Renault gains it's first points haul at the Russian GP at Sochi, with both drivers finishing better than they started.

• Kevin started the race in P17 on new super soft Pirelli tyres, changing to a set of soft tyres on lap 16.
• Jolyon started the race in P18 on new super soft tyres, changing to fresh soft tyres on lap 14.

Kevin Magnussen, #20, R.S.16-02: Started P17, finished P7

“It feels really good to get these points for the team as I know how hard everyone’s been working this season. I made a great start, but then lost a couple of positions at the first corner because of a spin in front of me. After that I was pushing hard for the entire race, made some good overtakes and I had a great pit stop from the crew. We were a bit lucky today; we’ve been unlucky in the past so I’ve certainly no complaints!”

Jolyon Palmer, #30, R.S.16-01: Started P18, finished P13

“It’s great for the team to get our first points of the season and I’m pleased that we’re making genuine progress with the car. Kevin showed what is possible today so that’s a good target for the next races. Overall we’ve learnt a lot of positives this weekend so I feel there’s a lot to build on for the races ahead.”

Fred Vasseur, Racing Director

“After the Chinese Grand Prix everyone dug deep so to finish strongly in the top ten at a circuit where we didn’t expect to excel is a testament to the resolve of everyone in the team. Kevin drove a superb race and there was nothing more we could ask of him. Jolyon didn’t get quite the same opportunities in his race but drove well too. A big thank you to everyone at Enstone and Viry for their continued efforts.”

The German brands are NOT as good as they would have us believe, latest survey confirms this long known fact.

• WarrantyWise survey finds that UK buyers think German cars are among the most reliable on the road, despite WarrantyWise data showing many are ‘below average’
• In a survey of more than 750 people, Mercedes, Audi and BMW were all in the top 10 for reliability – WarrantyWise data, however, puts them at 27^th, 28^th and 29^th respectively
• Fiat, Renault and Vauxhall all perform badly in the public’s perception of their reliability but are actually well above the UK average according to WarrantyWise
• Japanese brands Toyota and Honda are the two most reliable manufacturers as picked by the public – a result also backed up by WarrantyWise’s data

WarrantyWise.co.uk has found that many UK car buyers believe cars produced by big German manufacturers are more reliable than they actually are. WarrantyWise asked more than 750 people who they thought were the most reliable manufacturers in the UK, with Mercedes, Audi and BMW all coming in the top 10. Conversely, WarrantyWise’s data shows those brands a lot further down the rankings, with scores that are ‘below average’.

An open-ended survey question asked users to pick from all manufacturers on sale in the UK, to identify who they believed were the most reliable. Honda came out on top, followed by Toyota and Ford, with BMW in fourth place. But according to WarrantyWise’s Dependability Rating, the public’s perception of BMW’s reliability is wildly different to the reality, with BMW placing 29^th in a list of most reliable manufacturers.

Fellow German brands Mercedes and Audi also placed in the public’s top 10 most reliable manufacturers, but finished well outside of the top 10 in WarrantyWise’s Depdendability Table, in 27^th and 28^th places respectively. Both had scores that are considered ‘below average.’

Each car manufacturer has been ranked by a dependability factor, based on the number of reported faults or breakdowns, with a score of 75 representing the UK average. A rating above 75 is considered good, and below 60 signifies a high incidence of repair work is required.  Average costs, vehicle age and model are also considered in the Warrantywise ranking.

WarrantyWise.co.uk also asked buyers who they believed to be the least reliable manufacturer in the UK, with Fiat, Vauxhall and Renault all in the top five most popular answers. The reality is, though, both brands perform ‘above average’ in the WarrantyWise Dependability Table. Fiat, Vauxhall and Renault finished at 14^th, 17^th and 18^th respectively, with scores of 82, 81 and 81.

WarrantyWise CEO, Lawrence Whittaker, said: “This research proves that you can’t go buying a car on reputation alone; many people will flock to certain brands and stay away from others but our data shows that those prejudices may actually be leading people in the wrong direction. If you will be buying a car soon it’s well worth taking a look at our Dependability Table and then at our after-market warranty offerings – they may just end up saving you from a big bill.”

Dependability score	Make	Average repair cost
93	Honda	£535
93	Toyota	£592
92	Suzuki	£424
89	Mitsubishi	£833
88	Hyundai	£577
88	Mazda	£617
86	Nissan	£521
85	Subaru	£791
85	Ford	£421
84	SEAT	£475
84	Peugeot	£406
83	Smart	£390
82	MINI	£497
82	Volkswagen	£631
82	Fiat	£417
82	Lexus	£603
81	Renault	£441
81	Vauxhall	£467
80	Kia	£522
79	Chevrolet	£548
78	Skoda	£492
77	Land Rover	£453
77	Volvo	£553
77	MG	£399
76	Saab	£425
75	Citroen	£501
74	Mercedes	£751
74	Audi	£620
69	BMW	£701
64	Ferrari	£2046
64	Jeep	£505
64	Chrysler	£464
60	Alfa Romeo	£590
57	Porsche	£842
54	Jaguar	£794
41	Maserati	£1430

10 per cent of accidents involved new 15 and 65-plate cars and happen within two months of ownership.

• 10 per cent of accidents involved new 15 and 65-plate cars
• 32 per cent of new car accidents happen within two month of ownership
• Estimated 196,000 minor and serious new car accidents
• New car accidents occur on 57^th day after registration on average

Nearly 10 per cent of all accidents over the last 12 months involved new 15 and 65-plate vehicles according to a study by Accident Exchange.

Accident prone buyers tended to prang their brand new pride and joy on the 57^th day after the car was first registered, when averaged out. Putting those cars back on the road is estimated to have cost nearly £402 million* in just 12 months.

  

In fact, 32 per cent of all 15 and 65-plate accidents happened within just two months of ownership.

The crash statistics recorded by the accident management firm occurred between March 2015 and the end of February 2016. With an estimated 2.2** million accidents – minor and serious – occurring annually, that implicates 196,000*** 2015-plate vehicles.

The average cost of accident repairs is £2,050, meaning all 15 and 65-plate crashes cost drivers and insurers £402 million. 

Scott Hamilton-Cooper, director of operations at Accident Exchange, commented: “Any accident is a traumatic and emotional experience for the driver and passengers, but this increases for those driving brand new vehicles usually costing a lot of money.

“Buying a new car is a big deal; the old adage that it’s the second largest purchase most people will make after a home still rings true.

“Whenever a driver reports a crash to us, we make sure they are back on the road as swiftly as possible and that their vehicle is repaired according to strict manufacturer approved guidelines. The vehicle should always be returned to factory finish condition for safety reasons and because it is someone’s pride and joy.”

Furthermore, historic research by Accident Exchange has found that up to 63% of motorists involved in an accident will purchase a new car within six months.

The study examined 35,800 incidents recorded by Accident Exchange between February 2015 and January 2016.

Third edition of the largest Jeep Owners Group event to occur in Spain from June 2nd - 5th.

• Third edition of the largest Jeep Owners Group event to occur in Spain from June 2^nd - 5^th;
• A special edition of the Camp to celebrate the birthday of the brand born on June 5^th, 1941;
• Jeep Trailcat and Jeep Comanche, two amazing Moab Easter Jeep Safari concept vehicles to première at the Camp;
• Surprise concert with International Artist; 
• 75^th Anniversary special models available, with historical vehicles and Mopar concept cars;
• A full program of ‘Jeep & Fun Activities’ and trails with various levels of difficulty;
• Additional information available at https://ownersgroup.jeep.com/camp-jeep.

The third Camp Jeep®, the annual gathering for Jeep Owners Group (JOG) members and enthusiasts from across Europe will take place on June 2^nd-5^th in Bassella, in the heart of Lleida, Spain. Dates were chosen to celebrate the birthday of the brand on June 5^th, remembering when in 1941, the first Willys MA rolled off the assembly line.

Being the largest single-brand 4x4 customer event in Europe, Camp Jeep is a tribute to the owners of the world's most famous 4x4 vehicle and this special ‘Jubilee edition’ represents the celebration of  the icon brand that pioneered new segments and new models within the SUV industry.

Launched in August 2014, the JOG is ‘the one and only’ official fan club, run centrally by the brand, and is now active in 24 countries across the EMEA region with 64,000 members.

This year, around 400 Jeep vehicles and over 2,500 Jeep enthusiasts are expected to take part in the four days of 4x4 adventure, freedom and outdoor activities in a pure “Jeep Jamboree” style.

In the United States, Jamborees are actually get-togethers dedicated to 4x4 driving, to live the emotional side of the big Jeep family, offering the chance to enjoy the adventurous spirit and the unique 4x4 capability of the legendary iconic brand in nature’s wilderness.

Since 1953, when the first Jamboree was organised on the legendary Rubicon Trail in the Sierra Nevada mountains, these events have been an important part of the brand's heritage creating the concept of social networking, before the first social network was officially invented. Participants of Camp Jeep will test the ‘go-anywhere, do-anything’ capabilities of their Jeep vehicles in a unique and scenic environment and share their experiences with other enthusiasts.

But this special year required a special happening and for the very first time, two of the most amazing concept cars ever created for the Moab Easter Jeep Safari will cross the Atlantic and join the Camp Jeep in Spain. 

These two hero vehicles will be the functional Jeep Comanche and the high performance Jeep Trailcat, two unique concept cars created for the 50th edition of the Easter Jeep Safari, the 4x4 driving event attracting each year thousands of diehard off-road enthusiasts to Moab (Utah). 

Nodding to Jeep pickup trucks of the past, the Renegade based Comanche concept vehicle takes styling cues from military and civilian Jeep heritage models, while the Jeep Trailcat concept car is a high performance off-road vehicle featuring a supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI® Hellcat V-8 engine with 707-horsepower.

While attendees of Camp Jeep will bring their own vehicles, the new 75th Anniversary special editions created to celebrate the brand’s 75 years of history, will be showcased to all participants for the first time after their reveal at the recent Geneva Auto Show. 

Guests will also have the chance to learn about, and drive the entire Jeep range including Grand Cherokee, the most awarded SUV ever, the iconic Wrangler, Renegade, the compact SUV that boasts the best off-road performance in its segment and Cherokee, the unique combination of legendary Jeep 4x4 capability and cutting-edge design.

All the master pieces of Jeep concept cars and Moparized vehicles will be also showcased during the four-day 2016 Camp Jeep.  

In addition, and to enhance Jeep’s legendary heritage linking the models of today to those of yesterday, several special historical vehicles will be on display at Camp Jeep: the unstoppable 1941 Willys-Overland MB, the 1946 Willys Wagon, the industry’s first “sport-utility” vehicle and the  1963 Jeep Wagoneer, the first “Premium Large SUV.” 

Participants will have access to all Camp Jeep’s activities, including off-road driving in three dedicated areas with trails stretching across almost 50 km of the location and presenting different levels of difficulty and duration, as well as Jeep Academy coaching.

Besides off-road driving, a wide range of activities will be offered at Camp Jeep, such as canoeing, beach volley and even yoga and Flamenco courses. Last but not least, to celebrate the 75^th Anniversary of the brand, a surprise international artist will perform on stage, as the final moment of celebration.

Jeep Trailcat

The Jeep Trailcat concept vehicle is the ultimate off-road machine, equally at home on Moab’s rugged trails or a high-speed section. Utilizing the supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI® Hellcat V-8 engine, and mated to a 6-speed manual transmission with a custom shifter ball featuring an embossed Hellcat logo, the Trailcat concept vehicle leaves everything else in a cloud of dust.

To get the 707-horsepower Hellcat engine into the Trailcat, designers stretched the wheelbase an additional 12 inches while chopping the windshield two inches for a sleeker look. Mopar exterior enhancements include a power-dome vented hood, Satin Black grille, LED headlamps and fog lamps and rock rails.

The robust off-road look is further aided by steel front and rear bumpers, 17-inch beadlock wheels and 39.5-inch BFGoodrich Krawler T/A KX tires, front and rear Dana 60 axles and Fox shocks.

Subtle design cues, such as a Hellcat decal on the front quarter panels and a “Trailcat” decal on the side of the hood, hint at the horsepower that lurks beneath, making this much more than a typical production Wrangler. The Trailcat’s interior is simple yet functional and features sport bucket seats from the Dodge Viper, made from carbon fiber and featuring Katzkin leather seat covers with accent stitching. 

Jeep Comanche

Based on the Jeep Renegade, the Jeep Comanche concept vehicle is designed to be off-road ready with practical utility. A nod to Jeep pickup trucks of years past, the Comanche concept takes styling cues from military and civilian Jeep heritage.

The Comanche’s “Beige Against the Machine” concept exterior paint is accented with a Satin Black hood, a concept lower front fascia, winch, steel rear bumper, soft top and spare tire in the bed. The wheelbase has been stretched an additional six inches versus a production Renegade to accommodate Comanche’s 5-foot bed.

Inside, the Comanche features custom seat covers, pedal covers, door sill guards and Mopar all-weather mats. Jeep Performance Parts like off-road rock rails, a 2-inch lift kit and a winch bolster the Comanche’s off-road capability. The Comanche rolls on 16-inch painted wheels and 32-inch BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A tires.

The Jeep Comanche is powered by a 2.0-liter diesel I-4 engine and mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission with Jeep Active Drive Lock, which includes low range and a locking rear differential.