Alan and Andrew both had examples of the Jeep Wrangler range, to try out, for a week. Listen in as they compare how many Jeep decals they found, the level of thoughts that has gone into the actual use of the car and how the performance was a little surprising for them and others.

(No groundhogs were harmed in the testing of these JEEP.)

FOLLOW UP: ARRESTS IN TURKEY FOR ASSISTING GHOSN

Seven people, including pilots, flight attendants and airline executives have been arrested in Turkey, for their involvement in the remarkable escape from Japan that Carlos Ghosn perpetrated. The airline, MNG Jet, also filed a criminal complaint in relation to this. To read more, click the BBC News article here.

FOLLOW UP: INTERPOL ISSUE RED NOTICE OVER DUNN SUSPECT

Interpol has issued a Red Notice globally, for Ann Sooclas, who is wanted in relation to the death of Harry Dunn. The US has flatly refused to accept an extradition request, from the UK and has also stated that it will not comply with this Red Notice. To read more, click the Axios article here.

CAR SHOWROOMS CONSIDERED ‘NON-ESSENTIAL RETAIL’

As car showrooms have been classed as ‘non-essential retail’ they will be allowed to operate, if following safety guidance, when England reaches Step 2 of the lockdown release. The earliest this will come into force is June 1. There is no news on whether Wales and Scotland will follow suit. To read more, click the AM Online article here.

UPDATE FROM THE CAR WORLD

We are, once again, linking to Autocar’s timeline on what changes are occurring in the automotive world. To read through the latest steps taken, click the link here.

GOVERNMENT ENCOURAGES US TO CONSIDER OUR TRAVEL

Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, has announced that we all need to consider the mode of transport we are going to take for our travel, be that to work or for leisure. This backs up his department’s report on how transport in the UK will need to evolve in the years to come. Some misinterpreted him and took it that cars were being banned, which is not the case, just that we need to use the most appropriate form of transport for the task. To read more, click the Gov.UK article here.

Connected with this, was the announcement that £250 million was being provided to councils so that alternative or active transport could be encouraged, during the current situation, whilst providing safety to those walking, cycling or similarly. Added to that, is the news e-scooter legislation could be rushed through enabling them to be legally used. To read more, click The Guardian article here.

Wales has also asked councils to register their interest in encouraging alternative transport methods. The Welsh Assembly has given them until 21 May 2020 to confirm they wish to install pop-up cycle lanes, bring in more 20mph zones and the likes. To read more, click on the press release here.

We are pausing our Patreon for the foreseeable future due to the ongoing crisis, however, if you are still able to help someone, we recommend supporting Mission Motorsport’s COVID-19 Response Fund. To find out more click this link here.

MOTORSPORT AUSTRALIA PRODUCES POSSIBLE BLUEPRINT

Australian motorsport’s governing body has released a blueprint that could mean motorsport can begin to take place again, safely. They have encouraged others to review the document and hopefully, this means that live events startup. To read more, click the DirtFish article here.

REVS LIMITER VIRTUAL CAR SHOW THIS WEEKEND

Adam Gompertz, the man behind the REVS Limiter idea, has managed to get a great collection of people to take part in this wonderful sounding event. To learn more, click the Classics and Sports Car link here.

LUNCHTIME READ: HOW THE ODDBALL MATRA RANCHO INVENTED THE CROSSOVER

Gavin Braithwaite-Smith has donned his best Sherlock Homes gear and investigated the wonderful, if flawed (but let us gloss over that), Matra Rancho. In doing so he comes to the conclusion that this was the start of the crossover craze. Also, the chaps realise where their like of plastic cladding originated. To read more, click the Motoring Research article here.

LIST OF THE WEEK: 6 UNBELIEVABLE RULE-BENDING STORIES FROM RALLY

Michael Banovsky wrote the List of the Week for Petrolicious, a while ago, however, it is still a brilliant piece of work. Run through the six examples of rally motorsport pushing, and possibly crossing, the boundaries of what was allowed by the rules. To read more, click the link here.

AND FINALLY: FADED BEAUTY OF ABANDONED CARS

Dieter Klein, a German photographer, photographs abandoned cars, some of these have been made into a book called Lost Wheels. Click on the BBC News article here to run through some of the wonderful photographs he has taken.

THE ZOOM ZOOMERS

Alan takes part in a gathering of folks from the motoring world, on a Monday night, run by Damien Cross. This week Alan got a lovely surprise as Andrew was the guest! If you would like to see last Monday’s meet up please click the Twitter link here.

FOLLOW UP: FERRARI OPENS AGAIN

Thanks to their “Back on Track” initiative, which the chaps discussed on 14 April’s episode, Ferrari opened Maranello once more, to begin a phased ramping up of production. To read more on this and what else is happening around the world, click the Autocar link here.

NEW CAR REGISTRATION FIGURES FOR APRIL 2020

Surprising no one, UK New Car Registration figures fell by 97.3%, with 4,321 registrations happening in April 2020. The cars in the Top Ten are a very different lot from normal. To read more, click the SMMT article here.

HITACHI PARTNERING WITH GRIDSERVE

Hitachi is investing in the electric service station developer, Gridserve, helping them to open the first of their planned one hundred EV dedicated charging stations. The first of which is due to open this summer. To read more, click the Autocar link here.

PORSCHE ADDS APPLE CARPLAY TO HISTORIC CARS

Porsche is offering the ability to retrofit Apple CarPlay into vintage cars, via their Classic department. These are discreet units that fit into older Porsches but allow owners to utilise their Apple devices. To read more, click the Motoring Research article.

SHEFFIELD CITY COUNCIL’S ANPR DATA EXPOSED

8.6 million vehicle records were accessible, covering thousands of vehicles, without a password or authentication. Individual vehicles, as well as their journeys, were traceable to anyone who logged into the management dashboard. Time will tell if anything happens or if ANPR was being used outside the scope the public expect it to be used. To read more, click the link to The Register article.

NOTTINGHAM REPORTS BACK ON ULEZ

Nottingham, one of the first locations for an Ultra Low Emission Zone, has reported back on the lessons that have been learnt in the first two years of the project. When reading the document, it can be seen that this was from before the lockdown, as could be expected. Some of the findings will now need to be re-evaluated but the chaps do commend Nottingham for reviewing the status and publishing their findings. To read more, click the ZapMap article here. If you would like to read the report itself, click the link here.

ITV INVITE RECREATIONS OF HONDA’S COG ADVERT

The ITV program, The People’s Ad Break, has asked for members of the public to recreate the famous Honda advert, that featured the parts being triggered to move. Good luck with your version, you have until 8 May to submit so get your skates on. To find out more and the chance to rewatch that superb advert, click the Motoring Research article here.

We are pausing our Patreon for the foreseeable future due to the ongoing crisis, however, if you are still able to help someone, we recommend supporting Mission Motorsport’s COVID-19 Response Fund. To find out more click this link here.

WRC: RALLY PORTUGAL CANCELLED

Rally Portugal is the first event to be officially cancelled, as the organisers could not make a provisional October date work. We suspect it will not be the last that is cancelled. To read more, click the DirtFish article here.

Also on DirtFish is an article discussing a topic raised on one of their recent podcasts, cost-cutting and simplification of the rules to continue to make the sport attractive to manufacturers and teams. Citroën pulling out must have made alarm bells go off, within the WRC organising committees, the added financial pressures that will come following this pandemic are likely to put all motorsport in line for being cut. We saw how quickly VW dropped it’s motorsport commitments to deal with costs from dieselgate. Does not take much thinking to see others following suit. To read more, click the article here.

DESIGNERS MOOD BOARD: DONCKERWOLKE LEAVES HYUNDAI

Luk Donckerwolke has resigned, with immediate effect, as Hyundai Group Chief Design Officer, due to personal reasons. To read more, including some of the stunning concepts he presided over, click the FormTrends article here.

LUNCHTIME READ: MAZDA’S STORY ON THE FOURTH-GENERATION MX-5 DESIGN

Another FormTrends article, this time one about how Mazda produced the design of the fourth-generation MX-5. This is a fascinating read, about the process Mazda went through to finally emerge with the final look of the car. To read this, click the link here.

LIST OF THE WEEK: 25 THINGS WE LEARNED WHILE WATCHING MOVIES

This week’s list comes from the Double Apex site, where, with tongue firmly embedded in their cheek, they tell us what we should be doing whilst driving if movies are to be believed. Click their link here, to read more.

AND FINALLY: BMW HELPS WITH OUR EDUCATION

During this time of lockdown, there have been plenty of asinine posts about how you should be bettering yourself and if you aren’t what a fool you are. Well, we think that is silly, however, a little improvement is probably doable. BMW has come to our aid and released a video that tells us all how to pronounce BMW in German. Click the YouTube link here and then you will have a nice warm feeling as you have learnt something today.

THE ZOOM ZOOMERS

Alan takes part in a gathering of folks from the motoring world, on a Monday night, run by Damien Cross. If you would like to see last Monday’s meet up please click the Twitter link here.

Alan heard from Adam Donfrancesco of R-Reforged about some of the thinking and engineering that goes into limited-production projects such as the Aston Martin Vanquish 25 by CALLUM.

In this, we talk mostly about the engineering and thinking that’s gone un under the skin, for more pictures and information about the aesthetic tweaks that Ian Callum and the team at R-Reforged made then I recommend this Motoring Research article from the concept launch.

To find out more about R-Reforged and their ongoing projects then visit their website.

UPDATE ON EFFECTS OF GLOBAL LOCKDOWN ON INDUSTRY

Autocar has compiled a list of the effects the global pandemic is having on the motoring industry and sport. To get a snapshot of the impact, click through on the link here.

AA MAKE SILLY CLAIM ABOUT FUEL PRICES

The AA has claimed, just days after the oil price went through the floor, that petrol prices hadn’t fallen to reflect this and drivers were being ‘ripped off’. This was a silly claim, one that Andrew has “views” about. To read more, click the BBC News article here. The RAC look at all of the factors that affect the current situation to learn more, click on the Motoring Research article here.

CLASSIC CAR AUCTION HOUSE COYS IN ADMINISTRATION

Coys of Kensington Automobiles has gone into administration with trading debts of £1.65 million. The last 12 months have been quite turbulent for Coys. To read more, click The Telegraph article here. Note, you may need to register to get access to this article.

THREE-MONTH CAR FINANCE FREEZE ANNOUNCED

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has introduced new rules, that allow UK residents who are struggling to pay their PCP or PCH, to apply for a three-month freeze. The FCA also stated that there should be no strings attached to applications of the freeze. To read more, click the Motoring Research article here.

CLAIMS PEOPLE WILL AVOID PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND BUY CARS

Autotrader revealed their research, that people will avoid public transport and buy a car, once lockdown measures are eased. Andrew and Alan don their white coats and push their glasses up their nose to look a little more into this story. To read more, click the Autotrader article here.

LOWER SPEED LIMIT ON ISLE OF MAN

As more people appear to be using our roads and with plenty of stories of vehicles stopped for speeding, it should be noted that the Isle of Man introduced a lower speed limit, of 40mph, on 27 March. The idea is to reduce the strain on their healthcare system. If enough people continue to flout the laws of the road, it is easy to see the UK following suit. To read more, click the Isle of Man Government statement.

MOST ACCIDENTS OCCUR ON SLOWER ROADS

Department of Transport figures have revealed that more accidents take place on slower roads, but more fatalities occur on higher speed roads. Choose My Car commissioned the research into the detail of accidents in the UK. To read more, click the Motoring Research article here.

We are pausing our Patreon for the foreseeable future due to the ongoing crisis, however, if you are still able to help someone, we recommend supporting Mission Motorsport’s COVID-19 Response Fund. To find out more click this link here.

LUNCHTIME READ: CAR DETAILING

Porsche has asked Richard Tipper, the car detailing wizard known more commonly as @perfectionvalet, for his tips on detailing your car. As part of their #GetCreativeWithPorsche, the third instalment helps those of us looking to up our car presentation game. To read more, click on the Porsche article link here.

LIST OF THE WEEK: 10 OF THE BEST LOOKING CLASSIC ESTATES

If you’ve listened to the show for any length of time, you’ll know how much the chaps like and estate. Well, this is almost the perfect List of the Week, it is as though Gareth Herincx wrote it especially for us. Run through the glorious estates of yesteryear, before they became a glorified large hatchback, by clicking the Admiral link here.

AND FINALLY: BEST WAY TO TRANSPORT YOUR NISSAN FIGARO

Want to know which accessory allows you to transport your Figaro, well a ton rated roof rake is the answer. There is a glorious explanation into the competitive world of sturdy roof racks, from Hagerty. Click on the link here, to learn more than you thought was the reality.

THE ZOOM ZOOMERS

Alan takes part in a gathering of folks from the motoring world, on a Monday night, run by Damien Cross. If you would like to see last Monday’s meet up please click the Facebook link here. These should be on YouTube from next week if all goes to plan.

FOLLOW UP: VW SETTLE MOST CLASS-ACTION CLAIMS

Volkswagen has confirmed that it has settled with 200,000 of the 260,000 that are claiming damages due to the #Dieselgate scandal. They have been granted an extension to reach an agreement with the remaining. VW remains adamant that there is no legal basis for consumer’s claims. To read more, click the Automotive News Europe article here.

CAR BANNING POWERS HANDED TO COUNCILS

In a bid to allow key workers to safely travel by foot or on a bicycle, councils have been handed powers to ban cars from roads. The idea is that people will be able to travel in a more active manner but still maintain a social distance from other road users. To read more, click the BBC News article here.

FESTIVAL OF THE UNEXCEPTIONAL POSTPONED TILL 2021

Confirmation was given that the Festival of the Unexceptional is now postponed until July 2021. To read more, click the link here.

TOYOTA GB WELLBEING PLEDGE

Last week we discussed how Ferrari was going to help staff, with the aim of beginning production once more. They are not alone in looking out for their staff, Toyota GB has announced a wellbeing program that aims to support staff’s physical, financial and mental health. The scheme was introduced last year following consultation with workers but has kicked into gear during the COVID-19 crisis. To read more, click the Automotive 30% Club article here.

WHY DOES EV CAR-SHARING STRUGGLE IN LONDON

In February, the two largest electric vehicle car-sharing operators left London in near-deafening silence as no one trying to implement Mayor of London’s vision for a healthier capital said anything. This is odd as car-sharing and the use of EVs, if a car must be used, is key to reducing congestion and improving air quality. Or one would think so. To read more, click the link to Company Car Today and flick to page 7 here.

THE FALLACY OF ZERO EMISSIONS

Emission Analytics has been delving further into emissions from vehicles, but ICE and EV, as tailpipes clean up we come to realise there are other factors that need to be considered for the environmental footprint of cars. How the energy or fuel they use is generated, tailpipe emissions, mpg and non-tailpipe emissions all need to be thought about. To read more about the comprehensive approach to this ever-evolving situation click the link here.

We are pausing our Patreon for the foreseeable future due to the ongoing crisis, however, if you are still able to help someone, we recommend supporting Mission Motorsport’s COVID-19 Response Fund. To find out more click this link here.

FORMULA E: SEASON SUSPENSION EXTENDED

As the scale of the problems caused by the global pandemic is slowly becoming more clear, Formula E has taken the step to extend the suspension of the season until at least the end of June. They will continue to monitor the situation and make further decisions as information becomes known. To read more, click the Formula E statement here.

E-RACING: FORMULA E STARTS NEW SERIES

Last weekend was the start of a new e-racing series, from Formula E, involving Formula E drivers, professional racers and sim racers. The competition will raise funds for UNICEF. To read more including the season calendar, click the e-racing 365 link here.

E-RACING: OTHER SERIES NEWS

GT World Challenge is starting a new series this coming weekend, where pro GT drivers, other professional drivers and sim racers are able to take part, culminating in a race between the best of the three divisions. To read more, click the release information here.

Our streaming channel of choice, Actrollvision, is involved in a 24hr race this weekend and will be giving away Logitech goods to all watching the stream. To learn more, go to his Twitch channel over the weekend. You can find the channel by clicking here.

A reminder, if you own an Xbox, have subscribed to the Gold service you are able to download and keep forever, Project Cars 2, however, the offer runs out at the end of the month.

LUNCHTIME READ: THE MAN WHO BOUGHT NINE RENAULT AVANTIMES

Gavin Braithwaite-Smith brings us the astonishing story of the world’s largest fleet of Renault Avantimes, in the world. Click the Petrolblog link here, to take you to this amazing tale.

BONUS - LUNCHTIME WATCH: FULL TOUR OF THE PETERSEN AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM VAULT

Thanks to Joe Hallenback for brining this one-hour-long YouTube video to our attention. We all get a chance to peek inside the vault of one of the most famous automotive museums. Click the link here to escape from everything for an hour.

LIST OF THE WEEK: RECOMMENDED AUTOMOTIVE PODCASTS

We were outraged, OUTRAGED we tell you, over the lack of podcasts in Autocar’s feature for getting our automotive fix during these strange times. Well, rather than write to our MP to complain, we have compiled a list of ones we recommend you should try out. The list is not in any order of preference but does cover the ones we enjoy.

Old Timers

Gareth Jones on Speed - One of the inspirations for the Motoring Podcast to actually be a thing. Going for 15 years, oodles of fun from Gareth Jones, Zog and Sniff Petrol. To visit the podcast, click the link here.

Midweek Motorsport - Weekly, yes really, podcast covering the racing and news that the team from Radio Show Ltd cover. Click the link here to visit the podcast.

Middle Aged

Car Chat with Sam Moores - Car photographer Sam Moores chats to people from the car world. Relaxed and enjoyable conversations. Search for his podcast on your podcatcher of choice.

EV News Daily - Electric car news produced, erm, daily. Short show that gives you the headlines to what’s going on in the world of EVs. Click here to find out more.

Automovie Podcast - The podcast about cars and motorsport on TV and in films. Great fun conversations that you can get involved with. Click here for more information.

Collecting Cars Podcast - Chris Harris and Edward Lovett chat to various people from the world of motoring. Excellent conversations and insights shared on the podcast. Click here to listen to the episodes.

Younglings

DriveNation - Dan Prosser and Andrew Frankel now have a podcast for their DriveNation project on Instagram. Full of information and excellent chat, click here for Apple Podcast or search for it on the podcatcher of your choice.

Smith & Sniff - Jonny Smith and Richard Porter have recently brought their fun and frolics to the audio format. if you like their YouTube offerings, you’ll love this. Click here to find out more.

US LOT Session - From Lotus Cars, conversations with owners of Lotus and those who help make them the way they are. Excellent conversations and insight into the Lotus community. Search for the podcast on your podcatcher of choice.

SPIN, The Rally Pod - DirtFish are our recommended location for everything WRC and they have a podcast too. Click through here to visit the website or search for them via the service you use.

Spinning Wheels Podcast - from Paul Woodford and Guy Smith chatting about motorsports and special guests have just started. They are on the usual service suspects, so use the search facility and you’ll be listening to them in no time.

Talking Shop The Morgan Podcast - Alex Goy is the presenter for this podcast where he chats to guests from the Morgan community. Again, search for them on your preferred podcasting platform where you should it.

AND FINALLY: HOW TO SHOOT IN A MOVIE CHASE SCENE

The Autocar team has brought us a video of unparalleled consumer advice, which is exactly what we expect from them. Learn if it is possible to drive with a basket on the windscreen, if wind flow effects a Nerf dart and the best speed to drive at to be hit. To watch this ace video, click the link here.

SIR STIRLING MOSS PASSES AWAY

The sad news that Sir Stirling Moss had peacefully passed away was announced on Sunday. There are few people, let alone racers, who have achieved the level of fondness amongst the nation. Social media was filled with delightful stories that gave us all a glimpse into his life, his character, his personality and his achievements. We have selected the obituary from Autocar to share with you, to read what Steve Cropley wrote, click the link here. We have also included a celebration of his epic Millie Miglia victory, which you can read by clicking here.

CALLS FOR SCRAPPAGE SCHEME BEGIN

In, what seems like a premature move, some have begun to call for a scrappage scheme to help the automotive sector, once lockdown restrictions begin to lift. Alan has some “views” on this and the chaps discuss the wider issues that will be involved in any attempt to stimulate the economy. To read more, click the Car Dealer Magazine article here.

SECURITY VULNERABILITIES FOUND ARE NOT AS BAD AS MADE OUT

Which? has released an article to much hysteria about security vulnerabilities found in Volkswagen and Ford models. Fortunately, The Register spoke to an expert who put them into perspective, Ian Tabor who runs Car Hacking Village UK. We thoroughly recommend you read the article and check out the six tips at the end of the piece, where Ian lays out ways to make connected cars safer. To read this, click the link here.

FERRARI LAUNCHES ‘BACK ON TRACK’ INITIATIVE

Ferrari is working on a plan to get production up and running again, once the Italian Government relaxes their lockdown rules. The comprehensive scheme which looks at essentials such as testing of employees and suppliers to helping with the psychological effects of the lockdown is very impressive. To read more, click the Complete Car.ie article here.

75 YEARS AGO US LIBERATES WOLFSBERG FACTORY

On 11 April 1945, US soldiers released 7,700 forced labourers from the Wolfsberg Factory.

HOW DO TOYOTAS END UP WITH SUDANESE REBELS

An investigation by the organisation Global Witness has found out how so many Toyota Land Cruisers and Hiluxs end up in the hands of Sudanese rebels. Global Witness make it very clear they are not suggesting Toyota has any hand in this. To read more, click the Jalopnik article from Max Finkel here.

We are pausing our Patreon for the foreseeable future due to the ongoing crisis, however, if you are still able to help someone, we recommend supporting Mission Motorsport’s COVID-19 Response Fund. To find out more click this link here.

TEMPORARY WRC TESTING BAN INSTIGATED

The news that the FIA has introduced a temporary ban on testing, for WRC teams, came as a bit of a shock as the chaps had presumed it was already the case. However, now it is official. To read more, click the DirtFish article here.

ADVICE ON SIM RIGS FOR EVERY BUDGET

Goodwood Road & Race has released an article outlining how you can build your own sim rig, starting at the lower end of the budget scale, moving up to more, shall we say, costly options. To read this, if you’re thinking about sorting yourself out with some virtual driving, click here.

LUNCHTIME READ: THE WORK OF TERRY DAVEY

If you’ve picked up a Haynes manual, you will probably have marvelled at the cutaway drawings, which we can thank Terry Davey for. Chris Pollitt has written an excellent article about his work for the manuals, from 1972 to 1991. To read more of the Car and Classic piece, click here.

LIST OF THE WEEK: HOW TO GET YOUR MOTORING FIX AT HOME - FILMS AND TV

Autocar has created a list of ways we can all still get our motoring fix, whilst we stay at home. We have picked out the film and TV article as the one to check out this week. To run through the list, click the link here.

AND FINALLY: HOW TO PRONOUNCE THE PLURAL OF LOTUS

Thanks to Alex Goy sharing this, from the very excellent Lotus PR Team, here is a trip back in time to when Lotus had to clarify how to pronounce the plural of their name. To find out how, for yourself, click the link here.

Alan had a chat with Principal Acoustic Systems Engineer at Harman, Wolfgang Zieglmeier about car audio systems and his work on the Harman-Kardon audio system in the Kia Stinger.

FOLLOW UP: VW TO FACE CLASS-ACTION IN UK

Following the ruling, this week, Volkswagen does have a case to answer in the UK class-action case over #Dieselgate. Whilst the judge has ruled, in line with several other countries, that the software and technology in certain engines is a defeat device, there is no confirmation that VW is liable in the compensation claim. To read more, but not the comments, click on the Autocar article here.

WEBSITE HELPS KEY WORKERS FIND LOCAL CAR SERVICES

A new website, called KeyworkerGarages.co.uk, has been set up by a company called Cazana to help key workers who need help with their vehicles find a local garage that is open. To read more, click here on the Motoring Research link.

240 MILES FOR LOAF OF BREAD DRIVER FINED

A driver from Nottingham has been fined under new Coronavirus rules, as well as existing road laws, after being pulled over for doing 110mph in the M1. When asked why he was on the road, he stated that he’d gone to London for bread, as it was £1.00 cheaper there. To read more, click the BBC News article here.

GIVE PEAS A CHANCE BRIDGE HAS A NEW MESSAGE

The famous bridge, which spans over the M25, that used to have ‘Give Peas A Chance’ painted on it, has now been changed to ‘Thank You NHS’. This has been met positively, unlike when ‘Heck’ was put over ‘Peas’. To read more, click the BBC News article here.

MARCH 2020 NEW CAR REGISTRATIONS

Obviously, we are not in normal times, which has been partly reflected in the new car registration figures released by SMMT, for March. Overall figures are down 44.4%, with electrified vehicles bucking the trend and showing an increase on last year, which can be aligned to new BIK rules expected from April. Andrew and Alan run through the ‘Spreadsheet of Doom’ in mercifully quick time as they only talk about the positives. To read more, click the SMMT article here.

DECARBONISING TRANSPORT IN THE UK REPORT

The Transport Secretary released a report into the plan to decarbonise UK transportation recently, which Andrew has looked at. To his, frankly, astonishment, it is well written and very interesting. Within the document, there are graphs that go to show how much passenger cars contribute to the UK’s overall emissions. The news is startling. However, it does help to explain why a large number of initiatives and ideas are focused on cars. To read it and also gain a better understanding of where we currently are and where we need to move to, click the link here.

EXTENT OF TYRE POLLUTION INVESTIGATED

As the focus of vehicle emission has been on power plants, now that they are cleaning up other elements that pollute are becoming known. Tyres have been investigated by Emissions Analytics, who has found great variations depending on the actual tyre, road surface, road layouts and driving styles. Vehicles that are heavier and develop more torque increase the wear of tyres, which is potentially bad news for EVs and SUVs. However, more research is required which could possibly result in new tyre labels or even the banning of some. To read more click here for the Motoring Research article and for a more in-depth article, click here to read about it from Tire Technology.

OLD FASHIONED TOYS MAKING A COMEBACK

As a result of lockdown in the UK, there has been an increase in toys such as slot cars and model railways being purchased. Anyone who follows the podcast will know Alan has bought a remote control car that he is in the middle of constructing, now surprises that he selected a Toyota Yaris WRC. To read more about how people are trying to amuse themselves, click the Telegraph article here.

We are pausing our Patreon for the foreseeable future due to the ongoing crisis, however, if you are still able to help someone, we recommend supporting Mission Motorsport’s COVID-19 Response Fund. To find out more click this link here.

MISSED YOUTUBE RECOMMENDATIONS

In the list of online racing being suggested, Andrew forgot to add anything about WRC games, which is very remiss of him. However, we now have a link to DiRT Rally 2.0’s own official channel to their World Championship which all rally fans can access by clicking the link here.

For those who prefer to watch real-world rallying, we forgot to add the wonderful VHS Rallies YouTube channel, showing classic Group B rallies from the '80s, to wallow in crazy, ear-splitting nostalgia, click the link here.

IMSA iRACING PRO SERIES SCHEDULE

For those who love the commentary of LeMans Radio and the Team, they are still working hard even though racing has gone online. They are broadcasting the IMSA iRacing Pro Series, racing league. To find out when they are on the air, helping us to follow some excellent racing, click the link here.

HOW TO SPEND A LOT ON A SIM RACING RIG

Professional racing driver Robb Holland walks us through his dive into sim racing gear, as he explains how much he spent on setting up his own rig. This is a cautionary tale, in more ways than one, for example, you can get set up without spending anywhere near as much as he did, also maybe don’t explain to your partner how much you’ve spent! To read more, click The Drive article here.

LUNCHTIME READ: RACE AGAINST TIME

This week’s Lunchtime Read is about motorsport photographer Drew Gibson and how he took THAT fabulous shot of the Ford GTs at Spa. Some say constraints bring out the best in creatives, well that is put to the test in this story. To read more, click the Canon article here.

LIST OF THE WEEK: 14 CARS THAT ARE 50 YEARS OLD IN 2020

Just in case being cooped up wasn’t bad enough, we thought we would add to that by sharing this list of cars that are now 50 years old, which has aged us all! To run through the list of some glorious and some, erm, not so much, click the Goodwood Road & Racing article here.

AND FINALLY: KEEPING YOUR CAR IN TOP CONDITION DURING STORAGE

Harry Metcalfe has created a video to help all of us take care of our cars whilst we are off the road. To be fair, he knows a thing or two about keeping a car in top-notch condition whilst it is in storage. To have a watch, click the link here.

Back when we could all still travel by aeroplane, Alan spent a couple of days in Portugal driving the third generation Hyundai i10, a mature-feeling small car that’s hoping to appeal to a less mature audience.