Retro

Retro cars road test

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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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Restored 1966 Porsche 911 2.0 SWB

The coming together of technicians from Porsche Cars GB’s network of Classic Partner Centres saw this early 911 wow fans of historic motorsport before the car underwent further transformation in readiness for a return to racing.

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1956 Maserati A6G/54 Zagato

The Maserati A6G/54 is a thinly disguised racer with just enough civility for the road – beautifully wrapped in ultra-lightweight Zagato bodywork. Peter Tomalin is treated to a rare thrill.

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1963 Austin Mini Cooper

2023 marks the 60th anniversary of the Mini Cooper S – and this example is the oldest survivor. Mark Dixon tells the story of a Mini that has truly lived a life.

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On the road in the ex-Peter Collins, prototype 1953 Aston Martin DB2/4 FHC

We drive the unique 1953 Aston Martin DB2/4 development car that wowed Aston boss David Brown and F1 racer Peter Collins with a high-performance engine and prototypical fixed-head coachwork.

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1965 Mercedes-Benz 230SL Automatic W113

Once misunderstood, the Mercedes-Benz ‘Pagoda’ SL W113 went on to create and define an entirely new kind of car. Join us on a drive through its natural playground of nocturnal Mayfair as the icon turns 60.

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1962 Citroën DS19

Classic Cars reader Simon Biggs is a connoisseur of classic luxury saloons, so how will he find the pure early Citroën DS19 – and at 6ft 6in, will he fit in it?

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1963 Mercury Comet S-22

Lesley Weller never considered herself a car enthusiast, but a Mercury Comet she saw in a TV show made a deep impression on her 13-year-old mind. After years of dreaming, ownership is now a happy reality.

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