Hundreds of motorists...
Hundreds of motorists have been forced to make ‘no blame’ claims as storms swept across Eng?land last week. But the numbers are set to increase claims to the AA. Affected owners, who stand to lose unprotected discounts on their premium as a result of their claims, will now face price hikes at renewal, as their own insurers are forced to foot the repair or write-off bill.
Shock! These are the...
Shock! These are the pictures that will make General Motors bossesò€™ hair stand on end. This is their all-new electric car ò€“ the Chevrolet Volt ò€“ and weò€™ve caught it totally undisguised for the first time.
Spied on the set of the new Transformers 2 movie, the Volt can be seen in production-ready trim. And itò€™s certainly good looking, with a sleeker shape than the concept which was revealed at the 2007 Detroit Motor Show. That is thanks to some extensive aerodynamic work which has seen enormous improvements in the Voltò€™s drag coefficient, due to integrated headlights and smooth lines.
GM has revealed that the carò€™s final development phase has begun, in which its electronic and mechanical drive components will be integrated into their final showroom-ready form. The firm has also announced that it has settled on a manufacturer for the Voltò€™s lithium-ion battery pack. The final model will have a top speed of 100mph, cover 0-60mph in nine seconds and boast a typical battery range of 40 miles before its 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine kicks in to extend that to around 300 miles.
US sales are due to start in 2010, with a European-spec car wearing a Vauxhall badge due in 2011. It will be priced below Toyotaò€™s Ò£18,000 Prius.