Road Tests and Car Reviews

1932 - 1935
WHEN THE Monoposto Alfa Romeo made its first appearance at Monza in 1932, it not only set new standards of aesthetics in racing car design, it also created something of a legend in Grand Prix history. More>>

1931 - 1935
The 8C 2300 fought the Bugattis, Maseratis and Mercedes during the early 1930s, both as a sports and full racing car. It was driven by a galaxy of star drivers of whom few survived, whereas a fair proportion of their machines achieved a sort of mechanical immortality. More>>

1935 - 1939
The Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 was the fastest pre-war production car - a feat no doubt attributable to the fact that it was designed as a racing car. More>>

1937 - 1952
Turn the clock back to 1938. The Germans were unbeatable in Grand Prix racing, a bitter fact to their nominal allies, the financially outclassed Italians. They made the best of Maserati's brilliance in 1500cc voiturette racing and drew courage from the press which continued to brag about "The triumph of the Italian colours". More>>

1952 - 1953
In 1952, even before production began on the then new 1300cc Giulietta, Alfa Romeo already had plans to build a larger version with six cylinders - tentatively called the Giulia. The larger car's engine would not be based on the 1.3-litre Giulietta but on the already existing 1900cc four with two more cylinders added. The 1900's 82.5-mm bore was retained but the stroke was increased from 88 to 92 mm, resulting in a displacement of 2995cc. More>>

1954 - 1962
Having nimble handling, beautiful balance and glorious engines (the world's first mass-produced twin-cam engine) made the Giulietta Sprint one of the stars in the 50's. More>>

1956
Always one of the leaders in development of automotive form, Pinin Farina in the mid 1950s produced a series of prototypes that were nothing if not different in appearance. Even so, they held some lessons for future production models. As Len Frank tells, the beginnings of the Alfa Spider can be seen in this car; the fourth and last in the distinctive Superflow series. More>>

1960
In 1960 The Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Zagato was the lightest, smallest, best streamlined, most powerful and therefore the fastest of the entire Alfa Romeo range of cars. The 1290cc aluminium twin-cam engine was capable of producing speeds of 121.8 mph. More>>

1963 - 1966
In the early 1960s Alfa-Romeo was considered, quite rightly, to be the best of all of this distinguished line of Italian-built high-performance cars. And one of the best the company had ever produced was the brilliant 105/115 Series Coupe, the Giulia 1600 Sprint GT. More>>

1965 - 1967
From 1965 to 1977 the baby of the Alfa sports car fleet was the 1300 GT. Not only was it an image-maker, but it was also a surprising road-goer, with plenty of urge from only a 1290cc but very eager power plant. More>>

1966 - 1993
The Geneva motor show of 1966 was the launch of the Alfa Romeo Duetto Spider, and was the last complete design from Battista Pininfarina. Despite initial sales being disappointing the basic model managed to stay in production for 27 years. More>>

1967 - 1972
Today most Alfa aficionados keenly seek out the GTV from the early 1970’s, however the more humble sedan has become a very rare sight on Australian roads, and may prove to be a sound investment for the astute collector. More>>

1967 - 1972
Coupled with the launch of the new 1750 Berlina saloon was the 1750 GTV coupe. Sharing the same coupe body as the previous GT1300/GT Junior 1.6, the GTV featured four headlamps and less fussy external trim details. More>>

1970 - 1977
Its lines were penned by a young designer at Bertone; Giorgietto Giugiaro, 'the designer of the 20th century'. The Giulia not only looked good but it also proved a great competitor in touring car racing. More>>

1970 - 1975
The 2.6 all alloy quad cam V8 engine was a jem, so much so that journalists at the time thought it made the chassis look mediocre. More>>

1972 - 1983
Produced at Alfa's new factory in South Italy, (hence the name Alfasud - "Alfa South"), the Alfasud was produced as a more affordable Alfa for the many enthusiasts. More>>

1974 - 1976
The Alfetta GT's design came about as a result of joint labours of Giorgetto Giugiaro and Alfa's own design team, the Alfetta GT being one of the most beautiful cars to look at, and because of a combination of slightly less weight and uprated suspension the GT felt tauter than the sedan. More>>

1975
Pinninfarina's Alfa Romeo Eagle was a project for a sports "Spider" with a safety roll bar, based on the bodypan and mechanics of the Alfetta GT. More>>

1979 - 1986
Alfa Romeo's in-line 'six', the 2600, was discontinued in 1969, so for ten years the Milanese manufacturer lacked a six-cylinder flagship. In early 1979 the place was filled by the Alfa 6 saloon, at the time it being the only six-cylinder Italian car in realistic production. More>>

1979 - 1986
The new V6 engine had virtually no protractors. Although it had single camshaft per bank, it was extremely smooth, willing, and musical and was regarded by most to be the best V6 in production. More>>

1981 - 1987
There were two features of the GTV which gave it a major advance over all previous examples. Firstly, thanks to continual complaints, Alfa Romeo improved the driving position. You no longer needed to fold your knees around your ears and hold your arms out straight ahead. For all export models, Alfa also fitted an attractive looking wood rimmed steering wheel with a dished boss. More>>

1986 - 1992
The Alfa 75 was a sports car for the family man, something rare from the typical box-on-wheels approach adopted by more mainstream manufacturers during the 1980's. The ensuing budget restrictions forced Alfa to evolve the old 1970's Alfasud and Alfetta platforms rather than produce a clean-sheet design from the get-out. More>>

1987 - 1998
Alfa Romeo's 164 always enjoyed a few advantages over the competition in the upper region of the executive car class. And a lot was to do with marque pedigree. The Fiat-owned Italian company, at the time, had no difficulty establishing itself as a recognized contender for the executive dollar because it had always attracted that market anyway. More>>

1989 - 1990
The "SZ" was a one-off production sports cardesigned and built by Zagato, and while the styling can be described as extraordinary even by Zagato's standard, many regarded it as ugly. More>>

1950 - 1953
The original competition two-seater J1 was replaced by the legendary J2 in 1950; this latter iteration was manufactured with an aluminium body, separate cycle-type wings, a ladder-style frame, coil spring independent front suspension, and a De Dion rear end. The J2 boasted an impressive top speed of 110 mph, helped in the main by its fitment of a 160bhp Cadillac V8 power plant, although Allard allowed a variety of different engines to be fitted. More>>

1958 - 1967
Alvis turned to Graber of Switzerland after the war to design a new body style for their GT lineup. The TD21 was beautiful from every angle, the simple and handsome lines never dating like the more mainstream. The bodies for the TD21 were manufactured in England, first by Willowbrook in Loughborough, then later by Park Ward. More>>

1961- 1966
The Rambler was the focus of AMC's management strategy under the leadership of George W. Romney. American Motors designed and built some of the most fuel-efficient, best-styled and well-made cars of the 1950s and 1960s. Their compact cars (for the era) helped AMC to achieve sales and corporate profit successes. More>>

1963 - 1966
The Rambler 770 may have been, by the American definition, a "Compact", but the standards of just about any other country, it remained very much a large car. Like the large American cars then available, the 770 was both conventional and familiar, the mechanical specification including a long-stroke six-cylinder engine, live rear axle with coil springs, torque tube and a Panhard rod, and large diameter drum brakes all round. More>>

1965 - 1966
Unlike any other U.S. auto manufacturer from the 1960s, American Motors chose to base their entire line around compactness and economy. And this paid off handsomely. By getting a head start on the compact craze, they were able to step right up and supply the demand with proven compacts while competitors were in the throes of de-bugging and introducing theirs. More>>

1967 - 1970
The AMC Rebel (known as the Rambler Rebel in 1967) was a mid-sizer built between 1967 and 1970. The Rebel was based on AMC's "senior" automobile platform shared with the full-size Ambassador line. For the U.S. and Canadian markets, the Rebel was built at AMC's "West Assembly Line" (along with the Ambassador) in Kenosha, Wisconsin and at Brampton, Ontario, Canada (Bramalea - Brampton Assembly Plant). More>>

1968 - 1970
IHere in Australia the AMX was imported by AMI - it being a short, aggressive two-seater based on the identically priced Javelin but measuring a full 12 inches shorter in both wheelbase and overall length. It effectively condensed the red-blooded American image of the Javelin into a compact, rorty car with which the driver could achieve a feeling of one-ness that was usually only confined to European cars. Yet it did this without losing its U.S.-bred image. More>>

1968 - 1974
In 1968 AMC needed to create a 'cult' car, something to give the company prestige and win back customers that were deserting it for the ever growing popularity of the Ford Mustang. Also in AMC's sights was the Chevy Comaro and Plymouth Barracuda. More>>

1975 - 1980
Information being compiled. More>>

1961 - 1968
Built for 7 years between 1961 and 1968, the Amphicar is unique for its ability to traverse both land and sea, however the compromise to achieve both resulted in poor roadholding ability and very limited sea-going ability. More>>

1958 - 1959
Apart from a prototype, production of the Ascort TSV 1300 started in January, 1959 – with the intention that the company would be able to build one a week. Mechanically it was based on the VW Beetle, plus some Porsche components and Okrasa performance modifications. The idea was to have all spares available locally, and enable any VW-Porsche service centre to do the servicing. More>>

1934 - 1936
Back in 1934 the British motoring journal, "The Autocar", published a road test of a truly fabulous sports car. Nothing unusual, you say. True, but what was written about this car could be classed as unusual because it was (and is) a rare occurrence for an English journalist to judge an English product as being so particularly praiseworthy. More>>

1950 - 1959
The Aston Martin DB2 of 1950 was seen as the benchmark car for all future Astons. This was due to the coupe's luxurious and old-world charm that hosted a smooth (but powerful) six-cylinder twin-cam 116bhp engine from the Lagonda 2.6 saloon. More>>

1950 - 1959
The DB2/4 was established in 1953 comprising a smooth and contoured fastback shape that was seen as far more practical because of its rear seats and side-hinged rear hatch that stretched the length by some 9 centimetres from the DB 2. More>>

1950 - 1959
The twin SU carburettors stayed. David Brown had supplied the gearboxes on all DB models. It had a crash first gear and the option of overdrive on top gear on the MK III which gave 28.4 mph per 1000rpm. More>>

1958 - 1963
Things didn't change quickly at Aston Martin during the 1950's, and nor should they have, given the Aston's were arguably the best sporting cars ever made. Much like the Mercedes philosophy, change for change's sake was not a principal held in high regard. More>>

1963 - 1965
This car was introduced to Britain in 1963 and, at the time, was considered to be an aristocrat amongst sportscars of its time. It was extremely pricey, with the E-Type Jaguar being about half of its cost, but its use on the James Bond movie "Goldfinger" (1964) released the Aston Martin name to the entire world. More>>

1969 - 1990
In 1969 the quad-cam all-alloy 375 bhp V8 catapulted the Aston to a top speed of 257 km/h. In 1973 its shape had altered with a new grille and single lamps on either side. More>>

1976 - 1986
The 1976 showing of the Lagonda saloon showed the world a car that appeared to have originated from another planet. More>>

1977 - 1989
A breathtakingly exciting, adrenalin churning super-car, the fastest accelerating production car in the World at the time, that was the Aston Martin V8 Vantage. More>>

1980
By 1978 the future of Aston looked much better than it ever had, and so Company Director Alan Curtis gave the green light for the construction of a prototype – a car that would serve as a symbol of the marques quest to look to the future and demonstrate innovation like no other. More>>

1935 - 1937
By 1930 Auburn had a stellar reputation for building highly desirable cars, particularly after one Erret Lobban Cord had taken control. Despite the economic hardships he inherited, his drive and passion for the automobile would not only help Auburn survive, but survive at a time that would see many manufacturers fall by the way, particularly at the upper end of the market. More>>

1968 - 1976
The origins of the first Audi 100 have become legendary in Germany. When Volkswagen purchased Auto Union from Mercedes-Benz in 1965, they seem to have been motivated by a desperate shortage of production capacity for their ’Beetle’ model which at that time was selling faster than the cars could be produced. More>>

1971 - 1995
Manufactured from 1971 until 1995, the Audi 80 shared its platform with the parent company’s Volkswagen Passat. The first incarnation was designated the B1, and was available from 1972 to 1978. Sold in some markets (including Australia and the US) as the Audi Fox, the Audi 80 was available in either 2 door coupe or 4 door sedan body styles. More>>

1976 - 1984
The main features of the Audi 100 C2 were its cleanness and purity of line, a forward facing surface with no openings, and - for the first time - side windows completely flush with the body sides. More>>

1976 - 1984
By 1979 Germany remained the only 'western' European country with no-limit motorways, so it was not surprising that it had a large market for fast luxury cars. Mercedes-Benz and BMW of course took the lion's share of the sector, but Audi's decision to invade the area in 1976 with their front-drive '100' was significant as well as courageous. More>>

1979 - 1983
The Audi 5E was a good example of modern European car design. It incorporated all the latest technological advances available in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. It was not cheap, mainly due the high import tariffs being imposed at the time, but for those seeking a better car, it represented excellent value. More>>

1979 - 1983
The 5E CD marked Volkswagen's entry into the luxury market. The designation “CD” stood for 'Corps Dipiomatique', a term used to indicate the very high level of equipment offered as standard on this particular model. The CD was fitted with just about every available luxury feature as standard. The equipment offered included air-conditioning, automatic transmission, power-assisted steering, AM/FM radio/cassette stereo and central locking. More>>

1980
Arguably the greatest driver's car of the 80's, the original Audi Quattro had superb handling due to its innovative 4wd system. The Quattro was also innovative in that Audi had become the first car maker to put full-time 4wd to mass production. That's easy to understand, since the contemporary 4wd systems of the time were heavy, energy-inefficient and expensive. Moreover, for most road cars, 4wd was always thought to be unnecessary. More>>

1983 - 1992
When Audi released the 100, its lines, styling and coefficient of drag stunned the motor industry. The car, as a production model, had been designed in complete reverse of accepted practice. Instead of designing a car to meet its carrying and performance parameters, then smoothing out the styling, instead Audi designed it in reverse. More>>

1985 - 1995
The Audi 90's competition came from the Mercedes 200-series and from BMW's upper 5-series models. It was a tough job to take on such competition, where image was what it was all about in this sector of the market. More>>

1994
In 1994 Audi contracted Porsche to help them develop and manufacture a faster road going car than their current S2 Avant - the result was the RS2. Based on the S2 Avant, Porsche installed a bigger KKK turbocharger to the 2.2-litre 20 valve 5-cylinder engine. Boost pressure was raised from 1.1 to 1.4 bar, and a revised engine management programme coupled to a modified exhaust increased power to an awesome 315hp. More>>

1998 -
Few would guess that the beautiful Audi TT shares components with parent company VW's Golf, or even that of the Skoda. Despite VW's common component strategy, Audi engineers were able to develop the beautiful sports coupe using the Golf floorpan and basic 1.8 litre engine (also fitted to some Skoda's). More>>

1922 - 1939
Austin backed his cars in motor sport, and while he had very few successes that would change in 1928 when his son-in-law, Captain Arthur Waite, took out the 1928 Australian Grand Prix in a supercharged Austin 7 known as "Slippery Anne". Other nick-names were bestowed upon the Seven, some referring to it as the "...finest Meccano set yet produced". Despite its lack of roadholding and hopeless brakes, it was well put togther and long lasting. More>>

1932 - 1939
Launched in 1932, the Austin 10 would become the companies best seller for the remainder of the decade, then continuing in production (albeit with significant revisions) right up until 1947. Conservatively designed, the Austin 10 used a pressed steel body built on a cross braced chassis. Foot to the floor, going downhill and with a slight tail wind, the 10 could easily reach 55mph. More>>

1948 - 1952
The A90 Atlantic was first built in prototype form in 1947 being the first British car to be designed for the U.S market. Upon its launch in 1948, it became an overnight sensation. More>>

1948 - 1950
On the outside, the Austin A70 Hampshire featured a modern, yet functional streamlining embodied in the design. The front wings swept back along the sides and merged into the all-enclosed rear fenders resulting in a very attractive appearance which we think looks ultra-cool these days. More>>

1950 - 1954
Affordable and popular they may have been, but the middle and larger sizes of the Austin range were hardly high-performance cars. Perhaps the word performance should not be used when describing the A.70, however it is fair to say that the Hereford took on an entirely different character from that associated with this famous make up to 1939. More>>

1951 - 1953
The Austin A40 Somerset was launched in 1951 and had a short production run of just two years. It was similar in appearance to the smaller A30 saloon car, but was built on a separate chassis unlike the A30 which was Austin's first unitary construction car. More>>

1951 - 1956
The Austin A30 saloon car was introduced in 1951 and featured a newly designed 803cc four cylinder overhead valve engine which later became known as the A series engine. More>>

1954 - 1957
With the merger of Nuffield and Austin it was not surprising that BMC's Austin A50 Cambridge closely resembled the Morris Oxford Series II, not only in power unit but also in body lines. The engine was the same but, due to its slightly lower weight, the Cambridge had superior acceleration. Road-holding, however, was not so good. More>>

1954 - 1968
The first Austin Metropolitan sported the 1,200 cc A40 engine, but in March 1957 this was replaced by the A50 unit, making it the cheapest 1½ litre car on the U.K. market. A further distinction was that it was the only model manufactured in the UK that came with a built-in radio as standard equipment. More>>

1956 - 1968
Mechanically the A35 was fairly standard, with independent/coil springs front suspension, a beam axle and semi-elliptic leaf springs at the rear, and worm type steering. While the new engine gave the A35 better performance, much of the improvement was actually the result of different gearbox ratios, which were better spaced. More>>

1956 - 1959
The A105 model of the Austin was a livelier version of the A95. It was more powerful than the stock A95, and in deluxe version was fitted with an automatic transmission. The increase in output over the A95 amounted to 17 horsepower, thanks to a higher engine compression combined with twin S.U. carburettors (instead of the single Zenith used on the A95). More>>

1957 - 1959
The A55 Austin Cambridge was manufactured from 1957 through to 1959, and was replaced by the Farina A55 Cambridge model. Externally the A55 was much like the older A50 but with a slightly longer tail, hooded headlights and fancier chrome-work on the sides. The Austin engineers uprated the engine by raising the compression ratio from 7.3 to 8.3 to 1; this giving the 1489cc B type B.M.C. motor 51 bhp @ 4250 rpm. More>>

1958 - 1962
The Austin Lancer and Morris Major evolved though three series (I, II and Elite), with the first incarnations being badge engineered clones of the contemporary Wolseley 1500 and Riley One-Point-Five models then on sale in the United Kingdom. These models were wholly produced at BMC's Zetland plant in Sydney, Australia and were unique to that country, having around 98% local content. Many examples were also exported to New Zealand. More>>

1958 - 1967
The A40 "Farina" is the best and most fondly remembered A40 in Australia. First introduced in 1958, it would remain in production until 1967, after which time over 340,000 had been manufactured. The wonderful and innovative body style came courtesy of Pinin Farina (thus the name), and the best feature was undoubtedly the revolutionary “hatchback” style, a world first. More>>

1962 - 1966
The 6 cylinder Austin Freeway sedan and station wagon, and Wolseley 24/80 were released in April 1962. These cars were developed by BMC Australia to counter the growing popularity of the new 6 cylinder rivals from the US, namely the GM Holden and Ford Falcon. More>>

1965 - 1970
When introduced, the 1800 was far from ordinary. It soon became affectionately known as the “landcrab”, in reference to the elongated and low slung body style. Voted European Car of the Year for 1965, BMC were certainly on a winner with their new “large” car. More>>

1967 - 1971
The Austin 3 Litre was a substantial car, expanding upon the successful formula of front engined rear wheel drive, whilst incorporating many design features which had made the Mini's, 1100's and 1800's so outstanding. Significantly, it was also the first Austin production car to have all-independent suspension and rear wheel drive. More>>

1969 - 1981
The Austin Maxi was a medium sized 5-door hatchback car from British Leyland for the 1970s. It was the first British five speed five-door hatchback. The Maxi (code name ADO14) was the last car designed under the British Motor Corporation (BMC), and was the last production car designed by Alec Issigonis. More>>

1973 - 1975
We know it as the Morris Marina in Australia, but in the USA it was sold as the Austin Marina. At the cars release the Chairman of British Leyland was Sir Donald Stokes, who was quoted as saying that his company was not in business to make cars but to make money. They got one part of the formula right – they sure didn’t make cars. More>>

1973 - 1983
Designed as a replacement for the wonderful Austin 1100/1300, the Allegro promised much, but delivered little. A victim of the ailing British car industry of the time, the Allegro featured poor design, insipid performance, appalling build quality, non existent re-sale value wrapped in a design that not even a mother could love. More>>

1975 - 1981
Originally starting out as design code ADO71, then marketed as the Austin/Morris/Wolseley 18–22 series, then renamed "Princess". Technically a new marque created by British Leyland, the name had previously been used as a model on the Austin Princess limousine from 1947 to 1956. The car later appeared in revamped form as the Austin Ambassador, which was produced from 1982 until 1984 and only ever sold in Britain. More>>

1980 - 1987
Seven years of planning, design, replanning, redesign, and more than £275 million went into British Leylands Austin Mini Metro. Although not as revolutionary as Alec Issigonis' Morris/Austin Mini was in 1959, the then new front-drive model from the nationalised British factories was nevertheless an attractive little family car. More>>

1983 - 1994
The Austin Maestro was a very important car. In fact, it was the key to the continued existence of British Leyland itself; the Metro was the first step along the road to recovery, but complete salvation could only be achieved if the more profitable Maestro became a success. More>>

1984 - 1995
The Montego, Austin Rover's long-promised four door front-drive notchback, was released in the UK in late April in a range of models. While the 2.0-litre MG and VP (Vanden Plas) versions were widely regarded as being very disappointing, the 1.6-litre bread-and-butter models - better "Ford Cortina replacements" than anything Ford Europe had by then produced - were much more likeable. More>>

1946 - 1950
Donald Healey stole a march on car makers around the world when he created the Healey Westland. After the war most European car plants had been flattened by bombing, even the British and American plants had been on war work and they took time to switch back. Most companies revised old designs and rushed those into the showrooms while they planned what to make next. More>>

1952 - 1956
Donald Healey's very first iteration was put on display at the 1952 Earls Court Show, and so impressed was BMC's managing director Leonard Lord that a deal was struck, so next morning the model on the stand had a new badge which announced to the world that this was the new Austin Healey 100. More>>

1956 - 1959
This car was very similar in appearance to the 4 cylinder 100, but this time the car was fitted with a tuned version of the six cylinder BMC C series engine fitted to the Austin Westminster. More>>

1958 - 1961
In 1958 few sports cars were more endearing that the Austin Sprite. It earned the nickname of "Frogeye" due to its pop-eyed headlights and somewhat gaping grin. More>>

1959 - 1967
The United States was seen as the car's biggest market which ironically brought the downfall of the 3000 due to strict safety legislation. More>>

1964 - 1966
Hugely popular since its introduction in 1958, the Austin Healey Sprite (and MG Midget) over 110,000 had rolled off the prooduction line at Abingdon-on-Thames, helping to make the traditional home of M.G. cars the largest factory in the world, during the 1960's, devoted to the production of sports cars. More>>

1958 - 1963
In 1958 Auto Union brought back into prominence the name of a group which made DKW, Audi, Horch and Wanderer cars before the war, but lost all its factories, which were in the Eastern Zone of Germany, when the war ended. Manufacture of DKW cars was re-started in the West, and the new model was based on the three-cylinder front-drive DKW, with larger engine, and improved suspension. More>>

1964 - 1968
In 1964 the obscure (at least for most Australians) company "Auto Union" of Germany introduced their new model DKW F12/60, which was available in both sedan and roadster forms and was fitted with a sweet 2-stroke 899cc engine. More>>

1956 - 1957
The Avia had a lot of things going for it, apart from the low price of course. Unlike most post-war midgets, the Avia actually looked like a scaled-down car - it did not resemble an orphaned sidecar, like the Messerschmitt, or a mechanised egg, like the Isetta. More>>

1955 - 1959
In the East, the AWZ P70 was originally intended to fill this "intermediate" car role, that of a small economical 2 (and occasional +2) role. For any such car to be successful, it needed to be cheap, easy to repair, built of lightweight materials and, if possible, afford more storage than a motorcycle. More>>

1957 - 1964
To best understand the Trabant, you have to first understand the circumstances from which it was born. Post war Europe, both sides of the iron curtain, needed a form of cheap personal transportation, this demand being met by motorcycles and mopeds (the latter most successfully by the wonderful Vespa's). More>>

1964 - 1991
In 1964 AWZ released the most famous of the Trabants, the P601. This new car had a 594 cc, 26 bhp engine naturally enough derived from the P50. One should not expect too much in the way of innovation when detailing new models of Trabant, however this engine did use new cylinders, new cylinder-heads and a modified exhaust system. More>>

1924 - 1930
Ettore Bugatti once described the Bentley 3 litre as "The fastest lorry in the world". This awesome 2+ tonne monster won 5 times at the Le Mans 24 Hour between 1924 and 30 in various forms, perhaps proving to Bugatti that trucks at the time were also more reliable than motor cars! More>>

1952 - 1955
This car was seen as one of the most desirable vehicles in the 1950's. Not only because it was the fastest genuine four-seater, but also because of its beauty; stunningly elegant despite being big and swoopy. More>>

1959 - 1962
These new V8 models were built by H.J. Mulliner and Park Ward, and naturally followed the introduction of the new Rolls Royce V8 engine (as fitted to the Silver Cloud 2 and Phantom V). There were several body types, notably the Mulliner two-door hardtop and Park Ward drophead coupe, which joined the H.J. Mulliner Flying Spur four-door Continental saloon. More>>

1967 - 1980
Rolls-Royce have only ever made one concession to badge engineering, keeping the legendary Bentley name alive. The Bentley “T” saloon was identical to the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II, apart from the distinctive radiator and badges. More>>

1936 - 1940
The combinantion of a light-weight body and fully independent front suspension set new standards for the time, offering levels of roadholding, cornering and handling precision previously unheard of. It is no wonder then that many collectors consider the 328 to be the best sports car of the 1930's. More>>

1936 - 1940
In the 1930s, as the war clouds were gathering and Germany could boast the most advanced road system in the world, several European manufacturers started thinking about building super cars to make full use of these new super roads. Mercedes used raw power and cubic inches to push its barn-door radiators through the air at high speed, and BMW designed a streamlined “autobahn special” for release in 1936. More>>

1955 - 1959
The BMW 507 was arguably one of the most beautiful cars of the 1950's. Built to add a glamour car to increase American sales as well as well as boost their flagging post war image, BMW used Albrecht Goertz to design their new sportscar. More>>

1955 - 1962
With folding roof and wrap around rear window, the driver and passenger entered via a front hinged door that also lifted the steering wheel when opened. More>>

1965 - 1969
There has always been something special about the Teutonic approach to building a car. It seems the collective objective of all the German auto makers is to use a no-nonsense concept of design and the meticulous precision of assembly. More>>

1967 - 1972
Alpina's Bavarian headquarters took a BMW 1600 2-door sedan (then BMW's smallest car), installed a super-tuned 2-litre BMW engine (BMW's biggest engine) and all the attendant devices necessary to bring the chassis specifications in line with the engine. More>>

1971 - 1975
The CS coupes are among the best of all BMW classics, it has one of the best six-cylinder engines in the world - powerful, smooth and refined. More>>

1971 - 1975
The CSL was first produced in May 1971 as a lightweight version of the six cylinder coupe and to homologate for European Touring Car Group 2 races. It had thinner body panels, no front bumper, fibreglass rear bumper, racing latches to the bonnet, side windows made from Plexiglass and alloy-skinned opening panels, all to aid in weight reduction. More>>

1972 - 1981
In Australia BMW imported the 528i, and marketed it as a sporty sedan, rather than as a sports car - a subtle distinction maybe, but it did provide an accurate description of what the car offered by way of performance and handling. The 528i's injected 2788cc six cylinder SOHC engine was never a sluggard, but its performance allied to some fine suspension tuning transformed the machine fully into the same sports car class as the smaller 323i. More>>

1972 - 1973
The BMW turbo was built during 1973, a period that saw skyrocketing fuel prices. Rare and definitely exciting, the BMW 2002 is now one of the most collectable 1970's BMW's. More>>

1974 - 1977
The 3.3L Limousine came at a time when Europe was suffering from rising inflation and rushing towards poverty, while Germany, who had lost the war, was very obviously winning the Industrial battle of the 1970s.The 3.3L Limousine came at a time when Europe was suffering from rising inflation and rushing towards poverty, while Germany, who had lost the war, was very obviously winning the Industrial battle of the 1970s. More>>

1975 - 1981
Although the BMW company's reputation was built on its large saloon and sports coupe models, since the 1970's its major source of revenue has been supplied by the company's bread-and-butter family saloons. Typical of these models was the 320 range, introduced during mid 1975. The 3-series model replaced the 1602/2002 series which for many years had proved the mainstay of BMW's production. More>>

1977 - 1979
The 733i used the well known 3.3-litre straight-six engine which featured a cast-iron cylinder block and aluminium head with virtually hemispherical combustion chambers. This apart, the single-overhead-cam engine was a relatively simple design, but nonetheless it developed a very healthy 197 bhp at 5500 rpm, and 200 lb ft of torque at 4300rpm. More>>

1978- 1983
The Alpina BMW C1 retained the Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection system and had a claimed top speed of 208 km/h (129 mph), with acceleration figures of 7.9 sec for 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) and 28.9 sec for a standing start kilometre. More>>

1978- 1983
The top of the Alpina range in the late 1970's was, as usual, a BMW, based on the then new 5 series. The previous 5 series was the base for cars powered by a 3-litre turbo developing 300 hp and a 330-hp 3.5-litre unit, but the B9 was a normally aspirated 3.5-litre which developed 245 hp. More>>

1979 - 1980
The Motorsport 1 (M1) remains the only mid-engined beamer to be developed, and that in itself if enough to make the car truly unique. But more important than any break away from traditional design was the cars fabulous handling and performance. More>>

1979 - 1989
It may not be the greatest of BMW classics, neither today nor in the future, but the precise handling and sense of involvement lost in the current 8-series make this car very memorable. More>>

1980 - 1986
Although announced at the 1979 Frankfurt Show, the 745 Turbo was not launched until the middle of 1980. BMW had taken a little time et their high performance flagship into shape, but its emergence certainly gave a boost (in more ways than one) to the power/prestige race between Munich and Stuttgart. More>>

1989 - 1991
The BMW Z1 was first presented as a concept in 1986, generating such enthusiasm that 5,000 advance orders were placed. BMW rushed the car into full production, and both the prototype and final road going version made clever use of plastic body panels and a flat composite undertray for improved aerodynamics. More>>

1962 - 1964
The Bolwell Mk IV can be considered the first serious commercial model to be released, following the previous "hobby" versions. The Mk IV was manufactured in component form and sold as a kit, meaning the purchaser had to either assemble the car themselves, or pay someone to do it. More >>

1965
The Bolwell Mk V was produced in 1965, and combined both the latest European developments with the Bolwell brothers own individual ideas of what would make for a superior sports car. More >>

1968
While the Bolwell Mk V was designed for general consumption, the Bolwell brothers' set about designing a race special, the resultant Mk VI (SR6) being a mid-engined masterpiece that was raced very successfully in various Australian sports car events – and is still around today! More >>

1967 - 1972
The Bolwell MK VII marked the start of something big. It was a sleek, fastback coupe that maintained the Holden components theme with more than a hint of Ferrari styling. Like the Lotus Elan, it had a backbone chassis, formed by folded sheet metal. More >>

1969 - 1972
On Graeme Bolwells return from a working holiday in the UK (with much time spent at Lotus), work soon commenced on the MK VIII. In fact this new model was released in 1969 while the MK VII was still in production! More >>

1979
During the halcyon days of the fifties and sixties, sports cars were less compromising and offered no pretense of sophistication or luxury. Expectations rose during the 1970's (led in many ways by Mercedes seeking to make their expensive sports cars appealing to the Hollywood Boulevard brigade). More>>

1967 - 1970
The decision to manufacture a four-wheel car instead of their usual "minicar" variety was born from a desire to find a niche where the company could capitalise on their skill in fibreglass construction. The original prototype design was penned by Lawrie Bond, and featured a particularly handsome fastback rear with small tail fins. More >>

1970 - 1974
Following the take over of Bond in August 1970 Reliant stopped all Bond models but prior to this, they had commissioned Tom Karen of Ogle Design (Ogle being the companies design consultants) to produce a sports 3-wheeler for the "young" generation.  This was to be sold under the Bond name as the  "Bond Bug". More >>

1954 - 1961
The body not only looked ultra new for 1954 it comprised a unit construction body and separate front and rear sub frames, the front one being rubber mounted. The front suspension featured unequal wishbones, coil springs and telescopic shock absorbers, checked by an anti roll bar. At the rear was a fully independent swing axle, again featuring coil springs and telescopic shock absorbers. More>>

1974 - 1976
The Bricklin SV1 was an exceptionally good-looking 2-seat sports car, and was equipped with just about everything imaginable in 1974. There was air-conditioning, AM/FM stereo, power steering and brakes, tinted glass, tilt steering wheel, cast alloy wheels, radial tyres – and because of the stringent US safety laws you could drive it into a wall at 10 mph (forward or backward) without damage. More>>

1946 - 1950
The Bristol 400, a sporting 4-seater saloon, was the car that launched the Bristol marque. It went into full production late in 1946 after being unveiled to the press a few months earlier. More>>

1948 – 1953
The Bristol 401 2-litre saloon was introduced in 1948 and was the second car produced by the still very new company. The main difference between this car and the earlier 400 was that the body panels were now all aluminium and were fitted to a tubular steel framework that was attached to the steel box section chassis. More>>

1949 – 1950
Information being compiled. More>>

1952 – 1955
The terse success story of the Bristol Car Company's three-year campaign in two litre racing was almost unknown outside the small circle of factory personnel and racing enthusiasts who witnessed it, yet it was one that produced the wildly imaginative Bristol 450s. This was due to the tight-lipped policy of the Bristol Aircraft Company's car-making branch. More>>

1953 – 1955
Information being compiled. More>>

1953 – 1955
Information being compiled. More>>

1954 – 1958
Information being compiled. More>>

1975 – 1976
IIn the early 1970's, the Bristol 411 was claimed by some to be 'the fastest true 4-seater touring car' made. The series V Bristol 411 represented all that was 'grand' in British grand touring cars. More>>

1976 – 1982
IThe Bristol 603 was both unique, and exclusive even when in production - and for the enthusiast that is always a very good thing. First and foremost very few were built, production usually ran at around three a week, and the Bristol was without doubt one of the world's most exclusive cars. More>>

1924 - 1931
The Type 35 provided stellar performance, was blessed with an extraordinary chassis and had a wonderful weight distribution perhaps only bettered by later mid-engined vehicles. More>>

1932 - 1939
By 1932 Bugatti were already famous for making the best sports cars in the world, however the Royale has become one of the most memorable sports-luxury cars in history! More>>

1936 - 1938
How lucky the world was when Ettore Bugatti decided to build and sell passenger cars rather than solely racing cars. How unlucky that after 2 years only 17 were to be constructed. More>>

1992 - 1994
Bugatti ended its car making shortly after the death of Ettore Bugatti in 1947 - right? Wrong! The legendary name was to grace another fine motor vehicle in 1987 when Italian tycoon Romano Artioli purchased the Bugatti marque and built a modernised factory in Modena - home to other great marques such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati and De Tomaso. More>>

1956
Buick's new "dream" car for 1956 is the Centurion, a racy four-passenger, two-door coupe with an all-glass top. Made of fibreglass, the Centurion incorporates many innovations in styling and engineering. It is mounted on a 118 inch wheelbase and is powered by a 325 horsepower V-8 engine. More>>

1961 - 1963
In the early 1960s more and more Americans were following the then current trend of ordering their cars with sports options - bucket seats, convertible tops, and four-speed floor shifts. Most of these items were being ordered on compact cars, not standard-sized ones. One of the more popular compacts was the Buick Special, and in the early 1960s the Special was the second-best seller in the Buick line-up. More>>

1963 - 1965
Blessed with some of the finest styling to come out of Detroit it was restrained yet swoopy and exuded presence where cars like the Cadillac and Imperial were seen as merely big. More>>

1967 - 1969
The California GS was Buick's attempt to create a lower cost and smaller muscle car. Fitted with the small block GS drivetrain, the exterior received the full treatment including vinyl top, chrome moulding package, GS emblems, and special California scripts. More>>

1968
Buick's Gran Sport didn’t catch the American public's eye - and car-buying dollars - as well as its competitors'. By 1968 it was fighting for 4th place in the intermediate super arena with Ford's Fairlane. And that in itself told a story...firstly that the Fairlane wasn't higher on the charts, and the fact that Buick was able to maintain a sales figure equal to a Ford product. More>>

1971 - 1973
Although controversial when released, successive Riviera's became smaller, uglier and far more conventional, ending the allure but ensuring this model would forever be remembered as a true classic. More>>

1982 - 1987
While the Buick T-Type Regal coupes were aimed at the performance market, 1982's Regal Grand National signalled a change for the better. Named for the NASCAR Grand National racing series, this car incorporated a 4.1 litre V6 with 125 hp, or an optional 180 hp turbocharged 3.8 V6. It also featured T-tops, front and rear spoilers and a striking gray over silver paint job. More>>

1959 - 1960
LeSabre and all other 1959 Buicks not only got new names, but all-new styling as well, adopting the new GM B- and C-body used on all of the corporation's full-sized cars - the larger C-body used in the Electra as well as the Oldsmobile 98 and all Cadillacs was basically a stretched out B-body rather than a distinct body and chassis. More>>

1961 - 1964
LeSabre and all other full-sized Buicks (joined by the compact Special this year) were completely restyled for 1961 featuring finless rear ends, more restrained use of chrome, and boxier sheetmetal. Wheelbases remained at 123 inches (3,100 mm) but the new cars were slightly downsized in both length and width, and rode on a new X-frame chassis which included a conventional rear axle and driveshaft replacing the decades-old torque tube design. More>>

1965 - 1970
LeSabre and other full-sized Buicks were completely restyled for the 1965 model year, featuring more rounded bodylines and Coke-bottle profiles with semi-fastback rooflines on two-door hardtop coupes. Wheelbases remained at 123 inches (3,100 mm), but a new perimeter frame shared with other GM B-body cars replaced the "X" frame used since 1961. Body styles were unchanged from 1964. More>>

1971 - 1976
Like the other GM divisions, Buick completely restyled its B- and C-body cars for 1971. The full-size cars emerged larger and heavier than before and also ever after. The styling featured curved bodysides, long hoods and wide expanses of glass, similar to that of Chrysler Corporation's 1969 full-sized cars, but with a lower beltline than the Chrysler products. Semi-fastback rooflines were utilized on two-door hardtop coupes. More>>

1977 - 1985
Like the other GM divisions, Buick completely restyled its B- and C-body cars for 1971. The full-size cars emerged larger and heavier than before and also ever after. The styling featured curved bodysides, long hoods and wide expanses of glass, similar to that of Chrysler Corporation's 1969 full-sized cars, but with a lower beltline than the Chrysler products. Semi-fastback rooflines were utilized on two-door hardtop coupes. More>>

1953 - 1954
The first iteration of the El Dorado was a low volume convertible only model, available in four unique colors - Aztec Red, Alpine White, Azure Blue and Artisan Ochre. Convertible tops were available in either black or white Orlon. More>>

1955 - 1958
For 1955, the Eldorado's body gained its own rear end styling with high, slender, pointed tailfins. These contrasted with the rather thick, bulbous fins which were common at the time and were an example of Eldorado once again pointing the way forward. More>>

1957 - 1958
It was curvy with pillarless doors and knife-edged fins with a 90 degree wraparound on the front screen. Its roof was built from stainless steel and with its narrow white sidewalls and twin headlights it was seen as an industry first. More>>

1959 - 1966
A different Eldorado Brougham was sold for 1959 and 1960. These cars were not quite so extravagantly styled but were very unusual pieces in themselves. Priced at $13,075, they cost $1 more, each, than their older siblings. More>>

1967 - 1970
The Eldorado was radically redesigned for 1967. Intended for the burgeoning personal luxury car market, it was a "personal" Cadillac sharing the E-body with the Buick Riviera and Oldsmobile Toronado that had been introduced the previous year. More>>

1971 - 1978
When GM's full-size cars were redesigned for 1971, the Eldorado regained both a convertible model and its fender skirts. The 126.3-inch (3,210 mm) wheelbase version of the Eldorado would run through 1978, receiving facelifts in 1973 and 1975. More>>

1975 - 1979
For most, driving simply means around town or down a long and straight highway. When it was rare to find yourself on the twisty stuff, the Seville's suspension, by front wishbones and anti-roll bar, with semi-elliptic springs at the rear, was near perfect. Similarly there was little need for particularly precise steering, and this was an area in which the Seville's recirculating ball system revealed its typically American origins. More>>

1979 - 1985
For 1979, a new, trimmer Eldorado was introduced, and for the first time the car shared its chassis with the Buick Riviera as well as the Toronado. Smaller 350 and 368 in³ (5.7 and 6.0 litre) V8's replaced the 500 and 425 in³ (8.2 and 7.0 litre) of the preceding model, giving better fuel efficiency. More>>

1986 - 1991
For 1986, yet another downsizing occurred, and it was fairly extreme. In fact, the costly Eldorado was now the same size that GM's own compact cars had been only a few years earlier, and much smaller than Lincoln's competing Mark VII. More>>

1992 - 2002
For 1992, a new Eldorado appeared. It was in fact only slightly bigger than its predecessor, but it was so much more adroitly styled that it seemed greatly so. Window glass was once again frameless, and shortly after introduction Cadillac's new Northstar V8 became available in both 270 and 295 hp variants, replacing the 200 hp 4.9 litre. More>>

1956 - 1982
For those not born in the US, the classic looks of the New York cab do not give any hint as to the manufacturer of the vehicle. Rugged and reliable, it was in fact manufactured by Checker and was even available as a passenger car from 1960 to 1982. More>>

1964 - 1967
The Chevelle was intended to compete with the Ford Fairlane, and to return to the Chevrolet lineup a model similar in size and concept to the popular 1955 - 1957 models. Enthusiasts were quick to notice that the Chevelle’s 115-inch (2,900 mm) wheelbase was the same as that of the 1955 - 1957 Chevy. Two-door hardtop coupes, and convertibles, four-door sedans, and four-door station wagons were offered throughout the entire run. More >>

1964 - 1967
The Chevelle SS396 became a series of its own in 1966 with series/style numbers 13817 and 13867. SS396 sport coupes and convertibles used the same Malibu sport coupe and convertible bodies with reinforced frames and revised front suspension: higher-rate springs, recalibrated shocks, and thicker front stabilizer bar, but with different exterior trim. They also had simulated hood scoops, red-stripe tires, and bright trim moldings. More >>

1968 - 1972
The 1968 Chevelle got an all-new distinctly sculpted body with tapered front fenders and a rounded beltline. The car adopted a long-hood/short-deck profile with a high rear-quarter "kick-up". While all 1967 Chevelle models rode a 115-inch (2,900 mm) wheelbase, the 1968 coupes and convertibles now rode a sporty 112-inch (2,800 mm) wheelbase. The sedans and wagons turned to a 116-inch (2,900 mm) span. More>>

1973- 1977
The most extensive redesign in its 10-year history marked the 1973 Chevelle, and with it marked the end of hardtops as we knew them. The newly-named "Colonnade Hardtop" featured a semi-fastback roofline, frameless door glass and fixed, styled "B" pillars, structurally strong enough to contribute to occupant safety of a roll-over type accident. GM had anticipated Federal roll-over safety standards that ironically didn't materialize. More >>

1953 - 1954
Sports car sales got off to a shakey start in the US after World War 2. Understandably, many had postponed family plans, and so the resultant baby-boom made the family car a top seller, and the sports car remained a mere whimsy for the wealthy. More >>

1955 - 1957
By the end of 1956 only 3,467 Corvette's had been manufactured, in comparison with over 15,000 Ford Thunderbirds. But the direction of the Thunderbird was about to change, the decision to make it a "personal car", somewhere between a sports car and a family car, would make it easier for the Corvette to wrest the mantle of being America's favourite sports car. More >>

1958 - 1962
The 1958 Corvette saw another body freshening. This year had the most exterior chrome of the C-1 generation. From its quad headlights and hood louvers to its twin trunk spars and bumper exiting exhaust, it was the flashiest Corvette built. 1959-60 saw little changes except decreasing chrome and increasing HP. More >>

1963 - 1967
The second generation, or mid-year Corvette was designed by Larry Shinoda with major inspiration from a previous un-produced design called the "Q Corvette" by Peter Brock and Chuck Pohlmann, under the styling direction of Bill Mitchell. The design had several inspirations. The first was the contemporary Jaguar E-Type, one of which Bill Mitchell owned and enjoyed driving frequently. Mitchell also sponsored a car known as the "Mitchell Sting Ray" in 1959, because Chevrolet no longer participated in factory racing. More >>

1968 - 1982
The third generation Corvette was patterned after the "Mako Shark II" concept car. The C3 was introduced for the 1968 model year and lasted through 1982, and at 15 years was the longest running Corvette generation. It came out on top of the performance era of the 60's, sold in record numbers through the EPA rules and gas crunch of the 70's, and stood its ground against its competition into the early 80's. More>>

1958
The Impala was introduced in 1958 and was positioned as a top of the line Bel Air in either coupe or convertible. From the windshield pillar rearward, the 1958 Chevrolet Bel Air Impala differed structurally from typical Chevrolets. Hardtops had a slightly shorter greenhouse and longer rear deck, giving the impression of an extended body. More>>

1959 - 1960
The 1959 Chevrolet Impala was radically reworked sharing bodyshells with lower-end Buicks and Oldsmobiles as well as with Pontiac, part of a GM economy move, Chevrolets rode a wheelbase 11/2 inches longer than before. Atop a new X-frame chassis, roofs sat three inches lower, and bodies measured more than two inches wider overall. The growing size contributed to increased curb weight, one more trend of the times. More>>

1961 - 1964
In the US the Impala was the top car in the Chevrolet range. It was available as a four-door sedan and sport sedan, a sport coupe and convertible (both available with Super Sport equipment like bucket seats, heavy-duty coils, floor shift, and six and nine-passenger station wagons. More>>

1961 - 1964
Most noticeable on the 61 Impala was the lack of tail fins, however the options fitted to the SS and the enormous size of the 6704cc V8 were what really put the car ahead of its time. More>>

1965 - 1970
Totally redesigned in 1965, the Impala set an all-time industry annual sales record of more than 1 million units in the U.S., which has never been bettered. All new full-size Chevys eschewed the "X" frame for a full-width perimeter frame, a new body which featured curved, frameless side glass (for pillarless models), sharper angled windshield with newly reshaped vent windows, and redesigned full-coil suspension. More>>

1971 - 1976
The Impala remained Chevrolet's top-selling model with the fifth generation. A high-performance big block V8 was still available in the form of the Turbo-Jet 454, which produced 365 hp in 1971, but power decreased as the years went along. The 1971 redesigned B-body would be the largest car ever offered by Chevrolet. The hardtop Sport Coupe continued to be offered; it was a smoothly sloped semi-fastback reminiscent of the 1961 "bubbletop" styling. More>>

1977 - 1985
IThe changes in the automobile marketplace resulted in Chevrolet redesigning the Impala once again in 1977 to meet changing demands. The new downsized Impalas were shorter in length, taller and narrower than before. The new Impala's frame was a shortened version of the one introduced in 1971 and would be utilized until 1996 when the B-body production line was shut down. More>>

1924 - 1931
Walter P. Chrysler wanted the Chrysler Six to be a light vehicle, seat five passengers, and be economical to own and operate. He wanted it to be a model of durability and performance. More>>

1934 - 1937
Their engineers found that then-current two-box automobile design was so aerodynamically inefficient, that it was actually more efficient turned around backwards. More>>

1935 - 1937
While the Chrysler Airflow marked a radical departure from typical 1930’s designs, the Airstream represented a mild makeover of the 1933 “CO” amd 1934 “CA” models, albeit with a more flowing and streamlined design – something to ensure Chrysler dealerships throughout the USA literally had “something for everyone”. More>>

1960 - 1962
Perhaps the most collectable Chrysler in the world, the Ghia L6.4 has all the trademarks of a truly desirable classic automobile. More>>

1960 - 1964
The New Yorker was the flagship of the Chrysler range. As such, there were not too many things you needed to worry about. Once you had chosen the colour and upholstery fabric you were pretty much done. Everything else - and we do mean everything - was standard equipment. More>>

1963
Several car manufacturers experimented with the idea of developing a Gas Turbine car, but none got nearer to developing a fully blown production model than Chrysler. More>>

1965
The Chrysler 300-L was the last of the 300 letter cars - all of which are extremely collectable today. It was available as a two-door hardtop or as a convertible, and was the 11th in a series of performance cars which dated back to the mid 1950s – with Chrysler being the undisputed pioneers in the performance car category. More>>

1975 - 1983
The Chrysler Cordoba first appeared in 1975, a twin of the detuned, depowered Dodge Charger. Amusingly, it was originally meant to be a Plymouth, rather than a Chrysler; that was a last-minute change. The Cordoba was a B-body, one step in size above the entry-level Valiant A-body, but below the C and D bodies that usually wore the Chrysler badge. More>>

1957 - 1964
The Royal was always a style-leader, but unfortunately was well beyond the price range of the majority of new-car buyers, and as such was overlooked by many when searching for their next new car. That makes them very rare, and highly collectable. More>>

1962 - 1962
Understanding the R series Valiant requires taking a look back in time so that the car can be put into perspective. More>>

1962 - 1963
The Valiant "S" series, or SV-1, was an evolution of the R Series, it continuing the theme of a US design being locally assembled. More>>

1963 - 1965
It was in 1963, with the introduction of the AP5, that Chrysler Australia began manufacturing Valiant’s rather than just assembling them. More>>

1965 - 1966
The Valiant AP6 was an evolution of the AP5, having a facelifted split grille and introducing to the range the V8 engined Valiant "Regal", along with the “Wayfarer” utility. More>>

1965 - 1966
The release of the VC Valiant heralded the true beginning of the “Battle of the Big Three”. The Chrysler stylists had been busy creating a car that looked longer, lower and sleeker than any previous model, even though it was basically only a facelift of the previous AP5/AP6 design. More>>

1967 - 1969
The Valiant VE was an all new design, the bodywork sharing some sheet-metal with the US Plymouth Valiant and Dodge Dart; despite the US content the VE was unquestionably the most Australian Valiant to date. More>>

1969 - 1970
For our money, the face-lifted VF ushered in a new elegance and style lacking in so much of the competition, and with the introduction of the “Pacer” Chrysler clearly indicated the new found good looks would be matched by equally impressive performance. More>>

1969 - 1970
Based on the Stateside Dodge Dart, the two door utilised VF front panels but from the bulkhead back was strictly imported metal. Chrysler began with the importation of Dart panels – although they were intending to switch to local pressing if production volume had warranted it. The profile was distinctly American Dodge with a very slight hipline kicking up just to the rear of the door. More>>

1970 - 1973
Differentiating the VF over its predecessor is a little like playing a “spot the difference” test in a weekly magazine. Externally there were very few differences, apart from the now rectangular front lights, while the interior remained almost identical in every way. More>>

1971 - 1973
There was a collective sigh from Valiant aficionados in 1971 with the release of the all-new VH, particularly with those salivating for new Chrysler sheet metal. More>>

1971 - 1973
The Chrysler by Chrysler CH model was released in November 1971 in both two and four door models. Released as a replacement to the ever popular VIP model, the Chrysler CH moved even further up the luxury ladder, and was often described as a “limousine”. More>>

1973 - 1975
By the time of the release of the VJ Valiant, Chrysler’s market share was in its fourth consecutive year of decline. More>>

1973 - 1975
By 1973 the CJ version the Chrysler by Chrysler lowered its social status - and its price - a little by shedding some of its luxury trappings and moving down into the realms of its less lavishly-equipped competition. Judged in its own right, however, the Chrysler was a pretty fair match for its main opposition, the Fairlane and GMH's Statesman. More>>

1973 - 1976
The Valiant Galant was fitted with the gutsy, noisy 1600cc Saturn unit which Mitsubishi claimed produced 100 bhp at 6300 rpm. The engine was an interesting mixture of both modern and traditional features. For the time, it featured what many considered to be a sophisticated breathing system - single overhead cam, cross flow head, hemispherical combustion chambers, twin choke carburettor and smooth-l-branch exhaust manifold. More>>

1975 - 1976
The VK Valiant was yet another mild makeover of the previous VH and VJ models. The obligatory new grille design combined with a revised tail light assembly made up the more obvious of only a handful of changes, leaving many to ask why Chrysler had indeed bothered. More>>

1976 - 1978
The CL Valiant was supposed to be something special. Chrysler had been touting the fact that the all new Valiant VL would be an Australianised edition of the Plymouth Volare / Dodge Aspen intermediate sized car proving to be very popular in the US. More>>

1976 - 1978
The model range of the CL was certainly nowhere near the heady days of the VH series, when 56 different model variants were available. The development then of an entirely new model seemed at odds with the conservative approach being taken by Chrysler. More>>

1978 - 1981
The last re-styling and packaging of the 1971 VH design was to be seen in the CM Series Valiant – unfortunately this would also be the last of the prestigious lineage of Valiant’s that had graced our shores since 1962’s introduction of the “R” series. More>>

1975 - 1977
Based on the French "Simca", the Centura was considered by many to be too little too late, being released in 1975, some 8 years after the Torana and TC Cortina had made inroads and established their market share. More>>

1969 - 1970
Some indication of the Pacer's accelerative ability can be taken from the fact that a Falcon GT from that era recorded 0-60 times in the high eight seconds bracket, while the Pacer could manage around 9.1 seconds – so while it may not have beaten the V8 monster in a straight line, it would loom large in the rear view mirror. More>>

1970 - 1973
The VG Pacer had a higher performance 265, and it set a record for being the fastest mass-produced four-door six cylinder sedan produced in Australia (the record was undisputed until 1988). The relatively inexpensive Pacer's 265 had 218 hp, leading to a 15.9 second quarter mile, 8 second 0-100 km/h, and top speed of 185 km/h - all with a 3 speed transmission! More>>

1970 - 1973
A new star rose on the Australian motoring scene in 1971, with the arrival in the VH Valiant range of the short wheelbase, fastback Charger. Chrysler's TV campaign featured the young adults at whom it was targeted, waving at one as it swept by them and shouting "Hey, Charger!" - one of the more memorable TV ads of the time, it created a cliché that haunts today's owners. More>>

1971 - 1973
What was so good about the E38? Up front it was all VH Valiant, which helped to keep the costs down. The rear end treatment was an entirely different story, but it was not extraordinary nor revolutionary. The E38 ran on a 105-inch-wheelbase, and apart from the highly developed Hemi, the Charger featured power disc brakes up front and drums at the rear, twin fuel fillers and 16.0:1 steering. That was it, basically. More>>

1973 - 1975
Despite the withdrawal from touring car racing, the Charger range had proved to be one of the most successful marketing moves ever made by Chrysler. The car was a breakaway from the established principle that coupe derivations of four door sedans should be priced into a slightly more exclusive market. Charger models were, in fact, about $100 cheaper than the nearest sedan equivalents. More>>

1970 - 1982
The Chrysler 180 remained very French, despite its all-American name. It was fitted with a then new 1812cc single-overhead cam engine which, along with the four-door body, was built in France but designed by Roy Axe and Curt Gwinn in England. The design of the 180 was originally to wear the Humber badge, but that changed when the Humber brand was put out to pasture. More>>

1975 - 1980
There were serious problems with the British motor industry during the reign of the Chrysler Sunbeam. We have already written (arguably too much) on this subject, and besides, we really do like so much of British sheet metal. So writing this review will test our mettle, can we get to the end without bemoaning everything that went pear shaped during the 1970's? More>>

1975 - 1980
The Alpine - also called the Simca 1307/1308/1309 (depending on the mechanical specification) in France and other European countries - was a classic front-drive, medium-sized, five-door hatchback family saloon. More than just a well-planned and versatile model, it was hoped that it would be so good, it would ultimately be the saviour of Chrysler UK Ltd. In 1976 the company was in a desperate commercial and financial crisis, with a range of ageing models, falling demand, and nothing coming along to retrieve the situation. More>>

1976 - 1979
In 1976 Chrysler decided to market the Avenger under it’s own name, and at the same time gave the car a comprehensive makeover. The new frontal treatment featured squared off headlights, while at the rear the distinctive “hockey stick” style tail lights were dropped in favour of more conventional units. More>>

1977 - 1986
It was a little ironic that Chrysler felt they needed to unload their European operation, consisting of Chrysler UK, and Simca in France, to Peugeot in 1978 before the Horizon came on the market. The Horizon was the car intended to revive and strengthen the American subsidiary, and sales figures were excellent from the word go, and Europe's motoring writers chose the Horizon as their car of the year in 1978. More>>

1947 - 1952
Any car design that obtains the honour of being displayed at the New York Museum of Modern Art is surely the penultimate in collectable cars. More>>

1934 - 1957
Made between 1934 - 1957, the Traction Avant established Citroen's reputation as a technology leader. It had monocoque chassis, front-wheel drive, over-head valve engine and torsion bar suspension. More>>

1948 - 1990
From 1948 to 1990, nearly 4 million 2CVs rolled out of the Citroen factory, placing on the top of Citroen's own all-time best selling chart. Globally, its 42 year life span places it in second place just behind the VW Beetle. More>>

1955 - 1975
Seen as one of the most innovative cars of its era, the Citroen DS engineers introduced self-levelling suspension with hydraulic hydropneumatic struts and unique adjustable ride-height facility allowing the DS to raise itself over rough terrain. More>>

1956 - 1975
On the road the ID was 5 mph slower than the DS, but it would sprint from 0 to 60 in 17.6 seconds against the DS's 19 seconds. It was more sparing on fuel, too: 31.3 mpg compared to 28.8. The ID's conventional gear-change and clutch set-up was a touch faster and much more precise than the DS's hydraulically "cushioned" arrangement. More>>

1961 - 1978
Mechanically the Citroen Ami-6’s design was derived from that of the 2CV but it was more powerful and had a much more luxurious body. Its 602cc engine gave a maximum speed of 65 mph. At launch, in France it cost 6550 francs. This was about 13 percent more than the cheapest three-speed Dauphine, which had a higher performance. More>>

1967 - 1983
Released in September 1967 and looking a little less corrugated than the timeless 2CV, the Dyane used the same 425cc engine and was aimed as an "intermediate" model, sitting between the 2CV and Ami Six belt. Later versions gained a choice between the new 435 and 602 cc engines, the latter engine featuring higher compression pistons and forced induction from the engine fan. More>>

1970 - 1975
This prestige SM was created in 1970, and used a smaller V6 version of Maserti's quad-cam V8 motor, combined with Citroen's already well developed front wheel drive that had its gearbox/transaxle unit slung ahead of the compact engine. Now, at last, a performance Citroen. More>>

1973 - 1976
The Ami Super was a flat-4 variant of the original Ami, powered by the engine of the GS and produced between 1973 and 1976. At the launch of the GS, its original flat 4 cylinder air-cooled 1015cc 55 bhp DIN engine was considered to be under powered. With surplus engines available, Citroen decided to fit the engine into the Ami 8 in January 1973. More>>

1973 - 1979
The Citroen GS 1220 possessed that quality of ugliness which only the chic French could make admirable. The controversial shape packed in the maximum passenger and luggage space within a minimum road space. More>>

1974 - 1979
The immediate impression created by the CX was that it was a clever styling mixture of GS and SM, a recommendation in itself. Technically too it was an amalgam of everything that was advanced in the then current Citroen models, wrapped in a most elegant, ultra-modern body. More>>

1976 - 1983
First released in Australia in 1976 in 2.2 litre form, by 1981 the CX 2400 would be the only model Citroen would offer in Australia. The car was actually first released in Europe in 1974, then replacing the long standing D series that had been in continuous production for more than twenty years. More>>

1978 - 1987
The Visa Club's neat four door body had a distinctive thermoplastic nose section with the traditional loftiness of its forebears, while wheel-arch gaps suggested that this Citroen had all the suspension travel expected of the breed. Certainly, a great deal of attention was paid to the creature comforts of the driver and passengers. More>>

1979 - 1982
Citroen's useful and amusing plastic-bodied, 2CV-engined Mehari (Camel) became an even more useful vehicle when it was endowed with four-wheel-drive in 1979. The ageless air-cooled twin-cylinder baxermator (602 cc, 29 bhp/21.62 kW) was attached to a gearbox with drive-shaft to the rear wheels, and hey presto, the 4WD Mehari was created. More>>

1983 - 1994
The Citroen BX is important to remember as being the very first new car from the PSA group. It showed a sense of co-operation between Peugeot and Citroen without losing the individuality of the Citroen marque. The basic floorpan of the BX served as a foundation for other cars from the group, and had a 104.5-inch wheelbase and the well known hydropneumatic suspension system. More>>

1990 - 1998
The Citroen ZX was arguably the most conventional major model in the company's history. There was no hydropneumatic suspension - it was considered too expensive. There was no futuristic body style - such an idea was considered too avant garde for what Citroen's Peugeot masters claimed was a conservative market. There wasn't even the single-spoke wheel, which had been a long-time Citroen trademark. More>>

1937 - 1938
The Clan was the brainchild of Paul Haussauer. With an Oxford engineering degree, involving a 5-year apprenticeship with General Electric, and a brief spell in a plastics firm under his belt, he joined Lotus in 1965 to learn about the specialised car industry. As Assistant Projects Engineer he worked on the Elan S3 and S4 as well as the Elite, but he felt that there was still space at the bottom end of the two-seater sports GT market. More>>

1937 - 1938
The last of the Cords was also the last of the American front wheel drivers for some 30 years, until the Oldsmobile Toronado was released. Already known for making front wheel drive vehicles, this Cord was no different however instead of using a straight 8 it was powered by a side valve V8. The car featured retracting headlights and wrap around grille that sat below a long sleek hood. More>>

1939 - 1942
Perhaps one of the strangest vehicles to come out of the US of A was the Crosley, a sub compact car that began life in 1939 and survived until 1952. What was so unique about the Crosley was its humble design, based very much on the small sub-compact cars from Europe, and built in a country where the traditional sedans bonet was longer than this little car. More>>

1946 - 1952
After WWII the 1946 model Crosleys were introduced. Known as the "Roundside", Crosley modified the body work by creating a more square and modern look. But the biggest improvement to the little car was the implementation of an overhead cam 4 cylinder engine. While the prices went up marginally, the Crosley remained America's cheapest car, and in some respects became a leader in innovation. More>>

1966 - 1974
The DAF44 made its debut in 1966, and featured an attractive and larger body to previous iterations. The design was penned by Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti, who was able to take the utalitarian and make it rather more pleasing to the eye. More>>

1967 - 1974
The DAF33 made its debut a year after the 44, effectively replacing the Daffodil when the company decided to drop the flowery name altogther. DAF then had two distinct bodies from which to chose, the "A" body as used for the 33, and the "B" body as used for the 44. More>>

1967 - 1972
DAF entered two 55´s in the 1968 London-Sydney Marathon, and despite plenty of cars that were not able to complete the arduous trek the two little DAF's accounted for themselves very well, finishing in position 17 and 57. More>>

1979 - 1985
On bush tracks the Daihatsu really shined, the relatively large engine size (in comparison to body size) allowing the performance to be leisurely, and unlike the Suzuki, not requiring the driver to continually change cogs to get the best out of it. The achilles heel when off-road was found with the standard dampers, they fading rapidly on corrugated and hard-packed ripple surfaces, giving the car a pitch and bounce ride. Many owners chose to replace these dampers with good quality after market units – a strategy that quickly solved the problem. More>>

1981 -
The diminutive Charade was the star performer among petrol-engined vehicles in the 1980 Australian Total Oil Economy Run, achieving a staggering 5.4 litres per 100 kilometres over the 1600 km course, which included mountainous conditions and had to be negotiated at high average speeds that required some energetic driving, especially by crews of the smaller cars. More>>

1984 - 1987
These days buying a turbo charged car is par for the course, but in the early 80’s it was a rare thing, and usually associated with a performance vehicle. And that is exactly what the Daihatsu Charade Turbo was – a genuine hot hatch at a bargain basement price. When the Charade hit the showrooms it was asking just A$9195 – and it was almost as quick as the Nissan EXA. More>>

1984 - 1987
When the Daihatsu DeTomaso Turbo Charade first appeared at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1982, there were more than a few chuckles from various motoring journalists and writers - surely this was a "concept only" toy car that would never make it into serious production. More>>

1984 - 1999
The Rocky went on to enjoy a long 15 year stay, however in the latter years the vehicle was seen as rather primitive. The 2.0 litre petrol engine was phased out in 1989, followed by the non-turbo diesel in 1990. By the mid 1990's the off road virtues of leaf spring suspension were largely forgotten, and the competition had evolved well beyond the solid underpinnings of the Rocky. What was once seen as solid was now perceived as primitive. More>>

1953 - 1956
Daimler replaced its elderly Consort model with an all new 'Conquest' model in 1953. The new Conquest had a shorter overall length and consequently less weight than the old Consort and was of a more modern design, finally leaving the pre-war styling cues behind. More>>

1959 - 1968
An unlikely high performer the Daimler Majestic was fitted with a brand new 4.7 litre hemi-head V8 that gave the vehicle a top speed of 193 km/h. Quicker than rival Jaguars and an astonishing 0 to 100 km/h in 9.7 seconds. More>>

1959 - 1968
This striking coupe built on the "104" chassis, so called because the prototype topped 104mph was made by Mulliners using a composite alloy/steel construction. Technically known as the 4 light saloon it became universally known as the Sportsman Coupe. Performance easily exceeded the 104 mph due to lighter weight and superior aerodynamics. Daimlers records, never complete at the best of times show app 69 cars built. More>>

1959 - 1964
The SP250 was designed to appeal to export markets - most particularly the USA - but never sold in the hoped-for quantities, nor was it ever profitable to its makers. Daimler, in fact, were taken over by Jaguar in 1960, who persevered with the SP250, eventually developing two improved versions of it, all with the same styling. More>>

1962 - 1969
Think of a V8 Daimler from the early 1960s and you will think of the SP250 - and why not, it was a brilliant car. But there was another V8 Daimler that came in saloon form, and was very nearly the equal. The 2.6 litre V8 was Daimler's sole representative in the medium price, luxury car field, but it offered performance equalled by only a few. More>>

1979 - 1987
Introduced in March 1979, the Series III versions of the Jaguar/ Daimler range represented a successful attempt to broaden the appeal of the vehicle with a number of important modifications which, most notably, modernized its appearance. More>>

1964 - 1967
The 'Pininfarina' designed P410 Bluebird replaced the English inspired design of the 310/311/312 series, and usered in Datsun's use of unitary construction of the body, rather than a separate chassis. More>>

1964 - 1967
The 'Pininfarina' designed P410 Bluebird replaced the English inspired design of the 310/311/312 series, and usered in Datsun's use of unitary construction of the body, rather than a separate chassis. More>>

1964 - 1967
The 'Pininfarina' designed P410 Bluebird replaced the English inspired design of the 310/311/312 series, and usered in Datsun's use of unitary construction of the body, rather than a separate chassis. More>>

1964 - 1967
The 'Pininfarina' designed P410 Bluebird replaced the English inspired design of the 310/311/312 series, and usered in Datsun's use of unitary construction of the body, rather than a separate chassis. More>>

1964 - 1967
The 'Pininfarina' designed P410 Bluebird replaced the English inspired design of the 310/311/312 series, and usered in Datsun's use of unitary construction of the body, rather than a separate chassis. More>>

1965 - 1970
The lack of handling compared to its rivals resulted in Datsun not having the sales success they had hoped for - and needing to design an entirely new type of car. Enter the 240Z and the title of 'World's best selling sports car'. More>>

1967 - 1970
Released in 1967, the Datsun 1000 would quickly become one of the world's most popular small cars, and in just 2 short years Datsun had managed to manufacture and sell over half-a-million of them. More>>

1967 - 1972
When the Datsun 1600 hit Australian dealerships, the car was nothing short of a revelation. Sure, there was competition, but to come anywhere near the potential you needed to fork out around A$3000. You could shop around, and get near the quality for $2500 but you would have been peeing the proverbial against the wall. More>>

1967 - 1972
From 1967 to 1972 there was a car that won the respect of nearly everyone that drove it. Perhaps with less showroom appeal than the competition, the Datsun 1600 quickly etched itself into the psyche of many young Australians as arguably the first true "Performance 4". More>>

1969 - 1974
Early in 1969 Datsun was to release their "family six" alternative to the big Aussie sedans of the day, the handsome "Big Datsun Six". But Australia was one of some fifty-seven countries where the all new car was unveiled, it truly being a world car. More>>

1969 - 1975
Building street cred with such vehicles as the Honda S800 and Toyota 2000GT, Japan was starting to emerge as a legitimate sports car maker. The challenge for the Japanese was to break into the lucrative US market. More>>

1970 - 1973
The Datsun 1200 was the second generation Sunny in Japan. This new Sunny sported MacPherson strut front suspension and the A series engine had grown to 1171cc. More>>

1973 - 1977
Never a glamorous car in its hey day, the perennial 120Y can still be seen on the highways of today and, due to its poor road manners is not particularly collectable. But, as with all cars that have been out of production for over 20 years, they are becoming more scarce and an extremely good condition vehicle could just make a good buying decision. More>>

1973- 1977
Both the 180B and 200B models were extremely popular with Australian motorists, although it is rare to see one on the roads today. The time is fast approaching when 70's nostalgia buffs will lust for a good clean example, only to find there are none. More>>

1973- 1977
The 180 B SSS hardtop was a punchy, willing performer, but the main emphasis was on luxury and exclusivity. Unlike the 180B sedan, it was fully imported from Japan and the 45 per cent tariff burden precluded any chance of a saturation sales campaign. Notwithstanding, for 1973 its basic, manual-transmission price of A$3395 assured a competitive footing in the small prestige coupe market. More>>

1974 - 1978
Despite the increase in engine capacity, the new "Z" was actually slightly slower, and less sporting, than its predecessor. While it remained on sale to global markets for four years, in the US (which was its principle market) it was replaced by the lustier 280Z in less than a year. More>>

1977 - 1981
The Datsun 180B was replaced in October of 1977 with the 200B. Continuing with the Japanese styling the sedan was released with the fully imported as a sedan, a coupe that retained the SSS badge and a wagon. More>>

1977 - 1981
Launched outside of Japan in 1979, the Datsun Skyline was really a technically sophisticated coupe update of the old 240Z GT fastback, which was subsequently replaced by the 260Z and then the 280ZX. More>>

1978 - 1982
In Australia we knew it as the Stanza, but in other markets it was variously known as the "Violet", "Auster", "510", and "160J". Available locally in either GL or better equipped GX form, the Stanza was a revival of the shape and specification of the original highly successful Datsun 1600, which to our mind was the first really good Japanese car to be marketed overseas. More>>

1978 - 1983
It is always hard to follow up a brilliant first model car with subsequent iterations. Manufacturers really have no choice - they have to keep their product fresh in an attempt to lure buyers into their showrooms. More>>

1979 - 1982
The Datsun Cherry first appearing in 1970, then weighing 1477 Ib (670 kg). It was 11.84 ft (3.61 metres) long, and was one of the first Japanese front-drive cars. Over the years the Cherry ripened in size and weight, so much so that the third generation model, released in 1979, weighed 1885-1940 Ib (855-880 kg) in running order, and was 12.76 ft (3.89 metres) long. More>>

1979 - 1986
The fully imported Sunny was introduced in early 1979 as a successor to the outgoing 120Y model, and to supplement the locally built Stanza which had failed to produce the expected sales figures for Nissan. But following in the 120Y’s footsteps would certainly be a hard act to follow, particularly when the 120Y’s two major attributes were that it was both low priced an inexpensive to run. More>>

1981 - 1986
In May 1981 the 200B was replaced with the Bluebird. The styling of the Bluebird moved towards a more European look with lower waistlines and simple lines. Retaining much of the running gear from the 200B, with a front engine, rear drive layout. More>>

1966 - 1974
Historically speaking, the mid 1960s could well have been the apogee of the type of small company which took 'off-the-shelf' items from standard cars and arrived at a vehicle specification which proved to be simple to construct yet which endowed the finished motor car with reserves of power, road-holding and handling far in excess of the rather prosaic motor cars produced by the big companies. A typical example of this kind of approach was in the products of Davrian Developments. More>>

1911
DeLorean's have a fibreglass body tub to which the stainless steel panels are bolted and a mild steel chassis which has an resin coating to protect against rust. More>>

1966 - 1971
While looking every bit the Italian exotic, the power was to come from the bargain Ford 289 ci V8 - but of course it was the Shelby-tuned version that had already appeared in AC Cobra, Ford GT-40 and Mustang GT-350. More>>

1970 - 1990
Powered by a Ford "Cleveland" 351 (5.7 litre) V8, this Italian-built exotic was able to offer supercar performance at a bargain price. Dubbed "The Poor Man's Lamborghini", the close relationship between Ford and De Tomaso saw Ford fully back the Pantera project in order to boost its image. More>>

1972 - 1984
The Deauville was designed to deliver high-performance luxury transportation for four, and featured a flowing-yet-muscular design, handsome from any angle. More>>

1972 - 1989
When the Longchamps was released, Alejandro de Tomaso had been designing, racing and building cars for 20 years. By that time Ford had completely bought out his interest in Ghia, Vignale and De Tomaso Automobili, so there was plenty of speculation as to what he would do with the superb looking Longchamp prototype. More>>

1981 - 1983
DeLorean's have a fibreglass body tub to which the stainless steel panels are bolted and a mild steel chassis which has an resin coating to protect against rust. More>>

1960- 1973
The Phoenix was introduced in May 1960 as an Australian assembled version of the American Dodge Dart, positioned above the locally developed Chrysler Royal. It was offered only as a four door sedan and only with a 318 ci V8 engine. The Dart represented a then new American category between compacts and full-sized sedans - and it appealed to Australian motorists - who wanted a large but not gigantic luxury car with loads of power. More>>

1966 - 1969
Production of the Dodge Charger commenced in 1966, the car fitted with the 383ci, 325-horsepower V-8. Styling was based on the "fastback" roofline, featuring hidden headlights and four bucket seats. More>>

1970 - 1974
While the Charger is the muscle car most highly regarded today, the Challenger remains a close runner up and, like its predecessor, was available as a R/T model in both 2 door coupe and convertible configurations. As with all such American cars, the 'base' engine was an in-line six-cylinder unit, but the most exciting of the V8's, and the one which most people bought, was the 426ci 7 litre 'Hemi'. More>>

1980 - 1989
The Chrysler Corporation, deep in financial trouble by 1980, announced its front-drive 'K Cars', seemingly late in the day for the small US car race, but there was little doubt the corporation was depending very much on the new downsized models to get back in the black. More>>

1992 - 2002
From the late 70s to early 80s, Chrysler was troubled by recession and bankruptcy. New president Lee Iacocca introduced a radical cost reduction regime, reducing models and reducing platforms - eventually to only one (the boring front-drive K-car platform). These changes helped Chrysler return to profitability, but the model lineup was unadventurous and hardly inspired car enthusiasts. More>>

1957 - 1959
The 1957 Edsel has been rather unceremoniously referred to as a marketing blunder. Timing was probably the major reason for its reputation, as car buyers at the time were looking more for smaller vehicles and the Edsel became a victim of its own massive hype. Ford pitched this car at the lower medium market sector and forecast sales to be in the 200,000 region. More>>

1963 - 1990
Vintage and veteran cars began to become popular in the 1950s and 1960s, collectors and scouring the world looking for un-discovered cars. Soon most of the available cars were in the hands of collectors and prices began to escalate dramatically, so much so that the less wealthy enthusiast was unable to even to contemplate buying a vintage car. Many owners simply put their cars away as investments in just the same way as paintings and other antiques. More>>

1967 - 1976
Introduced in late 1968, the TX cars offer the individuality of the specialist sports car with the easy servicing and maintenance of the mass-produced sports car. The Fairthorpes-based on a backbone chassis, are powered by 1500 or 2000cc Triumph engines and designated the TX1500 and TX2000 respectively. More>>

1954 - 1955
Long on performance but short on tolerance, the Monza was as a potent as it was beautiful. It became known as a mean machine, with a killer-car reputation. At the 1955 Le Mans it proved that it was no ordinary car as it hurled the 750 Monza Ferrari around the Sarthe circuit. More>>

1956 - 1961
The phrase "Testa Rossa" means "red head." The most well known, the 250TR, was produced from 1957 to 1958; only 2 factory cars and 19 customer cars were built. After the 250 GTO, the 250 Testa Rossa is the second most valuable Ferrari model A 1957 250 TR sold in 2011 for $16,400,000, a new world record auction price for a car. More>>

1962 - 1964
GTO - three letters signifying a peak in a famous, possibly the most famous, autohistory. 12 cylinders, 3 litres, 280bhp, 175mph - bald figures, without gazing at the sleek aluminium coachwork. More>>

1964 - 1968
The Ferrari road car really made its presence felt with the release of the 275 GTB. For the first time Ferrari had produced a car with sophisticated suspension ensuring that a car as quick as this could be driven in comfort. More>>

1967 - 1974
Designated "206GT", in which 20 means 2.0 litres and 6 means six cylinders, the engine was actually built by Fiat and shared with Fiat Dino, not because it would be cheaper, but because Ferrari needed the additional volume to qualify for FIA's production requirement for racing engines. More>>

1968 - 1973
The Ferrari Daytona 365 GTB/4 was perceived proudly by the manufacturer as its last attempt at superfast front-engined Grand Tourers. More>>

1973 - 1980
When introduced in 1973 (officially unveiled at the Paris Motor Show) the Ferrari Dino 308 GT4 was much more than a big brother to the familiar, beautiful little 246GT. It was almost an entirely new car, save for the steering wheel and alloy road wheels. More>>

1975 - 1985
There was something special about the 308 GTB. It represented the then latest Ferrari's Dinos and it had its suspension tune polished by no less a test driver than world champion Niki Lauda. Sceptics suggested that Lauda's name was hung on all the Ferraris, but it wasn't so. At Fiorano, Ferrari's own test track outside Modena in north eastern Italy, Lauda spent a lot of time roaring around the track being monitored by TV cameras all the way. More>>

1976 - 1989
An automatic Ferrari - the idea seemed almost like sacrilege when the 400 was introduced in 1978. Somehow it seemed totally out of keeping with the Italian marque's traditions, as was the fact that the automatic transmission was from the American giant General Motors. More>>

1977 - 1985
Noise is both difficult and expensive to engineer out of a car – it is inherent in the engine and gearbox. But when a manufacturer creates the perfect balance of mechanical noise, it can only be enhanced when such a car is available sans roof. Even with the wind charging over the top of the windscreen of the Ferrari 308 GTS at high speed every sound was to be enjoyed, savoured. More>>

1994 - 1999
The Ferrari F355 was the first new model under the new vision Luca di Montezemolo. Individual butterfly valves for each cylinder improved throttle response, resulting in a record-breaking 108.7 hp/litre specific output. In total, there are 380 horses running under the F355's bonet at 8,250 rpm. More>>

2003 -
While Ferrari increased the size of the already awesome V12 engine to 5748cc, it is the Formula 1 derived transmission for which the 575M Maranello is most famous. More>>

2003 -
The F60 develops a blistering 650bhp, has seven gears and punches to 100 km/h from a standstill in 3.2sec, just 0.1 seconds slower than the Ferrari F2002 of Michael Schumacher! More>>

1955 - 1960
The Fiat 1100 is built on very practical lines. It was well equipped, for a low-priced car, with such refinements as a really good heating and ventilating system, screen washers, self-parking wipers, and lights in engine and luggage compartments. More>>

1955 - 1977
The Fiat 600 series was part of the postwar Italian 'Economic Miracle' and was produced in relatively large numbers from its debut at the Geneva Motorshow of 1955. More>>

1957 - 1977
This tiny egg-shaped car is now seen in somewhat cult status with its miniature size appealing to millions. It was introduced in 1957 as a type of transportation for the masses and by the end of production some four million were built. More>>

1963 - 1967
The 1500 Cabriolet was an enjoyable car to drive. It was aimed more at the touring sports car buyer than at the race driver, and it performed and handled almost as well as more powerful sports cars in its price class. More important to most buyers of two-seater roadsters was the fact that the Fiat was very comfortable, extremely smooth and quiet, and had more usable luggage space than almost any other car in its class. More>>

1963 - 1972
The Abarth was also no noisier than the 500, despite the two very large diameter tail pipes of the special exhaust system. Best of all, the Abarth conversion made an already good car "great", just as reliable, incredibly nimble, more agile and with the Italian flair for knowing what a driver enjoys. In a word - Brilliant. More>>

1965 - 1972
Like any entirely new model, it was only natural that the Fiat 500 should mature. Thankfully Fiat resisted the temptation to enlarge the car, nor change the character - but maybe that was because it had become so damn popular. Just as collectable as the original Fiat 500, just as sexy, and one of the only micro cars that a bloke will look "seriously cool" driving. And while we can't give it a 5 star collectability rating, it deserves the 5 star cool rating. More>>

1965 - 1971
The 850 sportscar arrived just a year after the saloon model in 1965 as a neat fast-back four seater. Despite near useless rear seats the 850 was hugely popular. More>>

1966 - 1973
In 1969 the Fiat Dino had its V6 engine increased from two to 2.4 litres, and its cylinder block was cast in iron instead of light-alloy. The new block was standardised to simplify manufacture (the old light-alloy block had separate cylinder liners which had to be inserted) and to ensure against water leaks as the engine aged. More>>

1966 - 1974
At first glance the 124 could be considered unremarkable; it was boxy and had un-aerodynamic lines, being obviously based on the earlier 1100 Saloon, but those lines were also functional and were capable of containing five adults in reasonable comfort. An wagon version was announced at the same time. More>>

1966 - 1985
Manufactured for nearly 20 years shows why the Spider has been one of the most successful Italian sportscars ever produced. More>>

1967 - 1972
In 1968 the Fiat 125, with a fully imported price of A$2898, was arguably one of the best value cars in Australia, apart from the Big Three compact models and the eternal Peugeot 404. The 124 sold quite well in Australia too, but was deemed a little pricey for its size and weight by some, although they probably never actually drove it. More>>

1971 - 1977
Despite being unpopular this car was actually very finely engineered with perfect proportions and superb elegance with ample room for four passengers. More>>

1972 - 1982
Unfortunately many believed the Fiat 132 was a somewhat backward step, particularly given that the car, as a replacement for the Fiat 125, retained both rear-wheel-drive and a live back-axle. The cars lower line met with a mixed reception, some people considering that the 132's shape was "Japanese-inspired". More>>

1972 - 1982
Fiat X1/9 was the earliest lightweight mid-engined sports car made - the biggest challenge at the time being how to locate all the mechans without compromising useable space. More>>

1972 - 1993
The Fiat 126, successor to the 500, represented a modernisation and mild revision of the old Fiat 500 formula. The result was a low-priced car with a rather more boxy outward appearance, but still possessing all the desirable qualities of the earlier Fiat 500. More>>

1974 - 1984
Motoring journalists at the time noted that the 131 Mirafiori's engine was "...more lusty than refined", churning out the power eagerly. It was not a great car, but it was well accomplished and offered a better than reasonable drive for the money. More>>

1974 - 1980
The Abarth acted as a replacement for the valiant 123 Spider as Fiat's warhorse for road events. The main modifications included: two-litre engine with twin overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, 140-147 bhp DIN (104 - 110 kW), five speed gearbox, independent rear suspension, four wheel disc brakes, extra wide wheelrims and aerodynamic stabilisers on the chunky bodywork. More>>

1978 - 1988
It would be difficult to determine whether it was the Alfasud or the Fiat Strada that won the “race to rust” championship, but both were worthy contenders and near the top of their field in their ability to self destruct. More>>

1980 - 1986
The small front-drive Fiat Panda was so named, we assume, because of its stripey look. Most people were no doubt thankful that the Fiat Group decided to abandon type-numbering for their cars with the introduction of the Panda, and more would fall in love with the cars practical and clever design, which due to the use of many already-in-production components, minimised its manufaccturing problems. More>>

1981 - 1986
The Italian flair for high performance luxury cars was never more evident than in 1981 when Fiat released the second major facelift of the 132 model, the wonderful Argenta. At the time it was Fiat's Australian flagship, and for good reason. The new model was bristling with modern technology, and was brimming with high equipment levels. More>>

1985 - 1996
The Croma received a significant facelift in 1991 with new front design including changes to the lights, bumpers grille and sheet-metal changes to wings and bonnet. Also in 1991 the direct injected diesel engine was equipped with variable geometry turbocharger. The original Fiat Croma was a much loved favourite of the used-car bargain-hunter in Europe, but was strangely berated by everyone else (including Fiat dealers). More>>

1969 - 1972
The Ford Capri was first introduced into Australia in May, 1969 and was initially available only as a 1600 Deluxe or a 1600 GT. In February, 1970, the 1600 GT was replaced by the more powerful V6 3000GT, although a 1600 XL model was introduced to fill the void left by the 1600 GTs demise. More>>

1969 - 1970
Capri 1600 GT - "The car that reshapes your life" was how the official Ford brochure described the Capri! .....you slip behind the wheel and something happens. The world suddenly looks a little better to you. And you relax back in your snug bucket seat knowing that your Capri makes you look a little better to the world, too. More>>

1970 - 1972
The Capri 3000GT was released into Australia in 25th February, 1970, and then only as a 4-speed manual. Although a little pricey, it was an immediate success, selling 1,502 units to the end of 1970. The 3-speed Borg Warner 35 automatic version was released later in the year and sold some 167 units before years end. More>>

1970 - 1973
The name ‘Perana’ coined by Basil Green Motors, of Johannesburg for its engine transplant conversions on popular Ford models has come to be synonymous with “performance", both on road and track. More>>

1970 - 1974
Mike May (Europe's first Formula Junior champion and a winning Spyder RS racer) was a German-domiciled Swiss turbo specialist – and his V6 2.6 turbo kit was keyed to a specific engine/gearing combination, as designed on his own engine dyno. These were then sold as after-sales kits through selected Ford dealers. More>>

1970 - 1974
The one millionth Ford Capri was an RS2600, and was built in August 1973. This Capri was never officially sold in the UK, although a few have now been imported. More>>

1973 - 1974
In November 1973, at Ford's Halewood plant in the UK, production of the RS3100 began. Production of the RS3100 actually overlapped with the Capri MKII and was intermittent at best. More>>

1974 - 1978
In February 1974, the Capri Mk2 was introduced. After 1.2 million cars sold, and with the 1973 oil crisis, Ford chose to make the new car more suited to everyday driving, with a shorter bonnet, larger cabin and the adoption of a hatchback rear door. More>>

1974 - 1978
One of the lesser known iterations of the iconic Capri was the Ferguson Formula. Only subtle clues marked this Capri as different from the thousands of other Cologne-built coupes. A skid plate neatly tucked under the front end and a small bulge to the right of the transmission hump hinted at the extensive modifications within. More>>

1974 - 1978
Today there is a growing allegiance of Capri aficionados, and one of the most keenly sought is the Capri Ghia V6 3 Litre. At launch the Capri II 3000 GT was considered to be one of the best value-for-money performance cars on the market, although the replacement of the "GXL" and "E" iterations with the Ghia moniker did not present quite the value you would have expected. More>>

1978 - 1986
The Capri MKIII, officially referred to as "Project Carla", was little more than an update of the MKII. Production began in April 1977 with the first cars being available in March 1978, but failed to halt a terminal decline in sales. However, this model was used in the TV series The Professionals, which was credited with keeping interest in the car in the UK. More>>

1962 - 1966
In the late 1950’s it was apparent that the aging Anglia 105E would no longer be able to maintain it’s market share, and an all new car would be needed to help Ford compete against the likes of the Vauxhall Victor and Hillman Minx. More>>

1962 - 1966
The Estate Wagon version of the Consul-Cortina was very popular at release - and for good reason - it was an exceptionally good and well packaged car. It was economical too, with an overall fuel consumption figure of around 20 mpg, rising to around 25 on the open highway, and around 18 mpg in city traffic. More>>

1963 - 1966
The Consul-Cortina GT quickly garnered a stellar reputation. There were factory teams and privately owned cars that were all doing well in saloon races in the UK – and this inevitably led to success on the European rally circuit. Ford felt the car was so good that they decided to export it to the USA. More>>

1963 - 1970
When Colin Chapman and Ford collaborated to develop a race and rally winner - the end result was the Lotus Cortina. From Ford came the basic two door Cortina shell and front suspension, where Lotus installed its own 105 bhp twin-cam engine, close ratio 4-speed gearbox and rear suspension. More>>

1965
A car seldom remembered these days, except perhaps for the Cortina aficionados, is the wonderful Cortina GT500. The brainchild of Harry Firth, the GT500 was manufactured by Ford Australia to satisfy homologation rules to allow it to race in  the Armstrong 500. More>>

1966 - 1972
The second incarnation of the Cortina was designed by Roy Haynes, and launched on the 18th October 1966, four years after the original. Although the launch was accompanied by the slogan "New Cortina is more Cortina", the car, at 168 inches (430 cm) in length, was fractionally shorter than before. More>>

1966 - 1972
In autumn 1966 the Mk.II Cortina GT was released. The body was, of course, completely restyled, along with the entire Cortina lineup, but initially the car was still using most of the Mk.I GT drivetrain. More>>

1966 - 1970
With the Mark 2 Cortina, Ford would continue their association with Lotus. The new model Cortina retained much of its dynamic performance too, yet it was a much more refined car than its predecessor. More>>

1967 - 1970
One of the best loved versions of the Cortina appeared in 1967, the 1600E. The 1600E offered a blend of sporting style and luxury with its comprehensive specification. Standard equipment included sports suspension, Rostyle 5.5" J rim wheels, spot lamps, vinyl roof and metallic paint. More>>

1967 - 1970
The "Big Engine - Light Chassis" formula had been tried before, and Uren knew that significant chassis modification would be required if the V6 iteration was to be anything more than simply a quick straight-line performer. More>>

1970 - 1974
There are perhaps 2 main reasons for the downturn in the popularity of the Cortina, for starters the Japanese were making big inroads at the time, and unfortunately the Cortina was quickly gaining a bad reputation for poor quality and reliability. More>>

1974 - 1977
Most commentators of the day knew that the objective of the TD release was to remedy the misdemeanours of the previous model, but many lamented the continued lack of quality and poor road manners. Brake fade, steering with a mind of its own on unmade surfaces and, in the case of the 4 cylinder, completely underwhelming performance became the hallmarks of the TD. More>>

1977 - 1979
When the TE body style first appeared it almost created a sensation; it was the first of the European-look medium cars. It looked impressive and solid, and gave an air of rugged dependability. Buyers were familiar with the engines and their reliability had never been in doubt. More>>

1980 - 1983
The rest of the world knew it as the Cortina Mark V, but here in Australia we knew it as the TF. Released in 1980, there were 4 variants, from the L, GL and Ghia variants and with an optional S-Pack also available (There was over $1000 of options on the S Pack list, but Ford only asked for an extra $583). More>>

1983 - 1987
When the Telstar was launched Ford claimed that the Cortina replacement was very nearly sourced from the UK, and the brilliant Sierra. Instead we got Toyo Kogyo’s 626 - partly because of Ford’s existing relationship with the Mazda sourced Laser/Meteor range, and partly because adapting the Sierra for Australian compliance and roads would have been a little more expensive. More>>

1968 - 1975
The rear-wheel-drive Mk1 Escort came as an 1100 or 1300 and in both 2 or 4 door sedan, and in some markets also as a two-door estate, or in sporty form as a GT or Twin Cam. All the Escort engines were based on a new Kent crossflow unit, which proved very suitable for tuning and modification. More>>

1968 - 1970
While other sporting Ford's could be called sedans capable of being raced or rallied, the Twin-Cam Escort was unashamedly a racing sedan de-tuned for road use. In production form, with quantity sales needed to justify its homologaation as a Touring Car, the Twin-Cam gave the customer exactly what they expected More>>

1970 - 1974
The successful Escort Twin Cam was replaced by the more powerful Escort in 1968, the RS1600. The letters "RS" stood for "Rally Sport", a brand name invented by Ford and one that continued for many years. Quickly the term "RS" came to be known for high performance Ford's. More>>

1975 - 1981
The first major styling revision occurred in 1975, giving the Escort a crisp lean flowing style that was well in proportion and arguably a cut above the small car offerings emanating from Japan. The interior was always functional, but was somewhat Spartan in comparison to the Japanese cars – but on the plus side the seats were extremely comfortable even on very long drives. More>>

1975 - 1981
For the over ten years that the Ford Escorts was on the Australian market, it underwent many and varied model improvements, including different engines and changes to its  image. Starting off with the 1.1 litre Kent, they had six engines in the next eight years, and by 1981 the 1.6 litre was offered on the L Sedan, with the option of the 2.01itre in the GL, and the 2.0 litre only in the top-of-the-line Ghia. More>>

1975 - 1977
Based on the Mk II Escort the RS1800 closely followed the original RS1600 concept. The RS1800 used a 1835cc version of the Cosworth BDA engine and produced 115bhp. Many special features were standard on the RS1800 including stiffened suspension, wide wheels and an uprated gearbox. More>>

1976 - 1980
The RS2000 used a 110bhp Pinto engine which meant the car could reach over 110mph. Cosmetically, the biggest difference to the previous model was in the uniquely angled GRP nose panel which contained four headlamps. More>>

1980 - 1986
The long-awaited 'Erika' was an expensive event for the Ford Motor Company, and revealed itself to be the Company's second front-drive model, but with an even more upmarket specification than the Fiesta which had brought them into the front-drive/transverse engine sector. More>>

1981- 1984
The concept of the RS 1600i Escort was defined in the prototype shown almost at the 1980 Frankfurt car show, and the definitive version of the car went on to be produced in the number of 5000 necessary for homologation in Group A. More>>

1986 - 1990
The Escort Mark III received a facelift in early 1986. Codenamed within Ford as "Erika–86", it was instantly recognisable as an updated version of the previous model, with a smooth style nose and the "straked" rear lamp clusters smoothed over. More>>

1981 - 1983
Ford's long serving rear-wheel-drive Escort was due for replacement both here in Australia and in Europe. Through various model updates and styling changes the Escort was able to stay in service far longer than its mechanical specifications suggested it should, although the smallest of the Ford’s always had a huge allegiance of fans, and we are sure many will take us to task on making this claim. More>>

1983 - 1985
The Laser/Meteor range was a pleasantly straight forward product which had established itself as a number one in the small car market by the end of 1982, with sales in excess of 50,000. Meteor backed this performance right from its introduction in March 1983. More>>

1967 - 1968
Through the years, the various models of Fairlane followed the Falcon onto the market, changing when the Falcon did, and using their own unique two letter code to distinguish the cars. The ZA closely followed the XR Falcon onto the market, and used many of the smaller car’s components, not just drivetrain and suspension, but even the doors were the same. More>>

1968 - 1969
Minor revisons to the front and rear styling marked the ZB. The tail lamp treatment was altered, retaining the large square Galaxie style lampdivided into 2 parts by a rectangular indicator lens, replacing the central circular one. The optional V8 changed too, increasing in size form 289ci to 302ci. The range retained its two trim levels, Custom and upscale 500. More>>

1969 - 1970
The ZC marked the first noticeable change to the Fairlane, swapping from horizontal to vertical headlamp orientation. For long a U.S. styling device, it was unusual that Ford in Australia would go to this design after it had been abandoned across the Pacific. By necessity it did raise the front wings to accommodate the lights and this gave the ZC a larger and more imposing look. More>>

1970 - 1972
There were minor styling changes to the ZD, the grille became bolder and the tail lamps were changed and separated by a broad trim panel. While the car had not altered much in style, it retained its grip on the market place, despite the appearance of locally produced rivals. More>>

1972 - 1973
The ZF marked a complete new re-styling of the Fairlane, now wholly Australian designed and produced. It is easy to see that the design was influenced by the new XA Falcon, retaining, as the previous cars had done, the basic central structure including the doors, and bulking out either end. More>>

1972 - 1973
The ZG marked yet another gentle revision of its predecessor with a bolder, four horizontal bar grille and tail lamp tweaks. More>>

1976 - 1979
The ZH was Ford's answer to all the citiscism of its predecessors. While again retaining the central structure of the XC Falcon, the designers put much extra bulk into the car, not only giving it a big car look, but also actually lengthening it as well. More>>

1979 - 1982
The new Fairlane was smaller and lighter than its predecessor as it shared its floorpan with the Falcon Wagon. Fortunately though the engineers were able to maximise interior space so that, inside the cabin at least, the new model was actually bigger than before. More>>

1982 - 1984
Released in March 1982, visually there was little to differentiate the new model Fairlane from its predecessor, the ZJ. It was naturally under the skin where most changes occured, the most important being the improvement to the 4.1 litre six cylinder engine. More>>

1973 - 1976
The Landau was a coupe version of the LTD, based on the Falcon hardtop, and was Ford Australia's first Aussie designed luxury two-door coupe. It retained the frontal treatment of the full size LTD with its disappearing head lamps and the full width tail lamps. More>>

1973 - 1976
The LTD was launched as Ford's new flagship model, replacing versions of the imported U.S. Galaxie. It marked a bold initiative by Ford, determined to capture the local top of the range market and become the de facto limousine of choice for government and business. More>>

1976 - 1979
Once more it is apparent that the FB, or P6, LTD is based upon the equivalent Fairlane, but with an impressive frontal treatment. With its Rolls Royce style grille, and the large circular head lamps set in a bluff vertical front panel, the P6 presented a bold and dominating presence to the road. Also impressive was the even greater wheelbase, and a list of standard features that wanted for nothing. More>>

1979 - 1982
The introduction of the ZJ Fairlane and the FC LTD luxury Fords, based on the XD Falcon, demonstrated just how much thought Broadmeadows had put into its program for the 1980s. So many of the parts that made up XD, ZJ and FC were totally interchangeable, and were manufactured on the same machine ensuring savings in tooling and manufacture. While the LTD had 75% of its parts in common with the XD Falcon, the remaining 25% were specifically ZJ/FC. More>>

1960 - 1962
The XK was the first Falcon released, and was based very much on the equivalent U.S. Falcon, copying its styling almost without change. More>>

1962 - 1964
The tail lamps were revised and the rear roof line was changed to reflect Ford's Thunderbird style theme. More>>

1964 - 1965
The XM was another styling facelift of the original XK, with a much heavier and impressive front grille. More>>

1965 - 1966
The XP was the last facelift of the original Falcon and featured an aggressive, squared off look to the front end and more solid styling overall. More>>

1966 - 1968
The new XR range again followed a US design, hoping to capitalise on the phenomenal success of the Mustang. More>>

1968 - 1969
The XT Falcon was a mild restyle of the previous model, with a barely altered grille, but distinctive new tail lamps, circular lamps still, but cut by large rectangular indicator lenses. More>>

1969 - 1970
The XW represented the first real attempt to more definitely differentiate the Australian Falcon from the styling of its U.S. equivalent. More>>

1970 - 1972
The XY marked the apogee of the second generation Falcons, superior in performance to its competitors, better built, fitted with a range of locally designed six cylinder engines, and in GT form, producing the ultimate and fastest Falcon of them all. More>>

1972 - 1973
The XA model was the first Falcon completely designed and built in Australia. More>>

1973 - 1976
The XB featured a slight restyle of the previous model, featuring a cleaner but more aggressive front end with a forward sloping bonnet. More>>

1973 - 1976
The Grand Sport rally pack was itself nothing more than dressing up – even Ford admitted as much. The only practical inclusions in the pack were the complete instrumentation which included tacho, oil, fuel, temperature gauges and voltmeter. More>>

1976 - 1979
The XC was a further re-style of the third generation Falcon. The refined look was achieved by reducing the slope of the grille and introducing large rectangular headlamps. More>>

1979 - 1982
The XD Falcon marked the start of Ford's determined push to become market leader in Australia, a goal they ultimately achieved, but one that at the release of the XD beyond their grasp. More>>

1982 - 1984
The XE celebrated a defining point for Ford Australia as they finally passed GMH in the sales wars, and with a product that they least expected, the Falcon. More>>

1984 - 1988
The XF represented the last of the fourth generation cars, and featured softer, more rounded styling with revsions to the grille and bumpers, and new tail lamps. More>>

1988 - 1990
Much like the "BA" of 2002, the "EA" had countless improvements over its predecessors. Most importantly for Ford was the introduction of new fuel injected 3.2 and 3.9 litre (SOHC) engines - which were a great improvement on the harsh and thirsty 3.3 and 4.1 litre pushrod sixes they replaced. More>>

1991 - 1993
The EB facelift hardly altered the apearance of the EA, however the big news for V8 fans was the re-introduction of the V8 (available for the first time since 1983). More>>

1993 - 1994
Even though there were over 280 changes made to the EB to create the ED, Ford's continued development of the EB had seen so many improvements that the ED was simply an evolution of an already popular and reliable car. More>>

1994 - 1996
Undoubtedly the most significant "facelift" of the "E" series Falcon was the "EF". With the notable exception of the doors, the remaining panels were all new, and now the luxury Fairmont and Fairmont Ghia versions could be distinguished by completely different frontal treatments. More>>

1968 - 1968
In 1968 the XR model began the legend that was to be the GT. This family car muscled out 225HP thanks to the 289 Windsor V8. More>>

1968 - 1969
The XT GT was more refined and faster than its predecessor. Producing 230hp thanks to a 4.9L 302 Windsor V8, only 1415 of these were built. More>>

1969 - 1970
Ford upped the ante with the XW by fitting the 351 cubic inch (5.8 litre) Windsor V8 with an output of 290 bhp (217KW) and 385 ft/lbs of torque. More>>

1970 - 1972
Simply put - it was the world's fastest four-door production car for many years. More>>

1972 - 1973
The XA GT was the first Australian designed Ford, and the GT version was a much more refined car than its predecessors which had been designed more as road going race cars than true Grand Tourers. More>>

1972 - 1973
The Superbird started life as a one off show special, designed to attract attention at the Melbourne and Sydney motorshows. It was such a success however that Ford decided to release a limited run of Superbirds. More>>

1973 - 1976
The XB ran out the GT line, existing until June, 1976 after which there were no more GT's. More>>

1975 - 1976
Alongside Kevin Bartlett ("KB"), John Goss won the James Hardie 1000km race at Mount Panorama in 1974 in a very close race, and in August, 1975 Ford released a run of XB based John Goss Special limited edition hardtops. More>>

1978 - 1979
When they decided that the XD Falcon would be a four door model only, Ford found themselves near the end of the XC production run with 400 unsold hardtop body shells. To sell them they created the Cobra, and in so doing created an instant classic. More>>

1938 - 1959
The Ford Prefect was first introduced in 1938 and at the time was the first Ford to be designated by a model name. Its model number was E93A. More>>

1940 - 1967
Developed during the 1930’s as a cheap-and-cheerful mode of transport following the lack of success of the more expensive Model A, the original Anglia featured typically conservative design cue’s with its upright radiator and black paint work, and looked almost identical to the 4 door Prefect. More>>

1950 - 1972
The Consul produced in 1950 boasted a raft of technology which included a unitary constructed chassis which resulted in a lighter structure. More>>

1951 - 1956
Despite outward appearances, both the FJ Holden and Zephyr had a lot in common. Both were powered by small capacity sixes, the Holden's displacing 2171cm3 and the Zephyr's 2262cm3. In straight line performance there was little difference and both were hotshots in their day with quicker acceleration than most other family sedans and some sports cars. More>>

1962 - 1966
The MKIII Zephyr was introduced in 1962 which saw an end to the 1950's style Consuls, Zephyrs and Zodiacs. Arguably the Mark III Zephyr's biggest claim to fame was that it was the first car assembled in Australia to have curved glass side windows, an innovation aimed to provide passengers with more elbow and hip room. More>>

1963 - 1970
The Corsair had unusual and quite bold styling for its day, with a sharp horizontal V-shaped crease at the very front of the car into which round headlights were inset. This gave the car an apparently aerodynamic shape. More>>

1976 - 1979
The transition from the Mark III to the new Mark IV Cortina in 1976 was a good indication of just how alert Ford was to changing fads and fashions in the motor industry. Indeed to a great extent the company led fashion rather than followed it with the Mark IV. More>>

1976 - 1983
By 1978 the Fiesta had proven extremely popular, and it seemed a good time for Ford to release a 'hot' version. This came in the form of a 1300, available in 'S' or Ghia versions, powered by a special five-bearing transverse pushrod OHV engine derived from the Escort Sport/Ghia. More>>

1977 - 1985
The most striking change on the Mark 2 Granada was the bodyshell which, like the Cortina, was given a lower bonnet line and a greater glass area. The nose section was elongated, helping to eliminate the blunt look of the old Granada, and making the new model far more elegant. More>>

1979 - 1980
During the decade that was the 1970s, Colani built several full scale models and mock-ups of C-Form wing cars. The Colani GT80 prototype unveiled at the Frankfurt show in 1980 was the result of these many years of aerodynamic study and development. In 1973 the first 1:1 mock-up model of this very advanced project was ready at Colani's studio at his Harkotten water-castle near Munster, Germany. More>>

1982 - 1993
One of the most important events in the automobile industry in 1982 was, without doubt, the announcement of the Sierra, the car that replaced Ford's best-selling Cortina/Taunus model. Released on 21st September 1982, the Sierra was designed by Uwe Bahnsen, Robert Lutz and Patrick le Quément. The code used during development was "Project Toni". More>>

1985 - 1994
When Ford’s European HQ set about designing their mid 1980s generation of flagship passenger cars, they made a deliberate effort at achieving a more externally compact car than the previous Granada model. It seemed that the maximum practical width for a European car had been reached, or even exceeded, and it was time to start trimming back the body without sacrificing passenger accommodation. More>>

1908 - 1927
Ask most people to name a vintage car, and the answer will invariably be “The Model T”. With over 15 million being manufactured in the USA, South Africa, Canada and Australia, it is widely regarded not only as the car that “put the nation on wheels”, but the car that put the world on wheels. More>>

1927 - 1931
The Model A Ford was the successor to the popular Model T, it first being released to the public on December 2nd, 1927. Ford desperately needed the Model A, with sales of the once popular Model T having been in decline for several years. More>>

1932 - 1934
Unlike the Model T that had enjoyed a near 20 year production run, Ford knew that to retain market share, they would have to turn models over regularly as did their competitors. And so the Model A was replaced in 1932 by the Model B, carrying over the 4L engine layout however offering some minor refinements. More>>

1952 - 1956
Immediately following the war most manufacturers, understandably, continued with the manufacture of designs dating back to the previous decade. Ford’s first and much anticipated new model line up arrived in 1949, however the 1952 revision, while based heavily on the 1949 design, heralded a new design direction. More>>

1955 - 1957
Although it does not look like a sporty 2 door car, the Thunderbird was in fact designed to counter GM's Chev Corvette. More>>

1955 -
Gaining notorioty recently for all the wrong reasons, the perennial Crown Victoria has lineage dating back to 1955. Today however it is best known as a police vehicle, accounting for over 90% of the police fleet in the US and Canada. More>>

1956 - 1959
The beauty of any big American car of the era was its ability to soak up the miles effortlessly, and at the end of a long trip there were none better able to deliver both driver and passenger free of fatigue and in such great comfort. More>>

1956 - 1959
As there were less than 13,000 of the vehicles made, these cars are today seen as being highly collectable - if you are lucky enough to find one! More>>

1957 - 1979
The Ranchero, the first US designed "Ute", was an ever popular model in the Ford line-up - its popularity ensuring it would enjoy a longevity spanning 23 years, from 1957 through 1979. Naturally during this time the vehicle underwent several significant revisions, with the last model bearing no resemblance to the first - however in all versions the car remained exceedingly popular, with some 508,000 vehicles manufactured. More>>

1961 - 1964
Although first introduced in 1959, it was the sleek models of the 1960's that presented an all-new style, abandoning the ostentatious ornamentation of the 50s for a futuristic, sleek look. It was obvious that Ford's stylists were abandoning the aviation influences of the previous decade and instead capturing the new obsession - the space race. More>>

1963 - 1965
The Ford Falcon Sprint first came into prominence at the beginning of 1963 at the time of the Monte Carlo Rally, which it narrowly missed winning. The rally cars were hardtop coupes, specially prepared and tuned, although a little more attention to the durability of the suspension components should have been made to the Aussie design (for more on this, read the Ford Falcon Story). More>>

1964 - 1966
The story of the GT40 goes back to the early 1960s, when Henry Ford was negotiating to buy Ferrari. His offer was rejected by Enzo Ferrari in last minute negotiations, and in retaliation Henry set about building a Ford able to dominate racing and beat the Ferrari teams. More>>

1966 - 1996
From the ground up, the Australian assembled Bronco had specifications and equipment levels equal to or better than the competition. Only aesthetic areas remained open for criticism which seemed to polarise opinions – some loved it, some hated it. The team here at Unique Cars and Parts fall into the first category, considering it a neat example of U.S. styling that carried with it a continuation of the Ford world-wide grill and headlight treatment. More>>

1968
Ford made it hard for the competition with their formidable line-up of the ‘60s. Much is said about the Mustang, but there was another in the stable that was utterly brilliant. A true muscle car in every sense of the word, the 1968 Torino took the fight up to just about everything. As delivered from the factory, the Torino was a quality vehicle. More>>

1975 - 1980
Ford USA's Granada-Monarch (Ford and Mercury versions respectively) were originally conceived as a replacement for “compact” Maverick. Ford looked at importing the European Granada instead of designing a completely new car, but the cost of "federalizing" the German vehicle was prohibitive. And it was during the design of the Granada that it became a totally new car both in concept and execution. More>>

1977 - 1985
The Courier was powered by Mazda's well known but noisy 1.8 litre ohc four cylinder, which endowed the 1145kg vehicle with respectable un-laden performance. Standard kit on the XLT was the column mounted 4 speed gearbox, which had the added advantage of allowing you to travel 3 up in the front – although you would have wanted to be very good friends as it was a considerable squeeze. More>>

1986 - 1991
Things can change quickly in the automobile business. In 1980, Ford's US. operation was losing a record $1 billion a year attempting to sell a line of products that were outdated and dull. In comparison, the competition had showrooms filled with high-tech, front wheel drive cars designed for the eighties. Ford was still cranking out rear-wheel drives styled for the seventies. Although Ford's European operation was healthy and dynamic, the US. company was in serious trouble. More>>

1964 ½
The date was April 17th, 1964. Intermediate sized muscle cars, with big block engines were gradually replacing the full sized muscle car. Lee Iacocca, Ford's General Manager, had always envisioned a small sports car to be the next hot item in the street wars. More>>

1965
The Ford Mustang debuted as a simple sports car powered by a 170 cid six cylinder and a pair of V8's. Originally named for the fighter plane, the P-51 Mustang, preliminary allusions were made to the horse, and the horse motif quickly became the emblem for the Mustang. More>>

1966
1966 saw further refinement of the Mustang. The gauge cluster was redone to separate the Mustang from its Falcon roots while the 260 cid V8 was replaced with 2 and 4 barrel versions of the 289 cid V8. More>>

1967
1967 saw a massive restyle of the Ford Mustang. Changes included bulkier sheet metal below the beltline, a more aggressive grill, a concave tail panel, and a full fastback roofline for the fastback body style. More>>

1968
The 1968 Ford Mustang received a simpler grill, side trim and a limited number of 427 engines were slipped into the engine bays. These 427 engines were slightly detuned but still cranked out 390bhp, enough to strike fear on the streets. More>>

1969
The Mustang was restyled for 1969, gaining 3.8 inches of length, all ahead of the front wheels, and about 140lbs in curb weight. More>>

1970
Both the Boss 302 and 429 continued into 1970. The 428 Cobra Jet continued as the top engine choice for the Mach 1 Mustang. New for 1970 was the 429 Cobra Jet, standard in the Boss 429. More>>

1971
Ford's decade of "Total Performance" was drawing to a close. The Mustang grew by 2.1" in length, 2.8" of width, 1" of wheelbase, and about 100 lbs. Coupled with this weight gain was the disappearance of the Shelby models, the Boss 302 and Boss 429 models. More>>

1972
Following industry lead, all power ratings for 1972 and later were listed in net ratings which included all accessories. This lead to some drastic drops in power listings which, coupled with the drop of all big block options, sealed the end of Ford Mustang performance. More>>

1973
All engine choices and power ratings dropped once again as emission controls tightened. New federal guidelines resulted in mandatory bumpers that could withstand a 5mph collision, all of which didn't help the bloated body styling. More>>

1974
Answering the call for a lighter, more nimble Mustang, Ford's Lee Iacocca, dictated that the new Mustang, officially called the Mustang II, which debuted in 1974 would be light, sporty, and more European. Iacocca wanted it to be "a little jewel" and this direction drove every aspect of the new design. More>>

1975
The biggest boost for the Mustang II's image was the introduction of the 302 cubic inch V8 back to the Mustang option list. Available in any Mustang II, but only with an automatic transmission, the V8 was topped by a two-barrel Autolite carburettor and was rated at 134 bhp. More>>

1976
Catalytic converters were made standard on all Mustang IIs for 1976 as Federal emission laws were further tightened. More>>

1977
The only change for 1977 was that production of the Cobra II option was now done in-house by Ford. More>>

1978
1978 saw the introduction of the King Cobra Mustang II. The King Cobra package was offered only with the four-speed manual transmission and featured a better suspension with front and rear stabilizer bars, the 302 V8 with a Variable Venturi Carburettor, Goodyear P195/70R13 radial tyres, and a wild paint and graphics appearance package. More>>

1979
1979 saw the debut of the new Mustang (the "II" was dropped) based on the new Fox platform. More>>

1980
For 1980, the Cobra option now included the Recaro seats. But this couldn't make up for the loss under the hood. More>>