Up to 27,000 extra driving tests have been failed by learners taught by trainee instructors, while most pupils did not even know their instructor was learning spielautomaten on the job, AA investigations reveal. Much lower pass rates among those taught by trainee instructors have cost learners over £1.7 million in additional test fees in 12 months; millions more have been spent on extra lessons needed to reach test standard.
Monthly Archives: January 2011
RESIDUALS GOOD FOR LAND ROVER
An industry report conducted by the used car valuators, Glass’s, has revealed that three Land Rover models are among the top 10 ranked vehicles retaining the highest residual values over the first three years of ownership. The three year-old (57 plate) Freelander 2 GS TD4 Auto ranked in fourth place, Discovery 3 2.7 TDV6 in sixth, and the Range Rover Sport 2.7 TDV6 ninth.
GOOD NEWS FOR JEEP IN 70TH YEAR
We have been rather concerned about the future of the Jeep brand in the UK after the takeover by Fiat last year. There was very little news coming out of the press of office, up until just before Christmas, but we are delighted to report that the brand will be alive and well in the UK with new models about to appear within the next few months in Jeep’s 70th anniversary year.
Apart from the impending launches of the 2011 Wrangler, Grand Cherokee and Patriot, the biggest news is that the Jeep Compass is being reintroduced which appears to be replacing the popular Cherokee. The website currently does not offer the Cherokee, but we are assured it is available by special order only, so that implies rather a wait! Jeep is being tight-lipped about its future, but we suspect it is not long for the UK – a great pity.
First Drive: John Deere Gator
John Deere’s latest Gator all-terrain pick-up just got butcher styling, improved ride quality and best in class payload. A big improvement on the old canary yellow and green-only machine.
Words: Hils Everitt
One of the first improvements that is easily noticeable on John Deere’s latest revamped Gator, apart from the more aggressive styling, is the new colour option. The brash green and canary yellow scheme, so beloved by fans of the manufacturer, have often put off potential utility companies, giving it a rather toy town appearance.
Ed’s Intro Feb 11
February 2011 Issue of 4×4 Magazine
Well, it’s good to kick off the New Year with some encouraging news. As you’ll see in our opening News spread on page 10, Jeep has announced that the brand is fully committed to the UK and the 2011 Wrangler will be appearing on our shores, sometime soon. The new Patriot – also now available in 2WD versions – is also due, as is the much-improved and impressive-looking Grand Cherokee that will arrive in showrooms towards the middle of the year.
After the Fiat takeover everything went very quiet on the Jeep front; vehicles weren’t available and all were extremely tight-lipped about the 2011 model line-up in the UK. So the recent announcement should be met with a collective sigh of relief in the 4×4 community. We are, however, disappointed that the Cherokee appears not to be figuring for us in the UK, apparently being replaced by a brand new Compass, which really has the look of the urban crossover SUV. It will probably do well, and illustrates Jeep’s move into the more mainstream market to meet current demand for such vehicles.
PRICE WATCH – WINTER DRIVING
Winter is by far the most challenging season for UK motorists. Snow is a regular feature of our weather patterns, and even when the white stuff doesn’t fall, it pays to be prepared for the big chill. We find out how 4×4 owners can get ready for the cold season…
FOCUS ON… WINTER TYRES
Winter tyres can provide an effective means of dealing with the challenges of driving on frozen tarmac. Those 4x4s fitted with mud terrain tyres often struggle on such a surface, because there is less of the rubber to keep in contact with the ground. So if you want to be certain of keeping your grip on proceedings on wintry roads, consider fitting a set of winter tyres for the coldest months. And if you want to go really extreme, you might look out for studded tyres, such as are commonplace in Nordic countries like Finland and Sweden.
Goodyear offers a proven winter tyre in the form of its UltraGrip 7+. Voted ‘Best Cold Weather Tyre’ by the motoring press the tyre is designed to maximise grip on icy and slippery roads.
Continental also offers a range of winter tyres, which have recently been approved by Land Rover for official supply on its Freelander 2 and Range Rover Sport. The ContiCrossContact Winter is a good choice if you need to maximise grip in the white stuff.
www.4Site4x4.co.uk – 0870 1129314
4×4 of the Year 2011
To welcome the New Year in style we bring you our biggest and best test of the year. The top 4×4 vehicles, split into six groups tested on- and off-road, but which is the ultimate production 4×4 for 2011?
Words: Kevin Baldwin; photos: Wayne Mitchelsn
The past 12 months has been a funny old year within the car industry. Cars that had been set for launch have been put on the backburner while manufacturers get their finances in order, and low-volume sellers have been chopped from model ranges. With the industry tightening its collective belts, just getting 4x4s on loan from scaled-down press fleets has been a tricky business. In the case of Jeep, it had the added complication of a corporate buyout, which resulted in an almost no-show at this year’s event from the oldest manufacturer of 4x4s in the world.
Last year Jeep won three groups with its Patriot, Cherokee and Wrangler models. We managed to secure a Wrangler model this year – only just mind – but that was from new owners Fiat. One does have to worry about Jeep in the UK. It offers decent 4x4s, packaged at the right prices, but in spite of this the UK buyer seems reluctant to buy into the Jeep brand. There’s a new Grand Cherokee in the US this year:
Ed’s Intro Jan 11
January 2011 Issue of 4×4 Magazine
Welcome to a New Year! As I write this I am staring out at a freezing winter’s landscape that has appeared rather earlier than most people would have predicted. The last week has been chaotic, with the early December snowfall that brought the UK to a grading halt. My part of Kent and the surrounding area has been immobilised – Gatwick Airport closed, motorways clogged with jack-knifed lorries littered everywhere and people driving on dangerous roads when they really shouldn’t be venturing out.
I had to abandon a rescue mission in my Grand Cherokee to pick up a good friend stuck at a railway station as the road to get to him was completely blocked by 2WDs stupid enough to venture out in the ice and snow. They were going nowhere and making it impossible for me and my Jeep to get past! I think it’s time we all came to terms with the fact that the UK is liable to suffer bad weather from late November onwards. And perhaps we are, because these are good times for 4×4 sales which, as you’ll read in our News, have rocketed. And that makes it even more of a good time to bring you our annual mega test that is the highly prestigious 4×4 of the Year 2011.
Prev