Jaguar

Staff Profile: Martin Callaway, Operations Manager

Staff Profile: Martin Callaway, Operations Manager https://wvl.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/martin-c-featured.jpg 660 300 Anthony Anthony https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a9c4089fd91833b9d9ac3cd2423e0fcb?s=96&d=mm&r=g

Track Record

As with most things in life the best place to start is at the beginning, so let me take you back 37 years to my first time at the company. Having carried out just 4 days of work experience at AA Clark, through charm, skill and a little bit of luck, I was offered the role as an apprentice in 1977. Working on the petrol forecourt, there was never a dull moment, perhaps best demonstrated by being given the responsibility of filling up the Queen’s Rolls Royce’s on several occasions!

During my time as an apprentice I was able to learn all aspects of the motor trade: parts department, service department and workshop. I remember the first car I worked alone on was a PDi inspection on a Vauxhall Viva BBL 70T sold to a Mrs. Cartwright. To my delight the car was still going the last time I saw it in 2010!

It wasn’t just Mrs. Cartwright and the Queen’s cars that I dealt with during my time as an apprentice, with Prince Andrew, Prince Charles and many old generals who used to live at Windsor Castle also among the customers whose cars I helped repair. Not bad for a teenager!

In 1979 I moved to the service department as a junior receptionist before being promoted to Assistant to the Service Manager in 1984. Throughout the years I went on to become Service Manager at Merry’s in Egham, Maintenance Controller at WVL before taking up my current role as Operations Manager in 2006.

Cars are my real passion in life and I’ll give anything vehicle related a go. Ever the perfectionist, you’ll often see me putting the finishing touches to cars before they are moved to our retail site.

Despite being 37 years older (or ‘more experienced’ as I like to say) than I was when I first landed on AA Clark’s doorstep, the Chairman still insists on calling me BOY or Fozzie Bear. Terms of endearment, I hope!

Extra Curricular…

I’ve always lived in Maidenhead and try to embrace the local community. With a keen interest in football I like to watch the local non-league football team (Maidenhead United) play as often as possible. When I’m not watching football I like to play golf at Maidenhead Golf Club as an Artisan member. From time to time I like to dabble in a bit of DIY and gardening work as well as taking trips out on my mountain bike and visiting the local art centre to watch the local theatre groups.

If I find myself with some spare time at the weekends, my wife and I like to visit local National Trust properties/locations, of which there is a surprisingly large number in the area.

Recently, I have been attempting to relive my youth by watching some of my favourite bands of yesteryear including Madness, Squeeze and Eagles. Next up is the Henley Rewind Festival that I’ll be attending later this year.

Favourite Rides

My favourite owned car was my MK 3 Ford Cortina GXL. Bronze in colour, with 16” Wolf race alloy wheels, red painted brake callipers and brake drums, 4 front spot lights, bucket seats, radio cassette with graphic equaliser it was one of the best looking cars in town and, after I tinkered with the twin webber carburettor, was also one of the fastest. A lovely anecdote arose when a policeman stopped me for speeding only to have him comment on how good looking the car was and thereon wave at me whenever he saw me out and about in town.

Unfortunately with my future wife only being 5ft tall she couldn’t see over the steering wheel and, as she had to drive the car to work every day, I had a tough choice to make: her or the car. In the end she won by a short head mainly because I knew she wouldn’t get rusty with age (but with similar running costs). And so with a tear in my eye I had to send my baby to a new home.

CortinaImage © REX FEATURES

Unashamedly, watching re-runs of ‘Life on Mars‘ brings back fond memories of the Cortina. I still miss that car so if you see a Bronze MK 3 Cortina NLF 388K on your travels please let me know!

Unfortunately, due to time constraints (as well as the Mrs nagging me) I wasn’t able to have a good look round the recent Ford owners club meet that I stumbled across in Somerset. Alas, I know when the next one is so I’ll be going to that one on my own, and maybe…

Beyond my own collection I don’t have a favourite car, but I’ve shortlisted some of the cars I’ve enjoyed here, by type:

Small car – Audi A1 / BMW 120d, typical German engineering, top quality.

Mid/Small range – Honda Civic* 5Dr 1.6 I-dtec Se-t. Very good car, comfortable, very good MPG, and low CO₂ and running costs.

Mid Range – Audi 2.0TDi A4 S-Line… almost perfection.

Luxury – Any Jaguar XF will do. It’s impossible to look out of place anywhere.

4×4 – Range Rover Sport. It makes me feel important.

Dream Car – Any Aston Martin as long as someone else pays for the fuel & insurance… and tells the wife!

Connect with Martin in the Maintenance & Bodyshop team by phone on 01753 801914, by email [email protected] and join his network on LinkedIn too.

Top Cars for 2014 – Our Leaderboard

Top Cars for 2014 – Our Leaderboard https://wvl.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014_jaguar_f-type_group_13-la-as_1118132_1600.jpg 800 520 Anthony Anthony https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a9c4089fd91833b9d9ac3cd2423e0fcb?s=96&d=mm&r=g

With some stunning cars set for launch in 2014, we couldn’t resist giving you a run-down of our top 5. Whether you’re looking for a cheeky runaround, an all-weather 4-by-4, a sharp business cruiser, or an all-out star performer, we’ve selected something here for everyone. Start your engines and read on!…

MINI Hatchback

mini-2014The new MINI hatchback will arrive in March and is expected to add to MINI’s continually successful sales figures.

One of the most notable features of the latest model to come out of the Oxford based manufacturer is the size. Being 98mm longer, 44mm wider and 7mm taller, the new (not so) MINI is substantially larger than the MKII. The increase in dimensions not only means the MKIII is more spacious inside but the extended wheelbase also means that handling is improved.

MINI is one of the most iconic cars in the world today, and we predict that trend to continue with this latest model.

Prices from £15,300

 

Mercedes C-Class

mercedes-c-classThe interior of the new C-Class is very much at the forefront of the majority of the car’s accolades.

With regards to the previous model, Car Magazine say the interior is ‘like being upgraded from cattle-cart Ryan Air to Business Class British Airways.’

Elsewhere in the design of the car there are many similarities with the new S-Class, providing a much more stylish vehicle.

The AMG model is likely to arrive in 2015 and will be fitted with a 4.0l twin turbo V8 engine, going from 0-62mph in around 4 seconds.

With 102 Mercedes on our Fleet, it is one of the  main manufacturers we deal with and we can’t wait to get our hands on this new C-Class!

Prices from £23,000

 

Porsche Macan

porsche-macanPorsche Cayenne’s little brother, the Macan, is arriving in early 2014 and is set to rival the Range Rover Evoque, the Audi Q5 and the BMW X3.

Similar in looks yet much smaller than the Cayenne, the Macan can be bought with three different engines: Macan S, Macan S Diesel and Macan Turbo. The S, and S diesel, have top speeds of 158mph and 143mph respectively, whilst the Turbo can reach 165mph with its 3.6l twin turbo petrol engine.

The success of the Cayenne coupled with the success of the Range Rover Evoque suggest that we should expect the same success with the Macan!

Prices from £43,000

 

Nissan Qashqai

qashqai-2The latest edition of the Qashqai brings with it a new design, new technology and more internal space than its predecessor.

The feature that Nissan are perhaps most proud of is its parking attributes, with the manufacturers themselves calling it the ‘world’s most parkable car.’

With the aid of Park Assist and Around View Mirror, the Qashqai is able to parallel park itself in spaces that are just 80mm longer than its own dimensions. There is even a small washer able to clean the rear view parking camera to give you a clear image!

The Qashqai comes in 4 different models: Visia, Acenta, Acenta Premium and Tekna which can been acquired in engines ranging from 1.2l – 1.6l.

We’ve continually been impressed with the latest technologies that cars are fitted with nowadays, and the Qashqai does not disappoint in this area!

Prices from £17,595

 

Jaguar F-Type Coupe

jaguar-fWhen a car looks as beautiful as the F-Type Coupe does, who cares what’s under the bonnet?

Well, unfortunately for their competitors, Jaguar clearly do and they have produced a car that is as good inside as it is out. They, themselves claim to have created the ‘most dynamically capable, performance focused road car in its history,’ and early reviews don’t disagree.

The top of the range V8R carries an outstanding 5.0 V8 550PS supercharged engine and is able to get from 0-60mph in 4.0 seconds. Fair enough!

Dare we say that this is the car that we are most excited about in 2014?!

Prices from £51,235


If you’d like to get behind the wheel of any of these vehicles, and would be interested in talking leasing, call us on 01753 851561.