Highlights

Group Lotus plc is delighted to announce the appointment of Phil Popham as Senior Vice-President – Commercial Operations for Group Lotus and CEO – Lotus Sports Cars, effective from the first of October, 2018. Phil will report to Group Lotus plc CEO, Mr. Feng Qingfeng. Popham joins Lotus from Sunseeker International where he held the role of CEO for four years. Prior to Sunseeker, he was part of the Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) executive team for nine years with global responsibility for commercial operations. The arrival of Phil Popham is the latest in a series of high-level appointments at Lotus, from both the global automotive industry and from within Lotus. A new business and operating structure has been put in place and the Lotus business is now set for the next stage of its future growth and global expansion. Mr. […]

For our Video of the Week, let’s take a spin with something a bit on the lighter side. This is perhaps one of the world’s smallest races – in terms of the number of entrants, size of entrants, and the size of the cars. This is the Settrington Cup at Goodwood Revival, and the 2018 edition was held this past Sunday. Held annually at the Goodwood Revival since 2012, the Settrington Cup race is for children ages 6 through 9. Cool, you think … so go grab a pedal car and let your kind hit the track, you think. But no. In addition to the age restriction of the drivers, the only pedal cars allowed are Austin J40 models built by disabled coal miners beginning in 1949 (true story). Here is a quote from an original brochure for the car, which […]

Jaguar Racing has unveiled the full race calendar for the inaugural Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY Championship. Up to twenty identical Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY racecars will line up on the grid on Saturday 15 December in Ad Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, for the first round of the new global electric production car racing series. The Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY race will take place before the main ABB FIA Formula E race on the same city circuits, throughout the 2018-19 season and beyond. The series, a world first, offers teams the chance to showcase driving talent and electric performance in some of the world’s most exciting cities.

A bespoke full-size clay model of the Jaguar I-PACE, created by the brand’s world-renowned designer Ian Callum, is to take center stage at Scotland’s first dedicated design museum. The I-PACE exhibit will be unveiled on 15 September at the grand opening of the new V&A Design Museum in Dundee, which highlights the global achievements of Scottish designers past and present. The clay model shows the painstaking and elaborate design process behind the firm’s first all-electric vehicle as well as the steps followed to create all new Jaguars.

With development of Aston Martin’s first all-electric production car – the Rapide E – progressing apace, the luxury British marque has today confirmed a raft of technical details for the strictly limited 155-unit special edition. Working closely with Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE) as its development partner, Aston Martin has utilized the hugely successful leader in Electric Vehicle (EV) technology to kickstart a new era for Aston Martin’s powertrain technology and overcome the technical challenges associated with packaging the battery system and motors within the space available.

Rolls-Royce has announced that Martin Fritsches has been appointed as President, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars North America from the first of September 2018. Fritsches joined Rolls-Royce earlier this year as Vice President of Sales for the Americas region, responsible for sales planning and operations, including the marque’s 44 dealers in the Americas.

Jaguar Land Rover today reported total worldwide retail sales of 36,629 vehicles in August 2018, down 4.9% year on year. August 2018 Change year-on-year Jan – Aug 2018 Change year-on-year Jaguar – Land Rover 36,629 (4.9)% 390,992 (2.6)% Jaguar 11,802 7.7% 116,849 (1.9)% Land Rover 24,827 (9.9)% 274,143 (2.9)% Retail sales were up in the UK (64.9%), Overseas markets (20.2%) and North America (2.5%), with Europe slightly below last year (3.1%), waiting for last WLTP certifications. The China market remains unsettled following tariff changes and trade tensions (down 38.1%), although the reduction in duty from 25% to 15% is expected to be beneficial over the full year. UK sales were boosted by a catch up in WLTP certification of vehicles with only 2 derivatives remaining to be certified in September.

In the race to produce SUVs, another supercar company is throwing its hat in the ring. With 670 bhp on tap, an estimated 0-60 mph acceleration time of just 3.5 seconds, and a 200 mph top speed, The Lister Motor Company’s new LFP is set to become the fastest SUV in the world, beating the performance of recently-launched SUVs from other well-known prestige car brands, with monster killer performance, faster than most supercars, never mind SUVs. Set for full release in the coming weeks, Lister’s new LFP will follow the overwhelming success of the devilish LFT-666 coupe, launched earlier this year, and already becoming the fastest-selling model in the all-British specialist sports car maker’s 65-years of continuous history, with first customer deliveries due to commence in October.

Led by the release of the new MG3, MG Motor UK continues to go from strength-to-strength in 2018 by once again announcing record new car sales. The August sales results, taken from the latest SMMT market report, show that MG has achieved an impressive 5,685 new car registrations so far in 2018, over 1,000 units more than it achieved in the whole of 2017. This significant increase in new car registrations amounts to an increase of 129% compared with the same period in 2017.

Concours of Elegance and Bridge of Weir Leather Company partnered up once again this year to present a very special ‘British Legends’ feature, celebrating the very best of automotive design to come out of Britain over the last century. Notable friends of the Concours and Bridge of Weir each chose a British car they deemed deserving of the status of British Legend. Visitors to the Concours of Elegance were invited to vote for their favorite of the ‘British Legends’ nominated by stars of the automotive. Taking more votes than any of the other iconic models nominated, the Morgan 4/4 was named the public favorite from the British Legends feature yesterday. The Morgan 4/4, nominated by Morgan designer Jon Wells, took the public vote at the event and was presented as the Bridge of Weir ‘British Legend’ for 2018 in front of Hampton […]

Bentley Motorsport and American partner team K-PAX Racing have secured their first championship win together – the 2018 Pirelli World Challenge GT teams’ title – following a consistently strong season and dominant series finale. In what was Bentley’s first season with K-PAX Racing, the team scored a podium in each of the five sprint events that took place on the USA’s top race tracks. The team – which fielded two full-season entries – racked-up six pole positions, ten podium, and five race wins drivers Alvaro Parente (PT) and Rodrigo Baptista (BR).

The latest in a series of high profile appointments, Group Lotus is pleased to announce that Uday Senapati joins the iconic British sports car marque. Uday joins Lotus as the company undergoes the next stage of its growth and return to prominence, under the leadership of Group Lotus’ Chief Executive Officer, Feng Qingfeng. Further confirming the Norfolk brand’s commitment to excellence, and attracting new talent to Hethel. Well-known and respected within the industry, Uday will take responsibility for Product Strategy and Management for all current and future product lines, including digital products and services.

McLaren Automotive is introducing a new service to authenticate the heritage of iconic McLaren F1 supercars. The launch of the new programme is coincident with the unveiling of the first F1 to be approved for certification, the renowned ‘25R’ 1997 F1 GTR Longtail. Pristine after a full restoration to ‘as new’ condition by McLaren Special Operations, the last F1 GTR to compete in period is one of the stars of the Hampton Court Concours of Elegance (31 August – 2 September 2018). Even among F1 GTRs, this car, designated ‘25R’, is unique – and now it is as near to being new as we can make it. The car is the exemplar of everything that the new certification programme stands for and we are proud to have ‘25R’ as the very first McLaren F1 Certified car. — Ansar Ali, Managing Director, […]

Owing to around half of its owners being dog owners, Land Rover has launched a range of premium Pet Packs to help their four-legged friends travel in the lap of luxury. The new accessories come as millions of owners look to pamper their canine companions in celebration of International Dog Appreciation Day on Sunday, 26 August. Each Pet Pack includes a selection of specially chosen accessories to suit a range of requirements. They include a premium quilted load space liner to protect against paw prints, a foldable pet carrier, access ramp, spill-resistant water bowl and a portable shower for those muddy walks.

Joining the celebrations for one of the world’s most iconic sports car manufacturers Hazel Chapman, widow of company founder Colin Chapman, has personally approved the 100,000th Lotus, as part of the marque’s 70th-anniversary celebration. Hand built on the same site that Hazel Chapman helped establish, the Jim Clark Trust special edition Lotus Evora GT410 Sport is the 100,000th Lotus built and a milestone in the iconic British company’s history. Reviewing the car for the first time with her son Clive Chapman, Hazel Chapman said: 70 years ago, I never dreamt that there would be a 100,000th Lotus. I’m immensely proud of the company and Colin’s legacy. Today Lotus still builds such fantastic sports cars and I’m touched to be able to see the 100,000th car.”

Following an overwhelmingly positive reaction to the original concept for ‘the most beautiful electric car in the world’, Jaguar Classic has confirmed it will offer all-electric E-type Zero for sale. The news follows the iconic EV sports car’s successful debut in concept form at Jaguar Land Rover Tech Fest in September 2017. Combining its restoration expertise with cutting-edge technology from the Jaguar I-PACE, the award-winning zero-emissions performance SUV, Jaguar Classic will offer tailor-made E-types restored and converted to electric power at the same Classic Works facility as its outstanding E-type Reborn restorations in Coventry, UK. An EV conversion service for existing E-type owners will also be offered. To preserve the authenticity of the base vehicle, the EV conversion will be fully reversible.

The Rolls-Royce Cullinan makes its American debut to the public at this year’s Monterey Car Week as the marque showcases a stunning array of Bespoke motor cars, each one a classic in the making. In addition to Cullinan, the Rolls-Royce of SUVs, the brand will present a splendid selection of individual creations at events throughout the week and deliver two very high profile commissions to their owners, live at events throughout the week. Monterey Car Week is one of the world’s premier luxury motor car events, so it is fitting that we showcase the finest Bespoke motor cars in the world here, and also debut Cullinan, the Rolls-Royce of SUVs, to the American public. From the primacy of Phantom to the power of Cullinan, the Rolls-Royce presence at 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance has never been more compelling, and these Bespoke Rolls-Royces […]

Our roving auction guy and contributor Bob Seidler was recently over the border in Canada and submitted this report on one of his excursions. So what do you do when your wife has a speaking engagement in Toronto and you have the day free? Of course, you Uber over to Legendary Motorcar Company in scenic Halton Hills, just west of Toronto. For viewers of The Velocity Channel, you know Legendary Motorcar as a mainstay of their lineup, dating back to the early days of Velocity when owner Peter Klute hosted DreamCar Garage. This was a delightful series in which two good-natured Canadians guys were buying, restoring and selling cars out of their garage.