Author: PA Media

The Geneva Motor Show has thrown up some impressive pieces of technology that look certain to shape the future of the motoring industry – autonomous cars and even vehicles that can fly have appeared at this year’s show.

We’ve paced the halls and taken a look at some of the most interesting and high-tech concepts to come from the 2018 Geneva Motor Show. Here they are.

PAL-V Liberty Flying Car

The PAL-V Liberty Flying car features two engines – one for use on the road and one for the air.

It can switch between flying and driving mode in between five and 10 minutes, with prices starting at around $400,000 (around £287,000).

Audi – Italdesign pop.up next

We’ve seen autonomous cars and we’ve seen flying cars – but this has to be one of the first times that we’ve seen the two combined.

The pop.up next concept has been designed to transport people via both road and air, and features a two-seater ‘pod’, which can be attached to either a car or a flying module. It’s aim is to help solve congestion issues in urban areas.

Hyundai Nexo fuel cell

Hyundai’s Nexo fuel cell vehicle makes its European debut at Geneva, and comes as the world’s first dedicated hydrogen-powered SUV. Capable of travelling close to 500 miles on a single tank, it also features autonomous capabilities.

Volkswagen I.D. Vizzion

The fully autonomous Vizzion concept is the latest in Volkswagen’s I.D. range of cars, and is set to be available in 2022.

Though initially offered with conventional controls, the car is designed to be operated via augmented reality, gestures and voice commands.

Nissan IMx Kuro

The IMx Kuro is an evolution on the IMx concept showcased at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show. Now, it features a dark grey colour scheme but also, more importantly, a range of Nissan’s cutting-edge technologies, including Pro Pilot fully autonomous functionality.

It also gets Nissan’s brain-to-vehicle technology, which allows the car’s system to predict actions by monitoring the driver’s brainwaves.

Renault EZ-GO

Renault’s EZ-GO is another electric autonomous concept to feature at Geneva – but this one has been created with ridesharing in mind. Inside, there’s a wide open cabin with space for up to six passengers. As it’s capable of Level 4 autonomy, there’s no need for a driver – and this makes for a more spacious interior.

Jaguar I-Pace

Jaguar’s I-Pace is here to take on Tesla at its own game, offering up a close-to-300-mile all-electric range, as well as solid interior build quality. It’ll also hit 60mph in just 4.5 seconds.

It’s available to order now, with prices starting at £63,495.

When winter comes around, it can sometimes feel like a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it’s almost Christmas, but also the weather is often gloomy and miserable. With that in mind, it makes sense why a lot of people tend to go away around this time of year in search for a different wonderland.

If you’re planning to drive to your destination — be that the Alps, Scandinavia or Weston-super-Mare — you’ll need something practical enough to pack your trip essentials, capable enough to tackle the threat of harsh weather and comfortable for a longer-distance drive.

We’ve picked out a selection of cars under £10,000 to tick those boxes…

Subaru Impreza WRX

There’s a reason the Subaru Impreza made an icon of itself on the rally stage. With genuine performance, go-anywhere capability and typically Japanese reliability, it proved both an incredible competitor in motorsport and a dependable machine in the real world. So, if your winter getaway is going to require something that won’t break with the ability to tackle some snow should it fall — and be a ton of fun in the process  — look no further than a WRX. Along with a decent amount of power from its 2.5-litre ‘boxer’ engine, and estate variants could swallow plenty for a trip.

Audi A4 Allroad

Spacious and capable — two words to describe this German estate. The Audi A4 Allroad is an estate with added versatility, thanks to a raised ride height and four-wheel drive. This means, while the regular A4 Avant is a good choice for everyday driving, this Allroad version is a safer bet for all-weather motoring. It comes with a decent helping of luxury too, with cars in this budget offering navigation, parking sensors, cruise control and — if you shop right — heated seats. Even the longest journeys should be a comfortable breeze.

Toyota Land Cruiser

It doesn’t come more rugged and reliable than this. The Toyota Land Cruiser has been renowned for its can-do attitude ever since the first one came along in 1951. With a powerful engine and a properly functional four-wheel drive system, it defines the go-anywhere vehicle. On top of that, it’s huge dimensions mean it can swallow just about any amount of cargo and there’s enough luxury in this budget for the needs of most.

Ford Ranger

A pickup taking your fancy? This offering from Ford may be able to help. The Ranger is the best selling pickup in the UK – and for good reason. It has a large load box easily capable of carrying everything you need, for starters. Plus, its all-wheel-drive system means it isn’t just a load lugger — it’s got great off-road and all-weather ability too. Not only will it get the Christmas tree in the back, but also the family at the same time, thanks to capacious seating for five.

BMW 3-Series Touring

You’ll have to sacrifice all-wheel-drive if you want a well-kept BMW 3 Series Touring within this budget, but for those longer, more motorway-bound journeys, why look any further? Not only has it made a name for itself as one of the most practical cars on the market, but it’s also one of the most comfortable too. With examples as recent as 2014 around for under £10k as well, you shouldn’t have to worry about reliability concerns nor outdated technology.

Jeep Wrangler

Jeep Wrangler is a name synonymous with off the beaten track motoring — taking on the harshest of terrains and doing it with ease. On this budget, you should be able to get your hands on a good early ’00s Wrangler complete with a big 4.0-litre engine. If your winter getaway involves tackling deep snow, treacherous rivers and even a frozen lake or two, this might be the perfect companion.

Skoda Yeti

The Skoda Yeti may not look like a big car on the outside, but it certainly has the space of one the inside. A generous boot and good rear legroom combined with efficient and smooth engines make this a good long distance family cruiser. Better yet, it didn’t cost a whole lot when new either — so very recent examples with low miles can be found for comfortably under £10k.

Volvo XC90

The XC90 is Volvo’s largest SUV and has been a popular choice for many families for a long time. It’s a great do-it-all machine, with four-wheel drive, seven seats and plenty of space for all your belongings — the XC90 is the winter holiday dream machine. While high-mileage examples are most common in a £10k budget, proven Volvo reliability means that shouldn’t be a concern as long as it boasts good service history.

Dacia Duster

Getting an SUV for under £10,000 brand-new may seem unlikely, but with the Dacia Duster you can — starting at just £9,995. However, it must be said that if you want four-wheel drive and some other extras, the price starts to rise — which is where the used market comes in. Low-mileage 2015 examples fall within the price range, and offer genuine off-roading capability with efficient engines. Sure, it’s not the most luxurious machine, but for sheer functionality, it does the trick.

Nissan X-Trail

Nissan’s X-Trail is something of a forgotten gem when it comes to the world of 4x4s. Perhaps it’s overshadowed by more iconic rivals like the Toyota Land Cruiser and Toyota Rav4, but that doesn’t mean the X-Trail fails to deliver on capability and dependability. The upside of its lack of popularity is that it becomes a bargain on the used market. For £10k, the potential of sub-60k mile examples opens up complete with a functional all-wheel-drive, enough space for five and a capacious boot.

by Oliver Young

For a whole generation of car enthusiasts, driving games have played a huge role in their love of cars.

Whether that means perfecting the digital Nordschleife with a Nissan Skyline or blasting foes with an unexpected blue shell, driving games have presented a new way for petrolheads to express and develop their love of vehicles since Atari released Space Race back in 1973. We’ve taken a look at seven of the best driving video games of all time.

Burnout Paradise

Burnout is the pinnacle of arcade racing series, and Paradise perhaps showcased the franchise at its best.
Released in 2008, Paradise was set in the fictional sunshine haven of Paradise City — a playground for racers, full of ramps, hoops to aim for and walls to smash other racers to pieces.
This may just be the most outright fun game on this list, and rumours are circulating a remastered version could appear on the current generation of games consoles later this year. We’ll be keeping our fingers crossed…

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Is this the ultimate party game? Nothing else combines high-octane racing thrills with slapstick violence in the same way Mario Kart does, and over a quarter of a century of past titles means the latest 8 Deluxe Edition is the best of the breed.
Nintendo isn’t exactly known for high-quality graphics, but the cartoony style of Mario Kart 8 is genuinely stunning – while the live orchestral soundtrack is brilliant, when it’s not being drowned out by your friends screaming at you for launching ANOTHER BLUE SHELL, MICHAEL.
Mario Kart 8 delivers on almost all fronts, except realism – but you’re likely to have so much fun playing that you won’t care. After all, when you’re a giant spined turtle chasing a princess while driving a teddy-bear shaped quadbike with flowers for wheels, everything else just seems a little bit dull.

Gran Turismo 3

 

Ask any petrolhead born in the 1990s, and Gran Turismo is likely to have played a role in their interest in cars.
Gran Turismo 3 was the very first for the series on PlayStation 2, where the franchise had its golden years. Released in 2001, the third-generation of the game may have had less cars than its PlayStation predecessors, but it brought along mind-blowing graphics and unrivalled driving dynamics — as well as one of the most iconic soundtracks in video gaming history.
Not to mention, almost 15 million copies were sold, making it the second-most shipped game on Playstation 2 — just behind Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

Euro Truck Simulator 2

Want to live the life of a trucker without committing to a career in haulage? Euro Truck Simulator 2 is the game for you.
The Czech-made PC game takes place across, you guessed it, Europe and allows players to start up their own haulage company and transport cargo across the continent — going from Rome, to Paris, to er, Sheffield, and plenty of places in between.
Not only that, but the game features a vast array of licensed trucks from the likes of Scania, Mercedes-Benz, Renault and DAF.

Need for Speed Underground 2

First there was the original Need for Speed Underground, a high-octane racer, centred around ridiculous street-style customisation and a variety of different race styles. Underground 2 took everything that was good about the original and improved on it, adding open-world style roaming, a greater variety of cars, and even more options to turn your standard road car into a ridiculous street racer.
It’s not exactly the most technically accomplished racing game in terms of graphics or physics, but the soundtrack was a masterpiece – and there was even a moderate amount of story to go with it. We’re hoping for a HD remake some day soon.

GTA San Andreas

Grand Theft Auto isn’t a driving game series, per se – the competitive element is a very small part of the games as a whole. But driving is still at the forefront of everything you do in-game, and over years of development Scotland-based Rockstar North has near enough perfected the formula.
San Andreas is perhaps the most fondly-remembered of the Grand Theft Auto games, combining an enormous and varied map with a compelling storyline, brilliant characters and a huge selection of cars in which to have fun. Whether you’re “borrowing” a stranger’s SUV you found at a fast food restaurant or doing doughnuts in an imitation Lamborghini, the open-world nature of the game means there’s always a way to enjoy yourself.

Forza Motorsport 4

Since its introduction in 2005, the Forza Motorsport series has been at the forefront of the console racing sim scene — and the fourth iteration has been the best of the award-winning bunch to date.
From its launch in 2011, FM4 came with more that 500 cars (with over 670 after all downloadable content had been released) which was a number unheard of outside of Gran Turismo, as well as 26 unique track locations.
It featured an expansive career mode, a huge variety of multiplayer modes and fun gameplay — all topped off by at-the-time cutting edge graphics that took full advantage of the Xbox 360’s performance capabilities.

The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas maybe the place to learn about smart fridges, huge flat screen TVs and the latest drones – but it’s also rapidly becoming a hot bed of car news too.

More and more car manufacturers are investing in huge stands and unveiling their latest technology at the event in Sin City.

This year, Japanese and Korean manufacturers flocked to the event to show off their new products. Here we take a look at the biggest news.

Kia Niro EV

Korean firm Kia used the show to take the wraps off its next generation electric car – an SUV with a range of 238 miles. It features a 64kWh battery pack and leads the charge for the brand’s promise to roll out a further 16 more electrified vehicles by 2025. On the outside it debuts a smart, futuristic look while inside there’s a gesture-controlled cockpit and 5G connection for high definition content streaming – that means Netflix on the go and no buffering for your passengers to worry about.

Nissan mind reading

Nissan says its cars of the future will read drivers’ minds to reduce reaction times and make autonomous driving more comfortable. The Brain-to-Vehicle (B2V) technology can predict human behaviour and detect when a motorist is feeling uncomfortable thanks to clever software. Brain waves are decoded by a special headband worn by the driver and Nissan says it cuts reaction times by guessing when a driver is about to make a movement – like braking when they spot stationary traffic.

Toyota e-Palette

In the future tipping the pizza boy will be a thing of the past if Toyota has its way and your Mighty Meaty is delivered autonomously by one of these. It’s called the e-Palette, an autonomous, electric vehicle designed to be used by businesses like Amazon, Uber and Pizza Hut. The idea, says Toyota, is businesses can adapt and modify the platform to suit its needs – be that carrying passengers as a taxi, or dropping off your last-minute online purchases.

Honda off-road robot

Another Japanese car firm looking to help industry is Honda, with the all-terrain 3E-D18 robot. Looking like a quad bike, it’s designed to be adaptable so owners can use it for construction, or on the farm. Honda describes the autonomous, battery-powered 3E-D18 as a “work horse” which could be adapted for use in search and rescue or fire fighting as it “minimises human exposure to dangerous environments”. Using GPS and sensor-based autonomy it can navigate almost any terrain.

Fisker Emotion

Move over Tesla, there’s a new electric car in town – although if you didn’t search hard, you’d have missed it at CES. Tucked away in the corner was the Fisker Emotion – an electric supercar with a 400-mile range and claimed top speed of more than 160mph. With similar dimensions to a Tesla Model S, the Fisker has mad butterfly front and rear doors controlled by a smartphone, three screens inside for the driver and autonomous capabilities. First models are due in 2020 and it’ll cost £96,000.

Byton Concept

With a former BMW i executive at the tiller of the company, Chinese-owned Byton is hoping its electric concept car will be a hit. With a 469bhp power train, and a 323-mile range the car debuts a whopping dashboard-wide screen to give the driver all the information they could dream of. Available with two power options – buyers will be able to pick from a 268bhp rear-wheel drive version, or four-wheel drive 469bhp option. The batteries form part of the chassis and instead of door handles it uses facial recognition cameras to unlock the doors. It is due to enter production next year at a cost of £33,200.

The new year brings with it the promise of a league of new models, with hybrids, SUVs and hypercars set to grace the market.

Thankfully, there’s one segment that will again see a significant boost in 2018 – hot hatches. Hugely popular in the UK, hot hatches provide thrills and high performance alongside decent practicality levels – making them perfect all-rounders. Here, we’ve picked out seven key contenders due to make their first appearance this year.

Volkswagen Polo GTI

Volkswagen is much famed in its ability to produce well-rounded, fast and desirable hot hatches. The Polo GTI sits in the middle of the range, between the smaller Up! and larger Golf. However, with close to 200bhp on tap and new, sportier dampers, it’s set to be just as good to drive as its bigger brother.

Looks-wise, the Polo GTI certainly treads on the conservative side of things, but thanks to red exterior highlights and trademark tartan seats, it’s easy to distinguish from the regular car.

Ford Fiesta ST

The previous-generation Ford Fiesta ST will undoubtedly go down as one of the best hot hatches of all time.

This latest version features a new 1.5-litre turbocharged engine and has heightened levels of technology on its side. The sprint to 60mph is claimed to take under seven seconds. Of course, the ST remains a Ford at heart, so expect decent value for money and high levels of standard equipment.

Renault Megane RS

Another key pillar in the hot hatch segment has been the RenaultSport (or now RS) Megane. The new version packs 276bhp from a 1.8-litre engine, and though this may lag somewhat behind other key rivals (most premium hot hatches are now pushing out close to 300bhp), its four-wheel steering should help it keep in the game.

That system should mean that the RS will be one of the most agile sporty Meganes to date.

Suzuki Swift Sport

The Swift Sport is one of the most-loved compact hot hatches ever made, offering nimble handling in a diminutive yet solid-feeling package. This latest version is lighter than ever before – 80kg, in fact – and features a new 1.4-litre turbocharged engine too.

It also benefits from a range of sporty styling touches, including 17-inch alloy wheels and heavily bolstered sports seats. A new six-speed manual gearbox has been fitted, adding an extra cog over the older car’s five-speed ’box.

Toyota Yaris GRMN

Arguably one of the most compact hot hatches set to arrive in 2018, the Toyota Yaris GRMN’s diminutive proportions shouldn’t put you off. Gazoo Racing (Toyota’s motorsport arm) worked extensively on the car, reinforcing the chassis and tuning its 1.8-litre engine to produce more than 210bhp.

It also gets a host of visual tweaks, including 17-inch BBS alloy wheels, heavily bolstered sports seats and a large rear wing. Small in size, the Yaris GRMN is likely to offer a lot of performance.

Mercedes-AMG A45

Sitting at the top of the hot hatch food chain is the Mercedes-AMG A45, and soon there’ll be a new one. Though the previous-generation car was hardly short of poke, this latest version is claimed to push out more than 400bhp through all four wheels.

It’s also set to benefit from the latest cabin architecture from the likes of the E-Class and S-Class, offering a more premium experience for those inside compared with the older model.

Audi S1

Audi’s pocket-rocket S1 was something of a quiet hit for the German brand, offering thrills and a surprising amount of performance in a compact layout. Audi is believed to be releasing a successor towards the latter part of 2018, and it’s likely an S1 variant will accompany it.

The older car’s 2.0-litre turbocharged engine pushed it from 0-60mph in 5.9 seconds, so we’d expect the newer S1 to beat that time by some margin.

As we creep into the quiet cul-de-sac in a sleepy Hampshire town, no one notices the unremarkable grey BMW on surveillance duty.

Looking quite like every other 3 Series on the road, the unmarked police car raises little suspicion as it slips into the street where most of the houses are lit up with Christmas lights and their occupants are settling down for a Friday night in front of the TV.

This is no social visit, though. Traffic cop PC Rob Lewis is looking for someone specific – a known, repeat drink-driver who has been shopped to cops on the Crimestoppers hotline.

Tip offs

“The intelligence suggests this Jaguar driver downs a few pints every evening in a pub in the High Street and then drives home around 7pm,” explains PC Lewis, 44. “We are here to try and stop him.

“This information has mostly come from the Crimestoppers hotline,” he adds. “People call in with details and that is fed to us to investigate – and that’s exactly what we’re doing now.”

Christmas campaign

Operation Holly is a national drink-drive campaign that brings drink and drug driving into the spotlight – and this year police forces, like Hampshire Constabulary, are taking a more intelligence-led approach to catching offenders.

While the high profile, roadside operations that pull over drivers at random are still on-going, they’re taking somewhat of a backseat to stings like this one across the UK.

PC Lewis – a traffic cop for five years and a policeman for 18 – is clutching print outs of bulletins with pictures of offenders, car information, and details of their known patterns. And we’re out looking for them.

Sleeping it off

Unfortunately, the Jaguar driver is already home and the lights are off in his house – PC Lewis suspects he’s already had a skin-full and is now sleeping it off.

“We might not have got him tonight, but we’ll keep trying,” he says. “It took me five years to catch one repeat offender who was known to the force, but I eventually caught him. Taking people like that off the road is vital.”

Erratic Range Rover

While we’re loitering outside another known drink driver’s house, we get a call on the radio – a woman in a Range Rover is weaving all over the A3(M) near Petersfield, and they suspect she’s had a drink.

The location is around 10 miles away from the busy housing estate we’re circulating, but with blue lights and siren fired up, it’s merely a few minutes away.

Man hunt

PC Lewis expertly carves his way through the traffic, cars slipping aside in the fast lane as we top three figures to get to the area she was last spotted.

We arrive and park up on the hard shoulder, just after a junction on the busy dual carriageway, and keep an eye out for her to pass. A few minutes later the control room updates us, she’s been seen in Emsworth, a seaside town further down the road. We sweep head there and sweep the town looking for her, but she’s nowhere in sight.

Back on patrol

PC Lewis is constantly on the look-out for the tell-tale signs of a drink driver. Weaving, speeding or even driving with the window down while its cold are all signs the driver may have had a drink.

While patrolling Portsmouth we get another call from the control room – a man is threatening to leap off “jumper’s bridge”, a nearby suicide hotspot, and they’d like us to assist.

“We’ll head to the bridge and see what we can see,” PC Lewis tells the control room. On the way, another call comes in – his van has just triggered an ANPR camera not far from our location.

Drink driver

We divert to see if we can find the van – but within minutes he’s collared by a marked police unit. The driver is clearly upset, but stinks of alcohol.

PC Chris Powling breathalyses him and he blows a reading of 81mg in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mg. The driver is arrested, handcuffed and taken to the station in the back of a police van.

Banged up

At Portsmouth Central Police Station, the arresting officers need to get him booked in quickly. They need to test him on the Intoximeter as soon as possible – this is an official test and takes two readings, the lower of the two is then used as evidence.

It’s a set process, laid down in a document, and after he’s booked in by the custody sergeant, he’s taken straight into a special room for the test. After 15 minutes, the results are in – he’s blown 83mg per 100ml of breath twice and placed in a cell to sober up. Later the next day, he’ll be charged.

Sinking feeling

As the realisation of what is happening sinks in, the van driver starts to sob.

“Drink driving has huge consequences on people’s lives,” explains PC Lewis. “When they get to the station and realise they’ve been caught and that they’ll probably lose their jobs and freedom, then it starts to hit home. The advice is simple: Don’t drink and drive, it ruins lives.

“People might think we don’t take reports of drink-drivers seriously and may wonder if we ever do anything about it. As you’ve seen tonight, we take it very seriously indeed and will visit their homes or places where they drink to ensure they’re not breaking the law.

“I’d ask the public to continue reporting those breaking the law, because we will do all we can to catch drink-drivers not just at Christmas, but every single day of the year.”

Police officers have issued a warning to drink and drug drivers who think they can get away with it: Don’t bother.

We were invited along to experience Hampshire Constabulary’s Operation Holly where officers were using intelligence-led policing to catch offenders. But despite the tip-offs from the public via Crimestoppers, officers still use their skill, intuition and experience to spot drink drivers.

Traffic officer PC Chris Powling said: “There’s no point thinking you can get away with drink driving. There might be certain things we look for, but if you think you can cover up drink or drug driving – you can’t.

“Impaired drivers always give themselves away one way or another, and we’re experienced enough to spot the signs. Our message is simple: Don’t drink or take drugs, and drive.”

Here are some tell-tale signs to help sober motorists spot drink and drug drivers – and if you do, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Driving manner

How motorists who’ve had a drink or taken drugs drive their cars is very different to those who are sober. Not keeping the car in a straight line, weaving in between the white lines and overstepping give way marks and stop signs are all tell tales of an inebriated driver.

Offences

Traffic cops can only breathalyse drivers who have committed a ‘moving road traffic violation’. That could be something as simple as having a brake light out, or speeding.

Once pulled over, officers are perfectly within their rights to breathalyse the driver.

Ask the question

Have you had anything to drink in the last 24 hours? It’s a simple question and one that most people, especially at the weekend, will find hard to answer no to.

A positive answer means the officer can pull out the breath test machine and ask the driver to provide a reading.

Speeding

We’ve already mentioned it, but intoxicated drivers often think they’re better than they are. Their heightened confidence levels from the alcohol or drugs mean they’re far more likely to break the limit. At the other end of the scale, officers are looking for those who are driving too slowly – another sign a driver is trying to avoid detection.

Car condition

If you’re happy to wantonly break the law by drink driving, chances are you don’t really care about the state your car is in. Traffic cops say most offenders have something wrong with their car, such as bald tyres, lights out, or damaged panels – and they look out for these while on patrol.

Misty windows

Another giveaway on cold nights – especially around the festive season – is “letterbox windows”. This is where a driver has simply wiped a small area of a misted-up window and driven off. Drink-drivers are often impatient, or simply don’t notice their windows are foggy before driving off.

Cold air

Driving around with a window down in winter is unusual – and can be a tell-tale sign of a drink-driver. Officers explained that the blast of cold air makes the intoxicated drivers feel more alert, especially when the sleepy effects of alcohol are kicking in, which is why they’ll keep an eye out for them as they’re driving around.

No lights

At this time of year lots of people forget to put their lights on, but it can also be a sign someone has had a drink. After a skin full, drivers often are not thinking straight and they’ll see the daytime running lights illuminating the road ahead and think their headlights are on.

Flashing blue lights aren’t usually a welcome sight – unless, of course, they’re attached to an iconic police vehicle like one of these.

Over the years, police forces around the world have attached blue lights and a siren to some pretty special machines. Here’s a look at some of our favourites.

Ford RS200 Police Car

Back in 1986, UK police officers were usually found behind the wheel of a Ford Sierra or Granda – save for this lucky traffic cop, who was able to pilot a police-liveried RS200.

Powered by a 250bhp 1.8-litre petrol engine, the RS200 was certainly fast. This iconic shoot took place on a closed section of motorway – and was recently recreated with a new Focus RS police car pulling over a Sierra Cosworth.

Lamborghini Huracan Polizia

The Lamborghini Huracan is a V10-powered, mid-engined supercar capable of 60mph in under four seconds – ideal, then, as a high-speed response car for the Italian Highway Patrol in Rome.

Genuinely used, the Huracan Polizia was put into action as an everyday police car, as well as for the urgent transport of blood and organs. The exterior of the car was finished in the Italian police’s colours, while the tyre sidewalls were even tinted in the shade.

Carabinieri Alfa Romeo Giulia QV

This stealthy Alfa Romeo Giulia QV was delivered to the Carabinieri – the military arm of the Italian police force.

It’s a smart choice for a police car – a powerful turbocharged V6 gives it plenty of performance while sharp, nimble handling makes it ideal for changing lanes and nipping in between traffic quickly.

BMW i3

Okay, so it may not be the most visually-appealing police car available, but the fundamentals of the BMW i3 make it well suited to the job.

It’s got a surprising amount of punch, and its high torque levels mean that it’ll out-sprint more cars than you’d expect.

It’s also zero-emissions, meaning that officers can chase after criminals while doing little harm to the environment. An all-electric range of 97 miles means there’s more than enough charge for daily duties too.

Lotus Evora

Back in 2011, legendary lightweight sports car creator Lotus gifted one of its Evora vehicles to the West Midlands Police Force.

Powered by a 3.5-litre V6 with 280bhp, it arrived on a two-week loan and was the first time a high-end sports car had been used by the UK police.

It came with full police livery and blue lights, mounted on the roof and in the car’s front grille, so there was no mistaking it as it loomed large in offenders’ mirrors.

Dodge Charger Pursuit

Meet the Dodge Charger Pursuit – a contender from across the pond. As well as looking effortlessly mean, it uses either a V6 or V8 petrol engine, so it’s got plenty of power under the “hood”.

It boasts performance-tuned suspension with load-levelling shocks, as well as ballistic door panels that give the very best passenger protection. Plus, it can also be specified with all-wheel-drive for better traction.

Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge

Something as heavy and luxurious as a Rolls-Royce isn’t typically suited to life as a patrol car, however this Ghost Black Badge, supporting Sussex Police at a recent event, looks like it’s fully up to the task.

Livery aside, the Ghost remains close to standard. The interior, for instance, is finished in black and tan contrast leather. Unfortunately, this particular Rolls-Royce never entered active service, so it never got the chance to police the mean streets of Sussex.

BAC Mono

The BAC Mono is a lightweight, powerful single-seater race car for the road, and therefore isn’t the first choice for most police forces.

It was, however, extensively tested on the Isle of Man, and in doing so formed a partnership between the island’s constabulary and BAC.

Just one lucky officer – PC Andy Greves – was assigned to the car, tasked with promoting road safety on the island. Given that the Mono can hit 60mph in 2.8 seconds, it’s unlikely to have taken him too long to get around and was the perfect car to keep up with speeding bikers.

Porsche 911 Targa

In the 1960s the Dutch police were on the hunt for a vehicle capable of policing its then derestricted motorways.

It arrived at a Porsche 356, which stayed in use for some time. However, in 1967 the authorities went back to Porsche for another patrol car – a 911 Targa.

In operation until 1996, over 507 Porsche cars have been adorned with the Dutch police livery – making it the largest historic Porsche police fleet in the world.

Rover SD1

The Rover SD1 was the iconic police car of the 1980s, offering speed in a classically boxy shape.

They were stripped of any standard-vehicle frivolities, though, which is why they used a manual gearbox rather than an automatic, and had manual windows instead of electric. The springs were stiffened to aid cornering, while a heavy-duty clutch and bigger engine were fitted too.

Dubai Police

Okay, so this isn’t one car in particular – but rather the whole of Dubai Police’s fleet.
What began with a Lamborghini Aventador back in 2013 has now grown to include a Mercedes-AMG G63, Nissan GT-R and an Audi R8 – so any pursuit is likely to be stopped impressively quickly.

The fleet also contains – amazingly – a Bugatti Veyron. The 253mph-capable hypercar tops the bill of a current 14-strong fleet of high-speed patrol vehicles.

And one for future cops…

Giving a glimpse into the future of police patrol vehicles is this – the Scorpion-3 hoverbike. It’s just been tested out in Dubai (where else?), giving officers there the future opportunity of pursuing criminals from above – without the need for a helicopter.

Makers Hoversurf say that it has set new world records for flight height at 28.5 metres, and climbing rate too at five metres per second. Coupled with its impressive fleet of supercar patrol vehicles, there’s little escape for criminals from Dubai’s police.

Luxury car maker Rolls-Royce has been criticised for allowing grime artist Skepta to appear in a promotional video while not wearing a seatbelt.

The award-winning rapper is seen sitting in the back seat of a £360,000 Rolls-Royce Phantom with a friend, creating a song while being driven around not buckled up.

The Highway Code states that all passengers – including those sat in the rear – must wear a seatbelt at all times.

Road safety campaigners have reacted with shock that Rolls-Royce, based at Goodwood, West Sussex, released the video, which was filmed in Switzerland.

Jason Wakeford, director of campaigns for road safety charity Brake, said: “It appears as if seatbelts may have not been worn in this promotional video and, if that was indeed the case, we’d expect Rolls-Royce to be setting a much better example.

“Putting on a seatbelt only takes a few seconds, yet remains one of the most important things people can do to protect themselves in a vehicle.

Need to put on your seatbelt man. Safety "first"

— babyboy (@bonesninefour) December 7, 2017

“Failing to belt up is not only illegal, but it could also cost you and those around you their life.”

Under Swiss law, it is compulsory for all passengers to wear a seatbelt if they are fitted. According to the RAC, police officers can issue and collect on-the-spot fines of up to 200 Swiss francs (circa £150).

In the video, Skepta and his passenger are seen being driven around the Swiss Alps while he attempts to create a song on his laptop. On several occasions, the passenger leans forward and it’s clear that the pair are not wearing seatbelts.

Edmund King, president of the AA, added: “Perhaps Skepta, the great grime artist, should listen to his own song ‘It Ain’t Safe’ before rapping in the back of a Rolls-Royce, apparently not wearing a seatbelt.

“Remember ‘it ain’t safe’ ever to travel in any car, not matter how safe, without belting up.”

The National Police Chiefs’ Council was unable to comment, but quoted UK legislation, which states: “You must wear a seatbelt in cars, vans and other goods vehicles if one is fitted.

“Adults, and children aged 14 years and over, must use a seatbelt or child restraint, where fitted, when seated in minibuses, buses and coaches.

“Exemptions are allowed for the holders of medical exemption certificates and those making deliveries or collections in goods vehicles when travelling less than 50 metres.”

Drivers or passengers who break the law by failing to wear a seatbelt could face an on-the-spot fine of £100, or a maximum fine of £500, if prosecuted.

In 2010, Skepta tweeted: “Why don’t Cars have a button that says “I’M GONNA PUT MY SEATBELT ON IN A MINUTE NOW STOP F*%KIN BEEPING”.”

Why don't Cars have a button that says "I'M GONNA PUT MY SEATBELT ON IN A MINUTE NOW STOP F*%KIN BEEPING"

— SKEPTA (@Skepta) January 25, 2010

Think!, the government’s dedicated road safety website, says statistics show you’re twice as likely to die in a crash if you fail to buckle up.

Rolls-Royce repeatedly refused to respond to requests for a comment, and Skepta could not be reached.