SEAT knows how to test its cars by making them go through a range of testing over 25,000km's, using 40 cars, 80 tests & 50 engineers.

• 50 engineers, 80 tests, 25,000 kilometres driven and three weeks of work
• All cars are tested in extreme conditions to verify their reliability in any circumstance; now it's the new SEAT Ateca's turn

A total of 50 engineers and 40 cars are ready to cover 25,000 kilometres and perform 80 tests in the desert region of southern Spain where daytime temperatures soar to 45°C in the shade. 

This is extreme summer testing, one of the world’s most demanding performance exams for cars, a genuine boot camp that lasts three weeks. Today it’s the SEAT Ateca’s turn, but what kind of extreme tests are a vehicle put through? Here are some examples.

• Traction and controlled descent test. This tests the traction control systems on declines of up to 35% and how the Hill Descent Control performs; this system guarantees a controlled descent without the driver having to activate the brake pedal as well as the automatic enabling of the ABS system where necessary.
• Towing control test. There is a greater risk of losing control of a vehicle when pulling a trailer. This test verifies the performance of the Trailer Stability Program, which is a system that helps the car remain stable when it has a hitched trailer.
• Klapper test. A typical car has over 3,000 parts. This test ensures that all the components work in perfect harmony and do not cause any irritating noises for the passengers, no matter the type or condition of the surface being driven on.
• Dust intake test. A lead car drives through the desert leaving a large dust cloud in its wake, immediately followed by the car being tested to determine the service life of the air filter.
• Gravel test. The vehicles are driven 3,000 kilometres on a specific gravel course to analyse the impacts made by gravel on the entire undercarriage, wheel arches and the exterior and under surface of the bumpers. The goal is to ensure all the parts will resist during the vehicle’s service life. 

With nearly a month of trials and over 80 verifications behind them, the cars have been tested in all their possible configurations so that nothing is left to chance. Thanks to the extreme testing carried out by hundreds of engineers and technicians around the world, drivers can rest assured of being able to drive reliably on any road in the world. Next stop: winter testing.

SEAT is the only company that designs, develops, manufactures and markets cars in Spain. A member of the Volkswagen Group, the multinational has its headquarters in Martorell (Barcelona), exporting more than 80% of its vehicles, and is present in over 75 countries. In 2015, SEAT’s turnover amounted to over 8.3 billion euros, the highest in its history, and the company achieved worldwide sales of more than 400,000 units for the first time since 2007.

SEAT Group employs more than 14,000 professionals at its three production centres – Barcelona, El Prat de Llobregat and Martorell, where it manufactures the highly successful Ibiza and Leon. Additionally, the company produces the Ateca and the Toledo in the Czech Republic, the Alhambra in Portugal and the Mii in Slovakia. 

The multinational has a Technical Centre, which operates as a knowledge hub that brings together 1,000 engineers who are focussed on developing innovation for Spain’s largest industrial investor in R&D. SEAT already features the latest connectivity technology in its vehicle range and is currently engaged in the company’s global digitisation process to promote the mobility of the future.

Lots of TV adverts for MG-Rover through to MG Motors UK and into the future, enjoy.

In the final years of MG-Rover, they tried there very best to make the most out of what they had, there just was not any money in the pot to give us new cars, which is a shame and quite frankly idiotic, as they did have that money at the start, but they frittered it away, and with us now approaching the Tenth Anniversary of the collapse of MG-Rover back in 2005, all we have left is some TV adverts, some brilliant, some just plain daft, but all had one point, to sell cars.

Now we will never know how good at selling these cars the ads actually were, so I leave it you to watch the ads below, and remember fondly what we had back then, and what could have been, if BMW had waited just another 18 months, or the P4/5 had actually gotten a partner on board before it was just plainly too late.

So, watch, enjoy and smile.....

MG-Rover Brand values 2004

MG-ZR and ZS Football match 2004

Rover 25 Roulette Advert 

Rover 45 PinBall Advert.

Rover 400 Advert pre 2000

Rover 75 Advert, Who wants to be a Millionaire.

MG ZR Cinema release advert

MG ZR, ZS, ZT & ZT-T advert (similar to above)

MG ZED Range launch advert - eventually banned.

MG SV X-Power Promo video

Then it all went, and we were left with just memories, that was until MG made a return to the UK, and back to Longbridge, this time we have the MG6, and this was followed by the MG3, we should also be getting the new MG GT, MG CS and Dynamo PHEV car, so the future is looking very bright for MG once again.

MG6 Launch Advert

And from China we have....

MG GT

I hope you have enjoyed a little walk back through History, and a brief glance at the future.

TMW - 2014 Pride of Longbridge classic car event - WARNING - PIC HEAVY

Back in 2005 two events were to bring the Birmingham motor industry to the fore, the first was the closure of Britain's last mass production car industry, the other, situated just over the road, at Cofton Park, was an event that now heralds what was, and still is great, about what eventually became MG-Rover.

PLEASE CLICK ON ANY PICTURE TO VIEW LARGER SIZE.

A view from the MG sales centre opposite the park.

From the start of the very first car that arrived, the endless stream of cars continued to arrive, for hours, the myriad of Rover 25's, 45's and 75's along with there MG Sisters, an lonely SV, a few commercial vehicles, along with Triumph's, Austin's, Morris's, Riley's, Wolseley's and more.

This event was not just for the UK either, as a number of European registered cars were in attendance, which, goes to show, what an event this really has become over the years, it was so great to see cars from an era that did not make cars to last, with the dreaded rot calling the death knell to many models, but those, dedicated, and brilliant people, that have the time, patience and money to keep these stunning examples on the roads, it is these people that deserve to be applauded, for without them, these events would not exist.

So, you want a Rover 200 BRM, we have a few here, all Green with red leather.

I had a nice chat with a geezer from the Rover 200 BRM club, and my, where there dozens of these there, it was another lost opportunity for Rover, the BRM badge should have been utilised on more than just the 200, imagine, a 100 BRM with the red leather interior, or a 45, now that would be something special, but i digress, as i usually do in these events, as there is just so much to convey, that i get excited by what's to come, and believe me, the pictures below are only a handful of the hundreds we took.

Pre War Rover 10

I do have to say though, that if you took away the MG-Rover era of cars there would be a distinct lack of cars there, as it was they ranged from a pre-war Rover 10 - via a pre production Austin 1800 with its scale model, to the first Longbridge produced again via the last Rover (real) Mini right up to a brand spanking new MG3, that was collected from the sales centre, over the road, just a few minutes earlier.

I will also have to say, how happy i was to see so many MG6 and MG3 cars on display, and how these owners are really getting behind NEW MG, and regardless of the drivel you can read on other forums from people that should now better, these new cars are special, in a way that the MGR era cars were special, we have to remember that it was 9 long years ago that MGR died, and the Chinese took control, yes it has been a long wait, but things are happening, successful, if no marketing to promote it, BTCC wins, the decent little MG3, that deserves to be selling so many more, and the MG6, that deserves, well, to be honest, that's my bug bear, the MG6 is over priced, and under specified, not in kit, but engines and gearboxes, and that's all I will say on the subject.

MG6 GT and Magnettes along with MG3 cars by teh MG Stand.

Back to the event, the overwhelming amount of Rover 75 and ZT/ZT-T cars on display was huge, in fact i would not be surprised if it amounted to about a third of the total, but to see so many mk1 and mk2 cars in all colours was a spectacle to behold, and one i just drooled over at each car, and there were some special ones there too.

Not sure about the black paint around the grill on this Rover 75

At one stage we popped over the road and say the dozens and dozens of MG3 cars in the compound, that were awaiting customers, there really should not be any there, they need to be sold, like a large number of MG3 cars by the sales centre with SOLD on, there was even an unregistered Rover 45 in Silver next to the Magnette MG6.

Unregistered 45 along with dozens of MG3 cars in the background.

Yet more MG3 cars ready for some new buyers.

There were just so many cars there, some that just smacked you with how beautiful they were to others that, well, need to have their owners smacked, it is unfortunate that with the demise of MGR, the collapse of the second hand car market brought about the arrival of what used to be call the Max Power brigade, modded up cars, lower suspension, scissor doors, huge exhausts and so on, for me, these are not classic cars, for me, and it is my personal opinion that these cars will end up smashed and destroyed, ended another great car that could have been kept original, I like my cars original, not tarted up like a dogs dinner, but for those that do, that's fine too.

Below is my top cars of the event.

Unusual Car of the Event

Best Austin

Best MG

Top Ten favourite cars of the event

10th Place

9th Place

 8th Place

7th Place

6th Place

  5th Place

4th Place

 3rd Place

2nd Place

 My favourite car of the event + Best Rover

A stunning Rover P5b 3.5 litre V8 in Black, it just cant get any better than this !

Get ready for this, these are some of the other pictures, enjoy.

And remember these are my pictures, please ask before you use them elsewhere.

A interloper - well, our daily grind unfortunately.

Last time I saw this registration it was on a factory produced mk2 Rover 45 Tourer

As you can see, there are a lot of pictures, and this is only just a small handful of the ones we took, the PoL has to be congratulated for continuing to bring this event to the masses, I cant think of anywhere else that could host an event like this, after all it is on the doorstep of Longbridge, and it is great to see the factory back up and running, albeit, just assembling bits and pieces of the MG6 and MG3, but as they say, from small acorns comes great Oaks, and this is what will happen here, with each new model they introduce, the sales will grow, but they can not rest, they MUST advertise the cars, get them back on TV and push them, keep pushing them, and with that will come more new dealers, and they bring sales, so, you must speculate to accumulate, Please MG, start getting it right, you have a brilliant new car on the horizon, price it cheaply enough to rough up the competition, and people will start to take even more notice.

Thank you to all the owners of the cars that attended, without you this would not happen, and thank you for keeping such motoring icons alive for the next and future generations, and the Committee, thank you too, and with the 10th Anniversary next year of both the closure and 1st event, it will no doubt be one that we all look forward too.

TMW  - Jon Mower