The more expensive your...
The more expensive your car, the less likely you are to be let out by other motorists at a junction. BMW drivers suffer the most, followed by those in Jaguars, Mercedes and Land Rovers, according to a survey by Internet service provider AOL. It also found UK road users don"t only judge people by the vehicle they"re in. If someone is good looking, they are much more likely to be given space to pull out at a busy junction.
General Motors’...
General Motors’ plans to challenge Land Rover’s new Freelander with Vauxhall’s Antara and Chevrolet’s Captiva SUVs have hit a wall.
Crash testing of the Korean-built duo did not come up to expectations, with an industry-standard Euro NCAP trial revealing that right-hand-drive diesels offered less crash protection than equivalent LHD oil-burners or RHD petrol cars.
Instead of reaching showrooms in September and December respectively, the Chevrolet and Vauxhall will be delayed until spring. Not only will they have to repeat the crash course, but modified cars are also undergoing a second 100,000-mile durability routine to test a revised layout under the bonnet.
GM blamed “complex engineering issues”, and a UK-based insider highlighted “intrusion into the passenger compartment”. Engineers have reworked various components, particularly the steering.
This is an uncomfortable return to the past for Vauxhall, whose Frontera was a poor crash test performer. With diesels taking 90 per cent of UK compact SUV sales, GM has put both launches on ice – good news for Land Rover, whose new Freelander goes on sale later this year.