New Road Tax - New Stealth Tax

What do you make of the new road tax? Well apparently it's going to affect almost half of us in a negative way. Of course I mean by that you'll be paying more taxes. Not very good at all. Don't we already pay enough? Go here to read my polemic on this subject.

The Renaultsport Megane dCi 175

Whilst I was at the Knockhill Motor Show I had the pleasure of seeing the Renaultsport Megane dCi 175. I must say it's a very tasty looking thing - what makes it even better is that amount of power from a fairly economical diesel. Here's what Renault have to say about it:

"The unveiling of Mégane Renaultsport dCi 175 at the Geneva Motor Show has given car buyers a glimpse of the future. The first diesel model to feature in the Renaultsport range, the 2-litre car offers the perfect compromise between sports performance and economy.

Deliberately targeted at drivers who place greater value on the comfort of their everyday vehicle, Mégane Renaultsport dCi is less extreme than the successful petrol-engined Mégane Renaultsport 225. It also appeals to drivers who crave the driving pleasure of a Renaultsport car while keeping running costs in mind.

In addition, the latest hot-topic of the environment is considered with emissions of 172g/km. Economy figures of a combined 43.5mpg – an urban rating of 34.4mpg and extra urban at 50.4mpg – are hugely satisfying given that performance was marginally above consumption in the priorities for the M9Rb engine.

The engine is not directly taken from Laguna but modified and improved to sit perfectly with the demands of Mégane Renaultsport dCi. Changes to the inlet manifold and exhaust push the car close to the behaviour of its petrol cousin, with the Turbo specifically designed to improve engine response.

Together with specific gear ratios to improve acceleration and a reinforced clutch, the performance of Mégane Renaultsport dCi is impressive. Compared with Mégane 225, the new model accelerates quicker in sixth gear from 50mph – 75mph, due to the extra torque of the power unit.

A look at the standard equipment on Mégane Renaultsport dCi makes pleasant reading with air conditioning, ESP, 17” aluminium wheels, leather-trimmed steering wheel and cruise control all included. A choice of Ultra Blue or Ultra Red paint is available, while the interior is Carbon Grey cloth upholstery.

For drivers wanting that little bit extra, Mégane Renaultsport dCi 175 Lux offers climate control, 18” aluminium wheels, Carbon leather seats, hands-free card ignition and Mercury or Deep Black metallic paint as standard.

At a cost of just £19,005 for the three-door Mégane Renaultsport dCi 175 and £20,405 for the Lux version, with an extra £510 for a five-door model, the newest addition to the Renaultsport garage offers superb value for money. With the ideal balance of performance and environmentally friendly consumption, it is sure to take an early lead in the high-performance diesel field."

Should you buy one? Well the more I'm reading, the more I'm getting interested in the Renaultsport offerings. I'll give a bit more coverage to the range later in the week.

Top Gear Returns Tonight

Yes, you read it right. Top Gear is returning tonight, 22/06/08 at 8PM on BBC2. I know you can't wait to see the gang once again so here's some more information to whet your appetite:

• The Stig is back in an F430 Scuderia
• Jeremy, James and Richard give some petrol-saving tips
• The boys look at how police cars can be made better
• The guest slot is a bit different and you'll see Justin Lee-Collins and Alan Carr going head to head

Given that tidbit of information, I'm sure that you can't wait to see the show.

Lamborghini LP640

I personally think that cars are a bit of a work of art. None more so than Lamborghinis. They really are one of the few manufacturers on the planet that make balls to the wall, crazy sports automobiles that will happily shred their tyres to bring tears to your eyes.

Not only that of course, you'll have great fun in doing so. With that in mind, it is with pleasure that below I supply further information on the Lamborghin LP640 - it is a car and a half!

Chassis

Frame

High strength tubular steel structure with carbon fibre components

Bodywork

Body

In carbon fibre, except roof and door external panels (steel)

Steering

Type

Mechanical (rack and pinion) power-assisted

Turning circle

Right-hand turning circle 12.55 m

Wheels and tyres

Tyres (front/rear)

245/35 ZR18 and 335/30 ZR 18

Engine

Type/displacement

12 cylinders V60/6496 cc

Bore

88mm

Compression ratio

(11 +/- 0.2):1

Maximum power

640hp (471kw) at 8000rpm

Maximum torque

660 Nm @ 6000 rpm

Position

Longitudinal central-rear

Cylinder heads and engine block

Aluminium

Intake system

Variable geometry with 3 operating modes
4 valves per cylinder, 4 overhead camshafts

Timing

Timing gear transmission

2 chains

Ignition system

Type

Static type ignition system with individual coils (one for each spark plug)

Firing sequence

1-7-4-10-2-8-6-12-3-9-5-11

Fuel system/injection

Type

Lamborghini LIE electronic engine control unit, multipoint, sequential timed, DRIVE BY WIRE

Lubrication system

Type

dry sump

Recovery pumps

2 gear pumps

Delivery pump

1 gear pump (high pressure)

Cooling system

Type

Liquid cooled, with pressurised circuit

Transmission

Type

Permanent all-wheel drive with Viscous Traction system

Gearbox

6-speed mechanical gearbox

Clutch

Dry single disc

Clutch disc diameter

272 mm

Disengagement

Self-adjusting hydraulic control

Transmission ratios

1st

1:3.091

2nd

1:2.105

3rd

1:1.565

4th

1:1.241

5th

1:1.065

6th

1:0.939

Reverse

1:2.692

Brakes

Type

4 self-ventilated rotors with pedal control, hydraulic transmission with dual independent circuits, one for each axle with vacuum servo. ABS antilock device + DRP function.

Lines

Steel

Front rotor

380 x 34 mm

Front calliper cylinders

N. 8 (32-28 mm/32-28 mm)

Rear rotor

355 x 32 mm

Rear calliper cylinders

N. 4 (40-44 mm)

Handbrake

Mechanical, acting on rear wheels

Optional ceramic rotor system

Front rotor

380 x 38 mm

Front calliper cylinders

N. 6 (32-36-38 mm)

Rear rotor

380 x 38 mm

Rear calliper cylinders

N. 6 (32-36-38 mm)

Suspension

Type

4-wheel independent articulated quadrilateral system. Hydraulic shock absorbers and coaxial coil springs. Suspension with dual front and rear struts, antiroll, antidive and antisquat bar

Performance data

Top speed

Over 200 mph

Acceleration 0-62mph

3.4 seconds

Dimensions

Wheelbase

2665 mm

Total length

4610 mm

Total width

2058 mm

Total height

1135 mm

Dry weight (no fuel)

1665 kg

Front track width

1635 mm

Rear track width

1695 mm

Front overhang

1005 mm

Rear overhang

910 mm

Maximum overall width

2240 mm (with external rear-view mirrors)

Liquid capacities

Fuel tank

100 litres

Engine oil

12 litres

Gearbox oil

3.5 litres

Front differential oil

1 litre

Rear differential oil

2.5 litres

Cooling circuit

15 litres

I'm sure you'll agree that is one special sounding beast!

Buying A New Car Checklist

If you're in the market for a new car, go take a look at my post over at Car Articles. It provides a great resource on what you should and shouldn't receive when you do purchase a brand new vehicle with that 'new car' smell. Sounds lovely!

Saving Money...

If you want to know how to make the most of your MPG, then follow the jump. I've written a new article over at Car Articles.

MINI One

If you're interested in the MINI history and brand, go and take a look at my post over at Car Articles. I think you'll quite like it.

Seat BTCC Car

The Seat team (makers of the cool Seat Leon Cupra and FR) have outdone themselves this year. They have ran an excellent car that features a 266bhp turbocharged TDI engine developed from those similar to the road car. This should keep Plato and Turner happy for at least a while. Until that is Giovanardi takes all the points anyway.

Mitsubishi Lancer Diesel

Auto Express has an excellent review of the new Mitsubishi Lancer. It actually takes a lot of styling cues from the mad-fast Mitsubishi Evo X - a car I hope to be seeing some of quite soon. In the meantime, here's a sample from the review:

"The oil-burner is mated to a six-speed transmission that’s great to use, thanks to a short and positive shift. It’s not the same gearbox as in the Evo, which gets a five-speed unit, but it’s every bit as slick. Engineers have clearly tried hard to give the Lancer a sporty feel from behind the wheel, and the results are impressive. On twisting B-roads, the well balanced chassis and agile nature make it fun.

It’s sure-footed, and there’s plenty of grip, while body roll is kept in check through the bends. The trade-off is a rather firm ride, although it’s far from crashy, and deals with rough surfaces competently enough."

Click here for the full review and to be taken to the Auto Express car review, news and information site.

My Lightning GT Preview

Go over to Gadzooki and check out my preview of the Lightning GT. It is a super-fast electric car that might well get major manufacturers in on the game, but who knows eh?

Current F1 Results (Australian Grand Prix)

Well, Lewis Hamilton has done exactly what I predicted - came first in the race. His skill was simply too much in this race, however as you can see from the results below his team-mate Kovalainen actually took the fastest lap. Is this is a taste of things to come? Who knows. What I will say is that this Grand Prix is shaping up to be excellent, with the lack of traction control adding even more drama to events.

Race classification from the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park in Melbourne on Sunday:

1. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1:34:50.616
2. Nick Heidfeld (Germany) BMW Sauber +00:05.478
3. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Williams - Toyota 00:08.163
4. Fernando Alonso (Spain) Renault 00:17.181
5. Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) McLaren 00:18.014
6. Kazuki Nakajima (Japan) Williams - Toyota 1 lap
7r. Sebastien Bourdais (France) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 3 laps
8r. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Ferrari 5 laps
r. Robert Kubica (Poland) BMW Sauber 11 laps
r. Timo Glock (Germany) Toyota 15 laps
r. Takuma Sato (Japan) Super Aguri - Honda 26 laps
r. Nelsinho Piquet (Brazil) Renault 28 laps
r. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 29 laps
r. David Coulthard (Britain) RedBull - Renault 33 laps
r. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Toyota 39 laps
r. Adrian Sutil (Germany) Force India - Ferrari 50 laps
r. Mark Webber (Australia) RedBull - Renault 56 laps
r. Jenson Button (Britain) Honda 57 laps
r. Anthony Davidson (Britain) Super Aguri - Honda 57 laps
r. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 58 laps
r. Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Force India - Ferrari 58 laps
DSQ Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Honda +00:52.453

(rank: r = retired, nc = not classified)

Fastest Lap: Heikki Kovalainen, 1:27.418, lap 43.

100th Post: Explosion In Porsche 911 Factory

That's a bit of a problem... As Leonidas might say in 300. More importantly, it's a big problem when you are making some of the amazing sports cars in the world, namely the Porsche 911.

Unfortunately, the plant at Zuffenhausen suffered a gas explosion because of the setup in the paint room. Two people were hurt. This is pretty bad, but luckily no-one was killed. No count of how many Porsches were damaged or killed during the blast. Production should begin again in three days. In the meantime, enjoy the picture above to ease those 911 pains.

The 240MPH WOODEN Supercar

Yes, you read it right. The picture above is of a 240MPH wooden supercar, named Splinter (ha ha). It is a plywood, maple and MDF dream come true and clearly has the lines of a Murcielago if you ask me.



MSN had the following to report on the project:

It is the brainchild of designer Joe Harmon, a North Carolina State University student who worked with fellow undergraduate designers to create the world's first wooden supercar. Wood is used wherever possible, and that includes the chassis, the body and in the majority of the suspension components and wheels. Harmon said: "We aren't trying to sell anything, we aren't trying to save the world, and we aren't advocating that everyone should drive a wooden car. This project is a scholastic endeavour in which we are simply trying to explore materials, learn, teach, share ideas and stimulate creativity."



Powered by a V8 600BHP rocket of an engine you'll hit 60 in around (or possibly even under) 3 seconds. One thing I wouldn't recommend is either being in the car if it ever has an accident. I'm fairly sure that plywood and such don't take a serious collision very well...

The Wooden Supercar - Splinter

Yes, you read it right. The picture above is of a 240MPH wooden supercar, named Splinter (ha ha). It is a plywood, maple and MDF dream come true and clearly has the lines of a Murcielago if you ask me.

MSN had the following to report on the project:
It is the brainchild of designer Joe Harmon, a North Carolina State University student who worked with fellow undergraduate designers to create the world's first wooden supercar. Wood is used wherever possible, and that includes the chassis, the body and in the majority of the suspension components and wheels. Harmon said: "We aren't trying to sell anything, we aren't trying to save the world, and we aren't advocating that everyone should drive a wooden car. This project is a scholastic endeavour in which we are simply trying to explore materials, learn, teach, share ideas and stimulate creativity."

Powered by a V8 600BHP rocket of an engine you'll hit 60 in around (or possibly even under) 3 seconds. One thing I wouldn't recommend is either being in the car if it ever has an accident. I'm fairly sure that plywood and such don't take a serious collision very well...

Mercedes SL63 AMG

Yes, the SL55 is going to be leaving us soon in favour of the new monster, the SL63 with a naturally aspirated V8 6.2 litre and a rather interesting look.

The 518BHP makes it a huge power monster, something which is to be expected in the SL range. The 4.6 seconds to sixty should see most cars being burned off rather quickly, while they look at the styled rear of your vehicle with lust in their eyes.

Of course there's a 'multiclutch' meaning that you have the paddle shifts and four different options in shift speed, which should reduce any neck jarring when you're hitting the road hard. It should also mean that you can actually park the thing - something that's always a challenge when you have an automatic.

The look of the car might not be for everyone - it's actually extremely aggressive and nicely curved at the front. Moreover, the interior shows the usual style that Mercedes is known for in their top range models.

The bottom line is if you can afford this you're one lucky person. You get the best of both worlds in terms of performance, exotica and luxury...

The Mazda RX-8

This is of course the Mazda RX-8. A car in fact that I had the genuine pleasure of driving at the weekend. It's pretty much the only production car left on the road that has the rotary engine. This is smaller than a standard unit but more powerful, and thirsty to boot. To put this in perspective you'll find that the 1.3 performs more like a 2.5.

Anyway, let's get straight to it. Performance is, well, interesting. I say this because yes, the RX-8 does have a lot of power to offer, however you'll find that the delivery of that power is fairly unique. The reason I say this is that the engine needs to be revved to get performance. The top end version in fact goes even beyond the normal 9,000 RPM limiter. Sheer madness, but amazing to use.

On that note, if you're a Sunday driver keen to upchange well before 3,000 RPM this is not the car for you. If on the other hand you actually like to drive a car then you could well have some fun with this.

The RX-8 is one of the few sports coupes that features usable back seats and they even have cool suicide door access. Certainly something that will make it eye catching. The big boot is another great feature, making it a solid performer in the space stakes as well.

Overall, I can't complain at the RX-8, but given the high fuel consumption of that engine (think about 20 MPG) and the fact that fuel costs are rising, I'm not sure yet I could justify the purchase. Then again, I was looking at a Nissan 350Z and this is rather more practical...

Finally, there's a 40th Anniversary version of the RX-8 coming out. It features bespoke 18” alloy wheels and an exclusive Alcantara® seat trim. Look for it in an amazing white finish on forecourts soon.

Oil Companies - Rolling In It Right?

Well, Royal Dutch Shell's profits have been announced as £13.9 billion during 2007. This, as I'm sure you agree, is rather more than chump change. In fact, if you're a shareholder, you're probably expecting a nice little windfall now. Which is fine, you deserve the money if you bought the shares. What annoys me though is the amount of people complaining about it.

The average man on the street is really annoyed when they hear about the profit levels of such companies as Shell as they feel that it is their fault that petrol is now above £1 per litre in just about all of the UK. However, they're not really to blame now are they?

The fact is that you pay duty on fuel, and lots of it. You then go on to pay tax on the fuel that has duty levied against it - something which in my opinion should be illegal - but hey, there we are. A breakdown of the profit from 1 litre of petrol is something like this...

66p - goes directly to the government
10p - goes to the retailer
24p - pays for the petrol in various ways

So, who's really responsible for the fact that petrol is so bloody expensive? Well, look again at the breakdown. It's clearly only one organisation - the government. The problem is several-fold. First, to reduce congestion 'they' (the grey men in Parliament) think that the cost is acceptable. Second, the cost is further justified these days as a 'green tax' - ironic given the fact that it was hardly a concern just a few years ago.

What can we do then? Well, unfortunately not a lot. Those of you who can use LPG are rather lucky. The rest of us should make sure that we support businesses who lobby the government to maintain (or even god forbid, lower) the level of taxation we pay on this most necessary of substances.

Peugeot Built An Audi TT?

Well, sort of. This is the new Peugeot 308 RC Z. It's got the usual Peugeot coupe styling of a leading front and an extended rear tail. There's a lower spoiler, chrome radiator grille and fresh headlights.

There's a rear diffuser on there, a twin pipe exhaust and that slope will remain as it absolves the car from the need of a fancy (and/or stupid looking) spoiler. As this is still in concept stage at the moment, there are a few things that will change.

One thing that won't change however is the fact that it will remain a 2+2, meaning extremely small back seats suitable for golf clubs but almost certainly not for people. One of the more bizzare features of many coupes, that is.

Stats are probably going to be a 1.6 litre turbocharged engine, 218 BHP and 0-60 of about 6.8 seconds. It'll be placed around the £17,000 mark when released.

Fast Fit/NE Garages

If you're based in the UK - which you should be if you're reading this - I can heartily recommend a garage/used dealership in the North East - Fast Fit Express. I got excellent service and the gentleman on the phone clearly knew his stuff. Top notch.

Dream Garage...

Audi TTS

Well, what do we have here? It looks like a new Audi TT to me... Well not quite. This is the one and only Audi TTS. It's officially the quickest TT that's ever been produced - which is rather interesting given that I like these cars.

This particular model first appeared at the Detroit Motor Show, where many other models also first came to light. It's still not tacky or over the top, but the TT aspects have been toned up. This includes four exhausts, a new front apron, 18 or 19 inch alloys and the now-typical daylight running LED's.

So, what about performance? Well of course it still has the magnetic ride suspension (as standard on the TTS), but it also features a rather unexpected engine. Rather than a monstrous V8 or anything ludicrous, it has a 2.0 litre turbocharged 268bhp. This is good for a 0-60 in 5.5 seconds, or 5.2 in the DSG.

The interior is unusually snazzy for Audi and should be pretty pleasing to most people. I can't wait to see one in the flesh as it were, looks to be an excellent motor...

Parts ARE Guaranteed

Well, what can you say if the parts are guaranteed? I've got a service and MOT due, and I like the idea that everything is guaranteed. On the other hand, I like the idea of sticking some modded parts in the car. This would include the following:

• Uprated brake pads
• A new stainless steel exhaust
• An uprated, new sports performance air filter

All of these should see minor performance increases on my car, but more importantly they are SAFE. Along with my yearly MOT, the car should be pretty well ready for anything, given that it has tyres that are only a month and a half old.

Dakar Rally Cancelled

After the death of four French tourists in Mauritania on Christmas Eve, the French government advised their citizens not to travel there. Furthermore, 9 stages of the Lisbon-Dakar (formerly Paris Dakar) rally drive through Mauritania.

After further terrorist threats, the 6,500 mile event has now been cancelled. Shame on all those responsible for conspiring against the fate of this amazing, historic event. However, I guess the world is just a little different to last year.

Tips For Snow/Poor Weather Driving

Here's a few tips to help you out, whatever car you drive this Winter:

• Make sure your tyres are correctly inflated (or very slightly less than recommended), this should give you maximum grip in adverse conditions
• Try to move off in second when the engine is warm - this will avoid the car scrabbling for grip on a slippery surface
• Make sure to keep a warm jacket, a mobile phone (charged and usable), some biscuits and of course a spare tyre in the car
• If you have a rear wheel drive car, it is imperative that you move to higher gears as soon as possible
• Other road users are suffering the same slippery conditions - be more polite and aware of their driving
  
• Remember, even what looks like snow could be black ice - so take care
• Don't speed - even on a road that has been gritted and cleared. You must might hit that one rogue piece of ice/snow left
• Make sure that you car is an a good condition before you leave the house - it should of course have a full MOT but check the lights, oil, fuel, windscreen wiper fluid, tyres and wipers before setting off

Overall I'd just ask you all to take care on our roads - we're all responsible for each other here and no-one wants to be drifting (oh dear) into an accident do they?

Driving Economically/Green - A Test

I do quite a few miles per week, not least because I live about 18 miles away from work. A good part of the journey is dual carriageway busy road - yet still heading away from the main traffic. I do like to use the power of my car to the full (that doesn't mean speeding mind) but I found that impossible in the recently-poor weather. So, I decided to do a little experiment and drove more in the style of an economical driver. I did the following:

• Slowed my average motorway speed
• Reduced my acceleration to a lower level
• Changed up gears faster
• Checked my tyres for pressure
• Smoothed out my turning
• Looked further ahead to better judge slowing/stopping
• Genuinely tried to minimise the amount of journeys taken

I found, to my absolute horror, that it so far has made very little difference on the fuel consumption of the car. Of course, 18 miles there and then 18 miles back again is a reasonable way to go, but still you'd expect some change. However, a cold engine will always gulp more fuel and so this will have to be a longer term test, especially in the summer. Whether I'll be able to stick to this style of driving when the car actually has something to grip however remains to be seen...