Today we return to the glamorous world of film and television with this, the three-wheeled yellow Reliant Regal Supervan used by Del-Boy and Rodney in the BBC comedy series ‘Only Fools and Horses’. This example at the #BritishMotorMuseum at Gaydon had a doubly distinguished on-screen career, having been used in filming for both ‘Only Fools’ and Mr Bean (in blue - still partially visible in one of the photos).
Today, the original 1966 Lotus Europa, which gave its name to the noughties Elise-based Europa S/SE featured yesterday. As @adrianco mentioned when I did the Renault 16 a week or two back, the original Europa borrowed the R16’s engine and gearbox. Later cars had a Ford-based Lotus twin-cam engine but kept the Renault gearbox. Small, low and light, the Europa showed what Lotus was all about. Pic taken at the #BritishMotorMuseum Gaydon, 2024.
A few days ago, @MarSolRivas was commenting on the ‘Thunderbirds’ vibe given off by the Renault Projet 900 concept. This is FAB 1, the very pink personal transport of International Rescue’s London Agent, the fragrant Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward. It was usually driven by her faithful chauffeur, Parker. This is the car from the 2004 Thunderbirds film, rather than the one from the 1960s TV series. Pic: #BritishMotorMuseum, 2024
Today, the 1959 #Ford Anglia 105E, which shared a reverse-rake rear window but little else with yesterday’s Citroën Ami 6. Pic: #BritishMotorMuseum 2023. The Anglia, even down to its name, was a thoroughly British Ford from a time when the US company’s European national subsidiaries each did their own thing. The formation of Ford of Europe in 1967 put an end to all that. More over the coming days on these ‘national’ Fords, with a focus on German #Taunus models. #WeirdCarMastodon#davidsdailycar
Today, after the Chevette HS and the Lotus Carlton, we’re looking at a third Vauxhall with Lotus links, the VX220. The VX220 was designed to be a slightly more grown-up/mainstream and more liveable-with (but still fast and sporty) take on the Lotus Elise, on which it was based. This car - actually the faster VXR220 rather than a standard VX - is from Vauxhall’s heritage collection and lives at the #BritishMotorMuseum in Gaydon in Warwickshire.
Yesterday, @lionelb was remarking in the contrast between the then-modern 1966 FD Victor and earlier big Vauxhalls such the Velox, which were quite staid in comparison. This is the 1959 PA Velox, a less extravagantly trimmed version of the similarly-bodied Cresta, which I featured on #davidsdailycar a few months ago. It still features an awful lot of chrome, though. Pics taken at the #BritishMotorMuseum Gaydon recently. More big Vauxhall loveliness to follow.
Today we’re sticking to the theme of old British three-wheelers with this, the 1935 Morgan Super-speed, snapped here at the #BritishMotorMuseum. Note the Harley-style V-twin engine. Morgan’s designs were informed by the insight that three-wheeled cars are more stable with two wheels at the front and one at the back rather than vice versa. If only someone had told Reliant. The Morgan three-wheeler line lasted from 1910 to 1952, but was revived in 2011.