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80mph limit plans 'to be revisited'

SHELVED PLANS to raise the motorway speed limit to 80mph will need to be revisited, a transport minister said as he declined to say whether he ever broke the current law to drive at that speed. Stephen Hammond said ministers were split on the move - which was unveiled with a fanfare by Philip Hammond in 2011 but then axed from the agenda by successors as transport secretary. Polling suggests a 10mph increase in the maximum allowed on the network would be extremely popular among motorists - and the transport minister recognised "a lot" already drove at the higher speed.

First Sight: BMW Zagato Coupé

"I've been looking for a way to collaborate with Zagato and Nori [Norihiko Harada, Chief Designer Zagato] for around 20 years," explains Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design as we stand in the shadow of the magnificent Villa Erba. "Last year at this event we had a conversation and decided that it was the right time to do something." BMW and Zagato both have history associated with the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este – Europe's most glamorous car show – yet until last weekend the two illustrious names had never crossed paths. The BMW Zagato Coupé marks the first project between the two and the first Italian-designed car to wear the blue and white propeller since the 2003 Bertone Birusa.

New cars can save drivers up to 25%

BUYING a new car instead of a secondhand one could save drivers as much as 25% on their motoring costs in the first year of ownership. These savings come from cheaper insurance, lower road tax costs, improved fuel economy and no MoT test. Comparing a brand new Volkswagen Golf with a five-year old model, the new car reduces the annual spend on motoring from £1689 to £1267, saving £422 in the first year of ownership.