Author: Darren Cassey

Police are investigating after a Porsche crashed through the brick wall of a car park and landed nose-first on a pedestrian walkway.

Officers were called to the junction of Southway and Crouch Street in Colchester, Essex, at 6.15pm yesterday following reports of the accident.

Nobody was injured, but photos from the scene show the back end of the Porsche 911 Targa 4S perched precariously on top of a fence, with its heavily damaged front resting on a pathway below. Behind the car, the brick wall it smashed through is visible and debris is scattered across the scene.

Witnesses or drivers who may have dashcam footage of the incident are urged to contact Essex Police on 101 and ask for Pc Elizabeth Ferris at Stanway Roads Policing Unit, quoting reference number 970 of 05/04.

The Porsche 911 Targa 4S is a convertible version of the German car maker’s popular sports car, and features a complex folding roof. Prices for this specification start at £101,162 and it features a 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine making 414bhp.

Jaguar has pulled the covers off the hotly anticipated I-Pace – its first all-electric vehicle that it hopes will take the premium zero-emission fight to American giant Tesla.

The all-new crossover doesn’t use any of the firm’s existing car platforms – instead, it’s been made as an electric vehicle from the ground up. That means the aluminium structure has been built specifically for the twin electric motors and battery pack, improving weight distribution to improve handling.

This also means it can be roomier inside. Jaguar claims that cabin space is more comparable to a large SUV than the I-Pace’s crossover rivals – with the batteries in the floor and no large internal combustion engine up front, there’s more space for people and luggage.

Those motors produce a combined 395bhp and 696Nm of torque, propelling the car from zero to 60mph in just 4.5 seconds. Jaguar says the 90kWh lithium-ion battery offers a 298-mile range, while the sat nav system is designed to pick routes that will minimise battery use.

Rapid charging is also available, taking about 85 minutes to get to 80 per cent from empty using a 50kW DC charger. In addition, the I-Pace is compatible with 100kW chargers, which are being rolled out gradually across the public network and could chop the charge time in half.

To give the best range, Jaguar uses a battery pre-conditioning system, which can raise or lower the temperature of the battery. The British car maker says it’s also working on ways to prolong the battery life, with new recycling partnerships in the works.

The body has been designed with sports cars in mind to reflect the impressive performance on offer. The coupe-like silhouette is said to have been inspired by the firm’s C-X75 supercar concept, which was built for the James Bond movie Spectre. It features ‘active vanes’ in the grille that open when cooling is needed and close at all other times to redirect air through the bonnet scoop to minimise drag.

The new Jaguar I-Pace is available to order now, costing from £63,495.

As I sit in the kitchen of a nondescript hut somewhere in Lapland, my hands hugging the warm cup of coffee, I look at my phone. Minus 16 degrees Celsius.

If you could cherry pick the ideal location to test an all-new, 503bhp, rear-wheel-drive supercar from Aston Martin, this probably wouldn’t be it. As I stare out at the deep snow, piled high by the tireless efforts of Finland’s plough teams, a deep V8 rumble reverberates through the room – and the reality of my situation starts to sink in.

Aston Martin has invited a small group of journalists to one of its cold weather testing facilities to get behind the wheel of a validation prototype of its new supercar ahead of the production model’s release later this year.

We’re beckoned through to a large workshop, empty save for the Vantage, resplendent in its black and lime green camouflage wrap, with thick snow embedded in the wheel arches and icicles dangling from the rear diffuser.

We’ve already seen the car in photos so the camouflage is unnecessary, a leftover from this car’s use as an early development vehicle.

But it’s immediately clear that the divisive styling seen in the press photography works so much better in the metal. That single strip of rear light, curving with the bootlid spoiler, is a particular highlight, and gives the car an incredibly distinctive signature look, particularly at night.

The headlights still look a bit lost in the bodywork round the front, but the new look definitely marries the elegance of Vantages gone by with the more aggressive future path for the model brilliantly.

Inside, where the British car maker has traditionally lagged well behind rivals, it’s a massive improvement. The look and feel of the materials is much closer to a Mercedes than Astons of old.

Which is apt, given that the British firm uses a big V8 sourced from the Germans. The gruff, beating heart of the Aston Martin’s new sports car is a Mercedes-AMG-sourced 4.0-litre unit, producing 503bhp and 685Nm of torque through an eight-speed automatic transmission.

I’m the last to take the Vantage out for a spin, delayed somewhat by the previous driver embedding the prototype so deeply in a snow bank that a local tractor driver was required to pull it free. Luckily there’s no damage, but it gets the nerves jangling as I jump in the driver’s seat.

In Ivalo, Finland, to drive something I can't talk about until the Um Bongo drops later in the year. But I'm allowed to show you, so here are some photos. pic.twitter.com/YFBtXqJT9r

— Darren Cassey (@darrencassey) January 26, 2018

Sat beside me is Matt Becker, chief dynamics engineer at Aston Martin and the man responsible for overhauling the way the British firm’s cars drive. He spent 26 years at Lotus before moving to Aston in 2015, so if anyone can make the brand’s cars handle better, it’s him.

As we cruise to the snowy ice track, he explains that the car has three drive modes: Sport, Sport Plus and Track. Notice there’s no ‘normal’ or ‘comfort’ modes, because “this is a sports car, through and through”.

“One of the things [Aston Martin chief executive] Andy Palmer said when I arrived was that he wanted the cars to drive how they looked. The DB11 is a GT car, so we had to make it comfortable to cruise long distances, whereas this is a sports car, so it has to be capable of being fun in corners and on track.

“It’s still an Aston Martin though, so it has to be comfortable, too. Luckily, I don’t believe that having a stiff suspension makes the car handle better, so I think we’ve got it right here.”

Will I be able to judge that out here on the white stuff? It’s time to find out. As we turn on to the snowy circuit I can start to put my foot down for the first time. The compacted snow is rough and bears ruts from the journalists who’ve gone before me, but the Vantage soaks it up without fuss.

After a few sighting laps we switch the dial to ‘track’, which loosens the grip of the traction control system and quickens the responses of the steering and suspension. It’s impossible to truly gauge ride quality out here, but there’s no denying this is a sharp and agile sports car.

It takes no time at all to tune in to how the car behaves. The electronic rear differential, a first for Aston Martin, helps to direct power to the wheel with the most grip, and in conjunction with the traction system gets the power down admirably even in these low grip conditions.

With the traction control systems on, it’s possible to flick the car into a slide under braking or through a boot-full of throttle, before the electronics take over and reign you back in. It’s hard to say if it would be different on tarmac, but it arguably could be more progressive in curtailing your fun.

What’s clear, though, is that with everything off, the Vantage will be capable of long, arcing slides.

With the car in manual mode and controlling the gear via the paddle shifters, revving the engine out is an utter delight. At lower revs it’s deep and bassy, but takes on a sonorous howl as you push on, resisting the urge to pull the right shifter and engage another gear. When you do, the shift is almost seamless, accompanied by a bark from the exhaust.

I never get above third gear – the course is short with six-foot snow banks to ensure track limits are strictly adhered to, after all – but became utterly addicted to the noise of that V8.

“It’s pure engine noise,” Becker assures me. “I know a lot of other companies do things where they pump engine noise in through the speakers, but we wanted it to be real. There’s no trickery going on here.”

It’s early evening and the sun is beginning to dip below the tree line casting a beautiful orange glow across the snowy scene surrounding us. With headlights now visible on the road ahead I make my way back to base, V8 burbling away, unphased by the thrashing it’s just taken in sub-zero conditions.

It’s difficult to give a definitive review of a car based an hour’s-worth of sliding about in the snow, but with a stunning engine at its heart and hints of an agile chassis in the corners, there are a few signs that this could be the most exciting sports car Aston Martin has built in a long, long time.

The motoring world is quickly turning electric, with increasing numbers of drivers heading into showrooms to get their hands on an electric-powered car. Lower running costs, strong residuals and tax breaks all make owning an electric vehicle an attractive prospect.

However, there are quite a few myths associated with running an electric car. With the technology still very much in its early stages, there are various aspects of electric vehicle ownership that people are unclear about. Here, we bust the biggest myths around.

1. You can’t boil the kettle while charging an electric car

A National Grid report warned last year that home networks might struggle to cope with high capacity car charging. While this is theoretically true, EV owners with a low capacity home network wouldn’t have a high capacity charger, meaning that there’s little chance of the network being overloaded by domestic appliances.

2. EVs are more expensive than petrol and diesel cars

While it’s generally true that the base price of an EV will be a bit more expensive, manufacturers make up for this by offering a generous specification so that once you’ve taken the government’s £4,500 zero-emission vehicle grant into account, they’re actually a pretty good deal, and that’s before you even look at the low running costs.

What’s more, as EV technology becomes more prevalent, R&D costs will be more evenly spread across manufacturer fleets, so the cost of EVs will come down – the new Nissan Leaf starts at £1,500 less than the old one, for example.

3. They’re more likely to catch fire in a crash

Many people have voiced concerns about crash safety with electric cars. It was largely driven by a couple of high-profile Tesla Model S fires in 2013. The EV maker upgraded its underbody battery pack protection in 2014 but also noted that the odds of fires in its cars were “five times lower than those of an average gasoline car”.

4. You can’t drive them in car washes or when it’s raining

We all know water and electricity don’t mix. That’s why manufacturers are really careful to seal all of the electrified components to make sure there aren’t any problems when driving through puddles or charging in the rain. And if you couldn’t even wash your car there would be a lot more dirty EVs on the road than there are!

5. You can’t go very far

That may have been the case a few years ago, but now most electric vehicles have a range in excess of 150 miles, with 200 miles quickly becoming the norm. With the average journey less than nine miles, that’s more than enough for most trips.

6. There’s nowhere to charge them

Fear of running out of electricity is known as ‘range anxiety’. Long trips do require a bit more planning as you can’t rely on charging points cropping up as regularly as fuel stations, but charge point locator Zap Map indicates there are almost 15,000 connectors at more than 5,000 locations in the UK, with more added all the time.

And charging doesn’t take as long as you might think, either. Rapid chargers can provide 80 per cent of charge in about 30 minutes.

7. The batteries don’t last very long

While it’s true that batteries have a finite life, most manufacturers allow you to lease the battery for a monthly fee and will replace it for free when needed. Others offer warranties to cover any unexpected replacements, with five- to eight-year cover the norm.

8. EVs are less environmentally friendly across their life cycle

It’s true that the high energy required to build an electric car can make it less environmentally friendly to produce than a traditionally fuelled car. However, once on the road, a Norwegian study quoted by the BBC estimates an EV is about 10 per cent better over its life cycle – and as the UK turns more towards eco-friendly energy production for the grid, that’ll continue to improve.

9. Battery disposal poses a huge environmental issue

Currently, it is estimated that just five per cent of lithium-ion batteries in the EU are recycled, with most hidden in consumer electronics. The EV boom has encouraged lateral thinking, with companies taking used EV batteries for use elsewhere, such as home energy storage.

10. They’re boring to drive

If the thought of an electric vehicle conjures up images of a milk float and mobility scooter, you need to get with the times! Modern electric cars can be genuinely fun to drive, particularly thanks to the high-torque motors, which make acceleration brisk.

Tesla takes this to extremes with its Model S, which can go from 0-60mph in less than three seconds – that puts it on a par with the new McLaren Senna supercar, with its petrol-powered twin-turbo V8.

Over the years, Ford’s performance RS moniker has adorned some of the most iconic cars to have ever rolled off the production line. Offering practicality as well as invigorating performance, RS cars have proved popular each and every time.

Here, we’ve looked at not just modern RS vehicles, but those that have gone down in history as standouts not just in the Ford brand, but in motoring generally. Here are 10 of the best.

Ford Escort RS1600

This was the RS that started it all. The RS1600 came before flared arches and aggressive styling came to denote go-faster models, but beneath its subdued exterior it was pure rally car.

It was the first car to use the Cosworth-tuned BDA engine, which would be ever-present in Ford’s rally cars for 16 years, eventually making more than 240bhp. It was an uncompromising lump, unrefined at low revs and low speed, but much like the stiff chassis and heavy steering, it would come alive when driven hard.

In the RS1600, the engine made 113bhp and could propel the car from 0-60mph in 8.9 seconds, before hitting a top speed of 113mph.

Ford Escort RS Mexico

Following on from the success of the RS1600, Ford continued building rally-bred version of its everyday motors, and one of the most famous is the Mexico.

Built to celebrate the firm’s win in the 1970 London to Mexico World Cup Rally, it was essentially an RS1600 with the complex and sometimes unreliable Cosworth-tuned engine replaced by a 1.6-litre ‘Kent Crossflow’ unit. It made 86bhp and propelled the car from 0-60mph in 10.7 seconds and on to a top speed of 99mph.

Most examples have been used in professional and amateur rallying, so road-going examples are incredibly rare. Therefore, their value has shot up – an example is heading to Silverstone Auctions later this month with an estimate of up to £35,000.

Ford RS200

Some of the coolest cars ever made have come from the need to homologate vehicles for motorsport, when car makers have to build a certain number of models for it to be eligible to go racing.

The RS200 is a fantastic example of that. Ford wanted to dominate rallying, so it came up with a mid-engined, four-wheel-drive sports car to do just that for the 1984 Group B season. To make it eligible, it needed to sell 200 of them to the public.

Power came from a turbocharged 1.8-litre engine making 250bhp with a top speed of 142mph, with rally-spec models making between 350 and 450bhp. It could go from 0-60mph in five seconds flat, which is quick today, let alone over 30 years ago.

It wasn’t very competitive because of high turbo lag and a poor power-to-weight ratio, but Group B cars generally were too quick for their own good. After numerous fatalities the FIA banned the series, making the RS200 one of the rarest Fords out there.

Ford Capri RS3100

The Ford Capri always had appealing sports car looks, but in the early days at least, it didn’t necessarily have the performance to go with it. Fortunately, the Blue Oval’s motorsport division fancied a Capri to go racing, and built a 2.6-litre-engined RS2600.

However, after initial success, BMW introduced the 3.0 CSL to touring car racing, so to keep pace Ford had to up its game with the Capri. Enter the RS3100, which boasted a Cosworth-tuned 3.1-litre V6 making 148bhp. It could go from 0-60mph in 7.6 seconds and a top speed of 125mph. It also received uprated suspension, a sportier body kit and subtle aerodynamic features. Just 248 were built.

They’re highly desirable now – an excellent example sold at Silverstone Auctions in 2016 for a whopping £51,750.

Ford Escort RS Cosworth

The Escort RS Cosworth was the result of a partnership between Ford and automotive engineering company Cosworth. What that partnership created became widely regarded as one of the best-handling Ford RS cars ever.

Under the bonnet sits a 222bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, with permanent four-wheel-drive resulting in excellent grip – it could accelerate from 0-60mph in 5.8 seconds, making it as fast as a contemporary Ferrari, while the top speed was 147mph.

It was introduced to win World Rally Championships for Ford, and while it failed to do that, it did get 10 stage wins across Group A and WRC.

Just over 7,000 cars were produced between 1992 and 1996, making it extremely rare and, nowadays, particularly sought-after. Decent examples now command in excess of £30,000, with many hitting the £50,000 mark – showing just how in-demand this classic is.

Ford Sierra RS Cosworth

Few car names generate as much excitement as Sierra RS Cosworth. Capable of hitting 60mph in 6.5 seconds and achieving a top speed of 149mph, the Sierra RS Cosworth was seriously quick, and thanks to a large rear spoiler as well as a range of exterior enhancements it was stable at high speed too.

Under the aggressively vented bonett sat a 2.0-litre engine with a turbocharger and fuel injection pushing power to 201bhp. Zero to 60mph took 6.2 seconds and the top speed was 143mph.

Modifications to the standard car included suspension and aerodynamics derived from the American Merkur XR4Ti race car. The large rear wing, installed following wind tunnel and high speed testing, received resistance from Ford management, but the designer insisted it stay. It’s now one of the most iconic modifications in automotive history.

Ford Fiesta RS Turbo

Ford’s hugely popular little hatchback has been largely neglected by Ford’s RS engineers over the years, despite being incredibly successful in ST guise and earlier XR2 models. However, between 1990 and 1992, Ford built an RS Turbo.

It was incredibly quick for such a small car – the tuned 1.6-litre engine made 132bhp, and thanks too to the lightweight frame, it was capable of hitting 60mph in 7.9 seconds before topping out at 133mph.

It was relatively well received at the time, but overshadowed by the iconic Peugeot 205 GTI, despite that car being long in the tooth by the time the RS came along. Long-term ownership was also beset by rust issues, with the sunroof draining into the body kit not helping matters.

It was replaced by the RS1800, which used a non-turbo 1.8-litre engine shared with the Escort XR3i, making 129bhp. Zero to 60mph came up in 8.3 seconds and the top speed was 123mph. The RS Turbo is more fondly remembered thanks to its punchy turbo engine offering better performance, but the naturally aspirated 1.8-litre unit offered smoother response.

MK1 Ford Focus RS

The Ford Focus RS skilfully blended everyday usability, hatchback practicality and heightened performance in a package that didn’t look all that different to a regular Focus.

Powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine making 212bhp, and the Ford Focus RS could hit 60mph in 5.9 seconds before going on to 144mph.

It featured a number of aftermarket upgrades, including lightweight OZ Racing alloy wheels and Sparco bucket seats. Meanwhile, Ford developed new ‘RevoKnuckle’ suspension technology to reduce torque steer, with the result being that the motoring press hailed it as one of the best handling cars on the market.

Ford Focus RS500

The second-generation Ford Focus RS came with flared arches, a rorty exhaust and a prominent rear wing – but that wasn’t extreme enough for Ford. The company released an upgraded version, which was limited to 500 units, of which just 101 came to the UK.

Upgrades by Mountune pushed power from 300bhp to 345bhp thanks to a larger intercooler, a larger air filter, larger exhaust downpipe, uprated fuel pump and updated software. Comically, the Focus retained its front-wheel-drive set-up, making it quite a handful.

However, it could still get from 0-60mph in 5.2 seconds and on to a top speed of 165mph.

It was so popular it had sold out before even being officially revealed to the public, despite the eye-watering £35,000 price tag.

MK3 Ford Focus RS

The second-generation Ford Focus RS brought with it an all-new, all-wheel-drive system. Combined with a turbocharged 2.3-litre engine shared with the Mustang, the RS was hugely capable in all conditions and even featured a ‘drift mode’, allowing drivers to use the car’s systems to ‘drift’ around corners.

The clever rear-biased all-wheel-drive system gives the car a unique character for a hot hatch, with most models using a front-wheel-drive set-up.

Featuring slightly more subdued styling than previous models, it makes 345bhp – 39bhp than this engine does in the pony car – and can hit 60mph in 4.5 seconds before topping out at 165mph.

The new Audi A7 Sportback is finally here, sporting a new look, an improved interior and tonnes of new tech.

We got behind the wheel at the executive coupe’s international launch in Cape Town, South Africa, and found it to be as comfortable as you’d expect when cruising long distances, and surprisingly agile in the corners, too.

As one of Audi’s flagship models, it’s no surprise that the new A7 is absolutely packed full of technology – here, we highlight some of the most impressive technological feats fitted to the new car.

Semi-autonomous driving ability

There are a number of driving aids to help motorists avoid crashes and reduce fatigue. Perhaps the most impressive you’ll use day-to-day is the adaptive cruise control. Not only does it control the car’s speed to maintain distance to the vehicle in front, but it also reads the lines on the road and steers the car to keep it in lane.

It’s only meant to assist with driving rather than completely take over, so you can only take your hands off the wheel for about 10 seconds before the system disengages, but it works well to reduce fatigue on long motorway drives.

It can park itself

Audi parking pilot and garage pilot are new technologies being introduced later in the year. Owners can use a smartphone app to prompt the car to park itself, either in a garage or parking bay – you don’t even need to be in the vehicle at the time.

When the driver wants to leave, they can turn the car on via the app and it will move out of its space allowing them easy access. It’s particularly useful in tight garages or spaces where there’s a chance of knocking the door into a wall or other vehicle.

LEDs and lasers in the headlights

All cars get LED units in both the front and rear lights, and Audi has used the fact that each LED can be individually lit to create ‘welcome home’ animations. When locked, the LEDs scroll from side to side – it’s a bit of a gimmick, but it’s cool nonetheless.

Top-spec models also get HD Matrix LEDs, which can dim individually in order to not dazzle oncoming motorists so you can keep you full beams on the road ahead even when other cars are around.

Meanwhile, lasers are also an option, with Audi saying they offer twice as much illumination as a conventional LED high beam.

All-wheel steering

The old A7 Sportback was an excellent long distance cruiser, but one area it lacked was its cornering ability – unsurprising for such a big, comfort-focused vehicle. However, Audi has addressed this in the new car with all-wheel steering.

This technology is slowly becoming more common at the top end of the market –impressively, it also features in the new Renault Megane – and sees the rear wheels turn to improve agility and stability.

At low speeds, the rear wheels turn in opposite directions to the front, which has the effect of shortening the wheelbase and improving the turning circle – it genuinely feels much more agile in corners than you’d expect. Meanwhile, the rear wheels turn in the same direction as the fronts at high speeds to improve stability.

The angles involved are tiny compared to the front, but they have a noticeable effect.

Mild hybrid set-up improves performance and efficiency

As car companies fight to achieve ever more stringent emissions and economy targets, electrification is becoming commonplace. The A7 Sportback utilises a ‘mild hybrid’ set-up on both the diesel and petrol engines to give a slight boost to performance and improve economy.

The electric motor takes over the running of ancillary systems when acceleration is not required so the engine can shut off, such as when coasting on the motorway. It also means the start/stop function can be extended to cut in at slightly higher speeds. The result is a saving of about 0.1 gallons of fuel every 60 miles.

Double touchscreens and haptic feedback

The centre console now gets two touchscreens, which give it a futuristic look. Pretty much all physical buttons have been removed, with everything from the satellite navigation to the climate system controlled through the interfaces.

There are some cool features, such as the lower screen becoming a keyboard when entering data such as navigation addresses, and the clicks and vibrations that accompany touches to improve response.

However, it’s not at all intuitive to use, and requires a lot more looking away from the road than traditional button-based set-ups do. It also takes quite a firm press to register inputs, which can slow down operation.

It looks great, and you’d probably get used to it, but the wiping out of old fashioned buttons is a big shame.

It’s the first week of January and that means one thing – it’s time to convince yourself that the new year means a new you. Bring on the New Year’s Resolutions.

You could go for the typical ones, such as eating less or avoiding alcohol, but you know that’s probably going to last all of a few days. Instead, why not try something a bit different and rid yourself of one or more of these bad motoring habits?

Not only will you be making your journey less stressful, you’ll have the warm satisfaction that comes with self-improvement.

Stop middle-lane hogging

The Highway Code clearly states that motorists should keep to the left-hand lane at all times when not overtaking, yet so many motorists cruise up the middle totally oblivious.

Apart from being a pain for other drivers, it could also land you in hot water with the police. Officers can punish drivers who don’t pull over when they should – in 2015, van driver Ian Stephens became the first person to be prosecuted for the offence, receiving a £1,000 fine and five points on his licence.

Always use your indicators

Indicators are important because they let other road users know what you’re doing. If you don’t use them, drivers could misinterpret your actions, risking a crash. And if you don’t use them on roundabouts and junctions you can slow the flow of traffic as motorists have to wait to see what you do before pulling out.

So, get your indicators flashing, let other people know what you’re up to, and keep the roads safe and flowing smoothly.

Got a 4×4? Use it

People who live in big cities and want large, practical cars invariably go for an SUV these days instead of an estate. These big 4x4s often come with fantastic off-road ability, but the most dangerous incline they face is speed bumps on the school run.

They’re also often more polluting than a large family car because of the extra weight and complex four-wheel-drive systems. So if you really must have a big, imposing inner-city motor, you should make it your resolution to use it as intended – out in the countryside where the roads are made of mud. The fresh air will do you good, too.

Keep your distance

“Only a fool breaks the two-second rule” is the old saying, but there appears to be plenty of fools on the road. In dry weather, keeping about two seconds between you and the car in front ensures there’s enough room for you to stop if something goes wrong up ahead.

Tailgating and intimidating other drivers to move over won’t get you to your destination quicker if you end up buried in their back bumper, after all.

Check the condition of your car

There are a number of simple checks that drivers often ignore but could save your life and the lives of others, so make it your mission in 2018 to actually check over your car.

Consumables are anything that can wear out or be used up in normal driving. So every now and then check tyre tread depths, the life in your brake pads, how much oil is in the engine, and whether your windscreen washer is topped up.

Learn how to park

Anyone who’s ever been to a supermarket on a busy Saturday afternoon will know how infuriating it is when drivers don’t park properly. Or perhaps you’ve headed into town and spent half the day driving in circles because you can’t parallel park. This is the year you learn how to leave your car properly parked up.

There are countless YouTube videos explaining parallel parking, so go find a quiet road to practice on – once you’ve figured out the process it’s infinitely repeatable and the satisfaction when you pull it off in front of a queue of traffic will be immense!

As for bay parking, just keeping it between the lines is a start. Also, try to keep it in the middle so people can actually get out of the cars each side of you. Basically, just be considerate.

Stop using your phone

Not only is this illegal – you can get a £200 fine and six points on your licence – it is also incredibly dangerous.

If you really can’t keep your hands off your phone while driving you need to have a serious chat with yourself. Consider your time behind the wheel as quiet ‘you time’, where social media and WhatsApp are the last things on your mind.

Keep your car clean

We’re talking both inside and out. Some people love a car that’s caked in dirt, but there really is something incredibly satisfying about a clean car.

Meanwhile, decluttering your interior will help to reduce stress behind the wheel. If you have discarded crisp packets and old McDonald’s cartons littered throughout the inside, consider having a big clear out and hoovering up – that new car feeling doesn’t take long to achieve and will make you feel better every time you climb in.

Keep calm and carry on

There’s something about getting into a car that can turn otherwise docile people into blithering maniacs. If you find your blood boiling every time you jump in the car, perhaps it’s time to chill out.

Reigning in your aggression will make you a happier, safer driver. Start by being more considerate and letting drivers out of side roads, then build up to not waving your middle finger at people who cut you up. It really doesn’t achieve anything other than stress you out, and if we all take it easy the roads will run much more smoothly.

Use your car less

Okay, so this can be tricky for people who don’t live in major towns and cities where public transport is terrible, but if you can leave the car at home, do it.
Not only is it good for the environment, if you can bring yourself to walk short journeys instead it’s good for your health, too. Considering how awful peak traffic has become, it might even be quicker!

German brand Mercedes-Benz has just launched a ‘premium pick-up truck’ which it has built in collaboration with Japanese maker Nissan.

When Mercedes announced that it was entering the market with a premium commercial vehicle, it raised many eyebrows.

Could a truck predominantly used by people who spend their days driving through muddy fields really be attractive in a premium specification?

Mercedes thinks so, and proudly revealed at the UK launch that it has already taken nearly 1,000 pre-orders for the pick-up, which starts at £27,310 excluding VAT.

However, this isn’t a bespoke Mercedes. The German manufacturer signed an agreement with Nissan that would see its premium pick-up be based on the rugged Navara.

It was keen to point out that the trucks are not totally alike, even bringing a Navara along so journalists could poke around to see what’s different.

However, there are plenty of similarities – here’s what they are.

Engines and oily bits

While Mercedes was keen to point out all the subtle changes they have made, they couldn’t hide the big one – that most of what’s under the skin is a Nissan.

At launch both engine variants are based on the Japanese manufacturer’s 2.3-litre turbo-diesel unit, pictured here in the Nissan Navara pick-up. The entry-level model makes 161bhp while a 187bhp version is also available.

There’s also a six-speed manual and seven-speed automatic transmission, both taken from Nissan, while the clever differentials that move power between all four wheels are also present on the Navara.

Fortunately, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing – we tried the X-Class on a tricky off-road course, and it proved incredibly capable climbing slippery slopes and pulling itself out of bogs. The engine is a bit unrefined and sluggish under acceleration out on the road, though.

Door handles

Mercedes went to great pains to point out that every exterior panel is different – even the rear doors, which look pretty much identical but have a slightly different angle to the window ‘flick’, apparently.

However, there’s one Navara-spec design feature jutting out of the bodywork, and that’s the door handles. That means you actually have to grab a piece of Nissan to climb into your premium pick-up that’s definitely not a Nissan.

Bottom half of the wing mirrors

We’re not sure how much time and money was saved by doing this, but Mercedes only redesigned half the wing mirror. The bulk of the design that you see is new, but the bottom half, which attaches to the door and supports the mirror’s housing, is straight off the Nissan.
It’s a minor detail, but it’s a detail nonetheless.

Aerial

Speaking of minor details, we have one more for you. The aerial on the roof, which protrudes proudly from the rear of the cab, is Japanese. It’s decidedly old school-looking, too, so it’s perhaps a surprise Mercedes didn’t see fit to change it…

Key

We’ve saved the best for last. The design of a key can tell you a lot about a vehicle, and premium manufacturers tend to use bulky items with satisfyingly sturdy button clicks.

Nissan, on the other hand, has rather slim, lightweight keys with flimsy buttons that feel like they could be picked apart by a bored child in five minutes flat.

Mercedes hasn’t fitted all the electronic gubbins from a Navara key into one of its heavier duty fobs, instead opting to essentially stick its own badge on a Nissan unit.

It does feel like a missed opportunity to extend that premium feeling…

The French are well known for their wacky designs – and the new DS 7 Crossback certainly doesn’t disappoint.

Not only does it debut a unique look for premium SUVs, but it’s packed with cool tech like night vision, suspension that scans the road ahead, swivelling headlights and cat paw massages.

Here’s a closer look at the bits that caught our eye on the new £39,335 DS 7.

Cat pawing seats

Ever fancied a massage from a cat? No, us neither – but if that’s your particular fetish, the DS 7 can help.

As part of the car’s “Sensorial Drive” options, the driver and passenger can opt for a massage called “cat paw” which feels like a feline kneading your back. Yes, we thought it was a bit weird too.

The cabin ambience settings are called “My Cashmere” and “My Titanium” and also adjust the interior lighting intensity and colour, the tone of the music playing out of the speakers and the drive mode.

DS Active Scan Suspension

To help it ride smoothly, the DS 7 Crossback has a trick bit of kit hidden in the windscreen. A camera, which has height sensors and accelerometers built in, analyses the road ahead and prepares the suspension for imperfections.

The result is an extremely comfortable ride that would make the DS 7 an ideal long-distance companion. This sort of technology is normally only seen on the likes of the Mercedes S-Class, so the fact it’s here – and actually works – is impressive.

Night vision

If you’re imagining driving along with massive goggles on your head like in that T-Rex scene in Jurassic Park, don’t worry, it’s better integrated than that.

Selected via a dial on the steering wheel, the digital screen in the instrument binnacle (which is standard on all but the entry-level trim) can be switched to a heat-sensing view of the road ahead.

Cars, people, animals and other sources of heat appear bright white on the screen, but what’s most impressive is that people are highlighted in yellow, often before you’ve even noticed them yourself. There’s also a beep if it looks like you might hit them.

Swivel headlights

This is one of those things you just have to trust works. The LEDs twist and turn to light the road ahead and adapt to the environment you’re in to illuminate exactly what you need to see.

There are different settings for city driving, country roads and motorways, which activate based on your speed. There’s even a different light profile when the windscreen wipers are active to improve visibility in adverse weather.

And, when you turn the car on, the LED modules spin 180 degrees to face the road, which is totally unnecessary, but looks really cool.

BRM clock

DS Automobiles has a partnership with luxury watchmakers BRM Chronographs. There’s an analogue clock on top of the dashboard, which swivels to hide away when the car is turned off, swivelling back into place when the engine is started.

Useful for security, because if a shady observer spots a BRM clock sitting proud on the dashboard they might just be tempted to break in.

FACTS AT A GLANCE
Model as tested: DS 7 Crossback Prestige

Price: £39,335

Engine: 2.0-litre diesel

Power (bhp): 174

Torque (Nm): 400Nm

Max speed (mph): 134mph

0-60mph: 9.7 seconds

MPG: 57.6

Emissions (g/km): 128