McLaren MP4-12C Spider

PARIS WAS stolen by the Brits in 2012. The home team might have been out in force but it was McLaren’s P1, the first glimpse of its flagship supercar, that drew the biggest motorshow crowds. But there was another new car sharing the stand – the MP4-12C Spider. An obvious second act to follow the Coupe version, the Spider swooped in with the promise of the same blockbusting performance and handling but added fresh air.

But the Spider doesn’t have any of the compromises you normally get when switching from coupe to drop-top.

Honda Insight

HONDA was an early player in the hybrid car scene, with its Insight making its debut in Japan late last century. A few of those cars have even been imported to the UK.

These days much has changed and the technological advances have been impressive, but the basic premise of the Insight’s hybrid drivetrain has stayed the same.

Honda CR-V

IT’S SOMETHING of a paradox that making something look effortless actually requires rather a lot of effort. Like the greatest sports stars, actors or leaders, they make it look easy and kid us all into thinking we could do that ourselves, no bother. In the motoring world Honda has made this something of a speciality: its cars tend to be very easy on the driver, demanding little in the way of effort to drive, to own and to maintain.

The CR-V is the best example of this too. The first generation version appeared in 1995 and was arguably the first ‘crossover’, combining as it did the comfort and ease of use of a regular hatchback with the ride height, visual toughness and driving position of an SUV – essentially the key ingredients from both sectors that most buyers really want.

First Drive: Range Rover

CAST your mind back to 2002 and the introduction of what has become a long-lived, high-tech luxury SUV to rival not just other 4x4s but also offerings from the luxury saloon market: the third-generation Range Rover. A decade later and there's a new one promising to raise the premium 4x4 to new heights.

London minicab firm to trial 50 electric cars

A LONDON-BASED minicab firm is aiming to be the first of the city’s taxi companies to use an entirely electric fleet, after signing a memorandum of understanding with Chinese car maker BYD.

Greentomatocars is to take delivery of 50 fully-electric BYD e6 models to trial in the capital from the second quarter of 2013. The five-seat crossover car is claimed to have substantial legroom and luggage space, while its BYD-made iron phosphate battery is claimed to offer a range of up to 186 miles on a single charge in urban conditions.
The battery is also said to last more than 4,000 charge and discharge cycles, giving it genuine appeal as a long-term inner-city minicab if the claims prove accurate. At present BYD is China's fastest-growing electric car manufacturer.
Jonny Goldstone, managing director of greentomatocars said: “We are very pleased to be working with BYD on this project.

Drink-drive figures "remaining constant"

EFFORTS to persuade motorists not to drink and drive appear to be failing, according to a survey.

Last year, 6% of drivers admitted to driving after having an alcoholic drink, with 6% owning up to driving in the morning after drinking the night before.
A 2012 survey by Sainsbury's Car Insurance, compiled through interviews with 1,600 British drivers, has shown that these figures have not changed. Also unchanged, at 18%, is the number of people who continue driving when feeling tired.
However, the driver-behaviour survey did show that the number of people admitting to exceeding the speed limit by at least 10mph had fallen from 19% in 2011 to 17% in 2012.
Also, while 6% admitted using hand-held phones at the wheel in last year's survey, only 5% owned up to this offence this year.

Heathrow to trial electric vehicles

HEATHROW Airport is to host multiple electric vehicle (EV) trials in an attempt to lower its carbon emissions.

Contractors working at the two-runway site close to the junction between the M25 and the M4 will trial the Nissan Leaf, Peugeot iOn, Vauxhall Ampera and the Renault Kangoo Z.E. for various everyday roles.
British Airways, LSG SkyChefs and Gate Gourmet will be using the electric vehicles within their normal fleet to “better understand the suitability or otherwise” of EVs for their operations, according to a press release from STS, the company that manages the Heathrow Clean Vehicles Partnership (CVP) and will coordinate the new trials.