Archive for April, 2012
News : Honda takes on 500 new staff at Swindon
Honda has introduced a second shift at Honda of the UK Manufacturing Limited (HUM) in Swindon. As part of this, 500 new Associates have been taken on, bringing the total number of employees at HUM to 3500, with the production volume forecast to double to 180,000 units in 2012. Speaking in December, Honda Motor Europe [...]
April 30, 2012
· 
admin · 
36 Comments
News : Plato still on top in the BTCC after Thruxton
Words: Clive Goldthorp Photographs: BTCC Media Office The combination of the UK’s fastest race circuit and what ITV4 Commentator and former Champion, Tim Harvey, described as ‘absolutely atrocious’ conditions ensured that this weekend’s Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship meeting at Thruxton in Hampshire was an eventful one. MG KX Momentum Racing’s Jason Plato was [...]
April 29, 2012
· Clive Goldthorp · 8 Comments
Blog : An annoying hit ‘n’ run
Keith Adams Came in from a nice afternoon with ‘er indoors to find the mirror cap of my Rover 75 resting playfully on my kitchen work surface. Beneath it, are a couple of pieces of mirror – a familiar oval one, and a strange rectangular one. Puzzled, I wonder what’s going on – and ask [...]
April 28, 2012
· Keith Adams · 74 Comments
Sales Talk : Small profits, big chancers!
Part exchange clunkers from a dealer’s point of view, are mainly moved on to the scrapyards, auction halls or low end traders. But now and again something nice comes along that just might be able to flip a tidy profit. One thing is for certain, the cheaper the car the bigger the headache or more awkward the [...]
April 28, 2012
· Mike Humble · 25 Comments
Technician’s Update: Monte’s back from the dead!
Even small but reputable garages can muck up even the simple and routine tasks, but this one caused much head scratching for all involved… Words & Pictures Mike Humble / MMOC A great car just dying to get out? In the past, I may have made the odd pithy remark about the Maestro and Montego, [...]
April 27, 2012
· Mike Humble · 19 Comments
Blog : Falling for the 75 yet?
Keith Adams It was nice getting back to my own car this week. After a week or so on the road in all manner of cars, the cosseting and relaxing 75 Connoisseur is a real pleasure to drive. It’s soft-riding, with big seats, smells nice inside, and seems to be delivering excellent fuel consumption into [...]
April 27, 2012
· Keith Adams · 27 Comments
Blog : China – the car geek’s heaven
Keith Adams In case you hadn’t guessed, I really enjoyed my time in China. It was a week-long odyssey, which (re-)introduced me to the joys of staying in Communist hotels, driving on roads where people aren’t in a permanently snoozy state (I mean the UK, by the way), and seeing something utterly new and amazing [...]
April 26, 2012
· Keith Adams · 33 Comments
Events : MGLive! gears up for MGB50!
THE MG Car Club’s award winning MGLive! celebration returns to Silverstone on June 23/24 with thousands of MGs spanning all eras expected to descend on the home of British motor sport. MGLive! is the weekend where the whole family gets together to celebrate everything that’s great about MG cars and MG people. Enthusiasts from over 15 [...]
April 26, 2012
· Keith Adams · 3 Comments
Analysis : Lotus in limbo
Another spin on the Group Lotus merry-go-round Christopher Sawyer DRB-HICOM Berhad’s (DRB-Hicom) recent acquisition of PROTON Holdings Berhad (Proton) also gave the company control of Lotus Group International Limited, the owner of struggling British engineering consultancy and sports car maker, Group Lotus PLC (Lotus) – or, if you wish to read that another way, the [...]
April 26, 2012
· admin · 26 Comments
Video : Victoria Beckham on her Evoque
The exclusively designed Range Rover Evoque Special Edition is the result of a collaboration between Land Rover Design, led by Gerry McGovern with Victoria Beckham, winner of the coveted Designer Brand of the Year award at the 2011 British Fashion Awards. Victoria was appointed Creative Design Executive in July 2010 and has worked with the [...]
April 25, 2012
· Keith Adams · 42 Comments
Video : Land Rover Journey of Discovery – the end
The Journey of Discovery reaches its goal From Kyrgyzstan and across the border into China, the Journey of Discovery reached its final destination – the Beijing International Motor Show. Here are some of the highlights from the Journey. Bishkek and Ala-Archa National Park Following a short stop in the Kyrgyzstan capital of Bishkek, the Journey [...]
April 25, 2012
· Keith Adams · One Comment
News : MG at Auto China 2012
Keith Adams Although the spotlight was firmly on the Icon in Beijing, the show also saw the launch of MG’s BTCC special editions, as well as the ‘RedLine’ series of modifications, intended to strengthen the marque’s sporting identity. MG, which is still a very young company in China, is pushing hard to bolster its youthful [...]
April 23, 2012
· Keith Adams · 25 Comments
News : Roewe at Auto China 2012
Keith Adams Auto China 2012 officially saw the severing of the genetic ties between SAIC Motor’s faux-UK brand and the Rover products it formerly based its cars upon. The impressive new car that headed up Roewe’s motor show hoopla was the 950, which is based closely on the Buick LaCrosse/Saab 9-5, nestling atop a GM [...]
April 23, 2012
· Keith Adams · 32 Comments
Concepts and prototypes : MG Icon design sketches
The MG Icon Concept was launched at Auto China 2012 and gives rise to the possibility of MG competing in the mini-SUV sector. The Stephen Harper-designed car looked as good in the metal as it does in these design sketches.
April 23, 2012
· Keith Adams · 7 Comments
News : Q&A – Icon Chief Designer Stephen Harper
Keith Adams We met Stephen Harper prior to he unveiling of the MG Icon Concept at the Auto China 2012 motor show in China and managed to get the low-down on the car which he oversaw during its creation whilst working for SAIC Design. Tell us about the car What we really wanted to do [...]
April 23, 2012
· Keith Adams · 12 Comments
News : Jaguar XJ gets Ultimate treatment
Keith Adams Jaguar has launched its most luxurious and expensive XJ ever, the Ultimate edition. As it’s been unveiled in China, it’s also the right venue to announce the new 3-litre V6 powertrain, that’s set to power the F-Type when it’s launched in 2013, has been added to the range – expanding the big cat’s [...]
April 23, 2012
· Keith Adams · 27 Comments
News : MG lifts the lid on the Icon Concept
Keith Adams MG’s exciting new Icon Concept was officially unveiled at the Auto China Show 2012 to rapturous applause from the assembled – mainly Chinese – media. The exciting new concept was penned by Chief Designer Stephen Harper from a brief laid out by Global Design Director for SAIC Design, Tony Williams-Kenny, and is a [...]
April 23, 2012
· Keith Adams · 23 Comments
News : ‘Posh’ Evoque looks set to do the business
Keith Adams A new top-line Range Rover Evoque has been launched at the Auto China 2012 motor show. The Victoria Beckham-designed Special Edition will be built to order, with no more than 200 leaving Land Rover’s Halewood factory. The car, which is the next step in a relationship between the model and Land Rover first [...]
April 23, 2012
· Keith Adams · 22 Comments
News : LR Journey of Discovery makes it to Beijing
Keith Adams After 18,500km, and fourteen countries, the team has rolled into Beijing, and aside from a cracked foglight on one car, a cracked screen on another, and two punctured tyres, they made it completely intact, and without incident. Well, when we say without incident, that discounts the fact that pretty much the entire run [...]
April 21, 2012
· Keith Adams · 10 Comments
Blog : Land Rovering through China
Keith Adams I still can’t believe I am lucky enough to be in China. And that I’ve joined such an impressive expedition to cross it. Over the past three days on the road, I’ve yet to become accustomed to this vast and ever-changing country, and I hope that I never do. Because to become accustomed, [...]
April 20, 2012
· Keith Adams · 3 Comments
