TROUBLE SPOTS
4x4 SYSTEM Transfer boxes are weak; a matching set of equally worn tyres is essential
TURBO Seals, head gaskets and the six-speed gearbox all need watching
RUST Rarely severe, except on Turbos: check rear arches/quarters, bottom of front wings, front inner arches, behind plastic trims, edge of bonnet, spring mounts, boot floor, sills, floors, jacking points, door bottoms, sunroof corners, steering-rack mounts, rear brake backplates, fuel/brake/power-steering pipes
SUSPENSION Check strut-top mounts and for broken springs, soggy dampers, worn bushes, power-steering leaks, CV gaiters
ENGINE Look for 16v head cracks, gasket leaks and oil leaks, and for regular servicing
TRIM Seat bolsters wear, and headlining and door cards suffer from damp/condensation
Just a two-door Cavalier coupé? Clever engineering and styling made the Calibra feel so much more special. The world's most aerodynamic production car (an accolade it would hold for 10 years) with a Cd of just 0.26 in 8v form, 0.29 in other forms, its super-clean and handsome body was styled by Wayne Cherry and Erhard Schnell. Supported by a rev-happy ‘red top' 16v engine or a lower-powered but torquey 8v, with a slick-shifting close-ratio 'box, it was an appealing package.
Tiny 2.75in-high headlights helped achieve the low drag figures, but do disappoint when it comes to seeing the road at night; it was also very hot inside in summer due to the big glasshouse, without air-con (not even an option at first).
Denne historien er fra March 2022-utgaven av Classic & Sports Car.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra March 2022-utgaven av Classic & Sports Car.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
RAY HILLIER
Double-chevron oddity proves a break from the norm for this Crewe specialist
SHORT BACK & GLIDES
Eccentric enthusiast Captain RG McLeod's series of Manx-tailed Bentley Specials reached its zenith with this unique S2 Continental.
People's choice
The diminutive but multi-million-selling Fiat 850 packed a remarkable diversity of form and function into its compact footprint
PLASTIC BREAKS FROM THE NORM
Glassfibre revolutionised niche car-body production, but just occasionally strayed into the mainstream.
A SENSIBLE SUPERCAR
The cleverly conceived four-seater Elite secured Lotus a place at the big players' table, but has it been unfairly maligned since then?
"I had a habit of grabbing second place from the jaws of victory"
From dreams of yachting glory to the Le Mans podium, via a stint at the top of the motorsport tree, Howden Ganley had quite the career
Still going strong
Herbert Engineering staked its reputation on the five-year warranty that came with its cars. A century on, this Two Litre hasn't made a claim
One for the kids
General Motors was aiming squarely at the youth market with the launch of the Pontiac GTO 60 years ago, and its runaway success popularised the muscle-car movement
A NEW BREED OF HERO
Launched at the turn of the millennium, the GT3 badge has already earned a place alongside RS, CS and turbo in Porsche lore.
Brits with SIX appeal
The straight-six engine is synonymous with a decades-long legacy of great British sports cars. Six variations on the sextet theme convene for comparison
