From minis to jaguars, Britain has produced some of the most popular, sought-after and downright revolutionary in the world cars.
But which UK-built car is the best of all? We’ve selected our 11 most popular UK cars that we love License fees, Rock stars and reality stars too. How many did you drive
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11 of the best British cars of all time
1. The Mini
Introduced in 1959, the legendary Mini was the car of the British people. With the front-wheel drive, a space-saving side-mounted motor, the design in every corner and the ingenious packaging, it became the blueprint for all small vehicles.
Built in Cowley, Oxford and Longbridge, Birmingham, the Minis belonged to pop stars (George Harrison), models (Twiggy) and kings (Lord Snowdon) in the 1960s. It was the star of The Italian Job in 1969 and a Cooper S won the Monte Carlo Rally three times in 1964, 1965 and 1967.
2. Lotus Elan
The cute Elan two-seater was manufactured at Lotus headquarters in Hethel, Norfolk, between 1962 and 1975 and was driven by Diana Riggs character Emma Peel in the 1960s British TV series The Avengers.
Peter Sellers gave the then fiancé Britt Ekland a Lotus Elan in the 1960s
Famous owners praised for their exceptional handling included actors Paul Newman and Peter Sellers, and Formula 1 champion Jim Clark. His legacy lives on in today’s Mazda MX-5 (the 1989 original was outrageously inspired by the Elan).
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3. Rover P6
The sleek and innovative P6, also known as the Rover 2000 (the 2200 and 3500 were to follow), was arguably the last great Rover.
Manufactured in Solihull in the West Midlands (1963-1977), it set new standards in terms of refinement, performance, handling and safety. It was popular with the police force until the late 1970s. It’s still a great practical classic today.
4. Aston Martin DB5
Immortalized in the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger, kings, rock stars and celebrities wanted to own this beautiful luxury grant tourer (GT). Probably the most famous car in the world, it was built between 1963 and 1965. Just over 1,000 handcrafted examples left the production line in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire.
Sean Connery poses with his Bond Aston Martin in the 60s
Aston Martin is also available as a Volante (convertible) and is currently building 25 DB5 “Continuation” models using classic build processes and some modern modifications and improvements. Every £ 3 million car has bond features like rotating license plates and two (dummy) machine guns.
5. Jensen Interceptor FF
The most famous Jensen of them all was the mighty Interceptor, and the most coveted version was the almost identical and innovative 1966 FF, which featured all-wheel drive and anti-lock braking.
The Jensen Interceptor FF
Powered by a mighty American V8 built in West Bromwich, Midlands, production of the Interceptor ended in 1976 when Jensen was received. Famous Interceptor owners included Tony Curtis, Frank Sinatra, Cher, Cliff Richard, and comedian Eric Morecambe, who was driving his when he suffered his first heart attack in November 1968.
6. Ford Escort
After the success of the Cortina, Ford launched the smaller Escort family car in 1968. It was built in Halewood on Merseyside and quickly became a bestseller. The two millionth Escort had been made by 1974, and when the sixth generation model went out of production in 2001 it was the UK’s best-selling car (4,105,961).
Princess Diana drove her Ford Escort in the early 1980s
High-performance versions of the Escort took part in races and rallies – or “win on Sunday, sell on Monday,” as Ford put it. English footballer Jimmy Greaves drove an Escort in the 16,000 mile Daily Mirror World Cup rally from London to Mexico in 1970, and the Escort Mexico (pictured) is one of the most sought-after models today.
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7. Jaguar E-Type
It is fair to say that the Jaguar E-Type caused a stir when it was presented at the Geneva Motor Show in 1961. Enzo Ferrari described it no less as “the most beautiful car ever built”. It set a new standard in automotive design and performance, and cost a fraction of the price of competitors with similar performance.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle drove a Jaguar E-Type to their wedding reception
It’s a royal favorite, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are choosing it as their royal wedding car. It was built at the Browns Lane plant in Coventry and was on sale and available as a roadster coupe for 14 years.
8. Range Rover
The original Range Rover was introduced in 1970 and, with its blend of excellent off-road capability and comfort, was the template for today’s top SUVs. When it first launched, it cost £ 1,998 – today’s fourth generation car starts at over £ 84,000. Built in Solihull, Birmingham, it has become a classless icon in both Chelsea and the Cotswolds.
Alongside its little brother, the Land Rover, it became a car of choice for explorers. The Rangie has risen over the years but is still the pinnacle of luxury motorsport.
9. Rolls-Royce Phantom
The groundbreaking Phantom VII was the first Rolls-Royce to leave the production line in the legendary brand’s new home in Goodwood, West Sussex – and the first new model owned by BMW.
The Rolls Royce Phantom is loved by celebrities
It revived Rolls-Royce’s reputation for making the world’s best automobiles. It looked fantastic, exuded luxury and boasted a magic carpet. More than 10,000 Phantom VIIs were hand built between 2003 and 17. Prominent owners included Simon Cowell and Kim Kardashian.
10. McLaren F1
The stunning McLaren F1 (1992-1998) was designed by racing car designers Gordon Murray and Peter Stevens and became the fastest production car in the world in 1998 with a speed of 150 mph. It featured many Formula 1 developments and was the first production car to use a carbon fiber monocoque chassis.
The sporty McLaren F1
Perhaps the most unique feature was the arrowhead that positioned the driver in the center of the car with the passenger seats placed behind it on either side. Only 106 F1s were made, and its prominent owners included Rowan Atkinson, who sold his twice-crashed example for £ 8 million in 2015.
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11. Land Rover
The original Land Rover Series I was presented at the Amsterdam Motor Show in 1948. Britain’s answer to the Jeep was the ultimate in all-wheel drive.
The Queen drove a Land Rover around the Sandringham estate in 2000
Popular with the Queen and Winston Churchill, it was the vehicle of choice for everyone from farmers to emergency services, explorers to the military. The last Land Rover Defender (as it was known from 1990) left the assembly line in Solihull, Birmingham, in 2016, ending 68 years of continuous production. The two millionth defender was sold at a charity auction for a record £ 400,000 in 2015.
