An old friend always used to say that “Jeeps are famous, but Land Rovers are legendary.” I know some Jeep fanatics who might disagree with that, but many of us have been fond of the Land Rover, and its entire family tree, for many years. Our video this week looks back over Land Rover’s history through the eyes of some of the men who were there. This is the story of Land Rover – from its inception as a way to save the Rover company to its becoming the SUV of choice for the landed gentry. The design for the original Land Rover vehicle was started in 1947 by Maurice Wilks, chief designer at the Rover Company, on his farm in Newborough, Anglesey. It is said that he was inspired by an American World War II Jeep that he used […]

The Jaguar lineup will significantly expand in 2016 with the addition of the brand’s all new, aluminum intensive Jaguar XE compact sports sedan which will join the modern Jaguar sedan lineup alongside the all-new Jaguar XF and Jaguar XJ sedans. A true driver’s car, the Jaguar XE redefines the concept of the sports sedan thanks to its advanced lightweight construction, streamlined styling, luxurious interior, and outstanding ride and handling. The XE goes on sale in 2015 in global markets and in 2016 in the United States and Canada. Manufacturing of the aluminium-intensive Jaguar XE occurs at Jaguar Land Rover’s Solihull plant in an all-new facility. Part of a £1.5bn investment, this flexible, purpose-built site will create 1,700 UK jobs. The Jaguar XE 35t model provides responsiveness and refinement from a supercharged 3.0-liter V6. Generating 340hp and 332 lb-ft of torque, […]

According to CarScoops, SAIC owned MG brand plans to expand from the UK into continental Europe with the GS SUV, which debuted last week at the Shanghai Auto Show. The MG GS will arrive in the UK in 2016 and will compete in the highly competitive compact SUV segment. However, the brand reportedly has bigger ambitions with the new model. According to MG Motor product manager Andrew Lowerson, the automaker will consider expanding into other European markets following the UK rollout of the GS, its first SUV. “The SUV brings something new to the brand,” Lowerson told Autonews Europe. With the GS, MG’s UK lineup will grow to three models: the MG3 subcompact hatchback, MG6 midsize model and the GS compact SUV. The latter will likely be offered with a diesel and a petrol unit in Europe. Porsche Engineering is responsible […]

Aston Martin is celebrating as Beechdean AMR took victory and the British marque’s factory entry finished fifth in the 2015 MSA Dunlop Britcar 24hr race at Silverstone. Both the V8 Vantage GT4 of Beechdean AMR and Speedworks Motorsport entries enjoyed a trouble-free 24-hour race. With a line-up completed by Aston Martin Evolution Academy racers Jamie Chadwick (GB) and Ross Gunn (GB), the former circulated the 5.9km Northamptonshire-circuit a total of 529 laps to take overall victory with the latter finishing 4th overall and second in class. Aston Martin’s factory entry also enjoyed the taste of success. The race, which marked CEO Dr. Andy Palmer’s first competitive outing as an Aston Martin race driver, saw the team battle changeable conditions as wet weather played a key part in determining the team’s strategy throughout the late evening. The Castrol-liveried Vantage GT4 has been […]

This in from Morgan: “Following the hugely successful launch of our new Morgan Aero 8 at the Geneva Motor Show 2015, we are delighted to update you with the latest developments from our R&D team. As well as dynamic and visual changes, the Aero 8 also signifies a return to soft top motoring for our flagship range. The attached rendering* is the first impression of how the stow-away soft top will look. The hood is undergoing our testing process and we look forward to bringing you images and video demonstrations very soon.” They go on to say, “In addition to this we have also finalised wheel options for the new car. As well as the range of wheels we currently offer on our aluminium platform vehicles, we are also excited to announce the addition of a new 19inch multi spoke […]

According to AutoCar, the 986bhp McLaren P1 GTR will be converted for road use by British marque specialist Lanzante. The Hampshire-based firm, which is renowned for its work on customer McLaren F1s and F1 GTRs, has decided to undertake the conversion work following demand from customers who have bought the track-only version of the P1 GTR from the factory. More than 40 £1.98m P1 GTRs were sold, with the cars being offered to existing P1 road car owners only. The track car has a kerb weight of 1440kg, giving it around 685bhp per tonne. The level of standard modifications has not been revealed, nor the price of conversions, because of the complexity of customer requirements. “We will be tackling all conversions on a case-by-case basis,” said Dean Lanzante. “What we do will depend on where the customer wants to run […]

The Connecticut MG Club‘s British By The Sea Gathering will be held June 7, 2015 at Harkness Memorial Stat Park in Waterford, CT. British By The Sea is not a Concours Event, but rather, it is a popular vote, fun Gathering. At the 2014 event, our final count was over 430 British vehicles displayed in 35 Classes, with etched glass mugs being awarded for first, second and third place in each class.. While we do have four excellent food vendors, we also encourage you to bring you own food, snacks, and refreshments to enjoy and share out of the “boot” of your car. Entrants come from throughout New England, the Mid-Atlantic States and Canada to take part in this popular event at the beautiful Harkness Memorial State Park. The ample size of the display area allows for Auto products vendors […]

Ian Callum, Jaguar’s Director of Design, has won the Designer of the Year Award after taking the number one position in The Drum’s second annual Designerati – a list celebrating the top 100 most influential individuals in UK design. The expert panel of judges decided Ian is this year’s most influential UK designer finishing top ahead of Maggie Hodgetts, Head of Graphic Design at Waitrose and Christopher Bailey, Chief Creative Officer at Burberry in second and third place respectively. Stephen Lepitak, editor of The Drum, said: “Ian Callum is a visionary of British design. From his roots at Ford in the 1970s, to his craftsmanship on Aston Martin, his influence on car design is legendary. “His beautifully simple designs, including the 2013 Jaguar F-TYPE and the new XF, unveiled last month, have ushered in a new era for Jaguar, breathing […]

The inaugural race of the Jaguar Heritage Challenge 2015 is set to begin at the Donington Historic Festival over the May bank holiday weekend. The first race of the Jaguar Heritage Challenge – run with the Historic Sports Car Club (HSCC) – will feature a full field of 34 Jaguars including a 1957 MK I saloon driven by 1988 Le Mans winner, Andy Wallace. The series is open to all Jaguars manufactured before 1966 including the XK-series, C- and D-types, MK I and MK II saloons and E-type. It complements the growing portfolio of Jaguar Heritage activities, which also includes the recently launched Jaguar Heritage Driving Experiences and factory sourced Heritage Parts and restoration – all under the expert direction of Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Operations division. John Edwards, Managing Director of Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations said: “We are […]

Aston Martin’s ongoing expansion in the important Asia Pacific region continues to gather pace with the opening, today, of the luxury British sports car brand’s first official dealership in the South Korean capital, Seoul. Operated by Kiheung International Limited Company and known as Aston Martin Kiheung International (AMKH) the impressive new dealership comprises a superb 500-square metre showroom allied to a state-of-the-art 1,500-square metre aftersales facility at 235 Banpo Street, Seocho-gu, in Seoul. It will offer the full range of Aston Martin sports cars, from the track-inspired Vantage through the timeless DB9 and elegant four-door Rapide S to the ultimate in sporting luxury: the Vanquish. Officially opened today by Kiheung International CEO Mr Lee Kei Wung along with Aston Martin Global Sales Director, Christian Marti, the new showroom represents Aston Martin’s ongoing commitment to its customers in the region. Speaking […]

Since the unveiling of the pioneering and ground-breaking Lotus Elise in 1995, Lotus has reached another production landmark. No less than 40,000 examples have been produced of its technologically advanced “small car platform”, epitomised by the brilliant Lotus Elise, which has maintained exceptional standards in light weight and efficiency, while producing a benchmark in handling, to result in a pure driving experience. The “small car platform” and its sheer production flexibility is defined by the various models based on it, which have included the Lotus Elise, Exige, Europa, 2-Eleven, 340R and racing variants. In being the first carmaker to use extruded and bonded aluminium, Lotus revolutionised the industry and it has become a method that is being widely adopted amongst the rest of the motor industry. In the meantime, Lotus continues to refine and develop its own lightweight structure currently […]

There is no way to talk about British cars without talking about the Mini, and who would want to? For our Video of the Week this time we turn to a History of the Mini from the “Great Cars” series. The short film covers the history of Sir Alec Issigonis’s design from beginning to end and even goes so far as to venture into new MINI territory. This is a wonderful video in that it not only captures the mood of the 1950s in which the Mini was developed, but also the 1960s when the diminutive car came into its own. The video continues to follow the development, or lack thereof, all the way through the 70s and 80s up to the very end. You can see how the Mini affected everything from racing to culture to fashion and was in […]

McLaren has launched its second model in the new Sports Series, the McLaren 540C Coupé, at the Shanghai Motor Show. The most attainable McLaren yet, the 540C Coupé joins the recently revealed 570S Coupé in the Sports Series as the brand brings its race derived DNA to a new audience and segment. These introductions bring the number of new McLarens launched in 2015 to four as the brand continues its rapid growth. Globally available and priced from £126,000, the 540C Coupé can be pre-ordered now with deliveries scheduled to being in early 2016. The 540C Coupé is a pure McLaren, and a pure sports car, sharing its DNA with the models in the Super Series and Ultimate Series, including a light weight carbon fibre chassis and race-derived technologies.  It is fitted with a mid-mounted 3.8-litre twin turbocharged V8 engine which […]

The Mitty is recognized as one of North America’s most prestigious vintage racing events. Sanctioned by Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR), The Mitty attracts a diverse lineup of legendary machines from all eras and brings them back on track just as they raced in their glory years. It’s like a living, breathing museum of racing history unleashed on the famous Road Atlanta circuit. Whether your interest is Can-Am, F1, Trans-Am, Camel GTP, or even NASCAR- you’ll find a great lineup of cars that is sure to bring back memories. Vintage racing’s promise is to resurrect the past glories of sports car racing for a modern audience, and no event does that better than the Classic Motorsports Mitty. BMW will be the featured marque when the Mitty plans to return to the beautiful Road Atlanta circuit in Braselton, Georgia on April 24-26, […]

British luxury and sports car manufacturer, Jaguar has been announced as The Official Car of The Championships, Wimbledon. Jaguar Land Rover will supply 170 luxury and high-performance vehicles to support tournament operations. The new Jaguar XE and XF, and XJ models will be seen in London at this year’s Championships. Laura Schwab, UK Marketing Director at Jaguar Land Rover, said:“Wimbledon is a British icon, which is recognised globally as the pinnacle of international sport. There’s no other event like it.  “The tournament captures our imagination in different ways. For some it’s the feeling of summer, but for others it’s British sport at its best. We’re very excited to be working with the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club to establish our new partnership and celebrate what makes Wimbledon so special.”  Former British No.1, Tim Henman, who now sits on […]

Luxury British car brand Aston Martin Lagonda is confidently looking to the future at the 16th Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition, with CEO Dr Andy Palmer leading the company into an exciting new era reaching far into the next decade. For the first time in China the innovative DBX Concept and exclusive Lagonda Taraf were unveiled, spearheading Aston Martin’s display at the show. The display of handcrafted luxury sports cars in Shanghai defines the way ahead for Aston Martin and its commitment to the market in China, with each model on display representing a distinctive and differentiated story for Chinese customers The DBX Concept signals a key change in vision as the brand embarks on a new chapter of change and growth. “With its unique fusion of high luxury and advanced technology along with its day-to-day practicality, the DBX Concept […]

The first SUV in MG’s history, the MG GS, has been unveiled at the Shanghai Motor Show. MG, now a brand of parent company Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC), finally took the wraps off it highly anticipated new MG GS SUV. The Nissan Qashqai-rivaling newcomer will go on sale in China next month and will arrive in the UK next year. It will be joined by a Nissan Juke-sized crossover in 2016. SAIC, first gave indications that an MG SUV was in the pipeline by unveiling the MG CS concept at the 2013 Shanghai Motor Show. Under the hood, two engines will be available. The turbocharged 1.5-liter unit produces 168 PS (124 kW) and 250 Nm (184 lb-ft) of torque, while the turbocharged 2.0-liter develops 220 PS (162 kW) and 350 Nm (258 lb-ft) of torque. Depending on which engine is […]

Yes, you read that headline correctly. Augmented reality glasses to wear while you are driving. In an article for Autocar, Darren Moss is reporting that Mini has revealed its augmented reality glasses concept at the Shanghai motor show. The glasses, which are currently in the working prototype stage, can project vehicle and navigation instructions in front of drivers and render parts of the car – including the A-pillar and doors -‘invisible’ in order to improve visibility. Other functions include a ‘first and last mile’ system, which guides wearers either from their starting point to the car, or from the car to their final destination on foot. Destination settings can also be programmed while outside the car. Functions usually handled by a head-up display, such as navigation, speed and traffic data, can be viewed in front of the driver. Phone messages […]