Buckley’s 15 favourite cars from the NEC Classic Motor Show

From pre-war prototypes to ’70s saloons

With 3000-plus cars on display at the Classic Motor Show this weekend, there was no point in us trying to write about them all.

Instead, we decided to aim for carefully considered curation: a highlights package, if you will, of the very greatest vehicles to grace the eight halls of the NEC.

Unfortunately, a clerical error meant we instead sent Martin Buckley off with a brief to write about his personal favourites. So, over to you Martin…

Jensen ‘White Lady’

There was a fascinating selection of pre-war Jensens on the Jensen Owners’ Club stand, including a handsome H-Type saloon and the near-legendary ‘White Lady’.

The latter is thought to be the very first Jensen, and was a prototype built by the Jensen brothers in 1934. It was used regularly until 1957, at which point it was sold to a Canadian businessman for £20. 

After spending much of the next 60 years in a garage, it turned up again towards the end of 2016 and is now awaiting restoration – although it already looks very sound to me.

Austin Metropolitan

I’m increasingly intrigued by these… they look so friendly and unaggressive – and thus the antithesis of anything modern – not to mention almost undrivable with those tucked-in wheels.

Mercedes-Benz 190 ‘Ponton’

We don’t hear much about the Mercedes Pontons in saloon form: they were huge money in the UK at a time when German cars were not a popular choice anyway, but this largely original right-hooker 190 was a reminder of what handsome cars they were.

Rust proofing and sparing use have saved this one, which was featured on the Mercedes-Benz Club stand.

Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud chassis

I always enjoy looking at the incredible build quality of the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III chassis on the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club stand; it's an ex-factory Motor Show display chassis, and it always seems to make the Cloud look even bigger with no body on it!

Jaguar XJ6

I recognised the numberplate on this early XJ6 as a factory one from the original brochure, one of my favourites.

The blurb says this one was a press car, but as far as I’m aware the 2.8 was never road tested… Either way, it’s a beautiful colour and still an unsurpassed saloon-car shape.

Alfa Romeo 2600 Spider

This exquisite 2600 in ivory caught my eye on the Alfa Romeo Owners’ Club stand, and no wonder: it’s probably the best one I’ve ever seen. They look better than they drive, but still a great car.

Lotus Europa S2

Linda Thorson was my favourite Avengers girl, which is probably why I was attracted to this S2 Europa like the one she drove in the series, after she failed to get on with the AC 428. Great to see one so correct, plain and simple.

Gilbern Invader

I’m starting to like these, though I’m not sure why! In particular, I’m always intrigued by the gear lever that points backwards like a ’60s flat-bed 10-tonner; orange is a must-have colour on a Gilbern Invader, which of course you could build yourself, or buy in factory-assembled form. 

Lancia Aprilia

Spotted this on Kim Cairns’ stand; it’s from the final year of production, 1949, and was restored in America. There are certainly worse ways to spend 38k – plus it’s Mille Miglia eligible if that’s your thing.

Morris 2200

I stopped in at the Landcrab Owners’ stand for a while, and had to look closer at this avocado-green 2200 Morris in all its glory. Once so familiar, yet now so odd looking, it was probably quite a decent car at the time. Strangely, I’ve never driven one…

Audi 80

The original Audi 80 is something now only seen at Essen but this one is the last one from that generation still on the road in the UK, apparently, and thus worth a picture.

Cadillac Sedan de Ville

I spotted this beautiful 1964 Cadillac pillarless four-door at Prescott last month. Such a good looking car from my favourite Cadillac year, with the last vestiges of tail-fins but otherwise clean shape.

Ford Zephyr Six Convertible

These early shoebox-style unibody Fords were considered big, imposing cars when new – but look so dinky now!

They always remind me of the Ladybird ‘Peter and Jane’ books: the ‘dad’ had one, which seemed somewhat odd to me in the early ’70s, as even back then they’d all but disappeared from the roads.

Ford Corsair Abbott Estate

One of the better-looking Abbott Ford conversions, the Corsair Estate looked almost factory and was considered quite swish. Its vinyl roof was handy for covering up the joins!

Lancia Gamma

I couldn’t pass Andy Collins’ Lancia Gamma without a comment; it’s only done 89 miles from new, because it had its gearbox removed for use in another Gamma by the importers when new, and thus lay unused for 30 years.

It now works… sort of. My question is, use it or preserve it?