Some of the best known car brands in Australia are English, or at least in origin. While some have since been bought out by European rivals, we’re including all the brands that originated in the UK.
There are currently nine British car brands with dealerships in Australia:
- Aston Martin
- Bentley
- Ineos
- Jaguar
- Land Rover
- Lotus
- McLaren
- Mini
- Rolls-Royce
Aston Martin
The preferred brand of James Bond, Aston Martin has a reputation for luxury cars. They currently have eight cars available in Australia:
- DB12 (super tourer)
- DBX (SUV)
- Valhalla (supercar)
- Valiant (sports car)
- Valkyrie (hypercar)
- Valour (sports car)
- Vanquish (sports car)
- Vantage (sports car)
With a heavy influence from their racing days, most Aston Martins are either sports cars or sports cars that have been pushed to the limit. The self-described supercar and hypercar may look more at home on the race track, but they’re road legal as well.
Bentley
Known for class and elegance, there are three key Bentley models available. Although now owned by the German VW company, the current models retain their timeless style:
- Bentayga SUV (also available with extended wheelbase)
- Continental GT coupe (also available as a convertible)
- Flying Spur saloon
It’ll come as no surprise that Bentleys aren’t cheap. At the lower end of the scale, you’re looking at close to half a million, while the top tier option is closer to $900k (which includes almost $200k in luxury car tax).
Ineos
A lesser-known name having been founded in London in the past decade. You may recognise this 2016 brand as the sponsors of Manchester United as the founder, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, is a part-owner of the soccer club.
With the Fusilier discontinued (but available on the second-hand market), the only options for new Ineos cars are the Grenadier and the updated Grenadier Quartermaster. The original Grenadier is an SUV whereas the Quartermaster has a ute-style bed on the back.
The base driveaway price for a Grenadier Quartermaster is $90,000, but upgrades quickly take it up to $99k.
Jaguar
Jaguar is one of the most impressive brands from the UK, there are six Jaguar brands available at the moment in the SUV, sedan and sports car categories:
- E-Pace (SUV)
- F-Pace (SUV)
- F-Type (sports car)
- I-Pace (SUV)
- XE (sedan)
- XF (sedan)
Like other English carmakers, Jaguar has a rich history in the racing world, which has an obvious effect on the sporty nature of the cars.
The F-Pace and I-Pace are also available as electric versions.
Land Rover
Founded in 1948, the Land Rover is a classic name with an updated look for the 21st century. There are currently three Land Rover models available:
- Defender
- Discover
- Range Rover
Each of these is available in a number of styles, but original versions of the Defender and Range Rover will only be found on the second-hand market.
All three options are available as hybrids or electric alternatives.
Lotus
Lotus is another manufacturer born from sporting pedigree. More than 70 years old, the brand has been fine tuning its sports cars since the 1950s. It currently has three models available in Australia:
- Eletre
- Emira
- Emeya
While classics like the Lotus Elise may only be available second hand.
While lesser known than brands like Jaguar, Lotus cars are sure to turn heads in part down to that exclusivity. With driveaway prices starting at around $200k, you can be sure there won’t be too many other Lotuses on Australian roads.
McLaren
While some see McLaren as a manufacturer of sports cars, in reality they make nothing less than super cars. Low bodies, sleek lines and enviable acceleration makes these the belle of the ball. If you’re looking to buy a McLaren, these options are available new in Australia at the moment:
- 12C,
- 500S, 540C, 570GT
- 600LT, 620R, 650S, 675LT
- 720S, 750, 765LT
- Artura
- Elva
- F1
- GT, GTS
- M6GT
- P1
- Senna
- Solus
- Speedtail
- Ultimate
Before you get too excited by the wide range of incredible sports cars, the cheapest driveaway price we could find was $495k.
Mini
Unlike most other UK brands on this list, Mini don’t make luxury or sporty (or massively expensive) cars, but they focus on iconic, zippy city cars. The current line up looks like this:
- Aceman
- Countryman
- Cooper
All three are available as electric or petrol models (electric are about $15k dearer), while the Cooper can come as a 3-door, 5-door or convertible.
Rolls-Royce
When you brand name has become synonymous with being the best option available, you know you’re onto a good thing. Like the Mini, Rolls-Royce is now owned by BMW but there’s been no drop in the enormous quality. If you want to buy the Rolls-Royce of cars, you’re lucky that there are five options to pick from:
- Black Badge
- Cullinan
- Ghost
- Phantom
- Spectre
With cars, you get what you pay for. Buying the best obviously comes with a hefty price tag so look to get financing around the $1m mark (minimum) if you want to take a Rolls home.
Buying a British car in Australia
Depending on which British car you want to buy, there’s a good chance you’ll need finance to make it a reality. Ready to drive your dream car? Get in touch with us at Dealify to get the best car finance available.
