The new Electric Mustang from London-based Charge Cars wowed crowds at the recent Salon Privé event at the Royal Hospital Chelsea when it made its global premier. The Electric Mustang is a hand-built, zero emissions version of the iconic 1967 Fastback Mustang adored by car fans all over the world. Using cutting- edge technology, coupled to a new steel bodyshell and composite body panels to minimise weight, the Electric Mustang’s quad-motor configuration provides 536 bhp, which serves up a 0-62 mph time of just 3.9 seconds. The project even comes complete with the blessing of Ford. Originally shown as a prototype in 2019, the production-intent version of the Electric Mustang is the culmination of six years’ work for Charge Cars, and the Salon Privé London event at the end of April was the first opportunity for the public to see the finished car and understand the bespoke options available. Prices will depend on the exact spec of each hand-built car, but don’t expect to see much change from £350,000!
‘The BMW is old enough to look and feel special, yet new enough to still use regularly’
All of the sports saloons featured here offer something different and are all compelling in their own way. The Ford Cortina 1600E excels as a comfortable yet swift cruiser, though it lacks excitement behind the wheel. Nostalgia and looks are on its side, plus there’s no shortage of buyers. Along with the BMW, it’s probably the safest place for your money.
The MG proves surprisingly entertaining, in spite of its modest performance and relative simplicity. The Magnette is a doddle to upgrade, doesn’t cost a lot and rarely goes wrong, though there’s not much of a market for them out there. The Dolomite is loud and lacks finesse in the cabin, although driving it will probably put a bigger smile on your face than any other car here. The engine’s great fun to rev out and the chassis, though not as accomplished, does a fair job of keeping up. Objectively, the BMW E30 is the best machine here. Its grip is prodigious yet not so much it saps the fun, even at sensible speeds. You won’t want to do those, though – this 325i pushes you to go that bit faster. Values have climbed steeply, though a lot of frankly average examples offered for sale recently have seen the model plateau. This will likely be the case for the short term until demand outstrips supply and we see another climb. That leaves us with the IS300. The stereotypical image of the Lexus brand doesn’t bond at all with the experience of driving this incisive saloon. Its chassis is as good as the contemporary BMW (E46), yet it’s yours for roughly half the price and is considerably rarer. Finding one that hasn’t been modified will be your biggest challenge, although £5000 will easily bag you a great and largely forgotten sports saloon.
Finding an outright winner among such a diverse bunch isn’t easy, but if it were my money I’d probably have to go for the BMW – although the temptation of buying most of the rest of these models for the same £20k outlay is also a tempting prospect. The E30 has a toe in both the classic and modern spheres. It’s old enough to look and feel special, yet new enough to still use regularly without having to be on first-name terms with your chiropractor. I’d probably regret it the first time I saw a Dolomite Sprint or MG Magnette out on the road, but once I was on a Welsh mountain pass or Yorkshire moor top route, I’d soon remember why it was the right decision.
They’re all lucky owners, but whose drive home do we envy the most?
Loved the articles on Jim Clark, and his Elan but According to the superb David Tremayne book (Jim Clark, the best of the best) the wireframe car on the Chirnside monument is a 33 and not a Lotus 49; the small no 1 confirms that. Clark won races in a 49 but never a World Championship.
Your excellent tribute to the Lotus Elan brought to mind my love affair with Vera which lasted eight short years. It was while driving my MGB on the swooping curves of the North Wales A5104 that it happened – overtaken on a bend by an Elan proceeding at impressive pace, I decided an Elan would be my next car. I struck lucky when a garage proprietor from Bakewell needed funds and was prepared to part with his perfect yellow Sprint with the Big Valve engine. Driving it was magic. Its lightness of foot and instant throttle and steering response was like nothing I’d ever experienced then and since – including my 1275 Cooper S, BMW M3 and Subaru Impreza Turbo. Sure, it felt small and a tad flimsy. It was like a jet-propelled butterfly, but it was exhilarating. To maintain optimum performance it needed much tlc. I had it serviced by ace mechanic Louis Lorenzini. I wrote to Lotus Cars requesting a replacement service book when mine became full, with a covering letter saying how much pleasure I was having with this remarkable car. To my amazement I received a fresh service book together with a lovely note from Colin Chapman saying how pleased he was to receive my letter.
Questionable expense. Just a brief missive to thank you for an excellent article; surely the best in the past 12 months? The Mk VIIM feature was of particular interest as an identical model was owned by a family friend in the early Sixties (when I was 11) and I would often sit behind the huge steering wheel and pretend to drive. It was in average condition and cost about £250. The modifications made to the car are very sensible but I have to question the expense. Great work.
We couldn’t agree more, David. On a side note, if you want your car featured in our Readers Rides page then please get in touch by sending a few high resolution images and a 100-200 word description of your car to us
I have to say I loved Adam and Gordon Bryson’s E21 320i project featured in last month’s Readers Rides. I’m a huge E21 fan and I don’t think they get the recognition they deserve over the E30 that followed. Prices have been climbing of late but these humble classics are still within reach for many BMW enthusiasts, they make an excellent first classic and – as the Bryson’s car proves – the results of a little TLC can be spectacular.
Taking on the restoration of a classic BMW is often not for the faint of heart. Increasingly out-and-out classics from the 1960s and 1970s require more than a little TLC if they have not been maintained fastidiously over the years by careful owners. It's easy to forget that we're talking about cars that are now 50- years old – if not more. When Chris Goddard bought his E3 it was in need of much attention and to the credit of Chris, following a lengthy restoration, it is now a shining example of the breed. Without owners like Chris going above and beyond we might lose cars like his 2500 forever, that would be a terrible shame. Discover just what goes into restoring an old BMW on.
The bright red E3 got me thinking about this month's instalment of our ongoing celebrations marking 50-years of BMW M – this time the 1990s. While the preceding decade certainly gave us some enduring classics, this period in time delivered a batch of exceptional performance BMW road cars – think E36 M3 and E39 M5 to name just two. Once again for those of us at a certain age it's easy to forget that the cars from this period are also getting on a bit now, even the youngest is over 20-years old. That's in part why we're seeing values on a sharp incline of late as these sought after and often iconic BMWs age, reduce in number and fall into the hands of those who wish to preserve them rather than abuse them. It is not my money on the line, but a balance of preservation and use is an ideal mix in my view, but how about you?
The headlines in the BMW world this month have mainly been about the new 7 Series. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that but I do struggle to understand what on earth is going on with the current direction of BMW’s styling. I’ll just say that I think it looks like a mess and leave it at that. Instead I’d like to look at the opposite end of the motoring spectrum and talk about the Dacia Jogger.
Not the most glamorous of brands but a huge success story, selling no frills cheap cars by the barrel load, perhaps signalling that buyers aren’t interested in the latest gadgets and gizmos simply preferring a machine that just gets on with the job. It was among the top three manufacturers for retail sales in Europe in 2021 which is impressive for such a budget brand. Reviews are generally pretty positive but some of the shine was taken off it recently when Euro NCAP, the crash test body, awarded the Jogger a one star safety rating. Would you buy a car if it only garnered a one star for its crashworthiness? Or would you actually know what criteria it was based on?
Its actual occupant protection scores aren’t too bad – not stellar, but by no means dreadful – but the main reason for its poor showing is that it’s not packed to the gunwales with safety equipment. Do a little more digging and you’ll discover that Euro NCAP didn’t even test a Dacia Jogger, instead basing its one star rating on a test it carried out last year on a Dacia Sandero Stepway. Yes, the two cars are virtually identical from the B Pillar forward but one’s a five-door hatch with faux- SUV styling and one’s a seven seat MPV.
While it doesn’t seem very transparent or professional to not test a particular car because it’s a bit similar to one its already tested it’s also a bit strange that the Stepway received two stars while the Jogger has only garnered one. The difference? The Jogger has seven seats and doesn’t have a seat belt reminder for the third row of seats. And that lost it a whole star making it 20 percent less safe than a car it is, according to Euro NCAP, virtually identical to? Doesn’t seem right to me. I also worry that Euro NCAP is placing far too much emphasis on safety assistance systems in its results. Yes, some of them can be useful and could possibly even save your life but if you need a lane departure warning system to keep you safe on the road then I suspect you probably shouldn’t really be driving at speed on a motorway. In theory automated braking systems are a great idea but I’ve experienced a malfunction with these systems in four different cars, the brakes being slammed on because the car has detected an obstacle that simply wasn’t there. Had anyone been following a little too closely I’d undoubtedly have been rear ended.
I’ve not driven a Dacia Jogger but all the press reports prior to its one star rating were almost universally positive – it’s a cheap and cheerful MPV that’s a great buy for those on a budget. A one star safety rating implies that it crumples like an empty crisp packet and that it’s not fit for purpose but that just isn’t the case. So, I’m going to take Euro NCAP’s star ratings with a large pinch of salt from now on and perhaps it’s time to just stop paying attention to star ratings full stop. Unless you’re talking about the new 7 Series’ styling where a one star rating would appear to be overly generous.
Can Bob really keep quiet over the styling of the new 7 Series?
In your story on the BMW 3.0 CSL E9 (Guiding Leicht), Sam Dawson says, ‘A J Van Loon of American magazine Sports Car World christened the car the ‘Bavarian Dino’. SCW was an Australian magazine and A J Van Loon wrote many memorable stories for it. I have a real soft spot for the 3.0CSi E9 coupé. The MD of the cinema company my father worked for bought a silver one new, and part of my university holiday job one year was to wash and polish it in the theatre car park in the Sydney CBD. Just moving it around the car park was a real treat for a car-mad young man! Not so much with the next MD’s preferred transport – a Lincoln Continental MkVI.
The feature on Tony Vandervell’s Bentley S1 Continental (Last Lap of Luxury) revived happy memories of my first job after university. I joined GKN’s graduate training scheme in September 1968 and was posted to Vandervell Products the following year. This was one of the world’s largest producers of engine bearings with an annual output of around 180 million pieces, and had been acquired by GKN in 1967 following the death of Tony Vandervell. When I joined there were two factories, Park Royal and Maidenhead, where a striking characteristic was the extremely wide aisles between various production operations, designed for Tony Vandervell to be chauffeur driven in the Bentley, allowing him to see what was going on around the factory without the need for any walking!
Vandervell bearings, especially those with lead indium overlay, were regarded as the best and were favoured by premium marques and racing teams. They were fitted to Rolls-Royce/Bentley and Jaguar engines. One of my jobs was to maintain contact with major customers to forecast future demand. On one occasion I was about to leave Maidenhead in my Austin 1100 for a periodic visit to Jaguar’s Radford engine manufacturing facility when a colleague flagged me down and piled boxes of engine bearings into the boot. My contact at the other end was more interested in seeing them than me because it enabled the engine line to keep going for the rest of the day. Just-intime sourcing in the motor industry is nothing new!
A new 296bhp 3.0-litre straight-six diesel 300 Sport model has been added to the F-Pace line-up, bringing an extra dose of sportiness to the large SUV range. Gloss black 21-inch alloy wheels are standard, along with an exterior black pack, rear privacy glass and gloss black roof rails. A choice of ten exterior colours are offered, with the inside of the F-Pace 300 Sport uprated thanks to 16-way heated and ventilated electric memory seats, ebony suede cloth upholstery and satin charcoal ash veneers for the dashboard. In addition, there’s ambient lighting with a choice of 30 colours, together with a fixed panoramic roof. The price for the new model is £62,250. Meanwhile, all versions of the F-Pace fitted with the Pivi Pro infotainment system now come with Amazon Alexa for the first time. This also applies to cars already on the roads, with upgrades carried out in an over-the-air software update.
Old Jaguars have been the objects of recreation, reimagining and updating long before the fashionable world of restomodding emerged. Jaguar C-, D- and E-types have been recreated and upgraded over the decades by companies like Eagle, Lynx, Proteus and others, while the shapely Mk 2 saloon has been reworked by Vicarage and Beacham.
The XK 120, on the other hand, has rarely been the target of a remake despite its obvious beauty and legendary role not only in the evolution of Jaguar but the wider car industry. One reason for that is its cockpit, which is more grotto than generously dimensioned well for human occupation. It’s why a Dutch engineering company once performed a wheelbase and track stretch on an XK 120.
Another way to enlarge the cabin is to completely rework the car, as high-end restorers Thornley Kelham is doing with its Jaguar XK European.
Besides restoring classics to major award winning standards, this Cotswold company has recently launched a highly modified Lancia Aurelia B20 GT called the Outlaw, a nine strong, £400,000 apiece limited edition run that takes 5,000 hours to build. Which gives you an idea of the extent of the work involved. Yet £400,000 will not be enough to buy you their XK, which starts at £550,000. That number will doubtless trigger a couple of thoughts: first, that’s a good five times what you’d pay for one of the best XK 120s out there. And second, you can buy some spectacular new cars for that money. But how often does cold, hard logic dominate the thought processes of car enthusiasts buying cars? Not so often. If you happen to be flush enough to consider buying cars costing six- and seven-figure sums, then this Jaguar might well appeal. Thornley Kelham thinks it can find 25 such enthusiasts.
Much of the XK’s remodeling has been carried out by ex-McLaren Cars designer, Paul Howse, who has aimed for a “more muscular, more assertive” look that he reckons might have emerged from a “Jaguar skunkworks” exercise. Major changes include a lowered roofline, more curvature for the XK 120’s originally rather flat flanks, wider wings for wider wheels and a subtle tidying of the basic shape. Achieving this has meant the creation of an entirely new aluminium shell for the chassis, this process enabling more room to be found within the cockpit, and the provision of a much better driving position too. The chassis itself is the original, but to longer XK 140 dimensions. The interior itself is new while clearly drawing on the look of the original car’s cabin, instruments and controls. Much closer to an original 120 is this new machine’s XK engine, reworked with a narrow-angle C-type cylinder head, an aluminium 3.8-litre block and a lightweight flywheel, its 340bhp driving a five-speed gearbox, a limited slip diff and a 1,150kg target weight. The suspension is extensively redesigned with double wishbones up front and a better-located live rear axle, all four wheels coilover suspended. Which has you wondering how much of dynamic character of the original remains.
Thornley Kelhamco-founder Simon Thornley explains that the idea was to, “Keep the wonder of the original, but with a modern driving experience.” So, something nostalgically beauteous, but usable. There’s no doubting the aesthetic sensitivity of this rebirthing, however, which has produced a car that’s likely to yield a civilised and entertaining old-school drive. Whether you think it’s worth over 5,000 hours and £550,000 is something only an individual can decide. But, it’s individual tastes that make the car business so fascinating.
Will Jaguar produce anything so closely related to a racing car as the XJR-15 again?
Jaguar Racing’s recent victories of the Rome ePrix double-header feel like a return to form for this traditionally motorsport-led company, its domination of both the Italian races harking back to its on-track glory days of the Fifties and Eighties.
Competition has always been central to Jaguar’s DNA, its successes on track eventually filtering down to its road cars. Take the E-type, for example, which was a clear development of the all-conquering D-type or the successful R-brand that was introduced as a result of Jaguar’s achievements in Group C sports car racing. These, though, pale into insignificance compared to the model featured, the XJR-15.
Directly derived from the XJR-9 that won the 1988 LeMans 24 Hours race, not since the XKSS from 1957 had a Jaguar been so closely related to a racing car.
Despite this being Jaguar’s sixth season in Formula E, other than improvements to the I-PACE’s battery, we’ve yet to see Jaguar’s current motorsport campaign have a direct impact on its road cars. An I-PACE using technology adapted from the company’s I-TYPE Formula E racing car could be as exciting as the XJR-15 and the potential to be just as fast. Jaguar’s reasons to be in Formula E remain the same as when it conceived its first racer, the C-type, 71 years ago which is to push the development of its road cars and, even more importantly, sell more of them. So, while it’s doubtful we’ll see anything as closely related to a racing car as the XJR- 15, with Jaguar back to winning again surely it wants to celebrate its latest victories with a suitably exciting road car?
Owning an Alfa Romeo 2600 Sprint, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the article about the model. My car is a 1964 model that, according to the Certificato di Origine, came off the production line on 8 April 1964 and was delivered to the UK on the 16th of that month (the chassis number being AR 854154). My car has disc brakes on all four wheels, as have all models thereafter. There was no official ‘Mark Two’ but several changes were introduced after my car was manufactured. For example, mine has singlepiece alloy bumpers, whereas the tested car has the later three-piece items, also the dashboard has a ‘grab handle’ on the passenger side whereas earlier cars, such as mine, do not. Also the door handles are different. All of which suggests that the car tested was a late 1964 edition which therefore should have disc brakes all round. I hope you don't consider the above to be too petty, but if the tested car does have drum rear brakes, then it is a bit of a mystery. As I stated above, I thoroughly enjoyed the article and certainly agree with the comment regarding being happier on an autostrada than twisty roads. To cope with this, I have electric power steering fitted which, whilst not standard, has transformed the driving experience.
Electric Classics - I am reluctant in welcoming the electric car revolution and I’ve been pondering what it might mean for all the petrol-powered classic cars in the world. Your article on the E31 8 Series powered by a Tesla motor was a welcome surprise, it shows that converting classic BMWs to electricity can be undertaken sympathetically and gives me hope for the future – perhaps classics can be given a new lease of life with electric power? I especially liked the way the charging port was hidden in the original exhaust on that car – what a great touch!
The new Electric Mustang from London-based Charge Cars wowed crowds at the recent Salon Privé event at the Royal Hospital Chelsea when it made its global premier. The Electric Mustang is a hand-built, zero emissions version of the iconic 1967 Fastback Mustang adored by car fans all over the world. Using cutting- edge technology, coupled to a new steel bodyshell and composite body panels to minimise weight, the Electric Mustang’s quad-motor configuration provides 536 bhp, which serves up a 0-62 mph time of just 3.9 seconds. The project even comes complete with the blessing of Ford. Originally shown as a prototype in 2019, the production-intent version of the Electric Mustang is the culmination of six years’ work for Charge Cars, and the Salon Privé London event at the end of April was the first opportunity for the public to see the finished car and understand the bespoke options available. Prices will depend on the exact spec of each hand-built car, but don’t expect to see much change from £350,000!
‘The BMW is old enough to look and feel special, yet new enough to still use regularly’
All of the sports saloons featured here offer something different and are all compelling in their own way. The Ford Cortina 1600E excels as a comfortable yet swift cruiser, though it lacks excitement behind the wheel. Nostalgia and looks are on its side, plus there’s no shortage of buyers. Along with the BMW, it’s probably the safest place for your money.
The MG proves surprisingly entertaining, in spite of its modest performance and relative simplicity. The Magnette is a doddle to upgrade, doesn’t cost a lot and rarely goes wrong, though there’s not much of a market for them out there. The Dolomite is loud and lacks finesse in the cabin, although driving it will probably put a bigger smile on your face than any other car here. The engine’s great fun to rev out and the chassis, though not as accomplished, does a fair job of keeping up. Objectively, the BMW E30 is the best machine here. Its grip is prodigious yet not so much it saps the fun, even at sensible speeds. You won’t want to do those, though – this 325i pushes you to go that bit faster. Values have climbed steeply, though a lot of frankly average examples offered for sale recently have seen the model plateau. This will likely be the case for the short term until demand outstrips supply and we see another climb. That leaves us with the IS300. The stereotypical image of the Lexus brand doesn’t bond at all with the experience of driving this incisive saloon. Its chassis is as good as the contemporary BMW (E46), yet it’s yours for roughly half the price and is considerably rarer. Finding one that hasn’t been modified will be your biggest challenge, although £5000 will easily bag you a great and largely forgotten sports saloon.
Finding an outright winner among such a diverse bunch isn’t easy, but if it were my money I’d probably have to go for the BMW – although the temptation of buying most of the rest of these models for the same £20k outlay is also a tempting prospect. The E30 has a toe in both the classic and modern spheres. It’s old enough to look and feel special, yet new enough to still use regularly without having to be on first-name terms with your chiropractor. I’d probably regret it the first time I saw a Dolomite Sprint or MG Magnette out on the road, but once I was on a Welsh mountain pass or Yorkshire moor top route, I’d soon remember why it was the right decision.
They’re all lucky owners, but whose drive home do we envy the most?
Loved the articles on Jim Clark, and his Elan but According to the superb David Tremayne book (Jim Clark, the best of the best) the wireframe car on the Chirnside monument is a 33 and not a Lotus 49; the small no 1 confirms that. Clark won races in a 49 but never a World Championship.
Your excellent tribute to the Lotus Elan brought to mind my love affair with Vera which lasted eight short years. It was while driving my MGB on the swooping curves of the North Wales A5104 that it happened – overtaken on a bend by an Elan proceeding at impressive pace, I decided an Elan would be my next car. I struck lucky when a garage proprietor from Bakewell needed funds and was prepared to part with his perfect yellow Sprint with the Big Valve engine. Driving it was magic. Its lightness of foot and instant throttle and steering response was like nothing I’d ever experienced then and since – including my 1275 Cooper S, BMW M3 and Subaru Impreza Turbo. Sure, it felt small and a tad flimsy. It was like a jet-propelled butterfly, but it was exhilarating. To maintain optimum performance it needed much tlc. I had it serviced by ace mechanic Louis Lorenzini. I wrote to Lotus Cars requesting a replacement service book when mine became full, with a covering letter saying how much pleasure I was having with this remarkable car. To my amazement I received a fresh service book together with a lovely note from Colin Chapman saying how pleased he was to receive my letter.
Questionable expense. Just a brief missive to thank you for an excellent article; surely the best in the past 12 months? The Mk VIIM feature was of particular interest as an identical model was owned by a family friend in the early Sixties (when I was 11) and I would often sit behind the huge steering wheel and pretend to drive. It was in average condition and cost about £250. The modifications made to the car are very sensible but I have to question the expense. Great work.
One more example of XJ40 Estate *BRG — but is it official Jaguar production car?
We couldn’t agree more, David. On a side note, if you want your car featured in our Readers Rides page then please get in touch by sending a few high resolution images and a 100-200 word description of your car to us
I have to say I loved Adam and Gordon Bryson’s E21 320i project featured in last month’s Readers Rides. I’m a huge E21 fan and I don’t think they get the recognition they deserve over the E30 that followed. Prices have been climbing of late but these humble classics are still within reach for many BMW enthusiasts, they make an excellent first classic and – as the Bryson’s car proves – the results of a little TLC can be spectacular.
Taking on the restoration of a classic BMW is often not for the faint of heart. Increasingly out-and-out classics from the 1960s and 1970s require more than a little TLC if they have not been maintained fastidiously over the years by careful owners. It's easy to forget that we're talking about cars that are now 50- years old – if not more. When Chris Goddard bought his E3 it was in need of much attention and to the credit of Chris, following a lengthy restoration, it is now a shining example of the breed. Without owners like Chris going above and beyond we might lose cars like his 2500 forever, that would be a terrible shame. Discover just what goes into restoring an old BMW on.
The bright red E3 got me thinking about this month's instalment of our ongoing celebrations marking 50-years of BMW M – this time the 1990s. While the preceding decade certainly gave us some enduring classics, this period in time delivered a batch of exceptional performance BMW road cars – think E36 M3 and E39 M5 to name just two. Once again for those of us at a certain age it's easy to forget that the cars from this period are also getting on a bit now, even the youngest is over 20-years old. That's in part why we're seeing values on a sharp incline of late as these sought after and often iconic BMWs age, reduce in number and fall into the hands of those who wish to preserve them rather than abuse them. It is not my money on the line, but a balance of preservation and use is an ideal mix in my view, but how about you?
Restoring a classic BMW is a labour of love...
The headlines in the BMW world this month have mainly been about the new 7 Series. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that but I do struggle to understand what on earth is going on with the current direction of BMW’s styling. I’ll just say that I think it looks like a mess and leave it at that. Instead I’d like to look at the opposite end of the motoring spectrum and talk about the Dacia Jogger.
Not the most glamorous of brands but a huge success story, selling no frills cheap cars by the barrel load, perhaps signalling that buyers aren’t interested in the latest gadgets and gizmos simply preferring a machine that just gets on with the job. It was among the top three manufacturers for retail sales in Europe in 2021 which is impressive for such a budget brand. Reviews are generally pretty positive but some of the shine was taken off it recently when Euro NCAP, the crash test body, awarded the Jogger a one star safety rating. Would you buy a car if it only garnered a one star for its crashworthiness? Or would you actually know what criteria it was based on?
Its actual occupant protection scores aren’t too bad – not stellar, but by no means dreadful – but the main reason for its poor showing is that it’s not packed to the gunwales with safety equipment. Do a little more digging and you’ll discover that Euro NCAP didn’t even test a Dacia Jogger, instead basing its one star rating on a test it carried out last year on a Dacia Sandero Stepway. Yes, the two cars are virtually identical from the B Pillar forward but one’s a five-door hatch with faux- SUV styling and one’s a seven seat MPV.
While it doesn’t seem very transparent or professional to not test a particular car because it’s a bit similar to one its already tested it’s also a bit strange that the Stepway received two stars while the Jogger has only garnered one. The difference? The Jogger has seven seats and doesn’t have a seat belt reminder for the third row of seats. And that lost it a whole star making it 20 percent less safe than a car it is, according to Euro NCAP, virtually identical to? Doesn’t seem right to me. I also worry that Euro NCAP is placing far too much emphasis on safety assistance systems in its results. Yes, some of them can be useful and could possibly even save your life but if you need a lane departure warning system to keep you safe on the road then I suspect you probably shouldn’t really be driving at speed on a motorway. In theory automated braking systems are a great idea but I’ve experienced a malfunction with these systems in four different cars, the brakes being slammed on because the car has detected an obstacle that simply wasn’t there. Had anyone been following a little too closely I’d undoubtedly have been rear ended.
I’ve not driven a Dacia Jogger but all the press reports prior to its one star rating were almost universally positive – it’s a cheap and cheerful MPV that’s a great buy for those on a budget. A one star safety rating implies that it crumples like an empty crisp packet and that it’s not fit for purpose but that just isn’t the case. So, I’m going to take Euro NCAP’s star ratings with a large pinch of salt from now on and perhaps it’s time to just stop paying attention to star ratings full stop. Unless you’re talking about the new 7 Series’ styling where a one star rating would appear to be overly generous.
Can Bob really keep quiet over the styling of the new 7 Series?
It’s Australian you know
In your story on the BMW 3.0 CSL E9 (Guiding Leicht), Sam Dawson says, ‘A J Van Loon of American magazine Sports Car World christened the car the ‘Bavarian Dino’. SCW was an Australian magazine and A J Van Loon wrote many memorable stories for it. I have a real soft spot for the 3.0CSi E9 coupé. The MD of the cinema company my father worked for bought a silver one new, and part of my university holiday job one year was to wash and polish it in the theatre car park in the Sydney CBD. Just moving it around the car park was a real treat for a car-mad young man! Not so much with the next MD’s preferred transport – a Lincoln Continental MkVI.
Just-in-time bearings
The feature on Tony Vandervell’s Bentley S1 Continental (Last Lap of Luxury) revived happy memories of my first job after university. I joined GKN’s graduate training scheme in September 1968 and was posted to Vandervell Products the following year. This was one of the world’s largest producers of engine bearings with an annual output of around 180 million pieces, and had been acquired by GKN in 1967 following the death of Tony Vandervell. When I joined there were two factories, Park Royal and Maidenhead, where a striking characteristic was the extremely wide aisles between various production operations, designed for Tony Vandervell to be chauffeur driven in the Bentley, allowing him to see what was going on around the factory without the need for any walking!
Vandervell bearings, especially those with lead indium overlay, were regarded as the best and were favoured by premium marques and racing teams. They were fitted to Rolls-Royce/Bentley and Jaguar engines. One of my jobs was to maintain contact with major customers to forecast future demand. On one occasion I was about to leave Maidenhead in my Austin 1100 for a periodic visit to Jaguar’s Radford engine manufacturing facility when a colleague flagged me down and piled boxes of engine bearings into the boot. My contact at the other end was more interested in seeing them than me because it enabled the engine line to keep going for the rest of the day. Just-intime sourcing in the motor industry is nothing new!
A new 296bhp 3.0-litre straight-six diesel 300 Sport model has been added to the F-Pace line-up, bringing an extra dose of sportiness to the large SUV range. Gloss black 21-inch alloy wheels are standard, along with an exterior black pack, rear privacy glass and gloss black roof rails. A choice of ten exterior colours are offered, with the inside of the F-Pace 300 Sport uprated thanks to 16-way heated and ventilated electric memory seats, ebony suede cloth upholstery and satin charcoal ash veneers for the dashboard. In addition, there’s ambient lighting with a choice of 30 colours, together with a fixed panoramic roof. The price for the new model is £62,250. Meanwhile, all versions of the F-Pace fitted with the Pivi Pro infotainment system now come with Amazon Alexa for the first time. This also applies to cars already on the roads, with upgrades carried out in an over-the-air software update.
Very nice and fast car — but totally dangerous
Old Jaguars have been the objects of recreation, reimagining and updating long before the fashionable world of restomodding emerged. Jaguar C-, D- and E-types have been recreated and upgraded over the decades by companies like Eagle, Lynx, Proteus and others, while the shapely Mk 2 saloon has been reworked by Vicarage and Beacham.
The XK 120, on the other hand, has rarely been the target of a remake despite its obvious beauty and legendary role not only in the evolution of Jaguar but the wider car industry. One reason for that is its cockpit, which is more grotto than generously dimensioned well for human occupation. It’s why a Dutch engineering company once performed a wheelbase and track stretch on an XK 120.
Another way to enlarge the cabin is to completely rework the car, as high-end restorers Thornley Kelham is doing with its Jaguar XK European.
Besides restoring classics to major award winning standards, this Cotswold company has recently launched a highly modified Lancia Aurelia B20 GT called the Outlaw, a nine strong, £400,000 apiece limited edition run that takes 5,000 hours to build. Which gives you an idea of the extent of the work involved. Yet £400,000 will not be enough to buy you their XK, which starts at £550,000. That number will doubtless trigger a couple of thoughts: first, that’s a good five times what you’d pay for one of the best XK 120s out there. And second, you can buy some spectacular new cars for that money. But how often does cold, hard logic dominate the thought processes of car enthusiasts buying cars? Not so often. If you happen to be flush enough to consider buying cars costing six- and seven-figure sums, then this Jaguar might well appeal. Thornley Kelham thinks it can find 25 such enthusiasts.
Much of the XK’s remodeling has been carried out by ex-McLaren Cars designer, Paul Howse, who has aimed for a “more muscular, more assertive” look that he reckons might have emerged from a “Jaguar skunkworks” exercise. Major changes include a lowered roofline, more curvature for the XK 120’s originally rather flat flanks, wider wings for wider wheels and a subtle tidying of the basic shape. Achieving this has meant the creation of an entirely new aluminium shell for the chassis, this process enabling more room to be found within the cockpit, and the provision of a much better driving position too. The chassis itself is the original, but to longer XK 140 dimensions. The interior itself is new while clearly drawing on the look of the original car’s cabin, instruments and controls. Much closer to an original 120 is this new machine’s XK engine, reworked with a narrow-angle C-type cylinder head, an aluminium 3.8-litre block and a lightweight flywheel, its 340bhp driving a five-speed gearbox, a limited slip diff and a 1,150kg target weight. The suspension is extensively redesigned with double wishbones up front and a better-located live rear axle, all four wheels coilover suspended. Which has you wondering how much of dynamic character of the original remains.
Thornley Kelhamco-founder Simon Thornley explains that the idea was to, “Keep the wonder of the original, but with a modern driving experience.” So, something nostalgically beauteous, but usable. There’s no doubting the aesthetic sensitivity of this rebirthing, however, which has produced a car that’s likely to yield a civilised and entertaining old-school drive. Whether you think it’s worth over 5,000 hours and £550,000 is something only an individual can decide. But, it’s individual tastes that make the car business so fascinating.
Will Jaguar produce anything so closely related to a racing car as the XJR-15 again?
Jaguar Racing’s recent victories of the Rome ePrix double-header feel like a return to form for this traditionally motorsport-led company, its domination of both the Italian races harking back to its on-track glory days of the Fifties and Eighties.
Competition has always been central to Jaguar’s DNA, its successes on track eventually filtering down to its road cars. Take the E-type, for example, which was a clear development of the all-conquering D-type or the successful R-brand that was introduced as a result of Jaguar’s achievements in Group C sports car racing. These, though, pale into insignificance compared to the model featured, the XJR-15.
Directly derived from the XJR-9 that won the 1988 LeMans 24 Hours race, not since the XKSS from 1957 had a Jaguar been so closely related to a racing car.
Despite this being Jaguar’s sixth season in Formula E, other than improvements to the I-PACE’s battery, we’ve yet to see Jaguar’s current motorsport campaign have a direct impact on its road cars. An I-PACE using technology adapted from the company’s I-TYPE Formula E racing car could be as exciting as the XJR-15 and the potential to be just as fast. Jaguar’s reasons to be in Formula E remain the same as when it conceived its first racer, the C-type, 71 years ago which is to push the development of its road cars and, even more importantly, sell more of them. So, while it’s doubtful we’ll see anything as closely related to a racing car as the XJR- 15, with Jaguar back to winning again surely it wants to celebrate its latest victories with a suitably exciting road car?
Very cool styling JAG coupe — like XJS — but more jaguar-designed
Like original sports racer!
BRAKING BAD
Owning an Alfa Romeo 2600 Sprint, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the article about the model. My car is a 1964 model that, according to the Certificato di Origine, came off the production line on 8 April 1964 and was delivered to the UK on the 16th of that month (the chassis number being AR 854154). My car has disc brakes on all four wheels, as have all models thereafter. There was no official ‘Mark Two’ but several changes were introduced after my car was manufactured. For example, mine has singlepiece alloy bumpers, whereas the tested car has the later three-piece items, also the dashboard has a ‘grab handle’ on the passenger side whereas earlier cars, such as mine, do not. Also the door handles are different. All of which suggests that the car tested was a late 1964 edition which therefore should have disc brakes all round. I hope you don't consider the above to be too petty, but if the tested car does have drum rear brakes, then it is a bit of a mystery. As I stated above, I thoroughly enjoyed the article and certainly agree with the comment regarding being happier on an autostrada than twisty roads. To cope with this, I have electric power steering fitted which, whilst not standard, has transformed the driving experience.
Electric Classics - I am reluctant in welcoming the electric car revolution and I’ve been pondering what it might mean for all the petrol-powered classic cars in the world. Your article on the E31 8 Series powered by a Tesla motor was a welcome surprise, it shows that converting classic BMWs to electricity can be undertaken sympathetically and gives me hope for the future – perhaps classics can be given a new lease of life with electric power? I especially liked the way the charging port was hidden in the original exhaust on that car – what a great touch!