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News SmartBench launches portable 3-axis CNC router Monday, 16 May 2022 at 8:00:00 UTC By Al Suttie World’s first portable 3-axis true-CNC router launched by SmartBench SmartBench has introduced a 3-axis true-CNC router that is says is a world first. The CNC SmartBench is aimed at restoration businesses that require quick, accurate and repeatable cutting for dashboards, flooring, door cards, and vinyl. SmartBench works from a standard G-Code file and can be supplied with simple-to-learn, intuitive software which doesn’t require specialist skills. The SmartBench can work with 8’x4’ sheet, yet it can also be quickly folded stored when not needed, and it takes only three minutes to set up. It will also fit in the back of a van or estate car. There is an optional Stylus attachment that allows the user to cut vinyl or create large drawing, such as for wiring diagrams. https://www.trend-uk.com/smartbench

News Heritage club for racing Yamahas Tuesday, 23 November 2021 at 0:00:00 UTC By Al Suttie Yamaha launches Racing Heritage Club Yamaha Motor Europe has launched its Racing Heritage Club to bring together collectors of its racing motorcycles. Entry is open to owners of motorcycles from all types of racing, including Grand Prix, endurance and motocross. Owners and collectors can register their machines to access technical information direct from Yamaha. They will also be able to gain information from Yamaha’s engineers who were involved in the development and maintenance of these machines in period. The club also aims to organise events for these motorcycles so owners can use them on-track with similar machines. Paolo Pavesio, Director of Marketing and Motorsport for Yamaha Motor Europe, said: ‘We have founded the Yamaha Racing Heritage Club not just to commemorate Yamaha's rich and storied racing history, but also to safeguard it and to bring it alive for future generations to enjoy in person. ‘We want these bikes to be seen and heard once again, not just to sit idle in a collection, which is why supporting collectors to restore and maintain their bikes is one of the primary objectives of the YHRC. Another objective is to relate the human side of Yamaha's racing heritage, telling the stories of the riders who raced these iconic machines and the people who both developed and worked on them. ‘We want to share our racing heritage with as wide an audience as possible, which is why the YRHC will attend a number of events each year to showcase these historic bikes, bringing them together with riders both past and present to keep our heritage alive.’ http://www.yamaha-racing.com

News Charity GT2 auction Wednesday, 16 February 2022 at 0:00:00 UTC By Al Suttie 1996 Porsche GT2 Evo auction to help Parkinson’s Disease Avante-Garde Collection is auctioning a 1996 Porsche 911 GT2 Evo that is one of only four made to GT2R specification. The car is valued at $1.4 million (£1 million) and is being sold bthorugh Bring a Trailer to raise money for the Drive Toward a Cure charity that funds research in Parkinson’s Disease. Ten percent of the money raised by the sale of the Porsche will go to the charity. Tom Floyd, General Manager of Avante-Garde Collection, said: ‘The excitement to offer this 1-of-4 rare Porsche in-house, rather than through an auction process furthers our philosophy in retaining close relationships with our clients. The ability to align this sale with a charitable endeavor, keeps our commitment to the community equally involved.’ With a provenance dating back to 1996, the GT2R EVO chassis WP0ZZZ99ZTS393109 was manufactured by Porsche Motorsport at Weissach, Germany, in December 1995. It is one of four late 1995 chassis built in December 1995 to 1996 GT2R spec. The engine was rebuilt in 2012, with full documentation on file, and minimal running since its engine restoration. https://www.a-gc.com/

News CCA returns to Warwick Tuesday, 5 April 2022 at 9:30:00 UTC By Al Suttie Seasonal CCA auctions at Warwick venue Classic Car Auctions has announced it will return to the Warwickshire Event Centre for sales in the summer, autumn and winter of 2022. The company has not held a sale at this venue in two years due to covid restrictions, but says early success in 2022 has encouraged it to return. The CCA sales will be held on 18 June, 24 September, and 10 December. Gary Dunne CCA Sales Manager commented: ‘We are all looking forward to returning to what we consider our spiritual home, the WEC. We haven’t been there for a couple of years, so this will be a welcome return. It is a lovely, fantastic venue with its own café, loads of free parking and is easily accessed from the M40 and M6. ‘We have always had great results at the WEC, being so well located it has always been a successful venue for consigning cars, as well as for our sales. As a result, we have increased our viewing days to include Thursday as well as Friday.’ https://www.classiccarauctions.co.uk/

News Lunaz builds first Aston Martin DB6 EV conversion for US Thursday, 16 March 2023 at 10:15:00 UTC By Al Suttie First EV DB6 US commission for Lunaz The first Aston Martin DB6 to be converted to EV power by Lunaz will be supplied to a US customer. Lunaz has fully restored the Aston and calls this EV-converted model its ‘Evergreen’ version. Part of this name is reflected in items such as the carpets that are made from recycled fishing nets. Power for the Lunaz DB6 conversion comes from a 375bhp electric motor, which provides 516lb ft of torque. It gives the EV Aston Martin a driving range of up to 250 miles on a full charge, and it includes CCS fast-charging capability. http://www.lunaz.design

News Maserati unveils Classiche Tuesday, 14 December 2021 at 0:00:00 UTC By Al Suttie Maserati Classiche launched alongside new parts Maserati has launched its Classiche certification programme and the first car to receive its authenticity certificate is a Mistral 3700. The Italian company has also introduced its Collectors and Customers programme to provide genuine parts to help with servicing and restoration of classic, youngtimer and Speciali cars. The Collectors and Customers scheme is set to manufacture many spare parts that are currently no longer available. This will use original design drawings and modern technology to ensure accurate fit and improved reliability. A committee of experts makes up the Classiche Certification programme for cars more than 20-years old. Users of this service also benefit from in-house minor repairs and an on-demand vehicle detailing offer. https://www.maserati.com/gb/en?redirect=1

News Hangar 136 joins Bicester Heritage Monday, 26 September 2022 at 15:15:00 UTC By CCB staff Classic car dealer Hangar 136 now based at Bicester Heritage Classic car sales and sourcing specialist Hangar 136 has joined the growing number of businesses based at Bicester Heritage. Hangar 136 has established a partnership with HERO-ERA and aims to become a leading trading platform for sales of historic rally, race and event-prepared cars. Oliver Gatland-Pendleton, Associate Director, said: ‘From a young age, I have always loved classic cars, so being part of this new Hangar 136 project feels like I have truly found my path. We are looking forward to making Bicester our home.’ Daniel Geoghegan, Chief Executive of Bicester Motion, added: ‘Hangar 136 has an ethos and knowledge that is truly in line with our Bicester Heritage vision, and it’s a pleasure to have them join us as part of our specialist community.’ http://www.hangar136.com

News Classic Car and Restoration Show by numbers Tuesday, 5 April 2022 at 9:00:00 UTC By Al Suttie Show return hailed a success The Practical Classics Classic Car and Restoration Show has been hailed as a success by visitors, clubs and exhibitors. The show made its return to the NEC in Birmingham after a two-year absence due to covid restrictions. Over the three days of the show, 25,221 visitors attended the show, which is down from 28,846 in 2019. Show Director Lee Masters said: ‘It was great to be back, and the atmosphere was brilliant. As always, the clubs were sensational. The scale of live working and demonstrations seemed bigger than ever, aimed at sharing skills and encouraging others into this wonderful community. ‘Our heart-felt thanks go to everyone involved including all our show partners, sponsors, traders and visitors as well as our motoring celebrities and the team from Practical Classics.’ The show included 152 car club displays and more than 1000 vehicles. There were also live restoration displays, interviews with celebrities including Richard Hammond, Fuzz Townshend, Ant Anstead, and Mile Brewer. Classic Car Auctions held its biggest ever sale at the NEC and sold £3 million worth of cars, with a 78% sale rate. All catalogue proceeds from the sale were donated to The Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, raising over £9,000 for the charity. Classic Car Business spoke to many exhibitors, who reported a busy weekend. Emma Airey, Head of RH Specialist Vehicle Insurance, told CCB: ‘We weren’t sure how many people would come after such a long break, but it’s good to see busy show halls and plenty of interest from the classic car community.’

News Everrati offers JBR Capital finance Tuesday, 5 April 2022 at 9:30:00 UTC By Al Suttie Bespoke finance for electrified classics Classic car electric conversion specialist Everrati is now offering bespoke finance packages with JBR Capital. The two companies say this is a first for the classic car market and that it makes the process of buying an electrified classic easier. Justin Lunny, Founder & CEO, Everrati Automotive Limited, said: ‘We are delighted to be working with JBR Capital. This new arrangement is both hugely exciting and a crucial offering for customers. As well as seeing surging demand for our products from millennials and Gen-Z buyers, for whom finance is an expected way to purchase a high-end vehicle, we are also seeing significant growth from leading companies such as luxury hotel groups. For these organisations, sustainable yet desirable electric classics are a must-have, and being able to finance an Everrati product makes complete business sense.’ https://www.everrati.com/ https://jbrcapital.com/

News Lunaz adds 250 workers to meet classic Range Rover EV demand Thursday, 10 November 2022 at 14:45:00 UTC By Al Suttie Employment surge as EV Range Rover reaches 45% of Lunaz’s production Electric classic car convertor Lunaz has reported that demand for its Range Rover Classic models now accounts for 45% of its total production. To fulfil its order book, Lunaz has employed a further 250 staff. At present demand is running at a ratio of 70/30 for the company’s two models, the Town and the open-top Country. David Lorenz, CEO of Lunaz, said: ‘The dramatic surge in demand for clean-air classic Range Rovers is significant proof of concept for Lunaz Design. The market has confirmed that re-engineering, electrifying and upcycling the most significant cars in the world will secure their relevance for generations to come. To satisfy this demand, we have recruited 250 experts to join us at Lunaz headquarters in Silverstone, England - the largest upcycling campus in the world. ‘We have drawn on the extraordinary talent pool that exists in Silverstone, Britain's automotive and technology manufacturing heartland. We are proud to fly the flag for our nation’s leadership in cutting-edge zero emissions technologies and more traditional automotive engineering skills on the global stage.’ http://www.lunaz.design

News Aston Martin marks Virage conversion Tuesday, 29 March 2022 at 15:30:00 UTC By Al Suttie 30th anniversary of 6.3-litre Virage upgrade Aston Martin has marked the 30th anniversary of its Virage 6.3-litre conversion at its Works base in Newport Pagnell. The company sold 46 Virage cars in 1992 and many have been upgraded to the 6.3-litre engine. Around 60 cars have been converted in total, giving the cars 500bhp and 480lb ft of torque. Paul Spires, President of Aston Martin Works, was himself involved in the Virage 6.3 conversion project and remembers driving the development and demonstration vehicle, affectionately known today as "Minky". He said: ‘The Virage 6.3 conversion was, and remains, a superb example of the capabilities of the department that is now Aston Martin Works. ‘The car was comprehensively re-engineered, and restyled, right here in Newport Pagnell. It remains a true testament to the ingenuity and vision of the Aston Martin business and I’m thrilled – but also a little shocked from a personal point of view – that we are able to celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2022.’ https://astonmartinworks.com/

News Bicester Heritage reaches full capacity Thursday, 20 October 2022 at 9:30:00 UTC By Al Suttie Bicester Heritage at full occupancy The Bicester Heritage classic car hub has now reached full occupancy with 50 specialist firms on site. The final four tenancies have gone to Polestar, NEOM McLaren Formula E, Zapp Electric Vehicles, and Zero Petroleum. Daniel Geoghegan, the Chief Executive of Bicester Motion, said: ‘From the very beginning, our vision for Bicester Heritage has been to create a vibrant hub for 50 specialists to safeguard crucial heritage skills and boost both the local and national economies. ‘We’re delighted to see our vision believed in so enthusiastically by such a diverse range of businesses of all sizes on-site, which gives us great confidence in the forthcoming stages of our Bicester Motion masterplan. Future-facing businesses already believe in what we’ve created at Bicester Heritage, but with our forthcoming Innovation Quarter, now we’re developing an area built especially for their needs.’ Development of Bicester Innovation is expected to begin in 2023, with the buildings open for occupation early 2026. http://www.bicestermotion.com