333-3143 Rotor 50hp Mercury on 2040-parts.com

Skoda trio voted 'best in Britain'

BRITISH drivers are happier with their cars than ever before, especially if they own a Skoda. According to new figures collected by Auto Express magazine's annual Driver Power survey, the average satisfaction rating for a car in the top 100 was a huge 88.36%, which equates to a 7% rise since the survey’s launch in 2002. Steve Fowler, editor-in-chief of Auto Express, said: “The UK car market is booming at the moment with over two years of consecutive growth and new car registrations up 3%, and it is no surprise given the Driver Power results.

Volkswagen takes stake in Suzuki

VW takes a 19.9% stake in Suzuki We’re back on the co-operation and rationalisation path again, this time with Volkswagen and Suzuki, with the announcement that VW is to take a 19.9% stake in Suzuki, with Suzuki in turn re-investing up to half of the proceeds in to Volkswagen shares. This deal has been on the cards for some time but has obviously been pushed in to reality by the changing landscape for car manufacturers, where they seek to find a more secure future with takeovers, mergers and partnerships. Which is all very logical, even if it will inevitably lead to less choice for the car buyer in the long term.

Councils to cut roadworks red tape

COUNCILS in England could soon have the power to cut red tape and make road works much quicker and more accountable. The plan is to introduce permits for any company that wants to dig up a road, which means they will have to co-ordinate their work with other companies and local authorities to reduce the impact of delays on the public. The permit scheme could come into force as early as April 2015 and means anyone applying for a permit to carry out road works will need to present a convincing case for the work.