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FIAT 500 LIMITED EDITION IS BACK – AND THIS TIME IT’S BLACK

Following on from the success of the Fiat 500 Pink, another unique limited edition version of the popular city car has been announced – the Fiat 500 BlackJack.

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TOYOTA ANNOUNCES PRECAUTIONARY SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN IN THE UK FOR PREVIOUS GENERATION LAND CRUISER AMAZON

The recall is to replace a snap ring bracket within the steering mechanism that could become detached due to violent impact with a large pot hole or obstacle.

News Briefs

• MORE RIDERS TAKING PLEASURE IN OUR ROADS An IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) poll has found that motorcycle use is on the rise, with more than 60 per cent of riders stating that their overall bike usage has gone up since last year. The online poll found that 78 per cent of the 5,717 respondents owned both a motorbike and a car.  The majority (88 per cent) use their bike for leisure at some point, with one third using the bike just for recreational riding. Neil Greig, IAM Director of Policy and Research, said: “Most of this increase appears to be in riding for pleasure, so is unlikely to be a short-term, recession-linked trend: only a tiny proportion of bikers are using their machine exclusively for business or commuting.” The poll also found that over 90 per cent of respondents felt that motorcyclists should be allowed in bus lanes in every town and city across the country. Mr Greig added: “Feelings are running high on access to bus lanes for bikers after a successful experiment in London recently, so it comes as no surprise that there has been such positive feedback from the riders. “A nationwide approach to consistent signposting and regulation would mean improved safety as bikers and the wider public would be more aware of the rules.” The current state of our roads was also a key issue with respondents, with almost half believing that any available public money should be spent on better roads and infrastructure. Only 1.2 per cent cited safety cameras as the best use of public money. #
• SMMT PROMOTES UK SUPPLY CHAIN THROUGH AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY NETWORKING EVENT Automotive businesses from across the UK assembled today at Cranmore Park in Birmingham to participate in a unique networking event designed to match OEM demand to capable UK-based suppliers. Co-ordinated by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) in support of the objectives of the Automotive Council, the networking event was set up to promote and encourage sourcing from more locally based suppliers following genuine interest and commitment from global vehicle manufacturers in building a stronger UK-based supply chain.The day was supported by major OEMs including Aston Martin, BMW Group, Ford, General Motors UK, Jaguar Land Rover, JCB, Leyland Trucks and Nissan. “The industry networking event supports the work of the Automotive Council and provides an excellent mechanism to facilitate business opportunities between the OEMs and the UK supply base,” said Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive. “UK-based supply companies have already made significant investment into low carbon technology and remain well placed to respond to further market opportunities.” The Automotive Council was announced in November 2009 as part of government’s response to recommendations made in the industry-led report from the New Automotive Innovation and Growth Team. The Automotive Council is co-chaired by business secretary Vince Cable and Richard Parry-Jones. It has two sub-groups – the Supply Chain Group chaired by Bill Parfitt, GM UK and the Technology Group which is chaired by Jerry Hardcastle from Nissan. The participating supply chain companies for this particular event were selected via SMMT’s Automotive Supplier Finder (ASF) database (www.autosupplierfinder.com), a tool designed specifically to match buyers to suppliers. #
• MINISTER FOR CULTURE ADDRESSES CONCERNS IN DIGITAL RADIO ACTION PLAN The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) today welcomed the publication of government’s Digital Radio Action Plan which acknowledges the scale and complexity of the challenges facing the automotive industry in its transition to digital radio. Speaking at the Consumer Electronics Conference in London, minister for culture, communications and creative industries, Ed Vaizey MP, outlined details of the plan which he said reaffirmed government’s commitment to securing a digital future for radio outlining the automotive sector as a key concern for government. While he announced that significant progress has been made in the area, he pledged to work with car manufacturers to ensure that all new cars are fitted with digital radios as standard by the end of 2013.  He also made reference to concerns raised about the 31 million vehicles currently on UK roads which will be affected by the digital upgrade, reinforcing industry’s message that that there needs to be an affordable and easy conversion solution. “Vehicle manufacturers are confident that it will be possible to meet the 2013 target for new vehicles, but further action will be required to prepare the heritage parc for the ambitious 2015 timeframe.  Key tasks include the development of more retro-fit options that meet agreed technical standards. It will also be important to assure consumers that those installing this equipment are appropriately trained,” said SMMT chief executive, Paul Everitt. SMMT recently formed the Digital Radio Committee to support and promote a smooth transition across the motor industry during the upgrade from analogue to digital radio.  The new SMMT group, which brings together a cross-section of industry representatives from the car, commercial vehicle and aftermarket sectors, will meet on a regular basis to support the Digital Radio Action Plan. #
• MIND THE GAP Motorists are being driven potty by the state of Britain’s roads a survey has revealed. Over 10 MILLION motorists have suffered car damage because of potholes, with an average cost of £121 per driver – this adds up to a staggering cost to the nation of over £1.2 BILLION to fix the damage to their vehicles. The survey, commissioned by Continental Tyres, revealed that one in five drivers have reported a pothole to their local authority, but over half of these said their council had not done anything to fix them. The research also revealed not only the cost to motorists because of potholes, but also the danger - with over 2 million drivers reporting a near miss with another vehicle or pedestrian due to either hitting a pothole or swerving to avoid one. One in six report tyre damage caused by potholes – itself a greater risk to road safety. Roger Sanders, safety expert at Continental Tyres, which questioned 1,500 drivers, commented: “Potholes are an increasing danger on our roads, which has escalated even further  following this year’s severe winter. The amount of damage caused is a big worry for motorists, especially when it’s something that could be avoided. “Another cause for concern is the fact that over half the respondents neglected to check their tyres after an encounter with a pothole. This is essential as there can be hidden problems such as bulges caused by hitting a pothole, which can later cause the tyre to suffer a catastrophic failure.” On average, motorists reported an astounding four potholes within 100 metres of their house with more than one in five stating there is a pothole close to their home that is dangerous. More than 80 per cent think the roads have got worse since the beginning of 2009 due to the bad weather. And the local authorities are doing little to help, with three quarters of motorists unhappy with how the council maintain the roads and 80 per cent feeling they receive poor value for money considering the taxes they pay for road maintenance. #
• TRANSPORT STATISTICS The Department for Transport has today published the following Transport Statistics: Reported Road Casualties Great Britain Main Results: 2009, see http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/datatablespublications/accidents/casualtiesmr/ rrcgbmainresults2009 Road Statistics 2009: Traffic, Speeds and Congestion, see http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/datatablespublications/roadstraffic/speedscongestion/ roadstatstsc/roadstats09tsc for details. See http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/ for details on all recent transport statistics releases. These Official Statistics are published according to arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority. #