Highlights

Aston Martin has agreed to an important new long-term partnership with the D’station Racing AMR team, signaling a high-profile return to the Japanese Super GT Championship for the British luxury sportscar manufacturer in 2019. The agreement, which features the highest level of partner support from Aston Martin Racing, includes a one-car programme in the Super GT 300 class (comprised mainly of customer and works-supported GT3 machinery) using the new Aston Martin Vantage GT3.

Our video this week comes from a show local to me  – the Cars at Kiawah show. This is a great show of about 300 cars with mixed marques, mixed ages, and mixed types. This past year Dennis Gage from “My Classic Car TV” came out and covered the show. Of particular interest to our readers will be the first vehicle featured, a 1954 Austin Champ. You may be familiar with the smaller Austin Gypsy, but how many of you have seen a Champ?

Bentley Motors has announced full details of the world’s fastest production SUV. The Bentayga Speed features an enhanced 635 PS (626 bhp) version of the renowned 6.0-liter W12 engine that delivers a top speed of 190 mph (306 km/h) and 0–62 mph (0–100 km/h) in 3.9 seconds. Designed, engineered and handcrafted in Great Britain, the Bentayga Speed is the most powerful and performance-oriented Bentayga to date. With a top speed of 190 mph, the Bentayga Speed is the most powerful and performance-oriented variant to date. It builds on a long tradition of Speed models that was born with the Continental GT in 2007 and pushes the boundaries of Bentayga performance further since claiming the production SUV record at the grueling Pikes Peak International Hill Climb last year. To match the elevated levels of performance, the Bentayga Speed sports a purposeful exterior […]

So the headlines confused even us. There is a partnership between French car manufacturer Citroën and Austin Healey. But before you get all excited, as I must admit we did, you need to know that it is not the Austin-Healey you are thinking of. This Austin Healey is a person, a renowned British sportsman. So, Citroën UK proudly to announced that English rugby star and sports commentator, Austin Healey, is the official UK Brand Ambassador for New C5 Aircross SUV. From playing rugby for England to showing off his moves on Strictly Come Dancing, Austin embodies Citroën’s ‘Be Different, Feel Good’ spirit.

Few abbreviations generate as much anticipation and excitement among MINI enthusiasts as GP. Two letters reserved for the brand’s most powerful and exclusive model, conceived for the road, but born on the racetrack. Next year the new MINI John Cooper Works GP will deliver on this promise and will be taking to roads across the world. With more than 300 hp and featuring MINI TwinPower Turbo Technology, the new MINI John Cooper Works GP is set to become the fastest and most powerful MINI ever to be approved for use on the road and will be produced in a limited number of just 3,000 units for worldwide sale.

The Range Rover Sport effortlessly combines dynamic on-road handling, luxurious refinement and trademark Land Rover all-terrain capability. The introduction of an all-new 400PS in-line six-cylinder 3.0-liter petrol engine enhances performance, refinement, and responses along with improved fuel economy. Available initially on the special edition HST model, the all-new 400PS Ingenium engine is more responsive and better balanced than the previous V6 petrol. With 550Nm of torque, it powers the Range Rover Sport from 0-100km/h (0-62mph) in 6.2 seconds (0-60mph in 5.9 seconds) and to a top speed of 140mph (225km/h). The smooth and responsive new six-cylinder unit has an innovative combination of advanced features, including the introduction of an electric supercharger to deliver immediate power response. Able to spool fully in just 0.5 seconds at up to 120,000rpm via a direct connection with the throttle, the new technology virtually eliminates […]

Jaguar Land Rover is expanding its Ingenium engine family with a new six-cylinder petrol engine designed and engineered in-house and manufactured at its £1 billion Engine Manufacturing Centre (EMC) in Wolverhampton, UK. The 3.0-liter straight six-cylinder petrol engine, which will debut on the Range Rover Sport, is available in 360PS and 400PS versions with torque capable of up to 495 and 550Nm, is more responsive and better balanced than the outgoing V6 petrol. It features a unique combination of an electric supercharger to deliver immediate response supported by a twin-scroll turbocharger and Continuous Variable Valve Lift, which boosts power and help the engine to breathe with maximum efficiency. These performance-boosting technologies, combined with Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle (MHEV) technology, optimizes performance, fuel economy and reduces emissions. The MHEV 48V system uses a small integrated electric motor to harvest energy lost during deceleration, […]

Bentley Motors is launching its 2019 Apprentice recruitment campaign with 51 new positions to start in the autumn of 2019. Opportunities cover areas including Digital, Sales and Marketing, Human Resources, Finance, Purchasing, as well as Engineering and Manufacturing. The structured digital career path will offer technical, academic and hands-on experiences to support the digital transformation of the company. Commenting on the recruitment drive, Dr. Astrid Fontaine, Member of the Board for People, Digitalisation and IT at Bentley Motors, said: The apprenticeship programme is existential to secure and develop the future talent at Bentley. In the rapidly changing world of automotive, mobility and services, we are proud to deepen the existing digital experiences that already exist as part of the programme, by launching pure digital apprenticeship positions. It is vital as we transform our business that we look to the next […]

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has announced that a record number of places are available for the company’s 2019 Apprenticeship Programme. Since the program was launched in 2006, numbers have progressively increased, with 2019 offering a record 31 candidates the opportunity to join the team at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, West Sussex. The Programme includes, for the first time, Sir Ralph Robins Degree Apprenticeships. Sir Ralph Robins is a Non-Executive Director of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and has had an exceptional career in engineering and industry. The Degree Apprenticeships have been launched in Sir Ralph’s name in recognition of his contribution to the renaissance of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. The Apprentices will study for BEng Mechanical Engineering Degrees at the University of Chichester, attending the University’s new Engineering and Digital Technology Park.

Global sales for McLaren Automotive, the British creator of luxury sports cars and supercars, rose to 4,806 cars in 2018 with sales up 43.9 percent over the previous year. This is another record for the company which has increased sales every year since its formation in 2010.  North America, which represents McLaren’s biggest single market and over a third of global sales, surpassed the 5,000 cars sold mark since sales started in 2011 and achieved another year of record growth. European sales rose 44.2 percent but the biggest leap was seen in China at 122.5 percent growth following the introduction of the 570S Spider and 720S. China now accounts for almost 7 percent of the total global sales. McLaren’s UK domestic market remained strong, achieving a 49.2 percent year-on-year growth.

Morgan Motor Company announced record profits as it prepares to launch a range of vehicles in its 110th year. The iconic Malvern-based family-owned firm, which employs 204 staff, said profits jumped to £3.6million last year from £2million 12 months earlier. Output dropped from 750 to 681 cars as the firm said goodbye to the thirsty V8 engine and the Aero 8 and Plus 8 models which use it. Morgan is expected to launch a more frugal but sportier replacement at this spring’s Geneva Motor Show. 

Evolution E-Types has launched an exclusive behind the scenes interview with the Evolution creator Uryk Dmyterko ahead of their showcase at the forthcoming London Classic Car Show. Evolution E-Types creator Uryk Dmyterko explains how a combination of passion and determination has evolved his successful parts supply business into building the ultimate Jaguar E-Type where quality has been redefined to another level.

Thursday at the Chicago Auto Show, Land Rover revealed the next generation Range Rover Evoque for the first time in the U.S. In true Land Rover fashion, the new Range Rover Evoque made its dynamic debut on an indoor off-road experience course at the McCormick Place convention center. Chicago-based, brother-sister R&B artists, Solo and Jaime Woods provided a live soundtrack to the debut of the Range Rover Evoque and stayed on hand to entertain guests throughout the luncheon that followed. Angela Brantley and Rhea Fernandez, founders of Chicago-based luxury fashion brand, HERO/BLACK, were also in attendance to help celebrate the debut of the vehicle.

Some books in this hobby are just must-haves. MGB: The Illustrated History by Jonathan Wood and Lionel Burrell is one of those books. And frankly, most of us already have it. It seems to be the first book a person gets when they buy an MGB, sometimes even before they get a repair manual.  So why are we talking about it here? Because there is a newly expanded 4th edition, that’s why. With this new edition, Veloce Publishing has taken over the job of publisher from Haynes. Veloce is known for putting out quality books in both the content and the actual construction of the volume. I have often commented on how you can count on books coming from Veloce to have beautiful covers, high-quality paper, and excellent printing. This new edition of the MGB work is no exception.

Jaguar Land Rover Automotive plc, the UK’s largest vehicle manufacturer, today reported financial results for the three-month period ending December 31, 2018. Retails for the quarter were 144,602 vehicles, compared with 154,447 a year ago, primarily as a result of continued challenging market conditions in China, offset partially by encouraging growth in North America and the UK. The company’s sales in Europe were up slightly, despite an 8% drop in the overall market. In the three-month period, sales increased for the new Jaguar E-PACE and the electric Jaguar I-PACE as well as the refreshed Range Rover and Range Rover Sport, while the slowdown in China accounted largely for lower sales of other models.

The 2019 Silverstone Classic is delighted to announce a far-reaching three-year official partnership with Aston Martin – a collaboration with the world famous luxury automotive group which embraces both on- and off-track activities at the world’s biggest historic motor racing festival. Completing a record-breaking feast of retro racing, this summer’s Classic (26-28 July) has the honor of hosting the very first round of Aston Martin’s newly announced Aston Martin Heritage Racing Festival Series. Aston Martin recently opened a new state-of-the-art high-performance test and development base at Silverstone and its presence at the Classic will be furthered by the supply of the official Safety and Course Cars for each grid. Like last year, these will help to ensure the smooth running of the non-stop nostalgic track action throughout the packed weekend.

Aston Martin’s increasing commitment to historic motorsport has been cemented with the creation of Aston Martin Heritage Racing – an over-arching brand that unites the company’s assorted historic motorsport activities under one banner. In the first of several major new initiatives, Aston Martin has joined forces with Masters Historic Racing – one of the world’s leading historic race event organizers and promoters – to become its official automotive partner. The partnership places Aston Martin and its customers at the heart of the action, through a number of core activities. The most visible of these are the supply of Aston Martin road cars as Official Pace cars and Course cars for Masters Historic Racing. For 2019 this will see Aston Martin’s driver-focused sports car – the Vantage – head each of the grids at selected MHR race weekends, leading the field […]

Our video this week comes from the Sunday Times Driving section and goes by the very long title of “I inherited and MGA: How a Classic Car Changed How I Looked at Motoring”. As the lead-in to the article in the Times says: When her beloved grandfather passed away this year, Charlotte Vowden was bestowed his 1960 MGA sports car. Now driving means a lot more to the 29-year-old. Now driving means a lot more to the 29-year-old. Part of what is relayed in this video and the accompanying article goes back to our video from last week – passing on the love of the cars and the hobby to others. To a younger generation.  Since these great old cars are not seen on the road much anymore, it falls to us to take others for rides, to show off the […]