It’s fair to say that the current global automotive outlook is unpredictable at best. A whole range of factors are conspiring, and at times, it seems like we’re in the midst of a perfect storm. The urgent need to cut damaging CO2 emissions is at the heart of...
A big thanks to the Kia UK PR team for putting on a drive day for the Group at the Bishopstrow Hotel and Spa in Warminster on June 5. The event gave members a chance to get up to speed with most of the Kia range, including the EV6 and EV6 GT, EV9, Sportage, Stonic and...
In all, 38 cars from 25 brands were available to drive at the event – a unique date in the automotive calendar. This year’s Driving Day was the third and most successful at our new venue – the wonderful Haynes Motor Museum in Somerset.In all, 38 cars...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Last month, Daimler Benz announced that it had received authorisation from the federal traffic office to equip its car with level-three automation, effectively hands-free driving. The first appearance of this will be on the new S Class Mercedes due for launch during...
With the AGM behind us, From the Chair comes from a new Chairman this month. Many thanks to Robin Roberts for his many years of hard work for the Group as chairman and deputy chairman. The Government’s stated intention to ban the internal combustion engine from...
If it has struck you that there seem to be more and more Teslas about, it is not an illusion. According to analysts Jato Dynamics, in September the Tesla Model 3 was Europe’s best-selling car, with 24,571 cars sold. In second place was the Renault Clio at 18,268 and...
The Western Group of Motoring Writers recently held its first face-to-face meeting for over a year courtesy of Honda UK and to whom we are very grateful. By the way, there was no truth in the rumour that Honda PR Emma Butler used the meeting as a rehearsal for...
