I have my 15 minutes of fame on the Chinese Twitter aka Weibo:

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Vauxhall Press Release:

• Ellesmere Port wins next generation Astra
• Lead plant of two building Astra in Europe
• Groundbreaking new labour agreement
• Investment of £125 million
• 700 new direct jobs

Vauxhall today confirmed that production of its next-generation Astra compact car will be built at the company’s manufacturing plant at Ellesmere Port in Cheshire. Ellesmere Port will be the lead plant of only two in Europe building the new model.

The decision follows the conclusion of a ground-breaking new labour agreement which was approved by the Vauxhall workforce yesterday. The agreement comes into force in 2013 and runs through the life of the next-generation Astra, into the early 2020s.

As part of the agreement, the plant will implement a number of creative operating solutions to improve flexibility and reduce fixed costs and hence significantly improve its competitiveness. As a consequence, the Ellesmere Port plant will become one of the most competitive plants in the Vauxhall/Opel manufacturing network.

Assembly of the new compact car is scheduled to start in 2015. Operating on three-shifts, the plant is expected to run profitably at full capacity utilisation. The plan agrees a minimum of 160,000 vehicles to be produced each year. Vauxhall/Opel intends to invest £125 million into the facility in Ellesmere Port in order to upgrade it to the latest manufacturing standards and prepare for production of the new model. The company expects to create circa 700 new direct jobs in order to facilitate the three-shift operation.

Vauxhall will also raise the local supply content for the Astra to be built in Ellesmere Port to at least 25% which will create further employment locally and in the UK overall and further increase the plant’s competitiveness.

Vauxhall Chairman and Managing Director, Duncan Aldred, said: “This is great news for the Ellesmere Port plant, our employees, the local community, our suppliers, the Vauxhall brand and the UK. We have been able to develop a responsible labour agreement that secures the plant’s future. This is assisted by the government‘s industrial strategy; increasing its focus on the manufacturing sector and creating ideal ground for companies to build up long term investments.
With Ellesmere Port’s proven build quality and a new agreement that ensures excellent cost competitiveness, this facility will provide additional employment and, as the lead plant for the next-generation Astra, will be one of the cornerstones of our European manufacturing footprint.”

Vauxhall is quintessentially British and has been manufacturing motor vehicles in the UK seamlessly since 1903. This announcement, allied to Vauxhall’s continuing launch of award-winning, stylish and innovative new products, its sponsorship of the Home Nations football and its industry-leading Vauxhall Lifetime Warranty, underpins the brand’s commitment to the UK market and its loyal customers.

From the press office:
Have you ever watched motor racing on the television and wanted to be part of the glitz and glamour? Well MG Motor UK may be able to help.
MG is searching for candidates to form a top team of promotional staff for the rest of the 2012 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship season. For successful candidates it could be the start of a career in modelling or promotional work.

The MG KX Momentum Racing team is already attracting lots of attention from race fans and the Press with double-champion Jason Plato leading the championship in his racing MG6 GT after three rounds of the series. His teammate, Andy Neate, has been dogged by bad luck but is fighting back strongly with seven rounds of the championship still to go.

As a member of the eight-strong MG promotional support team, you will be able to help us have as much success off track as the drivers are having on the tarmac.

We are looking to uncover the faces of the future. So, if you are an aspiring model or have always fancied trying out some promotional work then this could be just the break you were looking for. It’s an opportunity to get involved with an iconic brand at a series of high profile events, covered live on ITV.
MG Motor UK will cover all your expenses, provide accommodation over the race weekends and arrange for photographs to be taken throughout the season which you can use to start or add to your portfolio.

This opportunity is open to people over the age of 17. Although the races are at tracks across the UK, the factory support team always departs from the MG factory in Birmingham, so being located in the Midlands would be an advantage – we are always keen to work with the local community.
If you want to join the MG team then you need to provide us with two recent photographs and explain in no more than 500 words why you think you have what it takes to be one of the faces of MG for 2012.

Please remember that the MG team will be chosen for their personality and brains and not just their looks so the statement is far more important than a glamorous picture!

To be considered please send your photographs and statement along with your date of birth, home address and contact numbers to: MG Promotional Staff Search, MG Motor UK, Sales & Marketing Department, Lowhill Lane, Longbridge, Birmingham B31 2BQ. You an also e-mail info@mgmotor.co.uk using MG Promotional Staff as the subject heading.

The closing date for applications is Monday, May 28 2012 at 5.30pm. Candidates who are shortlisted will be invited to a final review and fitting of team clothing at MG Birmingham later that week.

Press release:

Press Release:

Apparently when Jag were testing out the XJ220 they stuck a Transit body onto an XJ220 Chassis with all the gubbings (Brakes, suspension, axels etc) the result... 550Bhp and a van that does this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxofMKDd0Os

From the BBC News page:

Gaydon, 11 May 2012 – For the seventh successive year, Aston Martin will compete in the ADAC Zurich Nürburgring 24 Hours (19/20 May) as a total of eight Vantage racers gear up for the endurance epic. The marque will field its most ambitious entry to date with four official Aston Martins – including a pair of V12-powered Vantage GT3s – supported by a further four customer cars.



In excess of 170 cars will start the fearsome 24-hour race, which runs on the daunting 25km circuit that combines the legendary Nordschleife with the modern Grand Prix track. Having focused its efforts in previous years on near production-specification cars since its 2006 Nürburgring24 Hour debut, Aston Martin will, for the first time, be represented in the senior SP9 category for FIA-homologated GT3 cars. The pair of V12 Vantage GT3s will be run in association with long-standing official partner team, Young Driver AMR.

The lead Vantage GT3, carrying the iconic #007 designation, will be driven by Johannes and Ferdinand Stuck (A) – sons of triple Nürburgring 24 Hour winner Hans-Joachim Stuck – alongside Dennis Rostek (D) and Aston Martin Racing factory driver Darren Turner (GB). Turner’s regular works team-mate, Stefan Mücke, will drive the #006 car with Tomas Enge (CZ), Fredy Barth (CH) and Oliver Mathai (D).

In addition, Aston Martin’s engineering department will return with the spectacular V12 Zagato concept car that made its Nürburgring24 Hour debut in 2011. Targeting another successful race finish will be Aston Martin Chief Executive Dr Ulrich Bez (D), Chief Engineer Chris Porritt (GB), Aston Martin Nürburgring Test Centre Director Wolfgang Schuhbauer (D) and renowned motoring journalist and racer Richard Meaden (GB).
Ahead of the race, Dr Bez said: “Our 100 per cent finishing record in thirteen starts in one of the world’s toughest endurance races is remarkable; truly a testament to the reliability of our cars and the efforts of our people. In the past six years we have deliberately focused on racing close-to-production cars, achieving seven class podiums and three class wins. For 2012, I am delighted to be returning again to drive our V12 Zagato with my engineering team, but also to have such an exciting step up with the V12 Vantage GT3s.”

The fourth official entry will be a V8-powered Vantage run by Aston Martin’s Nürburgring Test Centre team and driven by Jurgen Stumpf (D), Australians Mal Rose and Rob Thomson, and Peter Cate (GB). Aston Martin will be represented by four further customer outfits, including Team Mathol Racing, winners of the SP10 class for GT4 cars in 2010.

David King, Aston Martin’s Head of Motorsport, said: “The Nürburgring 24 Hour race is the most important 24-hour race in the world for GT cars. The quality of the entry in the GT3 class and throughout the field is truly impressive. It is a hugely important step for us to be challenging in the SP9 class, with a top class partner team and a fine driver line up. The V12 Vantage GT3 has a direct line to our V12 Vantage road car, sharing the same chassis and base engine, and I know all the fans will love to see and hear these cars hopefully running near the front of the pack.”
John Gaw, Aston Martin Racing Team Principal, added: “2012 is a development season for the new V12 Vantage GT3 and the Young Driver AMR team are being closely supported by Aston Martin Racing to tune the car to the unique demands of the Nordschleife. We see this as the first step in a longer term plan to challenge for race victory at the Nürburgring in future years, but we are already greatly encouraged by the performance of the car in recent four hour VLN races here.”

Young Driver AMR Team Principal, Hardy Fischer, concluded: “It is an honour and also a big challenge for my team to be representing Aston Martin at this great event; it is something we have wanted to do for a long time. The racing and working conditions are unique – for the cars, the drivers and the team – it takes some getting used to, but we are ready for the challenge.”

The 40^th ADAC Zurich Nürburgring 24 Hours starts at 1600hrs CET on Saturday, 19 May. Keep up to date with Aston Martin’s progress on the official website at www.astonmartin.com/racing, or on its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/astonmartinracing and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/amr_official.
Fans can follow the race live via Radio Le Mans at www.radiolemans.com, which will broadcast for the duration of the 24 hours.

JLR COMMITS EXTRA £1 BILLION TO UK SUPPLIERS – AND CREATES 300 JOBS

Press Release by Honest John

This car has been advertised in the past.

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C302517#

https://secure.flickr.com/photos/kel...7629622658478/

Lots of British Cars in this selection of pictures, taken May 5 & 6 2012 at Snetterton
(some cars from foriegn parts too, sorry!)

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/au...d_testing.html

According to the article, the new BMW MINI will be sharing a platform with the new BMW 1-series?

The new longer wheelbase is quite clear, almost like a stretched MINI?

Seems an odd move to me, making these 2 cars share as they're almost opposites in every way?

Road Angel :nono1::nono1::nono1:
Anyone had the f*** off letter from them?
I don't think they understand 'lifetime subscription' or contract law.
We will see.

Just want to say a big public thank you to Ian Pogson at MG for his unstinting and unfailing efforts to answer my various technical queries about the car and its design and dealing with one or two small issues that arose. The issues were nothing serious at all, just me being ultra fussy, afterall we paid for a new car so despite being a blinkered Octagonist, I am not going to let them off that easily!

Talking to one of the sales people recently, he said it is all about the ownership experience, and the UK MD, William Wang wants people to get more out of it than just buying a car. I have to say that so far, compared to other cars we have owned and even compared to MG Rover, the ownership experience has been very good. Admittedly, we have a good local MG dealer (Graham Walker Ltd) but part of the pleasure has been the involvement with MG themselves and meeting their staff and getting involved in things like the BTCC etc. In addition, the MGCC and MG are really working hard in partnership to make it a success, and as Jerry knows, it has been great meeting new people through the MG6 Register. And that is part of what MG is about, the marque of friendship.

Sorry of I sound like a Fanboi but I am just saying it as I find it.