The man who owns 400 cars

When Rodger Dudding bought an almost-new Jensen FF back in 1968, little did he know that half a century later he would still own it.

Along with two more, plus more than 400 other classic cars and around 65 motorbikes. Buying whatever takes his fancy, Rodger has built up what he claims is the biggest car collection in the UK.

Called Studio 434 it's not open to the public, but cars from the collection can be seen on the big and small screen most nights of the week, hired out to productions. Autocar got the chance to look around the incredible hoard of rarities. Let’s take a look at the highlights:

Rodger Dudding

Here's the man himself. Now aged 81, he owns 14,000 lock-up garages in the midlands and the south east of England - and he's still buying classic cars to add to his collection.

Aston Martin Lagondas

Just 645 Williams Towns-Designed Lagondas were made and Rodger owns 24 of them – or 4% of total production. The cache includes two of the four long-wheelbase cars made - one with left-hand drive and one with right.

AC 378 Zagato

Fully driveable and unveiled at the 2012 Geneva motor show, the AC 378 GT Zagato prototype packs a 434bhp 6.2-litre V8 so there's no shortage of go. Sadly the project didn't go anywhere though; when the 378 was unveiled AC reckoned punters would be able to buy one for £90k, but the car remained a one-off.

Ferrari 246 ‘Dino’

One of 11 Ferraris in the Dudding collection, this Dino is Rodger's favorite Prancing Horse of all. To acquire the Dino Rodger had to buy the entire collection from the widow of a friend who died - of the half-dozen cars this was the only one that he was really keen to buy.

Military Austin Seven

The first purpose-built military scout cars were based on Austin Sevens, like this 1929 example. It's not known how many were made, but of those that were, most were issued to the Royal Artillery to allow Battery Commanders to move between observation points.

Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia

Everybody knows the Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia, which came about when Italian design house Ghia came up with its own set of clothes for VW's infamous Bug and Karmann then went on to build it. That car was known as the Type 14, but this is the much rarer Type 34, based on the VW 1500. Just 42,000 of these were made compared with around 450,000 Type 14s.

Pedal cars

Rodger doesn't just collect full-size cars - he's also got cabinets crammed with models and dotted among his rows of real cars are lots of pedal cars. These include a Jaguar XK120, Aston Martin DB5 and these two Austin J40s - which are now more valuable than many full-size Austins.

Zagato Zele

It's taken a long time for the electric car to become mainstream and it's not hard to see why when you see what was on offer nearly 50 years ago. This was Zagato's contender, the (not) fast, sporty and luxurious Zele which was produced between 1974 and 1976. Bizarrely, the car was officially available in the UK through Tony Crook, the owner of Bristol Cars.

Nissan Figaro

It would be easy to dismiss the Figaro as little more than a Nissan Micra in drag, but these retro-styled two-seaters have a huge cult following and are very sought after as a result. Just over 20,000 were built, all with lashings of equipment, a steering wheel on the right and a turbocharged 1.0-litre four-cylinder engine.

48-cylinder Kawasaki

As well as his 420 cars, Rodger also has around 65 motorcycles in his collection. Some are rare and some are less so - and then there's this unique 48-cylinder Kawasaki. Despite the huge cylinder count the total displacement is just 4.2 litres - and because there's a separate 75cc single-cylinder engine required to start the main powerplant, it's really a 49-cylinder Kawasaki.

Jensen FF

One of three FFs that Rodger now owns, an FF was also the first collector's car that he acquired. Fully restored and still in his collection, that FF was completely restored in the early 1990s. Each FF has a 6.3-litre Chrysler V8 and four-wheel drive, plus mechanical anti-lock brakes developed by Dunlop.

Jensen Interceptor

Everyone knows the Vignale-styled Interceptor that arrived in 1966; Rodger owns several of them. He also owns one of these much rarer original Interceptors, launched in 1949. Just 32 of these four-seater convertibles were made, each powered by the 4.0-litre straight-six more usually seen in an Austin Princess limousine that was current between 1947 and 1956.

Lightning GT

When it was unveiled at the 2008 British Motor Show there were great hopes that Britain could lead the world when it came to high-performance electric cars. But after the 402bhp prototype was shown it all went quiet. Rodger now owns that car, but Lightning reckons it's still in with a chance of putting the GT into production. They’d better get a move on.

AC Ace Brooklands

It was the car that led to AC's bankruptcy in 2000. First shown in 1991 as a prototype, the Brooklands entered production in 1993 but AC went belly up in 1996. With new owners, a redesigned Ace appeared in 1997, now with rectangular headlights instead of round. Just 46 of the original car were built; along with a mere 12 of the later model.

Jensen GT

The Jensen-Healey Roadster that was produced between 1972 and 1976 is pretty well known, but much more obscure is this 2+2 shooting brake that was built for just six months before Jensen went bust in 1976. Just 500 or so were made, each mechanically identical to the Roadster; Rodger owns three of them.

Towns Hustler

Perhaps it should come as no surprise that Rodger owns a Hustler - just like the Lagonda it was designed by Williams Towns (1936-1993). Rodger's Hustler has six wheels; some got only four. Around 500 Hustlers were made, with Towns offering a dozen different variations on the theme. One had a Jaguar V12 but Rodger's has a BMC 1275cc A-Series engine.

Rolls-Royce Camargue

Designed by Pininfarina on an off day, the Camargue was a two-door coupé based on the contemporary Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow. The most expensive production car available when it was launched, the Camargue looked like an overgrown Fiat 130 coupé yet it cost as much as a house to buy. No wonder just 531 were made.

Triumph Stags

Between 1970 and 1977 just 25,000 or so Triumph Stags were built. Known in period as the Snag, on account of its numerous engine problems (it was fitted with a 3.0-litre V8 unique to this car), the cars can now be made to run reliably. Which Rodger is no doubt relieved about  - he owns eight of them.

Jensen 541

Rodger owns a huge array of Jensens but one of the prettiest is this 541, built in 1956. First shown with a steel body in 1953, by the time production started two years later the 541 featured a glassfibre body with power supplied by a triple-carb 4.0-litre straight-six borrowed from the Austin A135 Princess.

Ford Classic Capri

With their trans-Atlantic styling the Ford Consul Classic and Capri didn't prove popular with British buyers and few of these cars are now left. While the Classic was a family saloon in two- or four-door forms, the Capri was a more rakish two-door coupé. Rodger has two Capris including this unique convertible edition with no weather protection whatsoever. Perfect for the British climate!

Jowett Javelin

In the pre-war years Jowett built cars that were simple but tough. Then in 1947 it introduced the advanced Javelin family saloon with six seats, a flat-four engine, torsion-bar suspension and an aerodynamic body. But the car was unreliable with engines and gearboxes self-destructing all too quickly - leading directly to the company going belly up in 1954. The model does at least have an active owners’ club to this day. 

Austin Seven White Rabbit

This supercharged single-seater was campaigned between the early 1930s and 1963 when it then disappeared from view. For nearly half a century it languished in various sheds and barns awaiting restoration, then in 2010 it was finally overhauled before Rodger bought it at auction in 2012. He had no idea of its history though - he just liked the look of it.

Ford Granada Mk2

The Granada Mk2 is a throwback to the days in the early 1980s when Rover, Ford and Vauxhall were in a pitched battle to sell as many executive cars in Europe as they could - while Audi, BMW and Mercedes barely figured in the sales charts. The Granada was the daddy of them all, and this one is the most luxurious of all - a 2.8i Ghia X with all the trimmings.

Daimler SP250

For years the Daimler SP250 was out in the wilderness, but these V8-powered sports cars have become hot property in recent years. The glassfibre may have challenging styling but with just 2654 examples made, demand now massively outstrips supply.

DeLorean DMC-12

One day somebody will make a film about the extraordinary life of John Z DeLorean (1925-2005)  and in particular the gripping saga that was the DMC-12 story. About 9000 of these gull-winged stainless steel-bodied cars were made and it’s reckoned that about two-thirds still exist, each powered by a 2849cc V6.

Austin-Healey 3000

The quintessential British sports car, the big Healey was the result of a tie up between Austin boss Leonard Lord (1896-1967) and Donald Healey (1898-1988). The latter showed a prototype roadster at the 1952 London motor show and when the former saw it he realised it was just what was needed to inject some glamour into a dowdy model range. The car proved a massive hit, especially in the US, with production running between 1953 and 1968.

TVR and Land Rover

Proving that Rodger buys cars from all points on the spectrum, here we've got a TVR Tuscan Speed six alongside a Land Rover Series 1. Both British, one car was perfect for green-laning at walking pace while the other was better suited to crossing continents at huge speed. We'll leave you to guess which is which.

Jensen SV8

With so many Jensens in his collection it makes sense for Rodger to have one of the very last cars to bear the name (he actually owns two). First shown at the 1998 British Motor Show, the SV8 quickly ran into problems and just 20 were made before the project was sold on to SV Automotive which built another dozen cars. This is one of those later SV8s.

Lagonda Rapide

As a die-hard Aston Martin Lagonda fan, Rodger just had to buy one of these original Lagonda four-door saloons. Just 55 Rapides were built between 1961 and 1964, each one fitted with Aston's 4.0-litre straight-six. It was the same engine that the DB5 used and thanks to low values for years, many Rapides were broken for their running gear. Now these cars have become very collectible and vales have risen accordingly.

Maserati Quattroportes

Rodger isn't afraid to add multiples to his collection - he's got plenty of pairs and triplets, partly because he buys stuff without knowing what he's already got. This is a pair of fifth-generation Quattroportes, current from 2003 until 2012.

BMW 8 Series and 6 Series

It's been a long time coming, but at last the original BMW 8 Series is starting to become rather desirable. These svelte coupés with V8 or V12 power first hit the road in 1989 and production lasted for a decade. Next to the 8 Series is an original 6 Series. All of these coupés featured a straight-six with this one being an unusual entry-level 628 CSi edition; most were range-topping 635 CSi models.

Bentleys

Who doesn't love a Bentley? Rodger's got 22 of them, from a 1923 3-Litre to this 2008 Continental GTC. Along the way he's also got a slew of Arnages, Continentals (R, T, SC), an Azure and various variations on the Turbo R theme.

Mercedes 250 SE

Rodger owns just five Mercedes; two R107 SLs, a Pagoda SL, an E55 AMG and this - a 250SE from 1967. Part of the W108 S-Class range launched in 1965, this saloon is one of the more affordable variants. More collectible are the coupé and cabriolet, while there were also 280 and 300 versions with bigger engines

A varied collection

If ever you needed proof that Rodger's collection is utterly unpredictable, this one picture just sums things up. On the left is a Lotus Elise S1, flanked by a Triumph Vitesse, original Aston Martin Vanquish and a Skoda Felicia Fun. Rodger buys what he likes...

Lanchester LD10

A rather obscure classic this one, in a highly unusual colour scheme. Despite the bright hues the Lanchester was a heavy car with rather stunted performance as a result. But it was advanced for its time with its coil-spring independent front suspension and an overhead-valve engine. The first cars were sold in 1946 and 579 were sold before production was wound up in 1951.

Mercedes-Benz SL

The original Mercedes SL, the gull-winged 300SL, was out of reach for most. Merc's plan with that car's replacement was to make the car more accessible by building in much greater numbers - although the 'Pagoda' was still pretty exclusive. The first cars got a 2.3-litre straight-six (as shown here); later came a 2.5-litre unit then a 2.8-litre.

Jaguar E-Type

There were three generations of E-Type with the first cars featuring enclosed headlights like this one here. That marks it out as a Series 1 and in particular one of the later 4.2-litre editions (earlier cars got a 3.8-litre engine). As a result, this is one of the most sought after of the numerous E-Type models

Rover P6

The first ever European Car of the Year, the P6 was incredibly forward-thinking in its design, engineering and construction when it burst onto the scene in 1963. It was a complete departure for a British company that until now was seen as the epitome of conservatism - and things got even more exciting when the legendary 3.5-litre V8 became an option.

Lamborghini Countach

Fewer than 2000 Countaches were built in a production run that stretched from 1974 right the way through to 1990, when the Diablo took over. Values of these cars have gone wild in recent years, with early cars becoming especially collectible as they're so unusual. The later cars like this Anniversary are more numerous though.

MGB

Proving that Rodger is happy to add mainstream classics to his collection, among all of the exotica and rarities is perhaps the most accessible British sports car ever made - the MGB. This one is the most sought after of the breed as it’s a chrome-bumpered roadster; the later rubber-bumpered cars have less of a following, a change forced by US regulations that were applied globally to the range to save money.

Jaguar XK150

Jaguar wowed the crowds at the 1948 Earls Court motor show in London with the XK120, which was developed into the XK140 before becoming the XK150 in 1955. It would be the final evolution of the XK breed before the E-Type took over in 1961. All XKs and the initial E-Types would be powered by the legendary XK straight-six engine.

Lotus Europa

When it arrived in 1966 the Europa was supposed to replace the Seven, but that car soldiered on with Lotus until 1973, when Caterham took over. Meanwhile, the Europa was built until 1975, initially with a mid-mounted Renault 16 engine and gearbox (as seen here), then from 1971 Lotus fitted its own 1588cc twin-cam four-pot. Rodger has a twin-cam Europa too of course.

Citroen DS

Even now the Citroen DS looks futuristic, but when it was first unveiled in 1955 it must have looked as though the Martians had landed. The DS remained in production right the way up to 1975, by which point it had received a new nose design with faired-in headlights. Rodger owns three of these later saloons - along with one of the very rare, desirable and valuable decapotable (convertible) models.

Maserati Merak

Maserati launched the V8-powered Bora in 1971; a year later the V6-engined Merak went on sale using much the same bodyshell and structure. Between 1972 and 1983 Maserati built 1140 Meraks; this is one of the last cars made and it's to SS spec which means it gets extra power (220bhp instead of 190bhp).

Aston Martin Vantage

The ultimate incarnation of the unloved Virage, the Vantage came with a 550bhp supercharged V8 that also developed 550lb ft of torque. Later there would be a V600 edition with a ludicrous 600bhp but Rodger's isn't one of those - it's the lowly 550bhp model.

Aston Martin V8 Zagato Volante

Aston Martin's association with Zagato had started in 1961, but it would be another 25 years before there was an encore. While just 19 DB4 GT Zagatos were made in the early 1960s, in the eighties 52 V8 coupés were built along with 37 convertibles. The car pictured is one of the latter.

Messerschmitt KR200

One of the most recognisable bubble cars, the Messerschmitt KR200 offered seating for two, one in front of the other. The plastic canopy guaranteed an unbearably hot cabin when the sun came out, but to counter this a cabriolet version was offered - the KR201.

Austin A40 Somerset

Part of the Austin 'Counties' range that also included the  A40 Dorset, A40 Devon, A70 Hampshire and A70 Hereford, the smaller-engined A40 Somerset came in saloon and convertible forms with a 1.2-litre engine. If you can find a classic car that's more quintessentially British we'd love to see it.

Trojan

After World War Two, German warplane manufacturer Heinkel found itself at a loose end so it moved into making bikes and scooters before then switching to microcars in 1956. Its Kabine initially featured a 174cc single-cylinder engine but this was soon enlarged to 204cc. From 1960 the Kabine was made under license by British company Trojan, as seen here with this 1964 example.

Lotus M250

Launched at the 1999 Frankfurt motor show, the M250 was a non-running mock-up that showed what a more usable fixed-head Elise 2+2 might look like. Lotus got as far as taking deposits but then returned them to its customers, having undertaken a feasibility study which showed that the project wasn't viable.

Morris Minor

Of all the cars in Rodger's collection, this is the one that he wouldn't ever part with. Bought new by his father in 1955, when he died it was willed to Rodger's sister. But Rodger wasn't going to let anybody else get their hands on it - so he bought his sister a new car instead, and added the Minor to his collection.