Classic and Collector Car News, Features and Interviews.
On Sunday 31st May Take to the Road took part in its first ever Classic Car Run. Organised by GE Classic Motor Events, the 27th London to Brighton Classic Car Run started from leafy Greenwich Park in London. Our start time was 8.35am so we arrived on site in our Bertone x1/9 Gran Finale at 7.50am. The weather was grey and overcast but the forecast heavy rain had thankfully held…
We are back from our little break and are delighted to announce that Take to the Road is taking part in this years London to Brighton Classic Car Run. Organised by Gemini Events, the run will start this coming Sunday at Greenwich park in London and will finish in Brighton around 12.30pm. The classic car run is coinciding with the Brighton Beach Classic Motor Show so its going to be a…
Gilbern was one of the few car manufacturers to originate in Wales. Operating between 1959 until 1973, they specialised in producing glass fibre based cars and for a time produced some very interesting GTs. One such GT was the Gilbern Invader Mk2. The Invader was launched in 1969 and was based on the previous Genie GT. Engines were sourced from Ford, utilising the 3.0ltr Essex V6. Its 141BHP was sent…
Designed in secret during the second world war, the Renault 4CV was launched to the French public in 1947. Much like the Citroen 2CV, it played an important role in mobilising France after the war. Unlike its French counterpart, the Renault 4CV offered four doors and was rear engined. Power was provided by a tiny 18BHP 760cc four cylinder engine which was mated to a three speed transmission. Thanks to…
Launched in 1986 at the British International Motor Show, the TVR S1 marked a change in direction for the British sports car maker, under the guidance of its new owner Martin Wheeler. Taking its styling cues from the older 3000S convertible and mechanicals from the out going 280i, the S1 continued TVRs fibreglass body format and separate tubular space frame chassis. It featured the tried and trusted fuel injected Cologne…
The Fiat x1/9 was a mid engined sports car designed by Bertone and was just one of their famous line of wedge shaped car designs. Fiat in the late 1960s were searching for a convertible sports car to fit into their new 128 range. Nuncio Bertone, filled with confidence after the launch of the Lamborghini Miura, suggested a rear engined format. Fiat were not convinced, feeling the design would be…
The Citroen 2CV was a revolution in cheap utilitarian motoring when it was unveiled to the French public in 1948. Where the Citroen DS stood for luxury and sophistication, the Citroen 2CV stood for completely the opposite. However to say that the 2CV wasn’t sophisticated isn’t particularly fair. Commissioned by Pierre Boulanger in the 1930s, his brief determined that the new car, code named “Becassine”, had to carry two farmers…
The Peugeot 304s Cabriolet was introduced to the Peugeot 304 range in 1970. It followed on from the earlier Peugeot 204 convertible and featured an improved 1288cc four cylinder engine. While it only produced 74BHP, the aluminium engine block combined with a four speed transmission and the cars compact form, resulted in a sprightly yet economical convertible. Thanks to its independent suspension, front-wheel-drive and disc brakes, the 304 drove better…
Delahaye was a French automobile manufacturer founded by Emile Delahaye in 1894. His first cars were belt-driven, with tiny rear mounted single/twin-cylinder engines. One of the companies most notable achievements was the invention of the V6 engine in 1911. The 3.2-litre twin-cam engine design was credited to the companies chief design-engineer Amadee Varlet and fitted to the Type 44. The model proved unsuccessful however and it would take until 1935…
Talbot Lago was a French racing and luxury car manufacturer that operated from 1935 until it was sold to Simca in 1959. The company emerged from the collapsed Anglo-French STD (Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq) in 1935 and was purchased by Italian engineer Antonio Lago. While reorganising the companies product line, Lago pushed forward his desire to build racing cars which lead to the Talbot Lago T150C. This featured a single cam 3 litre…