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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.

Video: Road & Track presents The Five Minute Car Design with Tom Matano

Tom Matano – designer of the Mazda MX-5 and executive director of industrial design at Academy of Art University – is the subject of Road & Track's second ‘The Five Minute Car Design' video feature. The R&T crew headed to Matano's design studio and asked him to create his ideal sedan in just five minutes before destroying it at the end of the film. This latest video is the second in the series, which started with Ian Cartabiano from Calty Design in California design and destroy his ultimate sports car.

Major restrictions suggested for learner drivers

A NEW report on potential changes to young driver training could cut accident casualties by more than 4,000 a year. The report, from transport research group TRL, recommends teenagers should not be allowed to take their driving test until they are 18, rather than the current threshold of 17. They would have to have a 12-month "learner stage" beginning at 17 with a requirement for at least 100 hours of day-time and 20 hours of night-time supervised practice.