News about classic and prestige cars
I’m really looking forward to this event. Taking place over the fathers day weekend it is an ideal place to take your dad. A run to the coast, interesting cars racing on the beach and a large vintage fair in the nearby pavilion. Finish off with a fish and chip supper and it has all the makings of a perfect day out. Best of all, the cars are free to watch. http://www.backfirepromotions.com
Bentley is celebrating 70 years since the start of production of the R-Type Continental – one of the most celebrated cars in the company’s 103-year history, and the first Bentley to wear the Continental name. With only 208 examples produced, the R-Type Continental was as rare a sight in the 1950s as it is today – but it went down in history as a benchmark Bentley, and the embodiment of the brand’s grand touring DNA. Its ethos and its exterior design were the inspiration for the first Continental GT in 2003, and it has inspired Bentley Design teams ever since.
While the first prototype R-Type Continental (known as ‘Olga’ thanks to its OLG490 registration) was on the road in August 1951, it wasn’t until May 1952 that the car went into production, with customer deliveries starting in June. At the time, it was the fastest four-seat car in the world – a mantle that was picked-up by the modern-day Continental GT in 2003. It was also the most expensive, at £6,928 – nearly four times the 1952 average UK house price.
The brainchild of Chief Projects Engineer, Ivan Evernden and Chief Stylist, John Blatchley, the R-Type Continental was described in period by Autocar magazine as ‘a modern magic carpet which annihilates great distances.’
Two pre-war coachbuilt specials, the ‘Embiricos’ Bentley and Mk V Corniche, had shown the advantages of improved aerodynamics. In the early 1950s, Ivan Evernden took inspiration from these one-off creations to create a sleek coupé based on the R-Type Bentley saloon. The power of the 4,566cc, six-cylinder in-line engine was raised from 140 to 153 bhp, and the transmission featured a higher final drive ratio. The prototype averaged 118.75 mph over five laps (with a best lap of just under 120mph) at the banked Montlhèry track near Paris.
To keep down to the target weight, coachbuilders HJ Mulliner crafted the bodywork, window frames, windscreen surround, backlight, seat frames and bumpers in aluminium. Even at a pared-down weight, tyre choice was critical; no standard road tyre existed which could carry a two-ton car at speeds in excess of 115 mph, and Dunlop Medium Distance Track tyres were specified.
The first production model was delivered to its owner in June 1952 and by the time production ended in 1955, 208 R-Type Continentals had been made. Of these, 193 were bodied by HJ Mulliner. Others included Park Ward (four dropheads and two coupés), Franay (five), Graber (three) and Farina (one).
JAS 949
The Bentley Heritage Collection is the proud owner of R-Type Continental chassis BC16C, registration JAS 949. ‘JAS’ was built in 1953 and delivered to its first owner, Dr Rowland Guenin of Switzerland in December 1953. It was ordered in Ivory with Red interior and a manual gearbox, a specification it retains today along with the original 4.6-litre engine. Bentley Motors acquired JAS 949 in 2001 and has maintained it in excellent mechanical order while sympathetically preserving its patina. The car is driven regularly and appears frequently on display at the Bentley campus and at events around the world.
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By Classic Yorkshire correspondent Tony Lofthouse
A vivid memory of my school days in Leeds was seeing a stunning NSU Ro80 going out on its daily run. It was a car that broke the mould!
The German manufacturer NSU, renowned for making small cars and motorbikes, really turned ‘left field’ in 1967 with the launch of a sedan-style car that combined aerodynamic styling with a technologically advanced twin-rotor Wankel engine.
The four-door Ro80 was designed by Claus Luthe who would go on to build a successful career with Audi and BMW.
It was quite a car and would redefine the executive car market (briefly!). The industry quickly lauded the German beauty, voting it the European Car of the Year with months of its launch.
Other technological features were its clutch-less semi-automatic transmission reducing driver effort and adding to the cars smooth drive.
Autocar praised its superb road holding, fine visibility and described the Ro80 as ‘very advanced and pleasant drive’
In a 1968 road test, Motor magazine even claimed it could be ‘the car of the decade’.
The car seemed destined to be a Europe wide success story for NSU but soon its fortunes took a wrong turn! By the turn of the decade, the company were inundated with reports of engine problems, some occurring with over revving the rotary and also complaints of high fuel consumption.
Complete engine rebuilds were sometimes needed after just 30,000 miles and reports were coming back of dealerships and mechanics struggling to get to grips with the rotary engine.
Sticking with a generous warranty policy and investing heavily in improving the cars reliability would leave NSU staring at financial ruin. From a high point of sales of 7,800 in 1969 annual production tailed off to around 2,000 cars in the mid 70s.
Soon the German giants VW, in the guise of Audi, would take over. They would keep the Ro80 in production until 1977. In ten years, sales would total over 37,000.
Despite its problems the Ro80 would leave a lasting legacy. Its wedge-shaped design gave an amazing drag coefficient of just 0.355 – low for many of today’s saloons – and its sleek lines ending in a distinctive boot would influence the thinking of future car makers.
There is certainly a nod to the Ro80 in the proportions of some of the ‘executive’ Audis of the 80s and more recent models.
If you’re thinking about buying an Ro80, parts can be expensive and it would be worth finding an expert in the Wankel engine as a rebuild could be expensive. But, a well restored car can be extremely durable and great to drive.
Prices tend to start at around £3,500 for a car needing restoration, whilst a fully rebuilt model can go for five times this figure.
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The clock is ticking down to the second Yorkshire Motorsport Festival which takes place in Holmfirth on 24, 25 and 26 June. As our name suggests we are big supporters of those who organise events in Yorkshire and this is an event that definitely deserves your support. So, book your tickets, enter your car, tell your friends and lets see this event build on the success of its first year to become a staple in the Yorkshire Calendar.
Music and dancing in the fields
Apart from the great Friday and Saturday night music line-up on the main stage, there’s still lots to sing and dance about on the Sunday too, with singer Adrian Paris and cheerleaders from the Stepping Out Dance School. FIND OUT MORE
One of the key elements of the festival is the YMSF Hill Climb. If you fancy taking part then the closing date for entries to the 3 days of hill climb events is midnight, Friday 17 June. If you want to put your car through its paces on the iconic Wolfstone Hill, then get your entries sorted asap.
You can supersize your Festival experience in the No.10Bar@The Festival. This year why not do the YMSF in style and join us in the No10Bar@TheFestival for an even greater experience. With your own exclusive outside seating area, sandwich lunch, afternoon tea and private pay drinks bar. TREAT YOURSELF
Everything you need to know before you go. We’ve created a comprehensive guide to the Festival with our “Everything you need to know” checklist. READ MORE
Buy your tickets now. Although you’ll be able to buy tickets online from our website throughout the Festival weekend, there will be a £5 premium on each ticket, and availability will be limited. Due to limitations on numbers, for crowd safety purposes, on-the-day tickets will be limited. So we strongly advise booking ahead to avoid disappointment. BOOK NOW
For more information: https://www.ymsf.net/
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Picture gallery at bottom of the article.
It takes a special kind of person to display a car at a classic car show. 6 hours is a long time to sit around and chat, which is why I prefer events that I can dip in and out of. Moss recently announced open days at all of its branches and promised coffee, cake and a display of classic cars.
As an added incentive Moss were offering a 15% discount on any purchases made on the day and click and collect was also available. If you have a big restoration ahead of you then this could be an attractive incentive.
When I visit a classic car business I always ask what cars the staff run. That way you can tell if it is a business run by enthusiasts. I can tell you now that the Bradford branch is definitely enthusiast run.
I arrived in my ageing MX5 (in addition to traditional British car parts Moss supply parts for the MX5) and was welcomed by branch manager Laura Harris. She was displaying her very early MG Midget, believed to be the oldest Midget on the road. What she wasn’t displaying was her racing Mini as it was on it’s way to the next circuit. Laura is just starting racing again after an incident necessitating a new body shell.
Outside I was admiring an Austin Heeley 3000 built in 1962 belonging to Gary Stead, another member of the Moss team. His wife Julie, took me round just some of his collection on display which included another Austin Heeley, a TR2 and the J40 pedal car. At home there is also an MGA, a TR4A and half a Morris Minor (The car is a whole car but he shares it with a friend). A welder by profession Gary has restored all the cars.
There was a constant flow of cars arriving and departing with customers bringing along their treasures. From Hot Rods to quintessential British icons there was an interesting mix of cars on display and tales of fondly remembered classics still sitting in the garage. I reckon the average number of classic owned by this bunch of enthusiasts was 5 each.
Moss provide catalogues for many of the most popular cars they serve and an excellent web site with news and help guides. Visit their website for more information and next time you see an open day advertised, pop round for cars, coffee and chat. https://www.moss-europe.co.uk/
Click on image to see full size pictures.
By Classic Yorkshire film correspondent Bill Lawrence.
News just in is that Robert Downey jnr, famous for his role as the wealthy engineer who became Iron Man, is producing his own TV series where he restores and upgrades classic cars.
The show will be his second for Discovery+ and will launch in late 2022 on the Warner Bros. Discovery streaming platform.
As Downey and his team of experts revive classic cars, they also look to restore a battered global environment by creating eco-friendly automobiles for the 21st century.
said Robert Downey jr
“My goal is to showcase that it’s possible to keep the integrity of classic cars while leveraging new tech and innovation to make them more eco-friendly. I’m thrilled audiences will get to see this series on Discovery+ later this year,”
The series updates Downey’s prized cars for a new millennium while showcasing the power and style that made the vintage automobiles legendary in the first place.
Downey’s Dream Cars is executive produced by Robert Downey Jr., Susan Downey and Emily Barclay Ford for Team Downey; along with Jay Peterson, Todd Lubin, Dave Larzelere a
By Classic Yorkshire correspondent Tony Lofthouse.
What does screen hero James Bond and the equally dashing MGB sports car both celebrate in 2022? Answer, their 60th birthday as national treasures.
To many classic car lovers the latter is forever a diamond too! It’s affordable, fun to drive, reliable and comes with a plentiful spare parts market.
This sleek ‘open top’ two- seater was launched in 1962 by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and came with the company’s trusty B-series engine.
It might not have had the ‘bells and whistle’ spec of a costly Aston Martin but the little sports car was lauded for its style and ‘grand touring character’. The MGB would deservedly become one of the world’s best loved sports cars.
More than half a million MGBs were made, appealing to drivers looking for an exciting alternative to a more sensible four door runaround.
By 1965 a hardtop version with a hatchback tailgate – the MGB GT – designed by Pininfarina, was added.
All MGBs to 1967 used a four-speed manual gearbox with optional overdrive available. In 1968 the gearbox was upgraded with a fully synchromesh unit.
Further models were rolled out, including the six-cylinder MGC and eight-cylinder GT V8, but over the years its basic body shape would remain unchanged.
By the mid 1970s rubber bumpers would replace the B’s lighter chrome fitting, largely in response to US safety regulations. The restyling of its nose would bring mixed reactions from enthusiasts.
Many MG owners saw the bumper modification as a step too far but for others a bit of rubber trim still couldn’t detract from the car’s classic appeal.
Production of the MGB and its variants at the company’s Abingdon base sadly ended in 1980 as the Uk motor industry faced its own challenges including lack of investment and overseas competition.
A Rover-produced limited edition reappeared briefly in 1992 in the guise of the MG RV8 – a 3.9 litre model based on a remanufactured MGB body shell. Nearly 2,000 of the RV8 were produced with many snapped up in Japan!
Specially tuned MGBs proved popular in motor sport, winning the Grand Touring category in the 1965 Monte Carlo Rally and circuit success at Brands Hatch and the Nürburgring.
In terms of driver experience the ‘B’ gives lively acceleration with a gearbox offering a good shift action.
The low cockpit is able to nicely accommodate the taller driver and interior appeal also includes smart dashboard dials, knobs and switches.
On the downside, corrosion can be an issue but again sections of the body work can easily be replaced with suitably sourced parts.
Roger Illingworth, Chairman of the Harrogate MG and Classic Car Club, drives a 1979 MGB roadster and a 1967 MGB GT and explains his love for the car:
“My roadster is the later rubber bumper version with synchromesh on all four gears, whilst the GT only has that luxury on three gears.
“Both are ex American versions and have been converted to right hand drive. They are great fun to drive and always turn heads when out on the road. The steering on both is very heavy at parking speeds but once on the move they give a good feel of the road.
“When the rubber bumpers were introduced for the American market the suspension was raised by an inch and a half to complete the requirements of the US legislation. The outcome of this transformation is that the rubber bumper cars have a much softer ride than the earlier cars.
“Purists claim that road holding suffered with the introduction of the modification but this is not noticeable at normal road speeds, especially as I limit progress to 3000 rpm. At these engine speeds the later car easily keeps up with modern traffic when overdrive is used. Without overdrive the earlier car becomes a little noisy at these revs so motorway cruising can become a little tedious if speed is not reduced.
“Both MGs are easy to work on. They are straightforward and spare parts and accessories are plentiful both brand new and second hand. In my view, running an ageing MG sports car can fit any pocket and is an excellent way to start your journey into the classic car world.”
Interested in buying an MG? With over 13,000 MGBs still on the UK roads there are real opportunities to pick up a nice example. Prices start at under £3,000 for a restoration project, whilst a restored example is likely to cost you anything from £6,000 to £20,000.
In celebration of the MGBs 60th anniversary the British Motor Museum at Gaydon in Warwickshire are inviting enthusiasts to bring their own MGs to a special event on Sunday, 25 September. For more information go to http://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/whats-on/mgb-60th-anniversary
Locally, the Harrogate MG and Classic Car Club will be showing the largest display of MG cars in the North at Pateley Bridge on Sunday, 7 August. For more information click http://www.harrogatemgclub.org.uk
For details of MG events around the country visit http://www.mgownersclub.co.uk
It can be a bit difficult when you are the only classic car enthusiast in the family and they are less than enthusiastic about sitting behind a parked car in a field. The difficulties are multiplied when the kids are teenagers who need constant attention and food.
Events like Vroom Vintage and Vinyl make life just a bit easier by providing a mix of vintage stalls, clothes and a sprinkling of classic cars. Sunny Bank Mills in Farsley was the venue and, if it seems familiar it may be because it is where Sewing Bee is filmed. But Farsley also has its place in automotive history as the place where bodyshells were manufactured for David Brown’s Aston Martin business.
Sunny Bank Mills today is a business centre with a strong emphasis on arts related businesses. But with a lot of yard space, food and drink establishments and space for pop up indoor shopping it is an ideal place to hold a vintage event.
We popped along on Saturday and it was busy with a good mix of young and older vintage enthusiasts. The cars were provided by the excellent Yorkshire Thoroughbred Car Club. My eye was immediately drawn to a metallic blue Simca in superb condition. I can’t recall seeing one of them for years. There were cars from the 1930’s and 40’s right through to the 1980’s. The club has a very active facebook page and hold regular meetings and events. Definitely a club worth looking at if you are looking to meet fellow enthusiasts.
I must give a shout out for the Bristol. Always a rare car this one was quite spectacular and displayed its unusual spare wheel storage.
Away from the cars there was a Vintage flee market with all sorts of odds and ends. But star of the show was the vintage clothes store. Here you could rummage through an extensive collection of British and American clothes all priced by weight. You gather what you want, weigh it in and pay £20 per kilo.
On top of the cars and vintage there seemed to be a good range of street foods and alcoholic beverages.
If Farsley is within your range I would seriously consider this event next year. And, if you want to display a car then join the Yorkshire Thoroughbred Car Club.
Whilst small sports cars are my main passion for a classic car, there is no doubt that one of the best family cars I have owned was a Subaru Impreza WRX. Capable of carrying a family to the supermarket it was transformed on a quiet road with the turbo’s gulping down fuel. Add to that a world class rallying programme and the Subaru Impreza was an instant classic. So much so that when I came to change my car, the Subaru went into storage. I think it might be time to get it out again.
Now, 25 years since the first Subaru Impreza World Rally Car (WRC) made its winning debut on the stages of the World Rally Championship, the Prodrive P25 recaptures the essence of that very Impreza, while taking inspiration from the 22B arguably the most iconic Impreza.
Modern technology ensures the P25 is more powerful, lighter and with better handling.
This time it will have a 2.5 litre flat four ‘boxer’ engine producing in excess of 400 bhp, a six speed semi-automatic paddle-shift gearbox and, due to extensive use of carbon fibre, a lightweight chassis.
The P25 will be produced in a limited run of just 25 cars, all built at Prodrive’s headquarters in Banbury, UK.
Peter Stevens, who styled the original Impreza WRC for Prodrive, has defined the design, while the engineering of the car has been overseen by Prodrive technical director, David Lapworth, who was responsible for the original Impreza WRC.
The P25 is the idea of Prodrive chairman, David Richards. He said: “The original 22B Impreza is considered the most iconic of Subarus and highly sought after. We wanted to enhance everything that made that car so special by applying the very latest technology to create our own modern interpretation of a car that’s established a place in motoring history.”
The Prodrive P25 will make its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in June. Prodrive is now taking expressions of interest and the first of the 25 cars will be delivered to customers later this year.
The price. Well yet to be announced but our sources suggest a figure in the region of £460 000 plus VAT.
VWCV Classic Vehicles has just finished bringing a unique 60-year-old vehicle back to mint condition: the ‘Half-track Fox’. This T1 was produced in the Hannover plant in May 1962. After a short period of life as a normal T1, it was transformed by Kurt Kretzner into a T1 with four axles – two of them fitted with a chain drive mechanism and two steering the vehicle using double tyres.
Kurt Kretzner was a keen skier and he found that in the mountainous regions of Austria there was a scarcity of vans with high standard off-road capabilities: ones that were easy for anyone to drive and yet could climb up to the highest Alpine meadow. “An ideal helper for everyone: mountain hut keepers, hunters, foresters, doctors, maintenance engineers for ski-lifts, TV and radio masts, pipelines and the like,” as Kretzner later wrote in the sales literature for the Half-track Fox. “At first, I had a look around, but couldn’t find the vehicle I was dreaming of. So, I decided to build it myself. Kurt spent over four years designing and building his mountain climber. Two ‘Foxes’, were built in the period up to 1968.
Under the orange-painted Bulli body was, at the front, a steered double axle with dual rough-tread 14-inch tyres and, at the back, another double axle with chain drive. The chains were mounted on 13-inch wheels and a construction of his own design made of aluminium elements with rubber blocks two centimetres thick to spare the asphalt. As a result of the dual front-axle steering the turning circle was less than 10 metres – so it could almost turn within its own circumference. Each wheel was fitted with a brake. An automatic limited-slip differential ensured evenly distributed forward propulsion even in deep snow. The T1 drew its power for this from its standard 25 kW / 34 PS flat engine with a cubic capacity of 1,192 cc. The Half-track Fox reached a top speed of 35 km/h and was slower than the animal kingdom member from which it got its name.
Kurt Kretzner wanted to build a tracked vehicle that would be very easy to steer. It was precisely for this reason that he opted for a half-track solution (with chains only on the drive axles) and an almost standard, albeit doubled-up front-wheel steering mechanism.
Over the years, the Half-track Fox was rarely seen and in the early 1990s it was bought by the Porsche Museum in Gmünd.
At the end of 2018, the Half-track Fox came into the collection of VWCV Classic Vehicles. The aim: to get the Half-track Fox up and running again. Under their guiding principle of “Erinnern. Erleben. Erhalten.” (Remember – Experience – Preserve), the classic vehicle experts began a painstaking process of restoration. The 60-year-old bodywork was, as is the case for all factory restorations in Hannover, stripped of paint, repaired, given a cathodic dip coating and repainted in the largely original shade of orange. Matt orange, in fact.
The VWCV Classic Vehicles team also got the mechanicals and interior back into as-new condition. The team was able to give free rein to their creativity there, as there were no onerous specifications. Wood components in beech and pine were individually adapted to the space inside the Half-track Fox, and practical tool holders installed. In February 2022, the Half-track Fox channelled its way through the snow with unusually good uphill capability.
Further information can be found at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VolkswagenNutzfahrzeugeMeinWerk/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/volkswagen-commercial-vehicles-/
VWCV podcast ‘wetransportsuccess’: https://www.radio.de/p/wetransportsuccess
After several years of intensive development and thousands of miles of testing on road and track, the decision has been made to start low volume production of the NICHOLS N1A.
The brainchild of former McLaren Chief Designer Steve Nichols who led the technical team responsible for the McLaren MP4/4, the most successful F1 car of all time, the NICHOLS N1A is a celebration of his close ties with the Woking company, being a modern interpretation of the very first McLaren, the M1A.
“We didn’t set out with the intention of going into production,” says Nichols. “It was an idea that John Minett, Nichols Cars’ CEO, and I had been talking about for a while. In the end we thought we might as well build one and see how it turned out. Once people saw it on the road, the response was incredible. It’s a bit like the original M1A that started the whole McLaren story. Bruce McLaren built it as a one-off for his own personal use. Then people starting asking him if he could produce a few more!”
Although obviously inspired by the M1A, the NICHOLS is a very different, thoroughly modern, proposition.
Visually it is much more aggressive, with a ground hugging nose, wide, powerful flanks and aerodynamics honed in the wind tunnel to produce positive, balanced, downforce front and rear. The result is a fitting tribute to the M1A, but at the same time a shape which is thoroughly contemporary.
As is the technology under the skin. The NICHOLS features a state-of-the-art aluminium and carbon fibre chassis with wishbone suspension all round, guaranteeing fabulous handling. “One of the most rewarding aspects of the project,” says Nichols, “has been the opportunity to work with some incredible world leading experts on structures and suspension, based here in the UK, as well as some fantastic colleagues from my McLaren days.”
An obvious feature the N1A shares with the original is a large capacity American V8. With a choice of power outputs ranging from 450 to 650 bhp and a target weight including fluids of under 900 kilos, performance is guaranteed to be spectacular.
Whilst it’s probably best to use a racetrack to unleash its full potential, the NICHOLS N1A has been designed with road use very much in mind, weather permitting!
The car will make its debut in the second quarter of 2022.
A report focused on the classic and collector car industry, a sector worth £18.3bn to the UK economy and estimated to employ approximately 113,000 people*, shows the industry needs to attract and entice a new demographic of classic car fan to secure its prosperous future or risk decline.
Titled the Indicator Report, the intelligence has been compiled by UK classic and collector car insurance specialists Footman James. Aiming to be a ‘state of the nation’ report, focused wholly on the classic and enthusiast vehicle sector, it shows that there’s work to be done with making the industry a more inclusive and diverse space, and in turn to secure its growth and relevance.
Studies within the report highlight that younger audiences show an interest in buying classic cars, with nearly half (49 per cent) of Generation Z-aged respondents – i.e. those who will pass their test this decade, or have done recently – those under 25-years old, would consider owning a classic vehicle in the future. For millennials (those aged between 26 and 41-years old), that number slips to 35 per cent of respondents saying they would consider owning a classic car in the future. However, if businesses offered shared ownership to millennials, 51 per cent of this age group said that they would consider joint ownership, thus showcasing an area for improvement and growth.
Diversity and inclusion are areas that Footman James’ Indicator Report has researched, showcasing that the sector is more than just a money-making industry, but that it also breeds communities. The review highlights the lockdown-induced REVS community and the long-standing PistonHeads forums, and how they have grown and reacted to times and trends. However, Footman James urges community and club managers to look further than traditional classic car fans and open clubs to more people to attract new audiences and breed new classic car fans and owners.
A large goal for growth, inclusivity and diversity should be with female classic car fans, according to the Indicator Report. Despite research suggesting more women are owning classic cars than ever before, just nine per cent of Footman James’ clients are female. But with 22 per cent of women reporting they would consider owning a classic car in the future, and 19 per cent not sure, i.e. could be convinced, it shows a business case to appeal to these female buyers.
Managing Director of Footman James, David Bond said: “Change is good for our community. In many ways, as this report highlights, we have changed and evolved as a classic car sector, using technology and communities in times of need. But, if we look around, it’s clear to see that our industry isn’t doing enough to change quickly enough, especially around the gender and age of enthusiasts.
“Speaking to our clients and indeed the public about classic and collector cars, as a community, we’re deemed as old school as our cars, and we must listen to this criticism and become more attractive, inclusive and welcoming to the new era of the classic vehicle community. After all, without change, we wouldn’t have grown the classic and enthusiast vehicle sector this far.”
Download the full report for free at https://www.herostore.eu/historic-motoring-impact-study.html