Whilst it may not look...
Whilst it may not look as startling as expected, the body is a useful 25 per cent stiffer yet weighs no more than the outgoing model. This, combined with a 35mm increase in wheelbase, revised suspension and BMW"s obsession with 50/50 weight distribution, bodes well for the ride and handling. Standard-fit run-flat tyres could work against it, however.
Carbon future for Prancing Horse
Carbon future for Prancing Horse
Ferrari is making carbon-ceramic Brembo brakes standard across its range from 2008 onwards – a world first for any car maker. Since they were introduced on the Enzo in 2002, the hi-tech stoppers have proved a popular option for Ferrari buyers, with more than 85 per cent requesting them on models that currently offer them.
MINI Monte SUV heads to Austria
MINI’s off-roader, to be badged the Monte, will be built at Magna Steyr’s factory in Graz, Austria. It will take over the BMW X3 production line, which is moving to Spartanburg, North Carolina, US. According to a BMW spokesman, the decision was based on available capacity at Graz, which will allow the MINI SUV to hit showrooms sooner.
‘Working driver’ accidents on rise
One in four road deaths in the UK involves somebody driving for work, latest Government figures show. In 2006, there were 858 ‘at-work’ motorists killed and 6,622 seriously injured – that’s equivalent to 16 deaths and 127 serious injuries a week. This is a nine per cent increase over those recorded in 2005, which was the first time these statistics were published.