BMW Driver Discovers that You Cant's go Too Far with a Clamper on Your Wheel…

No one likes to see their car clamped down, regardless if they deserve it or not, but once it happens, the only other thing you can really do besides paying the ticket is to complain about it.

Well, at least these are the options for someone rational, because you could always defy logic and attempt something stupid like drive away with one of your wheels locked in the clamp, which is precisely what an elderly man from Dublin, Ireland, tried to do in a BMW 5-Series Touring (E39).

Read more »

What's Better for the Snow: A FWD Model with Winter Tires or an AWD Model with Regular Tires?

It's a question asked by many automobile owners living in a number of regions around the world with harsh winters and lots of snow; would you be better off with a front-wheel drive (FWD) model fitted with winter tires that you can swap once the weather warms up, or an all-wheel drive (AWD) vehicle with regular rubber? Read more »

VW Celebrates 30 Years of the Caddy with New Special Edition

Volkswagen's light commercial vehicle, the Caddy, turns 30 this year and to celebrate the event, the German automaker has released a new special variant named the Edition 30, of which only 117 examples will be offered in Britain. Read more »

Audi UK Bids Farewell to A3 Cabriolet with Final Edition Versions

The appearance of the first pre-production prototypes of the next generation A3 Cabriolet based on the longer platform of the upcoming sedan version of the series means that the current open-top model is breathing its last.

In Britain, Audi made it official that it will soon withdraw the A3 Cabriolet from its lineup as it prepares to make room for the new model, but not before it releases a limited run of the car.

Read more »

Top Gear Returns for 19th Season, Pagani Huayra Smashes Ariel Atom V8 Lap Record

Some say that it’s getting a bit old inserting the “some say” joke in Top Gear stories, so we’ll just get down to business. As you may probably have heard, the world’s most (in)famous TV car show is back for its 19th season.

Even though the three hosts teased us about what was about to come, and after watching them for so long, we’ve come to expect almost everything, the season premiere that aired on Sunday, 27 January on UK’s BBC Two managed to throw quite a surprise.

Read more »

Kia Adds "Girly" Fuchsia Colour and New White Edition to Picanto Range in Britain

South Korean carmaker Kia is expanding its offerings for the Picanto city car in the United Kingdom with the addition of a "girly colour", as described by the company itself, and a new special edition version. Read more »

Nissan Lowers Price of 2013 Leaf EV by €3,000 in Europe

Less than 10 days after it dropped the price of the U.S.-made Leaf by more than US$6,000, Nissan announced that it is making its all-electric five-door compact hatchback more affordable in Europe, too, reducing its price by €3,000 (US$4,000).

As of today, the Leaf starts from €25,990 (US$34,644) in France and £23,490 (€28,490, US$37,979) in the United Kingdom.

Read more »

New Ford Fiesta ST Priced from £16,995 in the UK

Ford has released UK pricing for the new Fiesta ST three-door hot hatch ahead of its market launch in March. It will be offered in two trims, with the base ST model starting at £16,995, which Ford says is "up to £2,000 less than the segment competitors", and the better-equipped ST2 grade, priced at £17,995.

The performance-orientated version of the updated Fiesta series features a 1.6-liter turbocharged EcoBoost petrol engine producing 180hp (182PS) and peak torque of 214 lb-ft (290Nm).

Read more »

VW Launches New Touareg R-Line, Drops Prices of CC in the UK

The Volkswagen brand is expanding the range of its Touareg SUV in Britain with the addition of a new R-Line trim that is based on the Altitude. According to VW, the R-Line adds a host of extra equipment features and unique styling cues, worth over £4,000, for a premium of £750. Read more »

Warranty Direct Reveals UK’s Least Reliable Engines, 3 German Brands Among the Worst

Cars are complicated machines made out of thousands of parts that, even when their owners take great care of them and follow the user and service manuals religiously, sometimes go wrong. After all, that’s what warranties are for.

Of course, warranties at some point expire, and while a light bulb or something equally minor may be of little concern, the engine is a completely different, much more scary and costly issue.

“Engine failures are the biggest fear for any motorist as they’re the ones that can lead to the most astronomical costs because of their parts and hours of labor required to fix them”, said UK’s Warranty Direct managing director Duncan McClure Fisher.

Read more »