Icy windscreen

Ford has alerted motorists to the dangers of driving their car with uncleared snow or ice on the windscreen and is urging drivers to take simple steps to clear their vehicles properly, before setting off on their journey.

Stuart Southgate, Ford’s automotive safety office director, commented,”Being able to clearly see where you are driving is perhaps the most obvious and basic safety requirement for motorists. Failing to take proper care to clear windscreens can have serious consquences not just for drivers, but for pedestrians and other road users too”.

Ford is warning about setting off with a small “porthole” of visibility ahead as you could face a driving ban as a result. Failing to clear your windscreen of ice or snow constitutes careless driving and would probably be punishable with points on your licence and a fine.   

Many drivers also run their car to heat the windscreen but sometimes leave the vehicle unattended and this practise is called “frosting”. However leaving a vehicle unattended on a public highway while “frosting” is also an offence and even if its on your own driveway, it is an opportunity for a car thief to steal your vehicle.

Insurance companies estimate (Swiftcover research) around 2,000 cars are stolen in this way every year and car insurance is usually invalidated if a policyholder leaves their vehicle with the keys in the ignition and it is stolen.

Many motorists also use some strange items to clear the ice off their windscreen including stiletto heels, CD cases, credit cards and finger nails and one in ten drivers also pours boiling water out of a kettle over the windscreen, according to Autoglass. Pouring boiling water is not recommended as the thermal shock may cause damage to your windscreen i.e. it may crack.

Technology comes to the rescue, as Ford developed and patented their Quickclear system 26 years ago and this uses a mesh of heating wires embedded bewteen two layers of windscreen glass to clear the windscreen, with the minimum of fuss. It is a standard vehicle option on all but 11 model’s in the Ford car range.

Range_e Plug-in Hybrid diesel-electric

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has just awarded Jaguar Land Rover an award for automotive innovation for their Range_e Plug-in Hybrid diesel electric vehicle system. The Range_e concept points the way for future Jaguar Land Rover vehicles, by offering low CO2 emissions and high fuel efficiency for production 4×4 models.

The Range_e is a luxury all-wheel drive vehicle, based on the Range Rover Sport, that is powered by a plug-in hybrid system which brings together a 69kW electric motor and Land Rover’s 245PS 3.0-litre TDV6 diesel engine. The vehicle can be driven for 20 miles on pure electric power, creating zero tailpipe emissions, with overall CO2 emissions at 89g/km. The Range_e offers 85mpg fuel economy and the combined 339PS delivers a top speed of 120mph.

Battery recharging for the 14.2kWh lithium-ion battery can easily be accomplished by using a 240V power source and the system was first shown at the Geneva Motor Show in March. The first Land Rover diesel-electric hybrid is scheduled for launch in 2013.

Range Rover Evoque

Land Rover is taking over Euston Station for an innovative new marketing campaign for the Range Rover Evoque, which is taking place until the 27th November 2011. This is the first time that a car manufacturer has completely taken over Euston Station and imagery of the Range Rover Evoque will be displayed in the main hall and along the escalators down to the underground platform.

Nine large screens have been set up in the main concourse to display a two minute film showcasing the Evoque and the screens have been designed in a way to “wrap around” customers. If you are travelling down to the underground you will see the Range Rover Evoque’s Terrain Response system being demonstrated over a variety of road conditions from mud to tarmac, snow and even river beds.

The Range Rover Evoque is the latest addition to the Range Rover series of cars and is the lightest and most fuel efficient Range Rover ever produced. It is available in four wheel drive and two wheel drive, in a choice of coupe (three door), and five door, diesel or petrol and our latest Range Rover Evoque car leasing prices are on the site now.

Greener Tepee

The new Peugeot Partner Tepee class leading MPV has now got “Greener” with a new Euro 5 petrol engine offering a 12.5% reduction in fuel consumption and a 15% reduction on CO2 emissions.

The Partner Tepee S model will now be powered by a 1.6-litre 120bhp VTi Euro 5 petrol engine, previously seen in the 207 and 308 model range. Using their class leading Variable Valve Lift and Timing injection (VTi) technology plus an inlet valve lift system, Peugeot is also using these two innovations to improve the engine’s thermodynamic efficiency and further reduce fuel consumption and CO2.

New LRX Concept approval gets closer

Land Rover is to receive a grant offer of up to £27 million to help with the production of a new car. The new car would be based on Land Rover’s acclaimed LRX Concept vehicle which was featured at the Detroit Motor Show last year. The grant will go towards the overall £400 million cost of the project.

Phil Popham, the managing director of Land Rover said ” It would be the smallest, lightest and most efficient Range Rover that we’ve ever built”.

The new Range Rover would aim to achieve a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions by being lighter and using sustainability-focussed technology. Land Rover has still to get final production approval on the new LRX Concept.