Highlights

Jaguar’s women are celebrating International Women’s Day by showcasing automotive industry careers in a new video. The video, called #SheDidIt, stars some of the female employees who design, manufacture, test and sell our cars. Creating a workforce as diverse as our customers will help Jaguar deliver the cars women want. The women of #SheDidIt tell a full female story of Jaguar vehicles, from clay modeler Shamaila Khan’s design work right through to customer Jess Monks, who loves her Jaguar F-PACE performance SUV.

Aston Martin DBX – the British luxury marque’s first SUV – has continued its intensive development programme this week at Pirelli’s official test facility, close to the Arctic Circle in Sweden. Pirelli’s R&D Sottozero Centre at the Flurheden Proving Ground provides a range of extreme environments, from snowy roads to ice handling courses, allowing Aston Martin’s vehicle dynamics specialists – led by Aston Martin Chief Engineer, Matt Becker – to put the DBX prototype to the test.

Jaguar Land Rover is the first car maker to put its cars to the test with the AIR Index – and the new independent on-road emissions testing procedure has found that Jaguar Land Rover diesel models have some of the lowest NOx emissions of any car on sale today. The models independently tested for the AIR Index were 180hp 2.0-liter diesel Ingenium 4WD versions of the Jaguar E-PACE, Land Rover Discovery Sport and outgoing Range Rover Evoque. The AIR Index has previously rated the Land Rover Discovery 3.0TD6. All four achieved an ‘A’ rating – the top rating possible – signifying that each of them emits between 0-80mg/km of nitrogen oxides or NOx.

MG Motor UK is set to launch its very first battery electric vehicle in the UK this autumn with the arrival of the MG ZS electric SUV. With a full-sized boot and room for five, the MG ZS EV is the perfect car for people who want to go electric but also need the space and practicality of a compact SUV. Since launch in November 2017, MG ZS has become a familiar sight on British roads, always propelled by unleaded petrol fuel. With prices starting from just £12,495, packed full of tech and sporting a 7-year warranty, MG ZS has become a popular choice amongst British car buyers. From autumn, the petrol version will be joined by its zero-emissions electric equivalent, bringing affordable electric motoring to the British public.

Investindustrial has today announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Morgan Motor Company Ltd (“Morgan”), the iconic 110-year old British sports cars manufacturer. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed, and it is expected to complete in April 2019. The Morgan family will continue to act as stewards for the brand and retains a minority shareholding. Meanwhile, for the first time in its history, the management team and all employees will have a share of the business. The investment is executed without financial debt, and Morgan will have a positive net cash position upon closing of the transaction. The investment in Morgan is made by a separate fund (with a different strategy) from Investindustrial V L.P. (whose investment subsidiaries hold a stake in Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings PLC).

The latest title from Porter Press takes readers behind the scenes at Aston Martin to witness the resurrection of the DB4 G.T., one of the most desirable cars ever made. Aston Martin DB4GT Continuation – History in the Making by James Page is due out this month in the UK with sales in the US shortly thereafter with a cover price of $60usd. When the Aston Martin announced in early 2017 that it would build 25 Continuation examples of this model, first made from 1959 to 1963, author James Page was granted exclusive access to key people involved in the project and to the Aston Martin Works factory where the cars took shape.

John Haynes, the entrepreneur and creator of the Haynes Manual, founder of the Haynes Publishing Group PLC and the Haynes International Motor Museum passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on the evening of Friday, February 8th, aged 80, after a short illness. John was a kind, generous, loving and devoted husband, brother, father and grandfather, who will be missed enormously.

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.