A panel of motoring experts have put together a list of what they believe to be the 50 best cars to have been built in the UK
A team of motoring experts has analysed fifty of the finest cars manufactured on UK shores to determine the nation’s top British-built motor.
They examined iconic classics and modern masterpieces – from the shimmering history and fascinating present of British car manufacturing – before settling on an undisputed champion.
The contenders’ list was studded, with iconic names such as Range Rover, Jaguar E-Type, McLaren F1, Ford Fiesta, Bentley Blower, as well as Nissan’s Qashqai and Leaf, but there could only be one true automotive legend worthy of the crown.
In the end, the distinguished title was bestowed upon the MINI, honouring its classic Austin/Morris origins and its transformative reboot under BMW in the 2000s, securing its status as the Mini/MINI.
When BMW rebranded it to all-caps MINI as they revived this car classic at the turn of the millennium, it signified more than just a simple name shift; it represented the continuation of a tradition that began in the swining sixties, reports the Mirror.
The specialists at Auto Express pinpointed why they crowned the Mini/MINI as the pinnacle of British automobile craftsmanship – no other car quite encapsulates Britain’s car manufacturing excellence like this global pioneer in compact vehicles.
They said: “We reckon no other British-built vehicle better represents the relevant, innovative, and pioneering UK automotive industry quite like the world’s original small car.”
They added: “There really can be little doubt – the Mini (not forgetting the modern-day MINI) truly is the best car this green and pleasant land has ever built. Long may it continue.”
The mighty Mini emerged victorious, yet faced stiff opposition from other legendary UK-manufactured motors such as the Jaguar E-Type, which was the runner-up, and the Land Rover Defender clinched third spot in the rankings.
British motors dominated the rankings, but the list did include non-British car brands which are manufactured in the UK.
That allowed cars like Nissan’s Qashqai and Leaf, alongside Ford’s iconic GT and the popular Fiesta to be ranked.
On the motif of the GT, experts said: “Commissioned by Ford’s US bosses to race under the Stars and Stripes flag and win the gruelling Le Mans 24-hour race, the low slung GT40 racer was actually designed and built in the UK.”
The list encompassed the breadth of British automotive achievement but led to musings on what it would look like if it only considered the last quarter of a century.
The past 25 years have seen Britain’s auto industry ride a rollercoaster journey, with Brexit, the scale of the Covid pandemic repercussions, and the hits from several recessions, all tackling the resilience of British manufacturers.
Amid escalating pressure on the automotive sector and the uncertainty looming from Donald Trump’s policies, the UK Government has been proactive, issuing a Research Briefing with strategies aimed at reinforcing employment within the automotive manufacturing sector.
In the briefing, the government said: “In Budget 2024, the government set out funding for certain sectors ahead of the industrial strategy’s publication.
“This included confirmation of £2billion in funding to ‘support the automotive sector, including the zero emissions vehicle manufacturing sector and supply chain, providing the long-term certainty that industry need to invest in advanced, greener technologies’.
“More recently, the government has also said that the industrial strategy will support the automotive industry, alongside actions that are already being taken.”
