#BrownCarGuy – News, Views & Reviews!
In the UK, we’ve all heard about the Government’s plan to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2035. It was originally supposed to happen by 2030, but in 2023, then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pushed it back five years. Of course, Labour has said they’d reverse that if they get into power, but let’s be honest – whether it’s 2030 or 2035, will it actually happen?
The Paris Motor Show 2024 has brought a mix of nostalgia, cutting-edge tech, and a glimpse into the future of motoring. Once considered the hub for unveiling new cars, motor shows have become less crucial with the rise of digital media, but Paris this year has captured the attention of enthusiasts, especially with the French manufacturers leading the charge. From iconic revivals to hydrogen-powered innovations, let’s take a closer look at some of the biggest announcements.
In this podcast I’m catching up with my mate Kirpal Singh Randhawa, founder of West London Classics, the car club that’s gone from a small group of petrolheads getting together to chat about carburettors, to one of the most significant forces in London’s car community!
The ULEZ scrappage scheme in London was meant to help clean up the city’s air by encouraging the removal of older, more polluting vehicles from the road. But for classic car lovers like myself, it’s heart-wrenching to see future collectibles and cherished cars crushed before their time. To uncover exactly what has been lost, I submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to Transport for London (TfL) to find out which cars were scrapped in the most recent ULEZ scheme. Today, I got my answer.
The UK new car market rose 1.0% in the key ‘74’ plate change month of September, to 275,239 units, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The sales figures were the best since 2020, but still -19.8% off pre-Covid September 2019.
Ford, the company that brought us the revolutionary Model T and literally made cars affordable for the masses, is now stepping away from the very mass-market models that built its empire. If you’ve been keeping an eye on the automotive world, this is massive news, and not exactly what you’d expect from a brand like Ford. After a fascinating interview with Jim Farley, the CEO of Ford, published recently in Car Magazine, it’s clear that big changes are happening.
Brace yourself, because the truth about British driving is more alarming than an Audi RS6 tailgating you an the M40. According to a new survey commissioned by Isuzu, as many as 15% of UK motorists freely admit they’re terrible drivers. And if that wasn’t bad enough, a shocking 4% confess they’re an actual danger on the roads! You know what, if you’re in that 4%, maybe it’s time to hang up the keys and take up walking. Better yet, stay at home. Just saying.
Cars and Dhol! What a winning combination. Raising money for charity, having fun with cars and bikes – this was the event organised by WheelsNThrillsUK and West London Classics at Hayes Cricket Club this weekend (28 September 2024). Music by The Dhol Show. More vids below!
Cars can be weird, can’t they? One minute, they’re the laughing stock of the motor world, and the next, everyone’s fighting to get their hands on them. It’s like the fashion world: one day you’re wearing double denim and getting strange looks, the next, you’re a style icon (now apparently). That’s what’s happened to these cars – they were once the butt of jokes, but now they’re rolling down the street with their heads held high, basking in the glow of admiration and nostalgia.
Lotus is exhibiting its extraordinary Theory 1 concept car at Lotus London in Picadilly opposite Green Park station, along with prototypes of the materials used on the car, as well as the original Lotus Esprit S1 that inspired it, also featuring an original technical drawing of the Esprit and secret spec sheet from 1973! I’m posting this video on Friday 27 September 2024, and the exhibit will remain till Sunday 29 September 2024 – so hurry over this weekend to catch it.
