#Summary 2
Hello once more my fellow car lovers and welcome back to the prestigious Earls Court Auto Show! The display halls remain packed as London plays host to the finest selection of automobiles in the world right now. Italian automakers have continued to be very prominent at the show, but they certainly aren’t the only ones here.
Let’s take a tour through days 4 and 5!
Today’s music of choice is the eclectic Sister Rosetta Tharpe with a live version of Didn’t It Rain!
Scillilian-based SAF showed off a family car of the future! Or at least a few years down the line. the SAF 402 is a bog standard Italian mini-saloon affair, and we love it. Gorgeous styling, good practicality, and a hell of a lot of fun to drive. While most of the specs aren’t really relevant currently (as it won’t be on sale until 1966), it certainly looks to be affordable, sturdy and practical, which should mean it’ll give our well established British makers a run for their money should SAF choose to export the car to Britain.
German premium off-road brand Monolith revealed a new four wheel drive estate called the M110. Powered by a 3.8l i6 with (up to) 175hp, it’s a powerful combination of refinement and ruggedness. The German car industry rarely makes itself known in the UK - they are, of course, no where near as large as the British car industry (and we certainly don’t see that changing!) but this certainly seems to be an intriguing offer for those looking for a premium 4 door car with an extra dose of practicality thanks to that wagon body. We look forward to testing its off-road credentials later in the year.
Cornaldier revealed the Beretta 350 GT V12, which we already love just for that name. Set to release in 1963, this 261 hp “super” car could well be the fastest car in the world when it is released, capable of 0-60 in 5.3 seconds. That makes it very nearly as quick as some Le Mans race cars from today. Concise styling and a flat body shape certainly make this look futuristic, though it lacks comfort due to its stripped out interior. That said, it is a convertible, and you bet we can’t wait to max this thing out with the roof down.
The Astranti stand displayed a sleek looking shape yesterday. We can’t even begin to ascertain what sort of car this might be, though we heard one rumour that said it could be “mid-engine”. Whatever that means…
Brivio unveiled the Mk II version of the Imola sports coupe, named after dangerous and rip-roaring central-Italian race circuit. Contemporary styling and typical i4 power, this little sports car is nippy and fairly agile, with a gorgeous interior - certainly giving its British sports car contemporaries a run for their money. We can expect it to land on our shores in a few months time, where a proper comparison alongside the likes of the MG A and Triumph TR 3 can take place.
JHW weirdly announced an entire lineup for 1965, giving us a glimpse into the future once more. The dinky little Forte family car features unusual headlight design that sets it apart from the competition, and looks to be as practical as you’d expect for a car of its type. The large Harrier saloon will feature disc brakes when it’s released, as well as a delightful 2.4l i6.
To top this all off, a new luxury sedan called the Park-Regent will also be released, though we suspect a certainly company with the initals “RR” might have some questions about its styling…
Another “mid-engine” car made an appearance today in the form of the Kessler C7. A joint venture between Kessler Autocraft and Ventor, this sleek sports car is still in development, but some are already suggesting that it might be hugely influential on future car design. More to follow.
Finally, Adagio l̶a̶u̶n̶c̶h̶e̶d̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶J̶a̶g̶u̶a̶r̶ ̶M̶k̶ ̶I̶I̶.̶…no…hang on, they annoucned the introduction to the UK of the Verisimo! This fancy premium saloon is defined by its gorgeous curves and abundant chrome, and is powered by a V12. Aimed squareely at the GT market, it’s astoundingly comfortable and even features suicide doors just to be a little bit fancier. Two trims will be availible, the former Lusso model being the V12 powered luxury variant, while the latter will be a cheaper, premium version called the Premio. It’s still very comfortable, and benefits from a lovely 2.7l V8 to power it.
That does it for this round up, folks! I’m off to get sloshed on champagne at one of the many parties being hosted for company executives by the companies at this year’s show, so with any luck I should be goo for another summary quite soon! Cheerio for now!
-Gordon Anderson
SUVs weren’t even a thing at this point as far as I know, Range Rover didn’t arrive until 1970, and i believe that was the first true SUV?
