Peter James Insurance Blog
Who remembers the name Vanden Plas? Part 2
Part 1 of this story can be read here Vanden Plas’ famous ‘Kingsbury Works’ was opened in 1923. To celebrate what would have been the factory’s centenary we examine this often misunderstood name, which had a profound effect on British automotive history and pioneered an aspect of the modern...
MX-5 Origins: Why Mazda Created the World’s Best-Selling Sports Car.
Small, lightweight and affordable two-seater sports cars have traditionally hailed from Europe, especially Italy and the UK. MG, Triumph, Alfa Romeo, Fiat and others sold huge numbers of fun roadsters into a booming US market during the 1950s and 1960s, but these established players failed to invest in new...
One of our young customers takes his classic across Europe with car club cover
Young classic car enthusiast Harry Sharrock first set eyes on his 2008 Jaguar XJ Sovereign back when he was a university student in Hull. Since then, he worked and saved to buy it just over a year ago. To celebrate, Harry embarked upon an epic tour of Europe with...
Who remembers the name Vanden Plas? Part 1
Vanden Plas’ famous ‘Kingsbury Works’ was opened in 1923. To celebrate what would have been the factory’s centenary we examine this often misunderstood name, which profoundly affected British automotive history and pioneered an aspect of the modern car industry. Vanden Plas, that most English coachbuilders, had their roots...
Goodwood Revival Reflections 2023
The Goodwood Revival’s 25th Anniversary was a combination of time travel and motorsport excellence, presided over by the venue’s very own ‘Timelord’, motor racing enthusiast Charles March, the current Duke of Richmond and Gordon. We popped along to experience the weekend, so here are the highlights and memories from...
The attraction of traction – how the Brits championed 4×4 in sports cars
From just before World War two until the mid-1990s, a small group of engineers, Harry Ferguson Research Limited, pioneered the 4×4 technology that is still used in many cars today. This small team had a profound effect on both road and competition cars. A BRIXMIS Senator can be seen...
Origins of the VW Golf: How an equine experience named an automotive icon!
A manufacturer may well spend hundreds of millions of dollars developing a new range of cars but if they choose the wrong name, it could destroy that new car on launch day. Considering how important it is, there have been some brilliantly terrible car names such as the ‘Isuzu...
The XK engine – 75 years of smooth power!
Jaguar’s Legendary XK engine is 75 years old and is the bedrock on which the company was built. It continues to bewitch car enthusiasts the world over with its glorious blend of power, sound and beauty. History will record the 20th century as the era of the great...
Origins of the VW Golf: The saviour of the ‘people’s car!’
How Italian styling, NSU’s engineering expertise and Audi’s engines made VW one of the world’s largest car makers. The enormous Volkswagen Group now encompasses some of the great marques of motoring history including, Bugatti, Bentley, Lamborghini, Porsche, Ducati, Seat, Skoda and Audi. In recent years it has vied with...
Peter James Insurance are delighted to sponsor the inaugural Pride of Ownership competition at MX-5 National Rally
We are delighted to announce sponsorship of the inaugural Peter James Insurance Pride of Ownership competition taking place at the MX-5 National Rally at the British Motor Museum on 17th September 2023. At the club’s 29th annual National Rally, visitors to the event will be able to cast their...
