#BrownCarGuy – News, Views & Reviews!
It’s official: the British car industry – what’s left of it – is on its knees. And now, thanks to Trump’s fresh round of protectionist punishment, it might finally be flatlined. According to a blistering Financial Times report, UK luxury carmakers – including Aston Martin, Bentley, Jaguar Land Rover, and McLaren – are staring down the barrel of a 25% US import tariff. The fallout? A potential 25,000 job losses right here in Blighty.
Somebody pinch me – or just whack me with a wrench – am I imagining this? Or is it just wishful thinking? Could the HEMI V8, yes, that glorious, thunderous, petrol-drinking, tyre-shredding beast of an engine, which only last year was laid to rest with full honours and a 21-gun salute… could it actually be coming back to life? And I don’t just mean in slammed into a Restomod in a dodgy backstreet garage, but reportedly, potentially (and quite likely) from Stellantis themselves?!
Today marks the birthday of the one and only William Shakespeare – the world’s most celebrated playwright, poet, and perhaps, in a parallel timeline, petrolhead. While he penned immortal words on love, loss, war, and wit, one can only imagine how the great Bard might’ve turned his quill to combustion.
I’ve got all the rates for cars, EVs, vans and bikes
The cost of motoring in Britain just took a major hit. From the beginning of this month, 1st April 2025, road tax – or Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) to use the proper term – has undergone a serious shake-up, and it’s affecting everyone: petrol and diesel drivers, EV owners, motorcyclists, and van users alike. Basically you will ALL PAY MORE! But how much more?
Remember when driving was fun? A carefree cruise with your favourite tunes, windows down, and the open road ahead. These days, though, it feels more like a battle — against traffic, local councils, your wallet, and your own rising stress levels. Driving has become a mental health flashpoint, and it’s not just anecdotal.
There was a time, baby, when chrome was king and cars were wide enough to land Hueys on. The soundtrack? Funk, soul, rubber and the rumble of lethargic V8s echoing through neon-lit nights. Oh and James Brown, obviously. Can you dig it?
Continue reading “Groovy Dreams & Greasy Spoons – the 1970s are Calling”
The latest SMMT Motorparc data has just landed – and it paints a fascinating picture of what’s going on out on the roads of Blighty. Spoiler alert: we’re not all silently gliding around in futuristic electric cars just yet. In fact, Britain remains firmly attached to its old bangers, diesel vans, and distinctly dreary colour palette. So let’s pop the bonnet on the real state of UK motoring in 2024 and see what the numbers tell us…
So then – the UK Government did blink. Slightly. If you’ve been following the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate saga, you’ll know that the government has been under pressure from both industry and motorists. And now, as of 9 April 2025, they’ve announced a set of updates that – while not exactly revolutionary – do soften the blow. A bit. Kind of. Maybe.
But let’s be clear – they haven’t scrapped the ZEV Mandate. That was never really on the cards. However, these changes might just buy a little more time for carmakers, dealers, and drivers who aren’t quite ready to go fully electric. Let’s break it down.
I don’t often say this about electric cars, but I’ve been waiting to try this one for a while. Ever since Renault first dropped images of a retro-fabulous concept that looked like it’d teleported straight from a 1970s disco into a new Star Trek movie (The Roads of Khan!), I’ve been itching to tickle its torque and see if the drive matches the desire.
Apparently, I’ve sold my soul to the Shaitan of the socket, the Devil of DC current, the archdemon of amperes! That’s what some people in the comments section of my YouTube channel have taken to ranting about.
Why? Because I’ve committed blasphemy, done the unthinkable, driven the undrivable… yes… I’ve reviewed electric cars. Shock, horror… and more SHOCK! Like, put me in the electric chair level SHOCK!
