Modern Classics Magazine February 2020
This is Modern Classics magazine: the UK’s first car magazine devoted to the best cars of the 1980s, 90s and 00s. Each issue Modern Classic magazine brings you: - Hero cars driven and rated, with a view to them being fun to own and drive today - Big group tests, spinning the modern view of classic rivalries - Detailed and entertaining buying guides - Great modern classic events, news, trends and gadgets - Market trends and buying advice All combined with edgy and exciting automotive photography, interesting features, buying tips, investment and owners’ views. Modern Classics sets a new standard for younger classic cars. It will help you in your journey from choosing to driving, and enjoying your modern classic car…
in this issue
m power to the people
The best performance machinery from Germany is up there with the best on the planet. I've always been a fan but as my taste matured and I sampled more fast cars from other nations, I saw some validity in the criticism that's often levelled at these machines. They can lack soul. It's an intangible quantity that's often shorthand for flaws. But occasionally a car can be too good. It arrives at a point where driver skill is irrelevant. That's certainly not the case with old M3s. Every generation needs your complete attention and rewards good technique like few other things on four wheels. The new ones are all computer controlled and turbocharged, and fall into the aforementioned competence over engagement trap, but not the classics. With this in mind we decided…
the team’s month
JOHN-JOE VOLLANS EDITOR Said farewell to his 190E as it’s going to spend the New Year being painted. Better sell some cars quick so he can afford it... NATHAN CHADWICK ASSISTANT EDITOR Hankered after a manual M3 CSL until he realised the same engine and box can be found in a Z4 M for half the price of a CSL... SIMON RUSSELL ART EDITOR With the demonisation of diesel, Si was worried about MoT-ing his X-Type. Fortunately all went well and his Jaguar love affair continues. JETHRO BOVINGDON COLUMNIST Busy month as he’s got a new job (see p16). Even better news is that his Clio’s Sachs dampers have been refurbished. TIFF NEEDELL COLUMNIST Spent time guiding Phillip Schofield around Thruxton for Christmas TV. Gordon the Gopher would have been quicker. LEWIS KINGSTON MARKETS EXPERT Lewis loves a Subaru and couldn’t resist returning to the Fuji Heavy…
behind the scenes at modern classics...
Serious faces are serious Keeping the wind and rain off the camera lens was a challenge for our M3 snapper duo, Jordan and Oli Brookwell (right). Camera remotes managed to stay furiously unchucked, too. It makes sense in French Froid means cold in French, and this particular part of Blyton’s circuit was certainly that as the heavens opened on our M3 shoot. JJ tried to keep warm with some pilates, as you can see. Hybrid theory To dry out from our Blyton shoot, JJ headed to Spain to drive a Honda Insight. Apparently the rest of us couldn’t go because we’d adversely effect the car’s fuel economy. Or something. Old tricks, new(ish) dog There was lots of big talk about gaming prowess after last month’s special edition, so we tried to settle it. Turns out age has…
contributors this month
RICKARD RYDELL RACING DRIVER 1998 British Touring Car Champion Rickard tells us about how Volvo shocked the championship elite by turning up in an estate car. It was built by TWR, mind... RICHARD PARRY-JONES XR3 ENGINEER As the Ford Escort XR3 turns 40, Richard explains how this warm hatchback ended up being one of the hottest sellers on the Blue Oval’s pricelists. STEVE SOPER RACING DRIVER Becoming a dad is stressful enough. But going on to win the Spa 24 JORDAN BUTTERS PHOTOGRAPHER Busy month for Jordan as there were many M3s to shoot and not enough sun to go around. We think he may have finally dried out by now. Hours on the last lap? This touring car legend tells us about that weekend in 1992.…
interclassics brussels
Brits visiting this three-day show in the Belgian capital won't have had to stock up blister plasters beforehand – being noticeably more compact than the NEC's Classic Motor Show – but what it lacked in shoe-wrecking scale it more than made up for in the sheer variety of its modern classic metal. The organiser's headline draw this year was a display dedicated to Bentley's centenary, which included the Le Mans-winning EXP Speed 8, but for us the real treats were the '80s and '90s performance cars being offered for sale. This included a hall dedicated to cheaper cars brought along by individual owners, and an area used by relative newcomer Noble Auctions to preview its latest sale – although we'd like to see M3s and 911s being hammered away, rather than…
modern classics get their own london to brighton
‘OWNERS OF 1980S AND 1990S CARS WANT TO JOIN IN THE FUN’ The London to Brighton run is one of the oldest and most revered events in the classic car world – and now there’s to be a separate run for cars built from 1979 up to December 1999. Modern Classics magazine will be supporting it in full. The current London to Brighton run caters for cars built earlier than 1905, and runs from Hyde Park to Madeira Drive. Stephen Smith from GE Classic Motor Events, organiser of the new run, told MC: ‘As the classic car scene has expanded, so have the existing runs. With more owners of cars from the 1980s and 1990s wanting to join in the fun, this seemed the natural progression. Our event is about celebrating vehicles on…
