Articles by Staff

MINI USA announced pricing Thursday on its all-new 2016 MINI Convertible with a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $25,950 for the Cooper model. In addition, the company also introduced the fastest, most powerful convertible it has ever built, the new MINI John Cooper Works Convertible. As one of the newest additions to the MINI product line, the new MINI Convertible represents the first open top MINI powered by BMW Group engines. The premium four-seater soft-top convertible is both practical and customizable, delivering unlimited open-air motoring fun. The latest generation convertible, which was designed, engineered, developed, and assembled in Europe, starts only $250 higher than previous generation car, making it the only true convertible built in Europe priced below $26,000. The Cooper S variant will start at $29,600. All prices exclude the $850 Destination & Handling fee.

Note: This week we are very pleased to have a piece from John Twist of University Motors on the dangers of ethanol, or alcohol, in modern gasoline. Those of us who drive classic British cars, especially ones with original fuel system components, need to be aware of what modern fluids can do to our rides. We appreciate John letting us reprint this article from his most recent newsletter. “Nearly all of the gasoline sold in the United States contains 10 percent ethanol, which can safely be used in all of today’s gasoline-burning cars and trucks.” (From http://www.ucsusa.org) The operative word is “today’s.” Ethanol is a cleaner burning fuel than gasoline. It is created from biomass, especially corn. Arguments rage about the true environmental impact of growing corn to create ethanol versus drawing crude oil from wells and then refining it. But […]

Bentley Team M-Sport will return to Mount Panorama in Australia next month (5-7 February) to take on the Bathurst 12 Hours with two Continental GT3s in the team’s new 2016 livery that was unveiled at the Autosport International Show  today. Bentley Boys Guy Smith (GB) and Steven Kane (GB) will once again be joined on the mountain by Matt Bell (GB), and Andy Soucek (ES) and Maxime Soulet (BE) will welcome Aussie V8 star David Russell (AU) to their team.

The Lotus 3-Eleven is the most powerful road car to wear a Lotus badge and Hethel’s quickest ever road car. It joins the ranks of those rare cars that can reach 60 mph in under three seconds and 100 mph in six seconds. To complement these figures, the Lotus 3-Eleven possesses a purity of the driving experience and the benchmark handling for which all Lotus cars are renowned, enabling a lap of the challenging Hethel circuit to be completed in 1 minute 19.5 seconds for the Race version. Jean-Marc Gales, CEO of Group Lotus commented ”The Lotus 3-Eleven is a game-changing car, not only in terms of what has come before it from within our own rich heritage of sports cars, but also in terms of anything else comparable brought to market by any other manufacturer. Extreme, focused and phenomenal […]

Already the class benchmark for driving dynamics and driver engagement, the All-New Jaguar XF will, in 2016, offer an even greater breadth of dynamic ability. For the first time, Jaguar’s business saloon offers all-wheel drive (AWD) together with a four-cylinder diesel engine – the clean, refined, 180PS 2.0-litre Ingenium unit. This combination will offer customers exceptional fuel efficiency together with enhanced all-weather traction and performance. Jaguar’s torque on-demand AWD system features Intelligent Driveline Dynamics (IDD) – a next-generation control technology developed entirely in-house. Launched in the F-TYPE AWD, IDD delivers rear-wheel drive character and agility but can transfer precisely the right amount of torque to the front axle when required, maximising the performance and dynamics benefits of the additional traction. The result is superb composure in even the most adverse weather conditions. “The all-new Jaguar XF is already established as […]

Enthusiasts seeking a balance of pure performance and affordability from every driving experience now have a fresh alternative from British manufacturer Avatar. The Devon-based track and race division of long-standing specialist car producer Marlin Sports Cars has developed the 250bhp 2.0 Ecoboost-engined Roadster to offer road and track day fans a responsive, involving, lightweight car that offers plenty of scope to adjust and upgrade during ownership. The first car will make its public debut at The Performance Car Show on 14-17 January 2016 (Hall 19, Stand 19215), held at the Birmingham NEC alongside sister show Autosport International. Eschewing the handling and styling compromises of transversally mounting the Ford 2.0 engine behind the driver, Avatar’s engineers mandated the race-substantiated longitudinal installation, driving the rear wheels through a proven Porsche Boxster five-speed gearbox. Underlining an emphasis on performance and commitment to offer […]

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars announced Monday that its 2015 sales were the second-highest ever recorded in its 112-year history. A total of 3,785 hand-built motor cars were commissioned by customers worldwide last year. Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO, said, “2015 was a year of tremendous challenge for the entire luxury industry. I am very proud of our success which was achieved against a backdrop of considerable global uncertainty. We have proven that our long-term strategy of globally balanced, sustainable and profitable growth is delivering and we have maintained our position as the world’s leading luxury manufacturer. I am quietly confident of a strong year in 2016.”

Caterham Cars has introduced the ‘S’ Pack and the wider-bodied S5 chassis as options for the fastest road car it has ever produced. The Seven 620 S is the mildly saner, more road-oriented sibling of the ballistic 620R and features comforts such as a full windscreen, hood and side screens, as well as leather seats. For the first time, the Seven 620 can also now be specified with the wide-bodied S5 chassis as an option costing £2,500. The S5 is wider and longer than the standard S3 chassis, providing an experience better suited for more generously-proportioned customers, with other benefits including added interior and luggage space and increased range thanks to a larger fuel tank. The 620S, priced at £44,995 (incl VAT) fully built, joins the 620R at the summit of the Seven range by harnessing the same 310bhp two-litre, […]

Well-known car designer Henrik Fisker filed civil extortion charges against Aston Martin. He says that the British luxury sports car manufacturer threatened to sue him if the sports car dubbed as the Force1, which resembles the DB10, makes its way to the Detroit Auto Show. As a countermeasure, Henrik filed a civil extortion lawsuit against the British carmaker asking for US$100 million for damages. Fisker is a recognized designer in the automotive industry. He served as BMW’s DesignWorks president before he was brought to Aston Martin. The British automaker only sold 400 cars per year during the mid-90s. By the time Fisker designed two cars for the British carmaker that made it to production, global sales have grown and the company sold 7,000 cars worldwide.

MINI UK is reporting a record sales year in 2015, with 63,581 full year registrations. The milestone represents MINI’s 6th year of consecutive growth in the United Kingdom, with vehicle registrations up 17.9 per cent on 2014, securing the brand 2.41 percent of the market. MINI 3-door Hatch remained the brand’s biggest selling model, closely followed by its 5-door sibling. In the first full calendar year of sales, 44,560 Hatch models were sold in 2015 (3-door Hatch 25,443, 5-door Hatch 19,117). MINI’s performance brand, John Cooper Works, also celebrated a record year following the June launch of MINI John Cooper Works Hatch. The fastest production MINI ever built with a 0-62 time of just 6.1 seconds, 1,487 John Cooper Works Hatch models were sold last year. Total John Cooper Works sales across the range increased 134 percent to 2,213 vehicles.

As the Christmas displays disappear, shoppers in London’s Knightsbridge are to be treated to the sight of a very special Aston Martin window display in Harrods, the world’s most famous luxury department store. Three stunning Aston Martin sports cars will take over the iconic Harrods storefront in a month-long celebration of the British marques’ ‘DB’ nameplate. Since their debut in the early 1950s, the ‘DB’ models offered by Aston Martin – named after Sir David Brown who bought Aston Martin in 1947 – have been synonymous with sophisticated grand touring and thrilling sports car performance.

Jaguar Land Rover reported a 22% growth in registrations today – a record year for the UK market. For the full year 2015 a total of 100,787 vehicles (versus 82,845 in 2014) were registered thanks to a combination of new and updated products making the UK the number one market for the company. Land Rover UK registrations reached a new all-time high of 76,837 vehicles, an increase of 19% and surpassing last year’s figure of 64,544 vehicles. Jaguar was up 30% with 23,950 registrations in 2015 versus 18,401 vehicles in 2014.

Letting Lotus owners set the tone, the new personalisation service Lotus Exclusive offers sports car fans a unique ownership proposition. Combining traditional British craftsmanship with modern design and exhilarating performance, the service allows a comprehensive array of personalisation covering everything from colour coding through to race car preparation. Developed by the Lotus Design team, the Lotus Exclusive scheme has been conceived to inspire customers to further personalise the character of their Lotus cars. With the ability to tailor vehicles to their personal taste, it provides an alluring alternative to an off-the-peg sports car.

Leading global technology company Letv and luxury sports car brand Aston Martin today revealed at the Consumer Electronics Show the first results of their collaboration – an Aston Martin Rapide S incorporating the latest Letv Internet of the Vehicle (IOV) system. Aston Martin and Letv signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on December 3rd 2015 to confirm research projects that include the development of connected electric vehicles through to manufacturing consultation on future electric vehicles.

Monster, the world leader in high-performance audio, has teamed up with Bentley Motors’ bespoke coach-building division, Mulliner, to create a stunning and uniquely Monster-inspired “Monster by Mulliner,” which makes its debut at CES 2016. The show-stopping Bentley Continental GT V8 S, which reflects Monster’s attitude of “Always Lead, Never Follow,” is designed to appeal to the target market of young professionals and movers and shakers in sports and music.  The “Monster by Mulliner” Continental GT V8 S is a bespoke vehicle that will inspire those who want a ride with a bold look and incredible audio performance designed by Monster. Monster’s latest innovations in audio technology bring the power of today’s music into this Bentley’s luxurious cabin.  All genres of music, including Hip Hop, rap, EDM and Rock, will be heard with new ears via this custom sound system not […]

Beaulieu is proud to welcome two new rallies, Simply Aston Martin and Simply Jaguar, to its busy 2016 calendar of Simply rallies. Celebrating two of Britain’s best-loved sports car marques within the successful Simply rally format, these new rallies will join the six already well-established Simplys that will be returning for 2016. Simply Aston Martin will get the show season off to a racing start on 10th April, as owners of all Aston Martins, classic and modern, are invited to display their cars in the grounds of the National Motor Museum. A number of owners’ clubs are expected to attend the new Simply Jaguar, taking place on 8th May, which will gather together a wide variety of sports cars and saloons adorned with the famous leaping cat mascot, with all cars built by the historic manufacturer welcome.

McLaren Automotive and JVCKENWOOD unveiled today an innovative design study, the McLaren 675LT JVCKENWOOD Concept, created for the CES® 2016 consumer electronics show in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Concept is based on the new McLaren 675LT Coupe and features a host of new technologies and celebrates the 25th anniversary of their Formula 1™ partnership. McLaren 675LT JVCKENWOOD Concept For its collaboration with JVCKENWOOD, McLaren began with a 675LT Coupe prototype vehicle.  The 675LT Coupe, which recently went into production at the state-of-the-art McLaren Production Centre in Woking, England, is the most driver-focused, lightweight and aerodynamically optimized model in the McLaren Super Series family.  Strictly limited to 500 units, all sold out within a matter of months. The McLaren design team, led by designer Peter Wilkins, was tasked with incorporating the JVCKENWOOD CAROPTRONICS system into the 675LT Coupe.  Working closely with […]

John Surtees, the only person to win world championships on both four and two wheels, has been awarded a CBE in Britain’s New Year’s Honours list 2016. The Order of the British Empire “recognizes distinguished service to the arts and sciences, public services outside the Civil Service and work with charitable and welfare organisations of all kinds.” After being made a Member of the British Empire (MBE) in 1959 and an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) in 2008, the 81-year-old has now been honoured with Commander of the British Empire. The award is in recognition of his services to motorsport and the charitable work of the Henry Surtees Foundation, named in honour of his son, who lost his life in a Formula 2 crash at Brands Hatch in 2009. The foundation provides vital support for those who have suffered […]