Month: November 2023

Motoring presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May are to leave Amazon’s The Grand Tour after a ‘final special’ airs next year.

The trio, who previously starred on the BBC’s Top Gear together for more than a decade, were snapped up by Amazon’s Prime streaming service in 2015 and have done five series’ for the firm, along with various special episodes.

The trio have just returned from Zimbabwe after completing their final special for Amazon. While away on filming, the trio posted after British Airways had cancelled their flight and they were ‘stranded’ on a ‘sunset safari with gin and tonics and meerkats’.

Jeremy Clarkson posted on X, formerly Twitter, thanking the Zimbabwean people. He said: “My profound thanks to the people and government of Zimbabwe for helping to make a very special Grand Tour special, very special. We absolutely adored everything about your country. Apart from the potholes maybe.”

In an Instagram post, Clarkson confirmed that The Grand Tour was “no more” after next year.

Amazon Prime said they had ‘no official comment’ on the presenters leaving, but added that ‘options are being explored’ for the show’s future.

An Amazon spokesperson told the PA news agency: “Jeremy, Richard and James have just returned from shooting in Zimbabwe, this final special with the trio is heading into the edit and will launch at a later date next year.

“The next The Grand Tour special set in Mauritania will launch in February 2024. Options are being explored for the future of a new The Grand Tour, it’s yet to go through greenlight.”

It follows the news last week that Top Gear was being rested for the “foreseeable future” by the BBC, following production being halted in December 2022 after former England cricketer Andrew Flintoff was involved in a serious accident during filming at the Top Gear test track in Dunsfold, Surrey.

Clarkson has, however, confirmed that Clarkson’s Farm – which follows the motoring star’s journey in running a farm – will continue, and has been commissioned for a fourth series, adding that there was “a LOT more” to come.

Many young drivers are not maintaining their cars properly due to inflation and cost-of-living pressures, a new survey suggests.

The poll commissioned by the RAC indicated 26% of drivers aged 17-24 have put off necessary repairs to save money while 28% are not having their vehicles serviced as frequently as they should.

Some 6% of respondents in this age group admitted to the illegal step of deliberately avoiding putting their car through its annual MOT, which tests a number of parts such as lights, seatbelts, tyres and brakes to ensure they meet legal standards.

Across all age groups, 38% of drivers said they have reduced spending on their cars, whether that is switching to a cheaper insurer (19%), servicing their vehicles less often (12%) or putting off repairs (11%).

The figure rises to 64% for those aged 17-24.

RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said: “It’s clear from the findings of our research that inflation and the cost-of-living crisis are causing drivers to cut back on car repairs, which will almost certainly lead to an overall reduction in the roadworthiness of vehicles using the roads.

“But the sheer extent to which younger drivers are being affected by rising prices is also a major cause for concern.

“Many will be in older, cheaper vehicles anyway meaning the risks of something going wrong if they don’t look after them properly could be higher than for the general driving population.

“As a country we can ill afford to have more unroadworthy cars being driven. Last year, an average of five people were killed on our roads every day, a figure that hasn’t reduced significantly in years.

“This is why the RAC continues to oppose Government proposals to increase the gap between mandatory MOTs for older vehicles from 12 months to two years.”

The Department for Transport is analysing feedback from a consultation carried out earlier this year which sought views on the frequency of MOTs.

Reports emerged in April last year that then-transport secretary Grant Shapps suggested halving the frequency of MOTs from every year to every two years to save people money.

– The survey of 2,583 UK drivers was carried out for the RAC by research company Online95. The figures were weighted to be nationally representative.

Dacia’s new Duster has hit the road with a fresh new look, efficiency-boosting hybrid technology and a variety of new ‘green’ materials.

The Duster has proven to be a hit for Dacia, with over 2.2 million units produced during its 13 years on sale. Well-known for its value-orientated approach, the Duster has often been one of the cheapest SUVs on the market.

The new third-generation Duster arrives with an eye-catching new design which incorporates a similarly boxy look to its predecessor but with plenty of updated touches. Its front end features far sharper headlights than on the older model, while Dacia’s new logo sits at front and rear. The back of the Duster is noticeably different to its predecessor with distinctive lights which appear to wrap around the sides of the car.

Many classic Duster off-road hallmarks remain, however, including front and rear skid plates and wheel arch surrounds which, on this new model, are made from a material called Starkle which is up to 20 per cent recycled.

Inside, there’s a new 10.1-inch infotainment screen which is positioned towards the driver to make it easier to operate when on the move. A seven-inch digital dashboard is also included on all models, while wireless smartphone charging comes as standard on more premium specifications.

The new Duster is underpinned by the CMF-B platform which has already been used on the latest Sandero and Jogger models. It allows the Duster to use more efficient engines than before, with a headline powertrain being a Hybrid 140 setup which combines a 1.6-litre petrol engine with two electric motors. Already used on the Jogger, it can allow the Duster to offer fuel consumption reduced by 20 per cent compared with a standard engine setup.

A 1.2-litre turbocharged mild-hybrid setup will also be offered, linked to a six-speed manual gearbox in all versions. With a 48-volt mild-hybrid setup that can cut CO2 emissions by 10 per cent compared to a traditional internal combustion engine, according to Dacia.

Dacia will continue to offer the Duster with an alternative ‘bi-fuel’ setup which blends petrol and LPG power. With two tanks holding 100 litres between them – 50 petrol and 50 LPG – which can drive for up to 808 miles when fully filled. The LPG tank is also located under the boot floor, so luggage space remains unaffected, too.

Dacia has yet to announce any pricing information for the Duster, but has stated that interested customers will be able to express their interest by registering on its website.

Christmas isn’t too far away now and with it comes the often challenging prospect of buying the right gift for that special person. Fortunately, if they’re into cars – or motoring in general – there are plenty of options out there for a variety of different budgets.

This year we’ve collated some of the best presents to check out, from rock-solid phone mounts to cooler bags that can make any car adventure a little easier. Let’s see what’s on offer.

Quad Lock Car Mount – from £27.99

Quad Lock makes some of the most reliable phone mounts in the business, not only for cars but also motorcycles and bikes, too. The car mount provides a rugged place to keep your phone when you’re on the move using a special smartphone case with an integrated locking system which works in conjunction with the mount itself.

Plus, you can add a wireless charging head which will keep your phone charged up when it’s in the mount. You’ll just need to connect it to a socket within your car and have a wireless charging-enabled phone.

Yeti Hopper Backpack Cooler – £275

Though it might be hard to think about warmer temperatures in the middle of winter, it’s nice to imagine those balmy summer days when all you can think about is getting out to explore. The Hopper Backpack Cooler is one of outdoor brand Yeti’s latest offerings, combining the rugged build quality that the firm is known for with some great go-anywhere features.

It’s ideal for slinging in the boot of a car before a trip and it’s got space for 20 cans of your favourite drink. Plus, there’s a handy pocket at the front for your car keys or other loose items you want to keep safe.

Bentley Bear – £65

Bentley’s Bears have become a mainstay for Christmas, with these loveable and plush characters designed and created with the same sense of care and attention-to-detail as the luxury carmaker’s vehicles.

There’s even a new Special Edition Signature Bear, which comes with flexible joints and a smart-looking double ribbon necktie. A Bentley-branded ear tag completes the look.

Renault 5 E-Tech Prototype Pedal Car – €295 (circa £256)

Renault’s new electric 5 isn’t even on the roads yet, but smaller drivers can get behind the wheel of a very special ‘prototype’ pedal car depicting the stylish new EV. Complete with working lights at front and rear, the car even has an adjustable seat so that riders aged over 3 can get comfy.

It’s even finished in the same bright yellow paint scheme as the full-size prototype, meaning that it’s bound to turn heads at the local park.

Lego Peugeot 9X8 24h Le Mans Hypercar – £169.99

Nothing says Christmas quite like settling down to complete a good set of Lego and the new Peugeot 9X8 kit – which depicts the French firm’s latest Le Mans racer – is bound to keep groups of all ages happy for many hours.

It’ll take some time to complete, too, with 1,775 individual pieces making up this 19.5-inch monster. And no pressure, but Lego specialists managed to build a scale-version of the 9X8 in the iconic plastic blocks in just 24 hours at this year’s Le Mans event…

Variable Valve Timings: Memoirs of a Car Tragic by Chris Harris – £22

Chris Harris is one of the best-known experts about, having made a name for himself in the pages of Autocar magazine before launching a successful YouTube presence and presenting hit series Top Gear alongside Paddy McGuinness and Freddie Flintoff.

Variable Valve Timings is a look into how cars became a key part of Harris’ life and is packed full of exciting escapades, motoring insights and ‘unhinged geekery’.

Porsche 911 Dakar with Christmas Tree – £70

The 911 Dakar has been one of the most exciting cars to come from Porsche in recent times, combining the sporty nature of the iconic 911 with go-anywhere features which allow it to go far further off the beaten track than you might expect.

Needless to say, the Dakar’s £173,000 price tag puts it out of the reach of most people, but we absolutely love this scale model finished in ‘Oakgreenmetallic’ with matching roof-mounted Christmas tree – very festive indeed.

Nextbase IQ Dashcam – £349

The popularity of dashcams has soared in recent years, with a growing number of motorists finding it reassuring to have a watching eye over their driving at all times to record any incidents while on the road. Nextbase is one of the most trusted names in this field and its new release – the IQ – packs in more features than ever.

It can scan for threats while the vehicle is parked, give you a live view around the car via a smartphone app and even alert you if an intruder is trying to break in. There’s even the ability to sound an alarm at the push of a button via the app.

Genesis will no longer be a standalone brand in the UK and will instead fall under the wider Hyundai umbrella from next year.

The premium brand from South Korea first entered the UK market in 2021 having launched five years earlier as a separate sub-brand in countries such as America, Canada and Australia. It uses Hyundai technology in its cars but has always been regarded as a standalone brand.

However, an insider told Car Dealer Magazine that “Genesis Motor UK will cease to exist as a separate legal entity and all Genesis operations will be transferred to HMUK [Hyundai Motor UK].”

It’s expected that these changes will come into effect at the end of January 2024, with all of Genesis’s staff now placed on redundancy consultation. Up to 83 jobs are thought to be at risk.

A spokesperson for Hyundai Motor UK told Car Dealer: “As a business, we announced previously that from January 1, a number of new network partners would be representing the Genesis brand in the UK, marking the start of an exciting period of expansion for the business.

“As part of the next phase of this expansion, we will bring the Hyundai and Genesis UK businesses together under common management in order to ensure we work most effectively with our new partners.

“This transition is ongoing and is subject to the employment consultancy agreement.”

Genesis currently has a wide range of vehicles on sale in the UK, including GV70 and GV80 SUVs, the G70 saloon and the estate-like G70 Shooting Brake. It’s also heavily investing in electric cars, with three EVs already on sale.

A famous number plate that adorned the Rolls-Royce used in the James Bond film Goldfinger is going up for sale.

While the 1964 James Bond film might be best known for the iconic Aston Martin DB5, another famous car shared the silver screen – a 1939 Rolls-Royce Phantom III painted in a distinctive yellow and black finish.

This car – used by the villain Auric Goldfinger who was played by Gert Fröbe in the hit film – wore the number plate ‘AU 1’, with ‘AU’ being the chemical symbol of gold.

It’s this number plate that is now up for sale by Primo Registrations, which is expected to sell for ‘in excess of £300,000’, and is described as a ‘unique investment opportunity’.

Peter Johnson, managing director of Primo Registrations, said: “As iconic number plates go, this one has to be right up there with one of the best, not least of all because of the plate’s association with the famed car used by Goldfinger and Oddjob to smuggle gold out of the country.

“It’s also nothing new that short number plates are fast becoming increasingly popular, not only because of their aesthetically pleasing stature on any vehicle but because of their investment potential, too.”

The number plate ‘AU 1’ was last sold by the same dealer back in 2013, and is currently registered to a 1937 Rolls-Royce (not pictured), according to data from the DVLA.

Johnson added: The last time ‘AU 1’ sold, it realised a huge return on investment for its then-owner, and we anticipate the trend will only continue, especially with shorter plates. We can’t wait to see where this one will go in the future – maybe it’ll go onto another Rolls-Royce”

Hit motoring show Top Gear will be rested for the “foreseeable future”, the BBC has announced, following a crash during filming last year in which host Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff was seriously injured.

Production of the show has been halted since former England cricket captain Flintoff, 45, was taken to hospital in December 2022 after he was injured in an accident at the Top Gear test track at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey.

Following the crash, the BBC announced that it would pause production on the show, co-presented by Take Me Out host Paddy McGuinness and automotive journalist Chris Harris, as it was felt it would be “inappropriate”, adding there would be a health and safety review.

In a statement given to the PA news agency, the BBC said: “Given the exceptional circumstances, the BBC has decided to rest the UK show for the foreseeable future.

“The BBC remains committed to Freddie, Chris and Paddy who have been at the heart of the show’s renaissance since 2019, and we’re excited about new projects being developed with each of them.

“We will have more to say in the near future on this. We know resting the show will be disappointing news for fans, but it is the right thing to do.”

“All other Top Gear activity remains unaffected by this hiatus including international formats, digital, magazines and licensing.”

The UK show is currently sold to more 150 territories and there are 11 local format versions including in the United States, France and Finland.

Top Gear magazine is the world’s largest monthly motoring magazine with 30 licensed local editions, including China, France and Japan

In addition, BBC Studios said a health and safety production review of Top Gear, which did not cover the accident but instead looked at previous seasons, found that “while BBC Studios had complied with the required BBC policies and industry best practice in making the show, there were important learnings which would need to be rigorously applied to future Top Gear UK productions.”

A statement added: “The report includes a number of recommendations to improve approaches to safety as Top Gear is a complex programme-making environment routinely navigating tight filming schedules and ambitious editorial expectations – challenges often experienced by long-running shows with an established on and off screen team.

“Learnings included a detailed action plan involving changes in the ways of working, such as increased clarity on roles and responsibilities and better communication between teams for any future Top Gear production.”

The investigation looked at series 32, 33 and production of series 34 up to the December 22 accident, the PA news agency understands.

There was a separate investigation into Flintoff’s crash which was concluded in March of this year and those findings will not being published.

In September, father-of-four Flintoff was photographed for the first time in public since the crash and had visible facial injuries as he joined up with the England cricket squad for their one-day international series against New Zealand.

He has since made a gradual return to the public eye and last week it was announced Flintoff has been appointed as head coach of the Northern Superchargers in The Hundred, replacing ex-England wicketkeeper James Foster.

Flintoff and McGuinness made their debut as Top Gear hosts in June 2019.

The Ashes-winning sportsman and Take Me Out host McGuinness joined Chris Harris from the 27th series of the BBC Two show in the main presenting line-up.

Harris started as a lead host on Top Gear in 2017.

The accident was not the first faced by Flintoff since he began working on the show.

In February 2019 the presenter was involved in a minor incident when he crashed into a market stall in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.

The presenting line-up of Top Gear has made headlines for better and worse over the years.

Former Friends star Matt LeBlanc joined Top Gear in 2016, but announced his departure from the show in 2018 due to the demands of the role and how much it kept him away from his family and friends.

The American actor was a surprise addition to the Top Gear presenting line-up along with presenter and radio star Chris Evans, following the departure of previous hosts Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May.

LeBlanc continued hosting the show after Evans threw in the towel after just one series.

Clarkson was dropped from the flagship BBC show in 2015, over what the corporation called an “unprovoked physical attack” on a show producer.

After his BBC exit, fellow presenters May and Hammond remained loyal, ruling out returning to the BBC show without their co-host, and the trio moved to Prime Video to front The Grand Tour.

New analysis shows just 3% of new car models sold in the UK have a spare wheel as standard, leading to more drivers being stranded after a puncture.

An RAC review of 313 models – ranging from the smallest superminis to the largest 4x4s – found only eight automatically come with a back-up wheel in the boot.

The breakdown rescue company said this is causing a rise in the number of incidents where drivers need help in the event of an unrepairable flat tyre.

Its patrols went out to nearly 200,000 call-outs last year where drivers had a puncture and no spare wheel, up from 165,000 in 2018.

Many manufacturers have stopped including a spare wheel as standard to reduce the weight of their cars by up to 20kg.

This makes the vehicles more fuel efficient so they adhere to tougher emissions legislation.

Another reason for the decline in spare wheels is that electric vehicles often have battery packs in the place they would be.

The only car models identified as having a spare wheel as standard were the Fiat Tipo, Ford Focus (selected variants), Hyundai Sante Fe (PHEV), Land Rover Defender, Seat Ateca (selected variants), Suzuki Across, Volvo XC90 (not PHEV) and Toyota Land Cruiser.

RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said: “Getting a puncture on a journey has to be one of the most irritating breakdowns for drivers, especially if it’s as a result of hitting one of the plethora of potholes that currently characterise so many of our roads.

“In the past, a driver could have reached for the spare wheel in the boot but this new analysis shows that these are now pretty much a thing of the past, with a miniscule number of new cars sold in the UK coming with one as standard.

“It’s understandable therefore that drivers are increasingly calling on us to help them out of a tight spot, and it’s a trend we fully expect to continue as electric vehicles are even less likely to come with a spare.

“Fortunately, we’re continuing to innovate to ensure our members get the best service possible should they breakdown as a result of a puncture, having just rolled out a four-stud version of our pioneering multi-fit spare wheel, that’s carried by every single one of our patrols.

“In many cases, drivers ordering a new car can still buy a spare wheel – whether that’s a full-size one or the more common lightweight space saver type – as an optional extra.

“This might turn out to be a wise investment if you are one of the many drivers who unfortunately suffers a puncture.”

RAC vans previously only carried five-stud spare wheels, but a four-stud version has been added as they are becoming increasingly common with new cars, particularly smaller ones.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, which represents car makers, declined to comment.

Close to four-fifths of motorists feel intimidated by other road users when they’re behind the wheel, a new survey has found.

Some 89 per cent of new drivers or learners aged between 17 and 24 also feel intimidated by other motorists when they’re out on the road, with half of those surveyed being left feeling annoyed after these ‘unwelcome emotions’.

More than half of the 1,287 people questioned by Aviva said that tailgating was the main cause of this intimidation, followed by being overtaken at high speeds and undertaken on the side. An additional one in five also said that ‘rude gestures’ and honking aggressively were key intimidating behaviours.

Tailgating – which involves driving too close to the vehicle in front – can fall under the remit of the ‘careless driving’ offence, which could bring a fine or penalty points. However, despite this, 30 per cent of those surveyed said that they were unsure about these rules or didn’t believe that drivers could get fined for undertaking.

Martin Smith, motor claims manager at Aviva, said: “Tailgating is dangerous, intimidating and can cause accidents, especially during periods of wet weather and icy conditions. By keeping a safe distance from the vehicle in front, it enables you to have enough time to stop if necessary and prevent a potential collision.

“It’s equally important to consider the manner in which you use your headlights and horn. Though a useful way to warn other road users of your presence, using either too aggressively can be viewed as an ‘intimidating behaviour’ and could potentially land you with a fine, points on your licence and in some instances, a driving ban.

In addition, 62 per cent of respondents admitted to performing intimidating behaviour themselves. One in six said that they flashed their headlights at other road users which, when done unnecessarily, is against the Highway Code.