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Development story

If you want to know the full story behind a car, this is the place to come. With information about the design and engineering process, as well as styling evolution, and subsequent production evolution, these are the most comprehensive stories you’ll find online.

Rover Metro development story
Development story

The cars : Rover Metro/100 development story

4 August 2022 Keith Adams 40

Under the skin, there was plenty to crow about the Rover Metro of 1990 – the K-Series engine and interconnected Hydragas suspension were a technical marvel in this class. However, […]

Mini Cooper KEL 236
Development story

The cars : Mini Cooper development story

24 July 2022 Ian Nicholls 31

Ian Nicholls charts the origins and production history of the Mini Cooper in what is the most comprehensive online guide to the most iconic of all Minis. Ian’s article is not, […]

Jensen Interceptor
Development story

The cars : Jensen Interceptor (1966-1976)

13 July 2022 Keith Adams 21

The Jensen Interceptor was a uniquely British, and super-cool take on the typical GT car of the late 1960s. Clothed in a beautiful Italian body and powered by US V8 […]

Austin Kimberley/Tasman (X6)

The cars : Leyland P76 development story

27 May 2022 Keith Adams 23

In 1973, Leyland Australia announced that all former Austin and Morris cars would be replaced by a sweeping range of new Leyland-badged cars. Keith Adams tells the Leyland P76 development […]

Austin A30/A35/A40

The cars : Austin A30/A35 development story

11 April 2022 Keith Adams 48

Keith Adams tells the story of the Austin A30 and A35. Here we had a surprising technological leader and one of Britain’s most popular baby cars before the Mini’s arrival […]

Cavalier

The cars : Vauxhall Cavalier Mk2 development story

14 January 2022 Keith Adams 69

The full story of how the front-wheel drive Vauxhall Cavalier overturned the Ford Sierra and Austin Montego in the UK fleet market during the 1980s. […]

Rover 214 Si
Development story

The cars : Rover 200/400 (R8) development story

25 December 2021 Keith Adams 89

The Rover 200/400 (R8) was good enough to turn around the fortunes of its embattled maker. Here you can read the Internet’s fullest account of its development; a vehicle that […]

Innocenti Mini 90/120
Development story

The cars : Innocenti Mini 90/120 (P53) development story

22 November 2021 Keith Adams 76

In 1974, Leyland’s Italian subsidiary Innocenti introduced a rebodied, three-door hatchback Mini, styled by Bertone. However, within a year of its launch, BLMC went bankrupt, the company was sold to […]

Development story

The cars : Jaguar S-type development story

13 November 2021 Ian Nicholls 13

The Jaguar S-type was designed to bridge the gap between the Mk2 and MkX, and ended up being a hybrid of both. We tell the story of this interesting and […]

Capri

The cars : Ford Capri development story

11 November 2021 Keith Adams 114

The Ford Capri was created to emulate the massive success of the Mustang in the USA – right down to its fashionable styling. Based on an assortment of parts from […]

Oltcit Club
Axel

The cars : Oltcit Club/Citroën Axel development story

7 November 2021 Keith Adams 48

Romania during the 1980s was the unlikely production site for the last ever non-Peugeot Citroën to find its way to the marketplace. But the Oltcit Club and Citroën Axel proved […]

Rover 800 Turbo
Development story

The cars : Rover 820 Turbo 16V development story

3 November 2021 Keith Adams 30

The Rover 820 Turbo 16V was a last-gasp performance variation of the XX-generation. Supplanting the V6 Vitesse, this car predicted the R17-generation’s shift to the smaller engine.  Rover Special Products […]

Development story

The cars : Triumph Acclaim development story

15 October 2021 Keith Adams 72

It was a brave new world for BL – a Honda built in the UK but, in many ways, the Triumph Acclaim represented so much more. When launched in 1981, […]

C5

The cars : Sinclair C5 development story

17 September 2021 Andrew Elphick 25

Predicting the future – 25 years too early Suggest buying a Toyota Prius and people will smile then nod approvingly. It’s cool to be seen to be doing your bit […]

Alfa Romeo Alfasud
Alfa Romeo

The cars : Alfa Romeo Alfasud development story

9 July 2021 Keith Adams 93

The development story of Alfa Romeo’s ground-breaking small family car of the 1970s. How differently would history have judged the Alfa Romeo Alfasud, had its rustproofing been better and it […]

Austin Allegro 1750 Sport 1974-75
Austin Allegro (ADO67)

The cars : Austin Allegro 1750 Sport (twin carb) 1974-75

1 July 2021 Chris Cowin 23

Chris Cowin looks at a rare and half-forgotten Austin Allegro: the twin-carb Allegro 1750 Sport which was only available for one year. It’s the Allegro that ‘catches that sporting feeling’ […]

Development story

The cars : Argyll Turbo GT

5 May 2021 Robert Leitch 27

On the trail of the enigmatic Argyll Who says the ‘Car Guessing Game’ is no more than a bit of pointless froth? Almost ten years ago now, in a Celtic […]

Development story

The cars : MINI development story

27 April 2021 Keith Adams 34

The MINI’s development story is a tale of politics, Anglo-German disagreements, and a brilliant end product. […]

Development story

The cars : Morris Marina (ADO28) development story

23 April 2021 Keith Adams 55

Unashamedly created as Cowley’s Cortina, we tell the Morris Marina development story – how this car was intended to lead Morris – and, more importantly, British Leyland – into a […]

Development story

The cars : Rover 200 BRM LE development story

28 February 2021 David Morgan 8

David Morgan tells the full story of the Rover 200 BRM LE – the stylish hot hatch with an historic nameplate and orange snout. It was not a stellar success. […]

Morris Ital
Development story

The cars : Morris Ital development story

15 February 2021 Keith Adams 50

The Morris Ital development story was a case of Italian badge, British style. Although BL sold this car as being designed in Europe, it was styled in the UK by […]

Development story

The cars : Triumph Stag development story

13 February 2021 Keith Adams 32

The Triumph Stag development story is a tragic missed opportunity – it had everything: looks, power, a soundtrack to die for and a market niche all to itself… Yet it […]

Austin Metro
Austin/MG Metro (LC8)

The cars : Austin Metro (LC8) development story

1 February 2021 Keith Adams 49

Based on the Mini, the Austin Metro shared its A-Series engine, and when launched in 1980, it was hailed as the car to save British Leyland. It did, too… […]

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Latest story

Rover Metro development story
Development story

The cars : Rover Metro/100 development story

4 August 2022 40

Under the skin, there was plenty to crow about the Rover Metro of 1990 – the K-Series engine and interconnected Hydragas suspension were a technical marvel in this class. However, […]

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