Reviews

Glance back at some of the classics, the collectables, and the once forgotten gems.

Retro Road Test

1983 Lotus Esprit S3 review: Retro Road Test

Tim Pitt - 16
We review a classic Lotus Esprit S3, a wedge-shaped British sports car that shines despite its flaws. Did we mention James Bond drove one?
Retro Road Test

1984 Ferrari 308 GTS review: Retro Road Test

Tim Pitt - 10
We follow in the tyre tracks of 1980s TV detective Magnum P.I. by driving a classic Ferrari 308 GTS. Read on for our Retro Road Test.
Retro Road Test

1984 Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk1 review: Retro Road Test

Tim Pitt - 1
The story of how the Mk1 Golf GTI came to be is well trodden. Mid-1970s Volkswagen engineers install a punchy 110hp fuel-injected 1.6-litre Audi...
Retro Road Test

1986 Ford Sierra RS Cosworth review: Retro Road Test

Tim Pitt - 0
After it breaks another auction record, we revisit the Ford Sierra RS Cosworth – one of the most iconic fast cars of the 1980s.
Retro Road Test

1986 Toyota Corolla GT AE86 review: Retro Road Test

Tim Pitt - 1
Tim Pitt drives the famous forerunner of today's Toyota GR86 sports car: the classic 'Hachi Roku' Corolla AE86.
Retro Road Test

1987 Ford Capri 280 ‘Brooklands’ review: Retro Road Test

Retro Motor team - 1
We drive the final Ford Capri – the special edition 280 'Brooklands' – to discover how this much-loved classic coupe stacks up today.
Retro Road Test

1987 Ford Capri 280 review: Retro Road Test

Gavin Braithwaite-Smith - 5
These are strange times. In March 2016, a Ford Capri 280 sold at auction for a world record price of £54,000. Think about that...
Retro Road Test

1988 Bentley Turbo R review: Retro Road Test

Andrew Brady - 0
A turbocharged brute in a suit, the Bentley Turbo R was the fastest luxury car in the world in the late 1980s. How does it stack up in 2023?
Retro Road Test

1988 Ferrari 328 GTS review: Retro Road Test

Tim Pitt - 0
The 328 GTS is at the more affordable end of the classic Ferrari spectrum. We get behind the wheel – and look at how best to buy one.
Retro Road Test

1988 Land Rover 90 review: Retro Road Test

Andrew Brady - 0
This is a rarity for the Motoring Research Retro Road Test: a review of car that’s only just gone out of production, the Land...
Retro Road Test

1988 Peugeot 205 Rallye review: Retro Road Test

Andrew Brady - 0
This is a forgotten hot hatch gem, that’s for sure. But you can be forgiven for forgetting about the Peugeot 205 Rallye. Here in...
Retro Road Test

1989 Audi 80 review: Retro Road Test

Gavin Braithwaite-Smith - 0
The Audi 80 is an affordable modern classic, with typically German build quality and sleek, aerodynamic styling. We drive a 1989 80 1.8 S.

News

TVR T440R: unique Le Mans homologation special heads to auction

To be sold at the Iconic Auctioneers Supercar Fest sale, this one-off TVR T440R is an extreme Tuscan intended to race at Le Mans.

For sale: Ayrton Senna’s classic Honda NSX

A 1991 Honda NSX, first owned by the late F1 legend Ayrton Senna, is listed for sale on Auto Trader with a £500,000 price tag.

Paul McCartney’s Wings open-top tour bus up for auction

Used by Paul and Linda McCartney during the 1972 Wings Over Europe tour, the customised double-decker bus is for sale on Car & Classic.

Features

In pictures: 30 years of all-wheel-drive Porsches

We’re invited to the Porsche Experience Centre at Silverstone to celebrate the 30th anniversary of all-wheel drive Porsches

Remembering the launch of the Lotus Elise

Patrick Peal, former Head of Communications at Lotus, recalls the day when the Elise was revealed to the world. Will we see its like again?

Citroen 2CV: the story of the ‘tin snail’

On the 30th anniversary of the end of Citroen 2CV production, we take a look at the long and varied history of the Deux Chevaux.

Reviews

1972 Jensen Interceptor review: Retro Road Test

The Jensen Interceptor serves up British charm with a side-order of American muscle. We drive the ultimate 385hp Six-Pack version.

1996 Audi RS2 review: Retro Road Test

We review the first RS-badged Audi: the 315hp RS2 estate. How does this modern classic drive – and what should you look for when buying one?

2008 Mazda RX-8 review: Retro Road Test

Launched in 2003, the RX-8 was a successor to the RX-7, cost less than £20,000 when new and can now be picked up for...