Geof
Miller, ARC Press & Publicity
Brandlehow, Wolverton, Stratford-on-Avon CV37
0HF
Tel: (+44) 1789 73 1669 |
Admin
A.R.C. NEWS The Newsletter of the Association of
Rover Clubs
Issue No.27 May 1999
*** STOP PRESS *** STOP PRESS *** STOP PRESS ***
STOP PRESS *** STOP PRESS ***
ARC NATIONAL 1999 Yorkshire Rover Owners Club have
faced considerable difficulties in preparing for this
year's ARC National to be held at Coumes Vale,
Oughtibridge, near Sheffield, over the Spring Bank
Holiday weekend. Members may have seen reference to
some of these problems in the editorial of the June
edition of "Land Rover Monthly" Magazine.
YROC wish to emphasis that, despite these
difficulties, the event is very definitely going
ahead and look forward to your attendance and support.
They ask members who have internet access to keep an
eye on their web site for up to date news about the
event and to pass on any news and information to
other members of their Club. Web site is - www.landie.demon.co.uk/national
The Organising Committee also wish to remind
everyone attending the event that Rally Reception
opens at 12.00 noon on Friday 28th May. There will be
no access to the site before 12 noon.
Competitors - please remember all your paperwork/logbooks/licences
and club membership cards. Campers - please remember
to take blocks for your caravan
ROVER GROUP EXERCISE RIGHT OF REPLY TO "CAR"
MAGAZINE
In response to an article which appeared in the
April edition of "Car" Magazine, concerning
two of Rover Group's successful new products, Land
Rover Freelander and Rover 75, Rover Group have
issued a press release, (see Land Rover web site at
www.landrover.co.uk/uknews)
Rover Group takes issue with the content of this
article, (which was subsequently lifted and run in
the National Press - Ed) and we have requested that
"Car" publish the following response sent
to the Editor of the magazine from Bernard T Carey,
Corporate Affairs Director. As "Car" have
so far not acknowledged our right of reply we hereby
offer the real version of events via the internet.
19 March 1999
Letter for Publication
Dear Sir
In response to your disappointing and misleading
article in the last edition of "Car", I
felt your readers ought to know several facts.
Firstly, the informant was a former employee with an
undoubted grudge against the Company. The inaccuracy
of his information clearly shows that he was not a
senior manager, nor did he work on any major projects.
Secondly, the document published, stolen from the
Company, was dated January 1998 - a fact you
curiously forgot to tell your readers. Thirdly, the
information on faults contained in the document
related in the main to pre-production cars which had
been remedied before volume manufacture began. The
information was being passed to Service Managers to
be aware of problems that had happened in the past.
It is normal in the industry to issue Service
Bulletins alerting managers and dealers to potential
issues - even, as in many of the cases highlighted in
the article, the fault had only occurred once in on a
pre-production vehicles and remedy found.
I will not run through the list but simply say
that Freelander warranty performance has exceeded our
expectations and customers are delighted it the
quality of their cars.
On the issue of body-flexing; in the near 100,,000
cars sold to date, in all the pre-production
engineering tests; and in all subsequent experience,
we have not recorded one incidence of body-flexing in
Freelander to which you refer. Another instance of
unreliable information from your "underground
car park" contributor. We can prove it. Why not
bring your technical team to our engineering centre
in Gaydon to see if you can re-create this myth,
because we cannot.
With regard to the Rover 75, here your informant
shows his true ignorance. The Rover 75 is not based
on a 5 Series platform. It does boast the Z axle on
the rear- undoubtedly a BMW trademark which gives the
car a superb balance and high level of comfort. But
that is as close as it gets to a BMW. (surely your
experts can tell one platform from another?)
Nor has the KV6 engine had a camshaft issue - it
has been proven for three years on Rover 800.
Of course there have been development issues with
the project, there always are. Otherwise we could go
straight from the drawing board into mass production.
But I thought "Car" journalists knew all
about how a car is developed. Perhaps not.
A major disappointment to the Company was that
"Car" chose not to give us a right of reply.
Perhaps you feared an injunction or other redress?
That is not our style. We believe in the freedom of
the press and your right to print whatever you
believe to be in the public interest. I do, however,
think you should be wary of using stolen documents
and listening to ex-employees without first trying to
understand the circumstances.
Thank you for this opportunity to redress some of
the damage you have caused to our product and brand
image.
Yours faithfully, Bernard T Carey Corporate
Affairs Director
Special Offer on Land Rover 50th Anniversary Video
Land Rover Ltd have produced for the ARC a limited
edition video covering the conception of the Land
Rover to what we have today. It includes the home
video showing the first Bren carrier then the jeep (no
capital j) on the Wilks estate and beach on Anglesey
and many other bits of archive footage. The narration
is by Sir Ranulph Fiennes but archive footage flows
from a coffee table discussion between a small group
of people who were very much involved in the design
and evaluation of the Land Rover and Range Rover. We
only have a very limited number of copies available.
The cost is £13.95 per video and UK post is £1.50
for up to two videos. Overseas postage is £2 per
video sterling only please. Cheques must be made
payable to Association of Rover Clubs Ltd. Please
send your order to Andrew Neaves , 8 East House Drive,
Hurley, Atherstone, Warwickshire, CV9 2HB. Please
allow 28 days for delivery.
ARC News Distribution
Just a reminder that address updates are only done
three times per year. The closing dates for clubs to
send information are 1st March, 1st July and 1st
November. If you change your address you need to
ensure your club has registered your change of
address and has then passed that change on in your
clubs next update to the ARC. The responsibility for
getting any change of address to the ARC rests with
your club. Any club which has missed two updates will
be removed from the circulation list until a new
address update is received. Please be aware that with
the exception of duplicates, ( which may arise if you
belong to more than one club) all address errors
should be directed towards your club. With a
circulation list of over 10,000 addresses, the ARC
cannot handle address changes. Club member address
lists/updates to Andrew Neaves please - address as
above in previous item. Thank you.
The Land Rover Series One Club Looks Forward
Do you own a Series One or are you an enthusiast
of the vehicles produced in the ten year period up to
1958? Why not join the Series One Club! Membership is
open to all Series One owners as well as enthusiasts.
Club Chairman Andrew Stevens writes;
With the 50th Anniversary celebrations and 1998
now behind us, we are left with happy memories but
the Land Rover Series One Club now looks forward
throughout 1999 into 2000 and beyond.
Having been formed 20 years ago, we are now a very
well established Club with a membership of over 2000,
drawn from both the UK and overseas.
Our Newsletter, "The Legend", contains a
host of information on forthcoming events, reports,
photographs and articles by members, as well as
technical help and members adverts for both "For
Sale" and "Wanted".
We encourage members to provide a varied display
of both restored and unrestored vehicles for Club
Stands at various events.
We look forward to welcoming new members. Please
write to Membership Secretary, 12 Blacklawn,
Gillingham, Dorset. SP8 4SD.
Do you own an Early Discovery?
If you are a Discovery owner with a registration G***
WAC then you could be driving a piece Land Rover
history. Cars with these registrations were used by
the factory for the vehicle launch. Chris Savidge is
endeavouring to find as many vehicles as possible for
a reunion to celebrate Discovery's tenth birthday. It
is hoped to stage the event during the All Rover
Weekend at Stoneleigh between 28th and 30th August.
If you are a Discovery Owner and would like to take
part contact Chris Savidge on 0115 926 7716.
Thank you to Somerset and Wilts ROC
Leicestershire and Rutland Land Rover Club wish to
offer thanks to Somerset and Wilts ROC who helped
members of their club recently when several members
were on a green laning holiday in Wiltshire. Simeone
Birch of L&R reports that S&W member Peter
Codd marked their maps and after several minor
breakdowns, Ken Knight and Terry Edwards came to
their rescue. Simeone remarks "its nice to see
the "ARC" system can work with fellow clubs
helping each other out. So once again a big thank you
to all concerned".
COMPETITION NEWS
MSA Clarify Roll Bar Rules
In a letter dated 25th March, the Motor Sports
Association has confirmed that ARC Roll Cage designs
missing from the Blue Book are in fact satisfactory.
The MSA confirms that Roll Cages to these designs are
acceptable for vehicles participating in Competitive
Safaris and Hill Rallies. For more information please
contact your club scrutineer who should have all the
details, (including drawings showing the various
designs), to hand.
Tour of Lincs Hillrally
Congratulations to the Lincolnshire Land Rover
Club, particularly Clerk of the Course Steve Wells on
a successful event.
Cornwall and Devon LRC issued a press release
reporting that their members had a successful outing
to Market Rasen in Lincolnshire for the Tour of Lincs
Hill Rally run in conjunction with the highly
successful Tour of Lincs Car Rally. The combined
entry of over 180 vehicles made it one of the largest
motor sport events in the country.
The event was hosted jointly by Lincolnshire and
Louth Motor Club with Lincolnshire Land Rover Club. A
unique feature of the event was the simultaneous use
of Cadwell Park Racing circuit by both Off Road
vehicles and Rally cars for several enthralling
spectator stages.
C&D driver Dave Nicolls of Helston with
navigator Andy Smallridge of Plymouth were 11th
overall and the highest placed Land Rover. Veteran
Driver Ted Ivory of Gunnislake, celebrated his
imminent 60th Birthday by driving his Land Rover into
2nd place in the Modified production class with
navigator Pete Volkner from St. Austell.
FORTHCOMING CLUB EVENTS
Please would Club Competition Secretaries/ Event
organisers notify the Editor of Inter-club or Open to
ARC Club events. Non-competitive events organised by/for
Car Club and other non-competitive members
particularly welcome.
NORTH WALES LAND ROVER CLUB'S AUGUST INTERCLUB
WEEKEND - BALA 99 August 27, 28, 29, 30, 31st 1999
After the success of last years event celebrating
50 years of Land Rover, North Wales Land Rover Club
will again be holding their popular August Bank
Holiday Inter-club weekend at the popular LANDCRAFT
site at Llandderfel, Bala, Gwynedd, North Wales.
This event features a scenic drive suitable for
all Series, 101 and Forward Control, Defender 90, 110,130,
Discovery, Freelander and Range Rover models. On the
competitive front there will be a Bike Trial, Winch
Recovery, Team Recovery, Gymkhana, Road Taxed Vehicle
Trial, Cross Country Vehicle Trial, Competitive
safari and a Dog Show. Plus mountains, Lakes ,
Railways and Food.
In the evenings there will be an opportunity to
put the world right in the marquee and to explain why
the vehicle did not behave itself. All this within
sight of Bala lake, the largest lake in Wales and in
the heart of scenic North Wales. Llangollen is not
far up the road one way and Snowdon the other. Book
by 27 June and get a 10% discount. Booking and entry
forms from Sue Bennett, Event Secretary, Camddwr Bach,
Llanarmon-yn-Ial, Nr Mold, North Wales, CH7 4QJ.
ARC 2000 - Hants & Berks Rover Owners Club
Event Director Ashley Pocock has confirmed that
the Club has secured MOD land at Rushmoor Arena and
Long Valley for the ARC 2000 event This is located
close to Aldershot on the Hampshire/Surrey border and
is easily reached from junction 4 of the M3. Hants
and Berks hope to have booking forms available
shortly.
This Newsletter is compiled and edited by Paul
Barton, ARC Newsletter Editor, for the Association of
Rover Clubs Contact Editor at 26 Summerhill Grange,
Summerhill Lane, Lindfield, Haywards Heath, West
Sussex, RH16 1RQ Tel. 01444 452120 e-mail : Pbarton@Tandridgedc.gov.uk
ARC Secretary : Caroline Flanders, P.O. Box 363,
Berkhamstead, HP4 3FR Tel. 01442 873567
THIS NEWSLETTER IS PRINTED AND CIRCULATED TO ARC
MEMBERS COURTESY OF ROVER GROUP LTD
Association of Rover Clubs Ltd. Limited by
Guarantee Registered in England No. 1806788
Registered Office, 65 Longmead Avenue, Hazel Grove,
Stockport, SK7 5PJ
![[ARC Logo]](/images/arc.jpg)
