Author: James Baggott

UNINSURED drivers faced a major crackdown by 10 police forces in an unprecedented joint operation on the UK’s busiest motorway yesterday (November 14).

Operation Tutelage saw 75 officers use automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology to monitor some 25,000 drivers an hour on the M25.

The ANPR system was triggered at a rate of 400 alerts an hour resulting in officers dealing with 44 drivers for no insurance, 14 for no tax or licence and eight arrested for a variety of offences including drug driving and car theft.

Officers from Thames Valley, Hants, Kent, Surrey, Sussex, The Met, Beds, Herts, Cambs and Essex forces used police cars, unmarked vehicles and motorbikes to pull over drivers who triggered the ANPR system around the motorway.

The technology quickly cross-referenced car registrations – picked up by cameras placed on bridges around the 117-mile M25 – with data on the national Motor Insurance Database.

The Motor Insurance Bureau (MIB), which manages the database, estimates around one million of the 40m drivers in the UK are currently using their cars without insurance.

James Upton, Chief Inspector for Roads Policing at Thames Valley Police, the force behind Operation Tutelage, said: “This is about road safety and denying criminals the use of the roads.

“Often an uninsured vehicle is linked to more serious crimes and by targeting them we can prevent criminals from using our roads.

“It has been a number of years since forces came together like this. This has been four months in the planning, but we hope the success will lead to further joint working opportunities.”

Drivers caught without any insurance during the operation were first given safety advice and the chance to remedy any genuine mistakes at the roadside, insuring or taxing their cars then and there on the phone.

Usually, motorists caught without insurance face having their vehicle immediately seized, six points on their licence, a £300 fine and possible court prosecution. In total, 21 vehicles were seized by officers during yesterday’s operation and the remaining 23 drivers who were caught reinsured their cars at the roadside.

Simon Hills, Inspector for Roads Policing at Thames Valley Police, said: “Operation Tutelage isn’t about hard enforcement, it’s a lighter, more consumer-friendly approach towards the motorist.

“This is an appropriate way of dealing with those who aren’t intentional criminals. There are always genuine cases where drivers discover they are uninsured and it’s an oversight.”

According to the MIB, uninsured and hit-and-run drivers kill an estimated 130 people and injure more than 26,000 people each year. These costs are ultimately borne by honest motorists.

Neil Drane, head of enforcement services at the MIB, said: “Socially it’s unacceptable to drive without insurance and the honest driver is funding this. We want to see action taken against those irresponsible individuals.

“We are providing intelligence to the police to help them identify which vehicles are insured and therefore much more easily identify those who are correspondingly not insured and the ones that are of interest to them.”

Top 10 Uninsured Areas in the UK

1.Birmingham
2.Bradford
3.London
4.Manchester
5.Halifax
6.Oldham
7.Bolton
8.Wolverhampton
9.Belfast
10.Ilford

Legendary bike maker Harley Davidson has unveiled plans to launch an electric motorcycle next year along with a host of radical new models.

Best known for its Easy Rider-style cruiser bikes, made famous by motorcycle gangs like the Hell’s Angels, Harley Davidson says it will introduce an adventure bike, sports naked models and a range of urban mobility e-bikes.

Exciting new roads lie ahead for #HarleyDavidson. Get ready. We’re blowing the doors wide open. Click to learn more.#FindYourFreedom

— Harley-Davidson (@harleydavidson) July 30, 2018

In what Motorcycle News has described as “the biggest shake-up in recent memory” for the brand, Harley Davidson’s new range will change the face of the manufacturer.

The first electric bike, dubbed the “Livewire concept”, will arrive in 2019 and is a performance-focused electric bike that is likely to come with a premium price tag. Harley has not revealed range or power figures yet.

Following soon after the Livewire model will be two middleweight electric bikes – smaller, lighter and lower powered commuter-style machines, that will arrive during 2021 and 2022. No prices have been revealed for these either.

Michelle Kumbier, COO at Harley-Davidson, said: “We’re going big into electric with a family of products. They’re going to be easy to ride, ‘twist and go’ and be less intimidating for new customers.”

The electric bike announcement comes amid news that Harley Davidson will launch a further 16-strong range of new bikes that will move the brand even further away from its core Hell’s Angel look, opening it up to even more buyers.

One of those new bikes is the Pan America – an adventure-style touring bike set to rival BMW’s popular GS.

It will come with a new 1250cc v-twin engine, traction control and ride-by-wire technology. No prices have been revealed, but it will be in dealers by 2020.

Mind-blown… Harley have unveiled a radical new range of bikes! Read more here: https://t.co/FKMqnsBr3z pic.twitter.com/dzn5bBXkGT

— Motor Cycle News (@MCNnews) July 30, 2018

Writing online, Motorcycle News journalist Jordan Gibbons said: “Aimed squarely at attracting a new, younger audience both to the brand and to motorcycling in general, this new range of middleweights and electric bikes will take the company into totally new territories.

“At the same time, Harley Davidson is also modernising and improving their core Tourer and Cruiser offering with brand new electronics and improved connectivity, changing the way their dealers operate and even exploring direct-to-consumer online sales. Strap in folks, this is going to be a wild ride.”

A woman was pulled over by police on the M25 after reports of erratic driving – and officers got quite a surprise when they opened the doors.

The elderly driver, who was failing to wear her glasses, was pulled over by Surrey Police on June 28 near junction eight at Reigate, Surrey, and officers discovered the car was littered with her possessions.

A tweet by the Surrey Road’s Policing Unit said: “Public reported erratic driving. Vehicle located and stopped, elderly driver failing to wear glasses as required and vehicle, well, untidy…”

#M25 #Reigate J8 Public reported erratic driving. Vehicle located and stopped, elderly driver failing to wear glasses as required and vehicle, well, untidy…. ? pic.twitter.com/DHdnS4HVvy

— RPU – Surrey Police (@SurreyRoadCops) June 28, 2018

The accompanying picture showed the vehicle’s passenger seat and foot-well was full of items spilling over into the driver’s seat.

After a number of Twitter users jumped to conclusions, Surrey Police added: “The lady told officers she was attempting to move home in one journey and had lodged the car up as much as possible to make it in one trip. There is no information or evidence to suggest they were living in the car.

“We would always ensure that a vulnerable person is notified to the relevant and appropriate authorities and provide them with any immediate assistance they may need.”

As of Friday evening, the tweet had been shared more than 193 times and liked by 341 Twitter users.

What is it?

Just when you thought Audi couldn’t stretch its range any further, along comes the Q8, an answer to a question no one really was asking. Like spilt water spreading to fill every crevice, Audi is working its way towards critical mass by taking a rolling pin to its line-up and spreading it wafer thin.

The German firm says the Q8 is a car for buyers who want the elegance of a luxury coupe and the convenience of a large SUV, but quite how many of those buyers exist remains to be seen.

Based on the firm’s range-topping Q7 SUV, the Q8 is shorter both in height and length, but wider, and debuts the new ‘face of the Q family’ with a bold and imposing grille.

What’s new?

Audi is targeting buyers of the BMW X6 and Mercedes Benz GLE here, so that means the Q8 has to stand out from the crowd. With looks dominated by that new nose and swooping body lines, it cuts a fine figure in the tough SUV-coupe class.

What’s under the bonnet?

Audi has employed some clever technical tricks under the bonnet to increase efficiency. A mild hybrid system (MHEV) uses a large battery to increase the amount of time the engine can use its start-stop system and even allows it to completely shut down and coast at speeds between 34mph and 99mph.

At launch, just one engine will be available, a 3.0-litre diesel badged 50 TDI. This offers 286bhp and 600Nm of torque and is able to propel the Q8 to 60mph in 6.3 seconds and on to a top speed of 144mph. Fuel economy and emissions have yet to be revealed. A less powerful 3.0-litre diesel and a 3.0-litre petrol will join the range later this year.

What’s it like to drive?

Our test route was thousands of metres above sea level in the Atacama mountains in Chile, where we struggled to breathe, and so too did the Audi engines. That said, despite some wheezing, the high-powered 3.0-litre diesel model we tested performed well, albeit with some unusual audible rattling.

The steering felt weightier than you’d expect in an Audi SUV, and on the smaller wheeled option with air-suspension cranked up to comfort, it coped well with the rutted roads that crossed the South American deserts. Its dynamic ability was hard to fathom on these arrow straight highways, but on the few bends we did tackle there was little body roll.

How does it look?

Unless you’re in the market for a large coupe SUV, chances are something like the Q8 won’t appeal. However, Audi has done a great job of making a sloping roofed off-roader look handsome. It’s far more attractive than the awkward BMW X6 and that’s likely to ultimately win it attention.

What’s it like inside?

Inside, the smart twin-screen set-up first seen on the A8 has been implemented. It splits heating and car controls to the lower display and entertainment to the top. It’s minutely adjustable and a real joy to use. Haptic feedback, that makes it feel like you’re pressing a physical button rather than a touchscreen, makes it easy to work with on the move, and the controls are intuitive.

Especially clever is the latest natural language voice control which lets you say things like ‘I’m hungry’ or ‘I need fuel’ and the system will pull up nearby restaurants or petrol stations. The sat nav can learn your regular routes too – even if you haven’t added them to the system – and will warn you of unusual traffic issues on your commute.

The dash swoops around the driver and passenger in coupe-car style and the multi-adjustable seats are very comfy. The interior materials look and feel luxurious too, but our test car’s centre console did squeak a little too much for a brand new car.

What’s the spec like?

The S line specification includes LED headlights, 21-inch alloy wheels and adaptive sport air suspension as standard. A reversing camera, phone charging box, ambient lighting, powered tailgate and keyless go are some of the other highlights also included.

A high-end Vorsprung specification will be made available shortly after launch which adds huge 22-inch alloys, sportier (and heated) seats, a head-up display, more leather, panoramic glass sunroof, and power door closure, among many other niceties.

Verdict

In a market of frankly quite ugly large SUV coupes, the Audi Q8 stands out as a bit of a looker. The whopping new grille takes some getting used to, but it helps it cut a dramatic figure on the road. Although it’ll appeal to limited numbers of buyers, the Q8 is a compelling package that’s enjoyable to drive, comfortable and packed with usable and useful technology. Audi might be spreading its range rather thinly these days, but this could well be yet another niche it’s filled rather successfully indeed.

Facts at a glance

• Model as tested: Audi Q8 50 TDI S Line
• Price: £65,000 (est)
• Engine: 3.0-litre V6 TDI
• Power: 286bhp
• Torque: 600Nm
• Max speed: 144mph
• 0-60mph: 6.3s
• MPG: TBC
• Emissions: TBC
• Rivals: BMW X6, Mercedes Benz GLE, Maserati Levante

What is it?

Meet BMW’s latest lightweight hero – the M3 CS. After a strict greens-only diet from a motorsport-inspired engineering division, the M3 has managed to shed 30kg of flab and gain some intoxicating driving characteristics in the process.

Buoyed by a sales surge that saw 80,000 M cars find homes in 2017, BMW is working hard to increase its performance division’s portfolio and this is the latest to hit showrooms. Limited in numbers to just 1,200 units worldwide and 100 of those in the UK, BMW says it’s already nearly sold out, so if you want one you need to be quick.

What’s new?

In an attempt to shave those all-important kilos, BMW fitted new forged alloy wheels and replaced heavy panels, such as the roof and bonnet, with carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic. The front seats have been thrown out in favour of new weight-saving replacements, while even the centre console has been stripped back and lightened.

BMW fans might be wondering why the CS is missing an ‘L’ in its name – made famous most recently by the E46 M3 CSL. Well, according to BMW’s M boss, although the diet for the CS was extensive, it wasn’t quite enough to justify the ‘Lightweight’ tag that comes with a CSL nameplate.

But don’t let that put you off – this is still one very special machine indeed.

What’s under the bonnet?

BMW has worked its magic under the bonnet to extract more horses from the already-impressive 3.0-litre twin turbo unit. Power is up 10bhp to 460bhp while torque increases nine per cent over the 550Nm in an M3 Competition Package to 600Nm.

That extra oomph and trim waistline means the CS will hit 60mph in just 3.9 seconds – enough to furrow the brows of many a supercar owner. Engineers have even ditched the speed limiter, so German autobahns can be navigated at speeds of up to 173mph. And believe us, thanks to a Munich-based test drive, we can confirm the Germans weren’t joking. As if that were a thing…

Cautious drivers can expect to see returns of 33.2mpg, although it’s unlikely many CS buyers will be cautious types. In reality, you’ll be languishing in the teens if you use it as its creators intended.

What’s it like to drive?

On road or track, the CS is astonishing. Revving to a heady 7,600rpm, the engine is awash with power, accompanied by a noise that sends shivers down your spine like a first love.

The Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres are super-sticky, and on a hot, dry track – like that which we were blessed to lay black lines across in Germany – serve only to compose the BMW like a ballerina, balanced perfectly on its toes.

The way the CS sheds speed, thanks to huge carbon ceramic brakes, is a close match for a direct impact with a tree, while the seven-speed DCT automatic gearbox is a delight, rocketing through gears faster than an Aldi assistant firing a week’s shopping down the checkout.

In some driver settings (of which there are many) the steering does lack feel but it’s not awful, and we’d like the seats to be a little more comfortable and easier to adjust.

How does it look?

A pretty carbon-fibre spoiler, wailing quad exhaust pipes, speed-bump-kissing front splitter and distinctive matt purple paintwork (one of five unique colours) help the CS stand out from the fast-lane-inhabiting 3 Series crowd.

Germany today to drive the BMW M3 CS. Can’t tell you when it’s like because I’ve signed a piece of paper which says BMW will own me if I do. And I don’t fancy being owned. Check out that paintwork… #bmw #bmwm3 #m3 #sportscar #germancar #carsofinstagram… https://t.co/25wE97EU5B pic.twitter.com/FTlZuJQjVp

— James Baggott (@CarDealerEd) May 14, 2018

Low-slung and aggressive, it’s lost none of the M3’s imposing road presence.

What’s it like inside?

Inside, an optional BMW M Performance Alcantara steering wheel with 12 o’clock marker is a must-buy. It’s simply wonderful to hold and adds to the CS’s drama.

The usual BMW smattering of technology can be found too – including the much-improved new iDrive system with connected information services, such as traffic and weather updates, and an impressive Harman Kardon stereo.

What’s the spec like?

Adaptive LED headlights, electrically folding mirrors, navigation and parking assistance all come as standard, with the rear-view camera relegated to the options list. Why? It saves weight…

Verdict

BMW’s M division really is on a winning streak and the CS proves it. Just weeks after it unleashed the new M5 on the world we get another hit with this – a future classic in the making, if you can afford the near-£90k price tag.

With a raucous turn of speed, soundtrack to worry a hip hop chart topper and driving experience that few cars could even come close to delivering, the M3 CS is surely set to become yet another Munich legend.

Facts at a glance

Model as tested: BMW M3 CS
Price: £86,425
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight-six
Power (bhp): 460
Torque (Nm): 600
Max speed (mph): 173
0-60mph: 3.9 seconds
MPG (combined): 33.2
Emissions (g/km): 198

Police officers mistakenly filled their patrol cars with the wrong type of fuel nearly 300 times in 2017 – costing the taxpayer more than £50,000.

The TaxPayers’ Alliance described the figures, released after a Freedom of Information investigation by the Press Association, as “staggering”.

Of the UK’s 45 police forces, 40 responded and 33 admitted paying out for repairs to a police vehicle after a misfuelling incident in 2017 – at an average cost of £178 a time.

Some 299 incidents of misfuelling were recorded, costing a total £53,337 in repairs.

West Midlands Police had the most incidents – 66, at a cost of £3,737.

The Met Police had 49 incidents, costing £17,589.57 in total to repair, while Police Scotland had 16, costing £2,004.92.

John O’Connell, chief executive of pressure group the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “It’s staggering that such a simple mistake is being made almost daily.

“This careless attitude shows a lack of respect for those same taxpayers who both pay their wages and are forced to pay for the repairs.

“Millions of people manage this task with their own cars by taking a modicum of care – police officers should extend the same courtesy to their vehicles.”

West Midlands Police fleet manager Gary Mallett said mistakes increased after 2013 when the force moved away from internal fuel sites and fuel keys to external fuel stations in a cost-cutting exercise.

He said: “We saw a major spike in the number of misfuels in 2013-14 and addressed this by notifying users and local vehicle leads of the volume and cost of the mistake.

“We also labelled all vehicles with the fuel type as a reminder of the correct fuel that should be used.

“This has had a positive effect, with around a 53 per cent reduction in the number of misfuels, but more importantly around a 90 per cent reduction in actual cost of repairs.

“We put out regular reminders to staff, and this is continuing to have an impact on reducing the problem.”

A spokesman for the Met said that since 2008 its vehicles had been refuelled 1.5m times and that mistakes were “a tiny proportion of total refuelling”.

The spokesman added: “The MPS operates a mixed fleet of both petrol and diesel vehicles with a gradual move towards more petrol, hybrid and electric vehicles. Overall, the misfuelling rate is decreasing year on year.

“We ensure that every vehicle has a clear indication of which fuel is required on fuel flaps and vehicle log books.”

Motoring organisations believe the problem will be eradicated completely when police forces adopt more electric cars.

Edmund King, AA president, said: “Perhaps we need a little more detective work at the pumps to ensure that the right fuel goes in the right car.

“Until all police cars are electric we will probably still see misfuelling problems.”

A spokesman for the National Police Chiefs’ Council said: “The misfuelling of police vehicles is relatively rare, especially when you consider that forces have thousands of vehicles which are in constant use and require frequent refuelling.

“Police drivers will often move from one vehicle to another depending on operational requirements, which can increase the possibility of mistakes being made.

“Some forces are already using electronic systems which have eradicated misfuelling completely, and nationally we are implementing similar technological improvements where it is deemed to represent best value for money.”

Essex, Kent and Sussex police forces failed to respond to the FOI, Cambridgeshire police refused to respond while the Police Service of Northern Ireland said it did not hold any relevant data.

City of London, Durham, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Dyfed-Powys forces didn’t misfuel any cars.

Police unmarked cars are getting harder to spot – but they’re not impossible if you know what you’re looking for.

As technology moves on, the days of twin aerials on the roofs and lights cut into the rear bumpers are long gone. But if you know the tell tale signs the unmarked cars can still be identified.

We spent a shift with an unmarked car from the Roads Policing Unit based in Havant, Hampshire with PC Chris Powling to see exactly what they get up to.

Don’t think we’re giving away any of the police force’s secrets here without them knowing, though. They wanted us to write about their unmarked cars – because they want the public to know they have it and use it. Just as forces do up and down the country.

What’s more, if you’re looking out for one, they say, you’ll be driving more cautiously and paying more attention so its job is done by default…

They sit low at the back

Police cars – even the unmarked ones – have to carry a lot of kit including cones, signs and more. This means the unmarked BMW 3 Series sits noticeably lower at the back.

One cop or two?

It used to be thought that unmarked police cars had to be manned by two officers – but that’s rarely the case these days. Savage budget cuts have depleted roads policing units and that means you’re more likely to see unmarked – and marked – police cars manned by single officers rather than two.

Make and model

Police forces up and down the country use all manner of different makes and model of unmarked vehicles. We’ve seen unmarked HGVs, motorcycles and more. However, BMW, Skoda (often Octavia VRs), Volvos and even VW Golf Rs are commonly used up and down the country. So looking for a certain type of car is no giveaway.

They have a lot of kit on the dash

You won’t notice until you pass, but look inside and you’ll spot the large ANPR screen and buttons for the sirens and lights on the dashboard. It’s far more complicated than iDrive, but it’s lit up like a Christmas tree on the dashboard.

They have a camera behind the number plate

You’d need to have eyes of a hawk to spot it, but the infrared camera now often sits behind the rear number plate. One of the letters on the plate is mirrored so the camera can see through.

However, these have been known to break all too easily, so many forces are reverting back to cutting holes for them in the bumpers or placing them under spoilers. These are especially obvious on Skodas, where the central strut of the spoiler is now a huge box housing the camera.

Lights behind the front number plate

Look closely at the front number plate from the side and you will see it sits further forward and has a strip of LED lights either side. These are so the car can be seen side on. You can just about see them in this picture.

Behind the grille

With more cars than ever before stashing radars for cruise control and anti-collision systems behind their grilles, these two LED light strips could easily be mistaken for something else. But look closely enough and they are there.

Is it driving like a BMW?

It’s a cliché but BMW drivers have a certain, how shall we put this, “style” about their driving. Police trained drivers do not. Is it in the slow lane? Is he travelling at the speed limit? Is he behaving like a proper driver should?

Parcel shelf gubbins

If your car is high enough to look down on to the parcel shelf you’ll see there are several unusual blocks where the dot matrix board pops up to tell people it’s a police car. but you’d have to be looking very hard to spot them when retracted.

Uniformed officer

The biggest giveaway will be the fact a police officer is sat behind the wheel. Although they won’t be wearing their high visibility jackets they will have epaulettes on their shoulders and the word ‘police’ written on their clothing. it’s hard to spot at night, but not so hard during the day.

 

Suzuki could pull support for its partner Ant McPartlin following the TV star’s arrest for alleged drink-driving as it “reviews its options”.

The 42-year-old celebrity host of Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway was involved in an alleged drink-driving incident on Sunday night when he reportedly collided with two cars.

McPartlin and his celebrity co-host Declan Donnelly front an advertising sponsorship deal for Suzuki as part of their prime-time ITV Saturday variety show – believed to be worth around £20m.

However, despite McPartlin’s arrest, Suzuki has refused to comment on whether it will be pulling its support or the duo.

In a statement, the Japanese carmaker said: “ITV has taken a joint decision with Ant and Dec’s team not to broadcast Saturday Night Takeaway this weekend.

“Suzuki will remain in dialogue with ITV and advise media when appropriate regarding the last two episodes of the series. Please note that no further comment is available from Suzuki at this time.”

Police released McPartlin under investigation and it has since been confirmed that he is stepping down from television roles for the “foreseeable future” and will return to rehab.

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police Service said: “Police in Richmond were called to Lower Richmond Road on Sunday, March 18 following reports of a road traffic collision involving three vehicles.

“Officers, London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade attended. A number of individuals were treated at the scene for minor injuries only. A child passenger from one of the cars received medical attention as a precaution.

“A 42-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of drink-driving after failing a roadside breathalyser test. He was taken to a south London police station for questioning and has since been released under investigation. Inquiries continue.”

Road safety charity Brake said four people are killed by drink-driving on UK roads every week.

A spokesman added: “Drink-driving is a selfish and highly dangerous act which puts the lives of innocent road-users at risk, and those caught should receive an automatic driving ban at a minimum.

“We are calling on the government to introduce a zero-tolerance drink-drive limit, making clear that, when driving, not a drop of alcohol is acceptable.”

McLaren has revealed a number of people have bought TWO Senna supercars – one to drive hard and one to stash away for the future.

The British firm’s latest hypercar, capable of reaching 211mph and hitting 60mph in 2.6 seconds, made its public debut at the Geneva Motor Show alongside details of a track-focused GTR ‘concept’.

The £750,000 limited-run supercar – of which all 500 have already been sold – is powered by McLaren’s 789bhp 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8. This is the most powerful engine McLaren has ever put in a road car and also produces 800Nm of torque.

At the show, we chatted to Jolyon Nash, executive director of global sales and marketing for McLaren Automotive, who told us about the Senna, its buyers and how many of them already look at the brand’s cars as investments.

Our customers

‘It’s hard to make generalisations, but most of our customers are self-made individuals. A vast majority will be male, entrepreneurs and aged in their 40s to 50s. They are obviously successful, demanding people. But I think one of the things that differentiates us from other cars in the market we operate in is that our research indicates that people generally buy the car for how it drives. It’s the intricacies of the car that is important to buyers.’

The Senna name

‘There was a lot of debate in the company when we were thinking about what we should name this car. We decided with the Ultimate Series cars we should focus on having a name that you can easily attach emotion to. That is our strategy now. With Ultimate Series cars, we would like to have more of a nameplate than letters and numbers. With this car, since it is so hardcore and track-focused, we thought it would be the perfect car to pay homage to Ayrton Senna. He was probably the most uncompromising race driver, and legendary. It kind of fitted.’

I’ll take two

‘We’ve had a couple of customers who wanted to buy two. Sometimes it’s because they have two residences, and they want here and one there. Others it’s because they want to take one car and really work it hard, while they want to keep the other pristine and hardly used. We have a very strong demand for this car, and had sold out all 500 before we even announced it. We have to satisfy as many customers as we can.’

Choosing buyers

‘We did not specify things like how many of our cars customers must own before they get a Senna. We’re not quite formulaic. We like to be accessible. On the one hand, it’s a balancing act between rewarding your most loyal customers, who have been with us from the beginning. Those who, when the MP4-12C came out, were willing to invest in a totally new supercar brand, and have been with us ever since. We want to reward those customers, but also, since we are very much a growing brand, we also want to get new people in. We don’t want to be a case where to buy a special McLaren it’s dead man’s shoes.’

Numbers game

‘The car costs £750,000, but I think we’ve specced more than 60 cars now, and I’d hazard a guess that they probably cost about £840,000 on average. But there are obviously some extremes. It’s very easy to put on a visual carbon-fibre body like the one on display in Geneva and that’s about a £160,000 option. The total price for the car on display here is over £1m.’

Want it all

‘Some customers want to make the car special for them. And for them that may well mean they want things like visual carbon fibre. Others want to be more understated. They’ll just be unique about the colour and a few other bits and pieces. With this car, there are very few standard options. It’s the glass in the bottom doors, the glass in the roof and some stuff with the hi-fi system. Other than that, the sky’s the limit. Some people are much more conservative.’

Investment opportunity

‘The vast majority of customers, when they see a car like this, they just want to have it, it’s all desire. But also they see it as an investment. I think this car’s going to be another iconic McLaren. I really do think this will be a bit like the P1. A P1 is roughly £1.5m now. It has appreciated. I think the market, at the moment, has hit a bit of a plateau. I think things like a LaFerrari have come down a bit, so the market is flat, but they’re still worth considerably more than anyone would have paid for them new.’

The GTR

‘We haven’t started taking deposits, but we’re revealing a concept car. It isn’t finished, but it’s very close to what the finished article is going to be. Even before we started the process, we had a good number of expressions of interest – not formal, but “if you’re doing a GTR I’m interested” conversations. From the beginning we thought we’d do a GTR version, so we’re pretty comfortable that having shown the concept we will sell out very quickly – but we haven’t even agreed a price yet.

New drivers lose their licences and must retake their test if they accrue six points or more in the first two years of driving.

A Freedom of Information Request investigation has revealed 10,833 new drivers lost their licences in 2017.

That number was up 783 on 2016, when 10,050 new drivers had their licences revoked, and up 2,019 on 2015, when 8,814 new drivers lost theirs.

The figures were released by the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency following a Freedom of Information investigation by the Press Association.

The number of new drivers who lost their licence for using a mobile phone at the wheel rocketed by 356 per cent.

Following new laws introduced in March 2017 which saw drivers handed six penalty points and a £200 fine for using their phone while driving, some 533 new drivers lost their licence for breaching the rule – up from 117 the year before.

New motorists banned for driving without due care and attention – another charge used by police for mobile phone use at the wheel – was also up to 447 in 2017, compared with 401 the previous year.

AA president Edmund King said: “Part of the rise in new drivers losing their licences is due to the one-strike-and-you’re-out increase to six penalty points for using a phone at the wheel that came in last March.

“We know from our own research that young drivers in particular say they can’t bring themselves to turn their mobile phones off before driving. This dangerous attitude is starting to catch up with them as they can’t bear to be away from their phones while they drive.”

Here are the top 10 reasons new drivers lost their licences in 2017…

1: Using a vehicle uninsured against third party risks

Offence code: IN10
Number banned: 5,153

2: Exceeding statutory speed limit on a public road

Offence code: SP30
Number banned: 2,217

3: Failure to give information as to identity of driver etc

Offence code: MS90
Number banned: 1,213

4: Breach of requirements as to control of the vehicle, such as using a mobile phone

Offence code: CU80
Number banned: 533

5: Driving without due care and attention

Offence code: CD10
Number banned: 447

6: Exceeding speed limit on a motorway

Offence code: SP50
Number banned: 430

7: Failing to stop after an accident

Offence code: AC10
Number banned: 129

8: Causing or permitting a vehicle to be used while uninsured against third party risks

Offence code: IN14
Number banned: 117

9: Failing to comply with traffic light signals

Offence code: TS10
Number banned: 111

10: Driving without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other road users

Offence code: CD30
Number banned: 110

A National Police Chiefs’ Council spokesman said: “The evidence shows that young drivers present the greatest risk to themselves and others.

“We continue to enforce the law with full use of all the approved methods of prosecution available to us. Our message is clear: Keep to the law or risk losing your licence.”