Fifth Gear host takes a 1970's EV car that boasted 8hp, to make it the fastest, Street Legal EV in the world.

A tiny British electric vehicle from the 1970s has become the world’s quickest street legal EV in the hands of motoring journalist and serial car modifier Jonny Smith.

The Enfield 8000, a forgotten city car built on the Isle of Wight in the oil crisis era, stormed through the quarter mile sprint at Santa Pod on Saturday in a record-smashing 9.86 seconds at an average 121mph.

Originally boasting just 8hp, the car dubbed the Flux Capacitor now packs more than 800bhp, 1,200lbft of torque and quietly rockets to 113mph in six seconds.

Acknowledge meant goes to www.julianhunt.net for the pictures used in this press release.

To put that in perspective, it outpaces modern supercars like the Lamborghini Aventador, McLaren's 650S, a Porsche 911 Turbo S, Nissan GT-R and even Tesla's incredibly capable P90D electric car.

Jonny snatched the world record, which stood at 10.25 seconds, from the car that inspired him in the first place - an electric converted old Datsun owned by John Wayland from Portland, Oregon.

“I'm in awe of what this little yellow thing can cope with,” said Jonny, who has presented TV’s Fifth Gear since 2006 and approached Adrian Flux to sponsor his dream four years ago.

“Despite so many racers telling me that a 68-inch wheelbase car could never safely go as fast as we wanted, the Enfield has proved them wrong.

“Originally the car was designed to drive up to speeds of 40mph. Now it triples the speed within quarter of a mile without any aerodynamic alterations – which is testament to the original design.

“The original designer John Ackroyd, who spent a lot of budget on the aerodynamics, and went on to work with Richard Noble on Thrust 2.

“The car never feels like it is out of its comfort zone. To be honest I have disconnected the speedo, and just drive it by feel. You quickly forget how small it is when the lights go green. The instant electric torque delivery is something I have never experienced in over 15 years of driving and testing sports cars.

“I set out to build a British electric hot rod. I hope I've achieved something leftfield enough to prove that David certainly can beat Goliath.

“I'm deeply thankful to all of the positive support from my sponsors, without which I couldn't have achieved this at all - Adrian Flux insurance, Hyperdrive, Gas It, Vintage VDB watches, Castor Vali global risk management and Andriaki Shipping company.”

Jonny rescued the Enfield, then a flood-damaged write-off, four years ago, and restored the car before adding 21st century electric technology.

The car is powered by 188 lithium-ion battery cells built into enclosures under the bonnet and boot, generating 2000 amps and 400 volts to a pair of DC 9-inch motors to drive the back wheels.

These batteries are normally seen running the miniguns and starting the engines of a Bell Super Cobra attack helicopter, but built for the car by Hyperdrive Innovations in Sunderland.

Despite reaching 100mph in under 6 seconds and only being 112" (2.8 metres) long, Jonny's Enfield is still road legal, tax exempt and London congestion charge exempt.

As part of the drag racing series he competes in, the Street Eliminator entrants must prove their roadworthiness as part of the qualifying process by way of a mandatory 26-mile cruise around Northamptonshire.

Being road legal means the car has to run treaded tyres, and no wheelie bars, which might help the 68" (1.7 metre) wheelbase to stay straight under full acceleration.

But even without them, the Flux Capacitor runs straight and true - and very, very fast.

USA - VW launches another Beetle Special Edition, again based on history, the Beetle Denim Limited Edition.

The special edition Beetle Denim is a contemporary tribute to the 1970s Beetle Jeans model

• Exclusive short-run model, arriving in dealerships in early 2016
• Equipped with 17-inch Heritage wheels and 1.8-liter TSI® engine
• Original interior design, including unique seating surfaces and  jeans-inspired seat pockets

Volkswagen of America Inc. announced today the launch of the special edition 2016 Beetle Denim. Paying homage to the 1970s Jeans Bug, the vehicle revives the rich heritage of the Beetle brand, offering fans a modern take on this classic model.

As a special edition vehicle, exclusive design elements have been added to the 2,000 production units. The 2016 Beetle Denim is offered in two exterior color options—Pure White or Stonewashed Blue. The production run will be split equally between the two colors. The convertible top has been finished in Dark Blue with a brand new textured fabric that resembles denim.

Interior design features include a unique light-blue-and-silver dashpad and jeans-inspired seat pockets with small Beetle tabs in red. 

The light blue denim-color cloth seating surfaces also feature white piping and dark blue leatherette accents.

For model year 2016, the vehicle is equipped with Volkswagen’s new MIB II infotainment system, which offers higher resolution, faster processing speeds, and crisper graphics than ever before. 

A 5.0-inch resistive touchscreen display comes with a host of standard features including AUX-in, SD card slots, and a USB multimedia interface with iPhone® and iPod® device connectivity, reverse camera display, and Bluetooth® technology for compatible devices.

Available in the United States with a 1.8-liter turbocharged and direct-injection TSI® engine and a six-speed automatic transmission, the Beetle Denim produces 170 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. The 2016 Beetle Denim will be a value model in the Convertible lineup.

The original Jaguar Xj12-C Broadspeed used in the New Avengers by John Steed smashes target by over £50k

• 1976 XJ12-C Broadspeed as seen on popular 1970’s TV series The New Avengers fetches £62,000 at H&H Classics’ auction in Duxford
• John Steed’s on-screen hero-car sells to private collector after 20-year hibernation
• ‘NWK 60P’ another example of increasing desirability and values of Jaguar Heritage models after fetching £50,000 over initial estimates
• Wears chassis number eight and originally made as a pre-production prototype before starring in the cult ‘70s TV show

The original Jaguar XJ12-C Broadspeed that appeared in the cult 1970’s TV series, The New Avengers, has sold at auction today for £62,000 – some £50,000 over initial estimates.

The iconic Jaguar, driven by secret agent John Steed (played by Patrick Macnee) in the hit series, began life as a pre-production prototype vehicle for the marque. Bought by a private collector at the H&H Classics’ auction at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, Cambridge, the XJ12-C completed its early development and testing work with Jaguar before being sent to Broadspeed Engineering Ltd. to be fitted with upgraded bodykit including wider bumpers and wheelarches plus bigger wheels and tyres in preparation for filming.

The car wears chassis number eight (2G1008BW) and features the original 5.3-litre V12 engine that powered secret agent Steed’s British sportscar during the 26-episode series.

Following the series finale in 1977, ‘NWK 60P’ was then sold and passed through the hands of multiple keepers and eventually put up for auction at the NEC Classic Car Show in the early 1990s. After the sale, the famous Jaguar disappeared from public view and remained in hibernation for the next two decades – during which time the car has been subjected to vandalism and general disrepair.

Tim Hannig, Managing Director, Jaguar Heritage, said: “There is no arguing about the desirability of this iconic Jaguar. The XJ12-C Broadspeed still looks fantastic today and although the condition of NWK 60P has deteriorated over the 20 years its been locked up, it still shows how the demand for Jaguar Heritage models has increased in recent times along with their values. We hope to see the car back on the road in the near future and we will continue to support owners of cars such as this famous XJ12-C through our Jaguar Heritage business.”

Nick Delaney, Business Development Manager of H&H Classics, said: “It is fantastic to see this Jaguar XJ12-C from The New Avengers TV Series back in public view again after being locked away for so long. The sale price of £62,000 is truly remarkable considering it fetched more than £50,000 over initial estimates. It just proves the appeal of not only the programme but also of the car itself. Buyers are seeing the investment potential with classic Jaguars and the added provenance of this car means that it, once fully restored to working order again, will be even more valuable.”

Jaguar Heritage forms part of Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Operations division and has been born to support the brand’s passion in nurturing and preserving its rich heritage of vehicles and supporting its loyal customer base across Jaguar’s global sales network. Jaguar Heritage boasts a catalogue of over 30,000 original spare and replacements parts for generations of Heritage models 10 years out of production. Furthermore, Jaguar’s Heritage workshop at Browns Lane, Coventry, carries out warrantied servicing and restorations on the marque’s classic models.

SMMT predicts that the UK will top the 1970's height of UK car production by 2020, and mostly with premium products.

• Annual production to hit all-time record of two million vehicles in 2020, beating former 1970s high.
• Sector growth could create 37,500 new UK jobs by 2020, with supply chain providing lion’s share.
• UK is EU’s second-biggest maker of premium cars and greater shift to premium production expected. 

The UK automotive industry is on course to break manufacturing records by the end of the decade, according to a new forecast report launched today by The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Annual car production is expected to pass the two million milestone by 2020 – breaking the current record of 1.92 million cars which was set in 1972, when the most popular car was the Ford Cortina rather than today’s top-seller, the Ford Fiesta.

More than 1.5 million cars were built in the UK in 2014, and acceleration in productivity and production volumes towards the end of the decade will see the UK consolidate its position as the third-largest maker of cars in Europe, behind Germany and Spain but ahead of France and a strengthening Eastern Europe.

The report also predicts a rise in employment, with jobs growth in the sector driven predominantly in the supply chain. Up to 9,500 jobs will be created at source by vehicle manufacturers, but that could generate a potential extra 28,000 at component supply companies as UK manufacturers’ demand for home-grown components increases.

Key to the sector’s success is the ‘shift to premium’ – in other words, the increasing value of the vehicles made in – and exported by – British manufacturers. In 2010, 37% of UK car production was by premium manufacturers; this is projected to rise to 54% by 2020. This reflects increasing global demand for premium vehicles and benefits the whole economy, with more value generated for each vehicle exported. The UK is already Europe’s second-highest producer of premium cars, behind only Germany.

The report – The Future of UK Automotive Manufacturing in 2025 and Beyond¹ – was launched today at the SMMT International Automotive Summit in London, and provides a comprehensive long-term outlook on the future of the UK automotive industry.

Since the recession, the UK automotive sector has undergone a renaissance with significant recent investments – including a cumulative £2 billion to-date in 2015 alone. Car production for the year-to-date passed the one million mark last month, its best annual performance since the recession.

The prospects for the UK automotive sector are well grounded – although as the report makes clear, this is dependent on global market conditions and the prospect of future investments which assume the UK’s continued membership of the European Union.

Speaking at the Summit, Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “This report is further proof of the growing stature of the UK as a global destination for high quality vehicle manufacture. The automotive industry has made tremendous strides in recent years, as significant investment, along with partnership with government, has driven huge growth in production and employment.

“The prospect of further jobs growth, particularly in the supply chain, is extremely encouraging, while the UK’s consolidation as a global hub for premium production is testament to our prowess in design and precision engineering. This success, built on improvements in productivity, workforce flexibility and skilled people, has been hard-fought for; we cannot be complacent. Future growth in a fiercely competitive global market will rely upon continued government support, as well as an attractive business environment which drives investment and stimulates innovation.” 

Best-sellers: then and now
1972	2015 (YTD)
1.Ford Cortina	1. Ford Fiesta
2.Ford Escort	2.Vauxhall Corsa
3.Morris Marina	3.Ford Focus
4.BL 1100/1300	4.Volkswagen Golf
5.Vauxhall Viva/Magnum	5.Nissan Qashqai

John Steeds Jaguar XJC 12 going up for auction, its in a bad way, but this MUST be saved, as he passed recently.

Steed, Gambit, Purdey: cult fantasy secret agent series The New Avengers was one of the hits of the mid-1970s. But the other star alongside Patrick Macnee, Gareth Hunt and Joanna Lumley was this 1976 Jaguar XJ-C 12, now for sale at H&H Classics on 14 October 2015 with the very modest estimate of just £10,000 to £12,000.

John Steed's famous Jag, in Racing Green, was the eighth XJ-C 12 made and originally an experimental model featuring a Broadspeed body kit and extra-wide wheels fitted for the TV series.

Dry-stored for many years and now in need of restoration, it comes to the market as a dream project for someone who loves a ‘barn-find’.

There can be very few British cars that speak more eloquently of the automotive culture of the UK in the 1970s than this burly, rakish, cool brute that was John Steed’s Big Cat.

This smooth secret agent was well matched by the equally elegant but tweaked, tuned and pumped up version of Jag’s pillarless XJ Coupé that boasted a dozen cylinders offering 5.3 litres.

Driven by an elegant man in Savile Row tailoring and a bowler hat, the car, gritty Gambit and purring Purdey were perfect foils for him and the oh-so-British action.

Damian Jones, Sales Director of H&H Classics, comments: “Who of us who remember the series did not at one time or another fancy ourselves at the wheel of this car? Now there is a chance to make that fantasy a reality for a very nominal amount. And who knows, maybe the chance to find a modern-day Purdey in the passenger seat!”