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New BMW M6 to Launch

Monday, February 13th, 2012

It has been announced that BMW is set to reveal the all new M6 at next month’s Geneva Motor Show and according to the very clever people at BMW, it has been given a “generous dose of M feeling”. This can be roughly translated to mean that the engine is extraordinarily powerful and that there are lashings of M badges on the wheels, grilles and side panels.

Improvements

The new M6 is also, upon first glance, a pretty stunning looking thing. BMW have re-styled the entire car and it is now, in my opinion, significantly better looking than its predecessor as it comes with some very sleek, new curves and the big rims are, as usual on BMW’s, very smart and stylish. The chunky rear tyres paired with the twin tailpipes will also let everyone behind you know that the new M6 is no slouch!

And slouch is not a word that you would associate with the M6 once you’ve heard what is under the bonnet.

New Power Source

The old V10 has been binned in favour of a smaller, more economical, but ferociously powerful 4.4 litre twin turbocharged V8. The new engine produces a stunning 552bhp, all of which will be sent to the rear wheels in order to create one lively experience! Furthermore, the added bonus of the engine being more economical than its predecessor is that it should hopefully save you money on fuel and motor insurance quotes.

A number of years ago the Formula One circus began using V8 engines instead of V10 engines in order to, not only slow the cars down a bit, but use less fuel and thus run more efficiently. Now it seems that such ideas are being translated to road cars, except instead of the road cars slowing down, they are gaining more power instead!

The added plus of the twin turbo’s is that when the turbo power kicks in, the driver will really feel it! Depending on how they are aligned and set-up, the power will either come in one violent thump when hitting a certain RPM or it will be gently eased in at low revs before delivering added oomph throughout every gear.

Impressive Tech

Speaking of gears, the M6 will be fitted with the very clever seven speed M double clutch system, with the tasty extra of launch control for those fun days out at the track. The new car will reach 62mph in just 4.2 seconds before going on to a top speed of 189mph, provided you take the optional extra of the M Driver’s Package.

It’s not just the engine that is impressive either, as the M6 will come with some great tech, such as lane departure warning (which is fairly self explanatory), surround view, night vision and pedestrian recognition along with internet access.

I was never the biggest fan of the old M6, but this new one looks like a bit of a gem. It’s sure to be a wonderful motorway and city cruiser as well as a menacing challenger on the track! Does M power float your boat?

Tags: BMW, BMW M6, motor insurance quotes, New car models
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New Boxster Announced

Monday, January 23rd, 2012

Porsche has revealed that they are due to launch an “all-new” Boxster…who’s guessing it will look much like the original then? The third generation Boxster despite still very much resembling the original Boxster, has however undergone some redesign work. The front and rear overhangs are now shorter and the wheels are bigger. The side of the car has also been re-sculpted for aesthetic appeal, rather than performance reasons.

Performance Improvements

So, it’s not exactly an innovative redesign is it? Porsche’s main work, as always, comes under the skin. They have worked hard on trying to improve efficiency and performance. To start with, the new model is much lighter than its predecessor, just how light exactly is yet to be announced however.

There are now two shiny new flat six engines available also. The entry level model will be fitted with a 2.7 litre unit, which despite being smaller than the 2.9 litre entry level Boxster of the previous model, squirts out 10bhp more (261bhp), and will get to 62mph in a quicker 5.7 seconds. The smaller engine is also likely to be cheaper to run, fuel wise, whilst resulting in lower motor insurance quotes too.

The S Model

The beefier, Boxster S will come with a 3.4 litre power plant that will have 311bhp and a 0-62mph sprint time of a flat five seconds. So Porsche’s little roadster will be very nippy indeed, and in true Porsche style, will handle well also, which will make a fun drive! This is the reason Porsche Boxster’s have been so popular over the years. They don’t cost a fortune, and will put a smile on the drivers face. They are also, undoubtedly, very pretty to look at.

Styling

Which brings me to my next point. At the beginning of the article I stated that the new Boxster is likely to look very much the same as the original Boxster, well of course it will, why fix something that isn’t broke? Porsche got it right with the original, and they’ve realised this and so kept the design essentially the same over the years because it is a very pretty car, and probably the prettiest in its class, apart from, perhaps, the Audi TT, which I personally think is gorgeous.

Anyway, I digress, back to the new Boxster!

New Additions

Both new versions will come with rear wheel drive and a six-speed manual gearbox, however a seven-speed PDK twin-clutch gearbox is an optional extra. Furthermore, the larger wheels are not just for aesthetic appeal as they are said to enhance the dynamics of the car while an electro-mechanical power steering system that has been fitted to the 911 will now be used on the Boxster too.

Prices start at £37,589, but if you want the top of the range S model with all the added extras, you will be looking more in the region of £50,000. Any takers?

Tags: motor insurance quotes, New car models, Porsche, Porsche Boxster, Sports Car
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Nissan Sunderland Produce Record Number of Vehicles

Wednesday, January 4th, 2012

There has been a lot of news recently about the positive state of the UK motor industry, and we have blogged about it here on our very own MotorMouthBlog, and today we are again pleased to do the same!

Nissan Sunderland Outperform 2010

An article published on the Telegraph’s website today has revealed that Nissan Sunderland has produced the highest ever number of new cars in the UK in one year. The online newspaper revealed that 480,485 cars were produced in 2011 which kicked the previous record of 423,262 set in 2010 firmly into touch.

2010 was also a record year for the plant as that was actually the first year a UK car factory had ever produced over 400,000 cars.

Strong Demand

Nissan have said that the demand for the Qashqai and Juke models has been so great that this is one of the main contributing factors for the plant’s exceptional performance in 2011. For example, in 2011, the Sunderland plant produced 244,298 Qashqai’s and 56,979 Qashqai +2’s. They also produced 132,606 Juke’s and 46,602 Nissan Note’s. That sure is a lot of Nissan’s that will need a motor insurance quote!

The Sunderland factory employs 5,500 staff which have all been very hard at work in 2011, and will no doubt be looking to produce even more cars in 2012. The motivation to break the record they have set must now be sky high, however, this will of course only be possible if demand remains strong for Nissan’s vehicles.

Praise Splashed Upon Sunderland Factory

Nissan’s record year has been marked by much praise from Paul Everitt, Chief Executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), and no stranger to our blog, as he has been commenting: “Many congratulations to the Nissan team for achieving record-breaking production volumes. They demonstrate the strength of UK automotive manufacturing which continues to buck the economic trend, outperforming 2010 by an anticipated 6%.”

Now obviously Nissan is a Japanese car manufacturer, and so many would argue that this achievement is somewhat clouded by the fact that it wasn’t a British manufacturer that broke the record.

However, nonetheless, to have factories in the UK that are performing better than ever in such a difficult economic climate is a massive boost for the economy on the whole and can only be thought of as a positive. This may of course now open up further job opportunities for many in the nearby area. This is great news when unemployment is so high and still rising! Perhaps Nissan will look to open another factory elsewhere in the UK? Or other overseas manufacturers will see how well our British workforce have performed and may now open up their own factories here?

Correct me if I’m wrong but there are no UK manufacturers currently producing mass market cars, so surely the next best thing for our motor industry is to show that we can produce huge volumes of cars for any manufacturer with strong demand. Well done Nissan and well done to all at the Sunderland plant! Good luck for 2012.

Tags: motor insurance quotes, nissan, Nissan Sunderland, SMMT, Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders
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New Mercedes SL Announced

Wednesday, December 14th, 2011

Here on the MotorMouthBlog we feel that we write about interesting topics, and subject matters that will appeal to our readers, and so today, we are bringing you the news that any petrol head (which we are) will find interesting. That is the news that there is a new Mercedes SL.

A Reputation to Uphold

Mercedes has recently, in my own personal opinion, produced some of the finest luxury cruisers on the road. They’ve got the styling right, they’ve got the engines right, and to some extent, they’ve got the prices right. The name Mercedes evokes a sense of quality, refinement and class, however, depending on what particular Mercedes you are thinking about, words such as lunacy, joy, excitement and thrilling are also true. The AMG Black models for example are thunderous, bellowing brutes that will etch very wide smiles into your face; and that’s before you turn the key, or push the starter button as the case may be.

What’s the Performance Like?

SL’s of the past have been gracious models, however, the new SL looks to be a rather edgy affair, especially if you go for the SL500 which will kick out 435bhp from the 4.6 litre V8 power-house.

Mercedes claim that this new engine is 22% more efficient than the previous SL500 which had a 5.4 litre V8. Great news then for fuel bills! Whether this improved efficiency will make a positive difference on a car insurance quote remains to be seen, however, when buying a Mercedes-Benz, owners will be aware of the type of price they will have to pay for their car insurance cover.

In terms of the performance, the SL500 will hit 60mph in a blurry, yet refined, 4.6 seconds, whilst the smaller SL350, with a 3.5 litre V6, will get there in just over one second more. Of course, as we expect these days, the Mercedes SL will come limited to 155mph.

Innovation and Detail

Continuing a long line of innovation from Mercedes-Benz, the SL comes with almost an entirely aluminium structure, and the SL is the only car in its class to feature FrontBass. This allows the aluminium structure of the car to be used as a bass woofer.

The new SL is also packed with a range of brilliant features, such as a steel and glass folding roof along with Magic Sky Control which will allow owners to change the tint of the glass. There is also a Magic Vision Control system fitted to the car which is a rather sophisticated wiper system that delivers warm water directly to the wiper blade. The attention to detail never ceases to astonish us!

The new SL is sure to be a hit; will you be making your way to your nearest Mercedes-Benz dealer? Or would you prefer something else? Why not let us know your thoughts…

Tags: Car Insurance Quote, Mercedes SL, Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-Benz SL, motor insurance quotes
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Motorway Lessons to be Introduced

Friday, December 9th, 2011

It has been announced that learner drivers, as of next year, will be taken on motorways as part of their tuition. This is a very positive step as it will mean that young drivers are comfortable on the motorway at speeds of 70mph right from the off.

This change will not however become compulsory, merely just advisory. This is due to the fact that learner drivers in remote areas of the country would face some difficulty in finding a motorway within a reasonable distance of where they live.

Life Behind the Wheel

Mr Penning made the announcement when addressing the Institute of Advanced Motorists and he cited an example of his own daughter who would have been able to drive on a motorway within minutes of passing.

Mr Penning has also been quoted saying: “Are we teaching young drivers to pass a test or are we giving them the skills to enjoy life on the road?” This comment, along with the changes, have come after growing concerns regarding the current testing regime, which many believe, does not prepare drivers correctly for life behind the wheel.

Andrew Howard, the AA’s head of road safety, has also commented on the issue, saying: “This is good news. It will end the ludicrous situation where people can live near a network of motorways and pass their test without ever having been on one.”

I am very much inclined to agree with this. After passing my test I did not drive on a motorway for about three and a half years, simply because I did not feel prepared or equipped with the right skills and knowledge to apply them to the motorway, which can be daunting for young drivers with little experience.

Driving tuition currently seems rather mundane and simply aimed at getting someone to tick the boxes in order to pass a test. The amount of drivers who pass their test but still do not feel at ease behind the wheel is staggering and alarming. It is really quite detrimental to their own confidence and the other drivers on the road too. With a few tweaks here and there, it is possible to prepare drivers better for life on the road and to teach drivers a greater number of skills.

It’s Just Safer

By taking learners on motorways it is sure to reduce the chance of them having an accident when they finally do take the motorway once they have passed, this may also reduce the amount of motor insurance claims made every year.

There are some countries in Europe that prepare drivers for icy conditions; in the UK we do not even touch upon that, we are merely told to brake earlier in the rain. That’s just common sense isn’t it? Such tuition could also eventually lead to lower motor insurance quotes being offered to younger drivers, which currently can be very pricey indeed!

On the whole, the way we are taught to drive is very good, but like I said, with a few edits here and there, we could make driving tuition even more effective and even more comprehensive in order to teach drivers further skills and prepare them better for driving in a range of conditions and on a greater variety of roads.

Andrew Howard added: “Toughening the rules on driving instructors is also to be welcomed. At the moment it is possible to be taught by a trainee, without knowing that when you booked the lesson – but you still have to pay the same price.”

Tags: Driving Tuition, Institute of Advanced Motorists, Motor insurance, motor insurance quotes, road safety
Posted in Driving schools, Motor Insurance, Motor Insurance Quote | No Comments »

Fuel Prices to Remain Constant

Wednesday, December 7th, 2011

If you are a keen motoring enthusiast, like we are here, then you probably won’t have missed the news regarding fuel prices recently. Well the latest on this issue is that the government has now decided to further postpone the scheduled three pence rise in fuel duty that was intended for January.

A Welcome Change

This announcement, which has been welcomed by motorists across the UK, was part of the Autumn Statement by Chancellor George Osborne. He also announced that the planned rise of 5p in August has been lowered to 3p. So, expect fuel prices to remain fairly constant for at least the next eight months!

Of course fuel prices will still vary from one location to another, just driving home I see variances of two pence from one borough to the next, however, we can’t exactly stop companies from competing with one another.

Mr Osborne’s statement has also explained that taxes on petrol will be 10 pence lower in August 2012 than they would have been as a result of action taken in this year’s Budget. This will, hopefully, see families saving around £144 on average next year. A sizeable saving for sure!

Roads to Improve

Further pleasing news for us motorists was that the National Infrastructure Plan was announced. This is the plan to improve roads, rail and airports among other things. £5 billion of additional public spending will reportedly be pumped into more than 500 projects over the coming years.

The big improvements for the roads are, currently, likely to be upgrades to the M1 and the M6 in the Midlands as well as the Bristol link road and the A380 bypass in the South West. The toll charge for the Humber Bridge that connects Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire will also be halved. The cost will therefore be £1.50 for a single crossing instead of the rather extortionate price we have to pay now.

The price it costs these days to run a car from day to day is quite astonishing, especially if you add it all up, not forgetting motor insurance quotes of course, along with road tax, car maintenance and services, and of course, fuel! It is at least pleasing and quite relieving to see that the government are, to some extent, helping us out. Long may that continue, and hopefully they will do a u-turn on the proposed price increase in August.

Tags: Fuel Costs, Fuel Duty, motor insurance quotes, motoring costs
Posted in Car Costs, Motor Insurance | No Comments »

Forecourt fill up set to cost £100

Tuesday, November 8th, 2011

As the cost of motoring seems to become more expensive by the day, a leading financial “Think Tank” have warned drivers in the UK that they may well be paying over £100 to fill their car with fuel in the not too distant future.

Experts warn of rising costs

It is no secret that fuel prices, maintenance costs and car insurance cover are at their highest rates ever, but a report by the ITEM club suggests we ain’t seen nothing yet! According to the financiers, residents of the UK may benefit from a fall in fuel prices next year due to the turning back on of the oil industry in Libya, but by 2015 they expect the price of petrol to be over £1.50 a litre in mainland Britain. The simple mathematics confirms that filling a 70 litre tank up would indeed cost over £100.

Public will follow the debate

Already the present Government intend to put a delayed 3p rise in fuel duty on the cost of petrol and diesel in January with a further increase forecast to be announced in the budget. A debate at Parliament next week in the House of Commons may well prove to be something of an embarrassment for many Coalition MPs. On November the 15th the FairFuel campaign group will hear the debate on fuel prices that their 100,000 signature petition secured. The eyes of the public will be on their MPs and where they stand. Motorists all over the UK hope that the debate will result in lower duties that will encourage more people to get a motor insurance quotes on a vehicle and get back on the road, however, with the parlous state of the Government coffers they perhaps shouldn’t hold their breath too long waiting!

Enjoy it while you can

In fact according to the ITEM club we should all make the best of next year whatever duty the Government impose on petrol because it is going to be much better than the ones that follow. They predict that food, oil and petrol will all fall in price next year bringing inflation closer to the Governments target of 2% rather than the 5% it is now, but the experts also say the relief will be short lived and by the time we reach 2013 demand for oil from all over the planet will drive prices up once again. Not at all good news for the consumer but perhaps a bit of light relief for manufacturers of electric vehicles, whose future may suddenly seem brighter again.

Tags: car costs, car insurance cover, government, motor insurance quotes, Think Tank
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A Tale of Two Counties

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

Potholes are never far off the top of any list compiled about a motorist’s pet hates, and the stark contrast in how local authorities deal with the problem throughout the UK has been amply illustrated this week.

Difference in approach

It is no secret that motorists hate potholes, they are responsible for thousands of motor insurance claims every year and as such add to the cost of motor insurance quotes on a grand scale. As winter approaches, the quality of work carried out by many local authorities after the nightmare conditions of last year will soon be put to the test, but even before winter bites the attitude between different councils has been very noticeable.

Public complaints

After the end of one of Lancashire’s worst winters in decades, the state of the roads in the county were appalling. The local authority came under pressure not just from motoring organisations but from all and sundry. Newspapers launched a campaign encouraging readers to pinpoint the worst potholes in their area and the flood of contributions from leaders proved an embarrassment for local leaders.

Potholes permanently fixed in Lancashire

Lancashire County Council Highways Department have taken to the task of repairing potholes with a vengeance. Already the council have increased their road repairing budget by over £2 million and have vowed to not only patch up the surface, but actually make a permanent fix. So far this year the council claim to have permanently fixed 10,000 holes near Blackburn, Lancashire and promise to fix another 10,000 before the winter is over.

Patched up in Devon

The situation in Devon could not be more different. Businesses across the county complain of losing thousands of pounds each year due to the poor conditions of the roads, and motorists and pedestrians alike complain about potholes. At the end of the winter, Devon’s roads were in an awful state and local councils came under great pressure to launch an initiative to repair the damage. Local authorities have indeed repaired potholes, but in the main, have concentrated on patching up roads instead; they claim they just do not have the money to carry out permanent repairs.

Policy will come under the spotlight

Of course Devon along with other West Country counties has special problems. The influx of millions of tourists combined with the effects of coastal weather and erosion puts extra pressure on the roads, of which many are small country lanes. However, business leaders say they cannot afford to have poor quality roads because it prevents investment in the area. Already Devon has announced they will be cutting back on the number of roads they grit when severe weather conditions for the county are predicted, and with a population that in many cases live in isolated spots, the wisdom of their policy will be under close scrutiny these coming months.

Tags: Devon, Lancashire, Motor insurance, motor insurance quotes, Potholes, UK Roads
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Who didn’t win an award?

Tuesday, October 18th, 2011

The Scottish car of the year show took place over the weekend and if motorists north of the border were wondering exactly what sort of car they should get motor insurance quotes on, then they may be more confused than ever after attending the show.

List of winners was endless

The list of winners seemed endless and anyone looking to purchase a new vehicle really was spoilt for choice. Should they opt for the new Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet, which took the open top car of the year award, or maybe they should consider the Range Rover Evoque which won the SUV/Crossover section. Going down a gear or two motorists looking to get car insurance cover on a supermini could easily have fallen for the charms of the Kia Picanto, the winner of the best small car prize. The best family car award went to the all new Ford Focus, and no, that is not the end of the role of honour. Seat also managed to win two awards, the Ibiza E Ecomotive taking the best car in the ECO section and the SEAT Alhambra winning the MPV car of the year accolade.

And there’s more

John Murdoch, the President of the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers, presented many of the awards at the ceremony which was held at the Thistle hotel in Glasgow and by the end of the night his hand must have been aching from all the handshakes. On top of those awards already mentioned the Hyundai i40 tourer was named best estate car of the year and the Peugeot iOn voted the best electric car of the year.

Don’t forget Jaguar

It is amazing that all the bouquets managed to be handed out on the same evening because I may have forgot to mention that Jaguar also won a best car of the year award, well three actually. The JaguarXF was named best diesel car of the year, the Jaguar E-type, the most iconic car of the last 50 years, and the Jaguar XKR-S managed to throttle away with the best sports car of the year prize. Of course there also had to be an overall best car of the year award, which went to the Range Rover Evoque.

Tags: car insurance cover, motor insurance quotes, The Scottish car of the year show, vehicles
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Will hydrogen cars be the answer?

Thursday, October 6th, 2011

With the future of the new breed of electric cars in the balance, many industry insiders are now questioning whether hydrogen fuelled cars rather than electric battery models will hold the key to our motoring future.

Public not impressed

There is no doubt that the launch of cars such as the Nissan Leaf has captured the imagination of the press, but do seem to have left the general motoring public seriously underwhelmed. Other manufacturers who are now getting ready to release their mass produced models on to the market are furiously trying to think of advertising ploys that will attract drivers in their thousands to get motor insurance quotes on zero emission cars.

Four faults

There are four clearly identifiable problems for today’s motorists when they considers buying an electric car. First of all, the price. Even with the Government subsidy of £5,000 the cars are more expensive to buy than regular equivalent models. Even taking into account the savings on fuel, the deal is not overwhelmingly appealing. Secondly, the range of a fully fuelled car is still well under 100 miles. This is proving to be a worry for motorists that manufacturers cannot dispel. Thirdly the lack of charging stations is proving difficult to overcome. Motorists, at the moment, would have to spend long hours planning a route across the UK where they could be safe in the knowledge that they could re-charge the vehicle when needed. Which brings us nicely onto the fourth problem? The amount of time the battery takes to charge. A full charge can take up to 6 hours which is obviously no use for anyone thinking of travelling any distance in one day.

Hydrogen option not just hot air

Enter the hydrogen cell car. Hydrogen powered cars depend on a fuel cell in the vehicle extracting oxygen from the atmosphere and mixing it with hydrogen from a tank in the vehicle. The resulting electricity turns motors that produce power for the car to move. The beauty about this system is that the car can be filled with hydrogen in the same time as it takes to fill a car with petrol, in fact the first hydrogen pump has already been installed in the UK. The range of a hydrogen powered car on a full tank is around 300 miles. Because of the lack of a mass produced model at the moment it is difficult to compare prices with an electric battery car and the same applies to car insurance cover, however, just like its electric counterpart the hydrogen car will be emission free and will comply with all the green requirements of today.

Tags: car insurance cover, hydrogen cars, motor insurance quotes
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