Portland All-British Field Meet

June 23, 2014 Staff Comments Off

Billed as the largest British car gathering west of the Mississippi, the Portland All-British Field Meet regularly draws well over 800 cars for the weekend long event. This year the meet will be held Friday, August 29 through Sunday, August 31, 2014. The weekend kicks off with the Friday Welcome Party, followed by the Saturday car show, which includes a BBQ, a slalom competition, People’s Choice balloting, a Funkhana, a huge photo concours, a Best in Show designation and a Land Rover Adventure Ride sponsored by the Pacific Coast Rover Club. Sunday’s activities include a Rallye, a swap meet and an off road excursion for registered Land Rovers. In conjunction with the event, SOVREN will be holding the Columbia River Classic vintage races. SOVREN, the Society Of Vintage Racing ENthusiasts, is a Seattle based non-profit racing organization with members throughout Washington, Oregon, […]

Are You Destroying the Value of Your Car?

June 20, 2014 Staff 1

Just received the latest e-newsletter from Charles Runyan of The Roadster Factory. In it there is an interesting bit about the value of classic British cars and the effect that the parts used in repairing and restoring them can have on those values. Of course Runyan has a vested interest in this because of his business, but I really do agree with him. With the value of all British cars rising, I believe that enthusiasts should buy parts based on quality rather than on low price. In fact, a letter was received from British Motor Heritage this week deploring the practice of selling Heritage products at discounted prices. John Yea, Director of BMH, believes that this lowers the value of the cars over time, and this writer agrees. There is a trend in the U.S. to sell lower-quality parts at lower […]

VotW – Rover – The Long Goodbye

June 18, 2014 Staff Comments Off

The week we have a video documentary which traces the rise and fall of a great British brand that is largely unknown in the US, Rover. And no, we don’t mean Range Rover. Well, not totally. In the days when Britain’s car industry was the envy of the world, Rover epitomized everything to which the driver of taste aspired, but in 2005 it reached the end of the road. The film explores how Rover cars went from defining their eras to becoming victims of their times, telling the story behind the key models to the controversial joint ventures with Japanese and Indian manufacturers in later years.

MG CS SUV Getting Naked in China

June 18, 2014 Staff Comments Off

The best New spy shot so far of the MG CS SUV, showing the side and the real all-naked for the first time. Sporty lines and a sleek profile, but tires look awfully small. Debut of the MG CS is expected for the Chengdu Auto Show in September. Price will start around 120.000 yuan and end around 160.000 yuan ($19.000 – 26.000). Production cars stays close to the MG CS Concept that debuted on the 2013 Shanghai Auto Show. Engine chat: still a confusing picture here with many conflicting reports. Early on we heard the MG CS would be available with a 135hp 1.5 turbo and a 204hp 2.0 turbo, both mated to a 6-speed DCT. Recent reports in Chinese media revealed a much larger line of engines: 1.3, 1.4 turbo (developed with GM), 1.5, and the 1.5 turbo. The […]

1980 MG Midget Smashes Sales Estimates

June 17, 2014 Staff Comments Off

An unregistered 1980 MG Midget with just 162 miles on the clock, fetched over £11,000 when it went under the hammer at Anglia Car Auctions on Saturday. The Vermillion red car sold for £11,025 well ahead of expectations that it might fetch between £7,000 to £9,000. “It was a very good sale – an exceptional price,” said Simon Whitmore, of Anglia Car Auctions (ACA), based at Beveridge Way, Hardwick Narrows Estate. “It had no reserve on it and the vehicle has never been registered.” Also up for auction the same day, but which failed to sell, was a 2001 Mercedes Benz S500L, purchased new by former England captain David Beckham and originally registered as Y3 DVB in June 2001. The car was up for sale with all manuals, service book and the original V5 bearing David Beckham’s name, with 117,000 […]

Southeast British Car Festival

June 16, 2014 Staff Comments Off

Announcing the 2014 Southeast British Car Festival in Dillard Georgia, hosted by the Peachtree MG Registry in Atlanta. This biannual event, started in the early 1990’s, has grown in importance and stature over the past few years as it has shifted from an all MG event to an all British Car show. After the Peachtree MG Registry hosted the NAMGBR National Show in 2012, the Southeast Festival has been expanded to build on everyone’s great experiences and this year is sanctioned by both NAMGBR and NAMGAR. This event will take place, at the award winning Dillard House from September 18 to 21, when the Georgia weather is perfect for stimulating drives on some of the most beautiful roads in America- including the challenging 11 mile, 318 turn Tail of the Dragon. The show will continue to feature MG’s along with […]

Head Island Motoring Concours Selects Jaguar as Honored Marque

June 13, 2014 Staff Comments Off

The Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours d’Elegance, one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing automotive and motorsports enthusiast event weeks, has selected Jaguar as the Honored Marque for the 2014 Festival. With nearly 80 years since the SS Jaguar name first appeared, the marque has far-reaching appeal and a wide breadth of history to feature at this year’s Festival, to be held October 24 – November 2. Both Motoring Festival venues will honor the contributions Jaguar has made to the automotive industry: Hutchinson Island’s The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa (Savannah Speed Classic) and Hilton Head Island’s Port Royal Golf Club (Concours d’Elegance, Motoring Midway and Car Club Jamboree). “With a display of Jaguar racecars planned for this year’s Savannah Speed Classic and three classes of Jaguars to be displayed at this year’s Concours d’Elegance as […]

VotW – The Morgan Motor Company

June 11, 2014 Staff Comments Off

Our video this week is entitled, “Morgan Motor Company: The Most Honest Car Factory in the World”. As you might guess, the video focuses on the Morgan Motor Company in Malvern, England where happy designers, craftsmen and women lovingly create cars for enthusiasts by hand every day. Perhaps this brief history of the Morgan car is best summed up by its inventor, H.F.S. Morgan, who said of his life’s work shortly before he died in 1959, “looking back through the years, seeing both the errors and the triumphs in their correct perspective, I feel I have enjoyed it all. The motor trade has been, so far as I’m concerned, a most interesting business.” Peter Morgan maintained the passion and today, the Morgan Motor Company enjoys continued success, with inspired new designs under the direction of Charles Morgan.

Mini Voted Best British Car Ever

May 8, 2014 Staff 1

A bit surprising considering the competition maybe, but Autocar magazine readers voted the classic Mini ahead of McLaren F1, Jaguar E-type and the Range Rover. And there is nary an MG, Triumph or Austin Healey to be found on the list. The poll also named Norfolk-based Lotus as the most popular British manufacturer, with seven of its models making the 100 best British cars list. Autocar brand editor Chas Hallett said: “It comes as little surprise that the original Mini has topped the list of all-time British greats. “It’s such an iconic vehicle and represents a lot more than the British car industry; the Mini is associated with Great Britain around the world and, in many ways, it was ahead of its time.” He went on: “Everyone loved and still loves an original Mini. It ensured a fabulous drive every time, […]

VotW – The Golden Age of the British Sportscar

May 7, 2014 Staff Comments Off

We are starting a new feature this week. We have always put a nice little YouTube video over there in the sidebar for your enjoyment, but a lot of folks either didn’t realize it was there, didn’t realize they could blow it up to a larger size to watch, or just generally ignored it because … well, I don’t know. Maybe they thought it was an advertisement or something. Anyway, from now one we are going to feature the video in a post each time we change it, and this should be every week. Hopefully every Wednesday. Why Wednesday? Because it is a pretty boring day in general and we could all use a little something to brighten it up. Maybe a nice little video about some aspect of the British car fascination will do this. Hopefully it will give […]

Celebrating the 90th Birthday of MG

May 6, 2014 Staff Comments Off

Set to celebrate its 90th birthday annivarsary, The MG Car Company was founded in 1924 and got its name from Morris Garages, a dealer of Morris cars in Oxford which began producing its own customised versions to the designs of Cecil Kimber. The first cars, re-bodied Morris models, used coachwork from Carbodies of Coventry and were built in premises in Alfred Lane, Oxford. On May 1, 1924, the Octagon was registered as an MG trademark. The marque has come a long way since those early days, with the famous octagonal emblem recognised and celebrated around the globe. After several moves in Oxford, due to a growing demand for more cars to be produced, the MG moved to Abingdon and ever since the town has been the home of the MG. Arguably Britain’s favourite classic sports car reaches its 90th anniversary […]

Rare Aston Martin Auction

May 5, 2014 Staff Comments Off

Seems to be the month of the Aston Martin, not that there is anything wrong with that. On 17 May, 2014, Bonham’s auction house will conduct a special auction of Aston Martin cars and related books, artwork and ephemera. There are some great items, and collectors are sure to turn out in force. Two examples include a special coachwork ’56 DB2/4 and a 1:8 scale model of the Aston Martin ‘DP214’ 1956 Aston Martin DB2/4 MKII fixed head coupe with coachwork by Tickford, Chassis no. AM300/1241, with a bid estimate of £160,000 – 200,000 (US$ 270,000 – 340,000). A 1:8 scale scratch-built model of the 1963 Monza winning Aston Martin ‘DP214’, built by Javan Smith, with a bid estimate of £1,800 – 2,200 (US$ 3,000 – 3,700). Also on auction will be the Aston Martin DBS that featured in the British television […]

Nearly New MG Midget to be Auctioned

May 4, 2014 Staff Comments Off

A nearly new MG Midget that has never even been registered is set to go under the hammer this month. With just 162 miles under its wheels, this 1980 Midget’s odometer actually reads 19 after the original faulty instrument cluster was replaced at its first service, which took place 11 months after the car was bought. The car has never changed hands and the current seller bought it new after hearing about the imminent demise of MG. He intended to give it to one of his children after they passed their driving test, but for unknown reasons never did. Anglia Car Auctions (ACA) will carry out the sale on Saturday June 14. ACA’s owner, Lyn George explains: “After 11 months, the car was despatched to Holland Brothers in Sleaford, in a horsebox of all things, for its first annual service. […]

Aston Martin Platform Changes and 2013 Financials

May 1, 2014 Staff Comments Off

Aston Martin has confirmed that it is working on a new platform to replace its venerable VH design, which debuted in the first-generation Vanquish at the start of the century. The new platform will underpin the British automaker’s next generation of sports cars and will be designed to fit new V-8 engines sourced from Mercedes-AMG. They also announced their 2013 finance, and it was a very good year. For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2013, Aston Martin managed to sell approximately 4,200 cars worldwide, an increase of 11 percent on the previous year, and its profits came in at £84.8 million (approximately $142.6 million), up a substantial 22 percent on levels a year ago. For full coverage of these announcements, you can check out the article at Motor Authority as well as hitting Aston Martin’s own news site.

Trident to Launch Fast and Efficient Sports Cars

April 30, 2014 Staff Comments Off

British sports car brand Trident is set to launch two new variants of its Iceni sports car–billed as the world’s fastest and most fuel-efficient diesel sports cars. The convertible, the fixed-roof Iceni Magna and the Iceni Venturer wagon use a 6.6-liter turbodiesel V-8 engine to deliver huge performance. Despite this, Trident says the Iceni offers “outstanding fuel efficiency”. At £96,000–just over $161,000, at current exchange rates–it isn’t cheap. It is similarly priced to the new BMW i8 plug-in sports car however, with similar performance and potentially, better economy at a cruise. And both cars are considerably thriftier than similarly-priced rivals. Are we entering a new age of low-consumption, low-emission sports cars? For further on this story, check out the full article at Green Car Reports.

Vintage Routemaster Buses Come to Commuters’ Rescue

April 29, 2014 Staff Comments Off

According to IBT, a fleet of Routemaster buses built in the swinging 60s has been drafted back into service to save Londoners from the misery of the tube strike. Transport for London (TfL) has drafted in 40 of the vintage buses, which were manufactured between 1954 and 1968, after parts of the London Underground ground to a halt. Several of the buses were offered up by private tour operators, who bought them after they were taken out of service in 2005 and now use them to provide novel transport for weddings and other functions. Check out the more details on the strike and the vintage busses coming to the rescue at the International Business Times.

Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon Awarded Grant

April 29, 2014 Staff Comments Off

The British Motor Industry Heritage Trust, based at the Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon, Warwickshire has been awarded a Round Two grant of £1.45 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for its Museum Collections Centre project, it was announced today. The award is the culmination of more than 2 years work to develop plans for a new building in which to store and display more than 200 historic British cars from the collections of both the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust and its partner the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust. The £4 million project received initial support from HLF in 2011, and the latest HLF grant, together with match funding from Jaguar Land Rover, The Garfield Weston Foundation and both Trusts, will enable work on this exciting new project to begin in the spring of 2014. The new Museum Collection […]

A Mercedes Takeover of Aston Martin?

April 21, 2014 Staff Comments Off

Stories come and theories go, but according to the website Complex Rides, this one seems to have some teeth to it. Could it be that Mercedes will soon be driving Aston Martin? And with companies like VW and BMW taking control of other prime British marques, who can say it isn’t a valid supposition? To quote CR, “It all started when Aston Martin announced that it would be using engines co-developed with AMG, using a lot of AMG technology in its next generation of cars. When this happened, Mercedes got to take home a five percent non-voting stake in Aston Martin. More deals were later struck for use of Mercedes’ next gen SL and SLK platforms, as well as for the GL’s platform for the upcoming Lagonda SUV. That’s in addition to the whole suite of Mercedes electronics, from active […]

Special Edition Morgan Plus 8 Speedster

April 19, 2014 Staff Comments Off

Morgan Motor Car Company has announced a new special edition Plus 8 Speedster for delivery this summer. The new Morgan Plus 8 Speedster embodies all of Morgan’s core values and has been commissioned as part of a special line of vehicles to celebrate 100 years of vehicle manufacture at Pickersleigh Road. The Speedster, the latest evolution of the Plus 8, offers an even more invigorating driving experience inspired by a bygone era of stripped back, road going race cars. A 367 bhp 4.8 litre BMW V8 engine and a 6 speed manual or ZF 6 speed automatic gearbox propels the car from 0-62 in 4.2 seconds with a limited top speed of 148 mph. The latest in aluminium chassis developments ensure that its performance and road-holding will match its looks. The Speedster boasts a power to weight ratio to rival any […]

Highlands Motoring Festival, June 5-8, 2014

April 18, 2014 Staff Comments Off

Beautiful Highlands, North Carolina, is gearing up for the return of the British at the Seventh Annual Highlands Motoring Festival. This year the Cars of Great Britain will be the Marque of the Year. These Brits will be welcomed with parties, movies, road rallies, and certainly, the Car Show. Be sure to check out the Events page on the event’s website page that describes the activities. And while Cars of Great Britain, are the Marque, we also will welcome cars from all countries…USA, Germany, Italy, France, Sweden, just to name a few. The only restriction is the age of the vehicle must be 1989 or older. However, there is a Special Interest class that does not have the age restriction. However, this is for special production, and/or featured cars. (Details in the Classes webpage). As in past years, this […]