2015 Kawasaki Ninja Zx10r Motor Engine on 2040-parts.com

Shocking stats reveal mobile use while driving

AS MANY as 13% of drivers are still using hand-held mobile phones while at the wheel, according to a survey. And 4% have admitted to regularly sending or reading text messages while driving, the poll by road safety charity Brake and insurance company Direct Line showed. The number of people owning up to using hand-held mobiles at the wheel has fallen from 36% in 2006 to the current figure of 13%.

Mini Crossover Concept: the first photos

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 09 September 2008 23:00 Here's the first look at the new Mini Crossover Concept – proof, at last, that BMW will indeed build a 4x4, SUV-lite version of the Mini. The Crossover concept car will be shown at the 2008 Paris motor show (where else?) and previews the production Mini SUV due in 2010. Mini Crossover Concept: the first official pictures Pore over these first official photographs carefully, because the new Mini Crossover Concept shows closely how the trendy brand's new SUV is shaping up and also reveals how the future face of the Mini brand is evolving.

Creature comforts now top car-shoppers' 'must-haves'

New technologies come with a learning curve, but once we tackle the initial challenge it's amazing how quickly new features become “must-haves.” From cars that unlock as we approach to those that keep themselves between the lines and a safe distance from what's ahead, we have already become accustomed to high-tech driving. So which features would most drivers refuse to live without? Surprisingly, it's the simplest creature comforts most people hold dear—at least for now.