Category: Blog

Next-gen SUVs from Mitsubishi

All at once, Mitsubishi have unveiled three new concept cars, teasing us with a few very dark and mysterious promo shots.

The new SUVs show the latest direction Mitsubishi will be taking in their future vehicle designs, with a more prominent front grille, sleek headlights and low front end (and that’s really all we can make out!).

Mitsubishi have said that the larger concept model, the GC-PHEV, will be an environmentally-friendly yet fun-to-drive SUV, although emission or MPG figures have been released as yet.

The XR-PHEV is a smaller, more compact vehicle that’s said to rival the Honda CR-V with its lightweight hybrid system, and the smallest concept, the AR (which is short for Active Runabout)has been described by the company as having ‘both the mobility of an SUV and the occupant space of an MPV’, and comes with a turbocharged petrol engine.

We expect Mitsubishi to release further detail about their trio of SUVs over the coming weeks in the run-up to their public unveiling at the Tokyo Motor Show next month.

Things not looking so bright for UK in ‘World Solar Challenge’

38 teams from around the world are set to compete in the biennial World Solar Challenge in Australia this year, racing their solar-powered vehicles 1,864 miles right across the country, from Darwin to Adelaide.

But things haven’t turned out so well for the UK, and unfortunately our hopes for winning the title have already been dashed, just five days before the competition was set to start.

Built by a team from Cambridge University, the UK’s solar vehicle entry rolled onto its side during testing, slid 50 meters, came off the road and stopped, looking more than a little worse for wear at the bottom of an embankment.

The driver managed to escape unharmed, but the vehicle was withdrawn from the competition after it suffered what the team described as ‘dynamic instabilities’ too difficult to fix in time before the race.

Oh well. There’s always 2015’s race to look forward to.

Ford’s Facebook Car

Ford has launched a limited edition version of its EcoSport, with orders for the vehicle being taken through the social networking site, Facebook.

It costs £16,995 and only 500 units have been made, with just 120 reserved for the UK market -but what’s so special about it, apart from its Facebook-blue paint job?
Well, it looks like Ford are pushing their in-car app functionality with a new, more advanced version of Ford’s Sync AppLink infotainment system.

Upgrades to the system include the addition of Autoread (currently available on android and iOS devices) which allows the driver to dictate text messages and emails and have the responses read back to them completely hands-free.

The EcoSport also features Hotels.com’s app for booking hotel rooms, and Wcities Eventseeker’s popular app for spotting nearby events, which are displayed on the in-car Sat-Nav.

Ford have embraced all-new in-car technology this year, with the app-ready EcoSport launching just a few weeks after we first heard about the Ford S-Max Concept’s intuitive road safety and traffic flow ‘car-to-car’ communication features.

But Ford differs from other manufacturers in its willingness to make its software (which is completely open source) available to other developers and manufacturers to improve and add new functionality.

So will Fords be the smartest, most practical cars on UK roads in a few years?

Conkers or bonkers?

Three car parks in Leeds and Manchester city centre have devised a way to offset the release of emissions caused by drivers travelling to them.
Their solution? To pay with conkers.

A conker is valued at 20p each, so it only takes a handful to secure a couple of hours parking in the busy centres (with £10 worth of conkers being the maximum redeemable amount).

All the conkers collected by Town Centre Car Parks (TCCP) – the parking chain responsible for the scheme – will be donated to Hetchell Wood Nature Reserve in Leeds, where they hope money will be raised to help increase the profile of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s woodlands.

Earlier this year we covered how to stay safe when driving during the summer months. Well, it’s now the middle of September and the weather’s taken a turn for the worse. The days have been getting darker, the night’s longer, and things are set to get much colder, wetter and more miserable in the coming weeks.
So it’s probably about time we went through our top winter driving tips to help you stay safe on the roads in difficult conditions.

1. Plan your journeys

Pay attention to the local news and travel bulletins. That way you’ll be alerted to any disruptions before you encounter them on the road, giving you time to plan out an alternative and faster route.

And if the weather is particularly bad, it’s advised that you rearrange your plans to avoid driving if at all possible.

2. Stay seen, and see others

In winter it’s especially important to see what’s on the road, and to make sure that you yourself can be seen easily.

There’s a lot of mud, slush and snow around that can reduce your visibility though the front and rear windscreens, and the brightness of your headlights may also be reduced, which will limit how far you can see.

And if your windscreen is frozen over, you should avoid using hot water or using your wipers to clear it, as this could cause damage – arm yourself with a window scraper and a bottle of de-icer instead.

3. Check your tyres

With rain and snow on the roads you’ll have much less traction than normal, so it’s important to make sure that your tyres are kept in a good condition, with enough tread depth.

Tyre tread should be no less than 2mm for winter driving, with at least 3mm being the optimum treat depth.

Despite what a lot of motorists might tell you, reducing the pressure in your tyres won’t give you any more grip, and it can be dangerous.

4. Ensure a healthy car battery
Using your headlights, removing condensation and trying to stay warm mean that there’s a higher demand on your car’s battery when making trips in winters.
So try to avoid running these electrical systems for longer than needed, and preserve your battery’s life.

5. Drive smoothly

Driving on snow-covered roads or in icy conditions means that you need to change the way you drive. You don’t have the same kind of responsiveness as you do on dry roads, so you need to pay close attention to your speed – reduce it to increase your stopping ability and to reduce the changes of skidding.
You should also apply the brakes in good time and avoid using them harshly – especially on bends, where the centrifugal force can cause you to spin off the road.

6. Always be prepared for the worst

Always take your mobile phone with you, and make sure that you’ve got the essentials with you in your car at all times.
We’d recommend keeping a torch, blanket, jump leads, di-icer and a shovel to help you out of some sticky situations, and it’s also a good idea to let someone know that you’re travelling in difficult conditions. That way, if you happen to find yourself in trouble and don’t turn up when expected, there’s someone ready to get help to you as quickly as possible.
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Discovery Facelift

Land Rover’s ever popular and ever reliable practical off-roader, the Discovery, has been given a new lease of life.

The redesigned front bumper, updated headlights and new grille give the classic Disco design a subtle but effective shake up, further heightened by the brand new alloy wheel designs.

And those who prefer the sportier look will appreciate the optional Discovery ‘Black Design Pack’, which includes black alloys and extra black trim for a more sleek and stylish overall look.

But it’s not all about the revised exterior; there are some crucial new modifications made under the bonnet as well with an efficient new SDV6 engine.
The 3 litre diesel engine offers up 252bhp, and features a stop/start system which improves fuel economy and reduces CO2 emission to 213g/km from 230g/km.

Things going well for Audi

Less than 5 months after hiring Nick Ratcliffe as the new marketing director, Audi looks to be on the up and up in the UK.

The German car manufacturer is expected to break the UK sales record of 140,000 at the end of this year, making it the country’s leading prestige German brand.

Last year Audi closed just behind BMW’s total of 127,500 with 123,622 registered vehicles, but with a strong range of vehicles, and with more new models to come, the company are expected to surpass their native rivals.

‘Test Drive’ car theft

A young couple turn up at a car showroom, ask to take a desirable BMW convertible for a test drive and never return. Sounds like the plot of a B grade movie, doesn’t it?

But it’s actually happened, in Barrow In Furness, Cumbria.

The convertible – which is worth £19,000 – was reportedly stolen after the showroom allowed the couple (who’re said to be in their 30s) to take the car on an unaccompanied test drive.

The dealership has since released CCTV images in an effort to locate and bring back the missing car.

Hypermiling refers to a number of driving techniques that can be employed to improve your car’s fuel efficiency – and in the last few years, its popularity amongst Britain’s drivers has greatly increased.

So what are these money-saving driving techniques?

Let’s take a look at some of the easiest ways to boost your MPG.

1. Plan your route
It seems pretty obvious: the fewer miles you drive, the less petrol you use.

But picking the shortest route isn’t the best way to hypermile.

Since hypermiling is all about smooth driving, a slightly longer route that’s obstruction free will probably result in a much better MPG, so it’s important to plan your route very carefully.

2. Drive smoothly

If you push down hard on the accelerator, you send more fuel into the engine, the engine runs faster and your speed is increased.
But do you really need this speed injection?

Remember that hypermiling involves adopting a smooth driving approach, and accelerating gently (and quickly taking your foot off the accelerator when you see that you’re going to have to come to a stop) will use much less fuel.

3. Turn off the air-con

You’re probably already aware that having the air conditioning on can decrease your MPG – but did you know that it can increase your normal fuel consumption by up to 10%?

4. Get rid of excess weight

The heavier your car, the harder your car’s engine has to work to get you from A to B – and the harder it has to work, the worse your fuel consumption is going to be.

Take a look in the boot. Is there anything there you could get rid of to lighten the load?

5. Turn off the engine

If you find yourself stuck in traffic, or if you anticipate being help up at the lights for more than 10 or so seconds, consider turning off the engine entirely.
You might not be moving, but idling still consumes fuel.

6. Avoid driving

The ultimate hypermiling technique: not driving at all!
We all have our habits and our preferences, but the next time you think about turning the ignition, think about whether another mode of transport is available to you.

Could you walk instead? Or is cycling an option?

You’ll save money, and you might start feeling a little healthier too!