Fluxposure - The Adrian Flux Insurance Blog

Audi's Green Police are on the Case

2010-02-08T14:48:00.004Z

Although everyone seems to be talking about Google's superbowl advert, another ad that received its premiere outing last night was the latest from Audi. Now, in Europe, Audi aren't really perceived as a 'fun' brand, and their ads tend to be somewhat portentous, with a focus on patents, technology and innovation - Vorsprung Durch Technik and all that.

But American audiences knew they were in for a treat when this teaser spot appeared (And yes, that does mean that superbowl ads are big enough to have their own ads!)

Yes, the Green Police are here, and, with tongue seemingly planted in cheek, they are going to stop you from breaking the planet. Unless you own an Audi A3 turbodiesel.

I love all the attention to detail in this ad, as it simultaneously pokes fun at the green movement, the law enforcement community and US reality TV all married to a Gillette-esque Power Jingle. Despite this it manages not to undermine the environmental messages. And compared to the petrol-engined gas-guzzlers favoured by the American people, a TDi is ultra-green. So much so the the A3 TDi is the current Green Car of the Year (beating the Prius and Insight, presumably on the grounds that normal folk might buy it).

And, of course, if you should need insurance for an Audi, or electric car insurance, you know exactly where to come.

Big Cat Back in Le Mans

2010-02-05T13:16:00.010Z

Jaguar are celebrating 75 years on road and track with a return to the Le Mans 24 hour race, the British marque are entering with the GT2 class XKR.

Recently I saw Paul Gentilozzi's XKR racer at the Autosport International Show, and people say the XKR GT2 will bear a strong resemblance although the livery may change.
The big cat have a great pedigree in this race, starting with the C-Type that won on it's first entry in 1951 and then again in 1953. Since then they have won another 5 times, the 4th highest win count of any make.

The beautiful Jaguar D-Type won the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1955, '56 and '57.

This, the Jaguar XJR-9LM, was a V12 powered Group C car that won the race in 1988.

Here's hoping the JaguarRSR XKR will do well enough in the GT2 class that a bigger, fiercer cat will enter the GT1 race very soon...

New Jeff Koons BMW Art Car

2010-02-04T23:32:00.004Z

BMW have announced, at a glitzy shindig in New York, a brand new art car, which will add to the 17 already made by artists including Roy Lichtenstein's 320i, Andy Warhol's M1 and Ernst Fuchs 635CSi, as well as the 3 litre CSL by Frank Stella above.

We're big fans of the BMW Art Cars, covered in depth over at influx, and there's no denying the crossover between cars and art.

BMW have caused quite a stir this time, by selecting Jeff Koons, the American artist to adorn an as yet unknown Bimmer. Koons may well be best known for producing works like the gilded statue of Michael Jackson and Bubbles, and the giant Mylar balloon animals that adorn his website, but he is also capable of wielding a brush with some flair, and the finished project, expected in will be worth the wait. Several of his works, such as Winter Bears, are in the Tate Collection, and is well worth a look, if you are near London or Liverpool.

Some have questioned Koons' appointment, describing his work as kitsch and sensationalist, and it is fair to say that if you think 'Modern Art is Rubbish,' he won't change your mind.

But in celebrating the seemingly banal and worthless, his work can help us to appreciate those things in life which bring us moments of joy, even though others may consider them garish, vulgar and ugly.

And isn't that exactly what BMW want to sell us?

Fine by me

2010-02-02T15:04:00.001Z

Nestling high in the Pyrenees, the sleepy town of Puigcerdà lies just on the Spanish side of the mountainous border with France. The locals, though, will tell you they are Catalonian, and this spirit of independence has recently led the town government to make an interesting decision.

In this country we often moan that the fines and taxes we are asked to pay do not get re-invested in the road network, but the Catalans have come up with an altogether different use for the money they have raised from parking and traffic fines in the town.

"People have the perception that the fines are only to collect, and we want to prove with facts in the case of Puigcerdà this is not so." claims mayor Joan Planella, "The idea we came up to us when we asked ourselves what we could do to boost civic engagement."

So what is their brainwave? Simple the haul of fines will be divided up equally between all the local drivers who have managed to avoid being caught doing something they shouldn't. It does not look like this bonanza will be rivalling the famous 'El Gordo' lottery, though, as estimates suggest only a tenner or so per exemplary resident.

Even so, this is possibly the first time motor laws have attempted to use a carrot as well as a stick, and it will be worth seeing how this works out in the years to come.

But I don't hold out much hope for this Spanish driver getting his cash...

The Top 50 Cars Ever

2010-01-31T17:21:00.003Z

The ultimate test of a vehicle's popularity is its sales figure.

And if you're a true petrolhead, this list might sometimes make depressing reading. But it is not all bad news. The top 50 cars include some of the least inspiring vehicles ever, but they also show that the cars enthusiasts are passionate about can sell in the huge numbers required to make it onto this list.

So while it is a little disappointing that the Corolla tops the list, the presence of cult icons like the Beetle and Golf in the top 10, goes a long way to redress the balance.

And the Escort's entry reminds us of great variants like the Mexico, RS2000, XR3i, Cosworth. Incidentally the Escort sold 4,105,192 units in the UK, which makes it Britain's best selling car ever.

You probably won't be surprised to know that Flux have specialist schemes which would suit every car on this list, from classics, to american sports cars. From the tiniest Fiat to the largest Chrysler people carrier or Ford pickup. And there are not all that many car insurance brokers who can claim that.

Pos	Car	Production	Dates
1	Toyota Corolla	32,000,000	1966-
2	Ford F Series	30,000,000	1948-
3	Volkswagen Golf	25,000,000	1974-
4	Volkswagen Beetle	22,300,000	1938-
5	Ford Escort	20,000,000	'68-2000
6	Honda Civic	16,700,000	1972-
7	Ford Model T	16,500,000	1908-27
8	Volkswagen Passat	14,100,000	1973-
9	Chevrolet Impala	14,000,000	1958-
10	Ford Fiesta	12,500,000	1976-
11	Opel \| Vauxhall Corsa / Nova	12,000,000	1982-
12	Oldsmobile Cutlass	11,900,000	1961-99
13	Chrysler Voyager	11,700,000	1984-
14	Toyota Camry	10,500,000	1983-
15	Mazda 323	10,480,000	63-2003
16	Opel Astra / Vauxhall Astra	10,000,000	1991-
17	BMW 3 Series	9,800,000	1977-
18	Fiat Uno	9,000,000	1983-
19	Renault Clio	8,900,000	1991-
20	Renault 5	8,800,000	1972-96
21	Ford Mustang	8,300,000	1964-
22	Renault 4	8,150,000	1961-92
23	Honda Accord	8,100,000	1976-
24	Fiat Punto	6,800,000	1993-
25	Ford Taurus	6,750,000	1986-
26	BMC / BL / Rover / BMW Mini	6,700,000	1959-
27	Opel \| Vauxhall Cavalier / Vectra	6,500,000	1988-
28	Chevrolet Cavalier	6,200,000	'82-2005
29	Peugeot 206	6,100,000	1998-
30	Buick LeSabre	6,000,000	'59-2005
31	Nissan Sunny	5,900,000	1966-
32	Ford Explorer	5,700,000	1991-
33	Mitsubishi Galant	5,550,000	1969-
34	Ford Focus	5,500,000	1998-
35	Ford Crown Victoria	5,500,000	1980-
36	Toyota Land Cruiser	5,300,000	1953-
37	Peugeot 205	5,278,000	1983-98
38	Ford E Series	5,200,000	1961-
39	Ford Ranger	5,100,000	'83-2003
40	Chevrolet Camaro	4,800,000	'67-2002
41	Fiat 126	4,671,586	'73-2000
42	Opel Ascona / Vauxhall Cavalier	4,400,000	1970-88
43	Ford Model A	4,320,446	1927-31
44	Ford Cortina	4,279,079	1962-82
45	Pontiac Grand Am	4,000,000	'73-2005
46	Citroen 2CV	3,872,583	1948-90
47	Fiat 127	3,730,000	1971-83
48	Peugeot 504	3,713,400	'68-2005
49	Fiat 500	3,600,000	1957-
50	Peugeot 405	3,461,800	1988-97

Two notes about this list:

I've put together the list in this format, because whilst I have found these figures online, for example at MSN cars, and the data is freely available via Wikipedia and others, I have not been able to find a handy to view table up to now.
These figures are difficult to interpret, and should really be used as a rough indication. For example, models such as the Golf and Civic have changed to become almost unrecognisable now compared to the original model. Other cars have borne more than one name or marque. Then you have odd cases like the Vauxhall Cavalier, which in this table appears in two places, because someone has arbitrarily chosen the dividing point to be based on the Opel equivalent's name change. Should the two entries be added together, conflating all Ascona, Cavalier and Vectra models? Should the three model names be counted separately, even where they are the same car? But if we're allowing this, why shouldn't the Focus be lumped in with the Escort it replaced? It just goes to show that lists like this are a minefield, but that makes them none the less interesting, and even in a dry 'factual' list like this, there is room for opinion and argument.

All that Thai Jazz

2010-01-29T09:52:00.000Z

The Honda Jazz is one of the most popular small(ish) cars in the UK, and is particularly well-loved by one particular segment of the population.

So much so, that in a few short years the Jazz has become the archetypal carriage of people of a certain age. This has even baffled Honda - reputedly Toshiyuki Harada, one of their top executives came to Europe on a factfinding mission. As he was cruising down the M4, he was not overly surprised to see a Jazz screaming past him, like the proverbial bat out of hell. He was surprised to see that its sole occupant was an elderly woman.

In the rest of the world the Jazz is seen as a young person's car, but Honda seem to have grudgingly accepted that its niche in the UK is as a versatile car for the baby boomers, as evidenced by the Honda UK website which emphasises 'versatility, flexibility and adaptability' (er, hang on, aren't they all the same thing?) as well as the impressive safety credentials.

Compare that to Honda's Thai site, which, by contrast, extols quite different virtues:

Life is colorful. Make up your world with powerful i-VTEC engine 1.5 litre, 120 PS, green power that is compatible to E20.
Feel sporty in every movement with 5 speed automatic transmission and Paddle Shift control.
Fascinate your world by designing and adjusting your Ultra Seat in various modes. Lets go! Your lifestyle is out there. Feel it! I'm So Jazz!

In Thailand the Jazz is the car for the young guy or girl about town, and the Honda Jazz Club of Thailand is one of the biggest automotive websites in the country with over 25,000 members posting from the comfort of their Ultra Seats.

And they modify them...

Boy, do they modify them...

Luckily, whether you want Honda Jazz insurance for older drivers, or modified car insurance for your Jazz, Adrian Flux can help. We're So Jazz!

Reverse Parking Nightmare

2010-01-19T20:58:00.003Z

It has come to my attention that a certain large energy supplier has told its staff that they must reverse into their parking bays when they arrive at the office. Although this diktat has been issued under the guise of health and safety, the Health and Safety Executive and RoSPA do not seem to agree.

You have to say that although not a major problem for most of us, this peculiar rule will inevitably mean that some employees will have to arrive a good hour earlier. People like this...

Yes, apparently it's safer...

Our tip, if you work for the company concerned, make sure you have a rock solid car insurance policy!

My Pics from PH and Autosport International

2010-01-18T12:59:00.007Z

As many of you will know, it was the Autosport International Show this weekend. I just thought I would touch on David's previous post with some of my favourite road worthy cars from the show.

Ferrari California
This was the first time I'd seen the California up close and it is astonishingly beautiful. The 2+2 GT has a 454hp front mid-mounted 4.3L V8 that storms from 0-62mph in under 4 seconds. There are a few firsts for the prancing horse as well with this model, the first to feature that mid-front engine, the first to feature the 7-speed dual clutch transmission, the first with direct petrol injection and the first with a folding metal roof. Ferrari's line up is growing on my each day with the 599, the 458 Italia and this, I truly am California dreaming...

Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione
I was first interested in the 8C when I saw this picture! There's not much to say about the 8C other than it has searing performance and it looks great. Alfa have really showed they can play with the other Italian supercar big dogs, the 4.7L V8 launches it from 0-62 in 4.5 seconds and it'll top out at 190mph. The only problem is the £100,00O price tag and the fact only 500 were built. If you are able to get your hands on one though, I would do it!

Noble M600The £200,000 Noble M600 has been described as the most exciting British spots car for a generation. It is sensationally quick, 0-62mph in 3 seconds flat and 100mph in 3 seconds more. It has a suspected top speed of 225mph and has a better power to weight ratio than the Veyron, need I say more... Oh! I'm also a fan of the powder blue.

Jaguar XFR
I've got a lot of time for this car, I liked the XF when it came out so naturally the 503hp supercharged version has tickled my fancy. I like the interior of the XF as well, starting with the pulsating red start button, the sleek metal centre console and the bathing of blue light during darkness. Despite being the cheapest on the list so far by a long way at just under £60,000, it still has a 0-62mph time of 4.9 seconds and a blistering mid-range pace.

Lotus Evora CupOK so this isn't quite road worthy but I had to use this picture of the Evora Cup to demonstrate my love for the Evora. When I first saw the Evora I wasn't sold but now I've seen it in the metal I think it is an absolutely brilliant car. At just under the XFR at 45-50k with the same 0-62mph time I think this is a bargain supercar. Influx have recently included it as a future classic, and I totally agree.

Lexus LFA At the other end of the pricing spectrum from the Evora and the XFR, here's the Lexus LFA. Now I'm not sold on the LFA, sure it's quite a nice looking and ridiculously fast supercar but how does it warrant the £350,000 price tag?! There is one thing I will give it though, it has an incredible F1 inspired engine induction/ exhaust noise, check it out here. Still... give me a California or an Evora any day!

Pistonheads Show & Autosport International 2010

2010-01-14T18:50:00.003Z

The 2010 Autosport International opens to punters on Saturday and Sunday, but we're already here setting up, and today and tomorrow are trade and press days. You may have seen the TV ads, but if you were thinking of coming, then I can promise you the show is an excellent day out for any petrolhead.

As well as Jenson's Brawn, above, and appearances from many legends of racing, past and present, including the aforementioned Mr Button, and our mate Sterling Moss, there are plenty of amazing Cars. Today I'm sharing a couple of cars from the more motorsport oriented AutoSport part of the show, and tomorrow I plan to give you my pick of the roadgoing performance cars from the Pistonheads area.

F1 is well represented, of course, and you can see all the 2009 F1 cars, but also some amazing car of the past, such as Mansell's Williams and the Benetton above, which was Schumacher's, of course, both reminding me of long Sundays watching F1 in the pub, and better times for Renault's racing division. There is also plenty of the awesome John Player Special livery in evidence.

Other racing disciplines and Formulae are also covered in staggering depth, with highlights like the Historic rally cars, including the same awesome T-16 we saw at the French Car Show. Another French Car at the show is the current Le Mans 24 Hour champion, the Peugeot 908 HDi, which really does look stunning, and my photo does it no justice.

Finally, a mystery picture. This is part of a car at the show. Any idea which one? I will reveal all tomorrow...

Real snow... just to get things in perspective!

2010-01-08T16:56:00.003Z

Yes we've had a lot of snow fall, in fact the whole country has been covered in the white stuff. However a quick google image search soon reveals how real snow will affect your journey to work.

How did these people know where to start looking?

...at least they don't fear their car being stolen!

Slamming your brakes on with a snow laden roof is not advisable...

Lets hand it to ourselves though, this image shows the extent of our snow fall. There is not one green patch! No wonder insurance claims shot up by 70%!

Winter driving; advice and tips

2010-01-06T09:08:00.009Z

The world is at boiling point. In the grip of global warming, so it only seems right that the UK is plunged into another week of heavy snow, plummeting temperatures and ice. Many areas of the country haven’t seen sustained weather like this in years… and the Met Office warns of more to come!

So as long Scandinavia keeps blowing it’s wintery weather down, we will have to get use to it and that means getting use to the roads.

We should however understand that the country would grind to a halt with the onslaught of cold weather. My favourite excuse for our complete lack of competence was from a couple of years ago; “the wrong type of snow” fell which inferably led to “the wrong type of salt” being spread on our feeble road infrastructure. I had no idea there was more than one type of snow, or grit for that matter!

It’s not all doom and gloom; there are things we can do to look after ourselves on the treacherous roads. Below is a short list of some winter driving tips…

Get your car serviced

Having your vehicle checked over during winter is a good idea. If the cold weather affects you it will affect your vehicle and it is important any problems are pin pointed before major damage is caused… the last thing you want is to be stranded in the freezing cold weather waiting for the breakdown service.

Check your tyres

Check all your tyres for both tread depth and pressure. It is not only the snow that causes dangerous driving conditions; the roads can be icy and especially greasy in the winter from mud, water and the salt. Be wary.
Your tyres should be in good condition and the tread depth should be at least 3mm. The legal limit for minimum tread depth on your tyres is 1.6 millimetres, across the central 3/4 of the tread and around the complete circumference of the tyre. You should also check that all your tyres are the correct pressure in accordance to your vehicle’s requirements.

Anti-Freeze

Check and if necessary, replace the anti-freeze in the radiator. It will take a few minutes and could save you hundreds of pounds should it freeze, crack or burst.

Visibility

The mucky roads cause all kinds of chaos during winter. Windows become smeared and lights become caped in dirt. It is vital you keep your lights clean; it takes literally seconds to run a cloth over them before you set off on a journey.
Ensure your window washer fluid is topped up (washer fluid will usually have de-icer mixed in the solution).

Do not pour hot water over an iced windscreen as it may crack when the two temperatures meet. Pour lukewarm water and use de-icer or a scraper. The key is to be patient. If your windows are misted up on the inside blast the air con (if you have it!) on them for a couple of minutes, this should clear rapidly.

Preparation

Always be prepared to travel during a cold snap. The things you use to un-freeze your car in the morning should come with you… leaving the de-icer in the drive way will not help you at 5pm when you discover your car is frozen solid again.
It sounds like a cliché, but if heavy snow if forecast keep supplies in your car. It may seem stupid at first but a snack, a big coat and a map may well come in handy should you get stuck in traffic or diverted.

If you DO break down, ensure you and your passengers are in a safe place. Do not leave your bonnet open as you wait for the recovery vehicle, an engine bay full of snow and rain is not ideal.

Driving technique

In extreme weather your driving style HAS to change, contrary to popular belief. Stopping distances should be ten times greater in snow or ice, apply the brakes gently with no sudden movements.

Pulling away from snowy or icy junctions may be easier in 2nd gear, lower revs will help prevent wheel spinning.

If your car does begin to slide, do not panic; ease off the clutch and steer into the direction the car is skidding. Keep your foot off the brake as this could lock them further.

A great deal of patience and common sense is vital during bad weather. You would be amazed how many people end up with hefty insurance claims because they assumed the road surface was fine.

Take care and drive safe; I’m off for a McFlurry… just need to remember where I left the car...

On second thoughts, maybe I should take this suitably modified Scooby...

Happy Christmas

2009-12-24T13:23:00.002Z

Over the past few days, we've had to endure a parade of smug Americans appearing on our TV screens telling us how much better prepared they are than the UK for snowy conditions. Oh really... Here's the American version of Dancing on Ice:-

What this really demonstrates is that no matter what the preparations, or how experienced you are as a driver, you should always take extreme care on snow and ice. Please be careful out there - if you have a prang at speed, car insurance could be the least of your worries.

Meanwhile, we would like to wish all of our customers, readers and friends a very happy Christmas and a safe and prosperous New Year.

We will be open over the Christmas period, albeit with reduced hours, so please bear this in mind if you need to contact us. If you need to report a claim, you can find details of out of hours claim lines here.

Christmas Eve: 9.00am – 3.00pm.
Christmas Day: Closed.
Boxing Day: Closed.
27th Dec: Closed.
28th Dec: Closed.
29th Dec: 9.00am – 5.30pm.
30th Dec: 9.00am – 5.30pm.
31st Dec: 9.00am - 4.00pm.
1st Jan: Closed.
2nd Jan: Closed.
3rd Jan: Closed.
4th Jan: Normal Hours Resume.

The Chinese are Coming...

2009-12-21T15:18:00.003Z

After lots of Eastern promise over the last few years, there hasn't, as yet been much sign of the influx of Chinese cars we have been promised. There have, of course, been hundreds of Chinese bikes, and Bikesure has been offering Chinese Scooter Insurance for years, but cars have been distinctly thin on the ground.

Now, though, there has been confirmation that at least one Chinese marque has secured a distributor. Great Wall have confirmed that they have done a deal with independent distibutors IM Group, who also look after the smaller Japanese brands Isuzu, Daihatsu and Subaru. Cars will be on sale in the UK from 2011.

So what can we expect from the Great Wall range? Well up to now they have been best known for trucks, but they caused quite a splash at the Shanghai motor show. A big failing up to now with Chinese cars is that few have reached the exacting safety and emissions standards now demanded in the EU, but Great Wall are confident that their 6 launch models (well 5 plus a 4x4 version of 1) will secure type approval.

First up is the Great Wall Peri, which has an engine from Mitsubishi, looks suspiciously like a Fiat Panda, and also comes in a 4x4 variant! In fact, that is going to be the main problem, as Fiat have currently secured an injunction preventing its import into the EU...

Then there is the i7, aka Great Wall Phenom. Apparently they couldn't decide whether to name it after an Intel or AMD processor! These have engines developed in house and are being positioned at a higher price point making it a 'sort of premium' hatch.

The Xuan Li, or Great Wall Florid, is another smallish hatchback. Apparently the name in Chinese sounds confusingly similar to 'Yaris,' and by a huge coincidence the front end styling appears remarkably similar to that of a Toyota Yaris, which has led to further legal issues!

The Great Wall Cowry is a compact MPV fitted with a 2 litre Mitsubishi engine. There are three trim levels, the highest of which - Super Luxury - is equipped with a KARAOKE PLAYER! Again some have detected styling influence from the Toyota Scion Xb.

The final model is another MPV which looks even more like the aforementioned Scion, the mystifyingly named Great Wall Cool Bear. This spacious model with its angular design is likely to abstract sales from the Kia Soul and Nissan Cube, especially as the price could be lower than £9,000.

In short there are still obstacles to overcome, mostly to do with intellectual property, but if these can be surmounted, the Chinese car could take off in a big way. In the absence of a dealer network, you'd be a brave soul to import a Chinese car privately, but if you do, you can count on Adrian Flux to offer competitive import chinese car insurance.

5 Dumbest Road Signs

2009-12-11T13:08:00.005Z

Cambridge City Council is in the news after their long-delayed (mis)Guided Bus network sprouted a particularly idiotic piece of the sign-painters art. As you can see, some clever chap has managed to get the letter N the wrong way round...

In case you think this is a damning indictment of the British education system, rest assured that our American friends are at least as bad:

Even around their educational establishments:

Of course some signs are just pointless in the first place:

And others are changed maliciously. We have a spate of idiots changing 30mph signs to read 80 around here, but if you have the technology you can be much more imaginative:

And web-celeb Dutch 'hacker', Max Cornellisse, has some fun with the roadsigns in this vid:

Of course, with all these malevolant pranksters and signwriting dimwits causing havoc on the roads, a good car insurance policy is essential, as while these might seem funny, they could be seriously distracting to road users. A reminder to all of us that we need to use our common sense...

Panamera's Family Tree

2009-12-07T10:27:00.006Z

A post on Influx recently is all about the Porsche Panamera, and how it might not be deserving of all the bad press it's had recently. Whether you like the Panamera or not, one thing that is undeniably cool is the new american advert for the Porsche 4-seater.

Check it out, it has 50 of the most iconic road and track Porsche's history has to offer... and despite the CGI graphics, this was really done!

The Italian Job

2009-11-24T12:07:00.005Z

When I say the Italian Job, most people think of Michael Cain, Mini's and some breathtaking Italian scenery... Well this Italian Job has two thirds of those, it is a Mini car rally raising money for children's charities. This Italian Job is a 10 day navigation time trial through various Italian cities that are featured in the film of the same name (original not the 2003 remake). The event has been running for 20 years and has raised well over £20 million for children's charity KidsOut.

The 2009 Italian Job event saw over 200 Mini drivers and navigators, one of which was an Adrian Flux customer, Anthony Suckling, accompanied by his son and the Mini's owner James. In return for sponsorship, the Mini was branded up with Adrian Flux stickers which you'll be able to see below...

Anthony and James managed to raise a brilliant £2500 for KidsOut and came 13th out of 60 in the navigation rally, in their first attempt at the event. The 2009 rally managed to raise between £200,000 and £250,000. Anthony also told us that this provided many 'money-can't-buy' moments, like driving around the old banked track at Monza.

The website says that 'The event gives the opportunity to make new friends, explore new places and improve your driving/navigational skills. It's about visiting off the beaten track places in your fantastic Minis and of course it's a fun way to raise money for a really good cause!'

So I suggest if you have an old Mini and a spare couple of weeks in late October, you should really give this rally a go!

Road Trains

2009-11-09T14:30:00.009Z

It's been in the news today that technology that will enable cars to travel in a 'road train', driving themselves. An EU project called SATRE (Safe Road Trains for the Environment) are set to develop and test a way of having up to eight vehicles travel together in a 'platoon'.

The platoon is controlled autonomously by a professional driver in the lead car, who will monitor the status of the road train. This will allow the driver to take their hands off the wheel, so they can read, watch tele or use the phone. The road trains will be active, so drivers can join and leave whenever they want. If a driver wants to leave the train, they signal their intention to the lead driver and a bigger gap will be made to allow the car to leave.

This shows the third car leaving the train, the back three move forward closing the gap.

SATRE are hoping this will be fairly inexpensive, vehicles will need to be equipped with a navigation system and a transmitter/receiver that will communicate with the lead vehicle, there will also need to be sensors linking up all the motorways. Road Trains are hoped to cut fuel consumption by up to 20%, journey times, congestion and reduce the amount of accidents.

A Load of Scrap!

2009-11-04T10:31:00.007Z

Although the scrappage scheme is mainly a good thing, people are buying new cars, there's plenty of scrap metal around... One problem is that I can see a lot of nice cars, and potential classics being scrapped in favour of shiny new models. I had a trawl through a certain well known private car selling site and looked for any cars I could buy for under £2000, the minimum you'll get on a scrappage deal. Here is a list of some of my favourite findings that could be in serious danger of becoming scrap metal:

1997 Alfa Romeo Spider ConvertibleThis car is simply beautiful! It has gorgeous curves, a good interior and a very reasonable 2.0 L engine with close to 150hp... and best of all, unlike the Alfa's you can buy today, the number plate is in a conventional and better looking place!

1996 Fiat Coupé
A stylish Italian sports coupé with a curvy body and a stylish Pininfarina interior, still looking great 16 years after its introduction. Power is very respectable throughout the range, with the top 2.0 L 20V turbo version excelling to a massive 220hp.

1991 Jaguar XJS
A great Jaguar despite being overshadowed by it's predecessor, the E-Type and it's successor, the XK8. It has a smooth flowing body, and the typical mix of wood and leather interior typical of a Jag. Although sales struggled initially, it has become ever more popular with age and has matured like a fine wine. Although the economy is poor to say the least, about 10mpg in the earlier models, this car should be treasured.

1998 Rover Mini
There isn't really much to say about saving the Rover Mini. This is one of the greatest stories in British engineering and it is sad to see the Mini being scrapped. A similar scheme in Italy saw thousands of Innocenti Mini's being scrapped, we've got to hope that doesn't happen here!

1990 BMW 3 Series (E30)
This is one of my favourites from the list, I love the E30. Altough there were plenty of E36's and a few E46's for under 2k, but I would be very sad if this car was scrapped. The M3 E30 is the real classic and anyone that scraps one of the those should be strung up, these great looking 3-Series also deserve to be savoured.

1992 Mitsubishi GTO
The GTO is a technically advanced Japanese sports coupe, and was created to rival the Nissan Skyline, Mazda RX-7 and Toyota Supra. With a 3.0 L V6 with 290hp in top spec and all-wheel drive, this car is undeniably fun. I would have thought that the only way this car would be scrapped is because it was wrapped around a tree, but there were loads of GTO's available for less than the 2k mark, sad isn't it?

1996 Mazda MX-5
My last choice is the MX-5, for simple reasons. It's fun, nippy, cheap to run and you can even feel the wind in your hair! A real contender to be a true classic in years to come, unless of course they all get turned into little metal cubes like that poor little car in the advert!

Feel free to give me some of your suggestions...

Pimp my Golf (Cart)

2009-10-16T08:26:00.006+01:00

Wired.com has a great podcast today covering elderly residents of Florida who have combined their passion for classic cars with their love of a spoilt walk. These geriatric motor fans have had their golf carts tricked out to look like their favourite historic automobiles.

Many of these carts have had seatbelts, wipers and other safety features added to make them street legal, and in theory there's nothing to stop anyone in this country doing the same (but if your grandad wants to do it, he'll want some custom car insurance from a company that offers affordable insurance for mature drivers).

There's not really much I can add other than to exhort you to check out the photo-gallery...

Car theft warning - Good or bad idea?

2009-10-07T17:19:00.002+01:00

Police in Kent have come under fire following their controversial scheme to stop car crime. Officers have been placing "fake" parking tickets on cars with visible valuables left inside the vehicle. When opened, the parking ticket actually advises the driver to be more aware next time they leave personal items on show in their car.

Locals have complained that this actually attracts criminals to the car, despite the official figures indicating a 20% drop in car crime since the scheme went live.

So is this a good or bad idea? I am of the opinion it’s just another visual aid directing criminals to the Sat Nav left on a car seat!

We should all take more care when leaving the car, I always find myself moaning at friends and family when they leave bags and coats on show… the usual reply is “no-one will steal that”! It is better to be safe than sorry… but do we really need a huge yellow sticker on the windscreen advertising our stupidity?

Ich bin ein Frankfurter

2009-09-24T16:26:00.006+01:00

As you might know all the recent automotive news in coming from the Frankfurt motor show, so I thought I would share with you my highlights.

Maserati GranCabrio
I know I blogged about it not very long ago, but how good does it look in real life?

Citroën REVOLTe
This cool quirky looking concept bears more than a passing resemblance to the iconic 2CV. The interior is also very interesting with this concept, with woven black leather, crimson velvet and aluminium. Rumours are a toned down version of this baby town car is set for production.

Ferrari 458 Italia
One of the most hyped up cars has been the Ferrari 458 Italia. Personally I'm reserved about some styling points, I think the bonnet looks like it doesn't fit to the headlights properly and I'm not keen on the sticky out rear lights. There are two things I love about it however, the gorgeous shape, especially the rear, and this incredible video:

Audi R8 V10 5.2 V10Most cars look stupid with overuse of chrome, very few can get away with being totally chrome - although I think the Audi R8 pulls it off big time!

Lamborghini Reventon Roadster
Ok so you can't really see the Reventon, but I think this Lambo frauline offers way more in the way of eye-candy.

Thanks to autoblog for the pics!

Our favorite drifter, Ken Block, returns.... Again

2009-09-07T14:11:00.007+01:00

Ok, so we all remember Ken Block (he's the guy with a shiny WRX STi Subaru, flinging it superbly around an unused aircraft hanger somewhere in America)… well anyway, he is back, but this time he has a friend.

The video does all the talking… So take a peek! Incredible, and this time hilarious stuff. This guy is truly skilled.

Car Modding - 70s style

2009-09-03T09:19:00.009+01:00

Image by exfordy via Flickr

The people who make Max Power would probably encourage you to believe that car modifications took off in the 1990s, people have been customising their motors at least since Monsieur Renault decided he could improve on De Dion's handiwork back in 1898.

Back in the 70s and 80s, bad boys around town wouldn't be seen dead without a set of Cibiés. Other popular retro modifications included removing the bumpers, 'shaving' and 'frenching' (removing or recessing respectively anything that sticks out), adding racing stripes and decals

Image by rutthenut via Flickr

(perhaps even Martini or Gulf) and, if performance was your thing, sticking something like a Rover V8 into a Mk1 Escort, or a Porsche engine into a Beetle was a relatively painless exercise, although still not to be undertaken lightly.

But for people with only a passing interest in cars, two modifications from the age of the white dog poo tend to stick in the mind more than all of these, the Dixie Horn - soundtrack to my childhood - and the extra wide wheels, which became known as Carlos Fandango wheels, after a ludicrously exaggerated version of this mod was featured in this cigar ad:

I wonder, with the eighties revival in full swing, how many people will be doing these mods (at least the ones that haven't been banned by Brussels) to their cars again? One thing is for sure, as long as there are modified cars, people will need modified car insurance.

GranCabrio Set for Frankfurt

2009-08-27T09:19:00.007+01:00

Maserati have announced that the GranCabrio, the convertible version of the GranTurismo, will debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show on September 15th.

The GranCabrio will be the third prong in the trident carmakers line-up, the first open top four-seater in Maserati's history. This car has breathtaking styling, developed by the well known Italian design firm Pininfarina, also responsible for the Ferrari Enzo, the Alfa Brera and the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti - need I say more!

If that wasn't enough for you, the GranCabrio will use the 433 hp 4.7 l V8 lump from the GranTurismo S, although might be slightly slower due to the added weight from the extra bracing. Although performance figures haven't been released yet, expect a 0-60 time of around 5.5 secs and a top speed of 180 mph.

The car will go on sale from early next year and unfortunately if I 've got you excited you will have to part with around £90,000 to own one!

Also debuting at Frankfurt will be another gorgeous Pininfarina designed Italian supercar.

This will be the new offering from Ferrari, the 458 Italia their F430 replacement. This mid-engined beast will have a direct-injected 4.5 l V8 that blasts out 562 horsepower!

Keep your eyes peeled to Influx this month as next week the Italia theme will be launched.

I'm now off to book a flight to Frankfurt... Ciao Bella!

Clunk, Click, Every Trip

2009-08-14T13:39:00.003+01:00

It's a date that may have passed you by, but yesterday marked the 50th anniversary of the humble seat belt - or more precisely the three point safety belt - patented by Volvo engineer Nils Bohlin in 1958 and first fitted to a production Volvo PV544 on the 13th August 1959.

Before this date, seat belts had been fitted to cars since the 1930's , but all were of the two-point chest or lap-belt variety. It has been estimated that over 1 million lives have been saved by this innovation, and having spoken with members of the emergency services, it is clear that many more could still be saved if everyone made use of the belts fitted to their cars. In fact, one fireman told me that people not wearing seatbelts account for the majority of the fatalities he sees, a sobering thought, when you consider that only a hardcore 10% of motorists fail to buckle up.

RoSPA has an interesting potted history of seat belts, but people of a certain age will remember this classic piece of TV cheese masquerading as a safety film...