Nissan has launched a range of solar energy and battery storage packs for UK homes, called Nissan Energy Solar. The new range of products are described as all-in-one solutions that simplify the process of switching to solar.
Designed to complement the Nissan Leaf electric car, Nissan’s scheme offers several different options, which buyers can select using an automotive-style online configurator.
The solar panels even have trim lines. Value (pictured above) is entry-level, Efficiency is the mid-range offer and Design comprises the most sleekly-integrated panels.
Nissan will sell Solar, Storage or combined Solar & Storage packs, with prices starting from £3,881 for a six-panel solar setup. This price includes supply and full installation.
A full Solar & Storage setup starts from £7,635. Nissan Energy MD Francisco Carranza says the firm is targeting a 4 percent to 8 percent return on investment.
“Our target has been to make it simple,” he said. “We want to help customers easily find and install solutions for sustainable energy.”
The move mirrors Tesla’s home energy ecosystem products, such as Powerwall battery storage and its custom-designed solar roof tiles. Nissan’s products are designed to be more affordable.
Good news for house prices
Carranza said the Nissan Energy Solar products could cut home energy bills by up to two-thirds, and “will also increase the value of your home”.
“All you need is a roof. Algorithms in the configurator will then qualify the best setup for you.” Nissan will even conduct LiDAR remote analysis of customers’ roofs, to optimise the panels.
While almost 900,000 UK homes already have solar panels, Carranza says there’s latent demand for a straightforward solar energy solution – and adds that Nissan’s energy storage system, using ‘second life’ Nissan Leaf EV batteries, extends the benefit of solar energy during the night.
The system can even be used to charge a Nissan Leaf.
UK sales will begin soon. In preparation, a new Nissan Solar Energy website has been launched, detailing Nissan’s move into the home energy sector.
“They are solutions that people are ready for,” said Carranza. “We already have a book of people ready to get this kit.”
Nissan will end production of the Pulsar family hatchback this summer, barely three years after its introduction, due to sales failing to meet estimates.
It is understood Nissan targeted annual production of 80,000 Pulsar a year, but even in its first full year, it struggled to less than 35,000 cars. The latest financial year is expected to be even worse, with production predictions of just 20,000 Pulsar.
Nissan is thus throwing in the towel and ditching the family hatch. In its place at the Barcelona factory, the firm will build the updated all-electric e-NV200 Evalia, a seven-seat MPV version of the NV200 van. Nissan is currently launching the model alongside the new Leaf in Tenerife, describing it as “a hidden gem”.
The Barcelona plant’s 4,800 employees already assemble the commercial diesel NV200.
“The decisions we have made are the result of a change in the market demand of our European customers and a new trend, which is why Nissan’s focus is to strengthen our leadership in the electric and crossover vehicle segment, ” said Nissan Europe president Paul Willcox.
The Volkswagen Golf rival that wasn’t
The current Pulsar was introduced in spring 2015, as Nissan’s re-entry into the family hatchback sector it departed when it replaced the Almera with the Qashqai. Value-conscious family buyers and fleets were considered key targets: people who can’t justify the extra expense of a crossover and want a more conventional five-door car.
Contemporary reviewers were, however, distinctly unimpressed. The Pulsar lacked sparkle and received mediocre ratings, in contrast to the much-loved Qashqai. Even ultra-low prices – a base Pulsar is currently £13,275, compared to £19,295 for the Qashqai – failed to stir buyers.
The current Pulsar is built on Nissan’s Common Module Family (CMF) platform. The Spanish factory where it’s produced also builds the Nissan Navara, Renault Alaskan and Mercedes-Benz X-Class pickups.
Logically, it would have made sense to produce the Pulsar at Nissan’s Sunderland, UK factory, which already builds the CMF-derived Qashqai. This would be much closer to the car’s supply base, aiding efficiency. However, Sunderland operates at capacity and it was felt unable to cope with predicted demand for the new Pulsar.
It is thus ironic the car has so badly missed its sales targets, despite Nissan investing €130 million to begin production of it…
A rare Land Rover Defender Autobiography has been turned into the demonstrator model for the new V8 Works special edition, created by the firm’s Classic division.
The Defender V8 Works was revealed by Land Rover yesterday, two years after production of the model came to a close. Just 150 will be built, with a price tag starting at £150,000 for the 90 V8 Works. Each is powered by a naturally-aspirated 5.0-litre petrol V8 producing 405hp.
Following the announcement, rumours started about where Land Rover sourced 150 Defenders for the special edition. It was initially thought that they must have been kept behind as production ended, but it then emerged that they were indeed secondhand models that had been converted.
A car history check for Y8 WKS – the first Defender V8 Works revealed by Land Rover – reveals it started off as a rare Autobiography model.
Launched in 2015 as a flagship run-out model, the Autobiography featured duo-tone paintwork, a power upgrade to 150hp for the 2.2-litre diesel engine and a luxurious leather-trimmed cabin.
With prices starting at £61,845, just 80 were produced for the UK, making them extremely desirable today. There are currently a number of examples advertised on Auto Trader with asking prices nudging £80,000.
V8 WKS, previously registered as GY15 NDC, was advertised for sale in late 2015 with just 77 miles on the clock for £69,950. It’s not thought that it’ll be possible to re-register the Defenders, meaning buyers splashing out £150,000 for a V8 Works will be buying a secondhand vehicle registered in 2015 at the latest. Presumably, many will be adorned with private plates.
It’s not clear, either, what will happen with the odometers. Land Rover won’t be able to simply wind them back to zero.
Jaguar Land Rover’s new Classics division was launched last year at a purpose-built site at Ryton in Coventry. Its website says it’s “dedicated to preserving and restoring our motoring heritage for future generations to enjoy and cherish” – something that seems at odds with turning a rare special edition into a more common special edition.
A Land Rover spokesman confirmed to Motoring Research the new V8 Works Defenders are derived from existing registered models.
“They will undergo essentially a nut and bolt restoration with the modifications added. So to a customer, essentially a new vehicle.”
JLR Classic’s director, Tim Hannig said: “The idea of reintroducing a V8 Defender was something we were discussing as far back as 2014, when we were still building the Defender in Solihull. We knew the demand was there for a powerful and fast Defender; the Land Rover authenticity is the ultimate finishing touch for discerning clients purchasing these collector’s edition Defenders.”
Detroit 2018 kicked off the best year for American truck fans since the invention of Bigfoot. Ford, Chevy, and Ram all debuted brilliant new models, while gorgeous SUVs from Mercedes, Lexus, and Nissan wowed our senses.
More correctly the North American International Auto Show, Detroit showcased the best of automotive design, engineering, and passion. Concept vehicles raised the bar for years to come in terms of beauty. Efficiency, never a buzzword, nonetheless continues to improve year after year.
These are a few of our favourite vehicles on display at the Detroit motor show.
Lexus LF-1 Limitless
The design of Lexus’s flagship LF-1 Limitless concept is governed by a “molten katana” language, that of liquid metal fusing to a traditional Japanese sword. From almost any angle, it’s easy to imagine a master swordsman shaping the crossover out of soft metal. So yes, we get it completely.
The Limitless is named for the limitless powertrains it could possibly use, like hybrid, plug-in hybrid, petrol, all-electric, or even a fuel cell. By 2025, Lexus wants to have an electric version of every one of its models.
The interior is a minimalist, button-free zone, as befits the future. Lexus has further cleaned up the cockpit by placing all vehicle controls on the steering wheel: paddles for acceleration and braking, and buttons for park and reverse.
Nissan Xmotion interior
The exterior of Nissan’s latest concept vehicle is striking enough, but the interior could very well be a work of future art.
The six-passenger, three-row SUV is called Xmotion (pronounced “cross motion”), and Nissan says that it was inspired by the way that traditional and modern Japan live together as one. It may sound like a heady concept, but Nissan has fully expressed it.
The cabin is meant to evoke a river and is awash in scarlet, the colour of energy; white, the colour of purity; and black, the colour of contrast. A hand-crafted centre console runs the length of the cockpit, constructed of wood using methods usually reserved for building temples. The under-dash is wood as well, slatted to let ambient light waft through.
In the console, a touchscreen display contains the vehicle controls. Occasionally, koi will swim across the screen. The dash-mounted display runs almost the full width of the cabin and displays relevant data and nav information. Delightfully, the koi swim there, too.
Brilliant.
Toyota FT-4X Concept
Across the board, the new direction of Japanese SUV design is exhilarating. Toyota is finding its voice and personality with its small SUV concepts, the FT-AC that debuted in L.A. and the new FT-4X, of “Future Toyota, four-wheel drive crossover,” shown here.
The four-door, all-terrain ute has big tyres, big arches, big approach and crossover angles, and absolutely giant style. Designed to be a casual, everyday vehicle rather than a serious off-roader, the FT-4X nonetheless looks adventure-ready. Toyota calls the style “Rugged Charm,” and emphasises that it “places value on simplicity, capability, durability and Toyota lineage.”
In the cabin, door handles double as water bottles, armrests proffer USB connectivity, and there’s even a compact sleeping bag that hides between the front passenger seats.
We absolutely love it.
Hyundai Veloster N
Hyundai’s delightfully weird Veloster is all-new for 2019, and it with it comes an evil twin: the Veloster N. This is, if you like, the i30 N for America.
We are fans of the build quality, fun personality, and value for money that Hyundai packs into its vehicles, and we genuinely liked the previous Veloster as a car. Not necessarily as a sports car, but still.
Now, with the N, we may just get to see what Hyundai can really do in the performance world.
Under the bonnet is a much hotter version of the 2.0-litre found in lesser Velosters, packing 275 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. The suspension has been reworked and features fancy electronic bits. The whole kit and kaboodle was honed to perfection at the Nurburgring.
Sadly, there are no plans to sell the Veloster in the UK.
Hyundai Ant Man Veloster
This spectacular bit of purple wonderful is the latest Hyundai Veloster all dolled up for its starring role in the upcoming Marvel feature, Ant Man and the Wasp. While unfamiliar with the comic book it’s based on, we’ll go just to see more of this wild Hyundai.
While the flames, side pipes, and wide stance may all just be for show, the Korean manufacturer is hoping the chase scenes in the film will highlight the all-new vehicle’s speed and handling, as well as bring it into view of a new segment of car buyers.
We have a sneaking suspicion that Hyundai would make even more noise by offering the Ant Man styling package on new Velosters. We would certainly buy one.
Other Hyundai vehicles will be making their Hollywood debut in Marvel Studios’ Ant-Man and the Wasp, which will be released in US theatres on July 6, before landing in the UK on August 3.
Infiniti Q Inspiration
The new Infiniti Q inspiration concept vehicle is gorgeous to look at both inside and out. Relatively minimalist, the vehicle is meant to announce the manufacturer’s new design language for advanced powertrains.
Infiniti’s version of the future involves a clean, clutter-free interior that allows the driver to focus on the task of driving, but also showcases advanced, nearly-autonomous technologies that delegate the more mundane piloting tasks to the car.
Under the bonnet is Infiniti’s production-ready variable-compression-ratio four-cylinder engine, tightly packaged to liberate designers “from the constraints of powertrain architecture to realise a spacious interior.” The new engine technology is said to combine the power of a turbo with the efficiency of a diesel.
1979 G-Class cast in amber
The Jurassic nature of the original G-Wagen was proudly on display as Mercedes-Benz celebrated the release of the all-new 2019 G-Class.
The display is made of 44 tons of resin cast around an honest-to-goodness 1979 Geländewagen inside, the first year of the civilian model. The block was cast over a 90-day period and gained about three centimetres a day in height. The final dimensions: 10 feet high, 18 feet long and 8 feet deep.
After Detroit, the cuboid will be displayed in other markets in step with the new G-Class launch. After that, we hope it finds a permanent home in our offices.
In the meantime, we’re off to watch Jurassic Park… again. No idea what provided the inspiration…
Ram 1500
Does this truck look like a hippy to you?
The latest Ram 1500 is a technological marvel, reaping the rewards of advances in engineering and materials science. The new models are lighter, stronger, and more capable than ever. They’re shockingly aerodynamic, slipperier than a Ferrari F50 thanks to active airflow management and exhaustive wind tunnel testing.
Perhaps most the most amazing thing, though, about the rugged big trucks is that they are hybrids. Yes, that’s right, like a Toyota Prius. Well, they’re mild hybrids, technically, and the system is called eTorque.
The standard V6 engine benefits from a motor generator in place of the traditional alternator and stores energy in a suitcase-sized, 300-watt-hour battery pack. The system provides extra torque during acceleration, up to 90 lb-ft at low engine speeds. The extra power provides invisible operation of the automatic stop/start system. The batteries also charge during regenerative braking, even further advancing efficiency.
In Hemi V8 form, eTorque is optional but adds a gargantuan 130 lb-ft of twist. The system works in tandem with cylinder deactivation to conserve even more fuel.
The best part of the system is, though, is what it represents: hybrid drives being used for the best of all possible purposes: more power in big trucks. And that makes hybrids cool enough to finally lose the last of their hippie reputation.
Original Mustang Bullitt
As the story goes, the 1968 Mustang GT390 with a VIN number ending in 559 starred in the movie Bullitt. It was one of two immortal muscle car icons to take place in the greatest car chase ever filmed. Steve McQueen, the King of Cool, drove the car himself during shooting.
After movie life, 559 changed hands a few times before finally falling off the radar in the late 1970s.
As the 50th anniversary of the movie Bullitt drew near, interest in the car waxed and it finally surfaced, perfectly unrestored and unmolested, with every scrape and bruise intact.
As part of the release hype surrounding the 2019 Mustang Bullitt, itself one of the hottest and most desirable cars we hope to drive this year, Ford displayed both vehicles together. If you are not tearing up at the thought of this, you are simply not a car person.
Don’t miss the chance to see this truly one-of-a-kind piece of American history.
GAC Enverge Concept
The biggest surprise of the show was the Enverge concept vehicle from Chinese manufacturer GAC. The electric vehicle is loaded with what software developers call “vapourware”, such as a battery pack capable of propelling the vehicle 370 miles between charges, and wireless charging that restores 60 percent of the car’s range in just 10 minutes. For comparison, a Tesla Model S, the most advanced electric car on sale today, has a range of 265 miles and takes 20 minutes to recharge to 50 percent.
Nonetheless, the Enverge is wildly futuristic and endlessly entertaining. There are interesting details all over the vehicle, such as headlights that pop out to become floodlights and side windows that are actually virtual reality screens.
The most important detail of the Enverge, however, is what it represents. While vehicles built in China have been quietly on sale in the States for awhile now, GAC will be the first manufacturer to sell Chinese-branded cars in the US.
The manufacturer is working towards an agreement with Fiat-Chrysler to begin selling its vehicles through their dealer network. Sales are expected in 2019.
Please Land Rover. Show us the new Defender already. Or, er, don’t. Show us a special edition of the old model with the Range Rover’s 5.0-litre V8 wedged into the engine bay. We’re cool with that.
OK, some context. Land Rover is celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2018, and seeing as a special edition Velar or Discovery 5 would make Maurice Wilks turn in his grave, the firm’s brought back the Defender for a limited-run 70th anniversary model.
Land Rover aficionados will tell you that this isn’t the first Defender anniversary special edition. There was the 40th anniversary model, which was axed after just two were built (blame strike action at Solihull). Then there was the epic V8-powered 50th anniversary. And then there was the 60th anniversary SVX, which featured all of the cosmetic upgrades but no extra power for the 2.4-litre diesel Transit engine.
Land Rover’s Classic division has been to work on the 70th anniversary model, finding 150 Defenders sitting around (whether Land Rover had the foresight to hang onto them when production ended or someone’s been raiding the classifieds, we don’t know). Each of them get a naturally-aspirated version of JLR’s 5.0-litre petrol V8 producing 405hp, along with an eight-speed ZF auto gearbox and various no-doubt much-needed upgrades to go with the power boost: upgraded suspension, beefier brakes and the like.
As a result, the Defender Works V8 (to give it its official title) has 380lb ft of torque and will hit 60mph in 5.6 seconds. Top speed? 106mph.
Various aftermarket firms have tweaked the Defender, but this is the most powerful ‘official’ model ever produced.
“It’s fitting that we’ve been able to release the full potential of the iconic Defender, whose much-loved shape remains synonymous with Land Rover, 70 years since it was seen in public for the first time,” said JLR Classic’s director, Tim Hannig.
“The idea of reintroducing a V8 Defender was something we were discussing as far back as 2014, when we were still building the Defender in Solihull. We knew the demand was there for a powerful and fast Defender; the Land Rover authenticity is the ultimate finishing touch for discerning clients purchasing these collectors’ edition Defenders.”
Buyers get a choice of 90 or 110 wheelbases, with the former starting at a whopping £150,000. They can also pick from eight standard body colours, while the interior has been upgraded with full Windsor leather trim, Recaro sports seats and an infotainment system. Yes, in a Defender.
If you can’t afford the full Works V8, Land Rover Classic will be offering a number of performance upgrades for lesser models inspired by the V8, including fast-road suspension, braking kits and power upgrades for the TDCi diesel engine.
Fitting aftermarket wheels is an easy way of giving your car’s appearance a boost. The process is usually fairly simple: go to an alloy wheel supplier of your choice, pick a set that fit your motor and hand over some money. Obviously, you’ll want some tyres to go with them, but once they’re on that’s the buying process pretty much complete.
Things are different if you’re a) in the States and b) buy Velgen wheels. Popular with Mustang owners, fitting a set of Velgens to your ‘Stang automatically enrolls you into the Velgen Society. This gives you access to exclusive meet-ups with fellow modified Mustang owners – and, in the US, they get quite the turn out.
Video: modified Mustangs in action
The Velgen Society has finally crossed the pond. With the new Mustang proving a hit in the UK, aftermarket tuner Steeda is fuelling a growing market for custom performance parts. You may be familiar with Steeda, as the firm revealed its Q500 Mustang at this weekend’s Autosport International Show.
Steeda is the UK’s only official distributor for Velgen and, ahead of the Q500’s official debut at the NEC, put on the first ever UK Velgen Society meet at Bicester Heritage in Oxfordshire. On a dreary January day, 10 modified Mustang owners travelled from far and wide to show off their cars and find out a bit more about Steeda and Velgen (not to mention getting an exclusive early peek at the Steeda Q500).
Dave Rogerson owns a Magnetic Grey Mustang that he’s modified using Steeda parts, as well as a supercharger – meaning it now produces more than 700hp. Far from standard. He travelled up from Devon for the event – a round trip of more than 300 miles.
Having previously owned a Range Rover, Dave likes the value for money offered by the Mustang. “All in, I don’t think I’ve spent more than £70,000 on this,” he says. “You could spend that on a BMW M4.”
Velgen boss Scott Gibson flew from Miami for the event. He never turns down the opportunity to meet owners, he explains.
“I try to run things differently. I’m always hopping on a plane to meet the people who buy our wheels. When I’m in the office, I’m usually on the phone talking to our customers.”
He likes to make them feel appreciated, too, handing out free merchandise and doing whatever he can to promote the Velgen brand. And, it appears, nothing gets Mustang owners quite as excited as Scott lifting a few shiny new wheels out of a box.
“Where’s my credit card?” pipes up one voice. “Will you take my current wheels in part-ex?” asks another. While a dank warehouse in Bicester might not seem the most glamorous location, there’s nowhere these Mustang fans would rather be.
It featured in one of the most iconic movie car chases of all time, but then appears to have ended up living in a Mexican junkyard before being discovered. This 1968 Ford Mustang has certainly taken a fall from movie stardom to being down and out, in a way that might be more familiar to actors than film props.
Two 1968 Highland Green Mustang GT fastbacks were used in the production of Bullitt, each featuring a 6.4-litre V8 engine and manual four-speed transmission. However, one of the cars disappeared shortly after filming concluded, despite the best efforts of star actor Steve McQueen to track it down and add it to his personal collection.
Now it appears the Mustang had been living undercover in Mexico for the past three decades, before being discovered by Hugo Sanchez. Ironically, Sanchez bought the rotten bodyshell with the intention of turning it into a replica of another famous movie Mustang: ‘Eleanor’, from the 2000 remake of Gone In 60 Seconds.
Having delivered the Mustang to a body shop run by Ralph Garcia Jr., Sanchez was shocked to hear that the car had previously starred on the silver screen. Sanchez and Garcia Jr. made contact with two renowned Ford Mustang experts, who were able to verify that the vehicle identification number (VIN) matched with those held in the archives. Garcia also discovered additional strengthening for the suspension, along with preparation for the car to hold a generator, which confirmed the on-screen history of the Mustang.
Sanchez and Garcia Jr. now plan to restore the ’68 Mustang to its former glory, with the potential to then auction the car. Undoubtedly, it would attract the attention of Mustang fans and movie memorabilia collectors.
Ford has previously released special ‘Bullitt edition’ versions of later Mustang models, painted in the same Highland Green, doing so in 2001, 2008 and 2009. Rumours have also circulated that Ford is planning a Bullitt edition of the current, sixth-generation Mustang, to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the film in 2018.
UPDATED: The other original ‘Bullitt’ Mustang has also been rediscovered, with Ford revealing it at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show alongside a new 50th anniversary special 2019 Mustang. See the new car here and read about the history of the two Mustangs personally chosen by Steve McQueen for Bullitt.
The motorsport season always starts at Autosport International in January. The huge racing show always attracts the cream of the world’s racing drivers and teams, with legions of petrolheads all jostling to get up close to them for a selfie, scribbled autograph or simply a shot they can put on social media.
Last year’s race-winning Ferrari F1 racer was just one of hundreds of top-level racing cars fans can ogle: join us for a few hot laps of the Birmingham NEC spectacular.
Also be sure to check out the Ferrari-filled Autosport International Coys auction that will run during the show.
F1 star Fernando Alonso is taking another busman’s holiday this January by taking part in the Detroit 24 Hours. He’s driving a United Autosports Ligier JS P217, an example of which is on show at Autosport International. It takes pride of place near the main show entrance, so there’s no missing it, particularly as it’s a stunning-looking IMSA-spec racing car in its own right.
There’s added UK interest too – both of his teammates are Brits: rising stars Lando Norris is from Bristol and Phil Hanson is from Berkshire.
Rallying fans should be chuffed to bits – all the major 2018 WRC cars were uncovered at Autosport International this year. The reigning title-winner is the British-built M-Sport Ford Fiesta of Sebastien Ogier, and fans can also see new metal from Citroen, Hyundai and Toyota.
Just to underline how far removed these cars are from road-going machines, here’s the front of Toyota’s WRC-spec Yaris. It’s just a little bit more extreme than your stock Yaris Hybrid…
But it’s not just new cars on show. This immaculate Ford Escort Mk1 shows how things used to be done, albeit updated with modern-spec componentry. Rally engineers in the 1970s could only dream of working on a car in such comfort…
The Lancia Stratos was a relatively short-lived rally car that still has grown men go weak at the knees. Tales abound of those who actually saw it in action in the 1970s, going misty-eyed at the noise and the drama.
Ferrari has a 488 Challenge car on its stand. Why? Because it’s proposing a UK-specific series for people who may like the idea of owning and racing one, but not the time commitment dictated by taking part in the current European series.
If there’s sufficient interest, Ferrari may confirm a 2019 UK Challenge series in the next couple of months. If you’ve always dreamed of being the next Sebastien Vettel, and have the means to do so, this could be your first step on the ladder.
Porsche, of course, offers its own UK racing series, the Porsche Carrera Cup, and this is a support race on the prestigious BTCC calendar. It shows what could become of any fledgling Ferrari series – and, as a spokesman pointed out…
… Once you’re in the Ferrari racing family, the sky’s the limit. Maybe you might step up into a GTE-spec car such as this 458 and then go enter the Le Mans 24 Hours. Maybe you might buy an old factory F1 racer and drive it in the famous Ferrari Racing Days events. More than a few well-heeled Ferrari fans will be dreaming of what could be in Birmingham this weekend.
Autosport isn’t just about racing cars, though. It’s about everything else you need to engineer and run them – such as car trailers, of which the robustness of one was demonstrated here by parking an old Porsche Diesel tractor in the back.
The new Invictus Games Racing team was launched at the show. It’s fielding two cars in the top-level British GT Championship – and the cars are custom-built Jaguar F-Type GT4 sportscars custom-built by Jaguar’s specialist SVR division.
The first race is at Oulton Park during the Easter weekend; each car will be piloted by a professional racing driver and two injured ex-servicemen from the Armed Forces. It’s a high-profile campaign with serious intent: they might start off slowly, say team bosses, but the ultimate goal is to win races.
New to the UK racing scene in 2018 is the TCR UK Championship. Already running in Europe, it’s an alternative to the British Touring Car Championship, and includes cool cars such as the Seat Leon Cupra and Hyundai i30N. If it takes off in the UK, how will the BTCC respond?
Motorsport suppliers are always looking for cool ways to liven up their stands. Cue one 55 Ford Zephyr Super Pro racer – which, of course, uses NGK spark plugs…
Others like to draw the parallels between their road cars and racers – here’s a Renaultsport Clio Trophy alongside its racing equivalent. We don’t think we need to point out which is which…
New for Autosport International this year is a social influencers ‘corner’. Shmee150 is perhaps the most well-known of them, but we do rather like the look of Queen B’s gorgeous modified BMW E21 3 Series. Respect!
Ever heard of Steeda? It’s billed as the best Ford tuner you’ve never heard of: Steeda is massive in America and is now entering the UK to help spice up Mustangs, Fiestas and Focus over here. This Steeda Q500 is a package of parts highly rated even by those within Ford itself.
How to make a Lamborghini Aventador even more standout? Treat it to a makeover by premium vehicle stylists Liberty Walk. Price? On application…
The new TVR Griffith is at the show; you’ll find it at the Rimstock Team Dynamics stand. It’s been treated to a flashy new wrap, meaning we’ll no longer need to grumble about the poor paint match on the doors.
How motorsport used to be done in the 1970s. This Richard Longman Mini 1275GT used to terrorise much bigger and brawnier machines in the British Touring Car Championship. On occasion, its nimbleness and agility used to beat them, too: Longman actually won the 1978 BTCC title outright in this plucky little Mini.
Do you have a rough old Mazda MX-5 that stands no chance of passing its next MOT? You could scrap it… or you could fork out £2,995 for this kit of parts and use the Mazda as a donor car. Hands up, who fancies a MEV Exocet?
We’ll leave you with a tour of the 2017 F1 grid. This is the highlight of Autosport International for many – an unparalleled opportunity to get right up close to the world’s best racing cars.
Naturally, Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes-AMG title-winning machine takes pride of place, but Williams, McLaren, Renault, Sauber and, of course, Ferrari fans are not left short-changed, either.
The McLaren F1 is famously rather expensive. Last year, a pristine one sold for £11.5 million. Rowan Atkinson’s many-times-crashed car sold for £8 million back in 2015. Basically, if you don’t have a bank balance with seven, preferably eight figures in it, your luck’s out.
Or is it? See the F1 above? That car’s up for sale for a ‘mere’ £150,000. And if you’re quick, you could do the deal this weekend at the NEC’s Autosport International, where it’s currently on display.
Just one catch. It’s not a real McLaren F1. It’s a replica. But how many of you realised that, at a glance?
The company selling it is called Total Headturners, a firm that specialises in classics and replicas. A spokesman there said that when they were offered the F1 replica, they jumped at the chance. “It’s a really good job – we reckon the guy who had it done must’ve had a mate who owned a real one, because some of the shapes are very accurate.”
It’s not a kit car, he added. “It’s a scratchbuilt car, a custom-built one-of-one. It’s based on a spaceframe chassis, has race-derived suspension… and the engine, gearbox and brakes are all from an Audi R8 V8.” This is far from your Mazda MX-5-derived look-alike special.
It even has a central driving position. Admittedly, the interior is not a well-formed as the exterior, but it still has high-end details such as Audi R8 instrumentation. And you can’t really see the interior from outside, so it’s not likely to be a dealbreaker.
Creating it wasn’t cheap, and took a full seven years to complete. It used to be painted a garish orange, but Total Headturners had it repainted a more authentic gunmetal grey. Even in this more subtle hue, “it gets Top Trumps at any car show”.
It won’t be for everyone. It’s not a real F1, and you can of course pick holes in it if you look more closely (or, more starkly, park it next to the real thing). But it nevertheless has a drivetrain with supercar kudos, is said to drive better than you may fear a look-alike might and, according to the company’s calculations, costs less than 1 percent of the real thing.
Given all that, surely it’s got to be worth a punt for someone looking out for something a bit different..?
A crack team of wounded ex-servicemen from the British Armed Forces are to race two custom-designed GT4-spec Jaguar F-Type SVR sportscars in the 2018 and 2019 British GT Championship. The new team is called Invictus Games Racing.
The car becomes the first ever Jaguar Special Vehicle Operations-branded racer to run in an official motorsport series and, while it’s not an official factory racing programme, input from the JLR engineers has been considerable.
Indeed, it’s Jaguar’s first factory-built GT racing car in 50 years.
Jaguar’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) division has spent the past year secretly creating the two new F-Type racers, which have been designed to accommodate each of the driver’s needs. Mission Motorsport, which helps wounded servicemen forge new careers in professional motorsport, conducted six months of trials to find and train four drivers from the Armed Forces to compete.
They will be partnered by two professional British GT Championship drivers: former DTM driver Jason Wolfe will mentor Ben Norfolk and Basil Rawlinson in Car 22, and British GT racer Matthew George will mentor Steve McCulley and Paul Vice.
Their first race will be at Oulton Park on 31 March 2018.
The founder of clothing brand Superdry, James Holder, commissioned Jaguar to build the two GT4-spec F-Types, and has funded the entire project himself. “Our drivers have overcome adversity in the face of injury, shown fierce ambitions in life and possess an incredible drive to succeed,” he said.
“They are perfectly suited for this sport which gives them an outlet for their ambitions. As well as racing against the other GT teams, they will also battle against each other for position and personal pride – like any other racing team.
“We are not under any illusions. Our shared desire and goal is to ultimately win races. This dream won’t happen overnight but during the journey I can promise fans that we will have inspirational drivers, great stories, innovative technology and the coolest looking and sounding cars on the circuit.”
The new racing team is also eager to stress that the wounded servicemen will be competing equally with their fellow British GT rivals – because the cars have been bespoke-built to accommodate them, the series has not had to give any special dispensations.
That’s despite the scale of their in-service injuries; Paul, for example, encountered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) during service; he had 400 pieces of shrapnel removed from his body, and a below-knee amputation. Steve also encountered an IED, which put him in a coma for three weeks. He then had a two-year physical rehabilitation programme to follow.
John Edwards, MD of Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations, said: It’s appropriate that this specially-commissioned F-Type SVR will be the first SVO-designed race car to hit the track.
“While the F-Type SVR is all about duality – the 200mph all-weather supercar that you can drive every day – this bespoke commission is 100% competition focused.”
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A crack team of wounded ex-servicemen from the British Armed Forces are to race two custom-designed GT4-spec Jaguar F-Type SVR sportscars in the 2018 and 2019 British GT Championship. The new team is called Invictus Games Racing.