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Express & Star » Features: http://www.expressandstar.com Midlands News – West Midlands Local News - UK News Tue, 08 Jul 2008 22:01:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 en Car drivers should take a bike test http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/07/01/car-drivers-should-take-a-bike-test/ http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/07/01/car-drivers-should-take-a-bike-test/#comments Tue, 01 Jul 2008 18:00:00 +0000 Lara Page http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/07/01/car-drivers-should-take-a-bike-test/

BSM Bike Training

If every motorist had to take their test on a bike before they were allowed in a car, the roads would surely become much safer. Because once car drivers realised how exposed they are on two wheels, they might just start to treat other road users with more respect, says Peter Carroll.

… [visit site to read more]

]]> http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/07/01/car-drivers-should-take-a-bike-test/feed/ Bike star tears through stately home http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/07/01/bike-star-tears-through-stately-home/ http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/07/01/bike-star-tears-through-stately-home/#comments Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:00:00 +0000 Lara Page http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/07/01/bike-star-tears-through-stately-home/

Twelve-time international superbike champion Dougie Lampkin will quite literally be popping up all over the Goodwood Estate throughout the annual Festival of Speed this July. He’s been given the keys to Goodwood Park, the Earl of March’s estate, and could surprise visitors with appearances all over the grounds!

… [visit site to read more]

]]> http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/07/01/bike-star-tears-through-stately-home/feed/ X-Type perked up by facelift http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/06/25/x-type-perked-up-by-facelift/ http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/06/25/x-type-perked-up-by-facelift/#comments Wed, 25 Jun 2008 10:00:00 +0000 Lara Page http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/06/25/x-type-perked-up-by-facelift/

Although the smallest of the Leaping Cats has never really captured the public’s affection, it is now at least starting to sell in ‘encouraging’ numbers according to Jaguar, writes Peter Carroll.

… [visit site to read more]

]]> http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/06/25/x-type-perked-up-by-facelift/feed/ Getting to grips with the Mazda6 http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/05/27/getting-to-grips-with-the-mazda6/ http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/05/27/getting-to-grips-with-the-mazda6/#comments Tue, 27 May 2008 18:00:00 +0000 Lara Page http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/05/27/getting-to-grips-with-the-mazda6/

With the arrival of diesels and estates, the Mazda6 range is finally up to full strength - and ready to take on allcomers, says motoring editor Peter Carroll. Read on to see how it performed on a test drive in north Wales.

… [visit site to read more]

]]> http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/05/27/getting-to-grips-with-the-mazda6/feed/ Why there’s no escaping the race http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/05/22/why-theres-no-escaping-the-race/ http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/05/22/why-theres-no-escaping-the-race/#comments Wed, 21 May 2008 23:05:00 +0000 Lara Page http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/05/22/why-theres-no-escaping-the-race/

Lewis Hamilton (picture courtesy David Davies/PA Photos)

Motorsport manufacturers lavish millions of pounds each year on new engineering technology and vehicle testing - but do they overlook the mental performance of their drivers? Peter Carroll meets a West Midlands-based sports psychologist who thinks they do.

… [visit site to read more]

]]> http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/05/22/why-theres-no-escaping-the-race/feed/ Renault enters the 4×4 fray http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/05/20/renault-enters-the-4x4-fray/ http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/05/20/renault-enters-the-4x4-fray/#comments Tue, 20 May 2008 18:00:00 +0000 Lara Page http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/05/20/renault-enters-the-4x4-fray/

Renault has left it late to enter the SUV market and its dumpy-looking Koleos is hardly the most dramatically-styled vehicle in its sector. But this 4×4’s unprepossessing looks disguise a capable, practical and comfortable vehicle, as Peter Carroll finds out.

… [visit site to read more]

]]> http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/05/20/renault-enters-the-4x4-fray/feed/ Slow lane for car enthusiasts http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/05/19/life-in-slow-lane-for-car-enthusiasts/ http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/05/19/life-in-slow-lane-for-car-enthusiasts/#comments Mon, 19 May 2008 06:43:55 +0000 Tim Walters http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/05/19/life-in-slow-lane-for-car-enthusiasts/

They may not be as fast as Ferraris or luxurious as Lamborghinis, but a collection of Skodas, Ladas and Trabants still pulled in scores of enthusiasts at a car show near Wolverhampton. … [visit site to read more]

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When it comes to flagship sports saloons, Mercedes-Benz models have tended to rank behind those of BMW or Audi. Motoring editor Peter Carroll tests the storming new Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG.

… [visit site to read more]

]]> http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/05/13/mercedes-storming-supercar-saloon/feed/ Subaru has a legacy to be proud of http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/05/07/a-legacy-to-be-proud-of/ http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/05/07/a-legacy-to-be-proud-of/#comments Wed, 07 May 2008 07:00:00 +0000 Lara Page http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/05/07/a-legacy-to-be-proud-of/

Last year can’t have been a particularly bountiful one for your average Subaru dealer. Stuck with an ageing model line-up, no proper entry-level car and little sign of the firm’s long-awaited diesel engine, they must have found the going pretty tough.

… [visit site to read more]

]]> http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/05/07/a-legacy-to-be-proud-of/feed/ Audi lines up soft-top diesel boost http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/05/06/audi-lines-up-soft-top-diesel-boost/ http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/05/06/audi-lines-up-soft-top-diesel-boost/#comments Tue, 06 May 2008 07:46:23 +0000 Lara Page http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/05/06/audi-lines-up-soft-top-diesel-boost/

German carmaker Audi, part of the VW Group, has broken ranks with its latest luxury model by charging less for the diesel versions than the equivalent petrol models, writes motoring editor Peter Carroll.

… [visit site to read more]

]]> http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/05/06/audi-lines-up-soft-top-diesel-boost/feed/ Mr Land Rover’s off-road stories http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/25/mr-land-rover-and-his-off-road-stories/ http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/25/mr-land-rover-and-his-off-road-stories/#comments Thu, 24 Apr 2008 23:00:03 +0000 Chris Leggett http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/25/mr-land-rover-and-his-off-road-stories/

Roger Crathorne

There are plenty of people who might consider themselves Land Rover experts - but surely none can touch the firm’s long-serving off-road guru Roger Crathorne. … [visit site to read more]

]]> http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/25/mr-land-rover-and-his-off-road-stories/feed/ Riding a piece of wartime history http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/24/riding-a-piece-of-wartime-history/ http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/24/riding-a-piece-of-wartime-history/#comments Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:56:43 +0000 Chris Leggett http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/24/riding-a-piece-of-wartime-history/

Don Higham

Meet the motorcycle enthusiast who rides about on a World War One Triumph bike. Don Higham tells video journalist Wendy Lloyd about his passion for the historic cycle. … [visit site to read more]

]]> http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/24/riding-a-piece-of-wartime-history/feed/ Honda steps it up with new Accord http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/23/honda-steps-it-up-with-new-accord/ http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/23/honda-steps-it-up-with-new-accord/#comments Wed, 23 Apr 2008 07:30:00 +0000 Lara Page http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/23/honda-steps-it-up-with-new-accord/

Honda has decided its new Accord is so good that it has outgrown traditional rivals like the Ford Mondeo, Renault Laguna or Mazda6. Instead, the new Accord has been tasked with taking on premium compacts, writes Peter Carroll.

… [visit site to read more]

]]> http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/23/honda-steps-it-up-with-new-accord/feed/ Not much flash but lots of dash http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/23/not-much-flash-but-lots-of-dash/ http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/23/not-much-flash-but-lots-of-dash/#comments Wed, 23 Apr 2008 07:00:00 +0000 Lara Page http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/23/not-much-flash-but-lots-of-dash/

Audi has been turning out some racy-looking machines like the R8 and TTS of late. This is not one of them - but don’t underestimate the S6 quattro merely because it does not look flash.

… [visit site to read more]

]]> http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/23/not-much-flash-but-lots-of-dash/feed/ Stylish Kuga set to take on rivals http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/16/stylish-kuga-set-to-take-on-rivals/ http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/16/stylish-kuga-set-to-take-on-rivals/#comments Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:00:00 +0000 Lara Page http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/16/stylish-kuga-set-to-take-on-rivals/

How ironic that Ford should launch a potential rival to the Freelander 2 within days of signing the deal to dispose of Land Rover. So perhaps it’s just as well that that the Blue Oval firm decided not to make the new Kuga a fully-fledged mud plugger!

… [visit site to read more]

]]> http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/16/stylish-kuga-set-to-take-on-rivals/feed/ Hyundai i10 has bargain price tag http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/16/hyundai-i10-has-bargain-price-tag/ http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/16/hyundai-i10-has-bargain-price-tag/#comments Wed, 16 Apr 2008 08:00:00 +0000 Lara Page http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/16/hyundai-i10-has-bargain-price-tag/

Korean car manufacturers have been making huge advances in recent years and Hyundai looks to have taken another big stride with its compact city car the i10.

… [visit site to read more]

]]> http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/16/hyundai-i10-has-bargain-price-tag/feed/ Out and about in cheeky charmer http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/12/out-and-about-in-cheeky-charmer/ http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/12/out-and-about-in-cheeky-charmer/#comments Sat, 12 Apr 2008 08:00:00 +0000 Lara Page http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/12/out-and-about-in-cheeky-charmer/

Does it have a bell?’ asked Simon Penfold, deputy business editor of this august organ, as he settled behind the wheel. Here was a man whose incisive appraisal had been known to make or break many a local business.

… [visit site to read more]

]]> http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/12/out-and-about-in-cheeky-charmer/feed/ Running late but worth the wait http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/08/running-late-but-worth-the-wait/ http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/08/running-late-but-worth-the-wait/#comments Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:15:00 +0000 Lara Page http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/08/running-late-but-worth-the-wait/

The latecomers to the 4×4 ball have started to straggle in - Volkswagen’s Tiguan is finally with us, next week Ford will launch its Kuga SUV, while Renault’s Koleos follows in a few weeks’ time.

… [visit site to read more]

]]> http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/08/running-late-but-worth-the-wait/feed/ A rough and rugged import http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/08/a-rough-and-rugged-import/ http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/08/a-rough-and-rugged-import/#comments Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:00:00 +0000 Lara Page http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/08/a-rough-and-rugged-import/

In the market for a used car? Iain Dooley checks out Jeep’s second generation Cherokee - a popular and capable SUV which is good for towing.

… [visit site to read more]

]]> http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/08/a-rough-and-rugged-import/feed/ Unmistakably Citroen… http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/02/unmistakably-citroen/ http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/02/unmistakably-citroen/#comments Wed, 02 Apr 2008 08:00:00 +0000 Lara Page http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/04/02/unmistakably-citroen/

If the previous C5 was something of a missed opportunity, Citroen is taking no chances this time around with its latest family-sized offering. And the French firm reckons this car will be able to meet the challenge of premium brands from Germany head-on. … [visit site to read more]

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