THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING...

An interesting new story from headlineauto.

Lada cars could make a return to the UK on the back of a new range of modern cars still under development, so it will not be any time soon.

The Russian cars have not been seen here since 1996 when the Riva saloon, Samara hatchback and Niva 4x4 were phased out - models so old that even the addition of fuel injection a couple of years before that was deemed high tech.

The Riva, based on an ancient Fiat, dates back to the factory's beginning in 1966 and, amazingly, is still being made and now called the Lada Classic. The Samara is also still being turned out at the vast AvtoVAZ plant in Togliatti, 1000kms south east of Moscow.

The Niva is now made under a joint venture with General Motors in Togliatti and wears a Chevrolet badge. There are also a couple of other more modern cars, the Kalina and the Priora which are made in hatch, saloon and estate form.

Earlier this year, however, Renault, with an eye on the fast-growing Russian market, took a 25 per cent stake in AvtoVAZ and is helping the Russians develop new cars. One, the Lada 2116, has been seen as Concept C, but now looks a very different three-box saloon sitting in the company's technical centre.

Although it looks ready for production, the reality is still a long way off, waiting for the construction of a new line at the factory to build Renault 1.4- and 1.6-litre engines under licence. This platform, developed by AvtoVAZ, will also carry a 4x4 crossover vehicle which is under development.

A good opportunity to announce that Veloce have the forthcoming book Russian Motor Vehicles – The Czarist Period: 1784 to 1917 By Maurice Kelly due to be in print next year.
click here for more info about the forthcoming book

MOTORCYCLE ENGINENESS

New screensaver! Computer monitors out there will no longer need to feel motorcycle emptiness now that this new enhancement is available to download for free. This screensaver will appeal to motorcycle enthusiasts as it features 15 stunning images from the book The Fine Art of the Motorcycle Engine by Daniel Peirce.


click here to be taken to Veloce downloads page.
click here for more info about the book

VW BECOMES WORLD'S BIGGEST FIRM - MOMENTARILY

Volkswagen briefly became the world's biggest company due to some bizarre stock market activity on Tuesday. During that time the carmaker's shares peaked at 1,005 euros which valued the company at 296bn euros. The panic buying was caused by traders who had short-sold VW shares desperately trying to buy them back so they could close their positions.
Porsche bought VW shares at the weekend and announced that it owned 74.1% of Volkswagen's shares. The aim is to increase to 75 percent in 2009, paving the way to a domination agreement. VW's home state of Lower Saxony controls 20% of the shares, leaving just over 5% available on the market.

BRAVO BRUCE!

Worldwide Acclaim for Alfa Romeo Montreal - The Essential Companion by Bruce Taylor. Published by Veloce.

'Oh! What a book! The best book I have ever seen on one single model, and one of the best Alfa books ever (and probably one of the best motoring books I ever saw, and the best I ever purchased!). It has everything: nice printing, splendid pictures, complete technical details and advice... PLUS nice girls and English "humour". I will try to get the book reviewed in French specialised papers... but you know that French usually don't speak English, too bad ! But they should learn English at least to read THIS book ! I hope that this book sells very well, Bruce: it will be good for you, and for the Montreal community, as it will help put the Montreal on top of classic cars lists !'
Philippe Delaage
(France)

'I've just now received the book from Veloce and I have had a quick look on it. My very very very great congratulations!!!!!!!!!!, the book looks fantastic!!!!!!! It's a wonderful job there!!! And you must be very proud about it. I'm sure that there is not in the world another one car having a such fantastic monographic and exclusive book!!!'
Agusti Vilella
(Catalonia)

'I've been pouring through my copy of the new 'Monti Bible' and ....well what can I say... FANTASTIC JOB BRUCE. The first thoughts that went through my mind while going through it where what lucky bastards ALL future Monti owners are to have such an authoritative information/experience packed book to refer to. Of the hundreds of hours of experience (all too often painful) that people like myself have endured to DISCOVER what is now so perfectly and clearly put in print. They have been saved so much pain and suffering (and money) by having this book now available to them. How I wish I had one 15 years ago when I first entered the then mysterious world of Montreal ownership. What lucky lucky bastards they all are now.... !!!! Well done Bruce. Well done... !'
Andrew Gaal
(Australia)

'Finally I have received your wonderful book from Amazon.fr ! It is quite a pleasure reading it for hours and hours and helps us loving even more our Monties. Thank you, Bruce!'
João Mello de Sampayo
(Portugal)

'Finally I received my copy of your book from Amazon US. This is a fantastic piece of work. I am impressed. We cannot thank you enough.'
Tonny Laursen
(Denmark)

'I received my copy of your book from Amazon US and have now read it. This is a fantastic piece of work. All of the collected tips and suggestions for repair and maintenance are available in one place. This will make Montreal ownership a lot easier. Congratulations.'
Ed Geller
(USA)

'I saw Hannes Paling on the weekend and he showed me your book which is fantastic.'
Graham Colman
(South Africa)

'I just received 2 copies of your excellent book from Veloce (one copy went to my brothers in Paraguay), a true piece of art !!!'
Alberto Grillon
(Canada)

'I've just received the first 2 copies of your book. We like it very much!'
Marco Fazio
(Alfa Romeo, Italy)

'I would like to let you know that I have received your book yesterday and all I can say is wow! It's truly a blessing and pleasure to own this book, it will be very helpful to me, I'm not as mechanically inclined as some of the other Montreal owners are. This book will help a lot. Thank you.'
Joe D'Amico
(New York)

'Today I received my book (ordered with Amazon France) It's a great addition to my collection!!'
Marino Simmons
(Belgium)

'I received my book through Amazon.ca to-day….Really impressed… great job…really nice book. A must for anybody who is interested in Alfa Romeos. I just looked quickly at the pictures… can’t wait to have more time to go through it…'
Jimmy Cornet
(Montreal, Canada)

'I received my copy of Bruce's book late last week. It is really impressive.'
John Justus
(USA)

'I just received your book. Outstanding!!! It's sure to become a "must have" for all Monty owners around the world.'
Val Herrera
(Texas, USA)

'I received my copy yesterday in NJ. Very nice job!'
Nash Bapola
(USA)

'I have to thank you for your book: I ordered it while in Lebanon, and received it here in Paris. Been admiring every piece of it. Amazing work. Congratulations.'
Rudy
(Lebanon)

'I just received my copy of the book. It looks great, makes me wish that I still had the car. I wish I had this book when I owned the car; it would have made restoring it a lot easier.'
Ron Avery
(Los Angeles, USA)

'Thank you for the very informative and entertaining book. The book will be a great help in learning and doing things by yourself.'
Timo Jaatinen
(Finland)

'As you may have gathered I'm hugely impressed by your Montreal book. Too often these publications are churned out by so called specialists but this is clearly a labour of love. The depth of research is outstanding.'
Mick Walsh
(Classic & Sports Car)

'Received my copy !! I can only cite good old Henry Ford: "Every time I open the book I raise my hat for you". Can't find better words to congratulate you on a fantastic book on "our" Monti. THANKS !'
Gert-Jan
(Holland)

'I received last week your book via ebay from UK, and I can only say: Thank you, this book is simply outstanding and a must for every Monti owner and even more for every person loving beautiful things! Looking forward to the new book as well.'
Christian Mitterdorfer
(Vienna)

'Finally I got my book, ordered in December 2007 through amazon.com. I can only say: je tire mon chapeau! I wish my knowledge would be a quarter of the content of the book! Very well done, congratulations!'
Andy Rottmann
(Switzerland)

'I'm really enjoying studying your book.'
Mike Matzek
(USA)

'Just received your book here in El Salvador. Beginning to read it. It is very nice and colorful illustrations. It will sure help me in finishing my car.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS AGAIN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'
Edgar Lindo Carfix
(El Salvador)

'I've had my copy of the book a few weeks now and I just wanted to drop you a line to say congratulations. I know just what goes into producing a book of this detail and quality and I think you've done a really amazing job.'
Chris Nelson
(UK author)

'I just got Bruce's book today. And to sum it up in a word, WOW!!!! I am very impressed and pleased with the quality throughout !! It will prove to be invaluable in the Monti restoration I am doing. Thank you Sir !! I was lucky, in that I ordered the book from Borders Books here in Maine, it arrived 4 days later! It cost $125, which I consider a
very good value.'
Glenn Gaudin
(USA)

'I want to congratulate you on your fantastic book.'
Richard Pamboer
(Holland)

'I'm thinking of having the brakes modified in one of the ways Bruce described in his book - which is by the way, a great read.'
Ute Schreiber
(Germany)

'My books, ordered in December from Amazon US, and which I had been eagerly awaiting, arrived finally, mailed from the US. Halleluya ! Fantastic creation.'
Peter Schweiss
(Germany)

'My book arrived from Amazon US. I paid the customs fee over the pre-paid amount, but the book is even better than expected! Great work Bruce!'
Alberto Furegon
(Italy)

'The "Essential" book arrived last week and I must say that it is AWESOME!'
Federico De Franceschi
(Italy)

'Amazon Canada came through and sent me my book the other day. Superbly written and illustrated. Congratulations on a job well done!'
Dave Bramwell
(Canada)

'Ordered in December 2007 from Amazon Canada, my copy of your book finally arrived this past weekend. What a wonderful accomplishment this book is! Now it begins to live a life of its own, as books (and children) do, and you can sit back and enjoy the feeling!'
Jack Rugh
(USA)

'My copy was just dropped off at my door. It is truly fantastic! Everyone seems thrilled...now, I know why.'
Larry Westover
(California, USA)

'Your book arrived minutes ago on the west coast of California. I cannot believe the quality of the photos, the diagrams, and the amount of detailed information.
I am sure that it will cost me many hours of sleep studying it in total. Congratulations!'
Mike Matzek
(California, USA)

'I'm after a Montreal, got the book as a priority (great read, just need to drive one now ..)'
Jeremy Stubbs
(France)

'... finally I have the book! This is the "bibbia" of the Montreal. In front of Bruce... I remove my hat! I think that the value of our Montis will climb after this book.
Many thanks to Bruce.'
Donato Errante
(Italy)

'Great book, Bruce. Well done....'
Aidan Boran
(Ireland)

'It is amazing! Anyone who has none, boys go to a shop and buy one or many, you will love it !!!! :-)))'
Dirk + Hannelore Nehme
(Germany)

'Today at last I've received the message from amazon.co.uk that my Montreal Book has been dispatched. The fact that there soon will be a great book about the Monti made the decision for buying that car much easier.'
Volker Then
(Germany)

'Just got your book (finally!!). Although I have not had the chance to really dive into it yet, it is truly excellent. Congratulations!!'
Manos Protonotarios
(Greece)

'The book is really a definitive MUST for all Monti-enthusiasts!!! A really great piece of paper, state of the art, a really standard which sets an extreme high level! This is the greatest car-book in my collection!!!'
Oliver Heinisch
(Austria)

'I returned from the Philippines last night, stepped into the house and opened this package which I knew contained your book, and it blew my mind! Book? Nay, encyclopedia more likely. CSC book of the month? Nay, it's easily the most lovingly compiled book ever on a single Alfa model, I think, and deserves to be the Alfa book of the years! How I wished the same could be done for other models. Bravo!'
Tuck Cheong Wong
(Malaysia)

click here for more info about this much talked about book!

AS RECESSION HITS, MOTORISTS ADOPT POLICY OF D.I.Y

More motorists are keeping cars for longer, carrying out repairs themselves and buying car parts online as the credit crunch bites, according to a new report. Consequently, sales of car repair manuals and books have started to increase. Motorists are also choosing to buy more car parts online to save on costs, either fitting the parts themselves or paying a garage to if the job is beyond their ability, according to mail order specialists www.carparts-direct.co.uk, which reported a 28% increase on sales of parts against the same period last year. With the help of Veloce Speedpro™ manuals or Essential Buyer's Guides™, motorists will be better prepared to carry out repairs on their vehicles.

BOOK OF THE MONTH IN AUSTRALIAN CLASSIC CAR

Review of From the Fells to Ferrari – The official biography of Cliff Allison By Graham Gauld, foreward by Dan Gurney, published by Veloce.
www.ccar.com.au

click here for more info about the book

ARGUABLY THE GREATEST MOTOR-SPORTING CHALLENGE ON EARTH?

1,000MPH LAND SPEED RECORD ATTEMPT!

Twelve years since Andy Green OBE and Thrust SSC scythed through the sound barrier on their way to the current World Land Speed Record of 763.053 mph, Green and former record-holder, Richard Noble OBE, are preparing to write the latest chapter in the history of World Land Speed Record attempts, with a 1,000mph bid.

As much an engineering adventure as the ultimate speed record challenge, the four-year Bloodhound Project, sponsored by premier fuel additive brand STP, is designed to re-ignite interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics amongst the youth, and raise the numbers entering technology careers.
The project, based in Filton, Bristol, will provide the most exciting, compelling and enthralling arena in which to showcase frontier technologies, and for STP, to educate consumers and future users on wider issues of engine efficiency.

Starting with an 800mph bid in 2009, the car will be continuously developed, with a 900mph run in 2010 and the ultimate goal of 1,000mph will be aimed for in 2011. The venue for the record runs is to be confirmed, but Black Rock Desert, Nevada, the scene of Green’s record with Thrust SSC, is one of the considered venues.
On-going information on the Bloodhound SSC project is available from www.bloodhoundssc.com and www.stp.eu.

NISSAN GT-R OWNERS GET A TASTE OF WHAT'S ROUND THE CORNER

Instructors from Silverstone International have entered the final stages of a Pan-European driving programme to introduce the Nissan GT-R to more than 1,300 pre-sold customers.

The 19-date run at Germany's Nurburgring follows the successful debut of the experience at the home of the British Grand Prix in August, where more than 500 owners got to grips with the super saloon car for the first time.

Under the logistical arm of Silverstone International, the initial two stages of the ground-breaking ‘Best in Class' Nissan Academy allowed customers to experience the phenomenal performance of the GT-R as well as learn important advanced driving techniques.

Further sessions, including the opportunity to take a full race licence test, will be held during 2009. Nissan and Silverstone are working on an even bigger offering of driving experiences for Passionate Sports car driver's that will be rolled out in 2009.

European deliveries of the GT-R supercar will start in April 2009. Currently the waiting list is 18 months in the UK.

EXCLUSIVE NEWS! Nissan GT-R Supercar: Born to Race by Alex Gorodji is forthcoming from Veloce in 2009. so watch this space!

SMART CAR2GO

Daimler is launching a new mobility concept, providing a future-oriented answer to increasing traffic volume in urban areas. The scheme, known as car2go, will allow people to rent a smart anywhere and anytime, at a moment's notice, with all costs going to a pre-registered credit card or monthly bill. Users will be charged by the minute, and can leave their car anywhere within the city limits for the next customer.
On 24 October 2008 the first pilot phase will start in the southern German city of Ulm, where car2go will be tested in real-life conditions. “car2go is an intelligent and creative solution that provides a simple, flexible and value-for-money approach to mobility with environmentally-friendly vehicles” is how Dr Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG and head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, describes the objective of the project. Although there are good intentions in car2go and it would provide a convenient solution for some, will motorists ever be able to sacrifice having their own personal vehicle?

New! the little book of smart by Paul Jackson.
Features:
- From watchmaker to car manufacturer, Swatch launched the successful smart brand - now part of Mercedes-Benz
- Sales of over 750,000 cars in ten years
- Coverage includes the city-coupé, fortwo, crossblade, forfour & roadster coupé: all smart cars produced since 1998
- Most up-to-date publication on smart
- Covers the all-new fortwo for 2007
- Announcement of the brand's long-awaited US debut
- Contains comprehensive details of smart clubs & specialists, plus relevant websites
- 128 pages packed with 100 colour pictures & entertaining text
click here for more info

HURRY!!!

It's not too late to get a whopping 45% discount* off any Veloce book**. We are offering this exclusively to subscribers to our newsletter all through October. We have had a great response so far. All you need to do is click here and then submit your email address and you will receive our On The Grid Veloce monthly newsletter. Sign up to it and be the first to find out about new books, stock availability and competitions.
*postage & packing extra.
**offer excludes leatherbound and limited editions, Veloce gift vouchers, other coinciding special offers and non-Veloce products.

WAGON WHEEL

Artist Matthew Harrison today unveils his latest project entitled ‘Hummer’ at the fifth Zoo Art Fair (17-20 October) - a HUMMER H3 complete with wooden wagon wheels, the iconic installation will be parked on Old Burlington Road, opposite the Royal Academy of Arts for the duration of the fair. Harrison has combined the legendary off-road vehicle with ‘Wild West’ wooden wheels to create a sculpture that is a mixture of art, engineering and motoring.

GOING...GOING...GONE!

The recent auction sale held by Dorset Vintage and Classic Auctions, based in Stalbridge, North Dorset, proved that enthusiasts and collectors of all types of historic vehicles, motorcycles, automobilia and railwayana are still willing to invest in their interest, despite the well-publicised credit crunch. The glorious early autumn day helped to attract some eight hundred people to the Gartell Light Railway in Yenston, five miles from Wincanton in South Somerset. The motor car which became the most sought after on the day was a 1972 Alfa Romeo Giulia Super 1600 Saloon (pictured top right), in restored condition and prepared for historic rallying. It sold eventually for a staggering £7,260. Motorcycles also sold well: a 1966 Lambretta Li 150 (pictured left) sold for £1,485.
Dorset Vinatge and Classic Auctions are now inviting entries for their Spring sale in 2009, which will be held on the 26th of March.

Great titles from Veloce! The Lambretta Bible By Pete Davies. An in-depth look at the world’s finest scooter, from the Model A to the GP 200. The Lambretta story doesn’t end there though, with the focus moving onto machines prepared and built by Lambretta Concessionaires. The book ends with a look at the main British dealer specials of the 1960s.

Alfa Romeo Giulia Coupe GT & GTA By John Tipler. Here is a fact and picture-packed book dedicated solely to the Giulia GT in all its forms including the fabulous lightweight GTA racer. Packed with illustrations, the book tells the story of the Giulia from Giugiaro's drawing board to the roads and racetracks of the world. Also included is practical advice from leading experts on buying, restoring and caring for Alfa's classic Coupé together with production figures, road test data, homologation papers, addresses of clubs and specialists, reproductions of contemporary ads and brochure pages and much, much, more.

MINI ALDRIDGE SPECIAL

A unique MINI featuring a visually stunning exterior designed by legendary artist, illustrator and graphic designer Alan Aldridge, is now on show at the Design Museum in London. The MINI Aldridge Special is an exhibit in a retrospective display of Alan’s work, entitled ‘The Man with Kaleidoscope Eyes’.

Alan Aldridge is known primarily for his creative work throughout the 1960s and 70s. Dubbed ‘The Graphic Entertainer’, Aldridge illustrated lyric books for the Beatles, album covers for The Rolling Stones, The Who and Elton John, was Art Director for Penguin Books and illustrated much-loved children’s books such as ‘The Butterfly Ball’.

Coming soon from Veloce! Mini – The Essential Buyer’s Guide By Mark Paxton.
The Mini is without doubt a motoring milestone, and has had many volumes dedicated to its design, history and development, but this is the only book to examine the tricky task of buying one used. Iconic and innovative it may have been, but this quintessentially British car was not without its defects, many of which could turn the Mini experience into an expensive and tiresome disaster. This guide takes the potential purchaser through a short initial examination to weed out the obviously defective, followed by a more comprehensive step-by-step look at the body and mechanical parts, where the clear, jargon-free text accompanied by over 100 photographs sheds light on even the darkest corners of the Mini’s construction. A unique points marking system ensures that nothing is overlooked and an accurate final picture of the car’s condition can be viewed in relation to the asking price.
click here for more info

BUD EKINS STUNT DOUBLE FOR STEVE MCQUEEN IN THE GREAT ESCAPE

Although Steve McQueen did his own motorcycle riding, there was one stunt he did not perform: the hair-raising jump over a fence to escape the Nazis in the famous scene in the cult classic The Great Escape. This was done by McQueen's friend Bud Ekins. Bud is one of the many stars mentioned in the new Veloce book Off-Road Giants! – Heroes of 1960s Motorcycle Sport by Andrew Westlake.

In stock! Off-Road Giants! – Heroes of 1960s Motorcycle Sport by Andrew Westlake.
If you can recall watching motorcycle scrambles and trials on your black and white TV during the 1960s, then this is the book for you. It’s a trip down memory lane as the author recalls boyhood journeys in his big brothers ex-GPO van to watch the stars in action, some of the world’s best, including scramblers like the Sharp brothers, Badger Goss and Ivor England, trials riders Gordon Jackson, Max King and the Kendalls, and great all-rounders like Ken Heanes, Johnny Giles and the American Bud Ekins. Not only does it include the star riders, but also the main British manufacturers of the time like BSA, Triumph, James, Greeves, Metisse, Cheney and Wasp, the latter two of which are still in existence to this day. However, the book isn’t just about bikes – it’s about the people and their stories from illustrious and successful careers on two and three wheels, which makes for a thoroughly interesting and captivating read.
click here for more info

ALFA ROMEO MONTREAL BOOK OF THE MONTH

Alfa Romeo Montreal - The Essential Companion by Bruce Taylor is awarded Book of the Month in Novembers edition of Classic and Sports Car magazine.

Also included in the magazine is a fantastic article about Bruce. The feature covers his background at CERN (The European Organisation for Nuclear Research) and his early encounters with the Montreal, which date back to 1970. Bruce became frustrated with the limited information available about the Montreal, and it was through one of his colleagues at CERN, Tim Berners-Lee (Inventor of the World Wide Web) that Bruce gained the ability to create his own websites, resulting in his world renowned Montreal website and forum - www.alfamontreal.info

Bruce acknowledges Veloce in the article:
"The poet José Marti said that in his lifetime every man should plant a tree, make a child and write a book. Having done the first two more than once, I set out to find a publisher. That wasn't easy because the first question is: 'How many of these cars was produced?' To its credit, Veloce took the risk. I hope it shows other enthusiasts that the Montreal is a hidden treasure that's well worth seeking."

These photos supplied by Bruce show that visitors to the Alfa Romeo annual concourse in Johannesburg are attracted by a copy of the book left in the rear of a yellow Montreal!





click here for more info about the book

E-TYPE PINT!

Enjoyed a nice pint of the Somerset based, Cottage Brewing Companies 'E-Type' bitter the other day. It made me think, for the price of roughly 3 pints i could buy a Veloce Essential Buyer's Guide, at only £9.99 each!

PETE TOWNSHEND VW CAMPER SWAP

The Who mastermind, has swapped his classic camper van for a stylish, new Volkswagen Transporter Sportline. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles now owns his old camper van and will be displaying it at a variety of shows and events.
Pete was sad to say goodbye to his classic camper van, but said 'The Volkswagen Transporter I’m driving now is much better to drive, modern and much faster’. He now uses his replacement van to transport guitars and keyboards to and from his new creative studio.
The Who and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles have been project partners since the band performed at a special weekend event, hosted by Volkswagen in Hanover last year to celebrate 60 years of the iconic Transporter van. Volkswagen recently donated a 1965 ‘split-screen’ Transporter van with a unique The Who ‘Magic Bus’ livery designed by The Who’s art director, Richard Evans, for a worldwide raffle which raised over £32,000.
The distinctive styling of the Volkswagen Transporter Sportline includes 18 inch alloy wheels, lowered suspension, chrome side rails, rear roof spoiler, body-coloured bumpers, chrome upper and lower grilles above a lower front spoiler, and leather upholstery. It also has a 2.5-litre TDI engine producing 174 PS which can sprint to 62 mph in 12.2 seconds.

VW Camper Van books from Veloce..

click book covers for more info!

FOXY FEMALE FRIENDLY GARAGE

FOXY is a female friendly garage website, living up to the meaning of 'foxy' ie 'shrewd, canny and smart.'

A new and independent website called FOXY Choice www.foxychoice.com helps motorists do their garage buying homework for MOT's and car servicing, then identifies the best and female friendly garages and dealerships in their area.
Motorists looking for the best and female friendly local garages can search to suit the work required then compare qualify features and facilities before making their final choice.

All businesses listed by FOXY Choice sign a new female friendly FOXY Promise© to never overcharge, patronise or sell motorists unnecessary services. Any business that gets this wrong runs the risk of being de-listed, especially where motoring safety has been compromised or justifiable complaints have not been treated fairly.

FOXY Founder Steph Savill explained that few motorists know how to identify their best local garages and, without that knowledge, were likely to pick one for convenience or because of a friendly receptionist.

“Choose one that has signed the female friendly FOXY Promise© instead and you now know they are offering superior standards of customer care, compared to those who can't commit to our promise.”

Steph also believes that female friendly garages are the best choice for men too.

“Any garage or dealership that is getting things right for women drivers has raised its game because we know what we want, are used to getting it and go elsewhere if we aren't happy.”

To show off their female friendly credentials, FOXY Choice invites businesses to add a female friendly photo and helpful foxy facts to their listing; whether they are close to shops, for example, and provide clean WCs, female magazines, drinks or entertainment for children. Listed facilities include cocktail bar-like amenities, babychanging facilities, Playstation games and WIFI access. Some have partnered with next door leisure centres offering creches so Mum can keep fit whilst her car (and children) are being cared for!

THE WORLD'S GREATEST ROAD RACE?

Found this great video of La Carrera Panamericana 2006. Gives a feel of the spirit and atmosphere of the colourful race around Mexico!

New this month! La Carrera Panamericana – “The World’s Greatest Road Race!” by John Tipler.

• The story of the legendary Mexican road race, which lasts for 7 days and covers 2000 miles of central Mexico
• A race deemed more arduous than the Mille Miglia!
• Interviews with great names from the original series such as Phil Hill, Carroll Shelby, John Fitch, and Hans Herrmann
• Stunning, original and rare archive photographs bring the story to life
• Includes full history from 1950 to the present day
• Foreword by Jo Ramirez

The Carrera Panamericana was first run to celebrate the inauguration of the Panamerican Highway, and traversed the length of Mexico, from Tuxtla in the south to Juárez near the Texas border. Firms like Alfa Romeo, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and Porsche took advantage, and as class winners, Porsche even applied the event’s Carrera name to its sportier models. Since its 1987 revival, it’s been run rally-style with half-a-dozen special stages a day. Just as it did in the early-’50s, half the entry comprises brash American stock cars, today mostly Panamericana specials based on spaceframe chassis and 600bhp NASCAR V8 engines and running gear, lurking beneath period Studebaker, Hudson, Lincoln or Oldsmobile bodywork. The ’50s and ’60s European classics are no less heavily modified. Mexicans love a fiesta, and the arrival of La Carrera Panamericana at each of the provincial towns on its seven-day, 2000-mile progress through central Mexico last November provided an excuse for wild celebrations. Everywhere the entourage is mobbed by enthusiastic spectators, waving, cheering and demanding souvenirs. Crowds throng, brass bands play salsa, and the tequila overflows. Includes 350 images, maps of the modern and original 1950s routes, plus results of original events.

click here for more info about the book

FORD ESCORT RS COSWORTH PICS ON FLICKR.COM

Just uploaded some great action shots taken from Ford Escort RS Cosworth & World Rally Car. Be sure to take a look at the Veloce flickr photostream as it's the place where we share some of the fantastic and rare photographs we see here in production!

MX-5 NEW FACELIFT

The Refreshed Mazda MX-5 – Evolution Focused on Pure Jinba Ittai Enjoyment

Mazda’s roadster takes centre stage at The Paris Motor Show in a refreshed version with updates that will make it even more popular with European sportscar fans. Remaking certain powertrain components allowed engineers to raise the rev limit and to optimise how the engine sounds when accelerating, which makes driving even more fun than before, and a new six-speed transmission is introduced for the first time. The roadster’s front roll centre has been lowered as well, which makes MX-5’s acclaimed one-with-the-car Jinba Ittai handling even stronger than before.

Some great Mazda MX-5 titles from Veloce. Click covers for more info.

ON THE GRID THIS OCTOBER!

This month sees the unveiling of the exciting new look On The Grid Veloce monthly newsletter. Sign up to it and be the first to find out about new books, stock availability, competitions and for all of this month we are offering a whopping 45% discount* off Veloce books.** Please note this offer is only available to subscribers to the newsletter, so if you haven't already done so, sign-up during October and details of the offer can be obtained. Click here to visit the sign-up page!

*postage & packing extra.
**offer excludes leatherbound and limited editions, Veloce gift vouchers, other coinciding special offers and non-Veloce products.

INTERESTING NEW VIDEO SERVICE

Parkers.co.uk, a resource for anyone buying selling, or owning a car in the UK, now also offers high quality video content. This is a great way of bringing cars to life for consumers, aiming to make the user feel like they are actually inside the car. The videos are both informative and engaging to watch with a dramatic black studio. At around three minutes long, they make great little videos that will undoubtedly help the car buyer’s desktop research.

DOWNLOADS PAGE BACK UP

Pleased to announce downloads page is now back in action. Lamborghini Miura Screen Saver Version 2.0* now available! It now incorporates display options enabling cross-fade between slides, zoom back and forth, crop slides to fit on screen, and options to keep slides centered and present slides in random order.
The new screen saver is now more of a manageable download size and also now available as a Windows download!
Click here to visit the Veloce downloads page

*System requirements - Mac OS X 10.4 or later / Windows XP/Vista

BANG FOR THE BUCK

Fancy a high performance car for the price of a luxury saloon?

Well now you can as Corvette ownership has just become more affordable with the revision to 2008 Model Year prices of the C6 and Z06 models in its line-up. Front-engined, rear-wheel drive Corvettes have always offered an unbeatable combination of blistering performance, everyday comfort and driveability and they are now better value for money than ever before. Corvette C6 is now available from £39,999 OTR and Corvette Z06 now from £54,995 OTR. These revised prices mean customers will save over 11% on previous prices!

EXCITEMENT BUILDS OVER THE UNVEILING OF THE FERRARI CALIFORNIA

The stunning coupé-cabriolet will be revealed at the Paris Motor Show.

The new Ferrari California has created such expectation amongst both those in the industry and the public. This is not the only piece of good news to come from the Prancing Horse at the Paris Show as Ferrari will also be announcing the extension of the One To One Personalisation Programme, debuted last March solely for the 612 Scaglietti, to the 599 GTB Fiorano. The Paris Motor Show starts 4th October and runs untill the 19th of the month. With exciting developments at Ferrari in mind i thought it fitting to give news of this forthcoming Veloce book about the Ferrari Dino!

Dino - The V6 Ferrari by Brian Long. Although not the fastest or the most powerful Ferrari, the beautiful lines of the Dino have inspired generations of enthusiasts. This book covers the full story of the Dino, from Pininfarina concept car through to the final production model, illustrated throughout with contemporary material.
click here for info about the book.