Northern Group of Motoring Writers’ Summer 2024 Newsletter

The Summer 2024 edition of the Northern Group of Motoring Writers’ Newsletter is now available, landing in motoring industry inboxes across the nation.

Our newsletter features contributions from many members across the Group, assembled by our newsletter editor David Whinyates, with opinions, features, and thoughts that cover what we’ve all been getting up to since the last one.

Long-serving group secretary Alan Domville had a day to remember over the summer as he and his wife Irene were among the first guests to one of King Charles’s first garden parties at Buckingham Palace. NGMW’s own royalty mingled with the King and Queen, the Princess Royal, and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh in this very special event.

It’s been a busy month for chair and website editor Andrew Evans, who attended the launch of the new Genesis “Magma” performance line in an event at the Nurburgring, along with a stomach-churning ride in the back of one of the brand’s new Nurburgring Track Taxis which you can hire for an unforgettable eight-and-a-bit minutes.

From there Andrew then drove up the length of the UK in a Land’s End to John O’Groats (LEJOG) trip in sustainably fuelled Mazda MX-5s — part of Mazda’s heritage fleet using low fossil-fuel content petrol — to show that there’ll still be ways to run classic cars as the new car parc shifts to electric power.

Indeed as Andrew was thinking about what classic cars shows of the future might look like, George Loveridge was racing around Castle Combe in his own 55-year old Triumph Herald — as well as taking part in the centenary celebrations for the Holme Moss Hill Climb with father and fellow NGMW member Guy.

There’s been a spirit of intrepid adventure this time too, as Damian Turner spent some time tackling the wilds of the Lakes and North Yorkshire with the Ineos Grenadier, while social media manager Andrew Harris was doing something similar half the world away in a Suzuki Jimny and Australia’s Outback.

Jonathan Smith talks about that question we all love being asked when people find out what we do — “what’s the best car you’ve driven” — and finds that the Suzuki Swift ticks a lot of boxes, while David Whinyates notes his irritation with (but sympathy for the poor editors who have to deal with) the weighty handbooks that come with modern cars.

Subaru and Polestar both held events in our region over the summer, and our members talk about their experiences with both, and Steve Howarth is full of praise for a member of the PR community who came to the rescue when his test car suffered a puncture.

You’ll also find some of the latest comings, goings, and shufflings in the PR industry too. There’s plenty of other stuff in there too, you can read the newsletter in the sidebar on the right or click here!