More tyre dealers now offering nitrogen to inflate tyres

When you next pop an airline on your tyres to adjust pressures, consider for a moment what you are doing. Standard garage/service station airlines fill road car tyres with compressed air which contains water vapour, and can lead, over time, to corrosion within the tyre. Furthermore, due to the size of oxygen molecules, air leaches out of the tyre wall leading to a drop in tyre pressure, up to 2psi in a single month. However, there is a solution to this problem – fill your tyres with nitrogen!

Nitrogen, a colourless, odourless, tasteless and non toxic gas that forms about 78% of the earth’s atmosphere delivers important benefits when used in tyres:

* slows the rate of pressure loss
* keeps tyre pressures more constant
* increases tyre life
* reduces the tyre’s running temperature

Nitrogen, due to its chemical structure – its molecules are larger than oxygen – means that it is much slower to leak out of a tyre, therefore, pressure is held more constant. However, this does not mean that tyres should not be checked regularly and frequently says TyreSafe – the UK’s leading tyre safety organisation. Nitrogen also provides a more stable pressure range in relation to tyre temperature and a tyre’s operating temperature plays a part in how rapidly it wears. It is for this reason that nitrogen is used in motorsport, notably Formula 1, as tyre temperatures often get close to 100 degrees C and require consistent pressure.

All in all, the use of nitrogen can mean up to a 25% increase in tyre life and a 5% reduction in fuel consumption together with a reduction in CO2 emissions, a vitally important consideration in today’s environmental debate.

An increasing number of garages are now offering motorists the choice of a nitrogen fill for tyres. Garages will evacuate all the air from within the tyre, a necessary prerequisite prior to filling with nitrogen which can cost as little as £2.00 per tyre. It must be remembered that any topping up of the pressure must be done with nitrogen.

TyreSafe does however make the point that the use of nitrogen should not prevent drivers from carrying out regular tyre checks not just for pressures but also tread depth and general tyre condition.

Superman, Spiderman and the Hulk all boast special powers, but remain the stuff of comic book and movie screen fantasy. The new Land Cruiser Invincible, however, is a superhero vehicle that’s designed for the real world.

The new eight-seat Invincible is positioned at the pinnacle of the Land Cruiser range, benefiting from a higher specification than the established LC5 model, with dark-tinted rear privacy glass and a sophisticated entertainment system that includes a DVD player with twin headrest-mounted screens for movies or computer gaming on the move.

These top quality features are in addition to the Sequoia (stone) coloured leather upholstery, the full-map satellite navigation, dual-zone climate control and electrically adjustable heated front seats that form part of the LC5’s standard equipment list.

The special features add around an extra £2,500 value to the Invincible, but the price tag of £38,495 is just £500 greater than that of the LC5 model. The new model goes on sale on 1 June.

If the Invincible’s on-road behaviour is as poised as “mild-mannered Clark Kent”, it can turn in an instant (no phone booth required) into a formidable off-roader, engineered and equipped to cope with the toughest conditions. Its armoury includes Hill-start Assist Control (HAC), Downhill Assist Control (DAC) and Toyota Electronic Modulated Suspension (TEMS).

The Land Cruiser Invincible is powered by Toyota’s Euro IV-compliant 173bhp 3.0-litre D-4D engine, with five-speed automatic transmission

Gaydon, Friday 18 May 2007 – Land Rover today welcomed Ian Pearson Minister for State (Climate Change and the Environment) to its Gaydon Design and Engineering Centre, to demonstrate the environmental technologies and CO 2 strategy being developed to tackle climate change.

The visit enabled the Minister to learn about the largest ever environmental commitment to be undertaken by a vehicle manufacturer in the UK. He was given an insight into the advanced diesel and hybrid technologies being developed to deliver maximum CO 2 emissions reductions, which will be introduced on future models.

While this new technology is being developed, Land Rover has introduced a CO 2 Offset Programme, which offsets all emissions at Land Rover production facilities in the UK and enables customers to offset carbon emissions for the first 45,000 miles of vehicle use. The Minister was given an insight into how Climate Care, the independent organisation running the Programme, is investing in worldwide sustainability projects on behalf of Land Rover to offset these emissions.

Ian Pearson said, “It is good to see the progress being made by Land Rover to develop the technologies that will cut emissions on the next generation of cars. Land Rover is an important part of the economy, particularly here in the Midlands, and I’ve been impressed by the level of commitment and financial investment to improve the environmental performance of its cars.”

Phil Popham, Land Rover’s Managing Director, said: “This has been a great opportunity for us to show the Minister exactly what Land Rover is doing to address the challenges of climate change. We’ve been able to demonstrate our integrated approach to reducing CO 2 emissions now and in the future. Our programme is part of Ford Motor Company’s £1 billion investment initiative into environmental technologies, highlighting our commitment to improving the footprint of our cars.”

The visit culminated with the Minister being able to see the technology in action, when he took a prototype out on the test track. He also had a first hand experience of the breadth of capability of a Discovery TDV6 when he tackled a rock crawl in the vehicle.

* L200 wins award for ‘Best Pick-up’ in 2007 Van Fleet World Honours
* Award endorses L200’s market-leading position

As it did in 2006, Mitsubishi’s L200 has been judged ‘Best Pick-up’ in this year’s Van Fleet World Honours. The award was presented at a special ceremony held at the Royal Automobile Club, Pall Mall on Thursday 17 th May.

The Van Fleet World Honours are presented annually to van manufacturers and service companies who have, in the opinion of the judges, achieved the highest possible level of excellence in their sector.

Fighting off opposition from other makes such as Nissan, Toyota, Ford, Mazda and Isuzu, Mitsubishi’s much-revered pick-up was judged ‘best in class’ by a team of industry experts due to its class-leading residual value, affordable maintenance costs and excellent reliability.

Commenting on the award Van Fleet World editor John Kendall said: “Any fears that the radical styling of the latest Mitsubishi L200 would damp-down demand were not supported by last year’s sales. Figures are up 22 per cent on 2005, which keeps Mitsubishi comfortably ahead in the UK 4x4 pick-up market. The new model won our Best Pick-up award last year and despite tough competition, retains the title this year.”

Mr Kendall added: ‘The latest L200 went on sale in March 2006, bringing with it an up-to-date 136PS common rail DI-D diesel – a class-competitive engine which offers good performance and fuel consumption. The Mitsubishi’s interior keeps up the modern design trend of the exterior, offering drivers a dashboard with all the practicalities they need in a clean fresh design.”

The panel were impressed by the broad range of specifications offered by the L200, from the no-nonsense 4Work models to the high-specification Elegance, Warrior and Animal variants, with configurations available in single, club and double-cab formats, as well as a single-cab tipper. They also commented on Mitsubishi’s innovative specialist vehicle operation centre, which is designed to fit specialist equipment for fleet users with specific needs.

On hearing of the L200’s continued success in the Van Fleet World Honours, managing director of Mitsubishi Motors UK, Jim Tyrrell, commented: “We are always delighted to hear that our vehicles are considered best in class. This latest award confirms the L200’s position as leader in the pick-up market, especially as it has come out on top two-years running.”

This most recent accolade comes hot on the heels of the Professional Van and Light Truck awards, where three weeks ago the Mitsubishi L200 won ‘Pick-up of the Year’ – again for the second year in succession.

-Get your hands on the legendary boxer’s wheels at www.Autoquake.com

Get your gloves on and prepare to fight it out for a piece of motoring memorabilia, as Chris Eubank’s legendary Hummer H2 goes up for sale today at online car site, autoquake.com.

Following in the celebrity footsteps of David Beckham, Ryan Giggs and Caprice whose former vehicles have all been sold on Autoquake, the 2004 Humvee is expected to reach in excess of £32,000 following its 10 day listing.

Often seen doing the school run in Brighton with Eubank at the helm, this awesome vehicle gained its own legendary status following an incident in 2005 which saw Eubank arrested after he drove away someone else’s lorry claiming it was blocking the Hummer’s path! So to get your hands on these pimped up celebrity wheels simply visit www.autoquake.com/eubank

The 2004 H2 model is a Rapper’s Delight with a massive 6 litre V8 engine, finished in black with a black leather interior it’s sure to bring back the bling and out do any other vehicle on the road. It comes complete with the original logbook containing the Super Middleweight’s name.

Natalie Mead, VP of Marketing Autoquake says: “This is your chance to get your hands on a set of truly impressive celebrity wheels. The vehicle comes with a legendary history but is in fantastic condition so visit us online, place your bid and who knows – this summer you could be impressing your mates with this amazing Hummer.”

The Lone Wolf Transglobal Expedition has successfully crossed the border into Pakistan, marking the completion of four months on the road during which the team’s Land Rover Wolf Defender, shod on Cooper tyres, has traversed a multitude of demanding terrain.

The versatile Cooper Discoverer STT (Super Traction Tread) has carried the Lone Wolf team over thousands of miles of unpaved mud roads, snow covered mountain paths and desert dunes, as well as proving remarkably comfortable on western motorways.

Having left the UK on 2 January, the Lone Wolf Transglobal Expedition aims to circumnavigate the globe in just 12 months. With the help of Cooper Tire, the eighth largest tyre maker in the world, the expedition will travel through 40 countries in a vehicle originally designed and built to the specifications of the famous explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes.

With a fully operational camera crew in tow to capture all the action for a ten-part documentary series, the team is quite literally relying on Cooper to keep the show on the road. Expedition captain, Daniel Moylan, continues to lead the team around some of the world’s most famous attractions, while chef Rowan Brown explores the gastronomic delights offered at each destination during their 12-month odyssey.

The Discoverer STT combines Cooper’s unique Armor-Tek3 carcass construction technology with a computer designed, non-directional tread pattern to create a bold, aggressive tyre tough enough to conquer any terrain.

Available from Cooper stockists throughout the UK, the Discoverer STT is available in 26 sizes, from 15-inch to 18-inch diameters, and comes in C, D and E load ratings.

For more information on Lone Wolf Transglobal Expedition, log onto www.lonewolftransglobal.co.uk. For further information on Cooper Tire visit www.coopertire.com

Imagine you're overweight. A friend of yours tells you about a diet he got great results from. If you do the one simple thing he did, you'll lose around 1,000 pounds. You'd try it, wouldn't you? That's what's in store for the next generation Range Rover, with plans to give the Posh-UV an all-aluminum chassis.

The newer, lighter Range won't arrive until 2012, but engineers have sought approval to build it with a rivet-bonded aluminum monocoque. To do so, it would employ lessons and technology from the Jaguar XJ sedan. In light of the cost involved, such construction would also be spread throughout the Land Rover line. Weight savings for the Range Rover would be around 40-percent, equating to anywhere from 300-500 kg over the current version, a change that would seem to be all pro and no con. Engines would also be borrowed from Jag -- the same lumps expected to power the XF sedan. The 350-450 HP engines would go a lot further in an aluminum Range, as would a speculated hybrid version.

A decision on the aluminum option hasn't been made yet, but it is expected to get the go-ahead.

[source Autoblog ]

Solihull, West Midlands, 8 May – Land Rover today passed an historic milestone when the four millionth vehicle rolled off the production line, 59 years after production began at the company’s factory in Solihull.

The car, a Discovery 3, was donated to the Born Free Foundation, a charity dedicated to wildlife conservation and animal welfare. It was collected by the actress Joanna Lumley, Born Free’s Founder patron, and will become a ‘Rapid Response Rescue’ vehicle for deployment across the UK and Europe.

Will Travers, Born Free chief executive, said, “This important vehicle will enable us to carry out important frontline conservation and animal welfare missions at will. Without Land Rover’s support we simply would not be able to reach some of the off-road remote destinations or tackle some of the rescues that are a vital part of our work.”

This summer is likely to see the Born Free Rapid Response Rescue Discovery 3 extensively used by Born Free’s partner, British Divers Marine Life Rescue, rescuing, treating and releasing stranded or abandoned marine mammals, especially Common and Grey seals, who frequently get into trouble along Britain’s shores during the breeding season.

Born Free has been one of Land Rover’s Global Sponsorship Partners since 2002. The sponsorship includes financial and vehicle support in the UK, Kenya,

Ethiopia, South Africa and Sri Lanka. In 2006 Land Rover’s support contributed to the rescue and relocation of three lions from a circus in France to Shamwari in South Africa.

Land Rover has pioneered responsible off-roading through its ‘Fragile Earth’ policy for many years and currently works with Earthwatch, Royal Geographical Society (RGS), China Exploration and Research Society (CERS), and Biosphere Expeditions.

Land Rover helps sustain over 50,000 jobs and exports 78% of all production, generating substantial wealth for Britain. Since the production of the 3 millionth Land Rover in 2001, an average of 700 cars have rolled off the production lines per day.

Phil Popham, managing director of Land Rover, said, “We are delighted to hand this car over to Born Free. The production of the four millionth Land Rover is a major milestone and it is only fitting that it goes to such a worthy cause. I’m proud of our support for the charity and the company’s contribution to both the local and national economy over the past 59 years.”

Today in Rome, the results of Euro NCAP's survey on Electronic Stability Control fitment are released, compelling Euro NCAP to call for manufacturers to fit ESC as standard to all cars. The EU wide survey places the UK, Netherlands, Greece, Malta and Ireland bottom of a country ranking with Denmark, Sweden and Germany topping the list. ESC can turn potentially serious accidents into near misses and could drastically reduce accident occurrence across Europe.

ESC first emerged some ten years ago and its safety benefits quickly became apparent. Several studies have now shown that cars fitted with ESC are less likely to be involved in accidents than those which are not. Estimates vary, but ESC could prevent around one death in five of car occupants, saving the lives of thousands of people every year across the European Union if fitted to all cars. ESC recognises when a skid is starting to happen. In a fraction of a second the electronic control unit applies the brakes at individual wheels, helping to keep the car under control before the skid develops. Whether the skid is the result of an emergency avoidance manoeuvre or a simple error of judgement, ESC can help a driver maintain control of the vehicle.

The results are released today in association with the launch of the new 'Choose ESC' Campaign, led by eSafetyAware! and under the patronage of the European Commission, with the goal of raising awareness of ESC. There are huge differences in the extent to which this crucial safety technology is offered to car-buyers across Europe. The Euro NCAP survey released at the Rome event shows that Denmark and Sweden come out top of the league with ESC broadly fitted as standard equipment. Malta and Ireland come out bottom of the table with extremely low levels of standard ESC fit, especially for superminis and small family cars. And the reasons for the disparity are not technical ones. Some models have ESC fitted as standard equipment in one country, yet it is not available, even as an option, in others.

In presenting the results, Euro NCAP's Secretary General Adrian Hobbs said 'We must all do what we can to raise awareness of ESC's importance. Car manufacturers respond to the demands of customers but customers will only demand ESC when they become aware of the benefits. The media and organisations such as fleet buyers can play a pivotal role in increasing this awareness and in helping to bring pressure to bear on manufacturers and distributors to fit ESC as standard on all new cars, in all countries.'

Euro NCAP and the new Choose ESC Campaign will do as the name of the Campaign implies: urge European motorists to choose a safety system that will help keep them and their families safe.

Euro NCAP's commitment to consumers ensures that test results are released as soon as possible. Keep checking our website for details of forthcoming results.

TO STOP RISKING LIVES
New survey highlights “dangerously unaware” drivers on UK roads

* Three quarters of motorists claim to have NEVER driven on tyres which are even slightly flat or unsafe - AND YET:
* Only one third of UK motorists know the legal minimum tyre tread depth
* More than 40% have not checked their tyre pressures in over a month
* Nearly one in five drivers admit they have never checked tyre tread depth

Almost three quarters of UK motorists believe they are driving around safely, when millions are in fact dangerously unaware that they are putting their lives and the lives of their passengers at risk.

According to a new survey published today, a massive 74.7% of drivers believe they have never driven on a tyre which is even slightly unsafe, but only a third of those questioned know what the legal minimum tread depth of their tyres actually is.

While almost 60% of motorists claim to have checked their tyre pressures in the last month, only 35% were informed enough to know what they should be checking – leaving 65% driving on potentially dangerous tyres.

Bridgestone UK is behind the survey, as part of its campaign to offer every motorist in the country a free tyre health check and cut down on the 34,351 deaths and serious injuries on UK roads each year*. The company has joined forces with the RAC Foundation and FIA Foundation to promote the Think Before You Drive campaign for a third year, encouraging all drivers to check their tyres in an effort to reduce accidents.

“Since the campaign began, we have carried out tens of thousands of free tyre checks across the UK and Europe,” said John McNaught, managing director of Bridgestone UK. “Shockingly, we have found that only 6.5% of vehicles had all four tyres correctly inflated, with at least one in eight cars having at least one tyre significantly under-inflated.

*source: Department For Transport, Road casualties Great Britain report

“Tyres are the only contact our cars have with the road, making their condition vitally important,” he said. “Checking tyre pressures and tread depths regularly should be something we all do. At best, half of the people on the road are mistaken about the safety of their vehicles. At worst, many are dangerously unaware that they’re putting themselves and their passengers – which in many cases are children – in danger.”

The campaign has expanded in 2007 to incorporate the wider environmental issues affected by tyre conditions. John McNaught explained: “By running on under-inflated tyres, we have to replace more than 56 million tyres a year across Europe. More than 40% of us also consume more fuel by running on under-inflated tyres, amounting to more than 18 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.”

“These are quite shocking statistics, and we are trying to encourage everyone to have their tyres checked by a professional to ensure they do not become a statistic too,” said John.

The survey showed that women are the worst offenders, with only half having checked their tyre tread depth in the last month and more than 75% unaware that the safe legal tread depth limit is 1.6mm.

Teenagers also fared badly, with more than half of 17 to 24-year-olds unaware how much tread needs to be on their tyres to keep them safe.

The campaign’s third year launched today following the end of UN Global Road Safety Week. Bridgestone’s network of 170 First Stop dealerships already offers free tyre health checks to UK motorists, and this year the company has teamed up with Kwik-Fit and Kingsway, ensuring that almost anyone in the country should have access to a free inspection of their tyres as part of Think Before You Drive.

“While our primary concern is safety,” said John McNaught, “it’s also worth noting that for each tyre that is below the legal tread limit, a motorist can be fined £2,500 and have three penalty points added to their licence. So anyone who has four tyres below the limit could potentially be fined £10,000 and be banned from driving because of the 12 points.”

Suzuki’s Grand Vitara has received a ringing endorsement from Germany’s leading off-road magazine, AutoBild allrad. More than 35,000 readers – half its circulation – voted the Japanese SUV their compact 4x4 of the year 2007.

AutoBild allrad is Germany’s largest-selling 4x4 title and in scooping the top spot, Grand Vitara beat off the challenge of 19 other competitors. The accolade vindicates Suzuki’s philosophy of providing a combination of genuine off-road competence and comfortable on road performance.

Available as 1.6-litre VVT and 1.9 DDiS 3-door and 2.0-litre 16v and 1.9 DDiS
5-door models, the Grand Vitara range effectively provides customers with the choice of two levels of four-wheel drive capability. The 1.6 3-door VVT petrol engined model is essentially a ‘soft roader’, while the rest of the range supplements permanent four-wheel drive with a centre differential lock and a low range to deliver serious and outstanding off road capability.

A unique lightweight monocoque body combined with a stiff, built-in ladder frame means rigidity matches the most traditional of off roaders, yet the all-independent suspension offers excellent driving comfort and responsive handling.

Furthermore, equipment levels are generous and include climate control air conditioning, front electric windows, an integrated radio/CD player with steering wheel mounted audio controls, tinted glass, tilt adjustable steering, reclining rear seats, heated and folding door mirrors, immobiliser, alloys and front fogs. Outstanding safety credentials include front, side and curtain airbags for front seat occupants, plus curtain airbags in the rear.

We're betting Ford wants to get the new 2009 F-150 to dealer lots as soon as possible. With increased competition from the new Chevy Silverado and the Toyota Tundra stealing market share, the F-150's title as the best-selling vehicle in the world, a mantle it has worn for decades, is under serious threat this year. The revised 2009 F-150, however, is meant to address this threat head on. While we don't know anything about what mechanical improvements are being planned, these fresh spy shots from The Car Connection show that a styling update will help Ford's best-seller remain a relevant player.

Being that the F-150 is the most important product in Ford's portfolio, the level to which to the automaker has gone to obscure its new styling is extreme. Nevertheless, we can see that the F-150 will receive a version of the corporate chrome three-bar grille. It also appears that its headlights will remain in proportion to its body rather than taking on the "stacked" look of the new Super Duty's lamps. Unfortunately, foam was placed beneath the camoflouge cover in strategic places to hide the truck's new lines, so what we see is an F-150 that looks bundled up for winter in a heavy down coat. We concur with TCC that the 2008 Detroit Auto Show is the likely time at which the 2009 Ford F-150 will debut. After all, the best-selling vehicle in the world needs the world's biggest automotive stage to make an entrance

[source: Autoblog]

As car and engine technology gets ever more sophisticated, filling your vehicle with the correct oil is becoming more important than ever, warns car care company Comma.

According to the guide issued to over 8000 garage workshops across the UK by Comma, more than half the vehicles listed now require a vehicle-specific oil. Failure to use the correct specification of oil can result in expensive damage to a car’s petrol catalytic converter/diesel particulate filter, and unneccessary wear to moving engine parts.

The Volkswagen/Audi Group (VAG) has led the automotive industry in making the use of the correct oil in all its models a warranty-critical issue, and General Motors has followed suit, with warranties now stating that use of an oil not specified by the manufacturer can nullify the cover provided by the warranty.

To help VAG car owners avoid costly payouts on repairs, Comma has launched its new Prolife 5w30 oil, which meets the requirements for more than 250 VAG vehicles – and their warranties – from across a range including Volkswagen Passat TDI PD from 1998 to the 2005 SEAT Leon.

Prolife 5w30 is a fully-synthetic oil that is available in 1-litre and 5-litre packs, and is the newest addition to Comma’s acclaimed Performance Motor Oil range.

To find your nearest stockist of Prolife 5w30, visit www.commaoil.com and use the site’s Where to Buy facility.

If you are going to the Landrover Spring Adventure at Driffield then why not pop along to our club stand. Anyone is welcome for a chat etc and we have loads of club merchandise available and a few things to keep the kids occupied too

Source: The Engineer Online

A team of Cal Poly Engineering Students competing in the US Shell Eco-Car Challenge took the top prize and $10,000 for the university with their entry, a sleek vehicle which performed at an astounding 1,902 miles per gallon.

The Shell Eco-marathon Americas competition offered the grand prize to the university whose student team completed the farthest distance using the least amount of fuel.

Students from the across the US and Canada competed on April 14 at the California Speedway in Fontana. Cal Poly's official mpg in the competition was 1902.7 miles per gallon.

Cal Poly student Kevin Fang drove the wining car to victory in the marathon.

'It’s important to be involved in programs like the Shell Eco-marathon to make people aware of what we can achieve in future transportation,' said Mechanical Engineering major Tom Heckel, team manager for Cal Poly’s Super Mileage team. 'I hope teams like ours will help shape the vehicles people drive years from now and those vehicles will be more environmentally friendly.'

Shell challenged the engineering students to drive their vehicles the farthest distance using the least amount of fuel, either conventional or alternative. While all of the teams accomplished impressive fuel economy figures, team Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, in the internal combustion division, won the grand prize with an astonishing 1902.7 miles per gallon.

Los Altos Academy of Engineering from Hacienda Heights won the hydrogen division at 1,038 miles per gallon.

Teams were comprised of about eight students working together to build prototype vehicles with three or four wheels using conventional fuels or alternative fuels or energy sources such as liquid petroleum gas, biofuels, compressed natural gas, hydrogen or solar.

This year's challenge brought eighteen conventional fuel-powered entries, one hydrogen-powered entry and one solar-powered entry.

Despite sinking billions into the public purse, British motorists are being subjected to a postcode lottery when it comes to the repair of potholes.

The monitoring of local roads and the time it takes to get them repaired depends on where you live, according to an investigation by new independent campaign website, Potholes.co.uk.

“There are two issues here,” explains website spokesperson Amanda Allen. “Not only could a dangerous and damaging pothole in your road go unreported for weeks or months because of random methods of inspection but, once it’s reported, the criteria used to assess whether it is dangerous enough to repair differs from council to council.”

With an estimated 1 in 5 suspension failures linked back to poor road surfaces*, Potholes.co.uk questioned a selection of councils across the UK about their approach to dealing with potholes in their areas, and found a muddled and inconsistent strategy for targeting defects.

In most areas, any road defect deeper than 20mm can be safely classified as a pothole. However, Lincolnshire and Devonshire County Councils take a somewhat more relaxed approach, with defects needing to reach 50mm and 40mm deep respectively before they are given immediate attention.

Some councils, such as Gwynedd, Wales, prioritise pothole repairs based on the size of the defect while others, such as Portsmouth City Council, rely on trained inspectors to consider size, position in the road, and how much traffic uses the road before making a judgement and prioritising accordingly.

There were also wildly differing methods of monitoring the occurrence of potholes across the nation. Although councils such as Birmingham set an example, with patrols undertaking a monthly inspection of all classified roads, councils are only obliged to check roads once per year.

“It is more random than regular,” says Allen. “This means that a pothole can remain undetected for months if not reported by road users. There is a system in place to report faults, but hardly anyone actually knows that system exists, or how to use it.”

Potholes.co.uk is a new online resource to inform UK drivers of their rights when it comes to potholes, and provides a useful database of council contacts, with advice about how to make a claim if cars are damaged due to road defects.

Gaydon, Warwickshire, 1 May 2007 – Earthwatch, the international environmental charity, has become Land Rover’s fifth Global Sponsorship Partner. Land Rover will assist Earthwatch’s activities in working to conserve endangered species and their habitats by engaging people worldwide in scientific field research and education.

The sponsorship forms part of Land Rover’s sustainable development policy, which outlines the company’s commitment to developing the business responsibly and ensuring sound environmental practice in all Land Rover activities.

Land Rover’s first act in support of Earthwatch has been to supply a Defender for work in the Samburu, Kenya. This vehicle is currently contributing to a number of projects, including surveying Grevy’s Zebras on community lands and within the Lewa Conservancy, as well as an in depth study into conflict between carnivores and livestock for limited water resources.

Nigel Winser, Executive Director of Earthwatch (Europe) said: “The vehicles that Land Rover provide will support the programmes where off-road capabilities are required. This will improve the quality and safety of the field research we undertake to understand, manage and conserve the natural resources of the world in a sustainable manner. I know these Land Rovers will be welcomed by our local scientists and the communities with whom we work.”

Land Rover has pioneered responsible off-roading through its ‘Fragile Earth’ policy for many years and currently works with four other sponsorship partners; Royal Geographical Society (RGS), China Exploration and Research Society (CERS), Born Free and Biosphere Expeditions. Land Rover supplies a quarter of the global aid agency market and the vehicles are utilised by emergency services, police, ambulance and mountain rescue teams across the country and worldwide.

Land Rover’s sponsorship programmes form part of an integrated approach towards sustainability. Land Rover engineers are at the forefront of Ford’s £1bn programme to develop technologies that will reduce emissions and improve fuel economy. Land Rover has also introduced the world’s biggest consumer carbon dioxide off-set programme which offsets all of the CO2 generated by Land Rover's manufacturing operations and the first 45,000 miles of vehicle use by its UK customers. It is run by Climate Care, a highly respected offset provider. The ultimate goal is CO2 neutrality with investments being made in renewable energy projects such as wind and hydro, technology change and energy efficiency.

Subaru Tribeca customers can look forward to five years’ peace of mind thanks to a special offer running from May 1 to July 31.

All Tribecas will come with five years’ free servicing, five years’ warranty, five years’ Home and Roadside Assistance and five years’ Zero Percent Finance.

In addition, the package is fully transferable with the only conditions being a 100,000 mile limit for the warranty and 50,000 mile limit on the free servicing.

The Zero Percent Finance package requires a 50 per cent deposit, meaning a £14,548.50 payment for the Tribeca 3.0 S5 and the same amount to finance. The monthly payments would then be £242.48.

Priced from a highly competitive £29,097 on-the-road, the Tribeca features a 3.0 litre 245 PS six-cylinder horizontally-opposed engine, five-speed automatic gearbox and full-time symmetrical all-wheel drive and Subaru Vehicle Dynamics Control (SVDC).

UK Tribecas are available in two 5-seat trim levels comprising 3.0 S5 and 3.0 SE5 and one 7-seat luxury-spec version, the 3.0 SE7.

Standard equipment for all models includes dual-zone air-conditioning, eight-way powered front seats, front, side and curtain airbags, six-disc CD autochanger with nine speakers and MP3 playback and a leather-covered steering wheel with remote audio controls.

1 May 2007, Hollywell Park, Loughborough University

Clean Air Power, the global provider of the unique Dual-Fuel™ technology that enables heavy trucks to run on a combination of Natural Gas and diesel, is attending the Cenex ‘Naturally Gas’ conference on 1 May 2007.

The conference will promote the production and use of natural gas and renewable natural gas (Bio-methane) in low carbon automotive applications. ‘Naturally Gas’ aims to maximise understanding of the effectiveness of the Low Carbon and Fuel Cell Technology Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN), which promotes communication and knowledge transfer between the many organisations interested in alternative automotive fuel applications.

The event will enable Clean Air Power to showcase its Dual-Fuel™ technology, demonstrating its ability to improve economic running of the vehicle and reduce carbon dioxide emitted. Two trucks fitted with Dual-Fuel™ technology will also be exhibited at the event, a DAF 6x2, using LNG and a DAF 4x2 running on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).

Mike Ellithorn, Clean Air Power’s Business Development Director - Europe, will Chair the event, while Robert Oaten, Chief Engineer - Vehicle Engineering, will present on Dual-Fuel™ Technology.

At the conference, Clean Air Power will also announce its latest contract with Wiseman Diaries, one of the UK’s leading milk and cream producers, which has taken delivery of two DAF Dual-Fuel gas/diesel trucks from the company.

As part of Wiseman’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions and fuel costs, the company is using two Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) DAF CF85 340 4x2 tractor units around the north west of England and Scotland.

Wiseman is aiming for substantial emission and fuel reductions. Both trucks use the LNG fuelling facility at Chive Fuels on the M74 in Scotland and all fuel usage will be monitored via a Triscan fuel management system.

This follows close on the heels of Clean Air Power announcing a major new contract worth £1.5m to supply 50 Dual-Fuel™ engine conversions to Australian freight company, Mitchell Corporation.

Clean Air Power’s Dual-Fuel™ technology has been installed on around 1,600 vehicles around the world. Some of these vehicles have been operating for over six years and between them have completed more than 500,000,000kms. It has been estimated that these trucks have saved approximately 50,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.