From the Chair: February 2024
This time next year the world could be a very different place. Donald Trump might well have just been inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States, while Sir Keir Starmer could still be enjoying a honeymoon period as our new Prime Minister. However, as 2023...
End of the road for the MINI Clubman
Today marked the end of the road for the popular MINI Clubman at Plant Oxford, 55 years after its debut which has included 1.1 M versions in two series. With its unique styling and signature rear split barn-doors, the MINI Clubman remains instantly recognisable around...
A good start to the New Year, but more support needed
Discounted business registrations meant Britain’s millionth battery electric car reached the road in January 2024, while the new car market grew 8.2% for the month, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. The first month of the year saw 142,876...
2023 Western Group of Motoring Writers PR Driving Day
The Group began its 40th anniversary celebrations with the 2023 Driving Day held at the Haynes Motor Museum, in the heart of Western Group territory on 15th June. With cars from BMW, Ford, Genesis, Honda, Kia, Mazda, MINI, Suzuki, VW and Volvo, there was plenty to...
The WGMW is well represented at this year’s Newspress Awards…
…Even before any entries have been sent WGMW chairman John Kendall has been selected as a judge and industry Friend of the Group Denis Chick will sit alongside him and five other judges, from the world of PR, print and photographic media. John is currently...
From the Chair: October 2022
We certainly didn’t have it easy trying to run the Western Group Driving Day for the first time since before the pandemic… But by all measures, I think we can claim a success. Not only did we need to revive an event that has been valued by our PR colleagues for...
From the Chair: Driving Day 2022
The Western Group of Motoring Writers Driving Day will continue as planned on Wednesday 14th September. The unexpected death of Her Majesty the Queen last Thursday caused us to discuss whether it was appropriate to continue with the arrangements, given that the date...
New WGMW Member takes two Newspress Awards
One of the Western Group’s newest members Mark Smyth won no less than two trophies at the Newspress Awards, staged at Bicester Heritage on Thursday 21st Jul. Mark was called up to the stage by the Voice of Strictly Come Dancing and the Voice of the Balls in the...
From the Chair: July 2022
After the Western Group had to make the decision to abandon our annual Driving Day, a blow to us all as it would have been the first to be staged since 2019, I’m pleased to say that we have been able to re-schedule the event this year. The 1 June date fell victim to...
Classic Car Armada sets sail for France
Hundreds of beautiful and valuable classic cars are heading to France with Brittany Ferries this weekend. They belong to Brits and other nationals attending the biennial Le Mans Classic festival in Pays de la Loire.Around 430 rare and valuable cars have made the...
From the Chair: 22 May 2022
Unfortunately, our plans to hold the first WGMW PR Driving Day since 2019, have hit a hiccup. We were due to hold the event at Castle Combe Circuit, where the event has been held since it began over 30 years ago. Now that events are up and running again at...
From the Chair: May 2022
Leigh Robinson 1948-2022 The Western Group lost a stalwart when Leigh died suddenly at the beginning of April. Leigh was a ‘proper’ journalist as many will know, working his way up through the local press in Northern England before coming south in the 1990s and after...
Obituary – Leigh Robinson 1948-2022
Leigh Robinson was a Cumbrian, born in the Lake District on 30 March 1948. In his early years he drove trucks for a living as a driver for BRS. Writing was clearly what motivated him though and he made his break into the local press in the 1970s, initially in the...
From the Chair: March 2022
Whither Geneva? The first week of March has since time immemorial been the date of the Geneva Show, the event which always seemed to herald the new motoring year. But once again and for the third year in succession, the Show has been cancelled. The organisers blamed...
From the Chair: February 2022
I recently carried out an interview with the Chief Technology Officer of the Volvo Group – not the car manufacturer but the truck, bus and off-road equipment manufacturer. In the course of the discussion, the subject of autonomous vehicles came up. I was quite...Our Social Wall from Members
The number of vehicles on our roads reached a record 41.4 million in 2023, according to the latest SMMT figures
https://automotiveblog.co.uk/2024/04/record-number-of-vehicles-on-uk-roads/
Awesome classics on display at the Drive It Day event (Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs) at my local pub, in aid of the NSPCC’s Childline
Ferrari 412GT sells at auction
My official souvenir picture from this week's Mazda Epic Drive in Morocco, courtesy of photographer Dave Smith
My official souvenir picture from this week's Mazda Epic Drive in Morocco, courtesy of photographer Dave Smith
Hispano Suiza teases design of new Carmen Sagrera #hypercar https://tinyurl.com/yrfek7cn #Spain #supercar #luxury @HispanoSuizaCar
The new CX-80 - the biggest ever #Mazda to be brought to the UK by the company - will arrive in the autumn https://tinyurl.com/yrfek7cn
#Hyundai reveals pricing & specs of new Santa Fe https://tinyurl.com/yrfek7cn @Hyundai_UK
