Category: Classic Cars

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LANCIA STRATOS

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At the age of seventeen, Vincenzo Lancia of Turin, Italy switched from being an accountancy clerk with Ceirano Motor Works to being a mechanic. The year was 1898. Shortly afterwards, Ceirano merged with Fiat and the directors of the company very quickly learned of the extraordinary technical skill of young Lancia. He became their chief tester and later, when a worldwide racing program got under way, he became their chief racing driver. When only 25 Lancia was appointed technical advisor to the Fiat Board of Directors. In 1906 he left… Read more

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BMW 303

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BMW – the Bayerische Motoren Werke – launched their first ‘300 Series car’ in 1933. The company’s start as a manufacturer of motor vehicles goes back to 1928 when they acquired the Dixi marque produced at Eisenach. Prior to its entry into car manufacture BMW produced aero engines and motorcycles but in 1928 they entered the motor vehicle business where their main competition came from DKW, Hanomag and Opel. The first car to carry the BMW badge was the 3/15 model introduced in 1929. This was a slightly modified version… Read more

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HISPANO-SUIZA TYPE 68

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Hispano-Suiza cars followed designs developed over a long period and intended for a specific performance and purpose. They were not built to a price in the conventional way and were representative of the very best in automobile design and construction. As such they could best be compared with Bugatti’s cars which were hand-built using very labour- intensive methods. The Hispano-Suiza was marketed around the same period as the Bugatti Royale. However, whilst the Royale had a very limited production believed to be around six or maybe seven cars, Hispano-Suiza built… Read more

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PLYMOUTH VOLARE

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  In the USA the Plymouth’s Volare replaced the Valiant in 1976. Introduced in 1960, the Valiant had had a very long model run proving to be such reliable transport that it was kept in production for 16 years as good sales continued to be sustained. The slightly sportier Dodge version was initially named the Lancer, then later the Dart. The key to its success was the performance of the OHV Slant-Six engine which was available as either a 2.7-litre version developing 85kW or a more powerful 3.6-litre version. The… Read more

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AMC JAVELIN

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The AMC Javelin was released in the American autumn of 1967 and was intended to finally give AMC a car to counter the Mustang. It was born from the marriage of Nash, Rambler and Hudson and followed a series of cars released after the Mustang first appeared in 1965, none of which were any match for it either in looks or performance. In its SST form the Javelin had a 5.62-litre 209kW V8 motor which placed it in between Mustang’s highest and lowest output and closely aligned it with its… Read more

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HUDSON HORNET

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Hudson is another brand that is no longer produced. Although it started in 1909, by the early 1950s the brand had been acquired by Nash and went into limbo. If Hudson is to be remembered for anything it should be for their innovative engineers who were able to produce good designs with very limited budgets. In 1954 Hudson launched its Hornet which replaced the aged 1948 model that had proved unable to compete with the V8s from other manufacturers. Although the Hornet had only an L-section six-cylinder 5.0-litre engine which… Read more

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LAMBORGHINI ESPADA

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Released in 1968, Espada was Lamborghini’s first four-seat vehicle and its biggest selling model for years. Encapsulating an exceptional approach to technical innovation, thanks to the front-mounted 4.0-litre Lamborghini V12 engine it was always an extremely fast grand tourer despite the step up in size. It could comfortably seat four adults and had more space for both luggage and passengers than the 400 GT 2+2 (its predecessor) and the Isler 400 GT 2+2. In addition, Espada featured truly outstanding finish, with generous amounts of leather and other refined materials, as… Read more

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ASTON MARTIN DB5

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The Aston Martin DB5 shot to fame as the car of secret service agent James Bond in the 1964 film Goldfinger. It is an icon, an enduring symbol of British prestige, whose importance to automotive history cannot be overstated. Of the 123 DB5 Convertibles built, just one was ordered and owned by Aston Martin Lagonda chairman Sir David Brown, who gave his initials to the car. Delivered to Sir David in January of 1964, the car was built to the highest spec, with a then-new five-speed ZF gearbox, a Power… Read more

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FORD KUGA 2012 – 2016

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Like many SUVs these days Ford Kuga is aimed at those who have always loved Fords and are keen to have the advantage of a taller vehicle that can carry relatively bulky loads. And those who aren’t as young as they used to be will find it easier to get in and out of a vehicle with seats at hip height, rather than knee high. Many Kugas are two-wheel drive vehicles, others have all-wheel-drive and can be used to explore interesting bush tracks and fire trails. Ground clearance is generally… Read more

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CHEVROLET IMPALA

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The Chevrolet Impala was the perfect example of exuberance in the 1960s American car styling. In spite of its fins, chrome and mock elements, or perhaps because of them, the Impala achieved sales of almost half a million cars in 1960. Like other American car manufacturers, the Chevrolet division of General Motors offered buyers a large choice of engines, transmissions and body styles. Engine options ranged from a standard 3.8-litre straight six right up to a 5.7-litre Turbothrust V8. Power outputs of these options ranged from 172 kW at 4800… Read more