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Porsche 918 Spyder laps Nurburgring in under 7 minutes

The Porsche 918 Spyder (pictured) laps the Nurburgring in under 7 minutes When the McLaren P1 was first revealed, Ron Dennis told us it would lap the Nurburgring in under 7 minutes. But it seems the best the McLaren P1 has managed so far is a 7:04, so it’s no surprise McLaren hasn’t officially declared its time as they probably knew it wasn’t enough, but also knew that Porsche has managed to take the new 918 Spyder round the ‘Ring in just 6:57s. That 6:57 by the Porsche 918 Spyder isn’t quite as quick as the Radical, but as the Radical has only single type approval, Porsche are justifiably claiming the 918 Spyder’s time as the quickest by a proper production car, beating the previous record of 7:11s set by the Gumpert Apollo.

First sight: Volkswagen Passat (2015)

In recent years, European buyers have been switching their mid-size sedans and wagons for smaller cars, crossovers and SUVs. The Volkswagen Passat, Europe's most successful company car, has defined this market segment pretty much since it arrived back in 1973, and this latest, eighth-generation model has been designed to attempt to reverse that buying trend. When we catch up with design director Dr Klaus Bischoff at the car's unveiling, he's certainly confident that the new car represents a significant step forward.

Poor quality diesel blamed for winter breakdowns

Thousands of drivers are risking a winter breakdown through being sold poor quality diesel fuel, the RAC has warned. All makes and models of car are at risk, says the breakdown recovery provider, with breakdowns proving more prevalent in eastern England and Scotland, and the greatest concentration of breakdowns occurring in the North East. Winter motoring guide Winter driving tips The organisation hasn’t yet found the root cause of the problem – so it is working with fuel retailers to work out what’s causing it.