Estimated Price: £20,000 - £24,000

A Herald in a party frock, or a great British sports car for the masses? The Triumph Spitfire pulled off the trick of being both, its pretty Michelotti-designed body periodically tweaked to keep it looking fresh throughout its 18-year production run. Like its chief rivals, the Sprite and Midget, it represented affordable, wind-in-the-hair motoring with the emphasis on fun over outright performance.

Introduced in 1962, the Spitfire 4 (latterly known as the Mk 1) embodied the essence of carefree motoring. With its sleek lines and low-slung profile, it exudes a sense of timeless elegance. It was closely based on the Herald saloon, inheriting that model's backbone chassis and all-independent suspension (front double wishbones; rear transverse leaf swing-axle arrangement) and the entire bonnet and wings assembly hinged forward providing unparalleled access to the engine and front suspension.

Motivation was provided by an 1147cc inline-4, all-iron pushrod unit with twin SU carburettors generating 63bhp and 67lbs-ft through the four-speed gearbox and offering 0-60 in 17 seconds and 92mph, quite impressive in period, as was retardation from the front discs and rear drums, providing class-leading stopping power.

Better equipped and arguably better looking than its BMC rivals, early Mk I Spitfires are highly prized today for their pure, uncluttered styling, lightweight chassis, and roll-up windows and their continued popularity amongst enthusiasts is a testament to their enduring charisma.