Land Rover World Record Attempt This Weekend!

2018 is a big year for Land Rover – and Land Rover publications from us – but it may be about to get even bigger with a World Record attempt in the works ...

Land Rover Monthly magazine is partnering with the Billing Off Road Show in a bid to set a new World Record for the Largest Parade of Land Rovers/Range Rovers, at the annual show taking place from the 30th of June to the 1st of July. 

Held by Germany, the current record of 632 was set on the 30th of May this year, in Bad Kissingen, but the organisers of the show, along with the LRM team, are out to bring it back to the UK. The attempt will take place on Saturday the 30th of June at 5pm, with registration on site at 1pm.

2018 marks the 70th anniversary of the invention of the Land Rover, which was created in Britain in 1948 and launched at the Amsterdam Motor Show on the 30th of April that year. 

This World Record attempt is part of the Billing Off Road Show weekend, where people from all around come to drive the Billington off-road tracks and legendary mud run. For further details of the attempt, you can visit its website.

Sarah Arrowsmith, Organiser of the show said:

"This is a momentous year for Land Rover as they turn 70. We want to celebrate it by bringing the record back to Great Britain. Land Rovers are British icons and if anyone should hold this record if should be Great Britain. We are calling on all Land Rover owners to help us smash the German held record."

The rules for the world record attempt state that the vehicles taking part must never be more than two car lengths away from the car in front, that the parade exceeds two miles, that no driver takes a toilet break, and each vehicle must have a Land Rover badge to qualify.

All those that want to take part must register on the day, and pay a small fee of £5, but each participant will receive a plaque to put on the front grille as a memento.

Over the coming months, we have a number of new Land Rover titles coming into stock, including a couple of our highly successful Essential Buyer's Guides – Land Rover Discovery Series 1 1989 to 1998 and Land Rover Discovery Series 1998 to 2004. These easy-to-follow, pocket-sized books are made to help you choose the right car – or motorbike – for you and your budget. Written by marque experts from all over the world, you'll know your in safe hands.

We have three other Land Rover books coming soon, and they cover a range of topics:

Land Rover Design details the personalities involved in the various projects from the late 1940s up to today: the designers, the modellers, and studio engineers. This book is a fitting tribute to the spirit and ethos of Land Rover design and engineering.

Land Rover Emergency Vehicles is a historic and nostalgic look at the role of the Land Rover in the emergency services. The agility and size of these vehicles made them an immediate hit with fire services, and Police forces were attracted to the cross-country ability and versatility of Land Rovers, especially outside of Britain.

Land Rovers in British Military Service is a unique and extensively illustrated book that describes and illustrates British military use. This book is perfect for anyone interested in the coil-sprung Land Rovers that have served – and still serve – with the British armed forces.

Be sure to let us know if you plan on taking part in this World Record attempt, and don't miss all of our great new Landy books!

 

Driving in Europe: do you know?

Summer is officially here – although the weather is taking it's time to decide – and for many of us, our summer holidays are just around the corner. Have you got a Euro-trip planned? Do you know the road laws on the Continent? If the answer is no, you're not alone ...

Many Brits are left baffled when driving around the continent, as four in five struggle to correctly identify foreign road signs whilst driving abroad, according to a new study conducted by easyjet and Europcar. Other common aspects holidaymakers find challenging are: driving on the right-hand side of the road (59), identifying foreign traffic signs (44%), understanding foreign rules and regulations (51%), and knowing the difference between kilometres and miles per hour also stresses a quarter of Brits out. 

The majority (89%) of those surveyed admit to having little to no understanding of foreign regulations and road signs, and 87% conduct no research into a foreign country's Highway Code before taking to the roads. 

A lack of knowledge discourages Brits to take to the road, as 72% of Brits admit to feeling apprehensive when driving abroad and over half of Brits (58%) admit to have driven on the wrong side of the road. In addition, eight in ten admitted that they would be unlikely to pass a driving test in another country. 

This new research also revealed some of the quirky road laws. Of those surveyed, Brits weren't aware of the following European driving rules and regulations: 

• Filling your tank while your radio is still on in Spain could lead to a €91 fine
• Legally, you cannot wash you car on a Sunday in Switzerland
• In Romania, you'll be fined if you're driving a dirty car
• In Germany, you can legally drive nude as your car is considered a private space
• Drivers in Denmark must check for sleeping children underneath their cars before they set off

It's estimated that 35% of Brits are planning on driving abroad this summer, and it's quite shocking to find that most of us aren't as clued up as we should be. Luckily, we may have just the answer. Julian Parish's The Essential Guide to Driving in Europe has recently been revised and updated, just in time for the summer season! Better still, its compact size means that it can easily fit into your glovebox, so there's no excuse not to get a copy!

Whether you're planning a long touring holiday in your own car, or hiring a car locally on a business trip or holiday, this guide will give you all the information you require. Whatever your destination in Europe, you'll find everything you need to prepare for your trip and to cope with the unfamiliar. There are sections on dealing with everything from winter driving, to towing a caravan, from travelling with pets, to taking a classic car overseas. And – should the worst happen – there's also a clear guidance on what to do in the case of a breakdown or accident. 

With chapters covering Western Europe (including France), Southern Europe, Northern Europe, and Central & Eastern Europe – 50 individual countries – all the information is based on extensive local research, and includes comprehensive details on speed limits, drink/driving rules, motorway tolls, mountain passes, and other local regulations. Extensive illustrations help you recognise and understand unfamiliar signs, whilst more that 25 port maps guide you safely to and from terminals in the UK and on the Continent.

So, before you head out on your European travels, make sure that you pick up a copy of The Essential Guide to Driving in Europe!

The Oliver Winterbottom Diaries – March and April

Can you believe that we've been following Oliver Winterbottom's promotional run for A Life In Car Design for a year already?  Momentum is still going strong for this insightful book, and in today's blog we'll be getting you up to speed.

1 March – Upon my snowy return from Leicestershire, I am delighted to receive the Veloce Publishing Catalogue Spring 2018. Very much appreciated is that my book is featured on the Contents page. It also is the first book listed under Biographies – but having a title beginning with "A" helps! Thank you, Veloce.

2 March – Amazon email me again, offering me my book for £21.91. Generous of them!

4 March – Write to renew my membership of the Bourne Motor Racing Club, and attached the background to my BRM connections. I also offer to give the club a talk centred around my book, if they desire. 

6 March – Three copies of my book arrive from Amazon – the price was too good!

8 March – I receive a response from the Bourne Motor Racing Club to my offer to give a talk based on my book. A possible date exists in November if the planned speaker is unable to make it, or it will be after March 2019. I am told the audience always likes the opportunity to buy speakers' books.

13 March – Delighted to see a new advertising idea when washing my hands at Hethersett Queens Head. A copy of my book flyer is posted directly above the hand dryer where you cannot avoid seeing it. It had been in the pub foyer – and still is – but folk don't linger there.

15 March – Absolute Lotus magazine due today. On 13 February, I gave permission for a review in this new publication and the first issue of this new magazine (six per year) was due 15 March. However, just like my book, it has been delayed until 11 May.

16 March – Google at it again: Free Download A Life in Car Design.

A quick look at the web shows Amazon UK have 13 books left with more on the way. WH Smith have two in stock. 

19 March – It's a Monday, and the Google download has been removed.

20 March – Car goes in for a Service, so I visit Norwich. Jarrold's book shop recognise my book, and have it on the shelf. I slightly rearrange it to a more prominent position, alongside some Lotus books. Jarrold's motoring book selection is far larger than rival shops. Waterstones have a tiny Transport section despite being a huge shop; a few railway books, plus half a dozen motoring ones. WH Smith have a good motor sport selection, but no road car books at all, however, they have a fairly small shop in Gentleman's Walk.

22 March – A welcome email from the Authors; Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS), and a small payment in my bank. 

23 March – Cannot help but check out Amazon UK. The price now £24.34 (£2.43 increase) and they have 12 left – so they have sold one! Meanwhile, Amazon Japan have it for 3470 Yen (an 11 yen increase) – a 7.4 English pence increase!

26 March – Siân of Veloce asks if there is any news on the potential programme for Only Motors TV. I tell her "not yet."

27 March – I email Only Motors TV to ask if they have any more details of when they may wish to film for their show, #Petrolheads.

Reply: We would still love to feature you on #Petrolheads. Unfortunately, at the moment, we have difficulty getting crew that can travel to Wymondham, but I believe this may change so I can keep you updated when it does. 

28 March – Bruce Kirkham, a past colleague in the USA, writes to say he is getting my book. I wish him every enjoyment reading it!

I see on the internet that the book is on Pinterest, whatever that is. To get any information, I would have to sign up to an organisation that I would not personally agree with. As a result, I don't know what they think!

I find Amazon Germany has a review of the book, which seems very positive. This is the Google online translation:

A life for the automobile led Oliver Winterbottom in many different companies and countries of the world. It was the wish of the Young Oliver reality to take care of the design of automobiles. From time to time some of the side-war scenes also played a role, which he filled with just as much devotion. The biography is a great and interesting journey through the history of the automobile, especially English, of course. Most of the lyrics are very entertaining and you almost feel like talking directly to Winterbottom. In addition, some barely published drawings and pictures are shown, which underline the work with emphasis. Again and again, the people around him are presented and the financial situation is assessed.  For the equivalent of just over 40 euros, the reader can travel through the past with Winterbottom and clearly understand his or her way of doing business. The working title of the automotive designer provides a great template for a book and is very worth reading, especially since it is always first-hand information that makes it all the more valuable. 

29 March – Visit Wymondham Public Library, and I am delighted that Norwich Millennium Library have a copy of my book listed on their stock computer. A quick search suggest Norfolk is possibly unique in stocking it. Thank you Norwich and Norfolk.

30 March – Good Friday: Classic & Sports Car online Newsletter features a reprint of the 2009 article "Designers pick the most beautiful classics ever." I am happy to be reminded that I was listed with the Maserati Boomerang as my choice. The 21 designers are featured including most of the household names of the time.

5 April – Message from Veloce Publishers: We received a message to our Facebook page, requesting a signed copy of your book. I reply directly to the woman asking for the signed copy; we arranged a date to meet.

Amazon ask me, as a previous customer, to review my book!
"5.0 out of 5.0 stars. In-depth story inside the business. I think this is an absolutely brilliant book from inside the motor industry. I wholeheartedly recommend it."

Amazon now only have six left in stock – six gone since 23 March!

8 April – Amazon only have five left, keep it up!

9 April – Hear the sad news that John Miles has passed away after a stroke. I have great respect for John, and all our dealings were a pleasure. Definitely a gifted driver and engineer.

12 April – Breakfast at Elevden Courtyard to sign my book for Terry Hunter, as organised with his ex-secretary from the Facebook message on 5 April. He is about to turn 80, and this reminder is a good memory for me. Terry was a formidable rally competitor in Porsche and as a works Triumph driver about 48 years ago. I hope he enjoys the book – and yes, he is in it!
Meeting his secretary after a gap of about 45 years, I was flattered (well, I think I was) to be told "I had not changed a bit!" – apart from some hair loss! It was interesting to learn that the lady found a reference to my book when reading a magazine in the dentists waiting room. She then remembered me.

14 April – Bruce Kirkham enjoying my book, good! It's interesting because the USA does not have the Aprentice system I started with. Bruce was a senior manager at GM Inland Division when we first put airbags into Lotus. A great help and enthusiast.

17 April – Go to the BRM Association Test Day at Blyton Park. At least four strangers said they looked forward to my talk to Bourne Motor Racing Club. I explained I had agreed to talk but there is no date yet. Most had read the book and enjoyed it. It was talked about a lot! Sold one copy as well.

A special day: one year since I stopped smoking!

18 April – Email from a TVR Tasmin owner in New Zealand. Enjoyed the book and asked some tech questions. Will point them at TVR Club. Its nice to know that it is around the world.

19 April – Amazon UK now have 10 books – more coming, so thats at least another five gone. Amazon USA have four left.

22 April – Visit the VSCC Historic race at Silverstone. Recognised by a VSCC member from the BRM event one week ago. A club official Hamish McNinch, with whom I had a long chat, also knows the book.

Evening meet with Stuart Elliot, who organises the Hinckley Classic Motorshow (16 September). Discuss possibility of having a stand to sell and sign books.

24 April – Write to Lotus and TVR Clubs about the Hinckley Classic Car Motorshow: I have had an idea, that would possibly be of me more good than anyone else – but that seems a good reason to support it! Sunday 16 September 2018, Hinckley, Leicestershire are holding their 8th Classic Motorshow. I know that some LotusExcel.net members attended last year and I hope that TVR "Wedge" cars could be put alongside the Lotus models. As I had a hand in the creation of both vehicles, it has been suggested that the organisers could provide a "tent thing" so that I could sell and sign copies of my book. I know many of you have already purchased it – for which I am ever grateful, but have I reached absolutely everyone? I circulate you all for your comments.

Response from Angus Marshall at LotusExcel.net: Well, I know at least one Lotus Wedge owner who also owns a TVR and is fairly local to Hinckley. Unfortunately, neither of his cars are in a drivable state at the moment, but I know that none of the Lotus owners would object to being located close to our NW cousins.

25 April – Following the meeting with Terry Hunter's ex-secretary, I have received this message from her as she had brought her grandson to the book signing: On returning to school after the Easter holiday, my grandson's class were asked if they did anything exciting over Easter. He replied that he went to meet (and have breakfast with) a "real live author" for a private book signing.

26 April – Response from Andy Hutcheson, re TVR at Hinckley: I will pass on the event details to the relevant person in the TVRCC who covers that area, etc. I will also publish the event in the TVR Wedge Owners and Enthusiast UK Facebook group, so maybe some of my fellow wedge owners may go along.

The 26th of April, 2017 was the day my book arrived at Veloce Publishers.

29 April – Richard Heseltine sends a message to say the first edition of the new magazine Absolute Lotus has gone to press. It should be with the publisher around 6 May. As it contains a review of my book, I await a copy with excitement!

Sunday 30 April, 2017, I was at the Donington Historic race meeting with LotusExcel.net to sign the first copies of my book. This year it is due 4-6 May; lets hope the weather stays fine.

30 April – Mike Taylor contacts me regarding the VARI moulding process used on Colin Chapman's boats. He is researching this for a magazine feature. I reply that I am happy to help, although I was not involved with the boats in the latter part of their production life. It's nice to be reminded of things so long ago! This all dates back to the mid/late 1970s.

Amazon UK celebrate the first anniversary of the publication of my book by suddenly increasing its price from £21.91 to the publishers full £37.50. They also appear to have sold another one since 19 April.

You can purchase your own copy of A Life in Car Design here, and make sure to check back on the Veloce blog for the next instalment!