
Caterham’s future owners must get a grip on its ailing business
Caterham's new owners have started their clean up of the business by re-hiring ex-CEO Ansar Ali.

I heard on the grapevine this morning that motorsport writers, David Tremayne and Joe Saward have joined Ansar Ali and Tony Fernandes on the board of…
Boardrooms, balance sheets and brand strategy: 157 stories on who owned the marques, what they spent, and why some of them did not survive.

Caterham's new owners have started their clean up of the business by re-hiring ex-CEO Ansar Ali.

Steve Davies speaks with Graham MacDonald about a new era for Caterham Cars and whether its Chairman Tony Fernandes plans on selling the business he…

As one ‘insider’ put it to me yesterday, “it’s messier than a pit full of sh*te.” The expression being a reference to the news that Caterham Sports…

Yesterday's news of redundancies at CTI (Caterham Technology and Innovation) sends out worrying signals about the Caterham Group.

Following our piece this morning and reports in the media over the weekend, Caterham has responded to the rumours of an impending sale.

Last month we sat down with Mark Gallagher to talk motor racing, F1 politics and his forthcoming book, 'The Business of Winning'.

When we met with Caterham Group CEO Graham Macdonald last year the message was very much 'Vive la différence', but it now seems the differences…

The Zenos E10 is the first of three planned models launched by the new British sports car company co-founded by Ansar Ali and Mark Edwards.

SkiddMark interviews Ansar Ali and Mark Edwards, founding partners of Zenos Cars about the marque and how their time at Lotus and Caterham has shaped…

It's been over 18 months since the House of Commons last spoke about injecting cash into Lotus Cars, but today Business Secretary, Vince Cable MP…

At today's International Motorcycle Exhibition (EICMA) in Milan, Caterham Group launched a range of three prototype bikes, offering the promise of…

Caterham Cars CEO Graham Macdonald has been appointed as the new CEO of the Caterham Group of companies, with overall responsibility for all arms of…

Zenos Cars have released their first official sketch of the E10 ultra-lightweight sports car, illustrating the design flexibility of their innovative…

For the second year in a row Aston Martin has finished runner-up to Apple in the annual CoolBrands list, with Mercedes-Benz rising from 16th last…

In a statement given during this morning's launch of the AeroSeven Concept, Caterham Group Chairman, Tony Fernandes spoke openly about his ambitions…

If 'shock and awe' was Caterham's strategy for the new AeroSeven Concept, then they've certainly got the first part right.

During the past few months, Royal Mail has been celebrating Britain’s rich motoring heritage with a series of British Auto Legends stamps and…

You've probably been wondering what happened to Caterham Car's former CEO and COO, Ansar Ali and Mark Edwards.

Caterham's F1 cars will carry the silhouette of a 'brand new' road car at this weekend's Italian Grand Prix, ahead of its official unveiling at the…

In the trouser-searing world of performance cars, the Germans are known for making considerably-more-than-reasonably-priced sports cars (and wagons)…

Not so long ago, a bike-engined Caterham Seven would imply the 170bhp CBR1100-engined Blackbird or 128bhp Fireblade, but that was then, and now in…

Here's a bit of good news to end the week. Group Lotus has announced that it will create more than 100 new jobs at its Hethel base following a £100…

Automotive history is littered with great ideas and good intentions, most of them created by talented engineers and designers.

They say 'competition improves the breed', well if that's the case then the partnership between Caterham and Renault's Alpine brand has just received…

As Telegrams go, the latest communication from Caterham is typically short on detail, yet warning of great things to come.

Up until now, our European friends have been denied a Seven as manic as the Superlight R500, but thanks to the engineers at Caterham Technology &…

Following their announcement in December, Aston Martin and Investindustrial have now completed the transaction which brings £150 million of capital…

It would be foolish to judge Caterham based purely on their past achievements. That’s the thought I came away with following a morning spent with the…

Earlier this month, brand valuation experts, Brand Finance, declared Ferrari the most powerful brand in the world, ahead of Google, Coca-Cola, PwC…

News of Lotus’ demise has been greatly exaggerated, following a report this morning that it was being liquidated.

Caterham has announced a new engine for its Seven sportscar, based on the existing Duratec units, but sitting above the 175bhp 2.0-litre Superlight…

After we learned of the difficulties last November, Caterham has finally confirmed the R600 will not race in its own dedicated series in 2013.

With just 48 days until the start of Practice 1 at the Melbourne Grand Prix, the F1 teams are hard at work finalising development while preparing for…

Most stories start at the beginning; this one is a little different. Before I talk about Caterham, I need to talk a little about myself; not because…

Last week's media coverage of the equity investment made by Investindustrial in Aston Martin has thus far focused entirely on the transaction, so I…

Since our update last weekend, negotiations have moved on a notch – most notably with news that Mahindra & Mahindra may have withdrawn from…

After the biggest week in the company's recent history, Caterham Cars are keen to show its continuing commitment to the Seven with the new Supersport…

When it comes to content marketing, one format stands above all others - video. It's the most powerful medium for switching-on a customer and…

First and foremost the announcement by Carlos Ghosn, Chairman and CEO of Renault this morning is ‘not’ to build the Alpine A110-50 Concept (as shown…

Writing the epitaph of a once great brand is never an easy thing to do, but yesterday I learned of the departure of Sales and Marketing Director Andy…

Yesterday at an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) in Shah Alam, DRB-Hicom’s Chairman Datuk Syed Mohamad Syed Murtaza confirmed what we’ve known for…

The paddock has been awash with rumours about the future of Caterham F1′s current driver line-up – Vitaly Petrov and Heikki Kovalainen.

Last week an article was published online by Auto Express magazine, with the title "Lotus' future is safe".

Steve Hindle meets Lawrence Tomlinson of Ginetta Cars and finds out makes them stand out from the pack

For any business to function it needs to produce a product or service, sell it to customers, develop new offerings and promote them in order to…

Earlier this week, Interbrand, one of the world’s largest branding consultancies, published its 2012 review of ‘Top 100 Brands’.

As I said in last night’s piece, ‘Why Lotus’ future is far from safe’, Proton has been working on securing a platform sharing deal with a major…

If we’d asked twelve months ago who you knew of at Caterham, most people would probably have answered Ansar Ali, Tony Fernandes and Mike Gascoyne.

Rumours emerged in the past few days that Gerard Lopez’s Genii Capital, owners of Lotus F1, may be in talks to sell the team.

During the last few months we've immersed ourselves in several of Volvo's most dynamic new models, to learn about how the marque is positioned in…

British golfer Ian Poulter took delivery of his personalised Ferrari FF at last weekend's Pebble Beach car shows in Monteray.

With production of the Exige S at Hethel now well underway, Lotus has turned its hand to producing a harder, faster and more track-ready version, due…

For a nation endowed with the DNA of such maverick automotive legends as Chapman, Cooper and Brown, it seems ironic that the marque which now leads…

There’s no doubting that thanks to some exceptional individual and team performances at the 2012 Olympics, Cool Britannia is now very much back in…

The first production Exige S came off the assembly line last week, beginning a new phase for the Norfolk sportscar maker.

Earlier this week I got together with Margareta Pagano, Business Editor of The Independent newspaper, and compared notes on the state of play at…

Volkswagen has announced this morning that it has acquired the remaining 50.1 per cent of Porsche AG, not already owned by Volkswagen and will now…

I've been an outspoken critic of brands who boast about the size of their fan base. Of course, it's an understandable temptation, especially if you…
Each year the Goodwood Festival of Speed showcases a featured marque, a car maker which inspires adoration, perhaps because of its style, success on…

In a statement released this evening , DRB-Hicom announced the appointment of Mohd Aslam Bin Farikullah as Lotus’ new Chief Operating Officer (COO)…

Caterham Group, the parent company of Caterham Cars, Caterham F1 Team, Caterham Composites and CTI (Caterham Technology & Innovation) has today…

I use the word suspended, even though that’s not a term one would normally use when a CEO is removed from his post, however during the past few hours…

It’s been a matter of debate for months now as rumours continue to abound over the future of Group Lotus.

Several people have asked me why Dany Bahar, the CEO of Group Lotus, was suspended last Friday, and why DRB-Hicom have chosen not to give a reason…

DRB-Hicom released a statement last night confirming that beleaguered sports car maker, Lotus, is not for sale.

Ferrari were the innovators in this space back in 2007, led by their Head of Sales, Marketing and Communications at the time – Dany Bahar.

Anybody following the ongoing story of the cataclysm wrenching at the relationships between Group Lotus, its adoptive parent Proton, and Lotus F1…

We can argue over the semantics of the latest twist in the fate of Lotus in Formula One, but it can no longer be said that Kimi Raikkonen and Romain…

Lotus CEO Dany Bahar is under scrutiny yet again, after Genii Capital owned Lotus F1 Team split with the Norfolk car maker , who up until last week…

Questions have been raised during the past 24 hours over the handling of Lotus’ future by new owners DRB-HICOM and in particular the role played by…

The trouble with journalism and news reporting is that most of the writers pass comment on things which they invariably have little or no personal…

Maserati confirmed on Thursday that it will produce the new Alfa Romeo 4C two-seater sportscar.

It makes you proud to be British doesn't it? Caterham, that quiet little corner of Surrey, England.

This is a story that resonates strongly with me. As an advisor to many people over the years, one of the most valued qualities I hear from CEO’s and…

Double world champion and Lotus Brand Ambassador Emerson Fittipaldi was interviewed by Group Lotus following last weekend’s Malaysian GP.

This is one of those news items that makes you consider the meaning of Déjà vu. Haven't we been here before?

This morning Caterham F1 published an interview with Technical Director, Mike Gascoyne, in which he explains the design and engineering of the new…

It is three years since I first visited Westfield’s Kingswinford factory; a trip that made such an impression that it would ultimately lead to me…

Yesterday, Lotus Renault GP confirmed Romain Grosjean as its 2nd driver for 2012 alongside Kimi Raikkonen, displacing the team's 2011 drivers Bruno…

Over the course of an enjoyable hour with Ken Block, I got to know the businessman, motorsport fan and driver, during which time I learned how little…

We hear a lot about Intelligence in the motoring industry, it’s become the norm in automotive acronyms, especially for the leading German car makers…

You have been a good boy all year and feel you deserve a treat. How about a special car?

It’s hard not to feel sorry for Lotus Renault GP’s long list of talented drivers, all carefully positioning themselves for the two available race…

The Ginetta G40 R is not your average sports car, and, I think it’s fair to say, carries more than the weight of a hopeful profit margin on its…

In the seven months since Infiniti announced their marketing partnership with Formula One World Champions, Red Bull Racing, I’ve been impressed with…

This weekend's Singapore Grand Prix was a fitting occasion for McLaren Automotive to announce that its Asia Pacific network will be managed from a…

News of Lotus' entry in the GT category of the FIA Rally Championship in 2012, got me thinking about the relationship between road and rally cars and…

I have been sitting on some news about Caterham during the past few weeks, as we waited on some of the moves to play out.

The 96th Indy 500 scheduled to run on 27 May 2012 will see the return to competitive racing of one of F1′s most admired drivers.

Following our recent interview with Caterham’s CEO, Ansar Ali – Behind the scenes at Caterham Cars – the company has now confirmed details of its…

Ever since Jeremy Clarkson tried to destroy a Toyota Hilux on Top Gear (and failed), it’s gained something of a reputation as being unbreakable .

It's motor show time, so Lotus have given us another riddle to solve - 3 new cars, 2 new options AND 1 special limited edition.

Group Lotus has announced this morning the appointment of Gordon Murray to the Lotus Advisory Council.

A rapper? It would have spinners in the wheels and chromed paint. The only thing ‘spinning’ is Colin Chapman in his grave..

After weeks of rumour that the BBC would be dropping its coverage of F1 in a bid to save costs, a seven-year deal was announced this morning which…

If you’ve ever been to the Lotus test track at Hethel you’ll remember it as a challenging track – bumpy, off camber in places with minimal run-off.

Earlier today we brought you news about Ken Block’s latest plans for Gymkhana FOUR – most notably that he’ll be driving a ‘hybrid’ powered Ford.

If you’re looking for a reason to attend the Goodwood Festival of Speed next month, then look no further than the stunning cars being shown by Alfa…

It’s been no secret that Corven, the private equity group who funded the buy-out of Caterham from the Nearn family, have long been seeking to…

Sir Jackie Stewart, 3 time F1 World Champion and winner of 27 Grand Prix, has been taken to hospital after falling ill whilst flying home to London…

Alfa Romeo revealed its much-rumoured 4C sports car concept at Geneva today, generating one of the biggest scrums of the day as photographers fought…

Whether it’s appropriate or not, sex has been used to sell nearly every type of product since the beginning of advertising itself and even more so…
Who can resist peeking at the cover story for the all-new Lotus Magazine as the team seek to recreate the smouldering tension of the movie, “Basic…

Last week Lotus announced former F1 driver Jean Alesi as a brand ambassador for the Type 125 programme, Lotus’ exclusive ultra high performance F1…
We couldn't help smiling at the by-now obligatory picture of the current/past F1 star next to a Lotus Evora - it has become a rite of passage for…

The city of Novgorod (“new city”) located just 100 miles from St. Petersburg is one of Russia’s most historic cities, having been declared a World…

Road Magazine starts 2011 with a track and race theme… following the UK’s catalyst to the motoring industry, Autosport International at the NEC in…

Back in 2002 the creative team at Crispin Porter + Bogusky felt people were ready to move away from SUVs, so they pitched the idea to MINI and won…

31 years after Formula 1 World Champion Nigel Mansell made his F1 debut in a Lotus courtesy of Colin Chapman, his sons Leo (26) and Greg (23) will…

If you work in the automotive sector then you’ll be heartened to read the 2011 Edelman Trust Barometer , the company’s 11th annual research study…

Are automotive desires really gender specific? And can a male-dominated motor industry satisfy them?

Bear with us on this one, since it may at first glance seem a little confusing. Renault who used to own and run the F1 team called Renault F1, pulled…

MINI New Zealand’s Night Test Drives promotion started off innocently enough, offering customers the chance to test drive its latest models on the…

Now that Group Lotus and Genii Capital have gazumped 1 Malaysia Racing with their black/gold livery, they’ve now clothed Renault F1′s 2010 car in the…

It is perhaps ironic that Caterham face a similar challenge to their erstwhile neighbours up the road at Lotus, as they look towards the future shape…

Lotus Racing has announced this morning that its cars will be running in a black and gold colour scheme from the 2011 Championship onwards.

The FIA’s official entry list for the 2011 Formula One championship was revealed this afternoon, with the most significant news being that the FIA…
After more than a decade of Elise-based production it’s easy to forget that Lotus was once known as a supercar maker, rather than purveyors of…

We seem to be writing a lot about Lotus this year, but then they’ve been making the headlines – usually for all the right reasons.

If you’ve ever moaned about the use of technology for technology’s sake, then you’ll feast on this latest innovation by Audi’s German creative agency.

Another day passes and yet another car-based iPhone App is launched, this time from Toyota Sweden.
Lotus surprised attendees at the Paris show today by unveiling not one, but five new models, rather overshadowing the Lotus Evora S and Evora Auto…

Lotus Motorsport in collaboration with seasoned championship winners ART Grand Prix have confirmed their participation in the 2011 GP2 (Europe and…

Tweet You can normally tell how well the economy is doing post-downturn by the number of outrageous projects announced by manufacturers keen to…

With the re-introduction of their “Autobahn for All” marketing campaign for 2010, Volkswagen of America created a TV spot entitled “Shoot the Gap”…

A great ‘Ring video isn’t defined by one trait. A fast lap time, enthusiastic driving styles, high quality footage, deafening exhaust notes or simply…

It’s been a great year for Lotus, what with the success of the Evora sportscar, putting their name behind a new F1 team and now as they prepare for…

If you’ve taken a look recently at some of Volkswagen’s videos on SkiddPlayer then you may already be familiar with the term ‘PunchDub’, but chances…
What a fantastic year 2010 is proving to be for Lotus fans, in fact strike that, any motorsport enthusiast should be excited by the resurgance of…

Lotus has revealed pictures of its facelifted Elise, which will be displayed at Geneva next month and then go on sale in UK showrooms from April.

I guess there are worse duties to perform whilst awaiting your new custom-built Formula 1 car, although I’m sure Jarno would have preferred Jerez in…

It has become something of a tradition these past few months, for F1 drivers past and present to line up at Lotus’ Hethel HQ and be photographed next…

Hot on the heels of Jacques Villeneuve' recent visit to Lotus in Hethel, it would be tempting to speculate that Martin Brundle also had an ulterior…

Porsche Experience TV is a new, unique concept developed by Porsche Cars GB that provides fans of the Stuttgart marque with high quality web-streamed…

Top Gear TV received a special delivery yesterday in the form of the only Lexus LFA in the UK, thankfully they returned it in the same condition as…

News has emerged in the past 24 hours that Michael Schumacher, 7 times F1 world champion, has agreed a one-year deal to drive for Mercedes F1…

The Beaulieu Estate which is jointly owned by Lord Montagu and his elder son Ralph, is better known for being home to the National Motor Museum…
Lotus is producing a limited edition Exige S Type 72 to celebrate the most successful F1 car of all time, the Lotus Type 72 Formula One car, which…

You get the feeling that when Jarno was invited over to Lotus’ cold and windswept Hethel HQ, that he was hoping to see the car that he will…

Renault revealed earlier this year that they would be relaunching the Gordini brand, and positioning it along the lines of Fiat
We published images from the official unveling last night, when Renault launched the first of their new Gordini range on Facebook.

British special, featuring reports from the Goodwood Festival of Speed and Revival events, a weekend in the TVR Griffith 500, Anglesey demolished in…
Unless you’ve been hiding under an environmentalist for the last few weeks, you’ll already know that the Goodwood Festival of Speed is this weekend.
We will remove any comments that we think are offensive, misleading or libelous. We love to hear your views, so feel free to share what's on your…
It’s with great sadness that we report the death of former TVR boss Peter Wheeler, who passed away last night after a short illness.
Inspired by a reader suggestion we were reminded of this short film used at the launch of the 599GTB.
The fall-out from the collapse of Chrysler and its re-emergence under Fiat will be widespread.
Chris Harris goes to Norway in search of a frozen lake, a 911 rally car and driving nirvana.
In this latest issue we get very sideways in the woods with a historic Porsche 911 rally car.
“To compliment the classic ‘Faszination’ clip – here’s the later version” – Mark34bn We agree Mark, although we still have a soft spot for the…
Ever wondered how a performance icon of the past would fair against its modern successor?
Next week Lotus takes a new twist on the old cult classic film, The Italian Job, in the run up to the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
One of the most spectacular (and risky) overtakes in F1, we’ve found a vid with the preceeding lap on it so you can see what a huge gap Mika ‘the…

“It must be something in the water.” I’ve just asked Greger Huttu, the fastest man on earth in a virtual race car, why Finns are so quick at so many…

Formula 1 is as much about the drama as the racing itself, and there’s none more outspoken or dramatic than Ferrari.
“I saw this video last night, and it’s still on my mind this morning. Check out how Senna pedals (if that’s the right verb…) through the 130R.