Retro

Retro cars road test

Show filter
1960 Studebaker Hawk

Brian Wrigley’s had plenty of classic Americans in his life, starting as a youngster in the Sixties; could this Studebaker be his finest Yank yet? We reckon so…

2212
First car with onboard diagnostics 1968 Volkswagen Type 3

Forget supercar crash videos or the spectacle of a hideous aftermarket body kit bolted onto a modern classic, the one sight guaranteed to make the steeliest petrolhead recoil in horror has to be the yellow glow of a “check engine” light. Gut-churning it may be but the surface-level indicators of a complex diagnostic system are preferable to the potentially engine-crippling faults to which they’re pointing.

2458
1951 Ferrari 212 Inter Cabriolet by Vignale

This Vignale-bodied 212 Inter was owned by one of the first privateers to campaign Ferraris in motor sport. It’s in the UK after a 50-year absence – a chance for us to drive back to the early days of the marque.

771
1955 Maserati A6GCS/53 Frua Spyder

After a singularly determined restoration, this Maserati A6GCS by Frua won Best of Show at the 2023 Concours of Elegance. James Elliott drives a super-rare 1950s deity.

870
Fully restored 1965 Porsche 911

We track down a fully restored 1965 Porsche 911, one of the earliest of its kind. Having celebrated 60 years since the first 911, what’s it like to drive in 2024?

769
1974 Saab 99 EMS Turbo

After Turbo Technics helped to engineer the Saab 99 Turbo, the boss bought one of the two test cars. Now, 45 years later, it’s fully restored and ready to show how it changed motoring forever.

930
1969 Plymouth GTX

Gary Simpson’s 1969 Plymouth GTX isn’t just a lairy Mopar muscle car – it’s also family transportation and after a succession of slightly less family-friendly Mopars, this one seems to offer the best of both worlds…

805
1951 Bentley MkVI ‘Lightweight’ by H.J. Mulliner

Some of the most popular coachbuilt bodies on the Bentley MkVI chassis were the advanced ‘Lightweight’ saloons by H.J. Mulliner. While their lightness may only have been relative, their individuality and character was never in doubt. Today, they’re something of a bargain, too.

501
1950 Aston Martin DB2 Vantage

Not only was this 1950 DB2 Vantage exhibited at the 1951 Earls Court Motor Show but it was built to Vantage spec and then raced in California.

504
1948 Riley RMA

Jon tests Britain’s first post-war sports saloon, wondering if [blue] diamonds are indeed forever.

409
1926 Morris Cowley ‘Bullnose’

This 1926 ‘Bullnose’ Morris has remained close to the people and places of south-east Scotland for 97 years, turning a charmingly Vintage driving experience into a fascinating trip through history.

790
1961 Porsche 356 B Notchback

We never tire of the Reutter 356’s teardrop lines, but the Karmann notchback is even more of an eye-opener, especially when turned into a 356 GT by marque specialist, PR Services…

432
1930 Rolls-Royce Phantom II by Weymann

Rolls-Royce’s Phantom II defined luxury car supremacy in the early 1930s. Richard Heseltine drives a special Weymann-bodied example that escaped a premature death.

732
1929 Frazer Nash Super Sports

Prior to arriving at Thruxton Circuit in the ’Nash, the last time I’d spun a car was maybe 15 years ago. It wasn’t a pleasant experience: a left-hand-drive lorry pulled out on me on a dual-carriageway as I was overtaking, and it punted my 1986 Audi 100 into a complete 360. Possibly more than one rotation — I wasn’t keeping count — but, by amazing good fortune, there was a very low kerb and a wide verge, and the car pirouetted right around the lorry, bounced onto the grass and came to a halt. The nearside front door was stoved in, but the rest of the car was undamaged and I later bought a replacement door in the same colour and swapped them.

688
Drives TODAY use cookie