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Cool Coupe -BMW M4 Competition On Test
Hot on the heels of the rather swish 4-Series Convertible I tested recently, came the rather striking coupe variant, in top M4 Competition guise. M Series cars from BMW are always rather special and this new model has been much anticipated. It is not a cheap car, with a starting price of just over £76,400 before raiding the options list.
Transit Custom Nugget – Ford’s Compact Camper On Test
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
With foreign holidays put on hold due to the pandemic, sales of motorhomes and campervans have boomed over the last year or so. Second hand prices have risen sharply and good vehicles are in short supply.
11:08 AM 5th September 2021
Toyota GR Yaris – The Rally Bred Pocket Rocket
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
Much has already been written about the GR Yaris and I therefore feel somewhat late to the party. This car has been garnering praise from all quarters and the anticipation of its arrival for a week’s testing was palpable. The car is a homologation special, produced by Toyota in order to be able to go rallying.
12:27 PM 2nd September 2021
All Change For UK Petrol Supplies – Your E10 Guide
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
From 1st September, the standard (95 octane) petrol grade in Great Britain will become E10. The change in fuel applies to petrol only. Diesel fuel will not be changing. Almost all (95%) petrol-powered vehicles on the road today can use E10 petrol and all cars built since 2011 are compatible.
6:36 PM 1st September 2021
Opinion
E10 Petrol: New 'Green' Petrol A Cheap And Easyway To Reduce CO2 Emissions
Image by IADE-Michoko from Pixabay
With the introduction of E10 petrol as the standard unleaded petrol at UK petrol stations today Jun Peng, visiting Professor of Sustainable Engineering at the University of Bedfordshire, says this is a small step in the right direction providing the ethanol in the E10 fuel is actually biofuel: “We have to be realistic about the impact of this measure.
5:56 PM 1st September 2021
D-Max In The Dales – Isuzu’s New Pickup On Test
There has been a mass exodus from the pickup truck market, a little strange when not so long ago manufacturers were rushing out new offerings, keen to get a slice of the action. So, what has happened? It seems that contrary to predictions, buyers didn’t flock to trade in their SUVs. Gone is the Mercedes-Benz X-Class, Fiat Fullback, Mitsubishi L200, Nissan Navara and the Volkswagen Amarok.
4:15 AM 28th August 2021
Dining à La Car? Brits Eating Habits Revealed In New Research
New study reveals over half of UK drivers eat regularly in their vehicles Sandwiches, burgers and fish & chips are the most preferred food to eat in a car ‘Car eating’ made more popular due to COVID-19 and the British weather
4:00 AM 28th August 2021
Multi-million-pound Initiative To Improve Local Roads Across England
Councils across the country to receive millions of pounds to upgrade traffic signals  New data standard for monitoring road condition to be developed, providing more useful data for local authorities and the Department Government continues to encourage research into new and innovative technology, such as 3D printing and drones, to help find and fix potholes faster and more effectively …
4:00 AM 16th August 2021
Convertible Capers BMW Style
I make no secret of the fact that I love convertible cars and have been lucky enough to own a variety over the last thirty years. Most of these have been made by BMW and hiding away in my garage at present, and sadly little used, is my 2003 330Ci.
4:36 AM 14th August 2021
Historic Northern Archaeology Dig Reaches Landmark Stage
The tents above the Trinity Burial Ground in Hull are beginning to come down this week
Landmark tents which have been home to the largest-ever scientific excavation of a post-medieval burial ground in northern England are coming down. Since the two tents were erected last summer at the Trinity Burial Ground, as part of Highways England’s £355m improvements in Hull city centre, they have yielded a wealth of information from the city’s past.
8:19 AM 13th August 2021
Traffic Bulletin: A64 Remains Closed Eastbound Around Tadcaster, In Yorkshire Due To Crane Fire
The crane has now been extinguished by North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and awaits recovery
Highways England is advising drivers that the A64 remains closed eastbound between the A659 junction, near junction 44, A1(M) to the A659 junction at Islington following a crane fire this morning (Thursday).
4:00 PM 12th August 2021
Hyundai Ioniq 5 – UK Launch Review
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
Hyundai has been offering the buying public usable electric cars for many a year. I have covered plenty of miles in the Kona Electric, an SUV that is both easy to use and demands few compromises. Forget about range anxiety with a real-world range of 250 miles, winter or summer. Some premium manufacturers have yet to manage this.
6:00 AM 7th August 2021
GC Motors Automotive Receives National Recognition For Excellence
GC Motors has been awarded the Customer Experience Award at the national Auto Trader Retailer Awards 2021. Based in Harrogate, GC Motors, has beaten competition from over 13,000 UK automotive retailers to receive the Customer Experience Award at the 14th annual Auto Trader Retailer Awards.
2:21 PM 5th August 2021
Mazda’s Latest CX-5 Under The Spotlight
The current Mazda range is one of my favourites. Each model impresses and aims to compete with the best in class. The MX-5 has long been the default choice for anyone looking for open-top fun at an affordable price. I own an elderly example and not only has it been a huge amount of fun to drive, it has also proved to be faultlessly reliable.
5:00 PM 3rd August 2021
Festival Of The Unexceptional – Show Roundup
At long last, I finally made it to the Festival of the Unexceptional, this year held in the stately grounds of Grimsthorpe Castle in Lincolnshire, a 1516 architectural masterpiece of Tudor and Baroque splendour. The show is unlike any other and organisers Hagerty will doubtless be pleased with a sell-out event.
1:13 PM 2nd August 2021
Volvo XC40 Plug-in Hybrid On Test
Volvo’s march to full electrification of its range continues apace and the popular XC40 SUV can now be had in fully electric form or as a plug-in hybrid, as tested here. The XC40 is certainly one of the more distinctive SUVs to appear on the motoring scene in recent years, joining the larger XC60 and seven-seat XC90 models.
4:20 AM 31st July 2021
Stinger – Time To Catch Up With Kia’s Range-topper
Kia is South Korea’s oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles, now producing over 1.5 million vehicles in 13 plants in 8 different countries. Rewind a decade or two and the cars on offer were undoubtedly worthy, affordable and just a bit dull. How times have changed as the current range encompasses stylish family hatchbacks, attractive SUVs and cute city cars.
7:57 PM 26th July 2021
Mazda6 Tourer - The Kuro Edition
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
A recent Mazda drive day presented the opportunity to try out some of their popular range of cars. It was the rather distinctive Mazda6 that immediately caught my eye, the model in question being a Kuro special edition, limited to 100 cars in the UK.
5:00 AM 24th July 2021
Don’t Let Your Tyres Ruin Your Summer Holidays
Where not to change a tyre - A vehicle stopped for a tyre change in the outside lane of the M1 earlier this year. Highways England traffic officers were deployed but the vehicle left the scene shortly before they arrived.
We all know that uncomfortable sun burn or a brush with a jellyfish are capable of ruining a summer holiday, but have you thought about the effects under-inflated tyres might have on your break or day trip this summer?
3:58 AM 24th July 2021
Next Phase Of M1 Bridge Improvements Set To Commence
A map outlining where work is taking place along the M1 in the Rotherham and Sheffield areas
The next phase of improvements to make South Yorkshire motorway bridges safer, more dependable and durable begins later this month (July). Highways England is investing more than £17 million this financial year to enhance bridges and structures along the M62 and M1.
9:08 PM 23rd July 2021
Cool Convertible – Honda S800 Driven
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
Never one to pass up the opportunity to drive something interesting, I was delighted to see that Honda had bought along a couple of classic cars to their recent range day event. The red S800 immediately caught my eye and although there were cars that I needed to drive, this was the car I wanted to drive.
6:00 AM 19th July 2021
A Honda Sort Of Day
Every now and then car manufacturers kindly stage range days. It is a chance for busy journalists to catch up on cars they have yet to drive, or indeed refresh the memory banks. The good folk at Honda have done just that, and I was delighted to take full advantage of the opportunity. First to come under my scrutiny was the Honda e, which I had driven last year at the UK launch event.
10:46 AM 18th July 2021
Charging Etiquette For Electric Car Owners
Unwritten rules at the charging bay Electric car owners in the UK are being offered advice on the unwritten rules at public charging points. The team of experts at LeaseElectricCar.co.uk have put together their tips for new EV owners on the etiquette rules to follow.
3:47 AM 17th July 2021
Weird Road Signs From Around The World
The world’s most unusual road signs have been named by researchers - and even the most experienced drivers could be baffled by some of them. From Kangaroos Ahead to Deaf Cat Crossing the world’s most weird and wonderful road signs have been identified in a new study by car rental experts at StressFreeCarRental.com.
3:44 AM 17th July 2021
Traffic Bulletin: A1M Closure Between Junction 60 (Bradbury) And Junction 62 (Durham)
Highways England is advising drivers that the A1M in County Durham is closed in both directions between Junction 60 (Bradbury) and Junction 62 (Durham) due to a serious incident. Drivers are asked to avoid the area and allow extra time for their journeys.
9:21 PM 15th July 2021
Volvo XC90 T8 – A Fully Charged Review!
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
Volvo is continuing its drive for full electrification of its range, with the aim to improve the quality of air in our cities and also to increase the success of the business. By 2025, some 50% of Volvo car sales will be fully electric. In the meantime, every new Volvo launched from now will have an electric motor.
7:46 AM 15th July 2021
Darlington Body Shop Enjoys Rapid Expansion
The Darlington body shop of North-East dealer group, Drive Motor Retail, has gained approved repairer status for the MG franchise alongside eight other car manufacturers in the past twelve months.
2:11 PM 13th July 2021
Lada Niva On Test – Yes Really!
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
I bet you had forgotten all about the Lada Niva. It would be wrong to say they were a familiar sight on UK roads, but I do remember seeing them in the 1970s and ‘80s. A little research tells me that Niva is Russian for field and undoubtedly, traversing uncompromising territory was what it was primarily designed for.
6:00 AM 12th July 2021
Suzuki Jimny Is Back In Light Commercial Form
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
I make no secret of the fact that I like the Suzuki Jimny. I owned several of its SJ predecessors in the 1980s and recall not only their character but also their considerable prowess off road. The fourth-generation model was launched in 2018 to much acclaim and I recall fondly the UK Media launch and also spending a week behind the wheel on home turf. I should have bought one.
4:00 AM 10th July 2021
Nissan’s European Driving Expert Delivers A Motoring Masterclass With JUKE
As many city and country dwellers look to venture onto roads familiar and new for long-overdue trips, Nissan deploys its world-class driving talent to help motorists truly unlock the fun that the open road offers.
4:00 AM 10th July 2021
Jaguar I-PACE Provides Ground Support For All-electric Flight Speed Record Bid
The all-electric Jaguar I-PACE is the towing and support vehicle for a UK-led programme aiming to claim the electric flight speed record later this year, with a target of 300+mph. The Rolls-Royce ‘Spirit of Innovation’ team has already completed key ground-testing and taxiing ahead of the first test flights in a matter of months, ably supported throughout by the I-PACE.
7:16 AM 7th July 2021
A1(M) Resurfacing Brings Safer, Smoother Journeys In Yorkshire
Resurfacing of the A1(M) between junction 35 (Wadworth Interchange) and junction 34 (Blyth Interchange) will mean safer, smoother and quieter journeys for road users. Highways England will carry out the work on the southbound carriageway from Monday, 5 July.
8:59 PM 4th July 2021
Defender Delights In A Smaller Package
How do you reinvent an icon? This is something that has vexed the good folk at Land Rover for many a year. The much-loved old version had clearly reached the end of its life, though good examples will be sought after for ever and a day. A vehicle with global appeal was clearly required, something far more modern, yet just as capable in extreme off-road conditions.
5:50 PM 3rd July 2021
Weekend Cars: Subject: DVLA Busts 9 Myths Around SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification)
Each year around 3.4 million vehicles are declared as being “off the road” (Statutory off Road Notification or SORN) – sometimes for just a few months at a time. March 2020 saw the highest number of SORNs being made of any month in the past decade, with over half a million motorists choosing to SORN their vehicle at the start of the first national lockdown.
4:01 AM 3rd July 2021
Harrogate MG Show 2021 Fast Approaching
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
Sunday 8th August will see MGs from across the UK flock to Pateley Bridge near Harrogate for the 35th annual MG show. Bigger and better than ever, the event will also incorporate the MG Owners Club Northern National gathering.
11:43 AM 27th June 2021
Yorkshire Motorway Bridges And Structures Set To Receive Summer Facelift
A map outlining where work is taking place along the M1 in the Rotherham and Sheffield areas
Motorway bridges in South Yorkshire will benefit from a multi-million-pound investment from Highways England as part of an extensive programme to help protect the region’s structures.
7:10 PM 25th June 2021
Formidable Formentor – Cupra’s Handsome SUV On Test
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
For those that don’t already know, Cupra is the high-performance arm of Spanish car manufacturer SEAT. It has produced hot variants of the Ibiza, Leon and latterly the Ateca. In 2018, Cupra was spun off to become its own sub-brand, with all future models from the marque to wear Cupra’s arrow-shaped emblem.
9:52 AM 25th June 2021
Online Driving Licence Renewals For Over 70s Soar As 6 Out Of 10 Now Go Online
New figures released today (Tuesday 22 June) by DVLA show that around 6 out of 10 over 70 year olds who renewed their driving licence last year did so online.
2:15 PM 22nd June 2021
Estate Car Excellence The Jaguar Way – XF Sportbrake On Test
The second generation of the Jaguar XF has been on sale since 2015. In a competitive market, that will never do, so at the end of 2020 a facelifted car went on sale. The company’s emphasis over the last few years has firmly focussed on SUVs, this burgeoning market being hard to ignore, so there are now E, F and I-PACE models all vying for your attention and hard-earned cash.
8:08 PM 21st June 2021
It’s Tucson Time! Hyundai’s New SUV On Test
Sales of SUVs show no signs of abating. It is therefore unsurprising that manufacturers are regularly updating or replacing their offerings, all in the hope of a slice of the action. Hyundai has done just that with its popular mid-size Tucson, the all-new model having gone on sale in January. Three trim levels are available, SE Connect, Premium and Ultimate.
4:00 AM 19th June 2021
Updates To The Highway Code Will Make Roads Even Safer
Highways England has drafted updated guidance for The Highway Code with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to help road users better understand how motorways and high-speed roads operate. More than 3,200 people and organisations responded to a consultation on the guidance, with their comments directly leading to it being amended and improved.
4:00 AM 19th June 2021
In The Beginning…. The Genesis Brand Arrives In Europe
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
Genesis has now brought its range of Korean premium luxury cars to the UK and this week saw me travel south to grab one of the sought-after spaces on the UK Media Launch. Was it worth the trip? Well, after many months of lockdown restrictions, it was a delight to be back on the road and I was intrigued to see how Genesis intend to compete with the established premium brands.
9:18 AM 14th June 2021
It’s Nearly Time For The Festival Of The Unexceptional
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
As we are slowly released from lockdown, we welcome the return of the Classic Car Show. Many of us car enthusiasts are desperate for a fix of automotive loveliness. However, so many shows now follow the same theme.
6:00 AM 12th June 2021
Opinion
Weekend Cars: Steady Increase In Car Production; But Are Electric Vehicles Really The Way To Go?
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Richard Bartlett-Rawlings, partner and automotive specialist at RSM, writes: ‘It’s good to see another year on year increase in UK car production in April 2021; however, this is unsurprising as the global pandemic stopped production this time last year. The most concerning data is the reduction since March this year, caused by a lack of components including semi-conductors.
4:15 AM 29th May 2021
£1 Billion A66 Upgrade Takes To The Skies – And Twitter
The latest surveys are a mix of traditional (above) and very 21st century (below, showing a surveyor launching a drone) (pictures not from the A66 project)
Highways England has taken to the troposphere and the Twittersphere as it works to deliver the £1bn A66 Northern Trans-Pennine project.
9:39 AM 27th May 2021
JCT600 Starts Work On £9m New Ferrari Showroom And Service Centre In Leeds
JCT600 has started work on the highest value project it has ever undertaken – the construction of a new stand-alone, two-storey official sales and after sales centre for Ferrari in Leeds, plus an adjacent service centre. The eight-month project represents a £9m capital investment by the Yorkshire-based automotive retailer and will create a number of new jobs.
12:37 PM 26th May 2021
Taking To The Roads This May Bank Holiday?
If you are using your vehicle for the first time in a while this May bank holiday, Highways England Traffic Officer Dave Harford has some important advice. Some cars have been rarely used in recent months, so it’s essential to make sure they’re fit for purpose. You may also feel out of practice if you haven’t driven recently.
10:04 AM 26th May 2021
Road Funding Drop This Year Could Pay For 9.5 Million Pothole Repairs
Councils could repair more than 9.5 million extra potholes with the funding lost from local road maintenance budgets this year, analysis by the Local Government Association reveals today. Overall capital funding allocated to councils for local road maintenance this year by the Department for Transport is £1.39 billion – down from £1.78 billion in 2020/21.
5:00 AM 22nd May 2021
Highways England Innovation Helping People Have Their Say On M56 Upgrade
Drivers, residents and businesses are being encouraged to say what they think of the £85 million M56 upgrade in Cheshire. Highways England is currently working to install an extra lane in each direction of the motorway between junction 6 at Hale and junction 8 at Bowdon, backed by extra technology to help smooth drivers’ journeys.
10:21 AM 18th May 2021
Honda Jazz – Lifestyle Crosstar Model On Test
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
Inexplicably, the Honda Jazz has tended to appeal to a more mature driver in the UK. It is not so in other countries where the model’s considerable virtues are appreciated by buyers of all ages. Launched earlier this year is an all-new Jazz, with an intriguing Crosstar variant on offer for the first time.
7:54 PM 17th May 2021
Honda Civic Type R – As Thrilling As Ever!
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
The Type R version of Honda’s latest Civic has recently had an update and a ‘Rallye Red’ GT variant has just graced my driveway. A full Yorkshire test was in order! The heart of the Type R has always been its high revving VTEC engine which endows the racy Honda with exhilarating performance, albeit in a slightly frenzied manner. It is somewhat addictive though.
3:25 PM 13th May 2021
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