The Rodeo is dead. Long live the Colorado.

That’s the new name for the trusty Rodeo badge which is being retired later this year.

The Rodeo name belongs to Isuzu with which Holden no longer has any ties.

In a strange twist, Isuzu is taking the name back and releasing a Rodeo in Australia under its global name of D-Max.

However, it will be distributed by Mitsubishi, not Isuzu. And Mitsubishi Motors knows nothing about the vehicle.

Mitsubishi Motors senior manager corporate communications, Lenore Fletcher, said they had nothing to do with it.

“Mitsubishi is a large corporation and the link-up could be with another Mitsubishi company, not the motor company,” she said.

Meanwhile, GM Holden product information manager Kate Lonsdale said the Colorado would be released later this year.

“There is no official timing yet, but it will be called Colorado,” she said.

Holden had an opportunity to badge the popular Thai-made ute with an Australian name, but has decided to go with the same name used in the Asia-Pacific region.

Lonsdale said the Colorado would be “slightly different.”

“It will be a similar offering, but with slightly different features,” she said.

In a GM Holden media release, the company said the new Colorado range would continue to offer a choice of petrol or diesel engines, 4×4 or 4×2 models, and numerous body styles such as single cab, space cab and crew cab.

GM Holden light commercial vehicles marketing manager Teresa Basile said; more details such as price would follow in the coming months.

“The light commercial segment is a significant market for Holden and with this exciting new addition we will remain a major player with a highly competitive new entry,” she said.

She said current Rodeo owners would continue to be covered by GM Holden’s three-year/100,000km warranty and roadside assistance for 12 months.

“Rodeo owners can rest assured that Holden remains committed to providing superior customer service and parts availability to the current range,” she said.

The Rodeo has been a popular ute, at one stage the biggest selling.

However, it has been usurped in the past few years by the Toyota Hi-Lux, which has dominated the sector and is the biggest-selling vehicle of any type in Queensland.

While the Hi-Lux has led the field with its more modern and brutish looks, Nissan’s Navara and Mitsubishi’s Triton have followed suit, leaving the Rodeo looking a little anaemic and old-fashioned, outside and in.

I prefer the less bloated look of the Rodeo’s exterior and the functional, user-friendly interior.

It has many other attributes which commend it to tradies and weekend warriors alike.

For a start, it has one of the quietest cabins of the lot. There’s almost no engine noise (except in the diesel at idle and full noise), no wind buffeting and surprisingly very little tyre noise.

The interior may be a bit austere and old-fashioned, but the door and seat trim are very smart, even in the base model.

Back seat passengers don’t quite sit bolt upright and there is plenty of legroom.

And no one could doubt the abilities of the airconditioning to make a beer truly frosty.

If we are asking for anything in the new Rodeo/Colorado, audio controls on the steering wheel would be nice, less pitch and roll in the suspension would be handy and stability control is a must, especially in the rain.

Just make sure it’s switchable for the obligatory circle work in the car park at the next B&S.

Holden, Ford and Mitsubishi are killing off several of Australia’s best-known model names — including some which have been around since the 1960s — to keep pace with changing times.

After years of slow sales, Mitsubishi halted production of its Adelaide-made 380 sedan last Thursday.

The 380 replaced the Magna in 2005, adopting a new name in a bid to freshen its image.

Mitsubishi Motors Australia president Robert McEniry said axing the 380 was a “very difficult decision.”

“However, it is an inescapable fact that there is now a deepening trend away from large cars,” he said.

“We can see no path for a return to viable production levels of the 380 sedan.”

Mitsubishi is remaining in Australia as a car importer.

Holden has announced that the imported Rodeo utility, one of the longest-running and strongest-selling names in its class, will be replaced by a model called the Colorado this year.

Holden has lost the rights to the Rodeo name, which it has used for 30 years, because its agreement with Japanese carmaker Isuzu has ended.

Isuzu, once part of the General Motors empire, has been building the Rodeo for Holden but is expected to introduce its own utility model, called the D-Max, in Australia.

At Ford, the once-popular luxury long-wheelbase Fairlane and LTD models have already been killed off this year, and production of the Fairmont, Fairmont Ghia and Futura versions of the Falcon is about to end.

Ford auctioned its last Fairlane, with the proceeds going to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, but it fetched only $48,100, compared with the list price of $58,625.

It was the last of more than 250,000 Fairlanes and LTDs built between 1967 and 2008.

Ford used cricket stars Andrew Symonds and Matthew Hayden to promote the eBay auction.

A new-look Falcon series called the FG is due in April and in it the Futura name (used on and off by Ford since 1962) disappears and the Fairmont (used continuously since 1965) and Fairmont Ghia (around since 1979) will be replaced by G6 and G6E.

However, the changes have sparked heated argument in internet chatrooms such as Ford Forums.

A Fairmont owner calling himself Airmon said; “Shame on Ford!”

Another fan, Bo0, said: “Ford can’t be that stupid could they?”

Ford vice-president of product development Trevor Worthington said it was “time to draw a line in the sand and move on.”

Yesterday’s models

Ford Fairlane

The flagship Ford has finally been axed after more than 250,000 Fairlanes and LTDs were built between 1967 and 2008

Holden Rodeo

The Rodeo, which has been around for 30 years, will be replaced by a model called the Colorado later this year

Mitsubishi 380

The 380 sedan replaced the Magna in 2005, in a bid to freshen its image. But the unpopular 380 has been dumped.

Last year, new vehicles recorded an Australian average of 226.1g of CO2 emissions for every kilometre they travelled.

That’s down on the 2006 figure of 230.3g, and during the past five years the industry has achieved a reduction of more than 10 per cent in average emissions.

By comparison, a Toyota Corolla produces 175g/km and a Holden Commodore 260g/km.

In Europe, where strict emissions controls have been in place for longer than Australia, emissions levels have remained almost unchanged.

Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries chief executive Andrew McKellar said the motoring industry was on track to meet its self-imposed target of 222g/km by 2010.

Meanwhile, fuel economy has improved from an average of 10 litres per 100km in 2002 to about 8.8 litre/100km last year, heading toward the FCAI’s voluntary 2010 target of 6.7 litre/100km.

“These figures demonstrate that the industry is continuing to implement new technology to lower the impact passenger cars have on the environment,” Mr McKellar said.

However, Mr McKellar said further improvements would rely on improved fuel quality with lower sulphur content, which was not yet available.

The FCAI pointed out that passenger cars accounted for less than 8 per cent of Australia’s total carbon emissions, which is about half of the emissions from agriculture.

RACQ manager technical services Steve Spalding said that for motorists to reduce their emissions, they should reduce their fuel consumption.

“We would suggest motorists buy the smallest car that will still do the job you need and then look for the most fuel efficient car within that category,” he said.

He said the FCAI fuel and CO2 figures were reached under test conditions and not real-world driving. He added that if motorists wanted to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, they should also drive and maintain their vehicle correctly.

Further job losses in the car industry are likely and it is facing increasing international pressures, which could see more production shifted to Asia, a report finds.

“There are no guarantees that employment levels have plateaued,” it says.

The report is one of two from former Victorian Premier Steve Bracks reviewing the industry.

They were released yesterday in a bid to stimulate debate and prompt submissions for a final report to the Federal Government in July this year.

Mr Bracks also says in his reports;

Car companies should be looking to innovative technology to produce cars with lower emissions, lower weight and improved fuel economy, using alternative fuels.

Challenges facing the industry include the rising Australian dollar, overseas competition, a reliance on exporting and environmental concerns.

Incentives offered to car companies for research and training could allow companies to play one state off against another and “lead to a sub-optimal outcome."

A window of opportunity exists for further workplace reform in the near term with several enterprise agreements for vehicle producers due to expire in 2008 or 2009.

The review was released after Mitsubishi closed with the loss of 1000 jobs.

The report says that since 2002, domestic sales of new Australian-made vehicles have decreased by 33 per cent for Holden, 10.5 per cent for Ford and 53 per cent for Mitsubishi.

Only sales of Australian-made Toyotas have increased since 2002 - by 22 per cent. Employment in the automotive industry has fallen by 16 per cent to 61,200 at November, 2007.

“More significantly, there was a drop of over 25 per cent (or nearly 21,000 persons) from a peak in November, 2005, to November, 2007,” it says.

A State Government spokeswoman said yesterday it would now prepare a submission for the review based on the discussion paper.

Mr Bracks said it would be wrong to assume his final report would call for more assistance to the industry.

Getting more kilometres for your dollar isn’t difficult, it’s just common sense.

The heavier the car, the more fuel it needs to move the mass so have an autumn clean out of any unwanted gear in the boot.

That includes removing the roof racks and tow hitch if they are not being used.

Rolling resistance is another petrol killer: check tyre pressures once a week to make sure tyres are at, or just above, the recommended level and don’t forget the spare.

Obviously, keep your car well tuned with regular servicing, use the proper oil for your engine and check the air filter to see if it is clogged.

But the biggest saving can be made in the way you drive.

The key here is to be oh-so-smooth: no sudden starts and stops. Brake early and gently, anticipate when traffic lights will change and try driving just below, not at, the maximum limit on highways.

Use the airconditioning sparingly and, if you can, leave the windows up to reduce drag.

The higher the gear, the lower the engine speed so use the highest gear possible but don’t let the engine labour.

Turn off the engine if you are stuck in a queue for more than a couple of minutes.

Like dropping a perfectly square peg into a square hole with Ikea ease, the XC60 perfectly fits the growing trend for luxury cross-over vehicles.

Revealed last week at the Geneva Motor Show and due for an Australian debut early next year, the XC60 is a shrunken version of Volvo’s most popular model, the XC90.

Built on architecture that has similarities with but is not, Volvo implores, identical to the Ford Focus, the latest product from the Swede is purely a five-seater but has all the cabin flexibility for which the compact SUV segment is known.

Although not new as a concept, the wagon takes giant strides in safety areas.

It will come here with a unique laser sensor system to prevent low-speed crashes. It’s a warning system that noisily intrudes on any lack of driver alertness by detecting when the car is drifting out of its lane.

There is collision avoidance that monitors the distance to the car ahead; an ‘active’ cruise control takes over braking. There is all-wheel drive, six air bags, rollover protection, an advanced ESC and traction control system, hill descent control, trailer stability assist, WHIPS, SIPS and much more.

I haven’t driven the car yet — few have, in fact — because it doesn’t go into production until August for European and American buyers.

Volvo unveiled it officially in Geneva and followed that up with an in-depth look at what makes the XC60 tick.

The company put a lot of time into the safety message, which will bring much comfort to buyers, particularly those with families. In fact, it is selling this car as “the safest Volvo ever.”

It’s a car for the family that has all the high-end luxury features in a nimble, attractive package. However, although it appears to hit the spot, it won’t be alone soon in its segment.

It will be up against coming compact luxury SUVs, including the Volkswagen Tiguan, Audi Q5, new BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLK and even a baby Lexus. Already the market has the Mazda CX-7, Toyota Kluger, Ford Territory, Nissan Murano and others, so there’s plenty of choice.

Volvo president Fredrik Arp says the XC60 is an example of how his company is injecting more emotional appeal into the cars.

“It is an ideal partner for a single person in the city or for crossing over to an active family life with an appetite for cross-country fun and adventures,” he says.

“We like to describe the XC60 as a perfect choice for the C30 (Volvo’s smallest three-door model) owner who has grown out of the car and is looking for a larger one with the same attitude.”

The safety message may be the overriding impression from the car but there’s a lot more that appears to make it a sprightly and enjoyable drive.

It is 20mm shorter than its sister, the XC70, and lower than its bigger sister, the XC90.

It’s quite heavy, having a range from 1825kg to 1990kg, depending on the model and fittings, which is on par with the XC70.

There will be three engines, starting at the top with Volvo’s 3-litre in-line six-cylinder turbocharged T6 petrol unit that whacks out an impressive 210kW and 400Nm of torque, the latter from a mere 1500rpm.

Then there are two five-cylinder turbocharged diesels; the D5 with 136kW and 400Nm and the 2.4-litre 2.4D with 120kW and 340Nm.

Europe will get an entry-level model front-wheel drive version with the 120kW diesel and a low CO2 emission level of 170 grams/kilometre. It won’t come to Australia.

There is no four-cylinder option and none will be offered in the near future; but Volvo says it will launch a hybrid “within five years” which is likely to use a four-cylinder engine and be inserted into an SUV model.

All engines are mounted transversely and drive through either a six-speed sequential automatic or a six-speed manual. Drive is to the front wheels with the Haldex all-wheel drive system engaged when a monitor detects any front wheel slip.

The XC60 will be offered in Europe with 17, 18 or even optional 19-inch wheels, with a generous 230mm of ground clearance indicating the wagon will have reasonable off-bitumen ability.

It seats five officially and is spacious enough to carry four adults with good rear leg and headroom. The rear seat is split and folds flat to give luggage versatility.

Volvo predicts sales of more than 50,000 a year worldwide and has stated that China and Russia will be within the top five markets.

There is no indication of price or final specifications for the Australian market, although something between $49,000 and $62,000 may not be too far out of the ballpark.

At a glance

Volvo XC60

On sale (Australia): March 2009

Engines: 3-litre, 6-cyl turbo petrol (T6); 2.4-litre 5-cyl turbo-diesel (D5 and 2.4D)

Power: 210kW @ 5600rpm (T6); 136kW @ 4000rpm (D5); 120kW @ 4000 (2.4D)

Torque: 400Nm @ 1500-4800rpm (T6); 400Nm @ 2000-2750rpm (D5); 340Nm @ 1750-2750rpm (2.4D); 0-100km/h: 7.5 seconds (T6); 9.9sec (D5); 10.9sec (2.4D)

Fuel: Unleaded petrol and diesel

Fuel tank: 70 litres

Length: 4628mm

Width: 1891mm

Height: 1713mm

Wheelbase: 2774mm

Track: Front 1632mm; rear 1586mm

Turning circle: 10.9m

Ground clearance: 230mm

Weight: 1825-1990kg

Luggage volume: 492-1452 litres

Ford’s imported Mondeo range — there is both hatchback and sedan, with a variety of engines and trim levels, and prices starting from $29,990 — is the Australian-made Falcon’s baby brother. At least in theory.

But the ‘medium-size’ Mondeo is an efficient package, so roomy it is almost as spacious as the ‘family-size’ Falcon. In fact boot capacity is identical.

While the bulkier Falcon offers much more shoulder space, on most other interior measurements they are mere centimetres apart, and the Mondeo manages to win for front leg room.

So the new-look Falcon range, which reaches showrooms in just over a month, faces a family feud, quite apart from its natural enemy, the Holden Commodore. The current-series Falcon starts at $5000 more than the Mondeo range, though that is with a six-cylinder engine versus the base-model Mondeo’s four-cylinder power plant.

The lighter and smaller-engined Mondeo is of course less thirsty, but can’t match the high-torque thrust that cars like the Falcon deliver.

But really they are worlds apart. The Mondeo — designed in Germany, built in Belgium — is a hot seller in Europe, regarded over there as a worthy rival for cars like the BMW 3-Series.

The new-generation design is a slick-looking wedge of metal, curved and sharply creased in the latest Ford corporate style, yet roomy and practical when you step inside.

It drives just like it looks, sure-footed and capable, with a sophisticated, upmarket air.

Unlike the Falcon, there is a high-efficiency diesel option, or a sporty-ish turbocharged five-cylinder version, with petrol four-cylinder variants in the middle.

The entry-level LX comes only as a sedan, and the top-line XR5 Turbo is hatchback only, but the in-between petrol Zetec ($34,990) and diesel TDCi ($37,990) give buyers the choice of hatchback or sedan bodies, both with slick six-speed automatic transmissions.

As seems to be the case so often these days, the diesel is surely the pick of the bunch. No matter about its $3000 price premium over the Zetec, or the extra cost per litre for its fuel — great economy and refined manners would make it a truly satisfying car to own.

If there is a disappointment, it is that the XR5 Turbo model seems to possess nothing like the exuberant zing found in the compact Focus hatchback which uses the same powerplant.

Also on the minus side, the Mondeo is hardly a household name in Australia and its track record isn’t good; Ford’s efforts to sell previous versions came to nothing.

Key Points

Ford Mondeo

Details: Medium-size sedan and hatchback with 2.0 litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine (power 96kW, torque 320Nm), 2.3 litre four-cylinder petrol engine (power 118kW, torque 208Nm), or 2.5 litre five-cylinder turbo petrol engine (power 162kW, torque 320Nm).

Cost: LX $29,990 (2.3 litre auto sedan); Zetec $34,990 (2.3 auto sedan or hatch); TDCi $37,990 (auto diesel sedan or hatch); XR5 Turbo $41,990 (manual hatch).

Rivals: Mazda 6, Subaru Liberty, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, VW Passat.

For: Sophisticated and efficient.

Against: Low profile.

Summing up: Ford’s Euro contender

The three-wheeler Can-Am Spyder roadster has elements of each, yet it’s a whole new class of vehicle. It has just gone on sale in Australia at $26,990 and already there are 150 orders for the Canadian vehicle.

You will need an open motorcycle licence to ride one, but Rohan Slater, product manager for importers Bombardier Recreational Products Australia, hopes they can persuade state governments to comply with European and American standards, which allow riders to operate it on a car licence.

Unlike a motorcycle, the rider doesn’t counter-steer the handlebars and the Spyder doesn’t lean in corners. Unlike a trike, it doesn’t have a single motorcycle front wheel and tyre.

Instead, the Spyder has two wheels up front and all three wheels are fitted with a special tyre like those on most cars.

Other car-like features include a foot brake that operates all wheels, a parking brake, reverse gear, progressive power steering, traction control, stability control with yaw and rollover sensors, anti-skid brakes and electronic brakeforce distribution. There is even a six-speed sequential transmission coming in October.

BRP Australia marketing manager Duncan Knight says their market is over-45s looking for a recreational vehicle — or “bike riders who might have had an accident … on a bike and want something safer.” BRP Australia, which also imports jet skis, all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles and Johnson outboard motors, has 60 nationwide dealers, but only eight of these have been appointed to sell the Can-Am Spyder, one in each state and territory.

“The next lot of dealers we appoint will be more mainstream motorcycle dealers within the next 12 months,” Knight says. “We want to restrict dealer numbers to about Harley-Davidson levels to keep it fairly premium.”

The Spyder is powered by a liquid-cooled 79kW 998cc Austrian-built Rotax V-twin engine, which is used in the Aprilia 1000R sportsbike where it produces 110kW. Rotax also makes engines for BMW bikes and even the new Buell 1152R made by Harley-Davidson. Knight says the next generation of Spyder could be more sporty, with more horsepower.

“But that hasn’t been confirmed yet. This isn’t a sporty bike; it’s a sports tourer,” he says.

Fuel economy from the fuel-injected, dual-cam engine is about 7.5 litres per 100km, which Knight says will give about a 350km touring range from the 27-litre tank.

The Spyder was shown last year at motorcycle expos around the country and passed Australian Design Rules in November, classified in a special new category for tricycles with two front wheels. “It didn’t fit any existing category,” Knight says.

Slater says the company is still working on having the vehicle re-classified as a car-trike, rather than a motorcycle trike. ADR compliance requires a reduction of 3dB on the exhaust, the adjustment of the headlight angle for driving on the left side of the road and a reversing light.

Reverse gear operates off a button on the handlebar that reverses first gear and limits speed to 10km/h. There is a large ‘boot’ in the 44-litre nose section of the Spyder which will hold two full-face helmets and jackets.

Accessories include a top box, travel bags, cargo liner, passenger backrest, rear-seat cowl, sports exhaust and low and high windshields. After-market panniers have also been planned.

There is also a range of rider gear coming including protective clothing, such as leather jackets and special helmets with a pump-up liner that guarantees a comfortable and firm fit.

The Spyder sits on specially made Chinese Kenda tyres with low recommended pressures of 13-17psi for better ride. Knight says tyre wear is 20,000km-30,000km.

There are sensors in the rear seat to detect a pillion and change the spring settings.

The non-switchable Bosch vehicle stability system uses a range of sensors including yaw and rollover to keep all wheels on the ground and prevent sliding.

The instrument panel includes two large analogue dials for tacho and speedo with a digital screen in the middle with an array of readouts and diagnostics.

The Spyder was launched in the US in January by talk show host and motoring fan Jay Leno who has bought one. They were 1500 orders at launch.

Snapshot

Can-Am Spyder

Price: $26,990

Engine: BRP-Rotax 998cc V-twin, 79kW/104Nm

Transmission: 5-speed (plus reverse)

Economy: 7.5L/100km

The paper, from former Victorian Premier Steve Bracks, comes just days after Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner, a key figure in the Rudd Government, argued that trade tariffs distort economies and harm consumers.

Unions and the left wing of the Labor Party would like to see a freeze on the reduction of automotive tariffs — from 10 per cent to 5 per cent, scheduled for 2010.

The Government, in the wake of Mitsubishi’s announcement in February that it intended to close its Adelaide manufacturing plant, appointed Mr Bracks to review the nation’s automotive industry.

When he was premier, Mr Bracks opposed the timetable for tariff reductions, introduced by the Howard government, from 15 per cent to 10 per cent in 2005, the 2010 reduction, and then down to 5 per cent in 2015.

His discussion paper is expected to concentrate on ways to build export markets and develop innovation in design such as cleaner energy sources.

The Government has promised $500 million to help develop cars that are environmentally friendly — and the money will not just go to one producer.

Reductions in tariffs are not seen by the industry as the central issue they were a decade ago. The inquiry is expected to hear that restructuring packages such as the 1991 Button plan had boosted the export performance of the car companies beyond the original expectations.

The case for maintaining the tariff reduction schedule was given a boost by Mr Tanner in a speech last week, in which he warned against protection, particularly economic protection geared at boosting the interests of manufacturers and producers.

Mr Tanner argued that many economic inefficiencies and scandals, such as the Australian Wheat Board’s corrupt payments to former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein showed the danger of caving in to special interest groups.

He denounced “producerism” and its chief tools, such as tariffs and monopolies, which favoured or protected producer groups at the expense of society as a whole.

“The electoral success of progressive governments in recent years is in part attributable to the inability of conservative forces to adapt to this new political environment,” Mr Tanner told the New Agenda for Prosperity conference in Melbourne.

“For progressives, industry policy is now about innovation, technology and skills — not tariffs, quotas and monopolies.”

Industry Minister Kim Carr, from the Left of the party, as is Mr Tanner, has talked up the virtues of innovation and collaboration between industry and government — but without the same criticism of tariffs.

Today, he proudly has two to his name, although can rattle off many more that have come in and out of his life over the years.

“My first MG was a TF when I was 19 at university,” he says. “But I sold that and bought an MGA 1600, but then sold that.”

And when a family and mortgage came along, Lyons was forced to put his MG passion on hold for 30 years. But while working in Eastern Europe during the 1990s, he decided it was time to revisit that passion. He started with a 1974 MGR V8, and then added an MGB V8 and a 1968 MGC Roadster to his collection.

“I was a member of the MG owners club in England for many years and I happened to be looking in car club magazines, saw some MGCs for sale, so I thought that looks good, why not?” he says. “I’d had a number of MGs over the years and always used to look for something that was unusual. The MGC was unusual because there weren’t many of them made.”

After driving it around London for some time, he had it shipped back to Australia in 1998 and continued driving it here. But after some years on the road, he decided it needed some real work. So he sold the MGB to finance the project, stripped it back to bare metal and spent the next four-and-a-half years getting it up to scratch.

Only about 4500 MGC Roadsters were built and many were sent to the US, particularly California, where they didn’t rust out as easily.

Lyons’s model was one of the Californian cars, but when stripping it back he discovered it had some ‘dodgy’ work done, including a conversion back to right-hand-drive when it was brought back to England. And that meant a lot of extra hard work and money.

“I stopped counting at $20,000,” he says.

But Lyons says restoring an MG is made much easier because parts are readily available.

“There’s an industry keeping these cars on the road,” he says. “One of the reasons I bought the MGC was because I knew I could afford to restore it at a reasonable price.”

Lyons says there are probably only about 100 MGCs in Australia, Lyons says. They were never officially sold here, but some dealers did import them independently.

And while Lyons is very proud of his car, he believes in driving it, rather than merely keeping it immaculate for shows.

“I don’t believe in that,” he says. “I like to use them; that’s the fun. Why have something if you can’t drive it? Some people bring their cars to the meetings on trailers, dust them off … but I bought it to drive it.”

Lyons has had his MG on the road for the past 15 to 16 months and tries to drive it at least two to three times a month. His aim is to one day drive it between Melbourne and Adelaide and he hopes on achieving that very soon.

“It’s a beautiful touring car, much nicer to drive than the MGR V8,” he says.

But it does have its downsides, which include slower acceleration through the four-speed gearbox and 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine. And it can be hard to manoeuvre around corners.

“The only problem is it has a big six-cylinder motor sitting up the front and it doesn’t always like to go hard around the corners,” he says. “It will understeer if you go into corners too quickly, but it’s a beautiful touring car.”

The MGC was only produced between 1967 and 1969. It was based on the MGB body, but had the larger and heavier engine and could be distinguished by a bulge in the front bonnet.

As well as the 4500 Roadsters built, there were also about the same number in the GT Coupe version that hit the road.

Lyons enjoys getting out on the open road in his MGC where it just “purrs” along and is “great for 120mph (193km/h),” he says.

“It’s a lovely car to drive and there’s a certain amount of pride when you pull up and someone admires the car, they say, ‘Very nice,’ you say, ‘Thank you very much,’ knowing you can’t have done that bad of a job,” he says.

Lyons isn’t the only one in the family to gain enjoyment from the MG. His grandson has also taken a big interest.

“We put his child seat in the thing and I take him for a run. He thinks it’s just great,” he says.

And while his wife has driven both of his toys, she’s not too keen to get behind the wheel.

“She’s too concerned that if she damages it, she’ll never hear the end of it,” he laughs.

And there’s no way Lyons will be getting rid of his classic any time soon, even though it could attract a value of between $30,000 and $40,000.

“I wouldn’t sell it, not willingly anyway,” he says. “There’d have to be a good reason. There weren’t many built and a lot have rusted out.”

Snapshot

1968 MGC Roadster

Value now: about $30,000 to $40,000

Verdict: Not many MGCs made it to Australia and despite its handling problems, it’s a classic car many MG fans love.