ROAD TRIPS TO DRIVE FOR!

New Veloce book Roads with a View – England’s greatest views and how to find them by road by David Corfield is reviewed in The Daily Express!

Click here for more info about the book.

EFFICIENT DRIVER'S HANDBOOK REVIEW

Good to see a review of this recently published book appear in Auto Express!


Click here for more info about the book!

ENGLAND'S GREATEST VIEWS AND HOW TO FIND THEM BY ROAD

Time for a new blog header, this time one of the stunning photos from our brand new book, Roads with a View, this particular shot taken of Ribblehead Viaduct, just over the border from Cumbria into North Yorkshire.

Roads with a View is not just another travel guide. This has been written by a driver especially for fellow motorists, and provides detailed accounts of the best English roads to drive on, and the best places to drive to for that stunning front seat view. Features specially drawn maps, beautiful colour photography, and plenty of travel advice. More info

 

Priced £19.99 UK/$45.00 USA, this book is now in stock, and available to buy now.

BLUEBIRD FLIES AGAIN: NEW RECORD ATTEMPT

Don Wales, holder of the UK Land Speed Record for an electric car, announced today (Tuesday 9 November) that he will attempt to break his own electric record and exceed the outright record set by his grandfather, Sir Malcolm Campbell, in 1925 in the early spring of 2011.

Speaking after successfully completing the RAC Brighton to London Future Car Challenge in a hybrid car, Wales said: "I have held the record for over ten years and it's now looking very vulnerable. I want to set the UK record well beyond 150mph – the speed Sir Malcolm clocked in 1925. Ideally, I'd like to match his record of 1927 – 175mph."

The attempt is part of the Campbell family celebration year of the centenary of Sir Malcolm Campbell first christening a car Bluebird at Brooklands in 1911.

Don Wales and the Bluebird Electric Team set the current record of 139mph in August 2000 on Pendine Sands, Wales. They will return to Pendine Sands – the venue for Sir Malcolm's successful land speed record attempts in the 1920s – in spring of 2011.

Wales also has plans to attempt a new world land speed record for a battery car and has his sights set on 500mph, and is currently evaluating several design options. He says: "At last the world is making real progress with electric vehicles as a viable alternative to the internal combustion engine. Ten years ago electric vehicles were unheard of in the news, and people couldn’t understand the importance of electric car technology. Now there's a whole new generation of electric road cars in production. The UK is a world leader in automotive technology, particularly in the cutting edge and highly competitive field of motor sport, and Land speed record projects have a history of boosting technological developments which is why I'm planning a world beating battery car”.

Project Director Martin Rees said "Don's ambition to be the fastest in the world is a goal we are all working hard to achieve and his recent speed record breaking exploits, and those we achieved in the electric Bluebird ten years ago, are testament to his undoubted dedication and commitment to excellence". Rees added, "Taking the car back to Pendine next Spring with improved drive and bodywork will be another chapter in the Campbell and Wales and Pendine story.”

Don Wales, who is the nephew of Donald Campbell – another famous record breaker – has clearly inherited the quest for speed. In May this year he twice broke the world land speed record for a lawnmower leaving it at 87.833mph. He also holds the world record for a steam powered car (148mph) as a member of Charles Burnett III's British Steam car team at Edwards Airforce base in August 2009.

Source: Bluebird Electric Team

New books from Veloce!
Bluebird CN7 - The inside story of Donald Campbell’s last Land Speed Record car
By Donald Stevens
Records the development, construction and operation of the last wheel-driven land speed record breaking car that the UK produced, and tells how the tragic demise of Donald Campbell prevented it from reaching its full potential. A unique account of a legendary feat of engineering.
More info.



Electric Cars – The Future is Now!
By Arvid Linde
What if we all had to say goodbye to petrol cars tomorrow? Would you be ready? This book will help you find out. With a concise catalogue covering the best production models and the most promising prototypes, this book is the definitive guide to the future of motoring. More info.

MINI TEAMS UP WITH RALLY LEGENDS AT RAC BRIGHTON TO LONDON CAR CHALLENGE

Rally legends Paddy Hopkirk and David Richards will go head to head driving MINIs at the RAC Brighton to London Future Car Challenge this weekend. The inaugural RAC Brighton to London Future Car Challenge will showcase to the latest electric, hybrid and low-emission passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. Royal Automobile Club trophies will be awarded in different categories for the most energy efficient vehicles that have completed the 60-mile Brighton to London run starting in Brighton at 8am. These future cars will be on display in Regent Street from 12.30am till 4pm.

Former British and World Rally Champion, Paddy Hopkirk, drove to victory in the Mini Cooper in the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally. On Saturday 6th November Paddy will be back behind the wheel of a MINI; this time a MINI Cooper D – the brand’s most efficient model, emitting just 99g/km CO2 and achieving an impressive 74.3 mpg (on the combined cycle).

Prodrive boss, David Richards CBE, will drive MINI’s 100% electric powered car – MINI E. As well as being a former British and World Rally Champion, David Richards is today best known for his more recent successes in motorsport. His latest venture will see MINI returning to the World Rally Championship with the latest model – the MINI Countryman in 2011.

Paddy and David will drive the differently powered MINIs in a 60-mile challenge. Each will be trying to be the most efficient in terms of energy used by their respective cars.

David Richards said “The MINI E is an incredible car and this event will highlight its amazing versatility. I am really looking forward to the event and competing against Paddy to see who can be most efficient. However, I will have to dampen down my competitive spirit, as will Paddy, to ensure we get the most miles out of the MINIs to take the trophy in each of our classes.”

Source: MINI

VELOCE PUBLISHING LTD BECOMES RAC’S PUBLISHING PARTNER

Leading British automotive publisher, Veloce Publishing, is delighted to announce that it has teamed up with one of Britain's oldest and most esteemed motoring organisations, RAC, to produce books carrying the RAC brand. The first fruits of the new relationship will appear in the Summer of 2010 in the form of -



"Electric Cars – The future is now"

Are electric cars a feasible alternative to conventionally powered cars? Here's a comprehensive guide - aimed squarely at the man and woman in the street - to the cars you can buy now, and what the future holds, priced at ￡12.99. Isbn: 9781845843106



"The Efficient Driver's Handbook"

With fuel prices at record levels, here's a timely guide to fuel efficient driving techniques and car choice, priced at ￡9.99. Isbn: 9781845843519



"Roads with a view – England's greatest views and how to find them by road"

A beautifully produced large format hardback featuring 44 breathtaking views, and how to get to them by road. Priced at ￡24.99. Isbn: 9781845843502







Many more books are in the pipeline, including technical books based on RAC's extensive automotive experience and data.



Rod Grainger, Publisher at Veloce, says: "This is a really exciting development for our company. It's a prestigious association with a hugely respected organisation which not only marks a coming of age for Veloce, but presents a huge range of potential publications which can be created in association with RAC".