Highlights

Land Rover introduces its most efficient Range Rover Sport ever. For 2017, the latest Range Rover Sport features an efficient Ingenium powertrain, upgraded infotainment system with connectivity and wifi capability, innovative new semi-autonomous driving connected technologies and greater scope for personalisation. At 2017 Model Year, Range Rover Sport will debut the new 2.0-litre four-cylinder Ingenium diesel engine, manufactured at Jaguar Land Rover’s own engine plant in Wolverhampton.  Already available on both Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque models, Ingenium is Jaguar Land Rover’s new breed of engine designed for effortless performance, refinement and efficiency. Its advanced technology and all-aluminium construction contribute to impressive fuel consumption (45.6mpg) and CO2 emissions (164g/km) and a 0-60 time of 8.0 seconds (manufacturer’s estimated data).

Compiled from the original 35mm filmstrip and vinyl LP record soundtrack, this is a training film from 1970 which introduces the BL salesmen to the new Triumph Stag. Well, new to 1970. I love using our video of the week to look back at how cars were viewed in the period versus how we think of them now. OK, I will admit that it is also fun to view the world pre-PowerPoint. Even though Time lists the Stag as one of the “50 Worst Cars of All-Time“, I have always liked them. And, they have a pretty good following these days. The issues can be sorted out these days, the wrongs set right, and then you have a very stylish, comfortable, touring sports-car. Sure, the Stag should have gotten the Rover V8 that went into so many other cars of […]

Jaguar XK DIY Restoration & Maintenance by Bob Exelby is an impressive book. This is the story of how one man completely restored his XK 120 roadster, transforming it from dereliction into a thoroughly beautiful example of this iconic sports car.  Bob Exelby also took the time to investigate and incorporate numerous detail improvements, making the car even more usable and practical for today’s roads, some 65 years after it was built. All of the modifications were tasteful, though some might still argue with their applicability to a true restoration. Exelby wanted a useable and dependable car in addition to a valued classic.

“The E-type Club ROUND BRITAIN COASTAL DRIVE, supporting Prostate Cancer UK” has set up an online auction platform for members of the public to bid for a half-day ride in the Jaguar E-type from the iconic film, The Italian Job. Split into 18 daily stages, this unique event takes place between September 12 and 29, driving for the first time the entire coastal route of Great Britain with an average mileage of 180 per day. Details of the clockwise route can be found at The E-Type Club where one can enter bids or donate on the JustGiving page.

The most luxurious Bentley model ever, the Mulsanne Extended Wheelbase, makes its US debut at the Monterey Auto Week. The pinnacle luxury limousine is designed for those who prefer to be driven, and provides a first class air-travel experience for the road. The Mulsanne Extended Wheelbase will be appearing at the Quail: A Motorsports Gathering on Friday 19 August, and will also be in position on the Concept Lawn at The Lodge on Sunday 21 August. The newly launched Flying Spur V8 S also makes its US debut at Pebble Beach. Taking its place between the Flying Spur V8 and flagship W12 in the range, the V8 S is tuned for power and performance, with increased engine output and revised suspension offering a more focused, precise driving experience.

MG cars have won further positive accolades from two of Britain’s leading car magazines. Both Autocar and Auto Express have showered praise on the value-for-money of MG cars, with the MG3 being singled out as a “24-carat bargain” across the entire new car market. In an Autocar special investigation to find the best value cars in Britain, the highly-respected motoring guru Andrew Frankel, wrote: “Just one of our selected candidates charges less than £100 for a single horsepower, that car being the astonishingly cheap MG3, the best bang-for-buck value car not just in this class, but also across them all.”

John Twist has decided to sell the 1973 MGB-GT that he built and recently restored for his late wife Caroline. This is a rare opportunity to have John Twist sign the title to your new car. John has hired GR Autogallery to handle the sale, and is not taking questions as he’s bad at selling cars! He’s really good at fixing them though! John Twist of University Motors located in Grand Rapids, MI is a name that has been associated with unprecedented MG service for years. John and his staff have been exclusively specializing, servicing and restoring MG Automobiles for decades earning him international recognition in all MG circles. People that know John also know that he has a wealth of knowledge and is happy to share it.

Most people just bring a stick of rock back from their holiday. But tourists visiting Devon are taking larger souvenirs home – MG cars! Blights MG in Bideford, north Devon, is developing a thriving business in selling the latest MG cars to visitors to the holiday resort who to find the dealership by chance. General Manager, Dave Chumbley, said: “It’s amazing really, we’ve had three sales in the past week alone and all of the customers live miles away from us.” The latest holiday customer was Coral Taylor from Thatcham – 170 miles away from Bideford. She bought one of MG’s top-selling MG3 superminis. Coral said: “I was in Bideford for a long weekend and fancied a test drive, which Dave kindly arranged for me on the Saturday afternoon.

After a brief summer break and a trip to Angelsey for the Morgan Challenge, it was back to Silverstone for the third time in the 2016 season. This visit would see the 35 car grid compete on the National Circuit as part of the Bentley Drivers Meeting. A highlight of the calendar, the Bentley Drivers Club meet is always well attended from both the Bentley and Morgan communities, and demonstrates some of the most prestigious Bentleys throughout the history of their company. For many years the Morgan Challenge has featured as part of the BDC meeting, and for 2016 the weather had been ordered, with beautiful sunshine engulfing the home of British motorsport. As the cars assembled for qualifying it was a welcomed return to the challenge series for accomplished drivers Olly Bryant and Will Plant in their Plus 8s. […]

The Triumph Infor Rocket Streamliner has become the world’s fastest ever Triumph by achieving a speed of 274.2 mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats on 8 August, 2016. Piloted by TT legend Guy Martin, the streamliner smashed the previous official Triumph record that stood at 245.667 mph as well as the unofficial Triumph Record of 264mph, both set by Bob Leppan, in the Gyronaut X-1. Near perfect conditions greeted the team on the final day of the team’s land speed practice week. With confidence high after a successful number of days running on the salt at Bonneville the team’s goal for the day with the Triumph Infor Rocket Streamliner was the Triumph record. 

McLaren Automotive is returning to the historic Monterey Car Week, starting August 15, 2016, with the U.S. debuts of the McLaren 570GT road car, the 570S GT4 race car and new activations which will showcase McLaren’s strong heritage and current model line-up. This is the seventh year McLaren Automotive will have a significant presence at The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, bringing enthusiasts and owner’s together year-after-year since 2010, when McLaren used the venue to show the concept form of its first modern-era road car. Over the course of Monterey week, McLaren will introduce the US to the 2017 570GT with several examples of the car to be found around the peninsula. The car will make an appearance at McCall’s Motorworks Revival on Wednesday evening. It will then be on display and doing drives at the McLaren Driver Experience Thursday – […]

Our video this week represents a comparison of classic British six-cylinder roadsters – the ‘big’ Austin Healey 100/6 versus the Triumph TR6. My only wish is that the MGC were included in this matchup. Yes, there were other six-packs out there, most notable may be the Jaguar E-Type. But, it was always in a different league than the common-man roadsters of Healey, Triumph, and MG. This video, coming by way of AutoWeek, features European spec cars which were a bit different, especially in fuel delivery, than their US shipped counterparts. Oh, and yes, the video starts off in non-English, but most of it is actually in English. So stick with it. Plus the visuals are beautiful.

The Concours of Elegance 2016 – held at Windsor Castle between 2-4 September – will be showcasing more than 200 years of coachbuilt luxury. From Her Majesty The Queen’s 1800s Ascot Landau by Hooper and 1842 ‘Ivory Mounted’ Phaeton by Barker to the 2016 Touring Superleggera Disco Volante Spider, visitors can admire the hand-crafted luxury of some of history’s most legendary coachbuilders. The Royal Carriages of Hooper and Barker are just two of five cars lent by the Royal Household to contend the Concours of Elegance this year, with the coachbuilt 1977 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI ‘High Top’ State Limousine and 2002 Bentley State Saloon by Mulliner also on display.

Highlights of this year’s record-breaking, all-action Silverstone Classic will be screened to terrestrial television audiences in the UK later this week. A special one-hour programme will be aired on ITV4 at the peak viewing time of nine o’clock (21.00hrs) on the evening of Thursday 11 August, with repeats broadcast at 10am on the morning of Sunday 14 August and, again at five o’clock (17.00hrs) on the afternoon of the following Tuesday 16 August. With so much to see and do over the full three days at the world’s busiest motor sport meeting, there is far too much action, excitement and entertainment to squeeze into one hour-long show. Even so, it is a show that no lovers of classic cars or fans of historic motor sport will want to miss regardless of whether they were among the 100,000 visitors attending this […]

The #59 McLaren 570S GT4 run by customer team Black Bull Ecurie Ecosse scored victory over the weekend at Snetterton, the penultimate round of the 2016 British GT Championship. After several strong performances in the season to-date – including consecutive pole positions at the previous two rounds – the result marks the debut victory for the track-dedicated Sports Series model which is still in its development season. The young driver pairing of Sandy Mitchell and Ciaran Haggerty combined to complete a stunning drive after a strong qualifying saw them qualify P3 in the first race of the weekend. The charge to the front of the pack was aided by a rapid stop from the Black Bull Ecurie Ecosse pitcrew, which vaulted the car into the lead when Haggerty climbed aboard. From there, the young Scot ran a solid stint, defending […]

British carmaker BAC (Briggs Automotive Company) has unveiled the first car in the world to be built using graphene at the Science in the City festival in Manchester. Graphene, a revolutionary new substance first developed at the University of Manchester, is a form of carbon just one atom thick. However, it is 100 times stronger than steel, and can conduct heat and electricity efficiently, although nearly transparent.

Caterham Cars will introduce a new addition to its range – the Seven 310 – and claims it represents the perfect balance of power and confidence-inspiring handling characteristics. Harking back to the acclaimed Rover-powered Superlight R300 model, widely acknowledged to be the best-balanced Seven to date, the Seven 310 has emerged from engineering developments made by Caterham’s motorsport programme.

How about an eBay auction for a truly legendary piece of British auto racing history?  Yes, the actual MG Metro 6R4 once owned by none other than the late, great Colin McRae is up for an offer of a  mere £350,000 – about $460,000 as of today’s exchange rate. This car has been part of a doctor’s private collection for many years. It has the original V5 document verifying Colin Steele McRae as a previous owner. For your winning money, you can have one of Group B’s most boxy – and crazy – icons. 6 stands for the number of cylinders, R for rear-engined and 4 for four-wheel drive. All you need to know is it’s probably the hottest of hot hatches. Inferno levels of hot, actually. This one is in full rally trim, so has over 400bhp. The Metro is rare in being […]