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V8 Register - membership report
New members registering in 2003
| Model |
Total
2003
|
Total
%
|
| MGBGTV8 |
94
|
33.9
|
| V8
Roadster |
34
|
12.3
|
| MGBGTV8
Conversion |
22
|
7.9
|
| Total
conversions |
56
|
20.2
|
| Costello
MGBV8 |
3
|
1.1
|
| MG
RV8 |
125
|
44.8
|
| Total |
278
|
100.0
|
Membership growth in 2003
| Model |
Members
Dec 2003
|
New
in
2003
|
Growth
%
|
| MGBGTV8 |
1,791
|
94
|
+5.5
|
| V8
Roadster |
291
|
34
|
+13.2
|
| MGBGTV8
Conversion |
117
|
22
|
+23.2
|
| Total
conversions |
408
|
56
|
+15.9
|
| Costello
MGBV8 |
7
|
3
|
+75.0
|
| MG
RV8 |
588
|
125
|
+27.0
|
| Total |
2,794
|
278
|
+11.0
|
Basis for the claim that the "V8 Register
is the leading group MGV8 enthusiasts should join"
| Model |
Made
|
Existg
|
Registered
|
%
|
| MGBGTV8 |
2,591
|
2,384
|
1,791
|
75.1
|
| MG
RV8 |
2,000
|
1,940
|
588
|
30.3
|
The
estimate of the number of V8s and RV8s still in existence is based
on the limited information gathered from various sources. The estimated
proportion of RV8s registered with the V8 Register outside Japan
is in excess 85%. So with a fraction over 75% of MGBGTV8s and
around 85% of RV8s registered, the V8 Register is clearly the leading
specialist group for MG V8 enthusiasts.
Where are the RV8s registered?
| Country |
Registered
|
%
|
| UK |
406
|
69.0
|
| Mainland
Europe |
44
|
7.5
|
| Japan |
18
|
3.1
|
| Australia |
105
|
17.9
|
| New
Zealand |
10
|
1.7
|
| Other
overseas |
3
|
0.5
|
| Written
off |
2
|
0.3
|
| Total |
588
|
100.0
|
We
believe the number of RV8s in Australia may be substantially greater
than the number registered with the V8 Register. Further information
would be very welcome.
V8 Committee and Team
David
Waterton
- V8 Chairman
Dr Gavin Bailey
- V8 Secretary
Jim Gibson
- V8 Treasurer
Steve Newton
- V8 Technical Support
Keith Rowson
- V8 Events
Sue Walker
- V8 Regalia & Books
Victor Smith -
V8 Registrar & Scribe
Clive Wheatley
- V8 Spares
Geoff Allen
- V8 Archivist & Historian
Peter Beadle
- V8 Tours
David Biddle
- V8 Curry Master
Bryan Ditchman
- RV8 Support
Gordon Hesketh-Jones
- V8 Tour 2003
Brian Moyse
- RV8 Workshop Notes
Roger Parker
- V8 Conversions
Support
Derek & Ellen Spencer-Jones
- V8 Tour 2004
Contacts for V8 Committee and Team
31st December 2003
Recognised as the leading group
MGV8 enthusiasts should join
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The flow
of new members during 2003 has been particularly strong -
up 11.0% (net)
on 2002, but what have been the factors contributing
to that performance?
Without doubt the increasing popularity of the RV8 in the
UK and Australia and the substantial flow of RV8s exported
from Japan have been major factors in the increasing numbers
of members registering RV8s with us - 125 new registrations
in 2003, an increase of 27.0% over 2002. A key factor in that
growth is clearly a greater awareness amongst prospective RV8
owners and the specialist reimporters of the essential technical
and servicing support for the RV8 provided by the V8 Register.
The flow of new RV8 members could easily have been greater but
for Australia having a temporary 12 month block on RV8 imports
as a consequence of the RAWS
regulations. During 2004 that restriction is likely to
be removed, so we should see many RV8s going there again.
Another factor is the increasing popularity of MGBV8 conversions
- both V8 Roadsters and MGBGTV8 conversions - in the UK and
overseas. Registrations are up by just under 16% in 2003, with
recent signs of an increasing number of registrations from the
USA.
The leading position of the V8 Register as the specialist group
V8 enthusiasts need to join for technical and spares support for
V8 powered MGs is borne out by the table to the left. We believe
some 75% of MGBGTV8s are registered with us and 30% of RV8s. As
there is still a large number of RV8s in Japan where the level
of registration with us is very low, we believe the effective
level of registrations by RV8 enthusiasts outside Japan is nearer
85% - a clear indication that a very high proportion of RV8
owners recognise the V8 Register is the best RV8 group by far!
The geographical distribution of our RV8 members has just
under 70% in the UK with almost 20% downunder in Australia and
New Zealand.
What is coming up in 2004?
On the technical support side both sets of workshop notes
are shortly to complete another volume - the eighth
volume of V8 Workshop Notes will close at Note 299 and the
sixth volume of RV8 Workshop
Notes will close on Note 199. Update discs will be available and
of course an updated Contents listing and Index for each series
is available at all times on this website and can be downloaded
FOC.
On the social
side the principal events in 2004 are the long weekend V8 Gathering
at the Club's International MG Meeting at Silverstone
2004 in July and the V8 Shropshire
Tour at the end of September. For further details see the
regularly updated Rolling V8 Calendar.
In terms of information and communications, we aim to continue
the improvement of the V8 Website, there is an active V8 Bulletin
Board and we have the monthly column
in the Club's magazine Safety Fast!
V8 Register
PO Box 251, Kimber House, Abingdon-on-Thames, Oxfordshire OX14 1FF
v8registrar((atat))v8register.net
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