Exploring the World’s Cult Classic Cars
Citroën already had a reputation for building extraordinary cars long before the extravagant Maserati powered SM stunned the motoring world in 1970 The 2CV had provided affordable motoring for the masses while the technologically advanced and boldly styled DS drew gasps on its launch in 1955
Before its transformation under Volkswagen Škoda was a byword for cheap and fairly nasty cars and the butt of countless jokes But one vehicle among the Czech company s back catalogue deserves to be treated with considerably more respect
Range Rover has come a long way since its launch evolving from hose it out workhorse with plastic seats and rubber floors to the world s swankiest most luxurious off roader The brand even created an entirely new category of vehicle what today we call an SUV
Think of an unconventional idiosyncratic French people s car and the Citroen 2CV is bound to spring to mind Yet the Renault 4 almost forgotten in the UK comfortably outsold the famous tin snail to become the best selling French car of all time with more 8million produced
A Herald in a party frock or a great British sports car for the masses The Triumph Spitfire pulled off the trick of being both its pretty Michelotti designed body periodically tweaked to keep it looking fresh throughout its 18 year production run Like its chief rivals the Sprite and Midget it represented affordable wind in the hair motoring with
It s as quintessentially English as fish and chips talking about the weather and a stiff upper lip No matter that the MGB was in some ways already outdated when it was launched in 1962 and positively antiquated by its demise in 1980 its title as Britain s best selling sports car will never be challenged
Maybe it s because it was late to the party Maybe it s the mark II s love it or hate it styling Or maybe it s because it had as many downs as ups in the hot hatch arms race of the 1980s Whatever the reason the Vauxhall Astra GTE is these days rarely spoken of with the same
For petrolheads of a certain age just whispering the words Lancia Delta Integrale is enough to moisten the palms and quicken the pulse a few beats Few cars genuinely deserve the sobriquet icon but the Integrale is one a no holds barred road going product of the Italians all conquering six time world rally champion
The Vauxhall Chevette was a car ahead of its time the first UK built supermini hatchback and a market leader until the Ford Fiesta grabbed its crown in 1978 Along with its big brother the Cavalier the Chevette played its part in dragging Vauxhall s reputation off the floor in the mid 1970s with the rally inspired 2 3 litre
For years Nissan had failed to replicate the raw thrills of the original Z car the legendary 240Z of 1969 producing a series of bloated replacements that pandered to the American market But then came the 300ZX which via two distinct incarnations evolved to restore the lustre to the tarnished Z range that still shines brightly today