Nine classic cars that deserve a modern revival

Not a Urus. That’s just a Touareg in a frock. You want something genuinely tough – something that can withstand a bit of punishment. New G-Wagen, then. With a V12, because Lamborghini.

All small sports cars could learn a thing or two from the Mazda MX-5. It was the perfect starting point for Fiat and the 124…and we think it’d be an equally good canvas for a reboot of BMW’s baby roadster. It’ll even swallow a V8. Now, how to engineer those doors…

You couldn’t base a new Iso on a Ferrari – just doesn’t seem right. How about a Maserati Gran Turismo? Plenty of ‘em going cheap on the Interwebs, and a V8 that’s more suited to cross-country loping than it is going quickly.

The Stratos has been done and now Kimera has had a crack at the 037, but Lancia itself should surely be looking at its Group B hero to bring the brand back to the big time. Buy up a few Exige 430s from Hethel to guarantee handling to back-up those looks/heritage.

Ah, the original rear-drive hot-hatch. Aren’t many of those around nowadays, so best to plump for an old BMW M140i. A fine match, we’re sure you’ll agree.

At first we thought GR86, but no. That’s a sports car, and the 2000 was a grand tourer. Enter the Lexus LC.

A two-door coupe for the everyman, conceived before hot hatches were a thing. Possibly the Nissan 370Z, but that’s not the best of platforms to start with. GR86? Yes, just make sure you find a comically underpowered V6 from somewhere.

A concept that never made it to production. Sad. But now Aston’s mid-engined rocketship - the Valkyrie - is a proper track thing, surely there’s room for something more…brutish?

The forgotten McLaren deserves a second chance, don’t you think? McLaren is pretty talented at modifying its trick carbon tub to fit in many different cars, too, so it ought not to be that difficult to take a 720S, remove the body panels and replace them with altogether more old-school bits.