Every guide on the site

The Ford Cortina was Britain's best-selling car for much of the 1960s and 70s, five generations of family saloon that defined the company car park and the family driveway, from the sporting Lotus Cortina to the everyday GLs. A guide to the Mk1 to Mk5, how the generations differ, the fast Cortinas, what to look for, and what they are worth.

The Ford Granada was Ford's big executive saloon and coupe for over two decades, from the Mk1 made famous by The Sweeney to the aerodynamic, Car-of-the-Year Mk3 and its 24-valve Cosworth flagship. A guide to the three generations, the Granada and Scorpio names, what to look for, and what they are worth.

The classic Ford Escort ran across six generations from 1968 to 2000, from the rear-drive rally cars to the front-drive hot hatches and the mighty RS Cosworth. A guide to the Mk1 to Mk6, how the generations differ, the everyman saloons and the celebrated fast Escorts, what to look for, and what they are worth.

The classic Ford Capri was Europe's answer to the Mustang, an affordable fastback coupe that sold nearly two million and became a 1970s and 80s icon. A guide to the Mk1, Mk2 and Mk3, the V6 cars, the 2.8 Injection and the RS models, how it differs from the new electric Capri, what to look for, and what they are worth.

The Ford Anglia 105E put more than a million British families on the road, and is remembered for two things, its reverse-rake rear window and, decades later, its starring role as the flying car in Harry Potter. A guide to the 105E and 123E, the first of the Kent engines, what they are like to own, and what they are worth.

The Ford Prefect was Ford UK's upmarket small saloon for over two decades, from the upright "sit up and beg" pre-war cars to the modern 100E of the 1950s. Cheap, tough and built in huge numbers, it put Britain on the road, and lent its name to a Hitchhiker's Guide character. A guide to the models, owning one, and values.

The Ford Consul was the four-cylinder base of Ford of Britain's big-saloon range, and with its Zephyr sister it was the first British Ford built with modern unitary construction. A guide to the Mk1 and Mk2 Consul, the Three Graces, the later use of the Consul name, what to look for and what they are worth.

The Ford Zephyr was the six-cylinder heart of Ford of Britain's big-saloon range, quick and spacious for its day, and famous as the patrol car of the BBC series Z-Cars. A guide to the four generations from the finned Three Graces to the big V6 Mk4, how it relates to the Consul and Zodiac, what to look for, and what they are worth.

The Ford Zodiac was the top of Ford of Britain's big-saloon range, the upmarket, six-cylinder flagship above the Consul and Zephyr. From the finned Mk2 to the huge V6-engined Mk4, it offered American-style space and brightwork at a British price. A guide to the four generations, what to look for, and what they are worth.

The Ford Sierra RS Cosworth turned an ordinary family Ford into a Group A touring-car weapon, with a turbocharged Cosworth engine, a whale-tail wing and, in RS500 form, near-unbeatable race performance. A guide to the three-door, the RS500, the Sapphire and the 4x4, what to look for, and why values have soared.

From the rear-wheel-drive rally Escorts to the Capri V6, the XR hot hatches and the mighty Sierra Cosworth, the classic fast Fords are some of the most loved and fastest-rising British classics. A plain-English guide to the main families, how they differ, what they cost, how to choose, and how to avoid a cloned car.

The Triumph Spitfire was the affordable open sports car that put a real roadster within reach of ordinary buyers, an MG Midget rival with a forward-tilting bonnet and a tight turning circle. A guide to the five marks, the swing-axle handling and its fix, what to look for, and why it is still one of the cheapest ways into classic British sports-car ownership.

The Triumph TR6 was the best-selling TR and the last of the traditional separate-chassis British sports cars, a muscular Karmann-restyled roadster with a 2.5-litre straight-six and, on home-market cars, Lucas fuel injection. A guide to the PI-versus-carburettor cars, the CP and CR distinction, what to look for, and what they are worth.

The Triumph Stag was a glamorous Michelotti-styled 2+2 convertible with a bespoke 3.0-litre V8, conceived to rival the Mercedes SL but undone by a notorious cooling problem. A guide to the engine saga and why it overheated, what a properly sorted car is like, what to look for when buying, and what they are worth now the reputation has been rehabilitated.

The Triumph Herald was the charming, infinitely fixable small car whose separate bolt-together chassis, born of a body-supply crisis, saved Standard-Triumph and spawned the Spitfire, Vitesse and GT6. A guide to the 948, 1200, 12/50 and 13/60, the famous turning circle and tilt-forward bonnet, what to look for, and what they are worth.

The Triumph GT6 was a handsome six-cylinder fastback coupe on the Spitfire platform, nicknamed the baby E-Type, whose tricky swing-axle handling was famously cured by the Rotoflex rear suspension of the Mk2. A guide to the three marks, the handling saga, what to look for when buying, and why it remains one of the most undervalued classic British GTs.

The Triumph TR4 brought modern Michelotti styling, rack-and-pinion steering and the clever Surrey-top removable roof to the rugged TR sports-car line, and the TR4A added independent rear suspension. A guide to the two cars, their place in the TR story, what to look for when buying, and what they are worth.

The Triumph TR3 was the rugged side-screen sports car that made Triumph's name in America, and in 1956 it became the first British series-production car fitted with front disc brakes. A guide to telling the TR3, TR3A and TR3B apart, what they are like to own, what to check when buying, and what they are worth.

The Triumph TR5 was built for barely a year and only 2,947 were made, which makes it the rarest of the mainstream TRs and one of the most valuable. It was the first six-cylinder TR, with 150 bhp from a Lucas fuel-injected 2.5-litre straight-six wrapped in the familiar TR4 body. A guide to the TR5 versus the American TR250, what to look for, and what they are worth.

The Triumph TR2 launched the TR sports-car line in 1953 and made its name on a single claim, that it was the cheapest production car of its day able to top 100 mph. A rugged, basic, separate-chassis roadster with a torquey Standard four, it is now the rarest and most vintage-feeling of the side-screen TRs. A guide to the long-door and short-door cars, owning one, and values.

The Triumph Dolomite Sprint was British Leyland's answer to the BMW 2002, a compact sporting saloon whose clever single-cam 16-valve engine reached the mass market a decade ahead of the rest, and the first British car with alloy wheels as standard. A guide to the engineering, the racing success, what to look for when buying, and what they are worth.

One of the best reasons to own a classic Triumph is how well it is supported. A practical guide to Triumph parts availability by model, the kinds of specialists and club spares schemes that serve the marque, what restoration involves for the separate-chassis cars and the trickier engines, and how the cars are insured.

The classic Triumph TR roadsters run from the side-screen TR2 of 1953 to the muscular TR6 of the 1970s, and they are very different cars to live with. A plain-English guide to the differences between the TR2, TR3, TR4, TR4A, TR5 and TR6, what each is like to own, what they cost, and how to choose the right one.

The Jaguar E-Type was the most beautiful car of its age and one of the fastest, and it ran from the covered-headlamp Series 1 to the V12 Series 3 across fourteen years. The development story, the differences between the series, the myths sorted from the facts, and what the survivors are like to buy now.

The XJ6 of 1968 replaced Jaguar's entire saloon range with one car, and the period press could not find anything that drove better at any price. The three series, the smooth XK six and the V12, the Daimler siblings, and what to look for when buying the last Jaguar saloon designed under William Lyons.

The XJS was never meant to be an E-Type, and the long, controversial grand tourer divided opinion at launch before time turned it into a sought-after classic. The V12 and the six, the cabriolet and the convertible, the TWR racing cars, and what to look for when buying one now.

The XK120 was meant to be a low-volume showcase for Jaguar's new twin-cam engine and became a sensation, billed as the fastest production car in the world. The Jabbeke speed runs, the aluminium and steel cars, the body styles and the famous XK engine, and what to look for when buying one.

The Mk2 was the compact sports saloon that, in 3.8 form, would see off most sports cars of its day, and it became the definitive 1960s Jaguar, beloved of bank managers, getaway drivers and saloon racers alike. The engines, the Coombs racers, the run-out cars, and what to look for when buying one.

The SS Jaguar 100 was William Lyons' pre-war sports car, a short, fast open two-seater whose name claimed a genuine 100 mph and which carried the Jaguar name from 1936. A guide to the SS 100, the SS Jaguar saloons, the replica question, and what they are worth.

The Mini Cooper turned Alec Issigonis's economy car into a giant-killer, and the Cooper S won the Monte Carlo Rally three times. A guide to the 1960s Cooper and Cooper S, the 1990s revival, how to tell a genuine car from a clone, what to look for, and what they are worth.

The Mini Clubman gave Issigonis's car a longer, squared-off nose for the 1970s, and the 1275GT version took over from the Cooper S as the affordable performance Mini. A guide to the Clubman saloon and estate, the 1275GT, what to look for, and what they are worth now.

The Mini Traveller and its Austin Countryman twin were the estate versions of the Mini, the early ones framed in decorative timber like a miniature Morris Minor Traveller. A guide to the woody Mini, the Traveller and Countryman badges, what to look for, and what they are worth.

The Mini Moke began as a failed military vehicle and became a doorless, open-topped fun car beloved on beaches and film sets. A guide to the British, Australian and Portuguese Mokes, its screen fame, what to look for, and what they are worth.

The Mini Van and Mini Pick-up were the commercial members of the Mini family, cheap, economical workhorses built on the longer estate wheelbase that sold by the hundred thousand. A guide to the van and the pick-up, why they survived so long, what to look for, and what they are worth now.

The Riley Elf and Wolseley Hornet were the upmarket Minis, the same little car given a longer boot, a traditional grille and a walnut-trimmed cabin. A guide to the two badge-engineered luxury Minis, how they differ, what to look for, and what they are worth.

Which classic Mini should you buy, and what should you check before you do? A plain-English guide to choosing between the standard Mini, the Cooper, the Clubman, the Traveller, the Moke and the rest, where these cars rust, the mechanical points to check, and how to avoid a cloned Cooper.

The classic Mini is one of the best-supported classics in the world, with almost every part remanufactured, from a service kit to a complete bodyshell. A practical guide to Mini parts availability, panels and bodywork, mechanical and trim parts, and the club and specialist network that keeps these cars running.

Across its long life the classic Mini wore dozens of special and limited editions, from the 1979 1100 Special to the Mary Quant Designer, the anniversary cars and the 1990s Cooper revivals. A guide to the most notable Mini special editions, why there were so many, and whether they are worth more.

The MG MGB was the modern monocoque roadster that sold more than half a million and became, for years, the best-selling sports car in the world. A guide to the 1.8-litre B-series, the three-bearing and five-bearing engines, the all-important chrome-bumper versus rubber-bumper divide, what to look for when buying, and what they are worth.

The MG MGB GT added a handsome Pininfarina-styled fastback roof and a practical hatchback to the MGB, making a refined 2+2 that is one of the most underrated classics there is, and the rare MGB GT V8 gave it real pace. A guide to how the GT differs from the roadster, the V8, what to look for when buying, and what they are worth.

The MG Midget was the tiny, nimble, affordable roadster built alongside its near-identical twin the Austin-Healey Sprite, and the cheapest way into classic MG ownership. A guide to the marks and engines, the curious 1500 that used a Triumph engine, the chrome and rubber bumper cars, what to look for when buying, and what they are worth.

The MG MGA was the sleek, aerodynamic sports car that swept away MG's upright pre-war look, sold over a hundred thousand almost entirely for export, and remains the prettiest of the affordable classic MGs. A guide to the 1500, 1600 and 1600 MkII pushrod cars, the rare and troubled Twin Cam, what to look for when buying, and what they are worth.

The MG MGC was the MGB given a 3.0-litre straight-six, conceived as a replacement for the big Austin-Healey 3000 and damned in period for nose-heavy handling. A guide to the redesigned six-cylinder engine, the truth about the handling reputation, the roadster and GT, what to look for when buying, and why a sorted MGC is now a sought-after grand tourer.

The MG T-Series, from the pre-war TA and TB through the TC that opened America to the TD and TF, was the classic folded-body British sports car on an ash frame. A guide to the T-types, what separates them, what to look for, and what they are worth.

Classic MGs are among the best-supported old cars on the road. A practical guide to MG parts availability by model, the specialists and club spares that serve the marque, what restoration involves for the monocoque and separate-chassis cars, and how the cars are insured.

The Land Rover Series I is the spartan, aluminium-bodied original that started it all in 1948. A guide to the 80, 86 and 88 inch cars, the petrol and diesel engines, the early freewheel four-wheel drive, what to look for when buying, and why the earliest cars are now so valuable.

The Land Rover Series II and IIA gave the marque its enduring 2.25 engine and its familiar barrel-side shape, and the IIA is widely held to be the toughest Series of all. A guide to the 88 and 109 inch cars, the engines, the famous headlamp move to the wings, what to look for when buying, and what they are worth.

The Land Rover Series III was the most numerous Series of all, recognised by its plastic grille and the first all-synchromesh gearbox. A guide to the 88 and 109 inch cars, the engines including the Stage 1 V8, the Lightweight, what to look for when buying, and why it is the most affordable way into a Series Land Rover.

The Land Rover Defender ran from 1983 to 2016, the coil-sprung successor to the Series that became one of the most recognisable shapes on earth. A guide to the One Ten, Ninety and 130, the engines from the Tdi to the Td5 and Puma, what to look for when buying (including chassis rot and theft), and what they are worth now.

The original Range Rover, now called the Range Rover Classic, was not the luxury car it became but a more comfortable, road-capable companion to the working Land Rover. A guide to the two-door and four-door cars, the Rover V8 and the diesels, the Vogue and CSK, what to look for when buying, and what they are worth.

Classic Land Rovers are among the most restorable vehicles on the road, thanks to body-on-frame construction, bolt-on aluminium panels and exceptional parts supply. A practical guide to the chassis and bulkhead corrosion that defines them, parts availability across the range, what restoration involves, running costs, and how the cars are insured.

The Massey Ferguson 135 is the most recognisable classic tractor in Britain, over 400,000 built at Coventry from 1964, simple, tough, and still working farms and shows today. Its history, the Perkins and Continental engines, the Multi-Power transmission, what to check when buying, and what a good one is worth.

The Fordson Major is the heavyweight British classic tractor, built by Ford at Dagenham from the post-war E27N to the diesel New Major, Power Major and Super Major of 1952 to 1964. Its history, the engines, the difference between the E27N and the New Major, what to check when buying, and what one is worth.

David Brown built well-engineered classic tractors at Meltham in Yorkshire from the 1936 Ferguson-Brown to the Selectamatic range, and the same company owned Aston Martin, giving the DB in DB5 its initials. The history, the Cropmaster, Implematic and Selectamatic models, the Aston Martin connection, what to look for when buying, and values.

The Ferguson TE20, the "little grey Fergie", is the tractor that brought Harry Ferguson's three-point hydraulic system to the world. Over half a million built in Coventry from 1946. Its history, the Ford handshake and the famous lawsuit, the petrol, TVO and diesel engines, what to check when buying, and what one is worth.

Nuffield built bright orange tractors from 1948, made by the Morris car empire under Lord Nuffield himself. A guide to the old Nuffield tractors worth knowing, from the Universal M3 and M4 to the ten-speed 10/60 and the 4/65, the move to Bathgate, what to look for when buying, and what a vintage Nuffield is worth.

The blue Leyland tractors grew straight out of the orange Nuffields in 1969 and were built at Bathgate in Scotland until 1982. A guide to the old Leyland tractors worth knowing, from the compact 154 to the synchro models and the big 2100, the British Leyland story, what to look for when buying, and what a vintage Leyland is worth.

A practical, plain-English guide to owning a classic or vintage tractor in Britain. How to register an old tractor with the DVLA, the historic tax class and the forty-year rule, why tractors are MOT exempt, the licence and rules for driving one on the road, the red-diesel question that catches people out, and what to look for when buying and running one.

Gilbern was the only series-production car ever wholly built in Wales, a glass-fibre grand tourer that grew from a Pontypridd butcher's loft into a proper V6 GT. A guide to the GT, Genie and Invader, the butcher-and-engineer story, the royal owner, what to look for when buying, and what they are worth.

The Ginetta G15 was a tiny, light, rear-engined glass-fibre coupe built by the Walklett brothers in Essex around the all-alloy Hillman Imp engine, sold in kit form to dodge purchase tax, and the most successful of the classic Ginettas before the 1973 VAT change ended it. A guide to the history, the cars, what to look for, and what they are worth.

The Clan Crusader was a tiny rear-engined glass-fibre coupe designed by ex-Lotus engineers, built around Hillman Imp mechanicals in County Durham, and so strongly made it passed a 30 mph crash test almost no kit-car maker even attempted. It was selling well when the 1973 tax change killed it. A guide to the history, the cars, what to look for, and what they are worth.

The Mini Marcos is a tiny glass-fibre monocoque coupe built on Mini subframes, sold mostly as a kit, and famous as the only British car to finish the 1966 Le Mans 24 Hours. A guide to its tangled origins, the Le Mans car that was stolen and found again, the model lineage, what to look for, and what they are worth.

Dutton was reckoned the most prolific kit-car maker in the world, building cheap glass-fibre sports cars and estates on Triumph and then Ford Escort running gear, and once beat Ford in the High Court for the right to keep calling one of its cars the Sierra. A guide to the models, the famous lawsuit, what to look for when buying, and what they are worth.

Robin Hood built the cheapest Lotus-Seven-style kit cars in Britain, famously a car on the road from one budget kit and a single scrap Ford donor, with an unusual folded stainless-steel construction. A guide to the models, the stainless monocoque story, the GBS succession, and the things to check before buying one.

The Morris Marina sold over a million cars, finished last in nearly every road test, ran on a front suspension dating from 1948, and survived in such small numbers that finding a clean one today is a real search. A guide to the lineage, the Ital handover, what to look for, and what they're worth.

The Princess was Harris Mann's other wedge, a front-drive Hydragas-suspended family car that BL forgot to give a hatchback. A guide to the 18-22 launch confusion, the Princess 2, the Ambassador handover, what to look for, and what they're worth.

The Hillman Avenger was Rootes Group's last clean-sheet small saloon, sold as a Hillman, then a Chrysler, then a Talbot, with a yellow rally homologation Tiger in the middle of it. A guide to the lineage, the Tiger, what to look for, and what they're worth.

The Vauxhall Victor ran for nineteen years and five generations, from the wraparound-windscreen F-type to the slant-four FE estate. A guide to the lineage, what to look for, what they're worth, and why so few survived.

The Vauxhall Chevette was Britain's best-selling hatchback for parts of 1978, the rally homologation HS won the 1979 British Rally Championship, and almost all of them are now scrapped. A guide to the variants, the HS, what to look for, and what they're worth.

The Jensen Interceptor paired Italian styling and a hand-built West Bromwich body with a big Chrysler V8, and its wraparound glass hatch made it one of the most distinctive British grand tourers. A guide to the Mk I to Mk III, the SP and convertible, what to look for, and what they are worth.

The Jensen FF was the four-wheel-drive sister of the Interceptor and a genuine engineering landmark, widely regarded as the first four-wheel-drive production car and the first fitted with anti-lock brakes. A guide to the Ferguson Formula system, how to tell an FF from an Interceptor, and what they are worth.

The Jensen CV8 was a fibreglass-bodied four-seat grand tourer with a big Chrysler V8 and a famously divisive slanted-headlamp face, and one of the fastest four-seaters of its day. A guide to the Mk I to Mk III, its place between the 541 and the Interceptor, and what they are worth.

The Jensen-Healey was a two-seat sports car built with Donald Healey and powered by the first production Lotus engine, the affordable car Jensen hoped would sell in volume. A guide to the roadster and the Jensen GT, the famous engine troubles, what to look for, and what they are worth.

The Austin-Healey Sprite, and above all its bug-eyed first version the Frogeye, is one of the most loveable and affordable classic sports cars there is. A guide to the Frogeye Mk I, the later Spridget cars shared with the MG Midget, the Sebring racers, what to look for when buying, and what they are worth.

The Austin-Healey 100 is the car that started the marque, the original Big Healey, named for its 100 mph top speed. A guide to the four-cylinder 100/4 (BN1 and BN2), the high-performance 100M and the rare 100S, the six-cylinder 100-6, what to look for when buying, and what they are worth.

The Austin-Healey 3000, the "Big Healey", is the muscular six-cylinder sports car that defined the marque and built its rally reputation. A guide to the Mk I, II and III, the wind-up-window BJ7 and the prized Mk III BJ8, what to look for when buying, and what they are worth.

Classic Austin-Healeys are well served for parts, because they share their BMC mechanicals with MG and other BMC cars. A practical guide to parts availability, the Big Healey's chassis and aluminium-shroud restoration, the simpler Sprite, running costs, the clubs, and how the cars are insured.

The Peel P50 is the smallest production car ever made, a single-seat three-wheeler built on the Isle of Man in the early 1960s with a 49cc engine and no reverse gear. Its history, what it is like to use, the modern revival, and why genuine originals are now five-figure collectors' cars.

The Bond Bug is the tangerine, wedge-shaped three-wheeler Reliant built from 1970 to 1974, styled by Tom Karen of Ogle Design. Its origins, why a car this distinctive failed when new, its pop-culture afterlife, and what the survivors are worth today.

The Morris Minor van was the small delivery van of post-war Britain and the face of the Post Office fleet. Its history, the famous GPO vans with their rubber wings, the variants and engines, and what a clean original is worth today.

The Bedford CF was Britain's home-grown rival to the Ford Transit, built from 1969 to the late 1980s and the base for a generation of campers, ambulances, and ice-cream vans. Its history, the Vauxhall engines, the variants, and what surviving CFs are worth.

The British cars of the 1920s, the vintage years, from the Austin Seven that killed the cyclecar and the mass-produced Bullnose Morris to the Le Mans-winning Bentleys, the coachbuilt Rolls-Royces and the great vintage sports cars from Vauxhall, Alvis and Sunbeam.

The British cars of the 1930s, from the Austin Seven that motorised the middle class and the first affordable MG sports cars to the birth of SS Jaguar, the £100 Ford, and the coachbuilt Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Lagonda, the decade the car reached ordinary Britain before war stopped it in 1939.

The British cars of the 1940s, from the wartime production shutdown and the immediate post-war restart to the landmark launches of the MG TC, the Land Rover Series I, the Jaguar XK120, and the Bentley Mark VI under the "Export or Die" policy.

The decade British sports cars went mainstream, the British cars of the 1950s running from the Jaguar XK120 and the Austin-Healey 100 to the Bentley R-Type Continental, the Land Rover Series I, and the export drive that built the American market.

Britain's high-water mark as a car maker, the British cars of the 1960s running from the Mini and the E-Type to the Cortina, the DB5, and the export boom that briefly made it the world's sports-car factory.

Brilliant machines and industrial chaos in equal measure, the British cars of the 1970s taking in the Capri and the XJS, the Stag, the SD1, and the cars British Leyland would rather forget.

The turbo era and the birth of the hot hatch, the British cars of the 1980s running from the Sierra Cosworth and the Esprit Turbo to the Range Rover, the XJ40, and the performance cars that landed on everyone's neighbour's driveway.

Supercars, hot saloons, and the slow end of an industry, the British cars of the 1990s spanning the McLaren F1 and the Escort Cosworth, the Lotus Elise, the TVR boom under Peter Wheeler, and the long decline of Rover Group.

What number plates a classic car can legally wear in the UK. The black-and-silver eligibility rule (built before 1 January 1980, historic tax class), the British Standard every plate must meet, why show plates are not road-legal, pressed metal versus acrylic, and where to buy compliant plates.

A practical guide to tyres for a classic car. Crossply versus radial, the UK law on mixing the two, getting the right period size and speed rating, why tyre age matters more than tread on a low-mileage classic, and where to buy proper classic tyres.

The Austin Seven was the small, cheap car that put middle-class Britain on four wheels, built from 1922 to 1939 in every form from the open Chummy to the Ruby saloon and the sporting Ulster. A guide to the model that seeded BMW and Lotus, what to look for, and what they are worth.

The life and cars of Sir Alec Issigonis, the engineer who designed the Morris Minor and the 1959 Mini, pioneered the transverse-engine front-wheel-drive layout, and was knighted for reshaping the small car.

A guide to the best classic car museums in the UK, from the British Motor Museum at Gaydon and Beaulieu to Haynes, Brooklands and Coventry. Where to see British classics, what each collection is known for, and how to plan a visit.

A working reference for the parallel vocabularies British and American motoring have used for the same components, tools, and concepts. With the cases where the translation isn't quite straight.

A car doesn't become a classic at one moment but at several different ones, and those moments rarely agree with each other. An essay on the legal, market, cultural and personal answers to a deceptively simple question.

The site's scope reference. Which marques and which cars count as British classics, the edge cases, and what we don't cover. The companion essay on when a car becomes a classic answers the temporal question separately.

The DVLA's rolling rule that reclassifies cars as historic vehicles on their fortieth birthday.

The official DVLA tax class that qualifying classic cars sit in, and what it changes about owning the car.

The registration certificate that underpins almost every classic-car transaction, with each section recording a specific piece of vehicle data.

The Q-prefix registration the DVLA issues when a car's original identity has been lost or rebuilt, and the circumstances where owners want to avoid it.

The older-style registration marks issued for imports and substantial restorations, with the evidence the DVLA needs to assign one.

The trade body whose Gold / Silver / Bronze ratings specialist insurers and owners both care about when choosing a storage facility.

Cover where you and the insurer agree the car's value upfront, so any total-loss claim pays out that figure rather than a depreciated market value.

The top of the standard four-grade condition scale, the scales different valuation systems use, and how concours-grade examples sit at the top end of values.

The post-war policy backed by steel rationing that produced the late-1940s landmark launches and built the American market for British sports cars.

The 1968-to-1999 industrial arc, from the merger that created it through nationalisation and privatisation to the BMW breakup, that owned most of the volume British car industry.

A roofline that slopes in one unbroken line to the tail, the shape behind cars from the Ford Capri to the MGB GT, and how it differs from a notchback and a hatchback.

A fastback profile with a tailgate that lifts the rear glass up with it, and how it sits between a fixed-roof fastback and an ordinary hatchback.

The coachbuilt two-door sporting estate, where the name comes from, and the British examples from the DB5 shooting brake to the Scimitar GTE.

The sideways-mounted engine that made compact front-wheel drive possible, and how the Mini turned it into the template for the small car.

Alex Moulton's interconnected fluid-and-rubber suspension that kept BMC cars riding level, and the Hydragas system that followed it.

The Edinburgh privateer team that ran Jaguars to back-to-back Le Mans wins in 1956 and 1957.

A classic restored in looks but modernised underneath, how it differs from a faithful restoration, and the value and originality trade-off.