JAGUAR MARK II!! UK!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by UK

First manufactured in Year 1959 until 1967

Engine installed 2,483 cc, 3,442 cc, 3,781 cc DOHC Straight Six

Top speed of 125 mph (201 km/h); 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 8.5 secs

The Jaguar Mark II's most enduring cultural success is probably as the internationally successful TV series based on the novels of Colin Dexter. Although the car used in the TV series was the less desirable 2.4 version, & somewhat battered it was sold in 2005 after restoration for over 100,000

JAGUAR XK150!! UK!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by UK

First manufactured in Year 1957 until 1960

Engine installed DOHC Straight Six (available as 3.4/ 3.4S & 3.8/ 3.8S)

A 3.4 I XK150S FHC achieved a top speed of 132 mph (212 km/h) & 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 7.8 secs

What we now know as Jaguar Cars was founded in 1922 as the Swallow Sidecar company. After World War II, the company had to change its name because of 'associates' with the intials forming its previous logo - SS

HUDSON HORNET!! USA!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by USA

First manufactured in Year 1951 until 1954

Engine installed 5.0 I (308 cid) 'H-145' Straight Six

Top speed of 99 mph (160 km/h); 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 14.5 secs

The NASCAR & AAA Hudson racing team drivers were the legendary stock car aces Marshall Teague, Herb Thomas & Tim Flock. Their cars were emblazoned with 'Fabulous Hudson Hornet', & one of them can be seen, fully restored, at the Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum in Michigan.

FORD ANGLIA 105E/123E SUPER!! UK!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by UK

First manufactured in Year 1959 (105E); 1962 (123E) until 1967

Engine installed 997 cc (105E),  1,198 cc (123E) OHV Straight Four

Top speed of 74 mph (119 km/h)

In 1962 a Ford Anglia 105E was driven for seven days & nights at the Montlhery circuit near Paris, at an average speed of more than 83 mph (133 km/h). It set six new world records for a car under 1,000 cc.

FORD ZEPHYR MARK II!! UK!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by UK

First manufactured in Year 1956 until 1962

Engine installed 2,553 cc OHV Straight Six

Top speed of 89 mph (143 km/h); 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 17 secs

A factory-modified MK II rallying version had a top speed over 101 mph (163 km/h) & achieved 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in less than 10 secs.

FORD THUNDERBIRD!! USA!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by USA

First manufactured in Year 1955 until 2005

Engine installed 4.8 I (292 cid) Y-block (OHV) V8

Top speed of 110 mph (177 km/h); 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 9.5 secs

Only an accident of good taste prevented the car from being named the 'Hep Cat' or the 'Beaver' - serious suggestions before 'Thunderbird' saved the day.

FIAT 500!! ITALY!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by Italy

First manufactured in Year 1957 until 1975

Engine installed 479 cc, 499 cc, 594 cc Straight Two, air-cooled

Top speed of 59 mph (95 km/h)

There's an all-electric Fiat 500 made by NICE Car Co & the Italian firm Micro-Vett. Powerered by Lithium ion batteries, it has a range of 55 mph (89 km/h) - plenty for a typical day in the city.

FERRARI 410 SUPER AMERICA!! One of FERRARI's Most Impressive Shots at The Vital US Market!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by Italy

First manufactured in Year 1955 until 1959

Engine installed 4,962 cc V12

Top speed of 162 mph (261 km/h); 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 5.8 secs

It's easy to confuse the 410 SA with the Ferrari 400 Super America, introduced in 1959 after the 410 SA. The 400 SA was given an uprated 4.0 I version of the refined & generally more reliable Colombo V12 engine, which never matched the Lampredi's power.

FERRARI 250 GT SPYDER CALIFORNIA!! ITALY!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by Italy

First manufactured in Year 1957 until 1963

Engine installed 2,953 cc V12

Top speed of 155 mph (250 km/h); 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 7.2 secs

The rarity & desirability of the Ferrari 250 GT Spyder California (only around 100 were ever made) makes it one of the most treasured vehicles on earth, In 2008, a black 1961 SWB Spyder Cal formerly owned by the actor James Coburn (The Magnificent Seven; The Great Escape etc) was sold at auction for $10.894 million.

DAIMLER MAJESTIC MAJOR!! UK!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by UK

First manufactured in Year 1959 until 1968

Engine installed 4,561 cc V8

Top speed of 120 mph (193 km/h); 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 9.7 secs

Jaguar Cars purchased Daimler in 1960 & experimented by putting the 4.5 litre Daimler V8 engine from the Majestic Major into a Jaguar MK X - & thus equipped the lighter car proved capable of reaching a top speed of 130 mph (209 km/h)

DAIMLER SP250!!The British Police Used To Pursue Speeding Motorists On The Then-New M1 Motorway!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by UK

First manufactured in Year 1959 until 1964

Engine  installed 2,548 cc OHV V8

Top speed of 123 mph (198 km/h); 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 9.2 secs

Take a head-on look at the SP250 (Dart) engine grille, & you won't be surprised that some enthusiasts call it 'the Catfish'.

CITROEN DS!! A Leading Contender When IT Comes to Choosing the most Innovative car all the time!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by France

First manufactured in Year 1955 until 1975

Engine installed 1,911 cc OHV Straight Four

Top speed of 98 mph (158 km/h); 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 21.2 secs

A junior (more affordable) look-alike version of the DS was introduced in 1957, without many of the DS's advanced features - though it too had a punning model name in ID.

CHEVROLET NOMAD!! Grandly Tagged as the Prettiest Station Wagon In The World!!

Blog by Gmy.

Orgin by USA

First manufactured in Year 1955 until 1957

Engine installed 4.3 I (265 cid) V8

With the ' Super Power Pack' engine, a top speed of 120 mph (km/h); 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 8.1 secs

The Nomad prototype was one of three concept cars based on the Corvette shown at the 1954 General Motors Motorama at New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel - intended as no more than a 'halo car' to showcase Chevy's design abilities, the reaction was so positive that this racy station wagon was hurried into production.

CHEVROLET BEL AIR!! USA!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by USA

First manufactured in Year 1953 unitl 1975

Engine installed Numerous options, usually the 3.9 I (235 cid) Straight Six or 4.3 I (265 cid) V8

Varied by model & engine, but the '53 launch model was capable of 87 mph (140 km/h)

1955 was the year when the 50-millionth car built by Chevrolet finally rolled off the line ... & by accident or design it turned out to be a Bel Air hardtop that was especially trimmed in gold to mark the momentous milestone.

BUICK LIMITED!! CAR OR WORK OF ART!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by USA

First manufactured in Year 1958

Engine installed 6 I (364 cid) V8

Top speed around 85 mph (138 km/h)

Limited models had Buick's hugely complicated automatic Fight-Pitch Dynaflow transmission, which delivered a terrifically smooth ride but was heavy on fuel - around 11 miles per gallon on a run & less in the city.

BORGWARD ISABELLA!!Named after Carl Borgward's wife & Proved To BE Popular with German Buyers Despite Some Early Teething Troubles!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by Germany

First manufactured in Year 1954 until 1962

Engine installed 1,493 cc Straight Four

Top speed around 81 mph (130 km/h)

The untimely demise of Borgward allowed BMW to launch its stylish 1500 line in 1962, to plug a big gap left by the vanished Isabella - a lucky break that is said to have rescued BMW from possible bankruptcy & laid the foundation for future success.

The Superb Build Quality of the 507 took BMW to the very Brick of Terminal Financial Collapse!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by Germany

First manufactured in Year 1956 until 1959

Engine installed 3,168 cc OHV V8

BMW claimed a top speed of 140 mph (225 km/h) & 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in around 10 secs

Elvis Presley bought a White 507 TS whilst on Army Service in Germany, but rather crassly replaces the engine with a Ford V8 after returning to the States - he later gave the car to actress Ursula Andress.

BMW-ISETTA!! Postwar Austerity Saw the phase BUBBLE CAR enter the language as the Innovative ISETTA provided Affordable Wheels!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by Germany

First manufactured in Year 1955 until 1962

Engine installed 247 cc or 298 cc Single Cylinder

Top speed of both models was 54 mph (87 km/h)

Original Italian Lsettas were entered in the legendary Mille Miglia road race in 1954 & took the top three places in the economy class, with the winner averaging nearly 45 mph (72 km/h) during a punishing run that lasted for some 22 hours.

The Super BENTLEY S2 CONTINENTAL confirmed that Classic British Custom Coachbuilders were Alive & Well!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by UK

First manufactured in Year 1959 until 1962

Engine installed 6,230 cc OHV V8

Top speed of 120 mph (185 km/h); 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 11.4 secs

Rolls-Royce could have its cake & eat it with the S2 Continental - for both the coachbuilder entrusted with creating the closed bodies (H J Mulliner) & the company tasked with developing the open bodies (Park Ward) were actually owned by Rolls-Royce.

BENTLEY S1 CONTINENTAL!! Each & Every of the High Performance Continentals was Custom bodied by one of the UK's leading Coachvuilders!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by UK

First manufactured in Year 1955 until 1959

Engine installed 4,887 cc F-head Straight Six

Top speed of around 120 mph (192 km/h) ; 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 12.9 secs

When Rolls-Royce built something it was meant to last, & the engine that went into the Bentley S1 was the final evolutions of the R-R straight-Six motor that had been introduced in 1922 to power the Rolls-Royce Twenty series.

The AUSTIN-HEALEY 3000 is Generally Regarded as the most Desirable of the Great British Postwar Sports cars!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin bu UK

First manufactured in Year 1959 until 1967

Engine installed 2,912 cc Straight Six

Top speed of the MK I BT7 was 115 mph (185 km/h) with 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 11.7 secs

After Donald Healey parted company with British Leyland in 1966 he went on to become Chairman of Jensen Motors, where (among other achievements) he produced the Jensen-Healey to fill the void left by the Austin-Healey 3000's discontinuation.

Any Idea Why AUSTIN-HEALEY SPRITE was Nicknamed The Frogeye?!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by UK

First manufactured in Year 1958 until 1961

Engine installed 948 cc Straight Four

Top speed of 83 mph (133 km/h); 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 20.5 secs

MG with their Midget subsequently imitated the 'junior sports car' idea & the two junior sports cars are referred to collectively as 'Spridgets' (both were built at the MG factory in Abingdon). Triumph also jumped on the bandwagon with their 1962 Spitfire.

The Attractive AUSTIN-HEALEY 100 was a Hit at the 1952 Motor Show in London, leading to a Production Deal with BMC!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by UK
First manufactured in Year 1953 until 1957
Engine installed 2,660 cc Straight Four

Top speed of 106 mph (171 km/h); 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 11.2 secs

The final '100' models became 100-6s with the fitting of a smaller straight six engine & were the 2+2 BN4 of 1956 & the two-seater BN6 of 1958. These were marginally slower than the original four-cylinder 100s but offered better acceleration.

The ASTON MARTIN DB4 Zagato Proved Very Capable of Pushing Ferrari to The Limit in Sports Car Races!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by UK

First manufacturing in Year 1958 until 1963

Engine installed 3,670 cc DOHC Straight Six

The GT Zagato had a top speed of 153 mph (246 km/h); 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 6.1 secs

Four DB4 'Sanction II' cars were officially given GT Zagato status at the Milan factory in 1991 - Zagato had to disassemble an original to remind themselves of the body-building technique they had used on these iconic machines back in the early 1960s

The ASTON MARTIN DBR1 remains a Potent Competitor in Classic Car Races!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by UK
First manufactured in Year 1956 until 1959
Engine installed 2,493 cc or 2,992 cc DOHC Straight Six

Top speed of 180 mph (290 km/h) when slipstreaming

When Aston Martin clinched the 1959 World Sportscar Championship at Goodwood the car driven by stirling Moss went up in flames, putting the official pit out of commission - privateer Graham Whitehead then scratched his DBR1 to allow the factory entries to refuel, Moss switched to another car.... & drove to victory.

ALFA ROMEO GIULIETTA!! Is This the most Stylish Italian Sports Car of them All?

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by Italy

First manufactured in Year 1954 until 1965

Engine installed 1,290 cc DOHC Straight Four

Top speed of 103 mph (166 km/h); 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 13 secs

Question: When is a Spider not a Spider?

Answer: When it's a Spyder.

Italian manufacturers couldn't agree on the standard description of an open-top roadster, with Alfa opting for the former & Ferrari the latter (Porsche siding with Ferrari).

The Splendid AC ACE saw a number of Different Engines Fitted in Succession as the Production run unfolded!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by UK
First manufactured in Year 1953 until 1963
Engine installed 1,991 cc, 1,971 cc or 2,553 cc Straight Six

Top speed of 103 mph (166km/h); 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 11.4 secs

Even as it was developing & manufacturing high-powered cars after World War II, AC's bread-and-butter line was a single-seat invalid carriage with a BSA motorcycle engine - a lucrative Government Contract that would last until the mid-1970s.

WOLSELEY 6/ 80!! UK!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by UK
First manufactured in Year 1948 until 1954
Engine installed 2,215 cc Straight Six

Top speed of 85 mph (138 km/h); 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 21.4 secs

Unfortunately, despite Widespread use as a police car, the Wolseley 6/80 had an unfortunate habit of running hot & consuming its own exhaust valves after being driven hard, thus tending to spend too much time in the police MRD (Motor Repair Depot)

WILLYS MB JEEP!! USA!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by USA
First manufactured in Year 1941
Engine installed 2.2 I (134 cid) Straight Four


Top road speed of 55 mph (89 km/h)


The original prototype that evolved into the Jeep was created by American Bantam, the reorganized outfit that emerged after the bankruptcy of the American Austin Car Company, the US manufacturing arm of Britain's Austin Motor Company.

TUCKER '48 SEDAN!! USA!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by USA
First manufactured in Year 1948
Engine installed 5.5 I (335.6 cid) Flat Six

Top speed of 120 mph (193 km/h); 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in around 10 secs

Some of Trucker's problems - notably the damaging official investigation into his Accessories Programme that raised money by selling accessories on cars as yet unbuilt to eager would-be buyers - were instigated by Detroit's 'Big Three' car manufacturers who feared Trucker's formidable new challenger.

TRIUMPH MAYFLOWER!! UK!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by UK
First manufactured in Year 1949 until 1953
Engine installed 1,247 cc Straight Four

Top speed of 63 mph (101 km/h)

Despite aiming squarely at the American market, Triumph actually managed to ship more Mayflowers to relatively undeveloped Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) than they ever managed to sell in the United States.

TRIUMPH ROADSTER!! UK!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by UK
First manufactured in Year 1946 until 1948
Engine installed 1,775 cc or 2,088 cc Straight Four

1800 - top speed of 75 mph (121km/h); 0-60 mph (97km/h) in 34.4 secs, 2000 - top speed of 77 mph (124km/h); 0-60 mph (97km/h) in 27.9 secs

Jersey detective Bergerac managed to deive one of these handsome cars on TV, but emulating him isn't easy. Only some 2,500 1800s & a symmetrical 2,000 2,000s were made & those that survive are jealously guarded by besotted owners.

SUNBEAM TALBOT 90!! UK!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by UK
First manufactured in Year 1948 until 1954
Engine installed 1,944 cc or 2,267 ccStraight Four

Top Speed of 85 mph (137km/h); 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 20.2 secs

Although production of the Sunbeam Talbot 90 officially ceased in 1954, it effectively continued for another three years in the near-identical form of the Mk III, which carried a Sunbeam Supreme badge.

SAAB 92!! Sweden!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by Sweden

First manufactured in Year 1949 until 1957

Engine installed 764 cc Flat Twin

Top speed of 65 mph (105 km/h); 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 26.6 secs

When America's might General Motors made a list of their all-time great cars in 2008 the humble Saab 92 finished ..... in first place.

ROVER P4 75 'CYCLOPS'!! UK!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by UK

First manufactured in Year 1949 until 1954

Engine installed 2,106 cc Straight Six

Top speed of 85 mph (137km/h); 0-60 mph (97km/h) in 21.6 secs

The Rover P4 75 chassis & engine were used by two ex-Rover engineers to create the two-seater Marauder sports car - but the failed to make a success of it & only 15 roadsters & coupes were actually produced in two years from 1950 before the chastened would be entrepreneurs rejoined Rover.

ROLLS-ROYCE SILVER DAWN!! UK!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by UK

First manufactured in Year 1949 until 1955

Engine installed 4,257 cc or 4,566 cc Straight Six

Top speed of 94 mph (151 km/h)' 0-60 mph (97km/h) in 15.2 secs

Thanks to inexperience with pressed-steel bodywork, coupled with the poor quality of postwar materials available to car makers, the legendary Rolls-Royce build quality was somewhat compromised & (shock, horror!) Silver Dawns were prone to serious rust problems.

RILEY RM!! UK!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by UK

First manufactured in Year 1945 until 1955

Engine installed 1,496 cc or 2,443 cc Straight Four

Varied by model, but the RMB could reach 90 mph (145km/h) & accelerate from 0-60 mph (97km/h) in 16.8 secs

There is a very active Riley RM owners' club in Britain that stages annual rallies, often at impressive 'stately home' locations like Sandringham, where it's possible to secure a ride (& perhaps even a drive) in one of these enduring classics.

PORSCHE 356!! Germany!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by Germany

First manufactured in Year 1949 until 1955

Engine installed 1,131 cc, 1,286 cc or 1,488 cc Flat Four

Top speed increased with engine size, but for early models was 84 mph (135km/h); 0-60 mph (97km/h) in 12.5 secs

The car in which James Dean died in 1955 was a Porsche 550 Spyder, a car that was actually derived from the 356 Speedster - whose track successes had prompted Porsche to develop the 550 specifically for racing purposes.

OLDSMOBILE FUTURAMIC 88!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by USA

First manufactured by 1949 until 1950

Engine installed 5.0 I (303 cid) OHV V8

Top speed of 90 mph; 0-60 mph (97km/h) in 12.2 secs

Valuable publicity was always given to the pace car selected for the high-profile Indianapolis 500 race at the historic Brickyard - & in 1949 that honour went to an Oldsmobile Futuramic 88.

NASH AIRFLYTE!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by USA

First manufactured in Year 1949 until 1951

Engine installed 2.8 I (171 cid) (600/ Statesman); 3.8 I (232 cid) (Ambassador)

Top speed of 89 mph (143km/h); 0-60 mph (97km/h) in 17.4 decs

The first thing anyone who drives an Airflyte today discovers is that enclosed wheels can only swivel so far, resulting in a very wide turning circle & difficulty in negotiating hairpin bends - & salesman in 1949 even had a job persuading would-be buyers that flat tyres could be changed

MORRIS MINOR!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by UK

First manufactured in Year 1948 until 1971

Engine installed 918 cc Straight Four (Series 1)

Series 1 had a top speed of 60 mph (97 km/h)

The names Morris Minor (& later Minor Thousand) undoubtedly have a familiar ring but they might well have sounded strange to modern ears had the original name been kept - the prototype was known as the 'Morris Mosquito', though this was wisely dropped.

MERCURY 1949!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by USA

First manufactured in Year 1949 until 1951

Engine installed 4.2 I (256 cid) V8

Top speed of 105 mph (169 km/h)

From the start, one of the chief selling points of Mercury cars was their high performance, echoing the model name (Mercury was the speedy winged messenger of Greek mythology) & easily outrunning Fords V8s with the same motor, as a result of Mercury's careful engine-tuning programme.

MASERATI A6!!

Blog by Gmy.

Origin by Italy

First manufactured in Year 1947 until 1953

Engine installed 1,488 cc (A6 1500), 1,982 cc (A6GCS) Straight Six

Top speed of 95 mph (153 km/h)

During World War II an unseemly race developed between Maserati & Volkswagen to develop the first prestigious V16 town car for their respective dictators, Benito Mussolini & Adolf Hitler - but neither succeeded.