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Gemini drivers most likely to crash

2008-10-01T19:37:00.001+01:00

Gemini drivers are more likely to be involved in a car accident than any other star sign, according to new research.

The study by accident management company Accident Exchange analysed 115,000 accidents.

Gemini drivers, born between May 22 and June 21 and known for their impatience, made up nearly 9% of all claims handled by the company.

Taureans, commonly thought to have stubborn temperaments, were ranked second, making up 8.84% of all drivers, with adventurous Arians third, accounting for 8.66% of the total.

The three most accident-prone star signs are from consecutive months of the year, suggesting drivers born between March and June are most at risk in their vehicles.

In contrast, quick-minded Scorpions and curious Sagittarians were the least likely to be involved in a vehicle collision, making up only 7.7% each of drivers involved in accidents.

Several celebrity drivers involved in recent motoring accidents back up the research. These include Courtney Cox (Gemini), Morgan Freeman (Gemini), Shia LeBeouf (Gemini), George Clooney (Taurus) and Jerry Seinfeld (Taurus).

Work parking space charges under attack

2008-10-01T19:36:00.004+01:00

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) is backing a campaign to stop local councils charging employers for providing parking spaces.

Nottingham City Council is currently awaiting approval from the Department for Transport to impose a Workplace Parking Levy (WPL). Under the scheme, any employer that provides more than 10 workplace parking spaces would be charged £185 per space per year, rising to £350 in four years.

The CBI has backed the STOP the Workplace Parking Levy campaign amid fears that if the Nottingham scheme gets the go-ahead it will be spread nationwide.

The Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce has also attacked the plan. Chief executive George Cowcher said: 'It’s clear that a precedent might be set and, if it is, businesses across the country will have to dig deep in their pockets to pay the levy.

'Nottingham’s so-called blueprint for future transport income generation will cost jobs and it will force businesses to rethink their situations. It’s a tax on jobs and competitiveness.'

Motorist on 'trumped-up' charge

2008-10-01T19:36:00.002+01:00

A motorist has been charged with assaulting a police officer by breaking wind and then fanning it at police patrolman.

Jose Cruz, was taken to a police station in West Virginia for a breathalyser test.

Police claim Cruz moved towards the officer 'lifted his leg and passed gas loudly. The gas was very odorous and created contact of an insulting or provoking nature.'

In his defence Cruz said: 'I couldn't hold it no more.'

Cruz was accused of battery on a police officer although prosecutors have since asked for the charge against Cruz to be dropped. He still faces charges on four traffic offences.

Lose your licence if you speed twice

2008-10-01T19:35:00.001+01:00

Drivers will be banned after two convictions if they exceed the speed limit by 15mph in urban areas or 25mph on motorways, under a shake-up of road safety laws anticipated next month.

Currently drivers caught speeding receive three penalty points on their licence. However, the new rules will see penalties gradually increase the greater the speed the driver is clocked at.

It means, for example, that drivers will get six points on their licence if they are caught travelling at 45mph in a 30 mph zone, 55mph in a 40 mph zone or 95mph on motorways.

Simultaneously, the Department for Transport will also announce proposals for tougher drink-driving rules and the implementation of a £60 on-the-spot fine for careless drivers. Legislation will also be tightened on drug-driving.

All of the proposals will have to be ratified before becoming law.

Honda and Toyota's reputation greenest

2008-10-01T19:34:00.001+01:00

Honda and Toyota have the best reputation as green car makers, according to a new survey.

Both scored almost three times as many positive mentions as their closest rivals, Lexus and Ford.

The poll of 2665 people by the Newspaper Marketing Agency (NMA) also found that two in three would happily change their car to reduce their emissions, while 51% were prepared to pay more for low-emission technology.

More than four out of five (83%) agreed that fuel economy was more important than high performance.

However, many remain confused by the jargon of greener living. More than a quarter of respondents had only a vague, or no, idea of what a carbon footprint was.

Around 20% did not understand the term 'greenhouse gases', and a similar number were confused by 'fuel efficiency' and 'CO2 emissions'.

MG production resumes

2008-08-06T13:12:00.000+01:00

Full-scale production at MG's iconic Longbridge plant has resumed today.

Just 500 LE500 cars, based on a refreshed version of the old MG TF that was first produced in 1995, will be built. They are priced from £16,399.

The LE500 is powered by a 133bhp 1.8-litre petrol engine. It averages 35.8mpg and emits 185g/km of CO2.

It has rear parking sensors, air-con, an MP3-compatible CD, a body-coloured hardtop and leather sports seats.

MG's Chinese owners, SAIC, claims to have already sold 70 per cent of the 500 cars being built, and say that other variants will follow later in the year.

The first LE500s will be delivered to customers in September.

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Bangers more likely to get nicked

2008-08-06T13:10:00.001+01:00

Older cars between 15-17 years old are almost twice as likely to be stolen as newer vehicles, according to research by insurer Norwich Union.

Company officials say the majority of claims it deals with are for cars worth less than £5000, and the bias towards older vehicles is because opportunist thieves are far more likely to target a car without an immobilizer or modern security system.

They also say that many car thieves don't steal to resell the cars, but merely because they need short-term transport, often to get home after a night out. As a result, they will target older cars which are easy to get into and start.

Data also showed that thefts are 25% more likely in December and January - probably due to the long hours of darkness - and diesel cars are 16% more likely to be stolen.

Cars parked on-street are 17% more likely to be stolen than a car on a driveway.

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Porsche Power

2008-08-06T13:09:00.000+01:00

Porsche has launched a more powerful version of its Cayman coupe.

Called the S Sport, the new range-topper's 3.4-litre engine puts out 303bhp. That's 8bhp more than the Cayman S, and 58bhp more than the standard Cayman.

The new model should be able to handle the power, with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) as standard. Bi-xenon headlamps, sports seats in leather and a sports exhaust are also included in the price.

The S Sport is available in different colours to the standard car, including the striking orange and green colour schemes seen on the 911 GT3 RS. The black painted alloy wheels, door mirrors and air intakes also differentiate the S Sport from the other Cayman models.

On the inside, the steering wheel, gearshift and handbrake lever are finished in Alcantara, and there’s a numbered plaque on the glovebox.

Just 700 Cayman S Sports will be built, with UK sales starting on September 13. Prices start from £49,890

Numbers up at British Motor Show

2008-08-06T13:08:00.001+01:00

The British Motor show has been hailed as a great success by its organisers after revealing visitor numbers have increased on the inaugural event two years ago.

This year's show, which finished last Sunday, attracted 472,300 visitors, a 14% increase on the 2006 event at London's Excel.

There were 23 world debuts at the show, and 60 manufacturers exhibited 600 cars. As well as the metal on display, visitors could drive Mazdas on a handling circuit, go off-road in Land Rovers and listen to the likes of Alice Cooper and Blondie during evening rock concerts.

Show organisers say they are already preparing for the next show in 2010.

'No sooner has this show closed than we start planning the next one!' said the show's marketing director Kirsty Perkinson.

'We have had a terrific range of events and exhibitors this year, and we will have to work very hard to raise the stakes again in 2010, but we are ready for the challenge.'

Zero alcohol call for young drivers

2008-07-15T21:33:00.001+01:00

The legal blood alcohol limit should be cut to zero for drivers aged 17-20, according to Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer for England.

Sir Liam stated that although the move would be unpopular with young drivers, it would improve road safety for all motorists.

Current data shows that 14 youngsters die each week in car accidents in the UK.

The current legal limit in the UK is 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. This is higher than most European countries.

Last year, there were over 1000 drink-drive accidents involving teenagers. Transport accidents are a leading cause of death for teenagers.

Sir Liam told the BBC: 'Young people have enough difficulty when they first start driving. They don't need the complication of drink as well'.

Research shows that alcohol consumption increases the risk of a crash for young drivers two-and-a-half times more than it does for older drivers.

Sir Liam said that enforcing such a move would not need a major increase in policing and would be a 'sensible public heath measure'.

Swindon could scrap speed cameras

2008-07-15T21:32:00.000+01:00

Swindon Borough Council could stop paying for speed cameras because it says they might not be the best way to make roads safer.

Fines from the cameras, which cost the council about £400,000 a year to run, goes to central government, and the council believes there could be better ways to cut accidents.

The leader of the Tory-run council, Roderick Bluh, said: 'All of the fines that are collected go back through national government, so we don't get to reinvest them.

'Having done a lot of research, we believe that speed cameras might not be the most effective way to reduce accidents.'

Swindon council's head of transport, and fellow conservative councillor, said that cameras were 'a blatant tax on motorists' and are being 'used as a cash cow'.

'There are more important things we as a council should do instead of acting as a law-enforcement arm of this Government,' he added.

Swindon's move may be the first time that a council has challenged the Government on speed camera funding.

It comes after changes were introduced to speed camera rules, which meant the Treasury collects money from fines and then redistributes it to councils in road safety grants.

The changes were introduced in part to reduce the perception that cameras were sited only to raise money for councils and not to increase road safety.

New exam for pre-learner drivers on way

2008-06-23T23:22:00.001+01:00

Young drivers may soon have to take a new qualification before they can even get behind the wheel.

It's the latest part of the Government's national 'Learning to Drive' consultation, which is being handled by the Government's Driving Standards Agency (DSA).

Today, the DSA met with police officers, road safety experts and educationalists at the Scottish Qualifications Authority's (SQA) headquarters in Glasgow.

The DSA brought in the SQA because of its expertise in implementing educational material for young people aged between 14-16, and now a driver pre-qualification is almost a reality.

The Government it hoping the first elements will be launched in Scotland by the end of this year, and then in schools, colleges and youth training and apprenticeship colleges in the rest of the country.

From the 'Learning to Drive' consultation, the DSA is hoping to put forward new guidelines to reform the UK driving test.

Chinese fuel rise makes oil prices dip

2008-06-23T23:20:00.000+01:00

Oil prices have taken a dip at last after the Chinese government decided to raise the price of petrol and diesel by 18%.

China is the world's second-largest consumer of oil - its fast-growing economy and increasing demand for fuel had been one of the contributory factors in the recent hikes in oil prices.

Following the announcement, US crude oil prices fell by£4.02 to $132 (£67). However, it will be some considerable time before the benefits, if any, of the crude oil dip filter down to consumers in this country.

Petrol and diesel prices in this country are expected to rise further. Petrol is currently at an average of 118.4p for unleaded and 131.8p for diesel.

Seat calls family car 'Exeo'

2008-06-23T23:18:00.000+01:00

Seat's all new family car will be called the Exeo and will go on sale here next year.

The car is based on the outgoing Audi A4 chassis and will be available as a saloon and estate.

The Ford-Mondeo rival ditches Seat's current trend of naming its cars after places in Spain – think Ibiza, Leon, Altea and Toledo.

Exeo comes from the Latin 'exire', which means 'to go beyond' or 'to go further', says Seat.

According to Wikipedia, however, it means 'avoid'.

When we get our hands on the car, we'll let you know which translation is the more accurate.

Exciting New Developments

2008-03-03T20:50:00.003+01:00

In the 2 weeks we will be relaunching the Leasing Quote portal. Not only will the quotation process be quicker, simpliers and more informative we will offer more car information.

Currently we do not offer an car make or model information .... that is changing. You will be able to use Leasing Quote as a research tool, as we will provide car specification details, pricing and alot more.

Keep checking the site ....

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guaranteed contact hire

World's first air-powered car

2008-02-15T10:38:00.000+01:00

The world's first air-powered car could be on sale by the end of this year.

The French-designed engine is powered by compressed air. It has a range of 125 miles on a £1 charge, and a top speed of 67mph.

It is being put into a fibreglass-bodied car called the Mini-CAT or City Cat by Tata Motors company, and will be sold in India and around Europe later this year.

As there is no combustion, there are no emissions. In addition, the exhaust is cool enough to be used for the car's air-conditioning system.

However, it is currently unclear what crash test regulations the car has been built to.

Tata Motors has a history of building vehicles powered by gases: it has been selling compressed gas-powered buses since 2000.

Check your fuel level!

2008-02-15T10:36:00.001+01:00

Motorists are being urged to check their fuel level before setting off on a motorway journey, in order to make sure they don't put themselves in danger by stopping on the hard shoulder.

The Highways Agency campaign is being timed to coincide with the school half-term break in England, when there is usually a rise in the number of motorists running out of fuel.

In addition to the campaign, engineers are erecting yellow message signs at key points on motorways to remind drivers to top up.

Highways Agency workers will also visit motorway service areas to talk to drivers about the importance of journey planning, including having enough fuel to complete their travels, and being aware of where they can top up once they are out on the motorway network.

Warning to London car buyers

2008-02-15T10:34:00.000+01:00

Motorists who plan to drive within London's Congestion Charge zone are being urged to consider their new car purchases carefully in light of the forthcoming £25 fee for high-emitting vehicles.

The new charging scheme comes into force on October 27, with cars that emit more than 225g/km of carbon dioxide being hit with a £25 charge. Cars that emit 120-224g/km will pay £8 and those emitting less than 120g/km will have the fee waived.

However, new car buyers are being urged to check emissions figures carefully before buying to avoid being caught out.

For instance, a BMW X5 3.0sd SE 4x4, a BMW 335d SE and Jaguar XF 2.7D V6 Luxury would only attract the £8 fee.

In contrast, a Ford Galaxy 2.3 Ghia Auto MPV, Honda Accord 2.4 i-VTEC ES Tourer, Peugeot 407 SW 2.7 V6 HDi GT Auto or Vauxhall Zafira 2.0i 16v T Design MPV will all pay £25.

Non-Status Contract Hire

2007-07-24T11:01:00.000+01:00

We have recently updated our non-status contract hire pages, so please take a look and request a quote today.

If you have CCJ's, defaults or arrears then we can help !

Require a business lease ? New business, no credit history or CCJ's - request a quote.

Visit the non-status contract hire site now.

New smart website for Fiat

2007-07-17T09:28:00.000+01:00

Fiat has relaunched its UK website, which it says features a series of world firsts for a car website.

The site centres on a virtual showroom on top of the company's famous Lingotto building in Turin.

New features include a one-screen car configurator, where users can spec up their ideal Fiat on a single page.

A payment planner shows how customers can alter the deposit or monthly payments to find their ideal finance scheme.

The site also has forums and blogs and an Instant Messenger-style live chat facility where customers can 'talk' to Fiat customer services and advice guides accessed via your mobile phone.

Fiat makes no apologies for the flashy, video-led site - the site is built entirely for broadband users.

Get a Fiat car leasing quote by clicking here

SN07 number plates cancelled

2007-07-17T09:26:00.000+01:00

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) changed its entire number plate licensing policy earlier this year in case people were offended by the prefix SN07, which it was feared could be misread as SNOT.

All Scottish plates begin with an S, and SN07 had been due to follow SN56 for all cars registered in Edinburgh in March.

Fearing that SN07 could leave them open to a stream of gags, as well as putting off potential buyers, the DVLA instead issued plates that began with TN07.

'It is our policy that any registration mark that can be construed as being offensive to people will be suppressed,' said a DVLA spokesman.

'In this case, the SN07 marks would have been too similar to the word 'snot' and, as that could possibly offend some buyers, they were replaced with the new TN07 registrations.'

Guaranteed Contract Hire

2007-07-12T11:19:00.000+01:00

Do you have a poor or no credit history ?

Do you have CCJ's, arrears or late payments ?

Just started a business (less than 12 months ago) and require a company car ?

Visit our guaranteed contract hire pages and request an online quote.

Vauxhall launches new Agila

2007-07-12T11:18:00.000+01:00

Women are the target market for the 'trendy' new Vauxhall Agila unveiled this week.

Vauxhall says the new model, due to go sale in March, is aimed specifically at women car buyers looking for a practical, versatile and funky city runabout.

Cesare Prati, Vauxhall's European Marketing Director, said: 'The last car was not very chic - it was quite boxy and we wanted to design the sort of car that women would not be ashamed to drive.'

The five-door Agila shares the same platform as the Suzuki Swift and will be similar to the Suzuki Splash, which is also expected to go on sale in March.

The new model will be wider and longer than the current Agila but will have less headroom.

It will seat five and offer over 1000 litres of loading space with the rear seats folded down. The rear bench can be split 60/40.

Three engines will be available: a 65bhp 1.0-litre petrol, a 86bhp 1.2-litre petrol and a 75bhp 1.3-litre diesel. A four-speed automatic model will be offered, too.

The 1.0-litre and 1.3-litre models will emit less than 130g/km of carbon dioxide.

For safety, the Agila comes with front, side and curtain airbags.

Prices are expected to start at around £7500.

Summer traffic stresses out drivers

2007-07-12T11:16:00.000+01:00

The majority of drivers dread getting caught up in queues when the English summer holidays kick off in earnest next week, according to a whatcar.com poll.

With Britain's motorways and holiday destinations set to get clogged with traffic when English and Welsh schools break up (Scottish schools have already ended), drivers are being stressed out by the thought of having to queue for hours to reach their destinations.

Our poll revealed that 46% of motorists found traffic was the most stressful aspect of driving in summer.

A further 28% blamed other drivers for raising their stress levels and 21% blamed the heat - despite Britain being rain-swept in the past few weeks.

Just 5% of respondents said their children were to blame for raising their blood pressures.

Help is at hand for stressed-out motorists, however - next week, whatcar.com will launch our Summer Motoring Survival Guide.

Readers will have access to a comprehensive guide to beating motoring stress, including must-do pre-journey preparations, how to avoid congestion black spots, the best car games for kids and the ultimate guide to gadgets to while away long journeys.

BMW prices to increase

2007-02-19T20:10:00.001+01:00

BMW will increase its prices for most of its models in time for the 07-plate change in March.

On average, prices will rise by 1.4%. Our favourite 320d ES will increase by £240 to £24,235. The biggest percentage increase is for the 118d, which will go up by £850 to £18,735.

Prices for the 3 Series Convertible will remain unchanged.

Meanwhile, the 3 Series Convertible and Coupe models are now available in M Sport specification. M Sport models come with aerodynamic and suspension tweaks, 18-inch alloy wheels, sporty seats and leather and aluminium styling touches in the interior.

For the Coupe, prices start at £28,330 for the 320i M Sport - £2625 more than the 320 SE - rising to £37,745 for the 335d M Sport.The entry level 320i M Sport Convertible costs £33,255, while the range-topping 330d M Sport costs £39,325, £2555 more than the 330d SE.