July Newsletter

Here at Allon White Sports Cars, we're well into our summer routine of car shows and test drives - not a bad way to earn a living (especially if the weather's good!).

Last month saw us taking a stand at the year's main event for the Morgan Sports Car Club - MOG2015 in Llangollen.  Our theme was coach trimming and showing off what we could do when it comes to Morgan interior and hoods.  A great event with bucket loads of Morgans and a real credit to the organisers.  Can't wait for next year's event which is on home territory in Milton Keynes - see www.mog16.org

Then a couple of weekends ago it was Morgan's 'Thrill on the Hill' at Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb.  We put our new Morgan +4 through its paces up the Hill - the car was completely in its element, shame that the driver wasn't as accomplished!  But another great event and a highly recommended visit if it's on next year.

Next on the calendar is Silverstone Classic - now one of the UK's top classic motoring events - which runs from 24th to 26th July.  Expect lots of Lotus, lots of Morgans, and an incredible selection of car clubs and other makes.  Also expect some exciting and full on classic car racing, aerial displays, music (including Status Quo no less...!), lots of stands and exhibits.  All in all a great event and in fact so good that I'm closing the dealership for the day on Friday 24th July and taking the team there for well earned day out.  For details, see www.silverstoneclassic.com

We have a new contributor to our newsletters, Neil Furber from performance driving company, Drive7Tenths.  He'll be writing a series of articles, and you'll see the first of these later on in this newsletter.

Hope you enjoy the newsletter, and have a great summer's driving!

Lotus news

The last month has seen announcements by Lotus of two new models.

The one which has caused the most stir was the 3-Eleven which was revealed at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.  This picks up on the theme of a 'race car for the road' established by Colin Chapman in 1956 with the aerodynamic and ultra-lightweight Lotus 11.  Half a century later in 2007 Lotus launched the 2-Eleven which employed the same philosophy, and now the 3-Eleven takes the theme to new levels.

The 3-Eleven will come in two versions, Road and Race, and will be the fastest, and most expensive - prices from £82,000 - car built to date by Lotus.  In Race format, the car laps Lotus' track at Hethel 10 seconds faster than the next quickest Lotus.  In a straight line it's good for 0 - 60 in sub 3 seconds and a top speed of 174 mph (the taller geared Road version can do 180 mph).

Peformance comes courtesy of an uprated version of the supercharged 3.5 litre Toyota V6 used in other Lotus.  This produces 450 bhp at 7,000 rpm and 332 lb ft of torque at 3,500 rpm.  The power is delivered through a conventional 6-speed gearbox in the Road version, whilst the Race version benefits from an Xtrac sequential 6-speed paddle shift gearbox.  Weight of the car is less than 900 kg.

Talking with other Lotus dealers confirms that initial interest in the 3-Eleven has been high with plenty of deposits being taken.  So if you fancy one, sounds like you better get in fast!  Delivery of the first cars is anticipated for April next year.

For more information, have a read of an Autocar article by clicking Lotus 3-Eleven

The other new model in development is a Roadster version of the recently announced Evora 400.  The Roadster's roof will comprise two removable panels which can be stored on board in the front of the car.  The design of the extruded and bonded aluminium chassis ensures the Roadster will have no loss of rigidity versus the coupe version.  More details in due course from Lotus...

AR Motorsport

With Morgan's proud racing heritage, we thought it was time we took a look at AR Motorsport, the motorsport division of the Morgan Motor Company.

It all started before WW1 when HFS Morgan, the founder of the company, began what was to prove to be a long line of competition success for the 3 Wheelers that continued into the 1930s.

With the introduction of the 4 wheeled cars from 1936, Morgans continued to be successful and competitive in racing circles, including featuring in high profile events such as the Le Mans 24 hour.  The key moment probably coming in 1962 when a Morgan +4 SuperSports won its class at le Mans.

Fast forwarding to more recent times - and sadly skipping over much racing history and success - we come to the founding of AR Motorsport.  This markets a range of fast road and track related upgrades and also lifestyle accessories, and is responsible for the production of Morgan's range of race cars and tuned road cars.

There's the AR V6, the most powerful stripped-out racing car in the Morgan range. Based on the 3.7 litre Roadster, it has a power-to-weight ratio of 370bhp per tonne and comes complete, ready to race.

Another model is the Plus 4 Babydoll - which takes its name and character from a very successful historic racing Morgan owned and campaigned in the 1960s by American Lew Spencer.  The modern Baby doll utilises a 250 bhp Ford Duratec engine and is offered as a 'turn key' solution to a competitive Class B race car.

The next model currently available is the 4/4 Sport Competition. Its light-weight construction and 160bhp Ford delivers 190bhp per tonne, a true 'heritage' racer.

All these cars can be road registered, and allow the traditional racer's ethos of 'race on Sunday, commute on Monday' to prosper.

For more about the cars and AR Motosport, visit www.aero-racing.co.uk

LATEST NEWS!!

And now there's another model coming...the AR P4.  All we really know is it will have a Cosworth engine, will be rather special and is due to be unveiled at the Morgan stand at the Silverstone Classic this Friday (24th July) at 12 noon.  So if you're going to the event, make sure you come along to the Morgan stand!

Test drive our new demonstrator

We've very recently taken delivery of our latest demonstrator, a Morgan +4.  It's a striking looking car in Metallic Audi Scuba Blue with a black leather interior and stainless wire wheels.

Even better than the looks is how it drives - taut, responsive and with a wonderful engine.  Ford's latest GDI 2 litre engine, as used by Morgan in the +4, really does give a perfect blend of power, economy and usability.

If you're pondering ownership of a new Morgan and would like to experience for yourself just how good the very latest cars are, then please get in touch to book a test drive.  This could be a short blast round the block, or if you want to take the keys and go off for a couple of hours, that's fine as well.

To arrange a test drive, or find out more about new Morgans, then Sales Manager Phil is the best person to contact.  You can phone him on 01234 750205 or email phil@allonwhite.co.uk

Saturday Breakfast Club

Our very successful Breakfast Clubs have now been running for over 3 years, and if you haven't been along as yet, why not come along and find out what they're all about?

They happen on the first Saturday of each month, kicking off at 9:30am with bacon rolls and hot drinks, followed by a talk or demonstration with a motoring theme at around 10am.

Our next Breakfast Club is on Saturday 1st August and for this we'll be running a 'workshop' on MOTs and DIY.  At this we'll deal with facts, fiction and myths relating to the MOT and how to ensure your car passes with flying colours.  This will also link neatly into DIY and tips and ideas on jobs you can do yourself on your car.

All are welcome to our Breakfast Clubs - no need to book, but just turn up on the day.  Or for more information, including a list of the upcoming events, visit our website by clicking on Breakfast Club

Cars for sale

Currently in our showroom we have: our normal good selection of used Morgans; a rather special Lotus 340R and coming soon a supercharged Elise; and there's also an immensely enjoyable Caterham 160 and an entry level Caterham 7.

To find out more about these cars, and the others we have in stock, please click on the links below:

Morgans for sale

Lotus for sale

Other makes for sale

Our used cars come fully serviced, HPI checked, have a new MOT (if applicable), and if sold for use in the UK have a 3 month warranty.

If you're interested in any of these cars, or would like advice on any aspect of Morgan or Lotus ownership, email sales@allonwhite.co.uk or call 01234 750205.

Cars wanted!

It's a very busy time for us in our showroom - our stock is continually changing and we're always on the look out for more cars.

We're particularly interested in Morgans and Lotus.  For Morgans, we love all types, from 'project cars' to late model, low mileage examples.  As for Lotus, we're on the look out for good condition examples, from classic to current models.

But if you have another interesting sports car, classic or modern, that you're thinking of selling, please don't hesitate to contact us.

We buy cars outright, take cars in part exchange, and sell cars on behalf of their owners.  We are very flexible in our approach to finding the solution that's right for both sides.

If you would like to find out more or discuss possible options, please phone us on 01234 750205 or email sales@allonwhite.co.uk

Driving position

We'll be including in the next few newsletters, a series of articles from Neil Furber of local driver training company, Drive7tenths.  These will be aimed at getting the most from you and your car, be it on the road or on track.

So to kick off, let's look at the basics and start with driving position...

This is a very important yet often overlooked part of performance driving. You must be comfortable and relaxed. Some performance drivers will even adjust a seat backwards or forwards by one click for different footwear.

Your aim is to be able to comfortably depress the clutch pedal with just a slight bend in the knee. (If there is no clutch pedal the same should be true for the brake and throttle – remember brake pedals often depress further with the engine running than stopped.)  If you need to stretch the leg forward or slump the pelvis even a small amount the seat is too far back.  Sometimes an extra click forward may feel more comfortable but bear in mind this will mean moving the right foot further back to ensure moving cleanly from the throttle to the brake pedal.

The backrest angle is a personal choice. A large portion of road drivers set their backrest too far back in the pursuit of comfort. For performance driving, an angle of between 10 and 15 degrees from vertical is good. Reclining the seat further can cause damage to the pelvis and lower back, since the body starts to slide down and forward, inverting the lower portion of the spine. Incorrect body position can also reduce the effectiveness of seatbelts or harnesses under heavy braking or impact.

Seat height has positives and negatives in all positions. Ultimately, it is a personal choice, but do try different heights for yourself, bearing in mind the following:

• Race cars often have low seat positions to move the centre of mass closer to the ground, but this often reduces driver visibility.

• Small drivers will benefit from the extra visibility of sitting higher, but this will require moving the seat forward to fully depress the clutch pedal.

• Some drivers prefer to sit higher to aid ingress/egress and improve visibility, whereas some prefer to sit lower in a traditional sports car position.

Steering wheels in road cars often have height and reach adjustment. A good guide for setting the steering wheel is to consider the following:

• To set reach (distance to driver), place one of your arms on the top of the wheel rim. You are aiming to have the wrist resting on the centre of the rim with the shoulder fully against the seatback. If your hand or forearm is resting on the rim you should adjust the wheel.

• To set height, it is important to be able to see the speedometer and tachometer through the wheel. It is often recommended to have your hands approximately in line with your shoulders when the hands are at the 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock positions.

• For performance driving, it's better to hold the wheel at the 3 o’clock and 9 o’clock position - this will be covered in a later article on Steering Techniques.

Finally, make sure you can reach all the major and the important minor controls, but don’t forget to correctly fit the seat belt (or harness) and adjust your mirrors.

To learn more about Drive7Tenths, see www.drive7tenths.com

The company also has a 'Summer Special' which offers 6 hours advanced driving instruction for the price of 5 hours.  This applies to bookings made by the end of July.

Other interesting classics - MGB

In this section - a regular feature of our newsletters - we look at interesting cars we've had on our forecourt or ones we'd maybe like to have...

This time it's the turn of one of the most popular British cars of them all, the MGB.

It was first seen in 1962, created to replace the ageing MGA series, and what a replacement it proved to be!  In the true tradition of British sports cars, it brought affordable thrills for nearly twenty years of production that would take it from the basic model through to the MGC and MGB GT V8 before the curtain came down on production in 1980.

In 1962 it was a revelation, a monocoque construction instead of the body-on-a-chassis style of the MGA.  Straight off the production line, it had a 0–60mph time of just over 11 seconds. Its then 3-bearing B-Series engine produced 95bhp at 5400rpm. The engine was updated to a 5-bearing crankshaft in 1964. Keeping the same general specification with upgrades through to 1974, its 1798cc engine is fed through twin 1.5-inch SU carburettors.

MGBs used a 4-speed manual gearbox with an electric overdrive offered as an option.  An automatic was available but, pehaps not surprisingly, was unpopular. Electric overdrives were available on all MGBs.

In 1965, MG brought out a coupe version, known as the MGB GT.  Another beautifully styled car that was also practical, and like its soft top sibling proved to be extremely popular.

It could be said that the daddy of them all, though, was the MGB GT V8 introduced in 1973, fitted with the 3528cc Rover V8 engine, 137bhp at 5000rpm, though the prototypes had a 180bhp engine. With 193 lb/ft of torque, it hit 60mph in 7.7 seconds with 125mph top speed.

One of the more controversial changes to the MGB was the introduction of the 'rubber bumper' models in 1974.  These rather ugly bumpers were accompanied by an increase in ride height - all requirements for the very important American market, but implemented across MGBs and MGB GTs for all markets.

Production ended in 1980, with a run of limited edition cars in the UK - 421 bronze painted MGBs and 579 silver painted MGB GTs.

In 1992 MG, then part of the Rover Group, brought out a revised version of the ‘B’ - the MG RV8.  This was based on the original MGB body shell, but with new panels.  The suspension was only slightly updated, it retained the rear drum brakes of the earlier model, but the engine was now a 3.9-litre Rover V8, good for 190bhp and 0-60mph in 5.9 seconds.  At the time it was not a particularly popular car - too many compromises brought about by old design and engineering.

The original MGBs and MGB GTs are cracking cars, still very sought after and not overly expensive.  Their main weakness, similar to many cars of the era, is corrosion in the bodywork.  Good condition MGB GT V8s are increasing nicely in value as are MGCs and MGC GTs, and the MG RV8 are now starting to come into their own.

Our workshop

In our workshop we can carry out any work your Morgan or Lotus might need.  And as we're a Factory appointed Service Centre for both marques, you get the Lotus or Morgan stamp in your service book!

Our technicians are all highly experienced and have attended advanced training courses run by Morgan and Lotus.  We have the latest diagnostic equipment and can call upon full technical support from both these manufacturers.

We also look after a range of other sports and classic cars, from TVR Griffiths to Caterhams to E-Type Jaguars.  So if you have something slightly unusual you'd like us to look after, please do get in touch.

If you would like to book your car in for work or have any questions about a problem you may be experiencing, don't hesitate to get in contact. Phone 01234 750205 or email workshop@allonwhite.co.uk

To visit the workshop pages of our website, please click on:

Morgan servicing

Lotus servicing

Other makes servicing

And finally...

As many people know, we hire out Morgans - click on Morgan Hire for more information.

When checking in the car at the end of the hire period, most people take all their belongings.  All we've ever found left behind is a pair of sunglasses, but here are some of the more bizarre lost property experiences from other car rental companies...

• South African experiences are quite explosive.  There’s at least two incidents of grenades rolling out from under seats when customers braked heavily.  Not to mention the guns found in a car’s cubby hole when cleaned.

• An employee at a UK firm was rather shaken when he found a life size dummy dressed as an old lady in the boot of a Ford focus.  Needless to say at first he mistook it for a body.

• Perhaps not so mistakable – but equally unlikely – was the suit of armour reported by another major car hire chain.

• Or how about the shabbily dressed skeleton found in the boot of a Seattle vehicle?  Apparently it was used for training purposes - hopefully not how to fit a body in your boot.

• There’s been an antique wooden leg left behind – odd – but perhaps even odder are the modern artificial limbs found in vehicles.  Surely you’d notice you were missing an arm or leg when exiting?

• Animals are quite often forgotten and range from a caged mouse, to a loose snake, and even a dog on the back seat.

• On the morbid side, left-behinds have included a tombstone, an urn filled with Granny’s ashes and a body bag – fortunately empty.

• Another vehicle was returned newly accessorised with furry handcuffs.

• Or how about the toupee discovered in the back seat of a car in Birmingham?  The car rental company contacted the previous hirer, but he insisted it wasn’t his.

• Finally it was a similar ‘not united’ ending for the owner of a glass eye found rolling around the floor of an estate car.  The previous users also denied ownership.

Contact us

If you want to talk to us on any sports car related issue, please contact Allon White Sports Cars by:

Phone: 01234 750205
Email: sales@allonwhite.co.uk
Website: www.allonwhite.co.uk

Kind Regards

John

John Bellenger
Allon White Sports Cars Ltd