Investment In Skills For EV And Battery Technology

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness and leaders from the North East Combined Authority are set to approve a huge skills investment aimed at developing a new generation of skilled workers in electric vehicle (EV) and battery technology.

MADE NE (Manufacturing, Automation, Digitalisation, Electrification North East), spearheaded by Nissan in collaboration with automotive sector partners, will establish world-class training facilities across two locations within the International Advanced Manufacturing Strategic Site (IAMSS) in Sunderland.

This £14.6 million initiative, for which a report to the Mayor and Cabinet suggests a £9.7 million investment from the Combined Authority, will offer open-access facilities for industry-specific skills training in the region’s advanced manufacturing sector, focusing on EV and battery technology.

The program will include skills development ranging from primary education to apprenticeships and in-work training. Additionally, the centre aims to support targeted industrial innovation projects through funding and equipment.

The proposal will be reviewed by the North East Combined Authority Cabinet on Tuesday, 30 July. MADE NE represents the first project within the region’s Investment Zone, a £160 million, 10-year initiative projected to create over 4,000 jobs and attract £3 billion in private sector investment.

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said: “In my manifesto I promised to back our world-leading automotive industry. Now we are delivering. This investment will unlock a generation of skilled workers and create opportunities for local people and businesses.

“It cements our reputation as a global success story in advanced manufacturing and shows how we can lead the industries of the future. The investment shows how we can make the North East the home of real opportunity by backing local workers and businesses – so our area has good, well-paid, high-skilled jobs and training on the doorstep.“

Adam Pennick, Vice President, Manufacturing, at Nissan Sunderland Plant, said: “To build the cars of the future, you need the skills of the future. This fantastic new facility will help find the talent, nurture the technical skills and drive the spirit of innovation that will power advanced automotive manufacturing in the UK. 

“Nissan Sunderland is proud of its track record on skills development and we know that to deliver our EV36Zero vision we need to do more. 

“That’s why we are excited to be leading this collaborative long-term project to take skills development to the next level, for the benefit of the North East of England.”    

Cllr Michael Mordey, Cabinet member for Finance and Investment and Leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “We are proud that Sunderland is the beating heart of the most important economic motor this region has, and that – in securing this investment – we can continue to drive its success with talented, highly-skilled people, trained in the city and able to contribute to the success of this whole region.  And indeed to ensure that the supply chain is developed with the availability of a world-class workforce. 

“Our location – at the heart of the region – means that we are well-positioned to support people right across the North East to access world-class training that will enable them to take up green jobs, as we transition to electrification.  It cements our position on a global stage – an internationally competitive, ambitious city that is leading the way in the race to a more sustainable future, at the heart of a region that can play a huge part in the success of UK Plc.”

Hagerty Festival Of The Unexceptional 2024

Hagerty’s Festival of the Unexceptional is celebrating its 10th anniversary at Grimsthorpe Castle in Lincolnshire on Saturday 27th July 2024. The event will feature thousands of everyday cars on display, including a special selection of the UK’s rarest ordinary vehicles in the Concours de l’Ordinaire.

The Festival of the Unexceptional is the only car show where guests can admire rare models from once-common brands that have now faded into history. This unique celebration is made possible by dedicated FOTU fans who lovingly maintain these ordinary cars long after their manufacturers have disappeared from showrooms.

10 Brands To Look For At The Festival Of The Unexceptional

Austin – Herbert Austin founded his car company in 1905 and the Austin name was quietly dropped for good in 1988.

• Last car produced: Austin Montego
• Car most likely to be seen at FOTU: Austin Metro

Daihatsu – Japan’s Daihatsu made its first engine in 1907 and, in 2013, Daihatsu made the decision to withdraw from Europe.

• Last car produced: Daihatsu Sirion
• Car most likely to be seen at FOTU: Daihatsu Charade

Datsun – Datsun’s roots can be traced to 1911 with the first DAT car being produced in 1914, however, the Datsun name was phased out in favour of Nissan from the early 1980s.

• Last Car: Datsun Micra
• Car most likely to be seen at FOTU: Datsun Cherry

Daewoo – Originally established in 1937, Daewoo entered the UK market full of promise in 1995, before going bust in 2002.

• Last Car: Daewoo Matiz
• Car most likely to be seen at FOTU: Daewoo Espero

Lancia – An illustrious history that began in 1906 came to a grinding halt, in the UK at least, in 1993, but there is a chance that a newly-electrified Lancia could return to the UK in the future.

• Last Car: Lancia Delta
• Car most likely to be seen at FOTU: Lancia Beta

Morris – William Richard Morris started WRM Morris Ltd in Oxford in 1912, and the Morris name disappeared when the last Ital was produced in 1984.

• Last Car: Morris Metro van
• Car most likely to be seen at FOTU: Morris Marina

Mitsubishi – The Mitsubishi automotive arm was established in 1970 and, despite being an early adopter of hybrid technology in family cars it closed for business (in the UK) in 2021.

• Last Car: Mitsubishi Outlander
• Car most likely to be seen at FOTU: Mitsubishi Colt

Rover – Rover built cars from 1904 and was eventually sold to BMW – who then famously sold out to the Phoenix Consortium in 2000 for a single pound. Overambition and financial mismanagement saw production end in 2005.

• Last Car: Rover 75
• Car most likely to be seen at FOTU: Rover 200 Series (SD3 model)

Triumph – In 1921 Triumph acquired the Dawson Car Company and built its first four-wheeler and the brand was acquired by Leyland in 1960. The final vehicle to bear the name was a badge-engineered Honda, the Acclaim in 1981.

• Last Car: Triumph Acclaim
• Car most likely to be seen at FOTU: Triumph Acclaim

Yugo – In 1980 the Yugo was born as a reworked 128, and a UK importer was found in 1981. However, as the wars of Yugoslav succession unfolded, exports halted, and the UK operation was closed in 1993.

• Last Car: Yugo Zastava Koral
• Car most likely to be seen at FOTU: Yugo 45

Classic Barn Finds At Auction

Hampson Auctions has an incredible list of cars up for sale at its Oulton Park Gold Cup sale, taking place on the 28th of July 2024 at the Oulton Park circuit. Highlights include two literal barn finds: a 1970 Jaguar E-type 4.2-litre 2+2 and, the car it lived with, undisturbed since the mid-1980s, a 1975 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow. The auction also features a restored 1956 Bristol Drophead Coupe, a rare right-hand-drive Ferrari 308 GTB ‘Vetroresina,’ and a 1978 Maserati Merak SS.

Managing Director Zach Hamilton said getting the cars out of the barn was good fun. The Jaguar E-type Series 2, purchased by the vendor’s late husband for his 21st birthday in the mid-1970s, has been untouched in the barn since 1986 after a theft attempt outside Woolworths. The 1975 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, another of the vendor’s husband’s cars, joined it a few years later. Both cars, requiring full restorations, are offered with no reserve.

In contrast, the 1956 Bristol 405 Drophead Coupe has recently undergone a full bare-metal restoration, with the vendor suggesting it could be a show-winner. It has coachwork by Abbotts of Farnham and the original toolkit is included too. Estimated sale price: £160,000-£180,000.

The 1978 Maserati Merak SS was originally delivered to an American owner and later displayed in a museum from 2001 to 2017. Its exceptionally low mileage of 29,000 is credible, though not warranted. This left-hand-drive vehicle, imported to the UK in 2020, retains its period-correct interior, including a 1970s Blaupunkt cassette player, and has recently received new black wool carpets, costing a four-figure sum. It is estimated to sell for £55,000-£65,000.

Among several Ferraris in the auction is a 1976 Ferrari 308 GTB ‘Vetroresina,’ one of only 154 right-hand-drive models, estimated at £90,000-£110,000. The sale also includes a 1991 Ferrari Testarossa (£80,000-£100,000) and a 1975 Ferrari Dino 308 GT4, maintained for the past two decades by its engineer owner specialising in classic and rally cars, offered at no reserve.

Other no-reserve lots include a well-preserved 1973 BMW 2002 Tii in Seventies-style BMW Motorsport livery, a charming 1933 Austin 10/4 Saloon, a charismatic 1991 Nissan Figaro, and a 1954 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn, complete with the cherished ‘PGH 2’ registration number.

Caterham And RAF – Tribute To Puma HC2 Helicopter

Caterham and the Royal Air Force (RAF) have unveiled a special one-off car built using exterior and interior components from a Puma HC2 helicopter, paying tribute to the aircraft.

The unique Caterham Seven 360R has been built to raise funds for injured servicemen and women. It will make its debut at this weekend’s Formula 1 British Grand Prix.

Set to be auctioned through Collecting Cars, this collaboration between the RAF, Caterham, Mission Motorsport, and the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund aims to raise over £100,000.

The project supports the Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) division, providing participants with external opportunities to enhance their skills.

The Puma HC2, operated by Joint Aviation Command (JAC) at RAF Benson, entered service in 1972 and has served globally. Recently retired, the teams at Benson and Caterham decided to honour the Puma and its servicemen and women with this unique creation.

Based on the Seven 360R, the car’s exterior retains the finish from the aircraft, with additional panels painted in matching ‘NATO Green’. The chassis mirrors the aircraft’s understructure, finished in ‘Desert Sand’.

The car features aluminium skin from the aircraft’s tail boom and doors as exterior panels, and the internal rear bulkhead retains the door jettison handle.

The interior incorporates details from the Puma, including quilted soundproofing from the aircraft lining the door panels, tunnel top, and padding for the carbon fibre seats. The helicopter’s evacuation instructions are stitched into the lining.

A distinctive satin black dashboard, matching the Puma’s military-grade switchgear, replaces the regular dash switches. The 360R also includes a helicopter-style three-stage ignition sequence and the aircraft’s navigation clock as the dash centrepiece.

Under the bonnet, the car’s battery is housed in an ammunition box.

The car’s assembly was a joint effort between Caterham and serving personnel from RAF Benson, with the names of all contributors featured on the bonnet.

Puma HC2 medium support helicopters perform a variety of combat roles, including the tactical movement of troops and weapons, as well as casualty extraction on the frontline. They are also used for humanitarian and disaster relief operations.

Corporal McCreadie said: “It has been an honour to be a part of the Caterham project. As an Aircraft Technician (mechanical), I volunteered my time to remove the decommissioned materials from the Puma for the Caterham RAF Seven 360. To see the transformation of the materials has been fascinating.

“Through the course of the project I had the opportunity to refine my skills and learn some new engineering techniques. I am proud to have been a part of the team that made this car and to promote Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics within the RAF.”

Bob Laishley, CEO of Caterham, said: “When the RAF approached us about this project we jumped at the chance to be involved. Firstly, because it was an interesting build process for us as it’s the first time in our history that a Seven has been made from recycled helicopter parts.

“It was a true team effort as well, with engineers from the RAF supporting us throughout the build. But, more importantly, it’s great to know that any proceeds from the auction will go to incredibly important causes.”

Squadron Leader Morley said: “Royal Air Force Benson Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) team will be attending multiple events throughout the summer, promoting STEM in both the military and industry. Along with support from RAF Engineering & Cyber Recruitment the team have an amazing opportunity to host and present this one-off Caterham car made with former RAF Puma components.

“The car has been assembled by RAF personnel with the help of Caterham and highlights the amazing skills of the engineering teams that both maintain the RAF Puma’s and that work in industry. It’s our opportunity to celebrate the history of the RAF Puma Force while showcasing the opportunities that are available within the RAF and wider STEM community.”

Bidding for the car opens 15 August and ends 12 September through Collecting Cars.

The car is scheduled to be displayed at several events throughout the Summer. For more information, visit caterhamcars.com.

The All-New MG HS SUV

MG has just released an exclusive preview of the all-new HS SUV. This is ahead of the car’s global debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on Thursday, 11th July.

Replacing the current model, which has been extremely successful for MG, the all-new HS is said to offer a contemporary, sophisticated design and an interior with enhanced space and an array of new, driver-focussed technology.

There will be two powertrain choices – petrol and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) – with the Plug-in Hybrid variant promising to offer an unmatched all-electric range for the class.

It looks great and I can’t wait to see what happens on 11th July.