Norman Dewis 2 Photo credit Steve Havelock

Norman Dewis To Host Tour

September 18, 2015 Staff Comments Off

Jaguar’s legendary test driver Norman Dewis OBE is to host a special tour to the famous Hotel de France between October 28th and November 1st. Drivers will be able to join Norman on a 5-day trip that will take them to the circuit at Lohéac, the famous motoring hotel, where they will spend three nights, and Le Mans, where he raced for Jaguar. The tour is being run by specialist tour operator Classic Grand Touring and spaces are still available. Owner of the Hotel de France Martin Overington said: “This is a unique opportunity to spend time with one of motoring’s legendary drivers and to hear from him about his racing and driving experiences as we explore the Loire Valley, one of France’s most beautiful regions.” On Saturday evening, after a day of driving and visits to the principal chateaux […]

ROLLS-ROYCE CELEBRATES RECORD 2015 GOODWOOD REVIVAL

Rolls-Royce Has Record Goodwood

September 17, 2015 Staff Comments Off

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars celebrated a record Goodwood Revival over the weekend. The manufacturer of super-luxury motor cars hosted customers, prospects and VIPs and also entertained the tens of thousands of visitors to the world’s most popular historic motor race meeting in true Rolls-Royce style. The Rolls-Royce Radford building at the March Motor Works – this year titled ‘March Mews SW1’ – presented an appropriate tribute to the ‘Finishing Shop’ of Harold Radford (Coachbuilders) Limited, South Kensington. Harold Radford & Co Limited were long-established retailers of Rolls-Royce motor cars who, under G H Radford, developed a bespoke coachbuilding business in the late 1940s named Harold Radford (Coachbuilders) Limited. The coachbuilding business became synonymous with amendments to suit the rural lifestyle of the landed gentry, developing their ‘Countryman’ range of conversions to Rolls-Royce motor cars. A ‘new’ Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud was displayed […]

Jaguar E-Type Chassis 60, resterd by CMC, visits his first owner for his 83rd birthday (Photo by Paul Gillis)

£250,000 Jaguar E-Type Returns to Somerset

September 16, 2015 Staff Comments Off

The sixtieth E-Type to leave Jaguar’s production line in 1961 went back to Somerset to surprise its previous owner on his 83rd birthday after undergoing a full ‘nut and bolt’ restoration at leading restorers Classic Motor Cars of Bridgnorth (CMC). When former Royal Naval Commander Bob Reed put his pride and joy, a rare Jaguar E-Type into auction little did he expect that it would sell for £109,000 or that it would be purchased by someone who would spend substantially more than the purchase price to bring it back to its former glory. Bob bought the car in February 1965 and owned it for more than 45 years, raced it and only decided to sell it because he couldn’t afford to restore it and didn’t want to see it deteriorate further.

Caterham in MPG Marathon

September 16, 2015 Staff Comments Off

Caterham Cars is entering the UK’s most prestigious eco-driving event, the MPG Marathon, for the first time in a two seater sports cars billed as the manufacturer’s ‘most frugal ever’. The British sportscar maker will be entering the entry level version of the iconic Caterham Seven, the 160, rated as the most economical in the company’s history and the most cost-effective two-seater sportscar on the market. The 160 is powered by a super-compact, turbocharged three-cylinder Suzuki engine, which enables it to achieve an impressive 57.6mpg, emit just 114g/km CO2 and yet reach 0 – 62mph in a blistering 6.5 seconds. “We are delighted that Caterham Cars is entering the MPG Marathon, the UK’s leading lean driving challenge, for the first time,” said organiser Jerry Ramsdale, publishing director of Fleet World. “We will be very interested to see how it compares against […]

Unveiling of Jaguar Land Rover Bond Cars

September 16, 2015 Staff Comments Off

Last night, Jaguar Land Rover celebrated its vehicles appearing in the new Bond adventure, SPECTRE. Cars, including the Jaguar C-X75, Range Rover Sport SVR and the iconic Land Rover Defender, stole the show as they were unveiled in public for the first time at the palatial Thurn und Taxis in Frankfurt. Naomie Harris (Moneypenny) and David Bautista (Hinx) were guests of honour at the glamorous event showcasing special stunt vehicles used in the latest instalment of the James Bond series. Guests were entertained by British singer and musician John Newman, who performed a number of top ten hits from his album.

Aston Martin is today confirming DB11 as the name of its forthcoming sports car.

Aston Martin Confirms DB11 Name

September 15, 2015 Staff Comments Off

Aston Martin is today confirming DB11 as the name of its forthcoming sports car. The new model – to be unveiled during 2016 – will sit at the heart of the luxury British brand’s range and represents the first major product of the company’s bold Second Century Plan. While all technical and design details will be announced in due course, the confirmation of the name – which follows in the footsteps of other iconic Aston Martin sports cars such as the DB5 and DB9 – signals the start of an exciting period of dynamic product development by the company. Announcing the DB11, Aston Martin CEO Dr Andy Palmer said: “Today I am proud and pleased to confirm that the DB11 nameplate will sit on our next new car. “Not only is it a sign of our intention to continue the […]

Bespoke Land Rover Defender Pedal Car

September 15, 2015 Staff Comments Off

Land Rover has created a special collector’s Defender pedal car concept, previewing a full production pedal car model that will go on sale in Spring 2016. With production of current Defender now in its final phase, the unique pedal car concept represents a fitting tribute to the one of the world’s most iconic vehicles; the Series Land Rover and Defender has been produced in Solihull, UK, since 1948. The exclusive Defender pedal car is hand built in the UK and styled to commemorate the legacy of the first-ever pre-production Land Rover affectionately know as ‘Huey’ given its original numberplate of ‘HUE 166’. The concept model is constructed using a rolled–edge aluminium frame complete with individual chassis number and personalised numberplate. It is hand finished in the same Loire Blue found on the full-scale Defender colour palette. The show car is […]

Jaguar F-PACE First Edition

September 15, 2015 Staff Comments Off

Jaguar has announced the Jaguar F-PACE First Edition – an exclusive special edition F-PACE, strictly limited to just 2,000 vehicles globally. Jaguar’s world-class design team have created the unique and sporty First Edition to pay homage to the F-PACE’s original inspiration – the breakthrough C-X17 concept vehicle. The specially-created First Edition is the purest representation of the C-X17 and features exclusive design details true to the original concept. The F-PACE is Jaguar’s first performance crossover and is packed with world-leading technology including the new, super-fast and super-intuitive In Control Touch Pro infotainment system. Featuring sharp, contemporary graphics and a 10″ tablet style touch screen, the system is complemented by a suite of specially developed apps and a wifi hotspot that allows up to eight devices to connect at once. Gerd Mauser, Chief Marketing Officer for Jaguar Land Rover, said: “Two […]

New MINI Clubman Premiere

September 15, 2015 Staff Comments Off

MINI is continuing to expand its model range with the world premiere of the new MINI Clubman at the International Motor Show Frankfurt 2015. The MINI Clubman marks the brand’s first entry into the premium compact segment and will be on display at the show from 17th – 26th September. Combining increased interior space and versatility with the latest generation of technical advances and a high level of standard equipment, the MINI Clubman is set to make a big impact on what is a highly competitive segment. The new MINI Clubman: traditional concept, unique qualities, high specification. With its four doors, the characteristic split doors at the rear, five seats and a large and versatile interior, the new MINI Clubman brings the classic shooting brake to the premium compact segment of the 21st century. The most recent model is also […]

Spectre Drives James Bond Aston Martin DB10

September 13, 2015 Staff Comments Off

Aston Martin has revealed a short video featuring Spectre stunt driver Mark Higgins at the wheel of James Bond’s newest Aston Martin – the DB10. The DB10 was developed specifically for Spectre and just ten examples have been built. The exclusive sports car celebrates Aston Martin’s half century association with James Bond, which started with the iconic DB5. Note: Press release courtesy of Aston Martin Cars.

Caterham Celebrates 20th Anniversary

September 12, 2015 Staff Comments Off

Caterham has revived the spirit of one of its most illustrious Sevens – the boisterous 1.6-litre Seven Superlight – with the launch of a new special edition model. Just 20 of the special edition cars – launched at this weekend’s Goodwood Revival ahead of the 20th anniversary of the original Superlight in 1996 – will be built. The original Superlight’s production run ceased in 2004, but it heralded a new era of purposeful, track-biased Sevens designed to offer even more performance and low weight at a pared down price point. Despite its ultra-minimalist character – even for a Seven – the Superlight went on to become one of Caterham’s most coveted models, selling some 200 examples while in production. Priced at £29,995*, and sporting a similarly extreme spec sheet to that of the original, the Superlight Twenty receives a 135bhp […]

The Science Of Speed with MINIs

September 12, 2015 Staff Comments Off

Tests conducted by the University of Portsmouth reveal that driving a powerful car can provoke a more dramatic physical response than enjoying a rollercoaster ride or jumping out of a plane. Working with MINI’s new John Cooper Works Hatch, launched this summer, scientists from the University of Portsmouth’s Sport and Exercise Science department ran a series of physical, psychological and physiological tests to measure the effect the car had on a selection of drivers and stunt driver, of Rush and Mission Impossible 5 fame, Niki Faulkner.

Aston Martin Launches Assured Provenance

September 11, 2015 Staff Comments Off

Aston Martin is today unveiling an authoritative new Assured Provenance certification programme which, for the first time in the brand’s 102-year history, comprehensively assesses the background of its heritage sports cars. Created to offer a true blue riband service to heritage car owners and collectors, and drawing on the unrivalled knowledge of a committee of authoritative Aston Martin experts, the pioneering Assured Provenance certification programme is administered and run by the brand’s world-renowned in-house heritage car facility – Aston Martin Works. The first official authentication programme to be provided in-house by Aston Martin, the new scheme offers four levels of verification to take into account not simply all-original examples, but also sports cars that have been modified by Aston Martin itself over the years. As part of the painstaking procedure of examination and authentication, all cars submitted to the process […]

Lister Cars at Goodwood Revival 2015

September 11, 2015 Michael Carnell Comments Off

Lister Cars is eagerly anticipating this weekend’s Goodwood Revival with a host of Lister competition cars taking to the famous track. Some nine Lister racing cars, including five ‘Knobbly’ models, have been entered into the fiercely competitive Sussex Trophy on Sunday September 13th for world championship sports racing cars built between 1950 and 1960. In Goodwood’s own words the racers featured in The Sussex Trophy are “big, powerful cars, perfectly suited to Goodwood’s fast, sweeping curves, and which always produce a stunning spectacle.” The nine Listers will compete in an expected 31-car field racing against other period machines including several examples of the Jaguar D-type and Maserati Tipo 61 ‘Birdcage’ as well as the Ferrari 246S Dino and Aston Martin DBR2 among others. The privately-entered Listers include one Lister-Jaguar ‘Flat Iron’, three Lister-Jaguar Costins, three Lister-Jaguar ‘Knobblys’ and two Lister-Chevrolet […]

Jaguar Heritage at Goodwood Revival

September 11, 2015 Staff Comments Off

Jaguar will celebrate its glorious history in style at the Goodwood Revival this year, with the presentation of a selection of famous heritage sports cars, new products for heritage car owners and the opportunity for festival visitors to race heritage cars of the electric-powered kind on its stand within the Earls Court Motor Show enclosure. Jaguar is celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2015, and Jaguar will present iconic and award winning Jaguar sports cars on its show stand. In addition, Jaguar invites festival visitors to compete using scale model historic race cars on a custom-built Scalextric race track, which will be positioned on the main stand. The 1938 SS100 Jaguar 2 ½ Litre is one of the rarest of the breed with only 191 examples ever made. Also on display is a cherished piece of automotive history – the 1950 XK120 wearing […]

Aston Martin DBSV8 Sotheby Special to Auction

September 10, 2015 Staff Comments Off

Joining the headlining Colton Collection Ferraris at H&H Classics’ 14 October Duxford sale is another car from one of the Grandes Marques, this time an Aston Martin, though certainly not one many would recognise. Named the ‘Sotheby Special’, after sponsor W.D. & H.O. Wills’ brand of cigarettes (yes, the ‘Sotheby’ comes from a short-lived licensing deal with the auction house), the cutting edge lines of the car were by Ogle Design, the Letchworth-based studio also responsible for the Raleigh Chopper bike, Reliant’s Scimitar GTE and the Bond Bug. The Sotheby Special was based on an Aston Martin DBS V8 chassis (DBSV8/10380/R), with outrageous 1970s glassfibre coachwork supported on a Reynolds 531 tubular steel frame. The entire ‘glasshouse’ is in Perspex. Under the bonnet lies an early prototype Aston Martin V8, while the cockpit is a riot of bright green courtesy […]

Aston Martin to the Goodwood Revival

September 10, 2015 Staff Comments Off

Aston Martin returns to the evocative surroundings of the Goodwood Revival this weekend, with a selection of superb sports cars that celebrate the 102-year-old brand’s rich and exciting heritage. The luxury British sports car maker is once again an automotive partner of this year’s meeting at the famous old English race circuit where examples of some of Aston Martin’s most exclusive and highly-prized sports cars of the revival period – 1948-1966 – will be on show, and in action. Among the cars set to do battle on the West Sussex track will be a rare and valuable DB4 GT driven by Aston Martin Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman. Aside from the numerous iconic Aston Martin racing cars in action on the Goodwood track, the 1950s-inspired Earls Court motorshow will play host to a broad selection of Aston Martin models from […]

Lotus 3-Eleven Proves Credentials at Nürburgring

September 10, 2015 Staff Comments Off

The new Lotus 3-Eleven marked its first public outing with a successful two-week test session during the industry pool test weeks at the renowned proving ground of the Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit, in which over 2,000kms were covered as part of a comprehensive test and development programme. Jean-Marc Gales, Chief Executive Officer for Group Lotus plc, commented, “The success of this test session is proof that our development philosophy for the 3-Eleven is the right way to go. We’ve always said that to make a car faster you must make it lighter and this new car carries that philosophy to a new level. It condenses all of our engineering know-how into an undiluted performance-focused package and we’re pleased to showcase to the world, the quickest and most powerful production Lotus to date. The 3-Eleven achieved one of the fastest ever lap […]

MGA Information Request from David Knowles

September 10, 2015 Staff Comments Off

Renowned writer of all things MG, David Knowles, has recently issued a request for information in regards to MGA. His request is as follows: I am writing a book about the MGA of 1955 to 1962, the sports car that marked perhaps the most remarkable change of policy for the famous Abingdon company. It finally saw the abandonment of the old ‘square rigger’ MG styling that had seen service since the beginning of the 1930s, replacing the blunt upright shapes of old with a modern sleek shape. The MGB of 1962 to 1980 is, of course, the MG sports car most people now remember, and is rightly revered as a great sports car – more than half a million versions were sold. But it was the MGA (which had sales of more than 100,000) that broke the traditionalist mould.The MGA […]

JD Classics Restored Jaguar XK120 Wins Best of Show

September 9, 2015 Staff Comments Off

A JD Classics-restored Jaguar XK120 ‘Jabbeke’ – famous for its Flying Mile world record – has won Best of Show at the world-renowned Salon Privé Concours d’Elegance. The impeccable Jaguar also won in the Post-War Coachwork class. The Salon Privé Best of Show accolade is the latest in a string of successes for the XK120 ‘Jabbeke’, named for the Jabbeke Highway in Belgium where it set a Flying Mile world record, piloted by Norman Dewis OBE. Following a full JD Classics restoration in 2013, the car won at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance 2014 in the Post-War Sports Racing class. A world-class judging panel, consisting of 18 automotive experts headed by five-time Le Mans winner Derek Bell, carefully scrutinised a selection of the world’s finest cars in the stunning grounds of Blenheim Palace during the weekend’s Salon Privé. The […]