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‘Trade wars are easy to win’. That's at least according to the US President, who many say is in danger of sparking one over his recently announced tariffs on steel and aluminium. But whether this turns out to be true or not, here at Big Motoring World we're sure that there could be some fairly dramatic consequences for the motoring industry - and by implication, for drivers themselves. But first, a quick explanation. Essentially, the announcements this week mean that US import dutie...

The UK has been in the grip of some seriously testing weather in the last few weeks, so we thought a timely reminder of how to drive safely in the snow might be in order. Here's a quick primer on winter driving from the AA.

As the law stands at the moment, your car doesn't need an MOT until it's three years old. But some recent research by Which? suggests that the new car you've just bought might not be quite as fault free as you'd like to think. Here at Big Motoring World we pride ourselves on the quality of the used cars we sell, but of course we know that many people still like to buy their cars fresh out of the new car showroom. The research we've seen suggests that this might not always be a sure-fire route t...

We think the BMW M550i's remote parking feature is so cool we thought you might like to see a quick video of how it works. Enjoy

When was the last time you had an eye test? And can you remember the eye test element of the driving test you took all those years ago? For most people it was a case of trying to read a car number plate across a car park at a set distance. As we get older, our eyesight deteriorates - it's a sad fact of life, but one that seems to have passed the motoring authorities by. Here at Big Motoring World we were struck by a recent call for stricter eye test regulation for drivers from a major UK road s...

How will the changes to car tax coming in this year affect you? Here's a quick film to explain what's happening in 2018.

As car owners, it's the call that many of us dread - the news from the garage that your car has failed its MOT. It's usually at this point that you then need to make a tough decision - whether to pay out for the repairs it needs to pass, or throw in the towel and start looking for a new car. Either way it's going to cost. In the past, the situation was pretty clear - your car has failed because of x, y and z, or it has passed. With new changes to the law however, that situation has just got a li...

Ever fancied working for BMW? Check out this quick film about some of the people who have gone through an apprenticeship with the car makers – and since built fantastic careers at the company. Just follow the link and scroll to the bottom of the page to watch.

  Once again, car sales slowed in January. On the face of it, this clearly this isn't great news for the UK car industry - but what are the underlying factors that are going into this ongoing trend? It's the tenth month in a row that sales have been down - but here at Big Motoring World we'd suggest that there might be more to the figures than meets the eye. Diesel, diesel, diesel The big story here is the diesel factor. The UK government hasn't been alone in waging a war against vehicles ...

If your car was registered after April last year, then the vehicle tax rates are changing in the UK – here’s a quick primer on what to look out for.  

Technology seems to be transforming every imaginable aspect of our lives, in ways that would have seemed incredible only a few years ago. And of course the motoring industry has played a huge role in this, spending millions on research and development in areas ranging from driverless vehicles to alternative fuels, AI and smart road technology. So what do the team here at Big Motoring World think will be the new technology that starts to make an impact in 2018? Here are a few of our predictions. ...

It’s no wonder that Mercedes-Benz are such experts at creating machines that balance speed with safety – after all, they’ve been doing it a long time. Here’s a short film that features a replica of the first car patented by Benz in 1886 – and the evolution of car safety in the years since.

For anyone who loves cars, Detroit is a city that is synonymous with this incredible industry. Motown itself has fallen on hard times in recent years, but the Detroit Motor Show is always one of the highlights of the year for us here at Big Motoring World. It's a chance for manufacturers large and small to show off their latest models - as well as tease the industry with glimpses of the concepts they've been working on behind the scenes. This year's show was no different - here are our highlight...

Nowhere loves cars quite like Motown – here’s a quick preview of the upcoming Detroit Motor Show to get you in the mood.

This shouldn't come as a huge surprise to you - at least it certainly wasn't to us here at Big Motoring World. Every day, we see just how popular the Mercedes-Benz brand remains - it continues to attract new fans every year – so the news that it remained as the world's biggest luxury carmaker in 2017 wasn't exactly a shock. Sustained success The company sold an incredible 2.3 million cars last year - 10 per cent up on 2016. But what - apart from the enduring appeal of this prestigious marq...

Project ONE The new year is always a time for dreaming, so we thought it might be a good time to remind ourselves of the stunning Mercedes Project ONE, the 217-mile an hour road legal hypercar that boasts an F1 engine. Here's a quick peek at the car that was unveiled at Frankfurt last year.

Here at Big Motoring World we love the New Year. It is the perfect time to look ahead at what's coming up over the next 12 months - and in an industry as dynamic as ours there's always something new to look forward to. So what do we think 2018 has in store for us? Here's our take on a couple of the biggest trends for the year to come. Things are going to keep on getting more rugged The new car industry has fallen head over heels in love with the crossover/SUV range, and it seems that every car t...

We all know that using your phone while driving is dangerous - but it's not the only way that drivers are getting distracted behind the wheel. Here's  a short film from Honest John about the dangers of trying to do more than one thing at once when you’re on the road.

The good news just seems to keep on coming for fans of alternative energy vehicles - in the wake of a series of recent announcements by national governments of impending bans on diesels, it now seems that electric vehicles are also becoming an increasingly affordable option. Lower running costs Here at Big Motoring World we were certainly intrigued to read news of a recent piece of research that suggests that it is now cheaper to own and run an electric car than a petrol or diesel in the UK, US ...

We all know that it's not great to hog the middle lane on the motorway. It's frustrating, shows a lack of awareness of other road users - and it also could land you in trouble with the police, who class it as 'careless driving'. Here's a quick film that shows how serious the problem is.

Here at Big Motoring World we were surprised recently by an interesting piece of research that reveals exactly which professions have the most car insurance claims. Strangely, it doesn't appear to be the most dangerous or high-risk workers who have the most accidents - the truth is that it seems to be the people who are doing more regular, deskbound jobs that are claiming more often. A surprising picture The research from insurer 1st Central took a look at 400,000 policies across the UK in an at...

  The new driving test has a new 'show me' and 'tell me' element that reflects the kinds of things you need to know once you're driving in real life, such as how to test your brakes or put the fog lights on. Here at Big Motoring World we think this is a great idea - and a useful exercise to go through whether you're taking your test or even if you're an experienced driver. Take a look here. ...

We've all been there. You're running late for work. You can't find your other glove. You jump in the car, turn the key and realise you can't see a thing out of the window. You scrabble in the glove box for a scraper that isn't there, find an empty can of de-icer, and then try to scrape the window with your credit card. It snaps, so you boil a kettle, tip it over and, if you're really unlucky, you crack your windscreen. Icy mornings always seem to catch everyone by surprise (even here at Big Mot...

Winter is well and truly here now - and as the weather is likely to only get worse in the coming months, at Big Motoring World we thought we'd share this short film about driving safely in winter. And yes, we'd really like to try out the Finnish police force's winter driving test track too.

Here at Big Motoring World we welcome anything that helps to reduce accidents and makes our roads safer for everyone. The Government recently took a big step in the right direction recently, with the introduction of a number of positive changes to the UK driving test. The changes - which were thoroughly tested with learner drivers before their implementation - took effect on 4 December. Here's a quick run down of what they are: More independent driving - now 20 minutes rather than 10. A ne...

The Derby Telegraph recently published a useful set of tips on how to make sure you don't invalidate your car insurance. Some might seem obvious - others less so - but they're certainly all worth bearing in mind if you want to stay on the right side of your insurers. Take a look here

The annual UK Budget is always a slightly unnerving time for British motorists - the news is rarely that encouraging, and most gifts are given while something else is simultaneously being taken away. So, here at Big Motoring World we were really pleased to hear that the there is some undiluted good news on the way for the UK car industry - a £500 million cash injection to help support electric motoring in the UK. Riding the wave It's an announcement that is probably not that surprising, gi...

Big Motoring World has launched a premium warranty created specifically for their BMW and Mercedes customers. The warranty is available for cars up to four years old and with less than 75,000 miles on the clock at the time of sale. The new warranty includes a no claims limit with unlimited claims, full breakdown cover throughout the warranty term in association with Drive Assist and a 24 hour, 7 days a week customer help line. “We found that customers were frustrated with the standa...

Big Motoring World has been included in The Sunday Times Grant Thornton Top Track 250 league table, which ranks Britain’s private mid-market growth companies with the biggest sales. It is compiled by Fast Track and is published in The Sunday Times – and 2017 is the first year that Big Motoring World has made the list, entering at number 143. “We have been growing our business consistently over the past few years, and so our thanks go to all of the staff who have worked s...

So, the clocks have finally gone forward and the nights are drawing in - and with winter fast approaching we’re already starting to get a taste of some of the more testing driving conditions to come. Driving in cold weather can be treacherous and difficult - but sometimes the problems can start even before you leave your drive. One of the biggest mistakes is leaving your car unlocked and running outside while you wait in the warm. Apart from asking for your car to be stolen (you may as we...

It’s hard to think of a better choice of manufacturer to provide the 2018 safety car for MotoGP. We’re big fans of two wheels as well as four here at Big Motoring World, so we were hugely excited to hear the news that BMW have got the nod for next season. It’s no ceremonial role either - any car that follows a pack of some of the world’s fastest racing bikes needs to be quick, reliable and agile. Track ready That’s why we think the new BMW M5 performance sedan - whi...

It is a hugely emotive area, with good reason. But, here at Big Motoring World we welcome the recent news that the government is putting plans in place to introduce tougher penalties for drivers who cause death by dangerous driving or who drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Under current legislation, the maximum sentence for causing death by speeding, racing, or using a mobile phone is 14 years - the new proposals would see this raised to life. Causing death by driving while under th...

We all understand the need to stay focused as we drive. After all, driving is a complex business - it requires a huge amount of concentration to keep an eye on the road ahead while operating a complex and potentially deadly, fast-moving piece of machinery. But, we also know that maintaining that focus - particularly over a long drive - isn’t always easy. So, here at Big Motoring World we weren’t surprised to hear about some recent research that has shown just how distracted some of ...

For the sixth month in a row, increasing numbers of UK car buyers have shied away from buying a new car. The fall in sales - which was announced in October - has been driven in large part by plummeting diesel sales. Consumers are clearly spooked about mixed messages around government plans to improve air quality - diesels are set to face the brunt of any new air quality legislation, and the loss in consumer confidence in the technology is revealed in a spectacular 22 per cent decline in sales of...

Here at Big Motoring World we’re struggling to think of a better place to stage a solar-powered car race than Australia. The latest edition of the World Solar Challenge took place recently, with 42 cars taking part in the largest event of its kind. Bigger than ever The race has been going for an incredible 30 years now, with drivers using only the power of the sun to propel them the 1,878 miles from Darwin to Adelaide. This year’s event featured 95 teams from more than 20 countries. ...

If the Silicon Valley TED-talkers and the Elon Musks of the world are to be believed, we’re heading for a world in which car ownership might well soon be a thing of the past. Just as one day home ownership might seem like a quaint luxury to the generations to come who can no longer to afford to buy, so owning your own vehicle might seem like an unnecessarily costly and risky venture. In an age of autonomous self-driving cars, increasingly technologically advanced electric and hybrid vehicl...