MotorMad

Renault Clio III Voted European Car of the Year 2006

Clio III has been voted Car of the Year 2006 by a jury of 58 motoring journalists from 22 European countries. Clio III scored 256 points, ahead of the VW Passat (251 points) and the Alfa Romeo 159 (212 points), making this the sixth time Renault has won the award. A total of 28 new models were in the running for the award. The Clio III, which won five stars in the Euro NCAP crash tests, went on sale across Europe in mid-October. The Renault 16 was the winner in 1966, followed by the Renault 9 in 1982, Clio I in 1991, Megane Scenic in 1997, and Megane II in 2003.

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Confused Over Current Style Number Plates?

Around three-quarters of us still don’t understand the new car registration plate system, according to a survey by Post Office car insurance. 27 per cent of those questioned, mistakenly thought that new numbers being introduced on 1 September 2005 would be 05 when they will actually be 55. A further 45 per cent did not know what the new numbers would be at all, while a quarter thought the two letters at the beginning of the plate referred to the area in which the driver lived. Some people even thought the two letters represented the driver's initials or the make of the vehicle. Women were more confused about the plates than men, with 81 per cent of females confused by the new format.

Lorry Overtaking Ban to Start on M42

Lorries are to be banned from overtaking on a three-mile stretch of the M42 to cut congestion in an 18-month pilot project by the Highways Agency. Starting on 10 October, the scheme is supposed to cut traffic jams and the risk of accidents caused by slow-moving vehicles between the northbound junctions 10 and 11.

Motoring organisations Call for Graduated Fuel Tax

The RAC and the Association of British Drivers have both called for the government to introduce a variable tax on fuel to soften the impact of record oil prices in the wake of hurricane Katrina. Maybe this would prevent the panic-buying chaos that was experienced at the pumps a few weeks ago, because of threatened fuel protests.

NEC Motor Show 2005

Over 1000 cars will be on display at this year's Classic Motor Show at the NEC in Birmingham. The Show is on until November 6 and will feature classic car dealers, car clubs and motoring merchandise.
The extremely rare Maserati MC-12 Stradale (left) will have its first public viewing in the UK. With only 25 made and valued at around £600,000, the MC-12 reaches a top speed of 205mph, going from 0-62 mph in 3.8 seconds.

Mercedes Shows Hybrids at Frankfurt

At the International Motor Show (IAA) 2005 in Frankfurt, Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the ‘Direct Hybrid’ and the ‘Bluetec Hybrid,’ two concept cars using the new S-Class as an installation example. The goal with these hybrids is to "make petrol cars as efficient as diesels, and diesels as clean as petrol cars". They have been made through the hybrid development agreement between DaimlerChrysler and GM, now to be joined by BMW.

Citroen Xsara: Most Popular People Carrier

Citroen’s funky transformer car can now dance some more as the brand has come top in a survey of the most popular models by Quotea.co.uk based on the number of insurance quotes requested by owners of people carriers over a nine-month period to May 2005.

The number two spot went to the Vauxhall Zafira. Third most popular for men was the Renault Scenic, whilst women opted for the Ford Galaxy.
Perhaps surprisingly, only 52% of those wanting to insure their people carriers were married, so they could be just as popular with single mums and dads, or just singles with lots of mates!

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Avoid Bank Holiday Hell

As the August bank holiday approaches, Green Flag Motoring Assistance is gearing up for an inevitably busy weekend, and offers motorists some timely advice to avoid having a breakdown or getting in a jam. Last August bank holiday Green Flag responded to almost 15,000 calls for help, mostly caused by battery problems and minor accidents. The busiest time was between 9am and 10am on Tuesday August 31, when Green Flag attended over 300 incidents in just one hour as people returned to work.

Monthly Petrol Bill Nears £100

Petrol prices have risen to another all-time high, with drivers' average monthly bill now almost £100, it has been revealed. Prices now average 91p a litre, compared with only 79.6p a litre in January, according to the AA Motoring Trust. It all means that UK motorists are now spending a total of £8.32 million more a day on petrol than they were at the beginning of the year.

Drivers Fined £1,000 For Texting

Drivers who send text messages while driving could face a £1,000 fine and six penalty points on their licence. Until now drivers caught sending texts at the wheel have escaped with a £30 fixed penalty. But South Wales police has become the first force in Britain to charge texters with the more serious offence of driving without due care and attention. The charge carries a greater fine and penalty than speaking to someone on a mobile. Surprising that it has taken this long to realise that taking your eyes off the road to text is more dangerous than speaking on a mobile and should have a bigger fine.

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