Classic and Collector Car News, Features and Interviews.
The Volkswagen SP2 is not a car name heard very often in the UK, let alone seen. Constructed from 1972 to 1976, the SP2 was the brainchild of Volkswagens Brazilian subsidiary. By 1969 VW Brazil needed a replacement for the aging Karmann Ghia and the less successful Karmann Ghia TC. Originally dubbed “Project X”, the new sports car was finally given the name “SP” or “São Paolo” in 1971. It…
The Daimler V8 250 was the last production car to use the famous Daimler V8 engine. When Jaguar bought Daimler in 1960, they not only acquired another factory but also access to Edward Turner’s wonderful V8 engine. Originally used in the Daimler Majestic Major and the SP250 convertible, the 4.5ltr and 2.5ltr engines were lighter than Jaguar’s own straight six engines. Turner, who designed Triumph motorbike engines, brought his expertise…
Fancy owning a bit of Rover history? This has to be one of the most unusual eBay auctions we have ever seen and featured to date. Offered for sale are the original blueprints for the design and production of the Austin Metro, the Rover Metro and the Rover 100. Judging by the photos there is literally a mountain of paper work, which the seller claims is just a fraction of…
With the increase in popularity of micro cars in recent years, it’s easy to forget that the concept of a very small, compact and fuel efficient vehicle has been around for some time. In the Europe in the 1950s, with much of the continent still recovering from the ravages of war, there was demand for small and inexpensive cars. This led to the emergence of the famous bubble cars, the…
The Fiat 124 is one of the most long lived car models of all time. Starting out its life as a four door saloon in 1966, the basic design would live on to form the core of the Lada range. Production of the 124 was also licensed in Turkey, India, Spain and Korea making it one of the most produced models ever. Because of the Lada association, it is easy…
The 1970s was a very difficult time for the British car manufacturing industry. British Leyland was struggling with industrial action, quality control issues and intense competition from overseas competitors. There was one glimmer of hope however and that was the Range Rover. Originally conceived as far back as 1951 by Gordon Bashford, the “Road Rover” was built on the Land Rover platform. The two wheel drive prototype looked the same…
The first in our Collector Series features, the Fiat 750 GT Zagato was launched in 1956 and had a curvy aerodynamic body styled by Zagato. It quickly became known as the “double bubble” Fiat thanks to the unique roof design and rear engine cover. Debuting at the Turin Motor Show in 1955, it was based on the Fiat 600 and had an Abarth tuned and enlarged 750cc engine. The light…
A bit like Peugeot, who didn’t start out making cars, German manufacturer NSU originated as a knitting machine maker in the late 1800s before eventually moving on to produce bicycles. By the early 1900s they began making motorbikes and in 1905 built their first car. It wasn’t a success so they focused on motorbikes instead. This continued during World War II with production resuming after the war and in 1957…
Our latest eBay pick is an interesting import. Badged as a Dodge Colt GS Coupe, it’s actually a Mitsubishi Galant Coupe. Sounds strange doesn’t it. In 1971 Chrysler purchased a stake in Mitsubishi which gave them access to the Japanese marques model inventory. As a result Chrysler began importing the Galant to the US and rebadged it as the Dodge Colt. It was also sold in New Zealand. The Colt…
Update 26-06-2015: The Caravelle is back on eBay again and has been listed with no reserve. Current bidding is at £3,600 with just over eight days remaining. The new eBay listing can be found here. Can’t believe no one has bought this cool racer. Update 04-03-2015: The Caravelle has been relisted after a typical trigger finger Buy it Now incident. The seller has updated the listing and states the car…