Latest news with #Citroën2CV
Metro
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
James Martin rages after thieves smash up car in broad daylight
Celebrity chef and TV presenter James Martin has declared that 'London is broken' after his car was broken into in broad daylight. The 52-year-old announced this on Instagram when he shared a photo of his car, which had a huge hole in the windshield 'So in a week two of my friends cars got stolen,' he captioned the post. 'One other mate got mugged and now I had this happen all in broad daylight all in central London. London is broken big time' The ITV star then joked that next time he's going to bring his dogs to deal with thieves. James did not reveal what, if anything, had been stolen during the incident. After sharing what had happened on his miserable morning, fans rallied round the star, sharing kind words on the post. Joanne Lokwiya wrote, 'So sorry this has happened to you. The whole of the UK is the same, the laws need to change and we need more police on the streets'. 'This is so sad, what once was an incredible capital city is now a centre for crime, ' added Sarah O'Sullivan. Catherine Evans, meanwhile, said, 'This is so sad, what once was an incredible capital city is now a centre for crime'. James is well known for his love of cars and owns an impressive collection, which is reportedly worth an estimated £5 million. Despite owning more vehicles than some car showrooms – including chef Keith Floyd's Citroën 2CV, rally driver Paddy Hopkirk's Minis,and a 1988 Drophead Bentley – his favourite is the relatively unassuming Toyota Hilux. That said, despite adoring the car presenter admitted to that had put a target on his back when he's with his motoring mates. 'I've got a Toyota Hilux pickup truck that I absolutely love – you can chuck everything in it and it will go forever,' he explained. More Trending 'All my mates take the mick: 'So you've got all these cars, but you drive around in a pick-up truck?'' Fans of Top Gear will remember the Hilux as the indestructible car that even the combined chaotic might of Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond couldn't destroy. Metro has approached the London MET and James Martin for comment. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you.
Scottish Sun
28-04-2025
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
Greatest car transformations of all time… from Aston Martin's glitzy DB4 revamp to Fiat's whole new look
SHAPE SHIFTERS Greatest car transformations of all time… from Aston Martin's glitzy DB4 revamp to Fiat's whole new look HUMANS aren't the only ones to go under the knife for a makeover. Plenty of motors have also undergone dramatic transformations. 11 The Fiat 850 was given a noticeable makeover Credit: Getty Cars can often change body, engine, and even badge to become unrecognisable from their previous selves. Below are five of some of the most breath-taking motor metamorphoses, featuring everything from Aston Martin supercars to the basic VW Beetle. Aston Martin DB4 → Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato 11 The DB4 became iconic for its role in the James Bond franchise Credit: Getty "No Mr Bond, I expect you to change you car's bodywork" doesn't quite have the same ring to it, does it? This iconic four-wheeled star of the 007 film 'Goldfinger' first wowed onlookers at the London Motor show in 1958, and boasted a 240bph straight-six engine which could accelerate to 100mph and break to a standstill in less than half a minute. Even this classic underwent some changes, however, as it lost more than 85kg in a bodywork diet, got an engine upgrade, and even a body rework in 1960 by Italian coachbuilder, Zagato. The result was 19 hugely rare models of the DB4 GT Zagato, which are both eye-catching and eye-wateringly expensive - one sold for $9.52 million at an auction in the US in August 2021. 11 One of these GT Zagato models was sold for nearly $10 million Credit: Getty Citroën 2CV → Citroën Mehari 11 The 2CV was produced over five decades Credit: Getty Back to basics we go. First drawn up in the 1930s, sold in the 1940s and still being produced in the 1990s, the Citroën 2CV has one of the longest legacies in car history, and was a masterstroke of simple but effective design. Popular car dealership abruptly shuts after 'trade-in trick' uncovered – as drivers blast 'worst experience ever' Its body was bolted onto its chassis, which made conversions very easy, and resulted in a number of cousins being produced including the British-built Bijout - but none were quite as striking as the Mehari. But the Citroën Mehari was built for the optimistic buyer. It was mechanically identical to the 2CV, but had a plastic body and no roof, so while perfect for a reliable trip to the beach, it wasn't much use for a rainy day. 11 Citroën Meharis didn't come with a roof Credit: AFP Fiat 850 → Fiat 850 Coupe 11 The Fiat 850 had a functional look Credit: Getty Who doesn't love a glow-up? The Fiat 850 was first introduced in 1964 as a larger, more powerful version of the 600 which had been brought out nine years earlier. The technology in the 850 wasn't much of an upgrade, but the car was a relatively successful for small, mid-engine European cars, and it became recognisable for its soft, yet unremarkable look. This was a feature someone at Fiat clearly took issue with, as they redesigned the 850 and produced the much prettier coupe and spider models. The cute coupe was described by one car reviewer as 'one of the handsomest, best-balanced designs ever seen on a small car,' and it's rather hard to disagree. 11 The coupe version of the Fiat 850 was widely lauded as beautiful Credit: Getty Volkswagen Beetle → Volkswagen Karmann Ghia 11 The Beetle has quite the story behind it Credit: Getty The most produced car in history - first commissioned by arguably the worst person in history. The Beetle did indeed start life as a cheap, functional car for Germans under Nazi rule in the late 1930s, and was commissioned by Adolf Hitler. But it was resurrected by the British Army for the Allied forces occupying Germany at the end of the Second World War, and was then put into mass production with unrivalled popularity - and even underwent a rebrand as a cute, wholesome family motor. The Beetle was then given a sporty, Italian makeover by Ghia, and manufactured in Karmann, Germany, thus giving it the joined title Karmann Ghia. This stylish cousin of the Beetle debuted in 1955, and has since been regarded as one of the most beautiful cars in history. 11 The Karmann Ghia was hugely stylish Credit: Getty Mercedes-Benz SLK → Chrysler Crossfire 11 The original SLK was released in 1996 Credit: Getty Outfit change anyone? First produced in 1996, the Mercedes-Benz SLK was a successful sports offering from the German outfit, with various engine options including a fearsome 3.2 litre V6 AMG version producing 350bhp. The SLK had many incarnations before Mercedes changed its name in 2016 to the SLC, with one even having a different badge... Enter the Chrysler Crossfire, the product of a corporate merger between Mercedes and Chrysler, who became DaimlerChrysler and discontinued the original SLK model. Well, not quite. They gave it an American-style body and badge, and sold it as a Chrysler Crossfire. Sales of the model started well, but soon tanked, and the Crossfire was pulled in 2007, the same year its parent companies divorced.
The Sun
28-04-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Greatest car transformations of all time… from Aston Martin's glitzy DB4 revamp to Fiat's whole new look
HUMANS aren't the only ones to go under the knife for a makeover. Plenty of motors have also undergone dramatic transformations. Cars can often change body, engine, and even badge to become unrecognisable from their previous selves. Below are five of some of the most breath-taking motor metamorphoses, featuring everything from Aston Martin supercars to the basic VW Beetle. Aston Martin DB4 → Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato "No Mr Bond, I expect you to change you car's bodywork" doesn't quite have the same ring to it, does it? This iconic four-wheeled star of the 007 film ' Goldfinger ' first wowed onlookers at the London Motor show in 1958, and boasted a 240bph straight-six engine which could accelerate to 100mph and break to a standstill in less than half a minute. Even this classic underwent some changes, however, as it lost more than 85kg in a bodywork diet, got an engine upgrade, and even a body rework in 1960 by Italian coachbuilder, Zagato. The result was 19 hugely rare models of the DB4 GT Zagato, which are both eye-catching and eye-wateringly expensive - one sold for $9.52 million at an auction in the US in August 2021. Citroën 2CV → Citroën Mehari Back to basics we go. First drawn up in the 1930s, sold in the 1940s and still being produced in the 1990s, the Citroën 2CV has one of the longest legacies in car history, and was a masterstroke of simple but effective design. Popular car dealership abruptly shuts after 'trade-in trick' uncovered – as drivers blast 'worst experience ever' Its body was bolted onto its chassis, which made conversions very easy, and resulted in a number of cousins being produced including the British-built Bijout - but none were quite as striking as the Mehari. But the Citroën Mehari was built for the optimistic buyer. It was mechanically identical to the 2CV, but had a plastic body and no roof, so while perfect for a reliable trip to the beach, it wasn't much use for a rainy day. Fiat 850 → Fiat 850 Coupe Who doesn't love a glow-up? The Fiat 850 was first introduced in 1964 as a larger, more powerful version of the 600 which had been brought out nine years earlier. The technology in the 850 wasn't much of an upgrade, but the car was a relatively successful for small, mid-engine European cars, and it became recognisable for its soft, yet unremarkable look. This was a feature someone at Fiat clearly took issue with, as they redesigned the 850 and produced the much prettier coupe and spider models. The cute coupe was described by one car reviewer as 'one of the handsomest, best-balanced designs ever seen on a small car,' and it's rather hard to disagree. Volkswagen Beetle → Volkswagen Karmann Ghia The most produced car in history - first commissioned by arguably the worst person in history. The Beetle did indeed start life as a cheap, functional car for Germans under Nazi rule in the late 1930s, and was commissioned by Adolf Hitler. But it was resurrected by the British Army for the Allied forces occupying Germany at the end of the Second World War, and was then put into mass production with unrivalled popularity - and even underwent a rebrand as a cute, wholesome family motor. The Beetle was then given a sporty, Italian makeover by Ghia, and manufactured in Karmann, Germany, thus giving it the joined title Karmann Ghia. This stylish cousin of the Beetle debuted in 1955, and has since been regarded as one of the most beautiful cars in history. Mercedes-Benz SLK → Chrysler Crossfire Outfit change anyone? First produced in 1996, the Mercedes-Benz SLK was a successful sports offering from the German outfit, with various engine options including a fearsome 3.2 litre V6 AMG version producing 350bhp. The SLK had many incarnations before Mercedes changed its name in 2016 to the SLC, with one even having a different badge... Enter the Chrysler Crossfire, the product of a corporate merger between Mercedes and Chrysler, who became DaimlerChrysler and discontinued the original SLK model. Well, not quite. They gave it an American-style body and badge, and sold it as a Chrysler Crossfire. Sales of the model started well, but soon tanked, and the Crossfire was pulled in 2007, the same year its parent companies divorced.
