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What are the great Austin A35 moments in cinema? Well, there is Leslie Phillips driving a van in Carry On Constable, the taxi in The Great Muppet Caper and the spectacularly dire Austin van/Land Rover chase in the 1967 horror film The Deadly Bees, a picture involving bored actors being attacked by black and yellow Styrofoam on a regular basis. If we expand our remit to include the A35’s predecessor we have the even worse Clegg, a 1970 second feature where everyone is out-acted by an A30, various lampposts and their own hair. But, of course, little could equal the sheer drama and excitement of Wallace and Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.

‘Lada’ and ‘Glamour’. For many, the two words go together about as well as Take Me Out and ‘Television programmes that do not make you want to put your set on eBay’ but you cannot deny that marketers tried their hardest over the years. One brochure features an elegant young couple, she in mink and him resembling an extra from a 007 film, as their 1300 is poised to whisk them to an evening of romance, elegance and other phrases not automatically associated with Lada ownership. Another 1986 gem for the Canadian market points out the ‘classic European styling’ of the four-door and the station wagon that was ready for a ‘wilderness weekend’.

We were split into two groups for qualifying as entry numbers again were very high which is very encouraging to see!

With six races left in the Hyundai Coupe Cup, we caught up with the championship leader, and Lancaster Insurance sponsored, Alex Cursley as he looks to continue his good form in the last rounds.

"I was back in the UK for a whirlwind week during a break from filming Wheeler Dealers to catch up with business, charity and to host an event. First up it was off to Sheffield to film at my Mike Brewer Motors Dealership, then it was a blast down south to pop into the impressive Moss Europe where I collected the parts I need for my 1959 MGA project. A quick look around some special cars at Rally Preparation Services in Oxford before I finally got to Swindon and Cross Street Garage to meet the team from Lancaster Car Insurance and see how things are progressing with the #ClassicRumble Escort XR3i Cabriolet.

In those distant days before the introduction of the Transit in 1965, a remote time when listening to Adam Faith’s records was regarded as evidence of mild decadence, the van of choice for many a builder, grocer or jobbing gardener was the Ford Thames 400E.

Nearly all of us are familiar with the Aston Martin DB5, the Lotus Esprit and the other cars prepared by the Q division, but this is a tribute to those often unsung four-wheeled heroes of the Bond films.

Back in the 1970s, the likes of the Ford Granada GXL or Ghia Mk. I were often regarded as vehicles for the local elite; factory owners or the proprietor of a small chain of tobacconists. You were more likely to encounter one of the cheaper models as a minicab, company car or estate carrying a family to a holiday in Swanage and for these versions, Ford revived a famous badge - the Consul.

This column is by way of a tribute to one of the most interesting public service vehicles of post-war Britain - the Bedford ‘Green Goddess’ fire appliance. Its origins date back to 1949 when the Home Office created the Civil Defence Corps (CDC), whose purpose was to work alongside the Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS) in the aftermath of a nuclear war.

Decent weather is final upon us (at least it was when I wrote those words!) and, as the cinema adverts used to claim back in the 1960s, now is the time for ice cream. Highly decorated and still a part of the motoring landscape, the ice cream van is a very welcome sight at the end of a long summer’s day so here are six classic examples.

As with many of my generation, I first encountered the Austin K2/Y via re-screenings of Ice Cold in Alex on television. It is a film that showcases the talents of John Mills and Anthony Quayle at their considerable best and one of the principal characters is the battered but indomitable ambulance, which was one of the key British military vehicles of the Second World War.

This year marks a double celebration for Saab, not only is it the 40th anniversary of the Turbo, it is also the 50th birthday of the 99.

The VW Golf GTi Mk. I may have been one of the most notable ‘hot hatchbacks’ of the 1970s but it was neither the only or even the first of the breed. The half-dozen cars described below are my own selection – all front wheel drive, all with a third or fifth rear door and all of them highly entertaining.

‘What a magnificent car’, the three business-like gentlemen seem to be saying. ‘We like the cut of the owner’s jib for anyone who appreciates the 6/99 is clearly a chap amongst chaps. He obviously deserves a seat on the Board of Directors and 5,000 guineas per year’.

The top 10 beach cars.. or if you prefer, ten cars that help to make a successful vacation. In chronological order, we have:

If TV super-cop Gene Hunt had operated in the 1990s, which car would have replaced the 1980s Audi Quattro?

We’re thrilled to announce the show’s highest turnout last weekend, with more than 14,000 people attending the show, up 40% on last year! Over the weekend, 2,100 classic, motorsport and supercars were displayed over the 36 acres, with 1,720 classic and sports cars including those from members of 31 car clubs.

Club of the Month is always a very difficult feature for us to decide as there are always so many worthy recipients! This month’s was unanimously decided and has been awarded to ‘Yeovil Car Club’, a club we met at the Lancaster Insurance Classic and Supercar Show at Sherborne Castle, which took place last weekend.

The early ‘whale tail’ version of the Sierra Cosworth featured as our ‘Car of the Month’ last year but it was the 4-door saloon version of this car, with its less extrovert styling, which became much more accessible to those looking for a fast Ford. Over the 4 years that the ‘Cossie’ was produced some 25,000 vehicles were snapped up.

The announcement on July 16th of the Thirteenth Doctor sent me back to the distant past, one long before Christopher Eccleston – a time of disused quarries, entertaining rubber-costumed monsters and when masterminds who craved to rule the universe sported pointed beards to highlight their malign natures. And, as it turned out, quite a variety of cars…