Inside the museum of Britain’s best AND worst cars

The best and worst of British cars

A brilliant car museum has opened in Derbyshire to celebrate the story of the British car in all its forms – from the 1921 Austin 7 to the latest McLaren supercars. And unlike some car collections, this one isn’t just focused on the glory years…

Great British Car Journey

The Great British Car Journey aims to encompass every aspect of the British car industry, from the highs to the lows and its ultimate sad demise as a homegrown mass-market car industry with the collapse of MG Rover in 2005. As such, nothing is out of bounds with the 150-car collection among the most fantastically diverse in the world.

One man’s dream

Former Auto Windscreens tycoon Richard Usher, pictured right, is the man behind the Great British Car Journey. “I wanted to save and celebrate the cars we all used to drive – the Maestros, the Metros, Montegos, Avengers, Escorts… there used to be millions on the road, but today, they’ve just gone.”

Truly eclectic

The first thing that strikes you about the Great British Car Journey is just how eclectic the collection is. The only qualifier is that the cars must once have been British best-sellers, but now vanishingly rare. Mr Usher wants to save the cars others may not, and show them off in a Motor Show-style setting for everyone to enjoy.

Mini Paul Smith

Of course, there are some must-haves, such as a collection of Minis including this pristine Paul Smith special edition.

DeLorean… Rovers and Maestros

The DeLorean, famous for the Back To The Future film franchise, also has a prime spot in the collection – it was built in Northern Ireland in the thousands back in the 1980s. But while it faces a Lotus Esprit (Lotus was closely associated with the DeLorean project), surrounding exhibits include a Rover 200, Triumph Acclaim, MG Maestro and MG Montego!

Mundane Morris

But it is the mundane motors that really make the collection stand out. Which other car museum would celebrate the Morris Ital, for example – or, for that matter, the Morris 1800. The Great British Car Journey remembers the best of British Leyland… warts and all.

The cars your parents drove

Some may swoon over a period Vauxhall Cavalier SRi… not the Great British Car Museum, which honours the basic Cavalier L that used to pound up and down motorways in the 1980s. And the paired-back Ford Sierra L that was its company car park counterpart.

Company car hierarchy

For those a bit lower down the company car pecking order, maybe they’d have taken a Ford Escort L instead, complete with four-speed gearbox and not even a passenger door mirror as standard. Lucky Vauxhall Astra drivers may, meanwhile, have snuck into a Celebrity special edition: it had an electric clock as standard AND a stereo radio cassette. Two door mirrors, too.

Spitfire spirit

British sports cars kept the UK car industry in profit for years, thanks to lucrative sales to the US. The Triumph Spitfire is honoured… along with a picture of the production line building the Morris Ital that Brits flocked to instead.

McLaren to mundane

Right at the back to the Great British Car Journey collection is an exceptional surprise – a contemporary McLaren 650S supercar, Mr. Usher’s own. Because UK car firms are still making triumphant motors… but in the thousands a year these days, rather than thousands a day.

Naturally, the McLaren is surrounded by more mundane motors, including an MG Rover CityRover, Reliant Robin and Mk1 Vauxhall Astra…

All aggro

Perhaps the epitome of car industry angst in the 1970s, the Austin Allegro is represented multiple times in the collection – including this ‘posh’ Vanden Plas version. A premium car ahead of its time, maybe. Or a ‘70s Ford Vignale.

Drive dad’s car

Unusually, the Great British Car Museum also allows visitors to drive some of the exhibits, on a special course made on the grounds of its site. There are dozens to choose from: some folks’ parents may well have driven a Triumph TR7, but we’re sure an Austin Metro or Austin Allegro was much more likely…

Don’t drive this one

One car that certainly won’t be driven is this factory-fresh Mini 30… which has covered just 14 miles! It’s literally in as-new condition and is an exhibit well worth a closer look.

Sir Elton John’s Bentley

So too is this 1996 Bentley Continental T once owned by Sir Elton John. Not least because of the incredible custom sound system he had installed, which took the price to well over £250,000 – not bad for the mid-1990s…

All cars are runners

The collection is very proud of the fact that every car runs and is driveable – thanks to the efforts of an on-site workshop that rotates through every car to keep them alive.

Period posters

It’s not just the cars that helps make the Great British Car Journey a memorable visit: as you’ll have noticed, period posters also abound. These really bring the motors to life and are the result of huge investment from the museum (and lots of work from a team of graphic designers).

Marvellous Metro

Marvel at the Metros – an iconic image used to launch the 1980s British supermini in memorable form, reproduced in panoramic form within the museum.

Classy Chevette

There’s another aspect that makes journeys engaging too: an audio listening device that users carry around to hear about each car, such as this ex-Vauxhall Heritage Chevette.

Scan the QR code

Simply scan the QR code with the device (we’re all now very familiar with QR codes, aren’t we…) and hear the individual story of the vehicle as told by Mr. Usher himself.

The British Golf GTI

Hear about how the MG Maestro was basically the British Volkswagen Golf GTI…

Memorable Metro

… and the Austin Metro was the British car to beat the world.

Rover and out

Find out why this late-model Rover 75 is wearing a 2006 ‘06’ registration…

Minor Million

… and why you need to look carefully at the badge of this very special lilac Morris Minor 1000 to discover why it’s one in a Million.

Fly to Derbyshire

The Great British Car Journey opens on 22 May 2021 and is now taking bookings for throughout the summer. Keep on clicking to find out why it’s worth far more than just a flying visit…

Touring the Great British Car Journey

Austin Maxi, Triumph TR6 and Triumph GT6.

Touring the Great British Car Journey

Large and little: 1988 Daimler 4.2 vs Mini Clubman 1100 Estate.

Touring the Great British Car Journey

Austin-Healey.

Touring the Great British Car Journey

Reliant Robin.

Touring the Great British Car Journey

MGB GT V8… and the last-ever MG, a British Racing Green Metro.

Touring the Great British Car Journey

Ford Capri 2.8 Injection.

Touring the Great British Car Journey

Ford Granada Mk1.

Touring the Great British Car Journey

Inside the Mk1 Ford Granada.

Touring the Great British Car Journey

Ford Sierra and Ford Cortina Mk5.

Touring the Great British Car Journey

Triumph Acclaim – the last ever Triumph!

Touring the Great British Car Journey

Hillman Imp and Hillman Husky.

Touring the Great British Car Journey

A Reliant Scimitar – as driven by Princess Anne.