Abingdon Spares Acquires Restoration Decals

May 29, 2018 Michael Carnell 2

Abingdon Spares is happy to announce that they have recently acquired Restoration Decal, the vintage decal enterprise of the well known automotive artist and illustrator David Townsend. Abingdon Spares is now your exclusive source for vintage decals for your British car restoration. These beautifully reproduced decals are printed in the most accurate colors and designs, printed on 3M ControlTac and laminated for durability, giving you years of excellent service. They are guaranteed to add that finishing touch to your project. Restoration Decals are accurate reproductions of labels and decals that are so often missing or damaged on older classics. Now you can complete the restoration of your classic MG, Austin Healey, Triumph, Jaguar and many other classic British automobiles with these exact replicas of the factory installed decals. You can see all the decals that are available at on the […]

Rawdon Glover - Jaguar Land Rover UK Managing Director

Rawdon Glover Appointed Jaguar Land Rover UK Managing Director

May 27, 2018 Staff Comments Off

As part of a major restructure of Jaguar Land Rover global Marketing, Sales, Service and Public Relations functions, Jaguar Land Rover UK announces Rawdon Glover as UK Managing Director. Jeremy Hicks remains with the business to take up a new position of (Global) Market Performance Director. Effective 2nd July Anthony Bradbury Global Marketing Communications Director has been appointed to the position of UK Marketing Director with Scott Dicken taking up the role of UK Sales Director. Rawdon Glover said: I am delighted to be taking the role of Managing Director for Jaguar Land Rover UK at such an exciting time for the industry. There is so much opportunity to take advantage of with the advent of our electric revolution alongside the introduction of exciting new vehicles and continued development of our retailer network. I can’t wait to get started. With an […]

Data Breach at JLR Reveals Employee Records and Layoffs

May 27, 2018 Michael Carnell 1

A recent data breach revealed the records of hundreds of employees at Jaguar Land Rover’s factory in Solihull, England. This breach, which was first reported by the Huffington Post, included employee names as well as personnel issues such as sick days used and disciplinary issues. What is worse, the records were also flagged to indicate who might be let go during the company’s upcoming layoffs. In a bit of a public relations snafu, instead of accepting blame and attempting to apologize for the data breach, JLR initially denied the reports calling them “fake news”. Obviously, employees are none-too-pleased. As we reported last month, Jaguar Land Rover is planning to cut approximately 1,000 manufacturing jobs due to the diesel scandal and falling sales numbers. The company is cutting the jobs at the Birmingham factory that manufactures the Jaguar F-Pace, Land Rover Discovery, and […]

Brabham BT62 Sets Lap Pace at Phillip Island

May 26, 2018 Staff Comments Off

The Brabham BT62 has been designed and engineered to conquer the track and reward its driver with blistering lap times. In a video released today, the BT62 is seen lapping Australia’s Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit at incredible speeds during its extensive pre-launch testing programme, with Managing Director and multiple Le Mans winner, David Brabham, behind the wheel.

McLaren Automotive 15000th car - 570S Spider

McLaren Passes 15,000 Cars Built at Woking

May 25, 2018 Staff 2

McLaren Automotive today celebrated the manufacture of its 15,000th car at the McLaren Production Centre (MPC) in Woking, Surrey, just seven years after production first began. The 15,000th car, a 570S Spider in Curacao Blue from the company’s Sports Series family, represents a further significant milestone for the British sportscar and supercar brand and comes less than 18 months after the 10,000th car was completed in December 2016.

New Engine Choices and Safety Tech for Range Rover Velar

May 25, 2018 Staff Comments Off

Land Rover has announced a host of enhancements to the award-winning Range Rover Velar including a broader engine choice, the latest intelligent safety technology and more features such as air suspension and adaptive dynamics now available as options. The Velar now has a D275 engine option, a 275PS 3.0-litre V6 diesel, producing 625Nm of torque. The new D275 enhances the options across the range and enables customers the flexibility to specify the perfect car for them.

Kenny Brack McLaren Automotive Chief Test Driver_1

Kenny Brack Confirmed as Chief Test Driver

May 25, 2018 Staff Comments Off

McLaren Automotive is confirmed this past week that former professional racing driver Kenny Brack has joined the British luxury high-performance sportscar and supercar company as Chief Test Driver. Brack, 52, who has 35 years of experience in motorsports including as a racing driver in IndyCar, CART, F3000 and rallying and a test driver in Formula 1 and NASCAR, will be responsible for leading the dynamic development of all McLaren road cars. He will report to Dr. Jens Ludmann, Chief Operating Officer, McLaren Automotive.

INMOTION VENTURES PUTS ADVENTURE ON THE MAP - 3

Jaguar’s InMotion Ventures Invests in FATMAP

May 24, 2018 Staff Comments Off

InMotion Ventures, Jaguar Land Rover’s venture capital arm, today announced its investment in FATMAP, the leading platform for outdoor adventure lovers and mountain professionals with cutting-edge global 3D mapping technology. The investment from InMotion Ventures, along with Episode 1 and Capnamic Ventures, will support FATMAP with their global ambition to become a key destination for adventure and outdoor activities. Skiers, hikers, trail-runners, mountain-bikers, and climbers can all use FATMAP technology to navigate the off-road world more easily.

JAGUAR RACING COMPLETE GLOBAL DEBUT OF JAGUAR I-PACE eTROPHY RACECAR

Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY Charges Ahead in Berlin

May 23, 2018 Staff Comments Off

The Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY racecar charged ahead as it made its global debut in Berlin this past Saturday. Founder and CEO of Formula E Alejandro Agag had the honor of marking this historical moment alongside Jaguar Racing as he drove the racecar around the iconic Tempelhof Circuit. Alejandro Agag put the eTROPHY racecar through its paces on the track and completed five laps in front of the crowds in Berlin. While demonstrating its dynamic capabilities, the eTROPHY racecar gave a glimpse of the future of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship to a global audience.

Hobbo: The Autobiography of David Hobbs: Motor Racer, Motor Mouth

May 23, 2018 Staff Comments Off

Englishman David Hobbs – Hobbo to his friends and fans – is one of motor racing’s most remarkable all-rounders. In a 31-year driving career he raced in almost every imaginable category: endurance sports racers, touring cars, Formula 1, Formula 5000, Indycars, IMSA, Trans-Am, Can-Am and even NASCAR – he has done the lot. And on top of that, he has been a television commentator in America for nearly 40 years, bringing wit and wisdom to the screen most recently as part of NBC’s Formula 1 team. Now, at last, he has put down all his experiences in this highly readable memoir that will be welcomed by racing enthusiasts on both sides of the Atlantic. • Early racing years: from his mum’s Morris Oxford in 1959 to Jaguars and a Lotus Elite – and coming to the notice of the racing […]

Sponsors Confirmed for MINI TAKES THE STATES (MTTS) 2018

May 23, 2018 Staff Comments Off

MINI USA today announced the official list of sponsors for MINI TAKES THE STATES (MTTS) 2018. The biennial road rally for MINI owners will take place from July 14 – 22, starting simultaneously from Orlando, Fla., and Portland, Ore., and ending at Keystone Resort in Keystone, Colo. Earlier this year, MINI USA announced that Feeding America is again the Official Charity Partner of MTTS 2018. This summer’s rally will see the return of several sponsors from the 2016 rally, Shell V-Power ® NiTRO+ Premium Gasoline, Pennzoil with PurePlus™ Technology motor oil and Pirelli®, which offers MINI approved star marked tires. New sponsors to the MTTS rally include KIND® Snacks, MapQuest, who will for the first time bring a custom turn-by-turn navigation application to MTTS, and Harman Kardon.

VotW – Brabham BT62 Unveiled in London

May 23, 2018 Staff Comments Off

From the old to the new – the very new. Our Video of the Week this time features the brand new Brabham BT62 and its unveiling in London on May 2. In addition to unveiling the new car, the background of the new Brabham logo was discussed. To understand the history of Brabham automotive and the late Jack Brabham’s role in racing and autosport, check out the comprehensive timeline on the Brabham Automotive site. First, in regards to the logo, it is Derived from the ‘V’ that so prominently featured on the badges of Brabham’s Repco-powered championship-winning racers from the 1960s, and the fangs from the iconic ‘Hissing Sid’ snake that was synonymous with Brabham’s Ecclestone-era Formula 1 cars, the bold new emblem echoes the marque’s rich heritage with a sharp, strong and engaging device that embodies the Brabham attitude: […]

JLR’s Jeremy Hicks Accuses Government of Confusing and Scaring Buyers

May 22, 2018 Staff Comments Off

Jeremy Hicks, the managing director of Jaguar Land Rover in the UK has accused the government of scaring off car buyers and damaging the motor industry with its lack of clarity on vehicle emissions and car taxation policy. Addressing delegates at CDX – the UK’s largest motor trade expo – Hicks said the government’s failure to make its position clear was causing consumers to ‘hold off’ their next car purchase and directly responsible for falling car sales.

Aston Martin Reports First-Quarter Earnings

May 21, 2018 Staff Comments Off

Aston Martin Holdings (UK) Ltd., the producer of highly desirable luxury handcrafted sports cars, today reported a 3% rise in first-quarter adjusted Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation (EBITDA) to £43.7 million, representing an EBITDA margin of 24% on revenues of £185.4 million. For the three months to 31 March 2018, the Company achieved positive pre-tax profits of £2.8 million as strong demand continued for the recently launched DB11 V8 twin-turbo coupe and Volante models.

BMH Mk 1 Mini Bodyshell Demand Exceeding Expectations

May 21, 2018 Staff 2

That there was a pent-up demand for a replacement MK1 Mini bodyshell was not in doubt, but British Motor Heritage (BMH) has nevertheless been stunned at the scale of orders since first displaying its prototype shell at the 2016 NEC Classic Motor Show. Dramatically rising values are at the heart of the demand Commented BMH’s Managing Director John Yea: A few years back, though values of good Mini-Coopers were climbing steadily, the limited worth of their 850 cousins made comprehensive restorations hard to justify. The picture is now very different, and enthusiasts are busy rejuvenating all versions of Issisgonis’ immortal baby at an ever-increasing rate. As a result we are constantly having to raise our production targets, and that’s without taking into account the shells we are creating for David Brown Automotive’s impressive Mini Remastered programme. At just £9,950 inc. […]

Cars of the Royal Wedding - Jaugar E-Type Converted to Electric

British Cars of the Royal Wedding – Old and New

May 21, 2018 Michael Carnell Comments Off

The Royal wedding. Yes, I am going there. Not being a true Royal follower myself, when I tune in to events such as this it is the cars that catch my attention more than there ceremonies. Although I will have to admit, this was actually a touching and important ceremony as it bridged not only the US and Great Britain but also the past and the future. That bridging could also be seen in the combination of heritage and modernity seen in the most talked about car of the day. That most talked about car was the Electric E-Type used by Prince Harry and his bride when leaving the Windsor. We featured this amazing car a few months ago when it was first unveiled by Jaguar Land Rover Classic. The Jaguar E-type Zero not only drives and looks like an E-type, it […]

VALENCIA SET TO PLAY HOST TO SECOND RACE OF McLAREN AUTOMOTIVE’S FIA SANCTIONED SINGLE-MAKE SERIES

Valencia Set to Host Next Round of Pure McLaren Series

May 18, 2018 Staff Comments Off

Valencia will play host to the second round and next two races of McLaren Automotive’s FIA accredited Pure McLaren single-make international race series which lands in Spain this weekend. It follows the first round at Spa-Francorchamps at the end of April and is the second of six rounds of the series that visits some of the most iconic tracks across Europe.

VotW – Britain’s Greatest Machines 1930s

May 18, 2018 Michael Carnell Comments Off

Our video of the week this go around is actually more of a series. But since I can’t put the entire series in here (can I?) I will choose just one. The series is Britain’s Greatest Machines hosted by Chris Barrie and produced by The National Geographic Channel. The series, of which there were two seasons for a total of eight episodes, shows the technological progress of the 19th and 20th centuries from a British point of view. Each episode covers one decade. The episode I am choosing for this week’s feature is the first – Season 1, Episode 1, and showcases the 1930s. Note that the episodes do not go in order. This technological achievements highlighted in this first episode include the De Havilland Dragon Rapide, Sentinel S6 Steam Wagon, Morris Eight & Cat’s Eye, LNER Class A4 Locomotive, […]

Capital Triumph Register, Britain on the Green 2018 – Event Report

May 18, 2018 Staff Comments Off

The Capital Triumph Register hosted its 21 st annual British car and motorcycle show, Britain on the Green, at Gunston Hall in Lorton, VA, on April 29, 2018. With over 200 cars registered for the event, the show is one of the larger British car shows, as well as one of the first of the season, in the Washington, DC, area. The featured model this year was the Triumph TR250, celebrating the 50th year since its introduction in 1968. This year a 1954 Allard K2 owned by Robert Morris took Best of Show honors. In addition to special awards, participants’ choice awards were made in nearly 30 categories. Additionally, the Capital Triumph Register is proud to have hosted the Hagerty Youth Judging Program again this year. In the program sponsored by Hagerty Classic Car Insurance, young people ages 8-14 are […]

Absolute Lotus Magazine for Owners and Enthusiasts

May 17, 2018 Staff Comments Off

A new magazine, 100 percent dedicated to Lotus, is now available in newsagents. Absolute Lotus aims to share the passion this unique marque generates, with each issue covering new cars, historic cars, motorsport and Lotus people. In its 70th anniversary year, Lotus remains true to the philosophy of founder Colin Chapman. With seven decades of innovation both on the road and the race circuit, there is an endless supply of fascinating and entertaining material for the new title. Meanwhile, the marque’s future looks brighter than ever under the ownership of Geely.