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Have you ever heard the expression ‘Real World’? It’s used about our royalty, ‘They don’t live in the real world’. When talking about wealthy people, they don’t know what it’s like to be in the real world. Dating men or women on dating sites, it’s not like dating in the real world.

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And so on and so forth, but what is the real world? And where is it? Who are its inhabitants? Just recently journalists and reporters have gone into meltdown over ‘real world’ testing when it comes to emissions from vehicles as well as the miles per gallon they return in test conditions compared to ‘the real world’.

For years What Car has been testing cars in ‘real world’ conditions to provide a more accurate MPG reading. But in my opinion it’s an absolute nonsense because the real world simply doesn’t exist except in the minds of each individual. If a driver was to drive through the middle of London, would that be extra urban conditions in the ‘real world’ or would it be more accurate to drive through the centre of Leeds.

And what time of day would be more accurate? 11.00 in the morning or 5.30 at the height of the rush hour? How would you measure urban or motorway driving. I would measure it on the motorway I use most, the M25 on which I consider it to be my birthday and Christmas combined if I keep moving for the whole of the trip.

OK I might agree that the testing conditions could be tweaked a little which may result in cars seen to be achieving a few miles to the gallon less than currently shown in the manufacturer’s handbooks. But what about CO2 emissions? Supposing we find that the readings have been out by a few grams per kilometre as a result of the changes to the tests to make them ‘real world’ tests?

The Government has set its tables for benefit in kind tax and road tax for the next few years so would drivers be hit with additional costs? Yes, they probably would because the Government can’t suddenly say that they will increase a banding from 99g/km of CO2’s to 109g/km because of miscalculations by car manufacturers.

The changes would affect motorists’ pockets because the Government has already established that they want to pull down CO2 emissions to the 99g/km level and ultimately to zero emissions. Speed, weather conditions, temperature and the driver of the car can all affect the fuel consumption and emissions so should we change the way cars are tested when there are so many variables?

Maybe the activists should be careful for what they wish for. The changes might just come back and bite them, you and other motorists on the bum! The fact is that manufacturers will still continue to try to find ways to improve the emissions of their cars, they are obliged to, irrespective of the way that cars are tested. By Graham Hill

I just love the way that the press looks at a fact and pretty much turns it into fiction in an effort to make a headline. Lets take all the talk recently about raising the speed limit to 80mph from 70mph. Whilst 79% of company car drivers are in favour of the increase we hear all the arguments from the do-gooders that spout on about increase in accidents, Read more »

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

My gadget of the week is in fact an additive of the week. With fuel costs increasing daily (well it seems that way) a few additives have entered the market claiming to improve your car’s performance, improve fuel consumption and reduce CO2 output. One of these is called Mergi and is described by the manufacturer as ‘Magic in a bottle and helps you get Read more »

It would seem that companies are more environmentally aware than private motorists. According to statistics issued last year, as part of Fleet News Intelligence Report, and more recently backed up by information from the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), average CO2 emissions from cars put onto fleet leases dropped from 149.9g/km to 144 g/km following a drop of 9 percentage Read more »

From the 1^st April 2010 the new showroom tax is being introduced to severely penalise the most polluting cars. In addition the annual road fund licence (tax) increases also. In essence the showroom tax includes the first year’s road fund licence. The bandings run from A to M with A representing cars with CO2 emissions of less than 100 g/km with M representing cars emitting 265 g/km or more. For vehicles emitting Read more »

From the 1^st April 2010 the new showroom tax is being introduced to severely penalise the most polluting cars. In addition the annual road fund licence (tax) increases also. In essence the showroom tax includes the first year’s road fund licence. The bandings run from A to M with A representing cars with CO2 emissions of less than 100 g/km with M representing cars emitting 265 g/km or more. For vehicles emitting Read more »

Shell has announced the launch of a new engine oil which it claims reduces fuel consumption by up to 2.2% per annum. The oil, called Helix Ultra E, is a synthetic low viscosity motor oil aimed at reducing friction more effectively than conventional mineral oils. Shell also claims that it can cut a car’s carbon emissions by up to 72kg of CO2 per annum. By Graham Hill

The Government is to tighten up on new car advertising as a result of pressure from the greenies to better advise the public about CO2 emissions. In future all literature including posters and all print ads must include CO2 emission information. This is now believed to conform to EU directives on the level of information that should be made available to car buyers. Strangely no such rules apply to used cars which are in the vast majority and kick out many more CO2‘s than their new equivalents. Or am I missing something?