Philippa D'Arcy

I don’t know if you have seen, but recently a very bizarre legal battle has been going on in France. The French automaker was being sued because of their new electric supermini, the Renault Zoe. The suit was filed by David Koubbi on behalf of all women in France called Zoe and in particular two girls called Zoe Renault. The families of the two girls fear that if Zoe car became as well known as the Clio, then their children would be in for a lifetime of mockery.

“Can you imagine what little Zoes would have to endure in the playground, and even worse, when they get a little bit older and someone comes up to them in a bar and says, ‘Can I see your airbags?’ or ‘Can I shine your bumper?’,”

David Koubbi, said.

Unfortunately for the two French families, the tribunal rejected a request for an injunction banning the car marque from using the name as they need proof that is would cause “certain, direct and current harm”. Although this may not be the end for the Zoe as Mr Koubbi plans to go further stating that the had just begun, and could potentially go as far as the European Court of Human Rights.

The Zoe is set to hit showroom’s in 2012 and is mainly aimed at women. The zero-emissions car is set to feature a skin hydrating climate control system, a scent diffuser which emits scents, to stimulate or relax drivers depending on their needs and a light therapy system designed in partnership with Philips.

Sarah Bennett Baggs received her first podium of the year at Oulton park, in round 6 of the GT Cup Championship!

This time, the Championship officials were happy with the specification of Sarah’s Adrian Flux sponsored BMW M3, and it was confirmed as the correct power to weight for a move to Group 3!

The race started at 9am on Saturday morning revealing a wet track, but a lovely sunny day. The track was split down the middle with the decision on tyres, some going with slicks, some going with wet. Everyone knew they would be difficult to get warm though! Sarah opted for slicks, which meant that she didn’t have to change when the track dried up a bit and half the track disappeared into the pits! Sarah used this to her advantage, and built more heat in the tyres while being led round by the safety car. As a result she put in two fliers at the end to qualify 2nd in class and 20th out of 26 runners.

In the first race Sarah got off to a brilliant start, and managed to narrowly miss a car which spun due to the still damp track. In a risky move she took to the grass so she didn’t lose position! The track started to spread out, and Sarah managed to keep up with the lead pack. Unfortunately, her luck ran out and she slid on a patch of oil which two Porches had already fallen victim to. She lost control, and ended up in the gravel alongside the two ill-fated Porshes. The oil took out 5 cars in total!

After clearing the gravel from the car, Sarah and the M3 were ready to start race 2. She started in the same position, and made good headway. Halfway through the race she was only 3.5seconds behind the leader, who had qualified 6 places in front of her on the grid! There was one car between her and the leader, but an overtaking opportunity didn’t come close.

Sarah finished 2nd in class her 1st podium on the season, 17th out of 25 starters.

Well done Sarah!

The Lincolnshire Police force have welcomed a new member into its fleet of vehicles; a 5 ton John Deere tractor. With a top speed of 25mph, the tractor may not be suitable for high-speed road pursuits, but it will be in its element if the criminals decide to take to the Lincolnshire fields! With a custom police paint-job and the mandatory flashing blue lights, the John Deere 6630 may look like a bit of fun, but the Police force are taking it seriously and hoping it will win the battle against rural crime.

With a price tag of £50,000 (not including the eye-catching decor) the force are lucky to have borrowed it from the manufacturer for 6 weeks. Although it may not be used on a day to day basis, in the event of a flood or an environmental disaster, senior officers think it would come in more than handy.

Its main job is to show up to agricultural shows and encourage farmers to protect their vehicles, as if they go missing, their livelihood takes a battering! Last year over £42million worth of tractors were stolen, up by a third on 2008. The officers hope that being at the agricultural shows will make farmers more aware of this, and protect their vehicles with a special liquid which shows up under UV light, naming the owner.

The tractor isn’t operational, but a spokeswoman for the police force has assured us that if it does drive past a crime then it won’t ingnore the situation.

If you think this is strange…check out some other vehicles the police have recruited;

An officer riding a Segway in Blackpool

A Sussex Officer was seen riding a three-wheeled Can-Am Spyder Roadster touring trike, with a max speed of 125mph, and can reach 0-60 in the same time as a Porsche 911 Carrera – 4.5 seconds.

And last but not least, officers in Kensington were protecting the parks on Roller Blades.

Have you seen any more interesting modes of transport used by the police force?

It seems that an elaborate hoax is taking over the BBC this afternoon. Apparently the Stig, who often appears on the top television show ‘Top Gear,’ was seen driving a Porsche, followed by a convoy of Top Gear labelled Range Rovers. Not only that, he then pulled into a petrol station where a fan, who had noticed this ever-so-extraordinary being driving along the M55, managed to snap a picture with him(her? it?)!

Although the ‘Stig’ was witnessed in the full uniform, with bodyguards and a crew following, BBC are denying that this was the nameless Top Gear star. They are undertaking a full investigation, with a BBC Spokeswoman saying ‘It would appear there is an imposter going round pretending to be the Stig…he is nothing to do with the television programme.’

Some say he’s got a lot of time on his hands. All we know is, he’s not the Stig!

It seems that the financial situation of Dubai is completely different to what it used to be. Once a thriving City, full of entrepreneurs, the worlds most expensive hotel and the tallest building in the world, its no wonder people chose this once magnificent place as a ‘second home’ location. A property purchase in this city was seen as an investment of the highest proportions.

Then, the recession hit it. Hard.The flourishing city ground to a halt. Building sites ceased work, and people who had emigrated to Dubai for financial security and tax-free wealth were at risk of being thrown in jail for being in debt! The airports saw a rise in passengers in the middle of the night, trying to flee from the authorities. Luxury cars, which are considerably cheaper in Dubai were abandoned at the airport, or in the street. Spent credit cards were left in the glove-box, and notes of apology often left on the windscreens. In 2009, over 3000 cars were left, gathering dust. What a waste!

As you may remember we recently blogged about two guys, Joe and James, who were circumnavigating their way around Britain in Sea Kayaks. As we are proud sponsors of the team we thought we would keep you updated on their progress!

They are now into week ten of the expedition, but there has been a major change in that James has been paddling solo since the end of June. The reasons for this are unknown, but it means that James needs support more now than ever!

James Leaving Stein

As he passed the Headlands he was exposed to extreme winds, which made the Journey even more difficult, adding to the pain of not having the support van for two weeks! Although James faced difficulty he persevered, never losing sight of what he aims to achieve!

To keep updated on James’ progress and to sponsor him click here!

This fabulous machine is probably the perfect car to rebuild! Well, so people lead us to believe! From the Lego version we posted about a few weeks ago, to the odd – a cigarette packet replica, to the completely elaborate- a £2 million, 24 carat gold ‘put on your night stand and never stop looking at’ mini version, shown below.

It is obvious why this car is so popular to replicate. Its simply beautiful!

It has emerged in the news this week that the water in your windscreen washers may be the cause of 20% of cases of Legionnaire’s disease in Britain. Research from the Health Protection Agency found that ‘stagnant, warm water’ is a breeding ground for the bacteria, the same bacteria which causes Pneumonia. The research also showed that professional drivers are 5 times more likely to be infected than the average driver!

Tip of the week? Add screen wash! The purpose-built cleaner will kill the bacteria…leaving your washer safe to use. Not only is it safer than normal water, it makes your windscreen cleaner too! It’s a no-brainer really!

As England is over taken by World Cup fever, I think its a good idea to keep in mind what is important in life. Cars. What’s more, Footballer’s Cars. The England Squad is renowned for their high wages, high lifestyle and occasionally high level of skill, but what machines do their fortunes buy them?

Wayne Rooney – Striker. Rooney earns somewhere in the region of £100k per week, and decides to spend it on a Bentley Continental GT. What a choice. At around £141k you get an amazing car. This 6 litre beast punches out an incredible 552bhp, getting you from 0-60 in 4.6 seconds. Not bad at all. As beautiful on the outside as the inside, this is a truly stunning vehicle. Overall, Rooney has spent an amazing £750k on vehicles, including a BMW M3, a Porsche 911 turbo and an Aston Martin Vanquish. Not bad considering his first car was a Ford Streetka!

Steven Gerrard – Midfielder. This Liverpudlian is the Captain of the England squad 2010. He rakes in a meagre weekly wage of just £120k, and goes and buys an Aston Martin Vanquish. In grey. Not jealous at all. At around £164k this is another truly magnificent car. With 454bhp, you will be at 60 in less than four and a half seconds. Swift. I’m unable to comprehend why they don’t make them any more! From the sleek but sharp interior to the incredible 5.9ltr engine, this car is truly spectacular.

Frank Lampard – Midfielder. This Chelsea midfielder holds the title of Vice Captain. Earning £150k per week, it seems that a Ferrari 612 would be an ideal choice. This beautiful car has a 5.7ltr engine, producing 530 bhp, getting it from 0-60 in 4.2 seconds. In a completely different league from the Bentley and the Aston Martin, this speedy motor is one of the more ‘footballeresque’ looking. This car can be purchased for around £164k – for the basic model, although I’m sure our definition of basic differs from that of Ferrari.

John Terry – Defender. Raking in £150k per week for running around Stamford Bridge once in a while, he has built up a list of cars which totals around £450k, including the Porsche 911 Turbo. At 500bhp, and a top speed of 194mph, this is a fast car. 0-60 in 3.5 seconds fast actually! £123 263 new, its no wonder its one of Mr. Terry’s favourites.

Peter Crouch – Striker. On a small wage compared to his fellow footballers, £80 000 allows for a more modest car. An Audi Q7 V12. Starting from just under £100k, it provides, comfort and luxury, as well as the much required performance and style. A 6ltr people carrier weighing in at 2.5 tons, still manages to get from 0-62 in just 5.5 seconds. I say modest…probably better monstrous. This is a diesel, probably best as it still only produces 25mpg combined, just 16mpg more than the Ferrari! However this is the big daddy of big cars. Striking, Mr. Crouch.

Joe Cole – Midfielder. Another Chelsea Player, he makes something in the region of £120k a week. Driving a Range Rover TDV8, this will reach a maximum speed of a mere 124mph, slow compared to the other cars mentioned. A small max speed is comparative to the small-ish price tag. At £66, 880, it reaches 60 in 8.6 seconds, still not a slow car. A great machine to look at, and a great reputation to go with it, this is a car worth having.

Jamie Carragher – This Liverpudlian defender likes to spend his travelling time sitting in a Range Rover Sport. Coming in cheaper than the Vogues, the cheapest being just £46k, this is the most cost sensible in the list today! Not much different from the Vogue though, with the exception of the exterior. Reaching 0-60 in 8.6 seconds, 0.2 seconds faster than the Vogue, this 3 ltr engine doesn’t pack much punch. In it’s defence, its is much prettier and sleeker than the Vogue. Personally I prefer the Audi Q7 over the Range Rover!

Ashley Cole – Defender. Another Chelsea player he brings in £150k a week. And he chooses a Mercedes CL to transport himself around! Starting from £88k, this is another spectacular looking car. From 0-62 in 5.5 seconds, it could easily fly past the electronically limited speed of 155mph, if it were possible! This car has a physically imposing physique , stunning in all languages. If only all choices were that simple, ey Mr. Cole.

It would be interesting to find out how long they saved up to buy these beasts, if they saved up! If I could have any of these I would have the Bentley Continental GT. Or possibly the Audi Q7 V12. Maybe the Vanquish…forget the car values…it would be the insurance I would be worried about!