Retro

Retro cars road test

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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.

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1937 Alvis Speed 25 Offord

Is this unique Alvis Speed 25 the finest-looking British car of the Thirties? It has a strong claim to that title, and after years of careful refinement, it’s one of the best to drive, too.

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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.

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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?

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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.

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1957 model-year Porsche 356 A Speedster

The unsullied looks and low mileage of this 356 A Speedster caught the eye of former McLaren Formula One team manager, Alastair Caldwell. His first act on buying it? To drive seven thousand miles around Europe and North Africa, taking in two classic rallies along the way...

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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…

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1964 Buick Wildcat

Jeremy Davies was captivated by nostalgia when he acquired his 1964 Buick Wildcat four-door hardtop. Little did he know, this vehicle arrived with an extraordinary backstory woven into its history.

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Unveiling the Timeless Elegance of the 1959 Buick Invicta Convertible

The 1959 Buick remains an icon of Fifties automotive design, albeit not as revered in Britain as in other regions. However, Jon Gillman stands as a notable exception, keeping three of these classics road-ready. His latest restoration, a remarkable 1959 Buick Invicta Convertible, unfolds a tale of timeless allure and meticulous preservation.

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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.

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1953 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith Sedanca de Ville Coachwork by Hooper & Co

This is one of a few Rolls-Royces built for the oil millionaire Nubar Gulbenkian and probably the least outrageous, yet it was still enough of a head turner to find itself a movie role in a true cult classic.

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Early Aga Blue 1965 Porsche 912 Coupé

This early Aga Blue 912 spent decades in the possession of the family behind the influential Pauter Machine Company before the car made its way to the UK, where it was subjected to full restoration...

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1965 Lincoln Continental Limousine Mk4

US presidents are notorious for their fancy motorcades, a tradition that continues to this day with ‘The Beast’, a bulletproof Cadillac. Something a bit more classic however, and more suited to our tastes, is the 1965 Lincoln Continental Limousine on these pages, which hails from Lyndon B Johnson’s presidency…

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1963 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible

Many children of the Fifties and Sixties have fond memories of their family cars, but only a few have been lucky enough to inherit them as adults. Pete Valente is not among them – his father’s Cadillac was sold in 1978. This is the story of how it came home…

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1973 Dodge Monaco

Jim Wilding has owned a mouthwatering selection of American cars over the decades, but his latest acquisition, this elegant ’73 Dodge Monaco turned out to be one of the rarest of the lot. We went along to Ace American Autos to take a closer look…

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