TVR 280S

1989 TVR S1 280S

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | March 2024

Photo – Brightwells

The TVR S Series was produced from 1987 through 1994 and was kind of the gap car between the company’s wedges and their “modern” line of cars that consisted of the Griffith, Chimaera, Cerbera, and Tuscan.

The first S car was the S1, or the 280S. It is powered by a 2.8-liter Ford Cologne V6 that made 160 horsepower. The car could hit 60 in eight seconds on its way to a 128-mph top end.

This was the first new TVR product under director Peter Wheeler, and about 605 S1 cars were built before it gave way to the S2, etc. This one has been repainted blue and has an estimate of $7,700-$10,000. More info can be found here.

Saurer 2DM

1968 Saurer 2DM

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | February 2024

Photo – Brightwells

Saurer was a Swiss brand of trucks and buses that existed between 1902 and 1982, at which time they merged with FBW to form NAW. Daimler acquired NAW and eventually dissolved it by 2003.

Saurer built a lot of military trucks for the Swiss army, including this, the 2DM. It was introduced in 1964 and remained in production for quite some time afterward. About 3,200 examples were produced, including some civilian models.

This ex-military 4×4 model is powered by a diesel inline-six that made a little over 130 horsepower. It’s a heavy-duty thing, and it could likely pass for something about 20 years older if it needed to. The estimate is about $6,000. Click here for more info.

Singer Gazelle

1964 Singer Gazelle

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | October 25, 2023

Photo – Brightwells

The Gazelle was one of those Rootes Group sedans of the 1950s and ’60s, and this one is somehow the first Singer product we’ve featured here. The Singer was positioned between the Hillman and Sunbeam cars that looked fairly similar.

Six or seven different generations of Gazelle were offered, with this, the Gazelle V, produced between 1963 and 1965. Output totaled 20,022 in that time. Power is from a 1.6-liter inline-four. Changes for the V included disc brakes starting in 1964, at which time the gearbox became fully synchronized.

This car was purchased by its current owner in 2019 and then received a freshening of the suspension and hydraulic system. It has an estimate of $3,000-$5,000. More info can be found here.

Lomax 224

1977 Lomax 224

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | October 21, 2023

Photo – Brightwells

The Lomax Motor Company was a kit car manufacturer out of the U.K. that produced this, the 224, which is actually based on the French Citroen 2CV. The first Lomaxes went on sale in 1982. Apparently you can still get one. This one is called a “1977” because that’s the year of the 2CV it is based around.

The 224 (two cylinders, two seats, four wheels) carries over the 602cc flat-twin from the Citroen, and it was rated at 35 horsepower. There were also 223 (three-wheeled) and 424 (four-cylinder) models.

This one has been parked for a decade and has remained with the family of the person who completed the build. It will sell at no reserve, and you can find out more about it here.

Sidea Tourer

1922 Sidea-Jouffret 4CS

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | September 9, 2023

Photo – Brightwells

Ardennes-based Ste Industrielle des Automobiles Sidea was only around for a short time and is long-forgotten by most of the people who knew it ever existed. A few of their cars survive, the last of which were actually marketed under the Sidea-Jouffret name.

The company existed from 1912 through 1924. They produced assembled cars, meaning they bought engines, etc. from other manufacturers. After WWI, production didn’t pick back up again until 1922, meaning they were really only in existence from about 1912 through 1914 and 1922 to 1924.

This car is powered by an inline-four engine of about 2.2-liters capacity. It’s got four-wheel brakes, a four-speed transmission, and apparently its original paintwork, which is mostly gone. It has an estimate of $19,000-$23,000. Click here for more info.

Alfa RLS Targa Florio

1924 Alfa Romeo RLS Targa Florio

Offered by Brightwells | U.K. | September 2, 2023

Photo – Brightwells

Before the 6C, Alfa Romeo had the RL. Like immediately before: this was the predecessor to the 6C 1500. This was Alfa’s first post-WWI sports car, and it was produced with the idea of competing at the Targa Florio – and later Mille Miglia.

The engine lineup consisted of six-cylinder options, with the RL Sport seen here displacing three liters. It has three carburetors and made 70 horsepower. It was available between 1922 and 1925.

This third-series car was discovered in the 1970s as a rolling chassis with an engine. The remnants of Targa Florio-style bodywork were also present at that time. The car was restored in the early-2000s. Alfa Romeo RL models make 6Cs look downright common, and this one has an estimate of $320,000-$380,000. Click here for more info.

TVR 1600M

1976 TVR 1600M

Offered by Brightwells | August 2023

Photo – Brightwells

TVR replaced the Vixen and Tuscan with their M Series line of cars beginning in 1972. The first model launched was this, the 1600M. The cars rode on a steel backbone chassis, and every M Series car shared pretty much identical fiberglass bodywork.

The 1600M drew power from a 1.6-liter Ford Kent inline-four sourced from the Ford Capri. It made 86 horsepower, which was enough for the car to attain 105 mph. TVR axed the 1600M after a year of production, but brought it back in 1975, and it continued on until 1977.

Just 148 were produced, and about half are thought to survive. This one was re-done in the 1990s and was recently returned to roadworthiness. It now has an estimate of $18,000-$21,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.

Alfa Brera Spider

2007 Alfa Romeo Brera Spider

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | May 6, 2023

Photo – Brightwells

Kind of a newer car, yes. But it’s so attractive. Alfa Romeo revived the Spider nameplate for the droptop version of the Brera. The Brera coupe went one sale in 2005, with the Spider following the year after. Both exited production after 2010.

Various trim levels and powerplants were offered. This 2.2 JTS model was the larger of the four-cylinder, gasoline-powered cars. There was also a V6, a smaller four-banger, and four different diesels. Output for this car’s 2.2-liter inline-four was rated at 182 horsepower. This one has a six-speed gearbox as well.

It’s likely that the car’s looks exceed its reliability, as has been the case with 20-year-old Italian cars since the dawn of time. Only 12,363 Brera Spiders were produced, and this one looks pretty good. It has an estimate of $5,500-$7,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $5,483.

Peugeot 190S

1928 Peugeot 190S Convertible

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | May 6, 2023

Photo – Brightwells

The 190 was Peugeot’s smallest car while it was sold between 1928 and 1931. Okay, so maybe it was the second-smallest, as the 5CV was sold alongside it, and some 5CVs had a 50cc smaller engine.

The 190 was powered by a 695cc inline-four that made 14 horsepower. Compared to the 5CV, which was based on an early ’20s design, the 190 was much more modern. It was available as a two-door sedan or a convertible. It was one of the last Peugeots to feature a wood-framed body.

No history is listed in the catalog, but if this car runs, it could be a good deal for someone. Having a little runabout like this for an estimated $5,000-$6,000 could be quite fun. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $5,621.

Touring-Bodied Bristol

1949 Bristol 401 by Touring

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | April 8, 2023

Photo – Brightwells

Here is, however unlikely, another coachbuilt Bristol 401. When Bristol switched from aircraft to cars after the war (or at least, partly), they had a guy on board named H.J. Aldington, formerly of Frazer Nash. Frazer Nash was the British BMW importer before the war. So it’s easy to see how BMW influenced these early Bristols.

Aldington wanted Bristol to use Touring’s Superleggera coachwork on their new cars. Approximately 10 were bodied by Touring before Bristol decided to just use their old-school ash framing. That said, the factory-bodied 401s looked pretty much like this. Touring also reused parts of this design for the Alfa Romeo Freccia d’Oro.

Power here is from a 2.0-liter inline-six that made about 85 horsepower. This car has been mostly restored but has a little work left to do. You can read more about it here.

Update: Not sold.