Archive

The first production right hand drive 1967 TR5 Roadster is to be sold by leading classic car restorers Classic Motor Cars (CMC). This incredibly special car was the first TR5 P1 to be built on the normal assembly line, and is one of only 1,100 to be produced, carrying with it an indisputable history.

The all-new Jaguar XE is achieving widespread praise from its first owners following its launch earlier this year, andfrom today the Jaguar sports saloon experience is offered to the next generation of drivers with the launch of ‘Jaguar First’. This new scheme from Jaguar offers driving lesson experience days to 11-17 year-olds to help prepare them for their driving test and for driving safely and responsibly on public roads. Jaguar First lessons start from just £45 and are available to book at www.jaguarfirst.com. The lessons offer under 17s a fun and safe way to experience driving a car, in a realistic on-the-road environment, with a focus on the skills and attitude needed to become a responsible driver.

Aston Martin has once again confirmed its position as the most popular car brand in Germany. Readers of the renowned title Auto Bild Klassik voted the V12 Vantage S Roadster “Classic Car of the Future”. For the sixth year in succession, Auto Bild Klassik has presented Europe’s most important Classic Award. 98 candidates were nominated in 13 categories. The award ceremony took place in the Autostadt in Wolfsburg on October 20th. Mark Kenworthy, Regional Director European Operations of Aston Martin Lagonda of Europe, says: “We are very proud to once again receive this important award. The Aston Martin V12 Vantage S Roadster embodies the genes of Aston Martin perfectly: Superior performance in timeless design. We thank the readers of Auto Bild Klassik for their support.”

The organisers of the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run are pleased to announce that Auction house Bonhams – a long time supporter of the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, sponsor for 11 years and the event’s title sponsor since 2014 – has   further extended its backing of the world’s longest running motoring event. The renewed partnership will see Bonhams continue as title sponsor and auction house partner until 2019. The agreement encompasses a number of significant elements during the lead up to the Run. The company will continue to sponsor the Veteran Car Zone at the free-to-view Regent Street Motor Show, held in London’s famous shopping street on the day before the Run. And as well as sponsoring the Run, the company will carry on providing welcome participant’s hospitality at the finish line in Brighton. In addition, Bonhams […]

For our video this week we turn once again to our friends at Take to the Road with their excellent video of  the Gilbern T11 from Wales. To quote the guys at Take to the road … Gilbern is not a name that immediately springs to mind when you think of classic British sports cars. In fact not many people know about the former car maker that hailed from Wales. And even fewer are aware of its exciting two seat, rear engined sports coupe project from the 1970s. Founded in 1959 by Giles Smith and Bernard Friese, Gilbern was Wales’ only car maker. Both the former butcher and the former German Army soldier succeeded in building a car company from nothing and for a time challenged the likes of Jaguar and Rover with the Gilbern Genie V6. By the time […]

Motoring fans keen to expand their libraries, and maybe get an autographed copy too, should head to the inaugural Classic & Sports Car – The London Show at Alexandra Palace this autumn. That’s because the show will feature a host of world-class literary exhibitors, offering visitors everything from historical bestsellers to one-off coffee table books and, of course, a wide selection of motoring magazines. Some of the event’s Interview Stage guests will also be on hand to put pen to paper with some exclusive book signing sessions.

Jaguar and Land Rover have used iconic cars and moments from the rich heritages of both brands to inspire new merchandise collections, which are available to explore and order online and at Jaguar and Land Rover UK retailers from today. The exciting new collections include a variety of new and innovative products ranging from top quality apparel to stylish watches and branded accessories. Lindsay Weaver, Director of Licensing and Branded Goods for Jaguar Land Rover, said: “The new Jaguar and Land Rover collections combine exceptional design and originality with outstanding quality. In addition to a stunning range of heritage-inspired products, we have also created new core and lifestyle ranges which continue to be stylish and relevant”. The Jaguar and Land Rover 2016 merchandise collections build on an accomplished variety of premium products launched to date, that have proved increasingly popular […]

I attended two different car shows this past weekend, and while there were good things and difficulties with both of them, what always stands out is the people. It was great seeing old friends, making new friends, and just generally enjoying the company of like minded British car enthusiasts. My good buddy Gene Gillenwater showed me a car show creed that he had been given at a show back in his home state of Ohio. I loved it. He later had it on the windshield of his MGB at the show, and I saw many people stopping to read it and comment appreciatively. Too often at these shows folks get caught up in competition and who has the better car, the cleaner car, the car with the more accurate stitch-count in the seats. I have even known people who will […]

Beaulieu has announced that the 2016 dates for its world-famous International Autojumble, held in the grounds of the National Motor Museum, have been confirmed as the 3rd  and 4th September. Traditionally, the International Autojumble is held on the second full weekend of September and for several years the Goodwood Revival, the date of which is always dependent on the F1 Grand Prix calendar, has taken place on the following weekend. However, for the last two years the Revival has been brought forward a week to fit in with the F1 race schedule and as it is not in the best interests of Goodwood, Beaulieu, their exhibitors or visitors, to hold events on the same weekend, the decision was made to move Beaulieu’s International Autojumble forward a week as well. The same situation has prevailed for 2016 so Beaulieu will again […]

Bentley’s EXP 10 Speed 6 concept car has been awarded Gold in the Transportation category of the German Design Awards – one of the most highly respected design competitions in the world. The German Design Council selects a panel of international design experts to judge the entries. They selected the EXP 10 Speed 6 for the Gold award as a result of its timeless, iconic Bentley design, clever use of new materials and aesthetic dynamism. Panel judge, Johannes Barckmann, commented: “The designers of the EXP 10 Speed 6 achieved a fantastic reinterpretation of the British legend. This is particularly apparent when looking at the interior. The door panels are not covered with leather, but instead with high-quality wood. “The exterior inspires with a progressive, elegant design vocabulary that transports the classic car into the future. EXP 10 Speed 6 is […]

The Royal Automobile Club’s annual festival of motoring, London Motor Week, will embrace a brand new addition this year – The Art of Motoring. This inaugural exhibition will feature sixteen of the most prolific international motoring and motor racing artists who will display their latest works under the same roof for the first time in more than a decade. Housed at the Royal Opera Arcade at 5b Pall Mall, just a stone’s throw from the Royal Automobile Club’s London clubhouse, will be over 100 original works which will be for sale. The exhibition is free to the public from 26 -31 October 2015. An exclusive preview is by invitation only and will take place on the evening of 27 October at 7pm.

MINI USA introduced Thursday the newest addition to its iconic product line, the new MINI Convertible. As the first open top MINI powered by BMW Group engines and architecture, the new MINI Convertible is a premium four-seater soft-top convertible that is both practical and customizable for unlimited open-air motoring fun. Like all other MINI models in the product portfolio, the new MINI Convertible is made for individualization, setting the new standard in the premium convertible market. It offers a choice of 11 exterior color options, including the new Caribbean Aqua, which harkens back to the classic MINI color palette, ideal for the fun-loving enthusiast, and Melting Silver, recently introduced on the new MINI Clubman, a cool and modern finish perfect for the open air thrill seeker.

Collectors and enthusiasts turned out in force when BCA Blackbushe offered two classic British cars on Wednesday 14th October.  Both the 1957 Morris Minor and the 1960 Ford Prefect had generated a lot of pre-sale interest and there was some very competitive bidding both in the auction hall and online as the cars were offered. The Morris Minor had only been sold once before, at BCA’s former Frimley centre in 1980 when it realised £680.  Thirty-five years later it made over four times that value, selling for £2,850.   The two-owner Morris was in need of some gentle renovation to return to its former glory and came with  a number of original spares including a pair of boxed ‘as new’ Lucas semaphore indicators, Morris badges, carpets, new floor panels, chrome overriders and a complete set of spare wheels. The beautifully restored […]

Historic aircraft and competition cars, classic road cars and military machines will converge on Bicester Heritage in Oxfordshire for the weekend of July 2nd and 3rd 2016, when Flywheel returns to the UK’s best-preserved Second World War bomber station. Showcasing the best in aviation, motorsport, motoring and military history in a uniquely atmospheric and intimate setting, this family-friendly nostalgia-fest brings together a fantastic range of entertainment to appeal to all ages. The first Flywheel – held in June 2015 – was a huge success, drawing thousands of spectators who thoroughly enjoyed outstanding displays in the air and on the motorsport demonstration track, and the chance to get up close to an exciting range of military vehicles, aircraft and rare racing cars. Highlights included the return to the former RAF Bicester of the Blenheim bomber for the first time in over […]

British car production rose by nearly 16 percent in September compared with the same month last year driven by a rise in car exports, an industry body said on Thursday. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said car manufacturing rose by a yearly 15.5 percent to 158,281 units. “Particularly encouraging is the recent upturn in exports, which are higher than they were in 2014, reflecting growth in key overseas markets such as the rest of Europe,” SMMT Chief Executive Mike Hawes said. Cars built for exports, which account for around three in four of all British-made models, rose 13.9 percent to 117,307 units in September compared to the same month last year. Production for the British market rose by around 20 percent. Note: via http://uk.reuters.com  

Last Thursday, Bournemouth-based author and former Anglican Priest, Bryan Apps, launched his new book at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu. Laced with fascinating anecdotes, Raymond Mays’ Magnificent Obsession reveals a pivotal figure in motor sport history and describes the author’s enthusiasm for BRM, detailing his visit to Raymond Mays in Eastgate House, Bourne, in 1963. An intimate congregation of friends and motor racing enthusiasts gathered around the National Motor Museum’s Mk1 BRM for a talk by the author, followed by a presentation of the book to Beaulieu’s Chief Executive, Russell Bowman, and a signing session. Bryan Apps said: “I was given a very warm welcome at Beaulieu by Russell Bowman and Museum Manager, Doug Hill and was delighted to give a signed copy of Raymond Mays` Magnificent Obsession for the Museum Library, which is an essential resource for any student […]

Ok Let’s see… Random misfire and misfire on cylinder #11 … Looks like you need the basic ignition service. When would you like to do that? How much you ask? Oh, about $4,000. That was a nasty fall, can I help you up, get you some aspirin? Well of course I can break it down. Twelve spark plugs at $40.91 each, twelve coils at $157.56 each, a manifold gasket set at $407.36, and then around $900 labor …. How often?  Well, about every 25 or 30 thousand miles. Perhaps you should sit down again, you look faint. What I’m trying to point out here is that it’s possible to drive a spectacular car as your secondary “real car” for the kind of people that for instance left the 3 year old ‘Benz in the driveway this morning and drove the […]

Personal style preferences can now be transformed into recommendation, with Bentley’s latest innovation: the Inspirator. The application monitors the users’ facial expressions and reactions and interprets them in order to configure the perfect Bentley for them. Utilising any iOS device’s camera function, the application’s facial and emotion recognition software measures and analyses the viewer’s emotion based on nuanced facial expressions. 34 facial landmarks are identified at 15 frames per second, as the viewer reacts to stimulating film content. The accurate emotion metrics algorithms are built using the world’s largest emotion data repository – 3.4 million faces have been analysed in 75 countries amounting to more than 12 billion emotion data points. The viewer’s reactions dictate a unique film narrative; the film changes according to what the user responds to most positively, but also deciphers their preferences, creating a unique configuration […]