Highlights

Our video this week features the history of a car that most Americans don’t think about and most probably have never even heard of. The Vauxhall brand though has consistently been one of the best-selling automotive brands in Britain. Let’s turn to Wikipedia for a bit of info … Vauxhall Motors is the trading name used by General Motors UK Limited) is a British automotive manufacturing and distribution company headquartered in Luton (Bedfordshire) and an affiliated company of the German Adam Opel AG, both being wholly owned subsidiaries of General Motors (GM) in the United States. The company sells passenger cars and light commercial vehicles under the Vauxhall marque; in the past it has also sold buses and trucks under the Bedford brand. Vauxhall has been the second-largest-selling car brand in the UK for more than two decades. Vauxhall was […]

The Morgan Motor Company and The Friday Beer Company have joined forces to introduce a new collection of official Morgan Ale. Working in partnership to perfect the final product, labeling and associated packaging, the two Malvern-based companies are delighted to present a collection of three unique blends. The Morgan 4/4 Blonde Ale, the Morgan 3 Wheeler Dark Mild Ale, and a Morgan Aero 8 Rye Ale complete the collection, with each one representing one of the models in the Morgan range. Founded in 1909, the 108-year-old Morgan Motor Company continue to thrive under the ownership of the founding family, proudly remaining the oldest privately owned motor manufacturer in the world – hand-crafting coach built traditional British sports cars that are fun to drive and unique within the marketplace. Their desire to offer something truly unique to their customers and passion […]

Aston Martin The Americas has revealed full details of its new certified pre-owned car program now available in North America: Timeless Certified Pre-Owned (CPO). Timeless CPO builds on the strong foundation of the luxury British brand’s pre-owned sports car buying and owning service and provides customers with the very highest levels of quality, assurance, and confidence with a comprehensive buying and owning experience.

A classic 1950 Jaguar XKSS is set to become the most expensive British road car in history when it goes under the hammer and is expected to fetch £13.5 million. The XKSS is so desirable that the manufacturer recently revived it by building nine models that are identical those which left the factory in 1957. But this original model is set to be the first to go on public sale in more than a decade. Experts expect a fierce bidding war from super-rich collectors around the world who are desperate to get their hands on the iconic car. 

Jaguar Land Rover Automotive plc, the UK’s largest car manufacturer, this past Tuesday reported a 13% increase in revenue to £6.5bn with strong customer demand in the three months to December 31, 2016. Total retail sales of 149,288 vehicles, up 8.5% year-on-year, were a record for the third quarter with higher volumes in China, (up 38.4% including sales from the China joint venture), North America (up 19.8%) and Europe (up 7.0%) led by strong sales of Discovery Sport, Jaguar F-PACE and the Jaguar XF (including the new long wheelbase Jaguar XFL in China).

With the 2017 FIA Formula 1 World Championship® set to kick off on 26 March, Aston Martin has unveiled its latest additions to the Vantage range; the V8 and V12 Vantage S Red Bull Racing Editions. These true collectibles have been created by the marque’s in-house personalisation service; Q by Aston Martin. Celebrating the two brands’ unique ‘Innovation Partnership’, Aston Martin’s latest global offering takes approval from Red Bull Racing drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen, with their signatures adorning both sill and inspection plaques.

Representing the state of the supercar art, a one-off Evora Sport 410 has been commissioned through Lotus Exclusive as a tribute to one of its most famous ancestors, the Lotus Esprit S1. Launched in October 2016, the Evora Sport 410 has wowed motoring press and customers with its combination of effortless pace and intuitive handling. With production limited to just 150 examples a year worldwide, the build schedule is filling up fast.

Jaguar has announced a range of enhancements to its F-PACE performance SUV and XF and XE sports saloons. The 2018 model year updates see the debut of Jaguar Land Rover’s latest Ingenium engines and new convenience and safety features available across all three vehicles to deliver more choice and personalization than ever before. The updates come on the back of a strong start to the year for Jaguar in the UK. More than 2,694 vehicles made their way onto UK driveways in January, an increase of 20% on January 2016, giving the brand its best January UK performance ever. In 2016 Jaguar sold more vehicles in the UK than ever before, surpassing a 12 year old record. The popularity of the XE, XF and F-PACE were key in helping the brand to retail 34,728 vehicles in the UK last year, […]

To celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Sunbeam 1000hp breaking the 200mph Land Speed Record, the National Motor Museum will be breathing new life into one of its engines to make it run for the first time in over half a century. Additionally, we are going to make the video of this car and its record breaking history our video of the week. The restoration project will begin in time for the anniversary on March 29th, with an engine start-up planned for later in the year at Beaulieu.

Land Rover’s new Discovery arrives in retailers this week giving customers the first opportunity to test the most versatile SUV on sale today on UK roads. Even before the fifth generation of the world-renowned and much-loved Discovery reaches retailers, more than 4,000 have already been sold in the U.K. alone with more than 20,000 sold globally.

Jaguar drivers can now use their car’s touchscreen to pay for fuel with a new cashless payment app. The Shell app is one of several new enhancements to Jaguar’s F-PACE, XE and XF models. Other updates include the introduction of the latest efficient Ingenium petrol and diesel engines and the addition of convenience features such as gesture technology where the sweep of a foot can open the boot.

The second-generation McLaren Super Series, which will make its public debut on March 7 at the 87th Geneva International Motor Show, is poised to raise previously accepted limits of supercar performance. Drivers will be able to enjoy acceleration from standstill to 200km/h (124mph) in just 7.8 seconds, accompanied by a soulful, clean and crisp exhaust note that is among the most emotive of any McLaren. “The new 4.0-litre M840T is an outstanding engine powering an exceptional supercar capable of covering a standing quarter mile in 10.3 seconds,” commented McLaren Super Series Vehicle Line Director, Haydn Baker. “Power, torque and throttle response are all significantly enhanced compared to the first-generation Super Series, yet with fuel efficiency and emissions also notably improved.”

The 12-turn, 2.5km Puerto Madero circuit is the only track on the Formula E calendar to have featured in all three seasons, but it provides a new challenge for Panasonic Jaguar Racing, as the team builds on a solid start to its debut season. Racing in the hot Argentinian sun makes the Buenos Aires ePrix a tricky test, requiring a careful balance of race pace and thermal management, which led to some of the championship’s most thrilling and unpredictable races. The British team is looking forward to the challenge of racing on a track that pushes cars to the limits and rewards clear communication between driver and engineer.

The 2017 Jaguar F-PACE has been named Best Luxury Utility vehicle by the nationally broadcast television series MotorWeek as part of its annual Drivers’ Choice Awards. Presented during the 2017 Chicago Auto Show, these awards recognize the best new cars and trucks throughout the industry. Designed and engineered to offer the agility, responsiveness, and refinement that all Jaguar models are renowned for, the F-PACE has taken Jaguar DNA and added enhanced practicality and space. The Drivers’ Choice Award is the latest in an ever-growing list of industry honors that the F-PACE has received since its 2016 introduction, and acknowledges the brand’s successful delivery of a performance SUV that truly resonates with consumers.

The values of MK1 Minis continue to rocket, increasingly justifying the cost of the part or total restorations that will be required for most examples sooner or later. British Motor Heritage (BMH) has long since been at the forefront of supplying individual panels for all marks of classic Minis, and complete bodyshells for models from 1976 onwards. What’s been missing until now is the Holy Grail, a full replacement shell for the MK1, but the wait is now over! Mini enthusiasts were given a glimpse of what was to come on BMH’s stand at the NEC Classic Motor Show last November, and the response was universally positive. The first production batch of 15 bodies will therefore commence in April, with deliveries occurring through May and June. The launch price is £9,950 inc. VAT and the company is accepting orders accompanied […]

SAIC Motor Technical Centre (SMTC UK), the sister company to MG Motor, has adopted Design for Six Sigma (DFSS), at its Longbridge facility in Birmingham, confirming its commitment to a continuous quality improvement philosophy. The automotive industry has seen huge benefits through Six Sigma over many years and it continues to play a key role in the continuous improvement strategy for many OEMs and those working in the supply chain.

The Aston Martin-Red Bull Advanced Technologies concept hypercar; AM-RB 001, will make its first appearance in North America — and global auto show debut — at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto later this month. The unique and groundbreaking AM-RB 001, introduced in July 2016 at the Aston Martin headquarters in Gaydon, England, is an unprecedented fusion of form and function the likes of which has never before been seen in a road-legal vehicle. It will be accompanied to Toronto by Dr. Andy Palmer, the President and CEO of Aston Martin, who will be speaking at the Opening of Manufacturers’ Media Preview Day and the Automotive News Canada Congress on Thursday, February 16, 2017.

Bentley Motors has been recognized as a Top Employer for the sixth consecutive year, reflecting the company’s attention to excellence in personal development and employee conditions. The award – presented by the Top Employers Institute – highlighted Bentley’s emphasis on continuous improvement, employee conditions and dedication to the company’s 4,000-strong workforce.