After a three-year absence due to Covid, Reis Race Retro returns to Stoneleigh Park from 24-26 February 2023, with an exciting new show layout that will create an immersive experience for historic motorsport enthusiasts.

Show Director Lee Masters explains: “Since we were last at Stoneleigh in 2020, the venue has seen quite a few changes and it continues to evolve with its proximity to HS2. The changes mean that we won’t be able to use Halls 3 or 4, instead, the venue has installed an additional temporary hall on to the side of Halls 1 and 2.

“The vehicle service area for the Reis Live Rally Stage will now be positioned in the Parade Ring just outside and provides the perfect link between the Halls and the Live Rally Stage. We’ve also improved the layout for our live action to make sure our visitors get the best spectator points available.”

Reis Race Retro brings together the best of the historic motorsport scene including iconic cars, legends from racing and rallying, industry experts, motorsport clubs, and everything you need for the coming season.

There will also be a one-day sale of competition and classic cars by Silverstone Auctions, book signings, licence medical testing, HERO-ERA arrive and drive experience, and rally driver and navigator training.

Tickets are now on sale for the show, held from 24-26 February 2023 at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, with free parking for all visitors. For the latest updates and ticket information, visit www.raceretro.com.

Silverstone Auctions is offering another Royal vehicle at their next sale, Race Retro, on February 25^th 2023 at Stoneleigh Park. The most recent Royal car sold by Silverstone was Princess Diana’s black Ford Escort RS Turbo which made a world record price of £730,000.

This Royal 4×4 was built in late 1953 and registered on the Royal number sequence NXN 1 in early 1954, the 11th example from that year. This historically interesting vehicle comes to auction in immaculate condition and has a production chassis number but is considered a pre-production build. Unique features include doors, body, roof, bumpers and twin rear doors to name but a few. Dispatched to Stratstone London on 3^rd July 1953, the newly proclaimed Queen had the Land Rover shipped to her beloved Balmoral Estate. NXN 1 was exclusively used by Their Majesties Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother with HRH Prince Phillip, The Duke of Edinburgh and The Duke of Rothesay (Prince Charles) until 1966 when it was purchased and re-registered LXC 894D.

Rob Hubbard Sales Director of Silverstone Auctions, comments: “It’s not often that a vehicle with such impressive Royal provenance like this is offered publicly for sale. It’s special features and Royal connections make it exceptionally interesting. This Land Rover would doubtless have been used extensively on the Balmoral estate where we know the Royals loved to picnic. It would have been a familiar and much-loved part of Her Majesty and Prince Philip’s private lives.”

Having been purchased from the Royal estate in 1966 the Land Rover was stored in their family garage for a number of years. King Charles III (then the Prince of Wales) is rumoured to have recognised the unique Land Rover and as a gift funded and encouraged it’s exacting restoration. Pictured with the Land Rover on it’s competition, His Royal Highness looks delighted with the result.

This illustrious Land Rover was featured on BBC’s Antiques Roadshow also led the Land Rover parade at the Queen’s Jubilee Pageant last year and consequently, with a TV audience measured in billions, it is probably one of the most photographed Land Rovers in the World.

Details of the next sale at the Race Retro Event on the 25^th February at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, can be found on their website www.silverstoneauctions.com.

The Hagerty Bull Market is aimed at people who want to find, buy, and drive a classic or modern classic vehicle but, the standout advice is always to buy a car they like first and foremost. If the car later delivers a healthy return financially, that should be considered an added bonus.

To compile the report, the Hagerty Valuation Team review value changes from the Hagerty Price Guide, coupled with sales results and data. The results are then further examined to find indicators that suggest a car is rising in value and is increasingly in demand amongst car enthusiasts.

The selection of cars in the 2023 Hagerty Bull Market is wide and diverse, meaning there should be a car to suit most tastes and budgets. The 10 identified for 2023 are as follows:

Audi TT Quattro Sport (Mk1), 2005–2006
You could argue that the Audi TT Quattro Sport is more show than go, but the changes Audi made to the TT for the special Quattro Sport do make it a better driver’s car than the regular TT, and they undoubtedly make it significantly more desirable to both enthusiasts and collectors alike. The Quattro Sport is genuinely good to drive. Long distance drives are little effort, the steering is positive, the ride well-controlled, and there’s excellent traction. 237bhp makes it usefully rapid. What the TT does, and the Quattro Sport especially so, is combine an ideal balance of driver appeal and ownership appeal with rarity – only 800 ever built – and stunning looks.

• Hagerty Price Guide range, Fair to Concours: £5100–£14,800

Hagerty has only been tracking the Quattro Sport since the beginning of the year, but in that time average values have risen from £9950 to £10,075. However, there has been a 17x increase in worldwide insurance quotations in the last five years, and the value of cars we’re quoting has risen by 16 per cent in that time. Auctions are up too, eight so far in 2022, all selling, compared to four in 2021 with one unsold. There are various factors that make a car collectable, and the Quattro Sport has plenty of them – prestige manufacturer, it’s a sporting variant, relatively low production numbers, it’s instantly recognisable, and was aspirational when new. A huge price rise is unlikely, but it should continue to creep up, with low mileage, clean examples with great service history performing best.

Austin Seven, 1923–1939
Herbert Austin dreamed up the concept of a small, cheap car to address the issue of vehicle excise duty, which was levied by the RAC at a rate of £1 per horsepower. He worked with 18-year-old Stanley Edge, drawing up a seven-horsepower (hence the name) car that would seat four and provide escapism. It cost £165 – a little more than £7200 today – at a time when the average worker was taking home £5 a week. On the flat, it is said to be capable of 50mph, but introduce any sudden direction changes at your peril – the saloon body, with its higher centre of gravity, means it sits on the road with the delicacy of a top hat on an Edwardian gentleman. Owning a Seven would quickly see you immersed in understanding how it all works, tinkering with it at the weekends, taking it to events or for a Sunday-lunch run to the Dog & Duck.

• Hagerty Price Guide range, Fair to Concours: £8700–£21,100

They are small, simple, affordable to run and repair and jam-packed with character. Yet today, they provide an inexpensive gateway into the vintage, pre-war car scene and also make for a refreshing antidote to modern cars. Sevens are rising in value, but still comparatively affordable – as they always have been. Last year, the average price for a Seven was £10,125 but to date in ’22 that number has climbed to £14,125. This is against a backdrop of more being sold at auction, roughly a third more than last year. Some of this will have been driven by the car’s centenary, which has helped raise its profile, with events such as a parade of more than 100 examples at this year’s Goodwood Revival. It is worth noting that the Saloon is significantly more affordable than rarer sports models such as the ‘Ulster’.

Bentley Turbo R, 1985–1997

It was the Turbo R that finally gave Bentley a significant point of differentiation from its long-term partner, Rolls-Royce. Bentley could do refinement, and exceptional quality, but by turbocharging its six-and-three-quarter litre V8, Bentley instantly had the performance edge on any Rolls. Launched in 1985, the Turbo R produced an estimated 328bhp, and somewhere in the region of 400lb ft of torque, somewhat offset by the car’s kerbweight of 2.2 tonnes. In 1987, Autocar timed a Turbo R at a fraction under seven seconds to 60mph, and measured 143mph flat out, but if there’s driving pleasure here, it’s in both the refinement, and in driving both as swiftly and as smoothly as you can get away with. Most of all, though, it’s the potential ownership pleasure that will keep you coming back for more.

• Hagerty Price Guide range, Fair to Concours: £7700–£23,400

The Turbo R is currently a little below its 2020 peak of £16,800, which seemed to benefit from the post-lockdown ‘revenge-buying’ boom – people who had always wanted a Bentley seemed to perceive them as a cheap entry into the marque. In 2022, values have been steadily rising, and are now back to an average of £15,400. They’re popular at auction, with 57 so far in 2022 – compared to 44 in the same period in 2021. It’s a slow riser but could be up to 2020 levels in the next 24 months. It’s a massive amount of car for the money, and values elsewhere suggest the UK is behind the curve, but this is a car where service history and condition is everything.

Citroën BX, 1982–1994

It takes only moments today to realise this is a proper Citroën to its core. Marcello Gandini’s geometric shape stands out of the crowd. Its predominantly PSA XU engine range is hardy in both petrol, and as here diesel, forms. Motive power in UK models spanned everything from a 1.4-litre petrol to the 16v, 1.9-litre petrol of the GTi (shared with the 405 Mi16), with 1.8 (badged ’17’) and 1.9-litre diesels, the former offered with a turbocharger. Our Bull Market car is the non-turbo 1.9, driving through a five-speed manual gearbox. Quickly the BX shows its strengths: it’s absurdly low-effort to drive, much like a modern car in fact, but packed with character, and in diesel form, running costs should be low too – 60mpg is apparently well within reach. The BX is a car that ticks numerous boxes in 2023: bargain prices, modern-car utility, iconic 1980s design – and a genuinely charming and relaxing drive.

• Hagerty Price Guide range, all variants, Fair to Concours: £800–£8100

The BX is a fairly new one for Hagerty – which began tracking it in the Price Guide in 2022. But in that time, the average price has gone up, albeit by a modest £25, from £2125 at the start of the year to £2150 at the time of writing. We’re expecting values to increase slightly, probably keeping pace with inflation. It could, however, benefit from some high-profile sales – like the Group B homologation BX 4 TC that sold at Artcurial in July for €77,480. This was a special car: one family ownership from new, and one of only 40 made, but it could raise the profile of the model, especially in France.

Ford Fiesta (Mk1), 1977–1983
Ford recently announced that the Fiesta has turned its last wheel, and the current, seventh generation would be the last. Other than the badge and the name, there really isn’t much that links the first and last Fiestas – this is no Golf-style lineage where a clear seam of heritage runs through each model, and Ford has reinvented the car several times over the years. Hagerty can’t even claim the original was the best, but along with perhaps the second generation, it’s a genuine classic car, as the earliest cars are now 46 years old. You can’t pick them up for a couple of hundred quid any more like you used to, but that enduring popularity – and the announcement there will be no more Fiestas where this one came from – mean buying a good one today has never looked like a better idea.

• Hagerty Price Guide range, all variants, Fair to Concours: £1400–£19,100

The Fiesta’s an instantly recognisable classic and the prices of performance models, like the Supersport and XR2, are already rising. Even for humbler cars like our 1.1 Popular Plus, prices are on the way up – a pre-Covid average of £3625 has risen to £4325, not much in monetary terms but still a 19 per cent increase. What hasn’t yet been seen is a breakout sale when an immaculate, ultra-low mileage example of a sporting model Fiesta reaches a record price. Hagerty observed this pattern recently with the Ford Focus and before it the Capri, Golf GTi, Peugeot 205 GTI and other similar cars. Once a very special Fiesta (most probably a Supersport) makes £30,000 or more, this is likely to pull up the values of all early, high-quality standard model Fiestas.

Lamborghini Diablo, 1990–2001
This most imposing of Italian bulls could be yours for a fraction of the cost of some supercars it sparred with when new, namely the Ferrari F40, Porsche 959 and, later, Jaguar XJ220. Now is not the time to debate what has influenced that trend to date, but all the signs are that the Diablo’s standing in the market is set to change. The car was designed by Marcello Gandini, when Lamborghini was under the ownership of Swiss brothers Jean-Claude and Patrick Mimran, who initiated the project to replace the Countach, in 1985. But by the end of 1987, Chrysler had taken over Lamborghini, and it charged Tom Gale with refining Gandini’s early work, which was deemed to be fussy. Whatever was changed must have worked, because there is a simplicity to the pure brutality of an early Diablo that is a wonder to behold and will draw a crowd wherever it goes. It is both dramatic and useable and represents tremendous value for money in its part of the market. We’re left with the impression of a supercar that has been criminally overlooked – yet once you drive a Diablo you won’t be able to ignore it.

• Hagerty Price Guide range, base, SV, and VT variants, Fair to Concours: £106,000–£229,000

Diablo values in the Hagerty Price Guide have been flat for some time across the model range and are currently sitting between an average of £137,500 for a standard car to £179,250 for an SV. For a 1990s supercar in today’s market, this seems exceptionally low. But get ready for things to change. 45 per cent of owners are from Generation X (compared with 31 per cent across all cars), a group who are now at peak earning capacity and median quoted values have soared in 2022 from £214,000 last year to around £260,000 now. In May, at the RM Sotheby’s Monaco sale, an ultra-rare Diablo GT (limited to 80 examples) sold for €612,500. This stand-out sale could well be a marker, and Hagerty would be surprised if the Diablo was not to rise in value significantly in the next 12 months.

Lotus Elise (S2), 2000–2010

The series one Lotus Elise will always be the icon but today, the clever money is on the S2, which is frequently less expensive to buy but in many ways a better car. Few cars feel so right from the moment you get inside. The 1.8-litre Toyota four-cylinder makes 189bhp, and as a variable valve timing unit, most of those horses are found up-top. It’s also, importantly, reliable – but the engine isn’t really the star here. That’s still the chassis, and the steering in particular. Marque experts will tell you some of the S1’s delicacy is lost (and the S2 is a heavier car too), but Lotus massaged the original’s sometimes spiky balance, so the S2 really can be driven with confidence – and with messages flowing through some of the best steering you’ll find in any car. The Elise S2, with its extra reliability, refinement, and ability, may now be the Elise to have.

• Hagerty Price Guide range, all variants, Fair to Concours: £11,900 to £30,400

Here’s an interesting one: This revered British sports car is more affordable here than in the US – a standard S2 can be bought for under £20,000, where the median quoted in the US is around £40,000, and has soared recently, up by 34 per cent in the last two years. Quotations are higher too, by 31 per cent over the same period. Millennials love them – around 40 per cent of Hagerty quotes are in this bracket, compared to 21 per cent worldwide. They’re not showing up at auction much (more frequent on specialist sales websites), but value trend lines are all pointing upwards.

Mercedes-Benz SL500 (R129), 1989–2001
This is a car built to the pinnacle of Mercedes engineering know-how as the ‘80s rolled into the ‘90s, a flagship for the three-pointed star brand, that can be found loitering with intent in classifieds for less than £10,000. And because, like SLs before and after, it remained on sale for an extended period (1989 to 2001) there is a plentiful supply and buyers can afford to be picky. There were inline 6, V6, V8 and V12 engines offered, but many believe the V8-powered SL500 to be the sweet spot in the range, as it delivers more oomph than the ’6 without the fuel bills of the ’12. It’s a modern car, but not too modern, the ergonomics are utterly logical, the expansive seats are supremely comfortable, and everything has a heft to it that speaks of quality. There are hints of sporting pretensions, but it is a tourer, not a tearaway, and when the weather is kind and the road is calling, there can be few finer ways to unwind at the wheel.

• Hagerty Price Guide range, Fair to Concours: £7800–£32,100

There are plenty of SLs to choose from, and that is perhaps reflected in the number of ‘no sales’ seen at auction. However, prices have been on the rise for the cars that have been snapped up; the post-lockdown average of £14,550 has now risen to £17,475, a 20 per cent increase. 

Given its lineage and the obvious qualities a luxurious Mercedes roadster has to offer, the SL ticks many of the boxes that collectors look for. As ever, low-mileage examples with a fastidious history documenting copious mechanical TLC, and the bigger engines, are likely to achieve the greatest increases. Hagerty believes that a further average rise across the board of 20 per cent over the next two years would not be unexpected.

Saab 99 Turbo, 1978–1980

The Swedish brand had built up a small but significant legion of loyal followers, and when the 99 Turbo joined the family, in 1978, that group grew as word began to spread about the wonders of turbocharging. BMW and Porsche had experimented with forced induction before Saab, but it was Saab that brought it to the mass market, and turbocharging would go on to become baked into the company’s DNA. A two-door 99 Turbo appeared in 1979, necessary to homologate the model for rallying, and a five-door would follow. The most pleasant surprise of the 99 Turbo is how feelsome the chassis is, you can push the 99 Turbo to and beyond the limit of the tyres’ grip in complete confidence, and along the way you’ll find a well-balanced, faithful set-up, doubtless born of Saab’s rallying heritage. Alternative when new, alternative today, the 99 Turbo is rare – with fewer than 100 believed to remain in the UK.

• Hagerty Price Guide range, Fair to Concours: £4100–£21,700

Given the rally pedigree and engineering excellence, the Saab 99 Turbo remains something of a steal. Just compare it with an early Audi Quattro. Those that are attracted to it are mostly millennials, with 40 per cent of owners in that age group. These aren’t widely available cars, but we have seen a modest increase for 99s, which have seen quotes for all models lift by 4 per cent over the past two years. But when we look at the 99 Turbo specifically, a different picture emerges. It shows a 20 per cent increase in value but remains a rarity. In July, auction house Mathewsons sold a restoration case car, for £5600. The current, average highest value of £21,700 for a concours example is likely to climb to around £30,000 within a couple of years.

Triumph Spitfire, 1962–1980

Launched in 1962, the Spitfire is in plentiful supply, relatively affordable to buy, and with good parts availability, there has always been a loyal scene around the two-seat roadster. It’s a car you can enjoy driving, gain that glowing sense of satisfaction that comes from accomplishing DIY tasks, and all the while your money is tied up in a stable investment – over the long term, values have been static, but there are signs good Spitfires are taking off. The idea for the Spitfire was born in 1960. Triumph needed a car that could compete with the Austin-Healey Sprite and MG Midget, and positioned its offering just above the pairing, and by 1962 it had the funds to get its proposal off the ground. It was an instant hit. In 1970 a facelift brought with it a reworking of the rear suspension, to tidy up the Spitfire’s roadholding, and Hagerty suspects all generations of Spitfire will continue to please car enthusiasts for many decades yet.

• Hagerty Price Guide range, all variants, Fair to Concours: £2800–£28,100

The Spitfire remains a strong favourite of the Baby Boomer group, with 47 per cent of all owners from that generation (against a 35 per cent average across all cars). Will the next generation now discover this car and make it cool again? Values of all Spitfires were relatively static for some time but have started to increase notably: quoted values are up 27 per cent in the past two years. That’s mostly been driven by early cars in concours condition, which are the most valuable, nudging more than £28,100, while the Mark II is snapping at its heels with a top value of £26,300. However, for younger enthusiasts on a budget, cheap cars are still very cheap to buy but often not cost-effective restorations, hence why their prices languish.

Christmas is just around the corner, and although this year’s festive season is more subdued than normal and spending is set to be down on last year, the gifts for your nearest and dearest still need to be up to scratch. If you’ve got a certified car lover in your ranks, the good news is there are plenty of great ideas to choose from that are sure-fire hits for the big day.

Below, you’ll find four categories of gifts for petrol heads, along with some fine examples of each and something for every age and budget. So, if you’re still scrambling around for inspiration for Christmas, or even looking ahead to birthdays for your resident four-wheel fanatic, take a look at our handy guide on cool gifts for car lovers.

TOYS FOR KIDS
Whether we like to admit it or not, many of us car-loving adults are really just big kids at heart, so where better to start than with the perfect toys for the sophisticated car enthusiast?

A next-gen games console
You may have seen some furore around the release of the two major next-generation games consoles – the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5. Both significantly more powerful than their predecessors, both built to take the gaming experience to the next level and both guaranteed to put a smile on virtually anyone’s face this Christmas.

For the car fans specifically, Xbox has Forza Motorsport and PlayStation has Gran Turismo – two motorsport franchises exclusive to their respective consoles that have long provided driving fans with the ultimate in-game racing experience. Codemasters’ F1 2020 is another brilliant option for both consoles. 

Lego replicas
From the new school to the old, Lego offers nostalgia for the big kids and fun for the actual kids in equal measure. Today, Lego offers up some car kits that are very much worthy of note, including the rather impressive Lego Technic replicas of the Lamborghini Sian FKP 37 and the Bugatti Chiron. 

A game of Monopoly, anyone?
Would Christmas be complete without a family fallout over hotel rates and income tax? This year you can do it in style with a car-themed version of Monopoly. Our pick, for the F1 fans in particular, would be the Mercedes F1 Silver Arrows Edition, but there are plenty of options out there that would make unique gifts for car lovers.

Cute mini cars
While you might be a little big to fit in yourself, you can live vicariously through your kids this year by purchasing your dream car, just in miniature form, for them to cruise around in. A sure-fire crowd pleaser for the kids, plus you get to tell people about the shiny new Range Rover, Jaguar, Audi Quattro or RS you just bought – just don’t mention the scale.

Car toys
For the toy car lover who’s interested in a little more of an interactive element, RC cars are still very much a thing. Get a Land Rover fan a scaled-down Range Rover Sport or Defender to bother people’s ankles with through Christmas Day – both make a great novelty gift for young and old.

READING MATERIAL
If the above doesn’t quite fit the bill in terms of refinement, you can always look to the old faithful and secure some trusty auto-based literature. With vast swathes of car-related reading material out there, books make for one of the classic Christmas gifts for petrolhead girls and guys.

How Cars Work by Tom Newton
Got a novice car mechanic in the family who wants to learn the ropes? This book won’t teach a seasoned veteran anything they don’t already know, but it will help a newbie get to grips with the essentials of car engineering, the parts involved and how they operate in an easily digestible and engaging manner.

Car: The Definitive Visual History of the Automobile by DK
For the passionate generalist who loves cars in all shapes and sizes, this book does what it says on the tin. It offers a thorough visual walkthrough of all the landmark moments in the storied history of the automobile and discusses the cars that have shaped it through the years. If you know your significant other loves cars but aren’t too sure of the specifics beyond that, this is a great “safe” gift for a car lover boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife.

The Complete Book of Porsche 911 by Randy Leffingwell
One of the most well-loved and iconic sports cars in history gets a full biographical history here. Perfect for a lover of all things 911, Leffingwell tells the complete history of the Porsche 911’s development and editions, and includes plenty of lesser known titbits that the typical Porsche fan will revel in.

GADGETS & ACCESSORIES
With the world of gadgetry and technology ever-growing, there are some awesome in-car tech gift ideas that’ll hit the sweet spot for tech and car lovers.

Amazon Alexa Echo Auto
Amazon’s virtual assistant Alexa has become a familiar voice in many of our homes, but what about in the car? The Alexa Echo Auto is a relatively inexpensive in-car assistant that will allow you to do things like change the music, make calls and find the nearest petrol station without having to fiddle with buttons and put yourself at risk.

HUDWAY Cast Heads-Up Display (HUD)
A heads-up display is probably something you’d associate with a fighter jet or similar, so the idea of bringing one into your car makes it one of the truly cool gifts for car lovers this Christmas. The HUDWAY Cast is the first of its kind, and turns any smartphone into a heads-up display that provides the driver with a transparent GPS projection just above the wheel as well as being able to receive calls and read texts, and can even change the music.

Handpresso Auto Hybrid Coffee Maker
If your beloved petrolhead also happens to love their coffee, then you’ll hit the jackpot with an in-car coffee maker. Audi have their very own espresso machine that you can simply connect to your car to create delicious espressos in a matter of minutes. If their coffee is anything like their cars, then you’re onto a winner.

By Classic Yorkshire correspondent Tony Lofthouse

A new documentary series featuring an array of classic car and their enthusiastic owners is coming to the factual TV channel, Yesterday.

Classic Car Garage is produced by the Leeds-based production company, ClockWork Films and follows mechanic and restorer Colin Denton as he opens his garage up to cars needing a bit of help to get back on the road.

Colin is himself the owner of a fabulous 1977 Triumph Stag.

Colin will be joined by a team of experts who will advise owners on keeping on top of their precious motors. They will also share their knowledge and skills to solve mechanical issues.

Among the cars to feature will be a 1931 MG M-type coupe, a 1974 Mk3 Jenson Interceptor, a 1982 Vauxhall Viceroy and a 1990 Mercedes 230E.

Classic Car Garage is being commissioned by UKTV for Yesterday and they promise a series ‘full of tips, hacks and facts with experts and amateurs brought together for the love of classic cars.’

Yesterday’s stable includes the ever popular Bangers and Cash and its spin-off, Bangers and Cash: Restoring Classics.

No exact date is available for the airing of this new series, so the best bet is to keep an eye on the motoring press and online sources.

If, in the first sentence of this article, I use the word, Islamophobia, I have no doubt that many of you will simply move on.  But, bear with me.   We have published many articles about the financial and environmental benefits of classic cars, but we have not mentioned the cultural and social benefit of classic cars.

I live in a northern textile town and witnessed first hand the influx of migrants coming to work in the mills, hospitals and public transport networks.  I am sure that many of you saw this too.   I grew up in a multi cultural society and always took it to be normal.

For the last 20 years I have been involved in organising classic car events and it increasingly dawned on me the role those classic cars can have in integrating our society.   The shows I organised had an increasingly diverse visitor and exhibitor profile.   But it wasn’t just race, it was age too.   One of the greatest rewards of these events was to see an 80 year old white British man talking to a young Asian man about their shared passion for cars.  It isn’t our differences that bring together but our shared interests.  That doesn’t have to be cars, it could food, music or art.

As part of the Being Human Festival 50 modified cars were put on display in Bradford City centre to promote the sharing of car stories by different communities.  Dr Yunis Alam, head of the Sociology/Criminology department in the University of Bradford’s School of Social Sciences, has spent the last 20 years examining issues such as class, identity and race, and how they relate to a shared cultural narrative, in particular our love of cars.

At the event visitors were able to sit in cars and listen to ‘car stories’ told by the people in Dr Alam’s research, and share their own story in a car video booth.

Dr Alam said: “A lot of my research over the last 20 years has involved looking at culture and identity. Our love of cars, and in particular, the modification of cars, is a kind of common language that cuts across categorisations that are often seen as divisive, such as race and class – it’s an example of something that binds people together, like food, fashion and music.

“My working hypothesis is people prefer to get along, but over the last 20 years there has been increasing anxiety and worry about race and the differences that often end up defining who we are, especially at times of tension.

“What this day was about – apart from just bringing people together people who love cars – is looking beyond those differences, to a shared experience, and showing that, when you actually get down to it, our sense of belonging and identity – the things that we all hold dear, the things that actually matter to us – are often very similar, and sometimes the same. The car is a prime example of that.”

So, if you are applying for funding, or writing about the benefits of classic cars, then perhaps you should be including the way it reaches to many hard to reach groups such as young men and the elderly, the disabled community and provides an opportunity to promote issues such as mental health.   And if you run a club, perhaps you should be asking difficult questions about inclusivity and whether you could do more to embrace people who don’t look and act like you do.

One of the best cars I have owned was a Subaru Impreza WRX. Whilst it functioned very well as family car doing the school run it could magically transform into a monster of a car using its Turbo’s and four wheel drive.

However a change in circumstances meant that we needed to get an estate car and a trip to the Audi garage followed for an A4. The part exchange negotiaitions went badly (It was clear they didn’t really want the car) and on offer of £1200 for an eight year old Subaru with 40 000 miles on the clock was firmly rejected.

I kept the car for a few years as a spare car and then 5 years ago I put it away in a garage where my wife eventually forgot that I owned it. It is still sitting there in good condition with low mileage and I have watched the values steadily rise, especially for unmolested examples. It seems that this decision is going to pay off as values for these Japanese Classics are really taking off.

Gary Dunne of CCA, explains: “We’re often asked: ‘How is the car market doing at the moment?’ A simple answer is that changing trends and economic fluctuations mean some things naturally plateau or come down in value, whereas others will rise. No one could have predicted the rise in the Japanese cars but for a generation who grew up watching Fast and Furious, playing Gran Turismo and Need for Speed these halo cars have fond memories and becoming increasingly desirable.”

The Japanese collectable story is very similar to what happened with ‘Fast Fords’ – when car values dropped many cars were ragged about, crashed, scrapped, rusted away, or broken for parts. So the good surviving/restored examples nowadays rightfully command a premium. The upward trend in popularity and desirability of these cars continues to grow with the cars becoming rarer, which has led to increasing sales results.

So what next for my Subaru? Well the values mean that it has become viable to spend some money on restoring it back to road going condition. I have a couple of projects on the go at the moment but the Subaru is now next on the list.

By Classic Yorkshire correspondent Tony Lofthouse

Whilst car books make great stocking fillers at this time of year, there are lots more wonderful gift ideas out there for the motor enthusiast.

I’ve been browsing the internet to get a taste for some of the top gifts around and here’s my festive top five!

Driving gloves

Why not make that festive driving experience that bit extra special for your loved one or friend with the gift of a new pair of driving gloves?

There’s lots of choice from vintage inspired crochet-backed gloves to all-leather ‘his and her’ matching driving gloves. One of the leading names is Dent Gloves who started in the business 250 years ago. To see their British-made gloves collection visit http://www.dentsgloves.com

Classic car portraits

If you’re looking for a custom-made gift of your treasured car how about choosing a profile-style drawing? Click http://www.classiccarportraits.co.uk to view hundreds of technical drawings by illustrator Graeme Jenner. Graeme has been creating his car portraits since 2002, featuring everything from Aston Martin to Austin Healey.

Gearstick Bottle Stoppers

Bottle stoppers make an ideal gift for the vintage car and wine lover. Among the online gift sites is http://www.meandmycar.co.uk who offer two ‘gearstick’ designs. The first bottle stopper comes in a rosewood style with chrome finishing and the second is all chrome, similar to the styling on a Ferrari Dino. Tapered rubber seals ensure the perfect fit for all bottle sizes.

Speedo clocks

Speedometer clocks make a ‘timely’ feature in any ‘man cave’, home office, kitchen, garage or study. Depicting the dials of some of the most iconic cars around from Alfa Romeo to Mercedes, Chronos Clocks offer hand-made designs by illustrator, Chris Wadden. Each clock retains the look of the original speedometer and are mounted under glass. For the full range and prices go to http://www.chronosclocks.com

Motoring socks

It’s unusual to avoid the Christmas season without a gift of at least one pair of socks. At http://www.classicmotorhub.com they offer a range of designs for motorsport and vintage fans including British Racing Green, Ferrari red, a Classic Chequered flag and Bugatti blue. Each pair costs just £9.

If you haven’t bought your Christmas cards yet many of these online sites also offer a good choice of automotive greeting cards!

That’s my top five gifts but there are a host of other online sites from Amazon and Etsy to vintage specialists, offering some fabulous Christmas ideas. At Classic Yorkshire we encourage you to shop around. It would be great to hear your festive ideas too. Why not share with our many subscribers via an online comment?

Hilton & Moss, specialists in the restoration and sales of classic and prestige vehicles, put the shine back into a 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster.

Like its iconic 300 SL ‘Gullwing’ coupé sister, the stunningly elegant 300 SL Roadster found its origins in the crucible of sportscar racing with the W194. The genesis of the 300 SL legend began with this extraordinary racing machine, earning a string of remarkable victories in its first season of competition. The 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Nürburgring Jubilee Grand Prix, and the 3,100-km Carrera Panamericana across Mexico: the W194 was victorious in them all – even despite a collision with a vulture and a broken windscreen in the latter at a speed of 135mph.

An instant star on the racetrack, the W194 had certainly earned its stripes in the eyes of one Max Hoffman – Daimler-Benz’s official importer in the USA, who convinced the board of the business to convert it into a roadgoing coupé in 1954. Everything the 300 SL represented resonated strongly with wealthy Americans, leading to the 300 SL receiving an extra dose of the California spirit with the Roadster’s debut in 1957.

Hilton & Moss’ 300 SL Roadster started its life in the USA, before making its way to Germany and ultimately the UK. With its UK owner eager to channel the fighting spirit of the W194 and restore the 300 SL Roadster to its former lustre, the car was brought to Hilton & Moss to be treated to a full structural, interior and mechanical restoration.

Despite previous accident damage and extensive corrosion in the vehicle’s underbody, the Hilton & Moss team transformed the vehicle to a concours-standard stunner.

Following a full strip-down of the vehicle, the team set about repairing the original panels to the precise factory specification, with extensively corroded panels replaced with genuine Mercedes-Benz parts flown in from Germany.

The interior also received a full restoration – bringing out the brightness of the red-hide leather cockpit. The trimming team took great care in preparing new leather to seamlessly fit the metal dashboard frame, mitigating cracking issues that can plague unloved models and futureproofing it for decades to come.

The mechanical components were subjected to a complete overhaul and the 3.0-litre straight six powerplant was stripped down and refurbished to as-new condition.

Christmas is nearly upon us and no doubt you are already being asked what you would like for Christmas. There are lots of automotive gifts out there you just need to point your loved ones in the right direction. Books are always great and the Rally Giants series offer great value.

Researched and written with the full co-operation of the factory, here in definitive detail is the story of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution (or ‘Lan Evo’) in its key role as a works rally car. Making its debut in 1993, it won the WRC title for its manufacturer in 1998, but also propelled Tommi Mäkinen to a string of victories in the driver’s championship on numerous occasions.

This book, continuing Veloce’s highly-successful Rally Giants series, features all of the WRC events entered by the Lancer as a works machine, including detailed results (even down to registration numbers), and a fine selection of contemporary photography to bring the era back to life. An essential title for Mitsubishi and rallying enthusiasts alike.

MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION by Brian Long
ISBN: 9781787117129
UPC: 6-36847-01712-5

AVAILABLE NOW! £19.99

By Classic Yorkshire correspondent Tony Lofthouse.

A mint condition 1986 Ford Sierra RS Cosworth has sold for a record £132,750 at the latest Silverstone Auctions sale.

The Sierra model is one of the fastest Fords in history and the car had just 8,795 on the clock when it went under the hammer!

It’s final price is £22,000 more then the pre-sale estimate, making it the most expensive Sierra ever. A rarer RS500 had previously set the record, making £122,000 in a sale in 2017.

The Silverstone Auctions guide said the three-door Sierra RS ‘comes in Moonstone Blue with a virtually unmarked Recaro cloth interior’ and had ‘just two former keepers’.

It has been in storage since 2003 and only re-emerged this year for a clean-up.

The turbocharged three-door Sierra RS Cosworth has a 2.0-litre four cylinder engine capable of producing 204 bhp. It could accelerate from 0 to 60mph in just 6.2 seconds.

It was built as a result of a Ford Motorsport project to take the Sierra into tour caring and rallying success.

Production of the RS Cosworth was centred in Genk in Belgium and ran from 1986 to 1992 – the option of a four door saloon coming in 1988.

The documents accompanying the sale of this 1986 model shows it cost the princely sum of £16,630 when new.