Browsing Archive: May, 2012
Posted by Will Dracott on Thursday, May 31, 2012,
BACK-SEAT driving is rife in Britain according to new research, leading to millions of motorists having avoidable accidents. The research, released by insurance comparison website Confused.com, shows that two thirds (66%) of British motorists have been ‘victims’ of back-seat drivers, and almost one in four (24%) have been in an accident whilst dealing with distractions from other passengers. These distractions mean that 20% of British motorists will have to fork out up to £500 over their d... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Thursday, May 31, 2012,
THE NEW Ford Focus ST hot hatch will cost from £21,995 on the road when the order books open at the start of June. Prices have today been officially confirmed by Ford UK, along with several other key details including engine output and standard specification. Its 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine loses a cylinder in comparison to the characterful old 2.5-litre five-cylinder unit, but produces more power at 247bhp and returns better fuel economy, at 39.2mpg. CO2 emissions are also competitive... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, May 30, 2012,
ROAD RAGE is rife on the roads, with some victims using social media sites to express their annoyance, according to a survey. As many as 57% of people said they had suffered from other drivers' rage, the poll by used car site Motors.co.uk found. Also, 41% admitted to regularly swearing at other drivers while at the wheel and 25% deliberately sped up or slowed to take revenge on other motorists. Based on responses from 2,300 adults, 44% of drivers described their day-to-day stress levels as quite... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, May 30, 2012,
A CROSS-PARTY group of MPs is campaigning for the UK Government to scrap the 3p rise in fuel duty planned for August. So far 28 MPs have agreed to support a proposed clause, drafted by the SNP, which would amend the Budget and cancel the rise in fuel duty. The campaign, which is backed by FairFuelUK, is being led by the SNP. The party said that the clause will be tabled at the earliest opportunity, when the Finance Bill has completed its committee stage, expected in late June. The SNP's Treasury... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Tuesday, May 29, 2012,
A BRITISH glass replacement technician has beaten thousands of contenders from across the world to be recognised as the world’s best at the prestigious Best of Belron competition. Autoglass employee Steve Marelli, from Scampton, Lincolnshire, is the first person from the UK to win the global contest, where on this occasion 29 countries battled it out in the Fira Exhibition Centre in Barcelona, Spain on May 23 and 24. Held every two years, technicians from Belron’s worldwide network of glass... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Tuesday, May 29, 2012,
A team of British engineers have fulfilled the last wish of motoring icon Peter Wheeler by building a £200,000 vehicle which drives on road, off road - and in the sea. The Scamander really is an all-terrain vehicle. The Scamander was the most ambitious project for the legendary former head of TVR. He wanted to build a vehicle which he could use for his three favourite pastimes - shooting, sailing and driving on track. So after selling TVR in 2005 he set about working on an amphibious vehicle wh... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Monday, May 28, 2012,
THIRTY local transport schemes worth a total of £113 million were given the go-ahead by the Government today. The successful schemes include a new ferry service, measures to improve sustainable transport options for commuters, public transport hubs and cycling improvements. Projects include: :: Slough - reducing congestion on main roads in the rush hour by increasing the use of walking, cycling and public transport. :: Durham - Durham County Council and other organisations will work to increase ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Monday, May 28, 2012,
THE PRICE of some top-selling cars has risen well above the inflation rate over the last four years, according to Which? magazine. Some of the rises, including those for the Volkswagen Polo and the Renault Megane, have been 8% or more above inflation, the magazine said. Other models, including the Mini (down 2.5%) and the Ford Galaxy (down 5.5%) have dipped in price, with the BMW 3-Series going down 7.5%. Which? said: "It's disappointing to find some manufacturers are hiking the price of new car... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Sunday, May 27, 2012,
GREAT BRITAIN'S female beach volleyball team brought rush-hour traffic in central London to a halt to highlight how busy the capital's roads will be during the Olympics. Glad of the warm, early-morning May sunshine, the scantily clad team went through their paces in Parliament Square. The event was held not only to indicate the effect on traffic but also to help launch Transport for London's (TfL) online planning tool entitled Temporary Road Changes. Garrett Emmerson, TfL's surface transport chi... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Sunday, May 27, 2012,
CAR GIANTS Mazda and Fiat are working together on developing and manufacturing a roadster, or two-seater convertible, although the two companies will come up with different, distinctly styled models. The Japanese and Italian firms have confirmed that they have signed an agreement for the project. They declined to give details but said their co-operation for Fiat's Alfa Romeo model and the Mazda vehicle will be based on Mazda's "next-generation MX-5 rear-wheel-drive architecture". Each car maker ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Saturday, May 26, 2012,
OFFENCES such as drug-driving and using mobiles while at the wheel are on the increase among younger motorists, according to a survey by the RAC. As many as 44% of drivers said they felt less safe on the roads this year then ever before. Citing a major dip in the money the Government is spending on road safety campaigns, the RAC called for a reintroduction of these campaigns "as soon as possible". Based on responses from 1,002 motorists, the survey showed that the number of 17 to 24-year-olds wh... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Saturday, May 26, 2012,
AS MANY as a third of drivers intend to use their cars for part of their journey to an Olympic event this summer, according to an AA/Populus survey. But motorists are realistic about transport usage during the Games, with only 4% expecting to find parking at their venue, the poll of 20,161 AA members found. While 34% of those AA members with tickets to the Olympics plan to go by car for some of the way, 30% are still undecided on their travel plans. The survey results are published on the day th... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Friday, May 25, 2012,
THE RIVER crossing toll charge on the M25 at Dartford is to rise in the autumn, the Government announced. And the Dartford-Thurrock River Crossing charge on the M25 will go up again when electronic charging is introduced in autumn 2014. From October, cash payment for cars using the crossing on the Essex-Kent border will rise from £1.50 to £2.00. The charge for drivers of light goods vehicles will rise from £2 to £2.50, while heavy goods vehicles will pay £5 - up from £3.70. Electronic charg... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Friday, May 25, 2012,
ONE LUCKY Fulham FC fan will land their perfect number plate at the DVLA’s latest round of registration auctions. FU11 HAM is coming up for sale and is the closest an SW6 resident can get to actually having Fulham written on the plate. Bidding is expected to be fierce but this latest football-related registration will have its work cut out to match the league leaders in sale price. In 2004 AR53 NAL sold for £36,000, but that was trumped in 2007 by WE57 HAM, for which a buyer paid £57,000. Th... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Thursday, May 24, 2012,
Young drivers are forking out close to a fifth of their annual wages on car insurance, new research has revealed. Drivers aged 17-20 are being hit with average insurance costs of £2,499 for comprehensive car insurance, a figure which is 18% of the average annual income [£13,972] for that age group. Young men bear the brunt of these spiraling costs, with an average £3,635 cost for premiums in comparison to young women [aged 17-20], who pay £1,869. While young drivers are being priced out of ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Thursday, May 24, 2012,
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has issued a consultation paper on proposed changes to its driving licence fees, which would apply in Great Britain from April 2013. Anyone wishing to comment must do so by 14 August 2012. DVLA chief executive, Simon Tse, said: “The DVLA is facing increasing costs and these must be covered from our fees. We are consulting with our customers and stakeholders on a potential fee structure so that we can take their views into account when making th... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, May 23, 2012,
CAR-SHARING company Zipcar has announced a pilot partnership with that sees the all-new electric Ampera join its fleet of self-service, pay as you go vehicles for the next six months. It's the first time in the UK that a car sharing club has offered access to an Extended-Range Electric Vehicle (E-REV), and Zipcar members from today will be able to reserve the Ampera online or using their smart phones, just as they would any other of the 1,700 cars across the Capital. European Car of the Year fo... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, May 23, 2012,
CLASSIC and historic vehicles are to be exempted from the annual MoT test, the Government announced today. From November 18 this year, owners of vehicles manufactured before 1960 will not have to have to take them in for an MoT, Roads Minister Mike Penning said. Pre-1960 licensed vehicles make up about 0.6% of the total number of licensed vehicles in Britain, but are involved in just 0.03% of road casualties and accidents. Mr Penning said: "We are committed to cutting out red tape which costs mo... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Tuesday, May 22, 2012,
HARD-PRESSED motorists have enjoyed a respite from record-high fuel prices in recent days, according to AA figures. Average UK petrol prices have fallen 4.08p in the past month and now stand at 138.40p a litre. Diesel has fallen 3.58p since mid-April and now costs an average of 144.30p a litre. The AA said monthly fuel costs for a family with two petrol cars had fallen by £8.66 and filling up the 80-litre diesel tank of a commercial vehicle now cost £2.86 less than a month ago. It added that, o... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Tuesday, May 22, 2012,
VAUXHALL has confirmed that production of its next-generation Astra compact car will be built at the company’s manufacturing plant at Ellesmere Port in Cheshire. Ellesmere Port will be the lead plant of two in Europe building the new model. The decision follows the conclusion of a ground-breaking new labour agreement which was approved by the Vauxhall workforce yesterday. The agreement comes into force in 2013 and runs through the life of the next-generation Astra, into the early 2020s. Assem... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Monday, May 21, 2012,
TWO NEW special edition convertibles have been unveiled by Peugeot, based on the 207 CC and 308 CC. Both share the ‘Roland Garros’ name that's famously linked with the venue for the French Open tennis tournament. The same name has previously featured on other special edition Peugeot cars, like the 206 Roland Garros. The two new models will have unique trim details and be available only in black or white. Key upgrades for the 207 CC, which is based on the Allure trim level and will cost from... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Monday, May 21, 2012,
THE NUMBER of cars built in the UK last month was almost 10% up on a year ago, boosted by strong export demand, new figures showed. There were 94,352 cars produced in April, an increase of 9.3% on the same month in 2011, and up by 11.8% for the first four months of the year. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said the figures showed that the UK remained one of the most competitive countries for car firms. Almost half a million cars were built in the UK in the first four months... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Sunday, May 20, 2012,
VAUXHALL car workers have voted massively in favour of a new pay and conditions deal which clears the way for huge new investment in the UK motor industry. Members of the Unite union at the firm's plant in Ellesmere Port on Merseyside backed the package by 94% after voting over the past few days. The final votes were announced today, ahead of an expected announcement that the plant will build the next generation of the Vauxhall Astra model. The move will create hundreds of new jobs at the site, ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Sunday, May 20, 2012,
LOLA CARS is poised to enter into administration for the second time in its illustrious history. The Huntingdon-based company, founded in 1958, is partly blaming the current economic climate for its decision to appoint administrators to oversee the car and composites companies. A statement read: "In recent years, significant investment has been made in technology and capability in the motorsports business as well as diversifying and creating Lola Composites Limited, serving the defence, aerospa... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Saturday, May 19, 2012,
INTERNET gamers with a love for motor racing have been invited to compete to win a money-can’t buy prize. By scoring among the highest players on a new online racing game, motorsport fans could see their names on either a McLaren Mercedes F1 car or a Stewart-Haas Racing NASCAR. Mobil 1, supplier of lubricants to both teams, has released Mobil 1 Racing Academy, a 3D online game that allows drivers to replicate the careers of either McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton or three-time NASCAR champ Tony ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Saturday, May 19, 2012,
DAB RADIO will be standard on almost all Volkswagen cars from next year, the company has confirmed. Every model from the Polo supermini right up to the Phaeton luxury saloon will have DAB as standard, on top of traditional AM/FM tuners, MP3 input sockets and CD players. Only the smallest Volkswagen, the Up, will be left out. It will continue with its selection of normal radio channels and media inputs. On top of the improved radio quality, all models from the Polo S upwards will feature at least... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Friday, May 18, 2012,
CONTINUING rises in the price of petrol could drive some motorists off the roads for good, according to a survey. As many as 38% of drivers said they would give up motoring entirely within a year if prices at the pumps rise at the same rate as they have for the past 12 months. And an increase of 14-15p a litre would lead to 85% of drivers changing their lifestyles, the survey by car valuation company Glass.co.uk found. Just 2% of the 2,000 motorists polled felt the current price of fuel was reas... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Friday, May 18, 2012,
The world's fastest amphibious supercar - capable of reaching an incredible 180mph - has gone on sale for the first time. Engineer Marc Witt created the unique car-boat hybrid, named the ‘Sea Lion’, after dreaming of building a sports car which he could take for a cruise on the open seas. What a ride: The unique 'Sea Lion' amphibious sports car in action. Photo credit: SWNS Designed using CAD software, the Sea Lion is entirely original and borrows no structural parts from other road cars. The... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Thursday, May 17, 2012,
MOTORISTS could face a 50% rise in fuel duty in future years to cover a £13 billion hole in Treasury coffers, according to a report. The gap in public finances will come from increasing use of more fuel-efficient cars and a switch to electric vehicles, the RAC Foundation-commissioned report said. It added that while the fuel duty collected by the Exchequer stands at 1.7% of gross domestic product (GDP), this rate will tumble to 1.1% of GDP by 2029. The report said vehicle excise duty (VED) woul... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Thursday, May 17, 2012,
CHEVROLET has announced a new compact SUV called the Trax that will debut at the Paris Motor Show in September before going on sale in spring 2013. With room for five and, Chevrolet says, a generous boot, its first small SUV, dubbed an “urban explorer”, will deliver an entry-point into a growing sector of the market with “flexibility, great fuel economy and car-like handling.” In the initial press release the company said: “Trax exhibits its SUV toughness and capability in a small pac... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, May 16, 2012,
MONTHS of discussions about the future of car giant General Motors are set to come to an end this week, amid rising hopes for one of its UK factories. There had been speculation that the Ellesmere Port plant on Merseyside could miss out on future investment, threatening job losses. Key meetings will be held in the coming days, and workers are expected to be balloted on a number of issues before any final decisions are taken. It is understood that nothing has yet been finalised, but there is spec... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, May 16, 2012,
MOTORWAYS are not safe enough to cope with raising the speed limit from 70mph to 80mph, according to a report today. The Government intends to consult on introducing an 80mph limit on English and Welsh motorways. But England's motorways do not provide enough protection to drivers and car occupants for an increase in the limit to be considered, the report from the Road Safety Foundation (RSF) said. It added that there would be a rapidly-rising risk of shunt crashes from the sheer volume of traffi... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Tuesday, May 15, 2012,
AS MANY as 13% of motorists have been "driving on empty" in the last three months as fuel prices have soared, a survey showed. It is younger motorists who are the ones mostly driving with the petrol warning light flashing, the poll by breakdown service Green Flag revealed. A total of 25% of 18 to 34-year-olds have been driving on empty in recent weeks, while 4% of all motorists have completely run out of fuel in the last 12 months, according to the survey. Based on responses from 2,014 adults, t... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Tuesday, May 15, 2012,
One of Britain's most iconic publications is undergoing a digital revolution today as Transport Secretary, Justine Greening, marks the Highway Code's 81st year by launching it as an interactive app for smartphones. The best-seller's technological transformation will make it even easier - and more fun - for road users to keep up to date with the rules of the road. Much of the Highway Code's content has changed considerably since its launch in 1931. For example mirrors were not even mentioned i... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Monday, May 14, 2012,
THE GOVERNMENT’S austerity measures are "putting lives at risk" on the roads, a parliamentary advisory group said today. As many as 65% of English local authorities have seen reductions in the budget allocated to road safety engineering in the last 12 months, the survey by the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (Pacts) found. And more than 62% have seen a reduction in staffing between 2010/11 and 2011/12. Councils were asked if the factors of staff numbers, staff skills, fina... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Monday, May 14, 2012,
MORE THAN a third of small and medium-sized businesses fear record fuel prices are threatening their future, a new survey reveals. Some 37% felt the soaring cost of petrol and diesel had left the viability of their business in doubt, in a poll of 3,500 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by campaign group FairFuel UK. It revealed 43% of firms believed high prices at the pump were preventing them investing for growth, while a quarter of companies claimed they could not employ new staff. Alm... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Sunday, May 13, 2012,
ANALYSIS of 24.5 million MoT records has revealed that one in five cars registered in 2008 failed their first MOT, with testers most likely to fail cars from French firms Renault, Citroen and Peugeot. The research by honestjohn.co.uk involved examining tens of millions of records obtained from the Vehicle Operator and Services Agency (VOSA) through the Government’s OpenData scheme. The information is now available at honestjohn.co.uk/mot – the first time this information has ever been avail... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Sunday, May 13, 2012,
POORLY-planned residential parking is leading to neighbourhood disputes and blocked driveways, according to a report. Some garages are not big enough to house cars, research by the Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE) and the Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation (CIHT) found. Emergency services and delivery vehicles sometimes cannot get through due to bad parking, the study added. The report said local authorities should set parking standards with regard to local circumstances and ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Saturday, May 12, 2012,
SUPERMARKET Asda is to cut its fuel prices by up to 2p a litre, it has been announced. Drivers filling up at Asda forecourts will pay no more than 134.7p a litre for petrol and no more than 139.7p a litre for diesel from Thursday. It is the first time since late February that Asda diesel has fallen below the 140p-a-litre mark. Andy Peake, Asda's director of petrol trading, said: "We're chuffed to be offering a third price move in as many weeks to hard-pressed motorists running on empty." A Sainsb... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Saturday, May 12, 2012,
Unable to rustle up the £15m he needed to buy his dream Ferrari, car enthusiast Chris Smart came up with an innovative solution - paint it on his garage door. He spent two weeks sketching and painting the rare 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO with weather resistant paints. Now neighbours and passers-by could be forgiven for thinking the customer support worker has traded in his BMW 1 Series for a classic motor. The former art student took two weeks to create the image Drivers even slow down to take a good ... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Friday, May 11, 2012,
A VEHICLE dealer from Nottingham who made in excess of £100,000 after wiping millions of miles off the clocks of more than 100 vans has had his sentencing delayed. Maxwell Stuart Alvey, 50, was due to be sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday after admitting 10 counts of fraud at an earlier hearing. But the judge, John Milmo QC, adjourned sentencing until June 22 for further reports. Alvey, of Gedling Road in Arnold, bought the vans at auction and tampered with their mileage between Augu... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Friday, May 11, 2012,
NEW CAR sales slumped the most in north-west England last year, according to official figures. A total of 14.4% fewer cars were registered in the North West in 2011 than in 2010, a fact booklet from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showed. The next biggest dip was in Northern Ireland, down 11.7%. Overall, sales slipped 4.4% last year to 1,941,253, with the West Midlands (up 10.8%) being the only region to show a rise. Other facts in the SMMT booklet included: :: The 1.94 mill... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Thursday, May 10, 2012,
NINE OUT of 10 motorists blame the Government for the record high cost of petrol and diesel, a new survey has found. A poll of more than 26,000 drivers for campaign group FairFuel UK showed 89.3% felt ministers were to blame for soaring prices at the pump. More than three-quarters thought MPs were "out of touch" on the issue of petrol and diesel prices, while 86% said lowering fuel duty was the most important tax issue for the UK economy. FairFuelUK spokesman Quentin Willson said: "Our MPs and s... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Thursday, May 10, 2012,
The government announced plans today to crack down on those who drive while under the influence of drugs. Legislation unveiled in the Queen’s Speech will create a specific drug driving offence. Currently police have to demonstrate that driving had been impaired by drugs in order to prosecute. Under the proposed legislation it will automatically be an offence to drive a motor vehicle if you have certain controlled drugs in your body in excess of specified limits. This will make it much easier... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, May 9, 2012,
VAUXHALL’S new supermini is to be called Adam, but will not be officially unveiled to the world until September’s Paris Motor Show. The new small car was officially named in a quirky cartoon-style press release today. It aims to be a ‘blank canvas’ that will allow buyers to customise it to their own exact desire, while hoping to offer something for everyone in its basic design. Vauxhall states that buyers will be able to customise their Adams more than any other car – a bold claim wit... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, May 9, 2012,
SALES of cars are set to increase over the next few months, according to a survey. As many as 18% of adults intend to make a vehicle purchase in the period to August, the poll by Sainsbury's Bank found. This represents 8.33 million people and is well above the 5.56 million who said they planned a purchase between September 2011 and this February. The amount expected to be spent on changing vehicles is also much higher - up from £40.2 billion in the period September 2011 to February 2012 to just... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Tuesday, May 8, 2012,
AN INCREASE in the number of used cars coming into the market has “taken the edge off prices” and calmed some corners of the industry, according to used car pricing experts CAP. A greater influx of part-exchange cars arriving at dealers is partly responsible, and with many franchised dealers focusing for the time being on selling those vehicles, competition to acquire stock on the open market has decreased. CAP reports that the pressure has been lifted on some dealers who had become frustra... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Tuesday, May 8, 2012,
CARAVAN owners are more likely to be teachers than any other profession, according to research released today. Data collated by The Trading Floor, which manages the UK’s largest database of car insurance details covering 8.8 million drivers, found that teachers were the most likely people to have bought into the caravanning lifestyle. Other professions that appear to be keen on camping are engineers, police officers, company directors and civil servants. Statistics show that 2011 saw a 5% incr... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Monday, May 7, 2012,
SALES of new cars sped ahead last month, according to official figures today. There were 142,322 new registrations in April 2012 - a 3.3% rise on the April 2011 figure, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said. The April 2012 increase was largely driven by a big rise in private sales which were almost 15% up on the same month last year. Last month's total new-car sales took the year-to-date figure to 705,878 - a 1.4% rise on the January-April 2011 total. SMMT chief executive Pau... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Monday, May 7, 2012,
NEARLY 9,000 motorists are still driving despite having 12 penalty points on their licences, new figures show. Blackpool, Oldham and Manchester have the highest proportion of drivers with 12 points or more, the statistics show. Motorists who build up 12 points or more within a three-year period are liable to be disqualified from driving under the "totting-up" system. However, courts can use their discretion as to whether a driver is actually banned. The figures were obtained by the Co-operative M... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Sunday, May 6, 2012,
SUPERMARKET chain Asda is to cut its fuel prices by up to 2p a litre. From tomorrow, drivers filling up at any of Asda's 195 forecourts nationwide will pay no more than 136.7p a litre for petrol and 141.7p a litre for diesel. The move means Asda's fuel prices have come down 4p a litre over the last three weeks. Asda's petrol trading director Andy Peake said: "It's been a tough year for motorists but today's latest move shows that Asda is once again leading the way in reducing the price at the pu... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Sunday, May 6, 2012,
THE NISSAN Juke-R, which Nissan had originally said would not be built, is going to be produced for select customers on a build-to-order basis. The 480-bhp concept car was filmed racing against supercars in Dubai, and the media fallout has seen Nissan receive three genuine offers from would-be customers – enough for the company to build a very limited run with even more power than the concept. While the Juke-R was originally built using the running gear from the 2010 GT-R, the production mode... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Saturday, May 5, 2012,
THE FOURTH instalment of the acclaimed virtual-to-reality racing competition GT Academy has begun, with the ultimate racing prize at stake - an intensive Driver Development training programme that has helped turn previous winners into professional racing drivers with Nissan - a huge entry list is expected for this year's competition. Anyone with a PlayStation 3 console can participate by simply downloading a free and brand-new GT Academy qualification challenge themed around the hugely popular... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Saturday, May 5, 2012,
THE latest version of Chrysler's 300C will reach the UK in June, following its debut at the Detroit Auto Show. Sticking solely with diesel power, it starts at £35,995 for the 300C Limited. Standard equipment includes heated front and rear seats, load levelling suspension and height control, LED daytime running lamps, electronic stability control (ESC), hill start assist, active head restraints, and curtain, side, front and rear airbags. The highly specified 300C Executive is £39,995 and inclu... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Friday, May 4, 2012,
REFORM of the car whiplash injury claim system "cannot come soon enough", the AA has said. Whiplash injury claims cost insurers more than £2 billion last year, adding around £90 to the cost of a typical car insurance policy, said the AA. The comments came as ministers hosted a motor insurance summit in London, with the Government expected to outline measures to "weed out" false claims. The measures could include proposals to tackle "questionable" medical evidence and encourage insurance compan... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Friday, May 4, 2012,
TWO IN THREE commuters think roads are unfit for cycling, according to a survey. Many workers would be persuaded to cycle if roads were safer, the poll by road safety charity Brake and solicitors Bolt Burdon Kemp found. Nearly half the 1,550 adults questioned, all of whom were in work or in education, said they cycled already. But 64% of these only cycled occasionally and only 10% used their bikes as their main form of transport for commuting. The survey also showed that 35% would switch to cycli... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Thursday, May 3, 2012,
DSA is urging all driving test candidates booked to take a test on Thursday 10 May to attend as usual, despite the potential for strike action by driving examiners who are members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union. DSA’s chief executive Rosemary Thew said: “All candidates have the opportunity to change or cancel their practical test by giving DSA three clear working days notice. “Not all examiners are members of the PCS union. Even if they are, we can’t be sure that they... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Thursday, May 3, 2012,
COUNCILS in England slashed road safety budgets by an average of 15% last year, according to figures out today. The cuts compared with average reductions of just 6% for other council services, the statistics from the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) showed. Based on replies from 81 English councils, the statistics showed that cuts included reductions in rehabilitation courses for motoring offenders, training and information for young drivers, safe routes to schools schemes and school cross... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, May 2, 2012,
WORKERS at the BMW Mini factory are to be urged to accept an improved pay deal that union leaders say is worth almost 7% over two years. Unite said the company had removed "strings" attached to a previous offer, so the union will recommend acceptance in a ballot. National officer Roger Maddison said: "Talks with the company have been constructive and we now have a pay offer which we can recommend to the workforce. "We believe the offer recognises the contribution the workers at Oxford make to th... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Wednesday, May 2, 2012,
MORE THAN half of drivers in Britain could not change their own wheel if they got a puncture, according to research commissioned by garage chain Kwik Fit. Among a nationally-representative sample of 2027 motorists, 36% have a spare wheel and the tools to change it but wouldn’t know how to. A further 10% carry a spare but no tools, and 6% say they have neither the equipment nor the knowledge to make a swap. The survey also found that 3% of drivers have no kind of provision in case of a punctur... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Tuesday, May 1, 2012,
A MORE powerful TT RS has today been confirmed for the UK market. Called the TT RS plus, its greater muscle is complemented by an electronically raised top speed limit. It has already been seen at motor shows, but until now it wasn't known whether it would come to the UK. For a £3,085 price premium over the existing TT RS, the plus also features larger 19-inch alloy wheels in a unique design, a different grille and carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) door mirror housings. Black, oval exhaus... Continue reading ...
Posted by Will Dracott on Tuesday, May 1, 2012,
ROAD SAFETY charity the IAM is offering motorists advice on driving in heavy rain, following Met Office warnings of torrential rain over the coming days. IAM chief examiner Peter Rodger said: "A suddenly very wet road surface increases the chances of slipping when braking or steering, which is a problem not just for motorists, but cyclists and motorcyclists too. “When driving in wet conditions remember that stopping distances will increase, and visibility will be reduced. Drop your speed and ... Continue reading ...
|
Will Dracott
| A-Class Driving School |
| Bristol |
This blog is for everyone and anyone who has an interest in driving. We have all the latest from the DSA, High Way Code news, Motoring Headlines and Car Reviews. If you're a learner, motorist or driving instructor, we welcome your input in the topics we bring you.
http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory/automotive
|
