Archive

Zenos Cars is reporting ongoing sales success, just days after the owners of the 100th Zenos model to be built took home their new car. Demand for the company’s high-performance, lightweight sports cars means that all build slots for 2016 are now accounted for, while few are left for the first quarter of 2017. Since production of the naturally-aspirated Zenos E10 and turbocharged Zenos E10 S began in early 2015, the range has been expanded with the 350 bhp Zenos E10 R and a 280 bhp upgrade kit for the best-selling E10 S. The sales network has also expanded, with the Zenos E10 series now sold in 10 markets encompassing Europe, Asia and North America.

Caterham has today unveiled a brand new model which features a rather different build process to its usual run of 500 cars a year – the brand’s very first immortalisation in LEGO form. Technicians from the legendary British sportscar manufacturer have downed their tools and picked up the plastic, teaming up with the equally iconic toymaker to create the first ever LEGO Caterham, due to hit the shelves this October.

I am beat from over eight hours of driving today to get here to Stowe for the British Invasion but feel I need to give you at least a few pictures from the fantastic street party this evening. The street was closed off, there was food, live music, and lots of dancing children. While all of the cars I have seen so far are great, a few really stood out. How about three Singer roadsters? You rarely see on of those, much less three at the same event. The Bristol pictured above was beautiful and drawing a crowd at every turn. And then there are the Healeys and the MGs and the Triumphs and the … well, you get the picture. And you will indeed get the picture because I will be posting more pictures reports as the show goes on. […]

It’s back to the future as the latest MG dealership opens in the brand’s historic birthplace. Lodge Hill Garage in Abingdon is just a stone’s throw away from the site of the original MG factory where cars were built from 1929 to 1980. Now the latest MG3 and MG GS models are proudly displayed in the showroom of the UK’s latest MG dealership. The Abingdon dealership joins one of the fastest growing brands in Britain and new MGs in the Oxford and Abingdon area have created a wave of interest. Lodge Hill’s Principal, Nigel Murrin, said: “We’ve had a huge response from people wishing us well and saying how glad they are to see the MG name back. It’s just a reminder how much passion there is for the brand.

At the London Design Festival 2016, MINI is collaborating with Asif Khan, whose installation MINI LIVING “Forests” explores three interpretations of these “spaces between spaces”. Munich/London. In cities like London and New York, affordable places to live are in short supply. House/flat shares or one-bedroom apartments that fall within a reasonable budget offer barely enough room for our everyday needs. At the same time, the world of work is also undergoing a period of change as workplaces go mobile and self-employment blooms. These developments have led to “third places” – those that lie between work and home – growing in importance. At the London Design Festival 2016, MINI is collaborating with Asif Khan, whose installation MINI LIVING “Forests” explores three interpretations of these “spaces between spaces”. They are each designed to encourage specific uses: relaxation, getting together or productivity. The […]

What are your car club meetings like? Could they be better? You BET! But just HOW? British car enthusiast Greg Prehodka was challenged with this situation when he “volunteered” to run the monthly meetings of the MG Car Club – Central Jersey Centre (in NJ) a number of years ago. After he joined the club, he found their monthly meetings boring and lacking substance. They would hold a simple business meeting and then everyone went home. So he stepped up to the plate and “volunteered” to run the monthly meetings to improve them. Greg has been involved with British cars since the 60’s and had many years of experience in helping to run other MG and British car club activities, including vintage racing, and would draw from his experiences. He also applied his planning engineering background to lay out a […]

In order to create the world’s most capable family SUV you must first understand the needs of the world’s most capable families. That’s why the Land Rover Discovery’s designers and engineers take their work home with them. Throughout the thousands of hours of development that go into making an all-new Land Rover, there’s a team of children testing, challenging and representing the needs of the modern family every day. And the toughest thing of all? Keeping everything their mums and dads do a secret right up until the new car is revealed.

A luxury Rolls-Royce formerly owned by the late Kenny Baker will be offered for sale at Classic Car Auctions’ (CCA) September Sale on 24th September at the Warwickshire Exhibition Centre. As one of the most recognisable and popular actors of the Star Wars franchise for his role as robot sidekick R2-D2, Kenny Baker appeared in six of the blockbuster films.

Our Video of the Week this go-round comes from the vintage racing circuit. Vintage racing is great, and classic British sportscar racing is even better. So take a look at the new racing course in Palmer, Massachusetts, from the view of George Pardee racing his MGTF there. For a brief overview of historic MG racing, make sure to check out the MG Vintage Racers website. We were unable to get to Waterford Hills, but did try out the spectacular new course at Palmer, MA with VSCCA/VRG. The video from our street equipped TF1250 stars Peter Ross and Jim Warren (MGA) two true gentleman drivers, and features a brilliant start by Mark Sherman. — George & Nick Pardee This video is from the The Whiskey Hill Classic at in July of 2016.

The famous cars made by ERA (English Racing Automobiles) epitomize British motor racing during the 1930s and have a very special place in the affections of patriotic enthusiasts. To honor those cars, J. Mac Hulbert has put together “ERA: The Autobiography of R4D” which is being published by Porter Press. This magnificent book tells the story of a uniquely historic example that has competed almost without a break for 80 years and achieved innumerable successes. R4D was campaigned extensively before and after the Second World War by Raymond Mays, the leading light of the ERA company, before passing through a succession of subsequent owners who have kept this famous car at the forefront of competition to the present day. The extraordinary life of R4D, a formidably powerful and charismatic racing car, is told in fascinating detail in this long-awaited book. […]

There appears to be a new print magazine now available for classic Jaguar fans title, appropriately enough, Classic Jaguar. I was able to pick up the first issue, though I have not yet seen the second. It is quite good – focusing on Jaguars of basically XJ40 and before. To quote the magazine’s blurb, “Classic Jaguar aims to be the definitive celebration of this most iconic of British motoring marques. It will chart the historic journey of a car maker that started life in 1922 as the Swallow Sidecar Company in Blackpool. The company soon evolved into a Coventry-based manufacturer of sports cars. With a new factory and glamorous new models, Jaguar was flying from the 1950s onwards as it exported cars like the MkVII saloon and XK120 around the world and achieved huge motorsport success at Le Mans. Classic […]

Jaguar Land Rover has started construction of its new manufacturing facility in Slovakia. The ground-breaking ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Robert Fico and Andy Garth, UK Ambassador to Slovakia. Jaguar Land Rover continues to lead the automotive industry in the development of advanced lightweight technologies. The new 300,000m² factory will be at the forefront of aluminium manufacturing and engineering expertise in Slovakia. It will manufacture a range of all-new aluminium Jaguar Land Rover vehicles, supporting the company’s on-going commitment to deliver high-tech lightweight cars to its customers.

Earlier this year, Aston Martin announced significant new investments in its long-term future in the United Kingdom, choosing St Athan in Wales as the location for its second manufacturing facility. As a specialist luxury manufacturer, Aston Martin requires highly skilled technicians to hand build its cars, so the new employees for the St Athan plant, which will begin full production in 2020, will commence their careers with Aston Martin at Gaydon. Over 40 people have begun work across the business where they are being fully trained in the ‘Aston Martin way’ by building the new DB11.

This week, Jaguar Land Rover will expand its Ingenium powertrain family, unveiling new technologies for both current and future vehicles. The new additions will support the company’s long-term commitment to reduce vehicle emissions and improve fuel economy across its range through the introduction of more efficient engines along with alternative powertrains, lighter vehicles and improved vehicle energy conservation. At the heart of its low-emissions strategy, the new four-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine is now in production at Jaguar Land Rover’s £1 billion Engine Manufacturing Centre. Designed, engineered and manufactured in the UK, these are the most advanced engines the company has ever developed. They will deliver up to 25 percent more power than the engines they replace and offer fuel consumption reductions of up to 15 percent.

The drive by McLaren GT Factory Driver Rob Bell to the flag headlined a clean sweep in the GT3 and GT4 classes for McLaren GT customer team Black Bull Ecurie Ecosse in the 2016 British GT Championship season finale at Donington Park. The result marked the first win of the season for the 650S GT3 in the championship and the second for the 570S GT4, concluding a highly successful developmental season for the newest model. The second consecutive victory for Haggerty and Mitchell saw the pair claim second in the British GT4 Drivers championship – Silver and third overall in the British GT4 Drivers championship. A strong weekend in Austria also saw three examples of the 650S GT3 lined up in the International GT Open at the Red Bull Ring run by customer teams Balfe Motorsport and Garage 59, with […]

I regret that it has not been mentioned here before, but the College of Charleston has entered into a partnership with the HVA (Historic Vehicle Association) to develop a program “with the goal of developing an academic partner to teach and publish scholarly research on this dimension of historic preservation.” The College’s Historic Preservation & Community Planning Program began it’s partnership with HVA last year and will be hosting the President of HVA, Mark Gessler, on campus on September 26, 2016, for a lecture entitled “Why We Need a National Register for Automobiles Now.” This lecture is free and open to the public. The program is also hosting a conference at the Historic Vehicle Association Research Laboratory in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in October. That conference “Driving History – Putting Preservation on the Road” is the first international academic event of its kind known […]

Reader Andy Ackerman sent in this brief report on the Aberdeen Heights Car Show. This takes place at the Aberdeen Heights senior home in Kirkwood, Missouri . Honestly, I feel holding shows like this at places such as this is a great way to add value to the hobby. Andy reports that  the cars “really stirred up some good memories for these elder car lovers!” Those memories are valuable to everyone and can often prompt some valuable insights and great stories. Again, keep those show reports coming! We love to see what everyone is up to.

Entrance costs – $25/vehicle (Route book cost & donation see below)  & $15 per person for BBQ Saturday night Entrants receive – basic Route Book & event Decal Start/Finish – Mission Springs Restaurant & Pub, Mission, B.C. 2 days <950 kilometres on southern B.C. Roads Overnight – Lake Country Inn, $75 plus taxes – Entrants book & pay Entrants provide own meals, fuel & extras Lunch at Quilchena Hotel on Saturday – they will be ready at 1 p.m. BBQ with VMC Member Ron & Janet Lockwood, Saturday To Book a Room – contact Lake Country Inn, mention ‘VMC Drive’ Email:  [email protected]   or  Phone: 1-250-766-4928 PLEASE confirm ENTRY by September 15th for numbers of Route Books and for Lunch & BBQ NOTE:  Event will contribute to Cardiac Care program at Royal Columbian Hospital, New Westminster, B.C.