From being up to its axles in mud and suffering from years of exposure to the elements, Ken Robbins’ Turner 950S has enjoyed a miraculous transformation to its current show-stopping condition. Robbins’ journey began when he started working in the Turner factory after leaving school, but it wasn’t until many years later that he could afford to buy one of the cars. We chart its return to the road, while gaining a fascinating insight into the history of the marque and factory.
The year is 1967, and you’re looking for a long-legged, chic grand tourer that sets you apart from the crowd. And you also have an awful lot of money. What do you choose? Martin Buckley puts forward three potential candidates, starting with Monteverdi’s ultra-exclusive, Chrysler-engined High Speed 375L. Maserati’s Mexico offers a more understated alternative, while Ferrari’s 365GT 2+2 is arguably the best looking option. Buckley weighs up the pros and cons of each.
Morgan’s 4-4 and MG’s TA both entered the scene in 1936, and quickly became firm favourites of both the pilots of the Royal Air Force and the public as a whole. Each played a special role in proving the concept of the British sports car, laying the groundwork for an entire industry in the post-war years. Malcolm Thorne gets behind the wheel of two fine examples to determine which had the greater impact on Britain’s automotive landscape.
Universities have long been a hotbed of engineering excellence, with countless student projects ranging from pedal-powered streamliners to solar-powered weapons of endurance emerging from our centres of higher education in recent years. However, few – if any – have made the leap from classroom curiosity to fully fledged production car with such success as the Ariel Atom. James Page catches up with the two men behind what has been hailed as one of the best-handling sports cars of the past 15 years.
We continue the Group B theme, this time swapping road cars for a fire-breathing Lancia S4, capable of reaching the legal limit in around two seconds. Demonstrating the ferocious car’s abilities is none other than Markku Alen, the Finnish ace who campaigned the car in the 1985 RAC Rally. James Page holds on tight during a series of high-speed runs in Italy.
