Seven of the month's must-read classic car features

By Greg MacLeman
News
 | 8 Dec 2017

The brand-new January issue of Classic & Sports Car hit the shelves in the UK this week, and it’s packed to the rafters with unmissable articles. We’ve rounded up the best features from the coming issue, from the Frazer Nash that gave birth to the Le Mans Replica through to Jaguar’s missing link – the six-cylinder Series 3 E-type that stayed hidden for 30 years.

7. Sunbeam vs Singer

The Sunbeam MkIII and Singer Hunter heralded the arrival of a new age of prosperity in the post-war years, but each sported a design that harked back to a more conservative time, before the influence of Detroit had fully arrived in the United Kingdom. Andrew Roberts takes two fine examples to Brooklands.

6. Ghost E-type

At first glance, it seems like any other Series 3 E-type. But as soon as you turn the key and hear that crisp engine note, it’s clear that something is amiss. This is the ‘Ghost’ E-type – the only left-hand-drive Series 3 2+2 to be fitted with a six-cylinder engine, rather than the usual V12. Paul Hardiman charts this unique car’s story, from being bought in New York in period to its 30 years spent in storage in Cheshire.

5. Mazda’s Wankel-engined masterpieces

No manufacturer embraced the concept of Wankel’s rotary engine with quite the same vigour as Mazda, and over the years the engines powered everything from the futuristic Cosmo to the more mainstream RX-8. Neil Briscoe rounds up six models from Mazda’s back catalogue, each with rotary engine at its heart.

4. Frazer Nash High Speed

The earliest incarnations of the Sunbeam MkIII and Singer Hunter first broke cover at the 1948 Earls Court Motor Show, but elsewhere in the event halls something much more exciting was making its debut: the Frazer Nash High Speed. Martin Buckley gets behind the wheel of one of the four machines that inspired the iconic Le Mans Rep.

3. Racing stars caught off-guard

Society photographer Desmond O’Neill was best known for his portraits of the rich and famous, but there was much excitement when a previously unknown set of negatives from Goodwood and Silverstone recently came to light. Mick Walsh selects a stunning set of images offering a candid view of life in the pit lane.

2. Flat out in a flat six

Who better than Gerard Larrousse and Vic Elford to take us on a guided tour of Corsica? Of course, this was no ordinary weekend jolly. The pair returned to the island to mark Porsche’s first outing at the Tour de Corse Historique. Malcolm Thorne played navigator for a white-knuckle drive before meeting a host of fellow competitors.

1. Extreme machine

The Porsche 959 may have introduced us to a new level of performance, but it was the raw analogue brutality of the Ferrari F40 that captured our imaginations. James Page takes a beautiful example of the breed to our studio before chatting with those close to its development. We also take a fascinating look at the model’s competition career and the circumstances that conspired against it.

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Greg MacLeman

Greg MacLeman is a contributor to and former Features Editor of Classic & Sports Car, and drives a restored and uprated 1974 Triumph 2500TC