Goodwood Festival of Speed 2013: Everything You Need to Know

Goodwood Festival of Speed is a highlight on any British petrolhead�s calendar and the 2013 event is sure to be another spectacular event. The famous motoring festival happens every year and this will be celebrating their 20th anniversary this year, so you�ll be able to immerse yourself in a real party atmosphere.

Highlights of the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2013 

The 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed is due to take place from 11th � 14th July in the grounds of Goodwood House, near Chichester, West Sussex. The main festival takes place over the weekend including Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but if you�re looking for inspiration for your next car purchase, why not head to Goodwood on the Thursday for the Moving Motor Show.

Here, you can take a look at some of the latest greatest models from a wide range of famous car manufacturers and even take some of them on test drives around the Goodwood Estate.

The Moving Motor Show is a great event to attend if you�re thinking of buying a new car � although if you�re splashing out on a vehicle, don�t forget to look into an online insurance policy to see if you could save money when it comes to getting your new pride and joy on the road. If you do end up buying a new car, consider multi car insurance policies, which cut out the hassle of insuring two vehicles separately.

The festival�s main events kick off on Friday 12 July. You can explore the site, watch drivers and riders practicing for the following day�s hill climb or look on in awe as wealthy motoring fans bid for high-value classic cars at the Bonhams� Summer Sale.

On Saturday and Sunday, you can enjoy watching timed hill climb runs �a wide range of vehicles tackle the tough 1.16 mile course, which rises more than 300 feet.

If you�re a supercar fan, make sure you catch one of the Michelin Supercar Runs to see how some of the most expensive cars in the world perform on this testing course.


You can also watch motorbikes, vintage racers, touring cars and rally cars making their way to the summit and chat to the drivers in the Top Paddock once they have completed their runs.

Rallying fans will love watching some of their favourite drivers showing off their skills on the Forest Rally Stage, a 1.67 mile course designed by Hannu Mikkola; the 18-time WRC rally champion from Finland, whilst bike lovers can see some of world�s most talented riders in the world performing amazing tricks in the Goodwood Action Sports Arena (GAS).

Don�t forget to explore the vehicle display areas either. There are a number of dedicated display areas at Goodwood, including the Formula 1 Paddock, the Michelin Supercar Paddock and the Cathedral Paddock, and they are packed with priceless historic and contemporary vehicles you can look at in awe!

Will you be heading to Goodwood this year? Have you been before? What is it about Goodwood that we love so much?

The dangers of driving In Brazil

Driving�s a great way to see Brazil and get to its stunning beaches and most scenic parts, but be aware of some of the dangers� 

Driving hazards
Almost 40,000 people die on Brazil�s roads every year. Most of the deaths are causes by drunk or reckless drivers and the less than safe roads.

Drink driving has always been one of the biggest causes of accidents, but new Brazilian laws don�t allow you to drive even if you�ve only had the smallest amount of alcohol � you�re only allowed to drive with a maximum blood alcohol limit of 0.2g/l which takes into account trace amounts of the spirit found in mouthwashes.



That means that if you�ve only had a glass of wine or a single beer, you could be over the limit. And the more alcohol you�ve been drinking before driving, the bigger your fine will be if you�re caught by the police. This new law has helped bring down the number of alcohol-related deaths, but they are still tragically common. Try to avoid driving on public or national holidays when the locals will be out partying before getting into a car.

It�s not that Brazil�s road laws aren�t on par with those in Western Europe, it�s just that so many people ignore them. Drivers tend to respect speeding limits where they know there will be cameras. Brazilian motorists have been known to change lanes without warning, fail to stop at pedestrian crossings and swerve suddenly to overtake other cars. Notoriously, they don�t always keep a big enough space between cars either which often leads to collisions.
Later on at night, the motorways can become a playground for racers who blatantly flout speed rules and drive dangerously fast. The motorbike drivers are not much better than the car users, and often attempt daring manoeuvres to beat the traffic.

The situation is particularly bad in the more rural areas where the roads are less safe (often containing huge potholes), the nearest medical help may be far away and driving conditions become even more difficult as not all roads are well lit after dark. What�s more, drivers could encounter wild livestock roaming the roads or pedestrians who have learned to ignore traffic signs just like the drivers. Question marks have also been raised about the safety of cars manufactured in Brazil, with high mechanical failure rates posing even more risks. All this makes for a dangerous cocktail.

Car theft
Because the weather is so hot in Brazil and not all cars come with air conditioning, it�s easy for thieves to target vehicles which have stopped at a traffic light or for the driver to pop into a shop.
It�s always advisable to keep your doors locked and your windows closed at all times (especially when stopping at a red light) and remain vigilant. When you�re parked, keep your valuables hidden if you must leave them in your car.
Avoid getting lost and becoming an easy target by planning your route before you set off and having a detailed road map of Brazil in front of you. This is especially important if you�re exploring the more remote parts of the country where road signs can suddenly tail off, leaving you to fend for yourself.

If you�re in an accident
Brazilian road tax payments cover drivers for limited third party insurance, but take out your own private insurance policy as well so you�ll be covered for anything from auto glass replacement to more serious damage to the car.
If you get hit by another vehicle, try to get these details before they drive off:

• The car�s registration number, make, model and  colour
• The driver�s name, address, identity card number (if they�re a local) and telephone number
• The driver�s insurance details in case you want to make a claim

If the accident is serious and you need to call for help urgently, have the federal highway police�s emergency number (191) and the ambulances and fire brigade�s number (193) handy in case your mind draws a blank.

What�s been your experience of driving in Brazil? 

100 Years at the Morris Car Plant

Find out about Oxford's century old Morris car plant and the vehicles it has put on Britain's roads throughout its history. Two world wars, four monarchs and countless Prime Ministers - Britain has changed dramatically throughout the Morris car plant's century long history.

The iconic site is one of the most significant in British motoring and is renowned throughout the country and around the world for the vehicles it has produced. Still affectionately known by its Morris moniker, the plant is now owned by BMW and continues to produce the hugely popular modern MINI range of vehicles.

Read on to find out everything you need to know about the Morris car plant's rich past and what the future holds for the Cowley site.

History

William Morris opened the factory in 1913 on the site of the former Military College. The entrepreneur previously worked as a mechanic on Longwall Street, where he repaired cars and carried out windscreen replacement.

On the new site the car designer was able to adopt mass production techniques from the US to build his 'bullnose' Morris, an early staple of British motoring. Throughout his stewardship Morris, a renowned philanthropist, funded the expansion in the area surrounding the plant to improve the lives and opportunities of his workers.

After being used for making munitions and then aircraft salvage in respective world wars, the plant continued to prosper and was employing 20,000 people by the 1970s. During these years Morris' company went through a series of amalgamations, eventually having joined with Jaguar, Leyland and Rover before being purchased by British Aerospace in 1988 and then BMW six years later.

Famous cars

Whoever its owner, the Morris car plant continued to produce iconic British cars throughout its history. The Cowley plant's history is intertwined with that of the MINI, which was first produced in Oxford in 1959.
Dripping in cutting-edge style whilst remaining affordable to the masses, the compact car helped redefine motoring in Britain.

From Clubman to the Countryman World Rally Car, the MINI has remained hugely popular throughout its five decades-and-counting history. The economic Morris Minor is another of the Cowley plant's famous alumni. Showcasing elegant British lines, more than 1.3 million of the classic-looking cars were made during the quarter of a century it remained in production.

The Morris factory was also where many Rover vehicles were assembled, including both the successful 75 and 600 series.

Bright future�

The Morris car plant might be a hundred years young but it's still an integral part of BMW's global manufacturing network. Over 190,000 cars were produced at the site in 2011, creeping back towards the pre-downturn highs of the mid-noughties. And with the next generation of MINI Paceman launched earlier this year, the workers in Cowley will be building the iconic car for many years to come.

Have you ever owned Morris produced car?