Sir William Lyons Award 2011 pt.1: Interview – Dr. Alex Moulton CBE

Posted on 14/11/2011 by Sam Skelton

As the creator of Hydrolastic and Hydragas, most acknowledge that Dr. Alex Moulton knows something of suspension design. What is less known is that, whilst working at Bristol Aero Engines, Moulton, motoring correspondent Gordon Wilkins, and aero engineer Sir Roy Fedden, were involved with the creation of a prototype 'people's car' which drew inspiration from Tatra and Volkswagen. "We really didn't understand that the Volkswagen Beetle's engineering and design hid several faults!" Moulton recalls, Read more [...]

Automotive science playing a blinder

Posted on 23/10/2011 by Sam Skelton

I was in a new Citroen Berlingo yesterday. A van which lacks central locking and yet has electric windows listed amongst its bits of technology. But amongst the other pieces of useless trickery was a button that automatically locked the cargo bay whenever you set off, meaning that you had to unlock it with the key every time you wanted to get in. Pointless, time wasting technology at its absolute bloody worst. It came back to me as I was bimbling about in the aged Peugeot earlier today. I had Read more [...]

The thrill of the endless chase

Posted on 17/10/2011 by Sam Skelton

Why is carhunting so damned difficult? OK, I know it isn’t really. You just look for a fairly cheap Jag or a Rover 75 and have done with it. The thing is, at twenty neither of these options is really open to me unless I’m willing to part with a kidney, a lung, and much of my liver. So something a little more sensible is on the cards – and as a member of the Maestro and Montego OC’s committee a Maestro or Montego is indicated as the obvious choice; if I indulge my love of the Vanden Plas Read more [...]

MG6 GT TSE 1.8

Posted on 10/10/2011 by Sam Skelton

MG out of the red? The MG6 is the first in a new line of MGs emanating from China's Shanghai Automotive - but it's interesting in another way. This car uses a derivative of the K-series, known as the TCi-Tech, and considerable amounts of the underpinnings are Rover 75. Couple these facts to that badge and the fact that the cars are assembled in Longbridge, and it represents the last of the line for BL, ARG, and MG Rover. As such, it is the swansong for the mainstream British motor industry, Read more [...]

Van-tastic!

Posted on 26/09/2011 by Sam Skelton

For most confirmed petrolheads, this twin test will be pointless. Indeed, as a lover of large, multi-cylindered luxobarges, had you invited me to do a back to back test of small diesel vans, 99% of the time my answer would have been no. Yet I've done a fair few miles in a couple of the better ones recently, and a comparison seemed like a good thing to do. If you're a small business owner, or have any other reason for needing two seats and space for a very big box, then read on. Words: Sam Read more [...]