Average speed cameras have been installed on the ‘Evo Triangle’, after Denbighshire and Conwy councils received a £500,000 grant from the Welsh Government.
The 21-mile stretch of road is a mecca for car enthusiasts, but a string of fatalities and incidences of dangerous driving have prompted officials to take action.
Four people have been killed on the roads that connect Llyn Brenig, Pentrefoelas and Cerrigydrudion since 2012.
The Welsh Government made the announcement in October 2018, arguing that “average speed cameras provide the most extensive and continuous enforcement which will make the route less attractive to those intending to exceed the speed limit.”
The ‘Evo Triangle’ – so-called after it was made famous by Evo magazine – is often named on lists of the UK’s best driving roads and is a location used for countless YouTube videos.
Total 911 magazine said the road provides a “welcome chance to experience conditions we dream of as drivers of high-performance sports cars”. Meanwhile, Visordown labelled it a “mythical trio of roads”.
But it doesn’t take long to find headlines that paint the ‘Evo Triangle’ in a different light. In 2017, a couple were killed in a head-on collision, and a motorcyclist died in 2018 after being thrown from his Honda Fireblade and into the path of an oncoming vehicle.
‘Only one part of the answer’
The cameras have been welcomed by local residents and the area’s authorities, with Councillor Brian Jones, Denbighshire’s lead member for highways, planning and sustainable travel, saying: “Introducing road safety measures is only one part of the answer.
“We need people to modify their driving behaviour on our roads, to protect their own safety and that of others.”
Meanwhile, Superintendent Jane Banham, head of specialist operations, North Wales Police said: “We are committed to keeping people safe on the roads, we want people to enjoy the freedom of the road but to do so safely and responsibly.
“All too often we and the other emergency services are called to serious and fatal road traffic collisions across the region.”
Before you settle down to enjoy the last episode, join us for a grand tour of the cars you have been watching, with quotes from the presenters.
Episode 1: Motown Funk
Ford Mustang RTR Spec 3: “This is the Anthony Joshua of muscle cars. Big and brawny, but it has brains as well.” – Jeremy Clarkson
Dodge Challenger SRT Demon: “I have 840 horsepower, a massive supercharger and on the bonnet is the biggest hood scoop ever fitted to a production car… ever. NOISE! Noise in the city.” – Richard Hammond
Hennessey Exorcist Camaro ZL1: “They’ve taken a standard Camaro and they’ve given it 1,000 horsepower. Jesus Christ! I can’t even steer it. It’s idiotic, honestly.” – James May
McLaren Senna: “It stops like it’s run into a wall, it’s pressed into the road by witchcraft, it weighs the same as a bag of whippets, and it has nearly 800 horsepower on tap.” – Jeremy Clarkson
Episodes 2 and 3: Colombia Special
Jeep Wrangler: “It’s gonna be ideal for wildlife photography because it’s four-wheel-drive, so I could use it to track a snow leopard. It’s got a 4.0-litre straight-six, so I could keep up with a diving eagle. And, of course, no roof, fold-down windscreen, so a 360-degree field of fire for my camera.” – Jeremy Clarkson.
Chevrolet C/K Silverado: “It’s a full-size American pick-up that’s been made a bit bigger with a lift kit. Most importantly it’s got a proper big old 7.4-litre V8 up front in a very lazy state of tune, just churning out huge gobbets of grunt.” – Richard Hammond
Fiat Panda 4×4 Sisley: “What you need for serious off-roading is smallness and lightness. That’s what I’ve got. This is a tiny car. It weighs 780 kilograms – a quarter of what Hammond’s stupid monster truck weighs.” – James May
Episode 4: Pick up, Put Downs
“If you need to flee from government forces, you need an Amarok.” – Jeremy Clarkson
Jaguar XE SV Project 8: “How mad would you have to be to spend £150,000 on a car that was designed and built in a glorified shed in the Midlands… in about 18 months? The simple answer is: not mad at all because this car is fan-bleeding tastic.” – Jeremy Clarkson
Episode 5: An Itchy Urus
Lamborghini Urus: “Twitchy and it’s scary! It’s like I’ve been put in charge of all of the world’s physics while I’m in a phone box full of wasps.” – Jeremy Clarkson
Alpine A110: “The original 1960s version was a masterpiece. But for me, this modern reboot doesn’t quite work. Once you stretch modern legislation over 1960s design language, you end up with a sort of slightly lame tribute act.” – James May
Episode 6: Chinese Food for Thought
Mercedes-Benz S600: “If you are a Chinese businessman or business-woman, and you want a car that reflects your status, you can simply pop over to Europe and buy a Mercedes-Benz S-Class.” – James May
BMW 750 iL: “This is the BMW ‘Seven-Hundred-And-Fifty’ IL, as Q called it in the Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies.” – Jeremy Clarkson
Cadillac STS: “This is a Cadillac STS and you can shut up, because this is fitted with one of the best engines of all time: the creamy smooth 4.6-litre Northstar V8.” – Richard Hammond
NIO EP9: “It’s pretty clear that this is no Nissan Leaf. Because a Leaf doesn’t have giant head restraints designed to stop G-forces from snapping your neck during hard cornering.” – Richard Hammond
Episode 7: Well Aged Scotch
BMW M5 v Alpina B5: “The M5 is tauter, more nailed down, more on it, somehow. So on a track, make no mistake, the M5 will pull away. We’re both cats. It’s just that he’s [the M5] is a cheetah and I’m [the B5] is a lion.” – Jeremy Clarkson
Alfa Romeo GTV6: “This car is just heaven. Absolute heaven. Look at it and tell me you can think of another car anywhere on Earth for 10 grand that you’d like more than this.” – Jeremy Clarkson
Fiat X1/9: “Some cars achieve classic status simply because they’re really good. The X1/9 was good when it was designed and built first, and still is today.” – Richard Hammond
Lancia Gamma Coupe: “Rare, interesting, beautiful – those are the criteria by which I think you should judge whether or not a car is a true classic. It has to be at least two of those things to qualify. So let’s have a look at my Lancia. Well, it’s definitely beautiful. It’s a truly superb bit of styling, this. And it’s rare.” – James May
Episode 8: International Buffoons’ Vacation
Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk: “Pulling this 700 horsepower 6.2-litre supercharged V8 out of a Dodge Challenger Hellcat into a Jeep off-roader might sound like it makes as much sense as fitting me with Usain Bolt’s legs.” – Richard Hammond
Episode 9: Aston, Astronauts and Angelina’s Children
Aston Martin Vantage: “This is one of those superstar cars that leave a wake of dropped jaws and phone camera flashes.” – Richard Hammond
Citroen C3 Aircross: “Faster than itself at the test track. Strong enough to pull a ship. Big enough for the entire Jolie family and a horse. And better at invading Italy than an elephant.” – Jeremy Clarkson
Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray: “This is Neil Armstrong’s Corvette. His hands were here. He looked at the instruments like that. He touched that. Neil Armstrong! What an honour” – James May
Episode 10: The Youth Vote
Toyota Yaris GRMN: “Gazoo! It’s nice, it feels taut.” – James May
Ford Fiesta ST: “This is cracking. I love these.” – Richard Hammond
Volkswagen Polo GTI: “Volkswagen invented the hot hatchback and they’re still the best at it.” – Jeremy Clarkson
Lamborghini Countach: “This version of the Countach, the LP500, was launched in 1985, specifically to put the Testarossa back in its box.” – Richard Hammond
Ferrari Testarossa: “The Ferrari Testarossa was excess on wheels. Be it looks, attitude, or even size. It was unquestionably the only car that could star in Miami Vice.” – James May
Episode 11: Sea to Unsalty Sea
Aston Martin DBS: “My Aston has been delivered with Birmingham spec.” – Jeremy Clarkson
Bentley Continental GT: “Does Liberace pop up out of the centre console and play the piano for you?” – James May
BMW M850i: “This is like Elton John’s greatest hits without Your Song or Tiny Dancer on it.” – Jeremy Clarkson
Episode 12: Legends and Luggage
Porsche 917: “Even if you have no interest in motorsport, you’ll most likely recognise this machine because it’s quite possibly the most iconic racing car ever created.” – James May
Lancia Delta Futurista: “It is a bloody brilliant car, this. Yes, I like this.” – Jeremy Clarkson
Lancia Stratos: “If I was going to spurt big lumps of money on an update classic Lancia, I’d spurt them on the most classic Lancia of them all… the Stratos.” – Jeremy Clarkson
Episode 13: Survival of the Fattest
John: “He’s been incredible. Even though we built it in the middle of a field in the dust, it has been unutterably reliable. If you’re going on an expedition and you’re absolutely dependent on your car for your life… get a John.” – James May
Episode 14: Funeral for a Ford
In the final episode of the series, Clarkson, Hammond and May take a look at the history of the medium-sized Ford saloon, starting with the Ford Cortina…
Then the Ford Sierra, before celebrating the life and times of the Ford Mondeo. “The history lesson ends with a touching memorial service to this totem of British life,” says the press material.
Speaking of memorial services, it looks like we’ll need to say on a fond farewell to this Toyota Picnic.
And on that bombshell
And on that bombshell, it’s time to end the gallery. Thanks for the laughs, chaps.
Select police forces will deploy a system that can detect if drivers are using their phone while driving. A sign will flash, telling drivers they have been seen and to stop using their mobile phone.
How does it work and what can it do?
Signs will light up with the shape of a phone and a red strike through it when the system detects someone using their phone in the car. To clarify, it will not be able to differentiate whether it’s the passenger or the driver on their phone. It’s also unable to record footage.
The system, developed by Westcotec, is able to detect when 2G, 3G or 4G signals are being sent out, specifically when a phone is being used, using a directional antenna. Bluetooth hands-free devices will trigger the system, but the sign won’t flash.
The detectors cost £6,000 each and will be deployed and trialled at various points around the constituencies.
“Not an enforcement tool”
The Thames Valley and Hampshire forces, which will be the first to roll out the technology, have stated that it will not be used to enforce phone driving laws. The goal is to ‘educate motorists’ and to find areas where drivers using their phone behind the wheel is a problem. The systems being moved around constituencies should allow the forces to build a map of where people using their phone at the wheel is an issue.
Generally speaking, it should act as a deterrent. A statement by local authorities that says: ‘we can see you’, to drivers using their phone behind the wheel. Whether or not the system will be used to ‘catch’ drivers in the same way cameras catch you speeding, remains to be seen.
We wouldn’t be surprised, given the goal is to make using your phone while driving ‘as socially unacceptable as drink-driving’. For now, as above, the systems serve as a benign warning.
Every year, J.D. Power publishes its Customer Service Index Study, which measures customer satisfaction with their service experience at franchised dealers during the first three years of a car’s life.
Each brand is given a rating out of 1,000 for overall satisfaction. Here, we run through the 23 manufacturers listed in the survey, with the results presented in reverse order. Be prepared for a few surprises along the way…
23: Fiat – 759 out of 1,000
From a credible 13th out of 24 manufacturers in 2018, Fiat has slumped to 23rd out of 23 in 2019. The study measures customer satisfaction when they visit a franchised dealer for maintenance and repair work. Five measures are examined: service quality, service initiation, service advisor, vehicle pick-up and service facility.
22: Kia – 775 out of 1,000
Last year, Kia finished fourth with a score of 808, so to find the South Korean company finishing second from bottom in 2019 is a big surprise. The average score across all of the volume brands is 786, which suggests Kia has some catching up to do. Having a seven-year warranty might be a great sales tool, but it’s up to the dealers to deliver a good aftersales experience.
21: Volvo – 776 out of 1,000
Is this result even worse than Kia’s? Volvo might have scored one more point than Kia, but in 2018 it finished joint fourth with the Korean company. A score of 776 places the Swedish company bottom of the five premium brands featured in the J.D. Power study. Volvo’s products might be worthy of awards, but on this showing, its dealers are a long way from scooping honours.
20: Volkswagen – 778 out of 1,000
According to J.D. Power, sizeable gaps exist between how customers prefer to schedule vehicle service appointments and receive service updates, and how dealers are actually scheduling and communicating with their customers. Dealers will need to close these technology gaps to increase revenue and improve customer satisfaction. Interestingly, satisfaction increases when dealer staff use a tablet, particularly during a service. Volkswagen finishes 20th with a score of 778.
=18: Skoda – 781 out of 1,000
We were surprised to find Skoda languishing in 20th place in 2018, but 10 extra points and a jump to 18th would suggest Skoda is heading in the right direction. “Customers in younger generations are certainly affecting industry-wide behaviours when it comes to service experience expectations, and this will become more notable as they begin to represent a larger portion of the service business,” said Josh Halliburton, vice president and head of European operations at J.D. Power.
=18: Renault – 781 out of 1,000
“However, there is an increase in preference among those in all generations for text message updates. For example, in the five years this study has been conducted, there’s been an 8 percent increase in preference for this type of communication among Boomers, or customers born between 1946 and 1964. We expect text message updates will become the most preferred means of interaction among all generations within the next few years.” he continued.
=15: Vauxhall – 784 out of 1,000
There are three brands tied in 15th place, including Vauxhall. French ownership hasn’t had a positive impact on its dealers, with Vauxhall dropping four places in 2019 and scoring two points fewer than last year. This is also lower than the volume brand average of 786.
=15: Nissan – 784 out of 1,000
Fifteenth might not be a reason to issue a press release or throw a party, but Nissan has scored 18 more points than it did in 2018, climbing seven places in the process. Of dealers in general, Josh Halliburton said: “There are still areas where UK dealers can differentiate themselves by providing an exceptional service. Top performers one year can end up below the industry average the next.”
=15: Mazda – 784 out of 1,000
Mazda remains locked in 15th place, so there’s still work to be done. According to a recent post on Jalopnik, the problem appears to be mirrored on the other side of the Atlantic. “Mazda seems to have a dealer network with an approach that seems allergic to actually landing customers,” it says. Ouch.
14: MINI – 785 out of 1,000
This is far from a good result for MINI, not least because the company finished second overall in 2018. The 2019 UK Customer Service Index Study is based on data collected from 6,759 respondents who registered their new vehicle between November 2015 and January 2018. The study was fielded from November 2018 through to January 2019.
=13: Citroen – 787 out of 1,000
Citroen has shot up the table in 2019, scoring 13 more points and moving from last place to 13th overall. Recent analysis by What Car? found that Citroen offered the biggest percentage discounts – with buyers saving an average 11.41 percent off the list price. Citroen dealers should expect increased footfall in 2019 as the brand celebrates its centenary year.
=12: Dacia – 788 out of 1,000
A place just outside the top ten is a little disappointing for a company that finished seventh in 2018, especially when the brand is heavily reliant on retail sales. On the plus side, a score of 788 is more than the volume brand average and better than the likes of Volvo, MINI and Skoda.
J.D. Power top 10 most satisfying car brands 2019
=10: Seat – 790 out of 1,000
Seat is a company on a roll, with a range of excellent SUVs and a new performance sub-brand in the form of Cupra. Its dealers are moving up a gear, with the company rising from 18th to tenth, scoring an extra 13 points in the process. Nice work.
=10: Ford – 790 out of 1,000
Ford is also on the up, jumping from 21st in 2018 and scoring 23 additional points. According to J.D. Power, factors that increase customer trust include: the vehicle was ready when promised, work was completed correctly the first time, the service advisor knew the vehicle’s history, and an explanation of the charges was provided.
9: Peugeot – 791 out of 1,000
Peugeot is the top ranked French company, up from 19th in 2018 to ninth in 2019. The company registered a 3.75 percent growth in March, in a UK new car market down 1.85 percent for the year. David Peel, Peugeot UK managing director, said: “Three years ago we began restructuring and resizing our dealer network to ensure that all of our network providers are profitable and motivated.” The strategy appears to be paying off.
8: Land Rover – 793 out of 1,000
Land Rover topped the table in 2018, so this has to go down as a bad result for the premium off-road brand. Worse still, the premium brand average is 800 out of 1,000, which means Land Rover is a little way off the pace.
=5: Hyundai – 798 out of 1,000
From 15th in 2018 to joint fifth in 2019 – this is an excellent result for Hyundai, especially when you take into account Kia’s lowly finish. This ranks Hyundai joint third on the list of volume manufacturers.
=5: Honda – 798 out of 1,000
It’s another strong finish for Honda, although a score of 798 is a significant drop from the excellent haul of 815 points in 2018. If one vehicle could sum up ‘car reliability’, it would be the Honda Jazz.
=5: BMW – 798 out of 1,000
BMW finishes fifth overall, but a score of 798 puts it just shy of the premium brand average of 800. Companies missing from the J.D. Power survey include Lexus, Alfa Romeo and Jeep. Curiously, Jaguar is another absentee, which is a surprise given its strong performance in 2018.
4: Toyota – 800 out of 1,000
Toyota finishes second on the list of volume manufacturers and fourth overall. We were surprised to find Toyota down in 14th place in 2018, but this year’s finish is more representative of what we’d expect from the Japanese company.
3: Mercedes-Benz – 802 out of 1,000
Hats off to Mercedes-Benz, which manages to beat its rival from Bavaria. No company offers more SUVs than Mercedes, and the company will unveil new versions of the GLC Coupe and GLS at the 2019 New York Auto Show.
2: Suzuki – 813 out of 1,000
Suzuki ranks highest among the volume brands, with a score of 813 – a 22-point improvement from 2018. This is a tremendous result for Suzuki, which offers a range of likeable and, at times, quirky new cars, including the Jimny and Ignis.
1: Audi – 815 out of 1,000
Audi finished seventh in 2018. This year, a 23-point improvement sees it top the table, as its dealers pull out all the stops to put on a good show. At the end of last year, Audi UK announced that it was implementing a new leadership and change management programme across its dealer network, designed by Alliance Manchester Business School.
Car leasing specialist AMT has created a new calculator that lets motorists work out how much CO2 emissions their cars are pumping out over the course of their usage.
The calculator uses AMT’s in-house data on 15,000 different cars to provide an estimate on daily driving emissions, as well as for longer periods. Put your miles in, both per day and over the course of its life, and you’ll get daily and lifetime emissions calculations.
A diesel Renault Megane, for example, will emit 3,443,988 grams (yes, that’s over 3.4 million grams) of CO2 over the course of 20,000 miles. Over a day of doing 100 miles, it’ll emit 17,220 grams.
There’s also a league table of 51 different manufacturers in order of which is most and least polluting based on cumulative emissions from across the range.
Predictably, Tesla tops the table for the least-polluting. You don’t need a calculator to work out an electric car produces no emissions, both on paper and in the real world. City car manufacturer Smart and DS Automobiles follow it.
Powered by AMT Leasing
At the bottom of the table, no surprises here, none other than the Raging Bull Lamborghini, which on average produces 347g/km, followed closely by Bentley and Rolls-Royce. McLaren in 46th and Aston Martin in 47th lead Ferrari, Bentley, Rolls and Lambo, impressively, with 252g/km and 272g/km respectively.
Of the main trio of German executive manufacturers, BMW and Audi jointly lead in 16th and 17th with 133g/km. Mercedes is all the way down in 36th, with 174g/km.
A new app called Safe Car Wash has yielded more than 2,000 reports of potential human trafficking and slavery. Of these, 41 percent were considered to be highly likely cases whereby the reporter was prompted to contact the Modern Slavery Helpline.
The app allows you to report on various observable factors – such as the workers’ clothing, if there is on-site living, and the mood and demeanour of the workers – then log the location of wash sites. Any and all of this information can then be passed on to police.
Of the 2,271 completed entries made between the app’s launch in June and December, 17 percent said workers were tearful, 48 percent reported a lack of appropriate clothing and, shockingly, eight percent reported under-age workers. A whopping 80 percent reported that facilities operated a cash-only policy.
However, in spite of 41 percent of reports getting the response to call the Modern Slavery Helpline, just 18 percent (under 180) went ahead with it. As familiarity with the problem and the nature of the crime grows, that’s expected to rise.
As many as 10,000 people are thought to be working and suffering under conditions of slavery in the UK, per Home Office estimates. The hand car wash industry is considered to be a slavery hotbed, with as many as 24,000 feared to be working in or near to slavery conditions.
Signs of potential slavery and trafficking and who is at risk
As above, there will be signs that individuals could be suffering in slavery conditions. Caravans nearby, as well as bedding, are a sign that workers are living on sight. Note any injuries as potential signs of abuse or the lack of the correct clothing.
Note people’s demeanour, too – whether they seem fearful or reluctant. Cash-only policies indicate an establishment that wants to keep off the books, too.
Anyone from the average citizen in a low point in their life, to immigrants, to the mentally disabled, can be at risk of being taken advantage of.
A useful tool
Being able to raise the alarm about such institutions via the focused structure of this dedicated app is an invaluable modern amenity. Citizens can be the instant eyes and ears for the authorities, without putting themselves at risk.
One half of the Aston Martin DBZ collection has begun production and no, it’s not the brand new DBS GT Zagato. It’s the 1960s classic from which it draws inspiration, reborn for 2019. DB4 GT Zagato construction is officially underway.
Construction is perhaps a better word to describe the process of a DB4 GT Zagato coming together, rather than production. Production has connotations of automation about it. To construct something is a very human thing, and the DB4 GT Zagato Continuation is a human-built car.
The cars are to be hand-finished at Aston Martin’s Heritage Division headquarters in Newport Pagnell. They should be finished to a standard much higher than would have been possible in period, too. That’s panelling, engines and all…
The cars are to be neither road nor race legal, but rather serve as both one half of the DBZ Collection, and as a demonstration of what Aston’s Heritage Division can achieve in terms of restoration, renovation, recreation and indeed, ground-up build.
There’s no other more important Aston to do it with than the DB4 GT Zagato, either. Originals are thought to be the most valuable Aston Martins in the world. It’s rare that one comes up for sale. Some of that value will come from the fact that they were handcrafted in Italy at Zagato.
“We are bringing all of our hand-craftsmanship and expertise to bear in building these nineteen Continuation cars, sympathetically incorporating the very latest engineering advancements and performance enhancements, but remaining true to the purity and authenticity of the original design,” said Paul Spires, president of Aston Martin Works.
“After the unprecedented success of the DB4 GT Continuation cars, we are once again bringing to life in the 21st Century the stuff of Aston Martin folklore.”
The price for one of these continuation Zagatos? Well, they come as a pair, each with a sister DBS. The collection would set you back £6million, plus local taxes, if any build slots were left…
Bringing back vivid memories of the bright orange second-generation Ford Focus ST is the new Ford Performance Edition of the latest Fiesta ST. Resplendent, as you can tell, in Deep Orange.
Limited edition, unlimited appeal?
How do you increase the appeal of what has to be one of the best-loved and most accomplished hot hatches on sale? Well, it’s a limited edition. Just 600 of these Ford Performance Editions are to be made, exclusive to the home of the hot hatch – the UK, of course.
Under the skin
The standard Fiesta ST might be excellent, but it’d be nice if the Ford Performance Edition was a bit more than a lick of paint. Happily, it is, with a Nurburgring-tuned coilover suspension package. Manual adjustment features, with 12 bump and 16 rebound settings you can tune your setup with. It wouldn’t be a Ford without some lurid colour contrast, so yes, the springs are bright blue.
You also get a set of exclusive 18-inch flow formed alloy wheel design on your Ford Performance Edition Fiesta ST, and you know something, it looks properly cool.
Standard features that would otherwise be optional on a normal ST include the Performance Pack (complete with Quaife LSD), launch control, shift lights, the lovely B&O sound system and distinctive LED headlamps.
What price for Ford Performance?
Final pricing is yet to be decided for the Ford Performance Edition, which will go on sale from June 2019. Ford says the standard fitment on this car adds up to around £3,000 of options over the standard ST-3. This could turn out to be a Porsche 911 GTS-style bang-for-your-buck scenario, by the time cars are delivered in September 2019.
For now, we can’t see a thing wrong with a well-specced, upgraded, brightly coloured version of one of the best hot hatches of the moment. Doesn’t sound entirely unlike the original Clio Trophy…
The new tech for Fords fitted with keyless entry uses a motion sensor within the key fob. The sleep mode is triggered if it hasn’t been moved for 40 seconds – so won’t respond to signals from hackers equipped with ‘relay boxes’ which can now easily be bought online.
Criminals illegally use the relay boxes to extend the signal from key fobs in homes, unlocking and starting vehicles parked outside.
Ford’s move is in response to owners of cars with keyless entry being targeted by thieves. The crime wave was highlighted last night on the BBC One Show, where Ford announced its keyless theft upgrade.
The growing issue of keyless car theft was underlined recently by a new keyless entry theft test introduced by Thatcham Research. This caused a stir by slamming many best-selling cars with a ‘poor’ rating.
The Porsche Macan has already been upgraded with a ‘superior’ score.
‘Swift protection’
Simon Hurr, Ford security specialist, said: “The online availability of devices which have no place in public hands has long been a problem for Ford, our industry and crime fighters.
“We are pleased to respond with a simple but effective solution – swiftly implemented to help protect owners of our top-selling cars.”
New Fiesta and Fiesta Van are already being delivered with the new tech, says Ford. The Focus will follow from May 2019.
Ford will introduce the keyless theft-proof fobs across its range within the next two years.
Owners of nearly new latest-model Fiesta and Focus can also buy replacement key fobs equipped with the new sleep mode. They cost £65 on the Fiesta and £72 on the Focus, plus just under an hour’s labour at a main dealer to programme and test.
The UK’s pothole epidemic is so severe, around 40 percent of drivers said they would be willing to pay more tax to fix the problem. That’s according to a study conducted by Green Flag, with researchers speaking to 2,000 British drivers.
As Benjamin Franklin famously said, “nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes”, but we can add potholes to that list, with UK drivers encountering, on average, seven potholes per trip.
Even more shocking is the fact that 56 percent of motorists said their cars have been damaged by potholes, costing the country around £4.9 billion in repair costs.
Green Flag’s research would suggest that motorists have had enough. While two in five said they’d be prepared to pay a higher rate of VED if the revenue was spent on repairing potholes, around a quarter said they’d be willing to add up to five miles to their journey to avoid driving on a pock-marked road.
Simon Henrick at Green Flag said: “The problem of potholes on UK roads means there is an increased risk of car damage. With this in mind, it is important to stay safe when driving and to regularly check your vehicle and tyres for damage.
“Our research found that only a third of drivers know how to check their tyres for damage, and only 49 per cent know how to change a tyre, so Green Flag is doing all we can to ensure drivers know how to carry out basic safety checks before a journey and carry out simple maintenance to their vehicles.”
It’s rather worrying that just half of the motorists surveyed said they know how to change a tyre – although with so many cars leaving the showroom without a spare wheel, perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised. Just one in three motorists said they’d feel comfortable checking tyres for signs of damage.
How to change a car tyre
To help the 49 percent of drivers who can’t change a wheel, Green Flag has put together the following guide.
Find a safe place to stop: as soon as you notice you have a flat tyre, find a safe place to stop off the road on a stable, flat surface. If you’re on a motorway, move to the hard shoulder and wait for assistance as it’s too dangerous to change a tyre there.
Safety first: put on a high visibility vest and place a reflective hazard warning triangle plenty of distance behind your car to alert oncoming traffic.
Prepare for the job: locate the spare wheel, the jack, wheel brace and locking wheel nut key. All should be either under the boot floor, under the car or in some SUVs on the back door.
No spare? If you can’t find a spare wheel, your car may instead be equipped with mousse that can be squirted into the tyre through the valve. This is only a temporary solution to get you home and you should get the tyre changed as soon as possible.
Prepare the wheel: to remove the punctured wheel and tyre, loosen the wheel nuts with the wheel wrench, but don’t remove them yet. If you can’t see the wheel nuts, you may have to prise off a cover first. If your car has alloy wheels, one of the nuts is likely to be locking and there will be a key that fits the wheel brace to undo this.
Position the car: check the handbrake is firmly on and put the car into first gear. Find the jacking point by looking in your car’s manual, and use the jack to raise the car so that the wheel with the punctured tyre is off the ground.
Remove the wheel: now fully remove the wheel nuts and take off the wheel. If the wheel won’t budge, call your breakdown provider: pushing and pulling it could bring the car off the jack.
Add the spare wheel: lift the spare wheel onto the hub, line up the holes and screw in the nuts until they’re finger tight. Once it’s secure, lower the jack and use the wrench to tighten the wheel nuts fully.
To remember: check them all twice to be sure none is loose. Remember if your car has a space saver spare wheel, your top speed and the number of miles you cover is limited.
It only seems like yesterday when we were joining 
Every year, J.D. Power publishes its 
Ford has introduced a sleep mode on new Fiesta and Focus key fobs to protect against 
