Monthly Archives: March 2012

Potholes: The new growth industry?

March 16, 2012   Colin

The government says we need to find growth industries to help us out of the financial crisis, but the growing number of potholes may not be it.

According to a survey of local authorities by the catchily-named Asphalt Industry Alliance, it would take 11 years to clear the backlog of potholes, given the current rate of pothole repair.

In Wales, it is even worse, at a scary 17 years – and there is no point in Welsh drivers hoping the whole road will be resurfaced to solve the problem. On average each Welsh road will be resurfaced once every 72 years, with the corresponding figure in England being “only” 58 years.

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Jaguar Land Rover: Needs Engineers

March 15, 2012   Colin

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is trying to persuade more young people to study engineering.  A survey for the company has found that only 20% of 13-16 year olds are considering engineering as a career choice. Interestingly the proportion is 33% in the North East, but only 14% in the South East – do clever London kids expect to go into the City, we wonder? Another worrying statistic is that just 8% of girls would consider engineering as a career, compared to 29% of boys.
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Kia Rio 1.1 CRDi Ecodynamics 2: Road test review

March 15, 2012   Colin
Kia Rio 1.1 Ecodynamics 2Thanks to Alex’s recent road test and my first drive at the launch last year, we already know that the latest Kia Rio is a stark contrast to its predecessor, being a genuinely interesting, high-value alternative to a Ford Fiesta.However, we’ve only driven the rather lacklustre 1.4 petrol, so we were keen to see what the 1.1-litre three-cylinder diesel was like. This is the most impressive engine in the Rio range, as it boasts 85g/km emissions, which according to Kia, are the lowest of any non-electric vehicle on sale in the world.

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Mercedes A-Class at Geneva 2012

March 15, 2012   Colin

A stark contrast to the model preceding it, the Mercedes A-Class shown at Geneva follows a much more conventional hatchback style. Out on its own in the manufacturer’s model range, it is now a direct rival to the Golf GTI, BMW 1 Series and Audi A3.

Designed with ‘dynamism’ in mind, it will be promoted to a younger audience and offers some neat styling cues like a floating grille and curvy lines.

Four powerplants will be mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed dual-clutch auto transmission. The base model will be a 1.6-litre. At the other end of the scale 211 hp A250 will complete the range, with an AMG expected later this year.

It’s also got green credentials; every engine comes equipped with stop-start and the 1.6-litre will feature CAMTRONIC, which reduces consumption through reducing the amount of fuel used under partial throttle.

Check out the video to see the radical new design for yourself.

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Hyundai i30: First drive review

March 15, 2012   Colin
Hyundai i30

The launch of the latest i30 is a significant one, as it is the first of Hyundai’s i models to be replaced.The first-generation i30 was launched four years ago and proved to be in CEO and President of Hyundai UK Tony Whitehorn’s words to be ‘relatively successful’ with over 15,000 sold in its peak year – 2010.

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