The seventies was a seminal moment for Nissan and the sports car market with the launch of the 240 and 260Zs.
But, the first real foray into this market actually came at the turn of the sixties with the Datsun Fairlady – so named because the then head of the Nissan Motor Company was captivated by the film ‘My Fair Lady’.
After a faltering start Nissan rolled our 1500, 1600 and 2000cc production models from 1961.
It was a lovely car which some in the British press likened to an MG and there were similarities, yes. Over the coming years, it offered competition to MG, Triumph, Fiat and Alfa Romeo sports cars, but the car was never officially sold in the UK.
The car started out with a 1200cc unit and following a makeover in 1965 it got a new 90bhp 1600cc engine. The final upgrade came in 1967 with a 2-litre twin carb engine mated with a five-speed gearbox, giving a top speed of 125mph.
It was the 2000 roadster which ‘tipped the scales’ for Nissan and paved the way for the arrival of their ‘Z’ cars.
In all, an impressive 40,000 Fairlady models were produced which included 6,500 2-litre versions. It was a car adored in the US and also favoured by racing enthusiasts.
If you haven’t seen this rare sports car before then I’d recommend taking a Google search. It’s a fabulous little sports car and examples can still be bought in Europe.
For Mini number two we move from an electric mini for around town to a Mini inspired by a full blown classic racer from Swiftune. If you attend Goodwood you will have seen Nick Swift engaging in giant killing battles with E type Jaguars and various American monsters. There is no better entertainment.
This car is an original Cooper S built by Swiftune as part of their Madgwick series. This one is number four of ten built.
The Madgwick was born from the idea of creating a classic Mk1 high performance Mini for the road. A Mini containing the same engineering built into the iconic race cars seen winning at the Goodwood Revival. Iconic, original 60’s classic style with 110 BHP on tap coupled with uprated handling makes for a fun Mini driving experience!
The Madgwick, named after the famously challenging first corner at the Goodwood Motor Circuit; the “happy hunting ground” of some giant slaying moments for Nick Swift in the works Swiftune FIA Mini.
Swiftune took a standard Mk 1 Mini and created what is effectively an S 1275 car to an enhanced ‘period Cooper’ specification. This particular car is the only one which started as an original S 1275.
It retains its original engine at 1,275cc as opposed to the 1,330cc normally fitted but still manages a reliable 110bhp, a substantial increase over the standard car.
It had a colour change to Almond Green with a white roof at some point in its life, but, the decision was taken to return the car to its original Old English White with a black roof over a retrimmed Tartan Red/Gold Brocade interior as detailed in the accompanying Heritage Certificate. The car’s appearance is enhanced by 10″ ‘Rose Petal’ wheels, racing mirrors on bespoke brackets and leather bonnet straps.
The odometer indicates a little over 38,000 miles but very few of these have been since the restoration and the car remains in beautiful condition throughout. DGW has had five former keepers, obviously diligent by the amount of early paperwork, invoices, MOTs etc. in the car’s impressive history file.
This car sold for £49,667 incl. premium and at launch the asking price was £75 -£100k depending on the condition of the original car. Knowing the build quality of Swiftune Mini’s this seems to me to be an incredible buy.
The great thing about gatherings of classic cars is that you have a good chance of seeing something a bit different. At Race Retro I was able to take a close up look at two classic Mini’s from different car cultures. First up is a Rock Stars car owned by Chris Rhea and being sold by Chris for charity. But this is not the only thing that makes this Mini interesting, it has been converted to electric.
Driving Home for Christmas was penned by Chris Rea on Christmas Eve 1978 during a memorable journey in a Mini, from Abbey Road Studios in London to their, home in Middlesbrough with his wife Joan at the wheel. It was a difficult five hour journey that was accompanied by heavy snow and ‘top to toe’ tailbacks, but it resulted a memorable Christmas hit.
BMW MINI instigated a winter advertising campaign in 2021 based around the song and its back story, encouraging Mini owners worldwide to produce their own Driving Home for Christmas videos. In recognition of Chris’ contribution, BMW MINI commissioned Mini Sport & Recharged Heritage to locate a suitable ‘classic’ Mini to convert.
The donor car was a 1989 limited edition Mini 30 which celebrated the car’s 30th birthday and was based around the Mini Mayfair. Fitted with the 998cc engine, it was offered in cherry red or black and was fitted with chrome bumpers and grille, a dedicated decal set, a security-coded stereo and a set of Minilite-style alloy wheels. The black and red, half leather interior was common to both car colours. 3,000 cars were destined for the UK market, 2,000 in red and 1,000 in black.
But equally interesting as its rock star heritage is the price. It raised just over £25 000, a price that I am sure will do a lot of good for the charity. But with a Mini conversion running at £50k plus and new build Mini’s using heritage shells at well over £100k, somebody got themselves a good deal there. How much of that price was due to its rock star owner we will never know.
A tale of two Mini’s? – this one took up so much room we will cover the other one tomorrow.
When it comes to admiring the design of older cars a striking front grille always makes a great first impression, especially when it’s finished in shiny chrome.
In true Classic Yorkshire style I’ve picked five ‘hot’ grilles that I like from a range of British and European models. These are ranked in no particular order.
I’m sure you will have your own favourites and it would be great to hear your choices.
Jaguar XJ
Lauded as the best saloon car in the world when it came out in 1968, the upright radiator grille on the XJ (series 1, 2 and 3) would change very little over three decades. It seemed to complement the ‘old school’ charm of this British sports classic.
The later XJ40 model may have brought sharper lines but the slimmed down grille and quad headlights still charmed Jaguar customers.
Austin-Healey Sprite Mark 1
Have you ever seen a smiley looking front end like the Austin Healey Sprite (1958-61)?
The twin headlights above a modest looking radiator grille gave the car the nickname, the ‘frogeye’. The designers had planned flip up headlights, but cost-cutting at BMC put paid to this mechanism.
Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider Veloce
The front of the Giulia Spider Veloce from 1964 is simply a work of art. The car proudly sports a variation on the ‘trefoil’ design which first appeared on the post-war Alfa Romeo 6C 2500. This 1964 example was one of the last designs from Italian designer Battista Pininfarina.
Mercedes 300SL
Mercedes-Benz loved the chrome grille, so much so that it kept the same basic design all the way through to the 1960s.
The exception was the 300SL coupe from the 50s, a performance car that was given what the German maker called the ‘sports car face’. The famous Mercedes-Benz star sat at the centre of the grille flanked by a single horizontal bar and the design would prove a timeless classic.
Aston Martin DB4, DB5 and DB6
The DB4, 5 and 6 shared very similar grill designs and made a bold statement in the 50s and 60s. By the 70s the grille shape became more subtle but the basic design was still there.
It’s fair to say we could admire many more bold grille designs, especially if we looked to the US and models like the Cadillac, Buick and Pontiac. But, I hope these European examples press your nostalgia ‘button’ – they do for me!
Even though most visitors to Race Retro do not get to wander around the cars in the auction, they can view them from behind a low fence. For most people its not worth the extra £20 (for 2 people) to get in amongst the cars unless they are planning on a making a purchase. For those that do, they can get close to some of the most iconic cars in the world.
The auction is an ongoing event and so we dipped in and out throughout the day. Run by Iconic Auctions it featured four categories, Collector cars, Iconic automobiles, Competition cars and Automobilia.
My overall impression of the results matches the recently reported trends. Older classics (pre 1970) are falling in value while the 80’s and 90’s cars, especially the high value models are soaring. I have picked out a few of the more interesting cars below, but if you want to look at all the results click this link Past Car Auctions UK | See Results & Sold Prices
1977 Ford Escort Mk2 RS2000 ‘Pre-Custom’
This RS2000 surprised me because it is not a low mileage princess car. This has done over 81 000 miles and sold for £34,875 incl. premium. Granted it was in exceptional condition having had some restoration but that seemed like a punchy price to me.
983 Vauxhall Chevette – ‘The Vader’
This is one of those cars that makes me ask why? Why would you spend £200 000 building a car as tribute to a star wars character, or even buy it for £67 500. I don’t doubt that the specification made the car worth it, but for me a rally tribute would have been more appropriate clothing. The ‘Vader Restomod’, is painstakingly finished and fitted with an Exon Racing C20XE 285bhp engine mated to a Quaife sequential gearbox. But for me, there are cars well ahead of it in my fantasy garage.
1987 MG Metro 6R4 ‘Clubman
This is very much my kind of car and definitely one for my fantasy garage. .Just 3,423 miles and mechanically refreshed by its long term owner, this road-registered 6R4 is as close to a totally correct, original ‘Clubman’ as you will find. The price of £200 500 seems like a good buy given their increasing popularity.
2000/2024 Prodrive P25
Last year we wrote about Prodrives plans to build a car to celebrate the 25th anniversary of WRC97. This new car would be a reengineered car celebrating the DNA of the original with modern upgrades to almost aspects of the car. To find out more click on the link below which will take you back to the original article.
This car is Serial Number One of 25, offered directly from its first and only owner with just 121 miles from new. A modern interpretation of an icon by Prodrive – reimagined, redefined and recreated to deliver the ultimate competition car for the road. The launch price was £460 000 and it sold for £562 000, a solid investment and surely a car with further to go.
2007 Bentley Arnage T Mulliner Level II – 500bhp
I have always enjoyed driving around in small cars. My current fleet has 3 cars that by todays standards are tiny. But in the back of my mind I have always hankered after a really luxurious car, in my head it is usually a Bentley. This example of Bentley’s 500bhp Arnage T equipped to Mulliner’s highest level of luxury features and refinement is exactly what I would want. It was immaculately presnted and for £22500 was a real bargain.
1967 Lotus Elan S3 SE Drop Head Coupé
This baby Elan perhaps represents the shift in the classic car market at the moment. Fully restored by ‘The Elan Man’, Brian Buckland, with a new Spyder spaceframe chassis and a rebuilt engine it was superbly well presented. But at £21 937 the price will disappointing to any owners of Elans like this. But at least the buyer got a bargain.
Competition cars:
1987 Jaguar XJ-SC Competition Car
Race Retro is all about historic motorsport. I have no doubt that many visitors come away with thoughts about going racing or rallying. All I can say (from experience) is that motorsport is expensive and not to be entered into lightly. But just for you, I have picked out an entry level car that might just get you started. Very rare – possibly unique – within UK Club motorsport, this well-prepared XJ-SC has the added benefit of being road-registered and sold for £7,875 incl. premium
The cancellation of last years event, coming on top of the return from CoVid was a real blow to the Race Retro and could have threatened its future. However I am delighted to say that it is back with a bang. Combining exhibition displays with an outdoor rally stage makes for a very worthwhile day out.
The indoor exhibition featured displays by product manufacturers, car clubs and event organisers. For me, the best display was by Rallying with Group B. A huge collection of iconic rally cars from the Group B era which you could get up close and personal with.
There were a number companies offering 60’s style sports cars featuring the Mazda MX5 as a donor car. To me the perfect combination of style and reliability (bearing in mind that I have both a Mazda MX5 and Lotus Elan). Other stand holders included Demon Tweeks and salesman offering magic cream to polish up your car. Despite the 23,229 attendees (an increase in 2023) it never felt overcrowded.
The Hall of Fame hosted epic displays including the Legends of Formula 1 which features eight F1 cars from various eras, starting with the Penske PC3 and going up to the 2019 Racing Point which is believed to be the youngest F1 car in private ownership.
Fans were delighted to see a fantastic mix of vehicles on display that covered all motorsport disciplines including hill climbs, Formula Ford, circuit racing and even NASCAR.
At the heart of the displays was the Talk Motorsport stage where visitors enjoyed lively interviews with the likes of F1 driver turned pundit Anthony Davidson, who was also reunited with the Honda BAR 006 which he test drove for Jenson Button. BTCC stars Jason Plato and Matt Neal shared stories of their epic battles – both on and off the track, while rally legends Rauno AAltonen, Nicky Grist and Dai Llewelin recounted their careers.
The Pride of the Paddock final saw 19 competition cars vying for the visitors’ votes but it was James Williams’ modified 1976 Hillman Imp that took first place. Jim Angliss’ 1963 Ford Anglia 105E came second with Dave Eaton and John Hartland coming in third with the Icon 917K.
Rallying with Group B created its own Hall of Fame with one of the greatest showcases of rally cars ever seen as a tribute to founder Steve Davies, including the Opel Manta 400, Audi Quattro, Ford RS2000 and Metro 6R4 to name a few. Meanwhile outside, another 120 rally cars thrilled the crowds with high octane action on the bespoke Live Stage, with all decades of rally history represented from a 1964 Mini Cooper S through to the Vauxhall Nova.
2025 also saw the return of the popular indoor autojumble, with a full hall dedicated to the treasure trove of motorsport parts, spares and artefacts, and Iconic Auctioneers Competition and Collector Car sales with the hammer coming down on lots including a Pikes Peak Audi and an ex-works Metro 6R4.
Race Retro 2026 will return to Stoneleigh Park from 20 to 22 February 2026. For the latest updates and to subscribe to the event newsletters, visit www.raceretro.com.
Hot on the heels of Renault’s recent all-electric reboot of its big selling Renault 4 and 5 models comes news of a concept version of one of its coupe models from the 1970s.
Launched in 1971, the Renault 17 was based on the platform of the popular Renault 12 saloon and was the company’s first front-wheel drive coupe.
There was actually a choice of a 17 or 15 with both cars sharing the same chassis with the 15 being a bit lower spec. Design wise, one of the main differences was the headlight styling – the 17 had two twin round headlights. The 17 also had distinctive rear side windows.
The Renault 17 was originally powered by a 1565cc engine which was later upgraded to a 1647cc unit taken from the Renault 16TX.
It’s fair to say that 50 years ago the car had quite a following with enthusiasts won over by its elegant styling and lively driving experience.
Between 1971 and 1979 Renault made close to 100,000 of the R17.
An attractive convertible version, known as the Gordini sports model, came along in 1976 and is much sought after today.
All this has not been lost on Renault bosses and a few months ago they presented the motoring world with the R17 Electric Restomod, a concept model developed by the French designed Ora Ito.
It was based on the body of the original Renault 17 and re-imagined under the snappy title – the R17 electric restomod x Ora Ito.
It features a carbon-fibre chassis and a 270hp electric motor, positioned on the rear axle. The car’s quad headlights and fastback rear is a nice nod to the original design.
Interestingly, Renault have no plans to take their striking concept further with bosses referring to the project as a ‘brand kicker’ designed ‘just to make noise’.
For many of us, it’s a welcome change and we can instead remember another sought after 70s French classic cruising our roads!
The first stationary gasoline engine developed by Karl Benz was a one-cylinder two-stroke unit which ran for the first time on New Year’s Eve 1879. Benz had so much commercial success with this engine that he was able to devote more time to his dream of creating a lightweight car powered by a gasoline engine. Benz finally completed his 2-seater vehicle in 1885 – the engine output was a mere 0.75 hp (0.55 kW). In January 1886, Benz patended the “Benz Patent-Motorwagen”, regarded as the first commercially viable motorcar.
The lawns of Grantley will see a display of motorcars spanning every decade with some very rare/special cars on show along with other special milestone anniversaries.
The Jaguar D-Type that won the 1955 Le Mans.
24hr- Aston Martin DB era 1947-1972 showcasing every model & celebrating 60 years of the DB6.
Classic Mercedes-Benz in honour of Stirling Moss winning the 1000 Miglia 70 years ago-
Porsche 911 Turbo display to celebrate 50 years since the iconic model was launched.
NEW FOR 2025
FORMAT CHANGE: while the midweek format remains popular, the DRIVING DAY is now on day one which is Tuesday 22nd of July and will be followed by the two Concours & Show days at Grantley Hall.
CONCOURS PREVIEW BBQ & PARTY at Grantley Hall: the Concours Entries and other Special Display Cars will be set out on the lawns at Grantley on the evening of the 22nd. Concours entrants and Driving Day guests (inc Platinum & Gold Guests) will be invited to join the Concours Preview Party in the evening on the back lawn at Grantley Hall. With a fabulous BBQ & Live Music it promises to be a wonderful evening.
STANDARD DAY TICKETS – Now Includes Lunch: standard entry tickets for Elegance Day (Wednesday) & Revival Day (Thursday) are £69 per person and include a lunch voucher for one of the catering stands that will be provided by Grantley Hall. The options will incude Burgers, Hot Dogs and Vegetarian.
New VIP lounge area on the main lawn at Grantley with great views of the stage, private bar, Gourmet Buffet lunch, complimentary Champagne, private seating & sofa’s – for £159 per person. There is still a 3 course VIP sit down lunch option too.
NEW CONCOURS CLASS: in keeping with the 140 Years of the Autombile celebrations, a new Concours Category for Veteran & Edwardian Motorcars has been added. Six classes in total to cover all 140 years.
Concours entry is £300 per car and includes 1 ticket to the preview party
PLATINUM PACKAGES – 5 packages for the full event and 3 nights stay at Grantley Hall are available.
Rovers return: Yorkshire Rover Club are inviting entries for their 13th annual rally taking place on Sunday, 8 June at Oakwell Hall, near Birstall. The Richard Taylor Classic Car Show is open to all Rover models as well as pre-1984 non-Rover cars. Show fee is just £5 per car.
Historic Yorkshire dealership closes: It was with great sadness that we heard about the closure of Mercedes-Benz Bradford dealership only recently, ending the carmakers 71-year association with the city.
The announcement by dealership group Stratstone comes after they took over the business in 2008. Cars have been sold and serviced at the city’s Thornton Road site since 1963, however the Mercedes-Benz partnership in Bradford goes back to 1953, under the Charles Sidney name.
Bradford based printers ADG Print have a special offer for organisers of classic car events. They are offering free design (worth up to £60) for orders of 50 or more plaques. More details are on our offers page Offers: – Classic Yorkshire.
Race Retro
Many people from Yorkshire are heading down to Race Retro this week. If you are into historic rallying then this is the event for you. Not only an exhibition where you can find parts, services, clubs and even cars in the Auction. Then outside there is a constant rally stage with 130 cars from elderly classics to group B through to modern day cars. For anyone taking part on the Rally stage enjoy and if you see us around say hello.
A recent article in the Daily Telegraph highlighted one of the UK’s rarest Italian imports and for me rekindled a special time in motoring history.
The Fiat 125 debuted in 1967 in a market dominated by family-sized British cars like the Ford Cortina 1600E, Triumph 2000 and the Rover P6 range.
It might have had a boxy look but the 125’s main attraction was its 1608cc double overhead camshaft engine taken from the Fiat 124 Sport.
In 1968 along came the 125 S, a highly desirable sports saloon, complete with five-speed gearbox, ample interior space, servo-assisted twin circuit brakes and a modified engine capable of reaching 100bhp. The ‘S’ rightly stood for Special!
Both the 125 and 125 S took parts off the big selling Fiat 124 saloon and would run for five years to 1972 as a manufactured Fiat. It would be a lot longer under license in various countries, from Poland (remember the Polski-Fiat) to Argentina.
Later 125 and 125 S’s came with three-speed automatic transmission and air-conditioning options.
Looking back, the 125 S might be described as understated but inside it exuded Italian chic and it certainly scored on performance.
Sadly, challenging import duties put the brakes on Fiat sales in the UK and helped pave the way for Ford’s dominance in the sporty saloon market.
If I had come up with the idea that created Amazon then I would probably not be heading to space, but to the auction room. If this was the case then this D-Type might be on my list of acquisitions.
This 1954 Jaguar D-Type Works Competition Car, chassis no. XKD 403, set to feature at the 2025 Amelia Auction, the official auction of The Amelia (Concours d’Elegance). Famously known as ‘OKV 2,’ its Works number plate, the D-Type on offer is among the most important sports racing cars of all time. Not only was it raced and tested by some of the most revered drivers of all time— Stirling Moss, Peter Walker, Tony Rolt, Peter Whitehead, Mike Hawthorn, Ivor Bueb, Ninian Sanderson, and Norman Dewis—but it is quite possibly the most raced Works D-Type, campaigned in top-level European races every year between 1954 and 1958. ‘OKV 2’ is estimated to bring $6,500,000 to $8,500,000 when it crosses the auction block at the Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island this March.
The Jaguar D-Type revolutionised sports car design with aircraft-inspired, lightweight engineering and achingly gorgeous aerodynamics contoured for new top speed records that Jaguar seemed to set year after year at Le Mans. The ground-breaking car would earn Jaguar a hat trick of Le Mans victories. The earliest D-Types were constructed for use solely by the Works competition department. ‘OKV 2,’ was in the first group of three D-Types constructed for Jaguar’s all-out assault on the 1954 24 Hours of Le Mans.
‘OKV 2’ was designated as team lead for Le Mans, with none other than Stirling Moss and his favored co-driver, Peter Walker, behind the wheel. The pair set the fastest time in practice and a record top speed of a blistering 172.97 miles per hour with ‘OKV 2’ down the Mulsanne straight. Though they eventually retired with brake issues, several further outings at the international level followed for ‘OKV 2’ in the 1954 season.
Following additional successful races and two Works testing stints with legendary drivers Norman Dewis, Mike Hawthorn, and Ninian Sanderson, the D-Type was sold in spring 1955 to Jack Broadhead for Jaguar’s PR man, Bob Berry, to race. Berry proved himself quite the wheelman that year with numerous fine finishes that included three second place podiums at Goodwood and a further second at Aintree. Following a shunt at Dundrod, the final major race of the season, OKV 2 was rebuilt at Jaguar Works over the winter with a Works-type integral subframe assembly and fitted with larger diameter roll bars and a 1955-style front bonnet. After another successful 1956 season for Berry and OKV 2, save for a few races in 1957, Berry’s time with ‘OKV 2’ would come to an end.
The car was campaigned by Ecurie Broadhead until 1959, when its engine was quiet for the first time in five years. In 1960, the car was sold to Gerald Montgomery Crozier, a Bentley racer, and began a short chain of gentleman racer ownership before landing with Lynx Engineering in the late 1970s for restoration as an amazingly unspoiled race car. In 1999, Terry Larson, a foremost D-Type expert who has thoroughly documented the car, acquired ‘OKV 2’ and would go on to drive it in the second running of the Goodwood Revival along with the Colorado Grand, California Mille, Copperstate 1000, and numerous Jaguar C- & D-Type Tours. Under Larson’s stewardship, Jaguar Test Driver Norman Dewis piloted the car at two Monterey Historic Races at Laguna Seca, a momentous reunion of man and machine after 45 years apart.
Larson parted with the car after a decade, trading it for a Jaguar XKSS. Since that time, the D-Type has been held by a noted west coast collector of significant sports and sports racing cars. Under his ownership it has seen thorough sorting along with numerous additional historic races, including a reunion with Stirling Moss at The Pacific-Union Club in San Francisco in 2011 and a return to Circuit de la Sarthe for the 2012 Le Mans Classic.
