Well on a very wet Sunday morning I headed over the Manchester Bike Show
which is now its 4th year, and once again its grown in size again.
As per the usual the first hall is primarily the haunt of the dealers and
manufacturers, with all the big boys present as per the usual, Honda, Bimoto,
Ducati, Yamaha, Royal Enfield, Triumph, Indian, Victory etc
Monday, March 30, 2015
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Random Video- Life in the Motor Industry
Not the usual type of video we highlight on The Petrol Stop
but a very interesting lecture from Richard Parry-Jones given at the Bugatti
Lectures at the University of Coventry in 2010. He had a long career with Ford
working on most of the European cars through the 80’s and 90’s as well as stints
in Australia and American. It’s well worth an hour of your time with some
interesting insights, like, the decision not to build the next Land Rover
Discovery and the Ford Explorer on the same platform for example-
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
The Dawn of the Hypercar
Really it should read “The Demise of the Supercar” because
that’s exactly whats happened over the last 10 or so years. I grew up in the
80’s which meant the poster of the white Lamborghini Countach on my wall or maybe the Ferrari F40, it
was the golden time of the Supercar. It was an arms race to build the fastest
car, with the main prize for breaking the 200mph marker.
Friday, March 20, 2015
BMW 8 Series (E31) Convertible
The original BMW 8 Series was Bavarian maker’s supercar of the 1990’s,
full of tech, luxury and of cause speed (well limited to 155mph). However a
year after it first wow’d the crowds, BMW did it again in 1990 with a convertible
version. Only 3 were built for assessment and all are still owned by BMW. The one
in the video is on display at BMW’s own museum.
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Random Pictures: Making the UK’s 30mph limit signs
I didn’t realise until I read it on the BBC’s website that
in this week 1935 the 30mph speed limit was introduced in the UK to try and
improve safety. As a result a lot of new signage was needed, the picture below
shows the preparation for this huge undertaking-
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Ultimate Dubs 2015

Thursday, March 12, 2015
Noble M12 GTO
The first of the cars to hold the Noble name of its creator
Lee Noble.,the M12 GTO was produced in 1999 and represents the first sportscar
built in Leicestershire (well the bodies were produced in South Africa).
The one below showed up at a recent car meet and to be fair wasn’t getting the attention it deserved, despite it being 14 years old it still looked fresh and how you expect a fast road/track car to look. It’s even got a huge rear wing.
The one below showed up at a recent car meet and to be fair wasn’t getting the attention it deserved, despite it being 14 years old it still looked fresh and how you expect a fast road/track car to look. It’s even got a huge rear wing.
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Oldsmobile Cutlass Jetfire
Now what feature of this car, produced from 1962, was a
first? I bet being turbocharged wasn’t anywhere near the top of that list was
it!!!!!
If like me you live on the east side of the Atlantic, then BMW 2002 and Porsche 911’s of the 1970’s would instantly spring to mind not a muscle car from the states with its love affair with the naturally aspirated or supercharged V8's.
If like me you live on the east side of the Atlantic, then BMW 2002 and Porsche 911’s of the 1970’s would instantly spring to mind not a muscle car from the states with its love affair with the naturally aspirated or supercharged V8's.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Review: Steve Berry’s Speed Shop Radio Show
If you’re from around the Manchester / North West area of the UK
then the sound of Steve Berry’s northern tones is how many of us wake up in the
morning with his breakfast show on Real Radio XS. Most though will recognise
him from his 10 year stint on Top Gear or his books and regular contribution to
various papers and magazines. So there’s no denying his passion and enthusiasm
for all things automotive, to be honest he just sweeps you along with it.
Well he’s started a new on-line radio show, Steve Berry’s Speed Shop on FAB Radio International, which as he says at the start “isn’t for the casually interested, this is a place for enthusiasts, we’re not afraid to be talking about carburettors and crankshafts…..” with that I knew this was going to be good.
Well he’s started a new on-line radio show, Steve Berry’s Speed Shop on FAB Radio International, which as he says at the start “isn’t for the casually interested, this is a place for enthusiasts, we’re not afraid to be talking about carburettors and crankshafts…..” with that I knew this was going to be good.
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Random Video- GM’s view of the future from 1956
The self-drive cars been around for many years, here’s GM’s
take on it from 1956. To be honest there’s a few predictions that are currently
on production vehicles, changeable displays, communications and navigation. Thankfully
a singing operator isn’t one of them-
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