| The World Of Modified Cars - A Brief History | | | | tuned high-performance cars were growing older |
| Tracing the rise of the British modified car and | | | | and settling down. Cosworths were traded in for |
| associated cruise scene back to its roots has | | | | Mondeos, and thousands of modified cars were |
| always been the source of much debate. Many | | | | scrapped or dismantled for parts. |
| would point back to the original vintage and classic | | | | It is difficult to say exactly when it happened but |
| car rallies of the 50's and 60's. Others make | | | | to make matters worse, by 2002 the market |
| reference to the legendary Ace Cafe London to | | | | was flooded with cheaply made bolt-on parts. The |
| Brighton cruise, an event synonymous with classic | | | | shift in spending from tuning to styling parts |
| motorcyclists. The notorious hot rod scene also | | | | meant that the products in demand were now |
| argues a strong case, in fact many popular | | | | less complex to manufacture. As a result, |
| modifications derive from that era. It all depends | | | | hundreds of businesses in the UK started |
| how far you want to go back in time, perhaps to | | | | importing directly from factories in China. |
| the point from which you hold the fondest | | | | Everyone was copying products from someone |
| memories. Everybody of course, has their own | | | | else, and with more and more consumers buying |
| view. | | | | goods from eBay, quality stepped down and price |
| Most of us however would agree that the birth of | | | | became king. |
| the modified car world as we know it today, truly | | | | If ever the industry has experienced a 'dark time', |
| began in the early eighties. Iconic car launches | | | | this was certainly it. Droves of retailers closed |
| including the MK1 Golf GTi, the Escort RS Turbo, | | | | their doors, and British product manufacturers |
| the Renault 5 GT Turbo and the Peugeot 205 GTi | | | | slashed their product development budgets or |
| created a market of dedicated followers with a | | | | even went out of business. Never was this more |
| passion for performance cars that would last a | | | | poignant than in 2006 when the UK's biggest |
| lifetime. | | | | performance exhaust brand Magnex ceased |
| In the late eighties and early nineties these cars | | | | trading. To the modified car scene this was the |
| were joined by a new raft of Japanese imports, | | | | equivalent of losing Woolworths from the British |
| fuelling demand and raising the profile of the scene | | | | high street, and although the brand is thankfully |
| even further. Honda, Toyota, Nissan and Subaru | | | | now under new ownership, it proves how difficult |
| sold the Civic, Supra, Skyline and Impreza in huge | | | | a period the industry had suffered. |
| volumes, in many ways repairing some of the | | | | The Road To Recovery |
| damage caused by years of lacklustre models and | | | | At the time of writing, the modified car scene is |
| shoddy reliability. European manufacturers | | | | still in troubled waters but despite being in the |
| responded to the Japanese influx with a wave of | | | | midst of a global recession, we're beginning to see |
| iconic motors including the BMW M3 E36, the | | | | positive signs of recovery,. We're also seeing |
| Peugeot 306 GTi-6, the Renault Clio Williams, the | | | | further changes in buying habits. Whilst the |
| Vauxhall Calibra Turbo and the Volkswagen | | | | market is still very styling-orientated, demand for |
| Corrado VR6. Thousands of former petrol heads | | | | high quality parts is growing. Despite the fact that |
| look back at this era with affection, and good | | | | pre-modified cars such as the Corsa VXR, Civic |
| examples of such models still attract high prices. | | | | Type-R and Focus ST are growing in popularity |
| 'Boy Racer' Culture | | | | and diminishing the need for aftermarket |
| At the turn of the century, the scene was | | | | modifications, sales of premium styling parts from |
| changing once again. Modified cars were getting | | | | quality manufacturers such as Lumma, Team |
| wilder, budgets were becoming more flamboyant | | | | Dynamics and Momo are on the increase. |
| and the target market was getting younger. 'Chav | | | | Product development is back in full swing, and it is |
| culture' had well and truly taken over, re-igniting | | | | interesting to note that many parts are now being |
| the rise of the 'boy racer'. The scene was awash | | | | developed for brand new models such as the |
| with negative publicity, police intervention and | | | | Suzuki Swift, the new Corsa D and surprisingly, |
| cruising crackdowns but despite this, the modified | | | | for prestige models including the BMW M6 and |
| car business was at its peak. Industry leading | | | | Porsche Cayenne. This may be in response to the |
| magazines such as Max Power and Fast Car were | | | | previous credit boom that granted mass access |
| reporting record sales, and body shops and tuning | | | | to newer, more expensive cars, or even due to |
| centres had never had it so good. Following the | | | | the credit crunch, with owners choosing to modify |
| release of cult film The Fast And The Furious, and | | | | their cars as an alternative to replacing them. |
| console games such as Need For Speed, as dusk | | | | So What Now? |
| fell in every major town, cruisers could be seen | | | | Whatever the reason, the market is changing. |
| prowling the streets in greater and greater | | | | Styling parts are becoming more subtle and are |
| numbers. | | | | being manufactured to a higher standard. |
| Ironically, due to the dramatic rise in insurance and | | | | European models, particularly German, are back in |
| fuel costs, or possibly because modified car fans | | | | favour and sales of mild tuning parts such as |
| were getting younger, engine sizes were actually | | | | braking and suspension components are |
| getting smaller. Despite the fact that many | | | | recovering. Customers are now getting a better |
| enthusiasts were still driving powerful motors such | | | | deal, not by sacrificing quality but by shortening |
| as the Saxo VTS or Leon Cupra R, cars such as | | | | the supply chain. The industry is getting leaner, |
| the Corsa C, Fiesta Zetec and Polo MK4 were | | | | meaner and is growing in confidence, and that is |
| becoming immensely popular. | | | | definitely a good thing. |
| Challenging Times | | | | I believe the modified car scene is preparing itself |
| This trend brought with it a massive shift in | | | | for another revolution. Quite where we'll end up |
| consumer spending. Whilst the styling market had | | | | remains to be seen but it's fair to say there are |
| never been so lucrative, the tuning sector was | | | | some interesting times ahead, and that the world |
| almost grinding to a halt. Older enthusiasts who | | | | of custom cars is still well and truly alive. |
| could afford the insurance and running costs of | | | | |