We’ve published these leaked photos of the saloon which is set to stir some discussion amongst Jaguar enthusiasts. The new tail which abandons the classic design boasts an all new angle and is likely to cause the most controversy. Another striking design feature of the new XJ are the 2 glazed black C-pillars that hug the back of the car, helping the XJ look like nothing else on the road and highlight the chrome side window detailing (DLO) Once inside the car, passengers are greeted in a spectacular fasion with leather and wood alongside touch screen telematics and a 20-speaker Bowers & Wilkins stereo system.

So how does the vehicle drive? Well until the vehicle is road tested later this year speculations will continue, however tonights unveiling will no doubt focus on the XJ’s looks, especially that tail. So what do you think about design of the new XJ, love it or loathe it?

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In the UK, BMW sold 4,888 X3’s and 7,202 X5 models, which together represented 10 per cent of total sales. The launch of the BMW X6 on the 31st May will cement BMW’s market-leading position, and we can’t wait to get our hands on one.

If you want some market leading 4×4 insurance, then give the team at Sureterm a call (FREE) on        0800 999 2030.

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The World Car of the Year Awards began in 2005 when the Audi A6 triumphed, followed by the BMW 3-Series in 2006 and the Lexus LS460 last year.

This year the top three contenders for 2008 World Car of the Year title were the Ford Mondeo, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the Mazda2/Mazda Demio, which became the first compact car to win the award.

The Mazda2/Mazda Demio was chosen from an initial entry list of thirty-nine entries nominated by forty-seven World Car jurors from twenty-four countries throughout the world. Each juror was appointed by the World Car Steering Committee on the basis of his or her expertise, experience, credibility, and influence. Each juror typically drives and evaluates new vehicles on a regular basis as part of their professional work.

The jurors stated that, “The new Mazda version is exactly that – completely new – particularly on the outside. The two-door sportier look was recently unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show and reviews around the world have been primarily one big ‘thumbs up’. Consumers will be drawn to the new Mazda compact because of its very appealing looks and high levels of standard equipment for the price.”

“We are honoured to receive this prestigious award recognizing the Mazda2/Mazda Demio as the 2008 World Car of the Year,” said Dan Morris, Mazda’s senior managing executive officer in charge of Marketing, Sales and Customer Service. “This is wonderful recognition which Mazda2 car owners and Mazda employees alike can celebrate worldwide.

The 2008 World Performance Car award went to the Audi R8. Candidates for the World Performance Car award must demonstrate a specific and overt Sports/Performance orientation. They must also satisfy the same availability criteria as for the overall World Car award and may be chosen from that list of eligible vehicles.

“Last year, the Audi RS 4 won the World Performance Car award and we are thrilled to have retained the title with the Audi R8,” said Johan De Nysschen, Executive Vice President of Audi of America. “This award is recognition for the superb work done by the engineers and designers who worked on the R8. It has immediately taken up a leadership position in the super sports car segment. We are also delighted that the World Car of the Year jurors voted the Audi S5 into the top three.”

2008 World Green Car of the Year was won by the BMW 118d – “BMW is very excited that the BMW 118d with EfficientDynamics won the World Green Car title,” said Tom Purves, Chairman and CEO of BMW of North America. “The measures that we’ve implemented within our EfficientDynamics strategy into every BMW mean that we’re able to provide customers with the driving pleasure they expect from a BMW, while still meeting the stringent requirements for fuel-efficiency and low emissions.”

Jurors felt that BMW’s EfficientDynamics technology, as applied to the 118d, comprises a range of features and improvements with the specific purpose of reducing fuel consumption and lowering emissions. Its 143-hp, 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine, with third-generation common-rail fuel injection, piezo-injectors, and up to 2,000 bar injection pressure is said to reduce fuel consumption by up to eight percent.

The top three contenders for the third annual World Green Car in addition to the BMW 118d were the Mercedes-Benz Smart fortwo cdi and the Volkswagen Passat 1.9 TDI.

Previous World Car winners were the Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec in 2007 and the Honda Civic Hybrid in 2006.

If you would like award winning performance car insurance – then just call Sureterm Direct on 0800 999 2030 for a quote.

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The show opens at ExCeL in London between the 23th July and the 3rd August, but the main attractions can now be seen online on a fully-interactive map with visuals and audio.

The map shows sports cars racing on the purpose-built tracks, boats and water-skiers on the move at the Marine Experience, and classic cars parading around the Heritage Enclosure. 

The map also boasts a number of audio clips, providing a supercar soundtrack for those browsing the site.

Tickets are on sale now either via the website – www.britishmotorshow.co.uk  – or by calling 0871 230 5588.  Adult tickets start at £10.

If you need great classic car insurance or sports car insurance then  give Sureterm Direct a call for FREE on 0800 999 2030 and see how much money we can save you.

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This lightweight German sports car was one of three built in the factory’s Werke 1 in May 1955 for the Le Mans 24 Hour race of that year. Carrying race number ‘49’ (and chassis 550-0048), it was the Porsche AG entry driven in the rain-soaked event by legendary Corvette guru Zora Arkus Duntov and Frenchman Auguste Veuillet (later Porsche’s French importer), covering 3,303.570km at an average speed of 137,647km/h to take victory in the hotly contested 1100cc class.

Perhaps even more surprisingly, just two months later, chassis ‘550-0048’ was piloted by Richard von Frankenberg to outright victory in the Production Sports Car race at the Swedish Grand Prix, beating much bigger Jaguars and Maseratis. In January 1956 it was tested by Road and Track magazine, now uprated to 1500cc four cam power, possibly competing again in that year’s Mille Miglia before entering private ownership.

For the past four decades this historic Porsche has been rarely seen in public, spending the last 20 years in the hands of a reclusive collector who has now instructed Kidston SA of Geneva to offer it for sale.

 Whilst you may not be able to afford the car just yet, you will be able to afford our Sureterm performance car insurance.  So give us a call for FREE on 0800 999 2030

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1886 – Benz Patent Motorwagen

Motoring as we know it began on 29th January 1886, when a patent was filed for this “horseless carriage” – the first car with an internal combustion engine. Named after its German inventor, Karl Benz, the Motorwagen was both revolutionary and very, very slow: it could barely top 10mph.

1907 - Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost

The last word in refinement, the Silver Ghost was a must-have for Edwardian Lords and Viscounts. Its luxury heralded the end of the horse and carriage as the aristocracy’s preferred mode of transport. Adverts billed it: “Silent as a Ghost, Powerful as a Lion, and Trustworthy as Time”.

1936 – Volkswagen Beetle

The “people’s car” company was founded by the Nazis when Adolf Hitler instructed his fellow Austrian, Dr Ferdinand Porsche, to dream up some wheels able to transport two adults and three children for less than £50. Manufacturing on the Bug did not actually begin in Germany until after the war.

1941 – Willys-Overland Jeep

In the words of American President and D-Day General Dwight Eisenhower, the Willys-Overland Jeep was one of the “weapons that won the Allies the war”. Over 330,000 of these iconic 4×4s were produced by American factories, serving in every theatre of the Second World War.

1947 – Land Rover

Where would farmers be without the Land Rover? First unveiled at the Amsterdam motor show, early models were made from both steel and aluminium, due to the rationing of steel and post-war abundance of aluminium, which had been used to make aircraft. The first in a legendary line, many Series 1 Land Rovers can still be seen on our roads.

1949 - Citroen 2CV

More French than a string of onions, this design classic has been adored and derided in equal measure. Created after the Second World War, it was first marketed as an “umbrella on wheels” that could transport eggs without cracking them. Between 1948 and 1990 about four million cars were sold.

1957 - Fiat 500
The car that got Italy on the move. Fiat’s practical and affordable 500 was just three metres long, but its quirkily stylish profile ensured that it became a huge hit across the whole of Europe. Production didn’t end till 1975 – and a modern version was re-launched last year.

1958 – Saab 93

Saab pioneered aerodynamic design, perhaps because it also made fighter aircraft. The 93 first achieved fame on the rally circuit, but its lasting legacy was in the field of safety: it was the first mass production car to have seatbelts as standard, leading Mercedes-Benz (and later every other manufacturer) to follow suit soon afterwards.

1959 – Austin Mini

This revolutionary design was created by British Motoring Corporation boss Leonard Lord who stipulated that 60 per cent of its length should be interior space. Minis later became a cult car, thanks to Michael Caine and The Italian Job.

1959 – Mercedes-Benz “heckflosse”

The sleek but datable Mercedes-Benz “heckflosse” – or “fintail” – was the first production car with crumple zones. Captains of industry could buy the chrome-laden 300SEL model, with air suspension and fuel-injected engine; those on a more stringent budget could fire up the 190 diesel, which retailed at a third of the price.

1961 – Jaguar E-type

The sexiest car ever made. Originally developed as a racer, the E-type was subsequently adapted for use on British roads, and became a symbol of the swinging Sixties. Some models of this (relatively) cheap motor were able to top the 150mph milestone.

1966 – Toyota Corolla

The Corolla was the first mass-market car to have a radio fitted as standard. It was also the first Japanese car to threaten the American and European dominance of the industry, thanks to its efficiency. Toyota’s “just in time” production method was later copied across the world.

1971 – Fiat 127

Small, fun, and perfectly formed, the 127 was the first modern supermini. Even the car’s 903cc engine punched above its weight, giving performance more akin to a modern 1500cc. It could do 0-60mph in a then-impressive 15 seconds, and over 12 years more than four million rolled off the production line.

1976 – Volkswagen Golf GTI

The car that made hatches “hot” hit the road three years after the Golf was launched. With a souped-up engine and go-faster stripes, it became the car of choice for spotty youths, who were soon “pimping” their rides with under-lighting and racing seats. It spawned a generation of imitators, from the Fiat Uno Turbo to the Suzuki Swift Sport.

1997 – Toyota Prius

The first commercial hybrid car was produced in Japan and launched in the UK four years later. Since becoming fashionable among ecologically aware Hollywood celebrities – converts include Leonardo DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz – it has inspired a legion of impressionable “civilian” consumers to follow suit.

2002 – Honda FC-X

We’ve had hybrid, electric and biofuel cars, but the future of green motoring is probably hydrogen. The FC-X looks like being the first commercially viable hydrogen fuel-cell car. It looks like a bog standard saloon from the outside, but things get clever under the bonnet: it runs on hydrogen and emits nothing more harmless than water.

2008 – Tata Nano

Can the world afford this car? With a price tag of just £1,277, the Nano was launched this year on a promise of bringing cheap motoring to India’s rapidly growing middle class.

Whatever your preferred drive, whether it is a classic car, a 4×4 or a hot hatch, Sureterm Direct can offer you the most competitive car insurance on the market.  So give us a call (for FREE) on 0800 999 2030

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The man who said the magic line is Gene Hunt, a fictional detective in ‘Ashes To Ashes’ – a TV series set in 1980’s Britain – and he drives a bright red Audi UR quattro. And while Hunt’s completely un-PC view of the world makes compelling viewing, it’s undoubtedly the quattro that’s become the star of the show.

They’re fetching £8,000 on ebay, the internet forums are alive with people trying to track down a model for themselves, and for the 30-somethings who were teenagers living in the 80’s, it’s made them realise that the cars they loved then could be classic cars of tomorrow.

Inquiries for classic car insurance at Sureterm Direct – the UK’s biggest specialist classic car insurer – have gone through the roof since Ashes to Ashes aired in early Feb. Some people think, with some justification, that the car they’ve had for 20 years might now qualify for a great classic car insurance deal. Others have found some spare cash, gone out and bought a Mk1 Golf GTi Campaign and are now firmly in the mindset of the classic car fan.

Except this time, the talk isn’t of Morris Minors and Triumph Heralds (although we love them, of course) it’s about what will make the classic cars of the future? So here’s the Sureterm Direct guide to the Top 20 Future Classic Cars. 

Sportscars
Mazda MX5: A brilliant two-seater soft-top which has a huge fanbase for the original Mk1s with the popup headlamps. Started life with a 1600cc engine and then enlarged to 1800cc. Offering ‘old’ styling with cracking reliability and an excellent spares backup.

Fiat Barchetta: Weird, but strangely appealing. Left-hand drive and only sold in limited numbers in the UK, it has distinctive looks and this makes it a future classic certainty.

Lotus Elan (1990s models): The guys at Lotus went a bit crazy and plumped for front wheel drive and an Isuzu engine. But with sharp handing and the Lotus badge, it has an appeal. But be aware of the fact that the front wheels are responsible for both steering and laying down power.

TVR S: Based heavily on the curvaceous sports cars of the 1970’s like the 3000M and introduced at the 1986 Motor Show at Earls Court in London. A retro-styled low priced model to give punters an introduction to TVR ownership. S1 had a 2.8i Ford engine but the V8s delivered 4-litre V8 madness. Of course it will break down, it’s a TVR!

Vauxhall VX220: Yes – a Vauxhall. The VX220 was built by Lotus, is very similar to the Lotus Elise, and is interestingly, rare and different. Not available in huge numbers, handles fantastically, and is every inch the future classic car.

Aston Martin DBS: Probably your best chance of a ‘bargain Aston’ and if you can, hunt down one of the original 6 cylinder DBS’s of the early 1970’s, launched as a stopgap until the V8 came out. Later models like the DB7, Virage and Vanquish already have classic kudos.
 

Hot Hatchbacks
While they may have been the staple diet of boy racers in the 1980’s, there’s no doubting that ‘hot hatches’ now have their place in classic car folklore.

Talbot Sunbeam Lotus: Classic 1970’s chintz. Launched at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1979, but deliveries did not start until summer of that year. By this time, Chrysler UK had been sold to the French Peugeot concern who changed the name to the Talbot Motor Company. Originally the cars were only available in Embassy Black with broad silver side stripes and grey interior, and the very early cars also boasted twin exit exhaust pipes. Great if you can get one.

Peugeot 205 GTi: Not content with the German’s from Wolfsburg having it all their own way, the French decided to take them on with the 1980’s best rival to the Golf GTi. Available in hatch and convertible models, initially with a 1.6 then later a much meaner 1.9 engine driving the front wheels. Now a bargain buy and well suited to modification.

Ford Escort XR3i: Beloved of boy racers everywhere – so it’s very difficult to find one in one piece, which makes it a bit of a rarity. The Escort RS Turbo is a find too – even less of them on the road, but plenty embedded in trees in Essex! Great shape, iconic, fast, and endorsed by Jackie Stewart. It makes the list.
 
Ford Sierra Cosworth: 3-door mentalism. The original ‘Cozzie’ is starting get a big following and could soon be held in the same regards as the old Lotus Cortina. Passion for hot hatches saw the later introduction of the XR4i with its V6 2.8 engine. Still a Sierra though!

Audi UR quattro: High-tech, flying wedge with a roaring engine. Sprang into life in 1980 and with 4WD and a whole host of amazing other German car-making technology packed into it. Brilliant on the road, brilliant on the rally scene. And now in much demand thanks to Gene Hunt. The most talked-about ‘modern classic’ of the year.
 

MPVs / SUVs and 4×4 off roaders
Will there ever be such a thing as a classic people carrier or 4×4? Probably. The market has exploded in the last 10 -15 years, so who’s to say that they won’t attract fans for years?

Renault Espace: Conceived by a British engineer in the 1970’s, the first Espaces were produced by French company Matra, until Renault took on the mass production. Fast forward to 1995 and Renault displayed a show car called the Espace F1 to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the Espace and Renault’s involvement in Formula One racing. It was based on a V10-powered Williams Formula 1 racing car with an Espace J63 body reinforced with lightweight carbon-fibre. The Renault-Williams engine powered it from 0-200 km/h in 6 seconds. The MkII Espace (from 1991-1997) has the best chance of acquiring VW caper van allure.

Range Rover Sport: Love ‘em or loathe ‘em, they gave Range Rover a huge boost. The top-level Sport is powered by a supercharged 390 PS (287 kW/410 hp) 4.2 L AJ-V8, making it the second most powerful vehicle in the company’s history. Pick a model. Any model. Guaranteed classic.

Mitubishi Shogun: The first generation made its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show in October 1981, and was launched in May 1982. Initially, it was a three-door, short-wheelbase model available with a metal or canvas top and three different engines options – 2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol (2000/2.0); 2.6-litre 4-cylinder petrol (Astron 2.6); 2.3-litre naturally aspirated diesel (2300 D); 2.3 liter turbocharged diesel (2300 TD/2.3 TD).
 

Luxury and Sports Cars
In many ways, luxury motors have the best chance of attaining classic car status – they’re well made, high value, and generally well-kept by their original owners. So what would make a good investment?

Jaguar X300: Essentially a cosmetic advance on the XJ40, but the X300 developed a faithful following. The first time Jaguar had fitted a supercharger, this put the XJ up against the BMW M5 and Mercedes E500. 14 years old now and a classic certainty.

BMW M3: The 1977 E23 is already a classic, so well-preserved later models like the E30 M3 (which ended in 1992) might well follow suit. With a stiffer and more aerodynamic bodyshell than the straight E30, it ripped up the road race circuit.

Mercedes 500SL:  The 500SL is recorded as being the fastest production Mercedes R107 design ever produced – having 0-60 times of 7.4 seconds and a top speed of 140 mph (230 km/h). A late 1980’s classic and well worth the investment.

For any type of specialist car insurance - give Sureterm Direct a call for FREE on         0800 999 2030

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This event will offer kit and performance car drivers their own mile-long section of track while manufacturers will give demonstration rides on a separate part of the track. The weekend will be brimming with action, with a 4×4 off-road driving course, go-kart area, driving demonstrations, evening entertainment and more.

This open air event will cater for manufacturers, traders, enthusiasts and clubs, with lots of entertainment and loads of track action over two days.

Don’t Forget – The National Kit and Performance Track Day on Saturday, 13th September at Donington Park.

For tickets to this event call Sally Mitchell on 01306 888813

And don’t forget Sureterm Direct for the best kit car insurance – call for FREE on 0800 999 2030

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So, any women out there hoping to start the New Year with a new man in their life would be advised to get themselves behind the wheel of a classic convertible – although merely holding the keys is not quite enough, you have to be able to drive it well too.

According to a recent survey, men would be most impressed to see a woman driving a classic Mercedes-Benz SL Roadster. Apparently, buying such an undeniably beautiful car, oozing style and class – but at a price – proves the owner appreciates the finer things in life.

Although most of the favourites are performance cars, including the Porsche 911, Mitsubishi Evo and Subaru Impreza, the Land Rover Defender also scored highly in the top ten. Does this prove that men love the idea of a woman at the wheel of a high performance car? Well it probably does, but they also need to know how to handle it according to the survey.

Top 10 cars to turn the men’s heads

1. Mercedes SL Roadster
2. Porsche 911
3. Mitsubishi Evo
4. Land Rover Defender
5. Subaru Impreza
6. Rolls-Royce Phantom
7. Range Rover Sport
8. Fiat 500
9. VW Golf R32
10. Caterham

Naturally ladies, once you’ve acquired one of these spectacular vehicles, Sureterm would be more than happy to quote you for insurance.  Give us a call on 0845 20 20 230

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Jamie, 32, is putting the £91,000 V8 Vantage Roadster up for auction this month.

No price is listed in the auction brochure from Coys of London but Jamie stands to make a profit because the 4.3 litre, 175mph car has only its delivery mileage on the clock.

A 1962 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL, owned by DJ Chris Evans, is also on offer at the January sale and is expected to fetch between £28,000 and £35,000.

If any of you are lucky enough to secure the winning bids then please don’t forget to talk to Sureterm Direct about your insurance!  Call us on 0845 20 20 230.

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