Hasta La Ideas

Why Not Associates is behind the design of six new stamps for Royal Mail which feature a series of British classic cars from the 1960s and 70s…

The cars for the British Auto Legends ‘Thoroughbreds’ set were sourced from various collectors from all over the UK, and photographed last year by James Mann, a specialist in car photography, in a studio in Clapham in London.

“A new car arrived each day, normally accompanied by their owner,” explains Why Not’s Andy Altmann of the shoot. “They were all in perfect condition. It was quite worrying driving the cars into the studio, as when the ‘white cove’ is lit you lose perception of where the walls are!”

Despite the dangers of negotiating the studio space, Mann came up with six great portraits of a 1961 Jaguar E-Type; a 1962 MG MGB; a 1963 Aston Martin DB5; a 1965 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow; a 1968 Morgan Plus 8; and a 1976 Lotus Esprit.

“The Lotus was cool, probably my favourite,” says Altmann. “It had a red and green tartan interior and orange shag-pile carpet!

“The guy who owned it was from my home town of Warrington and he told me his mother used to date George Best – my all time hero. It was easy to imagine George at the wheel of such a statement, but I’m not sure if he ever owned one.”

The stamps are available now from the Royal Mail.