Nissan Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd was founded in 1984 and by 1986 the first cars were rolling off the production lines at the new state of the art factory in Sunderland. Since then, the plant has gone from strength to strength, with a total investment made or announced since 1984 of several billion GBP. Between 1986 and 2015, total production stood at over 8 million vehicles. Nissan’s European Design Studio is based in London, UK.Production is currently running at at around 500,000 a year with a workforce of 6,700 and supporting a further 27,000 positions in the supply chain. Sunderland currently produces the Juke and Qashqai crossovers. Production of the popular LEAF EV has been temporarily discontinued, but will begin again with the introduction of the next generation model in 2026.
Noble Automotive started life in 2001 with the launch of the M12, an incredibly quick and fine handling supercar which received almost universal praise from the world's motoring press. In 2006 Peter Dyson bought the company. An avid, uncompromising and knowledgeable collector of exotic cars and hugely successful business entrepreneur, who also owned an M12. Peter's vsion for the company was to produce a modern supercar, without computer assistance, but with the Noble characteristic compliant and efficient chassis and performance, which would allow the driver to be back in control. The Noble M600 was born and it is currently being hand-built at the factory in Leicester, alongside the open top M600 Speedster. A smaller brother, the M500, has now been added to the line-up.
Norton began making motorcycles in Birmingham at the start of the 20th century and became well known for their early competition success, most notably in the Isle of Man TT races.
This iconic British brand, whose name was taken from the company's founder, James Lansdowne Norton, was responsible for introducing certain technologies that are still used in motorbike design and construction today.
After various financial upheavals and several changes of ownership, including a recent 15 years in American hands, the Norton Brand was acquired by British businessman, Stuart Garner. The company was based at Donington Park Grand Prix Circuit in Derbyshire were several variants of the Commando 961 MK2 were built.
Sadly, at the end of January 2020 Norton Motorcycles again went into Administration, but in the spring of that year the company was rescued by the Indian company TVS Motor Company, the sixth largest bike manufacturer in the world. Their website now carries the slogan: "To the next 100 years!"
More good news followed, and in February 2021 Norton announced their new state-of-the-art facilities based in Solihull, West Midlands, were outstanding orders for current models and all future bikes will be built. As icing on the credibility stakes cake, in April of the same year Sir Ralp Speth was appointed to the Board of Directors of Norton's parent company.
Established in 2010 and based near Diss in Norfolk, Old Empire Motorcycles are not like other custom bike builders. In their own words:
"Old Empire Motorcycles founding was born through an absolute and enduring passion for everything two wheeled and The House Of Assembly (HOA) is where we pay daily homage to the gods of speed and fuel. Its the place where we meet, greet, drill, weld, cut, grind, turn, mill, hammer, roll and notch to our hearts content to create and display our bespoke motorcycles.........."Unlike most custom bike builders in the UK we do not stick to styling ‘rules’ but focus on creating the very best we possibly can with what we are given".
