Departing Birmingham New Street with a train from Stafford to London Euston is Virgin Trains Class 390, 390010 'The Cumbrian Spirit'.

Since their introduction in 2002, the Class 390 tilting Pendolino sets have revolutionised services on the West Coast Mainline, bringing about an entirely new level of speed onto a route notorious for its laboriously winding route. But with such a technological leap, the Class 390 has sadly paid the price for its image due to what it was replacing.

The idea of a tilting train on the West Coast Mainline was however not a new one to Alstom when they developed the Pendolino sets in the late 1990's, with the concept being toyed way back in the early 1970's. British Rail first pioneered the concept of the tilting train with the ill-fated Advanced Passenger Train or APT of the mid-1970's. The idea was to create a train that could shift its centre of gravity whilst moving around sharp bends at high speeds, similar to how a motorcyclist leans into corners. This was to not only allow the train to travel at higher speeds on winding track without fear of it falling over, but also to improve passenger comfort levels and stop people being pressed against the windows when taking corners!

The original APT was a Gas-Turbine unit that operated on the Midland Region out of London St Pancras, and was later followed by the Class 370 electric multiple unit that began trials on the West Coast Mainline from 1980. A truly brilliant concept, the APT showed the world that the idea of a tilting train could be possible, that is, when it worked. The Class 370 was marred by teething problems and reliability issues, mostly consisting of the fact that the tilting mechanism wouldn't work properly or there would be just general train faults. Coupled with the winter of 1981, the worst winter for many years, and the train's image was damaged beyond repair. Even while developments were looking promising, and with only a few million Pounds required to complete the project, the British Government pulled the plug and the APT was axed in 1986, with only one complete set remaining as a rather sorry museum piece. The train of the future had become a thing of the past.

But the developments of the APT were picked up by none-other than Fiat Ferroviaria, who, following the failure of their British rival, developed their own and much more successful tilting train, the ETR-401 Pendolino, which began operations in 1988. This was later translated into a fleet of 15 ETR 450 production units which became the first revenue earning tilting trains.

In 2000, Fiat Ferroviaria was acquired by Alstom, who has been building their legendary tilting trains ever since. This coincided with the formation of Virgin Trains following privatisation of British Rail in 1994. As part of Virgin Trains' franchise requirements in 1997, the company intended the replacement of the ageing BR stock of the 1960's with a new fleet of high speed trains that would reduce journey times and up travel quality. As such, Virgin turned to Fiat Ferroviaria and later successor Alstom to provide them with a derivative version of the company's latest tilting Pendolino, the ETR 460.

Fiat Ferroviaria supplied much of the content of the Class 390 units, including the bodyshell and the bogies, while final assembly was carried out at Washwood Heath. The tilting technology was developed by SIG Switzerland (later Fiat-SIG, today Alstom). Two electromechanical actuators are used per car to achieve the desired tilting angle on curved stretches of track. The train can tilt to a maximum of eight degrees, at which point one side of the cabin train is 380 mm higher above the track than the other. In contrast to other Fiat Ferroviaria tilting trains which use hydraulic tilting actuators, the electromechanical systems offers lower maintenance cost and higher efficiency.

The new trains were intended to run at 140mph, but the West Coast Main Line modernisation programme, which was an upgrade to the infrastructure to allow faster line speeds, ran over budget. Consequently, plans were scaled back, and in a manner reminiscent of the introduction of the InterCity 225, the lack of signalling upgrades resulted in the maximum line speed being restricted to 125mph. Although this (and 140mph) are well below BR's hopes for APT of 155mph, it does match the maximum speed of 125mph for the APT in passenger service (although one APT set reached 162mph in testing).

The fleet was introduced into passenger services from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly on 23rd July, 2002, to coincide with the opening of the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester. Over the next few months they took over the Manchester services, and were soon introduced on routes from London to Liverpool Lime Street, Birmingham New Street, Wolverhampton and Preston.

With the start of Class 390 operations, the writing was very much on the wall for the ageing sets of trains it was replacing, and thus the Class 390's image began to be somewhat tarnished amongst the railway purists. First to go were the Class 86's of the 1960's, proud high-speed locomotives that were once the mainstay of the WCML, withdrawn from service in 2003 following both the introduction of the Class 390's, and the Class 220/221 Voyager units on Cross-Country services. Next were the newer Class 90's of 1989, replaced in 2004 once Class 390's had been allocated to routes north of Preston. The final locomotive hauled trains were provided by the Class 87's of the 1970's, which held strong until final replacement in 2005, bringing an end to locomotive hauled services on the West Coast Mainline. From then on, the Class 86's have mostly been scrapped, whilst Class 90's were transferred to Anglia to replace their Class 86 fleet. Class 87's on the other hand have since been exported largely to Bulgaria, the few remaining here in the UK either being scrapped, placed in storage, or made into museum pieces. This left a great deal of animosity towards the Class 390's by the railway enthusiast community, who, even after 10 years, still have a strong hatred towards these trains.

The service improvements however are something that can't be taken away from the Class 390's as these trains have taken the original and comparatively sluggish 110mph top speed and translated it into the extremely fast 125mph running speed that BR had dreamt of for years. In September 2006, the Pendolino set a new speed record, completing the 401 mile length of the West Coast Main Line from Glasgow Central to London Euston in 3 hours, 55 minutes, beating the 4-hour-14-minute record for the southbound run previously set in 1981 by the Class 370 APT. The APT however retains the ultimate speed record for this route, having completed the northbound journey between London Euston and Glasgow Central in 3 hours 52 minutes in 1984 which included a 5-minute delay due to a signal fault.

Since then the Pendolino has become very much a staple of high speed train travel in the UK, and still looks good even 15 years after the first ones hit the test tracks back in 2001.

The Class 390 was put to the test however with 390033 'City of Glasgow', which was written off after the Grayrigg derailment of February 23rd, 2007. The accident had been caused by a points malfunction, which, after a failure to inspect by Network Rail, changed the direction of travel from normal and thus resulted in the entire set derailing and plummeting down an embankment at 95mph. The sturdy design and robust nature of the Class 390 has been attributed to the fact that only one person, an elderly lady, was killed in the disaster, whereas if the previous MkII carriages had been involved, the death-toll could have been much higher. As said, the unit was written off, and the less damaged rear carriages of the set now reside at the Crewe Training Centre and are used for the instruction of drivers and train crew. The subsequent destruction of one of the units led to Virgin Trains reinstating a loco-hauled service to cover its diagrams, this being in the form of a hired Class 90 (usually from Freightliner), a set of 9 MkIII coaches, and a Driving Van Trailer. This train operated covering diagrams until November 2014, when it was retired and transferred to Greater Anglia.

Since 2007 the Class 390's have had their fleet enhanced from the original 53 sets to 57 with the addition of 4 new units between 2011 and 2012. The introduction of these new sets coincided with the extension of 31 sets to 11-cars, with new carriages built and imported from Alstom's factory in Italy, the first routine 11-car InterCity train to operate in the UK since the 1970's.

Today the Class 390's continue to ply their merry trade, and remain vital parts of the UK's high speed network, bringing Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and London closer together than they've ever been before.

Bremen Classic Motorshow 2015 - Around 65 units have been built. The chassis is an own construction, although mechanical parts have been taken from the Golf II Syncro. The bodyshell is from a Golf I Convertible while headlights are from a FIAT Panda.

Austin Allegro 1500SDL Mk2 (1975-79) Engines 1485cc S4 E Series.

Registration Number UTC 884 T (Bristol)

AUSTIN ALBUM

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/albums/72157623759808208

The Allegro was designed as a replacement for the 1100 - 1300 models, designed by Sir Alec Issigonis the new car was launched in 1973. The Allegro used front-wheel drive, using the familiar A-Series engine with a sump-mounted transmission. The higher-specification models used the SOHC E-Series engine (from the Maxi), in 1500 cc and 1750 cc displacements. The two-box saloon bodyshell was suspended using the new Hydragas system (derived from the previous Hydrolastic system used on the 1100/1300). Stylistically the car bucked the trend of the 1970's sharp edge look in favour of a rounded bodyshell Early Allegro models featured a "quartic" steering wheel, which was rectangular with rounded sides. This was touted as allowing extra room between the base of the steering wheel and the driver's legs.

The quartic wheel did not take off, and was dropped in 1974

The updated Allegro 2 was launched at the 1975 London Motorshow the Allegro 2 had the same bodyshells but featured a new grille, reversing lights on most models and some interior changes to increase rear seat room, Changes were also made to the suspension, braking, engine mounts and drive shafts.

The Allegro received its second major update, launched as the Allegro 3 at the end of 1979. The refreshed car used an "A-Plus" version of the 1.0 litre A-Series engine (developed for the forthcoming new Metro), and featured some cosmetic alterations in an attempt to keep the momentum going, but by then the Allegro was outdated and the Metro was due on stream in 1980. By 1980 the Allegro failed to dent the he top 10 best selling new cars in Britain, a table it had topped a decade earlier, though BL were represented by the fast selling Metro and the Triumph Acclaim. The Vanden Plas models were rebranded as the 1.5 and the 1.7, the 1.5 having a twin carburettor 1500 cc engine and a manual gearbox, while the 1.7 had a single carburettor 1750cc engine and an automatic gearbox. Some models of Allegro 3 (the early HL and later HLS models) were equipped with four round headlights, rather than the more usual two rectangular ones. The final Allegro was built in March 1982 with its successor the Austin Maestro going into production December 1982.

Diolch am 83,589,018 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mae pob un yn 90cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr.

Thanks for 83,589,018 amazing views, every one is greatly appreciated.

Shot 25.07.2021 at Beaumanor Hall, Woodhouse, Leic. 148-047

I was unable to find this anywhere on my trip to France back in 2022 but the Diecast Gods must have been shining down on me this year as I was able to find a small handful. Like the Hot Wheels equivalent Welly have modelled their classic Audi Quattro on the SWB Sport bodyshell giving it a slightly truncated appearance. The HW wins hands down on the sheer amount of recolours available whilst Welly obviously excels in the stock realism stakes, no garish logos and liveries plus nice detailing front and rear.

Found recently at a Carrefour Market.

Mint and boxed.

by this time the triumph saloons all had the same bodyshell. but nothing could disguise the fact that this was a mid-60s design now past ten years old.

Prinsengracht 04/02/2015 14h14

A European (German/British) Ford with American looks of the 1970's. This 1973 Ford Taunus was parked along the Prinsengracht in Amsterdam. These classics are becoming rare nowadays. In some countries the Taunus was sold under the Cortina badge (UK for example). This type is built between 1970 and 1976.

Ford Taunus | Ford Cortina TC

The Ford Taunus is a family car sold by Ford in Germany and other countries. Models from 1970 onward were similar to the Ford Cortina in the United Kingdom. The model line was named after the Taunus mountain range in Germany and was first made in 1939 and continued through several versions until 1994.

In 1970 a new Taunus, the Taunus Cortina (TC), was introduced. Ford offered a two- or four-door sedan or a five-door station wagon/estate (identified like previous Taunus estates as the Turnier). Between 1970 and 1975, for the first Taunus TC, a fashionable fast-back coupé was also included in the Taunus range.

This model also formed the basis of the Cortina Mk.III, but with different door skins and rear wing pressings from the "coke-bottle" styling of the Cortina. In addition, there was never a Cortina III equivalent to the fast-back bodied Taunus TC coupé. The Taunus TC and Cortina Mk.III were both developed under the auspices of Ford of Europe, and most major components including key parts of the bodyshell were identical.

FACTS & FIGURES

Production: Genk (Belgium) by manufacturer Ford Motor Company

Number of cars produced: 2,696,011 cars (1970-1982)

Body styles: 2 / 4 door saloons, 5 door estate car, 2 door coupé (1970-1975)

Successor: Ford Sierra

Length: 4,340 mm

Width: 1,700 mm

Height: 1,362 mm

[ Source & more Info: Wikipedia - Ford Taunus TC ]

Lancia Fulvia 1.35 Sport (second series) (1971-72) Engine 1298cc V4 DOC Production 2600

Registration Number JYH 71 K

LANCIA SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623795824232...

he Fulvia Sport was a fastback 2-seater based on Coupé mechanicals, built for Lancia by Zagato—where it had been designed by Ercole Spada. The Sport was commissioned by Lancia to Zagato as more aerodynamic and sportier version of the coupé, which could be used in road and track competitions. The Series 1 was launched at the 1965 Turin Motorshow. Three peculiarities of the Sport body were the engine bonnet hinged to the right hand side, the rear hatch, which could be lifted electrically by an handful of centimetres to aid cabin ventilation, and the spare wheel, housed in a separate compartment, accessed from a rotating panel which held the rear number plate.

The second series Fulvia Sport was launched at the 1970 Turin Motor Show. Changes included a 5-speed gearbox, revised suspension geometry, taller ride height, an alternator in place of the previous dynamo, a taller final drive compared to coupés, and wider tyres. The body was now all-steel, and seated 2+2 passengers. Some of the Zagato's most unusual features were lost: the bonnet was now hinged at the front, and the spare wheel compartment hatch was deleted. Several other changes set the second series apart from the first: new driving lights, side mirror moved from the wing to the door, larger bullet-shaped tail lights from the Peugeot 204, and stamped steel wheels without hubcaps

The Series II 1.3S shared the same engine as the Series Ibut with five speed transmission. Very early versions of these Series 2 cars were fitted with Series I bodyshells with a separate spare wheel-hatch and smaller rear lights and aluminium bonnet and doors. Later versions have all-steel bodyshells, no spare wheel hatch, and larger rear lights.

Many Thanks for a fan'dabi'dozi 25,685,200 views

Shot 09:06:2014 ar The Luton Classic Car Show, Stockwell Park, Luton REF 102-475

Working a rake of Railflats from Denbigh near Bletchley to Bescot through the back streets of Sutton Coldfield is DB Schenker Class 66, 66030.

One of Britain's, and indeed Europe's, most numerous diesel locomotives, the Class 66 has become the face of nearly every freight operating rail company on the UK network, a simple, utilitarian design with an enormous, powerful engine. But with it's popularity among rail companies came a price, as it is often listed as one of the most hated locomotives ever to hit the UK rails, largely because of the slew of older BR classic locomotives it replaced from the late 1990's onward.

But is it really deserving of such a bum rap?

By the mid-1990's it was apparent that a majority of the ex-British Rail locomotives were well beyond their bloom of youth. Aside from the Class 58's of 1983, the Class 60's of 1989, and the American built Class 59's of 1985, most locomotives in the service of freight companies were coming up to 30 or 40 years old, and reliability was a major issue. Years of under-investment in the BR freight sector Railfreight Distribution, had resulted in a fleet comprised of decrepit diesels such as the Class 37's and Class 47's, being worked into the ground to keep the company rolling. Although the opening of the Channel Tunnel in 1994 was a catalyst to investments for freight trains working those particular trunk routes to the South East, with the construction of the Class 92's and the refurbishment of Wembley based Class 47's, the remainder of the freight operators, by this time led by shadow franchises Loadhaul, Transrail and Mainline, were left with a fleet that was slowly dying before their eyes. Class 47's, especially, needed a major overhaul every seven years, costing £400,000; yet had an average daily availability of less than 65% with only 16 days between major failures.

Enter Wisconsin Central, who, in 1996, bought the three franchises together with Railfreight Distribution and mail operator Rail Express Systems to create EWS, or English, Welsh & Scottish Railways. As part of the franchise commitment, the intention was to replace the ageing diesel fleet with a standard design that would reduce maintenance and operating costs substantially, with higher levels of reliability and efficiency. Looking at the fleet of diesels in general, it was noted that among the most reliable classes in the UK were the small fleet of 15 Class 59's, built by General Motors between 1985 and 1995 for private Aggregate operators such as Foster Yeoman and Hanson, as well as energy company National Power for the haulage of their coal trains between Collieries and Power Stations. These engines were, for the most part, substantially younger than the likes of the Class 20's, 31's, 37's and 47's, and more reliable than the early built Class 56's from Romania, which were infamous for their poor build quality.

Seeing their success, EWS placed an order in 1997 for 250 locomotives based on similar principles to that of the Class 59, often dubbed one of the biggest locomotive orders since the age of Steam. Locomotives were built at GM's factory in London, Ontario, and externally the bodyshell and design shared that with the Class 59. Internally though, the engines took many of GM's previous developments and updated the engine and traction motors to enable higher speeds. The new locomotive was fitted with the 20 year old design of the EMD 710 12-cylinder diesel engine, found originally in the GP60 freight locomotives of North America. However, some of GM's newer creations also made it into the mix, such as updated cab-control systems, the kind found in the Irish Railways Class 201 of 1994.

Originally designated Class 61, the first of these new locomotives arrived by boat at Immingham in June 1998, prior to proving tests at Derby. The locomotives then shipped at a rate of 11 per month into the UK via Newport Docks, until the order was completed in December 2001. After unloading, EWS engineers then simply took off the tarpaulin, unblocked the suspension, and finally as each was shipped with water and fuel, hooked up the batteries, before starting the engine and handing the locomotive into service. Almost immediately, other UK freight operators took interest in the Class, and operators such as Freightliner, GB Railfreight and Direct Rail Services also placed orders for the class.

Upon their introduction, reliability levels for EWS's operations improved substantially. Each locomotive is specified and guaranteed to 95% availability, aiming for a minimum of 180 days mean time between failures. It is designed to cover 1·6million km between major rebuilds, equivalent to 18 years' service, with each major rebuild costed at £200,000. But with their success came the sad reality that the much loved classes of yesteryear were going to be given the push, and this is where a majority of the Class 66's unpopularity comes from. It could have been understood the replacement of the 40 year old Class 20's, 31's, 37's and 47's, as it was quite clear they were past their prime, the same could equally be said for some of the earlier Class 56's of the late 1970's. However, the line was stepped across with the withdrawal of the Class 58's and Class 60's, as the desire of EWS to have a standardised fleet, resulted in the removal of locomotives that were nowhere near life-expired. The large-scale retirement of these extremely reliable and powerful locomotives that weren't even 20 years old was seen as a travesty, and whilst some Class 60's have seen a revival with other operators as of late, the Class 58's are all but extinct, whilst many Class 60's continue to languish in yards across the UK, mostly at Toton in the East Midlands.

Nevertheless, the class continued to grow over the years, and, upon the conclusion of Class 66 production in the UK in 2014, 446 of the class were eventually built. But we can't forget also that the class has seen major success across Europe as well, with dozens of engines in operation in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, France, and Poland, with certification pending in the Czech Republic and Italy.

Today, a majority of the class is still in service with a variety of operators. DB Schenker, the successor to EWS, continues to operate the largest fleet of 249 locomotives. Freightliner operates 141, DRS operates 19, GBRf operates 72 and Colas Rail operates 5. Not all of the locomotives however remain with us, as three have been written off.

The first was 66521 on the 28th February, 2001, where after hitting a Land Rover that had fallen down an embankment from the M62 motorway, a southbound GNER InterCity 225 set led by lightweight Class 82 DVT, 82221, derailed and ran straight into the path of the oncoming Class 66 which was working a northbound coal train. With an estimated closing speed of 142mph, the DVT was obliterated upon hitting the Class 66, and the freight locomotive was mangled and distorted as it was crushed between its loaded coal train behind and the passenger coaches in front. In the disaster, 10 people were killed, including 66521's driver Stephen Dunn, although his instructor Andrew Hill, who was also riding in the cab, was able to survive. The locomotive however was for the most part destroyed, and scrapped later that year.

The second was on the 4th January, 2010 involving 66048, which derailed at Carrbridge in snowy weather. Coming down the Highland Mainline with a loaded container train, it passed a signal at danger and was derailed at trap points, subsequently falling down an embankment into trees and injuring the two crew members.

The third was on the 28th June 2012, where GBRf 66734 derailed at Loch Treig whilst working Alcan Tanks. The inability of recovery crews to access the highly remote and dangerous location resulted in the engine being cut-up on site.

Additionally, many Class 66's have suffered low-speed collisions and derailments, either through faults in the track, driver error, or faults with the rolling stock.

However, despite the criticism, and often being dubbed as bland and utilitarian, the Class 66 is still a major part of the UK freight network, working behind the scenes without need of major attention so as to get the job done. Indeed it may find a home among rail enthusiasts, and perhaps one day it'll be dubbed a classic like the Class 37's and 47's it replaced, but at the moment it's the UK networks humble hero, plying its trade the best way it knows how.

The Mazda Luce (Italian for 'light') was the largest Mazda model available, at launch in 1969, through to 1991. The second generation car was launched in 1972, the LA2.

The car was still compact by US standards, at 1660 mm wide and approximately 4500 mm long.

Mazda installed their 12A and 13B twin-rotor rotary engines to produce the Mazda RX4 performance coupe (using the Luce 2-door bodyshell).

Conventional Luces used a conventional 94 PS 1.8 L, or 103 PS 2.0 litre 4-cylinder engine.

The car received a more conventional styling update in 1976 (LA3), losing some of the period cool of the LA2. The overall body form though, still reflected a Japanese interpretation of the period coke-bottle styling.

The LA2 Luce Coupe is shown here.

Audi Quattro A1 Evolution (1983) Engine 2144cc S5 10v DOHC Turbo with Intercooler

AUDI ALBUM

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/albums/72157623635550501

The original Audi Quattro competition car debuted in 1980. Largely based on the bodyshell of the road going Quattro, its engine producing around 300bhp and in 1981 Michelle Mouton became the first female driver to win a world rally also finishing runner up in the world championship

Over the next three years Audi would introduce the A1 and A2 evolutions in response to the Group B rally regulations, raising power to around 350bhp. The A1 made its competition debut in 1983 in the seasons opener, the Monte Carlo Rally and went on to win the Swedish Rally and Rally of Portugal in the hands of Hannu Mikkola

Shot at the Donington Historic Festival 01.05.2011 Ref 66-030

Jensen Interceptor III (1971-73) Engine 440cu (7212cc) Production 3419

Registration Number XBY 251 M (London NW)

JENSEN SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157624203748256...

The Jensen Interceptor is a sporting GT class car, hand built at West Bromwich, England with the body designed by Carrozzeria, Touring in Italy and powered by a US Chrysler V8.

The Interceptor broke with Jensen tradition by having a steel bodyshell rather than one of GRP.

The original specification included electric windows, reclining front seats, a wood rimmed steering wheel, radio with twin speakers, reversing lights and an electric clock. Power steering was included as standard from September 1968.

The Mark II (1969-71) shared the same Chrysler engine as the original Interceptor but offered revised front styling and ventilated disc brakes

The Mark III had a larger 440cu (7212cc) Chrysler V8 with four barrel carburettor. The Interceptor sold well until sales were hit by the OPEC oil crisis of 1974.

Many thanks for a fantabulous 37,934,000 views

Shot at the Haynes International Motor Museum Sparkford, Somerset 23rd June 2015 Ref 107-124

The stripped bodyshell of 25224, minus the rear cab sits on a pair of bogies stencilled 25100 outside Derby works, 1st September 1979. 25224 was originally D7574 and its frame was laid down during the summer of 1963 at Derby works. This was at the time that the class 25 design was undergoing two major changes. The first was electrical with the introduction of GEC series 2 control equipment, the second was a re-designed body which principally affected; the cab and the location of the air intakes. The gangway cab doors fitted to the earlier examples were rarely used and added were the cause of complaints of noise and draughts in the cabs. The removal of the air filters to the cantrail was to provide a cleaner air supply to the engine compartment. These two changes did not occur at the same time and D7574 was part of a batch of class 25’s (D7568 - D7577) built at Derby with the new control equipment but the earlier bodystyle. They were also for some reason numbered out of sequence (chronologically they followed on from D5222) with the first class 25 built with both the series 2 equipment and new bodystyle being D5233. On release from Derby works in October 1963 D7574 was allocated to Cricklewood MPD and was one of a relatively small number of class 25/2 fitted with a Stone Vapour L4610 steam heating boiler. In May 1966 it transferred to Toton and in May 1968 to Allerton. At the end of the summer timetable in 1971 there was a fleet re-organisation which was to see class 25’s allocated to the Western Region with D7574 being transferred to Laira. It would spend the next seven years based in the South West until transferred to Crewe in May 1978 where being boiler fitted it would become a regular performer on Crewe – Cardiff duties. 25224 would survive in traffic until May 1986 and was broken up by Vic Berry, Leicester in February 1987.

Praktica LTL, Ektachrome 200

The saloon on the trailer has a V8 badge, so I wonder if this is a South African Perana? The Estate shell looks sound.

Spotted out and about.

Fiat began designing the Ritmo hatchback – as a replacement for the 128 sedan – in 1972, following the body style of its 127 supermini as European manufacturers began launching small family hatchbacks, notably the Volkswagen Golf in 1974.

Prior to its launch, the press speculated that the project codename 138 would be the final production name, however, Fiat instead gave its new car the Ritmo name, rather than another three digit number. Offered in 3- and 5-door hatchback and cabriolet body styles – from 1978 to 1988 with two facelifts.

The Ritmo was manufactured at the Cassino plant using a system developed by its subsidiary Comau, the "Robogate" system – which automated the bodyshell assembly and welding process using robots, giving rise to its advertising slogan "Handbuilt by robots", immortalised in a television advertising campaign showing the robots assembling the Ritmo bodyshells to the strains of Rossini's The Barber of Seville. The exterior has plastic bumper fascias integrated into the styling which combined strong round shapes with overall sharp lines, achieving a drag coefficient of Cd=0.38.

Collection Freddy Deklerck

Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais

Bonhams

Parijs - Paris

Frankrijk - France

February 2019

Estimated : € 15.000 - 20.000

Sold for € 23.000

Mercedes-Benz introduced its new medium-sized, S-Class range at the International Motor Show, Frankfurt in 1979, there being no fewer than seven models with the new W126 body style. Launched at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 1985, the 560 SEC coupé was an addition to the line-up and the most powerful of the three luxury coupés then on offer. This new model retained the existing bodyshell virtually unchanged but was powered by the new 5.547cc version of the M117 all-alloy V8 engine producing 300bhp (DIN), though customers resident in the USA had to make do with a considerably less powerful version. As befitted one of Mercedes-Benz's flagships, the 560 SEC came standard with a host of desirable features while customers could choose from an equally lengthy list of options. Despite its elevated price, the 560 SEC would turn out to be the most popular of the W126 coupés.

First registered on 4th May 1988, this 560 SEC is believed to have been delivered new to France and thus is one of the rarer European-specification 300 horsepower models. Accompanying documentation includes with the Étoile booklet from Mercedes-Benz France giving six months warranty on a used vehicle and recording that this car had recorded only 32.000 kilometres in September 1990 when it was sold by Mercedes-Benz International Garage SA. Bought by the current owner to form part of his collection in 2007, this beautiful modern Mercedes is offered with French Carte Grise.

Collection Freddy Deklerck

Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais

Bonhams

Parijs - Paris

Frankrijk - France

February 2019

Estimated : € 15.000 - 20.000

Sold for € 23.000

Mercedes-Benz introduced its new medium-sized, S-Class range at the International Motor Show, Frankfurt in 1979, there being no fewer than seven models with the new W126 body style. Launched at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 1985, the 560 SEC coupé was an addition to the line-up and the most powerful of the three luxury coupés then on offer. This new model retained the existing bodyshell virtually unchanged but was powered by the new 5.547cc version of the M117 all-alloy V8 engine producing 300bhp (DIN), though customers resident in the USA had to make do with a considerably less powerful version. As befitted one of Mercedes-Benz's flagships, the 560 SEC came standard with a host of desirable features while customers could choose from an equally lengthy list of options. Despite its elevated price, the 560 SEC would turn out to be the most popular of the W126 coupés.

First registered on 4th May 1988, this 560 SEC is believed to have been delivered new to France and thus is one of the rarer European-specification 300 horsepower models. Accompanying documentation includes with the Étoile booklet from Mercedes-Benz France giving six months warranty on a used vehicle and recording that this car had recorded only 32.000 kilometres in September 1990 when it was sold by Mercedes-Benz International Garage SA. Bought by the current owner to form part of his collection in 2007, this beautiful modern Mercedes is offered with French Carte Grise.

Bonhams : The Autumn Sale 2020

Estimated : € 120.000 - 180.000

Sold for € 143.750

Autoworld

www.autoworld.be

Brussels - Belgium

September 2020

"The Mercedes 220 SE coupé is a very fine engineering achievement. Not only does it provide fast and economical transports for four and their luggage, but outstanding roadholding and riding qualities make this a car which is a pleasure to drive hard, and one in which it is safe and comfortable to do so. Furthermore, it has superb brakes and a high standard of mechanical refinement." – Autocar.

Mercedes-Benz debuted four new models at the Frankfurt Show in 1959 - the 220 SEb among them - all of which shared the same basic unitary-construction bodyshell and all-round independent suspension. This new 220 family moved Mercedes-Benz's styling into the modern era; longer than their predecessors, these elegant newcomers featured a wider radiator shell, wrap-around windscreen, enlarged rear window and vertically stacked twin headlamps. The new 220 SEb retained the fuel-injected, single-overhead-camshaft engine of the previous 220 SE, though maximum power of the 2,195cc six was increased by five horsepower to 120bhp (DIN). Top speed was now 172km/h with 100km/h attainable in under 14 seconds.

Coupé and Cabriolet models appeared in 1960 and 1961 respectively, minus the already dated-looking tail fins of the saloon. More modern in style, the luxurious 220 SEb Coupé and Cabriolet were better appointed too, being equipped as standard with a rev counter, leather upholstery, and four-speed automatic transmission with floor-mounted gearchange lever. Girling servo-assisted front disc brakes were fitted from the start of production, a benefit not enjoyed by the saloon until 1962. By the time production ceased in October 1965, fewer than 17,000 220 SEb Coupé and Cabriolet models had been manufactured, of which only 2,729 were Cabriolets, and today these stylish and luxuriously equipped Grand Tourers are highly prized.

This superbly restored Mercedes-Benz 220 SEb Cabriolet was delivered new in Germany. A matching-numbers example equipped with the desirable manual 'floor shift' gearbox, the Mercedes was sold new to a member of the United States' armed forces, who, it is presumed, took the car to the USA.

The present owner discovered this 220 SEb Cabriolet while searching for rare spare parts for his Mercedes-Benz 300 Adenauer Cabriolet D. Visiting the classic car fair in Stuttgart in March 2015, he became enchanted by this Mercedes 220 SEb cabriolet, which he considered to be the most perfectly restored vehicle on show. Delivered new in Germany, retaining matching numbers, and restored to concours standard, it met all of the perfectionist owner's exacting criteria and duly became part of his private collection on 1st March 2016. Since then, some 1,000 kilometres have been covered, including a recent trip to the Coppa Classic Concours in Belgium where it won the award for 'Best Restored Car'. Finished in the attractive colour combination of Burgundy with tan interior, and guaranteed to turn heads wherever it goes, this quite exceptional soft-top 4-seat Mercedes is well-documented and offered with all its original books; M-B Datakart; a selection of restoration photographs; and Belgian registration documents.

The 1956 Chevrolet was the middle year of what has come to be known as the 'tri-fives', as such, it was the first refresh of the 1955 bodyshell. Notably the radiator grille was now leaned forward at the top, producing a longer hood (bonnet) profile.

Models were again arranged 150, 210 and Bel Air. The 210 Sport Coupe shown here matched the sportiest bodystyle with mid-range trim. The car now wore a long arc chrome strip which drooped at the tail ans split the body in models with two-tone paint. The roof was paired to the lower bodysides, while the trunk and hood matched the upper bodyside.

A range of six and vee-eight engines were available, the V8 was a 265 CID (4.3 L) rated at 170 bhp (127 kW), 210 bhp (157 kW) or 225 bhp (168 kW) depending on the carburetor configuration. Power was to jump considerable the following year with the introduction of the 283 CID (4.6 L ) small block.

Other GM divisions, picked up new bodies for 1957, with the exception of Chevrolet and Pontiac. The 1957 was a hasty refresh of the 1955/56, the top Bel Air trim becoming one of the most famous and sought after Chevrolet models.

Collection Adrian Van Lerber

Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais

Bonhams

Parijs - Paris

Frankrijk - France

February 2019

Estimated : € 20.000 - 30.000

Sold for € 23.000

Just as it had done 21 years previously with the revolutionary 'Traction Avant', Citroën stunned the world again in 1955 with the launch of the futuristically styled 'DS'. Beneath the shark-like newcomer's aerodynamically efficient, low-drag bodyshell there was all-independent, self-levelling, hydro-pneumatic suspension; plus power-operated brakes, clutch and steering. No European car would match the DS's ride quality for several years, the fundamental soundness of Citroën's ahead-of-its-time hydro-pneumatic suspension being demonstrated by its survival in computer-controlled form into the 21st Century. The DS's original 1,911cc, overhead-valve, long-stroke engine was replaced in 1966 by a short-stroke 1,985cc unit, also available in 2,175cc and 2,347cc versions, while other DS developments included swivelling headlights, fuel injection, and a five-speed gearbox. By the time production ceased in April 1975, more than 1.3 million of these wonderfully idiosyncratic cars had been built.

One of the last DS models produced, this top-of-the-range Pallas version has the fuel-injected 2.3-litre engine and the desirable five-speed manual transmission. It has been with the current owner for approximately 10 years and is presented in virtually original condition, the only notified departure from factory specification being a chromed exhaust system. Finished in white with black roof and brown leather interior, the car is offered with FIVA identity card, 2016 MFK (TüV), and Swiss registration papers.

Alfa Romeo GT1300 Junior Zagota (1973) Engine *1290cc S4 DOC Production 1115 (+ 2 destroyed due to the bodies not being up to specification)

Registration Number EHJ 341 J

Engine Number AR0053050416

Chassis Number AR 1800009

Oddometer Reading 42000

ALFA ROMEO SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623759785842...

The GT 1300 Junior Zagato was a limited production two-seater coupé with aerodynamic bodywork by Zagato of Milan. With a steel bodyshell and aluminium bonnet and door skins (on the earlier 1300 JZs).

Unveiled at the 1969 Turin Motorshow, and based on the modified floor pan, driveline and suspension of the 1300 Spider., shortened behind the rear wheels to fit the body and an Alfa Romeo Montreal fuel tank.

This car was originally delivered to Arturo Romanin of Padova, Ital, who kept it for fourteen years. before selling it to log term owners who did not sell it on until 2003. The car has since been refurbished by Alfaman Services., including a full gearbox rebuild, the servo and front calipers replaced with 1750 GTV items, the engine itself replaced with a *1750cc unit, new windscreen and a suspension rebuild. n 2010, Alfaholics set to work on the engine and suspension setup developing 183bhp fast road Nord unit with 45mm DCOE carburettors and a lightweight flywheel. Also included were GTA ram pipes, oil catch can and cooler, radiator and a new sports clutch. Alfaholics also supplied their own fast road suspension, 7x15" GTA wheels and tyres and a full stainless steel exhaust system.

Shot at H + H Auction Brooklands 22:10:2013 REF 79-044

Please do not forget to visit the Flag Counter on the link below to record a visit from your country. So far 52 countries (last new country Austria and 32 US states last new State Michigan) Last new overseas visitor Denmark last new US state visitor California

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Sold for £ 2.500

The Jaguar Land-Rover Collection

Brightwells Auctions

Bicester Heritage

Buckingham Road

Bicester

Oxfordshire

England

March 2018

Launched in 1958 at the Paris Autoshow, the new Humber Super Snipe was the first large Rootes Group car to use a monocoque bodyshell, replacing the pre-war design of its outmoded predecessor.

Losing its big separate wings of old in favour of a more modern unitised chassis and body, the new design was heavily influenced by the 1955 Chevrolet and was claimed to be the largest bodyshell built in the UK at the time – a strange boast but one which the marketeers thought significant.

Initially sold with a 2,6-litre 112 bhp straight-six, a year later the Series II arrived with an improved 129 bhp 3-litre unit which took the car’s top speed over the ton - not that its customers would have approved of such behaviour. Beautifully appointed with a build quality second to none, they were popular with bank managers and Government Ministers who needed to look sober and responsible - the Snipe couldn’t have fulfilled the task better.

Offered in a bewildering range of sub-models and face-lifts, these large Snipes were superbly engineered, but their rather formal image left them trailing in the wake of their more rakish competitors such as the Rover P5B and Ford Zodiac and they never proved as popular which is a shame as they are fine cars indeed.

This lovely mid-green Series II, with its luxurious leather upholstery has had 11 previous keepers according to the accompanying V5C. Its registration number is non-transferable and it has covered 4.200 miles since 2006 according to the DVLA MOT history. It’s most recent MOT expired in February 2013 and the car has covered only a handful of miles since then, the odometer showing a total of 82.792 miles with insufficient paperwork to prove its validity.

We have had the car running since its arrival onsite, although bidders are advised that the brakes are non-operational so we have been unable to drive the car.

Ford Lotus Cortina Mk.1 (1963-66) Engine 1558cc S4 DOC Production 4012

Registration Number DKU 120 C

FORD UK SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623665118181...

The history of the Cortina Lotus began in 1961. Colin Chapman had been wishing to build his own engines for Lotus, mainly because the Coventry Climax unit was so expensive. Colin Chapman's chance came when he commissioned Harry Mundy (a close friend and designer of the Coventry Climax engine and technical editor for Autocar) to design a twin-cam version of the Ford Kent engine. Most of the development of the engine was done on the 997cc and 1,340cc bottom end, but in 1962 Ford released the 116E five bearing 1,499 cc engine and work centred on this. Keith Duckworth, from Cosworth, played an important part in tuning of the engine The engine's first appearance was in 1962 at the Nürburgring in a Lotus 23 driven by Jim Clark. Almost as soon as the engine appeared in production cars (Lotus Elan), it was replaced with a larger capacity unit of 1558cc

Whilst the engine was being developed, Walter Hayes (Ford) asked Colin Chapman if he would fit the engine to 1,000 Ford saloons for Group 2 homologation. The Type 28 or Lotus Cortina or Cortina Lotus (as Ford liked to call it) was duly launched. Ford supplied the 2-door Cortina bodyshells and took care of all the marketing and selling of the cars, whilst Lotus did all the mechanical and cosmetic changes. The major changes involved installing the 1,557 cc engine together with an Elan close ratio gearbox, he rear suspension was drastically altered and lightweight alloy panels were used for doors, bonnet and boot. Lightweight casings were fitted to gearbox and differential. All the Lotus factory cars were painted white with a green stripe (although Ford built some for racing in red, and one customer had a dark blue stripe due to being superstitious about green). The cars also received front quarter bumpers and round Lotus badges were fitted to rear wings and to the right side of the radiator grille.

Initially, the engines were built by J. A Prestwich of Tottenham and then Villiers of Wolverhampton. In 1966, Lotus moved to Hethel in Norwich where they had their own engine building facilities

To homologate the car for Group 2, 1000 were required to be built in 1963, and the car was duly homologated in September 1963. In the same month, in the car's first outing, in the Oulton Park Gold Cup, the car finished 3rd and 4th behind two Ford Galaxies, but beat the 3.8-litre Jaguars which had been dominant in saloon car racing for so long. Soon Ford were running cars in Britain, Europe, and the USA, with Team Lotus running cars in Britain for Ford, and Alan Mann Racing running cars in Europe, also on behalf of Ford. The Cortina Lotus was able to beat almost anything except the 7-litre V8 Ford Galaxies, and later, Ford Mustangs.

Many Thanks for a fan'dabi'dozi 26,776,900 views

Shot 07:07:2014 at on Cars in the Park, Beacon Park, Lichfield REF 102-959

Offered here is a 1st series Montecarlo, based on the 2nd series Fulvia, a model introduced prior to Lancia's takeover by Fiat in 1969. This stunning car is a rare example of the special edition model built to commemorate Lancia's victory at the 1972 Monte Carlo Rally. Works driver Sandro Munari triumphed in that event, and the all-conquering Fulvias would secure another six international victories that year on their way to winning the 'World Rally Championship for Makes' for Lancia. Notable special features of the Montecarlo model were the livery - resembling that of the works cars - with matt black bonnet and boot lid, and its own bodyshell with flared wheelarches, rectangular front fog lamps, and the absence of bumpers.

Finished in the correct green/matt black with black interior, believed the rarest colour combination, this particular Montecarlo was recently the subject of a no-expense-spared restoration. The body was entrusted to no lesser a restorer than Bonfatti of Modena, who usually dedicates his precious time to more valuable Italian machinery from Maranello. In addition, the mechanicals were comprehensively overhauled, and the restoration works are documented in an accompanying album of photographs. Only a minimal distance has been driven since the engine was comprehensively rebuilt.

The car also comes with the Certificato di Proprieta and an Italian libretto showing three private owners from new. It should be noted that the very-hard-to-find original fog lights have been obtained and fitted, and that the car stands on its original wheels, which were only used for this model.

Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais

Bonhams

Sold for € 20.700

Estimated : € 25.000 - 30.000

Parijs - Paris

Frankrijk - France

February 2017

TVR Grantura II Lightweight (1960-62) Engine 1588cc S4 OHV Production 400 approx (Grantura II and Grantura IIA 1960-62)

Race Jack Fairman Cup and Mk1 and Mk.2 Jaguar and Innes Ireland Cup

Round Donington 20th April 2019

Race Number 35 Shaun Bromley

Registration Number 8113 SF (Edinburgh)

TVR SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623722776067...

The TVR Grantura was the first of the TVRs, debuting in 1958 and progressing through a series of evolutions until the Grantura IV ceased production in 1967. These coupés were hand-built at the TVR factory in Blackpool, England with varying mechanical specifications and could be had in kit form. All cars featured a cocktail of Austin-Healey brakes, VW Beetle or Triumph suspension parts and BMC rear axles. The Grantura bodyshell was made from glass-reinforced plastic and made use of a variety of proprietary components. The bonnet was front hinged. There was no opening at the rear but the boot could be accessed from inside the car - the spare wheel had to be removed through the front doors.

The Series II had BMC B Series MGA engines as standard and was launched in 1960 with the MG 1588cc version of the BMC B series engine, changing later to the MGA 1622cc unit or an optional or Ford 1340 cc engine with rack and pinion steering and front disc brakes

In mid 1961 the model was updated as a Grantura IIA and featured the newer 1622cc MG engine

Diolch yn fawr am 70,858,077 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mwynhewch ac arhoswch yn ddiogel

Thank you 70,858,077 amazing views, enjoy and stay safe

Shot 20.04.2019 at the AMOC Meeting, Donington Park Ref 138-229

W111

Publicly displayed for the first time at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 1967, Mercedes-Benz's fifteen 'New Generation' models went on sale the following January. But although the fuel-injected 280 SE saloon shared its bodyshell with the 'New Generation' 280 S, the 280 SE Coupé and Convertible retained the elegant looks of the outgoing 250 SE that had debuted back in 1959 on the 220 SE, designed by Paul Bracq. The 2,778cc overhead-camshaft six-cylinder Type M130 engine though, was all new. In fuel-injected 'SE' form the seven-bearing M130 produced 160bhp at 5,500rpm, an output sufficient to propel the manual transmission model to 118mph with the automatic, an increasingly popular choice, not far behind. Just as important in an age when automobile induced atmospheric pollution was becoming a hot political issue, was the fact that the M130 brought with it improved fuel economy and more efficient emissions control. The suspension was essentially the same as that of the equivalent saloon model, albeit reconfigured for a lower ride height, with braking courtesy of discs all round. Plush and well appointed, the interiors featured a leather-covered dashboard, (usually) leather upholstery, Becker radio, and round speedometer and rev counter flanking vertically stacked gauges. The thickly padded convertible top was manually operated, while air conditioning, electric windows, central locking and power assisted steering were among the several options listed. Production of the 280 SE Coupé and Convertible totalled a little over 5,000 units between 1968 and 1972 when production ceased, and today these timelessly elegant Grand Tourers are keenly sought after by connoisseurs of fine automobiles.

The current owner purchased this beautifully presented Mercedes-Benz 280 SE Cabriolet in 2010 in the United States, where it was first delivered, since when it has formed part of his exclusive private collection. After purchase he commissioned respected restorers Aston Workshop to embark on a comprehensive restoration. In the course of the restoration the car was professionally re-sprayed in the most attractive shade of green metallic, while the interior was re-trimmed to a very high standard in tan leather. A total of £ 59,000 was spent, and the invoices are on file. Since its restoration, the Mercedes has seen minimal use and would make a welcome addition to any serious collection. The car also features the desirable optional extras of air conditioning and electric windows. Offered with US title, EU customs have been paid.

It is worthwhile noting that the 280 SE Cabriolet is the next most desirable variant after the now prohibitively expensive 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet, with very little difference in performance in the real world.

The Zoute Sale

Bonhams

Sold for € 126.500

Estimated : € 130.000 - 160.000

Zoute Grand Prix 2016

Knokke - Belgium

Oktober 2016

The Mark V was announced on 24 August 1979.[19] Officially it was known as "Cortina 80", although the Mark V tag was given to it immediately on release, by the press, insiders and the general public.

A large update on the Mark IV, it was really a step between a facelift and a rebody. The Mark V differentiated itself from the Mark IV by having revised headlights with larger turn indicators incorporated (which now showed to the side too), a wider slatted grille said to be more aerodynamically efficient, a flattened roof, more glass area, slimmer C-pillars with revised vent covers, larger, slatted tail lights (on saloon models) and upgraded trim.

Prices started at £3,475 for a basic 1.3-litre-engined model.[20]

Improvements were also made to the engine range, with slight improvements to both fuel economy and power output compared to the Mk.IV. For example, the 2.3V6 engine was given electronic ignition and a slight boost in power output to 116 bhp (87 kW; 118 PS), compared to the 108 bhp (81 kW; 109 PS) of the Mk.IV. Ford also claimed improved corrosion protection on Mk.V models; as a result, more Mk.V's have survived; however, corrosion was still quite a problem. Cars that were rust-proofed from new with treatments such as Waxoyl or Ziebart have tended to fare a lot better than untreated cars with only factory rust-proofing.

By contrast, the estate models combined the Mk IV's bodyshell (which was initially from the 1970 Ford Taunus) with Mk V front body pressings.

Variants included the Base, L, GL and Ghia variants (all available in both saloon and estate forms), together with Base and L spec 2-door sedan versions (this bodystyle was available up to Ghia V6 level on overseas markets). An optional "S" pack was also available for most models, For the final model year of 1982 this consisted of front and rear bumper overriders, sports driving lamps, an 'S' badge on the boot, tachometer, 4 spoke steering wheel, revised suspension settings, front gas shock absorbers,'Sports' gear lever knob, sports road wheels, 185/70 SR x 13 tyres and Fishnet Recaro sports seats (optional). Various "special editions" were announced, including the Calypso and Carousel. The final production model was the Crusader special edition which was available as a 1.3, 1.6 and 2.0 saloons or 1.6 and 2.0 estates. The Crusader was a final run-out model which buyers clamoured for in 1982, instead of buying a newly introduced Sierra. It was the best-specified Cortina produced to date and 30,000 were sold, which also made it Ford's best-selling special edition model. Another much rarer special edition model was the Cortina Huntsman, of which 150 were produced. By this time, the Cortina was starting to feel the competition from a rejuvenated (and Opel influenced) Vauxhall, which with the 1981 release Cavalier J-Car, was starting to make inroads on the Cortina's traditional fleet market, largely helped by the front wheel drive benefits of weight and grip.

Up to and including 1981, the Cortina was the best selling car in Britain. Even during its final production year, 1982, the Cortina was Britain's second best selling car and most popular large family car. On the continent, the Taunus version was competing with more modern and practical designs like the Talbot Alpine, Volkswagen Passat and Opel Ascona, but the brand image of Ford's blue oval ensured the Cortina was a success in virtually every country where it was sold.

The very last Cortina – a silver Crusader – rolled off the Dagenham production line in 22 July 1982 on the launch of the ultramodern Sierra, though there were still a few leaving the forecourt as late as 1987, with one final unregistered Cortina GL leaving a Derbyshire dealership in 2005.[21] The last Cortina built remains in existence to this day, and is now in the ownership of the Ford Heritage Centre in Dagenham, Essex, not far from the factory where it was assembled.[22]

However, the last production Cortina in the world was a wagon built in New Zealand. Ford NZ had scoured the globe for assembly kits and its last came from Cork, Ireland. The Cortina wagon had continued on after the sedan was replaced in 1983 by the Mazda-made 626-based Telstar instead of the European Sierra; Sierra wagons did, however, replace the long-serving 'Cortinny' wagon in Kiwi assembly.

The Cortina was a top selling model in New Zealand for years; in 2.0L trim (not offered in England) it was a popular 'rep's special'.

1982 was also the year in which the Cortina lost its title as Britain's best selling car, having held that position every year since 1972. It was still selling well though, and the number one position had been taken by another Ford product: the Escort.

A scene set to change with the forthcoming electrification; Northern Rail class 150/1 unit 150103 forming the 2F85 18:16 to Wigan Wallgate on Saturday 5 July 2014, gets the right away during a busy day on the route for the Tour de France 'Grand Départ' extra services. These units were the logical successors to the prototype class 150's, but differing from the prototypes in having only two cars and also having no cab corridor connections. Built by BREL York from 1984 to 1987, a total of 137 units, based on BR's Mark 3 bodyshell, were produced in three main sub-classes, replacing many of the earlier first-generation "Heritage" DMUs.

© Copyright Gordon Edgar - Strictly no unauthorised use

Lotus Elite (Type 83 - 2nd Gen) (1980-82) Engine 2174cc Lotus 912 S4

Production 2535 (Both 1st and 2nd Generation)

Registration Number LCL 852 V (Norwich)

LOTUS ALBUM

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623671671113...

The first generation type 75 Elite was designed by Oliver Winterbottom and introduced in 1974 as a replacement for the Lotus Elan Plus 2. considerably larger four-seat Type 75 and later Type 83 Elite. were designed to take Lotus upmarket and move away from its kit-car past. The Elite has a shooting brake body style, with a glass rear hatch opening into the luggage compartment. The Elite's fibreglass bodyshell was mounted on a steel backbone chassis evolved from the Elan and Europa. It had 4-wheel independent suspension using coil springs. The Elite was the first Lotus automobile to use the aluminium-block 4-valve, DOHC, four-cylinder Type 907 engine that displaced 1,973 cc and was rated at 155hp. The 907 engine ultimately became the foundation for the 2.0 L and 2.2 L Esprit power-plants, the naturally aspirated 912 and the turbocharged 910.

In 1980 the Type 75 was replaced by the Type 83, also known as Elite Mk.2 Its engine was increased to the larger 2174cc, Lotus 912. The chassis was now galvanised steel and the five speed BMC gearbox was replaced by a Getrag Type 265 unit. The vacuum-operated headlights of the earlier model were replaced with electrically operated units and the Elite was now fitted with a front spoiler, a new rear bumper and brake lights from the Rover SD1.

Diolch am 84,637,178 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mae pob un yn 90cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr.

Thanks for 84,637,178 amazing views, every one is greatly appreciated.

Shot 01.08-2021 exiting the Silverstone Festival 01.08.2021 Ref 149-259

The Jaguar XJ (XJ40) is a luxury sedan manufactured by Jaguar Cars between 1986 and 1994. Officially unveiled on 8 October 1986 it was an all-new redesign of the XJ to replace the Series III, although the two model ranges were sold concurrently until the Series III was discontinued in 1992. The XJ40 used the Jaguar independent rear suspension arrangement, and featured a number of technological enhancements (such as electronic instrumentation)

Development:

Throughout the 1970s Jaguar had been developing "Project XJ40", which was an all-new model intended to replace the original XJ6. Scale models were being built as early as 1972. Due to the 1973 oil crisis and problems at parent company British Leyland, the car was continually delayed. Proposals from both Jaguar's in-house designers and Pininfarina were received. Eventually, it was decided an internal design would be carried through to production and, in February 1981, the British Leyland board approved £80 million to produce the new car.

Jaguar historians claim that the XJ40 was the last car which company founder Sir William Lyons had contributed to during its protracted development phase. The previous generation XJ had been the final Jaguar to be developed wholly under Lyons' leadership - although he continued to take an active consultative role within Jaguar design, long after had retired from the day to day management of the firm following its merger in 1966 with the British Motor Corporation.

During development, the XJ40 pioneered significant improvements to the way Jaguar designed, built, and assembled cars. Among these improvements was a 25 per cent reduction in the number of bodywork panels required per car (e.g. three pressings needed for a Series 3 door compared with one for a XJ40 door), resulting in not only a more efficient assembly process, but also a weight saving and a stiffer structure. Greater attention to panel gaps improved the drag factor (reduced from 0.849 Cd to 0.762 Cd), while also improving the fuel economy and lowering wind noise inside the cabin.

Mechanicals:

AJ6 4.0 L engine (in a 1990 Daimler)

Initially, only two engines were offered across the XJ40 models: a 2.9 L and a 3.6 L version of the AJ6 inline-six. In 1990, these were changed to 3.2 L and 4.0 L versions. In 1993, the XJ12 and Daimler Double Six (both equipped with the Jaguar V12 engine) were added to the available models.

During the development of the XJ40, British Leyland had considered providing the Rover V8 engine for the car, which would have eliminated the need for future Jaguar engine production. The XJ40 bodyshell was allegedly engineered to prevent fitting V-configuration engines such as the Rover V8; this delayed the introduction of the V12-powered XJ12 until 1993.

The automatic gearbox used in the 2.9 L, 3.2 L and 3.6 L six-cylinder cars was the four-speed ZF 4HP22. On the 4.0 L, the four-speed ZF 4HP24 was used. A stronger automatic gearbox was required for the V12-equipped cars, and the four-speed GM 4L80-E was selected. The manual gearbox fitted to early cars was the five-speed Getrag 265, while later cars received the Getrag 290.

The automatic transmission selector was redesigned to allow the manual selection of forward gears without accidentally selecting neutral or reverse. This new feature was dubbed the "J-Gate" and has carried over to more recent Jaguar models.

Exterior:

The curvaceous lines of the outgoing Series XJ were replaced by the more angular, geometric shape of the XJ40. The nose of the car would accommodate either matched pairs of round headlights, or rectangular single units; the latter were fitted to the higher-specification Sovereign and Daimler trim levels, and also to all cars for the US market.

The bumper is a visually distinct black-rubber-covered bar that runs the full width of the car and incorporates the sidelights and indicator lights. The bonnet is hinged at the front. Window frames are either chromed or black, depending on model. Rain gutters, door mirrors, and door handles are also finished in chrome. All XJ40s have a chrome surround for the windscreen and a single windscreen wiper.

Early low-specification cars were fitted with metric-sized steel wheels and plastic wheelcovers. From 1991, the wheels were changed to non-metric sizing.

[Text from Wikipedia]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaguar_XJ

Ford Thames 300E Van (1954-61) Engine 1172cc S4 SV Production 196885

Decals Birchmoor Fruit + Vegitable Growers

Registration Number XSJ 402 (Bute)

FORD UK SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623665118181...

Based on Fords Anglia/Prefect 100E Saloons and sharing a bodyshell 100E Station Wagon. Powered by a Ford 1172 cc engine originally only in 5 cwt the range was later expanded to include standard and deluxe variants of a 7 cwt van.

Many Thanks for a fan'dabi'dozi 30,473,800 views

Shot 167.11.2014 at The National Exhibition Centre, Classic and Sportscar Show Ref 103-272

MG C GT (1967-69) Engine 2912cc S6 OHV BMC C Series

Production 4457 (GT only)

Registration Number *PLG 57 H (1969 built, registered 1970, Cheshire)

MG SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623797586658...

The MGC was introduced in 1967, develped under the BMC code number ADO 52 it was intended as a replacemet for the Austin Healey 3000 Mk.III. BMC first considered using a six cylinder version of the BMC B Series engine used by BMC Australia but instead settled on the 3 litre BMC C Series in use in the Austin 3 litre Saloon, producing 145bhp with its twin SU carburettors in the MGC.

The MGB style bodyshell needed revisions around the engine bay and to the floor pan, but externally the only differences were a distinctive bonnet bulge to accommodate the relocated radiator and a teardrop for carburettor clearance. It had different brakes from the MGB, 15 inch wheels with Pirelli Cinturato 165HR15 tyres, and different suspension Like the MGB, it was available as a coupé (GT) and roadster

In 1967 Prince (King) Charles took delivery of an MGC GT (SGY 766F), which he passed down to Prince William 30 years late

Diolch yn fawr am 71,334,600 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mwynhewch ac arhoswch yn ddiogel

Thank you 71,334,600 amazing views, enjoy and stay safe

Shot 21.04.2019 at the annual Weston Park, Easter car show Ref 138-414

The Lancia Fulvia (Tipo 818) is an Italian car introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in 1963 by Lancia and produced until 1976. Fulvias are notable for their role in motorsport history, including winning the International Rally Championship in 1972. On testing it in 1967, Road & Track summed up the Fulvia as "a precision motorcar, an engineering tour de force". Named after Via Fulvia, Roman road leading from Tortona to Torino.

The Fulvia was available in three variants: Berlina 4-door saloon, 2-door Coupé, and Sport, an alternative fastback coupé designed and built by Zagato on the Coupé floorpan.

Specifications:

Chassis

The Fulvia Berlina was designed by Antonio Fessia, to replace the Lancia Appia with which it shared almost no components. The Appia was a rear wheel drive car, however, while the Fulvia moved to front wheel drive like the Flavia. The general engineering design of the Fulvia was identical to that of the Flavia with the major exception of the engine, the Flavia having a four-cylinder horizontally opposed engine and the Fulvia a 'Narrow Angle' vee configuration as featured on most production Lancias from the Lambda. The Fulvia used a longitudinal engine mounted in front of its transaxle. An independent suspension in front used wishbones and a single leaf spring, while a beam axle with a panhard rod and leaf springs was used in back. Four wheel Dunlop disc brakes were fitted to first series Fulvias. With the introduction of the second series in 1970 the brakes were uprated with larger Girling calipers all round and a brake servo. The handbrake design was also changed - using separate drums and brake-shoes operating on the rear wheels.

Engine

The V4 engine of a 1972 Fulvia Berlina

One element that was new was the narrow-angle V4 engine. Designed by Zaccone Mina, it used a narrow angle (12°53'28") and was mounted well forward at a 45° angle. The engine is a DOHC design with a one camshaft operating all intake valves and another operating all exhaust valves. The very narrow angle of the cylinders allowed for use of a single cylinder head.

Displacement began at just 1091 cc with 58 bhp (44 kW) with a 72 mm bore and 67 mm stroke. A higher (9.0:1) compression ratio and the fitment of twin Solex carburettors raised power to 71 bhp (53 kW) soon after.

The engine was bored to 6 mm to enlarge displacement to 1216 cc for the HF model. This, and some tuning, raised output to 80 to 88 bhp (60 to 66 kW).

The engine was re-engineered with a slightly narrower bank angle (12°45'28") and longer (69.7 mm) stroke for 1967. Three displacements were produced: 1199 cc (74 mm bore), 1231 cc (75 mm bore), and 1298 cc (77 mm bore). The new 1298 cc engine was produced in two versions; the type 818.302 produced 87 bhp (65 kW) at 6000 rpm and was fitted to 1st series Coupés, Sports and Berlina GTE and later to the 2nd Series Berlina. The Type 818.303 was first produced with 92 hp (69 kW) and was fitted to the 1st series Coupé Rallye S and Sport S. For the 2nd Series Coupé and Sport power was slightly reduced to 90 hp (67 kW) at 6000 rpm.

The engine was completely reworked for the new 1.6 HF with an even-narrower angle (11°20' now) and longer 75 mm stroke combined with a bore of 82 mm gave it a displacement of 1584 cc, and power ranged from 115 to 132 bhp (85 to 98 kW) depending on tune.

Coupé 1.3 S Montecarlo: 1972–73.

Special edition based on the 1.3 S, commemorating Lancia's victory at the 1972 Monte Carlo Rally. The livery resembled the works car, with matte black bonnet and boot lid bearing Monte Carlo rally plate-style stickers. This version used his own bodyshell with flared wheel arches, similar to but different from the 1.6 HF bodyshell. Other accouterments included 1.6 HF Lusso interior fittings such as bucket seats with headrests, rectangular front fog lamps, no bumpers and black single wing mirror; 4.5J steel wheels of the standard Coupé were fitted.

[Text from Wikipedia]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancia_Fulvia

This Lego miniland-scale Lancia Fulvia Coupe 1.3 S Monte Carlo - has been created for Flickr LUGNuts' 106th Build Challenge, titled - 'Exclusive Edition!' - a challenge for vehicles made in a 'special edition' - for whatever reason.

The only Jaguar XJ220 in the world that lived up to its name, being fitted with a stunning V12 engine and making it the world's fastest production car. However, costs, setbacks, a recession or two and a myriad of other problems resulted in the dream becoming a nightmare, and the match of styling and power made in heaven being turned quickly into a BDSM session in hell!

The proposal for the Jaguar XJ220 seemed to come right out of nowhere. In 1986 the company was sold to Ford after ownership under British Leyland, and was producing a selection of strange luxury motors including the XJS and the XJ, which, although were very good and highly luxury machines, weren't exactly setting the world on fire.

But racing had been put forward to the company before, and racing team owner Tom Walkinshaw encouraged Jaguar to put one of their XJS's into the 1981 European Touring Car Championship, in which they succeeded in winning the competition in 1984. Jaguar had started to provide factory support to racing team Group 44 Racing, who were using the Jaguar-engined XJR-5 in the IMSA GT Championship, supplying V12 engines from 1983 onwards and supporting a Le Mans entry in 1984. Tom Walkinshaw and Jaguar agreed to entering the FIA Group C World Sportscar Championship and developed the XJR-6, which was powered by the Jaguar V12 engine; the car was launched during the 1985 season.

TWR took over the IMSA GT Championship operation in 1988 and one model – Jaguar XJR-9 – was launched to compete in both series. The XJR-9, which retained the Jaguar V12 engine, went on to win the 1988 24 Hours of Le Mans and World Sportscar Championship in the same year. The poor fuel consumption of the Jaguar V12 combined with new rules restricting refuelling during races forced the replacement of the V12 engine in the XJR-9s successors, the XJR-10 and XJR-11. The normally-aspirated Austin Rover V64V engine, designed for the MG Metro 6R4 had recently been made redundant thanks to the Group B rally ban in 1987, and the design rights were for sale. The compact, lightweight and fuel efficient nature of the small-displacement, turbocharged engine was investigated by TWR, who considered it an ideal basis for a new engine to power the XJR-10 and purchased the design rights from Austin Rover Group.

Jaguar and their Director of Engineering, Jim Randle, felt these racing cars were too far removed from the product available to the general public, especially with the rule changes that mandated the replacement of the Jaguar V12 engine in the forthcoming XJR-10 and XJR-11 racing cars. Therefore a project was initiated to design and build a car capable of winning Le Mans "in house", just as the Jaguar C-Type and D-Type had done. The groundwork for the project was undertaken by Randle over Christmas 1987, when he produced a 1:4 scale cardboard model of a potential Group B racing car.

The cardboard model was taken into the Jaguar styling studio and two mock-ups were produced. One was said to be reminiscent of the Porsche 956, the other took elements of the then current Jaguar XJ41 project and Malcolm Sayer's work on the stillborn Jaguar XJ13 racing car.

The project still had no official support, leaving Randle no option but to put together a team of volunteers to work evenings and weekends in their own time. The team came to be known as "The Saturday Club", and consisted of twelve volunteers. To justify the resources consumed by the project, the XJ220 needed to provide meaningful data to the engineers on handling, aerodynamics, particularly at high speeds, and aluminium structures. These requirements, together with FIA racing regulations and various government regulations governing car design and safety influenced the overall design and engineering direction of the car.

The FIA Group B regulations steered the concept towards a mid-engine, four-wheel drive layout, with a Jaguar V12 engine as the power source. The concept car was designed and built at very little cost to Jaguar, as Randle called in favours from component suppliers and engineering companies he and Jaguar had worked with in the past. In return he offered public recognition for their assistance and dangled the possibility of future contracts from Jaguar.

The name XJ220 was chosen as a continuation of the naming of the Jaguar XK120, which referred to the top speed of the model in miles per hour. The concept car had a targeted top speed of 220 mph so became the XJ220. The XK120, like the XJ220, was an aluminium-bodied sports car, and when launched was the fastest production car in the world.

Jaguar and engine designer Walter Hassan had previously created a 48-valve variant of their V12 engine specifically for motorsport use. It featured a double overhead camshaft layout with four valves per cylinder, compared with the single overhead camshaft and two valves per cylinder of the production engine, which was used in the Jaguar XJ and Jaguar XJS models at the time.

TWR and Cosworth had manufactured a number of these racing V12 engines during the 1980s and they had been raced competitively, with a 7-litre version of this engine featuring in the Le Mans winning Silk Cut Jaguar XJR-9. Five of these engines still existed, all of which were fitted with dry sump lubrication. These engines were chosen and considered to be especially useful as the dry sump would lower the vehicle's centre of gravity. The displacement of the V12 was set at 6.2L for the XJ220.

Jaguar had little experience with four-wheel drive systems at the time, having previously only produced rear-wheel drive cars. Randle approached Tony Rolt's company, FF Developments to design the transmission and four-wheel drive system for the XJ220, with Rolt's son Stuart running the project. Tony Rolt was the Technical Director of Ferguson Research, where he was heavily involved in the design of the four-wheel drive system used in the Jensen FF, the first sports car to be fitted with such a transmission. Tony Rolt also had a long involvement with Jaguar, winning the 1953 24 Hours of Le Mans with the factory works team driving the Jaguar C-Type.

The mid-engine complicated the design of the four-wheel drive system, and an innovative solution was needed to get drive from the rear of the engine to the front wheels. The chosen design took the front-wheel drive from the central differential on the rear transaxle and sent it through the V in the centre of the engine using a quill drive, before joining an inverted differential. The clutch was a twin-plate unit designed by AP Racing.

The design brief for the exterior restricted the use of aerodynamic aids, and aimed for a stylish yet functional body similar to the Jaguar D-Type. Drag and lift were limited at the envisioned ground clearance for road use, but the design allowed for additional downforce when the car was set up for racing; the body produced around 3,000 lb of downforce at 200 mph. The design was also intended to have a variable rear wing that folded into the bodywork at lower speeds. Aerodynamic work was undertaken at the Motor Industry Research Association wind tunnel using a 1:4 scale model, as the project was unable to budget for a full-scale mock-up.

The bodywork for the concept car displayed in 1988 was hand built from aluminium by Park Sheet Metal, a specialist automotive engineering company that manufactures concept cars and low-volume, niche models for various manufacturers, including Bentley. QCR Coatings undertook final painting of the bodyshell in silver. The concept also featured electrically operated scissor doors and a transparent engine cover to show off the V12 engine.

The concept car had a Connolly Leather-trimmed interior produced by Callow & Maddox, and was fitted with front and rear heated windscreens, electric windows, air conditioning, heated electrically adjustable seats with an Alpine Electronics CD player. The dashboard was supplied by Veglia.

The concept car was completed in the early hours of 18 October 1988, the day it was due to be unveiled at the British International Motor Show, being held at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham.

Jaguar's marketing department had allocated space on their stand at the motor show for the XJ220, but had not seen the vehicle until its arrival. Jaguar chairman John Egan and Roger Putnam, who was in charge of Jaguar's racing activities, were shown the vehicle the week before the motor show and signed off on the concept, allowing its unveiling. The car received an overwhelmingly positive reception by public and press, and a number of wealthy Jaguar enthusiasts handed over blank cheques to secure a purchase option should the XJ220 concept go into production. Ferrari displayed their F40 model at the same event; an estimated 90,000 additional visitors came to see the Jaguar and Ferrari cars.

The XJ220 was not initially intended to be a production car, but, following the reception of the concept and financial interest from serious buyers, a feasibility study was carried out by teams from TWR and Jaguar. Its conclusion was that such a car would be technically feasible, and that it would be financially viable. The announcement of a limited production run of 220 to 350 cars came on 20 December 1989. The list price on 1 January 1990 was £290,000 exclusive of value added tax, options and delivery charges, but by 1992 that had increased considerably owing to indexation of contracts. The offer was four times oversubscribed, and deposits of £50,000 exclusive of Value Added Tax (VAT) were taken from around 1400 customers; first deliveries were planned for mid-1992.

What Jaguar didn't reckon on was that the 1990's were going to get off to a very bad start, with a good old fashioned recession to usher in the new decade. This, combined with the various downgrades that would have to follow to make the car road legal, would result in the Jaguar XJ220 giving the company and the customers headaches in more ways than one.

In 1991, the company constructed a new £4 million factory at Wykham Mill, Bloxham, for the single purpose of building the XJ220, the plant being opened by the late Princess Diana. But, in order to comply with a variety of road legislation, engineering requirements resulted in significant changes to the specification of the XJ220, most notably replacement of the Jaguar V12 engine by a turbocharged V6 engine.This downgraded engine made that desirable rocket car more run-of-the-mill, and many pulled back their deposits.

At the same time the economy collapsed and when the first production cars left the factory in 1992, many of the original potential buyers who had put down their hefty deposits found that they couldn't afford it, and wanted their money back. Many of them cited the fact that the four wheel drive, V12 had been downgraded to a two wheel drive, V6, and thus they weren't getting what they paid for. The result was that Jaguar went so far as to take their customers to court, and forced them to buy a car they no longer wanted, the problem being exacerbated by the fact that in 1993, the McLaren F1 took the title of world's fastest production car, was available with the V12 and all things it promised, and was much smaller and more manageable than the bulky XJ220.

A total of just 275 cars were produced by the time production ended, 22 of their LHD models never being sold, each with a retail price of £470,000 in 1992, probably one of the biggest automotive flops in motoring history, right up there with the DeLorean and the Edsel. But this would later be advantageous for many, as this pedigree 'worlds-fastest-car' machine would go in later years for a much lower price. £150,000 mind you, but it's a lot better buying the one's that weren't sold at this reduced price, than at the initial asking price back in 1992. Therefore buyers were able to procure themselves a first-hand XJ220, for half the price, a representative saving of nearly £250,000.

Today the XJ220's are rare beasts indeed, rarely coming out to play due largely to their expensive upkeep, heavy fuel consumption and sheer size. But keep your eyes open in some of the more affluent neighbourhoods, be they Dubai, Beverley Hills, or the South of France, and chances are you'll be able to find one.

Coachwork by Henri Chapron

Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais

Bonhams

Estimated : € 180.000 - 220.000

Sold for € 201.250

Parijs - Paris

Frankrijk - France

February 2018

Just as it had done 21 years previously with the revolutionary 'Traction Avant', Citroën stunned the world again in 1955 with the launch of the strikingly styled 'DS'. Beneath the shark-like newcomer's aerodynamically efficient, low-drag bodyshell there was all-independent, self-levelling, hydro-pneumatic suspension; plus power-operated brakes, clutch, and steering. No European car would match the DS's ride quality for several years, the fundamental soundness of Citroën's ahead-of-its-time hydro-pneumatic suspension being demonstrated by its survival in top-of-the-range models until earlier this year. The DS's original 1.911 cc, overhead-valve, long-stroke engine was replaced in 1966 by a short-stroke 1.985 cc unit, also available in 2.175 cc and 2.347 cc versions, while other DS developments included swivelling headlights, fuel injection and a five-speed gearbox.

Other models offered alongside the original DS were the ID (a simplified, cheaper version), the cavernous Safari estate and the two-door Décapotable (convertible), the latter boasting coachwork by Henri Chapron. (Chapron's first convertibles had been produced independently of Citroën, but the factory eventually gave the project its blessing). Henri Chapron started his career in the motor industry as an upholsterer's apprentice, working for various coachbuilders in the Paris area. In 1919 he started his own business in the well-to-do Parisian suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine where his main activity was re-bodying cars that had been requisitioned in wartime by the French Government. Chapron moved to larger premises in Levallois-Perret in 1923 and became the official builder of coach and convertible models for Delage and Delahaye, going on to body many of the most elegant French and European automobiles of the inter-war period.

Despite a much-reduced demand for bespoke coachwork after WW2, Chapron survived thanks to his exemplary creations for Delahaye, Talbot and Salmson, switching to offering bespoke versions of unitary construction models when motor manufacturers began to abandon the traditional separate chassis frame. The arrival of the Citroën DS in 1955 presented Chapron with a fresh opportunity that would result in his name being forever linked with this remarkable car.

Citroën's own Décapotables were built on the longer, stronger chassis of the ID Break (Estate). In total, 1.365 usine (factory) convertibles were made with either the DS19 or DS21 engine between 1960 and 1971, while Chapron built a further 389 of his own, the last in 1973.

Equipped with the semi-automatic transmission, this beautiful DS21 was delivered new in Paris, France to its first owner, engineer Mr Gaston Westercamp, who had ordered it at the Quai André Citroën. The car cost 27.640 francs, and the original bill of sale is on file. Fastidiously maintained by Mr Westercamp, the DS had covered some 82.000 km when he sold it in 2000. The car was still in superb original condition, retaining its original dark green leather upholstery and original carpets, while the body - rust-free and undamaged - had been repainted in the original Carrara White in the 1990s.

In 1975, Mr Westercamp had moved to Toulon, which is where the DS found its next owner: Mrs Jeltske Homan van der Heide, who continued to pamper the car for the next 17 years in the same manner as its first custodian. Now displaying a total of some 128.000 km on the odometer, this DS remains outstandingly original and in superb order, and as such is an exceptional rarity and an unusual find today. Fully serviced, it comes with all books, tools, service records, invoices, old Carte Grise, and the aforementioned 1967 sales invoice plus, of course, the all-important Attestation Chapron.

Bonhams : The Autumn Sale 2020

Estimated : € 25.000 - 35.000

Sold for € 20.700

Autoworld

www.autoworld.be

Brussels - Belgium

September 2020

One of the most important developments in the evolution of the V12-powered Jaguar XJ-S was the introduction of the HE (High Efficiency) engine in 1981. Incorporating new 'Fireball' cylinder heads, designed by Swiss engineer Michael May, this more fuel-efficient unit enabled the top-of-the-range XJ-S to meet tighter worldwide emissions legislation. Combined with a higher (2.88:1) final drive ratio, the result was an improvement in fuel consumption of up to 20% at some engine speeds, a figure of 27.1mpg being claimed at a constant 56mph and 22.5 at 75mph. It's worth noting that these figures applied to the automatic transmission version, which with a top speed of 155mph was world's the fastest 'slush pumper'.

Jaguar's first response to demands for an open XJ-S was somewhat conservative in engineering terms. The XJ-S had not been designed with an open version in mind, so a Targa-style arrangement was adopted, which retained a substantial roll hoop in the interests of maintaining rigidity in the absence of a fixed roof. Two removable roof panels were stored in the boot, and the cabriolet did away with the coupé's two occasional rear seats in favour of a pair of luggage lockers topped by a parcel shelf. Essentially an exercise in niche marketing to test public reaction, the XJ-S cabriolet was assembled by outside specialist contractors, with bodyshells transported back and forth across the Midlands before returning to the Brown's Lane factory prior to final despatch. The cabriolet's favourable reception demonstrated that there was indeed sufficient demand to justify production of an open XJ-S, and Jaguar proceeded to develop a conventional full convertible. In total, 3,925 V12 cabriolets were built compared with 16,649 convertibles.

An increasingly rare and sought after model, this automatic transmission XJ-S V12 cabriolet was delivered new in Belgium via Garage Vandenplas in Tervuren on 28th June 1988. The car's first owners lived in Brussels and it is believed to have had only three owners from new. Driven sparingly, this XJ-S has covered only 51,725 kilometres and is presented in excellent condition having been regularly maintained. The last (stamped) service was carried out at 44,092 kilometres by Garage Franco Britannic in Levallois Peret, France on 25th February 2004. Finished in green with black interior, this rare soft-top XJ-S is offered with sundry maintenance bills, French Carte Grise, and its stamped service booklet.

Another day, another E-Type, and this example is one of what many consider the better cars, being the stylish and flamboyant Series I fitted with the powerful and reliable 4.2L Straight Six engine!

One of the most revolutionary cars in all of motoring history, a car that has often been declared as the Space Shuttle in the Middle Ages! Beauty, style and performance all harnessed in one simple bodyshell. It can't be anything other than the Jaguar E-Type!

When it was launched in 1961, Britain was still very much an antiquated Victorian country, and transport was not much better. Steam Trains still had another 7 years to go and the most you could get out of the Motor Industry were flaky BMC products such as the humble Austin Cambridge and the Morris Minor. Unbeknownst to this very slow moving world of modesty, the entire picture was about to be turned on its head. In music, the Beatles rocked their way into everlasting legacy, the De Havilland Comet brought nations closer together, and Jaguar launched the E-Type, a car that set the motoring world ablaze!

Designed by Malcolm Sayer and powered by a 3.8L Straight Six engine, the Jaguar E-Type could now whisk people to 150mph, and with there being no speed limits back then, that was not too much of a stretch to imagine. You just had to look at it to see nothing but speed, everything about it was designed to go as fast as possible!

In spirit, the E-Type can trace its roots back to the race ready D-Type, also designed by Malcolm Sayer and notable for raking home victory after victory at Le Mans, being credited with being one of the most advanced sports cars of all time. A limited edition road going version, the XKSS, made the idea of a D-Type on the public highway possible, and parts developed in this often forgotten little gem helped to culminate in the final and superb E-Type.

On March 16th 1961, the E-Type was released upon the unsuspecting public at the Geneva Motor Show to an absolute roar of applause and acclaim. It made the front page of pretty much every newspaper in Europe, and orders absolutely rolled in by the thousand! The thing that made the E-Type so desirable was the fact that it was fun on a budget, a high performance 150mph capable machine for an affordable price of just £2,000, the equivalent of about £40,000 today. Now you may think that's a lot of money, but when you consider that a car of comparable beauty and performance was double that price, you'd know it was something truly special.

However, this proved to be a problem for the comparatively small company, who simply couldn't turn out the cars fast enough to supply the demand. Millions and Millions of Pounds worth of orders were being placed, with some owners even going so far as to place deposits at 10 to 15 Jaguar dealers hoping that one of them could give them a car! The biggest problem was trying to supply differing markets, especially if you were British because in order to appease the desperate American buyers, cars would be built in LHD for 6 month periods at a time, which meant if you were someone wishing to buy a car here in the UK, you'd be stuck for the best part of a year!

But it was obvious why, these cars were unrealistically fast! Tap the pedal and you'd be at 60mph in 7.1 seconds, press it further and you'd be over 100, and if you pressed it further, the bonnet would rise and with blood gushing from your eyes and every fibre of your body telling you to stop, you'd be hitting 150mph! That doesn't sound like much today considering the Aston Martins and Ferrari's we're so used to, but in 1961 this was absolutely unheard of.

Not that your E-Type would ever make 150mph because Jaguar had been a tad naughty. As it turns out the initial test cars that had been leant to the Press had been tuned to reach that golden 150, but the rest of the flock would barely go that fast. This was further compounded by a troublesome gearbox, hopeless brakes, cramped interior and uncomfortable seats. Jaguar's con had only been done to bless their car with the initial fame that would sell the production models, but in 1965 Jaguar chose to redress the issue by fitting the car with a much larger and much better 4.2L Straight Six engine.

But once the novelty had worn off the E-Type was starting to become maligned. Much like owning a topping Rolls Royce, seeing one being driven in the street opened the wounds of jealousy that continued to divide the social classes, and if you were very lucky you'd only get away with a disapproving look or a nasty name, if you weren't expect a brick, a can of paint or a rock to be hurtled in your direction! At the same time because so many cars had been built, the Second Hand market became saturated which meant that people could pick up early ones for a song, which removed the exclusivity that these vehicles had once commanded. Again, much like a Rolls Royce these owners only saw them as ways to get women to take off their clothes for you, and thus didn't exactly give them the love that such cars required.

However, this was before we got to the biggest problem of them all, America.

Actually I take it back, America can't be blamed for everything, in fact the stringent safety legislation and rules on car manufacturing can be credited to the increased safety of modern motor vehicles, the people to be blamed though are in fact the car manufacturers themselves for not being able to incorporate the compulsory safety features whilst still keeping the car stylish.

But still, throughout the 1960's the death of James Dean had resulted in a gradual increase in safety legislation on US Highways, and in order to have a market there, cars had to conform. The height of the headlights, the bumpers, the smoke emissions, the recess of the switches, all of these things were scrutinised and had to be taken into account by car builders. The E-Type became a shameful victim as its looks were compromised with changes to the lights, and body profile. To be honest the Series II was not that bad a car, still retaining much of its charm, especially when you compare it to 1971's Series III which was formulated by British Leyland. With the cabin looking like it had sunk, the lights being stretched and contorted, and sporting a massive 5.3L V12 engine. By this point many of the cars former buyers saw the E-Type as damaged beyond repair and thus sales began to tumble. British Leyland however had been planning to replace the car since the late 1960's, and after much deliberation its replacement, the Jaguar XJS, was launched in 1975, bringing an end to the increasingly hard to sell E-Type. Although very well performing, in terms of looks, the XJS was considered by many classic Jag fans to be absolute heresy, but would go on to have a much longer life that the E-Type, being built until 1996.

However, even before the last E-Type left the production line the originals were already being hailed as classical heroes. In total well over 70,000 of these cars had been sold, and a large number of them remain on the roads. During the late 70's and 80's the car continued to be a major pin-up, often ending up rather oddly, and to my mind a bit shamefully, in erotic films and porn movies (I sure hope they washed thoroughly afterwards). But when you look at the E-Type you can understand why, it is a seriously sexy looking car!

So iconic and so stylish were these cars that over the years many different replica models have also been made. Throughout the 1990's the company Eagle GB built the Eagle E-Type, brand new cars built to exactly the same specifications as the original Series I versions, whilst in 2011 the Eagle Speedster was produced, revising the bodyshape but attempting to maintain the charm of the original, and in 2014 several remaining chassis from the original production run that had been kept in storage are intended to be built into fully functioning cars.

The E-Type may have died a long time ago, but its reputation isn't letting up! :D

A brand new purchase for ConnexionsBuses, the first in 2 years, is of Mercedes-engined Euro 6 compliant Optare Solo SR YJ67 GGO - seen here at York Piccadilly working HCT service 16 to and from Acomb. This has gained the new-style Connexions logo with the union flag 'big X'; but the vehicle bodyshell itself is different from the other Solos as this has curved-top skirt panels as would normally be seen on a Versa, in addition to a new latch fitted between the front wipers. Audibly this bus sounds as if it has the same engine as a Wright Streetdeck, it certainly sounds almost identical to First York's 35100.

Looks like a bare bodyshell.

John Powell photo.

I believe this one was owned by a Datsun OC member who Mr Powell knew. Pleasingly it's still MoTed although currently on SORN.

This generation of 260C was fairly rare as a saloon, as Datsun UK didn't immediately bring it out when they launched the estate car version. Within a year or so it was replaced by the 280C (same bodyshell and 330 model code, but logically with a bigger engine).

Photographed at show at the Science Museum in Wroughton, Wilts on 15/9/96.

Another day, another E-Type, and this example is one of what many consider the better cars, being the stylish and flamboyant Series I fitted with the powerful and reliable 4.2L Straight Six engine!

One of the most revolutionary cars in all of motoring history, a car that has often been declared as the Space Shuttle in the Middle Ages! Beauty, style and performance all harnessed in one simple bodyshell. It can't be anything other than the Jaguar E-Type!

When it was launched in 1961, Britain was still very much an antiquated Victorian country, and transport was not much better. Steam Trains still had another 7 years to go and the most you could get out of the Motor Industry were flaky BMC products such as the humble Austin Cambridge and the Morris Minor. Unbeknownst to this very slow moving world of modesty, the entire picture was about to be turned on its head. In music, the Beatles rocked their way into everlasting legacy, the De Havilland Comet brought nations closer together, and Jaguar launched the E-Type, a car that set the motoring world ablaze!

Designed by Malcolm Sayer and powered by a 3.8L Straight Six engine, the Jaguar E-Type could now whisk people to 150mph, and with there being no speed limits back then, that was not too much of a stretch to imagine. You just had to look at it to see nothing but speed, everything about it was designed to go as fast as possible!

In spirit, the E-Type can trace its roots back to the race ready D-Type, also designed by Malcolm Sayer and notable for raking home victory after victory at Le Mans, being credited with being one of the most advanced sports cars of all time. A limited edition road going version, the XKSS, made the idea of a D-Type on the public highway possible, and parts developed in this often forgotten little gem helped to culminate in the final and superb E-Type.

On March 16th 1961, the E-Type was released upon the unsuspecting public at the Geneva Motor Show to an absolute roar of applause and acclaim. It made the front page of pretty much every newspaper in Europe, and orders absolutely rolled in by the thousand! The thing that made the E-Type so desirable was the fact that it was fun on a budget, a high performance 150mph capable machine for an affordable price of just £2,000, the equivalent of about £40,000 today. Now you may think that's a lot of money, but when you consider that a car of comparable beauty and performance was double that price, you'd know it was something truly special.

However, this proved to be a problem for the comparatively small company, who simply couldn't turn out the cars fast enough to supply the demand. Millions and Millions of Pounds worth of orders were being placed, with some owners even going so far as to place deposits at 10 to 15 Jaguar dealers hoping that one of them could give them a car! The biggest problem was trying to supply differing markets, especially if you were British because in order to appease the desperate American buyers, cars would be built in LHD for 6 month periods at a time, which meant if you were someone wishing to buy a car here in the UK, you'd be stuck for the best part of a year!

But it was obvious why, these cars were unrealistically fast! Tap the pedal and you'd be at 60mph in 7.1 seconds, press it further and you'd be over 100, and if you pressed it further, the bonnet would rise and with blood gushing from your eyes and every fibre of your body telling you to stop, you'd be hitting 150mph! That doesn't sound like much today considering the Aston Martins and Ferrari's we're so used to, but in 1961 this was absolutely unheard of.

Not that your E-Type would ever make 150mph because Jaguar had been a tad naughty. As it turns out the initial test cars that had been leant to the Press had been tuned to reach that golden 150, but the rest of the flock would barely go that fast. This was further compounded by a troublesome gearbox, hopeless brakes, cramped interior and uncomfortable seats. Jaguar's con had only been done to bless their car with the initial fame that would sell the production models, but in 1965 Jaguar chose to redress the issue by fitting the car with a much larger and much better 4.2L Straight Six engine.

But once the novelty had worn off the E-Type was starting to become maligned. Much like owning a topping Rolls Royce, seeing one being driven in the street opened the wounds of jealousy that continued to divide the social classes, and if you were very lucky you'd only get away with a disapproving look or a nasty name, if you weren't expect a brick, a can of paint or a rock to be hurtled in your direction! At the same time because so many cars had been built, the Second Hand market became saturated which meant that people could pick up early ones for a song, which removed the exclusivity that these vehicles had once commanded. Again, much like a Rolls Royce these owners only saw them as ways to get women to take off their clothes for you, and thus didn't exactly give them the love that such cars required.

However, this was before we got to the biggest problem of them all, America.

Actually I take it back, America can't be blamed for everything, in fact the stringent safety legislation and rules on car manufacturing can be credited to the increased safety of modern motor vehicles, the people to be blamed though are in fact the car manufacturers themselves for not being able to incorporate the compulsory safety features whilst still keeping the car stylish.

But still, throughout the 1960's the death of James Dean had resulted in a gradual increase in safety legislation on US Highways, and in order to have a market there, cars had to conform. The height of the headlights, the bumpers, the smoke emissions, the recess of the switches, all of these things were scrutinised and had to be taken into account by car builders. The E-Type became a shameful victim as its looks were compromised with changes to the lights, and body profile. To be honest the Series II was not that bad a car, still retaining much of its charm, especially when you compare it to 1971's Series III which was formulated by British Leyland. With the cabin looking like it had sunk, the lights being stretched and contorted, and sporting a massive 5.3L V12 engine. By this point many of the cars former buyers saw the E-Type as damaged beyond repair and thus sales began to tumble. British Leyland however had been planning to replace the car since the late 1960's, and after much deliberation its replacement, the Jaguar XJS, was launched in 1975, bringing an end to the increasingly hard to sell E-Type. Although very well performing, in terms of looks, the XJS was considered by many classic Jag fans to be absolute heresy, but would go on to have a much longer life that the E-Type, being built until 1996.

However, even before the last E-Type left the production line the originals were already being hailed as classical heroes. In total well over 70,000 of these cars had been sold, and a large number of them remain on the roads. During the late 70's and 80's the car continued to be a major pin-up, often ending up rather oddly, and to my mind a bit shamefully, in erotic films and porn movies (I sure hope they washed thoroughly afterwards). But when you look at the E-Type you can understand why, it is a seriously sexy looking car!

So iconic and so stylish were these cars that over the years many different replica models have also been made. Throughout the 1990's the company Eagle GB built the Eagle E-Type, brand new cars built to exactly the same specifications as the original Series I versions, whilst in 2011 the Eagle Speedster was produced, revising the bodyshape but attempting to maintain the charm of the original, and in 2014 several remaining chassis from the original production run that had been kept in storage are intended to be built into fully functioning cars.

The E-Type may have died a long time ago, but its reputation isn't letting up! :D

TVR Vixen S3 (1968-70) Engine 1599cc S4 Ford Kent Production 438 (723 Vixen S1 to S3)

Registration Number SFR 414 J

TVR SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623722776067...

The Vixen was a hanbuilt, glass fibre bodied with a tubular frame chassis as used in the Grantura 1800S. he chassis used double wishbone suspension at both ends, and disc brakes at the front (with drums at the back.) and was significantly lighter than its mainstream competition.

The Vixen Series 1 was introduced in 1967 as an evolution of the discontinued 1800S with the same chassis with a change toa Ford (Kent) 1599cc engine, in the same trim as the unit from the Ford Cortina GT developing 88bhp. The bodywork was also slightly revised, with the bonnet having a broad flat air intake scoop. The rear of the car with fitted with the round Cortina Mark I tail lamps

The S2 followed in 1968 with the longer wheelbase chassis (90 inch) from the TVR Tuscan V8. The bonnet was restyled again, with some early cars having a prominent central bulge, and later cars having twin intake ducts at the front corners of the bonnet. The tail lamps were updated from the round Cortina Mark I style to the newer wraparound Mark II style, and the body was bolted rather than bonded to the chassis the interior was improved to give a more quality feel.

The Series 3 was introduced in 1970 The heat extraction vents on the flanks behind the front wheels were decorated with "Aeroflow" grilles borrowed from the c-pillars of the Ford Zodiac Mark IV and its Ford engine was now in the same tune as the Ford Capri with 92bhp,Instead of wire wheels, cast alloy wheels were fitted as standard.

The Series 4 followed in late 1972 using the TVR M Series chassis and Vixen bodyshell

Many Thanks for a fan'dabi'dozi 28,137,100 views

Shot 28:07:2014 at Silverstone Historic Festival REF: 103-555

G-Model

Bonhams : The Autumn Sale 2020

Estimated : € 40.000 - 60.000

Unsold

Autoworld

www.autoworld.be

Brussels - Belgium

September 2020

Porsche revived the evocative Carrera name - previously used for the competition orientated versions of the preceding 356 model - for its luxuriously equipped, top-of-the-range 911 in 1973, applying the title to all 911 variants, co-incidentally with the introduction of the 3.2-litre engine, from the start of the 1984 model year. The revived name was part of a major revamp of the long-running 911, now selling better than ever, development of which had slowed while Porsche concentrated on meeting the ever increasing demand.

Although it remained an air-cooled 'flat six', the '3.2' motor was 80% new and incorporated an effective cam chain tensioner and associated lubrication system that at last addressed a perennial 911 shortcoming. An ECU controlled the fuel and ignition systems for the first time on a 911, enabling the engine to be both more powerful and less thirsty. As a result, this enlarged and extensively revised power plant now produced 231bhp, 27 horsepower up on its predecessor, endowing the Carrera with a level of performance approaching that of the original 911 Turbo of 1974, the bald statistics being a 0-60mph time of 5.3 seconds and a top speed of 152mph (244km/h) with 100mph (160km/h) reachable in a breathtaking 13.6 seconds.

No major changes were made to the bodyshell, though there was a new front spoiler with integral fog lamps, while the number of models on offer remained at three: Coupé, Targa and Cabriolet. Thirty-plus years on, Carrera 3.2s are now highly sought after and for very good reason, though finding one is not that easy.

Finished in grey with black leather interior, this Carrera 3.2 was delivered new in Düsseldorf, Germany equipped with the optional sunroof and rear wing, and is said to be standard apart from a larger-diameter sports exhaust system. The car comes with its Porsche service booklet recording maintenance by official Porsche dealers and independent specialists recognised by Porsche, testifying to the fact that it has been very well cared for. The Car Pass records the odometer reading as 245,000 kilometres and the Porsche also comes with Belgian Certificat d'Immatriculation, valid Contrôle Technique, three keys, and a car cover.

Jensen Interceptor III (1971-73) Engine 440cu (7212cc)

Production 3419

Registration Number KKP 718 L (Kent)

JENSEN ALBUM

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157624203748256...

The Jensen Interceptor is a sporting GT class car, hand built at West Bromwich, England with the body designed by Carrozzeria, Touring in Italy and powered by a US Chrysler V8.

The Interceptor broke with Jensen tradition by having a steel bodyshell rather than one of GRP.

The original specification included electric windows, reclining front seats, a wood rimmed steering wheel, radio with twin speakers, reversing lights and an electric clock. Power steering was included as standard from September 1968.

The Mark II (1969-71) shared the same Chrysler engine as the original Interceptor but offered revised front styling and ventilated disc brakes

The Mark III had a larger 440cu (7212cc) Chrysler V8 with four barrel carburettor. The Interceptor sold well until sales were hit by the OPEC oil crisis of 1974.

Diolch am 79,998,019 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mae pob un yn cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr.

Thanks for 79,998,019 amazing views, every one is greatly appreciated.

Shot 05.01.2020.at Bicester Heritage Centre, Bicester, Oxon 144-677

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Volkswagen Golf C Mk.2 (1983-92) Engine 1043cc S4 44bhp

Production 6,000,000 (all Golf Mk.2's)

Registration Number A 84 OHD (Huddersfield)

VOLKSWAGEN SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623738785355...

The second-generation Volkswagen Golf was launched in Europe at the 1983 Frankfurt Motor Show.and launched into the British marketplace March 1984. The Golf Mk2 was available as a 3- and 5-door hatchback. The 2-door and 4-door sedan variants of the Golf Mk2 were marketed under the Volkswagen Jetta name. It featured a larger bodyshell, and a wider range of engine options than the Mark 1 and a more rounded style. During the life of the Golf MK2, there were a number of external style revisions. Notable changes to the looks of the Golf MK2 included the removal of quarterlight windows in the front doors, and the introduction of larger grille slats with the August 1987 facelift. The most notable was the introduction of so-called "Big Bumpers", which were introduced in the European market with an August 1989 facelift.

Trim levels included base, C, CL and GL and initially a range-topping Carat model (until 1986), later a GT (in 1987) version was also on offer, the GTi was introduced for 1985 and ran in paralalel with a 16v version 1987-92

Diolch am 76,472,924 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mae pob un yn cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr.

Thanks for 76,472,924 amazing views, every one is greatly appreciated.

Shot 21.07.2019 at , Ashover Classic Car Show, Ashover, Derbyshire 143-616

Chassis n° 404/2030

Bonhams : the Zoute Sale

Estimated : € 230.000 - 260.000

Zoute Grand Prix 2018

Knokke - Zoute

België - Belgium

October 2018

Imitation is said to be the sincerest form of flattery; nevertheless it seems unlikely that BMW's engineers felt particularly gratified when the Bristol Car Company obtained the rights to their automotive designs as part of Germany's post-WW2 reparations. Thus it came about that the Bristol 400, which commenced production in 1947, was effectively a synthesis of three pre-war BMW designs, with a chassis derived from that of the 326, an engine from the 328 sports car, and an aerodynamic bodyshell similar to that of the 327 coupé. But Bristol did more than simply copy the work of its German counterparts; the application of aviation industry standards to its manufacture resulted in a car more refined and considerably better constructed than its Teutonic forbears.

With the 1953 introduction of the short-wheelbase 404 coupé, the Bristol line at last lost its resemblance to the pre-war BMW, swapping that distinctive two-piece radiator grille for an equally unmistakable, aeronautically inspired air intake. The body was still an ash-framed, aluminium-alloy panelled structure, but the bonnet was now forward-hinging and for the first time the spare wheel was accommodated in the near-side front wing. Bristol continued to use the BMW-based, 2.0-litre, six-cylinder engine with its ingeniously arranged, pushrod-operated inclined valves, and this was available in either 105bhp or 125bhp form in the 404. The gearbox remained a manual four-speed unit with first-gear freewheel. Famously dubbed the 'Businessman's Express', the 404 excelled at providing high-speed travel in comfort -the very definition of 'Gran Turismo'. The car's aircraft-industry standard of construction did not come cheap however, and only 52 examples found customers between 1953 and 1955.

Its accompanying Bristol Heritage Certificate confirms that this 404 was supplied new on 15th October 1954 to Mr Remy Mannes, the then Bristol dealer in Brussels, Belgium. The car was supplied in left-hand drive configuration for Europe with a rare km/h speedometer, green leather interior, and European dipping, all of which it retains today. The engine number quoted on the certificate is '100B/3534', whereas today a more desirable and later type B2 engine ('100B2/4070') is fitted. The car's original exterior colour is listed as black. Mannes had ordered this 404 for a client from Antwerp. Related documents on file include a copy of the original order from Établissements Remy Mannes to 'The Bristol Aeroplane Company Limited'; a copy of the sales invoice; copies of all transport papers; and some hand-written notes.

In July 1968, the Bristol returned to the UK having been purchased by one Michael Beardmore, and was registered in the UK with the number 'LGU 200', which it still carries today. The car was sold again in the early 1970s to a Mr Bradburn, who sold it and bought it back again in 1982 (see correspondence on file dated 1982). While in his ownership, 'LGU 200' was featured in an article in Thoroughbred & Classic Cars' June 1983 edition (article on file).

The Bristol moved to Oslo, Norway in 1985 (old title on file), returning to the UK in 1989. The previous owner registered the car in 1989 and the last owner in 2008. Today, 'LGU 200' is presented in lovely condition, with its believed original and well-preserved interior possessing a beautiful patina.

The bodyshell of 47103 doesn`t have long to go at Vic Berrys Leicester yard on the 1st of May 1989.

47103 had been withdrawn from Crewe Diesel in August 1987.