Advice from the Institute of Advanced Motoring on Driving in the Country

Simon Elstow, head of training at IAM Drive & Survive offers the follow advice on driving in the countryside.

• Always ensure you can stop within the distance you can see to be clear on your own side of the road. This will mean you probably need to slow down approaching bends. Accelerate when you can see through the bend.
• Be aware that vulnerable road users including cyclists and horses are more likely to use these roads, and give them plenty of space when you do come across them.
• Rural roads can be windy and twisty. Use the line of hedges, trees or telegraph poles to show you which direction the road goes in.
• Drive with extra care past apparently isolated houses and buildings, in case people or vehicles are around.
• Mud on the road may means that farm vehicles will be moving around. Look out for vehicles emerging from field entrances.
• Don’t swerve uncontrollably if a small animal darts out in front of you. It’s better to have a broken fog light or a dented bumper than a loss of control or a serious accident.

Elstow said: “Driving on rural roads requires different skills than driving on urban roads. The unexpected hazards, twisty roads and high speed limits make rural roads tricky, so take extra care and adjust your speed to match how far down the road you can see.”

‘Made-in-Europe’ Hyundai models drive record April sales

With a record 35,977 new cars registered in Europe during April, Hyundai achieved a 1.3% increase in sales over the same month in 2011, claiming a 3.4% market share, while the market fell by 6.5%.

According to figures released by European motor industry body ACEA, Hyundai has now out performed the European market trend for 40 consecutive months since January 2009.

In April, sales of Hyundai’s three made-in-Europe models accounted for 61,4% of total sales – with each model achieving significant gains.  The models, all built at Hyundai’s plant in Nošovice, Czech Republic, are i30 (9,565 units, up 5%), ix35 (8,333, up 28%) and ix20 (4,184, up 10%).  Sales of the i20 recorded 19% growth (up to 6,060 units) – while the i10 also performed well with sales up 3% to 5,381 units.

During the first four months of 2012, the ix35 compact SUV has performed particularly well, with sales of 31,398 units representing 21% growth and putting it close to the top-selling i30’s 31,453 units.

Hyundai’s total sales in Europe from January to April increased by 9.7% compared to the same period 12 months ago, to a total of 150,666 units – equivalent to a 3.4% market share.  In contrast, the overall European new car market declined by 7.1% during this period.

Allan Rushforth, Senior Vice President and COO of Hyundai Motor Europe, commented, “Our sales performance so far this year confirms the success of our strategy to design, engineer and manufacture vehicles in Europe specifically for sale to European consumers. 

“With another Europe-made car, the NewGeneration i30, now on sale and more new models, such as the i30 wagon, VelosterTurbo and new Santa Fe coming to showrooms soon, we are confident of achieving our market share goal of 3.5% by the end of 2012.”

Like all new Hyundai models sold in Europe, the New Generation i30 is offered with Five Year Triple Care, Hyundai’s award-winning customer care package that includes a five-year warranty with no mileage limit, five years of roadside assistance and five years of vehicle health checks.

Ford’s SYNC Emergency Assistance Could Provide Important Support to Road Accident Victims

Ford Motor Company’s Emergency Assistance feature could provide important support to road accident victims in the UK says AA president, Edmund King.

The SYNC Emergency Assistance technology potentially can reduce the time taken to respond to accidents by assisting vehicle occupants to place a direct emergency 112 call with location details in the correct local language.

Edmund King said: “We believe that Ford’s pioneering Emergency Assistance technology can help save lives. The AA would like to see ‘e-call’ as a safety feature on all new cars as it helps notify the emergency services in that vital ‘golden hour’ after a serious crash when rapid medical attention can be the difference between life and death.”

The award-winning* Emergency Assistance technology is a feature of the Ford SYNC voice-activated in-car connectivity system that will make its European debut this summer in the all-new B-MAX and roll out quickly to other Ford vehicles. When an accident occurs, the system alerts local emergency services operators in the correct local language based on GPS coordinates from the vehicle.

The vehicle’s SYNC system initiates an emergency call through the occupant’s Bluetooth-connected mobile phone. The system plays an introductory message and then relays the accident location co-ordinates using the on-board GPS unit, map and mobile network information.  Emergency Assist saves crucial seconds by placing a call directly to emergency service operators rather than first routing through a third party call centre.

In North America, where Ford has sold 4 million SYNC-equipped vehicles, the similar 911 Assist system has drawn praise from emergency workers and customers.

“I cannot remember the events of the accident that nearly killed me,” said Michael Hicks of San Antonio, Texas. “After an impact to my head, the next thing I remembered was waking up in an Austin hospital.

“I was told my car was upside down in a river and filling up with water when my car was pulled out. If SYNC had not dialled 911, I certainly would have perished at the bottom of that river. SYNC saved my life.”

The European Commission has proposed a similar system called eCall which, like Emergency Assistance, automatically notifies emergency services when a vehicle is involved in an accident. The Commission believes eCall could reduce response times for accidents in remote areas by 50 percent

“Emergency Assistance is a feature we hope our customers never need,” said Barb Samardzich, vice president, Product Development, Ford of Europe. “But we believe the peace of mind it provides and the potential it has to make a difference, if it is required, is of huge benefit.”

FORD FOCUS CROWNED BEST MEDIUM CAR AT THE 2012 DIESEL CAR AWARDS

The all-new Ford Focus is best diesel medium car thanks to its contemporary style and refinement – as declared by Diesel Car magazine at its 2012 awards.

According to Diesel Car magazine, buyers are particularly attracted by its style and contemporary cabin.  The all-new Ford Focus fought off competitors including the Hyundai i30 and Volkswagen Golf.

Editor, Ian Robertson, added:  “Still the one to beat among mid-size family cars, the Ford Focus is simply the best in its class.”

FordFocus has just surpassed the landmark 1,500,000 sales since its launch in 1998 and continues to dominate its segment.  The all-new Focus is recognised for its driver assistance technologies and refined drive, and offers a number of fuel efficient powertrains including the popular 1.6 TDCi which emits 109g CO₂/km while returning 67mpg*.

This diesel engine has been further optimised with a new injection system and turbocharger, enhanced charge-air cooling and friction-reduction technologies.  It will be introduced in the UK market next month in the Focus ECOnetic Technology which is capable of CO₂ emissions as low as 88g/km.

Other Ford models acknowledged at this year’s awards were the Ford Fiesta, FordMondeo and Ford S-MAX, which were runners up in their respective categories – small car, large car, estate car and MPV.

Andy Barratt, Ford Britain sales director, said:  "We are delighted that Focus has been awarded best medium car by Diesel Car magazine.  Around 50 per cent of Focus cars bought are diesels and we look forward to welcoming the Focus ECOnetic Technology to the range shortly.  This will offer 83.1mpg, making it the most fuel-efficient non-hybrid family car currently available in Europe.  This independent endorsement recognises Focus’s all-round appeal, as well as the UK-based Ford engineers and manufacturing specialists responsible for the diesel powertrains."

Hyundai : Learning from Nature

Marine biologist, Monty Halls reveals how science is copying some of nature's innovative designs.

Sir Tom Jones and rising star Ren Harvieu: Worlds Apart

Music legend Sir Tom Jones and rising star Ren Harvieu have an hour to listen, learn and perform each other's new singles.

Ford Announces Hot Prices for New Focus ST

Ford’s exciting new 250PS Focus ST, one of the UK’s most keenly-anticipated performance hatchbacks, will go on sale from 1st June 2012, priced from £21,995 on the road.

Powered by an advanced, direct-injection 2.0-litre, all-alloy, turbocharged, four-cylinder EcoBoost engine, the new Ford Focus ST develops 250PS, yet remains capable of  returning 39.2mpg and CO2 emissions of 169g/km – 20 per cent better than its predecessor.

Unique suspension, non-linear variable-ratio steering and performance brakes have all been specifically tuned, while the striking central exhaust, imposing trapezoidal front grille and even the Tangerine Scream paint option which were inspired by the original Ford Focus ST Concept, have been brought to production.

Focus ST will be available in both hatchback and estate bodystyles, proving that practicality need not compromise style or performance, with a high level of comfort, safety and convenience features standard on both.

Standard UK specification includes Ford Power keyless start, Recaro seats, DAB radio, Bluetooth and 18in alloy wheels, with the range-topping ST3 model adding heated, leather seats, Bi-Xenon headlights, LED daytime running lights and keyless entry.

Additional sports styling options include rado-grey alloys wheels, red brake callipers and illuminated scuff plates. 

The UK’s fascination with fast Fords is underlined by the sales performance of the previous two Focus ST generations, which exceeded 35,000 between 2002 and 2010.

“Ever since the arrival of the legendary GT40, Britain has become the spiritual home for performance Fords - and demand from UK enthusiast customers has always been strong,” said Mark Ovenden, Ford Britain managing director. “This latest Focus ST is a global car that will excite customers around the world – but especially those in Britain.”

As Ford’s first global performance car, the new Focus ST was developed jointly by Ford’s Team RS in Europe and its Special Vehicles Team (SVT) in the United States.  The car goes on sale in 40 countries, from this year.

Its UK debut will coincide with a starring role in the new all-action movie adaptation of British TV cop classic, The Sweeney, with actors Ray Winstone and “Plan B” Ben Drew playing Regan and Carter.

Specification

New Focus ST £21,995	New Focus ST-2  £23,495	New Focus ST-3 £25,495
18in alloy wheels	As ST, plus:	As ST-2, plus:
Recaro Cloth seats	Partial Leather trim	Leather trim
Manual A/C	DEATC	Heated front seats
Keyless start	Sony Radio	Bi-Xenon headlamps
Thatcham alarm	Rain sensitive wipers	LED DRLs
DAB radio	Auto Headlights	Keyless entry
Bluetooth	Self-dimming mirror	Power fold mirrors
USB	Quickclear
	ST Floor mats

Option Packs (ST-2 / ST-3 only)

Driver Assistance Pack

Active City Stop, Blind Spot Monitoring, forward camera features (e.g. Lane Keeping Aid, Lane Departure Warning etc.)

City Pack (Standard on ST-3)

Rear Parking Distance Sensors, Power Fold Mirrors

ST Style Pack

18in alloys in rado-grey, red brake callipers, illuminated scuff plates

Sony DAB Navigation with rear view camera

New Generation i30 awarded maximum five star Euro NCAP rating

The New Generation Hyundai i30 has been awarded the maximum five-star safety rating by independent vehicle assessment organisation, Euro NCAP.  The results of the rigorous test process mark out the New Generation i30 as one of the safest vehicles in the C-segment.

The New Generation Hyundai i30 received a class-leading 90% in the ‘child occupant’ category, scoring maximum points for its protection in both the ‘18-month-old’ and ‘3-year-old’ tests.

In the ‘adult occupant’ category, New Generation i30 also scored 90%, with the vehicle providing good protection for drivers and passengers.  The head restraint and seat were praised for providing good protection against whiplash injuries in the event of a rear-end collision.

New Generation i30 scored well in the ‘pedestrian’ test, with maximum points awarded for the bumper’s protection of pedestrians’ legs.  Electronic Stability Program, as well as a front and rear seatbelt reminder system, contributed to the car’s score of 86% in the ‘safety assist’ category.

Allan Rushforth, Senior Vice President and COO of Hyundai Motor Europe, commented, “The five-star rating for New Generation i30 further demonstrates our commitment to providing the highest levels of safety for Hyundai customers.  It’s another reason for motorists to consider the European-built New Generation i30, with safety, first-class quality, efficiency and generous specification among the car’s impressive list of attributes.”

The New Generation i30 is the seventh consecutive Hyundai model to achieve the maximum five-star score in Euro NCAP’s rigorous assessment program, following the top ratings achieved by the original i30, i20, ix35, ix20, i40 and Veloster.

Every New Generation i30 on sale in Europe comes with Hyundai Five Year Triple Care.  This award-winning customer assurance package includes a five-year warranty with no mileage limit, five years of roadside assistance and five years of vehicle health checks.

Monkeys Go Nuts For the Toughest Car Challenge

In the first endurance test of its kind in the UK by a car manufacturer, cheeky safari park baboons were let loose on Hyundai's New Generation i30 hatchback. 


The car has been specially-designed for families and their 'little monkeys' in the back, with extra strong materials used to build the interior, easy wipe plastics, tough fittings and a special high quality steel used for the bodywork. Baboons from Knowsley Safari Park were chosen for their well-known love of tearing park visitors' cars apart. And it was monkey business as usual when Hyundai parked its i30 family car in the baboon enclosure, as it was immediately besieged by dozens of the park's primates. But 10 hours later the car emerged virtually unscathed. The monkeys simulated the punishment that the children of a typical family subject a car to. Outside, the paintwork was smeared and scraped, but the hard-wearing paint protected the car from significant scratches and chips. 


To give something back to monkeys for their help, Hyundai has donated £1000 to one of Knowsley's supported charities, the Primate Society of Great Britain, which dedicates its work to conservation and captive care of new and old world monkeys, gibbons and apes. Felicity Wood, i30 Product Manager at Hyundai, said: "At Hyundai we believe in new thinking, which is why we decided to take a new approach with this durability test. You have to be pretty brave to subject a car to the most rigorous quality testers in the world

From Radiohead to Vivaldi – How Ford Used an Eclectic Playlist to Perfect the Sound System in the New B-MAX

Every car – like every room or auditorium – has unique acoustics qualities. The size and shape of the cabin, the materials in the seats and dashboard, the ratio of glass and steel – all of it impact the sound quality in a new car.

When Ford engineers set out to fine tune the perfect sound system to match the acoustics of the new B-MAX multi-activity vehicle, they found they needed a special tool -- the perfect music playlist.   

Radiohead, Black Eyed Peas, the Eagles and jazz legend John Coltrane rubbed shoulders with classical composers Vivaldi and Carl Orff on the B-MAX playlist as engineers used key moments in the songs and pieces to fine-tune the B-MAX sound system.

The classic opening to the Eagles’ anthem Hotel California features the ideal “dry” sound for testing bass, ambience and tone, says Ford of Europe audio engineer Matthias Terstegge.  He should know. He has listened to it thousands of times while developing the B-MAX and other Ford cars.

He also listened out for the powerful kick bass in Black Eyed Peas' track Just Can't Get Enough to test the woofers in the Ford B-Max; tuning the low frequency filters in the amplifier unit to retain a strong and punchy bass sound without door buzz and rattles.

Bass sounds are evenly distributed but the treble is sensitive to seating position, so engineers tuned the tweeters using Vivaldi’s Four Seasons concertos and John Coltrane tracks to ensure a good front/rear balance.  The soaring Four Seasons violins were an exacting challenge for the B-MAX’s high-frequency tweeters. If they’re not set right, the sound could have been more piercing than pleasurable.  

“Creating a great-sounding system is much more than choosing a good quality amplifier and speakers,” says Terstegge, a guitarist whose passion for music and electrical engineering background led him to his current role. He compiled the B-MAX playlist from other experts’ recommendations, tracks from his own collection or a song he heard on the radio and jotted down the name.

“Each car interior has completely different acoustics, and detailed tuning can make a dramatic difference to what the driver hears,” he says. “The human ear can detect subtle differences in the sound and you can’t beat simply listening to the system for that final tuning. The tracks we use really help identify what needs tuning.  But after thousands of plays, I feel like I never want to hear them again.”

The all-new Ford B-MAX; including DAB radio as standard across the range, will be available with an exclusive premium quality Sony audio system. It features eight high performance speakers and a 4 x 25 Watt Sony amplifier. Drivers can select music from the built-in CD/radio unit, including Digital Audio Broadcast, or from their own portable music players connected via USB or Bluetooth.

Artist	Track	Tuning potential
Yello	Oh Yeah	Kick bass / Low voice
Fugees	Nappy Heads	Low bass / Mid bass / Door buzz
Talking Heads	Flowers	Kick bass / Door buzz / Woofer distortion
Radiohead	Packt Like Sardines	Kick bass / Door buzz / Woofer distortion
Peter Gabriel	Growing Up	Low bass / Kick bass / Door buzz
Joan Baez Black Eyed Peas	Diamonds And Rust Just Can’t Get Enough	Ambience / Treble / Tonal balance Low Bass/ Kick Bass/ Door Buzz
Mariah Carey	Butterfly	Ambience / Treble / Tonal balance
Susanne Vega	Tom's Diner	Center imaging
Jennifer Warnes	Somewhere, Somebody	Center imaging / Mid bass /Tonal balance
Steve Strauss	Mr. Bones	Center imaging / Mid bass /Tonal balance
John Coltrane	My Lazy Bird / My Favorite Things	Treble / Tweeter distortion
Carl Orff	Carmina Burana	Treble / Tweeter distortion / Dynamics
Vivaldi	Four Seasons: The Summer	Treble / Tweeter distortion / Stage width
Eagles	Hotel California Live	Low bass / Mid bass / Ambience / Stage width  / Tonal balance