LANCASTER CLASSIC CAR NEWS
THE PEUGEOT 309; A CELEBRATION
Trivia question; what was the first Peugeot to be made in the UK? Despite popular mythology, it was not the 405 but the 309, one of the most overlooked models to wear the lion badge...
The Austin A110 Westminster at Sixty
When BMC introduced its second generation of ‘Big Farinas’ in late 1961, the Austin A110 Westminster immediately appealed to the nation’s bank managers. It was more formal than a Ford Zodiac Mk.
Sixty Years of the BMW Neue Klasse
The 1961 Frankfurt International Motor Show looked set to be a most exciting event, not least for the new BMW priced at DM 8,500. The sales copy promised the prospective buyer ‘sportiness, refinement, genuine comfort and timeless elegance’ while the bodywork featured a distinctive ‘kink’ in the rear doors.
Classic cars used in crime
These are some of our favourite classic crime cars, from both fact and fiction. Some of these still make realistic ownership prospects today. They now enjoy iconic status (and not just down to certain criminal associations), so be sure to protect them with some specialist classic car insurance.
Alex Cursley Hyundai Coupe Cup with Lancaster Insurance Season review 2021
'Together with Lancaster Insurance we’ve won the 2021 Hyundai Coupe Cup!' This makes us the most successful Coupe with two series wins and the most number of races won ever.
ON PARADE: AN RAF SPECIFICATION STANDARD VANGUARD VIGNALE
In the 1950s and well into the 1960s, the Vanguard was associated with the Royal Air Force. So from Brize Norton, Malta and Aden to Gan, Akrotiri, and Gibraltar, you would find highly polished Standards bearing RAF roundels. And today, the Vignale Estate, owned by the social media Influencer ‘Mrcarstagram’, is a reminder of the sort of car you might see in a black and white British Pathé newsreel.
MEET THE OWNER: ALLAN JONES AND HIS FORD CAPRI MK.I SPECIAL
The first limited edition Capri was the 1971 Vista Orange, followed in June 1972 by the ‘Special’ based on the 1600GT 2000GT or 3000GT in XLR guise. The additional equipment included opening rear windows, a bonnet bulge, an alternator, a heated rear screen, a map lamp, hazard warning lights and, of course, ‘sports wheels’.
MEET THE OWNER: PADRAIC O’RIORDAN AND HIS MERCEDES BENZ 300SE
It is difficult to appreciate just how exotic any new Mercedes Benz Fintail would have appeared to the average Briton in the early to mid ‘sixties. t that time, even the cheapest 190 seemed to belong to a Cold War cinema drama, preferably one with a score by John Barry.
MEET THE OWNER: NIGEL RICHARDSON AND HIS AUSTIN 1800
Local summer shows and fairs are so often a source of fascinating machinery. You might attend a fete with a vague expectation of bookstalls selling copies of Harry Potter for fifty pence, the delights of “Ferret World”, and a brass band playing In The Mood. But, then, you note a display of cars in a far corner of the field.
MEET THE OWNER: MIKE STEWARD AND HIS SAAB 99 TURBO FIVE-DOOR
Whenever Mike displays his 99 Turbo at shows, he frequently hears comments along the lines of ‘Never seen that before’ or despite the Saab’s very formidable presence, ‘it does not exist’.
MEET THE OWNER: MARK FERRIS AND HIS ROVER 216 VANDEN PLAS EFI
Mark is the proud owner of the Austin Maestro VDP we recently featured, and he has also acquired a 216 Strata Grey Metallic Vanden Plas EFi. It was first registered on the 1st August 1988 and now goes by the name “Hyacinth”.
MEET THE OWNER: JIM BAUMANN AND HIS PANHARD PL17
A few months ago, we described the wonders of the PL17, and we now celebrate the incredibly rare British market version owned by Jim Baumann. “I always wanted a Panhard - not sure why or which one - and the enthusiasm flip-flopped between a 24 and a Dyna. But then I realised that the early PL17 had a serious amount of polished aluminium ‘bling’, and I wanted RHD!”.