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

[hondafan37]

It's a curiosity for me, I'm on the other side of the world and the Aston Martins drive me crazy especially now that the Valquiria V12 is coming to the WEC.... But I want to know what the English think, Aston Martin, Jaguar, McLaren, Lotus?

[Adam43]

Morgan

It’s a good question. In the 21st century, probably McLaren. In a very debatable question.

[broadrun96]

Nope, it's always Morgan. I would say Jensen or Austin Healy but maybe that's me.... Ok yeah, that's just me

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Nope, it's always Morgan. I would say Jensen or Austin Healy but maybe that's me.... Ok yeah, that's just me

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.....

[broadrun96]

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.....

Grew up with a 64 (I think) Spridget in the garage, it's still there and hasn't moved yet its own power for probably 35 years and has 2 engines in milk crates, both seized completely. There's one not too far away on auction for 2k, thankfully I don't have a garage or it would be purchased

[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

[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

[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.....

[Mal]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Envious Mal.....

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

[JT240Z]

Never knew there was a "most important" car from England anymore.

Lucas refrigerators come to mind.

[veeten]

Morgan - trees

[MitchZ06]

Lister, their mono pumps are world class robust. Oh wait wrong Lister....

[JT240Z]

In case it hasn't become abundantly clear Hondafan37, you might want to consider posting this in the ACO section of this forum. More Brits probably posting there.

[Adam43]

Good plan. Moved to there.

[RL17]

Probably biased towards Aston Martin Lagonda as have manual Vantage. Do have an interest in Bentley but auto only puts me off but best LM heritage. Also had a great engined Jaguar saloon but they have gone E for last five years ago.

Lotus pretty good with current and recent cars. McLaren don’t really have that much history away from recent F1.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by RL17

Probably biased towards Aston Martin Lagonda as have manual Vantage. Do have an interest in Bentley but auto only puts me off but best LM heritage. Also had a great engined Jaguar saloon but they have gone E for last five years ago.



Lotus pretty good with current and recent cars. McLaren don’t really have that much history away from recent F1.

So the McLaren CanAm cars were what exactly??

[RL17]

Chevy engined race cars of a great designers NZ owned team (later) US owned.

Little connection to road car manufacturer that started in 1980s and didn’t produce a road car until 1990’s.

And from an English car firm viewpoint the Marlboro McLauren F1 team (Project 4/Ron Dennis era) far outshadows Can-Am period.

[Teretonga]

Originally Posted by RL17

Chevy engined race cars of a great designers NZ owned team (later) US owned.

Little connection to road car manufacturer that started in 1980s and didn’t produce a road car until 1990’s.

And from an English car firm viewpoint the Marlboro McLauren F1 team (Project 4/Ron Dennis era) far outshadows Can-Am period.

Your comment shows your age.
People alive in the early 1960's know who John Cooper was and the people who drove them....
And later drove cars of their own design... (Brabham, McLaren and later Dan Gurney....)
McLaren has never been US owned. After Bruce's death it had an American CEO (Teddy Mayer) but ownership passed to Ron Dennis, and then the Middle East.
Can Am in the 60's carried as much prestige in real terms as Indy or F1, but that was then. If you weren't alive then you wouldn't know.

[broadrun96]

And yet McLaren keeps them in their museum

[RL17]

The post asked for opinions.

Ron Dennis and Project 4 only came in as the team was struggling more than 10 years or so after Bruce McLaren died so fairly sure US owned for part.

Ron Dennis was fairly shrewd and kept an awful lot of F1 cars and bought back the Austin and some of the Can-Am cars to help energise the workforce and build a heritage which helps the brands.

1990s road car called F1. The current road cars pretty much all started in 2010, just 13 years ago.

They trot a lot of F1 cars and the odd Can-Am car at Goodwood events (Bruce McLaren connection) and the history does help the brand.

Marketing - like Aston celebrating 100 years of F1 history with tenuous links and only turning up about 5 or 6 years.

I think they’re struggling recently as have sold off the museum cars to Mumtalakat.

Think it’s 180 plus wins in F1 plus 20 championships, 1 of which was the 1968 car and two of the championships in 1970s (James Hunt’s stands out in UK on early period).

So that’s what it’s known for here and Ron Dennis is more synonymous with McLaren F1 team and especially the road cars and Woking (where he made the builders line up all the screw heads perfectly).

Lotus connection with Colin Chapman is so much stronger/longer than Bruce McLarens with the McKaren road cars. As WO’s with Bentley (even though he spent wine with Rolls Royce, Lagonda and his engines have a big connection with AML success in 1950’s). But AML has a long if not successful road car story from London, Feltham, Newport Pagnell, Bloxham, a tractor factory or two plus Wales now.

Lionel Martin and going back to 1913 also pretty tenuous - Bamford probably more involved in early cars. But they were roadcar builders (even if they just built a handful). AML timeline in their small house collection forgets 1935 too!, and steers away from WO.

Jaguar cars has great history through William Lyon’s, Swallow and SS from up North to all over Coventry and midlands and building cars in a former Spitfire factory.

Lotus has until fairly recently had smaller facilities (underdog) in Norfolk (it’s is colour famous there) most of the others but a long road car history compared to McLaren.

McLaren road cars have really only produced cars in any numbers since 2014. Squeaky clean, well made carbon fibre, impractical cars all made in a ultra modern squeaky clean facility associated with Ron Dennis (not the most loved man in F1). Mainly similar looking cars named either 500 or 700 or something. Have ramped up production and chassis now made in Rotherham apparently. So they do lack history and patina so not surprising they make the most of the racing history to stretch their timeline

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by RL17

The post asked for opinions.

Ron Dennis and Project 4 only came in as the team was struggling more than 10 years or so after Bruce McLaren died so fairly sure US owned for part.

Ron Dennis was fairly shrewd and kept an awful lot of F1 cars and bought back the Austin and some of the Can-Am cars to help energise the workforce and build a heritage which helps the brands.

1990s road car called F1. The current road cars pretty much all started in 2010, just 13 years ago.

They trot a lot of F1 cars and the odd Can-Am car at Goodwood events (Bruce McLaren connection) and the history does help the brand.

Marketing - like Aston celebrating 100 years of F1 history with tenuous links and only turning up about 5 or 6 years.

I think they’re struggling recently as have sold off the museum cars to Mumtalakat.

Think it’s 180 plus wins in F1 plus 20 championships, 1 of which was the 1968 car and two of the championships in 1970s (James Hunt’s stands out in UK on early period).

So that’s what it’s known for here and Ron Dennis is more synonymous with McLaren F1 team and especially the road cars and Woking (where he made the builders line up all the screw heads perfectly).

Lotus connection with Colin Chapman is so much stronger/longer than Bruce McLarens with the McKaren road cars. As WO’s with Bentley (even though he spent wine with Rolls Royce, Lagonda and his engines have a big connection with AML success in 1950’s). But AML has a long if not successful road car story from London, Feltham, Newport Pagnell, Bloxham, a tractor factory or two plus Wales now.

Lionel Martin and going back to 1913 also pretty tenuous - Bamford probably more involved in early cars. But they were roadcar builders (even if they just built a handful). AML timeline in their small house collection forgets 1935 too!, and steers away from WO.

Jaguar cars has great history through William Lyon’s, Swallow and SS from up North to all over Coventry and midlands and building cars in a former Spitfire factory.

Lotus has until fairly recently had smaller facilities (underdog) in Norfolk (it’s is colour famous there) most of the others but a long road car history compared to McLaren.

McLaren road cars have really only produced cars in any numbers since 2014. Squeaky clean, well made carbon fibre, impractical cars all made in a ultra modern squeaky clean facility associated with Ron Dennis (not the most loved man in F1). Mainly similar looking cars named either 500 or 700 or something. Have ramped up production and chassis now made in Rotherham apparently. So they do lack history and patina so not surprising they make the most of the racing history to stretch their timeline

Very good post. The OP's use of the word important is interesting too.

I would say all of the above would have a shout, plus undoubtedly MG and also probably TVR too - both for the numbers sold.

McLaren road cars are also interesting. Look great, and lots of people would have one, including myself, but not too sure too many would buy another, again including myself. Based on not being that great in reality and reliability being very poor. The overall ownership experience is a long way from good.

[GingerPixel]

Surely the right answer is Bentley here.

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by GingerPixel

Surely the right answer is Bentley here.

Can a brand without a current Sports Car be considered?

I'm guessing, with the range of options to pick from, the OP is looking at historical importance rather than current?

My own opinion is that the only two still UK-owned would be McLaren and Aston Martin. And from those two, I would put AM forward.

[broadrun96]

But are either truly UK owned? I would say registered yes but owned? Aston at least has a Canadian at the helm of the likely Canadian, US, UK and others investment group and how much of McLaren is owned by parties in the ME?

Not to denigrate either of them for their strategies to stay afloat at all