Bos-17001 on 2040-parts.com

New car sales surge by 7.6%

THE SURGE in new car sales has continued into the new year. There were 154,562 new vehicles registered last month, a 7.6% rise on January last year, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said. The society said sales of alternatively fuelled vehicle increased by 25%.

More than 5,000 fines issued for lane hogging and tailgating

Dan Chung | Newscom | RTR Following MSN Cars’ exclusive freedom of information investigation into lane hogging, it has emerged that more than 5,000 drivers have been stopped under new careless driving laws since 16 August 2013. A series of freedom of information requests by Auto Express revealed that 1,454 people have been issued with on-the-spot fines for careless driving – which includes lane hogging and tailgating – in Scotland alone.Police authorities turning a blind eye to lane hoggersFixed Penalty Notice driving offences explained   Thames Valley police the biggest issuer of fines for lane hogging Although many areas won’t provide specific information on exactly why drivers have been stopped (usually just classing it as driving without due care and attention or inconsiderate driving), out of those that did Thames Valley issued the most fines for lane hogging – prosecuting 48 drivers for this offence since August last year. This compares with 84 undertaking offences and 46 tailgaters.

LA Design Challenge 2009

The LA Auto Show has just announced the competitors in its 6th annual Design Challenge. The entries - coming from the Southern California design studios of Audi, General Motors, Mazda, Nissan and Toyota - all revolve around a set theme which asked designers to envision the ultimate ‘youthmobile' for the year 2030. Automobiles have always played an important role in Southern California, enhancing the social lives of youth and acting as a means of self expression.