News for December 2011
Illegal clamper jailed
Saturday, 31 December 2011 by Elizabeth Smythe
The boss of a fake vehicle clamping company has been sentenced to five and a half years in prison, the Mail Online reports.
Mohammed Ashraf of Blackley in Manchester, procured a fake ID and created a bogus Security Industry Authority licence to run his firm, Clamp You! He and his team waited in vans parked around street corners, ready to pounce on innocent motorists ...
Richard Hammond reveals his top cars of 2011
Friday, 30 December 2011 by Chris Taylor
Porsche, Kia and Vauxhall have all been lauded by Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond in his top ten motors of 2011.
Writing for The Mirror, Hammond picked two cars from each manufacturer, thereby accounting for over half of his list. Models from General Motor's Chevrolet brand, France's Renault and Hyundai also got a look in.
Firstly, Hammond placed the Porsche ...
Nissan Qashqai retains used car award
Friday, 30 December 2011 by Joe Elvin
The Nissan Qashqai has been voted 'Used Car of The Year' by industry analysts CAP.
The SUV crossover picked up the award for the second year running after being valued for a multitude of traits including affordablity, reputation, popularity and practicality of ownership.
The vehicle was chosen ahead of the Citreon DS3, Vauxhall Zafira, Ford Fiesta, Fiat 500 and the Renault ...
Subaru Forester tops junior crossover 4x4 rankings
Thursday, 29 December 2011 by Paul Smithson
Car buyers keen to pick up an offroad vehicle in 2012 have learned that the Subaru Forester has topped a key poll, reports The Auto Channel.
The news provider pointed out that Total 4x4 magazine picked the automobile ahead of other important cars in the category such as the Skoda Octavia Scout and Suzuki SX4 to be named junior crossover of the year.
According to ...
Top Gear personality hails Fisker Karma
Thursday, 29 December 2011 by Paul Smithson
Television presenter James May has hailed the Fisker Karma for the way it challenges convention.
Writing for the Top Gear website, he named the automobile as his car of the year for the imaginative way it has looked at aesthetics and mechanics.
May explained that he had the opportunity to drive the Eco Chic version of the Karma, but that it was not the environmental ...
Driving test pass rates drop with every attempt
Wednesday, 28 December 2011 by Elizabeth Smythe
The chances of passing a driving test, on the fourth or greater attempt, are greatly diminished, new research suggests.
Figures released by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) show that "the pass rate falls the more times candidates sit their test", according to The Telegraph.
The statistics revealed that the pass rate for the first, second and third tests lay ...
Competition Lamborghini on sale following crash
Friday, 23 December 2011 by Paul Smithson
A lime green Lamborghini convertible is to be sold by its owner after he crashed the luxury car six hours after winning it.
According to the Associated Press, 34-year-old father of six David Dopp won the high-end automobile at a convenience store competition run at a college football game in November in the US.
But soon after taking the wheel of his prize sports car Mr ...
Top Gear star discusses mid life crisis
Friday, 23 December 2011 by Elizabeth Smythe
Richard Hammond has confessed to having a "reverse mid-life crisis" according to The Mirror.
In an interview with the paper, the 'Top Gear' presenter revealed how he had stopped smoking, cut down on alcohol and got a "sensible" new haircut.
On top of that, approaching his forties made Hammond think about making a more mature car decision. Deciding: "I will ...
New Mazda programme urges owners to repair
Thursday, 22 December 2011 by Chris Taylor
Mazda UK is to introduce a scheme designed to keep its cars on the road for longer, rather than ending up on the scrap heap, reports Expert Reviews.
In the pioneering 'Save It' programme, Mazda owners will be offered discounted repairs for cars that otherwise risk being written off when they're involved in a serious accident.
The scheme will no doubt be of benefit to ...
Electric Renault Kangoo ZE arrives on British shores
Wednesday, 21 December 2011 by Chris Taylor
A Milton Keynes dealership is celebrating the arrival of its first zero emissions (ZE) Renault Kangoo van, reports the Green Car Website.
The electric vehicle has already won several big industry accolades, including 'International Van of the Year 2012' and the 'What Van? Van of the Year' awards.
It is anticipated that the motor will have a wide appeal with fleet and ...
Honda tops list of hard-wearing cars
Wednesday, 21 December 2011 by Paul Smithson
New research has placed Honda at the top of a list of the most hard-wearing cars when it comes to potholes.
The study, carried out by Warranty Direct, concluded there is an average of a six per cent chance that any car will sustain damage from such uneven road surfaces. However, Honda models were found to be the least likely to suffer in this way, reported What ...
Value of quality car headlights lauded
Wednesday, 21 December 2011 by Paul Smithson
The importance of having quality headlights on a car has been discussed by an expert, who said they can save lives.
Dominiek Plancke, general manager of automotive at Philips Lighting, told BBC News that the brightness of the lights used by vehicles could have a major impact on how safely a person drives.
He said: "If you don't see correctly, then other aspects of ...
Saab demise could mean good deals for car buyers
Tuesday, 20 December 2011 by Chris Taylor
Used car buyers could see an influx of Saab motors on the market after its owners filed for bankruptcy yesterday.
Attempts to sell on the Swedish Automobile asset were unsuccessful after Saab's previous owner, General Motors (GM), turned down the chance to save the ailing brand at the weekend, reports MSN News.
However, the demise of Saab could mean that the used car ...
Classic car market has held up well in 2011
Monday, 19 December 2011 by Paul Smithson
The market for classic cars has remained strong in 2011, it has been claimed.
Speaking to the Shropshire Star, industry expert James Dennison explained that buyers have perhaps become slightly more choosy; with condition and provenance vital factors when it comes to selling a car.
He described how "good or historically interesting" automobiles are seeing the most demand, ...
142 driving regulations to be scrapped
Thursday, 15 December 2011 by Elizabeth Smythe
The Department for Transport's Road Transport Red Tape Challenge has recommended the scrapping of over 100 motoring regulations, Fresh Business Thinking reports.
As a result of this government-wide initiative to review and cut unnecessary, burdensome rules, car buyers could find their lives made much easier.
In total, 142 regulations are to be scrapped or tweaked, ...
OFT to investigate car insurance price rises
Wednesday, 14 December 2011 by Joe Elvin
The rising cost of car insurance is to be investigated by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).
Staff at the consumer protection body are keen to find out what insurance premiums have risen so sharply over the last 12 years.
According to BBC News, it is suspected that third-party vehicle repair companies and vehicle replacement providers are not being allowed ...
Toyota Landcruiser has top residual value
Wednesday, 14 December 2011 by Joe Elvin
The Toyota Landcruiser has topped a list of cars which retain the most value after being used.
According to research by industry experts CAP, the 2.0 litre D-4D Invincible Automatic commands up to 72.2 per cent of its original value when sold second hand - more than any other UK vehicle.
Rac.co.uk reports that versions of the Ford Kuga, Audi Q5 and Porsche Cayenne ...
'Dukes of Hazzard' car to sell at auction
Wednesday, 14 December 2011 by Elizabeth Smythe
The last 'Dukes of Hazzard' stunt car will go up for auction, with its dents included, Mail Online reports.
It was the iconic television show that fuelled many a young boy's dreams of of high speed, dusty car chases and of Daisy Duke to welcome them home. Now, the last remaining 'Dukes of Hazzard' stunt car is being sold.
The instantly-recognisable 1969 Dodge Charger is ...
Lotus city car to cost £29,000
Tuesday, 13 December 2011 by Elizabeth Smythe
Lotus has revealed its new electric city car, scheduled for 2015, will be priced from £29,000, according to Auto Express.
Car buyers thinking about down-sizing their current vehicle without compromising on style, performance and sheer jealousy-provocation might like to consider the yet-unnamed 'baby Lotus' - which is due to hit the market in the next three ...
Car sales beginning to move online
Tuesday, 13 December 2011 by David Howells
Cars are being bought and sold on the internet more regularly than ever before, motortrader.com reports.
Currently, it is thought that around 15 per cent of used cars are being sold to dealers online, although this is expected to rise to 30 per cent over the next five years.
With the used car market buoyant and new car sales witnessing something of a decline, more ...
Bentley Continental V8 boasts improved fuel economy
Monday, 12 December 2011 by Paul Smithson
The new Bentley Continental V8 looks set to boast much improved fuel economy, reports Auto Express.
Luxury car buyers are now able to see what the vehicle looks like after the manufacturer unveiled pictures of the GT coupe and GTC convertible editions of the model.
The engine was developed alongside Audi and sees four of its eight cylinders shutting down when the car is ...
Ferrari celebrates F1 wins with new edition car
Friday, 9 December 2011 by Elizabeth Smythe
Ferrari has unveiled its special edition 599 GTB '60F1', reports Top Gear.
If you're about to sell your car for cash, the dream replacement vehicle could well be the brand new offering from Italian car master-craftsmen Ferrari - which has commemorated 60 years of Formula One wins, hence the name.
Employing the stiffer 599 HGTE chassis - which is considered to ...
New car market slumps for second year
Friday, 9 December 2011 by David Howells
Car buyers looking to make a purchase in 2012 may turn to the second hand market, reports suggest.
New research by market forecasters PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has claimed that many motorists are expecting the UK to fall back into a secondary recession in 2012, which will affect their purchasing habits.
As a result, the forecast for the new car market next year estimates sales ...
Height can be major factor when buying used cars
Thursday, 8 December 2011 by Paul Smithson
The height of a driver can be an important consideration when deciding which second-hand car to buy, reports The Telegraph.
While people of average - or close to average - height may not need to worry about such issues, it has the potential to be a pivotal factor for used car buyers who fall outside the norm.
Llyn Frost, who is five foot tall, told the ...
Used hatchbacks rise in popularity whilst 4x4s fall
Thursday, 8 December 2011 by David Howells
Demand for second-hand hatchbacks rose in November, whilst 4x4s saw a decline, fleetnews.co.uk reports.
Reports have shown that those selling a car this winter could get a better price for it than usual, with values growing at a time when they usually shrink. Now, independent research has shown that small hatchbacks are growing in popularity, whilst demand for 4x4s slowed, ...
Dietrich's Phantom goes up for auction
Wednesday, 7 December 2011 by Elizabeth Smythe
A green 1929 Phantom I Rolls Royce given to actress Marlene Dietrich is set to reach £350,000 when it goes up for sale at auction next month, writes Mail Online.
The vintage sedan was gifted to the screen legend by her bosses at Paramount Studios in 1930, after she moved from Germany to the USA. It was hoped the car would help Dietrich "settle in to Hollywood ...
Second-hand Veyron sells for £800,000
Wednesday, 7 December 2011 by Joe Elvin
A property developer in Leeds sold his Bugatti Veyron for £800,000 after admitting he was scared to leave the vehicle unattended.
James Fleming, who has owned around 250 luxury cars in his lifetime, claimed that the car was his pride and joy but he was forever living in fear of it being damaged by jealous vandals.
Fleming recently had the keys to the Veyron and a few ...
Car values buck trend to rise in November
Tuesday, 6 December 2011 by David Howells
Motorists looking at selling a car could end up getting more money than they expect, as second-hand car values are rising, cardealermagazine.co.uk reports.
Whilst the Christmas period typically sees a decline in car values, this year figures have risen - with demand boosting values by as much as four per cent.
Research by BCA found that in November this year, ...
Black is the colour of choice for most used car buyers
Friday, 2 December 2011 by Joe Elvin
More black used cars were sold in the UK last year than any other colour, according to new research.
A study by creditplus.co.uk has revealed that almost a third of second-hand cars bought in the last twelve months were black, making it by far the most popular colour for used car buyers.
Silver cars - which had been the most popular colour for the last three years - remained ...
Youngsters searching for bargains on first car
Friday, 2 December 2011 by Joe Elvin
Young Brits are spending an average of just £500 on their first car, according to new research.
A survey of almost 2,000 car buyers by voucher website MyVoucherCodes revealed that a large proportion of those aged 18 - 30 are splashing out more for their first TV than their first car. Those questioned were spending an average of £700 on their first ...
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