Highlights

McLaren Automotive has revealed the latest chapter in the history of the iconic ‘Longtail’ name with confirmation of the 675LT Spider. Strictly limited to only 500 examples worldwide, it is only the second model to wear the LT badge. This latest model comes less than a year since the first model in nearly 20 years resurrected the name, and is in response to significant customer demand. The 675LT Coupé focused on light weight, enhanced aerodynamics, increased power and track-focused dynamics, and this limited-run model quickly sold out before the first deliveries commenced. Sharing these key characteristics, McLaren Automotive now presents the most focused, fastest and exhilarating open-top model to ever wear a McLaren badge. The 675LT Spider, priced at £285,450, is the fifth new model debuted by McLaren Automotive in 2015 in what has become a defining year for the […]

With the chequered flag set to fall on the 2015 motorsport season, Bentley is celebrating a remarkable run of results by bringing together two generations of racer – the Continental GT3 and legendary 4.5 Litre ‘Blower’. The current GT3 and its illustrious forebear from 1929 met at Silverstone in front of the British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC), the motorsport organisation founded in 1928 by Bentley Boy and Le Mans winner, Dudley Benjafield. They may be separated by more than eight decades but the two racing cars share Bentley’s indefatigable passion for innovation, competition and, above all, speed. Bentley Continental GT3 in 2015 – A Season to Remember In just its second year of competition in GT racing, the Bentley motorsports programme has gone from strength to strength in 2015. With teams competing on four continents, the Continental GT3 scored multiple […]

MINI is launching a new limited edition Countryman in the UK, the MINI Countryman Special Edition. The MINI Countryman Special Edition has been developed by the manufacturer’s Special Order programme, set up to allow customers to place orders for special edition models direct through MINI Retailers. Instantly recognisable by its exclusive Space Grey Metallic roof and mirror caps, teamed with 18” 5-Star Double Spoke alloy wheels in black and Absolute Black Metallic body paint, up to 250 MINI Countryman Special Edition models will be available for customers in the UK.

The Jaguar XE and all-new Jaguar XF saloons have been awarded the maximum five star rating in Euro NCAP’s 2015 safety tests. XE and XF scored highly in every category – Adult Occupant, Child Occupant, Pedestrian and Safety Assist – and are among the most highly-rated models in their respective segments. As well as outstanding crash protection, the XE and XF also benefit from a range of active safety systems including Autonomous Emergency Braking (fitted as standard in Europe), which uses a forward-facing stereo camera to detect vehicles which could pose a threat of collision: the system can give the driver visual and audible warnings and automatically apply the brakes if a collision is deemed imminent. 

For our Video of the Week this go round we are going to turn to the folks at Hagerty Insurance. They recently produced a guide to the fairly rare, and often maligned, Daimler SP250 “Dart”. Now this car is not maligned due to its build quality, power, handling or other mechanical aspects. No, its main problem seems to be its catfish, only-a-mother-could-love-it looks. The Daimler SP250 Dart was built by the Daimler Company from 1959 to 1964. It was the last car to be launched by Daimler before its parent company, the Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA), sold it to Jaguar in 1960. The SP250 launched at the 1959 New York Motor Show as the “Daimler Dart”, but Dodge owned the trademark for the “Dart” model name, and Daimler was ordered to change the name under threat of legal action. With […]

Barons is set to become the first UK classic car auction house to feature a lady auctioneer when Helen Gascoigne brings the hammer down on a selection of lots, assisting Barons’ long-standing auctioneer Fabian Hine at the Yuletide Classic Sale at Sandown Park on December 15th. The daughter of Barons director Peter Gascoigne, 33 year-old Helen is a senior lawyer by profession but is adding another string to her bow by combining her love of classic cars and knowledge of the family business to embark on learning the classic car auction trade.  In a year of ‘firsts’ for Barons, which has included the company twice setting its highest-ever price for a car sold at auction, it is only fitting that the season ends with another first, not just for Barons, but for all specialist UK classic car houses; the introduction […]

British sportscar maker, Caterham Cars, has launched a new approved finance scheme which offers customers the chance to fund a Seven in self-assembly form for the first time ever. Previously only available for new fully built and pre-owned Sevens, the new Caterham Finance scheme provides an accessible ownership proposition for Caterham fans wishing to build a Seven themselves. Extending the service to customers who purchase a Seven in component form means they will benefit from the same convenient finance facility as buyers of new factory built and pre-owned vehicles from Caterham’s approved used car service, Caterham Selected. Caterham Finance enables customers to fund the cost of a Seven over 48 months. For example, a self-assembly Seven 160 is available with a deposit of £3,099 and monthly payments of £279 at 19.5% APR Representative, equating to £65 per week, with a […]

The nominees for the annual Torrens Trophy have been announced by the RAC. Each year the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) awards a series of historic trophies and medals to individuals and organisations, celebrating and recognising outstanding achievements, technical skills and innovation in the motoring and motor sport industries. The Torrens Trophy recognises an individual or organisation considered to have made an outstanding contribution to motor cycling in Britain. The Trophy was first awarded in 1978 in memory of Arthur Bourne, a motor cycling journalist and Vice Chairman of the Royal Automobile Club who wrote a column under the name Torrens. It has only been awarded eight times in its history and only when the club feels that the achievement justifies it. Its last recipient was four times British Superbike Champion Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne. Shakey, upon receiving it said ‘It’s a […]

A two-day Series Land Rover and Defender heritage exhibition will be on display at Bonhams London from 15-16 December ahead of the prestigious charity auction of the Defender 2,000,000. The exhibition will celebrate 67 years of UK production and chart the Defender’s journey to becoming a global automotive icon. Prospective bidders and the general public are invited to preview the Defender 2,000,000 throughout the specially curated exhibition, which celebrates almost seven decades of Land Rover production at the Solihull manufacturing facility in the UK. With a ‘hall of fame’ depicting the Land Rover playing a supporting role to Hollywood heroes such as Steve McQueen and Daniel Craig in his role as James Bond 007 and Sir Winston Churchill and British nobility including Her Majesty The Queen, the exhibition will illustrate the journey of an icon that has travelled the world, […]

The Jaguar XE has added to its already impressive trophy cabinet with major wins at two prestigious award ceremonies in November. The XE was crowned ‘Best Executive’ in the Scottish Car of the Year awards. Alisdair Suttie, President of the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers, said: “With its fine lines penned by Scotsman Ian Callum, the Jaguar XE is as good looking as executive saloons come. It has abilities to match its looks, with first rate ride, refinement, driving dynamics and efficiency.”

Land Rover Ambassador and polar explorer, Ben Saunders, swapped his snowshoes for winter tyres to put the Range Rover Sport SVR through its paces at a unique yet familiar test track near the Arctic Circle. A new film released by Land Rover charts the world famous adventurer’s journey from ice driving novice to experienced veteran in Arjeplog, Sweden, on a full-scale replica of the Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit carved in the snow on Lake Udjaur.

The very first production Bentley Bentayga, the catalyst for one of the biggest investment programmes in the company’s history, Friday left the assembly line at Bentley’s iconic headquarters in Crewe, UK. Four years on from the initial concept stage, during which time over 1,500 UK jobs have been created, the car – part of an £840 million investment programme – will now enter full production, with deliveries to customers starting in January 2016. 

The McLaren Production Centre (MPC), the world-class McLaren Automotive production facility in Woking, England, won the 2015 Manufacturing In Action Award at The Manufacturer MX Awards, 11/26/2015. The award, in association with the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, is presented in conjunction with the editorial team of The Manufacturer magazine. The Manufacturing In Action Award is presented to the company that best demonstrates an efficient, modern and profitable business with examples of product excellence, innovation and customer satisfaction. It also focuses on the investment of the company in people, training, effective management and efforts to become more sustainable in both process and products. The McLaren Production Centre triumphed over other shortlisted companies such as Brandauer, Brompton Bicycles, Naylor Industries, SPI Lasers and Torin Sifan.

The Jaguar Heritage Challenge will return for a second season in 2016 as Jaguar Heritage confirms next year’s race calendar along with the driver award winners from the inaugural 2015 season. The 2016 Jaguar Heritage Challenge will take place over four race weekends between April and August and drivers will have the opportunity to race on renowned circuits in the UK and Germany – plus one more special race date due to be confirmed in the coming weeks.

Caterham Cars will attend the popular male lifestyle show, Salon de l’Homme, in Paris on 27-29 November, exhibiting a selection of its iconic British road and track focused Seven models. The stylish men’s lifestyle event is in its second year, and is hosted at the illustrious Carrousel du Louvre with crowds in excess of 20,000 expected throughout the three-day show.

The Lotus Driving Academy is initiating a franchising programme to create a global network of Lotus Driving Academies in which to offer its training packages to driving enthusiasts around the world. Currently catering for over 2,000 visitors a year out of its base at Lotus’ HQ, Hethel, the franchising programme aims to increase this number several fold with the introduction of new international sites throughout 2016. Jean-Marc Gales, Chief Executive Officer of Group Lotus plc, stated: “The Lotus Driving Academy was originally established in 1999, offering a comprehensive range of driver training and experience packages for customers to relish the benchmark handling and pure driving experience of Lotus cars. The driver training packages have been developed and fine-tuned over the years to keep pace with the progression and increased performance of Lotus cars, while staying true toLotus philosophies. I am […]

The 14th Annual Kastner Cup will be hosted by Classic Sports Racing Group (CSRG) as a part of the David Love Memorial Races, April 1-3, 2016 at Sonoma Raceway. All Triumph-powered racecars with a current racing log book are eligible. The Kastner Cup race honors the legendary, R.W. “Kas” Kastner, a championship winning driver and team manager who led the U.S. Triumph racing program to countless victories through the 60’s and 70’s. Kas himself will present the cup to the racer he selects to receive this coveted award. Sonoma wine country is filled with activities, great food, and unrivaled natural beauty. If you are a Triumph owner or British car fanatic, don’t miss this event! The CSRG David Love Memorial Races is a very popular and well-attended event. Typically more than 175 race cars participate, divided into eight run groups […]

The famed C-Type Jaguar XKC 011 driven by Sir Stirling Moss at Le Mans, the Goodwood 9 Hours, the Mille Miglia and the British Empire Trophy Race on the Isle of Man will go up for auction next year. In addition to it being a memorable occasion when such an iconic car goes up for auction, this event will likely mark a milestone for prices paid as the car is expected by many estimates to reach the £5,000,000 mark, which is about $7.55 million at today’s exchange rate. After being sold by Jaguar into private hands and club raced, C-Type XKC011 went into the current owner’s family in 1963. It has remained there ever since, over 50 years, and his been maintained in original condition.