I write this column after recovering from the miles walked around the NEC capturing the annual Classic Motor Show for CCM. Encouragingly, as the show ended the organisers were reporting good attendance figures, confirmed by a press release which has just popped up reporting visitor numbers up again on last year’s record levels.

It’s good to hear something positive in a world full of financial doom from the media and curiously, my train journey to the NEC for the show showed just how many classics are out there in daily use. Before even backing out of my drive I had to wait for a neighbour in his Morris Traveller and driving to the station I passed an Aston Martin Lagonda of all things.

While buying a ticket the counter clerk noticed my Jaguar logo’d jacket (a souvenir from this year’s Mille Miglia) and commented how much he had enjoyed the show, and then while buying a cross-city ticket in Birmingham an hour later, a second ticket clerk told me all about his pair of classic bikes which were on show at the adjoining Classic Bike Show. And the following morning I found myself chatting to the proprietor of our village post office about his £800 Triumph Stag bargain.

All of this shows that Morris Minor guru Charles Ware’s philosophy of the classic as a durable car to be used for years and upgraded as required has taken more of a hold than people might realise.

And yes, the humble Minor is a world away from the Silver Shadow we road test in this issue but the principle still applies and you won’t buy more elegance and luxury than a late ’60s Shadow. Although the square-jawed ’80s style of our twin test subjects this month, the MkII Granada and E28 BMW come a close second to anyone who can remember the Sinclair Spectrum being a new and exciting thing. Mind you, if I was expected to use one of those on a daily basis I might just refuse...

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For all this and much more see the January 2012 issue of Classic Car Mart.