At first you may not see a similarity between San Francisco and Barry, South Wales but I’ve found a connection, they are both good places to test the Ford Mustang GT. With its burbling 5.0V8 underfoot the roadtest takes on a new aural significance and the Welsh town’s steeply sloping streets horizontally split by connecting roads are reminiscent of the dramatic backdrop for the film Bullitt and … [Read more...]
Newslines 26 November
Car sales in Europe will grow for the sixth year and be the highest in the last decade. VW leads from Renault and Ford, according to statistics analysed by Focus2Move and diesel is sliding while petrol is growing along with electric and hybrids. Academics and engineers are joining to trial pothole monitors in council, pubic service and taxis vehicles in Wales. Using GPS and … [Read more...]
Newslines 15 November
The new Mazda CX30 from £22,895 is the safest family car you can buy, according to the latest Euro NCAP crash tests. It produced a near perfect 99% score for adult occupant protection, slightly better than the MB GLB and Ford Explorer and a star above the new Vauxhall Corsa. Land Rover puts fans inside the New Defender on the set of No Time To Die, the 25th official James Bond film, in a … [Read more...]
Used cars sales rebound
The SMMT said used car sales rose 0.9% in Q3 after nine quarters of decline. Some 2,076,382 transactions took place between July and September, 18,925 more than the same period in 2018. Demand for diesel models was up 1.4% in the quarter with 858,442 changing hands, while petrol sales were flat with a slight drop of -0.2%. Plug-in electric and hybrid models showed a solid increase of 13.0%, … [Read more...]
Tradelines 13 November
Nissan profits have collapsed by 70% in three months. It made $278M to the end of September with retail sales down 7.5% globally, European registrations slid 23% but sales showed a steadying picture in America. JLR is looking for partners to share new technology and other costs, say media reports. BMW and Zhejiang Geely are mentioned but others may be approached to assist market improvements in … [Read more...]
Jeff Churchill – perennial privateer underdog
One of the most talented amateur rally drivers in Wales, Jeff Churchill, has died aged 76, writes Ken Davies. Often described as the Welsh Roger Clark in the 1960s and 70s, Jeff was a prolific competition driver from the moment he competed in his first event, showing a prodigious and versatile talent behind the wheel, but although he tried road rallies, he was far happier on gravel. Born in … [Read more...]
Newslines 15 October
Over 50 BMW models, two from Rolls-Royce and a Toyota Supra are among 257,473 new cars recalled by US safety experts. All have been fitted since 2018 with a reversing camera which may not show any image due to a fault in the system settings, although the camera is working. As part of Vauxhall’s ongoing commitment to reduce CO2 emissions, the manufacturer has revealed information on the … [Read more...]
Electric & premium brands’ car sales soaring
Brits are going bonkers for battery powered cars. September sales figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders show a staggering 236.4% increase in pure electric models registered, albeit from a low point 12 months earlier. But their sales would have been higher if manufacturers had supplied more and there is now a long waiting list for the lowest carbon emissions … [Read more...]
Newslines 27 September
Welsh Conservatives have called on Welsh Government to immediately cut delays, overcrowding and mismanagement of the rail network. Shadow minister for Transport Russell George said users wanted action now and not a policy which was looking 20 years ahead while ignoring issues hitting the services today and was responding to a Welsh Government report on the future of rail travel in Wales and … [Read more...]
Car makers rising concerns over Brexit
European Union car-makers have joined forces to warn of billions of euros in losses in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Groups including the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, the European Association of Automotive Suppliers and 17 national bodies warned of the impact of “no-deal” and the effect on 13.8 million people in the European Union including Britain. Last week, it was said … [Read more...]