February

[Grumpy Northener]

the first purely clean sheet design to be launched since 26/08/59 which must count for something.

Not so, the Rover 2000, launched in 1963, was a clean sheet design.

As was the Jowett Javelin launched in 1950

[JPB]

Rover 2000, launched in 1963, was a clean sheet design.

Enthusiasts of the big Citroens would take issue with that sentiment as the ID shares the structural concept of the base unit and the suspension, though lacking those ever so Dutch bell cranks of the P6, has similarities albeit without the coil springs (or the transverse leaf of the [also French] car that seems to have taken on Marmite-like status). The Rover is also relatively conventional (and all the better for it IMHO) in that its engine lives at the pointy end and drives the rear wheels. I would point out that the De Dion with the sliding joint was also a borrowed idea, but yon tiny French motor has one of those too, so best I don't.
I can't be objective about the Javelin though, since Brian and JJ have introduced me to many of the owners of that amazing car and I've been at a club meet where a Jupiter was being fettled. (Hmm, chrome-moly steel tubular structural bits, now where did I see that idea this week?) so if I admit that it was a clean sheet design, even down to its still uncopied steering arrangement, then I'm probably showing undue fondness for the car. I'll also admit that I shed some tears when I learned all those years back that BEG had been T-boned, and by a modern 4x4 at that. And that, for me, is the difference between almost anything old and the daily; it could be written off by a falling lump of blue motion from the commuter flight to Oslo and I'd only be upset if I weren't able to recover the contents of its HDD afterwards. I've some good tunes on there.

Besides, the intended purpose of [Terry's] thread - before I rose to the bait, sorry guys - was to talk about classics, particularly those in February's magazine which, in typically Practical fashion, has attempted to get folk debating by including an event report (not the article per se that the non-readers may have assumed it was) from one of the clubs that caters for newer cars.

The rest's ok, but am I alone in thinking that calendar monthly used to be perfectly fine and that lunar monthlies are hard to digest before the next appears on the mat?
I think that the Government should have done with it and give us an extra Month to go with the stack of extra magazines.

[suffolkpete]

I took "Clean Sheet" to mean that no components were carried over from other models of the same marque. I can't think of any cars that were wholly designed using concepts that weren't ever used before in a vehicle, although you're no doubt about to prove me wrong

[JPB]

Much as I'd like to try, I know when it's time to shuffle gently out of the room.

But, on the other hand, something by Tatra might fit that bill.....

[rich.]

got mine yesterday..... mmmmm smart

[Oldcarnut]

You PC guys (mag guys, not political correct) are a bunch of lightweights......................................... .Ye are going to let a mechanical issue with the Montego stop you from carrying out with the full MPG reducing exercise? Pfft!..........Why dont ye do a real challenge, and try the same tests with one of your other cars or another, but this time with a 2 litre (or higher) instead of average sized car such as a 1.6 litre?