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Morgan celebrates 100 years – and a new model

There aren’t many car makers around the world who have been in business for 100 years, and even fewer that have remained in the same family for all that time. But Morgan, that maker of anachronistic 1930s-style cars, is not only still going strong, it is celebrating its 100 year anniversary in 2009, and is now the only remaining British-owned car maker in existence (aside from the ‘Garden-Shed’ makers). Morgan's Centenary Celebration Model - A Pedal Car!

Call for reform over road repair funding

FUNDING patterns mean most road maintenance is being carried out in "less-efficient, cold and wet" times, a report from a Government spending watchdog has said. The current pattern of funding, combined with the need to spend money within the financial year, means that most maintenance work goes on between September and March, said the report from the National Audit Office (NAO). It went on: "Although this is less disruptive for road users, it is less efficient than carrying out the work at other times of year because materials can be more difficult to handle in cold and wet conditions, and daylight hours are shorter." The report went on: "As a result of the additional funding for emergency repairs, which is made available at the end of the financial year, almost all highways authorities need extra capacity from the market at the same time, which makes it less likely that they will get value for money." The NAO report said there was a "lack of predictability" over road spending adding that historically, local highway authorities spent more revenue on maintenance, but were now carrying out fewer routine activities such as clearing gullies which are essential to preventing water seeping into roads' sub-structure.

BMW M135i: It’s official

BMW M135i BMW has revealed the production version of the M135i from this year’s Geneva Show. Three or five door and 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds. BMW’s M Performance range is a step down from a full blown BMW M, but very appealing nonetheless.