JustBritish

Having opened a new facility in Goldhawk Road, West London this week, Nicholas Mee & Co says it is the first ever high-street, officially endorsed, Aston Martin Heritage showroom.

The company was established 21 years ago and held a party to celebrate the opening, with guests including Aston Martin CEO Dr Ulrich Bez and Director of Works Service and Parts Operations, Kingsley Riding-Felce.

Riding-Felce said: “Aston Martin takes its heritage very seriously, and it is crucial that current and prospective owners of our Heritage models are able to receive the kind of levels of service and specialist knowledge that is expected of the Aston Martin brand.

“Up until now our heritage network has not had such prominence in London and it is wonderful to see Nicholas and his team investing so heavily in the future of Aston Martin’s Heritage business.”

Nicholas Mee added: “It seems essential to us that Aston Martin Heritage has a dedicated showroom in the heart of London. These premises will be London’s focal point for showing and dealing in these beautiful, collectable cars. Perfectly located at a central point between Heathrow and Mayfair, our new high street showrooms offer collectors, buyers and sellers an ideal environment to showcase their cars.”

The first of McLaren’s 35 dealerships set to open in 2011 opens its doors tomorrow in London’s One Hyde Park. McLaren’s first dealership opens in one of London’s newest and most prestigious developments – fitting for the all-new supercar.

Although the MP12-4C is not McLaren’s first foray into street legal super cars it will offer more than four times the sales and service support than it did with the F1 and its eight worldwide dealerships. This time instead of flying a technician to the owner of the car or service center McLaren claims it “is stocking its retail network with a spare of every serviceable part for the MP4-12C.” McLaren calls it “its ‘pit stop’ service concept that ensures fast and efficient repair.”

Good thing too because the MP4-12C is the first in a full lineup of carbon-fiber based sports cars McLaren has planned – all with higher production numbers than the F1. Production for the MP4-12C alone is planned for 1000 units just this year – significantly higher than the F1’s production run of 106 cars over a seven year (1992-1998) period. McLaren plans to increase total production to 4000 cars per year by mid decade when their full model lineup is complete.
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The British International Motor Show planned for 2010 in London has been cancelled because of the global slump in demand for cars, according to the U.K. Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

“The economic downturn and the unprecedented challenges facing the industry, both in the U.K. and around the world, have made it impossible for exhibitors to commit to a 2010 event,” the trade group said today in a statement.

The event has attracted an increasing number of visitors and the decision to cancel was “extremely difficult,” SMMT President Paul Everitt said in the statement. The move followed a thorough consultation with the industry, the group said. The SMMT is pressing the U.K. government to boost aid to automakers, including direct incentives to trade old cars for new ones.

Carmakers across Britain have slowed production in response to declining demand. Volkswagen AG’s Bentley luxury division said Jan. 21 it will suspend production at its factory in Crewe, England, for seven weeks. Nissan Motor Co. will eliminate 1,200 jobs at a plant in Sunderland, while Honda Motor Co. temporarily halted operations in Swindon.

The motor show, first held in London in 1903, returned to the capital in 2006 after more than two decades in Birmingham. The biennial event was last held in the summer of 2008 at the ExCeL arena in the U.K. capital.

Group Lotus Plc and VW’s Bentley were among manufacturers that introduced new premium models at last year’s gathering. The show included a champagne bar, a “live action arena” and performances by Deep Purple and Meat Loaf.

Since the event, U.K. car sales have fallen, with a plunge of 22 percent last month outpacing an 18 percent decline in Europe. The continent’s manufacturers are likely to make 25 percent fewer vehicles this year, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association said on March 5.

Tata Motors Ltd.’s Jaguar Land Rover has cut temporary staff and reached an agreement with workers to reduce production to avoid job losses. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, the world’s largest luxury-car maker, is reducing shifts and eliminating 850 jobs at its Mini car factory in Oxford.

Originally from Bloomberg Media.

London Taxis are as British as bowler hats and Big Ben. But the latest models coming off a new assembly line in China are unlikely to ever touch an English road. At a sprawling factory in the lush green suburbs of Shanghai, young Chinese workers are gearing up for full-scale production of one of Britain’s most iconic vehicles. It’s part of an alliance that awants to give the distinctive black cab a greater presence outside its namesake city.

London Taxi International, which will continue to build nine out of 10 cabs used in Britain at a factory in Coventry, England, couldn’t increase production at its small-scale, high-cost plant. So it turned to a partner — and to China — as a way to drive overseas expansion.

“To say the writing was on the wall would be pushing it a bit too far. But you do need to make progress within the automotive industry,” said Paul Stowe, a British auto executive who is overseeing the joint venture between Britain’s Manganese Bronze Holdings PLC, owner of London Taxi International, and Geely Group Holdings, one of China’s largest independent automakers.
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The award-winning British International Motor Show returns to ExCeL London this summer, once again bringing glamour, excitement and innovation to the capital.

Building on the runaway success of 2006, which saw the expo return to London for the first time in 30 years, the two week extravaganza expects to attract over half a million people, making it the biggest event in the UK.

With over six hundred cars, 60 car marques, plenty of global premieres and interactive features, the Show promises something for everyone from car enthusiasts to families looking for an exciting day out.

Better still, we can offer you the chance to purchase three tickets for the price of two* on General Day tickets when you book online at www.britishmotorshow.co.uk or call 0871 230 5588 and quote ‘Auto Express’

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I was searching the web tonight and ended up on YouTube. Amazingly I found footage from the Earls Court motor show in 1962. Take a look at this and you will see some really amazing vintage metal. From the MG 1100 to the Ford Zephyr. Watching this is like a time machine. If only you could go back and grab a few of these to store away. But isn’t that always the dream?

So tell me, which one of these would you drive off with? And most importantly, why?