Cars

Automotive time travel requires the right stage: in England, it’s Goodwood, in Germany it’s the Nürburgring Nordschleife. While BMW, Jaguar and Porsche dominated the weekend’s official events at the 2013 OGP, a vast range of rare and exotic cars captured the imagination of spectators. The journey begins in the historic paddock, where the roar of the engines drowns out all other sounds and the sporting legends of the 20s and 30s provide the right dose to kick-start this high-octane cocktail.

Remember the C-X75, which Jaguar unveiled in 2010? An expressive vision of a hybrid supercar – with micro gas turbines to recharge the batteries, four electric motors (one for each wheel) and a stunning wow factor of a design. Designed as a concept car (‘C’) of a purely experimental nature (‘X’), proudly paying homage to the 75^th anniversary (‘75’) of the marque from Coventry, the super-Jag disappeared after the celebrations, despite praise from pundits and press around the world.

The narrow mountain road as steep as the Himalayas

So, fill your tank, stretch those stringbacks between the base of each finger and fire her up: here’s Classic Driver’s pick of cars from the Marketplace sure to reach the summit of any petrolhead’s wants list.

Our favourites

This year, visitors were launched onto a journey through time, whether soaking up the sights of the concours d'elegance or watching the action on the hillclimb. At the event, Tim Brown discovered not only iconic racing machinery such as the ‘Red Pig’ AMG Mercedes Touring Car, but also a Gulf Porsche 917, many motorcycles and even a Tante Ju, the affectionate name given to the Junkers Ju 52 tri-motor aeroplane.

Away from the bikes, planes and cars, meanwhile, were the joys of a retro picnic. Browse our gallery and see for yourself.

"I got in the car and the guy looked at me and went, 'I loved you in The Man Who Would Be King. You're going to have to be s*** to not pass this test.'”

He grew up during the Second World War, when there weren't a lot of cars about. And being a Londoner, public transport was good and the need for his own car or motorbike just wasn’t there. Success, though, in the 1960s, meant that the first car he ever bought was a Rolls-Royce. And so expensive was the insurance premium that it was cheaper to hire a chauffeur.

The feminine curves of the front of the Aurelia melt into a flowing roofline, ending in even more curvaceous loveliness at the rear. Once you’ve seen an Aurelia in profile, it’s a vision you’re unlikely to forget. Nor is it just the youthful appeal of the coupé and convertible versions that can be hailed as a success: the same goes for the entire Aurelia family. And in addition to the adulation it received for its styling, there was also the no small matter of its race and rally success.