5 must-see saloon cars racing at Revival

Riley One-Point-Five

The Riley One-Point-Five has a special place in saloon car racing history, as two identical examples decided the first ever British Saloon Car Racing Championship. Jack Sears and Tommy Sopwith had ended the season on identical points, the former in his Austin A105 Westminster, the latter in his Jaguar Mk1. By the end of the season, both were on equal points, and the idea of deciding the winner on the toss of a coin was mooted. Neither driver liked that idea. In the end, they did two five-lap races in identical Riley One-Point-Fives, swapping cars for the second race to keep things equal. Jack Sears took that first championship win.

BMW 700

Back in the late 1950s, BMW needed an economical car to turn around its fortunes. The rear-engined two-cylinder 700 was that car, proving commercially successful if rather at odds with the premium image the Bavarian firm would later nurture. All of which makes the 697cc machine an unlikely racer, but it proved a winner: Hans Stuck won the 1960 German Hillclimb Championship in a 700, while he and Sepp Grieger too won a class victory at the Hockenheim 12-hour of the same year. Look out for Jackie Oliver proving the car’s giant-killing potential in his own 700 at Revival.

Nash Metropolitan

If the BMW 700 is an unlikely racer, the Nash Metropolitan is arguably even more so. Period photos of Metropolitans in competition do exist, though, and that was all the excuse the team at CCK needed to prepare one for Goodwood. That was several years ago, and it has proved a consistent crowd-pleaser. Despite the boulevard styling – the Metropolitan was Austin’s offering for the US market – it has an enviable combination of double wishbone suspension up front and telescopic dampers at the rear. That was the stuff of dreams in the 1950s, and makes it easy to set up for racing. Don’t miss it!

Jaguar MkVII

“I have the warmest affection for the old MkVII for, although it looked like a great waddling dumpling and made such a business of going round corners, it was actually very well balanced and light to drive.” That’s what Sir Stirling Moss has to say about the Jaguar MkVII, a car which disguises its fine handling behind colossal body roll. To prove its mettle, Moss took pole, fastest lap and the win at Silverstone’s International Trophy meeting in 1952. Think about that when you see the stately home on wheels bludgeoning its way around the circuit with much smaller – but not necessarily more nimble – nipping at its heels.

Alfa Romeo Giulietta TI

Geoff Gordon bought his Alfa Romeo Giulietta TI with one intention: to get noticed and receive an invitation to the St Mary’s Trophy. It has clearly worked, as both he and journalist and racer Richard Meaden will be competing in it this weekend in the two-part race. The Turismo Internazionale was the fastest Giulietta variation, and one of the cars that helped cement Alfa Romeo’s reputation for making fast and stylish saloon cars. Lively on-limit handling will make this one to watch at Goodwood this weekend.

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Photography courtesy of LAT Images