Corporate Business

Iconic and now wholly Chinese-owned car maker MG is the fastest-growing British brand in the UK, according to official industry data. Figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders reveal MG sales grew by 117 per cent in 2012, boosted by the opening of eight new dealerships. The famous MG octagon enjoyed its best sales year in the UK since 2006, with more cars sold last year than in 2010 and 2011 combined. That success was mirrored in China where SAIC Motor, MG’s parent company, sold over 200,000 units across its MG and (China-only) Roewe brands – a 23 per cent increase over 2011 – representing the biggest growth within the SAIC group’s automotive divisions. Worldwide growth for the brand is equally encouraging with MG growing at a faster rate than any time in the marque’s 89-year history. […]

International icon and British car manufacturer Aston Martin turned 100th anniversary Tuesday, 16 January,  in Chelsea’s Henniker Mews the original home of the company. Founded on 15 January 1913, Aston Martin designs and manufactures around 3,500 exclusive sports cars at its Gaydon headquarters in Warwickshire every year. “I am proud to be celebrating 100 years of heritage and the best of British craftsmanship,” said Aston Martin CEO Dr Ulrich Bez. Dr Bez described Aston Martin as “the coolest luxury car brand on the planet,” an argument heightened by its connection to the James Bond film franchise, featuring in the latest blockbuster Skyfall. The event in London marks the start of a year-long celebration with events taking place across the world, including a week-long Aston Martin festival in July where enthusiasts will be able to see how the car is made at […]

MG has launched a new deal where almost any old banger attracts a trade-in value of £3,000. The company claims the deal is probably the most generous on the market at the moment, with any roadworthy car with at least 14 days’ MOT remaining qualifying for the generous valuation. The offer, which evokes memories of the ’scrappage’ incentive scheme of several years ago, is redeemable against either of the two MG6 models in the range; the Magnette and the GT fastback. Meanwhile, another offer on the two cars entices buyers with a fuel card pre-loaded to the value of £2,400 and usable at Tesco and Morrisons’ supermarket filling stations. This is a separate deal that cannot be taken in conjunction with the £3,000 used-car valuation. Clint Cordle, MG Motor UK’s marketing manager, says: “These are both exceptionally good deals on […]

British car production is still revving ahead of the rest of the economy after official figures showed an increase in output for the 13th month in a row. Almost 120,000 cars were built in the UK in July, which is up 22% on the same period last year, according to the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The figures came in the same week that one of the industry’s great export successes, Jaguar Land Rover, moved to a 24-hour operation in order to keep up with soaring demand from Asia. The latest SMMT total means that year-to-date production is running at 875,998, an increase of 15%. Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive, said investment commitments from producers with a major UK presence, from JLR to BMW and Toyota, had underpinned the growth. “While uncertainty in Europe remains a challenge, the […]

A major new multi-million pound redevelopment programme has been launched at MG Motor UK – doubling the size of the design centre and creating new jobs. The latest phase of the rebirth of Longbridge will see substantial investments in the design studio, the engine test centre and the factory ahead of the launch of a new diesel version of the MG6 later this year. Meanwhile, the Chinese-owned firm is recruiting new engineers and designers to work on the next generation of MG cars as the firm prepares to hit the export trail to mainland Europe within two years. New production plans for MG Motor UK include the new diesel model and a Ford Fiesta-sized MG3 by the middle of next year, with a Ford Focus-sized MG5 and an MG SUV vehicle also in the pipeline. The major expansion of the […]

The output of new cars from the UK’s automotive plants hit an eight-year high in May, with more than 140,000 units produced. A total of 141,146 cars were manufactured in May, which is the highest monthly output since 2004. It is a substantial 42.2 per cent increase over the number of cars produced in May 2011, although last year’s figures were depressed due to supply issues caused by the Japanese tsunami. Of the 141,146 cars, 120,120 are destined for export markets and 21,026 for domestic sale. Paul Everitt, boss of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said: “Car manufacturing in May hit the highest level of output since 2004, a sizeable recovery against volumes hampered by last year’s Japanese tsunami. “This boost, coupled with robust year-to-date results, demonstrates the strength of UK automotive manufacturing and shows why it continues […]

Lola Cars has announced that it is going into financial administration as it continues to search for possible investors. The group, which was formed in 1958, said the latest economic downturn has caused a serious cash-flow problem that had forced it into making the decision. It also blamed the move on the HMRC not paying ongoing R&D tax credits. “It is with enormous regret that a decision has been taken to issue Notices of intention to appoint an Administrator to Lola Cars International Limited and Lola Composites Limited,” said Lola in a statement. “This step allows the board to continue its discussions with possible investors and prospective purchasers with a view to securing the best outcome for the staff, creditors and customers of both businesses.” Lola creations have claimed five LMP2 Le Mans 24 Hours titles since 2000. The company […]

Lotus Cars says it has secured enough investment from its new Malaysian owner, the automotive giant DRB-Hicom, to restore full car production at its Hethel, UK assembly plant in the next few days, and continue build-up to the launch of the first of its new-wave models, the Esprit supercar due in showrooms before the end of 2013. A four-model, five-year plan devised by CEO Dany Bahar has had to be amended because a 60-day financial “freeze,” a routine occurrence when Malaysian firms sell major assets, has interrupted the flow of agreed development funds and introduced considerable production delays. The resumption means that from beginning of May Lotus should be making Elises, Exiges and Evoras at a combined rate of 44 cars a week, and will be continuing to to spend on the development of the Esprit, especially its own-design V8 […]

Jaguar is invoking its iconic E-Type roadster to challenge Mercedes and Porsche with its first two- seat sports car in almost four decades. The F-Type, due to be unveiled in September and go on sale as soon as next April, will be Jaguar’s smallest auto in more than a half-century as the marque seeks a return to its sporting tradition following decades spent focusing on luxury sedans. What’s more, it has been confirmed that the roadster will be built on English soil in Birmingham. “If the product can do what the original E-Type did for Jaguar, it will be a huge boost,” said Peter Schmidt, managing director of Warwick, England-based Automotive Industry Data. “What they’re doing is laudable, it’s good for the brand and it’s good for the image. But nobody should expect miracles.” The E-Type, introduced at the 1961 Geneva […]

The curse of the British tea break strikes again. Just as BMW announces record sales, its Mini factory in Oxford is threatened by a first strike since 1984 over alleged incursions into workers’ break times. The renaissance of volume British car making is well known. Likewise that of America’s car giants Ford and General Motors. The reasons for the two countries’ re-emergence as global automobile powers are different but, one way or another, they have dealt with their common problems of structural decline in the face of fierce overseas competition. BMW’s experience in the UK captures much of why we are once again a leading exporter of cars – and the risks of losing that status. First the UK has great car brands – Mini and Rolls-Royce owned by BMW, MG Rover by the Chinese SAIC, Jaguar Land Rover owned by […]

Even though Lotus and Mansory have two compete different approach to making cars – the former likes light and agile cars with no excess, while the former prefers big, ostentatious cars with lots of garnish – they decided to join forces. Lotus officially announced Mansory as their customization studio. Their differences will complement each other, probably. Mansory has already had a go at the Lotus Evora, and contributed on the Evora GTE and Swiss Beatz Red Evora projects, but the first outcome of this alliance will be shown at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. Lotus does not reveal any details on it, they just say it’s very exciting. For Lotus Mansory will be providing bodywork, trim and special finishes for the Elise, Exige and Evora. As the Official Customisation Studio, Mansory is working closely with Lotus’ engineers and designers to […]

Bentley Motors was named as the Top Employer in Britain for the year 2012. The company with headquarters in Crewe, Cheshire offers their 4000 employees with exceptional working conditions as stated in the report submitted by CRF Institute. The company is reputed for creating a conducive working atmosphere for their staff while staff in return upholds company values and gives their best to the company. Bentley offers their employees special promotions of engineering careers and award winning graduate and apprenticeship programs. The company sold 7003 cars in 2011 resulting in a 37% increase in sales. New models were launched and the company and their employees worked wholeheartedly throughout the year. Member of the Board for Personnel, Christine Gaskell MBE said, “Everyone who works at Bentley is proud of the brand. We work hard to ensure the commitment to excellence seen […]

MG Motor UK at Longbridge, UK is to be opened up for guided site tours. Visitors will be given the chance to see the history of the site and all the latest technology side by side. The guided tour will take around two hours. Participants will visit Lord Austin’s office, moved many years ago but still let up as it was when he was still alive, and the MG Museum. Visitors will also be shown inside the huge state-of-the-art Technical Centre where 300 engineers work on new MG cars and components. In the Sales Centre the latest MG6 GT fastbacks and MG6 Magnette sports saloons are on view. . The tour does not include the car production area at the moment, but it is hoped to include this in the near future. B31 Voices will be going on the maiden […]

As British car manufacturing is enjoying a boom, one British manufacturer is warning about the lack of demand in the UK car market. Thousands of new jobs have been created by Jaguar Land Rover, Nissan and Toyota amongst others, but sales of cars in the UK are actually falling. Most of the new jobs being created are satisfying demand from overseas car buyers, but MG is warning that something may need to be done to stimulate demand in the British car market. In 2011 new car sales fell by 4.4%. That trend has continued this year, meaning the thousands of new jobs in the British car industry are all to satisfy foreign demand. MG does not yet sell cars in Europe, instead choosing to re-establish itself in Britain first, and now it’s concerned that falling UK car sales could effect […]

Land Rover enjoyed a massive UK sales surge last month – with more than 3,000 vehicles sold. The Solihull-based 4×4 manufacturer sold 3,044 vehicles in October compared to 1,864 in October last year, an increase of more than 63 per cent, figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showed. The sales rise followed a bumper September for Land Rover, with the company selling 6,230 vehicles compared to 5,788 in the corresponding month in 2010. October’s sales jump followed the success of the Range Rover Evoque and a general increase in the purchase of SUVs amid predictions of another harsh winter. Jaguar saw sales dip slightly last month, with the Big Cat selling 713 cars in October compared to 806 in October last year. SMMT figures also showed that Longbridge-based MG Motor UK sold 15 sports cars last […]

Bentley has secured the second grant from the British government’s Business Regional Growth Fund (RGF) this year. Earlier the company had received £ 1.68 m to create additional manufacturing jobs and training. Luxury car maker Bentley is one of the few automotive companies in the UK who undertakes all their activities in one site. Every Bentley in UK car is designed, engineered and built in their Crewe site in Cheshire. Bentley is the third largest investor in R&D in the UK. The new grant will facilitate development of new powertrains so as to produce products to export to emerging export markets. Wolfgang Durheimer, the Chairman and Chief Executive of Bentley spoke about the grant by saying, “This is a real boost for Bentley which has one of the most highly skilled automotive workforces in the country and, uniquely, has now […]

The British automobile manufacturer Lotus is recalling its Elise and Exige models over potential fire risks or crashes, due to an oil leak issue. The models produced in 2005 and 2006 have been reportedly subjected to an immediate recall by the company. As slated, in July, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had opened a probe into these Lotus cars to investigate oil cooler leaks for the Elise and Exige models that were manufactured between June 1, 2004 and November 30, 2006. With 17 complaints from the owners of the vehicles reporting oil leaks onto the right rear tires, which resulted into handling problems and a fire incidence as well, the investigation finally triggered a recall announcement from the company. As per the NHTSA official site, the owners of the affected vehicles may contact Lotus at 1-800-245-6887 and get their […]

MG has exclusively revealed to Car Dealer Magazine the 10 most important towns and cities it wants to find new dealers for. The UK car manufacturer, which was relaunched in 2008 with the backing of Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation, wants to establish showrooms in the following eight locations in England: Birmingham, Derby, Leeds, Liverpool, Nottingham, Northampton, Swindon and South London. The firm, which has recently launched a new range of models that have been designed and engineered at its 69-acre site in Longbridge, Birmingham, also wants to establish outlets in Glasgow and Edinburgh. MG’s list of potential dealership locations also includes more than 20 medium-priority locations, including Brighton, Exeter and Guildford in the south of England, and Blackpool, Burnley and Carlisle further north. And at the bottom of the list are six low-priority spots, including in England, Barnstaple; in Wales, […]