If you like doing repairs yourself, you probably have a Haynes manual for your car lying around.
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Fuel prices static despite a sharp rise in the price of oil
Fuel prices remained almost unchanged in November despite a barrel of oil shooting up $10 to $46 a 27% monthly rise, data from RAC Fuel Watch shows.
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Road traffic sees largest falls since quarterly records began
The amount of motor vehicle traffic on the roads fell 18.9% for the year ending September 2020 following coronavirus lockdown measures.
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Waiting until last day to switch car insurance ‘can ramp up cost of policy’
Motorists could typically save more than £300 by switching their car insurance three weeks before their existing policy is due to end, rather than waiting until the last day, analysis suggests.
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Cars across the UK failing MOT due to ‘avoidable faults’, finds survey
housands of vehicles are failing their MOT tests across the UK due to avoidable faults, according to new research.
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New Opel Corsa-e Rally is Ready to Go
The Opel Corsa-e Rally is the first all-electric rally car from a carmaker. The Blitz-badged electric vehicles will next year take part in their own one-make series – the ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup.
Four Corsa-e Rally cars from Opel Motorsport, in the hands of drivers Marijan Griebel, Horst Rotter and Opel racing legend, Volker Strycek, last week completed three days of testing at the Pferdsfeld Test Center. The 100kW (136hp) cars covered a total of 1,500 kilometres without problems. The Corsa-e Rally is based on the successful Opel Corsa-e, the winner of the 2020 Golden Steering Wheel.
Two complete rounds of the German Rally Championship (DRM) were rehearsed during the three-day test programme – including special stages, road sections and servicing. The unique features of electro-mobility, such as times spent driving and charging, temperature management of the battery and fine-tuning the software, were tested for the first time in a rally environment. The all-electric cars also completed long runs to test the durability of the new components.
“It was an efficient and successful test”, said Opel Motorsport Director, Jörg Schrott. “We gathered important data and information for the ongoing preparations for the 2021 Opel e-Rally Cup. Unfortunately, several test rallies with our development cars could not take place due to the Covid-19 pandemic. That made our rally simulation in Pferdsfeld even more important – as a result, the new Corsa-e Rally is now ready to go.”
The ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup will comprise eight qualifying rounds between spring and autumn 2021. An additional preparation rally for all registered teams is planned before the actual start of the season.
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Vauxhall Heritage Collection on the Move
Vauxhall’s famous Heritage Collection and Archive are set to move from the company’s Griffin House site next month, as plans develop to create an all-new public-facing Heritage Centre in the future.
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Vauxhall Astra Named ‘Used Car of the Year’ By CarBuyer
Vauxhall’s Astra has won the ‘Used Car of the Year’ at the Carbuyer Best Cars 2021 awards, thanks to its impressive combination of comfort, great driving dynamics and low running costs.
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Speeding increased during the first lockdown, government data confirms
A reduction in traffic levels during the first coronavirus lockdown saw a seven per cent increase in the number of drivers speeding, new government data shows.
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Ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars and vans brought forward to 2030
Sales of new petrol and diesel cars and vans will be phased out by 2030, Boris Johnson has confirmed as he set out his 10-point plan for a “green industrial revolution”.
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Nearly half of UK drivers putting off essential car maintenance in 2020
Close to half of UK motorists have delayed servicing their cars or performing essential maintenance during 2020, a new survey has found.
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Drivers say coronavirus crisis has made car access more important
Access to a car has become more important to the majority of drivers (57%) due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new survey.
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Vauxhall Confirms New Crossland Prices and Specifications as Order Books Open
Vauxhall has released prices and specifications for the new Crossland with order banks now open. The new Crossland will start from £19,060 on-the-road in SE trim, with first customer deliveries of the compact SUV starting in early 2021.
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Vauxhall Vivaro-e Named Van of the Year at Inaugural What Car? Van Awards
Vauxhall has dominated the inaugural What Car? Van Awards, taking home several category wins, alongside the top prize as the all-new Vivaro-e was being named Overall Van of the Year and Electric Van of the Year.
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Drivers set to enjoy fuel price cut as low oil demand drives down cost
Low demand for oil in October should lead to fuel cuts of up to 5p per litre within the next two weeks, according to the RAC.
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UK Illustrators Come Together to Broaden Appeal of Electric Vehicles
A new campaign from Vauxhall Motors is ‘switching up’ the electric vehicle industry with a burst of colour and creativity. The eye-catching creative campaign, which sees 24 up-and-coming British Illustrators collaborate to create a digital stop-motion artwork, aims to drive active consideration of Vauxhall’s first electric vehicle, the all new Corsa-e, and get more people excited about electric vehicles in general.
Despite electric vehicle sales growing fast, there is still work to be done when it comes to showcasing the diverse ways and places in which an electric vehicle can be used, and the variety of lifestyles they are suited to. For this campaign each artist was commissioned to create an illustrated world in their own inimitable style, with the Corsa-e sitting centre screen, thus showcasing Vauxahll’s very first electric car in a mind boggling variety of different scenarios each with a unique story behind them.
Kyle Platts, known among other things for his ‘Vibe Consultant’ comic strip in the Guardian, provided a frame for the project entitled ‘All Good Signs’. Kyle commented: “My contribution was inspired by my own love for driving around the UK on summer road trips. I wanted to celebrate the exploration of the countryside and all the visual stimulus that it brings, from rolling landscapes to road sign iconography.”
Peter Hope, Marketing Director at Vauxhall Motors commented: “To celebrate the launch of the Corsa-e we wanted to show that electric vehicles can do all the things ICE vehicles can, in the same number of varied scenarios. It’s been fantastic to collaborate with such exciting and diverse British talent to help us get more people talking about zero-emissions vehicles.”
Seb Underhill, Creative Director at Creative Communications agency, 33Seconds, commented: “Our goal with this campaign was to break the mould of traditional electric vehicle marketing, providing Vauxhall with an array of incredible, visually arresting images that embody the Corsa-e’s ‘Switch It Up” tagline. The campaign allowed us to tell an authentic story about the car, through the unique perspective of some of the UK’s most exciting creative talent.”
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Vauxhall Intellilux LED Lights Bring Daylight To Dark Winter Months
Darkness arrives an hour earlier now the clocks have been put back, but Vauxhall is committed to extending daylight hours with its adaptive LED headlamp technology.
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Car insurance myths could see millions of drivers risk fines
Drivers across the UK could be risking fines, points on their licence or higher premiums by falling for car insurance myths, according to new research.
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Smart motorways cause confusion for the majority of UK drivers
Less than half (48%) of UK motorists know the rules for using smart motorways, a new survey suggests.
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Breath tests sink to the lowest level on record amid police cuts
Roadside breath tests for drink-driving have fallen to their lowest level on record amid police cuts, new figures show.
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