www. l i f eonca r s . b l o g spo t . com

McLaren’s mighty MP4-12Camong unmissable event’s stars

I S S u E 1 1I S S u E 1 1 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2

SpEED

frEAkS

ALSO INSIDE...The bikes, the cars and thestars of this year’s Ormskirk MotorFest, where you can seethem, and the stories behindwhat makes them great

The The official official magazine of the magazine of the 2012 Ormskirk MotorFest2012 Ormskirk MotorFest

2 Life On Cars

David Simister

THE sound of the SaudiaWilliams as it screamedpast the parish church. The spectacle of a SEAT

touring car doing burnouts

on the one-way system.

The buzz of the bikes

swarming past the crowds

of cheering spectators.

When Ormskirk’s

MotorFest thundered into

the market town this time

last year, it was

memorable for all the

right reasons.

Yet what amazed me

most wasn’t the calibre of

the cars and the bikes

taking part – an entrants

list which included a

Ferrari Enzo and a brace

of F1 cars – but the sheer

number of you who

turned out in force that

Bank Holiday weekend

and helped to not only

make the inaugural event

a massive success, but

also boosted Ormskirk

itself by giving it one of

its busiest trading days

ever.

Clearly turning the

town’s one-way system

into West Lancashire’s

answer to Monaco wasn’t

such a bad idea, which is

why I’m glad Aintree

Circuit Club and West

Lancashire Borough

Council have joined forces

once again and why the

MotorFest is back – and

it’s set to be even bigger

and better than last year.

No less than 300 cars

and bikes are expected to

take part this year, with

everything from the latest

McLaren supercar, a fire

breathing Group B Metro

6R4, a 300mph dragster

and the wonderfully weird

bubble cars which proved

such a hit last time. Oh,

and someone in a noisy

old MGB GT. That’ll be

me, then!

For the second year

running I’ve been given a

behind-the-scenes sneak

preview of some of the

mouthwatering machines

on their way to Ormskirk,

and this official magazine

brings together some of

the highlights from this

year’s event, and the

stories behind them.

Whether you prefer two

wheels or four, it’s going

to be a memorable day of

motoring highs.

Hope you’re looking

forward to it as much as I

am. See you there...

Editor, Life On Cars

gEt rEvvED up fOr

mOtOrfESt 2012

4 Life On Cars

F1 cars take to the streets of Ormskirk:Commentator Neville Hay on the starting

grid at the 2011 MotorFest. Image courtesy

of Chris Covill.

MotorFest guide7Everything you need to know about the Ormskirk MotorFest, including

how to get there, what to see when you arrive and why it’s definitely

worth a day out if you’re a car or bike nut

In this issueIn this issue

Mighty McLaren 8Why the Italian company’s ultimate supercar is set to be the star of the

show, plus a potted history of its illustrious predecessors

A perfect ten10David Simister guides you through the ten things which will help make

this year’s Ormskirk MotorFest such an unmissable event

Becky Kirvan12Why the rally driver, motorsport model and musician will be one to

watch when she takes to the streets of Ormskirk at the 2012 event

Ben’s parade22Why bikers will be taking to the Ormskirk MotorFest circuit in tribute of

Southport racer Ben Gautrey, who was tragically killed at a race at

Cadwell Park last year

20A look back at Britain’s best selling sports car ever, set to be strongly

represented at the MotorFest with several entrants on the way

MG Metro 6R424The Metro that’s quite unlike any other is bringing its wide arches,

spoilers and Group B rally pedigree to this year’s Ormskirk event

Go figure26Or how a mathematician might see the 2012 MotorFest. The numbers

behind this year’s motorsport extravaganza

Flying high27A look at one machine due to arrive in Ormskirk, which has to use its

speed as a matter of life or death on a daily basis

Halewood highs28What happened when Aintree Circuit Club and Jaguar Land Rover

joined forces to offer petrolheads a day of bargain motorsport thrills

AMC Cub30Life On Cars roadtests a vehicle packed with retro thills and made right

here in the North West

The big day14Your guide to where everything’s happening, who’s taking part, what

times you can catch the parade and how to show your support for

Ormskirk town centre, all in a six-page guide from Life On Cars

The MGB hits 50

Life On Cars 5

gEttINg INtO gEAr

fOr A grEAt ShOwIf you missed last year’s event, here’s everything you needto know about Ormskirk’s very own motorsport spectacularWhat is the Ormskirk

MotorFest?It’s a one day event taking place

in the centre of the West

Lancashire market town, centred

on Coronation Park, which will

see classic cars and bikes lapping

the town’s one-way system in a

series of spectacular parades.

When is the event

taking place?Sunday, August 26, from 11am.

The parade laps in Ormskirk will

start at around 2.30pm.

How much is it?The MotorFest is still 100% free!

Will it be better than

last year’s event?The odds are that yes, it will. Not

only are there more entrants in

this year - 300, and counting - but

the 2012 event is better funded

too, thanks to sponsors The Belfry

Group. The only thing you can’t

predict is the rain but the event

should still be a blast, whatever

the weather.

How do I get there?The easiest way is by train -

although the line from Preston to

Ormskirk is closed on Sundays,

the Merseyrail link between

Liverpool and Ormskirk will be

running regular services into the

town centre. There’s also free

parking at most of Merseyrail’s

stations on the line towards the

town.

What about by car?Ormskirk is easily reached by

taking Junction 26 of the M6,

following the M58 until Junction

3, and taking the A570 road

towards Ormskirk.

Parking in the town centre will be

difficult, so the MotorFest’s

organisers have laid on a Park and

Ride service to link to the event.

Where will I find it?

The Park and Ride service will run

from Edge Hill University, on the

outskirts of Ormskirk (L39 4QP if

you’re using a satnav). It costs £5

per car to park there all day, and

also includes the cost of a

transfer operated by a historic

bus.

Who is behind the

Ormskirk MotorFest?The event has been organised by

both West Lancashire Borough

Council, the local authority

covering Ormskirk, and by Aintree

Circuit Club, who have arranged

the attractions at the event and

coordinated the entrants taking

part in the parades and displays.

Additional funding has also been

provided by a number of sponsors.

Can I collect a couple

of autographs?Yes. Guests include rally driver

Becky Kirvan, who’ll also be

taking to the streets in her

motorsport Ford Fiesta. There’ll

also be a few familiar faces from

the world of racing, so keep your

eyes peeled!

What can I expect to

see in Ormskirk?

7Life On Cars

There will be more than 300 cars

and motorbikes taking part,

including BSA, Norton and Honda

motorbikes, and Ferrari, MG,

Triumph, Bentley and TVR cars.

Along with the main exhibits at

Coronation Park, there will be

displays around the town centre.

Attractions may vary from those

advertised prior to the event.

The official name for this car’s colour says it all. McLaren’s mighty MP4-12C is one of the fastestand most exciting supercars on sale today - and you can see its stut its stuff on Ormskirk’s streets

8 Life On Cars

THE supercar star of theshow at last year’sMotorFest was Ferrari’sepic Enzo, anextraordinaryautomotive artform notexactly left wanting forpace or motorsportpedigree.

Yet McLaren’s mighty

MP4-12C, you could argue,

could give even the Italian

stallion a run for its

money.

Evocative in name it

isn’t but the MP4-12C can,

like the Schumacher-

sharpened Enzo, also

count an F1 world

champion among its team

of developers. In fact, it

can count two, because

both Jenson Button and

Lewis Hamilton have had

a helping hand in 592bhp

McLaren’s inception,

putting prototypes

through their paces at the

Dunsfold Park circuit, also

known as Top Gear’s test

track.

In fact, it was Top Gear

who showed why the MP4-

12C is quicker even than

the Enzo – the Italian

would, ultimately, be

faster in a straight line,

but the smaller, nimbler

McLaren beat it, and

Ferrari’s more modern 458

Italia, around the

programme’s test track at

the hands of The Stig. The

MP4-12C is also quicker to

sixty - 3.1 seconds to the

Enzo’s 3.3 - and despite

having less power can still

easily crack 200mph.

If you’ve ever clocked

the MP4-12C on a

motorshow stand and

wondered what its 3.8

litre twin-turbocharged V8

would sound like as it

takes to the streets of a

traditional market town,

then the Ormskirk

MotorFest is the place to

find out.

vOLcANO

OrANgE

The official name for this car’s colour says it all. McLaren’s mighty MP4-12C is one of the fastestand most exciting supercars on sale today - and you can see its stut its stuff on Ormskirk’s streets

15Life On Cars 9Life On Cars

THE F1 might be morethan 20 years old but tomost petrolheads itneeds no introduction.Engineered with the

same levels of obsessive

precision as the MP4-12C,

McLaren’s bid to build the

ultimate road car also

brought with it a list of

superlatives; not only was

it the most powerful and

most expensive

production road car at the

time, but by a clear

margin the fastest. With a

top speed of 240.1mph, it

took more than a decade

for the F1 to be toppled

as the world’s fastest car.

Yet it was more about

engineering perfectionism

than sheer speed; the

engine bay was lined with

gold to keep the BMW

Motorsport V12 cool, and

even the tools in the

toolkit were crafted from

magnesium alloy to save

weight. It was even

vaguely practical, offering

three seats instead of the

usual supercar two and as

much space in the twin

luggage lockers as a

Fiesta’s boot!

Obsessively engineered

and still fast enough to

teach today’s supercars a

thing or two, the F1

leaves the MP4-12C with a

difficult act to follow.

vOLcANO

OrANgE

Here’s one theymade earlier...

Life On Cars10

F1 cars on thestreets of Ormskirkwas the incredible

highlight of the 2011

event, with both a

BRM P261 and a

1978 Williams FW06

screaming through

the town’s streets.

With plenty of top

flight motorsport

machinery on the

cards for 2012,

you’re sure to see a

Grand Prix car take

to the streets during

the parade laps!

Becky Kirvan isproof that girls just

wanna have fun - if

fun involves taking a

Ford Fiesta rally car

around Ormskirk’s

one-way system,

that is! Read the full

feature on Becky’s

motorsport career

on page 14 of the

Ormskirk MotorFest

offical magazine.

The classic motorbikes played a big part in

last year’s event and keen bikers won’t be

disappointed this year either. 2012’s entries

include everything from classic Brit racers to

the later Japanese superbikes.

Neville Hay’s wordsof wisdom will be

your guide to the

hundreds of entries

at MotorFest, giving

you a chance to find

out a little more

about the stunning

cars and bikes, and

the people who’ve

brought them to this

year’s event.

The bubble carsproved to be an

unlikely hit with the

crowds last year, so it’s

good news that the

Heinkels, the

Messerschmitts and

their micro marvel

companions will take

to Ormskirk’s streets

once again.

11Life On Cars

yOur StArtEr

fOr tENJournalist and petrolhead David Simisterpicks out his ten top tips for highlights youwon’t want to miss at this year’s MotorFest

Tom Melia’s E-Type:Bispham petrolhead

Tom Melia is offering

one lucky showgoer

a ride in his Jag to

help raise funds for

charity. I was lucky

enough to get taken

for a spin in it for an

article I wrote last

year, and can vouch

that it’s no slouch!

The Ben Gautreytribute parade will

feature a host of

bikes the Southport

rider, tragically

killed in a race last

year, loved,

including a replica

of the Kawasaki he

actually rode in the

Metzeler Superstock

600 Class.

The marshals are

the people who

make the MotorFest

possible, and these

hi-vis jacketed

volunteers will each

be given exclusive

pin badges not

available to anyone

else taking part.

Without them giving

up their time freely,

Ormskirk wouldn’t

be able to host a

free motorsport

spectacular for

thousands of keen

petrolhead visitors.

The North West AirAmbulance: is

expected to make

an appearance at

this year’s event,

provided they’re not

tied up saving lives

elsewhere, to help

spur on support for

a great local cause.

Historic rally machines from the Seventies

and Eighties are among the mouthwatering

machines taking part. Not only are two

Group B MG Metro 6R4s taking part in the

parades, but you’ll also be able to check out

Audi’s quattro and the Ford Escort RS2000.

Becky Kirvan mightlike singing andmodelling, but shealso happens to be ago faster rally driverwho cut her teeth in aMK2 Escort. Life OnCars finds out more...

12 Life On Cars

gIrL

pOwEr

13Life On Cars

Pictured: East Yorkshire rally driver Becky

Kirvan, and the rally-prepared M Sport Ford

Fiesta she will be bringing to this year’s

MotorFest. Pictures courtesy of Songasport

A FEW powerslides in aMK2 Escort was all ittook.Becky Kirvan might be a

qualified musician, a

soprano soloist, a

sometime model and a

keen entrepreneur –

hardly a short set of skills

to have on your CV – but I

reckon you’ll like her

because she’s a

petrolhead. A proper

petrolhead. Who likes

rallying.

It was on a one-day

motorsport course that

Becky, from East

Yorkshire, got behind the

wheel of one of the most

successful rally machines

of all time as a gift and

she hasn’t looked back

since. That’s why, eleven

years later, she won’t just

be a pretty face when she

takes to the streets of

Ormskirk for this year’s

MotorFest.

“After many years

watching rallying on the

television I got my first

real taste of the sport in

2001 when I did a one day

rally driving course as a

birthday present. After a

day spent power-sliding

and handbraking a Mk II

Escort around in the

gravel, I immediately

caught the rally bug and

made it my mission to

somehow get properly

involved in the sport.”

Which is exactly what

she’s done, and got stuck

into motorsport by

marshalling at events,

before eventually getting

her big break when, in

2006, she won the

nationwide Lady Quest

rally driving competition.

To her credit, two years

ago she picked up the

BTRDA Ladies

Championship title at the

helm of a rally-prepared

Nissan Micra, despite a

crash in one of the

events.

It’s her M Sport Ford

Fiesta ST1600 rally car,

which she’s been piloting

at events since last year,

that MotorFest visitors

will be able to check out

on August 26, so be sure

to stick around to see the

distinctive white and pink

rally machine take to the

streets of Ormskirk during

the motorsport parades

around the town centre.

When she’s not flinging a

Ford Fiesta around a

muddy forest stage,

including on high profile

events like the Jim Clark

Rally and the Rally Isle of

Man, Becky is developing

her own rally car hire

business, Rally4real.com,

and helping to encourage

more women to enter the

sport by visiting shows

and by modelling for

motorsport calendars to

help promote women’s

rallying.

“At shows like the

Ormskirk MotorFest I am

able to share my great

passion for rallying, give

extra exposure to my

sponsors and supporters

and, of course, show off

my beloved car,” she

added.

She’s also a keen

musician, being both a

soprano soloist and a

bassoon specialist with

the Hull Philharmonic

Orchestra, but I reckon

the real music to

petrolhead ears will be

the sound of her burning

rubber in that rally Fiesta

on the streets of

Ormskirk...

Find out more about

Becky by visiting

www.beckykirvan.co.uk

mOtOrfESt:

thE rOutE

Life On Cars16

DON’t mISS Out

ON ALL thE ActION!Don’t miss seeing any of the awesome machines taking partin the parades around Ormskirk!At around 2.30pm the display cars move to paradearound the town centre. This one mile circuit giveseveryone the ability to see and hear the unique collectionof vehicles that have attended the Ormskirk MotorFest.

17Life On Cars

Parade One (2.30pm - 2.50pm): Vintage and Classic Cars from Paddock One -Aughton Street (three laps).Parade Two (2.50pm - 3.05pm): Classic and Performance from CoronationPark (three laps).Parade Three (3.10pm - 3.20pm): Roadgoing Motorcycles from Paddock One(five laps).Parade Four (3.20pm - 3.35pm): Competition Cars from Padock two (eightlaps).Parade Five (3.35pm - 3.50pm): Competition Bikes from Paddock Two.Includes Mark Webster riding a replica of Ben Gautrey’s Kawasaki and ChrisJones riding Ben Gautrey’s 125 Aprilla (eight laps).Parade Six - The Grand Finale (3.55pm - 4.30pm): Charity Rides from Paddock Two, including the winners of the “ Hot Seat” Prize Draw participat-ing in the parade, sitting in a selection of G. P. Cars, McLaren MP4-12C, race,rally and sports cars.

As with any controlled event please be patient and take care whilst the vehicles are movedfrom their display areas. The organisers understand your enthusiasm but your assistance isrequested to help the event run to schedule by standing well back whilst the cars are movedto the circuit.

Life On Cars18

This beautiful Jaguar E-Type is just one of the cars you can be in with a chance of winning

a ride in if you become a Friend of Ormskirk MotorFest.

For just £5, you not only get entered into a prize draw for a ride in one of several stunning

vehicles - including the Metro 6R4, McLaren MP4-12C and Becky Kirvan’s rally car - but you’ll

also get an official lapel badge, a special brochure, and the chance to meet the drivers

involved in the event.

To find out more, and for full terms and conditions, visit the Ormskirk MotorFest website at:

www.ormskirkmotorfest.com

ShE’S gOt A

tIckEt tO rIDE!

Life On Cars 19

LOvE mOtOrfESt?

LOvE OrmSkIrk!

Ormskirk MotorFest supports efforts to breathe new life intothe town centre of Ormskirk, backed by local businesses,community groups and West Lancashire Borough Council.To find out more talk to one of the Love Ormskirk membersat their campaign stand on August 26, or just scan the logoabove with your smartphone to get involved!

Life On Cars20

fIfty but

fAbuLOuSOne of the best selling sportscars of all time will be wellrepresented at the MotorFest.David Simister looks at whythe fifty year old MGB is still ahit with motoring enthusiasts

best Triumph and Austin-

Healey could offer.

It’s still a hit with

enthusiasts today because

it’s one of the easiest

ways to get into classic

cars – parts are cheap and

easily available, there’s a

wealth of knowledgeable

owners clubs on hand to

offer you guidance, and –

most importantly of all –

it’s fun. It might not have

many superlatives to

count on but it does have

a motorsport heritage -

thanks to a certain Paddy

Hopkirk driving one at Le

Mans – and it’s fun, good

looking and makes a great

noise.

Personally, I’d always

take the tintop GT version

over the roadster, because

I reckon the coupe is

actually the prettier of

the two. Which would you

have? You could always

take a look at the MGBs

on show at the MotorFest

if you haven’t made up

your mind – there will be

five on them to choose

from, after all...

MG is one of the bestrepresented marques atthis year’s MotorFest,with everything from thecompany’s earliest sportscars to the fire-breathingMetro 6R4 taking part.Yet the big surprise is

that there are no less than

five MGBs heading over to

Ormskirk for this year’s

event (six if you count the

MG RV8). One of which,

I’m proud to say, is mine.

Britain’s best selling

sports car will be able to

celebrate its 50th

birthday in style, and

you’re invited to the

party.

The MGB was, right up

until the Mazda MX-5

arrived decades later, the

world’s best selling

roadster. It offered the

same sort of thrills the

little Mazda does but it

did it in very different

times, in an era when

Britain’s sports car

industry was booming and

MG bosses, keen to

replace the pretty but

ageing MGA, needed

something to take on the

Life On Cars 21

Opposite: David’s MGB with some of the

vintage buses which will be used to ferry

visitors to the MotorFest. Clockwise, fromabove: The MGB GT added two rear seats

and a coupe roof; the MGB Roadster directly

inspired the 1990s MG RV8; MGs in Ormskirk

at last year’s show; the MGB still attracts a

cult following today. All pictures by David

Simister, Life On Cars

parade will not only be a

really nice tribute to Ben,

almost a year to the day

after we lost him, but it

will also help to highlight

the work of the Ben

Gautrey Foundation.

"The foundation will

support sport from

grassroots level and will

promote the sports which

Ben was so passionate

about."

Among the machines

Life On Cars22

BIKERS will pay apoignant tribute at theMotorFest to a teenageracer who was tragicallykilled last year.Enthusiasts keen to

remember 18-year-old

Southport rider Ben

Gautrey, who was involved

in a fatal crash at the

Cadwell Park circuit last

August, will take a

procession of motorbikes -

including a replica of Ben's

600cc machine – around

the Ormskirk circuit to

highlight a charity

established in his honour.

Lorraine Gautrey, Ben’s

mother and founder of the

Benjamin Gautrey

Foundation, said: "The

which will be ridden

around the town centre

will be a replica of the

600cc Gearlink Kawasaki,

pictured, on which Ben

rode his final race at

Cadwell Park on August 29

last year, and an Aprilia

125cc motorbike which

Ben also raced.

Charity supporter

Alasdair Croft, who took

part in last year's

MotorFest, said:

"It's a fabulous idea, and

I hope that the stand and

the parade at the event

will really help to

highlight the foundation

and what we're aiming to

do.”

For more about the

Benjamin Gautrey

Foundation visit:

thebenjamingautrey

foundation.org.uk

A poignant parade around the MotorFest lapwill pay tribute to Southport’s late bike ace

pArADE fOr

Our bEN

Images courtesy of The Benjamin Gautrey Foundation

David Simister, writer of

Life On Cars, said:

“In the past three years

the website and the

column in the seven

editions of The Champion

newspaper have gone

from strength to strength,

and that’s all down to

there being no shortage of

motoring news and events

going on right across the

region.

If you live in the Sefton

or West Lancashire areas –

or just have a love of cars

– then Life On Cars is very

much a one-stop shop for

motoring information. Not

only do you get details of

Motoring news, views and reviewsfrom Sefton and West Lancashire

GET revved up with allthe latest motoring newsfrom Life On Cars, a full-throttle blog from TheChampion packed withautomotive updates andinformation.The website, created by

Champion motoring

correspondent David

Simister, gives not just a

local look on the latest in

the motoring world but

also offers up news on the

latest shows and events

taking place in Sefton,

West Lancashire, and

further afield.

new cars and reviews of

many of the models

currently on offer, but

there’s also plenty of

details on events

featuring new and classic

cars.”

Written by a self-

confessed car enthusiast

and experienced

newspaper reporter, Life

On Cars offers up a local

take on motoring news

that’s fresh, funny and

informative.

Life On Cars appears

each week in The

Champion newspaper and

is accompanied by both an

online blog and a regular

web magazine.

A chAmpION rEAD

EvEry wEEk

Life On Cars 23Image courtesy of Cornelia Kaufmann

Above: Members of

Aintree Circuit Club

at a MotorFest

preview event in

Ormskirk. Picture by

David Simister,

Champion

Newspapers

Pictured: A

recreation of Stirling

Moss’ British Grand

Prix win in 1957 at

Aintree, using a

Vanwall F1 car from

the Donington Grand

Prix Collection.

Picture by John

Bailie, Aintree Circuit

Club

Picture this...

Group B Rallyingprompted the 6R4’s

creation, giving

Austin Rover a

chance at taking on

Audi’s Quattro,

Peugeot’s 205 T16

and Lancia’s 037 in

rallying’s top class

in the 1980s.

The bodyshell is,like Audi’s and

Peugeot’s entries,

designed to mimic a

showroom model -

in this case the

Austin Metro and its

sporty MG siblings.

However, the

resemblence is only

cosmetic, hiding

bespoke

mechanicals

designed for

motorsport success.

Drivers included the

late Tony Pond, who

guided one to third

place in the 1985

RAC Rally. However,

Group B’s

cancellation cut the

6R4’s career short.

Development was

entrusted by Austin

Rover to Williams

Grand Prix, who

used their expertise

to develop the

bespoke body and

the permenant four

wheel drive system.

We are on the lookout for inspirational images ofOrmskirk, and if you have a photo that youbelieve has a wow factor, then submit it to us.The Ormskirk Motorfest is a great place for

inspiration but the theme is open to any topic, but

it has to be associated with the town of Ormskirk in

any form.

You can submit any photo you like, it can be in

color or black and white, it can be a photo of your

pet in a park, an event at Ormskirk, a feature of a

car or building, people or it can be a beautiful

landscape; it is totally up to you which subject you

choose.

This content is open to all photographers young

and old, professional and amateur, from any

country, but the image must, however tenuous, be

related to Ormskirk. Entries from anyone under the

age of 18 must be represented by a parent or adult

guardian.

You retain the copyright to your photos, but we ask

for unlimited usage rights. We believe in fair terms

and conditions.

For the purpose of the competition please only

submit image sizes 1024px x 768 px at 72 dpi (dots

per inch). This should provide an image file size of

150K. If you do not know how to manipulate these

details, just change your image size so that the

maximum file size of 2.35 megabytes.

Our system, if busy, may reject your application if

the image size is too big.

At the Ormskirk MotorFest you can get support and

materials at Max Spielmann's, based at:

27 Moor Street, Town Centre, Ormskirk L39 2AA.

You can also get in touch with them by calling them

on 0870 750 5626.

Life On Cars24

You can win great prizes by capturing oncamera the magic of this year’s OrmskirkMotorFest, writes Rod Jones

Good luck!

Britain’s very own Group B rally car, the incredible Metro6R4, has emerged from the forests for a MotorFest visit

bEhIND thE ScENES:

mg mEtrO 6r4

Life On Cars 25

The name spelt out

exactly what the car

was; 6R4 stands for

6 cylinders, Rally

car and 4 wheel

drive! The MG badge

was chosen as a link

to the MG Metro

showroom range.

Motorsport victorycame after its works

rallying career, and

found success in

both rallycross and

in national rallies

years later, and can

still be found taking

part in events to

this day.

The engine wasn’t typical Group B fare -

where the competition favoured smaller,

turbo units, the 6R4’s 3.0 litre V6, mounted

in the middle of the car, was normally aspi-

rated, producing around 410bhp. The same

engine, this time fitted with twin turbos,

later helped propel the Jaguar XJ220 to a

top speed of 217mph at Nardo in Italy.

Life On Cars26

Number of car and motorbikes

entered into this year’s event

mOtOrfESt 2012:

gO fIgurEThe numbers behindthis year’s Ormskirkmotoring spectacular

300

15,000Vistors expected to pack into Ormskirk town centre on August 26 to enjoy this year’s event

10,000Pounds donated to the event by main sponsors The Belfry Group

300Top speed in mph of the fastest entry,

a Santa Pod top fuel dragster

0Number of pounds

visitors to the eventneed to pay - it’s 100%

free to join in the action!

3.1Number of seconds the McLaren MP4-12C,

one of this year’s entrants, needs to get

from zero to 60mph if you floor it

11The time it all revs up! Parades are

scheduled to take place from 2.30pm

oVER

AM

150Pounds offered to one lucky

winner of the marshals’ prize draw

brave volunteers is

expected to be one of this

year’s more unlikely

visitors.

With a cruising speed of

150mph it’s hardly lacking

in pace even when

compared to some of this

year’s fastest car and bike

entrants, but because it

One of the region’s fastestvehicles needs its speedfor a very important reasonIF you’re involved in areally serious car crashand getting to hospitalquickly is a case of lifeand death, it’s the crewin this helicopter you’llbe counting on.The North West Air

Ambulance is one of the

charities being supported

by the mayor of West

Lancashire, and with the

organisers of the Ormskirk

MotorFest keen to offer

their support the

helicopter used by these

can travel as the crow

flies and without any

speed limits it’ll get you

to the nearest hospital

faster than anything on

the roads.

The charity’s

helicopter – now based

at Royal Preston

Hospital so that

ON A wINg

AND A prAyEr

Life On Cars 27

specialist doctors can

easily get into it and fly to

emergencies – is expected

to pay a visit to the

MotorFest so you can find

out more about the

incredible work of its

volunteer crew.

Providing they’re not

saving lives, of course...

28 Life On Cars

chEAp

thrILLS

It’s not every day one of Britain’sbiggest car firms lends you a carpark to play with. Aintree CircuitClub put the site to good use...

Life On Cars 29

Opposite: Hot hatch heaven as a Peugeot 205 GTI watches a 106 GTI

take to the track.. Clockwise, from top: A Suzuki SC100 Whizzkid

gets seriously sideways; the Mazda MX-5 is a popular AutoSolo entry;

A Lexus driver gets stuck into the course; a Fiat Cinquecento

Sporting at the factory. All pictures by David Simister, Life On Cars

IT’S NOT often JaguarLand Rover lend you afactory car park to playwith.Yet that’s exactly what

they did when they lent

Aintree Circuit Club the

use of part of their

Halewood factory – home

of the Range Rover

Evoque – for an AutoSolo

event on August 4, as part

of the club’s calendar of

motorsport events.

AutoSolo is a great form

of entry-level motorsport

and a bit of a petrolhead

thrill in its own right,

because you can enter in

pretty much anything in

have and blast. The

inaugural event at the

Jaguar Land Rover factory

attracted a pretty eclectic

entry list, with everything

from cheap ‘n’ cheerful

Micras and Corsas, hot

hatch classics like the

Peugeot 205 GTI and the

Golf GTI, and rear wheel

drive roadsters like the

Caterham Seven and the

Mazda MX-5.

The event, held in the

factory’s 50th anniversary

year, saw an expansive car

park converted into a

twisty course, which more

than thirty cars took a

crack at trying to

complete.

The competitors made

the best of the

changeable conditions and

used the damp course to

get some of the more

colourful entries seriously

sideways – for me, the

highlight of the day was

watching one driver

drifting his diminutive

Suzuki Whizzkid!

If you’d like to find out

more about AutoSolo

events in the near future,

visit the Aintree Circuit

Club website for details of

forthcoming fixtures.

30 Life On Cars

rEhAbILItAtINg

thE prISONErThe last time you probably saw the Mini Moke was when itwas transporting Patrick McGoohan around a mysteriousisland. But now, thanks to a Bootle-based car firm, it’s back

THE lorry driver did adouble take as I dartedaround the docks in thebonkers car with nodoors, no roof and nowindows. These roads, a stone’s

throw from the heart of

Liverpool and used to

access one of the busiest

ports in Britain, see

thousands of vehicles a

week, but I doubt many of

them look even remotely

like the one I’m driving. It

is a machine which looks

like it’s been designed for

a moon mission, yet it’s

made less than a mile

away, using bits from the

best selling British car

ever.

Welcome to the weird

world of the AMC Cub.

Bootle-based petrolhead

Charles Andersen – hence

Andersen Motor Company

– introduced his replica

of the Mini Moke, a car

best known for its roles in

The Prisoner and the

Bond film You Only Live

Twice, back in the 1980s,

but was forced to end

production a decade later

when BMW cut off the

supply of parts for the

classic Mini. It’s only now,

15 years later, a new

stream of Mini parts made

abroad has allowed to put

the car back into

production, making him in

a small way Britain’s

newest car manufacturer.

He told Life On Cars: “As

far as I know nobody else

in the country is building

a car like this – all the

other small companies

Clockwise, from top: The AMC Cub is

closely modelled on the Mini Moke of the

1960s; AMC founder Charles Andersen at the

wheel of his creation at the Bootle factory.

For more information visit www.amcgb.com

Life On Cars 31

Clockwise, from top: The AMC Cub attracts unusual looks wherever it goes; rear seats give

room in the back for two adults but little in the way of creature comforts; Familiar Mini fare

dominates the dashboard and interior. All pictures by David Simister, Life On Cars

building cars like this for

the kit market closed

down years ago. It’s hand

built, it’s made in Britain

and it’s attracted a lot of

interest.”

“If you were to drive an

E-Type or an Aston it

might attract envious

looks, but this is

completely in a class on

its own. There’s nothing

else like it on the road.

The reaction of people

when you drive is

fantastic – adults wave

and people start talking

to you whenever you stop

at the traffic lights.”

The result of Charles’

efforts is a brand new,

2012 car which has passed

the UK’s Vehicle Type

Approval tests but

happens to be seriously

Sixties in its styling and

packed with Mini

technology underneath –

in fact, the only major bit

that isn’t new is the

engine, which is a 1275cc

A-Series engine sourced

from an MG Metro. There

are other Moke replicas

built by Chinese firms,

Charles adds, but they

haven’t been through the

gruelling European testing

the Cub has.

But Charles’ pain of

getting the Cub through

the tests is my gain,

because it’s obvious the

moment I drive it that it’s

no flimsy kit car – it’s a

Mini with added al fresco

thrills. For me it’s

immediately familiar

territory because I owned

two classic Minis, so the

tiny steering wheel, the

long gearlever leading

down to the four speed

manual gearbox and the

chunky British Leyland

switches are like old

friends I haven’t met

since I last got out of my

old Mini Sprite a year ago.

You get the same

bouncy ride and the same

go-kart steering, but in

the Cub you get the wind

rushing in from all

directions as you put your

foot down, the sun

shining down on you, and

the scores of eyeballs

pointing in your direction.

It’s exposed, attention-

grabbing and not exactly

the last word in

practicality, but I love its

madcap take on motoring.

No, you won’t get cruise

control, satnav or a

folding metal roof if you

go shopping at Andersen

Motor Company, but the

Cub is one thing most cars

costing twice as much

aren’t. It’s a laugh!

It’s also, at £12,000 for

the factory built version,

nearly a grand cheaper

than BMW’s entry-level

MINI. I know which one I’d

go for.

EDITOR David Simister

DESIGNER David Simister

CREATIVE CONSULTANT Cornelia Kaufmann

www.lifeoncars.blogspot.com

E-MAIL david.simister@hotmail.co.uk

PHOTOGARPHY:

David Simister, Cornelia Kaufmann, Newspress, Chris Covill,

and Aintree Circuit Club .

Read Life On Cars each Wednesday in The Champion newspaper, on

the web at www.lifeoncars.blogspot.com and on the motoring section

of www.champnews.com

© Life On Cars 2012

Created by

www. l i f eonca r s . b l o g spo t . comwww.o rmsk i r kmoto r fe s t . com

A fINAL

thANk yOu

It wouldn’t have been possible without:

Mike Ashcroft, Rod Jones, Ian Bennett and everyone at Aintree Circuit Club, Colin Brady and everyone atWest Lancashire Borough Council, Newspress (McLaren MP4-12C and Metro 6R4 pictures), Becky Kirvan,Lucy Murgatroyd (North West Air Ambulance), Katie Massam, The Belfry Group, Edge Hill University, themayor and mayoress of West Lancashire, Tom Melia, Charles Andersen, Cornelia Kaufmann, LorraineGautrey, Chris Covill, G J Pritchard, Alasdair Croft, everyone at the Merseyside Transport Trust for theirassistance with the MGB photography at the vintage buses open day, Champion Newspapers, and last but notleast, the thousands of visitors and hundreds of exhibitors who turned up to last year’s Ormskirk MotorFestand set to make this year’s show even more memorable. Thank you for your support!