Retro

Retro cars road test

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1958 Aston Martin DB Mk III 2.9

The final update of the DB2 series, the DB Mk III from 1957, was the first production Aston Martin to feature the now familiar shape of radiator grille making it an important model in the company’s past. We look at the car’s development, explaining why it’s more than just a grille before driving a beautiful example.

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1965 Fiat-Abarth OTR 1000 Coupe Bertone

We drive a replica of the long-lost Abarth OTR 1000 Coupe – a handsome fastback version of Bertone’s Fiat 850 Spider.

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1953 Fiat 8V Spider Vignale

Only one Fiat 8V Spider was ever made, bodied by Vignale in 1953. Now it’s been fully restored in the UK – and driving it proves a real revelation.

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Bob McGee 1932 Ford Deuce Roadster HighBoy Hot Rod

Hot rod enthusiast Bruce Meyer owns eight of the world’s most desirable 1932 Ford Deuces’ — and the Bob McGee Roadster is a personal favourite. In this extract from his recent book, Ken Gross explains why it’s so significant.

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1966 Aston Martin DB5 V8

This unique DB5 was created by Aston Martin’s Experimental department as a test-bed for its new V8 engine. Peter Tomalin takes the wheel.

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1950 Fiat 1100 E Cabriolet ‘Vistotal’ Castagna

This humble 1950 Fiat 1100 was coach-built by Castagna with a radical panoramic windscreen. Massimo Delbo enjoys a new perspective from the driving seat.

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1964 Shelby Cobra 289

Ever wondered how special a totally original, unrestored Shelby Cobra would feel? This guy should know: as well as the ‘Dirtbag’, he’s owned 50 of them. Preston Lerner finds out more.

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1970 Rover P6B 3500S prototype

As ‘1970 Manual Prototype Number One’, this car spent five years and hundreds of thousands of miles being developed by its maker. Today we drive it and ask: is this the zenith of the Rover P5B 3500S?

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1958 Edsel Bermuda

Famously unforgiven for its challenging looks, Ford’s much-ballyhooed Edsel now prompts an indulgent smile wherever it goes.

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1935 SS1 Airline Saloon

How many of us ever have the opportunity to drive an 87-year-old car, and not just around the block? Peter Simpson takes the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust’s 1935 SS1 Airline Saloon on a tour of the English Cotswolds…

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1978 Jaguar XJ12C

We sample a V12 coupe with just 23,000 miles under its wheels and that ’70s new-car smell.

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1963 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray C2

No short cuts. No quick fixes. The painstaking, zero timed, concours condition restoration of John G Van Meewuen’s 1963 Corvette Sting Ray to its original Riverside Red glory is something to behold and all because of the remarkable attention to detail.

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1971 Chevrolet Suburban

One doesn’t expect to see a GM Chevrolet Suburban being filled up with shopping bags in a crowded corner of London. It’s surprisingly usable, though, as Earl Nagy will confirm – he’s the man still driving one as Chevrolet intended...

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Road test 1966 Ferrari 330 GTC

Found abandoned in Venezuela, this Ferrari 330 GTC has now been restored in the UK to concours-winning condition. We tell its story and get behind the wh

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1953 Lancia Aurelia B20 GT Series 3 Racer

Lancia’s ground-breaking Aurelia B20 GT was not only an object lesson in elegance but also a superlative tool for racing. That status remains as relevant today as was in 1951.

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