All-British Car Show @ The Pete

Los Angeles has a seven-decades long love affair with British car brands - their sportscars, in particular. Southern California’s warm weather and miles of scenic coastal roads provided the perfect setting. Names like Jaguar, Triumph, MG, Austin-Healey, and Lotus quickly changed the complexion of LA’s car culture. Just as surfing changed the Southern California beach scene, top-down roadsters formed the catalyst for LA’s ever changing love affair with automobiles.

The show at the Petersen honored LA’s passion with prime examples of Britain’s automotive heritage. An ultra-rare Aston-Martin DB4GT Zagato, one of only 19 built, was the show-stopper. Designed by the young Ercole Spada, the Zagato is exquisite in every detail.

Not to be outdone, a Jaguar XK-SS, one of 16 built, was on display. Film icon Steve McQueen was at one time the owner of an XK-SS.

Bentley was well represented with both pre-war and post-war models. A row of Austin Minis was a crowd pleaser. The owner of a late model TVR sports car brought a fine example of this relatively little-known make. It was spotless in appearance.

If there is such a thing as royalty in the world of finely crafted British cars, the throne belongs to Rolls-Royce. No other marque has epitomized the prestige of owning a Bel-Air address than the cars built in Derby, England. Their models’ names are legendary. Silver Cloud, Shadow, and Corniche conjure images of cost-no-object exclusivity and opulence worthy of a monarch.

The show had one such example, well turned out in rich walnut burl trim, thick Wilton wool carpets, and leather seating, as only rolls Royce knows how. On the flip side, a finely tuned Lotus II was brough to the show. Founder Colin Chapman’s genius is clearly evident in every bracket, rivet and linkage.

The sun has set on Britain’s car industry and most of the marques present at the Petersen Museum have long since disappeared. Those that survived are owned by foreign companies but the appeal of these cars still commands respect. In their day, they offered good value, unique styling and British panache. In a word, they offered excitement.