The urge to modify popular cars has been around for as long as famous marques have existed. Tim Birkin’s early ‘Blower’ Bentleys, Harold Radford’s 1960s Minis and today’s Eagle E-Type Jaguars sit in this tradition, driven by a quest for optimal performance and appearance. Now a new type of change has arrived: the conversion to electric power. It promises to be perhaps the greatest transformation yet.
Electrification could mean reduced costs to the pocket and to the planet. Not only is charging an electric vehicle far cheaper per mile than running one on petrol or diesel, but with a fraction of the moving parts, electric vehicles also have a lower risk of breakdown, which in turn reduces service costs. Indeed, a conventional car with an ageing or failing combustion engine can make an ideal candidate for conversion.
“While historic cars make up a tiny percentage of UK vehicle mileage and emissions, there is growing interest in being seen to do ‘the right thing’,” says Daniel Geoghegan, managing director of Bicester Heritage, the former World War II RAF base converted into a historic car hub. “I heard of one collector who had a Porsche 911 converted to electric in order to have a car that his children would love. Perception is becoming reality, and electrification is expanding the historic-car world, especially among the younger generation.”
Denne historien er fra August 2021-utgaven av The Field.
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Denne historien er fra August 2021-utgaven av The Field.
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
Rory Stewart - The former Cabinet minister and hit podcast host talks to Alec Marsh about the parlous state of British politics, land management and his deep love of the countryside
The gently spoken 51-year-old former Conservative Cabinet minister is a countryman at heart. That's clear: he even changes into a tweed waistcoat for the interview, which takes place at his London home and begins with a question about his precise career status. Having resigned from the Commons and the Conservative Party in 2019, the former diplomat and soldier has reinvented himself, first with an unconventional but promising run as an independent for the London mayoralty (abandoned because of COVID19 in 2020) and then as a media figure, co-hosting one of the country's most popular podcasts, The Rest Is Politics, alongside Alastair Campbell, the former Labour spin doctor.
Fodder
Local fare with the feel-good factor.
Celebrating the game changers
Once served only in the traditional manner, the fruits of our forays now find their way into all manner of diverse and delicious dishes, say Neil and Serena Cross
The first civil engineer
John Smeaton left an indelible mark on the field of engineering and, three centuries after his birth, his legacy remains as strong as ever
School spirits
From grey ladies and ghostly gardeners to more malign entities, public schools are a rich repository of unnatural phenomena
'A long way from Piccadilly or Pall Mall'
Marking 150 years since the birth of Sir Winston Churchill, Dr Conor Farrington explores this eminent statesman’s often-overlooked 1907 tour of British East Africa: a journey rich with enchanting natural beauty and sporting adventure
Top of the pups
Canines in all their guises were celebrated at The Field Top Dog Awards lunch at Defender Burghley Horse Trials whether eager on the peg, patient at home or perpetually making mischief
Angling for success
It’s never too early to shape up for next season’s salmon and trout, and these top fishing schools are here to help
Talking scents
The canine nose is an astonishingly complex piece of biotechnology that man has harnessed for sustenance and sport for thousands of years
Wall-to-wall excitement
Criss-crossed by formidable drystone walls, the High Peak Harriers’ scenic country provides a day out with an exhilarating difference