated. The standard 718 Cayman uses the same braking system used in the old Cayman S with 330mm brake discs in front and 299mm discs at the rear, while the new Cayman S uses the same system from the current 911 Carrera.

Visually the Cayman has changed very little. Slightly tauter

dimensions and more prominent air intakes give the 718 a more muscular appearance. The subtle changes continue around to the rear, where we now find a high-gloss black strip in between the redesigned rear lights to give a slightly wider back-end.

It’s very much the same story inside. Subtle tweaks have been made, but the most prominent change is the new steering wheel akin to the 918 hypercar. The 718 Cayman does now receive Porsche Communication Management (PCM) as a standard feature though.

The 718 Cayman is available to order currently, and priced from just under £40,000, with the Cayman S starting from a shade under £49,000.

SAY HELLO TO THE NEW CAYMAN

NEW CAR NEWS

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SEAT JOIN THE SUV GAME

Three trim levels will be offered in the UK: S, SE, and XCELLENCE. In addition, a ‘First Edition’ version will be offered, with more details to be announced later this spring.

Engine line-up covers two petrol and three diesel powertrains, spanning from 113bhp to 187bhp with a choice of either six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG automatic gearboxes, while four-wheel drive will be available on both 2.0-litre diesel engines.

The range topping 187bhp 2.0-litre diesel is offered exclusively on the XCELLENCE trim line with four-wheel drive and the DSG automatic being offered as standard options. The base level 113bhp three-cylinder 1.0-litre petrol and 1.6-litre diesel engines will be available on S and SE models, while a 148bhp 1.4-litre EcoTSI petrol and 2.0-litre diesel will be available across SE and XCELLENCE trims.

The Ateca is set to feature plenty of kit, too, with Traffic Jam Assist automating driving in heavy stop-and-go traffic, and Blind Spot Detection technology being offered.

Connectivity is also a major feature with the Ateca, with SEATs ‘Full Link’ system ensuring full connectivity with all modern smartphones, while an eight-inch Media System Plus screen is available along with other connected innovations including wireless smartphone charging and gesture control.

The Ateca is set to hit showrooms in September, with pricing starting at £17,990, while a shade under 30 grand earns you a top of the range model. Will the Ateca make a dent on the already confusing SUV market? Only time will tell.

Just in case you didn’t think the SUV market was saturated enough already, SEAT has joined the party, revealing the brand new Ateca.

SEAT believe the Ateca will reinforce its fleet appeal as well as making a real impact in the UK’s fast-growing compact SUV fleet sector.

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PURE HOLLYWOODWe explore the car that put Jaguar on the map

JAGUAR XK120

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Just imagine it’s the late 1940’s, the majority of people were trundling around in pre-war motors. Perhaps a lucky few managed to get themselves a sports car; an MG TD for example. And then this arrived.

I can only imagine seeing the Jaguar XK120 after being surrounded by the offerings from Morris, Austin and Triumph would be like finding a piece of alien technology.

The XK 120 was an absolute revelation when it was showcased in October 1948. There was quite literally nothing on the planet that was able to match it for looks, performance and price.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that the XK120 helped rejuvenate Britain’s self-belief, in the automotive sector in the very least. It’s astonishingly seductive lines and unparalleled performance brought it acclaim, and orders, from all over the world.

Sir William Lyons is the man to thank for designing such a stunning machine. He may have been untrained as an engineer or a designer, but he seemed to have a natural gift for designing cars. It’s said that Lyons designed the 120 in less than two weeks, and yet he was able to capture such harmonious lines.

It’s a design that still captivates the nation today. The E-Type may be touted as the most beautiful car ever made, but the XK120 has infinitely more presence on the road. It’s impossible to drive without having people stop and stare. You can’t be inconspicuous driving an XK.

Doubly so when you realise how loud that beautiful 3.4-litre straight 6 engine is. At revs it snarls like a wild animal caught in a trap, before settling down to emit a lovely aggressive growl on idle.

That alloy-headed twin-cam XK unit was a brand new engine in 1948, and even the motor didn’t escape Lyons’ eye for design detail. He knew little about engines, but still was desperate for the engine to appear as glamorous as the outer shell, which is why he requested the twin overhead camshafts.

I wonder if, at the time of the XK units’ creation, the engineers at Jaguar had known what they’d built. That engine, while it’d undergone many transformations to modernise it, is probably more important than any car that Jaguar ever produced.

Its life spanned over nearly half a century, enduring until 1992, and without it Jaguar wouldn’t have broken so many records, and achieved so many race accolades.

160bhp was prized out of the original 3.4-litre engine, even more than Cadillac could muster out of their own 5.4-litre V8, which meant the big cat was the first road car to manage 120mph.

In fact, just a few subtle modifications and the XK could manage even more. One car was fitted with a racing windscreen and an undertray and managed an incredible 132mph on Belgium’s Jabbeke autoroute.

It’s this immense speed that helped the XK achieve multiple racing and rallying victories, as well as spawn the XK120C, also referred to as the Jaguar C-Type that won the Le Mans 24-hour race both in 1951 and 1953.

Even the XK’s price was utterly sensational. Despite being the world’s fastest car and having drop-dead gorgeous looks, the XK cost a mere £1,263 in 1948. To put that into perspective, the 4-cylinder Aston Martin DB1 cost £1,000 more, while there wasn’t a single car from Bentley that could be had for under £4,000.

JAGUAR XK120

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JAGUAR XK120

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The first 240 XK120’s had hand built alloy bodies, with production tooling being put in place for steel-bodied cars in 1950. The following year Jaguar released a fixed-head coupe model – which is the model we tested – and two years later a more luxurious drop-head coupe. They even made an XK120M with a whopping 180bhp.

In total, 12,000 XK’s were produced over its six-year lifespan, with over 90% being exported out of the UK.

By 1953 the XK was still incredible value for money. The line-up was now fully complete, and even though the basic roadster had crept up in value to £1,601, nothing could come close to the price-performance package that it offered.

Middle of the range featured the fixed-head coupe, priced at £1,616 while the fully furnished drop-head was £1,644. In comparison the new Aston Martin DB2/4 would have set you back £2,763 – over £500 more than the C-Type competition car.

There were a few British sports cars that could compete on price; the 2.0-litre AC Ace was just £1,297, but nothing could compare to the performance the XK could provide.

Even today it feels thoroughly spritely. Sure it won’t out drag any of the modern sports cars but it still gives a feeling of performance.

Its raucous exhaust note certainly helps with that. Begin to put your foot down and it howls like a wounded beast as the front end lifts up as if it’s snarling at the tarmac ahead of it.

The small stature probably helps too. You certainly feel exposed compared to the large modern vehicles around you.

But it all adds to the driving experience, and what an experience it is. Before I got into the car I was expecting it to be a bit of a pig to drive. I’d driven E-Type’s before, and they were notoriously difficult. Heavy pedals and an absurdly high bite point on the clutch made it tough to get used to.

The XK though, felt thoroughly more modern than the E-Types. Perhaps they were particularly bad examples of the breed, or maybe this is a particularly good example, or maybe it’s just that this car was really that good.

Don’t get me wrong; it’s not an easy car to drive. To begin with the starter button is a small, unmarked black button, which left me prodding aimlessly inside the cabin to get the car started. And once you’ve actually gotten going, you have to be alert. There’s no power-steering for a kick off, and the enormous steering wheel means that going round corners at low speed are no mean feat.

The steering wheel doesn’t particularly help when you want to get inside either, especially with this fixed head

example. With the bucket style seats to get past as well, getting inside the Jag is like playing Tetris with your own spine, and if your legs aren’t made out of Slinkys it’s almost impossible to get behind the wheel.

But once you’re in it’s actually rather comfortable. There’s a surprising amount of headroom, and so long as your passengers don’t mind you fondling their leg when you go to change gear it’s a rather pleasant place to be sat – that is until, you try to get out again.

One thing does stick out when you drive the XK though, and it’s something I was told to be wary of before I got into the drivers seat, which was ‘drive it on your toes.’

I’d taken this literally, and a good thing too. Try to engage the clutch with the flat of your foot and you’d end up getting it trapped at the top of the foot well, ending with some rather awkward gear changes.

What I wasn’t expecting was for this advice to also come in handy metaphorically too. Now of course, you have to drive anything with a degree of caution, but upon seeing the XK it seems pedestrians lose all inhibitions and turn into lemmings.

I’ve never before been at the wheel of a car where people will actively dive into the middle of the road in order to take a picture of you, multiple times. It’s a particular issue when you realise that the brakes on the XK are traditionally 1940’s, and may as well be made out of wood.

Thankfully, the steering is not traditionally 1940’s. It may have been designed in the 40’s, but the car changes direction like a housefly. Throw it into a corner and there are bundles of front-end grip, giving you plenty of confidence to boot it out of the other end.

It really does enjoy being driven at speeds. While the steering is slow and heavy round town, it lightens up on the open road and you can feel every little bump in the road through the wheel as if you’re running your hand across the tarmac.

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Even the Moss 4-speed gearbox is a joy to use. You have to take your time changing gear, and first and third are very close together but the gears are smooth and engaging.

All this really does make me wonder then, why the XK120 is still so cheap. Sure, it’s not as cheap as it was new, generally fixed-head cars are going for around the £100,000 mark, while the convertible versions are going for around £125,000.

But compare these prices to the E-Type Jag; a good E-Type will fetch over £100,000 now and it was nowhere near as groundbreaking as the XK was.

Even its competitors have risen far and beyond what the XK’s worth. The AC Ace for example, while nowhere near as influential, is beginning to break the £200,000 barrier.

I can only assume these prices wont last long. Even later XK140’s and 150’s are worth more than their predecessor, and just imagine, if this Jag had a Ferrari badge on it, it would be worth millions.

JAGUAR XK120

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ROLLS ROYCE CORNICHE

A CLASS APART

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Is it possible to buy class? Some would argue not I’m sure, but if you could, this would certainly be the way of doing it.

Rolls Royce was founded in 1906, and quickly became synonymous with unparalleled quality, refinement, and wealth.

Owning a Rolls Royce has always been a status symbol of the highest order; if somebody was driving a Roller, you knew they were important, and the Rolls Royce Corniche was no exception.

It was a development of the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow; basically, it was a Shadow with two doors removed. It was made by the coachbuilders Mulliner Park Ward, who were well known for their coach built Rollers and Bentleys, and was marketed as the ‘Silver Shadow Mulliner Park Ward two door fixed head coupé & drop head coupé’ – quite a mouthful.

The Rolls Royce Silver Shadow Coupe was released in 1965, with the drop head variant coming the year later. Thankfully buyers didn’t need to wait long before the Corniche name was applied in 1966, although the name wouldn’t be adopted fully until the second generation of Corniche in 1971.

It’s powered by the massive 6.8-litre V8 engine that became a staple in the Rolls Royce and Bentley line-up, which pumped out 230bhp and a hefty 406nm of torque. That was necessary though, considering the Corniche’s immense weight of 2,185kg. Remember, that’s without all of the safety equipment that weighs down most modern machines.

It’s incredible bulk was instead down to the enormous amount of tech on the car, as well as all of the refinements that you’d expect on a Rolls. The Corniche was fitted with a Turbo Hydramatic 350 3-speed automatic gearbox sourced from General Motors.

A four-wheel independent suspension with coil springs was augmented with a hydraulic self-levelling system; similar to the version found in Citroen’s but minus the pneumatic springs.

At first it was used on all four of the wheels, but later cars had it on the rear wheels only. Four-wheel disc brakes were specified, with ventilated discs added for 1972.

Our car isn’t a true Corniche, it must be said. Ours is one of the earlier cars – 1969 to be precise – so technically we should be naming it the Rolls Royce Silver Shadow Mulliner Park Ward Coupe, but I’d slowly lose my mind if I had to keep referring to it as that, so I’ll continue calling it the Corniche.

Inside it’s fitted with a plethora of options. The enormous leather seats, which are more like living room settees than car seats, are fully electric and move in every direction under the sun.

There are electric windows, which interestingly wont roll all the way up unless you hit the button twice so that you don’t get your fingers, or cigar, probably, caught in the window. There are even thick, lambs’ wool carpets.

Still, I suppose in 1969 you’d expect the best of the best, considering this car was the most expensive car in Britain when it was new.

Over £4,500 is what buyers had to cough up for the privilege to own a Corniche, which was an enormous amount of money when you consider that a three bedroom semi detached house would have been less than half that.

Still, you do get some utterly bewitching craftsmanship. Everything is so beautifully made. The centre console is made up of a stunning walnut finish, screwed in with expert precision and care.

The knobs that control the air conditioning look as though they’ve been styled for months, they’re absolute works of art, as is the hazard warning light switch which looks like a boiled sweet that’s been encased in aluminium. It’s absolutely fantastic. And there’s another party piece with the hazard warning light switch, because when you pull it up (yes you have to pull it up) it makes a delightful ‘flup’ sound which, for whatever reason, made my face light up like a ten year old boy at Christmas.

But it certainly wasn’t worth its massive price tag for well-built features alone. After all, this was still a car, and had to be driven.

ROLLS ROYCE CORNICHE

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On the road you immediately realise its size. By modern standards it’s not absurdly large, it’s around the same size as a modern BMW 7-Series, but that’s still pretty big, and it must have felt especially large back in the 60’s and 70’s.

You also notice just how much you’re noticed. This car certainly isn’t for shrinking violets. Classic cars tend to turn heads, but the Corniche seems draw in looks wherever it goes.

Take it out onto the open road and it behaves very much like you’d expect a Rolls Royce to behave. It’s got smooth power delivery and plenty of torque from that massive V8, but through the bends it wallows and feels disconnected thanks to the ultra-light steering.

The hydraulic suspension does a fine job of keeping the car comfortable over bumps and undulating road conditions, but under spirited driving around corners the Corniche lives up to its name; rolling through the twisty sections as the suspension tried desperately to control its great bulk.

Still, the Rolls’ was never designed to be driven hard, so I can’t fault it for its lack of sporting prowess.

It was always supposed to be a supremely comfortable mile-munching monster, and that it certainly is.

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The Corniche manages to dispatch of tarmac with utter ease. The hydraulic suspension irons out even the most extreme of bumps as if they weren’t there, and the seats only accentuate the comfort.

And it manages this incredible comfort while still delivering such absurdly brilliant style.

Driving the Corniche is a real occasion. The swooping coupe looks just seems to maximise the Rolls Royce presence. In fact, the Corniche is the only car I’ve ever driven where I feel physically under-dressed to drive it.

Really, this car should come with a full three-piece suit in the boot for the driver, just in case they were caught short in something as gaudy as a mere sports jacket.

I bet you’re wondering how much this classic Rolls Royce style will set you back, well, it’s probably not as much as you think.

Considering this was the most expensive car you could buy at one point, prices are looking considerably more reasonable now.

Earlier cars like this one tend to be more expensive, but there are plenty of Corniches on the market. The cheapest we could find is currently up at £18,000, but we’d recommend spending a bit more to ensure you find one without any hidden troubles, since there’s a fair amount to look out for on them.

Rust is one of the major problems. Corniche’s suffer from rust, and you’re almost certainly going to find cosmetic rust on almost any example – pay close attention to the windscreen seal as it could cause water to come inside the car, as well as the front wings and rear wheel arches.

Check the carpets aren’t damp, if water has gotten inside the car it tends to manifest worst inside those extra thick carpets. If it has it’s best to steer clear, the water will ultimately lead to a rusted floorpan, but it’ll also begin to discolour and lift the lacquer on the wood trim. It’s a repairable job, but required specialist knowledge and some fairly deep pockets.

The Rolls Royce V8 is a fairly robust engine, but to keep it running smoothly you need to give it regular coolant changes to avoid internal sediment build-up. This mostly affects the two rearmost cylinder liners, which clogs the coolant channel. Ultimately the liner distorts, and you end up with ‘piston pick-up’, identified by heavy knocking sounds immediately after starting.

Another expensive fix is the incredibly complex hydraulic suspension. Check that the car sits level, as it could require a new system. Replacements are available, and it may be alleviated through new seals, but if the car does require a new unit then you’ll be shelling out major repair bills.

Really though, the Corniche is a rather surprisingly reliable motor. Look after it and it’ll look after you, and it’ll do it in some style to boot.

ROLLS ROYCE CORNICHE

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JAGUAR XJ-S

BRITISH LEYLAND DONE PROPERLY

This restored XJ-S is how they all should have left the factory

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Poor old British Leyland weren’t exactly world renowned for building great cars. In fact, they build absolutely dreadful cars. God-awful things like the Austin Allegro, Morris Marina, Triumph Acclaim and the Princess. Occasionally though, they did manage to get a few things right.

Jaguar’s XJ-S was one of them; with its beautiful swooping lines and lavish interior it’s captured many hearts today. And that’s before we begin to talk about that incredibly smooth V12 engine.

Unfortunately though, the XJ-S was launched right in the middle of a fuel crisis, which left original demand for the big, thirsty V12 fairly low. And the cars dramatic styling brought another problem.

A lot of people in the 1970’s loathed the XJ-S for being too ugly. They hated the enormous front bumpers, as well as those iconic rear buttresses, and there were even concerns that they would be unsafe and restrict rear visibility.

I suppose it’s easy to see where the criticism came from. After all, the XJ-S was the latest in a line of stunning Jaguar sports cars, and replacing the gorgeous E-Type was never going to be an easy task.

People were also expecting something akin to the

XJ’s predecessor, and something considerably more hardcore than the XJ-S offered.

Though Sir William Lyons had never intended for it to be an out-and-out sports car. Instead he was interested in creating ‘a high-performance luxury GT car, which would sell beyond the enthusiast sports car market and appeal more to the business purchaser.’

But people were quick to accept the XJ-S’s plus points and throughout its 21-year production run over 115,000 cars had been produced.

The big appeal was the way the XJ-S just ate through the miles like they were nothing; this thing really is a proper grand-tourer.

In fact, during my time with the Jag over the Yorkshire Moors, I was hard pressed to think of any modern car that was able to eat up the miles with such ease and refinement. I know that’s an odd thing to day, after all the moderns have infinitely more tech, better suspension and tonnes soundproofing, but they all seem to be fitted with low profile tyres, massive rims and hard, ‘sporty’ suspension.

None of them seem to be able to hold a candle to the XJ-S in terms of sheer ride quality and comfort – I’ve slept in beds less comfortable than this car. It just irons

JAGUAR XJ-S

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out everything in the road. Even changing from tarmac to concrete, there’s no difference in road noise, while going over cattle grids are hardly noticeable. It’s utterly remarkable. I’m sure that I could have run over one of the many sheep I passed during my travels up north, and I wouldn’t have even noticed.

What’s even more incredible is that, despite the immense comfort, you still feel completely connected to the road. The likes of Rolls Royce and Bentley managed to achieve similar levels of comfort and refinement, but they lack feel for the driver. The XJ-S really should be the benchmark when it comes to ride quality.

This driver engagement goes a long way into making the XJ-S such an absolute joy to drive.

You’d be forgiven for thinking with, such a sublime ride, that it must handle like a boat, but no. It handles beautifully at speed. There’s little body roll, and the dampening is exceptional. There is no sign of wallow or sloppiness, and it is easy to understand why contemporary testers at the time referred to the XJ-S as ‘the best car in the world.’

It’s not perfect mind. In order to appeal to the American market the steering was made as light as possible – perfect for town, but when you start driving through sharp and twisty bends it becomes difficult to gauge how

much steering input you need. It becomes fine of course as you become more and more used to it, but when you first drive an XJ-S it tends to rob you of all confidence to stick it into the corners.

Which is a mighty shame, because booting that massive V12 out of a bend is truly something majestic. It’s been said before that Jaguar’s V12 is possibly the best engine they ever made, but I’d go one further, and say that it could be the best engine that’s ever been produced.

It doesn’t scream like a Ferrari V12 or emit a low and aggressive bellow like an Aston, but it effortlessly thrusts forward.

Prod the throttle at low revs and the XJ-S surges forward in near silence and pushes you into the back of your seat with a real sense of urgency, before a turbine like roar is emitted as the revs begin to rise.

It actually gives a sense of being a lot faster than it really is. I mean, it’s not slow; the 5.3-litre V12 churns out 285bhp, rocketing the XJ-S to 62mph in around 7 seconds, and onto a top speed of 143mph. But the way in which it reacts when you plant the throttle is simply mind-bending.

Early pre-HE cars like this one are the quickest of the bunch too. The 3-speed automatic gearbox had

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JAGUAR XJ-S

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incredibly long gears, to the point where if you were driving hard, you’d never use third gear at all until you hit the magic 100mph mark.

It’s not performance that the gearbox coped well with though; it was making the car as smooth as possible that it excelled at.

Upshifts are hardly noticeable. Downshifts are somewhat jerkier, but as long as you press the throttle a bit it’s not an issue. It’s the astonishing V12, though, that makes the XJ-S such a smooth car to drive.

It really is an incredible engine. Silent at low speeds, effortless performance, and it feels as though it just doesn’t move at all. The only other vehicles that have given me a sensation similar to this V12 have all been electric – this engine feels like witchcraft. I’d always been told that you could rest a penny on its side atop of the V12 engine while it was running, but I’d never thought it would feel as good as it does.

Jaguar’s brilliance carries on through to the interior, too – it’s an exceptionally special place to sit. The seating position is low, but the view out is excellent, and there’s a wonderful view over the long and sculpted bonnet to enjoy.

The gauges are rather strange, they’re the elevator style units that you’d find in the cockpit of an aeroplane, but they work well and you’re never left wondering what they mean. Switchgear is easy to reach and clearly marked against the beautiful metallic silver fascia.

It’s snug inside as well. Not claustrophobic, although the rear seats would be cramped for anyone over 4ft tall, but behind the wheel you feel cocooned in a beautiful array of leather and minimalist 70’s design.

All of this praise isn’t to say that the XJ-S was faultless though, with one main problem being of course, British Leyland build quality.

XJ-S’s were fairly notorious for breaking down. The earliest cars suffered dreadfully from overheating, and it wasn’t uncommon to see drivers stranded by the side of the road in a plume of steam coming from the front end.

Thankfully, this one doesn’t suffer from those problems, because it’s been completely rebuilt by people that weren’t constantly on strike.

It was stripped down completely and any rust was repaired (despite what you might think from its dirty appearance in the photographs), while the mechanical parts were rebuilt to ensure that they work.

And now that they do work, my god – what a car this is. It was such a leap in the right direction back in the 1970’s and totally eclipsed the archaic feeling E-Type.

Finally, the XJ-S is beginning to receive the love and recognition that it deserves. It’s even managed to find its way into Forza 6. Hopefully, it’ll now be recognised as once of the truly great British cars.

SAAB 96

FORGET IMPREZA’SThis Saab 96 is the road going rally car we should all be craving

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Think road going rally car and a few motors come to mind. The Audi Quattro that was used to dominate rallying in the 1980’s, and the two Japanese masterpieces, the Mitsubishi Lancer and the Subaru Impreza that ruled the 1990’s.

You probably wont be thinking of the amusingly bizarre Saab 96. It was a mighty successful rally car though under the guidance of Swedish rallying legends like Stig Blomqvist, Per Eklund and Erik Carlsson.

The Saab managed first place in 1960, 1961 and 1962 RAC Rallies and first in the 1962 and 1963 Monte Carlo Rallies, which put the humble 96 on the map for it’s reliability and toughness. It managed WRC victories too, winning the International Swedish Rally on two occasions, once in 1973 and again in 1976.

As a road car, the humble Saab began production in 1960 and began life with two-stroke or three-cylinder

engine options. As it progressed it received a 1.5-litre V4, which was developed by Ford.

The ordinary V4 engines produced between 1967 and 1976 had 65bhp. For the 1976 model, known as the 96L, power was reduced to 62bhp due to new Swedish emission regulations. However, the 1977-1980 models had 68bhp due to a two-stage Solex 32TDID carburettor.

As well as the unusual V4 motor, the Saab had some unusual features. It had a column mounted manual gearbox, which took a fair amount of time to get used to compared to a conventional stick-shift.

It was offered with a 3-speed gearbox originally, but that was phased out for a 4-speed option with a synchromesh first gear.

Another unusual feature of the Saab was the freewheel, or overrunning clutch, which is a device in a transmission

SAAB 96

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that disengages the driveshaft from the driven shaft when the driven shaft rotates faster than the driveshaft.

This allowed the transmission to run faster than the engine, such as when decelerating, or descending a long hill. Although such freewheels had been provided in other cars before as an economy measure, they were required in the Saab because of the limited lubrication in the two-stroke engine. A petrol/oil-lubricated two-stroke requires lubrication according to its speed, but provides this lubrication according to the amount of its throttle opening. Without lubrication the two-stroke engine would simply seize up, and cause catastrophic damage to the engine.

The version we were given to play with is a 1977 V4, which has had a significant number of upgrades to transform it into an off-road weapon.

It has an uprated carburettor and uprated brakes, as

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SAAB 96

well as a new exhaust system. Doesn’t sound like a lot to improve the original 68bhp motor but the Saab is light. When it was completely standard it weight around 950kg, but the interior has been completely stripped out and been fitted with a full roll cage for stability.

The lack of weight makes this a properly fun car to drive hard, and it loves to be driven hard. It’s not going to throw you into your seat like an Impreza will when you plant the throttle, but the little Saab just feels so frantic, like a deranged Terrier.

On the road the engine just begs to be revved hard. It’s a really fizzy little unit with a raspy exhaust note that just urges you to give it more.

Handles well, too. Because it’s so light it’s not too dissimilar to the handling of an original Mini – mighty high praise indeed – and when you throw it into the bends it just keeps on gripping.

It’s let down only by its odd gearbox, but I have a feeling that may be due to me not being fully comfortable with it during my short time with the little Saab. It’s not sloppy or notchy, but it’s a bizarre sensation to have a column change on a car that’s set up for being driven so hard.

But quirks and odd little features like this are what make the Saab so enjoyable. Take the windows for example, wind-down which keeps the weight low, but they lower through the door as if attached to a hinge on one side – mighty amusing.

The seat belts made me smile too, and not too many seatbelts are able to evoke much emotion in me unless they’ve saved me from cannoning out of the windshield. There’s no actual buckle; instead you’re supposed to hook the belt into a clasp that can only be described as a glorified crocodile clip.

It’s all these strange and quirky things that give the little Saab so much character.

An Impreza might be an infinitely better car, both on the road and on the dirt with its four-wheel-drive techno-wizardry and insane amounts of power and torque from it’s 2.0-litre engine (or 2.5 depending for the later Subie’s) but it’s

such a quick car that it feels too safe in the real world.

That might sound odd, but let me explain. At road-legal speeds the Impreza is never challenged. You’re never going to feel like you’re on the limit unless you’re thrashing it, which you can’t do without spending a night in a prison block.

The Saab meanwhile is so frantic that it makes you feel like you’re on the limit all the time, and everything about it begs you to go faster. The tiny steering wheel is absolutely perfect for throwing it into the bends, while that intoxicatingly zippy little engine makes you want to push that accelerator pedal even harder.

And, to me at least, that’s exactly what a rally car should feel like. It should feel frantic, and aggressive, and on the edge at all times, begging for more.

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The Impreza feels refined compared to the Saab. It’ll happily cruise along at, relatively, low rpm. Sure, it has an outrageous wing on the back of it, massive bonnet scoops and outlandish wheels but what’s the point if it doesn’t make you feel like you’re in the middle of a rally, going sideways through a wood at 80 miles per hour?

That’s what it feels like in the Saab. You may only be going 40mph trundling along a road in Wales, but inside you feel like Stig Blomqvist in the middle of a WRC rally.

You can’t beat that feeling if you’re after a rally car for the road. And that’s why you can’t beat this strange little orange 96.

GO ANYWHERE STYLE

Rediscover the superb Range Rover Classic

RANGE ROVER CLASSIC

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RANGE ROVER CLASSIC

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There are some cars that are just suited to certain scenery. Sat outside a manor house, a Rolls or Bentley would look right at home, but stick them on the car park of your local Lidl and they stick out like a sore thumb.

You can play this game for virtually anything. The French Riviera makes a wonderful backdrop to a Ferrari or Lamborghini. Take either down a dingy street in Rotherham however, and the picture starts to look a tad strange. A Fiat 500 meanwhile is perfect in a city centre, but take it down the M5 and it looks utterly hilarious.

It’s very difficult to create a car that suits a variety of locations, and even more difficult to create a car that looks good anywhere. But boy, does the Range Rover manage it.

Appearances are only half of the tale though, since the Range Rover does something rather remarkable – it couples its ‘go anywhere style’ with ‘do anything ability.’

Rover called it four cars in one. It was a luxury car, performance car, spacious estate and dependable off-roader all rolled into one package. Really, it was probably the perfect vehicle, which is surprising when you remember it came from one of, if not the, worst motoring conglomeration in history.

British Leyland was desperate to enter the 1970’s with something impressive. They had the Triumph Dolomite, which already felt 10 years old, and the even less exciting Triumph Toledo to kick-start a brand new decade. BL were hoping to pair those two with the hideously unreliable but thoroughly cool Triumph Stag, and the dismally pathetic Morris Marina, but neither would be ready by 1970, so the Rangie was pushed through.

It’s hard to imagine how a company that managed to get so many things wrong, could also manage to get a car so right.

Simplicity probably had something to do with it though; it’s mighty difficult to mess up a design as simple as the Range Rover’s. A boxy, aluminium panelled estate car atop of a rugged and dependable all-wheel drive chassis. The suspension was soft to provide comfort on the road, and ability off it. It was imposing and commanding, and even the French recognised the brilliance of the design, commemorating it as ‘an outstanding example of modern industrial design’ within the Louvre.

Its simple design carried through to the mechanics too. It was fitted with the utterly fabulous and virtually bulletproof Buick-derived Rover 3.5-litre V8 engine, churning out a modest 130bhp. Doesn’t sound like a lot,

but it was a torquey motor, and was more than capable on and off the road.

This one however, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, is not an early car. This one was built over 20 years after the original had rolled off the factory production line, but still retains the simplistic design. In fact, the Range Rover hadn’t really changed drastically at all until it was replaced in 1994 by the P34A.

Subtle upgrades were made through the first generation Range Rover’s life, with the most significant being the

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introduction of a four-door model in 1981. Prior to then, all Range Rovers were 2-doors, something that was met with a great deal of criticism in the 1970’s. With hindsight, that seems mighty strange, since it’s the 2-doors everyone now wants, with some of the best early examples breaking the £100,000 barrier.

The first major push to cement its luxury car status came in 1984, which saw the availability of leather trim and an automatic transmission, while the year after saw a revised instrument pod – taken from the Austin Maestro of all things - and new door cards with walnut inlays.

A new front grill was then added in 1986, while a different front valance with two fog lights became an optional extra. The seat base was lowered and door handles were redesigned, making it more difficult for rear passengers but greatly improving the comfort for taller people in the front.

Mechanically, suspension was altered in 1980 to improve handling, and anti-roll bars were added. The engine also went through minor changes, with the displacement being increased to 3.9-litres in 1990, and then again to 4.2-litres in 1992.

Our featured car has the 3.9-litre motor that makes a delightfully charismatic rumble through the exhaust. It’s

not particularly quick, certainly not by today’s standards, but the high driving position and bouncy suspension make it feel quite exhilarating to drive.

It’s an unusual sensation, being sat so high up on the road. Sure, it’s become more common with the plethora of SUV’s and modern 4x4’s on the road, but the old Range Rover just feels a bit bigger than all of the modern equivalents still.

Perhaps it’s the sheer amount of light you can see out. The windows are enormous and the pillars are tiny. Even the most airy of modern cabins can’t hope to let this much light in. The sheer magnitude of space you feel inside is incredible.

Regardless, on-road presence is something the Range Rover has in abundance, and you certainly feel it when behind the wheel. Other road users are quick to take notice. I even had an acknowledging look from a man in a Porsche 911, not something that I expected.

And, unlike so many other cars that offer such a sense of purpose, you can enjoy the feeling for mile after mile. There’s no worry that the Rover V8 will begin playing up, and there’s no shortage of comfort.

The ride is quite frankly sublime. It glides over cracks

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and potholes in the road as if they weren’t there, and the wonderfully squishy seats are more comfortable than most living room furniture.

It’s only when you begin to push it do you begin to feel less composed inside the Rangie. The soft suspension and soft seats mean undulations in the road throw you around the cabin in rather hilarious fashion, and through the bends the body roll – even though our later car has 20mm shorter suspension and anti-roll bars – makes you hang, white-knuckled, onto the steering wheel.

Still, it all adds to the wonderful character, which this car has in spades. I know it’s a later car, and the earlier examples – while technically nowhere near as good to drive or refined – had even more charisma, but I just don’t care.

Nothing can come close to being the all round perfect car as this. It still has the character and style of a true classic, but it’s also useable as an every day car. It’s robust and reliable, but also supremely comfortable and fitted with standard equipment like air conditioning, electric windows and remote central locking.

Yes it may have the aerodynamics of a brick, and the aged V8 engine means that it won’t do much better than 20mpg if you’re lucky but that seems like a small price to

pay for a car that does so much.

Especially when you consider that the prices of these later cars are so much cheaper than the earlier ones. As much as those 2-door originals are well loved, I just can’t help ignore that they’re almost £90,000 more expensive than the later 4-door cars, and they certainly don’t seem like they’re 90 grand more car.

Really, £10,000 for what is the perfect car seems like an absolute steal. We should all be driving one.

DAIMLER V8-250

MORE THAN JUST METAL

This painstaking rebuild of a family treasure is what classic car ownership is all about

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DAIMLER V8-250

I’m often asked why I have an affinity for cars. Or, more particularly, why I have an affinity for older cars. It’s difficult for those not inclined in the ways of automobilia to understand that I see cars as more than mere machines. They’re a part of our lives, they may not be living, but they’re far more than white goods. They have character. They have soul.

It’s at this point non-car people give me a perplexed look as if I’ve just dribbled down myself, but there is a story of a car that’s rather special to me that tends to make them understand a little bit more.

All of us have cars that are special to us, whatever they may be, and for whatever reasons. It could be a first car, or the dream car you had pinned to your wall, or in my case, a family treasure.

This is it. A rather unsuspecting Daimler V8-250 saloon, currently owned by my dad, Peter, and it’s been in our family for 42 years now.

My grandad, Norman, bought it in 1974. It wasn’t the car he hankered after though. That accolade went to the 3.8-litre Jaguar MkII, but the prices of them had remained high.

In fact, the Daimler was actually purchased on a whim. The car was up for sale, as my dad described, ‘by the lady in the big house’ not too far away. My grandad decided to take a look. After all, it shared the same iconic shape as the MkII Jag he craved.

Upon inspection he found it was a low mileage example, and had only ever been driven locally, and so it became part of the family, where it was used as the daily workhorse for two years.

Then, in 1976, along came a Triumph 2000. It was a company car, so the Daimler could stay as a second motor, and it was casually driven into the garage.

That’s where it lived for the next 38 years, sat patiently waiting. Motionless. As my grandad aged it became a

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storage facility. Boxes were piled on top if it, in the boot and objects strewn across the back seats. And once I was born, it became a plaything, too.

Upon visits to my grandparents as a child, I would spend hours lurking in the garage, sitting in the drivers seat, sinking in the smell of oil, petrol and leather, eagerly awaiting the moment when I could get behind the wheel of my own car.

As time passed, the Daimler gained a companion. My grandad’s favourite car of all time was the Jaguar XK 120, but they were far too expensive, so he purchased a kit car and was prepared to build it.

He got quite far into the build, but age began to catch up on him, and the fibreglass-shelled kit was too left in the garage as a glorified shelf.

We spoke, along with my dad, of having the Daimler restored. We knew he loved the car after all, he couldn’t let himself part with it, but he always considered it a waste of money.

It was only when he’d passed away at the age of 88 that me and my dad were prompted to make his car road worthy once more, in an homage to him.

38 years after it had been parked up, the Daimler was dragged out of the garage saw the light of day once more. We’d feared the worst, Daimler V8-250’s and Jaguar MkII’s were prone to rust and rot and the best of times, and after nearly half a century of neglect we worried the car would be too rotten to ever repair.

The Daimler was hoisted up onto a trailer, and began the 170-mile journey to Yorkshire-based Malton Coachworks who were taking on the task of the restoration. It was the furthest the Daimler had ever been away from the West Midlands.

Meanwhile the XK 120 kit car was sold locally to someone who would be able to give it the love and attention it deserves, with the proceeds of that helping towards the Daimler restoration.

Of course we knew certain things would be completely un-salvageable. All of the rubbers and hoses had perished; the engine had completely seized and required, at the very least, a complete rebuild, and the brakes were seized too and needed replacing.

It was the exterior and chassis that were the most worrying. The Daimler was to be sandblasted completely to bare-metal. Only then would we know if the rebuild would be viable. If the car looked like Swiss cheese after a sandblast, the dream would abruptly end.

Rust may have been feared, but it was expected. The question was, how much would need replacing. The answer though, was actually quite miraculous. Only one jacking point had been eaten away by rust.

Both the body and chassis were not only in excellent condition by the standards of a project car, but they were in excellent condition by any standards.

Even the interior had survived well. The carpets weren’t great granted, and the wood needed re-trimming, but

incredibly the leather interior had survived completely unscathed thanks to the seats being fitted with some gaudy leopard print seat covers from new, which for whatever reason, had never been removed.

With knowledge that the Daimler was structurally sound, the restoration began in full swing. The 2.5-litre V8 engine was completely rebuilt, along with the automatic

gearbox. It received new brakes all round, and new wiring. Everything was restored, until it felt like a brand new car.

The wood and the chrome were sent to be refurbished, while the car was prepped for painting. We kept it the original colour – Jaguar golden sand metallic.

Months of tireless work after the car had been dragged from its 38 year slumber, it was finally ready to drive once again.

It was a special moment seeing the finished product. I’d like to think my grandad would have been proud that we went through with restoring it.

Even without the emotional attachment, it’s a mighty special machine. The restoration was so impeccably

done; I can’t imagine there’s another V8-250 in the world that’s in better condition.

Shutting the door, for example, feels like closing the door on a well-built modern car, let alone a car that’s over 50 years old. I’ve never experience a classic car that feels so incredibly fresh, even other ‘freshly restored’ examples.

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DAIMLER V8-250

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DAIMLER V8-250

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DAIMLER V8-250

But despite the restoration it’s not lost any of its character or charm, or most importantly, the smell that I remember when I was seven.

The 2.5-litre V8, the same unit as used in the Daimler SP250, burbles along beautifully. The engine, designed by Edward Turner, was basically two Triumph motorcycle engines welded together which kept the unit exceptionally light while still providing decent power – 140bhp.

This actually gave the Daimler better performance than some of the Jaguar MkII models, but the Daimler certainly wasn’t comparable to drive. The two may have shared many components, but the MkII was more Mr Hyde to the 250’s Dr. Jekyll.

A refined gentleman’s cruiser was more the Daimlers style, as opposed to the MkII, which was loved by bank robbers and the rest of the criminal underworld for it’s speed while carrying four people, and presumably, a bag full of swag.

The Daimlers interior is awash of leather, wood and chrome. The seats are soft and spongy to accentuate the already silky smooth ride quality – it just irons out bumps in the road, even with the factory SELECTARIDE setting on it’s hardest.

On the road the steering is feather light (this one does come with power steering), along with the throttle response, urging you to waft casually from point to point rather than ever put the 140bhp V8 to full use.

It’s a relaxing experience; the soft burbling V8 soundtrack, the supreme comfort and the ease of which it covers ground mean you’re never particularly stressed while at the wheel.

The Borg-Warner automatic gearbox shifts smoothly and seamlessly through the gears, and so far, everything has worked almost perfectly since the rebuild. There have been teething issues, but with a freshly rebuilt car that has to be expected.

But this still doesn’t answer why I use this car as my prime example to non-car people. Yes, it’s sentiment, and a great deal of work for a car that’s been in the family, but quite often people still feel that it’s an object.

Yet this car has a story. And it’s the stories that make cars so interesting, and so characterful. Dig deep enough, and you’ll find that all cars have a story. They’ve been an integral part of people’s lives, and they become a window of immersion into another’s life.

Our Daimler’s story will continue, already it’s set for more adventures in the near future, and it’ll be passed down through the generations so that it can continue to be part of our family’s lives.

My wedding is booked for next year, and while my fiancé was only able to meet my grandad once before he died, using his

car will make it feel like he’s there with us. His soul is a part of this car, and stories like this one is what makes classic car ownership worth all the trials and tribulations.

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FERRARI TESTAROSSA

LAST OF THE BREEDWe take a look at Ferrari’s last ever flat-12

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Is there a car that truly embodies the 1980’s quite like the Ferrari Testarossa? You could argue the accolade should go to the Lamborghini Countach, but the Countach is more a true child of the 70’s. It was mad and over designed in everyway, but didn’t have the futuristic touch of the 1980’s.

No, it’s the Testarossa that’s pure, unbridled 1980’s. It wasn’t like the Lamborghini, which looked like it was designed by someone who sprinkles LSD onto every meal. The Ferrari looked sharp, menacing, and imposing – perfect for the era of excess, and perfect for wealthy businessmen in slick suits outside Wall Street.

It’s something that could only happen in a bygone era. As proven, really, because the Testarossa truly is the last of a breed.

This is the last non-special edition Ferrari fitted with a mid-mounted V12 engine, and it’s the last flat engine the company have used to date.

It was a mighty impressive engine, too. The 4.9-liter flat-12 produced 390bhp, which granted the Testarossa a 0-62mph time of little more than 5 seconds, and a claimed top speed of 180mph, making it the fastest production road car at the time.

The blistering performance didn’t mean that the Testarossa was well liked though. Critics at the time loathed the Ferrari for it’s striking looks, saying the distinctive side-strakes looked like cheese-graters, while renown motor-mouth Jeremy Clarkson said the Testarossa drove like a dog.

Still, plenty of customers didn’t think that, because the Testarossa was one of Ferrari’s best selling models. Mighty impressive, considering it was their flagship. It even outsold their base model 348, with over 10,000 cars being sold from the Testarossa lineage – which includes the original Testarossa, 512 TR and 512 M.

It was probably the imposing presence that the Testarossa has in abundance that helped it sell so well

in the 80’s. The era of excess was all about looking good, and it was difficult to look much better than sat behind the wheel of a striking supercar.

Yes it may have had its critics, but the Pininfarina design was edgy, modern and aggressive, quite a contrast to the more curvaceous 512 BB that it’d replaced.

It was more practical than the car it replaced, too. The Testarossa was longer and wider than the BB, so it offered more room inside the cabin and more storage space.

The Testarossa even drove well. I’m not quite sure what Mr Clarkson was talking about when he said it drove like a dog; steering is sharp and direct, and there’s plenty of grip through the bends.

It has the standard Ferrari trait of not offering second gear until the gearbox has gotten up to temperature, but there’s more than enough torque available that it’ll happily pull from third gear out of first.

The engine is utterly sublime on the road too, sweet and free-revving, and once you’re up in the higher rev range it harmoniously sings rather than scream and shout like most supercars.

And despite its supercar status, it’s actually very easy to drive. It’s wide, yes, and the flared rear arches make tight parking very difficult, but all round visibility is good for a supercar, and the steering is direct and light – as is the clutch, and the gearbox. I once drove a Ferrari Mondial and my left leg ended up the size of a small building by the time I was done.

Perhaps that was what Clarkson was on about. It wasn’t a visceral, hardcore experience that you’d maybe expect from an out and out supercar from Maranello’s finest. But what’s the point in having a car that you can barely use?

The Testarossa inherently feels more like a GT car than a supercar. It seems more content cruising down an open road than being thrashed around a track, and that’s precisely what the majority of owners are going to use it for.

Ride quality seems to suggest that too, it’s a firm ride don’t get me wrong, but it’s not bone-shakingly uncomfortable in the real world like the myriad of track-monsters around.

So this is more of a refined cruiser then. Perfect for long trips down to the south of France rather than blasting around Monza.

FERRARI TESTAROSSA

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FERRARI TESTAROSSA

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FERRARI TESTAROSSA

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And the Testarossa is remarkably refined. The wide body gives passengers plenty of space, and the leather seats are wonderfully comfortable and hold you in place brilliantly. The pedals are slightly offset, so there’s lots of space for your left foot and, strangely for an Italian car from the 80’s, it’s even well built, with no real squeaks or rattles. Even all of the electronics work well.

Not that there are too many electrical components to go wrong on it. The Testarossa doesn’t have a hugely complex ECU to go wrong, in fact, the only issue with the electronics at all in the Ferrari is the wiring tends to degrade as the car ages.

Surprisingly there are quite a lot of robust parts on the Testarossa, making it really rather useable. The interior is robust providing that it’s well cared for, and the plastics used inside don’t seem to have any common issues when it comes to becoming brittle and cracking.

Mechanically, the gearbox is very robust provided it’s not shifted into second gear when it’s cold. If it is then it wears out the synchromesh and begins to graunch under selection.

Even that super complex flat-12 engine is actually reliable, and there are some Testarossa’s around with over 100,000 miles on the clock. The catalytic converters are the main worry, though, as they’ve been known to fail and end up setting on fire – which in turn will set the prancing pony on fire along with it.

Maintenance is a pricey issue too. It’s not as dear as some of the newer models, but expect around £3,000 for a full service.

Pandering after one? Well right now is the best time to buy, they seem to have plateaued in the market currently, and there are a fair few for sale allowing you to pick and choose the best one.

As with anything exotic, you need to check the service history, and steer clear of anything that’s not been maintained regularly by a reputable garage. If it’s not, it’s likely going to start springing up problems, which are always expensive to fix on a Ferrari.

Prices are currently starting at around £90,000 for a Testarossa, while going into six-figures will get you a nice one.

It sounds like an awful lot, granted, but when you compare it to the prices of its predecessor the 512 BB (which are currently going for well over a quarter or a million) they seem like a very good buy indeed.

And lets not forget, the 70’s and 80’s are starting to creep back into fashion, and I can’t imagine it’ll be too long before the Testarossa becomes the most stylish thing on the road again – and when that happens, the prices will have sky rocketed.

Still, if it’s merely mid-engined fun you’re after but don’t quite have the budget to splash out on one of Ferrari’s flagships, then don’t worry, because on the next page we’ve lined up some of the best mid-engined motors that money can buy, all for a rather modest price.

TOP 5

The MR2 was an utter revelation. It was able to do what no other car could at the time, and what very few have been able to emulate since, and wrap performance, reliability, and affordability into a mid-engine sports car.

Launched in 1984, the first generation was unashamedly 80’s. It featured sharp styling as well as sharp handling, and a peppy 1.6-litre four cylinder.

It’s the second generation MR2 that’s I’d plump for though. The design became smoother and sleeker, but the major difference was the engine.

Gone was the 1.6, and in came a meatier 2.0-litre unit.

Over its ten-year lifetime the MR2

underwent numerous changes, and as such there are five revisions available. We suggest steering clear of revision 1 and 2 cars – many came with a much lower power output, either 138bhp or 152bhp, and had a higher tendency for sudden snap oversteer thanks to less sophisticated rear suspension and differential.

Revision 3 onward cars benefited from improved handling characteristics, as well as a healthy 177bhp, sending the MR2 from 0-62mph in 7.7 seconds.

Don’t fret if you’re a speed freak though, a few of the Japanese MR2 Turbo’s have been imported over to Britain. Hunt one of those down and you’re rewarded with nearly 250bhp, and a 0-62mph sprint time of around 6 seconds.

The little Toyota was available in various specifications. Both automatic and manual cars were offered, though the automatic tends to strangle the fun. A T-bar roof can be had if you want the wind in your hair, but look closely to make sure the seals haven’t worn as they have a tendency to leak.

Engines are fairly bulletproof, and can easily run upwards of 200,000 miles with regular maintenance, but check under the carpets and sills for signs of rust and rot.

MR2s are absurdly good value for money. Running examples can be had for as little as £500, while a very good example of a naturally aspirated car will only set you back about £2,000. Imported turbo cars are of course slightly more, but £3,000 to £4,000 will put a nice one in your garage.

AFFORDABLE MID-ENGINED MOTORS

TOYOTA MR2

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Key points:- Starting from £500- Bulletproof reliability- Cheap to maintain- Coupe and T-bar body styles- All turbo cars are imports- Watch out for rust

After that mid-engine supercar experience but can’t quite shell out a six-figure sum for a Testarossa? Well, worry not, because we’ve found some mid-engine motors that can be bought on a much more modest budget.

Perhaps you’re after something with a little bit more badge-appeal? Well, not to worry, as little as £2,500 will grant you one of the most prestigious badges in automotive history.

The Boxster was always, very unfairly, touted as ‘the poor mans 911’, but that phrase always struck me as something said by people that were just envious of owning a Porsche full stop.

‘You own an Italian villa do you? Well, it’s no private island…’

The Boxster is an astonishingly good car, often underappreciated as it competes against the much more expensive 911.

First appearing in 1996, the Boxster came with a 200bhp 2.5-litre flat-6 engine, which was replaced in 1999 with a 2.7-litre flat-6 producing 217bhp. In the same year the Boxster S was released, fitted with a 3.2-litre flat-6 making 250bhp, but expect to pay extra for the bigger motor.

Boxsters are generally well built. They’re German, after all, but the engines can go bang – which means a £5,000 replacement, so make sure to test drive and listen out for any knocking sounds, and make sure it’s got a full service history.

Do the right checks and you could find yourself with a real gem for very little money, and there are very few cheaper ways to get into the Porsche owners club.

Now this one’s more of an oddball, but then, Lancia has never been known for making anything conventional, and that’s precisely why we love them.

If it’s a mid-engine classic with buckets of character you crave, then the Montecarlo has you covered. It just oozes Italian charm. Which is good, since there are plenty of things wrong with the eccentric Lancia.

Thankfully the looks aren’t one of them. It may not be as pretty as the Fulvia, or as phenomenally striking as the Stratos but it’s still drop-dead gorgeous. The lines are near perfect, the rear buttresses look fantastic and even the late 70’s styling cues look right for it.

It’s the same story inside too. There’s lots of leather and glass, making it a thoroughly pleasant place to

be – even with an enormous plastic instrument binnacle in front of you.

It’s roomy too, something you don’t expect with something mid-engined.

The problems start to arise when you take it out on the road however. The engine isn’t bad, granted. It’s not particularly powerful – the 2.0-litre unit made a shade under 120bhp when new, but then it weighs around the same as a carrier bag so it’s plenty nippy enough. Makes a thoroughly enjoyable noise, too.

It’s when you get to a corner that the poor old Lancia falls on its face. The handling is sketchy, to say the least. It doesn’t feel incapable through the corners, but it doesn’t really feel planted so you never feel confident enough to chuck it into a bend.

That might be a feature though, considering Lancia forgot to install any brakes.

It doesn’t matter which model you go for, the Series 1 or the Series 2, both have inherent problems when it comes to stopping. The S1 has a sweet spot under braking the size of a pinhead. Don’t apply the brakes enough and you’ll go careering off the road and into a tree. Too much and you lock up, with the same final results.

Lancia attempted to fix this issue, the only way the Italians could, by removing the brake servo entirely.

Still, it’s a Lancia, and with prices starting at around £10,000 the fear of death at every corner seems like a reasonable trade off for one of the most characterful cars ever made.

PORSCHE BOXSTER

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LANCIA MONTECARLO

Key points:- Starting from £2,500- Brilliant build quality- Sublime handling- Engines must be checked

Key points:- Starting from £10,000- Stunning looks- Buckets of character- Not known for reliability- Sketchy handling- Non-existent brakes

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LOTUS ESPRIT

Key points:- Starting from £15,000- Later models are easier to live with- Turbo cars give epic performance

We’re getting into the big leagues now, after all, any car owned by James Bond has a certain air of prestige to it.

The Esprit was first launched in 1976 and quickly became synonymous with ‘that car that went underwater in The Spy Who Loved Me.’ It was more than just a looker for the silver screen though, the S1 Esprit was more than capable on the roads – at least, when it was working.

Early cars are known for numerous faults and, thanks to 007 fame, have begun rocketing in price – especially if they’re white. So I’d stick to the earlier Series 2 and Series 3 cars, then.

Naturally aspirated Series 2’s look virtually identical to the originals, with turbocharged cars and the Series 3s being given a more widened wedge stance. Nonetheless, whichever car you go for it retains the iconic Giugiaro styling that had been lost slightly with the later cars.

Series 2 cars came with the 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder found in the Series 1, but later came with the revised 2.2-litre unit. Alongside the larger engine, which provided more torque, the chassis became galvanised, but these larger engined Series 2 are incredibly hard to source.

Not as difficult as the even scarcer Essex Turbos though. The first turbocharged Esprit available, only 45 of these were ever made, and it’s the second Esprit to be driven by Britain’s favourite super-spy. The Essex Turbo turned the nimble Esprit into a proper Ferrari-beating supercar, with the 2.2-litre engine producing 210bhp and 270nm of torque, the Essex Turbo could muster 0-60mph in a mere 6.1 seconds.

Surprisingly though, despite the rarity and bond association, prices remain fairly low, and an Essex Turbo can still be picked up for £25,000. Find a good one, and it’s certainly worth holding onto, because they wont stay at that price for much longer.

The last of the Giugiaro styled cars were the Series 3 Esprits. These are the most common to come by, and are currently on the market for around £15,000 for a decent motor.

Along with being the easiest to find, they’re also the most reliable of the earlier cars, and the easiest to live with. The interior was revised and featured new trim; combined with changes to the body moulds this resulted in more headroom and an enlarged footwell.

The S3 also used the more robust 2.2-litre engine, available in both naturally aspirated and turbocharged guise, and had alterations to the chassis and suspension to improve handling.

TOP 5

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FERRARI 348

Key points:- Starting from £35,000- Distinctive styling- Fabulous engine note- Clutches have short lives

Read all the above and still not interested? Well sometimes you have to have the real thing, and perhaps a mid-engined car just isn’t worth having unless it’s emblazoned with a prancing pony. After all, once you have the Ferrari bug, it’s awfully hard to get rid of it.

The one to go for right now is the Ferrari 348, which is the little sister to the larger Testarossa. It came out in 1989 and shared plenty of design cues with its bigger brother, most notably the distinctive side-strakes, and the rear light configuration covered by a black grill.

Ferrari launched three production models for the 348, the TB with a coupe hardtop, the TS complete with a targa top, and then later a spider model. All three were fitted with the 3.4-litre V8 pumping out 300bhp, which sent the 348 from 0-62mph in 5.5 seconds and onto a top speed of 171mph, all while making a thoroughly enjoyable noise.

Despite impressive performance figures, the 348 received poor

reviews when it was launched. Journalists lamented the Ferrari for its already dated feel, and the handling and performance was underwhelming. Build quality was fairly shoddy too at launch, which led journalists to assume reliability would be a fairly hefty issue.

Thankfully though, Maranello’s finest don’t take criticism lightly, and were quick to tweak the 348. It went through numerous changes in its five-year production run, with each revision adding much needed upgrades and improvements to the quality.

1993 saw the biggest changes. Not only was the Spider first introduced, but also the GTB and GTS replaced the TB and TS models respectively, which saw the Ferrari gain a new front spoiler, revised interior and power from the V8 uprated to 320bhp.

When looking at 348s it pays to be picky. Don’t even consider a car that hasn’t got a full history proving that it’s been maintained and serviced by a well-respected specialist. Any 348 without regular maintenance are likely to be trouble.

That’s not to say that a full service history is all you need to check though, plenty can go wrong. If you’re buying an early car the V8s could suffer from extensive chain tensioner wear in the lower drive system, along with failure of the inner support bearing for the cam-drive jackshaft, so it’s definitely worth it being inspected.

Early cars also required more regular servicing, needing a fresh cam belt every two years, while later versions could last out to three years.

All 348s suffer from weak clutches and gearboxes. The clutches tend to last just 10,000 to 15,000 miles. Some cars have a single-plate clutch, but later cars have a multi-plate item that costs twice as much to replace.

The gearbox meanwhile is an expensive fix, so check for slipping or problems selecting gear, and avoid a noisy gearbox all together. Don’t worry about not being able to select second gear when the car is cold though, a common Ferrari issue is that second gear is unavailable until the gearbox has fully warmed up, and there’s more than enough torque to go straight from first into second.

348s were also fitted with an electronic climate control system, which is prone to malfunctioning. Generally, the ECU is the culprit and the replacements aren’t available. Generally it’s down to the soldering at the joints, so a repair is possible, but it’s a specialised job.

If you’re after a 348, be prepared to shell out a lot to keep it going, and of course, this extra prestige from a Ferrari badge isn’t cheap to buy either. 348s start at around £35,000 and are beginning to go up in value, but for that incredible Italian soundtrack, it’s absolutely worth every penny.

OUR GUIDE TO BUYING AN ODDBALL GEM

BUYERS GUIDE

Today, Subaru are known for building tough, rugged, dependable four-wheel drives and hardcore road-going rally-monsters. Back in the 1980’s and early 90’s however, they were known for building small, bland ecoboxes that only appealed to people who knew absolutely nothing about cars.

Subaru were desperate to shed their appalling image, so got in touch with one Giorgetto Guigiaro, and created something utterly absurd.

It was called the SVX, and it was a complete and unmitigated sales disaster, particularly here in the UK, selling only around 230 units.

Don’t think it’s because the oddball Subaru was terrible though, because it wasn’t. In fact, it was absolutely marvellous, just let down by high-prices, badge snobbery, and market misunderstanding.

You see the SVX hit UK shores with a fairly hefty price tag of £27,995. That put it in with some stiff competition from the offset, and buyers weren’t prepared to snub renowned marques for the Subaru.

Add to that people were comparing the SVX to the wrong cars. Yes, it was a decently powerful, 2 door Japanese coupe, much like the Mitsubishi 3000GT, Mazda RX7 and Toyota Supra, but the SVX was no out-and-out sports car.

It was a true grand-tourer, in every sense. Supremely comfortable, astonishingly stylish and with a wonderfully smooth and torquey engine, the SVX was much more akin to the Jaguar XJS than anything else offered from Japan.

Obviously, the main talking point about the SVX is the sleek styling. Subaru went to town on making the SVX as interesting and striking as possible, but it wasn’t all just design for the sake of aesthetics. The ‘window within-a-window’ design is so that you can drive at 70mph with minimal buffeting from the wind, and so that you can drive in the rain without water entering the interior.

Inside there’s room 4, although people in the back wont necessarily be comfortable, but there’s more than enough room for front passengers. The leather sports seats are incredibly comfortable, and while Japan still hadn’t quite mastered the art of luxury in the 1990’s, the alcantara and leather inside was a nice place to sit. Standard equipment was fantastic too, especially for the 1990’s with electrically adjustable drivers seat, electric sunroof, cruise control, central locking and a six speaker stereo system as standard.

The SVX was offered with just one engine choice, a beautiful sounding petrol-powered 3.3-litre boxer flat 6 making 230bhp and 309nm of torque. The power was distributed via a four-wheel drive system, so losing grip was never an issue when throwing the car through the twisties.

Subaru was forced to couple the silky-smooth flat 6 to a four-speed automatic gearbox, as it was the only gearbox Subaru had available to them that could handle the SVX’s torque. Unfortunately, the gearbox was the weakest part of the car. It was perfectly reasonable at speed and provided smooth gear changes, but the four-speed wasn’t much better at handling the torque than any of the other gearbox choices Subaru had, so they tend to last around 60,000 miles before requiring a rebuild.

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WHAT TO LOOK FORHankering this unusual and rare modern classic? There are a few things you’ve got to look out for.

As stated, the gearboxes are weak, so check the service history to see if they’ve undergone a rebuild.

Life of the gearboxes can be improved with some decent gearbox coolant however, so if it’s not already got coolant, make that a priority.

The 3.3-litre flat 6 is a highly complex motor featuring IRIS, Subaru’s variable intake system and four overhead cams operating four valves per cylinder. A single toothed cam belt drives both exhaust cams with intake cam drive coming from helical gears located on the exhaust cams themselves, so make sure it’s smooth and pulls well, as engine repairs are mighty costly.

Make sure the bodywork and glass are in good condition too. Due to its rarity, parts are tough to source; so cracked lights are a big problem. The eccentric window design is also difficult to replace, so if it breaks you may be forced to commission a brand new window.

Currently, prices have hit the floor, partially due to the cars complexity, and partially because no one remembers that it ever existed. You can pick up a good example for as little as £3,000 – but you’ll have to be quick, as they’re slowly starting to rise in value.

The SVX will almost always be a risk. Complex cars have always thrown up a red flag, but equally, they can be some of the most rewarding cars to own. If you’re after a sleek, Italian designed coupe with rarity and exclusivity on its side, then the bizarre Subaru must be in with a shout.