Credit: The Savage Land Pictures
A respectable collection of classic cars found in what was essentially a jumble sale. Amazing.
See more here
National Numbers Blog
Personalised Coca-Cola? Well, I never …
I am sure many of you who have been to the shops lately have noticed a change to the red labels you are so used to seeing.
Turns out one of the world’s biggest brands has taken a page from National Numbers’s book by offering personalised bottles of Coke to their customers.
The “Share A Coke” campaign, which is being called ‘brave’ by those behind it, simply replaces the classic Coca-Cola logo with one of 150 popular names.
“It is a brave move to replace the world’s most iconic brand with 150 names” said Jon Woods, Managing Director of Coca-Cola GB and Ireland. “It will drive huge buzz and drive engagement. No other brand has gone to this scale of personalisation.”
Indeed, personalisation is key to this campaign. It allows consumers to gift bottles of Coke to friends and family or buy themselves a little treat (if you can find your name). But … is it as unique as they say?
The private number plate industry, ever since its birth, has been based on this concept of ‘personalisation’. The idea is that a plain, everyday thing like registration numbers can be lifted to vanity product status, reflecting a little bit of the owner’s personality. This is how the business was built.
In this sense, Coke might be onto an idea, but where they differ from us at National Numbers is that our products are all unique – there is literally only one of every registration in existence. Coke’s ‘personalised’ labels are still mass-produced.
To put that into perspective, Coca-Cola plans to put 100 million bottles into circulation. If there are 150 names available that means there is more than 6 million of the same product out there.
Alternatively, we have 34 million number plates on the market, each of them one-of-a-kind.
Number plates also have something for almost everyone one. Depending on how creative you are you could quite literally get any name on a number plate. Coke maybe catering to Laura, James and Chris but what about young Roslynn, who is giving her attention?
We’ve got you covered, Roslynn!
In terms of personalisation, Coca-Cola has a lot of catching up to do. However, it is only a one-off thing, and if successful they may even expand their selection to include more names. It wouldn’t be out of the question to see other brands try a similar campaign … your name on an M&M anyone?
See the trailer for Gran Turismo 6!
Posted yesterday by PlayStation, the official announcement trailer for the sixth installment of the Gran Turismo series.
As you will see, it is pretty epic.
Probably not enough of the cars to judge the true quality of the graphics, but with this intended for the PS4 release we can expect great things.
See the trailer below:
The Iron Man Collection: Tony Stark’s convoy of cars
In the wake of the epic Iron Man 3 and the delightful return of Tony Stark’s signature Audi R8, National Numbers looks back in anger at the billionaire’s spectacular collection of vehicles. Most of which, sadly, did not last long in the dangerous and explosive world of Marvel Films.
Audi R8
The superhero’s go-to vehicle for everyday use is a belter. It is the one constant that has stuck with the movie franchise over the last few years, starting with the 2007 model in the original Iron Man film.
Iron Man 2 saw the arrival of the Audi R8 Spyder, a blissful soft-top version of the supercar.
The latest 2014 Audi R8 appeared several times in the third film, Iron Man 3, along with several other vehicles – news and classic – but none will likely have the staying power of the R8.
Audi’s supercar is as sleek and stunning as Stark’s own Iron Man armour, a perfect fit no doubt. A powerful 4.2-litre engine with 430 horsepower pushes this car from 0 to 62 miles per hour in 4.8 seconds and comes with permanent quattro four-wheel drive. German engineering at its finest.
1932 Ford Flathead Roadster
This classic vehicle has been popular for many years with restorers and modders, so it is no surprise that Tony Stark, a committed tinkerer, would come to own one. To many it is very sentimental car, as fathers and sons would traditionally bond together by trying to get one back on the road.
John Favreau, who directed the first Iron Man file, did so with his father and expected to do the same with Iron Man by actually donating his own 1932 Flathead to the film. He had a quick change of heart when he found out the crew needed to dismantle it for a scene though!
1967 Shelby Cobra
A lightweight, no trills, take-no-prisoners type of minimalist sports car designed by the Brits and powered by the Americans; it is a real achievement in both design and engineering. The front-mounted V8 engine certainly packs a punch also, going from 0-60 in 4.5 seconds.
It is a shame that this vehicle doesn’t really get much attention in the film and ends up being crushed under the weight of Iron Man after a slight rocket-propulsion malfunction. By which I mean: he fell on it.
Saleen S7
It might be seldom seen in the Iron Man movies but you probably would have noticed the Saleen S7 thanks to its distinctive orange paint job. It has even been the centrepiece from time to time, finding pride of place amongst the collection. Going from 0-60mph in less than 3 seconds, the 750 horsepower machine is eye-catching and beautiful.
While it is nowhere to be seen in Iron Man 3, that is probably a good thing, as half of Stark’s car collection actually end up falling into the ocean. What a waste.
Tesla Roadster
One of the more unusual cars in the rich genius’s collection is the electric sportscar. While it is a nice touch, as Tony Stark does grow increasingly protective of the world around him, the car is actually seen amongst his collection early on. More than likely the man behind the Iron Man suit brought it in because of the advances in technology it represents. Plus, with a top speed of 125mph, who can say this won’t satisfy the need for speed?
What is more impressive is that the Tesla was not even released when the first Iron Man film came out, so Tony Stark had this in his collection before most people could even think about driving one!
1953 Cadillac Series 62 & 1949 Mercury Coupe
As American as apple pie and just as classic, these vehicles made their debuts together in Iron Man 2, appearing in Tony Starks garage along with the rest of his collection (probably replacing the crushed Cobra).
Both vehicles come to be very respected amongst classic car collectors so it is only natural that the billionaire was in on the action.
I hope they got out of there before the accident …
Rolls-Royce Phantom
This large, luxury car gets a lot of attention in Iron Man 2. Perhaps too much attention as it ends up being cut in half by the super villain Whiplash.
Over £300,000 worth of damage there.
For a vehicle that is cool, sleek, sophisticated, powerful and worth a lot of money – a perfect vehicular representation of Tony Stark himself!
0-60 in less than six seconds, 453 horsepower, and 531 pound of torque, this is an awesome car.
Ferrari Becomes Most Expensive “The Price is Right” Prize Ever
American daytime TV show, The Price is Right broke records this week by offering the most expensive prize in its history …
The Ferrari 458 Italia Spyder
We won’t be seeing prizes like that on Catchphrase any time soon.
What was the value of the luxury motor? And did the contestant win?
You will have to watch to find out:
FA57 OAP – World’s Fastest Mobility Scooter
Above is the fastest mobility scooter in the world … that isn’t a joke either, it actually holds the official Guinness World Record.
Imagine seeing that ride past you on the high-street, or in the supermarket!
The magic comes from the 125cc engine that it was fitted with – an engine normally used for motorcross bikes. The whole thing took three months to build and can reach speeds over 70MPH.
I think it proves that getting on in years doesn’t mean you have to slow down. It is hard to grow out of the need for speed, as certain members of the National Numbers team will tell you.
Tell the world that you refuse to slow down because of your age with a number plate, such as FA57 OAP and FA57 OLD.
It makes me sad to say though that the owner isn’t in factthe coolest granddad in the world. It is actually a young man from Stamford named Colin Furze. Originally a plumber, Colin has become well known for his modifications, his stunts and his world records.
Furze also holds records for the world’s fastest pram.
British weather: You call that cold? THIS is cold!
I think we all know the contents of a nice, traditional British conversation:
1. Moaning
2. Weather
3. Moaning about the weather
It is the British way!
Despite centuries of this fare country being wet and miserable we don’t seem to get used to the idea. It is still a shock to us when we leave the house in March and find that we can’t wear our flip-flops and shorts just yet (and must go back upstairs to change … that might be just me). Then we complain a little bit more, as if Jack Frost himself has stolen the summer time from us. It never changes.
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like a good moan like the next guy, but we have to admit that we do go overboard. We don’t actually have it that bad compared to other countries, it is just that they seem to handle it better.
Take, for example, this article of drivers being stranded for up to 15 hours due to snows. Dreadful you think as you read, but bear in mind that this chaos was caused by four inches of snow. FOUR INCHES!
Now I’m not saying this can’t ruin things for people, but you should be able to find a way around it.
Take a look at Boston, Massachusetts in the US which in February saw two feet of snow fall in just 9 hours.
Recently a man in China left his car parked under a bridge and a bright, sunny day. When he returned the next morning he found this:
Worst parts is: the de-icer is inside the vehicle.
In this instance the underside of the bridge had frozen over with a solid patch of ice. The driver, Chen Lin, parked directly under this ice just as it was beginning the thaw in the newly outed sun, and rather than melt it came down intact, covering the vehicle. Then, to add insult to injury, the sun went away and the ice refroze, trapping the car.
Then there was Chicago, which proved fire and ice can indeed mix.
Responding to a huge fire at a warehouse, local fire fighters put their hoses to work tackling the blaze in freezing temperatures. Not an unusual story you may think, but this is what that warehouse looked like afterwards:
Workers begged the fire to come back.
So, spare a thought for the colder places around the world. They have it much worse than us!
Cool Old Comic of the Week
Stumbled across this old comic this week. It is from a magazine called Heavy Metal from 1979. Credit to the creators, Dan O’Bannon and Thomas Warkentin.
Road Safety: Don’t Get Caught Out
Steps have recently been made to improve the communication between the police and the DVLA, allowing roadside eye test failures to be reported instantly. The move improves the fluidity between the two bodies, reducing a task that used to take up to 4 days to just a few hours.
Since cars first came into play around the world, and even before in countries like the UK (those horse and carriage accidents must have been messy), governments have tried to make the roads a safer place to be. Figures suggest there have made huge steps to do this – in 1935 when there was only 2.5 million vehicles on the road, 7,343 people died in road accidents, compared to 2,538 deaths in 2008 when there was 26.5 million vehicles – but we are still fighting the root causes of dangerous driving.
Government initiative THINK! have been behind many of the recent road safety campaigns. Below are just some of the ways motorists will put themselves in danger, and how you can avoid finding yourself in an unthinkable situation.
Seat belts
It is maybe a staple today, but the law requiring drivers to use seat belts did not come into force until January 1983, and it wasn’t until 1991 that passengers were also required to strap-in.
Seat belts are undoubtedly one of the most important safety features of a car, securing drivers and passengers to their seats and thus protects them from serious injury in the event of a crash. Statistics show that you are more than twice as likely to die in a crash if you are not wearing a seat belt, and it has also been observed that over 300 road deaths in 2007 could have been avoided had seat belts had been used.
The Law:
Drivers and passengers are required to correctly wear a seat belt at all times. Failure to do say will result in a fine of £60 rising to £500 in prosecution.
How to avoid:
Wear your seat belt AT ALL TIMES. People are more likely to go without seat belts on short family journeys, but this puts the entire family in danger.
Ensure your passengers are all wearing their seat belts before setting off on your journey.
Correctly adjust your seat belt if necessary – if uncomfortable the temptation to unbuckle is there.
Speed Limits
The first UK speed limit was introduced in 1865 and was a lowly 10mph. It seems silly today but back then the thought of travelling at that sort of speed was terrifying. A few generations earlier, many believed that the speed locomotive trains could reach (around 15mph) would be enough to kill someone!
Fact is though that speed limits are there to save lives. It stands that the faster you go the less time you have to react to a situation and the longer it takes for your vehicle to come to a halt. A few miles per hour could mean the difference between life and death.
In 2009, 4,187 people were killed or seriously injured in accidents directly related to speed, and an accident at 40mph is 4-times more like to result in a death than one at 30-mph, as you probably know from this haunting advert.
More haunting is that speeding laws are often deliberately broken when seemingly convenient. As you can imagine, when the driver has nothing to blame but themselves it will result in horrible guilt for the rest of their life.
The Law:
Laws vary depending on the severity of the situation. It will most definitely result in a costly fine and points on your drivers licence, but can of course result in prison for persistent speeders and in horrible cases resulting in death.
How to avoid:
Always know and stick to speed limits. Even on rural roads you should not be tempted to try your luck and never assume it will be safe.
Be wary of the road conditions. Adjust how you drive according to your situation.
Know your car and know its limitations. Factors do mount up. For example, in a car in which the driver is high off the ground it can feel like things are moving slower.
Think about what it would be like if something went terribly wrong and you were to blame for willfully breaking the speed limit.
Driving While Impaired
Driving is at its most dangerous when combined with drugs and alcohol and the laws reflect that. Chemically impaired drivers seem to be at the forefront of most road accident horror stories you’ve heard of and it is plain to see why. Most people will have felt the effects of drugs and alcohol in some way, so just imagine being put in charge of a fast, potentially deadly machine in that condition.
Any amount of alcohol will affect the driver’s reaction time and motor skills, making them both less able to operate a vehicle properly as well as unable to react in a crisis.
By driving under the influence you not only put yourself in danger, but also your passengers, other motorists and pedestrians.
The Law:
Drink and drug driving is the most heavily penalised motoring offense in the UK. As well as fined up to £5,000 it will also result in an immediate 12-month disqualification of your driving licence and a criminal record.
How to avoid:
If you are planning on driving, do not drink. Or vice versa.
Remember it can take as long as 24-hours for the effects of drugs and alcohol to wear off. No matter how sober you feel.
Even with legal, prescription drugs you must be aware of their effects. Read the packaging and consult your doctor.
It is as important to help prevent others from breaking these laws as well. Do not tempt others into drinking and driving if you know they will be in danger.
Driving With Distractions
Mobile phones, sat nav, MP3 players, and even make-up will all serve to distract the driver, who must focus 100% of their attention on the road.
Even slight, split-second distractions can get in the way of crucial decisions that must be made to avoid accidents.
A driver is statistically four times more likely to be involved in an accident when distracted by anything within the car. Mobile phones alone can reduce reaction times by 50%, which can and will be deadly.
The Law:
The use of any handheld device while driving is prohibited and will result in fines and suspension of your driving licence if you are caught.
How to avoid:
Remove all distractions from view – put them in a bag or in the backseat. Or both.
Turn off phones and pullover if you absolutely have to make/take a call. If needs be, use a handsfree kit.
If you think you will have something to do during your journey, e.g. tuning radio, putting on make-up, smoking, etc – do it before you set off.
Driving While Tired
Fatigue is a terrible contributor to road accidents and is in most cases avoidable. The human body gives plenty of warnings when it is tired and needs rest, so while it may not be convenient to deal with these off-road it is absolutely essential.
Tired drivers, just like drunk drivers, will have their reaction times horrendously affected by fatigue, and while attempts of keeping yourself awake might help at home or at work they are absolutely not worth the risk on the road. Driving is quite a long, boring activity for the most part, if you are showing signs of tiredness you are very likely to find yourself dozing off eventually. If you imagine reaction times being a huge danger on the road, imagine falling asleep with your foot on the pedal and losing complete control of the vehicle?
Research shows that 20% of road accidents in the UK are in someway related to tiredness, and sleep-related accidents are more likely to result in death and serious injury than anything already mentioned.
The Law
Fatigue-related car accidents are punishable depending the severity and most likely will fall under dangerous driving laws as well as reckless endangerment.
How to avoid:
If you show signs of tiredness (yawning, heavy eyes, etc), pullover and rest. Do not rely on short-term solutions like coffee or opening the window unless you don’t have long in your journey.
Plan a 15-minute break for every two hours you drive.
Don’t start a long journey if you are already tired.
Plan around your journey. Get plenty of sleep before, don’t eat a big meal or do anything immediately before the drive that will tire you out.
Other Road Users
Remember that it is not just cars that occupy the road. Motorists need to be wary of cyclists, motorbikes and horse riders, who all have the right to use the road as well – as odd as that sounds (a lot of people seem to disagree).
Shockingly, the number of accidents involving cyclists has increased in recent years and in 2011 92% of these accidents also involved a car. The number of cyclists on the road itself is seeing a steady increase of about 2% per year as well, so clearly more needs to be done in this regard.
Motorcyclists meanwhile have an accident rate completely disproportionate to their numbers. Motorcycles account for about 1% of all traffic, yet are involved in 22% of road accident deaths. Motorcyclists are 50 times more likely to die in traffic accidents and in 2010 over 5,000 of them were killed or seriously injured on the road.
Horses are unusual ones also, since there are not many of them, but they can be volatile because they are living creatures and not vehicles. They can be easily spooked by noise and fast moving vehicles around them. In one particularly gruesome incident in 2009, one horse rider was killed and 21 motorists were injured.
This works both ways; cyclists, horse rides and bikers all have a responsibility to keep themselves and other motorists safe.
The Law
Accidents caused by reckless driving or by just not being careful enough can be all it takes to reach a prosecution, especially if the victim is serious injured or worse. Don’t get caught off-guard.
How to avoid:
Remember other commuters and respect their presence. Give them room to get on with it, because they may need that space in an emergency.
Make eye contact to acknowledge that you have seen them and that you know they are there.
Indicate to make your intentions known. Remember that cars have a blind spot and you must compensate for that.
When cycling, riding a motorbike or riding a horse, make sure you wear the correct gear for visibility as well as safety.
Junctions are the worst area for motorbikes and bicycles. Look and listen for coming traffic and take your time; pulling out in a rush is how accidents are caused.
For more road safety information, please visit the THINK! website.
BBC SP12 OTY – Congratulations Bradley Wiggins
National Numbers would like to congratulate Bradley Wiggins on being crowned the Sports Personality of the Year by BBC.
Wiggins had a fantastic 2012, winning an Olympic gold medal for Team GB as well as becoming the first Britain to win the Tour de France.
The Vélo d’Or holder beat other Olympic heroes Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah and Andy Murray to the prize, saying it is his “greatest sporting achievement”.
Like the rest of the country, we are proud of Wiggo and if he wanted to trade the cycle in for a car we would happily help him find his perfect personalised registration plate.
We aren’t lucky enough to know where W1 GGO is these days (give us a call if you want to point us in the right direction!), but I’m sure we can find something suitable.
He could easily get his name on a plate. BRA 9W for example has no current owner. If that isn’t suitable, what about initials? You can even get BW13 CBE to highlight Wiggo’s title.
Mr Wiggins could also cap off his career-defining year with a plate bragging another great achievement – VE10 DOR (for Vélo d’Or).
