Jaguar ‘British Villains’ Campaign Honored

March 21, 2015 Staff Comments Off

(MAHWAH, N.J.) – Jaguar North America announced that the ‘British Villains‘ marketing campaign, starring the 2015 F-TYPE Coupe, a two-seat sports car focused on performance, agility and driver involvement, has been honored with Regional AME Platinum and Gold AME Awards for the ‘World’s Best Advertising & Marketing Effectiveness’ in the automotive category. The 2015 international AME Grand Jury, comprised of interactive and multidisciplinary marketers, planners, and creatives, awarded a total of 25 Gold AME Awards, 25 Silver, 26 Bronze, and 20 Finalist Certificates to entries submitted from 18 countries on five continents. Award-winning campaigns successfully demonstrated groundbreaking solutions to challenging marketing problems. The “British Villains” campaign was launched in January 2014 and captured the premise that Brits have long made the best villains in landmark films, combining intelligence with charm, restlessness with calm, and are always confident. The brand and […]

Weekend Only Aston Martin Bond Car Exhibition

March 20, 2015 Staff Comments Off

20 March 2015, Gaydon: This weekend (Saturday & Sunday, March 21 & 22) Aston Martin will display some of James Bond’s most famous cars in London’s Covent Garden. Bond in Motion is the largest collection of original Bond vehicles in the world, currently celebrating its first anniversary at the London Film Museum. Among the line-up on show for one weekend only will be an original Aston Martin Vanquish from Die Another Day, as well as the iconic Aston Martin DBS sports cars used in Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. There will also be a selection of current Aston Martin models on display, as well as a line-up of classic Aston Martins courtesy of members of the Aston Martin Owners Club. Due to popular demand, Bond in Motion will now remain open at the London Film Museum until further notice. […]

Anniversary Edition Lotus Elise

March 20, 2015 Staff Comments Off

The Lotus Elise 20th Anniversary Special Edition celebrates the unveiling of the iconic sports car at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1995. 20 years ago, the Lotus Elise revolutionised the sports car world, setting the benchmark for handling, purity of the driving experience, lightweight and efficiency. Its pioneering and advanced bonded aluminium chassis was a market-leading technological innovation at the time and over the years has improved and evolved and remains core to the Elise’s exceptional performance today. Jean-Marc Gales, CEO of Group Lotus plc, welcomes the Elise 20th Anniversary model, “It is sometimes hard to believe that the Elise has been around for 20 years. It was ground breaking when it was launched and continues to be the benchmark for handling and performance in its class. Over the years we have improved and refined the Elise but we […]

MG Using Benedict Cumberbatch in Thailand

March 19, 2015 Staff Comments Off

MG is using Benedict Cumberbatch in a series of very ‘Sherlockian’ ads for their launch of the MG3 in Thailand. All those sightings of Benedict in London filming a few days ago can now be officially confirmed that he was indeed filming an advert for the 2015 MG GS crossover car. You can view some of the videos here with even the music echoing to the famous detective. More of these videos and Benedict in Thailand – http://events.youku.com/2015/mggs/

New Jaguar XF to Debut on High-Wire

March 19, 2015 Staff Comments Off

The all-new 2016 Jaguar XF model will make an extraordinary journey across London on March 24, one week ahead of its public motor show debut in New York. Jaguar has teamed up with expert British stuntman Jim Dowdall, veteran of dramatic action stunts in movies including Bond, Bourne and Indiana Jones, to perform a world’s first high-wire water crossing in the all-new Jaguar XF. The dramatic drive, across two 1.3in (34mm)-diameter wires suspended high above water will highlight the lightweight and agile credentials of the new Jaguar XF and will be streamed globally on jaguarusa.com/NewXF at 3:00PM EST (19:00 GMT) on 24 March 2015. XF was first launched in the UK in 2007 and in North America in 2008 , and is Jaguar’s biggest selling and most awarded car. The next generation XF is completely new from the ground up and will […]

VotW – MG Motoring Memories

March 18, 2015 Staff Comments Off

MG Motoring Memories is our video of the week this go round. Composed of current and old footage from MG’s heyday, this video from the Magnificent Motorcars series by Green HD Production really does bring back the memories. Part of the real interest in this video is that it documents not only MG’s history, but the brands history in the United States and how that affected cars in both America and Europe. The influence of MG on the Chevrolet Corvette is a primary focus. I also have to say, on a personal note, that the video mentions Clemson University, the college that my son is currently attending. How can a connection like that be resisted?

Aston Martin Opening in Jakarta

March 18, 2015 Staff Comments Off

13 March 2015, Jakarta: Aston Martin is continuing its confident global expansion with the opening of the luxury British sports car brand’s first dealership in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. Created in partnership with PT Pesona Intan Abadi, the impressive new two storey showroom is conveniently situated in the prime location of Jalan H.O.S Cokroaminoto 70, Menteng, Central Jakarta. Set to open to customers in April 2015, the new showroom capitalises, too, on a healthy rise in interest in the High Luxury Sports (HLS) sector in Asia. Welcoming the announcement of the new dealership in Jakarta, Aston Martin Global Sales Director Christian Marti said: “I’m very happy that we are able to develop this stunning new facility in Indonesia. “Offering the highest levels of sales and aftersales service to our owners around the world is fundamental for our business, and I’m […]

Texas 40th Anniversary Spring GOF

March 17, 2015 Staff Comments Off

Thursday, May 7th- Sunday, May 10th– Texas MG Register 40th Annual Gathering of the Faithful, Salado, Texas. Great MGs, a car show and awards banquet, activities including a couple of driving events will be topped off with a tech session with the MG guru, John Twist, University Motors. For specific details, times and the host hotel go to www.TMGR.org. THURSDAY • 2:00 – 3:45 Registration at Room 115 Patio, near Pool • 4:00 – 6:00 Wine Tasting at Salado Winery, located at 841 N. Main Street. Hosted by Sheryl & Mike Mann & Randy Zimmerman. • 7:00 – 9:00 Dinner & Trivia/Quiz Night at Johnny’s Steak and Barbeque, 301 Thomas Arnold Road (walking distance from the Stagecoach) Organized by Cindy & Stu Bauman, dinner on your own dime. FRIDAY • 9:00 – 11:30 Registration at Room 115 Patio, near Pool […]

Britishness of British Cars Increasing

March 17, 2015 Staff Comments Off

Is it possible to be more British than British? Well, according to the forthcoming report of the Automotive Council, yes. British cars, meaning those made within the confines of the British geographical region, are being made with more British-sourced parts as the upswing in UK car production continues. The report shows that homeland component makers sold 19% more products to UK vehicle producers last year than in 2013. Yes, that means the cars are 19% more British. Currently, approximately one-third of the components in a UK-built car are domestically sourced. This is far down from the heyday of the mid-1970s when that number was more than 90%. However, vehicle manufacturing in the UK is undergoing rapid growth – British car production has increased by more than 50% since 2009, and this is creating new opportunities for domestic suppliers. The Automotive […]

Morgan Thrill-On-The-Hill

March 16, 2015 Staff Comments Off

On Saturday 11th July 2015 the stunning Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb in Shelsley Walsh, Worcestershire, England, will become the setting for one of the UK’s largest gatherings of Morgan vehicles. Sports cars from past and present will delight the crowds as hundreds of them will tackle the challenging climb. With music, entertainment and much more to see and do, this is a ‘not to be missed event’ for any Morgan enthusiast and their family. Morgan is pleased to announce that tickets for Thrill On The Hill 2015 are now on sale via their website. Having held two very successful events over the past two years, they are pleased to offer even more this year and expect tickets to sell very quickly. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets

Unfortunate F1 Ending For Lotus E23

March 15, 2015 Staff Comments Off

After both Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado showed the Lotus E23 Hybrid’s potential by qualifying in the top ten, cruel fate ended any chance of points after just two corners. Romain felt the impact of bad luck before the flag was waved, with a loss of power noticeable on the formation lap. Unable to recover, when the race began the Frenchman fell down the order and, despite his best efforts, was forced to bring the car into the garage and retire the E23 Hybrid. “I lost power on the formation lap,” said Romain. “I was unable to recover the power and we’re not sure where the issue came from. It’s a shame but it’s the first race and anything can happen and unfortunately it was bad luck for us today.” He was soon joined by Pastor who, in contrast to […]

New Aston Martin Dealership in Reading

March 14, 2015 Staff Comments Off

13 March 2015, Gaydon: Aston Martin has opened its latest new dealership in the UK in Pangbourne, Reading, as dealer partner H.R. Owen further extends its longstanding association with the luxury British sports car maker. The new dealership, officially opened last night by General Manager Claus Andersen, complements H. R. Owen’s existing Cheltenham business. The state-of-the-art facility features luxurious showrooms for new and pre-owned Aston Martin sports cars, a dedicated aftersales team and a workshop staffed by world-class Gaydon-trained technicians. Located in a prime position close to both the M40 and M4 motorways, the showroom opening was attended by invited guests and key members of the Aston Martin senior executive team including Marek Reichman, Chief Creative Officer; Ian Minards, Director of Product Development; Christian Marti, Director of Sales Operations and Marcus Blake, General Manager, UK & South Africa. Christian Marti […]

All British & European Car Day, Texas

March 13, 2015 Staff Comments Off

What: Join the area clubs for their 31 st annual exhibition of British and European vintage motoring. Bring any ‘show’ or ‘driver’ vehicle or motorbike to compete for awards. Each class has 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. Plus a Best of Show-Classic, Best of Show-Modern, and Diamond-in-the-Rough! When: Sunday, May 3, 2015; Gates open 10am Where: Dreyfus Club Point, White Rock Lake Park (Lake Highlands & Buckner Blvd), Dallas, TX Why: This event benefits Shoes for Orphan Souls. Make a difference in a child’s life and bring a pair of new, closed toe shoes (athletic, canvas, or black school shoes in sizes youth 4-adult 11). Sponsors: Jaguar Owners Association of the Southwest & Kip Motor Company Online Registration: Registration: $20 pre-registration for each show vehicle, $25 at the gate. $10/$15 for motorbikes. Information and Online Registration: www.allbritishcarday.com Free to spectators, food vendors […]

Ian Callum’s Mark 2 Vision

March 12, 2015 Staff Comments Off

A unique Jaguar Mark 2 redesigned by Ian Callum, Director of Design at Jaguar Cars, and re-engineered by leading restorers Classic Motor Cars Limited (CMC) was unveiled last year at the opening of the company’s new headquarters in Bridgnorth, Shropshire. The second of these amazing cars is currently in production. The building was officially opened by motorcycle and Formula One Grand Prix world champion John Surtees OBE and the car was unveiled by Jaguar’s legendary test driver Norman Dewis. CMC’s new building complex is one of the biggest of its kind in the UK. Fitted out to the highest standards and with new paint and trim shops, it provides some 40,000 square feet of production space, allowing CMC to cover every aspect of a car’s restoration in-house, except for chrome plating. Another 24,000 square feet is provided for bespoke classic […]

MG Looking To Add Dealerships in UK

March 11, 2015 Staff Comments Off

The Longbridge-based car-maker has identified 30 ‘hot spots’ which it is keen to fill as it expands its dealer network. MG is aiming to recruit 30 new dealers across the UK as it seeks to build on a year of sales success in 2014. The move comes on the back of a successful year for MG in 2014, which saw it lay claim to being the fastest-growing automotive brand in Britain. Its sales increased by 361 per cent from just 513 cars in 2013 to 2,326 in 2014 – a year which saw UK car sales return to pre-recession levels. Overall the UK market grew by 9.3 per cent over the previous year, with MG seeing its sales increase by 38 times that figure. A total of 2,476,435 new cars were registered in the UK in 2014 – the most […]

VotW – Top Gear in the Beginning

March 11, 2015 Staff 1

Most automobile enthusiasts love the BBC program Top Gear. Actually, a lot of people who don’t care a wit about cars enjoy the program as well. At least the version of the show from the UK as created by the BBC. We won’t talk about the US version. In fact, let’s forget I brought it up at all. The British version, the real version, of Top Gear is a phenomenon. By many accounts it is the most watched factual, meaning not drama or fiction, program in the world. Though originally a regional program hosted by Angela Rippon, one of the main reasons for the current popularity is host Jeremy Clarkson. Clarkson hosts along with co-hosts James May and Richard Hammond. Not only is Clarkson humor, entertaining, and a good driver, he is loud, rude, and prone to get into trouble […]

New Motoring Classics Magazine

March 10, 2015 Staff Comments Off

The new Spring 2015 issue of Motoring Classics magazine is out now. If you haven’t been reading Motoring Classics, you owe it to yourself to check it out. This electronic magazine is published four times per year by the good folks at British Motor Heritage. Not only is Motoring Classics a quality publication so well worth reading no matter what, but it is also free. Yes, absolutely free. It is electronic only, but you can read it on your PC, Mac, iPad, Android tablet or most any other device. On the iOS platform there is even a separate custom app to read the magazine. This month’s issue contains articles on competition, manufacturers, and even the business of renting classic cars to the movie and television industry. Looks like renting your car out might be an interesting way of helping to […]

Amazing Collection Sold For £20 Million

March 10, 2015 Staff Comments Off

John Collins bought the incredible collection of 27 cars which includes models from the likes of Aston Martin, Ferrari, Porsche and Lamborghini. And among the “Aladdin’s Cave” of cars are an – which is the British car maker’s ultimate hypercar – and a Ferrari 288 GTO, currently one of the fastest appreciating classics. The vast majority of the cars have hardly been driven – with a 1982 Lamborghini LP500S having a mileage of just 500 miles. Mr Collins was contacted about the collection, which has been hidden away in storage just outside London, and was asked if he was interested. The businessman was away at the time but jumped at the opportunity to seal a deal. It is thought the cars are worth around £20 million, making it one of the biggest sales of a private collection in British history. […]

One Millionth Morris Minor Auctioned

March 8, 2015 Staff Comments Off

The one millionth Morris Minor car ever built has been sold at an auction for 25,760 pounds. The classic British-built car was sold earlier at the Surrey auction house, Historics at Brooklands. It was one of 349 “millionth” Morris Minors built in 1960, however, this car was the actual one millionth built. Stewart Banks, from Historics, said there had been an “awful lot of interest” in the car, which had an estimate of between 22,000 to 26,000 pounds. “There were 349 made but this is the only one with the million mark on its chassis. The Morris Minor has a very loyal fan base – people have them for years. This particular car has been owned by the vendor for 19 years,” Banks was quoted as saying by the BBC. “It is just the quintessential British motor car.” The “millionth” […]

Fold Yourself a New Car

March 7, 2015 Staff Comments Off

With all this talk of the Geneva Motor Show and all the focus on nice new shiny, not to mention expensive, cars, some of us may be feeling a little left out. What if you can’t afford to get on the waiting list for one of the new Morgans? Or what if you desire the Bentley EXP 10 Speed Six but just live a few too many miles away from the dealership to make those regularly scheduled oil changes convenient. Well then, do we have a solution for you. Not only will our proposed solution net you a car you can afford, but it is recyclable and can even be made from recycled materials itself. Of course, there is the problem of there being no engine and no way to actually use the car for any practical purpose, but at least […]