JustBritish

I rarely point out auctions on eBay. In fact, I don’t think I have ever done it before. But, this 1953 Lanchester is just too gorgeous and someone needs to buy it, fix it back up, take care of it, and love it like it deserves. Such a gorgeous car.

I have absolutely no knowledge of this auction, car, or its owner. I have no vested interest in this. I just wish I could make that beauty mine!

According to the auction, “The Lanchester car company was owned by Daimler. The last Lanchester made was in 1957. This car was imported a few years ago. It is right hand drive. It has a Delaware title. The car was on the Isle of Mann till 1998. [The seller] bought her with 16000 miles on her. If you are over 6 feet tall, plenty of room. It has a pre select gear box which is kinda like a semi automatic. It is a 4 cylinder 2 litre motor.”

According to Nanjing Automobile, it bought the rights to the MG trademarks and logos when it bought the assets of the firm from administrators.

It told High Court judge Sir William Blackburne that MG Sports and Racing Europe, based in Tenbury Wells, was using the famous octagonal logo and name on its MG X POWER supercar. Nanjing is now seeking an order to stop the company.

Iain Purvis QC, who is representing the company, told the judge that Nanjing “have made great strides” in reviving the MG brand in the UK, with the Longbridge plant manufacturing again and a major new car launch planned for next year.

He added that the British company admitted this was likely to cause confusion but claimed they are entitled to use the mark because they had bought the rights to it from liquidators of the MG Rover Group in 2007.

Directors Peter Beale and John Edwards of the vilified Phoenix Four are in line for a massive multi-million pound Christmas bonus from the remnants of the Longbridge empire, it was revealed today.

The two former Longbridge bosses, who with fellow directors John Towers and Nick Stephenson have already enriched themselves to the tune of around £9 million each, will be entitled to another huge cash windfall next month.
Read the rest of this entry »

Former Longbridge worker Tony Dudley has laid solid new foundations for his garage business – by building an MOT bay himself.

The former MG Rover panel beater spent five days helping lay down a total of 27 tons of concrete to mark the latest key milestone in the history of Northfield-based MGR Services.

And Northfield Labour MP Richard Burden drove along his prized MGZT as the first car to undergo an MOT at the popular garage, less than a mile from the former home of MG Rover.
Read the rest of this entry »

This isn’t exactly British car news, but Swedish car maker Volvo is heading into Chinese hands, after owner Ford announced that Geely is in pole position to buy the struggling manufacturer.

Following in the footsteps of MG Rover’s sale to Shanghai Automotive and Nanjing Automobile, the potential deal marks the latest move by a fast-expanding Chinese car maker to boost its presence in Europe.

Negotiations have been ongoing for some time, and it is understood Ford was only willing to enter into discussions once it had evaluated the firm’s Chinese operations. Now the green light has been given, the future of Volvo and the launch of promising upcoming models such as the S60 should be secure.

The move will also benefit Geely. Volvo’s research and development expertise and engineering skills will be a huge bonus, as its main interests are in improved quality and safety.

Geely is the largest privately owned car company in China, and has grown at an astonishing rate since making its first passenger car in August 1998. In 1999 it built 2,000 vehicles; in 2009 production should hit 300,000.

Whereas rival Chinese car makers tend to buy licenses and import technology, Geely has developed its own engines and is the only Chinese firm with its own automatic transmissions.

Jones will take responsibility for UK sales, marketing, PR and aftersales, as well as the development of the MG brand. He has previously worked as brand manager at Bentley and marketing director at Kia UK.

‘MG is a much loved iconic British brand that now has SAIC as a proud new owner, capable of developing the brand on a global basis,’ said Jones.

‘SAIC are already playing a leading role in China, now the world’s largest car market, and have ambitious global plans for the MG brand.’

MG is now owned by Chinese firm SAIC, and re-commenced production at Birmingham’s Longbridge plant last year.

It launched its first advertising since the 2005 break-up of MG Rover last autumn, focusing on its TF LE500 model.