Latest news with #MorrisMinor
Top Gear
04-06-2025
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Meet the Mannic Beattie: a 600bhp jet-engined hillclimb hero built in a shed
Interview This hillclimb specialist is a record-breaker with a unique turbo. Here's how owner Nic Mann built it in his garage Skip 8 photos in the image carousel and continue reading Nic Mann hands me a turbine blade. This, he says with a gleam in his eye, was originally part of the Rolls-Royce Olympus 593 turbojet that powered Concorde. Nic worked on that fearsome engine during his time at the aerospace giant in the 1970s, and remains transfixed by turbines. So much so that he's used one to circumvent the lag in his hillclimb special, the Mannic Beattie. Except that 'special' doesn't even get close to describing this thing. Nic is supremely modest but his creation is close in spirit and execution to an F1 car. The kicker is, he designed, engineered and built it in his Berkshire garage for about £20k. Advertisement - Page continues below A beloved statesman of the hillclimb scene, Nic transformed his mother's Morris Minor in phases until it was running a turbocharged V8 with throttle modulated nitrous injection to the tune of about 550bhp. It was hooked up to a Jaguar XJ6 driveline and its torque outputs would regularly overwhelm the gearbox. Nic ran a 30.07s up Shelsley Walsh in the Moggie in 1986, only half a second slower than World Rally champion Hannu Mikkola in a works Audi Sport Quattro. Photography: Huckleberry Mountain You might like He sold the Morris in 1990 and used the funds to start the next project. Nic wanted to create a record breaker, and inspired by the Mallock U2 single seater, all the usual parameters came into play – go big on the mechanical grip while reducing the centre of gravity, optimise the weight distribution, minimise the effects of lateral weight transfer. It would be all-wheel drive, have a flat floor and huge wings. After which, Nic headed down a more idiosyncratic path. The engine is a four pot 1.7-litre Cosworth BDT (a staple of many a fast Ford, including the Group B RS200), canted over at 25° on the intake side to help the centre of gravity. That was good for about 400bhp, which meant Nic needed forced induction to make the numbers he wanted. And that meant lag, which he didn't want. Enter a compact gas turbine, originally used as an auxiliary power unit in helicopters. Advertisement - Page continues below Watch the car in action and you'll detect a distinctive whooshing sound as Nic prepares to launch himself up a hill. That's the turbine, spinning at 90,000rpm. It's started by compressed air using an external starter but only after the main engine has been fired up. An ingenious but complex solution, my head spins almost as fast as the turbine as Nic explains how it works. Basically, it runs separately from the ICE and delivers air to it at a constant pressure independent of the main engine speed. Ergo, zero lag, and an overall power output of 600bhp (give or take). The transmission is from the Ford Sierra XR4x4, a tidy setup that features epicyclic transfer gear and a viscous coupling. The front and rear diffs are from a Lotus Elan, the front suspension uprights a MkII VW Golf GTI, the rears from a Ralt single seater. Nic fabricated the chassis from CDS steel tubing, and laid up the composite panels on the front wings himself. Yep, that's homemade carbon fibre. The big aero parts are made of sheet aluminium, the sidepods of birch plywood. You'll detect a whooshing sound, that's the turbine spinning at 90,000rpm When Nic became acquainted with former BAR and Ferrari F1 aerodynamicist Willem Toet, himself a successful hillclimber, it helped finesse his instincts on downforce. He also verified his thinking using F1 grade computational fluid dynamics tools (thanks to Miqdad Ali). Which is how Nic's home brew racer ended up with a blown rear diffuser that helps drop the ride height by 40mm at 140mph, a high rake stance not dissimilar to the 2021 Red Bull RB16, and an aerodynamic centre of pressure that would get Adrian Newey's attention. Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox. At 100mph, it produces well over its own weight in downforce, Nic says, so somewhere in the region of 750kg. The car has also set and broken all sorts of records, and holds the Shelsley specials record with a time of 25.47 seconds. That the man is still chasing tenths at the age of 73 is just as impressive. 'But it's time to hand it over to someone else, which is one of the reasons I'm talking to you,' he says a little ruefully. 'If anyone gets in touch, let me know.' Top Gear is happy to help...
IOL News
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Keeping up with the Peters
Ravi Govender, third from left, with Paul Peters, Govender's wife, Marsh, and Jessie Peters. Image: Supplied ON FRIDAY, May 16, 2025, I went to Phoenix. Not the one in Arizona in the US, the one right here in KwaZulu-Natal. So, what is so special about that, you may ask? Hundreds of thousands of people do that daily. Well, it was unusual for two reasons. The last time I had visited the suburb was perhaps five years ago, when I used to travel every Friday evening to present the evening music programme on Phoenix FM. It was around the same time too as I painfully recalled the traffic congestion on the freeway and the long wait to get on to the Mount Edgecombe off-ramp. 'By the time I get to Phoenix' (1967 song by Glen Campbell), I would have had spent a whole hour driving. My visit this time was for a beautiful reason. It was to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of my godparents. You see I was a child when Paul met Jessie. It was love in the air and marriage soon followed. They were family friends of ours and we belonged to the same religious faith as well. It was a given that when my parents died, I took them as my mentors and substitute parents. I only learned later on that my father and Paul had made a pact that if either of them passed on, the survivor would look after the other's family. Even before the marriage, Paul had been an integral part of our family. He shared the same passion for movies as did my late brother, Rajin, and I. On a regular basis he would pick us up and take us to the cinema. We never missed the latest releases. It was not surprising that Paul became like a second dad to my brother and I. He drove a Morris Minor and thereafter a white Volkswagen Beetle and it was our transport to a myriad beach outings and picnics and other social functions. Suffice to say, my father and Paul became firm friends and both also served as elders in our Christian congregation. With role-models like that it was inevitable that Rajin and I also became elders when we reached adulthood and what an honour it was to serve God alongside these two stalwarts. When my dad passed on, I leaned quite heavily on Paul for emotional support and guidance and I am surprised that he did not topple over as he is a man of slight build and thin. This was the pivot for many a ribbing from my brother and I at Paul's expense. He had worked and retired at Ninian and Lester whose big brand was Jockey underwear. This led to us teasing him that, due to his small build, he was born to be a jockey. He also did boxing in his young days, as did my father who trained as a heavyweight. When asked which weight division did Paul train in, my ever-witty brother would opine: 'paper weight'. To his credit, Paul always, to this day, takes this ribbing of him good-naturedly. Back to the love story. After marriage the couple settled down in Phoenix and until present day, reside in Foresthaven, where Paul still serves the local congregation faithfully. The school hall in the area served as the venue for the grand 50th anniversary. And grand it was. The function was compered by the oldest of their two sons, Wayne, who did an admirable job. The occasion was wonderful. I relished meeting old friends who I have not seen in many years and spending time with them was precious. The food was outstanding. Not surprising as Jessie is an exceptional cook. She did not cook the anniversary meal, but you can be sure she tested and tasted extensively to choose the evening ended with dance and here Paul showed the young attendees how to 'burn' the dancefloor. He is amazing for his age. When he was getting 'down' on the dancefloor, we were worried whether he would be able to get back up again. We had no need for concern. The old man still has the moves! My reason for writing this subject is not just to praise my godparents. Rather, their story is testament to the sacredness of marriage. Their marital longevity is a sterling example to young one contemplating getting married. It is also proof that two people can gel for 50 years through thick and thin, and make a go of the union. I am proud of them and I hope their community is too. They are definitely an asset to them. In a world gone crazy, where a marriage certificate is treated as not worth the paper it is signed on, we have the Peters. Paul and Jessie showing how it can and should be done. Ravi Govender Image: Supplied Ravi Govender is a former POST sub-editor and Lotus FM radio presenter. He is a published author, a freelance editor and film producer in training. He can be contacted at: [email protected] ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media. THE POST
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Trump tariffs help push U.K. auto sector to worst production figures in more than 70 years
The U.K.'s auto sector is reeling from its worst month for production since 1952—when the Morris Minor ruled the country's roads and Queen Elizabeth ascended to the throne—as Trump's tariff war added to a bearish environment for the country's biggest carmakers. U.K. plants producing cars like Range Rovers, Bentleys, and Toyotas pumped out 59,200 models in April, marking the lowest monthly output figure in more than 70 years, according to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Carmakers are set for their worst start to the year in production terms since 2009 and the depths of the Great Recession. Commercial vehicle exports fell by more than 75% in April as automakers digested the fallout of Donald Trump's tariffs on the car industry and his more sweeping plans announced on 'Liberation Day.' Cars bound for the U.S., which took around a sixth of the U.K.'s car exports, experienced a slight decline in April, with EU exports fuelling the biggest drop. U.K. luxury carmakers, including Rolls-Royce and Aston Martin, were regarded as being particularly vulnerable to a trade war because much of their appeal comes from keeping most production from its historic local plants. Jaguar Land Rover said in early April that it would be pausing U.S. shipments while it assessed the fallout from Trump's tariff announcements. The carmaker sold more than 128,000 cars to the States, its biggest market, in 2024. The end of March also marked the closure of Stellantis-owned Vauxhall's factory in Luton, where the carmaker employed more than 1,000 workers. Employees at the 120-year-old factory faced a stark ultimatum: a 140-mile relocation north or accepting a redundancy package. A calendar quirk of the Easter break falling later in 2025, which accordingly shuttered production for an extra two days over the bank holiday, also contributed to depressed production figures, the SMMT said. Indeed, March production figures showed nearly 80,000 vehicles being produced in the U.K. that month. April's awful production figures are likely to be an anomaly, and not just owing to the quirk of the calendar. Earlier in May, the U.K. and U.S. hammered out a landmark trade deal that would see import tariffs on cars to the States reduced from 25% to 10% for the first 100,000 vehicles. The development is expected to prevent a lot of pain in the U.K. auto market, and SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes is taking a victory lap after demonstrating the sector's influence on the U.K.'s international relations. 'Government has recognised automotive manufacturing's critical role in driving the UK economy, having successfully negotiated improved trading conditions for the sector with the US, EU and India in the space of a month,' said Hawes. 'To take advantage of these trading opportunities we must secure additional investment which will depend on the competitiveness and confidence that can be provided by a comprehensive and innovative long-term industrial strategy. Get this right and the jobs, economic growth and decarbonisation will flow across the UK.' This story was originally featured on
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
UK vehicle manufacturing plummets to lowest since 1952 in April
Car and van manufacturing in the UK slumped to its lowest level in more than 70 years last month. Latest figures from the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showed the number of cars made in Britain fell by 8.6% in April while production of vans and other commercial vehicles was down by 68.6%. Overall UK car and commercial vehicle production fell by 15.8% to 59,203 units in April. Excluding the first covid lockdown in 2020 when virtually all manufacturing ceased, that is the the lowest output total for the month since April 1952, when the late Queen Elizabeth II had just ascended the throne and the Morris Minor was the best selling car in the UK. While output was limited by the timing of Easter, model changeovers and temporary plant closures the figures will nonetheless sound alarm bells. The SMMT said 'urgent action' is required to reboot one of the country's most important manufacturing and exporting sectors. The first four months of the year have been the slowest for production since the 2009 recession caused by the global financial crisis. Car exports declined 10.1% during a month of intense international trading volatility, while commercial vehicle exports fell 75.8%. Shipments to the UK's two largest global markets, the EU and US, fell by 19.1% and 2.7% respectively, although the EU still took more than half of all exports while the US received 16.5%. But exports to China and Turkey rose by 44.0% and 31.2% respectively. Commercial vehicle export volumes, meanwhile, fell sharply by 75.8%. The decline was driven by a 78.9% drop in shipments to the EU, but the bloc retained the lion's share of exports at 84.9%. Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, 'With automotive manufacturing experiencing its toughest start to the year since 2009, urgent action is needed to boost domestic demand and our international competitiveness. 'Government has recognised automotive manufacturing's critical role in driving the UK economy, having successfully negotiated improved trading conditions for the sector with the US, EU and India in the space of a month. 'To take advantage of these trading opportunities we must secure additional investment which will depend on the competitiveness and confidence that can be provided by a comprehensive and innovative long-term industrial strategy. Get this right and the jobs, economic growth and decarbonisation will flow across the UK.' Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
UK vehicle manufacturing plummets to lowest since 1952 in April
Car and van manufacturing in the UK slumped to its lowest level in more than 70 years last month. Latest figures from the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showed the number of cars made in Britain fell by 8.6% in April while production of vans and other commercial vehicles was down by 68.6%. Overall UK car and commercial vehicle production fell by 15.8% to 59,203 units in April. Excluding the first covid lockdown in 2020 when virtually all manufacturing ceased, that is the the lowest output total for the month since April 1952, when the late Queen Elizabeth II had just ascended the throne and the Morris Minor was the best selling car in the UK. While output was limited by the timing of Easter, model changeovers and temporary plant closures the figures will nonetheless sound alarm bells. The SMMT said 'urgent action' is required to reboot one of the country's most important manufacturing and exporting sectors. The first four months of the year have been the slowest for production since the 2009 recession caused by the global financial crisis. Car exports declined 10.1% during a month of intense international trading volatility, while commercial vehicle exports fell 75.8%. Shipments to the UK's two largest global markets, the EU and US, fell by 19.1% and 2.7% respectively, although the EU still took more than half of all exports while the US received 16.5%. But exports to China and Turkey rose by 44.0% and 31.2% respectively. Commercial vehicle export volumes, meanwhile, fell sharply by 75.8%. The decline was driven by a 78.9% drop in shipments to the EU, but the bloc retained the lion's share of exports at 84.9%. Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, 'With automotive manufacturing experiencing its toughest start to the year since 2009, urgent action is needed to boost domestic demand and our international competitiveness. 'Government has recognised automotive manufacturing's critical role in driving the UK economy, having successfully negotiated improved trading conditions for the sector with the US, EU and India in the space of a month. 'To take advantage of these trading opportunities we must secure additional investment which will depend on the competitiveness and confidence that can be provided by a comprehensive and innovative long-term industrial strategy. Get this right and the jobs, economic growth and decarbonisation will flow across the UK.'
