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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

Whilst the Government seems to be moving green issues down the agenda, as people would apparently prefer to keep warm than pay a green levy to save the planet, the car manufacturers are steaming on with their objective of making cars more fuel efficient and kick out fewer CO2 gases.

It was only a couple of years ago when manufacturers were struggling to get below the 120g/km CO2 emissions, even in their smallest of town cars but that is all set to change. The new Vauxhall line up will include its latest 1.6litre diesel eco engines that will drop the CO2 emissions down to 85g/km.

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The engine is already fitted into the Zafira Tourer and is set to be joined by the Astra, Meriva and Mokka which will help Vauxhall keep to the European emissions targets. Alongside the new eco friendly Vauxhall engine is the Ford Focus Econetic (87g/km) and the Peugeot 308 (85g/km).

Of course it isn’t the social conscience of ex hippy retail buyers that are snapping up these low emission cars, it would seem that large companies with high emissions have to pay for each tonne of CO2 they release into the atmosphere and that includes the emissions from the tailpipe of their vehicle fleet.

Other small businesses simply want to keep emissions down although if you think you may avoid congestion charges in London, think again as you need to drop down to 75g/km before you are exempt.

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• Report: EU compromises on loosening CO2 emission limits (green.autoblog.com)

I’m going to hate saying this but I’m a bit of a fan of Citroens. I know they’re French and they haven’t had the greatest of reputations over the years but also being French they are very comfy, something you appreciate more as you get older, and many of the cars look quite good fun. I like the DS range of cars because they look great and actually drive Read more »

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Image by Getty Images via @daylife

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The argument over motorway speed limits continues with a number of people now pushing to increase it from 70 to 80 miles per hour. Fleet operators are generally against an increase as they feel it wouldn’t make drivers any more productive or arrive at destinations any quicker. There would also be an increase in operating costs as higher speeds Read more »

Image via Wikipedia

One of the smaller changes to the benefit in kind tax rules following the budget was the removal of the upper limit when applied to company run prestige cars. In the past there was a limit placed on the list price used when calculating personal benefit in kind tax of £80,000. This has now been removed so taking a Bentley Flying Spur as an example with Read more »

One of the effects of the recession is that apparently greenhouse emissions are substantially down as a result of cost savings and people traveling less miles in their cars and vans. Whilst this is great news for the environment and has helped to stabilize fuel prices it may also have a positive effect on the lease cost of cars on either contract hire or contract purchase. If you find that you are now traveling substantially fewer miles in your car you should 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

A free website was launched earlier in the year aimed at reducing carbon emissions and increasing the efficient use of taxis. The website is www.emptycabs.com . The website is a free message board where anyone looking to book a taxi, to an airport for example, can be put in touch with Read more »