Jonathan Goddard News Archive

Reviews from Jonathan Goddard

Results 1 to 25 of 274.

London is car crime capital
Hackney, Clapham and Leyton named and shamed 1 November 2007 12:17 GMT
Three London districts have topped a poll that names and shames the worst areas in the country for car crime.

The highest percentage of car crime was recorded in Hackney, followed by fellow London districts Clapham and Leyton, according to insurers Admiral....
Motor industry may get emissions reprieve
Proposal eases car makers' CO2 fears 30 October 2007 22:24 GMT
The motor industry looks to have secured a reprieve from tough measures designed to rapidly reduce CO2 emissions.

EU politicians have proposed a reduction to 125g/km by 2015. The European Commission is now set to be forced to water down its plan to introduce...
Crackdown on uninsured drivers
Policy surfers could be arrested 30 October 2007 22:08 GMT
At any one time, one in 15 motorists on the road is uninsured, according to new Government figures.

Two million vehicles in Britain do not carry insurance so new measures are being introduced to curb repeat offenders. From the start of 2008, insurance companies...
XC60 set for UK debut at MPH show
Muscular Volvo concept on the way 29 October 2007 20:42 GMT
The Volvo XC60 concept, a crossover SUV, will make its UK debut at the MPH motor shows in London and Birmingham in November.

Expected in UK showrooms early in 2009, the XC60 was first unveiled at the Detroit show in January. New design cues such as the sculptured...
WE57 HAM smashes registration plate record
Not just any old iron sells for £57,000 29 October 2007 20:26 GMT
West Ham has shot to the top of the premier league of personalised registration numbers when the licence plate WE57 HAM went for a record-breaking £57,000 at auction.

A fierce bidding war raged at the DVLA personalised registrations sale in Essex as dozens of...
Sales rise for most polluting cars
Higher taxes and more guilt fail to dent 4x4 and MPV sales 26 October 2007 9:00 GMT
Congestion charges and the recent tax increases on the most polluting vehicles have not deterred Londoners from investing in 4x4 vehicles.

Sales of this vehicle type, often large family vehicles, were strongest in Greater London (up 9.4% compared to the same...
Honda's hybrid crusade
We will sell 250,000 hybrids a year by 2009, says Honda 26 October 2007 9:00 GMT
Honda has confirmed plans to put new green cars into production. The FCX hydrogen fuel cell concept car and a lightweight, hybrid sportscar will both be built – with a production version of the FCX making its debut as early as next month.

Speaking today, Honda...
Motorists set to make use of hard shoulder
Emergency lane to be opened to tackle congestion 25 October 2007 22:03 GMT
Motorists could be allowed to drive on the hard shoulder of the M25 under a scheme being considered by the Government.

Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly said that the emergency land could be used as an extra channel on motorways, including the M25, during busy...
Lexus shows possible RX replacement
Hybrid SUV to be displayed at Tokyo Motor Show 21 October 2007 15:25 GMT
Not satisfied with having the only hybrid SUV, Lexus will debut a new one at the Tokyo motor show next week.

The LF-Xh has a V6 petrol engine and high-output electric motor hybrid system driving all four wheels. The chunky body with strong lines and defined...
New C5 on the way
Citroen proudly unveils a strangely Teutonic-looking motor 18 October 2007 21:23 GMT
What’s big, French, and useless? Obviously that could apply to many things including the front row that faced England in the Rugby World Cup semi-final, but it’s usually a description reserved for large salons built by Citroën.

Longer and wider than the tired...
Impreza comes out of the shadows
Proper pics of WRX STi finally revealed 17 October 2007 20:27 GMT
Following a bizarre darkened image of the new Subaru Impreza WRX STi, released last month, the car has now been shown in its entirety.

A shadowy image showing the barely visible top of the car was greeted by derision, with many assuming the final version would...
Driving and smoking law confusion
Motorists unsure what legislation actually means 17 October 2007 20:10 GMT
New regulations on driving and smoking are not fully understood by the public and little effort is being made to comply with them, claims a new report.

The law, in operation since July, requires that vehicles should be smoke free at all times if they are used...
Aston DBS is rear of the year
Fant-ass-tic sports cars named 12 October 2007 22:47 GMT
The new Aston Martin DBS has been voted the car with the sexiest bottom.

A crass survey to publicise the upcoming MPH '07 motor show has named James Bond's latest motor as the automotive rear of the year. Combined, more men and women plumped for the peachy Aston...
Camera system "to revolutionise" parking
Parking made simple with bird's eye view technology 12 October 2007 22:32 GMT
Nissan is set to introduce the world’s first ever system offering the driver a bird’s eye real-time view of the vehicle and its surroundings.

Debuting in the new Elgrand, scheduled for introduction at the end of this month, the cool kit will also be offered...
Pivo 2 surfaces
Nissan's barmy future vision #2 8 October 2007 21:34 GMT
This cute little number is the Pivo 2, an advanced electric concept car that will debut at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show.

Powered by advanced compact lithium-ion batteries and featuring a unique rotating cabin, Pivo 2 has no reverse gear and employs "drive...
Saloon M3 announced
BMW unleashes four-door powerhouse 8 October 2007 21:16 GMT
Hot on the heels of the arrival of a new M3, BMW has announced details of the four-door M3 Saloon.

While four generations of M3 have been built, this is only the second time an M3 Saloon has been offered. So what you get is scintillating performance for the...
Fabia gets the mock 4x4 treatment
Skoda gets beefed up. Point being? 3 October 2007 21:07 GMT
The Fabia Scout may not look like a concept but, unfortunately, it is.

Yes, concepts are supposed to be sexy but some actually get made – and this is one you can guarantee won’t look much different when it rolls off the production line.

Debuted...
Mazda wows with Taiki
Concept points to greener and faster future 3 October 2007 20:28 GMT
Mazda's latest aerodynamic concept car has been unveiled and, blimey, it’s amazing.

The Taiki, shown in Yokohama, Japan ahead of the Tokyo Motor Show, it’s another one of Mazda’s concepts designed around some concept called "flow" which doesn’t mean much but...
Superfuels "don't equal super savings"
Paying more at the pumps may not improve economy, tests prove 29 September 2007 8:00 GMT
Drivers who fill their cars with expensive "superfuels" and expect to see big economy gains should think again, according to a report by What Car? magazine.

Real-world tests were carried out for What Car? by the AA’s former senior research engineer, Peter de...
Clio 197 Cup is on the way
Renaultsport's hotter hatch now whiter than white 29 September 2007 8:00 GMT
Following in the footsteps of the awesome Clio II 172 Cup and the even awesomer 182 Cup, the Clio Renaultsport 197 Cup will be launched next month.

Offering the same chassis set-up as the limited-edition 197 F1 Team R27 with its reduced ride height and stiffer...
Grand Cherokee gets special edition treatment
Jeep teams up with outdoor clothing store. Cool. 26 September 2007 21:53 GMT
Continuing the trend of car manufacturers attempting to garner credibility with affluent coolandthirtysomethings by partnering with clothing brands, Jeep has announced it’s teamed up with Snow+Rock.

A new special edition Grand Cherokee, available for a limited...
Parking tax set to bite commuters
Councils set to introduce workplace parking space levy 25 September 2007 21:50 GMT
Commuters face a £350 tax on workplace parking spaces in an attempt to encourage them out of their cars and on to public transport.

The tax is being planned as an alternative to congestion charging because it is thought to be much cheaper and easier to collect,...
Stiffer penalties for "forgetful" drivers
Six points for failing to disclose name of speeding driver 24 September 2007 20:38 GMT
Drivers who fail to disclose who was behind the wheel when caught speeding will now face stiffer penalties.

Motorists convicted of failing to give information about the identity of a speeding driver will receive six penalty points instead of the previous three...
Subaru's sneak peek at new WRX
Hot Impreza revealed ... sort of 24 September 2007 20:05 GMT
Subaru has issued a teaser shot of its eagerly anticipated Impreza WRX STI.

Debuting at the Tokyo Motor Show a month from now, the car looks substantially different from the current WRX even in the dimly lit shot.

Technical details are still under...
Seven out of ten rural road signs "unnecessary"
Fewer markings will increase safety, claims report 21 September 2007 21:07 GMT
Around 70% of road signs in rural areas are unnecessary, according to a new report.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) claims that a limited test on a 10-mile stretch of road in Hampshire proves that seven in ten road signs should be removed or incorporated...