New car registrations continued to improve in December and the market in Britain reached 1.61M, but still the lowest in three decades. The UK new car market recorded its fifth consecutive month of growth in December, with an 18.3% increase to reach 128,462 new registrations, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Hidden in the figures was the fact … [Read more...]
Retail News
Britons love Chinese drive away evs
China is becoming a major exporter of electric cars to Europe and Britain. Exports of electric vehicles from China more than doubled in November, creating a monthly record, mostly fueled by European automakers who have set up factories in the country. Car manufacturers in China exported $3.2 billion worth of electric vehicles in November, up 165 percent from a year ago to reach the highest-ever … [Read more...]
EV owners have back-up petrol or diesel models
Research from charge point mapping service Zap-Map has shown that around a third of EV owners also own a petrol or diesel vehicle. But its survey of over 4,300 EV drivers showed that, for more than 1,300 ‘dual fuel drivers’ who also have a petrol or diesel vehicle, electric is chosen for the vast majority of journeys. The type of journey electric is most likely to be favoured for is a local … [Read more...]
Tradelines 4 January
Mercedes-Benz is recalling over 123,600 models made between 2001 and 2011 to check and secure potentially faulty sunroofs sold in the USA. Nearly 80 mid-range models are included over the ten year period and any UK owners who have experienced sunroof issues should contact their local dealer for possible rectification free of charge. Germany's Rheinmetall has won an order worth more than a … [Read more...]
Production levels lifting at last
Though well-documented supply challenges continue to affect car production, pressure appears to be easing as manufacturers push to return to pre-pandemic levels, accoridng to Lisa Watson, director of sales at Close Brothers Motor Finance. Speaking after the latest UK car production figures were released for November, she went on, “Challenges such as the global chip shortage remain but are … [Read more...]
Newslines 2 January
J&J Motors of South Wales has collected prestigious British awards from Suzuki GB. Sussex based dealer Eastbourne Suzuki was crowned overall National Dealer of the Year while J&J Bridgend (above) provided the Best Customer Experience throughout the year and J&J Motors also received a 25 Years long service award for its Swansea based dealer and Gwyndaf Evans Motors of Dolgellau was … [Read more...]
New Year roadtest: Porsche Taycan 4S
For many pure petrol-heads, Porsche is the pinnacle of performance and a brand which has dominated endurance racing for decades. So the challenge of defending that reputation while moving into the new era of electrification means they have to come up with something special. And they have. The Porsche Taycan 4S is a thoroughly modern and environmental expression of the company’s awesome … [Read more...]
Christmas roadtest: Aston Martin DBX707
Quintessentially British Aston Martin has never shirked showing us something different and making heads turn and that’s very much the philosophy behind the flagship DBX707 SUV. Launching the marque’s new dedicated £250M factory at St Athan, 18 miles west of Cardiff, the DBX was the first SUV from this exclusive brand in 2020. It sought to redefine the rich-family friendly SUV sector … [Read more...]
Winter will drive up fuel costs
Poor fuel efficiency caused by cold weather over winter will cost car drivers an extra £1.7bn, new research by Go.Compare Car Insurance has revealed. All vehicles will require more energy to run during the colder months, leaving Brits with yet another extra expenditure during a period of rapid inflation and economic uncertainty. Many factors lead to vehicles being less energy efficient in colder … [Read more...]
Choosing wisely to keep down car costs
With petrol prices hitting record highs, driving is becoming a luxury Brits can no longer afford. The choice of car may be the reason for your higher monthly expenses. Fortunately, CarMats.co.uk has utilised its nationwide sales data to find out the 30 most popular UK cars and their costs to run. In first place for cheapest running costs was the Audi A1, which has the lowest average running … [Read more...]