Articles by Staff

The new Range Rover Sentinel is the first luxury armoured vehicle to be fully engineered by Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations, (SVO) hand built at its Oxford Road facility, providing the highest levels of protection an SUV can offer against a wide variety of attacks. The Sentinel is based on the standard wheelbase Range Rover Autobiography. It delivers the supreme comfort, command driving position and all-terrain capability of the Range Rover, while providing peace of mind thanks to outstanding occupant protection and, outwardly, looking identical to the standard model. This mobile fortress is designed to withstand the most damaging and targeted of threats including penetration by 7.62mm high velocity, armour piercing incendiary bullets. This exceptional vehicle delivers lateral protection against up to 15kg Trinitrotoluene (TNT) blasts and defence against DM51 grenade explosions from both beneath the floor and above the […]

  This superb book tells the story of one of the most historically interesting of all Jaguar D-types – a car that has raced more than any other D-type. The long and varied life of XKD 504 is recounted in full, from its role as a works car used extensively for testing fuel injection, to two seasons of racing throughout Europe with Ecurie Ecosse, to four busy years of national competition in the hands of first Mike Salmon and then Peter Sutcliffe. This book provides fascinating insight into every aspect of this D-type’s history, supported by a fine collection of period photographs. Any Jaguar enthusiast will enjoy this addition to the ‘Great Cars’ series. Key content Life as a works car, including its important testing role and two races in 1956. Two seasons with Ecurie Ecosse, including sixth place in […]

Jaguar Land Rover has launched its Academy, the first of its kind in the UK automotive sector.  The new Academy will offer all Jaguar Land Rover workers the opportunity to take part in continuous development programmes to enhance their careers and provide the skills the company needs. With an annual learning and development outlay of £100 million, Jaguar Land Rover invests heavily in skills.  The creation of the Academy gives renewed focus to that investment and will deliver improved skills for the long-term by strengthening the links between training and business needs.  All training provided through the Jaguar Land Rover Academy will meet quality levels defined by a recognised and standardised accreditation process. Commenting on the launch, Jaguar Land Rover Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ralf Speth said:  “We are investing significantly in the future of Jaguar Land Rover by creating […]

The all-new W12 TSI engine is the most technically advanced 12-cylinder in the world, delivering the best combination of power, torque and efficiency of any car in its class. With a top speed of 301km/h, the Bentayga will be the fastest, most powerful SUV in the world. This film provides a glimpse of what is to come: a unique combination of performance and luxury. Performance of this nature is rare in any car. It was unheard of in an SUV – until now. Note: Press release courtesy of Bentley Motors.

Jaguar will celebrate its exciting future and rich, 80-year heritage at the 2015 Frankfurt IAA, with a dramatic reveal of the all-new Jaguar F-PACE. The Jaguar F-PACE will be the first ever compact luxury SUV from the famous British luxury and sports car brand. The stunning new F-PACE, which will be available to view on the Jaguar stand throughout the show (September 17 – 27), is previewed today with the release of an exclusive image and film. Camouflaged prototypes have already been seen proving the everyday usability and exceptional ride and handling of the all-new F-PACE, by supporting Team Sky on the Tour de France, enduring more than a quarter of a million miles of extreme testing at JLR test centers Dubai and Northern Sweden, and tackling some of the most challenging roads in world. This is a compact luxury […]

McLaren Automotive will showcase the best of British luxury at this weekend’s Chantilly Arts & Elegance Richard Mille (6-7 September) taking place at Domaine Chantilly, north of Paris. The second edition of the glamorous event will see a stunning display of automotive extravagance including a one-off 570S Coupé by McLaren Special Operations (MSO) and the legendary McLaren F1 GTR by César. The McLaren 570S Coupé by MSO has been designed to showcase different personalisation options available through the bespoke division of McLaren, and made its debut at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed. This striking example of modern craftsmanship is finished in new Ceramic Grey paintwork and features a variety of carbon fibre exterior options emphasising the lightweight carbon fibre chassis at the heart of the car. The 570S Coupé is the first model launched in the McLaren Sports Series […]

The first Evora 400 sports cars destined for customers and dealers have driven off the assembly line and are soon to arrive at dealerships across the UK and mainland Europe. The significant occasion was marked by a small celebration with proud members of the engineering and manufacturing team at Lotus, who are responsible for hand-building Lotus’ fastest production car to date. Jean-Marc Gales, CEO, Group Lotus plc states, “The Evora 400 has already received admiration and critical acclaim from media around the world, praising its performance, handling and design. In September and October, Lotus dealers throughout the UK and mainland Europe will be receiving their demonstrator and customers cars, so now is the opportunity for drivers to get behind the wheel and experience the Evora 400 for themselves.”

Jaguar Director of Design Ian Callum has been named among the first inductees to the Scottish Motoring Hall of Fame at a prestigious ceremony held aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia and hosted by His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent. The Association of Scottish Motoring Writers’ Scottish Motoring Hall of Fame, presented by Bridge of Weir Leather Company, was inaugurated as part of the opening celebrations of the Concours of Elegance, which opens at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh this weekend. Ian Callum joins motorsport legends Sir Jackie Stewart and Jim Clark as the first inductees. Ian Callum said: “It’s a great honour, made even greater by the company I am in as an inaugural member of the Scottish Motoring Hall of Fame alongside Sir Jackie Stewart and Jim Clark. I am absolutely thrilled, and so proud.”  Ian Callum, […]

The new MG 3SW debuted today on the 2015 Chengdu Auto Show in China, winning the price for the fattest front overhang. The MG 3SW is a variant of the MG3, and the spiritual successor of the long gone MG3 Streetwise. The MG 3SW is powered by the same dull engine as the standard car: a 1.5 liter petrol four with 109hp and 135nm, mated to a five-speed manual or automatic.

With the introduction of three new models – two of which are all-new to North American customers – realigned pricing and a new best-in-class1 coverage under Jaguar EliteCare, 2016 model year marks the beginning of The Next Generation of Jaguar. Already on sale in select markets around the world, the all-new Jaguar XE arrives in U.S. showrooms this spring. Launching with three powertrain options across four trim levels, the Jaguar XE enters the highly competitive sport sedan segment with standard rear-wheel drive and the option of all-wheel drive on certain powertrains. Fully redesigned for 2016, the second generation Jaguar XF continues to bring a unique blend of design, technology and refinement to the premium sedan segment. Positioned between the mid-size Jaguar XE and the full-size Jaguar XJ, the new bodywork on the XF mirrors the evolution of the Jaguar design […]

The National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, has launched an appeal to raise funds to build a new gear box for Sir Malcolm Campbell’s historic 1920 Sunbeam 350hp Land Speed Record car. The museum’s manager and Chief Engineer, Doug Hill says: “During the Sunbeam’s long and chequered history, its Achilles heel has been a weak gearbox. At some time after WWll, the original gearbox was removed and subsequently lost. It was replaced with a gearbox that was originally used in an Albion 35hp van, designed to take only one tenth of the power this engine produces and the way in which the braking system has been modified means that this installation severely compromises the braking of the vehicle. “For the next stage of the Sunbeam’s restoration story, we need to build a new gearbox from scratch. As the original gearbox no longer exists […]

A week of motoring celebrations in Scotland is underway with the Concours of Elegance Highland Tour, now complete with the arrival of the cars in Edinburgh this evening. More than 50 incredible pieces of automotive history dating from a 1903 Mercedes 60HP Simplex to a 2015 Ferrari La Ferrari took part in the tour, covering over 200 miles through Scotland, arriving the centre of Edinburgh on Thursday afternoon. A welcome party aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia officially opens the Concours of Elegance in Edinburgh tonight, and sees the inaugural Scottish Motoring Hall of Fame presented by His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent, the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers and Bridge of Weir Leather Company. The three-day Concours of Elegance itself opens in the grounds of the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh on Friday 4 September following a parade down the […]

Now in its fifth year, the annual Motorsport Festival at the Brooklands Museum in Weybridge, Surrey always has something new to amaze visitors. Among the vast number of competition cars from all eras booked to appear on Sunday 11th October, this year’s Festival will for the first time be welcoming the 22.3-litre W12-engined Napier-Campbell Blue Bird. In 1927, on the Pendine Sands in Wales, this Land Speed Record car set a new record at an average 174.883mph on the two-way run, with Malcolm Campbell at the wheel. What’s more, the Blue Bird will be run with the Napier-Railton, the all-time Brooklands lap record-holder – and a car that broke 47 world speed records between 1933 and 1937. Other highlights at the Festival include a recreation of the 1905 Fiat Land Speed Record car, powered by a genuine 16.5-litre Isotta Fraschini V6 […]

The entry list for Barons’ sale at Sandown Park on September 15th features an eclectic mix of cars spanning 10 decades, turning the saleroom into something of a ‘pop-up’ motoring museum. The sale is headlined by an extremely rare 1936 Alvis Speed 20 SD drophead coupé with Vanden Plas coachwork. One of five such examples built, just three are believed to still be in existence, and this is the only car of its type registered in the membership list of the Alvis Owner Club. It comes with a complete record of owners since its manufacture nearly 80 years ago, and still drives very well and performs strongly. Estimate: £100,000-£130,000. Another rarity is the unrestored, highly original 1972 Alfa Romeo Montreal V8 Bertone Coupé, which has covered just 38,000 miles in over 40 years, and has been barn-stored since 2011. Whilst […]

A very personal film, made in collaboration with Credit Suisse, has revealed new insights into the extraordinary life of motorsport icon Sir Stirling Moss. The 85-year-old race ace, who dominated the international scene in the 1950s and early-60s, chats candidly ahead of the 18th running of the Goodwood Revival at the circuit where he achieved so much success in his 15-year professional career. Talking at his London home with motorsport journalist, broadcaster and Goodwood commentator Henry Hope-Frost, Sir Stirling reminisces about his remarkable life on the race track. He talks fondly about Goodwood, the circuit that bookended his career via a 500cc Formula 3 win at the opening meeting in September 1948, when he was just 19, and the Glover Trophy Formula 1 accident at Easter in 1962 that put an end to his career. With 2015 marking the 60th […]

Bentley Motors today announces its new European Communications team line up. Caren Jochner, Senior Communications Manager Europe, will continue to lead the team, which consists of Mona El-Mahdi, Communications Manager Europe West; the newly appointed Sebastian Michel, Communications Manager Europe Central; and Maddalena Manfredi, Communications Coordinator. Sebastian Michel joined the team on September 1 from Daimler, where he was previously the press spokesperson within the Global Business Communications Department of Daimler Commercial Vehicles. Caren Jochner, who joined Bentley two years ago, is responsible for overall European Communications operation, with a specific focus on Germany as a key player in the European market. Andrew Roberts, Bentley’s Director of Communications, said: “With Sebastian Michel joining Caren Jochner’s talented team I have complete confidence that the media in all European markets will be well serviced. Europe is Bentley’s third largest market and with […]

Edward, 3rd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu, was the devoted custodian of his family’s 7,000-acre Beaulieu Estate in Hampshire. He was also a champion of the historic vehicle movement and founder of the National Motor Museum. He played a major role in the preservation of England’s historic houses and the development of the UK tourism industry. He passed away Monday at the age of 88. Edward Montagu inherited the Beaulieu Estate on the death of his father, John Montagu, a motoring pioneer, when he was just two years old. The family seat, Palace House, was built around the original gatehouse of Beaulieu Abbey, a Cistercian monastery founded on land granted to the Order by King John in 1204. The Estate was sold to Lord Montagu’s ancestor, Thomas Wriothesley, 1st Earl of Southampton, by Henry VIII in 1538. Lord Montagu was an […]

Aston Martin Works is preparing for a busy September of new sports car sales handovers, led by its first delivery of the sold-out Vantage GT12. The arrival of the ‘65’ registration plate will trigger the traditional September sales spike as eager buyers of the great British brand’s luxury sports cars take delivery of their new models. The Newport Pagnell business – among the busiest Aston Martin dealerships in the world since it opened its impressive new car showroom in 2012 – is gearing up for one of its most hectic months of the year as buyers from across the UK collect their new cars. Leading the charge from the Buckinghamshire showroom this September is the arrival of one of the first new Vantage GT12 sports cars to be handed over to a UK customer. With production strictly limited to just […]