ever because issue one of car express hit the shelves on 23 September 1988, its cover emblazoned with an special photo of the boxy new Rover saloon, the magazine has developed its credibility on being first for news, evaluations and extensive road tests.
But after 25 years of beating the competition to the punch, what are the scoops that truly stand out? These are the stories of which we’re many proud; exclusives for which we stayed up late, went the extra mile and, in some cases, risked imprisonment to bring you the lowdown on the cars and trucks you truly care about.
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Bentley Continental GT (Issue 695)
The Continental GT is a common sight today in affluent towns and Premiership football club automobile parks, but in March 2002 it was top secret. As a smaller, much more ‘affordable’ Bentley, it was revolutionary for the high-end brand – so when we exposed the coupe and flying Spur saloon, it was a story that rocked the motoring world. It began with an anonymous phone call.
The man on the line declared he had undisguised shots of the new Bentley, and would hand them over for the best price. When our accounts department refused to supply a number of thousand pounds in a brown envelope, the chairman of our publishing company stepped in to release the funds.