Mercruiser Quicksilver Fuel Line Assy. P/n 32-44599 1 on 2040-parts.com

MG Design Centre opens in UK

The opening of MG's new design center this week at the historic production site of Longbridge, Birmingham, England was both an incredible and credible occasion. Incredible, because the brand looked dead in the water after the debacle of MG Rover's collapse in 2005 and even after various Chinese takeovers, its UK operation seemed destined to play no more than a tokenistic bit part. And thankfully credible too, because now all of MG's global design will genuinely be led from this new facility in the epicentre of England's traditional motoring heartland.

Inside the Mini compound

Visitors surrender their passports upon entering Mini headquarters in Germany. It's for security reasons mainly, and obviously the passports are returned on the way out. But the symbolism is obvious: Mini is a world a way from parent BMW.

BaT Euro Alfa Adventure - Part 1 - Intro and The Goodwood Revival

I'm sitting at a Starbucks at the EuroTunnel station at 12:30 a.m. That may not sound particularly glamorous or exciting, but what has brought me here is a 72-hour adrenaline rush that a car fanatic can only get from the prospect of retrieving a far-away car purchase combined with a racing event I've previously only dreamed about. This story started months ago when a buddy in the Netherlands emailed to say that he landed a couple of tickets to the Goodwood Revival.