Austin 1800 and 2200 (ADO 17)

A little history

Shortly before the merger that would create the unfortunate British Leyland conglomerate, BMC was still a very successful carmaker. The company had released the Mini, then the 1100, two very strong sellers on the home market and, at least for the former, in foreign lands. BMC’s staff supposed that the basic recipes which had make these cars the hits they were could be applied throughout the range. This is how the ADO 17 was born.

The larger family saloons offered by BMC had been rather conventional up to then. When introduced, the ADO 17 proposed an incredibly roomy passenger compartment - thanks to the fact that it had all four wheels pushed to its corners -, front-wheel-drive and Hydrolastic suspension. Even with the help of Pininfarina, Alec Issigonic seems to have struggled to make the car presentable: it appeared as a ridiculously outgrown Mini, not exactly the kind of things BMC’s conservative customers wanted to be seen riding in.

The ADO 17 was unveiled in September 1964 as the 4-cylinder Austin 1800 and 6-cylinder Austin 2200. Despite its many qualities (comfort, handling, extreme structural rigidity), the car’s look played against it. While the Austin 1800 received the coveted European Car of the Year award in 1965, its sales were disappointing and it soon gained the ungraceful nickname “landcrab”.

Morris stuck for a time to the conventional Oxford model, but an ADO 17-based replacement was scheduled for it too. It appeared in 1966 as the Morris 1800 and 2200. During the following year, the Wolseley 18/85 and Six were launched, featuring higher quality standards and the traditional Wolseley front grille, but few other differences whatsoever. An automobile’s development spanning years, BMC was the victim of its programs’ inertia and the same mistakes were repeated again in the 3-Litre, its new top-of-the-line saloon presented at the London motor show in October 1967. Despite the fact that it retained a traditional rear-wheel-drive transmission, the 3-Litre inherited the central section of the ADO 17 and its Hydrolastic suspension arrangement – it ended in complete disaster and was soon removed from the market.

Another failure was to adapt the car to the Australasian market. After producing a virtually unchanged ADO 17 in Australia, two heavily modified Austin Tasman and Morris Kimberley were introduced in 1970. Unsurprisingly, the technologically refined cars couldn’t do much in a country which liked antiquated, American-style gas-guzzlers. These models disappeared in 1974, shortly before the British company’s Australian operations were definitely closed down.

If the luxury 3-Litre had been scuttled early on, BMC didn’t have such an easy way out with its more mainstream ADO 17. The company did what it could to improve the car, facelifting it in 1968 (Mark II version), adding further modifications in 1972 (Mark III), and trying to address the quality problems that were beginning to plague the British motor industry. All its efforts were to no avail. The whole ADO 17 range was retired in March 1975, when the wedge-shaped Princess on which rested most of BLMC’s hopes was introduced.

About the models

Model: Austin 1800 Mark II
Year: 1968
Maker: Corgi
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Vanguards
Acquired: brand new, in February 2008, in Manila, Philippines.

A very acceptable model of the Austin 1800. Rear lights are simply painted, but it’s so nicely done that no one will probably mind. The front end’s rendition is excellent. A Vanguards’ touch is the photo-etched wipers, a rarity in this price range. My rating is 13/20.





Model: Austin 1800 Mark II
Year: 1968
Maker: Corgi
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Vanguards
Acquired: brand new, in August 2007, through a friend from Shanghai, China.

Same model as the above, with a different decoration: 13/20 again.

Peugeot D3 and D4

A little history

After World War Two was over, Chenard & Walcker gave up building passenger cars and concentrated on the production of commercial vehicles. This seemed a clever move as Chenard had then an advanced design ready for production. Work on this CHT model had begun during the late Thirties, but the conflict had postponed its release. It’s finally during May 1946 that the CHT was homologated, allowing it to succeed the pre-war CKV.

Though not revolutionary – we have already seen how the Citroën TUB paved the way for modern van designs – the CHT was indeed advanced, as we said, featuring monocoque construction, front-wheel-drive, all-independent suspension and cab-forward design. On the other hand Chenard’s van didn’t benefit from a side cargo door and, more importantly, was underpowered by a tiny two-stroke, 1021 cc twin – not much for a van rated at 1500 kg! Chenard was perfectly aware of this problem, and thought a solution could be found with Peugeot’s help. Both companies were indirectly connected, the CHT’s bodies being provided to Chenard by Chausson, a Peugeot subsidiary. An agreement was signed in 1947: Peugeot would send the 1133cc usually used by its 202 model to Chenard, which was therefore able to replace its CHT by a more powerful CPV in April 1947. Bigger than the compact Chenard twin, the Peugeot four forced Chenard to alter the clean lines of its van in order to accommodate it, hence the “pig nose” for which the vehicle would become famous.

This could have seemed a smart decision at first, but it actually sealed the fate of the venerable Chenard & Walcker company. Peugeot didn’t have such a modern vehicle to counter its rival Citroën, and easily absorbed the Gennevilliers company in 1950, after almost half a century in existence. The Chenard CPV instantly became the Peugeot D3A, and received the slightly larger engine of the Peugeot 203. In 1955, the D3A became the D4A when its 1.2-litre engine was replaced by the new 1.4-litre powering the Peugeot 403, and later evolved into the D4B (I forgot most I knew about this vehicle, so I don’t remember what the difference was between the “A” and the “B”: the addition of the much-needed side cargo door perhaps?). The very last D4B was built in June 1965, and was replaced by the Peugeot J7.

A belated addition

I just notice now that the vehicle presented below as a D4A is fitted with a side cargo door – so unlike what I said above, the difference between the D4A and D4B seems to be something else. I’ll continue to look for an answer.

About the models

That’s a long time this line of vehicles cannot be seen on the roads anymore, except between the hands of collectors. There were still a few ones when I was a child, so I really wanted at least one in my collection. I had to wait for quite some time – and then many came in, all of a sudden! Interestingly, you’ll notice how popular this vehicle is among scale model collectors by the fact that the six die-casts I now have come from no less than five different makers.

Model: Chenard & Walcker CHT
Year: c.1946
Maker: Norev
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Atlas as no.28 of its Les petits utilitaires des années 50-60 series
Acquired: second hand with neither stand nor box, in October 2007, in Brive, France

Norev had produced this van for its “Emotion” series during the Eighties, and accepted to restart a limited run for the exclusive, subscription-only collection launched by Atlas. Most probably that’s from the latter this pleasant model comes from. A delightful piece of nostalgia on (tiny) wheels, it deserves a 14/20.









Model: Peugeot D3A
Year: c.1951
Maker: Ixo
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Altaya as no.4 of its Nos Chères Camionnettes d'Antan press series
Acquired: second hand with stand and box, in October 2007, through mail from a fellow collector from Rouziers de Touraine, France

Altaya couldn’t seriously distribute a series of (mostly) French commercial vehicles without including a D3/D4 in it. Ixo answered the call with a good enough D3A, sporting a nice decoration for Poulain - a powdered chocolate brand - and pleasurably reminiscent of the Dinky Toys of the old days. My rating is 12/20.









Model: Peugeot D3A
Year: c.1952
Maker: Norev
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Hachette as no.27 of its Collection Peugeot press series
Acquired: second hand with stand and box, in October 2007, through mail from a fellow collector from Rouziers de Touraine, France

After the Chenard van, Norev reproduces its badge-engineered successor the D3. The French die-cast maker did a good job, though the claimed year of 1961 seems dubious, first of all because I don’t think D3s have been produced after the more powerful D4 has been released, secondly for the registration numbers shown on this model actually date back to 1952. Regarding its decoration, the last time I purchased a product stamped with the laughter of the famous red cow, it was here in Manila, though imported straight from a factory in Saudia, so I don’t think an introduction to this now-globalized French cheese is necessary. My rating is 13/20.







Model: Peugeot D3A
Year: c.1957
Maker: Corgi
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Heritage
Acquired: brand new, in January 2007, in Hong Kong, S.A.R.

Another good model, fitted with many separate parts (including photo-etched wipers) and very nicely decorated. All it takes to secure a good 14/20.





Model: Peugeot D4A
Year: c.1963
Maker: Eligor
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Atlas as no.6 of its Les petits utilitaires des années 50-60 series
Acquired: second hand with neither stand nor box, in October 2007, in Brive, France

A correct model, though it suffers from the comparison with its rivals described above. My rating is 11/20.





Model: Peugeot D4B
Year: 1964
Maker: Solido
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Hachette as no.89 or 100 of its Sapeurs Pompiers de France press series
Acquired: brand new (though unsold for long, during which its paint has seriously deteriorated), in November 2007, in Montpellier, France

Here is for JDMike’s son. As it is traditional with Solido, its version of the D4B is well proportioned, but its complete lack of details cannot conceal its age. I’d give 9/20 to it… which in no way means I’m not satisfied to have found it! Note that if I was able to identify the collection to which this model belong, I’m not sure about the issue as two different D4Bs (three actually, but the third one is pulling a trailer) have been released during its long run.

Garrett 4 CD

A little history

Harnessing the power of steam to alleviate men’s work isn’t a new idea, but it took centuries to make it feasible. Thanks to inventors as Savery, Newcomen or Watt, steam engines were by the late 18th century commonly used by the English industry, most notably to run pump in coal mines. Water accumulating down the tunnels and shafts could now be easily evacuated. Productivity increased. Cheaper coal was purchased by more and more factories which equipped themselves with static steam engines fulfilling various tasks. The Industrial Revolution was in motion.

Completely unknown only a few years before, a totally new market appeared in England for those machines. The Leiston firm Richard Garrett & Sons was among those which grabbed a share of it, starting in 1778 – quite modestly actually, as that year Richard Garrett settled in town and purchased a blacksmith’s forge, but the concern didn’t wait much before turning to what was then high technologies. Much later, steam tractors, steam wagons and other heavy vehicles were added to the range, and by the early 20th century two thousands workers converged every day to the then-imposing factory.

Garrett fulfilled important contracts during World War One, the new form of conflict having shown a serious need for machines able to haul heavy loads. Nevertheless, Garrett ventured into new markets, adding a range of electric commercial vehicles as early as 1916. It could have emerged a prosperous company from the war years. Unfortunately its equipment hadn’t all been sent to the British army – huge quantities of it had been provided to the soldiers of the czar. One revolution later the new power in place in Russia would know nothing about the debts contracted by the old regime – having worked for nought, Garrett was virtually broke. The old company looked for support, and in 1919 joined the Agricultural & General Engineers, a trust set up to regulate the markets of these specialized machines.

Though the hauling capacities of the steam tractors remained exceptional, lighter, cheaper and more convenient gasoline lorries were becoming commonplace. In 1928, Garrett started toying with the idea of building a diesel-engined commercial vehicle but, despite the fact that prototypes were built, no production ensued before the AGE combine collapsed in 1932, victim of the global economic crisis and of ageing technology. Garrett was saved by another specialist of steam traction, albeit on a slightly different scale, locomotive manufacturer Beyer-Peacock. Though the days of the steam tractors were over, Garrett survived until 1985, after being reorganized as the Richard Garrett Engineering Works.

Today, part of the original factory still stands in Leiston, housing a museum entirely devoted to Garrett. Its webpage is here.

About the model

Model: Garrett 4 CD Showman’s
Year: 1918
Maker: Corgi
Scale: 1/50
Distributed by: Corgi, limited edition
Acquired: brand new in a somewhat tired box, in January 2007, in Hong Kong, S.A.R.

I bought this model without knowing much about it. OK, without knowing anything, I admit that. Since then I learned that the 4 CD (for 4 NHP, CompounD engine) was a successful steam tractor of the early 20th century. But what about “Showman’s”? Wikipedia provided me here with the answer:

“A particularly distinctive form of road locomotive was the Showman's engine. These were operated by travelling showmen both to tow fairground equipment and to power it when set up; either directly or by running a generator. These could be highly decorated and formed part of the spectacle of the fair. Some were fitted with a small crane that could be used when assembling the ride.”

Corgi’s heavy die-cast is most probably based on a model still extant (if you’re curious, you can read its complete history here – very interesting indeed – and see a slightly older picture of it there), and did it rather well. All details are perfectly rendered, and the quality of the assembly is beyond any reproach. To make things even better the production run is very limited. Obviously I would have preferred a 1:43 scale model, but the choice of 1:50, the standard for lorries, is understandable. I’d give a 16/20 rating to this model.

Vauxhall Viva

A little history

The General Motors’ British subsidiary was essentially a middle-class carmaker until 1963. In September that year was introduced the company’s first popular car in modern times, the Viva.

Though fairly different, the Viva, or HA as it was known internally, unmistakably looked much like its German relative, the Opel Kadett, then one year-old. As the Kadett, the Viva was a two-door saloon of very conventional design, fitted with a somewhat ungainly body – too short a front overhang, too long a rear overhang, at least to modern enthusiasts. Despite its extreme conservatism, the Viva was in a favourable situation by the time of its launch: its main competitor, the Ford Anglia, was by then an old car which inverted backlight, which had never caught on the public, was looking odder and odder as time went by.

With the HA receiving a warm welcome from the British motorists, Vauxhall decided not to rest on its laurels. Just three years after the initial Viva had been introduced, it already found a successor in the HB, a totally new car. Slightly bigger engines (a 1.2-litre four replaced the previous 1.1-litre) and a brand new suspension that promised fine handling weren’t much to appreciate for the public, who rather noticed the up-to-date design, an American-inspired “coke bottle” which replaced the extremely angular body of the former HA.

Its eternal rival Ford having made good of its privileged relationship with Lotus, which designed the sporty Ford Lotus Cortina for its partner, Vauxhall decided to do quite the same with its Viva HB, creating the Viva SL/90 Brabham. Well, no particular links existed between the Vauxhall company and the then-double Formula One champion Jack Brabham, which involvement in the car’s design was most probably limited to receiving a check in return for the use of his name, but this was still good publicity. For real performance though, the HB had to wait until the introduction of the 2.0-litre GT, which borrowed the engine of its bigger companion the Victor in February 1968.

It can hardly be avoided to mention that the HB formed the basis for the new Australian compact, the first generation Holden Torana. Designed to European standards, the Viva suffered “down under” and received much criticism. Holden had done a lot to adapt the car to local conditions nonetheless, even creating a four-door version… which bodies were sent back to England in order to build a new four-door Viva!

In 1970, the HB gave way to a brand-new Viva HC. Roughly similar in size and mechanical specs, the HC introduced an updated styling, which centre-bonnet hump, extending forward to the grille centre, made the car some kind of a European Pontiac. Furthermore, it was now available as a British-designed four-door saloon, but its estate variant still had only two doors. A large range of engines was available, up to a 2.3-litre four, though the highest-powered Vivas were sold as Magnum starting with the 1974 model year.

The Viva’s slow agony started in early 1975 when the Vauxhall Chevette, a hatchback saloon closely related to the Opel Kadett, was introduced. Despite being positioned lower in Vauxhall’s range, the Chevette ate up a large market share of the Viva. Unfortunately, the Chevette also pushed Vauxhall’s long-running love affair with rust to new extremities. Therefore, Vauxhall traditional customers seeking a popular car had the choice between an ageing model which wasn’t above reproaches regarding reliability, and a brand-new car soon known as a piece of junk. In the depressed British automobile industry scene of the late Seventies, Vauxhall was rather lucky to have the support of an international group as GM.

Production of the Viva HC was cancelled for the 1980 model year. By then it was the last “real” Vauxhall, as all models from the British company would be from then on, as the Astra which succeeded it, based on Opels. Unknown at this time, the Viva's disappearance marked the beginning of the end for the once lively British automobile industry.

About the models

Model: Vauxhall Viva
Year: 1966
Maker: Corgi
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Vanguards
Acquired: brand new, in December 2006, in Hong Kong, S.A.R.

Very correct model of a police Vauxhall HB, which notably enjoys Vanguards’ usual photo-etched wipers, a rarity in this price range, and a working suspension. Unfortunately, this later specification gives me some trouble as my model is terribly sagging on one side (I tried to hide this defect when I took the following pictures). Probably easy to fix, except Vanguards habit of cleverly hiding the chassis’ screws under removable chassis elements makes opening the model without breaking anything rather tricky when you aren’t familiar with this peculiar arrangement. I’d give 11/20 to this model, owing to its sorry factory defect.





Model: Vauxhall Viva SL/90 Brabham
Year: 1966
Maker: Corgi
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Vanguards
Acquired: second hand with neither stand nor box, in August 2007, through a friend from Shanghai, China

This Brabham version is basically the same car with a different paint job including a specific decoration. My rating is 13/20.

Sunbeam Alpine and Tiger

A little history

The first Alpine had only been launched in 1953, but only a few years later it was obvious that its design was prematurely ageing. The Rootes group promptly decided to plan a fresh new car, still bearing the same name and using as many existing mechanical parts as possible, but with a brand new body. Though many sources declare that its main designer Kenneth Howes took its inspiration from the recently released Ford Thunderbird, it has to be noted that the second-generation Alpine actually bore a striking resemblance to the convertibles designed and built by Facel-Metallon, particularly for Simca.

Launched in 1959, the car passed through five different series before retiring in 1968. All remained basically similar to the original car, though the 1.5-litre block was enlarged to 1.6- then to 1.7-litre. These engines made the car an elegant tourer, but not a performance machine. Widely distributed in America, the Alpine’s performances looked even more limited there. Therefore it was decided to produce a V8 variant of the car at the lowest possible cost. With some logic, Carroll Shelby, who had already led a comparable transformation based on another British car, A.C.’s roadster, was chosen for the task. Shelby fitted a 4.3-litre Ford developing 164 hp under the Alpine’s hood, which became the pumped up Tiger, introduced in 1964. Output was exactly double than a standard Alpine of the time, which was rated at 82 hp. Later the original V8 was replaced by a bigger 4.7-litre good for 200 hp. Even with this latter engine the Tiger had nothing in common with the similarly created A.C. Cobra, but it nonetheless offered decent acceleration. In 1967, the Tiger was withdrawn somewhat earlier than the Alpine, not due to lack of interest from the public, but rather as Chrysler had just purchased Rootes and couldn’t stand that one of its products could use an engine built by one of its main rivals.

The Sunbeam Alpine never got a real successor, though the name was used a few years further for a simplified version of the Rapier coupe, a good-looking but underpowered car that was built until the mid-Seventies.

About the model

Model: Sunbeam Alpine Mk.II
Year: 1961
Maker: Vanguards - Corgi
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Vanguards
Acquired: brand new, in January 2007, in Hong Kong, S.A.R.

Vanguards again did a decent job reproducing the classic lines of the Alpine. The wheels are probably oversimplified, but overall this reproduction is correct. Moreover the British company had the good idea of providing three different tops for the car (which nonetheless have to stand perched on the car, without anything to hold them firmly in place): a folded hood, a raised hood and a hard top. I’d give 12/20 to this nice model.

Morris Z-Type

A little history

Built by Morris Commercial, the commercial vehicles division of major British auto manufacturer Morris, the Z-Type was introduced shortly before World War Two as a nimble ¼-ton van. These vehicles proved immensely popular, and after being chosen as Royal Post Office vans, were everywhere to be seen around Great Britain.

The Z-Type was built until 1952, when it was replaced by the van version of the popular Minor car.

About the models

Model: Morris Z-Type "Mackeson"
Year: 1950
Maker: Vanguards
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Vanguards, "Days Gone" series
Acquired: second hand in box from a friend and fellow collector, in April 2006, in Manila, Philippines

It’s a model from Vanguards’ Days Gone series - most is said. This die-cast as the rest of this series is made for collectors of attractively painted trucks, not amateurs of quality scale models. Proportions are correct but details are awfully crude. Headlights are made of a single piece of black plastic, not very realistic even if you try to convince yourself that Vanguards’ intention was to reproduce wartime “blackout” lights – the model is supposed to be from 1950, anyway. Vanguards didn't reproduce any of the windows, even the windshield is conspicuously absent. Main interests of this model are its originality and its low price, but my rating won’t be more than 6/20.





Model: Morris Z-Type "Blue Gillette"
Year: 1950
Maker: Vanguards
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Vanguards, "Days Gone" series
Acquired: second hand in box from a friend and fellow collector, in April 2006, in Manila, Philippines

Same model, different paint – tens of them have been released by Vanguards for this model only, from the rather nice to the extremely tasteless. My rating is slightly higher because of two major differences with the "Mackeson" version: this one has a registration plate at the front and more importantly benefits from windows, hence a 8/20.

Ford Consul, Zephyr and Zodiac Mk.II

A little history

In April 1956, Ford U.K. replaced its whole line-up of large saloons by three new models, which soon earned themselves the nickname The Three Graces. These cars, namely the 4-cylinder Consul, its 6-cylinder counterpart Zephyr and the luxury Zodiac, were indeed beautiful, particularly when opposed to the bathtub-styled first generation of big Fords. The inspiration was definitely American, as for many European cars of the hour, but knew how to remain tasteful, with a relative restraint on chromes, delicate rear fins and optional two-tone paints.

On the mechanical side, these cars remained extremely orthodox. Six-cylinder versions rode on a slightly longer chassis than the Consul. But for all of them, transmission was to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox, though an automatic Borg-Warner was now optional. Large drum brakes were thought to be sufficient for stopping the cars.

The car had grown bigger, so did its engines. The base motor fitted to the Consul was a 1.7-litre developing 59 bhp, while both the Zephyr and the Zodiac used similar 2.6-litre engines good for 86 bhp. The performances were modest, with top speeds close to 125 and 140 kph respectively for the four and the six, but few bothered back then. Straight from the factory, a Ford customer could choose any body type, as long as it was a four-door saloon. Converted estates (by Abbott) and convertibles (by Carbodies) were available, though. On the Australian market, a pickup or, in the local parlance, a “ute”, was also offered.

An instant hit, the Mark II series didn’t change much throughout its production run. It was nonetheless face-lifted in 1959, when the roof was lowered by almost 4.5 centimetres. Various details were also updated. The following year, front disk brakes became available as an option. In this final incarnation, the Mark II remained available until April 1962, when its style, deeply rooted in the Fifties, gave way to a fresh new design. To this day, it probably remains for the British as the most regretted of all “big Fords”.

About the models

Model: Ford Zephyr Mk.II
Year: 1956
Maker: Vanguards - Corgi
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Vanguards
Acquired: brand new, in January 2007, in Hong Kong, S.A.R.

Vanguards did a very nice model of the Zephyr Mk.II. Seeing the miniature is enough to understand why the car had such a success in Britain when it was released. My rating: 13/20.





Model: Ford Zephyr Mk.II
Year: 1959
Event: 1959 RAC Rally, driven by Gerry Burgess, assisted by Sam Croft-Pearson (overall winners)
Maker: Vanguards - Corgi
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Vanguards
Acquired: brand new, in December 2006, in Hong Kong, S.A.R.

Using the same casting as the road car, Vanguards decided to produce the model of the (disputed) winner of the '59 RAC Rally. As Fifties Rally racers were extremely close to road cars, the task was probably fairly easy: three new projectors, including one on the roof, wheels without hubcaps, road numbers, that's done! I'd give it the same rate of 13/20.

Jaguar XJ6

A little history

One of the most famous cars in automobile history, the Jaguar XJ series was born out of the realization by the company’s management, some time during the mid-Sixties, that their range had to be rationalized. Apart from the top-of-the-line Mk.X, the fastest four-door saloon in the world at the time of its launch, and the famed E-Type coupes and convertibles, no less than three distinct (though related) cars were produced in the entry-level range. The smallest engines which powered these cars were either a 2.4-litre, 6-cylinder block by Jaguar or a 2.5-litre V8 provided by Daimler. Competition on the domestic market, most notably by Rover and Triumph, was becoming harsh in this field. Therefore Jaguar decided to aim higher, but such a replacement, with probably a 3.0 to 3.5-litre engine under its bonnet, would have been too close from the Mk.X. Therefore, it was decided to replace all saloons in production by a single offer, the XJ6.

For the time being, the project was called XJ4. There was nothing revolutionary about the car – Jaguar just included in it all what it knew how to do best. Power would come from a brand new 4.2-litre inline six good for 173 bhp. Aiming mostly at those foreign markets where high taxes were imposed on cars with large displacements, a 2.8-litre engine was also offered.

Sir William Lyons, founder and president of Jaguar, is credited with the XJ4 styling, as he personally oversaw the design of its body. On the outside, the XJ4 took most of its stylistic cues from the Mk.X, only as a lighter, elongated, updated package. The rear section, on the other hand, was inspired by the E-Type tail, with its end chopped off.

Finally named XJ6 in reference to its 6-cylinder engine (with V8 and V12 engines being scheduled, this would help for naming these variants when released), the new Jaguar saw its debut in September 1968. Though no road test was initially organized for the press, the company’s reputation and the word of mouth guaranteed a long waiting list to the XJ6. When journalists finally got their hands on the car, they praised what its first customers had found when they had taken delivery of theirs: excellent performance, good handling, and extraordinary comfort highlighted by almost complete quietness inside the passenger compartment. To make things even better the XJ6, continuing the long Jaguar tradition of offering the best car at the best price, was relatively cheap with regards to its competitors. On the long run though, XJ6 drivers would find that, as many other Jaguars, the construction quality of their cars left much to be desired.

In July 1972, Jaguar presented the XJ12, powered by a 5.3-litre V12. The V8 project had been axed shortly beforehand. Even more powerful and silent than the 6-cylinder block, the V12 was a bottomless pit when it came about fuel consumption. Nobody really cared in 1972, but less than one year and a half later…

Other variants added over time included a long-wheelbase saloon and a short-lived XJ-C coupe. Daimler, which was building a slightly more expensive XJ6 as the Sovereign, also added a XJ12 equivalent to its range, under the prestigious name Double Six. The look of the car also evolved. In September 1973, new American regulations induced a facelift, the front bumper, now too low to comply with U.S. rules, being set higher below a smaller grille.

When the oil crisis erupted in late 1973, a Jaguar customer had to wait for two years and a half before his or her vehicle could be delivered. Though the company never encountered much trouble with unsold cars during the rest of the Seventies, various adverse elements played against it during that time, apart from the crisis itself. Rife throughout Britain, social unrest limited productivity. Jaguar's new boss, Geoffrey Robinson, tried to increase the company's production in order to satisfy the demand, which affected quality even further. Even more disturbing was the fact that, virtually bankrupt, struggling British Leyland could not afford to finance a replacement for the XJ, which had to carry on for a few more years, while the company’s main rivals, Mercedes-Benz and BMW, were enjoying increasing shares of the luxury car market. Afraid at a complete collapse of BLMC, supported by taxpayers’ money, the British government commissioned Sir Don Ryder to present a report on the group’s future: one measure that followed the publication of this report in April 1975 was the creation of British Leyland Cars, within which all BLMC companies lost their autonomy – a disastrous development for Jaguar. Fortunately this reorganization would be abolished in early 1978.

In March 1979, Jaguar had succeeded in gathering enough resources – actually, most of what was left – to introduce a Series 3 of its XJ. The third incarnation of the car featured a new roofline, due to Pininfarina. The tasteful update was just what the car needed to extend its career long enough for a successor to be designed. Though paint finish problems marred the Series 3’s debut, sales were soon following an ascendant curve. The venerable automobile would remain basically untouched during its last years in production, the only major improvement the XJ12 received being, in late 1981, high-compression cylinder heads that boosted the output to 299 bhp. This improvement was due to a Swiss engineer named Michael May; history has not been good to him as he is also credited for fitting the very first air wing to his own Porsche spyder in the mid-Fifties, and driving in Formula One during the early Sixties: a rather busy life dedicated to automobile!

Though a new XJ40 was finally introduced in 1986, the old XJ6/12 was kept in production. The XJ6 lingered until the new car had been introduced to all foreign markets, finally retiring in May 1987. The 12-cylinder variant was to be built even longer, as an equivalent version for the XJ40, named XJ81, still wasn’t ready for production. The project was cancelled after American giant Ford purchased Jaguar in late 1989, allowing the XJ12 and its cousin the Double Six to remain on the market until 1992.

Over close to a quarter of a century in production, the Jaguar XJ had become one of the most iconic automobiles Britain ever produced. One of the most meaningful signs of its success is the simple fact that, as only few other models did, it survived British Leyland’s disintegration during the Seventies and Eighties.

About the model

Model: Jaguar XJ6
Year: 1968
Maker: Vanguards - Corgi
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Vanguards
Acquired: brand new, in January 2007, in Hong Kong, S.A.R.

An exceptional model throughout, particularly considering its price. From whatever angle you look at it, Vanguards' rendition of a first series XJ is beautiful. This would perhaps sounds even more credible if I'd confess that I've never been fond the real car! I'd easily give a 15/20 rating. Note that Vanguards also offers a Daimler Sovereign on the same base, fitted with a different radiator grille.

Austin Allegro

When I was 11, among my friends at school was a girl who, as I myself did, enjoyed drawing and, to some extent, cars. As we were discussing once, she asked me what car my parents had. After answering to her, I returned the same question. She suddenly looked highly embarrassed, and uttered: “Oh, just some crap… an Austin Allegro”.

Unlike the previous automobiles featured on this blog, I wasn’t able to write a complete post by memory, apart from the aforementioned anecdote and the basic facts about the Allegro, as I’m not particularly familiar with this car – my friend at least rode in the back seat of a very uncommon vehicle, as very few outside England were foolish enough to purchase one. As most of my books and magazines aren’t within reach, I therefore browsed the net looking for details. Though never the best source and quite often filled with inaccuracies, Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin_Allegro#Reputation) nevertheless provided another anecdote that is worth inserting here:

In 2007, Sir Digby Jones [then British minister of Trade], in criticising the inefficiencies of the Learning and Skills Council, said, “It is what I call the British Leyland model - you put a lot of money in at the top, and an Austin Allegro comes out at the bottom.”

After these two short stories set the mood, it is now time to discuss about the car itself.

A little history

During the Sixties, BMC came up with one of its most successful products ever, the ADO 16, better known from motorists in Great Britain and elsewhere as the Austin / Morris 1100 and 1300. A compact vehicle following Alec Issigonis’ concepts about a popular car, the ADO 16 introduced the cunning Hydrolastic suspension and, within a few years, became the most popular car in its country.

Things went so well with the ADO 16 that BMC personnel apparently believed success would last forever. After BMC became the nationalized group BLMC, also informally called British Leyland, the company’s new heads were surprised to discover that no replacement had been scheduled – actually, there was virtually no project at all ongoing at the time. Instructions were immediately given to develop not one, but two new cars to replace the ADO 16: Morris would build a conventional one, which became the Marina, while Austin would propose a more advanced vehicle more in line with its predecessor, the Allegro, known internally as ADO 67.

On the mechanical side, most of the components used by the Allegro would come from the previous ADO 16, apart from the brand new Hydrogas suspension, a technological marvel that was softer, quieter and better suited to bumpy roads than the Hydrolastic. The engine range would extend upwards, partly to use the 1500 and 1750 cc engines that were powering the Maxi – the car wasn’t selling, leaving largely underused the new facility in Cofton Hackett, dedicated to the production of these engines.

The body was designed by a team led by Harris Mann. That is, Mann drew the original blueprints – to the designer’s horror, engineers later deeply altered his project due to mechanical constraints. While the ADO 16 looked low and long, the ADO 67 grew stout. A compact V4 engine had been once considered but never developed; this, with the addition of a new and very tall heater, meant that the bonnet, and therefore the whole car’s lines, would have to be raised. Juggling with these limitations, engineers had to reduce the size of the windows and raise the overall height of the car, while increasing both the front and rear overhangs. When seen from the front, the narrow grille made the car look even bulkier. To make things as bad inside as they were outside, BLMC’s managing director George Turnbull imposed the use of an (almost) square steering wheel, dubbed “quartic”, which anyone disliked except himself. While the company had still great prospects about its newest product, some of its employees started to doubt.

The Allegro’s official birthdate was in May 1973, when this balloon of a car was finally unveiled. It was received with mixed reviews by the automotive press, to say the least. A rather generous standard equipment list was generally appreciated but, much more importantly, many critics fell upon the peculiar styling, the weird steering wheel, the weak brakes, the poor gearbox, the too-soft ride or the insufficient performances - in some respects the old ADO 16 even seemed superior to its successor. The public didn’t think much better of the newcomer, the “quartic” wheel soon becoming the butt of joke. Less funny was the car's tendency to lose its wheels while being driven, with potential dramatic results. In short, the Allegro was widely detested from the very start.

Not satisfied with having alienated the British press and public, BLMC decided to do the same abroad – after all, the Allegro had been designed at a very high cost and its maker now wanted its money back, so increasing its potential market was inevitable. In continental Europe, the Allegro was unanimously rejected. Innocenti, for long a BMC then BLMC partner, started to build the Allegro in Italy as the Regent. Only eighteen months later, production was stopped and, a short time later, Innocenti started building its own creations rather than un-saleable British ugly ducklings. Believe it or not, if the original Allegro looked repulsive, even worst was to come under the guises of an estate and a luxury derivative, the Vanden Plas 1500, both released in 1974.

From the very start sales were not what BLMC had expected. Over time they kept slipping down. The company tried to solve some of its many problems: the cars evolved into Series 2 and 3, respectively in 1975 and 1979. The latest Allegros were finally pleasant to drive if nothing more, but the main drawback of the car, its odd styling, could even less be addressed that BLMC, by this time, didn’t have any money left for retooling. By early 1982, while its successor, the Maestro, wasn’t even ready, someone finally did what most would have liked to do for the last nine years: press a button and stop the Allegro’s production.

A personal note

I like 1:43 as it offers very unglamorous cars that cannot be found in any other scale. I had read a short article about Vanguards’ Allegro around 2000, and though I wasn’t even collecting model cars at that time I was immediately attracted. Don’t ask me why I have so peculiar a taste!

A note for those of you who could question my mental integrity after reading my last remark: it’s the model of the Allegro I enjoy, not so much the real car...

About the model

Model: Austin Allegro 1750 SS
Year: c.1973
Maker: Vanguards - Corgi
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Vanguards, ref. VA04510
Acquired: brand new, in January 2007, in Hong Kong, S.A.R.

Though a commercial failure – it peaked as the seventh bestseller on the British market shortly after its release, while its predecessor had reached the top of the list – the Allegro, designed as a popular car, nevertheless sold well enough to push a die-cast maker, namely Vanguards, to make a model out of it. Mine is a metallic blue 1750 SS, made easily recognizable by its honeycomb grille. It was the most potent version of the range back then, but was nevertheless disliked by the journalists for its lack of performances. Though not the best Vanguards around in my opinion, it is still quite attractive. The most noticeable error is that the chromed moulding that surrounds the grille of the original car is conspicuously missing, somewhat altering its appearance up front. Anyway, criticising would prove to be pointless: who else would be daring enough to put on the market a scale model to rival Vanguards’ one? My rating is 12/20.