Here’s the press release covering the Land Rover ‘Go Beyond’ bursary. If you love adventure, then I suggest you read on as you may just be able to fund the experience of a lifetime.

Calling all expedition enthusiasts! With only weeks to go before the Land Rover ‘Go Beyond’ Bursary 2012 application draws to a close, now is your chance to apply for funding and the loan of a Land Rover Defender 110 to do a journey of a lifetime.

For the fifth consecutive year, the Land Rover ‘Go Beyond’ Bursary, run by the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) is one of Land Rover’s six Global Humanitarian & Conservation Partners.

The award is aimed at those who want to take a journey beyond their limits and boundaries, offering challenges for the team and using a Land Rover Defender 110 as an integral part of the expedition.

Mark Cameron, Global Brand Extension Director for Land Rover said; “It’s brilliant to see such a wide and exciting variety of expedition enthusiasts applying for the ‘Go Beyond’ Bursary 2012 this year.

And for the first time ever, we have also trebled the total amount of Land Rover funding to £30, 000, enabling the winning Bursary team to adventure further afield than ever before.”

Paul Rose, Vice President of Expeditions & Fieldwork, RGS-IBG added; “The Land Rover ‘Go Beyond’ Bursary offers recipients an amazing opportunity to take a journey to promote a wider understanding and enjoyment of people, places and environments.”

“With the use of a Land Rover Defender 110, you can really get off the beaten track and make the most of the vehicle’s capabilities in remote terrain and in demanding environments, helping to turn ideas for challenging and inspiring geographical journeys into a reality.”

The journey may connect the team with schools, local communities or projects but, whatever its aim, the team will be expected to inspire and engage others, both from the field and on return.

A bursary of £15,000 is available and in addition applicants can apply for a discretionary fund of up to £15,000 to support essential expedition-related costs. The application deadline is 3 February 2012 and interviews will take place in March 2012, in London. To apply, please visit; www.rgs.org/GoBeyond.

Additionally, the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) will also be exhibiting at the Telegraph Adventure Travel Show; Expedition planning zone. The show will provide a collection of extraordinary travel experiences under one roof, at London Olympia on the 28 – 29 January 2012.

The Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) is one of six Global Humanitarian & Conservation Partners with Land Rover which forms part of an integrated approach to sustainability and sits within Land Rovers’ Our Planet.

Here is the latest (as of 13th January 2012) Croft Circuit 2012 Fixture List (provisional):

Date/Event:
22 Jan Jack Frost Rally (DDMC)
1 March-1 April Motorcycle races (NEMCRC)
28-29 April Car races (BARC)
19-20 May Car races (DDMC)
23-24 June Dunlop BTCC (BARC)
21-22 July Car races (BARC)
4-5 August Nostalgia Weekend (HSCC)
18-19 August Motorcycle races (Derby Phoenix)
8-9 September Car races (DDMC)
29-30 September Car races (BARC)
28 October British Rallycross (TBA)
24 Nov Roger Albert Clark Rally
TBA Christmas Stages Rally (NAC)

Croft Circuit has issued an action-packed motor sport fixture list for 2012 with the star-studded Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship (23-24 June), its own historic racing festival, Nostalgia Weekend (4-5 August), and the Roger Albert Clark Rally on 24 November featuring the hero cars of rallying’s golden era from the Seventies among the major highlights.

Croft Circuit Manager Tracey Morley commented: “Once again we are committed to providing the public, particularly families, with a great day’s entertainment when they visit us. We are very proud of our line-up of events for 2012, particularly considering we are limited to just 40 days per year of competitive activity here at Croft – of course the BTCC and Nostalgia weekends will attract star billing, but there are plenty of other gems in there for the public, media, officials and competitors to enjoy. We very much look forward to seeing them all during the forthcoming season.”

You may also be interested to know that Croft Circuit has re-launched its website www.croftcircuit.co.uk – providing fans, media, competitors and officials with greater and far speedier details about its exciting calendar of motor sport events and performance driving experiences.

Here’s the information direct from BEN on a new scheme you may be interested in if you’re looking to dispose of your old car:

BEN the automotive industry charity has teamed up with Cartakeback and launched “Scrap & Donate” – the ethical way to dispose of your unwanted car whilst turning it into a valuable cash donation to BEN. This will help to solve one of those age old problems and help to support the charity at the same time. It’s also good for the environment so everyone benefits!

Disposing of old cars that have failed MOTs or are just too old to get back on the road is a problem that many people are faced with and the growing number of abandoned cars on the roadside suggests it is something that we don’t always have an answer for. BEN can now help with this so that your old vehicle will be disposed of in an environmentally efficient way whilst donating the value of the vehicle to BEN at the same time.

The scheme is really easy to take part in as all you need to do is visit the website www.ben.org.uk/scrapanddonate and enter a few details. Then you choose whether to deliver your old car to your nearest Cartakeback recycling centre, or make things really easy and ask them to collect it from you free of charge!

The team at Cartakeback will decide the best route to dispose of your vehicle. They will complete the necessary DVLA paperwork and issue you with a DVLA Certificate of Destruction, freeing you of any liability and confirming that your old vehicle has been disposed of in an ethical and environmentally responsible way. Once your car has been disposed of then they will pass the value of the vehicle back to BEN as a donation on your behalf.

Anyone with an unwanted or unused vehicle, failed MOT or one just too old and who would like to donate it to BEN can log on to www.ben.org.uk/scrapanddonate and find out more.

Nigel Williams BEN’s Commercial Development Manager says “Partnering with Cartakeback was an easy decision for BEN; it allows us to push the environmental agenda whilst also providing us with an additional fundraising option. Obviously the value of any vehicle is dependent upon a number of factors but at an average of around £100/vehicle this is an initiative that can provide us with another significant fundraising stream to help us continue to support those people who have turned to us for help”

Here’s the latest information on some considerations should you be taking a trip to Europe this summer:

With the good old British weather remaining as unpredictable as ever, lots of families are packing up their cars and driving to Europe’s holiday spots for a summer get away. Wherever you’re headed, breakdown cover and road safety organisation, GEM Motoring Assist has important driving tips to make sure you steer clear of confusion over the ever-changing rules and regulations and know exactly what to do should you break down.

Your Introduction to Driving in Europe is a FREE leaflet from GEM, and a great guide for even the most experienced drivers. Voted the number one for breakdown cover* again this year, GEM’s leaflet features three sections including preparation “Before You Travel”, “Country By Country” information, and what to do “If Things Do Go Wrong”.

Being prepared is GEM’s motto, and with so many things to think about before going away including passports, foreign currency, travel and medical insurance, the guide provides you with simple and clear information on what you need to check before you travel, foreign road laws to be aware of, and also what to do in an accident or breakdown situation.

Top tips to be prepared:

1. A service – it makes sense to have a service before you go, but as a minimum make sure to check the tread on the tyres, oil and water levels

2. Vehicle Registration Document – keep this with you at all times, never leave it in the car

3. Nationality plate – this must be the approved pattern, design and size

4. MOT Certificate – if your car is more than 3 years old, make sure you take this with you

5. Mechanical adjustments – be aware of the headlight requirements, you may need beam deflectors

6. Driving Licence – take both parts of your licence with you, and if you haven’t updated your licence do it now as the new style is valid in all EU countries

7. Equipment checklist – make sure you have high visibility jackets for each person, two warning triangles, first aid kit, replacement bulbs and a spare pair of glasses

8. Maps & routes – take a detailed map and plan your journey well in advance

David Williams, CEO of GEM Motoring Assist said: “With the holiday season well and truly upon us, we want to stress the importance of being fully prepared when driving abroad. With lots of changing and often confusing laws and road signs, it’s crucial to plan ahead and look into the countries you’ll be travelling in. Our leaflet, along with the European Traffic Police Network at www.motoringassist.com/Europe provides up-to-date information on driving in every EU country and highlights a number of the unusual rules and regulations you may encounter.”

GEM’s Top Ten Most Unusual Foreign Road Rules

1.In Finland, if you hit an elk or deer you must immediately report the collision to the police

2.Both Spanish and Swiss law demands that if you need glasses for driving you must carry a spare pair with you in the car

3.In Sweden, it is compulsory to have dipped headlights on throughout the day and night

4.If you are towing a caravan in Portugal, you must have a current inventory of all contents to show a police officer if requested

5. In Germany, it is an offence to run out of fuel on a motorway and to make rude signs to other road users

6.In Austria, you must not park a caravan within 500m of a lake

7. In Italy, police can impound your car if you do not present the relevant ownership documents

8. In Norway, vehicles travelling downwards on hilly roads have priority

9. In Greece, carrying a petrol can in the car is forbidden

10. In France, police have the power to confiscate your car and your licence on the spot if you are caught speeding

The leaflet also includes a section on what do if you have an accident or in case of a breakdown and provides the all-important emergency number for Europe 112 should drivers need to use it.

David Williams continues, “As a road safety organisation we are committed to keeping drivers as safe as possible on the roads and this does not stop when they leave the country. We urge all drivers travelling abroad this summer to read our guide and keep a copy in the glove compartment.”

For more information on GEM’s No.1 breakdown cover or to print a copy of the leaflet please visit www.motoringassist.com/leaflets or call 01342 825676 for a hard copy.

If you’re in the market for a used car under £5,000 but don’t want to try an auction or buy from a dealer, then you should consider the new service on offer from The CarFair UK.

On Sundays at Kempton Park Racecourse (only 20 minutes from Hyde Park) The CarFair UK has created a venue for buyers to meet sellers and vice versa.

The benefit for the buyer means that there’s a lot of cars to look at from a number of private sellers and the seller in turn will have a number of potential customers viewing.

Both parties will benefit as there will be no middleman or dealership involvement, which naturally bumps up the price when businesses have to make a markup.

For all buyers, entry to the The CarFair UK is free and for sellers a nominal fee of only £15 to £25 on the day depending on whether you’ve pre-registered on the website.

The first event from The CarFair UK took place Sunday 3rd July 2011. If anyone attended please provide some feedback, I’d be really keen to know your thoughts on what seems like an excellent new concept in car buying and selling.

With the good weather now hitting our shores, you might well be considering a purchase of a new car. Motorpoint has some particularly exciting deals if you’re in the market for a Vauxhall. Here are the details:

Vauxhall Astra 10-Reg 1.4T 16v SE 5dr – £10,999 – a saving of £9,619 (saving equivalent from franchised dealer price). This particular model comes with Air Conditioning, Half Leather Trim and Metallic Paint as standard.

Vauxhall Astra 60-Reg 1.6i 16v Elite 5dr. This particular model is currently only £11,999 – a saving of £8,335.

And, for those after the diesel version of the Vauxhall Astra, it is selling the 60-Reg 1.7 CDTi 16v ecoFLEX SRI 5dr for £12,999 – a saving of £7,480.

Says David Shelton, Managing Director of Motorpoint: “We really have gone out of this world to offer these types of savings on the new-shape Vauxhall Astra.”

Hot on the heels of the previous coverage of the Mitsubishi ASX, here’s another article. To support the launch of the new crossover vehicle, Mitsubishi have released a new online game which offers you the chance to win a brand new ASX.

Players are set various ‘missions’ and ‘mini-games’, which unlock product features and accumulate points and prizes along the way. The more a user plays the game and the better they do, the more points they can earn and the more prizes they win.

Two “missions” involve driving from A to B in “Drop the Kids at School” and “Mother-in-Law Chauffeur”. The game uses an innovative Penalty System for reckless driving while on a mission. Look out for further missions in the future.

Ferrari 599 GTO

Announced on www.ferrari.com there’s a new sight – the Ferrari 599 GTO. It’s a modified, extreme V12 berlinetta, set to be one of the most exclusive limited edition vehicles to be released this year. In fact the 599 GTO is based on the 599XX, the advanced experimental track car, and can be considered almost a road-going version.

The 599 GTO is reserved for just 599 clients who seek the maximum expression of high performance driving. The 599 GTO benefits directly from the technological transfer from racing and set a record lap time at Fiorano in 1’24”.

The Fiorano lap time provides just one indication of the potential of this car. Just as significant are the technical specifications – 670 hp in a 1495kg car represents a weight-to-power ratio of just 2.23 kg/hp, and ensures a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of just 3.35” as well as a top speed of over 335 km/h.

The GTO (Gran Turismo Omologata) moniker instantly calls to mind two Ferraris that have entered the collective imagination as symbols of performance. After the 1962 250 GTO, which swept the boards in GT racing categories in the 1960s and is now a highly prized collector’s car, came the iconic 1984 GTO, which basically invented the entire modern supercar genre.

The public debut of the 599 GTO will be at the Beijing International Motor Show at the end of April.

Carmony

The good folk over at Carmony have recently launched a new blog with some quite interesting articles – naturally the blog itself concerns motoring!  I particularly liked their post on The Highway Code.  Something I think I’ll feature fairly soon myself as we don’t talk about it enough I find, especially given some of the terrible examples of driving I’ve seen recently…