Month: January 2010

A detailed electronic service and repair manual known as the MG TF RAVE disc is now available to MG TF owners from all XPart AutoService centres and wholesalers. MG TF owners can now access valuable service and maintenance information for their cars with an electronic workshop manual, available from all XPart AutoServices centres and wholesalers. The first disc of its kind to go on sale to motorists, it offers extensive technical advice for owners of MG TFs manufactured by MG Rover between 2002 and 2005. It contains a greater depth of technical detail than can be found in paper manuals, together with comprehensive search and cross-referencing functions, and the option to enlarge diagrams and print pages of interest. “Modern cars have a great deal more complex mechanical and electronic features than cars built even ten years ago,” explains Barry Smith, […]

Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp (SAIC), China’s number-one automaker, has just launched its MG6 in China. The new model faces off against the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Volkswagen Sagitar in the highly competitive mid-class auto segment in China. The MG6 hatchback, equipped with a 1.8-liter turbo engine, will be produced by SAIC Co at its Lingang plant. SAIC will also start production of the MG6 in a plant in the United Kingdom next year as it tries to revive the 85-year history of the British icon globally. The company said the MG6, which was unveiled at the 2009 Shanghai Auto Show last April, is specifically designed for Asian and European markets. In China, “There will be market potential for the MG6 if SAIC prices the car competitively,” said Ye Sheng, an auto analyst at automotive consulting firm B. Thinking Management […]

There was a lot of eye rolling and worried looks when Ford sold Jaguar to India’s Tata. But based on the latest December figures, maybe there wasn’t reason to worry. Jaguar sold 1,246 cars in December in the U.S., a 24% increase from last year. Land Rover sold 3,595 of its rugged SUVs, a 37% boost from a year ago. For the full year, combined sales of both brands dipped 14%, not bad considering how the overall auto industry saw sales plunge even more. Needless to say, execs are happy: “Three consecutive months of Jaguar and Land Rover growth is a great way to end 2009, and a sign of better times to come,” said Jaguar-Land Rover North America President Gary Temple. “We start 2010 with sales momentum, strong product lineups for both brands, and the launch of the 2011 […]

The Heritage Motor Centre, home to the world’s largest collection of British cars and the annual Mini Festival, is to host a special Historic Rally Car Register Open Day on Saturday 16 January from 9:30am – 4:30pm. The HRCR Club was designed for those interested in historic rallying, the branch of motorsport dedicated to cars that were rallied from the 1950s through to the 1980s. 2010 marks the 40th anniversary of the 1970 London to Mexico World Cup Rally. A number of original cars that took part will be on display plus visitors can find out all they need to know about historic rallying. Visitors will be able to see the launch of the 2010 Stage & Road HRCR Championship season plus special scenic tours and the chance to see 100 series start up rallies. One highlight of the event […]

There’s something charming about a bright red restored 1970 MGB cruising down Airport Road on a sunny summer day with the top down. And there’s even more charm in a dozen or more similar cars, MGs, Triumphs, Jaguars and Austin Healeys, all manner of colors making the same trip. British car enthusiasts gathered more than a dozen times in 2009 in the first year of events for the new Headwaters British Car Club. Club vice president Tom Hodgson said the club is based in Orangeville but has members from all over, including one from Alliston. “We opened it up to all older British cars,” Hodgson said. “We go out for a couple of hours, have a run, enjoy the countryside. It’s beautiful here.” While Airport Road is a joy to drive, Hodgson said, Hockley Road “with all the bends” is […]

When reading ‘Type 72′, the die hard Formula 1 fans will inevitably think about Lotus most successful F1 car of all time that made furore with twenty Grand Prix wins between 1970 and 1975. To honor these achievements Lotus has released the Exige S Type 72 Special Edition. The British car maker will be producing twenty units for the UK, a further twenty units for the European mainland and a limited run of cars in Japan and selected markets around the world. To draw even more attention, the colour scheme of the Exige S Type 72 equals the famous and easily recognizable black and gold livery and is finished by the same person who painted racing cars for Team Lotus. With a total weight of just 935kg (2061lbs) and a Type 72’s supercharged engine producing 240bhp a sprint from standstill […]

Imagine you’re the successful your mom always wanted. You have cash to burn, successful career on autopilot and the mansion is finally mortgage-free, you’re in the market for a new car, one that speaks to your success and station in the community. But, you’re also in full mid-life crisis, sentimental for the tearaway youthfulness you now regret suppressing every time you open that second bottle of Chateau Lafite. Indeed, in your last act of impetuousness before children and creeping maturity reared their ugly heads, you owned an Aston Martin. Not one of these new namby-pamby ones, what with their button-down engineering and sophisticated electronics, but a real he-man-of-yesteryear Vantage with eight thundering pistons, a rock-crunching transmission and coil springs stiff enough to suspend the Golden Gate Bridge. So, you head down to your friendly neighborhood British luxury car dealership only […]

Aston Martin stunned the world last June by revealing the Cygnet super-mini concept that is based on the Toyota iQ. Then the British sports car maker that is fondly associated with mouth watering sports cars announced that the Cygnet will go into production and that the development of the super-mini will continue into 2010. Slated for a market launch late this year or by early 2011, the Cygnet is expected to be sold to owners of Aston Martin’s full-sized sports cars and only 2,000 units are planned.