My dad had a friend who ran a small Austin/Morris dealership in Surrey in the UK. One day a lady brought in a Civic, or maybe it was an Accord, to ask if they could change the oil. He walked out into the shop and saw all his mechanics huddled round the open hood, marveling at the engine & the quality of the layout. They stuff they usually worked on was primitive.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/classic/small-wonder-how-1972-honda-civic-exemplified-japanese-car-building/ (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/classic/small-wonder-how-1972-honda-civic-exemplified-japanese-car-building/)
Did you live in Surrey or have family there too? My wife has family there. I noticed Gordon Murray Design is right near them, and I meant to stop by there back in July. Unfortunately the Covid wave changed our plans and I didn't get a chance to.
No we lived in one of the London boroughs - southeast of London: Bromley. Chislehurst to be exact.
Originally in Kent before it got sucked into the metropolis.