Category: News

A teacher’s dash cam captured her drink-driving and crashing into a parked car.

The footage shows 41-year-old Louise Willard swerving along the A27 in East Sussex at 70mph and mounting the grass verge while crossing a busy roundabout.

She then narrowly misses passing cars, trees, hedges and roadworks while travelling at up to 50mph on the A259 and country lanes before crashing into an Audi A4 in Bexhill. She initially reversed and drove off before stopping nearby.

Police were called at around 5.30pm on April 4 by two members of the public who were worried about the actions of the driver of the white Vauxhall Corsa.

Willard, of Bexhill, failed a roadside breathalyser test after being found with 94mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in her system – nearly three times the 35mcg legal limit.

She was charged with drink-driving and failing to stop after a crash and pleaded guilty at Hastings Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

Willard was disqualified from driving for 24 months and sentenced to a 12-month community order to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work, and has to pay £170 in costs and victim surcharge.

Pc Nathan Langley, of the Sussex Police Polegate Roads Policing Unit, said the “shocking” footage was released to highlight the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol.

He added: “The scary thing is this isn’t a particularly unusual or extraordinary example of drink-driving; the driver has displayed a number of characteristics which you would typically expect. What you wouldn’t expect, of course, is for someone in such a state to get behind the wheel of their car.”

A reckless driver of a car transporter has taken the roof off a brand-new Range Rover in transit, while damaging another.

Images posted online by Greater Manchester Police’s traffic feed shows the aftermath of the incident on the M61 near to Farnworth and Walkden that took place on Wednesday morning, which transformed a Range Rover Velar into the models first convertible version.

One from yesterday – #M61 Motorway, car transporter driver fails to lower top deck and collides with bridge resulting in turning this Range Rover into a none factory build convertible! Driver reported for due care. @NWmwaypolice pic.twitter.com/SqSj0ctfmw

— GMP Traffic (@gmptraffic) April 26, 2018

Along with the roofless SUV, another Range Rover model was also damaged and a Green Flag recovery vehicle appears to have been a helpless victim of falling debris from the transporter.

An accompanying tweet for the images from GMP’s traffic feed said: “One from yesterday – #M61 Motorway, car transporter driver fails to lower top deck and collides with bridge resulting in turning this Range Rover into a none factory build convertible! Driver reported for due care.”

It’s not clear where the Range Rover vehicles were heading, although the visible delivery packaging on the exposed interior of the Velar suggests they were customer-bound. A man as has been issued with a ticket for driving without due care and attention following the incident.

A statement from Greater Manchester Police said: “Police were called at 9.55am on Wednesday 25 April 2018 to reports of a collision at junction 4 of the M61 southbound, near to Farnworth and Walkden.

“A transporter collided with a bridge and in turn caused damage to the vehicle behind. A man has been issued with a ticket for driving without due care and attention.”

Be it music, movies or motoring, there’s an inevitable overlap between consumer products.

There are only so many chords, only so many types of story to tell, and perhaps, a particularly finite number of shapes you can place atop four wheels and an engine.

With this reality in mind, it’s not surprising that some cars bear a resemblance to their predecessors. This list is dedicated to the cars that, intentionally or otherwise, bear a resemblance to other models.

Porsche 924 – Mazda RX-7

The 924 has one of the more tainted reputations in the pantheon of Porsche history. It’s front-engined, and the power plant first fitted was a 2.0-litre sourced from Volkswagen, producing just 110bhp.

None of this stopped the designers at Mazda seemingly utilising a picture of the 924 and some tracing paper when designing the first RX-7.

Indeed, the first-gen RX-7 was in much the same ballpark when it came to power, with the advantage of a spectacular rotary engine soundtrack over the drone of the 924’s four-cylinder.

Of course, the RX-7 evolved considerably over its life and became an icon; you wouldn’t begrudge those who designed the relatively unloved 924 for feeling a little cheated.

Mitsubishi i – Tata Nano

Mitsubishi’s ‘i’ kei car was an odd-looking beast – slender, small and quintessentially Japanese, it was a car that was always going to struggle to find purpose in foreign markets.

While the car was sold in many countries, perhaps it missed a trick in not marketing to India, as Tata clearly saw an opportunity at hand.

In swept the Nano, with similar proportions and a similar concept, right down to the engine sitting in the rear of the car. The Nano was marketed in something of a different manner, being an unquestionably budget option; unfortunately, it still went over-budget, as Tata was making a loss on every car sold.

Mini – Nissan Micra

The second-generation Micra was a simple, honest car, with unobjectionable styling and a compact, lightweight frame. It also held a fairly obvious inspiration – the original Mini.

The little Micra is obviously a newer shape, having been revealed some 32 years after the original Mini, but the cues are certainly there.

However, the Micra would soon be copied itself…

Nissan Micra – Perodua Kelisa

If the Micra was inspired by the Mini, the Kelisa is simply a smudged photocopy of the Micra.

From the near-cloned rear-end, to the twin-entry styling on the grille, the Kelisa is impressively dedicated to simply being a second-generation Micra.

The Kelisa also shares some visual lineage with the Mini, and former Top Gear star James May even likened it to the iconic British car during a roadtest.

Ultimately, the Kelisa did well for Perodua, helping the company – which was less than a decade old when the car was launched in 2001 – become the largest car brand in its home nation of Malaysia.

Aston Martin DB9 – Jaguar XK

Here are two British, front-engined sports cars which were both designed by Ian Callum at a time when the same company owned both marques. If we’re being honest, this one is as forgivable as it is obvious.

But indeed, the DB9 and the XK do in fact look rather alike, despite one housing a 12-cylinder engine, and the other settling for just 8.

The two brands have since become more separate in their style, as neither are owned by Ford any longer, but for a little while, the common ground between Jaguar and Aston Martin’s sports car offerings was rather noticeable.

 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona – Rover SD1

Yes, this one is a little bit of a stretch, but the resemblance is there at the front end of Rover’s SD1.

And, as it turns out, this is by design rather than happy accident, as creator David Beche acknowledged the Ferrari Daytona as an inspiration for his model.

From every other angle, it’s simply not true, ‘but just pay attention to the front’, as we’re sure some Rover owners felt compelled to say.

Morgan Aero 8 – Wiesmann

Wiesmann’s range was inspired by British cars, and the German firm made no secret of that – the plan was to take classic British styling and match it with modern German performance, aided by BMW engines.

If we had to nail down a car that it most resembles, it would be the Morgan Aero 8. There is plenty of Jaguar C-Type there too, but its modernised retro feel brings it closer to the Aero 8 in our eyes.

Fiat 500 – Nissan Micra

Trying to claim that the current day Fiat 500 copied any other car, given its namesake and inspiration from several decades prior is slightly tenuous.

However, there is something to be said for those who claim that the rear-end of the 500 shares a lot with the third-generation Nissan Micra.

While there’s a more pronounced curve on the Micra, the headlights and general positioning of all the key features on the 500 is certainly similar.

Suzuki Swift – Jaguar E-Pace

 

This last one is almost certainly accidental, but the Jaguar E-Pace and the Suzuki Swift are – from the right angle – not too dissimilar. The grille of the Swift is rather similar to Jaguar’s current signature front-end jewellery, and both the side vents and the headlight shape only add to the similarities.

It’s a stretch, yes, but we’re not the first to notice, and we’re sure Suzuki won’t mind the comparison too much!

Although buying a new car can be an exciting time, it can also be stressful. There’s a lot to consider: what make and model to choose, what engine type do I want, which option boxes should I tick and – perhaps most crucially – how will I pay for it?

In an ideal world, we’d all save up enough money to pay one lump sum for a new set of wheels but for most that’s simply not an option, leaving many pondering the question of applying for a personal loan or opting for finance when purchasing their new vehicle. We take a look at both to help you choose how to pay for your next car.

Bank loans

What’s good about a bank loan?

When taking out a bank loan, you borrow a set amount of money agreed that is paid back over a period of time agreed with your creditor. As a loan is not secured against your vehicle, the car is yours from the moment you pick it up.

Unlike car finance, you also don’t need to place an initial deposit to borrow the money – which could land you in a new car sooner than saving for an initial finance payment would. Also, bank loans do not limit your annual mileage in a vehicle, like many finance options do.

Opting for a bank loan also gives you the freedom to shop around to find the best interest rates. Remember, you’re not just limited to the bank you hold an account with when seeking a loan.

Is there a catch?

As with anything, bank loans are not all plain-sailing. They’re generally a lot harder to successfully apply for than car finance, as creditors are more likely to refuse you if your credit rating is poor.

Loan interest rates are also often higher and can increase after your initial application.

Car finance

What are the advantages of car finance?

Financing a car can be an easier process than using a bank loan to purchase a car, as its usually agreed through a dealership when buying a vehicle. Financing also usually brings lower interest rates and you’re more likely to be approved if you have a poor credit rating than you would a bank loan.

There are two main types of finance available – hire purchase (HP) and personal contract purchase (PCP).

What’s the difference between HP and PCP?

HP is pretty easy to understand. The list price of a car is broken down into a deposit and a number of monthly payments – the number of which is agreed with your creditor. Interest is added, so you ultimately pay a little more than if you were to pay in full, but the car is yours to keep once the full balance is covered. Hire purchase is also available on used cars.

PCP can be a little more complicated, as it’s usually split in three phases. There’s usually an initial deposit that can be agreed with the dealership, although from time-to-time you may find a nil-deposit offer. Then, there’s the monthly deposits – the time of which varies, although most contracts are over a three-year period.

Finally, at the end of your monthly payments, you have a choice of three options. First, you can hand the keys back to the dealer with no extra fees – meaning the car is no longer yours. If you wish to keep the car, you can pay a settlement fee and the vehicle then belongs to you or, if you wish to upgrade, you can trade the vehicle in towards a new one with any value left over the settlement fee knocked off the price.

What’s not-so-good about finance?

While finance may sound like an easy option, it’s worth remembering you don’t own the car until all payments have been made on finance. If you struggle to keep up with payments, the finance company will have the right to repossess the vehicle.

There could also be mileage limitations and other stipulations applied to the car, as finance companies will want as little depreciation as possible in case you decide to return the vehicle.

Bank loan or car finance: what’s best for me?

Both car finance and bank loans should be considered and researched to your individual needs to work out exactly what is best for you, but some general rules do apply.

If you’re in a good credit standing, and can comfortably afford to pay it off, a bank loan could be your best bet as you own the car from day one and will have no limitations on vehicle usage. It can also work best for those who change cars often, particularly used, as the vehicle is not tied up in a contract.

For those with poorer credit standing, and particularly younger drivers who have little history, car finance may work best. It may mean the car isn’t yours until the end of the payment period, but it offers more flexibility and, in the case of PCP, upgrading to a new car is simple if you wish to do so at the end of the term.

Regardless of which you decided to choose, always research your options extensively and ensure you know the ins-and-outs of any payment contracts before you sign the dotted line.

This is VW’s current GTI family in its entirety and we were lucky enough to sample all three cars both on road and on track around Spain’s Ascari circuit. Though the GTI line-up isn’t intended to be a series of hardcore track monsters, all three coped remarkably well with the high-speed work on a shortened version of the famous Ascari track.

What are they?

Consisting of the Mk7.5 Golf, Mk6 Polo and Mk1 Up!, they’ve all been breathed on by the brand’s GTI division and gifted more power, stiffer chassis, glitzy makeovers and iconic design touches such as tartan seats and the GTI’s signature red pinstripe. With power figures ranging from 113bhp for the tiny Up! GTI to 242bhp for the Golf GTI with Performance Pack, there’s certainly a wide spread of ability here. But all share the same end goal – to be fun pocket rockets, built with VW quality and tame enough to be more than usable day-to-day.

What’s new?

The Polo and Golf GTI ranges have been around for a while, so it’s the Up! that’s the newcomer here. VW claims its effervescent character channels that of the original Golf GTI, and being similar in size, power and weight, the comparison isn’t as mad as you might think.
The Polo is a relatively new too. It’s based on the Mk6 Polo and is lower and wider than its predecessor. As in all of the three cars, there’s been a full GTI makeover – tartan seats, red pinstriping, unique alloy wheels and, in the case of the Polo and Golf, resculpted exterior fixtures all feature.

What’s under the bonnet?

On track in all three of these later. pic.twitter.com/Hx10t5zOGo

— Tom Wiltshire (@mctreckmeister) April 19, 2018

The Up! GTI is the baby of the trio. It packs a turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine, producing 113bhp for a 0-60mph sprint of 8.6 seconds and a maximum speed of 122mph. It’s a wonderfully fizzy engine – keen to rev, more than powerful enough for the tiny body and it sounds ridiculous thanks to a portal which amplifies the engine noise into the interior. The Up! GTI doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that’s very appealing.

The Polo is a rather more grown-up proposition. It packs a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol with 197bhp – it’s the same unit as the one in the Golf, but detuned slightly. The Polo’s still capable of a sub-seven-second 0-60mph sprint. Currently only available with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox (a six-speed manual is coming later in the year), what it lacks in character it makes up for in performance. This is a genuinely rapid car, even if excellent refinement means it doesn’t always feel it.

Finally, the Golf. We know this car well – this Mk7.5 model is barely an update over the previous Mk7, and features a virtually identical powertrain to the outgoing model. We drove the full-fat Performance Pack model with 242bhp, in both six-speed manual and seven-speed DSG forms. Both are excellent.

What is the Up! like to drive?

The Up! GTI doing some rather milder off-roading than I subjected it to on track. pic.twitter.com/gUtf8yWAzG

— Tom Wiltshire (@mctreckmeister) April 20, 2018

Even the baby Up! didn’t feel out of its depth, despite being pushed to its limits (and a little beyond). With a snickety manual gearshift and great response from that dinky engine, it’s great fun to throw around – though for sheer pace, it can’t keep up with its larger siblings.
The Polo seemed as though it wasn’t entirely at home on track. With a comparatively porky 1,355kg kerb weight, it’s a little less willing to be chucked around.

How does the Polo fare?

Head onto a flowing B-road and the Polo’s balance makes for a seriously fast cruiser, though, and ample reserves of grip ensure that the car’s mature character is never in danger of becoming unstuck. For us, though the Polo is less compelling a choice than its siblings. As the prodigal middle child, it should be aiming to be the best of both worlds – in reality, it’s a compromise between the two, without the ability of the Golf or the character of the Up!.

As for the Golf?

First ever (short) drive in an icon today. Shouldn't have waited so long. #golfgti pic.twitter.com/jWlCJhuf4c

— Tom Wiltshire (@mctreckmeister) April 19, 2018

It’s as good as it’s always been. Of course, for track supremacy, you’d be far better off with one of the race-biased Clubsport cars – but the standard GTI is still very quick, beautifully balanced and incredibly mature.
On track, it understandably left the Polo and Up! in its wake – you can thank the extra horsepower for that. On road, the Golf’s best feature is still its real-world pace and usability. Comfortable over all surfaces, refined and relaxing when you take it easy and powerful and punchy when you put your foot down, the Golf wears its four decades of development with pride.

What’s the quality like?

Regardless of which model you sit in, the first impression is one of rock-solid build quality. This is a VW strong point across its entire model range, and compared with the slightly tinny feeling of many a hot hatchback it’s rather reassuring.
The feeling of quality is most exceptional in the Up! – not that it’s the best-built of the trio, but that it’s so remarkably solid for its light weight. It does suffer somewhat due to its city-car origins – there’s no reach adjustment for the steering wheel, for example, and the included phone mount and free VW app are a poor substitute for a full-on infotainment system.

Verdict

There’s no doubt that all three of these cars are true GTIs, despite being very different in character. The Up! GTI has the most to live up to – as the newest member of the family, direct successor to the brilliant Lupo GTI and spiritual successor to the Mk1 Golf, it’s been dealt a tough hand. But the result is utterly brilliant, brimming with character and pep while remaining totally usable every day.

The Polo is immensely fast and capable, but does feel like the weak link here somewhat. The high price tag and disappointing interior are downsides, but the Polo’s real issue is its rivals. The brilliant Fiesta ST and Peugeot 208 GTI by Peugeot Sport are both cheaper than the Polo and offer more thrills, if less maturity.

Finally, the Golf. It’s the world’s most iconic hot hatchback, and one that has the most scrutiny on it every time it’s updated. And we’re glad to say it doesn’t disappoint. It may be pricey considering the power on offer, and lack the thrills that some rivals such as the wild Honda Civic Type R or Renaultsport Megane offer. But as a daily driver? There’s not much better, at any price.

If you’re a fan of the automobile, chances are you pay some attention to the cars that are around you on seemingly never-ending motorway journeys. You’ll enjoy seeing an old 70’s run-around on the roads just as much as modern day exotica, purely for the rarity factor.

Sometimes, we look at the bootlid of a car and wonder how companies came to give it its model name, and what the word in question means, if it’s even a word at all.

This list looks at the stories behind the model names of cars – some we see on the roads everyday, and others that are rather less common.

Toyota Yaris

Contrary to our hopes, the Yaris hasn’t been named after the French capital, albeit with an upside down Eiffel Tower replacing the ‘P’ in Paris.

Yaris is a combination of words from Greek mythology and German. In Greek mythology, ‘Charis’ is a singular form of Charites, which is a term applying to goddesses representing qualities such as charm and beauty.

Toyota swapped the ‘Ch’ with ‘Ya’ – German for ‘yes’ – a nod to the reaction they expected to receive for the compact hatchback’s styling.

Kia Cee’d

The Kia Cee’d – or ‘Cee-apostrophe-D’ as it was known during its run as Top Gear’s reasonably priced car – is actually an acronym.

The European market exclusive hatchback was the first built at Kia’s first (and so far only) manufacturing plant in the continent, located in Žilina, Slovakia. As such, the decision was to amalgamate the abbreviations for the European Economic Community, known as CEE in some areas, and European Design.

After realising that three ‘E’s was one too many, they switched out the final ‘E’ for an apostrophe. All punctuation is to be removed from the car’s title on the upcoming third generation model.

Bentley Bentayga

The Bentayga moniker is one that feels as though it should be made up, especially when the company naming a car that is called Bentley. However, the Bentley SUV actually owes its identity to the ‘Roque Bentayga’, a rocky peak near the village of Tejeda on Gran Canaria, one of the Canary Islands.

Chevrolet Camaro

Unlike many cars on this list, the name Camaro was chosen for precisely one reason; it sounds great.

However, Chevrolet had previously attempted to pass it off as a word found in a French-English dictionary, which meant ‘friend’. Some claimed that a Spanish definition was ‘A small, shrimp-like creature’, while a journalist managed to conjure up a translation to ‘loose bowels’.

Eventually, after touting that the Camaro was ‘a small, vicious animal that eats Mustangs’, Chevrolet owned up to the obvious truth of the matter; the word was of their own making.

Hyundai Ioniq

The Hyundai Ioniq is a very good name for a produc that only comes with electrification to some degree, be it as a hybrid or an all-electric car.

The first part of the name is derived from ion, as per the lithium-ion polymer battery utilised in the Korean ‘liftback’ compact car. The name of the molecule was blended with unique, and thus, the Ioniq was born.

Nissan Juke

Duke’s across the land will be disappointed to learn that Nissan’s compact crossover was not named in honour of their title. In fact, the Juke name is derived from ‘jukebox’; this is because the Jukebox became synonymous with ‘youthful freedom and daring’, according to one South African Nissan retailer.

So, in an attempt to place a similar synonymy upon their new car, it became known as the Juke.

We look forward to the launch of the Nissan Text when the times comes for our generation to have their youths cultivated for the naming of a small car.

Renault Kadjar

When it comes to making up words for car names, this Renault crossover certainly wins points for its complicated backstory.

Supposedly, ‘Kad’ is derived from ‘quad’, and acts as an acknowledgement of the car’s four-wheel drive look and (optional) all-wheel drive system. As for ‘Jar’? That comes from the French words ‘agile’ and ‘jaillir’. Agile means what you’d expect it to mean, and ‘jaillir’ means ‘suddenly emerging from somewhere’.

That’s a big process to go through to facilitate such an odd-sounding name.

Ssangyong Rexton

The SssangYong name has an intriguing origin story itself, as it is the Korean translation of ‘Double Dragons’.

Their flagship SUV, the Rexton, is an amalgamation of English and Latin. The Latin ‘rex’ and English ‘tone’ are the words combined to make the name Rexton, which is intended to mean ‘the ruler’s tone’.

We sincerely hope that a movie entitled ‘Double Dragons: The Ruler’s Tone’ will soon be available to view in cinemas.

Vauxhall Adam

The scorn of all car enthusiasts named Adam, the name of this supermini holds its roots with Vauxhall’s stablemate Opel. The origin story in this instance is simple; the founder of Opel was named Adam.

We’re assuming that any attempts to name the car the Vauxhall Alexander Wilson for the UK market were scuppered.

Between around September and December last year, nearly every mainstream manufacturer was offering a scrappage scheme – or a ‘low-emission’ or ‘switch’ scheme as some like to call them.

These schemes see consumers trading in their old, more-polluting cars and vans in place of a shiny new motor, and being financially rewarded with a generous discount for doing so.

This not only reduces pollution, but can help consumers slash their running costs with a new vehicle, as well as receiving up to £7,000 towards a new car or van.

While some car makers extended their schemes from 2017 into 2018, most of these stopped at the end of March.

Fortunately, some manufacturers have re-launched their schemes, or extended them even further.

Here we list who is offering such schemes, and the best buy from each brand.

Ford

Ford has had, by some margin, the most successful scrappage scheme of any manufacturer – trading in 19,200 cars in the time its scheme has been running,

The latest offer applies to cars purchased by the end of June 2018 and registered by the end of December, while the car you’re trading in must have been registered before January 1, 2011 and owned by you for at least 90 days.

Discounts of between £2,000 and £4,850 are available on cars, and up to £7,000 across the firm’s commercial vehicle range. One of the most popular picks is £2,000 off Ford’s best-selling Fiesta.

Our pick:

Ford Focus

The unveiling of the new Ford Focus recently means that there are some fantastic offers available on the outgoing model. It still looks the part and is great to drive, if lacking on the technology front. Scrappage savings of up to £4,850 are available on Titanium models, but act fast as these models won’t stay around long.

Hyundai

Hyundai is another manufacturer that has extended its scheme. As with Ford, your car will be eligible if registered before 2011 and if you’ve owned it for three months. Unlike other schemes, though, Hyundai will only scrap the most polluting of those traded in.

Discounts of between £1,500 and £5,000 are available across the range until June 30, with the only cars not included being the sporty i30 N models, the i800 MPV and oddly, the emission-free Hyundai Ioniq Electric.

Our pick:

Hyundai i30

The i30 hatchback has only been on sale a year, but hefty scrappage discounts of £4,000 are available across the hatchback, estate and fastback variants.

Mazda

Mazda is keen to push its low-emitting petrol and diesel cars with its current generous offers that are available on cars registered by June. All cars traded in will be scrapped, while the offer is only available when buying a new Mazda vehicle emitting less than 135g/km of CO2, which excludes the MX-5 models and petrol versions of the CX-3 and CX-5 crossovers.

Savings of between £3,000 and £5,500 are available when trading in cars registered before December 31, 2010, and that have been owned by you for at least two months.

Our pick:

Mazda 3 Diesel

Mazda is offering £5,500 off any Mazda 3 fitted with its diesel Skyactiv-D engines. While discounts are not quite so generous on petrol models, £4,500 savings can still be had.

Kia

Kia has recently added more cars into its updated scrappage offer that started at the beginning of April. Previously only the Picanto and Rio were included in the offer, but now the Stonic crossover and outgoing Cee’d hatchback have also now been added.

Kia’s discounts are not quite as generous as other schemes, but £2,000 is available across the four mentioned models. The scheme requires you to have owned the car for 90 days, and for the car being scrapped to have been registered before June 30, 2011.

Our pick:

Kia Picanto

The Picanto is one of the best city cars on sale, and also has the benefit of Kia’s lengthy seven-year warranty. The £2,000 scrappage discount also applies to the firm’s recently launched SUV-style X-Line and X-Line S models, too.

Toyota

Toyota’s scrappage scheme is one of the widest out there, covering nearly every model in its broad range. Discounts of between £1,500 and £4,000 are available from cars as diverse as the Aygo city car to the Land Cruiser SUV.

Toyota’s scheme runs until July 1, with the car being scrapped needing to have been registered by June 30, 2010 and owned for at least six months before being traded in.

Our pick:

Toyota Auris Hybrid

The British-built Auris Hybrid might not be the most exciting of hatchbacks in the world, but it’s a fantastic family hatchback and is cheap to run in hybrid guise. A new model has only just been revealed, but in the meantime you can save yourself £3,000 off the old one through this offer.

Lexus

The Lexus scrappage scheme works in a similar way to the Toyota one. The difference being that the vehicle you’re trading in has to be registered by December 31, 2009 – the earliest of all the schemes sill running. As with the Toyota scheme, your car or light commercial must have been owned by you for six months and it has to be registered by July 1.

Discounts of up to £4,000 are available on CT, IS, NX and RX models.

Our pick:

Lexus NX

The Lexus NX is a striking, well-made and cheap-to=run SUV, which is made even more affordable by a £4,000 scrappage discount, even if you’ll need quite deep pockets to buy the car in the first place.

BMW

BMW’s scheme – named the ‘BMW Upgrade Scheme’ – works in a slightly different way to the rest, as the money received can only go towards a BMW PCP finance agreement.

BMW gives you a fixed £2,000 towards any of its models that emit under 130g/km, just as long as your car is an EU4 emission compliant, or lower, diesel vehicle registered before January 2011. The scheme runs until June 30, 2018.

Our pick:

BMW 3 Series

BMW’s 3 Series saloon has been a popular executive saloon for some time now, and the new model is better than ever with its improved infotainment system and driving ability. Not every 3 Series emits less than 130g/km of CO2, though.

The definitive warm hatch is back for 2018! The Suzuki Swift Sport has long held a place as a budget performance monster, able to deliver a driving experience of cars almost twice the price.

It’s making a return for 2018, with quite a few changes. We take a look at what’s new on Suzuki’s flagship machine.

Goodbye natural-aspiration…

Previous Suzuki Swift Sports have been lauded for their free-revving engines, requiring a lot of work to get the best of them – but providing a ton of fun in the process.

With ever-stricter emissions regulations, it’s sad to report the original 1.6-litre unit has fallen to the wayside. Its replacement isn’t one to write off just yet though – with a 1.4-litre turbocharged motor sourced from the Vitara S SUV now sitting underneath the bonnet.

…hello more power

The result of the new turbocharged unit is a marginal gain in power – developing 138bhp, up from 134bhp in the outgoing Sport – but huge gains in torque.

There’s now 230Nm which is available from 2,500rpm to 3,500rpm – with the old car producing a comparatively mere 160Nm at 4,400rpm.

A successful diet

Thanks to the lightweight underpinnings of the new Swift, the Sport manages to drop 70kg over the last car – now weighing in at 975kg.

The result is a car that can literally punch above its weight registering a torque-to-weight ratio of 4.2kg/Nm. For reference, that matches the new Volkswagen Polo GTI – a car in the class above. Not a bad effort, Suzuki.

More safety assistance

Safety plays a more prominent role in the motoring world now than ever before, and that’s something Suzuki has recognised with the new Swift Sport.

There’s no options list for this car, meaning standard tech includes adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, high beam assist and emergency braking assist.

For a car that once boasted little more equipment than automatic air conditioning, it’s a marked improvement.

Unmissable looks

Although opinions may be split on how the new Suzuki Swift Sport looks, it’s unarguably unmissable on the roads.

The core design of the base Swift remains, but now there’s huge air intakes on the front of the car – now looking prepared to swallow up any of its rivals – while carbon fibre-effect trim comes in the form of new side skirts and a rear diffuser. The Sport’s trademark dual exhausts appear too.

It’s all yellow

New and exclusive to the Swift Sport is a Champion Yellow paint finish – and doesn’t it half stand out!

The shade is inspired Suzuki’s previous efforts in junior rallying, aiding its sportiness that little bit more. If you’re not a fan, don’t worry, there’s a range of more subdued hues to choose from – including Burning Red, Speedy Blue, Pure White, Mineral Grey and Super Black.

No longer a performance bargain

Previous versions of the Suzuki Swift Sport prided themselves on being a budget performance bargain – offering tons of fun at a low price.

Sadly, that’s no longer the case. A new model will set you back £17,999 – which is a huge jump from the outgoing car’s £15k price point. It also puts it close to the starting price of the new Ford Fiesta ST, which will undoubtedly offer a whole different level of performance.

A company director who fitted a laser jammer to his Range Rover and gave speed cameras the finger has been jailed for perverting the course of justice, police said.

Timothy Hill, 67, threw the device in a river behind his home in Grassington, North Yorkshire, when he found out that officers were investigating the rude gestures made from the distinctive white vehicle with personalised number plates.

At first he lied about where the car was and tried to destroy the jammer.

But North Yorkshire Police said he was jailed for eight months and banned from driving for a year for perverting the course of justice.

Hill drove past mobile speed camera vans on the A19 near Easingwold, Thirsk and Crathorne three times in December and each time he was photographed gesturing to the camera with his middle finger.

Police detected that a jammer was fitted to his Range Rover, and he eventually admitted it was his when he was later questioned.

His speeds could not be determined so he was charged with perverting the course of justice, which he admitted on Monday.

After the case, Traffic Constable Andrew Forth said: “If you want to attract our attention, repeatedly gesturing at police camera vans with your middle finger while you’re driving a distinctive car fitted with a laser jammer is an excellent way to do it.

“It’s also an excellent way to end up in prison.

“As Hill’s case shows, perverting the course of justice is a very serious charge which carries a custodial sentence.”

By Tom Wilkinson

More often than not, some cars you drive leave you with a memory – even if that memory is one of boredom, discomfort or disgust.

However, some cars have left a mark of people the world over due to affiliation with tragedy or controversy. In this list, we look at nine of the most infamous cars to ever hit the roads.

O.J Simpson’s Ford Bronco

When O.J Simpson became implicated in the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson, his image of smiling American hero began to burn away. His public image continued to suffer when he was listed as a fugitive after failing to turn himself in to police, and he was soon located on Interstate 405, being driven by friend Al ‘A.C’ Cowlings.

The vehicle used for the low-speed chase, which was broadcast live across the United States, was a now infamous white Ford Bronco.

The chase eventually ended at his Brentwood home after 50 miles of driving, with 20 police cars in tow.

John F. Kennedy’s Lincoln Continental SS-100-X

The presidential limousine codenamed SS-100-X started life as a 1961 Lincoln Continental convertible. When it became clear that this car was not going to lead an ordinary life, it was extensively modified at the proving grounds of Lincoln’s parent company, Ford.

It was delivered to the White House on June 15, 1961, with some 41 inches added to its length.

It led a relatively normal life until November 21, 1963. John F. Kennedy was assassinated while riding through Dallas, Texas in the backseat of SS-100-X.

Surprisingly, the car continued service for the White House until 1978, after undergoing extensive modifications in the aftermath of the Kennedy assassination. 

Tupac Shakur’s BMW 7-Series

The relatively unassuming Mid-90’s 7-Series featured on newscasts and publications the world over after the drive-by shooting which took the life of rapper Tupac Shakur.

The vehicle the musician was in at the time of the fatal incident, a V12 750il, was leased by Tupac’s record label, whose co-founder was behind the wheel of the vehicle when the shooting took place.

The car recently re-emerged with a for sale sticker at Celebrity Cars Las Vegas, complete with a £1.2m price tag.

James Dean’s Porsche 550 Spyder

The Porsche 550 Spyder is an accomplished vehicle in its own right, but thanks to a tragic incident at a junction in Cholame, California, it will forever own the moniker ‘Little Bastard’.

The brief cinematic career of James Dean ran in parallel with a strong ambition to be a racing driver, with a particular target being the Indianapolis 500.

After taking part in several club races, Dean purchased a 550 Spyder, and was set to race it in Salinas, California.

Dean crashed his 550 Spyder into the side of a turning Ford Tudor saloon car. The Porsche bounced across the road and off to the side of the highway.

Dean sustained fatal injuries in the crash, and cemented his pet name for the car as an alternative moniker that would stand the test of time.

Adolf Hitler’s Mercedes Grosser 770

If you’ve seen a photo of Adolf Hitler in a car, there’s a good chance that the car in question was a Mercedes Grosser 770.

The drop-top version of the 770 was built between 1938 and 1943, during which time just 88 were built; seven of them were used by Hitler.

The luxurious Mercedes was used by many high-ranking officials in Nazi Germany, and was one of the most expensive cars available in the country at the time.

Ted Bundy’s Volkswagen Beetle

While the Beetle’s life began in Nazi Germany, the car was better known as ‘The Love Bug’ by 1974. However, another sinister footnote in the long history of the Beetle came into being that year, after a spree of murders in Colorado, Utah and Washington all featured one of the rear-engined vehicles.

The vehicle in question was owned by serial killer Ted Bundy, and featured in every attack he performed.

He was pulled over for an ordinary traffic offence in 1975, at which point, handcuffs, masks, gloves and more were discovered. Bundy was eventually jailed, though he escaped twice, stealing a second VW Beetle on the latter occasion.

Jack Sears’ 185mph AC Cobra Coupe

The sleek lines of the AC Cobra Coupe were designed with Le Mans in mind, and to beat the Shelby equivalent pictured above. The problem with designing a car for Le Mans is a lack of places to test the car that share the circuit’s high-speed nature.

However, the then-unrestricted M1 motorway presented the perfect opportunity for UK based teams, and it was one that many took.

The Cobra, driven by legendary racer Jack Sears, hit 185mph on the public roads in the early hours of June 11 1964. As this was not illegal, no consequences occurred initially, however, national newspapers soon caught word.

It quickly became front-page news, and the story became the catalyst for the introduction of a motorway speed limit.

Paul Walker’s Porsche Carrera GT

With a V10 engine intended for a Le Mans racer, and a top speed of 205mph, the Porsche Carrera GT is not a car for the faint of heart. It earned a reputation as one of the most extreme Porsche’s ever.

Tragically, the car came to prominence once more some ten years after its launch, on November 30, 2013.

Fast & Furious star Paul Walker was in the passenger’s seat of a Carrera GT, alongside close friend and avid amateur racer Roger Rodas. On Hercules Street in Santa Clarita, California, the car left the road at a speed between 80mph and 93mph; the ensuing crash cost both men their lives.

Princess Diana’s Mercedes S-Class

On the August 30 1997, a 1994 Mercedes-Benz S280 crashed in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris.

The Mercedes carried Diana, Princess of Wales, who was being pursued by paparazzi.

In the tunnel, the car collided with a pillar at 65mph. Henri Paul of the Ritz Hotel was driving the car, with Diana and Dodi Fayed sitting in the rear passenger seats.

Diana was still conscious after the crash, but would later pass away as a result of serious internal injuries.