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This twin-engined Mini is an early example of a 4×4 rally car

Twini

Twini

The Mini might have stormed rallying in the 60s, but that didn’t stop drivers wanting more power to stay ahead of the competition. Although engines could easily be tuned (especially the ever-popular A-Series), tyre technology meant carmakers were limited to how much power they could put through the front wheels.

The British Motor Corporation had the answer: four-wheel-drive. Yup, before the age of Audi Quattro rally cars, the British were experimenting with 4×4 rallying. BMC’s method of powering all four wheels was rather unusual, though. Rather than having one engine and a prop shaft sending power to the second axle, it developed a Mini Moke with a second engine.

Such was the success of this prototype, work began on developing two ‘Twinis’. The first, developed by John Cooper Garages, was destroyed when John Cooper himself crashed one in a serious accident. The second, powered by engines tuned by Downton Engineering, was entered into the 1963 Targa Florio and suffered a rear engine radiator failure. When the project was axed, it was ultimately destroyed.

The idea didn’t catch on, but we have to respect the early plans for a four-wheel-drive rally car. Someone was so impressed that they decided to build a replica of the original Twinis – and it’s on display at this weekend’s London Classic Car Show.

The Twini is one of a number of rally specials taking to the show’s Grand Avenue all weekend. For three 30-minute parades each day, visitors to the show will be able to hear and see the rare classic cars driving up and down the avenue.

Watch: paddock tour with Jonny Smith

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We found a Vauxhall Viceroy lurking at the London Classic Car Show

Vauxhall Viceroy

Vauxhall Viceroy

London’s Excel centre plays host to the London Classic Car Show this weekend and there’s no end of exotica on display.

Fans of affordable or modern classics aren’t especially well catered for (you’re more likely to find a Ferrari F40 than an early Ford Fiesta), but we did find this lovely Vauxhall Viceroy hidden away in a corner of the show.

The 80s rarity is actually owned by one of the guys over at Take to the Road, and cost just £920 when he bought it in December (making it the cheapest car on display at the show, surely?). The Viceroy’s long-term custodian owned it an incredible 32 years, trading in his two-door Vauxhall Viva for the Viceroy in 1984. He paid £4,130 for it as an ex-management car and kept it until 2016 when he was forced to sell it due to health reasons.

Essentially an Opel Commodore, the Viceroy was intended to plug a gap in Vauxhall’s UK line-up between the popular Carlton and range-topping Royale. It was a flop, produced for just two years between 1980 and 1982 at Opel’s Russelsheim plant in West Germany. Just 2,295 were ever sold – making it a rare sight even when new – and only a handful remain today (just seven on UK roads according to howmanyleft.co.uk).

Although buyers weren’t keen to part with their cash for a Viceroy when new, we can’t help but be taken by the brown exterior paintwork and orange velour interior of the example on display this weekend. The wooden dash looks the part, too, and a gander at the car’s MOT history suggests it’s covered less than 100,000 miles in its 35 years.

Curiously, although an estate version of the Viceroy was never officially available in the UK, a one-off was built for the Queen in 1981.

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London Classic Car Show: everything you need to know

London Classic Car Show

London Classic Car Show

More than 700 cars are on display at a four-day classic car show being held in London this weekend.

Now in its fourth year, the London Classic Car Show is one of the opening events of the annual classic car calendar. Set to attract TV stars including Philip Glenister and Jonny Smith, the show is a must-visit for classic car enthusiasts in the capital.

It’s not just a static show, either. Central to the show is the Grand Avenue, where 50 special classic cars will parade up and down throughout the event. Standout machines range from F1 cars to a twin-engined Mini Cooper and a centre-steer Land Rover prototype from the 1940s.

Lister Thunder revealed

Lister Thunder

The Jaguar F-Type-based Lister Thunder has made its public debut at Historic Motorsport International, an attraction within the London Classic Car Show.

Its 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine has been upgraded to produce 675hp, giving a top speed of 208mph. The 0-62mph sprint is completed in just 3.2 seconds.

“Like Brabus and AMG with Mercedes and Alpina with BMW, we are hoping to become synonymous once again with tuning Jaguar vehicles, giving customers enhanced, bespoke performance and design alternatives to Jaguar’s acclaimed model programme,” said Lister Motor Company’s CEO, Lawrence Whittaker.

“Although we are not directly affiliated with Jaguar Land Rover, Lister has a Jaguar tuning heritage dating back 65 years. Our new Lister Thunder is the fastest and most powerful Lister ever created, with a 208mph top speed and 0-100 time of just 6.8 seconds. I am utterly proud of what we have achieved, and the Thunder is just the beginning!”

Just 99 examples will be made by the Cambridgeshire tuning firm, with an asking price of £139,950.

Philip Glenister’s getaway cars

Philip Glenister's getaway cars

Celebrity car enthusiast Philip Glenister has curated a homage to getaway cars. Described as “an evocative tribute to those vehicles made famous in movies or used in headline grabbing real-life robberies,” the line-up includes an Italian Job Mini Cooper, a Ronin-spec Audi S8 and the actual Lotus Cortina used by gang-member Bruce Reynolds to case out the Great Train Robbery in 1963.

Glenister himself will be at the show meeting fans and discussing his choices on Saturday.

Video: London Classic Car Show

Princess Diana’s Jaguar XJ-S

Princess Diana's Jaguar XJ-S

Princess Diana loved the Jaguar XJ-S so much, she had one specially commissioned with rear seats to carry her two young princes: William and Harry.

The one-off XJ-S was one of the most-photographed cars of its era, and is on display on the XJS club’s stand at the London Classic Car Show.

There are 24 classic cars clubd in total at the show. They represent a wide range of manufacturers, including Aston Martin, BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche.

In pictures: car clubs at the London Classic Car Show

Visiting the London Classic Car Show

London Classic Car Show

The show is open from 10am – 6pm Friday and Saturday, and 10am – 5pm on Sunday. It’s held at Excel in London, easily accessible by public transport. Take the DLR to Prince Regent and then follow signs to the show.

Tickets can be bought on the day, starting at £30 for adults and £22 for children.

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You can now 3D print rare parts for your classic Porsche

You can now 3D print rare parts for your classic Porsche

You can now 3D print rare parts for your classic Porsche

It’s a situation we’ve all been in. You own a rare Porsche 959 and it needs a new clutch release lever. Just 292 959s were ever sold, so demand for components is a bit low and Porsche isn’t keen on spending money on all the tooling required to remanufacture the part.

Porsche’s classic vehicles division, Porsche Classic, already stocks 52,000 parts, but it says it does get requests for bits which are no longer available. Creating these parts would be economically unviable.

However, 3D printing could well be the answer. Porsche Classic has developed a 3D printing process that can produce replica parts to their original specifications without the need for expensive tooling.

Laser melting – a type of 3D printing using lasers and thin layers of metal powder – can create the aforementioned clutch release level for a Porsche 959.

“To manufacture the release lever, a layer of powdery tool steel less than 0.1 millimetres thick is applied to a processing plate in a computerised process,” explains Porsche. “In an inert atmosphere, a high-energy light beam then melts the powder in the desired locations to create a steel layer. Thus, the complete three-dimensional component is produced, layer by layer.

“Both the pressure test with a load of almost three tonnes and the subsequent tomographic examination for internal faults were passed by the printed release lever with flying colours. The practical tests with the lever installed in a test vehicle and extensive driving tests confirm the impeccable quality and function of the component.”

Get it? No, us neither, but it sounds pretty cool. Because of the positive outcome of Porsche Classic’s 959 clutch release lever 3D experiment, the company is currently manufacturing eight other parts using 3D printing. These include steel and alloy parts made using the laser melting process, as well as plastic components manufactured using a ‘selective laser sintering’ printer.

A further 20 parts are expected to be trialled using 3D printing, with intentions to offer them on demand if and when required.

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60 years of Mini: plans announced for anniversary celebrations

Big plans for 60th anniversary celebrations at National Mini and Metro Show

Big plans for 60th anniversary celebrations at National Mini and Metro Show

The British Motor Museum has announced plans to expand its Mini and Metro Show as the iconic Mini celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2019.

The show will move from its usual June slot to Sunday 4 August 2019 in what it describes as “an action packed show for all Mini & Metro enthusiasts.”

Highlights will include support from various Mini clubs including the 59 Register, the Mini Traveller and Countryman Register and the Cooper Sport 500 Register. There are even plans coming together for a Guinness World Record attempt a week before the show featuring the longest line-up of Minis ever.

“As home to both the first and last classic Minis, it is only fitting for the British Motor Museum to celebrate the Mini’s 60th anniversary,” said British Motor Museum show manager Tom Caren. “The 2019 National Metro and Mini Show will be held on 4 August, the weekend before the International Mini Meet to allow our international visitors and Mini enthusiasts to plan for a week of Mini 60th celebrations.”

More than 500 Minis and Metros are usually on display at the show, which takes place at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon in Warwickshire.

Visitors will also have access to the museum, which houses more than 300 classic British cars.

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David Brown Automotive set to reveal another retro remake

David Brown Automotive set to reveal another retro remake

David Brown Automotive set to reveal another retro remake

First there was the modern-day XK-based Aston Martin DB5. Then there was the reinterpretation of the Mini (based on, er, old Minis). Now, David Brown Automotive is teasing a third car to join its line-up at next month’s Geneva Motor Show.

We don’t know much about it, but David Brown describes it as a ‘high performance grand tourer’, so it’s fair to assume that the firm’s not done a Land Rover Classic with the Defender. And with prices of the Mini starting in the region of £50,000, it’s also fair to assume it won’t be cheap.

“This is something that we’ve been looking forward to doing since launching Speedback GT and I can’t wait to reveal more,” said David Brown, company founder and CEO. “With its unprecedented levels of performance, this vehicle allows the David Brown Automotive brand to appeal to our existing customers, and new customers alike. The car brings yet another exciting opportunity for our company.”

According to the press release, the car will be hand built at David Brown’s Silverstone HQ, “absorbing the location’s famous racing and aeronautical heritage into the car’s high-octane pedigree.”

We’ll see it in the metal at the first day of the Geneva Motor Show on Tuesday 6th March, where we’ll be reporting live. In the meantime, the firm’s launched a catchy hashtag should you wish to follow the latest updates on social media: #PrepareForTakeOff.

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Rocket man: Elton John’s rare Aston Martin up for auction

Rocket man: Elton John's rare Aston Martin up for auction

Rocket man: Elton John's rare Aston Martin up for auction

A 1997 Aston Martin V8 Vantage V550 ordered new by Sir Elton John will face the gavel at the Silverstone Auctions Race Retro classic car sale next month.

Showing less than 10,000 miles, auctioneers reckon this rare Aston could make as much as a quarter of a million at auction.

Based on the Virage coupe, the V550 nameplate was a nod to the 550bhp (558hp) twin-supercharged 5.3-litre V8 engine that took the two-tonne car to 60mph in 4.6 seconds and on to a 186mph top speed.

One of the last Astons to be hand-built at Newport Pagnell, Elton is said to have ordered it himself and had it built to his specification. Finished in black with a black leather interior, it’s one of just 239 V550s sold around the world, making it one of the most desirable supercars of its time.

“Sir Elton is a global superstar and is still making headlines around the world, so it’s a pleasure to offer for sale this Aston Martin that he ordered new back in 1997,” said Silverstone Auctions’ classic car specialist, Adam Rutter.

“As well as enjoying celebrity ownership, this stunning V8 Vantage has been maintained regardless of expense and has a mere 8,663 miles on the clock, that’s equivalent to being driven about 400 miles only a year.”

With such a low mileage, Elton must have hardly used his ultra-desirable Aston. Indeed, the auctioneers say it still has a ‘new car’ smell, helped no doubt by the sumptuous wood (look at it!) and leather.

Chassis number #70174 has spent a lot of time at specialist Rikki Cann and comes with the original service book showing 19 stamps in total. The seller says more than £7,600 was spent on work on the Aston last year.

Rutter added: “Our Race Retro auction is a rare opportunity to own one of the last coach-built Aston Martins. If that wasn’t enough, then throw in the fact it was ordered new by Sir Elton John and you have a truly special car.”

Watch: Jeremy Clarkson drives an Aston V8 Vantage V550

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Best of British: what’s your favourite BL car ever made?

Rover SD1

Rover SD1

Leyland Motors merged with British Motor Holdings in 1968 and the infamous British Leyland Motor Corporation was formed. It went on to produce some of the most controversial cars ever sold – from the dumpy-looking Allegro to the trend-setting Range Rover.

As the conglomerate celebrates its 50th anniversary, our friends over at AROnline are holding a poll to discover the greatest BLMC vehicle ever sold.

Running until April, the Rover SD1 is currently taking a clear lead, with 19 percent of the votes. Second place is a tie between the Range Rover and Jaguar XJ6, both accounting for 11 percent. At the time of writing, 40 readers have voted for the Metro, accounting for nine percent of the votes.

Sitting at the bottom of the results are the Australian Leyland P76, the Japanese Triumph Acclaim and the commercial Leyland Sherpa.

“Considering that’s now ancient history in the fast-paced automotive world, it’s amazing to see just how much love – some of it ironic – that there is out there for the products which the company produced between 1968 and 1986 (when the initials BL disappeared, and were replaced by the Rover Group),” explains editor Keith Adams.

To cast your ballot on your favourite BL car, visit AR Online and be sure to tell us in the comments below which car got your vote.

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Volkswagen is celebrating the Corrado’s 30th birthday

Volkswagen Corrado

Volkswagen Corrado

2018 seems to be the year of anniversary celebrations: the Ford Escort, Land Rover Defender and Citroen 2CV to name a few. But – and be prepared to feel old here – the Volkswagen Corrado is also hitting the milestone age of 30 this year.

To celebrate, Volkswagen has made its debut appearance at the Bremen Classic Motor Show in Germany with two rare Corrado models. The show, which claims to mark the start of the classic car season, attracts visitors from across Germany and further afield.

Volkswagen Classic’s stand in hall 5 will feature a prototype Corrado with a 210hp 16V G60 engine. Like all Corrados, the 210hp G60 was produced by Karmann at its Osnabrück works. Revealed in 1989, the prototype model later became part of Volkswagen Classic’s collection in Germany.

The second exhibit is the final left-hand-drive Corrado to leave the production line: a 190hp VR6 in green pearl-effect paint, completed on 6 July 1995.

Volkswagen Classic produces new parts for classic VWs, and will have a range of spare parts for Corrados on display – including a wide variety of stock from model lettering to an entire side panel.

Initially planned as a successor to the Scirocco, the 2+2 Corrado was launched in 1988. The second-generation Scirocco continued to be sold alongside the Carrodo until 1992, while production of the Corrado ceased in 1995.

The Corrado was based on the second-generation Golf, with a torquey 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine combined with a G-Lader supercharger providing power at launch. Badged the ‘G60’, this engine produced 160hp as stock. A further two engines were added to the Corrado range in 1991 – a 2.0-litre four-cylinder and a desirable top-of-the-range VR6 producing 190hp.

In pictures: Volkswagen Corrado

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You’re hired! Lord Alan Sugar buys Rolls-Royce he owned in 1982

Alan Sugar's Rolls-Royce

Alan Sugar's Rolls-Royce

Apprentice star Lord Alan Sugar has bought a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost he previously owned when it was new in 1982.

A ropey old Roller with corrosion issues and a broken odometer hiding its true mileage isn’t the hottest purchase Sugar has ever made, we suspect – but it was the first Rolls-Royce he ever owned.

The billionaire business tycoon tweeted that he’d been contacted by a car collector who’d discovered Sugar’s name in the history folder of the old Rolls. A deal was done and Sugar bought the Silver Spirit for an undisclosed sum.

The Apprentice star bragged on social media that he was hunting out a ‘classic number’ to go on the car – presumably a nod to his famous ‘AMS 1’ number plate which features on his Rolls-Royce Ghost.

Sugar’s Twitter followers were quick to respond with suggestions for a new private plate, including ‘BBC 1’, ‘4 LAN’ and ‘P1 ERS’ – a nod to his nemesis, Piers Morgan. Other fans got nostalgic over cars they’d like to buy back, including a Peugeot 205.

We hope Sugar haggled over the price of the Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit as an MOT history search reveals it’s not without its issues. Advisories for its last MOT, which it passed in October, include:

  • front metal brake pipes corroded
  • oil leak from engine
  • rear metal brake pipes corroded
  • rear suspension pipes corroded
  • metal fuel lines corroded
  • suspect speedo faulty as mileage same as last year’s mot

We suspect Lord Sugar may have been had…

Alan Sugar

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