Category: News

A paint colour can say a lot about a car and a person, and you should never underestimate the effort that manufacturers put into finding the right shade for a certain vehicle.

It can also provide an excellent opportunity for car manufacturers to let their hair down and get creative when it comes to coming up with the name.

Volkswagen UK recently took a different direction and let the public decide on the name for a bright yellow finish for its new T-Cross SUV on social media, with the result being the rather excellent Rubber Ducky (see above).

But this is far from the only great car paint name over the years, so let’s take a look at some other excellent choices.

James Blonde – Vauxhall Adam

Vauxhall wanted to turn up the fun factor when it introduced its Adam city car in 2013, specifically designed for younger drivers and with more than a million different personation combinations available.

Is creative teams were working at their finest when it came up with some of the colour names, too, with Saturday White Fever, White my Fire, Goldbusters and Orange Alert all available. But the highlight has to be the brilliant James Blonde (yellow).

Green Hell Magno – Mercedes-AMG GT R

Back in 2016 when Mercedes-AMG revealed its GT R, it was one of the firm’s most advanced and powerful cars to date, and was billed as a road-going version of the firm’s race-winning GT3 race car.

It needed a name to go with it, and Mercedes chose the brilliant Green Hell Magno paint colour. Not only does it give it a brutish name to go with the vibrant matte green finish, but also references the Nurburgring race circuit in Germany where much of the GT R’s development took place, which carries the nickname of the, you guessed it, the green hell.

Tangerine Scream – Ford Focus ST

Ford has made some great colours over the years, and these have often been accompanied by brilliant names too. A few highlights are Nitrous Blue from the last Focus RS as well as well as Grabber Orange from the Mustang.

But the best name has to to go ‘Tangerine Scream’, which came on the third-generation Focus ST. We’d struggle to come up with a better descriptor for this bright orange finish.

Hella Yella – Jeep Wrangler

Jeep is another car brand that is known for its creativity, and especially when it comes to its iconic Wrangler 4×4. Renowned for its off-roading ability, you might expect that Jeep only offers it in darker shades.

But far from it, as there have been a range of bright colours over the years, with the best-named being Hella Yella from the latest model. You could even have it in a bright green ‘Mojito’ finish, though these are almost impossible to find.

Norfolk Mustard – Lotus Elise

Lotus is known for its British roots, with the firm having a factory in Hethel, Norfolk for several decades. This was acknowledged with the brilliantly named ‘Norfolk Mustard’ that perfectly describes this flat yellow paint finish available on its sports cars.

It could be found on cars like the Series 4 Lotus Esprit and the first Lotus Elise from the 1990s. A similar colour continues to be the iconic paint finish for this brand, although it’s now only called ‘Hethel Yellow’ referencing the town in Norfolk where Lotus is based.

Green Tea Latte – Kia Soul

Kia had always been a fairly safe and sensible carmaker, but the 2009 Soul crossover aimed to inject a bit of fun into this South Korean brand, and was fairly successful at doing so.

Kia offered its Soul with plentiful personalisation and also some vibrant colours with the names to match. Highlights include Green Tea Latte and also ‘Vanilla Milkshake’ that accurately describes an off-white colour this Kia was available in.

Frozen Berry – Porsche Taycan

Porsche has one of the most extensive range of colours of any manufacturer, courtesy of its ‘Paint to Sample’ (PTS) range that essentially lets buyers choose whatever shade they’d like.

But perhaps Porsche’s best colour name is Frozen Berry, which is a light pink hue that you would certainly have to be bold to choose. It’s available on the standard colour palette of Porsche’s electric Taycan, though can be had as a PTS shade on its other models.

Are there any other great colour names we’ve missed off? Let us know in the comments!

Drivers in England waste an average of 38 hours on the road due to delays each year, new research has found.

Equivalent to over 2,200 minutes or 136,000 seconds, the wasted time combines to mean that a total of 1.3 billion hours are wasted by all motorists each year due to delays.

The study, by comparison site Go Compare, used Department for Transport figures on the average road delay per delivery mile alongside DVLA mileage data from 2022 to find out how much time is lost each year. This figure was then applied to the estimated number of licensed vehicles in England.

Looking at delays on major motorways, A- and B-roads, it found that most hours are lost on the latter. However, an average of six hours are wasted by each motorist on the motorway and A-road network managed by National Highways, with each driver losing a day and a half on these roads due to delays in 2022.

Tom Banks, car insurance expert at Go Compare, said: “There’s never a good time to be caught in traffic and losing such a huge amount of time while going nowhere is extremely frustrating.

“Although navigating traffic is stressful, it’s important to stay as calm and alert as possible, making sure to keep an eye on all the vehicles around you. Otherwise, you risk colliding with another driver.”

Overall, the total amount of time lost to delays by all drivers during a year is 55 million days or 1.3 billion hours. As the person lives for around 28,000 days in a lifetime, it’s the equivalent of over 19,000 lifetimes spent waiting in traffic.

Trading Standards officers have warned of the dangers of buying from used car dealers pretending to be private sellers on Facebook.

Officers said that they had seen a ‘large number’ of used car dealers using social media sites to advertise privately.

However, these cars are often plagued with faults and, since they’ve been sold privately, can’t be returned or repaired by the original seller as would be the case with a vehicle purchased from a legitimate car dealership.

Speaking to Car Dealer Magazine, Chris Hill, senior investigations officer for National Trading Standards, said that he had conducted a probe of more than 2,500 car adverts on Facebook in Wales and found that they had been posted by only 432 individuals.

Hill added that one of the users had advertised 90 cars during the six-month period of the probe and was ‘clearly a motor trader’. In fact, more than 100 of the users advertised more than 10 cars via Facebook.

By law, dealers are required to label adverts ‘trade’ so that buyers know they have consumer rights, such as being able to return a faulty car or have any issues resolved by the retailer.

Hill said: “This problem emerged a few years ago as we started to get a lot of complaints from people regarding vehicles they had purchased on social media.

“These are usually for lower value vehicles – around the £500 to £2,000 mark – or what the trade likes to call “end of life cars”.

“The problem comes when there is an issue with the car and the trader should have been liable but the consumer has nowhere to go. Some of these cars were still being sold in pub car parks and lay-bys and the buyers didn’t know who they were buying from.

“We would like Facebook to ensure that traders mark themselves up as traders so that when consumers have a problem they ultimately know who they are dealing with and know that they have their statutory rights.”

National Trading Standards told Car Dealer that it believes that the issue has become far more widespread and is asking Facebook to help weed out these traders posing as private sellers. At present, the social media site has no functionality to allow buyers to flag sellers who may be posing as private individuals.

A spokesperson for Meta, Facebook’s parent company, said: “This is an industry-wide issue and scammers are using increasingly sophisticated methods to defraud people in a range of ways including email, SMS and offline.

“If someone believes they have spotted content or an account they believe to be fake, they can report it using our in-app tools. We have a trained team of reviewers who check these reports 24/7 and move quickly to remove content or accounts which violate our guidelines.”

Royal Enfield’s new Shotgun 650 will go on sale on February 1 with prices starting from £6,699.

The new Shotgun 650 – which takes inspiration from the SG650 Concept unveiled at the EICMA show in 2021 – has been designed to offer a ‘blank canvas’ for riders to customise and shape into their own personal design.

It sits around Enfield’s 650 Twin Platform, which has been used in bikes like the Super Meteor, but brings a relatively low seating position with an upswept bar design to help maximise confidence and control. It also gets Showa forks on the front and twin tube five-step preload adjustable springs at the rear while the 18-inch front and 17-inch rear tyres combine with 320mm and 300mm disc brakes respectively.

The Shotgun also employs a modular design, which allows the rider to tweak it towards its desired use. As standard it comes with a double-seat setup, but via a key-operated barrel this can be changed into a single-seater by removing the pillion section. A rack can also then be added to this area to help boost the load-carrying ability of the Shotgun.

B Govindarajan, chief executive of Royal Enfield, said: “The Shotgun 650 is a very unique motorcycle within our portfolio, but at its heart is the same Royal Enfield pure motorcycling DNA. The 648cc parallel-twin engine that powers this machine is a characterful and versatile platform that is capable of adapting to any kind of riding form and format.”

As with other Royal Enfield motorcycles, the Shotgun 650 has been designed to offer a lot for a value-orientated price, which is why prices start from £6,699 in standard ‘Sheet Metal Grey’, rising to £6,799 for a ‘Plasma Blue’ version and topping out at £6,899 for a ‘Stencil White’ variant.

Ford has revealed a mid-life update for its Kuga, bringing a more modern design and improved hybrid powertrains to this popular SUV.

The Kuga has been part of Ford’s range since 2008 and is now the firm’s second best-selling car, only behind the Puma. The latest version was introduced in 2020, but amid increasing competition in the SUV segment, has now had a series of updates.

At the top of the agenda are styling revisions which give the Kuga a much bolder look than before, courtesy of new silver detailing and a revised grille. There are new LED headlights with a bold signature, while a more rugged-looking Active specification is also introduced, with greater plastic cladding and underbody protection.

Other changes include a front LED light strip, while Ford’s emblem is moved from the top of the bonnet to within the grille.

Inside, the main difference to the Kuga’s interior is that it now uses a large 13.2-inch touchscreen, the same as what was introduced to the Focus. Running Ford’s latest Sync 4 infotainment. Features such as wireless smartphone mirroring are introduced, while Amazon Alexa is built-in too.

While Ford will continue to offer a 148bhp 1.5-litre petrol engine, it has revised the popular hybrid versions already available. Changes include a four-wheel-drive self-charging hybrid model for the first time, while the plug-in hybrid model has a small power bump from 227bhp to 240bhp. Ford claims this can travel on electric for up to 43 miles.

Both these hybrid models are said to offer ‘significantly improved’ acceleration, while a 2,100kg towing capacity is said to ‘beat all rivals’.

The new Ford Kuga is set to go on sale later this month in Titanium, ST-Line and Active trim levels, with prices likely to start from around £34,000.

While police forces across the UK might use more humble hatchbacks and vans, over in Dubai, it’s a bit different, as the city’s police recently took delivery of a £200,000 Lamborghini Urus Performante.

It’s the latest collaboration between Lamborghini’s Dubai dealership and the local police, with an example of the firm’s Aventador supercar previously on its fleet, along with various other exotica from Ferrari, Bentley and McLaren.

The Performante is the most extreme version of Lamborghini’s Urus SUV, which is a popular choice in the region known for its wealth. Dubai Police has already had a standard version of the performance SUV on its fleet since 2022.

It’s not just a stunt car, either, with the Urus Performante equipped for service with its police livery and 360-degree blue LED lighting. Inside, it features an armoured gun box and a special compartment in the boot for storing equipment, including an on-board defibrillator.

One thing that hasn’t changed is what’s under the bonnet, with the Urus Performante using a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 producing a huge 657bhp and 850Nm of torque. That allows for a 0-60mph time of just 3.1 seconds and a 190mph top speed.

Paolo Sartori, regional head of Lamborghini in the Middle East and Africa, said: “We are delighted to continue our collaboration with Dubai Police, supporting them in their crucial public safety mission.

“Following our delivery of a Urus to the force in 2022, this new Performante edition will be used to carry out a range of public duties and, above all, will help enhance the city’s security and safety, with this initiative further demonstrating our brand’s longstanding presence here in the UAE.”

This latest Urus was handed over to the police at a special ceremony at the Dubai Air Show last year, coinciding with with Lamborghini’s 60th anniversary celebrations, though information and pictures have only now been shown.

The typical car insurance premium increased by 52 per cent year-on-year in December 2023 to a steep £950, according to new research.

This represented a steep £326 increase compared to the previous 12 months, with drivers aged 24 and under being stung the most, according to Compare the Market.

A typical premium for a young driver was £2,002, representing a sharp £655 increase on December 2022. However, drivers of all age groups saw their premiums surge, with those aged 65-plus recording the largest proportional increase, with a typical quote in December 2023 for motorists of this age being 57 per cent higher.

An average premium for those aged 65 to £79 is now £428 (a £155 jump), while those aged 80 are now typically paying £688, representing a £249 increase on the previous year.

Compare the Market says the steep increase in insurance premiums is down to the the rising cost of claims for insurers, with high inflation driving up the price of spare parts, hire cars, energy and hiring specialist repairers. The insurance comparison site is urging motorists to shop around to get a better deal and says drivers could save ‘up to £578’ by using its portal.

Julie Daniels, motor insurance expert at Compare the Market, said “Many drivers will be worried about the substantial increase in the cost of their car insurance.

“Our research shows the typical premium now costs £950, with lots of younger motorists likely paying even more than this. As household bills continue to rise, it’s so important for drivers to take a few minutes to compare prices from different providers when their car insurance is up for renewal.”

MG will reveal a next-generation version of its MG3 supermini at next month’s Geneva Motor Show, the firm has announced.

While many other brands are looking to move away from smaller cars, MG is committing to more affordable cars with its new MG3, which will replace what is currently one of the UK’s cheapest new cars.

Introduced in 2013, the current MG3 is by far the oldest car in the firm’s line-up, and is well overdue an update. This new supermini, which has only been teased in a post on X, formerly Twitter, shows a more striking front-end design inspired by newer MG models, but with a similar overall silhouette. It can also be seen undergoing winter testing while still wearing heavy camouflage.

While MG has been scaling up its electrification plans, the new MG3 is set to stick with regular petrol engines to help keep prices low.

It will join MG’s fast-growing line-up, with the firm registering more than 80,000 cars in the UK in 2023, representing a sharp 59 per cent increase on the previous year. It now sells more cars in Britain than Peugeot and Skoda, and with 38 per cent of its sales being EVs in 2023, doesn’t need to worry about the electric car targets facing many many mainstream manufacturers this year.

The MG3 is one of only a handful of major cars set to be revealed at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, which returns for the first time since 2019 following its cancellation last-minute in March 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic swept across Europe.

Many major car manufacturers, including the entire Stellantis group, have said they will not be participating at the Geneva show, which was previously the largest of its kind in Europe.

A Land Rover Discovery first used by King Charles and Queen Camilla is heading to auction.

The Discovery, painted in the royal family’s chosen green shade, was delivered to Tim Williams, head chauffeur for the then Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, for their exclusive use.

Accompanying the sale is a letter from George Hassall, director of royal and diplomatic affairs at Land Rover, to Williams, detailing the ‘new lease vehicle’, which was delivered to the Royal Garage at Highgrove House on January 12, 2007. A heritage certification also confirms its authenticity.

The Discovery still features original modifications made for royal use, including flashing alternative headlights and fog lights, along with front and rear strobe lights. The SUV now has a mileage of 117,500 miles, though is said to be ‘beautifully presented’ and comes with a full service history.

It’s going under the hammer on March 23 with Classic Car Auctions (CCA) at its sale coinciding with the Classic Car and Restoration Show at the NEC exhibition centre in Birmingham.

Simon Langsdale who sourced the vehicle for CCA, said: “This is surely one for a serious Royal family collector, with Prince Charles now King Charles III, the vehicle has even greater Royal provenance adding to its value.”

CCA has a reputation for auctioning former royal family vehicles at top prices, with a 2004 Range Rover used by the late Queen Elizabeth selling for a record price of £132,750 in November 2023.

This particular Discovery was sold by the online auction platform Collecting Cars in March 2023 for £12,050 but is now being sold again with a guide price of £20,000 to £30,000.

Today is National Pothole Day, though with new figures showing further deterioration in the UK’s roads, it’s not a day that needs celebrating.

The RAC reports that the number of pothole-related breakdowns it attended in 2023 increased by a third to almost 30,000 incidents, and is calling on the government to set out clear guidance for local authorities to tackle the problem.

With an ever-increasing chance of hitting a pothole, it’s worth being aware that you can claim damage to your car caused by poor-conditioned roads. But how do you do this and what do you need to be aware of? Let’s take a look.

What sort of damage can hitting a pothole cause?

You never want to hit a pothole, but sometimes they just can’t be avoided, and it’s never worth endangering yourself more by trying to swerve around them.

Hitting a pothole can cause various types of damage, with one of the most noticeable being to the wheels and tyres. Punctures are common and are often noticeable instantly, as you’ll experience a loss of control and the steering will feel heavy. If it’s a particularly big pothole, it can cause damage to the wheel itself, such as buckling and cracking. This can be repaired depending on the severity, but a new wheel might be required.

After this, it’s suspension and steering components to be aware of. Hitting a pothole can damage the tracking of your car, causing misaligned tyre wear or the feeling that the car is pulling one way while driving, even with the steering wheel straight. Broken suspension components such as springs and shock absorbers are often common.

Remember to be safe if you do have a pothole-related breakdown

If you hit a pothole and it causes immediate damage to your car, the first thing to think about is your safety. Don’t come to an instant stop if it’s not safe to do so – such as on a blind corner. Try and get you and your car out of danger.

If you’re unable to pull off the road, come to a stop in the safest possible place, apply the hazard lights and get yourself out of the vehicle before ringing a breakdown provider or someone else who might be able to help.

Make sure you gather evidence to support your case

If your car has been damaged by hitting a pothole, you need to gather evidence to help your case to get compensation. It can be a long process with authorities often doing everything possible to avoid paying, so you need to be prepared for a fight.

Make details on the pothole, its location, size and only if safe to do so, gather pictures of the pothole and the damage to the car. You will likely need to get rough measurements of the pothole and sketch the location of the road defect while providing details on the damage and why you think they are responsible.

Once the car is recovered, get quotes from garages and keep these safely saved, while if you have the most up-to-date MOT certificate (these can be downloaded online if not), this can prove that there was nothing wrong with your car before the pothole damage.

Find out which organisation manages the road where the damage was caused

The organisation you need to claim from will depend on the location of the pothole. If the damage occurred on a major A-road and motorway, you will likely need to contact Highways England. If in London on a red route, you will need to speak to Transport for London. Outside of these, you will need to contact the local council that looks after that particular road.

In Scotland, major roads are looked after by Traffic Scotland and those in Wales are handled by Traffic Wales. Outside of these trunk roads, you’ll need to speak to the local councils.

Even if you don’t decide to claim, you should report the pothole damage to the authority responsible – not only will this hopefully have the road repaired, but it can also improve the chances of another person making a successful claim.

What happens next?

To add to the complexity, each local council and authority has a different procedure for both reporting and trying to claim for potholes.

Be prepared that all local authorities typically refuse all claims at first, quoting Section 58 of the Highways Act 1980, which says that the council took all reasonable steps to maintain the road, even if this might not be the case.

Many people choose to avoid pursuing the case any further after this point, but if you decide to carry on, you need to gather as much evidence as you can to prove that the council didn’t inspect and maintain the road to the right standard. You could need to submit a Freedom of Information request to find this out.

You might end up with a partial offer of compensation, which is worth accepting, but be prepared to be patient and dedicate lots of time to be successful in claiming damages.