New Cars

With a pedigree and heritage like no other, Lotus has today unveiled two unique Celebration cars, the Exige Type 49 and 79, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2018 to pay homage to some of the most recognizable racers in the British brand’s history and its 70th birthday. The Exige Type 49 and 79 Celebration cars have been handcrafted by Lotus Exclusive in a salute to Lotus’ 70th birthday, and the victory anniversaries of two historic race cars that helped define the brand as one of the all-time great automotive marques. On display and in action over all four days of the Festival of Speed weekend, with the Exige Type 49 competing in the timed supercar runs on Saturday, they’re a fitting tribute to one of the pioneering and entrepreneurial spirit of Lotus’ founder.

Luxury British sportscar and supercar maker McLaren Automotive has announced plans at the Goodwood Festival of Speed its ambitious, wide-ranging business plan that will take the company to its fifteenth anniversary. Track25 is an evolution of the Track22 plan that was first launched at the Geneva Motor Show in 2016 and the updated plans now includes significant new milestones. Track25 sets out a clear roadmap for future vehicles, production, and technology that will allow the brand to continue to position itself as a major global player in the sports car and supercar market.

MINI USA announces the upcoming debut of the MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop International Orange Edition to occur during MINI TAKES THE STATES, the brand’s legendary biennial owners road rally. During the rally, which kicks off Saturday, July 14, in Portland, OR, and in Orlando, FL, MINI USA will showcase this special edition MINI John Cooper Works model on both the Eastern and Western routes. This boldly-colored, limited production special edition will also be on display in Keystone, Colorado, at the final gathering events July 20 – 22.

The McLaren 600LT marks the beginning of the next chapter in the McLaren ‘Longtail’ (LT) story and at the same time sets a new sportscar benchmark as the fastest, most powerful and most track-focused – yet road legal – Sports Series McLaren has created. The McLaren 600LT is only the fourth ‘Longtail’ McLaren in more than two decades. The McLaren F1 GTR ‘Longtail’ that began the lineage was one of the purest race cars in modern motorsport history. The 675LT resurrected the revered name, creating the purest distillation of the sheer driving pleasure embodied by all McLaren cars. Now we are further extending our very special LT family –albeit in limited numbers – and once again showcasing the ethos of optimised aerodynamics, increased power, reduced weight, track-focused dynamics and enhanced driver engagement that are the hallmarks of a McLaren ‘Longtail’. — […]

A long-loved British sports car is finally returning to the US. Morgan Motor Company, in response to U.S. Morgan dealers unfulfilled demand for 4 wheeled Morgans and also the disappointing lack of progress in implementing the Replica Car Bill, is now addressing the issue proactively. Last week Morgan Motor Company announced that they are prepared to manufacture a functional rolling chassis in both Roadster and Plus 4 variants, that can then be shipped to the US, using the specially constructed vehicle route to market. It is fully appreciated that there has been a significant hiatus regarding supply of four-wheeled Morgan vehicles to the US. Additionally,  the proposed Replica Car Bill has stalled significantly during the last 2 years and is still without any clear steer on the outcome with regards to both timing and legislative requirements. We believe there is a huge pent-up […]

This in from the MG Owners’ Club … Ever since SAIC acquired the MG brand when they took over Nanjing Automobile Company (NAC) in 2007 and the reintroduced TF became a sales flop, (for various reasons not the cars fault), SAIC senior management has been at pains to dismiss any talk of a new two-seat MG sports car, although senior management at SAIC’s SMTC in the UK saying that at some stage in the future they would like the opportunity to design a new MG sports car.

A true thoroughbred that marks the return of not one, but two illustrious names. With DBS, Aston Martin is reviving an iconic nameplate that first appeared on in 1967, while Touring’s famous mark – Superleggera – will once again adorn the bonnet of an Aston Martin. A collaboration that originally paved the way to the DB4, 5 and 6 Mark 1, DBS Superleggera pays homage to the historic super lightweight construction technology of the famous Italian coachbuilder. In the new DBS Superleggera, Aston Martin has a Super GT that’s a breed apart. One that takes the fight to the world’s best on its own terms. Clad using immaculately sculpted carbon fiber body panels this latest model is blessed with muscular, highly individual styling. A look that’s perfectly matched by epic performance courtesy of Aston Martin’s 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12, tuned to […]

As Aston Martin returns to Le Mans to defend its 2017 victory at the iconic 24-hour race, so the latest car in the exciting new AMR stable has been unveiled. Following hot on the heels of the DB11 AMR, Aston Martin has revealed the limited edition Rapide AMR. This production version of the concept shown at Geneva last year is limited to just 210 cars. AMR stands for Aston Martin Racing and the brand draws a direct engineering and aesthetic link between the company’s successful race team and its road cars. As such the Rapide AMR is a sports car capable of comfortably transporting a team of race drivers to a circuit on the other side of a continent and then tackling the track when they get there.

The record-breaking Jaguar E-PACE is now even more connected and comfortable. New updates for the sporty compact SUV include ‘self-learning’ Smart Settings technology, an Adaptive Dynamics suspension set-up and a cost-effective and efficient 200PS petrol engine. Launched spectacularly with the world’s furthest barrel roll by a production car, E-PACE has already achieved strong sales in a highly competitive segment and won a string of awards, including being named as BBC TopGear Magazine’s 2017 ‘Crossover of the Year’. It’s now even more appealing and affordable with a raft of new features available.

MG Motor is set to debut in India in the first half of 2019 with a brand new SUV. What we know so far about the unnamed SUV is that it will be a “full SUV”, meaning it won’t be a compact product like the Hyundai Creta or the Renault Duster. While MG has not yet revealed whether the SUV will be a 5-seater or a 7, we know that it will go up against the Jeep Compass, which is a 5-seater; will be bigger than the Creta; and start from Rs 15.35 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), about $23,000 USD. There were earlier rumors that the MG SUV will share its diesel engine with the Compass. Now, MG’s president and managing director, Rajeev Chaba, has confirmed to us that the first MG SUV will get the 2.0-litre diesel engine of the […]

The Brabham BT62 has been designed and engineered to conquer the track and reward its driver with blistering lap times. In a video released today, the BT62 is seen lapping Australia’s Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit at incredible speeds during its extensive pre-launch testing programme, with Managing Director and multiple Le Mans winner, David Brabham, behind the wheel.

From the old to the new – the very new. Our Video of the Week this time features the brand new Brabham BT62 and its unveiling in London on May 2. In addition to unveiling the new car, the background of the new Brabham logo was discussed. To understand the history of Brabham automotive and the late Jack Brabham’s role in racing and autosport, check out the comprehensive timeline on the Brabham Automotive site. First, in regards to the logo, it is Derived from the ‘V’ that so prominently featured on the badges of Brabham’s Repco-powered championship-winning racers from the 1960s, and the fangs from the iconic ‘Hissing Sid’ snake that was synonymous with Brabham’s Ecclestone-era Formula 1 cars, the bold new emblem echoes the marque’s rich heritage with a sharp, strong and engaging device that embodies the Brabham attitude: […]

The TVR Griffith will make its London debut this week as it takes to the stage at the London Motor Show (17-20 May). TVR’s all-new sports car will be joined by several of the brand’s legendary heritage models, as part of the Built in Britain display. Visitors to the London Motor Show will be able to see the new TVR Griffith close up, as the new model makes its first major public outing since its launch at the Goodwood Revival in September 2017. Throughout the event, members of TVR’s team will be on hand to talk to interested visitors about the new Griffith in detail.

After stealing the 2018 Geneva motor show with the remarkable ‘Vision Concept’, Lagonda has confirmed plans for its first production model: a radical, sector-defining zero-emission SUV. Scheduled to be unveiled in 2021, the Lagonda SUV will be the first luxury SUV exclusively driven by zero emission powertrain technologies and will uphold all the qualities of the reinvented super-luxury marque. Not only will it feature an evolution of the incredibly bold design language first seen with the show-stopping ‘Vision Concept’, the SUV will be built around near-future technologies, such as its advanced Battery Electric drivetrain, making the Lagonda SUV the first of its kind: an ultra-stylish, supremely luxurious, fully electric emission-free vehicle.

TopSpeed has an interesting take on the upcoming Lotus SUV.  To quote, Lotus’ planned SUV is taking shape ahead of its scheduled debut in 2022. But, before things are said and done, the British automaker is reportedly keen on positioning its SUV as a luxury model, pushing it into the segment occupied by other premium SUVs like the Porsche Cayenne, Jaguar F-Pace, and Maserati Levante. More importantly, it might not be the only SUV to wear the Lotus badge. Not much more to say at the moment, at least not until the car becomes a reality, but stay tuned and we will bring you more details as they become available. One just has to wonder how many more SUVs the world needs – especially overpriced, luxury SUVs produced by sports car companies. Note: This article originally in part or total […]

This morning in Beijing, the MG X-motion concept car premiered at the Beijing Auto Show. The X-motion follows the MG brand design philosophy of Emotional Dynamism that was showcased in the brand’s first fully electric sports car concept, the MG E-motion. The ‘X’ in the product name X-motion represents the endless possibilities of how people can relate to the design. Whether that is through its stunningly eye-catching appearance, inspiring performance thanks to its sporting genes, or through an appreciation of its multi-dimensional intelligent technology.

Jaguar is marking 50 years of its flagship XJ luxury saloon – the choice of business leaders, celebrities, politicians and royalty for five decades – with the launch of a new special edition model. Revealed at the Beijing Motor Show, the Jaguar XJ50 celebrates half a century of trademark performance, technology, and luxury. Available in both standard and long wheelbase with a 3.0-litre diesel (300PS) powertrain, the exterior updates for the XJ50 include Autobiography-style front and rear bumpers. These mark the anniversary edition out alongside purposeful new 20-inch Venom wheels, a black front grille and unique badging to the rear and side vents, while the striking color palette includes Fuji White, Santorini Black, Loire Blue, and Rosello Red. Inside, the luxurious cabin features soft-grain diamond-quilted seats with an embossed leaper on the headrests and an XJ50 logo on the center […]

McLaren Automotive, the British sportscar and supercar maker, is set to return to the Beijing Auto Show (April 25 to May 4) where the McLaren Senna will make its debut on Chinese soil and the brand will pull the covers off a unique limited run of 570GT cars. McLaren’s split-level stand will feature five of the brands latest sportscars and supercars from each of the now well-established product family of Sports Series, Super Series, and Ultimate Series. True to the legendary abilities of the racing driver whose name it bears, the McLaren Senna has been designed, engineered and developed to be the ultimate road-legal McLaren track car. With 800PS (789bhp) and 800Nm (590b ft) from its 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 – McLaren’ s most powerful-ever internal combustion engine in a road car – and the ability to generate a staggering 800kg […]