Daniel ML

Express Yourself 2.8 M52-swapped E30 ‘Don’t go for second best, baby.’ That’s what Madonna told us back in 1989 – and thanks to a smart M52 swap and some clever personal touches, she might as well have been singing about this very car… Words: Daniel Bevis Photos: Adam Rous.

Air-Ride E9 3.0 CS Stunning classic build. Just because a car’s obscure, that doesn’t make it untouchable. And anyone who has beef with the idea of modifying a rare classic would do well to take a lesson from Alexander Steffen: he built this menacing low-down cruiser to fulfil a long-held dream, and there are few stronger justifications than that… Words: Daniel Bevis Photos: Tony and Carmen Matthews.

Surrounded by fancy pipes in Longlife Caerphilly’s shadowy workshop, Jake Bajai’s 1 Series cuts quite a dash. And with this unique custom ride, the shiny stainless steel is just one element of an ambitious and colourful dream… Words: Daniel Bevis. Photos: Andrew Thompson.

This car should have been a sensible daily driver. That was Stacy Brown’s original plan for it, merely a replacement for the old daily. But when you accidentally bid on a retro purple sports car, ‘sensible’ goes out of the window…Words: Daniel Bevis. Photos: Original Persona.

Homebuilt hero: Escort Estate From wreck to stunning showstopper. The first thing that strikes you about this Imperial Blue estate is that the finish is utterly flawless. But there’s far more to this Escort than a minty-fresh paintjob… Words Daniel Bevis. Photos Rob Schaverien.

Space Opel Kadett. When it rolled out of the factory several decades ago, this Opel Kadett B was a sensible little family car. But today, with a stratospheric 1,350bhp and a penchant for wheelies, the transformation is out of this world… Words Dan Bevis. Photos Patrik Karlsson.

The Ferrari 458’s F136 engine is one of the all-time great naturally aspirated V8s. So what happens when you bolt on a couple of turbos? Well, the results are pretty crazy… Words: Daniel Bevis. Photography: Larry Chen.

2002 Touring treat Grand design. When it comes to affairs of the heart, logic and rationality take a back seat. Paul Howse may design McLarens for a living but, as Dan Bevis discovers, there’s nowhere he’d rather be than in an old BMW… Photos: Alex Lawrence.

Earning your stripes. Supercharged E36 M3 Cab AC Schnitzer-clad retro cab The iconic AC Schnitzer pinstripes are a clear sign of a BMW that’s a cut above. But there’s far more to this M3’s story than those decals alone… Words: Daniel Bevis. Photos: Viktor Benyi.