F1 test systems firm AB Dynamics weathers supply chain pressures with price increases on new orders April 27, 2022 AB Dynamics, manufacturer of driving robots and simulators used by the Alfa Romeo Formula 1 team, had £37m in revenue in the six months up to February, more than £10m more than the previous year. The company had £5.7m in operating profit, a 63 per cent increase on 2021, while net cash was down 16 [...]
BMW halts train deliveries to China due to Ukraine war April 26, 2022 BMW has halted its train shipments from Germany to China via the Trans-Siberian railway as a result of the Ukraine war. Alongside Audi, the world’s largest manufacturer said it was now delivering the goods via sea. “BMW has stopped all train transport through Russia immediately after the beginning of the war,” said a BMW spokesperson. “Exports [...]
Motorists spared £50 annual insurance hike as government scraps EU law in Brexit win April 25, 2022 Motorists will be spared a £50 annual insurance hike after the UK Government scrapped EU regulations. A bill to scrap the EU’s Vnuk motor insurance law was passed today through Parliament and, according to government, will prevent a £2bn hike for the UK’s insurance industry. Under the EU law, motorsports, agricultural machinery and light electric [...]
Boris Johnson’s £4,000 in parking fines ‘drifted like snow on the windshield’ despite not driving a single mile April 24, 2022 During his time as a London-based motoring correspondent, Boris Johnson cost the magazine he worked for more than £4,000 in parking tickets, his former editor said today. Dylan Jones, who edited fashion and lifestyle magazine GQ for more than two decades until 2021, hired Mr Johnson to work at the Conde Nast title in May [...]
Watch how Czech tycoon races high-powered sportscar at 414 km per hour on German motorway April 24, 2022 A Czech millionaire who drove a high-powered sportscar along a German motorway at speeds of at least 414 kilometres per hour (257mph) is no longer facing charges. Germany’s dpa news agency reported that prosecutors in the town of Stendal reviewed footage of the stunt and concluded that Radim Passer had not broken the law when [...]
Car insurance rises for first time in 18 months April 21, 2022 Car insurance premiums have risen for the first time in 18 months, according to financial services company Confused. Data revealed today that insuring a vehicle is £12 more expensive than it was a year ago, causing the average premium to be as high as £550 per year. “Car insurance costs are starting to increase, and [...]
Watching movies gets green light, but ban on mobiles remains, as Highway Code updated for self-driving cars April 20, 2022 Drivers will be able to watch movies at the wheel of a driverless car, but the ban on using your mobile remains, as The Highway Code is set to be updated. Under the proposed changes put forward by the Department for Transport, users of driverless vehicles will not be responsible for crashes but instead the [...]
Stellantis halts Russia production amid war-induced logistical difficulties April 19, 2022 Automotive giant Stellantis has halted production in Russia as a result of logistical difficulties caused by Western sanctions on Moscow. The owner of Fiat, Chrysler and Peugeot announced today it was closing its plant near Moscow. “Given the rapid daily increase in cross sanctions and logistical difficulties, Stellantis has suspended its manufacturing operations in Kaluga to ensure [...]
Former Ferrari executive Michael Leiters in pole position to head McLaren Automotive April 19, 2022 Former Ferrari executive Michael Leiters is reportedly in the pole position to head McLaren’s car making business, McLaren Automotive. Leiters, who stepped down from his chief technology officer post in December, is among the candidates currently vetted to replace McLaren Automotive’s chief executive Mike Flewitt. It is unclear whether Leiters has agreed to take over [...]
Average price of used cars soar by a third following supply chain squeeze April 18, 2022 The average price of a used car in the UK has soared by almost a third over the last 12 months. Data from online car dealer Auto Trader revealed that on a like-for-like basis car prices have gone up by 32 per cent to around £18,000 – meaning that motorists are now paying a 15 [...]