The classic Mini was introduced in 1959 and soon became a truly iconic piece of British popular culture that is still recognised the world over. Alec Issigonis’ masterpiece had a price tag of just £497 and from the outset the Mini offered good economy, lots of space for its size and incredible handling. The latter was not truly exploited until the arrival of the famous Mini Cooper in 1961 and Cooper S in 1963. Equipped with a tuned version of the A series engine and front disc brakes, the Coopers enjoyed Monte Carlo Rally success and were immortalised on screen in ‘The Italian Job’ in 1969.
The Mini was so well-loved that it found around 6 million buyers and remained in production for over 40 years – in time to see in the new millenium. In fact, it actually outlived the Austin Metro that was supposed to replace it back in 1980!
The car featured on this t-shirt is the final version with those striking Cooper bonnet stripes, wide arches and 4 spot lights, in many ways the archetypal Mini Cooper. It is a two colour screen print, with highlights are represented by a subtle translucent white.
Personalisation
The number plate area can be personalised with a registration, name or message for that extra personal touch. It will appear in black lettering with the t shirt colour as the background. -
Sale!
This MG ZT Mk2 (or facelift model) t-shirt is offered as a two colour screen print, with the t-shirt colour making up the colour of the car. Highlights are represented by a translucent white which allows the colour of the shirt to show through. This highlight effect is subtle on lighter t-shirts and more prominent on darker ones. Personalisation The number plate area can be personalised with a registration, name or message for that extra personal touch. It will appear in black lettering with the t shirt colour as the background. -
The Rover 75 was introduced in 1998 when the Rover Group were under BMW's stewardship and was a very well received, well-appointed executive car with a retro feel harking back to Rovers of old such as the P5. Arguably it was a much more successful execution of the retro look than the then-current Jaguar S Type and the interior in particular won many plaudits. Under the skin it was anything but retro, with front wheel drive and 4 cylinder, V6 and diesel options, a super-rigid shell and a ride that many modern cars would struggle to achieve! The 75 currently represents something of a bargain modern classic and is still very usable as an everyday car, but as more and more are taken off the roads, they can only increase in value as the last real Rover design. The Rover 75 had many fans in its day and still has a surprisingly large following.The car featured on this t-shirt is a Mk1 saloon and the design is such that the t-shirt colour makes up the colour of the car. It features a small iconic-ironic logo so you can help spread the word and it can even be personalised with your number plate if you wish. Personalisation The number plate area can be personalised with a registration, name or message for that extra personal touch. It will appear in a black UK numberplate typeface. If no personalisation is chosen the number plate will be white.
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The Rover 75 was introduced in 1998 when the Rover Group were under BMW's stewardship and was a very well received, well-appointed executive car with a retro feel harking back to Rovers of old such as the P5. Arguably it was a much more successful execution of the retro look than the then-current Jaguar S Type and the interior in particular won many plaudits. Under the skin it was anything but retro, with front wheel drive and 4 cylinder, V6 and diesel options, a super-rigid shell and a ride that many modern cars would struggle to achieve! The 75 currently represents something of a bargain modern classic and is still very usable as an everyday car, but as more and more are taken off the roads, they can only increase in value as the last real Rover design. The Rover 75 had many fans in its day and still has a surprisingly large following.The car featured on this t-shirt is a Mk1 saloon and the design is such that the t-shirt colour makes up the colour of the car. It features a small iconic-ironic logo so you can help spread the word and it can even be personalised with your number plate if you wish.
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The MG ZR was a hot hatch that was developed from the Rover 25 and was produced at Longbridge from 2001 - 2005 . It was MG Rover's best selling car at the time. Considering that the Rover 25 was based on the Rover 200 and as such was already 6 years old, the car's handling and general fun factor was a revelation. The car is a credit to the then MG Rover management who created something very special from a shoestring budget having famously bought the company from BMW in 2000 for just £10! The range-topping ZR 160 was fast too; going from 0-60mph in 7.4 seconds and capable of a top speed of 131 mph!The car featured on this t-shirt is a MG ZR Mk1 and the design is such that the t-shirt colour makes up the colour of the car. It features a small iconic-ironic logo so you can help spread the word and it can even be personalised with your number plate if you wish.
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The British Leyland Princess was introduced in March 1975 as the '18/22 Series' with Austin, Morris and luxury Wolseley versions. The badge-engineering was dropped in September the same year, when all models became simply the 'Princess' The car was launched to critical acclaim and had a very distinctive 'wedge' shape designed by Harris Mann which divided opinion. The package was surprisingly roomy, comfortable and quite technologically sophisticated with front wheel drive and Hydragas suspension. Sadly, in common with many BL products of the time, the Princess gained an unwelcome reputation for unreliability that it struggled to shake off throughout its 6 year life span.Looking back over 40 years later the styling is still certainly the Princess' most distinctive feature and in many ways now epitomises mid Seventies car styling. This is also true of the colours with browns and beiges being a popular choice for both interior and exterior.The t-shirt design has a retro feel too and features a brown HLS model with the obligatory vinyl quarter panels, with a slightly distressed look to add to the vintage feel. We've even added some distinctly 70s colour choices for the t-shirts!
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The British Leyland Princess was introduced in March 1975 as the '18/22 Series' with Austin, Morris and luxury Wolseley versions. The badge-engineering was dropped in September the same year, when all models became simply the 'Princess' The car was launched to critical acclaim and had a very distinctive 'wedge' shape designed by Harris Mann which divided opinion. The package was surprisingly roomy, comfortable and quite technologically sophisticated with front wheel drive and Hydragas suspension. Sadly, in common with many BL products of the time, the Princess gained an unwelcome reputation for unreliability that it struggled to shake off throughout its 6 year life span.Looking back over 40 years later the styling is still certainly the Princess' most distinctive feature and in many ways now epitomises mid Seventies car styling. This is also true of the colours with browns and beiges being a popular choice for both interior and exterior.The hoody design has a retro feel too and features a brown HLS model with the obligatory vinyl quarter panels, with a slightly distressed look to add to the vintage feel. We've even added some distinctly 70s colour choices for the t-shirts!
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Chrysler Europe came into being in 1967, encompassing the Rootes Group brands in the UK including Hillman, Humber, Singer, Sunbeam and Commer. Apart from the 180/2 Litre, UK cars were not badged as Chryslers until 1976 when the distinctive 'Pentastar' logo found its way onto the existing Avenger, and Hunter, as well as the new Sunbeam, Horizon and Alpine. Chrysler Europe was taken over by PSA Peugeot Citroën in 1978 when all models were rebadged as Talbots in the UK. Despite the brand's short life in the UK, the cars proved quite popular and well regarded (with the Alpine winning European Car of The Year in 1976). Unfortunately, like many other cars from the 70s, they were not known for their rust resistance and whilst they were once a common piece of 'street furniture' very few survive today. Thankfully their memory lives on with this retro t-shirt. The t-shirt features a distressed style logo for that retro look and is available in a number of colours.
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Matchbox toys were introduced in 1953. The brand was given its name because the original die-cast Matchbox toys were sold in boxes similar in style and size to those in which matches were sold. Subsequently, the brand would encompass a broad range of toys including larger scale die-cast models and various other lines of toys, such as plastic model kits and action figures.The t-shirt features a distressed style logo for that retro look and is available in a number of colours.
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Total Control Racing (TCR) was a toy brand from Ideal which appeared in the late 1970s, but unlike Scalextric, operated on a slotless track.The plastic track contained lanes of three metal strips about 2mm wide, which made contact with a configuration of two brass pads on the underside of the cars, providing power. The plastic track had two such lanes, and cars could change lanes with the flick of a switch on the controller. TCR sets came with "jam cars", a slow moving drone which both racers had to avoid crashing into. Like Matchbox's Powertrack, some cars featured lights.TCR was withdrawn from the market in the mid 80s and sets are now very collectible.The t-shirt features a distressed style logo for that retro look and is available in a number of colours.
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Built at Solihull, the Rover SD1 was introduced in June 1976 initially in V8 3500 guise, with the straight six versions following in November 1977. Priced at £4750.20 (including front seat belts!), it represented good value for money compared to its executive car rivals. The car was lauded for its handsome modern styling (with more than a hint of Ferrari Daytona), versatile hatchback and strong performance. The early interiors typify the seventies with their deeply sculpted (often beige) velour seats and distinctive steering wheel and dash pod. In 1982 a major mid-life facelift coincided with production being moved to Cowley, when a 2000cc model and 2400 turbo diesel was also added to the range. 1984 saw the introduction of the 190bhp fuel injected Vitesse and range-topping Vanden Plas EFi. Sadly, as was often the case with British Leyland products, the cars were dogged by bad build quality and workforce disputes that, despite numerous improvements over its life, tarnished the SD1's reputation. This is pity because from a design point of view it had very few rivals.The design of this t shirt features a very early 3500, the SD1 in its purest form and pays tribute to the original launch advertising in terms of wording and typeface with a distressed style overlaid onto it. The high contrast style of the image means that it is only available in black, but the good news is that sizes go all the way up to 5XL! Read the story of the Rover SD1 here on the excellent aronline website.
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The 18-22 Series was the name given to the wedge-shaped Austin, Morris and Wolseley models launched in March 1975. Just 6 months later the badge-engineering was dropped and with minor tweaks all models became the more familiar 'Princess'. Top of the range was the Wolseley version shown here (priced at £2,838) which boasted a full length vinyl roof, velour seats with front centre armrests, push button MW/LW radio and a 2.2 litre six cylinder engine as standard, plus the famous illuminated grille badge. Just over 3,000 Wolseleys were built in those 6 months, making them incredibly rare today, and certainly the most desirable of all of the 'Princess' variants. It was also the last car to be badged as a Wolseley, a marque that had always been synonymous with luxury. The t-shirt itself is based on one of the original press ads and showcases that distinctive grille and oh-so-seventies shape and colour. The wording is as the original ad, in the authentic Goudy Old Style typeface with the super-tight kerning between each letter and features a distressed look. The high contrast style of the image means that it is only available in black, but the good news is that sizes go all the way up to 5XL!Read the story of the 18-22 / Princess here on the excellent aronline website.
