The great, good and oddball stars of a British village car show

Welcome to Hampton Village green in Middlesex, home to the annual Classics on the Green event.

The British summer went up a gear this past weekend, with heat-wave weather across most of the country. So this event was well timed, bringing a range of interesting classics to show their very best in the bright sunshine.

First up is this right-hand drive Ferrari Mondial. Also known as the last classic Ferrari Joe Public can afford. Keep clicking through the gallery because - as if to underpin the village car show's reputation for always turning up some quirks - a second, different one was also the 2018 Car of the Show.

Volvo 250 GLT

Volvo's estates may get all the plaudits, but there's nothing much wrong with this boxy but brilliant Volvo 250 GLT saloon. The baby blue Opel Kadett provides a more rakish contrast, as well as a reminder of how much quicker a car could look when equipped with chrome bumpers and a go-faster line down the side panels.

Mercedes and Ford

If you're old enough, the shapes and the colours of these two will whisk you back to a different era. The Mercedes-Benz 280 TE W123 wagon underlined its maker's reputation for building sturdy, functional but posh transport. The Ford Cortina, meanwhile, was an everyday hero - although the Ghia spec and brown/gold paintwork of this model move it upmarket.

Citroen 2CV

There's not much to look at under the bonnet of a 2CV... but that of course is the point, and the reason that the iconic car's charm remains at the forefront of people's imaginations to this day. Throughout its life, and through many iterations from 1948 to 1990, the deux chevaux charmed generations. 3.9 million were produced.

100 cars on the green

Classics on the Green has run for four years now, and has an established reputation both for the quality of cars on show and the informal and friendly nature that car owners bring to it. It also raises much-needed money for local charity - this year, the goal was to raise money to buy three defibrillators for the village.

Ford Zodiac

The Zodiac was an upmarket car of its time, and based on the Ford Zephyr. Joined by a third iteration - the Executive - this trio of cars were the largest passenger cars in Ford of Britain's range from 1950 until 1972, when they were usurped by the Ford Consul and Granada.

The popular police TV BBC programme Z-Cars (1962-78) was not named after these cars, contrary to popular belief - though they did appear extensively in the programme, giving rise to the legend. It may have given Ford ideas however; its cars were made abundantly available to later police-show productions like The Sweeney and The Professionals, to great popular effect.

Bedford van for sale

The intoxicating atmosphere of a car show can lead to many visitors being tempted to open their cheque books and get involved. And who could blame anyone for falling in love with this charming Bedford van, yours for £8,000?

Morris Minor

This Morris Minor, nicknamed Dorris, was stripped back to bare metal in 1998 and a full restoration project was begun. Powered by a 1098cc engine, Dorris is now one of the finest examples of her kind that you are likely to find in the UK.

Ford Mustang

Like many car shows, Classics on the Green asks visitors to vote for their favourite cars. From the fact that the bonnet was popped and the engine on display for much of the day, we have a hunch that this Ford Mustang owner has a good handle on what makes his masterful pony car worth voting for.

Jag, Alfa, Morris

It's a picture that encapsulates possibly the perfect crime caper, from the run-of-the-mill police car to the exotic Italian getaway car and onto the sensible but senior detective's car!

The view from behind

Fans of design will often note the cars of yesteryear were often more shapely than they are today, while modern car designers will point to improved crash regulations and the demand for more spacious vehicles as reasons why some of the charm of design has been lost.

Eclectic car collections

The word eclectic might have been invented for the village car show. Highlighting the range of cars on display - and in the foreground all of them are from the same era - was this motley collection of cars that ranged from being large and small to fast and rugged.

Ford Transit Mk1 Police van

The theme of police vehicles was strong at the show, possibly because London's Metropolitan Police used to store its collection of historic cars in Hampton until the recent closure of the local depot. Being thrown in the back of the van was, possibly, a less intimidating experience back in the day...

Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow 1

The Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow was famously held in its design phase for a decade, only making production in 1965. The wait was justified, though, with production then continuing until 1980. Even so, the firm had a near miss when someone checked how the car's original name - the Silver Mist - translated into German. Mist sounds like the German word for rubbish, and a hasty rethink was called for.

Daimler Sovereign

Look closely at this Daimler Sovereign and you'll see its so-called 'Daimler Passport' in the window. It dates back to 1973 when the car was first sold. It has only done 76,000 miles since and today is up for sale again - having been lovingly maintained by its current owner for five years. Offers in the region of £26,000 will secure it.

Corvette C5 & Morgan

One of the great things about car shows like this is the interesting combinations - in this case one of the most celebrated blue collar American sports cars, next to a very aristocratic Morgan.

Chevrolet Corvette C5

The Corvette C5 was built to turn heads from 1997 to 2005, powered by a 5.7-litre V8. Although not the main focus in a car like this, the footnotes of the car's history detail the breakthrough engineers had in upping this fifth-generation car's fuel economy to an almost respectable 30mpg.

Aston Martin V8 Vantage

This Aston Martin V8 Vantage stands as being one of the most beautiful designs of the modern era. A new car has been launched this year, and moves this classic shape into a new, and some might say brasher, era.

Ferrari Mondial T

We told you there was a second right-hand-drive Ferrari Mondial run here. The Mondial T was the last mid-engined four-seater ever made by Ferrari and introduced two new pieces of tech for Ferrari, electronically adjustable shock absorbers and power steering. This car has just 51,000 miles on the clock - and an MG F and VW Golf GTI for company.

A different era

And if the moderns weren't to your taste, you could swivel 180 degrees and transport yourself to a different era. Certainly the styling trends have evolved over the decades.

Something for everyone

Something for everyone: the Modern Classics category at UK car shows is well known for throwing up every style of car you can imagine - and Hampton didn't disappoint. Our eye was driven to the lime green Honda Insight, very much a car ahead of its time with its breakthrough eco credentials. This example is currently for sale for around £4000.

Chevrolet Nomad

Just look at the styling of the front and rear of this, the Chevrolet Nomad. This station wagon model was made from 1955 to 1972, and is best remembered in its two-door form. It was considered a halo model during its three-year production as a two-door station wagon, underlining just what an upmarket car it was in its time. Considering it's a model from a mainstream company that sold in large numbers in its day, they are valuable today, with well preserved examples selling for well north of US$100,000 (£75,000) stateside.

BMWs

Can it be coincidence that the BMW Z8 on the right - now a hugely collectable car worth upwards of £200,000 - is beside a car with 'Spy' as part of the numberplate? We think not, recalling the Z8's role as the hero's wheels in the James Bond film The World Is Not Enough.

Derby Bentley

This 3.5-litre Derby Bentley (right) dates from March 1934, and boasts a two-door Sports Tourer Special body built by Vanden Plas. This car has had a varied life, spending 50 years in the UK, a decade in the US and then returning to the UK again, owned by an engineer for the Benetton Formula 1 team. This concours standard car scooped a best in show prize.