Author: Tom Wiltshire

In September 2015, the world of diesel changed forever when news broke that Volkswagen had been covering up illegally high emissions of nitrogen oxides from its diesel vehicles. Since then, diesel’s come under a lot of pressure – with various groups calling for it to be heavily taxed or even banned altogether.

Many say that diesel was mis-sold to buyers, promising low emissions and high fuel economy when in reality it was totally unsuitable for the journeys they do.

But diesel isn’t necessarily the bad guy all the time. For some buyers, it still makes an awful lot of sense. But are you one of those buyers? Read on to find out…

What’s your mileage?

Diesel cars make a lot of sense for high-mileage drivers. Those doing over 20,000 miles a year will soon benefit from the increased fuel economy a diesel engine provides – and over time, they’ll save money.

This is because diesel fuel contains more energy than petrol, meaning that even though it’s slightly more expensive it offers more miles per gallon. However, in most cases, diesel variants of cars cost more to buy than their petrol equivalents, so depending on the price gap you’ll need to do more miles to break even.

For example, the Volkswagen Golf 1.6-litre diesel costs around £1600 more than the equivalently powered petrol. According to the official fuel economy, a driver would break even after around 75,000 miles – so for an average driver, that’s over six years. But for a motorway mile-muncher doing 30,000 miles a year, they’d break even in less than three years.

What type of journeys do you usually do?

Diesels are very efficient – when they’re warm. However, they take a while to heat up, which means during the first 10 miles or so of any journey they’ll be inefficient and polluting.

That’s not really good news if you regularly undertake lots of journeys shorter than that, and it gets worse, too. You see, modern pollution control systems need the engines to be running at a certain rpm to function. This is easily achievable on the motorway, but if your car starts a regeneration cycle while you’re idling on the school run, you risk clogging up expensive and complex systems such as exhaust gas recirculation or diesel particular filters.

How heavily loaded are you?

If there’s one thing diesels have over a petrol in abundance, it’s torque. This sheer pulling power means that for heavily loaded vehicles such as people carriers, vans, or trucks, there really isn’t much substitute for a diesel.

That’s especially true of people who often tow heavy items like caravans or horse boxes – they’ll find that a petrol, unless it’s a super-powerful one, really tends to struggle in these situations.

A diesel is more pleasant to use when loaded to capacity, and won’t suffer as much strain as a petrol would. You won’t need to ride the clutch so often, nor will you need to row through the gears at such a rate.

Which cars are you looking at?

Of course, this all assumes you have an option. However, several cars simply don’t offer a viable alternative to diesel, leaving you with the choice of sticking with the oil-burner or choosing a different car.

Let’s take pickup trucks, for example – there’s currently not a single petrol-powered crew-cab pickup on the UK market. The same is often true of people carriers, and even some executive or family cars have this issue, too.

Move into the more luxurious end of the market and you may find the diesel is the ‘sensible’ option. Sure, there’s a petrol available – but it’s a monstrous V8 with a daft amount of horsepower and a fuel economy figure in the teens. In these situations, you may just have to work around a diesel – taking regular long journeys and making sure it’s impeccably serviced to keep the emission control systems running as they should.

There’s no doubt many drivers of diesel cars today would be better off in a petrol, or even an equivalent hybrid or electric model. Yet the fuel has its uses, for high-mileage, heavily-laden or penny-pinching buyers. As always, just shop carefully and consider all of your options before you buy.

It’s happened to most of us before. You come back to your car only to find a damning yellow square underneath the windscreen wiper – a parking ticket, and not a cheap one.

While parking tickets don’t carry the same weight as speeding fines, they can be equally annoying, and if ignored can end up costing you even more. Worst of all are tickets handed out in private car parks, where there’s little incentive to be kind – fines aren’t regulated and you could end up paying a fortune.

Here are the rules when parking – and how to appeal a fine if you think it’s not legitimate.

Read the rules

Most public or private car parks will have a board or sign with the regulations on, and these differ from place to place so be sure to read them carefully. They’re likely to detail when the car park opens and closes, how long you can park for, whether you need to display a ticket and how much and where you should pay.

Assuming these rules are clearly legible, you have no excuse to break any of them – in the parking operator’s mind. You therefore have little recourse against breaking the rules unless the signage is missing, damaged or misleading.

Park carefully

We’re all aware that parking in reserved spaces is well out, as well as disabled bays unless you have a clearly displayed blue badge. But take care when parking in a regular bay – car park operators can sting you if you’re poorly parked or taking up more than one space. Keep your wheels within the white lines, and if you’re driving a very large vehicle, a van, or perhaps a car with a trailer or caravan you may need to pay for two bays.

Take care when street parking

Learning the rules of street parking is essential, too. If you’re in an unfamiliar area, check carefully to make sure you’re not parking in a controlled residential zone or somewhere you might need a permit. Take note of yellow lines too – double lines mean you must not park there at any time, while single lines will be accompanied by a sign with specific times. Also watch out for zig-zag lines, which must not be blocked.

Watch the time

Most parking tickets, especially in pay-and-display car parks are time based, and you must pay up front to park for a specific time period. Overrun this, and you risk being fined. Some car parks operate a short ‘grace’ period, but you shouldn’t rely on this.

The same applies for parking restrictions on-street, too. If the sign gives a limited time you’re allowed to park there, you must adhere to that – and don’t think moving 50 feet down the road will help, as wardens check registrations.

Appealing tickets

If you feel you’ve been given a ticket unfairly, you can appeal it. There are several reasons you may be able to appeal a parking fine:
– Ticket machine inoperable
– Signage damaged or misleading
– Bay markings illegible
– Yellow lines or road markings covered by debris
In special circumstances you may be able to appeal your own errors – if you’ve typed your registration incorrectly, for example. You may also be able to appeal on emergency grounds, for example if you broke down or were taken ill.

You’ll find details of how to appeal and who to appeal to on the fine itself. For on-road or public car park violations, it’s likely to be the local council of the area in which you’ve parked. In a privately-operated car park, you’ll be appealing directly to the company.

Remember to take photos of anything that might help your appeal. Keep your paperwork, too, including the ticket or receipt if possible. Send off your appeal as soon as possible, and don’t pay the ticket unless your appeal has been rejected.

And remember, only appeal a parking fine if you’ve actually got a legitimate reason to do so. Appealing a perfectly valid parking fine only wastes time.

For many drivers, the increasing price of fuel, complicated and fragile emissions control systems and the threat of looming taxes on petrol and diesel cars are enough to make them consider switching to an electric vehicle. The good news is, it doesn’t have to be daunting, difficult, or even expensive.

In fact, for many drivers an electric vehicle makes more sense than a petrol or diesel one. EVs have several inherent advantages, even beside their lack of tailpipe emissions. They’re smooth and simple to drive, notably in town conditions. They can cost pennies to run, especially if you make use of home charging wherever possible. And they’re even cheap to maintain, as their powertrains contain only a few moving parts and put less strain on consumables such as tyres and brakes.

However, they’re not perfect. With limited range, long charging times and a questionable infrastructure, electric vehicles won’t suit everyone.

Here are the factors you need to consider before buying an electric car.

Where do you live?

This one’s important. Sorry to say it, but if you live out in the sticks an EV probably won’t be the best choice. People who live in or near major towns and cities are best placed to make use of an EV – they’re ideally suited to town driving and can be charged up at public charge points, which tend to be on main routes.

Also consider your home. If you’ve got a driveway or garage that’s ideal, as you’ll be able to fit your own charging station. A few companies offer these, and they tend to be plumbed directly into your home’s power supply. A car that would take a whole night to charge from a standard 3-pin plug socket can be topped up in a few hours from one of these charging points.

Flat and apartment dwellers aren’t quite so lucky, although many new-builds are being provided with spaces in which to charge an electric car.

What kind of journeys do you do?

There’s a wide array of electric vehicles on the market, with models capable of barely 100 miles on a full charge rubbing shoulders with high-mileage heroes able to rack up around 300 miles. Unsurprisingly, in most cases you pay more for cars with a higher range.

If you regularly undertake long trips you’ll still be much better off with a diesel car. The electric car infrastructure isn’t yet developed enough to allow for long journeys without a degree of forward planning – you’ll need to work out in advance where to stop and charge.

Even that doesn’t come with total peace of mind, as maintaining a functioning network of charging points is proving beyond the abilities of some firms. You may find the chargers simply don’t work as they should and force you to go away and search for another – all while the charge is dwindling.

Electric cars work best for drivers with predictable journeys of a reasonable length. Have a 50-mile commute? Absolutely perfect. You’ll be able to get to and from work without an issue in most cars on the market and it’ll cost you mere pennies.

You must also bear in mind the effect that different types of driving have on the battery. Regular motorway use will see your range tumble, as will driving in winter with heating, lights and wipers all running. It’s always best to leave a buffer of range wherever you go.

Do you enjoy driving?

This is an interesting dilemma. Electric sports cars and supercars do exist, but they’re far beyond most people’s budgets. The majority of drivers will be looking at something around the size of a traditional hatchback.

Around town, most electric cars of this size are extremely enjoyable to drive. They offer instant torque and will outrun many a hot hatchback up to 30mph or so. In addition, regenerative braking allows you to drive on a single pedal, making things very easy and quite a lot of fun.

On faster roads though, serious petrolheads might miss the involvement that a combustion-engined sports car can bring. EVs are heavy, often lack power at the top end and don’t offer the theatre of a screaming petrol engine.

What’s your budget?

Electric vehicles are expensive for car manufacturers to build, and although prices have come down there’s still a premium to be had over their conventionally powered brethren. For the price of a 113bhp Volkswagen e-Golf, for example, you’d be able to bag a range-topping GTD – with 80bhp extra and lots of toys.

However, once you’ve got your EV you shouldn’t need to dip too far into your pockets to run it. Charging an electric vehicle is very cheap compared with fuelling a petrol or diesel car, and unless it costs over £40,000 to buy then vehicle tax is free.

Maintenance is easy too. Comparing a combustion engine to an electric motor is like comparing sudoku to The Very Hungry Caterpillar – EVs have barely any moving parts, so the powertrains should be flawlessly reliable. Use of regenerative braking means consumables such as tyres and brakes last longer too, and of course you won’t need to change the oil, fan belt, auxiliary belt or coolant. Nor will you need to regularly top up with AdBlue, as with most modern diesel cars.

What are my alternatives?

If an EV doesn’t suit your lifestyle just yet, don’t panic – there’s always the halfway house of a hybrid or plug-in hybrid. These offer several of the advantages of EVs – including a few miles of pure electric range, low emissions, cheaper tax and impressively low running costs – but eliminate range anxiety, as they can be filled up with fuel just like a conventional car.

Hybrids and PHEVs are still rather expensive to buy, though, and may not offer anything like the advertised fuel economy, depending on your usage.

As with any new car purchase, it’s all about research, research and more research. Consider your driving style, check out electric charging points near your home or workplace, and make a note of your driving habits. Buying the wrong car is a very expensive mistake, after all.

Nevertheless, if you can buy and run an electric car, then please do. Owners often love them, and you’ll be part of a flourishing community that’s improving the environment.

So, you’ve decided to sell your car – and as you don’t mind putting in a bit of extra work in order to achieve the best price, you’ve decided to list it privately rather than trading-in to a used car dealer or using an online buying service.

But you won’t get the best price for your car without some real effort, and there are some habits you should adhere to when putting your car up for sale. After all, your advert is the first thing a potential buyer will see – so make it a good one.

Here we’ve rounded up some tips on how to advertise your car in the best possible way.

Prepare the car

First of all, no matter if it’s a £500 banger or a £50,000 luxury limo, your car deserves a clean before being listed for sale.

Depending on the condition of your car, you can get pretty in-depth into this process. At the bare minimum we’d suggest vacuuming the inside, washing and shampooing the exterior (using the appropriate products and tools) while also cleaning the wheels. Some messes are beyond that, though, and will require targeted cleaning products.

We’d also suggest trying your best to remove any stains on the interior – they could be a real turn-off to potential buyers.

Take good photographs

List your car with a blurry photo of the rear three-quarter panel and you’re very unlikely to receive many calls about it. Potential buyers want to see absolutely everything, so take your time and make sure you’re picturing your advert with the best possible photos.

First, make sure the car’s clean, then park it in good light – ideally out of direct sunlight to prevent reflections. Then, get snapping! At a minimum, buyers will want to see the exterior of car from the front, rear, and all four three-quarter angles. You should take pictures of the dashboard, front and rear seats, and boot.

Next, you’ll want to capture detail shots. Focus on any issues with the car – a buyer isn’t going to trust you if you purposefully conceal that massive dent on the rear door. A picture of the engine bay is good to have too, and photos of any kerbing on the wheels is also preferred. As a final peace of mind, it’s good practice to photograph the mileage on the dashboard.

If you have a great camera, then use it, but most modern smartphones will have good enough cameras to take perfectly serviceable pictures for car adverts. However, if you are using a phone, make sure you’re using it in landscape orientation for the best results.

Research

Before you write your ad, take a moment to research – both the model you’re selling and your specific car. You should collect up any paperwork, including ownership documents and particularly service history, and start checking through.

It’s an offence not to disclose whether a car has had significant work done to it, so check through old invoices and service records – particularly if the car had a life before your ownership too.

Does your particular car have any desirable options fitted to it, such as a sunroof, metallic paint or heated seats? Mention them. Does it have a full service history, or only partial? Has it had regular maintenance done recently, such as a cambelt change? What condition are the tyres in? Any non-standard modifications?

Familiarise yourself with everything – not only will you be able to write a more detailed advert, you’ll be able to answer any questions potential buyers may have.

Writing the ad

Resist the temptation to regress back to GCSE level creative writing and stick to the facts. Buyers want to know as much information about the car in as short a time as possible, but they also want to be reassured that they’re buying the car from an owner who’s responsible. A good first impression pays.

With that in mind, consider writing a short introduction detailing the car in brief, your history with it, and your reason for sale. Then, list the remaining features in bullet points.

It’s absolutely essential to include:
– The car’s year
– Specific mileage (if the car’s still in use, mention the mileage will increase)
– Service history details
– Number of owners
– Colour (in plain English – most of the time, the manufacturer shade is meaningless)
– List of equipment
– Price
– Location
– Contact details

Avoid abbreviations unless you’re using a site with a limited word count. Don’t use clichés, either – nobody cares if it’s had ‘one careful lady owner’ and ‘first to see will buy’ is wishful thinking rather than fact. Buyers know all of these trite expressions and it will make your ad look insincere.

Listing your ad

A wide-spread net catches more fish, so list your ad in several places to ensure it gets seen. With that being said, make sure you’re using appropriate websites – a 2008 Nissan Micra doesn’t belong on a classic car website, and your Chrysler Grand Voyager will not be appreciated on the classifieds page of the Porsche Owner’s Club.

Finally, be engaged with your advert. Respond to potential buyers quickly and fairly, and if any changes need to be made, do so quickly and accurately.

At the end of all this, you should be able to bag a healthy sum for your used car – more than you’d get from a trade-in or buying service. Enjoy your extra cash!

What is it?

Say the words ‘BMW 8 Series’ to any car enthusiast and you’ll probably get wet shoes as they melt into a puddle, babbling about V12 engines and pop-up headlights. Now, the contemporary 8 Series isn’t quite as instantly iconic or quirky as the original, but it’s an important step for BMW – a car that can challenge ultra-luxury offerings such as the Mercedes S-Class Coupe, but in true BMW fashion – by placing driving dynamics and passenger enjoyment rather than comfort at the top of the list of priorities.

What’s new?

The 8 Series is an all-new car, so while it shares plenty with other BMW models, under the skin the overall package is like nothing else in the range. Initially, it’s exclusively available as a two-door coupe, but BMW will also introduce convertible and four-door ‘Gran Coupe’ variants to the line-up. All will share the same trio of engines, too. It also occupies a new market sector for BMW, sitting between truly focused sports cars such as the Porsche 911 and genuine luxury models such as the S-Class Coupe. Forthcoming four-door models will also rival the Porsche Panamera.

What’s under the bonnet?

Although there will be a 40d diesel model available, we drove the M850i – a step down from a full-fat M car but still packing a 4.4-litre V8 with 523bhp. It’s paired with an eight-speed torque converter automatic gearbox, and the combination is simply brilliant.
Power – as you’d expect from such hefty numbers – is ample, and the 8 Series always feels like it has more to give. The gearbox is silky smooth when you’re just ambling around at low speeds, but put your foot down (and whack it into ‘Sport’ mode) and changes are ferociously quick. That’s backed up by the figures – 0-60mph arrives in 3.5 seconds and top speed is limited to 155mph.
Despite being turbocharged, the V8 gives plenty of punch right through the rev range, and in the upper echelons it roars like a tiger – though how much of this is artificially generated, we’re not sure. Regardless, it’s an impressive powertrain and one we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend, despite the obvious cost and economy penalties over the diesel.

What’s it like to drive?

BMW’s sporting heritage is clear to note as soon as you begin to press on. The 8 Series isn’t a darty, quick sports car like a Porsche 911, but the fluidity of its handling, the ease with which it grips in fast corners and the way it simply gobbles up a twisting road means it’s incredibly satisfying to drive.
Two aspects of the 8 Series help it in the corners – four-wheel drive and four-wheel steering. The former is BMW’s well-known xDrive system, which in the 8 Series is rear-biased for greater poise but can push all the power to the front wheels if necessary.
The latter works as most systems do, turning the rear wheels in the opposite direction for faster and tighter cornering at slow speeds, or in the same direction for greater motorway stability. It really works, too – this feels like a far smaller car than its 4.85-metre length would suggest, although the sensation of the rear shifting by itself does take some getting used to.
Meanwhile, ride comfort is a good middle ground between the pillowy softness of an S-Class and the hardened sports suspension of a Porsche 911.

How does it look?

Having quite a good day today. Again not allowed to say what the car is like, but the location is brilliant. pic.twitter.com/UD9q0F1RNY

— Tom Wiltshire (@mctreckmeister) October 20, 2018

The 8 Series has seriously elegant proportions – a long bonnet and rear deck, flowing lines and a compact passenger cabin. A few styling details don’t sit too happily on this frame, though – the traditional ‘kidney’ grilles look a little too stylised and don’t play totally naturally with the super-slim LED headlights, while the rear’s complex interplay of surfacing, shutlines and aerodynamic controls is a little messy from some angles. Yet the overall shape and a few features such as the double-bubble roof are just wonderful.
It’s worth mentioning the car is extremely spec-dependent, too. The vehicles we drove were all covered in black detailing on the window line and front grille as well as having black alloys. Models that feature chrome detailing look totally different – less sporting and a little classier.

What’s it like inside?

Inside, it’s classic BMW – which is a good and a bad thing. The driver-focused cabin is simplicity itself to use – all the controls are well situated and the iDrive infotainment system is one of the best in the business. There are some intricate touches just for the 8 Series as well, such as a cut-glass gear knob and infotainment selector. The driving position is also perfect, and infinitely adjustable.
If we’re being critical, though, there’s little of the ‘wow’ factor that you get with some rivals. This cabin would be equally at home in a 5 or even 3 Series, and we’d quite like a little more than just a shiny gear selector to mark it out as the brand’s flagship.
In practicality terms, a big coupe has never been the most spacious of things – but we’d have liked a little more legroom in the rear of the 8 Series. Thankfully, the forthcoming Gran Coupe should solve that and bring an extra pair of doors into the equation, too.

What’s the spec like?

As expected for a car costing well over £70,000 (almost £100,000 in 850i form) there’s a good level of spec on offer. Clearly, climate control, cruise control, electric seats, adaptive LED headlights, a whole suite of safety aids and a wireless charging pad all come as standard, but the options list has a few things to offer. We’re big fans of the M-striped seatbelts, front seat ventilation and soft-close doors, and it’s also possible to option an exterior carbon-fibre package for an even racier look.

Verdict

The 8 Series is a seriously impressive coupe and one that shows BMW’s ability to blend the luxurious with the sporting is still alive and well. It doesn’t feel quite as special as some rivals, however – a Porsche 911 is still far better to drive, while a Mercedes S-Class Coupe trumps it on luxury. So the appeal of the 8 Series will depend on whether you see it as the best of both worlds or an uncomfortable middle ground. We’re leaning towards the former.

• Model as tested: BMW 8 Series M850i xDrive Coupe
• Price: £100,045
• Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8
• Power: 523bhp
• Torque: 750Nm
• Max speed: 155mph
• 0-60mph: 3.5 seconds
• Fuel economy: 29mpg
• Emissions: 224g/km
• Rivals: Bentley Continental GT, Porsche 911, Mercedes S-Class Coupe

Audi has facelifted and updated its R8 flagship for the 2019 model year, giving it a refreshed look, more power and greater dynamism courtesy of suspension and steering tweaks.

The exterior facelift is relatively subtle. There’s a lower and wider grille, bringing the R8 in line with more recent releases such as the Q8. It sees the slim headlights thrust further apart, and they retain a sharp-edged LED daytime running light signature.

A new front splitter and a wraparound front spoiler finish the fascia off, while the sides see new skirts and deeper air intakes, while the rear has a full-width honeycomb grille to aid cooling of the mid-mounted engine.

The exhaust tailpipes also change from square to oval, and receive a new matt titanium surround on top-spec Performance models. Finishing the visual tweaks to the exterior are fresh new colour options and 19- or 20-inch alloy wheel designs.

The new Performance model is essentially the previous V10 Plus rebranded, and both the renamed model and the standard car get a substantial power boost. The regular model sees power increase from 533bhp to an impressive 562bhp, while the Performance now packs 612bhp over the previous V10 Plus’s 603bhp.

0-60mph times drop by 0.1 seconds, to 3.2 and 3.3 seconds for the Coupe and convertible Spyder models respectively in standard form, and to 2.9 and 3.0 seconds for the Performance Coupe and Spyder – another 0.1 second improvement.

Audi promises reworked steering and suspension systems, improving stability and precision when cornering. It’s also retuned the steering to widen the gap between the car’s drive modes, meaning customers should notice more of a difference between the car’s Comfort, Auto and Dynamic setups.

The new model will go on sale in 2019, with the cost expected to rise slightly over the current model’s £112,525 asking price.

Motorists could soon be encouraged to use the ‘Dutch Reach’ when opening their door to protect cyclists from injury – or worse.

The Department for Transport is reviewing the Highway Code, looking to reduce casualties from so-called ‘dooring’.

It may introduce the Dutch technique – praised by road safety organisations – which sees drivers use their opposite hand to open their vehicle door.

The move forces them to twist their body, making them look behind before they open the door and get out. The technique gets its name from the Netherlands, where it is included in the driving test.

The #Government has announced the #DutchReach and guidelines around safe passing distances for #cyclists are to be included in Highway Code. Great success and a significant milestone for cycle safety ?! https://t.co/oBZUq0cw7q pic.twitter.com/1FdTXWDZBv

— Cycling UK (@WeAreCyclingUK) October 18, 2018

Neil Worth, road safety officer for Gem Motoring Assist, said: “Cyclists are vulnerable, and we welcome this move to provide them with better protection. For drivers and their passengers it’s a small and simple change, but it could make a big difference.”

The RAC’s head of roads policy, Nicholas Lyes, agreed with the change, adding: “We support the introduction of the Dutch Reach principle to the Highway Code – a small change every motorist can make when exiting their vehicle that can make a huge difference to the safety of cyclists.”

Edmund King, president of the AA, said: “The government seems to be going Dutch, despite Brexit, with the proposal for the ‘Dutch reach’ to be included in the Highway Code to enhance cycle safety. We do need more consideration for cyclists and pedestrians.”

Calls to update the code come as police forces in Hampshire and the Thames Valley crack down on cycling safety.

Operation “Give Space, Be Safe” is currently taking place in Southampton, with a team of police officers targeting drivers who don’t leave enough of a gap when passing cyclists.

An unmarked officer with cameras fitted to his bicycle monitors those overtaking him, and if at any point he feels intimidated or unsafe, he radios a police motorbike, which pulls in the offending vehicle.

The motorist is then shown video footage from the bicycle before being offered prosecution or a 15-minute roadside safety demonstration on the correct procedure for passing cyclists.

Although the Highway Code doesn’t specify a passing distance for cyclists, it does tell drivers to leave “at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car”. Hampshire and Thames Valley Police recommend a gap of at least 1.5 metres.

Today we have been in Southampton running our #GiveSpaceBeSafe close pass operation with our partners from Southampton City Council. We caught 9 motorists who drove far too close to our cyclist, below is one of them. All elected to attend our check site & receive education #1656 pic.twitter.com/AVimYxkkY2

— Hants Roads Policing (@HantsPolRoads) October 18, 2018

Rob Heard, the road safety sergeant for Hampshire and the Thames Valley in charge of the operation being run in Southampton, said: “Cities account for around a quarter of all our fatalities and serious collisions. It’s quite surprising how people don’t give room even when they have the space to do it.

“We’re engaging with motorists and reminding them of the dangers of passing too close.”

The operation pulled over nine motorists in just three hours, highlighting how common the offence is.

Sgt Heard added: “My top tips to motorists would be to hold back until it’s safe to overtake, don’t overtake when you approach a pinch point, and imagine if you were a cyclist – think: ‘How much room would I like to have when being overtaken?’ It’s all about sharing the road and being safe.”

It’s a beautifully warm and sunny evening, and I’m driving an open-topped roadster along some very pleasant country roads surrounding the village of Hambleden, near Henley-upon-Thames. I must admit, though, that I’m finding it a little difficult to relax, as the car I’m in is left-hand drive, doesn’t have any door mirrors, cuts out if left to idle and – most worryingly – is worth £2 million.

It’s BMW’s own 507, maintained as part of the brand’s UK heritage fleet and I’ve been allowed to take it for a drive as part of an event commemorating the brand’s open-topped history – as well as looking to its future.

In attendance alongside the 507 is the all-new Z4, albeit in pre-production form so we’re not allowed to drive it. It sits in a frankly stunning lineup which includes – in order of age descending – a brand-new i8 Spider, a previous-generation Z4, a Z8, a Z1, that incredible 507, a 327 and a 328. It’s an amazing collection which would likely cost close to £4 million to replace, assuming you could find such wonderful examples in the first place.

BMW’s brought the new Z4 together with its predecessors primarily to show off its design. The man behind the car, Australian designer Calvin Luk, points out elements taken from previous models – such as the long, thin taillights and wide kidney grilles inspired by the 507 and Z8, as well as all-new design features such as the double-stacked headlights and more cab-forward proportions.

Customer feedback means the driving position’s moved forward, so the hood is shorter, and the wheels have been thrust out to each corner. It’s certainly different to any BMW that’s come before it, and though many aspects of the styling are divisive – such as the huge grilles and sharp lines – the overall proportions are very tidy.

But back to my poorly 507, which as I mentioned has an issue with idling. However, the roads are clear and I soon grow accustomed to its heavy steering and non-existent rear visibility. Without any need to stop and risk the engine cutting out, I’m able to give the car a few beans and hear that 3.2-litre V8 sing.

This is the reason I will never give up this job willingly. pic.twitter.com/y2kgbEXmtA

— Tom Wiltshire (@mctreckmeister) September 27, 2018

The 507 wasn’t a success in its day – only 251 were built – making it incredibly rare, collectable and valuable. It’s for this reason I can’t really relax behind the wheel – but instead spend my time alternating between concentrating fiercely on the road ahead and marvelling at how the front wings raise up from the cabin to give the impression of a hood a mile long. It’s a little bit intoxicating.

Breathing a massive sigh of relief as I return the unscathed 507 to BMW’s custodianship, I grab the keys to a childhood icon – the Z1. This dinky fibreglass roadster was produced in tiny numbers between 1989 and 1991 – making it only a little older than me – and was the first to be given the ‘Z’ name.

Driving the Z1 and Z8 last night was rather special indeed. Boyhood dreams realised, and wasn't disappointed with either. pic.twitter.com/yRZsk9xVTL

— Tom Wiltshire (@mctreckmeister) September 28, 2018

Step towards the Z1 and it’s the party-piece doors that grab your eye first. Instead of opening outwards, they slide down – window and all – into the sills at the push of a button. That alone is enough of a party piece, but remarkably as all of the car’s crash structure is built into the sills it’s perfectly safe to drive around with the doors retracted at all times.

Unassisted steering aside, the Z1 feels for all the world like a modern, compact sports car. The straight-six engine sounds wonderful, the suspension is firm yet comfortable, and the five-speed gearbox is light and precise. Put simply, it’s brilliant fun on these roads, and I come away from my drive absolutely craving one.

Stepping out of the Z1 and into the brand-new i8 Spider is like going from a theater to a dentist’s waiting room. The hybrid i8 is indeed very fast, but it just seems too safe, comfortable and clinical after the classic models. Unlike the new Z4, the i8 was mostly designed from a clean sheet, and it shows – there are very few recognisable design influences in here.

Is that a bad thing? Of course not, and the i8 Spider is still a very impressive car. But I’m short on time and desperate to drive more of the classics, so I head back and swap into my other boyhood dream car.

The Z8 is another model that wasn’t exactly a contemporary success – reports at the time criticised its styling, its lazy V8 engine and the chassis, which was felt to be an uncomfortable middle ground between cushy GT and hardcore sports car.

I don’t know if it’s improved with age, but the Z8’s styling doesn’t look awkward at all any more – and rather than being disappointed, I’m revelling in the wonderful and ever-rarer sensation of a big V8 sports car with a manual gearbox. The Z8’s 5.0-litre naturally-aspirated V8 sounds fabulous when revved out, and the avant-garde interior is simply gorgeous.

I have GOT to get me one of these. pic.twitter.com/d42mZaSwAQ

— Tom Wiltshire (@mctreckmeister) September 27, 2018

Obviously dating from the early 2000s means you won’t find much in the way of modern technology in here, yet the controls and materials feel bang up-to-date and it drives beautifully. It’s nowhere near as sharp to drive as its looks suggest, but you soon learn to take it easy through the corners and allow the engine to stretch its legs on the straights. I’m enjoying it hugely.

Next, I attempt to squeeze into the £750,000 328 – but I’m 6’2 and ‘generously’ proportioned, so I don’t quite trust myself to drive this 1930s machine safely with my legs bent double and the steering wheel at my chest. The 327 is a different matter though, and I gladly set off for a spin – after a brief tutorial on the dashboard’s totally unmarked switches.

This car pre-dates the 507 by nearly 20 years, and so I keep the speed fairly low. Something this age demands a totally different driving style, with all the controls requiring serious heft and a gearbox throw a mile long.

This time, there’s not just limited rear visibility – there’s none, with the convertible roof blocking the interior mirror perfectly, but otherwise I’m enjoying myself. As a carefully-maintained heritage car, this is as perfect a driveable example as you’re likely to come across, and it feels remarkably tight for a car that’s eight decades old.

Lining this 30s car up alongside the modern Z4, the lineage isn’t quite as clear as it is with some of the modern cars. But all of the roadsters here have a clear sporting focus in their design – even the ones more suited to boulevard cruising than track usage.

More importantly, they’re all gorgeous to look at, great to drive and with the roof down on a warm evening, about as pleasant as motoring gets. I’m sad to leave.

Energy minister Claire Perry has admitted that she drives a diesel car in her constituency – despite government opposition to the fuel.

A Sky News interview with her saw the Tory MP for Devizes – who is also the minister for clean growth and leads government efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions – face a grilling on her clean energy habits, and came just a week after the UN urged countries to take more action to limit global warming to a pre-agreed 1.5 degrees centigrade above pre-industrial levels.

The 54-year-old said: “When I get to London I try to cycle a lot. But I have got a diesel car at the moment, a small diesel.

“I did have a hybrid for a very long time, and then I switched to a diesel. But I’m pretty sure my next car will be an electric one.”

Perry also admitted that she didn’t have solar panels on her home as her roof wasn’t south-facing, and hadn’t given up meat despite research showing that farming meat produced more carbon dioxide than did transport.

Energy minister @claireperrymp reveals to Sky News that she drives a diesel vehicle.

It comes as the government asks climate change experts to advise on how to reach net zero emissions: https://t.co/pqGeemGcyy pic.twitter.com/P0O8qLrLKG

— Sky News Politics (@SkyNewsPolitics) October 15, 2018

Diesel vehicles tend to produce less carbon dioxide than petrol ones, so their adoption aids global climate change targets. However, they produce more local emissions such as nitrogen oxides and soot, leading to wide-ranging resistance to them by governments across Europe in a bid to clean up cities.

As a result, the European market share of diesel cars has dropped from 42.5 per cent at the start of 2017 to 36.5 per cent at the start of 2018.

Skoda has confirmed that its next model will be named ‘Scala’ – the Latin word for ‘stairs’ or ‘ladder’. The new Scala will be a mid-sized hatchback – the brand’s first real foray into this category – and should go head-to-head with some of Britain’s best-selling models such as the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf.

The current Skoda Octavia is based on the same underpinnings as the Golf, but the Czech brand’s ethos of offering good value for money means it’s far larger and competes confidently with cars in the class above it.

Introducing the ŠKODA SCALA: our all-new family hatchback. pic.twitter.com/ok8CbVusDN

— ŠKODA UK (@SKODAUK) October 15, 2018

The Octavia’s smaller sibling is the Skoda Rapid, a budget offering in the segment and one that’s not given its rivals too much trouble.

Bernhard Maier, chairman of the board at Skoda, said: “With the new Skoda Scala, we are proposing a new chapter in the compact class of Skoda.

‘‘It is a completely new development that sets standards in terms of technology, safety and design in this class. We are confident that the Scala has the best chance to redefine the A-segment for Skoda.”

The Scala was previewed at the 2018 Paris Motor Show by the Vision RS concept, so it’s likely that the new car’s styling will be a toned-down version of that.

While the show concept featured a hybrid powertrain, most of the models in Scala’s line-up when the car enters production will probably include traditional petrol and diesel units.

It’s also expected to be the first Skoda to be based on the ‘MQB A0’ chassis architecture already used to make the new Audi A1, Seat Ibiza and VW Polo.

Teaser images show only the car’s badging, but indicate that the Scala will feature the Skoda name spelled out across an extended glass tailgate – instead of on a traditional badge.