Toyota Mr2 Dash Piece. Steering Wheel on 2040-parts.com

Drivers waste £1.9 billion on insurance

A TOTAL of £1.9 billion is being wasted by drivers in the UK who automatically renew their car insurance without shopping around for the best deal. A study has found 2.4 million drivers in the UK don’t bother to compare quotes to get the best deal when their car insurance comes up for renewal. The research by Moneysupermarket.com found 8.6 million drivers in Britain could be better off by up to £220 per year each if they moved to a new insurer.

2009 Jaguar XKR is unveiled

The 2009 Jaguar XKR - Quicker, more economical and better equipped We brought you the first undisguised pictures of Jaguar’s updated XK a few days ago, and Jaguar has now officially unveiled the XKR at the Detroit Motor Show. As we reported, the styling updates, although modest, do freshen the car up nicely and make it feel more current. A new front end with chrome-rimmed air vents, tweaks to the mirrors and LEDs at the back, although small changes, do make a difference.

BMW i3 Range Extender engine adds 10% to the price

BMW i3 Range Extender engine adds 10% to the price The BMW i3 – BMW’s first foray in to a world of electric cars – was officially revealed in July – and due on sale in 2014 – and seems, by electric car standards, to be almost affordable. At a starting price of £30,680 – £25,680 after the taxpayer bribe for EV buyers – it’s no more expensive than other electric cars and does come with some clever technology – and the BMW badge – that will help it move out of showrooms. But as we reported as far back as 2011, the BMW i3 is to get a range-extender option – a small petrol engine that kicks in to recharge the batteries when they get low – which will make the i3 a much more practical proposition.