For the 2026 event – the ninth held by the Southern Group – a record-equalling 20 manufacturers attended, bringing a mix of their very newest machines along with some pristine examples of past creations.

The key stats? There were 66 attendees overall, with 42 representing manufacturers and 24 from the Southern Group. Ready and waiting were a total of 42 cars for all to experience, including a dinky 955kg first-generation Mazda MX-5 to the 9,000kg-plus leviathan that is the Iveco S-Way CNG ‘Force of Nature’.

Plus, without a single cloud in the sky, the temperature held a solid 33 degrees centigrade for much of the day. Thankfully there were zero reported cases of heatstroke…

The cars are the stars

Making a big impact at the 2026 edition were five Chinese brands, namely Aion, Chery, BYD, Geely and Xpeng. Admittedly, none was able to bring a heritage machine, that would have proved problematic given their relative newcomer statuses. 

Representing Japan were Suzuki, Toyota, Mazda, Honda and Mitsubishi. All brought something new, but satisfying the heritage itch was a 2013 Suzuki Vitara 1.6 JLX alongside a 2004 Grand Vitara 2.4 three-door, a 1994 Toyota RAV4, the aforementioned 1995 Mazda MX-5, and not just one Honda NSX but two, one from 2005 and the other from 1990. While Mitsubishi had a fantastic heritage collection some years ago, sadly the company’s retreat from the UK in 2021 meant all the oldies were moved on to new homes. Regardless, Mitsubishi’s return to the UK gives us hope we may be treated to a heritage machine at a future Heritage Day.

In attendance with newer machines were Polestar, Peugeot, Renault, Citroen, Fiat and Abarth, while Ford brought along two current models alongside a delightful 1988 Fiesta XR2 finished in ‘Rosso Red’.

Going full-bore into heritage mode were Kia and BMW. The Korean marque’s line-up included a 2017 Stinger GT-S, a 1992 Kia Pride and a 2011 Kia Optima, the latter with just 2,700 miles on the clock and the only diesel-powered car at the event. BMW’s approach was a touch more aggressive, with a 2006 Mini Cooper S JCW GP1, a 2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe and a 2003 E46 M3 CSL. 

All things considered, then, there was something for everyone. It’ll take quite some topping in 2027, but then again it will be the Southern Group’s 10th Heritage Day. What better way to celebrate a decade’s worth of success than with a particularly special celebration?

Heritage Day awards: rare classics take the vote

Every Heritage Day ends with an awards ceremony. It’s fair to say the glitz and glamour is dialed back a touch from, say, the Oscars. But there’s still a great deal of excitement as attendees cast their votes across two categories, the first for Manufacturer Car of the Day and the second for Southern Group of Motoring Writers Car of the Day. 

The all-new Renault Twingo fared well in the OEM standings – little surprise, given its cute and quirky character, plus the fact it barely stopped being taken out for a spin across the day. Also in contention was the E46 M3 CSL, a rare and valuable beast with a ferocious bark from its 3.2-litre straight-six engine. But topping the charts at the close of proceedings was the 2005 Honda NSX, a car that remains as refreshing and exciting to drive today as it did when it was new. 

As for the winning Southern Group member’s car, there was a stellar line-up. The contenders included – but was not limited to – a BMW 523i, a Fiat 850 Lombardi Grand Prix and a Fiat X1/9, an Alfa Giulia Super, an Alpine A110 and a Toyota Yaris GRMN. The winner, however, was Sarah Bradley’s 1969 Plymouth Road Runner. Who could possibly avoid being intoxicated by its big-block 6.3-litre V8? 

Until 2027

As we’ve mentioned, 2027 will host the Southern Group’s 10th Heritage Day, which will be a very special event, no doubt. But this year’s event and the previous eight wouldn’t have been possible without the exceptional support of all the aforementioned manufacturers, plus a number of others who couldn’t make it in 2026. So, to the manufacturer PR teams, a huge thank you from the Southern Group of Motoring Writers. Similarly, we extend our gratitude to the wonderful team at Beaulieu for hosting our little heritage gathering. 

The post 2026 SGMW Heritage Day: a scorching day of brilliant classics and newcomers appeared first on Southern Group of Motoring Writers.

Latest: 2025 SGMW Sue Baker Memorial Karting GP: Annual Karting Event Proves to be Another Thriller

It represents a time in the mid-2000s when car manufacturers were not afraid of being a bit bold. You see, when it was launched in the mid-2000s, the XC90 V8 cost around £54,000 brand new. Which is a lot of money. For this vast price tag though, you got plenty of under-the-radar appeal, a burbling V8 engine, and all of the same practicality and safety kit as the regular car. Elements that, when combined, make it one of the coolest models ever built by the Swedish brand. 

Yes, Volvo made a V8-powered family SUV

When the XC90 arrived in 2002, it could be had with a pair of turbocharged five-cylinder petrol and diesel units, a straight-six twin-turbo, and the 4.4-litre V8 arriving in 2005. 

Officially given the engine code B8444S, this 4.4-litre V8 engine was developed by Yamaha for Volvo and was built in Japan using the Swedish brand’s own designs. 

The B8444S is a stormer of an engine – and one that later found its way into the S80 Saloon as well. Despite only being a 4.4-litre, or 4,414cc, it produces 311hp and 325lb-ft of torque, enough to propel this 2,199kg behemoth from 0-60mph in a scant 6.9 seconds onwards to a top speed of 130mph. Power runs through an Aisin six-speed automatic gearbox, going to all four wheels via a Haldex all-wheel drive system. 

While these numbers may not sound like much by modern standards, at the time, the XC90 V8 wasn’t that far off the Porsche Cayenne S for pace back in the day, a model that boasted 340hp from a slightly larger 4.5-litre V8 engine. 

V8 longevity with a Volvo badge

When it was introduced, the Volvo XC90 became SUV genesis for the brand as its first ever high-riding model. It was a tough and dependable car that had longevity engineered into it as standard. In fact, the first-generation XC90 was so good that it remained in production until 2014, with a continuation model badged as the XC Classic being sold in China until 2016. 

This XC90 V8 is part of the brand’s brilliant UK heritage fleet. However, it’s not a car that’s had a pampered life of occasional drives; it’s been very well used. How well exactly? At the time of driving it, the odometer was showing a grand total of 257,574 miles. A lot of miles for any car. 

According to the lovely people from the Volvo UK PR team, this example was first registered in 2006 and has had one owner since new who was responsible for at least 255,000 (or so) of the accumulated mileage on the clock. This was until the car suffered a gearbox fault, at which point the owner part-exchanged it in for a new XC90 Plug-in Hybrid – after which Volvo UK PR became the second custodian of this rare V8. 

So what’s been done to it? Very little as it turns out. The gearbox was replaced with a refurbished unit, the front seats were retrimmed, and the car was given a full detail. But apart from this work and regular servicing, it’s pretty much the same as the day it was part-exchanged. 

So how does a moon mileage XC90 drive?

Considering this XC90 V8 has covered more miles than it takes to get to the moon (a distance of 239,000 miles, so I’m reliably informed), it drives very well. The steering feels quite slow, not unexpected for a car of this type, but it handles securely with a respectable amount of agility and poise when cornering. While it’s not as sporty to drive as a first-gen Cayenne, the vast engine upfront provides plenty of entertainment whenever you plant the throttle pedal. 

The real star, of course, is that V8 engine. It emits a noticeable burble when pootling along at low speeds, and while pressing the throttle hard initially seems to increase the noise without much improvement in pace, revving it hard gives full access to the torque on offer, resulting in this large SUV gaining speed at a respectable rate. It’s not rapid by any means, but if you don’t care about fuel economy, a sharp stab of the throttle makes it feel plenty quick enough.

The gearbox was also excellent, with silky smooth gear changes in normal driving and a quick enough kickdown when requesting the lower gear ratios. 

On a short test drive on the roads of the South Downs, I managed 19.8mpg with some spirited driving. A pretty respectable figure considering the size and heft of the thing. 

So, how has the interior held up during all of the miles?

On the inside, the interior of this XC90 V8 is a testament to the excellent build quality that we’ve come to expect from the brand. 

Accounting for the re-trimmed front seats, which are very comfortable, the remainder of the interior is in excellent shape throughout, including all of the surfaces and trim pieces. Another testament to the way Volvo engineered the original XC90.

It still feels luxurious by today’s standards, and everything worked as it should, including the air conditioning. On the move, the cabin does a great job of insulating you from the outside world as well, with only a tiny amount of creaks and rattles noticeable when driving. Nothing major for a car with so many miles on the clock. 

Verdict: Volvo’s mad V8 moment has stood the test of time, literally

If ever there was an example of how to build a car properly that’ll last a lifetime, this Volvo XC90 V8 is it. 

From the burbling engine to the premium interior, it feels special. It’s decent to drive, and the accompanying soundtrack from the V8 engine is fantastically fun. It’s also very comfortable, luxurious, and it still looks classy, even by today’s standards.

It also serves as a brilliant reminder of the time when mainstream brands used to do daring things with production cars by squeezing a vast and powerful engine into an otherwise ordinary family car just because they could, regardless of whether anyone would ever buy one. 

My short test drive was enough to convince me of its brilliance, although it did leave me feeling rather sad as there will never be another Volvo like it.

Volvo XC90 V8 review: gallery

The post Volvo XC90 V8 review: a V8-powered shrine to longevity appeared first on Southern Group of Motoring Writers.

An excellent turnout of 20 members made the trip to the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu in Hampshire. On the day, a total of 29 PR friends from fourteen brands were in attendance, all helping to support what was an excellent event for the group. 

Southern Group Happenings: July 2024

A total of 31 cars were available to test drive, with a varied mix of the latest EVs, rugged off-roaders and pickup trucks, and a stunning array of classic heritage models:

Abarth – 500e Convertible

BYD – Dolphin, Atto 3 and Seal

Fiat – 600 Hybrid and 600e

Ford – Capri L, Puma Racing

Genesis – GV60, Electrified GV70, Electrified G80

Honda – Civic Hybrid, Civic Type R (FK2), S2000

Ineos – Grenadier 3.0 petrol and 3.0 diesel

Isuzu – D-Max AT35 Arctic Trucks, D-Max AT35 Mudmaster

Jeep – Avenger MHEV

Kia – Stinger GT-S, Picanto Strike (Mk1), Picanto GT-Line

Lexus – LBX

Mazda – MX-5 Heritage and MX-30 R-EV Edition R

Toyota – Prius Gen1 and Corolla Excel 1.8 Hybrid

Volvo – P1800, 262C, 850 T-5R and XC90 V8

As always, SGMW members brought along their own cars to display on the day. The classics were better than ever this year with a vintage Volkswagen Beetle ‘Herbie’ tribute (the Douglas Special), a stunning Alfa Romeo Giulia 1300 Ti, and an immaculate Mazda Eunos. The modern era was also equally well represented, with a varied mix of cars including an Alpine A110, a Volkswagen Polo Blue GT, a Jaguar XF Sportbrake, a Saab 9-3 convertible, and an Abarth 595. 

SGMW Heritage Day: best car winners

As is now tradition, attendees vote for their favourite member’s car and manufacturer’s car of the day. 

This year, Stu Bird’s Volkswagen Beetle ‘Douglas’ took the members best car prize – with Stu’s authentic Herbie tribute build dubbed the Douglas Special, wowed everyone thanks to the way it looked, sounded, and the huge amount of intricate details it contains that match the original movie hero car. 

This year’s marks the third time in a row that Stu has won the best member car award, which have all been won with different vehicles. Stu said that for 2025 Heritage Day, he’ll give the rest of the group a chance: “[After] winning three in a row, I promise, as my constitution to the group, that next year I’ll come in one of the lesser of the Birdy Fleet of Broken Dreams vehicles.”

For the best manufacturer car, the stunning Volvo P1800 took first place, a worthy winner that had members lining up to drive it all day long – even if it did lose a hubcap on the day (sorry about that Volvo!). The SGMW quiz went down to a tiebreaker question, with long-standing group member David Wilkins named as the winner, although in his absence, Peter Nunn took the prize of a box of chocolates. 

While the SGMW Heritage Day is a day for members to test an array of cars, it is also a popular social event for PRs to catch up with group members.

Simon Branney, Genesis Motor UK head of PR and communications, said: “Definitely one of the highlights of the summer, if not the whole year, is the SGMW heritage driving day. Even though there are no Genesis heritage products, as we have only been going for three years, the group has been very welcoming and supportive of the Genesis brand, product and team.”

“It’s a super-relaxed day with super-friendly journalists and even super-friendly PR colleagues – it’s an easy win for both the group and the PRs that get to come to it.”

“I’m looking forward to Genesis continuing to attend this event for many years to come.”

Will Rees, Kia UK press officer, said: “It is a nice, chilled-out event and a great day out of the office”.

“It is about getting to chat with other PRs and a lot of SGMW members we don’t see regularly on driving days. It is nice to catch up with everyone.”

Rachel Goodwin, head of PR for BYD in the UK, said: “It was a great day. It is really useful for PRs to drive competitors’ products and useful for us to keep in touch and see all you guys and making sure everybody is driving our cars”.

“We are trying to build a brand so we need to be in as many places as possible.”

As always, the Heritage Day wouldn’t be possible without those who came along to support the event. Everyone at the SGMW would like to offer a massive thank you to all the PRs for their amazing support, who all went above and beyond to ensure group members had a wonderful array of cars to test on the day. Ian Robertson, SGMW Chairman, said: “Though the New Forest rain tried to dampen spirits, I reckon this year’s driving day at Beaulieu was the best yet. It was so lovely to welcome some new brands to the day, like BYD, Ineos and Isuzu, as well as welcome the marques that have been supporting the event year after year.”

“The joy and excitement on the faces of many of the younger PR people as they climbed behind the wheel really was a sight to behold.”

“As Chairman of the group for another two years, I’m looking forward to welcoming everyone back again next year. Same time, same place.”

The post 2024 Southern Group Heritage Day: test drives, laughter, catching up, and the love bug appeared first on Southern Group of Motoring Writers.