Month: October 2017

Caterham has surpassed last year’s record-breaking sales achievement. The news comes as Caterham today (October 16) celebrates the 60th anniversary of the very first Seven being unveiled at the Earls Court Motor Show. With more than two months to go until the end of 2017, Caterham has already overtaken its record haul of over 600 orders set in 2016. It’s the second year in a row that the iconic British sports car brand has reported its best sales year, a record that had previously not been beaten since 1996.

MG Motor UK achieved an impressive second place in What Car? magazine’s inaugural Servicing Satisfaction Survey, with the brand receiving praise for its outstanding customer service. The survey asked 8,300 UK motorists to rate their most recent dealer experience based on the politeness of staff, quality of work and value for money. In the overall results, MG Motor UK came second by just 0.3 percent, with the manufacturer being praised for its attention to detail, honesty, and value.

Aston Martin Racing is set to take on the 7th round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, as the series visits the spectacular Fuji Speedway in Japan. Despite the race set to the backdrop of Mount Fuji, there’ll be no time to savor the surroundings, as the British outfit continue to pursue 2017 title glory in all championships.

The most elegant of convertible Aston Martins begins a new chapter with the introduction of the eagerly-awaited DB11 Volante. Joining the DB11 Coupe, which was launched to wide acclaim last year, the new DB11 Volante sets new standards of performance, innovation, engineering, and style to create the definitive open-top Sports GT. Powered by a new 4.0-litre twin-turbo 510PS V8 engine, the DB11 Volante is built around the all-new bonded aluminum structure first seen in the DB11 Coupe. Lighter and more rigid than the model it replaces, the DB11 Volante has been engineered to deliver a much broader envelope of abilities. Greater levels of performance and handling accentuate the more sporting side of its character, while increased refinement, comfort and interior space ensure it remains a consummate grand tourer.

One customer will shortly be taking delivery of two unique McLarens, created to his individual specification by McLaren Special Operations (MSO).  Called the MSO R Coupé and MSO R Spider, they are the latest in a lineage of McLarens produced as personal commissions, a service that sees the customer working closely with MSO to agree on the direction, scope, and specification of a project. An MSO Personal Commission is the highest level of partnership between a customer and McLaren Special Operations, undertaken to design, develop and create unique interpretations of McLaren cars, expertly tailored to meet the exact requirements of the owner. A typical MSO Personal Commission extends beyond paint colours and materials and finishes to encompass changes to body and interior design and also dynamic and powertrain enhancements as required. The result is a McLaren personalised by MSO to […]

Our Video of the Week for this second week of October comes all the way from the 2017 All MG Collier Cup race at Watkins Glen, NY, put on by the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA). So buckle up and take a ride with Mike Barstow in his MGTD. The “Collier Cup” took place during the U.S. Vintage Grand Prix which was held from September 6 through 10. More than 400 vintage and historic race cars competeD in 11 vintage race groups. The race groups showcaseD many well-known marques, including Lotus, Porsche, Shelby, Alfa, Ferrari, Corvette, MG and Jaguar. Running as a part of this event this year ASs the Trans-Am Series presented by Pirelli.

More than ever, Range Rover represents the pinnacle of luxury travel, making every journey a treasured experience whether driving or being driven. Conceived nearly 50 years ago for the country set to use on the estate and then drive to the townhouse, Range Rover has continuously evolved to lead the world around it, remaining the peerless luxury SUV.

The latest special edition to join the MINI UK line-up celebrates the brand’s rich heritage with a nod to one of the best known sporty classic Minis of all time, the 1275 GT. Available to order now, the 1499 GT recalls the entertaining drive, distinctive styling and low running costs of the 1969 original, which was one of the most affordable performance cars of its day.

Avon Tyres’ acclaimed Cobra tires have been selected as the original equipment (OE) fitment tires for two stylish new bikes launched by Triumph Motorcycles. The British manufacturer unveiled the two new motorcycles, the Triumph Speedmaster and Triumph Bobber Black, at an event last Tuesday.

The MINI JCW Team and MINI USA completed their second full season competing in the Street Tuner class of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge series with a hard-fought final race of the season on Friday at Road Atlanta. The team qualified P9, P10 and P11 after an early morning qualifying session on Friday. The #73 MINI JCW driven by Jones and Pombo had a strong day, starting 10th and quickly climbing through the field to put the team in seventh place. With under 10 minutes left in the race, a caution came out to pack up the field which gave Pombo a great opportunity to gain position before the checkered flag. As the field prepared to take the final restart, the third, fourth and fifth place cars collided. Pombo maneuvered through the wreckage to emerge in 3rd place.

Yet another thrilling season of motorsport has come to a close for Morgan and Wolverhampton University as the 2017 AR Motorsport Morgan Challenge ends with the final round of the year at Snetterton. Each of the Morgan race cars is now back in their respective garages and workshops, ready for winter enhancements, rebuilds, and the occasional test. The 2017 season is the second year of Morgan’s partnership with the University of Wolverhampton that began in 2016, the on-going collaboration has seen the two companies combine resources both on and off the race track.

Watch as a Series I Land Rover is taken over to the Eastnor Castle Experience Centre for a test-drive. Originally built in 1950, it’s been restored back to its former glory by JLR’s Reborn Project.

Elliot Paterson has claimed his second AR Motorsport Morgan Challenge Championship, at the wheel of a new Morgan ARV6. The Scottish racer dominated this year’s championship, wrapping up the series with 2 races to go. He was officially crowned champion at the final Morgan Challenge race of the season at Snetterton last weekend. Paterson finished ahead of fellow Revolutions Morgan racer, Tim Parsons.

“I’ve never seen one of these before. What kind of car is it?” the police officer asked, his cruiser parked behind us on Massachusetts’ Route 13 to provide some protection against the stream of commuter traffic rushing north, toward the New Hampshire border. “It’s a Rover,” I replied. “An SD1. It’s a British car.” “Rover, huh? Never heard of those,” he said. This didn’t surprise me, given that he probably had not yet been born when Rover made its last stab at selling cars in the U.S. in 1980. “You know Land Rover and Range Rover?” I asked, employing my standard response. He nodded. “Well, the same company that made those built cars, too, going all the way back to the early 1900s.” He found this surprising. People always do. The car’s owner, my friend Dirk Burrowes, is far more […]

Retail sales for Jaguar Land Rover totaled 65,097 vehicles in September, up 7% on September 2016, following strong sales across the majority of key regions. Retail sales in September were up 20% year-on-year in China, 17% in North America, 10% in Overseas markets and 1% in Europe. Due to difficult market conditions, retail sales were down in the UK (4%).

Our video of the week this go-round comes from Goodwood. In it, Patrick Blakeney-Edwards gives an in-depth look at one of the favorite Goodwood Revival cars: the 1928 Frazer Nash Saloon dubbed the “Owlet”. It’s an all-consuming experience to race and with an updated engine, and it was one of the craziest cars to be thrown around Goodwood. Thanks to Goodwood for not only a great event that was great entertainment, but for the amusing video.

Land Rover has launched its first ever family-friendly binaural podcast series that uses the immersive experience of 3D sound to encourage adventurers of all ages to get out and experience a British outdoor adventure in the car – making it the perfect adventure whatever the weather. The entertainment series aims to bring the adventurous spirit of Land Rover to life, reflecting the brand’s ethos to get off the beaten track and discover. Research into the car as a unique shared family environment published by Dr Jessica Pitt in 2017* found that a car journey provided the perfect ‘in between’ space allowing the chance for quality time together, whilst the nature of the space, down to the configuration of the seats, offered the ideal opportunity for a shared family experience without distraction. It was these findings that led Land Rover to […]

Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) worked with lifelong Land Rover fan and customer Jamie Oliver to bring his vision to life. The result is truly unique – it’s the only Discovery in the world that has a toaster in the center console and a rotisserie driven by the power take off. Other ingenious features include a slow-cooker that sits beside the engine, a pasta maker, a gas hob and a deployable dining table and worktop. There are even a herb garden and spice rack in the rear windows.