<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<rss version="2.0" 
    xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
    xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
    xmlns:admin="http://webns.net/mvcb/"
    xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#"
    xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd">
	<channel>
<title>DriveBlog</title><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/index.html</link><description>Topical motoring news and view</description><dc:language>en</dc:language><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><dc:rights>Scotiaweb</dc:rights><dc:date>2008-08-21T13:35:25+01:00</dc:date><admin:generatorAgent rdf:resource="http://www.realmacsoftware.com/" />
<admin:errorReportsTo rdf:resource="mailto:driver@driveblog.co.uk" /><sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
<sy:updateBase>2000-01-01T12:00+00:00</sy:updateBase>
<lastBuildDate>Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:56:11 +0100</lastBuildDate><item><title>Mercedes CLC targets a younger&#x2c; sportier market</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Road Test</category><dc:date>2008-08-21T13:35:25+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/310a436cfa59860a1c28b6e88b07de3e-104.html#unique-entry-id-104</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/310a436cfa59860a1c28b6e88b07de3e-104.html#unique-entry-id-104</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The result is a neat and appealing design that is unmistakably a Mercedes-Benz, but which also projects a youthful, sporting coup&eacute; style. ...  It's as if some key men from BMW had escaped in the dead of night and gone down the road to the Mercedes-Benz HQ in Stuttgart. 


...But after that initial surprise, you find that weight varies according to the conditions and I felt it struck just the right balance. 

...With its 150 bhp  2.1-litre diesel engine mated to the optional five-speed automatic this was never going to be the high performance option in the range. 

...Unusually the automatic version is credited as being two-tenths of a second quicker on this dash, but it doesn't produce as good a fuel consumption as the manual.   However, having tried to juggle hill starts in the past on a manual car with a foot-operated parking brake, I would say the auto box is one option you really should tick straight away.


...Whereas many Mercedes-Benz cars that I have driven in the past have excelled on motorways, but felt not so much at ease on twisty by-ways, the CLC absolutely loves B roads.   A large part of this is down to that nicely weighted steering that offers precise positioning on the road, feels good and complements the inherent rear-wheel-drive balance. 

...Space for passengers is good in the front and, thanks to a double folding seat base, access to the rear seats is easier than on many other coup&eacute;s. 

...I have already stated my lack of love for the foot-operated parking brakes so beloved on the other side of the Atlantic and in the product design corridors of Stuttgart. ...  The final quibble is that I  would rather have the more conventional back and forward manual shift movement on the gear selector &ndash; or, better still &ndash; racing-style paddles behind the steering wheel. 


...At &pound;22,260 (or &pound;23,310 with the automatic gearbox) it is also quite competitively priced at just &pound;400 more than one of its most obvious competitors &ndash; the BMW 120d Coupe. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Honda&#x27;s low profile executive saloon</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Road Test</category><dc:date>2008-08-14T14:09:04+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/7889dbd6d8e6db412cc5fb89bb734982-103.html#unique-entry-id-103</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/7889dbd6d8e6db412cc5fb89bb734982-103.html#unique-entry-id-103</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It may be quite high-profile in markets like the United States, but there it bears the Acura badge of Honda's US prestige brand.   In this country it is badged as a Honda and is somewhat eclipsed by Honda's more high-profile small and medium-sized hatchbacks and SUVs.


You immediately know this is a Japanese car as you walk up to it and see the SH-AWD badge on the back. ...  As if that rather brash fascination with acronym badges wasn't enough of a clue, when you jump into the Legend Japanese fascination with chimes assails your ears with an insistent "bong, bong, bong..." to remind you of something. 

...It may not have an Audi, BMW, Jaguar or Mercedes badge on it, but the Honda Legend certainly has the credentials to earn its place alongside them on any list of executive sports saloons. 

...Honda are particularly proud of the technology fitted to the test Honda Legend, thoughtfully supplying a small book to explain the A-Z of its "warm technology" (as opposed to "cold technology"?). ...  It turns out that it is an active four-wheel-drive system that apportions power to the wheels based on the current conditions and information from the engine management system.


...It reads the lane markings and, if you start to veer out of lane (as you might do if tired, for example) without using the indicators, then it will alert the driver and, if there is no reaction, it will start to correct the steering. 


...Given that a third of all accidents in the UK are caused by drivers not looking properly, systems like this will surely be a considerable benefit if the cost can come down to the point where more cars are similarly protected. 


...But, when you want quicker responses, there is an eager kick down that will have the car holding its five gears for longer as it zips up to speed with a wonderfully urgent engine note.   On more twisty country roads, I found the best progress came from flicking the selector across to manual where you can use the steering wheel paddles to select gear. 

...It feels precise and responsive and, combined with the balance of the four-wheel-drive, it makes this a car that seems to shrink around the driver, proving remarkably nimble. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Report admits obstructing traffic was policy&#x2c; says ABD</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Politics</category><dc:date>2008-08-13T17:22:36+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/9c90b6c46818b9cb313e19e63df583f6-102.html#unique-entry-id-102</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/9c90b6c46818b9cb313e19e63df583f6-102.html#unique-entry-id-102</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The latest report from Transport for London states that despite 70,000 fewer cars a day entering the central zone and 30,000 fewer in the Western Extension, congestion in both of these areas is every bit as bad as it was before the charge was introduced, according to the Association of British Drivers.


Although some of this is down to road works, the ABD say the report "admits that many traffic lights and other road schemes have reduced road and junction capacity, and publicly confirms what previously was only admitted behind closed doors - that obstructing traffic was a deliberate policy".


"This latest report on the London congestion charge demonstrates the fundamental dishonesty of all road pricing proposals," said the ABD's Nigel Humphries.   "They claim that by paying even more money to use the roads, drivers will benefit from lower congestion. ...  They just increase the number of traffic lights and reduce the road space available until drivers are just paying through the nose to sit in the same jams as before."


...	1	A major programme of investment in trunk roads and junctions to remove conflict between heavy traffic and vulnerable road users by means of underpasses and pedestrian/cyclist bridges/tunnels.   All money from the congestion charge should be ringfenced to pay for such schemes which benefit all road users equally and reduce danger and stress for all. 

...This means no bus lanes through junctions or across pelican crossings, which halve the amount of traffic that can pass when there are no buses or taxis on the road.


	3	Removal of at least 20% of the traffic lights in central London by identifying those which do nothing but obstruct traffic flow.


...These are ill named as they really are "backward" stop lines for motorists and reduce the capacity of light controlled junctions irrespective of whether any cyclists are there.   Forward stop lines for bikes should be just that - in front of the normal stop line - and should not place cyclists in front of the traffic.


	6	Reversal of ruinous schemes like Trafalgar Square which reduce road capacity and create huge jams, mostly comprising buses and taxis.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>First pictures of the new Aston Martin One-77</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2008-08-08T13:37:43+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/66a5ace2183fd2267993c17dcbb12d58-100.html#unique-entry-id-100</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/66a5ace2183fd2267993c17dcbb12d58-100.html#unique-entry-id-100</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Aston Martin has released the first photo of the new One-77, which they describe as "the ultimate creative interpretation of the renowned British marque".


Based on a carbon fibre chassis with a handcrafted aluminium body, the One-77 7.0 litre V12 super car only a strictly limited number are planned.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Ford finally launches into small SUV market</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Road Test</category><dc:date>2008-08-07T19:04:08+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/de1cd4ead2d99496713bceb66eb9ca50-99.html#unique-entry-id-99</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/de1cd4ead2d99496713bceb66eb9ca50-99.html#unique-entry-id-99</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Imagine a Ford Focus on stilts and you get the basic idea of the Ford Kuga, the blue oval's belated entry in to the small sports utility vehicle (SUV) market.   Ford say it combines element os an estate car, an SUV (so far so good) and a coup&eacute; (umm, let me think about that last one.


...The Kuga has just gone on sale in the UK and, for those of us used to the almost bewildering range of models, engine sizes and trim levels for models like the Focus, the Kuga comes as something of a surprise. 

...To modify Henry Ford's famous quote more than a little &ndash; you can have any engine you want, as long as it is the 2.0 TDCi. 

...The latter adds more toys to the already well equipped base model, for the extra &pound;2,000 you get a list of additional equipment.


...Normally it is front wheel drive, but up to half the power can be sent to the rear wheels when the clever sensors recognise the need. 


...As you would imagine for a vehicle that is based on the Ford Focus it is very much at home on road.   I must have sensitive ears, but I did find the diesel drone, every time you accelerate hard, a little tiresome and there is also a modicum of diesel vibration fed through the pedals. 

...The Kuga turns in very eagerly and as you tug the steering round tighter corners you are aware that this is a tall vehicle with a high centre of gravity. 

...There is generous room for driver and passenger in the front and with the upright tall stance of the car, the rear seats are also very comfortable and easily accessible for adults. 

...There is a big (and quite heavy) tailgate which, for the first time on a Ford, gives you the option of opening the whole tailgate, or just lifting the back window. 

...For every day family use, with the ability to tackle occasional off-road conditions or winter snow, the appeal of the Kuga is obvious. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>First view of new Volkswagen Golf</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2008-08-07T13:45:12+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/4bc9e8bfd5fc3216ef29a8f967d29ee3-101.html#unique-entry-id-101</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/4bc9e8bfd5fc3216ef29a8f967d29ee3-101.html#unique-entry-id-101</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Five generations, 34 years and over 26 million vehicles after the original first went on sale, the sixth generation of the Golf has been unveiled.


Volkswagen say the new Golf will be the safest, most technically advanced and most dynamic Golf yet.    They also claim it will set benchmarks in quality, style, safety and the reduction of emissions.


"This sixth generation of Golf cars will completely redefine the quality and comfort level of its class over broad categories," says Prof. 

...The front of the new car blends traditional Golf design cues with a similar look to the new design direction established by the Scirocco.  


Stung a little by criticism about the quality exuded by the materials in the current golf, Volkswagen have paid particular attend to to the new Golf and claim to have adopted "materials and equipment usually associated with a vehicle in a higher segment". 


...The new Golf, which will go on sale in January 2009, will come with engines designed to produce better economy and lower emissions.   Notable among them is the 2.0-litre TDI 110 PS common rail diesel which produces just 119 g/km of CO2 while returning 62.7 mpg on the combined cycle.  


For the first time, Volkswagen&rsquo;s Adaptive Chassis Control (ACC) will be offered on the Golf.    This is available on the Passat CC and standard on the new Scirocco, and allows the driver to select from normal, comfort or sport modes to define the desired suspension, steering and accelerator response settings for any particular journey.


Automatic Distance Control is also offered, which monitors the area around the vehicle through a series of sensors and will, if necessary, reduce the vehicle&rsquo;s speed should an obstruction be identified.    In extreme cases the vehicle can be brought to a complete stop using the system.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>New Ford Ka out this Autumn</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2008-08-01T19:33:06+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/2ab0f2ec2df48541d241090a9b2e9aa2-98.html#unique-entry-id-98</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/2ab0f2ec2df48541d241090a9b2e9aa2-98.html#unique-entry-id-98</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Ford has released the first official pictures of the Ford Ka, which is to be launched at the 2008 Paris Motor Show this October. 


Twelve years after the original Ka was launched the new model is the result of an agreement between Fiat and Ford.   The new Ka uses the same structure as the Fiat 500 and will be produced in the same factory in Poland.   It will be interesting to see how they shape up together. 


Will the Fiat's retro looks win over Ford's much more modern style?


The Ford team say they have aimed for the same youthful and cheeky spirit as the original, with the same qualities &ndash; compact size, good looks, lively dynamics and fun personality.


The styling is based on Ford's current 'kinetic design' form language, with some visual cues to provide a connection to the original Ka.   But, Ford say, the distinctive face and chunky proportions give the new model has its own unique character.   Ford say the interior will feature bold contrasts and expressive colours to appeal to the more adventurous tastes of the typical Ka buyer.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Cuteness is more than skin deep</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Road Test</category><dc:date>2008-07-28T13:06:08+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/c8cc044ad4d8cdbed0382bd381f08f0b-97.html#unique-entry-id-97</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/c8cc044ad4d8cdbed0382bd381f08f0b-97.html#unique-entry-id-97</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Back in my college days, I remember how one of my fellow students fell for the charms of a second hand Fiat 500 which, even in those days was well past its prime. 

...On this particular occasion, the little Fiat displayed no intentions of starting and, frustrated by lack of success with my pokings and proddings, I asked her why, precisely, she had chosen to buy this particular car?


...Instead of a 500cc engine in the back, the present-day 500 has thoroughly modern 1.2, 1.3 or 1.4-litre petrol or diesel engines in the front. 


...It is actually more feasible than it looks and there is (just) enough headroom for an adult in there, although some hard bargaining would be needed with the front seat passengers to secure sufficient legroom. 


...There is a single instrument binnacle in front of the driver, which cleverly houses the speedometer round the outside, the rev counter on the next ring in and the minor gauges and warning light, digitally, in the centre.   A very minor quibble would be that (as with the Citroen C5) it is not so easy to read the speedometer when you can only see the tip of the needle. 


...This is a very small capacity for a diesel engine, so I had fears that its acceleration would be recorded in hours, not seconds. 

...At that rate, Aberdeen to London on a tank of fuel might just be possible - even with the small 35-litre fuel tank on the 500. 

...It is not just the engine noise that is minimal, the whole car is notably quiet and remarkably refined for such a small, economy car.   The ride is generally quite good for a small, short wheelbase car in this class, with just the occasional unruly thump from potholes or more aggressive road humps. 

...In the later category &ndash; appealing to the 500's younger target buyers &ndash; the Lounge models have Bluetooth handsfree system, voice recognition and a built-in digital audio player with USB port on the centre console.


...Even my test car, the Fiat 500 1.3 Multijet Lounge, at &pound;10,900, significantly undercuts the cheapest Mini. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>MiTo aims for style conscious young buyers</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2008-07-27T11:28:49+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/b12f63b3d1eb22108c913942226d3e48-96.html#unique-entry-id-96</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/b12f63b3d1eb22108c913942226d3e48-96.html#unique-entry-id-96</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Alfa Romeo's new small, sporty hatchback, the Alfa MiTo, makes its UK public debut at the current British Motor Show.   It is the first small Alfa hatch since the days of the much-loved Alfasud. 


The distinctive styling, picks up on traditional and current Alfa Romeo design cues and is clearly aimed at the style-conscious younger drivers who choose cars like the Mini (an obvious target) and the new Fiat 500.   Alfa Romeo are desperately keen to make comparisons with the style of the 8C Competizione.


It goes on sale in the UK in January 2009.   There are five engines to be offered at launch time - three petrol and two diesel.   The MiTo will be fitted with Alfa Romeo&rsquo;s D.N.A.  system (Dynamic &ndash; Normal - All weather) system, which acts on the engine, brakes, steering, suspension and gearbox to create the best set-up for different driving environments. 


For increased roadholding characteristics, the Alfa MiTo range features a host of driver aids, including ABS with EBD, VDC (vehicle dynamic control), ASR, CBC (cornering brake control), DST (dynamic steering torque) and HBA with Hill Holder.


On sale early next year, with pre-ordering beginning in October, prices for the Alfa MiTo start at &pound;10,975 OTR for the entry level 1.4 16V 95 bhp Turismo, and rise to &pound;14,975 for the 1.4 TB 155 bhp Veloce.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>How to save &#xa3;2 on your fuel bills</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2008-07-25T13:29:39+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/63728e5972343e2b600b47916bed28ad-95.html#unique-entry-id-95</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/63728e5972343e2b600b47916bed28ad-95.html#unique-entry-id-95</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Did you know you can save up to &pound;2 of fuel per week by simply reversing your car into a parking space, so you drive away forwards?   That's the amazing claim from the IAM Motoring Trust.


New data from the IAM Motoring Trust shows it takes an average five year old car a minute and a half for the engine to warm up and the most efficient way to warm it up is by driving it.   Reversing out of a space when the car's engine is cold uses around 20 to 25 times more petrol in the first few seconds than it does when warm.   If you do this 10 to 12 times a week that adds up to a cost of about &pound;100 a year, not to mention the increased wear on the car's engine. 


We can't all park like Russ Swift, so reverse parking means we don't waste fuel


Reverse parking is also usually safer and is advised in The Highway Code.   Reversing into somewhere you can see (a parking bay) rather than reversing out into somewhere you can't see (often a line of moving traffic) is much safer. 

 ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>British Motor Show has new model buzz</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2008-07-24T19:00:17+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/0835ce3b42e8f1c7f2b96f070aebca3f-94.html#unique-entry-id-94</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/0835ce3b42e8f1c7f2b96f070aebca3f-94.html#unique-entry-id-94</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In recent years, with its move to Birmingham and now back to London, the show has lost its shine.


Even this year there are companies missing from the manufacturers' line up &ndash; notably BMW and Audi.   However, there are a good number of new models to give the show some of the sparkle from the old days. 


...As with the Vectra the Insignia will be available in saloon and hatchback styles, to ensure that it has the widest possible market acceptance.


...The Insignia is so different from the Vectra that you can see why Vauxhall (and Opel in other European markets) wanted the car to have the fresh start of a new name.   Vauxhall describe the looks as coup&eacute; style and say that this has helped in achieving the very low aerodynamic coefficient of 0.27CD. 


...The Insignia will be in UK dealership late this year, with a range of five engines - three petrol and two diesel.   On the technology front, the Insignia follows the new BMW 7 Series with the option of a camera that can read road signs.   There is also an optional warning system should drivers veer off the road and a heated windscreen washer for those cold winter days.   Also of benefit to winter drivers will be the four-wheel-drive versions of the Insignia. 


The Lotus Evora is the first all-new Lotus since the iconic Elise made its debut in 1995. ...  During preliminary testing around the famous N&uuml;rburgring, the Lotus chassis engineers report that it is extremely agile and great fun to drive - even when clad with the full development disguise.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Have an Agila</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Road Test</category><dc:date>2008-07-16T18:42:53+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/581fa126f3b1c8add75a1c226762ec7a-93.html#unique-entry-id-93</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/581fa126f3b1c8add75a1c226762ec7a-93.html#unique-entry-id-93</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It's the result of the sort of deal that car manufacturers have been doing for years and all the more so now, given the huge costs of vehicle development.


...Vauxhall get a well-developed small car to bring in new customers, without having to commit to the huge development costs. 

...The test car had the 1.2-litre engine and, as you would expect, it doesn't have a lot of extra power to offer. 


With three adults on board, we all chuckled as the little Agila gradually increased speed on a steep incline &ndash; even with my foot making what must have been a huge dent in the pile of the carpet. ...  (Remember this was the 1.2-litre test car and that there is also a one-litre three cylinder Agila.)


I've actually always had a fondness for small engined cars since my impecunious days of running the smallest, most economical car as a student.   Small cars encourage you to make the most of what momentum you can achieve, keeping braking and harsh manoeuvring to a minimum. 


If you do that &ndash; and overcome the urge to plant your size nines on the loud pedal too hard - you will be rewarded with good mpg. 

...It is a small car and so you will occasionally bump elbows with your passenger - that is inevitable, but the space is good. 

...Yes, the boot is small, but there is enough space in there to take a decent overnight bag and a few odds and ends.


The price of the Vauxhall Agila starts at &pound;7,595, with my test car &ndash; the Agila Design 1.2 16v &ndash; coming in at &pound;9,810.   Given that it also drives rather well, the Agila is definitely worth adding to your short list when looking for a budget price small car.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Coulthard - &#x22;driving is a huge responsibility&#x22;</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2008-07-15T12:35:02+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/43c88667034fec9beee07e2e4e3450d9-92.html#unique-entry-id-92</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/43c88667034fec9beee07e2e4e3450d9-92.html#unique-entry-id-92</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Formula One Racing star David Coulthard may be leaving the Formula 1 circuit at the end of the year, but he is still maintaining a close interest in driving and using it to encourage young drivers to share their ideas to produce better, safer drivers. 


He is backing the government's campaign and four-month nationwide consultation tour in a bid to collect public thoughts on how to overhaul driver testing and training and make Britain's roads safer. 


...Although the number of people killed in road accidents fell by seven per cent between 2006 and 2007, 30,720 people were still killed or seriously injured on Britain's roads. 


"One in five deaths on British roads involves newly-qualified drivers," David points out.   "I was appalled to hear that the statistics are so high.   I know how much young people enjoy the freedom that driving brings, but it is also a huge responsibility that must be taken seriously. 

"Changing the way that people are taught to drive, and making the test more real, can only be of benefit," he continued.   "The Government has set out proposals to change this system - and now it's up to you to have your say.   We all use our roads in one way or another so it is important you register your view before the consultation closes." 

During the consultation the DSA aims to gather opinions on a range of proposals, including; 

...	&bull;	Providing more information to help choose a driving instructor 

...Remaining venues are Manchester July 15, Brighton July 21, Cardiff July 25, Newcastle July 29, Croydon August 12, Glasgow August 19, Inverness, August 28 and Exeter September 2. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>BMW&#x27;s new 7 Series goes hi tech</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2008-07-13T11:00:11+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/1e3c0c126f34e12101799dd9a26445a0-91.html#unique-entry-id-91</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/1e3c0c126f34e12101799dd9a26445a0-91.html#unique-entry-id-91</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[While the looks are less controversial than the Chris Bangle design of the fourth 7 Series, under the skin BMW has worked hard to create a car that will win back buyers. 

...All three engines offered at launch &ndash; one diesel and two petrol &ndash; produce more power, but use less fuel and produce less emissions than the models they replace.   The new 730d, the three-litre diesel which is likely to be the most popular, has the lowest CO2 emissions of any 7 Series with 192 g/km and 39.2 mpg. 

...Helping this environmental drive, the new 7 Series is the final model in the roll-out of BMW's Efficient Dynamics programme. 

...Linked to the iDrive display, BMW say this allows a driver to negotiate a partially obscured junction or drive through a gate with more confidence. 


...It analyses video data and can detect and alert the driver if it sees a pedestrian moving into the path of the vehicle.   Building on the lane change warning, the new 7 Series can also be fitted with a radar system that monitor the blind spots at the rear of the car, warning drivers of any vehicle in that zone, by displaying a triangle in the appropriate door mirror housing. 


Following the excellent set up I tried in the BMW M6, the new 7 Series can be specified with a head up display. 

...Things have been quiet since, but the new BMW 7 Series has the option of up to 3-degrees rear steer that is designed to help manoeuvrability and improve the composure and driving dynamics. 


...Customers can upload favourite music into an 8 GB hard drive, meaning that more than 100 albums can be stored on the system.   BMW ConnectedDrive offers a dedicated call centre, with concierge service, fault awareness and BMW Assist which automatically contacts the emergency service in the event of an accident. 


...This is very much a classic BMW design, but perhaps a little sharper to give it the modern, slightly edgy look.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Citroen &#x2013; France v Germany</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Road Test</category><dc:date>2008-07-11T13:31:09+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/e3758aacc15d4a14b514b703c421d9b4-90.html#unique-entry-id-90</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/e3758aacc15d4a14b514b703c421d9b4-90.html#unique-entry-id-90</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[From time to time manufacturers cast an envious eye at the reputation of Germany's finest prestige car manufacturers &ndash; Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz &ndash; and think to themselves 'we would like a slice of that'. 


I remember Subaru a few years ago trying to compare their Legacy with the BMW 5 Series, apparently oblivious to the gulf that there was in terms of quality &ndash; particularly in the interior.   Now Citroen &ndash; in rather more tongue in cheek style &ndash; are seeking a slice of the German cake with their new C5.


...Where the previous C5 was a hatchback, the new car is a saloon, because that's what the Audis, BMWs and Mercedes produce in their larger car sector.


While it doesn't look the slightest bit German, the C5 have sleek and attractive lines befitting a car with prestige aspirations, while displaying all the latest Citroen design cues. 

...My test car was the Citroen C5 2.7 HDi V6 Exclusive which comes with Citroen's legendary liquid-and-gas suspension, which is now dubbed Hydractive 3+ (lesser models come with more conventional suspension). 


With the Hydractive system the ride of the C5 is every bit as amazing as similarly-equipped Citroens I have driven in the past. 

...Pressing the sport button does firm the suspension a little, which still leaves an uncannily smooth ride quality, but injects a little more tautness into the set up. 

...It may seem unimportant for many drivers, but my point is that one of the attributes that attracts people to the German marques (that the C5 seeks to emulate), is driver enjoyment.  


...On a similar note, I am not a fan of the dashboard dials which seem over fussy with needles that rotate around the outside of the dial. 

...If Citroen could take the classic looks of this C5, try a little less hard with the bells and whistles, and squeeze a little bit more feedback from the steering and the suspension then they could be onto a real winner. 


...But for less-demanding drivers who look primarily for comfort, refinement and value-for-money &pound;24,395 for the top of the range Citroen C5 2.7HDi Exclusive has to be a pretty tempting proposition. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Audi&#x27;s A5 delights</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Road Test</category><dc:date>2008-07-10T19:28:55+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/faa8216d7daa740d08535efbfb9354d7-89.html#unique-entry-id-89</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/faa8216d7daa740d08535efbfb9354d7-89.html#unique-entry-id-89</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Bravely, Audi unveiled it alongside the stunning Audi R8 sports car - a move that could have eclipsed the new four-seat coupe, but it did not.   The A5 held its own with its classic Audi look, given the slightly more edgy style that we have since seen on the new A4.


...It's list price of &pound;30,850, without many of the tempting options on the test car, pitches it competitively against similar prestige cars. 


...I found the multitronic gearbox a little slow to react to snap throttle openings in the ordinary setting, so I was happier to switch regularly to the sports setting. 


...Fuel consumption on the type of roads I tackle every day was perhaps a little short of what I was expecting, with averages of around 27 mpg. ...  Although I did no long distance driving during my time with the A5, I have no doubt that it would sip fuel at a very leisurely rate on substantial motorway drives. 


...It will probably come down to your average journey length, the type of roads you drive on (motorways are likely to make more sense out of opting for diesel) and your total annual mileage. 


...It is equally at home on country roads, feeling superbly balanced - particularly for a front wheel drive car.


You need to upgrade to the 3.0 TDI for quattro four-wheel-drive, but the 2.7 TDI handles superbly without


In the diesel range of Audi A5's you will need to upgrade to the &pound;1,800 more expensive 3.0TDi to benefit from Audi's quattro four-wheel-drive system.   Although I might prefer to have the quattro system for potential winter road use, the reality is that just driving the two front wheels seems to lose little, if anything, in terms of handling and Audi really have managed to purge the last vestiges of front wheel drive corruption out of the steering. 


Indeed, you can benefit from the torque of the big diesel to provide a good surge of very refined power, on the exit of even tight corners. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Skoda&#x27;s compact load carrier</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Road Test</category><dc:date>2008-07-10T18:59:21+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/eb82b4f4c284e3489ad8df3dfa3707d6-88.html#unique-entry-id-88</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/eb82b4f4c284e3489ad8df3dfa3707d6-88.html#unique-entry-id-88</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[You can see how Skoda is thriving as part of the Volkswagen Group by the way it range of models keeps growing.   If you count the Skoda Roomster as a Skoda Fabia (which effectively it is) there are now three distinct model choices at the start of the Czech manufacturer's range.


But, whereas the Roomster turns heads and polarises opinion about its styling, the new Skoda Fabia Estate does not court controversy. 

...The Fabia Estate scores not just on load space, but it also is quite generous in the passenger department. 


...Normally, in a smaller car, I struggle to fit well into the seat behind my preferred low and long-legged driving position. 

...I have experienced this engine in various Volkswagen Group cars over the years and it has to be said it is not the most refined by the latest standards.   Whenever you press the accelerator, you are aware of the diesel drone from under the bonnet and there is some harshness transmitted to the interior. 


...Sure, diesel now costs more than petrol and, at &pound;12,615, the diesel engined Fabia 2 costs &pound;2,000 more than the cheapest 1.2-litre petrol Fabia 2.


...Rather than complex initials to denote the extras that come with any particular model, Skoda have opted for a simple Fabia 1, 2 or 3.   The Fabia 2 adds alloy wheels, four extra radio speakers, air conditioning, alarm, body coloured bumpers, door handles and wing mirrors, electric heated mirrors, halogen headlights, remote central locking, trip computer and roof rails. 


...There is actually no 1.9-litre TDi available on the Fabia 1, where you have to make do with the 1.4 TDi. 


With its mix of keen pricing and practicality, the Skoda Fabia 2 Estate 1.9TDi, makes a convincing case for the active family who need maximum space for their money. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Are hybrids really good for the environment?</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2008-07-04T19:48:12+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/e321223f93373de015b0066d5dba5015-85.html#unique-entry-id-85</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/e321223f93373de015b0066d5dba5015-85.html#unique-entry-id-85</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The BBC's 'Top Gear' programme isn't always the most thought-provoking programme on television. ...  However, the recent item about the Toyota Prius did suggest that we think more deeply than many of the Hollywood elite about our evironmentally-friendly motoring solutions. 


For those who didn't see it, Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson explained the globe-crossing journeys involved in getting the material for the Prius batteries from Canada to Japan, via China. 


Having suggested that its carbon footprint was already big, he then introduced a test around the Top Gear circuit with a Prius going as fast as it could and a BMW M3 keeping up with it. 


BMW M3 - more economical than a Toyota Prius?   On Top Gear's circuit test it was.


Not surprisingly, the M3 did around 2 mpg more than the Prius. 


Clearly it was not a convincing scientific test.   Clearly, few Prius drivers would drive with their foot welded to the floor.   Conversely, how many M3 drivers would drive with such restraint. 


However, it did suggest we should be giving deeper thought to what cars are good for the environment.   As I found out with the Polo Bluemotion, there are some more conventional and extremely low emission motors out there. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Sat-navs need common sense</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2008-06-23T19:32:55+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/ab25907a8933268c8791e942f12e7529-84.html#unique-entry-id-84</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/ab25907a8933268c8791e942f12e7529-84.html#unique-entry-id-84</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[We've all heard the story about satellite navigation systems that have encouraged artics into impenetrable situations in vilalges and drivers, who really should have more sense, to try to take their Ford Fiestas through four-foot deep rivers. 

...In a strange town they are great at helping you to concentrate on traffic, pedestrians and all the other things you should be looking for as they calmly tell you where to go.   If you find yourself in the wrong lane and unable to change, don't worry, the sat-nav will find a way to re-route you. 


If you are on a motorway and see standing traffic in the distance, you can dive off at the next junction and let the sat nav help you find a way along the B-roads and back to your destination.


...Now the latest car-mounted sat-navs are also touch screen and have a screen that is actually a viewable, usable size.


...On my daily commute, sat-navs invariably want to take straight to the most fearsome traffic blackspot to spend half an hour burning fuel in a queue.   Only when you are most of the way home on the by-ways do they suddenly twig that, yes, you can go home that way.


...Usually when you look back on what you were told (while finding some double back in a network of one-way streets to try to get back on course) the announcement was correct, when considered as pure logic!


...Not that there are many of the former, or latter, as our roads building programme is all but at a standstill due to the pressure of environmentalists who, it seems, would like to encourage waste of fuel and localised pollution caused by vehicles sitting in a queue going nowhere. 


...Half way there the car's sat-nav told me I must take a B-road on the left, despite the fact that I knew my destination was straight ahead on the trunk road. 


Investigating after the meeting, I discovered that every time you programmed in the street name and town, it set the destination as a street of the same name in another town 20 miles distant!


...The poor unfortunate Ardoe House hotel on Royal Deeside, is - according to all the sat-navs I have recently tried - in an empty field about a mile from its true location! ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>BMW future - cars tailored to suit</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2008-06-13T10:20:00+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/152a02077680d7f8d25aad9f25fbd8a8-83.html#unique-entry-id-83</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/152a02077680d7f8d25aad9f25fbd8a8-83.html#unique-entry-id-83</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[BMW have released details of their extraordinary GINA project which features a cloth skin body stretched over a frame.   It's the new idea from the team headed by Chris Bangle, who caused so much controversy with the introduction of the flame-surface styling. 


BMW says that the idea of a flexible outer skin breaks new ground in automotive engineering, although, I suppose, those familiar with some of the vintage cars produced in the 1920s might disagree.   Undeniably, however the GINA sports car is a high technology, ultra modern approach. 


BMW calls it GINA Light Visionary Model and it has an almost seamless outer skin, a flexible textile cover that stretches across a moveable substructure.   The benefits include the lightness of the structure, the ability of the body to move and adapt.   For example the rear spoiler can increase its angle for greater downforce, simply stretching under the skin. 


The headlights can appear through openings in the outer skin which open very like eyelids.   To access the engine, you simply unzip a slot down the centre of the bonnet and pull back the covers!   With the exception of the headlights, other lights simply shine through the fabric.


...The largest extends from the front of the vehicle to the edge of the windscreen and down the sides to the rear edge of the doors.   The large side panels start at the front where the rocker panels emerge and run across the rear wheel arches into the rear. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Sporting style with economy</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Road Test</category><dc:date>2008-06-10T07:55:57+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/4c23ae9c0497a19ce2afa7fee266600f-82.html#unique-entry-id-82</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/4c23ae9c0497a19ce2afa7fee266600f-82.html#unique-entry-id-82</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It's amazing how the BMW 1 Series hatchback with its slightly gawky styling has been transformed into an attractive coup&eacute;. ...  This is, after all, a vehicle with a sporting flavour using the latest engine technology to achieve its expected performance with outstanding economy. 


...The small one is designed to enhance responsiveness at low revs, while the bigger one is in charge of boosting the overall power. 


...More importantly in the overtaking range, the 123d will pick up speed, pass and get back to its own side of the road in double quick time. 


...OK, I did go on to spoil this when I launched into a week of commuting.   But the overall average at the end was just a shade over 40 mpg, which I would rate as outstanding considering the performance that I put to good use during that time.   Putting out just 138g/km of CO2 you can also hold your head reasonably high in these environmentally-aware times.


...Initially this is disconcerting, but as this is now the third car with this system that I have driven (the most recent being the Mini Clubman Cooper D), I am becoming quite used to it. 


...If you listen carefully with the window down you can just make out the very muffled characteristic sound of a diesel, but on the open road you would not know.   You are not often aware of the inevitable low-revving nature of diesel engines, thanks to a careful choice of gears.


...If I was being carping, I would like the seat to go slightly lower in the sports genre. 

...Recognising that a BMW is going to cost a premium price, I also reckon the price of &pound;24,955 is quite keen. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Seat heads off road</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Road Test</category><dc:date>2008-06-03T11:37:36+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/f408e31b6ee1611a046adf0a211a8caa-81.html#unique-entry-id-81</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/f408e31b6ee1611a046adf0a211a8caa-81.html#unique-entry-id-81</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[When Seat launched its Altea Freetrack 4 it was the Spanish marque's first foray into the off-road market.   Based on the long-wheelbase Altea it aims to combine the practicality of an MPV with the ability to take to the the rough(er) stuff.


To give it this ability to mix it with the off-roaders, the Freetrack 4 has a four-wheel-drive system, the suspension has been jacked up 40 mm to give greater ground clearance and there are the obligatory plastic sill extensions to give it that all important purposeful off road look. 


...At the front these extend up to near the top of the grille, so &ndash; if you want your Freetrack to look its best &ndash; it is important to choose a colour that suits this split.


...The good news for buyers is that &ndash; far from going up &ndash; Seat have actually chopped up to &pound;1,400 off the previous asking price.   The price for the Seat Altea Freetrack 4 2.0 TDI just squeaks under &pound;20,000 at &pound;19,995. 

...The diesel grumble is quite well subdued, but still noticeable and there is a hint of diesel vibration that you feel through the pedals. 


...I don't know whether it was only this particular car, but it felt like an over over-eager fuel cut off.   In stop-start traffic there was a real jolt between throttle closed and throttle open, making it impossible to drive smoothly. 

...The combination of MPV practicality with off road ability should put this car in the sights of many families, especially country dwellers who want to keep going when conditions get a little difficult.   There is good space for passengers and luggage and the storage options are augmented by a series of small roof bins to store all sorts of oddments. 


...Great for keeping the kids amused on a long journey and the good news is there are headphone sockets!
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Adding style to practicality</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Road Test</category><dc:date>2008-06-02T16:43:04+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/1d9612402241d0fef755f50b24a7f1cb-80.html#unique-entry-id-80</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/1d9612402241d0fef755f50b24a7f1cb-80.html#unique-entry-id-80</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The first time I saw the new Mini Clubman in the my local Mini showroom as I headed across to the car, one of the staff made me an offer. 

...Now, much (possibly too much) has been made of the fact that there is only one of these rear door and that it is on the "wrong" side for the UK market.   Sure, it might be better to be on what is normally the pavement side, but being beside the driver and impossible to open until the driver opens their door, the youngsters in the back should be under the driver's control the moment they hop out.


...I can vouch for the fact that it does make getting in and out of the back seat that much easier, just as it does with the RX7. 

...Since the first version of the new Mini it has increased further in size and now It really is like a parody of the original.   It takes a mile or two to get used to having a split rear window, but it really is not intrusive into the otherwise good visibility.


...I have come across this before and so I was prepared for how disconcerting this can be, until you get used to it. 

...As a result the Clubman Cooper D, which was already a very green motor car, is now even more so. ...  That's just a tantalising 9g over the point at which your environmental halo is so bright that the government gives you your tax disk for nothing!


...Although these official figures are, as usual, somewhat theoretical for the average motorist, I was extremely impressed with my 47 mpg for the weekly commute. 

...The increased length of the Clubman hasn't spoilt the usual sharp Mini handling, so this is a very pleasant driving companion whether your journey be in city traffic, country roads or motorways. 


...So, if you like a car that is stylish and different, if you have a dog and if you want to reduce your environmental impact while enjoying your driving, this may be just the car for you.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>So fuel price increase is nothing to do with tax?</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2008-05-29T12:26:13+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/87e84ba46153d3e0f1176e11090bbe7b-79.html#unique-entry-id-79</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/87e84ba46153d3e0f1176e11090bbe7b-79.html#unique-entry-id-79</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[When the Prime Minister and the Chancellor flew to Aberdeen to meet with the bosses of the UK oil industry, Gordon Brown tried to deflect attention from high fuel taxes as the cause for the current fuel price crisis.   Instead, he tried to focus attention on fuel supply as the real cause. 


When more than two thirds of the price of every gallon of road fuel is tax (fuel tax and VAT), that is a particularly difficult assertion to accept.   According to recent media coverage, the Government stands to make an additional &pound;4 billion in tax as a result of the price increases. 


With the UK being one of the highest taxed fuel markets in the world, it is difficult to accept the Government's argument that fuel tax is not the issue.   It may not be the sole issue, but it sure is an issue!


There is a petition running on the Prime Minister's website calling for a 30% reduction in fuel duty.


...In the past the North Sea oil and gas industry's requests for an equitable tax regime and for government support in extending the life of the North Sea fields have received, at best, a lukewarm reaction from government.


It would be interesting to know what hard talking went on behind the door of that hotel just outside Aberdeen.   I can't imagine the industry leaders would miss the opportunity to point out the need for more government support for the industry that has helped keep the UK economy afloat for almost 40 years, before agreeing to take part in the announcement of increased production. 


The UK is the world's 12th largest oil producer, ahead of countries like Kuwait.   North Sea oil and gas produces three-quarters of the UK's prime energy needs and, far from declining, it is expected this figure will rise to 80% by 2020. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Living in a Materia world</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Road Test</category><dc:date>2008-05-15T19:24:14+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/781eefa05f3c315a0a1c29c8b5a0d0fb-76.html#unique-entry-id-76</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/781eefa05f3c315a0a1c29c8b5a0d0fb-76.html#unique-entry-id-76</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Daihatsu, too, wants to appeal to younger customers and that is where the Materia comes in.


To my eyes the Daihatsu Materia looks like a Chrysler PT Cruiser which was snatched out of the crusher at the last second, just before it became a perfect cube. 


...The quirky looks may be the main reason for the Materia's shape, but there is also pracitality. 

...The rear seats slide back and forth and, in their rearmost setting they make the rear seat of the Diahatsu very accommodating. ...  Legroom, with the seats in this position, is generous to say the least and would put many larger cars to shame. 


...The thought struck me that Daihatsu have clearly intended to woo a younger customer profile with the Materia. ...  Those, not so agile at getting in and out of lower, more-cramped hatches will love the easy access and spaciousness of the the Materia.


...It may undercut the Nissan Note and the Skoda Roomster, but the Vauxhall Meriva or the Renault Modus will cost you less.


...Daihatsu has apparently tweaked the suspension for European markets to make it a little stiffer and less prone to body roll. 

...To underline the positioning as a quirky car to appeal to those who want to be different, one of the prominent switches on the dashboard which turns on a blue neon style light around each door speaker. 


If your main desire is to buy a car that is different, then the Materia may well appeal.   If you do, you will be rewarded with that excellent practicality of carrying four, maybe five, passengers with good space for all. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Biofuels - vision or mirage?</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2008-04-09T15:54:31+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/05d09a496eb529d229abc7d3de36c2c5-75.html#unique-entry-id-75</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/05d09a496eb529d229abc7d3de36c2c5-75.html#unique-entry-id-75</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Everywhere you go these days &ndash; particularly in the United States &ndash; the talk is of biofuels.   People seem to have latched onto the idea that we can grow our own fuel as being the panacea for all our fossil fuel ills. 


America is particularly enthusiastic because of the promise that biofuel could be used to replace imported oil. 


But, have the supporters of biofuels stopped to think things through? 


According to experts at the Macaulay Institute for land use research, achieving the target of 5% of biofuel content in petrol and diesel by next year (2009) would require ONE FIFTH of Britain's agricultural land to be turned over to biofuel production!


Remember that is for only 5% biofuel.   Presumably 25% biofuel would need all the agricultural land in Britain.


So where would we grow our food?


	&bull;	If we, or the Americans, can't grow food, will we snatch it from under the noses of those in third world countries? 


...If so, will we look to third world countries to grow our fuel, by stopping their food production, or destroying their rain forests to replace them with oil producing palms?


Either way it becomes a rich v. poor country issue, with only one common outcome. 


...From that perspective, it seems that a biofuel future is not so much a vision, more of a mirage. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>BMW&#x2019;s Canine Repellent Alloy Protection&#xd;</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2008-04-01T09:18:43+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/fd16d1ae5578000544a4f8f575fea741-74.html#unique-entry-id-74</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/fd16d1ae5578000544a4f8f575fea741-74.html#unique-entry-id-74</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[On April 1, BMW announced the first details of the new Canine Repellent Alloy Protection system.    Designed to stop dogs fouling against the sparkling alloys of new BMW cars, the innovative Canine Repellent Alloy Protection system (C.R.A.P.) is the latest offering in the BMW EfficientDynamics programme. 

Using the EfficientDynamics Brake Energy Regeneration system, energy that would normally have been lost during engine over-run and during braking is harnessed as Rim Impulse Power (R.I.P.) and stored for future use.    Whenever a dog tries to relieve itself on the wheel of a suitably-equipped BMW, a small and relatively painless electric shock is immediately administered to the animal, thus deterring it from future fouling. 

Dr Hans Zoff, Head of Automotive Security from BMW AG, said; &ldquo;Research shows that most BMW customers like to keep their cars clean and dog fouling is a constant irritant.   Not only does the Canine Repellent Alloy Protection system support this aim, but it does so using energy created through the EfficientDynamics programme.   Beauty through engineering perfection &ndash; our philosophy in a wheel nut.&rdquo;]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Average speed cameras could be a threat to safety</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Politics</category><dc:date>2008-03-28T09:58:59+00:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/a8310d2e94a69fce2bc01710eb15a9f2-73.html#unique-entry-id-73</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/a8310d2e94a69fce2bc01710eb15a9f2-73.html#unique-entry-id-73</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[News of a potential increase in the use of average speed cameras, sends shudder down my spine.   It's not that I have any desire to flout the speed limits.   I just think that the best place for our eyes to focus, as drivers, is on the road.... not on our speedometers!


...Exceeding speed limits &ndash; according to Government figures &ndash; is the cause of only 5% of accidents.   So &ndash; if we are really serious about road safety &ndash; we should be putting more emphasis on what causes the other 95% of accidents.


Failure to look properly accounts for a third of all accidents. 

...The benefit of traditional speed cameras is that they can be (but often aren't) used to ensure that we do slow down where speed is critical. 

...There they encourage drivers to think about the speed they are doing, glance (and hopefully only a glance!)   at the speedometer, before getting their eyes back where they should be, on the road.


Average speed cameras (unless you happen to have cruise control) mean that you have to watch the speedometer like a hawk, to the inevitable detriment of looking at the road and observing what is going on around you.


And guess what is by far the largest cause of accidents, accounting for a third?


...That ought to give those who want average speed cameras something to think about.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Ford says Tata to Jaguar and Land Rover</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2008-03-26T13:07:35+00:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/e433b635358a5507c699198da4f75b82-72.html#unique-entry-id-72</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/e433b635358a5507c699198da4f75b82-72.html#unique-entry-id-72</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[One of the most open secrets in the motor industry was confirmed at today when the Ford Motor Company made the official announcement of the sale of Jaguar and Land Rover to Tata Motors of India. 


The US $2.3 billion deal will provide a welcome boost for Ford's finances and should end the uncertainty about the immediate future for the British brands.   In addition to their car manufacturing business Tata recently took over steel maker Corus and are also the company behind the Tetley Tea brand. 


Tata are already active in the mainstream and 4x4 sector.   Seen here is the Tata Safari.


Commenting on the acquisition, Ratan Tata, Chairman of Tata Sons and Tata Motors, said: 


"We are very pleased at the prospect of Jaguar and Land Rover being a significant part of our automotive business.   We have enormous respect for the two brands and will endeavour to preserve and build on their heritage and competitiveness, keeping their identities intact. 


"We aim to support their growth, while holding true to our principles of allowing the management and employees to bring their experience and expertise to bear on the growth of the business."]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>New Tiguan is a great all-rounder</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Road Test</category><dc:date>2008-02-29T20:20:04+00:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/2745485f216471dc140139bc0148e2e2-71.html#unique-entry-id-71</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/2745485f216471dc140139bc0148e2e2-71.html#unique-entry-id-71</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It&rsquo;s 0-62 acceleration of 10.5 sounds slower than the car feels and the usual diesel torque means is plenty of punch at overtaking speeds.


...It&rsquo;s a refined vehicle to drive, proving equally at home on city streets, dual carriageways or country roads.


...Where other off-roaders can have passengers feeling like they are on a stormy crossing of the Pentland Firth, the Tiguan stays remarkably flat. 

...But, one prod of the off-road button adjusts the throttle response, engages hill-descent assist and uses the brake sensors to stop the wheels spinning.


...My test car was the two litre diesel Tiguan which currently comes in only one form, putting out 140PS. ...  It&rsquo;s 0-62 acceleration of 10.5 sounds slower than it feels and the usual diesel torque means that, at overtaking speeds, there is plenty of punch.


...Because the Tiguan has a fairly long front overhang, the front spoiler and valance could be in mortal danger if you took to the really rough stuff. 

...You simply drive slowly past a line of parked cars with Park Assist activated and the car will alert you when it finds a space big enough. 

...It&rsquo;s a very refined vehicle to drive, proving equally at home on city streets, dual carriageways or country roads.

...Where other off-roaders can have passengers feeling like they are on a stormy crossing in the Pentland Firth, the Tiguan stays remarkably calm and flat. 

...But, the off-road button adjusts the throttle response, engages hill-descent assist and uses the brake sensors to stop the wheels spinning &ndash; Volkswagen say it mimics the effect of a differential lock.


...At &pound;20,050 it is almost a third of the price of its bigger brother, but it stands up to comparison. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Claim that potholes endanger lives</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2008-01-31T16:53:05+00:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/602e4ad7f08be50853a187f53575f689-70.html#unique-entry-id-70</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/602e4ad7f08be50853a187f53575f689-70.html#unique-entry-id-70</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Britain used to be known for the quality of its road surfaces.   No, don't laugh, it really did.   Manufacturers from this country went to France to give their suspension a serious test, now the continental manufacturers are coming here for testing because our road surfaces are notorious. 


TyreSafe have highlighted the problem citing a report last year that revealed damage to vehicles from potholes and bad road surfaces amounted to &pound;320 million in 2006. 


Motorists are most at risk from potholes in hours of darkness or in periods of reduced visibility, TyreSafe rightly point out, adding that there are increased dangers for those who are more exposed on motorcycles. 


Frequently, damage to the tyre is not immediately visible, they point ouot, and therefore motorists may be unaware of this until a potentially catastrophic failure occurs, thus putting the vehicle occupants and other road users at risk.   Furthermore, at high speed, alignment of the wheel may be affected, thereby promoting uneven tyre wear and the potential for a tyre blow-out. 

Whilst it should be common practice for motorists, TyreSafe says that one method of reducing damage to tyres caused by potholes is to maintain them at the levels of pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.   If any level of damage is suspected, motorists should visit their nearest dealer or tyre retailer for their tyres to be examined for any faults. 

 ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Freelander grows up</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Road Test</category><dc:date>2008-01-24T19:26:21+00:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/91a5a642c24b9041b1d9eac3a761847a-69.html#unique-entry-id-69</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/91a5a642c24b9041b1d9eac3a761847a-69.html#unique-entry-id-69</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[What impressed those of us on the launch was the way that Land Rover had met the brief of a more affordable small 4x4, but with the sort of off-road ability that you would expect of a Land Rover.   Sure, as one journalist discovered, the Freelander was not made for yomping over the sort of bumps and ruts that its bigger siblings would dismiss with ease.


...Said journalist decided not to wait and set off across the mountainside, only to get the Freelander beached on a small hillock. 


...For those not familiar with these devices, they use the anti-lock braking system to keep the vehicle at slow speed when descending a steep slope. ...  I can say that as witness to a Mitsubishi Shogun which ended up on two wheels, within a whisker of falling over, after the driver tried to slow her descent with the brakes.


So impressed was I with the Freelander that, when we took the decision to become country dwellers, we paid a visit to our local Land Rover dealer and purchased a six-month old, extremely-low mileage model.


...One that has proven to me it can build a car with top notch reliability and build quality &ndash; the Halewood factory that also produces the Jaguar X-type. 


...The test car also had auto box at &pound;1370, and claimed to have bi-Xenon adaptive lights at &pound;995 &ndash; but they didn't move on my test! 

...You would expect reasonably good economy from a relatively small 4x4 with diesel power, but I thought 27 mpg on my daily commute was a bit disappointing, given that most of the 44-mile round trip is on country roads. 

...For an off-roader it also has remarkably sharp steering, although on tall tyres it is never going to have the responses of a low-profile tyred hatchback. 


...These systems are so much easier to use that the fiddly systems where you have to twiddle a knob to set your destination or change the settings.


...Freelander 2 keeps the best of Freelander 1 and adds more sophistication, better dynamics, a greater impression of build quality and the prospect of better reliability. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Volkswagen Touareg - the discrete off-roader</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Road Test</category><dc:date>2008-01-11T12:21:38+00:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/daf67be8c08553a13eb3d400172befa8-68.html#unique-entry-id-68</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/daf67be8c08553a13eb3d400172befa8-68.html#unique-entry-id-68</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Drive a big off-roader these days and you may invite some questioning about your need for such a large vehicle.   That's a more likely line of questioning if your choice of off-roader carries a badge that presents an image of luxury.


...Yet, when you tell someone you drive a Volkswagen Touareg, they are not likely to think big, or expensive, in the same way as they might about some other marques. 

...It is spacious, powerful and capable - particularly in the five-litre V10 form that I drove for my most recent road test of this model.   The range starts at &pound;36,532 for the V6 3.2-litre and rises to &pound;54,867 for my test car, the Touareg 5.0 V10 TDI SE - just one notch down from the top-of-the-range Altitude version. 


...It sits alongside the Volkswagen Phaeton, the big luxury saloon, as a car that makes us re-think our perceptions of Volkswagen as the producers of small and family sized hatchbacks and saloons. 

...But with lifestyle vehicle sales still on the up, Porsche, in particular, have reaped the rewards of their late entry into this market from massive sales growth in the USA. 


...Many years earlier they had produced a military off-road vehicle and, of course, many of the company's mainstream models are available with 4Motion four-whee-drive as an option.


...Matched to an excellent automatic gearbox it makes the Touareg an effortless car to drive, either around town, on dual carriageway or on more twisty give-and-take country roads. 


...Inevitably, such a big engine is not going to be the most economical and - on my daily commute - the Touareg V10 consistently returned just a fraction under 20 mpg. 

...The steering feels remarkably precise for such a big vehicle and body roll - something that is the bugbear of so many big off-roaders - is minimal. 

...With a price that falls between the Land Rover Discovery and the Range Rover, you would expect the V10 Touareg to be a luxurious place to be. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Renault Laguna Sport Tourer</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Road Test</category><dc:date>2007-12-13T19:11:08+00:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/ea0b6e0dc713182ea9ff322d763c0250-67.html#unique-entry-id-67</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/ea0b6e0dc713182ea9ff322d763c0250-67.html#unique-entry-id-67</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[So, when I picked up the new Laguna Sports Tourer - which won't go on sale until January 2008 - it didn't really attract much attention for a model that no-one had seen on the roads yet.


...It looks and feels a bit more like it had been put together in a German, rather than French, factory.   Although, the added bonus is that it perhaps has a little more Gallic design flair than some of the sombre, no-nonsense German car interiors.


...Why have to carry out two functions (put the key in and then press a button) where one (key in and twist) used to suffice. ...  As long as you have the card on your person, the doors will open for you and the engine will start.


...As with many diesels, this one feels as though someone has fitted a bit of elastic into the throttle linkage. 


It's hard to argue with the economy though and even I can see the logic of the diesel when you look at the average consumption.   My daily 40-plus mile commute, returned over 40 mpg &ndash; a remarkable figure for a full-size, spacious family estate car.


My 44-mile daily commute returned more than 40 mpg, which is remarkable for a spacious estate car. ...  Acceleration 0-62 mph is dispatched in a very rapid 8.7 seconds and the Sports Tourer will pull strongly right through to the legal limit. 

...The feedback is not up there with the best, and poor road surfaces can cause this car some distress, with the occasional protest. 


The Renault Laguna Sports Tourer 2.0 dCi Dynamic S comes loaded with equipment at &pound;20,650.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Sell the Prius&#x2c; it&#x27;s not green enough</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Road Test</category><dc:date>2007-12-10T12:55:21+00:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/a6f8d7cb4533f48f74d3bcfb8a85d38b-66.html#unique-entry-id-66</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/a6f8d7cb4533f48f74d3bcfb8a85d38b-66.html#unique-entry-id-66</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I remember a year or so ago I was amazed at a Volkswagen Polo diesel that - try as I did - I could not get to do less than 48 mpg. ...  But this one is the Polo BlueMotion, which, in its basic form, has such low emissions that it costs nothing to tax in the UK and allows you free access to London Congestion Charge zone.


...With the addition of creature comforts like air conditioning, this version pushes double digit carbon dioxide emissions just into three figures &ndash; enough to qualify for tax, but buy the BlueMotion 1 and your tax and congestion charge are zero.


...The turbocharger and the tall gearing means you sometimes have the sensation that the engine is labouring a little, but the torque is such that it can pull, albeit slowly, from quite low revs. 


...But, depending on your desire for low running costs or green credentials, that could be a small price to pay for the outstanding economy and low emissions.


...If I head out the door with the keys to my own car, then that is a pretty sure indicator that I don't much care for the road test vehicle. 

...I also quite enjoyed the realisation, when I arrived at the office each morning, that I had used half the fuel I would in my own car. 

...This is never going to be a vehicle that you could describe as a "driver's car", but it is certainly quite practical. 

...Once you have got used to the over-geared feeling and learned that you need to get the revs up when you need a more urgent response, such as for overtaking manoeuvres.   In reality the Polo BlueMotion 2 bowls along quite happily and I found myself musing that, if this is the immediate future of motoring until zero emission cars become a reality, then it is not too bad.


...At &pound;11,995 for the Bluemotion 1 and &pound;12,845 for the Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion2 the fuel-efficient technology does add around &pound;700 to the price of the Polo 1.4 TDI 80.   But, bear in mind that you are likely to get at least 10 mpg more, plus &ndash; if you stick with the BlueMotion 1 &ndash; you won't have to pay for road tax or London Congestion Charges. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Smooth sailing with London Congestion Charge</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2007-11-29T09:27:35+00:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/d4de28eb4445de7fbe68de2dad588190-65.html#unique-entry-id-65</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/d4de28eb4445de7fbe68de2dad588190-65.html#unique-entry-id-65</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I have often wondered how easy it would be to pay the London Congestion Charge.   Recently I found out.   It was so easy that the first I knew of it was when the charge showed up on my credit card.


Interestingly the charge applied to a day when my car was safely tucked up in its garage and I was enjoying the efficiency of Switzerland's outstanding public transport system! ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>C-Crosser comes late to the party</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Road Test</category><dc:date>2007-11-14T13:23:50+00:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/31290f3280d52538c5e330d6dcbcca6d-64.html#unique-entry-id-64</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/31290f3280d52538c5e330d6dcbcca6d-64.html#unique-entry-id-64</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Considering that Citroen has had a long involvement in events like the Dakar Rally, in the tough off-road conditions of the Sahara, it's perhaps surprising that it has taken until now for the famous chevrons to appear on the nose of an off-road vehicle. 

...That really brings the argument down to style and appearance between the two French versions and I would award the C-Crosser the slight advantage there.


...But, the C-Crosser offers the distinct advantage of two additional seats in the very back, a good diesel engine in the 2.2HDI and a good package of equipment. 


...But, when it comes down to the things that make a vehicle like this a pleasure to own - style, refinement and ability, then the C-Crosser gets more of a run for its money. 

...Well, although I know the old Freelander only too well (durability was not an attribute that my one possessed) I have not yet driven Freelander 2, with its promise of greater reliability. 

...The diesel harshness and clatter are well subdued and the result is a vehicle that is quick enough to keep up with traffic both in town and out on the open dual carriageways.   I did find that progress in traffic queues was a little jerky (particularly until I became really familiar with things like clutch 'bite' points) due to the sudden transition between power on and power off. 


...With its ability to run as a front wheel drive vehicle it is perhaps not surprising that it is a tad more economical, according to the figures, than the equivalent 2.2 Freelander. 

...It acquitted itself well on my patch of heather moor, with its option to dial in four wheel drive and differential locks and the twist a knob.   The Freelander, however, is the more technically advanced option for off-roading - it has Land Rover's Terrain Response system, where you dial in the conditions and the car adjusts the setting to suit. 

...That said, most owners of these vehicles are really only looking for something that can cope with mild off-road conditions, rather than anything too serious. ...  The test car came with all the things I would expect on an up-market model in this price bracket, and more.  
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Audi TT&#x2c; now it is a driver&#x27;s car</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2007-11-02T18:35:49+00:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/b896decdb3a94aaf06fd54c9c4bdcc12-63.html#unique-entry-id-63</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/b896decdb3a94aaf06fd54c9c4bdcc12-63.html#unique-entry-id-63</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Such has been the pace of Audi&rsquo;s new model programme in recent months that the German manufacturer has seen its UK sales continue to grow. 

...The old Audi TT had been in production for seven years, yet it still looked a remarkably fresh design. ...  It is totally new from the ground up, but it looked almost like the facelift that the old TT never had.


...I still remember, seven years ago on the Audi motor show stand, how the first TT felt quite enclosed, compared to the more glassy designs all around. 

...The rear seats, on the other hand are really only suitable for children or, at a push (perhaps literally), very agile, but compact adults.


...If you want the four-wheel-drive version (and almost twice the UK average opt for four wheel drive in this area) then you need to go for the bigger 3.2 litre Quattro model. 


...The test car also had the &pound;1,400 S-tronic semi automatic gearbox, which, unlike most auto boxes, is actually fractionally quicker than the manual, shaving two tenths of second off the 0-60 time down to take just 6.4 seconds. 


It was unfortunate for the TT that I took over its keys just after returning a Volkswagen Golf GTI Edition 30. 

...You can select the sports setting on the transmission which makes it much more high revving and responsive. 

...Around half its body weight has been shed, by judicious use of aluminium and the new car is more finely balanced. 

...Again this has been achieved with no loss of practicality, because the steering is remains light enough to make searching for elusive parking places in the centre of Aberdeen less of a chore.  


...However, the options list is rather tempting and, with its S-tronic transmission, those amazing magnetic dampers and the Napa leather upholstery, plus  other attractive items, the test car&rsquo;s price ended up a little over &pound;30,000.  
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Mazda MX-5 goes trendy</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2007-10-15T14:49:07+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/7dd582d90f71155299a9625034dc6d84-62.html#unique-entry-id-62</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/7dd582d90f71155299a9625034dc6d84-62.html#unique-entry-id-62</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[When the Mazda MX-5 was launched it neatly stole a sector of the market that was, until the 1970s, as British as the Union Jack. 

...More than any other car, the Mazda MX-5 has taken over the market that the British motor industry, in a bout of corporate madness, abandoned.   Now, in 2007, it continues to enjoy a dedicated following and its latest version - the Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe - has joined the range. 


...You simply undo the windscreen header catch (other coup&eacute;-cabriolets may do this electronically, but how difficult is it to pull a lever!). 

...I can see that premium being quite attractive if you want the added refinement and security of a steel roof. 

...Where some manufacturers would put a slab of wood to make it look more British, the Mazda does with a panel of high-gloss plastic. 

...The seats are very much like traditional sportscar seats you sit low down with your feet slightly offset to the right, which is more noticeable in an era of front wheel drive cars where there is no transmission tunnel. 


The test car was an MX-5 Roadster Coup&eacute; 2.0i with option pack. 

...Surprisingly in these days of six-speed gearboxes, the MX-5 retro feel is heightened by a short, stubby five-speed gearstick on top of a big power tunnel. 

...Like the Austin Healeys, MGs and Triumphs of their day, the MX-5 is not the fastest car on the road.   But, this is the type of car that you will really enjoy on those rare occasions that you find a reasonably quiet country road. 

...But, if much of your driving entails motorways or city roads, the great thing is that the MX-5 will prove perfectly practical - as long as you only have one passenger and a sensible amount of luggage. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>What would you do if you won the lottery?</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2007-09-20T17:41:15+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/3333aabb41ed620a62d54e55b56765fb-61.html#unique-entry-id-61</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/3333aabb41ed620a62d54e55b56765fb-61.html#unique-entry-id-61</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[If your name is Mark Page and you scooped a jackpot of &pound;4.7 million you wouldn't go out and buy Ferraris, Porsches or even a Rolls Royce.   What he wanted was two Audis.


The 37-year-old father of two celebrated his win at St Andrews Old Course, announcing he would use his jackpot to retire and perfect his game.   Today he also picked up the first of his two Audis, an RS4,  from Dundee Audi.


Mark Page takes the wheel of his Audi RS4 at Dundee Audi


"I chose the Audi RS4 after seeing it on the &lsquo;Top Gear&rsquo; programme," Mark explained, "and the Audi S5 coupe, because I liked the look of it.   After the test drive I knew it was a car for me."


&ldquo;We were delighted to assist Mr Page in his purchase of the two new Audi cars," said Mike Pugh, General Manager of Dundee Audi.   &ldquo;Both RS4 and S5 have big luggage compartments which allows easy storage of large items so Mark&rsquo;s well-filled golf bags will fit perfectly!&rdquo;
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tragic loss of Colin McRae in helicopter crash</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motorsport</category><dc:date>2007-09-16T13:23:50+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/e1bea378a73c9896c9ceb3303c1cf2ae-60.html#unique-entry-id-60</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/e1bea378a73c9896c9ceb3303c1cf2ae-60.html#unique-entry-id-60</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The sporting world is reeling from news of the tragic death of Scotland's Colin McRae MBE, his five-year-old son Johnny and two family friends in a helicopter crash yesterday afternoon in Lanarkshire.


Britain's first rallying World Champion was apparently piloting his Squirrel helicopter when it crashed in the trees close to his home.


Our thoughts are with his family - his wife and daughter, father Jimmy McRae who was five times British Rally Champion, Colin's mother, his sister and his British Rally Champion brother Alister.


Colin McRae came up through the ranks of Scottish club competitors.   Here he is seen on his way to his first Scottish Championship title on the 1988 Trossachs Rally. ...  I had wrongly filed my photo and thought it was the 1989 Snowman Rally.)


The McRaes are a close family and very much part of the army of rally enthusiasts. ...  When they were not competing they would be found trudging into the forests alongside all the other rally fans to enjoy the competition.


We hope this closeness, combined with the knowledge that others are sharing their grief, will help pull them through this dreadful tragedy.


	&bull;	Colin McRae's website offers a chance to leave a message of condolence.


	&bull;	Britain's other World Rally Champion Richard Burns died as a result of a brain tumour. 


...BBC Colin McRae's career in pictures
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Ford give Focus Mondeo look</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2007-09-14T19:39:27+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/0eadd1dcde155cf0891df9356fe29ce3-59.html#unique-entry-id-59</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/0eadd1dcde155cf0891df9356fe29ce3-59.html#unique-entry-id-59</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Ford has given the Focus a makeover that gives it the acclaimed family look of the new Mondeo. 


Unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show the updated focus has what Ford call their 'kinetic design' styling, designed to echo the looks of the new Ford Mondeo. 


In addition to the new Mondeo-style grilles and swept back headlights, the new Focus has bolder wheelarches and a new shape of rear window glass, with a contoured tailgate and new rear lights.


Inside there are now soft-touch plastics on the instrument panel and upper doors.   There are also new seat fabrics.   The instruments have been redesigned and are now illuminated in red. 


A new version of the 1.6 TDCi engine drops CO2 emissions to 119g/km.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>I do not like being lied to</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Politics</category><dc:date>2007-09-14T13:32:29+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/64970f966af91ce6e15731659eafe999-58.html#unique-entry-id-58</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/64970f966af91ce6e15731659eafe999-58.html#unique-entry-id-58</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[But almost every day, governments, transport authorities and environmentalists come out with statements that are quite simply untrue. 


This week I have listened to two BBC radio phone-ins where the basic assumption is that public transport is always more environmentally-friendly than private cars. 

...	▪	A group of three people are likely to produce twice the carbon dioxide emissions if they choose to go by train, rather than in an averagely economical car!


	▪	Even on a ten-mile commute an average car with four passengers is likely to produce half the CO2 emissions per head than if they went on a bus or coach.   Use a more efficient car or take a half empty bus and presumably the balance swings even more towards the car.


	▪	A Lancaster University study showed that a London to Edinburgh train, even if all the seats were filled, used more fuel per seat than a reasonably economical car.   Fill less than all the seats on the train or put more people in the car and presumably again the environmental benefit will go more strongly to the car


	▪	Studies in the UK and Germany have shown that travelling by public transport can be up to 60% less fuel efficient than travelling by car. 


...I am a great admirer of how much better and more integrated public transportation systems seem to be in other countries. 


But, I would have much greater respect for public transport lobby groups if they could learn to be truthful. 


They have strong arguments on their side for emission reductions in certain cases and congestion reductions in others. 


With that ammunition they surely do not need to peddle the blatant lie that public transport is always best for the environment. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Nissan cash cow?</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2007-09-13T17:14:36+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/9a28616e95862d1288f39b37f989cc57-56.html#unique-entry-id-56</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/9a28616e95862d1288f39b37f989cc57-56.html#unique-entry-id-56</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The thought of a car that I could milk for money, sounded pretty attractive, but, unfortunately I think he had just fallen foul of the recent Oriental liking for strange names.


...Apparently the Nissan Qashqai (pronounce it 'cash kai' as the Nissan press pack helpfully advises), is in fact a nomadic tribe from Iran.    So, the same sort of name as Volkswagen's Toureg then - it was named after Nomads on the other side of the Mediterranean.


...It may look like an off-roader, but four wheel drive is only available as a &pound;1,600 option on two-litre models.


So essentially this is a family hatch made more appealing by the addition of a smattering of off-road action-man styling.   Certainly this car has some character about its external appearance - something that medium-sized Nissan family saloons and hatchbacks haven't always had.


...The most important tactile area of any car, the steering wheel, although stitched like fine leather rim, has a rather unpleasant grained plastic feel in the hands. 


It may not win in the style stakes, but the interior is practical, helped by the taller off-road-style stance. 


The test car was also a really light an airy place to be, because it had a ginormous glass sunroof. 

...My test car was the &pound;16,099 Nissan Qashqai 1.5dci Acenta (where do they get these names?) 

...But this is a willing power engine and I honestly never felt really thwarted by the lack of horses. 

...Perhaps the off-roader look really does help, because the Qashqai achieved the highest score for adult occupant protection in the past ten years. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Mercedes&#x27; people-carrying semi SUV</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2007-09-11T14:28:24+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/a83e7ae0b998ea3aad7b9c453274fb12-55.html#unique-entry-id-55</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/a83e7ae0b998ea3aad7b9c453274fb12-55.html#unique-entry-id-55</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The R-class is certainly a novel vehicle and that is perhaps surprising from a manufacturer who it may be easy to pigeon-hole as being conservative. 

...The R-class has a bit of 4x4 and a bit of minivan about it so it should appeal.   But it currently has one less seat than most MPVs - six instead of seven, although there are rumours of a seven seat version to come.


Despite its car-like looks the rear-most seats are a lot more useable than on, say, most multi-seat estate cars.   But they are still not ideal, so when you walk up to the R-Class with six family or friends be prepared for a scramble to get the front or the middle row of seats!


...Front and middle seat passengers have plenty of room. in the rear, the wheel arches mean the seats are close together but there is reasonable legroom and headroom. 

...Should you want to shuffle the gears yourselves you use the discrete up and down switches on the back of the steering wheel - a little bit like the gear change paddles on a Formula One car. 

...My test vehicle was the Mercedes-Benz R320 CDI L SE, with the L indicating this is the long wheelbase version. 

...Price is &pound;40,117 for the CDI L with an extra &pound;2,950 for the SE specification bringing the test car up to &pound;43,067.


...In the States you can imagine any status conscious minivan driver would be very keen to snatch the keys as long as six seats sufficed. 


In this country there will be some for whom the R-Class is perfect - families with four kids, or grandparents, or friends and hangers-on.   You could also see how it could appeal to businesses who need to transport up to five people in style and reasonable comfort. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Wraps off the radical new Jaguar XF</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2007-08-28T11:21:44+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/663a37846591340772d683cef02127cc-54.html#unique-entry-id-54</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/663a37846591340772d683cef02127cc-54.html#unique-entry-id-54</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The wraps are finally off the new Jaguar XF, the saloon that defines the new future style for Jaguar.   The XF will replace the S-Type whose retro styling, harking back to the Jaguar MkII and original S-Type failed to attract younger buyers. 


The XF launch comes at a time when the company, too, is looking forward to a new beginning, with the expected sell off by Ford.


...The XF is Jaguar's move to shrug off the older-buyer image that has dogged its sales until the XK broke the mould.   The XF is the first time Ian Callum's new style has been seen on a saloon.   The design is quite close to the C-XF concept car in that it presents a coup&eacute; image while being a four-door saloon. 


Jaguar says the intention was to fuse the style and performance of a sports car with the refinement, space and sophistication of a luxury saloon. 

...The XF is available with a 2.7-litre V6 twin-turbocharged diesel, a 3.0-litre V6 petrol and a naturally aspirated and supercharged 4.2 V8 petrol.   Available with three trim levels, Luxury, Premium Luxury and SV8, pricies start at &pound;33,900 OTR for the 2.7 diesel. 

...These include Understeer Control Logic, a Blind Spot Monitor, Rear Camera Parking Aid and the marque&rsquo;s Pedestrian Contact Sensing System &ndash; a first for a Jaguar saloon.


So confident are Jaguar bosses that this new design style will become instantly recognisable as a Jaguar, that they have said this will be the last Jaguar to have the Jaguar name emblazoned on the rear.   Future models, once the new design style is established in people's minds, will simply have the Jaguar 'leaper' icon on the back. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Ford shows Verve</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2007-08-24T11:03:02+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/c588df0a8f0ddb546eaa318162cac984-53.html#unique-entry-id-53</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/c588df0a8f0ddb546eaa318162cac984-53.html#unique-entry-id-53</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Imagine this, slightly taller and maybe toned down a tad, and you are probably looking at the new Ford Fiesta.


That's what the smart money says about the Ford Verve Concept.   Indeed Ford confirms that it points at the new design direction for its future compact cars. 


&ldquo;Bold, even radical, Ford Verve Concept demonstrates the potential of Ford&rsquo;s kinetic design philosophy to visualise a small car that is a chic and modern, and one that makes an individual statement for a sophisticated, fashion-aware generation,&rdquo; according to Martin Smith, Executive Director of Design for Ford of Europe.


The front of the Verve is dominated by a large, inverted trapezoidal lower grille.   The upper grille on current Ford designs is now little more than a chrome-line slit with the familiar Ford oval at the centre.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Lexus LS460 comes loaded with technology</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2007-08-23T16:40:26+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/c68a66dcdbfcc822eb577b37e8241124-52.html#unique-entry-id-52</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/c68a66dcdbfcc822eb577b37e8241124-52.html#unique-entry-id-52</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The park assist system is probably the headline-grabbing technology on the car that has everything... or at least you can have everything if you pay for the right level of specification.


...Lexus has taken the USA by storm, but on this side of the Atlantic their numbers are still a pale shadow of the long-established prestige names like Audi, BMW, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz. 


...Analysing it with your head, not your heart, here is a luxury car which is the match in many ways for the established names. 

...That 'L' let's you know that this is the long-wheelbase version and, while the kids might not be queuing up for a ride in one for their next birthday party thrill, the extra 122 mm in its 5.1m total length has been put to good use. 


...No, on the LS 460 you can stretch out in the back, recline your seat, switch on the drop-down TV screen, block out the outside world with the electric blinds and hide from the imaginary paparazzi. 

...As you would expect in such a technological masterpiece, you can choose your gearbox settings and your damper settings to give the car either comfort or a tauter more responsive sporting style.   The air suspension does soak up most bumps, but it is only because of the exceptionally high standards of Lexus that I would mention you can feel the occasional tremor from poor surfaces.


Similarly, it is only because it is so quiet and refined, that I noticed an occasional odd puff of wind noise from the front of the driver's door, around the door mirror. 

...Picking up speed is slow, so I found it best sometimes to use the accelerator to get back to cruising speed - otherwise over-eager following drivers will be all over the boot.


...If a collision is imminent, the car will start to prepare - tightening seat belts, getting the head-restraints in best position and other safety precautions all within a fraction of a second. 


At the front there's a system that detects objects in the path of the vehicle day or night and helps you avoid them, cameras that watch the lanes and warn you if you lose concentration and start to wander, a system that will assist you to steer the right way in the event of a skid and then there's the parking. 


...Then, looking in the rear view camera which comes on automatically when you engage reverse, you move a green box to indicate the space you want the Lexus to park in. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The UK now has the lowest number of petrol stations since 1912</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2007-08-22T15:00:03+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/64eed516f78ce5cb20ad018ecb913196-51.html#unique-entry-id-51</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/64eed516f78ce5cb20ad018ecb913196-51.html#unique-entry-id-51</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[At 9,500 petrol station forecourts, the UK now has the lowest number of petrol stations in its history since 1912 according to figures just released.   This year to date 150 filling stations have closed, according to industry body Catalist, on top of the large number in recent years.


The situation could become critical if the decline continues at this rate, according to Ray Holloway, director of the Petrol Retailers Association.   "Motorists could soon find it more difficult to refuel their vehicles if filling stations continue to close at the current rate.   Motorists are now noticing gaps in fuel availability, and if it gets worse as expected, they will certainly be inconvenienced when searching for a forecourt in some areas.


Britain now has the lowest number of petrol stations since 1912


"Closures are not just in rural areas either.   Urban closures are causing equal inconvenience for motorists.   Oil company outlets are being closed as fast as independents are forced out of business.   Strong supermarket outlet growth since the 1990s and resulting squeeze on margin has made motor fuel retailing a very unprofitable business."

Mr Holloway called for the UK government in Westminster to follow the example of the Scottish Executive who have a grants scheme to assist forecourt retailers with capital investment.   "The idea is to preserve businesses, and contribute to the continuation of fuel availability in all areas," he said.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Forth Road Bridge replacement plans go on the road</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2007-08-20T13:25:17+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/b443b05ad72b31b6f922685043a0cf34-49.html#unique-entry-id-49</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/b443b05ad72b31b6f922685043a0cf34-49.html#unique-entry-id-49</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The Scottish Executive are taking plans for a replacement crossing for the Forth Bridge, out for public comment.   The current Forth Road Bridge, built in 1964, is suffering corrosion in its suspension wires and, if work to stop this corrosion is unsuccessful, it is suggested that it may have to close to heavy vehicles by 2013. 


Two final options have been shortlisted for its replacement &ndash; a bridge or a tunnel to the west of the existing bridge.   A public information exhibition on the plans opens today at North Queensferry in Fife and in Edinburgh. 





Is the sun setting on the Forth Road Bridge?   Closed to all traffic by 2020?


"The Forth replacement crossing will be one of the biggest infrastructure investments ever seen in this country," John Swinney, Finance and Sustainable Growth Secretary commented at the start of the consultation.   "It is vital to Scotland's future, and with such an important decision I am very keen to hear people's views on the proposals.

"But if we are to keep Scotland moving in years to come, and achieve our aim of improving economic growth, it is clear that we need the public to help us on more than just the decision on the type of crossing."


When it was opened the lifespan of the Forth Road Bridge was said to be 120 years.   If the corrosion issues cannot be addressed, it is feared that heavy vehicles will have to banned by 2013, with full closure in 2020. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Kia goes mainstream</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2007-08-17T13:14:18+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/dad382055263cf6e11cb4f02193a41b2-48.html#unique-entry-id-48</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/dad382055263cf6e11cb4f02193a41b2-48.html#unique-entry-id-48</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Kia has two established niche markets where it is seen as a serious player in the UK - the MPV Sedona, beloved by taxi companies, and the Kia Sportage.   Until the Cee'd, however, its saloons and hatchbacks have appealed largely to the motorist on a tight budget who is determined to drive a new, rather than second-hand car.


...Even at tickover, when cold (the time that diesels usually emit most clatter) it is quite subdued and once you get going you would not know it was a compression ignition engine under the bonnet. 

...So often recently I have found diesels producing nothing like the economy claimed when driving my regular routes on country by-ways and city streets.   I do not doubt that they produce remarkable figures when zooming up and down the motorways, but not in city and commuting mode. 


...Offhand, apart from a Polo diesel that did nothing less than 48 mpg no matter how hard I drove it, that is one of the best economy figures on a normal commute for a long time.


...I don't know whether it is a Cee'd foible or just the test car, but my time with it conincided with one of those rare warm periods this summer.   I could not get the car to maintain its interior cool and ended setting my desired interior temperature at 16 C to have any real chilled air coming out of the vents! 


The only other fly in the ointment for what is otherwise a very pleasant car to drive, is that Kia - in common with other Korean car companies - puts the steering column stalks the opposite way round to the accepted norm.   If you drove nothing but this car you would soon get used to it, but for those of us programmed to the wipers on the right and the lights on the left, it is infuriating.


...At &pound;14,245 the Kia Cee'd 1.6D 113 LS (to give its full designation) is now close to the price of its most obvious European competitors. 

...When it was launched the Kia Cee'd must have caused some sharp intakes of breath in the boardrooms of Ford, Vauxhall and others, by offering a five-year warranty. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>London congestion charge will hit some hard</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Politics</category><dc:date>2007-08-09T09:35:31+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/d65621f69f93cac9844f8c9ab49a0db2-47.html#unique-entry-id-47</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/d65621f69f93cac9844f8c9ab49a0db2-47.html#unique-entry-id-47</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Drivers whose cars comply with the latest latest Euro 4 specification and emit less than 120 g/km of CO2 will be exempt from the toll.   But those whose cars emit 225 g/km or more will pay &pound;25 per day to enter the enlarged central London zone.  

...The reason that early hybrid drivers may now have to pay a toll is because of the requirement that, to be exempt the engines need to comply with the Euro 4 specification.


...Includes cars in Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) Bands A and B (less than 120g CO2 per km) which also meet Euro 4 air quality standard 

	&bull;	The majority of cars - VED Bands C, D, E and those in F with emissions up to 225g CO2 per km &ndash; will continue to pay exactly the same daily charge as at present - &pound;8 

	&bull;	The highest CO2 emitting cars - VED Band G and equivalent vehicles (above 225g CO2 per km), as well as those registered pre March 2001 with engines larger than 3,000 cc, will pay &pound;25 a day 


The SMMT claims that families with some seven-seater MPVs  and estate cars could be "hammered" by up to &pound;5,300 a year from February next year, compared to &pound;1,696 now. 

...Under the new proposals there will be no residents' discount for owners of cars emitting more than 225 g/km CO2. 

...In other words, they say, regardless of powertrain type, cars emitting less than 120g/km, including petrol and diesel models, will pay nothing to enter the zone. 

...However, SMMT is concerned that the new scheme will add further layers of bureaucracy and confusion for road haulage companies struggling to come to terms with the forthcoming introduction of the Low Emission Zone (LEZ).

...	▪	The Association of British Drivers has reacted angrily to the proposals: "As the Mayor has pointed out, only 8% of cars registered in London will be affected, but only 10% of the CO2 emissions in London according to Transport for London are created by private cars. ...  In practice, a third might stop driving into London, a third might pay the charge, and a third might switch to a lower emissions vehicle - in the last case they are very unlikely to save more than 50% of emissions as most vehicles in Band G only slightly exceed 225 gm/km and they are likely to switch to vehicles that are just under the limit. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Mini Clubman expands the range</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2007-08-08T14:06:09+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/7be577b2900d592bc527c7b53700ec95-50.html#unique-entry-id-50</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/7be577b2900d592bc527c7b53700ec95-50.html#unique-entry-id-50</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The Mini range will be extended this autumn with the launch of the new Mini Clubman.   This is the third variation on the new Mini theme, building on the hatchback and the cabriolet. 


...But the marketing people at Mini have clearly decided that the Clubman name (which was the name applied to the longer-nosed version of the original Mini) is more suitable.   Like the Morris Mini Traveller it is, in essence, a slightly-extended estate car version.


...Designed to make getting into the rear seats easier, it is a small rear-hinged door rather like the Mazda RX-8.   Unlike the Mazda there is only one and, unfortunately, it is on the right-hand-side only. 


That may be great for markets that drive on the right, allowing passengers to hop out on the pavement.   But, in Britain and other markets who drive on the left, it is not so clever.   Mini say that the cost of shifting the fuel filler precluded fitting a matching rear door on the left side of the car.


...This has allowed an increase of 8cm for rear legroom, providing more passenger room and Mini say that the Clubman is a genuine five seater.   Luggage space has also been increased by more than 60% with the rear seats up, with the usual option of folding the seats for maximum load space. 


...At launch time there will be three versions, all badged as Coopers - the Cooper, Cooper D (diesel) and Cooper S. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Hamilton and Alonso fizzing in Hungary</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motorsport</category><dc:date>2007-08-06T15:54:04+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/32e4f1a584746455439f63139e276f99-45.html#unique-entry-id-45</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/32e4f1a584746455439f63139e276f99-45.html#unique-entry-id-45</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In the highly charged world of Formula One, it is perhaps unsurprising that tempers should flare.   But, following the shenanigans in qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix, McLaren team boss Ron Dennis clearly has to deal with a feud between his two drivers.


It seems clear that World Champion Fernando Alonso was as surprised as anyone in Formula One when young Lewis Hamilton appeared on the scene and started winning races.   Not so surprising, perhaps, since Lewis Hamilton - more than any other driver before him - has been groomed for years for his Formula One career. 


...I have not had the pleasure to meet Lewis Hamilton, but those who have speak of him as being an absolute gentleman and utterly charming. 

...The row that has been simmering between the Brit and the Spaniard can be traced back to the Monaco Grand Prix in May. 

...The trigger apparently was Hamilton not following instructions to allow his McLaren Mercedes team-mate past at the start of the final qualifying session.   He subsequently apologised for his actions, which he took because of concern that he might compromise his own position. 


In retaliation Alonso waited ten seconds before leaving the pits, where he had been getting new tyres.   This delay meant that Hamilton, who was queued up behind, was unable to get out for a final fast lap and the chance to improve his grid position. ...  More seriously for the drivers' employer, they decided to deny McLaren any points they might win for in the constructors' championship from the race. 


Lewis Hamilton went on to take the chequered flag and win the third race in his first year in Formula One. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Tribeca opens new market for Subaru</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Road Test</category><dc:date>2007-08-04T11:24:47+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/8f1197633920b23f20cee88c279a0a3a-44.html#unique-entry-id-44</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/8f1197633920b23f20cee88c279a0a3a-44.html#unique-entry-id-44</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[When Subaru first appeared in the UK they were seen as workhorse vehicles for rural types - pick ups and estate cars that had some added go-anywhere ability, thanks to their four-wheel-drive system. 

...A sporty Impreza may appeal to a sizeable chunk of the buying public, but any manufacturer who aspires to a larger slice of the total market has to offer more.


The European launch of the Subaru B9 Tribeca takes the company into a whole new market sector, but which sector is it? 

...The Tribeca is a five or seven-seat MPV (the six and seventh chair are options and slot right in the back), but it can also lay claim to compete against some of the 4x4 crowd with its permanent four-wheel-drive system. ...  It doesn't seem like a vehicle for serious off-road stuff, even compared with vehicles like the BMW X3, Volvo XC90 and Nissan Murano (which are the vehicles that Subaru would like the Tribeca to be compared with). 


Space inside is good, but to my eye it was immediately obvious that this vehicle is targeted to US buyers - and that was even before I found the foot-operated parking brake.   It just doesn't have the European quality of interior finish that you would expect in a car with our up-market aspirations on this side of the Atlantic. 

...Power comes from a three-litre six-cylinder engine and Subaru purists will be delighted to know that it is a "boxer" engine with the cylinders horizontally opposed, just like the Impreza.   I found it surprisingly quick off the mark for an automatic and you do have the option of selecting the five ratios manually, or using the sports settings.


...I still felt it wasn't entirely at home on twisty roads, especially if you don't use the manual change to drop down a gear to stabilise the car and provide a smoother get away out of the bend. 


...But, even with that price advantage, I don't magine it will be selling lots of Tribecas in the UK. 


...The fact that this one has four-wheel-drive credibility and a rally-bred image, will just add to the appeal. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Drivers urged to &#x22;keep left&#x22;</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2007-08-02T14:29:18+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/bf67d0b7d412466a447a5901d401d9f7-42.html#unique-entry-id-42</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/bf67d0b7d412466a447a5901d401d9f7-42.html#unique-entry-id-42</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[To raise awareness of the problems caused by drivers who don't keep to the left lane, the Highways Agency has launched a DVD, presented by John Stapleton, called 'Stay Safe, Keep Moving'. 


...Drivers should keep to the left hand lane if the road ahead is clear.   If you are overtaking, you must return to the left-hand lane once you have overtaken or if you are delaying traffic behind you.   Dual carriageways and other roads with multiple lanes provide the only other reason to be in the right-hand lane and that is when you are in the process of turning right.


John Stapleton went on patrol with Highways Agency traffic officers to see the problem close up. 


..."I was out with the traffic officers and saw lines of cars in the middle lane, five, six, seven vehicles only using one lane of a major motorway," John Stapleton said.   "This type of driving holds other vehicles up, causing congestion, and also has safety risks.   Middle lane driving encourages tailgating, dangerous in itself, and encourages people to make other unsafe manoeuvres such as undertaking. 

...Everyone should be using the left hand lane when it is free, making best use of the full road and reducing congestion," says Stuart Lovatt, safety action plan co-ordinator at the Highways Agency.

The new DVD is backed by the AA and the RAC Foundation and was produced by the Highways Agency as part of its commitment to improving road safety and journey reliability. 


"Poor lane discipline wastes the scarce resource of road capacity, encourages road rage and leads to dangerous tailgating," Edmund King, executive director of the RAC Foundation points out.   "In the late 50's and early 60's "courtesy cops" advised drivers how to use the lanes on the new dual carriageways and motorways We need to practise more courtesy on the motorways today, in order not to hold up those in a greater hurry than ourselves." ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>How anonymous is your car?</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2007-07-25T10:11:31+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/0aa699d7b30cb5039e1a355e9af8535d-39.html#unique-entry-id-39</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/0aa699d7b30cb5039e1a355e9af8535d-39.html#unique-entry-id-39</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Just one in four of us are able to recognise popular models on British roads today.

Stripped of all identifiable marks, New Car Net tested the anonymity of a small selection of ten vehicles to see how much of a visual impression they had left on the average motorist.

Honda&rsquo;s futuristic Civic was the most recognisable, while Vauxhall&rsquo;s Zafira MPV is the most anonymous.


...A close second behind the Civic was the Ford Focus, reflecting its position as the biggest selling car in the UK.   The BMW 1-Series also scored highly to come third in the NEW CAR NET online test.

The Toyota Avensis, Volvo XC90 4x4 and Suzuki Swift were next on the list, recognised by only some of the visitors, while the most anonymous vehicles were the Peugeot 407, Mazda 3, Volkswagen Polo and the Vauxhall Zafira.

In recent years manufacturers have been making great efforts to give their cars a recognisable 'face' to make them stand out in the market. 


...That of course is where BMW, Mercedes and Rolls Royce have scored over the years, with their distinctive radiator grilles making the cars stand out as distinctive.


Other manufacturers have been busy developing a distinctive style - Audi (above), Vauxhall (with the chrome V), Ford (with the trapezoidal grille) and perhaps most unfortunately Subaru.   I know their front end is meant to look like an aeroplane and remind people of the company's heritage.   But it's big centre grille has the same doleful shape as the poor old Ford Scorpio's headlights.   Perhaps it is not surprising that it looks set to be replaced rather quickly with a new look for the new Impreza.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Mondeo man would hardly recognise it</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Road Test</category><dc:date>2007-07-24T21:05:04+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/30900f2eec11de912384cc09d94efc79-35.html#unique-entry-id-35</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/30900f2eec11de912384cc09d94efc79-35.html#unique-entry-id-35</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I turned round and the questioner indicated his own Ford Mondeo across the car park and started asking all sorts of questions about this, the brand new model.


...But, even in that short acquaintance I was impressed enough to be concerned that I was sounding a bit like a salesman!


We looked at the boot and remarked how you have to bend down to see the back of it.   My test car was the saloon version, so we noted that Ford have made hatchback-style folding seats standard. 


...&ldquo;So,&rdquo; I warned my new friend, &ldquo;if your Mondeo is a tight fit in your garage, you will need to get the tape measure out before you buy this new one!&rdquo;

...In making the new Mondeo more appealing, Ford have also recognised that company and private buyers these days like their &ldquo;toys&rdquo;.   European buyers want a high specification as standard and they also like to &lsquo;build their own car&rsquo; from an options list strong on goodies. 


...On the safety front all come with ESP electronic stability programme, electronic brake assist and a total of seven airbags &ndash; including one to protect the driver&rsquo;s knees. 


It may be a bit bigger, but driving the new Mondeo around tight multi-storey car park ramps was not a chore. 

...The brakes, however, do remain a shade on the light side for my liking and it is easy to set your passengers&rsquo; heads rocking as you press the pedal. 


...That &ldquo;sports&rdquo; tag might provoke fears of firm, uncompromising suspension, but the reality is that the Mondeo rides remarkably smoothly, even over potholes and speed bumps.


...The result is that &ndash; although the price of the upmarket Ghia model remains almost unchanged at &pound;19,645 &ndash; the new model makes a stronger case for itself. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Grand Prix&#x27;s &#x22;1st Class&#x22; heroes&#x21;</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2007-07-03T16:23:08+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/8f690dfeb233e330f860d7b533a4bcb5-34.html#unique-entry-id-34</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/8f690dfeb233e330f860d7b533a4bcb5-34.html#unique-entry-id-34</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Royal Mail is celebrating 100 years of UK motorsport with the launch six new stamps featuring British Grand Prix stars. 


The two first class letter mail stamps feature Sir Stirling Moss in a 1957 Vanwall 2.5L and Graham Hill in a 1962 BRM P57. 


On two wordlwide airmail postcard (54p) stamps are the two Scottish world champions - Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart.   Jim Clark, winner of 25 Formula One Grands Prix, is pictured in his 1963 Lotus 25, while Jackie Stewart is in his 1973 Tyrrell 006/2.


The final two stamps are for rest of the world airmail up to 20gm (78p) and feature James Hunt in his 1976 McLaren M23 and Nigel Mansell in a 1986 Williams FW11.


"Over the decades Britain has produced some of the world's finest drivers and built many of the sport's most famous cars," says Julietta Edgar, Royal Mail's Head of Special Stamps.   "By bringing the mena and their machines together we have tried to capture the speed, excitement and history of this incredible sport which will now be seen by millions on items of mail every day."
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Jaguar and Land Rover tipped to go private</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2007-06-26T16:18:32+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/03703772095fe233e4be523eb616dca4-31.html#unique-entry-id-31</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/03703772095fe233e4be523eb616dca4-31.html#unique-entry-id-31</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Jaguar and Land Rover will almost certainly be bought by private equity investors as there is no interest from any other car companies around the world, according to a leading city analyst.


Max Warburton, head of automotive research at UBS Investment Bank, said that another part of Ford&rsquo;s Premier Automotive Group, Volvo, will also be sold although there was a lot more interest in the industry in buying the Swedish company.


Is the future is private for Jaguar and Land Rover? 

...Warburton said: &ldquo;Ford has been in touch with the major investment banks to put PAG up for sale and that includes Volvo.   We see no interest from the industry in the British companies but Volvo will be a prize asset.&rdquo; 


Indeed, there have been persistent rumours that BMW has its eye on Volvo. 


Volvo - in BMW's sights?   Speaking at the Automotive News Congress in Prague, he added: &ldquo;That being the case then private equity is the only answer for Jaguar and Land Rover.   Given the recent interest from the private equity sector in Chrysler following the break up of DaimlerChrysler I am sure that a deal for these two brands can&rsquo;t be far away.&rdquo;   Also confident for the future was former Jaguar chairman Jonathan Browning, now chairman of Vauxhall and General Motors Europe sales and marketing chief.   He added: &ldquo;While it&rsquo;s not for me to comment on the future of Jaguar, I wish all my former colleagues well &ndash; Jaguar is still a fascinating brand with a rich heritage.   I hope it all sorts out fairly quickly.&rdquo;]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Zero emission luxury cars take to UK roads</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2007-06-05T15:31:20+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/2648076085b123b8dee8920d92b1995a-46.html#unique-entry-id-46</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/2648076085b123b8dee8920d92b1995a-46.html#unique-entry-id-46</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A fleet of three BMW Hydrogen 7s will take part in tomorrow's Revolve Brighton to London rally for low and zero-emission cars.   Starting on Madeira Drive in Brighton, the fleet of Hydrogen 7s will follow a pre-planned route ending at Trafalgar Square in London.


During the course of the event, HRH The Prince of Wales, a Government Minister, the Deputy Mayor of London, Nicky Gavron and a number of other dignitaries will be introduced to the world&rsquo;s first hydrogen-powered emissions-free luxury saloon car.   Following the rally, the BMW Hydrogen 7 will take pride of place in a display of the participating cars at the London Science Museum.


...The BMW Hydrogen 7 is based on the existing 7 Series and comes equipped with a bivalent internal combustion engine capable of running on hydrogen or petrol. ...  Powered by a 260hp 12-cylinder engine, the Hydrogen 7 accelerates from zero to 62mph in 9.5 seconds before going on to an electronically-limited 143mph top speed.


With its unique dual fuel engine, the driver of a Hydrogen 7 can switch quickly and conveniently from hydrogen to conventional petrol power at the press of a steering wheel-mounted button.   The dual power technology means the car has a cruising range in excess of 125 miles in the hydrogen mode with a further 300 miles under petrol power.   To make this possible the BMW Hydrogen 7 comes with a conventional 74-litre petrol tank and an additional hydrogen fuel tank holding up to 8kgs of liquid hydrogen, stored at -253 degrees Celsius.   Such flexibility means the driver of a BMW Hydrogen 7 is able to use the vehicle at all times, even when the nearest hydrogen filling station is out of range. 

...For undiluted driver enjoyment, engine power and torque in the Hydrogen 7 remain exactly the same regardless of which fuel is in current use. 

...It is a full production ready vehicle, which has met all the stringent processes and final sign-off criteria that every current BMW model undergoes.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>You face a long drive in future to fill up</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Motoring</category><dc:date>2007-04-11T16:21:21+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/6567cbf229a7d32b35144f6deb2b101e-33.html#unique-entry-id-33</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/6567cbf229a7d32b35144f6deb2b101e-33.html#unique-entry-id-33</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Remember when getting a loaf of bread or a pint of milk meant just a short walk (or a short drive in the country) to the local corner shop?   Now you probably make a family excursion to your local Tesco, ASDA, Sainsbury's or Morrisons. ...  Remember when refuelling the car was something you did when the fuel light came on?   Oh, fuel light on, there's a station... fill up. 


...In the future we are going to have to be more organised. 

...Our filling stations are currently closing at the rate of one per day, according to the Petrol Retailers' Association!


That's bad news for road users who can no longer rely on filling up conveniently.   It's bad news for people like me who hate queuing, because - as the number of filling stations dwindle - the only ones remaining get busier and we have to queue for the privilege of filling up our cars. 


It's also another nail in the coffin of local shopping. ...  It very possibly stocks some local produce, bakery, milk, plus local papers and magazines. 

...Finally, it is bad news for local economies the length and breadth of this land.


...The only winners now will the big supermarkets who really don't need to control more of our spending. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Golf GTI still nimble after 30 years</title><dc:creator>driver@driveblog.co.uk</dc:creator><category>Road Test</category><dc:date>2007-04-10T22:36:46+01:00</dc:date><link>http://driveblog.co.uk/files/70b267a3e91c36bc205da5b615545a60-37.html#unique-entry-id-37</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://driveblog.co.uk/files/70b267a3e91c36bc205da5b615545a60-37.html#unique-entry-id-37</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Volkswagen have celebrated thirty years of the Golf GTI with the launch of the Volkswagen Golf GTI Edition 30.   And if you have been disappointed by the "softness" of some of the preceding models of GTI, this one is a cracker... a fire cracker!


...In simple terms the DSG is automatic in that it can be left to select its own gears, but whereas a normal automatic saps power and performance and tends to be less economical than its manual brethren, the DSG is more efficient.   Its party trick is that it has two clutches and it predicts and selects the next gear that the driver will want. 

...You can select gears by rocking the gearchange backward or forward, or by using the paddles on the back of the steering wheel. ...  Rather, I tended to leave it in drive most of the time and shift it to sport for twisty 


...In sports mode the gearbox holds down to lower gears and drops down a gear as you brake for corners. ...  When you go into a corner on a trailing throttle they will, if anything, change up to a higher gear giving the car an unsettled feeling. 


To stabilise the car on a tight corner you really want to change to a lower gear to make the car sit flatter on the r