Classic Car Mart Magazine Vol.20 No.2 MG vs Smart Back Issue

This issue marks the final CCM of 2013 and out of curiosity I’ve compiled a list of the interesting classics I’ve sampled from behind the wheel this year. The intention was to decide on a handful of favourites, but the task has proved impossible: from the majesty of the MkX Jaguar to the pristine restored 205 GTi which brought back so many memories to the Rover Vitesse which showed just how things could have turned out in an
alternative reality. And then there’s the charm of the Frogeye Sprite which was still fun even with white fi ngers frozen to the steering wheel and the early Lexus which represented the polar opposite but which
was still fascinating. All of which explains why the classic car scene is so varied. This month has been no exception: having started out photographing the sensible face of family ’70s motoring in the shape of a Toledo and Viva I found myself just a few days later piloting a TVR-powered MGB Roadster. Built up by Moto-Build for a customer, the car used the tuned V8 as found in the Chimaera, knocking out somewhere over the 380 bhp mark and was quite unlike any MGB V8 I’ve tried before. The fitment of a Range Rover automatic box made the car docile enough for town use but also masked the sheer speed of the thing: a flex of the ankle and suddenly I was gathering speed rather faster than the Abingdon designers had ever intended. Impressive stuff and it just goes to show how there are still cars out there waiting to surprise you. One of which may well be the Rover P4, subject of this month’s buying guide. The P4 is often overlooked on account of its stately demeanour but if you’re in the market for a luxurious ’50s cruiser then it makes a good
choice, with sprightly performance from the later models and a depth of engineering which surpasses even the contemporary Jaguars.