22 replies to this topic

[Surfer]

ONLY THE BRITS...

(ALL PLEASE STAND FOR THE MINI  HORN SECTION)
Fresh from recording all 205 National Anthems to be played at this summer's games, the London Philharmonic Orchestra has teamed up with MINI for one more performance. All stand please for conductor Gareth Newman and the London 2012 Limited Edition MINI's unique tribute to Team GB.

http://www.youtube.c...9AtJQXaHQ?rel=0

[RogerL]

What's the connection between a German car, albeit built in Oxford, and the London Olympics ?

[shipbroker]

RogerL, on 17 August 2012 - 08:35 AM, said:

What's the connection between a German car, albeit built in Oxford, and the London Olympics ?

I initially thought that when I saw it last week...But they were 'the official automotive partner' to said Olympics and are rumoured to have sponsored in excess of 20 million............

geoff

[tony from suffolk]

When we were watching the discus in the main stadium I was amused to see remote-controlled toy Minis were being used to take the discus' back to the throwing area.

[vernon]

The cars following the torch were BMW's, all the following cars in the cycling road races were BMW's, would have been nice to have seen Jags instead.

[Kiaman]

vernon, on 17 August 2012 - 01:42 PM, said:

The cars following the torch were BMW's, all the following cars in the cycling road races were BMW's, would have been nice to have seen Jags instead.

There was probably a stockpile of unsold BMWs, whereas there is currently a waiting list for Jaguar & Land Rover products. (or at least I hope that is the reason!)

[olderbutnotwiser]

Jaguars are as Indian as Minis are German.....

[Rodders]

olderbutnotwiser, on 17 August 2012 - 05:48 PM, said:

Jaguars are as Indian as Minis are German.....

Therin lays the problem ,there are no truly British volume cars , Indian Jags, German Minis , Chinese MGs , makes you weep

[toscal]

Jags and Landys are owned by TATA now or is it someone else. I remember working for a company that was taken over twice in less than 2 years. We suggested velcro on the company name badges on our overalls. Didn't go down too well with some of the management though.
Even TVR are Russian now.  Oh wait  it no longer makes cars,but might be making wind turbines now.
Oh lets think now, Bristol, Marcos (oh no they went bankrupt in 2005) , Ginetta and the Caterham they must still be truly British

[RogerL]

olderbutnotwiser, on 17 August 2012 - 05:48 PM, said:

Jaguars are as Indian as Minis are German.....

No - the money may be Indian but the design and engineering of Jaguars is pure Warwickshire.

BMW Minis were/are designed/engineered in Germany and simply assembled at Oxford - same as all the 4-cyl BMW diesels are assembled at Coleshill but designed/engineered in Germany.

[olderbutnotwiser]

I though Jaguars were no longer built in the Midlands? Most of the Browns Lane site is now houses isn't it? Unless they've knocked then down since I was last there....

I'm a fan of Jaguars - new and old but I think they're just as international as any other car now.

[RogerL]

olderbutnotwiser, on 17 August 2012 - 06:29 PM, said:

I though Jaguars were no longer built in the Midlands? Most of the Browns Lane site is now houses isn't it? Unless they've knocked then down since I was last there....

I'm a fan of Jaguars - new and old but I think they're just as international as any other car now.

The Midlands is the ONLY place in the world where Jaguars are designed, engineered, developed and built !!

Browns Lane and Radford Road have gone - Jaguar design/engineering/development is split between Whitley, Coventry and Gaydon, Warwickshire - all Jaguar assembly is done at Castle Bromwich, Birmingham which was originally a Pressed Steel Fisher/Austin/SU Carburettors site and built Spitfires during WW2.

[gary]

And no matter what names on the car, 95% of all the steering gear is made in China, a Brit in charge though!
Probably all the electronics and a lot of other bits are also out sourced in the Far East, it matters not then who owns it, or where bits are made, as long as jobs are here designing and finally assembling it.... it's British

[olderbutnotwiser]

I stand corrected.

I did visit the Jaguar Heritage Museum at Browns Lane a couple of years ago. Fascinating. It's been a few years now since I owned one but one day.....
An XF diesel would suit me very well........

[RogerL]

olderbutnotwiser, on 19 August 2012 - 07:20 AM, said:

I stand corrected.

I did visit the Jaguar Heritage Museum at Browns Lane a couple of years ago. Fascinating. It's been a few years now since I owned one but one day.....
An XF diesel would suit me very well........

I'm waiting for Jaguar to see the light - for the US "snow belt" they've engineered the XF and XJ to accept 4wd - but currently only with petrol engines - all they have to do is add 4wd to the diesel versions and have an excellent competitor for the Audi A6 Quattro.

And then - if they make a diesel 4wd version of the upcoming XF Sportbrake and lift the suspension 50mm, they'd have another excellent competitor for the Audi A6 Allroad, Subaru Outback and Volvo XC70 - but more importantly, I'd buy one !!!