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1988 Subaru XT £12,995

1987 Lotus Turbo Esprit HC £59,995

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SS100: a litmus test in a tricky market?

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Have your say on the DVLA

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No reserve of bravery in Monaco…

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Chasing Cars: Russ Smith’s market analysis

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Condition trumps service history

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A vibrant legacy

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Generation Godzilla

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Life story of a Reliant Scimitar GTE

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Winging it – will this Countach come ‘home’ to the UK?

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‘Keeping it spinning is the secret’ – reader drives a Saab Turbo

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ULEZ and classic cars

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Ethanol blended petrol and classic cars

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‘We’d turn up to callouts with glowing brakes’

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Fangs for the memories

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#### Fancy something technically fascinating and really, really rare? Alan Anderson has found the perfect car for you

Arare sight even when new, there are reportedly only four remaining Subaru XTs in the UK, and C570 CME must be the most original. As a Capri alternative – but with far more sophistication – it verges on cheap, especially when sixfigure sums have been offered for new, unregistered XTs, still sitting in an Isuzu dealership in Malta. Don’t let the lack of service history put you off too much – this one appears to be sound.

From the day it was personally imported, this XT became a daily driver, and has since amassed nearly 200,000 miles. Not that you’d know it from the way C570 CME drives. It performs faultlessly – although we didn’t have chance to fully check the all-wheel drive system (unsafe to use in anything other than loose-surface conditions), nor the height adjustment of the pneumatic rear suspension. Even though it’s fitted with an admittedly super-smooth automatic gearbox, the XT delivers a spirited drive and handles well. The tyres are a hotchpotch of ages so it would be wise to replace them, but at least they still have plenty of tread remaining.

The Subaru’s silver bodywork appears to have remained in a remarkably good state, considering Japanese vehicles don’t like the UK climate. This pampered XT seems to display no rust on the bodywork or underneath, with only very minor parking blemishes on the wings. The black bumpers are in fine shape, as are the powered headlamp pods. Judging by the panel fit and paint finish, which is uniform and not too shiny, it all appears original. The factory-fit alloy wheels are dull and slightly pitted, but not kerbed and they don’t appear to have been refurbished in the past.

Want to read on? Subscribe to _Classic Cars_ today. **:a[Choose a Print + Digital subscription]{href='https://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/classic-cars-magazine?utm_source=classiccarsmagazine.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=promo_subscribe_today_teaser_article' }** and you'll get instant digital access and so much more.

Since 1973. _Classic Cars_ has continued to innovate, with the freshest and most insightful stories about the great cars of the past, the people who created them, and the passionate individuals who keep them alive today. **Make sure you never miss an issue by taking out a subscription. Choose the best plan below to suit you**:

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#### This one-time Japanese import looks like a safe bet in the whacky world of Eighties supercars, says Sam Dawson

This HC sits in sweet spot so far as Lotus Esprits are concerned. Available for just one year – 1987 – it was the final iteration of the sharp-edged Giorgetto Giugiaro-authored shape. The early cars’ flaws had supposedly been ironed out, it has a galvanised chassis, and a high-compression, unleaded-friendly engine. Accelerating 0-60mph in 5.3 seconds and reaching 150mph is Ferrari Testarossa territory. But you can’t get one of those for £60k.

Determining the early history of this Esprit is tricky unless you speak Japanese. Originally supplied to Japan, it has a thorough-looking early history but it’s all in Japanese. It came to the UK in the late Nineties, with its odometer replaced in 1999 – possibly so it could now clock up miles rather than kilometers. It had then done 36,000 miles according to specialist Vincent Miller, who also overhauled its engine after buying it from a customer in 2001. It’s done 11,800 miles on its new odometer, backed up by continuous MoT certificates. The current total mileage is believed to be around 47,800.

The turn of the Millennium saw a lot of work. Benchsound rebuilt the engine in 2000 at a cost of £1568, whereafter Miller poured £4500 into it, his work accompanied by a photo casebook. But for the last 23 years, it’s had an uneventful life of sparing use and straightforward regular maintenance.

Bodily, it’s still in good, unrestored, lightly-used condition. Only some minor cracks in the paint on the rear bumper detract, plus there are some stonechips on the spoilers, and one hand-sized patch of microblistering in the paint on the trailing edge of the rear hatch. The chassis on these Esprits were hot-dip zinc galvanised and well-protected within the glassfibre bodyshell, so rust isn’t usually an issue and we couldn’t see any sign of corrosion underneath the car.

Inside the September issue we deliver a reality check on those tempting **Porsches** you find for £10k, or less – dreams on a budget or nightmares of hidden costs? And we tell the story of how Porsche went endurance rallying in the original **Cayenne** to prove its credibility.

We also drive one of the rare **Aston Martin DBS**s transformed into a convertible by coachbuilder **Paul Banham**, let talented craftsmen explain how they took a battle-weary and occasionally crashed **Fiat Balilla** competition car and gave it a fresh lease of life, and capture how a reader gets on when we put him behind the wheel of the **Citroën** he’s always wanted.

For another reader, building his ideal car was the best route to driving satisfaction, and the story of his next 42 years with it suggests he made the right choice. But as our **Lotus Elise** buying guide demonstrates, it’s a lot easier to spend your money on a top example of a car that’s ready to enjoy, if you go armed with our expert insights. Lotus not on your wishlist? Our updated quarterly **Price Guide** gives the latest numbers on more than 1400 classics to help you plot your next move. Good hunting!

All that, plus our ever-entertaining columnists **Quentin Willson** and **Alex Riley**, market news and event highlights, the monthly highs and lows of our own classics, four cars for sale tested and more, make your latest issue unmissable.

**The September 2024 issue of** _**Classic Cars**_ **is out now at all good newsagents, or why not :a[subscribe]{href='https://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/classic-cars-magazine?utm_source=classiccarsmagazine.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=promo_new_issue_bws' }?**

**\[CHASING CARS\] Nigel Boothman’s market analysis**

Jaguar’s origin car has held firm through pre-war market turbulence, but how long can it weather the storm?

How will this ‘collector grade’ 1938 SS Jaguar 100 2.5-litre perform when offered by H&H on June 19? The SS100 has been a nailed-on classic forever – the combination of low-slung looks, un-Thirties performance (0-60mph in 10.5s for the 3.5-litre) and the embodiment of Jaguar’s origin story saw to that – but more interesting in recent years has been its relative stability in a sickly pre-war market.

Ten years back SS100s looked ready to join the immortals, with a couple of 3.5-litre cars selling in America for $850,000 (around £520,000 at the time), but the market settled around £325,000£350,000 for a 3.5-litre; maybe £75,000 less for the equivalent 2.5-litre. The smaller-engined cars are more numerous (198 vs 116 for the 3.5-litre) and appear far more often, with recent results confusing: £393,000 for a storied RAC rally winner at H&H in June ’23, £202,500 for another one with period rally history at Gooding &Co in London in September and a no-sale for a smart black one at Artcurial’s Retromobile sale in February, low estimate just €200,000.

With a startling 20,000 miles from new, low ownership, a great colour combination and a recent overhaul, this car should indeed nail its estimate of £230,000 - £270,000. If not, there may be trouble ahead.

The Department for Transport and the DVLA is seeking your input into policies affecting registration and identity of restored and rebuilt classic vehicles. The move comes after criticism of current DVLA processes and decisions by classic owners and restoration businesses.

There’s particular concern that the complexities of parts replacement and modifications during a rebuild aren’t judged appropriately when decisions are made about whether a car should retain its original registration number or be issued with a Q plate.

The survey also asks for input on how a classic or historic vehicle should be defined, whether they should have their own safety checks as distinct from an MoT test.

Two organisations representing the interests of the historic vehicle movement are advocating different approaches to the survey.

The Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC) is seeking to collate your inputs in order to present a coherent response to DVLA that represents the scale of the historic vehicle movement, while making the complexities of some questions easier to deal with: :a[**http://evidence.fbhvc.co.uk**]{href='http://evidence.fbhvc.co.uk/' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}

The Historic and Classic Vehicle Alliance (HCVA) is calling for individuals to complete the survey directly: :a[**http://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/registering-historic-classic-rebuilt-vehicles-and-vehicles-converted-to-electric-call-for-evidence**]{href='http://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/registering-historic-classic-rebuilt-vehicles-and-vehicles-converted-to-electric-call-for-evidence' }

**The deadline for submissions is 4 July 2024**.

Inside the August issue we explore 1960s-70s GT motoring from extreme perspectives of the Ford Capri 1600GT and Ferrari 365GTB/4 ‘Daytona’, we road test a 1963 Le Mans AC Cobra with a colourful past, try out a rare Range Rover 570i by Overfinch and fulfill a reader’s request to drive a Maserati Biturbo. Will it cement his dream or cure him of it?

Would you buy a project Alfa Giulia, sight unseen, 9000 miles away and ship it home for restoration? What if it were an ex-Daytona GTA with race accident damage and missing parts? One man was brave enough, and willing for us to tell the story. It’s their stories that give cars meaning, like the team of three 1275GTs that gave the Mini its last shot at international rally glory. Together, they make a compelling feature.

All that, plus our ever-entertaining columnists Quentin Willson and Alex Riley, market news and event highlights, the monthly highs and lows of our own classics, four cars for sale tested and more, make the August issue unmissable.

**The August 2024 issue of** _**Classic Cars**_ **is out now at all good newsagents, or why not :a[subscribe]{href='https://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/classic-cars-magazine?utm_source=classiccarsmagazine.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=promo_new_issue_bws' }?**

Inside the July issue we tackle the controversial subject of classic car modification. Can our six exemplars of different schools of upgrading, from backdated Porsche 911 to electric DeLorean, make the case? We asked designer Peter Stevens to chip in. Some cars need no modification, like the wild-winged Plymouth Superbird and devastatingly effective Audi RS2 and BMW M5 that we put to the test. But not all together.

Most modifiers would draw the line at using household materials to restore a once beautiful Maserati 3500GTI, but not the cowboys who did previous work on this example. The story of how somewhat more expert craftsmen righted all of those wrongs is a great read. As is the life story of a humble Skoda Rapid that took on the British Touring Car Championship and proved its doubters wrong.

All that, plus our ever-entertaining columnists Quentin Willson and Alex Riley, market news and event highlights, the monthly highs and lows of our own classics, a Mercedes CLS buying guide, four cars for sale tested and more, make the July issue unmissable.

**The July 2024 issue of** _**Classic Cars**_ **is out now at all good newsagents, or why not :a[subscribe]{href='https://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/classic-cars-magazine?utm_source=classiccarsmagazine.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=promo_new_issue_bws' }?**

## Multi-million pound collection sold without safety net

### **CHASING CARS: Nigel Boothman’s market analysis**

##### Stunning as it was, the Cal’ Spider underperformed – in monetary terms at least

Artcurial offered the whole of its ‘W Collection’ sale in Monaco at no reserve on 9 May, ensuring that every car consigned by Swedish collector Staffan Wittmark found a buyer. The collection included only a few cars valued at less than £100k and several worth multiple millions, so would we see a string of under-priced bargains?

On the whole, no – but with a couple of damaging exceptions. A sequence of Porsche 911s opened proceedings, almost all within estimate or above, such as the 1989 Carrera Speedster estimated at £130,000-£170,000 that sold for £225,000, and the 1997 911/993S that doubled its estimate at £190,000.

A Mercedes 300SL Gullwing and its convertible sibling both beat their top estimates to sell for £1.63m and £1.33m respectively, before the first of the big-ticket Ferraris arrived: a two-cam 275GTB made a solidly mid-estimate £1.84m, before a 275GTS drew an on-target £1.38m.

Next up, though, a much-restored 1962 250GT SWB escaped at only £4.75m on an estimate of £7.3m-£10.3m, and to compound the injury, a 1958 250GT California Spider LWB estimated at £6m-£8.5m reached ‘only’ £4.45m. Recent results suggest they were cheap: Gooding achieved £7.5m in August 2023 for a lovely grey SWB and RM got £5.6m for a red one that May. The few LWB Cal’ Spiders sold in public recently have struggled to make headline figures; Artcurial recorded a no-sale at Rétromobile in February this year (est. £7.2m-£9.8m) and RM sold another for an undisclosed sum after failing to hit the £7.1m low estimate. The moral? Even the most collectible cars might be safer with a sensible reserve… if you aim to sell at much above £2m.

Want to read about the rest of the collection? Subscribe to _Classic Cars_ today. **:a[Choose a Print + Digital subscription]{href='https://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/classic-cars-magazine?utm_source=classiccarsmagazine.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=promo_subscribe_today_teaser_article' }** and you'll get instant digital access and so much more.

## DJ’s Plus 8 snapped up at Bonhams sale

The first of Bonhams’ three Goodwood sales this year, at the Members’ Meeting on 14 April, offered a few treats. But with only 98 lots on offer, 21 of which were pre-war cars, it didn’t light a lot of torches. The auction achieved a decent sale rate, but that’s explained to the right.

However, there were some bargains, such as the 1974 Morgan Plus 8 that was owned for most of its life by the much-loved late DJ John Peel and his wife Sheila. They had the car converted to a four-seater while it was back at the Morgan factory being restored. Recently recommissioned by the only owner since the Peels, it was offered at no reserve and looked a fantastic buy at just £21,275. That’s not a lot for any early Plus 8, never mind one with this history.

Want to read the rest of this article? Subscribe to _Classic Cars_ today. **:a[Choose a Print + Digital subscription]{href='https://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/classic-cars-magazine?utm_source=classiccarsmagazine.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=promo_subscribe_today_teaser_article' }** and you'll get instant digital access and so much more.

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## Chasing Cars: Quentin Willson's hot tips

### **BMW E30 3 Series hunters are chasing even the lowest-specification examples**

BMW E30 3 Series appear to be holding their value. In February, Mathewsons drew strong money for a brace of low milers. The first, a 1986 316 automatic, in Cashmere with just 14,300 miles, made £10k. Fresh, mint, bone stock and unmolested, still wearing its supplying dealer window sticker and plates, it was pronounced by Mathewsons’ promo video as ‘Too good to use’ and ‘This will not disappoint’.

The auto may not be the most desirable transmission, especially with the smallest engine, but I remember the auto four-cylinders as cosy, sweet-spinning and smooth. I liked the fact it was still on steel wheels with plastic hubcaps, had an almost virgin toolkit, and still carried its original factory music. Perhaps its unsporting spec helped it dodge owners who favour adding big wheels, slammed suspension and pumping sound systems. There didn’t appear to be a service history folder, although I could be wrong, but that didn’t deter bidders on the day, and it made all the money.

## ‘The E30 has a strong following which doesn’t seem to have been deflected by the downturn in classic car values’

The second 3 Series was one of Mathewson’s _Bangers & Cash_ TV series finds that had apparently just needed a new fuel pump and scrub up. An ’89 318i manual in Dolphin Grey with one owner and 9864 miles recorded, but not warranted, it made £9050. Looking at the general condition, particularly the driver’s seat bolsters – a regular wear point on high-miler E30s – this one appeared to have been rarely used.

As with the first car, the lack of service history would bother me but clearly not the animated bidders. In terms of value, these examples were both good buys, given the time and expense involved bringing a tired example up to a similar condition. The E30 still has a strong following which doesn’t seem to have been deflected by the current downturn in classic car values.

Mind you, also in February, Brightwells sold a Black ’88 316 auto, with 88k miles, bills for much recent work, and 11 previous MoT certificates for just £3024. And it was a straight, original, well-kept example that you’d be proud to own and use every day without getting anxious about hiking up a low mileage. Perhaps this was the best bargain of the lot?

Want to enjoy the rest of this feature? Subscribe to _Classic Cars_ today. **:a[Choose a Print + Digital subscription]{href='https://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/classic-cars-magazine?utm_source=classiccarsmagazine.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=promo_subscribe_today_teaser_article' }** and you'll get instant digital access and so much more.

## **Chasing cars: Russ Smith’s tempting buys** {#h-chasing-cars-russ-smith-s-tempting-buys}

### **1967 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT Veloce**

**For sale at** RM Sotheby’s, Monaco, 11 May, _:a[rmsothebys.com]{href='http://rmsothebys.com' }_

**Why buy it?** It was restored by specialists in Italy under three years ago to the tune of €27,000. That work was commissioned by the son of the car’s original owner – it’s been in the same family from new. Now it’s somebody else’s turn to own this desirable step-front Alfa, one of just 21,542 built with the 108bhp version of Alfa’s 1570cc twin-cam. Looks good at low end of estimate.

**For sale at** Bonhams, Monaco, 10 May, _:a[bonhamscars.com]{href='http://bonhamscars.com' }_

**Why buy it?** Top condition, provenance and a touch of stardom. These rare cars are desirable enough – but this one was owned by world rally champion Miki Biasion. The estimate is a little above our guide price, but that refers to regular examples.

Want to discover the rest of Russ' picks? Subscribe to _Classic Cars_ today. **:a[Choose a Print + Digital subscription]{href='https://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/classic-cars-magazine?utm_source=classiccarsmagazine.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_classiccars&amp;utm_content=promo_subscribe_today_teaser_article' }** and you'll get instant digital access and so much more.

Inside the June issue we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the supercar king, the Lamborghini Countach, with a drive in the definitive variant. Legendary test driver Valentino Balboni then gives us the inside story on its gestation – including the time he rolled one of the prototypes...

We also put a reader behind the wheel of a Jaguar Mk10 like the one that fascinated him as a child, tell the story of a Seventies Beetle that dodged that scrapyard to become a family heirloom, delve into the exacting restoration of a rare Alfasud, and show you how to buy the best-value generation of VW Golf with confidence.

All that, plus our ever-entertaining columnists Quentin Willson and Alex Riley, market news and event highlights, the monthly highs and lows of our own classics, four cars for sale tested and more, make the June issue unmissable.

**The June 2024 issue of** _**Classic Cars**_ **is out now at all good newsagents, or why not subscribe?**

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### **Chasing Cars: John Mayhead’s market analysis** {#h-chasing-cars-john-mayhead-s-market-analysis}

**Japanese and German classics dominate young ownership**

Classic and collectable cars with an above-average number of younger owners tend to be from either Germany or Japan and were built since 1982, according to newly released data from Hagerty. The company identified nine cars: four Nissan models (R32, R33 and R34 Skyline and the present GT-R), two BMW M3 generations (E36 and E92), the Toyota Supra and Porsche 944.

These Japanese and German modern classics are at the heart of a thriving network of enthusiasts, and are the cars that Gen X and Millennials grew up watching in films, computer games and on TV, as Caffeine & Machine founder Phil McGovern explained. ‘From the poster on your wall to the model you had on the side table, cars of the early to mid-Eighties are now the achievement of many a petrolhead in the UK market.

Hard work, dedication, and a drive to achieve that aspirational vehicle you dreamt of so much now reflects in the number of under 40s driving around in those iconic vehicles, and in turn visiting C&M on a regular basis.’

Other than the R34 GT-R that has an ‘excellent’ Hagerty value of £120,000, the remainder of the cars on the list are all relatively affordable but prices have risen in recent months. ‘The good side is they’re out there and being driven,’ said McGovern. ‘The downside is that supply and demand is driving prices into harder-to-find levels.’

#### This Scimitar’s story is intertwined with that of one Staffordshire family, from unlikely people-mover to exacting restoration and much-loved classic {#h-this-scimitar-s-story-is-intertwined-with-that-of-one-staffordshire-family-from-unlikely-people-mover-to-exacting-restoration-and-much-loved-classic}

**Words** SAM DAWSON **Photography** TOM CRITCHELL

#### **1973 – Mr Wentworth orders his dream Scimitar**

‘The story really begins in 1966,’ says Malcolm Wentworth of the Reliant Scimitar GTE he’s owned since new. ‘I was waiting for the school bus, and a lady drove past us, through the village, in a car I’d never seen before and couldn’t identify, but I knew I wanted one. I later discovered it was a Reliant Scimitar GT. Fastforward to me leaving school, I started an apprenticeship as a carpenter and joiner, and one of my tasks as a new starter was to wash the boss’s cars. I went to the garage where they were kept, and sure enough, there was a pair of Scimitar GTs. It instantly rekindled my interest in them.

‘I set up my own carpentry and joinery business in 1969. With £1000 I bought an old Methodist chapel for £380 that I converted into a workshop, a brand-new Bedford HA van for the business for £510, and a second-hand Morris Minor 1000 with what was left.

‘However, in 1973 the Minor collapsed and went to a scrapyard,’ Malcolm continues. ‘I ran around in the van for a while, but in 1973 I married Carole, and we needed a second car.’

Carole recalls the situation. ‘I was thumbing lifts from friends at the time,’ she says. ‘When we decided to get a new car, I actually wanted a Mini, but Malcolm couldn’t get into it comfortably.’

The 24-year-old Malcolm, however, realised he had the opportunity to buy the kind of car he’d wanted ever since he was a schoolboy. ‘I considered the Volvo 1800ES, the then just-released Lotus-engined Jensen GT, and the Gilbern Invader,’ he says, ‘but in reality there was only one car I wanted.

‘I placed my order for a Reliant Scimitar GTE in the latter half of 1973, and they gave me a projected delivery date for six weeks later. This slid by, and as 1973 became 1974, the dealer I ordered it from, Ovar Motors in Derby, suggested I go down to Reliant’s Tamworth factory and see what was happening.

‘I made the trip down to Tamworth, went into the reception area, and the walls were adorned with photographs of Princess Anne collecting her first GTE a few weeks earlier. It turned out the Royal visit and the prioritising of her car had disrupted production and delivery. I was told on the day that my car was three weeks away.'

#### CHASING CARS: Russ Smith’s market headliners {#h-chasing-cars-russ-smith-s-market-headliners}

#### **RM offers a low mileage 5000QV that’s been with the same owner since 1989** {#h-rm-offers-a-low-mileage-5000qv-that-s-been-with-the-same-owner-since-1989}

The car is due a good run out to stretch its legs – it has only covered 5000 kilometres in the last 20 years. Perfect excuse for an epic road trip back to the UK?

There’s a peculiarity to this car’s story. Despite being delivered new to Germany – where it spent only six months – and now being offered for sale in Monaco, it has otherwise spent the rest of its existence with one UK owner. That’s 35 years, always wearing the 999 MNN registration it still bears today. If nothing else it would make life easy should the winning bidder at RM Sotheby’s sale on 11 May be another Brit. They could also perhaps christen their new toy with a memory-making epic drive home.

The date on the Lamborghini-issued Warranty Certificate of 7 July 1988 marks this out as one of the last of the 5000QVs to be built because its replacement, the Countach 25th Anniversary model, was launched just two months later at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. That revision did tone down some of the Countach’s styling eccentricities though, leaving the 5000QV remembered as the true brute, in both looks and performance.  
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