Is German reliability at risk?

German reliability could be a myth according to Warranty Direct which has found that Audi, Bmw and Volkswagen have some of the least reliable engines amongst its 50,000 consumer policies. 

The warranty company found that, in the past year, the only engines to fail more often than Audis were those from the now defunt MG-Rover group. The only German firm to salvage some national honour was Mercedes which had the third most reliable engines.

Top of the table were Honda and Toyota,  strengthening the more recently formed view that Japanese manufactured motors are becoming increasingly bulletproof. 

Warranty Direct MD Duncan McClure-Fisher said: 'Engine failure are the biggest fear for any motorist as they are the ones that can lead to astronomical costs because of the parts and hours of labour required to fix them'. MG

JLR announced 800 new jobs

Jaguar Land Rover has announced the creation of 800 jobs at its plant in Solihull, Birmingham

Jaguar Land Rover has launched a recruitment drive for 800 new workers at its factory in Solihull, Birmingham, following record sales figures in 2012.It's a good news story for the British car industry that comes just at the right time, following Honda's decision to cut 800 jobs at its Swindon factory.The new Solihull workforce recruits will help build the new Range Rover and Range Rover Sport, as well as the Defender and Discovery, as JLR aims even higher in 2013. According to JLR's sales director, Phil Popham, there will be a total of eight new or refreshed models launched next year from both brands.JLR recently confirmed a £370 million investment programme for its Solihull site, which includes the installation of a new aluminium body shop for the Range Rover.JLR's global sales in 2012 totalled 357,773 cars - a 30 per cent increase on 2011. China is now the company's largest market, with 71,940 vehicles sold last year, representing a staggering 70 per cent sales growth. Not far behind are the UK and the US with year on year growth of 19 and 11 per cent respectively.

One major highlight of the year was the runaway success of the Range Rover Evoque, which sold an extraordinary 108,598 units in its first full year on sale.Even sales of the current Range Rover Sport (due to be replaced in a matter of months) were up by four per cent, while sales of the Discovery rose by three per cent. Jaguar's decision to launch smaller engines (including a four-cylinder diesel and a 3.0-litre supercharged petrol), as well as four-wheel drive versions of the XF and XJ in selected left-hand drive markets, looks to have paid off too.Total Jaguar sales were up by six per cent last year, and with the F-Type set to launch this spring Jaguar is hoping more success is around the corner.

FUEL EFFICIENCY: It could save you a small fortune!

10 simple tips to improve the fuel efficiency of your car.

Unfortunately, the cost of fuel is only going up. Whilst fuel discount cards can give you a bit of cashback, we can’t do anything about the price of fuel. However, we can suggest a few tips on how to increase the fuel economy of your car. You don’t need to be an advanced driver to be more fuel efficient.

Follow our 10 driving  tips and you will improve fuel efficiency and get the more mpg from your car. We calculated that, with an average family hatchback, our tips could save you up to £300 per year. It might not be a lot but towards the end of the year, it could certainly contribute to Santa's shopping list!

Fuel Tip Number 1:
Keep your car well maintained and serviced. Inflate your tyres to the correct value according to the manufacturers guide to reduce resistance. Check them weekly and adjust the pressure to suit the unusual journey (i.e. motorway use or carrying extra passengers/load requires more tyre pressure). Get the car serviced regularly to keep everything moving smoothly under the bonnet. Shop around for servicing deals.

Fuel Tip Number 2:
Clear your boot and remove any excess weight. Take unneeded items out of the car, you only need your golf clubs when you are going to play golf! Remove car seats and prams if you're driving alone. In the middle of the summer, you don't need the shovel in the boot to clear the snow off your path.

Fuel Tip Number 3:

Drive smoothly and change gear early. Modern cars have a gearchange indicator.  Accelerate and brake gently, and change to a higher gear as soon as possible. As a general guide, change up before 2000rpm in a diesel and 2500rpm in a petrol, without letting the engine labour at low revs.

Fuel Tip Number 4:
Loads of modern cars come with engine Stop&Start technology which can be great if  it's used properly. If you are stuck in a queue/traffic lights for longer than a minute, use this feature and you’ll save money and fuel. Don't use it for short breaks as it will use more fuel to re-start the engine.

Fuel Tip Number 5:
Remove roof boxes or bike racks whenever they aren’t being used. They will worsen the aerodynamics of your car. The car has to work harder to cut through the air due to the extra wind resistance such things create.

Fuel Tip Number 6:
Unless it’s uncomfortably warm in the car, leave the air-con turned off and open your windows. Using it can put a strain on the engine and burn more fuel, especially at low speeds. 50mph is the breaking point when open windows will reduce fuel consumption more than having the air-con switched on. The same goes for heated windscreens, demisters and other electrical appliances.

Fuel Tip Number 7:
Use gravity to your advantage and build up momentum when going downhill to help you then get uphill, rather than accelerating more to get up a gradient. The best way to do this is to read the road as if you were on a pushbike and accelerate accordingly. Make sure you don't exceed the speed limit, some speed cameras are in fact placed where the road goes downhill.

Fuel Tip Number 8:
Stick to the speed limits. A research shows that doing 80mph uses up to 25% more fuel than doing 70mph. We don't suggest driving well under the speed limit in a mission to save fuel as this could cause an hazard and unnecessary frustration to following traffic.

Fuel Tip Number 9:
Plan your road far ahead while driving and keep moving where possible by anticipating obstacles. Easing off the throttle and keeping momentum is better than speeding up, braking and then starting all over again. On motorways observe the type of traffic ahead and anticipate slow moving traffic such lorries but return to the furthest left lane possible as soon as your overtaking is complete to avoid holding traffic behind you.

Fuel Tip Number 10:
Plan your journey in advance. Avoid traffic black spots and busy times if possible. Get the map or sat-nav out to avoid getting lost and driving farther than necessary. Listen to traffic announcements in the radio or use the traffic avoidance feature on your sat-nav to re-route you away from a traffic jam. MG

The new Renault Clio: Badge Proud!

The Renault Clio has been around for more than 20 years and every version produced has that "je ne sais quoi" that caused this french supermini to sell like hot cakes. Looking at the new Clio, it's obvious that Renault has spent a lot of time to create the distinguished looks of their new car. Back in the day the Clio was offered in the most basic version "RN" for people on a budget up to the luxurious "Baccara" with full leather interior. The new Clio follows the same trend. The car we drove was a top of the range Dynamique S Medianav with the 90 bhp diesel engine featuring Stop&Start technology.

EXTERIOR: The front of the new Clio looks as bold as a prototype, it's dominated by an oversized badge, huge headlights and a smooth bonnet. Despite being now sold only in 5 door form, the profile has a single door handle on show so that the car looks like a sporty 3 door. The back door's handle is concealed in the C pillar like in a Citroën DS4. The door sills have a gloss black protection with chrome insert, a very modern touch. The back is very individual with smart horizontal lights and a gloss black diffuser-like insert on the lower bumper. Our Clio was painted in Flame Red just like the one on the Renault brochure.

INTERIOR: The new Clio is worlds apart from the previous generation. Our test car matched the exterior with a red dashboard, red upholstery and red door panels, it looked like a show car. The R-Link multimedia system worked really well and it connected very quickly to my phone and also streamed music and displayed track names on a 7 inches touchscreen without the need of cables. The radio had Bass Reflex speakers but it didn't sound as good as the optional Sony unit found on some Fiestas. The instruments were clear with a neat digital speedometer and trip computer.

DRIVING: The 1.5-litre dCi diesel engine is very eager and feels quicker than figures suggested yet it easily returns 60mpg on a combined circle and shows 80mpg at motorway speeds. The car is very quiet at any speed with a well subdued engine noise but there is a remarkable wind noise around the wing mirrors which might be a niggle of an early demostrator. The steering felt quicker than old Clios even with our heavy diesel engine. The gearstick felt tight and less notchy than usual Renaults. Our test car had fantastic looking 17 inches alloy wheels and low profile tyres but the ride was never uncomfortable.

PRICES: The new Clio prices start at £10,595 for the 1.2-litre petrol in Expression trim and every new Clio comes with the 4+ Package which includes Warranty, Roadside Cover, Servicing and Finance Package for 4 years. Even the most basic version is well kitted and the interior and exterior of the new Clio can be personalized to your heart's content. The "Colour Collections" allow you to match your steering wheel surround to the alloy wheels and so on. However we found the choice of 7 body colours a bit limited without a shade of green or a metallic blue.

VERDICT: With the new Clio, Renault have played all their cards right. Its aggressive looks make it stand out from the other competitors. The quality interior is stylish and features all the latest technology. It's also comfortable with plenty of space and a 300 litre boot. The new Clio is great fun to drive and handles well with limited body roll. It's not perfect but it's definitely up there amongst the best in its class. MG

The new Audi A3

TEST DRIVE: Audi A3 1.4 TFSI Sport 3dr.

The Audi A3 has always been the default choice for those people who wanted a premium hatchback and a Golf just wouldn't do.
Over the years some other manufacturers like BMW, Volvo and lately Mercedes have decided to use the same niche in the market to give the A3 a bit of hard time. BMW with the 1series, Volvo with the V40 and Mercedes with the re-invented A-Class hatchback.

Exterior: None of the above competitors can quite match the class and balance found in the lines of the new A3. The profile is similar to the previous generation yet the crease which runs from the headlight to the rear light cluster is very sculpted and a lower flank gives the car a sporty look. The halogen headlights can be specified with xenons or full led lights. The car we drove had the xenon option which added a modern touch. The rear lights are now much wider and they give the new A3 a much slender look compared to the previous generations.

Interior: There is something about Audi's interiors that no other car maker can match, it's called "proportion". The dashboard has a good proportion of buttons and their sizes are quite similar. The interior has been de-cluttered from the unnecessary switches, even the cd player slot has been moved inside the glovebox. The dashboard is dominated by a high set screen which pops out when the ignition is switched on. All screen functions are controlled via a rotating knob in the centre console. The instruments are crystal clear with vertical needles at rest. The display of the dual-zone climate control is worth of a Bentley's interior. 

Driving: Our test car was a 1.4 TFSI petrol engine with 122 bhp. It's one of the smallest engines but it never felt underpowered or thrashy. The 6th gear kept the engine very quiet even at motorway speeds. The suspensions of our "Sport" trim were firm but never uncomfortable and can be swapped for a softer "SE" trim setup at no extra cost. Our car was specified with a "drive select" button which alters the car's behaviour in 5 different driving modes. The steering increased its weight at higher speeds while at town speeds was a bit numb but never vague.

Prices: The new A3 prices start at £19,205 for the 3 door version. The Mercedes A-Class and Volvo V40 are more expensive. The BMW 1 Series is cheaper and its rear wheel drive is more engaging yet basic versions have a drab interior and its exterior is not something to brag about. I would perhaps expect a bit of more standard kit on our "Sport" trim such as the dusk and rain sensors, interior vanity mirrors or hold assist.

Verdict: The new Audi A3 certainly deserves the top spot for the premium hatchback. It's also 80kg lighter on average than the old A3 making it more fuel efficient and therefore cheaper to run than the BMW 1 Series. It's very elegant without being boring like the Volvo V40. The Mercedes A-Class is the only real threat to the new A3 but the Audi is a more rounded car and surely gets our vote. MG

Audi Q3 RS

AUDI Q3 RS: Audi removes wraps on rapid RS Q3 for Geneva http://www.autoweek.com/article/20130219/geneva/130219794

CAR INSURANCE

INSURANCE: The Citroën C1 Connexion now comes with a telematics "black box" as standard. This will considerably lower the insurance premium for younger drivers.

Volkswagen versus RedBull?

Blue Dials and Volkswagen helped drivers stay safe.

Apparently, if you want to stay awake behind the wheel at night you don’t need to drink coffee or RedBull. All you need is an appropriate car. Some of you now will automatically think of a fancy and funky motor with loads of gadgets to keep you entertained. However all you need is a middle-aged Volkswagen. It seems that the VW guys had it right in 1997 when the mk4 Golf was launched.
Loads of people know why this brilliantly built and inch-perfect car was such a benchmark. However, one of the selling points of this Golf were the modern looking and rather unique blue dials with red needles. At night, they looked fantastic! The blue dials were soon introduced across the VW range and other than being captivating, they are also safer at night. New research shows that shining blue light in your eyes at night is just as effective as coffee in keeping you awake. My question is, if blue has this effect, which colour is the most drowsy? And also, why has VW copied Audi and chose to go for white dials and red needles? MG

NEW CARS: Dacia Sandero: bargain or just publicity?

Dacia Sandero: bargain or just a lot of publicity?

Lately there has been a lot of announcement about a new car brand called Dacia. This Renault-owned brand has come to England with 2 new models, the Sandero and the Duster. The Sandero is a Fiesta-sized hatchback and the Duster is a Qashqai competitor.
Dacia is trying to win the British public by selling the basic Sandero at £5995. That sounds like the bargain of the century compared to a basic brand new Fiesta which sells at around £9500. I must admit that it's not all happy news. Firstly the name Dacia Sandero sounds like a mexican criminal from the '70s and secondly the cheapest Sandero doesn't have a radio, electric windows or aircon. Furthermore the new Dacia was awarded a frankly scary 3 star EuroNCAP which, in crash test ratings terms, is the same as a 1996 Ford Ka. Hence the idea of a bargain is starting to quickly fade away. Auto-Express took a Sandero and purposely covered every Dacia badge on the car. They then asked the British public to identify the make and price of the car. Some of them thought it was as solid as a VW and the price around £12000. Those people probably will buy a Dacia Sandero purely because they never either recently sat inside a VW Polo or drove one. If they did, they would definitely buy a Polo! I personally put safety on a high scale when choosing a new car so I need a safer car than the "smart price" Dacia. I also can't sing for the love of God so a radio is essential and my mates would laugh at me if I turn up in a car with windy windows. The only problem remains the £6000 budget. However, for that kind of money, you could still buy a 2011 Skoda Fabia 1.2 S, a 2011 Peugeot 207 1.4 S or a 2011 Kia Rio 1, all with less than 10000mls so basically box fresh. All these nearly new cars have a 5 star EuroNCAP, a cd player, aircon and electric windows. I also could bet any money that these 3 used cars will be worth more money than the Dacia when their manufacturer warranty runs out. My personal advice is therefore to buy a nearly new family hatchback opposed to an unsafe new car which will predictably depreciate at the speed of light. MG

NEW CAR REVIEW: The Volkswagen Beetle: A missed opportunity?

The Beetle. A missed opportunity?

I firstly would like to apologise to Marc Lichte for my sincere opinion. I've always been a big fan of retro looking cars such as the New Beetle, the Fiat 500 and the Mini. However, having seen the latest edition of the Beetle in the flesh, I'm somewhat disappointed. I must remind everyone that Marc Lichte is the person behind the designing of new Scirocco, one of the sexiest cars out there by far! There are a few details of the Beetle which, in my honest opinion are a bit of an oversight. Outside, the front bumper looks anonymous, something drawn in a rush with no reminder of any of the previous Beetles. On the other hand, I quite like the chrome plate on the side sills, stretching across the full wheelbase. Yet again the outdoor handles should be chrome as standard same as Mini and Fiat 500, instead of looking like the ones on a mk4 Golf. Same goes to the wing mirrors, a recycled VW part which should be chrome and rounder in shape to match the rest of the car. The profile is heavy with the shoulder line going upwards towards the back, a bit hot rod. I would have preferred an horizontal, flat shoulder line like the previous generations, after all it worked well on Porsche 911s for 50 years. To compensate the heavy profile, the Beetle looks its best on big rims although the 'dinner plate' wheels look fantastic! I like the beefy back with modern light clusters which mould perfectly with the rear wheelarches. Inside, the cheesy flower vase is gone and it won't be missed. The steering wheel looks like the one found inside an eight thousand pound VW Up, the side vents are too similar to a Vauxhall Corsa and the central instruments are copied from a Focus ST. So far nothing original nor retro apart from the dashboard painted in the same colour of the car. The glovebox which opens upwards is a nice touch. Again, a recycled radio and various switches imported from other VWs. I could go on for a while at the missed opportunity this Beetle has had. Jeremy Clarkson quotes Volkswagen to be "duller than James May explaining torque". Hence the Beetle should have been more funky and interesting like the Up and Scirocco instead of falling into the stale territory of the Passat and Polo. MG

CAR NEWS/PRICES: Volkswagen CC price drop.

Volkswagen announce CC price drop

Volkswagen has announced the lowering of prices across the CC range.

The price of every model in the range is now at least £470 lower than last year, meaning you can get behind the wheel of a Volkswagen CC from £24,050 on the road.Those opting for the CC GT 2.0-litre TDI 140 PS version, with either manual or DSG gearbox will get the best value with prices for this model down by a total of £1,320. The price drop is a direct result of Volkswagen removing the ACC Adaptive Chassis Control, which now becomes a £850 option. ACC remains standard on the CC GT 2.0-litre TDI 170 PS and CC GT 2.0-litre TSI 210 PS, and is optional on all other models.
The Volkswagen CC is on sale now.