Prince Philip crash encourages older people to quit driving

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April 21, 2020

Prince Philip seems to be behind a sharp rise in the number of older drivers giving up their licences.

Last year, the Duke of Edinburgh was involved in a car crash while driving a Land Rover Freelander near the Sandringham Estate. The crash resulted in two women requiring hospital treatment, with the Prince saying he was “deeply sorry” for the incident.

DVLA figures reveal a 21.2 percent jump in the number of drivers aged 90 and over voluntarily surrendering their licences in 2019. This compares with an increase of 9.7 percent in 2018.

The data, which was sent to retirement specialists Responsible Life, also shows a 39 percent increase for drivers of Prince Philip’s age or older. The Duke of Edinburgh will celebrate his 99th birthday in June.

‘Old age is cruel’

Steve Wilkie, executive chairman of Responsible Life, said: “When to stop driving remains one of our most difficult decisions in later life. For many retired motorists it means letting go of a symbol of their independence, even if they only make the occasional trip to the local shops.

“Older age is also cruel and creeps up on you, making it impossible to judge the best time to hang up the steering wheel and get a taxi, rather than soldier on for another year.

“Prince Philip’s misfortunes, however, seem to have jogged a great number of people into confronting this difficult decision head on.”

Although there’s no requirement for older people to stop driving, there are laws which outline the medical standards that every driver must meet, no matter how old they are. There are also minimum eyesight requirements, along with the need to renew a driving licence at the age of 70.

Renewing a licence can be done online for free if you’re 70 or over, or will be 70 in the next 90 days.

‘Red herring’

At the time of Prince Philip’s crash, Nick Lloyd, acting head of road safety for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), said: “In the wake of the incident, we have inevitably heard calls for mandatory testing of people of a certain age. This is a red herring – age is a completely arbitrary and unreliable measure for assessing someone’s ability to drive. Statistically, older drivers have fewer accidents than other age groups.

“If we were to restrict drivers based on any relationship between age and accident rates, we would need to take a fresh look at inexperienced, younger drivers aged 17 to 24. Although this younger age group accounts for just seven per cent of the driving population, they are involved in around 22 percent of fatal or serious road traffic incidents.”

Visit the RoSPA older drivers website for more advice and information.

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Air pollution linked to COVID-19 deaths in Europe

By

Gavin Braithwaite-Smith

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April 21, 2020

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Exposure to high levels of air pollution could increase the chances of dying from COVID-19. That’s according to the results of a new study.

By analysing coronavirus fatalities in 66 administrative regions in Italy, Spain, France and Germany, scientists found that of the 4,443 deaths, 3,487 were in five regions in northern Italy and central Spain.

Data shows these regions – which include the cities of Milan, Bologna, Turin, Venice and Madrid – are main nitrogen dioxide hotspots over Europe. The combination of pollution, surrounding mountain ranges and weather conditions make it difficult for dirty air to disperse from urban areas.

‘Important contributors to fatality’

Yaron Ogen, a researcher at the Martin Luther University in Germany, said: “These results indicate that the long-term exposure to this pollutant may be one of the most important contributors to fatality caused by the COVID-19 virus in these regions and maybe across the whole world.”

Earlier studies showed that exposure to nitrogen dioxide causes inflammation in the lungs. This latest research suggests that topography and atmospheric conditions could also play a part in the death rate.

Ogen continued: “Poisoning our environment means poisoning our own body and when it experiences a chronic respiratory stress, its ability to defend itself from infections is limited.”

‘This new study is worrying’

Jenny Bates, an air pollution campaigner at Friends of the Earth, told the Guardian: “This new study is worrying. We know nitrogen dioxide is a toxic gas that inflames the lining of the lungs and reduces immunity to lung infections, so it may not be surprising that people who have suffered in areas with high levels of nitrogen dioxide could be more susceptible to coronavirus.

“This is all the more reason to keep traffic and pollution levels down as much as possible now and get out of this terrible situation with a view to fewer but cleaner vehicles on the road.”

These findings are backed by similar studies across the world. Research in the United States suggests COVID-19 death rates increase by around 15 percent in areas with even a small increase in fine-particle pollution levels.

Air pollution in the UK has dropped dramatically since lockdown measures were enforced in March. Some cities have seen a 60 percent fall in airborne nitrogen dioxide.

Zagato celebrates 100 years with Aston Martin V12 twins

By

Tim Pitt

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April 21, 2020

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Italian design house Zagato is celebrating its centenary with bespoke versions of the Aston Martin Vantage V12.

Based on the 2011 V12 Vantage coupe and Roadster, the Zagato Heritage Twins come as a pair. A total of 38 will be sold to 19 customers, with the majority already spoken for.

The project is licensed by Aston Martin and production takes place at R-Reforged in the UK. Its Warwick facility also builds ex-Jaguar designer Ian Callum’s Aston Martin Vanquish 25 project – previewed in detail here.

60 years of Aston and Zagato

Zagato has a long history of modifying Aston Martins. Its first collaboration, the DB4 GT Zagato, debuted in 1960 and only 25 were made. Surviving examples now change hands for £10 million or more.

The Heritage Twins are awash with classic Zagato styling cues, including a gaping front grille and the coupe’s ‘double bubble’ roof.

Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato.

Getting blasé about these! One at Salon Privé yesterday, another at Hampton Court today. pic.twitter.com/ibwITxGKkO

— Tim Pitt (@timpitt100) September 1, 2017

All body panels are bespoke carbon fibre, while both cars wear 19-inch centre-lock APP Tech alloys and 100th anniversary gold ‘Z’ badges.

A new pop-up rear spoiler is claimed to ‘improve stability at high speeds whilst maintaining the clean surfaces and pure lines of the Zagato design.’

Lots of grunt in the front

Beneath their vented bonnets, the coupe and speedster twins use a reworked version of Aston’s 5.9-litre V12.

Quoted output is 608hp – 86hp more than the original car. Zagato hasn’t published performance figures, but these siblings won’t be slow. The standard V12 Vantage coupe hits 62mph in 4.2 seconds and a top speed of 190mph.

Crucially, the ‘AM11’ engine from the DBS is naturally aspirated. That means no turbo lag and a stonking soundtrack. Google ‘Aston Martin V12 Vantage sound’ to see what we mean.

Lots of poke, very bespoke

These cars are anything but ‘standard’, of course, and there’s plenty of opportunity to tweak your Zagato Twins to your taste.

Buyers can meet with the designers at Aston Martin St Gallen in Switzerland, with options including an ‘infinity colour palette’. Want your supercars to match your shoes? Not a problem.

After choosing a specification (and presumably placing a hefty deposit), you can then watch both cars being hand-built at R-Reforged.

Aston Martin DB7 Vantage Zagato.

One of 100 made. Design was a joint effort between Zagato and Fisker. pic.twitter.com/3nPR4En2MI

— Tim Pitt (@timpitt100) August 25, 2018

Marella Rivolta Zagato, who co-runs the Milanese carrozzeria, specified the first twins, seen here. “When I was selecting the body colours, I looked for something that would simultaneously represent our 100-year heritage and our future,” she explained.

“The most symbolic colours are gold and platinum, which are precious metals. Gold, an emblem of purity and distinction, is in my mind a tribute to our first century. Platinum is resistant to corrosion and has great catalytic capabilities, which is what I wish for our next 100 years!”

Company CEO and third-generation designer Andrea Zagato added: “The Aston Martin Vantage V12 Zagato Heritage Twins by R-Reforged are undoubtedly a highlight of our centenary celebrations. To own these collectible cars will be a very personal and emotional experience.”

This isn’t the first time Zagato Astons have been sold as a pair. Last year, the DBS Zagato – based on the current DBS Superleggera – was offered together with the DB4 GT continuation, a faithful reproduction of Zagato’s 1960 original. The price for the ‘DBZ Centenary Collection’? A cool £6 million.

The V12 Vantage Twins will likely be slightly more affordable, but you can still bank on spending well into seven figures. Just imagine the noise of them both firing up together…

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Cars could be banned to aid social distancing

By

Gavin Braithwaite-Smith

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April 20, 2020

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Councils could be free to ban cars from urban streets, the BBC has learned. The idea is to help key workers cycle or walk more safely during the coronavirus outbreak.

The Department for Transport has written to local authorities saying: ‘This is a temporary guidance and will be withdrawn once conditions allow’. Normally, it would take weeks to implement car-free measures, but the government is keen to remove the red tape.

To date, few cities have taken the step of closing streets to cars, despite road travel plummeting by 73 percent. The near-empty streets have resulted in a large drop in air pollution, as people heed advice to stay at home.

Noise pollution is also down, encouraging wildlife to enter urban areas.

‘Extra safe open space’

Brighton and Hove City Council has responded quickly to the government letter, taking the decision to close Madeira Drive to traffic to allow local residents more space to walk, run and cycle. The changes come into force today (20 April).

Councillor Anne Pissaridou, chair of the city’s environment, transport and sustainability committee, said: “Madeira Drive is a long, wide road right by the seafront and will create an extra safe open space for local people in the area to use for their daily walk or bike ride.

“It will provide a traffic-free place for the many residents in that area who do not have access to a garden. We are pleased to be able to offer this change so quickly and are considering other locations to see if we can extend this to other roads in the city.”

Other parts of the world have been quick to implement car-free measures. Last week, four streets were closed in New York City to aid social distancing. The city has also removed 80 basketball hoops due to non-compliance.

Meanwhile, Berlin has widened cycle lanes, while Bogota has created 47 miles of additional cycle lanes.

‘Moral responsibility’

There are calls for car-free measures to be kept in place after the lockdown. Campaign groups have pointed to the improved air quality and the ongoing climate crisis as reasons to ban cars from urban areas.

Ashok Sinha, from the London Cycling Campaign, told BBC News: “First we have a moral responsibility to keep staff safe whilst cycling to work during the crisis.

“We know this crisis will end – but we will still be faced with an ongoing climate crisis which, longer term, will cause much more loss of life.

“We are being taught a lesson here about what a difference it makes to people’s activity and air quality and carbon emissions if we allow people to cycle safely.”

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Tesla tax win: Model 3 is FINALLY road tax free

By

Ethan Jupp

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April 20, 2020

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The Tesla Model 3 is finally now exempt from UK road tax (VED) as part of changes in the 2020 Budget that make all electric cars tax-free.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the removal of the £40,000 ‘luxury car tax’ limit for electric cars emitting 0g/km of carbon dioxide (CO2).

The change came into force in April 2020.

ALSO READ: How much does it cost to charge a Tesla Model 3?

After the first year of ownership, this saves Tesla Model 3 drivers £325 a year for five years.

The government has committed to the tax cut for electric cars for five years, up to 2025.

Click here to see a full table of VED rates for all vehicles.

How was a zero-emission Tesla taxed?

Originally, the Tesla Model 3 was taxed under the government’s unpopular 2015 Summer Budget road fund licence changes. This made it liable for £310 ‘additional rate’ road tax for five years (since raised to £325).

It effectively more than halved the government’s £3,500 Plug-in Car Grant contribution to the price of the car for long-term Tesla owners.

The Plug-in Car Grant itself has since been cut to today’s £3,000 sum.

All new cars (registered on or after 01/04/2017) with a list price over £40,000 have to pay a £325 per-year base rate for five years from the start of their second licence. To be clear, that’s one year after you buy the car new, when the first road tax payment is due.

It is this charge that electric cars have now been exempted from.

The government has also backdated the exemption, which is good news for Tesla Model 3 early adopters. UK deliveries of the car began in June 2019.

Tesla currently sells three grades of Model 3 in the UK. The cheapest Standard Range Plus version costs from £40,490.

The Long Range model is £46,990 and the Performance grade is £56,490.

Revealed: The UK’s most dangerous roads

By

Gavin Braithwaite-Smith

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April 20, 2020

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The A35 in Dorset has been named Britain’s most dangerous road. This follows a Freedom of Information (FOI) request sent to the country’s regional police forces.

A total of 1,837 traffic collisions took place in Dorset last year, 594 of which were on the A35. The road actually starts in Devon, at the junction with the A30 in Honiton, and finishes in Southampton, Hampshire.

Other dangerous roads in Dorset include the A354 (184 collisions), the A3049 (178), the A31 (155) and the A350 (135). Dorset is one of only a few counties in England without a motorway.

Nottinghamshire is the second most dangerous county in which to drive, with the Carwow FOI revealing a total of 1,772 collisions in 2019. Cumbria, Lincolnshire and Cheshire complete the ‘top’ five. It’s worth noting that only 15 police forces responded to the request.

Vix Leyton, a motoring expert at Carwow, said: “Whilst the roads are much quieter than usual right now, it is still important to remain vigilant and drive carefully on those essential journeys.

“Looking ahead, by the time lockdown is lifted, many drivers will have gone weeks without driving on busy motorways or A-roads, and should try to gradually ease themselves back into a ‘motorists mindset’ before setting out on long journeys and routes once life in the UK returns to normal.

“No matter how confident a driver you are, you cannot account for other road users and it is vital to always concentrate, and not allow yourself to slip into autopilot.”

The most dangerous counties/roads

Dorset (A35, A354, A3049) – 1,837 collisions
Nottinghamshire (Mansfield Road, A60, A1) – 1,771 collisions
Cumbria (A595, M6, A590) – 633 collisions
Lincolnshire (A52, A16, A15) – 625 collisions
Cheshire (M6, M58, A49) – 434 collisions
Avon & Somerset (A4174; M5, J19-20; M5, J20-19) – 369 collisions
Gloucestershire (A40, A38, A417) – 367 collisions
Staffordshire (A500, A38 Clay Mills, A38 Fradley Lane) – 357 collisions
Warwickshire (A46, A452, A444) – 335 collisions
Greater London (Haringey, High Road; Ealing, Western Avenue; Enfield, Great Cambridge Road) – 298 collisions
North Wales (A548, A55, A5) – 289 collisions
City of London (Bishopsgate, Victoria Embankment, Lower/Upper Thames Street, London Wall/Wormwood Street – 219 collisions
Cleveland (A19, A66, A174) – 207 collisions
Hertfordshire (M1, A1, M25, Hertsmere Borough) – 157 collisions
Bedfordshire (A505, M1, Luton, A5141) – 150 collisions

Are these the best driving films of all time?

By

Gavin Braithwaite-Smith

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April 20, 2020

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Four weeks into the lockdown, the chances are you’ve exhausted your DVD collection and the top picks on Netflix. But if you’re looking for inspiration, this list of driving films might help.

A survey conducted by a dashcam company has revealed the nation’s favourite driving films – plus the most popular scenes involving cars. There are one or two surprises on the lists.

The Fast and the Furious is number one. The first film in the franchise premiered in 2001, giving us the first opportunity to see Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) on screen together. Two decades later, the franchise is still going strong.

You’d need to set aside more than 900 minutes to watch the eight films in the Fast Saga franchise, plus extra time for the spin-offs and short films. Fast & Furious 9 – or F9 – was set for release in 2020, but has been delayed until April 2021 due to the coronavirus.

Second on the list of top driving films is Mad Max: Fury Road, followed by Cars, The Transporter and Baby Driver. The latter is one of the most recent films on the list and a must-watch if you haven’t seen it already.

Top 10 driving films

The Fast and the Furious
Mad Max: Fury Road
Cars
The Transporter
Baby Driver
Ford v Ferrari (Le Mans 66)
Drive
Green Book
Senna
Locke

Bryn Brooker, head of marketing at Nextbase said: “In my humble opinion, it was a surprise to see The Fast and The Furious top this list. But, the people have spoken and there is no denying that the film offers some very entertaining driving sequences!

“That said, there are some truly excellent entries on both of these lists and we absolutely encourage everyone to give these a watch during this time. The variety here will help to keep people’s interest and, with many of our vehicles sat outside being given very little use during this time, it may be the closest we can get to a long, leisurely drive for a while – not that any of us drive like Vin Diesel on a daily basis, obviously!”

Top 10 driving scenes

The respondents to the survey were also asked to name their favourite scenes involving a car or cars. Here are the results:

The Italian Job. No, not the iconic scene involving the red, white and blue Minis. Instead, it’s Michael Caine’s line about blowing the doors off.
Mr Bean’s Holiday. When Bean takes to the wheel of a Mini in France.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. When the car takes flight for the first time.
Bullitt. No prizes for guessing this one.
The Spy Who Loved Me. When 007 tested the seals on his Lotus Esprit by taking an underwater excursion.
The Bourne Identity. The epic chase scene in Paris.
Thelma & Louise. That bit when they drive off the edge of a cliff.
Rain Main. When Raymond Babbitt drives the Buick Roadmaster in Las Vegas.
Taxi. When you’ve got 25 minutes to catch your flight…
Dirty Harry: Magnum Force. The famous car chase scene.

If you fancy doing some reading instead, here are some of the best books for car enthusiasts.

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Garages told to stop discounting MOTs

By

Tim Pitt

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April 20, 2020

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MOT test

Garages have been urged not to discount MOT tests as customers stay at home. The advice, intended to minimise loss of income during the coronavirus crisis, comes from the Independent Garage Association.

Car repair and MOT centres are deemed essential services and permitted to stay open during the Covid-19 lockdown. However, two factors have caused business to nosedive in recent weeks.

Firstly, the huge decline in driving. Mapping app Waze reports a 70 percent drop in miles driven as UK motorists heed government advice to remain indoors.

Secondly, all MOTs for cars, light vans and motorcycles due from Monday 30 March 2020 have been granted a six-month extension due to the pandemic.

MOT test

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) recommends charging £54.85 for an MOT test. However, many garages offer a reduced fee (typically between £19 and £35) to attract customers.

Stuart James, chief executive of the Independent Garage Association (IGA) said: “Independent garages have faced a sudden, drastic decline in business due to the DVSA’s MOT extension and government instructions to stay at home.

“Provision of the MOT service is critical to the safety of UK road users, but many garages feel the need to discount MOTs to remain competitive, leaving them struggling to cover their hourly business costs. The industry cannot afford to continue providing MOT tests as a loss-making service going forward.

“As we start to see the lockdown easing, the time is right for garages to stand united by charging the DVSA’s recommended price of £54.85 for an MOT test.

“This will help independent garages to remain open, recoup recent losses, and allow them to carry out their vital roles keeping the UK’s vehicles running safely.”

Help your car pass its MOT with these 11 simple checks before the test.

Win a million-dollar racing contract by playing a game on your phone

By

John Redfern

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April 19, 2020

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Going from playing a racing game on your phone, to taking part in genuine motorsport, might seem like a wild stretch of imagination.

However, that is exactly the prize awaiting the winner of the World’s Fastest Gamer competition, now into a third season.

With esports now gaining substantial mainstream attention, this could be the perfect time to make use of those hours spent staring at your phone.

Fastest thumbs at the ready

Created by Torque Esports, the World’s Fastest Gamer competition aims to find the most talented racers in a virtual world.

Gamers will compete to qualify through mobile, games console, and PC platforms. The top ten players will then gather in Miami later this year, taking part in a series of online and real-world challenges to become the World’s Fastest Gamer.

For those wanting to get involved, downloading the free Gear.Club racing game from the Apple or Google Play app stores is the way to make a start.

The first of three qualifying sessions on Gear.Club will run until May 6th.

Virtual racer to real-world driver

The ultimate prize of a $1 million racing contract will see the latest winner emulating the success of the previous two World’s Fastest Gamer champions.

Rudy van Buren, winner of season one, became a simulator driver for the McLaren F1 team. He has also undertaken simulator work for the Mahindra Formula E team, and will embark on a real-world racing career in the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany.

Last year’s winner, Britain’s James Baldwin, earned himself a real-world drive with Jenson Team Rocket RJN, a sports car team co-owned by ex-F1 World Champion, Jenson Button.

Stay at home, still become a racing driver

Although Baldwin’s prize of real-world racing currently on hold due to COVID-19 restrictions, he believes the lockdown rules will bring more people to esports.

Baldwin says “more and more people have seen the kinds of things that can come from” sim racing, and that ”the competition is getting harder” as a result.

Darren Cox, founder of World’s Fastest Gamer, said that the current COVID-19 situation means “it’s challenging for us to pin down exact plans, but one thing we can definitely do in this #StayAtHomeEconomy right now is race virtually.”

Cox also states that using a mobile phone app opens the competition to people who “may not have ever dreamed they could qualify for a competition like this”, and that “the number of people playing Gear.Club is going to give us a massive talent pool.”

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Once again the Ford Mustang is the world’s best-selling sports car

By

John Redfern

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April 18, 2020

0

The Ford Mustang has claimed the crown of the world’s best-selling sports car for the fifth year in a row.

New data released by IHS Markit has confirmed that the American icon continued to prove popular with buyers across the globe in 2019.

Adding to the haul of trophies is that the Mustang was also the best-selling sports coupe in the world for 2019, according to IHS Markit.

Fewer sales but still winning

Ford rather fittingly chose to make the announcement on April 17th – the official birthday of the Mustang.

Having spanned six generations across 56 years of production, 2019 saw a total of 102,090 Mustangs sold during 2019. This marks a reduction from the 113,066 sold in 2018.

European sales in 2019 increased by 3 percent to account for 9,900 cars, with the German market seeing an impressive 33 percent boost.

Close to 50 percent more Mustangs were sold in Poland, whilst French sales almost doubled.

Fans in the United Kingdom bought 1,300 right-hand drive ‘Stangs last year, down from the 2,300 sold the year before.

Enjoy the feeling of the American open road

More impressive is that the Mustang is the best-selling American sports car ever produced, with the sixth-generation model accounting for 633,000 sales alone.

Aided by a range of engine options and special editions, the latest car has found a home in 146 different countries around the world.

It has also dominated on the racetrack, taking the 2019 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship with ease, and found success in NASCAR and drifting.

Jim Farley, chief operating officer, Ford Motor Company, commented that the company is “proud of our growing Mustang stable and performance variants”.

He added: “From Sweden to Shanghai, more and more driving enthusiasts are enjoying the feeling of freedom and the American open road in these new Mustangs. We are honoured to serve our owners, enthusiasts and fans for 56 years and counting.”

Ford announced the all-electric Mustang Mach-E late last year, aiming to apply inspiration from the classic sports car to the new SUV.