You've never had it so good
Classic & Sports Car|May 2022
The optimistic class of ’62 kicked off a golden era for British sporting greats with the Triumph Spitfire, MGB and Lotus Elan
SIMON HUCKNALL
You've never had it so good

Social historians will argue about exactly when Britain’s post-war blues started to lift. In 1957, then prime minister Harold Macmillan announced that we’d “never had it so good”, but the electorate probably wasn’t getting that vibe until about five years later, in 1962. And what a vibe it was, too, with Britons eager to shake off any residual post-war gloom to the accompaniment of The Beatles’ Love Me Do, and the knowledge that change was in the air.

Car makers were also on a roll, with a raft of new products that jettisoned the grey, austere designs of old for good. They now had to appeal to an increasingly youthful, aspirational buyer – as well as the booming American market – and styling reflected that shift. But three models unveiled in 1962 – all homespun two-seaters, but each at a different price point – were to change the face of The Great British Sports Car for more than a decade, and beyond. They were the Triumph Spitfire, MGB and Lotus Elan.

And what better location to bring this trio together than Goodwood Motor Circuit, which would still have been a prime stop-off for these cars’ first owners 60 years ago? Perhaps the most impecunious of them would have been driving the Spitfire, and feeling ever-so-slightly smug at the thought of showing up fellow drivers in their cheap ’n’ cheerful Austin-Healey Sprites. For the Spitfire, despite its relatively low £729 price and humble Herald underpinnings, looked like a glimpse of the future.

Bu hikaye Classic & Sports Car dergisinin May 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye Classic & Sports Car dergisinin May 2022 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

CLASSIC & SPORTS CAR DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
RAY HILLIER
Classic & Sports Car

RAY HILLIER

Double-chevron oddity proves a break from the norm for this Crewe specialist

time-read
3 dak  |
December 2024
SHORT BACK & GLIDES
Classic & Sports Car

SHORT BACK & GLIDES

Eccentric enthusiast Captain RG McLeod's series of Manx-tailed Bentley Specials reached its zenith with this unique S2 Continental.

time-read
7 dak  |
December 2024
People's choice
Classic & Sports Car

People's choice

The diminutive but multi-million-selling Fiat 850 packed a remarkable diversity of form and function into its compact footprint

time-read
10 dak  |
December 2024
PLASTIC BREAKS FROM THE NORM
Classic & Sports Car

PLASTIC BREAKS FROM THE NORM

Glassfibre revolutionised niche car-body production, but just occasionally strayed into the mainstream.

time-read
9 dak  |
December 2024
A SENSIBLE SUPERCAR
Classic & Sports Car

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?

time-read
9 dak  |
December 2024
"I had a habit of grabbing second place from the jaws of victory"
Classic & Sports Car

"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

time-read
8 dak  |
December 2024
Still going strong
Classic & Sports Car

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

time-read
9 dak  |
December 2024
One for the kids
Classic & Sports Car

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

time-read
8 dak  |
December 2024
A NEW BREED OF HERO
Classic & Sports Car

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.

time-read
10 dak  |
December 2024
Brits with SIX appeal
Classic & Sports Car

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

time-read
10+ dak  |
December 2024