Jaguar Land Rover Announces Closer Partnership with CloudCar
Jaguar

Jaguar Land Rover Announces Closer Partnership with CloudCar

Jaguar Land Rover has announced a closer partnership with CloudCar, including the adoption of its next-generation cloud services platform and a US$15m minority investment in the company. CloudCar, based in Palo Alto, California, is a world-leading developer of connected driver experiences. With machine-learning capabilities tied to various sensors in the car, its cloud services platform allows car manufacturers to use its capability – including improved voice-activated applications and personalisation – while still maintaining their brand identity and retaining ownership of data.
Mark Spencer, with directors Keith Bird and Richard Hall at Great British Sports Cars, Boughton
Corporate Business

Great British Sports Cars GBS Powers on with New Funding

Great British Sports Cars (GBS), on Maun Way, Boughton, manufacture and sell factory-built or kit versions of sports cars. The majority of the parts are developed in workshops on the site. Their most popular design is the Zero, which takes design inspiration from the Lotus Seven sports car, with more than 600 sales of the car worldwide. GBS received a £125,000 grant from funding body Niche Vehicle Network, to help expand their service. The money will allow them to collaborate with Nottingham-based manufacturers Far-UK on car-related designs and projects in the future. Mr Ben Bird, the general manager of GBS, said the extra funding would also allow them to bring in more young staff to learn the trade. “The further support enables us to have apprentices which will help us progress as a manufacturer,” he said. We had one join […]
Aston Martin Owners Club East - Lime Rock 2017

Aston Martin Owners Club East – Lime Rock 2017

47th Annual AMOC-East – The AMOC North America East’s premier annual event. Interlaken Inn, Lakeville, Ct. A Multi-day event including a concours, racing at Lime Rock race track, a rally through the beautiful Berkshires and a fabulous award dinner. This starts with a road tour on Thursday morning that concludes with a fine luncheon at a member’s restored country manse. Friday sees the white glove crowd gather on the lawn across from the Interlaken Inn to display the finest Astons to be found. In fact, there are cars here that get shipped in from all over the US and Canada. Lastly, the Track day at Lime Rock Park takes place on Saturday with some incredibly rare cars at speed.
AC Cars at the Simeone Museum

AC Cars at the Simeone Museum

For the first time in memory, a historical exhibition of the sports car which led to generations of winners on all types of road courses, right up to the Cobras that won America’s first World Championship. From February 18 to March 12, 2017, the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum will exhibit some of the finest AC cars and their derivatives, from their origins through the 60s and beyond. This show is unique for its scope and examples from all over America are scheduled to be exhibited.  Regular general admission gets you to see all of the AC cars, plus the 65 important sports racing cars in our permanent collection. For those really interested in meeting the owners and AC aficionados, a Launch Party dinner is being held on Saturday, February 18. Launch Party tickets will be on sale shortly. Also, noted […]
Amelia Island Concours 2017

Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance 2017

THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2017 The Shop at the Concours 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, Santa Maria 1 RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island Sale Preview  10 a.m. – 6 p.m. The Ritz-Carlton Ballroom & Ocean Front Lawn For more information: www.rmsothebys.com or call (800) 211-4371 or (519) 352-4575 Open to Public The Amelia Island Concours Silent Auction  3:00 p.m. – 6 p.m. The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island Plaza 2 Guardians of Porsche Wine Maker’s Dinner 6:30 p.m. The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, Talbot Ballroom $310 per person. Reservations required: www.ameliaconcours.org FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 2017 The Porsche Driving Experience 7 a.m. Departs from the Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport. Driver’s meeting at 7 a.m. Activities to include a spirited ride with a professional driver and an entrant participation autocross. $250 per car (2 people included). Open to the Public – Reservations Required: www.ameliaconcours.org  *Ownership of a Porsche is […]
Boca Raton Concours d'Elegance

Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance

We invite you to join us over three spectacular days, February 10, 11 & 12, as we commemorate the 11th Annual Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance.  With the attendance growing dramatically every year & raising more than ten million dollars for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County, the Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance is the fastest growing Concours in the nation and the world’s largest for charity. Marques of the Year – Auburn , Cord, & Duesenberg 50th Anniversary Feature – 1967 Pony Cars: Barracuda, Camaro, Cougar, Firebird, & Mustang Display Class (Not Judged). Vintage Professional Vehicles, by Invitation Only. Special Invitation to the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club Members and the Museum.
Morgan Three Wheeler Convention

North America’s First Morgan Three Wheeler Convention

North America’s First Morgan Three Wheeler Convention will be held in Augusta Georgia May 18-21, 2017.  There are plenty of Morgan 4 Wheeler outings, but there has never been a event dedicated to the Morgan Three Wheeler. This event will include both the vintage Morgan three wheelers as well as the modern three wheelers. But, you don’t have to own a Morgan three-wheeler to attend! Want a new Morgan Three Wheeler in your garage??  The vendors will be there. We have allocated Saturday and Sunday afternoons on our event calendar for marketing activities, test drives, product comparison, etc. Check out the website and also the event FaceBook page.
McLaren Sales Surge to Near 100% Increase in 2016
McLaren

McLaren Sales Surge to Near 100% Increase in 2016

McLaren Automotive, the British manufacturer of luxury sports and supercars, has recorded another record year of sales growth with a near-doubling of its sales volume year-over-year, selling a total of 3,286 cars in 2016 compared to 1,654 in 2015. The 99.3 per cent improvement in sales performance also follows the company’s announcement of a third consecutive year of profitability in 2015 and the production milestone of the company’s 10,000th car, all capping another highly successful and record-breaking year.
MG Motor UK Named One of UK Fastest-Growing Automotive Brands
MG

MG Motor UK Named One of UK Fastest-Growing Automotive Brands

MG Motor UK has been named as one of the fastest-growing automotive brands in the UK*. Figures released earlier this week by the SMMT** reveal that the company registered 4,192 vehicles in 2016 – 1,040 more than last year. Sales have grown by 33% year-on-year, with MG’s family-friendly SUV – the MG GS – a key driver of this success. In November, the new model reached its 500 unit sales milestone, just 176 days after being unveiled at The London Motor Show in May.
Bentley Continental Supersports - The World's Fastest Four-Seat Car
Bentley

Bentley Continental Supersports: The World’s Fastest Four-Seat Car

Bentley has announced its fastest and most powerful production model to date: the new Bentley Continental Supersports. A top speed of 209 mph (336 km/h) and a 0-60 mph time of 3.4 seconds (0-100 km/h in 3.5 seconds) make the new Continental Supersports the world’s fastest and most powerful luxury four-seat car. Similarly, its soft-top sibling, the Continental Supersports Convertible, is the fastest four-seat convertible in the world, despatching the sprint to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds (0-100 km/h in 3.9 secs) on its way to a 205 mph (330 km/h) top speed. Bentley’s mighty W12 engine, redeveloped for the Supersports with new high-performance turbos and engine hardware, and a torque vectoring system create a Continental Supersports  as agile as it is powerful. Meanwhile, unique styling cues inside and out give the new model a sharpened athletic appearance highlighting its performance […]
British Car Industry Warns of Sales Downturn
Corporate Business

British Car Industry Warns of Sales Downturn

According to the Guardian, the British car industry has warned of a sales downturn this year as the economic uncertainty that followed the Brexit vote kicks in. A fifth consecutive year of growth saw nearly 2.7m new car registrations in the UK last year, a rise of 2.2% on 2015. But the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said it expected growth to reverse, with a sales decline of 5-6%, as the cost of new cars rises due to sterling’s fall. An end to cheap financing deals would also hit sales, it said. But Mike Hawes, the SMMT’s chief executive, said the domestic market remained comparatively strong. “This is historically an incredibly high level. We’re not talking about a collapse,” he said, adding that the market had been more resilient than expected after the EU referendum. But, he said: “Clearly, […]
Jaguar Land Rover Prevails in Defender Trademark Suit
Land Rover

Land Rover Prevails in Defender Trademark Suit

Earlier this year, Jaguar Land Rover launched twin lawsuits against Bombardier Recreational Products, (BRP) over the Canadian manufacturer’s use of the name “Defender” for one of its Can-Am brand off-road utility all-terrain vehicles. The lawsuits were brought in England’s High Court of Justice, and in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan here on this side of the pond.
VotW - Depth of Speed - British Mania
Austin Healey

VotW – Depth of Speed – British Mania

Something a bit different this week for our video. This time round we are featuring “HBTV: Depth of Speed – British Mania”. The series “Depth of Speed” … ‘was born from a desire of story, travel and a love of anything automotive related. Next year my wife and I will be taking to the streets to uncover and document the greatest stories from the automotive world. From coast-to-coast and from top to bottom, finding the best stories will take the highest priority. Every time I meet someone new or attend an event I’m amazed at the depth, passion and love that the automotive world brings. Depth of Speed is just that – an in-depth look at these stories. There is something about motors and machines, that to an outsider looking in, would make us seem plain crazy.‘ This episode, British […]
McLaren 650S current first-generation Super Series
McLaren

McLaren Automotive Announces Second-Generation Super Series

A new era will begin for McLaren Automotive this March with the launch of the second generation of its Super Series at the 87th Geneva International Motor Show. The first of the 15 new cars cited in the company’s Track22 Business Plan, the second-generation Super Series is also the first replacement of a product family by the British manufacturer of luxury sports and supercars. “Super Series is the core of the McLaren business and personifies the blend of extreme performance, crafted luxury and unparalleled driver involvement that is the McLaren heartland,” explained McLaren Automotive CEO, Mike Flewitt. “This is the first time we have replaced a product family and the new Super Series will be absolutely true to McLaren’s pioneering spirit in being a revolutionary leap forwards, both for our brand and the supercar segment.” The new Super Series is […]
AC Cobra MK VI
New Cars

First Ever Right Hand Drive AC Cobra MK VI to Be Launched

MacG Racing, the UK’s only distributor of the current AC Cobra brand, will be launching the first right-hand-drive MK VI at The Performance Car Show this month. Handbuilt in Germany, this is the first chance for petrolheads to see this version of the exquisite and powerful AC Cobra. AC Cars is one of the UK’s oldest car manufacturers and was first established in 1901 when John Weller set up a garage in London to realise a passion for building cars. It was in 1903 that Weller, with the backing of wealthy businessman John Portwine, helped bring the concept to reality as Weller debuted two versions of his ‘Autocar’ at the British Motor Show that year – in a twin-cylinder 10-horsepower and a four-cylinder 20-horsepower configuration. For the first time in 1915, the abbreviation AC was used, and in November of […]
JAGUAR LAND ROVER HEAD OF COMMUNITY RELATIONS, LES RATCLIFFE TD, APPOINTED MBE IN QUEEN’S NEW YEAR HONOURS LIST
People

JLR’s Les Ratcliffe Appointed MBE

Les Ratcliffe, Jaguar Land Rover’s Head of Community Relations, has been appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for outstanding service to the community in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List.
The Gathering 2017

The Gathering Presented by the Triumph Club of the Carolinas

Save the Date! April 21, 22, 23 2017 for the 32nd Annual South Central British Car Gathering The Gathering is a full weekend of fun. Friday –Fun Rally and Auction with free Pizza. Saturday Car show at the beautiful Shelton Vineyards, followed by a BBQ dinner Sunday Autocross at Surry County Community College. Attendance in past years has been at or above 300 British Cars
VotW - Triumph TR8 Buyer's Guide
Video of the Week

VotW – Triumph TR8 Buyer’s Guide

For our last Video of the Week of 2016 I thought we would take a look at one of the still affordable and often overlooked classics out there. A car that could very easily be in the Sunbeam Tiger category of collectibles. Our Video of the Week this time around is a Buyer’s Guide to the Triumph TR8. This video was produced in 2015 by Hagerty, the classic car insurance folk. In many ways, the comparison to the Sunbeam Tiger is a good one. Both cars are the V8 derivative of their more common 4-cylinder counterpart. Both were produced in limited numbers, and both were ignored as collectible for a long time. In the case of the Triumph, it still is for the most part. Although that may be beginning to change, a quick search online will find nice examples till […]
Don's Land Rover
Highlights

My Start with Land Rovers – Way Back

This article first appeared on my new Land Rover Log, but I thought I would run it here just for your consideration. I didn’t just dream up this current Land Rover desire out of nowhere. Nope, back in the mid-80s when I was in college, I bought my first car – an MGB. I loved that car and drove it everywhere … until I drove it into the back of a stopped car as I was coming around a curve on Lockwood Boulevard here in Charleston. I won’t say the folks in the stopped car were doing anything wrong or wanting to get hit, but I will say that at least one of them got out of the car already wearing a neck brace.