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Vauxhall Ampera price cut by £3,500

The Vauxhall Ampera (pictured) drops in price by £3500 Although we still feel the range-extender is the right way for car makers to go to get the car buying public to accept EVs, the range-extender Vauxhall Ampera has not exactly been a runaway success. Despite Vauxhall offering potential Ampera buyers the option of trying it for 30 days and handing it back if they don’t like it, the Ampera has failed miserably to sell in any sort of volume. So, with new competition on the way from the range-extender BMW i3, Vauxhall are taking drastic action to try and tempt buyers in to the Ampera and are slashing prices by £3,500.

New Ford Mondeo to get new 1.5 litre EcoBoost engine

The new EcoBoost engine will also be turning up in the Ford Fusion for North America, but the UK and Europe are going to have to wait until at least the end of 2014 – when we get the new Mondeo - before the new engine is on offer. The 1.5 litre EcoBoost offers improved economy and emissions compared to the 1.6 litre currently available  - with similar power, performance and torque compared –  but one of the main reasons for offering it is that many countries offer tax breaks for engines under 1.5 litres. The new engine will be built by Ford In Romania initially (although it will get churned out elsewhere too in due course) and offers turbocharging, direct fuel injection and variable valve timing.

Phones topple tailgating as most hated driving habit

THERE’S a new ‘hate’ at the top of drivers’ lists, after a study from Kwik Fit showed that using a phone at the wheel has overtaken the long-standing bad habit of tailgating. Talking or texting while driving is hated by 47% of drivers, according to the research; comfortably ahead of tailgating on 42%. It’s the first time that following too closely has been knocked off its seriously irritating perch in years.