Author Archives for Allan

London’s Electric Revolution Stalls over Lack of Charging Points

  9 years ago          Comments Off on London’s Electric Revolution Stalls over Lack of Charging Points  

London’s attempts to increase the number of electric cars on its roads is being hampered by a lack of charging points, amongst other concerns. The capital currently offers drivers 1,300 public charging points at 300 sites, however, a report by the Financial Times shows that more than 40 per cent of the posts in central London are out of service. The chaos is exacerbated by arguments between interested parties including the current operator of the service. “London has not got its act together on electric vehicles,” said Mark Walker, UK managing director of Zipcar, one of the world’s biggest car-sharing…

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Who Should Motorists Vote for at the General Election 2015?

  9 years ago          Comments Off on Who Should Motorists Vote for at the General Election 2015?  

The 2015 general election is now less than 100 days away, but how are the parties campaigning for your vote planning to help drivers? For petrol-heads, road maintenance and motoring costs are important issues and politicians are now making a concerted effort to cosy up to drivers. Unsurprisingly, a poll on Auto Express asking users how they are likely to be swayed in the general election revealed that drivers will be heading to the voting boots with the cost of fuel and increasing speed limits in mind. The Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition invested millions for surface repairs after bad…

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Porsche Announces “Most Extreme Cayman Ever”

  9 years ago          Comments Off on Porsche Announces “Most Extreme Cayman Ever”  

Porsche has announced what it describes as the most extreme Cayman ever, with a 380bhp, race-car aero and stiffer chassis. The Cayman GT4 will blur the lines between the racetrack and road and will be aimed at the kind of buyer who takes their vehicles to track days but like to drive home afterwards. The exterior features an enhanced fixed rear wing with deep front bumper and larger rear diffuser. Porsche claims the body-kit generates positive down-force at higher speeds. Of course, at the heart of the GT4 is the 380bhp, 3.8 litre engine that features a 45bhp increase on…

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Prescription Medication Could See Drivers Over Limit in New Drug Driving Laws

  9 years ago          Comments Off on Prescription Medication Could See Drivers Over Limit in New Drug Driving Laws  

It’s likely that you’re unaware of the new drug driving laws that come into effect in the UK on March 2, 2015, which could see motorists who take heavy doses of common prescription drugs risk losing their license if getting behind the wheel. It potentially leaves drivers open to prosecution, despite being on correct dosages issued by doctors or pharmacists. Of course, the legal driving limit for illegal drugs – cocaine, ketamine, LSD, heroin, cannabis etc – is set so low that any real active use would be detectable and deemed over the limit, but from March, eight further prescription drugs…

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BMW Fixes Security Flaw That Allowed Hackers to Unlock Doors

  9 years ago          Comments Off on BMW Fixes Security Flaw That Allowed Hackers to Unlock Doors  

German carmaker BMW has fixed a security flaw that seemingly allowed hackers to unlock the doors of over 2 million Rolls-Royce, Mini and BMW vehicles. Officials at the luxury manufacturer said the flaw affected cars equipped with the company’s Connected Drive software using on-board SIM cards. BMW drivers can use the software and SIMs to activate door locking mechanisms as well as a range of other services include real-time traffic information and air conditioning. The security risk occurred when the data was transmitted. The ADAC, Germany’s largest automobile club, had discovered the security gap which essentially left cars vulnerable to…

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Telsa Model S Suddenly Becomes Faster after Software Update

  9 years ago          Comments Off on Telsa Model S Suddenly Becomes Faster after Software Update  

Owners of the Telsa Model S electric car may have been pleasantly surprised this morning after their cars suddenly became faster. The increase in speed is thanks to a remote software update and means the five-seater now accelerates as speedily as McLaren’s MP4-12C supercar. Telsa – founded by the PayPal billionaire Elon Musk – has been offering remote software updates for several years now and the company issues new code which cars automatically download and install without any action required from the driver. The updates usually tweak in-car computers and smart features, though the latest changes the Tesla’s acceleration from…

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Highly-Anticipated McLaren 675LT to Debut in Geneva

  9 years ago          Comments Off on Highly-Anticipated McLaren 675LT to Debut in Geneva  

The McLaren 675LT will finally make its international debut at the Geneva motor show in March. Billed as the “lightest, quickest and purest” model in the Super Series range – which also boasts the 650S and 625C – the 675LT pays homage to the iconic F1 GTR which raced at the Le Mans 24 Hour event in 1997. The British manufacturer says the new model is focused purely on “performance-optimised aerodynamics, increased downforce, driver engagement, power and reduced weight” and confirmed that power has increased to 666bhp. That’s a considerable increase on the 641bhp of the 650S. While we’ll likely…

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“Outrageous” Lamborghini Countach Could Fetch £1 Million at Auction

  9 years ago          Comments Off on “Outrageous” Lamborghini Countach Could Fetch £1 Million at Auction  

Three examples of the outrageous and polarising Lamborghini Countach – a poster car of the seventies and eighties, loved and despised in equal measure – are set to go up for auction. A striking red model with matching numbers (chassis and engine 1120260) is estimated to fetch £901,000 to £1,125,000. Posters of the Countach adorned the bedrooms of many teenage boys and although criticised for its in-your-face nature and over-the-top styling, the car was undeniably unique and original. The aforementioned Countach was bought from the Lamborghini factory in Sant’Agata in 1977 before being shipped to Australia in 1978. Though having…

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Toyota Facing Competition From Google in Self-Driving Car Market

  9 years ago          Comments Off on Toyota Facing Competition From Google in Self-Driving Car Market  

Toyota and a number of other Japanese car-makers risk losing out in the race towards autonomous driving as the likes of Google enter the self-driving car market. Analysts warn that Toyota could find itself in a similar situation to Sony, Sharp and Panasonic, which lost their lead in consumer devices to Apple and Samsung, who made speedy advances to make new gadgets available at a cheaper price. “Japan’s electronics industry, which prided itself on its unique manufacturing prowess, ultimately lost its competitiveness,” says Takaki Nakanishi, a former Merrill Lynch analyst who now runs his own research group. “The same thing…

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Range Rover Theft Problem Police Target Cars In Expensive Areas

  9 years ago          Comments Off on Range Rover Theft Problem Police Target Cars In Expensive Areas  

Police Target Range Rovers in Expensive Areas, After Midnight Police working in the most expensive areas in the country, Chelsea and Kensington, have been ordered to stop all drivers in “prestige” cars after midnight. A spate of Range Rover theft, and other 4x4s, has led authorities to issue the wide-arching order to check they are being driven by legitimate owners. West London has seen a rise in what police are calling “keyless thefts”, with thieves using technology to clone electronic ignition keys and therefore avoiding more aggressive and overt forms of entry. Some thieves are even resorting to the less…

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