Motorsport
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. Steve Hindle explores what's next
Motorsport
Joe Saward and David Tremayne become Directors of Caterham Group..
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…
Industry
114 articles
Motorsport
Caterham rebuilds for a new future
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…
Motorsport
How to decimate your brand – a case study by Caterham
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…
Industry
Caterham engineers for lightness at Hingham
Yesterday's news of redundancies at CTI (Caterham Technology and Innovation) sends out worrying signals about the Caterham Group.
Industry
Caterham respond to sale rumours
Following our piece this morning and reports in the media over the weekend, Caterham has responded to the rumours of an impending sale.
Industry
Caterham and Renault to split over Alpine joint venture project
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 between…
Industry
Zenos E10 available now from just £24,995
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. For nearly a…
Industry
Behind the Story: Zenos Cars
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 the…
Industry
Lotus cashes in on £10 million regional growth fund award
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 visited…
Industry
Caterham launches a new ‘Bikes’ division
At today's International Motorcycle Exhibition (EICMA) in Milan, Caterham Group launched a range of three prototype bikes, offering the promise of…
Industry
Graham MacDonald is promoted to Caterham Group CEO
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 the…
Industry
Zenos Cars release their first official design sketch
Zenos Cars have released their first official sketch of the E10 ultra-lightweight sports car, illustrating the design flexibility of their innovative new…
Industry
Aston Martin and Mercedes-Benz maintain their CoolBrand supremacy, while McLaren usurp Land Rover
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 year to…
Motorsport
Tony Fernandes speaks out on Caterham’s future plans
In a statement given during this morning's launch of the AeroSeven Concept, Caterham Group Chairman, Tony Fernandes spoke openly about his ambitions for…
Industry
This is the Caterham AeroSeven Concept (w/VIDEO)
If 'shock and awe' was Caterham's strategy for the new AeroSeven Concept, then they've certainly got the first part right. Pictures leaked out this…
Industry
Former Caterham Cars CEO Ansar Ali launches Zenos Cars
You've probably been wondering what happened to Caterham Car's former CEO and COO, Ansar Ali and Mark Edwards. Well, yesterday they announced details of…
Motorsport
Caterham to unveil a new concept car at the Singapore GP
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…
Industry
Trying New Things – How the French are learning from the Germans: Op-Ed
In the trouser-searing world of performance cars, the Germans are known for making considerably-more-than-reasonably-priced sports cars (and wagons),…
Industry
Caterham’s entry-level Seven will be powered by a 660cc turbocharged Suzuki engine
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 2013 a…
Industry
Lotus announces major recruitment drive as investment from DRB-Hicom delivers growth - SkiddMark
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…
Industry
VUHL 05 – the new track car sensation
Automotive history is littered with great ideas and good intentions, most of them created by talented engineers and designers. So what makes VUHL any…
Industry
Caterham sends the clearest message with its most simple entry-level Seven - SkiddMark
As Telegrams go, the latest communication from Caterham is typically short on detail, yet warning of great things to come.
Industry
Caterham launches its fastest ever European Seven
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 &…
Industry
Investindustrial completes equity investment in Aston Martin
Following their announcement in December, Aston Martin and Investindustrial have now completed the transaction which brings £150 million of capital…
Motorsport
Caterham Cars Exclusive: A look to the future - SkiddMark
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…
Industry
The truth about Ferrari’s brand power..
Earlier this month, brand valuation experts, Brand Finance, declared Ferrari the most powerful brand in the world, ahead of Google, Coca-Cola, PwC and…
Industry
Lotus moves to dispel another careless whisper (w/Statement)
News of Lotus’ demise has been greatly exaggerated, following a report this morning that it was being liquidated. The news, first published in Autocar,…
Industry
Caterham to launch new range-topping EUV-compliant Seven
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 R300…
Motorsport
Exclusive: Caterham pulls the plug on the R600 race series
After we learned of the difficulties last November, Caterham has finally confirmed the R600 will not race in its own dedicated series in 2013.
Motorsport
F1 gets ready for pre-season testing on 5th February (w/VIDEO)
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…
Industry
An Open Letter to Caterham: Questions and Confidence
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 I…
Industry
Aston Martin serves up a lesson in corporate strategy
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…
Industry
An update on Aston Martin: India steps back, while China and perhaps Germany show interest
Since our update last weekend, negotiations have moved on a notch – most notably with news that Mahindra & Mahindra may have withdrawn from discussions,…
Motorsport
Which Automotive Brands are winning the Content Marketing race?
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 delivering a…
Industry
Renault and Caterham announce partnership to design and build Alpine Caterham sports cars
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…
Industry
The Importance of Being Caterham: SkiddMark says farewell to Andy Noble
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…
Industry
DRB-Hicom Chairman confirms Lotus is 'not safe' and considers its disposal
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 a…
Motorsport
Charles Pic joins Caterham F1 Team on a multi-year contract
The paddock has been awash with rumours about the future of Caterham F1′s current driver line-up – Vitaly Petrov and Heikki Kovalainen. Petrov because…
Industry
Why Lotus’ future is far from being ‘safe’
Last week an article was published online by Auto Express magazine, with the title "Lotus' future is safe". In the interests of transparency and to ensure…
Motorsport
The Great and The British: Part 2 – Lawrence Tomlinson and Ginetta
Steve Hindle meets Lawrence Tomlinson of Ginetta Cars and finds out makes them stand out from the pack
Industry
Is DRB-Hicom Fiddling While Lotus Burns..? - SkiddMark
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 generate…
Industry
The Twelve Most Valuable Automotive Brands of 2012
Earlier this week, Interbrand, one of the world’s largest branding consultancies, published its 2012 review of ‘Top 100 Brands’. It makes interesting…
Industry
Proton signs a collaboration agreement with Honda, setting Lotus up for a platform sharing deal with the NSX
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 automotive…
Motorsport
Has Mike Gascoyne taken his leave of Caterham?
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. Ansar…
Motorsport
Genii Capital set to offload Lotus F1?
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. It’s merely a rumour at the…
Industry
The DNA Inside: Volvo Cars
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 2012 and…
Interviews
Ferrari delivers a uniquely personalised FF to golfer Ian Poulter
British golfer Ian Poulter took delivery of his personalised Ferrari FF at last weekend's Pebble Beach car shows in Monteray. The handover of his Tailor…
Motorsport
Lotus introduces the Exige V6 Cup – a lighter, track-focused Exige S
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 to…
Motorsport
The Great and The British: Part 1 – The Importance of Being Radical
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 the…
Industry
Lotus Chief speaks out on his plans for the company as the first Exige S is produced
The first production Exige S came off the assembly line last week, beginning a new phase for the Norfolk sportscar maker. Chief Operating Officer, Aslam…
Industry
Behind the story: Lotus eaters take a gamble
Earlier this week I got together with Margareta Pagano, Business Editor of The Independent newspaper, and compared notes on the state of play at Norfolk's…
Industry
Volkswagen acquires the remainder of Porsche at a valuation of €7.75 billion
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 move to…
Industry
Adwatch: Porsche's Boxster Road Trip shows how NOT to run a digital campaign - SkiddMark
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 allow…
Motorsport
Lotus appoints a new Chief Operating Officer, but who is Aslam Bin Farikullah?
In a statement released this evening , DRB-Hicom announced the appointment of Mohd Aslam Bin Farikullah as Lotus’ new Chief Operating Officer (COO), at…
Motorsport
Caterham CEO Ansar Ali gets replaced by Graham Macdonald
Caterham Group, the parent company of Caterham Cars, Caterham F1 Team, Caterham Composites and CTI (Caterham Technology & Innovation) has today confirmed…
Motorsport
Lotus CEO Dany Bahar suspended for misconduct
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…
Industry
Group Lotus - A future worth fighting for
It’s been a matter of debate for months now as rumours continue to abound over the future of Group Lotus. But rather than clarify the situation, most…
Industry
Dany Bahar of Lotus suspended - but what could he have done so wrong?
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 when…
Industry
DRB-Hicom say Lotus is for keeps - but what are their plans for the car maker?
DRB-Hicom released a statement last night confirming that beleaguered sports car maker, Lotus, is not for sale. But what is their motivation for providing…
Industry
BMW opens its first brand retail store in Paris and aims for the utopian single customer experience
Ferrari were the innovators in this space back in 2007, led by their Head of Sales, Marketing and Communications at the time – Dany Bahar. The Ferrari…
Motorsport
The Lotus Position - what will happen next?
Anybody following the ongoing story of the cataclysm wrenching at the relationships between Group Lotus, its adoptive parent Proton, and Lotus F1 Team…
Motorsport
Lotus, the manufacturer, exits Formula 1™
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…
Motorsport
Lotus speaks out over rumours of its untimely demise..
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, were…
Motorsport
Lotus speaks out about its relationship with China's Youngman
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 Lotus…
Motorsport
Lotus CEO, Dany Bahar
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…
Industry
Alfa Romeo 4C will be built by Maserati, first prototypes later this year
Maserati confirmed on Thursday that it will produce the new Alfa Romeo 4C two-seater sportscar. Up to 2,500 units per year will be made at its factory in…
Motorsport
Video Feature: Caterham – The DNA Shines Through
It makes you proud to be British doesn't it? Caterham, that quiet little corner of Surrey, England. Home of the most proudly independent car company by…
Motorsport
Where experience counts in F1: Joe Saward and Caterham
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…
Motorsport
Emerson Fittipaldi shares his thoughts on last weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix
Double world champion and Lotus Brand Ambassador Emerson Fittipaldi was interviewed by Group Lotus following last weekend’s Malaysian GP. In the interview…
Motorsport
Interview: Mike Gascoyne introduces the Caterham F1 CT01
This morning Caterham F1 published an interview with Technical Director, Mike Gascoyne, in which he explains the design and engineering of the new 2012…
Interviews
Westfield Re-visited: An interview with the boss, Julian Turner
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 working…
Motorsport
Bruno Senna quits racing to focus on his modelling career..?
Yesterday, Lotus Renault GP confirmed Romain Grosjean as its 2nd driver for 2012 alongside Kimi Raikkonen, displacing the team's 2011 drivers Bruno Senna…
Motorsport
The Accidental Hero – An interview with Ken Block
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 of…
Industry
Top 10 Automotive social video campaigns of 2011
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 –…
Motorsport
Kimi Räikkönen joins Lotus Renault GP on a 2-year contract (w/VIDEO)
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 seats in…
Industry
Track Tested: Ginetta G40 R
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 shoulders.…
Motorsport
AdWatch: To Infiniti and beyond.. (w/VIDEOS)
In the seven months since Infiniti announced their marketing partnership with Formula One World Champions, Red Bull Racing, I’ve been impressed with how…
Industry
Behind the scenes at Caterham Cars..
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. And it's been fascinating to…
Industry
Caterham announces its new road car programme
Following our recent interview with Caterham’s CEO, Ansar Ali – Behind the scenes at Caterham Cars – the company has now confirmed details of its…
Industry
Ad Watch: 2012 Toyota Hilux - Bugger, it's still unbreakable.. (w/VIDEOS)
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 . Toyota’s…
Industry
Lotus introduces new models and more options at Frankfurt
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. Thankfully they've given…
Motorsport
Gordon Murray Joins Group Lotus Advisory Council
Group Lotus has announced this morning the appointment of Gordon Murray to the Lotus Advisory Council. Murray will work alongside other automotive…
Industry
Lotus appoints rapper Swizz Beatz as its new Vice President of Creative Design
Judging from the reaction on Lotus Cars
Motorsport
Why the BBC and Sky joint F1 deal will open the way for augmented broadcasting
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 will…
Motorsport
Ken Block visits Wales to shoot Gymkhana FOUR (with exclusive images and video)
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. Ken is…
Motorsport
The Fernandes Files - from Hethel to Darford via Malaysia
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 retrench…
Industry
Geneva Watch: Alfa's 4C Concept makes a stunning entrance
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 to…
Industry
The Joy of Marketing - 23 ads that use sex to sell cars [VIDEOS]
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 when it…
Motorsport
Jean Alesi puts the Lotus Type 125 through its paces at Vallelunga
Last week Lotus announced former F1 driver Jean Alesi as a brand ambassador for the Type 125 programme, Lotus’ exclusive ultra high performance F1…
Industry
Russian road safety campaign exceeds the limit
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…
Motorsport
ROAD 11: Track & Race
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 Brum.…
Industry
MINI Countryman re-enacts SUV stunt
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 the…
Motorsport
Lotus and Mansell are reunited for Dubai 24 hours
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 get…
Industry
Automotive sector ranks 2nd highest in Edelman's 2011 Trust Barometer
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 into the…
Industry
What do women look for in a car?
Are automotive desires really gender specific? And can a male-dominated motor industry satisfy them? Angie Voluti examines car culture from a feminine…
Industry
MINI extends its Night-Time Test Drives
MINI New Zealand’s Night Test Drives promotion started off innocently enough, offering customers the chance to test drive its latest models on the open…
Motorsport
Lotus Renault confirm Petrov and show their new F1 livery
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 new…
Industry
Caterham set to announce a new 4-seat sportscar
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 of…
Industry
Audi's interactive web experience that you cannot play...
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. As…
Industry
Toyota challenges drivers with A Glass of Water
Another day passes and yet another car-based iPhone App is launched, this time from Toyota Sweden. Can a simple glass of water lower your fuel consumption…
Motorsport
Lotus Motorsport and ART unite for GP2 and GP3
Lotus Motorsport in collaboration with seasoned championship winners ART Grand Prix have confirmed their participation in the 2011 GP2 (Europe and Asia…
Motorsport
Lotus to produce 25 customer F1 cars
Tweet You can normally tell how well the economy is doing post-downturn by the number of outrageous projects announced by manufacturers keen to relieve…
Industry
Volkswagen removes ‘Shoot the Gap’ advert following viewer backlash
With the re-introduction of their “Autobahn for All” marketing campaign for 2010, Volkswagen of America created a TV spot entitled “Shoot the Gap”…
Industry
Perspective: Volkswagen’s PunchDub game
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 are…
Motorsport
Lotus reveals facelifted Elise range
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.
Motorsport
Jarno Trulli develops the Lotus Evora Cup
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 Spain…
Motorsport
The Stig get's his hands on the LFA
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 it was…
Motorsport
Schumacher will drive for Mercedes F1 in 2010
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 (formerly…
Motorsport
Project Runningblade unveiled at Beaulieu
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, which…
Industry
Renault to reveal plans for their Gordini brand
Renault revealed earlier this year that they would be relaunching the Gordini brand, and positioning it along the lines of Fiat
Motorsport
ROAD Magazine - Issue 10
British special, featuring reports from the Goodwood Festival of Speed and Revival events, a weekend in the TVR Griffith 500, Anglesey demolished in a…
Motorsport
INTERVIEW: Greger Huttu – Virtually the world’s fastest racing driver «
INTERVIEW: Virtually the world’s fastest racing driver
Motorsport
Ferrari takes a swipe at the new F1 teams
Formula 1 is as much about the drama as the racing itself, and there