Very British cult classics | Six of the Best

No, this episode isn’t about Snatch, Trainspotting or Alfie. It’s a list of UK PLC cars with equal doses of stiff-upper-lip and swagger that shout “They don’t like it up ‘em” to all those rival car companies that concentrated on the boring task of making a profit. Who cares about a healthy balance sheet when you can deliver a car like the first on our list: the Lotus Esprit Turbo. This isn’t just an iconic car, it’s an iconic car with an iconic black and gold livery, too. The classic ‘70s wedge hasn’t dated, either – it’s just aged with the grace of Helen Mirren – and while its minuscule proportions mean that the old adage of ‘reduce weight, then add lightness’ applies to the driver, too – by excluding those of more prosperous proportions – if you do fit, then those half-leather seats look oh-so inviting, don’t they? And what better way to buy one than when it’s had money thrown at it: this example’s had a full engine rebuild, rejuvenated carbs, a new turbo and a fresh pair of fuel tanks.

The MG ZT-T’s story is a classic example of what we Brits do best with our car companies: bankruptcy. But while we ‘took back control’ of MG and Rover only to nail gun the final fixing in the coffin – so there really was no way back – at least MG went out with a last hurrah! Let’s face it, if you’re cash-strapped and on the ropes as a car maker, the sensible thing might be to deliver a big-selling SUV or handy hatchback. But that’s not what plucky MG did. No, it decided the best course of action was to throw money at re-engineering a perfectly good front-wheel-drive chassis, send drive to the back tyres and use a hairy-chested 4.6-litre V8 to light them up. Wise? No, absolute madness, but the world’s a less boring place because they did. This is quite a rare beast, made even rarer and more handy in wagon form, and with a tidy history to go with its overall condition, it fits the bill of cult classic for us. 

Having mentioned those cult classics from the big screen at the start of this piece, this car’s actually been on screen, albeit the little one. That’s right…this isn’t just any Noble M600, but the very one that Richard Hammond drove on the TG special (Series 18 Episode 1). And he didn’t crash it, although he (or the car) lunched its clutch during the filming. But no bother, that’s all been sorted now, and it’s had a genteel life since covering a paltry 4,700 miles in total. It’s the final pre-production model with full carbon-fibre bodywork, and can claim to have bested a Lamborghini Aventador and a McLaren MP4-12C during that famous top-speed run around Nardo: if you need reminding, it hit 204.8mph. It’s got a second shot at fame, too, because you can see this very car at the FOS this weekend, on PH’s very own stand. If you like what you see (and who wouldn’t in that dazzling Alfa Romeo Rosso Competizione hue) then why not bid for it in our auction? 

Remember the Esprit at the top of this sextet? Well, close your eyes and imagine cutting it in half, adding two more doors, then glueing a boot on the back. With that image in your mind, pop open your peepers and compare it to this Aston Martin Lagonda. It’s basically this, right? And that shape is what makes the Lagonda unique and arresting all in one. Love it or loathe it, it’s distinctive. And then there’s the interior, with its fluorescent instrument pack adding a dash of Knight Industries into the mix – as long as you ignore the BL switchgear that is. The Lagonda has always been such an oddball that cult classic status was inevitable from birth, and that’s why you’re paying the best part of £100k for one these days. But when you read it has had basically £150,000 spent on restoring it, you might struggle to find a better one.

Car ads are usually full of hyperbole, which is understandable when you’re going all out to pique people’s interest, but the opening statement in the ad for this Jenson Interceptor is largely on the money: ‘The Jensen Interceptor was a uniquely British, and super-cool take on the typical GT car of the late 1960s.’ You might want to look past the Italian styling and American engine, but otherwise, amen to that, brother. And perhaps this is the ‘most uniquely’ British of the lot, and why it’s had plenty of starring roles in film and TV, including Fast & Furious 6. This one’s no ordinary example, though. For a start, it’s a drop-top, which, in this heat is an instant plus, and so is the combo of Sepang Bronze paintwork and burgundy leather. Suits you, sir. Plus it has had one or two mods to bring it up to date, courtesy of JIA, including a 6.2-litre V8 with 430hp, six-speed auto and limited-slip diff. 

You didn’t imagine we’d miss TVR off this list, did you? Of course not. A list of British cult classics without Trevor is like strawberries without the cream – perish the thought. While everything else on this list demonstrates Britishness as restrained individuality, TVR shows that we can loosen that upper lip and wibble on the wackier side at times. And to be fair, we could’ve gone a lot whackier than the Tamora, but we didn’t want to frighten old ladies and give small children nighty-mares with a Sagaris. Amazingly, given TVR’s reputation, this Tamora’s managed to cover 48,000 miles, albeit with the ‘all important top end rebuild’ for the rapacious Speed Six motor needed after fewer than 16,000 miles. But it comes with a mighty service history file and even one or two choice upgrades, like Nitron dampers and Suplex springs. That’s tickety boo and just what the doctor ordered, wouldn’t you say?