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We all crave new experiences it’s what makes our species almost unique in the animal kingdom, our curiosity and thirst for the unknown. It can be considered one of our greatest strengths and there are few things that pique said curiosity more than objects and experiences that are out of the ordinary. Rarity: ‘an uncommon thing, especially one valued for being rare.’ That’s the rather dry OED definition of those things that make us take note or give us a smile and demand a closer inspection. What relevance does this have to the classic and retro vehicle following? All of us long to see (and read about) cars that stand out from the pack, that’s why we crave the vehicles we do. So there’s plenty on the following 116 pages to feed the curious mind of the oldcar fan and showcase some of the rarest retro tin out there. First up there’s a seriously unusual NSU 1200 TT (one of only 6 survivors in the UK). These tiny Teutonic saloons were basically the German equivalent of our Hillman Imps – but without all the overheating and build-quality problems! These air-cooled rear-engine racers were hugely successful across their native land, taking on automotive giants and regularly beating them (see page 8). Andy Saunders will be a name familiar to many of you, and in fact we featured one of his latest creations back in August. Remember that wild Panhard with the Saxo underpinnings? Well he’s been at it again, but this time there’s a very different vibe. It’s a nod to the air-cooled VW scene, but with a typical Saunder’s twist… (see page 30). Hugely upmarket but nonetheless still a rarity, we explore an Aston Martin DB4 racer that’s a well-used pride and joy to its owner. This 400bhp lightweight beast was developed to beat Ferrari at Le Mans, and in spite of failing in this mission, it’s a mesmerising piece of motorsport history.