Diamond Advanced Motorists – which administers advanced driving tests on behalf of the Driving Instructors Association (DIA) – is calling on the government to raise awareness of the benefits of winter tyres.
The DIA says public perception of winter tyres being for use on snow – a perception reinforced by misinformed comments by transport secretary Phillip Hammond – is inaccurate, as they also provide cars with improved handling and braking capabilities when the temperature drops below 7°C.
Vauxhall’s Antara SUV gets a fresh new look inside, along with entry-level pricing which now starts at under £20k – nearly £3000 less than the outgoing model. Prices for the new Antara now start from £19,995 for a 2.2 CDTi Exclusiv.
New 19in alloys (standard on SE) give the Antara a more aggressive look, while modifed rear lights give the back of the vehicle a more robust appearance. In addition, the revised Euro-5 compliant engine line-up offers increased performance as well as significantly reduced fuel consumption and emissions. The latest entry to the engine range is a newly-developed 2.2-litre CDTI turbodiesel, producing either 161 or 181bhp.
Sales of both Land Cruiser and Land Cruiser V8 are up 77 per cent and 120 per cent respectively over the same period from last year. Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2011 the Land Cruiser has seen six million units sold since launch.
In the UK, the Land Cruiser is available in three grades, using a 3.0-litre D-4D diesel engine, five-speed auto transmission and includes Multi-Terrain Select system, Crawl Control and Multi-Terrain Monitors. The Land Cruiser V8 uses a 4.5-litre D-4D providing 282bhp through a six-speed auto transmission with sequential manual gear change. Available in one spec, features also include multi-terrain ABS optimising brake control to suit driving conditions, the world’s first four-wheel Active height Control and
Adaptive Variable Suspension.
Isuzu came to the rescue of a desperate bride trying to get to her own wedding in the snow-struck Surrey countryside. The newly wedded James and Gemma Gregory tied the knot on 18 December in Rowledge, near Farnham, Surrey, thanks to the best man’s Isuzu Rodeo pick-up. Not only did the truck transport the bride and groom but also several wedding guests from their accommodation to the wedding venue.
Independent Taiwanese brand Luxgen introduced its special edition Luxgen7 SUV Sports+ at the 2011 Taipei Automobile & Accessories Exhibition in Taiwan. Luxgen is creating a brand new future for Taiwan’s automobile industries as Mr. K C Hu, CEO of Luxgen, commented: “We are confident that Luxgen will create the new era on both domestic marketing and international expansion in 2011.”
The Volvo XC90 looks like it will hit a record breaking sales year in its eighth year of production. With sales currently standing at 6686 units to the end of November, 2010 is turning out to be another strong year as it bucks the trend and outsells BMW, Audi, Mercedes Benz, VW and Lexus.
Also good news is that Volvo’s Winter Tyre Programme has sales now exceeding over 1000 tyres since its launch in October 2010. Lee Berrell, aftersales manager for Volvo Car UK, said: “Interest in the Volvo winter tyres has far exceeded our expectations, with Scotland, the North of England and London seeing the greatest number of inquires and sales.”
You may have seen our recent reports on our Isuzu Rodeo long-termer; our experience with trying to remove th Alpha hardtop was thwarted by the highintensity rear brake light, which was hard-wired in with no obvious way of disconnecting it.
Well, Tim from 4x4at.com has been in touch with us. His company has removed plenty of these very hardtops and says it takes a mere three minutes.
In Tim’s words: “Pop out the light cluster, disconnect the wire and re t the cluster.” He added: “For frequent removal, an in-line plug can be installed which, when fitted, allows instant disconnection.”
For more info on 4x4at.com visit the website or call 0845 5557007, or if calling from outside the UK or from a mobile dial + 44 (0) 1677 428799.
After completing the first expedition to the South Pole this season, a fleet of Toyota Hiluxes has successfully carried out yet another extraordinary journey to reach the South Pole.
In November and December, four Hilux pick-ups transported expedition members of the Indian National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR) – studying snow chemistry, the glacial landscapes and the bedrock hidden beneath the ice – on a 4600km round trip from Novo Air Base to the South Pole, and safely back.
HPI urges buyers to use seasonality to their advantage when it comes to buying a used car. Clever buyers can save thousands. The winter months can be quiet for used car sales, so this is a good time for buyers, as there can be many bargains. Other trigger points can include the plate changes in March and September and 4x4s showed the greatest activity in February/March and October/November.
Kia Motors has scooped product design awards for the Sportage in the 2011 iF product design awards. In addition to design quality, the jury recognized workmanship, level of innovativeness, eco-friendliness, ergonomics and safety. A main focus was brand image. Since launch in 1953, the iF product design award has been one of the most important prizes for excellence in design.
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