It's the end of the road for the Ford Fiesta, the car maker announced this week. The highly popular baby Ford created in the wake of the early 1970s oil crisis to get Britons moving again will roll off the Cologne, Germany productions line for the last time next June, after 46 years of sales. But before then, the axe will also fall on the sibling Ford S-Max and Galaxy SUV and MPV models in … [Read more...]
Retail News
Audi in F1 from 2026
Audi will take a stake in Swiss-based Sauber Group, whose team will become the German car manufacturer's works entry in Formula One from 2026. Sauber has been involved in Formula One since 1993 and currently competes with Ferrari engines, under the name of Alfa Romeo, a Stellantis brand and this will continue for the next three seasons. From 2026 new engine and fuel rules come in allowing … [Read more...]
Grey fleets are showing up as the colour of money
A worrying trend is accelerating with companies and employees' cars. New HMRC data shows a marked fall in company car numbers of up to 80,000 cars and it means that grey fleets are growing quite rapidly and suggests more drivers decided to take a cash option during the pandemic, said Fleet Check managing director Peter Golding (below). If they are now using their own cars for business purposes … [Read more...]
Used parts cut costs and boost green targets
The head of one of Europe’s biggest insurers wants repaired and refurbished used parts replacing new equipment on electric vehicles as part of a wide ranging reform of ‘green’ working practices. Sustainable car insurance was the focus of the 10th Allianz Motor Day, an international event hosted by Allianz centred on electric mobility as a key lever for decarbonisation, as well as green claims … [Read more...]
Lexus RX 450h+ raises the stakes
The pleasures of owning a large luxury SUV are well-established: you choose a vehicle that can carry several passengers in great comfort over long distances, with all the space you need for luggage or leisure equipment. The cabin environment is perfectly controlled; the in-car entertainment and connectivity are seamless; and you can trust in the latest generation of safety features. Today, … [Read more...]
Young Driver takes to the electric road
Did 1930’s safety experts have the right idea when it came to helping youngsters to be better drivers? One company certainly thinks so and it’s even designed and produced the first all-British electric vehicle – which so happens to be for children – to prove it. Back in 1938, the Atco SafetyFirst Trainer was created as part of a Government-backed initiative to reduce road deaths … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Honda Civic e:HEV
Sometimes we look forward to long journeys with trepidation and other times with anticipation, and it was definitley the latter in the Honda Civic e:HEV. Briefly tested and impressed a few weeks earlier, a 320 miles round trip in a few hours was going to be confirmation of our initial impression or realisation we had got it wrong then. We need not have worried, of course. The latest Honda Civic … [Read more...]
Myths of the misty months
With colder weather starting to creep in, and the clocks going back this month, many motorists may be starting to think about how they plan to adjust to the often conditions that accompany the Autumn and Winter months. Often, knowledge of cars and automotive processes are passed on from friends and family members, but how can you be sure of the accuracy of second hand information? Below, the … [Read more...]
Newslines 21 October
After much anticipation, Consumers can now get a glimpse of the world’s first car-powered hotel, as Hotel Hyundai opens its doors, offering the most unique off grid experience of 2022. In the Essex hotel, everything is powered by IONIQ 5 and its Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) technology. The European Parliament has backed electric car charging targets that, if accepted by governments, would ensure that … [Read more...]
Welsh family car dealership’ profits soar
West Wales family garage group Gravell’s saw its profits rise to almost £5m in 2021, accounts have shown. Documents in Companies House show its turnover rose by almost £20m to reach an impressive £96.3m compared to £76.5m in the previous year. Some £85.8m came from vehicle sales with parts and service sales adding £6.6m while a further £3.9m came from other sales such as finance … [Read more...]