More than one collectible car enthusiast will tell you that the golden age of the British sports car was from 1945 to approximately 1961, and that the impetus for this was a deliberate and well planned sales campaign to increase export revenue specifically derived from U.S. citizens who were notoriously drawn to these type of cars. The cars which became the main focus shared similar characteristics in that they had two seats, were quite stylish, and were also driven by powerful engines which could quickly satisfy the want for speed.
[xyz-ihs snippet=”POSTADS”]Overall, the effort was a resounding success, and as most classic sports car enthusiast will confirm, continues to enjoy a high level of success today as well. Without question, some of the more sought after collectible cars to own and restore are the British sports cars which were manufactured during this time period.
Although, a great loss to movie goers and the world of acting, Steve McQueen was also known to have a passion for these type of cars and in particular one specific Jaguar, an XKSS which was a part of his collection until his death. The car was eventually offered at the Mecum Auto Auction in later years, and sadly enough, the reserve was not met and the car was not sold. Even still, this one persons experience represents the keen and reverent interest in British sports cars which is shared by so many admirers and collectors alike.
British sports car manufacturers were wise to tap into the American consumers want for fast, sleek, and sporty cars, and this demand rose to its highest level during the 1950s with the introduction of the jaguar X120 and the MG. The MG became Britain’s best sales performer in both America and at home. To meet this demand, the owners of MG had to increase their plants manufacturing process to its maximum capability to deal with the increased volume in sales.
For those who are interested in these type pf cars in general, Britain offers a wide selection of vehicles from which to choose. Certainly, more choices are available in this auto niche in Britain than have been offered to Americans by U.S. auto makers in the past, and one might even say in today’s sports car market as well. The following list represents a small sampling of some of the more popular of these British cars:
1948-1950 Aston Martin DB1
Curvaceous in design with a body style that made previous Aston Martins pale in comparison, the DB1 also featured an inline-6, duel overhead cam engine. Most of the cars sold during this period featured two seats, but the DB1, although a bit awkward and probably uncomfortable, offered seating for four passengers. The car was of course, a convertible.
MG
This fine sports car was first introduced in the 1920s, but its most popular model was the MG TC, or at least that is what the majority of GIs felt during WWII, who also managed to ship many of their prized and cherished cars home after the war concluded. Although there are multiple choices when it comes to the MG, this particular model seems to have successfully found its way into the hearts of our WWII veterans and today’s collectors as well. The MG TC, was classed as a midget and had a DOHC inline-4 engine.
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Austin Healy
Another of the British cars which hit the scene in the early 1950s. A two seat convertible, featuring a three speed gearbox. This nifty little car had a 2.6 liter six cylinder engine.
Jaguar
Name recognition in the United States most closely associates with the well known Jaguar E type during the early and late sixties. Recognized as one of the more beautiful cars in its class. The E-type had a 3.0 liter engine with fuel injection which gave this car plenty of power.
