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National Numbers Articles

Students told to revise insurance options

September 4, 2012
Posted in Car news — Written by National Numbers

Students are advised to swot-up on their insurance options when moving into University halls.

Cash-strapped students often skip on insurance due to the high price of tuition fees, a move that may prove more costly.

“Whilst it is tempting for students to get carried away with partying and meeting new people, they can be a prime target for theft and burglary,” says Peter Harrison of MoneySupermarket.com.

Car and contents cover is recommended for all students due to the likelihood of laptops, mobile phones and MP3 players being lost, stolen or damaged.

First-years moving into new cities can be seen as an easy target for thieves as they do not know the area.

Some companies offer individual cover specifically for students but students should also look into being added to their parents’ policy.

Taking a car with you can be the most costly part of going to University as location heavily influences premiums. The cost of running a vehicle can also mount up for students on a budget.

“Those who do decide to take their cars with them should notify their insurer so they can amend their policy details to reflect their change in living situation,” said Peter Harrison. “It is crucial students getting behind the wheel shop around for the best car insurance deals to guarantee their money stretches as far as possible.”

Tuition fees can now be in excess of £23,000, putting a lot of strain on students financially.

Asbestos found in imported Chinese cars

August 16, 2012
Posted in Car news — Written by National Numbers

A car manufacturer in China is to recall over 15,000 vehicles from Australia due to asbestos.

“We will actively proceed with the recall”, said Shang Yagui of Great Wall Motor Co.

Components meant for the domestic market were mistakenly used on exported models, the company explained.

Ateco Automotive Pty, distributor for Great Wall, had been assured that no vehicles contained asbestos before imports began in 2009.

Owners are warned not to attempt maintenance on the vehicles in case contaminated engines are disturbed.

The 45 UK dealerships that carry the Chinese cars have been assured of their safety.

Barry Robson, president of the Asbestos Disease Foundation of Australia, said that the discover was “an absolute disgrace”.

“There is a complete ban on asbestos products here in Australia and these people are flaunting it,” he said. “They’ve got to remove those cars off the road. Not every car mechanic will know about this.”

The car making industry has previous used asbestos until it became linked with cancer and respiratory illnesses. It is currently banned in 55 countries including the UK and Australia.

Great Wall is one of China’s biggest car manufacturers, specialising in sports utility vehicles and pick-up trucks. Due to growing competition on home soil the export market has become a large part of the companies focus.

“The export market has been really good for us this year”, Shang Tagui said. “The incident won’t have much impact on our export and overseas expansion plans.”

Daniel Cotterill of Ateco believes that the majority of Great Wall vehicles in Australia will be recalled.

£20mil Ferrari in “world’s most expensive car crash”

July 11, 2012
Posted in Car news — Written by National Numbers

A 20 million pound Ferrari has been involved in what has been described as “the world’s most expensive car crash”.

US businessman Christopher Cox drove a Ferrari 250 GTO as part of the car’s 50th Anniversary Tour but collided with another vehicle.

Three people were taken to hospital following the incident, including Cox’s wife Ann who is understood to have suffered a broken leg.

Pictured: Cox and his wife heading a convoy of Ferraris

Pictured: Cox and his wife heading a convoy of Ferraris

Fanatics

The accident itself occurred near Saint-Etienne-des Guirets, near Blois, putting a stop to a five-day tour by 21 multi-millionaire car enthusiasts.

En route to Le Mans, the drivers travelled the legendary Gueux racing circuit in Reims and were expected to visit the Abbey of Hautvillers.

It is thought that the convoy of Ferraris have a combined worth of almost £500million.

Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason and JCB chairman Sir Anthony Bamford were also involved in the tour.

Rare

The 250 GTO has been called “the Picasso of the motoring world” in the past.

Production of the model started in 1962 and ended in 1964, only 39 were built.

Initially sold at £6,000 the 174mph sports car has had a surge of value in recent years.

Chris Evans is said to have sold his 250 GTO for £18million recently, while last month a green model built for Stirling Moss was sold for a record £22.7million.

Cox’s car was a blue and yellow model bought in 2005. It runs on a 3-litre V12 engine and can go 0-60mph in 6.1 seconds.

British drivers intimidated by European roads

July 10, 2012
Posted in Car news — Written by National Numbers

Almost three-quarters (73%) of Brits feel intimidated when driving through Europe, a report suggests.

The research, conducted by car insurance website Confused.com, suggests that two-thirds of motorists are caught off-guard by unfamiliar laws and road signs when crossing the continent.

One worrying find shows that 25% of travellers don’t check if their car insurance covers continental travel before going abroad.

“Accidents can easily happen in an unfamiliar environment,” says Gareth Kloet, Head of Car Insurance at Confused.com. “Reading up and making sure you’re completely covered for the country you’re driving in is just as important as getting the right currency.”

The fear of travelling abroad leads to 1 in 5 cross-country road trips ending in a road accident while two-thirds of motorists face other forms of car trouble.

Drink-driving laws alone cost many Brits their happy holidays while a further 19% of Britons admit to driving on the wrong side of the road.

It is suggested that standardising road laws across the Eurozone could help solve most of the problems.

Prof. Benjamin Heydecker explains: “England and Wales are the only two countries in the EU (other than Malta) that has a legal drink-driving limit above 50mg per 100ml.

“Harmonising Europe’s standards by reducing the limit to 50mg per 100 ml – which Scotland did recently – would modify drivers’ attitude to drink driving, with undisputed benefits for road safety.”

UK drivers may not know that in Sweden it is compulsory to have a shovel and antifreeze in the car at all times, or that drivers who wear glasses must carry a spare pair in Italy, or that in Spain handsfree kits a banned.

BMW brings art show to London

July 9, 2012
Posted in Car news — Written by National Numbers

BMW’s unique art exhibition will be coming to the UK for the very first time later this summer.

The collection, entitled ART DRIVE!, was initiated over 35 years ago and features old BMW cars remastered by internationally-recognised artists.

The Institute of Contemporary Arts will run the event in partnership with BMW, the Mayor of London and the London 2012 Festival.

A spokesperson for the ICA said: “Art Drive! presents an exciting opportunity to reach new and larger audiences.

“The ICA hopes to take on further projects of this type in order to extend its reach into new spaces across the city.”

The event will take place on six floors of the NCP Car Park in Shoreditch over two weeks from the 21st of July to the 4th of August.

bmw

The first BMW Art Car was created in 1975 when Alexander Calder was commissioned to design a car by his friend, Hervé Poulain. The same vehicle was later entered in the Le Mans 24-hour race.

Since then some of the greatest names in modern art have used the BMW as a canvas, from David Hockney to Andy Warhol.

Julia, Loop pH and My Beautiful City are just three of the 16 artists put forward by the ICA, the emphasis being on new talent and innovation.

Record claims to affect premiums

July 6, 2012
Posted in Car news — Written by National Numbers

Strapped-for-cash motorists will be hit by further increases in premium prices, a report warns.

The report shows that the rate of claims in the UK are even higher than suit-happy US.

Despite car accident damage claims falling by five percent last year there was still an 18 percent increase in whiplash or injury claims – the biggest rise on record.

Payouts on these claims are up by nine percent on average.

The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, who compiled the annual report, found that claims are at their highest in areas like Manchester, Liverpool and Sunderland where claims management companies are based.

Meanwhile Cambridge, Dorchester, Aberdeen and Exeter are amongst the lowest in injury claim rates.

David Brown, the Institute’s chairman, said: “The increase in costs to insurers is likely to result in a rise in motor insurance premiums for drivers.

“The clear correlation between claims management office locations and the ‘hotspots’ for bodily injury claims suggests the two are interlinked. We expect to see legislation coming soon which will affect the way these companies do business.”

Drivers have already been hit by 40 percent increases in insurance premiums since 2010. Further rises will cover the costs of injury claims.

Plate-reading Cameras will Catch Criminals

June 30, 2012
Posted in Car news — Written by National Numbers

Staffordshire County Council plans to make a £200,000 investment in Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras in hopes of reducing crime.

The cameras will be used to detect tax-dodging drivers as well as cars linked to criminal activity.

“The high-tech cameras have proved successful in the UK and will now go up on routes across Staffordshire to combat travelling criminals as well as motorists who do not tax or insure their vehicles,” a police spokesman said.

The joint venture with Staffordshire Police will bring 13 fixed and eight mobile ANPR units to the area.

Robbie Marshall, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Infrastructure, believes the cameras will send out a clear message.

“We are on to you, whether they are trying to get away without a tax disc or are intent on coming to Staffordshire to cause trouble.”

Marshall continues: “The is one of a number of measures we will be introducing with partners, including the police, to reduce crime and fear of crime so that people in Staffordshire can live safely.”

ANPR cameras will recognise a vehicle registrations linked to known offenders and feed that information back to police.

Chief Superintendent Jon Drake, County Policing Commander, said: “This technology, combined with an intelligence-led approach, will help us stop many criminals from targeting the county and allow us to track and catch those who do.”

EU Car Registrations Hit the Brakes

June 21, 2012
Posted in Car news — Written by National Numbers

Demand for new vehicles has fallen sharply across the European Union in May, reflecting a downturn of buyer confidence in the wake of the current economic crisis.

The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association said the number of new car registrations have dropped by 8.7% to 1,106,845 vehicles in total during the month of May.

The biggest crash was France who went into a 16.2% decline, followed closely by Italy, which had a 14.3% fall.

The UK were the only survivors, growing 7.9% in the same time.

Total sales across the entire European Union over five-months fell to 5,442,326 vehicles, down 7.7%.

France even suffered a 18.1% reduction in Peugeot and Citroen cars, falling 18.1% (72,114) and 21.1% (60,447) respectively.

Germany meanwhile fell 4.8% – including a 7.8% drop in Volkswagen (142,628) and a 3.7% drop in BMW (56,883) – despite an overall rise of 0.3% in the first five months of the year.

Sergio Marchionne, chief executive of Fiat, is calling for the €500m (£406m) European capital investment to be reduced following the disappointing figures.

Jaguar Land Rover sales, however, are up 34.5%, showing that the UK car market is the strongest currently in Europe.

Police & Halfords Tag Team Against Registration Thieves

June 11, 2012
Posted in Car news,Number Plate News — Written by National Numbers

Loughborough police will attempt to tackle number plate crime with the help of the local Halfords.

“Since the start of the year we have had 23 incidents where vehicle registration plates have been stolen”, said PCSO Anthony Brewin, who is overseeing the initiative.

“Number plate thefts continue to be a problem nationally and have increased in recent years. This is partly due to an increase in the use of speed cameras, rise in petrol costs and charges for use of certain roads.”

Stolen or cloned registrations have been used in the past to disguise stolen vehicles, petrol theft, speeding and illegal parking.

Drivers can prevent number plate theft with tamper-proof screws, these will be offered as part of a free-fitting service.

“We realise that the theft of number plates can be a huge inconvenience to motorists”, says Steve Taylor of the Loughborough branch, “we are delighted to be working with Loughborough Police to help prevent this happening in future.”

Halfords are commended by the Loughborough police force for their assistance. The national retailer is even bringing in additional staff to help with the programme.

“We are really pleased that the local branch of Halfords have agreed to help us reduce crime in this area” said PCSO Anthony Brewin.

National Numbers Visit McLaren Technology Centre to see new McLaren MP4-12C

July 26, 2010
Posted in Car news — Written by Helen

McLaren MP4-12CNational Numbers Chairman Eric Craggs visited the McLaren premises in Woking, Surrey, to preview their newest sports car, the stunning MP4-12C.

Eric and about 70 other dedicated motor enthusiasts were personally invited to the £40 million McLaren Technology Centre (MTC), where they enjoyed a two-hour guided tour, a preview of the new McLaren MP4-12C, along with a champagne reception.

The MTC is stunning, and there are many reasons it’s not your everyday car factory. The building accurately reflects the professionalism and attitude of the McLaren brand. When viewed from above, the stunning building forms the yin-yang symbol. But you’d only get to see this if you flew in by private helicopter or jet!

Inside, the MTC is fanatically immaculate; pristine white walls and glistening aluminium, with an almost clinical feel. It features many of the wow-factor touches that feature on McLaren cars, such as gull-wing doors.

The ‘boulevard’ feature McLaren’s astounding trophy display, which is almost 50 metres long; along with millions of pounds’ worth of historic racing cars.

It’s safe to assume that this attention to detail comes from Ron Dennis, the executive chairman of McLaren, who started his career with the company as an F1 mechanic in the late Sixties.

The same care in design has been lovingly bestowed to the MP4-12C. Developed entirely in-house by McLaren, the car is likely to cost £175,000. It has a 3.8-litre V8 twin-turbo engine with 600 BHP and around 443 lb/ft of torque. The car is reported to be able to accelerate from 0 to 124 mph in under 10 seconds. Braking from 62 mph to zero can be done in less than 30 metres. Find out more about the car here.

Are you thinking of buying the MP4-12C? Whether you are, or just dreaming of it, National Numbers has some fitting numbers plates. AMP 412C would be an ideal registration, or how about MPH 12C: a great suffix registration for the car? MP 40 is another good plate, or how about a suffix search for MPH?

We have millions of registrations so why not search for number plates now?