England Grand Slam star Anthony Watson set to learn Australia tour fate after double citing April 11, 2016 Bath full-back Anthony Watson could face the prospect of being ruled out of England’s summer tour of Australia should Tuesday night's Rugby Football Union disciplinary tribunal hand out a hefty ban for an alleged high tackle on Saracens full-back Alex Goode. The 22-year-old was sent off, and later cited, for tackling Goode in the air during [...]
Is SEAT’s new Leon the new hot-hatch hero? April 11, 2016 For many, the 1980s were the halcyon days of the hot hatchback. Yet as the next decade dawned, joyriding, ramraiding and soaring insurance premiums brought this go-faster fairytale to an abrupt end. Until now. We’re currently in the midst of a second golden age for the hot hatch. And while classic heroes like the Peugeot [...]
Following defeat in the Wisconsin primary, has Donald Trump now lost his chance of securing the Republican nomination? April 7, 2016 Ewan Watt, a writer on state and national issues in the US (writing strictly in a personal capacity), says Yes. Not since a wounded Gerald Ford saw off a challenge from Ronald Reagan in 1976 has the Republican Party witnessed a contested convention. That might all be about to change. Even though Donald Trump still enjoys a [...]
Bank lending to property developers halves in just two years to £16bn March 21, 2016 Bank lending to property developers has halved over the last two years, making it more difficult for companies to kick-start schemes that could help ease the housing crisis, a new report out today claims. Bank finance has dropped from £34bn in January 2014 to just £16bn the same month this year – with bridging finance [...]
The proportion of luxury cars in the UK has outpaced GDP growth since the end of the recession March 9, 2016 The proportion of luxury cars on Britain's roads has overtaken the pace of GDP growth since the end of the 2008-2009 recession, according to new research. British drivers have made the most of the economic recovery and driven up the proportion of plush cars at an average rate of 3.6 per cent per year since [...]
UK house prices: You can actually buy a flat in Preston for the price of a Ford Fiesta – or a property in Greater London for an Aston Martin March 8, 2016 It might be hard to believe, but you could buy a property in (Greater) London for the price of a (very expensive) car. Of course, it might be quite a toss-up: your £100,000 can get you either a one bed flat in Tilbury, near Romford – the cheapest property available in what estate agents call London (even [...]
UK car registrations up 8.4 per cent year-on-year in February March 4, 2016 Car registrations in the UK rose by 8.4 per cent year-on-year to 83,395 units in February – the strongest performance for the month of February since 2004, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said. Alternative-fuel vehicles showed the strongest growth, up by nearly 20 per cent to 2,221 in the month. Diesel and petrol registrations [...]
McLaren chief executive Mike Flewitt: There is no way we will ever make an SUV March 3, 2016 As the automotive world’s great and good descended on Geneva for its annual motor show this week, one topic was being discussed: SUVs. After Porsche launched its mammoth Cayenne range in 2012, this year Maserati followed suit, with the $72,000 Levante. Even Ferrari came over all practical, with the launch of its four-seater GTC4 Lusso. [...]
Fiat Chrysler recalls 2,500 jeeps in Russia due to safety concerns March 2, 2016 Fiat Chrysler has voluntarily recalled 2,496 cars in Russia, the Russian technical safety watchdog Rosstandart has confirmed. Those affected are the Jeep Cherokee and Jeep Commander vehicles made between 11 March 2005 and August 2007. The cars were sold up until 2008. In December last year Fiat was forced to issue a recall for 570,000 SUVs globally and in [...]
From the Aston Martin DB11 to the Lamborghini Centenario: These are the five coolest supercars at the Geneva International Motor Show 2016 March 2, 2016 As the great and the good of the world's car industry descended on Geneva today for its annual two-week knees up, petrolheads had their eyes on one thing: supercars. From Bugatti's (potentially) record-breaking Chiron to China's first-ever supercar, aka Techrules' 220mph hybrid, the options for those intent on splashing the cash were pretty limitless. What are the shiniest [...]