Christmas is coming early for one of Sheffield’s new MG dealers.

Eric Stead (Garages) is holding a special early Christmas party this weekend, complete with all the Christmas trimmings, to mark the official opening of the new MG dealership.

Trevor Stead, the firm’s Managing Director, said: “We’ve already taken orders for five MG3s and it’s a car that has really caught peoples’ imaginations. It offers such great value for money and word is now spreading fast.

“We’re now fully up and running and thought it would be a great time to celebrate, so we’ve laid on an early Christmas party.

“There will be mince pies, mulled wine and carols and we have three £100 Christmas hampers to give away in a prize draw as well as a Christmas lucky dip for the kids.

“Usually buying a new car isn’t on list of things people plan to do in the run up to Christmas, but we’ve been very busy with the new MG3.

Alongside an MG3 3STYLE demonstrator, Eric Stead also has new petrol and diesel MG6 GTs and an MG6 Magnette on show.

Eric Stead, in Ecclesfield in the north of Sheffield is one of two MG dealers in the city. Grant & McAllin in Rother Valley Way covers the south of Sheffield and is planning an opening event in January.

2014 BTCC Honda copies 90's Volvo by having an Estate as their new car

Honda Yuasa Racing will be back in the 2014 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) with the same championship-winning team and driver line-up, but this time with an eye-catching all new Honda.

Next March will see the track debut of the new Civic Tourer race car – the only estate car on the BTCC grid - with Honda Yuasa Racing drivers Matt Neal and Gordon ‘Flash’ Shedden in the hunt for yet more titles. The team have their sights set firmly on a clean sweep of titles after the Honda Civics secured both the teams’ and manufacturers’ crowns for the fourth year in a row with Matt and Flash narrowly missing out on the drivers’ crown in the 2013 season.

Gordon Shedden said: “2013 was an incredibly competitive season in the BTCC with the championship battle going right down to the wire! Of course it was disappointing not to retain the drivers title but we’re looking forward to what I’m sure will be a strong year for the team in 2014 - and more excitingly, with a new car. It might be a Tourer, but it’s still a Civic, the car that has won every championship in BTCC for the last three seasons. I’m really looking forward to the challenge of next season, and to seeing what the Tourer can do on race day.”

Matt Neal added: “We’re all confident that the car can continue the long-standing success of the Civic in the championship and very much looking forward to putting it through its paces. Although we’re racing a new model, the inherent advantages of the Civic hatchback from the past two years remain so there’s no reason why this car can’t be a winner straight out of the box! We’ll be testing the car early in the new year and I can’t wait to see it on track.”

Peter Crolla, Team Manager commented: “Racing with the Civic Tourer means no compromise over the Civic hatchback. The weight, wheelbase, layout and suspension remain the same, but naturally, the length of the car is extended due to the larger tailgate. After two competitive seasons in the BTCC with the hatchback, it will be an interesting challenge to ensure the Tourer keeps Matt, Flash and the team at the head of the championships throughout next season. We’ve worked hard over the past few months to develop the first car which will be completed as we head towards the new year, with the first run scheduled for early January.”

Phil Crossman, Managing Director, Honda (UK) concluded: “We wanted to add a new challenge to the mix and really show what Honda and the team can do. By racing the new Tourer after several years with the Civic hatchback we can really showcase our growing range and demonstrate that the versatility and practicality of a Tourer doesn’t compromise dynamic performance. We are only four months away from the start of the 2014 season and I can’t wait to see the cars out on the track. They’re going to look great and there’s no doubt in my mind that they will win races.”

Testing of the new model commences in January ahead of its race debut at Brands Hatch for the first round of the 2014 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship on 29/30 March.

You can follow the Honda Yuasa Racing Team’s exploits on Facebook and Twitter www.facebook.com/HondaYuasaRacing and www.twitter.com/hondaracingbtcc.

Designed and developed in Europe, the British-built Civic Tourer delivers distinctive styling, class-leading utility, advanced technology and an impressive balance between fuel economy and performance. Available to order from the beginning of December and arriving in dealerships in February 2014, prices start at £20,265 OTR for the entry level 1.8 i-VTEC S model.

MG announces finance packages for new MG3

• Finance available on all MG3 specifications from just £99 a month
• Zero  deposit options available
• Eight Personal Contract Purchase schemes to choose from
• Over one million combinations of personalisation options available
• Visit www.mg.co.uk for full list of finance offers available

MG is thrilled to announce the eagerly awaited finance plans for their latest model, the affordable, fun, MG3. If your deposit is big, small or nothing at all, there is an offer to suit all budgets. All specifications are available on PCP for just £99 a month or with zero deposits.

The MG3 is available in four specifications, with the top of the range, 3STYLE priced at only £9,999, down to the entry level, 3TIME, for just £8,399. The affordability continues with an insurance group rating of just 4E on all MG3.

Entry level MG3 TIME costs just £8,399 and features a CD player with MP3 compatibility, LED daytime running lights, hill hold control and a sporty VTi 106 PS petrol engine as standard. Next is the MG3 FORM, available for £9,299 with MG3 TIME specification, plus Bluetooth and Audio streaming, DAB radio and Climate control.  For those customers who prefer a sportier look the MG3 FORM SPORT is available at £9,549 and adds 16” “Carousel” Alloy Wheels and sporty Side skirts to its already impressive kit list. At the top of the range is the MG3 STYLE which takes things one step further with 16” “Diamond cut” Alloy wheels, reverse parking sensors, cruise control and automatic lights and windscreen wipers for only £9,999.

After you’ve chosen your trim level, go personal with over one million personalisation possibilities. Our exterior and interior personalisation options are attractively priced so you can be confident that whatever you choose is always within budget.

All model lines are available on PCP for just £99 a month or on zero, 10, 20% or more deposits.  A deposit of just £2,605 (31%) secures an entry level 3TIME for this low monthly payment, increasing to a deposit of £4,171, (38%) required to take home a top of the range 3STYLE for the same low monthly amount.

Customers who do not have a deposit to put down can still benefit from fantastic value for money offers. 3TIME is available for 35 monthly payments of just £181.14 with zero deposit increasing across the range up to 3STYLE, available for £218.80. 

Once the 35 months are up, there are three options available. Pay the final payment and your MG3 is completely yours, return the car or trade in your MG3 for a newer model.

Other offers across the range include 0% VAT on MG6 models until 30 September 2013; including the DTi-Tech Diesel with stop-start technology, our race inspired BTCC edition, and the fully loaded MG6 Magnette.

Happy 20th Birthday, Ford Mondeo

• Ford Mondeo celebrates 20 years, with more than 4.5 million sold across Europe, 1,400,000 in the UK
• Ford releases new internet video celebrating two decades of Mondeo with voiceover by acclaimed actor Ray Winstone
• Technologies advanced by Mondeo include airbags, traction control, intelligent protection, Adaptive Cruise Control and EcoBoost engines

It helped pioneer standard airbags. James Bond took it for a spin. It came to define a whole voting class in Britain.

The Ford Mondeo is celebrating its 20th anniversary and more than 4.5 million sales in Europe, including 1,400,000 in the UK.

“Mondeo has a rich history and a bright future,” said Barb Samardzich, vice president Product Development, Ford of Europe. “Across two decades, Mondeo has stood for great driving dynamics, surprising technologies, excellent safety and outstanding fuel efficiency.”

To celebrate two decades of Mondeo, Ford released a new internet video with voiceover by Hollywood actor Ray Winstone, star of such movies as “The Sweeney,” “Snow White and the Huntsman”, “The Departed” and “Great Expectations”.

The Mondeo was introduced in 1993 following a five-year,£3 billion development programme and was named Car of the Year in 1994.  Since then it has continued to set standards in its class for two decades, gaining awards from across Europe.

Mondeo has made advanced features available and affordable for UK customers. The first generation provided a standard driver’s airbag, an optional passenger airbag and offered traction control, adaptive damping, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and power steering.

In 1996, a revised, restyled and lighter weight Mondeo delivered optional side airbags, which were standardised two years later together with four-channel ABS.

In 2000, Ford launched the second generation Mondeo with Ford’s Intelligent Protection System, which used a network of sensors to calculate the most effective safety features to deploy in an accident. This Mondeo made heated rear seats, automatic headlamps and rain-sensing wipers available for the first time.

It was so popular it even became part of the English language, when Tony Blair coined the phrase “Mondeo Man” to define a new voting class in the early part of the last decade.

The dashing third generation Mondeo arrived in 2007 following a silver screen cameo as a Bond car in the movie “Casino Royale” in 2006.

The new model debuted advanced technologies such as Adaptive Cruise Control, Interactive Vehicle Dynamic Control and Ford Easy Fuel system to prevent misfuelling.

Mondeo was again updated in 2010, adding Ford EcoBoost petrol engine technology and safety and convenience features such as Lane Departure Warning, Driver Alert and Auto High Beam.

Class-leading driving dynamics have always been a cornerstone of the Mondeo experience, demonstrated by past performance models including the V6-powered ST24, ST200 and ST220 and current four-cylinder 200PS 2.2-litre Duratorq diesel and 240PS 2.0-litre EcoBoost petrol versions.

Recent powertrain enhancements to the Mondeo result in CO2 emissions from just 119g/km* and fuel consumption of 62.8mpg from the best-selling 2.0-litre 163PS Duratorq diesel engine – Mondeo now offers more power than its key sub-120g/km CO2 rivals.  This Mondeo has Smart Regenerative Charging, the Ford EcoMode driver information system and the Active Grille Shutter system, which reduces aerodynamic drag.

The all-new Mondeo will arrive in the UK in late 2014.  Engines will include Ford’s award-winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost which is expected to deliver leading fuel economy, and a petrol Hybrid Electric Vehicle powertrain.  It will have segment-first adaptive full LED headlamps and debut Ford’s rear inflatable seat belts designed to reduce head, neck and chest injuries for rear-seat passengers.

“Mondeo’s future is very bright and at Ford Motor Company we're looking forward to delivering another 20 years of innovation for drivers across Europe,” added Samardzich.