Diesel car sales decline… with knock-on effects for secondhand models. Robin Roberts reports. The decline in diesel new car sales is forcing down used prices as well. There is a knock-on effect on financing plans increasingly being used by car makers to bolster income, report analysts to Reuters. Pollution concerns and the likelihood of city centre charging is also affecting the business … [Read more...]
Features by Robin Roberts
Repair costs compared between different makes within the Volkswagen Group
Thinking of investing in a Volkswagen, an Audi, a Skoda or a SEAT? The comparative cost of repairs within the Volkswagen Group makes interesting reading... By Robin Roberts and Kim Henson Volkswagen has been in the news a lot lately, and not always for the right reasons. However, the German manufacturer still reigns supreme when it comes to car sales, with the company shifting 10.3 … [Read more...]
Circuit of Wales latest news update…
Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency) reports on the current situation regarding the proposed Circuit of Wales... Wales Audit Office said there were "significant shortcomings" in the way £9.3 Million of taxpayers' money was spent on plans for Circuit of Wales at Ebbw Vale. Funding was based on a "flawed" appraisal by Welsh Government, said the public finance watchdog. Welsh … [Read more...]
New Ford Mondeo – Road Test
Latest Ford Mondeo Vignale 2.0 Powershift auto 4WD... Assessed by Robin Roberts (Miles Better News Agency). When a giant moves it may not be often but everyone takes notice. Ford held onto the Vignale coach-building name for 42 years before applying it to a hand-finished Mondeo which appeared in 2016, and now it’s picking up momentum and will be appearing on more bespoke cars. Ford … [Read more...]
Latest Vauxhall Insignia – First Impressions
First Drive of the new Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport. By Robin Roberts (Miles Better News Agency). The smooth new Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport will ruffle some feathers among rivals. Bigger, lighter, more economical and better equipped than the original Insignia launched in 2008, the Insignia Mk2 is now on sale as a five-door hatchback from £17,115 to £26,445. It will later … [Read more...]
European Car of the Year 2017; Peugeot 3008 Road Test
Peugeot 3008 announced as the 2017 European Car of the Year, at the Geneva Motor Show… By Robin Roberts (Miles Better News Agency). The all-new Peugeot 3008 SUV has been named the 2017 European ‘Car of the Year’ at the Geneva Motor Show by a judging panel comprising 58 European journalists. The 3008, Alfa Romeo Giulia and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class took the top three places. The all-new 3008 … [Read more...]
The new 2017 Dacia Sandero Stepway – First Impressions
Robin Roberts (Miles Better News Agency) test-drives a cost-effective and practical new model from Dacia… A Dacia is the first new car of choice for used-buyers who want to move up the motoring ladder. From its UK launch in 2013, the Renault-owned Dacia brand sold 17,000 in 12 months and it’s rapidly climbed ever since, adding about 5% each year to 26,500 sales last year. Around 95% of UK … [Read more...]
Circuit of Wales update…
Circuit of Wales paid chairman’s second company… Robin Roberts elaborates... As Welsh Government scrutinises a detailed financial proposal to build the £425M Circuit of Wales, it has emerged that nearly £1M was given by the developers to another consultancy headed by the project's chairman. Michael Carrick set up the Heads of the Valleys Development Corporation, which has received £9M grants … [Read more...]
MoT Test – Don’t let your car fail!
A million cars on UK roads will undergo their first MoT test over the next few weeks and a third are expected to fail… Robin Roberts reports… In the first quarter of 2014, the SMMT was excitedly telling us about 688,000 63-plate and 465,000 14-plate cars that went through showrooms and onto the roads as Britain recovered from the financial crisis of 2008/09. It was a slow recovery which had … [Read more...]
Used Car Sales Flying High…
Record sales of used cars in the UK. Robin Roberts reports… Britain’s used car market reached record levels in 2016 with 8.2 million vehicles finding new owners – an uplift of 7.3% – according to figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Meanwhile, 1.8 million used cars changed hands in the fourth quarter, with a 5.5% rise in October making it the second busiest … [Read more...]
Circuit of Wales meets deadline to progress further…
Circuit of Wales has given investor details and a timescale for development of the £425 M motor sport circuit and related businesses to the Welsh Assembly. It has complied with a deadline set two weeks ago by Welsh business secretary Ken Skates and means it will now go to a more detailed plan with rigorous examination of proposals and assertions, and progress towards ground-works starting in the … [Read more...]
‘Made in Britain’ – Good News for the British motor industry…
Britain’s car industry is really motoring again. By Robin Roberts. Car production hit a 17-year high in 2016 with exports at record levels and 1.35M shipped worldwide. Half of those went to Europe while Americans took nearly 50% more than they did in 2015 and it became the UK’s biggest single consumer country. Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders covered the UK’s 15 … [Read more...]
Circuit of Wales Decision Time
Crunch Time for Circuit of Wales… By Robin Roberts (Miles Better News Agency). Circuit of Wales has been given two weeks to declare its major backers and show a revised business plan to Welsh Government. Economy Secretary Ken Skates yesterday told Welsh Assembly Members that the Heads of the Valleys Development Company should speed up the scheme overlooking Ebbw Vale. He said there was … [Read more...]
2017 Subaru Levorg Sports Estate Road Test
Robin Roberts (Miles Better News Agency) samples Subaru’s latest estate… The Subaru Levorg is not what you might call eye-candy, but it has EyeSight. That’s the latest all-embracing collision avoidance technology which reduces the likelihood and severity of accidents. It may not be in the forefront of your mind when looking for an all-purpose 4x4 quality estate, but the Levorg really can … [Read more...]
An ‘easy fit’ new Mazda-based transmission kit arrives to ‘up-gear’ your MGB
A new five speed conversion for MGBs can make the car even more enjoyable. Robin Roberts reports… Few would argue that the MGB remains Britain’s favourite classic sports car or that it is almost as at home in modern traffic as it was in that of the 1960s/70s. However, it can nevertheless be updated to advantage and British Motor Heritage (BMH) is now stocking the superb Vitesse Global five speed … [Read more...]
Fiesta time from Monaco to Maesteg…
Who owns the Ford Fiesta, and where are they? Robin Roberts tells all… Maesteg is motor-city for the Ford Fiesta, although in fact the car was launched in Monaco…. (Kim adds… "and a younger version of our Robin was there for the occasion of that very launch!"). You are most likely to see one of the 40-versions of the car launched since 1976 on the streets of the South Wales town. The … [Read more...]
New Ford KA+ Zetec First Drive Road Test
Babies have a habit of growing up, just like the new Ford KA+. Ford, the leading new car sales brand in the UK for 40 successive years and 51 years for commercial vehicle sales, have recently introduced their latest challenger for sales, the new Ka+ City Car, although it is still the Fiesta ‘Supermini’ that remains the UK’s bestselling car overall. From its origins as a compact city car in … [Read more...]
Wheels-Alive 2016 in the mirror… UK car sales figures for the year
New car registrations are booming but there are doubts over who is actually making sales... …explains Robin Roberts. The SMMT said yesterday that 2,685,724 new cars were registered last year, a 2.3% increase on the year beforehand and fifth year of growth. Fleet sales took 1.38M of the 2.6M registrations. The analysis of the UK figures as a whole also shows the continuing decline in private … [Read more...]
Renault Mégane Sport Tourer First Impressions
Renault’s Mégane Sport Tourer... Assessed by Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). The eagerly awaited estate version of the new Renault Mégane brings additional room and practicality to the range. Mechanically the same as the immensely popular Mégane Hatchback, the Sport Tourer offers a basic boot space with a low load floor of 521 litres (18.40 cu.ft), but folding away the … [Read more...]
Aston Martin SUV – ‘Made in Wales’
The forthcoming Aston Martin SUV, which will go into production at St Athan, will carry a ‘Made in Wales’ identity plate... Writes Robin Roberts (and Miles Better News Agency). The decision was revealed last night by Aston Martin Lagonda CEO Andy Palmer, as guest speaker at the Welsh Automotive Forum Networking Dinner, held near Cardiff. He told guests, “All our luxury sports cars have … [Read more...]