Month: November 2016

Plans to demolish warehouses once used by the Abingdon factory to manufacture MG cars have been defended for plans to build almost 100 homes on the site. Tony Lawson, of XLB Property, said companies using the units would have the option of moving to neighboring Abingdon Business Park after concerns were raised that jobs could be lost. And he added that he was “happy to consider” incorporating a memorial to the MG car company in the plans for the 93 flats and houses on the site of the eight warehouses off Colwell Drive – behind a McDonald’s restaurant on Marcham Road.

The launch of the new generation MINI Connected app takes the intelligent link-up between the vehicle and driver beyond in-car infotainment functions which are already familiar to many MINI drivers. Based on a flexible platform – the Open Mobility Cloud – the upgraded MINI Connected technology now includes a personal mobility assistant which can help with journey planning and traffic alerts on the driver’s Apple iPhone. Android-based smartphone compatibility is in development for the future. MINI Connected, which is available as a free download from the Apple App Store, maintains a seamless connection between the driver’s MINI and their iPhone via either a Bluetooth or USB connection, making it easy, convenient and safe to enjoy stress free driving. The new MINI Connected app, which has been launched alongside the unveiling of the new MINI Countryman, sees the personal mobility assistant […]

Leading luxury car dealership Knowl Hill Performance & Luxury has welcomed one of the rarest cars in the world to its Berkshire showroom, the Aston Martin Vulcan. Penned by Aston’s Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichmann, the Vulcan is the most exclusive car ever made by the British brand, with just 24 examples being crafted upon its 2015 release. And Knowl Hill is one of the only locations around where you can come and sample the scintillating supercar in all its glory by taking a look in and around the display model.

Brian Redman: Daring Drivers, Deadly Tracks, by Redman himself and Jim Mullen, has won the Royal Automobile Club’s 2016 Motoring Book of the Year Award. It was presented at an annual ceremony held at the Club’s Pall Mall clubhouse, attended by authors, leading publishers and discerning book collectors. It’s just the latest example of Redman – who evolved from boy racer in a Morris Minor Traveller to winning the Targa Florio road race and being three-times Formula 5000 champion – beating off stiff competition.

The Royal Automobile Club (RAC)  is proud to announce the recipients of the Dewar Trophy and Simms Medal for 2016 are Gordon Murray Design and Riversimple. Arguably among the most prestigious honours in recognition of home grown British automotive engineering talent, the Dewar Trophy and Simms Medal are only awarded in years when the Royal Automobile Club’s Dewar Technical Committee deems there have been contenders of sufficient merit.  This is one such year.

The new MINI John Cooper Works Clubman will make its North American premiere this week at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. The new 2017 MINI John Cooper Works Clubman, which will be fully accessorized for the crowd of over 60,000 automotive specialty products professionals expected at the show, is the first MINI to combine the latest version of John Cooper Works performance enhancements and new ALL4 all-wheel drive system. At the heart of the new MINI John Cooper Works Clubman sits a 2.0-liter MINI TwinPower Turbo Technology engine producing 228 hp, while the ALL4 all-wheel drive system helps deliver 258 lb-ft of torque, the most torque of any John Cooper Works model. In addition to the high-performance engine, powered by BMW Group engine technology and architecture, the new MINI John Cooper Works Clubman includes a sports exhaust, refined suspension technology, […]

The Rootes Group, although only achieving a 10-12 per cent market share, were the sixth largest British car manufacturer: more importantly, during the 1950s, more than half the cars they produced were exported. Rootes Cars of the 1950s, 1960s & 1970s – Hillman, Humber, Singer, Sunbeam & Talbot by David Rowe is a new reference to these cars. With every model produced from 1950 onwards featured in full colour and with detailed information – including colour schemes, optional equipment, technical specifications, plus other manufacturers’ cars built using Rootes components – this is the ultimate book for all Hillman, Humber, Singer and Sunbeam enthusiasts. Cars produced by Chrysler/Talbot and Peugeot after their acquisition of the Rootes Group are also included. This book includes hundreds of original photographs, taken by the author at many car shows over a number of years, and […]

MG is getting ready to officially launch the MG ZS at the Guangzhou motor show in China next month. With just a few more weeks to go, spy shots of the car have leaked online giving the world a glimpse of what will be seen at the auto expo. The images give us a complete overview of how the upcoming baby SUV would look like. The ZS will be officially available at the expo on November 18th. The version that is spotted in the spy shots are camouflaged and doesn’t show the best design elements of the car.