Highlights

McLaren Automotive emerged as the fastest growing luxury automotive brand in the UK following the release of year-to-date car registration figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The British creator of luxury sports cars and supercars recorded an extraordinary 47.73% year-on-year growth and registered 390 vehicles in the first half of 2018. In addition, the brand increased their number of UK retailers to eight with McLaren Hatfield and McLaren Leeds opening doors for business. A new location for the south coast of England is currently under consideration.

MINI Brand Sales For June, MINI USA reported 4,146 vehicles sold, a decrease of 6 percent from the 4,410 sold in the same month a year ago.  MINI sales in June were led by the MINI Countryman (1,471 vehicles).  Year to date, MINI sales remain up 1.9 percent. MINI Pre-Owned Vehicles MINI Certified Pre-Owned sold 1,554 vehicles in June, an increase of 74.6 percent from June 2017. Total MINI Pre-Owned sold 3,435 vehicles in June, an increase of 38.5 percent from June 2017. Note: Press release courtesy of BMW Group.

Jaguar Land Rover today reported June 2018 US sales: Land Rover had its best June sales month ever with 6,982 units, an increase of 21 percent from 5,760 in June 2017; Jaguar sales were 2,353 units, a 20 percent decrease from 2,946 units in June 2017. Jaguar Land Rover total June US sales reached 9,335 units, a seven percent increase from 8,706 units in June 2017.  For the first half of 2018, Jaguar Land Rover U.S. sales are up five percent to 59,566 units. We’re pleased to see Jaguar Land Rover finish the first half of 2018 with another monthly increase, driven by consumer demand for many of our models, including Discovery, Range Rover Velar and E-PACE. — Joe Eberhardt, President and CEO, Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC.

Prof. Dr. Ralf Speth, Chief Executive Officer of Jaguar Land Rover Automotive plc, Britain’s largest vehicle manufacturer, has called on the UK Government to urgently provide post-Brexit certainty for business including guaranteed tariff-free access and frictionless trade with the European Union. Ahead of the publication of a White Paper outlining the Government’s proposed post-Brexit trading relationship with the EU, Dr. Speth said: Jaguar Land Rover’s heart and soul is in the UK. However we, and our partners in the supply chain, face an unpredictable future if the Brexit negotiations do not maintain free and frictionless trade with the EU and unrestricted access to the single market. We urgently need greater certainty to continue to invest heavily in the UK and safeguard our suppliers, customers and 40,000 British-based employees. A bad Brexit deal would cost Jaguar Land Rover more than £1.2bn […]

A long-loved British sports car is finally returning to the US. Morgan Motor Company, in response to U.S. Morgan dealers unfulfilled demand for 4 wheeled Morgans and also the disappointing lack of progress in implementing the Replica Car Bill, is now addressing the issue proactively. Last week Morgan Motor Company announced that they are prepared to manufacture a functional rolling chassis in both Roadster and Plus 4 variants, that can then be shipped to the US, using the specially constructed vehicle route to market. It is fully appreciated that there has been a significant hiatus regarding supply of four-wheeled Morgan vehicles to the US. Additionally,  the proposed Replica Car Bill has stalled significantly during the last 2 years and is still without any clear steer on the outcome with regards to both timing and legislative requirements. We believe there is a huge pent-up […]

Word is in on this year’s Auto Express Magazine awards, and Aston Martin, MINI, and Jaguar have all done quite well. Aston Martin Awards In addition to the cars themselves, Aston Martin President and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Andy Palmer was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award. The award – which was presented to Palmer by Auto Express editor-in-chief Steve Fowler – represents an appreciation for his efforts during his long and successful career in the automotive industry.

With just two weeks to go until Goodwood Festival of Speed 2018, MINI UK is excited to confirm two concept vehicles making their UK debut. MINI will offer a glimpse into the future direction of the brand with the MINI Electric Concept showcasing its design vision for a fully-electric model. Also a UK first, and inspired by the carmaker’s legendary motorsport heritage, the MINI John Cooper Works GP Concept will be on display as part of MINI’s activation at the 2018 festival. The MINI Electric Concept features an iconic design with clean-cut surfaces for a minimalist impression and will be the first fully electric MINI. The concept offers a thrilling preview of the all-electric production vehicle due to be unveiled in 2019.

DM Historics is pressing a historically significant 1959 Lotus Elite S1 race car back into competition following full race preparation by the Kent-based specialists. This special vehicle was campaigned in the early 1960s by Scottish racing driver Tommy Dickson. A member of the legendary Ecurie Ecosse racing team, Dickson had a successful racing career throughout the 1950s and ‘60s and competed in events such as the grueling 24 Hours of Le Mans and Nürburgring 1000km.

This in from the MG Owners’ Club … Ever since SAIC acquired the MG brand when they took over Nanjing Automobile Company (NAC) in 2007 and the reintroduced TF became a sales flop, (for various reasons not the cars fault), SAIC senior management has been at pains to dismiss any talk of a new two-seat MG sports car, although senior management at SAIC’s SMTC in the UK saying that at some stage in the future they would like the opportunity to design a new MG sports car.

The tenth Flying Scotsman saw William Medcalf and a whole fleet of vintage Bentleys line up at Brooklands in late April 2018. Just as they had done a decade earlier, they had come to contest perhaps the toughest UK rally for pre-war motor cars. All manner of different marques were down on the start list but it’s not too much of a stretch to say that as usual, anything from the Cricklewood stable acquitted itself very well over the typically tough course. The late Philip Young and the Endurance Rally Association devised the Flying Scotsman as a reliability trial ‘for crews with a press on attitude’ and, in every edition since the first one in 2009, the crews and their cars have been tested by the roads, the weather, and the navigation. This year the route was designed by Anthony Preston, renowned […]

Jaguar Land Rover is testing smart, connected cars on UK roads to prepare for self-driving cars. The tests on public roads are part of £7.1 million project aimed at creating the UK’s first fully connected infrastructure geared towards self-driving cars. More than 40 miles of the M40, M42, A45, and A46 will benefit from a world-first combination of wireless technologies (DSRC, 3/4G mobile networks, WiFi and fiber optic networks), ensuring vehicles can always be connected to each other and to infrastructure.

On the 70th anniversary of the very first Aston Martin DB-badged models, the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace will be hosting a display of some of the finest Aston Martins ever produced. From 31 August – 2 September, over 100 icons from the legendary British marque will be on display, including four very special examples in the Main Concours. Chief among them is a 1967 Aston Martin DBSC by Touring – the only road-going version in existence. Only two cars were built by Touring as a potential replacement for the Aston Martin DB6, and this left-hand-drive 4-litre, straight-six powered rarity comes finished in Dubonnet Rosso paint, with a tan pigskin interior. Also on display is a 1937 Aston Martin 15/98 Long Chassis Tourer by Bertelli – probably the best example of this rare and interesting model in the world. One […]

Lotus is pleased to announce that Marcus Blake joins the iconic British sports car company as Commercial Director responsible for all sales, marketing, and aftersales activities for Lotus Cars worldwide. Marcus joins at a very important time for the Norfolk based business, which, under Geely and Etika ownership is embarking upon a period of investment and product development to enable Lotus to reach its full potential in the rapidly changing automotive industry.

McLaren Automotive, the creator of luxury, high-performance sports cars and supercars, has for the first time ever donated a bespoke McLaren 570S Spider to the Elton John AIDS Foundation which was auctioned at the Argento Ball in association with BVLGARI & Bob and Tamar Manoukian on Wednesday, June 27, 2018. Every pound of the $948,000 it raised will go to the Foundation to help with its goal of creating an AIDS-free future for everybody.  The ball took place at Elton John’s home, Woodside in Berkshire UK, with Graham Norton as master of ceremonies and a special performance by Ed Sheeran.

Most folks who own a television set are familiar with Dennis Gage and his show My Cassic Car. Well, our video this week is from a show he shot at the McPherson College C.A.R.S. Club show. It just so happens that two of the cars he featured in this episode are a 1967 MG 1100 and a 1964 Indy car racer featuring MG 1100 liquid suspension. The cars belong to Richard Morrison who has painstakingly restored them both. The footage of these cars starts at 5:40. For the 1964 Indianapolis 500 Kjell Qvale, who imported and distributed several British Marques, asked the head of his racing department, Joe Huffaker, to build 3 cars incorporating the hydrolastic suspension from the MG 1100 Sports Sedan. The cars raced at Indy as the MG Liquid Suspension Specials in 1964 and 1965. A. J. Foyt […]

A true thoroughbred that marks the return of not one, but two illustrious names. With DBS, Aston Martin is reviving an iconic nameplate that first appeared on in 1967, while Touring’s famous mark – Superleggera – will once again adorn the bonnet of an Aston Martin. A collaboration that originally paved the way to the DB4, 5 and 6 Mark 1, DBS Superleggera pays homage to the historic super lightweight construction technology of the famous Italian coachbuilder. In the new DBS Superleggera, Aston Martin has a Super GT that’s a breed apart. One that takes the fight to the world’s best on its own terms. Clad using immaculately sculpted carbon fiber body panels this latest model is blessed with muscular, highly individual styling. A look that’s perfectly matched by epic performance courtesy of Aston Martin’s 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12, tuned to […]

Britain can become a world leader in lightweight materials that could help create more efficient future vehicles, Mike Flewitt, the CEO of luxury British sportscar and supercar maker McLaren Automotive has said today. Delivering his keynote speech to automotive leaders and policymakers at the SMMT industry summit in Central London, Mr Flewitt called for a future “weight race” to replace the more traditional “power race”.

This past weekend saw two new winners in the inaugural Pure McLaren GT Series, making a total of four winners in six races, as competitors racing track-only Sports Series 570S GTs took to the iconic Algarve International Circuit in Portugal. The weekend’s two races had a major effect on the championship standings, after Sultan Ojjeh and Ian Loggie both scored wins. In the first race of the weekend on Saturday, it was the #75 570S GT4 of Ojjeh who took the spoils, after a dominant run to victory.