‘Ruthless’ criminals using fake online ads to target car buyers

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January 24, 2020

Criminals described as ‘devious and ruthless’ are targeting innocent car buyers in the North West of England.

Using fake online adverts – predominantly on the auction site eBay – criminals are luring car buyers to various locations in Manchester and Oldham.

Upon arrival, the victims are threatened with various weapons, including a gun, hammer and machetes.

According to one report, a victim and his girlfriend arrived to buy a car advertised online. Two men approached the victims and held a gun to the woman’s head. The armed robbers left with a large quantity of cash.

In another incident, a victim had a car jack thrown through the window of his car and was punched in the face. He managed to flee the scene.

Police in Manchester are linking 10 robberies that took place between 19 November and 22 January. Detectives are urging car buyers to be vigilant.

‘No compassion’

Detective Sergeant Kat McKeown of Greater Manchester Police said: “These offenders are targeting innocent members of the public via the internet and have no compassion at all for their victims who they have subjected to a number of terrifying ordeals.

”They are devious and ruthless and need to be caught. For this reason, we have a dedicated team of detectives working around the clock to identify those responsible.”

An eBay spokesperson told the BBC: “We have suspended a number of accounts and continue to cooperate with the authorities while the investigation is ongoing.”

How to spot a fake online car advert

Car buyers have been targeted by fake online car adverts for many years, but these incidents elevate the problem to a new and brutal level. The criminals may use images and descriptions from legitimate online adverts to make them appear genuine. They’re simply copy and pasted, with new contact details used.

The first signs of a potential crime may only appear once contact is made. Maybe the seller insists on using a nameless Hotmail account. Maybe they insist on calling you via a withheld number.

You should always arrange to meet at the seller’s house. Arranging to view a car after dark in a remote or isolated location should raise suspicion.

In the past, online scammers have used unrealistically cheap prices to encourage unsuspecting car buyers to part with substantial deposits. The car doesn’t exist and the buyer may never meet the scammer, but they could end up out of pocket to the tune of thousands of pounds.

If it seems to good to be true, the chances are it is.

Petrol pumps are ‘sexist’, says female driver

By

Ethan Jupp

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January 23, 2020

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Are petrol pumps sexist? A female private tutor from south west London certainly thinks so. She has complained publicly about how large the hand-held pumps are, and how they hurt her small hands.

Melanie Morgan posted on social media showing how she struggles to hold petrol pumps, accusing garages of ‘everyday sexism’. It was initially to ‘prove her point’ to her partner that filling up was difficult, even painful, because of the equipment – which she believes is designed mostly with men in mind.

The issue is even causing her to consider an electric car, in order to avoid using unwieldy petrol pumps ever again.

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While her Smart with its small petrol tank isn’t so much of an issue, the large tank in the couple’s diesel van is more of a problem. “I know when I’m filling it up, I’m waiting for it to end,” Morgan told The Daily Mail.

“I’d come back to the van having got out and filled up and when I got back in I was flexing my hand, like when you’ve been writing a lot, and I was like ‘ooh actually that quite hurts’.

“I said this to my partner and he kind of laughed it off and I said ‘no really it hurts, you have to grip it really hard when you’ve got smaller hands. It’s ridiculous that that’s something I have to think about.”

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“It’s enough of a problem that I just don’t want to deal with it. But I should imagine for some people it is something they cannot do – if you are weaker or smaller than me.”

In America, many petrol pump nozzles go into the car and fill automatically, so the driver doesn’t have to hold a trigger. Likewise, at others, attendants come out and do it for you. Are these developments we want to see in the UK? Do you think Melanie has a point? Let us know…

Al Capone’s bulletproof Cadillac for sale at $1 million

By

Ethan Jupp

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January 23, 2020

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This 1928 Cadillac was once owned by arguably the world’s most famous gangster: Al Capone. And it could be yours for $1 million (£760,000).

A Cadillac Town Sedan of this vintage is special thing, even without the sinister ownership history. This one, however, is extra special, not only because of its former keeper, but due to how he modified it.

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One-inch thick bulletproof glass features all round. The side windows can actually be cranked down, to allow room to shoot out with a Tommy gun. The rear window also opens for the same purpose. The doors, meanwhile, are plated steel.

It’s supposed this is one of the earliest armoured cars. The man who helped his dad armour-plate the Caddy, recalled the exchange between his father and Capone’s men. When he claimed that “We don’t do that kind of work here”, they responded “You do now”.

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The car comes with a siren, flashing lights and a radio, so the occupants can keep up with the comings and goings of the local police. It’s even been repainted to look like the police cars of the day.

One thing a gangster car also needs is performance. To that end, Capone had the V8 upgraded so it could top out at 110mph. Happily, the car comes without any car chase or shootout damage.

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The big Caddy escaped the attention of the police in the end. That’s more than can be said for much of the rest of Capone’s fleet, and indeed his other assets.

With 1,111 miles, the car is in near-immaculate condition, and comes with a pile of paperwork, articles and historical documents.

Consultation begins for 70mph tunnel under the Thames

By

Ethan Jupp

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January 23, 2020

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Highways England is planning what it calls ‘Britain’s most ambitious roads project in a generation’. Plans for a 70mph tunnel under the river Thames enter the next phase of public consultation next week.

The multi-billion-pound Lower Thames crossing will connect Essex, Thurrock and Kent. The latest consultation will allow people to have their say on the current state of the project’s design.

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It will be an eight-week process, running from Wednesday January 29 to Wednesday March 25. There will be 20 events along the route at which people can offer their thoughts. You can also complete an online survey.

Changes have been made since the last public consultation in 2018. These are with reference to the 29,000 responses Highways England received on the project, as well as new technical information from ground investigations and surveys.

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The Lower Thames Crossing in its current state would be a 14.3-mile 70mph road – the longest road tunnel in the UK. Road capacity to the East of London across the Thames will be doubled.

“The Lower Thames Crossing is Highways England’s most ambitious scheme in 30 years,” said Chris Taylor, director of Highways England’s Complex Infrastructure Programme.

“We are designing a new route that will boost the local and regional economy, while providing quicker and more reliable journeys.”

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“We have made some changes to the design of the scheme based on new information, feedback from our consultation in 2018 and ongoing engagement with the local community and organisations.

“This further consultation is an opportunity for people to have their say on the changes before we submit our planning application later this year.”

Revealed: The cost of modifying cinema’s greatest cars

By

Ethan Jupp

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January 23, 2020

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James Bond’s Aston Martin is having something of a restoration at Q branch, in preparation for its performance in No Time To Die. But how much does it cost to outfit a DB5 with machine guns, an ejector seat and bulletproof glass?

Movie motor buff Mike Renaut has priced it the cost of making an Aston Martin DB5 mission-ready, as well as some other famous movie cars.

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Although a DB5 will set you back £795,000 (at least), the modifications are surprisingly affordable. You can go from boulevard cruiser to bulletproof bruiser for less than £70,000.

Let’s open with the small stuff: the revolving number plates and smokescreen. They’ll set you back £500 (£400+£100). The first really big expense is the bulletproof glass. Based on a £60 per square foot, plus shaping, tooling and fitting, it’ll cost £7,000.

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Now the really cool bits. An ejector seat, albeit a replica, will set you back £1,500. If you want it to work, it’ll be more like £20,000. A removable roof will be useful if the ejector is working, which will be a further £600.

The bulletproof rear shield is a £1,550 job, involving the fitment of a £550 police-spec riot shield. From back to front, and from defence to offence, the twin Browning machine guns will set you back £4,600.

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Finally, the rear tyre slashers. These, surprisingly, are the most expensive bit. Because the rear axle will need re-engineering, it adds up to £50,000.

So, there you have it. A breakdown of what Bond’s Aston ends up costing Q branch. Now add that to multiple replacement cars (and replacement mods) every time 007 destroys his long-serving classic…

Preparing other movie cars for battle

Bond’s needs are different to those of, say, a California street racer. What makes Dominic Torretto’s The Fast and The Furious Dodge Charger so, well, fast and furious? Far from the minimum six-figure sum a DB5 will set you back, a Charger can be had for £30,000.

Mike research for Northgate Vehicle Hire reveals £45,000-worth of modifications, all in the name of performance. These include a 426 cubic inch Hemi V8 for £20,000, drag tyres for £700, race suspension for £3,000 and nitrous injection for £1,500.

From Race Wars to the streets of Turin, what about getting a Mini ready for the gruelling The Italian Job chase? Well, on top of the £7,000 that a classic Mini will cost, you’ll need £8,000 for modifications.

These include a strengthened boot floor for £750, a second fuel tank for £400, upgraded shock absorbers for £275, plus a three-point rollcage for £200. What we’re wondering is why a special roof paint job is estimated to cost £4,000.

Bentley launches a ski-drive holiday – but it isn’t cheap

By

Gavin Braithwaite-Smith

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January 23, 2020

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Bentley and Bomber Ski have joined forces to create a skiing and driving holiday experience.

Set in the Rocky Mountains, Bentley and Bomber will host a group of ski enthusiasts at a six-day, five-night experience. Eighteen places are available on this ‘once-in-a-lifetime experience’.

Six-time Olympic medallist and five-time World Champion skier Bode Miller will be on hand to provide expert guidance and coaching to skiers of all abilities.

Skiers are promised access to areas only accessible by Snowcat, allowing them to ‘catch the first glimpse of the sunrise before skiing untouched, pristine powder’.

Additional activities include snow-shoeing, a helicopter ride over the Rocky Mountain range and fine dining in the best restaurants.

Guests can expect a morning visit from the in-house ski valet when they stay at the five-star Lumiere Hotel in Telluride. Later, a private aviation transfer will fly the 18 guests to the Montage Deer Valley in Utah, where the trip will conclude.

The Bomber for Bentley Ski & Drive Experience follows the debut of the Limited Edition Centenary Ski and the Black Diamond Edition Ski that were launched last month.

Each design features diamond motifs, textures and patterns, inspired by Bentley’s EXP 100 GT concept car launched in July 2019.

‘Curated global experiences’

Developed with Chris Cooke, head of product design at Bentley Motors, the ‘Bomber for Bentley’ skis are handcrafted in Bomber’s boutique factory in Italy, with each pair of skis taking roughly 32 hours to complete.

Predictably, the Bentley skiing and driving holiday isn’t cheap. The price of double occupancy is $28,950 (£22,257) or $17,950 (£13,800) for single occupancy.

Don’t worry if you can’t make the inaugural event which takes place from 4 to 9 March 2020. Bentley is promising additional ‘curated global experiences’ throughout the year.

Time to start saving…

Motorway money used to restore historic buildings

By

Gavin Braithwaite-Smith

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January 23, 2020

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Money put aside for reducing the road network’s impact on the historic environment is being used to revitalise historic buildings.

Highways England has awarded £340,000 to Gunnersbury Park – a 75-hectare park near the M4 motorway in West London.

In 2009, eight of the listed buildings in the park were placed on Historic England’s Heritage At Risk Register. There are 22 listed buildings in the park, many of which have fallen into disrepair.

The Highways England cash is being put towards securing three of the threatened buildings. The plan is to transform them into cultural and artistic facilities for the local community.

Last year, Highways England awarded £90,000 towards the cost of specialist surveys of the small mansion and stable buildings. Now, a further £250,000 has been allocated to the cost of repair.

In the future, Gunnersbury Park will boast a multi-million-pound sports hub, offering tennis, football, cricket, gym facilities and angling to local people.

‘Derelict for decades’

Highways England principal cultural heritage advisor Jim Hunter said: “I am delighted that Highways England has been able to contribute to this scheme which will help ensure a sustainable future for this beautiful park and its important buildings for generations to come.

“We believe in operating and improving our roads in a way that protects and supports people and the things we value for our quality of life, and helping to enhance the historic environment on or close to our road network is what our Designated Fund for Cultural Heritage is all about.”

Emily Gee, Historic England’s regional director for London and the South East, added: “These special historic buildings within Gunnersbury Park have been derelict for decades and it’s wonderful that they are set to be transformed into cultural and arts facilities for the local community.

“We are delighted that Highways England’s funding has helped to secure the future of this precious landscape together with the commitment of Ealing and Hounslow councils.”

The fund is part of a £675 million fund allocated to Highways England over a five-year period from 2015. Its aim is to mitigate the road network’s impact, focusing on air quality, the environment, cycling, safety, integration and innovation.

Spot the difference: Lexus in London or Gran Turismo?

By

Ethan Jupp

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January 22, 2020

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Can you spot the difference between these images? The subject is a Sonic Red Lexus LC500, photographed at various London locations. One of the slides is shot in Gran Turismo Sport’s excellent photo mode, the other is a real shot.

To test the theory that modern game graphics are truly lifelike, Lexus enlisted the help of professional photographer Jayson Fong to help create some images in-game, and then retake them in real life. They picked Air Street, Cromwell Place and Wellington Street in London, as featured in the game’s ‘Scapes’ mode.

As for the car? It’s a good one to test both photographer and observer. With a nice mix of clean and harsh lines, we love the way the LC500 looks in certain environments, reflecting what’s around it.

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Then, once the images were taken on the game, Jayson and his team noted down the exact geometry, time of day and light settings to replicate the pictures in real life. As Jayson follows, lighting was the biggest challenge.

“For some locations, we had to be on the street at 4am and it was difficult to get the timings right because the sky was always going to be one of the biggest giveaways.”

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It proved a tall task practically when it came to shooting the car for real, then. Given the closeness of the results, we wouldn’t blame you for leaving it to the professionals and taking to the PlayStation for some artistic automotive photography.

The results really are spectacular, given that we’re never quite sure which is real. Especially in the case of the Cromwell Place daytime shot. We’re unsure what the giveaway is. The bin bag? The reflections on the car? The yellow lines? The scaffolding? They’ve done a great job of matching the shots.

Prices for new all-electric Smart range revealed

By

Ethan Jupp

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January 22, 2020

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Prices have been revealed for Smart’s updated range of electric cars. The line-up of Fortwo Coupe and Cabriolet, plus the larger Forfour, will cost between £20,350 and £26,565, before the government plug-in car grant is deducted. After the grant, that equates to between £16,850 and £23,065.

The Smart range opens up with Passion Advanced. This brings as standard a multi-function leather steering wheel, rear parking sensors and a media system. The latter features a seven-inch touchscreen, navigation, charging station finder, Bluetooth, automatic climate control, DAB radio, Android Auto connectivity and Mirrorlink mobile phone mirroring.

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All Smarts also come with the ‘acoustic presence indicator’ – to warn unwary pedestrians – and comfort package as standard. On the outside, 15-inch black four-spoke wheels add to the premium effect.

A 22kW on-board charger now comes with all Smarts. That allows for a 70 percent charge-up in 40 minutes from a rapid charger, or six hours if using a home wallbox.

The only issue? This base specification is not available on the Fortwo Cabriolet. Those wanting the wind in their hair will need to pay more.

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Model	Road fund licence (£)	Rec. OTR price (£)	Rec. OTR price inc. PICG (£)	P11D value (£)	BIK (%)
Passion Advanced
Fortwo Coupe	0	20,350	16,850	20,295	0
Forfour	0	20,785	17,285	20,730	0
Pulse Premium
Fortwo Coupe	0	21,500	18,000	21,445	0
Fortwo Cabriolet	0	23,920	20,420	23,865	0
Forfour	0	21,935	18,435	21,880	0
Prime Exclusive
Fortwo Coupe	0	22,650	19,105	22,595	0
Fortwo Cabriolet	0	25,070	21,570	25,015	0
Forfour	0	23,085	19,585	23,030	0
Edition 1
Fortwo Coupe	0	24,145	20,645	24,090	0
Fortwo Cabriolet	0	26,565	23,065	26,510	0

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Pulse Premium adds £1,150 to the Coupe price. It brings 16-inch wheels, sports pedals, a rear-view camera and, on hard-top models, a panoramic roof with a blind.

Prime Exclusive spec will set you back £2,650 over the base price. It adds 16-inch Y-spoke alloys, ambient lighting, auto-dim mirrors and heated seats. For the first time ever on a Smart, there’s also full LED lighting.

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Edition 1 spec is available only on the two-door Smarts. It adds a healthy £4,145 to the start price, but comes with exclusive colours, black detailing, Brabus body features and sporty alloys.

All Smarts are rated for around 70 miles of range, and have an 82hp electric motor. A single-speed gearbox powers the rear wheels and top speed is limited to 81mph.

Roush F-150 5.11 Tactical Edition is a 650 hp truck ready for anything

By

John Redfern

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January 22, 2020

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Tuning company Roush Performance has collaborated with California-based 5.11 Tactical to produce a special limited-edition version of the Ford F-150.

Launched at the recent 2020 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, the 5.11 Tactical Edition combines a wealth of performance enhancements and bespoke design upgrades.

Roush currently plans to build 150 examples of the 5.11 Tactical Edition, with the truck aimed at those who need a dependable vehicle with a hefty dose of attitude.

Rapid tactical deployment

No self-respecting Roush produce would come without one of the company’s signature superchargers added beneath the hood. The 5.11 Tactical Edition does not disappoint, with a 2.65-liter ‘charger added to the 5.0-liter V-8 engine.

Peak power is upped to an impressive 650 horsepower, with a corresponding 610 lb-ft of torque. This is the same set of figures as found in the record-breaking Roush F-150 Nitemare, meaning performance should not be in doubt here.

Roush also fits a cat-back Active Performance Exhaust system, allowing the driver to change the sound from the tailpipes at the twist of a dial. Picking ‘Touring’ mode quietens the exhaust down, which could be handy for doing important tactical activities.

Suspension upgrades are also included, with a Roush/Fox 2.0 Performance Series setup installed to improve ride comfort. Tire clearance is also said to be enhanced, with the 5.11 Tactical Edition wearing 20-inch wheels fitted with 33-inch General Grabber all-terrain rubber.

Completing the exterior makeover is a wide array of parts from the Roush catalogue. This includes a new front grille with signature lighting, plus fender flares which also house accent lighting elements. Puddle lights also display the Roush logo when the truck is unlocked.

Roush will only offer the 5.11 Tactical Edition is two Ford colors – Agate Black or Abyss Gray. This is combined with digital camouflage graphics and 5.11 Tactical logos applied to the outside of the F-150.

Lock and load up on tactical gear

The Tactical theme continues inside, where Roush has installed a custom-branded vehicle safe in the center console. Fitted with a combination lock, and made from cold-rolled plate steel, it allows for secure storage of important equipment.

Roush-branded leather seats are fitted, along with a Roush instrument cluster and a set of bespoke floor liners made by WeatherTech.

In addition to the special Roush badging fitted on the exterior of the 5.11 Tactical Edition, each of the 150 models will also gain a serialized commemorative plaque on the dashboard.

A collaboration with a tactical clothing and equipment manufacturer would surely be wasted without an accompanying haul of branded goods.

Roush has not disappointed with this special edition. Buyers will receive a branded tactical duffle bag, a custom 5.11 Tactical hard case with a heavy-duty responder’s multi-tool inside, a custom tactical pen, a steel money clip, plus a range hat and USA flag patch.

Each of the 150 trucks will come with a unique serialized certificate of authenticity when leaving the Roush Performance factory in Michigan.

Time to make a tactical decision

The 5.11 Tactical Edition joins the growing number of special outdoor-focussed pickups, with Chevrolet having released the Silverado HD Carhartt Edition at SEMA last year.

Pricing for the 5.11 Tactical Edition is dependent on the base F-150 chosen as a starting point. However, the transformation itself will add $31,000 to the overall price, with Roush only using the 5.0-liter V-8 Lariat model.

All Roush trucks are supplied with a three-year/36,000-mile warranty, and can be ordered now with delivery expected in Spring 2020.