Blogs

https://www.topgear.com/car-news/audi-s4-now-diesel-car-too Have a read of the link above. Should we not be a little concerned that Volkswagen Audi Group (VAG) continue to push diesels on us in this era of heightened climate change awareness? I understand completely that new diesels run a lot cleaner than those of the past, and I also understand that for certain "applications" diesels are preferred. But until such time as no NOx…

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/china-apos-car-industry-rapidly-100800396.html?bcmt=1 The above link, originally written by Sean O'Grady from the Independent, points to China's growing car industry and their quest to not only compete, but also eclipse, the more established and certainly better known Western and Japanese car manufacturers. How? By joining them! It's a fairly dense read, but the jist of the article is that the car industry is becoming more cut throat and, in…

https://www.theguardian.com/green-light/2019/mar/19/will-i-make-it-out-of-town-common-electric-car-questions-answered The link above from the Guardian features actor and EV enthusiast Robert Llewellyn answer some of the more common concerns associated with EV ownership. (Interesting that the old marketing term "FUD", for fear, uncertainty, doubt, gets used in the title to really hammer home the point that it's wrong to have any concerns whatsoever!) Llewellyn tackles nine of what he considers to be the most common…

https://airqualitynews.com/2019/04/12/filtered-diesel-exhausts-may-worsen-allergies-study-finds/ Have a read of this article, and be prepared to be shocked like I was. In a nutshell, a research report published by the American Thoracic Society shows that people suffering from pre-existing respiratory conditions suffer more from exhaust fumes emitted from diesel vehicles fitted with Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF's) than those without. I find this truly remarkable as DPF's are mandatory for all diesel cars…

https://www.driving.co.uk/news/ford-claims-new-key-fob-sleep-mode-prevents-keyless-car-thefts/ The above link points to an article about a new key fob from Ford designed to prevent car thefts. It appears to be a brilliantly simple technology that I hope will 1) actually work and 2) be rolled out by every other car manufacturer. As highlighted in James Allen's article, the increase in keyless entry and start systems found in most new cars sold today has…

With the increase in bicycles on roadways across the country, better safety measures are constantly being debated to ensure both drivers and cyclists can share the roads in harmony. Dedicated cycle lanes, cycleways (shared with pedestrians) and cycle traffic lights are becoming more common place on roads throughout England. This is a good thing, no doubt. And yet much of the discussion regarding any improvements of shared…

Let the record show that I think the idea of driverless cars is very cool. Simply program your destination via the car’s onboard tablet, or even from your mobile phone, and whoosh… off you go. You could be sitting in the back seat, gin and tonic in hand, leaving the car’s computers to do all the driving for you. Sounds idyllic, no? Sure does, but I hate…

If you’ve taken the somewhat brave, and economically savvy, decision to drive to the Alps for your family ski holiday, a quick refresher course on how to drive in the snow wouldn’t go amiss! With half-term starting for most families next week, chances are you’re well on your way with your road-trip preparations. Train/ferry booked? Check! Car properly serviced? Check! Extra provisions in case of emergency? Check!…