Corporate Business

McLaren Automotive continues to strengthen its retail footprint with the opening of four new retail locations in the US. The appointment of McLaren retailers in Bergen County NJ, Boston MA, Houston TX and Palm Beach FL is an important step in the development of the brand and follows the introduction of the new Sports Series model range, which just arrived in showrooms a few weeks ago. The four new retail locations now offer sales and aftersales facilities for all McLaren models, and they will soon complete their new state-of-the-art retail facilities featuring the latest McLaren visual identity. These locations will provide the ultimate in retail experience coupled with market-leading customer service and personal approach.

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.

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.”

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.

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 […]

In February 2015, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars announced the development of an all-new aluminium space-frame architecture that will underpin all future Rolls-Royce models arriving in market from early 2018. The company today announced that it has begun the testing phase of this new architecture, with early preparatory activity seeing new engineering mules tested in public around the world. The Architecture of Pure Luxury The future of pure luxury motoring is already taking shape as Rolls-Royce Motor Cars begins testing its new aluminium space-frame architecture which will underpin all future Rolls-Royce model lines. The architecture will arrive in market from early 2018.

Bentley Motors’ bespoke coach-building division, Mulliner, is introducing the next level of modern British automotive luxury – stone veneers. This innovative interior finish utilises state-of-the-art stone veneer technology to make a luxurious, contemporary feature of a natural product formed over 200 million years. The slate and quartzite stone is sustainably sourced from hand-selected quarries in Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh, India – a nation with an ancient and rich culture of stone masonry. The sections of stone are split from larger pieces and cured using glass fibre and a bespoke resin. Finally, they are shaped and hand finished by Bentley’s world-renowned Mulliner coachbuilding team at the company’s headquarters in Crewe, England. The stone surfaces of the veneers are just 0.1 mm thick, meaning that they are both extremely light and translucent, allowing the elegant grain and pattern in the stone to […]

We just received an email from Les Edgar of TVR with updates on all manner of things. Some of the most interesting details of the upcoming production come when talking of the body and chassis.

As another year draws to a close, MG Motor UK takes a moment to reflect on what 2015 has brought and what 2016 is yet to bring. This year has seen another significant step in the growth of MG, with the launch of the new MG6, a rise in MG3 sales and new additions to the dealer network. At the beginning of the year, the manufacturer celebrated a record first quarter when sales boomed and made it the best since the new MG company was formed. This saw the 2014 achievement of ‘fastest growing automotive brand in Britain’ carry over into 2015. Throughout the year, sales have continued to grow and MG reached 3,000 registrations this month.

It’s the Brits, and they are making their way to the Middle East shores with MG’s first SUV, the MG GS. Without a doubt, the MG range had definitely had a strong impact during the Dubai International Motor Show this year, and the much-loved British brand’s current lineup had won many awards too. Enter MG GS, the very first MG SUV that reflects the brand’s innovative designs and more importantly, the aesthetics of the car was pretty much influenced by various cultural elements and landmarks of British-style and heritage. Also, it comes as no surprise as the GS is the only British compact SUV in the middle-class market segment.

Of the 35 candidates for the 2016 European Car of the Year award, the Jaguar XE is one of just seven to be short listed. The 58 jurors representing 22 European countries will announce the winner on 29February 2016. Key criteria for European Car of the Year are technical innovation and value for money. Developed using Jaguar’s Lightweight Aluminium Architecture, the XE is the most fuel-efficient Jaguar and offers the lowest total cost of ownership of any Jaguar, boasting class-leading residual values and CO2 emissions from just 99g/km. Together with benchmark vehicle dynamics, perfect proportions and dramatic Jaguar design, these qualities have already contributed to 23 global awards. The inherent strength and stiffness of the body structure, together with cutting-edge driver assistance systems including stereo camera-based Autonomous Emergency Braking, helped the XE to achieve the maximum five star safety rating […]

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has announced that the company is seeking a record number of candidates for its 2016 Apprenticeship Programme. Seventeen places are available, the highest number of annual apprenticeships since the programme launched in 2006.The Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Apprenticeship Programme provides people aged 16-24 with the opportunity to train with the Goodwood-based manufacturer of the world’s best-selling super-luxury cars. The apprenticeships last for up to four years and combine on-the-job training with The Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Apprenticeship Programme provides people aged 16-24 with the opportunity to train with the Goodwood-based manufacturer of the world’s best-selling super-luxury cars. The apprenticeships last for up to four years and combine on-the-job training with classroom based studying for nationally recognised qualifications. The programme has been designed in conjunction with several local colleges.The selection process is designed to guarantee recruitment of the very best […]