Rolls Royce post record annual sales

Booming demand from China has led to Rolls Royce bucking the global trend by posting the best annual car sales in its history!

The recently released figures for 2011 reveal that the UK brand - owned by Germany's BMW - were able to sell a car to 3,538 cars to customers in 2011 which represents a 31 per cent rise on 2010 figures.

Demand for the flagship model, th Rolls Royce Phantom and the Ghost, helping to drive sales throughout 2011, particularly in China

In the official figures Rolls Royce revealed they’d sold 3,538 luxury cars over the course of 2011 which is the most it’s ever sold in the which has now overtaken America as its biggest market.

Since 2003, the US has been the biggest consumer of Rolls Royce cars, however the Asian and Pacific market grew by a massive 47% throughout the 12 months of 2011, helping China into the top spot as the biggest buyers of Rolls Royce products for the year.

In Europe, Germany and Russia were Rolls-Royce’s biggest growth markets, and the brand’s UK sales were 30 per cent higher last year than in 2010.

Rolls Royce has already announced plans to expand its manufacturing plant in Goodwood, Sussex and are already hatching plans to build on the success of 2011 by branching into as yet untapped markets for the renowned car manufacturer, including South America.

Former Man Utd ace jailed for selling stolen car parts

One-time Manchester United star Ronnie Wallwork has been jailed for his part in an elaborate car buyer scam.

The 34-year-old was sentenced to 15 months in prison by Preston Crown Court after admitting three counts of handling stolen cars.

Wallwork's crimes were inadvertantly discovered by undercover officers as part of 'Operation Solomon' who were trying to track down a gang of armed robbers who had shot a security guard in Preston's Tesco supermarket!

While checking out local scrapyards, officers soon discovered Wallwork had his own, entirely separate, criminal enterprise in operation.
It emerged he had sold a Volkswagen Touran engine and parts from a BMW 318i on eBay, while he was observed driving a Mazda Furano into the scrapyard three days after it was stolen from a car dealer.
The three stolen vehicles he was linked to were worth more than 43,000 pounds in total, the court heard.
The court was told how the former West Bromwich Albion midfielder had fallen into financial difficulties following his retirement from football and two failed business ventures and police believe he got caught up in the criminal sub culture of Newton Heath.
Wallwork - who was lucky to escape with his life when he was stabbed in a Manchester bar five years ago - played enough games for Manchester United to earn a Premiership winners' medal in 2000-01.

SELL A CAR

Motoring costs continue to soar

New research from the RAC has shown that the cost of motoring has soared by 14% over the last year, meaning car buyers are paying an average of £128 per week to run a new family car.

All told, the cost of running a new car for the year was found to be £6,689 a year, which compares unfavourably with the figure of £5,870 only 12 months ago.

The hike in costs is made of a 12.4 per cent rise in fuel prices compared to last year, while the average maintenance costs increased by 8.8 per cent.

Average insurance premiums have risen 14.38 per cent, car finance is now costing 9.85% more, while depreciation (decreasing car valuation) was the factor to rise the most – 16.67 per cent.

The cost index was based on a pool of 17 new cars with the results weighted by their level of ownership. Even taking depreciation and car finance out of the calculations, the day-to-day running costs were up 11.1% to £2,743.

"This year’s cost index highlights the tough conditions being faced by Britain’s motorists,’ said RAC motoring strategist Adrian Tink. ‘With the annual cost of motoring approaching £7,000, the price burden of car ownership is hitting drivers hard.
The increase of almost three times the rate of inflation is crippling drivers’ wallets and something needs to be done to stem the tide."

Leading 'car-buying companies' branded rip-off merchants

An investigative piece of journalism from The Sun has seen the newspaper brand a number of Britain's best known car buying companies as rip-off merchants!

The detailed 'expose' involved The Sun getting an independent valuation on a wide-range of vehicles from motor industry experts Parkers, then comparing those figure with what the car buying companies could offer on each car.

Among the most shocking results was Trademymotor.co.uk's offer on a  Audi A4 Cabriolet which was more than £3,500 below the recommended value and a paltry offer from wewillbuyyourcar.com which fell over £3,000 less than the estimated private sale price for a modest Peugeot 207.

The Sun was also particularly critical of those companies which charge a 'transaction fee' (which they take out of the price they offer), including the well-known webuyanycar.com.

Health expert calls for political debate on car smoking

Just days after the British Medical Association recommended that smoking in cars should be made illegal, a leading Lancashire health expert has called for a political debate over the issue.

Officially, the professional medical association and trade union for doctors and medical students is calling for an outright ban on all smoking in vehicles across the UK, highlighting research which claims that the levels of toxins in a car can be up to 23 times higher than in a smoky bar.

However, Blackburn’s director of public health, Dominic Harrison, said a partial ban would be more appropriate.

He said: “The evidence around smoking with children in the car, even with the window open, is absolutely overwhelming as that is far too close to be smoking to a child.

“With children or passengers I think the issue is the same as smoking in an enclosed public space.

“I think we should test this with political debate and I would be quite interested to see what the public mood would be.

“I would suggest immediately no smoking in cars with a passenger and certainly not with children and I would make it a civil offence, similar to parking on a double yellow line, not a criminal one initially.”

A regular smoker  looking to sell a car can find the car valuation is often lower.

Blackadder star cheats death forllowing 'super car' smash

Actor Rowan Atkinson has cheated death following a crash in his high-powered McLaren F1 supercar in Cambridgeshire.

The Blackadder and Mr Bean star is believed to have lost control of the £650,000 vehicle which spun off the road and hit a tree before catching fire.

The 56-year-old walked away from the wreckage and was looked after by another motorist until emergency services arrived at the scene.

Firemen tackled the blaze and an ambulance crew took him to nearby Peterborough hospital where he was treated for a shoulder injury.

A spokeswoman for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "Crews brought the fire under control by 8.13pm. They made the vehicle safe and used one hose reel to put out the fire.

"There was one casualty but he was not trapped."

Atkinson is renowned for his passion for fast cars has written numerous articles about different vehicles for specialist car magazines.
As someone who regularly likes to buy and sell a car, his collection changes regularly, he also has a £125,000 Aston Martin Virage, a vintage Rolls-Royce, and an elderly Morris Traveller, which he regularly drives around the Oxfordshire village where he lives in a £1 million former rectory.

Sales of new cars hit the skids in March

New car sales fell by nearly 8% in March – traditionally the motor trade’s biggest month to sell a car.

The new 11-plate helped dealers shift 366,101 vehicles last month according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders’ which was 7.9% down on March 2010.

In all, registrations in the first three months of the year were down 8.7% compared with the first quarter of 2010, at 558,336.

New car registrations have now declined in each of the last nine months, but the trade body claimed sales would have been up if you strip out sales from last year’s car scrappage scheme.

Chief executive Paul Everitt said: “motorists are buying more fuel-efficient and low emitting vehicles”, with new cars registered in the first quarter averaging record low emissions at 140.3g per km.

US car makers were the big losers, with Cadillac and fuel-thirsty firm Hummer not selling a single vehicle here last month.

Nissan was one of the big winners, with sales up 14%.

Individually, the Ford Fiesta was the best-selling car in the month, followed by the Ford Focus and Vauxhall Corsa.

Tesco cars launched - but no trade-ins!

Once upon a time Tesco used to just sell groceries. Not content with moving into clothing, petrol, banking and insurance, the supermarket giants have even branched out into buying up old gold.

But, now it has embarked on arguably its most ambitious project yet - selling second hand cars!

Tesco say they are offering RAC-inspected cars for sale at prices cheaper than many existing forecourt prices, due to their lower overheads.
The plan is that the cars will be delivered directly from seller to buyer, with no showrooms, and no sales commissions, etc.
The new site will offer up to 3,000 cars a week, mostly sourced from hire fleets and the leasing business. If you like what you see and buy one, you can pick it up at a handover centre at Longbridge, or for a fee it can be delivered to your door.
But, here is the catch!
There won't be any trade-ins, private sales or free car valuations available through Tesco Cars, and that, added to the inability to inspect the cars personally, will restrict the segment of the market that can be covered.
The launch of Tesco's site on Sunday follows the acquisition of a minority stake in online dealership Carsite. The supermarket group has an option to take full control of the venture over time.

Crazed Brazilian ploughs into cyclists. How was no one killed?

This is the horrifying moment when over 40 people were injured after a motorist ploughed into a group of cyclists in Brazil.

Miraculously, no-one was killed in the incident in Porto Alegre, but many of the cyclists suffered broken bones and severe cuts and bruises.

Miraculously, no-one was killed in the incident in Porto Alegre, but many of the cyclists suffered broken bones and severe cuts and bruises.Up to 130 cyclists were taking part in the 'Critical Mass' event, which blocks roads in a protest against motorists, and around 40 were struck by the car, which had followed the group for a period before ramming them in his black Volkswagen Golf.The driver of the car fled from the scene but police have a suspect in custody after they found the car abandoned at the weekend. Police say the man claimed riders surrounded his vehicle and began beating on it, so he panicked and - in fear for his life - ran away. However, the lead investigator in the case called that version of events 'fanciful'.

Critical Mass is a cycling event that is held around the world, usually on the last Friday of every month, and its aim is to take back the streets from motorists.

The events usually occur in a flashmob-style, without warning, and block roads.

However, critics claim the event is dangerous, causing public disruption in major cities without warning and it has even been attacked by some cycling advocacy groups because it causes confrontation with motorists and weakens public support for cyclists.

NEED TO SELL A CAR?

Beckham flogging his motor - on Ebay!

David Beckham has decided to sell a car - on eBay.

The soccer ace - who was ludicrously feted with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the BBC recently - has owned the sports car for the last two years.

But now wants rid of the matt black Porsche 911 Convertible Turbo which cost him over £100,000, even before he spent a further £45,000 customising it.

It features heated front seats and has the number 23 - the number shirt he plays in for current soccer team Los Angeles Galaxy and wore at Real Madrid - emblazoned in the interior.

The car was also fitted with blacked-out headlights, special alloy wheels, a sports exhaust and a six-CD sound system with speakers fitted beneath the rears seats.

Beckham sold the car recently to Los Angeles dealer Chequered Flag but it is believed he is the only previous registered owner of the vehicle.

Chequered Flag spokesman Neil Jaffe said: 'This is a very rare opportunity to acquire a unique supercar with unparalleled celebrity history.'