Land Rover to have a hguedisplay of pre production, full series & latest Defenders at the Goodwood Revival.

• Celebration of 67 years of Land Rover Series/Defender production at Goodwood Revival, 11^th to 13^th September

• Land Rover stand to chart the birth of the legendary Series I and its progress to the ultimate Defender of today

• Daily parade of more than 50 pre-1966 Land Rovers

• Bonhams to show The Defender 2,000,000 ahead of its auction for charity in December

Land Rover’s celebration of 67 years of Series Land Rover and Defender production will continue with a not-to-be-missed spectacle at this year’s Goodwood Revival taking place from the 11 – 13 September 2015.

The engineering bloodline that links the original Land Rover Series One with the 21^st century Defender will be celebrated in a special presentation and displays at this year’s Goodwood Revival. 

The Land Rover stand will capture the birth of the legendary vehicle and its progress through the past seven decades as a model that has constantly defined the concept of “go-anywhere” all-wheel drive engineering. 

Faithful to the retro spirit of the meeting, Land Rover will be recreating key elements from the development of the original Series I, which made its UK public debut at the 1948 Earls Court Motor Show, including drawing board plans and an early pre-production chassis. 

A Series I model will be shown tilted at 45 degrees, demonstrating the unprecedented capabilities it brought to the market, and the team manning the display will be dressed in replica engineering smocks worn by the 1940’s production workers.

The culmination of the presentation is the latest Defender Autobiography, a model that brings together the robust qualities of the original with bespoke and contemporary design features.    

Land Rover owners will be taking part in a daily parade of more than 50 pre-1966 Series models, including many special conversions body styles and will be on static display on Lavant Bank for the rest of the event. One highlight includes; the bright yellow 1950 Series I Bertam Mills Circus vehicle.

This fascinating Land Rover was built by Bertam Mills Circus in the late 1950s. It was designed to give the impression that the circus elephant, named Kam, was driving the car.

In addition, 11 of the owners of pre-production Land Rovers have confirmed that they are to participate in the celebration weekend. The vehicles, which all descend from the famous pre-production vehicle number one, ‘HUE 166’ are believed to be the largest number of pre-production vehicles ever seen in motion.

The sheer breadth of Land Rover vehicles, and conversions will span fire tenders, military conversions, prototypes, recovery vehicles, ambulances, Tickford conversions, mobile welders and even a tracked Cuthbertson 88" to make for an incredible spectacle.

Jeremy Hicks, Jaguar Land Rover UK Managing Director said: “To see such a brilliant coming together of so many significant Land Rovers in one place at Goodwood Revival is not to be missed. The Parade will demonstrate the sheer enthusiasm for the marque and will provide owners and visitors the perfect opportunity to celebrate this iconic vehicle.”

The Bonhams’ stand at the revival meeting will be showcasing Defender 2,000,000, a unique version that has been specially built as a tribute to the model’s production heritage and its two million production landmark at Solihull. 

The vehicle will be offered for sale at a charity auction hosted by Bonhams in London on 16 December, with the money raised going to support Land Rover’s humanitarian and conservation partners, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the Born Free Foundation.

WORLDWIDE SALES - BMW GROUP - Over two million sales make 2014 another record year.

• Record worldwide sales: up 7.9% with a total of 2,117,965 deliveries
• Best ever year for BMW, BMW Motorrad and Rolls-Royce
• MINI sales up 20.7% in December – a new record for the month
• Robertson: New models and balanced global growth key to success
• BMW i sales around 17,800; Krüger: BMW i8 production increased

The BMW Group delivered more than two million vehicles to customers in 2014, the company’s fourth record year in a row. A total of 2,117,965 BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce vehicles were sold, more than ever before in the Group’s history (prev. yr. 1,963,798 / +7.9%). 

All of the company’s brands finished the year strongly with sales in December up 15.2% - a total of 215,217 vehicles were delivered in the last month of the year (prev. yr. 186,786).

Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Sales and Marketing BMW said, “I am delighted that we achieved our target of selling more than two million vehicles in 2014, a new record for the BMW Group. 

We have seen good growth throughout the year, well spread across all major sales regions. Our new models such as the BMW X4 and BMW 2 Series Active Tourer demonstrate our ability to develop new vehicles which attract new customers to the brand. The popularity of the BMW i3 and BMW i8 shows our game-changing ‘born electric’ strategy is on track. We are now looking forward to building on these successes in 2015.”

2014 was the best year ever for the BMW brand. Deliveries of BMW vehicles totalled 1,811,719, an increase of 9.5% on the previous year (1,655,138). Sales in December also achieved a new high, up 14.2% on the same month last year (177,954 / prev. yr. 155,835).

In its first full year on the market, the BMW 2 Series Coupé has been delivered to a total of 27,933 customers while 13,091 customers have taken delivery of the 2 Series Active Tourer during the three months it has been on sale. 

Sales of the segment-leading BMW 3 Series were up on last year, totalling 476,792 (prev. yr. 467,672 / +2.0%). Deliveries of the BMW 4 Series models totalled 119,580 in 2014. The BMW 5 Series, which also leads it segment globally, saw sales increase 1.7% this year, with a total of 373,053 delivered to customers worldwide (prev. yr. 366,992). The BMW X4, which went on sale in July, has been delivered to 21,688 customers while the new third-generation of the BMW X5 has increased sales by 37.4% compared to last year (147,381 / prev. yr. 107,231).

Around 17,800 customers have taken delivery of an innovative BMW i vehicle in 2014. Global deliveries of the BMW i3 total 16,052; nearly three-quarters of those sales occurred in the second half of the year, following the vehicle’s late-spring market launch in several major markets including the USA. The keys to a total of 1,741 BMW i8s have been handed over to customers since it went on sale in the summer.

Due to the success of the BMW i vehicles, their production continues to ramp up. Harald Krüger, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Production said, “Our production lines in Leipzig are highly flexible and we have switched more production to the i8 to reduce customer waiting times to a better level. Meanwhile, more than 100 BMW i3’s leave the plant each day. The BMW Group is the first automotive company to manufacture using significant quantities of carbon fibre in series production and the success of these cars speaks for itself.”

Despite the change in the core MINI model this year, annual sales remained around last year’s record level with a total of 302,183 vehicles delivered to customers (prev. yr. 305,030 / -1.0%). Peter Schwarzenbauer, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for MINI, BMW Motorrad and Rolls-Royce was particularly pleased with how the year ended for the brand. 

“MINI saw its best ever fourth quarter with sales up 17.2% (94,624 / prev. yr. 80,748). It was also a record December with sales increasing 20.7% compared with the same month in 2013 (36,773 / prev. yr. 30,455). Since coming fully onto the market, sales of the new third generation MINI 3-door and the brand new MINI 5-door have been very strong.” 

In December, sales of the 3-door were up 33.9% (16,418 / prev. yr. 12,262) while a total of 6,954 customers took delivery of a 5-door MINI in the last month of 2014. The MINI Countryman saw sales grow 5.0% across the year (106,995 / prev. yr. 101,897) while deliveries of the MINI Paceman totalled 15,567 in 2014, an increase of 6.0% (prev. yr. 14,687).

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars announced record sales results for a fifth consecutive year, with 4,063 units (prev. yr. 3,630 / +11.9%) sold globally during 2014, more than ever before in the brand’s 111-year history. Peter Schwarzenbauer said, “Rolls-Royce has seen strong sales worldwide, with double-digit increases in most regions. This exceptional growth means that deliveries have more than quadrupled since 2009.” Sales were driven by strong orders for Ghost Series II, launched in November, and Wraith, which enjoyed its first full year of sales, while the Phantom remains the company’s pinnacle product.

BMW Motorrad has achieved a fourth successive sales record, selling over 120,000 maxi-scooters and motorcycles for the first time ever, an increase of around 7%. The exact figures will be released on Monday.

The BMW Group achieved growth in all major sales regions in 2014

In Europe, a total of 913,803 BMW and MINI brand vehicles were delivered to customers (prev. yr. 858,990 / +6.4%). All European markets have experienced growth in 2014. The BMW Group’s home market, Germany, saw sales increase 1.7% across the year with 273,433 new vehicles registered (prev. yr. 268,838). Sales in the region’s second biggest market, Great Britain, grew 8.4% in 2014 (204,749 / prev. yr. 188,837) while a total of 67,449 BMW and MINI vehicles were delivered in France, an increase of 5.3% (prev. yr. 64,082).

Sales of BMW and MINI vehicles in Asia grew by 13.8% in 2014 with sales totalling 656,395 (prev. yr. 576,616). This level of sales growth was reflected in the December figures – deliveries in the last month of the year totalled 61,295 (prev. yr. 54,546 / +12.4%). The year saw sales in Mainland China grow by 16.7%, with a total of 455,979 BMW and MINI vehicles delivered to customers (prev. yr. 390,713). Strong sales growth was also experienced in South Korea, where 46,400 customer deliveries were made, an increase of 17.3% on the previous year (39,558).

Sales growth of 3.9% was recorded at year-end in the Americas (481,056 / prev. yr. 462,891). The USA was the region’s main growth driver in 2014, annual sales there were up 5.3% to total 395,850 (prev. yr. 375,782). Canada also saw positive growth of 1.2% (38,188 / prev. yr. 37,723) while sales in Mexico increased by 6.5% compared with the previous year (14,902 / prev. yr. 13,992).

Double-digit growth was recorded in the Middle East region with a total of 30,148 BMW and MINI vehicles sold in 2014, an increase of 22.6% compared with the previous year (24,596). December sales in the region were up 30.4% with a total of 2,511 vehicles delivered to customers in the last month of the year (prev. yr. 1,926).

BMW Group sales in/up to December 2014 at a glance

	In December 2014	Comp. to previous year	Up to/incl. December 2014	Comp. to previous year
BMW Group Automobiles	215,217	+15.2%	2,117,965	+7.9%
BMW	177,954	+14.2%	1,811,719	+9.5%
MINI	36,773	+20.7%	302,183	-0.9%
Rolls-Royce	490	-1.2%	4,063	+11.9%

Happy 20th Birthday to the Renault Twingo fun city car.

The original Twingo – “The car that didn’t exist”* – is celebrating its 20^th anniversary this year. At the time of its launch, the model took the world by storm thanks to its bold design, innovative concept and playful demeanour, and ultimately racked up more than two million sales.

An ambitious project

In 1989, Renault asked project director Yves Dubreil to come up with a small car that was compact, practical, economical and comfortable – but not a direct rival to its big sister, Clio. Twingo’s conception was dictated by the ‘design to cost’ philosophy and the team’s mission was to propose a compact car, with pioneering, attractive styling at a reasonable price. To achieve that, the only solution was to take a completely different approach with the aim of making life easier... Strip out the superfluous and replace it with unique innovations such as the sliding rear seat.

A simple range

Unlike the diverse model ranges marketed many of its competitors, Twingo was unique inasmuch as it was available in a single version, with just one 1.2-litre, 55hp engine and one interior trim level which featured electric windows and apple green control stalks. Twingo was presented with four different body colour choices at its launch: Outremer Blue, Corail Red, Coriandre Green and Indien Yellow. Only two options could be specified: a folding canvas roof and climate control.

Small on the outside, spacious and versatile within

Twingo featured a monobox architecture which permitted a better distribution of space between the engine compartment and cabin. The wheels were pushed right out to the four corners of the vehicle and there was just one wheel size and a single engine. These attributes enabled the interior space to be optimised. At the time of its launch, Twingo topped its class in the small city car segment in terms of height, width and knee room – most notably thanks to its innovative sliding rear seat. All four seats could in fact be folded flat to create an impromptu double bed – a unique offering in its field that immediately underscored Twingo’s smart design and versatility.

“It'sup to you to invent a lifestyle that goes with Twingo!”

This advertising slogan accompanied the launch of Twingo, dubbed by some as the ‘Frog from Billancourt’. The moniker Twingo – a blend of ‘Twist’, ‘Swing’ and ‘Tango’ – was emblematic of the unusual, dynamic and aesthetically-pleasing design of this vehicle which exuded optimism and joie de vivre. Twingo saw Renault take a totally fresh stance on the automobile. The deliberate polar opposite of a status-enhancing vehicle, it inspired a new type of consumption: people bought a Twingo for themselves, not to impress others. People appropriated Twingo for their own desires and invented a lifestyle that went with it.

A unique, engaging personality

Twingo was not a downsized version of Renault Espace. It boasted its own distinct personality, with a curvy, rounded exterior design that expressed strength and beauty with an almost human face. The design of the dashboard guaranteed perfect visibility and married simplicity, functionality (with the centre console) and a touch of humour with its hazard warning lights switch shaped like a clown’s nose.

Landmark dates

March 1993: Commercial launch of Twingo, following a preview several months earlier at the Paris Motorshow.

1994: A Frenchman covered 240,000km in a Twingo across the harsh Australian outback, demonstrating the reliability of this car whose talents were not restricted merely to city motoring. At the end of the journey, the car was painted by an Aboriginal artist.

1994: Launch of Twingo Easy equipped with a manual gearbox but no clutch pedal.

1996: Launch of the limited-edition Twingo ‘Benetton’ and Twingo’Matic versions, fitted with an automatic three-speed gearbox. Moreover, the engine was boosted by 5hp to reach 60hp.

1998: First major restyling of Twingo with upgrades to the chassis, seats, dashboard, lights and front bumper. Introduction of the limited-edition ‘Elite’ version.

1999: Launch of the top-of-the-range ‘Initiale Paris’ version.

2000: Launch of the 16V, 75hp powerplant and Quickshift sequential gearbox.

2005: Appearance of the ‘Kiss Cool’ limited-edition.

June 28, 2007:Production of the last Twingo 1 in Europe following some 2,075,300 sales over a career that lasted 14 years – an exceptional lifespan by car industry standards.

2012: Twingo continued to be manufactured in Colombia until 2012. Between 1995 and 2012, Twingo achieved tremendous success in the Colombian market, notching up sales in excess of 100,000. Twingo Tatoo was Twingo 1’s final limited-edition version.

* According to Christophe MIDLER, Research Director at CNRS – the French National Centre for Scientific Research– and author of ‘The car that didn’t exist’, published in 1994.

Sadly, the original Twingo never made its way officially to UK shores in right-hand-drive form, however, the second-generation did, arriving over here in September 2007. Today, following a relatively recent facelift to bring it in line with Renault’s new brand identity, it continues to be sold in Dynamique form, the pocket-rocket Renaultsport 133 having now ceased production in anticipation of the third-generation model.

Nissan teaser for new Qashqai

The countdown has begun. In 10 days, Nissan will unveil the most significant car in its modern history – a model that will redefine the crossover sector and set new standards across the board. New Qashqai is coming.

Reinvented from the ground up, the new Qashqai pushes the boundaries of design and innovation – ushering in sector-first technologies and introducing fresh thinking in every area. From advanced aerodynamics to state of the art cabin infotainment systems, the new Qashqai represents Nissan at its most creative.

The new Qashqai takes on the spirit of the ground-breaking original and amplifies the core qualities that have endeared it to over 2.0 million drivers around the world.

BREAKING NEWS - Land Rover announces that Defender production to stop in 2015

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has said it will stop production of its Defender model in 2015 because it will not meet new European laws on fuel emissions.

The last of the 4x4 models will roll off the production line at its plant in Solihull in the West Midlands in December 2015, it confirmed.

The model had evolved over 67 years of production but it could not be adapted to meet new emissions rules, JLR said.

It said no jobs would be lost and it was working on a replacement model.

The first model in the style of the Defender was introduced in 1948 and was modelled on a World War II Jeep.

It was not given the Defender name until the early 1990s, shortly after the launch of the Land Rover Discovery.

More than two million have been sold since the car first appeared, JLR said.

The firm said the decision to cease production was "mainly legislation based."

'Workhorses with style'

Plans by the European Council and Parliament to bring in stricter measures for new car emissions by 2020 meant there were "certain conditions the Defender just won't meet," the company said.

It said a replacement model for the Defender was being developed to be launched in 2016.

The Defender is very much a part of Land Rover's heritage but it does need to change.

Making the vehicle is pretty labour intensive and it is also not as mainstream as other Land Rover models.

The new Range Rover Sport, for instance, while still being an off-road vehicle is designed for a completely different and much more lucrative market.


The Defender has for a long time been the workhorse of the farmer, but these days Land Rover and Range Rover models are anything but.

Yes farmers still buy them, but desirability has propelled the brands into the premium market, somewhere the current Defender model just does not seem to fit anymore.

JLR's head of products, John Edwards, said the new model would be "instantly recognised" by people who drive the current vehicle but it "won't necessarily be cheap".

Editor of Auto Express magazine, Steve Fowler, said the Defender had taken on "iconic status" after being driven by members of the Royal Family and being featured in the latest James Bond film, Skyfall.

He said: "It's a very important market for Land Rover, one of its three pillars with the Range Rover and the Discovery.

"As we experienced with another iconic car, the Mini, it had a bit of a sabbatical before coming back and that's what I fully expect to happen with the Defender."

Frank King, from the Land Rover owners' club in Cannock, Staffordshire, said it was "disappointing news."

He said: "The silhouette still looks the same as it did 67 years ago, although its been upgraded and had new engines and whatever. It's a real shame to see it go."

Peter PlisnerBBC Midlands transport correspondent


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