Month: September 2015

A one-off piece of artwork, created by world-renowned motoring artist Tim Layzell for Classic & Sports Car – The London Show, is being auctioned in support of the event’s chosen charity, WeSeeHope. All proceeds from the auction, run by Silverstone Auctions, will go to WeSeeHope, a charity which supports vulnerable young people in sub-Saharan Africa. WeSeeHope is the official charity for the first-ever Classic & Sports Car – The London Show and the auction is just one of the ways the event is supporting the organisation. The bespoke artwork – which anyone can bid on by heading to – depicts three legendary British cars, a Jaguar E-type, Bentley Speed Six and McLaren F1, at the show’s home of Alexandra Palace. These cars, together with seven others, have been the subject of a global poll to name the Best British Car […]

The sixtieth E-Type to leave Jaguar’s production line in 1961 went back to Somerset to surprise its previous owner on his 83rd birthday after undergoing a full ‘nut and bolt’ restoration at leading restorers Classic Motor Cars of Bridgnorth (CMC). When former Royal Naval Commander Bob Reed put his pride and joy, a rare Jaguar E-Type into auction little did he expect that it would sell for £109,000 or that it would be purchased by someone who would spend substantially more than the purchase price to bring it back to its former glory. Bob bought the car in February 1965 and owned it for more than 45 years, raced it and only decided to sell it because he couldn’t afford to restore it and didn’t want to see it deteriorate further.

Caterham Cars is entering the UK’s most prestigious eco-driving event, the MPG Marathon, for the first time in a two seater sports cars billed as the manufacturer’s ‘most frugal ever’. The British sportscar maker will be entering the entry level version of the iconic Caterham Seven, the 160, rated as the most economical in the company’s history and the most cost-effective two-seater sportscar on the market. The 160 is powered by a super-compact, turbocharged three-cylinder Suzuki engine, which enables it to achieve an impressive 57.6mpg, emit just 114g/km CO2 and yet reach 0 – 62mph in a blistering 6.5 seconds. “We are delighted that Caterham Cars is entering the MPG Marathon, the UK’s leading lean driving challenge, for the first time,” said organiser Jerry Ramsdale, publishing director of Fleet World. “We will be very interested to see how it compares against […]

I am a big fan of New Orleans, and also a fan of the SVRA (Sportscar Vintage Racing Association). So what could be better than combining the two? Our video this week is from the SVRA touting their upcoming races in the Crescent City. This new addition to the SVRA schedule will be co-hosted by the Texas-based vintage car club, Corinthian Vintage Auto Racers (CVAR), at this racing facility located just 14 miles from the French Quarter of New Orleans. This event is non-points race for both clubs, featuring two days of exciting racing for all classes. Also sharing the weekend, as a featured group, will be The Trans-Am Series. In addition to the racing, there is a Saturday Car Show. NOLA presents a 2.75-mile, world-class track consisting of 16 turns, with a 5,200-foot straightaway. Designed to be challenging, but […]

Last night, Jaguar Land Rover celebrated its vehicles appearing in the new Bond adventure, SPECTRE. Cars, including the Jaguar C-X75, Range Rover Sport SVR and the iconic Land Rover Defender, stole the show as they were unveiled in public for the first time at the palatial Thurn und Taxis in Frankfurt. Naomie Harris (Moneypenny) and David Bautista (Hinx) were guests of honour at the glamorous event showcasing special stunt vehicles used in the latest instalment of the James Bond series.  Guests were entertained by British singer and musician John Newman, who performed a number of top ten hits from his album.

Aston Martin is today confirming DB11 as the name of its forthcoming sports car. The new model – to be unveiled during 2016 – will sit at the heart of the luxury British brand’s range and represents the first major product of the company’s bold Second Century Plan. While all technical and design details will be announced in due course, the confirmation of the name – which follows in the footsteps of other iconic Aston Martin sports cars such as the DB5 and DB9 – signals the start of an exciting period of dynamic product development by the company. Announcing the DB11, Aston Martin CEO Dr Andy Palmer said: “Today I am proud and pleased to confirm that the DB11 nameplate will sit on our next new car. “Not only is it a sign of our intention to continue the […]

Land Rover has created a special collector’s Defender pedal car concept, previewing a full production pedal car model that will go on sale in Spring 2016. With production of current Defender now in its final phase, the unique pedal car concept represents a fitting tribute to the one of the world’s most iconic vehicles; the Series Land Rover and Defender has been produced in Solihull, UK, since 1948. The exclusive Defender pedal car is hand built in the UK and styled to commemorate the legacy of the first-ever pre-production Land Rover affectionately know as ‘Huey’ given its original numberplate of ‘HUE 166’. The concept model is constructed using a rolled–edge aluminium frame complete with individual chassis number and personalised numberplate. It is hand finished in the same Loire Blue found on the full-scale Defender colour palette. The show car is […]

Jaguar has announced the Jaguar F-PACE First Edition – an exclusive special edition F-PACE, strictly limited to just 2,000 vehicles globally. Jaguar’s world-class design team have created the unique and sporty First Edition to pay homage to the F-PACE’s original inspiration – the breakthrough C-X17 concept vehicle. The specially-created First Edition is the purest representation of the C-X17 and features exclusive design details true to the original concept. The F-PACE is Jaguar’s first performance crossover and is packed with world-leading technology including the new, super-fast and super-intuitive In Control Touch Pro infotainment system. Featuring sharp, contemporary graphics and a 10″ tablet style touch screen, the system is complemented by a suite of specially developed apps and a wifi hotspot that allows up to eight devices to connect at once. Gerd Mauser, Chief Marketing Officer for Jaguar Land Rover, said: “Two […]

MINI is continuing to expand its model range with the world premiere of the new MINI Clubman at the International Motor Show Frankfurt 2015. The MINI Clubman marks the brand’s first entry into the premium compact segment and will be on display at the show from 17th – 26th September. Combining increased interior space and versatility with the latest generation of technical advances and a high level of standard equipment, the MINI Clubman is set to make a big impact on what is a highly competitive segment. The new MINI Clubman: traditional concept, unique qualities, high specification. With its four doors, the characteristic split doors at the rear, five seats and a large and versatile interior, the new MINI Clubman brings the classic shooting brake to the premium compact segment of the 21st century. The most recent model is also […]

America’s British Reliability Run, a three-day rally in classic British cars for charity, rides again! The dates are October 16th to 18th. In 2013, twelve teams from all various marque clubs and all over the region ran a 750 mile route through Pennsylvania and raised over $9,000 for the Children’s Specialized Hospital in NJ. This year, at least twenty-seven ABRR teams will be driving through some of Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey’s most scenic roadways at a time when fall color should be near its peak. The Run will begin in Quakertown, PA with its terminus in Milford, NJ. We will have dinner Friday night at the iconic Seneca Lodge, in Watkins Glen, NY. We will have a presentation by Bill Green, the historian for the Watkins Glen race track and International Motor Racing Research Center. After a ceremonial […]

History repeated itself last weekend as the JD Classics-owned 1954 Cooper T33 took a class win at the Brighton Speed Trials, just as it did at the same event sixty years ago. The latest victory adds even more heritage to the Cooper’s already-impressive competition history. The Brighton Speed Trials have been running since 1905, and in the 1955 event the Cooper T33’s original owner Cyril Wick competed in his car, setting the fastest time for sports cars over 2501cc. This year, JD Classics Managing Director Derek Hood took the Cooper T33 back to Madeira Drive in Brighton for the latest running of the Speed Trials. Damp roads and more than 90 competitors made for a hotly contested event but the dominant Cooper easily came out on top of its class with a top speed of 106mph and a fastest time […]

Light rain during the opening hour of this year’s International Autojumble didn’t in any way dampen the spirits of the thousands of motoring enthusiasts who had eagerly anticipated their annual pilgrimage to the motoring mecca that is Beaulieu. By Sunday, grey skies had given way to warm sunshine, the fields full to bursting with exhibitor stands and visitors contributed to make this year’s International Autojumble a blissful Beaulieu. The event retained its cosmopolitan feel with thousands of European and overseas motoring enthusiasts joining the British contingent for the 49th International Autojumble, held in the parkland of the National Motor Museum on the 5th and 6th of September.

The organisers of the prestigious World Car of the Year Award (WCOTY), the number one car award on the planet, have announced that the 2016 WCOTY, to be named at the New York Show in April 2016, will be displayed at the London Motor Show to be staged in Battersea Park in May 2016. The World Car Awards (WCA) is a programme initiated by, and conducted by, automotive journalists across the globe. It is administered by a non-profit corporation, under the guidance of a steering committee of leading automotive journalists from Asia, Europe and North America. In that way, it draws on the experience and expertise already developed by various other award programmes throughout the world. Motoring journalist and WCA director, Mike Rutherford commented, “We are very happy to showcase the 2016 WCOTY at the new London Motor Show. We […]

Aston Martin has revealed a short video featuring Spectre stunt driver Mark Higgins at the wheel of James Bond’s newest Aston Martin – the DB10. The DB10 was developed specifically for Spectre and just ten examples have been built. The exclusive sports car celebrates Aston Martin’s half century association with James Bond, which started with the iconic DB5. Note: Press release courtesy of Aston Martin Cars.

Caterham has revived the spirit of one of its most illustrious Sevens – the boisterous 1.6-litre Seven Superlight – with the launch of a new special edition model. Just 20 of the special edition cars – launched at this weekend’s Goodwood Revival ahead of the 20th anniversary of the original Superlight in 1996 – will be built. The original Superlight’s production run ceased in 2004, but it heralded a new era of purposeful, track-biased Sevens designed to offer even more performance and low weight at a pared down price point. Despite its ultra-minimalist character – even for a Seven – the Superlight went on to become one of Caterham’s most coveted models, selling some 200 examples while in production. Priced at £29,995*, and sporting a similarly extreme spec sheet to that of the original, the Superlight Twenty receives a 135bhp […]

Tests conducted by the University of Portsmouth reveal that driving a powerful car can provoke a more dramatic physical response than enjoying a rollercoaster ride or jumping out of a plane. Working with MINI’s new John Cooper Works Hatch, launched this summer, scientists from the University of Portsmouth’s Sport and Exercise Science department ran a series of physical, psychological and physiological tests to measure the effect the car had on a selection of drivers and stunt driver, of Rush and Mission Impossible 5 fame, Niki Faulkner.

Aston Martin is today unveiling an authoritative new  Assured Provenance certification programme which, for the first time in the brand’s 102-year history, comprehensively assesses the background of its heritage sports cars. Created to offer a true blue riband service to heritage car owners and collectors, and drawing on the unrivalled knowledge of a committee of authoritative Aston Martin experts, the pioneering Assured Provenance certification programme is administered and run by the brand’s world-renowned in-house heritage car facility – Aston Martin Works. The first official authentication programme to be provided in-house by Aston Martin, the new scheme offers four levels of verification to take into account not simply all-original examples, but also sports cars that have been modified by Aston Martin itself over the years. As part of the painstaking procedure of examination and authentication, all cars submitted to the process […]

Lister Cars is eagerly anticipating this weekend’s Goodwood Revival with a host of Lister competition cars taking to the famous track. Some nine Lister racing cars, including five ‘Knobbly’ models, have been entered into the fiercely competitive Sussex Trophy on Sunday September 13th for world championship sports racing cars built between 1950 and 1960. In Goodwood’s own words the racers featured in The Sussex Trophy are “big, powerful cars, perfectly suited to Goodwood’s fast, sweeping curves, and which always produce a stunning spectacle.” The nine Listers will compete in an expected 31-car field racing against other period machines including several examples of the Jaguar D-type and Maserati Tipo 61 ‘Birdcage’ as well as the Ferrari 246S Dino and Aston Martin DBR2 among others. The privately-entered Listers include one Lister-Jaguar ‘Flat Iron’, three Lister-Jaguar Costins, three Lister-Jaguar ‘Knobblys’ and two Lister-Chevrolet […]