Classic Cars February 2020

The moment I saw Barbara Bach board the white Lotus Esprit in The Spy Who Loved Me, I was smitten. When this 12-year-old grew up, he was going to have one just the same, revealed from behind the electric garage doors of a Mid-Century Modern house with the touch of a button, because he was going to be an architect, black roll-neck sweater optional. Somehow life took a different path and I find myself with a Victorian house and Sixties Jaguar. And its garage door has to be opened manually. Apart from a near miss with a gold S2 that was ruled out by an intrusive aftermarket sunroof, I’ve never since come close. I thought they’d forever sit waiting for me in that slot owned by perpetually affordable junior supercars. That held…

Welcome The classic car world has taken a long time to properly appreciate the Lotus Esprit but now is the time to move The moment I saw Barbara Bach board the white Lotus Esprit in The Spy Who Loved Me, I was smitten. When this 12-year-old grew up, he was going to have one just the same, revealed from behind the electric garage doors of a Mid-Century Modern house with the touch of a button, because he was going to be an architect, black roll-neck sweater optional. Somehow life took a different path and I find myself with a Victorian house and Sixties Jaguar. And its garage door has to be opened manually. Apart from a near miss with a gold S2 that was ruled out by an intrusive aftermarket…

[ The List ] Your dream drive made real ‘It’s special to be behind the wheel’ Mark Ward likes striking style, British pedigree and V8 power, so we arranged for him to spend a day behind the wheel of a 1985 Aston V8 Vantage. Will it prove a tailor-made fit? Words EMMA WOODCOCK Photography ROB COOPER Amystique hangs over the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, even now. Released in 1978 to cries of, ‘A true great’ and ‘Britain’s only supercar’, the substantial coupé makes a virtue of its extravagance but leaves drivers to guess at its most impressive figures. Newport Pagnell has never officially provided the UK market with horsepower or torque outputs for the mighty 5.3-litre V8. Today, Mark ‘It’s a car that is not…

Amystique hangs over the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, even now. Released in 1978 to cries of, ‘A true great’ and ‘Britain’s only supercar’, the substantial coupé makes a virtue of its extravagance but leaves drivers to guess at its most impressive figures. Newport Pagnell has never officially provided the UK market with horsepower or torque outputs for the mighty 5.3-litre V8. Today, Mark ‘It’s a car that is not only designed to go fast but also one that looks fast too’ Ward, the current owner of four British bent-eights, is about to tear away the shroud and discover just how potent a quartet of 48mm Webers feels on the open road. For Mark, it’s a dream come true. ‘I was a young man back in the early Eighties and Aston Martin was iconic, but the DB5…

MARK’S DREAM DRIVE LIST Jaguar E-type ‘The iconic Brit. It went fast and looks fast. They’re worth all the money people pay today.’ Aston Martin V8 Vantage ‘A British muscle car that has hand-built heritage to match.’ Lotus Esprit V8 ‘Finally the car had the engine it deserved! A beautiful piece of engineering.’ TVR Chimaera ‘It’s the leather, the dash, the fact it’s a real sports car. And the thunderous noise.’ Alfa Romeo Montreal ‘Alfa playing in the big league with a V8 supercar from the days when they were in F1.’ Triumph 2.5 PI ‘Sounds wonderful; and few other production saloon cars had fuel injection back then!’ Dino 246 ‘My teacher’s father owned one and used to drive it to school. More recently, a vigorous passenger ride at Loton…

Jaguar E-type ‘The iconic Brit. It went fast and looks fast. They’re worth all the money people pay today.’ Aston Martin V8 Vantage ‘A British muscle car that has hand-built heritage to match.’ Lotus Esprit V8 ‘Finally the car had the engine it deserved! A beautiful piece of engineering.’ TVR Chimaera ‘It’s the leather, the dash, the fact it’s a real sports car. And the thunderous noise.’ Alfa Romeo Montreal ‘Alfa playing in the big league with a V8 supercar from the days when they were in F1.’ Triumph 2.5 PI ‘Sounds wonderful; and few other production saloon cars had fuel injection back then!’ Dino 246 ‘My teacher’s father owned one and used to drive it to school. More recently, a vigorous passenger ride at Loton Park more than lived up to expectations.’ Bentley Turbo R ‘The…