Blog posts
Ford SVT’s original hot rod pick-up from the Nineties still measures up, says Evans… Ford’s big announcement recently was the launch of its all-electric half-ton pick-up. As seems to be practice these days, the Blue Oval is dusting off iconic emblems from the past and applying them to new battery electrics, in the hope that these vehicles will win some street cred. And after the Mustang Mach-E last year, the new electric F-150 is called, wait for it… Lightning.
If you want tune and improve a 1960s Ford with a difference, look no further than the Classic and Capri range. Something quite different to the mainstream classic Ford here — it’s the stylish Consul Classic range. These oft-forgotten cars share a lot in common with the 105E Anglia in terms of visuals — the sweeping back window of the Classic for a start — but you may be surprised to learn that there’s also a very similar front suspension.
It’s 10 years since Ferrari last made a car with a manual gearbox. We chart the inexorable rise of Ferrari’s automated Transmission THE AUTOMATIC STORY Considering it wasn’t until 1976 that Ferrari first offered an automatic gearbox option (on the 400 GT), it’s quite remarkable that today all Ferraris have automated gear-shifting. How did we reach this point? It all started with Formula 1.
Now that hybrids have joined Jaguar’s line up – including the E-PACE featured on – I’m reminded that the concept of a Jaguar powered by an internal combustion engine working alongside an electric motor goes much further back. In the late Eighties, Jaguar created an advanced engineering group under engineering director Jim Randle’s leadership. Its remit was to look at advanced vehicle engineering in all its forms, but particularly powertrains.
Back in the early 2000s, Volkswagen didn’t just dip its toe in the luxury saloon market with its flagship Phaeton, it knocked the ball well and truly out of the park! BIG JOBS THROW BACK For this month’s throwback we revisit the legendary Volkswagen Phaeton; a refined and uncompromising car that marked VW’s intrepid step into the early 2000’s luxury automotive market. But the Phaeton was no mere dipping of the toe into the high-end pool; it was a bold leap that saw no expense spared.
Mk1 Golf resto gets BAM 1.8T, 17" BBS RS & Recaro LS seats. Whilst it’s not unusual to take inspiration from Europe, Prittin Petal took things one step further and had his entire project built in Poland. Words: Graham Leigh. Photos: Tony Matthews. EUROPEAN UNION 1.8T BAM Mk1 GOLF Forty-four year old Prittin Patel hails from Farnham Common in South Buckinghamshire. Fittingly he works in the orthodontic industry, his car history and collection certainly induces a healthy grin.
Massive power, all the style, a dash of stance and more bespoke touches than you can shake a stick at… Matt Thornton’s Mk6 R really does morph show and go smoothly. Words: James Wallace Photos: Tony Matthews. LOW AND NOT SLOW What’s a pirate’s favourite VW? Why, a Golf arggghhh, of course! Despite that substandard intro the Mk6 R seems to have taken on the ginger step child role of the VW R division.
When Leigh Parker set out to build a homage to his Nineties Mk2 project, the right donor bodyshell couldn’t have been further from his doorstep. Words: Alex Grant. Photos: Ben Hosking. TAKE TWO Mk2 GOLF 1.8T & G60 Early Typ19 with blown G60 or late-spec with multi-valve 1.8T? There are countless personal reasons why it can happen, but some cars just get under your skin, and parting company can leave a void that ultimately only one machine can fill.
There is no AMG C63 in this test, and hence for the first time in as long as we can recall, a sports saloon shoot-out hasn’t been overlaid with the furious, bassy score of an AMG V8. And, in case you haven’t heard, there will be no more AMG V8s, not in C-class saloons at any rate. The more expensive models will survive. For now.
AMG’s superhatch is even more appealing with the savings available from BuyaCar BuyaCar Buying Guide: Mercedes-AMG A45 S Mercedes-AMG is better known for its V8-powered super saloons than its hot hatchbacks, but after a shaky start with the original AMG A45 of 2015-2018, the latest version is something really quite special – so much so in fact that it secured a third-place finish in 2019’s evo Car of the Year.
If you’re building a car to a certain theme, then if we had any advice it’s to choose a theme and stick to it! Well, Martin Peryagh certain did just that when building his air-cooled inspired ‘Wickerdackel’ Typ 19 Mk2 back in 2009. What a build! YEAR: 2009ISSUE: NOVEMBEROWNER: MARTIN PERYAGHWORDS: NEIL HUNTPHOTOS: JAMES LIPMANWhile the Mk2 world had gone mad for 1.
West coast American photographer and friend of the mag, Mike Kippen, introduces his family’s latest VW project… a 1997 Volkswagen Golf Mk3 Cabby VR6. Let the games begin… 1997 Volkswagen Golf Mk3 Cabby VR6 It did not take long after getting my GTI on the road to realise that most of the events and drives would mean leaving my family behind – roll cage and race parts, it was not built for kid's seats or comfort.
A Caddy that works for a living everyday of its life yet wouldn’t look out of place on any showground? Considerably more effort than it sounds? You betcha… Words: Jimbo Wallace. Photos: Matt Clifford. WORK IT There’s nothing like a bit of scratch and gouge to offend somebody who does bodywork for a living.
As Ted the Jack Russell and I were on our usual walk last night, we were about a hundred metres from the local social club when I was suddenly hit by the smell of an old bar. Despite having lived in this village for over twenty years and walking a dog past this spot just about every single day during that time, it was the first time I ever really noticed the smell.
The Luxury Lotuses. Once two of the most expensive four-cylinder cars in the world, the Type 75 and 76 were huge departures for Lotus in the 1970s. Today, however, both can be had for relatively little money, if you’re careful. Words: Jack Wood. Pictures: Adam Wilkins. Buyers’ Guide Lotus ELITE AND ECLAT The inside line on buying a great 1970s wedge without succumbing to any of the pitfalls. The shooting brake profile of the Lotus Elite Type 75 was new for Lotus.