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Troy Rawsthorn Car Photography, Tongelresestraat 27, Eindhoven (2026)

24/06/2026

This cute little JDM sports car is a MK1 Toyota MR2. It was the first Japanese mid-engined, RWD production car. It also had 2x seats, giving it the name "MR2" "Mid-engined, RWD, 2-seater" It was marketed by Toyota over 3x generation from 1984 - 2007. The project was inspired by the Italian Fiat X1/9. Toyota wanted to design a car which would be enjoyable to drive, yet still provide good fuel economy. Significant testing was performed on race circuits including Willow Springs, in the USA, where former Formula 1 driver, Dan Gurney, tested the car. The MR2's suspension and handling were designed by Toyota with the help of Lotus engineer Roger Becker. Toyota introduced the 1st generation MR2 in 1984, designating it the model code "AW10" In August 1986 the MR2 received a facelift. It was fitted with the naturally aspirated 4A-GE 16V Twin-Cam engine making 122bhp, compared to the earlier 3A-LU engine, that only made 82bhp. The model code was updated to reflect this, now called the "AW11" Other changes included; body-coloured front lip and bumpers, mudflaps and side skirts. A rear window sunshade with the Toyota logo was added, as well as a 3rd brake light. A leather interior was also now an option. The MK1 was replaced by bigger, rounder MK2 in 1989. My dad previously owned a Fiat X1/9, which he still tells me is one of his favourite cars, but he also owned a MK1 MR2, which he also tells me, was one of the easiest and smoothest cars to drive. Have you ever owned one of these little pocket rockets?

Total Retro

23/06/2026

The Metro was a compact car produced by British Leyland from 1980 - 1997 as an intended successor to the classic Mini. The two models were produced alongside each other for many years, but the Mini would go on to outlive the newer Metro, being produced until the year 2000. The Metro was launched as the Austin Mini Metro, which proved popular and became Britain's best-selling car for some time. From 1982 the sportier MG Metro was made available. A MK2 version was introduced in 1984. The facelift saw revised styling modifications including body coloured bumpers on MG versions, wider suspension subframes, and a new dashboard design featuring the switches and instruments from the Maestro and Montego. The MG Metro Turbo (seen here) went on sale in 1983. Lotus assisted with the design and engine tuning, including strapping on a Garrett T3 Turbocharger. The engine was strengthened as well, with a new cylinder head, pistons, crankshaft, block and sodium filled exhaust valves. The result was 93bhp, compared to the standard car's 43bhp. The Achilles heel for the Metro Turbo was the 4-speed gearbox which, couldn't keep up with the more powerful engine. Many hot hatches at the time such as the VW Golf, Fiat Uno, Ford Fiesta and Peugeot 205 were all fitted with 5-speed gearboxes. The MG Metro Turbo can be distinguished by its unique factory bodykit, which includes a deeper front chin spoiler and wheel arch extensions, "Turbo" decals, and signature red seatbelts carpet, and seat stitching. In total 2,078,218 Metros of all types were built

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22/06/2026

This is not an Opel Manta. In fact the Opel Manta was based on this car, the Opel Ascona. The Ascona took its name from the lakeside resort of the same name in Ticino, Switzerland. They were built by the Opel division of GM Europe from 1970 - 1988 over 3x generations. The car seen here is a 2nd generation Ascona B. The Ascona B was first presented at the 1975 Frankfurt Motor Show as a 2dr or 4dr saloon. It sat on an enlarged version of the T-Car platform which underpinned the smaller Opel Kadett C and Vauxhall Chevette. In 1979 Opel created the Ascona 400 (seen here) alongside the Manta 400, as a Homologation special for Group 4 Rally. Regulations required 400 street legal versions of the car be built and sold to the public. Irmscher and Cosworth were hired as partners for the project. Cosworth delivered a 16V twin-cam crossflow head for the engine, and Irmscher styled for the interior and exterior. The 400 can be distinguished by its wide wheel arches, lightweight hood and 2.4L engine as well as "400" decals. In 1980 Walter Röhrl took an Opel Ascona 400 to victory in the World Championship. He also won the World Rally Championship Drivers' Title in the 1982 season with an Ascona 400. They were a formidable racing car but by 1984, the AWD Audi Quattro gained increased power and the Ascona 400 was rendered obsolete

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21/06/2026

The MK1 Es**rt was launched by Ford Europe in January 1968. It was a popular family car, and went on to become one of the best platforms in rally car history. In 1986, Ford introduced the 4th generation Es**rt. Compared to its predecessors it was significantly more rounded in its appearance, taking styling cues from the newly released MK3 Granada/Scorpio. While this generation was offered as a Hot Hatch, in the form of the RS Turbo, it had mellowed a bit compared to the MK1 and MK2 escorts. It had instead become a popular family car and served as an appropriate platform for a car-derived van. While the MK1, MK2 and MK3 Es**rts had all been offered as a van before, the MK4 proved to be a popular choice for small businesses, tradespeople, and large corporate fleets like the Royal Mail and British Telecom. The MK4 Es**rt Van benefited from a softer ride from the passenger car, which was the No.1 best selling vehicle in the UK, during the 1980s. It bridged the gap between a bulky, uncomfortable commercial truck and a traditional passenger car. Drivers loved that it offered the driving dynamics and interior comfort of a hatchback, while retaining a spacious, practical load area in the back. Millions were sold, but they were largely treated as utilitarian tools. Because of this, roadworthy survivors are incredibly rare today and are increasingly sought after in the classic car and van scene. The Van seen here had been meticulously restored and well looked after, with the appropriate steel wheels and black bumpers. They were offered with various engine options, with the most popular being the 1.3L petrol and 1.8L diesel. Have you/your parents ever owned a MK4 Es**rt Van?

Total Retro

20/06/2026

The Lancia Beta HPE (High Performance Estate) was a stylish Italian shooting brake produced from 1975 - 1984, based on the Beta Coupe. It offered seating for x4 and a versatile estate/wagon style cargo space. The HPE was equipped with Fiat's legendary Lampredi twin-cam engine, which was heavily tuned by Lancia to produce more sporty driving dynamics. From 1984 a 2.0L supercharged VX model was also available. The HPE was built on the extended Berlina chassis and floorpan, combined with the Coupes front end and doors. Like all other models in the Beta range, the HPE was discontinued in 1984. Lancia built a total of 431,945 Betas, 71,261 of which were the HPE model. It is estimated that only 186 RHD versions were imported to the UK, making this a very rare car indeed. I love estate/wagons/shooting brakes, what about you?

Total Retro

19/06/2026

The 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, driven by Burt Reynolds in the film "Smokey & The Bandit" remains one of the most recognisable movie cars in history. The cars used in the first movie were actually modified 1976 models outfitted with the new 1977 slanted nose and split quad headlights. They also modified the engines or swapped them for more powerful units because the stock engines lacked the power to perform the film's famous jumps. The movie’s massive success caused Pontiac Trans Am sales to soar, turning the model into an instant cult classic. The 1977 model was part of the 2nd generation Pontiac Firebird, produced from 1970 - 1981. It was built on GM's F-body platform alongside its sister car, the Chevrolet Camero. The cars from the movie also featured the iconic "Y82" package, which included the striking Starlight Black paint job with gold pinstripes, gold snowflake wheels, a gold dash fascia, and the flaming bird hood decal. Other features included Hurst-manufactured removable T-tops and a Formula steering wheel. After the success of the first film, Pontiac gifted Burt Reynolds a black and gold 1977 Trans Am Special Edition that he kept in his personal collection for decades. So what do you think, is this the coolest movie car of all time?

Total Retro

18/06/2026

The Audi 80 was a compact executive car produced by the Audi subdivision of the Volkswagen Group, across 4x generations, from 1966 - 1996. In North America and Australia, the Audi 80 was marketed as the Audi Fox for model years 1973 - 1979, and as the Audi 4000 for model years 1980 - 1987. The Audi 80 was initially part of the F103 series, based on the DKW F102. In 1972 Audi debuted the Audi 80 B1. It was offered as either a 2dr or 4dr saloon. In 1973 the model won European Car of the Year, ahead of the Renault 5 and the Alfa Romeo Alfetta. In 1976 the model underwent a facelift, (seen here) with a revised front end in the style of the newly introduced Audi 100 C2 with square headlights instead of round ones, 1.6L engines instead of 1.5L engines and a new GTE model with a fuel-injected engine, replacing the former GT model. In certain markets a 5dr "Avant" (Audi's name for an estate/wagon) variant was offered. It was effectively a rebadged VW Passat with Audi front panels. Due to headlight regulations in the U.S. North American Facelifted cars were still sold with round headlights instead of square. The B1 platform was dropped from the European market in 1978, but continued to sell in 1979 in North America. It was replaced in favour of the newer Audi 80 B2

Total Retro

17/06/2026

In 1982 GM's Europe division launched the Opel Corsa. For the UK market it was sold as the Vauxhall Nova. Initially they were only available as a 3dr hatchback or 2dr saloon. In 1984 a 5dr hatchback and 4dr saloon were added to the lineup. In 1985 Vauxhall introduced an ultra-rare homologation special, called the "Nova Sport" with only 500 units produced. Designed specifically for club motorsport and Group A rallying, the Sport featured a heavily modified 1.3L engine that bumped power up to 93bhp, compared to the 70bhp from the standard 1.3L model. The Sport featured 2x Weber 40 DCOE carburettors, an Irmscher inlet manifold and performance camshaft and an Ashley Competition exhaust. The cabin was famously spartan to save weight, with an absence of luxury features like A/C or power steering. It did however, have distinctive brown "Daytona check" Recaro seats. The exterior was easily recognized by its model-specific decals, featuring a yellow, gray and red tri-tone stripe on a plain white body. The Nova Sport achieved legendary status in rallying, famously driven by motorsport icons like Harry Hockley and Colin McRae. Because many were modified, raced, or fell victim to rust, genuine survivors are incredibly scarce and highly sought after by collectors. Have you ever seen one of these? Have you owned one?

Total Retro

16/06/2026

Everyone knows the story of the Mini...designed by Alec Issigonis in the 1950s, as an affordable, ultra compact family car, with a space saving transversally mounted engine. The 1st Mini rolled off the line in 1959 and continued to be developed and produced until October 2000. In 1960 BMC introduced the Mini Van with a ¼-ton load capacity, built on the extended Mini Traveller Estate chassis. It proved popular in the 1960s as a cheaper alternative to the car, since it was classed as a commercial vehicle, it carried no sales tax. A year later the Mini Pickup (seen here) became available, built on the same extended chassis as the Van, but with an open rear cargo bay. Both the Pickup and Van had a basic interior compared with the Saloon. They also had a stamped metal grille instead of a chrome grill. The Pickup could be optioned with a canvas cargo cover that would cover the cargo bay or could be entirely removed. From 1978 the Pickup and Van variants were renamed the "Mini 95" because of their gross vehicle weight of 0.95 tons. A total of 58,179 Mini Pickups were built, up until 1983

Total Retro

15/06/2026

In 1978 Swedish car maker, Saab introduced the 900 model, based on the Saab 99. The 900 featured a number of unusual designs that distinguish it from most other cars. For instance the engine was installed backwards, with power delivered from the crank at the front of the car. The engine was also canted over by 45-degrees. The body was developed from the 99 model, keeping the basic layout but with a new longer front-end. This allowed for more space in the engine bay and better crash protection for passengers. The 900 had a deeply curved windshield, improving driver visibility. The dashboard is also curved to enable easy reach of all controls. Saab engineers placed all controls and gauges in order of importance so that the driver only need divert their gaze from the road for the shortest time possible. There were also no door sills. The doors and sills were one solid unit, which made entering and exiting the vehicle more convenient and negated grime and water build up, leading to rust, that plagued so many other cars. In 1985 Saab introduced the 900 Turbo 16V (seen here) and in 1987 the model received a facelift. A new grille, headlamps, front turn signal lights and integrated bumpers kept the 900 looking fresh and modern. I love these Swedish beasts, what about you?

Total Retro

Troy Rawsthorn Car Photography

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