Archive for October, 2009
The camaraderie of classic car connoisseurs, and my first tastes of Leyland
Sam Skelton Huge car. Huge fun too. Last Sunday I went to a Rover 800 forum and M+MOC forum meetup at the premises of my friend Mal Watson near York. I met up with several old friends, and met some new faces. However, I will remember the weekend mostly for two things. Mal’s barn is [...]
October 31, 2009
· 
Sam Skelton · 
8 Comments
Press Report : Tata Motors’ profits and sales on the up in India
John Cranage, Birmingham Post, 27th October, 2009 Indian car buyers have given Jaguar and Land Rover an “encouraging response” since the two brands went on sale recently on the sub-continent, parent group Tata Motors said last night. The group, which bought the two West Midland luxury brands for about £1.7 billion last year, showed it was [...]
October 27, 2009
· Clive Goldthorp · One Comment
China Watch : SAIC Motor takes top slot in September vehicle sales
George Gao, Gasgoo.com, 26th October, 2009 SAIC Motor took top slot among Chinese automakers in terms of vehicle sales both in September (with 260,000 units) and in the January-September period (with 1.94 million units), Xinhua News reported today. China’s auto sales hit a monthly high of 1.33 million units in September, up 77.88% from a year earlier, [...]
October 27, 2009
· Clive Goldthorp · No Comments
Press Report : Phoenix Four summoned to Commons enquiry
Jonathan Walker, Birmingham Post, 23rd October, 2009 The four former MG Rover Directors criticised for their management of the carmaker vowed to clear their name last night after being summoned to explain themselves to a Commons inquiry. MPs have called on the Phoenix Four, who received nearly £36 million in pay and pensions from the [...]
October 27, 2009
· Clive Goldthorp · 5 Comments
Press Report : MG driver conquers world to win bet
Liam Sloan, Oxford Mail, 21st October, 2009 A Grandfather has survived floods, an earthquake and a Taliban attack to drive his 1977 MG Midget around the world to win a bet with his neighbour. Roy Locock arrives back in Abingdon at the wheel of Bridget his 1977 MG Midget Roy Locock, 62, from Chinnor, arrived at [...]
October 23, 2009
· Clive Goldthorp · No Comments
Press Report : LDV creditors set to receive less than 1p in £1
Jon Griffin, Birmingham Post, 21st October, 2009 Hundreds of creditors of van-maker LDV are set to receive “little or nothing” following its £75 million crash – with paltry dividends of less than 1p in the pound. Dealers, trade suppliers and other firms owed sums of up to six figures by the Birmingham van manufacturer have [...]
October 22, 2009
· Clive Goldthorp · No Comments
Press Report : Former MGR advisor Qu Li buys LDV’s assets
Jon Griffin, Birmingham Post, 16th October, 2009 The Chinese businesswoman named in the MG Rover Report as ex-Director Nick Stephenson’s lover has bought LDV’s assets – and looks set to move the operation to Longbridge. Dr.Qu Li Dr. Qu Li’s Eco Concept Limited has been named as the buyer of the collapsed Birmingham van manufacturer, [...]
October 16, 2009
· Clive Goldthorp · No Comments
The Leyland National
Richard Aucock I took a cracking book on buses out from the library last weekend. The book, in all its glory, is “The British Bus Today and Tomorrow”– which, seeing as it was published in 1983, should perhaps now be retitled “The British Bus Yesterday and The Day Before.” Ahem. Unfortunately, the book’s largely incomprehensible. Complex [...]
October 13, 2009
· Keith Adams · 18 Comments
China Watch : SAIC Motor says Q1-Q3 net profit increased by over 70%
George Gao, Gasgoo.com, 13th October, 2009 Chinese auto giant SAIC Motor said today that its net profit in the first nine months surged more than 70% from a year earlier, propelled by strong sales, Reuters reported. SAIC said its car sales grew 47% year-on-year to 1.94 million units in the first nine months of this [...]
October 13, 2009
· Clive Goldthorp · No Comments
Press Report : Tata Motors’ share offer raises $750m to reduce JLR debt
John Cranage, Birmingham Post, 12th October, 2009 Jaguar Land Rover parent group Tata Motors Limited has announced a major breakthrough in its fight to secure new funding. The Indian group has raised $750 million (£468.8 million) after issuing more than 29.9 million shares on the world’s stock markets and a tranche of convertible notes. The [...]
October 13, 2009
· Clive Goldthorp · No Comments
Scrappage: killed by greed
Robert Leitch If you don’t want to know how BMW and their Dealers regard their corporate heritage, look away now… My letter: BMW (UK) Limited Ellesfield Avenue Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8TA For the attention of Mr. Tim Abbott – Managing Director Dear Sirs, This morning I was in conversation with a member of staff at [...]
October 11, 2009
· Keith Adams · 50 Comments
Press Report : BMW may make MINIs in Germany
Automotive News Europe, 5th October, 2009 BMW AG is considering building the next generation of its MINI brand in Germany as well as at its factory in Oxford, England, according to a newspaper report. “In the longer term, given the strong growth of the MINI brand, we will have to think about a further production site. [...]
October 8, 2009
· Clive Goldthorp · No Comments
Press Report : JLR negotiates advance of funding for £175m
John Cranage, Birmingham Post, 8th October, 2009 Jaguar Land Rover secured a further multi-million pound tranche of funding yesterday with the help of its Indian owner, Tata Motors. The luxury carmaker announced it had negotiated an advance of £175 million from the State Bank of India. It brings the inflow of fresh working capital into [...]
October 8, 2009
· Clive Goldthorp · No Comments
Press Report : Jobs to go at Longbridge as MG production halted until spring
John Cranage, Birmingham Post, 7th October, 2009 MG Motor UK yesterday confirmed its plan to suspend production temporarily at Longbridge as the “season” for two-seater sports cars ends. The line producing low volume numbers of variants of the MG TF will resume in March 2010 when demand is expected to pick up. The Chinese-owned company [...]
October 7, 2009
· Clive Goldthorp · No Comments
Press Report : Production halted at Longbridge
BBC News, 5th September, 2009 Production lines at the former MG Rover plant in Longbridge have been stopped and up to 20 employees could be made redundant, the BBC has learned. Production of the MG TF sports car restarted at the factory last year but it is now thought production work will not resume until [...]
October 6, 2009
· Clive Goldthorp · No Comments
Press Report : Former LDV executive takes on MG sales role
John Cranage, Birmingham Post, 6th October, 2009 Former LDV executive Guy Jones has won a new job at MG Motor UK Limited, the Chinese-owned sports car manufacturer based at Longbridge. He has been appointed Sales and Marketing Director at MG UK where he will be responsible for UK sales, marketing, public relations, after-sales and brand [...]
October 6, 2009
· Clive Goldthorp · No Comments
Adventures in the marvellous Mini of doom!
Dave Smart Off to Paris I spent a bit of time in the hotel sorting out a hostel in Paris, after the experience in Rome there was no way I was going to another capital city without accommodation booked. I’d been using a couple of hostel booking websites and it appeared, on this occasion, that [...]
October 2, 2009
· Keith Adams · No Comments
Adventures in the marvellous Mini of doom!
Dave Smart Millau Viaduct and Clermant-Ferrand I was up and about bright and breezy as I didn’t know how long it would take to find a pair of tyres and, after the Formule 1 all you can eat breakfast, I headed for the local McDonalds just round the corner to find a tyre fitting specialist. [...]
October 1, 2009
· Keith Adams · No Comments
Car of the month : October 2009
This one’s bound to be controversial, but given Vauxhall’s current plight, and the liklihood that what remains at Luton will be put out to pasture, we thought we’d pay our respects by offering up this prized Chevette for Car of The Month. Styled by Geoff Lawson (later of Jaguar) and Wayne Cherry, the curious RWD [...]
October 1, 2009
· Keith Adams · 2 Comments
Scrappage
Keith Adams I found myself sporting a heavy heart as I listened to the news that the Government’s Scrappage Scheme has been extended (and now includes cars up to V-registration). Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate that a strong new car market benefits us all, but the current Government sponsored initiative really, really smacks of [...]
October 1, 2009
· Keith Adams · 30 Comments
