Paul Hardiman has written for a variety of British car magazines since 1983, including Classic and Sports Car.
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.
Articles in Sports Car Market
Here are the latest articles from Paul:
1995 Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Ti DTM – Photos courtesy Bonhams Cars. A pinnacle of European sedan racing is ready to run and fairly sold This car, SE062004, was built in the 1995 season of the DTM series for the factory driver Alessandro Nannini, as stated in an internal letter from Alfa Corse dated January 9, 1995, which may be found in the… Read more
1985 Aston Martin V8 Vantage – In 1978, Aston Martin thoroughly updated its V8 grand-tourer model and gave it the curious “Oscar India” moniker, a pronunciation of the internal designation “OI” — for “October Introduction” — using the phonetic alphabet. Numerous revisions brought significant improvements in luxury, refinement and performance across the range. Higher-specification V8 Vantage models featured a blanked front… Read more
1990 Renault 5 GT Turbo – Introduced in February 1985, the original Renault 5 GT Turbo used what — even by the standards of the day — would seem an unpromising engine for a sporting car. A 1.4-liter 8-valve pushrod-4, the 5 GT’s engine punched well above its weight thanks to Renault’s turbocharging technology, a spin-off from the French manufacturer’s successful… Read more
1955 Bristol 450 Le Mans Coupe – Any car-mad schoolboy of the early 1950s would have coveted the contemporary Dinky Toy model of this breathtakingly futuristic-looking aerodynamic Le Mans racing coupe. At the 1954 edition of the renowned daylong French endurance race, the British factory team of three such Bristol 450s purred past the checkered flag to finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd… Read more
1984 Peugeot 205 GTI 1.6 – At the Geneva Motor Show in March 1984, Peugeot presented the 205 GTI, a sporty version of the 205 city car it had launched a year earlier. Initially offered in a 1.6-L, 105-hp version, in March 1986 it became available with 115 hp as an option, and by the end of that year the option… Read more
1929 Bentley 4½ Litre Supercharged Le Mans Tourer – There are few sounds in motorsport quite as evocative as a Blower Bentley at full chat — a gruff explosion of noise and power only matched by the guttural howl of a Vulcan bomber. Unapologetically loud, dirty, and fearsomely quick, the model earned a legion of fans throughout the 1920s and 1930s despite never winning… Read more
1931 Frazer Nash Interceptor – Frazer Nash was founded in 1922 by Captain Archibald Frazer-Nash, who in partnership with H R Godfrey had been producing the GN cyclecar. Designed by Godfrey and Frazer-Nash, the GN was Britain’s first and best-known cyclecar. The two young engineers set up shop initially in Hendon, North London, whence the first GN emerged in December… Read more
1936 Lagonda LG45 4½-Litre Rapide-Style Sports Tourer – A 1937 model built late in 1936, this outstandingly attractive rebodied Lagonda is modeled after the definitive LG45R Rapide of the mid-1930s. It is one of a batch of six original LG45s converted to Rapide specification — in this case including the correct T9 gearbox — during the 1980s by the co-operative venture known as The… Read more
1961 Jaguar E-Type 3.8 Convertible – Sir William Lyons’ leadership allowed Jaguar to flourish. He had appointed the gifted engineer, pilot and racing technical wizard Frank RW “Lofty” England to lead the company’s racing department. Applying his experience working with Tim Birkin’s team and the Blower Bentley cars, as well as Prince Bira’s White Mouse Stable, in preparing his ERA race… Read more
1957 Jaguar XKSS – Jaguar had withdrawn from racing following the 1956 season and was left with a number of D-types remaining unsold in their factory stock. An idea was had that the cars could be converted to roadgoing specification and sold into the American market. The conversion, as it were, involved removing the large headrest fairing and tailfin… Read more
1963 AC MA-200 Convertible Prototype – One of the British motor industry’s more fascinating “might-have-beens,” this beautiful open roadster is an indication of what might have replaced the AC Ace had the company not been occupied building Carroll Shelby’s Cobra. The car’s curious “MA” chassis number prefix is assumed to refer to AC’s Polish engineer Zdzislaw Marczewski, a former RAF bomber… Read more
1987 Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500 – The original Ford Sierra RS Cosworth was the first Ford to wear the Cosworth badge and was presented to the public at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1985. Launched for sale in July 1986, and based on the 3-door Sierra body shell, it was designed by Ford’s Special Vehicle Engineering (SVE) and was powered… Read more
1961 AC Greyhound – First seen at the 1959 London Motor Show, the four-seater AC Greyhound was the second coupe based on the Ace roadster, the first being the two-seater Aceca, whose lines were successfully adapted to suit the larger car. Like the Aceca’s, the Greyhound’s extremely shapely and attractive body was constructed in hand-formed aluminium over a tubular… Read more
1949 MG TC – By the 1950s, MG had come a long way from its roots as an offshoot of Morris Motors and had cemented a place as an innovative builder of sporting road and competition cars. Released in 1945, the TC provided a marginally wider body than its pre-war TB predecessor, and now featured a part-synchromesh gearbox. More… Read more
1950 Aston Martin 2 Litre Sports Drophead Coupe (DB1) – This 2 Litre Sports is a fine example of the model that ushered in the David Brown era at Aston Martin. Successful industrialist Brown had bought the struggling Aston Martin concern in 1946, and the following year added Lagonda to his expanding motor-manufacturing empire. When Brown bought Aston Martin he acquired the Atom — a… Read more
1904 Swift 7HP 2-Seater – This early single-cylinder Swift was purchased by the vendor’s grandfather in 1931 from a farmer in Eversley, Berkshire. Since then, the car has completed no fewer than 57 London to Brighton Runs plus numerous other events and rallies. It has only failed to finish on four occasions, and in 1968 successfully completed the Run despite… Read more
1953 Bentley R-Type Continental – After creating some lightweight bodies on the Bentley Mark VI chassis, coachbuilding firm H.J. Mulliner was contracted to design and construct the R-type Continental prototype, affectionately named “Olga.” Exhaustive road testing resulted in modification of the gearbox to a direct-ratio top gear and a lowered rear-axle ratio for enhanced performance. These modifications provided high-speed touring… Read more
1969 Monteverdi 375S Coupe – During the 1960s, American V8 power was seen by independent European manufacturers as a means of creating a luxury Grand Tourer to compete with the more exotic offerings of long-established firms like Ferrari, Maserati and Aston Martin. AC, Jensen, Facel and Iso, among others, all went down this route, as did Swiss BMW dealer Peter… Read more
1938 Alvis 4.3-Litre Short-Chassis Drophead Coupe – Pre-war development of the 6-cylinder Alvis culminated in the announcement in August 1936 of the 4.3-Litre, designed by the company’s distinguished Chief Engineer, Captain George Smith-Clarke. The 4.3-Litre was based on the 3½-liter Speed 25 introduced the previous year, powered by an enlarged version of Alvis’ new seven-bearing, overhead-valve engine producing 137 horsepower on triple… Read more
1991 Ford RS200 – As the copy of a letter from Ford Motorsport, signed by Bob Howe [Ford’s RS200 program sales chief] and dated October 15, 1991, indicates, this RS200 was sold new to a Swedish enthusiast for £57,498. It was one of the few RS200s to have been finished in dark red when it came off the production… Read more
1937 Jaguar SS 100 Roadster – Launched for 1936, the SS100 was the first real high-performance model produced by SS Cars Limited and used a new Weslake-developed overhead-valve engine in a shortened SS1 chassis. The introduction of the OHV unit was considered to justify the adoption of a new name for the series, SS Cars boss William Lyons later recalling, “I… Read more
2017 Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato – Aston Martin and Zagato have enjoyed a long but fitful association. They first collaborated in 1960, when the British carmaker asked the Italian coachbuilder to reinvent its DB4GT competition model for the following season. Despite its success, but no doubt on account of the small number of cars built, it would be another 25 years… Read more
1960 Bristol 406 Zagato Coupe – “The Bristol Zagato Grand Touring model is designed to cater for those who desire an even faster car than the standard type 406 saloon. The Bristol Zagato is lighter and smaller, with a tuned version of the 406 Bristol engine. The lightweight 2-door coachwork has been built to the requirements of Anthony Crook Motors Limited… Read more
1970 Aston Martin DB6 Mk II – With the DB6 Mk II’s introduction in June 1969, the final incarnation of the original DB Series, begun in 1958 by the DB4, had arrived. The option of AE Brico fuel injection was the most significant mechanical development, while flared wheelarches, necessitated by the adoption of the wider DBS wheels, were the most obvious. In… Read more
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 1.4-liter overhead-valve engine, resulting in… Read more
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 the planned Mk III program.… Read more
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. The car was originally launched… Read more
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 Morgan Aero 8. The first… Read more
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 1927, the 4½ Litre combined… Read more
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 in Chicago, S.H. “Wacky” Arnolt… Read more
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 specification, for sale to the… Read more
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 Read more
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, is one of three Almond… Read more
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 firm was building a series… Read more
1962 Bentley S3 Continental Drophead Coupe – One of the most notable characteristics of this car is that it was bought new by Eddie Fisher, who was married at the time to Elizabeth Taylor. It is easy to imagine this impossibly glamorous couple cruising the streets of Los Angeles and, especially, Las Vegas, between the casinos sparkling away in the starlit night.… Read more
1967 Aston Martin DB6 Volante – First shown at the London Motor Show in October 1965, the Aston Martin DB6 proudly followed in the footsteps of its predecessor, now famous for starring alongside James Bond on the silver screen. The drop-top DB6 Volante was released a year later. Adding the thrill of open-air motoring to an already sophisticated motorcar, the DB6… Read more
1973 Ford Escort 1600 Mexico – The Ford Escort Mexico was introduced in November 1970 and was so named because of Ford Motor Company’s victory in the World Cup Rally, which started in London on April 19, 1970, and finished some 16,000 miles later in Mexico. Originally, Ford intended to use Escorts with the Twin-Cam or BDA engine, but after some… Read more
1971 Trident Clipper Coupe – The Trident Clipper started out as a Trevor Fiore styling exercise commissioned by TVR and exhibited at the Geneva Salon in 1965. When the Blackpool-based sports-car maker went through one of its many financial crises, the Clipper project was acquired by Bill Last, one of its dealers. Early Clippers used the TVR Grantura chassis before… Read more
1931 Invicta 4½-Litre S-Type Low-Chassis Sports “Scout” – In an era when most cars stood tall, the 4½-Litre S-type Invicta, with its dramatically lowered chassis, caused a sensation. Few sports cars before or since have so looked the part. The Invicta Company’s origins go back to 1924, when Noel Macklin and Oliver Lyle, both of whom had motor-industry experience, got together to create… Read more
1961 Aston Martin DB4GT “Lightweight” – The sixth-from-last Aston Martin DB4GT, chassis number 0169R, is one of only nine cars completed to lightweight specification by the factory, as evidenced by the accompanying copy guarantee form, which lists the body type as Saloon (Lightweight). Despite its tremendous rarity and value, the DB4GT remains a popular entrant at major historic racing events such… Read more1926 Bentley 3 Litre Red Label Speed Model Tourer – Leading marque authority Clare Hay’s definitive work, Bentley — The Vintage Years, records that chassis PH1469 was completed in April 1926 and was first owned by JWC McLaren. The car left the factory fitted with engine number PH1470 (the same as it has today) and was registered as GD 2250. One of 513 Speed Models… Read more
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Bond Movie Promo Car – The third of just four “Goldfinger” DB5 examples built, this Aston Martin is a fabulously rare example of what author Dave Worrall termed “The Most Famous Car in the World,” as he titled his 1993 book on the subject. Quite simply the most iconic car of all time, DB52008R is the most legendary Aston Martin… Read more
1961 Jaguar E-Type 3.8 Flat-Floor Coupe – This rare early E-type left the factory in November 1961 finished in Gunmetal metallic with red trim. Its late owner purchased the car from The E-type Centre, Chilcote, Staffordshire, in November 2002 (purchase receipt on file). Previously registered EMM 8, the car had been fully restored by The E-Type Centre immediately prior to delivery, as… Read more
1936 Bentley 4½ Litre Vanden Plas Tourer – This is one of six WO Bentley 4½ Litre cars assembled by the Service Department from New Old Stock and reconditioned parts in 1936. Of the six RC Series 4½ Litre cars completed, chassis RC41 is the only one to retain its original coachwork (the other five have been rebodied as Le Mans-style Tourers). As… Read more
1928 Bentley 6½ Litre Four-Light Weymann Fabric Sports Saloon – This year, the Bentley marque passes its centenary. It is a huge achievement, not least because throughout those 100 years it is a company that has always been associated with the utmost sporting and luxurious cars. That reputation was founded on the basis of magnificent automobiles like the 6½ Litre offered here today, cars which… Read more
1954 Arnolt-Bristol Bolide – Having made his fortune during World War II, Chicago-based industrialist Stanley Harold “Wacky” Arnolt II was able to indulge his lifelong love of automobiles, and by 1952 was a regional BMC distributor and U.S. distributor for Bristol cars. In 1952, a visit to Carrozzeria Bertone led to Arnolt buying a stake in the Italian company… Read more
1934 Aston Martin 1½ Litre Mark II Short Chassis – Manufactured by Robert Bamford and Lionel Martin, the first Aston-Martins (the hyphen is correct for the period) rapidly established a reputation for high performance and sporting prowess in the years immediately following The Great War. Unfortunately, the management’s concentration on motor sport, while accruing invaluable publicity, distracted it from the business of manufacturing cars for… Read more
1958 Austin-Healey Sprite Mk 1 Works Rally – First registered in November 1958, chassis no. AN57565 was prepared by Donald Healey and his team for the 1959 Monte Carlo, Sestriere and Alpine rallies. It would go on to be the only Works Rally Austin Healey Frogeye Sprite produced. Its early history was detailed in John Sprinzel and Tom Coulthard’s book Spritely Years. The… Read more
What’s Going On With Late Landies? – Quite a few Land Rovers crossed the block at Bonhams’ July 13 Goodwood Festival of Speed auction, but three Landies in particular give us an interesting glimpse at the current market. All three of the recent Land Rovers sold way over their estimates, while the 1963 80-inch Series I was bang on the money. What… Read more
Fast Fun and Tender Care – The Lotus Esprit was launched in 1976 as a replacement for the Europa. The Esprit had a similar backbone chassis, but it was larger and more luxurious, as Lotus founder Colin Chapman forever wanted to push the company’s output upmarket to maximize profits — which is what was largely propping up the racing team. A… Read more
1955 Jaguar XK 140 SE Coupe by Michelotti – Chassis S814286 was built on May 25, 1955, as a left-hand-drive XK 140 SE coupe. The Jaguar was delivered new in France via the French distributor, Charles Delecroix, to its first owner, Mme. Jeanne Gaymard in Paris. It is the 286th left-hand-drive coupé built, with body number J4457. The original colour scheme was cream with… Read more
1931 Bentley 8 Litre Tourer – This magnificent 8 Litre is one of only 100 such cars produced by W.O. Bentley, of which only some 80 or so survive. Originally bodied as a limousine by Thrupp & Maberly, it was sent directly to Singapore, where its Chinese owner used the Bentley for sporting adventures with his lady friends. The Bentley was… Read more
1968 Morgan Plus 8 – Searching for new engines in the 1960s, Morgan concluded a deal with Rover for supply of its all-aluminum 3.5-liter V8, thus creating a car — the Plus 8 — that combined vintage charm with Cobra-like grunt. Morgan’s Plus 4 chassis, strengthened and extended, formed the basis of the new car, while the existing Moss 4-speed… Read more
Tempting Turbos – Visit any of the U.K.’s regional classic-car auctions, and you’ll almost always encounter at least one big Bentley or Rolls-Royce of the 1980s and 1990s — invariably with an affordable-looking price estimate. These imposing — if slabby-sided — automobiles are some of the last cars to be hand-built before the Rolls-Royce/Bentley split and sale into… Read more
1958 Triumph TR3A Works Rally Roadster – Standard-Triumph entered four Triumph TR3As for the 1958 Monte Carlo Rally. The cars carried near-sequential registration numbers: VRW 220 for Paddy Hopkirk/Jack Scott, VRW 221 for John Waddington/Mike Wood, VRW 223 for Maurice Gatsonides/Marcel Becquart and VRW 219 for Annie Soisbault/Tish Ozanne. Poor weather delayed Waddington in VRW 221 — this car — and he… Read more
1964 Aston Martin DB5 – Chassis 1653R was completed at Newport Pagnell on July 3, 1964, and delivered on September 22, 1964, to Bryce, Hamer & Isherwood, Paul McCartney’s accountants at the time. McCartney ordered the car prior to his departure for the Beatles’ world tour in the summer of 1964. The DB5 was subsequently registered in the musician’s name.… Read more
1993 Jaguar XJ 220 Coupe – The words “supercar” and “sensational” are often to be found in conjunction, and no more justifiably so than in the case of Jaguar’s fabulous XJ 220. Worthy successor to the multiple Le Mans-winning C-type and D-type Jaguars of the 1950s, the XJ 220 grabbed the headlines just as its illustrious forebears had done in previous… Read more
1962 Daimler SP250 “Police Spec” Convertible – This beautiful SP250 is one of 26 purchased by the Metropolitan Police, and details of its acquisition and service record are on file together with a charming photograph showing the Daimler on parade. For 13 seasons, 670 ELL was used as a course car at the Goodwood Revival Meeting, being driven around the circuit before… Read more
1955 Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback by Mulliner – 2017 Bentley Drivers Club Concours Best in Class winner Offered from single-family ownership since 1983 Formerly owned by Victor Gauntlett; known history from new Matching-numbers factory 4.9 engine, manual transmission and lightweight seats from new Excellent condition, with a recent engine rebuild and a lovingly patinated interior Offered with copies of factory build sheets and… Read more
1956 Aston Martin DBR1 – Coming from the finest of all Aston Martin collections, owned by a fastidious perfectionist, DBR1/1 is not only the best presented of the five DBR1s produced, it is also without question the most correct, down to the smallest of details, inside and out. With its impeccable provenance and enviable racing record, during which this Aston… Read more
1968 Ford Escort Twin-Cam Competition Saloon – The arrival of the Escort Twin Cam at the start of 1968 marked the second phase of Ford U.K.’s production-car-based competitions program that had commenced with the Lotus Cortina. That had used the Ford-based 1.6-liter Lotus Twin Cam engine, and combining this unit with the smaller and lighter Escort body shell proved an inspired… Read more
1964 Aston Martin DB5 – Introduced in July 1963, the Aston Martin DB5 boasted a 4-liter engine, this enlarged unit having been seen first in the Lagonda Rapide of 1961. Equipped with three SU carburetors, the 400 engine produced 282 bhp at 5,500 rpm and was mated to a 4-speed/overdrive gearbox, a ZF 5-speed unit being standardized later. The DB5’s… Read more
Shedding Its Former Life – Necessity being the mother of invention, and Brits being a nation of inveterate tinkerers, gave us “Men in Sheds” — a breed whose inventor/engineer mentality has won fame for fashioning functional devices out of parts that have no business near each other. Thus, it was natural that redundant cars would become recycled or repurposed during… Read more
1957 Jaguar Mk I 3.4 Saloon – This car came equipped with the optional overdrive, disc brakes, wire wheels and lead-bronze bottom-end bearing shells. Completed on September 26, 1957, the Jaguar was registered FWB 1, and in January 1958 set off for France on the Monte Carlo Rally carrying competitor number 253. Owner Frank Brown’s co-drivers were Edwin J. Snusher and Graham… Read more
Britain’s Not-So-Affordable Range Rover – This is supposed to be the “Affordable Classic” strand, but Range Rovers aren’t very affordable — in their home country, at least. They’ve always been expensive to buy and run, but interest in the early cars, especially those with Suffix A (pre-1972) chassis numbers, has been rising steadily over the past decade, perhaps stoked by… Read more
2013 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport 300 – This Veyron was purchased new by its first owner and delivered in August 2012. It was born as one of 48 1,200-horsepower Veyron 16.4 Super Sports and was one of eight delivered new to the United States, perhaps being the only example in this color combination. As evidenced by documentation accompanying the car, 269 of… Read more
2004 Noble M12 GTO 2.5 – British entrepreneur, car designer and engineer Lee Noble founded Noble Automotive Ltd. in 1999. Using experience from his time spent at Ascari, Noble quickly established his company’s commitment to designing and manufacturing high-performance sports cars with a mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. As chief designer, he oversaw the evolution of the company’s first model, the M10, into… Read more
1997 Audi A4 Quattro Super Touring Sedan – In the late 1990s, manufacturer-backed teams would come to dominate touring-car series around the world. One of the most pre-eminent was Audi, which spared no expense in its pursuit of the top of the podium. Using its base A4 Quattro as a platform, Audi developed the car significantly and turned it into a race winner.… Read more2012 Aston Martin V12 Zagato – Immediately recognizable as not only an Aston Martin, but one with Zagato coachwork, the V12 Zagato is clothed in lightweight hand-rolled aluminum and carbon-fiber body panels. Underneath the gorgeous coachwork was Aston Martin’s highest-specification Vantage drivetrain to date: the company’s competition-proven 5,935-cc 4-cam V12 engine that produced 510 bhp, mated to a 6-speed manual transaxle.… Read more
1960 Aston Martin DB4GT – The stars aligned for David Brown and Aston Martin upon the introduction of the all-new DB4 model in late 1958. A competition-oriented variant, the DB4GT, was formally introduced in September 1959 at the London Motor Show, based on the race-winning prototype DP1991. The GT was shorter, lighter and more powerful than the production DB4. The… Read more
1967 Iso Grifo GL Series I – The Grifo GL offered here is one of about 34 right-hand-drive Series I examples produced. It was acquired by the current owner as a solid original car in 1986 and was subsequently sent to a restorer to be refinished in burgundy. The work was never carried out, and the car spent over two decades in… Read more
1949 Aston Martin DB Team Car – This extremely significant Aston Martin Grand Touring coupe is none other than a Le Mans 24-Hour race finisher, having been driven into 7th place (3rd in class) in the first post-war Grand Prix d’Endurance — run on June 25–26, 1949 — at the legendary Sarthe circuit. Two weeks later, on July 10–11, 1949, it was… Read more
2000 Aston Martin Vantage V600 Le Mans Coupe – This limited-edition, right-hand-drive Vantage Le Mans — number 9 of the 40 made — was delivered new to the current owner equipped with many extras, including the factory V600 package and the close-ratio 6-speed manual gearbox, making this car one of only four built to that specification. Its green exterior color (RM 5235A) is unique… Read more
1952 Bentley R-type Saloon – The name “Bentley Boys” was given to the group of wealthy young sportsmen who single-handedly kept W.O. Bentley’s company alive in its early years by buying, promoting and racing its products. Mike Couper, a new-car distributor and gentleman sportsman of some renown, was one of these, partnering with “Tim” Birkin to build the famous supercharged… Read more
1955 Jaguar XK 140 SE Coupe – In October 1954, the Jaguar XK 120’s replacement was launched and given the name XK 140. The new car offered more interior space — a result of the engine being moved forward three inches — and more precise rack-and-pinion steering was fitted. The fixed-head coupe iteration offered 2+2 seating. The standard engine produced 190 horsepower,… Read more
1953 EMW 327 Cabriolet – The acquisition of the Dixi Works at Eisenach in 1928 provided BMW, hitherto a manufacturer of aero engines and motorcycles, with a foothold in motor manufacturing. Dixi’s built-under-license version of the Austin Seven was gradually developed and improved, ending up with swing-axle suspension and overhead valves. Then, in 1933, came the first true BMW —… Read more
1956 Fiat-Bartoletti Tipo 306 Race Car Transporter – This is the Maserati factory team’s transporter of its World Championship-winning Fangio 250F season of 1957 — and which would also have taken Fangio’s Piccolo 250F (Chassis 2533) to the last race of his glittering career at Reims in 1958. It was subsequently acquired by Lance Reventlow for his Team America Scarab assault upon the… Read more
1935 Aston Martin Ulster 2/4 Seater Tourer – Manufactured by Robert Bamford and Lionel Martin, the first Aston-Martins (the hyphen is correct for the period) rapidly established a reputation for high performance and sporting prowess in the years immediately following World War I. The foundations were laid for proper series production with the formation of Aston Martin Motors Ltd. in 1926 under… Read more
1968 Triumph TR5 Roadster – Similar to the preceding TR4A — the first TR with independent rear suspension — but with Triumph’s 2.5-liter, 6-cylinder engine installed in place of the old 2.1-liter four, the TR5 was produced during the 1968 model year only (October 1967 to November 1968) pending the arrival of the restyled TR6. The bulk of production was… Read more
1974 Jensen Interceptor Series III Sports Saloon – With the Interceptor saloon’s introduction in 1967, Jensen had switched from glassfibre to steel for its car bodies. Underneath, the preceding C-V8’s robust chassis, running gear and 6,276-cc Chrysler engine remained substantially unchanged. With around 280 bhp on tap, performance was more than adequate, The Motor recording a top speed of 140 mph with 100… Read more
1938 Jaguar SS 100 2½-Liter Roadster – Launched in 1936 alongside the 2½-liter saloon, the SS 100 Jaguar sports car marked the company’s first use of the Jaguar name. Beautifully styled in the manner of its SS 90 predecessor, the newcomer employed a shorter, 102-inch wheelbase chassis and a revised version of the 2,663-cc Standard Six which produced 104 bhp. In 1938,… Read more
1969 Aston Martin DB6 Mk I Vantage Sports Saloon – The culmination of Aston Martin’s long-running line of DB 6-cylinder sports saloons and thus considered by many to be the last real Aston, the DB6 had been introduced in 1965, updating the DB5. Although recognizably related to the Touring-styled DB4 of 1958, the DB6 abandoned the Carrozzeria Touring-developed Superleggera body structure of its predecessors in… Read more
1959 Jaguar XK 150S 3.4 Roadster – The final glorious incarnation of Jaguar’s fabulous XK series of sports cars arrived in 1957. The XK 150 was a progressive development of the XK 120 and XK 140, retaining the same basic chassis, 3.4-liter engine and 4-speed Moss transmission of its predecessors while benefiting from a new, wider body that provided increased interior space… Read more
1992 Jaguar XJ 220 – The XJ 220 prototype was unveiled to the world in Birmingham in 1988. The car was greeted with enthusiasm, and the decision was taken to produce a limited series of 350 examples. As Jaguar was not set up to produce such a small series, the build project was given to Jaguar-Sport, a joint venture between… Read more
1955 Austin-Healey 100S Sports Racing Two Seater – During the 1950s, the most accessible, most appealing, and in many cases, the most successful club racing car available to any aspiring racing driver was one of the products of the Donald Healey Motor Company’s famous factory at The Cape, Warwick. This particularly appealing, and in period highly successful, Austin-Healey 100S is a shining example… Read more
1964 Austin Mini Cooper 1275 S Competition Saloon – DPE 608B was purchased new by the current vendor on August 12, 1964, from BMC dealer Jackson’s Garages of Godalming, Surrey. The Mini was primarily his road car but was raced whenever the opportunity arose. Early outings included Rufforth and Cadwell Park, both in September 1964, and Goodwood on March 13, 1965 (original program on… Read more
1970 Land Rover Range Rover – The original Spen King-designed Range Rover was one of the British motor industry’s proudest success stories. When it went out of production at the end of 1996, it still looked as fresh and forward-thinking as it did back in 1970, when one was chosen for an exhibit in the Louvre as an example of modern… Read more
1936 Lagonda LG45R Rapide Sports-Racing Two-Seater – This is the most famous Lagonda of all. Special competition variants of the LG45 were tailor-made at Staines Bridge for the Lagonda company’s experienced and battle-hardened quasi-Works racing team: Fox & Nicholl Limited of Tolworth, Surrey. Just as Enzo Ferrari’s private Scuderia ran the quasi-Works Alfa Romeo team cars from 1932 to ’37, so Fox… Read more
Two Mercedes-Benz 190SL Cars, One Price Gap – Production of the Mercedes-Benz 190SL Roadster can be credited to New York importer Max Hoffman, who foresaw that the competition success of the 300SL Gullwing would translate into something that he could easily sell in America. The 190SL was first displayed as a show car at New York in 1954. This high-quality, two-seat roadster was… Read more
1964 Aston Martin DB5 Sports Saloon Project – Undoubtedly one of the “must-have” cars as well as James Bond’s iconic vehicle, the DB5 continues to generate immense interest among car collectors, owners and users. Understandably so, as the total production of all DB5s over a two-year period was only a little over 1,000 cars. Born of the frustration that Harold Beach had encountered… Read more
1970 Aston Martin DBS Sports Saloon – This famous Aston Martin DBS was manufactured in the spring of 1970, complete with special modifications for its role in the British television series “The Persuaders!” in which star Roger Moore drove it in almost all of the 24 one-hour episodes. Moore had expressed an interest in the Aston Martin, which he felt would be… Read more
1952 Jaguar C-Type Roadster – Some 54 C-types were manufactured in all, the majority for customer sale, leaving the model rarer than examples of the replacement D-type family. This Ecurie Ecosse C-type has often been listed as having been intended originally for export to a customer in Argentina named Carlos Lostalo. The order was allegedly canceled due to customs difficulties,… Read more
1969 Land Rover Series IIA “Air-Portable” – Always designed with strength, mechanical simplicity and durability in mind, Land Rovers have often been the vehicles of choice for individuals looking to take a trip on the road less traveled. Over its 65-year history, the company built up a well-respected name by manufacturing the finest off-road vehicles money could buy for both individual and… Read more
007 Lotus Esprit Submarine Car – The 007 Lotus Esprit Submarine Car from “The Spy Who Loved Me” (1977) commonly tops the polls when multiple generations of movie fans are asked to pick their favorite film cars of all time. Like all the best Bond cars, the Lotus was a veritable war chest of weaponry and gadgetry that was designed to… Read more
1931 Bentley 4½ Litre Supercharged Le Mans – The “Blower” Bentley is one of the most masculine, muscular and sporting motorcars ever built. While some companies hid their superchargers behind the radiator grille, the Bentley wears it right out front, and that statement alone says it all about the car and its creators. First shown at the 1929 London Motor Show, it was… Read more
1953 Austin-Healey 100 Special Test Car – This remarkably well-documented ex-Mille Miglia, ex-Le Mans 24-Hour race Austin-Healey Works car began life as one of the Donald Healey Motor Company’s pre-production competition vehicles — properly referred to as the Special Test Cars — destined for use in International motor races and world-class distance and speed-record attempts. Of the four Special Test Cars built… Read more
1961 Jaguar E-Type Barn Find – Introduced in 3.8-liter form in 1961, the Jaguar E-type caused a sensation when it appeared, with instantly classic lines and a 150-mph top speed. Its design owed much to that of the racing D-type: a monocoque tub forming the main structure, while a tubular space frame extended forward to support the engine. The latter was… Read more
1960 Aston Martin DB4GT “Jet” coupe – Coachbuilt examples of the DB4/5/6 family of Aston Martins are extremely rare, making the unique Bertone-bodied car offered here all the more precious and desirable. Chassis 0201L is the last DB4GT chassis completed in period and was first displayed on Bertone’s stand at the 1961 Geneva Motor Show, followed by an appearance at Turin that… Read more
1996 Porsche 911S GT2 – When Porsche introduced the new 993 in 1995, it was to be the last of the great air-cooled 911s. The new coupe retained only the roof and front deck lid from the preceding 964 model. New items included bodywork, poly-ellipsoid low-beam and variable-focus high-beam headlights, and a 6-speed transmission. A new multi-link rear suspension carried… Read more
1928 Mercedes-Benz 36/220 S-Type Open Tourer – This extraordinary S-type has been preserved within its very first family ownership for no fewer than the past 84 years. The original owner was a former military captain who had the rare distinction for a British Army officer of having served throughout (and survived) World War I. He ordered the S-type on February 28, 1928,… Read more
1966 Jaguar E-Type Series I 2+2 Coupe – If Les Vingt Quatre Heures du Mans has been responsible for the new E-type Jaguar, then that Homeric contest on the Sarthe circuit will have been abundantly justified. Here we have one of the quietest and most flexible cars on the market, capable of whispering along in top gear at 10 mph or leaping into… Read more
1928 Bentley 4½ Litre Le Mans Sports “Bobtail” – • A two-time factory Le Mans entry • 2nd Overall at the 1929 Brooklands Double Twelve • 3rd Overall at the 1929 24 Hours of Le Mans • The Only Remaining “Bobtail” 4½ Litre For the 1928 season, Bentley was intent on having new Works cars, all based on the 4½-liter production chassis in addition… Read more
1929 Bentley 4½ Litre “Blower” – Among all Brooklands habitués of the 1920–30s, perhaps the most glamorous and charismatic of all the historic motor course’s racing celebrities was the diminutive Bentley-driving Baronet, Sir Henry Ralph Stanley “Tim” Birkin. He combined his “Bentley Boy” high-society image with a fearless driving talent. With fellow enthusiast/racer Mike Couper, Birkin & Couper Ltd was established… Read more
1954 Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback – To describe this magnificent Bentley R-type Continental, it is difficult to improve upon the typically perceptive and balanced analysis that George Daniels himself wrote of the car for his autobiography All in Good Time — Reflections of a Watchmaker, published in 2000: “The ease with which the Continental will cover vast distances without discomfort to… Read more
1962 Aston Martin DB4 Vantage Convertible – Classically proportioned and instantly recognizable from the moment of its introduction in 1958, the Touring-styled Aston Martin DB4 established a look that would survive, with only minor revisions, until 1970. Designed by Tadek Marek and already proven in racing, the DB4’s new twin-cam, 6-cylinder engine displaced 3,670 cc, and the gearbox was a new David… Read more
1991 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato Sanction II – Of the many models in Aston Martin’s 90-year history, and of the DB series of 6-cylinder cars in particular, the DB4GT Zagato is arguably the best loved and most respected. The original collaboration between Aston Martin and Zagato of Milan resulted in a production run of only 19 constructed between 1961 and 1963, although the… Read more
1965 Amphicar 770 Convertible – It’s a car. It’s a boat. Actually, it’s both. Developed in West Germany, the Amphicar was aimed squarely at America’s leisure market and debuted at the 1961 New York Auto Show. As the culmination of a 15-year, $25 million development program, the Amphicar was the creation of amphibious-vehicle pioneer Hans Trippel. A mid-rear-mounted Triumph Herald… Read more
1937 Squire 1½-Liter Drophead Coupe – Adrian Squire was just 21 when he set out to build his own motor car. Dreaming of such a venture since he was a schoolboy, at 16 he sketched out a whole catalog for the “world’s greatest sports car.” He envisioned advanced engineering and light, flowing coachwork sitting on a chassis with a low center… Read more
1929 Bentley 6½/8 Litre Tourer – This 6½ Litre Le Mans-style tourer offered here was constructed from parts by well-known Bentley collector/racer and VSCC competitor David Llewellyn. The car was upgraded with the engine block from an 8 Litre model. The car started life fitted with Weymann-type saloon coachwork by H J Mulliner and was first owned by RHR Palmer, of… Read more
1929 Bentley 4½ Litre Dual-Cowl Sports Tourer – By 1926, Bentley saw a need for a new 4-cylinder model. Although a Le Mans winner, the 3 Litre was wanting in international competition, and the standard road cars suffered from increasingly heavy bodies. With the 6½ Litre in production, Bentley sought to combine the light chassis of the 3 Litre with the added power… Read more
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Coupe – The buyer paid a premium for originality and left-hand drive, and the American collector no doubt carefully picked his moment Chassis number: DB51847L Engine number: 4001847 Aston Martin developed and released the all-new DB4 in 1958 alongside the final DB2-derived DB Mark III. The following year, the company received a Royal Warrant of Appointment from… Read more
1968 Jaguar E-type Series 1.5 Roadster – The purest early 3.8s fetch the most money, but this car offered the best of both worlds Chassis number: 1E2100 Engine number: 7E175478 The first significant upgrade of Jaguar’s sensational E-type sports car occurred in October 1964, with the launch of the 4.2-liter version. Along with the bigger, torquier engine came a more user-friendly… Read more
1971 AC 428 Fastback Coupe – These cars are rare, as they were slow and costly to build — and they were more expensive than an Aston Martin DB6 Chassis number: CF62 Born on the back of the Cobra two-seat roadsters, AC decided to move up-market and build a larger and altogether more civilized car. They had a fantastic and proven… Read more
1959 Jaguar XK 150 S 3.8 Roadster – This car was the 63rd XK 150 Roadster built and sold new with optional chrome wire wheels. Special equipment extras included fog lamps, a dual exhaust system and square-pad disc brakes. The engine was fitted with a straight-port “Gold Top” cylinder head, lead and bronze bearings and a lightened flywheel. Originally supplied by Henley’s Ltd… Read more1958 AC Ace Roadster – One of the most influential and widely imitated classic sports car designs ever is that of the AC Ace roadster—although, of course, much of the world associates its appearance with the later Shelby Cobra derivative, which resulted when the Ace received Ford V8 power and a Carroll Shelby performance makeover in 1962. The original Ace… Read more
1958 AC Ace Roadster – One of the most influential and widely imitated classic sports car designs ever is that of the AC Ace roadster—although, of course, much of the world associates its appearance with the later Shelby Cobra derivative, which resulted when the Ace received Ford V8 power and a Carroll Shelby performance makeover in 1962. The original Ace… Read more
1963 Aston Martin DB4 Convertible Barn Find – Classically proportioned and instantly recognizable from the moment of its introduction in 1958, the Touring-styled Aston Martin DB4 established a look that would survive, with only minor revisions, until 1970. Designed by Tadek Marek and already proven in racing, the DB4’s new twin-cam, 6-cylinder engine displaced 3670cc while the gearbox was a new David Brown… Read more
1965 Sunbeam Tiger Mk I Convertible – Inspired by Carroll Shelby’s success in shoehorning a Ford V8 into the AC Ace to create the Cobra, British carmaker Rootes asked Shelby to perform the same trick with its Sunbeam Alpine sports car. Ford’s 260-ci V8 engine was chosen, and even though this had “only”160 horsepower on tap, its power was nearly double the… Read more
1975 Lamborghini Countach LP400 “Periscopo” – The restorers did not go overboard. They even left a few weld dimples in the door shuts to retain an original bit of character The future of the modern Automobili Lamborghini was revealed at the 1971 Geneva Auto Show with the first public display of the new Countach, believed to be so named after a… Read more
1964 Aston Martin DB5 “James Bond” – We don’t need to introduce the Aston Martin DB5, the epitome of British style and performance in the 1960s, and the catalog description ran to a couple thousand words, so here is the quick version:“The Most Famous Car in The World” as arch-Bond fan Dave Worrall’s book of the same name termed it, is the… Read more
1960 Aston Martin DB4 Series II Sports Saloon – Classically proportioned and instantly recognizable from the moment of its introduction in 1958, the Touring-styled DB4 established a look that would survive, with only minor revisions, until 1970. A new design by Tadek Marek, the DB4’s all-alloy, twin-overhead-camshaft 6-cylinder engine featured “square” bore and stroke dimensions of 92 mm for a displacement of 3,670cc and… Read more
1962 Austin-Healey 3000 Mk II Rally Car – The last surviving 1962 team car has rally provenance in abundance, but it doesn’t have an original chassisThe Big Healey’s first major success was in 1960, when Pat Moss and Ann Wisdom made history by winning the grueling Liège-Rome-Liège (Marathon de la Route) event outright. It was the first occasion that a woman had won… Read more
1937 Jaguar SS100 – The new cars were assembled from parts from many suppliers, and they might have looked more hand-finished than this piece of perfection.This absolutely stunning SS100 stands today as what must be the finest example anywhere in the world. The quality and detail of its restoration rivals the finest ever performed on any motorcar. With the… Read more
1961 Lotus Elite Series II Coupe – With the Lotus 14 of 1959-better known as the Elite-Colin Chapman demonstrated that his skills as a racing car designer and constructor could just as easily be applied to production road cars. The Elite was, nevertheless, conceived with competition in mind, as Chapman had his sights set on class wins at Le Mans and the… Read more
1956 Bentley S1 Continental Sports Saloon – Bentley’s magnificent Continental sports saloon has been synonymous with effortless high speed cruising at its grandest since its introduction on the R-type chassis in 1952. Unlike the ordinary, factory-bodied, “standard steel” R-type, the Continental was bodied in aluminum over a steel frame and first appeared with what many enthusiasts consider to be the model’s definitive… Read more
1965 Aston Martin DB5 – “Opinions vary greatly-and inevitably-on which is the ‘best’ of the new breed of Aston Martins. Sir David Brown puts his money on the DB5.”-Geoff Courtney, The Power Behind Aston Martin The DB5 arrived in the autumn of 1963, essentially a positive development of the Series V DB4, sharing its classic Superleggera body construction devised by… Read more
1966 Aston Martin DBSC Coupe – With development of the second-generation of DB 6-cylinder sports cars nearing its end, Aston Martin turned to the Italian Carrozzeria Touring of Milan, creator of the original DB4 of 1959, for the next model. Touring built a pair of two-seater prototypes, one right- and one left-hand drive (2661R and 2662L, respectively) which were displayed at… Read more1970 Lamborghini Miura P400S – The price may have looked high for the U.K., but it equates to about 400k euros. It would be hard to find a nicer LHD car in Europe for the same money{vsig}2009-10_2372{/vsig}”But step back for a minute and work out what makes the Miura so special. In 1966 there was nothing like it. Only racing… Read more
1958 AC Ace Bristol Roadster – The Ace retains a poise that’s absent from its meatier derivative, offering high-geared steering, enough body roll to orient the driver, and a firm brake pedalIntroduced in October 1953, the AC Ace was essentially a reworked version of LOY 500, the handsome John Tojeiro-designed sports racer with which motor trader Cliff Davis had notched up… Read more
1958 AC Ace Bristol Roadster – Introduced in October 1953, the AC Ace was essentially a reworked version of LOY 500, the handsome John Tojeiro-designed sports racer with which motor trader Cliff Davis had notched up six wins and four seconds that season (in addition to placing 9th overall at the Goodwood Nine Hours). Lured into collaboration with the Thames Ditton… Read more
1970 Aston Martin DB6 Mk II – Two things kept the price down: British buyers are notoriously suspicious of automatics in “sporty” cars; and it was presented on a cheap set of tiresThe culmination of Aston Martin’s long-running line of “DB” 6-cylinder sports saloons, the DB6 was introduced in 1965. Aston Martin lengthened the wheelbase by four inches over the DB5 and… Read more
1968 Lotus 51R – Even if another road racer comes along claiming to be the Flower Power car, this one wears the right chassis and registration numbers{vsig}2009-7_2346{/vsig}Formula Ford was introduced in Great Britain in 1967 as a new form of poor man’s motor racing. Written into its regulations was the requirement for commercially built FFs to be priced at… Read more
1954 Arnolt-Bristol Bolide – This car had come straight out of a $55,000 restoration and the restorer was on hand on sale day to answer questions, which always helpsStanley Harold “Wacky” Arnolt made a fortune selling engines and other equipment to the armed forces during WWII. A lifelong motorhead, he set up SH Arnolt, Inc. in Chicago during the… Read more
1939 Jaguar SS 100 3½-Liter Roadster – Any patina has been lost in a slightly over-shiny restoration and repaint, though it does have a big history file and is eligible for many prestige events{vsig}2009-5_2320{/vsig}Launched for 1936, the SS 100 was the first real high-performance model produced by SS Cars Limited, and used a new Weslake-developed overhead-valve engine in a shortened SS 1… Read more
1976 Lotus Esprit S1 – Even if the “real”-or “other,” if you prefer-Lotus appeared in most of the action shots, we can fairly say this car has Bond film provenance{vsig}2009-3_2298{/vsig}The Lotus Esprit was unveiled as the Silver Car concept at the Turin Motor Show in November 1972. Based on a Europa twin-cam chassis, it was developed into the first Esprit… Read more
1961 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato Re-creation – I doubt whether anybody could tell the difference between this and aSanction II without looking at the chassis number{vsig}2009-2_2281{/vsig}The competition variant of the legendary Aston Martin DB4, the DB4GT, was introduced in September 1959 at the London Motor Show. It was based on the race-winning prototype DP199/1, which won in its first outing at Silverstone… Read more
1997 McLaren F1 – The buyer wouldn’t be beaten. He replied “Yo” to each raise of $150,000, all the way to $4 million, winning a lot of affection from the crowdNo ABS. No traction control. No power steering. No airbags. No add-on spoilers. The McLaren F1 didn’t need them. The thinking man’s supercar was conceived in 1988, when McLaren… Read more
1938 Horch 853 Special Roadster – Though the 853 bears an uncanny resemblance to the legendary Mercedes-Benz 540K, and has a similar output, values lag behind the better-known carHorch is one of the four companies that merged to form Auto Union, from which the present-day Audi descends. After training as a blacksmith and qualifying as an engineer, August Horch set up… Read more
1936 Lagonda LG45R Rapide – It always used to come to us in November, to be readied for the Mille Miglia, and it’s a gutsy car that hasn’t been tarted up for Pebble Beach{vsig}2008-11_2246{/vsig}Lagonda introduced the 4½-liter M45 at the 1933 London Motor Show. With its overhead-valve 6-cylinder Meadows engine, here was a Lagonda sports car capable of genuinely high… Read more
1955 Jaguar XKD-type Sports Racer – This is the first production D-type, out of long and dedicated ownership, unspoiled and still in its original form{vsig}2008-10_2233{/vsig}XKD 509, the first “production” D off the line in 1955, has a long and interesting history. It was supplied new to New York distributor Chuck Hornburg, who sold it to Albert R. Browne of Menlo Park.… Read more
1991 BMW Z1 – BMW reckoned owners could swap body panels in hours for a color change, though people who have tried it say to allow two days{vsig}2008-1_2120{/vsig}Like its predecessor the 507, which bristled with trick technology but ultimately failed to go as well as it looked, the Z1 is a bit of a novelty.But it did mark the… Read more