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After 21 years of producing the Seven, he took the design over from Lotus in 1973 Caterham Cars boss Graham Nearn finally decided that the company was in a position to build a new car from the ground up. It wasn’t intended as a replacement for the classic, sketchy, two seater fun car, but as something a little more modern and forgiving, with an all enveloping body to provide more room inside. Physically, however, the new car would not be much bigger than the Seven, and would retain the same wheelbase and front and rear tracks. That way, the existing suspension components could be transferred straight over. Designer Ian Robertson was contracted to create a new body. He sketched a lithe and elegant roadster inspired, perhaps, by the Lotus Eleven in its wing line. The new design had a spare and muscular feel all of its own, though. The interior, with its stacked dials and rounded consoles, was as bold as the exterior. It helped ensure that the car was the talk of the 1994 Birmingham Motor Show.

Powered by the multi valve Vauxhall 2 liter engine or Rover’s K- series, performance was mind blowingly strong, with 0-60mph (96km/h) coming up in four seconds from the Vauxhall unit. Although the prototype was finished in polished aluminium, production cars built at a rate of no more than 250 per year, used fiber glass and were offered in fully built up and component forms, just like the original Seven.

The JPE was the ultimate Lotus Seven. Stripped of all unnecessary weight, it was designed to give the sensation of Formula One driving on the road. For once, cost irrelevant, giving Caterham’s engineers a chance to use the best of everything in the name of ultimate performance. At the car’s heart was a $13,000 Group two Touring Car specification Vauxhall 2 liter engine delivering 250 bhp, which meant a power to weight ratio of 472 bhp per ton. Power went through a Quaife straight out close ratio gearbox. To keep the weight down, carbon fiber and Kevlar were widely used in the construction and it even without such nice ties as widescreen wipers and a widescreen. Fine tuning of the design was completed by ex Formula One Driver Jonathan Palmer, hence the name JE (Jonathan Palmer Evolution) and with its wild fluorescent color scheme, the car got a lot of attention in the press. It has awesome four cylinder with 2000cc engine. Steel space frame chassis and Disc brakes make this excellent ride fully controllable.

Naturally it was very, very fast. One magazine recoded a 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) time just 3.4 seconds, while another managed a 0 to 100 mph (0 to 160 km/h) run in just 12 seconds, three seconds faster than a Ferrari F40. Although docile at lower speeds, the 150 mph (240 km/h) JPE was no car for the novice. Buyers under 25 years of age had to take a high performance driving course before they could take delivery.

Cadillac’s quest to expand outside North America and a few eastern markets didn’t die with the Allante. Once again it tried to conceive a car that would attract the professional classes of the USA’s eastern and western seaboards, which are son keen on ‘imports’ as well translate overseas. Cadillac also went to the trouble of producing a right hand drive conversion, potentially opening up the key UK, Japanese and South African markets. The STS was considerably shorter around 8 in (20 cm) then the US market car from which it was derived. Reducing the size of the Cadillac was necessary for the crowded driving conditions of Europe. The STS’s styling was also Euro slick than any American car before it. A desire to match Lexus extended inside for the most un American interior design, again aimed at those tempted by the Lexus. In truth the Cadillac looked good enough inside and out to be the most serious US road car attempt on the world market yet. Its North Star V8 was a world class powerplant. Alone in this class as a front wheel drive vehicle, the STS must have been one of the most powerful front wheel drive ever sold.

There was evidence that the STS lacked the honing required for high speed European motoring body control, stability at motorway speeds and quality of plastics, but its standard specification was so extensive that the STS was seen as a bargain, even at the price. General Motor’ need to see the Cadillac brand globalized was made even clearer by the creation of a satellite styling studio in Britain’s automotive heart land, the West Midlands.

The Seville was Cadillac’s answer to the similar, more efficient European luxury cars of the mid 1970s that were eating significantly into its market. In the midst of a fuel crisis, it signaled a move away from the dinosaurs of the past. The Seville was notably shorter than any of its predecessors, and was styled with a deliberate restraint that gave it almost European flavor. Although hardly nimble, the Seville was far less ungainly than the full size models, and with its down sized 5.7 liter V8 engine (an Oldsmobile unit) it could manage a respectable 15 mpg (19 liters/ 100 km) and 115 mph (184 km/h). Later, there was even a diesel version, the first oil burning Cadillac ever, but there were few other technical innovations. However, the Seville drivers did not feel that they were being short changed. The interior featured at the power operation for the seats and windows found on larger Cadillacs, plus a trip commuter for calculating fuel consumption. Leather or cloth offered a lot for a car of its size. It had a power of 170 bhp with Monocoque chassis along with the Disc/ drum brakes. Fully three speed automatic transmission, with independent front live axle rear.

The model proved a huge success, and set the agenda for a whole raft, smaller Cadillacs in the 1980s. the Seville itself became the bizarre Elegente in 1979, and found itself with a razor edged bustle back styling reminiscent of a post war Daimler or Rolls Royce. The Seville name still survives today, on a new generation of front wheel drive Cadillacs.

Buick’s flagship Riviera line, once a styling leader, had begun to lose its way in the late 1960s with slick, smooth looks that seemed much like every other bag American luxury coupe of the period. It also failed to capture the unique sense of class possessed at an earlier point in the history. Ford’s Thunderbird began to overtake it in the sales charts, and it soon became clear that Buick needed something new and different if it was going to redress the balance. The Riviera found its savior in a new design by GM styling boss Bill Mitchell, unveiled in 1970 for the 1971 model year. Here was a much more dramatic look with an aggressive snout, curved hips and a fast back roofline that narrowed down into a pointed boat tail. This allowed a sporty wrap around rear view window, which clearly had its stylistic roots in the split screen Corvette Stingrays of the early 1960s. Mechanically, the cars were much as before. The Boat Tail was powered by a huge 7459cc with an engine of V8 which in tuned GS (Grand Sport) form, and it can produced 330 bhp and propelled this two ton motorcar to a top speed of 125 mph (200 km/h).

Although controversial at the time, the Boat Tail quickly became recognized as classic. Following its demise in 1974, successive Riviera’s became uglier smaller and more conventional taking the same damage path the Boat Tail originally been designed to correct.

The Bugatti is probably the ultimate expression of automotive engineering and in the view of many experts makes a high point of road legal performance that will never be challenged. Bugatti was founded by Italian engineer Ettore Bugatti who built his first in 1900. his cars became known for being light and were engineered to exceptionally high standards. His cars were extremely successful in competition from the beginning of the 20s until the beginning of WW2. After the war, the company faded and Bugatti died in 1947. Bugatti continued as a manufacturer of aircraft to revive car making. In 1987 Italian Romano Artioli bought the brand built the ambitious carbon fiber bodied EB110 supercar in a new state of the art factory. It has a quad turbo, V16 engine and four wheel drive. The Bugatti folded after four years. The Bugatti badge was bought by the VW Group under the hyper ambitious Ferdinand Piech. Three Bugatti concept cars, a supercar and a saloon were produced before the Veyron was announced in 2000. it stuck closely to the formula of the EB110, using an aliminium reinforced carbon fiber body, four wheel drive and a 16 cylinder engine fitted with four turbochargers>VW said the Veyron would get 1001 bhp, unheard in a production car. Developing of a car that could handle 1001 bhp and hit 253 mph proved difficult for VW and the Veyron was two year late.

Achieving aerodynamics stability and managing the immense heat from the engine (the car ended up with 10 radiators for the various fluids), were two of the biggest problems. But when it was launched, the Veyron received wide applause because the performance targets had been met and the car also handled exceptionally well, the million Euro price tag seemed appropriate for the ultimate in automotive engineering.

The V8 Bristol has outlived all its Euro hybrid competitors. While American engined exotic such as Jensen, Gordon Keeble, Iso and Monteverdi floundered, Bristol have ridden out every storm. They have managed to achieve this minor miracle by keeping and selling cars still alloy bodied and separately chassised, to a discreet discerning few. Today’s Bristol Blenheim is a direct descendent of the 407 of 1962, a radically different car for Bristol which forsook their traditional straight six engine configuration and transverse leaf spring front suspension for a big, all iron Chrysler  V8 and conventional wishbones and coils. Although the 407 and 408 were fast and impressive, the handling and balance suffered. They really nice V8 Bristol begin with the later 409s, which had their engines further back in the chassis for better handling. More importantly, they had power steering, a sensitive ZF set up reckoned to be one of the best in the world. The 410 of 1968 had subtle styling changes to give it a smoother line. The first of the 411s of 1970 had a lower ride height with clipped fins, less brightwork, a limited slip differential and best of all an even bugger 6.2 liter engine. Series 2, 411s (1970) had automatic self leveling suspension, whilst the Series 3 (1972) models had entirely new front end styling with twin 7in, (18cm) lights. Series 4 cars (1973) had an even bigger 6.6 liter engine, giving 300 bhp. Last of the line Series 5 411s (1975) had a black grille, Stiffer chassis and improved cooling.

Despite their patrician looks, the bigger engined cars could nearly touch 140 mph (224 km/h), and boasted dragster like acceleration that left heavier luxury machines floundering. Such performance combined with whispering refinement, exceptionally tasteful bespoke ambience and well honed chassis balance gave these cars their unique appeal. This has not dimmed over the years.

As you would expect of a car built by an aeroplane maker, there was no room for penny pinching compromise in the design or construction of the Bristol 401. even at a Purchase Tax inflated $3112 in Britain three times the cost of an ‘equivalent’ 1949 Jaguar, it’s unlikely that Bristol’s car division, which split from the parent company in 1961, ever turned in much of a profit. The 401’s alloy body was just one example of the high minded extravagance that permeated the design of the car. The alloy panels, wrapped around small diameter tubes, were graded in thickness according to function heavier on the top of the wings, for instance, where mechanics leant during servicing. The engine, a straight six borrowed from BMW after the war as part of reparations, was a gem. It yielded almost 100 mph (160 km/h) from an 85 bhp2 liter engine pulling an opulently trimmed full four seater, which was impressive, but outright speed wasn’t what this car was all about. Fine handling especially in the days before motorways was even more important, and the 401 was well blessed with poised good manners that gained marque many enthusiastic lifelong friends.

The memorable ‘Aerodyne’ body, shaped on the firm’s own runway at Filton, near Bristol, was as slippery as the name suggests. In tests carried out 20 years after the 401’s demise. Only four modern cars were found to be more aerodynamics. The 401 became the 403, with a bit more power and better brakes, in 1953, and the company built its last six cylinder car, the 406 in 1961, losing the battle with increasing weight.

Borgward had luxury car ambitions in the late fifties and desperately wanted a slice of the German big car market dominated by Mercedes. Its challenger was the P100 ‘Big Six’ a faster, cheaper and better equipped foil to Stuttgart’s important new ‘Fintail’ 190/ 220 range. With its restrained tail fins and wrap around screens front and rear, the P100 was fashionable without being flash. The hull was all unitary and a true five seater with generous legroom, opulent seating and a huge boost. Power came from the 2240cc 6M 2.3 11TS engine, basically an Isabella unit two extra cylinders producing 100 bhp. The P100s biggest claim to fame was its ‘airswing’ air suspension which comprised air bag with Bosch control and leveling values. It was pressurized by an air pump, belt driver off the front crank pulley and feeding a reservoir mounted at the front of the engine compartment. The Big Six was the first German car to use system. The P100s threat to the Fintail did not please Mercedes an, the way Borgward fans tell it, Stuttgart had more than a little to do with the downfall of the family owned Borgward empire.

It was alleged that they pulled financial strings to bring the company’s creditors, component suppliers, knocking at the door at just the wrong moment. Borgward, over stretched by the development costs of the P100, folded in January 1961. Big Six production stood at just 1400 cars. There is a bizarre footnote to the Big Six story, though. The liquidations sold the tooling to a company called Fansa, who built a further 2500 Big Sixes at a factory near Monterey in Mexio.

Although the name is little known today, Borgward made some excellent cars before its untimely demise in 1961. Most memorable is the Isabella range first seen in 1954. Named after the wife founder Karl Borgward, these lively and well made cars were the BMW’s of their day, featuring unitary construction and all independent suspension. The alloy headed engine produced 75 bhp in TS form, giving the car a top speed of over 90 mph (around 150 km/h). There were estate and two door saloon versions of the Isabella, but undoubtedly the most desirable model was the coupe. This was allegedly put into construction to prevent Dr Borgward’s wife from buying a VW Karmann Ghia. Its shapely lines were such admired, but high prices made sure it was never destined to be a top seller. It deserved better. Even more glamorous and expensive was the cabriolet version, converted by the coachbuilder Deutsch of Cologne. This must be the ultimate collector’s Borgward, as only 29 of these very desirable cars were ever built.

It had fully loaded four cylinder engine with 1493cc, independent suspension were also included. Dr Borgward’s big dream was to build a car to rival the more up market Mercedes models. He finally managed this with short lived Big Six of 1959. Sadly, the realization of this dream included huge development costs. They were so high in fact that the dream cost Borgward his company, and the last car were built in 1961.