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Blog : Bent-Eight Marinas

Keith Adams — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:40:35 +0000

Ian Elliott In the recent thread about 2-litre Itals/Marinas, the subject of V8-engined Marinas was brought up. If I have rambled about this in any previous AROnline submission, I apologise, but here goes: Stuffing V8s into small, unsuspecting family cars is a long-practiced amusement of the hot-rodding fraternity, and the more unlikely the starting point, [...]

Sales Talk : Fuel the passion & Plant the seed!

Mike Humble — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:35:20 +0000

AROnline peeps behind the office door in the car showroom to see what skeletons lurk in the shadows: Mike Humble pays respect to the many people who insipred and nurtured his young passion for the motor trade rather than kicking him out of the showroom, while reckoning some sales staff of today, could stop & think about [...]

Sales Talk : The Part Ex Expectation.

Mike Humble — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:34:02 +0000

Uncovering the myths and incidents behind those showroom windows with a light hearted view! When it comes to part exchange valuations, everyone considers their car to be top book and mint condition. Of course, it’s a salemans job to give as little away as possible, but you would be amazed at what people expect their unwanted [...]

Sales Talk : Messers – the dread of salesmen

Mike Humble — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:12:02 +0000

Another look into the dodgy world of car dealers in Sales Talk with Mike Humble: A couple of tales of the regarding the motor trades most loathed customer – the messer! The 75 and the Black Rat: Just as turf accountants have their own language and tick-tack gesticulations, the motor trade has its own list [...]

News : Range Rover Westminster

Keith Adams — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:05:18 +0000

Keith Adams To celebrate the tenth anniverary of the launch of the Range Rover L322, the company has unveiled three anniversary editions… one of which is named named after a certain borough in London. The Westminster, the Autobiography and the Supercharged Autobiography. Given a new Range Rover is due to be launched later this year, [...]

News : MINI Highgate unveiled

Keith Adams — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:42:33 +0000

Keith Adams Another MINI London-district themed hits the road with the arrival of the Highgate convertible. Following hard on the heels of the Baywater and Baker Street editions, the new MINI adopts a name from the ciy that’s hosting the Olympics in 2012. The car comes in flip Ice Chocolate metallic paint with matching hood, [...]

Chinese Maestro : Lubao CA6410

Keith Adams — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:23:50 +0000

The aquisition of production rights for the Maestro by Etsong intended to signal the beginning of a new venture. However, it was the First Auto Works (FAW), who took over the Etsong project. This was not their first ex-BMC>Rover product… Etsong, first Following the ill-fated Bulgarian adventure, the Maestro/Montego found a new home in China. [...]

Unsung Heroes : Rover Metro/114 GTa

Mike Humble — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:18:36 +0000

AROnline takes a another look at the cars which once littered the streets of blighty which now are vanishing fast. We love the Rover Metro/100 and the mildy-sporting GTa proved that power isn’t everything when cheeky charm is in abundance. Mike Humble grabs the keys… The little bounder As cute as a Labrador puppy yet [...]

Guest Blog : The North Wind Doth Blow…

Mike Humble — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 17:02:25 +0000

Another guest blog comes from Chris North, a sole trader and ex Sales Manager with Austin Rover – Honda – SAAB & Vauxhall. This man knows his onions (and his cars for that matter) I should know by the way… I worked with him! My name is Chris North and this year marks an [...]

Not their finest hour : Leyland Royal Tiger Doyen

Mike Humble — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:23:07 +0000

AROnline takes a look at some of the automotive blunders from both our own and rival makes. Your Driver: Mike Humble This one really deserved to win, even after 30 years, the Doyen looks amazing and fresh, but sadly a lack of experience, company ownership and changes in the sector trashed any chance of success. [...]

Video : Jaguar XKR-S goes snow drifting…

Keith Adams — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:29:33 +0000

Keith Adams Jaguar’s recent trip to Finland with a selection of its fastest models produced some amazing video. Here’s an excellent piece of footage of the car doing its best to spin – and its driver managing to keep things in check. We’ll be driving the 2012 XKR-S Convertible next week – and will let [...]

Archive : Jaguar celebrates 20 years of the XJ220

Keith Adams — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:59:51 +0000

It’s 20 years since the astonishing XJ220 burst on to the scene – and today it still has more road presence than any other supercar of its era. With a top speed of 213mph, it was briefly the fastest car in the world. It’s still up there, today. Supercat at twenty! The XJ220 remains the [...]

News : MINI names lethal weather front ‘Cooper’ in PR gaffe

admin — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:12:00 +0000

BBC News Europe An advertising agency for BMW has paid to name a cold weather front sweeping Europe ‘Cooper’ in Germany, after the carmaker’s Mini Cooper. But the public-relations stunt by the agency went wrong after the freezing conditions led to dozens of deaths. Germany’s meteorology institute allows the sponsorship of weather systems. On its [...]

News : Bladon Jets opens new engineering centre

Keith Adams — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:34:57 +0000

Bladon Jets, the pioneers of breakthrough micro jet engine technology, today announced the opening of its Engineering Centre in Coventry. The new centre houses advanced manufacturing and development facilities to help the company prepare its innovative products for volume production. The Engineering Centre was formally opened by Ratan Tata, chairman of Tata Sons, which is [...]

Blog : Would Roewe work in Europe?

Keith Adams — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:14:17 +0000

Keith Adams As usual, some excellent questions get posed by our readers. Take Ianto’s point in ‘Ask AROnline‘ – ‘I love Roewe! The cars, the adverts and the amazing website… There is something about the Chinese interpretation of all things British that brings a smile to my face.’ It’s probably an ironic question, as I [...]

Buy parts with AROnline and Rimmer Bros

Keith Adams — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:42:30 +0000

KEITH ADAMS Rimmer Bros sponsored AROnline‘s Polish SD1 restoration… Buying parts for your BMC>MG has never been easier through AROnline… HERE at AROnline, we receive a large numbers of emails from people all over the world looking for parts for their cars MGs, Rovers, Landies and all manner of BMC>MG cars. Given that this is [...]

News : MG Motor UK – brand-building set to gain momentum at Brands Hatch

Keith Adams — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:54:08 +0000

Words: Clive Goldthorp Photographs: Simon Davies/Pegasus Photographics MG Motor UK Limited’s works British Touring Car Championship team, MG KX Momentum Racing, was officially launched at MG Birmingham yesterday. Guy Jones, the company’s Sales and Marketing Director, geniunely believes that he has assembled a ‘Dream Team’ and those present were left in no doubt that the [...]

Not their finest hour : Austin Maestro 1.3HLE

Mike Humble — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:30:46 +0000

AROnline takes a look back at some of the memorable automotive blunders in more recent times from both our own, and rival makes. This time Mike Humble offers you a treat from our very own Austin Rover. Pray silence please for the Maestro HLE… The miracle Maestro? Now don’t get me wrong, but the Maestro is by no [...]

Events : London-Cape Town, day 29 – the end!

Keith Adams — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:47:42 +0000

Day 28, Cape Town, South Africa At last! We finally see the silhouette of Table Mountain…and roll down the long drive lined with palm trees to the Table Bay Hotel – the South Atlantic a pebble throw away. We have made it. It’s an emotional moment. Tears roll down the faces of grown men. The [...]

Analysis : LEZs, classic movement’s greatest threat?

Keith Adams — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:16:04 +0000

Andrew Elphick delves into Low Emissions Zones (LEZs), and how their widespread introduction could affect widespread classic car usage for years to come… The future. Its scary right? Maybe. One thing is for certain you will never outrun it in a car. You may or may not be aware of the LEZ, or you might [...]