Derbi Variant Start Rear 49 Cc. on 2040-parts.com

Drivers' 'huge petrol tax burden'

BRITISH DRIVERS are still facing a huge petrol and diesel tax burden despite three years of fuel duty freezes, according to the RAC Foundation. The UK has the highest rate of diesel tax in Europe while only Sweden imposes a higher petrol tax duty than the UK, the foundation said. Its figures showed that tax accounts for 59% of the price of diesel in the UK, with Sweden (56%) second and Italy (55%) third.

Ford drives the Peel P50 in to the new Transit – and turns it around

The Peel P50 drives in to the new Ford Transit The new Ford Transit offers lots of room for ‘Stuff’, something Ford decided to demonstrate by enlisting the world’s smallest car to demonstrate. It may be simply a take on Jeremy Clarkson’s games with the Peel in and around the BBC Television Centre – and you don’t get John Humphries driving the Peel or Fiona Bruce (and her bottom) pushing it back out – but you do get a good idea of just how big the new Transit is. We’re not entirely sure that turning the Peel around in the Transit – and yes, this Peel is fitted with a reverse gear, unlike Clarkson’s – demonstrates the Transit is any bigger than just driving in and driving out would, but the endless faffing to achieve an about turn is an excuse to use some Benny Hill-esque music to pass the time.

VW Scirroco GT TDI 170PS – UK orders & prices

The VW Scirocco Gt TDI 170PS - now available in the UK But today frugality is the key and, if you can couple it with a fair degree of style and some half-decent performance, you should be on to a winner. VW thinks so, and has announced that the VW Scirroco GT TDI 170PS is now available in the UK, with prices starting at £21,755 OTR. This GT TDI is a frugal car and, with a combined figure of 53.3mpg and emissions of 139g/km Co2, you’d rather expect it to be a frugal eco-box that struggled away from the lights.