Retro Rides weekender: the joy of old-school motoring

Buttonless key. Ignition barrel. Turn once, turn again, turn three times. A screeching fan belt whines before a multi-cylinder roar takes over, then settles to a lumpy idle.

What has just been described is the whole premise of Retro Rides – and a similar experience to ours when we took a top-spec Volvo 850 T5-R as our show car.

This is a festival whose sole purpose is to allow car nuts to scratch a nostalgic itch. Hundreds of them gather at Goodwood Motor Circuit and venues up and down the country to celebrate the simple joy of motoring without beeps, bongs and lane-keep assist.

I say modern classic because, unlike many other car festivals out there, this one deals with a huge array of vehicles such as a Chevrolet lowrider, a Datsun 240Z with an outrageous engine swap, a Volvo limousine with half of another Volvo attached to the back of it, and something not unlike Mr Bean’s Mini.

There is, of course, the obligatory cacophony of Mk2 Volkswagen Golfs and supercharged Ford Fiestas, but each are a celebration of carburettors, worn out ignition barrels and halogen headlamps, and the owners simply can’t get enough of it.

Here, then, is a collection of our favourite cars and the stories behind them, each one more retro than the last.

What is Retro Rides?

But first, what actually is it? Simply speaking, Retro Rides is a laid-back, anything-goes celebration of retro car culture that’s open to all models registered before 2000, and has quickly become one of the UK’s most eagerly anticipated classic car events.

Since it was founded on an online forum (which now has over 50,000 users) in 2004, before transitioning to an in-person event, the first of which was held at Mallory Park in 2007, it has become as much a celebration of DIY engineering as aesthetics.

The format changes every year, with 2024 including a celebration of the Volkswagen Golf GTI, pop-up headlamps, black-coloured cars and lowriders. Small wonder thousands of people are attracted to each of its two annual events, with that number growing every year.

Volvo 850 T5-R

It would be silly to not mention the car that made this feature happen. This 850 T5-R arrived at the Autocar office from Volvo’s heritage fleet as our transport to Retro Rides, and something to show our support for the yellow five-cylinder estate car with a turbocharger the size of Latvia.

Under the bonnet lies a 2.5-litre five-pot that puts out 236bhp, and sends the 1468kg estate to 62mph in 6.6sec and onto a top speed of 155mph. Not that you’d want to go that fast, given that it i’s now nearly 20 years old. But if you wanted to, and if you had the legal rights to, it would be more than up to the job.

What strikes us is the smoothness of its power delivery, the way its colour is so well suited to its image of being a left-field estate car that is still, for reasons that are difficult to explain, compelling. When we parked it in the show, its breeze-block shape and traditional 1990s Volvo styling cues were a source of endless appeal for fellow motorists and festival goers, with most commenting on how much they would like to buy one but could not find one in such immaculate condition.

Its relative narrowness compared with modern cars also stood out, and goes some way to explain the appeal of these retro machines. They’re not modern, or technically impressive, or even desperately pretty. But that is exactly why their appeal to enthusiasts cannot be underestimated. 

Audi 80 Avant diesel

This Audi has had, and continues to have, quite a life. From the moment it was bought at an auction 20 years ago for £900 and then immediately broke down, to five years later when its current owner, Martin Tiffin, began a £15,000 journey of turning it into one of the most reliable cars he has ever owned.

It became a classic love affair. A car which he originally bought to ferry flotsam to the dump and to help him with a building project ended up becoming a machine that he sleeps in, has framed pictures of, and, in his words, represents “the last era of car that you have to really drive”. Its 1.9-litre engine has done over 300,000 miles without fault, despite the fact that for the first seven years he did not service it.

So besotted with this car is the owner that, when asked if he would sell it for something ULEZ-compliant, Tiffin simply replied: “Well I’d just convert it to electric.”

BMW 840Ci

A total of £30,000 has been lavished on this car by its devoted owner, Lukas Wagel, who has always had an affinity with the E31 BMW 8 Series since he first saw one on a seaside holiday during his childhood.

His car, an individual-spec 840Ci, is almost completely new underneath, with a new engine, new suspension, refurbished alloys and near-perfect rubber sealants that in themselves cost thousands of pounds. About two years in the making (and 7 months in the waiting for parts), selling it would never cross Wagel’s mind, leave alone upscaling to the new car.

Supercharged Mini Mayfair

What was once an “absolute rot box” (owner’s words) is now a supercharged, 130bhp sub-tonne rocket with all the luxuries you’d expect of a Mayfair. When it was found in a less-than-favourable condition with holes in some panels, rust in others, and both in most, every piece has now been replaced or repaired. 

And the changes aren’t just skin deep. The front and rear subframes have been rebuilt and powder-coated, with four-piston brakes at the front. The engine has been bored out from 1275cc to 1293cc, with a high-lift camshaft upping the power and redline, as well as forged pushrods and a supercharger. This means that it now pushes 130bhp and 125lb ft of torque to the front wheels, which in a car that, according to the owner, weighs around 700kg, is a fair helping.

Lancia Flavia 

This Lancia Flavia was found by the owner on eBay as a non-runner, after it had been sitting neglected for years with the engine distinctly absent. Among other issues, its paintwork was also in disarray having been resprayed six to eight times over its 51-year life. 

But the owner, who has had nearly 10 Beta coupes, three Monte Carlos, two Spiders, and one Flavia (this being his second), knows Lancias like he knows his dog. So he understood how to make it shine again, giving it a thorough respray in the original colour, and an equally thorough interior deep clean. 

And while cars of this era were fitted with a 1.5-litre flat four, this Flavia is fitted with the larger 91bhp 1.8-litre unit used in cars from 1965 onwards, owing to the previous owner selling it with both engines as part of the deal. 

Fiat Uno Turbo IE

Like the owner of the 8 Series, this Fiat’s keeper fell in love with them at an early age. Ever since he was an apprentice working with Fiat and lucky enough to drive one, to the moment he owned his own at 19, the Uno Turbo IE has always been a datum point.

It makes sense then, for this one to be in such an immaculate condition. It spent most of its life with the AA, where it accumulated 270 miles before being bought by its previous owner, who took it on hill climb events.

Now, though, and after three years of painstaking detailing, it has been carefully restored to its original condition, with every serviceable item changed, new 14in alloys, and a totally original 1.3-litre petrol engine which chucks 118bhp at the front wheels – as much as today’s Volkswagen Up! GTI.

Ford Escort AA van

This one is not about to come and rescue you from the side of the motorway, but it’s a very good (and road legal) impression of the real thing thanks to a respray in ‘Audi Vegas’ yellow and some original decals.

It’s a 1990 Mk4 Ford Escort van made to look like a Mk3, sharing its front and rear bumpers and its dashboard. The bumpers themselves and front splitter are carbonfibre, and the front wings have been chopped off for a cleaner, more streamlined look.

It’s powered by the same 1.9-litre diesel engine from the Skoda Fabia VRS, codenamed PD130, and known to be one of the most bulletproof ever made. Interestingly, the owner found that a Ford engine cover fitted perfectly over the block, making it look more authentic. 16in steelies finish it off, giving it a work-a-day look.

Porsche 944 S2

This 944 isn’t upgraded. It doesn’t have the V10 engine from an E60 BMW M5 hiding under its undisturbed bonnet, a secret nitrogen booster or coilovers from Bilstein. It doesn’t even have a custom exhaust. But I suspect the owner’s aim was not to upgrade, but restore the car to the point where it became cleaner than when it left the factory.

And this is what has been achieved. Its split-piece alloys glisten in the sun, its millpond-smooth bodywork is without so much as a scuff, and the exhaust has no trace of soot. Not that it would, because the 208bhp 3.0-litre four-cylinder engine would likely have been as clean as the exterior.

Opel Monza GSE

Like the Porsche we saw earlier, this Monza has been restored to such a high standard that there is no visible evidence that it has ever been used for daily running. Powered by the same 3.0-litre straight six engine used in the Carlton GSi and designed to compete with the Mercedes C123 and BMW 6 Series, the Monza was produced between 1977 and 1982.

This one has MacPherson struts up front, with 18in alloys and a colour scheme that, we think, lends itself nicely to its blocky, Ford Sierra-like shape. This example hails from April 1982, making it one of the last pre-facelift cars to leave the production line.

Volkswagen Karmann Ghia

Walking up to this second-generation Type 34 Karmann Ghia, you would never guess that it was the fastest production Volkswagen at the time, with a top speed of 85mph. Instead, you concentrate on its admittedly beautiful proportions, its ‘Cherry Red’ paint which glistens in the afternoon sun, and the aggressive louvres at the rear feeding the 45bhp 1493cc flat-four Beetle engine.

Designed by Italian engineer Sergio Sartorelli and inspired by the Chrysler D’Elegance, it was built between 1961 and 1969 (this one’s from 1964) as a more stylish take on its relative. This one was only registered in 2020, suggesting it was an import.

Chevrolet lowrider

A hopping, skipping and jumping Chevrolet was always going to make this list. Underneath, it’s generally standard, with most of the upgrades concentrated on making the chassis strong enough to deal with nearly three tonnes of bouncing American metal. So it has steel bracings measuring 6mm in thickness, a custom-engraved dashboard from America, and no rear shock absorbers – it is instead linked by a simple torsion bar to make it as bouncy as possible. 

Despite the extra bracing and torsional improvements, the Impala hasn’t been without its faults, having snapped at last year’s Classic motor show in Birmingham and pulling the steering column out of its mountings. Small wonder though, considering it weighs 2.7 tons.

Audi S4 Avant

This might look like just an ordinary Audi S4 Avant, but beneath a staid, silver (essentially stock) body, sits a current BMW M3 rival. It might have the same 2.7-litre twin turbocharged V6 as the standard car, but it features turbochargers from the RS6, Bilstein dampers, Brembo brakes with Porsche callipers, as well as an uprated intercooler, fuel pump, and Milltek exhaust.

The engine itself has also been mapped, the upshot of which is a total power figure of 480whp, or about 533bhp. I could use a cliche here, but rather than writing it I’ll simply say it involves books, judging and covers.

Mercedes E36 AMG

There’s a distinctly Mafioso aura about this E36 AMG coupe, with its all-black paint, cream leather and blocky, flat-faced alloys. Based on the 320TE, it makes use of AMG’s M104 unit – a 3.6-litre straight six – which sends 272bhp and 284lb ft to the rear wheels via a four-speed torque converter.

This one hails from 1995 and is one of four C124’s registered in the UK. We picked it out purely because it comes from an era of AMG where no engine was too big, no accountants were in the way and the premise of any given model was to allow the owner to quietly demonstrate his/her taste.

This is evidenced by small details like the AMG badge at on the splitter, aluminium pedals, subtly flared wheel arches, four-piston brake discs taken from the R129 SL500, and the come-on-if-you-think-you’re-hard-enough bumper extensions.