Jaaaaaaaaaaaag: 2003 Jaguar XK8 Coupe

Jaguar coupes have been gorgeous cars since Ernesto Jaguar was a little boy sketching his designs on Big Chief Tablets, and the X100 generation XK was no exception.  Assembled in Coventry from 1997 through 2006, the XK added some soft lines to the angular XJ coupe and evokes the legacy of the E-Type.  Mechanical & electric parts aren't as troublesome and "release the smoke" prone as stuff from the 80s, but it isn't going to be as reliable as a Toyota or Ford or SsangYong...and the interior is only one frilly lamp shade short of being an actual brothel parlor (thanks doctordel!)...but it's a Jaaaaaaaag.  Find this 2003 Jaguar XK8 Coupe here on eBay offered for $11,900 or best offer in Pompano Beach, FL.

Manual Gearbox: 2012 Mini Countryman Cooper S ALL4

If I asked you to list all of the late model 4 door sedan/wagons with a turbocharged engine, all-wheel-drive and a manual gearbox, you'd probably come back with a list of Japanese (Subaru!) rally machines and maybe a few random oddballs..but you probably wouldn't suspect that you could find such a setup in an Austrian built car that uses a British marque with a German parent company and a French engine...oh yeah. Find this 2012 Mini Countryman S All-4 offered for $5990 in Claremont, CA via craigslist.

Best British Roadster: 1967 Sunbeam Alpine

Out of the common British roadsters from the '60s I have to declare that the Sunbeam Alpine is the prettiest of the crew.  It also has the added benefit of being less common than an MGB or Triumph TR (or Spitfire) or Jensen Healey on the street, so if rarity, cool factor, and beauty are important to your classic British roadster choice...get an Alpine. Find this 1967 Sunbeam Alpine offered for $9250 in Gardena, CA via craigslist.

Angry Bird Chuck: 1979 Triumph TR7

The Triumph TR7 isn't a car that'll make you fall in love at first sight.  In fact, you probably need to see on 15 times before you acquire the taste, but like a fine cauliflower purée ..the TR7 isn't for the new car collector or someone getting their feet wet in classic cars...but for the connoisseur of fine British 70s classics, the TR7 is a winner. This next example has two of my favorite elements in an older car -- a manual gearbox and original paint. Find this 1979 Triumph TR7 offered for $6200 in Lakewood, CO via craigslist.

Miata Inside: 1976 Triumph Spitfire

The biggest problem with driving a 90s Miata is that everyone knows it is fun, reliable, and easy version of a classic British roadster. While an MX-5 might be a great car for a curvy road on a fresh spring day, it doesn't get much attention or street cred at your local classic car night.  So, how do you marry the piquant reliability of an MX-5 with the buttery visage of a classic British roadster...well..you need a Spitfire, a donor MX-5 and a torch. Find this 1976 Triumph Spitfire with MX-5 running gear offered for $7000 in Santa Teresa, NM via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!

Rear Engine: 1965 Sunbeam Imp

The Hillman/Sunbeam/Chrysler/Rootes Imp was a zippy little descendant of the Scottish built Linwood Imp and was built by the Rootes Group from 1963 to 1976. It used a Beetle-esq rear-engine rear-drive setup but its body shape was anything but Buglike and it looks more like a strange cross between a Ford Escort Mk I and a Mini.  Find this 1965 Sunbeam Imp offered for $17500 in Sacramento, CA via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!

Some Sorting Required: 1991 Lotus Elan M100

The Lotus Elan M100 was a wedge shaped convertible penned by Peter Stevens (Jaguar XJR-15, McLaren F1, Lotus Esprit, MG ZR, ZS, ZT & TF) and built in the UK from 1989 through 1995.  The Elan was later produced by Kia in South Korea under the name Kia Elan (and Kia Vigato).  The Elan was a pretty design and it used a lightweight chassis and a name borrowed from the historical Lotus archives...but it was powered by an Isuzu (and later Kia) 4-banger mated to the front wheels.  By all accounts it was one of the best handling front drive cars ever built...but it just seems wrong to suffer power-on understeer in a Lotus! Regardless, I find myself inexplicably attracted to the little two seater in red.  Find this 1991 Lotus Elan M100 here on eBay with zero bids and starting bid of $4500 in Citrus Heights, CA with 2 days to go.

Red Rover Red Rover: 1977 MG B V8

This next car came with a certain amount of deja vu.  Did we already feature this car? Or have we simply seen so many Rover V8 powered MGBs that my brain has become a fog of classic British steel and aluminum alloy?  I guess this is a new entry into the world of V8 powered MGs...but I dunno. Find this 1977 MG B V8 offered for $10,500 CAD ($7,536 USD) in Courtice, ON, Canada via kijiji.ca. Tip from Erik202.

John Cooper "Works" Edition: 2007 Mini Cooper S

This next seller needs a lesson in first impressions -- when you advertise a car, the first thing you should not include in your description is the phrase "works" complete with quotation marks.  What the seller meant to say is that it is the John Cooper Works edition, which is a special edition of the Cooper S from the factory.  One can probably assume it "works" based on the sellers description of it "running amazing" and these little Coopers are cheap cheap cheap these days! Find this 2007 Mini Cooper S JCW offered for $4400 in West Los Angeles, CA via craigslist.

Mazda Inside: 1967 Jaguar XKE E-Type Kit

Every time I make a blanket statement, I get in trouble.  Arrgg...I just did it again.  The statement I made the other day was something about kit cars being mostly replica Cobras and things based on Volkswagen Beetle chassis and that the Jag kit was interesting and unique...and then we got a tip for another Jag kit car, this one based on an RX-7, complete with 13B rotary power?  Whaaa??  Why didn't I know about this?  Who wouldn't want the nimble reflexes of an FB RX-7 mated with the gorgeous looks of an E-Type convertible...even if it is a "gasp" kit car.  Find this 1967 Jaguar XKE E-Type Kit offered for $22500 in West Babylon, NY via craigslist. Tip from Cory.

British Invasion: 1953 MG TD

Back in the day, my old man owned and daily drove an MG TD.  It probably wasn't the best idea because my dad treats mechanical machines the same way that you might treat a discarded N95 mask found outside a tuberculosis ward-- two parts curiosity mixed with a healthy dose of fear. The end result was a car that needed to be given to a mechanic who demanded a royal ransom for a set of piston return springs and six quarts of synthetic clutch lubricant. Despite this family history, I've always had a soft spot for the early pre-war styled MG T-type.  This next example is a perfect father-son restoration project which could make it three generations of terrible mechanical reliability if I do this right. Find this 1953 MG TD offered for $5,900 in Southington, CT. Tip from BarbPaddles.

Needs Mohr Cylinders: 1951 Jaguar XK120 Kit Car

When somebody says "kit car" I instantly think of Cobras, 550 Spyders, 356 Speedsters, Lotus things, and Kustom Fieros made to look like Ferraris...but I have never really thought about Jags.  Particularly XK120 looking Jags from the 1950s that just need an injection of V8 to get going.  Now, I know what you're thinking. You're gonna stick a Chebby 350 mated to a TH350...but don't do it.  Slap some sense into yourself and get a V12 -- maybe a 6 liter BMW N73 V12 good for 439 horsepower or a  6 liter W12 from a VW/Audi  also good for 400+ horsepower or be a real man and drop a Rolls Royce Meteor V12  which is a 27 liter tank engine for those who've been out of the loop.  GET INTO THE GAME, SON!  Find this 1951 Jaguar XK120 Kit Car here on eBay offered for $19,900 in Miami, FL.

Social Distance Car: 1989 Lotus Esprit Turbo S3

Before I pass on to the great junkyard in the sky, I want to own a supercar.  Not a "supercar" like a Honda Civic with a turbocharger and giant fart can exhaust, or a Fauxrari kit car that rides on Fiero suspension, but a legitimate supercar. Something that looks amazing, goes fast, turns heads, snaps necks, and costs a bunch of money to maintain. Ferraris and Lamborghinis are silly expensive but if you want the looks of a supercar and the budget of a classic British car...look for a Lotus. Find this 1989 Lotus Esprit Turbo S3 offered for $19995 in Plano, TX via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!

V8 Powered Monster: 1972 MG Midget

The Shelby Cobra is known for bad shifting ergonomics because the Mustang based Ford V8 and transmission were designed for a car with a much longer hood. Shelby wanted to the V8 mass as far back as possible and the result is a strangely shaped shifter that arches forward like a scimitar to meet the driver's gear demands...and it is even worse when you drop in a T5 transmission. Today's next car takes that paradigm to an extreme and I think it'll need a driver with a 3rd arm growing out of his back to reach 4th gear.  That 3rd arm will also be extremely handy to scratching and/or protecting the enormous steel spherical appendages of said driver. Find this 1972 MG Midget offered for $25000 in Lenoir, NC via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!

What Could Go Wrong? 1980 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith II

I'm just going to leave this next car here with a simple comment: a 40 year old Rolls Royce Silver Wraith for about 6 grand!??!  What could possibly go wrong??!  Find this 1980 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith II offered for $6500 in Downey, CA via craigslist. Tip from FuelTruck.

Forgotten Fiberglass: 1988 Reliant Scimitar SS1 Turbo

The Reliant Scimitar name was used for British built sports cars starting way back in 1964...and it continued in some fashion through 1990..but the true story is twisted like a Victorian novel.  It started with a coupe that used the Reliant Sabre platform with Daimler SP250ish styling and then morphed into a shooting brake that continued the tradition of using a fiberglass body on a steel chassis with Ford V6 power and some parts bin interior...but by 1988 I haven't the foggiest idea of what this thing was made from...so I'll leave it up to you guys to figure out what we're looking at here: Find this 1988 Reliant Scimitar SS1 Turbo offered for $14,500 in Las Cruces, NM via craigslist. Tip from Rock On!

Too Good To Be True? 1972 MGB GT

The MGB GT was a fixed roof version of Morris Garage's iconic MGB roadster, introduced in 1965 and built through 1980 for various markets.  When first released, the GT used the same BMC B-series inline-4 cylinder engine, but added small back seats for kids and a gorgeous Pininfarina designed greenhouse with a fastback lift-gate and storage area.  Prices for most classic European cars have graduated info crazy territory, but the MGB GT has remained surprisingly affordable for whatever reason, but I wouldn't expect that to last forever.  Find this 1972 MGB GT offered for $6,100 in San Francisco, CA via craigslist.