The Website for People Who Love Britain - Anglophiles
I love British things – that’s why I’m writing this. Music, movies, literature, people, accents, history… and cars. I love looking at them anyway. The ideal me drives a Jaguar and my nearly ideal me drives a Mini Cooper. They’re just sweet, aren’t they? Apparently some people’s fascination with British automobiles goes … [Read more...]
Check out this short documentary produced for the Glasgow Riverside Museum about the revolutionary design of the Mini. Shot by Pete Fullarton, directed and edited by Lucy Armitage. Very interesting for those who are interested in British motoring history. Check it out below: The Mini from Lucy Armitage on Vimeo. … [Read more...]
A gathering of some of the rarest motorcars in the world will take place in the grounds of the world’s oldest and largest occupied castle this September. The Windsor Castle Concours of Elegance on 7–9 September will take place in the Castle’s Upper Ward, a central quadrangle within the castle walls which is normally not open to the … [Read more...]
The British car manufacturing industry is relatively insignificant in world terms nowadays, with a handful of highly acclaimed specialist brands dotted around the country and the occasional major plant making vehicles for foreign-owned companies. The most popular cars for UK buyers are generally made by firms based in Japan, Germany, France and … [Read more...]
Liam Fisher has produced this article on behalf of vroomvroomvroom.co.uk, a car hire service operating in the UK. Whether it’s the chance to gawp at supercars, marvel at automobiles from days gone by, or just enjoy a fun auto festival for the whole family, there is sure to be something that will meet your needs when visiting the UK. Car shows … [Read more...]
A short docu-film shot at the Ace Cafe, exploring the thoughts owners and their Mini ownership. Check it out below - very cool! "It's A Mini Thing" - Classic Minis at Ace Cafe London from David Itzcovitz on Vimeo. … [Read more...]
Triumph - one of the last original British motorcycle manufacturers - has reported a rise in profits as well as a rise in sales and people seek out the latest models of the classic British bike. According to the Telegraph: The company, which produces motorcycles from its base in Hinckley, Leicestershire, increased sales by 7pc to 48,684 … [Read more...]
When I think of iconic British automobiles, the one at the top of my list is the Land Rover. Author James Taylor covers the long and exciting history in his book, Land Rover. I knew that Land Rover had quite an long history as a British brand, but I never realized how many functions the Land Rover has had over the years. From being a military … [Read more...]
An exhibition of 50 iconic James Bond vehicles – the largest of its kind staged anywhere in the world – opens in January at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu. The exhibition will run for the whole of 2012 in celebration of 50 years of James Bond movies. Bond in Motion will feature a range of vehicles that have appeared in Bond films over … [Read more...]
Britain's Reliant Robin car has been the butt of many jokes among motoring enthusiasts, not least because one is used by the family in the country's favourite TV comedy, Only Fools and Horses. But the fibre glass three-wheeler that's now out of production is still a favourite among some drivers and enthusiasts who just love racing them. … [Read more...]
Frank Martin joined Hornby as chief executive ten years ago. He tells Retail Editor Harry Wallop what the future holds for the makers of toy trains, Airfix, and Scalextric sets. Classic British toys! … [Read more...]
The folks over at How to be a Retronaut have posted some great pictures of a Routemaster Bus graveyard in the UK. Here's a couple pictures: I wouldn't mind having one of these in my back yard! Would make a great office! Check out all the pictures here. … [Read more...]
This arrived in our inbox this morning and we thought it was definitely worth sharing for anyone considering renting a car on their next trip to the UK. Print it out and take it with you! Infographic by Confused.com - Compare cheap car insurance in minutes. … [Read more...]
A couple of Brits are attempting to break the world's record for the longest taxi trip by driving from London in the UK to Sydney Australia and they're blogging their adventure. Here's something from their author: I am part of a team driving a London Black Cab from London to Syndey to break the Guinness World Record for the longest taxi … [Read more...]
Every London tourist knows that if you want the best ride around London - and quickest - you hail one of London's iconic Black Cabs. But how did they end up black and iconic to begin with? The London Taxi by Nick Georgano and Bill Munro expertly explains all the history you could possibly want to know about London's Black Taxi fleet. Like … [Read more...]
I love discovering videos like this - check out this newsreel of the benefits of owning at Ford Motor Car in 1937 England. Hat Tip to How to Be a Retronaut for discovering this. … [Read more...]
When you think of British cars that have appeared in movies over the years, the most obvious place to start is with the classic Mini Coopers that featured in the original version of the Italian Job back in 1969. In fact, there are many cars used in the film, both British and Italian but it's the minis that everyone remembers. The three cars were … [Read more...]
The event which led to the most famous partnership in motoring history took place at the Midland Hotel in Manchester on May 4th 1904. It was a meeting of opposites - two men from very different backgrounds. Charles Rolls (1877 - 1910) was an English gentleman of impeccable pedigree, educated at Eton, and Trinity College Cambridge. He was … [Read more...]
Anyone who viewed the recent Royal Wedding may have noticed that the British Royal Family has a number of rather impressive vehicles at its disposal. Though some Royals were confined to mini-buses for the first time in British history, the various cars and coaches on display showed that when it comes to the company ‘fleet’, the Royal Family … [Read more...]
When a bicycle craze swept across Europe and the United Kingdom back in the late 19th Century, it wasn’t too long before a few entrepreneurial Brits decided to stick a motor on those wheels and see what happened. The rest, as they say, is history. In this case, it’s a beautiful one. During the '50s and '60s, the motorcycle industry was the … [Read more...]
The familiar symbol on the front of every Rolls-Royce built since 1911 -- a female figure leaning forward with robes billowing out behind her -- is officially known as the "Spirit of Ecstasy." The model for this figure was a lady called Eleanor Velasco Thornton. The Rolls-Royce factory workers used to refer to the figure not as the Spirit of … [Read more...]
A British man named Pete Johnson from Manchester, England - having a bit of a mid-life crisis - has decided to travel across North America and visit every town named Manchester. According to the BBC: Pete Johnson, 53, from Sale will criss-cross the United States by motorbike, starting in Massachusetts and finishing in California. On the way, he … [Read more...]
If you're looking at the car hire UK options available to you before heading to the country on holiday, there will be several things you will want to consider. Renting a car is perfect if you want to go exploring and can certainly give you a sense of independence, but as you compare cheap car hire you should be aware that the experience of … [Read more...]
I saw this on Dragon's Den earlier this year and I just have to have one! Motormouse is simple - it's a wireless computer mouse shaped like famous model cars. They make several models, my favorite being the classic Mini Cooper (they also make the new one). Here's a pic: This particular Motormouse only costs £28 - about $50 US. They also … [Read more...]
It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be - but then again I doubt I'll watch future episodes. Top Gear USA is not Top Gear. I searched for the best way to describe the differences between the two - and this is what I came up with. Top Gear UK is a comedy show that happens to be about cars. Top Gear USA is a car show with a complete lack … [Read more...]
Editor's Note: The following is an excellent guest post about the top 5 British cars to appear in film! Jaguar E-Type - Austin Powers Image credit: Ed Callow Groovy baby! The Shaguar was an idea that was filled with so much genius even Einstein would have been proud. Take an aging British Jaguar E-Type, drench it in a paintjob even the … [Read more...]
1959 Mini courtesy of achimh on Flickr Ten years ago this month a red Mini Cooper Sport rolled off the production line at Longbridge and heralded the end of a British motoring institution. After 41 years, production of the Mini had ceased. And, although the once ubiquitous little motor is becoming more and more of a rarity on Britain's roads, … [Read more...]
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Anglotopia was founded by Jonathan and Jackie Thomas in 2007 in a closet in Chicago. Anglotopia is for people who love Britain - whether it's British TV, Culture, History or Travel - we cover it all. Anglotopia is now our full time jobs and we spend our time working on the site and planning our yearly trips to Britain. Join us as we explore Britain and everything it has to offer!
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