Beaulieu has notched up another record turn-out for its latest Simply event as nearly 1,000 visitors enjoyed the impressive display at Simply Land Rover.

As many as 935 visitors attended the weekend’s event, 246 up on last year’s rally, making their way across perfect New Forest terrain to the gathering in the grounds of the National Motor Museum.

Beaulieu’s Simply Japanese, Simply Porsche and Simply Ford rallies have all attracted record turn-outs already this summer.

Now in its fourth year, Simply Land Rover continues to grow in popularity with its impressive display which includes the classic Series I, II and III, iconic Range Rover, capable Discovery and rugged County and Defender. All Land Rover models and derivatives were on show, from battle-scarred workhorses to pristine show winners.

Celebrating Britain’s favourite 4×4, this favourite event for off-road fans also offered the chance to practice driving skills at Beaulieu’s own Forest Drive. Held in partnership with Land Rover Experience West Country, this separately charged feature allowed Land Rover owners to both try out the capabilities of their own vehicles as well as test their driving skills on the off-road course. Those without a Land Rover were able to drive or ride in a Land Rover Experience vehicle.

Event-goers voted for their favourite Land Rover in the People’s Choice Award. Lecturer Ben Shotter was the winner with his green Defender 110, which he bought from a friend of his grandparents two years ago. Ben has used his Defender to go bird spotting across the country and brought nine people in the back for Beaulieu’s event. He was presented with a commemorative Beaulieu trophy and an Autoglym prize by Beaulieu MD Russell Bowman, before leading a cavalcade through the attraction grounds.

Runners-up included Ian Marshall from Newbury, who had carried out a full restoration on his  green Series I Land Rover, and Miles Glenn, who bought his Series IIa from his father 39 years ago before restoring it to use as his wedding car. The colour of Miles’ Land Rover is Southern TV Blue because it was bought from Barry Westwood, a Southern Television presenter.

Rally-goers were also able to visit all the features of the Beaulieu attraction with their event admission, including entry to the National Motor Museum, the World of Top Gear, On Screen Cars, 13^th century Beaulieu Abbey and Palace House, which has been home to the Montagu family since 1538.

Simply Land Rover is just one event in Beaulieu’s 2016 Simply rally line-up. The final rally of the year is Simply Smart on November 13^th. For the full list of Beaulieu events, see www.beaulieu.co.uk/events or follow @Beaulieu_Hants on Twitter.

Dacia is inviting owners from across the United Kingdom to the fourth annual Dacia Day, taking place on 13^th August at Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome, Leicestershire. The free event, exclusively for Dacia owners will offer opportunities to meet with other passionate Dacia owners and a fun day out for the whole family.

Organised in conjunction with the Dacia Forum, an independent website for Dacia owners in the UK, attendees can enjoy an active family day out by trying their skills at archery and falconry, experience Rugby League up close with an opportunity to take a look around the new Duster Rugby League special editions, test drive each Dacia model – including the Duster on a dedicated 4×4 off-road course, and tickle their taste buds at a cake emporium for those with a sweet tooth. There will also be a bouncy castle area for the younger members of the family. The fun day out for all of the family also includes a tour around the Aerodrome’s amazing selection of historic aircraft.

Louise O’Sullivan, Head of Dacia UK, said: “Dacia Day promises to be a fun-filled free event with something for everyone. We love to see all of our customers enjoying themselves and many look forward to sharing experiences with other Dacia owners. A strong sense of community is one of the reasons why owners rate Dacia so highly so we’re really pleased to be involved with this fourth annual Dacia Day.  We encourage everyone to bring a picnic with them and to make the most of the day!”

Dacia owners can register to attend by visiting www.info.dacia.co.uk/daciaday

Hyundai Motor UK has revealed pricing and specification details for its new i20 Turbo Edition. The i20 Turbo Edition will be priced from £12,975 when it enters showrooms this month.

Meeting the growing trend for small capacity turbo petrol engines, the special edition i20 Turbo features Hyundai’s  100PS 1.0-litre turbocharged 3 cylinder petrol engine with CO₂ emissions just 104 g/km.

Fitted with distinctive 16” alloy wheels, the special edition model will be available in a choice of six exterior colours: Polar White, Aqua Sparkling, Sleek Silver, Stardust Grey, Phantom Black and Red Passion, all with a sophisticated Black/Grey interior.

Based on the well-specified i20 SE, the sporty new i20 Turbo Edition offers Bluetooth^®, DAB digital radio, cruise control with speed limiter, and a leather wrapped steering wheel with audio and phone controls as standard. The special edition builds on the SE model’s specification, adding a rear view camera, automatic lights with dusk sensor, and satellite navigation via a seven-inch integrated touch screen.

With the satellite navigation upgrade, Turbo Edition owners receive a free seven-year TomTom Live Services subscription, which provides the most up to date traffic information, speed camera alerts, weather updates, and live Point Of Interest notifications.

To coincide with the launch of the Turbo Edition, Hyundai Motor UK will be launching a new TV advertisement for the i20 which will run from August 5 – September 19.

Avon Tyres has announced the launch of the WV7 and WT7, two new winter tyres developed to provide motorists with added peace of mind during the winter months.

The Avon WV7 is a performance winter tyre, with increased sipe density to improve traction in snow, ice, slush and wet weather. Available in 15 to 18-inch sizes to fit popular performance cars, the Avon WV7 is H and V speed rated. It features forward-facing shoulder grooves and V- slots to enhance braking, while the backward-facing centre groove improves traction. The Avon WV7 is marked with the ‘Severe Snow Conditions’ three-peak mountain snowflake symbol.

The Avon WT7 is a premium winter tyre which has been performance tested in Alpine winter conditions. Available in a broad range of 13 to 16-inch sizes to fit many car types, the Avon WT7 also meets the ’severe snow’ rating as shown by the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol and is T speed rated.

“Despite the high temperatures we are experiencing now and winter seeming a long way off, it’s important to ensure our latest winter tyres are available to distributors and customers in plenty of time before the harsh winter months are upon us,” said Jeff Schumaker, Managing Director – Cooper Europe, who has responsibilities for the Avon Tyres brand.

“It’s been an exciting year for Avon Tyres, in terms of product development and the resulting new tyre launches across both our summer and winter ranges. With the Avon ZV7 and ZX7 introduced to the product portfolio in April, and now with the WV7 and WT7 launching onto the market, we have an updated core product offering available to our customers.”

Avon has also introduced the WM Van tyre to the Avon winter tyre range, developed specially for medium-sized vans. It is designed to provide excellent traction in all winter conditions due to its high silica content tread formulation. It is available in a wide range of sizes to fit most popular van makes and models.

www.avon-tyres.co.uk.

Six SsangYong Tivoli SUVs – three in red to represent England, and three in white for Germany, helped mark the 50^th year since the legendary 1966 World Cup Final between England and Germany, in support of Prostate Cancer UK at Silverstone Classic.

The England team cars were piloted by International footballers John Barnes (captain) and Steve Hodge as well as John Stiles (son of World Cup hero Nobby).  The German team – in white – lined-up with ex-Formula 1 stars Damon Hill (captain), Johnny Herbert and Anthony Davidson.

Each driver steered his Tivoli – provided by SsangYong Motor UK the official courtesy & event team car partner of the Classic – trying to score goals with an oversized inflatable football, while English Premiership referee Lee Probert, tried to maintain order throughout the 30-minute contest.

The match resulted in a highly equitable 3-3 result.

Watch the match here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q03LFywsPwQ

Ahead of this year’s Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, which takes place on 1-4 September, title sponsor Land Rover has collaborated with TV chef James Martin to encourage Burghley spectators to go the extra mile with their picnics this year.

The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials has become almost as synonymous with picnicking as it has world class equestrian sport and the Land Rover Tailgate Picnic Competition – which traditionally takes place on cross-country day – has become a popular feature among horse trial goers. In recent years it has been judged by some well-known faces, including event rider Zara Tindall, Channel 4’s Kirstie Allsopp and TV presenter Matt Baker.

To inspire this year’s Burghley picnickers, Land Rover, whose vehicles are renowned for their famous tailgate – a feature that is commonly used as the perfect accessory for a picnic, has worked with James to create two picnic recipes which benefit from sitting in the back of the car for a long-distance journey.

The former Saturday Kitchen presenter said: “It can be a real challenge keeping picnic food fresh when you have to travel a few hours to get to an event like The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, but these recipes are specifically designed so that they actually taste better after sitting in the back of a vehicle for a long time.”

In these short tutorial videos, James demonstrates the quick and easy method for creating ‘The Burghley Bloomer’ and ‘Teriyaki Steak’.

“The Burghley Bloomer is a variant of the Italian Sandwich,” James explains. “The idea of this is you do the preparation at home and bring it with you. The longer you leave it wrapped up, the better it tastes.”

He goes on to say: “Forget burgers and sausages and other burnt offerings on a barbeque, Teriyaki Steak is far nicer. It is wonderfully light and really simple to make.”

Ford has announced a new Kuga ST-Line version of the popular mid-size sports utility vehicle on sale later this year, offering sporty styling inspired by Ford Performance models, alongside powerful and efficient EcoBoost petrol and TDCi diesel engines as well as sports-tuned driving dynamics.

The new Kuga ST-Line will feature among Ford’s expanded SUV range and the most comprehensive Kuga line-up ever, including the new Kuga and the upscale Ford Kuga Vignale, as well as the compact EcoSport and large all-new Edge.

New Kuga prices will start from £20,845 and Kuga ST-Line prices from £25,845 for delivery by the end of this year.

Kuga ST-Line delivers bold exterior and interior styling including unique alloy wheels and sport seat designs; powertrains including Ford’s 182PS 1.5-litre EcoBoost petrol with Ford Intelligent All Wheel Drive (AWD); and a sports chassis with specially tuned suspension and steering.

“With our sporty Kuga ST-Line joining the new Kuga and our upscale Ford Kuga Vignale, Ford will offer a Kuga for every lifestyle,” said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford of Europe. “We predict sales of 200,000 Ford Kuga, EcoSport and Edge SUVs in Europe this year – up by 200 per cent from 2013.”

Festival goers at Silverstone Classic experienced a once-in-lifetime chance to see a 1983 Range Rover brought back to life over the course of just three days.

eBay challenged racing driver and car restorer Fergus Walkinshaw to revive the vehicle in front of a live audience at eBay’s RESTORATION LIVE.

Starting at 7.00am on Friday morning, Fergus and his team of skilled mechanics guided the crowd through every step of the project as they renovated the iconic first-generation Range Rover using only parts bought from online marketplace eBay.

The crew worked around the clock to get the Range Rover ready for its unveiling on stage at the Mike Brewer Car Clinic on Sunday.

The project included replacing the suspension and the exhaust system, as well as a host of other jobs. The Range Rover was returned to its original condition, even sourcing rare parts such as a section of carpet covering the spare wheel and the front bumper trim.

On Sunday afternoon, the off-roader was driven onto the eBay stage for Mike Brewer’s Car Clinic in front of a crowd of festival-goers.

Mike described the breakneck restoration as “a miracle”. “If you had seen this car three days ago, you would not have believed it could have looked like this,” he said on stage, before Fergus took the crowd through the process of sourcing hundreds of parts from eBay and overhauling the car in just under three days.

Murray Lambell, eBay’s director of retail car parts & accessories, said, “Watching Fergus and the team bring two tons of Range Rover back to life was an amazing spectacle. As soon as they fired up the engine for the first time on the last morning, the RESTORATION LIVE crowd burst into a round of applause, which was amazing.”

When Fergus handed back the keys to the proud owner live on the eBay stage, he presented him with the original sales brochure from 1983 too. Fergus was able to find every part he needed from eBay, using 80 business sellers from the online marketplace ensuring that he had everything Fergus and his team needed.

Car buyers are turning their backs on diesel powered cars in favour of petrol models according to new research by Whatcar.com.

The changing mood among buyers is reflected in the latest What Car? Intelligence survey results, which indicate that more than seven in 10 would be likely or very likely to choose a petrol car, compared with the four in 10 who would consider buying a diesel.

With engine performance and good fuel consumption being rated as the two most important factors for car buyers, the shift from diesel to petrol is more about running costs than concerns about the environment, following the diesel emissions scandal last year.

In recent years, diesel car sales have matched or exceeded petrol sales; in 2014 and 2015, diesel models represented 50.1% and 48.5% market share respectively.

More than 84% of car buyers surveyed are also worried about possible legislation changes that may affect the cost of ownership of diesel cars in the future, such as the retail price, fuel duty and vehicle road tax.

The research also shows hybrids and electric cars are even less tempting for prospective car buyers, with between 12% and 32% of buyers considering diesel or petrol hybrid vehicles; more than 48% of buyers would be very unlikely to consider an electric car, backing up the fact buyers are less concerned about being green.

What Car? editor, Steve Huntingford, said: “There appears to have been a dramatic shift in the petrol and diesel sales seesaw. In the 2000s, legislation changes resulted in a diesel boom but after last year’s revelations and the emergence of extremely efficient downsized petrol engines, the tide has now turned.

“Buyers appear not to be overly concerned about environmental factors. Car buying is usually determined by the financial aspects of the purchase; if buyers fear a diesel crackdown and petrol engines are cheaper to buy while being almost as efficient, it’s easy to understand the changes taking place.”

Summer is here and the holiday season is upon us. A lot of travellers try to kill two birds with one stone by driving and sleeping in the same place. Here are some road trip driving safety tips for you caravan and motorhome users from, IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards, Richard Gladman.

• Plan for the best and the worst. We recommend having an emergency kit such as petrol, fuses, spare keys, a spare phone charger, a tool kit, spare bulbs and a spare tyre or tyre repair kit.
• Get prepared! Plan your route and journey before heading off, making note of all the attractions and places to eat so that the journey can be easier and feel miles smoother. Also consider the size of your motorhome or caravan – some roads may be challenging if you meet oncoming traffic.
• Choose your stopping areas carefully, making sure you are safely away from the traffic and not trespassing.
• Sometimes sickness strikes. If your passengers suffer from travel sickness, they can take a travel sickness pill but read the label as some cause drowsiness and you may have to avoid them.
• In case of an emergency, the number to call in Europe is 112 and that will put you through to the emergency services. It also works in the UK.
• Don’t forget your documentation, car/ motorhome insurance certificates, log books, proof of MOT and fundamentals such as your driving licence and passport (and visa if needed).

Richard said “Recent events at the Port of Dover have showed how travel plans can go wrong. Make sure you have a supply of water and snacks to cater for delays. If you are stuck pop the kettle on but not while moving.  If you can make the journey the holiday, the destination is less important.”