THAT WAS THE DECADE THAT WAS…

The ‘noughties’ are finally at an end. The first decade of the 21st century seems to have disappeared at breakneck speed. And although this Classic Car Mart carries a March cover date, it’s the first issue on sale in 2010 – making it ideal for taking a quick look back at 2000-2009 and a few of the decade’s major motoring events.

This was the decade when – after a 32-year career – the very last Ford Escort finally rolled out of Halewood, discontinued in 2000 to prepare the plant for Jaguar’s new X-Type, the company’s first ‘compact cat’. And although 2000 also saw the disappearance of the classic Mini after 41 years of continuous production, the following year saw BMW re-launching the brand with its bigger, retro-styled MINI – complete with upper-case lettering.
BMW decided to offload its Rover Group in 2000, with the so-called Phoenix Four (led by ex-Rover chairman John Towers) acquiring both Rover and MG. And it was MG that benefited most, with the launch in 2001 of the Rover-based ZR, ZS and ZT models – massively boosting MG’s sales, with the ZR going on to become Britain’s top-selling hot hatch.
It all came crashing down in 2005 though, when what was now known as MG Rover went to the wall, its assets being acquired by Chinese firm Nanjing – a move that saw re-badged Rovers and MGs being launched in China. Meanwhile, the TF sports car re-entered production at Longbridge in 2008, bringing renewed hope that a British-built MG range could be on the cards once again.
On TV, the Mk III Cortina’s profile was dramatically boosted via the all-new Life on Mars drama series, while a re-launched and rejuvenated Top Gear saw the programme stretched to one hour and transformed into a worldwide ratings success thanks to its more entertainment-based format.
The classic car scene continued to do well in the Noughties, despite the arrival of the credit crunch and worldwide recession from late 2007. And on the auction front, values of the world’s most desirable classics and exotica continued to soar, with well-heeled investors keen to splash out on commodities offering a higher return than the banks following the financial crash and plunging interest rates.
By any standards, it’s been a turbulent and fascinating decade. But what has been YOUR highlight? Drop us a line at our Peterborough address and let us know, or send an email to: ccm.ed@kelseypb.co.uk. We might even throw in a small prize for our favourite contribution…