What is the most important brand of sports cars of England?

[RL17]

So back on topic

AML first (but Strolls ?) and iffy for LM
Lotus
McLaren ( own engines have gone up in my estimation)
Caterham
Jaguar ( like F type looks but mainly auto and have gone EV)
Morgan
TVR

[hondafan37]

Thanks to all the English for answering my question, I think I have more doubts now than before....
I don't understand why Jaguar is not in GT3....
I assume that buyers knew about the brand's sports history and what that represents.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by RL17

So back on topic

AML first (but Strolls ?) and iffy for LM
Lotus
McLaren ( own engines have gone up in my estimation)
Caterham
Jaguar ( like F type looks but mainly auto and have gone EV)
Morgan
TVR

The Jaguar auto thing. It’s been a mainly auto brand for about half a century now. Obviously in the saloons (it fits) and the sports/GT has been mainly auto since the XJS. Although we used to source manuals for racing - they were rarer. Base 6 cylinder XJS were often many.

[hondafan37]

TWR signs these two motoring celebrities for its next project
What is this?
https://www.caranddriver.com/es/coch...brities-motor/

[RL17]

Jaguar must have committed to Formula E pretty soon after F Type introduced (it didn’t help that it was launched as a soft top first). Road car commitment to E only didn’t help and ruled out new ICE models from 2020 as early as 2017.

Previous XK had GT2 and GT3 versions (I remember Emile Frey racing them).

F Type just had a very limited GT4 team for Invictus Games support (main/dominant part of Jaguar Land Rover has been Land Rover for last 10 years or so) and that kind of sponsorship fits in with Land Rover’s sponsorship activities like Invictus Games and GBR sailing teams etc. No customer GT4’s made i think

Saloons haven’t done well everywhere lately and F Type is pretty old so they (Jaguar) are not flushed with cash and F type production ending. Land Rover has had booming sales with Range Rovers and Defenders.

[Gerard C]

From France the answer to your question could be Noble. Fascinating cars imo.

[TCT]

I am not English or British but without reading any responses in this topic I would say: Aston Martin


I think most people over here would know Jaguar and Aston Martin.
But AM wins just by its association with the James Bond movies.


People that don't follow motorsport still know Aston Martin, just for that reason.

[Truckosaurus]

Originally Posted by peebee2

Not sure any of this actually really relates to the OP’s question.

It somewhat does, as we need to define what we mean by 'English' and 'Sports Car'

My own poorly thought out opinions are:

McLaren are more supercar than sportscar. (But certainly the biggest 'brand name')

Astons and Bentley are more GT than sportscar.

Morgans are brand new classic cars. (Although I have done the factory tour and they use an interesting mix of new and old technology)

TVR, RIP.

Jaguar is saloon and GT cars.

Ginetta is pretty much all racing cars, although you can make them road legal easily enough in the UK.

Caterham are definitely sports cars, but too raw to be the most important.

MG are good value if you are after an electric car - but as with most Chinese made goods it is best not to think why that is - and the brand seems to have a small amount of goodwill remaining.

So, that leaves us with Lotus - F1 history, many sportscar over the years, the Elise was everything that a good sportscar should be, but that's gone out of production and the Emira is more GT/supercar.

Of course, the best example of a traditional 'British sportscar' has, for the last 30-odd years, been the MX5....

[broadrun96]

Nailed it

[Gerard C]

If you go for the MX5 may I suggest you could consider the Fairlady Roadster 2000 first?

Anyway, nothing on earth like an Aston. Any period. Perfect mix of class and sport.

[chernaudi]

If we want to get even more exacting (or pedantic, depending on POV), it should be remembered that nowadays (and for the most part since the 1960s) production car classes at Le Mans, FIA World Championship, IMSA, etc, were called the GT (Grand Touring) classes while for a time prototypes were called Sports Prototypes or Sports Racers (Note, there was also a touring car class for sports coupes at LM in the first half of the 1970s or there abouts).


Depends on one's definition of what a sports car, GT car, or even prototype means, which the sanctioning bodies' definition of them changed over time. As well as personal tastes and the individual make/model's characteristics as far as the road car (if applicable) vs the race car.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Truckosaurus

Of course, the best example of a traditional 'British sportscar' has, for the last 30-odd years, been the MX5....

So true.

[Mal]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Not too far from where I live there is a place that restores and sells old cars. They often have a Healey or two in there. I've always fancied one.... When I win the lottery or get a big win on the Premium Bonds, who knows.....

Andrew - I have a 1960 Healey 3000 - this year it is 40 years since I bought it - for £2,000!

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by Mal

Andrew - I have a 1960 Healey 3000 - this year it is 40 years since I bought it - for £2,000!

Nice, would love one and the BJ8s were the popular ones here for a long time now it's every 3000. Seen some go far 150k plus when they were 40-50s every day but that days are gone

[Gerard C]

There's a renewed interest in 100's here. When you think that Donald was not so much confident when he presented the first example in '52.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Mal

Andrew - I have a 1960 Healey 3000 - this year it is 40 years since I bought it - for £2,000!

Envious Mal.....

[GT6]

Triumph should get a mention as should marcos and Jenson although all of those are sadly past away these days

[Mal]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Nice, would love one and the BJ8s were the popular ones here for a long time now it's every 3000. Seen some go far 150k plus when they were 40-50s every day but that days are gone

Mine is a BT7 .... BJ8's are for namby's as they have windows and seat belts

[Mal]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Envious Mal.....

Here it is in the campsite at Le Mans in 2012...