Oulton Park Gold Cup 2012

YOU simply can't say no to the sight of a rally-prepared MK2 Escort going sideways.

Yes, I know that the Oulton Park Gold Cup was held last weekend - an eternity ago in news terms. I also know that, despite numerous invitations to go, I couldn't make it because newspapers don't really do Bank Holidays, so while everyone else was getting soaked at a race circuit in Cheshire I was in Southport, typing away at my desk.

Petrolhead and friend of Life On Cars Katie Massam did make it to the event, though, and sent these pictures over for anyone into a Scandinavian flick:

Have you got a story you'd like to share with Life On Cars send an email to david.simister@hotmail.co.uk or simply leave a comment below...

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The Nissan Juke is the modifier's car of the moment

IT WAS as tall as a wardrobe and some might argue about as pretty, but by gum it was quick. In the right hands, the Nissan Juke R could give most supercars a run for their money.

I'm not one of the journalists lucky enough to be given a go in the GTR-engined Ferrari basher but the first time I came across it I heard it before I saw it, an almighty, industrial roar, following seconds later by an unlikely black blur rocketing past on a private test track. Offering the sort of pace Porsche customers are more familiar with in a high-riding hatchback off-roader thing is, you've got to admit, an incredible engineering achievement.

But the Juke R's real success - and I know Nissan's marketing men are probably nodding smugly at this - is that the Juke seems to have become, out of nowhere, the modifier's car of the moment. On increasingly frequent occasions, pimped-out Jukes have become visitors at car shows. The quirkily-styled SUV from Sunderland is treading the same territory the Ford Capri, the Vauxhall Nova and the Citroen Saxo used to call their own.

This is unfortunate, because not only am I yet to drive a Juke (although I've got a little experience of the bigger, duller and even more ubiquitous Qashqai), but, two years on, I'm still struggling to form an opinion on it. One moment I hate its gawky face and faux Paris-Dakar wheelarches, but then the next I'm quietly admiring the direction the stylists took, because while you'll either love it or hate it, you'll have an opinion of some sort on it. Try saying that about the Volkswagen Touran.

But - and I think it's one of the few cars I can say this about - the Juke does seem to take the Pimp My Ride stuff in its stride. Those wheelarches, for instance, are so enormous they make the standard model look a bit underwheeled, but I've seen a couple with enormous alloys and whitewall tyres that look the business. It also, because it looks like a bit bonkers to begin with, seems to suit silly spoilers and tinted windows. I've no idea why, but it's increasingly becoming one of those cult cars that encourages all sorts of automotive creativity.

Which is a good thing. Let me know if you think yours is a bit of a blank canvas...

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Fire up the... Vauxhall Astra GTC

YOU know you're living in more stylish times when you can freely use “Vauxhall Astra” and “good looking” in the same sentence, but it's true. This new Vauxhall Astra is genuinely good looking.

There are, even if this aesthetically enlightened age plenty of cars you could call striking or challenging but the Astra GTC achieves something much more remarkable, it is one of those coupes that rings all the right visual eyes with almost everyone who takes it in.

Then again, twenty years ago the company's Calibra dissapointed drivers when it was launched, because under its equally striking skin were unexcitingly ordinary Cavalier mechanicals. In order to impress against the likes of Volkswagen's Scirocco and Hyundai's Veloster - which also offer sleek coupe lines with a hint of hatchback practicality - it'll have to offer substance to back its style up.

Like the Veedub and the Hyundai, the GTC's really more of a three-door hatchback with added glitz than a truly no compromises coupe, and while that means you might lose a little in glamour what you gain is big practicality, with genuinely useful headroom and legroom inside, even in the back, where most of its rivals lose out.

The 1.7 diesel version I tried offers plenty of punch too - it's a shame about the slightly tractoresque soundtrack you get when you start it up, but the tradeoff is a claimed 62 to the gallon and lots of low down torque to play with. Even more impressively, it's well equipped, coming with no less than six airbags and a stash of gadgets as standard.

Is it worth spending your £21,200 on? If you're looking for something with a lot of pose factor probably not - it's attractive but not attention-grabbingly so and interior's little staid for all its solidity, but if you're looking for a great looking car which appeals to your head and heart in equal measure it's well worth a look.

I'd still go for a Scirocco first but if the VW's not your bag, you'll love it.

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Motorbike parade in memory of Ben Gautrey is a poignant success

A POIGNANT parade which paid tribute to a Southport motorbike racer who died last year has helped to raise hundreds of pounds for a charity set up in his memory.

The Benjamin Gautrey Foundation, set up by friends and family of the 18-year-old rider who was killed at a race at Cadwell Park in August last year, said that a fundraising stall and tribute parade at last weekend's Ormskirk MotorFest had been seen by thousands of visitors, with more than £255 being raised to help the charity's aims of promoting grassroots sports.

Ben's mother Lorraine told Life On Cars: "The event was excellent and went far better for the foundation than any of us could have expected, with lots of people coming over to have a look and find out more about the charity. It isn't just about motorbike racing, but about all the sports Ben took such a keen interest in.

"The parade in particular went really well, with the bikes looking spectacular as they went around the streets of Ormskirk. Everything was done in a very poignant way and it was very emotional for everyone involved, but I'm delighted that it went so well and that so many people took an interest in what we're doing."

The charity not only had a stall set up in Coronation Park, where thousands of visitors to the event went to see the classic cars and bikes on display, but also had a special parade around the town centre, which was led by a replica of the 600cc Gearlink Kawasaki which Ben rode during his final race.

An additional tribute to Ben was also paid at Cadwell Park, the Lincolnshire circuit where he was killed in a race a year ago, with supporters planting a tree in his memory.

Charity supporter Alisdair Croft, who took also took part in last year's MotorFest, said: ”The foundation's supporters are absolutely delighted with how it all went, and it's clear that a lot of interest was generated and that a lot of merchandise to promote the charity's work was sold on the day.

"The parade too was a big success, and we're adament that the Benjamin Gautrey Foundation will be back at the Ormskirk MotorFest next year, and hopefully with some big names riding some of the bikes in the parade."

If you'd like to find out more about the Benjamin Gautrey Foundation, visit the charity's website at www.thebenjamingautreyfoundation.org.uk.

Picture courtesy of West Lancashire Borough Council

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The Top 5 Best Conference Tables in 2012

Today we wanted to take the time to share some of the hottest new conference tables on the market. Whether your meeting space is large or small, we have a solution for you! Rest assured, the industry leading conference table solutions found in this post are from the best manufacturers in the business and are guaranteed to impress.

Lets start things off with the Mayline TAC8TB Transaction Table. This technologically advanced boardroom table solution is taking meeting areas by storm. The TAC8TB is available in two stunning laminate surface finishes. Transaction table tops are complimented nicely by the modern metal base. Need a different size? No need to worry, Mayline offers a variety of additional Transaction tables to meet your individual spaces requirements.

Next on our list is the Cherryman VL-870 Verde Conference Table. This table just screams contemporary style! Right from the get go we know this table offers excellent quality as it's made by Cherryman Industries. The VL-870 is also part of a full service office furniture line which allows for the cohesion of different office areas. It makes a professional statement when businesses choose to outfit there work areas with a matching line of furniture throughout! This stylish table is available in a variety of sizes and with a choice between cherry and espresso finishes.

The S1896K4 Lesro Mystic Series Conference Table makes our list at number 3. This new boardroom furniture solution features a unique elliptical work surface with underside shelf. The S1896K4 Mystic table is available in 6 stunning finishes. Mystic tables are also available in round and rectangular versions including a variety of space friendly sizes to meet your needs.

Commonly, modern businesses utilize work areas for more than one purpose. Training rooms, boardroom, and educational facilities have come to value modular functionality when shopping for a new conference table. That being said, the Global BXK132S Flip Top Bungee Table Set definitely makes our list. The Bungee line is a unique and versatile collection of tables specifically designed to gain the most out of your multi-use space. The BXK132S set includes a grouping of mobile flip top tables that configure to form a boat shaped conference table and a variety of popular training room furniture configurations. Bungee tables are available in 12 high end laminate finishes with a choice of configuration size and base finish. These tables really have it all!

Last but not least the Mayline BT31 Brighton conference room furniture set definitely deserves it's spot on our list. Where else can you find everything you need to build a professional conference room all in one package? The BT31 truly simplifies the conference room shopping experience! This unique set from Mayline features an 8' conference table, two 5-Shelf Bookcases, storage cabinet, glass display cabinet, low wall cabinet, and visual presentation board all for under $2200.00. Now that's a deal! Brighton conference room furniture is available in a choice of cherry and mocha laminates. This line of Mayline furniture is without a doubt the most affordable line of professional boardroom furniture on the market.

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Video: Ormskirk MotorFest 2012

AS the raindrops bounced their way across the table and into my coffee I'd already come to a sad conclusion; this year's Ormskirk MotorFest would be a washout. It was only then the Lamborghini Countach started up.

I only saw it once last Sunday buit it was one of my highlights of a show packed with scores of cars and bikes; a brooding, black Italian supercar with silly scissor doors and a big, defiantly noisy V12 engine which ricocheted off the buildings in the otherwise quiet market town.

As it happened my bribe to the Met Office paid off; just as the show opened a few hours after my coffee, at about eleven, the sun broke through the clouds and with it came hundreds of spectators. Then it became thousands. Ormskirk, even compared to last year's inaugural event, was absolutely heaving with people who like nothing more than looking longingly at a Ferrari or three.

There was bit of automotive exotica to suit every taste - for instance, I was particularly taken by Gary Hewitt's Metro 6R4 and by an immaculate Aston DB4 - but for me the highlight was taking my own museum exhibit, the Life On Cars MGB GT, onto the streets of Ormskirk for one of the six parades taking place that afternoon. I might have been sandwiched in between a bright red Morgan and a BMW M6 - all 560bhp of it - but I reckon the MG, with its offbeat burble and polished chromework, did Ormskirk proud.

Even though I've done hundreds of laps of Ormskirk's one-way system it's a bit of a surreal experience threading a forty year old sports car through windy streets packed with spectators, especially if you've got a BMW M car doing powerslides in your rear view mirror. It might have demanded a lot of concentration but I absolutely loved it and, judging by the comments I got afterwards, so did you.

This year's MotorFest wasn't an awkward sequal to the original - it was an awesome, unforgettable event which gave everyone the chance to see F1 racers and Group B rally cars letting rip on their doorstep. Naturally, the region's petrolheads are already eagerly awaiting next year's event.

Better start saving up for my Met Office bribe, then...

  

P.S: Apologies to the bikers who pointed out yesterday's pictures were a little lacking on the motorcycle. Plenty of bike footage in the video though...

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Ormskirk MotorFest 2012 - the day in pictures

THOUSANDS of petrolheads have packed into Ormskirk to make the market town’s second MotorFest event a spectacular success.

The event, organised jointly by Aintree Circuit Club and West Lancashire Borough Council, saw scores of classic cars and bikes, including Grand Prix racers and Group B rally cars, take to the town’s one way system for the climax of a day of motorsport-themed action, in what has been one of the town’s busiest trading days.

Councillor Paul Greenall, the mayor of West Lancashire, told Life On Cars: “It’s been really good, and fortunately the weather held off. There have been lots of very good cars here, and they’ve brought thousands of people into Ormskirk.

“There’s been a lot of interest in both our charities, and for Ormskirk the number of people speaks for itself. I hope there’s another event next year, because this one’s been a big success.”

Among the highlights for visitors was the chance to watch rally star Becky Kirvan put her motorsport-prepared Ford Fiesta through its paces, the parade of supercars, including the McLaren MP4-12C, and a poignant motorcycle parade held in memory of Southport superbike racer Ben Gautrey, who was killed at a race in Cadwell Park last year.

Although the threat of bad weather had loomed over the event, with participants being treated to downpours early on, sunshine during the parades later on helped to attract as many 15,000 visitors into the town centre to see the displays near the clock tower and in Coronation Park, as well as a series of parades around the town’s one way system.

Neville Hay, event commentator, said:  “I thought it went very well, especially given the limited amount of time you have to work with, the amount you have to do and the sheer number of cars involved. It’s not something that happens every day, but I think it went extremely well.

“Last year’s event went very well, but this year’s show has gone even better. I really hope it happens again next year.”

Life On Cars took these pictures at the event:

Keep an eye on Life On Cars for a video from the event, and read more in next Wednesday’s edition of The Champion newspaper (August 29 edition).

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