Highlights

2017 investment in industry-beating new product, expansion of the dealer network, and an enhanced aftersales package have all contributed to MG Motor UK achieving its best sales performance in recent years. More than 4,440 new cars were registered by the iconic MG Motor UK brand in 2017, an increase of around 6% year-on-year, according to the latest data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) released today (4th January 2018). In December alone, MG Motor UK achieved 100 additional unit sales over 2016 figures, thanks largely to the roll-out of the new MG ZS Compact-SUV.

We have received an announcement that Abingdon Spares, founded in 1968 and the world’s largest MG T-series parts specialist, is adding MGB parts to their ever-expanding catalog of MG parts. Ed Cooke of Abingdon reports that many of their customers have multiple MGs, and MGB seems to be the most popular second MG model. We will be sourcing many of the MGB parts from our existing T-Series suppliers. For convenience, we will be using the Moss part numbering system as it has become the industry standard. We will be offering some Moss products but at a discount. We will be sourcing parts from many suppliers for the best value. We will not be printing a catalog for MGB parts, our complete line of MGB parts is featured on our website. — Ed Cooke The MG T-series will continue to be Abingdon Spares […]

McLaren Automotive, the British creator of luxury sports cars and supercars, has recorded another record year of growth, selling a total of 3,340 cars in 2017. Around two-thirds of sales are attributed to the Sports Series family, the vast majority of which are new buyers to the brand, with the rest coming from the Super Series. The Sports Series family accounted for 2,119 deliveries, up from 2,031 in 2016. Following the unveiling of the 720S in March, Super Series sales continued to perform strongly with 1,221 cars sold – nearly the same as 2016’s figure despite only six months of delivery. This latest news follows the 2017 introduction of new models in each of the established three product families; the 570S Spider was added to the Sports Series, the 720S replaced the 650S in the Super Series while the track-concentrated McLaren […]

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC today reported December 2017 U.S. sales: Land Rover sales reached 7,980 units sold, down only 4 percent from December 2016; Jaguar sales for the month were 3,414 units; Jaguar Land Rover December U.S. sales for both brands hit 11,394 units, a 9 percent decrease from 12,573 units in December 2016. For the full year 2017, Jaguar Land Rover U.S. sales reached 114,333 units, up 9 percent compared to 105,104 units in 2016, and establishing a new all-time U.S. sales record for the combined brands.

Aston Martin Holdings (UK) Ltd, the producer of luxury handcrafted sports cars, today announced that it sold 5,117 sports cars last year amid sell-out demand for its DB11 model and special vehicles including the Vanquish Zagato and Aston Martin Vantage GT8. Retail sales, which saw a 58% year-on-year increase, outpaced wholesale supply (up 38%) and the Group now expects to exceed its previous full-year guidance of adjusted EBITDA of at least £180 million on revenues of more than £840 million. 

In this video we go behind the scenes at British Motor Heritage Limited, to show you the processes of manufacturing an MGB door. I knew that there were multiple layers of an MGB door but never realized how much actually goes into it. The way these reproduction doors are made in the video is exactly the same way they were made by the factory back in the day.

Morgan Motor Company, the world’s longest-running family owned motor manufacturer, are delighted to announce the appointment of Colin Boden as Group Financial Director with immediate effect. As Group Financial Director, Colin will not only be responsible for the financial functions of the Morgan Group, his role will establish him as a key influence in strategic decisions as Morgan continues to excel through its second century in business. His key aims will be to further improve profitability for the company, ensuring Morgan has a stable financial platform to develop exciting vehicles, embark on ambitious new projects across all business areas as well as introduce industry-leading technology into the model range and production process.

The dynamic new MG ZS has achieved a three-star rating from Euro NCAP after undergoing its rigorous testing program. The Compact-SUV, which is proving popular with families thanks to its affordability, outstanding design and digital extras as standard, received the positive rating following vehicle testing that represents real-life accident scenarios. In both the side barrier test and the more severe side pole impact, the MG ZS scored maximum points and protection of all critical body areas was good.

Since 2001 MINI has been a pioneer in the area of vehicle personalization by offering customers choice from a huge range of style, comfort, convenience and technology options, enabling them to create a car which truly reflects their personality and lifestyle. In 2018 MINI will take this concept to a new level with the launch of the 3D printing powered MINI Yours Customised. Using a new online store, customers will be able to transform their MINI into a uniquely personalized special by designing their own exclusive items. These innovative new upgrades will be available for UK customers throughout the course of 2018. The MINI Yours Customised product range will include the indicator inlays known as side scuttles, trims for the interior passenger side, LED door sills and LED door projectors. These new personalized products will be designed by customers on […]

Performance car title evo today celebrates British motoring success with the announcement of its Car of the Year awards, with the McLaren 720S being named both Car of the Year and Best Supercar of 2017. The coveted awards further recognize British brands, with the new Bentley Continental GT and the Lotus Elise Sport 220 named Best GT and Best Sports Car respectively. The evo Car of the Year awards (eCoty) recognize the top performance cars across ten key categories, from hot hatch to hypercar via every sector in between. The road testers at evo judge the cars on their on-road dynamics, performance and, crucially, whether they deliver the thrill of driving.

I teased it last week but to my surprise, you reacted with encouragement so this week our Video of the Week is about British model trains. The video we have below is one part of The Joy of Train Sets. Don’t worry, the other parts are linked further down. This 2012 documentary is from BBC Four’s Timeshift series. Fully titled The Model Railway Story: From Hornby to Triang and Beyond, this documentary explores how the British have been in love with model railways for more than a century. What began as an adult obsession with building fully-engineered replicas became the iconic toy of the 1950s and 60s childhood. With unique archive and contributions from modelers such as Pete Waterman, this is a celebration of the joys of miniaturization. Just don’t call them toy trains.

Briggs Automotive Company (BAC) – the Liverpool-based manufacturer behind the world-famous Mono supercar – is confirmed for the Performance Car Show. Mono is the world’s only single-seater, road-legal supercar that’s earned plaudits around the globe for its blistering performance and one-of-a-kind characteristics, and it’s sure to enjoy plenty of attention from 11-14 January 2018. BAC will take pride of place on Stand 19410 at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), showcasing the 2018 Model Year Mono that includes a whole host of new standard technology – including a lightweight, lithium-ion battery. The 2018 Model Year Mono’s arrival at the Performance Car Show is its first ever public showing, making this another exclusive first for the event.

As a brand well known for it’s sporty character, MINI is set to further enhance its reputation with the introduction of a new transmission to the range. Extremely fast gear changes, a high degree of shift comfort and optimised efficiency – just some of the benefits of the new 7-speed Steptronic automatic double clutch transmission available for the MINI 3-Door Hatch, MINI 5-Door Hatch, and the MINI Convertible. Customers can now order this new transmission in conjunction with selected engine variants as an alternative to the standard 6-speed manual transmission. The double clutch transmission is operated by a newly designed electronic selector lever. Further enhancing the premium character of the vehicle, the new selector lever always returns to its original position after changing between driving mode D, neutral position N and reverse mode. The parking lock is activated by pressing […]

Morgan Motor Company has announced a technical partnership with industry leaders Frazer-Nash Energy Systems as the all-electric Morgan EV3 prepares for production in 2018. The EV3 extends Morgan’s truly unique offering. Industry-leading EV technology combines with a lightweight coach-built body to offer an unparalleled mix of craftsmanship and technology. Inspired by 1930s Aero-engine race cars, classic motorcycles, and 1950s fantasy automatons, the EV3 embraces new technology while delivering the raw driving experience and traditional British craftsmanship synonymous with every Morgan.

Christmas has come early for Aston Martin Racing, as the team received a special delivery in the form of Belgian GT and DTM ace, Maxime Martin. The 31-year-old has joined Aston Martin Racing to compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship ‘super season’, which starts in Spring 2018. Paul Howarth, Aston Martin Racing Team Principal said: We’ve had an eye on Maxime for several years now, so we are delighted to welcome him to Aston Martin Racing. He is an exceptionally talented GT driver and he is the perfect addition to our high-calibre driver line-up.

McLaren Automotive is pleased to announce the opening of its North American McLaren F1 Service Center in Pennsylvania, United States. The new facility will offer maintenance and service on McLaren F1s located in North America, and is one of only two authorized service facilities outside of McLaren Special Operations (MSO) in Woking, United Kingdom. Operated by McLaren Philadelphia, the facility is separate from the main McLaren Philadelphia retail facility, located at a remote site in Pennsylvania, set up to ensure customer discretion and privacy. The North American McLaren F1 Service Center was designed to replicate the services provided by MSO at its headquarters in Woking and the staff has been trained by MSO in-house technicians on the complete F1 service experience, ranging from basic annual maintenance to full system refreshes and even major renovations.

TVR has released some big news about their factory. The folks at TVR say that the 200,000 square foot in Ebbw Vale will soon be echoing to the rumble and crackle of V8 engines as they head towards production. The Welsh Government announced officially yesterday that the site has been acquired and they are moving at high speed to get it ready for TVR. There has also been a mention of ‘facilities’ in the plural instead of just singular. More news is to follow on that. Les Edgar of TVR says the factory is more than ample in size to take care of their current and planned requirements as they expand up to full capacity over the next few years. They intend to make the factory an experience in itself – and once open, they will be encouraging all owners, prospective customers etc. […]

Jaguar has created a unique film, Blacklight, to celebrate the 70 awards won globally by the F-PACE performance SUV. The practical British-built performance family car counts the World Car of the Year 2017 and World Car Design of the Year 2017 titles among its 70 awards. Jaguar has celebrated this success with a unique film that dramatically captures F-PACE’s acclaimed exterior design and state-of-the-art engineering.