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MP slams ministerial cars 'waste'

MINISTERS have been accused of wastefulness by having their official cars sitting outside Parliament with the engines running. Labour MP Thomas Docherty said he had seen Government cars sitting in New Palace Yard - one of the main thoroughfares in and out of the Palace of Westminster - for more than an hour with their engines turned on. Commons Leader Andrew Lansley said he had not noticed the problem on his frequent visits in and out of the palace.

BMW's new 5-series next for hybrid power

The new BMW 5-series being launched this winter is likely to be the next BMW to receive the ActiveHybrid system pioneered on the petrol-electric 7-series and X6 models. BMW engineers admit they can't rely on sales of the pricey hybrid 7-series and X6 to justify the development costs, even though these range-topping halo hybrids were jointly developed with Daimler and GM. Senior sources have indicated that the new 2010 5-series will be the next BMW to get an ActiveHybrid model.

Top Gear East Coast USA Road Trip tonight

Jeremy de-stresses in the SLS in NYC It’s a bit of a Top Gear day today with not just this morning’s news that Top Gear drafted in Tiff Needell to play at being the Stig, but the first in the new series of Top Gear kicks off tonight on BBC2 at 8.00 pm (9.00pm in Europe). And actually, this morning’s Tiff Needell story ties in with tonight’s Top Gear as it’s got Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle as the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car. But that’s not the main piece tonight; that honour goes to the boy’s trip up the East Coast USA.