The Car's the Star

The first in a series on past cars that have gained icon status looks at the Ford Zephyr which in the 1950s and 60s gave British car buyers American-style glitz at a price they could afford. Quentin Willson tells the story of Britain's most successful big car with the help of those who bought it, designed it and still cherish it now that it has found a place in the hall of motor car fame.

The combination of Italian styling, American V8 power and British craftsmanship made the Interceptor the car that every fashion-conscious celebrity wanted to own back in the 60s. Quentin Willson traces the story of this international style icon, born and bred in the back streets of West Bromwich, and interviews some of the stars who helped make it famous.

Variously known as a "poached egg on wheels" and a "mobile bathtub", the Austin Allegro gets the star treatment this week. Some people think the "all-aggro" was one of the worst cars ever to be made, yet there is now an owners' club full of enthusiasts. Quentin Willson gets behind the infamous square steering wheel to find out why.

Bigger was always better in 50s America, especially when it came to cars. The massive '59 Cadillac was General Motors' ultimate land-based rocket ship and the symbol for that decade of style decadence. With its42-inch fins and impressive dimensions, the '59 Cadillac oozed wealth, self-confidence and unchallenged power. Quentin Willson travels to Los Angeles to chart the life of the car once described as "Jayne Mansfield in metal".

France's most famous design after the Eiffel Tower has been called "the most modern car ever" and the French called it the "goddess". Quentin Willson drives the car whose avant-garde lines took France by storm in 1955 and meets some of its passionate fans, including May to December star Anton Rodgers and former Cabinet minister Alan Clark.

As American as blue jeans, the original 1964 Mustang seduced an entire generation of American car buyers who were fed up with their parents' big land yachts. Quentin Willson travels to the West Coast to meet some of those for whom a 64 Mustang is still the car to be seen in on California's highways.