Ian motoring ahead in search for Yugos

It was a car designed by workers in the depths of Communist Yugoslavia by a former weapons manufacturer.

Now a Black Country-based classic car enthusiast is leading a search for the last remaining examples of the vehicle on Britain's roads.

Car rental firm vehicle inspector Ian Macaulay, from Brierley Hill, first developed a passion for cars from a bygone age through quintessential British classics like Morris Minors and MG Midgets.

But with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, his hobby heralded a new dawn with an influx of Soviet and Communist-made vehicles.

Famous brands like Russian Ladas, Czech Skodas and Polish made FSOs were being imported in greater and greater numbers for British motorists keen on cheaper alternatives.

But it was one car which caught Mr Macaulay's eye – the Yugoslavian produced Zastava-Yugo.

"It was quirky and different compared to everything on the roads at the time and especially classic British cars," he says. "I'd always had a passion for other British cars but

I was intrigued by these Eastern European cars obviously because they were less well known and seemed interesting." Mr Macaulay, aged 53, already owned an East German Trabant made in 1989.

But after a private collector based in Penzance, Cornwall, decided to sell his Yugo, Mr Macaulay jumped at the chance to bring it up to the Black Country.

He paid £650 for the car three years ago but says he had to spend even more on renovations. The model is a Yugo 311 three door 1100cc built in 1983. It has covered just 24,000 miles and Mr Macaulay believes it is one of just seven surviving vehicles, only five of which are currently on the road.

Around 70,000 Yugos of all types were exported to the UK from the former Yugoslavia between 1981 and 1993.

According to the latest figures obtained from the DVLA there are now 118 Yugos of every model on its database with just 54 currently in use on British roads.

Around 12 months ago, Mr Macaulay joined forces with another Yugo enthusiast Phil Dust, from Staffordshire, to form the Zastava-Yugo Club UK in its honour.

The club boasts 26 members who collectively own around 40 cars. Mr Macaulay also helps edit its quarterly magazine snappily called 'Yugo Your Way' and run the website www.zastava-yugo.co.uk

New members are welcome with the club particularly interested in tracing the owner of a Yugo seen in the Dudley borough.

"Clearly similar vehicles exist which are not yet known to the club and this is strongly evidenced by a car identical to mine which I recently spotted being driven through Netherton by the Cinder Bank island," he said. "It would be great to be able to trace them."

Anyone wishing to find out more about the club can call 07732 054569 or email mac311@zastava-yugo.co.uk