News

The scrappage scheme has helped boost consumer confidence, according to a group that represents car makers. The Society of Motor Manufacturers claims that the initiative has been a success, with it accounting for at least 25 per cent of new car registrations each month since it was introduced last year. “Bread and circuses” The £2,000 grant...

Facilities for cyclists at railway stations are to benefit from a £14 million investment scheme. 10,000 extra parking spaces for bikes across the country and ten main railway stations at Waterloo, Victoria, St Pancras (in London), Leeds, Sheffield, York, Hull, Grimsby, Scunthorpe and Liverpool Lime Street, will be turned into so-called...

Volvo has revealed details of a plug-in diesel hybrid, which it hopes will be on sale within the next three years. It will be able to cover around 31 miles on battery power alone, with a diesel engine boosting the car’s total range to 745 miles. The hybrid will boast fuel consumption of up to 124mpg and CO2 emissions of 50g/km, but promises...

Despite their safety benefits, drivers have grumbled about speed bumps since they were first introduced in Europe in 1970, but now they have been installed in a London street to slow cyclists. Following complaints from local residents, fourteen rumble strips each approximately 4cm high have been installed in Douglas Road, Islington, North...

Volkswagen has launched a two-seater hybrid car that will, when it goes on sale in 2013, be the world’s most aerodynamic, lightweight and fuel efficient car in production. The VW L1 is able to travel 283 miles on one gallon of fuel – even on its combined cycle it achieves a record-breaking 180mpg. Despite the impressive fuel efficiency, the...

Parking spaces have been transformed into places for the public to relax in as part of an annual event. Parking bays in London were given a makeover that involved adding benches and fake grass so that people could take a seat and unwind. Originally created by Rebar, a San Francisco-based art and design collective, PARKing Day is an annual,...

The crash-proof car is a step closer to reality with the launch of technology that enables a vehicle to drive itself. German company Ibeo has developed a system that uses lasers mounted at the front and rear of a car to scan for obstacles. The crash-proof technology was one of the developments discussed at the Intelligent Transport Systems...

The Toyota iQ city car has had a makeover for its appearance at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The diminutive four-seater, which is less than 3m long and has been on sale in Britain since the beginning of this year, first appeared at the Frankfurt show two years ago as a pre-production concept car. The new iQ Collection concept features a...

Learner drivers are being given extra help to pass their test thanks to a new scheme by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA). The body has launched a YouTube channel which contains information on road safety, sample questions and an example of the new case study element to the theory test. Nick Carter, director of strategy and performance for...

Porsche has revealed that it plans to put an electric car on the market within the next decade. Despite intensive work on the project, Porsche estimate that it will take at least five years to come up with a model with the same handling as its petrol-engined vehicles. The company believes that if the economy recovers it could sell 150,000...