Category: News

Mercedes has chosen the Beijing Motor Show to show off its latest concept car. Named the Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury, it’s a jacked-up, three-box saloon with SUV styling cues that hides a Tesla-rivalling 740bhp all-electric powertrain.

The Vision SUV takes its design from previous Vision concepts – that means sleek, curving lines and an enormous, glitzy front grille with a Maybach bonnet ornament above. There’s a chrome styling line that runs the full length of the vehicle and in a pleasingly retro touch, bisects the rear window.

The Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury, just presented at Auto China, shows how the typical strengths of an exclusive high-end saloon and an SUV can be combined. Let this short video guide you through the key facts! #AutoChina #MercedesMaybach pic.twitter.com/S5KQIL2Bs3

— Mercedes-Benz (@MercedesBenz) April 24, 2018

To further distance the car from just looking like a high-riding saloon, Mercedes has added black plastic cladding around the wheel arches and hefty chrome scuff plates on the bumpers.

Car culture in China is disproportionately focussed on saloons, hence Mercedes’ decision to give the car a three-box silhouette.

Mercedes says that the Vision SUV is primarily intended to be chauffeur-driven – another nod to Chinese culture, where most of the upper-classes wouldn’t dream of driving themselves. The interior therefore is trimmed with adjustable rear seats, as in the S-Class luxury saloon, with a wide centre console featuring an integrated tea service.

Up front, the Vision SUV benefits from Mercedes’ latest driver tech, including twin 12.3-inch displays for driver information and controlling the in-car entertainment.

Under the skin lies a 740bhp electric powertrain, which sends torque to all four wheels. It claims a theoretical maximum range of 311 miles on a charge, while top speed is limited to 155mph.

The Mercedes-Maybach Vision SUV Concept is unlikely to see production in its current form – as with previous Vision concepts, it’s more a display of intention. In the future, we can therefore expect to see Mercedes-Maybach launching a hyper-luxury SUV inspired by this concept, to rival the likes of the Bentley Bentayga and upcoming Rolls-Royce Cullinan.

“The Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury is a totally new archetype of a kind never seen before,” says Gorden Wagener, chief design officer at Mercedes’ parent company Daimler AG. “Our concept combines the DNA of an SUV with that of a saloon to produce an ultra-modern SUV of three-box design.

“With sensuality and pure sophistication, we have created a timeless vehicle that underscores the position of Mercedes-Maybach as the ultimate luxury brand.”

If you want furniture, you go to IKEA. If you’re after a smartphone, Apple or Samsung are your best bets. And if you want a car, you go to a car manufacturer. Or do you?

Car companies are some of the worst culprits for branching out into market sectors they may not be entirely familiar with, and the resulting products can often be very bad indeed. That’s not a rule, though – some manufacturers arguably produce better products when they’re not concentrating on cars.

For some, it’s a way of branching out into lucrative ventures that might help finance their efforts in the automotive sector. For others, it’s just a bit of fun. We’ve rounded up some of the more random and interesting efforts that car manufacturers have created and commissioned.

Aston Martin furniture

Aston Martin is best known for creating beautiful and desirable luxury cars, and now it’s looking to carry those traditions into the furniture market.

Previewed at this year’s Milan Design Week, a collaboration between the British firm and interior design experts Formitalia will give Aston fans the chance to bring some of that famed craftsmanship into their living rooms.

The collection goes on sale in September, with a exquisite sofa, armchairs, coffee table and even a bed all on offer.

Honda robotic lawnmower

Honda’s guilty of producing a wide array of products that aren’t cars. There’s its range of mobile generators, a private jet, the world’s most famous robot assistant – Asimo – and… a robotic lawnmower?

Working in pretty much the same way as a robotic vacuum cleaner, the Miimo follows the layout of your lawn, mulching the grass up so finely that there are no clippings left behind or bags to empty. It’ll run fully autonomously via a smartphone app, knows when to recharge itself, and is fully waterproof for all-weather gardening.

Because if you can afford it… why not?

Peugeot pepper mills

Peugeot is another manufacturer that seems to spend more time not building cars than it does building them. It’s one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of scooters and bicycles, but weirdly enough it’s also a globally respected power in the field of salt and pepper mills.

Peugeot’s been making salt and pepper mills since the 19th century, and with high-quality stainless steel mechanisms they’re still considered some of the best in the world. The secret is being able to change the coarseness of the grind – ideal for chefs.

Lamborghini tractors

You may know Lamborghini for its audaciously loud — both visually and literally — hypercars that make a statement like nothing else on the road. But did you know of its humble beginnings as a tractor manufacturer?

Back in 1948, Ferruccio Lamborghini founded a company called Lamborghini Trattori — which used discard war materials to create its agricultural machinery. He found success in that company and in 1963 decided to use his newfound fortune to start up a luxury car firm, following a dispute with Enzo Ferrari over a clutch-related issue on his Ferrari 250GT.

Lamborghini Trattori continues to produces tractors to this day — alongside its hyper-exoctic machinery.

Volkswagen currywurst

The Volkswagen Group has quite an empire — owning numerous car brands, running the VfL Wolfsburg team and er, producing Currywurst?

Yep, in “things that couldn’t be more German”, the car giant also produces the traditional spicy sausage. It’s not exactly limited-run production either — with sales of the firm’s Currywurst consistently higher than the amount of cars sold across its many manufacturers. There’s even in-house produced ketchup to compliment it.

There’s been no confirmation as to whether the Currywurst has been fitted with real meat cheat devices, though.

Toyota sewing machines

Fancy turning your nan into a JDM fan? A Toyota sewing machine might just be the way to do it.

Some of the firm’s current offerings might be unfairly described as appliances, but its range of sewing machines are literally that. In fact, its history can be traced back to the 1920s and the invention of the automatic loom and it wasn’t until 1933 that Toyota made its first car.

We’re keeping an eye out for someone to swap a 2JZ on to one of these things.

Porsche’s… everything

German manufacturer Porsche has a dedicated fanbase all over the world – and these Porsche nuts often feel the need to display their love for the brand wherever possible. That could be why the manufacturer lends its name to a whole multitude of lifestyle products under the Porsche Design label.

If pressed, you could probably furnish most of your house and wardrobe with Porsche design items. Not only is there a full range of clothing and sportswear, but Porsche Design also makes glasses, luggage, watches, and a whole suite of electronics including a smartphone and laptop.

One of our particular favourites is the 911 Soundbar, which connects via Bluetooth and is shaped like the exhaust of one of the firm’s iconic 911 sports cars.

The Duchess of Cambridge has just given birth to her third child – and transporting around not two, but three heirs to the throne presents her with a whole new set of problems. Forget etiquette training, royal protocol and diplomacy – the most important issue facing William and Kate is which car they should buy.

The biggest problem is that of child seat law. With three young children, the royal couple need a car that’s capable of accommodating three bulky, high-backed child seats. Astonishingly, there’s nothing on the couple’s current fleet that will do this.

Their daily transport is a Range Rover, which only offers two ISOFIX child seat mounting points – despite its vast size. For special occasions, there are Bentley and Jaguar limos – no better on the child seat front – and Prince William’s two-seat Audi R8 supercar.

With that in mind, we’ve come up with a few different options for the newly enlarged Royal Family – all of which can comfortably accommodate three child seats.

Land Rover Discovery

In the interests of keeping things British, we kick off with a true icon – the Land Rover Discovery. This seven-seat SUV is immensely popular among family buyers, and provides a sufficiently regal air along with bags of room inside.

It’s decent to drive, is offered with a wide array of engines and best of all, is guaranteed not to get bogged down during some bootleg greenlaning around Richmond Park or Sandringham.

Range Rover Sport

Moving up the market but down in size, the Range Rover Sport actually offers more seats than the full-sized Range Rover. It’s also rather leaner and better-looking, but will still fit in beautifully pulling up to any state banquet.

Best of all, it can be had with the incredible 525bhp supercharged V8 engine, making for one of the fastest people-movers on the planet.

Seat Alhambra

If you have three children, at some point you just have to bite the bullet and admit that an MPV makes the most sense. With a cavernous interior, wide-opening doors and three rows of seats, there’s nothing that can swallow up kids and their clobber quite like a people-carrier.

The Alhambra is one of the best of the breed, with trusted VW components, a really premium-feeling interior and good driving manners. It’s also certain to blend in to the background, ideal for Royals who want to remain under the radar.

Citroen Grand C4 Picasso

If the Seat Alhambra blends in, then the Citroen Grand C4 Picasso stands out – for all the right reasons. It’s an MPV that’s genuinely stylish, with bags of gallic flair everywhere from the upside-down ‘face’ to the 3D-effect taillights.

It’s also got one of the best interiors in the business – clever, well-built, roomy and flooded with light. George, Charlotte and the new baby can spend hours gazing through the vast windows or panoramic roof and windscreen combo.

Fiat Doblo

If William and Kate were looking to pinch a penny – after all, the taxpayer does contribute to their motoring costs – then they could do a lot worse than the bargain-basement Fiat Doblo. It’s one of the cheapest ways into three-row motoring.

Unashamedly van-based, the Doblo isn’t exactly pretty – nor is it fast, or premium, or good to drive, or feature-packed… but it’s big, comfy and spacious. And cheap. Very cheap. Try and remember that.

Audi Q7

Other manufacturers besides Land Rover make big seven-seat SUVs. The Audi Q7 is one of the best out there, with room in all three rows for child seats and one of the most premium interiors on sale today.

And if you want discretion, say no more. Provided the couple don’t opt for too much glitz and glamour on the outside of the vehicle, the Q7 is very discreet. Finally, the best bit – Prince William is a huge Audi fan and actually owns one of the firm’s R8 supercars. We can think of few better pairings.

Ford Galaxy

Another big, hefty people-carrier with three rows of seats, the Galaxy’s best feature is its ubiquity – especially in Central London. Favoured by taxi firm Addison Lee, a black Ford Galaxy with heavily tinted windows is almost as common a sight as a black cab.

It’s a comfortable ride with lots of space, though Ford doesn’t offer it in range-topping Vignale trim. That’s a shame, after all, what self-respecting Royal doesn’t like a bit of quilted leather?

Volvo XC90

Sensible, stylish, superbly safe and Swedish, the Volvo XC90 is one of the best SUVs out there and is bound to keep all three of the little princes and princesses safe should the worst happen out there on the roads.

It’s available in planet-friendly Twin Engine hybrid form, too, enabling silent and emission-free motoring around central London.

Schoolchildren have joined forces with West Midlands Police to help launch a new range of Mercedes-Benz riot vans – with pupils from local schools giving the vehicles a range of names.

Each of the eight new Sprinter vans has been given a name – three of which are Copzilla, Optimus Crime and Zeus.

The special crime-fighting vans have been uniquely kitted out by specialist bodyshop MacNeillie. Based on the 5.0-tonne long-bodied Sprinter, the vehicles can seat up to 10 officers, and come fitted with a secure prisoner cell too.

The vehicle’s glass is reinforced, allowing it to withstand attacks, while run-flat tyres can still be driven on for over 20 miles after a puncture.

West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said: “These names are wonderful, and bring a smile to your face. When I heard all the entries I was amazed by the imagination and intelligence of our young people.

“There is a serious side to this too, though. Our new, state-of-the-art riot vans will be put to good use in helping officers to fight crime and arrest criminals.”

Each van has been fitted with uprated axles, which make them better suited to dealing with heavier cargos as a result of the additional equipment inside.

West Midlands Police ran a competition which asked local children to come up with eight names for the new vans. Once finished, officers toured local schools to visit the winning youngsters – whose selected names have been applied to the side of the vehicles.

Sergeant Andrew Edwards observed: “I have been astounded by the creativity and energy shown by the schoolchildren, as well as the support provided by their teachers, who have worked very hard with us to make this a rewarding experience.

“I am also incredibly proud of the police officers and staff who have devoted their own time to this initiative. They have certainly captured the imagination and spirit of the youngest members of the communities we serve.”

Over the years, Britain has created some wonderfully good-looking cars. Yes, some haven’t quite hit the mark, but many have worked their way into the motoring hall of fame.

We know that this list could go on forever, but we’ve hand-picked a small selection that stand out from the crowd. See if you agree with them.

Aston Martin DB10

The Aston Martin DB10 was designed for one of the coolest film characters ever – James Bond. Sleek and elegant in design, it’s given way to the current Vantage – with many design cues on the production car lifted directly from the DB10.

There isn’t a single angle that the DB10 looks bad from. It’s got some hallmark Aston design features – the large, upside-down wing grille, for one – but it’s definitely a modern car. We’d argue it’s one of the most beautiful, too.

Range Rover

The Range Rover is one of very few totally classless cars – and we don’t mean that in a bad way. In fact, what it’s capable of is appearing totally at home wherever it is – whether that’s outside a fashionable Chelsea member’s club, up to its sills in thick mud, on a country estate or cruising round some of the less reputable suburbs in the country.

It helps that it’s an incredibly capable car – class-leading off-road, pretty decent on it, and equipped with one of the most luxurious interiors on the market. The imposing styling and sky-high driving position also ensure that whenever you’re behind the wheel, you feel like the king of the road – and there’s not much higher praise than that.

Triumph Stag

James May once described the Stag as ‘the blokeiest bloke’s car ever’. That’s not to say it was objectively fantastic, as it was slow, poorly built and heinously unreliable.

However, the Stag’s long, lean lines are undeniably equal parts gorgeous and striking, with testosterone flooding out of every panel gap. Make no mistake, if the Stag was a person, it would have a hairy chest with a medallion on.

Caterham Seven

The Caterham has been around for some time now and, across the years, has changed very little in terms of design. It’s another car which has been created with lightness in mind, and in that sense, it’s very stylish indeed.

Even the widened SV chassis introduced relatively recently has the same styling as the traditional Caterham – and keeping things light is the name of the game. Its looks are created through a need to make it as sharp and agile as possible, and that certainly makes it distinctive.

Ariel Nomad

Okay, so it may not have actual styling, but the Nomad is an impressive thing to look at, simply because its looks are dictated by its function. Yes, it doesn’t have any doors and yes, the likelihood is that in the rain you will get wet, but the way the Nomad moves down the road – or any surface, for that matter – is nothing short of incredible.

It may not be one of the most ‘stylish’ cars on this list, but its looks are impressive because of its dedication to going fast.

Jaguar E-Type

We couldn’t in all good faith leave the Jaguar E-Type out of this list. It’s been voted one of the most beautiful cars ever made more times than we could count, is always one of the first mentioned whenever you’re asked for a British icon, and quite frankly it’s just stunning.

It was also surprisingly accessible, providing British drivers with one of the cheapest routes to 100mph+ motoring. Effortlessly cool, timeless, sleek, and stylish – that’s the E-Type.

Aston Martin DB9

When Aston Martin revealed the DB9 back in 2003, it kicked off a whole new generation of vehicles for the British manufacturer. Even now, the V12-powered grand tourer looks effortlessly stylish, with its raked roofline and long, swooping bonnet echoing design touches of past Astons while also moving forwards.

It became immediately desirable, and set the precedent for future Aston vehicles. Even now, with a new wave of cars coming into the market, the visual influence of the DB9 is easy to see – and that’s no bad thing at all.

Morgan Plus 8

To some, the Morgan Plus 8 may be a little olde-worlde, but its long, flowing hand-beaten bodywork laid over an aluminium and ash wood frame is an exquisite blend of old building techniques and up-to-date technology.

In a world of sharp, angular car designs dictated by modern design methods, the Plus 8 is a breath of fresh air. The interior’s styling is equally as good, with large dials and hand-stitched leather combining to create a cabin which is more of a transport to yesteryear than a conventional cockpit.

Rolls-Royce Dawn

The Rolls-Royce Phantom is all very well if you want to be whisked around in total luxury. But what if your primary goal is to see and be seen? Then you’ll need the Dawn, which is Rolls-Royce’s flagship convertible.

It’s the size of a small country but remarkably sleek, and exquisitely detailed throughout – as you’d hope for a car that costs well above the average house price in the UK. It’s also eerily silent, but put your foot down and the 563bhp V12 engine will hustle you to scary speeds in no time at all. In many ways, it’s quite magical – and definitely a car for the exhibitionist.

Mini

The Mini is easily one of the most iconic car designs of all time. Created through the need to produce a compact car with decent interior space, it’s overall architecture is all about creating room where there really shouldn’t be any. A Mini is recognisable on any road, in any country – and it’s all down to way it looks.

The ‘new’ Mini has attempted to capture some of the magic of the original, and has done well in some respects. In others, it will never be able to match the iconic first-generation car in the way it looks.

DeLorean DMC-12

The DeLorean DMC-12 was but a fleeting entry into the ever-changing world of motoring, but it certainly made an impact. Built in Northern Ireland, the DMC-12’s body was designed by Giorgetto Giugario of Ital Design, and crafted from brushed stainless steel.

Then there were the doors. The DMC-12 featured gullwing doors, giving it an even bigger visual impact when parked. Yes, the DeLorean DMC-12 was short-lived, but it’ll go down as one of the most iconic cars of all time – and easily one of the most impressive to look at.

Vehicle manufacturers have always needed a way to instantly differentiate their products from rivals. While some simply settle for writing their brand names, the majority of manufacturers opt for a logo – often with a meaning behind them which isn’t entirely obvious.

We’ve rounded up ten manufacturers with a subtext behind their logo here.

Audi

Audi’s four interlocking rings date back to the very origin of the company. The early Audi joined forces with three other brands in 1932 – DKW, Horch, and Wanderer – to create Auto Union, and each ring represents an arm of that company. The brand would later revert to simply calling itself Audi.

Hyundai

Glance at it and Hyundai’s logo looks simply like an italicised H. However, it’s intended to symbolise two people shaking hands and making a deal – not the easiest thing to spot!

BMW

BMW’s logo is commonly said to represent a spinning aircraft propeller, but this likely dates back to a 1929 TV ad showing a plane with the logo superimposed on it. The truth is much simpler – the blue and white represent the colours of the Bavarian Free State. At the time it was illegal to use national symbols in a commercial trademark, so the order was reversed.

Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi’s deceptively simple three-pointed emblem is actually the combination of two family crests – Yamauchi and Iwasaki. The name also derives from these – Mitsu, which means three, represents the three oak leaves of the Yamauchi family crest, while bishi means water chestnut, as well as rhombus. The overall shape of the logo is also reminiscent of the founder’s first employer – the three-leaf crest of the Tosa clan.

Alfa Romeo

The double-sided Alfa emblem features a red cross on its left side, as the symbol of Milan, and on the right, a snake ‘eating’ a man. This is the symbol of the Visconti family, and dates back to the crusades, when Otone Visconti fought a noble Saracen knight. Beating the knight, he took the symbols from his shield. Alfa Romeo says that the symbol actually shows a man being reborn and renewed from the mouth of the snake, but the flailing arms say otherwise to us.

Ferrari

One of the world’s best-known car logos, the prancing horse emblem first appeared on the plane of WWI pilot Francesco Baracca. Baracca’s mother told Enzo Ferrari that using the horse would bring good luck, and it certainly seems to have done the trick. The yellow background represents the brand’s Modena hometown.

Rolls-Royce

The original ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ is thought to be actress Eleanor Thornton, who modelled for a sculpture called ‘The Whisperer’. When Lord Montagu of Beaulieu requested a custom logo for his Rolls-Royce, this was the inspiration – and it was such a hit that Rolls-Royce commissioned it for all of its cars.

Porsche

Porsche’s logo is fairly simple – the amalgamation of two coats of arms. It takes elements from the Free State of Württemberg in Western Germany as well as its former capital, Stuttgart.

Mercedes

The iconic three-pointed star was created to embody the firm’s desire to establish motorised mastery of the land, sea, and air. That’s right, Mercedes planned for world domination. Scary.

Subaru

Subaru’s six stars represent the Seven Sisters constellation – also known as Pleiades, and called ‘subaru’ in Japanese. They also represent the six companies that merged together to form Subaru’s parent brand – Fuji Heavy Industries.

For large families, having a practical and reliable car is usually a must — but with so many other things to pay for, affordability is valued over most things.

A car that can take all the kids out on an adventure to the beach while packing lots of buckets, spades and spare clothes — while dropping gran off to bingo on the way — may sound cost with so many on the market, there’s plenty of bargains to be found in the classified. We take a look at the seven best seven-seat cars on sale for £7,000£

Ford S-Max

The Ford S-Max might be the quintessential seven-seater — offering bags of practicality, easy driveability and consistent reliability.

£7k in the classifieds can get you a well looked-after example from the early part of this decade, with high equipment levels if you’re not fussed over higher-mileage — or a strong, low-mileage example for those looking for a more basic package.

Land Rover Discovery 3

If you need your budget seven-seater to head off-road, look no further than the Discovery 3.

You’ve got the practicality of any MPV, but with the proven capabilities of Land Rover’s off-roading technology. At £7k, you’ll be looking at some pretty high mileage examples so it’s worth taking extra time to find a well-kept model.

Kia Sorento

Kia has carved its name as one of the most reliable and capable brands in recent years, and you can make sure those boxes are ticked on your seven-seat checklist with a Sorento.

Thanks to the firm’s seven-year warranty, you might even be able to find an example that’s still covered by its manufacturer’s original guarantee within budget.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate

Not every car on this list has to be a big MPV! It’s not the most well-known fact, but Mercedes has offered seven-seat versions of its big estate car.

Sure, at this price you will be looking at pretty well-used examples that could potentially cost a lot more in repairs and service — but do your research, and a gem of a German estate could be yours at a low cost.

Citroen C4 Grand Picasso

At £7k, the C4 Grand Picasso could well be one of — if not the — newest seven seaters you can buy.

For that, you can pick up decent examples from 2014/15, albeit with high mileage. If you’re happy with an older car, you can examples with less than 60k miles with no problem at all.

Nissan Qashqai+2

The Nissan Qashqai has become one of the most popular cars on the market, and you can get in on the action with a seven-seat variant for under £7k.

Plenty of the used market at this price have high levels of equipment, allowing you to ride in relative comfort and luxury at a pretty low price — all while remaining practical.

Volvo XC90 

The Swedes know how to make high quality cars that can stand the test of time, and the Volvo XC90 is no exception to that rule.

£7k will land you a very well-kept example from the turn of the decade — offering tons of luxury and a premium badge at a not-so premium badge. You know it’ll run forever, too.

Audi has revealed the e-tron Vision Gran Turismo – an all-electric race car concept designed for virtual competition on the PlayStation 4.

The racer was originally only conceived to be included in the Gran Turismo video game to celebrate its 15th anniversary. However, the German car manufacturer has announced that it has built a one-off, fully functional version to support its team in the all-electric Formula E single-seater championship.

It will be used as a ‘race taxi’, giving guests of Audi hot laps on the series’ street circuits, starting in Rome on Saturday, April 14.

Peter Mertens, technical development boss at Audi, said: “E-mobility is rapidly gaining importance.

“That is why in 2017 Audi was the first German manufacturer to enter Formula E with a factory-backed commitment. In our motorsport development laboratory, we are continuously expanding our expertise in e-mobility and gathering valuable experience – in extremely demanding conditions as well.

“With the Audi e-tron Vision Gran Turismo race taxi we are turning electric mobility into a tangible experience for our customers and guests as part of the Formula E races – in the middle of the world’s metropolises.”

The electric powertrain produces 794bhp and feeds all four wheels via two electric motors at the rear wheels and a third powering the front two. It has a carbon-fibre construction to keep weight down, tipping the scales at 1,450kg with a 50/50 weight distribution.

Its face is an evolution of the existing R8 supercar’s design and could signal a first look at the next-generation model’s appearance, perhaps even hinting that Audi is going to have another go at an EV R8 following a very limited trial run between 2014 and 2016.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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