The Beauford Tourer was designed to resemble a vintage car - hence the long bonnet with flowing wings at either side to give the appearance of a 1930s-style Grand Tourer limousine.
Both 2-door and 4-door versions were produced, and both versions were made available in open or closed bodies. With detachable hard top or convertible soft top there are also half-soft-top versions - all in all a bewildering array to choose from!
We're not convinced the combination seen here can be bettered for its classic good looks. Those classic looks have made these Beauford cars popular as wedding transport, and other upgrades feature Rover V8 engines, and even the M119 5-litre Mercedes Benz engine with over 300 BHP and super-high torque.
A pleasant vehicle to drive, this particular car's engine is based on the renowned Cortina two-litre Pinto engine - one of the best engines Ford ever made, and famously reliable.
The body shell is made of Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP), and the bonnet and panels are alloy metal.The body is mounted on a ladder chassis, and overall the vehicles have a long wheel base of 3.2 m (126").
A variety of power units can be fitted to the kit, including Ford, Nissan and Rover. Reassuringly for some people, the suspension, steering, pedal box and master cylinder can all be sourced from the Ford Sierra.
The manufacturer provides yet more multiple choice in the car's body parts, such as windscreens and lights, meaning there are a great many unique Beauford Tourers in circulation.
Beauford is a British family-run car company based in Biddulph, Stoke on Trent. Their cars are supplied in kit form and are therefore highly customisable.
The first cars were made in 1978 using a Mini bodyshell as the passenger compartment, which was later replaced by a glass fibre moulding. To date the company has supplied over 1,500 kits.
