Table of contents for March 2026 in Classics World

As I write this, much of the UK is feeling the impact of wintry weather. With heavy snowfall overwhelming squadrons of snowploughs and images of snowy roads on the news (and from family and friends in north east Scotland), naturally my first thought was to head to the classifieds to look for a bargain winter runaround. Four-wheel drive is generally considered a must, although as I found out in my first car, a late-model Citroën AX, front-drive hatchbacks with skinny winter tyres can perform admirably in frozen conditions. A Dangel-produced four-wheel-drive AX was made in the early ’90s – the 4×4 Pistes Rouges – but good luck finding one of those today. I’m a big fan of the classic Panda 4×4 (pictured above in a promotional cutaway), but values are…

To say that Jeffrey Bridges is an enthusiast of the Wolseley 6/90 is a mild understatement. He is a long-standing member of The Wolseley Register, serves as a technical adviser with them for the 6/90 and co-authored the Register’s Super Profile book on the model. His 1958 Series III version is probably the finest in the UK and has been part of his family since 1960. The 6/90’s extremely elegant styling was by Gerald Palmer, who once said, “I had been to several Continental shows and had realised that some Italian styles were really wonderful. British styling, by comparison, was just pathetic.” He rejoined the Nuffield Group from Jowett in 1949, and his task was to create a new generation of upmarket saloons. First was the Wolseley 4/44 of 1952,…

Everyday life continues to get more expensive, and the same can be said when shopping for and running old cars. The days of bargain-basement motoring are well and truly over, it would seem. Thankfully, while the car market is a little strange at the moment, the good news is that there are still real bargains to be had if you know where to look and perhaps aren’t afraid to take a little bit of a risk. Our tops picks under £1000 are below – we dare you not to open the classifieds as soon as you’re finished reading! MGF When it was first launched, the MGF was aimed squarely at key Japanese rivals like the all-conquering Mazda MX-5. A standard 1.8-litre 115bhp model and a higher-performance 143bhp variant were offered,…

Volkswagen Beetle (A5) (2012-2019) Volkswagen originally capitalised on the enduring appeal of its iconic air-cooled original Beetle with the launch of the ‘New Beetle’ in 1998, based on the Mk4 Golf. A facelift in 2007 gave it a slightly more muscular look, before it was replaced by the third-generation model we’re focusing on here: the A5 Beetle, which went on sale in 2012. Longer, lower and wider than its predecessor, the A5 looked more traditionally Beetle-like than the cars that came before it, while also being noticeably more sophisticated. Sharing its platform with the Mk6 Golf brought tangible benefits, not least a wide choice of modern, efficient engines. Petrol options included TSI units ranging from a 104bhp 1.2-litre up to a 197bhp 2.0-litre, with the latter capable of 0–62mph in…

GOT A STORY TO SHARE? EMAIL IT TO CLASSICS. ED@KELSEY.CO.UK NEC SHOW DATES CONFIRMED AFTER CONFUSION The 2026 Classic Motor Show has been the subject of confusion over the date of the event. Organisers have confirmed that show will run from November 13–15, despite the carrier bags and programmes carrying a November 6–8 date. Such is the popularity of the season finale, some visitors had already booked travel and hotels for the earlier date and were left frustrated by the announcement. “Thank you for all your comments, you’re right to question this,” read a post by organisers on social media. “Printed materials went out showing dates that were originally being considered. We understand this has caused confusion, and we are very sorry. “Tickets weren’t on sale at the time, but…

The Silver Shadow got plenty of attention at launch in 1965, with its contemporary styling and sophisticated hi-tech engineering representing a big step forward from its Silver Cloud predecessor. The scope of technological advancement enabled the Silver Shadow to enjoy an extended career, with the four-door saloons remaining in production for an impressive 15 years – and their two-door derivatives for even longer. Rolls-Royce had, of course, enjoyed considerable success with three generations of Silver Cloud – and Bentley S-series derivatives – throughout its decade-long production run. Launched in 1955, here was a car that stayed true to tradition, with its separate-chassis layout enabling Britain’s dwindling numbers of specialist coachbuilders to offer their own bespoke versions. There were modern touches to the Silver Cloud saloon’s aesthetics when it first went…

It’s easy to underestimate how much time can vanish once you start working underneath an older car. What starts as a simple “quick check” of the rear suspension can quickly turn into a weekend of seized bolts, broken clips and unexpected discoveries. That’s certainly how things played out with our Mondeo ST24. With the car now solid, and its smart new ST200 leather interior making the cabin feel quite special, the next logical step was to make sure everything underneath was equally up to scratch. The rear of the car looked tired, surface rust visible on most components and the whole back end sitting noticeably lower than it should. Closer inspection confirmed why – a set of cheap aftermarket lowering springs had been fitted at some point, giving the car…

As the number of cherished examples declines, the ‘X200’ S-Type is in danger of becoming a footnote in Jaguar history, yet it’s one of the most significant models from the brand’s modern history. Not only was it responsible for lifting Jaguar sales over the 100,000-per-year mark for the first time, but it also demonstrated the potential for the company with the resources of Ford behind it. Yes, the retro styling puts the car firmly in the Marmite camp, but few will deny that under the curves was a state-of-the-art car and indeed the platform was continued into the Mk1 XF range. A good example still feels like a very modern car today and they’re currently something of a bargain too. Plans for a smaller Jaguar model had been in the…

This month we’ve covered a few small jobs that make our MX-5 2.0 Sport Tech more enjoyable to look at and drive. When servicing our MX-5 in a previous issue, we mentioned that the 12V battery was the wrong size to fit into the battery tray – it needed a smaller battery. I happened to visit my local Halfords and so decided to tackle the problem by purchasing the HCB053 Halfords 4-year guarantee battery and fitted it as you’ll see here. Elsewhere, with a working Bose head unit but no sound from the speakers, I found that the Bose amplifier might be the culprit. There are a few people out there offering to repair these, so I removed our amplifier and sent it to a company near Edinburgh. Packaged well…

1985 Ford Escort Mk3 Hampson Auctions, November 23 Sold for: £2200 One of three Mk3 Escorts in the Hampson sale was this 1985 1.3L in rare five-door estate guise. It showed 48,292 miles and came with a good history folder, but was without an MoT at the time of sale. It sold for around a tenth of the price of a 1985 RS Turbo also included in the auction. 1981 Honda Civic Hampson Auctions, November 23 Sold for: £2400 Second-generation Honda Civics are now a very rare sight, but this no-reserve 1981 example looked to be a healthy survivor. Showing 69,000 miles, it appeared to be very original throughout save for its numberplates – a lucky Japanese car fan snapped up a bargain. 1989 Vauxhall Nova Morris Leslie, November 15…

Jason Crawley is the owner of a car that this writer has craved for over 45 years. I can still recall the advertisements from 1979 featuring a black Renault 30TX, which promised ‘It’s like driving on kerb to kerb carpet.’ Here was the automotive high life, and seeing Jason’s Renault at the 2025 Classic Motor Show made me realise what excellent taste I had, aged nine. Most importantly, this 1983 Renault was once the property of a friend of not only mine but also of many people in the classic car community. Andy Mitchell and his 30TX were always a welcome sight at any event, and after his passing, Jason undertook to restore his Renault. “I first saw this car in around 2007 at the Bromley Pageant of motoring, where…

Long before we had Mondeo Man, there was the perhaps even more ubiquitous Sierra Man, once a staple of the suburban driveway from humble hubcapped 1.6L right up to the race-proven turbocharged RS Cosworth. Unusually for a new car backed by Ford’s powerful marketing machine, the Sierra got off to a shaky start after its launch in 1982. It didn’t help that heavy discounts on leftover stock meant buyers could put a Cortina Ghia on their driveway for the same money as a base-model Sierra. Sales improved in 1983, but by 1984 the Mk2 Vauxhall Cavalier had claimed second place in the sales charts, leaving the Sierra down in fifth. Many put this down to the Sierra’s bold styling; Ford’s ‘Aeroback’ design language was intended to feel modern and sophisticated,…

When the MGC made its debut at the 1967 Earls Court Motor Show, expectations were sky-high for what was, at the time, regarded as the most powerful road-going MG ever built. Sadly for MG and its parent company, British Motor Holdings (BMH), the excitement surrounding this muscular new sports car began to unravel even before the first examples reached dealer showrooms. The trouble stemmed from a string of early road tests in which journalists complained of aching arms and sore shoulders, blaming the MGC’s notably heavy steering. Many were also underwhelmed by the performance of its twin-SU-fed 2912cc straight-six, expecting more punch from such an engine. Matters weren’st helped by intial reports that the ’C suffered from pronounced understerr - an accusation later proven false. The real culprit was a…

Founded in 1913 by Robert Bamford and Lionel Martin, the company of Bamford and Martin acted effectively as a predecessor to the Aston Martin we know today. The duo had joined forces to sell Singers in Callow Street, London, as well as offering servicing for GWK and Calthorpe cars. Lionel Martin raced at Aston Hill, near Aston Clinton, and the pair decided to make their own specials for competition use. The first car to bear the Aston Martin name – the Coal Scuttle of 1915 – was created by fitting a Coventry-Simplex engine to a 1908 Isotta-Fraschini chassis. World War I impeded series production, with Martin joining the Admiralty and Bamford the Army Service Corps, but after the war production could begin at new premises in Abingdon Road, Kensington. Bamford…

2004 Vauxhall VXR220 ● Hampson Auctions, November 23 Estimate: £25,000–£28,000 Sold for: £25,875 Chassis number 10 of a mere 65 cars produced, this 2004 Vauxhall VXR220 was one of the rarest and fastest cars in the Hampson sale. The smart grey example featured upgraded Nitron suspension and displayed just 35,052 miles, helping it achieve a deservingly impressive result. 1998 Porsche Boxster ● Hampson Auctions, November 23 No reserve Sold for: £3250 A good early Porsche Boxster continues to look like a real bargain. This red 2.5-litre example from 1998 had covered 136,000 miles but was a desirable manual car that had been well maintained – a great combination for enthusiasts on a budget. We’re pretty jealous of its new keeper that’s for sure. 2002 Range Rover (L322) ● Hampson Auctions,…