1950s British Performance Cars Archives

Jaguar MKII

The Jaguar MKII was one of the great all-rounders. Pretty much anything you wanted from a car, it could do. So versatile was the ‘MKII Jag’ that both cops and robbers fell in love with it! That was understandable. The top-spec 3.8 version – with manual overdrive – was good for 125mph. And, with no speed limit on British roads at the time, you could make the most of that number – whichever side of the law you were on. Not that observing speed limits would have been top of the robbers’ list of priorities, of course! For all that, the MKII Jag was also the ideal commuter car – for the business class. As refined as you like when it wanted to be, the MKII would transport its well-heeled occupants with ease. The MKII Jaguar, then, was all things to all men. It was also affordably-priced.

It was not long before the movie studios came calling. The MKII played a cameo rôle in Performance – alongside James Fox and Mick Jagger. And starred in Get Carter – in which it was hard on the tail of Michael Caine. On TV, Inspector Morse would not be seen in anything else. Of course, such screen sashays did sales figures no harm at all. 83,980 MKIIs were built. At racetracks, too, the Jag played a leading part. In saloon car showdowns, it was highly competitive. Indeed, racing driver Graham Hill – as well as Lotus boss Colin Chapman – both owned MKIIs.

Certainly, the car was beautiful to behold. Designer William Lyons – or, Mr. Jaguar, as he was affectionately known – had seen to that. And that, really, was the reason for its popularity. Stock-broker or law-breaker – in a MKII, you looked like $1,000,000, either way! The car had Sir William’s styling stamped all over it. Inside, the leather seats, wooden dash and door cappings all displayed Lyons’ keen eye for design detail. As did the dial- and switch-encrusted facia. On the engineering front, the MKII used tried and tested Jaguar technology. Its straight-six 3.8-litre XK engine delivered 220bhp. For a while, that made the MKII the quickest saloon car around. Technically, it was released in ’59 – though it will always be synonymous with the ’60s. As was the Mini – that other Sixties automotive icon. Instantly recognisable, the MKII helped define its times. In other words, the Jaguar MKII was as cast-iron a classic as cars come!

Bentley Continental R

The Bentley Continental R was always going to be beautiful. It was, after all, coachbuilt by HJ Mulliner – out of their London HQ. But, there was more! It also had a top speed of 124mph – which made it the fastest 4-seater in the world, at the time. Mind you, that was a combination few could afford – in what was still, technically, post-war Britain. The Continental R was strictly for business magnates and movie stars – oh, and possibly, royalty! High levels of comfort came as standard. In a nutshell – in the early Fifties – the Continental R was the best car money could buy.

The Continental R’s stately lines were refined in the Rolls-Royce wind tunnel – at Hucknall, England. John Blatchley – stylist extraordinaire – oversaw the operation. Combined with Mulliner’s alloy body – and a one-off Supersports chassis – the result was a cutting edge British coupé. Gearing was raised from that of the Bentley R – the Continental’s less sophisticated predecessor. That meant long-legged power throughout the rev range. The straight six motor’s compression ratio was upped. A big-bore exhaust system was installed. As a result, the Continental’s deep-breathing 4,566cc engine made light work of country roads. Notwithstanding the car’s gargantuan size, aluminium bumpers – and alloy-framed bucket seats – helped keep the weight down.

In austerity-ravaged ’50s Britain, then, ‘Continental’ must have conjured up an exotic vision. Filled with cars like the R, sweeping through idyllic villages and rolling landscapes. Certainly, the interior came fully-furnished for far-flung travels. The wide wooden dashboard housed a rev counter and oil temperature gauge. Such items had been deemed surplus to requirements for the saloon version. Only 208 Continentals were built. So, the Bentley Continental R was exclusive, to say the least. It was, however, at the top of its game in virtually every department!

Austin-Healey Sprite

The Austin-Healey Sprite is, arguably, the cutest car ever! Its most adorable feature? Some may go weak at the knees for its seductive smile. That came in the form of an emoji-style grille. Most, though, would faint at those foxy frog eyes – hence the car’s Frogeye Sprite moniker. In fact, those heart-melting windows of the automotive soul might never have opened at all – at least, not in daylight. Donald Healey – designer of the Sprite – drafted it with retractable headlights. Mercifully – for classic car buffs – the cost of fitting them proved prohibitive. So, pop-up became pop-eyed … and an automotive legend was born!

The Sprite, though, was not just about styling. In the Fifties, its top speed of 84mph impressed. Particularly, since the Sprite’s inline-four engine made just 43bhp. Capacity was 948cc. We are talking efficient British engineering. Then again, there was not a lot to lug about. The Sprite, after all, measured only 3.5m in length. Certainly, the Frog-Eye was economical. 45mpg was the low-cost reward for a relaxed driving style. Saying that, tweaking the A Series engine was a breeze. The whole of the Sprite’s one-piece nose section lifted up – allowing for the easiest of access. The Frogeye’s 4-speed gearbox served up the power in bite-size chunks.

The Sprite was the younger sibling of the 3000 model – or ‘big Healey’, as it was commonly dubbed. BMC’s shelves, then, were heaving with parts which bolted straight onto the Sprite. Most of the components also saw service on Morris Minors and Austin A35s. 38,999 Frogeyes were built. Sadly, Austin-Healey broke the mould after making the Sprite. Cars would never again be quite so cuddly!