Blogs
Blog : Salon sickness with Charles Morgan and Ratan Tata
Steven Ward spends three days in the Geneva Salon emerging only for beer and chips On Tuesday 5 March within Hall six of the 83rd Geneva motor show, AROnline’s three Muppeteers comprising of Steven Ward, Andrew Elphick and Robert Leitch are slouching within the confines of Morgan’s home-made stand which was sponsored by Banque Baring [...]
March 8, 2013
· 
Keith Adams · 
12 Comments
Blog : MG – how long can things continue?
Adam Sloman This week has seen a flurry of excitement in the motor industry with companies big and small vying for their moment in the spotlight. All apart from MG, which, once again, was absent from a major European motor show. Keith Adams has eloquently summed up the Geneva issue, but once again MG seems [...]
March 8, 2013
· Adam Sloman · 108 Comments
Technician’s Update : A Saintly act of kindness…
Mike Humble Never has a more true word been spoken at the phrase ‘laughter is the best medicine’ - unless you actually die laughing that is! My own little world has been a bit up and down as of late owing to the fact that, after a short illness, my father passed away very recently. [...]
March 7, 2013
· Mike Humble · 25 Comments
Blog : Why MG appears to have a lot to learn from Qoros
Words: Keith Adams Photography: Andrew Elphick I’m not sure how I felt when I saw just how impressive the new Qoros 3 Sedan looked at Geneva. It would seem that we’ve all been looking in the wrong direction when talking about a European invasion by China. Many of us assumed that the leading light in [...]
March 5, 2013
· Keith Adams · 29 Comments
Blog : An unpatriotic act?
Ian Nicholls On 3 February 1986 the Conservative Government of Margaret Thatcher admitted it was in talks about an American take-over of a large chunk of what remained of the British-owned vehicle industry. The talks were described as being at ‘an advanced stage’. General Motors was interested in acquiring the loss-making Leyland Vehicles division. Ford [...]
March 4, 2013
· Keith Adams · 30 Comments
Blog : Why I hate the Land Rover Freelander
Mike Humble Part of me feels guilty for writing this article on the Freelander, Land Rover’s baby 4×4. This is, after all, a site in which we cherish our fading British car companies and celebrate some of the great names that once pounded the highways and by-ways of England. But there again, we all differ [...]
March 4, 2013
· Mike Humble · 60 Comments
Blog : Why I hate the Volkswagen Beetle
Ian Nicholls I drive a classic Mini, two in fact, although not at the same time. The modern family car has two fathers, depending on your choice. If you prefer a capacious 4×4 then Spen King, the father of the Range Rover is your man. If you prefer something like a Focus, Astra or Golf, [...]
March 3, 2013
· Keith Adams · 70 Comments
Blog : 30 years of the Maestro
Keith Adams Last month, we celebrated the 30th birthday of the Peugeot 205, and most of us ended up marvelling at how the French got it right first time; how well the baby Pug has aged, and how quickly three decades seem to have passed. March 2013 sees the Maestro cross the same landmark, and [...]
March 1, 2013
· Keith Adams · 51 Comments
Commercial Vehicles : Your help needed
Mike Humble They say that time flies, and how true is that sentiment? This month marks the 20th anniversary of the collapse of Europe’s largest truck builder – Leyland DAF. Way back in 1987, the two brands of DAF and Leyland were merged into one following the Conservative Government’s decision to start privatising the State owned-Rover [...]
February 23, 2013
· Mike Humble · 15 Comments
News : Britain’s oldest Toyota Carina E found
Toyota’s search for the earliest running example of the first model made at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK factory in Derbyshire has been a success. Mike Hoyland’s Carina E was registered in July 1993 and was built during the Burnaston factory’s early months. December 16, 1992 was a groundbreaking day for Toyota. It marked the [...]
February 20, 2013
· Keith Adams · 87 Comments
Blog : Fancy an Austin Metro project?
Ben Oliver There’s a lid for every pot, as the saying goes. And we’re rather hoping you might be the ‘lid’ that saves this low-mileage Metro from being recycled into pots, pans or – heaven forfend – a new Mini. Based in Sussex its whole life, still bearing the original supplying dealer’s plates and sticker [...]
February 19, 2013
· Keith Adams · 18 Comments
Blog : Horsegate now extends to MINI
Keith Adams A few days ago, we had the unfortunate case of MG Motor UK deciding that the current Horsemeat scandal that’s gripping Britain would be a great opportunity to go out and try and sell a few cars. The ensuing controversy, which spread around the community before heading back to the mothership at Longbridge [...]
February 18, 2013
· Keith Adams · 39 Comments
Blog : Defender, but turned up to 11
Keith Adams Here’s an interesting visual and audio juxtaposition. If you end up playing the video below, please make sure your speakers are on high – because it comes with the most amazing V8 backbeat you’re likely to hear this side of top fuel day at Santa Pod. But the car in shot is a [...]
February 16, 2013
· Keith Adams · 24 Comments
Blog : 30 years of the Peugeot 205…
Keith Adams Well, it looks like 2013 is going to be another one of those years guaranteed to make me feel old. I’ve already drawn attention to the fact that this year sees the 20th birthday of the Ford Mondeo, Rover 600 and Citroen Xantia. Well, some pretty cool cars hit the big three-oh in [...]
February 15, 2013
· Keith Adams · 57 Comments
Blog : My MINI misadventure
Jeremy Austin There’s been a lot of talk about MINI on here recently – and I thought it would be a good opportunity to get my ownership experience into the mix – so you can all make up your minds about so-called MINI quality and customer service. Before I get into this, the first thing [...]
February 13, 2013
· Keith Adams · 94 Comments
Blog : Don’t mention the MINI
Sam Frank There are some subjects we should never talk about with friends. The saying ‘never discuss politics, sex or religion’ is true. Doing so can make otherwise amiable and easy going friends into angry, argumentative idiots in a few short sentences. This is because everyone has strong feelings about those things. I thought pretty [...]
February 6, 2013
· Keith Adams · 120 Comments
Blog : What is Jaguar Land Rover’s future?
Christopher A Sawyer Another Detroit show come and gone, but one thought remains rattling around in my head: what about Jaguar? Despite what everyone might believe, even though it was sold to Tata Jaguar is still in the orbit of the Ford Motor Company. Every one of the cars it produces today owes something to [...]
January 25, 2013
· Keith Adams · 85 Comments
Sales Talk : Managing the expectations
Mike Humble In a previous muttering, I explained how ‘messers’ are the most universally loathed folk in the motor trade. Too often I hear people bemoaning about the shark infested car showrooms and how sales staff seen to sink to unheard of depths in order to get your moniker on the dotted line. Much of [...]
January 25, 2013
· Mike Humble · 38 Comments
Blog : Designing a new MG
Ben Richards has MG running through his veins. He’s also a very talented design graduate who decided it was time to design a new one of his own. Here’s his story, in his own words, and also what it takes to design a new coupe. But will it lead to a future in the motor industry? [...]
January 18, 2013
· Keith Adams · 32 Comments
Blog : The joy of classics
Keith Adams Seems silly doesn’t it. I’ve had this little old Saab 900 T16S for seven years, and as yet, have not even come close to selling it. For a serial car buyer like me, who’s riddled with CHPD (Compulsive Heap Purchasing Disorder), this must be something of a record. Well, it would be if [...]
January 15, 2013
· Keith Adams · 24 Comments
