From the spectacular gullwing-door Mercedes-Benz 300SL of the Fifties to the mind-bending performance of the Nineties McLaren F1, this special issue takes you on a vivid blast through five decades of supercars – those enthralling, mythical machines that push boundaries to the limit.

Hold on tight as we explore the pioneers of 500bhp fury for the road, putting the Lamborghini Diablo SV, Ferrari F50, and Jaguar XJ220 to the test.

It’s perfect as a gift for any supercar enthusiast or as a treat for yourself! Pick up a copy from TG Jones, WHSmith Travel store and selected local newsagents. Or purchase one here.

Love your cars and hitting the open road? Why not check out the Epic Road Trips limited-edition bookazine?

Some of the best cars of recent years may be more affordable than you think, if you find a good one on the secondhand market. We drive some great examples – from Maserati, BMW, Porsche, Toyota, Ford, Alfa Romeo and Ferrari – and share expert advice on what to look out for.

Plus a sedate adventure in the new electric Renault Twingo, BMW iX3 meets Tesla Model Y, and we mark 50 years of Tamiya remote control brilliance. Plus, we drive the latest version of the Toyota RAV4: a huge-selling car that's been around for decades but has rarely sparked much excitement. Is this one any different?

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BUYER’S BRIEF

James Walshe shows us how to buy the original template for the modern day family hatchback

All the fives: doors, gears and seats aplenty!

Why you want one

Practical Classics has been bellowing about the Maxi’s brilliance for more than four decades to a world that’s often so foolishly disregarded it. However, since the Maxi turned 50 in 2019, we’ve noticed recognition of this innovative little family car growing. This is one clever, usable little BMC classic designed in the pre-British Leyland days – and the final big project of Sir Alec Issignonis. You know… that clever chap who did the Mini.

As we’ve often said, the Maxi was a missed opportunity for BL execs, who didn’t appear to know how much of a gem they’d been gifted. It was template for the modern car, with compact suspension, a five-speed manual gearbox, rear seats that folded into the floor and that massive fifth door and yet the Maxi’s promotional material of Spring 1969 was curiously downbeat. Instead of making a bold statement about the future of family motoring, the first Maxi brochure posed an borderline derisive question: ‘What’s so new about the Austin Maxi?’ It mentioned the clever bits, but a set of unglamorous photographs did it no favours. Over at Ford, it was all fancy wheels, stripes and spotlights and illustrations of the Escort romping through rally stages.

Times have changed though and these days, an early Maxi with its 1485cc engine, cable gearchange and early black dashboard is quite a beguiling thing. Finding one won’t be especially easy though; BL made several swift changes in late 1970 to address grumbles about awkward gearshift and a dull fascia. You’re more likely to find your Maxi has a veneer dash and a 1750cc engine. The model’s last gasp was the ‘Maxi 2’ of 1980, the last of which rolled off the line at Cowley in July 1981. Whichever car you find, what you might not know is just how much fun it will be to drive. Agile handling and a smooth ride compliment the Maxi’s simple mechanicals and brilliantly clever packaging.

MARKET ANALYSIS

With the baggage of the past increasingly disregarded, the anti-BL nonsense is thankfully being drowned out by those who’ve been telling us how good the Maxi is for decades, as well as a smart young crowd of classic enthusiasts. The Maxi has always been noted for its usefulness and even the best remains affordable, which means £3000 still buys a really tidy example. Mathewsons and Manor Park Classics sold Maxis in their auctions last year – both nice 1750s for around the three grand mark. Sadly, you’re unlikely to find a cable-changer, twin-carb or automatic Maxi, while Maxi 2s are also quite rare these days, as they weren’t built for very long. Joining the owners club will get you the finest examples and, no doubt, a higher price to match. But they’re a lovely bunch of Maxi fans who’ll quickly become your mates – they may even reveal a project or two, if you’re that way inclined. These can be had for a few hundred pounds, and you’ll get no end of assistance from fellow owners.

The inspection

Such was BMC’s investment and belief in building tough cars for customers around the world at that time, the Maxis bodyshell was pleasingly overengineered and is therefore immensely strong. Nevertheless, corrosion can still occur, especially in the sills, wheelarches, front and rear valances, floor pans and door bottoms. Those doors might have been shared with the Landcrab and Austin 3 Litre, but that doesn’t help as spare doors for those are even harder to find. The bulkhead corrodes at the base of the windscreen and the panel’s complex shape means that invisible repairs are awkward. Also lift the rear seat to check the state of the metal beneath. Joining the Maxi Owners Club will help you when it comes to sourcing parts and advice on how to best proceed with the work required.

Maxi is a surprisingly able long-distance cruiser.

The Maxi’s only engine was BL’s E-series unit, also seen in some versions of the Allegro. It was offered in just two guises: 1485cc and 1748cc, the latter with either single or (from 1972 in HL trim) twin carbs. Most surviving Maxis have the bigger engine, which feels much livelier than the 1.5-litre unit, even if they’re similar on paper. The sturdy E-series isn’t especially refined, but with an oil and filter change every 5000 miles, it will just keep on going. Some of the ancillaries can be less than robust; both water and fuel pumps can fail, but replacements are peanuts to buy and very easily sourced. Engine mounts were a known Maxi weak spot and while replacements are easy to find, many are poor quality. Finally, under the bonnet, there should be a shield between the grille and the engine. Without it, the ignition system gets wet and causes misfires. Replacements are easy to find, too.

Despite the Maxi’s five-speed gearbox living in the engine’s sump, durability can be superb – but premature failure can occur too if you’re unlucky. If the gearbox does fail it’s usually because of a nut on the mainshaft, which works itself loose leading to failure of the transmission. Any car that’s already had a rebuilt gearbox should have had this fixed, but you can never be certain so check the car’s history thoroughly. As already mentioned above, only the first year of Maxi production got a cable-operated gearchange, which was slated by the press and many owners when new as it could be unreliable and quickly unpleasant to use. But if the cables are adjusted correctly, we reckon the early Maxi’s gearchange is much nicer to use than the later rod-operated model.

Clutches can last 150,000 miles, but check for slip as there’s an oil seal behind the clutch, which can fail leading to lubricant getting onto the clutch plate. A new three-piece clutch kit can easily be sourced for £35 and fitting it is easy. All Maxis got a five-speed manual gearbox apart from a few 1750s that got an Automotive Products four-speed automatic.

The Maxi’s composed road manners are a revelation; it’s agile like a Mini but without the bouncy ride – that is unless the system has been neglected, in which case you’ll be bouncing all the way into a nearby ditch. Beware cars that look ‘slammed’ to the ground or bounce uncomfortably across uneven tarmac. It points to an owner who has neglected the car. Hydrolastic suspension was fitted until 1978, later cars getting Hydragas (compressed nitrogen, basically). Both set-ups feature a displacer at each corner, with each side connected front to rear via pipes. Both the displacers and pipes can leak, so reconditioning or replacement is often required. Best option is to have existing units refurbished by a specialist.

Inside, there isn’t a lot to go wrong. Most cars after the 1970 facelift got veneered wood dashboard, while early twin-carb HLs had a vinyl-padded dash – later replaced by the walnut effect. Check that the windows go up and down – the regulator mechanism has a habit of breaking. Many of the Maxi’s electrical parts were sourced from the Lucas/BL parts bins, so they’re easy to find. Wiper motors are known to fail, especially on cars that haven’t moved for some time.

Trim-wise, Maxis came with vinyl trim, while later cars got cloth. The vinyl wears well, but that cloth suffers from UV damage, causing the material to split and disintegrate. Early HLs (with twin carbs) had a vinyl-padded dash, while standard models got a veneered wood dash. When the Maxi 2 arrived, the HL got improved seats, and the HLS was introduced, complete with a walnut dash and a more luxurious interior. Decent used trim is as rare as you’d expect, but it’s not unheard of to encounter a fellow owner or specialist with a hoard of parts, such is the love they hold for Britain’s first family hatchback.

BODY

Corrosion is common in lower portions of the front and rear wings, the headlight surrounds, rear quarter panels and rear window surround. Front wings rust above the wheelarches, with replacements being hard to find.

CABIN

Rare early cars got this simple but stylish dashboard, while a facelift in 1970 gave us the more familiar wood veneer fascia. Switchgear and instruments tend to last well, while trim is either vinyl or cloth.

ENGINE

The E-Series unit came in either 1485cc or 1748cc guise, the latter with single or twin carburettors. Most surviving Maxis have the bigger engine. Neither version is particularly refined or smooth, but when serviced regularly, they’re extremely robust.

WHAT TO PAY

• EXCELLENT £4500-£7000

• GOOD £2500-£4500

• PROJECT £300-£600

TECH SPEC

• ENGINE 1485CC/4-CYL/OHC

• POWER 68BHP@5500RPM

• TORQUE 80LB FT@2900RPM

• GEARBOX 5-SPEED MANUAL

• 0-60MPH 16.4SEC

• TOP SPEED 90MPH

• ECONOMY 28-35MPG

USEFUL CONTACTS

• Austin Maxi Club, austinmaxiclub.org

• Hydragas and Hydrolastic Service, hahsltd.co.uk

WHAT IT’S LIKE TO OWN A MAXI

Martin Chamberlain has something of a Maxi addiction…

Martin and his favourite Maxi, called Maxine.

I have no history with the Maxi – it’s not like my dad had one or anything like that – but about 16 years ago, I stumbled into the ownership of one. At that time, I owned of a Cadillac Eldorado

Biarritz. Impressive to look at but it was, in fact, a total pile of junk that eventually caught fire. It was at that point a friend of mine, Jason, decided to sell his Maxi. It was a 1750 version, which he sold to me for £1750. I drove it home with a big smile on my face and very quickly fell in love with it. ‘Maxine’ is still with me to this day.

I’ve had a few Maxis since then, but have just Maxine and arguably the rarest of all Maxis… in the form of my 1969 ‘Mars Bar’ Maxi. When the model was launched, Austin collaborated with Mars to give away 25 new white Maxis. In true Willy Wonka style, there were 25 golden tickets and those who unwrapped one with their Mars bar won a car. I have the only survivor. It was rotting in a garden for 18 years and, to be honest, if it hadn’t been a Mars Maxi I would have broken it, due to the rot. Maxis are resistant to rot, but this one had been sat on grass for all that time! The sills, inner arches and floors all had to be done. Subframes have become a problem as they rot from the inside out. They are getting hard to find – it took me a long time to find a replacement used item.

Finding other panels wasn’t an issue as I’ve been collecting them for years! Joining the club is essential – the endlessly wise club spares secretary, Ernie, is amazing. There’s nothing he doesn’t know – anything from the differences between a 1977 and ’78 car, down to every trim clip! My other classics include an Austin A40 Somerset and a Rover P5B. I also have a Porsche Boxster, but I’d never be without my Maxi.

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TEAM ADVENTURE

Team PC heads to rust heaven in four fabulously contrasting wagons…

WORDS TEAM PC PHOTOGRAPHY MATTHEW HOWELL

Team PC hits the road to Beaulieu.

The Beaulieu Autojumble, these days, has grown into a weekend-long social spree as much as a buying and selling jamboree. So, with that in mind, Team PC has decided to head to the field of rusting dreams in four classic talking points.

All radically different, but all worthy of interest. Two more traditional British classics and two French interlopers. The mission is an annual pilgrimage and involves bedding, tents and bits of old car. Staying on the field is always a pleasure, but so is getting to the field in the first place. Here’s how we did it.

DANNY HOPKINS

2003 Renault Avantime 2.0 Dynamique

Twenty-five years of the Avantime celebrated in one long trip.

Twenty-five years ago, the Renault Avantime was launched on an unsuspecting public. Marketed by Renault and designed and manufactured by Matra between 2001 and 2003, it was a huge failure, eventually shutting the Matra factory after three years of disastrous sales. It is now a bit of a sought-after gem and my favourite French motor, satisfying my bizarre craving for heroic failures.

Once you get past all the craziness it is just a comfortable car, and in 2.0 turbo guise, a practical one, too. Mid-thirties MPG, plenty fast enough – making it worthy of daily use. On this trip, I also wanted to explore its hidden talents, so after a quick measure up, I unrolled a double foam mattress and decided to make it into a camper for the first of the two annual trips to Beaulieu. It worked, I could lay out lengthwise in comfort, so I packed mattress, duvet and pillows along with a wash bag.

On the day, the weather was perfect. The sun shone as I drove to the rendezvous point near Peterborough. The run to the New Forest, in pillarless coupe mode, was on, and because I don’t have any hair, I wasn’t worried about the air turbulence. This would be the second time in two months that I had driven an Avantime to the National Motor Museum. Let me explain.

On the way, and it’s not a race.

A few months before I had received a call from Museum, boss Jon Murden. He had heard I was back in the ‘two-door sports MPV’ club with my earlier Avantime and wanted to buy it from me. I didn’t want to sell, until he told me why. ‘We want it for new exhibition feature called ‘We had one of those’.’ I immediately pointed out that very few people ‘had one of these’. The Avantime made it to just over 300 sales in the UK. ‘Precisely,’ said Jon. People will think it’s an Espace and then have a bit of a shock, it’s the perfect ‘unfamiliar familiar’ family car.’ I’ve got to be honest, I think it’s because Jon wants to have an Avantime because it’s a really nice thing to have – but I still said yes. I thought of ways to get out of selling it. But the idea that people would be enjoying it, just as they did when I popped it on our stand at the Practical Classics Classic Car and Restoration Show, getting in and out, opening and closing those mad doors with their cantilevered hinges and revelling in that lovely design freedom, meant it was a pleasure to hand over the keys.

Frugal 2CV needs no fuel.

I drove that first Avantime to Beaulieu and left it there. Now in my second Avantime of the year, collected from France and returned to the UK, I am heading south again with my brothers in cars. This time we are voyaging together for a weekend of filthy pleasure at the Autojumble and, as we chat before ‘the off’, it is obvious that we are disagreeing on the route to our lunchtime stop. We go for the simplest option… ‘see you there!’

Suddenly, I am on a scatter rally. James decides to go cross country, I take the direct motorway route via the A1, M25 and M4 and the two Matts take variations in between.

This plays to the Avantime’s strengths, it is not the most dynamic B-road weapon, but it is a super-comfortable motorway cruiser and, once we reach the downs west of Reading (the M25 was in a good mood), I drop all the glass and gently saunter to the brewery in pillarless comfort.

Renegade Brewery at Yattendon is the place we source our crossword competition prize from every month, and our invite had been open for too long. It is part brewery, part visitor centre and retail outlet, part warehouse and part classic car meet venue. For us it was a cross-country endgame. I had made a stop enroute so was last to materialise, and when I did I found the others in the shop buying excellent artisanal beers.

Renegade visitor centre, popular with car and non-car types.

Non-alcoholic beverages were consumed and purchases for the weekend ahead made, and then we headed off into the late afternoon, making a brief stop to check fluids before entering the New Forest and finally the gates of Beaulieu. For the record the Avantime made a very successful camper, with the one caveat that it needed blackout blinds… there’s a lot of glass in an Avantime.

Pulling non-alcoholic pints.

CAR ACCOMMODATION

Always test the sleeping arrangement before you head off. Make sure you carry plenty of bedding and your mattress is comfy. If you are a light sleeper, get blackout material for all the windows. Oh and pillows, always bring a good pillow.

Suddenly, the Avantime morphs into an eccentric hotel on wheels.

JAMES WALSHE

1985 Citroën 2CV6

James and his go everywhere Citroën.

Depending on your age, my Citroën is the Marco Polo, Alan Whicker, Michael Palin and Jane McDonald of cars. Sure, it hasn’t travelled the Silk Road to China or performed a shrill cover of Super Trouper on a cruise ship, but Tupperware the 2CV is one very well-travelled tin snail. Before I bought it some eight years ago, previous owners Barry and Gloria spent years gallivanting to Sweden, Italy, Germany and France several times over, kids Pete and Louise squabbling in the back, pushchair bungeed to the roof. Once I had the keys, I embarked on my own adventures and the car has since danced across the cobbled streets of Paris thrice, revisited Italy and Germany, and bothered the rear bumpers of the Swiss, Spanish and Belgians. It has done laps of Silverstone and Spa and survived being severely squashed between two grotesque German SUVs at Dunkirk ferry port.

But… I’m having one of the nicest trips I’ve ever taken in my 2CV. The sun is out, the traffic light and I’m on the Practical Classics team’s regular jaunt to the Beaulieu International Autojumble. We all grumble about Britain’s crowded roads and, yes, we have every right to if home is in Surrey, Perry Barr, anywhere near the M60 or that annoyingly crowded bit between Southampton and Portsmouth. But there is still so much pleasure to be had driving cross-country here. For our trip to Beaulieu this time, me, Tomkins and George are wiggling down B-roads from our Lincolnshire workshop.

Leaving the A1, we pass through amusingly named Cambridgeshire villages that sound like Victorian exclamations or the names of disobedient butlers. ‘Great Gidding! Now look here Chelveston!’ The rolling countryside of Northamptonshire is a feast for the eyes. Quaint villages pepper the landscape, thatched cottages and tiny church steeples nestled against lush woodland or beside lakes – it’s like the Cotswolds without the coaches. We twiddle our way through lanes to avoid Northampton and Milton Keynes, ending up meeting Danny at the Renegade Brewery for an enjoyable mooch. It’s a handy stop-off for we travellers who reluctantly leave, bound for a top-up of fuel in Thatcham. From there, we pass the fictional site of the brutal Seventies children’s horror flick Watership Down and, while we see no traumatised rabbits, the 778ft escarpment is suitably dramatic. Garfunkel’s distant melodic whimpering is in my head as I repeat a line uttered by one of the characters – an astute buck rabbit called Dandelion. ‘You can see the whole world!’ You can’t obviously, but the view across the Hampshire Downs is beautiful. We press, on leaving the local rabbit population to a miserable (fictional) fate.

There’s a brief blast on the A34 and we pull off as soon as we can to head southwest on a satisfyingly straight stretch of the A30 to Stockbridge. The 2CV rolls gently through the bendier section from Kings Somborne to Romsey and our convey arrives at the edge of the New Forest with a satisfying ‘gudda gudda!’ as we pass over the cattle grid of dreams. There’s no event like Beaulieu Autojumble. No venue matches it, either. And the people… are among the best you’ll ever encounter. We are, as always, extremely pleased to be here. But for me, you can’t beat the journey – especially a cross-country blast that’s bursting with the joys of expectation, aboard the car you love most.

CANVASSING OPINION

Sleep is a priority so to that end, avoid airbeds for starters, changing nighttime temperatures mean they never stay inflated, so buy yourself a self-inflating camping mat. They’re also better at preventing the ground from conducting heat away from you. Duvets are also useless for retaining warmth when sleeping outdoors, so a thermal sleeping bag rated ‘Limit’ or ‘Extreme’ will give you the cosiest night. Oh, and bring your favourite pillow – a little piece of home goes a long way at Beaulieu bedtime.

MATT TOMKINS

1969 Morris Minor Traveller

Off to Beaulieu with plenty of beer for the weekend ahead.

After too long idle, I decided in spring that this would be the year of the Traveller. It is a car that means a great deal to me, having been the subject of my first big resto which propelled me into a life of writing about old cars for a living. However, it’s a car which has seen little use of late and was therefore in danger of being unable to justify its position on the fleet. Now though, with an epic trip through Wales, a thrash around Silverstone (see p24) and the most wonderful bimble to Beaulieu about to start, I am pleased to report that I’m thoroughly in love with the wood-framed wonder once more.

My day began at the PC workshop loading superfluous parts into the Traveller’s capacious load bay, with the ambition of at least covering the cost of the weekend’s beer with sales. It’s amazing how many bits and bobs accumulate over the course of a restoration or two – and the value of these to others which can be reinvested into the next project. Or beer. Moreover, the space freed up by a good weekend of jumbling makes future fettling far more enjoyable and the risk of damage to delicate components lessened greatly. It’s good for the soul.

BEER COLLECT A pallet of barrels? Sadly, it didn’t quite fit the Morris.

Boot space bulging, I rendezvoused with the rest of the team off the A1, the festival of colour and sun glinting from each of my colleague’s vehicles a stunning sign of spring. Tucking in behind the Triumph 2000 of Matt G, itself a hugely sentimental vehicle to its owner, we settle into a steady cross-country cruise. Our merry convoy conveys the spirit of PC – a variety of tastes, eras and origins all running together for the love of classics headed for the field of (rusty) dreams. Each car tells its own tale and holds a special position in the owners’ heart. I feel myself daydreaming about the ‘what ifs’, the survival of each and every car here a result of logic being defied one way or another.

‘Our convoy conveys the spirit of Practical Classics’

As traffic builds, James darts off the A-roads in search of a short cut, the 2CVs suspension far more forgiving of rural potholes then my own cart springs – especially this heavily leaden – however we’re soon reunited at our first stop of the trip at the Renegade Brewery. A slap-up lunch and no-alcohol pint at the on-site eatery are both most-welcome, as are the bottles purchased for field consumption. A trip to Beaulieu is increasingly more about the social side of the hobby than it is the metal on sale. That being said, moments after arriving on the National Motor Museum site, my eyes are drawn to a Morris Minor wing… wallet out, purchase made. Commitment made to sell, sell, sell to cover the cost.

TOMKINS’S TIPS

Don’t be a martyr, pack a big tent, air bed and 12v pump. A bottle opener is essential, too. Don’t forget teabags, milk and a kettle – and do you have enough gas? Plan the camp as a group and share the load – no need to overpack. Bring the comfiest chair you can, plus a spare for friends you’ll make along the way. Wet wipes are good, workshop hand wipes are better – you’ll be greasy from jumble rummaging. Bring a BBQ, one that stands off the ground, and stop for sausages at one of the New Forest’s many excellent butchers.

MATT GEORGE

1972 Triumph 2000

Ready to go. Matt’s forever car, his Triumph 2000.

I’d been to Beaulieu numerous times before, but 2025 was the first year that I’d made the trip in my Triumph 2000. After almost 19 years of ownership, it goes without saying that I enjoy driving the thing whatever the occasion – with long-distance road trips being something of a speciality over the years – but this time around, I had even further reasoning to do so. With the 2000 having seen limited action over the previous few years, I’d spent the summer working through a snagging list and generally readying the car for another big adventure, namely the Club Triumph Round Britain Reliability Run.

For those who aren’t aware, the RBRR is a 2000-mile trip around the UK, undertaken almost non-stop over a 48-hour period. I’d completed the event in the 2000 on three previous occasions but was keen to get a decent test run under its belt ahead of the latest attempt. So, a blast to Beaulieu would be ideal, as the circa 600-mile round trip from my home in Yorkshire to the southeastern edge of the New Forest and back would give the car ample opportunity to prove itself. And to be frank, if the worst was to happen, I’d rather it happen then rather than in the middle of nowhere in deepest Scotland. In October, and in the rain.

Everything is available at the IAJ.

As it turns out, I needn’t have worried. The big Triumph has been well fettled over the years and, while it may be getting a little frilly in places externally, the mechanics and running gear are still as good as ever. Plus, I’ll never get tired of that fabulous six-cylinder soundtrack! Having initially met my colleagues at Norman Cross in Cambridgeshire, not far from PC HQ, the journey turned into a bit of an inadvertent scatter rally, before we all converged on the excellent Renegade Brewery later that afternoon. So far, so good for Team Triumph. It’s a bit of a cliché, but being behind the wheel of that car really is my happy place, so as my colleagues and I wound our way through the downs and onward towards the mecca that is Beaulieu on IAJ weekends, I did so with a great big smile on my face throughout. Without wishing to tempt fate, it also didn’t take me all that long to think to myself that ‘the car has got this. We’re going to OK come RBRR time’.

Once at Bealieu, the usual fun and games ensued. Come Sunday evening, we packed up our camp and headed our separate ways again, with the Triumph getting me home without incident – job well and truly jobbed! Oh, and spoiler alert – my buddies and I did complete the RBRR successfully (see Practical Classics, January 2026).

Danny’s old Avi is on display.

MATT’S KIT FOR CAMPING

• Tent

• Sleeping bag

• Air mattress

• Gas stove

• Frying pan

• Kettle

• Cool box

• Lovely beer from Renegade Brewery!

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THE BIG RESTORATION

How Dominic Dent transformed his tired TVR Vixen into the ultimate daily driver!

WORDS MATT TOMKINS PHOTOGRAPHY MATT HOWELL

THE RESTORER

A lifelong petrolhead and tinkerer, Dominic Dent is a retired engineer who spent much of his career in the aerospace industry, as did his father before him. After being made redundant from Rolls-Royce during COVID, he retired to enjoy his passion.

Arriving at Dominic Dent’s garage, it’s immediately apparent the sort of car we’re about to see. Everything set carefully in-place, bright white walls, carpeted floor, everything neatly racked, right down to his home-grown onions – and it’s obvious he knows them! The attention to detail of this former aerospace engineer is crystal clear. Sitting proud, a gleaming Vixen, perfectly presented and restored nut-and-bolt by Dominic, right here. Originally one of just 15 Vixens fitted with Triumph’s 1300cc four-pot, the exhaust bark on start-up testifies that original lump is a distant memory; for beneath the bonnet lies the secret to Dominic’s ambition. This TVR is to become his daily driver, the 2.4-litre K24 VTEC heart from a Honda Accord providing the perfect, reliable, method of power delivery to the rear wheels. But not all that long ago, all that seemed a distant dream.

TECH SPEC

• Engine 2354cc/4-cyl/DOHC

• Power 235bhp@5750rpm

• Torque 190lbft@7250rpm

• Gearbox 5-speed manual

• 0-60mph Unknown

• Top speed Unknown

• Fuel economy 35-40mpg

‘I’d owned a TVR previously’, recalls Dominic, ‘a Tuscan, but had to sell it to fund a house build. By 2021, following redundancy and early retirement, I was on the TVR forums looking for my old car, but prices had gone up and ‘my’ car had seemingly disappeared. That’s when I spotted this Vixen S4.’ The car had been in storage for many years, with the previous owner planning to put it back on the road. ‘The owner described the car as a runner that needed the clutch and brake master cylinder replacing and ‘could be back on the road with a little effort’. Within just a few minutes it was obvious it was in need of complete restoration. After around an hour looking at the car, we had a frank conversation and agreed a price.’

‘Suspension set up, the car was transformed’

At some point in the past, the original 1300cc Triumph engine had been swapped for a 1600 item, however this was in need of total rebuild and, with plans for this to become a peppy user, quotes soon began to add up. ‘It was going to be around £5000 to rebuild the 1600 engine to a reasonable state of tune,’ Dominic reveals, which makes the mere £850 paid for the running VTEC lump all the more remarkable. ‘I’d seen other engine-swapped Vixens, but never a Honda swap.’ Dominic explains ‘but the K24 is a common swap for other cars and race series, so there’s strong aftermarket support and plenty of advice out there, too.’

Although the engine was a runner when bought, predictably, Dominic did his due diligence. ‘I replaced the timing chains and gears and also swapped the VTEC cam gear from the OEM 25-degree gear to a 50-degree one, allowing for a wider range of cam timing adjustment. This meant that on the dyno, the ECU could be tuned to bring the VTEC cam in earlier than the standard 5800rpm, making the car more drivable.’

Once the engine had been chosen, Dominic fitted it to the chassis before stripping the car any further, ensuring all his measurements tallied and there were no clearance issues. The engine fitted beautifully, even utilising the original mounting positions on the chassis, but using Land Rover Defender engine mounts to bolt the block in place. With this milestone complete, it was time for another: off came the body. ‘It’s possible to lift it off with two people,’ Dominic explains. ‘It’s so light, but it’s ungainly, so it was much better with four.’ Under no illusions as to the bodywork battle ahead, Dominic chose first to concentrate on the roller-skate chassis. ‘It was remarkably solid,’ he reveals, ‘it’s the later M-type chassis, made from box section rather than tube, and almost all the running components are Triumph TR6, meaning parts were readily available.’ Dominic stripped the chassis bare, cleaned it thoroughly and then treated it to a coat of POR 15 before building it back up with fresh components throughout. ‘The idea was that, once the rolling chassis was done, I could push it out of the garage to give me space to do the bodywork’, he explains. ‘The differential was originally from a Spitfire, but it wouldn’t have coped with the power. I’ve fitted a TR6 one now. It’s all Hardy Spicer UJs as standard, so can handle the torque.’ To that end, a Getrag five-speed gearbox from an E46 BMW 3-series was chosen to go behind the engine, with a PMC Motorsport adapter plate and clutch kit in between. ‘I bought the ‘box for just £50,’ recalls Dominic.

The time finally arrived for the glassfibre body to fall under Dominic’s fingertips. ‘When it arrived, it had been painted in black enamel that was cracked all over the place and was horrible to remove. It took me weeks and weeks to strip off, working with a combination of scrapers and sanders to get the car bare, all in the knowledge that one slip with the sander could ruin the surface shape and require significant work to put right.’ Once the previous surface finish was removed, Dominic broke out a torch. ‘I shone a light underneath the car, a bit at a time and noted where it grinned through. These areas were evidently either thin or pin-holed, so needed carefully building back up with glassfibre matting and tissue to restore strength and finish. There were also areas of previous accident damage and poor repairs, which also needed to be put right.’

Dominic’s previous experience with glassfibre extended only to patch repairs on plastic boats, yet the level of finish he’s achieved on the TVR proves his innate skills. ‘I bought a book on working with glassfibre and read it over a few evenings,’ he reveals. ‘Then I just had to get on and do it.’ The repairs were topped with three coats of epoxy primer and four of high build primer before Dominic spent a full three weeks flatting the surface prior to applying cellulose base and clear coats, the underside having been treated to colour matched Raptor paint. Oh, and of course he’d meticulously converted his garage into a spray booth with filtered incoming air and a large extractor fan… this man doesn’t do things by halves!

Body beautiful once more, attention turned to Dominic’s nemesis: electrics. The engine sub-loom was supplied by Hardwired Performance alongside the engine ECU, with a bulkhead connector allowing quick and easy disconnection should the engine require removal. The rest of the electrics, bespoke loom and fuse box, however, would fall to Dominic. ‘I have a friend down the road who knows electrics really well, so he gave me a tutorial on how to think about electrics before I spent a few weeks drawing each circuit out individually. I then put all of those circuits onto a CAD system, and we sat down with a cup of tea and he showed me where the errors were and how things could be improved. We went through this review process three times, but once he was happy that the circuits were good, I made each wire up individually, clipped them into the car, shortened as required then added terminal ends, then removed it and wrapped it before fitting it back in again. It was a massive learning curve.’

Inside, retrimmed Mazda MX-5 seats match the rest of the interior, trimmed by Dominic, while a modern Smiths speedometer ties in with the original TVR clocks, yet uses a Hall sensor on the propshaft to provide an accurate reading despite the non-standard running gear. The overall result is a simply stunning piece of engineering, but the final assembly wasn’t quite the end of the project. When pressed on whether it lives up to expectations, Dominic tells us: ‘It does now it’s been to Centre Gravity.’ The suspension specialist, he explains, has worked its magic on the Triumph-derived suspension, perfecting the geometry, camber, caster and corner weights, transforming what was at first a hard-riding monster to wrestle with into a car that is a genuine pleasure to drive. ‘After a full day of setting up, we went out for a test drive and the car was transformed, absolutely planted on roundabouts, even at speed. It was a different car on the drive home to the one I took down there. Well worth the effort.’

Here’s how Dom did it

1 TEST FIT NOV 2021

Having priced the 1600cc crossflow engine rebuild at £5000, Dominic looked to other options. A K24 Honda lump set him back just £850 and was a near-perfect fit.

2 LIFT OFF DEC 2021

It took four people to carefully remove the glassfibre body from the rolling ‘M’ chassis, which was the first part of the car to be restored.

3 ON A ROLL JUL 2022

Using mainly Triumph TR6 components, the rolling chassis was restored to perfection, with fresh parts throughout and a coat of POR15.

4 STRIPPED BARE AUG 2022

Months of graft went in to removing the old paint and repairing poorly repaired accident damage. Dominic’s only previous experience with glassfibre was patching boats.

5 BODY BEAUTIFUL MAY 2023

After months of work, Dominic could finally apply the colour coats – first having converted his garage into an extracted paint booth.

WHAT'S IT LIKE TO DRIVE

It was with some difficulty that I squeezed myself behind the wheel. First impressions are of a beautifully finished cabin, with a dash stocked with uniform clocks and a wonderfully snicky 3-series-derived gearshift that falls easily to hand. Fire up the K24 and the TVR growls, eagerly. The footwell is rather tight for my size 11s and I make a real hash of setting off, the Vixen’s heavy clutch and light throttle leading to a little wheel spin as I leave a worried-looking Dominic in a layby. Out on the road, I quickly become used to the controls, slipping between ratios and delighting at the taughtness of it all. The car feels beautifully-balanced and I soon become in-tune with the handling, such that I allow myself to open the throttle. As revs build, the VTEC system opens the valves wide and the power kick is astonishing. The chassis dynamics, refined by Centre Gravity, combine with energising power, superb finish and extraordinary attention to detail throughout to create an experience that presents the whole package; and then there’s the looks. What a car.

USEFUL CONTACTS

• Centre Gravity, centergravity.co.uk

• JR Race Exhausts, jrexhausts.com

• KPOWER, kpower. industries

• Moss, moss-europe.co.uk

• Rimmer Bros, rimmerbros.com

Restorer of the Year 2027

Restorer of the Year celebrates the shed heroes who, every year, produce extraordinary work breathing life back into basket cases and bringing classics that are going nowhere back to the road. With our sponsors Anglia Car Auctions, we’ll scour the land to bring you the very best then, early in 2027, you get to nominate your favourite restos. From your top ten nominations, our panel of experts will select the top five nominees, so that you can meet the winner at the PC Classic Car and Restoration show at the NEC next March.

FREDDIE SAYS

‘This level of detail and precision is the only way to go with a resto-mod such as this. Dominic is a bit of a genius. The story of Dave and his Singer revival is perhaps less involved, but still just as full of heart and soul. Great work.’

DATE OF UPCOMING AUCTION – SEE THE WEBSITE

Website angliacarauctions.co.uk Telephone number 01553 777444

THE OTHER BOND CARS

Ahead of an imminent 007 announcement, we assemble half a dozen of the spy’s sidekick heroes

WORDS JAMES WALSHE PICTURES JONATHAN JACOB

If you know James Bond beyond the film franchise, you’ll know he was a Bentley man. In three out of four of Fleming’s novels, Casino Royale, Live and Let Die and Moonraker, 007 found himself at the wheel of a 1930 Bentley Blower, which he’d spotted on blocks behind a Cambridge pub and restored. Yep, turns out a young James was into fixing up old cars. The Blower’s only gadget or means of armament came down to a revolver in the glovebox – a far cry from the Aston Martin DB5, which first broke cover in 1964’s blockbuster, Goldfinger. Thereafter, the car was an intrinsic part of Commander Bond’s lifestyle and, while I’m willing to bet that we can all effortlessly reel off the entire line-up of company motors supplied by Q Branch, what of the ‘other’ ones? The unsung heroes and automotive supporting artists that contributed to countless thrills and plot twists?

Ahead of 2026’s expected announcement about who will play the next 007, we’ve assembled six of the best at the British Motor Museum, betwixt buildings that wouldn’t look out of place in Ernst Stavro Bloefeld’s secret hideout. Among them are one particularly memorable villain’s lethal Jaguar and a host of cars that helped the nation’s favourite spy save the world. We’ve handpicked the 007 classics that, because of their unsung hero status, you can still pick up for less than ten grand. So, pay attention… time to ‘go backwards forwards quickly’.

Jaguar XKR

It isn’t often cinemagoers are treated to a memorable Bond villain vehicle, unless you count the electric wheelchair used by a cackling, cat-stroking Blofeld in For Your Eyes Only. The baddie’s car is often an anonymous dark-coloured saloon of some sort and is almost always unceremoniously binned off into a ravine. But 2002’s Die Another Day changed all that. With Brosnan at the wheel of his ‘invisible’ Aston Martin Vanquish (let’s not go there), his cinematic nemesis turns up in a snot green XKR Cabriolet. In this battle of the Brit bruisers, it was an unexpected appearance from Jaguar’s 1996 grand tourer – this one peppered with numerous items of lethal weaponry, from grille-mounted missiles, mortar bombs in the boot and rocket launchers in the doors to an enormous Gatling gun positioned behind supervillain Zao’s shiny bonce.

It is that weapon that catches your eye most when the car rumbles out of its Jaguar Heritage Trust workshop lair. It is unexpectedly unnerving – we felt like we should be diving for cover as it woofled towards the photographer’s tripod. The Gatling is mounted centrally, behind the front seats, so it’s ever-present when you’re at the wheel. Since weapons like that get rather hot in operation, we’d have suggested Zao wear a hat… but then we’re talking about a film featuring an invisible Aston Martin that Q-Branch nicknamed ‘the Vanish’, for Pete’s sake. Dammit – I went there. As Basil Fawlty explains from his secret gadget-filled Tube station, the Aston’s adaptive camouflage involves ‘tiny cameras projecting images onto a light-emitting polymer skin.’ It was, in truth, so unconvincing, Zao’s XKR was elevated to becoming the real star of the film. Under fire from the Jaguar’s assortment of weapons, Bond’s silly cloak of invisibility fails almost immediately and a dramatic chase across the ice proceeds – the Vanquish all the while looking distinctly outclassed. Unfortunately for Zao, and us, his Jag ends up being squashed under a collapsing ice palace.

Eight XKRs were modified at Pinewood Studios, with four of them getting four-wheel-drive for the chase sequences in Iceland. They all got the necessary cosmetic tweaks and were painted in the same shade of metallic green used on Jaguar’s Formula One cars of the era. Our Die Another Day XKR, which is on display at Jaguar Heritage, has one extra claim to fame over the other cars built: it took part in the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Pageant in 2022, when it slunk its way up The Mall in an event watched by 13-million people around the world. From villain to hero, by royal approval.

TECH SPEC

Jaguar XKR Convertible

• Engine 4196cc/8-cyl/OHC

• Power 400bhp@6100rpm

• Torque 408lb ft@3500rpm

• Gearbox 6-speed auto

• 0-60mph 5.3sec

• Top speed 155mph

• Economy 23mpg

Sunbeam Alpine

James Bond wasn’t given a company car for his first venture onto the silver screen. However, in January 1962, as five weeks of filming work on Dr. No commenced in Jamaica, the production team realised they needed an open top car in which to show off their 31-year-old leading man’s dashing good looks. Some vigorous telephone bashing unearthed a Lake Blue Series II Alpine, recently bought brand-new from a Rootes dealer in Kingston by 20-something local artist Jennifer Mary Siebel-Jackson. Having paid for the car with recently acquired inheritance money, she must have been tickled by seeing it being driven by Bond in a pursuit with some villains in a hearse – although not as tickled as ‘Miss Taro’, with whom 007 celebrated his very first cinematic bonk.

Dr. No wasn’t the Sunbeam Alpine’s first appearance on screen; the elegant earlier incarnation of Sunbeam’s sports car having been used for Hitchcock’s 1955 film To Catch a Thief. In that, we’re treated to Cary Grant looking unimpressed at Grace Kelly’s driving. It wasn’t real, of course. Like Connery’s 1962 Sunbeam scene, the sequence was largely filmed at Pinewood with a stationary car, back-projection and a whopping great wind machine.

On viewing the scenes these days, the neat little Sunbeam easily draws your eye away from the wonky in-car shot and daft tyre screeching dubbing (the cars are seen to be driving on gravel). You crave for more; this elegant little slice of exotica from Warwickshire looks sensational on the Jamaican shoreline. The scenes aren’t lengthy, but they set the cogs turning for Bond’s future relationship with the motor car. If only Rootes had made the most of the association. Instead of a DB5, generations of kids could have been playing with a machine gun, ejector seat-equipped Series IV Alpine GT. Or perhaps Q could have wangled him a Tiger? Nevertheless, while the Alpine was based on a humble Hillman Minx, it delighted buyers from launch in 1959 with its handsome looks, comfort and luxuries like winding windows and quality folding roof.

While not in the same colour as Bond’s Series II car, the owner of our Sunbeam assures me his 1963 Series III example is the rarest incarnation. Roy Winters says that with under 6000 made, the Series III was the last of the rear finned cars. ‘It has the better suspension, interior and bigger boot of the later Alpines but the character of the early ones.’ Judging by the tight shut lines and the beautifully trimmed cabin, this is every bit as good as a Bond car should be.

TECH SPEC

Sunbeam Alpine Series III

• Engine 1592cc/4-cyl/OHV

• Power 82bhp@5200rpm

• Torque 94lb ft@3800rpm

• Gearbox 4-speed manual

• 0-60mph 14.9sec

• Top speed 98mph

• Economy 25mpg

Renault 11

You can’t fail to have noticed how the Renault 11 featured here bears little resemblance to the vehicle from 1985’s A View to a Kill – whose calculated appearance in Roger Moore’s last outing as Bond coincided with Renault’s final failed push in the United States. Ours is a post-1987 facelift Turbo model, while it quite obviously hasn’t been chopped in half. There are, sadly, some cars you just can’t find for a wintry photoshoot in England and a 1984 Renault 11 TXE in Azure Blue is one of them. However, of the options we had, we can think of no better example of R11 to showcase: the most forgotten of forgotten Eighties hot hatches. The stunner featured here, owned by Paul Hicks, is one of just only six left in the UK.

The 11 Turbo was a natural progression for a range that, back in 1983, gave the family hatch market an exciting kick up the bum – especially after the launch of the R11’s dreary looking booted sister two years earlier. While the staid 9 served its purpose neatly enough, bagging the 1982 European Car of the Year trophy in the process, the 11 was so obviously the work of former Citroën designer Robert Opron (SM, GS, CX). The R11 shared elements of Opron’s other Eighties Renaults – such as the wraparound rear glass of the Fuego and later R25. Despite going toe to toe with the XR3i, Astra GTE and 309 GTi, the 115bhp R11 Turbo got a considerably lower price tag – presumably because it was a tad softer to drive. It’s an appealingly oddball option, like a Visa GTi, Strada Abarth, or a weekend of axe throwing.

‘Roger’s R11 was an earlier car that ended up in bits’

A View to a Kill was a brilliant showcase for Renault, presenting its new hatchback as fruity and tough – despite 007’s progress at the wheel being hampered by a multitude of mishaps. Iit was just as well the roof was sliced off, as it meant he could keep an eye on his target: a parachuting supervillain May Day (played by Grace Jones), who’d just flung herself off the Eiffel Tower. Being a taxi in Eighties Paris, I would have assumed the car to have been fitted with Renault’s economical but epically sluggish 1595cc diesel lump, but the badging says otherwise; it’s a top of the range TXE. By the end of the chase sequence, having jumped over a bus and lurched down the pedestrian steps of Pont d’Iéna, only the front half of the R11 remained. Who needs a fuel tank anyway? Not the 57-year-old Rog, who – in similarly improbable fashion – catches up with May Day later in the film… in bed.

TECH SPEC

Renault 11 Turbo

• Engine 1397cc/4-cyl/OHC

• Power 115bhp@5750rpm

• Torque 122lb ft@3000rpm

• Gearbox 5-speed manual

• 0-60mph 121mph

• Top speed 8.5sec

• Economy 32mpg

Citroën 2CV

Surely, this isn’t the genuine article? Well, it is… in a way. To mark the premiere of For Your Eyes Only, Citroën issued all 260 of its UK dealers with two official sticker kits each – complete with fake bullet holes. Justin White says his example is indeed one of the recipients. ‘There should be 50 bullet holes in total, but every car is different’. What none of these standard 602cc ‘special editions’ got was the movie car’s engine. Six 2CVs were obtained in total with four being modified at Pinewood Studios by stunt performer and Citroën enthusiast Ken Sheppard. He fitted each with a flat-four air-cooled 1015cc unit from an early Seventies GS model, cleverly mated to the standard 2CV gearbox (the GS ‘box was too big).

The stunt sequence, shot in the sun-soaked hills of Corfu in autumn 1980, was the franchise debut of stunt coordinator Remy Julienne, whose inventive mark is across the entirety of Roger Moores’s brush with the Deux Chevaux. Having watched his Esprit Turbo blown to pieces, an incredulous 007 is forced to get a lift from Melina Havelock (Carole Bouquet) in her mimosa yellow 2CV and, as the pair escape an array of villains in their Peugeot 504s, they succeed; Bond having taken the wheel, despite the tin snail getting a thorough battering.

Snaking down the mountain, they tumble through olive groves until tipping over in the village of Pagi (where these days, you’ll find a Bond themed café called Spyros). Helpful locals manhandle the damaged car upright and the chase proceeds in a hail of gunfire. ‘I’m afraid we’re being out horse powered’, smirks Bond. The actual vehicle used in that stunt is in the hands of a Citroën collector in West Yorkshire – dents and all. He is also in possession of the hydraulic equipment and ground anchor used for a jump sequence which saw the car propelled skyward and across the roof of one of the Peugeots.

As for the other three 2CVs used for the stunts, one was destroyed in the sequence where the car rolls over in the trees, another ended up in Citroën’s own heritage collection while the fourth almost ended up cubed at a Paris scrapyard. It was rescued, placed in a collection from 2004 and was sold last July in The Netherlands for a reported $150,000. Rest assured, you’ll pay significantly less for a standard yellow 2CV and a set of bullethole stickers.

TECH SPEC

Citroën 2CV6

• Engine 602cc/2-cyl/OHV

• Power 34bhp@5750rpm

• Torque 33lb ft@3500rpm

• Gearbox 4-speed manual

• 0-60mph 30sec

• Top speed 71mph

• Economy 49mpg

Land Rover Defender 110

Skyfall was undoubtedly a highlight in the Bond franchise. Director Sam Mendes brought plentiful nods to the past, from Adele’s captivating opening credits and Thomas Newman’s whirling soundtrack to plot twists involving 007’s Scottish heritage and… well… that Aston Martin DB5. Unlike 1995’s Goldeneye absurd sequence, which involved Bond’s DB5 going toe to toe with a Ferrari F355, the Skyfall appearance of the Aston saw Daniel Craig and Judi Dench on a scenic tour of Glen Etive. So, while there’s no sign of Bond getting excited behind the wheel in Skyfall, he was briefly a passenger for what was a memorable opening scene.

Skyfall’s one and only car chase involves Miss Moneypenny taking the wheel of a Land Rover Defender 110 double cab as she and 007 pursue a mercenary in an Audi (yes, another anonymous black saloon). He soon bails out and Moneypenny continues the pursuit, with her Landie sustaining significant damage along the way – as well as being peppered with bullets.

Viewing one of the twelve stunt cars used in the film today, you can’t help poking a finger into a bullet hole or two. This is the genuine article, and in an odd way, it feels like you’re meeting one of the cast members. The Defender’s Stornoway Grey metallic bodywork has suffered a bashing to every panel, while the rear-view mirrors have been shot off and there remain shards of glass on the rear seat.

Now on display in the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust collection at Gaydon, this Defender was added to the collection soon after the release of Skyfall in 2012. It’s Belgium spec with the 2.2-litre diesel and six-speed automatic ’box, although sadly it’s not currently a driver. Possibly just as well, as Moneypenny did a decent job of shoving the bullet-cracked windscreen just before she accidentally shot Bond off a moving train. Nothing to worry about though – as you’d expect, our Jim pops up again later to save the day – but not before kidnapping M in an ‘X351’ Jaguar XJ. The scene only lasts 60-seconds but it’s enough to admire what is both a criminally underrated executive saloon and possibly one of the coolest ‘non-Bond’ cars ever.

TECH SPEC

Land Rover Defender 110

• Engine 2198cc/4-cyl/OHC

• Power 120bhp@3500rpm

• Torque 266lb ft@2000rpm

• Gearbox 6-speed manual

• 0-60mph 15sec

• Top speed 90mph

• Economy 28mpg

BMW 7 Series

If you’d have believed some grumblers back in 1995, you’d have thought it was the end for James Bond. While there was discomfort at the sight of James Bond at the wheel of a BMW in Goldeneye, with wails of ‘selling out to the Germans’ and ‘political correctness gone mad’, this was the Nineties – an era of newfound and welcome alertness to social injustice and inequality. However, I’d be fibbing if I said I didn’t tighten my grip on that box of popcorn at the cinema in Redruth when M declared Pierce Brosnan’s 007 a ‘sexist misogynist dinosaur’ and forced him into a BMW Z3. It was a fleeting moment; the Z3 keys were quickly tossed to Felix Leiter, who took it away. While James did get his hands on a feistier Z8 for 1999’s The World is Not Enough, it’s the gadget-laden E38 7 Series that gets our vote as an unsung Bond car hero, appearing in Tomorrow Never Dies.

Launched in 1994, the E38 was arguably the very best of the decade’s big saloons. Every bit as well made as Mercedes-Benz’s W140 S-Class but with BMW’s in-built driving dynamics, the 7 Series was a genuine class-leader. Even Audi’s first proper attempt at a luxury saloon in 1994 – the lightweight all-aluminium A8 – failed to put a dent in the big Beemer. Despite missing the Bond boat, the executive Audi did later get a spectacular guest spot in the action movie Ronin, but BMW was on a roll at MI6, loading up sixteen E38s with gadgets ready for filming of the chase sequences.

Each of the cars supplied by BMW was a 740iL but were, in the interests of championing the range-topper, badged 750iL.

Developments in mobile phone technology had begun to take off in the late Nineties and, in prophetic fashion, the writers introduced a car that could be controlled via the trackpad on 007’s Ericsson handset. Tesla’s engineers – despite still being in short trousers – were most likely watching with interest as 007 sped the 7 Series around a multi-storey car park while dodging bullets from the rear footwell. Tesla has, thankfully, stopped short of fitting their cars with tear gas, rocket launchers and a rear bumper-mounted dispensary of tyre-puncturing metal spikes.

Only one of the film cars is left, sadly. It’s on proud display at the Museum Industriekultur in Nuremberg. The car joining us for our photoshoot at Gaydon – owned by dedicated BMW fan Barrie Goodland – looks as fresh as Bond’s BMW did in 1997, and feels it, too. This era was a sweet spot for all big saloons (especially those made by BMW). They were cars that were repairable and beautifully made. No wonder 007 liked his.

TECH SPEC

BMW 728i

• Engine 2793cc/6-cyl/OHC

• Power 190bhp@5300rpm

• Torque 206lb ft@3950rpm

• Gearbox 5-speed auto

• 0-60mph 9.6sec

• Top speed 140mph

• Economy 28mpg

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