Motoring: Together in electric dreams
TWO of Britain’s best known brands have united for a new project celebrating both their own heritage and future sustainability.
Selfridges is teaming up with Morgan to celebrate the launch of the car manufacturer’s first zero emission, all-electric car, the EV3.
The collaboration is embodied in the form of a limited edition of the EV3 car, which has been christened “UK 1909” in recognition of the founding date of both brands.
Still ahead of its launch date, the car is set to become an instant collector’s item as it is being limited to a production run of just 19 vehicles.
The retro-futuristic theme that characterises all of the vehicle’s produced at Morgan’s Worcestershire factory is again evident in the three-wheeler.
The car is predicted to have a range of between 120-150 miles depending on the exuberance of its driver and a top speed of around 90 mph.
The bullet-bodied, face and exposed wheel design takes inspiration from 1930s aero engine race cars, classic motorcycles and 195’s fantasy automatons. Brass conductive cooling fins encase the batteries and four large round headlights add to the overall boldness of the design.
It is finished in a luxurious black paint with Selfridges bronze detailing – reminiscent of the retailer’s Oxford Street store’s iconic bronze name plaque.
The dramatic tail lift last seen in the late 1920s on Morgan 3 Wheeler race cars, has been re-introduced, with the intention of creating a visually forward stance. The retro look is enhanced with low slung running lights that carry through the cylindrical form of the side pods. An entirely new dashboard arrangement features a classic ‘magneto’ switch for drive selection, a digital screen, and uses wood and treated aluminium throughout.
As part of the unique collaboration, Selfridges has also enlisted nine additional British brands to produce a driving kit characterised by sustainable accessories. The kit is priced separately but can only be ordered with the car.
Some brands such as Alexander McQueen and Belstaff have found Britain-based artisans to manufacture their contributing accessory, instead of manufacturing it overseas as they do with their main lines, to ensure all elements of the UK 1909 Edition, from the car to the driving kit, are exclusively handmade in the UK.
The UK 1909 Edition will be officially launched at Selfridges Birmingham next month, moving on to the retailer’s flagship London store a month later.
The UK 1909 Edition and complementary driving kit are priced £49,999; they will be manufactured from November 2016 and delivered to each customer within six months.
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A QUIET revolution is taking place at Range Rover but it is one that will benefit many drivers in years to come – especially in the pocket.
As anyone who has ever owned one of these vehicles will know, the running costs can be brutal.
The powerful engines are designed to propel the heavy vehicle along the road at a speed which defies its size and bulk.
But that performance comes at a price, with fuel consumption in the first generation of Sports sometimes measured in single digits.
The all-new aluminium construction techniques introduced three years ago saw a whopping 420kg trimmed off the weight – with a resulting uplift in consumption but thankfully, no loss of power.
A year after the new Sport was introduced, JLR went ahead and opened its new Engine Manufacturing Centre in a purpose-built factory close to Wolverhampton.
The range of Ingenium engines produced at the new plant were intended to power the new Jaguar XE and the acclaim with which both the new car and 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine has been received is more than justification for JLR’s £0.5m investment.
So, with such a versatile product at your fingertips the company has quite wisely decided to install the engine into other vehicles in its stable.
It is already in the best-selling Evoque and Discovery Sport; now it has been introduced into the 2017 Sport.
JLR claims the engine’s advanced technology and all-aluminium construction will contribute to a fuel consumption of 45.6mpg (EU combined cycle) – uncharted territory for many Range Rover owners – and have CO2 emissions of just 164g/km.
Better still, it will still be capable of a 0-60mph time of 8.0 seconds (at least according to the manufacturer’s own data) and a top speed of 128mph.
This has been achieved by the introduction of a second turbocharger to the Ingenium engine, meaning it is the first JLR-built unit to feature series sequential turbo technology.
Vehicles fitted with the new engine will be distinguished by a single twin-exhaust configuration. Other derivatives retain the existing set-up, with a single exhaust on each side of the rear bumper.
Prices for the new vehicle start at £59,7000.
For those fortunate enough not have to worry about consumption details, they can choose from a dazzling array of engine sizes including a 3.0-litre V6 diesel (305hp), 3.0-litre V6 diesel hybrid (354hp), 3.0-litre supercharged V6 petrol (340hp), 4.4-litre V8 diesel (339hp), 5.0-litre supercharged V8 petrol (510hp) and the range-topping, SVO-tweaked 5.0-litre supercharged V8 petrol (550hp).
Jeremy Hicks, managing director, Jaguar Land Rover UK, said: “Our customers love Range Rover Sport and for 17 Model Year it gets even better. It’s brimming with exciting technology for even better on and off-road driving; it has next-generation infotainment and advanced safety features as standard, better economy and running costs, and all for under £60,000.”
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A VERY special Jaguar E-Type is set to go under the hammer at the Silverstone Auctions’ Salon Privé Sale on September 3, which takes place at Blenheim Palace.
The 1973 Series III Roadster starred in one of the early episodes of Only Fools and Horses, entitled Go West Young Man in which dodgy second hand car dealer Boycie, played by John Challis, purchases the car as a birthday gift for his ‘bit on the side’.
However, Del Boy (David Jason) and Rodney (Nicholas Lyndhurst) then decide to borrow the car for a night out on the tiles, which naturally doesn’t go quite as planned. On their way home, Rodney accidentally throws a cigar pack out of the window on which are written the phone numbers of some girls, causing Del Boy to hit the brakes and another car to crash into them.
The accident was staged with no damage to the car itself, which has been lovingly looked after by its first and only owner, a Swansea businessman, for its whole life.
The car, finished in Old English White with blue leather interior, was originally delivered by Jaguar to Henlys of London on October 11, 1973.
Included with the car is a die-cast model of the E-Type signed by both David Jason and John Challis and presented in a frame with mounted stills of the car’s appearance in the episode.
After 10 years in storage in a heated garage, the car has been treated to new shock absorbers and battery, as well as a full service. With 79,000 miles on the clock and full history, the car has a sale estimate of between £75,000 and £85,000.
