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First Hybrid cars that mix n match petrol power with battery power and now all electric cars, heavily supported by prime minister Mandleson, that will save the planet and will be the future, must have, green accessory! Oh no it won’t! Well not if the already frugal Citroen C1, modified by the Electric Car Corporation, continues to cover just 70 miles on a full battery and at a cost of £16,850, twice the cost of the standard petrol version. No way Jose? Having said that Read more »

If you are a formula 1 fan like me you will often hear comments being made about tyre temperature and its effect on grip. Well it’s not surprising to learn that weather conditions can not only affect the handling of the car but also the fuel consumption. In wet weather grip decreases but did you know that fuel consumption increases by up to 10% in a downpour, so best you stay at home when it’s raining hard. Also grip increases in hot weather but fuel consumption drops by 1-2% for every 5 degree Centigrade increase in temperature.  By Graham Hill

What is BlueMotion, is it a hybrid? We are seeing the emergence of the colour blue as a replacement for the far less attractive green as an expression of environmental friendliness! Why? I don’t know but in terms of German cars – no it doesn’t define a new type of hybrid engine. Instead VW’s BlueMotion and Mercedes Blue Efficiency are simply terms they have started to use to describe the ultra efficient nature of their cars. By incorporating stop/start technology or systems that heavily Read more »

In times of recession is there any good news? Yes there is. According to the Department for Transport there are fewer cars using the roads resulting in quicker and safer journeys. According to the DfT motorists travelled 3.1 billion less miles last year which has got to be good on so many fronts, fewer accidents, less CO2 in the atmosphere, less wear and tear on our roads, less of our precious fuel used. The number of Read more »

There appears to be a bit of a shake up in  the way that cars are insured. Where companies allow drivers to use their own cars for company business it is being suggested that the companies now take out company policies that include the cars owned by the employees in order to ensure that all cars used for company business are adequately covered. There are also proposals to introduce Read more »

On the question of fuel, if you have been convinced that bio fuel is a much better option and your car is still covered by the manufacturers warranty you should check to see if using bio fuel affects your warranty. Unlike the EU it has ruled that each country can set its own levels of biodiesel concentration and that there is no mandatory need to label fuel at the filling stations. It is well known that a concentration of over Read more »

Mercedes are set to launch Attention Assist in its new E Class next year. This new system will help drivers to combat tiredness whilst driving and will put Mercedes at the forefront of this new technology. They expect to have the new system available throughout its range over the next 2 to 3 years. The system uses highly sensitive sensors to detect patterns in Read more »

The Government has launched a major review of road signs, the biggest for 40 years. Transport Minister, Rosie Winterton, has called upon all motorists to have their say in how Britain’s streets should look in future. The review is aimed at using latest technology to help cut congestion and emissions and keep traffic moving safely and efficiently. The idea is to provide local authorities with new powers to Read more »

Yet another suggestion as to how you can reduce your fuel costs – don’t fill up at motorway services unless it’s an emergency, then only put in the bare minimum to get you to where you want to be and find a supermarket forecourt. The average price of motorway fuel is 10 pence per litre more than supermarkets which adds about £5.50 to a tank full of fuel according to Read more »

A campaign, involving more than 45,000 petrol stations across Europe, has started to distribute leaflets advising drivers how to increase fuel efficiency. The Save More Than Fuel Campaign is being led by the European Petrol Industry Association – Europia with the support of the EC. Of course it is – and I’ll be advising clients shortly as to how they can avoid cars altogether by riding a bike or taking public transport! As if! Duh! By Graham Hill