Author: Paul Hardiman

Paul Hardiman has written for a variety of British car magazines since 1983. His motorsport career includes racing in the Goodwood Revival and navigating everything from an A35 to a 300SLR. He has been SCM’s English-car specialist since 2007.

1983 Renault 5 Turbo

Not to be confused with the conventional front-wheel-drive Renault 5 Gordini Turbo or GT Turbo, the Renault 5 Turbo (and later Turbo 2) was a mid-engined homologation special built in limited numbers for professional rallying between 1979 and 1986. Renault’s considerable Formula One-derived turbocharging expertise was applied to the humble […]

1969 Ford GT40

One of the little-known aspects of Ford’s GT40 program was the company’s early interest in civilizing it for the road as the Mk III, to be marketed as an exotic halo model. To that end, 20 late-production GT40 chassis were commissioned in late 1966 by Ford headquarters in Detroit for […]

1960 Jaguar XK 150 S 3.8

Launched in 1957, the Jaguar XK 150 was the third and final iteration of the XK series, following on from the XK 120 and XK 140. Available as both a fixed-head coupe or a drophead coupe, the XK 150 featured updated styling and various mechanical improvements, including four-wheel disc brakes. […]

2010 Morgan Aero SuperSports

It may look vintage with its chromed radiator grille and separate fender wings, but there is nothing remotely old-fashioned about the engineering of the Morgan Aero SuperSports — or the way it performs. Introduced for Morgan’s centenary in 2010, the Aero SuperSports was a targa top-equipped evolution of the revolutionary […]

1930 Bentley 4½ Litre

Garnering its first Le Mans victory in 1924, in just its fifth year of existence, the Bentley marque cemented its reputation for speed and endurance with a string of successive wins at the French classic from 1927 through 1930. Introduced in chassis form at the Olympia Motor Show in October […]

1954 Aston Martin DB2/4 Bertone Drophead Coupe

The Bertone-bodied Aston Martins of the 1950s paired Italian design flair with solid British engineering. One of only two DB2/4 chassis built with this striking convertible body style, and possessing a fascinating provenance, LML506 is an important coachbuilt Aston Martin from the early years of the David Brown era. Based […]

2017 Jaguar XKSS Continuation

There are few modern sports cars around which legends gather more thickly than the Jaguar XKSS. Following the company’s withdrawal from racing after the 1956 season, a number of both completed and incomplete D-types remained in factory stock and unsold. The decision was made to convert these cars to road-going […]

1962 Lotus Elite Series II

The important origin of the Lotus street car Desirable Series II model with ZF close-ratio gearbox Coventry Climax FWE engine with twin Weber carburetors Cosmetically restored; engine rebuilt for former owner by Tony Mantle

1955 Aston Martin DB3S

The DB3S debuted in 1953 as the successor to the DB3, the first purpose-built sports racing car developed under David Brown. Designed by Frank Feeley and featuring a twin-cam, straight-6 engine, the DB3S was successfully raced by the Aston Martin Works team as well as privateers. This DB3S, chassis 102, […]

1924 Vauxhall 30-98 OE-Type Wensum Tourer

One of the ancient marques of motoring, Vauxhall’s history can be traced back to 1857, when Scottish engineer Alexander Wilson established a firm specializing in marine engines at the Vauxhall Iron Works. The first automobile to bear the Vauxhall name arrived in 1903; by the end of the decade, the […]