Check out these new 'British Auto Legnds' stamps, released by Royal Mail this week – featuring six iconic British sports cars and four retro classics (Catalogue code: AQ199), priced at £4.95 inc. VAT.
The Royal mails says: "All ten of these glorious Special Stamps, plus the Miniature Sheet, have been reproduced at postcard size from the original stamp artwork. This enables you to enjoy every wonderful detail of these legendary vehicles, and also creates a wonderful gift idea for every car enthusiast in your life."
The 60 x 21mm sports car collection includes:
* Jaguar E-Type — 1961
Arguably the most beautiful car in history, the Jaguar E-Type’s stunning looks and 150mph performance created a worldwide sensation when it was launched at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1961.
* MG MGB — 1962
Blending sleek good looks with affordability, the MGB quickly became the world’s most popular roadster, leading to overall sales of more than 500,000 cars before its sad demise in 1980.
* Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow — 1965
The epitome of automotive elegance, the Silver Shadow combined traditional charm with modern technology to create a car offering quite unsurpassable standards of refinement and comfort.
* Morgan Plus 8 — 1968
With looks that were considered retro even when it was launched, the wooden framed Plus 8 nevertheless enjoyed worldwide popularity, thanks largely to the exciting driving experience it offered.
* Aston Martin DB5 — 1963
The archetypal Grand Tourer, the Aston Martin DB5 was capable of 150mph, and quickly gained iconic status following its role as Sean Connery’s lethal co-star in the James Bond classic Goldfinger.
* Lotus Esprit — 1976
With the Esprit, Colin Chapman created a mid-engined machine more than capable of challenging the old guard of supercars. It also famously transformed into a submarine for The Spy Who Loved Me.
And the 180 x 74mm retro classics includes:
* Morris Minor Van PostEurop entry 2013
Launched in 1953, five years after the original Morris Minor saloon, the Light Commercial Vehicle range proved hugely popular with firms large and small thanks to its ease of use and sizable carrying capacity. The Royal Mail Morris Minor in particular became something of a British institution thanks in part to its length of service, with bright red vans being used to pick up and deliver mail into the late 1970s.
* Austin FX4
Designed by Austin’s Eric Bailey and introduced in 1958, the manufacture of this much-loved ‘black cab’ stretched for 39 years. With a separate body and chassis, and initially powered by a 2.2-litre, four-cylinder engine, the FX4 was a rugged workhorse where practicality and ease of maintenance were key considerations as six-figure mileages were the norm. Production of this iconic design was later taken over by LTI (London Taxis International).
* Ford Anglia 105E
When the term ‘panda car’ was first coined in the mid 1960s, it denoted a small saloon such as the Ford Anglia 105E where sections of bodywork were finished in contrasting colours. The Anglia was one of a number of different vehicles used to meet the growing need for motorised patrol cars in police forces across the UK. In addition to being modestly priced, it was reliable, economical to run and easy to manoeuvre.
* Land Rover Defender 110
The original Land Rover entered production in 1948 and since then countless variations have followed with different wheelbases and body styles. The vehicle has long been favoured by the British Army and by farmers because of its agility off road, while emergency services such as Her Majesty’s Coastguard were also quick to adopt the model for its resilience and ability to carry life-saving equipment to the remotest areas.
Launched in 1953, five years after the original Morris Minor saloon, the Light Commercial Vehicle range proved hugely popular with firms large and small thanks to its ease of use and sizable carrying capacity. The Royal Mail Morris Minor in particular became something of a British institution thanks in part to its length of service, with bright red vans being used to pick up and deliver mail into the late 1970s.
* Austin FX4
Designed by Austin’s Eric Bailey and introduced in 1958, the manufacture of this much-loved ‘black cab’ stretched for 39 years. With a separate body and chassis, and initially powered by a 2.2-litre, four-cylinder engine, the FX4 was a rugged workhorse where practicality and ease of maintenance were key considerations as six-figure mileages were the norm. Production of this iconic design was later taken over by LTI (London Taxis International).
* Ford Anglia 105E
When the term ‘panda car’ was first coined in the mid 1960s, it denoted a small saloon such as the Ford Anglia 105E where sections of bodywork were finished in contrasting colours. The Anglia was one of a number of different vehicles used to meet the growing need for motorised patrol cars in police forces across the UK. In addition to being modestly priced, it was reliable, economical to run and easy to manoeuvre.
* Land Rover Defender 110
The original Land Rover entered production in 1948 and since then countless variations have followed with different wheelbases and body styles. The vehicle has long been favoured by the British Army and by farmers because of its agility off road, while emergency services such as Her Majesty’s Coastguard were also quick to adopt the model for its resilience and ability to carry life-saving equipment to the remotest areas.
Very cool collection for car buffs, even if you're not a stamp collecting type. But what six iconic British sports cars and four classics would you chose if you were doing this?
