The Classics
the ancient language of
British cars
by enthusiast James Foster
In the UK today there is an unstoppable
feeling of nostalgia for pre-1980s British classic
cars. This has been fed by the baby-boomer
generation (people born between 1946 and
1964) who, having retired from employment,
seek something to while away the extra time
on their hands, which is why many of them fill a
normally redundant garage space with a British
classic car. This nostalgia is fed partly by the fact
that most well-known British car manufacturers
have disappeared – the last major manufacturer,
Rover, was closed in 2005.
British car manufacturing was at its zenith in the
1950s and 1960s. Post war demand in the UK and
Commonwealth meant that factories produced
millions of cars every year. Everyday family cars
such as Austin, Wolseley, Hillman, Sunbeam and
Triumph catered for a clientele who demanded
choice, innovation and value. For the wealthy
and influential, Armstrong Siddeley, Rover,
Humber and Rolls Royce gave them luxury and
prestige.
The outlook changed irreparably during
the 1960s and 1970s. The Commonwealth
became smaller as many countries gained their
independence and produced their own cars or
imported from other nations. Union woes and
poor management during the 1970s led to a
lack of supply and cars that were poorly built.
This in turn led to the home and foreign markets
shunning British cars in favour of the increasingly
popular and better built Japanese cars.
In the 1970s With the closure of Rover and the
likes of Rolls Royce bought by BMW in Germany,
the British car industry had seemingly and
irretrievably collapsed. 38
The beautiful Jaguar XK140
A meeting of Minis
Where does this leave British car
manufacturing?
It would surprise many that the UK car industry now
produces over 1.5 million vehicles with a turnover of
over £50 billion per year. Although most of the large
companies like Nissan, Honda and Jaguar-Land Rover
are foreign owned, the growth of car manufacturing
in the UK is mainly due to the existing expertise and
infrastructure that has evolved since the beginning of
the last century.