#BrownCarGuy – News, Views & Reviews!
In just his first 100 days back in the White House, Trump has managed to detonate a 25% tariff bomb on all foreign-built cars entering the United States – and the shockwaves are being felt from Crewe to Kyoto.
Some invitations you simply can’t ignore. An Aston Martin race car worth £14 million? Hot laps in a Lancia Stratos replica? Castle Combe Circuit on a glorious Thursday? Yes please. This was the exclusive media preview for the 2025 Masters of Motoring, and what a mouth-watering amuse-bouche it turned out to be.
Plug in your phone and they’ll know everything about you! Apparently it’s that simple. According to a growing chorus of British defence insiders, Chinese-built electric vehicles could be rolling surveillance machines, gathering personal data the moment you plug your phone into the USB port.
There’s a new EV player in town – and it goes by the name Xpeng. If you’ve never heard of them, don’t worry, you will. Xpeng is one of the latest Chinese electric vehicle brands to enter the UK market, and their first offering here is this: the G6, a mid-size coupe-SUV aimed squarely at buyers considering a Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6 and even the BYD Sealion 7.
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”