Classic cars from British TV comedies

Over the decades, vintage motors have played iconic roles in many great British TV comedies.

Just think: how would Del Boy have got up to his wheeler-dealer tricks without his three-wheeler? How could Richard and Hyacinth Bucket have kept up appearances without their 1980s Rover?

And just imagine: given all Mr Bean’s accidents, how much must he be paying for his classic car insurance premiums?

These comedy classic cars have been filled with inflatables, plastered with graffiti, and crushed by tanks – all in the name of entertainment. But for eagle-eyed motoring enthusiasts, detecting the make and model is almost as much fun.

Let’s take a closer look at 10 of the cars that have put the nation’s favourite comic characters on the road to TV comedy gold. And can you guess which colour car seems to tickle the funny bones of sitcom writers the most?

1. Dad’s Army: 1935 Ford BB Box Van

Much-loved sitcom Dad’s Army tells the fictional yarns of the not-so-young and not-quite-heroic Home Guard in Walmington-on-Sea during the Second World War. It was broadcast between 1968 and 1977.

While their frontline military counterparts might have tanks, this platoon has an alternative mode of transport: a blue and white butcher’s van belonging to Lance-Corporal Jones.

While it has a supporting – or rather, transporting – role in many episodes, there are a few moments where this beauty takes centre stage. It made its debut in 1969 in ‘The Armoured Might of Lance-Corporal Jones’, where it was said to triple up as a troop carrier, armoured car, and ambulance.

Jones is portrayed as being hugely proud of his set of wheels, and quite right, too! It’s one of the first commercial models produced at Ford’s Dagenham factory.

Prior to its moment in the comedy spotlight, it was discovered in a dilapidated state in south London by a member of the BBC’s props team. It was restored to full working order, still with its original engine.

The van now has pride of place in the Dad’s Army museum in Thetford, Norfolk, where much of the programme was filmed.

2. Fawlty Towers: 1967 Austin 1100 Countryman

In Fawlty Towers, there are many objects of Basil Fawlty’s rage, not least the hapless waiter Manuel and most of the guests.

But the moment when the angry hotelier turns his frustrations on his red Austin Countryman 1100, beating it with a handy branch after it breaks down, has become one of those iconic British TV comedy moments.

What makes it so watchable – and cringe worthy – is that so many of us can see a little of ourselves in Basil Fawlty. We’ve probably all felt that annoyance when the ignition won’t start, though hopefully we haven’t followed Fawlty’s drastic plan of action.

Fawlty Towers has been named the best British sitcom, with many of its quotes and scenes now part of our culture and famous the world over. Incredibly, only 12 episodes were ever made, broadcast in two series between 1975 and 1979.

3. Only Fools and Horses: Reliant Regal Supervan

Of all the classic comedy cars, few are as instantly recognisable as the battered three-wheeled van from Only Fools and Horses, which first brightened up our screens in 1981.

Emblazoned with ‘Trotters Independent Trading – New York, Paris, Peckham’, this canary-yellow Reliant Regal gets Del Boy, Rodney, Grandad, and Uncle Albert into – and out of – all sorts of scrapes.

Throughout the seven series and several Christmas specials of the show, the van is seen in police chases, transporting aristocracy, and towing other vehicles using a scarf. All sorts of dodgy goods and people are crammed into its boot and onto its roof rack, as Del Boy and co launch yet another doomed get-rich-quick scheme.

This lovely jubbly van is certainly a classic and one of the models used in the series is now on display at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu, Hampshire.

4. Minder: 1981 Series III Daimler Sovereign 4.2/ 1976 Mark II Ford Capri 2.0S

Hit comedy-drama Minder, broadcast between 1979 and 1994, centred on the often-tense relationship between two contrasting characters: ambitious conman Arthur Daley, and his bodyguard Terry McCann.

And it featured two contrasting cars in starring roles: Daley’s Daimler, and McCann’s Capri.

In fact, Daley had a host of vehicles at his disposal: he ran a dodgy car dealership. But his yellow-beige Daimler from series four to six is probably the most well-known, symbolising the aspirational style of this archetypal spiv.

Meanwhile, McCann’s white Capri is in the spotlight in the opening credits to the show, where the two stars shake hands over its bonnet. It goes on to feature in many other famous scenes, helping McCann extricate himself from lots of dangerous situations. What a nice little runner!

Both vehicles sold at auction in 2016: the Daimler for £32,000 and the Capri for a whopping £52,000. In 2020, the Capri was damaged in a fire, but a professional restoration company was confident they could get it back on the road.

5. The Young Ones: Ford Anglia

Anarchic comedy series The Young Ones only lasted for two series, broadcast in 12 episodes over 18 months. But it certainly made its mark, as it’s now one of the best-loved TV sitcoms ever.

Only one of the four student house-sharers who make up the Young Ones has a set of wheels: psychopathic punk Vyvyan, who owns a 1962 Ford Anglia 105. If that sounds a surprisingly staid ride for the 1980s, bear in mind that said vehicle is bright yellow, with red flames painted along the sides, and VYV scrawled across the back window.

The Anglia gets crashed more than once. In the final episode, the four hatch a plan involving robbing a bank and using the Ford as a getaway car. It doesn’t go according to plan: the car crashes into a lamppost, killing Vyv’s pet hamster.

Fortunately, most classic car drivers are rather more careful with their vehicles, tending them lovingly and driving them cautiously. That’s why insurance for classic cars is often lower than for regular car drivers – though not, we suspect, in Vyvyan’s case.

6. Keeping Up Appearances: 1986 Rover 216

Dyed-in-the-wool snob Hyacinth Bucket has ideas well above her station. So, she boasts about her wealthy sister Violet’s Mercedes, while her own husband Richard only has a Rover 216.

Still, there are adventures a-plenty on the roads of the Midlands in this gentle British comedy from the 1980s. And it was an apt choice of car for social climber Hyacinth: after its launch, Rover’s market research found that the public tended to think of the 200 series as quite an expensive car, with a higher starting price than was actually the case. Thereafter, the marketing played on this idea of exclusivity at bargain prices.

Perhaps a Rover 216 isn’t your idea of a vintage vehicle? In classic car insurance terms, what’s more important than the make and model of your vehicle is how you treat it. So, if it’s a second car, kept in a garage, with a low mileage, then it’s likely to qualify.

7. Mr Bean: Leyland Mini 1000 1977 Mark 4

Many fans of the Mini must admit there’s something comical about its looks. Parked next to a row of sleek saloons, it looks the very epitome of the cheeky chappie.

So, there’s no surprise that it’s the vehicle of choice for slapstick TV and film star Mr Bean, who has conquered the world with his hapless and almost wordless antics.

Several Minis have featured, of which the most famous is one in lime green with a black bonnet. In the episode ‘Back to School, Mr Bean’, first broadcast in 1994, it gets mistaken for an identical one and crushed by a tank.

In real life, Mr Bean star Rowan Atkinson is a huge classic car collector and racer, owning beauties such as a McLaren F1, an Aston Martin V8 Zagato, and a Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead. But he will always be better known for tootling around while sitting on an armchair strapped to the roof of a garish Mini. Sorry, Rowan!

8. I’m Alan Partridge: Rover 825

Drive a Rover 800 series, and chances are that some would-be comedian will compare you to middle-aged, middle England fictional fave Alan Partridge. It’s become synonymous with him – but is that entirely fair to what’s actually a fine executive car?

The Rover 825 saloon is the motor that Partridge drives at the beginning of the first series of the 1999 comedy, and it’s the butt of more than a few jokes.

In one episode, the Norfolk DJ is seen driving to a make-or-break interview with a senior BBC executive, with crude graffiti emblazoned on the beige panels of his luxury saloon. By the third episode, poor Alan’s so down on his luck that he has to trade in his beloved motor for a supermini, the Rover 200.

The Rover 800 series was manufactured between 1986 and 1999 at the Cowley plant in Oxford, and became a popular choice for police forces and government departments alike.

According to the Rover 800 Owners Club, “The Rover 800 Series was more than a new range, it was a new breed of car. Created to meet the most exacting demands of the driver, it bought the driver a motoring experience which could belong only to the Rover marque.”

Alan would agree – and so do we at Lancaster, where we’d be delighted to arrange insurance for your Rover 800.

9. The InBetweeners: Fiat Cinquecento

Is yellow considered the funniest colour for cars? Because there’s another one in The InBetweeners: a Fiat Cinquecento given to teenager Simon after he passes his driving test.

In this coming-of-age sitcom, broadcast between 2010 and 2014, Simon’s car is called a ‘Hawaii’ model. This doesn’t actually exist in the real world: the one used in filming is an 899cc model from the 1990s.

In the sitcom, this motor is much maligned by Simon’s mates, who ridicule its low power and its retro tape deck, among other uncool features. Over the course of three series, the forlorn Fiat suffers its passenger door being ripped off and replaced by a red one, and finally ends up at the bottom of a lake. We feel sorry for it!

These budget cars, manufactured between 1991 and 1998, might seem unlikely classics. But if it’s the car in which you learned to drive way back in the 1990s, it may well have a huge nostalgia value for you. If you ask us to arrange classic vehicle insurance for your Fiat Cinquecento, we’ll certainly treat it with huge respect.

10. The Detectorists: 1978 Triumph TR7

What is it about yellow cars in TV comedies? There’s another one in The Detectorists, first broadcast in 2014 – but this time, it’s an absolute stunner.

The Triumph TR-7 is driven by Lance, an oddball metal detector hobbyist. While he and his friend Andy search for hidden treasure in the mud, the car gleams in the sunshine – a real treat for all us vintage vehicle enthusiasts.

It’s a bright, distinctive car for a gentle, subtle comedy, and we love it.

So, comedy writers of the UK, bring us more classic motors please! But could we have them in a colour other than yellow now?

Get a quote from Lancaster today

At Lancaster, we take protecting your vintage vehicle very seriously indeed. Whether you own a 1930s van or a 1990s sports car, we’d love to give you a quote for classic car insurance.

We have more than 35 years’ experience in arranging tailored cover that’s right for you and your motor. Benefits of the policies we can arrange include free EU cover up to 90 days, discounts of up to 25% for car club members, and discounts for limited mileage.

Thanks to our UK-based call centre and a 24-hour claims helpline, it’s easy for you to manage your policy at any time. Contact us today for a quote.

Policy benefits, features and discounts offered may very between insurance schemes or cover selected and are subject to underwriting criteria. Information contained within this article is accurate at the time of publishing but may be subject to change.