Classic Cars March 2020

Based on my own progression from Dinky and Corgi car obsessed toddler to practising enthusiast, appreciation of a car’s handling takes time and experience to acquire. First, car obsession is all about how the shapes and colours look when pushed around on the living room carpet, then it becomes a numbers game – top speed, how many cylinders and litres, and eventually 0-60mph acceleration, the more gut-churning the better. Until that first drive in a car that makes corners something to relish, an enthusiastic partner in a nerve-tickling quest to dive into a bend and pop out the other side with minimal loss of momentum. And if it loves a series of linked bends, there are few ways of feeling the same buzz without resorting to illegal chemicals. Like a…

Welcome While much of the car-loving world chases big numbers, it’s time to feel the force of thrilling handling Based on my own progression from Dinky and Corgi car obsessed toddler to practising enthusiast, appreciation of a car’s handling takes time and experience to acquire. First, car obsession is all about how the shapes and colours look when pushed around on the living room carpet, then it becomes a numbers game – top speed, how many cylinders and litres, and eventually 0-60mph acceleration, the more gut-churning the better. Until that first drive in a car that makes corners something to relish, an enthusiastic partner in a nerve-tickling quest to dive into a bend and pop out the other side with minimal loss of momentum. And if it loves a series…

‘The ride quality is superb. It’s even more effortless than the DS. You just point it where you’re going and it’ll deal with whatever it encounters, smoothly’ Growing up in the Eighties and reading car magazines, I recall realising how special V12 engines are,’ says Classic Cars reader Chris Brown as he enjoys a tour of Jaguar restoration specialist WinSpeed’s engine workshop with proprietor Peter Hugo. ‘Only a few manufacturers made them – Ferrari, Lamborghini, Jaguar and then later on BMW – and the Jaguar V12 had a reputation as the smoothest engine in the world. Added to that, of course, Jaguar put them in such beautiful cars.’ Chris appreciates good aesthetics and Jaguars with equal enthusiasm; his garage contains a Citroën DS21 and he drove from Scarborough to Surrey today in…

[ The List ] Your dream drive made real ‘It’s the smoothest engine in the world’ Citroën DS21 owner Chris Brown appreciates refinement, so we put him in a Jaguar XJ12C to put its legendarily slick demeanour to the test Words SAM DAWSON Photography JONATHAN FLEETWOOD ‘The ride quality is superb. It’s even more effortless than the DS. You just point it where you’re going and it’ll deal with whatever it encounters, smoothly’ Growing up in the Eighties and reading car magazines, I recall realising how special V12 engines are,’ says Classic Cars reader Chris Brown as he enjoys a tour of Jaguar restoration specialist WinSpeed’s engine workshop with proprietor Peter Hugo. ‘Only a few manufacturers made them – Ferrari, Lamborghini, Jaguar and then later…

CHRIS’S DREAM DRIVE LIST Aston Martin Lagonda ‘Utterly outrageous looks and electronics – and Aston Martin went ahead and built the thing!’ 1959 Cadillac Series 62 ‘If ever a car represented the mood of a country, this is it. Nothing could stop the American dream in 1959.’ Citroën SM ‘More amazing to look at with each passing year. Didn’t let reality get in the way of technical optimism.’ Citroën CX Prestige ‘Space-age looks, a collection of clicks, hisses and wheezes from the hydraulics – this is the car Darth Vader would drive!’ Citroën XM ‘In 1989 my dad bought one of the first in the country. This car introduced me to the world of big, hydraulic Citroëns.’ Ferrari 456GT ‘I never really ‘got’ Ferraris until this came along. This first…

Aston Martin Lagonda ‘Utterly outrageous looks and electronics – and Aston Martin went ahead and built the thing!’ 1959 Cadillac Series 62 ‘If ever a car represented the mood of a country, this is it. Nothing could stop the American dream in 1959.’ Citroën SM ‘More amazing to look at with each passing year. Didn’t let reality get in the way of technical optimism.’ Citroën CX Prestige ‘Space-age looks, a collection of clicks, hisses and wheezes from the hydraulics – this is the car Darth Vader would drive!’ Citroën XM ‘In 1989 my dad bought one of the first in the country. This car introduced me to the world of big, hydraulic Citroëns.’ Ferrari 456GT ‘I never really ‘got’ Ferraris until this came along. This first of the Luca di Montezemolo era cars wowed me with its looks and reviews.’ Jaguar XJ12 ‘A…