Reviews

Glance back at some of the classics, the collectables, and the once forgotten gems.

Retro Road Test

1983 Lotus Esprit S3 review: Retro Road Test

Tim Pitt - 17
We review a classic Lotus Esprit S3, a wedge-shaped British sports car that shines despite its flaws. Did we mention James Bond drove one?
Retro Road Test

1984 Ferrari 308 GTS review: Retro Road Test

Tim Pitt - 10
We follow in the tyre tracks of 1980s TV detective Magnum P.I. by driving a classic Ferrari 308 GTS. Read on for our Retro Road Test.
Retro Road Test

1984 Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk1 review: Retro Road Test

Tim Pitt - 1
The story of how the Mk1 Golf GTI came to be is well trodden. Mid-1970s Volkswagen engineers install a punchy 110hp fuel-injected 1.6-litre Audi...
Retro Road Test

1986 Ford Sierra RS Cosworth review: Retro Road Test

Tim Pitt - 0
After it breaks another auction record, we revisit the Ford Sierra RS Cosworth – one of the most iconic fast cars of the 1980s.
Retro Road Test

1986 Toyota Corolla GT AE86 review: Retro Road Test

Tim Pitt - 1
Tim Pitt drives the famous forerunner of today's Toyota GR86 sports car: the classic 'Hachi Roku' Corolla AE86.
Retro Road Test

1987 Ford Capri 280 ‘Brooklands’ review: Retro Road Test

Retro Motor team - 2
We drive the final Ford Capri – the special edition 280 'Brooklands' – to discover how this much-loved classic coupe stacks up today.
Retro Road Test

1987 Ford Capri 280 review: Retro Road Test

Gavin Braithwaite-Smith - 5
These are strange times. In March 2016, a Ford Capri 280 sold at auction for a world record price of £54,000. Think about that...
Retro Road Test

1988 Bentley Turbo R review: Retro Road Test

Andrew Brady - 0
A turbocharged brute in a suit, the Bentley Turbo R was the fastest luxury car in the world in the late 1980s. How does it stack up in 2023?
Retro Road Test

1988 Ferrari 328 GTS review: Retro Road Test

Tim Pitt - 0
The 328 GTS is at the more affordable end of the classic Ferrari spectrum. We get behind the wheel – and look at how best to buy one.
Retro Road Test

1988 Land Rover 90 review: Retro Road Test

Andrew Brady - 0
This Land Rover 90 is an exceptionally rare special edition. But the qualities that make it great are the same for any classic Defender.
Retro Road Test

1988 Peugeot 205 Rallye review: Retro Road Test

Andrew Brady - 0
The Peugeot 205 Rallye distils what is great about the GTI into a lighter, more focused package. Your biggest problem will be finding one.
Retro Road Test

1989 Audi 80 review: Retro Road Test

Gavin Braithwaite-Smith - 1
The Audi 80 is an affordable modern classic, with typically German build quality and sleek, aerodynamic styling. We drive a 1989 80 1.8 S.

News

You could buy Simon Cowell’s modified Brabus Smart car

Currently up for for online auction with Bonhams, this highly modified Smart city car was specified by pop music mogul Simon Cowell.

Big cat hunting: Classic Jaguars up for auction in December

The Classic Sale at the Warwickshire Events Centre features an array of sporting Jaguar models ready to cross the auction block.

Ultra-rare MG XPower SV-R supercar is up for sale

One of only 42 examples built, this V8-engined MG XPower SV-R is a true piece of British motoring history – and you could own it.

Features

Luck of the Irish – Ireland’s hidden automotive history

We celebrate St Patrick's Day by telling the story of cars built in Ireland – from the Delorean DMC-12 to the Ford Sierra

How the Lotus Elise was born on Christmas Eve

Birth of an icon: how a team of engineers worked long into the night to prepare the Lotus Elise for its maiden journey on Christmas Eve 1994.

You can now buy an Aston Martin V8 Vantage for £30,000

The 2005 V8 Vantage has dipped below £30,000. This is what you should look out for

Reviews

1972 Jensen Interceptor review: Retro Road Test

The Jensen Interceptor serves up British charm with a generous side-order of American muscle. We drive the ultimate 385hp Six-Pack version.

1991 Peugeot 205 GTI review: Retro Road Test special

Driving two very different versions of Peugeot's hot hatch icon: one a standard 1.6 GTI in concours condition, the other an Mi16 conversion.

1974 Porsche 914 review: Retro Road Test

The Porsche Boxster reinvigorated the company’s fortunes in 1996 and has gone on to be an unmitigated success. But, 27 years earlier, an entry-level...