Survey: Honda Cars Stronger Than BMW & Merc

Honda cars have been found to be the best equipped to deal with potholes, saving drivers thousands of rupees in repairs each year, according to a new research by Potholes.co.uk. These results are based on warranty claims resulting from pothole damage in UK and gives out the names of top 10 best and worst susceptible car brands. According to the research, after Honda, the most ‘pothole-proof’ manufacturers are Toyota and Hyundai, with less than 2% of their cars suffering axle and suspension damage attributable to potholes and other road defects.

Chrysler came out as the most unreliable against potholes followed by hot shots like Land Rover, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz and BMW. These premium brands are known world over as being the manufacturers of some of the best cars and off road SUVs including Presidential vehicles. It’s difficult to imagine that those fancy low profile tires and large, expensive wheels that we see on luxury vehicles with their bulging sidewalls are not really strong enough to deal with what our roads have to offer. This survey doesn’t sound promising for their known credentials.

'We've found some cars have an uncanny ability to absorb the jolts from even the most severe road craters, while others aren't so resilient,' said Duncan McClure Fisher of Warranty Direct. According to their calculations in an average year, there is a 6 per cent chance of any car suffering such damage.

Since the government continues to struggle to solve the pothole problem, we consumers can at least be smart about our vehicle of choice. Scroll down to see the ranking compiled by potholes.co.uk.

Read More On: Honda

Top 10 Most Resilient Make Damage Rate Honda 1.4% Toyota 1.5% Hyundai 1.7% Nissan 2.0% Kia 2.1% Mitsubishi 2.2% Mini 3.0% Suzuki 3.1% Ford 3.4% Mazda 3.4%

Top 10 Least Resilient Make Damage Rate Chrysler 12.2% Smart 10.6% Mercedes 10.4% Land Rover 10.1% Jaguar 9.4% Saab 8.5% Fiat 7.4% BMW 6.8% SEAT 6.6% Vauxhall 6.4%

Read more >>

2008 Alfa Romeo Spider Limited Edition Photo Gallery

Related Post: 2008 Alfa Romeo Spider Limited Edition For UK


Read more >>

2008 Alfa Romeo Spider Limited Edition For UK

The Italian car maker, Alfa Romeo, has extended the stylish 2008 Alfa Spider range with a limited edition version. With no power increase it uses the same Alfa 2.2 JTS petrol engine making 185bhp, with 0 to 62mph in just 8.8 seconds. But the catch here is the £3000 worth of extra features that are packed into the limited edition Spider with no extra cost.

The open top Alfa Spider Limited Edition features a choice of three color combinations (Carbonio Black, Alfa Red, Ghiaccio White) plus 19in alloy wheels, leather upholstery, electrically adjustable and heated memory front seats and door mirrors. The car is also now available with Fiat Group’s Blue&Me hands-free system with voice recognition and media player. It will go on sale in Europe from next month with price tag of £25,500 ($50,000).

Click For 08 Model Alfa Romeo Spider Limited Edition Photos & Pictures

Read more >>

2008 Volkswagen Passat R36 Makes UK Debut

The most powerful version of VW Passat, i.e. Passat R36 made its UK debut yesterday. R36 in Passat R36 refers to the 3.6-litre V6 powerhouse under the bonnet. The engine develops 296bhp horsepower and 258lb ft of torque which enables the car to attain 0-62mph (0 to 100 km/h) in just 5.6 seconds for the saloon and 5.8 seconds for the estate, and both versions are limited to a top speed of 155mph.

Visual differences between the R36 and other Passats include 18" wheels, blue brake calipers, a 20mm lowered ride height, a deeper front bumper and twin exhaust tailpipes. Inside, there are sports front seats and a sculpted steering wheel, along with a set of recalibrated ‘R’ dials, alloy pedals and sill plates bearing the ‘R’ logo.

Prices for new Volkswagen Passat R36 start at £30,990($60,000) on-the-road for the saloon and £32,150($60,000) for the estate model. Options include a choice of four colours ranging from silver to black, blue and grey.

New Volkswagen Passat R36 Photos & Pictures

Read more >>

New 2008 Ford Focus ST For Euro Photo Gallery

In this photo gallery you will find interior and exterior pictures of the new redesigned 08 model Ford Focus ST. It will be on sale in UK from 1st May this year and is priced from £18,250 to £20,850.

Related Post: New Version 2008 Ford Focus ST On Sale In UK

Click on thumbnail images below to enlarge.
Latest 2008 Ford Focus ST Photos & Pictures

Read more >>

New Version 2008 Ford Focus ST On Sale In UK

The updated version of new Focus ST performance hatch was released yesterday by Ford UK. Focus will go on sale from May 1 at dealerships across Great Britain. Created by Ford TeamRS, the company's dedicated performance vehicle arm, the 2008 Focus ST benefits from the new exterior and interior styling changes introduced across the rest of the Focus line-up earlier this year.

Every Focus ST now boasts 18-inch five-spoke alloy wheels, sports styling, body-hugging Recaro sports seats, a unique sports steering wheel and upgraded instrumentation. New to this generation of ST are the 'Ford Power' starter button and Easyfuel capless refuelling system. Upgrading to ST-2 adds a Sony audio system, bi-xenon lights, LED rear lights and Quickclear heated windscreen while the ST-3 includes an in-dash six CD player plus full leather trim.

New Euro Ford Focus ST is powered by 225 PS, 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder Duratec engine. And comes with the potential of 150mph top speed in tandem with 0-62mph acceleration in just 6.8 seconds. Among the list of available high-tech options is a Tyre Deflation Detection System, a new audio connectivity module for external devices like Bluetooth, voice control and navigation systems plus various infotainment options including an affordable sat nav system with SD card slot.

Click For 08 Model Ford Focus Photo Gallery


The Focus ST range retains ST, ST-2 and ST-3 trim grades and three or five-door hatchback bodystyles. It is priced from £18,250 - £20,850.

All this and more only for Ford's UK customers. But Ford has already promised that next generation of Focus will be a global car and same will be launched in US, Europe and other markets. The redesigned Focus is expected to debut in 2010 or 2011 and will be built on the advanced C1 platform
Read more >>

2010 Bentley Arnage Prototype Caught Testing: Spy Photo

Guys at autoexpress.co.uk caught the 2010 model Bentley Arnage prototype driving through the firm’s home town of Crewe, Cheshire. The new Arnage is reported to be even bigger than the model it’s set to replace. The increased length will ensure the new 2010 Arnage provides loads of interior space comparable to Roll-Royce’s Phantom .

Latest model of the Arnage will also come with a trademark wooden dashboard, deep-pile carpets and leather upholstery along with luxurious range of optional extras.
Sources claim that upcoming 2010 Bentley Arnage could be powered by the unit from Audi’s V12 TDI R8 Concept. And some reports also suggest the possibility of Arnage getting the W16 powerplant from Bugatti’s Veyron.

Prices for the new Arnage are expected to start at around £180,000 for the base version, and in excess of £200,000 for the W16-engined Arnage T version.

2010 Bentley Arnage Prototype Spy Photos


Read more >>

2008 Vauxhall Astra VXR Nurburgring Edition For UK

General Motors' Vauxhall division is introducing the Astra VXR Nurburgring Edition in UK. The 3door Vauxhall Astra VXR Nurburgring Edition is based on the standard VXR version, but its factory tuned to develop 240 PS. It has a top speed of electronically limited 155 mph (250 km/h) with 60 mph coming in 6.2 seconds. Sales of the limited edition Astra VXR Nürburgring Edition have begun in the UK.


With a price tag of £21,295, each individually numbered Nürburgring edition will come with an exclusive all-white paint finish and lightweight white 18-inch alloy wheels, equipped with bespoke Dunlop tires. Other exterior features include dark tinted windows, carbon fiber effect mirrors and B-Pillars and distinctive chequered flag body graphics, to further emphasise the car’s incredible performance.

Each UK-specification car will also come provided with a Remus Sports Exhaust, developed with Vauxhall’s BTCC race team, Triple-Eight Race Engineering, which provides a power increase of up to 15PS.

Like the standard car, the Nürburgring Edition benefits from a six-speed manual gearbox and lowered, uprated VXR suspension with ESP as standard. But its dynamics are enhanced still further with the wider front and rear tracks and lower un-sprung weight offered by the new alloy wheels. Ventilated 321mm diameter disc brakes at the front and 278mm diameter discs at the back help slow things down, while blue-painted callipers remain a VXR trademark.

The Nürburgring Edition theme continues inside, with carbon fibre detailing on the door trims and fascia, bespoke leather seats with the Nürburgring circuit graphic embossed into the Recaro front seat backrests and an individually numbered plaque showing each car’s build number.

Optional extras include electronic climate control, cruise control, electric foldable door mirrors and adaptive forward lighting.

08 Vauxhall Astra VXR Nurburgring Edition Photo Gallery

Read more >>