There's a much-used phrase: they were far simpler times back then. A fine illustration of that is this Frazer Nash Mille Miglia. Imagine owning a car today that was capable of competitively contesting not one, but two sporting disciplines. Half Toyota GR Yaris, half Aston Martin Vantage GTE - they simply don't exist.
Yet back in 1954, this particular roadster took on both the RAC Rally and the British Empire Trophy at Oulton Park within weeks of each other. It wasn't alone, either. In the early '50s, mass-produced sports cars such as the Jaguar XK120, TR2 and Healey 100 were all expected to be equally at home charging up Rest and Be Thankful or dodging the oil drums dotted around Silverstone's airfield circuit. There was certainly no need for a two-car garage.
Not that the average austerity-ravaged British driver of the post-war era could afford such a high-ticket item as the tailor-made Nash. If a TR2 at £900 all-in was seen as an indulgence, then the £3307 (£2250 less 10% ex-works, plus 66% Purchase Tax) price-tag of the Mille Miglia was a sign of good fortune beyond the wildest imagination of the majority of the nation. The fast and glamorous XK120 roadster was barely £1500; could a handbuilt car from Isleworth really be twice as good?
To be fair, it's not dissimilar to comparing a suit bought on the high street with a bespoke item from Savile Row and, truth be told, the Frazer Nash was probably closer to a Jaguar C-type in its attributes, value and scarcity. You can almost envisage the company's owners, the Aldington brothers - Harold, known as 'Aldy', Bill and Donald - dressed in beautifully cut, double-breasted pinstripe suits with tape measures draped around their necks, enquiring: "Would Sir prefer his Frazer Nash to be a High-Speed, or a Fast Tourer?"
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Denne historien er fra September 2023-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.
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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
