Jeremy Clarkson Fire TV Stick Commercial
Highlights

Jeremy Clarkson Returns – Hawking Firestick

Ahead of his return to the airwaves, or at least wire-waves, next year, Jeremy Clarkson has made his first appearance for Amazon in a commercial for the Amazon Fire Stick. Find out more about the Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond & James May all-new car show for Amazon Prime at http://www.amazon.co.uk/guesswhosback

SUCCESFUL FIRST DAY AT CLASSIC and SPORTS CAR THE LONDON SHOW
Classic Cars

Classic & Sports Car – The London Show Off To Stellar Start

The London Show has opened its doors to the public for the first time with thousands of visitors treated to stunning displays, exciting live stage interviews and all things historic motoring. Presenter of BBC TV show Building Cars Live, Ant Anstead, opened the inaugural show to an eager crowd, before revealing that the Jaguar E-type had won Best British Car Ever following a hotly contested public vote. The presenter then took to the Interview Stage, sponsored by Smooth Radio, to share anecdotes from his career and his new TV shows including Building Cars Live in addition to talking about some of his favourite classics. Formula One legend, Ross Brawn OBE, was next to be interviewed by broadcaster Henry Hope-Frost, discussing not only classic cars but also his illustrious F1 career and the future of the sport. CEO of WeSeeHope, Mark […]

First production TR5 to be sold by Classic Motor Cars 1
Auctions & Sales

First Production TR5 to be Sold at Auction

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.

Jaguar First scheme to educate young people on safe, responsible driving
Corporate Business

Jaguar First Launches Driving Experience for Teens

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.

V12 Vantage S Roadster - award 2015
Aston Martin

Aston Martin Vantage Named “Classic Car of Future”

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.”

VotW - Gilbern T11 Prototype
Articles

VotW – Gilbern T11 Prototype

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 […]

Sir John Egan
Classic Cars

Classic & Sports Car – The London Show Featuring Automotive Literature

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.

JLR 2016 Branded Goods Collection
Corporate Business

Jaguar Land Rover Launch Heritage-Inspired Merchandise Collections

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 […]

Autojumble aerial view a
Auctions & Sales

Beaulieu 2016 Autojumble Dates Announced

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 EX 10 Speed 6
Bentley

Bentley EXP 10 Awarded Gold

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 […]

Before the race LM 1965
Classic Cars

Royal Automobile Club Art of Motoring

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.

New MINI Convertible 1
Corporate Business

New MINI Convertible Introduced

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.

1960 Ford Prefect
Auctions & Sales

British Classics Sell at Blackbushe Auction

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 […]

Bristol 400 and Bristol Scout - Pete Austin at Flywheel
Classic Cars

Date Announced for Flywheel 2016

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 […]

New Mini cars are parked outside a Mini dealership in Brighton in southern England
Corporate Business

UK Car Production Up Nearly 16%

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  

Raymond Mays' Magnificent Obsession
Classic Cars

Raymond Mays’ Magnificent Obsession

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 […]

Bentley Inspirator
Bentley

Bentley Introduces Inspirator Configuration App

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 […]

RARE RANGE ROVER CONVERTIBLE HEADS TO NEC CLASSIC MOTOR SHOW SALE AUCTION
Auctions & Sales

Rare Range Rover Convertible to Auction

A rare early Range Rover convertible conversion is due to be sold at Silverstone Auctions’ last auction of the year, The NEC Classic Motor Show Sale, on 14-15 November 2015. Starting life as a 1973 Range Rover ‘Suffix B’, the car was converted in the late Eighties by Special Vehicle Conversions, who specialise in bespoke convertible conversions for Range Rovers of the period. The rare right-hand drive convertible has covered just 62,500 miles from new and having recently been restored to its original Special Vehicle Conversions specification, it will be sold at The Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show auction with an estimate of £35,000 – £40,000. The car was apparently won by the previous owner in a card game in the Nineties, who then stored it in a lock-up as he didn’t have space in his garages. The vendor heard […]

Christmas Table
Classic Cars

Trip to Victorian England for Christmas?

Barely auto related, but we like it anyway. Visit Beaulieu this Festive Season, between 19th December and 3rd January 2016, to experience the magic of a traditional Victorian Christmas. See one of the largest outdoor Christmas trees in the New Forest, adorned with seasonal decorations and follow the fairy light path to Palace House, the home of the Montagu family since 1538, which is a place of enchantment at this special time of year.  Children can follow the Christmas Cracker quiz trail, hear how festive traditions have developed over the ages and play Victorian parlour games. All the family can wrap up in beautiful coats, hats and scarves and climb aboard the stunning full-size sleigh to pose for a photograph – perfect for the family Christmas card. Visitors can talk to characters from Victorian times to discover what life was […]

Aston Martin full electric RapidE concept
Aston Martin

Aston Martin Unveils Rapide S Electric Concept

Aston Martin is today showcasing a fully electric concept of its Rapide S four-door sports saloon outside Lancaster House in London – the venue for a meeting between Their Royal Highnesses Prince William, Duke of Cambridge; Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and President of The People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping. The new RapidE concept has been developed in collaboration with Williams Advanced Engineering at its facility in Grove, Oxfordshire. It is on display today in support of a creative summit organised by the British government’s successful GREAT campaign to showcase the best of what the UK has to offer and encourage people to visit, do business, invest and study in this country. Aston Martin CEO, Dr Andy Palmer, said: “We see luxury electric vehicles as an intrinsic part of our future product portfolio and welcome ChinaEquity into the next phase […]