181-658: The Aston Martin Vantage is a series of hand-built sports cars from the British automotive manufacturer Aston Martin . Aston Martin has previously used the "Vantage" name on high-performance variants of their existing GT models, notably on the Virage -based car of the 1990s. The modern car, in contrast, is the leanest and most agile car in Aston's lineup. As such, it is intended as a more focused model to reach out to potential buyers of cars such as
362-516: A hatchback -style tailgate for practicality, with a large luggage shelf behind the seats. In addition to the coupé, a convertible, known as the V8 Vantage Roadster, was introduced later in that year. The V8 Vantage was initially powered by a 4.3-litre (4,280 cc) quad-cam 32-valve V8 which produced 380 bhp (283 kW; 385 PS) at 7,300 rpm and 409 N⋅m (302 lb⋅ft) at 5,000 rpm. However, models produced after 2008 had
543-536: A 4.7-litre V8 with 420 bhp (313 kW; 426 PS) and 470 N⋅m (347 lb⋅ft) of torque. Though based loosely on Jaguar 's AJ-V8 engine architecture, this engine was unique to Aston Martin and featured race-style dry-sump lubrication, which enabled it to be mounted low in the chassis for an improved centre of gravity. The cylinder block and heads, crankshaft, connecting rods, pistons, camshafts, inlet and exhaust manifolds, lubrication system and engine management were all designed in house by Aston Martin and
724-428: A black grille and headlight bezels alongside having a sportier suspension. The latter on the other hand, is largely just a standard configuration, but with the optional Bang & Olufsen sound system as standard. Both versions also received the then new AMi III infotainment and navigation system. The GTS was available as either a coupé or roadster with a total production run of 100 cars. In 2017, Aston Martin announced
905-583: A carbon fibre front grille, black roof and rear grille, lightweight forged alloy wheels, and new finishes on the interior seats, doors and controls. Aston Martin also launched a convertible version in 2014 called the V12 Vantage S Roadster. With a kerb weight of 1,745 kg (3,847 lb) the Roadster is 80 kg (176 lb) heavier than the coupé. Due to the added weight the Roadster accelerates from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.1 seconds before reaching
1086-693: A censorship apparatus for the inevitability of war. Due to the BBC's advancements in shortwave radio technology, the corporation could broadcast across the world during the Second World War. Within Europe, the BBC European Service would gather intelligence and information regarding the current events of the war in English. Regional BBC workers, based on their regional geo-political climate, would then further censor
1267-399: A controversial choice for a "purist" sports car. The Elan sold poorly and was discontinued after three years. The 1996 Lotus Elise , a mid-engined, rear-wheel drive roadster, was much more successful and remained in production until 2021. Roadsters enjoyed a resurgence in the mid-1990s, including the 1989-present Mazda MX-5 , the 1995-2002 BMW Z3 (succeeded by the 2002-2016 BMW Z4 ),
1448-409: A definition. Insurance companies have also attempted to use mathematical formulae to categorise sports cars, often charging more for insurance due to the inherent risk of performance driving. There is no fixed distinction between sports cars and other categories of performance cars, such as muscle cars and grand tourers , with some cars being members of several categories. Traditionally,
1629-663: A kerb weight of 1,510 kg (3,329 lb), a 100 kg (220 lb) reduction over the V8 Vantage S. On 11 December 2007, as part of Aston Martin's opening of their own design studio, the company unveiled a concept car based on the V8 Vantage. The car, known as the V12 Vantage RS, featured the AM11 V12 engine from the DBS and produced 510 bhp (380 kW; 517 PS) and 570 N⋅m (420 lb⋅ft) of torque. The power along with
1810-495: A kerb weight of 1,750 kg (3,858 lb). In 2007, Prodrive released a tuning package for the V8 Vantage, which consists of four separate packages that can be installed in stages. These four packages are for the engine, suspension, wheels, and aerodynamics. The engine package includes an engine control unit remapping and minor engine modifications that increase power on the 4.3-litre engine by 45 hp (34 kW), and torque by 25 lb⋅ft (34 N⋅m). Throttle control
1991-461: A larger brand: in 2003, BBC Choice was replaced by BBC Three , with programming for younger adults and shocking real-life documentaries, BBC News 24 became the BBC News Channel in 2008, and BBC Radio 7 became BBC Radio 4 Extra in 2011, with new programmes to supplement those broadcast on Radio 4. In 2008, another channel was launched, BBC Alba , a Scottish Gaelic service. During this decade,
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#17330860622822172-605: A limited, track-focused iteration of the V8 Vantage: the Vantage GT8 . The company would only manufacture 150 cars, 50 more than the GT12. The GT8 features the same 4.7-litre V8 as found in the base Vantage but with power now increased to 440 bhp (328 kW; 446 PS), and has a top speed of 190 mph (306 km/h). The GT8 is available with either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed Sportshift II automated manual transmission, and has
2353-541: A map of the Nürburgring stitched on the center armrest, and a numbered plaque. Aston Martin tested the car at the Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit where it was able to complete a lap in under eight minutes. The N400 package was available as either a coupé or Roadster with a total of 480 examples (240 Coupés, 240 Roadsters) being built, in note of the fact that there are 480 seconds in 8 minutes. The N420 became
2534-502: A new 7-speed Sportshift III automated manual transmission, which weighs 25 kg (55 lb) less than the Sportshift II, with no option for a manual transmission . With a total kerb weight of 1,665 kg (3,671 lb), the V12 Vantage S is lighter than the standard V12 Vantage and features new three-stage adaptive damping for the suspension system, new carbon-ceramic brakes, and a unique track-mode for improved track performance for
2715-465: A new dual throttle mapping update which allows the driver to choose from the default sport mode or comfort mode, meant to provide more comfortable shifts and throttle input for drivability. Combined European fuel economy and CO 2 emissions were also improved by 13%. New wheels were also part of the update including 20-spoke alloy wheels and new 5-spoke aluminium wheels for the sports pack. The interior changed slightly, using an updated console similar to
2896-489: A new iteration of the 5.9-litre AM28 V12 that produces 592 bhp (441 kW; 600 PS) and 625 N⋅m (461 lb⋅ft) of torque. It has a kerb weight of 1,565 kg (3,450 lb), and can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 3.5 seconds. The Aston Martin Vantage GT12 Roadster is a one-off project created by Aston Martin's Q division on a special customer request. The Vantage GT12 Roadster
3077-599: A news and information service. In 1978, BBC staff went on strike just before the Christmas, thus blocking out the transmission of both channels and amalgamating all four radio stations into one. Since the deregulation of the UK television and radio market in the 1980s, the BBC has faced increased competition from the commercial sector (and from the advertiser-funded public service broadcaster Channel 4 ), especially on satellite television, cable television, and digital television services. In
3258-489: A number of additional channels and radio stations have been launched: Radio 5 was launched in 1990, as a sports and educational station, but was replaced in 1994, with BBC Radio 5 Live to become a live radio station, following the success of the Radio 4 service to cover the 1991 Gulf War . The new station would be a news and sport station. In 1997, BBC News 24 , a rolling news channel, launched on digital television services, and
3439-399: A pressed-steel chassis, a gated 4-speed transmission, pushrod-actuated overhead inlet valves , a honeycomb radiator, low-tension magneto ignition , a long wheelbase, a low center of mass and a very effective suspension system. The overall result was a "safe and well-balanced machine" with a higher performance than any other contemporary production car. At the 1903 Gordon Bennett Cup ,
3620-427: A production Simplex 60 hp was entered only due to a specially-built 90 hp racing car being destroyed in a fire; the 60 hp famously went on to win the race. The 1910 Austro-Daimler 27/80 is another early sports car which had success in motor racing. The 27/80 was designed by Ferdinand Porsche , who drove the car to victory in the 1910 Prince Henry Tour motor race. The Vauxhall and Austro-Daimler —like
3801-732: A proposal to cut 4,000 jobs, and to privatise parts of the BBC, disrupted much of the BBC's regular programming. In 2006, BBC HD launched as an experimental service and became official in December 2007. The channel broadcast HD simulcasts of programmes on BBC One , BBC Two , BBC Three and BBC Four as well as repeats of some older programmes in HD. In 2010, an HD simulcast of BBC One launched: BBC One HD . The channel uses HD versions of BBC One's schedule and uses upscaled versions of programmes not currently produced in HD. The BBC HD channel closed in March 2013 and
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#17330860622823982-592: A racing concept Aston Martin produced a limited number of street legal examples as well. Aston Martin confirmed the production of the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 special edition unveiled at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show . The company would only manufacture 100 cars of the GT3 special edition. After a complaint from Porsche over the use of the "GT3" moniker, the car was renamed the Vantage GT12. The Vantage GT12 features
4163-539: A series of strikes; however, the BBC stated that the cuts were essential to move the organisation forward and concentrate on increasing the quality of programming. On 20 October 2010, the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne announced that the television licence fee would be frozen at its current level until the end of the current charter in 2016. The same announcement revealed that the BBC would take on
4344-634: A specially ordered Onyx coupé delivered to a customer in the USA – during the first half of 2008. While the production of 10,000 cars is a tiny number by the standards of typical car manufacturers, it was a significant milestone for an Aston Martin – the DB9 being the only other model to have achieved that number. By the end of production in 2017, Aston Martin had produced 15,417 V8 coupés, 6,231 V8 Roadsters, 2,551 V12 Coupés, and 465 V12 Roadsters (363 V12 S Roadsters, 101 V12 Roadsters and 1 V12 GT Roadster). While strong demand for
4525-471: A top speed of 189 mph (304 km/h) for both the coupé and Roadster. Bushings, springs, and dampers were stiffened for the S model and the steering rack is quicker than in the base model. The aerodynamic enhancements include a deeper front bumper with carbon fibre splitter, larger side sills, a carbon fibre diffuser and a larger tailgate lip designed to sharpen the handling on the road. Additional visual differences include new wheels. A major difference in
4706-468: A top speed of 201 mph (323 km/h). In April 2016, the V12 Vantage S was announced to be produced with a 7-speed dog-leg manual transmission , unusual for its day and age. The shift pattern was engraved on the door sill. It was available with either the coupé or roadster bodywork. 351 were built in total, of which 260 were coupés and 91 roadsters; only 100 were produced for the United States. At
4887-560: A total displacement of 4,735 cc. The dry sump lubrication system was also modified. The "Sportshift" automated manual transmission benefited from a software update, while a lightened flywheel was introduced for both the manual and the Sportshift versions. Aston Martin also stiffened the suspension and updated them to use Bilstein dampers. An optional sports pack was offered with stiffer springs for better handling and all-new 5-spoke alloy wheels. Sportshift-equipped models also received
5068-530: A zinc alloy centre console and a crystal-capped key fob. It also featured the updated 4.7-litre V8 which produces 420 bhp (313 kW; 426 PS) and 470 N⋅m (347 lb⋅ft) of torque, and can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 4.7 seconds before reaching a top speed of 180 mph (290 km/h). When fitted with the Sportshift transmission, the Vantage Roadster accelerates from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 4.9 seconds, and has
5249-474: Is also remapped. Also included is an exhaust modification which allows the driver to leave the by-pass valves in three separate settings. The suspension package replaces portions of the car's suspension system with Bilstein and Eibach parts, which are claimed to make the vehicle more responsive and accurate through the corners. The tyre and wheel package replaces the stock wheels with lighter twin-7 spoke alloys from Prodrive Japan. The wheels are similar to those on
5430-449: Is an iconic sports car of the early 1960s, due to its attractive styling and claimed top speed of 241 km/h (150 mph). The E-type was produced for 14 years and was initially powered by a six-cylinder engine, followed by a V12 engine for the final generation. In 1962, the MG B introduced a new era of affordable lightweight four-cylinder roadsters. The MG B used a unibody construction and
5611-406: Is notable for using a three-seat layout, where the front row consists of a centrally-located driver's seat. The location of the engine and driven wheels significantly influence the handling characteristics of a car and are therefore crucial in the design of a sports car. Traditionally, most sports cars have used rear-wheel drive with the engine either located at the front ( FR layout ) or in
Aston Martin Vantage (2005) - Misplaced Pages Continue
5792-500: Is obviously of paramount importance." Reith succeeded in building a high wall against an American-style free-for-all in radio in which the goal was to attract the largest audiences and thereby secure the greatest advertising revenue. There was no paid advertising on the BBC; all the revenue came from a tax on receiving sets. Highbrow audiences, however, greatly enjoyed it. At a time when American, Australian and Canadian stations were drawing huge audiences cheering for their local teams with
5973-405: Is officially credited to Henrik Fisker , design director of Aston Martin at the time the Vantage was introduced. However, some sources, including Callum himself, claim that Ian Callum , director of design for Jaguar at the time and former director of design at Aston Martin, was responsible for creating a large amount of the design for the Vantage during his time at Aston Martin, before Fisker joined
6154-595: The 2011 24 Hours of Nürburgring driven amongst others by CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez . Powered by the same AM11 V12 engine with 510 bhp (380 kW; 517 PS) and 570 N⋅m (420 lb⋅ft) of torque found in the DBS and V12 Vantage, the concept features a new handcrafted aluminium body with a front similar to the one of the Vantage and a heavily modified middle, roof and rear section uniting design language used by both companies. Other features include an endurance racing fuel tank carrying up to 120 litres of fuel. Though being
6335-626: The Archbishops of Canterbury and York came to St Paul's to broadcast to the UK and the world on the National Day of Prayer. BBC employees during the war included George Orwell who spent two years with the broadcaster. During his role as prime minister during the war, Winston Churchill delivered 33 major wartime speeches by radio, all of which were carried by the BBC within the UK. On 18 June 1940, French general Charles de Gaulle , in exile in London as
6516-502: The Aston Martin DBS and the DB9 . The update provided the Vantage with a power increase to 420 bhp (313 kW; 426 PS) at 7,000 rpm (an 11% increase) and a peak torque of 470 N⋅m (347 lb⋅ft) at 5,750 rpm (a 15% increase), providing the car with additional reserves of mid-range performance and an improved top speed of 180 mph (290 km/h). Following the updates,
6697-511: The Audi RS 2 Avant . Ford Europe withdrew from the sports car market at the end of 1986 when the Capri was discontinued after a production run of nearly two decades. There was no direct successor, as Ford was concentrating on higher-performance versions of its hatchback and saloon models at the time. In 1989, a new generation of Lotus Elan roadster was released which used a front-wheel drive layout,
6878-577: The BBC Television Service ) started from Alexandra Palace in November 1936, alternating between an improved Baird mechanical 240-line system and the all-electronic 405-line Marconi-EMI system which had been developed by an EMI research team led by Sir Isaac Shoenberg . The superiority of the electronic system saw the mechanical system dropped early the following year, with the Marconi-EMI system
7059-534: The BMW 303 , Citroën Traction Avant and Fiat 508 — offered similar handling and comfort to the more expensive sports cars. Powerful, reliable, and economical (although softly suspended) American saloons began to be imported to Europe in significant numbers. Sports car ownership was increased through models such as the Austin 7 and Wolseley Hornet six , however many of these sports cars did not offer any performance upgrades over
7240-601: The Bentley Speed Six (1928-1930), with the former famously described by Bugatti's founder as "the fastest lorry in the world". Between the Great Depression and the World War II the pre-war era was a period of decline in importance for sports car manufacturers, although the period was not devoid of advances, for example streamlining . Cheap, light-weight family sedans with independent front suspension— such as
7421-478: The British Broadcasting Company , it evolved into its current state with its current name on New Year's Day 1927. The oldest and largest local and global broadcaster by stature and by number of employees, the BBC employs over 21,000 staff in total, of whom approximately 17,200 are in public-sector broadcasting. The BBC was established under a royal charter , and operates under an agreement with
Aston Martin Vantage (2005) - Misplaced Pages Continue
7602-692: The DBR9 , and each wheel weighs 2.5 kg (6 lb) less than their stock counterpart. Pirelli P-Zero tyres are used, and the rear wheels are widened to 10 inches (254 mm). The aerodynamic package adds a carbon fibre front splitter and rear lip spoiler, which together reduce lift by up to 45%. Packages could be ordered direct from Prodrive or from an Aston Martin dealer, though all packages are installed by Prodrive. 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) acceleration times are claimed to drop by 0.5 seconds to about 4.3 seconds and 0-100 mph (161 km/h) times are improved by 0.9 seconds. To commemorate
7783-509: The Jensen FF became the first sports car to use all-wheel drive . The Ford Capri is a 2+2 coupe that was produced from 1968 to 1986 and intended to be a smaller European equivalent of the Ford Mustang. A main rival to the Capri was Opel Manta , which was produced from 1970 to 1988. The 1973-1978 Lancia Stratos was a mid-engined two-seat coupe that was powered by a Ferrari V6 engine. This
7964-936: The MediaCityUK development in Salford , with BBC Three moving online only in 2016, the sharing of more programmes between stations and channels, sharing of radio news bulletins, more repeats in schedules, including the whole of BBC Two daytime and for some original programming to be reduced. BBC HD was closed on 26 March 2013, and replaced with an HD simulcast of BBC Two; however, flagship programmes, other channels and full funding for CBBC and CBeebies would be retained. Numerous BBC facilities have been sold off, including New Broadcasting House on Wilmslow Road in Manchester. Many major departments have been relocated to Broadcasting House in central London and MediaCityUK in Salford, particularly since
8145-508: The Porsche 911 as well as the exotic sports and GT cars with which Aston Martins traditionally compete. Production of the V8 Vantage ended in 2017 while production of the V12 Vantage continued until 2018. The 2005 Vantage and its variants became the most successful model in Aston Martin's history. Aston Martin unveiled the next-generation Vantage in November 2017, and started its production run
8326-525: The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport . Its work is funded principally by an annual television licence fee which is charged to all British households, companies, and organisations using any type of equipment to receive or record live television broadcasts or to use the BBC's streaming service, iPlayer . The fee is set by the British Government , agreed by Parliament , and is used to fund
8507-400: The "POW" Vantages of the 1980s. Many thousands of choices of colour, trim, and options combined with the in house "customisation" available through Works Service make it possible for a Vantage owner to configure a unique individual car to their specifications. In May 2008, Aston Martin announced new technological updates for the Vantage starting in the 2009 model year, which included changes to
8688-508: The "thrill of driving" or are marketed "using the excitement of speed and the glamour of the (race)track" However, other people have more specific definitions, such as "must be a two-seater or a 2+2 seater" or a car with two seats only. In the United Kingdom, early recorded usage of the "sports car" was in The Times newspaper in 1919. The first known use of the term in the United States
8869-403: The 1905 Isotta Fraschini Tipo D, the 1906 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost , the 1908 Delage , the 1910 Bugatti Type 13 , and the 1912 DFP 12/15 . Early motor racing events included the 1903 Paris–Madrid race , the 1905-1907 Herkomer Trophy, the 1908-1911 Prince Henry Tour and the 1911–present Monte Carlo Rally . The Prince Henry Tours (which were similar to modern car rallies) were among
9050-486: The 1921 Coppa Florio . Another approach— such as that used by Morris Garages— was to convert touring cars into sports cars. The first 24 Hours of Le Mans race for sports cars was held in 1923, although the two-seat sports cars only competed in the smallest class, with the majority of cars entered being four-seat fast touring cars. "This race, together with the Tourist Trophy Series of Races , organised after
9231-404: The 1948 Ferrari 166 S . A new concept altogether was the modern Gran Turismo class from Italy, which was in effect unknown before the war: sustained high-speed motoring from relatively modest engine size and compact closed or berlinetta coachwork. The 1947 Maserati A6 1500 two-seat berlinetta was the first production model from Maserati. In Germany, the motor industry was devastated by
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#17330860622829412-495: The 1980 Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft and Giro d'Italia automobilistico marathon. The Montecarlo was a basis for the silhouette racing car , Lancia Rally 037 . In the 1970s, turbocharging began to be adopted by sports cars, such as the BMW 2002 Turbo in 1973, the first Porsche 911 Turbo in 1975, and the Saab 99 Turbo in 1978. Turbocharging became increasingly popular in the 1980s, from relatively affordable coupes such as
9593-452: The 1980–1986 Renault Fuego and 1992–1996 Rover 220 Coupé Turbo , to expensive supercars such as the 1984-1987 Ferrari 288 GTO and 1987-1992 Ferrari F40 . In the late 1980s and early 1990s, several manufacturers developed supercars that competed for production car top speed records . These cars included the 1986–1993 Porsche 959 , 1991–1995 Bugatti EB 110 , 1992–1994 Jaguar XJ220 and 1993–998 McLaren F1 . The 1980-1995 Audi Quattro
9774-497: The 1990s, all-wheel drive has become more common in sports cars. All-wheel drive offers better acceleration and favorable handling characteristics (especially in slippery conditions), but is often heavier and more mechanically complex than traditional layouts. Examples of all-wheel drive sports cars are the Lamborghini Huracan , Bugatti Veyron , and Nissan GT-R . Rear engine layouts are not typical for sports cars, with
9955-537: The 1995-2002 MG F , the 1996–present Porsche Boxster and the 1998–present Audi TT . The Honda S2000 roadster was introduced in 1999 for the 2000 model year and was noted for its high-revving 4-cylinder engine and its exceptionally high specific output of 125 horsepower per litre. BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation ( BBC ) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London , England. Originally established in 1922 as
10136-550: The 2011 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este a racing concept by Zagato based on the V12 Vantage premiered celebrating the 50th anniversary of the DB4 GT Zagato . It was awarded the competition's "Design Award for Concept Cars and Prototypes" which was also awarded to the One-77 two years ago. The car then was brought to Nürburgring where it had its racing debut during the 53rd ADAC ACAS H&R-Cup VLN race on 28 May and competed in
10317-514: The 2025–26 season of the Women's Super League campaign. The BBC is a statutory corporation , independent from direct government intervention, with its activities being overseen from April 2017 by the BBC Board and regulated by Ofcom . The chairman is Samir Shah. The BBC is a state owned public broadcasting company and operates under a royal charter . The charter is the constitutional basis for
10498-489: The 4.3-litre variants that maintained the warranty with the company. The power upgrade was called the V8 Vantage Power Upgrade, creating a more potent version of the Aston Martin 4.3-litre V8 engine with an increase in peak power of 20 bhp (15 kW; 20 PS) to 400 bhp (298 kW; 406 PS) while peak torque increased by 10 N⋅m (7 lb⋅ft) to 420 N⋅m (310 lb⋅ft). This consists of
10679-412: The 6-speed Sportshift with the 7-speed Sportshift II first utilised in the V8 Vantage S. It also received upgraded six-piston front brake calipers, and updated front and rear styling, both of which originally debuted on the S trim. Through the course of its production run, Aston Martin made 28 variants of the Vantage which are: At the 2006 Greater Los Angeles Auto Show , Aston Martin officially unveiled
10860-467: The BBC announced a BBC News savings target of £80 million per year by 2022, involving about 520 staff reductions. The BBC's director of news and current affairs Fran Unsworth said there would be further moves toward digital broadcasting, in part to attract back a youth audience, and more pooling of reporters to stop separate teams covering the same news. In 2020, the BBC reported a £119 million deficit because of delays to cost reduction plans, and
11041-565: The BBC is subject to an additional 'Agreement' between it and the Culture Secretary , and that its operating licence is to be set by Ofcom, an external regulatory body . It used to be that the Home Secretary be departmental to both Agreement as well as Licence, and regulatory duties fall to the BBC Trust , but the 2017 charter changed those 2007 arrangements. The charter, too, outlines
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#173308606228211222-684: The BBC released minutes of the board meeting which led to Greg Dyke's resignation. Unlike the other departments of the BBC, the BBC World Service was funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office . The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, more commonly known as the Foreign Office or the FCO, is the British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom abroad. A strike in 2005 by more than 11,000 BBC workers, over
11403-440: The BBC suddenly became the primary source of news for the duration of the crisis. The crisis placed the BBC in a delicate position. On the one hand Reith was acutely aware that the government might exercise its right to commandeer the BBC at any time as a mouthpiece of the government if the BBC were to step out of line, but on the other he was anxious to maintain public trust by appearing to be acting independently. The government
11584-477: The BBC was granted sufficient leeway to pursue the government's objectives largely in a manner of its own choosing. Supporters of the strike nicknamed the BBC the BFC for British Falsehood Company. Reith personally announced the end of the strike which he marked by reciting from Blake's " Jerusalem " signifying that England had been saved. While the BBC tends to characterise its coverage of the general strike by emphasising
11765-531: The BBC", was priced at tuppence (two pence ) on newsstands, and quickly sold out its run of a quarter of a million copies. Mid-1925 found the future of broadcasting under further consideration, this time by the Crawford committee. By now, the BBC, under Reith's leadership, had forged a consensus favouring a continuation of the unified (monopoly) broadcasting service, but more money was still required to finance rapid expansion. Wireless manufacturers were anxious to exit
11946-459: The BBC's airwaves. In 1937, a MI5 security officer was given a permanent office within the organisation. This officer would examine the files of potential political subversives and mark the files of those deemed a security risk to the organisation, blacklisting them. This was often done on spurious grounds; even so, the practice would continue and expand during the years of the Cold War. There
12127-535: The BBC's censorship office, which surveilled and edited American coverage of British affairs. By 1940, across all BBC broadcasts, music by composers from enemy nations was censored. In total, 99 German, 38 Austrian and 38 Italian composers were censored. The BBC argued that like the Italian or German languages, listeners would be irritated by the inclusion of enemy composers. Any potential broadcasters said to have pacifist, communist or fascist ideologies were not allowed on
12308-446: The BBC's international 24-hour English-language news services BBC News , and from BBC.com, provided by BBC Global News Ltd. In 2009, the company was awarded the Queen's Award for Enterprise in recognition of its international achievements in business. Since its formation in 1922, the BBC has played a prominent role in British life and culture. It is sometimes informally referred to as
12489-663: The BBC's radio, TV, and online services covering the nations and regions of the UK. Since 1 April 2014, it has also funded the BBC World Service (launched in 1932 as the BBC Empire Service), which broadcasts in 28 languages and provides comprehensive TV, radio, and online services in Arabic and Persian . Some of the BBC's revenue comes from its commercial subsidiary BBC Studios (formerly BBC Worldwide ), which sells BBC programmes and services internationally and also distributes
12670-510: The BBC, and sets out the BBC's Object, Mission and Public Purposes. It emphasises public service , (limited) editorial independence , prohibits advertising on domestic services and proclaims the BBC is to "seek to avoid adverse impacts on competition which are not necessary for the effective fulfilment of the Mission and the promotion of the Public Purposes". The charter also sets out that
12851-680: The Beeb or Auntie . In 1923 it launched Radio Times (subtitled "The official organ of the BBC"), the first broadcast listings magazine; the 1988 Christmas edition sold 11 million copies, the biggest-selling edition of any British magazine in history. Britain's first live public broadcast was made from the factory of Marconi Company in Chelmsford in June 1920. It was sponsored by the Daily Mail ' s Alfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe and featured
13032-575: The British government's asylum policy on social media. Lineker was suspended from his position on Match of the Day before being re-instated after receiving overwhelming support from his colleagues. The scandal was made worse due to the connections between BBC's chairman, Richard Sharp, and the Conservative Party. In April 2023, Richard Sharp resigned as chairman after a report found he did not disclose potential perceived conflicts of interest in his role in
13213-500: The CBBC Channel and CBeebies Channel. In addition to the television channels, new digital radio stations were created: 1Xtra , 6 Music and Radio 4 Extra . BBC 1Xtra was a sister station to Radio 1 and specialised in modern black music, BBC 6 Music specialised in alternative music genres and BBC7 specialised in archive, speech and children's programming. The following few years resulted in repositioning of some channels to conform to
13394-676: The Corporation's governance and regulatory arrangements as a statutory corporation, including the role and composition of the BBC Board. The current Charter began on 1 January 2017 and ends on 31 December 2027; the Agreement being coterminous. The BBC Board was formed in April 2017. It replaced the previous governing body, the BBC Trust, which itself had replaced the board of governors in 2007. The board sets
13575-642: The GPO and the BBC had become deadlocked and the Postmaster General commissioned a review of broadcasting by the Sykes Committee. The committee recommended a short-term reorganisation of licence fees with improved enforcement in order to address the BBC's immediate financial distress, and an increased share of the licence revenue split between it and the GPO. This was to be followed by a simple 10 shillings licence fee to fund broadcasts. The BBC's broadcasting monopoly
13756-498: The GPO proposed that it would issue a single broadcasting licence to a company jointly owned by a consortium of leading wireless receiver manufacturers, to be known as the British Broadcasting Company Ltd , which was formed on 18 October 1922. John Reith , a Scottish Calvinist , was appointed its general manager in December 1922 a few weeks after the company made its first official broadcast. L. Stanton Jefferies
13937-460: The Mercedes Simplex 60 hp— were production fast touring cars. The 1912 Hispano-Suiza Alfonso XIII is also considered one of the earliest sports cars, as it was a "purpose built, high performance, two-seater production automobile". The model was named after King Alfonso XIII of Spain , a patron of the car's chief designer and an enthusiast for the marque. Other early sports cars include
14118-498: The Prime Minister, maintained the censorship of editorial opinions on public policy, but allowed the BBC to address matters of religious, political or industrial controversy. The resulting political "talk series", designed to inform England on political issues, were criticised by members of parliament, including Winston Churchill, David Lloyd George and Sir Austen Chamberlain . Those who opposed these chats claimed that they silence
14299-503: The SP10 as a celebration of Aston Martin's success in the Nürburgring 24-hour endurance race. Available as both in coupé and roadster body style, the SP10 features the same 4.7-litre V8 engine developing 430 bhp (321 kW; 436 PS) and 490 N⋅m (361 lb⋅ft) of torque. The car remains almost identical to the V8 Vantage S but includes a 6-speed manual transmission as standard with
14480-455: The Sportshift II transmission available as an option. Other bespoke features included a special Ceramic Grey body colour with the soft top of the roadster in Titan Grey, 19-inch cast aluminium wheels with V-shaped spokes finished in high gloss black colour with black brake callipers, a front splitter and rear diffuser made from carbon fibre and clear tail lamps. The N430 version of the V8 Vantage
14661-492: The UK's first Independent local radio station, LBC came on-air in the London area. As a result of the Pilkington Committee report of 1962, in which the BBC was praised for the quality and range of its output, and ITV was very heavily criticised for not providing enough quality programming, the decision was taken to award the BBC a second television channel, BBC2 , in 1964, renaming the existing service BBC1 . BBC2 used
14842-527: The United States was underway. This was in response to the decision of expanding the production run beyond 1,000 units. On 24 August 2011, Aston Martin announced that they were developing a GT3 version of the V12 Vantage, to replace the Aston Martin DBRS9 . The race car was expected to be delivered by early 2012. Aston Martin unveiled a convertible version called the V12 Vantage Roadster which
15023-487: The V12 Vantage RS for mid-2009. Development prototypes of the V12 Vantage RS appeared in April 2008 before Aston Martin unveiled the production version, simply called the V12 Vantage, in 2009. On the finale of the 13th series of Top Gear , presenter Jeremy Clarkson drove the car, opining, "It's wonderful, wonderful, wonderful". In September 2009, the V12 Vantage was confirmed for the United States market and then-CEO Ulrich Bez personally confirmed that homologation in
15204-459: The V12 Vantage S – a sportier version of the V12 Vantage that preceded it. The V12 Vantage S produces 565 bhp (421 kW; 573 PS) at 6,750 rpm and 620 N⋅m (457 lb⋅ft) at 5,750 rpm of torque from a revised 5,935 cc (5.9 L; 362.2 cu in) V12 engine called the AM28 , which would be used as a base for future engines. The power is transferred to the rear wheels using
15385-447: The V8 Vantage Roadster. With a kerb weight of 1,710 kg (3,770 lb) the Roadster is 80 kg (176 lb) heavier than the coupé, but Aston Martin claimed both cars would have identical performance. To compensate for the loss of the roof a new, super-stiff cross-member was added to the frame. The soft top could be raised or lowered electronically in 18 seconds and could be operated at speeds up to 30 mph (48 km/h). It had
15566-400: The Vantage S is the inclusion of the Sportshift II transmission, a 7-speed automated manual gearbox, as standard. The Sportshift II is 24 kg (53 lb) lighter than the 6-speed Sportshift fitted on the standard Vantage. This contributes, along with other weight-saving parts, to a total vehicle kerb weight of 1,610 kg (3,549 lb). Later in 2013, a special model was unveiled named
15747-433: The Vantage contributed to Aston Martin's health during this period, it is equally true that the relatively low production of all Aston Martins means seeing a V8 or V12 from this generation remains a rare treat. For perspective, during the same period, Porsche was producing over 20,000 911s annually and have built more than 1 million 911 variants in total. Design credit for the original V8 Vantage has been disputed. The design
15928-407: The Vantage is able to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 4.7 seconds. In a road test conducted by Car and Driver , the Vantage accelerated from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 4.3 seconds and ran the quarter mile in 12.7 seconds at a speed of 180 km/h (112 mph). As part of a mid-year refresh of the 2012 model year (designated MY2012.25 internally), Aston Martin replaced
16109-622: The air and forced the British government finally to regulate radio services to permit nationally based advertising-financed services. In response, the BBC reorganised and renamed their radio channels. On 30 September 1967, the Light Programme was split into Radio 1 offering continuous "Popular" music and Radio 2 more "Easy Listening". The "Third" programme became Radio 3 offering classical music and cultural programming. The Home Service became Radio 4 offering news, and non-musical content such as quiz shows, readings, dramas and plays. As well as
16290-458: The broadcast of baseball, rugby and hockey, the BBC emphasised service for a national rather than a regional audience. Boat races were well covered along with tennis and horse racing, but the BBC was reluctant to spend its severely limited air time on long football or cricket games, regardless of their popularity. John Reith and the BBC, with support from the Crown , determined the universal needs of
16471-431: The car appeared during the next year or two, all conforming to the same basic design and earning for themselves a reputation second to none for fast and reliable travel. The 60-h.p. cars were announced late in 1902. The cars were possessed of a very real performance superior to anything else which could be bought at the time... and the model achieved an almost invincible position among the fast cars of its day. The basis for
16652-606: The challenge of better reflecting and representing a changing UK". Since 2017, the BBC has also funded the Local Democracy Reporting Service , with up to 165 journalists employed by independent news organisations to report on local democracy issues on a pooled basis. In 2016, the BBC Director General Tony Hall announced a savings target of £800 million per year by 2021, which is about 23% of annual licence fee revenue. Having to take on
16833-464: The closure of BBC Television Centre in March 2013. On 16 February 2016, the BBC Three television service was discontinued and replaced by a digital outlet under the same name, targeting its young adult audience with web series and other content. Under the new royal charter instituted in 2017, the corporation must publish an annual report to Ofcom, outlining its plans and public service obligations for
17014-551: The company's racing successes at the Nürburgring , Aston Martin released the limited edition N400 at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show . The N400s 4.3-litre V8 was tuned to produce 400 bhp (298 kW; 406 PS) hence the name, and the car also featured a sports pack which included lightweight graphite-finished wheels, uprated springs and dampers and a new rear anti-roll bar. The N400 was available in three special paint colours; Bergwerk Black, Lightning Silver and Karussell Orange. Each N400 came with perforated leather trim, including
17195-534: The company. In an interview with Car and Driver , when asked how much of the V8 Vantage was completed under his watch, Callum replies "I would say a good 80 percent. In fact, we started the V-8 first and then shelved it while we did the DB9—that’s why they’re quite similar". In addition to the specific packages above, all variants of the Vantage series were offered with a wide range of personalisation options, particularly in
17376-408: The corporation began to sell off a number of its operational divisions to private owners; BBC Broadcast was spun off as a separate company in 2002, and in 2005, it was sold off to Australian -based Macquarie Capital Alliance Group and Macquarie Group Limited and rebranded Red Bee Media . The BBC's IT , telephony and broadcast technology were brought together as BBC Technology Ltd in 2001, and
17557-411: The development of performance cars such as the 1910 Vauxhall Prince Henry , 1910 Sunbeam 12/16 , 1910 Talbot 25 hp , 1910 Straker-Squire 15 hp and 1913 Star 15.9 hp . Following the halt in sports car production caused by World War I , Europe returned to manufacturing automobiles from around 1920. It was around this time that the term 'Sports Car' began to appear in the motor catalogues, although
17738-553: The division was later sold to the German company Siemens IT Solutions and Services (SIS). SIS was subsequently acquired from Siemens by the French company Atos . Further divestments included BBC Books (sold to Random House in 2006); BBC Outside Broadcasts Ltd (sold in 2008 to Satellite Information Services ); Costumes and Wigs (stock sold in 2008 to Angels Costumes ); and BBC Magazines (sold to Immediate Media Company in 2011). After
17919-465: The drivers who want to take their car to the track. The V12 Vantage S is claimed to be able to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 205 mph (330 km/h), making it the fastest production Aston Martin at the time alongside the One-77. The exhaust on the V12 Vantage S was developed from the company's own One-77 . Styling and aerodynamic changes include
18100-400: The early 1920s, the cost to produce a racing car was not significantly higher than a road car, therefore several manufacturers used the design from the current year's racing car for the next year's sports car. For example, the 1921 Ballot 2LS based on the racing car that finished third at the 1921 French Grand Prix. The Benz 28/95PS was also a successful racing car, with victories including
18281-689: The engine was assembled by hand at the AM facility in Cologne , Germany, which also built the V12 engine for the DB9 and Vanquish . The engine was front mid-mounted with a rear-mounted transaxle , giving a 49/51 front/rear weight distribution. Slotted Brembo brakes were also standard. The original V8 Vantage could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 4.8 seconds before topping out at 175 mph (282 km/h). In 2008, Aston Martin introduced an aftermarket dealer approved upgrade package for power and handling of
18462-415: The engine, transmission, suspension and appearance. New cylinder liners that were now pressed into the aluminium block instead of the original cast-in variants allow a thinner liner, which in turn allows a larger capacity of 4.7-litre. The cylinder bore and stroke was increased from 89 mm (3.5 in) to 91 mm (3.6 in) and 86 mm (3.4 in) to 91 mm (3.6 in) respectively, giving
18643-463: The exact origin of the name is not known. The decade that followed became known as the vintage era and featured rapid technical advances over the preceding Brass Era cars . Engine performance benefited from the abandonment of " tax horsepower " (where vehicles were taxed based on bore and number of cylinders, rather than actual power output) and the introduction of leaded fuel , which increased power by allowing for higher compression ratios . In
18824-407: The facilitation of a loan to Prime Minister Boris Johnson . Dame Elan Closs Stephens was appointed as acting chairwoman on 27 June 2023, and she would lead the BBC board for a year or until a new permanent chair has been appointed. Samir Shah was subsequently appointed with effect from 4 March 2024. In October 2024 it was announced that the BBC along with Sky Sports signed a deal to broadcast
19005-404: The famous Australian soprano Dame Nellie Melba . The Melba broadcast caught the people's imagination and marked a turning point in the British public's attitude to radio. However, this public enthusiasm was not shared in official circles where such broadcasts were held to interfere with important military and civil communications. By late 1920, the pressure from these quarters and uneasiness among
19186-467: The first supercars . Other significant European models of the 1960s and 1970s which might be considered supercars today are the Ferrari 250 GTO (1962-1964), Ferrari 250 GT Lusso (1963-1964), Ferrari 275 GTB/4 (1966-1968), Maserati Ghibli (1967-1973), Ferrari Daytona (1968-1973), Dino 246 (1969-1974), De Tomaso Pantera (1971-1993), Ferrari 308 GTB (1975-1980) and BMW M1 (1978-1981). In 1966,
19367-516: The first World War by the R.A.C. , appealed to the public imagination and offered to the manufacturers of the more sporting cars an excellent opportunity for boosting sales of their products." The classic Italian road races— the Targa Florio , and the Mille Miglia (first held in 1927)— also captured the public's imagination. By 1925, the higher profits available for four-seater cars resulted in
19548-447: The first fully electronic television system in the world to be used in regular broadcasting. The success of broadcasting provoked animosities between the BBC and well-established media such as theatres, concert halls and the recording industry. By 1929, the BBC complained that the agents of many comedians refused to sign contracts for broadcasting, because they feared it harmed the artist "by making his material stale" and that it "reduces
19729-458: The fitting of the following revised components; manifold assembly (painted Crackle Black), valved air box, right and left-hand side vacuum hose assemblies, engine bay fuse box link lead (ECU to fuse box), throttle body to manifold gasket, intake manifold gasket, fuel injector to manifold seal and a manifold badge. The V8 Vantage had a retail price of £79,000, US$ 110,000, or €104,000 in 2006, Aston Martin planned to build up to 3,000 per year. Included
19910-429: The following year, BBC Choice was launched as the third general entertainment channel from the BBC. The BBC also purchased The Parliamentary Channel, which was renamed BBC Parliament . In 1999, BBC Knowledge launched as a multimedia channel, with services available on the newly launched BBC Text digital teletext service (later rebranded as BBC Red Button), and on BBC Online . The channel had an educational aim, which
20091-595: The following year. Following the unveiling of the AMV8 Vantage concept car in 2003 at the North American International Auto Show , the production version, known as the V8 Vantage was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in 2005 for the 2006 model year. The two-seat, two-door coupé had a bonded aluminium structure for strength and lightness. The 172.5 in (4.38 m) long car featured
20272-453: The forthcoming ending of the remaining £253 million funding towards pensioner licence fees would increase financial pressures. In January 2021, it was reported that former banker Richard Sharp would succeed David Clementi , as chairman, when he stepped down in February. In March 2023, the BBC was at the centre of a political row with football pundit Gary Lineker , after he criticised
20453-499: The four national channels, a series of local BBC radio stations were established in 1967, including Radio London . In 1969, the BBC Enterprises department was formed to exploit BBC brands and programmes for commercial spin-off products. In 1979, it became a wholly owned limited company, BBC Enterprises Ltd. In 1974, the BBC's teletext service, Ceefax , was introduced, created initially to provide subtitling, but developed into
20634-612: The full cost of running the BBC World Service and the BBC Monitoring service from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and partially finance the Welsh broadcaster S4C . Further cuts were announced on 6 October 2011, so the BBC could reach a total reduction in their budget of 20%, following the licence fee freeze in October 2010, which included cutting staff by 2,000 and sending a further 1,000 to
20815-633: The government. Throughout the 1930s, political broadcasts had been closely monitored by the BBC. In 1935, the BBC censored the broadcasts of Oswald Mosley and Harry Pollitt . Mosley was a leader of the British Union of Fascists , and Pollitt a leader of the Communist Party of Great Britain . They had been contracted to provide a series of five broadcasts on their parties' politics. The BBC, in conjunction with The Foreign Office of Britain, first suspended this series and ultimately cancelled it without
20996-405: The higher resolution 625-line standard which had been standardised across Europe. BBC2 was broadcast in colour from 1 July 1967 and was joined by BBC1 and ITV on 15 November 1969. The 405-line VHF transmissions of BBC1 (and ITV) were continued for compatibility with older television receivers until 1985. Starting in 1964, a series of pirate radio stations (starting with Radio Caroline ) came on
21177-444: The interior where several different shades of leather – and even stitching – may be chosen to complement or contrast each other and the body (and, in the case of the convertible, the roof). The "N400" engine modifications and/or sports chassis are also available individually for those owners who would like to combine the increased power or handling of the special edition with the more subtle original body, interior, and badging – much like
21358-473: The kerb weight of 1,680 kg (3,704 lb) allows the car to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.2 seconds and achieve a top speed of 190 mph (306 km/h). Other additions include a new rear diffuser, a retractable rear-wing which can be raised or lowered, and carbon-ceramic brakes. The boot-lid and vented bonnet are also made from carbon-fibre to help decrease the car's weight. In early 2008, Aston Martin's CEO confirmed production of
21539-556: The late 1920s were AC Cars , Alfa Romeo , Alvis , Amilcar , Bignan and Samson, Chenard-Walcker , Delage , Hispano-Suiza , Hotchkiss , Mercedes-Benz and Nazzaro . Two cars from the Vintage Era that would influence sports cars for many years were the Austin Seven and MG M-type "Midget". Successful sports cars from Bentley during this era were the Bentley 3 Litre (1921-1929) and
21720-534: The late 1980s, the BBC began a process of divestment by spinning off and selling parts of its organisation. In 1988, it sold off the Hulton Press Library, a photographic archive which had been acquired from the Picture Post magazine by the BBC in 1957. The archive was sold to Brian Deutsch and is now owned by Getty Images . In 1987, the BBC decided to centralize its operations by the management team with
21901-665: The leader of the Free French, made a speech, broadcast by the BBC, urging the French people not to capitulate to the Nazis. In October 1940, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret made their first radio broadcast for the BBC's Children's Hour , addressing other children who had been evacuated from cities. In 1938, John Reith and the Government of the United Kingdom , specifically the Ministry of Information which had been set up for WWII, designed
22082-535: The loss-making consortium, and Reith was keen that the BBC be seen as a public service rather than a commercial enterprise. The recommendations of the Crawford Committee were published in March the following year and were still under consideration by the GPO when the 1926 United Kingdom general strike broke out in May. The strike temporarily interrupted newspaper production, and with restrictions on news bulletins waived,
22263-507: The mass-produced cars upon which they were based. The highest selling sports car company of the 1930s was Morris Garages , who produced 'MG Midget' models of the M-Type , J-Type , P-Type and T-Type . The K3 version of the K-Type Magnette was a successful racing car, achieving success in the Mille Miglia , Tourist Trophy and 24 Hours of Le Mans . The Bugatti Type 57 (1934-1940)
22444-754: The material their broadcasts would cover. Nothing was to be added outside the preordained news items. For example, the BBC Polish Service was heavily censored due to fears of jeopardising relations with the Soviet Union . Controversial topics, i.e. the contested Polish and Soviet border, the deportation of Polish citizens, the arrests of Polish Home Army members and the Katyn massacre , were not included in Polish broadcasts. American radio broadcasts were broadcast across Europe on BBC channels. This material also passed through
22625-526: The middle of the vehicle ( MR layout ). Examples of FR layout sports cars include the Caterham 7 , Mazda MX-5 , and the Dodge Viper . Examples of MR layout sports cars are the Ferrari 488 , Ford GT , and Toyota MR2 . To avoid a front-heavy weight distribution , many FR layout sports cars are designed so that the engine is located further back in the engine bay, as close to the firewall as possible. Since
22806-530: The modest, church-going elderly or a member of the Clergy . Until 1928, entertainers broadcasting on the BBC, both singers and "talkers" were expected to avoid biblical quotations, Clerical impersonations and references, references to drink or Prohibition in the United States , vulgar and doubtful matter and political allusions. The BBC excluded popular foreign music and musicians from its broadcasts, while promoting British alternatives. On 5 March 1928, Stanley Baldwin,
22987-544: The most common layout for sports cars was a roadster (a two-seat car without a fixed roof). However, there are also several examples of early sports cars with four seats. Sports cars are not usually intended to transport more than two adult occupants regularly, so most modern sports cars are generally two-seat or 2+2 layout (two smaller rear seats for children or occasional adult use). Larger cars with more spacious rear-seat accommodation are usually considered sports sedans rather than sports cars. The 1993-1998 McLaren F1
23168-413: The new corporation adopted the coat of arms , including the motto "Nation shall speak peace unto Nation". British radio audiences had little choice apart from the upscale programming of the BBC. Reith, an intensely moralistic executive, was in full charge. His goal was to broadcast "All that is best in every department of human knowledge, endeavour and achievement.... The preservation of a high moral tone
23349-473: The next year. In its 2017–18 report, released July 2017, the BBC announced plans to "re-invent" its output to better compete against commercial streaming services such as Netflix . These plans included increasing the diversity of its content on television and radio, a major increase in investments towards digital children's content, and plans to make larger investments in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to "rise to
23530-734: The notable exception of the Porsche 911 . The front-wheel drive layout with the engine at the front ( FF layout ) is generally the most common for cars, but it is not as common among traditional sports cars. Nonetheless, the FF layout is used by sport compacts and hot hatches such as the Mazdaspeed3 . Sports cars with an FF layout include the Fiat Barchetta , Saab Sonett , or Opel Tigra . The ancestor of all high-performance cars had its origin in Germany. The 28-h.p. Cannstatt-Daimler racing car of 1899
23711-413: The notice of the public. Less radical politicians faced similar censorship. In 1938, Winston Churchill proposed a series of talks regarding British domestic and foreign politics and affairs but was similarly censored. The censorship of political discourse by the BBC was a precursor to the total shutdown of political debate that manifested over the BBC's wartime airwaves. The Foreign Office maintained that
23892-541: The opinions of those in Parliament who are not nominated by Party Leaders or Party Whips, thus stifling independent, non-official views. In October 1932, the policemen of the Metropolitan Police Federation marched in protest at a proposed pay cut. Fearing dissent within the police force and public support for the movement, the BBC censored its coverage of the events, only broadcasting official statements from
24073-407: The people of Britain and broadcast content according to these perceived standards. Reith effectively censored anything that he felt would be harmful, directly or indirectly. While recounting his time with the BBC in 1935, Raymond Postgate claims that BBC broadcasters were made to submit a draft of their potential broadcast for approval. It was expected that they tailored their content to accommodate
24254-451: The philosophy of achieving performance through minimizing weight and has been rated as one of the top 10 sports cars of the 1960s. The Elan featured fibreglass bodies, a backbone chassis, and overhead camshaft engines. A different style of roadster was the AC Cobra , released in 1962, which was fitted with V8 engines up to 7.0 L (427 cu in) in size by Shelby . The Porsche 911
24435-435: The positive impression created by its balanced coverage of the views of government and strikers, Seaton has characterised the episode as the invention of "modern propaganda in its British form". Reith argued that trust gained by 'authentic impartial news' could then be used. Impartial news was not necessarily an end in itself. The BBC did well out of the crisis, which cemented a national audience for its broadcasting, and it
24616-422: The post, with a note saying 'We regret, etc.'" In the 1930s music broadcasts also enjoyed great popularity, for example the friendly and wide-ranging BBC Theatre Organ broadcasts at St George's Hall , London by Reginald Foort , who held the official role of BBC Staff Theatre Organist from 1936 to 1938. Television broadcasting was suspended from 1 September 1939 to 7 June 1946, during the World War II , and it
24797-423: The production of two-seat sports cars being limited to smaller manufacturers such as Aston-Martin (350 Astons built from 1921 to 1939) and Frazer-Nash (323 cars built from 1924 to 1939). Then by the late 1920s, the cost of producing racing cars (especially Grand Prix cars) escalated, causing more manufacturers to produce cars for the growing sports car market instead. Significant manufacturers of sports cars in
24978-459: The public should not be aware of their role in the censorship. From 1935 to 1939, the BBC also attempted to unite the British Empire's radio waves, sending staff to Egypt, Palestine , Newfoundland , Jamaica, India, Canada and South Africa. Reith personally visited South Africa, lobbying for state-run radio programmes which was accepted by South African Parliament in 1936. A similar programme
25159-423: The radio and television divisions joining forces together for the first time, the activities of the news and currents departments and coordinated jointly under the new directorate. During the 1990s, this process continued with the separation of certain operational arms of the corporation into autonomous but wholly owned subsidiaries , with the aim of generating additional revenue for programme-making. BBC Enterprises
25340-722: The regular 6-speed manual or the Prodrive developed 7-speed Sportshift II transmission with paddle shift. The GT was available as either a coupé or roadster. Exclusive to the US market, the V8 Vantage GTS is the successor to the GT and S variants. This model is available with either a 6-speed manual or the Prodrive developed 7-speed Sportshift II transmission with paddle shift with the powertrain being identical to its predecessors. There are 2 trim levels, 'Sport' and 'Lux'. The former has carbon fibre accents with
25521-443: The sales of OBs and costumes, the remainder of BBC Resources was reorganised as BBC Studios and Post Production , which continues today as a wholly owned subsidiary of the BBC. The 2004 Hutton Inquiry and the subsequent report raised questions about the BBC's journalistic standards and its impartiality. This led to resignations of senior management members at the time including the then Director General, Greg Dyke . In January 2007,
25702-399: The same 4.3-litre V8 from the coupé version producing 380 bhp (283 kW; 385 PS) at 7,000 rpm and 302 lb⋅ft (409 N⋅m) of torque at 5,000 rpm along with having a maximum speed of 175 mph (282 km/h). It would accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 4.9 seconds. The 2009 Vantage Roadster features swan wing doors, a leather and alcantara interior and
25883-462: The same 430 bhp as the regular V8 Vantage S. It was available as either a coupé, or a roadster. Sports car A sports car is a type of car that is designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as handling , acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving, and racing capability. Sports cars originated in Europe in the early 1910s and are currently produced by many manufacturers around
26064-545: The sporting events of the period, bringing renown to successful entrants. The Prince Henry Tours started the evolution of reasonably large and technically advanced production sports cars. In England, the development of sporting cars was inhibited by the Motor Car Act 1903 , which imposed a speed limit of 20 mph (32 km/h) on all public roads. This led to the 1907 opening of the Brooklands motor circuit , which inspired
26245-408: The sports car is traced to the early 20th century touring cars and roadsters , and the term 'sports car' would not be coined until after World War One. A car considered to be "a sports-car years ahead of its time" is the 1903 Mercedes Simplex 60 hp , described at the time as a fast touring car and designed by Wilhelm Maybach and Paul Daimler . The Mercedes included pioneering features such as
26426-476: The sports car, but also the most important and diverse technical developments [and] very rapid and genuine improvement in the qualities of every modern production car; assisted by new design and manufacturing techniques a consistently higher level of handling properties has been achieved." In Italy, a small but wealthy market segment allowed for the manufacture of a limited number of high-performance models directly allied to contemporary Grand Prix machines, such as
26607-460: The staff of the licensing authority, the General Post Office (GPO), was sufficient to lead to a ban on further Chelmsford broadcasts. But by 1922, the GPO had received nearly 100 broadcast licence requests and moved to rescind its ban in the wake of a petition by 63 wireless societies with over 3,000 members. Anxious to avoid the same chaotic expansion experienced in the United States,
26788-465: The standard car. In addition, the N420 has distinctive Aston Martin 'Race Collection' paint schemes available as an option although any other colour could be specified. Along with that, the N420 has the extended N400 sills, a carbon-fibre front splitter, side strakes, and diffuser along with 10-spoke diamond turned alloy wheels with gloss black finish, black mesh vents, and 'Graphitic' tailpipe finishers. The N420
26969-427: The strategy for the corporation, assesses the performance of the BBC's executive board in delivering the BBC's services, and appoints the director-general. Ofcom is responsible for the regulation of the BBC. The board consists of the following members: The executive committee is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the broadcaster. Consisting of senior managers of the BBC, the committee meets once per month and
27150-485: The successor to the special edition N400 of 2007, based upon the standard 4.7-litre V8 Vantage and available either a coupé or roadster and with either the 6-speed manual or optional 6-speed Sportshift transmission. The motorsport-inspired V8 Vantage N420 came with the Sports Pack suspension as standard, a new sports exhaust system, and many carbon-fibre components which resulted in a 27 kg (60 lb) weight saving over
27331-482: The top speed to 180 mph (290 km/h). The carbon-ceramic brakes, ABS and traction control found in the GT12 coupé have been reconfigured for the roadster. The GT12 Roadster weighs 100 kg (220 lb) less than the V12 Vantage S Roadster. In 2017, Aston Martin launched the AMR editions of its V12 and V8 Vantage. Production is limited to 300 cars split between 200 V8 vehicles and 100 V12. The 4.7-litre V8 AMR produces
27512-563: The value of the artist as a visible music-hall performer". On the other hand, the BBC was "keenly interested" in a cooperation with the recording companies who "in recent years ... have not been slow to make records of singers, orchestras, dance bands, etc. who have already proved their power to achieve popularity by wireless." Radio plays were so popular that the BBC had received 6,000 manuscripts by 1929, most of them written for stage and of little value for broadcasting: "Day in and day out, manuscripts come in, and nearly all go out again through
27693-473: The war, but a small number of manufacturers returned it to prominence. In 1948, the Porsche 356 was released as the debut model from Porsche. The significance of the Porsche 356 and its successors was described in 1957 as "future historians must see them as among the most important of mid-century production cars". The 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL is another significant car from this era. The 1961 Jaguar E-Type
27874-417: The world. Definitions of sports cars often relate to how the car design is optimised for dynamic performance, without any specific minimum requirements; both a Triumph Spitfire and Ferrari 488 Pista can be considered sports cars, despite vastly different levels of performance. Broader definitions of sports cars include cars "in which performance takes precedence over carrying capacity", or that emphasise
28055-509: The £700 million cost for free TV licences for the over-75 pensioners, and rapid inflation in drama and sport coverage costs, was given as the reason. Duplication of management and content spending would be reduced, and there would be a review of BBC News . In September 2019, the BBC launched the Trusted News Initiative to work with news and social media companies to combat disinformation about national elections. In 2020,
28236-635: Was a 6-speed manual transmission and leather-upholstery for the seats, dashboard, steering wheel, and shift-knob. A new 6-speed automated manual transmission , similar to those produced by Ferrari and Lamborghini , called Sportshift was introduced later as an option. In their 2006 readership survey, readers of Car Design News voted the Aston Martin V8 Vantage as the best current production car design. The survey results were based on over 1,000 responses, most from working automotive designers and students of industrial and automotive design. The Vantage
28417-488: Was a limited production of 101 units in 2013. It has a larger rearspoiler and ventilation carbon openings in the bonnet. With a kerb weight of 1,760 kg (3,880 lb) the Roadster weighs 80 kg (176 lb) more due to chassis stiffening modifications, and because of the additional weight the Roadster accelerates from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.5 seconds, but retains the coupé's top speed of 190 mph (306 km/h). On 28 May 2013, Aston Martin announced
28598-415: Was a pioneering all-wheel drive sports car. The 1995 Porsche 911 Turbo (993) saw the 911 Turbo model switch to all-wheel drive, a drivetrain layout that the model uses to this day. The BMW M3 was released in 1986 and has been produced for every generation since. The 1993-1996 Mercedes-Benz W124 E36 AMG was the mass-produced AMG model. Audi's equivalent division, called "RS", was launched in 1994 with
28779-442: Was a widely reported urban myth that, upon resumption of the BBC television service after the war, announcer Leslie Mitchell started by saying, "As I was saying before we were so rudely interrupted ..." In fact, the first person to appear when transmission resumed was Jasmine Bligh and the words said were "Good afternoon, everybody. How are you? Do you remember me, Jasmine Bligh ... ?" The European Broadcasting Union
28960-495: Was adopted in Canada. Through collaboration with these state-run broadcasting centres, Reith left a legacy of cultural influence across the empire of Great Britain with his departure from the corporation in 1938. Experimental television broadcasts were started in 1929, using an electromechanical 30-line system developed by John Logie Baird . Limited regular broadcasts using this system began in 1932, and an expanded service (now named
29141-519: Was also voted one of Automobile magazine's 2007 "All-Stars" for its performance, road manners, and design. The V8 Vantage is also one of the only two cars to be added to "The DB9 Section", – a mini-fridge reserved for the super "cool" – on the BBC 's Top Gear (on which it is described as the baby Aston to differentiate it from the V12 powered DB9). The program rates cars from seriously un-cool to sub-zero. The fridge
29322-531: Was an extra category added when the presenters deemed the Aston Martin DB9 too cool for the sub-zero category. In the 2005 awards, Jeremy Clarkson declared the V8 Vantage as Best Sounding Car of the Year and The Coolest Car of the Year, while the award winner was actually the Porsche 911. While the V8 Vantage was never a common car, the success of the model is highlighted by the completion of chassis number 10,000 –
29503-625: Was an unusual arrangement for a car used to compete in rallying, nonetheless it was very successful and won the World Rally Championship in 1974 , 1975 , and 1976 . The Lancia Montecarlo was produced from 1975 to 1981 and is a mid-engine two-seater, available as a coupé or a targa-top. It was sold as Lancia Scorpion in the USA. Its racing variant, Montecarlo Turbo, won the 1979 World Championship for Makes in its division and overall for 1980 World Championship for Makes and 1981 World Endurance Championship for Makes . Montecarlo also won
29684-445: Was announced just a few weeks ahead of the 2014 Geneva Motor Show , following on from the previous and desirable N400 and N420 editions. This new model is mechanically based on the standard V8 Vantage but with the addition of the 'S' 430 bhp V8 engine, 'S' suspension and some unique styling features, together with either the regular 6-speed manual or the Prodrive developed 7-speed Sportshift II transmission with paddle shift. The N430
29865-550: Was another significant sports car of the pre-war era and is now among the most valuable cars in the world. The T57 was successful in sports car races, including winning the 1937 24 Hours of Le Mans and 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans . Another successful Bugatti sports car was the Bugatti Type 55 (1932-1935), which was based on the Type 51 Grand Prix racing car. The decade following the Second World War saw an "immense growth of interest in
30046-694: Was available as either a coupé or Roadster. On 25 January 2011, Aston Martin unveiled the V8 Vantage S, a more potent version of the V8 Vantage available in both coupé and Roadster body styles and designed to create a more sporty experience than the standard V8 Vantage. The engine is the same 4.7-litre AJ37 V8 found in the base Vantage. The 4.7-litre V8 engine has been modified to deliver a peak power of 430 bhp (321 kW; 436 PS) at 7,300 rpm and torque of 490 N⋅m (361 lb⋅ft) at 5,000 rpm representing an increase of 10 bhp and 20 Nm respectively. The modifications allowed for improved acceleration time of 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 4.5 seconds and
30227-584: Was available in both coupé and Roadster body styles. Announced on the eve of the New York Auto Show in April 2014, the V8 Vantage GT is what is in effect, the US version of the Vantage N430. This new North American and Australian-only model is mechanically based on the standard V8 Vantage but with the addition of the 'S' 430 bhp engine, 'S' suspension and some unique styling features, together with either
30408-422: Was divided on how to handle the BBC, but ended up trusting Reith, whose opposition to the strike mirrored the PM's own. Although Winston Churchill in particular wanted to commandeer the BBC to use it "to the best possible advantage", Reith wrote that Stanley Baldwin 's government wanted to be able to say "that they did not commandeer [the BBC], but they know that they can trust us not to be really impartial". Thus
30589-441: Was followed by the Government's acceptance of the recommendation made by the Crawford Committee (1925–26) that the British Broadcasting Company be replaced by a non-commercial, Crown-chartered organisation: the British Broadcasting Corporation. The British Broadcasting Corporation came into existence on 1 January 1927, and Reith – newly knighted – was appointed its first director general. To represent its purpose and (stated) values,
30770-425: Was formed on 12 February 1950, in Torquay with the BBC among the 23 founding broadcasting organisations. Competition to the BBC was introduced in 1955, with the commercial and independently operated television network of Independent Television (ITV) . However, the BBC monopoly on radio services would persist until 8 October 1973 when under the control of the newly renamed Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA),
30951-485: Was in 1928. Sports cars started to become popular during the 1920s. The term initially described two-seat roadsters (cars without a fixed roof), however, since the 1970s the term has also been used for cars with a fixed roof (which were previously considered grand tourers ). Attributing the definition of 'sports car' to any particular model can be controversial or the subject of debate among enthusiasts. Authors and experts have often contributed their ideas to capture
31132-453: Was its first director of music. The company was to be financed by a royalty on the sale of BBC wireless receiving sets from approved domestic manufacturers. To this day, the BBC aims to follow the Reithian directive to "inform, educate and entertain". The financial arrangements soon proved inadequate. Set sales were disappointing as amateurs made their own receivers and listeners bought rival unlicensed sets. By mid-1923, discussions between
31313-406: Was left to BBC Radio broadcasters such as Reginald Foort to keep the nation's spirits up. The BBC moved most of its radio operations out of London, initially to Bristol , and then to Bedford . Concerts were broadcast from the Bedford Corn Exchange ; the Trinity Chapel in St Paul's Church, Bedford was the studio for the daily service from 1941 to 1945, and, in the darkest days of the war in 1941,
31494-486: Was made explicit for the duration of its current broadcast licence, as was the prohibition on advertising. To avoid competition with newspapers, Fleet Street persuaded the government to ban news bulletins before 7 pm and the BBC was required to source all news from external wire services. The Radio Times , the world's first and longest-running radio and television listings magazine, was launched by Reith in September 1923. The first edition, subtitled "The official organ of
31675-400: Was modified later on in its life to offer documentaries. In 2002, several television and radio channels were reorganised. BBC Knowledge was replaced by BBC Four and became the BBC's arts and documentaries channel. CBBC , which had been a programming strand as Children's BBC since 1985, was split into CBBC and CBeebies , for younger children, with both new services getting a digital channel:
31856-422: Was officially revealed at the 2016 Goodwood Festival of Speed . It is mechanically similar to the Vantage GT12 and features a full carbon-fibre body. The roadster was completed in a period of nine months and features the coupé's front splitter, bonnet, front spoiler, and rear diffuser. The 7-speed Sportshift III automated manual transmission is also retained from the coupé but with a lower final drive ratio, reducing
32037-561: Was produced until 1980. Other successful lightweight roadsters include the Triumph Spitfire (1962-1980) and the Alfa Romeo Spider (1966-1993). The Fiat X1/9 (1972-1989) was unusual for its use of a mid-engine design in an affordable roadster model. A late entrant to the affordable roadster market was the 1975 Triumph TR7 , however by the late 1970s the demand for this style of car was in decline, resulting in production ceasing in 1982. The original Lotus Elan (1962-1975) two-seat coupe and roadster models are an early commercial success for
32218-553: Was released in 1964 and has remained in production since. The 911 is notable for its use of the uncommon rear-engine design and the use of a flat-six engine . Another successful rear-engine sports car was the original Alpine A110 (1961-1977), which was a successful rally car during the Group 4 era. In 1965, the BMW New Class Coupes were released, leading to the BMW 6 Series which remains in production to this day. The Lamborghini Miura (1966) and Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale (1967) mid-engined high-performance cars are often cited as
32399-410: Was reorganised and relaunched in 1995, as BBC Worldwide Ltd. In 1998, BBC studios, outside broadcasts, post production, design, costumes and wigs were spun off into BBC Resources Ltd. The BBC Research & Development has played a major part in the development of broadcasting and recording techniques. The BBC was also responsible for the development of the NICAM stereo standard. In recent decades,
32580-479: Was replaced by BBC Two HD in the same month. On 18 October 2007, BBC Director General Mark Thompson announced a controversial plan to make major cuts and reduce the size of the BBC as an organisation. The plans included a reduction in posts of 2,500; including 1,800 redundancies, consolidating news operations, reducing programming output by 10% and selling off the flagship Television Centre building in London. These plans were fiercely opposed by unions, who threatened
32761-417: Was without a doubt the first attempt to give real performance to a road car. Many of its features, such as a honeycomb radiator and gate gear change, were continued on the much improved version which Paul Daimler designed in 1899-1900. This was of course the famous Mercedes. It also laid down standards of chassis design which were to be followed, almost unthinkingly, for the next thirty years. Several variants of
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