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How to save money on car insurance

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How to save money on your car insurance

Insurance is one of the major expenses associated with running a car. Fortunately, there are some straightforward ways to save money on car insurance.

No specific advice can guarantee cheap car insurance for all, but what follows is a general guide to cutting the cost of your cover. We also explain the things you definitely shouldn’t do…

Buy the right car

Choosing the best car seems like an obvious start. Generally speaking, though, the more powerful a car’s engine, the costlier its insurance.

Going for a more expensive car will also bump up the cost of insurance, as will any model considered a theft-magnet. Ask anyone who drives an in-demand hot hatchback, such as a Volkswagen Golf R or Audi RS3.

If your aim is to save money on car insurance, a humble supermini beats a racy sports car. But for many reading this, that won’t matter. You already have your car and simply want the lowest quote. 

Shop around – and haggle 

Many drivers get complacent about car insurance. Put in the legwork, shop around and switch providers if necessary. Never simply accept your renewal quote.

Try the price comparison sites, such as Money Supermarket and Confused.com, but also contact insurance companies directly. It’s mostly up to chance which provider gives you the best deal, so it’s worth talking to all of them.

Research by Consumer Intelligence shows haggling with your existing provider at renewal time could save you money, too. One in five drivers who haggle are offered lower premiums by their existing insurer, which will frequently match the best price quoted elsewhere.

Get your story straight

cheap car insurance

There are a number of things you must tell an insurance company about yourself and your driving career. These include: how old you are, how long you’ve been driving, if you’ve had any accidents and when, what you do for work, where you live, how much you drive, and so on.

While you must tell the truth, there is some leeway. Your career for instance, can be listed in a number of different ways. A photographer might be a videographer or a multimedia assistant. A bricklayer is a builder is a labourer. By all means play with the variables, but don’t stray from the truth.

It’s worthwhile working out how far you typically drive in a year, too. The number of miles you cover will affect your quote. Lower is better, in most cases, and will help you save money on car insurance.

Consider different types of policy

There are generally two types of policy: third-party fire and theft, and fully comprehensive. If your car is worth anything more than about £1,500, we’d recommend fully comprehensive.

Third-party policies do not cover the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle in the event of an accident – only the car or object you crash into. Third-party is often a last resort taken by new drivers to get their premium down.

Multi-car policies are interesting, however. Whether you’re living with your parents or have flown the nest, they can offer significant savings. Likewise, if you live with a partner and you both drive, it’s definitely worth checking whether you can share a multi-car policy.

Young drivers can also be added to a parent’s policy – fully-comp, with the ability to earn a no-claims bonus – for potentially a lot less than insuring themselves. 

Get a black box fitted

It’s not the most pleasing of solutions, but a black box telematics systen watching your every move behind the wheel can lead insurance companies to charge you less.

They have become a mainstay of the newly-passed young driver. Indeed, many companies insist on a black box for the youngest road users.

Move somewhere safer

car insurance

Location is a big factor in the cost of car insurance, including whether you park on the road or keep your car garaged, along with where you live. Big cities such as London and Birmingham normally equate to costlier insurance.

Perhaps you should consider moving away from Carjack Alley and closer to Upstanding Avenue.

Don’t crash

Obviously, not crashing is a good thing in general. Never mind the immediate stresses of a prang, for the next three years (at least), your insurance will be more expensive.

That’s all thanks to the no-claims bonus you shattered – along with somebody else’s tail light.

Get older

With age and experience come a great many things, including cheaper car insurance. Both 21 and 25 are big milestones when it comes to lower quotes.

If you can afford to go without a car, sit on your licence until you’re a bit older. Pass your test as early as possible, though. Remember, insurance companies will ask how long you’ve held your licence when totting up a quote.

How NOT to save money on car insurance

Car insurance

Be honest about everything – simple as that. Don’t lie about modifications, the miles you’ll be driving, where you live, what you do, or where the car is parked.

Any untruths will invalidate your policy in the event of an accident. It’s just not worth the risk.

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Aston Martin strikes deal with Lucid for electric cars

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Aston Martin has struck a supply deal with American luxury EV firm Lucid to create its future range of electric cars.

The supply deal with Lucid gives Aston Martin access to “industry-leading” electric vehicle technologies.

Aston Martin will have access to both Lucid’s current and future powertrain and battery technology. The tech will be used to power Aston Martin’s all-new, in-house Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) platform.

The deal, which was announced to the London Stock Exchange this morning, is described as a long-term relationship with Lucid.

Aston Martin’s existing tech partnership with Mercedes-Benz also continues – and a renewed deal was also confirmed today. This includes powertrain and electronic architectures, again for both current and future Aston Martin vehicles.

The British brand’s surprise decision to use Lucid EV powertrain technology, instead of Mercedes-Benz, is part of a £2bn investment which Aston Martin calls the Racing Green sustainability strategy.

Earlier this year, the acclaimed Lucid Air – the US firm’s first car – was named World Luxury Car of the Year 2023.

Game changer

Lawrence Stroll, executive chairman of Aston Martin, said: “The supply agreement with Lucid is a game changer for the future EV-led growth of Aston Martin.

“Based on our strategy and requirements, we selected Lucid, gaining access to the industry’s highest performance and most innovative technologies for our future BEV products.

“We will not only leverage the significant investments Lucid has made to develop its world-class technologies, but will also further enhance and differentiate the drive experience through the work Roberto Fedeli [Aston chief tech officer] and his teams are already developing, aligned with our ultra-luxury, high-performance strategy.

“Along with Mercedes-Benz, we now have two world-class suppliers to support the internal development and investments we are making to deliver our electrification strategy.”

Stroll added the recently-announced long-term partnership with Geely will open up access to its tech too, along with its expertise of China, a key strategic market.

As part of the EV tech deal, Lucid will receive phased cash payments of around £182m, and become a 3.7 percent shareholder in Aston Martin.

Aston Martin EV strategy

The new Aston Martin BEV platform will underpin all the firm’s future EVs, “from hypercars to sports cars, GTs and SUVs”. The first will launch in 2025.

The single BEV platform will be bespoke and combine Lucid’s powertrain technology with the Mercedes-Benz electric architecture.

Aston Martin says the next-generation technology will deliver class-leading performance and “brilliantly resolved vehicle dynamics”.

Enthusiasts are promised ultra-precise control of power delivery to each wheel, to create a “unique and distinct dynamic fingerprint for each Aston Martin BEV”.

The firm will also lean upon the expertise of Aston Martin Performance Technologies, the consulting arm of the Aston Martin Formula 1 team.

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World’s fastest track car: £1m McMurtry Spéirling EV returns to Goodwood

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McMurtry Spéirling Pure

An updated, production version of the radical McMurtry Spéirling will be unveiled at next month’s 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed

With a 1,000hp electric motor and a ground-effect fan system to generate astonishing levels of downforce, the new McMurtry Spéirling Pure is pitched at wealthy track-day enthusiasts

Only 100 examples of the electric hypercar will be produced, at a price of £984,000 including taxes. The first finished examples should be delivered to customers in 2025.

Downforce on demand

McMurtry Spéirling Pure

The Goodwood Festival of Speed is a fitting place for the Spéirling Pure to make its public debut. At last year’s event, with ex-Formula 1 driver Max Chilton at the wheel, the original Spéirling set a new record on the Goodwood hillclimb. 

A time of just 39.08 seconds made it quicker than both a McLaren MP4/13 Formula 1 car and Volkswagen’s ID.R electric racer. 

Key to the Spéirling Pure’s ability is the fan system, which literally sucks the lightweight machine to the road. The ‘downforce-on-demand’ setup can produce 2,000kg of suction – more than twice the weight of the vehicle itself.

New wider tyres and revised bodywork mean the Spéirling Pure can achieve cornering forces of up to 3G. A revised rear axle allows a top speed of 190mph, too.

Rapid performance, rapid charging

McMurtry Spéirling Pure

McMurtry has fitted the Spéirling Pure with a 60kWh battery suited to track days. It can cover 10 hard-driven laps of the Silverstone National Circuit, for example, before needing a recharge. The charging process is also ultra-rapid, taking just 20 minutes before the car is ready to go again.

Despite its diminutive dimensions, the single-seat Spéirling Pure comes with adjustable pedals to accommodate drivers up to 6ft 7in tall. 

The 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed runs from 13-16 July. Look out for the McMurtry Spéirling Pure in the Supercar Paddock.

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EU car firms warn of £3.7bn hit if ‘no-deal’ on post-Brexit EV trade

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Volkswagen ID.3 Zwickau

European car makers are calling for a three-year delay in post-Brexit trade rules around electric cars – warning of both a loss of production and a potential €4.3 billion (£3.7 billion) tariff hit.

The restrictive rules on electric vehicle trade between the EU and UK are set to come into force in six months. These require ‘rules of origin’ compliance, meaning electric car batteries must be assembled in Europe to be exempt from tariffs.

The tightened rules, due from 2024, require all battery parts (and some battery material) to be produced either in the EU or UK to qualify.

At the moment, most electric car batteries are sourced from China.

If the rules aren’t changed, cars built in Europe and imported into the UK face a 10 percent tariff. The UK is the largest export market for the EU car industry, and accounts for one in four EV exports.

Three-year delay

“Europe has not yet established a secure and reliable battery supply chain that can cater to these more restrictive rules right now,” said Sigrid de Vries, director general of EU auto trade body ACEA.  

“Time is needed to build up the required capacity… In the meantime, vehicle manufacturers must rely on battery cells or materials imported from Asia.

“We are asking the European Commission to extend the current phase-in period by three years.”

Huge cost

Renault Megane E-Tech Electric

Without a delay, ACEA says the 10 percent tariff would cost nearly €4.3 billion over the three-year period from 2024 to 2026.

“This would be detrimental not only to the EU auto industry, but also to the European economy,” added Sigrid de Vries. “As we face increasing competitive pressures from abroad, the application of these rules would have severe consequences for electric vehicle manufacturing in Europe.”

The ACEA estimates that, without a delay, tariffs could lead to a cut in EV production in the EU by up to 480,000 units. This is the equivalent output of two average-sized car factories.

Chinese threat

Chinese-made EVs already make up around a third of the UK market, despite a 10 percent customs duty.

If European car makers are forced to pay the same tariff, said de Vries, “they will clearly lose ground to third-country competition. Failure to act now will hamper our ability to remain competitive… and lead to lost market share – which will be extremely difficult to regain.”

The European Commission has not yet commented on calls to delay the post-Brexit trade rules.

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New BYD Dolphin family EV prices to start from £25,490

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BYD Dolphin

The new BYD Dolphin small electric five-door hatch arrives in the UK later this year with prices starting from an extremely competitive £25,490.

The entry-level model undercuts the best-selling Vauxhall Corsa Electric by around £8,500 – and even the top-spec long-range model is around £3,500 cheaper than the Vauxhall EV.

It also undercuts the MG4 EV, the 2023 UK Car of the Year: prices for the BYD Dolphin’s Chinese arch-rival start from £26,990.

The new BYD Dolphin is the Chinese EV brand’s second EV to launch in the UK, following the BYD Atto 3 electric SUV.

BYD Dolphin

Measuring just under 4.3 metres long, the BYD Dolphin is actually larger overall than the Corsa, and only around 100mm smaller than the Vauxhall Astra family hatch.

It is similar in size to the Volkswagen ID.3 – and its pure electric architecture ensures plenty of interior space and a decent 345-litre boot.

This space efficiency is certain to draw interest from cost-conscious UK buyers, and give it an edge over the smaller EV models it also undercuts on price.  

BYD Dolphin range

The BYD Dolphin is offered with a choice of two batteries. It launches with a 60.4kWh battery, delivering a 265-mile range.

In early 2024, a 44.9kWh battery arrives, with up to a 211-mile range in the entry-level Active variant.  

The model range is a bit complicated, because BYD mixes and matches batteries and electric motors. In a nutshell, there are four models:

BYD Dolphin Active

  • 44.9kWh battery
  • 60kW DC rapid charging
  • 95hp motor
  • 211-mile range
  • £25,490

BYD Dolphin Boost

  • 44.9kWh battery
  • 60kW DC rapid charging
  • 176hp motor
  • 193-mile range
  • £26,490

BYD Dolphin Comfort

  • 60.4kWh battery
  • 88kW DC rapid charging
  • 204hp motor
  • 265-mile range
  • £29,490

BYD Dolphin Design

  • 60.4kWh battery
  • 88kW DC rapid charging
  • 204hp motor
  • 265-mile range
  • £30,990

All but the base BYD Dolphin Active have multi-link rear suspension, which improves handling and gives more sophisticated ride comfort on challenging roads.

They all also have the firm’s famous ‘rotating’ central infotainment screen. It goes from portrait to landscape format at the touch of a button.

BYD Dolphin

The top-spec BYD Dolphin Design has a panoramic glass roof, two-tone paint, eye-catching tri-colour alloys, rear privacy glass and wireless smartphone charging.

It also has ‘vehicle-to-load’ functionality, which allows the car’s battery to power something else, such as laptop chargers.

A heat pump is standard, for better efficiency in cold weather, while BYD is proud of the Dolphin’s vegan leather.

Ordering is open now from the Chinese brand’s growing UK dealer network, with deliveries beginning towards the back end of 2023.

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New EA Sports F1 23 racing game review

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EA Sports F1 2023 Video Game Review

The latest Formula 1 World Championship has been a little predictable, thanks to the ongoing dominance of Max Verstappen. So, if you want to rewrite the record books for this year, say hello to EA Sports F1 23

The brand new official Formula 1 video game is available to buy now, and is offered for Microsoft Xbox, Sony PlayStation and Windows PC. 

Does it do enough to be a worthwhile upgrade from EA Sports F1 22, released less than 12 months ago? Let’s find out…

Las Vegas, baby!

EA Sports F1 2023 Video Game Review

It has been hard to miss the hype around the addition of the Las Vegas Street Circuit to the 2023 Formula 1 calendar. Although the real race does not take place until November this year, players of F1 23 can explore the new neon-lit track straight away. 

EA Sports has also finally added Qatar’s Losail International Circuit to the track selection, too, after it was first used in the 2021 Formula 1 season. 

Spain’s recently reprofiled Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya is included as well, along with the changes to Austria’s Red Bull Ring. Jeddah, Zandvoort, Miami and Baku receive minor tweaks such as new kerbs or extended grandstands.

All the latest car designs and liveries from the 2023 Formula 1 World Championship are, as you would hope, available from the off.

Braking the limit, again

EA Sports F1 2023 Video Game Review

Those who played the F1 21 game will remember the Braking Point interactive story mode. Although not present in last year’s game, it makes a return for 2023. 

Braking Point 2 sees Aiden Jackson and Devon Butler, the protagonists from the original story, back again. This time they are placed at a fictional Konnersport Formula 1 team, facing the challenges of being teammates and driving for a brand new outfit. 

They are joined by the character of Callie Mayer, introduced as the first woman to win the Formula 2 championship. EA Sports worked with three-time W Series winner, Jamie Chadwick, to gain her unique insight.

A point to prove

EA Sports F1 2023 Video Game Review

The gameplay for Braking Point focuses around scenarios during the 2022 and 2023 seasons, typically seeing the player chucked into the middle of a race with objectives to meet. 

Away from the track, press interviews, social media posts and even team management decisions are all included. It does give a useful introduction for those new to Formula 1 games, but the scripted drama can be tough going.

The inclusion of a female Braking Point character marks an important step for the F1 franchise, even more so after the W Series entered administration earlier this month.

Lapping with precision

EA Sports F1 2023 Video Game Review

EA Sports is particularly proud of the new ‘Precision Drive’ feature, which is said to improve the experience for those using a games controller. Typically, using a controller has been viewed as less immersive than a full force-feedback steering wheel, and more suited to casual players. 

Previous F1 games have made using a controller tricky. In our experience, it took a lot of experimenting with menu settings in F1 22 to feel confident playing with one. 

F1 23, however, is instantly more playable with a controller. Alongside the improved physics and handling for the cars themselves, there are likely to be fewer moments of frustration this time around.

Driven by fan feedback

EA Sports F1 2023 Video Game Review

As part of developing this year’s game, EA Sports says it has taken fan feedback onboard about how to improve the F1 franchise. 

Red flags make a return to F1 23 franchise after a surprising nine-year absence. This makes sense, given their increasingly frequent use in real-world Formula 1 races. Both offline and online modes can see the race red-flagged, usually due to collisions or bad weather.

Other tweaks have included the return of the popular 35 percent race distance, noted as the ‘sweet spot’ for combining strategy and speed of play.

Graphics tune-up included

EA Sports F1 2023 Video Game Review

Previous games in the F1 franchise often had graphics that appeared rudimentary, with a focus on performance over detail. Pleasingly, F1 23 has been given a major boost, with improved colour encoding and lighting dynamics. 

There is a definite difference when placed side-by-side with last year’s title, and it makes for the most realistic looking F1 game to date. 

New on-screen graphics can be seen when racing, designed to more closely mimic those viewed on TV broadcasts. This extends to updated driver grid rundown visuals at the start of each race.

Create your own F1 World

EA Sports F1 2023 Video Game Review

Replacing last year’s ‘F1 Life’ social hub is the rebranded ‘F1 World’ for F1 23. This allows access to both solo and multi-player racing, and delivers fresh daily, weekly and seasonal challenges. 

It still allows for plenty of customisation, along with a new F1 World car that can be developed and enhanced. EA Sports hopes that F1 World will appeal to those familiar with other racing games such as Gran Turismo or Forza Motorsport, allowing more pick-up-and-play arcade action.

However, the usual options to play a complete Formula 1 season still remain, as does the ability to build your own team and driver. Updated real-world driver ratings have been added for 2023, bringing the game up-to-date.

Verdict: EA Sports F1 23

EA Sports F1 2023 Video Game Review

Developing and publishing a new video game in just 12 months will always limit just how dramatic any changes can be. This is a characteristic not only common to the F1 game franchise, but seen across the wider EA Sports range.

The addition of new circuits, along with the genuinely impressive Precision Drive for controller users, does deliver important upgrades to F1 23. Bringing back red flags, the 35 percent race distance option, and the visual upgrades are notable improvements as well. 

On the flipside, Braking Point 2 will hold little appeal for those who just want an accurate recreation of the current Formula 1 season. Those who buy into the Drive to Survive-style drama will enjoy it, but more experienced players are likely to give it a miss. 

For 2023, the positive additions to EA Sports F1 23 outweigh the features simply carried over from previous F1 games. This makes it easier to recommend for both experienced players, and those new to the world of virtual Formula 1.

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Aehra Sedan revealed: Italian super saloon targets 500-mile EV range

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Aehra Sedan

Italian ‘ultra-premium’ EV startup Aehra has pulled the wraps off its second new car, due by 2026. The Aehra Sedan follows the radical SUV revealed last year.

Milan-based Aehra chose its local Monza Motor Show to unveil the Sedan, which shares around 70 percent of its components with the SUV. Along with sleek, very aerodynamic styling, both vehicles feature upwards-opening ‘elytra wing doors’ – similar to the Falcon Wing rear doors on a Tesla Model X.

The Sedan will feature the same electric drivetrain as the SUV, too. That means a 120kWh battery from Austrian company Miba, three motors and a power output somewhere between 750hp and 815hp. Not to mention genuine supercar performance.  

A little bit of Lambo

Aehra Sedan

Speaking of supercars, the Sedan’s coupe-like lines are the work of Filippo Perini, the former design boss at Lamborghini, whose credits include the Aventador, Huracan and Urus. “Adhering to Aehra’s doctrine that form must always follow function, the Sedan is the antithesis to baroque design culture,” says Perini. “It is devoid of unnecessary adornments, yet alive with emotion.”

The car’s body is made from recycled composite materials, including forged carbon fibre, with an elegant, flowing profile inspired by aircraft. It uses cameras instead of door mirrors and ‘active aerodynamic and cooling elements’ within a gaping front grille.

We haven’t seen inside the Sedan yet, but expect a similar layout to the SUV, with very few physical controls and a huge, full-width screen that rises out of the dashboard to provide a private cinema experience (although only when the car is parked).

Taking on the Taycan

Aehra Sedan

A 925-volt architecture allows the Sedan to charge at up to 350kW – in line with the fastest public EV chargers installed in the UK. A target range of 800km (497 miles) is more than the 453 miles offered by the Mercedes-Benz EQS, currently the longest-range electric car on sale.

Rivals for the Sedan will include the higher-output versions of the Porsche Taycan, the Tesla Model S and more conventional super saloons such as the BMW M5. Aehra hopes to ramp up Sedan production to 25,000 cars a year, alongside a similar number of sales for the SUV.

There’s no word on prices yet, but a starting figure of around £140,000 looks likely. Watch this space.

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WIN a set of Hot Wheels cars as Legends Tour returns for 2023

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2023 Hot Wheels Legends Tour

Your own car could be immortalised as a die-cast scale model, with the return of the Hot Wheels Legends Tour. 

The search is on to find the coolest cars across the country, with the winner going on to represent Britain in the Legends Tour final. 

This lucky winner will then see their car recreated as a 1:64 die-cast model, and sold around the world.

To help kickstart the excitement for the 2023 Legends Tour, Hot Wheels has given us five die-cast car sets to give away. And you could win one of them!

New live UK final event

2023 Hot Wheels Legends Tour

For the UK round of the 2023 Hot Wheels Legends Tour, a special event will allow the public to watch the judging take place. 

The UK final will be part of the RADwood car show, taking place at Bicester Heritage on 2 September. Ten hand-picked Hot Wheels finalists will be on show, with fans able to see the cars up-close before the judges pick an overall winner. 

For 2023, the judging panel includes modified car creator and TV presenter Helen Stanley, presenter and avid car collector Paul Cowland, and the Smith and Sniff podcast’s Richard Porter.

All 10 finalists will receive a Castrol Oils merchandise bundle, with the overall UK winner taking home a set of Falken tyres.

Prove your car has ‘garage spirit’

2023 Hot Wheels Legends Tour

To potentially see their car made into a Hot Wheels model, owners must upload a short video to the Hot Wheels Legends Tour website by 4 August 2023. 

Entrants will need to demonstrate why their car has the creativity, authenticity and ‘garage spirit’ to become a Hot Wheels icon. 

Previous winners have included highly-modified Volvo P1800 Gasser, owned by Somerset-based Lee Johnstone.

The Grand Final for the 2023 Hot Wheels Legends Tour takes place in the United States this November. After the winning car is chosen, it will be turned into a 1:64 scale model.

Win Hot Wheels prizes with Motoring Research

2023 Hot Wheels Legends Tour

To celebrate the launch of the 2023 Hot Wheels Legends Tour in the UK, we have five special Hot Wheels sets to give away. 

The six-car sets feature a host of miniature performance machines, including a Porsche 911 GT3 RS and BMW M4. 

In order to win one of the five sets, email contact@motoringresearch.com and tell us what you love about collecting Hot Wheels.

Five entries will be drawn after the closing date of Friday 23 June to receive one of the Hot Wheels sets – and have what they love about collecting Hot Wheels published on Motoring Research!

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Why you might find a puddle of water under your car on a hot day

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Air con

With Britain basking in hot weather, you may discover a puddle of water beneath your parked car – or indeed water dripping from the engine.

If so, you might assume the radiator has sprung a leak and the car is likely to overheat. However, it’s much more likely to be water dripping from the air conditioning system.

The excess water is caused by the air conditioning compressor working hard in hot conditions. Due to thermodynamics, the unit itself can freeze over as it takes moisture out of the car.

Check the water is clear and odourless

Car parked on a hot summer day

When the car is parked and the air conditioning is switched off, the ice on its surface will melt.

This is what causes the water underneath the car – and the hotter the weather, the larger and more alarming the puddle may be.

RAC spokesperson Rod Dennis revealed the car breakdown organisation receives plenty of calls from drivers worried by pools of water under their cars.

“The advice is to check whether this is simply odourless water, or if it has coolant in, with a definite smell and colour. If it’s the former, there should be no need to worry,” explained Dennis.

Hopefully, that’s panic over. Meaning it’s only the sunshine that will have you breaking a sweat during a heatwave.

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UK’s first sustainable petrol now on sale to public

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Coryton SUSTAIN fuels

The UK’s first publicly available range of sustainable fuels is on sale now at Bicester Heritage in Oxfordshire.

Coryton Sustain Classic fuels allow classic car drivers to power their vehicles with plant-based petrol – with no modifications needed to the cars’ engines.

There are three types of petrol available, with up to 80 percent renewable content. Coryton engineers promise a reduction in greenhouse gases of at least 65 percent, compared with fossil fuels, from the most sustainable product.

The petrol has an octane rating of 98RON – equivalent to super unleaded – but it certainly isn’t cheap. Prices start from £3.80 per litre – that’s more than £17 a gallon…

Biofuel from waste

Coryton Sustain sustainable fuels

The Coryton fuels are second-generation biofuels, made from agricultural by-products. These include straw and waste crops that wouldn’t be used for consumption.

The fuels therefore use CO2 that is already in the atmosphere, which has been absorbed by plants as they have grown – rather than releasing additional CO2 locked in underground fossil fuel.

They also have a low, sub-one-percent mix of bioethanol, which has been specifically tailored to protect classic cars.

There are around half-a-million classic cars in the UK, and fuels such as these could bolster their sustainability for the future. However, Coryton adds that the fuel can be used by any vehicle running on standard forecourt fuel, not only classics.

Every little helps

“Every kilogram of CO2 we avoid adding to our atmosphere by replacing fossil fuel with sustainable fuel is a win,” said Coryton business development director, David Richardson.

“We don’t instantly have to go for the full switch to start making a genuine impact. As more feedstocks become available, these fuels will start to contain even higher levels of traceable sustainable elements.”

He added that current availability of truly fossil-free fuel components is limited, but development is underway.

“The industry will get there with the right support – which is why we think it’s important to start getting these products into the hands of consumers so they can see how easy and effective the switch could be.”

Coryton sustainable fuel at Bicester Heritage

Super 80

  • At least 80 percent renewable content
  • At least 65 percent greenhouse gas saving compared to fossil fuels
  • 98RON
  • £4.65 per litre

Super 33

  • At least 33 percent renewable content
  • At least 25 percent greenhouse gas saving compared to fossil fuels
  • 98RON
  • £3.80 per litre

Racing 50

  • At least 50 percent renewable content
  • At least 35 percent greenhouse gas saving compared to fossil fuels
  • 102RON
  • £5.24 per litre

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