How to build and buy RML's new 900bhp, £540k monster
There are few meeting rooms in the British motoring industry that Paul Dickinson hasn't graced.
A real automotive lifer, he started at the Rover Group as an apprentice in 1997 then moved to Jaguar Land Rover's finance department when the company was bought by BMW.
Dickinson would later go on to play a pivotal role in bringing the acclaimed LRX concept to production as the Range Rover Evoque.
More recently he spent time at Bentley, where he was central to the conception and growth of the Mulliner coachbuilding division, and he was then finance boss at Group Lotus during the period when it was launching its new Chapman Bespoke division.
Advertisement
Wellingborough-based RML Group – a lesser-known and more 'backstage' engineering operation, historically rooted in motorsport – may on the face of it seem to be a strange place for him to end up.
Appointed as group CEO in June last year at around the same time as RML was acquired by a US investor, he gives a fairly concise summary of his job description. 'My remit,' he says, 'is to grow this business.'
That doesn't just mean Dickinson will lean on his finance experience to swell the company coffers, though; it's more about branching out into new business areas, claiming a bigger share of its markets and becoming more of a household name.
Historically, motorsport engineering was this outfit's bread and butter, and RML is best known for its race-based collaborations with the likes of Nissan and Chevrolet, scoring British Touring Car Championship titles and Le Mans 24 Hours class wins.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
3 minutes ago
- BBC News
Chancellor to announce £1bn for Teesside transport improvements
Teesside is to receive £1bn towards improving its transport network, Chancellor Rachel Reeves will announce the projects earmarked for the funds is a new platform three at Middlesbrough train station to increase the number of services it can Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said the award meant political leaders in the area could "deliver on our list of absolutely vital transport secure growth and jobs".In all, the government is to award £15.6bn to areas across the UK in a move it claims will "make all parts of the country better off". The chancellor will make the announcement during a speech in Greater Manchester and it is billed as forming the biggest ever investment in buses, trams and train is expected to say "a Britain that is better off cannot rely on a handful of places forging ahead of the rest of the country," adding the "result of such thinking has been growth created in too few places, felt by too few people and wide gaps between regions, and between our cities and towns".It comes ahead of the government's spending review next week. 'Get on and deliver' Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the funding "marks a watershed moment on our journey to improving transport across the North and Midlands".Houchen described it as "the right move", saying it was confirmation of money promised to regions by former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak when he announced the cancellation of the West Midlands to Manchester leg of HS2 high-speed rail in autumn 2023."We've been tirelessly making the case for this money, announced by the previous government, to come to us," he said."I'm pleased our message has hit home, and it means we can get on and deliver on our list of absolutely vital transport projects - agreed by cabinet - to secure growth and jobs for people across Teesside."We've already taken action to transform our major stations at Hartlepool, Middlesbrough and Darlington."Unlocking another £1bn of funding will allow us to get on and bring the better roads, better stations and better transport links we deserve." Luke Myer, Labour MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, said the funding would be "transformative"."This is fantastic news and long overdue. Every week, I'm hearing from people who are desperate for transport improvements - from more reliable public transport to proper road maintenance."Finally we have the cash to deliver."Elsewhere in the North East, £800m will go towards extending the Tyne & Wear Metro network to link Washington with Newcastle and Sunderland. Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
6 minutes ago
- BBC News
High Street shop to close due to 'unfair' business rates
A picture framing shop in Totnes is closing its doors after four years, claiming it is because of "unfair" business 4 Street had been trading well, but owner Steve Fussell said it is not worth the effort when the combined taxes he pays are taking up a third of his business rates on his shop are high, he said, because he is paying the retail rate for the whole of his ground floor, even though only 10% of the space is used for Valuation Office Agency, which sets the rateable value on which business rates are based, said that if a ratepayer believes their valuation is wrong, they can use the online service to check the details. Mr Fussell said he had considered trying to reduce his bill by putting up a wall between the retail area and the it would cost him thousands of pounds and no-one would confirm whether the structural change to the shop would have any effect on what is judged to be retail space, he said."When you look at our turnover and all the different taxes, so the PAYE (Pay As You Earn), the NIC (National Insurance Contribution) the VAT (Value Added Tax), the Corporation Tax and the business rates - that's nearly £50,000 a year gone," said Mr Fussell."Well that's an awful lot of turnover to make a profit to pay that kind of bill." Tim Jones, the Chairman of the South West Business Council believes the current system needs to change."Business rates are currently at a 26-year high, probably double the tax you would pay in France or Germany," said Mr Jones."And it's one of those regressive taxes which you pay, whether or not you're doing any turnover."All of those are issues make this one of the most unpopular taxes we've got and it's having a really negative effect on our high streets," he added. The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is responsible for setting the rateable value of non-domestic properties in England and Wales for the purposes of business rates, but it is not the same as the business rates bill. Councils use the rateable value to calculate business rates and then use a multiplier and apply any rates relief.A VOA spokesperson said: "Most of our valuations are based on rental values, as well as comparing similar properties nearby to make sure we take a fair and consistent approach."For small shops, we take an extra step to reflect differences in shape and use between properties. We split shops into zones from front to back, with each decreasing in value. Customers are more likely to stay near the front of the shop, so this area has the highest value."If a ratepayer believes their valuation is wrong or wants to check the details we hold about their property, they can use our online service."
BBC News
7 minutes ago
- BBC News
Gorleston chef learns new meals after Stena Immaculate donation
The chef of a community food bank said she had to expand her skill set after receiving a huge donation of meat and fish from a stranded oil Bridge lunch club, run by the St Mary Magdalene Church in Gorleston, Norfolk, relies on donations to offer up to 60 people a three course meal each week. It was recently given a cubic metre of food including oxtail from the Stena Immaculate which was struck by a cargo vessel in March."I did get really excited at the thought of that meat. It is very expensive and it is not the sort of thing we get usually," said Lottie Eaton. "I have learnt how to butcher an oxtail myself."She tends to prepare her menus six weeks in advance, but is having to adapt her cooking and the dishes on she was a chef at the club, she used the service as a client. "I used to come and have my meals here. I suffered with anxiety so I used to hide in the kitchen a lot and I found it a safe space. Now I run the kitchen."It has changed my life. I have now got my family back - it's not something I would have dreamed of 10 years ago." The Stena Immaculate has resided at the port in Great Yarmouth since 11 April, where it was towed to be inspected. Community lead for the food bank, Anna Price, believes the food is worth hundreds if not thousands of pounds. "We took as much as we possibly could. There's big slabs of frozen chicken wings, boneless chicken, loads of beef," she explained."I had, in my freezer for a while, massive slabs of really good quality beef... the thing we didn't know how to use or get rid of were the oxtails - but we are learning."The 47-year-old said it was like "Christmas had come early" for chef Lottie. For the past four years, David Williamson has been coming to the lunch club. He said: "Half of my money went on my bills... I didn't have the money to afford to go shopping."[Stena Immaculate] are not wasting the food... everybody is from a low income and they can't afford to go out and have a proper meal. "It brings a tear to my eye... people can walk away and say they've had a nice meal today." Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
