Well that’s it, winter is officially upon us. How do we know? Is there perhaps a bit of a chill in the air? Have we had to relent and turn the heating on? Nope. The clocks have gone back. Along with being a classic small talk starter here in Blighty, the end of British Summer Time last night means we all got an extra hour in bed. Rejoice! Unless you forgot, which is highly likely. Anyway, to mark the occasion we thought we’d turn not just our clocks back, but our minds, too, to a time when cars were, well, better.

In the words of one of the great philosophers of our time: “If I could turn back time, if I could find a way, I’d take back those modern cars that have hurt you and buy you a classic instead”. OK, so we’re paraphrasing a little bit there but it turns out you can actually turn back time as we’re about to show you with these classic alternatives to five of the newest models, picked at random, that some of the big auto makers are currently churning out.

Ford Capri

Our thoughts on the new Capri have been well documented but suffice to say they’re not particularly positive, so instead of buying what is essentially the fully electric love child of a Ford Explorer and a VW ID5 with no redeeming features whatsoever, we think you should buy a classic model instead. Personally we’d go for a Mk III 2.8 Injection because power and reliability but there really isn’t a wrong choice when it comes to classic Capris. From pretty little Mk Is to rip roaring RS3100s there really is a Capri for everyone.

This low mileage, ’85 2.8i Special looks great with its full Essex-spec white paint job and is wonderfully original, which is pretty key when it comes to these cars. Drive it ‘as is’ or treat it as a gentle rolling resto project and bring it back to its full, former ’80s glory. Wayfarers and rolled up jacket sleeves are optional. Being the Special means it has the seven spoke RS wheels and a limited slip diff too, which is good, because skids. You will have to provide your own wall of empty cardboard boxes though.

Land Rover Defender OCTA

Marketed as “the ultimate Defender” and “the fastest and most powerful Defender yet” we can’t help but feel like Land Rover is missing the point a bit with its latest Defender OCTA. The defender was never about speed and power, it was about rugged capability. It was that utilitarian, drive anywhere and get sh*t done mentality that endeared the original Series Landies to so many people, ourselves included.

This new model just feels like another in a long line of posh Chelsea Tractors for middle class bragging rights at the school pick up instead of a tool that’s going to get you where you need to go, whether that be to Sainsbury’s for the weekly shop with the kids and dogs in tow or to the top of a mountain.

So with that in mind we think it’s a much better idea to grab a classic Defender, like this fully restored, matching numbers ’56 Series I for instance. Whether you’re a collector or you’re after one of the smartest Series Is to hit the market in recent years, you could do a lot worse. And yes, it will get you to that summit we just mentioned without fear of getting mud all over that plush new OCTA interior.

MG Cyberster

Once a bastion of beautifully styled, iconic sportsters, MG haven’t made anything decent since the Z cars back in the early 2000s, but has the iconic British brand (now owned by the Chinese…) returned to form with the Cyberster? Well, aside from the frankly terrible name there’s no denying that the new fully electric MG roadster is a bit of a looker, at least compared to the slew of fugly SUVs the company has been churning out recently. The trouble is, it falls a little too flat for our liking.

Don’t get us wrong, it’s perfectly quick enough and has all the bells and whistles one would expect from a brand new EV but it’s missing the character and soul of those iconic sports cars from the ’60s. Inspired by the legendary MGB, calling the Cyberster anything but is a bit of a stretch. It lacks the tractability and visceral appeal of the B and at the best part of sixty grand it’s a hell of a lot more expensive too. Personally we’d pick up a decent MGB and pocket the rest. It may not be as fast but it’ll be inherently more engaging and you can spend all the cash you’ve saved on a Midget as a track toy.

This gorgeous Snowberry White Roadster has just recently been treated to £8,000 worth of mechanical refurbishment making it a turn key classic MG that’s ready to be enjoyed straight away.

Renault 5

OK, full disclosure. As far as brand new EVs go, the new Renault 5 E-Tech is one of the better efforts we’ve seen. It looks good and it’s affordable, BUT, Renault’s return to the supermini isn’t exactly mini. The original Renault 5 measured just 3.5m by 1.5m and weighed in at a paltry 700-ish kg, meaning it was eminently chuckable and an absolute bundle of joy to pilot – we’re not just talking about the turbo version either. The E-Tech comes in at 4m long and 1.8m wide and weighs almost 1.5 tonnes!

It’s for this reason alone that you should pick up a classic Renault 5 – for the pure enjoyment of throwing it around with wanton abandon. And yes, in this instance we are talking about the forced induction version, for maximum spooly satisfaction. This wholly original two-owner GT Turbo looks decent and was treated to a full mechanical overhaul in 2021. It also has a “flawless undercarriage” according to the ad, and let’s be honest, who doesn’t want that?

Volvo EX90

It was a sad day when Volvo recently announced that it wouldn’t be making any more estate cars. What we get instead is tanks like the new fully electric EX90, which is a premium 7-seater SUV, apparently. Yawn. Gone are the days of the turbo brick but the mental image of Rickard Rydell going hell for leather in an 850 estate in the British Touring Car Championship in the mid ’90s is as fresh today as it was back then so fear not, because there are plenty of loony load luggers to choose from right here on Car & Classic.

This 240bhp 850R may need a little TLC when it comes to the finish but that’s nothing a bit of detailing and paint correction can’t sort. There’s no rust due to it being a Japanese import and it’ll safely relocate your old fridge to the tip in less time than it takes to say: “What the hell does bi-directional charging capabilities mean?”. It’s a damn sight cheaper, too. And cooler.