Automotive

One in eight male motorists have a pet name for their cars - with Scarlett O'Cara, Ford Fiasco and Matt CAR-dle among the more bizarre monikers. Researchers who carried out a detailed study found other unusual names include ‘the Purple People-Eater’, ‘Sexy Bob the 4th’ and 'The Beast'. It also emerged around one in five bestowed an endearing alias upon a vehicle they owned in the past. Other standout names included 'Falcor', 'The Phantom Flyer' and 'Super-Charged Fire Pony'. Of...

One submarine, a large truck and eight well-oiled cars crammed onto a small stage speeding at 100mph and barely missing each other, what could possibly go wrong? It’s a franchise that no one ever expected to last more than one movie and a self-made family that suffered a huge public loss. But love it or rate it, there is no denying the sheer engine power behind, The Fast and the Furious.  Last Friday marked a new chapter in the eight film...

A state-of-the-art hotel in Japan has opened with rooms that have self-parking SLIPPERS. The ProPILOT Park ‘Ryokan’ will combine the ultimate in traditional hospitality with Nissan’s autonomous driving technology to give guests some quirky amenities. Using automotive systems the slippers "park" themselves at the entrance of the traditional inn at the push of a button, ready for guests to use upon arrival. The rooms will also come with self-parking tables and floor cushions. At first glance, the ProPILOT Park Ryokan...

If you've only recently learned how to ride a motorbike, you are going to be relatively inexperienced on the road - and that situation can pose a problem when you take out bike insurance. A financially expensive problem, that is; your inexperience makes you a bigger risk to insurers, who will accordingly offer you relatively high premiums. However, there remain ways of cutting the costs. While you can't just magic motorbike-riding experience out of thin air, keep in mind that...

Some of London's buses will run on waste coffee grounds from today. Biofuel made by blending oil from coffee waste and diesel will now be added to the fuel supply for the capital's public transport. Bio-bean, a technology company that recycles ground coffee, said it has produced enough coffee oil to run one bus in the capital for a year. Transport for London recently turned to using biofuels to reduce emissions from vehicles. Biofuels made using waste products are already...

Rabbits are behind three months' of road works outside Stanstead Airport after burrowing three-metre deep holes under ground. A void under the M11 at Girton was discovered in September and caused months of disruption on the stretch of motorway that is used by more than 40,000 drivers daily. Highways England poured 1,200 tonnes of filling material into the hole and undertook drainage repairs, sheet piling installation and environmental works to ensure this does not happen again. A spokesman for Highways...

A live reverse auction has been launched in the run up to Black Friday and Cyber Monday with one lucky winner getting their hands on a brand new electric car. For the first time ever, comparethemarket.com is putting the Nissan LEAF up for grabs at auction. With more electric cars on the UKs roads than ever before, this eco-friendly mode of transport is becoming more and more viable – especially for those who live in cities. Battery prices are coming down and with a...

Recent statistics show that the sale of new cars is currently plummeting, leading the motor industry to seek help in the budget. New vehicle registrations are down 4.6% and there was a 12.2% decline in new car sales when compared to last October. This is now the seventh consecutive month that this has happened, with the political climate, economic situation and the Government’s clean air plans thought to be the main reasons. Air Pollution Air pollution has become a major...

The incredible new Audi A8 is the German manufacturer’s new flagship saloon and a vehicle that the industry has been desperately eagerly awaiting for some time. It is Audi’s most hi-tech automobile to date and one of the most advanced in the world, so it is certainly a car that will pique the interest of most motorists. Early Previews It was back in London in late August that people got one of their first looks at the new A8 and...