Best of British: Ten of the best cars made in Britain, as our motor industry booms again

While posting on another thread I made a statement that maybe was wrong, whilst the Automobile Industry had all but died, it seems to be on the Up again. as the Title suggests, not all are owned by a British Company any longer, and some that never were but all are made in the UK. Good news I hope for a once proud British Workforce.

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-2213256/Ten-best-cars-Britain.html

 

UK & European cars always were the best quality, America and Japan eventually caught up.

Over the years the British cars I have owned include: 2 x MG's, 1 x Jaguar, 1 x Mini, 1 x Triumph Stag, - and enjoyed all of them.

I have owned also a VW beetle, Alfa Romeo GTV, and Australian Ford Falcon GT, Several Australian Holdens, a couple of Japanese Datsuns, several more Australian Fords and a Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo race car, plus a Volvo would you believe, ha ha ha ha ha.:D

 

In my past I owned some British cars: MGB, Austin Healy Bugeye Sprite (fun car) Lotus Europa, and Jaguar, mostly classic vintage cars. A somewhat significant stable of Bristish cars for an American.

I also owned a couple of “somewhat” British cars: Lola Formula Ford and Birkin Ford. I am not sure what countries I would give credit to for those cars because they were somewhat specialty built. The Lola-Formula Ford chassis was British but of course the engine was American. The Birkin pedigree was much more complicated as it was a replica of a Lotus 7 (British Chassis and bodywork but was made in South Africa.) with the benefits of Ford Engine and modern technology including discs breaks and more horse power per pound that my Shelby Cobra 427. It was the best handling car I have ever had the opportunity to drive.

The most fun cars of all of them for the road was the Birkin Ford car (it was also a track car), and the most fun exclusively on the track was the Lola Formula Ford. Many of the others cars (not listed here) were just lots of sloppy made metal parts put together. The Lotus Europa I would not drive farther from home, than a tow truck could tow me back or to my mechanic due to reliability issues. Colin Chapman’s (Lotus founder) concept was to have a car made as light as possible for winning races. His goal was to win a race, and then have the car disintegrate after crossing the finish line. He was a purist in mechanical design, but maybe not the best marketing man for road cars.

The British road cars were fun (crazy), particularly the Bugeye Sprite. The Lucas electrical system parts seemed to be lacking in reliability and I could never understand why almost all British cars used Lucas almost exclusively for a long period of time. Does anyone know who's life the founder of Lucas saved to get all those electrical part contracts?

 

Impressive Dave!
My back end teenage years saw me as a raw Young Entrant to her Majesty's Service at the Start of my career but I did manage to obtain Wheels through those early years. Bog Standard cars but all did there job for me in travel. ( photos are not Origional but as close as my memory would let me get them.

1. 1959 Standard Pennant. 980cc 2. 1961 Standard pennant 1100cc
3. 1963 ford Anglia estate 1000cc
4 1968 British Leyland Mini van 900cc
5 1974 Hillman Imp 850cc

Not Speed kings but versatile for my needs in those early years.

 

Great old cars, they also made it to Oz, remember them well. The Anglia and the Imp GT, were raced in Oz. .

 

I never owned a UK car but I did have a Triumph Bonnaville 750. That was a great bike except that the filling in my teeth would fall out when I drove on the highway.
Kick starting the beast was tough as I'm a light weight. The electrical system was pretty simple. One honking big zener diode, a head lamp and turn signals.

I always wondered: "Why do the English drink WARM BEER?" the answer became apparent.
They have Lucas refrigerators