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Children And Mobile Phones Prove Biggest Distraction To Drivers

CHILDREN might be charming most of the time but a new survey from the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) will no doubt have parents reading the data with a knowing smile. According to the poll, conducted in conjunction with Vision Critical, 29 percent of drivers questioned admitted that their children proved to be the biggest distraction when driving. Following close behind, and with a nod to the busy lives many claim to lead, was the ubiquitous mobile phone - be that for making calls, texting or checking social media updates.

Hennessey Venom GT sets new 270mph world speed record

The Hennessey Venom GT has set a new world speed record for a two-seat sports car, hitting an official top speed of 270.49mph. Carried out on the 3.2-mile Space Shuttle landing strip at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA, the Venom GT eclipsed the former fastest car in the world’s record, the 267.86mph Bugatti Veyron Super Sport. On Bing: see pictures of the Hennessey Venom GTHennessey Venom GT reaches 265.7mph top speed It’s not the first time the Lotus Exige-based sports car has tried to take the French marque’s crown, with previous tests getting oh-so-close to beating the Bugatti.

Bentley Continental GT Speed (2014) fastest Bentley ever revealed

By Ollie Kew First Official Pictures 25 February 2014 15:00 Bentley has unveiled its fastest road car ever: the new (and aptly named) Continental GT Speed. The uprated flagship is the perfect anecdote to the sensible Flying Spur V8 model also revealed today. Thought Bentley was going soft?

Callaway supercharges the Camaro Z/28

Chevrolet revealed the 2014 Camaro Z/28 to the media just weeks ago, despite its public debut 11 months ago at the New York auto show. Now Callaway Performance has announced their own version of this modern muscle classic. The Callaway Camaro Z/28 SC652 is meant to be their most focused version of the car.

Rolls-Royce teases new car for Geneva

Rolls-Royce is headed to the Geneva motor show with something new. From the teaser photo the company sent, we think that it will probably be the next Ghost sedan. It’s been nearly five years since the last Ghost launched in September of 2009.

Footballer quizzed over 'collision'

ARSENAL MIDFIELDER Mesut Ozil is thought to have been questioned by police over allegations the car he was driving hit a photographer. The alleged incident occurred on Friday night in Highgate, north London. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "Police were called at approximately 7.18pm on Friday 21 February to reports of an alleged collision between a vehicle and a member of the public in Sheldon Avenue N6.

Scots Take Most Pride In Keeping Cars Clean

A TELL-ALL survey of over 1,000 motorists across the country has revealed a North/South divide between the drivers of Great Britain when it comes to car hygiene. The poll conducted by IMO Car Wash Group discovered that people in the south of the country are the dirty rascals of Great Britain, with just 45 percent cleaning a car at least once a month. On the other hand, the Scottish shone through as the cleanest motorists, with 60 percent washing their car at least once a month.

Jaguar XFR-S Sportbrake (2014) first official pictures

By Ollie Kew First Official Pictures 25 February 2014 09:00 This is Jaguar’s first performance estate car: the XFR-S Sportbrake. Much of the car’s styling and mechanical package is shared with the 542bhp XFR-S saloon, and its performance is right up there too. It’s the most ballistic family Jag ever, but you’ll need deep pockets to bag one: it’ll cost from £82,495 in the UK when it lands in April 2014.

Hennessey Venom GT hits new, unofficial, speed record (video)

The Hennessey Venom GT (pictured) hist 270.49mph on a NASA runway Top speed records for production cars is starting to seem pretty irrelevant as there’s almost nowhere an owner can ever hope to hit those record speeds. And the performance of cars like the new McLaren P1 – where  performance and handling are much more the focus than outright top speed – has added the the irrelevance. But that doesn’t stop some car makers aiming for the bragging rights of the world’s fastest production car, and John Hennessey and his Hennessey Venom GT are back with another claim on the title.

Bentley Continental GT Speed gets more power & Bentley Flying Spur gets V8

The 2014 Bentley Continental GT Speed gets a makeover and more power Perhaps the arrival of the new Mercedes S-Class Coupe – especially as the S 63 AMG Coupe – has spurred Bentley on to make their cars a bit more special, but whatever the reason the 2014 Bentley Continental GT Speed offers more power and more options than ever before. Power in the 6.0 litre V12 has been pushed up to 626bhp and 605lb/ft of torque which means top speed goes up to 206mph (203mph for the convertible), making the new GT Speed the fastest production Bentley ever. There are more tweaks under the skin too with a lowered chassis and stiffer suspension and cosmetic tweaks too with the front splitter, side skirts and  rear diffuser now painted in body colour, dark tinted 21″ alloys, headlights and tail lights, red brake callipers and a chrome ‘Speed’ badge on the front wing.

Help MSN Cars and Driver Power to find Britain's best - and worst - new cars

Getty We're on a quest to find Britain's best new cars to buy and own - and we need your help. MSN Cars has teamed up with the Driver Power survey, Britain's biggest report of its type. It speaks to real motorists to find out what they think of their cars.

Wild Mazzanti Evantra supercar debuts

“The creation of each Evantra is a unique and emotional experience for those who participate in the project such as for the client who follows the birth of the car in each phase. Evantra V8 was not born to please everyone, instead to be herself and to generate emotions with her character and exclusivity.” That slightly broken piece of English is the refrain from Luca Mazzanti, CEO of Mazzanti Automobili. Its Evantra supercar made an appearance online before next month's Geneva motor show.

Rinspeed to debut autonomous XchangE concept at Geneva motor show

Dutch coachbuilder Rinspeed has built a reputation for imagining and creating cars from 10 years in the future and making them a reality, either for well-heeled customers or for auto show crowds. So it came as no surprise when it revealed its newest project slated for the 2014 Geneva motor show, meant to preview the interiors of the self-driving cars of tomorrow. Yes, that's a Tesla Model S underneath with a (mostly) muted restyling of the front fascia, though it is really the interior that's meant to be the showpiece.

Ford F-150 SVT Raptor gets turned into 'The Beast'

Looks like we've got ourselves a good ol' fashioned truck horsepower war brewing. Hot on the heels of the debut of the Chevrolet Silverado-based Reaper by Lingelfelter and the Callaway-tuned Chevrolet Silverado, German tuner Geiger has brought out their version of the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor dubbed "The Beast." Apparently, the company felt that the standard Raptor just didn't produce enough power, but their take on the already mental truck is slightly different from Hennessey's approach. Geiger has added a 2.9-liter supercharger to the 6.2-liter V8, bringing the horsepower output up from 411-hp to 572-hp.

2014 Suzuki Swift SZ-L Special Edition launches

The 2014 Suzuki Wift SZ-L (pictured) comes in blue or black metallic We know why car makers churn out special editions, and they can be a great buy if the extras they boast float your boat. But do we have to get the same ‘special edition’ name badge every couple of years? ‘Black’ and ‘White’ editions abound from almost every car maker and, although Suzuki may not have gone that route with the Swift SZ-L Special Edition, it’s the exact same ‘Special Edition’ name they used just a few years ago.

New Citroen C1 revealed ahead of Geneva debut

The new Citroen C1 (pictured) revealed ahead of Geneva debut We’ve had the proper reveal of the new Peugeot 108 and a bit of a teaser photo for the new Toyota Aygo, and this morning we get the trio completed with the reveal of the new Citroen C1 ahead of its Geneva debut. We’d call the new C1 a 2014 model, but for some reason Citroen gave the current C1 an overhaul only a few months ago and made that a 2014 model, so we probably have to refer to this new one as the 2015 Citroen C1. Whatever model year to attach to it though, the new C1 is just a new Aygo or new Peugeot 108 in Citroen clothes and therefore offers much the same as those two cars.

2014 Ford Focus: OFFICIAL

The 2014 Ford Focus Facelift revealed The Ford Focus is already one of the best cars in its class, but the 2014 version of the Focus – revealed today officially after a leak over the weekend – looks set to make the new Focus even more appealing. The most obvious visual change is the adoption of the Aston Martin grill that now adorns the nose of Ford’s latest models, and that is enhanced with a new front bumper, re-profiled bonnet, slimmer headlight and a tweak to the tailgate with new lights too. Inside, the new Focus loses many of the buttons that are scattered around the current model to be replaced by controls run through the touchscreen, a new steering wheel, thicker carpets and thicker glass for better sound insulation, new sliding integrated arm rest, satin black trim and chrome detailing and the arrival of Ford’s connected SYNC 2.

Here's the former Ukrainian president's car collection

Just a couple days ago, the world media and some bewildered journalists got a glimpse of now-departed Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych's villa on the Dnieper river, called Mezhyhirya. The sprawling and not-particularly-tasteful residence rests on a 345-acre lot of real estate (a little over half the size of Monaco) and features a golf course, a zoo, and an artificial lake with a ship resembling something out of Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" theme park ride. And it also boasts an impressive collection of about 70 cars and motorcycles.

Redesigned 2015 Ford Focus breaks cover before Geneva motor show

The 2015 Ford Focus bowed online Sunday, before its Geneva motor show debut. The next big seller from the Blue Oval sports a more Fusion-like front end, along with a handful of other revisions, including the 1.0-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder engine. Visually, there are a lot of changes in the new Focus.

Video: Hennessey Venom GT now unofficial fastest production car

The Hennessey Venom GT hit its top speed of 270.49 mph last week at the Kennedy Space Center, edging out the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport's previous 269.86 mph record. Hennessey and Bugatti have been battling for the top spot of "fastest production car in the world," and this time America came out on top. Hennessey attempted a record run in 2013, reaching a top speed of 265.7 mph before running out of room on the 2.9-mile-long runway at the Naval Air Station in California.

Citroen C1 (2014) first official pictures

By Damion Smy First Official Pictures 24 February 2014 10:00 This is the Citroen C1 that will be shown at the 2014 Geneva motor show. It’s an all-new version of Citroen’s supermini, and is built on the same platform as the recently revealed Peugeot 108 and forthcoming Toyota Aygo. The new C1 is slightly longer than its predecessor (4.40m plays the new car’s 4.64), but is slightly narrower and sits at 1.45m tall, 15cm lower.

Classic Car Boot Sale returns to London

Fans of vintage cars, fashion and memorabilia will have all their wishes met at next month’s Classic Car Boot Sale, returning to London’s Southbank Centre. Following the inaugural event last year that attracted over 8,000 visitors this year’s event has been extended over Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th March. Located along the riverfront at Southbank Centre between the Queen’s Walk, Hungerford Bridge and Jubilee Gardens, the Classic Car Boot Sale will have an interesting mix of fashions, homeware and memorabilia, all sold from the boots of classic cars.

Ford Focus facelift revealed ahead of 2014 Geneva Motor Show debut

Ahead of its official unveiling at next month’s 2014 Geneva Motor Show, Ford has released details and photos of the new 2014 Ford Focus. And while it’s an evolution of the current third-generation Focus, such is the popularity of Ford’s five-door hatchback, it won’t be long before you’re seeing this parked at a supermarket car park near you. Read on for the low-down on the world’s best-selling car.

Jaguar XFR-S Sportbrake for Geneva debut

This leaked photo seems to be a new Jaguar XFR-S Sportbrake It seems Ian Callum was right all along about an XFR Sportbrake – it now looks like Jaguar are about to go one step further than an XFR Estate with a Full Monty Jaguar XFR-S Sportbrake. When Jaguar revealed the XF Sportbrake two years ago they said there would be no four-wheel-drive variants and no XFR Sportbrake either (even though Ian Callum said in 2011 there would be an XFR Sportbrake), so for the last two yeare we’ve had just diesel engine options for the XF Sportbrake. But not for much longer it would seem.

2014 Citroen C1 revealed ahead of Geneva Motor Show

Citroen has revealed pictures of its C1 city car ahead of its debut at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show – and it competes with the likes of the Renault Twingo, Peugeot 108 and Toyota Aygo for the crown of quirkiest small car of the show. Citroen 2014 Citroen C1 at Geneva: design Citroen says the new C1 features “more design”, which, although sounding a bit cringe-inducing, does signify how much the new car has changed over the outgoing model we first saw in 2005. Impressive efficiency figures are the result of “innovative technologies” says Citroen, as well as weight saving At 3.46m long, the 2014 Citroen C1 is 15cm longer than its predecessor.

Hyundai Intrado concept (2014) first official pictures

By Ollie Kew First Official Pictures 24 February 2014 13:01 This is the Hyundai Intrado concept, destined for the 2014 Geneva motor show. It’s a hydrogen-powered crossover penned by Peter Schreyer, the head of Hyundai’s design team, CEO of sister-brand Kia, and with a stint at Audi on his CV to boot. The Intrado is designed to be as lightweight as possible, hinting at what Hyundai sees as the future of family cars.

Fire risk Porsche in global recall

SPORTS car maker Porsche is asking more than 100 UK owners of the latest 911 GT3 models to stop driving them while tests go on following cases of vehicles catching fire. The advice, to 101 UK owners who have paid around £100,000 for their vehicles, has gone out to a total of 785 owners worldwide of the GT3s from the 2014 model year. Porsche said there had been two cases in Europe of cars catching fire.

KATIE PRICE SUFFERS BAG SNATCH

KATIE PRICE has hit out at the "pure scum" who smashed a window of her car and stole her designer handbag. The model and businesswoman posted a picture on Twitter showing a broken window and glass lying on the car seat. Price said the Louis Vuitton bag contained "valuables".

One Lap of the Web: A pop quiz at Pub Vauxhall, a Zamboni bed, and the Ferrari 335S

-- How much do you know about old Vauxhalls? Yes, that's right -- it's time to test your knowledge of rebadged, glued-together GM Opels from the House That Alex Wilson and Company Built in that grand British tradition, that of the pub quiz. What made the Senator so cutting-edge?

Black cab fares to rise

BLACK cab fares in the capital are going up and could rise again as early as next January. From April 5, London taxi fares will increase by an average of 0.7%, Transport for London (TfL) announced today. TfL said the below-inflation increase was the lowest since it took responsibility for licensing taxis in 2000 and the rise equated to just 9p more on an average fare.