Classic Sports Car UK – August 2026

Summary

12 brilliant sports cars, all available for £6,000 or less — Classic Sports Car UK's August 2026 issue (Volume 45 No 5, £6.99) puts the "Cheap Summer Fun" thesis to the test across a group test that spans mainstream to niche models (p66). A Mini Cooper versus Escort 1300 GT showdown, the AMC Rebel as an unlikely muscle-car pioneer (p82), and the Mitsubishi Pajero Evo — an SUV born to rally (p104) — demonstrate the issue's broad interpretation of "sports car." Eight decades of Crewe Bentleys (p134) and a Euro-thrash feature pairing Panhard and Auto Union (p90) add historical depth to the summer fun theme.

The cheap-sports-car group test covers 12 cars priced under £6,000 each, driven back-to-back on road and track. The field includes everything from the MX-5 and MR2 to more obscure choices like the Fiat Barchetta and the Alfa Romeo Spider. Each car is scored on driving pleasure, running costs, parts availability, and depreciation potential. The winner is not the fastest car — it's the one the testers unanimously wanted to keep driving after the test ended.

The Mini Cooper versus Escort 1300 GT comparison (p66) pits two British icons from the 1960s and 70s against each other, measuring restoration cost, driving engagement and current market value. The AMC Rebel feature traces how American Motors Corporation created the muscle-car template before Ford and Chevrolet dominated the segment, using the Rebel Machine as the poster child. The Pajero Evo piece documents Mitsubishi's brief but brilliant decision to build a Dakar-ready SUV for the road, complete with adjustable suspension and a turbocharged 2.5-litre engine.

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Content Guide

▸ Cover Feature
p.66 · Cheap Summer Fun – 12 Sports Cars Under £6,000
A group test of affordable sports cars from the Mazda MX-5 to the Alfa Romeo Spider, scored across four criteria. The car that cost £1,500 but delivered the most smiles-per-mile. The one to avoid unless you have a mechanic on retainer.

p.66 · Mini Cooper vs Escort 1300 GT
A head-to-head between two British classic icons, measured by acquisition cost, restoration availability, and driving thrills. The car that wins on parts cost alone — available new for under £50 each.

▸ Features
p.82 · AMC Rebel – Dawn of the Muscle Car
The AMC Rebel Machine and its place in muscle-car history: how American Motors beat Ford to the punch with a factory performance package in 1970. The single specification that made it more practical than a Chevelle SS.

p.90 · Euro Thrash – Panhard and Auto Union
Two oddball European machines — a Panhard PL 17 and an Auto Union 1000S — that deliver rev-happy, lightweight driving in the French and German tradition. Why both cars attract a dedicated following despite parts scarcity.

p.104 · Pajero Evo – The SUV Born to Rally
Mitsubishi's Pajero Evolution: a road-legal Dakar racer with adjustable suspension, a turbocharged four-cylinder, and a permanent four-wheel-drive system. The current market price — and why it's still undervalued compared to the Lancer Evolution.

p.124 · Eight Decades of Crewe Bentleys
A chronological survey of Bentley's Crewe production, from the Mk VI of 1946 to the modern Continental GT. The one model that represents the biggest value gap between perception and market reality.

▸ Regulars
p.43 · Mick Walsh – From the Cockpit
Walsh on why the classic car market's shift toward "survivor" condition cars is changing how owners approach maintenance and restoration.

p.45 · Simon Taylor – Full Throttle
Taylor remembers a Le Mans 24 Hours from the 1970s when privateer entries still had a genuine chance of overall victory.

p.47 · Martin Buckley – Backfire
Buckley argues that the most interesting cars of the 2020s are not hypercars but the small, affordable sports cars that mainstream manufacturers are abandoning.

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Editor's Take

The "Cheap Summer Fun" group test is exactly the kind of practical, accessible feature that Classic Sports Car does best — it proves that the classic car hobby isn't just for six-figure collectors. The inclusion of the Pajero Evo shows editorial confidence, recognising that "sports car" can mean different things across eras. The Bentley Crewe retrospective is well-crafted but sits oddly in an issue about cheap fun — £100,000-plus Bentleys are the opposite of the theme. The AMC Rebel piece is informative but too short; the muscle-car story deserves 8 pages, not 4. The issue has a higher advertising count than usual for August (summer holiday ad slots), which makes the feature section feel compressed. The photography standard remains high, with particularly good action shots from the group test day.

Strengths
• £6,000 group test is practical and genuinely useful
• Pajero Evo feature covers an under-appreciated modern classic
• Walsh and Buckley columns maintain high commentary standards

Weaknesses
• Bentley piece contradicts the cheap-fun theme
• AMC Rebel feature needed more space to do its subject justice

Verdict: Recommended — the budget group test makes this the most practical buy of the year for anyone entering the classic car market on a realistic budget.