News

Park Gate in the 1980s was a Hampshire village in which, generally speaking, nothing happened. The local newspaper’s headlines were usually variations on the theme of ‘Jar of Robinson’s Marmalade Stolen from Post Office’. But, one day in July 1989, excitement arrived – my father’s Ford Orion Ghia was replaced by a red Peugeot 405 1.9 GR.

The year is 1957; the time is the 7th February, and the event is a musical show at the Kilburn State Theatre in London celebrating the launch of a new Vauxhall.

There is a common theme amongst the first finalists selected for the Lancaster Insurance Pride of Ownership competition – they all have fantastic restoration stories to share. Ideal then that the competition will be held at the Practical Classics Classic Car and Restoration Show at Birmingham’s NEC from Friday 31st March to Sunday 2nd April.

Last year I wrote about how, back in the summer of 1977, Petula Clark advised all ITV viewers to put a Chrysler Sunbeam in their lives. Such is the sheer unabashed cheesiness of this commercial – I would personally rate it as ‘Prime Stilton’ - that the achievement of the actual subject is sometimes overlooked...

The Pontiac Firebird has been the star of numerous Hollywood blockbusters, helping inspire a generation of car enthusiasts and wannabe race car drivers and what better way to celebrate than awarding it ‘car of the month’!

As part of their dedication to car clubs, classic car insurance specialists Lancaster Insurance have recently recruited another dedicated Car Club Liaison.

"There comes a moment in the life-cycle of many previously popular cars when they almost vanish overnight and looking at the ‘How Many Left’ website is almost as depressing as watching Take the High Road. Then you start to think when you last saw a Rover 600, a Vauxhall Cavalier Mk.2 or a Citroen BX?" - Written by Andy Roberts

"Ah, the lost world of the 1980’s ITV quiz – glitter, tinsel and the chance to win a Ford Fiesta Popular. On a BBC game show, victors might have left with ‘a selection of board games’ and even on the commercial channel there was heavy restrictions on prize values until 1993. Happily, for the motoring enthusiast, this frequently resulted in a splendid array of Lada 1200s and the like." - Written by Andy Roberts

2016 was an incredible year! For many it will be remembered for BREXIT and Donald Trump. For Lancaster, it was an also incredible year. We take a look at some of the highlights...

"To start 2017 in style, I’d like to mark the 40th anniversary of one of my all-time favourite classic cars, one that mesmerised my younger self... The Matra Rancho" - Written by Andy Roberts

"What, you may reasonably ask, does Carry On Cabby have to do with any end-of-the-year classic round up? The answer is simply that today I was thinking about the moment that I first became interested in the world of old cars, which I can trace more or less directly to the 7th and probably best, in my opinion, Carry On ever made being screened on BBC2.... Here is That Was The Year That Was: My Classic Memories of 2016" - Written by Andy Roberts