Taxonomy
United Kingdom
5 entries
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Book I
Shelby Cobra
The word that arrived before the car did
A Texan with a bad heart put an American engine into an English roadster and then, according to the only witness, dreamt its name at three in the…
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Book II
Vauxhall Wyvern
A two-legged winged serpent, sold to families in postwar Luton
Vauxhall’s badge is a griffin. Vauxhall named a car after a wyvern. For nine years the company sold one mythical beast while wearing another, to a…
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Book IV
TVR Chimaera
Lion at the front, goat in the middle, serpent at the back — which is the end you have to watch
Homer describes the Chimera as lion in front, goat in the middle and serpent behind. TVR built a Rover V8 roadster with no traction control, no…
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Book IV
Gilbern — the Welsh Dragon
The only cars ever series-produced in Wales, from a country whose flag is a dragon
Wales has produced exactly one series car manufacturer. Wales also has, uniquely among nations, a dragon on its flag. Gilbern built glass-fibre…
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Book VII
Adder — unclaimed
Britain built a car called Cobra and ignored the only venomous snake it actually has
The adder is Britain’s only venomous snake. It is small, shy, beautifully marked, and found from Cornwall to the Arctic Circle. British car…