Monthly Archives: May 2012

Proton confirms it isn’t selling Lotus…for now

May 31, 2012   simon

Following the announcement that Dany Bahar has been suspended from his position as CEO of Lotus pending an investigation into irregularities, Proton has announced that the Norfolk car company will not be sold…for the time being.Lotus is owned by Malaysian company Proton, which is owned by Malaysian corporation DRB-Hicom, so ultimately the power to sell lies with the latter. However, it’s Proton that’s released the latest statement, aimed at dampening rumours that Lotus is about to be flogged off.”We acknowledge that Lotus can provide value to Proton. Lotus is an iconic brand with global presence and positioning, coupled with unsurpassed engineering expertise and a talented workforce,” says Proton chief exec Dato’ Sri Haji Mohd Khamil Jamil in the statement.
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Eric Clapton’s Custom Made Ferrari

May 30, 2012   simon

When you’re Eric Clapton, it’s not just Fender you can ring up and have make you something with your name on it- Ferrari will take the call, too. So here we have the Ferrari SP12 EC, a one-off made especially for the former Cream axeman, based on the 458 Italia.Clapton has been a Ferrari person for decades, and in particular a fan of the 512 BB, of which he’s owned three. So, although his car is based on the 458 Italia, its styling is inspired by the 512 BB.

It’s the work of Pininfarina and the Centro Stile Ferrari, with Clapton guiding the process.

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Charity, Brake welcomes lower drink drive limit for Scotland

May 30, 2012   simon

Road safety charity Brake has welcomed the plan to lower the drink drive limit in Scotland – and called for the British Government to follow suit. Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill announced that proposals to lower the drink drive limit in Scotland will be discussed this year, “with a view to the change taking effect as soon as possible”. It will reduce the limit from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg.But while Brake has welcomed the move, it is still pressing for a 20mg limit – a de facto zero tolerance approach.
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Ten most reliable used family cars revealed

May 29, 2012   simon

The latest attempt by Warranty Direct to sell used car warranties has landed in our inbox. It reveals the ‘ten cars you can rely on this summer’, in doing so making the tacit suggestion that the other cars- your car, for example – might not be so reliable, and that you might benefit from taking out an extended warranty on your old banger. Warranty Direct cover starts from as little as £15 per month. So, the most reliable family car, as determined by Warranty Direct’s claims database, is the Toyota Corolla (MY 2001-2007), with around seven percent breaking down per year, on average – the lowest ratio.That’s closely followed by the Honda Civic, Honda Accord and Mazda 3, all of which have a ten percent rate. The Toyota Auris and Prius come next, with 11 and 12 percent respectively, followed by the Ford C-Max and Mondeo, with 14 and 15 percent.
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Expenses at the centre of Lotus CEO suspension scandal?

May 29, 2012   simon

Late on Friday afternoon, news broke that Lotus CEO Dany Bahar (pictured right) had been suspended, with Lotus confirming earlier rumours but stopping short of saying exactly why. It’s the latest in a string of bizarre and/or controversial things to come out of Lotus recently.But according to a report in The Telegraph, expenses are at the centre of Mr Bahar’s suspension. Lotus owner DRB-Hicom hasn’t confirmed this, but has said Mr Bahar has had his laptop and mobile phone confiscated.

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