Many countries are great at building reliable, cost-effective vehicles, but they're not always good at naming them – especially in English. Take Japan, for example. Over the years they have come up with some very silly names for their otherwise good cars. But at least they eventually understood their failings: when Toyota created its luxury off-shoot, Lexus

Read more

The month of April saw car sales plunge by nearly 20%, following reductions to green car grants and price increases. Month on month new car registrations dropped to 152,076, driven by lower diesel sales, but also by falls in hybrid and electric car sales. Demand for so-called green cars had not fallen for four years, demonstrating the effectiveness of government subsidies.

Read more

For many motorcyclists with an interest in electric battery technologies, recent news that they would benefit from a grant to buy one was met with some optimism. However, despite the introduction of some very promising electric motorcycles – such as Denmark's Fenris – the list of subsidised bikes is rather modest. As far as many are concerned, the list was drawn up small - and it has stayed that way.

Read more

A car hire firm has apologised after it suggested the island of Sark is an ideal place for a leisurely road trip. Cars are banned on the tiny island in the English Channel. The marketing gaffe was made on the Avis website, on which it suggested "virtually untouched" Sark was the perfect location for a leisurely drive. The international car hire firm has since apologised and has made a £500 donation to the local Sark charity, The Sark Sanctuary Centre.

Read more

Motorists who commit serious speeding offences in England and Wales will face heavier penalties from today. A driver caught speeding at 51mph+ in a 30mph zone, or 101mph+ on a motorway will be fined 150% off their weekly income, up from 100%. The Sentencing Council said the change looks to ensure there is a "clear increase in fine level as the seriousness of offending increases". There were 244 fatalities on UK roads in 2015 that were related to a speeding driver.

Read more

At a time when more firms than ever are creating high-tech gadgets that promise to revolutionise motorcycling, it is perhaps refreshing to recall more antiquated biking technologies. Take the ‘Roper Steam Velocipede’ for example, a motorcycle powered entirely by steam. The original form of this machine is said to have been built in 1869 by Sylvester H. Roper of Massachusetts, USA.

Read more