Daihatsu Mira 1999 F. Right Caliper [3944330] on 2040-parts.com

McLaren Automotive First Anniversary: 1,000 McLaren MP4-12C sold and counting

McLaren Automotive is a year old and is celebrating selling over 1,000 McLaren MP4-12Cs in the first twelve months. It’s actually a bit more than  three years since Ron Dennis announced the formation of McLaren Automotive, which had a live launch on Cars UK on 18th March 2010. But McLaren don’t seem to acknowledge that date as the start of McLaren Automotive but instead prefer the date the first MP4-12C was sold – exactly one year ago today on June 21st 2011.

2015 Volvo XC90 First Edition price & spec – costs £68,000

The new XC90 First Edition – a range-topping, £88k XC90 The more we’ve looked this week at the new Volvo XC90, the more we’re beginning to see it as a seminal model for Volvo in the same way the original XC90 was in 2002. And, if all it promises comes close to reality when the first new XC90 s start to arrive in 2015, the new XC90 really could make serious inroads in to the market for premium SUVs currently dominated by Mercedes, BMW, Audi and Land Rover. The new XC90 ‘s clever packaging, good looks, technology and toys certainly seem to offer a beguiling package for a premium family SUV, although the price is likely to be a touch stronger than the current model.

MINI celebrates 100 years of car production in Oxford

MINI will be celebrating a century of car production in Oxford on 28th March 2013, 100 years since the first Bullnose Morris Oxford was produced. It’s 100 years since the first Bullnose Morris Oxford rolled out on 28th March 1903, since when 11,655,000 cars have been built – with as many as 28,000 people employed in its heyday – and even Tiger Moth planes and Iron Lungs built alongside 80,000 repairs to Spitfires and Hurricanes during WWII. What is now MINI’s Plant Oxford was founded by William Morris – and Morris Motors kept control until 1952 – and has been owned and run by BMC, then British Motor Holdings (when Jaguar arrived), British Leyland (when Leyland Trucks, Triumph and Rover joined), nationalisation in the 1970s saw a variety of names, Rover Group arrived in 1986 and was subsequently privatised and sold in 1994 to BMW.