Less than a month before the latest series of Fifth Gear returns to TV screens, Tiff Needell has made a shock announcement.

After some 17 years of involvement with the motoring show, Needell has confirmed that he will no longer be part of it. 

His revelation on social media suggested that the decision had been taken by executives at Discovery Networks Europe, rather than by him.

Unfortunately someone @DiscoveryUK has decided @FifthGearTV will be a better show without me. Sad time for me as I was pivotal in the creation of the programme but if you do like to see me having fun in cars the good news is I'll be doing a lot more on https://t.co/fnNbqE9804

— Tiff Needell 🏁 (@tiff_tv) September 9, 2019

Needell was partly responsible for the creation of the Fifth Gear franchise, born from the demise of the original Top Gear series. 

First aired in 2002 on Channel 5, the programme later moved to the Discovery Channel, followed by time on the History channel. The free-to-air Quest channel has been the latest home of Fifth Gear since 2018.

The almost two decades of presenting Fifth Gear by Needell, were in addition to the 14 years he spent working on Top Gear for the BBC. Current Top Gear presenter Chris Harris was one of the first to offer his support to Needell, following today’s announcement.

I’m sending you a MASSIVE hug. But you’re still skidding around on the Internet telly box and you’ll soon be on a podcast!

— chris harris (@harrismonkey) September 9, 2019

Continuing Fifth Gear presenters Jason Plato and Jonny Smith also commented that Needell would be missed by them on the show.

You have been missed by us all pal and will continue to be @tiff_tv
I hope that sometime soon we can work again together and you can continue your work in making every single one of my hairs go grey! Good luck over on @Lovecars mate xx https://t.co/Ur1t8zqQ8w

— Jason Plato (@jasonplato) September 9, 2019

I miss @tiff_tv hugely. I know I’ll get to work with you again one day in some form. Maybe I’ll talk you sleep with old crap car tech specs. But seriously Tiff, it has been an honour getting to share cars and banter with you for a living. @Lovecars has gained what we have lost. https://t.co/8aNIprrPv2

— Jonny Smith (@Carpervert) September 9, 2019

Needell has noted that he will be continuing to appear on video, as part of the Lovecars YouTube channel. He has previously appeared in a number of videos for the online outlet, and looks set to have plans to do even more now. 

Along with the news about Needell, the start date for the latest series of Fifth Gear has also been confirmed as the 3rd October 2019.

Far be it from us to call a motor show’s most extravagant exhibit before it’s got underway, but the new Brabus G V12 900 might be the Frankfurt show’s maddest car. 

It is, of course, a Mercedes G-Class – already quite the four-wheeled statement – fettled by Brabus’s team of mad scientists and engineers. And by fettled we mean, had a V12 dropped in it.

Normally a six-cylinder or V8 would sit under the G’s broad bonnet. Brabus has swapped those out for a 6.3-litre twin-turbocharged V12 engine with 900hp and 1,106lb ft of torque.

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The engine is based on the unit you’d find under the bonnet of a Maybach-spec Mercedes S600. In this case, it’s been bored out from 6.0-litres to 6.3. Bigger turbos are fitted, as are more exotic exhaust manifolds.

Combine that with a new intake and some new software, and you’ve got yourself a 900hp V12-powered G-Class. If you don’t want your monster V12 to annoy the neighbours, fear not: there’s a ‘coming home’ mode to quieten the exhausts. 

Ballistic Brabus

Sixteen years ago, Porsche revealed its Carrera GT hypercar at 2003’s Frankfurt Motor Show. Perhaps the ultimate testament to how far performance cars have come is the fact that this G-Class has the same 0-62 time – 3.8 seconds.

Where the Brabus isn’t quite up to the Porsche, is top speed. While the carbon-tubbed hypercar will breeze past the 200mph barrier, the Brabus is limited to 174. That’s probably for the best.

Handy for nervous passengers is the fact that they can keep an eye on how much of that performance you’re using. There are three analogue gauges set into the roof in the back to show speed, outside temperature and time.

The rest of the G V12 is fairly standard Brabus fare. That’s to say, wider arches, enormous 23-inch wheels and lots of carbon fibre. Those wheels are actually the small option. You can have 24s if anything less simply won’t do. There’s gold heat shielding under the bonnet and an even more luxurious appointment on the inside.

“One of ten” completes the new G V12 900’s full title, due to the fact that only ten will be made of this introductory limited edition. This, in celebration of 15 years of the G V12 model line from Brabus.

The entry price for this V12 brute is no less than £540,000. What you can be sure of, though, is that this won’t be the maddest G Class. Brabus went absolutely ballistic on the previous-generation G, giving it six wheels, jacking it up on knobbly off-road tyres. This 900hp monster is just the start, we suspect. 

A new survey of British motorists has revealed that many are putting off repairs to their cars because they worry they can’t afford it. More worryingly, the survey has revealed some of the scarcely believable ‘bodge’ home repairs that people make to keep their car going and avoid expense.

Nearly one in five (18 percent) said they continue to drive their cars when they know something needs to be fixed. Of those, 13 percent said the issue that needed fixing was ‘very serious’.

It’s the youngest among us that are the most hard-up when it comes to fixing cars. More than one in three 25-34 year-olds admitted to ignoring the need for important repairs. That compares to just seven percent of over-55s.

Dangerous disrepair

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So what exactly are we ignoring that needs fixing? More than one in five (23 percent) admitted to driving with faulty brakes because they couldn’t afford repairs. Yes, the one thing you should repair immediately without question.

Other problem parts that were brushed under the rug by owners included suspension, steering, windscreens and exhausts. Bodywork is a common issue that goes ignored, with 39 percent saying they’d left dents, scratches and rot. One in five have left electrical faults to fester. On average, drivers are leaving faults without a fix for ten months.

Bodge jobs

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Sometimes, however, owners turn their own hand to on-the-fly repairs, some of which are little short of shocking. Twenty percent admitted to using quick fixes like gaffer tape, string, newspaper and stockings to plug holes in their car’s functionality.

“There’s no doubt that rising cost of living is squeezing household budgets, forcing people to make difficult choices on how they spend their money,” said Bob Masters from Halfords Autocentres.

“But motorists who avoid repairing safety-critical items such as brakes, steering and suspension could be putting themselves and others in danger.”

Transport for London (TfL) has announced plans to reduce speed limits in the capital. The limit within the central Congestion Charge zone limit is dropping to 20mph in 2020.

This is the first phase in a plan to cut speeds across London. Limit reductions of 10mph are planned for 80 miles of 50mph and 40mph roads, too.

The primary aim is to reduce pedestrian casualties. According to the World Health Organisation, any roads where pedestrians and cars regularly share space should have a 20mph limit. 

Research says that a pedestrian who is hit by a car travelling at 20mph is five times more likely to survive than if they were hit at 30mph. Speed is a factor in more than one in three (37 percent) collisions where a person is killed or injured in London.

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TfL has completed a risk analysis on roads with the highest likelihood of collisions. Factors include death and serious injury figures, the density of pedestrian usage in the area and speed limits in surrounding areas.

If you’re worried that lower speed limits will cause congestion, this is also a factor in judging the suitability of a limit reduction.

How will lower speed limits be enforced?

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TfL says that the limits will mostly be ‘self-enforcing’. That means signs, road markings, speed bumps, raised crossings, traffic islands and other elements that encourage slower driving.

What it doesn’t mean, apparently, is a barrage of speed cameras.

One happy side effect of lower speed limits could be less pollution. An Imperial University evaluation said that there would be no net negative effect on emissions. It also suggests that lower speeds could mean reduced particulate matter from tyres and brakes, given the reduction in acceleration and deceleration cycles. 

Porsche has increased its stake in Rimac Automobili to 15.5 percent following the purchase of an additional 5 percent share of the Croatian electric hypercar firm.

The German sports car company is strengthening its partnership following its initial investment in Rimac back in June 2018.

“It quickly became clear to us that Porsche and Rimac could learn a lot from each other,” said Lutz Meschke, Porsche AG CFO.

“We are convinced of Mate Rimac (pictured above) and his company, so now we have increased our stake and are expanding our cooperation in battery technology.”

As Porsche scales up its electric car portfolio, it will increasingly harness Rimac’s expertise in EV powertrains, batteries and other components related to electrification.

Porsche also plans to utilise Rimac’s expertise in autonomous driving.

Founder Mate Rimac remains CEO of the firm, which today employs 600 people. “It was one of the most important milestones in our history to win Porsche as a partner,” he said.

“The fact that Porsche is now increasing its stake is the best confirmation of our cooperation and the basis for an even closer relationship.”

Porsche’s investment will speed up development capabilities at Rimac, so it can support other automotive companies. It will also help the firm launch its new C_Two electric hypercar, which it describes as the most technologically advanced model ever launched.

Final development is now underway, ahead of customer deliveries beginning in 2020.