Cars

The more digital, comfortable, and autonomous cars become, the greater the longing for a pure and simple driving experience. Anyone searching for an agile sports car with a manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive to use at the weekend should look no further than these modern BMWs built around the turn of the New Millennium. Cars such as the Z3 and Z4 M Coupés, M3 CSL, or 1M Coupé are charismatic projectiles that have been undervalued for a long time. With the increasing desire for back-to-basics driving, however, we can’t imagine prices will remain where they are for too much longer.

Founded 40 years ago, Bramley Motor Cars is something of an institution in the British collector car world. Nestled in the tiny and charming village of Bramley, just a stone’s throw from London, it is one of the original specialist dealerships in the country and perhaps best known for its magical showroom, which teems with old English character and, despite its logistical challenges, is a brilliant space for displaying precious motorcars. 

Our 10 favourites from Classic Car Auctions’ warehouse sale

Ahead of the game

Housed in an early 20th Century factory formerly home to the Beaulieu camera company, the Espace Automobiles Matra in Romorantin-Lanthenay is a secret shrine to a great Gallic carmaker that, tragically, no longer exists. It was founded by the mayor of Romorantin in 2003 and comprises 70 of the marque’s cars in addition to a raft of engines, presented with the same reverence as historical artefacts.