Tuesday 30 July 2013

DORSET OFFERS ADVICE TO NATION’S DRIVERS

Photo: Danielle Grant-Braham

Dorset motoring author Bruce Grant-Braham’s latest book, the RAC Essential Driver’s Handbook, has pooled advice from a team of the County’s experts to offer valuable advice to car drivers nationwide.
To crown the local connection the handbook has been published by a prestigious Dorset publisher.

Bruce, previously known for his motor sport and F1 books, was commissioned by Poundbury-based Veloce Publishing for this valuable addition to the company’s range of RAC advice handbooks.

“The RAC Essential Driver’s Handbook offers practical advice to car drivers as to how to they might best cope with some of the difficult situations that can occur at any time whilst driving, “says Guild of Motoring Writers member Bruce.

“Whether it is a breakdown, an accident, a car fire, an isolated car park or the difficulty of being a lone driver I hope the RAC Essential Driver’s Handbook will provide some ways of avoiding or minimising the effects of such stressful motoring situations,” Bruce said.

“I am extremely grateful for the professional advice I received during my research. I am pleased to say that we can be reassured that we have some nationally recognised experts in our County and I am indebted to those individuals from Dorset Police, Dorset Fire and Rescue and South West Ambulance NHS Foundation Trust who willingly offered advice to make sure that the final manuscript is as accurate and up-to-date as possible.”

The Essential Driver’s Handbook

Emergency situations can occur without warning and in any condition – day or night, in fine or inclement weather. This book shows you what to do in the event of an accident, whatever the severity. Practical roadside first aid basics are addressed, as are the practical and legal obligations for all those who may be involved, and explanations of what the emergency services will do, and why. Other situations addressed include how to avoid problems as a lone driver, as well as situations such as car-jacking. Finally, car parks, and their own specific security problems, are discussed. More info.


Bruce Grant-Braham has previously written histories of the Lotus and Williams F1 teams as well as of the Thruxton motor racing circuit.

He is Director of the Motor Sport Research Group at Bournemouth University, possesses a PhD and is a former Mayor of Poole. He is a member of the Guild of Motoring Writers.


Monday 29 July 2013

"AN ENTERTAINING AND FASCINATING READ"

Mason's Motoring Mayhem! – Tony Mason's hectic life in motorsport and television, gets an awesome 5-star review in Auto Express magazine! Click here for more info about the book.



Friday 19 July 2013

VIDEO: HOW AND WHY TO USE A CLAY BAR ON YOUR CAR WITH SIMON NIXON



Available now!
Caring for your car’s bodywork and interior
By Simon Nixon

Cars can be expensive things, and deserve to be cared for properly. A clean and well-tended car will look better, be more pleasurable to drive, and have a superior resale value. This book is a step-by-step guide to the various elements of car care, from washing, waxing and polishing to engine cleaning and leather maintenance. Featuring illustrations and product recommendations, this is a must-buy for all car lovers.
More info.

JOHN ROSAMOND SEVERNFM RADIO INTERVIEW


Would you like to know more about John Rosamond's book Save the Triumph Bonneville! The Inside Story of the Meriden Workers' Co-op?
If the answer is yes, you can find out more, courtesy of the Internet radio station Severn FM by listening to the author's answers to Andy Clarke's 12 questions that appear below.

1. The Triumph Bonneville is a 750cc motorcycle but what was so special about the Triumph Bonneville and Triumph motorcycles in particular?
2. What had happened to the other British makes like the Royal Enfield, Norton, Velocette, Vincent and BSA?
3. Triumph was massive in the 1960's what with Bob Dylan and Steve McQueen amongst the biggest stars of that era riding them, so what went so wrong that eventually led to a workers' co-operative being formed to carry on production?
4. When and why did you join Triumph Motorcycles? Was this before the co-operative?
5. Why a worker's co-operative and not an ordinary company?
6. There is a famous photo during the sit-in of a banner outside the factory stating "TRIUMPH STAYS AT MERIDEN WHERE THE LEGEND WAS MADE" – did that properly reflect the motivation of the workers involved in their industrial action?
7. The American market was important to Triumph before the co-operative – was it still important when the co-operative was up and running?
8. Did the co-operative have any successes and what was the public perception of the enterprise throughout the years?
9. How was the co-operative received by the business world, home and abroad?
10. What happened to the co-operative in the end?
11. What do you think the co-operative has most to be proud of, and what has it taught us?
12. Would you do such a thing again, and if you did would change anything you did in the running of the co-operative?


Of course these answers will only give you a taste of what the book is about but we are sure you will want to know more of how the Workers' Co-op survived for 8 years keeping the Triumph Bonneville in production!

Listen to the full interview below!




Click here for more info about the book.

Monday 15 July 2013

THE CARTIER STYLE ET LUXE DISPLAY AT GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED 2013 #FoS

A panel of discerning judges rose to the occasion at Goodwood on Sunday for the annual Cartier Style et Luxe concours d'elegance. The panel included Sir Jonathan Ive, Simon & Yasmin Le Bon, Sir Anthony Bamford, Sir Terence Conran, Kevin McCloud, and Gordon Murray.

1938 Alf Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Sport Aprile Spider Corsa.

 
Lamborghini Miura.

Sir Jonathan Ive.

1967 OSI Silver Fox.

1978 Bertone Lancia Sibilo.

Simon Le Bon.

1977 Lamborghini Countach LP400.


1954 Jaguar XK120 'supersonic'.


Saturday 13 July 2013

LAND SPEED RECORD BREAKERS DISPLAY AT GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED 2013 #FoS

A fine collection of Land Speed Record machines at Goodwood Festival of Speed this year. We caught up with Donald Stevens for a few words about the Bluebird CN7.


Donald Stevens, project co-ordinator for the design and construction of the Bluebird CN7 car, and author of Veloce book Bluebird CN7 - The inside story of Donald Campbell’s last Land Speed Record car. Click here for more info about the book!

Bluebird-Proteus CN7

Renault Etoile Filante

Sunbeam 1000HP

Bluebird V

Gilette Mach 3 Challenger

Sunbeam V12



Donald Stevens was born in the East End of London, but grew up in Haywards Heath, the Sussex market town to which he was evacuated in 1939. In his early teenage years he became fascinated by aeroplanes and other machines, and on leaving school began training as a mechanical engineer.
At 19, he joined the newly-formed design consultancy Norris Brothers Ltd as its first employee, and became a member of the design team for Donald Campbell’s Bluebird hydroplane. Following National Service in the RAF, Donald became project co-ordinator for the design and construction of the Bluebird car. This is his first book.

Bluebird CN7 - The inside story of Donald Campbell’s last Land Speed Record car
By Donald Stevens

Records the development, construction and operation of the last wheel-driven land speed record breaking car that the UK produced, and tells how the tragic demise of Donald Campbell prevented it from reaching its full potential. A unique account of a legendary feat of engineering. More info

TONY MASON BOOK SIGNS HIS NEW BOOK AT GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED 2013 #FoS

Tony Mason took a breather from commentating at the Goodwood Festival of Speed Forest Rally Stage to sign some copies of his new book Mason's Motoring Mayhem!


Few people achieve success and notoriety in more than one field, but Tony Mason has managed it! He joined a local car club before he even had a car, eventually climbing to the top with rally wins in his native Lake District, before joining the prestigious Ford works team and co-driving Britain’s biggest rally star, Roger Clark, to win outright the RAC Rally – Britain’s toughest event of its kind. He started a successful car accessory business then ventured onto the stage for a short while, before being signed by the BBC to appear on its popular Top Gear programme, on which he was a main presenter for 15 years. His cheery presence became a popular part of the programme, and he moved from rallying to driving all manner of vehicles, from vintage Rolls-Royces, Reliant Robins, tanks, fire engines and Eddie Stobart trucks. After he was famously bombarded with snowballs during a report on the Monte Carlo Rally, he became even better known, with the famous out-take being shown on programmes around the the world.
Tony Mason’s light-hearted, jovial persona transfers from television to page in this autobiography, taking readers on a trip from his early life in the seaside town of Morecambe through almost 100 countries, with thrills, spills, ups-and-downs all vividly remembered and often shown in photographs. More info.

Thursday 11 July 2013

VIDEO: HOW TO CLEAN YOUR CAR'S SOFT TOP/CONVERTIBLE HOOD WITH SIMON NIXON



Available now!
Caring for your car’s bodywork and interior
By Simon Nixon

Cars can be expensive things, and deserve to be cared for properly. A clean and well-tended car will look better, be more pleasurable to drive, and have a superior resale value. This book is a step-by-step guide to the various elements of car care, from washing, waxing and polishing to engine cleaning and leather maintenance. Featuring illustrations and product recommendations, this is a must-buy for all car lovers.
More info.

TRADITION: FUTURE - 50 YEARS OF THE PORSCHE 911 CELEBRATED AT GOODWOOD


Goodwood is honouring one of the world’s most versatile and popular sports cars – the Porsche 911 – with the main Central Feature at the 2013 Festival of Speed from 11-14 July. The bespoke 911-inspired sculpture promises to be a highly distinctive ‘art installation’ and will be displayed, as has become the tradition, prominently outside Goodwood House.

For five decades, the 911 has been at the heart of the Porsche brand. Few other cars in the world can look back on such a long tradition and continuity as the Porsche 911. It has been inspiring car enthusiasts around the world since its debut as the model 901 at the IAA International Automotive Show, Frankfurt, in September 1963. Today it is considered by its many devoted fans as the quintessential sports car, the benchmark for all others. The 911 is also the central point of reference for all other Porsche series. Every Porsche is the most sporting car in its category, and each one carries a piece of the 911 philosophy.

Porsche at the Goodwood Festival of Speed

Over 820,000 Porsche 911s have been built since 1963, and examples of each of its seven generations will be present at the 2013 Festival of Speed. From the very beginning the car has been at home on race circuits and rally stages all over the world, earning a reputation as a quick and dependable winner. In fact, two thirds of the 30,000 race victories achieved by Porsche to date have been recorded by the 911.

Demonstration runs by historical Porsche road and race cars spanning the seven generations of the 911 will be a highlight of the event, and many of these cars will instantly evoke fond memories among spectators. At the wheel will be a variety of famous drivers with strong affinity to Porsche including two-time winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours and German Touring Car Champion, Hans-Joachim Stuck, Porsche Supercup factory Junior driver Michael Christensen, alongside former works aces Richard Attwood and Vic Elford.

With support from the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart, private collectors and enthusiasts, a number of significant editions of the 911 will be in action at the Festival. Further examples of significant Porsche competition cars including the 917 and 962 will also feature.

7 x 7 x 911

Porsche Cars GB has gathered together a stunning line-up of seven generations of 911 road cars, which clearly shows the evolution of the iconic sports coupe over the past five decades.

To lead the procession, the Porsche Museum is sending a very special, original 911 to Goodwood. As part of an innovative ‘Follow the 911’ world tour, this 1967 car has been engaged as a rolling ambassador for Porsche at various international events, trade fairs, historic rallies and racing events inFrance, China, Pebble Beach, California and Australia during the year. The car’s progress can be followed at porsche.com/follow-911.

This will be joined by successive examples of the 911, each of which is sure to have a special place in fans’ hearts. As a consequence of its evolutionary development, the 911 is one of few cars that is referred to by its model series, in a vernacular that can be confusing to newcomers. Hence the ‘G-Series’ (1973-1989), ‘Type 964’ (1988-1994), ‘Type 993’ (1993-1998), ‘Type 996’ (1997-2005), ‘Type 997’ (2003-2013) and the latest ‘Type 991’ (from 2011).

Original Porsche 911

Porsche 911 G-Series

Porsche 911 Type 964

Porsche 911 Type 991

Porsche 911 Type 993

Porsche 911 Type 996

Porsche 911 Type 997

The 911 is one of the world’s most versatile racing cars, with successes on the circuits and rally stages around the globe. As a counter-point to the road-going models, there will also be a parade of seven 911 race cars.

A highlight will be the 1973 911 RSR 2.8, which won the Sebring 12 Hours in the USA that year and effectively established the reputation of the Porsche coupe as a serious race car in America.

Illustrating perfectly the extremes of achievement by the 911 in motor sport, the Porsche Museum is sending two examples of the rallying 911 - an SC ‘Safari’ and ‘Paris Dakar’ Carrera 4x4 - and two race cars, a ‘Type 964’ 911 RS from the 1993 Porsche Supercup Championship and ‘Type 996’ 911 GT3 RSR from the 2003 American Le Mans Series.

Like every Porsche, the 911 has its roots in racing. From its earliest days, the rear-engined coupe was triumphant. In the 50th anniversary year, Porsche Cars GB has developed an exciting initiative to celebrate this heritage in a very fitting manner; racing a classic 911 in Historic motor sport. The 1965 ‘short wheelbase’ 911 races under the ‘Project 50’ team banner in selected ‘Masters Series’ events alongside appearances at larger festivals such as Silverstone Classic and the Nurburging Oldtimer GP. The distinctive ‘Project 50’ 911 will be proudly participating at the Festival, in a break from its race programme.

Source: Porsche. Click here to view Porsche books from Veloce!

Tuesday 9 July 2013

TOP TIPS FROM SELLING YOUR CAR BOOK!

How to properly clean a steering wheel to give it a great feel and look!



How to take good photos of your car to sell it and boost your chances of a quick sale!



Selling your car - How to make your car look great and how to sell it faster
By Nigel Knight

Filled with simple and expert techniques, this unique book will help you give your car a stunning makeover, transforming its appearance and boosting its sale value. Features chapters on professionally cleaning the interior and exterior, repairing scratches, and improving the paintwork, plus advice on repairs, photography and the psychology of selling.

More info.

TONY MASON BOOK SIGNING AT FoS 2013

Tony Mason will be signing copies of Mason's Motoring Mayhem at the Forest Rally Stage at Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend.



CATERHAM UNLEASHES MOST POWERFUL SEVEN AT GOODWOOD FoS 2013


Caterham Cars will launch its most extreme Seven to date at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend (July 12-14).

As the lightweight sportscar manufacturer celebrates 40 years of developing and building the Seven, Caterham is re-inventing the already enviable parameters of its iconic model, with the Seven 620R setting a new benchmark in outrageous performance.

A newly-engineered, two-litre supercharged Ford Duratec engine pumps out 310bhp, providing even more of a kick in the back for the driver and propelling the Seven 620R from 0-60mph in under 2.8 seconds.


Priced at £49,995 (incl VAT) fully built, such extreme performance, pushing on to a top speed of 155mph, will put the 620R at the top of the current range, replacing the legendary Superlight R500.

Caterham F1 Team driver Charles Pic will drive the 620R up the famous Goodwood hill at the Festival of Speed, as will Caterham F1 Team reserve driver and Caterham Racing GP2 driver, Alexander Rossi.

A static version of the new car will also feature on Caterham’s Festival of Speed stand, along with other performance vehicles from across the Caterham Group.

Source: Caterham

Coming soon from Veloce!
Lotus Seven replicas & Caterham 7: 1973-2013 - The Essential Buyer's Guide
.
Your marque expert: Rob Hawkins

Having this book in your pocket is like having a real marque expert by your side. Benefit from the author’s years of Lotus/Caterham Seven experience, learn how to spot a bad car quickly, and how to assess a promising one like a professional. Get the right car at the right price!

More info.