ESP will be mandatory on all new cars in the EU from November 2011, the European Parliament has announced. Currently, just over 50 per cent of new cars sold in Europe are fitted with ESP.
ESP is proven to significantly reduce fatal accidents.
“ESP can prevent up to 80 percent of all skid-related accidents,” said Dr. Werner Struth, president of the Chassis Systems Control division at Bosch, where ESP systems are made. “After the seat belt, the system is therefore the most important safety technology in the car.”
The mandatory installation of ESP on all new cars should help to further reduce the number of people killed on the roads in the EU. In 2001, this figure was 50,000, but by 2006 that number had dropped to 29,500, partly thanks to the increasing fitment of ESP.
The move to make ESP compulsory is part of a package of EU-wide road safety measures.
These will include making lane departure warning systems and emergency brake assist compulsory on vehicles with a maximum weight of more than 3.5 tons and on passenger vehicles with more than eight seats by 2013.

The gap between the average price of diesel and petrol has grown to its widest level since 2008, the AA says.

Its figures show the average price of petrol has fallen by 0.81 pence a litre over the past month to 133.70p.

At the same time, the average price of diesel has risen by 1.3p a litre since mid-October to 140.95p.

Diesel is usually more expensive than petrol thanks to higher refining costs, but the AA says the price is rising now due to short supply to the UK market.

The figures showed petrol was most expensive in London, averaging 134.8p, while Northern Ireland was the most expensive for diesel, averaging 141.8p.

Yorkshire and Humberside was the cheapest region for both, averaging 132.8p a litre for petrol and 140.3p a litre for diesel.

“The fall in the price of oil due to the eurozone crisis had brought some hope of respite for drivers but the opposite has happened for diesel car owners,” said Edmund King, the AA’s president.

“The petrol price may have been falling overall, but it’s dropped faster for some than others, and that adds to the frustration.”

‘Diesel woes’

The government plans to increase fuel duty by 3p a litre in January, meaning an extra £1.50 to fill an average car, and Chancellor George Osborne is under pressure to scrap that as part of his autumn statement on the economy later this month.

Earlier this week, MPs approved a motion urging action on fuel prices in response to an e-petition signed by 110,000 people, but it is not binding on ministers.

“Tuesday’s House of Commons debate on high fuel prices offered little hope of a freeze in fuel duty and diesel woes, if they continue, will intensify pressure on the Treasury,” Mr King said.

The AA said that the current 7.25p price difference between diesel and petrol, although dwarfed by the 15.3p gap seen during the “extraordinary price spikes” in November 2008, was bad news for drivers who had traded in their petrol cars for diesels.

“Many switched in the hope that greater fuel efficiency would recoup the extra cost of buying the vehicle before saving significantly on subsequent fuel costs,” the organisation said.

“The break-even point is now stretching further away as the price gap grows.”

The Volvo S80 and V70 also come in refined special versions that are tailor made for buyers who want a car with that extra exclusive look and individual touch:

Volvo S80 Executive features unique details and a very rich content that reinforce its position as Volvo Car Corporation’s top-of-the-line saloon. Volvo V70 R-Design gives the elegant estate car a sportier design character.

“Both cars are designed around the growing number of people who appreciate the possibility of tailoring their cars to suit individual tastes. The Executive version of the S80 radiates exclusive luxury while our R-Design models are developed for buyers who want an extra sporty look,” says Lex Kerssemakers, Senior Vice President Product Strategy and Vehicle Line Management at Volvo Car Corporation.

The Volvo S80 is the most exclusive Volvo saloon model – and the Executive version features details that emphasise the sober Scandinavian design and the sophisticated comfort of the spacious saloon.

The Executive badge gives a discreet hint that this is an S80 beyond the norm. Inside, the upgraded S80 Executive is the first Volvo model with an instrument panel top in leather, available in espresso brown or off black. Among the interior details that give the S80 Executive a more exclusive character are ventilated soft leather seats with massage function, leather door panels, an integrated analogue clock on the instrument panel and the aluminium centre consol storage.

Specially designed, extra thick carpets reinforce the sober impression. The opportunity to install a fridge in the rear seat, combined with a set of Swedish crystal glasses, also contributes to the enhanced feeling of luxury and comfort.

The V70 R-Design comes with a number of specially developed exterior and interior design details. The exterior has unique design details in the front, LED turning indicators integrated into door mirrors with silk metal covers and a unique, diamond cut 18-inch wheel called “Ixion”. On the inside, there is leather upholstery trimmed in off black, leather around the gear selector, and black floor-mats with contrasting stitching. V70 R-Design is available together with all drivelines, which also makes it possible to choose the newly launched 1.6-litre DRIVe diesel with CO2 emissions at 119g/km.

Both the S80 Executive and the V70 R-Design feature the latest Volvo Sensus infotainment system. In Volvo Sensus, all information is presented on a five-inch or seven-inch colour screen in the upper part of the centre stack. The screen is positioned high up to make it easy for the driver to keep his or her eyes on the road.

“Concern for the individual’s wellbeing is the very core of our Scandinavian origin and these unique versions of the S80 and V70 mark yet another step forward in our determination to be the brand that best interprets what buyers of modern prestige cars want,” says Volvo Car Corporation’s President and CEO Stefan Jacoby.

Average petrol prices have passed the 130p a litre mark for the first time, the AA has revealed.

Prices at the pumps have reached an average of 130.03p a litre – only 2p away from the £6 gallon. Diesel is now averaging 135.44p a litre, the AA said.

It added that at the start of the year, petrol averaged 125.19p a litre before hitting 127.74p following the VAT rise on January 4. Diesel started at 129.30p before reaching 132.01 after the VAT increase.

A year ago, the pump price of petrol was 112.74p and diesel 113.79p. This means that filling up a typical 50-litre petrol tank now costs £8.65 more than a year ago. A two-car family is now paying £36.71 a month more for petrol than a year ago.

AA president Edmund King said: “Now that petrol has hit record highs at the pumps the Chancellor must abandon the proposed tax hike (next month) and seriously consider reducing fuel duty to stabilise prices.

“The current fuel costs and political uncertainty in the Middle East and North Africa means that the Government must bite the bullet and act to stop fuel prices from fuelling inflation and driving people off the roads.”

RAC motoring strategist Adrian Tink said the current unstable oil market and the planned rise in April could see petrol prices “increase by another 8p a litre in the near future”

He added: “This kind of rise will seriously impact on people’s car use, many of whom have no other option but to travel by car.”

Shadow Treasury minister Kerry McCarthy said: “Everyone knows that the current turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa is having an impact on the global price of oil. It’s vital that ministers work with their international colleagues to do everything they can to ensure stability in the supply of oil over the coming weeks and months.

“But here in Britain the Conservative-led Government has made things worse with its VAT rise, which has added nearly 3p to the cost of a litre of petrol.”

Here at the “TDOCUK Office” we’re always working away on something! This week it’s been the focus of making the forum more accessible!

Many of you probably know about or use TapaTalk already, but for those who don’t know, TapaTalk is a great forum app for smartphones, that allows you to read and reply to topics far easier than having to look at the forum on your phones browser! Search for TapaTalk in google or your “App Store”

Another thing we have worked on is mobile access to this blog for the admin team. It allows us to access and update the blog on the move! This will now mean we can be much more involved while out and about at meets and events!

Keep checking the blog for updates guys, there are some exciting things planned for the future!

Here is the moment everyone has been waiting for! The Results of the TDOCUK Rolling Road Shootout Day!