Ultimate Land Rover Defender At Auction

July 8, 2015 Staff Comments Off

Classic Car Auctions (CCA) will be offering the ‘ultimate’ Land Rover Defender in its auction at CarFest South on August 29th. When the 90 and 110 Land Rover models were launched in 1983 they revolutionised the model in terms of both road handling and off-road ability and paved the way for what would become known as the Defender. Most desirable of the range was the V8 County Station Wagon, featuring 12 seats and the same 3.5 litre engine and gearbox as fitted to the Range Rover. It also had improved interior trim plus the distinctive body stripes. This unique and bespoke example, estimated at between £19,500 and £21,000, was first registered on 1stJanuary 1984 making it one of the earliest built. It features the rare and desirable sliding windows, flush door handles and the ultra-rare seat-box mounted high and low […]

MINI Countryman For The Fleet Market

July 8, 2015 Staff Comments Off

MINI is broadening its appeal with the arrival of the new MINI Countryman Cooper D ALL4 Business model, developed specifically for the fleet market. The launch of the new business edition Countryman means corporate customers will now have the option of a model which includes the brand’s all-wheel drive system, MINI ALL4, for the very first time. The ALL4 all-wheel drive system provides excellent traction and quickly reacts to all changes in road conditions, while still providing MINI’s famed driving experience. MINI Navigation System is fitted as standard along with the Multifunction steering wheel which includes cruise control. Parking sensors, automatic headlights and wipers are also included to make driving long distances easier and more enjoyable. The additional standard equipment has been specifically chosen for fleet customers and represents a saving over the cost of standalone options while driving up […]

VotW – British Sports Cars in San Luis Obispo, California

July 8, 2015 Staff Comments Off

A little something different this week. Our Video of the Week this time is of a great looking British car shop on the US West Coast. Unfortunately, I have never been there, but I have been in enough other shops to recognize and impressive setup when I see one. In this video, Justin Jurgens takes you on a tour of British Sports Cars in San Luis Obispo, California. You can check out the shop’s website at http://www.britishsportscars.com. As I said, I have never been to the shop and have never met anyone associated with them. However, I think that the video and the website are both top-notch, and the type of quality we need more of. If you know these folks and or have some experience with the shop, please let us know about them in the comments below.

32nd Annual Colorado English Motoring Conclave

July 7, 2015 Staff Comments Off

The Colorado English Motoring Conclave will be holding the 32nd edition of the Annual Conclave on Saturday and Sunday, September 19 & 20, 2015, at Oak Park, 64th Place and Oak Street, Arvada, Colorado 80004. The gathering of over 500 English vehicles (cars, motorcycles, and 4WDs) is the largest in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States The Colorado English Motoring Conclave was first coordinated in 1983 as a joint effort of the many English car and motorcycle clubs in the Denver metro area. The Austin-Healey, Jaguar, Lotus, MG Car Club, MG T Register, Morris Minor, Rolls Royce, Sunbeam, Triumph, TVR, Rocky Mountain Vintage Racing and British Motorcycle Association clubs all take part in the planning and promotion of this annual event.

MG Opens 65th UK Dealership – Ullswater Road Garage

July 7, 2015 Staff Comments Off

Ullswater Road Garage in Penrith becomes the 65th MG sales dealership in the UK and owner Mark Windle is determined to make it the best. And looking at his track record, there would be few who would doubt him! Mark Windle opened the family business when he was still in his teens. He started as a body repairer but soon spotted a gap in the market for a specialist 24-hour breakdown recovery operation as the M6 in Cumbria began to get busier and busier. Now 35 years on, Mark is the company’s Managing Director. He said: “With the recovery business going flat out we started to branch out and bought land to expand our operations. We now have a business site covering four acres just off the M6 in Penrith and we have another site 27 miles down the motorway […]

Jaguar F-PACE Breaks Cover at Tour de France

July 6, 2015 Staff Comments Off

The Jaguar F-PACE broke cover today in front of a predicted live audience of one million people as it supported Team Sky on Stage One of the Tour de France in Utrecht. Over two billion more were also estimated to have watched on television or online around the world. Five Team Sky riders – Ian Stannard, Luke Rowe, Peter Kennaugh, Leopold König and Chris Froome – were supported by the F-PACE during the Grand Depart, providing a pressurised real world test of Jaguar’s first performance crossover. A cutting edge bike rack, designed with an innovative telescopic clamp by Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations, was developed specifically for the stage and carried two Team Sky’s Pinarello Bolide Time Trial bikes. The F-PACE shed its hard camouflage in public for the first time and instead sported a specially created wrap, hinting […]

Rare 1957 MGA Twin Cam Roadster Prototype To Auction

July 6, 2015 Staff Comments Off

Among a catalogue of many significant cars to be offered by H&H Classics at its forthcoming 11 July Chateau Impney Hill Climb sale is not only a historic car in the legend that is the MG Car Company, it’s also a star of the silver screen. The 1957 MGA Twin Cam Roadster Prototype, registration ‘ORX 885’, features in a 1955/1956 promotional film for the British Motor Corporation, The Sports Car Of The Year, produced by Associated British Pathé Ltd. MG’s top-of-the-range sports car can be seen at the MIRA test track lapping at its impressive top speed of 120mph. Not only that, in later frames it also demonstrates the powerful stopping power of disc brakes – quite an innovation for MG and at that time generally only fitted to racing cars such as Jaguar’s D-type. Since service as a factory […]

Jaguar Tropy Announced for Concours of Elegance

July 3, 2015 Staff Comments Off

Jaguar Heritage is proud to announce an all-new initiative for owners of all Jaguars, from pre-war models right up to modern day cars – the Jaguar Trophy, at the Concours of Elegance, held in 2015 at Edinburgh’s Palace of Holyroodhouse. Jaguar Heritage has entered a new multi-year partnership with the Concours of Elegance, part of which will include a newly themed Jaguar Saturday at the event, which this year runs from Friday 4 September to Sunday 6 September 2015. Jaguar Saturday will play host to the inaugural Jaguar Concours Trophy, with entries invited by completing a simple submission document at www.classicdriver.com/JaguarTrophy. Categories for the Jaguar Concours Trophy 2015: Pre-war Saloons Sportscars Classics of the Future (2005 – 2015) Judges’ Choice (a special wildcard category open to any Jaguar with an interesting story to tell) Spaces are strictly limited to 100, […]

First Lotus Evora 400 Drives Off the Assembly Line at Hethel

July 3, 2015 Staff Comments Off

In a small celebration with a selection of senior management, manufacturing and engineering staff, the first new Lotus Evora 400 has driven off the assembly line at Hethel on Wednesday, 1 July, 2015. Jean-Marc Gales, Chief Executive Officer of Group Lotus plc, says, “Today is a very significant stage in our long term plan, which we set-out more than a year ago. With the first Evora 400 coming off the line, we have achieved a key milestone for Lotus.” Jean-Marc Gales continues, “None of this would be possible, of course, without the confidence and commitment of our workforce who, with great skill and talent, hand build every Lotus car at Hethel.” The new Lotus Evora 400 laps the Lotus test track at Hethel six seconds faster than the previous Evora S in a time of 1 minute 32 seconds. Combining […]

1969 Aston Martin DB6 Mk 1 Volante Vantage to Auction

July 2, 2015 Staff Comments Off

An exceptionally rare and highly original 1969 Aston Martin DB6 Mk 1 Volante Vantage is to go under the hammer at Barons at Sandown Park on July 28th. This beautiful and unspoilt machine is in extremely original condition, and bears the inimitable patina of age. Even the power hood is thought to be the original one. One of just 29 ever made, it is believed to be the final such Volante Vantage built. Chassis number DBVC-3738R has been in the same ownership since 1981, and now used only rarely – and only in the dry. It carries an estimate of £500,000-£750,000. This model rarely comes to market, and particularly not in such original condition. Not surprisingly, the car has already caused something of a stir in Aston Martin circles, with Barons receiving enquiries and many early bidding registrations from potential […]

Jaguar XE and XF Receive Awards

July 2, 2015 Staff Comments Off

The Jaguar XE was crowned Best Compact Executive at the annual Auto Express Awards at a ceremony in London last night, while the all-new Jaguar XF picked up the prestigious Design Award. Auto Express Editor-In-Chief Steve Fowler said: “There are few sectors as competitive as the compact executive class so it’s testament to Jaguar that its new XE wins the Auto Express Best Compact Executive Award for 2015. It’s beaten multi-award winning rivals to take the title, impressing us with its sense of occasion, its efficiency, its technology and the fact that it’s just great fun to drive. It’s a compact exec without compromises.” The Jaguar XE only arrived in retailers in June but has already amassed an impressive collection of gongs including Car of the Year and Best Business Car at the Telegraph Awards, Best New Car at the […]

New Lotus 3-Eleven Makes Star Appearance at Hexagon

July 2, 2015 Staff Comments Off

It wowed crowds at the recent Goodwood Festival of Speed – now Lotus’ fastest-ever production car has hot-footed it straight to north London to make a starring appearance at the capital’s newest Lotus dealer, Hexagon. Heralding a new generation of Lotus high performance sports cars, the 3-Eleven is the company’s quickest and most expensive series production car ever, packing a 450hp supercharged V6 engine, a 0-60mph time of less than three seconds and a price tag starting at £82,000. Sharing limelight with ex-Senna 1987 Lotus 99T F1 car and VIPs from the world of motorsport at Hexagon’s charity evening, The Life of Ayrton Senna, the 3-Eleven joined a host of stars including ex-F1 drivers David Coulthard and Martin Donnelly, present at the Fortis Green showroom to share memories of Senna and raise money for the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s […]

TVR Cars To Accept Deposits

July 1, 2015 Staff Comments Off

Hot on the heels of the news that TVR is to launch an all-new car in 2017, the company has decided that it will start taking deposits for the car from July 7th, 2015. The decision, which has come sooner than originally anticipated, has been made as a direct result of the huge, positive, public reaction generated by announcement that the company will launch the incredible new car. Designed in conjunction with Gordon Murray Design and featuring a Cosworth V8 engine, sports car enthusiasts the world over are lining up to buy what promises to be one of the most exciting new sports cars of the decade. John Chasey, Operations Director of TVR, says: “We’ve been totally blown away by the reaction to the new car. Our phone lines and online enquiry system went into meltdown when the news was […]

VotW – Austin Morris Range Comedy Ad

July 1, 2015 Staff Comments Off

British comedy, who doesn’t love it? Well, maybe a few people don’t, but there is no accounting for them. From Monty Python and Fawlty Towers to Graham Norton and Wallace and Gromit, British comedy just seems to hit the funny bone of those of us with British cars head on. So, in the vein of British humor, or Video of the Week, VotW, this time is an ad for British Leyland by “The Two Ronnies“. The Two Ronnies wass a BBC television comedy sketch show created by Bill Cotton for the BBC, which aired on BBC1 from 1971 to 1987. It featured the double act of Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett, the “Two Ronnies” of the title. The advertisement for the Austin Morris range of cars, including the Mini, the Marina, and the Allegro, is titled ‘The Great Range’ and […]

McLaren Off To Strong Start in Asia Championship

June 30, 2015 Staff Comments Off

The McLaren 650S GT3 continues the strong start to the season with further silverware as McLaren GT customer team FFF Racing Team by ACM claimed outright victory in the GT Asia championship. Former Formula 1 driver Vitantonio Liuzzi (ITA) alongside former series race winner Hiroshi Hamaguchi (JPN) took victory at the Okayama circuit, Japan. The result marks the maiden win for the 650S GT3 in Asia, and the 11th for the Woking built racer in only its first season. The FFF Racing team by ACM is making its debut in the GT Asia championship this season, running three examples of the McLaren 650S GT3. Liuzzi and Hamaguchi are joined in the team by Fu Song Yang (CHN), Andrea Caldarelli (ITA), Jiang Xin (CHN) and Max Wiser (ITA). The double-header race weekend saw FFF Racing team by ACM with strong pace […]

Limited Edition Bentley Continental GT Breitling Jet Team

June 30, 2015 Staff Comments Off

Bentley is taking its fusion of luxury and performance to new extremes with the launch of the Continental GT Speed Breitling Jet Team Series. This exclusive series is limited to just seven cars, each inspired by one of the seven Breitling Jets. Renowned for their precision, speed and daring, this summer the Breitling Jet Team will be performing across the United States and Canada in a grand tour of epic proportions. To commemorate this spectacle, Bentley’s Mulliner division has re-imagined the Continental GT Speed to mirror the distinctive look of the Breitling Jets, fusing extreme customisation with immense speed.

Aston Martin Teams Up With RAF

June 29, 2015 Staff Comments Off

Aston Martin has teamed up with the Royal Air Force, to attract the next generation of women into engineering roles in both organisations. A pioneering STEM Women in Engineering event took place at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on Wednesday 24 June and saw around 140 female students attend. The event, organised for young women from school Years 9 to 13 was designed to promote career opportunities at Aston Martin, and in the RAF, to young women from across the South East and the West Midlands, in support of National Women in Engineering Day. Aston Martin CEO Dr Andy Palmer attended the event to deliver the keynote speech, along with Air Vice-Marshal Sue Gray, the most senior female Engineer in the RAF, while six female graduates from the luxury British sport car brand’s Engineering and Commercial functions, as well as […]

Caterham Cars Opens New Showroom in Germany

June 29, 2015 Staff Comments Off

British sportscar manufacturer, Caterham Cars, is partnering with dealership Westside Cars, expanding its European dealer network to Hamburg, Germany. The dealership launch further strengthens Caterham’s presence in one of its key markets, Germany. The showroom in Hamburg will display the full European range of Caterham’s iconic British sportscars, including the Seven 165, the brand-new Seven 275, and the Seven 485. The launch of the new 1,500 square metre showroom was marked with an opening event for invited guests on the 26th June, and the dealership opens its door to the public on Saturday the 27th of June. Independent dealer Westside Cars is the latest to open a Caterham dealership in Europe, and the British sportscar manufacturer now has a growing network of dealerships in Europe. In addition to attending to new customers, Caterham Westside will offer after sales service run […]

Lotus Introduces 3-Eleven at Goodwood

June 28, 2015 Staff Comments Off

Heralding a new generation of Lotus high performance sports cars, Friday saw the unveiling of the company’s quickest and most expensive series production car ever, the 3-Eleven, at the 2015 Goodwood Festival of Speed. Designed as an uncompromised manifestation of the Lotus spirit, the new car is focused on providing an undiluted driving experience, and underlines the company’s ability to deliver legendary handling and blistering speed. Working on the concept of less is more, and keeping close to Lotus’ track roots, the dramatic new vehicle features an all-new lightweight body, with an open cockpit design and a revised V6 supercharged engine developing 450 hp. Two variations of the Lotus 3-Eleven will be available: Road and Race; both delivering an impressive combination of high performance, agility and precision. Based on the Road version, the Race includes a more aggressive aero kit, […]

Bentley Team Dyson Returns to Road America

June 27, 2015 Staff Comments Off

This weekend, Bentley Team Dyson Racing returns to the circuit that kicked off their successful 2014 debut season at the infamous Road America in Elkhart Lake, WI. The weekend will feature a triple-header schedule including a makeup race from last month’s Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix which was cancelled due to inclement weather and safety concerns. The team enters the weekend with optimism and reflection on their first successful first race year which has seen the inclusion of a second Continental GT3 and Bentley’s first victory in North America, as well as multiple podium finishes. Driver of the #20 car, Butch Leitzinger, drove the Continental GT3 in its North American debut at Road America a year ago which resulted in 6th and 4th place finishes. He comments: “Our Bentleys are well-suited to Road America. The Continental GT3 has very good […]