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

07/09/2026

Continuing the theme of rare cars, today let's have a look at some rare Italian metal. This is a Triumph 2000 Italia. The Italia was conceived by Dr Salvatore Ruffino, Triumph's Italian distributor, In the late 1950's. The criteria was to produce an up market coach built sports coupe based on the TR3 chassis and mechanicals. Famous automobile stylist, Giovanni Michelotti, was commissioned to design the body which was then built by Carrozzeria Vignale in Turin. Ruffino reached agreement with Triumph to supply rolling chassis which would be shipped in batches from Covertry to Turin. Only 329 units were built (between 1959 - 1962) before Triumph decided not to support the arrangement further, choosing to focus their efforts on the new TR4 instead. The majority of Italias are LHD with just 5x RHD examples built. Numerous cosmetic changes were made compared to the TR3, in particular moving the fuel tank from behind the rear seats, to a tank built around the spare wheel well with an external filler on the rear wing. This increased boot space and addressed complains about fuel vapour odours in the cabin. Italias were sold primarily in Europe, intially through Triumph dealerships, but the model saw limited sales, due to high prices thanks to the hand-built nature of the car and more inviting cars such as the Jaguar E-Type coming to the market. Around 100 Italias are believed to still survive worldwide and only 17 are known to exist in the UK, only 12 of which are in working condition

06/09/2026

Something rather special for you today. This is a 1952 Marauder A/100. It's 1/15 cars built between 1950 - 1952. The Marauder Car Company (Initially called Wilks, Mackie and Co) was founded by Rover engineers George Mackie and Peter Wilks in Dorridge, West Midlands and later in Kenilworth, Warwickshire. The design was largely the work of Peter Wilks, based on the Rover P4 75, with a shortened chassis. The suspension was stiffened, retaining the coil sprung independent front suspension and live rear axle. The 2,103cc Rover straight-6 was also reused, but it was bored out to 2,392cc and fitted with 3x SU carburettors, so it made 105bhp. The engine was also moved back to accommodate the open top design. The first few bodies were made by Richard Mead in Dorridge, and used some Rover panels, but later ones were made by Abbey Panels in Coventry. Only 15x cars were made (including 1x hardtop version) before rising costs and tax changes priced the cars out of the market. In 1952 the car cost £2,000 (around £74,500 in 2026). The prototype Marauder was completed in late July, 1950, and immediately taken on a 2,000 mile tour on the continent, during which it successfully withstood some very harsh conditions. This is truely a rare spectacle and one that makes me very excited to see. Have you seen one before?

05/09/2026

Before you scroll past, take another look at this MG and you'll see it's no ordinary car. This is 1/4,500 convertible MG MGCs built, with a 2.9L straight-6 engine. The MG MGB was a 2dr sports car manufactured from 1962 - 1980 by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and later the Austin-Morris division of British Leyland, under the MG marque. It was introduced as a 4-cylinder soft-top roadster, but in 1965 the MGB GT 3dr hardtop was also added to the line up. The 6-cylinder MGC was introduced two years later, in 1967, and the MGB V8 followed in 1973. The MGC was intended as a replacement for the Austin-Healey 3000 MK3. The MGB body shell needed considerable revisions to accommodate the longer engine, but externally the only differences were a distinctive bonnet bulge to accommodate the relocated radiator and a teardrop for carburettor clearance. The first engine to be considered was an Australian-designed 6-cylinder version of the BMC B-Series but the production versions, ultimately used the new C-Series from the Austin 3-Litre. With 2x SU carburettors the MGC was capable of 145bhp, compared to the 95bhp from the 4-cylinder MGB. This gave it a top speed over 120mph and a 0–60 time of just 10.0 seconds. Like the MGB it was available as a convertible roadster (4,542 built) or as a hardtop coupe (4,457 built). Today MGCs are quite a rare sight and highly sought after in the classic car market, it was truly a joy to see one at my local show. Have you ever seen one before?

04/09/2026

The Hillman Imp was a compact, rear-engined economy car built by the Rootes Group and later Chrysler Europe from 1963 - 1976. Internally known as project "Apex" It featured an innovative all-aluminium Coventry Climax 875cc inline-4 and a 4-speed all-synchromesh transaxle. It was created as a response to the hugely popular BMC Mini. A total of 440,032 units were produced across various derivatives, including the Singer Chamois, Sunbeam Stiletto, and Commer Imp Van. The car seen here is a Super Imp. The Super Imp was introduced in September 1965, alongside the standard MK2 Imp, as a more luxurious, upscale variant. Luxury features included additional chrome with "Super Imp" badging, full carpeting (it was the first Hillman model to feature full carpets instead of basic rubber mats), moulded foam plastic rear side pockets that doubled as armrests, unique hubcaps similar to those used on the Singer Chamois, and additional soundproofing for a quieter ride

03/09/2026

The 1st generation Toyota Celica GT2000 was a RWD sports coupe launched in 1973 (3yrs after the base model notchback). It combined iconic "coke-bottle" styling with a high-revving 2.0L 18R-G 4-cylinder engine making around 145bhp. For JDM models this was mated to a Porsche designed close ratio "P51" 5-speed manual gearbox. For the American market only the GT was available with an automatic. To add to the sporty appearance it featured bonnet vents, rear window louvers, and a hidden fuel filler cap built into the rear light panel. They were built as a more affordable, lightweight alternative to Toyota's halo sports cars, like the 2000GT supercar (not to be confused with the Celica 2000GT, seen here) while still offering a fun, sporty driving experience. The Liftback was often called the Japanese Mustang or the Mustang Celica. It's styling was largely inspired by the 1969 Ford Mustang fastback, including C-pillar louvers and the vertical bar tail lights that are a signature Mustang styling cue and pay overall homages to the muscle-car era. But let me know what you think of this American inspired Japanese sports coupe?

02/09/2026

Anyone hungry for some "Pao-Tato" The Nissan Pao (pronounced - "POW") was a retro-designed, compact car, created by the Pike Factory special-project design group inside Nissan. They created 4x cars in total: the Pao, Figaro, BE-1 and S-Cargo. The Pao was the 2nd car to be released after the BE-1. Like its siblings, it was designed as a retro fashionable city car. It included external door hinges like the original 1960s BMC Mini, flap-up windows like a Citroen 2CV, and an optional canvas sunroof like the VW Beetle or Fiat 500. The Pao was unveiled at the 1989 Tokyo Motor Show, exclusively for the Japanese Domestic Market. Nissan received 51,057 applications for the vehicle, although only 31,352 units were sold. It was so popular that buyers were entered into a lottery to determine who got the car. It would out in 3x months. The Pao is based on the K10 Micra, even using its 987cc engine, capable of 79mpg at cruising speed. Transmission options included a 3-speed Automatic or a 5-speed Manual. They were only built between 1989 - 1991 and were not exported, making them quite a rare sight on British roads. Luckily, because Japan also drive on the left, all Pao's were RHD, making them a popular choice for import. Have you even seen one of these cool retro-styled JDM cars before?

01/09/2026

How about some lovely Datsun-ness today. The Datsun 100A, or Nissan Cherry was a FWD supermini produced by the Nissan Motor Company from 1970 - 1977. It was first available in the UK in 1971 and was offered as a 2dr or 4dr saloon, a 2dr coupe, or an estate. It was Nissan's first FWD model and played a major role in popularizing Japanese car brands in the UK during the 1970s, appealing to buyers looking for reliable, fuel-efficient alternatives to struggling local models. The 998cc 4-cylinder engine in the base model made between 45bhp - 53bhp, depending on specific market tuning, which was mated to a 4-speed manual transmission, capable of around 87mph. The car seen here is a replica of a Datsun A100 X-1. The X-1 was a sportier, performance variant of the 1st gen Datsun Cherry (E10). While the X-1 and more aggressive X-1R variants are most famous for their sleek, distinct 2dr coupe and 2dr saloon body styles, Nissan intentionally included the performance powertrain in the family-friendly 4dr saloon for the Japanese Domestic Market. The X-1 featured an upgraded 1.2L A12 engine, with 2x sidedraft Hitachi carburettors, making around 80bhp. In Japan, it was sold directly via Nissan Cherry Shop dealer networks as the Nissan Cherry X-1, in Britain the E10 generation was badge-engineered and sold under the Datsun nameplate. The standard 1.0L base models were called the Datsun 100A, while the 1.2L versions were badged as the Datsun 120A. So what do you think of this sporty little 70s family saloon?

31/08/2026

Got another JDM legend for you today. This EK Honda Civic Type-R was very clean. "EK" refers specifically to the hatchback model. The car seen here is an EK9 Civic, which refers to the 6th generation Honda Civic built from 1995 - 2000. The Type-R was the hot hatch version. The EK9 was the very first Civic to receive the Type-R nameplate and associated performance upgrades. It followed the NSX Type-R and Integra Type-R as the 3rd overall Honda model to wear the high-performance Type-R designation. It featured a 1.6L B16B DOHC VTEC engine producing 185hp. The monocoque chassis was lightened and seam-welded to increase body rigidity over the standard model. A 5-speed close-ratio manual transmission paired with a limited slip differential, gave the car a 0-60 time of just 6.5sec. The suspension was also upgraded with a race-derived double-wishbone suspension setup on both the front and rear, and 15" 5-lug alloy wheels supported with sports-tuned ABS and upgraded disc brakes. The car seen here is painted in iconic "Championship White" with red Honda badging. The EK9 Type-R also got various visual upgrades like: a large rear roof spoiler, side skirts and a sportier looking front bumper with an open mesh grill. Inside the car was fitted with red Recaro bucket seats, a MOMO SRS steering wheel, and a titanium shift k**b. To many, the EK Civic Type-R is considered the peak Civic Model. It was certainly nice to see such a clean example of one of these cars, as today many of them have been modified and repainted by enthusiasts

30/08/2026

Hopefully everyone will know this one...Herbie the Beetle. Herbie was a sentient 1963 VW Beetle painted Pearl white with red, white, and blue racing stripes and the number 53 on the front, doors, and rear. He's part of the "Love Bug" film series. He is often seen driving on his own, doing insane wheelies and even falls in love with another car in "Herbie goes to Monte Carlo". Herbie's iconic number 53 was chosen by Bill Walsh, the producer and co-writer of the first film (who was a massive baseball fan) as a tribute to Los Angeles Dodgers baseball pitcher Don Drysdale, who wore the number 53. Dean Jones, who plays the racing driver, Jim Douglas, actually bought one of the original Herbie promotional cars from the film. Interestingly Volkswagen did not partner with Disney for the original 1968 film. VW initially refused permission to use their name or logo, forcing Disney to hide most of the vehicle's logo. The filmmakers tested multiple cars including Volvos and Toyotas, before choosing the Beetle, simply because studio staff instinctively reached out to pet it like a dog. Following the massive, unexpected box office success of The Love Bug, Volkswagen's stance completely shifted. For sequels, Disney and Volkswagen worked very closely. VW dealerships displayed Herbie-themed Beetles, distributed hundreds of thousands of promotional posters, and sold official Herbie graphics kits in their parts departments. The replica seen here, is based on a 1971 VW Beetle 1200. In 1967, the Beetle was redesigned, with shortened front and rear bonnets, box-profile bumpers that were installed at a higher position and Volkswagen also introduced an external fuel filler flap, eliminating the need to open the front bonnet for refuelling. In 1968 the 1200 got fully independent suspension, then in 1969 it got 12V electrics and finally in 1971, it also got a larger windscreen. So what do you think of this Herbie replica, is it a movie car you'd like to own?

29/08/2026

I don't get to photograph many Suzukis, so this was a rare treat. How about lightly modified 1999 Alto GL, with matching number plate. According to "How Many Left" there are only 8x of these still registered on UK roads, and the owner says they have never seen another one. As a brand, Suzuki is globally recognized as a specialist in small, affordable, and highly fuel-efficient vehicles. Their core engineering philosophy relies on the Japanese principle of "Sho-Sho-Kei-Tan-Bi" (Smaller, Fewer, Lighter, Shorter, Beauty). The engine in this Alto GL is a 993cc (1.0L) 4-cylinder engine, making around 53hp in stock form. You could choose from a 3-speed automatic or 5-speed manual transmission. Base models lacked power steering, ABS and a steering wheel airbag, but this made them light (only 730kg) and therefore more fuel efficient. This car has been upgraded with a set of aftermarket OZ Racing wheels, an aftermarket exhaust system, aftermarket steering wheel, front lip spoiler and bucket seats. When was the last time you saw one of these?

Troy Rawsthorn Car Photography

07/09/2026

06/09/2026

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