General Guides: Popular Classic Cars

From Classic Car Life

There are countless classic cars that are being kept alive and restored by enthusiasts all over the country, that said however, there are some classic cars such as the Austin Mini, the AC Cobra and the Triumph Spitfire that prove to be more popular than others. This guide outlines some of the most popular classic cars in the UK today so read on to find out more.

Triumph Spitfire

The Triumph Spitfire is one of the most well known and popular classic cars in the UK and it was originally developed from the Triumph Herald. The Triumph Spitfire was produced from 1962-1980 and the original body was designed by famed Italian car designer, Giovanni Michelotti. The Triumph Spitfire has production numbers of nearly 315,000 over its lifetime and there were a number of options available over the years in terms of engines and body styles including hard top versions. Five engines were offered in the Triumph Spitfire. Early versions of these classic cars had 1147cc engines whilst the latest versions had 1500cc engines.

Austin Mini

The Austin Mini and its various spin offs are probably the most numerous, most recognisable and arguably the most loved classic cars in the UK and around the world. Austin produced the Mini from 1959-2001 by various companies and in that time and over 1.5m have been produced in the UK alone.

The Austin Mini is an icon of the 1960’s and it became famous amongst almost all walks of life including, celebrities, royalty, racing drivers and the normal working man. The Mini is one of the most fun cars to drive due to its handling characteristics which is one of the main reasons behind its popularity compared to other classic cars.

AC Cobra

The AC Cobra was produced by fitting a Ford V8 into the chassis of an AC Ace at the request of famous American racing legend Carroll Shelby. Shelby produced the new cars, known as the AC Shelby Cobra in America whilst production of the AC Cobra continued in the UK until 1969.

Original models of the Cobra are becoming rare but many kit car manufacturers are using the AC design with a wide range of modern engines to keep these classic cars alive.

Of course these classic cars are only a small selection of the very popular classic cars that are driven and restored every day in the UK. Classic cars like the Jaguar E-Type, various MG's and Alfa Romeo’s are still very popular in the UK.