Rodger Dudding is a lucky chap. He owns more than 450 classic cars and a few years ago we introduced you to his collection, which is called Studio434, when it numbered around 400. That first gallery could offer only a flavour of what Rodger has bought over the past six decades or so, which is why we've just been back to take another look around. If you thought our last glimpse into Studio434 was unpredictable, brace yourself for another whistle-stop tour of one of the most diverse car collections in the world. Aston Martin Lagonda Rodger is best known for his amazing collection of no fewer than 24 Aston Martin Lagondas – 3.7% of total production - including the first and last examples made. And also this splendid stretched Tickford edition, complete with boomerang TV aerial on the boot. It's one of just four made in 1984. Bentley Azure A large proportion of the cars in the collection are British, including a lot of Bentleys. All are in mint condition including this majestic Azure from 2000, powered by the legendary pushrod 6.75-litre V8. Bristol Beaufighter The Bristol 412 was produced between 1975 and 1982, and it initially featured a 6.6-litre Chrysler V8, which was swapped for a 5.9-litre unit in 1978. Designed by Zagato, and hardly what you could call a thing of beauty, the 412 was joined by an updated model in 1980, called the Beaufighter. Power came from the same 5.9-litre V8, but now turbocharged to give 150mph potential. Citroën 2CV One of the most recognisable classics ever created, this Citroën 2CV is from near the end of production, which spanned from 1948 until 1990. The final cars were made in Portugal, while French manufacture ended in 1988; this is a Paris-built Dolly edition from 1986. Ferrari Mondial The Mondial has long been the entry point to Ferrari ownership, and when you look at this 1988 cabriolet it's hard to see why. Exotic looks, space for four (sort of) and a mid-mounted 3.2-litre V8 are topped off by the Prancing Horse badge on the nose. What's not to like? Ford Capri This 1984 Capri Mk3 2.0 S looks the part with its lairy bodykit, but in the nose is Ford's 2.0-litre Pinto engine, rather than the much more enticing fuel-injected 2.8-litre V6 Cologne unit. Daimler V8 250 Jaguar bought Daimler in 1961, and within a year it had introduced a badge-engineered version of its Mk2 saloon, called the 2.5 V8. Whereas the Jag had a straight-six engine, the Daimler packed a 2.5-litre V8 as seen in the SP250 sports car. Production lasted until 1969, by which point the sporting saloon had been renamed V8 250. This is one of those later editions, from 1967. Honda NSX There's just one Honda in the collection, but it's something a bit special: an early NSX. When launched in 1990, the NSX worried competitors with its aluminium construction, user-friendly ergonomics, excellent reliability and impressive build quality. This NSX dates from 1992 and has an automatic transmission. Jensen Interceptor This is where it all started: Rodger's first car was a Jensen Interceptor FF which he still owns. There are quite a few Interceptors at Studio434 and this is one of several rarities. Just 267 convertibles were made between 1974 and 1976 (when Jensen went bankrupt), and this is one of the earliest examples. Land Rover Series 1 Rodger owns at least a dozen Land Rovers including three Series 1s. This one dates from 1952, by which point the headlights had been repositioned from behind the grille to inset within. These updated cars also had a 2.0-litre engine in place of the original 1.6-litre unit. Mercedes SL The R107 had the longest production run of the various SL generations so far, and in facelifted form as seen here, is arguably the best-made of the lot. Made between 1971 and 1989, this 420SL dates from 1988 and has a 218bhp 4.2-litre V8 to give an easy 130mph. Reliant Scimitar GTE One of those rare classics that has it all yet refuses to rise out of reach, the Scimitar GTE has practicality, performance, comfort and an enthusiastic club scene. Despite this, the Reliant remains resolutely affordable, with this 1973 SE5A packing a Ford-sourced 2994cc Essex V6. Jaguar XJs There are more than two dozen Jaguars in Rodger's collection, and among them are these two XJ6s from early in the X300 production run. The X300 was effectively an updated XJ40 and it was the first model to come from Jaguar developed entirely under Ford ownership. Lagonda 3-Litre Before Lagonda became an Aston Martin model it was a car-maker in its own right. Rodger owns seven Lagondas, mainly pre-war, but also in the mix is this 1956 3-Litre Drophead Coupé. It was sold alongside a 3-Litre saloon and between 1953 and 1958 just 270 examples of both types were made. Wood & Pickett Mini The Mini was the original classless car, and some owners poured huge sums of money into theirs, to personalise them with bigger engines and more luxurious interiors. At the forefront of this movement was Wood & Pickett, which built this 1275cc Margrave edition, complete with an interior caked in wood and leather, plus that distinctive fabric roof treatment, with fake hood irons. Ford Anglia When the Anglia 105E was launched in 1959, it was a big deal for Ford with its radical design, four-speed gearbox and 997cc overhead-valve engine. The predecessor to the Escort, the Anglia wasn't a luxury car but this one is especially spartan as it's one of the entry-level Standard editions. Rolls-Royce Phantom One of the most imposing cars in Studio434 is this Rolls-Royce Phantom from 2010, which features a 6.75-litre V12 engine with an ample 453bhp. With 530lb ft of torque this leviathan can get from 0-62mph in just 5.7 seconds despite weighing 2630kg. And yes that is the real number plate; lots of Rodgers cars have some rather special registrations. Taxi Proving that Rodger's tastes are nothing if not varied, he owns this 2002 London Taxi Company TXII. This 2002 car is one of the first of the breed, with its 2.4-litre Ford Duratorq diesel engine; the TXI (1997-2002) that came before looked much the same, but was fitted with a 2.7-litre Nissan engine instead. Railton F29 Claremont If you had to guess what this unique roadster was based on, could you work it out? Well under that eye-catching aluminium skin is a Jaguar XJS, powered by a 5.3-litre V12. The Railton was an attempted revival of a long-dead car-maker by William Towns. It burst onto the scene in 1989 – and disappeared very soon after. Volkswagen Beetles Many of the classic peoples' cars are in the collection: 2CV, Model T, Mini, and these two Beetles. Early Beetles like the 1957 example on the right are seriously rare in right-hand drive form, while the 1977 Karmann-built cabriolet on the left is also unusual with RHD. Bentley Continentals There are Bentley Continentals of every kind, with the R, T and SC all represented among the five examples in the collection. In the foreground is the ultra-rare targa-roofed SC and behind that is a Continental T, which is hiding a 1994 Continental R. Elsewhere is another brace of Continental Ts, the short-wheelbase edition with extra (420bhp) power. Austin-Healey 'Frogeye' Sprite The original Austin-Healey Sprite proved that a tiny budget wasn't a barrier to having great fun. With its 948cc engine and no-frills interior the Frogeye had enormous character, much of which was lost in the transition to the Mk2 edition which arrived in 1961, and was also sold as the MG Midget. AC 428 At the opposite end of the spectrum from the Sprite was the AC 428, which packed Cobra running gear into a stylish bodyshell designed and built by Frua in Italy. A convertible was introduced at the 1965 Earls Court motor show and a year later came the coupé, as seen here (with its genuine registration). Just 29 coupés were made along with 51 convertibles. Aston Martin DB9 Thanks to the 24 Lagondas, Aston Martins are very well represented in Rodger's stash of cars. Also in there are a Vanquish, DB7 and a trio of DB9s. Alongside a Volante is this rather lovely coupé which is one of two in the collection. British sports cars Rodger loves British cars and this selection shows why Britain used to lead the world when it came to affordable sports cars. In the foreground is a Lotus Elise S1, next to which is a 1960 MGA coupé then a 1969 MG Midget. At the far end is the Austin-Healey 'Frogeye' Sprite that we saw earlier. BMW 628 CSi While many of the cars in Studio434 are halo models, this one is the opposite; it's an entry-level 6 Series from 1986. Most of the BMW E24s were 3.5-litre 635 CSi editions, but this was the more affordable 2.8-litre car, just a handful of which have survived. In the background is another 2.8-litre classic: a Ford Granada Ghia saloon. Bentley MkVI The MkVI was Bentley's first post-war car and it signalled a change in direction for the company. Instead of buying a chassis then paying for it to be clothed, the MkVI was an off-the-peg car that was cheaper and made in bigger numbers. Except this one is an ultra-rare shooting brake built by Harold Radford, so it still cost its first owner a fortune in 1949. Austin A90 Atlantic In the post-war years, Britain's manufacturers had to export as many of their products as possible, to generate income for the country. The A90 Atlantic was Austin's attempt at doing just that. It was aimed at American buyers, hence its mish-mash of British and US styling cues and a big (by UK standards) 2660cc four-cylinder engine. But Americans shunned it and the car was a flop; Rodger has coupé and convertible editions in his stash. Alvis TD It's getting on for six decades since Alvis ceased car production, although the company still produces armoured vehicles. A purveyor of luxury cars with a sporting bent, the Graber-styled TD21 was an elegant four-seat two-door saloon which also came in convertible form. Power came from a 3.0-litre straight-six. AC Aceca The AC Ace was the car that Shelby Carroll shoehorned a V8 engine into, to create the Cobra. Less well known is the fixed-head version of the Ace, the Aceca, which arrived in 1954 and lasted until 1963. All Acecas were fitted with a 2.0-litre straight-six engine and it was quite a pioneering car as it featured a hatchback configuration, years before this became the norm. Ford Orion Rodger has acquired all sorts of unusual exotica over the years, but one of the rarest cars in Studio434 must be this Ford Orion from 1990. This 1.4-litre example has covered less than 31,000 miles so far and is in excellent condition. Jaguar XJSs We've already seen the XJS-based Railton, but Rodger also owns five regular XJSs. In the foreground is the original open-topped model, the XJS-C, in V12 form, and behind this is a V12 coupé, from 1985 and 1984 respectively. Just in case those two aren't enough, a pair of coupés from 1992 and 1990 are parked alongside. Iso Lele Iso is one of those marques that flies below the radar; those who have heard of it usually associate it with the Grifo, built between 1963 and 1974. But there was also the Rivolta and Fidia plus this, the Lele, of which just 317 examples were produced between 1969 and 1974 when the company closed down. As with all Isos, Leles were powered by a variety of large American V8s. Rover 827 Developed in collaboration with Honda and built to take on the Ford Granada and Vauxhall/Opel Carlton/Senator, the Rover 800 was launched in 1986 then heavily facelifted in 1991. The earlier cars are now quite rare, so this very tidy 1989 827 fastback is a worthy addition to the collection. Toyota Supra So many of these Supras were modified in period or since they left the showroom, that it's a rarity to see one in original, unmolested condition. Built between 1989 and 1992, the Supra featured a 2954cc straight-six, and with 234bhp on tap it was capable of a respectable 142mph. Jaguar XJ220 Yet another Jaguar, but the XJ220 is rather special because it's one of just 274 examples made between 1992 and 1994. First seen in concept form in 1988, with a V12 engine and four-wheel drive, the production model had a mid-mounted V6 and rear-wheel drive, but it could still do 0-60mph in just 3.6 seconds, while the top speed was 213mph. Fiat Coupé Believe it or not, but the Fiat Coupé's 30th birthday has already been and gone. Launched in 1993, this Chris Bangle design looked like nothing else before or since. Power came from four- and five-cylinder petrol engines, with or without a turbocharger. This 1998 example is a non-Turbo five-pot. Mini Mokes Using the Mini's floorpan and running gear, BMC created the Moke as Britain's answer to the Jeep. But it didn't have four-wheel drive or enough ground clearance to tackle tricky terrain, so a rethink led to it being sold as a chic urban runabout. BMC made the Moke only from 1964 until 1968 (these cars date from '67 and '68), but production then moved to Australia and then Portugal, with the last Mokes made in 1993. Rolls-Royce Corniches Rolls-Royce launched the Silver Shadow in 1965, with a Mulliner Park Ward coupé edition available from the same year. two years later a convertible would be introduced, and then in 1971 these two-door models would be renamed Corniche. Three of these four derivatives are represented here: MPW convertible, then Corniche convertible and coupé. Jaguar XJC Between the first in 1968 and the last in 2019, there were no fewer than 10 XJ models including major facelifts, but only one was offered as a coupé. That was the Series 2 which was produced from 1973 through to 1979. The XJC had a shorter production run though; just 9378 were made between 1975 and 1978. This is a 1975 example with a 4.2-litre straight-six. Ford Zodiac The second-generation Consul, Zephyr and Zodiac were launched in 1956, and they were marketed by Ford as the 'Three Graces'. Top of the pile was the Zodiac, with a 2553cc straight-six engine that pushed out just 85bhp, to give an 84mph top speed. That was premium motoring back then… Elswick Envoy In 1973 the William Towns-designed Townscar was unveiled, using a Reliant-built plastic bodyshell draped over Mini running gear. BL bought the rights but then sold them on to GKN Sankey, which in turn sold them to Elswick which introduced the Envoy in 1981. It was designed for wheelchair users to enter the car from behind, then drive still in their chair. This car dates from 1985. Audi Cabriolet The Audi Cabriolet is best known for being Princess Diana's favoured transport in the mid-nineties, and this very car is the one that she was loaned by London-based Dovercourt Audi. A 1994 car, it's a 2.6 automatic that was regularly splashed all over the newspapers. Ferrari Boxer Ferrari isn't short of alluring models in its back catalogue, but the Boxer must rate as one of the most beautiful. Its first mid-engined car with a 12-cylinder engine, from its launch in 1973 a carburetted 4.4-litre engine was fitted. Three years later the displacement was increased to 4942cc, then fuel injection was fitted from 1981. As a result, this 1982 is one of the injected 4.9-litre editions. Lancia Fulvia Zagato Launched in 1963 in saloon form, the Lancia Fulvia was offered as a coupé from 1965. Buyers could pick between Lancia's own design and this Zagato edition, with 1.2, 1.3 or 1.6-litre engines. This second-series car dates from 1972 and has been restored to 1.6-litre Competizione specification, complete with engine, gearbox and front subframe from a Fulvia 1600 Fanalone. Daimler Conquest Drophead Coupé Daimler launched its compact Conquest saloon in 1953, with a 75bhp 2433cc six-cylinder engine. A year later came the Conquest Century with a 100bhp powerplant, and this 1956 Conquest Roadster took that car's engine and put it into a three-seater (there was room for one person in the back) alloy-bodied convertible. Just 54 were made between 1955 and 1957. Fiat 600 Fiat 500s are ten a penny, and there are two of them in Rodger's collection. But here's something altogether more unusual: the 500's bigger brother. The Fiat 600 featured a bigger engine (633cc vs 499cc) and a larger bodyshell. This 1959 car is especially rare with its right-hand drive. Rover P4 Launched 75 years ago, in 1949, the P4 looked incredibly modern for a Rover, which was one of Britain's most traditional automotive brands. With its slab sides, column gearchange and 'cyclops eye' spotlamp in the middle of the grille, this was something very different. Production lasted until 1964, by which point a wide array of engines had been offered. This is one of two P4s in Studio434; it's a four-cylinder Rover 80 that sits alongside a six-cylinder 90. Citroën DS Decapotable This drop-top Citroën is one of four DSs in Studio434. Alongside a DS21, DS21 EFi and DS23 EFi, is this DS21 Decapotable. Built by Henri Chapron in 1966, it's one of the last convertible DSs to be supplied to the UK and one of just a handful (perhaps as few as five) to be built with right-hand drive. Bentley S3 Continental The Bentley S1, S2 and S3 were badge-engineered versions of the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, and for those with very deep pockets, coachbuilder Park Ward offered two-door Continental editions in coupé and convertible forms. This is one of just a handful of S3 Continental coupés made, with a 6230cc version of the classic pushrod V8 engine. It dates from 1964. Porsche 356 This is one of two Porsche 356s in the collection, both of which are unusual in having right-hand drive. Both have 1.6-litre engines; this blue car is the 356 A that graced the Porsche stand at the 1958 Earls Court motor show; Rodger also owns a red 1962 Porsche 356 B. Bristol 411 As well as the 412 that we saw earlier, Rodger also owns a 403 from 1954, and this 411 Series IV from 1975. Fitted with Avon Safety Wheels, this car has a 6556cc Chrysler V8, because the 6277cc V8 fitted to the earlier iterations of 411 didn't have quite enough grunt. Volkswagen Beetle Joining the two classic Beetles that we saw earlier, is this front-engined version from 2003. These later editions are currently relatively plentiful, but they're at that age now where they're starting to disappear as repair costs exceed car values. This 1.6-litre example is in superb condition though, with plenty of life left in it. Jaguar XJ fire tender It's another Jaguar X300, but this one is a bit special, because it's one of the XJR editions. Which means that up front is a supercharged 4.0-litre straight six, with a glorious 321bhp to give a top speed of 155mph. This XJR is particularly special because it was built in 1995 to act as the fire tender at Donington Park racecar track. Bentley Continental Flying Spur A world apart from Crewe's pushrod V8-powered saloons, when the Continental GT burst onto the scene in 2003, it signalled a new beginning for Bentley, and it led to the introduction of the Flying Spur two years later. This generously proportioned five-seat limousine could reach almost 200mph thanks to the 6.0 W12 in the engine room.
Liked by Matthew Scott, Emily Labelle
Liked by Matthew Scott, Emily Labelle
Liked by Matthew Scott, Emily Labelle
