Car Throttle

British summertime is officially back in business and it's arrived with a bang. After the success of our Used Coupes for under £5,000 article and after a temperature record-breaking March week, I'm sure the question on the tips of your tongues is: "I could really use a convertible car, where do I start?". So, to get you set for the summer holidays, I've hit the classifieds again to find the best budget droptops a 19-21 year old could buy and insure for under £5,000. 10. Alfa Romeo Spider (96-04) Just like the GTV coupe in the last countdown, you could buy and insure this gorgeous Alfa Spider for less than £5,000 and just like the GTV it is in budget for a reason. Chopping

When we interviewed Liam Doran last week at Wembley, all seemed to be on the up-and-up for this future star of Rallycross, mixing it with the likes of Ken Block and Tanner Foust. So when news broke of a crash at the Nurburgring involving Liam and his prized GT-R, we were keen to find out the real story direct from the main man himself, and to see whether his confidence had been affected heading into DS3 testing and the start of the Rallycross season. Adnan: How are you feeling today going into your first practice session with the DS3 here at Lydden Hill? Liam: Really excited, because it's been a long time coming. We've done a lot of hard work over the winter with the

Welcome to the wacky world of cars. We - your hosts here at Car Throttle - love the fact that you lust for all things motoring, but fortunately or unfortunately depending on your vantage point, there is far more to it than that. If you want to be recognised as a true car nut to us, here is a list of 50 "car things" to do before you can die a happy petrolhead. Some are as easy as cooking a frozen meal. Others are only achievable with luck and ideally a bit of cash lining your wallet. Print this list off and pin it to your board! Enter the Mongol Rally from Hyde Park to Mongolia, and survive Get a passenger ride in a supercar from the 90's Run out of

Road rage is an overpowering phenomenon – it sneaks up on you quickly and takes over, and it can find its way into the calmest of people. Those who you thought possessed the "Zen Factor". There’s something about bad drivers impairing our journey with their slow driving and mismatching indicators that just makes us see red. In an attempt to gently lessen the wrath that is so common on our roads, here are some scientific reasons behind why bad drivers are, well, bad. Knowledge is power, and knowing why some people drive as they do, we can work together to keep our heads from exploding over steering wheels across the UK. The majority of drivers will be aware of the middle-of-the-road driver, and that most of

If you happen to be between the ripe ages of 19 and 21, I'd put money on the fact that you drive a small hatchback, and I'm not normally a betting man. If I was, I'd also put money on Chelsea getting knocked out of the Champions League soon. Don't take my opener the wrong way though, what's not to love about a good ole hatch? They're practical, potentially nippy and if not packing too much heat then they're normally fairly easy to insure too. But what if you want to be different? What if you don't need to give three or four mates a lift regularly or ferry various family members home from the pub to make some extra cash? What if you want a car

Ken Block, Tanner Foust and Marcus Grönholm. These are just a few of the big names racing on the Rallycross circuit this year, each with their own A-list careers and each with mega-sponsorship deals lining their bank accounts. However a new young gun on the block cometh. His name is Liam Doran and for Rallycross newbies previously unaware of this 25-year-old British lad, now is the time to sit up and take notice. We caught up with Liam outside Wembley Stadium to take a look at his new Monster Energy & Citroen sponsored DS3 supercar and to get inside the brain of this European Rallycross Championship front runner. Adnan: All young guns dream of getting into motorsport, as you probably did Liam. What was your route

The second-most-populous in Switzerland each year gives way to star-studded press events and a round-the-clock showcase of the latest new car models to hit the road. There are usually a few experimental concepts which aim to revolutionise the car world, however this year, Geneva 2012 has seen concepts which are works of art, extremely efficient and even models that claim to cure range anxiety. The weird and wonderful await... Mini Clubvan Good news for florists, fashion designers, metrosexual joiners (if there are any out there) and those souls who find small Transit vans dull - Mini have made a van just for you! The Clubvan is basically a Clubman with polycarbonate panels down the side instead of windows. The car seats two; yourself and a lucky colleague

PR stunts can be a fantastic way for companies to let everyone know about their immense new product. This is because adverts tend to be similar and consistent and we see them everyday, but yet the occasional PR events are the ones we always remember. Sometimes they give us joy and excitement but some can leave us offended and outraged. Like the boss of Ryanair, Michael O'Leary, always says, 'Any publicity is better than no publicity.' It's exactly what the following five companies had in mind and each involved a car or two. 5. Mercedes: Escape The Map Mercedes knew that the amount of people that drooled at the sight of the C Class Coupe probably wouldn't be able to afford it which is why they ran

The Fisker Karma is a lot of things all rolled into one.  It allows celebutantes and starlets to drive something ecologically friendly without suffering behind the wheel of a Prius.  It is perhaps Henrik Fisker's most significant work, it's an odd performance proposition (A thousand pound-feet of torque at the wheels!), and it's a statement on sustainability.  Why is it then, that when I look at a Karma, all I can think about is how gorgeous it is? Styling plays a roll in the emotional connection to all cars, that can't be denied.  That's probably the biggest reason at least half the people who buy a Challenger or Camaro find themselves behind the wheel.  It's important: even Toyota has realized that you can't sell a

The start of this week saw a list of the 10 most dangerous roads in Britain. After a special request from one of our Facebook fans we took your feedback on board and researched the Top 10 Most Dangerous Racetracks from around the world. It's based on all aspects such as track deaths, structure, density and even society. Be afraid, be very afraid! 10. Baja 1000 The track itself is not overly dangerous, however it's the spectators that you should be worried about. Hardly any competitive event down the Baja peninsular has gone without kidnappings and/or shootings because of the notorious gang warfare. The most notable event was when a driver for Team Malo was kidnapped for nine days by ex-police officers! 9. Targa Florio Obstacles