Exports drive up UK car making
17 May 2012 Strong demand for British-built cars abroad has resulted in UK production in April outstripping the number made a year ago by nearly 10 per cent.Traders say the new figures show that the UK - where almost 500,000 cars were built in the first four months of this year, more than four-fifths for export - is still one of the most competitive countries for manufacturers of cars, engines and commercial vehicles.The figures show that 94,352 cars...
Read More...Rare Aston Martins go under hammer
17 May 2012 Some of the rarest Aston Martins ever produced are to go under the hammer at a special auction in the luxury carmaker's home town, according to reports.On May 19 auction specialist Bonhams will offer 50 of the most sought after Aston Martins ever made for bidders to fight over, including some cars with particularly unusual histories.Lot 205 is a 1971 DBS estate, and is the only version of the car ever made. The unique vehicle, which was...
Read More...Investment boost for Vauxhall plant
17 May 2012 The UK motor industry has received a massive boost with the news that Vauxhall's Merseyside plant will build the next generation of the Astra model.It comes after workers at the firm's Ellesmere Port site voted overwhelmingly in favour of a new pay and conditions deal. Unite union members at the plant backed the new terms by 94% after several days of voting. The decision to build the Astra in the UK could boost demand for Vauxhall models,...
Read More...Bypass in Devon gets the go-ahead
16 May 2012 The construction of the Kingskerswell bypass in Devon has been given the green light after the Government approved funding for the project.Costing a total of £109.2 million, the new dual carriageway bypass will stretch more than three miles, linking Newton Abbott and Torbay. It will also include a flyover section at Penn Inn.Transport secretary Justine Greening said: "The people of Kingskerswell will no longer have to put up with endless...
Read More...Fuel costs ‘may reduce driving’
16 May 2012 Many motorists in Britain are considering giving up driving to counteract the increasing costs of running a vehicle. According to research by Glass.co.uk, a car valuation company, 85% of drivers could adopt a different way of living, while 38% may contemplate giving up driving if prices continue to rise at the same level as they have done in the last 12 months. A staggering 75% of the 2,000 drivers asked said that fuel prices were "out of...
Read More...UK vehicle production is booming
16 May 2012 Vehicle production on British shores is booming with news that the UK exported £6.1 billion worth of cars over the first three months of the year.Figures from the Office for National Statistics reveal this exceeded the value of imports by £561 million - a 20% rise on the previous quarter.Exports to non-EU countries - up 28.5% - was one of the main factors for this increase, with the US, China and Russia exhibiting high demand.The...
Read More...‘Wrong fuel’ put in police cars
15 May 2012 Police have spent over £60,000 on fixing police cars which have been filled with an incorrect type of fuel. The most spent by any force was by Strathclyde, Scotland's biggest force, which spent more than £22,000 in five years. There were 185 occasions when its cars were filled with the wrong fuel. Fife Constabulary were responsible for costlier individual mishaps, with two incidents in 2008 costing over £5,000 each to repair. The...
Read More...Dealers miss out on credit sales
15 May 2012 Car sellers are shifting more cars than ever with extended loan deals, but new research suggests that poor planning could be causing them to lose business.In data provided by the Finance and Leasing Association, the proportion of buyers who take on a new car on a credit deal has hit record highs of 65%, meaning two in three people prefer not to pay up front for a new vehicle.However, information from a separate survey by management firm...
Read More...Learner driver age could be lowered
15 May 2012 Northern Ireland's Environment Minister has proposed changes which could lead to a reduction of the age limit for learner drivers by one year to 16.Those who are starting to learn to drive may also be permitted to hit the motorways for the first time if proposals by Alex Attwood, a member of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), are accepted.According to Mr Attwood, it is vital that learner drivers get accustomed to driving at the...
Read More...Expert issues country driving tips
14 May 2012 Motorists have been urged to take extra care when driving on rural roads in the countryside.Driver training specialist IAM Drive Survive wants to promote a safe approach to driving and has issued guidance from its head of training, Simon Elstow.Talking about driving in the countryside, Mr Elstow has warned drivers to be aware that vulnerable road users, including cyclists and horses, are more likely to use rural roads and to give them...
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