Spindles - Polaris Pro Rmk - 1823740, 1823741 - With Bushings on 2040-parts.com

Second new London taxi of 2014 unveiled

LONDONERS had better prepare themselves for another new generation of taxi, just days after Nissan confirmed its own assault on the Black Cab market. The plug-in hybrid Fraser-Nash Range Extended Electric Metrocab is capable of more than 75mpg and less than 50g/km of CO2, and is expected to cost no more than a current Hackney carriage. The company says the vehicle could save cabbies £30 to £40 per day in running costs and can go longer between fill-ups.

Motorists still not switched on to electric cars

Renault A new survey of 3,000 British motorists suggests there is still a long way to go before electric cars become a serious purchasing choice for the majority, with many saying the government isn’t doing enough to promote them. According to the latest Auto Trader Owner’s Guide, only 1% of UK drivers own what it calls an Alternative Fuel Vehicle (AFV). The poll also illustrates some significant age and gender divides, and shows that price continues to be a serious hindrance to more environmentally friendly motoring.

2014 Volvo S80 grabs IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus+

The second-generation Volvo S80 has been with us since 2008, and just a year before its scheduled replacement with an all-new model it has managed to grab a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The S80 now joins its XC90, XC60, and S60 siblings in receiving this accolade, which was instituted just last year when the IIHS created a new type of crash test called the small overlap test. The small overlap test is designed to recreate a rather typical road accident scenario, one which hadn't been added to the roster of crash tests by most vehicle organizations.