Month: December 2015

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars celebrated local community heroes yesterday evening at the annual Observer Community Awards in Bognor Regis. The Goodwood-based super-luxury manufacturer has been headline sponsor of the awards since 2009. Organised by the Chichester Observer Series of newspapers, the awards recognise the true heroes of local towns and villages who make such a difference to people’s lives. This year a record 15 categories were celebrated including Best Volunteer, Best Community Person, Best School, Mini Marvel, Outstanding Bravery, Best Local Charity/Charity Group and Contribution to the Arts. The gala evening was presented by broadcasting legend, Fred Dinenage.

Jaguar today announced its return to global motorsport. In the autumn of 2016, Jaguar will enter the third season of the exciting FIA Formula E Championship as a manufacturer with its own team.  FIA Formula E is the world’s first global single-seater championship for electric powered cars. FIA Formula E offers a unique opportunity for Jaguar Land Rover to further the development of future EV powertrain including motor and battery technology.

Jaguar and Land Rover showcased their latest collection of branded goods alongside licensed partners in central London today, to mark the launch of the brands’ 2016 collections. A special ice-sculpture of a Christmas-inspired Jaguar design was exclusively revealed at the London Edition hotel to celebrate the merchandise and luxury goods launch.  Codenamed ‘F-SLEIGH’, the Jaguar Christmas sleigh takes inspiration from the Jaguar F-TYPE convertible, but with skates in place of wheels, a generous open luggage compartment for gifts and jet power to generate Jaguar’s renowned supercharged performance through the night sky.  A Growler-embossed red nose completes the F-SLEIGH’s Christmas theme.

The covers are set to come off the all-new Ginetta G57 as the new prototype racecar will receive its full public debut at Europe’s premier pre-season motorsport show, Autosport International, this January. Visitors coming to Ginetta’s stand at Autosport International between 14-17 January, 2016*, will be amongst the first people outside of the manufacturer’s HQ to see the G57 in the metal. A full press conference will take place on Thursday 14 January at 10:30am on Ginetta’s stand (6430 in Hall 6), with photo opportunities, a presentation and the chance to meet Ginetta Chairman, Lawrence Tomlinson. The public launch also marks the start of Ginetta’s intention to increase exports of its model range – already at 50% of production – with the G57 spearheading its growth to all major markets around the globe.

A classic Aston Martin has broken the auction record to become the most expensive British car ever sold at auction, fetching £9.45 million.  The DB4/GT Zagato, which when new in 1962 cost £5,470, was sold at RM Sotheby’s Driven By Disruption event in New York Saturday, the 12th. The price marks a new record for a British car at auction (even if it fell slightly shy of the £10 million some had expected), which was previously held by a McLaren F1 that went for £8.8 million earlier this year.

MG Motor UK is pleased to announce a new three-year contract extension with Triple Eight Racing in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC). This new contract will see MG Triple Eight Racing battling it out in this ultra competitive series for more pole positions and manufacturer championship wins until 2018. Matthew Cheyne, Head of Sales and Marketing for MG, said: “We are really excited to be renewing this partnership. The BTCC has given us the opportunity to give our brand some fantastic exposure, so we’re thrilled to be continuing this for another three years.

After a very successful 2015 The Midland Automobile Club announce Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb dates for the forthcoming year. The year starts with a round of the Sporting Trial which is held on the upper banks of the main car park. A real test of man, machine and skill, and providing a great spectacle as the drivers test their skills to navigate a very technical course. MARCH 13 Sporting Trial April 24th sees the club run its MAC Classic, a classic tour for 200 cars with four start points and a tulip book with all routes finishing at the Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb and a run up the 1,000 yards. Entry forms are available from the website and entries are now open.

Highly accurate recreations, not replicas, bring two bold Jaguar icons from the ’60s and the ’90s back to life. Two concept cars from Jaguar – originally built more than three decades apart – have been accurately recreated by classic car experts, who plan to offer exact reproductions for sale. The first is the mid-engined XJ13, a possible Le Mans contender built in the 1960s, while the second recreates 1999’s XK180, originally crafted to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the much-loved Jaguar XK120.

Jaguar Land Rover has confirmed that it will be the first British carmaker to open a manufacturing facility in Slovakia. The announcement follows an agreement between the company and the Government of the Slovak Republic to build a new plant in the city of Nitra, western Slovakia. The new world-class £1 billion premium manufacturing facility will eventually employ around 2,800 people. Today’s announcement follows Jaguar Land Rover’s recent confirmation to double its investment in its engine plant in the UK to almost £1 billion – the largest injection into a new British manufacturing plant in decades creating several hundred new jobs. Dr Ralf Speth, Chief Executive Officer, Jaguar Land Rover commented, “Jaguar Land Rover is delighted today to welcome Slovakia into our family. The new factory will complement our existing facilities in the UK, China, India and Brazil and marks […]

Vauxhall Motors and Edith Bowman have launched ‘Backseat Bedtime’, a series of narrated popular children’s stories by author Tracey Corderoy to help parents on long car journeys over the festive period.  With over 12 million cars on the road during peak times, more Brits embark on long drives over Christmas and the New Year than at any other time of the year (RAC 2014). Unsurprisingly, three-quarters (75%)* of parents say they find these long car journeys stressful, with the majority (80%) saying they find it hard to keep their little ones amused. To deal with this stress, half of parents (48%) time long journeys to coincide with bedtime and over half (56%) put their children in their pyjamas before setting off, hoping they will sleep straight through.

This January the Jaguar C-X75 from SPECTRE will make an appearance at Autosport International. SPECTRE, the 24th James Bond film, from Albert R. Broccoli’s EON Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and Sony Pictures Entertainment, sees the Jaguar C-X75 driven by Hinx in one of the movie’s iconic high-speed car chases. Two cars used in filming will be present at the NEC from 14-17 January. A demonstration of one of the specially-prepared stunt cars will take place in the Live Action Arena. A must see for any movie or car enthusiast.

As the ultimate incarnation of the world famous Exige, Lotus has revealed the Exige Sport 350, the latest version of the class-leading and award winning sports car, that’s lighter and faster than ever before. The new Exige Sport 350 is the next model in the range to mark the reintroduction of the renowned ‘Sport’ naming designation. It joins the recently announced Lotus Elise Sport and Elise Sport 220 – delivering a lighter and even more performance-focused driving experience.

Londoners were delighted when they spotted a one-of-a-kind Land Rover Defender ‘taxi’ driving through the streets of the capital. The Defender, one of the world’s best loved 4x4s, was starring in a commemorative film to celebrate the global automotive icon and to promote the forthcoming charity auction of the Defender 2,000,000 being held at Bonhams New Bond Street headquarters on 16 December. The film, released today, also stars a number of other more unusual, specially modified vehicles including a Series II Land Rover ice cream van, a specially tailored Paul Smith Defender and the first ever Series Land Rover show car, displayed at the Amsterdam Motor Show in 1948, all taking in London’s famous landmarks as they tell the story of the Defender’s rich history.

The Lotus Seven and its modern descendent, the Caterham Seven, are iconic motor cars on par with the Mini Cooper, Jaguar E-Type and MGB. Anyone who watched the short-lived 1960s show The Prisoner will no doubt remember the iconic opening sequence. What most people don’t know is that the Lotus is called the “Seven” for a good reason. Yes, there were actually a Lotus One through Six that led the way. The team at XCAR took one of those modern incarnations, a Seven 164 out for a drive, and then decided to tell the story of the Lotuses that came before the Seven. The video is  entertaining and well researched short film, full of interesting historical trivia. By the time its 12 minute run time is over you’ll be very well versed in the history of the Seven, and you’ll probably be […]

Luxury British car maker Briggs Automotive Company (BAC) has been picked as “One to Watch” in the 2015 Sunday Times Fast Track 100 list, which heralds the best and fastest growing British businesses. BAC, which makes the highly acclaimed, luxury single-seater Mono, earned its place on the list due to its recent expansion and was lauded for “selling brand Britain overseas”. With a total staff of just 22, BAC is the smallest company on the list of 10 rising stars, yet still enjoyed sales of more than £2.4m in the last year.

Renowned antique and collectible appraisers and stars of PBS’s long running Antiques Roadshow, the Keno Brothers staged their inaugural collector car auction, Rolling Sculpture, in New Your City’s vibrant SoHo district on November 19. Leigh and Leslie Keno, also known for their judging of Pebble Beach’s annual Concours d’Elegance, have almost single-handedly raised preservation class automobiles to their current status. Passionate for provenance, originality and authenticity, the finely-curated auction featured cars with impeccable history and documentation.

One of the most exciting and interactive events dedicated to the most iconic small car in Britain is set to return to the calendar in 2016, with Mini World Live promising to be even bigger and better than the show’s debut earlier this year. Mini World Live to take place at Rockingham Motor Speedway on July 10, 2016 The initial event was deemed a great success, attracting hundreds of beautifully restored classics, modified performance cars and the UK’s leading Mini specialists and experts to Rockingham Motor Speedway. 

Jaguar Land Rover, the UK’s leading manufacturer of premium luxury vehicles, today reported its best ever November sales of 46,547 vehicles, up 27% on November 2014. The company sold 437,512 vehicles in the first eleven months of 2015, 4% up on the same period in the prior year. Retail sales for the month of November were up 70% in the UK, 68% up in Europe, 52% up in North America and 8% up year-on-year in other overseas markets. Retail volumes in China were down 22% for the month, reflecting a slowdown in the economy.