Renault carries on with the Clio… David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) tells all… The Clio supermini range – covering 25 years and 13 million global sales through four generations and updates – has until recently in the UK been Renault’s most popular model range. But as fashion dictates it was recently overtaken in popularity by the similar sized but taller Captur compact crossover. It’s … [Read more...]
News & Views
Our take on what’s been happening in the world of motoring
We appreciate that these days there are vast quantities of motoring news items freely available to all, from huge numbers of global sources. It would be impossible to bring them all to you through these pages – so we are not even going to try!
Instead, we will include selected motoring-related stories which we feel will be of interest. Depending on the item, we hope that they will also inform, encourage, entertain and provoke further thought!
Each item will be dated, and as new stories arrive, older posts will be archived chronologically.
Mazda MX-5 RF First Impressions (and a little bit of history…)
Kim Henson samples the latest in a long line of impressive Mazda MX-5 models, in the elegant and eye-catching shape of the latest ‘RF’ or ‘Retractable Fastback’ version. (All words and photographs by Kim, except single image of roof half-open, from Mazda). First introduced 27 years ago, Mazda’s MX-5 model has long been renowned as one of the best two seater sports cars in the world. It has … [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...]
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Road Test
Hybrid becomes the most popular power source in the Toyota RAV4 range. David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) explains… The RAV4 mid-sized SUV was first introduced in 1994 and billed by Toyota as the first compact 4WD SUV. Since then there has been a continual supply of new and updated models. The latest major change has been the introduction of petrol electric Hybrid two and four wheel drive … [Read more...]
Volvo S90 and V90 Range Additions – plus the latest V90 Cross Country First Impressions
More new models added to Volvo’s Premium S90 and V90 ranges. David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) reports… News Volvo’s award-winning large S90 saloon and V90 estate ranges see the addition of sporting R-Design derivatives for both body styles, with front wheel drive and AWD drivetrains and AWD Cross Country versions added for the V90 estate line-up. For now all are diesel-powered (and … [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...]
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles forges ahead into 2017 – plus brief ‘First Impression’ drives of some of their latest models
Fiat Chrysler Group sets out its plans for 2017… and we sample some of their cars... By David Miles (Miles Better News Agency). Italian Fiat and US Chrysler automotive brands have in the past had partners, divorced partners, fraternised with other partners but in 2014 they found each other and it appears a successful marriage is underway as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, now known as FCA. Global … [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...]
Toyota C-HR Hybrid SUV Road Test
David Miles (Miles Better News Agency) test drives Toyota’s C-HR, the firm’s latest Hybrid SUV. Toyota took their time getting into the very fashionable and high selling compact SUV market sector, leaving customers with just their hard-core RAV4 as the option. UK sales of what the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders call ‘Dual Purpose’ vehicles – what we know as 4x4s/SUVs and including … [Read more...]
‘Fost and Frog’? Take care on those wintry roads…
Frost and fog – either can be lethal; together they make a dreadfully dangerous combination. Kim Henson advises driving with extra special care when visibility is poor and temperatures are low at the same time, as is happening right now in Britain… Yesterday evening I was obliged to make a short car journey in town, to get home, and the road conditions were awful, with thick fog reducing … [Read more...]
Heading to France with your vehicle? Quelle surprise… Don’t fall foul of new emissions regulations…
The RAC is warning motorists driving to France about a new and controversial emissions sticker system... Drivers of vehicles caught without anti-pollution stickers risk fines of up to £117 Paris, Lyon and Grenoble operating schemes already The RAC is advising UK motorists driving to France to be aware of a new vehicle emissions sticker system which has been introduced in Paris, Lyon and … [Read more...]
How to impress with motoring-related Valentine’s Day gifts…
Put the ‘Vroom’ back into Valentine’s Day… says BOTB.com Kim Henson reports. Race-track experiences and private plates are the most romantic gestures you can give your partner this Valentine’s Day. But, with February 14 approaching, steer clear of air fresheners or cleaning sets. A survey of 20,000 customers by dream car competition firm BOTB.com has revealed the Dos and Don’ts of what to … [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...]
Around the World in 80 Cars…
Cars of the World! Kim Henson invites you to travel the globe with Wheels-Alive in search of some fascinating motor cars… Some cars have been designed to go fast, some have put safety at the top of their priorities and others have been built on a budget, designed to simply get you from A to B. People have been manufacturing cars for over 100 years, resulting in hundreds of different … [Read more...]
News of two new Firestone tyre ranges arriving in Britain
Firestone says that they are on the right road with two new products… Kim Henson reports… Firestone is aiming to shake up the mid-price tyre segment in the UK with the launch, in the space of a few days, of a top-performing new touring tyre and a van product, it has been revealed. Roadhawk, a tyre built to perform longer and offer drivers best-in-class wet grip and best in class dry braking, … [Read more...]
‘Pothole Day’ – 16 January 2017
Crash, bang, wallop – National Pothole Day has arrived with a bump, says Robin Roberts. For first time since 2013, the RAC has seen a rise the spread of potholes in the last quarter of 2016, and the worst of the winter weather is still around the corner for many. The number of pothole-related breakdowns attended by RAC patrols from October to December 2016 gave rise to the first fourth … [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...]
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