Month: January 2013

A great article in the Southern Daily Echo on a rare 1937 MG SA drophead coupe. It was brought as a “cheap run around” by a Southampton student for just £30 back in 1966. This vintage 1937 MG was snapped up by a young Lob Vinycomb from a Hampshire garage almost half a century ago. Now, 46 years later, the same car has been sold by the same garage – for more than £60,000. But Isle of Wight man Lob was briefly reunited with the prized vehicle, before it is handed over to its new owners. Philip Scott, owner of Beaulieu Garage in the New Forest, was contacted by the car’s latest owner, who lived in Cornwall, asking if he would interested in selling the collectable SA Drophead Coupe. Read the full article on the beautiful MG at the Southern Daily […]

The 1974 Rolls-Royce owned by former Queen frontman Freddie Mercury has been sold at auction for more than six times its guide price, fetching £74,000. This is equal to approximately $117,000 USD. The 62,000-mile classic Rolls-Royce had a guide price of just £9,000-£11,000. It features grey leather, wood trim, electric windows, automatic gearbox, a car phone and radio casette player. Power is provided by a 6.75-litre V8 engine. It was sold as part of the Coys auction on January 12, 2013, at Autosport International to a Russian businessman through telephone bidding.

Iconic and now wholly Chinese-owned car maker MG is the fastest-growing British brand in the UK, according to official industry data. Figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders reveal MG sales grew by 117 per cent in 2012, boosted by the opening of eight new dealerships. The famous MG octagon enjoyed its best sales year in the UK since 2006, with more cars sold last year than in 2010 and 2011 combined. That success was mirrored in China where SAIC Motor, MG’s parent company, sold over 200,000 units across its MG and (China-only) Roewe brands – a 23 per cent increase over 2011 – representing the biggest growth within the SAIC group’s automotive divisions. Worldwide growth for the brand is equally encouraging with MG growing at a faster rate than any time in the marque’s 89-year history. […]

MINI has won the 2013 Dakar Rally, a gruelling off-road rally raid race held this year over a 5,300-mile route between Lima, Peru and Santiago, Chile. Stéphane Peterhansel and co-driver / navigator Jean-Paul Cottret drove the winning MINI Countryman-based ‘ALL4 Racing’ competition vehicle run by the X-raid Team, with the French pairing retaining their 2012 crown. Their overall time of 38 hours 32 minutes and 39 seconds secured a 42 minute 22 second lead over their next closest competitors, cementing the British marque’s victory. Senior Vice President MINI Brand Management, Dr Kay Segler: “This is a magnificent triumph and I would like to offer our congratulations on behalf of MINI not only to Stéphane Peterhansel and Jean-Paul Cottret, but also to Sven Quandt’s entire X-raid Team. “The victory of the MINI ALL4 Racing last year was without doubt a surprise […]

International icon and British car manufacturer Aston Martin turned 100th anniversary Tuesday, 16 January,  in Chelsea’s Henniker Mews the original home of the company. Founded on 15 January 1913, Aston Martin designs and manufactures around 3,500 exclusive sports cars at its Gaydon headquarters in Warwickshire every year. “I am proud to be celebrating 100 years of heritage and the best of British craftsmanship,” said Aston Martin CEO Dr Ulrich Bez. Dr Bez described Aston Martin as “the coolest luxury car brand on the planet,” an argument heightened by its connection to the James Bond film franchise, featuring in the latest blockbuster Skyfall. The event in London marks the start of a year-long celebration with events taking place across the world, including a week-long Aston Martin festival in July where enthusiasts will be able to see how the car is made at […]