Midland Automotive

[U475 Foxtrot]

and it looks like we're home to the fastest van too

11.77 makes it around as quick as a Porsche 911 Carrera

[IMG]http://i11.************/2dkldo8.jpg[/IMG]

[Erebus555]

Something I managed to find on Property Week (I haven't subscribed so I can't get the whole story):

Peugot to sell Midlands plant

Car manufacturer Peugeot has exchanged contracts to sell its manufacturing plant in the Midlands to the Barclay Brothers.

[Biosonic]

From BCC:

Birmingham City Council Leader Mike Whitby has today welcomed the resumption of manufacturing of MG cars at Nanjing Automotive’s plant in Nanjing.

And he has revealed that after discussions this weekend with NAC management and Li Yuanchao, Communist Party Secretary of the Jiangsu Province, that production of cars at Longbridge will re-commence in June.

Mike Whitby said: “This weekend I met with a high-level delegation of Chinese officials and representatives from NAC. They confirmed to me that production will commence in Nanjing on Tuesday (27th) with a projected start date of early June for manufacturing at Longbridge.

“In addition, they confirmed that the success of the Nanjing Automotive Company’s experience in Birmingham will affect whether other industries in the Jiangsu province invest both in the Midlands and the UK as a whole.

“We have been working hard behind the scenes with NAC to help them achieve their aim of bringing car manufacturing back to Longbridge. We will now see that work come to fruition, meaning jobs for people across Birmingham, and amongst the wider region who will supply the new plant.

In a letter to Cllr Whitby, NAC UK Chairman Wang Hong Biao has praised the efforts of the City Council to bring car manufacturing back to Longbridge. He said: “We will never forget the great support and help you have us from the very beginning of our presence here in Longbridge when all the others were sceptical about our determination to bring MG back”.

Wang Hong Biao added:”In order to restore Longbridge to its former glory as the base of a more than 100-year British motor industry, you have supported us, which was risky and unusual.”

In China, NAC will announce on Tuesday that they will develop two manufacturing bases; one in Nanjing and the other in Longbridge, which will be their European HQ and a new centre of excellent for research and development.

Mike Whitby added: “I am confident that following my discussions this weekend we will see cars coming off the production line in Longbridge in June. NAC clearly value the relationship that has developed between NAC and Birmingham City Council and I believe that it will begin to bear fruit.

During the last two years, Birmingham has developed extensive political and economic links with the city of Nanjing. In April 2006, the Leader of Nanjing City visited Birmingham and in September a loan agreement between the Export Import Bank of China (EXIM) and Nanjing Automotive Corporation UK for 35 million USD was agreed for the MG Project. This followed the visit of Mike Whitby to Nanjing where he met with the City’s Mayor and the Chairman of NAC.

In 2007 NAC have undertaken to start production of 13,000 cars based on the Rover 75 (to be known as the MG7). It also plans 7,000 MG TF convertible sports cars. By the end of 2011, Nanjing hopes to assemble 85,000 MG 7 and 25,000 MG TF cars a year.

NAC intends to build the MG 7 in both China and at the former MG Rover factory in Longbridge. After discussions with NAC this weekend it is hoped that preliminary production will begin at Longbridge in late May.

[Butterfield]

Apparently, as the first MGs rolled off the production line in Nanjing, they were unveiled at the factory against a backdrop of film footage showing London's Tower Bridge and Buckingham Palace, and music from the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra!

[Biosonic]

Not sure if it is really classed as Midlands, but:

http://www.propertyweek.com/story.as...de=3085994&c=1

The British Racing Drivers Club has unveiled its masterplan for the redevelopment and improvement of Silverstone

The plans to raise £30m to secure the future of the circuit and the British Grand Prix at the famous circuit in Northamptonshire.

This first phase of the plan features Porsche GB developing a new Driving Experience Centre at the site.

The masterplan comprises 6m sq ft (557,413 sq m) of development over the next 10 years.


The BRDC, which last year rejected St Modwen’s plans for Silverstone's redevelopment, created a Property Advisory Group in July 2006 to explore ways to raise money from its property assets of the club at the 760 acres (307 ha) ground.

The plans feature the creation of a new grandstand, new pit and paddock.

[majabl]

Of course Northamptonshire's in the Midlands!

[blahblah]

All good stuff.

I did manage to stumble across the redevelopment plans a while ago.

Link

Not suprised that nobody has seen it. It's buried on page 2 of the Cultural & Sporting Venues thread!

[Biosonic]

Originally Posted by majabl

Of course Northamptonshire's in the Midlands!

Sorry!

[blahblah]

Land Rover built it's 4,000,000th car today!

Link



Here's to the next 4,000,000 Provided they are built where they belong. in Solihull

[blahblah]

Oh Dear.

Britney Spears, in her day was really stunning. Then Kevin Federlane stuck his... ring on her, she got fat, and shaved her hair off. Even worse, she has resorted to flashing her rusty hinge at photographers for attention




In the last two years, Coventry & Birmingham's purveyor of pant wetting motor cars, Jaguar, has launched the beautiful new XK...



Is about to launch the stunning new XF to replace the S-Type....



But, it has just released images of the facelift for the XJ.


You can see where this is going can't you?






It's HORRIBLE! It looks like some Chav has got a front bumper from Halfords and stuck it on the front!

The new Jaguar XJ: Flashing it's Gash at a nightclub near you!

Motor Authority News

[Andy_K]

Roll-on the next XJ is all I can say! While it is a good car, I’ve always thought that the styling of the current model was a bit too staid (not that this revision helps much)

I can’t believe that that the front bumper looks like that for styling reasons though...I have a feeling it’s probably to help them meet pedestrian regs.

[Butterfield]

Well if that's the case they need to get rid of the 3D Jaguar badge on the front - again! Years ago there were reports that people had been badly injured by those so I'm surprised if they start making them again.

Great post blahblah, very amusing, but I think it looks okay. I like the XJ because it looks modern yet still looks more or less exactly the same as it has done for 30+ years. I'm not a fan of fins and skirts on cars but that looks okay. The 'basic' model probably won't look like that anyway.

[Andy_K]

That badge will only be fitted to cars sold outside Europe and Japan. I think US customers still really like having them on their Jags, and I guess given the size of most things on the roads over there, the leaper is the least of your worries if you get hit by something.

The high level of technology and research that went into the XJ makes me wish that it just had the styling to go with it. The original XJ, just as with previous Jags, was very different to everything else when it came out, especially in the styling department. Refreshing yet still beautiful.

I think with the XF they recaptured that, and I hope for Jags sake that it finally helps to send sales figures in the right direction.

[Butterfield]

Originally Posted by Andy_K

That badge will only be fitted to cars sold outside Europe and Japan. I think US customers still really like having them on their Jags, and I guess given the size of most things on the roads over there, the leaper is the least of your worries if you get hit by something.

Ahh I see, I hadn't thought about that. Thanks Andy!

[Jonny Gee]

Here are the battery-powered vehicles that are being made in Coventry by a company called Modec. The employ about 100 people. Tesco have ordered 15 vehicles for home deliveries. Some London boroughs have been testing and using these for a while now.

[U475 Foxtrot]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/c...re/6431577.stm
http://www.modec.co.uk/

[Prestonian]

I don't think Jaguar have yet got the styling right. There is little uniqueness going on. The new XK, while lovely, is an Aston Martin with a jaguar badge looks wize. That may be no bad thing in some eyes but it doesn't give jaguar the distinct image it needs. The first XK, by contrast, looked like nothing else and sold well. I believe this one is selling a little slower than hoped for. The XF looks great in concept but won't look nearly so refreshing in the production version, it doesn't even look 'jaguar'. The XJ, great tech bad styling, needs an urgent facelift. I think they should perhaps keep a model that looks like the current XJ though (to retain oldies who like 'em) but sell it under a revived daimler badge.

They should have built the F-type, biggest mistake ever.

[blahblah]

Originally Posted by Prestonian

I don't think Jaguar have yet got the styling right. There is little uniqueness going on. The new XK, while lovely, is an Aston Martin with a jaguar badge looks wize. That may be no bad thing in some eyes but it doesn't give jaguar the distinct image it needs. The first XK, by contrast, looked like nothing else and sold well. I believe this one is selling a little slower than hoped for. The XF looks great in concept but won't look nearly so refreshing in the production version, it doesn't even look 'jaguar'. The XJ, great tech bad styling, needs an urgent facelift. I think they should perhaps keep a model that looks like the current XJ though (to retain oldies who like 'em) but sell it under a revived daimler badge.

They should have built the F-type, biggest mistake ever.

The XK's designer is Ian Callum, who did the DB9, there are lots of his trademarks in both cars!!

I found this picture of the production version of the XF too. The interor is totally different, but as you can see, they've just changed the bumpers a bit for the production model. Apparantly the Concept's aggresive bonnet vents will see production on the XF-R performance model, which will have a 4.2 Supercharged V8!




Pictures from AUTO EXPRESS

Whilst I agree that it looks nothing like a Jaguar, I think it is exactly what Jaguar need. They are still a struggling part of a struggling parent company, and they need to start turning a profit, or the will go the way of MG Rover.

The XJ & X Type look like Jag's, but they aren't selling.

[Prestonian]

Jaguar had it more right, IMO, a few years ago with the R-coupe, XK-120 etc. I don't rate Callum as a designer, he worked great for aston martin but he seems to me to be lacking a bit in creativty. Nothing he makes makes me say wow how different is that. He plays very safe IMO and that it not at all what jaguar needs. That said I was very impressed with the RD6 a couple of years ago, that would have been a goer IMO - A3 territory.

The XF already looks more mundane in the production picture. It has lost the detail that made it special, things like the concealed door handles, the roof line is much higher and less sporting, some of the crome detailing is missing and I suspect the rear will look very very average. This car won't stand out enough IMO. I fear it may not be bold enough to attract new buyers but at the same time is not jaguar enough to retain existing fans. I used to love jaguar, they could do no wrong, not anymore, Audi stole my love sadly

I would like to be proved wrong and having not seen one in the flesh it (the XF) could still be a stunner, but it should have been more convincing than a maybe. To be honest something about it says Honda to me.

RD6




R-Coupe




These two show more jaguar potential to me, the RD6 more-so. That front end looks much more like a jag with twin headlamps. They should have worked with that.

[blahblah]

MGs to roll off Longbridge production lineMay 25 2007

By John Revill, Manufacturing Editor

One of the most famous marques in British automotive history will be officially reborn in Birmingham when the production lines restart at Longbridge next week.

Tuesday will be the day which many MG enthusiasts feared they would never see after the carmaker was plunged into administration two years ago.

A new pre-production MG sports car will be driven off line by new owners, the Nanjing Automobile Corporation (NAC), at a special ceremony at the once dormant plant

icBirmingham