The Best Looking British Cars

[GarfieldLeChat]

Not really - conceived, built and rallied from Essex.

True, Ford are originally an American company but Ford Europe is very separate and a lot of their cars designed and built here. I reckon the RS200, the Escort and so on count as British cars.

Italian designer british built (by reliant - yes robin reliant) ... i'd say it's british look at what was beign designed by ford us at the time...

I give you the bronco...

and the EXP (for experince... )

Notice the cortina type styleing trim...

 

[GarfieldLeChat]

I used to work with a guy who used to have one of these beauties...It was a fast as my motorbike!

til it caught fire..

 

[Firky]

Anyone else think the new jag is designed to appeal aesthetically to the americans, with that massive grill and masculine styling?

(IIRC the designer is an alumni of newcastle college and uni, as is the bloke who made apple sexy!)

 

[nellyphant]

Not really - conceived, built and rallied from Essex.

True, Ford are originally an American company but Ford Europe is very separate and a lot of their cars designed and built here. I reckon the RS200, the Escort and so on count as British cars.

Post Focus yes, pre-focus no. I actually used to work as an automotive engineer for Ford of Europe up in their Product Research and Development Centre in Laindon, Essex. I agree that some tinkering went on with the escort but it was essentially of American engineering design with some suspension overhauling & restyling. Still I'm not saying it wasn't and isn't a crackin' car though and the Escort is a bit of a Brit tradition so I understand why you'd count it as British

The Focus family on the other hand is a different kettle of fish...very British in design with a hint of German precison. Probably the best thing to come out of Ford for years and Ford of Europe with their engineering & deisgn knowledge actually saved Ford from bankruptcy some years back.

 

[nellyphant]

Just casting my mind back a little. A lot of UK designers went to work for Italian & German design houses (especially BMW) and vice versa. When I left Ford the Chief of Eng. and a lot of the stylist were from VW! You can see a lot of VW influences. Contrast and compare the Mondeo and the Passat (can't remeber if it had a dif. name)

 

[nellyphant]

til it caught fire..

lol

What my sphincter or the TVR?!

 

[Roadkill]

Post Focus yes, pre-focus no. I actually used to work as an automotive engineer for Ford of Europe up in their Product Research and Development Centre in Laindon, Essex. I agree that some tinkering went on with the escort but it was essentially of American engineering design with some suspension overhauling & restyling. Still I'm not saying it wasn't and isn't a crackin' car though and the Escort is a bit of a Brit tradition so I understand why you'd count it as British

The Focus family on the other hand is a different kettle of fish...very British in design with a hint of German precison. Probably the best thing to come out of Ford for years and Ford of Europe with their engineering & deisgn knowledge actually saved Ford from bankruptcy some years back.

Fair enough. I didn't know that.

 

[nellyphant]

Fair enough. I didn't know that.

The funny thing is I ride a bicycle to work now after that episode in my working life! Spent to many tea breaks with to many proffesional petrolheads. Don't wanna go back there

 

[GarfieldLeChat]

Fair enough. I didn't know that.

doesn't really apply to the rs 2000 though which as i said had an italian desinger and was actually built by reliant cos they were the only ones who at the time understood composites and as the car is mainly plastic carbon fiber and kevlar along wiht some steal, ford couldn't build it themselves.

The escort though looked like this in the states...

or this

 

[Griff]

 

[G. Fieendish]

doesn't really apply to the rs 2000 though which as i said had an italian desinger and was actually built by reliant cos they were the only ones who at the time understood composites and as the car is mainly plastic carbon fiber and kevlar along wiht some steal, ford couldn't build it themselves.

The escort though looked like this in the states...

or this

The U.S version of the Escort was built in Brazil, for some reason....
Incentally, would the current Euro-spec Honda Civic, esp.the Type-R, count as a British car, as it's built in Wales....

 

[zoltan]

I win suckers

I have teh trumped youse all

 

[moose]

Love that numberplate

 

[Mitre10]

TVR Speed 12 - I used to work with a guy who used to have one of these beauties...It was a fast as my motorbike! Just looked up the specs and it does 0-60mph in 3.3 secs!

Sure it wasn't a Speed Six / Tuscan??

There was only ever one road-going Speed 12 produced and if your mate possessed that he is a very lucky (and wealthy) individual!!

 

[jusali]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7265267.stm

Saw this it looks pretty!

 

[GarfieldLeChat]

I dont' thinkso... it's pugly...

 

[nellyphant]

Sure it wasn't a Speed Six / Tuscan??

There was only ever one road-going Speed 12 produced and if your mate possessed that he is a very lucky (and wealthy) individual!!

Could be getting mixed up. I can't recall if the Spd6/Tuscan had the torpedo lights in the front of the wings or not?

 

[nellyphant]

doesn't really apply to the rs 2000 though which as i said had an italian desinger and was actually built by reliant cos they were the only ones who at the time understood composites and as the car is mainly plastic carbon fiber and kevlar along wiht some steal, ford couldn't build it themselves.

Ford don't 'build' anything themselves unless its changed again over the last 5years. Everything was outsourced like most other Top 5 Euro car manufacturers nowadays. Assembly of components is a yes though.

 

[Griff]

Gordon Keeble

100 of them made in Hampshire, small block Chevy V8s, and beautiful.


There's a concours one for sale in this month's Classic & Sportscar, so if my numbers come up tonight...

 

[Urbanblues]

This looks nice.